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US4820037A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for measuring the refractive power of an eye

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1988-08-15
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Granted: 1989-04-11
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Expires: 2008-08-15
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus for measuring the refractive power of an eye has a target projecting system for projecting a target light beam onto the fundus of an eye to be examined through a predetermined region of the pupil of the eye to be examined, and a light-receiving optical system for receiving a light beam reflected by the eye fundus in at least three meridian directions through a region of the pupil of the eye to be examined different from the predetermined region. The light-receiving optical system includes a plurality of image rotating prisms for converting into a predetermined direction the direction of displacement to each meridian direction of the light beam reflected by the eye fundus produced by the difference in the refractive power of the eye to be examined. A light detecting device has a direction of light detection coincident with the predetermined direction and detects the light-position of the light beam reflected by the eye fundus which depends on the refractive power of the eye to be examined.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yoshimi Kohayakawa
  • 👤 Kazuhiro Matsumoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 08:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/10; A61B3/103

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 135 words
An apparatus for measuring the refractive power of an eye having: a target projecting system having no moving parts for projecting a target onto a fundus of an eye to be examined through a predetermined optical path of a pupil of the examined eye; light-receiving optical means for receiving light beams reflected by the eye fundus through paths corresponding to at least three meridian directions of the pupil other than said predetermined path, said light-receiving optical system having a plurality of image rotating prisms for rotating the meridian direction of each respective each light beam into a predetermined direction common with the other respective light beams; and light detecting means for detecting the position of each eye fundus reflection light beam in said predetermined common direction and determining the refractive power of an examined eye.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 135 words
An apparatus for measuring the refractive power of an eye having: a target projecting system having no moving parts for projecting a target onto a fundus of an eye to be examined through a predetermined optical path of a pupil of the examined eye; light-receiving optical means for receiving light beams reflected by the eye fundus through paths corresponding to at least three meridian directions of the pupil other than said predetermined path, said light-receiving optical system having a plurality of image rotating prisms for rotating the meridian direction of each respective each light beam into a predetermined direction common with the other respective light beams; and light detecting means for detecting the position of each eye fundus reflection light beam in said predetermined common direction and determining the refractive power of an examined eye.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light detecting means comprises three one-dimensional light-position sensors disposed parallel to one another on a light detecting element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image rotating prisms also deflect the eye fundus reflection light beam, and said light detecting means is a single one-dimensional light-position sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 64 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said target projecting means projects the target light beam from an eccentric position on at least three meridians of the pupil of the eye to be examined, and said light-receiving optical means receives the light beam reflected by the eye fundus from a position symmetrical with an incidence position with respect to a center of the pupil.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 52 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said target projecting means projects the target light beam to a center of the pupil, and said light-receiving optical means receives the light beam reflected by the eye fundus from two positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the pupil in three meridian directions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said target projecting means and said light-receiving optical means are each provided with an apertured stop optically conjugate with the pupil of the eye to be examined.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an apertured mirror is provided at a branching-off position of the optical path of said target projecting means and said light-receiving optical means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 58 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mirror for at least reflecting only the light beam on one side of an optical axis and transmitting therethrough the light beam on the other side of said optical axis is provided at a branching-off position of the optical path of said target projecting means and said light-receiving optical means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 63 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said target projecting means system is provided with a light source, a deflecting prism having three wedge prisms, a slit plate having three slits, and an apertured stop disposed at a position optically conjugate with the pupil of the eye to be examined and having three openings at locations spaced apart from a center portion thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image rotating prisms are disposed in two meridian directions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said light detecting means receives the light beams reflected by the eye fundus in three meridian directions at a time.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said light detecting means receives the light beams reflected by the eye fundus in three directions in succession.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 156 words
An apparatus for measuring the refractive power of an eye having: target projecting means having no moving parts for projecting a target onto a fundus of an eye to be examined through a predetermined optical path of a pupil of the examined eye; a light-receiving optical means for receiving light beams reflected by the eye fundus through paths corresponding to at least three meridian directions of the pupil other than said predetermined path direction, said light-receiving optic means having a plurality of image rotating prisms for rotating the meridian direction of each respective light beam into a predetermined direction common with the other respective light beams; and a television camera with an image pickup element for detecting the position of each eye fundus reflection light beam in said predetermined common direction and determining the refractive power of the examined eye, wherein an interior part of the eye to be examined is observed by said television camera.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 156 words
An apparatus for measuring the refractive power of an eye having: target projecting means having no moving parts for projecting a target onto a fundus of an eye to be examined through a predetermined optical path of a pupil of the examined eye; a light-receiving optical means for receiving light beams reflected by the eye fundus through paths corresponding to at least three meridian directions of the pupil other than said predetermined path direction, said light-receiving optic means having a plurality of image rotating prisms for rotating the meridian direction of each respective light beam into a predetermined direction common with the other respective light beams; and a television camera with an image pickup element for detecting the position of each eye fundus reflection light beam in said predetermined common direction and determining the refractive power of the examined eye, wherein an interior part of the eye to be examined is observed by said television camera.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 30 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an apertured mirror is provided at a branching-off position of the optical path of said target projecting means and said light-receiving optical means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 44 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a light dividing member is disposed in the optical path between said apertured mirror and the eye to be examined, and the anterior part of the eye to be examined is observed through said light dividing member.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4306778A Cited
US4376573A Cited
US4410243A Cited
JPS56161031A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-04-10 1992-10-10 1993-04-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-04-10 1996-10-10 1997-04-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-04-10 2000-10-10 2001-04-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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