Patents Represented by Attorney Louis Weinstein
  • Patent number: 6313870
    Abstract: An image input apparatus with a main unit; a film holding adaptor, freely attachable or detachable to or from the main unit, for holding a film; a carriage for holding an illuminator for illuminating a film held in the film holding adaptor and an imaging unit for imaging the film illuminated by the illuminator; and an adaptor mount formed on the carriage and engaged with the film holding adaptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Inoue, Masao Sato
  • Patent number: 6164844
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an engaging mechanism. The engaging mechanism comprises a cam element which moves upon modification of an engaging position, a cam follower abutted against a cam surface of the cam element, a detecting element for detecting a position of the cam follower, and a section to be detected provided on the cam follower, for giving at least three different kinds of output values to the detecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Okumura, Michio Nagai, Hiroshi Terada, Atsushi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6132110
    Abstract: A camera comprises a fixed lens barrel including a moving lens barrel moveable to a collapsed position for non-photography and to a thrust position for photography, and a lens cover capable of pivoting with support shafts, which lie parallel to a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of a photography lens, as a center so as to move to a closed position at which at least part of the face of the photography lens is shielded and to an open position at which the face of the photography lens is exposed. When the lens cover is open, if an external force is applied in a direction in which the lens cover is further opened, the lens cover separates from the support shafts. The support shafts are formed with two shaft members whose distal portions are formed with tapered surfaces and which are constrained to move in directions in which they are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Kume, Takaaki Ue, Yasuo Asakura, Tatsuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6119333
    Abstract: A power module with leads extending upwardly. The circuit components and connections of the power module are arranged upon a substrate having interface leads attached thereto extending away from the undersurface of the substrate. The interface leads extend through openings in a form fitting molded case. The case has an open center region to facilitate performance of final assembly steps upon the module and is subsequently covered with a rugged lid and is encapsulated with a suitable potting material. The interior of the module is filled with a gel to provide moisture-proof protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: ILC Data Device Corporation
    Inventor: Len Marro
  • Patent number: 6106164
    Abstract: A transmission device of driving-force for transmitting driving-force of various types of driving sources inside a camera. In order to provide the transmission device of driving-force that can contribute to downsizing of a camera without decreasing a transmission efficiency of the driving-force and affecting arrangement of mechanism members inside the camera, there is provided an input member inputting turning-force, an output member that is arranged so that its rotation center may be different from the rotation center of the input member, and a drive shaft transmitting the turning-force from the input member to the output member. A junction of a drive shaft and at least either of the input member and output member is constructed so that the junction can rotate in one-piece with having different rotation centers and allowing mutual inclination by making it possible to mutually rock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moriya Katagiri
  • Patent number: 6102585
    Abstract: A camera including a hole drilled in the top surface of the outer housing member of the camera, a shaft extending across and fixed within the hole, a release button mounted within the hole in a manner such that the release button pivots about the shaft, a step formed within the hole to restrain the pivotal motion of the release button in one direction, a hole drilled in the top surface of the outer housing in the vicinity of the side where the pivotal motion of the release button is restrained by the step, and a photograph mode button mounted in the hole in a manner such that the photograph mode button is pressed to operate. With these plurality of operational members mounted in close vicinity, the camera not only imposes no complex operation on a photographer but also helps the photographer make less erratic operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Setsuya Kataoka, Koji Kato
  • Patent number: 6104878
    Abstract: A failure detection and storage device provided with a failure factor detection unit for detecting generation of a failure factor when the failure factor being capable of causing a failure of a camera is generated, a date-and-time information output unit for outputting date-and-time information which corresponds to a date and a time at which the failure factor is generated, a storage unit being capable of storing failure factor information representing the failure factor, the generation of which is detected by the failure factor detection unit, and date-and-time information outputted the date-and-time information output unit, a display unit being capable of displaying the information stored by the storage unit and a control unit for determining a level of the failure factor, the generation of which is detected by the failure factor detection unit, and for deciding whether or not at least one of the failure factor information, the generation of which is detected by the failure factor detection unit, and the da
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michi Toguchi, Osamu Nonaka, Atsushi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6101474
    Abstract: A voice recording/reproducing apparatus includesan A/D converting circuit for converting an input analog voice signal into a digital signal;a digital signal processing circuit for coding the converted digital signal in a predetermined format and decoding the coded voice data;a recording medium for storing the coded voice data;a buffer memory;a D/A converter for converting the decoded digital signal stored in the recording medium into an analog voice signal;an operation unit for setting a predetermined mode; anda control circuit for performing a predetermined process for reducing noise in a reproducing operation to the voice data obtained from time a predetermined period of time before the operation unit recognizes that a recording stop operation is performed by the operation unit during a recording operation to time when the operation unit recognizes that the recording stop operation is performed whereby the noise due to a stop operation is reduced when the voice data is in said buffer memory and then transfe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Ltd., Co.
    Inventor: Kenji Fujibayashi
  • Patent number: 6101336
    Abstract: A camera with self-timer photographing function has a release button for a release switch operation, a self-timer photographing mode switching button, and the like. A photographing mode for a scene in which only a photographer enters a screen and a photographing mode for a scene in which a plurality of persons are an object to be photographed are switched by the mode switching button in photographing in a self-timer photographing mode. Photographing is executed by an AF (AUTOMATIC FOCUSING) operation performed a self-timer time after in the former mode, photographing is executed by an AF operation performed immediately after a release switch operation in the later ode. According to this camera, in the self-timer photographing, photographing with a correct focus for the state of an object can be always performed without checking the focus in photographing or checking a distance measurement target in a finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 6099171
    Abstract: A lens-shutter device of the present invention includes main blades and sub blades which can rotate in the opening and closing directions within an inner space formed by a case and a case cover. When the shutter is closed, protrusions of the case cover disposed on a rotating path of the main blades and protrusions of the case disposed on the same path permit each blade to be maintained in a state where gaps are more even and much smaller. This enables a satisfactory shield condition to be obtained. Furthermore, in a traveling range from the closed state to the open state of the shutter, drive load of the main blades is reduced by being released from the protrusions to enable smooth opening and closing, which results in effective shielding and a lighter drive load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6092817
    Abstract: A light-weight carrier comprised of hollow tubular members joined by angle brackets to form a substantially rectangular structure. Two longer sides extend beyond the ends of the two shorter sides. The first ends of the two longer sides receive and support an axle having a pair of wheels mounted thereto. The angle brackets each secure a long and short side and assure rectangularity. At least one pair of brackets, preferably those remote from the wheels, may be moved closer to or further removed from the brackets closer to the wheels, thereby, respectively, extending or reducing the overall length thereof. The net is loosely coupled to all four (4) sides of the frame and cooperates with a pair of criss-crossed bungee cords or the like to retain articles on the tote. The short piece remote from the axle serves as a handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Sterling Suma, Ltd.
    Inventor: Thomas K. Kilmer
  • Patent number: 6094223
    Abstract: An automatic focus sensing device senses an in-focus position by using a high-frequency component in an image signal to step drive an imaging lens in the direction of the optical axis of the imaging lens while the image signal is being read in succession to the photoelectrical conversion and then integration of the light of an object incident on an image pickup device. The device generates, in non-synchronization with and independently of an image synchronization signal, a driving pulse fed to an imaging lens driving device for driving the imaging lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6086308
    Abstract: Wheeled carts are pushed onto an inlet end of a conveyor and are automatically advanced, one at a time, to a cross conveyor for delivery to a cart loader conveyor. A cart loader is provided near the outlet end of the cart loader conveyor for automatically loading bundles into a wheeled cart. The input conveyor advances wheeled carts one cart position at a time. Cart positions along the input conveyor are monitored by sensors to automatically control advancement of wheeled carts therealong. A cart delivered from the outlet end of the input conveyor to the cross conveyor activates a cross conveyor limit switch advancing the cart delivered thereto to a position for feeding a wheeled cart onto the cart loader conveyor. A limit switch is actuated when the wheeled cart reaches this position where upon a push bar pushes the cart activating the limit switch onto the cart loader conveyor. The conveyor system in cart handling are preferably operated by hydraulic devices due to their compactness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Quipp Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christer A. Sjogren, Jeffrey A. Bond
  • Patent number: 6081391
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fixed frame, a plurality of lens groups disposed inside the fixed frame movably along an optical axis relative to the fixed frame, at least three lens holding frames holding at least one lens group, a cam frame having bottomed can grooves coupled with the inner circumference of the fixed frame through cams, bottomed can grooves crossing each other coupled with the lens holding frames through cams and a bottomed cam groove which is discontinued at one end surface and continued on another end surface, a key regulating rotation of the lens holding frames about an optical axis relative to the fixed frame as well as reinforcing the strength of the lens barrel, a cam mechanism between the cam frame and the lens holding frames for moving the lens holding frames along the optical axis by rotation of the cam frame about the optical axis relative to the fixed frame, an internal gear on the inner circumference of the cam frame, a pinion gear transmitting drive force from a drive source to the in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kousaku Nishio, Takeshi Ito, Shigeo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6078409
    Abstract: In a scanner having a film image input unit for reading images from developed film stowed in a cartridge and a cartridge film holding unit capable of being detachably attached to the image input unit and of holding the cartridge, a locking mechanism is used to restrain the film holding unit from being detached from the image input unit immediately before or after pulling the film out of the cartridge is started. It is therefore possible to prevent the imperfect run or rewind of the cartridge film due to a careless operation. It can also be prevented that loaded film is soiled or flawed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiji Kunishige
  • Patent number: 6072955
    Abstract: A failure detection and storage device provided with a failure factor detection unit for detecting generation of a failure factor when the failure factor being capable of causing a failure of a camera is generated, a date-and-time information output unit for outputting date-and-time information which corresponds to a date and a time at which the failure factor is generated, a storage unit being capable of storing failure factor information representing the failure factor, the generation of which is detected by the failure factor detection unit, and date-and-time information outputted the date-and-time information output unit, a display unit being capable of displaying the information stored by the storage unit and a control unit for determining a level of the failure factor, the generation of which is detected by the failure factor detection unit, and for deciding whether or not at least one of the failure factor information, the generation of which is detected by the failure factor detection unit, and the da
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michi Yokouchi, Osamu Nonaka, Atsushi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6070353
    Abstract: A hammer for a portable firearm, such as automatic pistol, which hammer is at least partially exposed and has a hammer piece (1), arranged for firing a bullet cartridge by striking action and an end piece (2) extending a given distance for facilitating grasping of the hammer piece and preferably connected to the hammer piece (1) in a flexible manner, where either the end piece (2), extends a given distance on the hammer piece (1), is mounted via a flexible connection, or the end piece (2) is made of a flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Heckler & Koch GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Albrecht, Hans Peter Bantle, Robert Knopfle, Helmut Weldle
  • Patent number: 6072643
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes a fixed frame, a plurality of lens groups disposed on the inner circumference of the fixed frame movably along an optical axis direction with respect to the fixed frame, at least three lens holding frames for holding at least one lens group of a plurality of the lens groups, a cam frame having bottomed cam grooves to be coupled with the inner circumference of the fixed frame through cams, bottomed cam grooves across each other to be coupled with the lens holding frames through cams and a bottomed cam groove which is discontinued on one end surface and continued from the other end surface, a key member for regulating the rotation of the lens holding frames about an optical axis with respect to the fixed frame as well as reinforcing the strength of the entire lens barrel, a cam mechanism interposed between the cam frame and the lens holding frames for moving the lens holding frames along the optical axis direction by the rotation of the cam frame about the optical
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kousaku Nishio, Takeshi Ito, Shigeo Hayashi
  • Patent number: D428195
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: K. P. Outfitters, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark F. Knudsen
  • Patent number: D432506
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Teledex, Inc.
    Inventors: Mei Noguchi, Hiro Ogura