Optical magnification device for distance variation

Abstract

An optical magnification device for varying the distance between an observer's eye ( 1 ) and an object ( 7 ), e.g., for a binocular magnifier or a microscope, in which focusing onto the object ( 7 ) is accomplished by means of progressive and/or multifocal lenses ( 3 ) displaceable perpendicular to the observation beam(s) ( 2 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An optical magnification device comprising: 
 an optical axis;    at least two lens elements on said optical axis for focusing an observation beam;    wherein said at least two lens elements includes a progressive lens that is non-axially displaceable relative to said optical axis for changing a focal length of said optical magnification device.    
     
     
         2 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said progressive lens is displaceable along an arcuate path.  
     
     
         3 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said progressive lens is selectively removable from said optical axis.  
     
     
         4 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said progressive lens is exchangeable with another progressive lens having different optical characteristics.  
     
     
         5 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-axial displacement of said progressive lens is manually controllable.  
     
     
         6 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , further comprising a motorized drive system connected to said progressive lens for controlling the non-axial displacement of said progressive lens.  
     
     
         7 . The optical magnification device of  claim 6 , wherein said motorized drive system includes an automatic focusing system and an electronic evaluation and control unit.  
     
     
         8 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said optical magnification device comprises a main objective lens and a zoom system, and said progressive lens is located between said main objective lens and said zoom system.  
     
     
         9 . A stereoscopic optical magnification device comprising: 
 a pair of optical axes, each of said pair of optical axes having at least two lens elements thereon for focusing a respective observation beam, wherein said at least two lens elements includes a respective progressive lens that is non-axially displaceable with respect to said optical axis for changing a focal length of said optical magnification device along said optical axis;    wherein said progressive lens on one of said pair of optical axes is coupled with said progressive lens on another of said pair of optical axes such that said coupled progressive lenses are non-axially displaceable relative to said pair of optical axes in unison.    
     
     
         10 . An optical magnification device comprising: 
 an optical axis;    at least two lens elements on said optical axis for focusing an observation beam;    wherein said at least two lens elements includes a multifocal lens that is non-axially displaceable relative to said optical axis for changing a focal length of said optical magnification device.    
     
     
         11 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said multifocal lens is displaceable along an arcuate path.  
     
     
         12 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said multifocal lens is selectively removable from said optical axis.  
     
     
         13 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said multifocal lens is exchangeable with another multifocal lens having different optical characteristics.  
     
     
         14 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-axial displacement of said multifocal lens is manually controllable.  
     
     
         15 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , further comprising a motorized drive system connected to said multifocal lens for controlling the non-axial displacement of said multifocal lens.  
     
     
         16 . The optical magnification device of  claim 6 , wherein said motorized drive system includes an automatic focusing system and an electronic evaluation and control unit.  
     
     
         17 . The optical magnification device of  claim 1 , wherein said optical magnification device comprises a main objective lens and a zoom system, and said multifocal lens is located between said main objective lens and said zoom system.  
     
     
         18 . A stereoscopic optical magnification device comprising: 
 a pair of optical axes, each of said pair of optical axes having at least two lens elements thereon for focusing a respective observation beam, wherein said at least two lens elements includes a respective multifocal lens that is non-axially displaceable with respect to said optical axis for changing a focal length of said optical magnification device along said optical axis;    wherein said multifocal lens on one of said pair of optical axes is coupled with said multifocal lens on another of said pair of optical axes such that said coupled multifocal lenses are non-axially displaceable relative to said pair of optical axes in unison.