Abstract: A washing/drying method utilizing sonication, comprising: dipping a material to be washed into an aqueous solution containing a surfactant having a water repellency so that at least one molecular layer of the water repellent surfactant is attached to the surface of the material to be washed; applying sonication to the aqueous solution; and then drying the material according to a known drying method such as vacuum drying, shaking off, blowing with gas and heating; or heating the material to be washed with steam at a temperature of less than 100.degree. C. in an atmosphere reduced to a pressure such that the boiling point of water becomes less than 100.degree. C.; and then drying the material according to a known drying method such as vacuum drying, shaking off, blowing with air, and heating.

Abstract: A washing/drying method, comprising: dipping a material to be washed into an aqueous solution containing a surfactant having a water repellency so that at least one molecular layer of the water repellent surfactant is attached to the surface of the material to be washed; and then drying the material according to a known drying method such as vacuum drying, shaking off, blowing with gas and heating; or heating the material to be washed with steam at a temperature of less than 100.degree. C. in an atmosphere reduced to a pressure such that the boiling point of water becomes less than 100.degree. C.; and then drying the material according to a known drying method such as vacuum drying, shaking off, blowing with air, and heating.

Abstract: In a packaging technique for resiliently deformable articles (such as paper diapers or sanitary napkins), a stack of the articles are packed into a shell-like, inner cassette having an open top and bottom, the inner cassette is wrapped from above with a sheet of film having cardboard flaps extending from respective opposite side margins thereof and the stack of articles is ejected from the inner cassette through the open top, together with the sheet of film into an outer cassette which maintains the partly packed profile. Lower, trailing, flap-form ends of the wrapping extend below the stack on two opposite sides of the cassette, forming flaps that are subsequently folded in overlapping relation to cover the exposed bottom of the stack of articles and heat-sealed together and transversely extending margins of the sheet of film are folded and heat-sealed against the cardboard ends to form a package of predetermined shape.

Abstract: The compounds in a preferred form are represented by general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein A and A' are each a group which can be hydrolyzed by hydrogen or alkali; X, Y and Z are each hydrogen, a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, a thioalkyl group or an electron-withdrawing group; PUG is a group released by a reaction with a light-exposed silver halide and/or the oxidized product of the developing agent, Time is a timing group; Time.sub.t PUG is a group released as .crclbar.TimePUG first when the oxidation-reduction moiety causes a cross reaction during the development and becomes an oxidized product, and is bonded to the benzene nucleus via a sulfur atom, a nitrogen atom or a selenium atom; and t is 0 or 1.

Abstract: In a steering wheel for vehicles, a self-aligning plate comprises a boss fitting portion, a spoke fitting portion and a plurality of plastically deformable arm portions arranged in radial direction in an annular space formed between both fitting portions so as to connect between an assembled body of rim/spokes and a boss. Each plastically deformable arm portion of the self-aligning plate has a curved portion at intermediate portion, and when impact force is applied to the rim, the rim surface is slanted in approximately perpendicular direction with respect to the line of impact force due to plastic deformation of the plastically deformable arm portion. Intersection angle between the adjacent plastically deformable arm portions near the spokes mounted on the spoke fitting portion is made obtuse angle, thereby stress concentration at edge portion of the boss fitting portion in the intersection position between these plastically deformable arm portions is prevented.

Abstract: A tubular container having a collapsible body welded to a head member, and a method of producing the same.The collapsible body and the head member are made of laminated films having impermeable layers therein, the impermeable layers of the body and the head member abutting or overlapping each other to form an impermeable layer of the shoulder portion thereby minimizing penetration or permeation of oil components, perfumes, etc. contained in the contents of the container or infiltration of oxygen into the container.The method of producing the aforementioned container comprises the steps of continuously extruding thermoplastic resin with an impermeable layer, cutting the resin to form a disc, welding the open end of the sleeve to close it, and forming a head member by pressing.