Did You Know...
...that Robert Adler has the dubious distinction of being the Father of the Couch Potato? Back in 1955 Adler was employed by what was then Zenith Radio Corp., where he was charged to invent something that would allow viewers to turn down the TV volume without leaving their chairs. After a series of flops (such as a wired contraption that people tripped over), Adler hit on the idea of using sound waves. Thus the Remote Control was born...
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5077569 | Close-up photography device A close-up photography device includes an intermediate device of extensible and retractable type adapted to be mounted on a camera body, and a lens barrel for close-up photography adapted to be mounted on the intermediate device and arranged to be able to... | 12/31/1991 |
| 5052782 | Resilient lens mounting apparatus Lens barrel (12) has a shoulder (16) therein and a retaining ring to retain lens (20) within the lens barrel. A canted coil spring member (24) is engaged between the retaining ring and lens to resiliently retain the lens in place against thermal cycling, ... | 10/01/1991 |
| 5042914 | Lens focusing mechanism A lens focusing mechanism 10 including a bracket 18 for retaining a lens 14. The bracket 18 has a bearing 22 attached thereto or integral therewith. The bearing 22 is eccentric relative to the leans 14 and is effective to move the lens 14 along an optical... | 08/27/1991 |
| 5018832 | Device for preventing generation of harmful light in objective lens assembly In an objective lens assembly for an optical instrument comprising inner and outer tube members with outer and inner engaged helicoidal screws, respectively, the normal trapezoidal-section main ridge of the helicoidal screw of the outer tube member is mod... | 05/28/1991 |
| 4934805 | Fixed step catoptric zoom system A fixed step catoptric zoom optical device comprising a plurality of axially-spaced, readily substituted reflectors disposed in a set for receiving and reflecting energy from an object in the ultraviolet through infrared spectrum to generate a real image ... | 06/19/1990 |
| 4925282 | Zoom lens assembly A zoom lens assembly comprises a photo-taking optical system having a focusing portion, a zooming portion, and an optic axis, a manual operator movable in the direction of the optic axis for zooming and rotatable about the optic axis for focusing, an elec... | 05/15/1990 |
| 4893899 | Adjustable control mechanism for optical instruments A control mechanism slidably positions an optical component, such as a focusing lens or a zoom lens, along an optical axis of an optical instrument, such as a telescope or spotting scope. The controller includes a rocker manually rotatable about an axis s... | 01/16/1990 |
| 4890132 | Manual control apparatus of zoom lens barrel for an auto focus camera A manual control apparatus is provided on the zoom lens barrel for an auto focus type camera to allow manual focusing and zooming control. A zoom lens group and a focusing lens group are provided inside the lens barrel in such a manner that each of the le... | 12/26/1989 |
| 4865433 | Zoom lens incorporating diaphragm A mounting mechanism for a zoom lens having a variator lens and a compensator lens in respective lens holding frames movable in fitting relation on guide bars suspended in a direction parallel to an optical axis, wherein a diaphragm unit is arranged in be... | 09/12/1989 |
| 4856872 | Attachment for microscopes An attachment for microscopes, in particular for stereomicroscopes, facilitates a contact-free viewing of an eye freely movable by the patient, in particular the fundus of the eye. Such an attachment must be easily and quickly attachable to the microscope... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4854685 | Variable-focus objective-lens device and a method for the control of said device Two movable groups of lenses forming a variator are controlled by means of a computer and these groups are accordingly subjected not only to the necessary displacements of each group for the progressive variations of focal length but also to a complementa... | 08/08/1989 |
| 4844586 | Adjustment apparatus for a lens barrel with built-in motor Adjustment apparatus for a lens barrel comprises a built-in driving motor; an output gear which is arranged with have its rotation shaft parallel to the optical axis of the lens barrel and to transmit the rotation of the driving motor; a lens driving devi... | 07/04/1989 |
| 4789225 | Device for driving a lens unit having a tripod mount A drive mechanism for a lens unit with a tripod mount. The tripod mount is on a stationary cylinder while the camera mount is on a rotatable cylinder which contains a drive shaft for mechanically driving a lens axially movable along the stationary cylinde... | 12/06/1988 |
| 4757372 | SLR zoom camera A compact SLR camera embodies a zoom taking lens and a diagonal reflecting member along the axis of the taking lens that diverts the optical ray path coming through the lens element forwardly thereof to a viewing screen. The reflecting member is movable a... | 07/12/1988 |
| 4756610 | Adjustable crank and linkage assembly for zoom lens optical system A zoom lens system for optical instruments incorporates a crank and linkage mechanism which is adjustable to alter the conjugate length between at least a pair of zoom lens assemblies of the zoom lens system.... | 07/12/1988 |
| 4740064 | Zoom lens apparatus A zoom lens apparatus comprises sensors for detecting relative positions of a variable power lens group and a compensating lens group, a memory for pre-storing compensating data peculiar to the zoom lens apparatus, a control circuit and driving parts for ... | 04/26/1988 |
| 4735494 | Zoom lens control system and method for zooming control The present invention user plural driving speeds of the focusing lens component of a zoom lens which responds to plural separate control regions of focal length and object position. In each control region, the focusing lens component is driven in predeter... | 04/05/1988 |
| 4697891 | Focal length variable lens apparatus The present invention discloses a focal length variable lens apparatus in which a focal length variable lens system has a magnification varying system which, upon movement causes variation of the focal length of the entire system and a compensating system... | 10/06/1987 |
| 4687297 | Lens mounting mechanism A lens mounting mechanism including a fixed tube, a lens holder, a movable sleeve in which the holder is fitted and responsive to operation of an actuator for axially moving the holder, an intermediate sleeve having a guide slot for controlling the moveme... | 08/18/1987 |
| 4681406 | Zoom lens assembly A zoom lens assembly comprises an optical system containing lens units arranged on the optical axis, a stationary cylindrical member, and an operation member movable relative to the stationary cylindrical member. The operation member is moved in the direc... | 07/21/1987 |
| 4676600 | Sound preventing means in sliding lens barrel and method of manufacture thereof A lens mount arrangement in which at least a pair of sliding cylindrical barrels are slidable relative to one another, which lens mount is manufactured using an inexpensive and simple process, yet the amount of sound generated during a sliding movement is... | 06/30/1987 |
| 4636041 | Aperture device for zoom lens The aperture of a zoom lens is varied automatically during zooming by an aperture drive device that includes a pair of drive members rotatable about the optical axis. Each drive member has an arm member that engages a coupling member on a rocking member p... | 01/13/1987 |
| 4634240 | Optical apparatus using polarized light An optical apparatus includes an illumination system for illuminating an object with a polarized beam in the desired state of polarization and an imaging system having a polarizing plate adapted to select a desired state of polarization of the beam and a ... | 01/06/1987 |
| 4624536 | Four component zoom lens A zoom lens in which two pairs of optical elements of the lens are each movable simultaneously relative to each other to attain desired magnification while maintaining the image surface of the lens system substantially fixed. A common body supporting both... | 11/25/1986 |
| 4577934 | Mechanical mounting for a zoom lens In the disclosed mechanical mounting for a zoom lens, a body tube and a single actuator barrel are provided with an intermediate sleeve therebetween, and a variator lens cell and a rotary ring are arranged inside the body tube, whereby a driving torque fo... | 03/25/1986 |
| 4473278 | Aperture structure in zoom lens A separate set of aperture blades is provided for varying the maximum full aperture of a zoom lens as its magnification is changed. The second set of aperture blades are pivotally mounted to a support plate which also rotatably supports the conventional a... | 09/25/1984 |
| 4472032 | Zoom lens assembly A zoom lens assembly wherein first and second lens elements are moved simultaneously to effect zooming operation and wherein the first lens element is moved separately from the second lens element to effect focusing operation. A zoom operation member and ... | 09/18/1984 |
| 4436387 | Lens group shifting mechanism for zoom binoculars A mechanism for longitudinally shifting a shiftable lens group in a zoom lens system, including a lever pivotally mounted in a frame having a rotatable pin on each end thereof, a terminal member mounted on the movable lens group having a groove therein ex... | 03/13/1984 |
| 4367015 | Control means for optical instrumentation In an ophthalmic refractor system for determining cylinder power and direction of axis for visual correction, cylinder axis orientation based upon corrective cylinder power in the refractor viewing path is automatically determined and introduced into the ... | 01/04/1983 |
| 4364642 | Zoom element focusable zoom lens A zoom objective includes four lens groups of which the first and fourth groups are stationary, while the second and third groups are movable independently of each other. Focus adjustment of one of the second and third groups is followed by zooming relati... | 12/21/1982 |
| 4353634 | Focusing mechanism for camera objective A front component of a varifocal camera objective, axially shiftable for focusing purposes, is provided with a lens mount held by an axially extending guide rod which is slidably received in an inner annular flange and an end wall of a lens barrel. The le... | 10/12/1982 |
| 4353617 | Optical system capable of continuously varying the diameter of a beam spot An optical system having a light source portion, a light receiving medium receiving the light beam from the light source portion, and a light condensing optical system for condensing the light beam from the light source portion as a beam spot on the light... | 10/12/1982 |
| 4175831 | Photographic lens assembly A photographic lens assembly, comprising: a photographic lens system divided into at least a first and a second lens groups, an outer cylinder to be fixed to a camera body, a middle cylinder having helical threads on both of the outer and the inner surfaces th... | 11/27/1979 |
| 4148548 | Temperature compensating focusing in infrared zoom lenses This invention provides a lens which operates in a waveband in the infra-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum and which has a variable focus or magnification. The invention relates particularly to an infra-red zoom lens. The lens has a front part an... | 04/10/1979 |
| 4114171 | Reflex camera with internal zoom lens A camera of the so-called pocket type having an objective lens including means for varying the equivalent focal length. The optical axis of the overall lens is folded to have two forward portions and a connecting lateral portion with the primary zooming e... | 09/12/1978 |
| 4037238 | Still pocket camera An improved photographic still pocket camera, where the film is inserted in a cassette provided with a feed part or spool and a take-up part or spool, these parts or spools connected by a film guide ledge. A zoom lens is mounted inside the camera, with th... | 07/19/1977 |
| 4000501 | Optical instrument with a zoom lens structure A zoom lens structure for use with an optical instrument comprises a zooming optical system movable along the optical axis thereof and including a magnifying system and a correcting system; support frames for holding the zooming optical system; a pluralit... | 12/28/1976 |
| 3951522 | Lens structure having a movable portion In a lens structure having a movable portion, a pair of movable lenses and holder frames therefor are slidably fitted together within a guide cylinder, and a stationary cylindrical light shield is provided to cover the surface of the guide cylinder along ... | 04/20/1976 |
