Abstract: A hydrogen generator comprises a burner for generating a combustion gas, a reformer provided around the burner to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen by a steam reforming reaction based on a feed material comprising a compound containing at least carbon and hydrogen and a steam, using heat transmission from a combustion gas generated by the burner, and an evaporator having an inner tube provided around the burner, an outer tube provided around the inner tube, and a bottom plate that closes a lower portion of a tubular space formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, the evaporator being configured to evaporate water supplied to the tubular space to generate a steam to be supplied to the reformer, wherein a water absorbing member having a water absorbing capability is provided in the tubular space.

Abstract: A used digital camera is purchased by a shop from a user. The shop checks whether the digital camera operates normally. When the digital camera operates normally, product data thereof is sent to a sales management server of a manufacturer through the Internet. The sales management server searches for the model of the digital camera on the basis of product data, and extracts model information. A label with the product information of the digital camera is glued on a packing box corresponding to the model. The packing box with the label is sent to the shop. The used digital camera is sold to another user after packing in the packing box. An operation manual corresponding to the model may also be sent to the shop.

Abstract: Packet buffer equipment in which a buffer and time for packet assembly is utilized for packet header analysis and addition processing to obtain increased efficiency. The equipment aims to receive virtual channel (VC)-multiplexed ATM cells to assemble into a packet on a VC basis maintaining each received cell, to output on a packet basis. As an embodiment, cells are assembled into a packet by storing cells from the top cell to the end cell into a packet buffer memory consisting of a plurality of cell buffers to store cells. Also, a sequence controller is provided for detecting the write completion of a new header cell, and for connecting a packet in packet-under-assembly queue constituted by under-assembly pointer into an output-wait queue.

Abstract: This invention is a new aqueous paint composition, and its object is to provide a quick-drying paint composition that has a low sensitivity to temperature and has a high rubber elasticity.An aqueous paint composition, comprising (1) a latex which is a film-forming latex polymer having anionic property, where the solubility of the monomers to form the polymer, excluding the monomers that show anionic property, is 0.01-1.50 g per 100 g of water, (2) a water-soluble or water dispersible polymer formed from a monomer mixture containing at least 20 weight % of amine functional group-containing monomer, and (3) an amount of volatile base sufficient to raise the pH of the composition to a sufficiently high level to bring essentially all amine functional groups to a nonionic state.

Abstract: A lead screw for moving, for example, a printing head or a magnetic head. The screw is molded from plastics by a split mold comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending sections. It has on its outer peripheral surface a helical groove satisfying the following relationship: ##EQU1## where P: pitch of the groove;R: radius of the screw;r: radius of the screw between its longitudinal axis and the bottom of the groove;.theta.: angle of division of the mold sections; andL: a half of the difference in width between the top and bottom of the groove. The bottom of the groove is smaller in width than the top thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a travelling control of printing head in which when a printing head is to be returned to its home position, the printing head is returned in a selected one of two modes, the first mode being such that a lead screw is reversely rotated upon completion of a desired printing operation to cause the printing head to return to its home position through a first guide groove provided for the forward travelling of the printing head and the second mode being such that the lead screw is rotated forward even after the completion of the desired printing operation and the guide groove is changed from the first one to a second one which is provided only for the return travelling of the printing head and which has a pitch larger than that of the first one so that the printing head can be quickly returned to its home position at a speed higher than that in the forward travelling.

Abstract: An L type zeolite of a high purity is prepared by crystallizing an amorphous sodium alminosilicate compound containing a silicon component in an amount of 67 to 91 wt. % as SiO.sub.2 on the anhydrous basis in an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution.

Abstract: A variable venturi-type carburetor comprising a suction piston and a needle. The root portion of the needle is fixed onto the central portion of the tip face of the suction piston. An annular groove is formed on the tip face of the suction piston around the root portion of the needle. A narrow groove is also formed on the tip face of the suction piston and extends downwardly from the annular groove to the downstream end of the tip face of the suction piston.

Abstract: A surface material for phonograph records prepared by subjecting a copolymeric vinyl resin powder incorporated with a small amount of a stabilizer to the hot blending treatment, melt-kneading the product under heating, cooling the same to ambient temperature to form a mass, granulating the mass, freezing the resulting granules with liquid nitrogen and grinding the frozen granules into powders; and a phonograph record prepared by adhering a film of the surface material to the surface of a record-forming disc, having a photograph or picture printed thereon, by way of fusion under heating and forming a microgroove thereon.

Abstract: A process for producing a hollow carbon or ion-exchange filament which comprises treating a filament consisting of a fiber-forming polymer of predominantly an uncured novolak resin composition with a curing reagent in the presence of a curing catalyst to effect the cure of the filament extending from the peripheral portion to the axial portion thereof to a depth of 20-90% of the cross-sectional area of the filament, removing the uncured core portion of the filament by extraction with a solvent, and then subjecting the resulting hollow novolak resin filament to a carbonization treatment or introducing an ion-exchangeable group into the resulting hollow novolak resin filament; and products produced by this process.