Concentric optical system

• US 5,517,366 A
• Filed: 10/21/1994
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Togino, Takayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US08/326,951
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 359/850, 359/497, 359/487, 359/711, 359/853, 359/858, 359/364, 359/365, 359/366, 359/642, 359/645, 359/646, 359/727, 359/726, 359/729, 359/728, 359/739, 359/738, 359/839 , 359/631, 359/633
• US Class Current: 359/850
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0804 using two curved mirrors G02B17/0864, G02B17/0896 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/086 wherein the system is made of a single block of optical material, e.g. solid catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

A concentric optical system usable as either an imaging optical system or an ocular optical system, which has an F-number of 1.5 to 3 and enables a flat and clear image to be photographed or observed at a view angle of up to 60° or more with substantially no aberration. The concentric optical system includes at least two semitransparent reflecting surfaces (2) and (3) each having a center of curvature disposed in the vicinity of a pupil (1) and a concave surface directed toward the pupil. The semitransparent reflecting surfaces are disposed so that each semitransparent reflecting surface passes each particular bundle of light rays at least once and reflects them at least once, thereby providing a flat image surface (4).

Claims

1. A concentric optical system comprising:

at least two semitransparent reflecting surfaces each having a center of curvature disposed in the vicinity of a pupil and a concave surface directed toward the pupil,

said semitransparent reflecting surfaces being disposed so that each semitransparent reflecting surface passes each particular bundle of light rays at least once and reflects said bundle of light rays at least once,

wherein the concentric optical system satisfies the following condition;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.5<

|R.sub.1 /R.sub.2 |<

1.8 (2)

where R₁ is the radius of curvature of the semitransparent reflecting surface closer to said pupil, and R₂ is the radius of curvature of the other semitransparent reflecting surface.

6. A concentric optical system according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein, to provide said concentric optical system in an imaging optical system, the centers of curvature of said at least two semitransparent reflecting surfaces are disposed in the vicinity of an aperture diaphragm with said concave surfaces directed toward an object side.

2. A concentric optical system comprising:

at least two semitransparent reflecting surfaces each having a center of curvature disposed in the vicinity of a pupil and a concave surface directed toward the pupil,

said semitransparent reflecting surfaces being disposed so that each semitransparent reflecting surface passes each particular bundle of light rays at least once and reflects said bundle of light rays at least once,

wherein the concentric optical system satisfies the following condition;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.4<

|(D.sub.1 +D.sub.2)/R.sub.2 |<

1.7 (3)

where R₂ is the radius of curvature of the semitransparent reflecting surface farther from said pupil, D₁ is the distance from said pupil to the semitransparent reflecting surface closer to said pupil, and D₂ is the distance from the semitransparent reflecting surface closer to said pupil to the other semitransparent reflecting surface.

3. A concentric optical system comprising:

at least two semitransparent reflecting surfaces each having a center of curvature disposed in the vicinity of a pupil and a concave surface directed toward the pupil,

said semitransparent reflecting surfaces being disposed so that each semitransparent reflecting surface passes each particular bundle of light rays at least once and reflects said bundle of light rays at least once,

wherein the concentric optical system satisfies the following condition;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation"><

| (|R.sub.1 |+D.sub.2)/R.sub.2 |<

1.8 (4)

where R₁ is the radius of curvature of the semitransparent reflecting surface closer to said pupil, R₂ is the radius of curvature of the other semitransparent reflecting surface, and D2 is the distance from the semitransparent reflecting surface closer to said pupil to the other semitransparent reflecting surface.

5. A concentric optical system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, to provide said concentric optical system in an ocular optical system, the centers of curvature of said at least two semitransparent reflecting surfaces are disposed in the vicinity of an eye point with said concave surface directed toward an observer side.

4. A concentric optical system comprising:

at least two semitransparent reflecting surfaces each having a center of curvature disposed in the vicinity of a pupil and a concave surface directed toward the pupil,

said semitransparent reflecting surfaces being disposed so that each semitransparent reflecting surface passes each particular bundle of light rays at least once and reflects said bundle of light rays at least once,

wherein the concentric Optical system satisfies the following condition;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">|D.sub.1 /R.sub.1 |<

1.5 (5)

where R₁ is the radius of curvature of the semitransparent reflecting surface closer to said pupil, and D₁ is the distance from said pupil to the semitransparent reflecting surface closer to said pupil.