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:
Aug. 18, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 23, 1997
Robert B Chipper, Allen, TX (US);
Raytheon TI Systems, Inc., Lewisville, TX (US);
Abstract
An infrared lens assembly (16) having a variable F/Number. The infrared lens assembly (16) includes a focusing component (33), a collecting component (37), an aperture stop (46), and a diffracting component (41). The focusing component (33) may include a first and a second focusing zoom lens (34, 36) movably mounted in the infrared lens assembly (16). The focusing component (33) and the collecting component (37) may be formed from high dispersion, low index material. The aperture stop (46) may be mounted to the second focusing zoom lens (36) to vary the F/Number between a retracted zoom position and an extended zoom position. The diffracting component (41) may include a diffractive surface to correct color aberrations associated with an infrared waveband. The focusing component (33) and the collecting component (37) cooperate with the diffracting component (41) to focus infrared radiation at an image plane (15) of an infrared detector (18).