Stereoscopic viewing system using a two dimensional lens system

Claim 1

A stereoscopic viewing system for viewing an object in a single image path with a camera comprising: a two dimensional lens system on the single image path; a switching device having an opaque leaf positioned on the single image path between the two dimensional lens system and the camera, the opaque leaf movable in the single image path from a left position to a right position, to provide a left image perspective and a right image perspective on the single image path to the camera, the left image perspective and the right image perspective required for stereoscopic viewing; a left positive stop and a right positive stop to provide the left position and the right position for the opaque leaf; means for moving the opaque leaf between the left positive stop and the right positive stop, and retain the opaque leaf stationary in each position for a sufficient time for the camera to completely view each image perspective; a variable locating means for the left positive stop and the right positive stop for varying the left image perspective and the right image perspective to represent a cross-sectional area in a range greater than one-half the cross-sectional area of the image path blanked at the location of the opaque leaf to less than one-half the cross-sectional area of the image path blanked at the location of the opaque leaf; stereoscopic viewing means to view the left image perspective from the camera with one eye of a viewer and to view the right image perspective from the camera with the other eye of the viewer; synchronization means to synchronize the means for moving the opaque leaf and control the stereoscopic viewing means so that the viewer sees only the left image perspective with one eye and only the right image perspective with the other eye, and wherein the means for moving the opaque leaf in the switching device comprises two opposing electromagnets on both sides of a magnetic material armature movable between the electromagnets, the armature being connected by an arm to the opaque leaf, the arm having a bearing between the armature and the opaque leaf, the electromagnets moving the armature from side to side such that the opaque leaf moves from the left positive stop to the right positive stop.

Claim 15

A method of stereoscopic viewing an object through a two dimensional lens system on a single image path with a camera, comprising the steps of: placing an opaque leaf between the two dimensional lens system and the camera on the single image path; moving the opaque leaf in the single image path between a left position and a right position to provide a left image perspective and a right image perspective of the single image path to the camera, the left image perspective and the right image perspective being required for stereoscopic viewing; retaining the opaque leaf stationary in each position for a sufficient time for the camera to completely view each image perspective, locating a left positive stop and a right positive stop to provide the left position and the right position, with a variable locating means, thereby varying the left image perspective and the right image perspective to represent a cross-sectional area in a range greater than one-half the cross-sectional area of the image path blanked at the location of the opaque leaf to less than one-half the cross-sectional area of the image path blanked at the location of the opaque leaf, and synchronizing alternate left image perspective and right image perspective from the camera with stereoscopic viewing means so that a view sees only the left image perspective with one eye and only the right image perspective with the other eye.

Claim 16

A method of stereoscopic viewing an object through a two dimensional lens system on a single image path with a camera, comprising the steps of: placing an opaque leaf between the two dimensional lens system and the camera on the single image path; moving the opaque leaf in the single image path between a left position and a right position to provide a left image perspective and a right image perspective of the single image path to the camera, the left image perspective and the right image perspective being required for stereoscopic viewing; retaining the opaque leaf stationary in each position for a sufficient time for the camera to completely view each image perspective, locating a left positive stop and a right positive stop to provide the left position and the right position, with a variable locating means, thereby varying the left image perspective and the right image perspective to represent a cross-sectional area in a range greater than one-half the cross-sectional area of the image path blanked at the location of the opaque leaf to less than one-half the cross-sectional area of the image path blanked at the location of the opaque leaf, and synchronizing alternate left image perspective and right image perspective from the camera with stereoscopic viewing means so that a view sees only the left image perspective with one eye and only the right image perspective with the other eye.