Abstract: The improved method and apparatus for recording a stereoscopic image calculate the linear image recording positions for each lenticular lens in connection with all of the linear images of the nth original image in such a way that all of the linear images of the nth original image that are to be recorded in association with the respective lenticular lenses will fall within the same area at the intended viewing position, and record the linear images by an image forming means on the basis of the results of said calculation. Therefore, according to the present invention, stereoscopic images of high quality can be recorded using the lenticular sheet without causing any serious defects such as multiple image or image flickering.

Abstract: A camera system including a matte box assembly for use on cameras for supporting a plurality of filters, the matte box assembly including first and second support arms connected to and supporting separate modules of the matte box such that a rotating filter support module is rotatable independently from the other modules.

Abstract: A mute for stringed instruments such as banjos, guitars, and the like which allows the volume of the sound generated by plucking the strings to be varied without changing the pitch of the instrument. This device comprises a small, elongated cloth bag filled with tiny metallic balls. The bag is sufficiently long that when it is properly mounted on the bridge of the instrument, the bag extends past the points where the two outermost strings cross the bridge, the two outermost strings being disposed proximate opposite ends of the bridge. In use, the beg is mounted partially on the upper edge of the bridge and partially on the strings. The degree of muting, as well as the duration of individual notes once played, varies with the position of the bag on the bridge. The pitch of the strings, however, does not vary.

Abstract: An imager apparatus for exposing a film with a plurality of recorded images separated by border areas includes an exposure site, a primary film path along which unexposed films are fed to the exposure site, a secondary film path along which exposed films are taken away from the exposure site, and a film driver at the exposure site. The film driver drives films between the primary and the secondary film paths. The film support for holding the film at the exposure site during exposure includes at least one rod on which the film rests. The rod contacts the film at only the border areas.

Abstract: A transilluminator comprising a housing having therein a UV-transmissible window and a UV light source supported within the housing for transmitting UV light through the window. A surface within the housing reflects an image of the light source through the window so that the light source appears at the window to be more than one light source.

Abstract: An illumination device, includes a secondary light source forming system having a deflecting member with a conical light deflecting surface for transforming received light into substantially ring-like light, the secondary light source forming system forming a ring-like secondary light source by using the ring-like light; and an optical system for projecting divergent lights from portions of the secondary light source obliquely onto a surface to be illuminated so that the projected lights are superposed one upon another on the surface.

Abstract: A notch is formed in a lateral edge of a contact printing plate. An arresting lever is pivotally mounted in a plate guide path for guiding the contract printing plate into a printing position. The arresting lever is urged to protrude into the plate guide path, such that when the contact printing plate is inserted in a normal state into the plate guide member, the arresting lever is not engaged in the notch of the contact printing plate, but if the contact printing plate is inserted in the reversed state, the arresting lever engages in the notch and thus prevents the contact printing plate from moving further into the plate guide member. The contact printing plate has a pushing surface for pushing the arresting lever aside from the plate guide path.

Abstract: A film drive mechanism for positioning film relative to the optical stage of a commercial printer. The mechanism includes a film drive assembly and a mount base assembly. The film drive assembly includes an elongated frame member, a feed spool mounted on one end of the frame member, a takeup spool mounted on the other end of the frame member, and guide means for moving the film between the spools along a longitudinal feed path. The film drive assembly is mounted for lateral movement on the mount base assembly. The film drive assembly is adjusted on the mount base assembly for a particular width of film by a selector knob positioned on a selector shaft carried by the film drive unit and including a plurality of tabs selectively coacting with a detent in a guide shaft carried by the mount base.

Abstract: A film carrier has a film press plate pivotably coupled to a mask plate and openable relative to the mask plate. While sandwiching a photographic filmstrip between the film press plate and the mask plate, the mask plate is two-dimensionally slid on a base plate to position a cropping area in alignment with the center of the print light. The mask plate has a wear resistant sheet cemented to the bottom surface thereof which facilitates smooth sliding of the mask plate on the base plate. The mask plate also has three permanent magnets. After sliding, the mask plate is held onto the base plate by magnetic attraction of two of the three magnets. The third magnet is used to hold the film press plate onto the mask plate.

Abstract: The invention is an exposure apparatus for directly drawing a pattern on a photoresist layer on a substrate. The apparatus has a movable stage on which the substrate is placed, an array of a plurality of semiconductor lasers held above the movable stage, laminated arrays of optical elements to project a suitably shaped laser beam spot on the substrate from each semiconductor laser and control means for exciting and deexciting the semiconductor lasers each individually while moving the stage such that the substrate passes under the array of semiconductor lasers. The primary merit of this apparatus is a great reduction in the time taken to accomplish exposure of a very large-sized substrate such as, e.g., a substrate of a flat-panel display for a high-definition television set.

Abstract: A musical drum mount including a rigid but flexible band which is independent and disconnected from the drum, and which extends circumferentially therearound to support the drum from a conventional supporting structure. The rigid band carries a plurality of circumferentially adjustable insulating supports which extend radially inward from the band so as to engage the drum and support the same within the band without being physically connected thereto. Each of the moveable insulating supports have a drum bearing surface which insulates the drum from the grounding effect of the floor stand or other supporting structure therefor, and engages the drum to support the same above ground level. The circumferential movement of the insulating supports provides versatility of use with a variety of different conventional drum structures having various placement of head tightening lugs therearound. The rigid band is diametrically adjustable so as to accommodate a number of differently sized drums.

Abstract: A flexible optical surface, film or laminate using a non-rigid support substrate with a sufficient modulus of elasticity defining a controllable surface having a flat state so that repeatedly rolling-up the support substrate into a coiled state does not influence the flat state of the optical surface. The controllable surface can have one or more optical layers secured to the support substrate and use an optical pattern with predetermined optical characteristics to modulate incident light energy. One of the optical layers can be a reflective layer for forming a reflective controllable surface. The predetermined optical characteristic can modulate incident light energy to varying degrees such as by using a differential refraction or gain optical pattern according to the laws of optics.

Abstract: An image combining printer including: a photographic picture stationary surface exposure unit for exposing a photosensitive material to an image projected from a negative film by illumination of a light source, a stationary surface contact exposure unit for conducting a contact exposure on the photosensitive material which stops running and comes into direct contact with another negative, and a PLZT line exposure unit of a linear shape arranged at a right angle to a pass line of the photosensitive material for performing a line exposure so arranged so that the photosensitive material can be exposed to light in at least one, a selected two, or all three of the exposure units as desired.

Abstract: The feeding of a photosensitive material is automatically controlled to a desired length corresponding the size or volume of an additional image to be printed so that manual data input operations can be minimized. The volume of the additional image is estimated from attribute data detected by an attribute data detector and used for determining the location of printing the image on the photo-sensitive material. Also, the orientation of the image to be printed is determined from data of a vertical position detector. With reference to those information, the length of feeding and the location of cutting marks for the photosensitive material are calculated. Resultant signals are fed to a double exposure means, a cutting-mark applying means, and a photosensitive material transfer means for optimum control of exposure actions.

Abstract: A mechanism for clamping a flexible metal printing plate to the circumferential surface of a rotatable plotter drum is provided. The clamping mechanism includes a mounting member affixed to the drum's surface. The mounting member has a passage aligned radially with respect to the drum. A slidable member extends through the passage and past the drum's axis of rotation. The slidable member has, at one end, a head and, at the other end, a weight. The clamp head is disposed further from the axis of rotation than the mounting member and adjacent the drum surface so as to permit clamping between the head and the drum surface. The slidable member is disposed so that its center of mass is opposite the drum's axis of rotation from the head. A mechanism, such as a compressed spring mounted between the weight and the mounting member, is provided for urging the slidable member so as to force the head towards the drum surface. An actuator having two modes is also provided.

Abstract: A photographic printing machine for copying originals on sheet-like copy material having a storage reservoir for the copy material, and a feed mechanism which transports the copy material from the storage reservoir to an imaging unit in which the originals are copied onto the sheet-like copy material. The storage reservoir has numerous cassettes, the cassette openings of which are positioned side by side along a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the copy material. The feed mechanism has a carriage that can move along the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the copy material, for transporting the copy material from the respective cassette opening to the imaging unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a film cartridge, having a spool end and a film ingress/egress slot, containing an exposed photographic film through a photofinishing process comprises a pallet adapted to hold the film cartridge. The pallet includes an interior opening for holding a film cartridge in fixed relation to the pallet with the spool end and the film ingress/egress slot of the film cartridge exposed to permit the spool end to be rotated to thrust the photographic film out of the film cartridge and to return the photographic film to the film cartridge.

Abstract: An exposing method utilizing an exposure apparatus provided with an illuminating optical system and a projection optical system, wherein the illuminating optical system is adapted to illuminate a mask from an inclined direction with a predetermined incident angle, and the mask is provided with a periodic pattern composed of opaque portions and transparent portions narrower than the opaque portions, and wherein the projection optical system is adapted to form an image of the pattern on an object of exposure, coated with a photosensitive material subjected to a surface insolubilizing treatment, the exposing method comprising:a first step of illuminating the periodic pattern by a light beam passing through an area eccentric from and not including the optical axis of the illuminating optical system on a Fourier transformation plane of the periodic pattern or a conjugate plate thereof in the illuminating optical system; anda second step for causing a relative displacement or a relative vibration between the image

Abstract: A method of determining a feature-forming variant, such as focus or exposure, for a lithographic system or the like includes Fourier processing that extracts a figure of merit. In a preferred embodiment, the lithographic system fabricates a series of formations of a single pattern. An optical image of each exposure is formed. A Fourier power spectrum is determined for each optical image. An angular power function is extracted from each power spectrum by quantifying optical power along lines originating at various angles from an origin of the power spectrum. With regard to axes of maximum power, the distribution of on-axes and off-axes power is quantified for each angular power function. An optimum for the lithographic system is determined based upon the data extracted from the angular power functions.

Abstract: A method of forming patterns and an apparatus for carrying out the same whereby semiconductor integrated circuits and the like are manufactured using reduction projection alignment. The invention primarily involves projecting patterns of a first substrate onto the surface of a second substrate via an optical projector to form a projection image of the patterns on the second substrate surface. A phase difference pattern is furnished on the plane or its equivalent where the patterns of the first substrate are located. The phase difference pattern affords a predetermined phase difference to the light passing therethrough. Light is irradiated at the phase difference pattern via the optical projector to project the phase difference pattern onto a detecting plane in the position equivalent to the surface of the second substrate. This forms a projection image of the phase difference pattern on the detecting plane.