IP Library Granted Patent US 6,853,494
Granted Patent B2
US 6,853,494 · App. 10/692,571 · Granted Feb 8, 2005

Zoom system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,853,494
App. No.
10/692,571
Granted
Feb 8, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention concerns a zoom system, having various materials (glass types) and variable air spaces, for example for a surgical (stereo)microscope, constructed from four symmetrically arranged lens groups ( 2 through 5 ), each two lens groups ( 2, 5; 3, 4 ) being arranged identically and in mirror-image fashion with respect to one another. As a result of the special selection of glass types having anomalous partial dispersion, and the specific design features, a high zoom factor is achieved with a short overall length, as well as good correction of the secondary spectrum, astigmatism, and field curvature.

Claims (118)

1. A zoom system for a microscope, the zoom system comprising a first lens group having lenses ( 11 ) and ( 12 ), a second lens group having lenses ( 13 ) and ( 14 ), a third lens group having lenses ( 15 ) and ( 16 ), and a fourth lens group having lenses ( 17 ) and ( 18 ) arranged in sequence and aligned along an optical axis, the first and fourth lens groups being mirror images of one another, the second and third lens groups being mirror images of one another, a first air gap between the first and second lens groups, a second air gap between the second and third lens groups, and a third air gap between the third and fourth lens groups, each of the second and third lens groups being movable along the optical axis thereby enabling variation of the first, second, and third air gaps, wherein the lenses ( 11 through 18 ) and air gaps have the following geometric and optical properties:

Thickness or air gap

d 1 (mm) [air gaps

Boundary

given at first limit,

surface or

Radius

intermediate position,

Medium

r 1 (mm)

and second limit]

n d

ν d

S1

29.48

Lens 11

2.0

1.72342

37.95

S2

18.62

Lens 12

3.5

1.49700

81.63

S3

−176.25

Air Gap 1

31.65 . . . 23.18 . . . 2.00

S4

−123.57

Lens 13

2.0

1.57956

53.87

S5

12.93

Lens 14

3.0

1.76182

26.52

S6

19.69

Air Gap 2

14.70 . . . 2.64 . . . 15.35

S7

−19.69

Lens 15

3.0

1.76182

26.52

S8

−12.93

Lens 16

2.0

1.57956

53.87

S9

123.57

Air Gap 3

2.65 . . . 23.18 . . . 31.65

S10

176.25

Lens 17

3.5

1.49700

81.63

S11

−18.62

Lens 18

2.0

1.72342

37.95

S12

−29.48.

2. The zoom system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the lenses are formed of optical materials having deviations of the relative partial dispersions from the standard straight lines described by

| P g,F −P n g,F |>0.001

and

| P C,t −P n C,t |>0.002.

3. The zoom system as defined in claim 2 , wherein lenses ( 11 ) and ( 18 ) are formed of a material (A), lenses ( 12 ) and ( 17 ) are formed of a material (B), lenses ( 13 ) and ( 16 ) are formed of a material (C), and lenses ( 14 ) and ( 15 ) are formed of a material (D), wherein materials (A), (B), (C), and (D) are described by the following table:

Delta P g,F

Delta P C,t

(deviations of the

(deviations of the

relative partial

relative partial

Material

n d

v d

dispersions)

dispersions)

A

1.72342

37.95

0.0035

0.0023

B

1.49700

81.63

0.0319

−0.1133

C

1.57956

53.87

−0.0012

−0.0053

D

1.76182

26.52

0.0150

0.0046.

4. The zoom system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the lenses are fabricated of materials chosen for a correction of the secondary spectrum.

5. The zoom system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the lenses are fabricated of materials chosen for a correction of astigmatism.

6. The zoom system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the lenses are fabricated of materials chosen for a correction of field curvature.

7. A microscope having a zoom system as defined in claim 1 and an eyepiece.

8. The microscope as defined in claim 7 , wherein the field curvature of the zoom system is adapted to the field curvature of the eyepiece.

9. The microscope as defined in claim 8 , wherein the microscope is a stereomicroscope.

10. The microscope as defined in claim 9 , wherein the stereomicroscope is a two-channel stereomicroscope.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2010
From: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
To: LEICA INSTRUMENTS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 024128/0669 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2010
From: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
To: LEICA INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 023741/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2004
From: SANDER, ULRICH
To: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
Reel/Frame 015013/0583 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2004
From: SANDER, ULRICH; POZIVIL, THOMAS
To: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
Reel/Frame 014991/0246 →