Nikon Corporation

Juki Corporation

Nec Electronics Corporation

Takashi Nishikawa

Yoshihiro Sasaki

Tatsuya Ogawa

Tadashi Kato

Atsushi Kudo

Sadao Oshima

Yoshikatsu Hattori

Toshiaki Sunada

Nobuhiro Nishi

A height-measuring device () in which the focal position of an image-forming optical system () is moved in relative fashion in the direction of an optical axis with respect to an object () to be measured; scanning is performed; images of the object () to be measured, which are formed by the image-forming optical system (), are obtained in order; and the focal position for individual pixels of the images is found, thereby yielding a relative height value of the object to be measured () at positions corresponding to the pixels; wherein a second function (g) is defined on the basis of a first function (f) fitted to a numerical value sequence comprising a coordinate value on the optical axis and a light intensity value for the pixels of a plurality of the images obtained by the scanning, or the coordinate value and a numerical value obtained by processing the light intensity value; and positions on the optical axis at which a correlation value between the numerical value sequence and the second function (g) becomes a maximum value or a minimum value serve as the relative height values of the object to be measured at the positions corresponding to the pixels.

Height-measuring method and height-measuring device

A shape measuring device comprises a high speed image processor for extracting one target image and at least one reference image other than the target image from among the plurality of images, and for causing a digital operator to act on the target image and the reference image to calculate local degrees of focusing for each extracted pair of the target image and the reference image on a pixel by pixel basis for the target image; and a control computer for finding the surface height of the measurement object on the basis of the maximum relative movement position of each pixel from among a plurality of the local degrees of focusing calculated on a pixel by pixel basis.

Shape measuring device, observation device, and image processing method

A probe testing apparatus reads the surface shape of a contact pad in pressure contact with a contact probe, and differentiates the read surface shape to extract a multiplicity of flat parts. Next, the probe testing apparatus complements the multiplicity of flat parts to generate a reference shape, and subtracts the reference shape from an averaged surface shape to detect a plurality of recesses having a predetermined depth or more. Next, the probe testing apparatus selects one from the plurality of recesses corresponding to reference information, enlarges the selected recess outward by predetermined dimensions, and subtracts the reference shape from the initial surface shape at the position of the enlarged recess to detect an impression of the contact probe. Finally, the probe testing apparatus determines from the position and depth of the detected impression whether the contact probe is acceptable or defective. In this manner, even if the compact pad is formed with miniature irregularities on the surface thereof, the probe testing apparatus can precisely detect the impression of the contact probe from the surface shape to determine whether the contact probe is acceptable or defective.

Probe testing method and apparatus for determining acceptable/defective end shape of contact probe through image analysis

A sewing machine zigzag pattern changing device comprises: a cam drive shaft (11) supported in a sewing machine frame in such a manner that it can be rotated deceleratingly in linking with a sewing machine main shaft; a needle swing cam (13) supported on the cam drive shaft and including at least two cams which are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the needle swing cam and respectively correspond to different needle swing patterns; a needle swing drive shaft (20) disposed in parallel to the cam drive shaft, supported in the sewing machine frame in such a manner that it is capable of swing motion about the axis thereof, and connected to a needle mechanism so that it can move a needle in a direction at right angles to a cloth feeding direction due to the above swing motion; a cam body (50) including a pair of contact bodies separately engageable with and removable from the two cams, capable of transmitting the swing motion of the contact body due to one of the needle swing cams to be engaged to the needle swing drive shaft, and supported on the needle swing drive shaft in such a manner that it can be moved in the axial direction of the needle swing drive shaft; switch means (59) connected to the cam body for moving the cam body in the axial direction of the needle swing drive shaft to one position where one contact member can be engaged with one cam groove as well as to another position where the other contact member can be engaged with the other cam groove; a guide member disposed in parallel to the axial direction of the needle swing drive shaft; and, a member to be guided engageable with the guide member and relatively movable in the axial direction of the needle swing drive shaft.

Zigzag pattern changing device for a sewing machine

A drive device for a sewing machine which varies the speed of the auxiliary motor. In a sewing machine drive device, the rotation of a clutch motor is transmitted through a pulley and an endless belt to the spindle of the sewing machine. The rotation of an auxiliary motor is transmitted through a driving sprocket, a timing belt and a driven sprocket and through the pulley to the spindle of the sewing machine. The drive device includes rotation varying means which varies the rotation of the auxiliary motor in response to the variation in diameter of the driving pulley of the clutch motor.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Takashi Nishikawa