Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a sorter, includes a plurality of bins for accommodating sheet materials, the bin each having sheet material sheet inlet portion, a discharging device movable along the inlet portions of the bins to discharge the sheet material to selected one of the bins, a sheet material accommodating tray other than the bins to accommodate the sheet materials, a guiding device switchable to direct the sheet material selectively to the bin or to the sheet material accommodating tray, and a device for switching the guiding device to direct the sheet material to the discharging device when the discharging device is at a position for discharging the sheet material to the bin, and the sheet material to the accommodating device when the discharging device is not at the position.

Abstract: A system for measuring a traveling direction of a vehicle includes a geomagnetic sensor and a gyro sensor. The system utilizes first and second indices for deriving the vehicle traveling direction. The first index is indicative of a disturbance of the geomagnetic field on a short distance basis, and the second index is indicative of a disturbance of the geomagnetic field on a long distance basis. The system varies a rate of dependence upon the geomagnetic sensor and the gyro sensor based on values of the first and second indices when calculating the vehicle traveling direction.

Abstract: In order to make hard and soft contact lenses having a pore diameter and a pore density optimum for use as oxygen permeable contact lenses, the contact lens after molding is subjected to irradiation of a polyvalent heavy ion beam having a mass number of 2 to 100 (preferably 10 to 80) and an ion energy of 10M eV (preferably 50M eV) or higher, at an ion radiation density of 10 to 10.sup.9 ions/cm.sup.2 (preferably 10.sub.2 to 10.sub.5 ions/cm.sup.2) and thereafter ultrasonically etched (preferably at 10 to 50 MHz) at a temperature of 4 to 50.degree. C. (preferably 10.degree. to 30.degree. C.) in the presence of chloroacetic acid (preferably tricholoracetic acid).

Abstract: A system measures a traveling direction of a vehicle based on a direction toward a coordinate position defined by outputs of a geomagnetic sensor from a first coordinate position of a center of a corresponding output circle. The system utilizes a preliminary coordinate position as a preliminarily corrected value of the first coordinate position, a first value indicative of accuracy of the preliminary coordinate position and a second value which is variable depending on a variation in a magnetization level on a vehicle body. The system derives a finally corrected value of the first coordinate position based on the preliminary coordinate position and a latest value of the finally corrected value which has been derived in a prior execution of the system, by changing a rate which determines a point of the current finally corrected value between the latest finally corrected value and the preliminary coordinate position.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring a position of a moving object such as a vehicle using a hybrid-type navigation apparatus. In the system and method, at least two measurement results of an electromagnetic wave position measuring apparatus (such as a GPS position measuring apparatus) are evaluated to determine whether they are reliable with respect to the those derived by an integration calculation position measuring apparatus incorporated in the system together with the electromagnetic wave position measuring apparatus on the basis of the corresponding measurement results by means of the integration calculation position measuring apparatus. When they are determined to be highly reliable, a measurement result of the electromagnetic wave position measuring apparatus subsequent to those evaluated is set to a reference position on the basis of which the integration calculation position measuring apparatus measures the position of the moving object.

Abstract: A navigation system has a map memory storing map data. The road map stored in the map memory is divided into a plurality of pages further subdivided into continuous blocks. The map memory also stores identification data for the blocks and index data for various points within the map blocks. The index data includes position data for a plurality of known points. The navigation system also includes an input unit for entry of the identification data for a map memory block and/or the index data for known points, and a display unit for displaying a map block on a display monitor. A processor of the navigation system accepts entry of the index data for a travel starting point and a destination through the input unit. Based on the entered data, the processor searches for the map blocks containing the designated known points. The processor progressively expands the search area along a vector between the travel starting point and the destination.

Abstract: A navigation system and method for guiding a vehicle along a selected route of travel to a destination from a starting point using a display unit. In the navigation system, a positional relationship between a start road branched from a first known branching point (a start intersection from which a guidance of the vehicle along the selected route of travel is initiated) and entrance direction of the vehicle toward the first known branching point is clearly and distinguishably displayed on the screen of the display unit after the selection of the route of travel from the starting point to the destination so that the vehicle can corectly enter the start road at the first known branching point even if it has reached the first known branching point via any arbitrary route of travel from the starting point.

Abstract: A navigation system comprises a vehicle position sensor for monitoring and updating vehicle position, a travel distance sensor monitoring vehicle travel distance, a memory means for storing position data of update points, distances between successive update points, and preset direction of travel of the vehicle at update points, an update zone setting means, responsive to a signal from the vehicle position sensor indicating that the vehicle has reached an update point to within a given range depending upon the distance between the last two update points, for comparing travel distance measured by the travel distance sensor and the distance between said two update points to derive the difference therebetween, and setting an update zone around the next update point based on the derived difference, and a detector means responsive to said signal from the vehicle position sensor for monitoring the direction of travel of the vehicle within the update zone and recognizing that the vehicle is at the update point when t

Abstract: A navigation system and method for guiding a vehicle along a selected route of travel to a destination from a start point using a display unit. In the navigation system, a registered intersection nearest to the present position of the vehicle, present on the set route of travel and registered in a roadmap data, is used as the first intersection on the route of travel through which the vehicle is to pass. The vehicle can be guided toward the first intersection and if the driver manually triggers the system upon reaching the first intersection, the guidance process for the selected route can begin. Otherwise, the system again checks to see which of the registered intersections is closest to the vehicle, and the above process is repeated.

Abstract: A navigation system for a vehicle generates a guide display in the form of a diagrammatic roadmap during travel on surfaces roads and in the form of a textual road-name display exclusively during travel on freeways. In addition, the navigation system has a manual reset switch which triggers the change of the display image back to the diagrammatic roadmap after freeway travel and replacement of a deduced vehicle position with the known position of a road feature at which a driver is prompted to push the reset switch.

Abstract: A display board type switching device used for a vehicle or the like, in which pressure sensitive conducting rubber member (7) is integrally molded in a sheet (6) to form a substantially flat plate to rigidly fix the position of the pressure sensitive rubber member. A method for forming such sheet is also described.

Abstract: A switching device comprises a flexible film of insulative material on which is printed a pictorial diagram or the like illustrating a plurality of controlled devices. A plurality of first conductive elements is arranged on a plane in contact with the illustration film and a plurality of second conductive elements is arranged on a second plane spaced from the first plane. In response to a pressure manually applied to the illustration film at a point corresponding to a desired controlled device, the first and second elements of the corresponding pair are brought into electrical contact to complete a circuit through a pair of terminals. Preferably, between each pair of corresponding first and second conductive elements is disposed an elastic element having resistance which varies from a non-conductive value to a conductive value in response to a pressure applied thereto.

Abstract: Preheating and warming apparatus for use with vehicles comprising an outer housing provided with a clean air inlet port, a clean air outlet port and an exhaust gas outlet port, an inner housing having the interior thereof divided by a partition into a clean air introducing chamber and a combustion chamber, a fan motor disposed in the clean air introducing chamber and mounting a combustion fan on one of two output shafts of the fan motor, a sucking fan mounted on the other output shaft of the fan motor and disposed in the vicinity of the clean air inlet port of the outer housing, fuel injection means secured to the partition wall, a baffle plate disposed adjacent to the fuel injection means in the combustion chamber, a coiled water heating tube disposed in the combustion chamber, and radiation fins secured to the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the inner housing defining the combustion chamber, said components constituting a combustor for effecting combustion of liquid fuel to generate heat, said he