Abstract: A sector drive assembly for a camera with reduced power consumption has a base plate having an aperture, one or more sectors capable of opening and closing the aperture, an electromagnetic actuator for driving the sectors, a drive force transmitting mechanism for transmitting a drive force of the electromagnetic actuator to the sectors, a first detecting unit for detecting when the sectors are open, and a second detecting unit for detecting when the sectors are closed, wherein the supply of power to the electromagnetic actuator is controlled based on signals from the first and the second detecting units.

Abstract: A step motor includes a rotor having four magnetic poles, a first magnetic pole magnetically excited by a first coil, a second magnetic pole magnetically excited by a second coil, and a third magnetic pole magnetically excited by the first coil and the second coil. A gap between the third magnetic pole and the rotor is smaller than that between the first magnetic pole and the rotor and that between the second magnetic pole and the rotor. In the step motor, it is possible to intensify the influence, on the rotor having four poles, of the magnetic fields created from three magnetic poles. Accordingly, this can weaken the magnetic fields set up from the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole, which tend to intensify the influence on the rotor, enabling the torque smaller at the time of the rotation start of the rotor.

Abstract: From an object, a first lens that is a meniscus lens having a convex surface that faces an object, a second lens that faces a concave surface of the first lens, a third lens having a concave surface that faces the second lens, and a fourth lens that is a positive lens having a convex back surface, (1) ?3<?4, (2) 0.5<Ymax/f<0.8, and (3) ?d<1.5f are satisfied, where ?3 is an Abbe number of the third lens, ?4 is an Abbe number of the fourth lens, Ymax is a maximum height of an image, f is a composite focal length, ?d is a distance between a first surface of the first lens and a second surface of the fourth lens, the first surface facing the object and the second surface facing an imaging plane, any one surface of the first lens and the fourth lens having a non-spherical surface.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator with a smaller size and an increased strength is provided. In the electromagnetic actuator, a first arm portion and a second arm portion that connect the magnetic poles of a stator extend to the outside of a rotor housing. A first coil and a second coil are wound around the extending portions. In other words, the first coil and the second coil are exposed to the outside of the rotor housing. Accordingly, compared with a case where the rotor housing also houses the first coil and the second coil, the width of the electromagnetic actuator can be reduced by the thickness of the rotor housing. Thus, the electromagnetic actuator can be made compact.

Abstract: An impact printing apparatus is also disclosed with printing pin actuation timing correction dependent upon scanning speed or platen shape, striking duration timing dependent upon scanning rate, or printing pin actuation timing dependent upon stored shift amounts.

Abstract: An image signal output device for use in a passive range finder. The device can correct the sensitivities of sensor arrays according to the amount of incident light. The output device has line sensor portions that produce pixel outputs. An A/D converter portion A/D converts these pixel outputs. At this time, the A/D conversion range of the A/D converter portion is modified according to the difference in sensitivity between the line sensor portions.

Abstract: A control circuit computes relative horizontal and vertical inclination angles between a screen and a projector by a line-type passive range-finding device. A display driving section adjusts a projection optical system including a condensing lens on the basis of the vertical and horizontal inclination angles computed by the control circuit, thereby correcting for a keystone distortion in an image projected.

Abstract: When a sine wave is supplied from a sine wave oscillator through a resonant capacitor selection circuit, an alternating electric and magnetic field is generated on a loop coil. A magnetic intensity detection coil supplies an electromagnetic field signal to a control circuit when detecting electromagnetic intensity of the loop coil. The control circuit controls the resonant capacitor selection circuit based on the electromagnetic field signal and adjusts a maximum current to flow into the loop coil. Namely, a resonant capacitor with a suitable capacitance is selected in such a way that a resonance point (for example, 125 kHz) reaches a maximum level. Moreover, the control circuit adjusts a variable resistor to obtain a target electromagnetic field signal (intensity of electromagnetic field) in this state. Namely, automatic gain control is performed to obtain optimal electromagnetic field intensity on the loop coil.

Abstract: A system and method of calculating estimated image profiles. The system and method includes providing lens characteristic data and performing simulation calculations for various levels of aberration components using the lens characteristic data. A response surface functional relation is built between selected variables of the lens characteristics, in particular the lens aberration components, and the Image Profile using the simulation calculations. Evaluation is then performed on the arbitrary specified aberration values of a lens in relation to the response surface functional relations to provide a calculated estimate of the Image Profile for the specified aberration values. A machine readable medium and exposure apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup unit having an image pickup element, an optical unit having lenses, a sector drive unit having sectors arranged in a space for arranging the sectors, and supporting members being fixed in the space for arranging the sectors and having lengths equal to at least a width of the space for arranging the sectors in a light axis direction.

Abstract: An end face of a transparent electrode or a backside electrode of an EL element is not bared at an end surface of an outer periphery of an EL insert molding or an end surface of an inner periphery of a through hole portion. A decorative film covers a front side of an EL element and molding resin is injected onto a backside surface of the EL element to form a molding resin portion. An end potion of the decorative film is bent to cover the end portion of the EL element and extends beyond the end portion of the EL element a distance larger than at least a thickness of the EL element.

Abstract: A heat sink assembly includes a heat-conductive base (20), and a plurality of combined fins (30) uprightly attached onto the base. Each fin includes a main body (31), a bottom flange (32) extending from the main body, and two lower abutting plates (34) extending upwardly from the flange. A pair of first locking tabs (342) is formed from outer sides of the lower abutting plate, and extends into corresponding cutouts (36) of the main body of an adjacent fin. Two upper abutting plates (34?) are formed from a top edge of the main body. A second locking tab (40) extends from an outer side of each upper abutting plate, and into a corresponding notch (38) of the main body of the adjacent fin. Then, the first and second locking tabs are bent inwardly to abut against the main body of the adjacent fin. Thus, the fins are firmly combined together.

Abstract: A golf club set which comprises a plurality of golf clubs having shafts of different tapered section lengths, at least two golf club shafts of the set having differing taper lengths and preferably differing taper angles, the tapered section length of the shaft increases as the shaft length increases for each club throughout the set, and vice versa. Accordingly, each shaft throughout the set of shafts has a distinct taper length. The distinct variable taper clubs provide efficient energy transfer, better feel perception by the golfer, greater ball flight distance, less ball flight dispersion, and greater club stability.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a solid-state image pickup device having a layer of microlenses above a color filter. The solid-state image pickup device is mounted on a side of a flexible printed circuit board by flip-chip bonding, opposite the opening. An adhesive in a gap between the solid-state image pickup device and the flexible printed circuit board strengthens the apparatus. The distance between the edge of the microlens layer and the edge of the flexible printed circuit board defining the opening and nearest to the microlens layer is 2.5 to 10 times wider than the gap between the solid-state image pickup device and the flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: Methods for using critical dimension test marks (test marks) for the rapid determination of the best focus position of lithographic processing equipment and critical dimension measurement analysis across a wafer's surface are described. In a first embodiment, a plurality of test mark arrays are distributed across the surface of a wafer, a different plurality being created at a plurality of focus positions. Measurement of the length or area of the resultant test marks allows for the determination of the best focus position of the processing equipment. Critical dimension measurements at multiple points on a wafer with test marks allow for the determination of process accuracy and repeatability and further allows for the real-time detection of process degradation. Using test marks which require only a relatively simple optical scanner and sensor to measure their length or area, it is possible to measure hundreds of measurement values across a wafer in thirty minutes.

Abstract: The harness of the present invention comprises a unitary waist-encircling supportive belt of largely elastic fabric adapted to receive and securely hold various numbers of paintball pods. A plurality of fabric layers are positioned to form a honeycomb of hollow pockets which, together with pod retainer clips, assume the configuration of, and securely hold, inserted paintball pods. The resulting configuration will accommodate a plurality of paintball pods of varying circumference, and affords the advantage that, as the wearer exhausts and discards pods in the course of a paintball game, the pockets collapse, the belt contracts, and the wearer becomes less encumbered.

Abstract: A test mark, as well as methods for forming and using the test mark to facilitate the measurement of the critical dimensions of etched features in semiconductor and other wafer level processing is described. The test marks may be used to characterize, calibrate and/or monitor etch performance. Test marks are defined by imaging (typically at partial exposures) overlapping, angularly offset lines in a resist that covers a layer to be etched. The lines preferably have line widths that are equal (or related) to a critical dimension of interest. After the resist is developed and otherwise processed, the layer is etched as appropriate, thereby creating the test marks. The test marks are then imaged to facilitate the determination of a geometric parameter of each mark. Most commonly, the geometric parameter determined relates to the area of the mark and/or the length of its major dimension.

Abstract: A set of lens assembly parts which contains a base and a frame and at least one or more of a lens, fasteners for securing the lens between the base and the frame, a mask, and a strap. Lens assemblies formed from the set of lens assembly parts.