US3655271A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Zoom lens for normal and close-up photography
Assignee: SUN KOKI KK
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Filing: 1970-05-11
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Granted: 1972-04-11
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Expires: 1990-05-11
Abstract
Abstract A zoom lens which can carry out conventional zoom lens functions so as to vary the focal length of an objective in a continuous manner while maintaining the object in sharp focus at the image plane. The zoom lens has a lens assembly capable of being displaced along the optical axis by a manually operable means. A transmission transmits movement of the manually operable means to a second lens assembly which is also displaced in this way along the optical axis. However, it is possible to disconnect the transmission from the manually operable means, so that while the second lens assembly remains stationary it is possible to move only the first lens assembly by way of the manually operable means. In this way it is possible to utilize the zoom lens, not only for normal zoom lens functions, but also for the purpose of close-up photography.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasuo Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:12
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/02; G02B7/04; G02B7/10; G02B7/105
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
297 words
In a zoom lens, a pair of coaxial lens assemblies, support means supporting said assemblies for movement along their common axis, manually operable means operatively connected with oNe of said assemblies for displacing the latter along said axis, transmission means operatively connected with the other of said lens assemblies and normally having an engaged position engaged with said manually operable means for transmitting movement therefrom to the other of said lens assemblies for displacing the latter also along said axis, said transmission means having a disengaged position providing for movement of said manually operable means independently of said transmission means without transmission of movement from said manually operable means to the other of said lens assemblies, and selecting means coacting with said transmission means for selectively placing the latter in said engaged or disengaged positions thereof, so that when said selecting means places said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof, said manually operable means will displace only said one lens assembly along said axis for enabling close-up photography to be carried out with the zoom lens, said lens assemblies including an outer, front lens assembly and an inner, rear lens assembly, said manually operable means being connected to said inner, rear lens assembly for displacing the latter while said transmission means is operatively connected to said outer, front lens assembly for transmitting movement thereto from said manually operable means when said selecting means places said transmission means in said engaged position thereof, whereby when said lens assemblies are in an extreme telephoto position said selecting means can be actuated to place said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof so that said manually operable means will then move said inner, rear lens assembly with respect to said outer, front lens assembly to carry out close-up photography.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
297 words
In a zoom lens, a pair of coaxial lens assemblies, support means supporting said assemblies for movement along their common axis, manually operable means operatively connected with oNe of said assemblies for displacing the latter along said axis, transmission means operatively connected with the other of said lens assemblies and normally having an engaged position engaged with said manually operable means for transmitting movement therefrom to the other of said lens assemblies for displacing the latter also along said axis, said transmission means having a disengaged position providing for movement of said manually operable means independently of said transmission means without transmission of movement from said manually operable means to the other of said lens assemblies, and selecting means coacting with said transmission means for selectively placing the latter in said engaged or disengaged positions thereof, so that when said selecting means places said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof, said manually operable means will displace only said one lens assembly along said axis for enabling close-up photography to be carried out with the zoom lens, said lens assemblies including an outer, front lens assembly and an inner, rear lens assembly, said manually operable means being connected to said inner, rear lens assembly for displacing the latter while said transmission means is operatively connected to said outer, front lens assembly for transmitting movement thereto from said manually operable means when said selecting means places said transmission means in said engaged position thereof, whereby when said lens assemblies are in an extreme telephoto position said selecting means can be actuated to place said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof so that said manually operable means will then move said inner, rear lens assembly with respect to said outer, front lens assembly to carry out close-up photography.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
138 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said manually operable means operatively connected to said one lens assembly forms a first manually operable means, said transmission means including a second manually operable means operatively connected to the other of said lens assemblies for displacing the latter along said axis, and said transmission means further including a connecting means for normally releasably connecting said first and second manually operable means to each other for movement as a unit and for disconnecting said first and second manually operable means from each other when said transmission means is in said disengaged position thereof, said selecting means coacting with said connecting means for displacing the latter between positions respectively connecting said first and second manually operable means to each other and disconnecting said first and second manually operable means from each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein each of said manually operable means includes a rotary ring supported by said support means for rotation about said axis and a camming structure actuated by said ring and operatively connected with a lens assembly for displacing the latter along said axis in response to rotary movement of said ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
108 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein said connecting means includes a pair of connecting portions respectively connected operatively with said first and second manually operable means and one of which has a projection and the other of which has a recess receiving said projection when said pair of connecting portions coact to place said connecting means in said connecting position thereof, said selecting means being operatively connected with one of said connecting portions for displacing it away from the other of said connecting portions to place said connecting means in its disconnecting position to interrupt the transmission of motion from said first and second manually operable means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein said rings have adjoining peripheral portions, and said connecting portions of said connecting means being located at said adjoining peripheral portions of said rings.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
123 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein said support means is formed with a recess and said second manually operable means carries a pin movable into said recess only when said ring of said second manually operable means is in a given angular position locating said other, front lens assembly at said extreme telephoto position, said pin normally preventing said selecting means from placing said connecting means in its disconnecting position except when said pin is free to move into said recess of said support means, so that the interruption in the transmission of motion from said first to said second manually operable means can take place only when said other, front lens assembly is at said extreme telephoto position along said axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
The combination of claim 6 and wherein said first manually operable means maintains said pin in said recess of said support means, to prevent displacement of said other lens assembly from said extreme telephoto position along said axis, as long as said first manually operable means is at a position different from the position it had when disconnected from said second manually operable means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
80 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein said connecting portion connected with said first manually operable means is in the form of a lever turnably connected with said first manually operable means for swinging movement between engaged and disengaged positions, said lever being formed with said recess and the other of said connecting portions being operatively connected with said second manually operable means and having said projection received in said recess when said lever is in said engaged position thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein said lever is swingable about an axis which extends radially with respect to the optical axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein said lever is swingable about an axis situated in a plane which is normal to the optical axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a zoom lens a pair of coaxial lens assemblies, support means supporting said assemblies for movement along their common axis, manually operable means operatively connected with one of said assemblies for displacing the latter along said axis, transmission means operatively connected with the other of said lens assemblies and normally having an engaged position engaged with said manually operable means for transmitting movement therefrom to the other of said lens assemblies for displacing the latter also along said axis, said transmission means having a disengaged position providing for movement of said manually operable means independently of said transmission means without transmission of movement from said manually operable means to the other of said lens assemblies, selecting means coacting with said transmission means for selectively placing the latter in said engaged or disengaged positions thereof, so that when said selecting means places said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof, said manually operable means will displace only said one lens assembly along said axis for enabling close-up photography to be carried out with the zoom lens, and control means coacting with said selecting means for preventing the latter from placing said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof unless said other lens assembly is at a predetermined location along said axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a zoom lens a pair of coaxial lens assemblies, support means supporting said assemblies for movement along their common axis, manually operable means operatively connected with one of said assemblies for displacing the latter along said axis, transmission means operatively connected with the other of said lens assemblies and normally having an engaged position engaged with said manually operable means for transmitting movement therefrom to the other of said lens assemblies for displacing the latter also along said axis, said transmission means having a disengaged position providing for movement of said manually operable means independently of said transmission means without transmission of movement from said manually operable means to the other of said lens assemblies, selecting means coacting with said transmission means for selectively placing the latter in said engaged or disengaged positions thereof, so that when said selecting means places said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof, said manually operable means will displace only said one lens assembly along said axis for enabling close-up photography to be carried out with the zoom lens, and control means coacting with said selecting means for preventing the latter from placing said transmission means in said disengaged position thereof unless said other lens assembly is at a predetermined location along said axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The combination of claim 11 and wherein said control means coacts with said transmission means, when the latter is in its disengaged position, for releasably holding said other lens assembly at said predetermined location until said selecting means again returns said transmission means to said engaged position thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The combination of claim 12 and wherein said other lens assembly is an outer, front lens assembly while said one lens assembly is an inner, rear lens assembly, said lens assemblies being situated in an extreme telephoto position when said transmission means is engaged and said front lens assembly is at said predetermined location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
261 words
The combination of claim 11 and wherein said transmission meanS includes a connecting means for releasably connecting said lens assemblies, said connecting means including a swingable lever carried by said manually operable means and having a projecting end portion, and said other lens assembly having a portion formed with a recess for receiving said projecting end portion of said lever when said transmission means is in said engaged position thereof, said selecting means being operatively connected to said lever for displacing the latter to and from an engaged position where said end portion is in said recess, said lever being swingable about an axis parallel to the optical axis, and said control means including a pin carried by said other lens assembly for radial movement toward and away from the optical axis, said support means being formed with a recess for receiving said pin when the latter is displaced toward said optical axis and said recess being aligned with said pin only when said other lens assembly is at said predetermined location, said lever when actuated by said selecting means to displace said projecting end portion thereof out of said recess of said other lens assembly to disengage said lens assemblies acting on said pin for displacing the latter into said recess of said support means, and said one lens assembly maintaining said pin in said recess of said support means except when said one lens assembly is returned to the position it had with respect to said other lens assembly when the transmission means was displaced to its disengaged position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
228 words
The combination of claim 11 and wherein said transmission means includes a connecting means for connecting and disconnecting said lens assemblies from each other, said connecting means including an elongated pin carried by said other lens assembly and extending parallel to the optical axis, said one lens assembly having a portion formed with an opening for receiving said pin for connecting said lens assemblies to each other, said selecting means including an elongated rod manually displaceable parallel to the optical axis into engagement with said pin for displacing the latter out of said opening of said one lens assembly to disconnect said lens assemblies from each other, said control means including a radially extending pin carried by said other lens assembly for radial movement with respect to the optical axis and said support means being formed with a recess for receiving said radially extending pin, the latter being situated in the path of movement of said rod when the latter is displaced to disconnect said assemblies and said recess of said support means being situated with respect to said radially extending pin at a location for receiving the latter pin only when other lens assembly is at said predetermined location, so that said rod will actuate said control means to lock said other lens assembly at said predetermined location while simultaneously disconnecting said lens assemblies from each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-11 | 1975-10-11 | 1976-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-11 | 1979-10-11 | 1980-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-11 | 1983-10-11 | 1984-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |