Abstract: There is described a device and a method for setting the operation mode of an apparatus, such as a copy machine, wherein the pressing of a guide key causes guidance information, as well as operation mode setting keys to be displayed on a guidance screen; and wherein the pressing of a key on the guidance screen causes further guidance information as well as operation mode setting keys to be displayed.

Abstract: A method for forming dense ceramics, particularly a ceramic coating by a low temperature treatment is provided. The method for forming ceramics according to the invention is characterized in that a polysilazane having a number-average molecular weight of 100 to 50,000 or a modified polysilazane thereof is subjected to a heat treatment, then exposed to an atmosphere containing water vapor or immersed in distilled water containing a catalyst, or both, or is brought into contact with Pd.sup.2+ ions and water, the polysilazane having a skeleton comprising the unit represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, a group other than the above and having a carbon atom directly attached to the silicon atom, an alkylsilyl group, an alkylamino group and an alkoxy group; with the proviso that at least one of R.sub.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom.

Abstract: An estimated-SN(Signal Noise)-ratio is calculated for a time-series feature vector of noise-superimposed speech by using a noise-free speech model and a noise model. A noise-superimposed model is generated based on the estimated-SN-ratio. A likelihood between the time-series feature vector of noise-superimposed speech and the noise-superimposed model is calculated to obtain likelihood information. A noise spectrum included in the noise-superimposed speech is estimated from the likelihood information.

Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus recognizes utterances of unnatural speech having a higher performance of recognition accuracy with a smaller amount of speech learning data. The speech recognition apparatus includes an acoustic-phonetic variability learn unit, a normal speech model memory, a spectrum smooth-modifier and a speech recognizer. An input speech signal is acoustically analyzed and transformed into a time-series feature vector. The acoustic-phonetic variability learn unit learns an acoustic-phonetic change of spectrum caused by unnatural speech and generates a plurality of acoustic-phonetic variability models. The normal speech model memory stores a normal speech model learned based on normal speech data. The spectrum smooth-modifier modifies the normal speech model based on a plurality of the acoustic-phonetic variability model and generates a plurality of spectrum-modified speech models.

Abstract: A device for evaluating catalyst performance deterioration includes an air-fuel ratio sensor and a temperature sensor. The degree of catalyst performance deterioration per unit time is calculated based on the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas and the temperature of the catalyst. The deterioration of the catalyst is evaluated on the basis of the accumulated value of the degree of catalyst performance deterioration per unit time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming images onto sheets in either one of a first mode for sequentially forming the images onto the sheets from a last page and a second mode for sequentially forming the images onto the sheets from a front page. The apparatus also includes a rotation processing unit for rotating the image in the direction of 180.degree. for the direction of the image in the first mode before the image forming unit forms the images in the second mode. The apparatus further includes a tray for stacking the sheets, a reversing path for reversing the sheet in the second mode, a conveying path for conveying the sheets formed with the images by the image forming unit to the tray directly or through the reversing path, and a stapler for performing a stapling on an upstream side in the conveying direction in the sheet and on a left side or a right side in the conveying direction.

Abstract: A molded article having a large undercut part is efficiently produced by a method of molding a synthetic resin with the use of an apparatus comprising an outer mold (S) and an inner mold (N) arranged so as to form a cavity (C) inside the outer mold (S), said inner mold (N) comprising a central mold segment having a part whose size is reduced toward its head and mold segments (6, 7) for forming an inner surface of a molded article which are supported so as to be able to meet and get apart from each other around the central mold segment (4) and divided into a plurality of separate segments, wherein said mold segments for forming the inner surface of the molded article are rendered movable toward the center of the apparatus by moving the central mold segment and wherein the inner mold (N) is withdrawn in the form of its size reduced as a whole from inside the molded article (21) supported in the outer mold (S).

Abstract: A printing-plate dust removing apparatus includes a guide rail 12 provided in parallel with a plate cylinder 1; a slider 13 moving along the guide rail 12; a holder 18 supported by the slider 13; a moving member 19 supported by the holder 18, the moving member 19 having a plurality of dust removing blades 28; and a driving gear for shifting the moving member 19 intermittently. A driving shaft 38 of the driving gear is connected with a driven shaft 27 through coupling members 41 and 42. Interlocking claws 41A and 42A of the coupling members are set so that the coupling members are engaged with each other at a standby position of the dust removing blades. Also, the holder 119 and the slider 113 are connected with each other by wedge members 138 and 144 so that the wedge members are firmly engaged with each other by a clamping bolt 147 and a holder plate 140.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus performs the printing in any of a copy mode, a facsimile mode and a print mode, having a sorter for sorting ejected sheets, wherein the operation is controlled suitably for each mode when the number of sheets stored in a bin of said sorter is over the upper limit. An image forming method using a plurality of bins, and a counter for counting the number of sheets stored in each bin, includes interrupting the print if the number of sheets stored in the bin is over the upper limit in the copy mode, and continuing the print and switching the bin, in the printer and facsimile mode, if the number of sheets is over the upper limit.

Abstract: A silicon-containing copolymer is disclosed which has a number average molecular weight of 500-100,000 and which contains the following structural units (I)-(III): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 each represent an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkylamino group or an alkylsilyl group and and R.sup.3 and R.sup.8 each represent a divalent aromatic group. The copolymer is produced by reacting an organodihalosilane, a disilyl compound, a diamine and ammonia with each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding a synthetic resin screw includes upper mold members 2 and 4, lower mold members 3 and 5, and four sets of slide cores 2a, 4a, 3a and 5a supported by the respective mold members and withdrawable in directions parallel to a parting plane between the upper mold members and the lower mold members.

Abstract: A sheet stapling apparatus includes a storage unit for storing sheets ejected out from an image forming apparatus, and a stapling unit for stapling to the sheets stored in the storage unit. The sheet stapling apparatus can execute a first bending process for bending the feet of a staple which were pierced through the sheets to the inside and a second bending process for bending the feet of the staple which were pierced through the sheets to the outside. In the facsimile mode or the printer mode, the second bending process is executed.

Abstract: A process for purifying an exhaust gas comprising carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides by periodically adjusting exhaust gas conditions from lean-burn to fuel-rich and by using a catalyst comprising an alumina support with lithium dissolved therein to form a solid solution, at least one first ingredient selected from the group consisting of platinum and palladium loaded on the alumina support, and at least one second ingredient selected from the group consisting of alkali elements, alkaline-earth elements, and rare-earth elements loaded on the support. Sulfates formed from sulfur oxides in the exhaust gas are decomposed by the lithium under the fuel-rich conditions to inhibit the alumina support from being acidified.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus from which an external memory unit storing an image formation mode is arbitrarily detachable, has an image forming unit for forming an image on a recording medium in a desired image formation mode, an inserting unit for inserting the external memory unit, a determining unit for determining realizability/unrealizability of the image formation mode stored in the external memory unit inserted in the inserting unit, and an alarming unit for alarming the determination result from the determining unit.

Abstract: A robot device for a piled-package type double twister, capable of detecting the condition of a pilot lamp for indicating yarn breakage, provided in a double-twisting unit which unwinds yarns from two feed packages placed one over the other, twist the yarns, winds the twisted yarn, of starting a feed package changing operation when the take-up package has a predetermined size, of continuing the feed package changing operation if a sensor for detecting the exhaustion of the feed packages detects yarn at least on one of the two feed packages, and of returning the feed packages to their positions and terminating the feed package changing operation if both the feed packages have yarns.

Abstract: A high definition television monitor which raises the level of a convergence voltage by a predetermined voltage in one of two consecutive horizontal periods in which the same video signal is produced, writes the same video image twice on the same line during the consecutive 2H, thereby displaying a video image of the normal standard on a CRT display with a satisfactory picture quality.

Abstract: A catalyst 1 is provided in a gas passage 4 for communicating between a gas flow-in unit 12 and a gas flow-out unit 13, and the catalyst 1 is heated by a heater 2, and a temperature sensor 3 for detecting the temperature of the heater 2 is provided inside the heater 2. By feeding power to the heater 2, the wall temperature of the heater 2 is raised to heat the catalyst 1, and then malodorous gas containing odor substances is passed in from the gas flow-in unit 12. The malodorous gas passes through the catalyst 1 in the gas passage 4 to be oxidized to be harmless and odorless, and is discharged from the gas flow-out unit 13.

Abstract: Repetition of a process of impregnating a metal fiber or ceramic fiber preform or porous ceramic with (3) a mixture of polysilazane-type polymers with a number average molecular weight of 200-3000 and a viscosity adjusted to 100 Pa.s or lower at the impregnation temperature, prepared by mixing (1) one or more types of polysilazane-type polymers with a number average molecular weight of 200-3000 and a viscosity of less than 1 Pa.s at the impregnation temperature with (2) one or more types of polysilazane-type polymers with a number average molecular weight of 200-100,000 and having a viscosity of 1 Pa.s or higher or solid at the impregnation temperature, which are selected from polysilazanes whose main repeating unit is --[(SiH.sub.2).sub.n (NH).sub.r ]-- (where n and r are 1, 2 or 3), and copolymers, modified polymers and crosslinked polymers based thereon, and performing crosslinking curing and then firing, is performed for its conversion into a ceramic.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus such as copying apparatus or laser beam printer in which each section of the apparatus is controlled by using a fuzzy inference. The apparatus comprises: processors to form an image; a detector to detect at least one state amount regarding the control of the processors; an inference operation unit to infer a control amount which is used in the control of the processors on the basis of the state amount; and a correction circuit to correct the delay amount of the control system in the inference. The processors include at least one of the charging device, exposing device, developing device, copy transfer device, paper feeding device, conveying device, fixing device, and image forming mode setting device. A predetermined value is added to or subtracted from the value obtained by the fuzzy inference so as to suppress the influence by the delay amount of the control system.

Abstract: A robot apparatus for a double twister, which can travel along the units of the double twister, is provided with an operating arm for drawing a yarn end from a feed package, a suction arm for drawing a yarn end from a winding package, a yarn hook portion for hooking both the drawn yarn ends, and a piecing device for piecing both the yarn ends at the hook portion. The robot apparatus is operated to enable formation of a full winding package having a predetermined winding amount from a plurality of feed packages without requiring a yarn length counter.