Abstract: There is disclosed a socket for a pipe coupling, comprising a hollow cylindrical socket body including a plug insertion port, a radially movable locking element to lock a plug in the plug insertion port, and a sleeve attached to the socket body so as to be movable forwards/backwards and can operate the locking element. A valve body including a channel hole and purge hole is fixed in the socket body, and a cylindrical seal member rotatable between a first position and a second position is attached between the socket body and valve body. The seal member opens the channel hole and closes the purge hole in the first position, and vice versa in the second position. The seal member is connected to a sleeve for valve opening/closing operation rotatably attached to the socket body by a connection pin inserted through a circumferential groove in the socket body.

Abstract: A camera is provided which includes a backlight judgment section which determines whether the photographic scene is backlit by comparing the average luminance of the entire photographic screen obtained by photometry with the luminance of the main subject at a distance-measuring point selected by distance measurement. The camera performs suitable exposure control accompanied by illumination, such as supplementary light, at the time of exposure in a photographic scene where the main subject is against light.

Abstract: A camera according to this invention includes a backlight judgment section which determines whether the photographic scene is against light by comparing the average luminance of the entire photographic screen obtained by photometry with the luminance of the main subject at a distance-measuring point selected by distance measurement. With the backlight judgment section, the camera performs suitable exposure control accompanied by illumination, such as supplementary light, at the time of exposure in a photographic scene where the main subject is against light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an input portion which inputs data, an image forming portion capable of forming a latent image on an image carrying member by irradiating a laser beam corresponding to the data inputted via the input portion onto a reflecting member rotatably driven by a motor and irradiating light reflected by the reflecting member onto the image carrying member, and also capable of enabling a pre-rotation of the reflecting member by driving the motor prior to irradiation of the laser beam, and a control portion which causes a pre-rotation of the reflecting member when a first function of using the image forming portion for the data inputted from the input portion is selected, and prohibits the pre-rotation of the reflecting member when a second function of storing the data inputted from the input portion in a storing medium or transmitting the data to an external terminal apparatus without using the image forming portion is selected.

Abstract: A camera according to this invention includes a backlight judgment section which determines whether the photographic scene is against light by comparing the average luminance of the entire photographic screen obtained by photometry with the luminance of the main subject at a distance-measuring point selected by distance measurement. With the backlight judgment section, the camera performs suitable exposure control accompanied by illumination, such as supplementary light, at the time of exposure in a photographic scene where the main subject is against light.

Abstract: A digital camera from which an external memory capable of storing image data imaged by an imaging section is disconnectable has a user-information reading section and an operation-stage deciding section. The user-information reading section reads user information previously stored in the external memory when the external memory is mounted. The operation-state deciding section decides an operation state of the digital camera based on the user information read by the user-information reading section.

Abstract: There is disclosed a socket for a pipe coupling, comprising a hollow cylindrical socket body including a plug insertion port, a radially movable locking element to lock a plug in the plug insertion port, and a sleeve attached to the socket body so as to be movable forwards/backwards and can operate the locking element. A valve body including a channel hole and purge hole is fixed in the socket body, and a cylindrical seal member rotatable between a first position and a second position is attached between the socket body and valve body. The seal member opens the channel hole and closes the purge hole in the first position, and vice versa in the second position. The seal member is connected to a sleeve for valve opening/closing operation rotatably attached to the socket body by a connection pin inserted through a circumferential groove in the socket body.

Abstract: A quality evaluation method for granular objects includes the steps of: irradiating objects from a front side and a back side; taking a reflection light image and a transmission light image from both the front and back sides of the objects; obtaining optical information of the objects by image-processing the reflection and transmission light images; obtaining shape information of the objects based on the optical information; determining the quality of each of the objects based on the optical information and the shape information; and counting the numbers of objects per quality and obtaining ratios of the objects per quality against the total number of objects. The data from the front and the back sides of the granular object are analyzed to enhance the precision of the results of the quality analysis, and in particular, to enhance the precision in detecting cracks.