Focusing device with diopter adjustment

• US 7,330,310 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leica Camera AG (Lisa Germany Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Leica Camera AG (Lisa Germany Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Speier, Rolf, Hengst, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): AMARI, ALESSANDRO V
• Application Number:
  US11/131,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 359/410, 359/414, 359/416, 359/417, 359/418
• US Class Current: 359/418
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/18 for binocular arrangements focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/04 with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification

Abstract

A method for focusing and diopter adjustment in a binocular telescope, in which, for the purpose of diopter adjustment, optical focusing elements (12) in the two telescope tubes (2, 3) can be displaced relative to one another, is distinguished by the fact that, as a result of rotation of a focus drive knob (5), both focusing elements (12) are displaced simultaneously by equal distances via a focus drive, the displacement of at least one of the focusing elements (12) can be locked (13, 14), and, as a result of rotation of the focus drive knob (5), while overcoming a frictional force in the focus drive to the locked focusing element (12), only the unlocked focusing element (12) is displaced.

Claims

1. A focusing device, comprising a bridge, to which two telescope tubes are fixed, and a focus drive knob which is mounted on the bridge and has a focus drive, which is coupled to focusing elements mounted within the telescope tubes such that they can be displaced, wherein:

the focus drive contains a longitudinally displaceable spindle and a two-armed lever located transversely with respect to the spindle,

the lever is mounted directly on the spindle such that it can be pivoted by overcoming a frictional force and its lever arms are coupled to the focusing elements, and

a lock that can be actuated from the outside and acts on the associated focusing element is provided on at least one of the telescope tubes.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an actuating movement of the spindle in the bridge is limited on both sides by a prestressed spring pack.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in each case in the direction of the actuating movement, the two lever arms have stop studs which, after a prestress of the respective spring pack has been overcome, can be brought into contact with stop surfaces in the bridge which are orthogonal with respect to the actuating movement of the spindle.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lock provided is a spring-mounted pushbutton.

5. A focusing device, comprising a bridge, to which two telescope tubes are fixed, and a focus drive knob which is mounted on the bridge and has a focus drive, which is coupled to focusing elements mounted in the telescope tubes such that they can be displaced, wherein:

the focus drive contains a longitudinally displaceable spindle and an axial tube arranged coaxially on the latter,

the axial tube is coupled to the spindle such that it can be displaced longitudinally in such a way that the coupling can be released after a frictional force has been overcome,

lever arms respectively projecting sideways are fixed to the spindle and the axial tube and are coupled to one of the focusing elements, and

a locking means that can be actuated from outside and acts on the axial tube is provided on the bridge.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spindle is connected to the focus drive knob by an upper threaded nut which is firmly connected to the focus drive knob, wherein the axial tube is connected to a lower threaded nut which is mounted on the spindle and in the bridge such that it can rotate, and the focus drive knob is mounted on the lower threaded nut such that it can be rotated with a predetermined frictional force.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a diopter disk that is mounted such that it can be rotated with respect to a fixed index mark is mounted in the head of the focus drive knob and is connected to a transmission pin inserted into the lower threaded nut.

8. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein coupling levers are arranged which are mounted on the lever arms such that they can be pivoted and, following adjustment of an identical focusing position of the focusing elements in the two telescope tubes, can be fixed.

9. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the locking means provided is a spring-mounted pushbutton.