Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Telescope
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2002-09-03
Spyrou, Cassandra (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Telescope
C359S429000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06445498
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present-invention relates generally to telescopes of the type commonly used to observe and photograph celestial objects. The present invention relates more particularly to a telescope system which can be easily upgraded from friction lock mounting to manual worm drive, and from manual worm drive to motor drive. Further, the present invention comprises a mount which facilitates enhanced below the horizon and zenith viewing a motor vibration isolation system, an adjustable worm drive, a tripod having detents which hold the legs in a deployed position thereof during handling of the tripod, a cam lock for maintaining a desired length of the tripod legs and an X-Y adjustable finder scope.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telescopes for observing and/or photographing celestial objects such as planets, moons, stars, galaxies, asteroids, comets, nebulae, and the like are well known. Such telescopes range in size from small, readily portable ones to large fixed ones which are permanently located in observatories. The smaller telescopes are commonly used by students, hobbyists and amateur astronomers. The larger telescopes are generally only used by researchers and professional astronomers.
Common types of telescopes include refractor telescopes, reflector telescopes, Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes and Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. Refractor telescopes have a light collecting objective lens which focuses the collected light upon an eyepiece. The eyepiece, in cooperation with the objective lens, provides the desired magnification.
A reflector telescope utilizes a primary mirror to collect light and a secondary mirror to reflect the collected light through an opening in the telescope tube to an eyepiece. The eyepiece is mounted upon the tube, typically near the front of he tube, and is positioned orthogonal to the tube. The eyepiece cooperates with the primary mirror to provide the desired magnification.
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes are similar to reflector telescopes, except that the secondary mirror of a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope reflects the collected light through an opening in the primary mirror instead of through an opening in the tube. In this manner, the eyepiece can be located directly behind the primary mirror, which is convenient for some types of viewing and photography. Additionally, light enters a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope through a thin, two-side a spheric lens, known as a correction plate. Further, the secondary mirror is convex, so as to increase the effective focal length of the primary mirror.
Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes are similar to Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, except that in Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes light enters the telescope through a meniscus lens and an oversize primary mirror is used to provide an unvignetted field of view.
In viewing celestial objects with any type of telescope, it is necessary to continually move the telescope, so as to maintain the telescope in desired alignment with the celestial object. This is necessary to compensate for the rotation of the earth with respect to the cosmos. Thus, such continual realignment of the telescope maintains the desired celestial object within the field of view of the telescope as the earth rotates about its axis.
Smaller, portable telescopes of the reflector, refractor, Schmidt-Cassegrain, Maksutov-Cassegrain or any other desired type are typically mounted upon a tripod to facilitate portability and use of the telescope upon uneven outdoor surfaces, such as upon the ground, upon paved surfaces such as roads or parking lots, or upon any other desired surface.
Two different types of mounts, altitude azimuth and equatorial, are commonly used to removably attach a telescope to a tripod. Altitude azimuth (altazimuth) mounts provide a comparatively rigid and steady mount for the telescope, but are more difficult to maintain in alignment with a desired celestial object when the telescope is being aimed manually. Altitude azimuth mounts have only two perpendicular axes of rotation, which make altitude azimuth telescopes inherently more rigid and stable than equatorial telescopes. The altitude axis of rotation allows the telescope to pivot with respect to the mount about a horizontal axis and the azimuth axis of rotation allows the telescope to pivot about a vertical axis. In order to maintain alignment of a telescope having an altitude azimuth mount with respect to a desired celestial object, it is generally necessary to move the telescope about both the altitude and azimuth axes, since the position of celestial objects generally varies in both altitude and azimuth as the earth rotates.
Equatorial mounts facilitate easier maintenance of alignment of the telescope with a desired celestial object, since the telescope must only be moved about a single axis so as to maintain such alignment. In an equatorial mount, two orthogonal axis are configured such that one of the two axes can easily be aligned so as to be parallel to the axis of rotation of the earth. Once such alignment with the earth's axis of rotation is accomplished, then it is merely necessary to move the telescope about the other axis, so as to maintain alignment of the telescope with a desired celestial object. Thus, with an equatorial mount only a single axis of the telescope needs to be moved in order to maintain such alignment.
However, in an equatorial mount it is necessary to provide two additional orthogonal axis of alignment (similar to those of an altitude azimuth mount) in order to facilitate alignment of one axis so as to be parallel to the earth's axis of rotation. Thus, an equatorial mount actually comprises an altitude azimuth mount plus two additional axes and thus has a total of four different alignment axes. Because the equatorial mount comprises four different alignment axis, and because each axis inherently decreases the stability of the mount, it is difficult to manufacture an equatorial mount which is as stable as a comparable altitude azimuth mount (which has only two axes of alignment).
Portable, tripod mounted telescopes have evolved to the point where they are comparable in quality to the larger, fixed telescopes of observatories. With the advent of precise alignment control and electronic imaging, it is now possible to use such portable telescopes to take pictures of celestial objects which could only be photographed by observatories just a few years ago.
Although such contemporary portable telescopes have proven generally useful for their intended purposes, they do possess substantial deficiencies. For example, contemporary portable telescopes are not easily upgradeable, they are typically susceptible to vibration caused by drive motors, they cannot always be oriented as desired, they utilize tripods which are unreliable or difficult to use, and they have a finder scope which is difficult to align with the telescope.
Frequently, a telescope is purchased in a basic, or less expensive configuration, and it is later desired to upgrade the telescope so as to provide desirable features and enhanced functionality. For example, it is common for an amateur astronomer to first purchase a small refractor telescope which has a mount which utilizes friction locks to maintain the desired orientation of the telescope. The telescope is aimed at a desired celestial body by loosening the friction locks and manually manipulating the telescope with respect to the tripod, so as to effect the desired alignment. The friction mounts are then tightened to prevent the telescope from moving.
However, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, such friction lock mounts are clumsy and extremely difficult to use. Fine adjustments in alignment, which are frequently necessary so as to maintain a desired celestial object within the field of view of the telescope, are extremely difficult to make when utilizing friction lock mounts. Usually, manual manipulation of the telescope results in uneven, jerky movements of the telescope. It is almost impossible to take long exposure photographs with a telescope having frictio
Baun Kenneth W.
Dewan Stanley H.
Duchon Brent G.
Smith John E.
Tingey Brian G.
Eldredge John W.
Meade Instruments Corporation
Spyrou Cassandra
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth
Winstedt Jennifer
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