Abstract: A molded glass lens is taught that includes a molded two-dimensional reference surface at a first end of the lens body, a first molded optical surface that is longitudinally displaced from the two-dimensional reference surface, and a molded second optical surface at a second end of the lens body. The first and second optical surfaces may be plano, convex or concave. The molded two-dimensional reference surface is planar and preferable annular. By physically locating the lens with the molded two-dimensional reference surface and one of the first or second optical surfaces, the lens can be held in a given orientation. Thus, the molded reference surface at the end of the cylindrical body allows for accurate and safe capture, positioning, handling, and placement for subsequent finishing operations, allowing for the creation of one or more additional lens datums.

Abstract: An image pickup lens system includes, in sequence from an object side to an image side, an aperture stop, a plano-convex lens having positive power and oriented such that a planar surface of the plano-convex lens faces the object side and a convex surface of the plano-convex lens faces the image side, the convex surface being aspheric, and another stop.

Abstract: An objective lens is a single-lens objective lens both surfaces of which are aspherical. The objective lens has a numerical aperture not less than 0.75, and is made of glass satisfying 1.75<n, and 35<v, where n is a refractive index of the glass for at least one of used wavelengths, and v is an Abbe number for a d-lay. With this arrangement, it becomes possible to provide an objective lens which is downsized, has less aberration, and corrects the aberration easily, without a decline in light utilization efficiency; a method for correcting a manufacturing error thereof; and an optical pick-up device using the objective lens.

Abstract: An objective lens is used in an optical pickup apparatus.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus comprises two light sources having two wavelengths (&lgr;1<&lgr;2) and a converging optical system having an objective lens. The objective lens comprises a central region; a peripheral region provided at an outside of the central region on at least one optical surface of the objective lens; a diffractive ring-shaped zones which is blazed on a basis of a wavelength &lgr;0 (&lgr;1<&lgr;0<&lgr;2) and is formed on each of the central region and the peripheral region; and a phase difference suppressing structure to suppress a phase difference between a wavefront of a light flux passing the central region and a wavefront of a light flux passing the peripheral region when recording or reproducing information is conducted for the first optical information recording medium.

Abstract: A lens comprises a single lens, both surfaces of the lens is a meniscus-shaped and aspheric lens, and side surface side thereof is a convex surface, and, when a refractive index of the lens is represented by n, a central thickness thereof is represented by t, a radius of curvature of a concave face thereof is represented by r1, the radius of curvature of the convex face thereof is represented by r2, and a focal length thereof is represented by f, the lens satisfies the following equations: - 0.2 < ( n - 1 r1 ) / f < 0 , ⁢ 0.

Abstract: An optical system for an optical disk, comprising a light source (61), a collimating optical system (63) for converting a luminous flux from the light source into parallel rays of light, and an object lens (66) for condensing the parallel rays onto the information recording surface (71) of an optical disk. The object lens consisting of two or three lenses and having a numerical aperture (NA) of at least 0.82 enables a high-density recording. Since a third-order astigmatism produced when the object lens is tilted 0.7 degree with respect to an optical axis is as small as up to 10 m&lgr;, a residual aberration, after a third-order comatic aberration produced when the optical disk is tilted due to warping or the like is corrected by tilting the optical lens, can be reduced. Therefore, a tilted optical disk still can ensure a satisfactory recording and/or reproducing quality.

Abstract: An optical pickup actuator includes a base having a holder installed at one side thereof, a moving portion in which an objective lens is installed at the periphery thereof and a guide hole is formed, a bobbin coupled to the guide hole, a magnetic driving portion provided at the base and symmetrically arranged to make the moving portion perform focusing and tracking, and suspensions having one end supported at the holder and the other end fixed to the moving portion to be connected to the bobbin. Thus, since the magnetic driving portion is symmetrically arranged, a pitching mode and a rolling mode generated due to an asymmetrical structure are prevented. Also, the AC sensitivity and DC sensitivity can be improved.

Abstract: An objective lens (1) for an optical disk, which focuses a light beam from a light source, is designed so that a third-order coma aberration generated when the objective lens is inclined at a unit angle is larger than a third-order coma aberration generated when the optical disk (2) is inclined at the unit angle, mounted on an actuator for inclining the objective lens according to an inclination amount of the optical disk, and used. With this structure, it is possible to obtain an objective lens for an optical disk that has a large numerical aperture and is easy to manufacture and assemble, and in which the third-order coma aberration generated when the optical disk surface is inclined owing to a warp or the like can be corrected by small inclination of the objective lens, so as to reduce a residual astigmatism, which is generated according to the inclination amount, after the correction.

Abstract: A molded glass lens is taught that includes a molded three-dimensional reference surface at a first end of the lens body, a first molded optical surface interrupting the three-dimensional reference surface, and a molded second optical surface at a second end of the lens body. The first and second optical surfaces may be plano, convex or concave. The molded three-dimensional reference surface is curvilinear and may be a spherical, aspherical or conical segment. The molded lens may include a second molded three-dimensional reference surface at the second end of the lens body. The molded three-dimensional reference surface is of a specified shape and location with respect to the first and second optical surfaces. By physically locating the lens with the molded three-dimensional reference surface and one of the first or second optical surfaces, the lens can be held in a given orientation.

Abstract: A diaphragm structure is provided at an outer edge portion on an incident side of a lens which converges a collimated incident light and outputs the converged light, the diaphragm structure being constructed so that a portion of the collimated incident light is reflected away from or toward an optical axis of the collimated light.

Abstract: In a biconvex lens 1, at least one of faces thereof is formed into an aspherical shape, so that the radius of curvature of the second face of the lens 1 is equal to or larger than 0.65 times the focal length, and the radius of curvature of the first face is over 3 times the radius of curvature of the second face. Thus, the lens can be produced easily at a small size and a light weight.

Abstract: An optical element, comprises a silicon based resin satisfying following three conditional formulas: (1) (number of silicon atoms residing as R1SiO3/2 in the silicon based resin)/(total number of silicon atoms in the silicon based resin)≧0, (2) (number of silicon atoms residing as SiO4/2 in the silicon based resin)/(total number of silicon atoms in the silicon based resin)≧0, (3) {(number of silicon atoms residing as R1SiO3/2 in the silicon based resin)+(number of silicon atoms residing as SiO4/2 in the silicon based resin)}×100/(total number of silicon atoms in the silicon based resin)≧10%, wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a halogen atom or an organic group.

Abstract: A lens comprises a single lens, both surfaces of the lens is a meniscus-shaped and aspheric lens, and side surface side thereof is a convex surface, and, when a refractive index of the lens is represented by n, a central thickness thereof is represented by t, a radius of curvature of a concave face thereof is represented by r1, the radius of curvature of the convex face thereof is represented by r2, and a focal length thereof is represented by f, the lens satisfies the following equations: 1 - 0.2 <   ⁢ ( n - 1 r1 ) / f < 0 , 0.08 <   ⁢ ( 1 - n r2 ) / f < 0.1 , and 0.35 <   ⁢ t f < 0.55 .

Abstract: A zoom lens system has the first and second lens units. During zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the lens units are moved to decrease a distance therebetween. The first lens unit has a positive refractive power. The second lens unit has a negative refractive power. The zoom lens system is provided with at least one surface having a power to diffract light.

Abstract: A plastic lens which can be positioned correctly during lens mounting. The plastic lens is used as a pickup lens on an optical head for an optical disk and it has a lens portion in the center with an annular rim formed on the periphery. The rim has two opposed surfaces, one of which provides a reference plane to effect positioning for fixing the plastic lens in a lens holder. The rim has a gate portion which remains to project from the periphery after a molten plastic material was injected through the corresponding channel during molding. The gate portion is cut off by a pair of cutting blades which are moved to come closer to each other in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the lens portion. As the result of the cutting operation, a bur occurs at a distal end of the gate portion and it projects in a direction parallel to a plane orthogonal to the optical axis.

Abstract: An objective lens includes a refractive lens having a positive refractive power, and a diffractive grating having a plurality of concentric ring-shaped steps that are formed on at least one lens surface of the refractive lens. The objective lens is a biconvex plastic lens of which first and second surfaces are aspherical. A diffractive grating is formed on the first surface of the objective lens. The diffractive grating is similar to a Fresnel lens, it is formed as many concentric rings each of which has a wedge sectional shape. The boundary between the adjacent rings is a step to give a predetermined optical path difference. The diffractive grating has wavelength dependence such that spherical aberration varies in the undercorrected direction as wavelength of incident light increases.

Abstract: An optical lens composed of a transparent material, wherein one surface thereof on a light source side is a convex aspherical surface of rotation symmetry defined by a function relative to the radial distance from an optical axis. The aspherical surface is shaped to be a curved one without any stepped region with regard to the radial direction in the defined area, and has a portion where the derivatives of the function are discontinuous at a predetermined radial position. Although not equipped with an iris diaphragm, this optical lens is capable of eliminating an incident light beam outside the optical effective surface thereof without deteriorating the optical characteristics.

Abstract: A plastic lens which can be positioned correctly during lens mounting. The plastic lens is used as a pickup lens on an optical head for an optical disk and it has a lens portion in the center with an annular rim formed on the periphery. The rim has two opposed surfaces, one of which provides a reference plane to effect positioning for fixing the plastic lens in a lens holder. The rim has a gate portion which remains to project from the periphery after a molten plastic material was injected through the corresponding channel during molding. The gate portion is cut off by a pair of cutting blades which are moved to come closer to each other in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the lens portion. As the result of the cutting operation, a bur occurs at a distal end of the gate portion and it projects in a direction parallel to a plane orthogonal to the optical axis.

Abstract: In an image reading device in which an original is illuminated by a light source, and a reflected beam from the original is imaged on a sensor through a rod lens array, a light-shielding member is arranged between the beam exit surface of the light source and the incident surface of the rod lens array to prevent the beam from the light source from being directly incident on the rod lens array to cause a flare. An image reading device and information processing apparatus in which the image quality is rarely degraded by the flare beam are provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the location of the back focus of a lens while maintaining the primary focal point location thus eliminating the need to position external components around the back focus location. Instead, the back focus can be positioned around the external components. The shape of the first and second surfaces of the lens are altered to adjust the back focus to a desired location while maintaining the location of the primary focus.

Abstract: A lens shapes a diverging laser diode beam, and particularly circularizes and collimates, or diverges, or converges the beam. The lens may be part of an optical system, or part of a laser diode assembly. The lens is constituted of a body, the opposite ends of which are spaced from each other. The surfaces of the ends may be toric with the toric centers being coincident with the optical axis. The surfaces also have curvature profiles which circularize and collimates, or diverges, or converges collimates the beam. The curvature profile of one of the first and second surfaces has a correction profile which is a function of Zernike polynomials, thereby reducing wavefront error of the beam exiting the lens. The correction profile is also a function of the offset of the laser diode from the optical axis (misalignment), thereby increasing the misalignment tolerances for beam to lens centering. The curvature profiles of the surfaces may have correction for astigmatism in the beam shape produced by the laser diode.

Abstract: A taking lens consisting of a positive power single lens element positioned behind an aperture stop of a photographic camera having an image format of 16.7.times.30.2 mm, and having an object side surface which includes an annular marginal section surrounding a core section defined by an effective aperture thereof. The taking lens satisfies the following conditions:Dr<1.0Dc<0.75Ds<3.0whereDr is the radial width of the annular margin;Dc is the thickness of the core section in an extension of a straight line connecting the outer periphery of the core section and the center of curvature of an image side surface of the single lens element; andDs is the air space between the image side surface and the aperture stop.

Abstract: The light source equipment is provided with a light source and an anamorphic single lens. The anamorphic single lens has different refracting powers in the x and y directions orthogonal to each other, and converts a light from the light source to a light beam in a required state. Farther the anamorphic single lens satisfies the following equation :0.3<2.multidot.fy.multidot.tan (.theta.y/2)<0.7fy>fxwhere fx is a focal length in the x direction, fy is a focal length in the y direction, and .theta.y is a half angular divergence of radiant intensity of the light in the y direction.

Abstract: An objective lens for an optical disc includes a positive single lens, disposed between a light source and the optical disc. The objective lens has a first surface directed to the light source and a second surface directed to the optical disc. The first surface has a convex shape and both the first surface and the second surface are aspheric. The objective lens satisfies the following condition: 1.0<.vertline.R2/R1.vertline.<1.2, where R1 is the paraxial radius of curvature on the light source side surface and R2 is the paraxial radius of curvature on the optical disc side surface.

Abstract: An optical lens made of plastic includes an optically functioning part, a flange part and disposed around the optically functioning part. The flange part has an outer circumferential face having a cylindrical surface about a lens optical axis. A gate-removed part is located at the outer circumferential face as an outward-projecting quadratic surface. The gate-removed part is located between a virtual outer circumferential face and a plane passing through a tolerance limit on the lens optical axis side. The virtual outer circumferential face is defined when a residual gate part is cut along a cylindrical surface coaxial with the lens optical axis and having a radius identical to that of the outer circumferential face. The plane is set on the lens optical axis side when the residual gate part is removed by cutting the flange part.

Abstract: A lens structure without spherical aberration, formed by a first (S) and second (S') curved surface of transparent material facing one towards the other, wherein the first surface (S) has a configuration chosen between a first and second sub-configuration, the first sub-configuration being obtained by applying the sine of the limit refraction angle (i') of the transparent material, the derived value being the focus location of the first configuration on a horizontal axis (XX'), and the second sub-configuration being obtained by applying the sine of the limit refraction angle (i') of the transparent material, the derived value being the focus location of the first configuration on a horizontal axis (XX'), and the second sub-configuration being obtained by applying the sine of the limit refraction angle (I') of the transparent material for vertex (v) positioning of the second configuration on the horizontal axis (XX').

Abstract: A gradient index lens has a base lens and a resin layer. The resin layer is formed on a surface of the base lens. The resin layer has an aspherical surface. The base lens has a gradient index.

Abstract: An optical scanning device of the present invention includes a simple scanning lens. At least one of opposite surfaces of the lens has a nonarcuate shape, as seen in a polarization plane. At least one of the opposite surfaces is a special toric surface. Further, in a plane perpendicular to the polarization plane, the lens has a meniscus shape concave toward a polarizer. With this configuration, the lens achieves a desirable uniform velocity scanning capability and a desirable field curvature in the main scanning direction. The lens is therefore free from errors in configuration ascribable to molding while reducing the limitation on the tolerance of optical elements in the optical axis direction as to assembly.

Abstract: To provide a microoptical system for free-space optical interconnection capable of relaxing the arrangement accuracy of a light source and a photodetector. A point light source and a photodetector are interconnected each other by first and second imaging lenses and focused Gaussian beams. In this case, the point light source, first imaging lens, second imaging lens, and photodetector are positioned so that the effective beam radius .omega..sub.2 of a focused Gaussian beam on the first interconnecting lens is larger than the effective beam radius .omega..sub.4 of a focused Gaussian beam on the second imaging lens.

Abstract: An optical element including a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface, at least one of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface being a curved surface, and at least one of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface being a reflecting surface. Also included are side surfaces disposed opposite to each other, and positioning members for positioning the optical element, the positioning members being provided on the side surfaces.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a single scanning lens. At least one of opposite surfaces of the lens has a nonarcuate shape, as seen in a polarization plane. At least one of the opposite surfaces is a special toric surface. Further, in a plane perpendicular to the deflection plane, the lens has a meniscus shape and has the concave surface facing toward a deflector. With this configuration, the lens achieves a desirable uniform velocity scanning capability and a desirable field curvature in the main scanning direction. The lens is therefore free from errors in configuration ascribable to molding while reducing the limitation on the tolerance of optical elements in the optical axis direction as to assembly.

Abstract: An indirect ophthalmoscopy lens is comprised of a single biconvex lens and is arranged so that at least one of a patient-side surface and an examiner-side surface of the biconvex lens is formed as an aspherical surface and the following conditions are satisfied:65<.nu.dnd<1.67where nd and .nu.d are an index of refraction and an Abbe number, respectively, of the biconvex lens for the d-line.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus has a luminous flux deflector and a single f.theta. lens. The deflector deflects a convergent luminous flux on a scanned surface at a uniform angular velocity. The f.theta. lens is arranged between the deflector and the scanned surface. The f.theta. lens is bi-convex in a main scanning direction and is made of a material having a refractive index of at most 1.6. One surface of the f.theta. lens in a main scanning direction is so curved that a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction decreases as an angle of view in the main scanning direction increases.

Abstract: An optical lens press-molded so that within at least the optically effective diameter thereof, the thickness thereof may become greater from the center of the optical axis thereof toward the marginal portion of the lens, characterized in that at least one of the both lens surfaces thereof is a spherical or aspherical concave lens continuous from a transferred surface formed so that in the area outside the optically effective diameter thereof, the thickness of the lens may be limited away from the extension of a curved surface of a radius of curvature setting the optically effective diameter toward the outer diameter of the lens, and forming the transferred surface up to at least the required outer diameter of the lens, and a free surface portion is left outside the outer diameter of the lens during molding.

Abstract: An optical coupler is provided that comprises one lens component, comprising at least one axially-graded index of refraction element. When the optical coupler component includes one axially-graded index of refraction element, a homogeneous "boot" element is cemented on entrance surface to provide plano-plano coupling. When the optical coupler includes two or more axially-graded index of refraction elements, both entrance and exit surfaces are planar. The optical coupler component may be sized to provide focusing at its exit surface. The axially graded index-based couplers of the present invention comprise a single component, thereby reducing the number of components and the concomitant complexity of the optical system. Further, many of these couplers can be fabricated with plano-plano entrance-exit surfaces, thereby obviating the need for forming curved focusing surfaces and thus avoiding the introduction of air spaces.

Abstract: A chromatic aberration correcting element that is a simple lens having at least one aspheric surface the radius of curvature of which increases from the optical axis toward the periphery, at least either one of the surfaces being formed as a diffraction lens surface that consists of annular segments in steps that are shifted discretely in a direction in which the lens thickness increases as a function of the distance from the optical axis. Also, a chromatic aberration correcting device having annular segments formed in steps on either a light entrance face or a light exit face or both, the annular segments being composed of planes perpendicular to and concentric with the optical axis.

Abstract: An optical scanning lens is provided with a lens configuration for focusing and correction of field curvature and scanning speed of a deflected laser beam. The lens configuration includes a meniscus lens and a positive meniscus lens sequentially aligned and sharing an optical axis with the optical scanning lens. Specific parameters are provided for each lens in order to satisfy the relationship:-0.25<f.sub.2 /f.sub.1 <0.11,between respective focal lengths of the lenses, and the surfaces of the meniscus lens have radii of curvature satisfying the relationship:0.8<r.sub.1 /r.sub.2 <1.25.The above relationships provide for correction of scanning speed and field curvature in a main scanning direction. Specific lens surfaces are identified and provided with an aspheric surface which provides additional field curvature correction in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An image detection system (10) uses an optical configuration for both image forming and calibration phases of operation. A field lens (20) has an inner portion (36) of a conventional prescription to allow for collection of scene based energy for an opto-electronic approximation of the infrared detail within the afocal field of view by a focal plane array (32). The field lens (20) also has an outer portion (38) that collects far field energy from a scene area (A.sub.I) through a converging point (P.sub.I). The energy collected from the scene area (A.sub.I) is indicative of the average energy level within the scene. The electrical equivalent values of all energy received from the unique area (A.sub.I) is stored in a multidimensional range used for subsequent gain and offset calibration coefficient calculations.

Abstract: Improved optical scanner comprises semiconductor laser 10, aperture 12, collimator 14, cylindrical lens 16, polygonal mirror 18 and single-element f.theta. lens 22 which is formed of an amorphous polyolefin as a plastic material. Surface S1 of f.theta. lens 22 which is on the side adjacent polygonal mirror 18 is aspheric and asymmetrical with respect to an axis of rotation, and opposite surface S2 on the side adjacent photoreceptor drum 26 is also aspheric but symmetrical with respect to an axis of rotation. Lens surface S1 is an anamorphic aspheric surface which is convex toward polygonal mirror 18 in the deflecting plane due to the positivity of the paraaxial radius of curvature R1M but which is concave toward the polygonal mirror 18 in the plane orthogonal to the deflecting plane due to the negativity of the paraaxial radius of curvature R1S.

Abstract: A camera for taking a photograph on a picture plane of a rolled film which has a width of 24 mm. The camera includes: a photographing lens of which a convex surface is faced toward an object to be photographed and satisfying: 18.ltoreq.f.ltoreq.32 and f.sup.2 /90.ltoreq.F.ltoreq.16 in which f is the focal length of the photographing lens and F is the F-number of the photographing lens; at least one diaphragm; and the picture plane having a picture frame satisfying: 23.ltoreq.L.ltoreq.32 and 1.5.ltoreq.L/S 6.5 in which L (mm) is the long dimension of the picture frame, S is the short dimension of the picture frame, and an image of the object is focused on the picture plane through the photographing lens and the diaphragm.

Abstract: A two stage non-imaging optical concentrator providing high concentration while providing a low aspect ratio and a wide field of view. The invention includes a non-imaging refractive member and a non-imaging reflective funnel member. The reflective funnel has a broad extremity and an opposing narrow extremity. The refractive member is disposed substantially within the funnel, proximate to the narrow extremity of the funnel, so as to provide a low aspect ratio of the two stage non-imaging concentrator of the invention. The low aspect ratio of the concentrator of the invention advantageously provides for compact and efficient packaging of the concentrator in conjunction with mobile optical communication link components.

Abstract: An eyepiece lens of the present invention and is arranged in a real image mode finder optical system consists essentially of a single positive meniscus lens convex on the object side having an object side surface and a pupil side surface, each of which is aspherical. This invention provides a compact eyepiece lens having a long optical path length from an image plane to the eyepiece lens, a large diameter of the exit pupil and a short focal length.

Abstract: The surface of a lens for reading out an optical recording medium facing a light source is formed as a convex aspheric surface which is rotationally asymmetrical with respect to the optical axis and defined by a predetermined aspheric surface equation, whereby, even when a light beam having an astigmatic aberration is emitted from the light source, a signal surface of the optical recording medium can be irradiated with a light beam whose astigmatic difference has been favorably corrected, while the lens can be easily manufactured.

Abstract: The surface of a lens for reading out an optical recording medium facing the optical recording medium is formed as a convex aspheric surface which is rotationally asymmetrical with respect to the optical axis and defined by a predetermined aspheric surface equation, whereby, even when a light beam having an astigmatic aberration is emitted from a light source, a signal surface of the optical recording medium can be irradiated with a light beam whose astigmatic difference has been favorably corrected, while the lens can be easily manufactured.

Abstract: According to the present invention, light is provided to an elliptical optical surface (102) separating first and second homogeneous optical media (104), (106) that cause collimated light (108) originating in one of the media to be perfectly focussed either at a primary focus within the second medium or at a virtual focus within the first medium (110). For example, a collimated beam (510) is expanded by refraction in an immersion refractive confocal ellipsoid optic (502) having an input optical surface (504) and output optical surface (506). Further, the elliptical optical surface is used in combination with a second optical surface such that both surfaces share a common optic axis and are separated by an optically transmissive medium such as glass and spaced such that the optical focal points of both surfaces are common to create an immersion optical beam expander.

Abstract: A light image is made irregular at an incident part of a fiber, influence of displacement of the fiber against a couping efficiency is reduced and evaluation of a lens can be carried out as usual. A light source is arranged at the optical surface side 14 of the lens 12 to be used, a focusing is formed at the second optical surface 15, the evaluation of the lens 12 is carried out by checking whether or not the surface aberration at the focusing position is less than the predetermined value. At this time, when the lens 12 is used in the optical device, the light source 1 is arranged with the second optical surface 15 being applied as a short focal point side and then the incident part for the fiber 3 is arranged with the first optical surface 14 being applied as the long focal point side.

Abstract: An optical scanner including a semiconductor laser device, aperture, collimator, cylindrical lens, polygonal mirror and one f.theta. lens element molded from plastics. The first surface of the f.theta. lens in a deflecting plane (or the plane formed by the principal rays of light as deflected by the polygonal mirror) is aspheric whereas the second lens surface is toric. When taken in the deflecting plane, the first lens surface has a positive value of the near-axis radius of curvature and, hence, it is convex toward the polygonal mirror. Taken in a plane crossing the deflecting plane at right angles, the first lens surface forms an arc of a circle having a negative value of the radius of curvature and, hence, it is concave toward the polygonal mirror. When taken in the deflecting plane, the second lens surface forms an arc of a circle having a negative value of the radius of curvature and, hence, it is convex toward the scanning surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical element being conveniently useful, for example as an external cover of transmitter and/or receiver for optical communication and more particularly to a surface-curved optical element comprising a transparent body of a refractive index n having a pair of boundary surfaces defined in their cross-section by the corresponding pair of ellipsoidal curves of an eccentricity 1/n. The boundary surfaces of this surface-curved optical element are configured so that they should have their focal points aligned with one another on a straight line and their focal points which are remote from vertices of the respective ellipsoidal surfaces corresponding to the apsides of the respective ellipsoidal curves should be coincident with each other, whereby parallel light rays entering the surface-curved optical element should emerge from this in the form of the parallel light rays without any disturbance.

Abstract: A reduced package depth low profile headlamp includes a light source emitting light in an elongated shape with a length longer than a width. The length forms a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal axis to generate light within predetermined a cutoff. A converging lens receiving light from the light source has an optical axis. The lens has a spherical inner surface with a center and an elliptical outer surface having a first and second focal point. The light source is positioned substantially on the optical axis so that the light source is substantially at the center of the spherical inner surface and the first focal point of the elliptical outer surface is substantially coincident with the center of the spherical inner surface.