Optical system for a stereoscopic motion picture camera

Claim 2

For attachment to a camera, the camera including a supply a film and a film drive mechanism for advancing successive frames of the film past a picture aperture; an optical system extending in a longitudinally forward direction from the picture aperture for producing a pair of vertically spaced left and right images of a field of view on the film, an optical system comprising: laterally and horizontally spaced, left and right objective lenses for forming left and right images of the field of view; an inverting, relay lens positioned between said objective lenses and the picture aperture; left image erecting means extending in an optical path which includes said left objective lens and said relay lens for providing an incident left image therefor; and right image erecting means extending in another optical path which includes said right objective lens and said relay lens for providing an incident right image therefor vertically aligned with and spaced vertically from said incident left image, said relay lens projecting vertically aligned and separated, left and right images on the film in opposite vertical half areas of the picture aperture, each said image erecting means causing a change of image orientation between the associated one of said objective lenses and said relay lens which is opposite to the inversion of image orientation caused by said inverting relay lens.

Claim 3

An optical system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said left and right image erecting means includes: at least two reflecting means in the associated one of said optical paths for collectively causing a reversal of image orientation in a first plane; an at least two other reflecting means interposed in the associated said optical path for causing a reversal of image orientation in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, said relay lens causing a reversal of orientation in both said first and second planes which is opposite to the reversal in both said planes caused by all said reflecting means.

Claim 4

For attachment to a camera, the camera including a supply of film and a film drive mechanism for advancing successive frames of the film past a picture aperture; an optical system extending in a longitudinally forward direction from the picture aperture for producing a pair of vertically spaced left and right images of a field of view on the film, the optical system comprising: laterally and horizontally spaced, left and right objective lenses; an inverting, relay lens positioned between said objective lenses and the picture aperture; first, second, third and fourth reflecting surfaces arranged in sequentially reflecting relation to define a first optical path which includes one of said objective lenses and said relay lens, two of said first through fourth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* vertical reversal of image orientation and the other two of said first through fourth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* lateral reversal of image orientation; a first field lens interposed in said first path; fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth reflecting surfaces arranged in sequentially reflecting relation to define a second optical path which includes the other of said objective lenses and said relay lens, two of said fifth through eighth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* vertical reversal of image orientation and the other two of said fifth through eighth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* lateral reversal of image orientation; and a second field lens interposed in said second path; said relay lens projecting vertically separated and aligned, left and right images on the film within opposite vertical half ares of the picture aperture.

Claim 5

For attachment to a camera, the camera including a supply of film and a film drive mechanism for advancing successive frames of the film past a picture aperture; an optical system extending in a longitudinally forward direction from the picture aperture for producing a pair of vertically spaced left and right images of a field of view on the film, the optical system comprising: laterally and horizontally spaced, left and right objective lenses; an inverting, relay lens positioned between said objective lenses and the picture aperture; first, second, third and fourth reflecting surfaces arranged in sequentially reflecting relation to define a first optical path which includes one of said objective lenses and said relay lens, two of said first through fourth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* vertical reversal of image orientation and the other two of said first through fourth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* lateral reversal of image orientation; a first field lens interposed in said first path; fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth reflecting surfaces arranged in sequentially reflecting relation to define a second optical path which includes the other of said objective lenses and said relay lens, two of said fifth through eighth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* vertical reversal of image orientation and the other two of said fifth through eighth reflecting surfaces causing a collective 180* lateral reversal of image orientation; and a second field lens interposed in said second path; said relay lens projecting vertically separated and aligned, left and right images on the film within opposite vertical half ares of the picture aperture.

Claim 6

An optical system as defined in claim 3, wherein: said first and fifth reflecting surfaces receive rearwardly and generally horizontal, incident light rays from said one and said other objective lenses, respectively, and reflect the light rays in generally upward and downward directions, respectively; said second and sixth reflecting surfaces receive light rays from said first and fifth reflecting surfaces, respectively, and reflect the light rays generally horizontally in opposite lateral directions; said third and seventh reflecting surfaces receive light rays from said second and sixth reflecting surfaces, respectively, and reflect the light rays in generally downward and upward directions, respectively; and said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces receive light rays from said third and seventh reflecting surfaces, respectively, and reflect the light rays in generally rearward horizontal directions.

Claim 7

An optical system as defined in claim 4, wherein said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces are vertically aligned and spaced to provide incident images for said relay lens which are in vertically aligned and spaced relation.

Claim 8

An optical system as defined in claim 5, wherein the picture aperture is intersected at its vertical midpoint by a horizontal reference plane extending in horizontal and lateral directions and wherein: said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces are positioned in vertical alignment on opposite sides of said horizontal reference plane inclined vertically and rearwardly therefrom in symmetrically opposite directions.

Claim 9

An optical system as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said reflecting surfaces causes reflection of the light rays reflected thereby through approximately a right angle.

Claim 10

An optical system as defined in claim 7, wherein: said fourth reflecting surface is constituted by the hypotenuse face of a first right angle prism, said hypotenuse face extending at an inclination of about 45* in an upward and rearward direction; and wherein: said eighth reflecting surface is constituted by the hypotenuse face of a second right angle prism, said second hypotenuse face extending at an inclination of about 45* in a downward and rearward direction, said first and second prisms having their adjacent corners removed to a predetermined extent to adjust the relative vertical positioning between the adjacent said hypotenuse faces, thereby causing a predetermined vertical separation of said incident images.

Claim 11

An optical system as defined in claim 7, wherein: said second and third reflecting surfaces are constituted by the side faces of a porro prism having its hypotenuse face parallel to and spaced above said horizontal reference plane; and wherein: said sixth and seventh reflecting surfaces are constituted by the side faces of another porro prism having its hypotenuse face parallel to and spaced below said horizontal reference plane.

Claim 12

An optical system as defined in claim 7, wherein said first and second field lenses are interposed between said relay lens and said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces, respectively and wherein said objective lenses each has a focal length such as to form a prime image surface at the associated said field lens.

Claim 13

An optical system as defined in claim 7, wherein said first and fifth reflecting surfaces comprise oppositely inclined hypotenuse faces and fifth and sixth right angle prisms, each of said fifth and sixth prisms having a horizontally and laterally extending side face parallel to and spaced from the hypotenuse face of the adjacent one of said porro prisms by an air gap.

Claim 14

An optical system as defined in claim 6, wherein: said first and fifth reflecting surfaces reflect the light rays in forward, vertically opposite inclinations from said horizontal reference plane; and wherein: said third and seventh reflecting surfaces direct the light rays reflected thereby in parallel relation to the light rays reflected by said first and fifth reflecting surfaces, respectively, but in relatively opposite directions of travel.

Claim 15

An optical system as defined in claim 12, wherein said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces are constituted by equal, upper and lower side faces of an isosceles prism, said isosceles prism having a third face extending vertically and facing towards said relay lens, said side faces extending vertically and rearwardly on opposite sides of said horizontal reference plane at opposite inclinations thereto.

Claim 16

An optical system as defined inclaim 13, wherein: said second and third reflecting surfaces are constituted by the side faces of a porro prism having its hypotenuse face parallel to and spaced above said upper side face of said isosceles prism; and wherein: said sixth and seventh reflecting surfaces are constituted by the side faces of another porro prism having its hypotenuse face parallel to and spaced below said lower side face of said isosceles prism.

Claim 17

An optical system as defined in claim 6, wherein said first and second field lenses are interposed between said third and fourth reflecting surfaces and between said seventh and eighth reflecting surfaces, respectively, and wherein each of said objective lens has a focal length such as to form a prime image substantially at the associated one of said field lenses.

Claim 18

An optical system as defined in claim 6, wherein said first and fifth reflecting surfaces direct the light rays reflected thereby rearwardly in opposite upward and downward vertical directions, respectively, and wherein said third and seventh reflecting surfaces direct the light rays reflected thereby at rearward, vertical inclinations towards said horizontal reference plane.

Claim 19

An optical system as defined in claim 16, wherein: said second and sixth reflecting surfaces direct the light rays reflected thereby generally horizontally at rearward and lateral inclinations.

Claim 20

An optical system as defined in claim 16, wherein: said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces are constituted by upper and lower side faces of an isosceles prism, said isosceles prism having a third face extending vertically and facing towards said relay lens, said side faces extending vertically and rearwardly on opposite sides of said horizontal reference plane at opposite inclinations thereto.

Claim 21

An optical system as defined in claim 18, wherein: said second and third reflecting surfaces are constituted by opposite, side faces of a roof prism, said side surfaces of said roof prism extending downwardly from a horizontally and longitudinally extending apex at opposite outward lateral inclinations, said roof prism further including, an exit face of said roof prism parallel to and spAced above said upper side face of said isosceles first prism; and wherein: said sixth and seventh reflecting surfaces are constituted by opposite side faces of another roof prism, said side surfaces of said other roof prism extending upwardly from a horizontally and longitudinally extending apex at opposite outward lateral inclinations, said other roof prism further including, an exit face of said other roof prism parallel to and spaced below said lower side face of said isosceles first prism.

Claim 22

An optical system as defined in claim 19, further including: a first prism having, an entrance face perpendicular to the optical axis of said one of said objective lenses, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear face constituting said first reflecting surface, an exit face perpendicular to the path of light rays reflected from said first reflecting surface; a second prism having, an exit face perpendicular to the optical axis of said other of said objective lenses, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear face constituting said fifth reflecting surface, an exit face perpendicular to the path of light rays reflected from said second reflecting surface; said one roof prism having, an entrance face parallel to said exit face of said first prism; and said other roof prism having, an entrance face parallel to said exit face said second prism.

Claim 23

An optical system as defined in claim 3, further including: vignetting means associated with each of said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces for insuring a matched distribution of light intensity over the extent of each of said left and right images formed by said relay lens on the film.

Claim 24

An optical system as defined in claim 6, wherein said first and second field lenses are interposed between each of said objective lenses and the associated said first and fifth reflecting surfaces, respectively, and wherein each said objective lens has a focal length such as form a prime image substantially at the associated one of said field lenses.

Claim 25

An optical system as defined in claim 22, further including: vignetting means associated with said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces for causing a matched distribution of light intensity over the extent of the left and right images formed by said relay lens on the film.

Claim 26

An optical system as defined in claim 23, wherein said vignetting means includes: opaque first and second masks partially overlying the side faces of said isosceles prism spaced from the apex thereof, said masks being positioned symmetrically on an opposite side of the centerline of the image from said apex whereby the imaging rays are cut off equally at opposite extremities of the image by said apex and the associated one of said masks, respectively.

Claim 27

An optical system as defined in claim 15, further including: vignetting means associated with said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces for causing a matched distribution of light intensity over the extent of the left and right images formed by said relay lens on the film.

Claim 28

An optical system as defined in claim 25, wherein said vignetting means includes: opaque first and second masks partially overlying the side faces of said isosceles prism spaced from the apex thereof, each said mask being positioned symmetrically on an opposite side of the centerline of the associated one of said light paths from said apex whereby the imaging rays are cut off symmetrically at opposite extremities of the image by said apex and the associated one of said masks, respectively.

Claim 29

An optical system as defined in claim 18 further including: vignetting means associated with said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces for causing a matched distribution of light intensity over the extent of the left and right images formed by said relay lens on the film.

Claim 30

An optical system as defined in claim 27, wherein said vignetting means includes: opaque first and second masks partially overlying the side faces of said isosceles prism spaced from the apex thereof, each said mask being positioned symmetrically on an opposite side of the centerline of associated one of said light paths from said apex whereby the imaging rays are cut off symmetrically at opposite extremities of the image by said apex and the associated one of said masks, respectively.

Claim 31

An optical system as defined in claim 1, further including: an anamorphic optical system positioned in optical communication with said relay lens, said anamorphic optical system compressing the left and right images on the film in one dimension, extending across the images while leaving the images unchanged in another dimension perpendicular to said one dimension.

Claim 32

An optical system as defined in claim 3, further including: an anamorphic optical system positioned in optical communication with said relay lens, said anamorphic optical system compressing the left and right images on the film in one dimension, extending across the images while leaving the images unchanged in another dimension perpendicular to said one dimension.

Claim 33

An optical system as defined in claim 3, wherein: said first and fifth reflecting surfaces are laterally spaced and face toward the field of view to receive rearwardly and generally horizontal incident light rays therefrom and reflect the light rays in generally upward and downward directions, respectively; said one and said other objective lenses being positioned on the reflected side of said first and fifth reflecting surfaces, respectively, to be intersected by the light rays reflected by said reflecting surfaces; said second and sixth reflecting surfaces receive light rays from said one and said other objective lenses, respectively, and reflect the light rays generally horizontally in opposite lateral directions; said third and seventh reflecting surfaces receive light rays from said second and sixth reflecting surfaces, respectively, and reflect the light rays in generally downward and upward directions, respectively; and said fourth and eighth reflecting surfaces receive light rays from said third and seventh reflecting surfaces, respectively, and reflect the light rays in generally rearward horizontal directions.

Claim 34

An optical system as defined in claim 31, wherein said first and fifth reflecting surfaces direct the light rays reflected thereby rearwardly in opposite upward and downward vertical directions, respectively, and wherein said third and seventh reflecting surfaces direct the light rays reflected thereby at convergent, rearward, vertical inclinations.