Variable power optical system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical system arranged to collect radiation emanating from an object space and deliver said radiation to an image surface in an image space along a common optical axis, comprising:
- a first variable power optical component that is stationary on the common optical axis, comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to produce a change of optical power in the first variable power optical component, resulting in a variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on the image surface; and
a second variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to reduce the variation in the chief ray angle at the image point on the image surface caused by varying the shape of the first variable power optical component, wherein the shape of the first variable power optical component is varied to provide a zoom function and the zoom range is greater than about 3×
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Abstract
Liquid lens cells are used in a variable power optical system. In one embodiment, a stop is located between a first lens group comprising at least a first liquid lens cell and a second lens group comprising at least a second liquid lens cell. In one embodiment, a liquid lens cell controls an incident angle of light rays on an image surface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical system arranged to collect radiation emanating from an object space and deliver said radiation to an image surface in an image space along a common optical axis, comprising:
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a first variable power optical component that is stationary on the common optical axis, comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to produce a change of optical power in the first variable power optical component, resulting in a variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on the image surface; and a second variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to reduce the variation in the chief ray angle at the image point on the image surface caused by varying the shape of the first variable power optical component, wherein the shape of the first variable power optical component is varied to provide a zoom function and the zoom range is greater than about 3×
. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A variable power objective optical system using no axially moving groups, comprising:
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at least two variable power optical components that together provide zoom function with a fixed image surface, the variable power optical components comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to produce a change of optical power in the variable power optical component; and at least one variable power optical component comprising at least two liquids with different refractive properties and at least one contact surface between the two liquids, wherein the shape of the contact surface is varied to at least partially compensate for changes in variation of a chief ray angle approaching an image point on the image surface caused at least in part by the variable power optical components that provide the zoom function. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification