Abstract: The invented process produces sorbic acid. The process includes the steps of adding a crude sorbic acid to a hot water having a temperature exceeding 100° C., which crude sorbic acid is obtained by the decomposition of a polyester formed through a reaction of ketene with crotonaldehyde, and performing at least one treatment selected from (A) a hot water extraction treatment for extracting sorbic acid with the hot water, and (B) a treatment with an activated carbon in the hot water. The temperature of the hot water is, for example, 120° C. or lower. The amount of sorbic acid to be treated is, for example, equal to or less than the saturated dissolution amount of sorbic acid with respect to the hot water at a treating temperature. The invented process can easily and efficiently remove tar substances and other impurities by-produced in the decomposition of the polyester and can produce a highly purified sorbic acid with a high productivity.

Abstract: The invented process produces sorbic acid by hydrolysis of a polyester in the presence of an acid, which polyester is obtained from ketene and crotonaldehyde. The process includes the step of subjecting a decomposition reaction mixture of the polyester to solid-liquid separation at temperatures ranging from 30° C. to 60° C. to yield sorbic acid as a solid. The process may further include the step of rinsing the sorbic acid obtained by solid-liquid separation with an aqueous solution containing sorbic acid, which aqueous solution is formed in a purification process of sorbic acid subsequent to the solid-liquid separation. The invented process can easily and efficiently remove tar substances by-produced in the reaction and can mitigate loads on a purification process.

Abstract: A thermo-sensitive flow rate sensor that comprises a plate-like substrate, a part of which is removed so that a space is provided therein, a diaphragm portion formed like a thin layer above the space in such a manner as to be integral with the plate-like substrate, and a heating element constituted by a thermo-sensitive electrically resistant film formed on the diaphragm. Plural holes penetrating the diaphragm portion are bored in an outer peripheral portion of the heating element. Each of the plurality of holes is shaped in such a way as to have obtuse corner portions or to have substantially no corner portions. The thermo-sensitive flow rate sensor measures the flow rate of a fluid, which is to be measured, according to an amount of heat transferred to the fluid from a part heated by energizing the heating element.

Abstract: An oil pan for collecting a lubricating oil drained from an internal combustion engine and a lubricating oil dripped from a crankshaft of the engine, is disclosed. The oil pan includes a shallow oil collecting portion, a deep oil collecting portion and baffle plates forming first and second oil passages, respectively. The oil passages are adapted to force the lubricating oil collected at the shallow oil collecting portion toward the deep oil collecting portion and cooperate to facilitate the collection of the lubricating oil.

Abstract: When a user does shopping on a commodity purchase screen provided by a shop via the Internet, the user uses a payment reservation service provided by a claim management server. Then, the claim management server stores the shopping content of the user as a database and simultaneously stores both a payment amount and a settled/unsettled payment status in the shopping contents. The user views the list of unsettled payment of the shopping content provided by the claim management server, selects a shopping item, the price payment of which the user is going to settle, designates an account handling institute to use and settles payment online. The claim management server automatically does the check work of the shopping content, the price payment of which is settled.

Abstract: A gate driver includes an edge detection circuit, an ON pulse generation circuit, first and second OFF pulse generation circuit and a status hold circuit. The first OFF pulse generation circuit generates a first OFF pulse in response to a leading or trailing edge of a control input signal, which is detected by the edge detection circuit. The status hold circuit drives an output element in response to the ON pulse outputted from the ON pulse generation circuit and holds driving status of the output element until a first OFF pulse is outputted from the first OFF pulse generation circuit. The second OFF pulse generation circuit generates a second OFF pulse in response to a protect operation signal and supplies this pulse to the status hold circuit, thereby to stop driving of the output element.

Abstract: A flow rate detector has a detection pipe (26) disposed in a fluid channel (21), a supporting member (27) for supporting a thermosensitive flow rate sensor (28) being provided in the detection pipe (26). The supporting member (27) has a sensor holding portion (27a) which has a predetermined width and a broadening portion (27b) which is adjacent to one end of the sensor holding portion (27a) and the width of which gradually increases from the distal end thereof toward the sensor holding portion (27a). The flow rate sensor (28) is built in a side surface of the sensor holding portion (27a) such that it is exposed in the detection pipe (26).

Abstract: A flow rate detecting element has a flat substrate 1 provided with a gap opening 18 on at least one side surface, a sensor section 15 including a heating resistance element 4 and a pair of temperature detecting resistance elements 5, 6 arranged on opposite sides of the heating resistance element and wrapped by an insulating supporting film 2 and an insulating protecting film 3 from above and below. The sensor section is arranged on a plane substantially parallel with a surface of the flat substrate and at least one end of the supporting film is held by the flat substrate to locate the sensor section over the gap, whereby the most part of the sensor section is disposed in a non-contact state with the flat substrate.

Abstract: A thermosensitive flow rate detecting element having a flat substrate is provided with a gap having an opening on at least one side thereof for the flow of a fluid, an insulating support film provided on the one side of the substrate, a sensor unit which has a heating element for heating the fluid and a thermosensitive element for detecting temperature of the fluid provided in the upper position of the opening on the insulating support film, and a fluid temperature measuring element, provided at a distance from the sensor unit on the one side of the flat substrate, for detecting temperature of the fluid. The thermosensitive flow rate detecting element measures flow rate or flow velocity of the fluid on the basis of a temperature detected by the thermosensitive element, by keeping heating temperature of the heating element at a level higher than a temperature detected by the fluid temperature measuring element by a prescribed difference in temperature.

Abstract: A copper film layer and a resin film are sequentially layered on a skin material, the resin film is irradiated with a laser beam so as to be removed, a mask is formed on the copper film layer by use of the residual of the resin film, thereafter, an etching process is provided thereto, so that a copper film layer pattern is formed on the reflective surface of the skin material.

Abstract: A power IC having at least a level shifter for changing the level of an input signal, a high-side driver circuit for driving a predetermined load in accordance with a level changed by the level shifter, the high-side driver circuit being in a floating state, and a reverse current preventing diode for disconnecting a current path from the ground of the level shifter to the reference potential of the high-side driver circuit. The high-side driver circuit and reverse current preventing diode are respectively dielectrically isolated by a dielectric member to prevent insufficient element isolation to be caused by bias conditions. The predetermined reference potential to be connected to an inductive load or the like in the high-side driver circuit can be set to a negative potential. The electrical energy stored in the inductive load or the like can be extracted out and attenuated at high speed via the reference potential set to the negative potential to thereby realize a high speed operation.

Abstract: A neuroprotecting drug comprises as an essential active ingredient ethyl 2-[4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)thiazol-2-yl]pyrrol-1-yl acetate, which is useful with high safety for the prophylaxis and treatment of brain dysfunction induced by hypoxia due to the disturbance of cerebral circulation such as cerebral hemorrhage or cerebral infarction in human being.

Abstract: A leakage detecting device for an evaporated fuel gas system of an automobile draws and maintains a partial vacuum in the air space above the fuel in a tank 1 by temporarily connecting the space to the negatively pressurized intake manifold 5. An oxygen sensor 21 thereafter monitors the oxygen level in the evacuated space for a predetermined period of time, and if the oxygen increase exceeds a predetermined normal increase, a leakage alarm is given.

Abstract: A process for separating optical isomers in a simulated moving bed system, which comprises introducing a solution containing an optical isomer mixture and a desorbing liquid into a packed bed containing an optical resolution packing therein and having front and rear ends thereof connected to each other endlessly via a fluid passage to circulate a fluid unidirectionally and at the same time drawing out a solution containing one of the separated isomers and another solution containing the other isomer from the packed bed, wherein a port 13 for introducing a desorbing liquid, a port 14 for drawing out a solution containing a strongly adsorbable optical isomer, i.e. an extract, a port 15 for introducing a solution containing a mixture of optical isomers, and a port 16 for drawing out a solution containing a weakly adsorbable optical isomer, i.e.

Abstract: A process for preparing valproic acid which comprises:(I) producing a 2,2-dipropyl acetoacetic acid ester from an acetoacetic acid ester,(II) deacetylating the 2,2-dipropyl acetoacetic acid ester with an alcohol to give a valproic acid ester, and(III) hydrolyzing the valproic acid ester. In the process of the present invention, valproic acid can be prepared in a high yield as not less than 85% by mole and by-products such as .alpha.-propyl-.beta.-ethyl acrylic acid and its esters which cannot be easily separated from valproic acid, are not entirely produced.

Abstract: This invention provides a pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising an acrylic copolymer component (A) which is at least in part an acetoacetyl group-containing acrylic copolymer and at least one curing component (B) selected from the class consisting of isocyanate compounds, epoxy compounds, aldehyde compounds, non-amino resin amine compounds, metal salts, metal alkoxides, metal chelate compounds, ammonium salts and hydrazine compounds.This adhesive composition is well-balanced in the triad of tack, adhesion, cohesion in adhesion technology and can be advantageously used in various applications such as adhesive tapes and labels.

Abstract: The multistation switch system comprises position detector for detecting current position of a main shaft, programmable switch device provided for each of the stations for receiving position data formed in accordance with output of the position detector and generating, in response to the position data, one or more on/off signals which are predetermined in correspondence to selected position or positions of the main shaft, and start/stop interlock circuit for setting start and stop timings for starting and stopping a switch output in correspondence to the programmable switch device provided for each station. The programmable switch device for each station outputs the on/off signals between the start and stop timings set by the start/stop interlock circuit in correspondence to each station.

Abstract: A plurality of speed-sliding compensation amount functions are stored in a sliding compensation amount data memory and one of these functions is selected in response to input of a selection signal. In the selected function, sliding compensation amount data corresponding to the speed of the object of positioning is read out. At least one of current position data and positioning target position data of the object is corrected by the read out sliding compensation amount data. A brake signal is generated on the basis of comparison of the current position data and target position data which have been subjected to this correction and a positioning control of the object is performed by this brake signal. On the other hand, a sliding amount detection circuit is provided for detecting sliding amount of the object from generation of the brake signal until actual stop of the object.

Abstract: The present device comprises a stator having a plurality of poles on which primary coils and at least one secondary coil is wound, and a rotor opposing the respective poles of the stator with gaps therebetween. A clock pulse generator is provided, and the respective primary coils are separately excited by reference AC signals which are out of phase with each other and are generated in response to a count of a counter counting a clock pulse signal from the clock pulse generator. The output of the secondary coil or coils provides an output signal resulting by phase shifting the reference AC signals in accordance with the rotational position of the rotor. The phase difference between the reference AC signal and the output signal is detected by obtaining a digital count representing the phase difference in synchronization with the counting by the counter to obtain detected digital phase difference data as an absolute rotational position data.

Abstract: A process for separating optical isomers in a simulated moving bed system, which comprises introducing a solution containing an optical isomer mixture and a desorbing liquid into a packed bed containing an optical resolution packing therein and having front and rear ends thereof connected to each other endlessly via a fluid passage to circulate a fluid unidirectionally and at the same time drawing out a solution containing one of the separated isomers and another solution containing the other isomer from the packed bed, wherein a port 13 for introducing a desorbing liquid, a port 14 for drawing out a solution containing a strongly adsorbable optical isomer, i.e. an extract, a port 15 for introducing a solution containing a mixture of optical isomers, and a port 16 for drawing out a solution containing a weakly adsorbable optical isomer, i.e.