Claims
- 1. A variable focus, front projection, lens system for forming an image on a screen which has a diagonal greater than 1.5 meters, said system being optically coupled to a cathode ray tube by a coupling fluid during use, said system and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI., said system comprising in order from the system's image side:
- (a) a first lens unit which primarily corrects aperture dependent aberrations, said first lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.1 and comprising at least one aspherical surface;
- (b) a second lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.2 and comprising in order from the system's image side:
- a negative, biconcave, first lens element composed of glass;
- a positive, biconvex, second lens element composed of glass;
- a positive, biconvex, third lens element composed of glass; and
- a fourth lens element which comprises at least one aspherical surface and is composed of plastic:
- (c) a corrector lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.CR and comprising at least one aspherical surface; and
- (d) a third lens unit which provides correction for the field curvature of the lens system, said third lens unit comprising a lens element which is in contact with said coupling fluid during use of the lens system and which has two surfaces both of which are concave to the image, said third lens unit and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI..sub.3 ;
- wherein
- (i) .PHI..sub.1 >0;
- (ii) .PHI..sub.2 /.PHI.>0.7;
- (iii) .PHI..sub.CR <0;
- (iv) .PHI..sub.3 <0;
- (v) the corrector lens unit and the third lens unit are separated by a distance D.sub.CR/3 which is varied during focusing of the image on the screen, said focusing being able to accommodate a range of screen diagonals of at least 1.5:1; and
- (vi) said lens system and coupling fluid have a modulation transfer function at the cathode ray tube which varies over said range of screen diagonals such that the ratio R.sub.Min/Max of the minimum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter to the maximum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter over said range of screen diagonals for any field position up to 0.85 of the maximum field is greater than 0.5.
- 2. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1 wherein R.sub.Min/Max is greater than 0.7.
- 3. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1 wherein the range of screen diagonals is at least 3.0:1.
- 4. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1 wherein the first lens unit comprises a first subunit having an optical power .PHI..sub.S1 and a second subunit having an optical power .PHI..sub.S2, where:
- .PHI..sub.S1 >0; and
- .PHI..sub.S2 <0.
- 5. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 4 where:
- .PHI..sub.S1 /.PHI.>0.4; and
- .vertline..PHI..sub.S2 .vertline./.PHI.<0.4.
- 6. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 4 wherein each of the first and second subunits comprises at least one aspherical surface.
- 7. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 4 wherein each of the first and second subunits consists of a single plastic lens element.
- 8. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 4 wherein the first subunit and the second subunit are separated by a distance D.sub.S1/S2 which is varied during focusing of the image.
- 9. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1 wherein the fourth lens element has an optical power .PHI..sub.E4 where:
- .vertline..PHI..sub.E4 .vertline./.PHI.<0.2.
- 10. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1 wherein the corrector lens unit consists of a single plastic lens element both of whose surfaces have an overall shape which is concave to the image.
- 11. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1 wherein the third lens unit comprises an aspherical surface.
- 12. A projection television system comprising a cathode ray tube and a projection lens system for projecting light from the cathode ray tube onto a screen to form an image, said projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1.
- 13. A projection television system comprising three cathode ray tubes and three projection lens systems, one projection lens system being associated with each of the cathode ray tubes for projecting light from that tube onto a common screen to form an image, each projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 1.
- 14. A variable focus, front projection, lens system for forming an image on a screen which has a diagonal greater than 1.5 meters, said system being optically coupled to a cathode ray tube by a coupling fluid during use, said system and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI., said system comprising in order from the system's image side:
- (a) a first lens unit which primarily corrects aperture dependent aberrations, said first lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.1 and comprising a first subunit having an optical power .PHI..sub.S1 and a second subunit having an optical power .PHI..sub.S2, each of said subunits having at least one aspherical surface;
- (b) a second lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.2 and comprising in order from the system's image side:
- a negative first lens element composed of glass;
- a positive second lens element composed of glass;
- a positive third lens element composed of glass; and
- a fourth lens element which comprises at least one aspherical surface;
- (c) a corrector lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.CR and comprising a plastic lens element both of whose surfaces have an overall shape which is concave to the image and at least one of whose surfaces is aspherical; and
- (d) a third lens unit which provides correction for the field curvature of the lens system, said third lens unit comprising a lens element which is in contact with said coupling fluid during use of the lens system and which has two surfaces both of which are concave to the image, said third lens unit and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI..sub.3 ;
- wherein
- (i) .PHI..sub.1 >0;
- (ii) .PHI..sub.S1 >0;
- (iii) .PHI..sub.S2 <0;
- (iv) .PHI..sub.2 /.PHI.>0.7;
- (v) .PHI..sub.CR <0;
- (vi) .PHI..sub.3 <0;
- (vii) the corrector lens unit and the third lens unit are separated by a distance D.sub.CR/3 which is varied during focusing of the image on the screen, said focusing being able to accommodate a range of screen diagonals of at least 1.5:1; and
- (viii) said lens system and coupling fluid have a modulation transfer function at the cathode ray tube which varies over said range of screen diagonals such that the ratio R.sub.Min/Max of the minimum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter to the maximum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter over said range of screen diagonals for any field position up to 0.85 of the maximum field is greater than 0.5.
- 15. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14 wherein R.sub.Min/Max is greater than 0.7.
- 16. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14 wherein the range of screen diagonals is at least 3.0:1.
- 17. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 16 wherein the first subunit and the second subunit of the first lens unit are separated by a distance D.sub.S1/S2 which is varied during focusing of the image.
- 18. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14 where:
- .PHI..sub.S1 /.PHI.>0.4; and
- .vertline..PHI..sub.S2 .vertline./.PHI.<0.4.
- 19. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14 wherein each of the first and second subunits of the first lens unit consists of a single plastic lens element.
- 20. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14 wherein the negative first lens element of the second lens unit is biconcave, the positive second lens element of that unit is biconvex, the positive third lens element of that unit is biconvex, and the fourth lens element of that unit is composed of plastic.
- 21. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14 wherein the fourth lens element of the second lens unit has an optical power .PHI..sub.E4 where:
- .vertline..PHI..sub.E4 .vertline./.PHI.<0.2.
- 22. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14 wherein the third lens unit comprises an aspherical surface.
- 23. A projection television system comprising a cathode ray tube and a projection lens system for projecting light from the cathode ray tube onto a screen to form an image, said projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14.
- 24. A projection television system comprising three cathode ray tubes and three projection lens systems, one projection lens system being associated with each of the cathode ray tubes for projecting light from that tube onto a common screen to form an image, each projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 14.
- 25. A projection lens system for forming an image on a screen, said system being optically coupled to a cathode ray tube by a coupling fluid during use, said system and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI., said system comprising in order from the system's image side:
- (a) a lens element of optical power .PHI..sub.A which is composed of plastic and has at least one aspherical surface;
- (b) a lens element of optical power .PHI..sub.B which is composed of plastic and has at least one aspherical surface;
- (c) a lens element of optical power .PHI..sub.C which is composed of glass;
- (d) a lens element of optical power .PHI..sub.D which is composed of glass and is biconvex;
- (e) a lens element of optical power .PHI..sub.E which is composed of glass and is biconvex;
- (f) a lens element of optical power .PHI..sub.F which is composed of plastic and has at least one aspherical surface;
- (g) a lens element of optical power .PHI..sub.G which is composed of plastic, the surfaces of said lens element each having an overall shape which is concave to the image and at least one of said surfaces being aspherical; and
- (h) a lens unit which provides correction for the field curvature of the lens system, said lens unit comprising a lens element which is in contact with said coupling fluid during use of the lens system, is composed of plastic, and has two surfaces both of which are concave to the image and at least one of which is aspherical, said lens unit and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI..sub.H ;
- wherein
- (i) .PHI..sub.A, .PHI..sub.D, and .PHI..sub.E are each>0;
- (ii) .PHI..sub.B, .PHI..sub.C, .PHI..sub.G, and .PHI..sub.H are each<0;
- (iii) .PHI..sub.A /.PHI.>0.4;
- (iv) .vertline..PHI..sub.B .vertline./.PHI.<0.4; and
- (v) .vertline..PHI..sub.F .vertline./.PHI.<0.2;
- and wherein the lens element having an optical power .PHI..sub.G and the lens unit are separated by a distance which is varied during focusing of the image on the screen.
- 26. The projection lens system of claim 25 wherein said focusing is able to accommodate a range of screen diagonals of at least 1.5:1 and said lens system and coupling fluid have a modulation transfer function at the cathode ray tube which varies over said range of screen diagonals such that the ratio R.sub.Min/Max of the minimum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter to the maximum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter over said range of screen diagonals for any field position up to 0.85 of the maximum field is greater than 0.5.
- 27. The projection lens system of claim 26 wherein R.sub.Min/Max is greater than 0.7.
- 28. The projection lens system of claim 26 wherein the range of screen diagonals is at least 3.0:1.
- 29. The projection lens system of claim 28 wherein the distance between the lens element having an optical power .PHI..sub.A and the lens element having an optical power .PHI..sub.B is varied during focusing of the image.
- 30. A projection television system comprising a cathode ray tube and a projection lens system for projecting light from the cathode ray tube onto a screen to form an image, said projection lens system comprising the projection lens system of claim 25.
- 31. A projection television system comprising three cathode ray tubes and three projection lens systems, one projection lens system being associated with each of the cathode ray tubes for projecting light from that tube onto a common screen to form an image, each projection lens system comprising the projection lens system of claim 25.
- 32. A variable focus, front projection, lens system for forming an image on a screen which has a diagonal greater than 1.5 meters, said system being optically coupled to a cathode ray tube by a coupling fluid during use, said system and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI., said system comprising in order from the system's image side:
- (a) a first lens unit which primarily corrects aperture dependent aberrations, said first lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.1 and comprising at least one aspherical surface;
- (b) a second lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.2 and comprising in order from the system's image side:
- a negative first lens element composed of glass;
- a positive second lens element composed of glass;
- a positive third lens element composed of glass; and
- a fourth lens element which comprises at least one aspherical surface and has an optical power .PHI..sub.E4 ;
- (c) a corrector lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.CR and comprising at least one aspherical surface; and
- (d) a third lens unit which provides correction for the field curvature of the lens system, said third lens unit comprising a lens element which is in contact with said coupling fluid during use of the lens system and which has two surfaces both of which are concave to the image, said third lens unit and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI..sub.3 ;
- wherein
- (i) .PHI..sub.1 >0;
- (ii) .PHI..sub.2 /.PHI.>0.7;
- (iii) .PHI..sub.CR <0;
- (iv) .PHI..sub.3 <0;
- (v) .vertline..PHI..sub.E4 .vertline./.PHI.<0.2;
- (vi) the corrector lens unit and the third lens unit are separated by a distance D.sub.CR/3 which is varied during focusing of the image on the screen, said focusing being able to accommodate a range of screen diagonals of at least 1.5:1; and
- (vii) said lens system and coupling fluid have a modulation transfer function at the cathode ray tube which varies over said range of screen diagonals such that the ratio R.sub.Min/Max of the minimum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter to the maximum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter over said range of screen diagonals for any field position up to 0.85 of the maximum field is greater than 0.5.
- 33. A projection television system comprising a cathode ray tube and a projection lens system for projecting light from the cathode ray tube onto a screen to form an image, said projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 32.
- 34. A projection television system comprising three cathode ray tubes and three projection lens systems, one projection lens system being associated with each of the cathode ray tubes for projecting light from that tube onto a common screen to form an image, each projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 32.
- 35. A variable focus, front projection, lens system for forming an image on a screen which has a diagonal greater than 1.5 meters, said system being optically coupled to a cathode ray tube by a coupling fluid during use, said system and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI., said system comprising in order from the system's image side:
- (a) a first lens unit which primarily corrects aperture dependent aberrations, said first lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.1 and comprising in order from the system's image side:
- a first subunit having an optical power .PHI..sub.S1 ; and
- a second subunit having an optical power .PHI..sub.S2 ; where at least one of said first and second subunits comprises an aspherical surface and where:
- .PHI..sub.S1 >0; and
- .PHI..sub.S2 <0;
- (b) a second lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.2 and comprising at least one aspherical surface;
- (c) a corrector lens unit having an optical power .PHI..sub.CR and comprising at least one aspherical surface; and
- (d) a third lens unit which provides correction for the field curvature of the lens system, said third lens unit comprising a lens element which is in contact with said coupling fluid during use of the lens system and which has two surfaces both of which are concave to the image, said third lens unit and said coupling fluid having an optical power .PHI..sub.3;
- wherein
- (i) .PHI..sub.1 >0;
- (ii) .PHI..sub.2 /.PHI.>0.7;
- (iii) .PHI..sub.CR <0;
- (iv) .PHI..sub.3 <0;
- (v) the corrector lens unit and the third lens unit are separated by a distance D.sub.CR/3 which is varied during focusing of the image on the screen, said focusing being able to accommodate a range of screen diagonals of at least 1.5:1; and
- (vi) said lens system and coupling fluid have a modulation transfer function at the cathode ray tube which varies over said range of screen diagonals such that the ratio R.sub.Min/Max of the minimum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter to the maximum value of the modulation transfer function at 5 cycles/millimeter over said range of screen diagonals for any field position up to 0.85 of the maximum field is greater than 0.5.
- 36. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 35 where:
- .PHI..sub.S1 /.PHI.>0.4; and
- .vertline..PHI..sub.S2 .vertline./.PHI.<0.4.
- 37. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 35 wherein each of the first and second subunits comprises at least one aspherical surface.
- 38. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 35 wherein each of the first and second subunits consists of a single plastic lens element.
- 39. The variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 35 wherein the first subunit and the second subunit are separated by a distance D.sub.S1/S2 which is varied during focusing of the image.
- 40. A projection television system comprising a cathode ray tube and a projection lens system for projecting light from the cathode ray tube onto a screen to form an image, said projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 35.
- 41. A projection television system comprising three cathode ray tubes and three projection lens systems, one projection lens system being associated with each of the cathode ray tubes for projecting light from that tube onto a common screen to form an image, each projection lens system comprising the variable focus, front projection, lens system of claim 35.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit under 35 USC .sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/027,113 filed Sep. 27, 1996.
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