Ocular optics system having at least four reflections occurring between curved surfaces

Abstract

The invention relates to an ocular optics system which forms no intermediate image, is reduced in terms of size and weight with well-corrected aberrations, and is best suited for use on face- or head-mounted image display devices, and provides an ocular optics system 7 comprising three juxtaposed optical surfaces 3, 4 and 5, wherein a space defined by three optical surfaces 3, 4, and 5 is filled with a transparent medium having a refractive index greater than 1, at least two optical surfaces 3 and 4 of these three optical surfaces are defined by curved surfaces concave on a pupil position side of the optics system, and at least four reflections occur between curved surfaces 3 and 4.

What we claim is:  
     
       1. An ocular optical system comprising: 
       at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces, at least two optical surfaces of said at least three optical surfaces are defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said ocular optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces, wherein said at least four reflections are four combined reflections occurring at said at least two optical surfaces.  
     
     
       2. An ocular optical system comprising: 
       at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces, at least two optical surfaces of said at lest three optical surfaces are defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said ocular optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces  
       wherein said ocular optical system satisfies the following condition:  
       
         
           70°<θ 1 <100° 
         
       
       with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of a pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 2  represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a second reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
     
     
       3. An ocular optical system comprising: 
       at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces at least two optical surfaces of said at least three optical surfaces are defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said ocular optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces,  
       wherein said ocular optical system satisfies the following condition:  
       
         
           110°<θ 4 <160° 
         
       
       with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of a pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 4  represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a fourth reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
     
     
       4. An ocular optical system according to claim  1 , wherein that  a space defined by said at least three surfaces is filled with a transparent medium having a refractive index greater than 1. 
     
     
       5. An ocular optical system according to claim  1 ,  2 , or  3  wherein an image display element is located on an object surface of said ocular optical system, and a display surface of said image display element is directed to a side opposite to said pupil position. 
     
     
       6. An ocular optical system according to claim  1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein said at least three optical surfaces are all concave on the pupil position side of said ocular optical system. 
     
     
       7. An ocular optical system according to claim  1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein an optical axis emerging from an object surface of said ocular optical system progresses in an order of a first transmitting surface, a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface, a third reflecting surface, a fourth reflecting surface, a fifth reflecting surface and a second transmitting surface. 
     
     
       8. An ocular optical system according to claim  7 , wherein said first transmitting surface and said second reflecting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       9. An ocular optical system according to claim  8 , wherein said second and fourth reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       10. An ocular optical system according to claim  7 , wherein said first transmitting surface, said second and fourth reflecting surfaces and said second transmitting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       11. An ocular optical system according to claim  7 , wherein said first and third reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       12. An ocular optical system according to claim  7 , wherein said fourth reflecting surface and said second transmitting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       13. An ocular optical system according to claim  12 , wherein said second and fourth reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       14. An ocular optical system according to claim  1 ,  2 , or  3  wherein curvatures of said at least three optical surfaces within planes of decentration thereof are different from those within planes perpendicular thereto. 
     
     
       15. An ocular optical system according to claim  6 , wherein said first transmitting surface, said second and fourth reflecting surfaces and said second transmitting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location, and said first and third reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       16. An ocular optical system according to claim  1 ,  2  or  3 , characterized by being  usable as an image pickup optical system by locating  including an image pickup means located on an object surface of said ocular optical system and a stop at a pupil position of said ocular optical system. 
     
     
       17. An image display device, comprising: 
       an ocular optical system having at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces, at least two optical surfaces of said at least three optical surfaces are defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said ocular optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces;  
       an image display element located on an object surface of said ocular optical system; and  
       a locating means provided to locate an eyeball of an observer on a pupil position of said ocular optical system, wherein said at least four reflections are four combined reflections occurring at said at least two optical surfaces.  
     
     
       18. An image display device according to claim  17 , wherein said ocular optical system satisfies the following condition: 
       
         
           70°<θ 2 <100° 
         
       
       with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of a pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 2  represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a second reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
     
     
       19. An image display device according to claim  17 , wherein said ocular optical system satisfies the following condition: 
       
         
           110°<θ 4 <160° 
         
       
       with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of a pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 4  represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a fourth reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
     
     
       20. A head-mounted image display device, comprising: 
       an ocular optical system having at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces, at least two optical surfaces of said at least three optical surfaces are defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said ocular optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces;  
       an image display element located on an object surface of said ocular optical system; and  
       a locating means provided to locate an eyeball of an observer on a pupil position of said ocular optical system,  
       wherein said at least four reflections are four combined reflections occurring at said at least two optical surfaces.  
     
     
       21. A head-mounted image display device according to claim  20 , wherein said ocular optical system satisfies the following condition: 
       
         
           70°<θ 2 <100° 
         
       
       with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of a pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 2  represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a second reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
     
     
       22. A head-mounted image display device according to claim  20 , wherein said ocular optical system satisfies the following condition: 
       
         
           110°<θ 4 <160° 
         
       
       with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of a pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 4  represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a fourth reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
     
     
       23. An optical system placed between an image plane and a pupil, said optical system comprising: 
       
         at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces,  
       
       
         at least two optical surfaces of said at least three optical surfaces being defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces,  
       
       
         wherein said at least four reflections are four combined reflections occurring at said at least two optical surfaces. 
       
     
     
       24. An optical system placed between an image plane and a pupil, said optical system comprising: 
       
         at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces,  
       
       
         at least two optical surfaces of said at least three optical surfaces being defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces, wherein said optical system satisfies the following condition:  
       
       
         
           
               70 °<θ 
             2 
             < 100 ° 
           
         
       
       
         with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of the pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 
         2  
         represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a second reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
       
     
     
       25. An optical system placed between an image plane and a pupil, said optical system comprising: 
       
         at least three juxtaposed optical surfaces,  
       
       
         at least two optical surfaces of said at least three optical surfaces being defined by curved surfaces which are concave on a pupil position side of said optical system and at least four reflections occur between said curved surfaces,  
       
       
         wherein said optical system satisfies the following condition:  
       
       
         
           
               110 °<θ 
             4 
             < 160 ° 
           
         
       
       
         with the proviso that a light ray leaving a center of an object point and arriving at a center of the pupil defines a principal ray, wherein θ 
         4  
         represents an angle which the principal ray incident on a fourth reflecting surface makes with the principal ray emerging therefrom, as counted in the order of progress of the light ray. 
       
     
     
       26. An optical system according to claim  23 , wherein a space defined by said at least three surfaces is filled with a transparent medium having a refractive index greater than  1 . 
     
     
       27. An optical system according to claim  23 ,  24 , or  25 , wherein said at least three optical surfaces are all concave on said pupil position side of said optical system. 
     
     
       28. An optical system according to claim  23 ,  24 , or  25 , wherein a first transmitting surface, a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface, a third reflecting surface, a fourth reflecting surface, a fifth reflecting surface and a second transmitting surface are placed in recited order along an optical path from said image plane to said pupil. 
     
     
       29. An optical system according to claim  28 , wherein said first transmitting surface and said second reflecting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       30. An optical system according to claim  29 , wherein said second and fourth reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       31. An optical system according to claim  28 , wherein said first transmitting surface, said second and fourth reflecting surfaces and said second transmitting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       32. An optical system according to claim  28 , wherein said first and third reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       33. An optical system according to claim  28 , wherein said fourth reflecting surface and said second transmitting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       34. An optical system according to claim  33 , wherein said second and fourth reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       35. An optical system according to claim  23 ,  24 , or  25 , wherein curvatures of said at least three optical surfaces within planes of decentration thereof are different from those within planes perpendicular thereto. 
     
     
       36. An optical system according to claim  27 , wherein said first transmitting surface, said second and fourth reflecting surfaces and said second transmitting surface are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location, and said first and third reflecting surfaces are constructed of surfaces of a substantially same shape at a substantially same location. 
     
     
       37. An optical system according to claim  23 ,  24 , or  25 , usable as an image pickup optical system and including an image pickup means located on an object surface of said optical system and a stop at a pupil position of said optical system.