Abstract: A method for producing a molded article of expanded beads includes filling tubular polypropylene-based resin expanded beads each having a through-hole in a mold, and supplying a heating medium to fusion-bond the expanded beads to each other. The expanded beads have a foamed layer constituted by polypropylene-based resin. A closed cell of the expanded beads is 90% or more. An average hole diameter (d) of through-holes of the expanded beads is less than 1 mm. A ratio [d/D] of the average hole diameter (d) to an average outer diameter (D) of the expanded beads is 0.4 or less. An open cell content of the molded article of expanded beads is 2.5% or more and 12% or less.

Abstract: A molded article of polypropylene-based resin expanded beads, obtained by in-mold molding of the polypropylene-based resin expanded beads, each bead including: a core layer, in a foamed state, having a polypropylene-based resin; and a covering layer, which covers the core layer, having a polyethylene-based resin. A molded article magnification X [times] of the molded article is 55 times to 90 times, a value of a product X·?50 of a 50% compressive stress ?50 [kPa] and the molded article magnification X is 6500 or more, and a 5% compressive stress ?5 of the expanded beads molded article is 5 kPa to 25 kPa.

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin expanded bead and a molded article composed of the thermoplastic resin expanded beads are provided. The expanded bead includes a foam layer containing a thermoplastic resin. The expanded bead has a columnar shape, and has two or more and eight or less through-holes penetrating in the axial direction thereof. A ratio Ct/A of a total cross-sectional area Ct of the through-holes to a cross-sectional area A of the expanded bead in a cut surface obtained by cutting the expanded bead along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction at the center in the axial direction is 0.02 or more and 0.15 or less.

Abstract: An expanded bead having a through hole and including a foamed core layer which defines the through hole therein and which is constituted of a resin composition containing two kinds of polypropylene-based resins having different melting points, and a cover layer covering the foamed core layer and constituted of a polyolefin-based resin. The expanded bead gives a DSC curve in which an endothermic peak intrinsic to the resin composition and another endothermic peak on a higher temperature side thereof appear in a specific heat of fusion ratio. Molded articles include a multiplicity of the expanded beads.

Abstract: A molded article of polypropylene-based resin expanded beads, obtained by in-mold molding of the polypropylene-based resin expanded beads, each bead including: a core layer, in a foamed state, having a polypropylene-based resin; and a covering layer, which covers the core layer, having a polyethylene-based resin. A molded article magnification X [times] of the molded article is 55 times to 90 times, a value of a product X·?50 of a 50% compressive stress ?50 [kPa] and the molded article magnification X is 6500 or more, and a 5% compressive stress ?5 of the expanded beads molded article is 5 kPa to 25 kPa.

Abstract: An expanded bead having a through hole and including a foamed core layer which defines the through hole therein and which is constituted of a resin composition containing two kinds of polypropylene-based resins having different melting points, and a cover layer covering the foamed core layer and constituted of a polyolefin-based resin. The expanded bead gives a DSC curve in which an endothermic peak intrinsic to the resin composition and another endothermic peak on a higher temperature side thereof appear in a specific heat of fusion ratio. Molded articles include a multiplicity of the expanded beads.

Abstract: A modified expanded bead that includes an expanded bead which includes a specific base polymer (?) and a coating layer which includes a specific base polymer (?). The coating layer covers at least part of an outer surface of the expanded bead. The melting point T? of the base polymer (?) and the melting point T? of the base polymer (?) satisfy a relationship of 0?T??T??20. When the modified expanded bead is cut into two halves along a cutting plane to form two half portions and thereafter one of the two half portions is cut along planes perpendicular to the cutting plane to form ten small pieces, outermost pieces among the ten small pieces have a xylene-insoluble content (B) which is less than a xylene-insoluble content (A) in the half portion and the xylene-insoluble content (A) is 10-80% by mass.

Abstract: An expanded bead having a tubular shape with a through hole and a method for producing the same are provided. The expanded bead includes a foamed core layer and a covering layer. A polyolefin-based resin included in the covering layer has a melting point lower than a melting point of a polypropylene-based resin included in the foamed core layer. An average hole diameter d of the through hole of the expanded bead is less than 1 mm, and a ratio d/D of the average hole diameter d to an average outer diameter D of the expanded bead is 0.4 or less. The polypropylene-based resin for the foamed core layer has a flexural modulus of 1,200 MPa or more and a melting point of 158° C. or lower.

Abstract: Provided is a method for readily removing urethane resin without causing oxidation of aluminum, from an aluminum structure in which an aluminum film is formed on the surface of a urethane resin porous body having a three-dimensional network structure: a method for producing an aluminum porous body, including forming an aluminum film having a purity of 99.9% by mass or more on a surface of a urethane resin porous body having a three-dimensional network structure to provide an aluminum structure including the urethane resin porous body and the aluminum film, and subjecting the aluminum structure to a heat treatment at 370° C. or more and less than 660° C. in the air to remove urethane resin and to provide an aluminum porous body.

Abstract: Expandable polylactic acid resin particles including (a) a base resin containing a polylactic acid resin having at least 50 mol % of lactic acid monomer component units, (b) a polyolefin wax in an amount of 0.0001 to 1 part by weight per 100 parts by weight of the base resin, and (c) a blowing agent in an amount of 1 to 30% by weight based on the weight of the resin particles. The expandable resin particles can give expanded beads having an average cell diameter of 10 to 500 ?m. The expanded beads can give in-mold foam moldings.

Abstract: Expandable polylactic acid resin particles including (a) a base resin containing a polylactic acid resin having at least 50 mol % of lactic acid monomer component units, (b) a polyolefin wax in an amount of 0.0001 to 1 part by weight per 100 parts by weight of the base resin, and (c) a blowing agent in an amount of 1 to 30% by weight based on the weight of the resin particles. The expandable resin particles can give expanded beads having an average cell diameter of 10 to 500 ?m. The expanded beads can give in-mold foam moldings.

Abstract: A method of producing a polystyrene-based resin foam sheet, including kneading a polystyrene-based resin and a physical blowing agent with heating in an extruder to obtain a foamable resin composition, and extruding the foamable composition through a die, wherein the physical blowing agent comprises 60 to 95 mole % of a first blowing agent selected from isobutane, n-pentane, isopentane and mixtures thereof and 5 to 40 mole % of a second blowing agent selected from water, carbon dioxide, ethers having a boiling point of 140° C. or lower, dialkylcarbonates having a boiling point of 140° C. or lower and mixtures thereof, and wherein the total mole % of the physical blowing agent is equal to 100 mole %.

Abstract: A disc-type commutator is mounted on a rear end surface of an armature of an electrical rotating machine. Plural commutator segments are radially arranged around a rotating shaft, separated from one another by radially extending commutator gaps. A width of the commutator gap is gradually widened along a radial direction of the commutator, so that foreign particles, such as swarfs or brush dusts, entered in the commutator gap are removed by a centrifugal force generated in rotation of the armature. Further, the width of the commutator gap may be gradually widened along its depth direction so that the width becomes wider at its open end that at its closed end.

Abstract: A disc-type commutator is mounted on a rear end surface of an armature of an electrical rotating machine. Plural commutator segments are radially arranged around a rotating shaft, separated from one another by radially extending commutator gaps. A width of the commutator gap is gradually widened along a radial direction of the commutator, so that foreign particles, such as swarfs or brush dusts, entered in the commutator gap are removed by a centrifugal force generated in rotation of the armature. Further, the width of the commutator gap may be gradually widened along its depth direction so that the width becomes wider at its open end that at its closed end.

Abstract: A mobile robot placed on an automatic production line is provided. The mobile robot collects information on operating conditions of other mobile robots placed around it and flow of workpieces on the production line and determines action to be taken next based on the formation. A production system using such a mobile robot and a system inputting an operation program corresponding to a workstation into a mobile robot automatically are also provided. This enables measures to be taken quickly against a change in production, thereby providing a system which achieves high efficiency production.

Abstract: A biomedical material in use for curing the bone defect or the like in human being or an animal. The biomedical material is comprised of a flexible fiber-meshed micro-tube which has an outer diameter ranging from 50 .mu.m to 10 mm and is formed of a net or a cloth woven from fibers. The fibers are biodegradable and capable of maintaining their shape within a time period ranging from 1 week to 30 weeks in the body. Additionally, hydroxylapatite beads and/or flakes are filled in the fiber-meshed micro-tube. The biomedical material is located in the bone defect or the like under an operation, in which blood can effectively circulate through the mesh of the micro-tube and through the spaces among the hydroxylapatite beads and/or flakes, thereby promoting the cure of the bone defect or the like.

Abstract: A transmission line between terminals of a three-terminal station is branched by a branching unit and power is transmitted between the terminals of the three-terminal station and a power feed system in the transmission line including: a switch for switching a power feed line feeding power to a repeater between a both-end power feed mode and a single-end power feed mode; and connection holding means for holding a power feed connection state without change upon an occurrence of a failure.

Abstract: An eraser for an electronic blackboard. System whose erasing area is variable according to the size and accuracy of the figure to be erased. The eraser includes a main unit carrying a small area erasing unit, and a large area erasing unit which is detachably engaged to the main unit. Detectors installed in the main unit detect when the eraser is touched on the surface of the board, and/or that the large area erasing unit is being used, and send an appropriate signal to the system controller.When the system controller receive the signal, it blanks the memories corresponding to the area covered by the erasing units and erases the corresponding area of figures displayed on the display unit.