Stereo image forming apparatus having a light deflection member in each optical path

• US 5,486,948 A
• Filed: 05/16/1994
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.), Ikegami Tsushinki Co Limited (Ikegami Tsushinki)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.), Ikegami Tsushinki Co Limited (Ikegami Tsushinki)
• Inventors: Imai, Hitoshi, Sugiura, Muneharu, Hoashi, Katsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren E.
• Application Number:
  US08/243,515
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 350/132, 350/130, 350/131, 350/287, 350/515, 350/447, 358/88, 358/92, 358/3, 359/462, 359/464, 359/465, 359/470, 354/115, 354/117, 354/113
• US Class Current: 359/462
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/08 by simultaneous recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing

Abstract

A stereo image forming apparatus for observing a stereo image based on two images obtained by two image taking systems. In front of each image taking system, such as a television camera, two wedge-shaped prisms are placed and made rotatable in mutually opposite directions, thus deflecting the direction of light for a varying distance to the object, in synchronization with the focusing operation of the image taking system. Thus, the apparatus can promptly focus on the object at varying distances without rotating the image taking systems themselves.

Claims

1. A stereo image forming apparatus, comprising:

a photographing optical system having two optically independent optical axes;

a focusing operation unit for outputting a focus signal corresponding to a focus condition of said photographing optical system;

a light deflection member located on each said optical axis for deflecting light; and

adjusting means for adjusting a light deflection condition of each said light deflection member in response to the focus signal output by said focusing operation unit to cause two deflected light paths to cross each other.

2. A stereo image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each light deflection member comprises a vertical angle variable prism.

3. A stereo image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each said vertical angle variable prism comprises two wedge-shaped prisms, and wherein said adjusting means rotates each set of said two wedge-shaped prisms around its respective optical axis as a rotation center in accordance with the focus adjusting operation.

4. A stereo image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting means adjusts the light deflection condition of said deflection members in such a manner that a distance to a point at which the two deflected light paths cross is substantially equal to a distance which corresponds to a focal point of said photographing optical system.

5. A stereo image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said two wedge-shaped prisms comprises adhered partial prisms having different Abbe numbers.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said focusing operation unit and said adjusting means are mechanically connected to each other.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photographing optical system includes a pair of image taking lens means each having a focusing lens unit and an optical axis, and wherein said light deflection member includes a pair of wedge-shaped prisms each located in front of said image taking lens means so as to relatively rotate in reverse directions in such a manner that one of said wedge-shaped prisms rotates in the same direction and the same amount as the rotation of said focusing lens unit.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein one of said wedge-shaped prism and said focusing lens unit are supported by a lens barrel in a body.

20. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photographing optical system comprises first and second focusing lenses respectively disposed on said two optical axes, optical axes of said two focusing lenses being fixed with respect to each other.

22. A stereo image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said focusing operation unit mechanically outputs the focus signal to said adjusting means.

6. A stereo image forming system, comprising:

a photographic optical means having two optically independent optical axes;

a focusing operating unit for outputting a focus signal corresponding to a focus state of said photographic optical means;

a light refracting means located on each said optical axis for refracting light; and

adjusting means for adjusting a light refraction condition of each said light refracting means in response to the focus signal output by said focusing operating unit to cause two reflected light paths to cross each other.

7. A stereo image forming system according to claim 6, wherein each light refracting means comprises a vertical angle variable prism.

8. A stereo image forming system according to claim 7, wherein each said vertical angle variable prism comprises two wedge-shaped prisms, and wherein said adjusting means rotates each set of said two wedge-shaped prisms around its respective optical axis as a rotation center in accordance with the focus adjusting operation.

9. A stereo image forming system according to claim 8, wherein each of said two wedge-shaped prisms comprises adhered partial prisms having different Abbe numbers.

10. A stereo image forming system according to claim 6, wherein said adjusting means adjusts the light refracting condition of said refracting means in such a manner that a distance to a point at which the two refractive light paths cross is substantially equal to a distance which corresponds to a focal point of said photographic optical means.

14. A system according to claim 6, wherein said focusing means and said adjusting means are mechanically connected with each other.

15. A system according to claim 6, wherein said photographic optical means includes a pair of image taking lens means each having a focusing lens unit and an optical axis, and wherein said light refracting means includes a pair of wedge-shaped prisms each located in front of said image taking lens means so as to relatively rotate in reverse directions in such a manner that one of said wedge-shaped prisms rotates in the same direction and the same amount as the rotation of said focusing lens unit.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein one of said wedge-shaped prisms and said focusing lens unit are supported by a lens barrel in a body.

21. A system according to claim 6, wherein said photographic optical means comprises first and second focusing lenses respectively disposed on said two optical axes, optical axes of said first and second focusing lenses being fixed with respect to each other.

23. A stereo image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said focusing operating unit mechanically outputs the focus signal to said adjusting means.

17. A stereo image forming apparatus, comprising:

a photographing optical device having an imaging lens system which includes two parallelly-disposed and optically independent optical axes, two imaging planes, and two independent focus adjusting means, for imaging an object image onto the respective imaging planes;

a focus operation unit for outputting a focus signal corresponding to a focus state of said photographing optical device;

a pair of optical deflection members for deflecting a light beam, each optical deflection member being located on a respective optical axis of said photographing optical device and on an object side of said lens system;

a pair of deflection adjusting means for respectively adjusting a deflection state of said deflection members so that two deflection light paths cross each other on a single plane;

a pair of interlocking means respectively disposed on said optical axes of said photographing optical device, said interlocking means respectively driving said focus adjusting means and said deflection members in response to the signal from said focus operation unit so that the driving amounts of each pair of focus adjusting means and deflection member have a predetermined relation;

operation driving means for driving said pair of interlocking means simultaneously by the same driving amount with a single operation, wherein, by the operation of said operation driving means, movement for focus adjusting is interlockingly executed with movement for deflection adjustment, and a distance to a point at which said two deflected light paths cross each other substantially equals a focal length of said photographing optical system.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said photographing optical device includes a pair of image taking lens means each having a focusing lens unit and an optical axis, and wherein each said light deflection member includes a pair of wedge-shaped prisms each located in front of said image taking lens means so as to relatively rotate in reverse directions in such a manner that one of said wedge-shaped prisms rotates in the same direction and the same amount as the rotation of said focusing lens unit.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said focusing lens unit and said adjusting means are mechanically connected with each other.

24. A stereo image forming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said focusing operation unit mechanically outputs the focus signal to said pair of interlocking means.

25. A stereo image forming apparatus, comprising:

a photographing optical system having two optically independent optical axes;

focusing moving means for moving in correspondence with a focus condition of said photographing optical system;

a light deflection member located on each said optical axis for deflecting light; and

adjusting means for adjusting a light deflection condition of each said light deflection member in response to movement of said focusing moving means to cause two deflected light paths to cross each other.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein each light deflection member comprises a vertical angle variable prism.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26, wherein each said vertical angle variable prism comprises two wedge-shaped prisms, and wherein said adjusting means rotates each set of said two wedge-shaped prisms around its respective optical axis as a rotation center in accordance with the focus adjusting operation.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein each of said two wedge-shaped prisms comprises adhered partial prisms having different Abbe members.

29. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said adjusting means adjusts the light deflection condition of said deflection members in such a manner that a distance to a point at which the two deflected light paths cross is substantially equal to a distance which corresponds to a focal point of said photographing optical system.

30. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said focusing moving means and said adjusting means are mechanically connected to each other.

31. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said photographing optical system includes a pair of image taking lens means each having a focusing lens unit and an optical axis, and wherein said light deflection member includes a pair of wedge-shaped prisms each located in front of said image taking lens means so as to relatively rotate in reverse directions in such a manner that one of said wedge-shaped prisms rotates in the same direction and the same amount as the rotation of said focusing lens unit.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein one of said wedge-shaped prism and focusing lens unit are supported by a lens barrel in a body.

33. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said photographing optical system comprises first and second focusing lenses respectively disposed on said two optical axes, optical axes of said two focusing lenses being fixed with respect to each other.