US4682237A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photographic optical apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1985-05-01
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Granted: 1987-07-21
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Expires: 2005-05-01
Abstract
Abstract A photographic optical apparatus including a beam splitter for splitting the optical path of an objective lens, a video pickup device arranged in one of the split optical paths, an optical low pass filter and a color separation filter arranged between the beam splitter and the video pickup device, a prism for changing the direction of the optical path arranged on the other split optical path, an eyepiece arranged on the optical path of the light coming through the prism, a pre-assumed image plane lying between the beam splitter and the prism and an image correcting plate of equal optical thickness to the sum of the lengths of the optical paths of the optical low pass filter and the color separation filter. The plate is arranged between the pre-assumed image plane and the beam splitter. The image correcting plate also serves to split off part of the light and then to guide it to a sensor for light metering.
Inventors
- 👤 Masatake Kato
- 👤 Tetsuharu Nishimura
- 👤 Hideo Yokota
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:32
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B19/00; G03B19/02; G03B19/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A photographic optical apparatus comprising: (a) optical path selecting means for selecting one of two optical paths of an objective optical system; (b) image receiving means arranged in one of the two optical paths to receive an image of said objective optical system and produce a video signal; (c) optical filtering means arranged between said optical path selecting means and said image receiving means to apply optical filtering to an image to be received by said image receiving means; (d) optical directing means arranged on the other of said optical paths to change the direction of said other optical path; (e) a predetermined image plane lying in between said optical path selecting means and said optical directing means; (f) an eyepiece for observing said predetermined image plane through said optical directing means; and (g) optical correcting means for correcting the image performance due to said objective optical system, arranged in a space between said optical path selecting means and said predetermined image plane and having an optical path length which is substantially equal to the optical path length of said optical filtering means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A photographic optical apparatus comprising: (a) optical path selecting means for selecting one of two optical paths of an objective optical system; (b) image receiving means arranged in one of the two optical paths to receive an image of said objective optical system and produce a video signal; (c) optical filtering means arranged between said optical path selecting means and said image receiving means to apply optical filtering to an image to be received by said image receiving means; (d) optical directing means arranged on the other of said optical paths to change the direction of said other optical path; (e) a predetermined image plane lying in between said optical path selecting means and said optical directing means; (f) an eyepiece for observing said predetermined image plane through said optical directing means; and (g) optical correcting means for correcting the image performance due to said objective optical system, arranged in a space between said optical path selecting means and said predetermined image plane and having an optical path length which is substantially equal to the optical path length of said optical filtering means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising light measuring means, and wherein said optical correcting means splits light into two parts, one of which is directed to said light measuring means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said optical correcting means is a parallel flat plate having a beam splitter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising light measuring means, and wherein said optical directing means includes a first prism, a second prism and a reflective region between said first and said second prisms to provide light to said light measuring means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising an optical wedge for removing backward entering light from said eyepiece between said optical directing means and said light measuring means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said reflective region of said optical directing means has a predetermined reflectivity distribution for forming a desired light measuring distribution.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical directing means includes a first prism for causing an even number of reflections and a second prism having a roof type reflection surface and a reflection surface for causing a reflection next thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical filtering means includes an optical low pass filter and a color separation filter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said optical filtering means further includes an infrared light cut filter and a protection plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
137 words
A photographic optical apparatus, comprising: image receiving means for receiving an image formed by an objective lens to produce a video signal; observing means for observing the image formed by the objective lens; optical path selecting means for selecting either an optical path from the objective lens to said image receiving means, or an optical path from the objective lens to said observing means; a plurality of optical filters arranged between the optical path selecting means and said image receiving means; focus discriminating means, for discriminating a focal condition and determining an image plane, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said observing means; and optical correcting means arranged between said optical path selecting means and said image plane and having an optical path length substantially equal to an optical path length synthesized by said filters.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
137 words
A photographic optical apparatus, comprising: image receiving means for receiving an image formed by an objective lens to produce a video signal; observing means for observing the image formed by the objective lens; optical path selecting means for selecting either an optical path from the objective lens to said image receiving means, or an optical path from the objective lens to said observing means; a plurality of optical filters arranged between the optical path selecting means and said image receiving means; focus discriminating means, for discriminating a focal condition and determining an image plane, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said observing means; and optical correcting means arranged between said optical path selecting means and said image plane and having an optical path length substantially equal to an optical path length synthesized by said filters.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein one of said optical filters is an optical low pass filter, and another one of said optical filters is a color-separation filter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein still another of said optical filters is an infrared light cut filter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said optical path length of said optical correcting means is within ±20% of the synthesized optical path length.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising photosensing means, wherein said optical correcting means comprises a light splitting plate which splits the light to said photosensing means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said light splitting plate is 3 mm to 12 mm thick.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said light splitting plate has an oblique half-reflection mirror.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said light splitting plate comprises an optical grating.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said optical correcting means is 3 mm to 12 mm thick.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
154 words
A photographic optical apparatus, comprising: image receiving means for receiving an image formed by an objective lens to produce a video signal; observing means for observing said image formed by said objective lens; optical path selecting means for selecting either an optical path from said objective lens to said image receiving means, or an optical path from said objective lens to said observing means; a focus screen, for discriminating a focus condition and determining an image plane, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said observing means; optical filtering means, for filtering an image light incident on said image receiving means, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said image receiving means; and optical correcting means, for correcting an image formed on said image plane to have substantially a same focal quality as an image formed on said image receiving means, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said focus screen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
154 words
A photographic optical apparatus, comprising: image receiving means for receiving an image formed by an objective lens to produce a video signal; observing means for observing said image formed by said objective lens; optical path selecting means for selecting either an optical path from said objective lens to said image receiving means, or an optical path from said objective lens to said observing means; a focus screen, for discriminating a focus condition and determining an image plane, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said observing means; optical filtering means, for filtering an image light incident on said image receiving means, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said image receiving means; and optical correcting means, for correcting an image formed on said image plane to have substantially a same focal quality as an image formed on said image receiving means, arranged between said optical path selecting means and said focus screen.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said optical filtering means comprises an optical low pass filter, a color separation filter, and an infrared cut filter.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said optical filtering means comprises an optical low pass filter and a color-separation filter.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said optical filtering means comprises an infrared light cut filter.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein an optical path length of said optical correcting means is within ±20% of an optical path length synthesized by said optical filter means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising photosensing means, wherein said optical correcting means has a light splitting plate which splits the light to said photosensing means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said light splitting plate is 3 mm to 12 mm thick.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said light splitting plate comprises an oblique half-reflection mirror.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said light splitting plate comprises an optical grating.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said optical correcting means is 3 mm to 12 mm thick.
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) | 1990-07-20 | 1991-01-19 | 1991-07-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-07-20 | 1995-01-19 | 1995-07-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-07-20 | 1999-01-19 | 1999-07-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |