Abstract: A lens frame holding a taking lens is movably connected to a driving shaft via a connector. A guide member is disposed at a lower portion of the lens frame so as to separate from the connector by about 180 degrees around an optical axis. The guide member is movably attached to a guide rod. A light emitter is disposed on a lateral side of the lens frame so as to separate from the connector by about 90 degrees around the optical axis. The light emitter applies the light to a light receiver of a line sensor confronting the light emitter. The line sensor sends a light-reception signal, which is outputted from the light receiver, to a lens-position controller. Positional information of the taking lens is obtained on the basis of the light-reception signal so that a position of the taking lens is accurately detected.

Abstract: A heat sink is attached to a subject-side end portion of a barrel body of a lens barrel. The heat sink is provided with a large number of radiation fins formed in whorl. A heat pipe is disposed between the heat sink and a mount-side end portion of the barrel body. A CCD is fixed to the mount-side end portion of the barrel body. Heat of the CCD is transferred to the heat pipe via the mount-side end portion. Successively, the heat is efficiently transferred to the heat sink by the heat pipe. The heat having been transferred to the heat sink is efficiently radiated into the air by the whorl-like radiation fins regardless of conditions of the lens barrel.

Abstract: An electrical component comprises a housing having a plurality of compliant pins. A circuit board is provided with though-holes. Each of the through-holes has an inner surface with a plating layer. Each of the compliant pins has an elastic press-fit portion with an outer surface provided with a step. The step has an engaging surface that engages the plating layer of the though-hole to secure the compliant pin therein. The engaging surface has a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inner surface of the through-hole smaller than a thickness of the plating layer.

Abstract: A heat sink is attached to a subject-side end portion of a barrel body of a lens barrel. The heat sink is provided with a large number of radiation fins formed in whorl. A heat pipe is disposed between the heat sink and a mount-side end portion of the barrel body. A CCD is fixed to the mount-side end portion of the barrel body. Heat of the CCD is transferred to the heat pipe via the mount-side end portion. Successively, the heat is efficiently transferred to the heat sink by the heat pipe. The heat having been transferred to the heat sink is efficiently radiated into the air by the whorl-like radiation fins regardless of conditions of the lens barrel.

Abstract: A lens barrel assembly for use with a digital still camera includes an outer barrel having a front end and a rear end. An inner barrel is inserted in the outer barrel in an optical axis direction. The outer barrel moves forwards relative to the inner barrel, to shift between a short size position and a long size position, and when in the short size position, shifts from the inner barrel at a smallest shifting amount, and when in the long size position, shifts from the inner barrel at a largest shifting amount. A vent is formed in the outer barrel, and disposed close to the front end. A filter is water-impermeable and air-permeable, and secured to the vent in a closed manner. Also, a vent cover is secured to the outer barrel, for covering the vent.

Abstract: An electrical component comprises a housing having a plurality of compliant pins. A circuit board is provided with though-holes. Each of the through-holes has an inner surface with a plating layer. Each of the compliant pins has an elastic press-fit portion with an outer surface provided with a step. The step has an engaging surface that engages the plating layer of the though-hole to secure the compliant pin therein. The engaging surface has a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inner surface of the through-hole smaller than a thickness of the plating layer.

Abstract: A lens barrel assembly for use with a digital still camera includes an outer barrel having a front end and a rear end. An inner barrel is inserted in the outer barrel in an optical axis direction. The outer barrel moves forwards relative to the inner barrel, to shift between a short size position and a long size position, and when in the short size position, shifts from the inner barrel at a smallest shifting amount, and when in the long size position, shifts from the inner barrel at a largest shifting amount. A vent is formed in the outer barrel, and disposed close to the front end. A filter is water-impermeable and air-permeable, and secured to the vent in a closed manner. Also, a vent cover is secured to the outer barrel, for covering the vent.

Abstract: A first drive shaft is disposed with a first piezoelectric element at one end and a second piezoelectric element at the other end. A second drive shaft is disposed with the second piezoelectric element at one end and a third piezoelectric element at the other end. First and second lens holding frames are frictionally engaged with the first and second drive shafts respectively in a slidable manner. The first, second and third piezoelectric elements are expanded and contracted according to a drive signal and move the first and second lens holding frames in an axial direction respectively. When the moving velocity of the first and second lens holding frames are reduced, the phase difference between the drive signals, which are output to the respective piezoelectric elements, is adjusted so that the moving velocity becomes higher.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator having a frame portion includes a drive shaft for frictional engagement with an engageable barrel arm of a lens unit. First and second piezoelectric elements are supported on the frame portion, and provided with first and second ends of respectively the drive shaft. A drive pulse generator supplies the piezoelectric elements with a drive signal to expand or contract the piezoelectric elements, and moves the engageable barrel arm in an axial direction by an alternately repeating sequence of shifting the drive shaft at low and high speeds in the axial direction. In the shifting at the high speed, the piezoelectric elements shift the drive shaft in a backward direction quickly, to move the drive shaft in the backward direction relative to the engageable barrel arm being stationary with inertial force.

Abstract: A lens frame holding a taking lens is movably connected to a driving shaft via a connector. A guide member is disposed at a lower portion of the lens frame so as to separate from the connector by about 180 degrees around an optical axis. The guide member is movably attached to a guide rod. A light emitter is disposed on a lateral side of the lens frame so as to separate from the connector by about 90 degrees around the optical axis. The light emitter applies the light to a light receiver of a line sensor confronting the light emitter. The line sensor sends a light-reception signal, which is outputted from the light receiver, to a lens-position controller. Positional information of the taking lens is obtained on the basis of the light-reception signal so that a position of the taking lens is accurately detected.

Abstract: A first drive shaft is disposed with a first piezoelectric element at one end and a second piezoelectric element at the other end. A second drive shaft is disposed with the second piezoelectric element at one end and a third piezoelectric element at the other end. First and second lens holding frames are frictionally engaged with the first and second drive shafts respectively in a slidable manner. The first, second and third piezoelectric elements are expanded and contracted according to a drive signal and move the first and second lens holding frames in an axial direction respectively. When the moving velocity of the first and second lens holding frames are reduced, the phase difference between the drive signals, which are output to the respective piezoelectric elements, is adjusted so that the moving velocity becomes higher.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal press-fitting structure in which the retention strength of the terminal can be increased without increasing the unfolded length of the terminal. In this terminal press-fitting structure, the press-fitting part is press-fitted into the housing as a result of the plurality of barbs that are formed to protrude from each of the two side edges of the press-fitting part main body of the terminal biting into the inner walls of the press-fitted hole in the housing that receives the press-fitting part of the terminal. The press-fitting part is constructed as a single-layer flat plate structure, the plurality of barbs are constructed so that the tip ends of these barbs are alternately positioned toward one side and the other side of the opposing main surfaces of the press-fitting part.

Abstract: A switching device is provided that includes a switching mechanism unit and a switch drive control circuit. In the switching device, an operating member is maintained in an ON position by the sucking force of a permanent magnet and a yoke, despite the pushing force of a biasing unit, when the permanent magnet is in an ON position. The yoke is magnetized in such a manner as to reduce the magnetic force of the permanent magnet, when a coil wound around the yoke is energized by the switch drive control unit. The operating member and a switching member are moved from the ON position to the OFF position by virtue of the pushing force of the biasing unit, thereby shutting a feed line.

Abstract: Personal care appliances, such as hair care appliances, facial care appliances and body appliances, and attachments therefor are disclosed. The personal care appliances and attachments therefor according to the present invention are made of a blended material of thermo-resistant material and ion powders by injection moulding such that far infrared radiation and negative ions can be emitted naturally and continuously during operation. The present invention further provides individual hair arranging appliances for adjusting, cleaning or confining hair.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a line sensor for reading an image of an original, a scanning optical system that has a light source and scans the original, a reference reflection member provided in such a position as to reflect a light emitted from the light source, a buffer memory for storing data of the image, an intermittent reading part interrupting and restarting scanning performed by the scanning optical system based on a residual storage capacity of the buffer memory, and a light amount variation correction part correcting a variation in an amount of light of the light source during an interruption of the scanning based on an amount of reflected light from the reference reflection member.

Abstract: A hair roller assembly includes a cover made of a soft elastomer material having an inner wall formed with an inner space, and a sponge unit mounted in the inner space of the cover. The cover has a determined length with different sizes. The sponge unit includes a first sponge, a second sponge and a third sponge having different shapes, diameters and density, so that the soft cover mounted on the sponge unit presents different shapes and sizes, and the user's hair curled around the cover also presents different shapes and styles, thereby enhancing variation of the styles of the user's hair.

Abstract: A massaging device includes a plurality of pebble-shaped massaging media which directly touch and surround the user's two feet. Thus, the pebble-shaped massaging media directly touch the user's two feet, so that the vibration force are fully and thoroughly transmitted to the user's two feet through the pebble-shaped massaging media, thereby enhancing the massaging effect for the user's two feet. In addition, the pebble-shaped massaging media are freely moving and rolling around the user's feet during container vibrating that provides a great massaging feeling to the user.

Abstract: An aperture regulating apparatus includes a moving barrel moving straight in an optical axis direction, a rotation barrel rotatably held by the moving barrel, a cam member movably fitted on the moving barrel, and a shutter unit movably contained in the moving barrel. In moving the moving barrel in the optical axis direction by magnifying operation, the rotation barrel moves in the optical axis direction with the moving barrel with rotation, and the cam member moves in the optical axis direction on an outer surface of the moving barrel in accordance with rotation of the rotation barrel. The shutter unit has a regulation lever getting in rotational range of shutter blades. The regulation lever is displaced according to movement of the cam member to control a rotational amount of the shutter blades. An aperture size is regulated according to a focal length of a taking lens.

Abstract: A zoom lens device includes a zoom optical system, in which front, middle and rear lens groups are set at one focal length between a wide-angle end where a focal length is short and a telephoto end where the focal length is long. Lens barrels move in first and second regions to move the front, middle and rear lens groups along an optical axis. The lens barrels, when in the first region, focus the zoom optical system with a predetermined focal length kept by maintaining an interval between the front and middle lens groups, and when in the second region, change the focal length of the zoom optical system. A combination of a cam follower pin and a cam groove effects focusing by moving the middle lens group relative to the front lens group along the optical axis when the lens barrels are in the second region.

Abstract: The ZnS-series sintered material of the present invention includes ZnS as a main component and niobium oxide. The content of the niobium oxide in the sintered material is preferably in the range from more than 5 to 50% by weight, in terms of Nb2O5. The sintered material can be used as the sputtering target. Since this target has a low resistance, it is possible to deposit a thin film using this target by direct current (DC) sputtering. By employing the DC sputtering, the deposition rate of the thin film can be increased. The resultant thin film is used as a protecting layer for protecting a recording layer in an optical recording medium for recording a signal of a laser beam.