Prism unit

• US 10,437,008 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Saita, Arihiro, Koike, Kazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US15/663,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20170329100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 359831, 348337, 348338
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1013 for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors spectral imaging systems G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/126 The splitting element being a prism or prismatic array, including systems based on total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1805 for prisms G02B7/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/04 by four or more separation records
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/16 Optical arrangements associated therewith, e.g. for beam-splitting or for colour correction

Abstract

In a color separation prism that includes a first and second prism blocks bonded to each other, the first and second prism blocks are bonded to the first and second adhesive portions of the first and second base plates, respectively. The first and second base plates are fixed to the first and second base plate-fixing portions of a base with the first and second base-fixing portion interposed therebetween, respectively. The second adhesive portion is disposed between the first and second base plate-fixing portions so that a direction in which the second base plate-fixing portion is displaced from the first base plate-fixing portion and a direction in which the second adhesive portion is displaced from the second base-fixing portion are opposite to each other in a case in which the base and the second base plate expand or contract due to a change in temperature.

Claims

1. A prism unit comprising:

a composite prism that includes a first prism block and a second prism block bonded to each other, the first prism block including at least one prism and the second prism block including at least one prism;

a first base plate that comprises a first adhesive portion and a first base-fixing portion, the first prism block being bonded to the first adhesive portion;

a second base plate that comprises a second adhesive portion and a second base-fixing portion, the second prism block being bonded to the second adhesive portion; and

a base that comprises a first base plate-fixing portion and a second base plate-fixing portion, the first base-fixing portion of the first base plate being fixed to the first base plate-fixing portion and the second base-fixing portion of the second base plate being fixed to the second base plate-fixing portion,

wherein the second adhesive portion is disposed between the first base plate-fixing portion and the second base plate-fixing portion, and a direction in which the second base plate-fixing portion is displaced from the first base plate-fixing portion and a direction in which the second adhesive portion is displaced from the second base-fixing portion are opposite to each other in a case in which the base and the second base plate expand or contract due to a change in temperature,

in a case in which a line passing through a center of a panel surface of an image forming panel adjacent to the composite prism and perpendicular to the panel surface is set as an optical axis, the first and second prism blocks of the composite prism are bonded to each other so as to form an air layer in a region including the optical axis, and

the first and second prism blocks of the composite prism are bonded to each other with a spacer interposed therebetween in a region other than the region including the optical axis.

2. The prism unit according to claim 1,

wherein in a case in which a linear expansion coefficient of the base is denoted by α

, an equivalent linear expansion coefficient of the second base plate is denoted by β

, an equivalent linear expansion coefficient of the composite prism is denoted by γ

, a distance between the first and second base plate-fixing portions is denoted by L mm, a distance between the second base-fixing portion and the second adhesive portion is denoted by M mm, and a change in the temperature of the prism unit up to 70°

C. from 25°

C. is denoted by Δ

T°

C., a relationship of “

α

<

β and

−

4×

10<sup>−

4</sup>≤

α

LΔ

T−

β

MΔ

T−

γ

(L−

M)Δ

T≤

4×

10<sup>−

4</sup>”

is satisfied.

3. The prism unit according to claim 2,

wherein the first base plate has a linear expansion coefficient equal to the linear expansion coefficient of the first prism block.

4. The prism unit according to claim 3,

wherein the second base plate includes a first component and a second component bonded to each other, the first component comprises the second adhesive portion and has a linear expansion coefficient equal to a linear expansion coefficient of the first base plate, and the second component comprises the second base-fixing portion and has a linear expansion coefficient higher than the linear expansion coefficient of the base.

5. The prism unit according to claim 4,

wherein a difference between a position of the center of the first adhesive portion and a position of the center of the first base-fixing portion is within ±

5 mm.

6. The prism unit according to claim 3,

wherein a difference between a position of the center of the first adhesive portion and a position of the center of the first base-fixing portion is within ±

5 mm.

7. The prism unit according to claim 3,

wherein the first base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the first base plate is fixed to the first base plate-fixing portion of the base by a first bolt, and

the second base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the second base plate is fixed to the second base plate-fixing portion of the base by a second bolt.

8. The prism unit according to claim 2,

wherein the second base plate includes a first component and a second component bonded to each other, the first component comprises the second adhesive portion and has a linear expansion coefficient equal to a linear expansion coefficient of the first base plate, and the second component comprises the second base-fixing portion and has a linear expansion coefficient higher than the linear expansion coefficient of the base.

9. The prism unit according to claim 8,

wherein a difference between a position of the center of the first adhesive portion and a position of the center of the first base-fixing portion is within ±

5 mm.

10. The prism unit according to claim 2,

wherein a difference between a position of the center of the first adhesive portion and a position of the center of the first base-fixing portion is within ±

5 mm.

11. The prism unit according to claim 2,

wherein the first base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the first base plate is fixed to the first base plate-fixing portion of the base by a first bolt, and

the second base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the second base plate is fixed to the second base plate-fixing portion of the base by a second bolt.

12. The prism unit according to claim 1,

wherein the first base plate has a linear expansion coefficient equal to the linear expansion coefficient of the first prism block.

13. The prism unit according to claim 12,

wherein the second base plate includes a first component and a second component bonded to each other, the first component comprises the second adhesive portion and has a linear expansion coefficient equal to a linear expansion coefficient of the first base plate, and the second component comprises the second base-fixing portion and has a linear expansion coefficient higher than the linear expansion coefficient of the base.

14. The prism unit according to claim 12,

wherein a difference between a position of the center of the first adhesive portion and a position of the center of the first base-fixing portion is within ±

5 mm.

15. The prism unit according to claim 12,

wherein the first base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the first base plate is fixed to the first base plate-fixing portion of the base by a first bolt, and

the second base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the second base plate is fixed to the second base plate-fixing portion of the base by a second bolt.

16. The prism unit according to claim 1,

wherein the second base plate includes a first component and a second component bonded to each other, the first component comprises the second adhesive portion and has a linear expansion coefficient equal to a linear expansion coefficient of the first base plate, and the second component comprises the second base-fixing portion and has a linear expansion coefficient higher than the linear expansion coefficient of the base.

17. The prism unit according to claim 16,

wherein a difference between a position of the center of the first adhesive portion and a position of the center of the first base-fixing portion is within ±

5 mm.

18. The prism unit according to claim 1,

wherein a difference between a position of the center of the first adhesive portion and a position of the center of the first base-fixing portion is within ±

5 mm.

19. The prism unit according to claim 1,

wherein the first base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the first base plate is fixed to the first base plate-fixing portion of the base by a first bolt, and

the second base-fixing portion is formed of a bolt hole and the second base plate is fixed to the second base plate-fixing portion of the base by a second bolt.

20. The prism unit according to claim 1,

wherein the composite prism is a color separation prism or a color synthesis prism that includes the first and second prism blocks bonded to each other so as to form the air layer in the region including the optical axis, and the first prism block is formed of one prism and the second prism block is formed of two prisms bonded to each other.