Optical device

• US 5,291,241 A
• Filed: 10/16/1991
• Issued: 03/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Suzuki, Minoru, Minefuji, Nobutaka, Hirano, Hiroyuki, Arai, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): WINTERCORN, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US07/777,576
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 355/55, 355/56, 355/57, 355/58, 359/694, 359/696, 359/697, 359/698, 354/408
• US Class Current: 355/55
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/011 for exposing
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/041 with variable magnification

Abstract

In an imaging apparatus, a magnified image of an object is formed on a predetermined plane through a plurality of lens groups. A plurality of filters are selectively inserted into the light path between the object and the predetermined plane. An optical device is provided in the imaging apparatus, in which the plurality of lens groups are driven as a unit along the optical axis while the positional relation among the respective lens groups are correspondingly changed, wherein at least one of the plurality of lens groups is independently driven along the optical axis. The plurality of lens groups are driven to move in accordance with a desired image magnification, and at-least-one of the plurality of lens groups is independently driven, depending upon the selected filter, so as to place the object image on the predetermined plane.

Claims

1. An optical device employed in an imaging apparatus in which an image of an object is formed on a predetermined plane through a plurality of lens groups, said plurality of lens groups being coaxially arranged and used for changing the magnification of said object image formed on said predetermined plane, a plurality of filters for respectively allowing predetermined colors of light to pass therethrough being selectively inserted into the light path between said object and said predetermined plane, said optical device comprising:

first drive means for driving said plurality of lens groups as a unit along the optical axis thereof while correspondingly changing the positional relation among the respective lens groups;

second drive means for independently driving at least one of said plurality of lens groups along said optical axis;

first control means for controlling said first and second drive means to drive said plurality of lens groups in accordance with a desired image magnification; and

second control means for controlling said second drive means to drive said at-least-one of said plurality of lens groups, depending upon the selected filter, so as to place the object image on said predetermined plane.

2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein said first drive means comprises:

a carriage member arranged to be movable along said optical axis, on which said plurality of lens groups are movably mounted to permit movement of the respective lens groups relative to others;

a position regulating member mounted on said carriage member, upon movement of which the positional relation among the respective lens groups is changed in a predetermined manner;

a driving source carried by said carriage member; and

transmittal means carried by said carriage member for transmitting a driving force of said driving source simultaneously to said carriage member and to said position regulating member such that said position regulating member is moved in said predetermined manner corresponding to the movement of said carriage member along said optical axis.

3. The optical device according to claim 2, wherein said position regulating member comprises a rotatable disk member formed with a predetermined cam groove, each of said lens groups is provided with a pin-shaped protrusion which is engaged with said cam groove, and the positional relationships among said protrusions is changed upon rotation of said disk member.

4. The optical device according to claim 3, wherein said second drive means comprises a swing arm member formed with a cam slit, the pin-shaped protrusion of said at-least-one lens group is engaged with said cam slit;

and wherein said protrusion of the at-least-one lens group is moved along said cam groove upon movement of said swing arm member, whereby said at-least-one lens group is independently moved relative to the other lens groups.

5. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein said first control means comprises memory means for storing data of the respective positional relations of said plurality of lens groups relating to a plurality of possible selected magnifications, and first calculating means for calculating the driving amount of said lens groups in accordance with said selected magnification.

6. The optical device according to claim 5, wherein said second control means comprises memory means for storing compensation data of the positional relation of said at-least-one lens group with respect to the others, for respective one of said plurality of filters;

and second calculating means for calculating the driving amount of said at-least-one lens group based on one of said compensation data corresponding to said selected filter.

7. The optical device according to claim 1, said second control means controlling said second drive means to drive said at least one lens group independently of said plurality of lens groups.

8. An optical device for use in an imaging apparatus in which an image of an object is formed on a predetermined plane by a plurality of lens groups, a magnification of the image formed on the predetermined plane can be changed, including a plurality of filters for allowing predetermined colors of light to pass therethrough, a selected filter of the plurality of filters being selectively insertable into a light path between the object and the predetermined plane, said optical device comprising:

first means for driving said plurality of lens groups along an optical axis of said plurality of lens groups and for moving a predetermined lens group of said plurality of lens groups with respect to said plurality of lens groups along the optical axis;

second means, independent of said first means, for driving a specific lens group of said plurality of lens groups along the optical axis with respect to said plurality of lens groups;

first control means, for controlling said first and second drive means to drive said plurality of lens groups to change an image magnification to a predetermined image magnification; and

second control means, for controlling said second drive means to drive said specified lens group of said plurality of lens groups, in accordance with insertion of a selected filter into the light path so as to form the image on the predetermined plane.

9. The optical device according to claim 8, further comprising means mounting said plurality of lens groups for movement along the optical axis, said first means comprising means for moving said predetermined lens group of said plurality of lens groups with respect to said mounting means.

10. The optical device according to claim 8, said first driving means comprising a first motor and said second driving means comprising a second motor.

11. The optical device according to claim 10, further comprising a carriage for moving said plurality of lens groups along the optical axis, said first and second motors being mounted for movement with said carriage.

12. The optical device according to claim 8, said first driving means comprising a first motor drivingly coupled to a first cam for driving said predetermined group of said plurality of lens groups, said second driving means comprising a second motor drivingly coupled to a second cam for driving said specified lens group of said plurality of lens groups.

13. The optical device according to claim 8, said first driving means comprising a carriage movable along the optical axis, means mounting said plurality of lens groups on said carriage for movement together with said carriage and for movement of said predetermined and specified lens groups of said plurality of said lens groups with respect to said carriage, a position regulating member mounted to said carriage, means for mounting said position regulating member for movement with respect to said carriage, said position regulating member comprising means for moving said predetermined lens group said plurality of said lens groups.

14. The optical device according to the claim 13, said first driving means further comprising means carried by said carriage for simultaneously transmitting a driving force to said carriage member and to said position regulating member, whereby said position regulating member is moved in accordance with the movement of the carriage along the optical axis.

15. The optical device according to claim 8, said first control means comprising first means for storing data regarding movement of said plurality of lens groups in accordance with changes in magnification of an image and first means for calculating a magnitude of movement of said plurality of lens groups in accordance with a selected magnification.

16. The optical device according to claim 15, said second control means comprising second means for storing data regarding compensation for the positional relation of said specified lens group of said plurality of lens groups with the respect to said plurality of lens groups for each of said plurality of filters and second means for calculating a driving amount of said specified lens group of said plurality of lens groups in accordance with said compensation data for each said selected filter.

17. The optical device according to claim 8, further comprising third means for controlling said first and second drive means in accordance with environmental factors affecting the position of an image, with respect to the predetermined plane.

18. The optical device according to claim 17, said third means comprising means for storing compensation values and means for calculating driving amounts for said first and second drive means in accordance with environmental factors affecting the position of an image.

19. The optical device according to claim 18, said compensation values comprise means for compensating for the effect of temperature.

20. The optical device according to claim 18, said compensation values comprise means for compensating for the effect of humidity.