Visual display apparatus

• US 5,587,836 A
• Filed: 05/13/1994
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Koichi, Togino, Takayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACK, RICKY LEVERN
• Application Number:
  US08/242,630
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/631, 359/636, 359/640, 359/629
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

A visual display apparatus which enables the view angle for observation to be changed between two different levels with a simple arrangement by the observer'"'"'s intention or according to the kind of image reproduced. The visual display apparatus has a device (5) for displaying an image, a relay optical system (4) for projecting the image displayed on the image display device (5) to form a first image, and an ocular optical system (2) for projecting the first image in an observer'"'"'s eyeball. The relay optical system (4) has an optical system (4₂) which is movable along an optical axis and enables a magnification to be changed between two different levels by moving the movable optical system (4₂) along the optical axis. When one of magnifications of the movable optical system (4₂) is assumed to be β, the other magnification is approximately 1/β.

Claims

1. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image;

a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image; and

an ocular optical system for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eyeball,

wherein said relay optical system has an optical system which is movable along an optical axis and enables a magnification to be changed between two different levels with an image position fixed by moving said movable optical system,

wherein when one of said two different levels of magnification is assumed to be β

, the other magnification is approximately 1/β

; and

wherein said relay optical system has an optical member of positive power which satisfies the following condition;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">1.1<

R<

2.25

where R is a ratio of two magnifications which are changeable from one to the other by movement of said relay optical system;

R=β

₁ /β

₂, where β

₁ is a higher magnification and β

₂ is a lower magnification.

2. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image, a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image, and an ocular optical system for forming an exit pupil for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye,

wherein a change of magnification is effected by movement of said relay optical system along an optical axis, and

wherein the apparatus satisfies the following conditions:

3. 2 <

f_i /L_r <

0.6

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.1 <

.increment.L/L.sub.r <

0.4

where L_r is the optical path length of said relay optical system, .increment.L is the amount of movement of said relay optical system for effecting a change of magnification, and f_i is the focal length of said relay optical system that moves to effect a magnification change.

4. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image, a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image, and an ocular optical system for forming an exit pupil for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye,

wherein a change of magnification is effected by movement of said relay optical system along an optical axis, and

wherein said relay optical system has at least a cemented lens which satisfies the following condition:

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

.sub.I -ν

.sub.II >

20

where ν

_I and ν

_II are the Abbe'"'"'s numbers of lens elements constituting said cemented lens.

5. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image;

a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image; and

an ocular optical system for projecting and first image in an observer'"'"'s eyeball,

wherein said relay optical system has an optical system which is movable along an optical axis and enables a magnification to be changed between two different levels with an image position fixed by moving said movable optical system,

wherein when one of said two different levels of magnification is assumed to be β

, the other magnification is approximately 1/β

; and

wherein said ocular optical system has a prism with a cemented surface.

6. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image, a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image, and an ocular optical system for forming an exit pupil for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye,

wherein said relay optical system includes a plurality of lens units, and a change of magnification is effected by moving at least one of said lens units along an optical axis;

and

wherein said visual display apparatus satisfies the following conditions;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.2<

f.sub.i /L.sub.r <

0.6

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.1<

.increment.L/L.sub.r <

0.4

where L_r is the optical path length of said relay optical system, .increment.L is the amount of movement of said relay optical system for effecting a change of magnification, and f_i is the focal length of said relay optical system that moves to effect a magnification change.

7. A visual display apparatus including:

a face-mounted unit having a device for displaying an image,

a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image,

an ocular optical system for forming an exit pupil for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye, and

a support member for retaining said face-mounted unit on an observer'"'"'s head,

wherein said relay optical system has a movable lens unit and a fixed lens unit, and a change of magnification is effected by movement of said movable lens unit along an optical axis; and

wherein said visual display apparatus satisfies the following conditions;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.2<

f.sub.i /L.sub.r <

0.6

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.1<

.increment.L/L.sub.r <

0.4

where L_r is the optical path length of said relay optical system, .increment.L is the amount of movement of said relay optical system for effecting a change of magnification, and f_i is the focal length of said relay optical system that moves to effect a magnification change.

8. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image, a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image, and an ocular optical system for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye,

wherein said relay optical system includes an optical system movable along an optical axis and that enables magnification to be changed between two different levels by moving said movable optical system,

wherein when one of the magnifications of said movable optical system is assumed to be β

, the second magnification is approximately 1/β

, and

wherein said visual display apparatus satisfies the following conditions;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.2<

f.sub.i /L.sub.r <

0.6

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.1<

.increment.L/L.sub.r <

0.4

where L_r is the optical path length of said relay optical system, .increment.L is the amount of movement of said relay optical system for effecting a change of magnification, and f_i is the focal length of said relay optical system that moves to effect a magnification change.

9. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image, a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image, and an ocular optical system for forming an exit pupil for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye,

wherein said relay optical system includes a plurality of lens units, and a change of magnification is effected by moving at least one of said lens units along an optical axis;

and

wherein said relay optical system has at least a cemented lens which satisfies the following condition;

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

.sub.I -ν

.sub.II >

20

where ν

_I and ν

_II are the Abbe'"'"'s numbers of lens elements constituting said cemented lens.

10. A visual display apparatus including:

a face-mounted unit having a device for displaying an image,

a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image,

an ocular optical system for forming an exit pupil for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye, and

a support member for retaining said face-mounted unit on an observer'"'"'s head,

wherein said relay optical system has a movable lens unit and a fixed lens unit, and a change of magnification is effected by movement of said movable lens unit along an optical axis; and

wherein said relay optical system has at least a cemented lens which satisfies the following condition;

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

.sub.I -ν

.sub.II >

20

where ν

_I and ν

_II are the Abbe'"'"'s numbers of lens elements constituting said cemented lens.

11. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image, a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image, and an ocular optical system for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eye,

wherein said relay optical system includes an optical system movable along an optical axis and that enables magnification to be changed between two different levels by moving said movable optical system,

wherein when one of the magnifications of said movable optical system is assumed to be β

, the second magnification is approximately 1/β

, and

wherein said relay optical system has at least a cemented lens which satisfies the following condition;

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

.sub.I -ν

.sub.II >

20

where ν

_I and ν

_II are the Abbe'"'"'s numbers of lens elements constituting said cemented lens.

12. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image;

a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image; and

an ocular optical system for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eyeball,

wherein said relay optical system has an optical system which is movable along an optical axis and enables a magnification to be changed between two different levels by moving said movable optical system,

wherein when one of magnifications of said movable optical system is assumed to be β

, the other magnification is approximately 1/β

, and

wherein said relay optical system has an optical member of positive power which satisfies the following condition;

13. 1<

R<

2.25

where R is a ratio of two magnifications which are changeable from one to the other by movement of said relay optical system;

R=β

₁ /β

₂, where β

₁ is a higher magnification, and β

₂ is a lower magnification.

14. A visual display apparatus having a device for displaying an image;

a relay optical system for projecting the image displayed by said image display device to form a first image; and

an ocular optical system for projecting said first image in an observer'"'"'s eyeball,

wherein said relay optical system has an optical system which is movable along an optical axis and enables a magnification to be changed between two different levels by moving said movable optical system,

wherein when one of magnifications of said movable optical system is assumed to be β

, the other magnification is approximately 1/β

, and

wherein said ocular system has a prism with a cemented surface.