Abstract: Expanded beads are those including a mixture of an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer and a polyethylene-based resin, wherein a melt flow rate MFR(I) of the olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer is 2-10 g/10 min; a difference ((MFR(II))?(MFR(I))) between a melt flow rate MFR(II) of the polyethylene-based resin and the melt flow rate MFR(I) of the olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer is 1-35 g/10 min; and a content of the polyethylene-based resin in the mixture is 3-40% by weight.

Abstract: An air duct is disclosed which includes a tubular member formed from a metal sheet. A paper is disposed around an outer periphery of the tubular member for preventing condensation droplets condensed on the tubular member from dripping, and an adhesive is interposed between the tubular member and the paper to adhesively secure the tubular member and the paper. Furthermore, a paper for an air duct, adapted to be secured to an outer periphery of the air duct, is disclosed. The paper is produced from a material including a papermaking pulp and is characterized by the following: a wet strength of at least 0.3 kgf/15 mm, a critical value for dripping of water droplets of at least 45 g/m.sup.2, and a basis weight of 40 to 5000 g/m.sup.2.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing 3-phenoxybenzyl 2-(4-alkoxyphenyl)-2-methylpropyl ethers represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R stands for a lower alkyl group, and X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 stand for a hydrogen atom or fluorine atom,which comprises subjecting a 3-phenoxybenzyl 2-(4-alkoxy-3-halogenophenyl)-2-methylpropyl ether or 3-phenoxybenzyl-2-(4-alkoxy-3,5-dihalogenophenyl)-2-methylpropyl ether represented by the following formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R stands for a lower alkyl group, X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 stand for a hydrogen atom or fluorine atom, and Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 stand for a hydrogen atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom or iodine atom, with the proviso that at least one of Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.

Abstract: A silencer includes an air passage tube having an air inlet for introducing air thereinto, and a side branch tube connected to the air passage tube and having a closed end for attenuating noise produced by the air introduced into the air passage tube. The side branch tube may be either a flexible tube or have a flexible portion for allowing convenient bending and mounting thereof in the available space. The side branch tube may comprise a pair of different tube portions connected to each other. The side branch tube may have a water drain hole defined in its lowermost portion and preferably the cross-sectional area of the water drain hole is no greater than 1% of the cross-sectional area of the side branch tube. The side branch tube serves to attenuate high-frequency noise and the silencer may additionally include a resonator chamber for attenuating low-frequency noise.

Abstract: An air cleaner case is installed by an attachment device on the back of an intake manifold having a plurality of branch tubes extending forwardly toward the intake ports, respectively, of an engine cylinder head. The attachment device includes upper and lower attachment arms on the air cleaner case extending substantially horizontally and upper and lower seats on the intake manifold. The upper and lower attachment arms are substantially vertically detachably coupled to the upper and lower seats, respectively. The lower attachment arms are coupled to the lower seats by vertical pins mounted on the lower seats and the upper attachment arms are coupled to the upper seats by vertical bolts. The air cleaner case can easily be attached and detached vertically even in the limited space surrounding the air cleaner case behind the intake manifold.

Abstract: A method for controlling the flow rate of supplementary air supplied to an internal combustion engine via at least one supplementary air passage bypassing a throttle valve arranged in the intake air passage, by means of at least one control valve arranged across the at lease one supplementary air passage. The valve opening of the control valve is decreased with a decrease in the engine rotational speed, when the throttle valve is detected to be in a substantially fully closed position and at the same time the engine rotational speed is higher than a predetermined value which is higher than an idling speed of the engine. Preferably, the at least one supplementary air passage comprises a plurality of air passages, and the at least one control valve comprises a plurality of on-off valves arranged across respective ones of the air passages. One or more of the on-off valves are selectively opened in response to the extent of engine warming-up and/or an increase in engine load.

Abstract: A two-stage continuous preparation process for organic isocyanates uses a primary amine which is reacted with stoichiometrically excess phosgene at a gauge pressure of 10 Kg/cm.sup.2 or lower and a temperature of 60.degree.-100.degree. C. in an inert organic solvent. Then, the resultant reaction mixture is maintained at a gauge pressure of 10 Kg/cm.sup.2 or lower and a temperature of 120.degree.-160.degree. C. until the reaction is completed.

Abstract: A throttle valve opener for a throttle valve in the intake passage of a vehicle engine is actuated by suction pressure from the intake passage, the suction pressure being weakened by introduction of atmospheric air during certain operating conditions of the engine. Suction pressure for operating the throttle valve opener is cut off when the vehicle speed or the engine RPM exceed predetermined values, or when the engine's cooling water temperature rises above a predetermined limit. This system controls deceleration of the engine to reduce exhaust pollutants without adverse effects on the drivability of the vehicle.

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine employs a first control valve in an exhaust gas introduction passageway, a second control valve in an air conduit connecting the engine intake passage to atmosphere, and a regulating valve responsive to differential vacuum intensities for operating vacuum-responsive actuators for the control valves. A recirculation stop valve vents to atmosphere the actuator for the second control valve in response to an engine operating condition, to stop recirculation of exhaust gas.

Abstract: Lactam-blocked products of alicyclic isocyanates are obtained by blocking an aromatic isocyanate with lactam and subjecting the resulting blocked product to catalytic hydrogenation with use of a Rh catalyst.The blocked alicyclic isocyanate obtained thus can be used, for example, as a curing agent for synthetic resins such as epoxy resins or as a starting material of urethane coatings.The blocked isocyanate, if desired, may be subject to distillation whereby an alicyclic isocyanate is isolated by thermal dissociation and separation of the blocking agent.