The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 1986
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1984
Luis W Alvarez, Berkeley, CA (US);
Arnold J Schwemin, Danville, CA (US);
Schwem Instruments, Pleasant Hill, CA (US);
Abstract
An optically stabilized camera lens system includes an objective lens mounted to the lens case and an optical train defining an optical path between the objective lens and a camera image plane. The optical train includes first a Humphrey prism, second a light reversing, cube corner element, third a zoom lens. Provision is made for replacement of the cube corner with a prism and use of a parity inverting prism such as a Dove or preferably a Pechan to provide an alternate path. Roll stabilization is provided by coupling the Pechan, Dove or equivalent parity reversing prism to a gyroscope so the prism becomes a derotating prism. The derotating prism rotates about the optical path at half the speed the case rotates about the optical axis to produce roll stabilization preferred in camera and video applications. The Humphrey prism is inertially mounted to the case, using a stabilizer to compensate for small accidental tilt and pan motions of the case. The tilt and pan stabilizer includes a Cardan suspension assembly including a first gimbal mounted to the case, a second gimbal pivotally mounted to the first gimbal and a precessor biased rotor mounted to the second gimbal. A third gimbal is pivotally mounted to the second gimbal; the Humphrey prism is pivotally mounted to the third gimbal. The Cardan suspension assembly provides a gyroscopically stabilized mount for the third gimbal.