Apple has been filed for a patent (number 20210185855) for an “air deflector for cooling system in a head-mounted device” that involves the rumored “Apple Glasses.” That’s the anticipated augmented reality/virtual reality/mixed reality head-mounted display (HMD).
An HMD can be worn by a user to display visual information within the field of view of the user. The head-mounted device can be used as a virtual reality (VR) system, an augmented reality (AR) system, and/or a mixed reality (MR) system. A user may observe outputs provided by the head-mounted device, such as visual information provided on a display. However, such a device may generate heat that makes wearing it uncomfortable.
Apple’s patent filing involves an HMD that includes a housing configured to be worn on a head of a user. The housing includes an inlet port and an outlet port. An air circulation device is mounted to the housing and configured to produce a flow of air through an air flow path in the housing that extends from the inlet port to the outlet port.
A display assembly is mounted to the housing and has a surface in the air flow path of the housing. An air deflector mounted to the surface of the display assembly and configured to reduce a turbulence of the flow of air through the air flow path.
When it comes to Apple Glasses, such a device will arrive this year or 2022, depending on which rumor you believe. The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) thinks Apple will at least preview it before the end of the year.
It will be a head-mounted display. Or may have a design like “normal” glasses. Or it may be eventually be available in both. The Apple Glasses may or may not have to be tethered to an iPhone to work. Other rumors say that Apple Glasses could have a custom-build Apple chip and a dedicated operating system dubbed “rOS” for “reality operating system.”
