Optical system for image observation

• US 6,134,051 A
• Filed: 11/04/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Togino, Takayoshi, Hayakawa, Kazuhito, Oode, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEYRAFI, SAEED HMT
• Application Number:
  US09/185,723
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 359/633, 359/618, 359/628, 359/640, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0816 off-axis or unobscured systems in which not all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry, e.g. at least one of the mirrors is warped, tilted or decentered with respect to the other elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0832 off-axis or unobscured systems in which not all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry, e.g. at least one of the mirrors is warped, tilted or decentered with respect to the other elements
• 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 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1086 operating by diffraction only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/123 The splitting element being a lens or a system of lenses, including arrays and surfaces with refractive power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/126 The splitting element being a prism or prismatic array, including systems based on total internal reflection

Abstract

An optical system for an ocular optical system or a projection optical system, in which a plurality of illuminating light sources of different colors can be placed in a side-by-side relation to each other, and which makes it possible to reduce the overall size and weight of an apparatus such as a head-mounted image display apparatus or a color film projection apparatus. The optical system has an image-forming optical system (1) that projects a real image or virtual image of an object placed in an image plane (3). The image-forming optical system (1) has an entrance pupil (5) at a position on the side of the image plane (3) remote from the image-forming optical system. An exit pupil (4) is located in a conjugate relation to the entrance pupil (5) with respect to the image-forming optical system (1). A chromatic aberration producing device (6) is provided between the entrance pupil (5) and the exit pupil (4). Even if a plurality of illuminating light sources of different colors are placed in a side-by-side relation to each other on the entrance pupil (5), rays from the different light sources can pass the exit pupil (4), being superimposed on one another, without chromatic aberration.

Claims

1. An optical system for observation of an image comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

an image display device;

an image-forming optical system formed from a decentered prism; and

an optical filter having a periodic structure in at least one direction provided in an optical path near said image display device,

wherein said optical filter is placed between said light sources and said image display device so that images of said plurality of light sources are superimposed on one another in an exit pupil of said image-forming optical system,

wherein nonuniformity in illumination when an observer views said image is minimized.

2. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the periodic structure of said optical filter satisfies the following condition:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">6.3×

10.sup.-5 <

(p/f)<

1.2×

10.sup.-2

where p is a period of said optical filter, and f is a focal length of said decentered prism.

3. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the periodic structure of said optical filter satisfies the following condition:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">1.2×

10.sup.-4 <

(p/f)<

5.9×

10.sup.-3

where p is a period of said optical filter, and f is a focal length of said decentered prism.

4. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of light sources includes a red light source, a blue light source, and a green light source, and

wherein said optical filter superimposes images of said light sources in said exit pupil, thereby minimizing unevenness of color when the observer views a color image.

5. A head-mounted image display apparatus comprising:

a body including an optical system; and

a frame, said frame supporting said body with respect to a head of the observer,

said optical system comprising;

a plurality of light sources,

an image display device,

an image-forming optical system formed from a decentered prism, and

an optical filter having a periodic structure in at least one direction provided in an optical path near said image display device,

wherein said optical filter is placed between said light sources and said image display device so that images of said light sources are superimposed on one another in an exit pupil of said image-forming optical system,

wherein nonuniformity in illumination when an observer views said image is minimized.

6. A head-mounted image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the periodic structure of said optical filter satisfies the following condition:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">6.3×

10.sup.-5 <

(p/f)<

1.2×

10.sup.-2

where p is a period of said optical filter, and f is a focal length of said decentered prism.

7. A head-mounted image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the periodic structure of said optical filter satisfies the following condition:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">1.2×

10.sup.-4 <

(p/f)<

5.9×

10.sup.-3

where p is a period of said optical filter, and f is a focal length of said decentered prism.

8. A head-mounted image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of light sources includes a red light source, a blue light source, and a green light source, and

wherein said optical filter superimposes images of said light sources in said exit pupil, thereby minimizing unevenness of color when the observer views a color image.