Patent
1983-02-24
1985-09-24
Henry, Jon W.
G02B 2764
Patent
active
045429626
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention refers to an image-stabilized optical instrument, such as telescopes and cameras.
It is generally known that telescopes with a high magnification cannot be held by hand without difficulty because the observed image is too unsteady to be capable of being tracked accurately. This is due to the fact that the unavoidable turning movements of the telescope around all axes orthogonal to an original visual line cause corresponding but greater movements of the image. This problem increases with increasing magnification. A method of handling this is to isolate the telescope as a whole from such movements (inertia stabilization) for example by servo mechanisms, gyro devices or the like. Common features of these solutions are that they are complicated, increase the weight and require a considerable operating power. Therefore, a great many solutions have been presented where only a part of the optics is stabilized and where the casing of the telescope and at least the ocular remain unstabilized. The optics is dimensioned so that the stabilized element functions as a "reference element", i.e. the telescope image follows the turning movements of said element. If this element is stabilized, the image also appears stabilized.
When studying existing solutions it is seen that image stabilization according to the abovementioned method can take place substantially in three different ways with regard to the position of the stabilized elements.
(1) Stabilization takes place before the objective, outside the telescope. This can take place by variable prisms or by mirrors. The complexity will here be great, since these "extra" optical elements are not needed in ordinary telescopes. Also, these elements must be made large and with great precision.
(2) The objective is stabilized with the pivot point situated in or near the focal plane. This solution has up to now been unpractical owing to the fact that in practice such an instrument will be very large. Image reversal by mirrors or prisms is also unsuitable here.
(3) The objective is unstabilized and the stabilizing elements are within the telescope. Most existing solutions belong to this group. A considerable disadvantage is common to them all, namely that high demands are made on the off-axis exactitude of the objective, if aberrations are to be avoided when the telescope is turned in relation to the visual line. Most instruments of this group also require complicated optics.
Moreover, many solutions of stabilized monocular instruments have been presented, even if few if any of them can be made simple and at the same time with good data. Nevertheless there are few solutions of stabilized binoculars described, and these are as a rule very complicated. This has to do with the fact that it is very difficult to find a solution which will give an exactly equal degree of stabilization for the two parts of the binoculars, to that doubling of the images or blur does not arise. Generally, all monocular solutions can be converted into binocular ones, if the two stabilized optical elements of the left and right parts of the binoculars are connected by mechanical bridging means. This is made according to the U.S. Pat. No. 2,829,557 which requires very great precision in a purely mechanical respect, and this, together with the general mechanical complexity with many pivot axes, makes this type of solution impractical. Consequently, there is a need of a solution where a single part stabilizes the image in both parts of the binoculars. Such solutions are known, but up to now they have been very complicated in a purely optical respect. In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,881 such a solution is shown, where a plurality of mirrors are provided but where the image reversal finally takes place with lenses. Another similar solution is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,550, where besides some notes are set forth quite generally about stabilizing binocular instruments and about problems in connection therewith. Solutions have also been presented where beam splitting takes place after the st
REFERENCES:
patent: 3884584 (1975-05-01), Linder
Eslinger Lewis H.
Henry Jon W.
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