Pioneer Electronic Corporation

Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.

Masahiko Kawamura

Akira Takahashi

Masashi Kawamoto

Fumiya Yamada

Seiichiro Matsuki

Kiyoshi Morikawa

Kaoru Takemasa

Sei Onishi

Yuji Kogure

Testuro Kamimura

Sigeo Maruyama

Tokushige Kon

A lens barrel includes a lens drive ring actuated to drive a lens group along an optical axis, a driving direction detector detecting a driving direction of the lens drive ring, an actuator actuating the lens drive ring, a power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force of the actuator to the lens drive ring, a manual operation member to manually move the lens drive ring, and a lens-driving controller controlling the actuator to drive the lens drive ring to move the movable lens group. When the lens drive ring is driven, the lens-driving controller controls a driving output of the actuator according to whether or not a first driving direction of the lens drive ring detected immediately before the lens drive ring is driven and a currently-detected second driving direction of the lens drive ring are mutually identical.

Lens barrel and imaging apparatus

A lens barrel includes a lens drive ring which moves a movable lens group along an optical axis, a first inputter including an actuator and generating a first rotational input, a second inputter which generates a second rotational input, a power transmission clutch including a first input member, a second input member and an output member, wherein the first input member is rotatable and is associated with the first inputter, the second input member is rotatable and is associated with the second inputter, and the output member is rotatable and is associated with the lens drive ring; and a load controller. When the second rotational input, which is generated by the second inputter, is applied to the second input member to thereby cause the first input member to rotate, the load controller exerts a rotational load on the actuator.

Lens barrel

A multi-disc player having means for preventing a disc magazine from being inserted upsidedown. The disc player includes a magazine holder, means for taking a disc tray out of a magazine accommodated in the holder, a turntable, a disc clamper and playback means. The magazine has a front face formed with a surface at one portion and formed with a stepped portion at another portion. The preventing means includes a magazine ejector arm pivotally supported on the magazine holder, and a biasing spring for urging the ejector arm in a direction to eject the magazine out of the magazine holder. If the magazine ejector arm is in contact with the surface, the ejector arm can be fully pivotted because of manual pushing force applied to the magazine. However, if the magazine ejector arm is in contact with the stepped portion due to the insertion of the magazine upsidedown, the ejector arm is lockingly engaged with the stepped portion to terminate its pivotal motion prior to reaching its fully pivotted position.

Disc player having means for preventing disc magazine from being

A carriage supporting apparatus in a disc player is disclosed which comprises a carriage plate; a holder for supporting the carriage plate; a first damper portion provided at one of the carriage plate and the holder, the first damper portion having an annular surface and a plurality of pleat-like projections formed on the annular surface; a second damper portion provided at remaining one of the holder and the carriage and having an annular portion which confronts, with a space, the pleat-like projections of the first damper portion; and a cup-shaped thin wall portion disposed between the first and second damper portions.

Multi-disc player

A cassette tape loading and ejecting mechanism in a tape player for playing back tapes using a driving force of a main motor. The mechanism includes a sun gear provided in part of a mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the main motor. A stationary ring gear is arranged coaxially with the sun gear. A carrier is mounted on a shaft coaxially with the sun gear and is engaged by friction with the sun gear. A planet gear supported by the carrier engages the sun gear and the ring gear. A slot-in type tape cassette holder is driven by the forward and reverse rotation of the carrier for loading and ejecting tape cassettes. The planet gear engages the ring gear when the main gear when the main motor rotates forwardly and the carrier is caused to turn forwardly whereby the planet gear is positioned opposite to an untoothed portion of the ring gear after a tape cassette is loaded and the carrier then stops to allow the playback of the tape continuously. The planet gear again engages the ring gear when the main motor rotates reversely and the carrier turns reversely to cause the tape cassette to be ejected.

Tape casette loading and ejecting mechanism

In a head rotation mechanism in an auto-reverse type tape player, the head rotation mechanism comprising a sector gear engaging with a cam gear provided on a head lead side of a rotary head; a boss extending in the direction opposite to the rotary head side of the sector gear and having a tapered foreend; and a link mechanism for rotating the head. The link mechanism is rocked by the cam gear and equipped with a U-shaped member engaging with the boss on the sector gear. The boss on the sector gear engages with the U-shaped member of the link mechanism for rotating the head only when the rotary head is located at a release position, and the boss is out of contact with the U-shaped member when the rotary head is located ahead of the release position, whereby a reversible rotation of the single cam gear is used to change a direction of the rotary head and move the head forward.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Masahiko Kawamura