Abstract: A lens barrel is provided with: a first movable frame and a second movable frame of a plurality of movable frames that are coaxially disposed to be movable back and forth to a stationary main frame and are inserted telescopically into the stationary frame; and two U-shaped support and drive members each having a first engagement portion, wherein each of the support and drive members is constituted of two arm portions, a second engagement portion, and a coupling member which connects the two arm portions. The first movable frame is driven by one of the support and drive members, and the second movable frame and the first movable frame are engaged with each other.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a first and second movable frames provided coaxially on an optical axis of a lens, and telescopically moved in and out from a stationary main frame; a first support member engaged with the first movable frame as a first pivot orthogonal to the optical axis, and pivotally supported on the stationary main frame at one end; a second support member engaged with the first movable frame as a second pivot orthogonal to the optical axis and the first pivot, and pivotally supported on the stationary main frame at one end; a first connection member pivotally supported on or engaged with the second movable frame as a third pivot or the first movable frame as a fourth pivot; and a second connection member pivotally supported on or engaged with the second movable frame as a fifth pivot or the first movable frame as a sixth pivot, wherein arm portions of the first support member and the first connection member are engaged with each other.

Abstract: A lens unit includes: a first lens group arranged in a first optical axis direction of the lens unit, on which a light flux from an object is incident; a second lens group provided closer to an image side than the first lens group and arranged in a second optical axis direction; a bending section provided between the first and the second lens groups, which bends the first optical axis in the second optical axis direction, wherein the first and second lens groups are movable in the respective optical axes when a zooming operation is carried out; an actuator which drives the first and second lens groups; a first drive mechanism which moves the first lens group; a second drive mechanism which moves the second lens group; and a coupling member which concurrently transmits drive force from the actuator to the first and second drive mechanisms.

Abstract: A lens unit according to the present invention is capable of varying power for forming an image onto an image pickup element. The lens unit includes: a plurality of lens groups, a diaphragm, and a shutter. In the plurality of lens groups, a distance between a k-th lens group counting from an object side and a (k+1)-th lens group arranged at an image side of the k-th lens group changes for varying power. The diaphragm is arranged between a position at an image side of the k-th lens group and a lens surface facing the object side of a lens closest to the image in the (k+1)-th lens group. The shutter is provided with an aperture in a noncircular shape and fulfills the predetermined conditional formulas.

Abstract: There are provided a lens barrel unit and an imaging apparatus in which a plurality of constituent elements can be driven using a linear driving mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fabricating a lens unit in which an inter-barrel member can be fixed with a high degree of accuracy without enlarging the lens barrels and the accuracy of the dimension of the inter-barrel member is not required. The method comprises the steps of: disposing an inter-barrel member 11 in a gap “g” defined between a front lens barrel 7 on a subject side in an optical-axis direction x and a rear lens barrel 8 on an imaging surface side in the optical-axis direction x; bringing the inter-barrel member 11 into close contact with one of the front lens barrel 7 and the rear lens barrel 8 in the optical-axis direction x; inserting a resilient member 12 into a space in the optical-axis direction x between the inter-barrel member 11 and the other of the front lens barrel 7 and the rear lens barrel 8; and fixing the front lens barrel 7 and the rear lens barrel 8 integrally with each other to compress the resilient member 12 in the optical-axis direction x.

Abstract: A lens barrel and an imaging apparatus are provided that can definitely detect the positions of a plurality of lens groups, do not require high accuracy components, has a high reliability, and is inexpensive. In a lens barrel provided with imaging optical systems with two or more lens groups and driving devices that independently drive the respective lens groups, a lens barrel constituted so that it has a detected member that is attached to one of the lens groups among said lens groups, and said lens group to which said member to be detected is attached moves in conjunction with the drive of the lens group to which said member to be detected is not attached.

Abstract: There is provided an imaging apparatus having a lens barrier in which a gap does not arise between the lens barrier and a casing when the lens barrier is closed, and yet a driving source exclusively for the lens barrier is not required. The imaging apparatus has casings 1, 2 having a lens opening 5 provided therein, a lens barrel unit 4 that is swingably supported inside the casings 1, 2 and faces out onto a photographic subject from the lens opening 5, swinging means 101, 10b for swinging the lens barrel unit 4 so as to control the attitude of the lens barrel unit 4, and a lens barrier 7 that is movably supported on the casing 1, 2 and can be moved so as to close or open up the lens opening 5. The lens barrel unit 4 has a linking member 11 that drives the lens barrier 7. The linking member 11 is isolated from the lens barrier 7 at least when the swinging means 10a, 10b are changing the attitude of the lens barrel unit 4.

Abstract: A compact lens housing which is of a multistage type in which it is projected and retracted through three stages. The lens housing includes three pairs, each of which is composed of a straight-moving member which is movable in an axial direction of the lens housing but not rotatable and is composed of a rotation member which can rotate relative to the straight-moving member, in which the rotation member moves integrally together with the straight-moving member in the axial direction. The straight-moving members of the three pairs have straight-moving interlocking parts, respectively, and the straight-moving interlocking parts slidably engage with each other so as to be able to move in the axial direction. The straight-moving interlocking parts are arranged generally in the same circumference when the lens housing is viewed in the axial direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides an installation system that facilitates the operation on computer terminals in the network system and allows for automatic installation of an operating system software program on computer terminals. A PC to be shipped is connected to a network. After the PC is switched on, an installation floppy disk is inserted in the drive and started up. The installation start-up program stored in the floppy disk is copied to the internal memory of the PC. After the PC is connected to an installation server, the hard disk drive is initialized. The bar coded ID of the PC is read with a bar code reader. The installation information relevant to that ID is retrieved from the installation server by using the ID as a key.

Abstract: The present invention provides an installation system that facilitates the operation on computer terminals in the network system and allows for automatic installation of an operating system software program on computer terminals. A PC to be shipped is connected to a network. After the PC is switched on, an installation floppy disk is inserted in the drive and started up. The installation start-up program stored in the floppy disk is copied to the internal memory of the PC. After the PC is connected to an installation server, the hard disk drive is initialized. The bar coded ID of the PC is read with a bar code reader. The installation information relevant to that ID is retrieved from the installation server by using the ID as a key.