Abstract: A drive device includes a moving body having a driven portion with an engagement holding portion and an insertion portion, and an element holding portion holding an optical element; a piezoelectric driver having a piezoelectric element and a drive axis that moves the moving body while being inserted into the insertion portion; and a leaf spring being inserted into the insertion portion, being held by the moving body and urging the drive axis to the driven portion in a pressing direction. In a state in which the leaf spring is inserted into the insertion portion, the leaf spring is elastically deformed in the insertion portion by inserting the drive axis which is inserted into the insertion portion, and the drive axis is pressed against the driven portion by the leaf spring, while the leaf spring is engaged with the engagement holding portion and held by the moving body.

Abstract: An air-core stepping motor includes: a tubular stator including a yoke and a coil; a tubular rotor including a cylindrical magnet; and rotor support means for supporting the rotor rotatably with respect to the stator, the rotor support means including a sleeve fixed to the rotor, a holder fixed to the stator, and a ball held between the sleeve and the holder, the holder having a first holder member and a second holder member separated in a rotational-axial direction of the motor, the first holder member and the second holder member being assembled with the first holder member or the second holder member fitted to the sleeve, and being used thereafter with the first holder member or the second holder member disconnected from the sleeve.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes: a lens holding frame holding a lens; a barrel body housing the lens holding frame; motion conversion means for converting rotary motion of the lens holding frame into reciprocating motion along the optical axis of the lens; a manual ring provided on the outer side of the barrel body and rotating around the optical axis; a coreless stepper motor provided on the outer side of the barrel body and rotating around the optical axis; rollers provided between the manual ring and the stepper motor, and rotating in synchronization with the rotation of the manual ring and the stepper motor; motor rotation preventing means for preventing the stepper motor from rotating when the rollers transfer the rotation of the manual ring; an intermediate ring rotating around the optical axis; and a transfer unit transferring the rotary motion of the intermediate ring to the lens holding frame.

Abstract: A lens includes a front group including a plurality of lens groups; and a rear group that is provided on an image side of the front group and that includes a negative lens and a positive lens. The positive lens has a flat lens surface on its image side, and is tiltable about a spherical center of its object side lens surface that is convex on the object side. When a lens system is inclined, the positive lens is tilted in relation to the optical axis of the lens system based on: a focal length of the overall lens system; an angle of the optical axis of the lens system after being inclined in relation to the optical axis before being inclined; a distance between the image side lens surface of the positive lens and the image plane; and a refractive index of the positive lens.

Abstract: An air-core stepping motor includes: a tubular stator including a yoke and a coil; a tubular rotor including a cylindrical magnet; and rotor support means for supporting the rotor rotatably with respect to the stator, the rotor support means including a sleeve fixed to the rotor, a holder fixed to the stator, and a ball held between the sleeve and the holder, the holder having a first holder member and a second holder member separated in a rotational-axial direction of the motor, the first holder member and the second holder member being assembled with the first holder member or the second holder member fitted to the sleeve, and being used thereafter with the first holder member or the second holder member disconnected from the sleeve.

Abstract: A lens includes a front group including a plurality of lens groups; and a rear group that is provided on an image side of the front group and that includes a negative lens and a positive lens. The positive lens has a flat lens surface on its image side, and is tiltable about a spherical center of its object side lens surface that is convex on the object side. When a lens system is inclined, the positive lens is tilted in relation to the optical axis of the lens system based on: a focal length of the overall lens system; an angle of the optical axis of the lens system after being inclined in relation to the optical axis before being inclined; a distance between the image side lens surface of the positive lens and the image plane; and a refractive index of the positive lens.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes: a front group including a plurality of movable lens groups; and a rear group that is provided on an image side of the front group and that includes a negative lens and a positive lens. The positive lens has a flat lens surface on its image side, and is tiltable about a spherical center of its object side lens surface that is convex on the object side. When a lens system is inclined, the positive lens is tilted in relation to the optical axis of the lens system based on: a focal length of the overall lens system; an angle of the optical axis of the lens system after being inclined in relation to the optical axis before being inclined; a distance between the image side lens surface of the positive lens and the image plane; and a refractive index of the positive lens.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes: a lens holding frame holding a lens; a barrel body housing the lens holding frame; motion conversion means for converting rotary motion of the lens holding frame into reciprocating motion along the optical axis of the lens; a manual ring provided on the outer side of the barrel body and rotating around the optical axis; a coreless stepper motor provided on the outer side of the barrel body and rotating around the optical axis; rollers provided between the manual ring and the stepper motor, and rotating in synchronization with the rotation of the manual ring and the stepper motor; motor rotation preventing means for preventing the stepper motor from rotating when the rollers transfer the rotation of the manual ring; an intermediate ring rotating around the optical axis; and a transfer unit transferring the rotary motion of the intermediate ring to the lens holding frame.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens frame movable in optical axis directions of a lens, a cam barrel rotated around outside the lens frame to move the lens frame in the optical axis directions, a base supporting the cam barrel to be rotatable and to be immovable in axial directions, and a hollow motor including a rotor and a stator and rotating the cam barrel. The stator supported by the base surrounds the rotor provided outside the cam barrel to be movable in the axial directions and rotate integrally with the cam barrel. As the rotor moves in one of the axial directions, a second locking portion of the base engages with a first locking portion of the rotor to prevent rotation of the rotor. A movement mechanism moves the rotor in the axial directions between a locking position and an unlocking position of the first and second locking portions.

Abstract: An image blur correction apparatus includes a correction lens, a first guide section, a second guide section, a first driving section, a second driving section, and a position detection section. In the image blur correction apparatus, the first and second driving section has first and second coils, a magnet to apply magnetic force to the first and second coils, and a yoke to support the magnet. The two coils are disposed in an intersecting and overlapping relationship with each other such that the direction of propelling force generated by the first coil and the direction of propelling force generated by the second coil are directed to the first direction and the second direction, respectively. The position detection section detects the magnetic force of the magnet to detect the position of the correction lens.

Abstract: A zoom lens including a varifocal lens unit having a plurality of movable lens groups, and a prism disposed on an image side of the varifocal lens unit. The prism has an incident plane on which a light flux from the varifocal lens unit enters, and an exit plane from which the light flux is emitted toward an image plane, and is configured such that the incident plane or the exit plane or both planes can be inclined with respect to an optical axis, whereby a field of view is shifted by a predetermined amount by inclining the plane.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens frame movable in optical axis directions of a lens, a cam barrel rotated around outside the lens frame to move the lens frame in the optical axis directions, a base supporting the cam barrel to be rotatable and to be immovable in axial directions, and a hollow motor including a rotor and a stator and rotating the cam barrel. The stator supported by the base surrounds the rotor provided outside the cam barrel to be movable in the axial directions and rotate integrally with the cam barrel. As the rotor moves in one of the axial directions, a second locking portion of the base engages with a first locking portion of the rotor to prevent rotation of the rotor. A movement mechanism moves the rotor in the axial directions between a locking position and an unlocking position of the first and second locking portions.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes a varifocal lens unit including a plurality of movable lens groups, and a prism disposed on an image side of the varifocal lens unit. The prism has an incident plane into which a light flux from the varifocal lens unit enters, and an exit plane from which the light flux is emitted toward an image plane, the exit plane capable of being inclined with respect to an optical axis, the exit plane inclined in accordance with a following conditional expression “?=?f×?/[Bf(n?1)]”, where ?: an angle formed by a normal of the exit plane and the optical axis, f: a focus distance of a whole lens system, ?: a turning angle of a lens system, Bf: a distance from the exit plane of the prism to the image plane along the optical axis, and n: a refraction index of the prism.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes: a front group including a plurality of movable lens groups; and a rear group that is provided on an image side of the front group and that includes a negative lens and a positive lens. The positive lens has a flat lens surface on its image side, and is tiltable about a spherical center of its object side lens surface that is convex on the object side. When a lens system is inclined, the positive lens is tilted in relation to the optical axis of the lens system based on: a focal length of the overall lens system; an angle of the optical axis of the lens system after being inclined in relation to the optical axis before being inclined; a distance between the image side lens surface of the positive lens and the image plane; and a refractive index of the positive lens.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image blur correction apparatus, which may include a correction lens, a first guide section, a second guide section, a first driving section, a second driving section, and a position detection section. In the image blur correction apparatus, the first and second driving section may be composed of first and second coils, a magnet to apply magnetic force to the first and second coils, and a yoke to support the magnet. The two coils may be disposed in an intersecting and overlapping relationship with each other such that the direction of propelling force generated by the first coil and the direction of propelling force generated by the second coil both by action of the magnetic force of the magnet are directed to the first direction and the second direction, respectively. The position detection section may detect the magnetic force of the magnet to detect the position of the correction lens.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes a varifocal lens unit including a plurality of movable lens groups, and a prism disposed on an image side of the varifocal lens unit. The prism has an incident plane into which a light flux from the varifocal lens unit enters, and an exit plane from which the light flux is emitted toward an image plane, the exit plane capable of being inclined with respect to an optical axis, the exit plane inclined in accordance with a following conditional expression “?=?f×?/[Bf(n?1)]”, where ?: an angle formed by a normal of the exit plane and the optical axis, f: a focus distance of a whole lens system, ?: a turning angle of a lens system, Bf: a distance from the exit plane of the prism to the image plane along the optical axis, and n: a refraction index of the prism.

Abstract: A zoom lens including a varifocal lens unit having a plurality of movable lens groups, and a prism disposed on an image side of the varifocal lens unit. The prism has an incident plane on which a light flux from the varifocal lens unit enters, and an exit plane from which the light flux is emitted toward an image plane, and is configured such that the incident plane or the exit plane or both planes can be inclined with respect to an optical axis, whereby a field of view is shifted by a predetermined amount by inclining the plane.

Abstract: A servo pattern writing method of writing a servo pattern for the positioning control of a magnetic head on a magnetic disk comprises changing the rotating speed of the magnetic disk with the magnetic head positioned at one or more proper radial positions with respect to the magnetic disk. The rotating speed of the magnetic disk is changed on the basis of the magnitude of a synchronous vibration synchronous with the rotation of the magnetic disk. Writing current for writing a servo pattern is set according to the change of the rotating speed of the magnetic disk. The STW rotating speed is changed according to the change of the radial position of the magnetic head to reduce the intensity of the vibration that is generated during a servo pattern writing operation to a value meeting a positioning level. The servo track writing operation can be achieved at a low cost.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical connector housing having a first casing, a second casing and a sidewall, and including a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board superposed with a given space. The first printed circuit board includes at least a first conductor and the second printed circuit board includes at least a second conductor. The electrical connector housing further includes a connector-receiving portion projecting from the sidewall and placed at a position between the first and second printed circuit boards. The first conductor on the first printed circuit board is connected to a first terminal device, while the second conductor on the second printed circuit board is connected to a second terminal device, and the first and second terminal devices protrude at the connector-receiving portion, so that they are adapted to connect to a terminal of an outside connector to be inserted into the connector-receiving portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a terminal piece for making connections between a first conductor element and a second conductor element superposed with a given distance. The terminal piece is formed by stamping out a substantially U-shaped piece from a conductive metal sheet and includes a first leg portion with a first contact section, a shoulder portion and a second leg portion with a second contact section, the first leg portion being longer than the second leg portion. The first conductor element includes a terminal path hole and a terminal-fixing hole. The first leg portion is passed through the terminal path hole and the first contact section is connected to the second conductor element by a first fixing device, and the second contact section is connected to the first conductor element by a second fixing device.