Autofocus distance-measuring optical system

• US 6,480,266 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Asahi Seimitsu Kabushiki Kaisha, Ashai Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Asahi Seimitsu Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shinichi, Ogawa, Ryota, Takayama, Homu, Shirai, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andrea, Brian
• Application Number:
  US09/799,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 356/4-1-
• US Class Current: 356/5.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/34 using different areas in a pupil plane

Abstract

An autofocus distance-measuring optical system includes a sighting telescope having an objective lens for sighting an object; an optical distance meter which includes a light-transmitting optical system for transmitting a measuring light via the, and a light-receiving optical system for receiving light reflected by the object; a focus detecting device for detecting a focus state of the sighting telescope; and a controller for controlling the sighting telescope to automatically focus on the object in accordance with the focus state detected by the focus detecting device. The focus detecting device is a phase-difference detection type which detects an in-focus state from a pair of images respectively formed by two light bundles which are passed through two different pupil areas. The two different pupil areas are positioned so as not to interfere with any optical elements of the optical distance meter.

Claims

1. An autofocus distance-measuring optical system comprising:

a sighting telescope having a objective lens for sighting an object;

an optical distance meter which includes a light-transmitting optical system for transmitting a measuring light via said objective lens, and a light-receiving optical system for receiving light reflected by the object, the light-transmitting optical system having a reflection member;

a focus detecting device for detecting a focus state of said sighting telescope; and

a controller for controlling said sighting telescope to automatically focus on the object in accordance with said focus state detected by said focus detecting device,

wherein said focus detecting device comprises a phase-difference detection type of focus detecting device which detects an in-focus state from a pair of images respectively formed by two light bundles which are respectively passed through two different pupil areas of said phase-difference detection type of focus detecting device and passed through different portions of said objective lens of said sighting telescope; and

wherein said two different pupil areas are positioned so that said two light bundles which pass therethrough are arranged to pass around the reflection member without being incident on the reflection member.

2. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one lens element of said objective lens is utilized as a focusing lens group which is moved in accordance with said focus state detected by said focus detecting device.

3. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system according to claim 1, wherein said sighting telescope comprises an optical system positioned between said objective lens and said focus detecting device, wherein the optical system functions so that the combined focal length of said objective lens and said optical system is longer than the focal length of said objective lens.

4. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system according to claim 3, wherein said optical system comprises a focus adjustment lens having a negative power, said focus adjustment lens being moved in accordance with said focus state detected by said focus detecting device.

5. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system according to claim 1, wherein said light-transmitting optical system comprises a reflection member positioned on an optical axis of said objective lens, wherein said two different pupil areas are positioned so as not to interfere with said reflection member.

6. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system according to claim 1, wherein said optical elements of said optical distance meter are arranged in a direction defined along a line which extends across the diameter of the objective lens and passes through the optical axis of said objective lens;

and

wherein each of said pupil areas is determined so as to have an elongated shape extending parallel to said direction, so as not to interfere with said optical elements arranged in said direction.

7. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system according to claim 1, wherein said focus detecting device comprises a pair of line sensors on which said pair of images are respectively formed by said two light bundles.

8. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system according to claim 7, wherein said focus detecting device comprises an AF sensor unit in which said pair of line sensors are accommodated.

11. The autofocus distance-measuring optical system of claim 1, wherein said two different pupil areas are positioned so that said two light bundles which pass therethrough do not interfere with any optical elements of said optical distance meter.

9. An electronic distance meter comprising:

a sighting telescope having an objective lens;

an optical distance meter including a reflection member;

an AF sensor unit which detects a focus state of said sighting telescope; and

a controller for driving the objective lens of said sighting telescope to focus said sighting telescope on a sighting object in accordance with said focus state detected by said focus detecting device,

wherein said AF sensor unit comprises a phase-difference detection type AF sensor unit which detects an in-focus state from a pair of images respectively formed by two light bundles which are respectively passed through two different pupil areas of said phase-difference detection type AF sensor and passed through different portions of said objective lens of said sighting telescope; and

wherein optical elements of said optical distance meter are positioned such that the two light bundles which pass through two different pupil areas pass around said reflection member without being incident on the reflection member.

12. The electronic distance meter of claim 9, wherein said optical elements of said optical distance meter are positioned so as not to interfere with said two different pupil areas.

10. An electronic distance meter comprising:

a sighting telescope including an objective lens and an eyepiece;

an optical distance meter including a reflection member;

a phase-difference detection type of AF sensor unit which detects an in-focus position from a pair of images respectively formed by two light bundles which are respectively passed through two different pupil areas of said phase-difference detection type of AF sensor unit and passed through different portions of said objective lens;

a focus adjustment lens positioned between said objective lens and said eyepiece to extend a focal length of said objective lens; and

a controller for driving said focus adjustment lens to focus said sighting telescope on a sighting object in accordance with said in-focus position detected by said focus detecting device;

wherein optical elements of said optical distance meter are positioned such that the two light bundles which are passed through two different pupil areas pass around the reflection member.

13. The electronic distance meter of claim 10, wherein said optical elements of said optical distance meter are positioned so as not to interfere with said two different pupil areas.