Abstract: Disclosed is a plate with lens array comprising a transparent plate, and a plurality of gradient index lenses, at least two of which have different focal lengths, the lenses being linearly or two-dimensionally arranged in the transparent plate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lens system for a telescopic camera comprised of a primary lens, a secondary lens and a tertiary lens. The primary lens is a positive lens having a convex front surface and an aspheric back surface which define an optical axis. The secondary lens is a negative lens which has a concave front surface and a concave back. The front surface of the secondary lens is positioned at a predetermined fixed distance adjacent to the back surface of the primary lens and centered with respect to the optical axis. The tertiary lens is a field flattening lens having a convex front surface and a convex back surface. The front surface of the tertiary lens is positioned at a predetermined fixed distance adjacent to the back surface of the secondary lens, wherein the primary, secondary and tertiary lenses have surfaces shaped to focus on an object viewed such that a field of view of about 4.2.degree.

Abstract: A zoom lens is described for an electronic camera for still pictures, comprising a front group (G.sub.1), a variator group (G.sub.2) and a main group (G.sub.4). The lens is designed in such a manner that the sum of the spherical aberrations of the front group and the variator group is constant throughout the zoom range and is adapted to that of the main group.

Abstract: This invention relates to a replica plate having a transparent plastic substrate and a photo-cured resin, and a projection type television using the replica plate. An adhesive layer comprising an acrylic or methacrylic compound is provided between a transparent plastic plate and a replica-forming photo-curable resin, whereby it is possible to enhance the adhesion between the surface of the transparent plastic plate and the photo-cured resin, and to produce a replica plate having excellent optical characteristics, good replicating properties and high reliability. The adhesive layer can be provided (1) by coating a layer containing the acrylic or methacrylic compound on the plastic plate, the compound infiltrating into the plate, or (2) by incorporating the acrylic or methacrylic compound into the photo-curable resin, the compound infiltrating therefrom into the plate; in this latter technique, the plate coated with the resin should be heated.

Abstract: A composite optical article has a plastic layer of an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of a lens base member. The plastic layer is formed on the base member so as to expose an optical surface thereof and has a projecting outer periphery. Another composite optical article has a lens base member having formed therein or thereon an annular projection or groove to which an outer periphery of a plastic layer formed on the base member is bonded. The composite optical articles are manufactured by a method in which an annular projection or groove is formed on or in a plastic layer molding surface of a mold or the lens base member along an outer periphery thereof and the plastic layer is molded while filling the plastic material along the projection or groove.

Abstract: This invention describes a method and an apparatus for refracting a laser beam. The beam can be collimated, focused, or expanded in passage through a series of in-line, orthogonally-mounted modules, each of which utilizes a fully-developed thermal boundary layer within a flow, between two cooled (or heated) parallel plates to produce beam refraction. The laser beam, in passage through this device, traverses only fully-developed thermal boundary layers which generate parabolic density and refractive index profiles, hence produce an undistorted gas lens. Two (three) diverger modules can be mounted in line to produce an emerging beam which is an undistorted, spherical-wave-front diverging (or collimated or focused) beam of elliptical (circular) cross section and the same beam quality as the input beam. This gas lens is usable at high beam power densities much above those that conventional optical materials can withstand.

Abstract: A lens system that utilize a high refractive index enveloping medium in which one or more lens elements of low refractive index material are interspersed within the fluid is disclosed. Preferably, the enveloping medium is a liquid optical fluid contained in a hollow shell. Hollow air-filled chambers, fabricated from a material similar in refractive index as that of the fluid, are supported in the liquid and serve as low index refractive elements in the higher index enveloping medium.

Abstract: An objective lens system for microscopes comprising a plurality of lens units including a first lens unit arranged at the foremost location and having a positive refractive power, and using a GRIN lens or GRIN lenses designed taking into consideration the characteristic of the glass materials currently available. The objective lens system for microscopes consists of a small number of lens elements and has favorably corrected aberrations.

Abstract: A stereoscope includes a body having a base panel and a septum panel, wherein the front and rear edges of the base and septum panels each define at least one respective tab. A lens assembly having a lens panel that supports a pair of lenses defines multiple tab receiving slots, each positioned to receive a respective one of the tabs to support the septum panel in a pre-determined position with respect to the base panel and to hold the lens assembly on the body. A stereoscopic view panel has a pair of stereoscopic views fixedly positioned on the view panel. The view panel defines multiple tab receiving slots, each receiving a respective one of the tabs to secure the view panel to both the septum and base panels, with the septum panel precisely positioned between the stereoscopic views.

Abstract: An eyepiece system which can be used in the eyepiece portion of an endoscope. The eyepiece system comprises, in order from an eye point, a first positive lens having two convex surfaces, a second negative lens having a concave surface facing to the eye point side, and a third positive lens having a convex surface facing to the eye point side. Due to such construction, the eyepiece system can be compact and light in weight, and it also can provide a high magnification. Further, the eyepiece system has a sufficient eye point distance. Accordingly, the eyepiece system is an ideal eyepiece system for an endoscope.

Abstract: A zoom lens comprising a plurality of lens units in which at least one of the air separations between the units is varied to effect zooming, whereby at least one of the plurality of lens units is included with at least one refractive index distribution type lens element on a common optical axis of the other elements.

Abstract: The combination in optical series of a microscope objective lens system with a first positive lens system, and a focusing module, all in combination with one another and with such other components as are required to provide a microscope image, allows the user of such a microscope, to continuously alter the active focal relationships of the microscope by continuously varying the afocal variator and the distance of the microscope objective lens system from the object which is undergoing examination, and all without the need to physically change the length dimension of the microscope system, and without the need to change the positions of any of the lenses outside of the afocal variator, and without the need to change the microscope objective lens. The focusing module includes, a front negative lens system, an afocal variator optical system, and a rear positive optical system. The afocal variator optical system includes in optical series a front positive lens, a negative lens, and a rear positive lens.

Abstract: A symmetrical lens system comprising, as arranged from the object side toward the image side, a first lens in the form of a positive meniscus lens having its convex surface directed toward the object side, a second lens in the form of a negative meniscus lens having its convex surface directed toward the object side, a diaphragm, a third lens in the form of a negative meniscus lens symmetrical with the second lens with respect to the diaphragm, and a fourth lens in the form of a positive meniscus lens symmetrical with the first lens with respect to the diaphragm. At least, the concave surface of the first lens and the fourth lens is aspherical.

Abstract: An optical system for endoscopes so adapted as to be usable with video endoscopes, comprising an imaging lens system equipped with an aperture stop and a field lens component arranged on the image side thereof, and so designed as to prevent the color shading from being produced by selecting an adequate focal length for the field lens component.

Abstract: A high performance, compact, light-weight zoom lens system manufacturable at a low cost consisting of a plural number of lens units and so adapted as to perform zooming by varying airspace(s) reserved between the lens units, said zoom lens system comprising, in the order from the object side, a first lens unit having negative refractive power, an aperture stop arranged on the image side of said first lens unit, and at least one radial GRIN lens component arranged on the image side of said aperture stop, having a concave shape and having positive power.

Abstract: A monolithic double-axial gradient lens (30) is provided. The lens has an optic axis and three sections perpendicular to the optic axis: a first section (34) having a first graded index of refraction profile and having an outer surface, a middle section (32) having a second graded index of refraction profile, and a third section (36) having a third graded index of refraction profile and having an outer surface. A gradient in the index of refraction is provided in at least the first and third sections. As a result of appropriate selection of gradients, spherical and chromatic aberrations are eliminated or at least reduced, and thermal dependency of optical properties is minimized.

Abstract: A method of making a lighting lens having a multiplicity of lenticules is disclosed, and in particular a method using spherical and aspherical lenticules is disclosed. The lenticules are of two or more standard types, each of which produce a characteristic beam pattern. By selecting two standard lenticule types, and determining a weighted ratio, a lens for a desired lighting pattern may be made without having to specifically design the individual lenticules, or the particular lenticule arrangement. In particular, separate sample lens, each with a sample of a particular lenticule type, may be formed to produce characteristic sample beam patterns. By forming a first sample lens with gaps between the lenticules, and forming a second sample lens with lenticules and gaps complementarily positioned with respect to the first sample lens, the first and second patterns may be intermeshed in a finale design, having the combined beam patterns. A weighted averaging process may also may be followed.

Abstract: A zoom lens is disclosed comprising, from front to rear, a first lens group of positive power, a second lens group of negative power, a third lens group of positive power, a fourth lens group of positive power, and a fifth lens group of negative power, at least a predetermined plurality of lens groups of the first to fifth lens groups being made to move in such a manner that when zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group is moved forward, while simultaneously monotonously increasing the air separation between the first and second lens groups and monotonously decreasing the air separations between the second and third lens groups and between the fourth and fifth lens groups, and the zoom lens satisfying the following conditions: 0.05 fT/fW<.DELTA.e34/DW<0.15 fT/fW 0.05<f5/f12W<0.

Abstract: A zoom lens comprising a front lens group including a lens unit for decentering relative to an optical axis to stabilize an image at the focal plane and a rear lens group including lens units movable along the optical axis for zooming on the image side of the front lens group.

Abstract: A light extraction film has light extraction structures on one surface and a Fresnel lens for beam shaping on the opposite surface.