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US4840468A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Focusing method for zoom lens

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1988-11-14
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Granted: 1989-06-20
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Expires: 2008-11-14
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Abstract

Abstract The disclosed zoom lens has at least three components and three components are made movable for zooming to different object distances by axially moving two of said components as a unit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tsunefumi Tanaka

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 16:48
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B15/00; G02B15/14; G02B15/144; G02B15/1441; G02B15/144105

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 125 words
A zoom lens comprising: a first lens component, stationary during focusing; a second lens component; a third lens component; and a fourth lens component, said third and fourth lens components moving as a unit when focusing is made, and moving in such a manner that their overall refractive power varies when zooming is made, said second lens component being movable simultaneously with said third lens component and said fourth lens component during zooming and being stationary during focusing, wherein the movement of said third and fourth lens components relative to a given object distant is substantially linear over the whole range of variation in focal length and substantially linear relative to all object distances focusable by the movement of the third and fourth lens components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 125 words
A zoom lens comprising: a first lens component, stationary during focusing; a second lens component; a third lens component; and a fourth lens component, said third and fourth lens components moving as a unit when focusing is made, and moving in such a manner that their overall refractive power varies when zooming is made, said second lens component being movable simultaneously with said third lens component and said fourth lens component during zooming and being stationary during focusing, wherein the movement of said third and fourth lens components relative to a given object distant is substantially linear over the whole range of variation in focal length and substantially linear relative to all object distances focusable by the movement of the third and fourth lens components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
A zoom lens according to claim 1, wherein said third lens component is positioned between said fourth and second lens components.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
A zoom lens according to claim 2, wherein the combined refractive power of said third and fourth lens components increases when zooming from the wide angle to the telephoto position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
A zoom lens according to claim 3, wherein said second lens component moves non-linearly when zooming.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
A zoom lens according to claim 4, wherein said fourth lens component lies on the image side of said third lens component, and said second lens component lies on the object side of said third lens component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 47 words
A zoom lens according to claim 5, wherein said third lens component has a positive refractive power, said fourth lens component has a negative refractive power, and the separation between said third and fourth lens components increases when zooming from the wide angle to the telephoto position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 30 words
A zoom lens according to claim 6, wherein said second lens component has a negative refractive power and moves rearward during zooming from the side angle to the telephoto position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
A zoom lens according to claim 7, wherein said first lens component is positioned on the object side of said second lens component and has positive refractive power.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 119 words
A zoom lens comprising: a first lens group stationary during focusing; a second lens group located closer to an image than said first lens group; and a plurality of lens groups which move to change their relative positional relation so as to change their compound refractive power during zooming and move together during focusing, said second lens group being positioned on the object side of said plurality of lens groups for moving in the direction of the optical axis during zooming and stationary during focusing, wherein the movement of said plurality of lens groups is substantially linear relative to all objective distances focusable by the lens groups movable for focusing over the whole range of variation in focal length.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 119 words
A zoom lens comprising: a first lens group stationary during focusing; a second lens group located closer to an image than said first lens group; and a plurality of lens groups which move to change their relative positional relation so as to change their compound refractive power during zooming and move together during focusing, said second lens group being positioned on the object side of said plurality of lens groups for moving in the direction of the optical axis during zooming and stationary during focusing, wherein the movement of said plurality of lens groups is substantially linear relative to all objective distances focusable by the lens groups movable for focusing over the whole range of variation in focal length.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
A zoom lens according to claim 9, wherein the lens group other than those used for focusing, moves non-linearly during the zooming process.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 34 words
A zoom lens according to claim 9, wherein the distance between lens groups for focusing vary such as to increase their compound refractive power during zooming from the wide angle to the telephoto position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 47 words
A zoom lens according to claim 11, wherein one of the lens groups for focusing has a positive refractive power while the other lens group has a negative refractive power and the lens distance therebetween increases as zooming occurs from the wide angle to the telephoto position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
A zoom lens according to claim 9, wherein two out of three lens groups are positioned at the image side and move for focusing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 26 words
A zoom lens according to claim 13, wherein the three lens groups have respectively, negative, positive and negative refractive power, as counted from the object side.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 34 words
A zoom lens according to claim 9, further comprising: a lens group which is in a fixed position during focusing and is provided in front of the three lens groups which move for zooming.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3817600A Cited
US4198126A Cited
US4516839A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-06-19 1992-12-19 1993-06-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-06-19 1996-12-19 1997-06-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-06-19 2000-12-19 2001-06-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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