Abstract: An electromagnetic relay apparatus, which is improved in miniaturization, performance, assembly accuracy, cost reduction, productivity, and reliability. A plurality of electromagnetic relays, each having an NO contact that is closed by applying exciting current to a coil and an NC contact that is closed when the excitation current is not passed through the coil, are arranged in line, one diagonally opposite to the next, on a base so that the respective NO/NC contacts of adjacent electromagnetic relays are located in diagonally opposed positions in substantially point symmetrical relation. The electromagnetic relay includes an electromagnetic block having a couple of moving contacts, a first stationary contact and a second stationary contact both being connectable to external wiring, which are composed of uniform parts or components.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an imaging element, an imaging optical system configured to input an image of an object to the imaging element, a non-volatile memory part for storing defect data concerning the imaging element, and includes a first memory area storing initial defect data concerning the imaging element, and a second memory area different from the first memory area, a defect detection part for detecting defect data concerning the imaging element, and a control part for controlling reading and writing of the defect data on the imaging element from and to the non-volatile memory part, the control part writing, to the second memory area, defect data detected by the defect detection part.

Abstract: On the top of a central protrusion 81 of a stationary electrode substrate 80 there is formed a stationary electrode 84A. A movable electrode plate 12 is supported at both sides thereof to a support frame 10 through flexures 19 and anchor parts 11. The movable electrode plate 12 is held displaceable vertically to the stationary electrode 12. The marginal edge of the protrusion 81 merges into a sloping face, on which an auxiliary electrode 84B is formed. In the case of separating the movable electrode plate 12 from the stationary electrode 84a, a voltage is applied between them.

Abstract: The present invention provides a space-saving and low-cost emergency power system, which can be installed on a narrow place having limited space and employs a battery that is long in service life and low in frequency of replacement. This emergency power system comprises a circuit having a DC load, a rectifier, and a battery, which are electrically connected to one another. This circuit is adapted so that normally, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load, and the battery is charged, and that in an emergency, such as a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, electric power is automatically supplied from the battery to the DC load. In this system, a sodium sulfur battery is employed as the battery.

Abstract: An optical switch that any vibration or oscillation transmitted to the optical switch from the outside is substantially prevented from being transmitted to a movable electrode is provided. In an optical switch comprising: a stationary electrode; a movable electrode opposed to the stationary electrode with a predetermined space therebetween; and a mirror mounted to the movable electrode, wherein the movable electrode and the mirror are moved together by applying a voltage between the stationary electrode and the movable electrode thereby to switch the path of an incident optical signal to the optical switch, a buffer member provided with a diaphragm is attached to the bottom of the stationary electrode, and a vibration or oscillation is substantially prevented from being transmitted to the movable electrode by the damping effects of the diaphragm and the space area formed above the diaphragm.

Abstract: An electromagnetic relay apparatus, which is improved in miniaturization, performance, assembly accuracy, cost reduction, productivity, and reliability. A plurality of electromagnetic relays, each having an NO contact that is closed by applying exciting current to a coil and an NC contact that is closed when the excitation current is not passed through the coil, are arranged in line, one diagonally opposite to the next, on a base so that the respective NO/NC contacts of adjacent electromagnetic relays are located in diagonally opposed positions in substantially point symmetrical relation. The electromagnetic relay includes an electromagnetic block having a couple of moving contacts, a first stationary contact and a second stationary contact both being connectable to external wiring, which are composed of uniform parts or components.

Abstract: A camera comprises a beam splitter configured to divide an incident light from a subject through a photographing lens, an eyepiece lens configured to observe the incident light divided by the beam splitter with a viewfinder, a relay lens provided between the beam splitter and the eyepiece lens, and a shutter provided in a vicinity of the relay lens and configured to cut a reverse-incident light from the eyepiece lens.

Abstract: An optical switch in which a conductive silicon substrate is coated all over the surface area with a silicon film to form in parallel to the substrate surface a movable contact and elastic support portions for coupling the movable electrode and for elastically supporting its movable electrode in a manner to be displaced vertically. The surface region of the conductive silicon substrate facing the movable electrode and the elastic support portions is etched away to form therein a low-floor portion as a fixed electrode surface opposite the movable electrode in parallel thereto. A micro mirror having a vertical reflecting surface is mounted on the movable electrode portion.

Abstract: On the top of a central protrusion 81 of a stationary electrode substrate 80 there is formed a stationary electrode 84A. A movable electrode plate 12 is supported at both sides thereof to a support frame 10 through flexures 19 and anchor parts 11. The movable electrode plate 12 is held displaceable vertically to the stationary electrode 12. The marginal edge of the protrusion 81 merges into a sloping face, on which an auxiliary electrode 84B is formed. In the case of separating the movable electrode plate 12 from the stationary electrode 84a, a voltage is applied between them.

Abstract: In a substrate carrying optical devices housed in a case, there are formed positioning parts for defining the positions of optical axes of the optical devices. Flexible optical waveguides are provided which are fixedly held at one end in the positioning parts and connected at the other end to an optical connector ferrule mounted in the case, and deviations from proper alignment between the optical axes of the optical devices and the axes of optical fiber receiving holes of the optical connector ferrule are accommodated by deformation of the flexible optical waveguides.

Abstract: An optical switch that any vibration or oscillation transmitted to the optical switch from the outside is substantially prevented from being transmitted to a movable electrode is provided. In an optical switch comprising: a stationary electrode; a movable electrode opposed to the stationary electrode with a predetermined space therebetween; and a mirror mounted to the movable electrode, wherein the movable electrode and the mirror are moved together by applying a voltage between the stationary electrode and the movable electrode thereby to switch the path of an incident optical signal to the optical switch, a buffer member provided with a diaphragm is attached to the bottom of the stationary electrode, and a vibration or oscillation is substantially prevented from being transmitted to the movable electrode by the damping effects of the diaphragm and the space area formed above the diaphragm.

Abstract: A digital camera which can change gradation properties comprises a CCD image pickup element 105 for photographing a subject, an exposure control mechanism 103 for controlling an exposure on the image pickup element 105, a digital processing circuit 108 including a gradation converting circuit for being capable of generating image signals having different gradation properties (gamma properties) based on the output signal from the image pickup element 105, and a system controller 112 including a selecting circuit for selecting one of the different gradation properties, which is used in the gradation converting circuit. In the digital camera, to suppress the change of a sensitivity (output level) due to the a change of the gradation property, the exposure control mechanism 103 changes a control target value to control the exposure in accordance with the selected gamma value so that the output level is maintained at constant in the average exposure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a space-saving and low-cost emergency power system, which can be installed on a narrow place having limited space and employs a battery that is long in service life and low in frequency of replacement. This emergency power system comprises a circuit having a DC load, a rectifier, and a battery, which are electrically connected to one another. This circuit is adapted so that normally, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load, and the battery is charged, and that in an emergency, such as a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, electric power is automatically supplied from the battery to the DC load. In this system, a sodium sulfur battery is employed as the battery.

Abstract: The driving device of a solid-state imaging device comprises a driving unit for driving the solid-state imaging device in either an addition driving mode in which a plurality of pixels are added and read as a single pixel or a non-addition driving mode, and a substrate bias voltage supply for applying a bias voltage to the substrate of the solid-state imaging device according to the driving mode. The substrate bias voltage is set according to the number of pixels added in the addition driving mode so that the overflow level of the charge accumulating portion may be lower in the addition driving mode than in the normal driving mode. This suppresses the input of excess charges to the horizontal transfer path even in the addition driving mode, thereby preventing the generation of horizontal streak noise.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring oxygen within a molten substance comprises a compact oxygen probe unit constructed by assembling a tubular shell whose one end is closed, which is made of solid electrolyte and which is to be soaked into the molten substance to be measured, a metal cylinder which surrounds the outer periphery of the shell and which serves also as an outer electrode and a sheath thermocouple which is inserted to a reference pole provided within an inner face of the shell and which serves also as an inner electrode to a terminal box. The metal cylinder comprises a protecting cylinder portion which surrounds the outer periphery of the shell and an opening for exposing the closed end of the shell. Both element wires of the sheath thermocouple are connected to temperature measuring means via the terminal box.

Abstract: A mirror Fresnel lens (12) is disposed on a base (11), on which a liquid crystal display (18) is mounted. The liquid crystal display (18) is provided with a polarization plate (24) only in the mirror Fresnel lens (12) side. Light from a light source (15) passes through the liquid crystal display (18), is reflected by the mirror Fresnel lens (12), again passes through the liquid crystal display (18), is converged by a projection lens 16 and reflected by the mirror (17) and eventually arrives at a screen (20). A separated polarization plate (25) is provided in a manner to overlap with the projection lens 16. The separated polarization plate (25) is paired with the polarization plate (24).

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously measuring temperatures of molten metal including a thermocouple unit (A) and an immersion protection tube unit (B), wherein the thermocouple unit (A) comprises a thermocouple (1) having an end equipped with a temperature sensing element (8) and an opposite end connected to terminals (2), an insulator (9) of substantially one piece containing the thermocouple (1), a porcelain protection tube (6) of high airtightness containing the insulator (9), and a terminal box (3) having an extension sleeve (5) with which the upper part of the porcelain protection tube (6) is held and having a housing (20) which contains the terminals (2). The immersion protection tube unit (B) comprises an alumina-graphite protection tube (21), a holding sleeve (22) with a flange which is connected to the upper part of the alumina-graphite protection tube (21), and a connecting sleeve (26) connected with the holding sleeve (22).

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a safety arrangement adapted to detect the incomplete combustion of a burner to stop the combustion in a combustion apparatus for burning a mixture of fuel and air. Through employment of an oxygen concentration cell type sensor (25), by setting the burner to be at a low air/fuel ratio (rich air/fuel mixture), ignition performance has been improved, while simultaneously, through utilization of the fact that the sensor electromotive force is large during a low air/fuel ratio, it is made possible to detect the ignition of the burner quickly and positively.In addition, it is so arranged that voltage is applied to the sensor (25) from outside, so that, by utilizing temperature characteristics of the internal resistance of the sensor (25), misfire of the burner is positively detected.

Abstract: A high performance automatic temperature control system enables fries and Japanese tempura to be prepared in optimum condition.The temperature of the outer bottom surface of a container being heated is measured by a temperature sensor a given time later. A temperature rise gradient of the temperature sensor established at a given time in the initial stage of heating is used as a temperature correction value peculiar to the container, while a temperature rise gradient of the temperature sensor established after a certain temperature has been reached is used as a temperature correction value for the amount of food being cooked. The former and latter temperature correction values are converted into preset temperature values and serve as operating temperatures for the temperature sensor.When the temperature sensor reaches the operating temperature, the heating rate is controlled to hold the operating temperature.

Abstract: A highly automationed cooking apparatus especially suitable for stew cooking or the like liable to boiling over. Temperature of outer bottom face of a pan is measured by a sensor and temperature gradients are sampling-measured at a sampling time pitch. Boiling point of food material is detected by finding a decrease of the temperature gradient, and thereafter the heating is lowered to avoid boiling over to a suitable value which is given by processing the temperature gradients.