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:
Apr. 14, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 16, 1996
Hidenori Miyamoto, Urayasu, JP;
Hiroshi Wakabayashi, Yokohama, JP;
Koichi Oshita, Tokyo, JP;
Motohisa Mouri, Yokohama, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A real image viewfinder of an optical device includes an eye piece through which an optical axis may be viewed with respect to a target frame. The target frame may be used for centering an optical image on an image forming plane and also for autofocus of the optical device. The real image viewfinder includes a first prism for redefining an optical axis within the optical device. The first prism has a pair of reflective planes joined about a first ridge line. The first ridge line generally includes a number of manufacturing flaws which are noticeable by the photographer. Thus, viewfinder components are shifted by a predetermined amount to present the first ridge line in an area of the viewfinder which is different from the target frame as viewed through the eye piece. Likewise, the real image viewfinder includes a second prism having a second ridge line which is also shifted away from the target frame as viewed through the eye piece.