Abstract: A breathing sound measurement device includes a measurement section configured to be brought into contact with a skin of a front neck of a subject and measure breathing sound of the subject and a wearing section configured to have a first end connected to the measurement section and have elasticity to extend in a circular arc shape along an outer circumference of the subject's neck. The wearing section has a second end provided with a pressing portion configured to be pressed against a skin of a rear neck opposite a right front neck with respect to a midpoint between right and left halves of the subject's neck.

Abstract: In an apparatus for measuring a deposited toner amount of a toner patch formed on a toner carrier, an intersection between a light outgoing and incoming plane including an optical axis of the light emitting portion and light receiving portion of an optical sensor and a surface of the toner carrier is perpendicular to a direction of propagation thereof. The light outgoing and incoming plane is inclined at a mounting angle toward the direction of propagation of the toner carrier with respect to a plane including the intersection. A control unit calculates the deposited toner amount in accordance with one of a peak value and a bottom value of a sense voltage in a thickness determining region and calculates the deposited toner amount in accordance with the other of the peak value and the bottom value in an area determining region.

Abstract: In an apparatus for measuring a deposited toner amount of a toner patch formed on a toner carrier, an intersection between a light outgoing and incoming plane including an optical axis of the light emitting portion and light receiving portion of an optical sensor and a surface of the toner carrier is perpendicular to a direction of propagation thereof. The light outgoing and incoming plane is inclined at a mounting angle toward the direction of propagation of the toner carrier with respect to a plane including the intersection. A control unit calculates the deposited toner amount in accordance with one of a peak value and a bottom value of a sense voltage in a thickness determining region and calculates the deposited toner amount in accordance with the other of the peak value and the bottom value in an area determining region.

Abstract: In a multi-color image forming apparatus including a plurality of color image forming units adapted to form a plurality of different color images, a transfer belt to which positioning color image patterns are transferred by the color image forming units, and an optical sensor adapted to detect the positioning color image patterns, a positioning color image pattern trailing edge detecting circuit is provided to detect trailing edges of the positioning color image patterns by determining that an output signal of the optical sensor has reached a threshold value. The threshold value is a predetermined ratio of a peak value of the output signal of the optical sensor. A control circuit is provided to compensate for registration of the color image forming units in accordance with the detected trailing edges of the positioning color image patterns.

Abstract: In a multi-color image forming apparatus including a plurality of color image forming units adapted to form a plurality of different color images, a transfer belt to which positioning color image patterns are transferred by the color image forming units, and an optical sensor adapted to detect the positioning color image patterns, a positioning color image pattern trailing edge detecting circuit is provided to detect trailing edges of the positioning color image patterns by determining that an output signal of the optical sensor has reached a threshold value. The threshold value is a predetermined ratio of a peak value of the output signal of the optical sensor. A control circuit is provided to compensate for registration of the color image forming units in accordance with the detected trailing edges of the positioning color image patterns.

Abstract: A multi-color image-forming apparatus having image-forming sections for a plurality of different colors can include an optical sensor having a light-casting section that casts single polarized light and a light-receiving section that receives polarized light different from the cast light. A pattern for detecting toner positions can be used in which toner having high reflectance to a particular light emission wavelength is independently formed. In addition, other patterns in which toner having low reflectance to the particular light emission wavelength are partially formed on a central portion of the pattern of high reflection toner by using the high reflection toner as a foundation. The apparatus can detect each toner pattern by the optical sensor to correct the color shift of each color.

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor can include a light emitting and receiving unit. The light emitting and receiving unit can include both a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit having light receiving sensitivity to light emitted from the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit can be arranged such that the optical axis of the light emitting unit intersects at a predetermined angle with the optical axis of the light receiving unit. The light emitting and receiving unit can be movably supported.

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor can include a light emitting and receiving unit. The light emitting and receiving unit can include both a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit having light receiving sensitivity to light emitted from the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit can be arranged such that the optical axis of the light emitting unit intersects at a predetermined angle with the optical axis of the light receiving unit. The light emitting and receiving unit can be movably supported.

Abstract: A multi-color image-forming apparatus having image-forming sections for a plurality of different colors can include an optical sensor having a light-casting section that casts single polarized light and a light-receiving section that receives polarized light different from the cast light. A pattern for detecting toner positions can be used in which toner having high reflectance to a particular light emission wavelength is independently formed. In addition, other patterns in which toner having low reflectance to the particular light emission wavelength are partially formed on a central portion of the pattern of high reflection toner by using the high reflection toner as a foundation. The apparatus can detect each toner pattern by the optical sensor to correct the color shift of each color.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical element being conveniently useful, for example as an external cover of transmitter and/or receiver for optical communication and more particularly to a surface-curved optical element comprising a transparent body of a refractive index n having a pair of boundary surfaces defined in their cross-section by the corresponding pair of ellipsoidal curves of an eccentricity 1/n. The boundary surfaces of this surface-curved optical element are configured so that they should have their focal points aligned with one another on a straight line and their focal points which are remote from vertices of the respective ellipsoidal surfaces corresponding to the apsides of the respective ellipsoidal curves should be coincident with each other, whereby parallel light rays entering the surface-curved optical element should emerge from this in the form of the parallel light rays without any disturbance.

Abstract: A height sensor for determining the height from a surface to be measured on the basis of an optical path length from a light-emitting element to the surface to be measured includes: a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element disposed at positions spaced apart from the surface to be measured; a mirror for reflecting at least one of a beam of light emitted from the first light-emitting element and a beam of light emitted from the second light-emitting element; and a light-receiving element for receiving the beams emitted by the first and second light-emitting elements and reflected by the surface to be measured and for outputting a signal corresponding to a quantity of light received. The mirror is arranged to cause respective optical paths of the beams emitted from the first and second light-emitting elements to be brought into close proximity to each other.

Abstract: In a conventional case where a preamble length is adjusted in a communication network, even if there is a frame (cycle) in which the length of the preamble has already been adjusted by a preceding station in the direction in which it is increased or decreased, if it is determined on the basis of the decision conditions of an active station that the length of the preamble of such a frame should be increased or decreased, the length of the preamble is adjusted in the direction in which it is further increased or decreased. However, according to the present invention, the length of each preamble which is inputted to a buffer is monitored, and if it is determined that the preamble length of a frame has already been adjusted in the same increasing or decreasing direction, adjustment of the preamble length of the frame is inhibited and such adjustment is carried forward to a succeeding frame.

Abstract: An optical gauging apparatus utilizing a light projected toward an object to be gauged and reflected on the object to gauge a distance to the object or an amount of change occurring in the object. The gauging apparatus includes light projecting elements adapted to project two light beams from first and second light sources or split from the light of a single light source toward the object so that these two light beams provide the object with respective different luminance characteristics thereon, a light receiving member adapted to receive the light reflected on the object, and a signal processor adapted to calculate a ratio of different luminances for the two light beams from the ouptut of the light receiving member and thereby to output an information on the gauged result.

Abstract: A non-dustable granular dye comprising dye particles in granular form coated with a coating agent selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble high-molecular weight substance, a monosaccharide and an oligosaccharide.