Abstract: A water distributor for directing water from roofing configurations that form an inside roof valley to the rain gutters is disclosed. The water distributor directs the water from the roof valley without the distributor collecting debris or becoming clogged with leaves or twigs that may interfere with its function. Generally, the distributor includes a substantially triangular top portion having at least one trough extending therefrom.

Abstract: An improved, multifunction office furniture system having a novel interlocking connecting mechanism which permits the easy assembly of a variety of different structural components in a variety of different configurations to form highly efficient work areas. The system includes uniquely configured, vertical support columns to which a number of different types of structural components can be quickly and easily connected and provides a highly versatile work station system which is very attractive, is easy to assembly, disassemble and adjust, and yet, is structurally sound and durable in use. Because of its novel construction, the system is capable of readily accommodating changing work conditions in the users' facilities.

Abstract: In an arcuate roof section including a series of rafters which each define an exposed end of the prescribed height, a device positionable along the exposed ends of the series of rafters to define an arcuate facia. The device comprises at least one facia member having an arcuate inner surface, an arcuate outer surface, a top edge and a bottom edge. The inner surface of the facia member is configured to abut the exposed ends of the rafters such that the outer surface defines the arcuate facia. Additionally, the width between the top edge and the bottom edge of the facia member exceeds the height of the exposed ends. The facia member may be formed from a plurality of laminated wood members or formed from bonded particulate matter. Additionally, the facia member may be formed from a plastic material.

Abstract: A roof beam construction for use in constructing conservatory roofs comprises a glazing bar and an upper capping therefor having gaskets along edges thereof for sealing on a roofing panel to be supported by the glazing bar and means for locating the capping on the glazing bar, wherein the upper capping has its sides stepped inwardly and its gasket material on inwards ends of said stepped sides.

Abstract: The invention relates to a deflection device for birds, and for pigeons in particular, which can be rapidly adapted to the length and depth of, for example, building surfaces which are to be protected, or can be adapted to the conditions incurred by projecting parts of buildings, and can be laid or applied quickly and without excessive commitment. For this purpose a plurality of plastic base rails are provided, parallel to one another and identical in design, which are connected in a separable manner by webs which feature predetermined break points, and are formed from a plurality of modules, connected to one another in a separable manner by means of predetermined break points. Anchored in each module is a bent metal pin, both ends of which extend, as spaced deflection elements, above a raised section of the module upwards and/or outwards, in such a way that one end runs perpendicularly upwards and the other end extends upwards and outwards at an angle of approximately 30° to the vertical.

Abstract: A sliding structure, includes a frame, at least one sliding sash received in the frame, with the sliding sash having upper and lower locking bars. An actuating mechanism is provided for moving the upper and lower locking bars of the sliding sash in opposite directions, to thereby allow attachment of the sliding sash to the frame at several positions.

Abstract: An end cap system for a glazing system, and a glazing beam system, comprise a glazing beam, upper and lower cappings locatable on the beam, the end cap system comprises an end cap and a means for mounting the end cap on an end of the glazing beam in the form of a bracket securable to the glazing beam end, wherein the bracket and end cap are formed integrally, the bracket being separable from the end cap for attachment to the glazing beam.

Abstract: A device for forming expansion joints between sections of covered floor or wall areas comprises two angle sections slidingly engaging each other parallel with the floor or wall surfaces. A first angle section comprises a fastening leg and a vertically-extending terminating leg. There are two legs on the terminating leg forming an outwardly-directed pocket. The pocket-forming legs are slidingly engaged by a sliding leg of the second angle section. The sliding leg extends from the top of the terminating leg of the second angle section, the terminating leg being molded on a fastening leg as well. The terminating leg of the first angle section has an approximately “S” shape, in which the upper part of the terminating leg forms the pocket-forming legs for receiving the sliding leg. The lower part of the terminating leg forms a chamber for receiving mortar.

Abstract: The invention provides a stud of any chosen length. The stud has a plurality of sections (preferably two or four), each of which extends for substantially the length of the stud. The sections may be capable of moving relative to one another in a horizontal or vertical direction. In one embodiment, the sections of the stud are adapted to be fixed by fixing means, such as screws, expanded locking mechanisms and ratchet arrangements. The invention also provides the stud section used to make the stud.

Abstract: This application discloses a relatively thin flexible anchor sheet for installation under carpets or other decorative coverings and a covering module composed of a pre-attached decorative covering and anchor sheet which can be assembled by overlapping hook and loop attachment to an additional covering module to create a complete floor covering of carpet, tile, stone or other material and without substantial attachment to a floor.

Abstract: A tube reinforcement assembly is designed to reinforce complex tube structures, such as those having bends and/or varying cross-sectional areas. The assembly includes a plurality of modular pillars, each having a structural foam coating. The modular pillars are grouped together with resilient retaining mechanisms or by an external positioning mechanism to form an assembly having a resiliently variable cross-sectional area. When the assembly is placed inside a tube structure, the pillars are squeezed together to fit around bends or in areas having smaller cross-sectional areas in the tube structure. When the assembly reaches an area in the tube structure having a larger cross-sectional area, the resilient connection between the pillars allow the pillars to separate and fill the extra space, holding the assembly in place temporarily. Once the reinforcement assembly is in a selected area, the structural foam is expanded to hold the assembly in place permanently and reinforce the tube structure at that point.

Abstract: Firewall that is used in an area of a fire compartment to prevent fire from skipping to other areas, whereby the fire wall is comprised of modularly constructed sub-elements which are essentially composed of profiles assembled to form a surrounding frame that simultaneously separate two glass panes, whereby the glass panes extend to the outer edge of the profiles, and the frame is covered by a partial enameling of the glass panes, and the sub-elements can be connected to each other by connecting elements with the interposition of fireproof laminates.

Abstract: Siding is provided for protective use on a structure. The siding simulates log construction and includes one or more panels which each include a top section, mounting section, flat section, female locking flange section, bowed section and male locking flange section. Each panel may be textured to simulate real logs. A film can be adhesively attached to the surface of the panels to simulate wood grain, as well.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for exposing product-filled container or tray being transported by an intermittent conveyer to a controlled environment are provided. The apparatus may include a vertically reciprocating gassing rail, a stationary gassing rail, and an angled gassing rail. The vertically reciprocating gassing rail includes a rail head and an outer shell, which clamps to the conveyer. High velocity gas is flowed through a longitudinally oriented manifold in the rail head and the exhaust gas is removed by exhaust channels. The stationary rail provides a laminarized flow, and the angled rail provides a stream of controlled environment gas beneath the film which is sealed to the tray.

Abstract: A system to form, fill and seal (FFS) flexible bags including the steps of: a total printing of the film as it winds off the supply reel; a dry cleaning; a gimballed aligning for the folding of the printed and washed film; a hot-bar welding of the folded film; a valve welding controlled by an algorithm; a humidification treatment of the valve cavity; a shaping of the bags by hot tools also controlled by an algorithm; and a high precision dosage of the filling liquid.

Abstract: A packaging system includes a cushioning conversion machine for converting stock material into relatively low density cushioning material or dunnage and a packaging system controller. The packaging system controller provides packaging instructions related to a part or parts to be packaged and instructs the cushioning conversion machine to produce the cushioning material. In one aspect of the present invention the packaging system controller provides packaging instructions by retrieving a predetermined set of packaging instructions associated with a particular part. In another aspect of the present invention the packaging system controller provides packaging instructions by determining an optimized packaging methodology using one or more characteristics of the part or parts to be packaged. The packaging system also provides for automated inventory control and productivity monitoring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for exposing the contents of a plurality of envelopes for extraction. An opening device is included for opening the plurality of envelopes on at least one edge by removing a predetermined portion thereof and forming opened envelopes. An extraction device is further included in operable communication with the opening device for receiving the opened envelopes and exposing the contents thereof for extraction for subsequent document processing. A control device is further included operably connected to both the opening and extraction devices, so that when the contents are extracted from an opened envelope, a next envelope is opened by the opening device.

Abstract: An assembly for handling and packaging pharmaceutical dosage forms includes an infeed structure, a laning structure, and a plenum structure extending from the infeed structure to the laning structure. The infeed, laning and plenum structures guide dosage forms as they are carried in a downstream direction by a surface movable with downstream direction. A guide portion guides the dosage forms into the laning structure to avoid jamming of tablets. A form handling device receives dosage forms and transports the dosage forms to a packaging device. A timed controller and dump gate operate so that debris is carried out of the assembly. The assembly is particularly useful for fragile dosage forms. A packaging device having a bottom plate with floatably supported blocks is provided for sealing dosage forms into packages.

Abstract: The invention concerns a regenerable particle filter for removing soot particles from exhaust gases, especially from diesel engines. In a filter housing, a ceramic filter body is arranged between an exhaust gas supply pipe and an exhaust gas discharge pipe. The filter body has a large number of channels distributed over the cross section in a honeycomb or checkerboard pattern. The channels are closed alternately at their ends so that the exhaust gas after entering into one group of channels must flow through the porous walls to the other group of channels in order then to arrive at the exhaust gas discharge pipe. Electric heating elements are arranged at the closed end of the channels open toward the exhaust gas supply pipe. Upon heating they ignite the soot particle deposit which accumulates here to an elevated degree. Since scarcely any gas flow prevails in the vicinity of the heating elements good combustion of the soot takes place and therefore a reliable regeneration of the filter.

Abstract: The wire rope of this invention has at most 18 outer strands and an independent wire rope core, with the strands of the core being laid in the opposite direction to the outer strands of the rope, and a nylon jacket is provided between the core and the outer strands of the wire rope.

Abstract: A yarn false twist texturing apparatus having a plurality of side by side processing stations for texturing a plurality of thermoplastic yarns, wherein at each station a first feed system withdraws the yarn from a feed yarn package, and advances the yarn to a false twist zone composed of a heater and a cooling device, as well as a twisting unit. A second feed system withdraws the yarn from the false twist zone and advances it to a takeup device. The cooling device includes a cooling tube, with the yarn spiraling in contact with its outer surface. For an intensive cooling of the yarn according to the invention, the cooling tube is cooled from the inside with a coolant flow, which flows in a direction opposite to the direction of the advancing yarn.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a rotatable impeller having a plurality of vanes with inlet and outlet ends. A plurality of diffuser channels are spaced apart radially beyond the outlet ends. A movable source of gaseous fuel is positioned adjacent the inlet ends of the vanes. The movable source of gaseous fuel is movable as a function of the rotational speed of the impeller, whereby the flow of gaseous fuel injected from the movable source is ejected from the outlet ends of the vanes into a selected one of the plurality of diffuser channels to facilitate combustion.

Abstract: In a gas and steam turbine plant with a waste-heat steam generator, a fuel gasification device is located upstream of the combustion chamber of the gas turbine via a fuel line. The after-heat steam generator is located downstream of the gas turbine on the flue-gas side and the heating surfaces of which are connected into the water/steam circuit of the steam turbine for the integrated gasification of a fossil fuel. For especially high plant efficiency, a heat exchanger is connected on the primary side into the fuel line between the gasification device and a saturator. In addition to a mixing device for admixing nitrogen, the heat exchanger likewise is connected on the secondary side into the fuel line between the saturator and the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An exhaust gas dilution apparatus 10-2 is the same form multi-venturi type comprising a rectifier 11, divider 12, exhaust chamber 14, dilution tunnel 15, and a divider pipes 13t on the dilution side of a tunnel 15 side. All divider pipes 13 are provided with a venturi 21 having the same performance inserted in the same position, to measure the flow rate in the dilution tunnel and the flow rate on the exhaust pipe side. The opening of the shutter 19 provided in the exit of the exhaust chamber 14 is controlled so that the two flow rates are equivalent.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to eliminate the quantity of exhaust gas supplied to the turbine without going through the channels between the nozzle vanes provided in a variable-capacity turbocharger. The nozzle unit 100 in the turbocharger 10 has; a mounting plate 102 and a side plate 104 installed in a recession 20 provided in the housing 20 in such a way that the side plate can move in the recession, both of which are provided parallel to the turbine shaft; a pushing means 116, 150 to push the side plate toward the mounting plate 102; and a limiting means 108 to limit the movement of the side plate parallel to the turbine shaft toward the mounting plate 102.

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) enhancement system for a turbocharged internal combustion engine includes a throttle valve arranged in the exhaust duct of the engine, downstream of the EGR system. The throttle valve is controlled in response to engine load and engine speed to selectively provide back pressure upstream of the throttle valve to selectively drive an EGR exhaust flow through an EGR duct to the intake manifold. An embodiment of the EGR system includes a cooler that lowers the temperature of the EGR exhaust flow to provide better reductions in nitric oxide emissions. The turbine is equipped to allow excess pressure to be released through a wastegate duct arranged in fluid parallel with the exhaust turbine, thereby allowing for higher power and higher speeds.

Abstract: A wall element (29) for a wall structure (21) of a gas turbine engine combustor (15). The wall element (29) comprises a main member (36) with an upstream edge region (30) and a downstream edge region (31). A plurality of heat removal members (38) are provided on the main member (36). The downstream edge (35) of the wall element and/or the downstream facing surface of the heat removal members closest to the downstream edge (35) are provided with a thermally resistant coating.

Abstract: A cooling device for cooling an object to be processed to a target temperature comprises a plurality of contact members mounted on a placing table, for supporting the object such that the object opposes a top surface of the placing table with an interval, temperature sensors for outputting temperature information of the object supported by the contact members, a first cooling unit for cooling the placing table to a temperature lower than the target temperature to cool the object, a second cooling unit for heating the object cooled by the first cooling unit to a temperature almost equal to the target temperature, and a contrast circuit for performing a switching operation between cooling by the first cooling unit and heating by the second cooling unit on the basis of the temperature information from the temperature sensors.

Abstract: A displacement control apparatus controls the displacement of a variable displacement controller. A drive shaft of the compressor is driven by an engine. Torque acting on the drive shaft represents the displacement. The apparatus includes a control valve, an air conditioner controller and a compressor controller. The control valve changes the compressor displacement. The air conditioner controller produces a torque setting signal, which represents a target torque, to the compressor controller. The compressor controller changes the valve opening based on the torque setting signal such that the actual load torque matches the target torque value. Accordingly, the compressor is controlled according to the torque. The air conditioner controller may send the torque setting signal to an engine controller, which eliminates the need for load torque maps.

Abstract: A refrigeration system (10) has a compressor (12), condensor (13) and evaporator (14) connected in a refrigeration circuit. A controller (16) has probes (19, 20) for sensing the temperatures of the evaporator (14) and condensor (13) respectively. The controller controls the operation of the compressor, and hence the refrigeration circuit, so that the compressor does not start unless the evaporator temperature is above a preselected value (Tstart), and stops the compressor if the evaporator temperature falls below Tdisable. An alarm (21) is activated if the condensor temperature rises above Talarm, and the controller (16) stops the compressor (12) if the condensor temperature rises above a higher temperature Tshutdown.

Abstract: A receiving recess groove for a waterproof member is formed on a separation surface of a bottom portion in a unit case of a vertical-split type constituted by at least two case members having the separation surface, along the separation surface. A rod-like waterproof member having an elasticity is received within the receiving recess groove in a compressed state. Then, in the unit case, a storage gap positioned in an inner wall surface side of the unit case among gaps with respect to the waterproof member within the receiving recess groove and through which a water enters from the inner portion of the unit case, and a communicating portion for communicating with the inner portion of the unit case are respectively provided at both end portions of the receiving recess groove.

Abstract: The description relates to an electric system with at least one electric component such as an electric machine and at least one control device for controlling the electric component. The electric system further comprises a cooling device for cooling at least one component part of the at least one electric component or the at least one control device. To achieve an effective and stable cooling of the component part, the cooling device has an air conditioning system with a coolant circuit including an air conditioning compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and line elements connecting these. The at least one component part to be cooled is arranged in the coolant circuit.

Abstract: The improved ornamental pendant structure comprises at least some ornamental pieces in an annular housing; wherein, the ornamental pieces are each provided on the periphery thereof with a curved end portion. The housing has on two sides thereof a stop portion and an holding tight portion respectively to receive therebetween the ornamental pieces with a decoration surface thereof revealed but changeable. By pressing rear ones of the ornamental pieces in the housing to push forward the front ones of the pieces to have the latter gotten off the housing, the rear ornamental pieces can all appear their decoration surfaces one by one as a decoration surface of the ornamental pendent. The structure thereby can have a brand-new function of changing its decoration surface; the front ornamental pieces can be stored for use afterwards when they are once more assembled behind the rear ornamental pieces.

Abstract: An ornamental pendant structure able to make up patterns in a DIY mode, wherein, a magnetic pad is provided on a pendant, and a plurality of picture blocks are attracted by the magnetic pad of the pendant to form the ornamental pendant structure. In the structure, the picture blocks are modularized metallic platelets capable of being attracted by the magnetic pad and capable of forming a plurality of patterns. This gives the advantage of changing into desired patterns on the ornamental pendant in a DIY mode, and the ornamental pendant can have elevated practical value in variant and brilliant ornamental effects.

Abstract: Synthetic quartz glass is produced by feeding a silica-forming raw material gas, hydrogen gas, oxygen gas and a fluorine compound gas from a burner to a reaction zone, flame hydrolyzing the silica-forming raw material gas in the reaction zone to form fine particles of fluorine-containing silica, depositing the silica fine particles on a rotatable substrate in the reaction zone so as to create a fluorine-containing porous silica matrix, and heat vitrifying the porous silica matrix in a fluorine compound gas-containing atmosphere. This process enables the low-cost manufacture of a synthetic quartz glass having a higher and more uniform transmittance to light in the vacuum ultraviolet region than has hitherto been achieved.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the remelting of glass bars:

Abstract: Zinc-containing optical glass materials with a refractive index nd between 1.52 and 1.66, an Abbe number &ngr;d of between 35 54 and a composition (in % by weight based on oxide) of: SiO2 38-58, ZnO 0.3-42, PbO 0-<30, ZnO+PbO 20-55, Li2O 0-<3, Na2O 0-14, K2O 0-12, Li2O+Na2O+K2O≧2, F 0-3, MgO 0-6, CaO 0-<5, SrO 0-6, BaO 0-<0.9, B2O3 0-<1, Al2O3 0-<1.5 and ZrO2 0-<2 and, if appropriate, refining agents in the customary amounts.

Abstract: A unit for notching a sheet of laminated glass has a supporting surface for the sheet to be notched; two straight, parallel guides on opposite sides of the supporting surface: and two notching heads running along respective guides to effect two notch lines on opposite surfaces of the sheet of laminated glass; the sheet being moved on the supporting surface by means of a gripping and handling head, which engages the sheet, has a respective axis of symmetry perpendicular to the supporting surface, and is activated by a first actuating device to rotate in opposite directions about the axis, and by a second actuating device to translate in a direction perpendicular to the axis.

Abstract: The equipment for automatically feeding a sewing machine with a sock tip comprises a device for gripping the sock from the area of formation of the same on a circular machine for socks and at least one device for transferring the gripping device to a predetermined final position for feeding the sewing machine, which comprises rotation means of the gripping device adapted to impart a rotation speed to it that is synchronised with the rotation speed of the needle cylinder of the circular machine when the gripping device is in a predetermined position inside the needle cylinder so as to form an annular gap with the latter, inside which the sock arranges during its formation.

Abstract: The method consists in forming a tubular item on a circular machine by means of the needles of the needle cylinder, starting from the opposite axial end of the item with respect to the axial end to be closed and retaining on the needles of the needle cylinder the last formed row of knitting. The loops of the last row of knitting are then transferred individually to an auxiliary element provided with supporting elements for individually supporting the loops, and the supporting elements of at least one first half-row of the last row are suitable to receive two loops and to pass one of the two loops in the other loop. The item is furthermore reversed before and after the transfer.

Abstract: A method for selecting the needles in the production of a held stitch and a dropped stitch on circular stocking knitting machines, knitting machines and the like with one or more feed stations and selection units which operate the needles by use of jacks. The method includes prearranging two consecutive selection units (15, 16) in the feed station or in each feed station and using, starting from a condition of preventive extraction of all jacks with the respective needles lowered, one selection unit to control the needles that must knit the held stitch and the other selection unit to control the needles that must knit the dropped stitch.

Abstract: A lock has a tumbler with a camming surface, the tumbler being urged outwardly when the key is inserted. As the lock barrel moves inwards, the tumbler rotates about an axis against a spring force to pass a formation on the lock housing and, once past the formation, latches behind the formation to prevent the barrel from moving back outwards.

Abstract: A forging device and a method therefor that enables to improve forging precision of a work and lengthen life of dies of a forging device, by efficiently heating the work chiefly made of aluminum in one heating furnace, wherein the device has: a heating furnace for heating works W while moving the works W along the movement path; an intermediate processing means, disposed in the midst of the movement path in a heating furnace, for intermediately forming works W; an intermediate conveyance means for conveying works W from the heating furnace to the intermediate processing means; and a final processing means for making the intermediate conveyance means convey the intermediately formed works W to the heating furnace, reheating the conveyed the works W, and finally processing to form the works W.

Abstract: There is provided an improved method of detecting an occurrence of a knock in an internal combustion engine by detecting an ionic current flowing in a cylinder of the engine from initiation of combustion therein and judging a knock component overlapping the ionic current based on a judging level, the method including the steps of: detecting a peak value of the ionic current; and relatively correcting at least one of the judging level and the knock component based on the peak value thus detected so as to make more difficult a judgment of whether the knock occurs or not as the detected peak value increases.

Abstract: A system for pressure testing the seals and fittings associated with at least one communication line passing through a well tool mandrel, each communication line housed within a communication line conduit defined through the well tool and sealingly engaged to each end of its corresponding communication line conduit by way of a fitting and the fittings also sealingly engaged to the communication line conduit. The system generally comprises a testing conduit, a testing passageway system, and a testing plug. The testing conduit is defined in the well tool mandrel. The testing passageway system is defined in the well tool mandrel and provides fluid communication between the testing conduit and the fittings and seals associated with each of the communication line conduits. The testing plug provides fluid communication between a pressure testing source and the testing passageway system.

Abstract: A moisture meter (1) has a hand-held casing (2) with a digital microcontroller (50), LCD display (4), and a keypad (3). Spring-loaded contacts (6) contact material and allow capacitive impedance measurement via electrodes (5) and drive/pickup circuits (20). Also, a relative humidity probe (9) provides an input so that the processor generates both moisture contact near-surface measurements and also relative humidity measurements. This allows optimum analysis of material.

Abstract: In a probe microscope 120 for causing a sample 112 and a tip portion 118a of a probe 118 on the sample side to approach each other, detecting an interaction between the sample 112 and the sample-side probe tip portion 118a, and obtaining surface information of the sample 112 from the interaction, the probe 118 being a flexible needle-like probe; the probe microscope 120 comprises vibrating means 122 capable of rotating the probe 118 while flexing the sample-side tip portion 118a thereof so as to draw a circle having a size corresponding to an increase and decrease in the interaction between the sample surface 112 and the tip portion 118a, and detecting means 124 for detecting the increase and decrease in the size of the circle drawn by the sample-side probe tip portion 118a due to the interaction and obtaining, from the increase and decrease in the size of the circle, information about the distance between the sample 112 and the sample-side probe tip portion 118a.

Abstract: A method and a device for analyzing a signal from an ion current sensor of an internal combustion engine. At least one torque quantity characterizing the torque produced by the internal combustion engine is determined on the basis of a signal from the ion current sensor.

Abstract: A diagnosis system for an engine including an exhaust pipe, a hydrocarbon (HC) absorbent arranged within the exhaust pipe, an upstream air/fuel ratio sensor arranged upstream of the HC absorbent and detecting a wide range air/fuel ratio of an exhaust gas, a downstream air/fuel ratio sensor arranged downstream of the HC absorbent and detecting rich or lean with respect to stoichiometric air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gas, and a control unit, the control unit includes means for correcting an air/fuel ratio upstream of the HC absorbent, means for correcting an air/fuel ratio downstream of the HC absorbent, and means for predicting a HC absorbing amount of the HC absorbent, the means for correcting the air/fuel ratio upstream of the HC absorbent correcting and controlling an output value of the upstream air/fuel ratio sensor toward lean, the means for predicting the HC absorbing amount of the HC absorbent predicting an absorbing performance of the HC absorbent on the basis of a difference between an output value o

Abstract: A gas sensing element comprises a solid electrolytic element, a measured gas sensing electrode provided on an outer surface of the solid electrolytic element, and a reference gas sensing electrode facing a reference gas chamber. A heater is accommodated in the reference gas chamber. A contact portion is provided on an outer cylindrical surface of the heater so that the contact portion is brought into contact with an inside surface of the solid electrolytic element defining the reference gas chamber. A heating peak position of the heater is in the vicinity of the contact portion.