Abstract:
A particularly durable and thermally stable chassis (housing, frame, or body) for optical instruments is obtained by the use of compacted ceramic material. The coefficient of thermal expansion of this material can be made equal to that of the optical glass used. It is particularly favorable to develop the chassis as a three-dimensional hollow structure.
Abstract:
For mounting the optical components of optical apparatus in an adjusted manner, the optical components are either adjusted and permanently fixed in or on shaped component bodies having accurately defined dimensions, or are produced on such bodies at an accurate location and with accurate alignment. Then, the shaped component bodies are assembled in a defined manner, so that the optical components assume the precisely correct location relative to one another.
Abstract:
The invention contemplates a method and apparatus for automatically performing digital measurement of vertex dioptric powers in the principal planes of toric spectacle lenses. A spectacle lens is transilluminated by a parallel-ray bundle of monochromatic light which, after passage through the spectacle lens, is limited by an annular stop in the immediate vicinity of the vertex of the spectacle lens. A beamsplitter divides the light which passes through the spectacle lens into two individual light beams. As a result, an elliptical figure is projected to two planes, in each of which is located at least one self-scanning diode line. Diode-line scanning develops intercepts of the projected elliptical figure, and from the positional locations of these intercepts (in relation to the local intercept of the optical axis) a computer performs a selected one of a plurality of evaluation procedures (a) to develop projected-figure reorientation or displacement as necessary to permit it then (b) to perform a desired measurement evaluation. Provision is made for automatic detection of whether a given spectacle lens is or is not within the currently set range of measurement capability and, if determined to be outside such range, the fact of such detection is operative to change optical elements of the apparatus for optimum measurement-range accommodation of the particular spectacle lens.