Optical: systems and elements – Barrel end eye guard
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-28
2002-07-02
Robinson, Mark A. (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Barrel end eye guard
C359S407000, C359S611000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06412958
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosure of the following priority application is herein incorporated by reference:
Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-003799, filed Jan. 12, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical device, such as binoculars, provided with an eye cup on the eyepiece portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, on the periphery of the eyepiece portion of binoculars is attached a cylindrical eye cup protruding from the eyepiece lenses toward an observer. The eye cup maintains a certain distance between the eyepiece lenses and the observer's eye by the eye cup being applied to the face around the observer's eye. The observer's eye is thus positioned approximately at the pupil position of the optical system in the binoculars, and the observer can obtain a large field of view and stable observation. For an observer wearing glasses, the eye cup contacts to the surface of the glasses, and the distance between the eyepiece lenses and the observer's eye becomes too large to secure proper observation. To remove this drawback, the eye cup is conventionally so constructed that it can be drawn by its rotation or can be turned over.
Additionally, each of the two eyepiece portions of the binoculars has a mechanism for independently moving its eyepiece lenses a certain amount in the optical axis direction for diopter adjustment.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, an eyepiece portion of binoculars provided with a via-rotation-drawable type eye cup will be specifically described. In the configuration of
FIG. 3
, eyepiece frame
22
is fixed on lens barrel body
21
of the binoculars. On the inner surface of eyepiece frame
22
is slidably disposed cylindrical eyepiece lens barrel
301
. Inside of eyepiece lens barrel
301
are fixed intermediate lens
12
and outer lens
13
that constitute eyepiece lenses. On the outer surface of eyepiece lens barrel
301
is fixed cam pin
23
. Linear slot
302
of which major axis is parallel to optical axis
10
is formed in eyepiece frame
22
at the position of cam pin
23
. Cam pin
23
is engaged with eyepiece frame
22
by being inserted through linear slot
302
. On the other hand, at the outer side of eyepiece frame
22
is disposed diopter ring
20
. The inner surface of diopter ring
20
is slidably contacted with the outer surface of eyepiece frame
22
. Also, spiral slot
20
a
spirally formed around optical axis
10
is formed in diopter ring
20
, and the head of cam pin
23
is inserted in spiral slot
20
a
. Cam pin
23
is thus engaged also with diopter ring
20
. It is to be noted that diopter ring
20
is fixed relative to eyepiece frame
22
with respect to the direction of optical axis
10
by positioning member
303
. Accordingly, diopter ring
20
rotates around optical axis
10
but is fixed with respect to the direction of optical axis
10
.
In such a configuration as
FIG. 3
, because cam pin
23
is engaged with both of spiral slot
20
a
of diopter ring
20
and linear slot
302
of eyepiece frame
22
, cam pin
23
is moved in the direction of optical axis
10
within the range of linear slot
302
by being guided by spiral slot
20
a
when an observer rotates knurled portion
20
b
of diopter ring
20
around optical axis
10
. Eyepiece lens barrel
301
on which cam pin
23
is fixed thus moves in the direction of optical axis
10
, and diopter adjustment can be performed.
Further, in the configuration of the eyepiece portion of
FIG. 3
, an eye cup is constructed as follows. Specifically, at the outer side of diopter ring
20
is disposed cylindrical eyepiece sleeve
24
. Eyepiece sleeve
24
is fixed on eyepiece frame
22
. Accordingly, eyepiece sleeve
24
does not rotates even when diopter ring
20
rotates. On the outer side of this fixed eyepiece sleeve
24
is disposed eyepiece cam barrel
25
. The inner surface of eyepiece cam barrel
25
is slidably contacted with the outer surface of eyepiece sleeve
24
. Into eyepiece sleeve
24
is fixed eye cup drawing cam pin
304
so deep as to reach eyepiece frame
22
. Spiral slot
25
a
spirally formed around optical axis
10
is formed in eyepiece cam barrel
25
; the head of cam pin
304
is inserted in spiral slot
25
a
; and cam pin
304
is engaged with spiral slot
25
a
. Further the outer surface of eyepiece cam barrel
25
is covered with eyepiece rubber
26
to effect soft contact with the observer.
Thus, when the observer rotates eyepiece cam barrel
25
around optical axis
10
, eyepiece cam barrel
25
covered with eyepiece rubber
26
integrally moves in the direction of optical axis
10
by spiral slot
25
a
being guided by the fixed cam pin
304
. In this manner, the eye cup can be drawn and returned to the original position.
Next, referring to
FIG. 2
, an eyepiece portion of binoculars provided with a turn-over type eye cup will be described. The eyepiece portion of
FIG. 2
has a multistage zooming function. Inner lens lever
27
and intermediate lens lever
28
are respectively moved, by a mechanism (not shown), to predetermined positions corresponding to a zoom magnification selected by an observer via a zoom lever (not shown) provided between the right and left lens barrel bodies
21
. These predetermined positions are so set that at a higher magnification, the distance between inner lens
11
and intermediate lens
12
becomes larger and that at a lower magnification, the distance becomes shorter. Inner lens lever
27
supports claw
16
a
of inner lens outer frame
16
. Inside of inner lens outer frame
16
is disposed inner lens frame
14
in which inner lens
11
is fixed. On the inner surface of inner lens outer frame
16
is provided a female screw; on the outer surface of inner lens frame
14
is provided a male screw; and both screws are screw-fitted. Thus, by inner lens frame
14
being rotated around optical axis
10
, inner lens frame
14
moves, in the direction of optical axis
10
, by an amount corresponding to its angle of rotation. Further, intermediate lens lever
28
supports claw
17
a
of intermediate lens outer frame
17
. On the inner surface of intermediate lens outer frame
17
is screw-fitted intermediate lens frame
15
to which intermediate lens
12
is fixed. Thus, by intermediate lens frame
15
being rotated around optical axis
10
, intermediate lens frame
15
moves, in the direction of optical axis
10
, by an amount corresponding to its angle of rotation.
On the other hand, in the configuration of
FIG. 2
, eyepiece frame
22
is fixed on lens barrel body
21
. On the inner surface of eyepiece frame
22
is screw-fitted outer lens frame
19
in which outer lens
13
is fixed. Thus, by outer lens frame
19
being rotated around optical axis
10
, outer lens frame
19
moves, in the direction of optical axis
10
, by an amount corresponding to its angle of rotation. Outer lens frame
19
is fixed, by screw
201
, on diopter ring
20
rotatively disposed at the outer side of eyepiece frame
22
. Thus, by diopter ring
20
being rotated, outer lens frame
19
rotates and moves, in the direction of optical axis
10
, by an amount corresponding to its angle of rotation.
Furthermore, outer lens frame
19
has protruding portion
19
a
elongated in the direction of optical axis
10
, and this protruding portion
19
a
is inserted into through hole
15
b
formed through intermediate lens frame
15
. Consequently, rotation of intermediate lens frame
15
accompanies the rotation of outer lens frame
19
. Also, intermediate lens frame
15
is provided with protruding portion
15
a
elongated in the direction of optical axis
10
, and protruding portion
15
a
is inserted into through hole
14
b
formed through inner lens frame
14
. Thus, rotation of inner lens frame
14
accompanies the simultaneous rotation of outer lens frame
19
and intermediate lens frame
15
. Intermediate lens frame
15
and inner lens frame
14
move, via the rotation, by the same movement amount in the direction of optical axis
10
as that of outer l
Nikon Corporation
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Robinson Mark A.
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