Variable power, analytic function, optical component in the form of a pair of laterally adjustable plates having shaped surfaces, and optical systems including such components

Claim 2

An analytic function optical component comprising at least one plate that is disposed along an axis, said plate having one surface of predetermined shape and a quintic surface whose shape is mathematically described by a preselected polynomial equation having a nonzero Term of at least fifth order, said plate being movable laterally of said axis so as to affect optical performance characteristics, including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism and other aberrations of said component and said polynomial equation having at least the term: x ay+cy3+3cyz2+ gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4, where x, y, z are coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said quintic surface and a, c, g are constants, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component to ameliorate said aberrations.

Claim 3

The analytic function optical component of claim 1, wherein said quintic surface, with reference to x, y, z coordinate axes having an origin at a vertex, is symmetrical with respect to said origin in any plane parallel to the x-y plane and is mirror symmetrical in any plane parallel to the x-z plane and said predetermined shape is a surface of revolution.

Claim 4

An analytic function optical component comprising at least a pair of plates that are disposed in tandem along an axis, said plates each having a surface of an order at least as high as quintic, said plates being relatively movable laterally of said axis in such a way as to affect optical performance characteristics including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism and other aberrations of said component, each said surface characterized by an expression, containing at least the term: x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4, where x, y, z are coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said one of said surfaces and a, c, g are constants, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component to ameliorate said aberrations.

Claim 5

An analytic function optical component comprising at least a pair of plates that are disposed in tandem along an axis, said plates each having a surface of an order at least as high as quintic, said plates being relatively movable laterally of said axis in such a way as to affect optical performance characteristics including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism and other aberrations of said component, each said surface characterized by an expression, containing at least the term: x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4, where x, y, z are coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said one of said surfaces and a, c, g are constants, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component to ameliorate said aberrations.

Claim 6

An analytic function optical component comprising a plurality of plates that are disposed in tandem along an optic axis, said plates having surfaces that are symmetrical about said optic axis at the vertex thereof and are characterized by a polynomial equation of an order at least as high as quintic, said plates being relatively movable laterally of said axis in such a way to be equivalent in any of their different selected lateral positions to two plano aspheric lenses, with selected dioptric and aspheric powers, having selected curvatures, said polynomial equation characterizing said surfaces containing at least the term; x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4, where x, y, z are coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said one of said surfaces, x being parallel to said optic axis, and a, c, g are constants, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component to ameliorate certain optical aberrations.

Claim 7

An analytic function optical component comprising a plurality of plates that are disposed in tandem along an optic axis, said plates having surfaces that are symmetrical about said optic axis at the vertex thereof and are characterized by a polynomial equation of an order at least as high as quintic, said plates being relatively movable laterally of said axis in such a way to be equivalent in any of their different selected lateral positions to two plano aspheric lenses, with selected dioptric and aspheric powers, having selected curvatures, said polynomial equation characterizing said surfaces containing at least the term; x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4, where x, y, z are coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said one of said surfaces, x being parallel to said optic axis, and a, c, g are constants, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component to ameliorate certain optical aberrations.

Claim 8

The analytic function optical component of claim 4 wherein said surfaces are disposed at the inner adjacent portions of said plates.

Claim 9

The analytic function optical component of claim 4 wherein the remote surfaces of said plates are plano.

Claim 10

An optical system comprising an analytic function optical component having at least one plate disposed along an axis, said plate having one surface of predetermined shape and a quintic surface whose shape is mathematically described by a preselected polynomial equation having a nonzero term of at least fifth order, said plate being movable laterally of said axis so as to affect optical performance characteristics including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, and other aberrations of said optical system and said polynomial equation describing said quintic surface contains at least the term: x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4 wherein x, y, z are mutually orthogonal coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said quintic surface, x being the displacement from said reference plane along said axis, y and z being perpendicular to said axis, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component to ameliorate said aberrations.

Claim 11

An optical system comprising an analytic function optical component having at least one plate disposed along an axis, said plate having one surface of predetermined shape and a quintic surface whose shape is mathematically described by a preselected polynomial equation having a nonzero term of at least fifth order, said plate being movable laterally of said axis so as to affect optical performance characteristics including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, and other aberrations of said optical system and said polynomial equation describing said quintic surface contains at least the term: x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4 wherein x, y, z are mutually orthogonal coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said quintic surface, x being the displacement from said reference plane along said axis, y and z being perpendicular to said axis, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component to ameliorate said aberrations.

Claim 12

The optical system of claim 7, wherein said analytic function optical component comprises: first and second of said plates having first and second quintic surface, respectively, in tandem along said axis; means for moving said plates laterally of said axis in opposite directions, wherein said first quintic surface is positioned proximately of said second quintic surface, said polynomial equation describing said quintic surfaces being positive for said first quintic surface and negative for said second quintic surface.

Claim 13

An optical system comprising an analytic function optical component and an optical element disposed along an axis, said analytic function optical component comprising at least one plate disposed along said axis, each of said plates having a surface of predetermined shape and a quintic surface whose shape is mathematically described by a preselected polynomial equation containing at least the term: x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4 wherein x, y, z are mutually orthogonal coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said quintic surfaces, x being the displacement from said reference plane along said axis, y and z being perpendicular to said axis, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component, said plates being movable laterally of said axis so as to exert control over optical performance characteristics of said optical system, including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, and other aberrations of said optical system.

Claim 14

An optical system comprising an analytic function optical component and an optical element disposed along an axis, said analytic function optical component comprising at least one plate disposed along said axis, each of said plates having a surface of predetermined shape and a quintic surface whose shape is mathematically described by a preselected polynomial equation containing at least the term: x ay+cy3+3cyz2+gy5+10/3gy3z2+5gyz4 wherein x, y, z are mutually orthogonal coordinate axes having an origin at the vertex of said quintic surfaces, x being the displacement from said reference plane along said axis, y and z being perpendicular to said axis, a being a constant representing the coefficient of a prism which can be removed to minimize the thickness of said analytic function optical component, c being a constant related to lens power variation with movement in the y direction, and g being a constant selected to superimpose predetermined aspheric power on said analytic function optical component, said plates being movable laterally of said axis so as to exert control over optical performance characteristics of said optical system, including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, and other aberrations of said optical system.

Claim 15

The optical system of claim 9, wherein said optical element is a mirror and said analytic function component comprises a single said plate at the center of curvature of said mirror so the mirror image of said quintic surface is in contiguity with said actual quintic surface.

Claim 16

The optical system of claim 9, wherein said optical element comprises at least one refracting lens and said analytic function optical component comprises: first and second of said plates having first and second quintic surfaces, respectively, in tandem along said axis; meaNs for moving said plates laterally of said axis in opposite directions, wherein said first quintic surface is positioned proximately of said second quintic surface, said polynomial describing said quintic surfaces being positive for said first quintic surface and negative for said second quintic surface.

Claim 17

The optical system of claim 9, wherein said coefficients a and c are both equal to zero.

Claim 18

The optical system of claim 9, wherein each said surface of predetermined shape of each said plate is plano. Here B7 +9.5, B8 -0.636 and the back focal distance is given by d10.