Observation optical system

• US 6,710,902 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Takeyama, Tetsuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASSAF, FAYEZ G
• Application Number:
  US10/120,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20030086135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 359/13-15, 359/16, 359/19, 359/32, 359/629-632, 345/7-8, 250/216
• US Class Current: 359/13
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements

Abstract

An observation optical system includes an image display element, a relay optical system having a plurality of lenses 4 and a first reflection-type volume hologram element (HOE), and an eyepiece optical system having a second reflection-type HOE. The observation optical system is arranged along the face to the side head of the observer. The first reflection-type HOE has a power and is configured to compensate for chromatic aberrations. The plurality of lenses is configured to compensate for decentered aberrations and chromatic aberrations. The second reflection-type HOE is a configured to exert power on bundles of rays and to compensate for chromatic aberrations. A light-transmitting plate is sandwiched between the first reflection-type HOE and the second refection-type HOE.

Claims

1. An observation optical system comprising:

an image display element;

a relay optical system which relays image information formed on said image display element; and

an eyepiece optical system which introduces the image information relayed by said relay optical system to an eyeball of an observer,

wherein said relay optical system comprises, at least, a plurality of lenses and a first reflection-type volume hologram element, said first reflection-type volume hologram element being constructed and arranged to have a power and to compensate for chromatic aberrations, said plurality of lenses being constructed and arranged to compensate, at least, for decentered aberrations and chromatic aberrations,

wherein said eyepiece optical system comprises a second reflection-type volume hologram element, which is constructed and arranged to reflect bundles of rays toward the eyeball of the observer, to exert a power on the bundles of rays, and to compensate for chromatic aberrations,

wherein a light-transmitting plate is sandwiched between said first reflection-type volume hologram element and said second reflection-type volume hologram element, said light-transmitting plate being filled with a transparent medium and being constructed and arranged to introduce bundles of rays that are reflected at least by said first reflection-type volume hologram element to said second reflection-type volume hologram element by letting the bundles of rays cause, in the path of rays, total reflection odd-numbered times equal to or greater than three times, and

wherein said light-transmitting plate allows said relay optical system and said image display element to be laid out along a face through a side head of the observer.

2. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein one of the following conditions is satisfied:

3. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein one of the following conditions is satisfied:

4. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein one of the following conditions is satisfied:

5. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein the following condition is satisfied:

6. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein the following condition is satisfied:

7. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein the following condition is satisfied:

8. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein said light-transmitting plate is shaped to have a curvature along a face of the observer.

9. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein said light-transmitting plate is processed with AR coating.

10. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein surfaces of said light-transmitting plate are shaped as plane surfaces.

11. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein surfaces of said light-transmitting plate are shaped as curved surfaces.

12. An observation optical system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lenses have free curved surfaces, which are surfaces for compensating for decentered aberrations.

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

a main frame in which an observation optical system recited in claim 1 is housed;

a support member which supports said main frame on a head of an observer so as to hold an exit pupil of said observation optical system at a position of an eyeball of the observer; and

a speaker member which provides a sound for an ear of the observer.

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

a main frame in which a pair of observation optical systems each recited in claim 1 are housed for observation via a right eye and a left eye of an observer, respectively;

a support member which supports said main frame on a head of the observer so as to hold exit pupils of said pair of observation optical systems at positions of eyeballs of the observer;

a right-ear speaker member which provides a sound for a right ear of the observer; and

a left-ear speaker member which provides a sound for a left ear of the observer.

15. A head-mount-type image display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said speaker member is constructed of an earphone.