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US4580042A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Focusing position detecting device using a sector shaped mirror

Assignee: Pentax Corp
•
Filing: 1983-09-06
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Granted: 1986-04-01
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Expires: 2003-09-06
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Abstract

Abstract A relay optical system used for focus detection including an optical lens system for forming the image of the exit pupil of a photographing lens, all or a part of said lens optical system for forming a secondary image of an image which is formed on a focusing plane by the photographing lens and a reflecting mirror provided in a plane where the image of said exit pupil is formed. The reflecting mirror is made up of a plurality of reflecting mirror portions which are obtained by dividing the reflecting mirror. The mirror portions divide the image of the exit pupil and have different optical axes, so that an image formed by the photographing lens is formed into secondary images the number of which is equal to the number of mirror parts. Sensor arrays are provided to receive the secondary images, respectively, to detect focusing from correlation of the images.

Inventors

  • 👤 Seijiro Tokutomi
  • 👤 Osamu Shindo
  • 👤 Hideaki Yuda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 06:54
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/10; G02B27/14; G02B27/143; G02B27/16; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/34

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 161 words
A relay optical system for a focusing detector comprising; an optical lens system including a condenser lens for forming the image of the exit pupil of a photographing lens, and a reflecting mirror for forming a secondary image of an image which is formed on a focusing plane by said photographing lens and said reflecting mirror arranged conjugately to said reflecting mirror; said reflecting mirror made up of a plurality of reflecting mirror portions which are obtained by dividing said reflecting mirror into two pairs of sector-shaped mirror parts, each pair arranged as opposite sectors of a circle, said mirror portions dividing the image of said exit pupil and have different optical axes so that an image formed by said photographing lens is formed into a plurality of secondary images which are equal to the number of mirror parts, and sensor arrays provided to receive said secondary images, respectively, to detect focusing from correlation of the images on said sensor arrays.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 161 words
A relay optical system for a focusing detector comprising; an optical lens system including a condenser lens for forming the image of the exit pupil of a photographing lens, and a reflecting mirror for forming a secondary image of an image which is formed on a focusing plane by said photographing lens and said reflecting mirror arranged conjugately to said reflecting mirror; said reflecting mirror made up of a plurality of reflecting mirror portions which are obtained by dividing said reflecting mirror into two pairs of sector-shaped mirror parts, each pair arranged as opposite sectors of a circle, said mirror portions dividing the image of said exit pupil and have different optical axes so that an image formed by said photographing lens is formed into a plurality of secondary images which are equal to the number of mirror parts, and sensor arrays provided to receive said secondary images, respectively, to detect focusing from correlation of the images on said sensor arrays.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said divided reflecting mirror is a divided concave mirror.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
A device as claimed in claim 2, in which said divided concave mirror comprises two pairs of sector-shaped concave mirror parts each pair arranged as opposed sectors of a circle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, in which a slit is provided in the focusing plane of said photographing lens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 70 words
The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an optical axis redirecting reflecting mirror for changing an optical axis in a portion of said lens optical system, said mirror portions arranged so that the optical axes thereof are in planes including optical axes before and after reflection, said secondary images being formed in the planes of reflection of said mirror portions orthogonal of said optical axis changing reflecting mirror.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said secondary images are separated from each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said secondary images are formed in a plane of reflection of said mirror portions vertical to said optical axis reflecting mirror.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said secondary images are formed in a plane of reflection of said mirror portions horizontal to said optical axis reflecting mirror.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, in which said divided reflecting mirror is a divided concave mirror.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, in which a slit is provided in the focusing plane of said photographing lens.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3622797A Cited
US3860935A Cited
US4083056A Cited
US4405232A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-03-31 1989-09-30 1990-04-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-03-31 1993-09-30 1994-04-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-03-31 1997-09-30 1998-04-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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