Abstract: A distance measuring equipment wherein two images of an object are received on photosensor arrays each, two image data rows indicating a luminous intensity distribution in the object are compared with each other, and a distance to the object is measured from a mutual shift rate of both the signal rows which is required for bringing both the signal rows into coincidence at high correlation. A presence of the shift rate whereat the both image data rows indicate a high correlation is detected when it is present plurally, a part of the plural shift rate including a shift rate corresponding to the highest correlation is stored and taken.

Abstract: A surface roughening method, preferably for a substrate of a solar cell, comprising coating the substrate with a photoresist material having light-shielding particles mixed therein, exposing and developing the photoresist coating and then etching the substrate with a suitable etchant.

Abstract: A strain gauge includes a flexible substrate and film of microfine grains of amorphous silicon connected between electrodes. A strain gauge assembly comprises a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate, a semiconductor body connected at a first end to the first wire and including a plurality of layers of different semiconductor materials forming a blocking diode and a resistance, and a second electrode connected to a second end of the semiconductor body such that the diode and resistance are between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A range finder wherein the quantization of analog outputs from light receptor elements for converting an optical image into an electrical signal is accomplished by comparing the outputs from at least two of the light receptor elements in each group, by dividing the outputs into the following three cases: one output is greater than the other; both are equal; and one is smaller than the other.

Abstract: A signal conversion circuit is provided for obtaining quantized pattern data indicating a variation of photoelectric signal amplitudes along photosensor arrays by a variable pulse width signal indicating the amplitude of the photoelectric signal from each photosensor. A difference detector detects differences in pulse width of the variable pulse width signals to be compared to determine the extent of the variation with a predetermined unit precision. A comparison device determines whether or not the difference in pulse width exceeds a selected number of difference units and the pattern data indicating the variation are supplied only if the difference exceeds the selected number. Consequently, even if there are errors in the circuit elements constituting the signal conversion circuit, correct pattern data free from influence of such errors can be supplied.

Abstract: In the particular embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, an image data comparison circuit receives digital image signal trains from two light sensor arrays of a rangefinder and compares the signals in the signal trains while they are being shifted with respect to each other. In one embodiment a set of coincidence detectors compares each signal in one signal train with all of the signals in one segment of the other image train and the number of coincidence detections by each detector is accumulated as the signal trains are cycled through corresponding shift registers. Another embodiment includes coincidence detectors for comparing all of the signals in corresponding segments of the two signal trains simultaneously.

Abstract: In the particular embodiment of the invention described in the specification, the identity of an unknown character is determined by comparing matrices representing the unknown character with matrices representing known characters and determining the deviation beween matrices for the unknown and each known character. To obtain the matrices to be compared, a transformation chain is expressed in terms of horizontal, vertical and diagonal vectors, permitting all types of transformation chains to be used. Two-dimensional memory units having superposed shift registers are used in comparing matrices to determine minimum deviation.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is formed by a plurality of fuel cell blocks each of which comprises a plurality of fuel cell units laminated together. Each cell block has its own set of manifolds for supply and return of the reaction gases. Each manifold is insulated from the others and from the main gas line to which it is connected. When a cooling system is used, the various cooling elements are similarly electrically insulated from one another and from their main conduit.

Abstract: In the infrared gas analyzers described in the specification, infrared radiation is transmitted through a measuring cell to an infrared detector. The measuring cell has an external case and a tubular filter to remove particulate material from the gas being analyzed immediately before it is intercepted by the infrared radiation.

Abstract: A method for adding impurities to a semiconductor base material comprises the steps of placing the base material in a vacuum chamber having an atmosphere containing the impurities as dopants, heating the base material to a temperature not exceeding 400.degree. C., and causing a glow discharge in the vacuum chamber. The impurities are introduced as a gas containing, for example, diboron, phosphine, antimony, arsenic, gallium, or as an organic metal gas such as trimethyl gallium, trimethyl indium, or trimethyl aluminum. To cause the dopant atoms to become substitutional by assuming lattice positions, the base material may be subjected to a second glow discharge in an inert gas atmosphere.

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 thin-film solar cell device in which multiple series-connected cell elements are formed in units which can then be readily joined together in either a series or parallel connection. At least two terminal electrodes are provided on the opposite side of the insulating substrate of each unit, connected to the respective end electrodes of the elements at the extreme ends on the obverse surface of the substrate. This may be done either by bending the flexible substrate around at opposite ends at angles of 180.degree., or by forming through-holes in the substrate at opposite ends and filling the through-holes with a conductive material. Units can then be joined merely by overlapping their edge portions and connecting them with a conductive adhesive.

Abstract: In the particular embodiments of the invention described in the specification, impurities are diffused into a silicon substrate by applying a solution of the impurity to the substrate, drying the substrate and subjecting it to a glow discharge in an inert gas atmosphere at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.7 Torr and a substrate temperature of 300.degree. C. A semiconductor with n-type properties is formed by using phosphoric acid to provide phosphorus as the impurity and a p-type semiconductor is formed by using boric acid to provide boron as the impurity. Impurity depths of less than one .mu.m are obtained using a solution containing 0.01 parts per 1000 by volume of the impurity.

Abstract: A pattern detector comprises a plurality of photoelectric converter elements having thin film semiconductors disposed adjacently in a line in one plane. The converter elements are shaped that they overlap one another by a predetermined length when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the converter elements are disposed. The photoelectric converter elements may be disposed in a plurality of parallel arrays, staggered so that the center of one element in one array is opposed to a space between neighboring elements of the other array.

Abstract: In the specific embodiments described herein, the charge drop resulting from fatigue in an electrophotographic process using an a-Se:H photosensitive member is reduced by a stabilization exposure carried out for one to three cycles prior to use of the member for image formation. Longer wavelength light may be used for the stabilization exposure and shorter wavelength light may be used for the imaging and discharge steps.

Abstract: An infrared film thickness gage for continuous on-line thickness measurement of a plastic film produced by a film blowing process into a tube shape has an infrared source with generally uniform directional radiation characteristics and is concentrically positioned inside the film tube. A photodetector is positioned outside the film tube in confronting relation to the source and receives the infrared rays of different reference and measurement wavelengths after the infrared rays have passed through the tube. Converting means receives the output of the photodetector, and since the film has different known attenuation coefficients for the different wavelengths, the thickness of the film can be determined. By using an infrared source having uniform directional characteristics and a filter to filter out instantaneous background light, measurement errors are substantially reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A voltage non-linear resistor in the form of a sintered body is disclosed. The sintered body is comprised of 0.08 to 5.0 atomic % of a rare earth element, 0.1. to 10 atomic % of cobalt, 5.times.10.sup.-4 to 1.times.10.sup.-1 atomic % of boron and an additional component which may be 0.01 to 5.0 atomic % of magnesium or calcium and/or 1.times.10.sup.-4 to 5.times.10.sup.-2 atomic % of aluminum, gallium or indium. The remainder of the sintered body is comprised of zinc oxide. The sintered body provides a small voltage non-linear resistor with high discharge current withstand capability and good life performance.