Did You Know...
...that the Slinky toy was the result of a failed attempt by engineer Richard James to produce an antivibration device for ship instruments? His goal was to develop a spring that would instantaneously counterbalance the wave motion that rocks a ship at sea. Instead, he developed the Slinky.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7430368 | Zoom lens assembly capable of macro photography A zoom lens assembly includes an optical system forming an optical axis and having at least one lens group, a base member (1), a macro ring member (2) rotatably engaged with the base member for accomplishing both zooming and focusing operations, a lens... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7408721 | Zoom lens A zoom lens includes a housing, a rotatable adjustment member, a spring member and a lens barrel. The rotatable adjustment member has a ring body rotatably coupled to an inner bottom surface of the housing in such a manner that the ring body is axially moveable rela... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7391965 | Lens apparatus and image-taking apparatus A lens apparatus is disclosed, which is capable of keeping the engagement of a protruding portion of a first member and a cam groove portion of a second member even if an external force acts on the apparatus. The lens apparatus comprises: a first member including fi... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7352387 | Camera with positioning device used to capture magnified and demagnified images To provide a camera that is suited to shoot both a demagnified image and a magnified image. The camera includes a housing body 11 containing a CCD 15, and a lens barrel 12. An abutted member 20 having an objective lens 40 th... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7321471 | Lens barrel and lens system The invention is directed to a lens barrel and a compact lens system incorporating the lens barrel where notches defined in a cam barrel to serve as bolt holes and disengage the studs are reduced in dimensions both along and around the optical axis, thereby ensuring... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7292399 | Method for fabricating metal ring-fitted optical device, and metal ring-fitted optical device A lens is fitted into a metal ring that covers the outer peripheral surface of the lens and can be soldered to a fixture member. The side cylindrical part of the metal ring is expanded toward the outer peripheral direction thereof by the pressure of the optical mate... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7253967 | Optical assembly with a lens magnification-adjusting function An optical assembly includes a barrel including a slot, a lens installed inside the barrel for magnifying an image, a magnification-adjusting mechanism installed outside and around the barrel including an adjusting loop installed outside the barrel in a rotatable ma... | 08/07/2007 |
| 6844988 | Lens barrel device A lens barrel device includes a lens mounted in a lens frame that is threaded into an annular adjusting ring. The adjusting ring is coupled using a bayonet to a lens barrel. The lens barrel includes first and second flanges on the inner periphery of the lens barrel ... | 01/18/2005 |
| 6795251 | Lens drive mechanism A lens drive mechanism includes first and second sub-lens group frames for supporting first and second sub-lens groups; a support frame for supporting the first and second sub-lens group frames; a first linear guide mechanism which linearly guides the first sub-lens... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6784937 | Lens assembly of digital camera with non-step focusing function The present invention discloses a lens assembly comprising an enclosure, annular rotating means, gear assembly, spring, leaf spring, cap, and lens. The enclosure has a housing and haft. The housing has a lower hole for supporting the image capture apparatus, and an ... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6707620 | Zoom lens mechanism A zoom lens mechanism includes a switching lens group frame which supports a first sub-lens group frame and a second sub-lens group frame; a shift cam mechanism provided on opposed surfaces of the first and second sub-lens group frames, respectively, the shift cam m... | 03/16/2004 |
| 6657795 | Zoom lens device 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 firs... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6650488 | Lens driving apparatus and lens barrel A lens driving apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a lead screw rotated by a driving source; a nut plate formed with a female threaded part meshing with a threaded part of the lead screw and adapted to move along the optical axis ... | 11/18/2003 |
| 5737119 | Thermal imaging device A thermal imaging device (10) receives thermal infrared radiation from a viewed scene and responsively provides a visible image replicating the viewed scene. The imaging device (10) has a main housing with an optical aperture (16) at which a lens assembly... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5703676 | Zoom lens system for a photographic copier A zoom objective for a photographic printer has a housing which accommodates two groups of lenses. One group is fixed and the other group is shiftable along the optical axis of the objective to change the magnification. The housing is externally threaded ... | 12/30/1997 |
| 5469300 | Zoom lens barrel A zoom lens barrel has at least front and rear lens groups and a linear movement guide device which guides the linear movement of the front and rear lens groups in an optical axis direction. The barrel includes a rotatable cam ring which has a first helic... | 11/21/1995 |
| 4824236 | Zoom lens system for use in microfilm projection apparatus A zoom lens system for use in microfilm projection apparatus in which the image projection is conducted in a condition of a definite object-image distance, the system comprising from the enlargement side to the reduction side, an aperture stop disposed fi... | 04/25/1989 |
| 4806000 | Zoom lens capable of macro photography In a zoom lens a zoom operating ring is rotatable to vary the focal length of an optical system between a first focal length and a second focal length. A distance ring is rotatable to effect focusing of the optical system with respect to an object to be p... | 02/21/1989 |
| 4671622 | Zoom lens mount A zoom lens mount in which all adjustments for variation of focal length and for focusing at all focal lengths as well as marco-focusing can be accomplished by manipulation of a single external operating ring. Movements are smooth from one position to ano... | 06/09/1987 |
| 4645310 | Zoom lens with macromechanism A zoom lens in which a stop guide is located between an operating ring and a stationary lens barrel for regulating the range of rotation of the operating ring. A macrophotography guide permits, when the operating ring is positioned at the closest photogra... | 02/24/1987 |
| 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 |
| 4533218 | Zoom lens operating mechanisms A zoom lens operating mechanism comprises a stationary cylinder, an operating ring rotatably mounted on the stationary cylinder, a cam cylinder rotatably mounted within the stationary cylinder and coupled to the operating ring for rotation therewith, at l... | 08/06/1985 |
| 4523815 | Zoom lens barrel for macrofocusing A zoom lens barrel capable of macro-photographing, having lens assemblies with a focusing lens assembly has a mount ring, a zooming ring and a focusing ring. The barrel further comprises a guide means between the mount ring and the focusing ring for enabl... | 06/18/1985 |
| 4506959 | Zoom lens assembly with switching mechanism from or to zooming photographing to or from macro photographing An apparatus for converting of zooming photographing to macro photographing and vice versa in a zoom lens assembly comprising a mount securing lens barrel, a convert ring fitted on the periphery of the mount securing, an actuation ring which is fitted on ... | 03/26/1985 |
| 4488787 | Photographic lens with variable range focus adjustment between selected end limits A photographic lens including a focus ring rotatable about a lens housing between prescribed end limits to displace a focusing lens element between positions corresponding respectively with relatively long and relatively short focus settings, wherein a ra... | 12/18/1984 |
| 4457591 | Single operator macro-focusing zoom lens barrel A lens barrel enabling the focusing to infinity distance to a short distance by movement of a focusing lens system and enabling magnification change by movement of a variator lens system includes an operating ring rotatable about the optical axis and slid... | 07/03/1984 |
| 4439019 | Zoom lens barrel with single-ring continuous focusing A zoom lens barrel includes an optical system including a forward group lens and a rearward group lens, the forward group lens comprising a first lens group and a second lens group, and means for driving the forward group lens in the direction of the opti... | 03/27/1984 |
| 4421389 | Macro zoom lens barrel A zoom lens barrel having a single operating ring for effecting focusing by rotating operation of the operating ring about the optical axis with respect to a fixed portion and zooming by moving operation of the operating ring in the direction of the optic... | 12/20/1983 |
| 4405205 | Adjustable mechanism for a photo objective An adjustment device for a macrolens objective wherein a first lens group and a second lens group are axially displaceable is constructed so that the rotary movement necessary to move the second lens group in an axial direction is derived from the axial m... | 09/20/1983 |
| 4334737 | Zoom lens capable of macro-photography A zoom lens capable of macro-photography includes first and second movable lenses coupled to first and second cam rings, respectively. The first and second cam rings are operatively associated so that they rotate as a unit about the optical axis of the le... | 06/15/1982 |
| 4324457 | Macro photographic change-over device for zoom lens barrel A zoom lens which may include two, three, or four lens groups. One of the lens groups is mounted in a focusing barrel and the others in moving barrels or a mount barrel. A zooming barrel is provided which is rotatable independently from the focusing barre... | 04/13/1982 |
| 4318593 | Zoom lens assembly with two movable focusing lens groups In the disclosed zoom lens assembly containing focusing optics, a variable magnification lens group and an image forming lens group, the focusing optics are divided into a first movable focusing lens group and a second movable focusing lens group, while a... | 03/09/1982 |
| 4247169 | Lens barrel capable of axial zooming operation and with barrel window A zoom lens barrel capable of indicating adjusted distance and focal length is of compact construction having only those members essential for focusing and zooming. No special scale member is provided, although a focal length or zoom ratio scale extends c... | 01/27/1981 |
| 4247170 | Zooming structure of interchangeable camera lens In an interchangeable camera lens having a cam sleeve rotatable by a sliding movement of an operation ring, the cam sleeve comprises a first cam slot for moving lens of variable magnification and a second cam slot for moving lens of focus compensation. Th... | 01/27/1981 |
| 4199227 | Shock resistant lens device with zoom and macrofocusing controls A lens barrel containing at least first and second movable lens groups and an operating member for shifting the movable lens groups along the optical axis includes a helicoid cylinder interposed between a first movable lens frame which supports the first ... | 04/22/1980 |
| 4171880 | Zoom lens system for cameras A zoom lens system has a zoom lens holder which varies its length as the focal length is varied. The zoom lens holder includes a fixed ring, an axially movable ring disposed within the fixed ring to which a front lens holder is screwed, and a rotatable ca... | 10/23/1979 |
| 4168884 | Varifocal objective with mechanism for closeup focusing A varifocal objective with a front component, axially shiftable for focusing purposes, and with a second and third component, axially displaceable by camming grooves in a control sleeve for changing the focal length, is provided with a coupling ring cente... | 09/25/1979 |
| 4132463 | Zoom optical system A zoom optical system is composed of a positive focusing lens group, a negative variating lens group, a negative compensating lens group and a positive rear fixed lens group. A rotating grooved cam moves the variating lens group and the compensating lens ... | 01/02/1979 |
| 4114984 | Zoom lens barrel capable of macro-photography The disclosure describes a zoom lens barrel capable of macro-photography on which a special switch ring is provided. The switch ring is externally operable and has a cam slot comprising zooming portion and macro portion. The zoom portion is shaped to allow eit... | 09/19/1978 |
| 4101202 | Varifocal camera objective with adjustment-range selection A varifocal camera objective, having a rotatable control ring for adjustment to a desired focal length in a zoom range and to a closeup position in a macro range, is provided with a pair of independently settable stop members for selectively limiting the ... | 07/18/1978 |
