Abstract: 1-aminopropanediol-2,3 containing 2-aminopropanediol-1,3 of less than 0.30% by weight can be prepared by the present purification process, which comprises distilling a l-aminopropanediol-2,3 containing at least 0.3% of 2-aminopropanediol-1,3 based on the weight of 1-aminopropanediol-2,3 with a distillation column, said distillation column having low pressure loss.

Abstract: A coating apparatus for coating liquid-form material to be solidified as an elastomer on a coated member in order to form a seal member for preventing toner leakage, includes an injection member for injecting the liquid-form material on the coated member, a holder for holding the coated member, a driver for causing relative movement between the injection member and the holder, and a controller for controlling the driver to change the relative movement between the injection member and the holder.

Abstract: An illuminated sign board which comprises a film having printing, a frame, and a light source is described. The film is a semi-transparent film made of a stretched resin film containing a finely divided powder of a white inorganic material. The semi-transparent film satisfies the following requirements (1) to (4):(1) an opacity of from 40% to 70%;(2) a whiteness of from 80% to 100%;(3) a total light beam average reflectance of from 30 to 60%; and(4) a total light beam average transmittance of from 30% to 70%.

Abstract: A synthetic paper with a multi-layer structure comprising a biaxially stretched film of an olefinic polymer having a melting point (the peak temperature of the DSC curve) of from 130.degree. C. to 210.degree. C. containing from 5 to 40% by weight inorganic fine powders having a mean particle size of from 0.01 to 10 .mu.m as a base material layer (A) having adhered to at least one surface thereof a uniaxially stretched layer (B) having a surface roughness of from 0.3 to 1.5 .mu.m, with the uniaxially stretched layer (B) comprising a propylene .alpha.-olefin copolymer or a high-density polyethylene having a melting point (the peak temperature of the DSC curve) of from 120.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. which is at least 5.degree. C. lower than the melting point of the olefinic polymer of the base material layer (A) and from 8 to 65% by weight inorganic fine powders having a mean particle size of from 0.01 to 5 .mu.

Abstract: 1-aminopropanediol-2,3 containing 2-aminopropanediol-1,3 of less than 0.30% by weight can be prepared by the present purification process, which involves distilling a 1-aminopropanediol-2,3 containing at least 0.3% of 2-aminopropanediol-1,3 based on the weight of 1-aminopropanediol-2,3 using a distillation column, said distillation column having low pressure loss.

Abstract: An engine output control device executes control while also executing auto cruise control if traction control is executed during auto cruise running so that traction control and auto cruise control are established at the same time. If the traction control executed by a traction controller and the auto cruise runs, executed by an auto cruise controller, are established at the same time, then the auto cruise controller is released and, at the same time an accelerator signal (auto cruise accelerator signal), which is pseudo controlled by the speed during the running of the auto cruise, is calculated by a pseudo control accelerator signal calculation, and because traction control is executed for the auto cruise accelerator signal, the auto cruise control is restored. Consequently it is possible to execute auto cruise control continuously.

Abstract: A thermal recording material comprising (1) a synthetic paper support having on one side thereof (2) a thermal color forming layer, the support comprising (B) a biaxially stretched resin film as a base layer having (A) a uniaxially stretched thermoplastic resin film containing from 1 to 8% by weight calcium carbonate powder as a calcium carbon powder containing layer on one side thereof, and (C) a uniaxially stretched thermoplastic resin film containing from 15 to 55% by weight inorganic fine powder as a back surface layer on the other side thereof, the thermal color forming layer being provided on the calcium carbon powder containing layer (A), in which (i) the support has an opacity of not more than 45% as measured according to JIS P-8138, (ii) the calcium carbon powder containing layer (A) has a Bekk's index of from 1,000 to 3,500 seconds and a center-line average roughness (Ra) of not more than 0.5 .mu.

Abstract: Control data indicating the vertical start positions of display characters is written into the locations of a video RAM determined by a common column address and a plurality of column addresses. In each horizontal synchronizing period, all control data is read in sequence from the video RAM and set in sequence in a vertical start position register. A match is found between the contents of the vertical position counter indicating the current vertical position and the contents of the vertical start position register. When they match, after the horizontal synchronizing period, the video RAM is accessed with the control data as the vertical position start address.

Abstract: Carboxylic acids are produced in the liquid phase carbonylation reaction from an alcohol or its derivative and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system containing a rhodium component and an alkyl halide and water, adding an iodide salt to the rhodium/alkyl halide catalyst system so as to maintain the iodine ion concentration in the carbonylation reaction solution at 0.3 mol/l or higher.

Abstract: A spring steel containing 0.35 to 0.50% of carbon is refined to the hardness of .phi. 2.50 to 2.70 mm in Brinell indentation diameter (HBD) by rapid cooling for quenching and tempering. This spring steel is subjected to warm shot peening at a temperature of 150 to 300.degree. C. (423 to 573K) by using long-lived practical shots with the normal hardness of .phi. 2.65 to 2.80 mm in HBD, whereupon a high-strength spring is obtained having a compressive residual stress in its surface and enjoying the maximum shearing stress of 110 to 135 kgf/mm.sup.2 (1080 to 1325 MPa).

Abstract: A spring steel containing 0.35 to 0.50% of carbon is refined to the hardness of .phi. 2.50 to 2.70 mm in Brinell indentation diameter (HBD) by rapid cooling for quenching and tempering. This spring steel is subjected to warm shot peening at a temperature of 150.degree. to 300.degree. C. (423 to 573 K.) by using long-lived practical shots with the normal hardness of .phi. 2.65 to 2.80 mm in HBD, whereupon a high-strength spring is obtained having a compressive residual stress in its surface and enjoying the maximum shearing stress of 110 to 135 kgf/mm.sup.2 (1080 to 1325 MPa).

Abstract: Carboxylic acids are produced in the liquid phase carbonylation reaction from an alcohol or its derivative and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system containing a rhodium component and an alkyl halide and water, adding an iodide salt to the rhodium/alkyl halide catalyst system so as to maintain the iodine ion concentration in the carbonylation reaction solution at 0.3 mol/.lambda. or higher.

Abstract: A cantilever for an atomic force microscope includes a diamond stylus for opposing a sample for detecting an atomic force, a stylus holding element, at least a portion of which is made of a magnetic material, holding the diamond stylus, and a lever having a secured end and a free end to which the stylus holding element is fastened for being deformed in response to an atomic force acting between the diamond stylus and the sample. A method of manufacturing a cantilever for an atomic force microscope comprises securing a rough diamond stylus to a stylus holding element, at least a portion of the element being magnetic, forming a stylus by grinding the rough diamond, magnetizing the magnetic stylus holding element, applying an adhesive to the surface of a lever, securing the stylus holding element to the lever with the adhesive therebetween with a magnetic field in the vicinity of the lever, removing the magnetic field from the lever after the adhesive has hardened, and demagnetizing the stylus holding element.

Abstract: This invention relates to a heating method for forming a thermoplastic bottle in which a heating member is inserted into the interior from a preform made of a thermoplastic material or the bottle and the preform or plastic bottle is heated by the heating member and a heating device located externally so as to thereby heat the same simultaneously internally and externally thereof, the temperature of the respective heating member being controlled respectively. Radiant heat energy distribution is variable along the longitudinal direction of the heating member so as to carry out the heating process in conformity with the bottle to be formed so as to manufacture the plastic bottle with high quality.

Abstract: A fine scanning mechanism for an atomic force microscope includes a three-dimensionally displaceable cylindrical piezolectric element, a first probe attaching portion attached to an end of the said cylindrical piezoelectric element, a first probe attached to the first probe attaching portion, a bimorph piezoelectric element attaching portion attached to the end of the cylindrical piezoelectric element, a one-dimensionally displaceable bimorph piezoelectric element attached to the bimorph piezoelectric element attaching portion, a cantilever attaching portion attached to a side of the one-dimensionally displaceable bimorph piezoelectric element, the cantilever having a displacement portion and being attached to the cantilever attaching portion, a second probe attaching portion attached to a side of the displacement portion of the cantilever, a second probe attached to the second probe attaching portion, and a stationary sample tray disposed opposite the second probe.

Abstract: A display device for a microcomputer including a RAM for display, a ROM for a character generator, a changeover gate, a parallel/serial conversion circuit, a display circuit, and a display controlling circuit. A plurality of registers and a plurality of counters are incorporated in the display controlling circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for producing a carbonic acid ester by reacting alcohol, carbon monoxide, and oxygen with one another in the presence of a copper compound alone or together with a platinum group metal compound and a reaction accelerator, characterized in that (I) the reaction is carried out in a nitrile compound or amide compound as a solvent, (II) the reaction is carried out in the presence of a reaction accelerator which consists of a quaternary phosphonium halide and a quaternary phosphonium weak acid salt or quaternary phosphonium alkoxide, and/or (III) the reaction is carried out in the presence of a quinoid compound or a compound that changes into a quinoid compound under the reaction conditions.

Abstract: An interrupt circuit for a microcomputer, in which requests for multiple interrupt processing arise at the same time, are executed in the assigned priority order. To assign a processing priority, the interrupt circuit comprises a first priority assignment control circuit and a second priority assignment control circuit.

Abstract: A negative feedback high current driver for an in-circuit tester comprises a three stage amplifier for supplying a high current overdriving signal to a device under test. The high current overdriving signal substantially cancels out any remaining component of an in-circuit generated signal appearing at an input to the device under test.

Abstract: A process for forming electrodes for semiconductor devices having a semiconductor substrate and an electrically conductive portion covered and protected by an electrically insulating coating. The process includes the steps of forming an electrically conductive film on the electrically insulating coating, forming an electrode to be connected to an external circuit on the electrically conductive film at a position overlying the electrically conductive portion by exposing portions of the electrically insulating coating and the first electrically conductive film to a converged ion beam, electrically connecting the electrode to the exposed portions of the electrically conductive film, and removing the portions of the electrically conductive film not covered by the electrode. As a result, the likelihood of breakdown of the internal circuit of the semiconductor device connected to the electrically conductive portion while the electrode is being formed is greatly reduced.