Abstract: An electronic imaging apparatus includes an optical system that has a reflecting surface for bending an optical path, and a variable-transmittance optical element placed in the optical system. The variable-transmittance optical element is constructed so that a ray of light passes through the optical element a plurality of times. Whereby, a slim-design electronic imaging apparatus can be provided which is small in size and extremely small in depth and in which the amount of light can be adjusted in a wide range.

Abstract: An objective lens system (2), particularly for a fingerprint reader apparatus, said lens system (2) comprising a first lens (8) formed as a condensing lens guiding light beams arriving from an object generally telecentrically, an aperture stop (9) having a centre (P) and being located in the vicinity of a focal point of the first lens (8), a correcting second lens (10) arranged between the first lens (8) and the aperture stop (9) and juxtaposed with the aperture stop (9), and a correcting third lens (11) formed as a condensing lens and arranged beside the aperture stop (9) opposite the second lens (10).

Abstract: A light collection system that includes a light source, a condenser lens, a reflector mechanism to collect and focus light from the light source, an aperture, and an image lens. A light beam from the light source is focused through the aperture to define the image to be projected. Ancillary reflector elements can be positioned to collect light not collected by the reflector means. The result is a compact collection system with a smaller image lens and excellent collection efficiency.

Abstract: A catoptric projection optical system for projecting a reduced size of a pattern on an object surface onto an image surface and for serving as an imaging system that forms an intermediate image between the object surface and image surface, includes six or more mirrors, wherein a position of an exit pupil with respect to the intermediate image is located between the object surface and image surface, and wherein the largest angle between principal rays and an optical axis for angles of view at the position of the exit pupil is sin?1NA or smaller, where NA is a numerical aperture at the side of the image surface.

Abstract: A compact device for imaging (10) a printing form (12), including a number of light sources (14) as well as imaging optics (18) for producing a number of image spots (16) of the light sources (14) on the printing form (12), the imaging optics (18) including at least one macro-optical system (20) of refractive optical components (32, 56, 58; 60, 62, 64), the imaging device having the feature that the optical path (22) from the light sources (14) to the image spots (16) passes through the macro-optics (20) twice. The installation-space saving imaging device (10) can be used in a printing unit (88) of a printing press (90).

Abstract: An optical head assembly, method, and procedure which generates and then precisely positions multiple light beams onto a target. The system diffracts an input light source into a multiple light beam pattern, or initially generates a multiple light beam pattern, in which individual beams of the multiple light beam pattern are precisely spaced, corrected, focused and directed through a two axis plane to the target with minimal movement of any components of the optical head assembly. Such individual beams can also be individually modulated.

Abstract: A zoom optical system includes at least two optical-element groups and a variable optical-property optical element. The two optical-element groups are movable in a magnification change and have a magnification varying function or a compensating function for compensating for a shift of an image surface caused by the magnification change. The optical element has a focusing function and is disposed on the image side of the optical-element groups. According to this configuration of the zoom optical system, it is possible to attain a zoom optical system and an imaging apparatus using the zoom optical system that have as small a number of movable lenses as possible, are very small in size, and work with an extremely low power consumption and low operation noise.

Abstract: A line producing system includes an input beam of radiant energy that enters a side of a low cost, radiant energy altering device. The radiant energy emerges from the light altering device radiating in a nearly 360 degree disc pattern forming a ring of ever expanding light.

Abstract: A high-performance and low-cost image-forming optical system has a reduced number of constituent optical elements and is made extremely thin, particularly in a direction perpendicular to an image pickup device, by folding an optical path using only three reflecting surfaces. The image-forming optical system has a front unit including a first prism 10, an aperture stop 2, and a rear unit including a second prism 20. The first prism 10 has a first transmitting surface 11, a first reflecting surface 12, and a second transmitting surface 13. The second prism 20 has a first transmitting surface 21, a first reflecting surface 22, a second reflecting surface 23, and a second transmitting surface 24. An optical path incident on the first reflecting surface 22 and an optical path exiting from the second reflecting surface 23 intersect each other.

Abstract: A line producing system includes an input beam of radiant energy that enters a side of a low cost, radiant energy altering device. The radiant energy emerges from the light altering device radiating in a nearly 360 degree disc pattern forming a ring of ever expanding light.

Abstract: An optical gimbal apparatus has a housing having a first reflector fixed with respect to the housing and having an aperture for transmission or reception of optical energy, and a gimbal having a second reflector arranged along an axis of rotation of the gimbal assembly arranged to rotate the second reflector about the axis of rotation. The second reflector is angled with respect to the axis of rotation and establishing an optical path along the axis of rotation. Additional lenses can be arranged between the first reflector and the second reflector, and between the first reflector and the aperture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light source device that is safe for human eyes and whose switching is performed at high speed. The light source device comprises one or more laser light sources (1) for emitting a monochromatic or polychromatic light beam, a diffuser (3), which may be transmissive, reflective, or a mixture thereof, for diffusing the light beam received directly from the laser light source or via an optical focusing system (2), and an optical collimator (4), which collimates the diffused light bundle emitted from the diffuser (3).

Abstract: An optic and method of manufacture comprising a center portion comprising a front surface and a back surface and a mangin surrounding the center portion and comprising a front surface and a back surface, wherein the front surface of the center portion is flat and reflective rearward and the front surface of the mangin is spherical.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a convex mirror for reflecting incident light representing an object, the convex mirror having a shape of solid of revolution; an imaging mechanism for taking an image represented by reflected light from the convex mirror; and an optical member for guiding the incident light toward the convex mirror and guiding the reflected light toward the imaging mechanism, the optical member being in close-contact with the convex mirror.

Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens with an easily bendable optical path, which comprises a reduced number of lens element while having high optical specification. The zoom lens comprises a moving lens group B (G2) that has positive refracting power and moves only toward an object side of the zoom lens upon zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of the zoom lens, a lens group A (G1) that is located on the object side with respect to the moving lens group B, has negative refracting power and remains fixed during the zooming, and a third lens group C (G3) that is located on an image side of the zoom lens with respect to the moving lens group B and moves in a locus different from that of the moving lens group B during the zooming. The lens group A that remains fixed during zooming comprises, in order from an object side thereof, a negative lens element, a reflective optical element and a positive lens element having an absolute value of refracting power smaller than that of the negative lens element.

Abstract: The invention comprises an afocal lens and mirror assembly comprising an objective lens which gathers light from an object and a field lens which transmits light to a driver's eye to provide an image having sufficient brightness, clarity, and accuracy. The light passing between the objective lens and the field lens is conditioned through an assembly of lenses and reflective elements to produce the image.

Abstract: A reflecting microoptical system is formed of only two optical surfaces having a continuous configuration, and has a simple configuration suitable for glass molding. Different combinations of convex, planar and concave surfaces are disclosed for the two optical surfaces, to provide different advantageous properties. In preferred embodiments of the invention, at least one, and in some cases both, of the optical surfaces have an aspherical shape to correct for aberrations.

Abstract: A zoom optical system includes a deformable element having a focusing function and two lens groups movable in a magnification change and having a magnification varying function or a compensating function for compensating for a shift of an image surface. Alternatively, a zoom optical system includes, in order from the object side, a first group having a negative power and being fixed in a magnification change, a second group having a positive power and being movable in a magnification change, and a third group movable in a magnification change. The first group has a deformable element having a focusing function. An imaging apparatus is provided with either zoom optical system. Whereby, a high-performance zoom optical system with small fluctuation of aberrations in spite of use of a deformable element and a photographing apparatus using the same zoom optical system are provided.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to provide prior art equipment, especially for firemen, in the form of helmets (2) and/or breathing masks (3) with a display unit for infrared images. A mask (6) for displaying images on a display (20) is provided, whereby the images are recorded by a camera (13). The inventive mask comprises a frame (18) having a seal (17) that, when the mask (6) is used, rests on an assigned bearing surface (5), e.g. the visor (5) of a breathing mask (3), in such a way that a sealed chamber (19) is formed between the mask (6) and the bearing surface (5).

Abstract: A laser beam incident on a rod lens has a greater cross-sectional diameter than that of a rod lens main body, and mirrors are provided near the rod lens main body to reflect incident light toward the same. Since light of a strong beam intensity reflected onto the rod lens main body by the mirrors produces a greater angle than light of weak beam intensity, this configuration has an effect of increasing the light intensity on the ends of a resulting line beam and, thus, expands the spreading angle of visible light in the line beam.

Abstract: Projection lenses for use with pixelized panels (PP) are provided. The projection lenses have a negative first unit (U1) separated from a positive second unit (U2) by a reflective surface (RS) which folds the lens' optical axis. The lenses are telecentric on the short conjugate side, have a large field of view in the direction of the long conjugate, and have low aberration levels, including, in particular, low levels of lateral color.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersion comprising silicon/titanium mixed oxide powder with a BET surface area of 5 to 500 m2/g which has been prepared by flame hydrolysis and has a titanium dioxide content of 0.5 to 20 wt. %, based on the powder, water and at least one pH-regulating substance which can be removed completely from the reaction mixture on heating, the aqueous dispersion having a solids content of between 40 and 80 wt. %. A green body produced therefrom with a green density of between 40 and 85%. A shaped glass article of optical quality with a coefficient of thermal expansion of not more than 0.5×10?6/K produced from the green body.

Abstract: A projector optic assembly is disclosed for use with various light emitting sources to collect direct the rays of light into a high gradient beam pattern. The projector optic assembly includes a light pipe and a projector lens. The light pipe is segregated into several regions including a reflecting region, a funneling region and a transition plane separating the two regions. At the first end of the reflecting region, closest to the light emitting source, is a connecting lens. At the second end of the funneling region is an emitting aperture that is designed to refract light into the high gradient beam pattern.

Abstract: A wide-angle imaging device suitable for a monitor area of about 180 degrees. A first reflection mirror (1) is provided that has, around the rotation center axis (6) of a rotary symmetrical body, a reflection surface having an approximately ±90-degree convex shape with respect to a reference optical axis direction, an image forming lens (2) that has a principal point (7) on the rotation center axis of the first reflection mirror (1) and forms the image of a reflection beam from the first reflection mirror (1) and an imaging element (3) are disposed, and an object within approximately ±90 degrees around the rotation center axis of the first reflection mirror (1) is imaged.

Abstract: A laser beam includes a concave or convex mirror which is reflective for wavelength of the high intensity beam. The reflective mirror is located along a preselected path of a high intensity laser beam so that the high intensity laser beam intersects the mirror at a first position. A beam collimator is located in the path of the high intensity beam reflected by the concave or convex mirror. The concave or convex mirror is movably mounted desirably rotatably mounted in the path of the high intensity beam. Desirably the mirror is rotated about a preselected axis. Desirably, the axis is selected so that when the mirror is rotated to a new position, the high intensity beam will be reflected along the same path to the collimator as it was prior to any rotation.

Abstract: A catadioptric objective comprises a plurality of lenses and at least two deflecting mirrors that have reflecting surfaces that are at a specific angle, in particular of 90°, to one another. The two deflecting mirrors are arranged with their reflecting surfaces on a common base member whose position in the objective can be set.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical apparatus including: a variable configuration mirror unit having a reflecting surface for reflecting incident light and capable of causing change in the configuration of the reflecting surface upon turning on electricity; and a lens for bringing the incident light into an internal part, a mirror holding section for holding the variable configuration mirror unit being formed on the lens.

Abstract: An image-formation optical system is disclosed which is an off-axial optical system configured using reflective surfaces, with which the performance deterioration with respect to manufacturing discrepancies is reduced, and which can be made sufficiently compact. The image-formation optical system comprises a reflective optical unit including a plurality of reflective surfaces. Each of the reflective surfaces has a curvature and a rotationally asymmetric shape. Moreover, L/{Er(S−1)} is smaller than 2.2 and L/{Eo (S−1)} is larger than 3.

Abstract: A nonimaging optical system for processing a first and second light distribution. The nonimaging optical system includes at least two refractive surfaces, at least one reflective surface nearer to the first light distribution along at least one ray path than the nearer of the two refracting surfaces and the reflective surface and the refractive surfaces cooperating to redirect light edge rays of the first light distribution into the neighborhood of the edge of the second light distribution with a single reflection from the reflecting surface.

Abstract: A compact image-forming optical system is disclosed which has a high optical performance due to arranging a reflective optical unit and a refractive optical unit at suitable positions. The image-forming optical system is an optical system performing image formation from a magnifying side to a demagnifying side or from the demagnifying side to the magnifying side, and includes, in order from the magnifying side to the demagnifying side, a refractive optical unit having a positive optical power as a whole, and a reflective optical unit including at least three reflective surfaces. The image-forming optical system has a pupil on the magnifying side further from the reflective surface furthest on the magnifying side the reflective optical unit, and the focal length of the refractive optical unit is set to be within a range of 0.2 to 5 times the focal length of the reflective optical unit.

Abstract: A catadioptric objective is provided with a beam splitter surrounded at least partially by a mount, with a mirror, with a plurality of lenses and with a &lgr;/4 plate arranged between the mirror and the beam splitter.

Abstract: At least two Fresnel lenses are formed on a transparent substrate, and a set of parallel plates are established in an acute included angle (from 19° to 90°) with the transparent substrate by an inclined exposure process employing a thick film photoresist. The parallel plates are separately placed over the Fresnel lenses. Metal layers are separately deposited on the outside surfaces of the parallel plates far from the acute included angle, wherein one of the metal layers makes the parallel plates as mirrors reflect rays, and the other makes the parallel plates as beam splitters to simultaneously reflect and refract rays. A transparent polymeric material is overlaid on the surface of the transparent substrate till the parallel plates are immersed. Then, an An objective lens, placed over a photo detector, is formed on the surface of the transparent polymeric material.

Abstract: A lightweight and homogeneous optical element exhibiting favorably weak birefringence and hygroscopicity as well as superior productivity and producing minimal chromatic aberrations is formed by using an organic-inorganic composite material having both the properties of a glass material and those of a plastic material. The optical element has at least one entrance refracting surface and at least one exit refracting surface. The optical element is formed from an organic-inorganic composite material having an inorganic phase dispersed in the three-dimensional network (matrix) of an organic phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical system or apparatus such as a lens system capable of focus control and a variable-focus lens, which has reduced power consumptions, ensures noiseless operation and fast response and contributes to cost reductions for the reason of simplified structure. Specifically, the invention provides an optical apparatus comprising an element 409 having variable optical properties and an image plane 612. To correct the optical apparatus for movement of the image-formation surface of an optical system 614 in association with a change in the element 409 having variable optical properties, the image plane 612 is placed in the range of movement of the image-formation surface in association with the change in the element having variable optical properties.

Abstract: An imaging optical system includes a first lens unit located at the most object-side position and at least one of lens units interposed between the first lens unit and an image. At least one of the lens units is moved along the optical axis. The first lens unit includes, in order from the object side, at least one lens with negative refracting power, a deformable mirror, and at least one lens with positive refracting power, and focusing is performed by the deformation of the deformable mirror.

Abstract: A reflective light imaging system for use in high-throughput screening of samples disposed in multiple-well plates. The system can include a set of mirrors and lenses. The first mirror has a central aperture through which light from the object passes. The first mirror has a concave reflective surface that faces the image plane. The next element is a second mirror with a convex reflective surface. The system can include an aberration corrective system positioned between the second mirror and the image plane, and an optical sensor near the image plane. Light from an object passes through the central aperture of the first mirror and is reflected off the convex surface of the second mirror. The light then strikes the reflective surface of the first mirror. The light from the first mirror is then collected by the aberration correction system and transmitted toward the image plane.

Abstract: An oblique projection optical system is compact as compared with the size of the image it presents, offers high imaging performance, produces satisfactorily small distortion, and has a small f-number. The oblique projection optical system is composed of a plurality of powered reflection surfaces, of which the one closest to the projection surface is positively powered and the one second closest thereto is negatively powered. At least one of these two reflection surfaces is a free-form surface, and the one closest to the projection surface has a size larger than half the size of the projection surface.

Abstract: A multi-faceted concentrator apparatus for providing ultra-accelerated natural sunlight exposure testing for sample materials under controlled weathering conditions comprising: facets that receive incident natural sunlight, transmits VIS/NIR and reflects UV/VIS onto a secondary reflector that delivers a uniform flux of UV/VIS onto a sample exposure plane located near a center of a facet array in a chamber that provide concurrent levels of temperature and/or relative humidity at high levels of up to 100× of natural sunlight that allow sample materials to be subjected to accelerated irradiance exposure factors for a significant period of time of about 3 to 10 days to provide a corresponding time of about at least a years worth representative weathering of sample materials.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a catadioptric lens system, the method involving: fabricating a single catadioptric lens element having a bottom surface and an upper surface, the upper surface having a convex portion and a concave portion, both the convex and concave portions sharing a common axis of symmetry; cutting apart the catadioptric lens element to form 2n pie-shaped segments, wherein n is an integer; and reassembling the 2n pie-shaped segments to form the catadioptric lens system with n of the 2n pie-shaped segments being located above a common plane and the rest of the 2n pie-shaped elements being below the common plane.

Abstract: An optical lens having a body with a front face and a rear cavity for cooperatively receiving and optically aligning a high power light emitting diode source with respect to a primary central optical axis of the lens. Reflective inner side walls of the body project light in a lambertion pattern from the front face at an angle to create a central hot spot. The body includes at least one side flange which is cooperatively received in a guide of a lens holder and further includes a non-optical annular rim extending from the front face for cooperatively seating with the lens holder.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical lens for capturing, homogenizing and transmitting substantially all of the light emitted by a light source, such as a light emitting diode. The optical lens includes a light transmitting structure having a TIR collector portion, a projector portion and a transition portion disposed between the TIR and projector. The structure is characterized by the length of the transition portion being longer than the focal length of the TIR portion. The light source is disposed within a recess in one end of the TIR portion. The light output from the light source is captured by the TIR portion and homogenized to form a uniform, circular near field image within the transition portion. The projector portion then projects the circular near field image into a uniform, circular far field image. The present invention transmits 85% of the light emitted by the light source and produces a uniformly illuminated circular image in the far field of the device.

Abstract: A scanning optical system capable of sufficiently enlarging an exit pupil and being reduced in size is disclosed. The scanning optical system has a scanning device used to scan light from a light source and a first optical system used to directs the light scanned by the scanning device to an exit pupil. The first surface has at least a reflective action and is decentered with respect to a central principal ray. The second surface reflects the light reflected by the first surface again toward the first surface. The first surface reflects the central principal ray, which has again been made incident to the first surface from the second surface, toward a side substantially opposite to a side toward which the central principal ray was reflected the last time with respect to a normal on a hit point of the central principal ray in the first surface.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for reducing optical distortion in an optical system by thermal means are disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating/cooling system spaced apart from and in thermal communication with an internally reflecting surface of a refractive element in the optical system. The heating/cooling system is adapted to create a select temperature distribution in the refractive optical element near the internally reflecting surface to alter the refractive index and/or the surface profile in a manner that reduces residual distortion.

Abstract: An imaging optical system includes, in order from the object side, a negative lens, a first deformable mirror, an aperture stop, a positive lens unit, and a second deformable mirror. When a horizontal half angle of view of a ray of light incident on the optical system is represented by &ohgr;, the first and second deformable mirrors satisfying a condition, 50°<2&ohgr;<175°, are used to perform focusing. Whereby, the imaging optical system which allows focusing to be performed, irrespective of its small diameter and size, can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention of a multi-functional dressing mirror is applied to a portable case body for containing a plane mirror inside, in addition, the outer covering, a convex mirror made from materials showing the effect of light transmission, can be used to magnify a user's reflection while s/he is staring at the plane mirror. Moreover, the present invention enables the user to directly use either the plane mirror or the convex mirror while the case lid is opened.

Abstract: An optical apparatus has an imaging optical system provided with a deformable mirror and an electronic zoom function that an image recorded in an image sensor by the imaging optical system is magnified by image processing. A ray deflecting function of the deformable mirror is changed in accordance with a change of an object area corresponding to an image to be used, and aberration of the imaging optical system is optimized. The deformable mirror is controlled by an arithmetical unit connected to an image processor and a driving circuit. The electronic zoom is performed with respect to the image recorded in the image sensor through a signal processing circuit and the image processor, and when the image is displayed on a display device, the deformable mirror is deformed so that sharpness at nearly the center of an object image formed on the image sensor is improved.

Abstract: The optical system disclosed in this specification is a variable power optical system for enlarging and projecting a reduction side object onto an enlargement side image plane, or reducing and projecting an enlargement side object onto a reduction side image plane. This variable power optical system includes a first optical component having a reflecting curved surface, and a second optical component disposed more toward the reduction side than the first optical component. The second optical component has a plurality of movable lens units, and the variable power optical system effects a variable power operation by movement of the plurality of lens units. If ray was traced from the reduction side toward the enlargement side, the second optical component forms an image of a reduction side conjugate point on the enlargment side than an optical surface of the first optical component that is most adjacent to the reduction side.

Abstract: An optical system for providing a useful light beam, having one or more optical components (3, 4, 5) which attenuate a useful light fraction with a first linear polarization state less strongly than a useful light fraction with a second linear polarization state different from the first state. A compensation unit is provided which includes a transmission plate (9) that is introduced into the useful light beam path (7) inclined (&bgr;) to the optical axis, and attenuates the useful light fraction with the first linear polarization state more strongly than that with the second linear polarization state. As a result, the imbalance, caused by the system without a compensation unit, of the two useful light fractions can be compensated completely or in any case partially. The optical system is used, for example, in illuminating systems and projection objectives of microlithographic projection exposure apparatuses.

Abstract: A reflecting-type optical system according to the invention includes an optical element composed of a transparent body having an entrance surface, an exit surface and at least three curved reflecting surfaces of internal reflection. A light beam coming from an object and entering at the entrance surface is reflected from at least one of the reflecting surfaces to form a primary image within the optical element and is, then, made to exit from the exit surface through the remaining reflecting surfaces to form an object image on a predetermined plane. In the optical system, 70% or more of the length of a reference axis in the optical element lies in one plane.

Abstract: A catoptric projection optical system for projecting a reduced size of a pattern on an object surface onto an image surface and for serving as an imaging system that forms an intermediate image between the object surface and image surface, includes six or more mirrors, wherein a position of an exit pupil with respect to the intermediate image is located between the object surface and image surface, and wherein the largest angle between principal rays and an optical axis for angles of view at the position of the exit pupil is sin−1NA or smaller, where NA is a numerical aperture at the side of the image surface.