Abstract: A gas sensor using oxygen-ion-conductive solid electrolyte layers measures a concentration of a constituent gas such as NOx in a gas mixture such as an exhaust gas mixture of an internal combustion engine. The gas sensor includes a pair of oxygen pumping cells and a sensor cell. Before the constituent gas concentration is measured by the sensor cell, oxygen gas contained in the gas mixture has to be purged because the oxygen gas adversely affects the measurement of the constituent gas concentration. Two pumping cells disposed to face a chamber, into which the gas mixture is introduced, pump out the oxygen gas contained in the gas mixture so that the oxygen concentration is reduced substantially zero. Then, the gas mixture is diffused to the sensor cell where the constituent gas concentration is measured without the adverse influence of the oxygen gas. A marginal ion current which is proportional to the constituent gas concentration is measured by the sensor cell with a high accuracy and sensitivity.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flat display panel device suitable for being applied to a plasma display panel and the like. In the method comprising forming a barrier-ridge-forming layer over a whole surface of a substrate having an electrode pattern, then removing from barrier-ridge-forming layer the unnecessary portions by jetting an abrasive, so as to form a barrier ridge, and further filling the removed portions with fluorescent paste layer and removing from fluorescent paste layer the unnecessary portions by jetting the abrasive until a given discharge space can be kept. Organic material particles coated with an inorganic material are used as the abrasive for removing the barrier-ridge-forming layer and/or the fluorescent paste layer. By coating the organic material with the inorganic material, the abrasive particles become roundish. Thus, even if these are used as the abrasive, it is not feared that they injury the surfaces of the glass substrate and the address electrode.

Abstract: A plurality of discharge electrodes (23), (24) are formed on a first substrate (22) at an interval between the adjacent electrodes set to 50 .mu.m or smaller. A fluorescent layer (26) is formed on a second substrate (25 opposed to the first substrate (22). A sealed vessel (28) is formed by locating the first and second substrates (22) and (25) so that the electrodes (23) and (24) and the fluorescent layer (26) should be located on their inner sides. A predetermined gas is introduced in the sealed vessel (28) so that a pressure of the introduced gas should be within the range from 0.8 to 3.0 atmospheric pressure. Ultraviolet rays are produced by plasma discharge and make the fluorescent layer (26) emit light which is employed as illumination light.

Abstract: A continuous operation and efficient device used for heat decomposition and purification of a malodorous objective gas is disclosed. The device has large-sized and heavy heat reserving materials in a stationary condition. The objective gas is supplied to a chamber of a rotary distribution valve. From there, the gas is conducted from a guide space through first moving valve ports of a moving valve member and a stationary valve port of a stationary valve member to a plurality of passages. The passages separated by partition plates in a housing and contain therein the heat reserving material (heat exchanger column), a pretreatment material and a catalyst. The gas undergoes endothermic reaction for heat decomposition of the malodorous substances by means of the catalyst and a burner. The objective gas then has its heat exchanged or temperature reduced through the heat reserve material, so that a purified gas is expelled from the stationary valve port and second moving valve ports through a chamber.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a memory for storing image information. The image information stored in the memory can be printed onto both surfaces of paper sheets. A resupplying path guide sheets having information printed on a first surface thereof to a printer for subsequent printing on a second surface of the sheets. The resupplying path includes at least one standby position for suspending the sheets. Further, the total number of sheets introduced into the resupplying path can be controlled to ensure that no collision of sheets occurs. Further, such an operation can be intermitted by a further printing operation, and such a process can be executed prior to outputting sheets to a finishing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations includes a scanner for reading an original document, a memory for storing read image data, a printer for forming an image in accordance with the image data read from the memory, a ten-key pad for inputting instructions specifying a total number of sets of copies to be made, various functions to be performed by the apparatus for changing how the copying is performed and a sample set command by which the apparatus enters into a sample set command mode wherein one copy of the original document is output as a sample copy, and a controller for determining whether to use the image previously stored in the memory to output the rest of the total number of sets of copies to be made or performing an operation of reading the original document again depending upon types of functions input via the ten-key pad during the sample set command mode.

Abstract: A gas concentration detector using solid electrolyte layers laminated measures a concentration of gas constituents in measuring gas such as exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine without being influenced by oxygen concentration in the measuring gas. The measuring gas is introduced into an inner cavity of the detector and outside air as a reference gas is introduced into an air passage in the detector. Oxygen concentration in the measuring gas in the inner cavity is maintained at a predetermined level by operation of an oxygen pumping cell constituted by an ion conductive solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrodes formed on both surfaces of the layer. The oxygen concentration in the inner cavity is measured by an oxygen sensor cell having one electrode exposed to the inner cavity and the other electrode exposed to the reference gas.

Abstract: A maleimide-based copolymer containing maleimide monomer units (a-1), aromatic vinyl monomer units (a-2) and other vinyl monomer units (a-3), wherein,(I) the content of residual maleimide monomer in the copolymer is 0.1% by weight or less, and the content of whole volatiles other than the maleimide monomer is 0.5% by weight or less;(II) a compound obtained from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of a maleimide monomer, an aromatic vinyl monomer and other vinyl monomers, having a weight-average molecular weight of from 200 to 1,000, is contained in an amount of 2 to 10% by weight;(III) the copolymer has a yellow index of 30 or less; and(IV) the copolymer has an intrinsic viscosity of from 0.3 to 1.5.

Abstract: An appropriate binarization threshold can be automatically set between the object density and the background density in a multi-level input image, by determining the frequencies of the luminance levels of the entire image, then calculating the average and deviation of the frequencies, then specifying a region containing the optimum threshold for separating the object and the background in the image, by judging the magnitude of the deviation, and taking the average luminance of the specified region as the binarization threshold. Also in processing an image containing objects of three or more luminance levels, highly precise binarization according to the luminance hierarchy allows exact separation of the image regions, enabling precise character recognition process according to the hierarchic luminance levels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and a method for sampling groundwater under in-situ condition state in reliable, efficient and economic manner without disturbing environment of formation water present in under-ground layer. There are provided a continuous water sampling process and a batch style water sampling process for sampling formation water by confirming the same environment as that of the groundwater in the under-ground layer. After drilling water has been removed by the continuous water sampling process, formation water is repeatedly sampled by the batch style water sampling process, and a downhole system equipped with the continuous water sampling process and the batch style water sampling process is designed in such structure that it is moved up and down in a casing pipe and inserted into or removed from a packer system in the hole.

Abstract: A semiconductor device advantageously has first and second oxidized silicon insulating layers formed on the surface of a substrate. A first oxidized silicon insulating layer is formed through a low temperature process and a second oxidized silicon insulating layer may be formed at a higher manufacturing process temperature. Advantageously, the first oxidized silicon insulating layer has a lower voltage resistance than the second oxidized silicon insulating layer.

Abstract: A resin composition, excellent in a physical property balance between chemical resistance and impact strength, obtained by mixing at least one graft copolymer selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer in which a copolymer rubber of an alkyl acrylate and a conjugated diene is used, a graft copolymer in which a rubber prepared by seed rubber polymerizing an alkyl acrylate with a conjugated diene rubber is used and a graft copolymer in which a rubber prepared by seed rubber polymerizing an alkyl acrylate with a polyorganosiloxane rubber is used, with a graft copolymer in which a conjugated diene rubber is used, and optionally with a rigid thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: A motor is provided with a speed reducer. The motor includes a rotatable motor shaft having an end face and a threaded portion. The speed reducer includes a gear for communicating with the threaded portion of the motor shaft. A speed reduction case encloses at least a part of the speed reducer and includes a thrust receiving portion facing the end face of the motor shaft. An end spacer is disposed between the thrust receiving portion of the speed reduction case and the end face of the motor shaft. The end spacer includes a press-fitting portion secured at the thrust receiving portion of the speed reduction case to prevent the end spacer from rotating relative to the speed reduction case. The end spacer also includes a protrusion. A thrust force applied to the motor shaft presses the end face of the motor shaft to the protrusion of the end spacer to brake the rotation of the motor shaft by friction.

Abstract: A solid-state laser apparatus is composed of a semiconductor laser device 17, a laser medium 13 for generating oscillated light, a non-linear optical device 12 for converting the oscillated light to non-linear light, a laser holder 17a and a base plate 19 for holding the semiconductor laser device 17, and a crystal holder 3 for holding the laser medium 13 and the non-linear optical device 12. The laser holder 17a, base plate 19 and crystal holder 3 are fixed with an adhesive or the like after positional adjustment under light pressure and temporary tightening. A laser diode pumped solid-state laser apparatus is thus obtained which is simplified in assembling and positioning of optical components and can be stably operated regardless of temperature changes.

Abstract: A resin composition, excellent in a physical property balance between chemical resistance and impact strength, obtained by mixing at least one graft copolymer selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer in which a copolymer rubber of an alkyl acrylate and a conjugated diene is used, a graft copolymer in which a rubber prepared by seed rubber polymerizing an alkyl acrylate with a conjugated diene rubber is used and a graft copolymer in which a rubber prepared by seed rubber polymerizing an alkyl acrylate with a polyorganosiloxane rubber is used, with a graft copolymer in which a conjugated diene rubber is used, and optionally with a rigid thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: A pattern generator generates a color chart which is processed by an image processor and reproduced on a medium by an output device without color correction. Since no color correction is made to the color chart on the medium, the image processing characteristics of the image processor and the output device are reflected in color chart on the medium. The color chart on the medium is read by a reader and converted to color chart read data which is converted to color correction parameters for the output device by a color correction parameter generator. The color correction parameters are stored in a first storage device, and device setting values indicative of characteristics of the output device are stored in a second storage device.

Abstract: An insulation film-forming method comprising the steps of:(A-1) heating and evaporating silicon raw materials comprising SiOx (provided that 0.ltoreq.X.ltoreq.1.8);(A-2) vapor phase reacting the evaporated silicon raw materials and a gas including oxygen, and generating silicon dioxide;(A-3) adhering the silicon dioxide to a substrate surface, and forming a first insulation film comprising silicon dioxide on the surface substrate; and(B) forming a second insulation film comprising silicon dioxide on the first insulation film by a chemical vapor phase growth technique or sputter technique.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying apparatus with a failure diagnosis function is provided. A failure diagnosis device determines that the apparats is failed when the temperature rising speed of an adsorbing device is equal to a set value or less during a gas adsorption process and if the temperature rising speed is equal to an upper limit or more or to a lower limit or less during a gas desorption process. Further, a failure diagnosis device similarly monitors the flow passing through the adsorbing device. A failure diagnosis device determines that the apparatus is failed if the concentration of discharge gas is equal to a set value or more in a discharge passage. And further, a failure diagnosis device measures the concentration of discharge gas flowing through a return passage to accumulate the amount of discharge gas in order to determine that the apparatus is failed if the accumulated value is equal to a set value or less.

Abstract: A change-over valve unit has a change-over valve for switching a bypass passage and an exhausting passage disposed in parallel therewith. An adsorbent is disposed in the bypass passage to adsorb exhaust components. An actuator of the change-over valve is isolated from an adsorption cylinder by a pedestal. Furthermore, rotary shafts of the control mechanism of the change-over valve are positioned within the bypass passage of the adsorber when the change-over valve is positioned to open the main exhaust passage. Thus, the heat of the exhaust gas flowing through the main exhaust passage is not transmitted to the rotary shafts.

Abstract: A polarization mode dispersion measuring apparatus includes a variable wavelength light source for providing light of a variety of wavelengths; a light intensity modulator optically connected to the light source to provide light of modulated intensity; a polarization controller optically connected to the light intensity modulator to provide light of controlled polarization; a beam splitter optically connected to the polarization controller to provide beams of p and s polarization components; an O/E conversion unit optically connected to the beam splitter to provide electrical signals with respect to the beams of the p and s polarization components; and an analyzing unit for controlling the light intensity modulator to provide a sine wave of a predetermined frequency and a predetermined intensity, and the light source and the polarization controller to determine parameters of Jones matrix from the electrical signals and a polarization mode dispersion defined by the parameters, thereby measuring a polarization