Abstract: A lens holder is provided with objective lenses of different types. Rotating the lens holder causes one of the objective lenses to be placed in the optical path of the laser beam. Near one objective lens, there is provided a reflecting element that reflects part of the laser beam directed to the objective lens. When the objective lens is put in the optical path, the beam from the reflecting element is sensed by a sensor. From the sensing result, it is judged that a specific type of objective lens is in the optical path. Accordingly, there is provided an objective lens driving apparatus that includes at least two objective lenses with different numerical apertures according to optical information recording mediums complying with different standards, is capable of switching between the objective lenses according to the optical information recording medium to be used, and further has a simple structure capable of identifying the type of the objective lens selected by switching.

Abstract: An automatic assembly and inspection system for optical connectors is provided, which is highly reliable and which can produce economical and highly-effective optical cords or cables with optical connectors.

Abstract: An anti-theft car protection system comprises a transmitter-receiver for receiving a code of the key, an immobilizer unit for collating said code as received with a code as registered and transmitting an engine start permission signal to an engine control unit when said code as received coincides with said code as registered, and means, cooperating with said immobilizer unit, for removing repetition of key operation upon start of the engine.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector unit is composed of a ferrule including a first flange and a second flange formed to have a greater diameter than other portions, a stopring provided outside of the ferrule, having on its inner peripheral surface a first step and a second step, a coil spring having one end contacting with the first flange end face and the other end contacting with the first step end face, its tip exerting a spring force in an axial direction towards outside from the stopring; and a locating member provided between the stopring and the ferrule and having a first stopper contacting with the second step end face and a second stopper contacting with the second flange end face. The optical fiber connector using the unit can easily be assembled.

Abstract: An optical head comprises a laser beam source, a photo-detector device for receiving a laser beam emitted from the laser beam source and reflected at a data recording medium, an optical system for sending the laser beam from the data recording medium to the photo-detector device, and a base member for fixing the photo-detector device and the optical system. The photo-detector device has a photo-detector element, a mount member on which the photo-detector element is mounted, a block for fixing one end of the mount member, a spring member for applying elastic force to the mount member, a screw member for moving the photo-detector element along one direction against elastic force of the spring member and fixing the element to an arbitrary position, and a hinge portion formed in the fixing end of the mount member.

Abstract: A viscoelastic substance which is useful in an objective lens driving apparatus has magnetic particles dispersed therein for generating a force for restoring deformation of the viscoelastic substance when an external force acts upon the viscoelastic substance in the presence of an external magnetic field.

Abstract: In an information recording/reproducing apparatus, a light beam emitted from a semiconductor laser is guided to a beam splitter. The light beam passing through an incident surface of the splitter is splitted into first and second light beam by a beam splitting layer. The first beam passing through the splitting layer is emerged from a first emerging surface and guided to an optical disk. The first light beam after being reflected from the optical disk is returned to the first emerging surface and passes through the first emerging surface. The returned first light beam passed through a second emerging surface and defected by a detector so that a retrieving signal is generated from a detector. The second light beam reflected from the beam splitting layer is directed to a concave mirror of the splitter and is converged on a mirror detector through a third emerging surface so that a mirror signal for controlling the semiconductor laser is detected.

Abstract: A reversible electric motor is coupled for moving a steering wheel of an automotive vehicle in a first direction toward an uppermost position and in a second direction toward a lowermost position. An operation device has a control member movable in first and second directions for producing a signal indicating a desired steering wheel position change corresponding to an extent to which the control member is moved and a desired direction corresponding to a direction in which the control member is moved. A control unit is responsive to the signal from the operation device for operating the electric motor to move the steering wheel in the desired direction. The control unit is arranged to set a length of time based upon the desired steering wheel position change and to operate the electric motor for the time length to make the desired steering wheel position change.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus has a light source, light focusing means for focusing the light beam to a recording film of an optical disk light reception means for receiving a reflected light beam from the recording film, and optical axis adjustment means arranged in an optical path between the light source and the light focusing means and for adjusting a dislocation of the optical axis of the light beam from the optical center axis of the light focusing means. The optical axis adjustment means has an light transmissive flat plate having parallel surfaces which are installed diagonally to the optical axis, or with the light transmissive flat plate and means which supports the light transmissive flat plate and inclines rotatably the direction of the light transmissive flat plate around two axes by turning a curved surface seat thereof.

Abstract: An objective lens driving apparatus includes an objective lens held by a movable member. The movable member is supported on a base by a support mechanism to be movable in a predetermined direction. Magnetic field forming unit is fixed to the base so as to apply a magnetic field to the movable member. Focusing coils and tracking coils are fixed to the movable member to drive the movable member in the predetermined direction in cooperation with the magnetic field. Viscoelastic substances for absorbing vibration of the movable member are arranged between the focusing coils and the magnetic unit and between the tracking coils and the unit. The viscoelastic substance has a viscoelastic material and magnetic material dispersed therein.

Abstract: A calibration disk used for an optical disk inspection unit to correct the measurement values of the mechanical characteristics, such as plane deflection and eccentricity of optical disks, and comprising at least one of three correction sections: an axial displacement correction section, a radial displacement correction section, and a focus error output voltage correction section which are formed on one or both sides of the calibration disk, concentric to the center of rotation of the disk so that measurement values, such as the surface deflection, can be corrected automatically and accurately by simply setting the calibration disk on an inspection unit.

Abstract: A stretch drawing apparatus comprising a constraining die having an inner die portion and an outer wall portion spaced apart from the die portion, a drawing punch positioned in conjunction with the die portion, a blank-holding block positioned in conjunction with the outer wall portion of the constraining die, the constraining die and each of the drawing punch and the blank-holding block being movable relative to each other in a predetermined direction so that the die portion and each of the drawing punch and the blank-holding block are movable toward and away from each other, and at least one wedge member having a blank-holding surface and movable in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, wherein the wedge member engages the constraining die and the blank-holding block and has a thickness which increases away from the die portion toward the outer wall portion of the constraining die.