PANORAMIC IMAGING LENS

• US 20030099045A1
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tateyama System Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tateyama R&D Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Doi, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,646,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/725
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0018 with means for preventing ghost images anti-reflection coatings G02B1/11

Abstract

It has an annular light incident surface formed in a substantial convex lens form; a first reflective surface formed in an annular concave mirror form to reflect light inside the lens; a second reflective surface provided at a central part inside the annular light incident surface to reflect the reflected light from the first reflective surface toward an inner part of the annular first reflective surface; and a light outgoing surface positioned at a central part inside the annular first reflective surface and opposing the second reflective surface to transmit light. A non-reflective part exerting no regular reflection of light is provided on a light path toward the light incident surface amongst light paths of light proceeding to agree with a light path of imaging light incident on and refracted at the light incident surface and proceeding inside the lens, which are light paths of light partly and inwardly reflected by the light incident surface 22 from the interior of the lens toward the interior of the lens.

Claims

1. A panoramic imaging lens comprising an annular light incident surface formed in a rotation symmetrical form around a light axis in a substantial convex lens form bulging to enable incident of lateral light;

a first reflective surface formed in an annular concave mirror form bulging outwardly that substantially opposes the light incident surface to reflect light inside the lens;

a second reflective surface provided at a central part inside the annular light incident surface to reflect the reflected light from the first reflective surface toward an inner part of the annular first reflective surface; and

a light outgoing surface positioned at a central part inside the annular first reflective surface and opposing the second reflective surface to transmit the light from the second reflective surface, wherein;

a non-reflective part exerting no regular reflection of light is provided on a light path toward the light incident surface amongst light paths of light proceeding to agree with a light path of imaging light incident on and refracted at the light incident surface and proceeding inside the lens, which are light paths of light partly and inwardly reflected by the light incident surface from the interior of the lens toward the interior of the lens.

2. A panoramic imaging lens as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-reflective part is a light absorbing part formed to be black or a dark color that absorbs light but does not reflect light, a diffused reflective part formed to be a roughened surface that diffusely reflects light but does not regularly reflect light, or a combination thereof.

3. A panoramic imaging lens as claimed in claim 2, wherein the non-reflective part is an opening having a form of a cylinder that is formed in a rotation symmetrical form around a light axis of the panoramic imaging lens from the light outgoing surface toward the second reflective surface of the lens, and the opening has such a depth that a bottom of the opening is at a position on a side of the light outgoing surface with respect to a line connecting a fringe of the light incident surface on a side of the first reflective surface.

4. A panoramic imaging lens as claimed in claim 2, wherein the non-reflective part is an opening having a form of a cylinder that is formed in a rotation symmetrical form around a light axis of the panoramic imaging lens protruding from the light outgoing surface toward a direction opposite to the second reflective surface.

5. A panoramic imaging lens as claimed in claim 2, wherein the non-reflective part is formed on at least one of a periphery of the light outgoing surface and the first reflective surface of the panoramic imaging lens in an annular form with a light axis of the light outgoing surface as a center.

6. A panoramic imaging lens as claimed in claim 2, wherein the non-reflective part is formed on a side peripheral surface of the panoramic imaging lens formed between the light incident surface and the first reflective surface of the panoramic imaging lens.