Mapping lens

Claim 2

A mapping lens for imaging an object lying within an extended field of view onto a focal surface, said lens comprising: (a) a front group of lens elements, (b) a middle group of lens elements, and (c) a rear group of lens elements, said middle group being disposed between said front and rear groups on an optic axis of said lens; said lens elements of said front, middle and rear groups being made from only two different optical materials; said front and rear groups of lens elements being disposed in a Double Gauss arrangement; said middle group of lens elements having substantially zero optical power; said lens elements of said front, middle and rear groups being configured and positioned with respect to each other on said optic axis so as to coact with each other to produce substantially zero first-order paraxial chromatic aberration at more than two discrete wavelengths and to produce substantially inconsequential chromatic variation of coma for said field of view.

Claim 3

The mapping lens of claim 1 wherein said focal surface is curved.

Claim 4

The mapping lens of claim 1 wherein said middle group of lens elements comprises a first pair of lens elements and a second pair of lens elements, said first and second pairs of lens elements being disposed on opposite sides of an aperture stop of said lens.

Claim 5

The mapping lens of claim 3 having a design form optimized for an effective focal length of 200 inches at a focal ratio of f/20 and a field of view of 60° substantially as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (inches) (inches) Material ______________________________________ 1 48.782437 4.000000 FK51 2 64.197305 2.695008 Air 3 28.557795 7.779186 FK51 4 41.585376 .167281 Air 5 29.993771 1.222199 LAKN14 6 21.061858 27.706689 Air 7 -158.247288 1.193884 FK51 8 -30.948006 .333333 LAKN14 9 -418.675139 .050396 Air 10 .000000 .067475 Air 11 -556.507121 2.911325 LAKN14 12 -64.041351 3.084923 FK51 13 -84.365588 .099465 Air 14 -90.434474 1.236759 LAKN14 15 -71.701205 .400000 Air 16 -37.273531 1.187736 FK51 17 -34.647060 5.690091 Air 18 -28.767241 1.607142 FK51 19 -26.464032 167.271800 Air 20 -338.087463 .000000 Air ______________________________________

Claim 6

The mapping lens of claim 3 having a design form optimized for an effective focal length of 200 inches at a focal ratio of f/15 and a field of view of 40° substantially as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (inches) (inches) Materials ______________________________________ 1 54.988045 2.654317 FK51 2 70.642123 26.235179 Air 3 26.322886 2.666667 FK51 4 39.920346 .167281 Air 5 28.709501 1.222199 LAKN14 6 21.315867 22.760529 Air 7 -313.641980 2.685032 FK51 8 -42.256068 .333333 LAKN14 9 -542.805182 .067450 Air 10 .000000 .067475 Air 11 -434.340394 2.623059 LAKN14 12 -80.870196 2.655576 FK51 13 -88.620876 1.916938 Air 14 -82.994012 1.236759 LAKN14 15 -73.707986 1.000000 Air 16 -35.774768 1.187736 FK51 17 -38.279278 4.988101 Air 18 -33.187875 1.607142 FK51 19 -28.670296 168.926530 Air 20 -270.689766 .000000 Air ______________________________________

Claim 7

The mapping lens of claim 3 having a design form optimized for an effective focal length of 300 inches at a focal ratio of f/20 and a field of view of 40° substantially as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (inches) (inches) Material ______________________________________ 1 83.131697 4.000000 FK51 2 105.822287 39.331744 Air 3 39.157947 4.000000 FK51 4 60.133495 .252027 Air 5 43.033908 1.833298 LAKN14 6 31.918041 34.140793 Air 7 -358.140611 4.000000 FK51 8 -69.149220 .500000 LAKN14 9 -762.552801 .100000 Air 10 .000000 .100000 Air 11 -1041.419709 4.000000 LAKN14 12 -160.903715 4.000000 FK51 13 -134.460084 2.874566 Air 14 -123.955981 1.855138 LAKN14 15 -108.740200 1.500000 Air 16 -46.482147 1.781603 FK51 17 -49.553189 7.482152 Air 18 -50.344282 2.410712 FK51 19 -43.609621 253.555880 Air 20 -409.066718 .000000 Air ______________________________________