Abstract: A drive device in which the frequency of a drive waveform applied to a piezoelectric element is easily settable with less obligation to consider resonance in a stationary member. The device includes a piezo element that expands and contracts according to a drive voltage, a transmission shaft that receives vibration produced by the piezo element, a stationary member that holds the transmission shaft in a slidable state along the longitudinal direction of the transmission shaft, and a lens holder that is displaced together with the piezo element and transmission shaft relative to the stationary member according to drive of the piezo element. The piezo element and the transmission shaft move in the moving direction of the lens holder in synchronization with the lens holder according to drive of the piezo element in the state where the piezo element is spaced from the stationary member.

Abstract: A drive device capable of engaging a drive shaft and a part holding the drive shaft with a suitable force without accompanying increase in the size of the drive device. The drive device includes a couple member with a piezoelectric element and a transmission shaft coupled together, a lens holder that holds a lens and to which the couple member is secured, a biasing member that biases the transmission shaft in a direction intersecting a placement direction of the transmission shaft viewed from the lens holder (excluding a lengthwise direction of the transmission shaft), and a link member (link body) that holds the transmission shaft in a slidable manner together with the biasing member.

Abstract: A metal pin is inserted into a hole cylindrically formed in a camera casing so as to be in contact with a shape-memory actuator. The metal pin and the shape-memory actuator are fixed by pressurization. The metal pin is further bonded to a printed circuit board via a solder to electrically and thermally contact the shape-memory actuator and the printed circuit board so as to form the camera module by reducing the wiring size and improving the cooling efficiency.

Abstract: A drive device capable of engaging a drive shaft and a part holding the drive shaft with a suitable force without accompanying increase in the size of the drive device. The drive device includes a couple member with a piezoelectric element and a transmission shaft coupled together, a lens holder that holds a lens and to which the couple member is secured, a biasing member that biases the transmission shaft in a direction intersecting a placement direction of the transmission shaft viewed from the lens holder (excluding a lengthwise direction of the transmission shaft), and a link member (link body) that holds the transmission shaft in a slidable manner together with the biasing member.

Abstract: A drive device in which the frequency of a drive waveform applied to a piezoelectric element is easily settable with less obligation to consider resonance in a stationary member. The device includes a piezo element that expands and contracts according to a drive voltage, a transmission shaft that receives vibration produced by the element, a stationary member that holds the transmission shaft in a slidable state along the longitudinal direction of the transmission shaft, and a lens holder that is displaced together with the piezo element and transmission shaft relative to the stationary member according to drive of the piezo element. The piezo element and the transmission shaft move in the moving direction of the lens holder in synchronization with the lens holder according to drive of the piezo element in the state where the piezo element is spaced from the stationary member.

Abstract: A camera module includes a sensor for converting incident light incident thereto into an electric signal and outputting the electric signal therefrom, a glass cover for transmitting therethrough light to the sensor, the light being the incident light; a flexible printed circuit for receiving as an input thereto the electric signal outputted from the sensor, a lens unit for focusing the incident light onto the sensor, and a pedestal for holding the lens unit, the pedestal including a sidewall section which includes a lower end surface being fixed onto the flexible printed circuit by use of adhesive. A depression is formed along the sidewall section of the mount to discard the adhesive therein.

Abstract: A metal pin is inserted into a hole cylindrically formed in a camera casing so as to be in contact with a shape-memory actuator. The metal pin and the shape-memory actuator are fixed by pressurization. The metal pin is further bonded to a printed circuit board via a solder to electrically and thermally contact the shape-memory actuator and the printed circuit board so as to form the camera module by reducing the wiring size and improving the cooling efficiency.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of imaging units each having a lens and an image pickup device. At least one of the imaging units is a wide-angle imaging unit having a lens with a wider angle of view, and at least another one is a zoom imaging unit having a lens with a narrower angle of view and a higher magnification and mounted rotatably to the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus includes a driving unit that rotates the zoom imaging unit to change an imaging range of the zoom imaging unit, an image comparison unit that compares a partial image of a wide-angle image captured by the wide-angle imaging unit and a magnified image captured by the zoom imaging unit, and an optical axis information update unit that updates optical axis information of the zoom imaging unit based on a comparison result of the image comparison unit.

Abstract: There are provided first and second lenses, by which light incident from outside is condensed and caused to outgo, a barrel, which holds the first and second lenses, a barrel holding part having a substantially cylindrical shape to hold therein the barrel, a movement device for movement of the barrel holding part in an optical axis direction of the first and second lenses, and a pedestal having a lens receiving portion, which receives therein the barrel holding part in a slidable state, the pedestal receiving therein the barrel holding part contacting in plural lines with an inner wall surface of the lens receiving portion of the pedestal.

Abstract: There are provided first and second lenses, by which light incident from outside is condensed and caused to outgo, a barrel, which holds the first and second lenses, a barrel holding part having a substantially cylindrical shape to hold therein the barrel, a movement device for movement of the barrel holding part in an optical axis direction of the first and second lenses, and a pedestal having a lens receiving portion, which receives therein the barrel holding part in a slidable state, the pedestal receiving therein the barrel holding part contacting in plural lines with an inner wall surface of the lens receiving portion of the pedestal.

Abstract: A camera module includes a sensor for converting incident light incident thereto into an electric signal and outputting the electric signal therefrom, a glass cover for transmitting therethrough light to the sensor, the light being the incident light; a flexible printed circuit for receiving as an input thereto the electric signal outputted from the sensor, a lens unit for focusing the incident light onto the sensor, and a pedestal for holding the lens unit, the pedestal including a sidewall section which includes a lower end surface being fixed onto the flexible printed circuit by use of adhesive. A depression is formed along the sidewall section of the mount to discard the adhesive therein.

Abstract: A magnetic head having a pair of nonmagnetic core base bodies coupled to each other in such a manner that amorphous magnetic alloy films are applied to their abutment surfaces and a gap layer is interposed in a magnetic gap of the head, the films applied to the bodies being made abut against each other at their end edge surfaces each of which has a width larger than its film thickness, and at least one of the bodies having a coil winding groove formed at a portion at which the bodies are coupled to each other.