Abstract: A stage apparatus in which a movable stage is guided in first and second directions orthogonal to each other on a stationary member, includes a pair of first elongated holes formed on one of the movable stage and the stationary member and are elongated in the first direction; a pair of link members having two engaging pins at first ends thereof which are engaged in the pair of first elongated holes to be movable therein, respectively, one of second ends of the pair of link members being pivoted at the other of the movable stage and the stationary member, and the other of the second ends of the pair of link members being supported by the other of the movable stage and the stationary member; and a link-member support mechanism for moving the movable stage in the second direction while maintaining a symmetrical shape thereof.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging device and can be moved in first and second directions. The fixed-unit slidably supports the movable-unit in both the first and second directions. The movable-unit has a hall-element unit, and a first driving coil which is used for moving the movable-unit in the first direction, and a second driving coil which is used for moving the movable-unit in the second direction. The hall-element unit has a horizontal hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable-unit in the first direction as a first location, and a vertical hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable-unit in the second direction as a second location. The horizontal hall-element is arranged inside the first driving coil. The vertical hall-element is arranged inside the second driving coil.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus comprises a movable-unit, a fixed-unit, a signal-processor, and a controller. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first- and second-directions, supported by the fixed-unit. The fixed-unit has a horizontal-hall-element for detecting a first-location, and a vertical-hall-element for detecting a second-location. The signal-processor outputs a first-signal specifying the first-location, from output signals of the horizontal-hall-element, to a first A/D-converter of the controller, and outputs a second-signal specifying the second-location, from output signals of the vertical-hall-element, to a second A/D-converter of the controller. The controller calculates the first-location in an A/D-converting-operation for the first-signal, and the second-location in an A/D-converting-operation for the second-signal.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first and second directions. The fixed-unit slidably supports the movable-unit in both the first and second directions. The movable-unit has a horizontal hall-element for detecting a first location in the first direction of the movable-unit, and a vertical hall-element for detecting a second location in the second direction of the movable-unit. The fixed-unit has a magnet unit which is used for detecting the first and second locations, and which has first and second horizontal magnets and first and second vertical magnets. The polarities of the first and second horizontal magnets are arranged in opposite directions, in the third direction. N-pole of the first horizontal magnet and S-pole of the second horizontal magnet are separated in the first direction by a first distance, and face the horizontal hall-element.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; an X-direction moving member supported on the stationary support plate by an X-direction guide device; and a Y-direction moving member supported on the X-direction moving member by a Y-direction guide device. The X-direction guide device has an X-direction elongated hole extending in the X-direction and formed in one of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate, and an X-direction engagement projection provided on the other of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate and is engaged in the X-direction elongated hole. The Y-direction guide device has a Y-direction elongated hole extending in the Y-direction and formed in one of the X-direction and Y-direction moving members, and a Y-direction engagement projection which is provided on the other of the X-direction and Y-direction moving members and is engaged in the Y-direction elongated hole.

Abstract: A one-way rotational transfer mechanism includes a rotary input shaft; a hollow-cylindrical rotary output shaft positioned around the rotary input shaft; a circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion formed on the rotary input shaft to form at least one accommodation space between the rotary input shaft and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface; a movable member; balls positioned between first and second holding surfaces; at least one roller member installed in the accommodation space; and a biasing device which biases the movable member so that the balls are sandwiched between the first and second holding surfaces and so that an normal surface and the roller member come into pressing contact with each other. The circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion is shaped so that a rotation of the rotary input shaft is transferred to the hollow-cylindrical rotary output shaft via the roller member when the rotary input shaft is rotated.

Abstract: An indication-selecting device for an electronic device includes (1) an indicator for simultaneously indicating a plurality of icons which correspond to a plurality of functions of the electronic device, and which are classified into a plurality of groups; (2) an indication-distinguishing device which distinguishes all the icons of a group which has been selected from icons in the remaining groups which are not selected; (3) a selection device for selecting a desired icon in the group which has been selected; and (4) an enabling device for enabling a function corresponding to the desired icon which is selected by the selection device.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing-apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and a position-detecting magnet. The movable-unit can be moved in a first-direction and a second-direction. The fixed-unit has a hall-element unit. The first-direction is perpendicular to an optical-axis of a camera-lens of the photographing-apparatus. The second-direction is perpendicular to the optical-axis and the first-direction. The position-detecting magnet is used for detecting a first location in the first-direction of the movable-unit and a second location in the second-direction of the movable-unit, and has a front-surface which faces the hall-element unit. The hall-element unit has hall-elements which are used for detecting the first location, and has hall-elements which are used for detecting the second location, and faces the position-detecting magnet.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing-apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging-device, a position-detecting magnetic-field generating unit. The movable-unit can be moved in a first-direction and a second-direction. The fixed-unit has a hall-element unit. The first-direction is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera-lens of the photographing-apparatus. The second-direction is perpendicular to the optical axis and the first-direction. The position-detecting magnetic-field generating unit is used for detecting a first location in the first-direction of the movable-unit, and a second location in the second-direction of the movable-unit, and has a position-detecting coil. The hall-element unit has a horizontal hall-element which is used for detecting the first location, and has a vertical hall-element which is used for detecting the second location.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support base-plate; a Y-direction moving member supported on the stationary support base-plate to move in a Y-direction; and an X-direction moving member supported on the Y-direction moving member to move in an X-direction orthogonal to the Y-direction. The Y-direction moving member includes a Y-direction rod portion which extends in the Y-direction and an X-direction rod portion connected to the Y-direction rod portion and extends in the X-direction. The stationary support base-plate includes a Y-direction guide device for guiding the Y-direction rod portion of the Y-direction moving member so as to slide in the Y-direction, and a Y-direction support device for supporting a free end of the X-direction rod portion so as to allow movement of the X-direction rod portion in the Y-direction. The X-direction moving member is supported by the Y-direction moving member so as to slide in the X-direction.

Abstract: A stereo camera with an automatic convergence adjusting device is provided. A stereo-image is captured by a CCD through a stereo adapter. A fiducial light beam in a plane of symmetry which includes a perpendicular bisector line of a segment between the viewpoints of the right and left parallax images, is projected onto a subject from light-emitting equipment. A fiducial spot produced by the fiducial light beam is imaged on both the right and left parallax images and the image loci of the fiducial spot are detected. The convergence of the stereo adapter is adjusted with reference to the image loci of the fiducial mark.

Abstract: A lighting control apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a lighting device and a signal supplying processor. The lighting device illuminates a photographic subject by receiving one of a sine wave signal, and a half-wave rectification wave signal, a saw wave signal, and a triangle wave signal in the exposure time. The signal supplying processor supplies one of the sine wave signal, the half-rectification wave signal, the saw wave signal, and the triangle wave signal, to be received, to the lighting device, in the exposure time.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a plurality of light sources, and a light-source controller. The light-source controller controls the plurality of light sources so that at least one light source in the plurality of light sources can emit assisting light to form contrasts of luminance on a photographic subject, and so that the light sources can simultaneously emit illuminating light to illuminate the photographic subject uniformly. And a photographing apparatus includes the lighting apparatus, a line sensor, and a distance measurer. The line sensor forms image signals corresponding to an image of the photographic subject by receiving the reflected light of the assisting light or the illuminating light reflected by the photographic subject. The distance measurer measures a distance to the subject based on the image signals formed by the line sensor.

Abstract: A light-amount control device includes a plurality of lighting units each of which emits light for illuminating a photographing area of a photographing optical system. Further, the light-amount control device includes a peripheral light amount data calculator and a lighting unit controller. The peripheral light amount data calculator calculates a peripheral light amount data defining ratios of light emission intensities for the lighting units, to make the illuminance of an image plane of a standard object that has a flat surface being perpendicular to the optical axis of the photographing optical system and having a constant reflecting light ratio, constant when the standard object is illuminated by the lighting units. The image plane is formed by reflected light from the surface of the standard object that enters the photographing optical system.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus for photographing an object comprises a lighting device. The light device has a light source and a light-control apparatus. The light source radiates pre-imaging light before the object is photographed, and radiates imaging light when the object is photographed. The light-control apparatus controls the light source so that the quantity of the pre-imaging light is smaller than that of the imaging light.

Abstract: A fluorescent structure is provided on a curved recess plane of a reflector. The fluorescent structure has a shape of a cylinder which is cut by a plane including its central axis and along its longitudinal direction. An inner wall of the fluorescent structure tapers in like a cone from both ends to the central portion of the fluorescent structure. The structure includes a fluorescent material, for example YAG, which converts blue light to white light and diffuses the white light. Blue LEDs are provided close to both ends of the structure. The blue LEDs are positioned such that blue light emitted from the blue LED enters from both ends and is led to the central portion.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus for lighting subjects to be photographed, includes a plurality of lighting units each having a lighting element and a radiating surface for radiating light from the lighting element, and each radiating surface having a normal line oriented in the same direction. Further, the lighting apparatus includes an optical-path deflection unit that has a plurality of optical-path deflectors for-each of the lighting units, to deflect a direction and an illuminating angle of light emitted by each of the lighting elements. The optical-path deflectors are formed as one body. Therefore, the lighting apparatus has a simple structure, and uniformly illuminates the photographing area of the camera, by deflecting each optical path of light from the lighting units.

Abstract: Inner walls of a reflecting cup of a light emitting device include a base plane, a first pair of parallel planes, and a second pair of planes. The first pair of parallel planes are perpendicular to the base plane. The second pair of parallel planes are perpendicular to the base plane, and cross the first pair of parallel planes at right angles. An LED chip which emits a blue light is provided on the base plane. The LED chip is sealed in the cup by a fluorescent member including a fluorescent material, for example YAG. A ratio of a length of the first pair of parallel planes along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the light emitted from the LED chip and a length of the second pair of parallel planes along the perpendicular plane equals the aspect ratio of a photographing area of a camera which is used with the light emitting device.

Abstract: A positioning mechanism includes a moving body which can be moved in accordance with a drive force supplied from a drive source, a stopper which defines a movement extremity of the moving body, and a biasing device which engages with the moving body when the moving body is moved to the vicinity of the movement extremity and which converts, after engagement, the force from the moving body into a force to bias the moving body toward the stopper.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image capturing device comprises a plurality of laser devices, and an imaging device, such as a CCD, having a plurality of photo-diodes. Each of the laser devices radiates a pulse modulated laser beam so as to detect distance information or data relating to a topography of a measurement subject. The laser beam is radiated onto the measurement subject and a reflected light beam is sensed by the CCD. Signal charge corresponding to a distance from the image capturing device to the measurement subject is accumulated in each of the photo-diodes, and thus the above distance information is sensed. Each laser beam, respectively radiated from each of the laser devices, shares illuminating area at the distance of the measurement subject, so that radiant energy of each laser beam can be reduced by sharing a single distance measurement operation among the plurality of laser devices.