Patent ID: 8115161

Claim:
An imaging apparatus adapted to take images of objects in a plurality of directions, comprising: a single imaging device, and at least three imaging optical systems located in juxtaposition to form at least three images on an imaging plane of said single imaging device in different imaging directions, wherein: of said at least three imaging optical systems, at least two each comprise a curved reflecting surface of concave shape that reflects light rays from objects in a right-and-left direction intersecting a direction of juxtaposition of said juxtaposed optical systems; said at least three imaging optical systems include a first imaging optical system, a second imaging optical system and a third imaging optical system; and the first imaging optical system, the second imaging optical system and the third imaging optical system are positioned such that: a first axial chief ray exiting out from the first imaging optical system arrives at the imaging device not via the second imaging optical system and the third imaging optical system, a second axial chief ray exiting out from the second imaging optical system arrives at the imaging device not via the first imaging optical system and the third imaging optical system, and a third axial chief ray exiting out from the third imaging optical system arrives at the imaging device not via the first imaging optical system and the second imaging system.