Optical apparatus

• US 6,618,209 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeyama, Tetsuhide, Hayakawa, Kazuhito, Nagaoka, Toshiyuki, Nishioka, Kimihiko, Nagata, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spector, David N.
• Application Number:
  US09/923,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20020041445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/676, 359/678, 359/685, 359/694, 359/318, 359/295, 359/824
• US Class Current: 359/676
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/06 made of fluids in transparent cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0825 the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/18 adaptive optics, e.g. wavefront correction

Abstract

The invention provides an optical apparatus enabling diopter adjustment, etc. to be achieved using, for instance, a reflection type variable-optical property optical element or a variable-optical property mirror but without recourse to any mechanical moving part. The variable-optical property mirror 9 comprises an aluminum-coated thin film 9a and a plurality of electrodes 9b. Via variable resistors 11 and a power source switch 13 a power source 12 is connected between the thin film 9a and the electrodes 9b, so that the resistance values of the variable resistors 11 can be controlled by an operating unit 14. The shape of the thin film 9a as a reflecting surface is controlled by changing the resistance value of each variable resistor 11 in response to a signal from the operating unit 14 in such a manner that the imaging capability of the variable mirror is optimized.

Claims

1. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that at least one of transformation of the variable mirror or movement of an optical element is performed for zooming, and at least one of the movement the optical element or the transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

2. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that an optical element is moved for zooming, and at least one of movement of the optical element or transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

3. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that the variable mirror is transformed for zooming, and at least one of movement of an optical element or transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

4. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that at least one of transformation of the variable mirror, movement of a lens or movement of the variable mirror is performed for zooming, and at least one of the movement of the lens or the variable mirror or the transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

5. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that a lens is moved for zooming, and at least one of movement of the lens or transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

6. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that the variable mirror is transformed for zooming, and at least one of movement of a lens, movement of the variable mirror or transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

7. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that the variable mirror is transformed for zooming, and at least one of movement of a lens or transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

8. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that a lens is moved for zooming, and transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

9. An optical system comprising a variable mirror, characterized in that movement of a lens and transformation of the variable mirror are performed for zooming, and the transformation of the variable mirror is performed for focus adjustment.

10. An optical system comprising a plurality of lens groups and at least one variable-shape mirror whose focal length is changed by transformation of a reflecting surface thereof, characterized in that at least one lens group is moved on an optical axis of said optical system for scaling, and a displacement of a focus position of said optical system with scaling is corrected by said variable-shape mirror.

11. The optical system according to claim 10, characterized in that said optical system is made up of, in order from an object side thereof, a negative, first group, a positive, second group, and a subsequent group or groups, wherein said second lens group is moved on an optical axis of said optical system for scaling.

12. The optical system according to claim 10, characterized in that a reflecting surface is interposed between the first group and the second group.

13. The optical system according to claim 10, characterized in that when an object point is nearly at infinity, the variable-shape mirror has a substantially planar surface.

14. The optical system according to claim 10, characterized in that the variable-shape mirror has a free-form surface shape.

15. An optical system comprising lens groups and a variable mirror, characterized in that at least one lens group is moved on an optical axis of said optical system for scaling, and displacements of a focus position with object distance changes or scaling or fluctuations of aberrations with object distance changes or scaling are corrected by said variable mirror.

16. An optical system comprising lens groups and a variable mirror, characterized in that at least one lens group is moved on an optical axis of said optical system for zooming, and when focus adjustment is performed, an action of said variable mirror on reflection of a light ray changes.

17. An optical system comprising lens groups and a variable mirror, characterized in that at least one lens group is moved for scaling, and displacements of a focus position of said optical system with object distance changes or scaling or fluctuations of aberrations with object distance changes or scaling are corrected by said variable mirror.

18. An optical system comprising lens groups and a variable mirror, characterized in that at least one lens group is moved for zooming, and when focus adjustment is performed, an action of said variable mirror on reflection of a light ray changes.