Patent · US Expired

Methods and means for reducing temperature-induced variations in lenses and lens devices

US5260828A · kind A · utility

61Cited by
11References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 27, 1992
Grant dateNov 9, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 27, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B5/1895
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A lens composed of a single material and having at least one refractive surface on one face and a kinoform on the other face. The purely refractive between the surfaces varies dimensionally and in refractive index in response to temperature changes and thereby changes a characteristic, such as back focal length, of the lens while the kinoform varies differently in response to the same temperature changes. The kinoform power is sufficient to vary the temperature induced characteristic changes of the lens in an opposing sense at a given wavelength and in an amount sufficient to athermalize the optical device. In one embodiment the kinoform power compensates for the combined temperature-induced effects upon the refractive portion and any mount that supports the lens.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.