Abstract: A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refracting power, a second lens group having a negative refracting power, a third lens group having a positive refracting power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refracting power. When the zoom lens is zoomed from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, the first lens group is moved toward the object side so that a distance between the first and second lens groups increases and the third lens group is moved toward the object side so that a distance between the second and third lens groups decreases. The second lens group includes three lenses: negative, positive, and negative lenses in order from the object side to the image side. The third lens group includes three lenses: positive, negative, and positive lenses in order from the object side to the image side.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a shift lens driven to be shifted; a uniform aberration correction data storing unit storing uniform aberration correction data for correcting uniform aberration; a shift amount calculating unit calculating an amount of aberration correction shift of the shift lens for correcting uniform aberration using the uniform aberration correction data; a shift lens driving unit driving the shift lens to be shifted according to an amount of driving shift based on the amount of aberration correction shift; a concentric aberration correction amount calculating unit calculating an amount of concentric aberration correction for correcting concentric aberration with respect to a process target pixel of an input image signal; and a pixel value correcting unit correcting a pixel value of the process target pixel on the basis of the calculated amount of concentric aberration correction.

Abstract: An aberration correction apparatus includes: a correction data holding section that holds correction data on a correction level used to correct chromatic aberration of magnification; a center position discrepancy data holding section that holds center position discrepancy data on the discrepancy between the center of an image area and the position of an aberration center of the chromatic aberration of magnification; an aberration center calculating section that selects one of the center position discrepancy data that corresponds to a combination of the discrepancy variation conditions in an imaging apparatus and calculates the position of the aberration center based on the selected center position discrepancy data; an image height calculating section; a magnification chromatic aberration correction level calculating section; and a pixel value correcting section.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refracting power, a second lens group having a negative refracting power, a third lens group having a positive refracting power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refracting power. When the zoom lens is zoomed from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, the first lens group is moved toward the object side so that a distance between the first and second lens groups increases and the third lens group is moved toward the object side so that a distance between the second and third lens groups decreases. The second lens group includes three lenses: negative, positive, and negative lenses in order from the object side to the image side. The third lens group includes three lenses: positive, negative, and positive lenses in order from the object side to the image side.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a variable focal length lens system including a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, a fourth lens group, and a fifth lens group. The first to the fifth lens groups are arranged in order from an object side. The variable focal length lens system satisfies following conditional expressions (1) to (3): 0.95<f13T/ft<1.4??(1) 0.08<f2/f4<0.3??(2) 0.06<?3/ft<0.22??(3) where f13T is combined focal length of the first to third lens groups in the telephoto end state, ft is focal length of the lens system as a whole in the telephoto end state, f2 is focal length of the second lens group, f4 is focal length of the fourth lens group, and ?3 is an amount of travel of the third lens group from the wide-angle end state to the telephoto end state.

Abstract: An aberration correction apparatus includes: a correction data holding section that holds correction data on a correction level used to correct chromatic aberration of magnification; a center position discrepancy data holding section that holds center position discrepancy data on the discrepancy between the center of an image area and the position of an aberration center of the chromatic aberration of magnification; an aberration center calculating section that selects one of the center position discrepancy data that corresponds to a combination of the discrepancy variation conditions in an imaging apparatus and calculates the position of the aberration center based on the selected center position discrepancy data; an image height calculating section; a magnification chromatic aberration correction level calculating section; and a pixel value correcting section.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a shift lens driven to be shifted; a uniform aberration correction data storing unit storing uniform aberration correction data for correcting uniform aberration; a shift amount calculating unit calculating an amount of aberration correction shift of the shift lens for correcting uniform aberration using the uniform aberration correction data; a shift lens driving unit driving the shift lens to be shifted according to an amount of driving shift based on the amount of aberration correction shift; a concentric aberration correction amount calculating unit calculating an amount of concentric aberration correction for correcting concentric aberration with respect to a process target pixel of an input image signal; and a pixel value correcting unit correcting a pixel value of the process target pixel on the basis of the calculated amount of concentric aberration correction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a variable focal length lens system including a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, a fourth lens group, and a fifth lens group. The first to the fifth lens groups are arranged in order from an object side. The variable focal length lens system satisfies following conditional expressions (1) to (3): 0.95<f13T/ft<1.4 ??(1) 0.08<f2/f4<0.3 ??(2) 0.06<?3/ft<0.22 ??(3) where f13T is combined focal length of the first to third lens groups in the telephoto end state, ft is focal length of the lens system as a whole in the telephoto end state, f2 is focal length of the second lens group, f4 is focal length of the fourth lens group, and ?3 is an amount of travel of the third lens group from the wide-angle end state to the telephoto end state.

Abstract: An optical pickup is provided which is capable of minimizing an astigmatism thereof with a simple configuration. The optical pickup includes a collimate lens for transferring optical beams outputted from a laser diode to parallel light, and an objective lens for collecting the optical beams transferred to parallel light with the collimate lens and applying the optical beams to an optical disk, wherein mounting angles of the collimate lens and the objective lens are adjusted so that astigmatisms of the collimate lens and the objective lens may be offset by each other. Thus the astigmatism of the optical pickup can be minimized with a simple configuration without need for separately providing an element for correcting aberration.

Abstract: An objective lens for converging a light beam emitted from a first light source on a recording surface (17a) of a first optical information recording medium covered with a transparent substrate (7a) and converging a light beam emitted from a second light source on a recording surface (17b) of a second optical information recording medium covered with a transparent substrate (7b) having a thickness greater than the transparent substrate (7a). On an incident plane for the light beam, there are formed a center region (A1), an intermediate region (A2) surrounding the center region (A1), and a peripheral region (A3) surrounding the intermediate region (A2). A diffraction grating (11) is provided on the lens surface of the intermediate region (A2).

Abstract: An optical pickup is provided which is capable of minimizing an astigmatism thereof with a simple configuration. The optical pickup 6 includes a collimate lens 16 for transferring optical beams outputted from a laser diode 11 to parallel light, and an objective lens 18 for collecting the optical beams transferred to parallel light with the collimate lens 16 and applying the optical beams to an optical disk 50, wherein mounting angles of the collimate lens 16 and the objective lens 18 are adjusted so that astigmatisms of the collimate lens 16 and the objective lens 18 may be offset by each other. Thus the astigmatism of the optical pickup 6 can be minimized with a simple configuration without need for separately providing means of correcting aberration.

Abstract: A film-coated wire is wound around a terminal at least one turn and pressed by an upper electrode of a resistance welding machine. A current is passed through the upper electrode when the wire is pressed, and heat is produced. The heat melts a film on the wire. The current is passed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode via the wire and the terminal to connect the wire with the terminal by resistance welding. A contact area between the wire and the terminal is increased by winding the wire around the terminal. Therefore, the wire is less likely to shift its position when a force is applied by the upper electrode. This increases reliability of the connection. Moreover, the terminal is reduced in size because it is not required to be formed in a U-shape.

Abstract: An objective lens for converging a light beam emitted from a first light source on a recording surface (17a) of a first optical information recording medium covered with a transparent substrate (7a) and converging a light beam emitted from a second light source on a recording surface (17b) of a second optical information recording medium covered with a transparent substrate (7b) having a thickness greater than the transparent substrate (7a). On an incident plane for the light beam, there are formed a center region (A1), an intermediate region (A2) surrounding the center region (A1), and a peripheral region (A3) surrounding the intermediate region (A2). A diffraction grating (11) is provided on the lens surface of the intermediate region (A2).

Abstract: A film-coated wire is wound around a terminal at least one turn and pressed by an upper electrode of a resistance welding machine. A current is passed through the upper electrode when the wire is pressed, and heat is produced. The heat melts a film on the wire. The current is passed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode via the wire and the terminal to connect the wire with the terminal by resistance welding. A contact area between the wire and the terminal is increased by winding the wire around the terminal. Therefore, the wire is less likely to shift its position when a force is applied by the upper electrode. This increases reliability of the connection. Moreover, the terminal is reduced in size because it is not required to be formed in a U-shape.

Abstract: A resin part such as an instrument panel, a console box or door trim has a substrate body made of hard resin and a skin mounted on a surface of the substrate. To produce the resin part, a preformed elastic sheet is set within a mold cavity. Then, a molten resin is injected into the cavity through gates. The molten resin is first injected into the cavity through gates that are opposed to the skin and after the passage of a predetermined time, the resin is injected through gates that are not opposed to the skin, thereby forming a substrate that has the skin thermally fused to a surface thereof.

Abstract: A mold for hollow injection molding has an inlet for admitting a fluid into the molten resin when injected to form an interior hollow in the molded product. The inlet is opened and closed by retraction and advancement of a movable pin having at least a portion to fill the inlet and close it. When the inlet is closed, while the resin is being injected, the pin has a portion which projects out of the inlet into the space where the resin is injected. When the inlet is opened, the retraction of the pin leaves a short passageway in the injected resin leading from the fluid inlet for flow thereinto of the hollow-forming fluid. Preferably, the pin is stepped with an inlet-closing large rear portion and a smaller projecting forward portion which is located in and has an annular clearance with the inlet when it is open. The pin may be detachably connected to a movable plunger, operated by fluid or spring pressure, to enable replacement by pins of different lengths, sizes, etc.

Abstract: A mold for hollow injection molding has an inlet for admitting a fluid into the molten resin when injected to form an interior hollow in the molded product. The inlet is opened and closed by retraction and advancement of a movable pin having at least a portion to fill the inlet and close it. When the inlet is closed, while the resin is being injected, the pin has a portion which projects out of the inlet into the space where the resin is injected. When the inlet is opened, the retraction of the pin leaves a short passageway in the injected resin leading from the fluid inlet for flow thereinto of the hollow-forming fluid. Preferably, the pin is stepped with an inlet-closing large rear portion and a smaller projecting forward portion which is located in and has an annular clearance with the inlet when it is open. The pin may be detachably connected to a movable plunger, operated by fluid or spring pressure, to enable replacement by pins of different lengths, sizes, etc.

Abstract: A method for continuously producing a core member to be embedded within a trim, comprises the continuous steps of forming slits in a band-shaped metallic plate by means of slitting rolls, elongating the slit metallic plate by means of elongating rolls and pressing the elongated metallic plate by means of finishing rolls.