Patent · US Expired

Variable magnification optical system

US7068440B1 · kind B1 · utility

8Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 25, 2005
Grant dateJun 27, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 25, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B5/04
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention provides a variable magnification optical system for forming an optical image of an object on the light-receiving surface of an image sensor with a variable magnification. The variable magnification optical system includes an optical construction comprising, from an object side, a first reflective surface, a first movable unit, a second reflective surface, and a second movable unit. The optical axis is bent at substantially ninety degrees by the first reflective surface and is further bent by the second reflective surface, and, during magnification variation from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first and second reflective surfaces are kept in fixed positions with respect to the image surface, and the first and second movable units move along the optical axis. The variable magnification optical system fulfills a prescribed conditional formula.

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