Abstract: An EFP lens device is attached to a mount frame of a lens supporter, and an adapter-type vibration isolator is fixed to the back face of the mount frame. An ENG camera is attached to the back of the vibration isolator. The vibration isolator automatically checks information about the focal length of the attached lens device, information about an extender, etc. and adjusts the amplitude of the correcting lens according to the vibrations of the lens. A lens information setting switch is provided at the vibration isolator so that a user can freely enter and change the lens inherent information through the lens information setting switch. A vibration ON/OFF switch and a sensitivity setting means are provided at a manual control part.

Abstract: A dichroic prism 10 according to the present invention comprises first to fourth right angle prisms 12, 14, 16 and 18 respectively having first side faces 28, 34, 40 and 46, and second side faces 30, 36, 42 and 48, the side faces being arranged perpendicular to each other. A second bonded face 22 and a fourth bonded face 26, each having a dichroic film for a second color light, are arranged on the same plane. The first bonded face 20 and a third bonded face 26, each having the dichroic film for a first color light, are deviated by a predetermined distance. The distance of this deviation is adjusted so that an image formed by the light having reference image information corresponds to the image of the reference image information. The light is made incident on and reflected by the first bonded face and the third bonded face. Therefore, an appropriate image quality can be obtained without depending on a right angle precision.

Abstract: A ring-shaped flare stopper is made of a phosphor bronze plate having a thickness of 0.03 mm by sheet metal stamping. An inner periphery for defining a circular opening is formed in the flare stopper. The inner periphery has the form of the side face of a circular truncated cone. The flare stopper is so installed in a lens barrel that the inner periphery is inclined with respect to an optical axis of a taking lens unit. Since incident light is not reflected by the inner periphery of the flare stopper, the occurrence of ghost and flare is prevented. To prevent the deformation and misalignment of the flare stopper, the flare stopper installed in the lens barrel is attached to a spacer.

Abstract: Provided is a practical reflecting mirror having a plastic substrate and offering a good balance between reflectivity and durability, both of which are excellent. The reflecting mirror includes a plastic substrate, and a stacked structure formed on the plastic substrate. The stacked structure includes an underlayer film made of aluminum oxide, a reflection film formed on the side opposite to the plastic substrate with respect to the underlayer film, and a water-repellent film having a compound containing fluorine and silicon, which is formed on the side opposite to the underlayer film with respect to the reflection film. This configuration allows preventing moisture permeating through the plastic substrate or moisture permeating through the surface of the reflecting mirror from entering the reflection film. Thus, the reflection film does not undergo corrosion, so that it is possible to ensure a good balance between the reflectivity and the durability, both of which are excellent.

Abstract: The circuit according to the present invention is a signal transmission circuit for a solid-state image pickup device which performs favorable signal transmission by suppressing heat production around an image pickup device to a minimum level. This circuit is used for transmitting video signals output from a CCD to a signal processor of a processing unit by way of a transmission line, and comprises, at a stage subsequent to the CCD, a complementary circuit composed of two current controlling diodes, a first transistor, a second transistor and a plurality of resistors. This complementary circuit operates the first transistor and the second transistor alternately, thereby outputting video signals from the CCD as positive and negative signals taking 10 V, for example, as standard. Such an operation of class B eliminates a necessity to supply a bias current, thereby preventing heat production from the transistors and resistors due to application of a bias current.

Abstract: The lens control unit determines the operated amount of a control knob with a CPU through a rotary encoder and a counter, and outputs control signals corresponding to the operated amount through a D/A converter and a communication IC. In the initial state, the lens control unit is set in an analog mode, and outputs the control signal in the analog form. If a lens device controlled by the lens control unit has a serial communication function, the lens device transmits a pulse signal or a mode switch signal with an unexpected frequency for an analog signal to the lens control unit by superimposing the pulse signal on an answer signal. The lens control unit counts pulses included in the pulse signal with a counter to detect the mode switch signal. If the counted value of the counter reaches a predetermined value, the lens control unit shift to a digital mode and thereafter outputs the control signal in the digital form.

Abstract: Provided are an optical correcting system which can form a linear image or illuminating light having a substantially uniform light intensity distribution without reducing the efficiency of use of light, and an exposure head which can perform excellent exposure by using the linear image or the illuminating light. Light flux from a light source is collimated by the function of a collimator lens, and the collimated light flux enters into an optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution. The optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution changes the width of the light flux at the exit position at which each collimated light flux exits so that the light intensity distribution of a linear image is uniform when the collimated light flux is formed into the linear image.

Abstract: A cap of an endoscope has an end part. On an inner periphery of the end part, a reference mark showing an ideal focus position and six marks are formed with regular intervals. When a circular end surface of the cap is pressed against a mucous membrane, the mucous membrane swells to the reference mark. Therefore, the mucous membrane can be kept at the ideal focus position for an object optical system.

Abstract: An optical scanning device has an electric motor and a rotary polygon mirror driven by the electric motor which are received in a dust proof chamber equipped with a cooling fin arrangement which

Abstract: The camera is capable of appropriate judgment as to whether or not an auxiliary light is to be emitted according to a luminance of a subject to be focused on by basing that judgment on a sensor output used in auto-focusing control. The camera is also capable of judging whether or not an auxiliary light is needed in a short period of time by setting a sensor sensitivity at a high level and of accurate auto-focusing control by setting the sensor sensitivity at a low level when an auxiliary light is to be emitted. When a shutter release button is half pressed, first an R sensor and an L sensor, which are passive type range finding devices are set at high sensitivity to shoot the subject, and a time taken to obtain a prescribed sensor output is measured. According to a length of time so measured, it is judged whether or not to emit an auxiliary light for auto-focusing use.

Abstract: A wide-angle, single focus lens is disclosed that is formed of four lens elements of negative, positive, negative, and positive refractive power, in sequential order from the object side. The first lens element is concave on its object side, the second lens element has at least one surface that is aspheric, and the fourth lens element is convex on its image side and has at least one surface that is aspheric. Specified conditions are preferably satisfied in order to reduce aberrations and provide a bright image while maintaining a short overall lens length.

Abstract: A single focus lens is disclosed that is formed of only four lens components, which are arranged in positive, negative, positive and relatively weak positive or negative refractive power order from the object side, with a stop arranged between the first and second lens components. The third lens component has a convex surface on its image side, and the fourth lens component has a meniscus shape, is made of plastic, includes at least one aspheric surface, and is concave on its image side. The second lens component is formed of a single lens element, and various conditions are preferably satisfied so as to provide a compact lens having a short overall length while favorably correcting various aberrations.

Abstract: A retrofocus wide-angle lens includes a first lens group of negative refractive power, a diaphragm, and a second lens group of positive refractive power. The first lens group includes an object-side lens group, a middle lens group, and an image-side lens group. The object-side lens group includes a plurality of negative lens components and a positive meniscus lens component with its convex surface on the image side. The middle lens group satisfies a particular focal length condition and includes a negative lens component at the object side. The image-side lens group includes a negative lens element and a positive lens element. The first and second lens groups include lens elements of opposite refractive power that are made of anomalous dispersion glass so as to provide chromatic aberration correction and to compensate for variations in refractive index with temperature change that would otherwise cause the focal length to vary with temperature.

Abstract: A mechanism for retaining a platen glass of an image reader adapted to irradiate original in the course of being fed and thereby to pick up image information wherein the platen glass used to read the original in the course of being fed is supported by a guide plate comprising a combination of a relatively thin glass supporting plate and a relatively thick plate supported directly on a frame of the image reader so that the platen glass is not damaged even if a force is carelessly exerted thereon. A magnetic interconnection between the plates allows a gap to be selectively provided for smoothly feeding an original. Shock absorbing strips also allow different thickness originals to be fed through the gap.

Abstract: A rangefinder apparatus of the present invention comprises: AF data generating means for forming an image of light from an object to be subjected to rangefinding onto a pair of line sensors each including a plurality of light-receiving elements, and generating AF data for computing a correlation value according to signals obtained from the light-receiving elements; AF data acquiring means for acquiring the AF data from a pair of employed sensor areas used for rangefinding in the pair of line sensors; correlation value computing means for determining a pair of window areas for selecting the AF data to be used for computing the correlation value within the pair of employed sensor areas, and successively computing correlation values while shifting the pair of window areas; interpolated correlation extreme value computing means for detecting a correlation extreme value (s) among the correlation values computed by the correlation value computing means, and interpolating thus detected correlation extreme value(s) s

Abstract: A video signal and a control signal are converted into a radio frequency based on a radio communication method. This radio frequency is used to execute wired communications via one coaxial cable provided between a scope and a processor device. Furthermore, an electromagnetic coupling means composed of a primary coil and a secondary coil is provided between a connector and a light source device. The electromagnetic coupling means supplies power to the scope on the basis of electromagnetic induction. It is thus possible to connect the scope to both the processor device and the light source device using only two wires including a ground line. This makes it possible to prevent the inappropriate connection of or possible damage to connection pins or the like.

Abstract: A cross dichroic prism for color decomposition includes a blue-reflecting dichroic film for reflecting a blue light component and a red-reflecting dichroic film for reflecting a red light component. Each dichroic film comprises lower and higher refractive index materials alternately laminated on a prism base. The cross dichroic prism satisfies 1.105≦Nh/Ni≦1.450 if Ng≦Ni, or 1.118≦Nh/Ni≦1.150 if Ng>Ni, where Ng is the refractive index of the prism base, Nh is the refractive index of the higher refractive index material, and Ni is the refractive index of the lower refractive index material.

Abstract: An imaging optical system for an oblique incidence interferometer comprises first and second optical systems and an intermediate imaging surface therebetween. Each of the first and second imaging optical systems comprises two telecentric lenses, arranged afocal to each other, having respective focal lengths different from each other. A first image of a surface to be inspected having a deformed aspect ratio with respect to this surface is formed on the intermediate imaging surface by way of the first imaging optical system. The second imaging optical system is arranged such that the first image is focused onto the imaging surface of the interferometer as a second image corrected so as to have substantially the same aspect ratio as that of the surface to be inspected.

Abstract: An electroless nickel plating film layer is formed over a surface of a base material of a forceps piece made of austenitic stainless steel. The forceps are chemical resistant. The electroless nickel plating film layer displays a hardness suitable for the forceps and superior toughness, and allows an edge to be put on the electroless nickel plating film layer more easily than a hardened steel that has the same hardness.

Abstract: A zoom lens is disclosed having four groups of positive, negative, positive, and positive refractive power, respectively, in order from the object side. The second lens group includes, in order from the object side, a biconcave or plano-concave lens, a biconcave lens, and a positive meniscus lens with its convex surface on the object side. The third lens group is a single lens having at least one surface that is aspherical. The fourth lens group includes a biconvex lens positioned between two meniscus lenses, and includes at least one surface that is aspherical. The first and third lens groups are fixed in position, the second lens group moves for zooming, and the fourth lens group moves for both zooming and focusing. A specified condition is satisfied to provide a zoom lens of small overall length, a zoom ratio that exceeds 6, a wide-angle of view, and favorably corrected aberrations.