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:
Jan. 06, 2015
Filed:
Apr. 21, 2006
Nobuyuki Hashimoto, Iruma, JP;
Nobuyuki Hashimoto, Iruma, JP;
Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention is directed to the provision of a liquid crystal optical element that can accurately change the numerical aperture of an objective lens regardless of variations in temperature or wavelength. The liquid crystal optical element comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal provided between the first and second substrates, an electrode pattern formed on one of the first and second substrates and having an aperture control region, and an opposite electrode formed on the other one of the first and second substrates, the opposite electrode being opposed to the electrode pattern for applying a voltage therebetween, wherein a plurality of electrodes, for changing refractive index and thereby causing the incident light passing through the aperture control region to diverge, are formed in the aperture control region.