Illuminating optical device

• US 5,233,372 A
• Filed: 10/08/1991
• Issued: 08/03/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US07/772,955
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 351/205, 351/206, 351/214, 351/221, 359/848, 359/641, 359/387, 362/216, 362/298, 362/302, 362/304, 354/62
• US Class Current: 351/221
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0008 provided with illuminating means A61B3/117 takes precedence; goniolenses used for laser treatment A61F9/009; illuminating means for optical instruments G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B

Abstract

An illuminating optical device includes a light source including two light emitting points which are symmetric with respect to an optical axis of the illuminating optical device, a first concave reflection mirror plane arranged behind the light source and symmetrically to the optical axis in order to form an image of the light source at a predetermined position of an illuminated area, and a second concave reflection mirror plane arranged more closely to the illuminated area than the first concave reflection plane and symmetrically to the optical axis in order to direct the light beam to the light emitting points of the light source.

Claims

1. An illuminating optical device for illuminating an object, comprising:

a light source including at least two light emitting points symmetric with respect to an optical axis of the illuminating optical device, for emitting light beams approximately toward the object from the two light emitting points without any reflections from said device;

a first concave reflection mirror surface arranged behind said light source and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to form an image of said light source at a predetermined position directed to an illuminated area, said first concave reflection mirror surface being arranged to reflect a first part of the light beams emitted directly from the two light emitting points approximately toward the object directly; and

a second concave reflection mirror surface arranged closer to the object along the optical axis than said first concave reflection mirror surface and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to direct the light beam to the light emitting points of said light source, said second concave reflection mirror surface being arranged to reflect light beams each travelling from one of the two light emitting points to said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the each of the light beams is directed approximately toward the object by said first concave reflection mirror surface;

a second part of the light beams travelling directly from the light emitting points of said light source to said first concave reflection mirror surface and being directed to said second concave reflection mirror surface by said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the second part of the light beams are reflected by said second and first concave reflection mirror surfaces in sequence and then directed approximately toward the object.

2. An illuminating optical device according to claim 1 further comprising a third mirror surface arranged closer to the object along the optical axis than said second concave reflection mirror surface and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to direct the light beam to the light emitting points of said light source in cooperation with said second concave reflection mirror surface.

3. An illuminating optical device according to claim 2 wherein said first concave reflection mirror surface directs the light beam emitted from one of the light emitting points of said light source to the other light emitting point.

4. An illuminating optical device according to claim 3 wherein said first concave reflection mirror surface images one of the light emitting points of said light source to the other light emitting point.

5. An illuminating optical device according to claim 2 wherein aid light source is of a ring shape.

6. An illuminating optical device according to claim 5 further comprising a ring-shaped apertured iris arranged to face said light source on the side of said light source facing the illuminated area.

7. An illuminating optical device according to claim 6 wherein said first concave reflection mirror surface images the light emitting points of said light source to said ring-shaped apertured iris.

8. An illuminating optical device according to claim 6 wherein said third mirror is provided with said ring-shaped aperture iris and arranged close to said light source.

9. An illuminating optical device according to claim 1 wherein said first concave reflection mirror surface directs the light beam emitted from one of the light emitting points of said light source to the other light emitting point.

10. An illuminating optical device according to claim 9 wherein said first concave reflection mirror surface images one of the light emitting points of said light source to the other light emitting point.

11. An illuminating optical device according to claim 1 wherein said light source is of a ring shape.

12. An illuminating optical device according to claim 11 further comprising a ring-shaped apertured iris arranged to face said light source on the side of said light source facing the illuminating area.

13. An illuminating optical device according to claim 12 wherein said first concave reflection mirror surface images the light emitting points of said light source to said ring-shaped apertured iris.

14. An illuminating device for an eye, comprising:

a light source including at least two light emitting points symmetric with respect to an optical axis of the illuminating device, for emitting light beams approximately toward the eye from the two light emitting points without any reflection from said device;

a first concave reflection mirror surface arranged behind said light source and symmetrically with respect tot he optical axis to form an image of said light source at a predetermined position directed to the eye, said first concave reflection mirror surface being arranged to reflect a first part of light beams emitted directly from the two light emitting points approximately toward the eye directly; and

a second concave reflection mirror surface arranged closer to the eye along the optical axis than said first concave reflection mirror surface and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to direct the light beam to the light emitting points of said light source, said second concave reflection mirror plane being arranged to reflect light beams each travelling from one of the two light emitting points to said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the each of the light beams is directed approximately toward the eye by said first concave reflection mirror surface;

a second part of the light beams travelling directly from the light emitting points of said light source to said first concave reflection mirror surface and being directed to the second concave reflection mirror surface by said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the second part of the light beams are reflected by said second and first concave reflection mirror surfaces in sequence and then directed approximately toward the eye.

15. An eye fundus camera comprising:

photographing means for photographing an eye fundus;

illuminating means for illuminating the eye fundus;

said illumination means including;

a light source including at least two light emitting points symmetric with respect to an optical axis of the illuminating device, for emitting light beams approximately toward the eye fundus from the two light emitting points without any reflections from said device;

a first concave reflection mirror surface arranged behind said light source and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to form an image of said light source at a predetermined position directed to the eye fundus, said first concave reflection mirror surface being arranged to reflect a first part of the light beams emitted directly from the two light emitting points approximately toward the eye fundus directly; and

a second concave reflection mirror surface arranged closer to the eye fundus along the optical axis than said first concave reflection mirror surface and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to direct the light beam to the light emitting points of said light source, said second concave reflection mirror plane being arranged to reflect light beams each travelling from one of the two light emitting points to said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the each of the light beams is directed approximately toward the eye fundus by said first concave reflection mirror surface;

a second part of the light beams travelling directly from the light emitting points of said light source to said first concave reflection mirror surface being directed to the second concave reflection mirror surface by said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the second part of the light beams are reflected by said second and first concave reflection mirror surfaces in sequence and then directed approximately toward the eye fundus.

16. An illuminating optical device for illuminating an object, comprising:

a light source including at least two light emitting points symmetric with respect to an optical axis of the illuminating optical device, for emitting light beams approximately toward the object from the two light emitting points without any reflections from said device;

a first concave reflection mirror surface arranged behind said light source and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to form an image of said light source at a predetermined position directed to an illuminated area, said first concave reflection mirror surface being arranged to reflect at least a part of light beams emitted directly from the two light emitting points approximately toward the object directly; and

a second concave reflection mirror surface arranged closer to the eye along the optical axis than said first concave reflection mirror surface and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to direct the light beam to the light emitting points of said light source, said second concave reflection mirror plane being arranged to reflect light beams each travelling from one of the two light emitting points to said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the each of the light beams is directed approximately toward the object by said first concave reflection mirror surface.

17. An illuminating device for an eye, comprising:

a light source including at least two light emitting points symmetric with respect to an optical axis of the illuminating device, for emitting light beams approximately toward the eye from the two light emitting points without any reflections from said device;

a first concave reflection mirror surface arranged behind said light source and symmetrically with respect o the optical axis to form an image of said light source at a predetermined position directed to the eye, said first concave reflection mirror surface being arranged to reflect at least a part of the light beams emitted directly from the two light emitting points approximately toward the eye directly; and

a second concave reflection mirror surface arranged closer to the eye along the optical axis than said first concave reflection mirror surface and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to direct the light beam to the light emitting points of said light source, and second concave reflection mirror plane being arranged to reflect light beams each travelling from one of the two emitting points to said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the each of the light beams is directed approximately toward the eye by said first concave reflection mirror surface.

18. An eye fundus camera comprising:

photographing means for photographing an eye fundus;

illumination means for illuminating the eye fundus;

said illumination means including;

a light source including at least two light emitting points symmetric with respect to an optical axis of the illuminating device, for emitting light beams approximately toward the eye fundus from the two light emitting points without any reflections from said device;

a first concave reflection mirror surface arranged behind said light source and symmetrically with respect tot he optical axis to form an image of said light source at a predetermined position directed to the eye fundus, said first concave reflection mirror surface being arranged to reflect at least a part of the light beams emitted directly from the two light emitting points approximately toward the eye fundus direction directly; and

a second concave reflection mirror surface arranged closer to the eye fundus along the optical axis than said first concave reflection mirror surface and symmetrically with respect to the optical axis to direct the light beam tot he light emitting points of said light source, said second concave reflection mirror plane being arranged to reflect light beams each travelling from one of the two light emitting points to said first concave reflection mirror surface so that the each of the light beams is directed approximately toward the eye fundus by said first concave reflection mirror surface.