Zoom device

A zoom device upon which an entry light impinges, the zoom device comprising:

• a plurality of zoom systems for receiving said entry light as a corresponding plurality of discrete entry component beams having respective entry optical beam axes and having respective diameters;
• each of said zoom systems having a plurality of lenses defining an optical zoom axis and being adapted to permit changing the diameter of the component beam corresponding thereto so that the component beam has a diameter changeable relative to the diameter of the entry component beam when said component beam becomes an exit component beam upon leaving the zoom system corresponding thereto and so that the exit component beam is coaxial with the entry component beam;
• the exit component beams of said zoom system conjointly defining an overall cross section having an outer periphery defined by a portion of said exit component beams and said portion of exit component beams being interconnected by an imaginary line enclosing the remaining ones of said exit component beams;
• said zoom systems being arranged so as to cause the optical zoom axes thereof to be fixed in space relative to each other and so as to cause said imaginary line to remain constant irrespective of the changes in the diameter of said exit component beams;
• said optical zoom axes being mutually parallel;
• the lenses of each one of said zoom systems including a light-entry lens, an intermediate lens and a light-exit lens;
• and, said light-entry lens and said intermediate lens being positive lenses and said light-exit lens being a negative lens;
• said intermediate lens and said light-exit lens of each zoom system conjointly defining a lens pair whereby a plurality of lens pairs are formed in said zoom device;
• and,
• said lenses of selected ones of said lens pairs being movable relative to each other.

A zoom device upon which an entry light impinges, the zoom device comprising:

• a plurality of zoom systems for receiving said entry light as a corresponding plurality of discrete entry component beams having respective entry optical beam axes and having respective diameters;
• each of said zoom systems having a plurality of lenses defining an optical zoom axis and being adapted to permit changing the diameter of the component beam corresponding thereto so that the component beam has a diameter changeable relative to the diameter of the entry component beam when said component beam becomes an exit component beam upon leaving the zoom system corresponding thereto and so that the exit component beam is coaxial with the entry component beam;
• the exit component beams of said zoom systems conjointly defining an overall cross section having an outer periphery defined by a portion of said exit component beams and the optical beam axes of each of said exit component beams of said portion of exit component beams being interconnected by an imaginary line enclosing the remaining ones of said exit component beams;
• said zoom systems being arranged so as to cause the optical zoom axes thereof to be fixed in space relative to each other and so as to cause said imaginary line to remain constant irrespective of the changes in the diameter of said exit component beams;
• said optical zoom axes being mutually parallel;
• and,
• a positive lens mounted downstream of said zoom systems.

A zoom device upon which an entry light impinges, the zoom device comprising;

• a plurality of zoom systems for receiving said entry light beam as a corresponding plurality of discrete entry component beams having respective entry optical beam axes and having respective diameters;
• each of said zoom systems having a plurality of lenses defining an optical zoom axis and being adapted to permit changing the diameter of the component beam corresponding thereto so that the component beam has a diameter changeable relative to the diameter of the entry component beam when said component beam becomes an exit component beam upon leaving the zoom system corresponding thereto and so that the exit component beam is coaxial with the entry component beam;
• the exit component beams of said zoom systems conjointly defining an overall cross section having an outer periphery defined by a portion of said exit component beams and said portion of exit component beams being interconnected by an imaginary line enclosing the remaining ones of said exit component beams;
• said zoom systems being arranged so as to cause the optical zoom axes thereof to be fixed in space relative to each other and so as to cause said imaginary line to remain constant irrespective of the chances in the diameter of said exit component beams;
• said optical zoom axes being mutually parallel;
• each one of said zoom systems including a light entry lens for transmitting the entry component beam corresponding to said each one of said zoom systems;
• and
• the light-entry lens of each of said zoom systems having a hexagonal periphery.

A zoom device upon which an entry light impinges, the zoom device comprising:

• plurality of zoom systems for receiving said entry light beam as a corresponding plurality of discrete entry component beams having respective entry optical beam axes and having respective diameters;
• each of said zoom systems having a plurality of lenses defining an optical zoom axis and being adapted to permit changing the diameter of the component beam corresponding thereto so that the component beam has a diameter changeable relative to the diameter of the entry component beam when said component beam becomes an exit component beam upon leaving the zoom System corresponding thereto and so that the exit component beam is coaxial with the entry component beat;
• the exit component beams of said zoom systems conjointly defining an overall cross section having an outer periphery defined by a portion of said exit component beams and said portion of exit component beams being interconnected by an imaginary line enclosing the remaining ones of said exit component beams;
• said zoom systems being arranged so as to cause the optical zoom axes thereof to be fixed in space relative to each other and so as to cause said imaginary line to remain constant irrespective of the changes in the diameter of said exit component beams;
• said optical zoom axes being mutually parallel;
• each one of said zoom systems including a light entry lens for transmitting the entry component beam corresponding to said each one of said zoom systems;
• the light-entry lenses of said zoom system being arranged in an array;
• and,
• said array being built up of a hexagonal pattern.