Abstract: A shut-off valve for a liquid fuel includes a valve housing in which a float, adapted to bs raised by buoyant force as the liquid fuel flows into the valve housing, and a valve disc, for sealably closing a fuel vapor outflow hole, are arranged in such a manner as to allow the valve disc to be vertically displaceable relative to the float. A plate-like valve member, which carries a rod-shaped protuberance for sealably closing a through hole formed through the valve disc, is disposed between the valve disc and the float. When the float is lowered as the liquid fuel returns from the valve housing to the fuel tank, a first engagement pawl engages the plate-like valve member at a single point and, at the same time, a second engagement pawl engages a flange portion of the valve disc at a single point, whereby the plate-like valve member and the valve disc are opened so as to enable the fuel vapor generated in the fuel tank to flow into a receiving canister.

Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising an airtight housing and a laser beam source unit housed in the housing. The laser beam source unit comprises laser beam sources and collimator optical systems respectively positioned in optical paths of laser beams, which are radiated from the laser beam sources, in order to collimate the laser beams. Optical path adjusting elements are respectively positioned in the optical paths of the laser beams in order to radiate the laser beams along optical paths parallel and close to one another. The laser beam sources, the collimator optical systems, and the optical path adjusting elements are supported on a single support. The housing is provided with a temperature sensor, which detects the temperature in the housing, and temperature adjusting elements which heat or chill the housing on the basis of control of the temperature sensor so that the temperature in the housing is kept constant.

Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising an airtight housing and a laser beam source unit housed in the housing. The laser beam source unit comprises laser beam sources and collimator optical systems respectively positioned in optical paths of laser beams, which are radiated from the laser beam sources, in order to collimate the laser beams. Optical path adjusting elements are respectively positioned in the optical paths of the laser beams in order to radiate the laser beams along optical paths parallel and close to one another. The laser beam sources, the collimator optical systems, and the optical path adjusting elements are supported on a single support. The housing is provided with a temperature sensor, which detects the temperature in the housing, and temperature adjusting elements which heat or chill the housing on the basis of control of the temperature sensor so that the temperature in the housing is kept constant.

Abstract: An image recording and read-out apparatus comprises an endless recording belt having a stimulable phosphor layer, a group of conveyor rollers for supporting and circulating the recording belt, a snaking detection means for detecting the amount and direction of snaking of the recording belt, and a snaking suppression means for suppressing snaking of the recording belt which, in response to the output of the snaking detection means, swings the axis of rotation of a prescribed one of the group of conveyor rollers in a direction which produces substantially no change in the length of the conveyance path of the recording belt.

Abstract: In an image read-out apparatus, a recording medium, on which an image has been recorded, is two-dimensionally scanned with a light beam. Light, which is radiated out of the recording medium during the scanning and which represents the image, is detected with a photoelectric sensor, and a time-serial image signal is thereby generated. In the course of generating the image signal, a peak value dectector sequentially detects peak values occurring at parts of the image signal. A light detecting sensitivity controller controls the sensitivity, with which the photoelectric sensor detects the light radiated out of the recording medium, in accordance with the peak values, which have been detected sequentially, such that the value of the image signal does not exceed a predetermined value. A correction device corrects the image signal in accordance with a signal representing the sensitivity, with which the photoelectric sensor detects the light radiated out of the recording medium.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus includes a recording belt in the form of an endless belt having a stimulable phosphor layer and a recording belt coveying roller system including a plurality of rollers. The recording belt conveying roller system is provided with a tension roller which is urged by a spring to outwardly tense the recording belt, and the spring is connected to a tension releasing member which causes the spring to release the tension roller.

Abstract: Digital image signals are detected from radiation images of an object constituted of bones and soft tissues. A subtraction process is carried out with a predetermined parameter on the digital image signals, and a difference signal representing an image of part of the object is obtained. Each of images of a phantom, which has part exhibiting an equivalent radiation absorption coefficient to bones and/or part exhibiting an equivalent radiation absorption coefficient to soft tissues, is read out together with each object image. A value of the parameter is found, with which the image of either part of the phantom becomes erased in a subtraction image of the phantom obtained from subtraction processing. The value of the parameter, which has thus been found, is determined as an optimum value of the parameter. Subtraction processing is then carried out by using the optimum value of the parameter.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises an endless recording belt provided with a stimulable phosphor layer; a group of rollers, around which the recording belt is applied, including two roller sections spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, for circulating the recording belt between the two roller sections along the predetermined distance; an image recording section for exposing the stimulable phosphor layer to radiation; an image read-out section for scanning the stimulable phosphor layer carrying a radiation image stored thereon with stimulating rays; and an erasing section. The predetermined distance between the roller sections is 1-1.5 times as long as the length of the largest single image recordable in the image recording section. The image recording section faces the recording belt moving between the roller sections.

Abstract: A logarithmic amplifier comprises an amplifier provided with a feedback circuit, a logarithmic conversion device in the feedback circuit, an oscillation preventing circuit which is provided with a capacitor connected in parallel with the logarithmic conversion device, and a control circuit. The control circuit controls the oscillation preventing circuit in accordance with the current fed into the logarithmic amplifier, so that the amount of certain components in the output from the amplifier, which components are fed back to an input terminal of the amplifier through the oscillation preventing circuit, decreases as the current fed into the logarithmic amplifier becomes smaller. An image read-out apparatus comprises a photoelectric detector which detects light from a recording medium, which light is emitted by the recording medium when it is scanned, and the logarithmic amplifier into which the output current generated by the photoelectric detector is fed. An image having good sharpness is thereby obtained.

Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising laser beam sources; collimator optical systems positioned in optical paths of laser beams radiated from the laser beam sources. Each of the collimator optical systems is constituted of a first lens section and a second lens section. Optical path adjusting elements are positioned in the optical paths of the laser beams in order to radiate the laser beams along optical paths parallel and close to one another. A support member supports the laser beam sources, the collimator optical systems, and the optical path adjusting elements. Each laser beam source and the corresponding first lens section are combined into a laser beam source unit and mounted on the support member, the positions of the laser beam source and the first lens section having been adjusted with respect to each other.

Abstract: Shading is eliminated in an image read-out apparatus wherein a light beam is deflected by a rotating polygon mirror which has a plurality of reflecting surfaces, a surface which has an image recorded thereon is two-dimensionally scanned with the deflected light beam, and light which is emitted by the scanned surface and which carries information about the image is detected and converted into an image signal by a photoelectric read-out device. The shading elimination method comprises the steps of storing the characteristics of the shading with respect to the respective reflecting surfaces, the shading being caused by nonuniformity in the intensity of the light beam, nonuniformity in the speed at which the surface is scanned with the light beam, nonuniformity in how the photoelectric read-out device, detects light which is emitted by said surface, or the like.

Abstract: A Potter-Bucky device for a radiation image recording apparatus in which an image recording medium is exposed to radiation which has passed through an object in order to record a radiation image of the object on the recording medium includes a grid which is supported by a support member between the object and the recording medium and is reciprocated parallel to the recording medium. A balancer is also connected to the support member and is reciprocated in synchronization with said grid but in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising first and second laser beam source sections, each of which includes laser beam sources, a collimator optical system and optical path adjusting elements, and a beam-combining optical element. Each collimator optical system is constituted of lens groups corresponding to the laser beam sources, and a common lens positioned so that the laser beams, which have been radiated from the optical path adjusting elements along optical paths parallel and close to one another, impinge upon the common lens. The common lenses are moveable along first directions parallel to their optical axes and along second directions normal to the optical axes.

Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising an airtight housing and a laser beam source unit housed in the housing. The laser beam source unit comprises laser beam sources and collimator optical systems respectiely positioned in optical paths of laser beams, which are radiated from the laser beam sources, in order to collimate the laser beams. Optical path adjusting elements are respectively positioned in the optical paths of the laser beams in order to radiate the laser beams along optical paths parallel and close to one another. The laser beam sources, the collimator optical systems, and the optical path adjusting elements are supported on a single support. The housing is provided with a temperature sensor, which detects the temperature in the housing, and temperature adjusting elements which heat or chill the housing on the basis of control of the temperature sensor so that the temperature in the housing is kept constant.

Abstract: A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises a light shielding material removal section for removing a light shielding material by dissolution or separation from a stimulable phosphor sheet comprising a stimulable phosphor layer and the light shielding material which is provided at least on a surface on the stimulable phosphor layer side and which is removable by dissolution in a solvent or by physical separation, the stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored on the stimulable phosphor layer. A read-out section is provided for reading out the radiation image by exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet, from which the light shielding material has been removed, to stimulating rays which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the stored radiation energy, and photoelectrically detecting the emitted light.

Abstract: Shading is eliminated in an image read-out apparatus for scanning a light beam on a recording medium carrying an image recorded thereon, obtaining light which carries the image by the scanning, and detecting the light by use of a photomultiplier to obtain read-out signals carrying the image. A shading elimination method comprises the steps of detecting the shading characteristics in the direction of main scanning of the light beam by changing the level of high voltage applied to the photomultiplier to a plurality of levels prior to the detection of the light, and storing the shading characteristics to correspond to the levels of the high voltage in a memory. The level of the high voltage is detected at the time of the detection of the light, and the shading characteristics that correspond to the detected level of the high voltage are read from the memory.

Abstract: A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises many stimulating ray sources and a single light deflector for making many beams of stimulating rays emitted by the stimulating ray sources impinge upon different portions of a stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored therein so that the different portions are scanned by the beams of stimulating rays in a main scanning direction. The stimulating ray sources are turned on pulsewise at timings deviated from each other so that they generate large outputs. The stimulable phosphor sheet is moved with respect to the beams of stimulating rays in a sub-scanning direction normal to the main scanning direction, and light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet when exposed to the beams of stimulating rays is detected and converted into electric image signals.

Abstract: A radiation image read-out apparatus is constituted for exposing a stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored thereon to stimulating rays which cause the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the stored radiation energy, and photoelectrically detecting the light emitted by the portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet exposed to the stimulating rays by use of a photodetector to obtain an image signal representing the radiation image. The apparatus comprises a sharpness adjuster for adjusting sharpness of a visible image reproduced based on the image signal, a light amount detector for detecting the light amount of stimulating rays, and a control circuit for receiving the output of the light amount detector, and controlling the sharpness adjuster in accordance with a decrease in the light amount of stimulating rays so that sharpness of the visible image is decreased.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises an endless recording belt provided with a stimulable phosphor layer; a group of rollers, around which the recording belt is applied, including two roller sections spaced by a predetermined distance from each other, for circulating the recording belt around them between the two roller sections along the direction of the predetermined distance; an image recording section for exposing the stimulable phosphor layer to a radiation; an image read-out section for scanning the stimulable phosphor layer carrying a radiation image stored thereon by stimulating rays; and an erasing section. The predetermined distance between the roller sections is 1-1.5 times as long as the length of the maximum single image area of the radiation image recordable at the image recording section. The image recording section faces the recording belt moving between the roller sections.

Abstract: A method of correcting unevenness in scanning lines in a light beam scanning apparatus having a mechanical scanning light beam deflector which rotates about a rotational axis to deflect a scanning light beam in a main scanning direction and a correcting light beam deflector for deflecting the scanning light beam in a sub-scanning direction, comprising steps of continuously detecting deflection of the rotational axis of the scanning light beam deflector to obtain nonperiodic deviation of the scanning light beam in the sub-scanning direction, storing the difference between a position of the scanning light beam detected at a starting point immediately before the effective scanning range and the nonperiodic deviation of the scanning light beam as a starting point deviation, storing the difference between a position of the scanning light beam detected at an end point immediately behind the effective scanning range and the nonperiodic deviation of the scanning light beam as an end point deviation, successively calc