Abstract: Tumble control valves (TCV) are disposed downstream of a gas introducing passage inside intake paths and upstream of an opening of a gas branching passage.

Abstract: Provided is a plastic fat composition prepared using only fats and/or oils which are essentially free from trans acid residues as a raw material fat and/or oil, in which coarsening of the fat crystals during storage is suppressed, the fat composition prepared using only fats and/or oils which are essentially free from trans acid residues as a raw material fat and/or oil and blending a specific mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, wherein the mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids: (1) has a palmitic acid content of 10% or more, and a palmitic acid and stearic acid content of 90% or more, based on 100% of the fatty acid constituting the mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, yet is essentially free from trans acids; and (2) has a diester content of 50% by mass or more and a monoester content of 5% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical unit and a backlight unit which can markedly enhance utilization efficiency of rays of light and dramatically increase luminance, and which are suited for immediate beneath type liquid crystal display modules and the like. The optical unit of the present invention is a rectangular layered structural member having a reflection polarizing plate, an optical sheet superposed on the back face side of the reflection polarizing plate, and a transparent media layer filled between the reflection polarizing plate and the optical sheet. This optical sheet includes a resin substrate film having an optical anisotropy, and the absolute value of the angle of the crystal orientation of the substrate film with respect to the transmission axial orientation of the reflection polarizing plate is ?/8 or greater and 3?/8 or less. The retardation value of the substrate film is preferably 70 nm or greater and 320 nm or less.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate film for optical sheets, an optical sheet and a backlight unit which can markedly enhance utilization efficiency of rays of light and dramatically increase luminance and which are suited for immediate beneath type liquid crystal display modules and the like. The present invention is characterized by a substrate film for optical sheets formed into a rectangular shape and made of a resin, in which the substrate film for optical sheets has an optical anisotropy, and the absolute value of an angle of the crystal orientation with respect to the short side orientation is ?/8 or greater and 3?/8 or less. The retardation value of the substrate film is preferably 70 nm or greater and 320 nm or less. Matrix resin constituting the substrate film is preferably polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate.

Abstract: The present invention is characterized by being a rectangular liquid crystal display module which includes a liquid crystal display element in which a liquid crystal cell is sandwiched between a pair of polarizing plates, an optical sheet overlaid on the back face side of the liquid crystal display element, and a surface illuminant backlight overlaid on the back face side of the optical sheet, wherein the optical sheet includes a resin substrate film having an optical anisotropy, and provided that: with respect to the short side orientation as a base, angle of the polarization orientation of the rays of light outgoing from the backlight front face is designated as ?; and angle of the transmission axial orientation of the back face side-polarizing plate is designated as ?, the angle of the crystallographic axial orientation of the substrate film falls within the range of ±50% of a value ? (i.e., 0.5×? or greater and 1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate film for an optical sheet, an optical sheet and a backlight unit capable of markedly enhancing utilization efficiency of rays of light and improving luminance. The substrate film for an optical sheet is made of a transparent resin and is formed into a rectangular shape, which substrate film for the optical sheet has an optical anisotropy, and having an absolute value of the angle of the crystal orientation with respect to the short side orientation being ?/16 or greater and 3?/16 or less. The crystal orientation preferably follows the phase advancing axial orientation. The substrate film for the optical sheet has a retardation value such that average intensity of transmitted beam IA becomes equal to or greater than 0.75 so as to be capable of converting polarization orientation of outgoing rays of light of the optical waveguide plate or the like to the transmission axial orientation of the polarizing plate or the like.

Abstract: A light diffusion sheet comprising a transparent base material sheet; a light diffusion layer laminated on a surface of the base material sheet and containing beads dispersed within a binder; and a sticking-inhibiting layer laminated on a rear face of the base material sheet, wherein the binder of the light diffusion layer contains a thermosetting resin and the sticking-inhibiting layer is a resin layer containing an ionizing radiation curable resin. In the light diffusion sheet of the invention, which employs an ionizing radiation curable resin for the binder of the sticking-inhibiting layer, the cross-linking density of the binder can be increased, whereby the wear resistance of the sticking-inhibiting layer as well as the wear resistance of the rear face of the light diffusion sheet can be increased.

Abstract: A drying machine system utilizing a gas turbine, comprising a gas turbine, a power generator operated thereby, and a waste heat recovering means for recovering heat from exhaust gases from the gas turbine and feeding it to a drying machine, characterized in that the gas turbine is composed of a plurality of unlubricated type micro-gas turbines and the waste heat recovering means is composed of a waste gas feed passageway for feeding waste gases from the gas turbine directly to the drying machine; and a method of use of a drying machine system utilizing the gas turbine. An efficient facility and an efficient method of use are provided wherein the gas turbine is in the form of a plurality of small-sized micro-gas turbines and the turbine shaft bearings are of the type dispensing with lubricating oil, resulting in clean exhaust gases, whereby high temperature exhaust gases can be reused with high efficiency.

Abstract: A light diffusion sheet comprising a transparent base material sheet; a light diffusion layer laminated on a surface of the base material sheet and containing beads dispersed within a binder; and a sticking-inhibiting layer laminated on a rear face of the base material sheet, wherein the binder of the light diffusion layer contains a thermosetting resin and the sticking-inhibiting layer is a resin layer containing an ionizing radiation curable resin. In the light diffusion sheet of the invention, which employs an ionizing radiation curable resin for the binder of the sticking-inhibiting layer, the cross-linking density of the binder can be increased, whereby the wear resistance of the sticking-inhibiting layer as well as the wear resistance of the rear face of the light diffusion sheet can be increased.

Abstract: A light diffusion sheet comprising a transparent base material sheet; a light diffusion layer laminated on a surface of the base material sheet and containing beads dispersed within a binder; and a sticking-inhibiting layer laminated on a rear face of the base material sheet, wherein the binder of the light diffusion layer contains a thermosetting resin and the sticking-inhibiting layer is a resin layer containing an ionizing radiation curable resin. In the light diffusion sheet of the invention, which employs an ionizing radiation curable resin for the binder of the sticking-inhibiting layer, the cross-linking density of the binder can be increased, whereby the wear resistance of the sticking-inhibiting layer as well as the wear resistance of the rear face of the light diffusion sheet can be increased.

Abstract: A light diffusion sheet comprising a transparent base material sheet; a light diffusion layer laminated on a surface of the base material sheet and containing beads dispersed within a binder; and a sticking-inhibiting layer laminated on a rear face of the base material sheet, wherein the binder of the light diffusion layer contains a thermosetting resin and the sticking-inhibiting layer is a resin layer containing an ionizing radiation curable resin. In the light diffusion sheet of the invention, which employs an ionizing radiation curable resin for the binder of the sticking-inhibiting layer, the cross-linking density of the binder can be increased, whereby the wear resistance of the sticking-inhibiting layer as well as the wear resistance of the rear face of the light diffusion sheet can be increased.

Abstract: The exhaust pipe of an engine has a double-wall structure consisting of an inner pipe and an outer pipe, and the inner pipe is spaced from the outer pipe with a predetermined clearance (heat insulating layer). The exhaust pipe includes a fitting for connecting other parts. At this fitting portion, the outer pipe has a outer hole. Likewise, the inner pipe has an inner hole. A nipple is situated on the outer pipe around the edge of the outer hole and is fixed to the outer pipe. An oxygen sensor is fitted to the nipple, and it extends through the inner hole of the inner pipe. A seal which is provided between the oxygen sensor and the flat portion of the inner pipe slidably contacts the step and the flat portion such that the fitting is unaffected by unequal thermal expansion between the inner and outer pipes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film piezoelectric device includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having a surface; forming an etch stopping layer having an etching rate on the surface of the semiconductor substrate; forming a first semiconductor layer having an etching rate higher than the etching rate of the etch stopping layer on the etch stopping layer; forming a first electrode on a region of the first semiconductor layer; forming a piezoelectric film on the first electrode; forming a second electrode on the piezoelectric film; and etching a portion of the first semiconductor layer where the first electrode, the piezoelectric film, and the second electrode overlap, from the surface of the first semiconductor layer, selectively with respect to the etch stopping layer, thereby forming a cavity in the first semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An exhaust system for an engine comprising an exhaust manifold which has an outer casing and an inner casing spaced from the outer casing. The inner casing comprises a collecting portion and inner pipes. The collecting portion of the inner casing is stationarily supported by the outer casing. The upstream end portions of the inner pipes of the inner casing are axially movably supported by the outer casing.

Abstract: An electrically heating catalytic apparatus that quickly heats catalyst to an activation temperature even when the engine is started at a low temperature below the catalyst activation temperature. The apparatus employs an electrically conductive catalyst carrier that is electrically heated. The carrier is provided with local hot spots to be energized. Since the heat is locally generated, the heat capacity of the catalyst carrier is small to shorten a temperature increasing time.

Abstract: The double walled exhaust pipe of the present invention consists of an outer pipe which forms an outer wall of the exhaust pipe and an inner pipe which forms an inner wall of the exhaust pipe, the outer pipe and the inner pipe are fixed each other at an exhaust inlet portion which provides a reference point of the thermal expansion of the inner pipe and the outer pipe. The double walled exhaust pipe of the present invention has at least one bent portion. Further, the inner pipe of the double walled exhaust pipe is divided into longitudinal pipe sections, and at least one sliding connection, which connects the sections of the inner pipe permitting the relative longitudinal slide movements of the pipe sections, is provided between the exhaust inlet portion and the bent portion having the largest bending angle.

Abstract: In the electrically heated catalytic converter system according to the present invention, the catalytic converter is provided with an electric heater. The electric heater is turned on by a switching device for a predetermined time period after the engine starts in order to heat the catalytic converter. When the switching device fails in such a manner that the switching device cannot turn off the electric heater even after the predetermined time period lapsed, the catalytic converter is heated by the electric heater even after the catalyst reaches the activating temperature. This may cause an excessive temperature rise and damage to the catalytic converter.

Abstract: An electrically heated catalytic converter system of the present invention includes a plurality of heater-converters, each heater-converter being disposed on one of a plurality of exhaust passages of an engine. Each heater-converter includes a catalyst bed which carries particles of a three-way reducing and oxidizing catalyst, an electric heater which is turned on during the start up of the engine to rapidly heat at least a portion of the catalyst bed, and a temperature detector disposed in the catalyst bed. The system also includes an electronic control unit (ECU) that detects the failure of the converter system. When the engine is started, the ECU calculates the difference in the temperatures of the catalyst beds, and if this difference in the temperatures becomes larger than a predetermined value, the ECU determines that one of the heater-converters has failed, i.e., the electrically heated catalytic converter system has failed.

Abstract: A catalyst heating control apparatus includes a catalytic converter arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, a heating part for heating a catalyst of the catalytic converter after the engine has started operating so as to promote a catalytic conversion of exhaust gas from the engine, a detecting part for sensing a temperature of engine coolant of the engine and a calculating part for determining a releasing condition based on an engine temperature sensed by the detecting part at the start of the engine operation. The heating of the catalyst of the catalytic converter is stopped when the releasing condition is satisfied. A stopping part stops the heating part from heating the catalyst of the catalytic converter when an operating condition of the engine satisfies the releasing condition.

Abstract: A device for determining a malfunction of an engine cylinder of an internal combustion engine, comprising a first detection unit for detecting a first engine speed at a predetermined first crank angle, and a detecting second engine speed at a predetermined second crank angle, during a power stroke of two engine cylinders under a continuous combustion cycle, a difference calculating unit for calculating a difference between the first and second engine speeds, a misfire determining unit for determining that a misfire has occurred in a corresponding engine cylinder when the difference is outside a predetermined limit, a malfunction determining unit for determining that a malfunction has occurred in the corresponding engine cylinders when a frequency at which the misfire determining unit determines that a misfire has occurred is larger than a predetermined frequency, a second detection unit for detecting a current engine load, and a first changing unit for changing at least one of the predetermined limit and the