Reflective imaging apparatus

Claim 2

In combination with a photographic camera having means defining an entrance pupil and an exit pupil, monolithic means having an axis and including plural echelon arranged reflective surfaces, each having a non-uniform pitch with respect to said axis, for reflecting substantially all of the light passing through said entrance pupil to said exit pupil and minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration.

Claim 3

The invention as related in claim 1, wherein each of said plural reflective surfaces is characterized by a polynomial equation which differs from the equation characterizing any other of said surfaces by a predetermined function and all of said plural reflective surfaces are coaxial.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2, additionally including means for imaging an object onto said echelon arranged reflecting surfaces whereby light therefrom will be condensed at said exit pupil.

Claim 5

A photographic camera including: means defining an exposure plane; means defining an entrance pupil; lens means for focusing the image of a subject through said entrance pupil at a focal plane; means establishing an optical path from said lens means to said focal plane, said optical path having specular means positioned therein for establishing said focal plane at said exposure plane when in an exposure mode and for establishing said focal plane at a viewing surface having an axis and situate near or at said exposure plane when in a focusing mode; means defining an exit pupil with at least one of said entrance and exit pupils positioned off said axis; and viewing means cooperable with said exit pupil defining means for inspecting the image formed on said viewing surface through said exit pupil, said viewing surface being essentially planar and comprising plural, coaxial, structurally dependent and continuous reflective surfaces each so spatially oriented as to exhibit a variable pitch with respect to said axis and to maximize the reflection of light from said entrance pupil through said exit pupil without introducing comatic or astigmatic aberration.

Claim 6

A photographic camera including: means defining an exposure plane; means defining an entrance pupil; lens means for focusing the image of a subject through said entrance pupil at a focal plane; means establishing an optical path from said lens means to said focal plane, said optical path having specular means positioned therein for establishing said focal plane at said exposure plane when in an exposure mode and for establishing said focal plane at a viewing surface having an axis and situate near or at said exposure plane when in a focusing mode; means defining an exit pupil with at least one of said entrance and exit pupils positioned off said axis; and viewing means cooperable with said exit pupil defining means for inspecting the image formed on said viewing surface through said exit pupil, said viewing surface being essentially planar and comprising plural, coaxial, structurally dependent and continuous reflective surfaces each so spatially oriented as to exhibit a variable pitch with respect to said axis and to maximize the reflection of light from said entrance pupil through said exit pupil without introducing comatic or astigmatic aberration.

Claim 7

The invention as set forth in claim 4, wherein said entrance pupil has a pupil point located at a first predetermined point with respect to said viewing surface and said exit pupil has a pupil point in spaced predetermined relation to said entrance pupil point.

Claim 8

The invention as delineated in claim 5, wherein each Said reflective surface approximates an ellipsoidal segment having foci corresponding to said entrance and exit pupil points.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 6, wherein said plural reflective surfaces each include surface means coextensive therewith for randomly dispersing light incident thereon, said surface means characterized by smoothly contoured granular shapes.

Claim 10

In combination with a photographic camera comprising means having an axis including an entrance pupil; means for imaging said entrance pupil at a predetermined remote location off said axis, including: a support; plural structurally dependent, continuous surfaces in echelon arrangement disposed along one surface of said support, each having a variable cross-sectional pitch with respect to said axis; and means cooperable with said plural surfaces for reflecting the light from said entrance pupil to said predetermined remote location so as to define an exit pupil whilst minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration.

Claim 11

In combination with a photographic camera comprising means having an axis including an entrance pupil; means for imaging said entrance pupil at a predetermined remote location off said axis, including: a support; plural structurally dependent, continuous surfaces in echelon arrangement disposed along one surface of said support, each having a variable cross-sectional pitch with respect to said axis; and means cooperable with said plural surfaces for reflecting the light from said entrance pupil to said predetermined remote location so as to define an exit pupil whilst minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 8, wherein said reflecting means includes means for randomly dispersing light incident thereon within a predetermined solid angle.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 9, wherein said plural structurally dependent surfaces and said reflecting means comprise continuous reflective surfaces each so oriented as to approximate a segment of an ellipsoid having foci corresponding to said entrance and exit pupils.

Claim 14

An imaging and viewing system, including: means defining an entrance pupil; lens means for forming an image of a subject through said entrance pupil at a focal surface; a reflective screen located at said focal surface; means defining an exit pupil; and viewing means cooperable with said exit pupil defining means for inspecting the image formed on said screen through said exit pupil, said screen reflecting light incident thereon through said exit pupil and being essentially planar and comprising plural, structurally dependent and continuous reflective surfaces each being of a variable cross-sectional pitch.

Claim 15

An imaging and viewing system, including: means defining an entrance pupil; lens means for forming an image of a subject through said entrance pupil at a focal surface; a reflective screen located at said focal surface; means defining an exit pupil; and viewing means cooperable with said exit pupil defining means for inspecting the image formed on said screen through said exit pupil, said screen reflecting light incident thereon through said exit pupil and being essentially planar and comprising plural, structurally dependent and continuous reflective surfaces each being of a variable cross-sectional pitch.

Claim 16

The invention as delineated in claim 11, wherein said entrance pupil has a pupil point located at a first predetermined point with respect to said screen and said exit pupil has a pupil point in spaced predetermined relation to said entrance pupil point.

Claim 17

The invention as set forth in claim 12, wherein each of said plural reflective surfaces conforms to a predetermined polynomial equation which differs from the equation characterizing each of the other of said plural reflective surfaces by a constant.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said plural reflective surfaces are so dispersed as to provide an approximation of the intersections of a plurality of coaxial ellipsoidal surfaces having common foci with a pair of closely spaced parallel planes.

Claim 19

A viewing system for use with a camera having means defining an entrance pupil and an exit pupil with entrance and exit pupil points, respectively, in predetermined spaced relation; said viewing means including: a screen having an axis a predetermined distance from at least one of said pupil points; means for focusing the image of a subject onto said screen; and a plurality of continuous reflective surfaces, each being characterized by a polynomial equation which differs from that characterizing any other of said surfaces by a predetermined function, arranged on the surface of said screen in echelon order for reflectively focusing light reaching said screen from said entrance pupil to said exit pupil and minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration.

Claim 20

A viewing system for use with a camera having means defining an entrance pupil and an exit pupil with entrance and exit pupil points, respectively, in predetermined spaced relation; said viewing means including: a screen having an axis a predetermined distance from at least one of said pupil points; means for focusing the image of a subject onto said screen; and a plurality of continuous reflective surfaces, each being characterized by a polynomial equation which differs from that characterizing any other of said surfaces by a predetermined function, arranged on the surface of said screen in echelon order for reflectively focusing light reaching said screen from said entrance pupil to said exit pupil and minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration.

Claim 21

The invention according to claim 13, wherein said reflective focusing means comprises monolithic means including a plurality of echelon arranged surfaces each having a non-uniform cross-sectional pitch.

Claim 22

A viewing system for use with a camera having means defining an entrance pupil; said viewing system including: a screen having an axis of symmetry; MEANS for focusing the image of a subject onto said screen; and means disposed along one surface of said screen for imaging said entrance pupil at a predetermined remote location away from said axis and minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration in such image, said imaging means comprising plural echelon arranged surfaces each approximating a different ellipsoidal segment in at least two mutually orthogonal planes.

Claim 23

A viewing system for use with a camera having means defining an entrance pupil; said viewing system including: a screen having an axis of symmetry; MEANS for focusing the image of a subject onto said screen; and means disposed along one surface of said screen for imaging said entrance pupil at a predetermined remote location away from said axis and minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration in such image, said imaging means comprising plural echelon arranged surfaces each approximating a different ellipsoidal segment in at least two mutually orthogonal planes.

Claim 24

The invention as set forth in claim 17, wherein said entrance pupil imaging means is integral with said screen.

Claim 25

The invention as delineated in claim 18, wherein said entrance pupil imaging means includes surface means for randomly dispersing light incident thereon, said surface means characterized by smoothly contoured granular shapes.

Claim 26

Viewing means for use with a photographic camera of the type having means defining an exposure plane, means defining an entrance pupil, and lens means for focusing the image of a subject through said entrance pupil at a viewing surface; said viewing means including: means for inspecting the image formed on said viewing surface at an exit pupil; and means for maximizing the illumination reaching said exit pupil from said viewing surface by imaging said entrance pupil at said exit pupil whilst minimizing aberrations in such entrance pupil image, said maximizing means comprising plural echelon arranged surfaces each of non-uniform slope with respect to an axis of symmetry normal to said viewing surface.

Claim 27

Viewing means for use with a photographic camera of the type having means defining an exposure plane, means defining an entrance pupil, and lens means for focusing the image of a subject through said entrance pupil at a viewing surface; said viewing means including: means for inspecting the image formed on said viewing surface at an exit pupil; and means for maximizing the illumination reaching said exit pupil from said viewing surface by imaging said entrance pupil at said exit pupil whilst minimizing aberrations in such entrance pupil image, said maximizing means comprising plural echelon arranged surfaces each of non-uniform slope with respect to an axis of symmetry normal to said viewing surface.

Claim 28

The invention as set out in claim 20, wherein said viewing surface is essentially planar and comprises plural, coaxial, structurally dependent, and continuous reflective surfaces.

Claim 29

The invention as recited in claim 21 wherein each reflective surface has a cross-sectional slope approximating that of an ellipsoidal segment.

Claim 30

In combination with a photographic camera including means having an entrance pupil; means for imaging said entrance pupil at a predetermined remote location, including: a support; and plural, structurally dependent, continuous surfaces in echelon arrangement disposed along one surface of said support, having an axis of symmetry spaced from said entrance pupil and so spatially positioned and of such shape as to approximate an ellipsoid, whereby said entrance pupil may be imaged to said remote location so as to define an exit pupil by maximizing the light from said entrance pupil reaching said exit pupil and minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration in the image of said entrance pupil defining said exit pupil.

Claim 31

In combination with a photographic camera including means having an entrance pupil; means for imaging said entrance pupil at a predetermined remote location, including: a support; and plural, structurally dependent, continuous surfaces in echelon arrangement disposed along one surface of said support, having an axis of symmetry spaced from said entrance pupil and so spatially positioned and of such shape as to approximate an ellipsoid, whereby said entrance pupil may be imaged to said remote location so as to define an exit pupil by maximizing the light from said entrance pupil reaching said exit pupil and minimizing comatic and astigmatic aberration in the image of said entrance pupil defining said exit pupil.