Optical: systems and elements – Lens – Multiple component lenses
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-16
2004-06-01
Epps, Georgia (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Lens
Multiple component lenses
C359S687000, C359S686000, C359S684000, C359S774000, C359S772000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06744571
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a zoom lens system, and more particularly to a compact yet low-cost zoom lens system used with cameras using an electronic image pickup means such as camcorders, digital cameras, supervisory cameras, portable telephones, personal computers, etc.
To achieve size and weight reductions of a consumer-oriented zoom lens system in this field, a specific zoom lens system has been proposed, which comprises four lens groups, i.e., a positive lens group, a negative lens group, a positive lens group and a positive lens group in order from an object side thereof, as typically disclosed in JP-A's 4-43311 and 4-78806. For zooming, the second negative lens group moves on an optical axis while the first and third lens groups remain fixed. The fourth lens group moves to make correction for a fluctuation in the position of an image plane in association with zooming. A further size reduction is achievable by a specific zoom lens system wherein, as typically disclosed in JP-A's 6-94997 and 6-194572, a third lens group moves from an image plane side to an object side of the system during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of the system. Such zoom lens systems have a relatively high zoom ratio of the order of 8 to 12. However, these zoom lens systems are still insufficient for zoom lens systems having a lower zoom ratio while weight is placed on ever smaller size and ever lower cost, because of a large number of lenses.
In the zoom lens systems set forth in JP-A's 6-94997 and 6-194572, a great part of the zooming action is shared by the second lens group. To keep an image point substantially constant in this case, the lateral magnification of the second lens group must be in the range of about −1 from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end. At a zoom ratio lower than that, however, the amount of movement of the second lens group can become so small that size reductions can be achieved. It is thus efficient to reduce the space allowed between the first and second lens groups as much as possible for the purpose of size reductions.
To permit the second lens group to have a lateral magnification of about −1 while the space between the first and second lens groups is kept as narrow as possible, however, it is required to increase the power of the first lens group with respect to the second lens group. This then causes an entrance pupil to be located at a farther position where the height of an off-axis ray passing through the first lens group increases, resulting in an increase in the size of the lens system in the first lens group and, hence, an increase in the thickness of the lenses in the first lens group. Further, the curvature of each lens in the first lens group must be increased to make sure of the edge thickness of each lens, resulting in a further increase in the thickness of each lens in the first lens group.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforesaid problems associated with the prior art, an object of the present invention is to achieve further size and cost reductions of such zoom lens systems.
One particular object of the present invention is to provide a zoom lens system comprising four lens groups, wherein size reductions are achieved without increasing the power of the first lens group with respect to the second lens group while satisfactory zoom ratios are maintained.
Another particular object of the present invention is to use a reduced number of lenses thereby achieving a compact zoom lens best suited for use with digital cameras, portable telephones, personal computers, etc. This zoom lens system is designed to achieve a substantially telecentric emergent bundle while taking an image pickup element such as a CCD or CMOS into consideration, and obtain such a back focus as to allow optical elements such as low-pass filters and bundle-splitting elements to be located in the system, if required. In addition, the ability of the zoom lens system to form images is considerably improved.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the aforesaid objects are achieved by the provision of a zoom lens system comprising, in order from an object side thereof, a first lens group that has positive refracting power and remains fixed during zooming, a second lens group that has negative refracting power and moves from the object side to an image plane side of the system during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of the system, a third lens group that has positive refracting power and moves from the image plane side to the object side during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end and a fourth lens group that has positive refracting power and is movable during zooming, provided that the zoom lens system satisfies the following conditions (1) and (10):
0.5
<|F
2
/F
3
|<1.2 (1)
2.5 mm<
f
B(min)
<4.8 mm (10)
where F
i
is a focal length of an i-th lens group, and f
B(min)
is a value obtained when a length, as calculated on an air basis, from a final surface of a powered lens in said zoom lens system to an image plane is minimized in an overall zooming zone.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a zoom lens system comprising, in order from an object side of said zoom lens system, a first lens group that has positive refracting power and remains fixed during zooming, a second lens group that has negative refracting power and moves from an object side to an image plane side of said zoom lens system during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of said zoom lens system, a third lens group that has positive refracting power and moves from the image plane side to the object side during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end and a fourth lens group that has positive refracting power and is movable during zooming, provided that the zoom lens system satisfies the following conditions (2) and (10):
0.49
<|L
3
/L
2
|<1 (2)
2.5 mm<
f
B(min)
<4.8 mm (10)
where L
i
is an amount of movement of an i-th lens group from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, and f
B(min)
is a value obtained when a length, as calculated on an air basis, from a final surface of a powered lens in said zoom lens system to an image plane is minimized in an overall zooming zone.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a zoom lens system comprising, in order from an object side of said zoom lens system, a first lens group that has positive refracting power and remains fixed during zooming, a second lens group that has negative refracting power and moves from an object side to an image plane side of said zoom lens system during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of said zoom lens system, a third lens group that has positive refracting power and moves from the image plane side to the object side during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end and a fourth lens group that has positive refracting power and is movable during zooming, provided that said zoom lens system satisfies the following conditions (3) and (10):
2<(
F
3
,
4W
)/
IH<
3.3 (3)
2.5 mm<
f
B(min)
<4.8 mm (10)
where (F
3, 4W
) is a composite focal length of said third and fourth lens groups at the wide-angle end, IH is a radius of an image circle, and f
B(min)
is a value obtained when a length, as calculated on an air basis, from a final surface of a powered lens in said zoom lens system to an image plane is minimized in an overall zooming zone.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a zoom lens system comprising, in order from an object side of said zoom lens system, a first lens group that has positive refracting power and remains fixed during zooming, a second lens group that has negative refracting power and moves from an object side to an image plane side of said zoom lens system during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of said zo
Ishii Atsujiro
Miyauchi Yuji
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Thompson Timothy
LandOfFree
Zoom lens system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Zoom lens system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Zoom lens system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3351820