VARIABLE POWER OPTICAL SYSTEM

• US 20100259833A1
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Blackeye Optics, LLC
• Inventors: JANNARD, JAMES H., NEIL, IAIN A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/666
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/00 Optical objectives with means for varying the magnification anamorphotic objectives G02B13/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length

Abstract

Liquid lens cells are used in a variable power optical system. In one embodiment, a stop is located between a first lens group comprising at least a first liquid lens cell and a second lens group comprising at least a second liquid lens cell. In one embodiment, a liquid lens cell controls an incident angle of light rays on an image surface.

Claims

1. A variable power optical system, comprising:

a first lens group, wherein the first lens group comprises at least a first liquid lens cell;

a second lens group, wherein the second lens group comprises at least a second liquid lens cell; and

a stop located between the first lens group and the second lens group,

wherein light rays passing through the first lens group, second lens group, and the stop represent a zoom position, with control of the zoom position based at least in part on the configuration of the optical power of the first liquid lens cell and the configuration of the optical power of the second liquid lens cell.

2. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein the stop is approximately equidistant between a first surface of the first lens group and a last surface of the second lens group.

3. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first liquid lens cell is about the same as a diameter of the second liquid lens cell.

4. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein the zoom range is greater than about 3×

.

5. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein the zoom range is greater than about 4×

.

6. The variable power optical system of claim 1, wherein the zoom range is greater than about 5×

.

7. A variable power optical system, comprising:

a first lens group, wherein the first lens group comprises at least a first liquid lens cell;

a second lens group, wherein the second lens group comprises at least a second liquid lens cell; and

a third liquid lens cell configured to control an incident angle of light rays on a sensor,

wherein control of a zoom position is based at least in part on the configuration of the optical power of the first liquid lens cell and the configuration of the optical power of the second liquid lens cell.

8. The variable power optical system of claim 7, wherein control of the zoom position is based at least in part on the configuration of the optical power of the third liquid lens cell.

9. The variable power optical system of claim 7, further comprising a stop located between the first lens group and the second lens group.

10. An optical system arranged to collect radiation emanating from an object space and deliver said radiation to an image surface in an image space along a common optical axis, comprising:

a first variable power optical component that is stationary on the common optical axis, comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to produce a change of optical power in the variable power optical component, resulting in a variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on the image surface; and

a second variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to reduce the variation in the chief ray angle at the image point on the image surface caused by varying the shape of the first variable power optical component.

11. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the shape of the first variable power optical component is varied to provide a zoom function.

12. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the shape of the first variable power optical component is varied to provide a focus function.

13. A variable power objective optical system using no axially moving groups, comprising:

at least two variable power optical components that together provide zoom function with a fixed image surface, the variable power optical components comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to produce a change of optical power in the variable power optical component; and

at least one variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to at least partially compensate for changes in variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on the image surface caused at least in part by variable power optical component that provides a zoom function.

14. A variable power objective optical system, comprising:

at least one variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to at least partially compensate for changes in variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on an image surface caused at least in part by a zoom function.

15. A variable power objective optical system, comprising:

at least one variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to at least partially compensate for changes in variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on an image surface caused at least in part by a focus function.

16. A variable power objective optical system, comprising:

at least one variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to at least partially compensate for changes in variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on an image surface caused at least in part by a zoom function and a focus function.