Abstract: A gear pair having a low tooth number differential and a total contact ratio of .xi..sub..upsilon. =.xi..sub..alpha. +.xi..sub..beta. .gtoreq.1 provided that the profile contact ratio .xi..sub..alpha. <1 and the face contact ratio .xi..sub..beta. >0, wherein the absolute value of the difference of addendum modification coefficients .vertline.X.vertline. is less than one or equal to zero, thus increasing the transmission efficiency. Additionally, a transmission assembly is provided including such a gear pair construction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compact camera head for a solid-state image pickup device, a dimension of which is not so limited by a package for a solid-state image pickup element. Outer-leads are connected via inner-leads respectively to electrodes of a solid-state image pickup chip to constitute the solid-state image pickup element. An optical glass plate is attached to a light-receiving surface of the solid-state image pickup chip. The outer-leads are connected to side electrodes of a circuit module constituted by a chip-connecting board, a circuit board and a connector board, to thereby provide an image pickup unit. The image pickup unit is inserted into a chassis, and the opposite open ends of the chassis are sealed by an optical filter and a seal plate.

Abstract: A speech recognition system in which speech information inputted from a microphone is recognized and a speech signal corresponding to the speech information is generated and converted into a set of characters equivalent to keystroke information normally inputted from a keyboard, the set of characters being supplied to a keyboard buffer, so that an application program running on a computer system executes a desired job.

Abstract: An apparatus produces an operational manual of a certain machine and supplies the same to an operator of the machine. The operational manual teaches how to operate a minimum procedure in order to obtain one of functions with which the machine is equipped. Each of the functions including the plurality of minimum procedures which can no longer be segmented. The apparatus stores a help information item for every minimum procedure. Each help information item indicates how to operate a corresponding minimum procedure. The apparatus further stores operations input to the machine by the operator. Thus, the operator analyzes the operations and detects a predetermined function desired by the operator. Then, the apparatus produces the operational manual containing help information items corresponding to the predetermined function, and supplies it to the operator. The operational manual is produced if the apparatus has judged that the predetermined condition has been established.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder (ADF) for use with with a copier, laser printer or similar image recorder and capable of handling a computer form (CF) document in addition to ordinary documents in the form of sheets. The ADF is selectively operable in either one of two different document transport modes, i.e., it transports initial fives pages of a CF document at a speed per page which is lower than an ordinary speed. While the lower transport speed is selected, the operator has a sufficient time to determine in which direction the CF document neatly folds along the perforation intervening between the first and second pages.

Abstract: In a folding-order image forming apparatus, image data provided by reading an original image are stored to a page memory. When a copy is made in an electrostatic photographic process in accordance with the image data, the read image data are processed to divide the original image into a plurality of divisional images. Required images with respect to the divisional images are rotated, rearranged and outputted by the operation of a page memory control circuit in accordance with a divisional number of a recording image, etc. Thus, the images are formed in an opening shape by folding or cutting a sheet of recording paper along a divisional boundary of images thereon.

Abstract: The objects of the present invention are achieved by temporarily suspending sonar beam transducer means at a first underwater location within sonar beam range of said scoured area; scanning a first portion of said scoured area with said sonar beam in a first substantially vertical plane that points in a first azimuth direction, so as to generate signals indicative of the range and bearing of said scanned first portion from said transducer means; and scanning at least a second different portion of said scoured area with said sonar beam in a second different substantially vertical plane that points in a second different azimuth direction, so as to generate signals indicative of the range and bearing of said scanned second portion from said transducer means. In actual practice, scanning by the sonar beam occurs in many different vertical planes and also can be done from different underwater locations.

Abstract: A protective device for a mechanism which accepts coins through a raised coin slot comprises a jacket made from an elastic material and conforming substantially to the configuration of the mechanism. The jacket has an open end for insertion over the mechanism, a coin slot aperture positioned and dimensioned to snugly receive the coin slot, and a raised lip surrounding the coin slot aperture. The jacket further includes a cable aperture positioned to receive an electrical cable extending from the mechanism and an elongated tube surrounding the cable aperture, and a closed, raised protrusion positioned to cover a release lever extending from the mechanism. The elastic material can be latex rubber or a synthetic plastic.

Abstract: A mat for plant cultivation comprises upper and lower portions of non-woven fibers, substantially all of which are preferably natural, biodegradable fiber; an intermediate layer of bi-laterally stable plastic mesh, of high strength relative to the non-woven fiber layers, is structurally joined to the fiber portions, as by needling. The mat includes seed, and may include fertilizer and/or water absorbing material.A method of soil improvement comprises providing a mat having upper and lower portions of non-woven fibers, substantially all of which are natural, biodegradable fibers, with an intermediate bi-laterally stable plastic mesh layer structurally joined to the non-woven fibers. The mat is placed on the ground, such as a bare hill, for initially diminishing soil erosion by water run-off, the mat being optionally seeded after placement. The mat provided may be placed on poor soil, and after plant growth, the plants and mat may be plowed under, optionally in a repetitive cycle, to improve the soil.

Abstract: A control device incorporated in image forming equipment and having at least a main control unit and a slave control unit. The main and slave control units each has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing image formation control programs. To change the image formation control programs, only the ROM of the main control unit is replaced to thereby reduce the service time.

Abstract: A combined cap and nozzle for a container is provided, having a skirt, a transverse wall, and having a restricted orifice of small diameter through the wall. A coupling is provided, being preferably standard female threads as used in garden hoses, for attachment with a conduit such as with the male coupling of a garden hose. Water from a residential faucet may be passed through the garden hose and the restricted orifice to impact on and dislodge waste from a body.

Abstract: A shelf for laboratory cabinets, the cabinet having horizontal vertically spaced guides on the inner walls, the shelf comprising two parallel and vertically separated side bars, the lower of which cooperates with a lower guide on the side wall of the cabinet to support the shelf and the upper of which is spaced apart from the lower side bar by a distance substantially the same but not greater than the vertical spacing between adjacent horizontal guides.

Abstract: A drive device for a motor vehicle rear-view mirror comprises a spur gear which may be driven by the shaft of an electric motor, and which is supported by a spherical bearing. The rear-view mirror is carried by a drive plate which is journaled for spherical movement about a spherical seat spaced laterally of the spur gear. A hollow pin extends from said drive plate, being non-rotatably connected for articulation therewith, the hollow pin having external threads. A guide mandrel extends from the spur gear into the hollow pin in sliding relationship, and elastically yieldable snap hooks extend from the spur gear outwardly of the guide mandrel and the hollow pin, and have hook parts for threadedly engaging the threads on the hollow pin.

Abstract: An elongated plural nest section for a poultry nesting system providing nests arranged as a plurality of like modular sections. Each section is an elongated enclosure providing the nests with front access openings. A lifting at a rear edge portion of the nest bottoms that collectively raises all the nest bottoms about a front axis from a lowered laying position to an elevated upwardly tilting expulsion position to eject poultry from the nests. A nest access controlling wire gate/trip for the access opening of each nest to be swung downwardly from a first open position to a blocking second during passage of a hen into the nest. A time controlled motor and cable arrangement swings the nest bottoms concurrently to an upwardly titled expelling position and returns the gate/trip assembled to the said first positions.

Abstract: A centrifugal separation apparatus comprises a rotatable cylindrical member including a side perforated wall and an opened bottom and a bottom lid member including a central raised portion and a side wall inclined downwardly and outwardly. The bottom lid member is moveable between an upper position in which said bottom lid member is engaged by the lower end face of said cylindrical member and a lower position in which said bottom lid member is spaced apart from the lower end of said cylindrical member to form a gap therebetween.

Abstract: Crystalline xylitol is added to a melt containing xylitol and other sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, lactitol, and hydrogenated glucose syrup. By careful control of temperature and the amounts of crystalline xylitol added to the molten mixture, hard candies with low tack and good dimensional stability result.

Abstract: An universal access optical fiber junction box consisting of a box in which the access system to the cables is composed of a series of small external channels and open and independent rubber plugs allowing to handle the cables and optical fiber junctions with a minimal interruption of service, allowing, furthermore, to replace independently all the elements composing the box.