Abstract: A shoe also usable as a stool is a so-called boot-shaped shoe. In the boot-shaped shoe, a circumference of a heel and a legging rear part of the boot shape sustains an upright posture made of a hard and strong material. A seating part is provided in a top part of the boot shape so as to project horizontally rearward, so that, when the person wears the boot-shaped shoe and squats down on the seating part, and the person is able to sit on the seating part as a stool.

Abstract: A data searching apparatus for searching a database based on a search criterion entered in a corresponding data-entry field by a user. The data searching apparatus includes a search index recording unit 11, and a management data recording unit 13 that are operable to hold field information indicating one or more of a plurality of data-entry fields that correspond one-to-one with a plurality of search categories structuring the database, and a search category obtaining unit 23, a field display instructing unit 24, and a field display unit 43 that are operable to display the one or more data-entry fields indicated by the held field information, and to hide any of the plurality of data-entry fields not indicated by the held field information. This prevents the searching operations from becoming complicated and troublesome even when the number of search categories is large.

Abstract: A data searching apparatus searches a database of data files for a desired data file, based on a search condition set by a user. Each data file includes a plurality of search keys for providing clues to know data file contents. A receiving unit receives a search condition from the user. A searching unit searches the database for at least one data file that satisfies the search condition received by the receiving unit. An extracting unit extracts a plurality of search keys from the data file that is a search result by the searching unit. The searching unit further searches the database for at least one data file that includes at least one of the search keys extracted by the extracting unit.

Abstract: An electrostatic coating machine comprising at least two paint tanks (13A, 13B) for pushing out a paint by a pressure of a hydraulic fluid which one is attached to a rotary base (14) while being electrically insulated from each other, and can be positioned to a coating position opposed to the machine body (3) by the rotation of the rotary base (14) such that while one paint tank is at the coating position, the other paint tank is engaged with a paint charging attachment (22) that is disposed being electrically insulated from the machine body (3) and has a paint supply port (Ps) for supplying a cleaning fluid and a paint of a next color and a drain recovery port (Dr) for recovering drains. Cleaning/paint charging time can be shortened to improve operation efficiency and insulation countermeasure for the paint supply system can be saved.

Abstract: A bell head of a rotary atomizing electrostatic coating apparatus includes a bell head body made from high electric resistance material, a semi-conductive layer formed on an outside surface of the bell head body, and a high electric resistance layer formed on an outside surface of the semi-conductive layer. The high electric resistance layer is also of a chemical-proof and of a thinner-proof type.

Abstract: This invention is a real-time tracking controller for a standard-path robot that detects a target point in advance, permitting higher-speed work. The robot uses both sensed data and previously taught data to accurately execute its task. Accurate control is obtained using target points corresponding to time intervals. Thus, even if the speed or path is changed during operation, accurate tracing is continuously executed.

Abstract: A tracking control robot controls its arm end, which holds a tool, to track a taught path so that a reaction force between a workpiece and the tool remains constant. An ideal state for the arm end is determined from the present state of the arm end and the difference between the actual reaction force and a predetermined target force. Then, this ideal state is compared with a reference state of the arm end on the taught path to obtain a target position and a target attitude of the arm end. Since a target position is always determined independently of the last target position, no position error due to time delay affects a new target position even when the next target position is generated before the tool reaches the last target position. Thus, the robot is quick, responsive, and accurate when tracking at a constant operation speed.

Abstract: An optically scanning displacement sensor is arranged to compute by means of a triangulation an inverse function from a first measured distance signal proportional to output position signals from a position detecting means which receiving reflected light from an object to be detected, and the first measured distance signal is multiplied at a linearity correcting means by a signal of a sum of the inverse function and a constant so as to compute a second measured distance signal, whereby a two-dimensional position detection can be realized with the least required memory capacity and the minimum adjusting process.

Abstract: A system is provided for controling a robot operating in association with a rotary table, including a robot, a rotary table, and a control circuit.

Abstract: Synchronous operation of a multi-joint robot and a rotating table is facilitated by the provision of a multi-joint robot controller. The robot controller detects the position of an arm of the multi-joint robot relative to a coordinate system assigned to the multijoint robot and the position of a specific point on the rotating table relative to the same coordinate system. The spatial relationship of the table relative to the multi-joint robot is calculated based on the coordinates of a plurality of positions of the specific point on the rotating table.

Abstract: A control system for an industrial robot having a hand which traces a pre-stored standard course defining its position and posture and which has a foresight function. The hand is provided with a tool and a work shape sensor, where the tool and the work shape sensor have a known spatial relationship. The foresight function is realized by a control system comprising temporary storing means for temporarily storing a future position and/or posture data of the tool calculated from a sensed position and/or posture data of the present sensor position. The stored data is output after a delayed time interval when it is compared with a pre-stored standard data. When the difference is small, the data is used to control the future position and/or posture of the hand. When the difference is great, an abnormality process is started.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rotation detection apparatus of a rotational axis connected to an output axis system of a reduction gear to count the rotation of a rotational axis driven rotationally, including a reduction gear, with an integer reduction ratio, whose rotational axis of a driving source is connected to an input axis. The apparatus provides a position signal once every rotation of the output axis, and a rotation angle signal in response to the rotation angle of said input axis is output to correlate said output position signal with one of said rotation angle signals to count the rotation of the rotational axis by these position and rotation angle signals. An accurate rotation can be detected even at one-way high-speed rotation.

Abstract: A tracking robot apparatus has a robot for performing a predetermined operation, a movable device for moving an object of interest, a signal input device for designating operations of the robot and the movable device, an operation device for calculating an operation instruction value of the movable device in response to an input signal from the signal input device, a controller for driving the movable device in accordance with the calculated operation instruction value, an operation device for calculating a position/posture instruction value to keep relative position and posture of the robot and the movable device unchanged upon operation of the movable device, and a controller for driving a robot in accordance with the calculated position/posture instruction value. The movable device is operated in response to the signal from the signal input device, and at the same time the robot is operated such that the relative position and posture of the robot and the movable device are kept unchanged.

Abstract: An exposure control unit including an element having electrostrictive properties and a fixed end and a deformation quantity of which is determined in accordance with a voltage applied thereto drives a programming shutter provided with shutter blades having the function of the diaphragm by a driving source composed of the deformation produced at a free end of the electrostrictive element when the voltage is applied to the element. The shutter blades having the function of the diaphragm are opened by the deformation produced at the free end of the electrostrictive element in accordance with the voltage applied to the element and the voltage is increased with the lapse of time in interlocked relationship with the opening operation of the shutter blades so that the electrostrictive element is gradually deformed and the shutter blades are also gradually opened. The electrostrictive element is then short-circuited at a time when a proper exposure is obtained so that the exposure operation is immediately terminated.

Abstract: A quick-return mirror driving mechanism for single-lens reflex cameras so formed that the release of a mirror-up operating member and the release of a mirror-down operating member are effected by a single electromagnetic means, in order to eliminate a mechanical connection between the shutter mechanism and quick-return mirror driving mechanism and, therefore, to simplify the mechanism as a whole.

Abstract: An exposure controlling device comprising a means of discriminating to what zone of exposure zones sectioned in advance an exposure value determined by considering the brightness information of an object to be photographed obtained by a TTL light measurement under the maximum diaphragm aperture and the film sensitivity of the film to be used belongs, a means of determining a diaphragm value simultaneously with and in response to the discrimination of the exposure zone and a means of comparing the determined diaphragm value with the F-number of a photographing lens to be used and controlling a proper exposure time corresponding to said diaphragm value so that a diaphragm aperture and shutter speed for obtaining a proper exposure can be automatically set without making any special switching operation even in the case of using any photographing lens different in the F-number. The means of determining the diaphragm value includes a member which can be intermittently driven by a pulse signal.

Abstract: An exposure rate controlling mechanism for a camera comprising an iron member controlled to move to more than three attracted/departed positions by an electromagnet and a mechanism for controlling the exposure rate corresponding to the position to which the iron member moves. The mechanism for controlling the exposure rate comprises an exposure rate controlling member which is moved to a position corresponding to the position to which the iron member moves and an exposure rate determining member which is controlled to move by an amount corresponding to the amount of displacement of the exposure rate controlling member.

Abstract: An electric shutter for cameras wherein a shutter closing motion can be started by a manual operation from outside the camera body even when the automatic closing motion of the shutter can be no longer made due to the consumption of the current source battery.

Abstract: An automatic diaphragm aperture controlling device which includes an exposure information pulse generation circuit to generate a pulse in a number corresponding to an aperture value to be controlled, the obtained pulses being based on exposure informations such as a scene brightness or the like. A counter circuit is provided for counting the output of the exposure information pulse generation circuit, together with an aperture value pulse generation circuit for generating pulses in a number corresponding to an aperture value of a diaphragm stopped down in association with a diaphragm drive, and diaphragm fixing means for fixing the diaphragm aperture which fixing means is actuated when an aperture value pulse number is coincident with an exposure information pulse number.

Abstract: An exposure controlling circuit for electric shutters comprising a timer circuit which can determine a proper exposure time in response to the brightness of an object to be photographed and another time circuit which can determine the specific shortest exposure time in order to regulate the exposure time to be determined by the brightness of the object to be photographed to be less than the shortest exposure time obtainable by the inherent performance of the shutter mechanism to be used, whereby when the states of the above mentioned two time circuit started to act simultaneously in relation to the shutter release operation are reversed to each other, the shutter is closed. The above mentioned specific shortest exposure time can be selected.