Imaging lens system

Claim 2

An imaging lens system comprising, in the order from the object side; a first lens component having a convex surface on the object side and a positive refractive power; a second lens component having an object side surface and an image side surface that are both convex toward the object side, and a negative refractive power; and a third lens component, said third lens component comprising a positive lens element disposed on the most image side of the third lens component, said positive lens element having a convex surface on the image side, wherein said positive lens element of said third lens component is a graded refractive index lens element having a refractive index that varies in the radial direction, the refractive index of said graded refractive index lens system being expressed by the formula shown below, and said imaging optical system satisfying the following conditions (1) and (2): n(r)=N.sub.0 +N.sub.1 r.sup.2 +N.sub.2 r.sup.4 +.... N.sub.1 <0 (i)

Claim 3

-7. 0<N 1 (1) ·f 2 <-0.5 (1) 0.1<F·t/f<1.5 (2) wherein the reference symbol N 0 represents the refractive index of said graded refractive index lens element as measured on an optical axis of the imaging lens system, the reference symbol r designates the distance as measured from the optical axis to a lens portion of interest in the radial direction, the reference symbol n(r) denotes the refractive index of a portion of the lens located at the distance r from the optical axis, the reference symbols N 1 , N 2 , N 3 , ... represent the refractive index distribution coefficients of the second order, fourth order, sixth order, ..., the reference symbol f designates the focal length of the imaging lens system as a whole, the reference symbol t denotes he thickness of the graded refractive lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference symbol F represents the F number of the imaging lens system and the reference symbol N 1 (1) designates the index distribution coefficient of the second order of said GRIN lens element.

Claim 4

-7. 0<N 1 (1) ·f 2 <-0.5 (1) 0.1<F·t/f<1.5 (2) wherein the reference symbol N 0 represents the refractive index of said graded refractive index lens element as measured on an optical axis of the imaging lens system, the reference symbol r designates the distance as measured from the optical axis to a lens portion of interest in the radial direction, the reference symbol n(r) denotes the refractive index of a portion of the lens located at the distance r from the optical axis, the reference symbols N 1 , N 2 , N 3 , ... represent the refractive index distribution coefficients of the second order, fourth order, sixth order, ..., the reference symbol f designates the focal length of the imaging lens system as a whole, the reference symbol t denotes he thickness of the graded refractive lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference symbol F represents the F number of the imaging lens system and the reference symbol N 1 (1) designates the index distribution coefficient of the second order of said GRIN lens element.

Claim 5

An imaging lens system comprising, in the order from the object side: a first lens component having a convex surface on the object side and a positive refractive power; a second lens component having a concave surface on the image side and a negative refractive power; and a third lens component, said third lens component comprising a positive lens element disposed on the most image side of the third lens component, said positive lens element having a convex surface on the image side, and being a graded refractive index lens element having refractive index that varies in the radial direction as expressed by the formula shown below and satisfying the following conditions: n(r)=N.sub.0 +N.sub.1 r.sup.2 +N.sub.2 r.sup.4 +.... N.sub.1 <0 (i) -7.0<N.sub.1(10) ·f.sup.2 <-0.5 (1) 0.1<F·t/f<1.5 (2) wherein the reference symbol N 0 represents the refractive index of said grade refractive index lens element as measured on an optical axis of the imaging lens system, the reference symbol r designates the distance as measured from the optical axis to a lens portion of interest in the radial direction, the reference symbol n(r) denotes the refractive index of a portion of the lens located at the distance r from the optical axis, the reference symbols N 1 , N 2 , N 3 , ... represent the refractive index distribution coefficients of the second order, fourth order, sixth order, ..., the reference symbol f designates a focal length of the imaging lens system as a whole, the reference symbol t denotes thickness of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference symbol F represents a F number of the imaging lens system and the reference symbol N 1 (1) designates the index distribution coefficient of the second order of said graded refractive index lens element.

Claim 6

An imaging lens system comprising, in the order from the object side: a first lens component having a convex surface on the object side and a positive refractive power; a second lens component having a concave surface on the image side and a negative refractive power; and a third lens component, said third lens component comprising a positive lens element disposed on the most image side of the third lens component, said positive lens element having a convex surface on the image side, and being a graded refractive index lens element having refractive index that varies in the radial direction as expressed by the formula shown below and satisfying the following conditions: n(r)=N.sub.0 +N.sub.1 r.sup.2 +N.sub.2 r.sup.4 +.... N.sub.1 <0 (i) -7.0<N.sub.1(10) ·f.sup.2 <-0.5 (1) 0.1<F·t/f<1.5 (2) wherein the reference symbol N 0 represents the refractive index of said grade refractive index lens element as measured on an optical axis of the imaging lens system, the reference symbol r designates the distance as measured from the optical axis to a lens portion of interest in the radial direction, the reference symbol n(r) denotes the refractive index of a portion of the lens located at the distance r from the optical axis, the reference symbols N 1 , N 2 , N 3 , ... represent the refractive index distribution coefficients of the second order, fourth order, sixth order, ..., the reference symbol f designates a focal length of the imaging lens system as a whole, the reference symbol t denotes thickness of the graded refractive index lens element as measured on the optical axis, the reference symbol F represents a F number of the imaging lens system and the reference symbol N 1 (1) designates the index distribution coefficient of the second order of said graded refractive index lens element.

Claim 7

An imaging less system according to claim 1 or 2 satisfying the following conditions (3) and (4): 0.2<r.sub.0(2) /f<1.2 (3) 0.35<r.sub.1(2) /r.sub.0(2) <0.95 (4) wherein the reference symbols r 0 (2) and r 1 (2) represent the radii of curvature on the most object side surface and the most image side surface respectively of said second lens component.

Claim 8

An imaging lens system according to claim 3 wherein said second lens component is composed of a graded refractive index lens element having refractive index varying in the radial direction and designed so as to satisfy the following condition (5): 0.05<N.sub.1(2) ·f.sup.2 <3.0 (5) wherein the reference symbol N 1 (2) represents the refractive index distribution coefficient of the second order of said second lens component.

Claim 9

An imaging lens system according to claim 3 wherein said second lens component has an aspherical surface on its image side having negative refractive power strengthened as the surface portions are farther from the optical axis.

Claim 10

An imaging lens system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first lens component comprises a single positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, said second lens component is composed of a single negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, and said third lens component is composed of a negative lens element having a concave surface on the object side and a positive lens element.

Claim 11

An imaging lens system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first lens component comprises a single positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, said second lens component is composed of a single negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side and said third lens component is composed of a single positive lens element.

Claim 12

An imaging lens system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein an aperture stop is disposed between said second lens component and said third lens component.

Claim 13

An imaging lens system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein an aperture stop is disposed on the image side of said third lens component.

Claim 14

An imaging lens system according to claim 3, wherein said first lens component consists of a single positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, said second lens component consists of a single negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, and said third lens component consists of a negative lens element having a concave surface on the object side and a positive lens element.

Claim 15

An imaging lens system according to claim 4 wherein said first lens component consists of a single positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, said second lens component consists of a single negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, and said third lens component consists of a negative lens element having a concave surface on the object side and a positive lens element.

Claim 16

An imaging lens system according to claim 3 wherein said first lens component consists of a single positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, said second lens component consists of a single negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side and said third lens component consists of a single positive lens element.

Claim 17

An imaging lens system according to claim 4 wherein said first lens component consists of a single positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side, said second lens component consists of a single negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface on the object side and said third lens component consists of a single positive lens element.

Claim 18

An imaging lens system according to claim 3 wherein an aperture stop is disposed between said second lens component and said third lens component.

Claim 19

An imaging lens system according to claim 4 wherein an aperture stop is disposed between said send lens component and said third lens component.

Claim 20

An imaging lens system according to claim 3 wherein an aperture stop is disposed on the image side of said third lens component.

Claim 21

An imaging lens system according to claim 4 wherein an aperture stop is disposed on the image side of said third lens component.