Imaging system having a blurring optical element for minimizing moire phenomenon

• US 5,450,243 A
• Filed: 06/08/1992
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishioka, Kimihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, James
• Application Number:
  US07/895,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 359/362-363, 359/656-661, 359/664, 359/724, 359/708, 359/710, 385/104, 385/117, 385/119, 385/116, 358/225, 358/213.11, 358/55, 348/335, 348/340, 348/360, 348/359
• US Class Current: 359/710
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/26 using light guides for illumination G02B23/2469
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

An image pickup device using a solid-state image sensor adapted to provide an optical component having a multiple curved surface, polyhedral surface, symmetric cylindrical surface, axially symmetric aspherical surface or asymmetric refracting surface in an objective lens system, or lengthen a shape of an image formed on an exit end face of an illuminating optical system in a direction parallel to a scanning direction of the solid-state image sensor, or select an angle made by a line segment connecting between the centers of individual exit end faces of two illuminating optical systems with the scanning direction of the solid-state image sensor to ±40° or less, or extend a shape of an aperture of a stop in a direction parallel to the scanning direction of the solid-state image sensor, in order to make it possible to fabricate the device in a small size and at a low cost and eliminate moire and false color without reducing resolving power.

Claims

1. An imaging system for minimizing moire phenomenon comprising:

an imaging lens unit for forming an image of an object at a predetermined imaging position, said imaging lens unit including an optical element on an optical path from a front end of said imaging lens unit to said predetermined imaging position;

one of an entrance face and an exit face of said optical element having a surface shape selected from a group consisting of a rotary cylindrical surface and a symmetric cylindrical surface which provides blurring exhibited in one of zonal and annular shapes with respect to said image of said object at said predetermined imaging position.

2. An imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said one of zonal and annular shapes is polygonal.

3. An imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said one of zonal and annular shapes is circular.

4. An imaging system according to claim 1, further including a solid-state image sensor disposed at said predetermined imaging position.

5. An imaging system for minimizing moire phenomenon comprising:

an image guide fiber bundle;

an imaging lens unit for re-forming an image appearing at an end face of said image guide fiber bundle on a predetermined imaging position, said imaging lens unit including an optical element on an optical path from a front end of said imaging lens unit to said predetermined imaging position, one of an entrance face and an exit face of said optical element having a surface shape which provides blurring exhibited at one of zonal and annular shapes to the image re-formed on said predetermined imaging position; and

a solid-state image sensor placed on said predetermined imaging position;

wherein the condition;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Q.sub.1 ÷

1/2f.sub.B

is satisfied where Q₁ represents a space between peaks of intensity of a point spread function, according to which said blurring is formed, in one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and f_B is a frequency of arrangement of fibers in the image appearing at said end face of said image guide fiber bundle which is re-formed on said image sensor through said imaging lens unit.

6. An imaging system for minimizing moire phenomenon comprising:

an imaging lens unit for forming an image of an object at a predetermined imaging position, said imaging lens unit including an optical element on an optical path from a front end of said imaging lens unit to said predetermined imaging position, one of an entrance face and an exit face of said optical element having a surface shape formed as a rotary cylindrical surface so as to provide blurring exhibited at one of zonal and annular shapes to the image of the object in said predetermined imaging position; and

a solid-state image sensor disposed on said predetermined imaging position.

7. An imaging system for minimizing moire phenomenon comprising:

an imaging lens unit for forming an image of an object at a predetermined imaging position, said imaging lens unit including an optical element on an optical path from a front end of said imaging lens unit to said predetermined imaging position, one of an entrance face and an exit face of said optical element having a surface shape formed as a symmetric cylindrical surface so as to provide blurring exhibited at one of zonal and annular shapes to the image of the object in said predetermined imaging position; and

a solid-state image sensor disposed on said predetermined imaging position.