US4174153A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Varifocal objective with focal length adjustment
Assignee: Bolex International SA
•
Filing: 1977-11-14
•
Granted: 1979-11-13
•
Expires: 1997-11-14
Abstract
Abstract A varifocal camera objective is adjusted in its telephoto position, by an axial shift of one of its movable components or by the insertion of a negative lens member, to extend its overall focal length with consequent increase in its back-focal length, that increase being compensated by the emplacement of a supplemental positive lens member in first or second position. If the movement of the shiftable component is controlled by a cam track, the axial displacement thereof beyond the varifocal range may be normally blocked and may be unblocked only when a feeler detects the presence of the supplemental positive lens member. A similar feeler mechanism may be used to prevent the emplacement of an attachment bearing such a supplemental lens member unless the shiftable component is enabled to move into its off-normal position. A focal-length-increasing negative lens member may be carried on an eccentric disk for selective interposition into the path of incident light rays just ahead of a reflex prism. The supplemental positive lens member may have an aspherical surface approximating a paraboloid of revolution.
Inventors
- 👤 Francois Laurent
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:20
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B13/00; G02B13/18; G02B7/00; G02B7/02; G02B7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
In an optical objective including a positively refracting lens assembly centered on an optical axis and adapted to focus incident rays from remote objects upon a receiving surface in line with an image plane located rearwardly of said lens assembly, the combination therewith of focal-length-increasing means for enlarging the image scale of said lens assembly, with consequent rearward displacement of said image plane from a normal position, and a positively refracting supplemental lens member emplaceable on said axis in line with said lens assembly for restoring said image plane to said normal position thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
In an optical objective including a positively refracting lens assembly centered on an optical axis and adapted to focus incident rays from remote objects upon a receiving surface in line with an image plane located rearwardly of said lens assembly, the combination therewith of focal-length-increasing means for enlarging the image scale of said lens assembly, with consequent rearward displacement of said image plane from a normal position, and a positively refracting supplemental lens member emplaceable on said axis in line with said lens assembly for restoring said image plane to said normal position thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said focal-length-increasing means comprises an axially shiftable member of said lens assembly and mechanism for axially displacing said axially shiftable member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said lens assembly includes a varifocal lens group with two axially shiftable components for selectively establishing a wide-angle position and a telephoto position between which said image plane remains fixed, said axially shiftable member being one of said components.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said supplemental lens member is emplaceable on the side of said axially shiftable member remote from said image plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the objective is part of a camera provided with an objective housing, said supplemental lens member being part of a front attachment emplaceable on said objective housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination defined in claim 5 wherein the camera is provided with inhibiting means normally blocking a displacement of said one of said components by said mechanism beyond said telephoto position, said inhibiting means being deactivable by said attachment upon emplacement thereof on said objective housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination defined in claim 5 wherein the camera is provided with selector means for optionally blocking and unblocking a displacement of said one of said components by said mechanism beyond said telephoto position, said selector means having an extension preventing the emplacement of said attachment on said camera in a blocking position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
162 words
The combination defined in claim 5 wherein said supplemental lens member L 100x and the lenses L 101 -L 110 of said varifocal lens group have radii of curvature r, axial thickness and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: __________________________________________________________________________
r d n.sub.d
ν.sub.d
__________________________________________________________________________
(+740.0)
(L.sub.100x) (3.0) (1.52)
(64)
(∞)
(1.0) air space
+180.6
L.sub.101 2.4 1.81 25
+48.1
L.sub.102 5.7 1.61 59
+242.5
0.1 air space
+55.8
L.sub.103 5.9 1.62 60
-1,034.5
0.1 air space
+40.0
L.sub.104 3.9 1.74 45
+81.3
f.sub.min variable
f.sub.max 27.8
air space
(f.sub.ext 27.8)
+126.4
L.sub.105 1.2 1.69 55
+13.9
5.2 air space
-33.2
L.sub.106 1.0 1.62 60
+18.4
L.sub.107 3.1 1.81 25
+84.0
f.sub.min 23.9
variable
f.sub.max 3.0
air space
(f.sub.ext 8.0)
-16.0
L.sub.108 1.0 1.74 45
-59.8
f.sub.min 12.5
variable
f.sub.max air space
(f.sub.ext 1.7)
+108.1
L.sub.109 3.4 1.62 60
-45.8
0.1 air space
+74.7
L.sub.110 2.7 1.62 60
-113.2
__________________________________________________________________________
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
The combination defined in claim 8 wherein said lens assembly further comprises a fixed-focus lens group on the image side of said varifocal lens group, the lenses L 111 -L 115 of said fixed-focus lens group having radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: ______________________________________
r d n.sub.d ν.sub.d
______________________________________
+36.5
L.sub.111 3.5 1.62 60
-116.1
0.1 air space
+19.5
L.sub.112 3.5 1.62 60
+42.3
4.9 air space
-20.5
L.sub.113 2.6 1.85 24
+20.5
4.0 air space
+1124.0
L.sub.114 4.1 1.71 54
-15.1
0.1 air space
+18.1
L.sub.115 2.8 1.62 60
+69.9
______________________________________
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said one of said components is of positive refractivity and is shiftable by said mechanism away from said image plane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
115 words
The combination defined in claim 10 wherein said supplemental front lens L 300x and the lenses L 301 -L 304 of said varifocal lens group have radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: __________________________________________________________________________
r d n.sub.d ν.sub.d
__________________________________________________________________________
(+380.0)
(L.sub.300x) (2.0) (1.49) (55)
(∞)
(3.0) air space
-106.1
L.sub.301 1.7 1.74 45
+ 37.0
f.sub.min 40.3
variable
f.sub.max air space
(f.sub.ext 3.5)
+450.0
L.sub.302 3.4 1.52 64
- 34.7
0.1 air space
+ 25.5
L.sub.303 4.2 1.52 64
-450.0
f.sub.min variable
f.sub.max 24.8
air space
(f.sub.ext 26.4)
- 54.4
L.sub.304 1.0 1.62 58
+ 38.0
__________________________________________________________________________
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
93 words
The combination defined in claim 10 wherein said lens assembly further comprises a fixed-focus lens group on the image side of said varifocal lens group, the lenses L 305 -L 307 of said fixed-focus lens group having radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: ______________________________________
r d n.sub.d ν.sub.d
______________________________________
+12.4
L.sub.305 3.4 1.78 37
-24.0
0.9 air space
-15.0
L.sub.306 6.3 1.81 25
+9.5
0.9 air space
+18.3
L.sub.307 3.2 1.69 55
-13.0
______________________________________
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said focal-length-increasing means comprises an ancillary negatively refracting lens member interposable in said lens assembly, on the image side of said supplemental lens member, and mechanism for selectively interposing said ancillary lens member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination defined in claim 13 wherein said lens assembly includes a varifocal lens group with two axially shiftable components for selectively establishing a wide-angle position and a telephoto position between which said image plane remains fixed, said ancillary lens member being insertable by said mechanism in said telephoto position on the image side of said shiftable components.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination defined in claim 14 wherein said mechanism comprises a lens carrier rotatable about an axis parallel to said optical axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination defined in claim 15 wherein said lens carrier is a disk with a plurality of peripherally spaced cutouts, one of said cutouts being provided with said ancillary lens member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination defined in claim 16, further comprising indexing means for arresting said disk in a position of alignment of any of said apertures with said lens assembly.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination defined in claim 14 wherein said supplemental lens member is emplaceable on the object side of said shiftable components.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination defined in claim 18 wherein said supplemental lens member has an aspherical surface approximating a paraboloid of rotation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The combination defined in claim 19 wherein said aspherical surface is defined by the formula ##EQU2## where x is the distance from a reference plane transverse to said axis, y is the distance from said axis and R is the radius of an oscilating sphere, k being a constant on the order of 1/R 4 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
147 words
The combination defined in claim 18 wherein said supplemental lens member L 200x , said ancillary lens member L 200y and the lenses L 201 -L 205 of said varifocal lens group have radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: __________________________________________________________________________
r d n.sub.d
ν.sub.d
__________________________________________________________________________
(+97.0)
(L.sub.200x) (3.0) (1.49)
(55)
(∞)
(4.0) air space
+88.4
L.sub.201 2.0 1.81 25
+32.2
3.2
air space
+42.6
L.sub.202 6.0 1.60 61
-387.2
0.1 air space
+28.7
L.sub.203 7.0 1.65 56
-913.9
f.sub.min variable
f.sub.max 14.4
air space
(f.sub.ext 14.4)
+508.0
L.sub.204 1.0 1.71 54
+12.6
3.3 air space
-47.7
L.sub.205 1.0 1.64 60
+14.8
L.sub.206 2.8 1.85 24
+53.2
(3.0)
(∞) f.sub.min 28.8
(L.sub.200y) (1.0) f.sub.max 15.2
(1.52)
(64)
(+27.0) variable
(11.2) air space
+36.4
L.sub.207 2.7 1.72 48
-45.7
__________________________________________________________________________
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
107 words
The combination defined in claim 21 wherein said lens assembly further comprises a fixed-focus lens group on the image side of said varifocal lens group, the lenses L 207 -L 212 of said fixed-focus lens group having radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: ______________________________________
r d n.sub.d νd
______________________________________
+12.6
L.sub.208 5.5 1.66 37
-19.8
L.sub.209 2.2 1.81 25
+26.8
1.1 air space
-27.1
L.sub.210 3.3 1.85 24
+13.4
2.0 air space
+67.2
L.sub.211 3.0 1.71 54
-13.5
1.0 air space
+12.1
L.sub.212 3.0 1.60 60
-508.0
______________________________________
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
127 words
The combination defined in claim 18 wherein said supplemental lens member L 300x , said ancillary lens member L 300y and the lenses L 301 -L 304 of said varifocal lens group have radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: __________________________________________________________________________
r d n.sub.d νd
__________________________________________________________________________
(+20.0)
(L.sub.300x) (2.0) (1.49)
(55)
(+23.8)
(7.0) air space
-160.0
L.sub.301 1.5 1.78 37
+35.7
f.sub.min 42.0
variable
f.sub.max 10.1
air space
(f.sub.ext 10.1)
+508.0
L.sub.302 4.0 1.49 55
-33.6
0.1 air space
+31.0
L.sub.303 4.0 1.49 55
-1.55.6
f.sub.min variable
f.sub.max 26.4
air space
(f.sub.ext 26.4)
-52.8
L.sub.304 1.0 1.49 55
+31.7
(2.0) air space
(∞)
(L.sub.300y) (1.0) (1.49)
(55)
(+48.0)
__________________________________________________________________________
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination defined in claim 23 wherein said supplemental lens member L 300x has an aspherical front surface substantially defined by the formula ##EQU3## where x is the distance from a reference plane transverse to said axis and y is the distance from said axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
91 words
The combination defined in claim 23 wherein said lens assembly further comprises a fixed-focus lens group on the image side of said varifocal lens group, the lenses L 305 -L 307 of said fixed-focus lens group having radii of curvature r, axial thickness and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers substantially as given in the following table: ______________________________________
r d n.sub.d ν.sub.d
______________________________________
+11.0
L.sub.305 4.3 1.72 50
-87.4
0.9 air space
-22.2
L.sub.306 4.8 1.73 28
+8.3
1.5 air space
+16.2
L.sub.307 2.9 1.72 50
-16.2
______________________________________
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
124 words
The combination defined in claim 18 wherein said supplemental lens member L 300x , said ancillary lens member L 300y and the lenses L 301 -L 304 of said varifocal lens group have radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: __________________________________________________________________________
r d n.sub.d
ν.sub.d
__________________________________________________________________________
-160.0
L.sub.301 1.5 1.78 37
+35.7
(4.0)
(+20.0) f.sub.min 42.0
(L.sub.300x) (1.5) f.sub.max 10.1
(1.49)
(55)
(+24.7) variable
(4.6) air space
+508.0
L.sub.302 4.0 1.49 55
-33.6
0.1 air space
+31.0
L.sub.303 4.0 1.49 55
-155.6
f.sub.min variable
f.sub.max 26.4
air space
(f.sub.ext 26.4)
-52.8
L.sub.304 1.0 1.49 55
+31.7
2.0 air space
(∞) (1.49)
(55)
(L.sub.300y) (1.0)
(+48.0)
__________________________________________________________________________
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination defined in claim 26 wherein said supplemental lens member L 300x has an aspherical front surface substantially defined by the formula ##EQU4## where x is the distance from a reference plane transverse to said axis and y is the distance from said axis.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
93 words
The combination defined in claim 26 wherein said lens assembly further comprises a fixed-focus lens group on the image side of said varifocal lens group, the lenses L 305 -L 307 of said fixed-focus lens group having radii of curvature r, axial thicknesses and separations d, refractive indices n d and Abbe numbers ν d substantially as given in the following table: ______________________________________
r d n.sub.d ν.sub.d
______________________________________
+11.0
L.sub.305 4.3 1.72 50
-37.4
0.9 air space
-22.2
L.sub.306 4.8 1.73 28
+8.3
1.5 air space
+16.2
L.sub.307 2.9 1.72 50
-16.2
______________________________________
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) | 1982-11-12 | 1983-05-14 | 1983-11-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-11-12 | 1987-05-14 | 1987-11-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-11-12 | 1991-05-14 | 1991-11-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |