Optical viewfinder
OwnerAlex Ninginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A optical viewfinder has a single viewfinder element formed from a homogenous material such as glass or plastic. The viewfinder element has an object surface and an image surface. The object and image surfaces are centered on a common optical axis. The object surface has a periphery extending to a first clear aperture, CA1. The image surface has a periphery extending to a second clear aperture, CA2. A reticle is formed on the object surface. The reticle is centered on the optical axis. A micro-lens is formed on the image surface and is centered on the optical axis. The micro-lens has a periphery extending to a third clear aperture, CA3 inside of the diameter of the second clear aperture.
Claims16
A viewfinder comprising:
- a viewfinder element having
- an object surface with a negative optical power,
- an image surface with a compensating positive optical power
- a reticle formed on the surface of the object surface centered on an optical axis, a micro-lens formed on the image surface having a positive optical power characterized to amplify the image of the reticle, the prescription of the micro-lens being adjusted to obtain an enlarged virtual image of the reticle at a predetermined distance in front of the viewfinder.
A digital imaging device having an electronic imager and a viewfinder, the viewfinder comprising:
- a viewfinder element having
- an object surface lens with a negative optical power,
- an image surface with a compensating positive optical power,
- a reticle formed on the surface of the object surface centered on an optical axis,
- a micro-lens formed on the image surface having a positive optical power characterized to amplify the image of the reticle, the prescription of the micro-lens being adjusted to obtain an enlarged virtual image of the reticle at a predetermined distance in front of the viewfinder.
A viewfinder element comprising:
- a viewfinder element having an object surface and
- an image surface, the object and image surfaces being centered on a common optical axis, the object surface having a periphery extending to a defining first clear aperture, the image surface having a periphery extending to a second clear aperture,
- a reticle is formed on the viewfinder object surface, the reticle being centered on the optical axis,
- a micro-lens is formed on the viewfinder image surface and centered on the common optical axis, the micro-lens having a periphery extending to a third clear aperture within the second clear aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.