Observation optical system

• US 6,636,356 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeyama, Tetsuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): JUBA JR, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US09/917,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20020039232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 359/13, 359/14, 359/16, 359/630, 359/631, 359/837, 359/565
• US Class Current: 359/565
• 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 17/0848 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 17/0852 having a field corrector only
• 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 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0037 with diffracting elements G02B27/0056 takes precedence; holographic optical elements G02B5/32; zone systems G02B5/1876
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4211 correcting chromatic aberrations G02B27/0056, G02B27/4222, G02B27/4227 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4277 being separated by an air space
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements

Abstract

An observation system having a positive refracting power as a whole comprises a first unit G1 with a positive refracting power and a second unit G2 and forms an exit pupil for observation of an electronic image displayed on an image display element 5. The first unit G1 comprises a prism 4 with a positive refracting power and a transmission-type volume hologram 6 and has an action of imaging an observation image for obtaining a relay image. The second unit G2 is composed of a reflection-type volume hologram 3 and has an action of forming the exit pupil 1 so as to introduce the relay image to an observer. At least one of reflecting surfaces and an exit surface of the prism 4 is shaped as a rotationally asymmetric surface which exerts a power on bundles of rays, to compensate aberrations generated by decentering. Whereby, the observation optical system can be made so compact as to be applicable to an image display apparatus for cellular phones or portable intelligent terminals, and provides a bright view of an electronic image and a see-through image with high definition.

Claims

1. An observation optical system which forms an exit pupil for observation of an electronic image displayed on an image display element and which has a positive refracting power as a whole, comprising:

a first unit having a positive refracting power; and

a second unit;

wherein said first unit comprises at least one prism member having a positive refracting power; and

said second unit comprises a diffraction element having a lens function caused by diffraction,

wherein said first unit has an action of imaging the electronic image for obtaining a relay image,

said second unit has an action for forming the exit pupil for introducing the relay image into an observer,

said prism member has;

an entrance surface via which bundles of rays emergent from the image display element enter said prism member;

at least one reflecting surface on which the bundles of rays reflect inside said prism member; and

an exit surface via which the bundles of rays exit out of said prism member;

at least one of said reflecting surface and said exit surface is shaped as a curved surface which exerts a power on the bundles of rays, said curved surface being a rotationally asymmetric surface constructed and arranged to compensate aberrations caused by determining.

2. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein said diffraction element of said second unit is a reflection-type one.

3. A head-mount type image display apparatus comprising:

a main frame provided with an image display element and an image observation optical system according to claim 1 which is arranged as an eyepiece optical system; and

a support member constructed to be mounted on lateral sides of a head of an observer so as to hold said main frame in front of a face of the observer.

4. A head-mount type image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said eyepiece optical system and an optical system for spectacles are integrally arranged in said main frame.

5. A head-mount type image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said support member is constructed to achieve removable mount to side frames of spectacles.

6. A head-mount type image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a pair of said observation optical systems are arranged in parallel as left and right systems for providing binocular view.

7. An observation optical system which forms an exit pupil for observation of an electronic image displayed on an image display element and which has a positive refracting power as a whole, comprising:

a first unit having a positive refracting power; and

a second unit;

wherein said first unit comprises at least one prism member having a positive refracting power; and

said second unit comprises a diffraction element having a lens function caused by diffraction,

wherein said first unit has an action of imaging the electronic image for obtaining a relay image,

said second unit has an action for forming the exit pupil for introducing the relay image into an observer,

said prism member has;

an entrance surface via which bundles of rays emergent from the image display element enter said prism member;

at least one reflecting surface on which the bundles of rays reflect inside said prism member; and

an exit surface via which the bundles of rays exit out of said prism member;

at least one of said reflecting surface and said exit surface is shaped as a curved surface which exerts a power on the bundles of rays, said curved surface being a rotationally asymmetric surface constructed and arranged to compensate aberrations caused by decentering, and

wherein said second unit exerts no power on bundles of rays transmitted therethrough.

8. An observation optical system which forms an exit pupil for observation of an electronic image displayed on an image display element and which has a positive refracting power as a whole, comprising:

a first unit having a positive refracting power; and

a second unit;

wherein said first unit comprises at least one prism member having a positive refracting power; and

said second unit comprises a diffraction element having a lens function caused by diffraction,

wherein said first unit has an action of imaging the electronic image for obtaining a relay image,

said second unit has an action for forming the exit pupil for introducing the relay image into an observer,

said prism member has;

an entrance surface via which bundles of rays emergent from the image display element enter said prism member;

at least one reflecting surface on which the bundles of rays reflect inside said prism member; and

an exit surface via which the bundles of rays exit out of said prism member;

at least one of said reflecting surface and said exit surface is shaped as a curved surface which exerts a power on the bundles of rays, said curved surface being a rotationally asymmetric surface constructed and arranged to compensate aberrations caused by decentering, and

wherein said first unit comprises a diffraction element.

9. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said diffraction element of said first unit is a transmission-type volume hologram.

10. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said diffraction element of said first unit is disposed on the exit surface of said prism member.

11. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said diffraction element of said first unit is provided with a flare stop.

12. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said diffraction element of said second unit is a reflection-type volume hologram.

13. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said diffraction element of said second unit is provided with a flare stop.

14. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said prism member has at least two reflecting surfaces which reflect the bundles of rays inside said prism member.

15. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said at least one reflecting surface is shaped as a curved surface which exerts a power on the bundles of rays, said curved surface being a rotationally asymmetric surface constructed and arranged to compensate aberrations generated by decentering.

16. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said prism member has at least two reflecting surfaces, each of which is shaped as a curved surface which exerts a power on the bundles of rays, said curved surface being a rotationally asymmetric surface constructed and arranged to compensate aberrations caused by decentering.

17. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said prism member is constructed and arranged so that a direction of an axial chief ray as emergent from aid prism member is averted from the exit pupil.

18. An observation optical system according to claim 17, wherein the direction of the axial chief ray as emergent from said prism member satisfies the following condition:

19. An observation optical system according to claim 18, wherein the following condition is satisfied:

20. An observation optical system according to claim 18, wherein the following condition is satisfied:

21. An observation optical system according to claim 8, wherein said first unit is covered with a dust shield member.

22. An observation optical system according to claim 21, wherein said dust shield member of said first unit is provided with an encasement which accommodates said first unit and a cover which transmits light emergent from said first unit.

23. An observation optical system according to claim 22, wherein said diffraction element of said first unit is provided on a surface of said cover as a base surface.