Abstract: Foamed and expanded beads including a polyester-based resin containing at least 35 mole % of an aliphatic ester component. The foamed beads have a gel fraction of at least 5 % by weight and comprises at least one gel accelerating agent selected from fatty acids having 12-25 carbon atoms, metal salts of the fatty acids, esters of the fatty acids and amides of the fatty acids in an amount of 0.15-3 % by weight. A foam molding is obtained by heating the foamed and expanded beads in a mold.

Abstract: A lens apparatus or optical instrument having a lens apparatus including a holding member that holds and moves a lens or a lens group in an optical axis direction, the holding member having a vent providing ventilation between the interior and the exterior of the lens apparatus, a water-repellent microporous member that covers the vent, and an appearance member disposed on the holding member, with a clearance provided between the appearance member and the holding member, so as to shield the water-repellent microporous member.

Abstract: An expansion-molded article (foamed body) produced by using foamed and expanded beads, and having open voids has sound absorbing qualities, and can be used as a sound absorbing material. However, a sound absorbing material comprising such an expansion-molded article has been unable to attain a high sound absorption coefficient in a wide acoustic frequency range.

Abstract: An expansion-molded article (foamed body) produced by using foamed and expanded beads, and having open voids has sound absorbing qualities, and can be used as a sound absorbing material. However, a sound absorbing material comprising such an expansion-molded article has been unable to attain a high sound absorption coefficient in a wide acoustic frequency range.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fixed lens tube of cylindrical shape and a plurality of operation parts of push type, wherein the plurality of operation parts are interconnected by a ring-shaped elastic member and are attached to the fixed lens tube. This structural arrangement of the lens barrel effectively simplifies assembly processes in the manufacture of lens barrels.

Abstract: An image blur correction apparatus in which, even when a driving amount of a moving member is large, deterioration of driving efficiency is minimized without enlarging a driving device comprises a driving device having driving means comprising a flat coil and magnets arranged opposite the coil to drive a moving member by supplying electricity to the coil, the the coil is integrally constituted with the moving member. A relationship of a width of a driving direction of the coil and a width of the opposite magnet is set so that the width of the magnet is set greater than the width of the coil, and smaller than a length obtained by adding a maximum driving amount of the moving member to the width of the coil.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes fixed tubes each arranged to hold an optical unit having an optical axis, a rotating tube arranged to rotate around the optical axis with respect to the fixed tubes, wherein the rotating tube is provided, at front and rear portions thereof as viewed along the optical axis, respectively with end surfaces of ring shape having a center thereof on the optical axis, and each of the fixed tubes is provided with an end surface opposite to the associated end surface of the rotating tube, and sheet members of ring shape having a center thereof on the optical axis, each of the sheet members being disposed on a space formed by each end surface of the rotating tube and the associated end surface of the fixed tubes, so that the torque of a rotating operation on the rotating tube is lessened and, yet, the lens barrel excels in dust-proof and drip-proof.

Abstract: A lens barrel comprising a vibration motor including an annular rotor and an annular stator provided coaxially with the optical axis, a first rotary ring capable of rotation about the optical axis, a first rotary member receiving a rotational force from the first rotary ring or the rotor and adapted to rotate about a rotary shaft extending in a radial direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a second rotary ring having the first rotary member, a first pressurizing device for applying pressure for maintaining the rotor and the stator of the vibration motor in mutual pressure contact, and a second pressurizing device for applying pressure for maintaining the first rotary ring and the first rotary member in mutual pressure contact, wherein the first rotary ring, the rotor and the first rotary member constitute a differential mechanism, and the first rotary member effects revolution about the optical axis by the differential mechanism and rotates the second rotary ring about the optical axis.

Abstract: A polycarbonate resin foamed molding having a density D of 0.6 g/cm3 or less and at least 30 (kg·cm/cm3)/(g/cm3) of a value E80/D obtained by dividing an amount of energy absorbed through 50% compression of the molding at 80° C. (E80 kg·cm/cm3) by the density of the molding. A shock absorber for a vehicle includes a core of the above molding, and a skin covering a surface of the core.

Abstract: Foamed and expanded beads of a crosslinked aliphatic polyester resin having a gel fraction of at least 5% by weight. The expanded beads may be obtained by crosslinking beads of a non-crosslinked aliphatic polyester resin with a crosslinking agent including an organic peroxide to obtain crosslinked resin beads having a gel fraction of at least 5% by weight, and then expanding the crosslinked resin beads. A biodegradable foamed article may be obtained by thermally foaming the crosslinked, expanded aliphatic polyester resin beads in a mold.

Abstract: A composite material including a polypropylene resin molded body having a melting point MB.degree. C., and a foamed body of expanded particles fuse-bonded to the molded body, wherein the foamed body has at least two endothermic peaks in DSC curve thereof at peak temperatures of 135.degree. C. or more, wherein the highest temperature endothermic peak thereof is at a peak temperature of PH.degree. C. which is not lower than (MB-5).degree. C. and has such an area at temperatures not lower than (MB-5).degree. C. that corresponds to a calorific value in the range of at least 8 J/g, and wherein the peel strength between the molded body and the foamed body is at least 1.5 kg/15 mm. The composite material is produced by molding the expanded particles in a mold cavity in which the molded body is previously placed.

Abstract: Balls are clamped between a first gear driven by an auto-focusing motor and a second gear driven by a manual focusing ring. The balls are arranged to revolve about a given axis. A projection having an elasticity and provided to the second gear itself is brought into contact with a fixing member provided at a predetermined position, so that a clamping force for clamping the balls is generated by the projection.

Abstract: A first ball lace and a second ball lace, which is arranged at a position opposite to the first ball lace to sandwich a ball between itself and the first ball lace are coaxially assembled in a pencil shaped vibration driven motor or actuator, so that the second ball lace can be operated externally, and the rotational force of the ball can be output to an external device.

Abstract: A digital audio tape recorder having a function of reproducing the magnetic tape with digital data recorded thereon in the state of high-speed travelling by a plurality of rotary heads for the purpose of high-speed search and cue/review. In high-speed search, the parity of the read digital data is checked to select the digital data identified by the greatest majority. The data are selected after discriminating the data supplied from the sub code area 1 from the data supplied from the sub code area 2 in REW search but without such discrimination in FF search. In cue/review, the number of identified parities is counted for each of the plurality of rotary heads. The digital data read out by the magnetic head which has supplied the digital data having a smaller number of identified parities is prevented from reproduction. The digital data read out by the magnetic head which has supplied the digital data having a larger number of identified parities is interpolated and reproduced.