JP3302117B2 - Observation optical equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image blur correction function for detecting a shake amount of an optical device and deflecting an optical axis so that an optical image of the optical device is always kept at a fixed position based on the detected output. The present invention relates to an observation optical device such as a telescope and binoculars having the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device for eliminating image blur of an observation optical instrument, an image in which a gyroscope is connected to an upright prism supported by a gimbal as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5058/1985. Binoculars with stabilizers are known.

[0003]

However, in an image stabilizing apparatus using a gyro, the gyro rotor is rotated at a high speed, so that it takes a long time for the motor to fully rotate, and the prism is floating supported by a gimbal mechanism. When performing rapid panning or tilting, the prism hits the inner wall of the optical device,
It could cause a failure. Further, after use, it is necessary to caging the gyro, and the operation is troublesome. Further, since the gyro requires a certain amount of mass, there is a problem that the optical apparatus itself is heavy and large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an observation optical device capable of obtaining a good image stable state and effectively reducing the size of the device. The purpose is.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an objective optical system, a light beam deflecting optical unit for deflecting a light beam as an optical image from the objective optical system, and
An erecting prism for reflecting the optical image from the variable apex angle prism as an erect image, an eyepiece optical system for guiding the optical image from the erecting prism to the observation side, the objective optical system, and the light beam deflecting optical means An optical device main body containing the erecting prism and the eyepiece optical system, and a drive control unit that detects a shake of the optical device main body and controls a tilt drive of the light beam deflecting optical unit based on a detection output thereof, An observation optical apparatus comprising: a selection unit that selects a drive control state by the control unit; and a switching unit that switches operation and non-operation of the drive control unit in response to the selection state of the selection unit. .

The present invention also provides a pair of objective optical systems, a pair of light beam deflecting optical means for deflecting a light beam as an optical image from the objective optical system, and an optical image from the light beam deflecting optical means as an erect image. A pair of erecting prisms for reflecting light, a pair of eyepiece optical systems for guiding an optical image from the erecting prism to the observation side, the objective optical system, the light beam deflecting optical unit, the erecting prism, and the eyepiece optics. An optical apparatus main body containing the optical system main body, a battery disposed between the objective optical system, a vertical shake detection unit for detecting a vertical shake of the optical equipment main body, and a horizontal shake of the optical equipment main body. Horizontal shake detection means for detecting shake, power control means for controlling the tilt drive of the variable apex angle prism based on a detection output from each of the shake detection means supplied with power from the battery, An observation device comprising: a selection means for selecting a drive control state by the control means; and a light beam deflection state regulating means for regulating the light beam deflection state of the pair of light beam deflection optical means in response to the selection state of the selection means. Optical device.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pair of binoculars as an optical apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of FIG.

In these figures, reference numeral 100 denotes a binocular main body, and 300R and 300L denote a pair of eyepiece prism unit main bodies provided in the binocular main body 100.

The binocular main body 100 includes an upper shell 102 and a lower shell 104. The lower shell 104 is provided with a pair of (R for the right eye and L for the left eye) objective lens units 106R and 106L at one end, which is the object side, and the above-mentioned at the other end, which is the eyepiece side. The pair of eyepiece prism unit main bodies 300R and 300L are disposed. The objective lens units 106R and 106L are connected to the objective lens barrel 16 as shown in the main part enlarged views of FIGS.
2R, 162L, and the objective lens barrel 162
R and L hold objective lenses LR1 and LL1. Guide barrels 164R and 164L are held on the eyepiece side of the objective lens barrels 162R and 162L.
R and L accommodate focus lens barrels 166R and 166L holding focus lenses LR2 and LL2, respectively. A pair of guide bars 168a, 168b are provided between the flanges of the objective lens barrels 162R, L and the protrusions of the guide barrels 164R, L, respectively, and the sleeves of the focus lens barrels 166R, L are provided. 166a, 1
The guide bars 168a and 168a are inserted through the 66a, and the U-shaped protrusions 1 of the focus lens barrels 166R and 166L.
Guide bars 168b and 168b are inserted through 66b and 166b. This allows the focus lens barrel 16
6R and 166L are supported movably in the optical axis direction.

A diopter / focus adjustment mechanism 108 is provided between the objective lens units 106R and 106L. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the diopter / focus adjustment mechanism 108 is housed in the adjustment mechanism housing 122 of the upper shell 102, and the guide support plate 1 held by the upper shell 102.
80. A focus guide shaft 182 and a rotation regulating shaft 184 are fixed to the guide support plate 180. The focus guide shaft 182 includes a sleeve 186a of a focus lens driving plate 186R that drives the right eye side focus lens barrel 166R in the optical axis direction, and a focus lens that drives the left eye side focus lens barrel 166L in the optical axis direction. The driving plate 187L is inserted into the sleeve 187a. The rotation restricting shaft 184 is inserted into the rotation restricting hole 186b of the focus lens driving plate 186R and the rotation restricting hole 187b of the focus lens driving plate 187L. The focus lens drive plate 186R is provided with a focus feed screw hole 186c. Screw hole 1
The screw portion 188a of the diopter adjusting shaft 188 is meshed with 86c, and a connecting shaft portion 188b having a smaller diameter than the screw portion 188a is formed at one end of the screw portion 188a. At the other end of the screw portion 188a, a slide shaft portion 188c having a rotation regulating flat portion formed is formed. A diopter adjustment ring 189 is rotatably supported at a fixed position on the semicircular support portion 122a of the adjustment mechanism accommodating portion 122 of the upper shell 102, and a slide hole 189a of the diopter adjustment ring 189 has a diopter adjustment shaft 188. A slide shaft portion 188c is slidably inserted in the axial direction. A drive engagement protrusion 186d is formed on the focus lens drive plate 186R,
The projection 186d is engaged with an engagement groove 166c formed in a sleeve 166a of the focus lens barrel 166R.

The U-shaped bearing plate portions 187a and 187b are formed on the focus lens driving plate 187L. A connection shaft portion 188b of the diopter adjustment shaft 188 is inserted into the bearing plate portion 187a between the end surface of the screw hole 186c of the driving plate 186R and the bearing plate portion 187a via a retaining ring 190 and a pressing spring 191. . Bearing plate part 187
The focus screw shaft 192 is fixed to b in a non-rotating state. A focus adjustment ring 193 is rotatably supported at a fixed position on the semicircular support portion 122b of the adjustment mechanism accommodating portion 122 of the upper shell 102.
The focus screw shaft 192 meshes with the 93 screw hole 193a. A drive engagement projection 187c is formed on the focus lens driving plate 187L, and the projection 187c is engaged with an engagement groove 166c formed on a sleeve 166a of the focus lens barrel 166L.

Thus, the focus adjustment ring 193
Is rotated, the focus screw shaft 192 is moved in the optical axis direction, and the focus lens driving plate 187L is moved in the optical axis direction, whereby the focus lens barrel 166L is moved.
Is moved. At the same time, the diopter adjusting shaft 188 supported by the bearing plate portion 187 a and pressed by the pressing spring 191.
Is moved in the optical axis direction, and the focus lens driving plate 186R screw-connected is moved to move the focus lens barrel 16
6R is moved. At this time, the diopter adjustment ring 189 is not rotated, and the slide shaft portion 188c of the adjustment shaft 188 slides in the slide hole 189a. The focus is adjusted by moving the focus lens barrels 166R and 166L. Further, when the diopter adjustment ring 189 is rotated, the diopter adjustment shaft 188 slid and connected is rotated to a fixed position, and the rotation causes the focus feed screw hole 186c meshed with the screw portion 188a to move in the optical axis direction. The focus lens barrel 16 on the right eye side
6R is moved and diopter adjustment is performed.

Each objective lens unit 1 of the lower shell 104
06R, 106L and eyepiece prism unit main body 300
Variable apex angle prism (VAP) units 202 and 203 are disposed on a unit support plate 142 formed on the lower shell 104 between R and 300L. Light shielding tubes 204, 204 are fixed to the object side of the main bodies 202a, 203a of the VAP units 202, 203. Body 202
The VAP elements 205 and 205 are accommodated in a and 203a. As shown in FIG. 5, in the VAP elements 205, the two transparent plates are connected in a liquid-tight manner by bellows, and a transparent liquid having a predetermined refractive index is contained therein. The VAP elements 205 each have a holding frame 207a,
and the coil portions 208a and 208b formed on the holding frames 207a and 207b, and the magnet portions 209 and 209 formed on the main bodies 202a and 203a, respectively.
The objective-side transparent plate 05 is tilted in the yaw (horizontal) direction, and the eyepiece-side transparent plate is tilted in the pitch (vertical) direction. This deflects the light beam passing through the VAP element. A shake detection sensor 210 for detecting a shake in the vertical direction of the binocular main body 100 is fixed to the main body 202a.
A shake detection sensor 211 that detects a horizontal shake of the binocular main body 100 is fixed to 3a.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a lock mechanism 220 supported by a unit support plate 142 is provided between the VAP units 202 and 203. The lock mechanism 220 has an interlocking arm 221, and the center of the interlocking arm 221 is rotatably attached to the unit support plate 142. At both ends of the interlocking arm 221, lock arms 222 are rotatably provided on the support plate 142, respectively.
21a, 221a and engagement projection 22 of lock arm 222
2a is freely engageable. One end of the lock arm 222 has a holding frame 207a for the VAP elements 205, 205,
Conical lock grooves 222b, 222b for engaging the lock pins 212, 212 formed in 207b are formed. The other end of the lock arm 222 has a spring stopper 22
2c is provided. One end of a spring 223 wound around the rotation shaft of the lock arm 222 is brought into contact with the protrusion 222c, and a lock groove 222b is provided in a direction in which the lock pin 212 of the holding frames 207a and 207b is engaged. It is being rushed. A shake correction operation lever 224 having one end rotatably attached to the upper shell 102 is disposed on the lock arm 222 on the VAP unit 203 side on the left eye side. A spring 225 is wound around the rotation shaft at one end of the operation lever 224, and is pressed in a direction in which it comes into contact with the upper shell 102 by the urging force of the spring 225. On the other side of the operation lever 224 facing the VAP unit 203, the lock arm 222 is in contact with the lock arm 222, and when the operation lever 224 is pressed, the lock groove 222 b of the lock arm 222 and the lock pin 212 of the VAP element 205 are formed. An operation projection 224a is formed to act to release the engagement. Further, a switch operation projection 224b is formed near the operation projection 224a of the operation lever 224, and the projection 224b operates when the operation lever 224 is pressed.
It is configured to operate a shake correction operation switch 226 disposed between the VAP element 4 and the VAP element 205.

An upper shell 102 and a lower shell 104
The eyepiece side of the eyepiece prism unit holding plate 230
The holding plate 230 is provided with holding holes 230a, 230a for rotatably holding the eyepiece prism unit main bodies 300R, 300L. The eyepiece prism unit body 30 is provided in the holding holes 230a, 230a.
0R and 300L cylindrical connecting barrels 302 and 302 are inserted, and the connecting barrels 302 and 302 have shells 10 attached thereto.
Mounting rings 304, 304 are screwed from the sides 2 and 103 via a holding plate 230, and are rotatably mounted. Further, fan-shaped interlocking gear plates 306, 306 are fixed to the mounting rings 304, 304, and when the eyepiece prism unit main bodies 300R, 300L are rotated, they rotate at the same angle with respect to the binocular main body 100. The interpupillary distance can be adjusted.

The eyepiece prism unit main bodies 300R and 300L are composed of the above-described connecting barrel 302, prism housing barrel 308, and eyepiece barrel 310. A first prism 312 for vertically inverting the optical image passing through the VAP units 202 and 203 and a second prism 314 for horizontally inverting the optical image from the first prism 312 are accommodated in the prism housing barrel 308. Is held. Further, eyepieces ER and EL are accommodated and held in the eyepiece tube 310.

Also, as shown in FIG.
Between the objective lens units 106R and L in 00,
A battery accommodating section 110 is formed, and the accommodating section 11
0 stores a charging battery (not shown) that supplies driving power for the VAP units 202 and 203. A push-out spring 1 for taking out the battery is provided in the housing portion 110.
A connector 114 connected to the contact between the battery 12 and the battery and a cover 116 for opening and closing the battery outlet are provided.

Further, as shown in FIG.
2, a substrate accommodating portion 102a is formed, and a control circuit board 410 for controlling the driving of the VAP units 202 and 203 is accommodated and held in the substrate accommodating portion 102a. A battery connector 114 is provided on the control circuit board 410.
Lead wires (not shown) for supplying power. Further, a shake detection signal is input to the control circuit board 410 from the shake detection sensors 210 and 211 of the VAP units 202 and 203, and the VAP units 202 and 203 are driven based on these signals to drive the VAP elements 205 and 205.
Is tilted so that the light beam to be observed is tilted in a direction to correct the shake.

A shell cover 102b is provided in the board housing portion 102a of the upper shell 102 to cover the housing portion. As shown in FIG. 1, the shell cover 102b includes a shake correction mode changeover switch 412, a battery check button 414, and a battery remaining amount display LED 416.
And these are electrically connected to the control circuit board 410 described above. Image stabilization mode switch 41
Reference numeral 2 denotes an OFF mode, a normal shake correction mode, and a panning state shake correction mode. When the battery check button 414 is pressed, the charge battery 400 is pressed.
The remaining amount of the battery is checked by the control circuit board 410, and a display corresponding to the detected remaining amount of the battery is performed by the battery remaining amount display LED 416.

Next, the operation and operation of the binoculars of the above embodiment will be described.

First, the observer grasps the binocular main body 100 and turns the eyepiece prism unit main bodies 300R and 300L inward or outward to adjust the interpupillary distance. Next, the observer rotates the focus adjustment ring 193 of the diopter / focus adjustment mechanism 108 in a state where the right eye is closed and the left eye is opened to perform focusing on the left eye side. Then, with the left eye closed and the right eye opened, the diopter adjustment ring 189 of the diopter / focus adjustment mechanism 108 is rotated to perform focusing on the right eye. In this state, right and left focusing and diopter adjustment are performed, and the observer can perform observation through the binoculars well.

When the shake correction mode changeover switch 412 of the binocular main body 100 is set to the normal or panning shake correction mode, the shake correction operation lever 2 is set.
24, the VAP unit 203 on the left eye side
The lock arm 222 on the side is pressed and the shake correction operation switch 226 is pressed to be in the ON state. As a result, the interlocking arm 221 is operated, and each lock arm 22
2 is disengaged from the lock pin 212 of the VAP element 205, and the VAP units 202 and 203 are in a shake correction state.
The VAP elements 205 and 205 are tilted based on the output of No. 11, and an image in which the image shake is corrected by camera shake can be observed. Also, from this shake correction state, the shake correction operation lever 22
4 is released, the spring 223 of the lock arm 222 is released.
And the lock arm 222 and the operation lever 224 are returned by the urging force of the spring 225 of the operation lever 224, and the lock groove 222b and the lock pin 212 are engaged, and
The P units 202 and 203 are locked, and the shake correction operation switch 226 is turned off, whereby the power supply to the VAP units 202 and 203 is stopped. In this state, the VAP units 202, 20
3 is a transparent plate 205a by the lock of the lock mechanism 220,
205a is held in a parallel state.

The lock operation timing of the lock mechanism 220 and the shake correction operation switch 226 in the pressing operation and the release operation of the shake correction operation lever 224.
The ON and OFF timings are as follows: when pressed, the lock of the lock mechanism 220 is released, the shake correction operation switch 226 is subsequently turned on, and when the pressure is released, the shake correction operation switch 226 is turned off. The lock mechanism 220 is locked. Alternatively, the lock of the lock mechanism 220 and the ON / OFF switching timing of the shake correction operation switch 226 may be simultaneous,
When the operation lever 224 is further pressed, the switch 22
6 is turned on first, and the VAP units 202 and 20
In the state where the parallel state of the VAP element 205 of No. 3 is held, the lock of the lock mechanism 220 is then released, and then the shake correction state is set by the VAP units 202 and 203. When the operation lever 224 is released, the VAP unit 2 is released.
The lock by the lock mechanism 220 may be activated after the parallel state of the VAP elements 205 and 205 of the 02 and 203 is maintained. In this case, for example, a two-stage switch is used as the shake correction operation switch 226.

In the above embodiment, when the voltage of the charging battery 400 falls below a predetermined voltage, V
The shake correction range of the AP units 202 and 203 may be set to a range smaller than the normal range so as to reduce power consumption, or control may be performed to stop driving of the VAP unit. Further, a configuration may be adopted in which these states are displayed in the eyepiece prism unit main bodies 300R and 300L by display means such as an LED, a hologram, and an LCD so that the observer can be informed. Further, in the above-described embodiment, if the shake correction mode changeover switch 412 is set to the OFF position, the apparatus is prevented from being turned on even when the shake correction operation lever 224 is erroneously pressed during carrying.
If the OFF position of the changeover switch 412 is replaced with a two-mode switch, the control circuit board 410 is provided with a timer function. Functions may be provided.

In the above-described embodiment, the VAP units 202 and 203 are connected to the objective lens units 106R and 106R.
Although the example in which the lens is disposed on the eyepiece side of L is described, the configuration may be such that the VAP units 202 and 203 are disposed on the object side of the objective lens units 106R and 106L, and the protective glass is fixed on the object side of the VAP unit. Or V
The transparent plate on the object side of the AP unit may be fixed, and the transparent plate on the eyepiece side may be vertically and horizontally tilted to correct the shake. Thereby, the field of view of the binoculars can be further widened.

Further, in the above-described embodiments, the binoculars have been described as the observation optical devices. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and may be applied to, for example, monoculars and telescopes. is there.

As described above, in the binoculars, which are the observation optical devices of the above-described embodiments, a favorable image stable state can be obtained by the variable apex angle prism, and the size of the device can be effectively reduced. In addition, since the shake correction state is set only when the operation lever is pressed, the power of the battery can be used effectively. Further, by providing a shake correction mode changeover switch or a timer, it is possible to effectively prevent the power from being inadvertently turned on when carrying the camera and unnecessary power consumption.

[0028]

As described above, the observation optical device of the present invention can obtain a good image stable state, and can effectively reduce the size of the device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing binoculars according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan sectional view showing the diopter / focus adjustment mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a lock mechanism and a VAP unit.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a lock mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 100 binocular body 106R, L Objective lens unit 202, 203 VAP unit 220 Lock mechanism 224 Shake correction operation lever 300R, L Eyepiece prism unit 410 Control circuit board 412 Shake correction mode switch

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiki Kino 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 27/64 G03B 5 / 00 G02B 23/18

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An objective optical system, light beam deflecting optical means for deflecting a light beam as an optical image from the objective optical system, and an erect prism for reflecting the optical image from the variable apex angle prism to an erect image. An eyepiece optical system that guides an optical image from the erecting prism to the observation side, an optical device main body containing the objective optical system, the light beam deflecting optical unit, the erecting prism, and the eyepiece optical system, Drive control means for detecting a shake of the optical device main body and controlling the tilting drive of the light beam deflecting optical means based on the detection output, selection means for selecting a drive control state by the control means, and selection state of the selection means Switching means for switching between operation and non-operation of the drive control means in response to the control signal. 2. A pair of objective optical systems, a pair of light beam deflecting optical means for deflecting a light beam as an optical image from the objective optical system, and reflection so that the optical image from the light beam deflecting optical device becomes an erect image. A pair of erecting prisms, a pair of eyepiece optical systems for guiding an optical image from the erecting prism to the observation side, the objective optical system, the light beam deflecting optical unit, the erecting prism, and the eyepiece optical system. A housed optical device main body, a battery disposed between the objective optical system, a vertical shake detecting means for detecting a vertical shake of the optical device main body, and a horizontal shake detection of the optical device main body A horizontal shake detecting means, a driving control means for controlling the tilt drive of the variable apex angle prism based on a detection output from each of the shake detecting means supplied with power from the battery, and the control means. Selecting means for selecting a drive control state; and light beam deflection state regulating means for interlocking and regulating the light beam deflection state of the pair of light beam deflection optical means in response to the selected state of the selection means. Optical equipment for observation. 3. The observation optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light beam deflecting means is a variable apex angle prism.