Virtual image magnifier system filled with a refractive medium

Claim 2

In a virtual image magnifier system comprised of a magnifying concave mirror surface means, a plane semitransparent mirror means oriented such that the physical object to be magnified does not obstruct the observer''s view at the magnified virtual image, the improvement which comprises refractive material filling the space between said magnifying concave mirror and said semitransparent mirror, said refractive material having an index of refraction greater than one.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said magnifying concave mirror surface means faces the object to be magnified and said semitransparent mirror directs rays reflected by said magnifying mirror into the viewing space.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the said refractive material comprises a prism and a plano-convex element.

Claim 5

In a magnifier for viewing small essentially two dimensional object patteRns comprising a concave mirror in conjunction with a semitransparent plane mirror, said semitransparent plane mirror reflecting the object axis into the axis of the concave mirror in such a manner that the object does not obstruct the view at the virtual image magnified by the concave mirror, said plane mirror being at an angle of 45* to the viewing axis of the magnifier, said concave mirror adjoining the object surface and the semitransparent mirror, a refractive medium having an index of refraction greater than one filling the space between said object pattern, mirrors and a point along the viewing axis defining the location of an exit surface normal to said viewing axis.

Claim 6

In a magnifier for viewing small essentially two dimensional object patteRns comprising a concave mirror in conjunction with a semitransparent plane mirror, said semitransparent plane mirror reflecting the object axis into the axis of the concave mirror in such a manner that the object does not obstruct the view at the virtual image magnified by the concave mirror, said plane mirror being at an angle of 45* to the viewing axis of the magnifier, said concave mirror adjoining the object surface and the semitransparent mirror, a refractive medium having an index of refraction greater than one filling the space between said object pattern, mirrors and a point along the viewing axis defining the location of an exit surface normal to said viewing axis.

Claim 7

A magnifier according to claim 4 with the concave mirror and the semitransparent mirror applied as coatings to either both or one of the two parts into which the magnifier is divided by the semitransparent mirror, and bonding means bonding said parts together for optical contact.

Claim 8

In a high magnification virtual image magnifier system comprised of a magnifying mirror element, a plane semitransparent mirror element oriented at an angle of 45* to the viewing axis of the magnifier, a refractive material having an index of refraction greater than air filling the space constituting said magnification system.

Claim 9

In a high magnification virtual image magnifier system comprised of a magnifying mirror element, a plane semitransparent mirror element oriented at an angle of 45* to the viewing axis of the magnifier, a refractive material having an index of refraction greater than air filling the space constituting said magnification system.

Claim 10

An optical system providing maximum viewing space of a magnified virtual image for a selected object size and magnification, said optical system comprising: a solid body of optical refractive material provided with a planar surface area defining an object frame area, a concave surface having one edge thereof adjoining on edge of said object surface, the chord of said concave surface being at an angle of 90* to the plane of said planar object frame area, said concave surface having a mirror coating thereon, a semi-transparent surface having one edge adjoining the edge of said concave surface opposite to that edge at which the object frame area adjoins, said planar semi-transparent surface extending at an angle of 45* to said chord and having the opposite edge of said transparent surface adjoin said object area surface, said solid body having a planar exit surface on the side of said body opposite to said concave surface, said exit surface being planar and normal to said viewing axis; said entrance surface, semi-transparent surface, concave surface and exit surface being so geometrically related that the marginal rays of an object at said object area extend to said semi-transparent surface, thence to said concave mirror surface, and thence through said semi-transparent surface and exit surface whereby the apertures utilized by said marginal rays on said surfaces adjoin and are non-interfering whereby a complete magnified virtual image of the object at the object area is viewable in an enlarged viewing space located along a viewing axis which coincides with the center normal of the concave mirror surface.

Claim 11

An optical system providing maximum viewing space of a magnified virtual image for a selected object size and magnification, said optical system comprising: a solid body of optical refractive material provided with a planar surface area defining an object frame area, a concave surface having one edge thereof adjoining on edge of said object surface, the chord of said concave surface being at an angle of 90* to the plane of said planar object frame area, said concave surface having a mirror coating thereon, a semi-transparent surface having one edge adjoining the edge of said concave surface opposite to that edge at which the object frame area adjoins, said planar semi-transparent surface extending at an angle of 45* to said chord and having the opposite edge of said transparent surface adjoin said object area surface, said solid body having a planar exit surface on the side of said body opposite to said concave surface, said exit surface being planar and normal to said viewing axis; said entrance surface, semi-transparent surface, concave surface and exit surface being so geometrically related that the marginal rays of an object at said object area extend to said semi-transparent surface, thence to said concave mirror surface, and thence through said semi-transparent surface and exit surface whereby the apertures utilized by said marginal rays on said surfaces adjoin and are non-interfering whereby a complete magnified virtual image of the object at the object area is viewable in an enlarged viewing space located along a viewing axis which coincides with the center normal of the concave mirror surface.