Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-beam optical system that includes a laser source, a diffractive beam dividing element that divides the light beam emitted from the laser source into a plurality of light beams, a propagation optical system through which the divided light beams propagate, a polygon mirror and a scan lens. The propagation optical system includes a curved surface mirror that is arranged such that center axes of the reflected light beams are spatially separated from center axes of the incident light beams at a predetermined separation angle. The diffractive beam-dividing element Is arranged such that the center axis of the incident light beam is inclined with respect to the normal to a diffraction grating surface thereof so as to compensate bending of a beam spot line, along which the beam spots align, depending on the separation angle of the curved surface mirror.

Abstract: A viewing optical instrument includes a main barrel which supports an objective optical system, a movable member for focus adjustment which is supported by the main barrel to be movable along an optical axis of the objective optical system relative to the main barrel, a focusing mechanism which drives the movable member along the optical axis, a focus knob which actuates the focusing mechanism, an auxiliary unit provided separately from the viewing optical instrument including an auxiliary mechanism which is associated with the focusing mechanism when the auxiliary unit is connected to the viewing optical instrument, and a connecting device for detachably attaching the auxiliary unit to the viewing optical instrument.

Abstract: A filter for visual display terminals (VDT), comprising a substrate film having on one surface a deposition layer of indium-tin oxide (ITO) and on the other surface a flexible resin layer comprising a photopolymerized coating derived from a monomeric mixture of at least one of diallyl phthalate, diallyl isophthalate, and diallyl terephthalate, and pentaerythritol tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) in an equivalent ratio of 2:1 to 1:3, and further containing a photopolymerization initiator.

Abstract: A scanning lens which converges a beam deflected by a deflector on a surface to be scanned, is provided with at least one refractive lens, and a diffractive lens structure formed on at least one surface of the at least one refractive lens.

Abstract: A zoom lens system includes a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a negative third lens group. Zooming is performed by moving the first through third lens groups in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: A video-signal processing device connectable to an electronic endoscope capable of outputting a component-type electric analog color video signal. An analog-to-digital converter converts video-signal components of the component-type video signal into parallel digital color video-signal components. A color-conversion digital matrix circuit produces a parallel digital luminance signal-component, and two kinds of parallel digital color-difference signal-components based on the parallel digital color video-signal-components. A parallel-to-serial converter converts the luminance signal-component and digital color-difference signal-components into serial digital color video-signal-components. The electric analog video signal outputted from the electronic endoscope is fed outside the device as the serial electric digital video signal.

Abstract: Ink transfer printer has an electrically-insulated base member, a plurality of electric resistance elements linearly formed on a surface of said base member, a frame member having an opening, securely provided on the surface of said base member such that said plurality of electric resistance elements are encompassed by said opening of said frame member, a sheet of film, having a linear perimeter side, adhered and sealed to said frame member, except for said linear perimeter side, such that said opening of said frame member is defined as an ink space that stores ink, said linear perimeter side of said film sheet extending along the linear formation of said plurality of electric resistance elements, and contacting a surface of said frame member. When each electric resistance element is electrically energized, a part of the ink penetrates said closed slit and then exits said closed slit as a fine ink drop.

Abstract: A multi-point autofocus system includes a focus detection device which can calculate a defocus amount for each of a plurality of focus detection zones in a picture plane; a selecting device for manually selecting a focus detection zone from the plurality of focus detection zones for which the defocus amount is to be calculated by the focus detection device; and a determining device for determining a valid focus detection zone by which a valid defocus amount can be calculated out of at least one of the plurality of focus detection zones other than the manually-selected focus detection zone, in such a manner that a higher priority is given to a focus detection zone than another focus detection zone of the plurality of focus detection zones in the case where the result of a calculation of the defocus amount of the manually-selected focus detection zone is invalid.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a plurality of linear semiconductors of a predetermined length, on which electronic element are formed, are aligned laterally and in parallel. A semiconductor assembly apparatus for assembling the semiconductor device, aligns the linear semiconductors in parallel via an arranging member. The linear semiconductors are interconnected by a connecting member in the semiconductor assembly apparatus.

Abstract: A zoom lens system including a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a negative third lens group. zooming is performed by moving the first through third lens. The negative first lens group includes positive-negative cemented lens elements, and the most object-side surface thereof is a concave surface. The zoom lens system satisfies: −1<r1/fW<0 . . . (1); 1.4<f1G/f1N<1.8 . . . (2); wherein r1: the radius of curvature of the most object-side surface of the first lens group; fW: the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity; f1G: the focal length of the first lens group; and f1N: the focal length of the lens element of the cemented lens elements.

Abstract: A network auction system is provided with a selling server, a plurality of customer terminals. Each of the plurality of customer terminals is connectable to the selling server through a communication network. Further, the auction system includes a web page creating system that creates a web page which is accessible from each of the plurality of customer terminals through the communication network, a product data base containing product data related to imaging apparatuses subjected to be auctioned, and an image data base containing image data related to imaging apparatuses subjected to be auctioned. The web page creating system is configured to create a web page corresponding to an imaging apparatus designated by a customer terminal. The web page creating system uses data stored in at least the product data base and the image data base when it creates the web page corresponding to the designated imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A camera having a control dial/display panel unit includes a ring member which can be manually rotated about a first axis; a display panel which is surrounded by the ring member so as to be viewed through an aperture of the ring member from outside the camera; a rotational member which is rotatable about a second axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis; a transmission device for transmitting the rotation of the ring member to the rotational member; a detection device which is disposed on the rotational member to detect rotation information of the rotational member; and a controller which determines rotation information of the ring member via the rotation information of the rotational member, which is detected by the detection device, to indicate information corresponding to the rotation information of the ring member on the display panel.

Abstract: An endoscopic flexible tube that allows for easy fabrication of a jacket of a multi-layered structure that is adequately protected against separation of overlying layers. Two adjacent layers in the multi-layered structure portion of the jacket are integrally combined via an area that comprises a mixture of the constituent materials of the two layers.

Abstract: An FPC mounting structure for a lens shutter having a lens-shutter unit having therein a photographing lens and a shutter, and an FPC which is adapted to connect the lens-shutter unit to a control circuit, includes a circumferentially extending FPC which is supported along an outer surface of the lens-shutter unit, and an axially extending FPC which extends in the optical axis direction and which is connected to the control circuit. The circumferentially extending FPC and the axially extending FPC are constructed separately and are connected to each other in a press-contact state.

Abstract: An insertion unit for an endoscope includes a flexible tube having an inner diameter D1 and an inner cross-sectional area S, and a plurality of components inserted and arranged in said flexible tube. The plurality of components include at least one optical fiber bundle. The insertion unit is configured such that the inner diameter D1 is not less than 6.5 mm and the inner cross-sectional area S satisfies the condition of 0.5≦&Sgr;s/s≦0.6, where &Sgr;s represents a sum of cross-sectional areas of the components arranged in the flexible tube. Alternatively, the insertion unit is configured such that the inner diameter D1 is less than 6.5 mm and the inner cross-sectional area S satisfies the condition of 0.5≦&Sgr;s/s≦0.65.

Abstract: A zoom lens barrel assembly includes a first lens group including first and second sub-lens groups; a second lens group; a sub-lens group switching mechanism for moving the first or second sub-lens group away from the other in a short focal length photographing range, and toward the other in a long focal length photographing range; and a zoom cam mechanism having front and rear lens group cam grooves. The rear lens group cam groove includes first and second portions corresponding to the short and long focal length photographing ranges, respectively, the first and the second portions connected to each other via a discontinuous portion. The front lens group cam groove includes a non-linear portion which corresponds to the short focal length photographing range and provides a non-linear path, and a linear portion which corresponds to the long focal length photographing range and provides a linear path.

Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a light emitting system that emits light toward an object that is subject to a distance measurement. A light receiving system is provided to receive optical images which are formed by an optical system. The light receiving system outputs data corresponding to the received images. The light receiving system is capable of receiving the object images when the light emitting system emits the light, and when the light emitting system does not emit the light. Further, the distance measuring device includes a control system that receives the data output by the light receiving system twice at the greatest, and performs distance measuring operations, which include a passive distance measurement and an active distance measurement, based on the data output by the light receiving system.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a stationary barrel, an outer ring, an inner ring, a cam ring and a movable lens frame, arranged in that order from outermost side, wherein the axes thereof coincide with a common optical axis, the outer ring being guided linearly in the optical axis direction by the stationary barrel, the inner ring being linearly guided in the optical axis direction by the outer ring, and the cam ring being rotatable to move the movable lens frame in the optical axis direction; and a lens barrier mechanism having an aperture positioned in front of the movable lens frame, the lens barrier mechanism being provided on a front opening of the inner ring, for opening and closing the aperture.

Abstract: A light intercepting member driving mechanism includes light intercepting members which are each rotatable about a rotational axis parallel with an optical axis to open and close a photographing aperture; a drive ring which engages with the light intercepting member to open and close the light intercepting member in accordance with the angular displacement of the drive ring in forward and reverse directions about a rotational axis coincident with the optical axis; a motor which rotates the drive ring in the forward and reverse directions; a position indication portion provided on the drive ring to indicate the angular position of the drive ring; and a stationary detector which detects a passing of the position indication portion when the drive ring is rotated. The opening state of the light intercepting members is detected by the stationary detector and the position indication portion.

Abstract: A multi-stage-extension zoom lens barrel assembly includes an inner peripheral helicoid ring having a first helicoid formed on the outer periphery thereof which is engaged with a second helicoid formed on an inner periphery of an outer peripheral helicoid ring; a first linear guide ring provided in the inner peripheral helicoid ring and is relatively rotatable and integrally movable therewith in the optical axis direction; and a first outer barrel for covering the first linear guide ring, the first outer barrel being supported on the first linear guide ring so as to relatively rotate and move together in the optical axis direction therewith, wherein the first outer barrel is detachably attached to the inner peripheral helicoid ring, the first outer barrel being integrally rotatable about the optical axis and integrally movable along the optical axis with the inner peripheral helicoid ring.