Abstract: The measuring device includes: a detecting section including a coil which detects a change in a value of impedance caused by a change in a mold level; an amplifying section which amplifies an output of the detecting section; a pre-pouring calibration section which determines a reference value of a positive feedback ratio of the amplifying section in environmental conditions before pouring of molten metal; and a mold oscillation signal calibration section which obtains a standard value of difference in an output of the measuring device, the standard value of difference corresponding to a known value of amplitude of mold oscillation when the positive feedback ratio is the reference value, obtains a deviation of measurement based on a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the output in mold oscillation and the standard value, and corrects the positive feedback ratio within a predetermined range including the reference value.

Abstract: A fruits sorting apparatus includes: a conveyance device configured to convey a plurality of charged fruits from a detection area located on an upstream side to a sorting area disposed on a downstream side; an imaging device configured to photograph the fruits in the detection area of the conveyance device; a processor configured to detect a rotten fruit and a nonstandard fruit having an irregular shape or size based on images of the fruits and vegetables imaged by the imaging device; and a robot configured to pick up the rotten fruit and the nonstandard fruit detected by the processor in the sorting area.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to not only decrease the time required to detect an optical section line in an optical sectioning method but to improve precision in shape measurement of an object to be measured. In this shape measuring method, after an area dividing line is drawn in a region that includes an extracted optical section line and the region is divided into small areas, a longitudinal region is established that spreads in the up and down direction by a plurality of pixels centered around the location of the optical section line in each small area. The next image processing occurs in the whole region of the longitudinal regions.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal which has a simple structure and is highly robust against a change in level at a local portion of the surface of molten metal. The apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal according to a first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus which measures a level of molten metal in a mold. The apparatus includes an omnidirectional transmitting antenna; an omnidirectional receiving antenna; and a signal processor. The apparatus measures the level of molten metal in the mold using electromagnetic wave in ultra-high frequency range emitted into the mold by the omnidirectional transmitting antenna.

Abstract: A projection detecting apparatus according to the present invention is that for detecting a projection on a surface of a running metal object, and includes a transmission antenna for radiating electromagnetic waves; a reception antenna for receiving reflected electromagnetic waves; and a transmission and reception signal processing section for processing a transmission signal and a reception signal. The transmission antenna and the reception antenna have unidirectionality and the transmission antenna and the reception antenna are installed in such a way that the reception antenna does not catch electromagnetic waves which have been radiated by the transmission antenna and reflected on the surface of the metal object and the reception antenna catches electromagnetic waves alone which have been radiated by the transmission antenna and reflected on the projection.

Abstract: A film thickness measuring device includes a spectroscopic sensor and a data processor, wherein the spectroscopic sensor measures spectroscopic data of a film coated on a substrate and the data processor obtains measured color characteristic variables from the measured spectroscopic data, compares the measured color characteristic variables with plural sets of theoretical color characteristic variables corresponding to plural sets of values, each set including one of plural values of thickness and one of plural values of index of refraction of the film, determines index of refraction of the film using the set of values corresponding to the set of theoretical color characteristic variables which minimizes a difference between the set of theoretical color characteristic variables and the measured color characteristic variables, and determines thickness of the film using the index of refraction of the film.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal which has a simple structure and is highly robust against a change in level at a local portion of the surface of molten metal. The apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal according to a first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus which measures a level of molten metal in a mold. The apparatus includes an omnidirectional transmitting antenna; an omnidirectional receiving antenna; and a signal processor. The apparatus measures the level of molten metal in the mold using electromagnetic wave in ultra-high frequency range emitted into the mold by the omnidirectional transmitting antenna.

Abstract: Disclosed is a distance measuring apparatus which includes: a first pulse generating means (135) which generates reference signals; a second pulse generating means (137) which generates subject detection signals; a time measuring section (139) which measures a period of time from a time when a first pulse is generated to a time when a second pulse is generated; a first phase detecting section (141) which detects the first phase of a signal received using a signal at a first frequency; a second phase detecting section (163) which detects the second phase of a signal received using a signal at a second frequency; and a distance calculating section (165) which calculates the distance to the subject on the basis of output from the time measuring section, the first phase detecting section and the second phase detecting section.

Abstract: A film thickness measuring device includes a spectroscopic sensor and a data processor, wherein the spectroscopic sensor measures spectroscopic data of a film coated on a substrate and the data processor obtains measured color characteristic variables from the measured spectroscopic data, compares the measured color characteristic variables with plural sets of theoretical color characteristic variables corresponding to plural sets of values, each set including one of plural values of thickness and one of plural values of index of refraction of the film, determines index of refraction of the film using the set of values corresponding to the set of theoretical color characteristic variables which minimizes a difference between the set of theoretical color characteristic variables and the measured color characteristic variables, and determines thickness of the film using the index of refraction of the film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a distance measuring apparatus which includes: a first pulse generating means (135) which generates reference signals; a second pulse generating means (137) which generates subject detection signals; a time measuring section (139) which measures a period of time from a time when a first pulse is generated to a time when a second pulse is generated; a first phase detecting section (141) which detects the first phase of a signal received using a signal at a first frequency; a second phase detecting section (163) which detects the second phase of a signal received using a signal at a second frequency; and a distance calculating section (165) which calculates the distance to the subject on the basis of output from the time measuring section, the first phase detecting section and the second phase detecting section.

Abstract: An immersion nozzle used for measuring a level of molten metal, wherein a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion which are made of carbon are imbedded in a pair of slots which are provided on the surface of the immersion nozzle separately from each other and along the longitudinal direction in such a way that the first and second conductive portions form integral parts of the surface of the immersion nozzle.

Abstract: A film thickness measuring device is provided with a light source, a spectroscopic sensor, a processor, and a storage unit, and configured in such a manner that light from the light source vertically enters a plane to be measured provided with a film and the light reflected by the plane to be measured enters the spectroscopic sensor. The storage unit stores theoretical values of reflectivity distributions of respective film thicknesses and theoretical values of color characteristic variables of the respective film thicknesses. The processor finds the thickness of the film of the plane to be measured from the reflectivity distribution measured by the spectroscopic sensor by using the theoretical values of the reflectivity distributions of the respective film thicknesses or the theoretical values of the color characteristic variables of the respective film thicknesses stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: An immersion nozzle used for measuring a level of molten metal, wherein a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion which are made of carbon are imbedded in a pair of slots which are provided on the surface of the immersion nozzle separately from each other and along the longitudinal direction in such a way that the first and second conductive portions form integral parts of the surface of the immersion nozzle.

Abstract: A projection detecting apparatus according to the present invention is that for detecting a projection on a surface of a running metal object, and includes a transmission antenna for radiating electromagnetic waves; a reception antenna for receiving reflected electromagnetic waves; and a transmission and reception signal processing section for processing a transmission signal and a reception signal. The transmission antenna and the reception antenna have unidirectionality and the transmission antenna and the reception antenna are installed in such a way that the reception antenna does not catch electromagnetic waves which have been radiated by the transmission antenna and reflected on the surface of the metal object and the reception antenna catches electromagnetic waves alone which have been radiated by the transmission antenna and reflected on the projection.

Abstract: A film thickness measuring device is provided with a light source, a spectroscopic sensor, a processor, and a storage unit, and configured in such a manner that light from the light source vertically enters a plane to be measured provided with a film and the light reflected by the plane to be measured enters the spectroscopic sensor. The storage unit stores theoretical values of reflectivity distributions of respective film thicknesses and theoretical values of color characteristic variables of the respective film thicknesses. The processor finds the thickness of the film of the plane to be measured from the reflectivity distribution measured by the spectroscopic sensor by using the theoretical values of the reflectivity distributions of the respective film thicknesses or the theoretical values of the color characteristic variables of the respective film thicknesses stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: Distance measuring apparatus has a rough distance measuring circuit (18) using a time delay circuit and a precise distance measuring circuit (31) for measuring the orientation of the vector of a carrier wave to determine the distance, the sum of which is the final output. The rough distance measuring apparatus (18) has a long measurement span but low precision. The precise distance measuring apparatus (31) has a short measurement span but high precision. The combination provides distance measuring apparatus having a long measurement span and high resolution and capable of implementing precise measurement.

Abstract: Distance measuring apparatus has a rough distance measuring circuit (18) using a time delay circuit and a precise distance measuring circuit (31) for measuring the orientation of the vector of a carrier wave to determine the distance, the sum of which is the final output. The rough distance measuring apparatus (18) has a long measurement span but low precision. The precise distance measuring apparatus (31) has a short measurement span but high precision. The combination provides distance measuring apparatus having a long measurement span and high resolution and capable of implementing precise measurement.

Abstract: A microwave sending antenna 3R and a microwave receiving antenna 4R are provided to a right-side furnace wall 1R, and the system is devised so that the microwaves emitted from the microwave sending antenna 3R are reflected by the right-side edge of a cold-rolled steel plate 2, and the reflected waves are received by the microwave receiving antenna 4R. Similarly, a microwave sending antenna 3L and a microwave receiving antenna 4L are provided to a left-side furnace wall 1L, and the system is devised so that the microwaves emitted from the microwave sending antenna 3L are reflected by the left-side edge of the cold-rolled steel plate 2, and the reflected waves are received by the microwave receiving antenna 4L. If the time from the sending of the microwaves until the receiving of the reflected waves is designated as t, and the velocity of the microwaves is designated as c, then the distance to the object reflecting the microwaves is determined from t·c/2.

Abstract: A microwave sending antenna 3R and a microwave receiving antenna 4R are provided to a right-side furnace wall 1R, and the system is devised so that the microwaves emitted from the microwave sending antenna 3R are reflected by the right-side edge of a cold-rolled steel plate 2, and the reflected waves are received by the microwave receiving antenna 4R. Similarly, a microwave sending antenna 3L and a microwave receiving antenna 4L are provided to a left-side furnace wall 1L, and the system is devised so that the microwaves emitted from the microwave sending antenna 3L are reflected by the left-side edge of the cold-rolled steel plate 2, and the reflected waves are received by the microwave receiving antenna 4L. If the time from the sending of the microwaves until the receiving of the reflected waves is designated as t, and the velocity of the microwaves is designated as c, then the distance to the object reflecting the microwaves is determined from t·c/2.

Abstract: A collimator obtained by the alternate stacking of metal sheets 1 (40 ?m thick) having holes 4 with a width of 2200 ?m in the center thereof, and metal sheets 2 (10 ?m thick) devoid of holes (the metal sheets 1 with the holes 4 are shown in the state in which they exist before being cut in the manner described below, the metal sheets 1 in the upper portion of the figure and the metal sheets in the bottom portion are not connected with each other in the finished product). The opposite sides are held by metal pressing sheets 3 that are 2 mm thick. These metal sheets and pressing sheets are bonded by means of diffusion bonding based on thermocompression bonding. The portions with the vertical through-holes 4 (40 ?m×2000 ?m) thus become light-transmitting portions, the metal sheets 2 serve as partitions between adjacent holes 4, and light collimated to a width of 40 ?m can ultimately pass through. A compact collimator having high wavelength resolution without wavelength dependence can thus be achieved.