Object lens and endoscope using it

• US 7,085,064 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Takayuki, Uzawa, Tsutomu, Kasai, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Jordan M.
• Application Number:
  US10/513,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20050225872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 359656-661
• US Class Current: 359/661
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/04 Reversed telephoto objectives
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/243 Objectives for endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 9/12 having three components only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 9/34 having four components only

Abstract

An objective lens includes, in order from the object side, a first lens (L1) with negative power, a second lens (L2) with positive power, an aperture stop (AS), and a third lens (L3) with positive power. A lens component located on the image side of the aperture stop (AS) is constructed with a positive single lens or a plurality of positive single lenses, and the objective lens satisfies the following conditions:
45<vd1−vd2
−0.6<f1/f2<−0.3
where vd1 is the Abbe'"'"'s number of the first lens, vd2 is the Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens, f1 is the focal length of the first lens, and f2 is the focal length of the second lens.

Claims

1. An objective lens comprising, in order from an object side:

a first lens with negative power;

a second lens with positive power;

an aperture stop; and

a third lens with positive power,

a lens component located on the image side of the aperture stop being constructed with a positive single lens or a plurality of positive single lenses,

the objective lens satisfying the following conditions;

45<

vd1−

vd2

−

0.6<

f1/f2<

−

0.3

where vd1 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the first lens, vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, and f2 is a focal length of the second lens.

2. An objective lens according to claim 1, satisfying the following condition:

0<

{1/(vd1×

f1)+1/(vd2×

f2)}×

f<

0.02

where f is a focal length of an entire system of the objective lens.

4. An objective lens according to claim 1, wherein the first lens is constructed of sapphire.

5. An objective lens according to claim 1, wherein said lenses are constructed of material excluding optically unfavorable substances, such as lead and arsenic.

6. An objective lens according to claim 1, satisfying the following condition:

vd2<

20

where vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens.

8. An objective lens according to claim 6, wherein the first lens is constructed of sapphire.

9. An objective lens according to claim 6, wherein said lenses are constructed of material excluding optically unfavorable substances, such as lead and arsenic.

3. An endoscope using an objective lens, the objective lens comprising, in order from an object side:

a first lens with negative power;

a second lens with positive power;

an aperture stop; and

a third lens with positive power,

a lens component located on the image side of the aperture stop being constructed with a positive single lens or a plurality of positive single lenses,

the objective lens satisfying the following conditions;

45<

vd1−

vd2

−

0.6<

f1/f2<

−

0.3

where vd1 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the first lens, vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, and f2 is a focal length of the second lens.

7. An endoscope using an objective lens, the objective lens comprising, in order from an object side:

a first lens with negative power;

a second lens with positive power;

an aperture stop; and

a third lens with positive power,

a lens component located on the image side of the aperture stop being constructed with a positive single lens or a plurality of positive single lenses,

the objective lens satisfying the following conditions;

vd2<

20 where vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens.

10. An objective lens comprising, in order from an object side:

a first lens with negative power;

a second lens with positive power;

an aperture stop; and

a third lens with positive power,

the objective lens satisfying the following conditions;

45<

vd1−

vd2

−

0.6<

f1/f2<

−

0.3

0<

{1/(vd1×

f1)+1/(vd2×

f2)}×

f<

0.02

where vd1 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the first lens, vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, f2 is a focal length of the second lens, and f is a focal length of an entire system of the objective lens.

11. An objective lens according to claim 10, satisfying the following condition

vd2<

20.

13. An objective lens according to claim 10, wherein the first lens is constructed of sapphire.

14. An objective lens according to claim 10, wherein said lenses are constructed of material excluding optically unfavorable substances, such as lead and arsenic.

12. An endoscope using an objective lens, the objective lens comprising, in order from an object side:

a first lens with negative power;

a second lens with positive power;

an aperture stop; and

a third lens with positive power,

the objective lens satisfying the following conditions;

45<

vd1−

vd2

−

0.6<

f1/f2<

−

0.3

0<

{1/(vd1×

f1)+1/(vd2×

f2)}×

f<

0.02

where vd1 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the first lens, vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, f2 is a focal length of the second lens, and f is a focal length of an entire system of the objective lens.

15. An objective lens comprising, in order from an object side:

a first lens with negative power;

a second lens with positive power;

an aperture stop;

a third lens with positive power; and

a fourth lens with positive power, placed in the proximity of an image plane,

the objective lens satisfying the following conditions;

45<

vd1−

vd2

−

0.6<

f1/f2<

−

0.3

0<

{1/(vd1×

f1)+1/(vd2×

f2)}×

f<

0.02

where vd1 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the first lens, vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, f2 is a focal length of the second lens, and f is a focal length of an entire system of the objective lens.

16. An objective lens according to claim 15, satisfying the following condition

vd2<

20.

18. An objective lens according to claim 15, wherein the first lens is constructed of sapphire.

19. An objective lens according to claim 15, wherein said lenses are constructed of material excluding optically unfavorable substances, such as lead and arsenic.

17. An endoscope using an objective lens, the objective lens comprising, in order from an object side:

a first lens with negative power;

a second lens with positive power;

an aperture stop;

a third lens with positive power; and

a fourth lens with positive power, placed in the proximity of an image plane,

the objective lens satisfying the following conditions;

45<

vd1−

vd2

−

0.6<

f1/f2<

−

0.3

0<

{1/(vd1×

f1)+1/(vd2×

f2)}×

f<

0.02

where vd1 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the first lens, vd2 is an Abbe'"'"'s number of the second lens, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, f2 is a focal length of the second lens, and f is a focal length of an entire system of the objective lens.