US3645602A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Compact optical system permitting an instantaneous increase in magnification without refocussing
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-05-08
•
Granted: 1972-02-29
•
Expires: 1990-05-08
Abstract
Abstract Optical system comprising a Barlow amplifier and adapted to make it possible to change the magnification of an image formed by an objective without displacing the image by varying the length of the optical path travelled in dependence upon the enlargement of said image. This optical device is characterized by the fact that it comprises an assembly of reflecting plane surfaces some of which are pivotally mounted so as to permit an increase in the number of reflections undergone by said rays at the same time as said magnification. The device is particularly applicable to telescopes and to binoculars, which may be provided with means for increasing their stereoscopic effect.
Inventors
- 👤 Serge Clave
- 👤 Marcel Clave
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 08:35
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B15/00; G02B15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
In an optical system comprising an eyepiece, an objective, reflecting members defining an optical path traversed by light rays passing from said objective to said eyepiece, and image amplifying means mounted to be inserted into or withdrawn from said path in order to modify the size of an image formed by said objective and thereby increase the distance between said objective and the plane of said image, the improvement according to which said amplifying means and at least one reflecting member is mounted to pivot about an appropriate axis so as to maintain an optical path between said objective and said eyepiece regardless of whether said amplifying means is inserted in said path, but increase the length of said path when said amplifying means is inserted therein by a distance equal to the increase in the distance between said objective and said image plane resulting from said insertion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
In an optical system comprising an eyepiece, an objective, reflecting members defining an optical path traversed by light rays passing from said objective to said eyepiece, and image amplifying means mounted to be inserted into or withdrawn from said path in order to modify the size of an image formed by said objective and thereby increase the distance between said objective and the plane of said image, the improvement according to which said amplifying means and at least one reflecting member is mounted to pivot about an appropriate axis so as to maintain an optical path between said objective and said eyepiece regardless of whether said amplifying means is inserted in said path, but increase the length of said path when said amplifying means is inserted therein by a distance equal to the increase in the distance between said objective and said image plane resulting from said insertion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
Device as claimed in clam 1 in which an axial ray from said objective is reflected at an angle of 45* from each reflecting surface of a reflecting member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
Optical device as claimed in claim 2 in which said reflecting members include two prisms having one and three totally reflective surfaces respectively, one of said prisms being mounted to be inserted in said optical path when said amplifier is inserted therein, and the other when said amplifier is retracted, the assembly of said amplifier and said prisms being pivotally mounted on an axis parallel to the path of travel of an axial light ray leaving said objective.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
Device as claimed in claim 2 in which said reflecting members comprise three mirrors each perpendicular to the preceding mirror, one of which mirrors has both an internal surface and an external surface which are metallized and reflecting, whereas the other two mirrors have only an internal metallized reflecting surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
126 words
Optical device as claimed in claim 1 in which said reflecting members comprise an assembly of two prisms fixed to each other and having totally reflecting surfaces forming three-quarters of a square in section, and an independent prism having a section in the form of an isosceles triangle and a single reflecting surface, said prisms being mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the direction of an axial ray from said objective between a position occupied when said amplifier is inserted in said path and in which said totally reflective surfaces are also inserted in said path, and a position occupied when said amplifier is withdrawn from said path in which only the single reflecting surface of the independent prism is inserted in said path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
An optical system as claimed in claim 5 positioned in the path of travel of light rays reaching the eyepiece of a telescope and between two double-reflecting prisms, each of which deviates incident rays through an angle of 45*, said assembly being mounted to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said eyepiece and said objective.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
A pair of optical systems as claimed in claim 6 mounted to form binoculars and in which each double-reflecting prism which produces a deviation of 45* in the light rays between each objective and the corresponding rotatably mounted assembly is positioned with its largest face perpendicular to the direction of the incident axial ray from said objective and is smaller than the other double-reflecting prism associated with that assembly so as to increase the axial separation between the two objectives of said binoculars with respect to that between the two eyepieces of said binoculars and thereby increase its stereoscopic effect.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
System as claimed in claim 5, in which said three prisms are mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to an axial ray leaving said objective.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
92 words
System aS claimed in claim 2 comprising three juxtaposed prisms, two of which have a single totally reflecting surface and are mounted to turn with said amplifier, about an axis perpendicular to the direction of an axial ray from said objective, while the third prism is stationary and comprises three totally reflecting surfaced producing four successive reflections of said light rays when said amplifier is inserted in the path of travel of said rays, the other two prisms being inserted in said path only when said amplifier is withdrawn from said path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
Device as claimed in claim 2 in which said reflecting members consist of a mirror having a single reflective surface and a prism having three reflecting surfaces, one of said reflecting members being mounted to lie in said optical path when said amplifier is inserted therein, and the other when said amplifier is retracted, the assembly of said reflecting members being pivotally mounted to turn about an axis parallel to the path of travel of an axial light ray leaving said objective.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
123 words
Device as claimed in claim 2 in which said reflecting members comprise an assembly of two independent prisms, each having a section in the shape of a right isosceles triangle and each having a single totally reflecting surface, juxtaposed with respect to each other along the hypotenuse of said triangle and pivotally mounted about an axis perpendicular to an axial ray from said objective, and three stationary mirrors positioned along three contiguous sides of a rectangle which are provided with metallized internal faces, whereby light rays travelling along said path undergo five reflections when said amplifier is inserted therein, three of which are at said metallized internal surfaces and two of which are at the totally reflecting surfaces of the two said prisms.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
Device as claimed in claim 12 in which said amplifying means is a Barlow amplifier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Device as claimed in claim 12 in which said reflecting means rotates to increase the number of reflective surfaces along said optical path by an even number when said amplifying means is inserted in said path.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
Device as claimed in claim 1 in which said rotating reflecting member has at least one surface in said optical path regardless of whether said amplifying means is in said path or not, and said additional reflecting surfaces are formed on said reflecting means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1798396A
Cited
US1843439A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-02-28 | 1975-08-30 | 1976-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-02-28 | 1979-08-30 | 1980-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-02-28 | 1983-08-30 | 1984-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |