Abstract: A fluid-tight housing device for a section of a handle device of an endoscope includes a housing. A housing opening is formed in the housing, and includes plural side edges and plural corner portions disposed between the side edges in a curved manner. A cover is secured to the housing, for closing the housing opening. A seal packing is squeezed between the housing and the cover. A first sealing lip is formed to project from an end of the seal packing, entered in the housing opening upon securing the cover to the housing, pushed on an inner surface of the housing, for sealing a joint thereof in a fluid-tight manner. A projection is formed on the cover in association with at least one of the corner portions, to project toward the housing, for pressing the seal packing to increase tightness of the first sealing lip.

Abstract: In an endoscope system, a nasal endoscope for entry in a first external nostril of a patient includes a first elongated tube, a first distal portion thereof, an imaging window, an instrument channel, a handle section, and a steering section. An assist device for entry in a second nostril includes a second elongated tube, a second distal portion thereof, and a working channel with a greater inner diameter than the instrument channel. A retaining device retains the second distal portion on the first distal portion removably and equidirectionally, to cause a second distal end surface to contact a lower peripheral part outside a first distal end surface lower than a horizontal line passing a center point of the imaging window when the first distal end surface is viewed in a state of orienting an upper side of steering of the steering section in an upward direction.

Abstract: The image recording apparatus includes an image allocating section allocating the plural images with respect to each recording medium, an image recording section recording the plural images on each recording medium, a cutting section cutting the one recording medium on which the plural images are recorded into the plural prints, a arranging section unifying the plural prints in a single line, a sort transporting section accumulating the plural prints, a discharge control section acquiring at least status information of the arranging section, and controls operations of the cutting section, the arranging section, and the sort transporting section, and an entire control section performing adjustment of allocating operations, or controls the operation of the arranging section, based upon at least one of an appointed delivery date of the plural prints and the status information.

Abstract: The slit mechanism of an image recording apparatus includes slitter units, each including a pair of slitters, for slitting margins on a periphery of each of one or more images recorded on an image recording medium side by side along a width direction in a conveying direction by utilizing a conveying force of the recording medium, a guide unit for guiding a scrap that is cut off when the recording medium is slit by a slitter of the slitter unit and a slitter moving unit for moving the slitter and the guide unit in synchronization in the width direction of the recording medium between a slitting position at which the recording medium is slit into a predetermined width corresponding to the predetermined print size and a position outside the recording medium in the width direction. The guide unit is disposed only at a position where the scrap is cut off by slitting the margins of the recording medium with the slitter.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a surface treatment unit for performing surface treatment using a belt on a surface of a recording sheet, a discriminating unit for detecting whether the sheet exists in the treatment unit and discriminating whether the sheet is the surface-treatable recording sheet, a site identifying unit for detecting occurrence of abnormality and identifying an abnormality occurrence site and a control unit for controlling, when the occurrence of the abnormality has been detected, driving of the treatment unit, driving of an upstream unit on an upstream side of the treatment unit, and driving of a downstream unit on a downstream side thereof, in accordance with the identified site, a result of the detection of whether the sheet exists in the treatment unit, and a result of the discrimination of whether the sheet is the surface-treatable recording sheet.

Abstract: A printer includes a surface treatment section which subjects an image recording medium to a surface treatment by conveying the image recording medium on a belt-shaped surface treatment means while the image recording medium is abutted against the belt-shaped surface treatment means, a position adjusting section which is disposed upstream of the surface treatment section, and moves the image recording medium in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction in the surface treatment section as necessary and a cutting section which is disposed downstream of the surface treatment section, adjusts a cutting position in the width direction in accordance with information about movement of the image recording medium in the position adjusting section, and cuts the image recording medium in accordance with a print size of a print to be outputted.

Abstract: A photo film carrier for access to an image frame in photo film for image reading is provided. Two feeding paths are formed in a carrier body, have respectively a lower guide member and an upper guide member, for passing the photo film. Two mask units include respectively a lower mask and an upper mask disposed in respectively the lower and upper guide members in the carrier body, for insertion of the photo film therebetween. The mask units are adapted for setting the image frame. A mask setting plate is pivotally movable in the carrier body between first and second positions, sets the upper mask close to the lower mask when in the first position, and sets the upper mask up away from the lower mask when in the second position. A support pivot in the carrier body keeps the mask setting plate movable pivotally about a rotational axis that extends crosswise to the feeding paths.

Abstract: A photo film carrier for access to an image frame in photo film for image reading is provided. Two feeding paths are formed in a carrier body, have respectively a lower guide member and an upper guide member, for passing the photo film. Two mask units include respectively a lower mask and an upper mask disposed in respectively the lower and upper guide members in the carrier body, for insertion of the photo film therebetween. The mask units are adapted for setting the image frame. A mask setting plate is pivotally movable in the carrier body between first and second positions, sets the upper mask close to the lower mask when in the first position, and sets the upper mask up away from the lower mask when in the second position. A support pivot in the carrier body keeps the mask setting plate movable pivotally about a rotational axis that extends crosswise to the feeding paths.

Abstract: There are provided an image recording apparatus comprising an exposing device for forming a latent image by imagewise exposure of a light-sensitive material, a transport device for supplying the light-sensitive material into the exposing device and for transporting an as-exposed light-sensitive material into a developing device, and a reversing device for reversing the light-sensitive material being transported such that its advancing end in the direction of transport becomes the trailing end and vice versa and being located in the pathway of transport by the transport device; a light-sensitive material processing apparatus comprising a reversing device upstream of the developing device; and an image forming apparatus comprising one of the two apparatus. These apparatus are capable of consistent production of high-quality prints by substantially reducing the permeation of processing solutions into the light-sensitive material and the color forming due to the damage to its advancing end.

Abstract: There are provided a guide plate assembly in which at least a portion of a surface of the guide plate assembly opposite to an image forming surface of an image recording medium comprises a matrix layer, a cushion layer formed on the matrix layer to absorb impact and a resin layer made of a low frictional resin that is formed on the cushion layer, as well as an image recording medium transporting device to transport the image recording medium through a specified transport pathway, which comprises the guide plate assembly and transport roller pairs to transport the image recording medium through the transport pathway. A recording medium having an image forming surface can be guided and transported without flaw, in an image recording apparatus, an image reader and a developing device performing various image reproduction processing including exposure, recording, development and reading. Consequently, high-quality images without flaw can be obtained.

Abstract: The improved light-sensitive material transporting device includes a belt conveyor for transporting a light-sensitive material as it is placed thereon; and an auxiliary belt conveyor that is driven in the same direction as a transport direction of the belt conveyor and which is spaced above the belt conveyor wherein a distance between the auxiliary belt conveyor and the belt conveyor decrease progressively from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the light-sensitive material. The light-sensitive material transporting device is capable of transporting the light-sensitive material in a consistent and smooth manner while correcting the "curls" it has. In addition, by adopting the device in the distributing section which distributes individual sheets of the light sensitive material into a plurality of rows, the pathlength of the light-sensitive material can be shortened while, at the same time, the cost of the apparatus is measurably reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing exposure by scanning with optical beams, in which exposing light sources issuing the optical beams to be deflected in a main scanning direction are used to scan and expose a web of light-sensitive material as it is transported in an auxiliary scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The apparatus has a transport guide that is positioned at least in a neighborhood of an area upstream in the auxiliary scanning direction of an exposing position where the light-sensitive material is scanned and exposed. The transport guide includes a pair of U-shaped members for regulating both end portions of the light-sensitive material in a direction of width, each of the members having at least two rollers juxtaposed in the auxiliary scanning direction in a side that faces each lateral end portion of the light-sensitive material in the direction of width.

Abstract: Improved transport apparatus for auxiliary scanning, which is to be used with an image recording system in which exposing light sources issuing optical beams to be deflected in the main scanning direction are used to scan and expose a web of light-sensitive material has an exposure drum that transports the web of light-sensitive material in a auxiliary scanning direction which is substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction as it is held in a predetermined exposing position, as well as a first and a second nip roller that are spaced apart in the auxiliary scanning direction, with the exposing position lying in between, and which urge the web of light-sensitive material against the exposure drum, the first nip roller being located upstream the auxiliary scanning direction and provided with a uniform predetermined nip pressure at both end portions, and the second nip roller being located downstream the auxiliary scanning direction and provided at opposite end portions with nip pressures within a p

Abstract: A scouring pad comprising a fine metal wire pad and a detergent adhered thereto, wherein the detergent comprises a salt of an ester of phosphoric acid having the formula (I):[R(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.m ].sub.x PO.sub.4 H.sub.3-x-y M.sub.y (I)wherein R is alkyl or alkenyl having 10 to 22 carbon atoms or alkylphenyl having 6 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, wherein said alkyl or alkenyl can be linear or branched, m is from 0 to 10, x is from 1.0 to 2.0, and y is from 0.5 to 2.0, with the proviso that the sum of x and y does not exceed 3, and M is an alkali metal, ammonium, alkanolamine, alkaline earth metal, zinc or aluminum cation, and a fatty acid soap having 10 to 22 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A detergent composition comprising 5 to 40% by weight of a mixture of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate salts having the formula (I):ro(c.sub.2 h.sub.4 o).sub.n SO.sub.3 M (I)wherein R is alkyl having an average carbon atom number of 11 to 16, n is 1.0 to 2.6 as the average value of the mixture with the proviso that the content of compounds in which n is zero is from zero to 5% by weight, and M is a monovalent or divalent metal ion with the proviso that compounds having a divalent metal ion as M comprise 15 to 98% by weight of the entire mixture,And a betaine type amphoteric surface active agent having the formula (II): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is alkyl having 8 to 20 carbon atoms and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are alkyls having 1 to 3 carbon atoms,The weight of the betaine type amphoteric surface active agent being from 0.01 to 2 times the weight of the polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate salt mixture.

Abstract: A smell-removing and deodorizing composition comprising as an effective ingredient a beta-substituted acrylic acid or salt thereof, having the formula: ##STR1## wherein M is hydrogen, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium, R.sub.1 is alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, and R.sub.2 is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A fabric softening composition comprising an anionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt having two long chain alkyl or .beta.-hydroxy alkyl groups and one or two hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl groups.

Abstract: A fabric softener composition comprising (A) a quaternary ammonium salt having one or two alkyl groups having 11 to 24 carbon atoms and (B) an ether carboxylate, wherein the (A)/(B) mixing molar ratio is from 1/0.5 to 1/1.

Abstract: A composition for softening fabrics or hair consisting essentially of an aqueous solution or dispersion containing 3 to 20 weight percent of a cationic amine derivative capable of softening fabrics or hair and 0.005 to 1.0 weight percent of a polyoxyalkylene derivative obtained by reacting an adduct of 20 to 300 moles of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or mixture thereof to a monohydric alcohol, a monothiolmercaptan or an alkylphenol having from 12 to 26 carbon atoms with from 0.5 to 5 equivalents of a diepoxide, per one equivalent of said adduct.

Abstract: A liquid detergent composition comprising 5 to 30 % by weight of a mixture of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate salts having the formula (I):ro(c.sub.2 h.sub.4 o).sub.n SO.sub.3 M (I)wherein R is alkyl containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms and having an average carbon atom number of from 10 to 15, n is a number from 1.0 to 2.6 as the average value of the mixture, with the proviso that in the mixture the content of said salts in which n is zero is less than 5 % by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture of said salts, and M is alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium or an alkanol amine.