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Telemicroscopes mounted to spectacle lenses extend rearwardly from the lenses toward a patient's eyes. The telemicroscopes are miniaturized and provide an extended depth of field and a field of view ranging from 8 degrees to 20 degrees. The spectacle lenses are shaded to increase the field of view, and the image viewed through the telemicroscopes matches the perceived outer diameter of the telemicroscopes. With the very small scopes positioned at about the center viewing axis of the eye, bilevel viewing in which a magnified image and a nonmagnified image are simultaneously viewed is possible. Several telemicroscopes may be mounted in a cluster for panoramic viewing.

Inventor: D. Brandon Edwards
Current U.S. Classification: 359/481; 351/158; 359/409
International Classification: G02B 2300

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Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
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US2027123Feb 20, 1933Jan 7, 1936SPORT OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING
US2217475Sep 25, 1939Oct 8, 1940ATTACHMENT FOB EYEGLASSES
US2256587Jun 10, 1937Sep 23, 1941CORRECTING OCULAR DEFECTS
US2280354Sep 15, 1939Apr 21, 1942BINOCULARS
US2389428May 23, 1945Nov 20, 1945COMBINED SPECTACLE AND TELESCOPE
US2422661Jul 24, 1944Jun 24, 1947BINOCULAB MAGNIFYING LENS HOLDER
US2545673May 20, 1949Mar 20, 1951POZARIK
US2599716Jun 29, 1950Jun 10, 1952LOUPE
US2675740Dec 30, 1948Apr 20, 1954GLARE PREVENTING DEVICE AND METHOD
US2759395Apr 20, 1953Aug 21, 1956BINOCULAR MAGNIFIER
US2978955Jul 3, 1957Apr 11, 1961DETACHABLE MOUNT FOR OPTICAL DEVICES ON SPECTACLE FRAMES
US3273456Dec 7, 1962Sep 20, 1966BIFOCAL LOUPES AND TELEMICROSCOPIC LENSES THEREFOR
US3456327Sep 16, 1966Jul 22, 1969METHOD OF MOUNTING A MAGNIFYING ATTACHMENT ON A SPECTACLE LENS
US3522983Jul 5, 1968Aug 4, 1970DANIELS MAGNIFYING SPECTACLES
US3592525Jul 1, 1971ILLUMINATING HEADPIECE FOR SPECTACLES INCLUDING SECONDARY MAGNIFYING LENSES
US3741634Dec 14, 19711973BINOCULAR SPECTACLES
US3826564Sep 25, 19721974EYE GLASS FRAME FOR REPLACEABLE LENSES
US4074368Sep 8, 1976Feb 21, 1978SAID Chauncey F. Levy, Jr., by said Richard J. PegisIntraocular lens with high magnification
US4195918Oct 20, 1978Apr 1, 1980Illuminating spectacles with variable magnifying power

Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US4714329Oct 7, 1985Dec 22, 1987N.V. OptimedVisual aid especially for weak-sighted persons
US4877316Dec 18, 1987Oct 31, 1989Edwards Optical CorporationTelemicroscopic apparatus for sighting and bi-level viewing
US4929075Jul 31, 1989May 29, 1990Optical viewing system
US4973130Mar 28, 1989Nov 27, 1990Telescopic spectacles glasses
US5004332Apr 25, 1989Apr 2, 1991Edwards Optical CorporationTelemicroscope with at least one light absorbing annular baffle fitting
US5052790Sep 1, 1989Oct 1, 1991Edwards Optical CorporationTelemicroscopic apparatus for sighting and bi-level viewing
US5121251Feb 4, 1991Jun 9, 1992Edwards Optical CorporationTelemicroscope with absorbing annular baffle
US5196028Jul 16, 1991Mar 23, 1993Allergan, Inc.High-magnification telephoto spectacles for age-related macular degeneration
US5446507Dec 3, 1993Aug 29, 1995General Scientific CorporationSpectacle frame for telemicroscopes and the like
US5680194Sep 20, 1994Oct 21, 1997Periscopic telemicroscope for spectacles
US5734500Jan 10, 1994Mar 31, 1998Blue Sky Research, Inc.Binocular with extended monocular field
US6120145Jun 28, 1999Sep 19, 2000LD3, Inc.Surgical loupes apparatus
US6445497Jul 20, 2000Sep 3, 2002Aerospatiale Matra MissilesOptical sighting system
US7477451Nov 18, 2004Jan 13, 2009The Research Foundation Of State University Of New YorkDevices and methods for providing wide field magnification
US7511896Jan 9, 2006Mar 31, 2009Edwards Optical CorporationTelescopes for simultaneous clear viewing of objects and areas both near and distant
US7762677Oct 15, 2007Jul 27, 2010The Boeing CompanyOptical system with inter-lens baffles
US8125718Feb 13, 2009Feb 28, 2012Edwards Optical CorporationTelescopes for simultaneous clear viewing of objects and areas both near and distant
US8215768Feb 12, 2009Jul 10, 2012TopSight Optics Ltd.Telescopic spectacles

Claims

1. Spectacles comprising a carrier frame to be supported on a wearer for positioning spectacle lenses in front of the eyes of the wearer and a multiple lens optical instrument mounted to at least one of the lenses, characterized in that:

the optical instrument extends from a front lens of the instrument at about the spectacle lens toward the wearer's eye, is less than about 16 mm in overall length, and has an internal diaphragm with an aperture of about 4 mm.

2. Spectacles as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the ratio L.sub.N /ID.sub.N of the length L.sub.N of the optical instrument, from the diaphragm of the instrument to a negative lens of the instrument near the eye, to the inner diameter ID.sub.N of the instrument at the diaphragm is about 3.

3. Spectacles as claimed in claim 2 wherein the ratio L.sub.N /ID.sub.N is greater than 3.

4. Spectacles as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the optical length of the optical instrument is adjustable for focal adjustment.

5. Spectacles as claimed in claim 1 wherein the perceived periphery of the magnified image viewed through the optical instrument closely matches the perceived outer periphery of the optical instrument.

6. Spectacles as claimed in claim 1 wherein the optical instrument is of a smaller outer diameter and is mounted to be held close to the wearer's eye at about but offset relative to the central viewing axis of the eye such that the person is able to view and perceive a magnified image and a nonmagnified image simultaneously.

7. Spectacles as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spectacle lens to which the optical instrument is mounted incorporates shading.

8. Spectacles as claimed in claim 7 characterized by a cluster of telemicroscopes mounted to the spectacle lens for panaromic viewing with the views through the individual telemicroscopes blended together.

9. Spectacles comprising a carrier frame to be supported on a wearer for positioning spectacle lenses in front of the eyes of the wearer and a multiple lens optical instrument mounted to at least one of the lenses, characterized in that:

the optical instrument has only two lenses mounted in a barrel which is less than about 16 mm in overall length and extends from a front lens of the instrument at about the spectacle lens toward the wearer's eye, and the optical length of the optical instrument is adjustable for focal adjustment.

10. Telemicroscopic spectacles comprising a carrier frame to be supported on the nose of a wearer for positioning spectacle lenses in front of the eyes of the wearer and a telemicroscope mounted to at least one of the lenses, characterized in that:

the telemicroscope has an internal diaphragm of about 4 mm and is mounted to a spectacle lens incorporating shading.

11. Telemicroscopic spectacles as claimed in claim 10 characterized in that the telemicroscope extends from a front lens of the telemicroscope at about the spectacle lens toward the wearer's eye and has a small internal diaphragm for providing a large depth of field ranging at least from several meters to infinity.

12. Telemicroscopic spectacles as claimed in claim 10 wherein the spectacles lens shading is darkest at about the telemicroscope and lighter towards the periphery of the spectacle lens.

13. Telemicroscopic spectacles as claimed in claim 10 wherein the perceived periphery of the magnified image viewed through the telemicroscope closely matches the perceived outer periphery of the telemicroscope.

14. Telemicroscopic spectacles as claimed in claim 10 wherein the telemicroscope is of a small outer diameter and is mounted to be held close to the wearer's eye at about but offset relative to the central viewing axis of the eye such that the person is able to view and perceive a magnified image and a non-magnified image simultaneously.

15. Telemicroscopic spectacles as claimed in claim 14 wherein the shading is darkest over about half of the lens and surrounds the telemicroscope.

16. Telemicroscopic apparatus comprising a telemicroscope mounted to a carrier for positioning of the telemicroscope in front of a person's eye, characterized in that:

the telemicroscope is of a small outer diameter with an optic axis within 5 millimeters of an outer edge thereof and is mounted to be held close to the person's eye with the outer edge at about but offset relative to the central viewing axis of the eye with the optic axis of the telemicroscope within 5 millimeters of the central viewing axis of the eye such that the person is able to view and perceive a nonmagnified image of an object near the center of vision and a clear magnified image of the same object simultaneously without confusion with the edge and center axis of the magnified image close to the center of the nonmagnified image.

17. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the perceived periphery of the magnified image viewed through the telemicroscope closely matches the perceived outer periphery of the telemicroscope.

18. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 17 further comprising means to enlarge the perceived outer periphery of the telemicroscope.

19. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means to increase the perceived outer periphery is a diaphragm movable toward the eye along the telemicroscope.

20. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means to increase the perceived outer periphery is an asymmetric diaphragm which is rotatable about the telemicroscope.

21. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 16 characterized by a cluster of telemicroscopes mounted for panaromic viewing with the views through the individual telemicroscopes blended together.

22. Telemicroscopic spectacles as claimed in claim 16 characterized by a cluster of telemicroscopes mounted to a shaded spectacle lens for panoromic viewing with the views through the individual telemicroscopes blended together.

23. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 16 characterized in that the optical length of the telemicroscope is adjustable for focal adjustment.

24. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein positive and negative lenses of the telemicroscope are jointed through adjustable threaded conjunctions.

25. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the telemicroscope is mounted for adjustment of the angle of the telemicroscope relative to the carrier.

26. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the telemicroscope is less than about 16 millimeters in overall length and less than about 10 millimeters in outer diameter.

27. Telemicroscopic apparature as claimed in claim 26 wherein the telemicroscope has a small internal diaphragm of about 4 millimeters.

28. Telemicroscopic spectacles comprising a carrier frame to be supported on a wearer for positioning spectacle lenses in front of the eyes of the wearer and a telemicroscope mounted to at least one of the lenses, characterized in that:

the telemicroscope extends from a front lens of the telemicroscope at about the spectacle lens toward the wearer's eye, is less than about 16 millimeters in overall length, is less than about 10 millimeters in outer diameter, and has an internal diaphragm with an aperture of about 4 millimeters;
positive and negative lenses of the telemicroscope are joined through adjustable threaded connections to enable adjustment of the optical length of the telemicroscope;
means are provided to enlarge the perceived outer periphery of the telemicroscope to enable that periphery to be matched to the perceived periphery of the magnified image viewed through the telemicroscope;
the spectacle lens to which the telemicroscope is mounted incorporates shading; and
the telemicroscope is mounted to be held at about eyelash length from the wearer's eye at about but offset relative to the central viewing axis of the eye such that the person is about to view and perceive a magnified image and a nonmagnified image simultaneously.

29. Telemicroscopic apparatus comprising a telemicroscope mounted to a carrier for positioning of the telemicroscope in front of a person's eye, characterized in that:

the telemicroscope is of a small outer diameter and is mounted to be held close to the person's eye at about but offset relative to the central viewing axis of the eye with the optic axis of the telemicroscope close to the central viewing axis of the eye such that the person is able to view and perceive a nonmagnified image of an object near the center of vision and a clear magnified image of the same object simultaneously without confusion with the edge and center axis of the magnified image close to the center of the nonmagnified image, wherein the perceived periphery of the magnified image viewed through the telemicroscope closely matches the perceived outer periphery of the telemicroscope and the telemicroscopic apparatus further comprises means to enlarge the perceived outer periphery of the telemicroscope.

30. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein the means to increase the perceived outer periphery is a diaphragm movable toward the eye along the telemicroscope.

31. Telemicroscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein the means to increase the perceived outer periphery is an asymmetric diaphragm which is rotatable about the telemicroscope.

32. Telemicroscopic apparatus comprising a telemicroscope mounted to a carrier for positioning of the telemicroscope in front of a person's eye, the apparatus comprising:

a cluster of telemicroscopes mounted to a shaded spectacle lens for panoromic viewing with the views through the individual telemicroscopes blended together, each telemicroscope being of a small outer diameter and mounted to be held close to the person's eye at about but offset relative to the central viewing axis of the eye with the optic axis of the telemicroscope close to the central viewing axis of the eye such that the person is able to view and perceive a nonmagnified image of an object near the center of vision and a clear magnified image of the same object simultaneously without confusion with the edge and center axis of the magnified image close to the center of the nonmagnified image.

33. Telemicroscopic apparatus comprising a telemicroscope mounted to a carrier for positioning of the telemicroscope in front of a person's eye, wherein:

the telemicroscope is of a small outer diameter and has an internal diaphragm with an aperture of about 4 millimeters and is mounted to be held close to the person's eye at about but offset relative to the central viewing axis of the eye with the optic axis of the telemicroscope close to the central viewing axis of the eye such that the person is able to view and perceive a nonmagnified image of an object near the center of vision and a clear magnified image of the same object simultaneously without confusion with the edge and center axis of the magnified image close to the center of the nonmagnified image.

Drawings