Abstract: A shape measuring apparatus is provided, which is capable of accurately measuring the shape of an observed surface of an object to be measured and which can be designed to be compact in size and light in weight. An optical reflected image from an observed surface of an object to be measured and an optical reflected image from a reference surface are interfered with each other to generate interference light. The interference light is dispersed into at least three beams, which are shifted in phase by respective predetermined phase shifting amounts. At least three interference fringe images are simultaneously captured by at least one image pickup device which is smaller in number than the interference fringe images.

Abstract: A scanning wide-area surface shape analyzer drastically shortens a time period required for measuring the surface shape of a surface to be inspected. A scanner moves the measuring head in parallel with a flat surface for the measuring head to acquire the measured image data. An attitude-varying mechanism varies the acquisition attitude of the measuring head for acquiring the measured image data. An image processing control device analyzes and calculates the surface shape of an acquisition area corresponding to the acquisition position and in the acquisition attitude. The image processing control device controls driving of the scanner and the attitude-varying mechanism, calculates the next acquisition position by using measured image data acquired at the present acquisition position and in the present acquisition attitude, and calculates an acquisition attitude to be taken at the calculated next acquisition position.

Abstract: There is provided a scanning wide-area surface shape analyzer which is capable of drastically shortening a time period required for measuring the surface shape of an surface to be inspected. A scanner moves the measuring head in parallel with a flat surface such that a scanning reference position thereof set to a point of intersection between an optical axis of the beam and the reference surface in the measuring head sequentially reaches each acquisition position used for the measuring head to acquire the measured image data. An attitude-varying mechanism varies the acquisition attitude of the measuring head for acquiring the measured image data, such that the direction of inclination of a reference axis being a direction vector extending along the optical axis from the scanning reference position is changed relative to the surface to be inspected.

Abstract: A shape measuring apparatus is provided, which is capable of accurately measuring the shape of an observed surface of an object to be measured and which can be designed to be compact in size and light in weight. An optical reflected image from an observed surface of an object to be measured and an optical reflected image from a reference surface are interfered with each other to generate interference light. The interference light is dispersed into at least three beams, which are shifted in phase by respective predetermined phase shifting amounts. At least three interference fringe images are simultaneously captured by at least one image pickup device which is smaller in number than the interference fringe images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for wrapping a container having a neck portion and a body portion. The method uses a heat-shrinkable sleeve which has a perforation thereon. The sleeve is placed over the container, and heat is applied to the sleeve to cause the sleeve to shrink. The sleeve breaks at the perforation into a first and a second subsleeves which continue to shrink into snug surface engagement respectively with the neck portion and the body portion of the container. The present invention also relates to articles obtained by the method and the sleeve specifically designed for the method.

Abstract: A neural network learning system using back propagation and a method of learning pattern showing are disclosed. In the case where a supervised signal contains an error or a pattern difficult to learn, the error is detected and the particular pattern is automatically removed during calculations of learning iterations to conduct rightly and accelerate the learning. The learning history for each pattern is stored to detect inconsistent and difficult-to-learn patterns, which are prevented from being shown to the network by a pattern showing control during the next learning iteration. As a result, an inconsistent or difficult-to-learn pattern which may be contained in a learning pattern set of input and supervised patterns is removed during learning iterations thereby to permit early completion of the learning process.

Abstract: A total reflection measuring apparatus having a cassegrain mirror which has cassegrain primary mirror and cassegrain secondary mirror focuses the light which is reflected by the above secondary mirror and the primary mirror on an object of measurement. A prism which is positioned in lower part of the above cassegrain secondary mirror and a prism lift which moves the prism between a shadow behind the cassegrain secondary mirror and the object. The prism lift positions the prism in the shadow behind the cassegrain secondary mirror when visual observation is required. As a result, the clear observation of object becomes possible.

Abstract: In a phonograph record player having a tone arm carrying a pickup with a stylus to track the groove of a phonograph record on a turntable during a play operation and being mounted for lead-in movement from an elevated rest position outside the turntable perimeter to a selected set-down position of the stylus on the record for commencement of a play operation and for return or lead-out movement back to the rest position on termination of a play operation, a control mechanism is provided with a single mode selecting member or slide which is manually movable to positions for selecting stop, manual and repeat modes of operation, respectively, of the record player.