Patents by Inventor Masashi Hankawa

Masashi Hankawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8159565
    Abstract: An electronic imaging apparatus includes a zoom optical system having, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive power, a second lens unit with negative power, and an aperture stop, in which the first lens unit is composed of a single positive power unit and the second lens unit has a single negative lens element located at the most object-side position, both surfaces of which are concave, and a positive lens component located at the most image-side position; an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom optical system; and an image processing section electrically processing image data obtained by the electronic image sensor to change the form thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota, Masaru Morooka
  • Patent number: 8014078
    Abstract: A zoom lens is composed, in order from the object side thereof, of a front side lens unit having a negative refracting power at the wide angle end and a rear side lens unit having a positive refracting power at the wide angle end. The front side lens unit includes a first lens unit located closest to the object side and having a positive refracting power and a second lens unit located on the image side of the first lens unit and having a negative refracting power. The distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is larger at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The rear side lens unit includes a third lens unit located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end and having a positive refracting power, the distance between the third lens unit and the second lens unit being smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The third lens unit satisfies the following condition: 0.01<f3/ft<0.16 . . . (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Masashi Hankawa
  • Patent number: 7948687
    Abstract: A zoom lens is composed, in order from the object side thereof, of a front side lens unit having a negative refracting power at the wide angle end and a rear side lens unit having a positive refracting power at the wide angle end. The front side lens unit includes a first lens unit located closest to the object side and having a positive refracting power and a second lens unit located on the image side of the first lens unit and having a negative refracting power. The distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is larger at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The rear side lens unit includes a third lens unit located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end and having a positive refracting power, the distance between the third lens unit and the second lens unit being smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The third lens unit satisfies the following condition: 0.01<f3/ft<0.16??(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Masashi Hankawa
  • Patent number: 7944622
    Abstract: A zoom lens is composed, in order from the object side thereof, of a front side lens unit having a negative refracting power at the wide angle end and a rear side lens unit having a positive refracting power at the wide angle end. The front side lens unit includes a first lens unit located closest to the object side and having a positive refracting power and a second lens unit located on the image side of the first lens unit and having a negative refracting power. The distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is larger at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The rear side lens unit includes a third lens unit located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end and having a positive refracting power, the distance between the third lens unit and the second lens unit being smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The third lens unit satisfies the following condition: 0.01<f3/ft<0.16 . . . (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Masashi Hankawa
  • Publication number: 20100321546
    Abstract: A zoom lens is composed, in order from the object side thereof, of a front side lens unit having a negative refracting power at the wide angle end and a rear side lens unit having a positive refracting power at the wide angle end. The front side lens unit includes a first lens unit located closest to the object side and having a positive refracting power and a second lens unit located on the image side of the first lens unit and having a negative refracting power. The distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is larger at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The rear side lens unit includes a third lens unit located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end and having a positive refracting power, the distance between the third lens unit and the second lens unit being smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The third lens unit satisfies the following condition: 0.01<f3/ft<0.16 . . . (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: Masashi Hankawa
  • Publication number: 20100321545
    Abstract: A zoom lens is composed, in order from the object side thereof, of a front side lens unit having a negative refracting power at the wide angle end and a rear side lens unit having a positive refracting power at the wide angle end. The front side lens unit includes a first lens unit located closest to the object side and having a positive refracting power and a second lens unit located on the image side of the first lens unit and having a negative refracting power. The distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is larger at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The rear side lens unit includes a third lens unit located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end and having a positive refracting power, the distance between the third lens unit and the second lens unit being smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The third lens unit satisfies the following condition: 0.01<f3/ft<0.16??(1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: Masashi Hankawa
  • Patent number: 7729058
    Abstract: A zoom lens system includes, in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. During zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a space between the first lens unit and the second lens unit narrows, at least the second lens unit moves only toward the object side, and the third lens unit is constituted of one positive lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Kouki Hozumi, Takahiro Amanai, Toru Miyajima, Masahito Watanabe, Masashi Hankawa, Kazuya Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7706082
    Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens and an imaging apparatus incorporating the same. The zoom lenses comprises, in order from its object side, a positive first lens group G1, a negative second lens group G2, a positive third lens group G3, and a positive fourth lens group G4. Zooming is implemented by changing the spacing between the respective lens groups. Upon received in a lens mount, the third lens group is shifted and positioned while its optical axis is tilted at an angle of ±45° with those of other lens groups or placed substantially horizontal. At least one of lenses in the second lens group G2 or the fourth lens group G4 is configured such that a portion of that lens proximate to the third lens group being received in the lens mount is cut away. The following condition (1) is satisfied: 0.3<d×(Fnt/ft)<3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Tomoyuki Satori
  • Patent number: 7692872
    Abstract: A zoom lens comprises, in order from its object side, a first lens group of positive refracting power, a second lens group of negative refracting power, and a third lens group of positive refracting power located on an image side with respect to the second lens group. Upon zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the spacing between the first lens group and the second lens group grows wider at the telephoto end than at the wide-angle end, and the spacing between the second lens group and the third lens group becomes narrower at the telephoto end than at the wide-angle end. The first lens group comprises a negative lens and a positive lens, and the number of the negative lens in the first lens group is only one. At least one positive lens in the first lens group satisfies the following conditions (1) and (2): 1.80<ndlp<2.0??(1) 50.0<?dlp<70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Tomoyuki Satori
  • Patent number: 7623306
    Abstract: A zoom lens comprises, in order from its object side, a front lens group having negative refracting power at a wide-angle end and a rear lens group having positive refracting power at the wide-angle end. The front lens group comprises, in order from the object side, a first lens group of positive refracting power and a second lens group of negative refracting power, and the rear lens group comprises, in order from the object side, a third lens group of positive refracting power and a fourth lens group of positive refracting power. There is an aperture stop interposed between the lens surface located in, and nearest to the object side of, the second lens group and the lens surface located in, and nearest to the image size of, the third lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Tomoyuki Satori
  • Publication number: 20090195886
    Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens and an imaging apparatus incorporating the same. The zoom lenses comprises, in order from its object side, a positive first lens group G1, a negative second lens group G2, a positive third lens group G3, and a positive fourth lens group G4. Zooming is implemented by changing the spacing between the respective lens groups. Upon received in a lens mount, the third lens group is shifted and positioned while its optical axis is tilted at an angle of ±45° with those of other lens groups or placed substantially horizontal. At least one of lenses in the second lens group G2 or the fourth lens group G4 is configured such that a portion of that lens proximate to the third lens group being received in the lens mount is cut away. The following condition (1) is satisfied: 0.3<d×(Fnt/ft)<3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Tomoyuki Satori
  • Patent number: 7561343
    Abstract: There is disclosed an electronic image pickup apparatus including an aperture stop disposed on an optical path reflected by a reflective surface of a first lens unit and having a non-circular aperture in a state in which an area of an aperture of the aperture stop is maximized, and a lens arranged closest to an image side on an optical path extending from the reflective surface to an image surface and having a non-circular shape, each of the shape of the non-circular aperture of the aperture stop and the outer shape of the lens is formed such that a length of the aperture which in a direction along an incident optical axis which enters the first lens unit is smaller than that of which in a direction vertical to the incident optical axis which enters the first lens unit and a reflected optical axis reflected by the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota
  • Publication number: 20090174951
    Abstract: A zoom lens comprises, in order from its object side, a front lens group having negative refracting power at a wide-angle end and a rear lens group having positive refracting power at the wide-angle end. The front lens group comprises, in order from the object side, a first lens group of positive refracting power and a second lens group of negative refracting power, and the rear lens group comprises, in order from the object side, a third lens group of positive refracting power and a fourth lens group of positive refracting power. There is an aperture stop interposed between the lens surface located in, and nearest to the object side of, the second lens group and the lens surface located in, and nearest to the image size of, the third lens group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Tomoyuki Satori
  • Publication number: 20090174950
    Abstract: A zoom lens comprises, in order from its object side, a first lens group of positive refracting power, a second lens group of negative refracting power, and a third lens group of positive refracting power located on an image side with respect to the second lens group. Upon zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the spacing between the first lens group and the second lens group grows wider at the telephoto end than at the wide-angle end, and the spacing between the second lens group and the third lens group becomes narrower at the telephoto end than at the wide-angle end. The first lens group comprises a negative lens and a positive lens, and the number of the negative lens in the first lens group is only one. At least one positive lens in the first lens group satisfies the following conditions (1) and (2): 1.80<ndlp<2.0??(1) 50.0<?dlp<70.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Tomoyuki Satori
  • Publication number: 20090103186
    Abstract: A zoom lens is composed, in order from the object side thereof, of a front side lens unit having a negative refracting power at the wide angle end and a rear side lens unit having a positive refracting power at the wide angle end. The front side lens unit includes a first lens unit located closest to the object side and having a positive refracting power and a second lens unit located on the image side of the first lens unit and having a negative refracting power. The distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is larger at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The rear side lens unit includes a third lens unit located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end and having a positive refracting power, the distance between the third lens unit and the second lens unit being smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The third lens unit satisfies the following condition: 0.01<f3/ft<0.16 . . . (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventor: Masashi Hankawa
  • Publication number: 20090040363
    Abstract: An electronic imaging apparatus includes a zoom optical system having, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive power, a second lens unit with negative power, and an aperture stop, in which the first lens unit is composed of a single positive power unit and the second lens unit has a single negative lens element located at the most object-side position, both surfaces of which are concave, and a positive lens component located at the most image-side position; an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom optical system; and an image processing section electrically processing image data obtained by the electronic image sensor to change the form thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota, Masaru Morooka, Toru Miyajima, Kouki Hozumi
  • Patent number: 7471459
    Abstract: A three-unit zoom lens system comprising, in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power; a second lens unit having a positive refractive power; and a third lens unit having a positive or negative refractive power, wherein during magnification change from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a space between the first lens unit and the second lens unit narrows, the second lens unit and the third lens unit move toward the only object side, and a space between the second lens unit and the third lens unit changes during a focusing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Masahito Watanabe, Kouki Hozumi, Kazuya Nishimura, Takahiro Amanai, Toru Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7453650
    Abstract: An electronic imaging apparatus includes a zoom optical system having, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive power, a second lens unit with negative power, and an aperture stop, in which the first lens unit is composed of a single positive power unit and the second lens unit has a single negative lens element located at the most object-side position, both surfaces of which are concave, and a positive lens component located at the most image-side position; an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom optical system; and an image processing section electrically processing image data obtained by the electronic image sensor to change the form thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Toru Miyajima, Kouki Hozumi
  • Publication number: 20080180808
    Abstract: An electronic imaging apparatus includes a zoom optical system having, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive power, a second lens unit with negative power, and an aperture stop, in which the first lens unit is composed of a single positive power unit and the second lens unit has a single negative lens element located at the most object-side position, both surfaces of which are concave, and a positive lens component located at the most image-side position; an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom optical system; and an image processing section electrically processing image data obtained by the electronic image sensor to change the form thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota, Masaru Morooka, Toru Miyajima, Kouki Hozumi
  • Publication number: 20080084615
    Abstract: There is disclosed an electronic image pickup apparatus including an aperture stop disposed on an optical path reflected by a reflective surface of a first lens unit and having a non-circular aperture in a state in which an area of an aperture of the aperture stop is maximized, and a lens arranged closest to an image side on an optical path extending from the reflective surface to an image surface and having a non-circular shape, each of the shape of the non-circular aperture of the aperture stop and the outer shape of the lens is formed such that a length of the aperture which in a direction along an incident optical axis which enters the first lens unit is smaller than that of which in a direction vertical to the incident optical axis which enters the first lens unit and a reflected optical axis reflected by the reflective surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota