Abstract: A range finder wherein a photocurrent in a predetermined number of light receiving elements corresponding to images formed by a first and a second optical devices for receiving light reflected by an object through different light paths on a focal plane, arranged in first and second light receiving element trains is quantized with reference to the maximum photocurrent in the light receiving elements by a first and a second quantizing devices, and wherein the corelation between the first and second quantizing devices are used for determining the distance to be measured.

Abstract: A corrosion preventing device for use in an in-pile structure of a helium gas-cooled reactor for removing gaseous oxidating components from a primary cooling gas in a pressure vessel of the reactor to thus prevent oxidation of graphite members of the reactor pile. An oxidation product consuming member is provided in series with a primary cooling gas supply pipeline or a bypass pipeline thereof along with a device for heating the oxidation product consuming member. The oxidation product consuming member may be a single cylindrical member or a bundle of rods having a large number of through holes formed therein in a honeycomb pattern in the lengthwise direction thereof or a large number of balls. The material of the oxidation product consuming member should have a high affinity for oxidizing impurities at elevated temperatures. Preferably, the material of the oxidation product consuming member is carbon or graphite.

Abstract: In the specific embodiments described in the specification, a semiconductor radiation detector has a single-crystal silicon substrate coated with an amorphous silicon film containing an impurity to widen the mobility band gap of the semiconductor to reduce the reverse bias leakage current. Phosphorus and carbon are disclosed as impurities for the amorphous silicon film.

Abstract: A sensor is provided in a hospital bed having a bed-mat made of movable particles. This sensor is to detect an excessive bead temperature in the case of a controller malfunction and to control the operation of a cooler. In the sensor, the circuit is so designed that an air compressor runs intermittently with the aid of timers while the sensor performs its functions at a temperature above the predetermined temperature level. The sensor also enables the compressor to run again when the temperature of the mat lowers to a level where a normal operation is possible to assure temperature control of the bed-mat even in the case of controller malfunctions.

Abstract: In the embodiment disclosed in the specification, a rangefinder comprises left and right sensor arrays for receiving the light of an image of an object, evaluative signal generating circuits for defining the interrelation between left and right image data trains representing the distribution of light intensity within the object, an optimum shift value decision circuit for determining the shift number in the image data train corresponding to the highest correlation between both the image data trains, a range signal computing circuit for computing a range signal representing the distance up to the object from the optimum shifted number, and a control circuit for controlling and regulating a predetermined portion in equipment utilizing the range signal. The evaluative signal generating circuits are arranged to generate the evaluative signals simultaneously and transmit them in parallel to the shift value circuit defining the correlation between the left and right image data trains.

Abstract: An improved traveling magnetic field-type apparatus for crushing, mixing, polishing, deburring and the like is provided, comprising a container containing working substances and a quantity of material to be crushed operatively arranged between first and second traveling magnetic field generators. The generators are selectively shiftable between a first orientation and a second orientation, in which like polarity and dissimilar polarities face each other across the container. The field generators may be circular and concentrically arranged, or in the shape of a circular arc. Diaphragms also may be provided in the container to distribute more uniformly the working substances and the material to be crushed. It has been determined that the working substances are more readily magnetized, resulting in a higher magnetic torque, if they are relatively longer in the axial direction than in the cross sectional direction.

Abstract: A circuit breaker for high-speed current-limiting breaking of a three-phase current in the event of a short-circuit condition. The breaker has three pairs of fixed and movable contactors, the latter being arranged for pivoting movement on a common shaft. The center movable contactor is biased against an opposing holder, such that in the event of a short-circuit, the bias is overcome and the movable contactors separate in unison from the fixed contactors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel cell having separate plates acting as bipolar plates which are sandwiched between the two adjacent cell elements. A cell stack of a fuel cell is formed therein with tunnel-shaped cooling gas passages extending between and open at two opposite sides thereof. Reactive gas supply passages for fuel gases and air are isolated from the cooling gas passages and extend between and open at the two opposite sides thereof which are different from those of the cooling gas passages. Therefore, the separate plates have their reactive gas supply passages supplied through manifolds, which are arranged at the sides of the fuel cell in a manner to face the entrance and exit ports of the reactive gas supply passages. The reactive gases are supplied at rates sufficient to be consumed by the galvanic reaction. The cooling gas passages are supplied through manifolds, which are arranged at the other sides of the fuel cell, i.e. different from the sides of the reactive gas supply passages.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for an energy accumulator of a stored energy circuit breaker includes a toothed ratchet wheel intermittently coupled to a shaft connected to an energy accumulating spring through a crank arm. A pair of drive levers are rotatably mounted upon the shaft and support a U-shaped drive claw and a pawl. The toothed periphery of the ratchet includes a gap wherein teeth are not formed. A drive spring biases the drive claw and pawl into engagement with the periphery of the ratchet, with the ratchet being positioned in the gap when the energy accumulating spring is fully charged. The drive levers are connected to one end of a connecting rod, the other end of which is connected to a motor assembly which causes reciprocating motion of the connecting rod when the motor assembly is energized. A lock means selectively prevents the shaft from rotating when the energy accumulating spring is fully charged.

Abstract: Apparatus for inspecting capsules comprises a carrier belt which is formed into an endless belt configuration and can carry the capsules, with the capsules received separately in through-holes in the belt, and a plurality of parallelly disposed rotatable rollers which have axes of rotation extending substantially in parallel with the flow direction of the capsules being carried by the carrier belt. The rollers rotate the capsules which are in contact therewith. An optical inspecting device is provided for optically inspecting the surfaces of the capsules which are rotated in contact with the rotary rollers. The apparatus can accurately inspect very small defects on the surfaces of the capsules irrespective of the type of capsules, and is simple as well as compact in construction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the thickness of the wall of a tubular object includes a measurement of the intensity of a radiation beam passing through the walls and quantizing the indicated value of radiation detected by a detector with reference to a predetermined period of time. Data is expressed diagrammatically, and inflection points on the graph line indicating when the radiation beam contacts the outer and inner peripheral walls of the tube are determined and processed to thereby determine the wall thickness. There is also disclosed a method for aligning collimator members utilized in the radiation beam scanning equipment.

Abstract: A Karman vortex flowmeter for deriving the velocity or quantity of fluid flow is comprised of an upstream pillar for producing Karman's vortex streets or paths that has a substantially isosceles triangle cross section, a downstream pillar for producing Karman's vortex paths that has a substantially isosceles trapezoidal cross section, a vibration chamber, and a vibrator member supported in the vibration chamber in a state of mass equilibrium relative to a revolving shaft passing through its center of gravity such that it can vibrate torsionally about the revolving shaft. The base of the upstream pillar is substantially equal to the base of the downstream pillar, and the pillars are positioned so that the bases are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the direction of the fluid flow. The vibrator member is preferably provided with a pair of taut bands supporting the vibrator member which form the revolving shaft and a frame which supports the bands.

Abstract: A bellows including a reenforcement member having an edge attached to each side of the bellows body to eliminate distortion and damage upon the application of lateral forces. The reenforcement member has a central opening so as not to obstruct the movement of air within the bellows.

Abstract: A zinc oxide voltage-nonlinear resistor is described. The resistor is produced by sintering a zinc oxide mixture containing 0.08 to 5.0 atomic % of at least one rare earth element, 0.1 to 10.0 atomic % of cobalt, 0.01 to 1.0 atomic % of at least one member of potassium, cesium, and rubidium, 0.01 to 1.0 atomic % of chromium, and 5.times.10.sup.-4 to 1.times.10.sup.-1 atomic % of boron, the balance being zinc oxide. This resistor has superior voltage nonlinearity and is greatly improved in the short duration discharge current withstand capability and the life performance under application of electricity.

Abstract: A device for controlling the raising and lowering of a fluidized bed for supporting a human body on a bed of particles which can be made to float and flow by supplying air under pressure thereto. A drive unit vertically raises or lowers the bed in response to a vertical movement command issued by a control unit. A flow stop command is issued for stopping the operation of an air compressor, which floats the beads, when the vertical movement command is generated. The vertical movement command is inhibited during a predetermined interval after the command has been generated in order for the flow of compressed air to stop to allow the beads to come to rest before the bed is raised or lowered.

Abstract: A solar cell device in which short-circuiting between a connecting portion of a metal electrode and a transparent electrode of each cell unit is prevented. A plurality of cell units are formed by laminating a transparent electrode, an amorphous silicon layer and a metal electrode disposed on a common transparent substrate, with each two adjacent cell units being connected by an extension of the metal electrode which traverses an edge of the amorphous silicon layer of the cell unit and contacts the exposed extension of the transparent electrode of the adjacent unit. The edge of the amorphous silicon layer traversed by the extension of the metal electrode projects beyond the transparent electrode by a distance significantly greater than the distance between the edges of the amorphous silicon layer and the transparent electrode in the main portion of the cell unit.

Abstract: A window signal generating device for use in a video scanning apparatus, for producing a window signal during selected periods when a video scanning signal is in an observation region window of interest to facilitate scanning only from objects which appear in selectively defined windows of a viewing area, comprising, an addressable memory for storing information indicating the starting and ending boundaries of each window of interest in a viewing area, a memory address driver for addressing locations in memory containing the stored boundary information for a horizontal scan line in response to a horizontal scan line signal, a counter for receiving horizontal and vertical synchronous signals and for providing a video scanning position output signal, and a comparator circuit for receiving the video scanning position output signal from the counter and the starting and ending boundary data from the memory, and for producing a window output signal when the video scanning position is within the boundaries of a wind

Abstract: A pattern discriminator receives scanning data obtained by raster scanning objects within predefined window regions with a photoelectric converter, converts the scanned data into pixel binary data by using a threshold value dependent upon the scanning position and window region and evaluates the binary data in accordance with predetermined criteria to produce an output signal indicative of the evaluation. Data specifying the shapes of the desired window regions approximated by polygons is obtained by specifying the apexes of the polygons and a programmed CPU computes the coordinates of each picture element or pixel on the lines connecting adjacent apexes along each window region perimeter. A memory stores the apex and coordinate data which defines the starting and ending points of each window region. Polygonal masks within each window and sub-mask polygonal window regions within each mask can be defined in a similar manner.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor has a sealing reference pressure chamber container formed by a cap and a metal bottom plate, a semiconductor pressure sensitive diaphragm to which pressure to be measured is applied on the side of the diaphragm opposite to the inside space of said container, and a circuit substrate having a circuit connected to a strain gauge mounted on the pressure sensitive diaphragm. The diaphragm is mounted to said bottom plate, and the circuit substrate is fixed to one side of a metal plate having a thermal expansion factor approximately equal to the thermal expansion factor of the circuit substrate material. The other side of the metal plate is fixed to said bottom plate only over a relatively small area. The arrangement reduces thermal stress to the circuit substrate.

Abstract: A measuring circuit for measuring the light intensity received by a photosensor comprises a photosensor which generates photocurrent proportional to the intensity of received light, an integration circuit for integrating the photocurrent generated and for measuring the intensity of light by measuring the time period from the start of integration until the integrated value reaches a predetermined level. In order to provide a wider dynamic output range, a signal generator which produces a monotonously changing voltage signal is connected to add its signal to the integrated signal.