Abstract: A dual focal length optical system includes a first optical system and a second optical system. The first optical system is positioned along an optical path and includes an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface. The first optical system also includes a first surface of an intermediate reflective element located between the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure as viewed along the optical path. The first optical system has a first focal length. The second optical system shares a portion of the same optical path and includes a second surface of the same intermediate reflective element as that of the first optical system. The second optical system has a second focal length. The first focal length of the first optical system is longer than the second focal length of the second optical system.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing a container holding high level radioactive waste for dry storage.

Abstract: A dual focal length optical system includes a first optical system and a second optical system. The first optical system is positioned along an optical path and includes an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface. The first optical system also includes a first surface of an intermediate reflective element located between the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure as viewed along the optical path. The first optical system has a first focal length. The second optical system shares a portion of the same optical path and includes a second surface of the same intermediate reflective element as that of the first optical system. The second optical system has a second focal length. The first focal length of the first optical system is longer than the second focal length of the second optical system.

Abstract: A dual focal length optical system includes a first optical system and a second optical system. The first optical system is positioned along an optical axis and includes an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface. The object side surface and the image side surface include a refractive surface portion and a reflective surface portion. The first optical system has a focal length. The second optical system is positioned on the same optical axis and has a focal length. The focal length of the first optical system is longer than the focal length of the second optical system.

Abstract: A filter system for an imaging apparatus including a high resolution mode of operation and a low resolution mode of operation is provided. The filter system includes a low pass filter associated with an optical path of the imaging apparatus. The low pass filter is moveable into the optical path of the imaging apparatus when the imaging apparatus is in the low resolution mode of operation and is moveable out of the optical path of the imaging apparatus when the imaging apparatus is in the high resolution mode of operation.

Abstract: An imaging device for generating a digital image of a scene comprises an image sensor, an optic, and one or more actuators. The image sensor comprises an array of photosensors. The optic is operative to at least partially direct light rays from the scene onto this image sensor so that an image of the scene is created on the image sensor. The one or more actuators are operative to move at least one of the image sensor and the optic while the digital image is generated so that the incoming light rays from the scene are distributed over the photosensors of the image sensor in such a way as to limit spatial frequencies in the image of the scene created on the image sensor to values below a Nyquist frequency of the image sensor.

Abstract: A method of producing a digital image with improved resolution during digital zooming, including simultaneously capturing a first low resolution digital image of a scene and a second higher resolution digital image of a portion of substantially the same scene. A composite image is then formed by combining the first low-resolution digital image and a corresponding portion of the high resolution digital image. Digital zooming of the composite image produces a zoomed image with high resolution throughout the zoom range and improved image quality.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods for calibrating imaging systems are provided. The imaging system has a body, a scene image capture system that captures images using a taking lens system that can be set to a plurality of different focus distances, and a rangefinder that is capable of determining a distance between the imaging system and at least one portion of a field of view of the taking lens system. The method comprises: automatically capturing a first calibration image of a first field of view through the taking lens system with the taking lens system set to a first focus distance setting; identifying a portion of the first calibration image having a predetermined degree of focus; using the rangefinder to determine a first calibration distance from the imaging device to the identified portion. A focus correlation is determined based upon the first calibration distance and the first focus distance setting.

Abstract: A tuft forming mechanism including a yarn feed mechanism and a yarn severing means (6, 18), the yarn feed mechanism including a passage (5) along which yarn (2) is guided to said yarn severing means (6, 18) and an intermittently rotatable feed disc (1) which engages the yarn (2) to advance the yarn (2) along the passage (5).

Abstract: A loom for producing a pile fabric, in particular a carpet, the loom including a reed having a plurality of reed fingers, each adjacent pair of reed fingers defining therebetween a reed dent, the reed being movable in a forwards direction to a forward most position and movable in a rearward direction to a rearward most position, a plurality of loop forming lances, each lance having a body extending through a dent in the reed, each lance having upper and lower yarn deflectors for deflecting loop forming warp yarn to one side or the other side of the lance in dependence on whether said warp yarn is travelling from above to below the lance or vice versa, each lance further including a guide formation engageable with both opposed reed fingers in said reed for determining the warp wise position of side upper and lower warp yarn deflectors relative to said opposed reed fingers when the reed is at its rearmost position, said guide formations being located outside the dents of said reed when the reed is at its forwar

Abstract: A tuft forming mechanism including a yarn feed mechanism and a yarn severing means (6, 18), the yarn feed mechanism including a passage (5) along which yarn (2) is guided to said yarn severing means (6, 18) and an intermittently rotatable feed disc (1) which engages the yarn (2) to advance the yarn (2) along the passage (5).

Abstract: A loom for producing a pile fabric, in particular a carpet, the loom including a reed having a plurality of reed fingers, each adjacent pair of reed fingers defining therebetween a reed dent, the reed being movable in a forwards direction to a forward most position and movable in a rearward direction to a rearward most position, a plurality of loop forming lances, each lance having a body extending through a dent in the reed, each lance having upper and lower yarn deflectors for deflecting loop forming warp yarn to one side or the other side of the lance in dependence on whether said warp yarn is travelling from above to below the lance or vice versa, each lance further including a guide formation engageable with both opposed reed fingers in said reed for determining the warp wise position of side upper and lower warp yarn deflectors relative to said opposed reed fingers when the reed is at its rearmost position, said guide formations being located outside the dents of said reed when the reed is at its forwar

Abstract: A mechanism for a gripper Axminster loom is disclosed which includes a plurality of yarn carriers each of which is movable to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions. Each carrier guides a plurality of tuft yarn and is arranged to present one of the yarns to a gripper when the carrier is located at a corresponding one of the predetermined positions. The mechanism includes a plurality of independently controllable rotary drive motors, each of which is connected to drive an associated carrier for selectively moving the associated carrier to a selected one of the predetermined positions.

Abstract: A loom for weaving pile fabric is disclosed, including a plurality of healds for shedding warp yarns, a pile-forming reed through which said warp yarns are guided and a plurality of pile loop forming lances extending in the warp direction so that each pile-forming lance passes through an associated dent in the read, each dent being defined between a pair of spaced apart dent fingers. Each loop forming lance and at least one dent finger of said pair of dent fingers cooperate to guide lateral displacement of the loop forming lance relative to said associated dent. A first group of healds are threaded with ground forming warp yarns and the first group of healds and the loop forming lances are arranged such that the upper and lower shedding positions of said ground forming warp yarns are located below the loop forming lances.

Abstract: A dual resolution printer for printing images on an associated print medium includes: a light source providing a light beam and a focusing lens focusing the light beam and creating a converging light beam having at least one beam waist of at least one wavelength at a first beam waist location. The printer also includes an optical unit movable in and out of the converging light beam and having a corresponding first and second position, respectively. This optical unit, in the second position, reimages the beam waist of the converging light beam created by the focusing lens to a different size second beam waist, at a location substantially the same as the first beam waist location.

Abstract: A printer system for producing color prints includes: (a) three light sources, each generating a light beam of different wavelengths; (b) three modulators, each of the modulators modulating intensity of each of the light beams by image data, to provide three modulated light beams; (c) a beam combiner combining the three modulated light beams into a single light beam; (d) a single set of beam shaping optics shaping this single light beam into a shaped light beam having different vergences and waist locations in the page and line directions, the vergences and the waist locations being substantially the same in each of the three wavelengths; (e) a light deflector deflecting the shaped light beam to provide a deflected beam, and performing a scanning function; (f) an f-.theta. lens focusing the deflected light beam onto an associated image surface.

Abstract: A Bravais lens includes a front, positive power lens group and a rear, negative power lens group. These lens groups, in combination, provide the Bravais lens with a negative focal length and a negative power. The front, positive power lens group includes a positive power lens element and a negative power lens element. The rear, negative power lens group includes another negative power lens element and another positive power lens element.

Abstract: An f-.theta. lens is disclosed which is particularly suitable for use with a color laser printer in which beams of different wavelengths are combined into a single light beam. The combined light beam is scanned by a rotating polygon onto a receiving medium. The f-.theta. is adapted to operate with 1.) beam shaping optics for shaping the beam in a scan direction prior to the polygon, and 2.) a cylindrical element located behind the f-.theta. lens, to image the light beam in a cross-scan direction onto the receiving medium. The f-.theta. lens includes a plurality of lens components. The lens components cooperate to(a) focus a received combination beam of three different wavelengths onto an image surface, the received combination beam having different vergences and different waist locations in the page and line directions, the vergences and the waist locations being substantially the same in each of the three wavelengths; and(b) compensate for chromatic aberration. This compensation renders the f-.theta.

Abstract: A rear attachment is provided to permit objective lens systems designated for a certain image format to be used for imaging on a smaller image format. Thus, a 35 mm single lens reflex camera lens can be used to create an image on a smaller format CCD array.

Abstract: A reverse telephoto lens includes a front negative group of lens components having a front component with greater than normal separation from a rear positive group of lens elements. Preferably, the front negative group also includes a rear positive component that is meniscus concave to the front.