Abstract: An image region including surface roughness or quantized steps is prevented from being sharpness-enhanced. m×n pixels around an image signal are extracted, and maximum and minimum value signals Smax, Smin are extracted from the m×n pixel data, after which a difference signal Sd (Sd=Smax−Smin) representing the difference between the maximum and minimum value signals Smax, Smin is calculated. If the difference signal Sd is smaller than a threshold th1, then the image signal is judged as being from a region of uniform image density or a region of small density variations, and an enhancement coefficient h is set to h=0. Since an unsharp masking signal h·k(S−U) is zero, a sharpness-enhanced signal S** is equal to S**=S. Therefore, an image signal free of sharpness enhancement is outputted. Because the image signal from the region of uniform image density is not sharpness-enhanced, a granular state and quantized steps will not be subject to sharpness enhancement.

Abstract: A steering wheel body 1 comprises sheaths 7a, 7b which covers a ring core bar 5 and spoke core bars 6A-6C, and a pad 3 formed integrally with the sheaths. A boss 8, 51, 28 is integral with the spoke core bars. A steering shaft 30 is formed at a distal end thereof with a serration 31 and an annular groove 32. The boss 8, 51, 28 includes a boss plate 33, a cylindrical portion 34, 74 with a serration 38, 68, 78, and a yoke portion 35 with through holes 36, 37, 66, 67, 76, 77. The cylindrical portion 34, 64, 74 is fitted on the end of the steering shaft 30 such that the serrations 31, 38, 68, 78 mesh with each other, and a bolt 41, 81, 91 is inserted and screwed into the through holes 36, 37, 66, 67, 76, 77. A collar 47 fitted on the bolt 41, 81, 91 is fitted in the annular groove 32. Strain stress is never transmitted directly to the bolt 41, 81, 91.

Abstract: The improved image processing apparatus has a circuit for tonal and color matrix transformations of image which performs tonal transformation on image data of three primary colors and with which a 4.times.

Abstract: The steering wheel assembly disclosed herein is mountable on a steering shaft and includes at least a bolt, a boss, and a steering wheel body. The boss is adapted to be fitted on the steering shaft and includes a cylindrical portion and a yoke portion formed integrally with the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion has a boss serration corresponding to a serration of the steering shaft. The yoke portion has through holes formed near both ends thereof. The steering wheel body includes a ring core bar, spoke core bars coupled to the ring core bar, sheaths covering the ring core bar and spoke core bars, and a pad formed integrally with the sheaths. Part of the spoke core bars are connected to the boss. The bolt has and external thread that is receivable by the through holes and engageable with internal threads of at least one of the through holes so as to permit the boss, to which the steering wheel body is connected, to be fixed on the steering shaft.

Abstract: A steering wheel body 1 comprises sheaths 7a, 7b which covers a ring core bar 5 and spoke core bars 6A-6C, and a pad 3 formed integrally with the sheaths. A boss 8, 51, 28 is integral with the spoke core bars. A steering shaft 30 is formed at a distal end thereof with a serration 31 and an annular groove 32. The boss 8, 51, 28 includes a boss plate 33, a cylindrical portion 34, 74 with a serration 38, 68, 78, and a yoke portion 35 with through holes 36, 37, 66, 67, 76, 77. The cylindrical portion 34, 64, 74 is fitted on the end of the steering shaft 30 such that the serrations 31, 38, 68, 78 mesh with each other, and a bolt 41, 81, 91 is inserted and screwed into the through holes 36, 37, 66, 67, 76, 77. A collar 47 fitted on the bolt 41, 81, 91 is fitted in the annular groove 32. Strain stress is never transmitted directly to the bolt 41, 81, 91.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle steering wheel metal core unit is provided. The core unit includes a tubular boss member 24 defining a tapered portion at the lower inner peripheral surface thereof, a groove 29 at the lower end of the inner peripheral surface thereof, and a compression-deformable annular projection 30 at the bottom surface thereof. The method includes setting the boss member in die casting mold 17 and closing the mold such that the molding surfaces 18a, 19a thereof are brought into pressure contact with the upper end surface 24a and the lower end surface 24b of the boss member, respectively, thereby plastically deforming the annular projection 30. Thereafter, die casting metal is injected into the mold around the boss member 24. With this method, the steering wheel metal core unit can be manufactured without the generation of fins and deformation of a tapered portion adapted to be coupled to the steering wheel shaft. Thus, manufacturing man-hours and cost can be reduced.

Abstract: vibration insulator is provided which includes a vibration insulator section having an outer cylinder, a rubber member which is vulcanization-bonded to the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder and an inner cylinder supported by the rubber member, and a bracket for supporting the vibration insulator section, with the thickness of the bracket material being made as small as possible. The bracket is composed of a pair of sheet-metal bracket members holding the axial ends of the vibration insulator. The bracket members include plate-like base sections axially opposed to each other, cylindrical sections which extend axially outward from the base sections and into which the end portions of the outer cylinder are forced, abutting sections extending radially inward from the end edges of the cylindrical sections and abutting the end surfaces of the outer cylinder and joint sections joining the bracket members to each other. A method of manufacturing the vibration insulator bracket is also provided.

Abstract: A microfilm retrieval system includes blip marks provided at transversely opposite side portions of selected image frames of an elongated microfilm, a device for detecting the blip marks, counters for counting the number of blip marks in accordance with kinds of blip marks, respectively, a device for determining a specific combination of the kinds of blip marks when two or more kinds of blip marks are provided to selected the image frames, and a controller for controlling the counters such that the blip marks are counted with a unit of count and a reset value corresponding to the specific combination of marks determined by the determining device. The unit of count and the reset value at the time of counting blip marks can be set to desired numerical values, and counting is effected by making a page number or the like provided on a photographed object coincide with a count value, thereby facilitating retrieval.

Abstract: A method of detecting a designated image area from plural image areas included in a frame of a microfilm which is read by an image sensor through scanning operation. The method includes the steps of detecting plural image areas included in the frame, extracting the image area which contains a pre-set position in the frame, and then obtaining and storing the addresses which define the periphery of the designated image area. Also provided is an image area detecting device which comprises an image area detecting circuit for detecting plural image areas contained in the frame, a latch circuit for determining the designated image area including a pre-set position in the frame, memory for storing the addresses of the periphery of the designated image area, and a mask for extracting the designated image area defined by the thus stored addresses.