Variable magnification lens system using symmetric lens of variable focal length

Claim 2

In a variable magnification optical system having a central plane of symmetry and adapted to be interposed between a stationary object plane and a stationary image plane axially spaced from the object plane, wherein the system includes first and second pairs of lens groups each symmetrically disposed with respect to the central plane with the second pair being interior of the first pair, the improvement being that the lens groups of the first pair are stationary and the lens group of the second pair are respectively movable axially in symmetrical relation with respect to the central plane, and wherein the lens groups of the first pair are of negative power and the lens groups of the second pair are of opposite power and said two pairs of lens groups including all the lenses betwen the object and image planes and wherein the system is movable as a unit between the object and the image planes.

Claim 3

The improved system according to claim 1, wherein the magnification of the system is continually variable from m to 1m, where m = 0.25.

Claim 4

The improved system according to claim 1, further comprising a diaphragm located at the central plane.

Claim 5

The improved system of claim 1 wherein the focal distance of the second pairs of lens groups is approximately equal to the focal distance of the entire optical system.

Claim 6

A variable magnification optical system, comprising a diaphragm, a pair of movable interior lens groups arranged on immediately opposite sides of said diaphragm, a pair of stationary lens groups arranged on opposite sides of the diaphragm exterior to the movable lens groups and aligned therewith, said movable lens groups being moved symmetrically with respect to said diaphragm and being corrected substantially in its color aberration, wherein the axial distance between the object plane and the image plane is fixed, and said system is movable as a unit between the object and image planes.

Claim 7

A variable magnification optical system, comprising a diaphragm, a pair of movable interior lens groups arranged on immediately opposite sides of said diaphragm, a pair of stationary lens groups arranged on opposite sides of the diaphragm exterior to the movable lens groups and aligned therewith, said movable lens groups being moved symmetrically with respect to said diaphragm and being corrected substantially in its color aberration, wherein the axial distance between the object plane and the image plane is fixed, and said system is movable as a unit between the object and image planes.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 5, wherein the interior lens group has a positive power and the stationary lens group has a negative power.

Claim 9

A system as in claim 6, wherein each of the movable interior lens groups and the stationary lens groups have at least one negative lens and at least one positive lens.

Claim 10

In a variable magnification optical system having a central plane of symmetry and adapted to be interposed between an object plane and an image plane axially spaced from the object plane wherein the system includes first and second pairs of lens groups each symmetrically disposed with respect to the central plane with the second pair being interior of the first pair, the improvement being that the lens groups of one of the pairs are stationary and the lens groups of the other pair are respectively movable axially in symmetrical relation with respect to the central plane, and wherein the lens groups of the second pair are of positive power and said two pairs of lens groups including all the lenses between the object and image planes and wherein a diaphragm is located at the central plane and each lens group in the first and second pairs includes a negative lens and a pair of positive lenses, the negative lens being disposed between the positive lenses.

Claim 11

In a variable magnification optical system having a central plane of symmetry and adapted to be interposed between an object plane and an image plane axially spaced from the object plane wherein the system includes first and second pairs of lens groups each symmetrically disposed with respect to the central plane with the second pair being interior of the first pair, the improvement being that the lens groups of one of the pairs are stationary and the lens groups of the other pair are respectively movable axially in symmetrical relation with respect to the central plane, and wherein the lens groups of the second pair are of positive power and said two pairs of lens groups including all the lenses between the object and image planes and wherein a diaphragm is located at the central plane and each lens group in the first and second pairs includes a negative lens and a pair of positive lenses, the negative lens being disposed between the positive lenses.

Claim 12

The improved system according to claim 8, wherein each lens group of the first pair comprises a biconcave lens, a positive meniscus lens and a positive lens, the biconcave lens being disposed between the positive meniscus lens and the positive lens.

Claim 13

A system as in claim 8, wherein the interior pair of lens groups are movable and each lens group includes three symmetrical lenses, said twelve lenses having sequential refracting surfaces with radii R 1 to R 24 , said lenses having sequential axial thicknesses and axial air spacings D 1 to D 24 , said lenses having refraction indices N 1 to N 12 and Abbe numbers V 1 to V 12 , said lenses having the following characteristics for the stationary groups: ______________________________________ R.sub.1 = - R.sub.24 = 45.35861 D.sub.1 = D.sub.24 = 2.10601 N.sub.1 = N.sub.12 = 1.62360 V.sub.1 = V.sub.12 = 46.9 R.sub.2 = - R.sub.23 = 68.40033 D.sub.2 = D.sub.23 = 5.75499 R.sub.3 = - R.sub.22 = - 55.76736 D.sub.3 = D.sub.22 = 0.99857 N.sub.2 = N.sub.11 = 1.55957 V.sub.2 = V.sub.11 = 61.2 R.sub.4 = - R.sub.21 = 35.21118 D.sub.4 = D.sub.21 = 1.30032 R.sub.5 = - R.sub.20 = 38.29087 D.sub.5 = D.sub.20 = 3.64275 N.sub.3 = N.sub.10 = 1.53269 V.sub.3 = V.sub.10 = 45.9 R.sub.6 = - R.sub.19 = 316.18198 D.sub.6 = D.sub.19 (Variable) ______________________________________ and the following characteristics for the movable lens groups: ______________________________________ R.sub.7 = - R.sub.18 = ∞ D.sub.7 = D.sub.18 = 2.59752 N.sub.4 = N.sub.9 = 1.69346 V.sub.4 = V.sub.9 = 53.3 R.sub.8 = - R.sub.17 = - 52.4948 D.sub.8 = D.sub.17 = 0.02489 R.sub.9 = - R.sub.16 = - 556.98922 D.sub.9 = D.sub.16 = 0.76526 N.sub.5 = N.sub.8 = 1.66691 V.sub.5 = V.sub.8 = 33.0 R.sub.10 = - R.sub.15 = 55.40340 D.sub.10 = D.sub.15 = 0.90213 R.sub.11 = - R.sub.14 = 62.87554 D.sub.11 = D.sub.14 = 1.80738 N.sub.6 = N.sub.7 = 1.66986 V.sub.6 = V.sub.7 = 57.4 R.sub.12 = - R.sub.13 = ∞ D.sub.12 = D.sub.13 (Variable). ______________________________________