High speed wide angle projection TV lens system

• US 5,296,967 A
• Filed: 03/02/1992
• Issued: 03/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: US Precision Lens, Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Moskovich, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US07/844,160
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 359/649, 359/650, 359/651, 359/708, 359/713, 359/714
• US Class Current: 359/649
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/18 with lenses having one or more non-spherical faces, e.g. for reducing geometrical aberration G02B13/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/24 for reproducing or copying at short object distances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7408 Direct viewing projectors, e.g. an image displayed on a video CRT or LCD display being projected on a screen

Abstract

Projection lens systems for use in projection televisions are provided. The lens systems include a strong positive element which provides a majority of the power of the lens, a strong negative unit which provides most of the correction for the field curvature of the lens system, and four weak meniscus aspherical elements, two on each side of the positive element. By means of this arrangement, the lens system achieves a semi-field of view of approximately 40° at a f-number of about 1.0 or less. The lens systems are used to minimize the size of projection television sets since their semi-field of view of approximately 40° substantially matches the maximum numerical aperture of about 0.65 of projection screens used in such sets.

Claims

1. A projection lens system for use with a cathode ray tube comprising in order from the image side a first weak meniscus aspherical element which is convex to the image, a second weak meniscus aspherical element which is concave to the image, a strong positive element which provides a majority of the power of the lens, a third weak aspherical meniscus element which is convex to the image, a fourth weak aspherical meniscus element which is concave to the image and a strong negative unit which is associated with the cathode ray tube during use of the lens system and which provides most of the correction for the field curvature of the lens system.

2. The projection lens system of claim 1 wherein the lens system has a half angle field of view in the direction of the image of about 40 degrees.

3. The projection lens system of claim 1 wherein the f-number of the lens system is about 1.0 or less.

4. The projection lens system of claim 2 wherein the f-number of the lens system is about 1.0 or less.

5. The projection lens system of claim 1 in combination with a projection screen wherein the field of view of the lens system in the direction of the image substantially matches the maximum numerical aperture of the projection screen.

6. The projection lens system of claim 5 wherein the maximum numerical aperture of the projection screen is about 0.65.

7. The projection lens system of claim 6 wherein the f-number of the lens system is about 1.0 or less.

8. The projection lens system of claim 1 wherein the fourth weak aspherical meniscus element is positive.

9. A projection television set comprising a cathode ray tube, a screen, and a projection lens system for projecting light from the cathode ray tube onto the screen to form an image, said projection lens system having a long conjugate in the direction of the screen and a short conjugate in the direction of the cathode ray tube, said projection lens system comprising from the long conjugate a first weak meniscus aspherical element which is convex to the long conjugate, a second weak meniscus aspherical element which is concave to the long conjugate, a strong positive element which provides a majority of the power of the lens, a third weak aspherical meniscus element which is convex to the long conjugate, a fourth weak aspherical meniscus element which is concave to the long conjugate and a strong negative unit which is associated with the cathode ray tube and provides most of the correction for the field curvature of the lens system.

10. The projection television set of claim 9 wherein the field of view of the projection lens system in the direction of the long conjugate substantially matches the maximum numerical aperture of the projection screen.

11. The projection television set of claim 10 wherein the maximum numerical aperture of the projection screen is about 0.65.

12. The projection television set of claim 11 wherein the projection lens system has a f-number of about 1.0 or less.

13. The projection television set of claim 9 wherein the face of the cathode ray tube has an inner surface which is concave to the projection lens system and the fourth weak aspherical meniscus element of the projection lens system is positive.

14. The projection television set of claim 9 comprising two additional cathode ray tubes and two additional projection lens systems, one associated with each of the additional cathode ray tubes, each additional projection lens system having the same components and structure as the projection lens system of claim 9.