Abstract: Provided is a non-spherical silica sol containing non-spherical silica fine particles dispersed in a dispersion medium, the non-spherical silica fine particles having an average particle diameter in a range of 3 to 150 nm as measured by dynamic light scattering, a minor-diameter/major-diameter ratio in a range of 0.01 to 0.8, and a specific surface area in a range of 10 to 800 m2/g, and also having a plurality of wart-like projections on the surfaces thereof, and a process for producing the non-spherical silica sol. The non-spherical silica fine particles contained in the non-spherical silica sol have a unique structure different from the structure of ordinary non-spherical silica fine particles.

Abstract: Provided is a non-spherical silica sol containing non-spherical silica fine particles dispersed in a dispersion medium, the non-spherical silica fine particles having an average particle diameter in a range of 3 to 150 nm as measured by dynamic light scattering, a minor-diameter/major-diameter ratio in a range of 0.01 to 0.8, and a specific surface area in a range of 10 to 800 m2/g, and also having a plurality of wart-like projections on the surfaces thereof, and a process for producing the non-spherical silica sol. The non-spherical silica fine particles contained in the non-spherical silica sol have a unique structure different from the structure of ordinary non-spherical silica fine particles.

Abstract: In producing nodular silica sol, a polymerized silicic acid solution with viscosity of silicic acid from 0.9 to 100 mPa·s is prepared by aging a silicic acid solution with pH from 1.0 to 7.0 and silica concentration from 0.05 to 3.0% by weight at a temperature from 1 to 98° C. Then, a seed liquid is prepared by adding an alkali to the polymerized solution to adjust the pH from 10 to 12.5 and heating the resultant mixture solution at a temperature from 50 to 150° C. According to necessity, an alkali is added to the obtained seed liquid to adjust the pH in from 9 to 12.5. Finally, a silicic acid solution or a highly purified silicic acid solution is dropped to the seed liquid at a temperature from 20 to 98° C. continuously or intermittently for building up.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the liquid crystal display device includes a transmissive type liquid crystal display panel. A backlight unit is arranged on a back side of the liquid crystal display panel, and includes a light source portion for radiating the liquid crystal display panel with plane light. An optical sheet is arranged between the liquid crystal display panel and the back light unit. A rear bezel having a counter surface portion is arranged opposing at least a portion of a back side of the light source portion. An elastic sheet having a plurality of slits is arranged between the back side of the back light unit and the counter surface portion for elastically supporting the back light unit.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the liquid crystal display device includes a transmissive type liquid crystal display panel. A backlight unit is arranged on a back side of the liquid crystal display panel, and includes a light source portion for radiating the liquid crystal display panel with plane light. An optical sheet is arranged between the liquid crystal display panel and the back light unit. A rear bezel having a counter surface portion is arranged opposing at least a portion of a back side of the light source portion. An elastic sheet having a plurality of slits is arranged between the back side of the back light unit and the counter surface portion for elastically supporting the back light unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sol of spinous inorganic oxide particles not containing coarse particles, in which particles having extremely homogeneous particles are dispersed in a solvent. An acidic silicic acid is added to a dispersion liquid of core particles to grow core particles, and then again the acidic silicic acid is added at the addition rate 1.2 to 1.8 higher than that in the previous step to prepare a sol of spinous inorganic oxide particles. Then the sol is subjected to centrifugation to remove coarse particles having the diameter of 800 nm or more, thus spinous inorganic oxide particles having peculiar form such as a spinous one being obtained.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus includes an airbag that includes a bag body provided with an insert hole for receiving an inflator and a sealing cloth arranged to cover a peripheral area of the insert hole. The sealing cloth includes on the location corresponding to the insert hole a through hole for receiving the inflator. The sealing cloth further includes around the through hole a slit that encircles the through hole generally wholly in a circumferential direction and enables relative slip movement between a peripheral area of the through hole on the sealing cloth and the peripheral area of the insert hole on the bag body in generally radial directions about the through hole.

Abstract: A nodular silica sol has a ratio of an average particle diameter (r) measured by the dynamic light scattering method versus a particle diameter (r?) converted to that of an equivalent sphere computed from an average specific surface area measured by means of the nitrogen absorption method (r/r?, referred to as “association ratio”) in a range from 1.2 to 10, the particle diameter (r?) in a range from 5 to 200 nm, and the specific surface area in a range from 13 to 550 m2/g. The nodular silica particles have heterogeneous forms, and contents of Ca and Mg contained in the nodular silica particles are below 1000 ppm against SiO2 respectively.

Abstract: An air-bag comprising: a circumferential wall including facing wall portions which define a free inflation portion in which a distance between the facing wall portions is not controlled and a distance controlled portion in which a distance between the facing wall portions is controlled; and a tether including two edges on each of which a seam margin is provided, both seam margins has a linear stitch which joins the seam margin with the corresponding facing wall portion and controls a distance between the facing wall portions of the distance controlled portion, and at least one of the seam margins has a curved stitch which is continued from an end of the liner stitch and provided at least at one end of the seam margin. The curved stitch forms a gradually expanding portion between the free inflation portion and the distance controlled portion, which gradually expands in an outward direction perpendicular to the facing wall portions.

Abstract: Provided is a non-spherical silica sol containing non-spherical silica fine particles dispersed in a dispersion medium, the non-spherical silica fine particles having an average particle diameter in a range of 3 to 150 nm as measured by dynamic light scattering, a minor-diameter/major-diameter ratio in a range of 0.01 to 0.8, and a specific surface area in a range of 10 to 800 m2/g, and also having a plurality of wart-like projections on the surfaces thereof, and a process for producing the non-spherical silica sol. The non-spherical silica fine particles contained in the non-spherical silica sol have a unique structure different from the structure of ordinary non-spherical silica fine particles.

Abstract: A knee airbag device mounted on a steering column has an inner case in which a folded knee airbag is housed, and an outer case that is placed over the inner case. The outer case is fixed to a lower side of a vehicle-rear-side portion of a steering column that moves relative to a vehicle-front-side portion when a load equal to or greater than a threshold load is applied to the steering column in a direction of the axis of the steering column, and has a rigidity with which the shape of the folded knee airbag is maintained under normal conditions. The outer case has an opening formed in a region where the outer case would interfere with the vehicle-front-side portion when the vehicle-rear-side portion moves relative to the vehicle-front-side portion.

Abstract: Porous silica-based particles with relatively larger average diameter of 1 micron or more and a low particle density are prepared. The method includes the steps of (a) preparing two-layer separated liquid including an organic silicon compound layer and a water layer, then adding an organic solvent, an alkali, and a surfactant into the water layer while agitating at least the water layer so that the organic silicon compound layer and the water layer are not completely mixed with each other, further hydrolyzing and/or partial hydrolyzing the organic silicon compound in the mixed aqueous solution to prepare silica-based particle precursors, (b) adding sodium aluminate into the mixed aqueous solution containing the silica-based particle precursors and then preparing silica-based particles having pores, cavities or voids inside the particles, and (c) washing and drying the silica-based particles. The particles are useful for various applications such as microcapsules, adsorbents, catalysts, and so on.

Abstract: A knee airbag device mounted on a steering column has an inner case in which a folded knee airbag is housed, and an outer case that is placed over the inner case. The outer case is fixed to a lower side of a vehicle-rear-side portion of a steering column that moves relative to a vehicle-front-side portion when a load equal to or greater than a threshold load is applied to the steering column in a direction of the axis of the steering column, and has a rigidity with which the shape of the folded knee airbag is maintained under normal conditions. The outer case has an opening formed in a region where the outer case would interfere with the vehicle-front-side portion when the vehicle-rear-side portion moves relative to the vehicle-front-side portion.

Abstract: An air-bag comprising: a circumferential wall including facing wall portions which define a free inflation portion in which a distance between the facing wall portions is not controlled and a distance controlled portion in which a distance between the facing wall portions is controlled; and a tether including two edges on each of which a seam margin is provided, both seam margins has a linear stitch which joins the seam margin with the corresponding facing wall portion and controls a distance between the facing wall portions of the distance controlled portion, and at least one of the seam margins has a curved stitch which is continued from an end of the liner stitch and provided at least at one end of the seam margin. The curved stitch forms a gradually expanding portion between the free inflation portion and the distance controlled portion, which gradually expands in an outward direction perpendicular to the facing wall portions.

Abstract: A novel nodular silica sol adapted to use as a polishing material for polishing, for instance, CMP. The nodular silica sol has a ratio of an average particle diameter (r) measured by the dynamic light scattering method versus a particle diameter (r?) converted to that of an equivalent sphere computed from an average specific surface area measured by means of the nitrogen absorption method (r/r?, referred to as “association ratio”) in a range from 1.2 to 10, the particle diameter (r?) in a range from 5 to 200 nm, and the specific surface area in a range from 13 to 550 m2/g. The nodular silica particles have heterogeneous forms, and contents of Ca and Mg contained in the nodular silica particles are below 1000 ppm against SiO2 respectively.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus includes an airbag that includes a bag body provided with an insert hole for receiving an inflator and a sealing cloth arranged to cover a peripheral area of the insert hole. The sealing cloth includes on the location corresponding to the insert hole a through hole for receiving the inflator.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing porous silica-based particles with the relatively larger average diameter of 1 micron or more and also having a low particle density. The method comprises the steps of (a) preparing two-layer separated liquid consisting of an organic silicon compound layer and a water layer, then adding an organic solvent, an alkali, and a surfactant into the water layer while agitating at least the water layer so that the organic silicon compound layer and the water layer are not completely mixed with each other, further hydrolyzing and/or partial hydrolyzing the organic silicon compound in the mixed aqueous solution to prepare silica-based particle precursors, (b) adding sodium aluminate into the mixed aqueous solution containing the silica-based particle precursors and then preparing silica-based particles having pores, cavities or voids inside the particles, and (c) washing and drying the silica-based particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sol of spinous inorganic oxide particles not containing coarse particles, in which particles having extremely homogeneous particles are dispersed in a solvent. An acidic silicic acid is added to a dispersion liquid of core particles to grow core particles, and then again the acidic silicic acid is added at the addition rate 1.2 to 1.8 higher than that in the previous step to prepare a sol of spinous inorganic oxide particles. Then the sol is subjected to centrifugation to remove coarse particles having the diameter of 800 nm or more, thus spinous inorganic oxide particles having peculiar form such as a spinous one being obtained.

Abstract: The knee-protecting airbag of the present invention is folded and housed in front of knees of a seated vehicle occupant for protecting the knees, and includes an airbag body and a tether. The airbag body includes an occupant's side wall located toward the occupant upon deployment and a vehicle body side wall located toward the vehicle body. A lower part of the airbag body serves as an upstream, and an upper part of the airbag body serves as a downstream, respectively of flowing-in inflation gas. The tether has a band shape arranged along the transverse direction, and joins the walls, such that passages for gas are formed between the left and right ends of the tether and the left and right edges of the airbag in the inner circumference of the airbag body. The tether includes a gas communication hole. The gas communication hole is so dislocated from the transverse center of the airbag as to face the transverse center of the seated occupant.

Abstract: A knee-protecting airbag device is located below a steering column in front of a driver and, at a lower side of a key cylinder into which an ignition key with accessories is inserted. The airbag device includes a housing located below the steering column for housing an airbag and an airbag. The airbag is folded and housed in the housing in undeployed condition, and upon inflow of inflation gas, protrudes rearward from the housing to deploy upward to protect knees of the driver. The airbag is provided in its upper edge in completely deployed condition with a cover portion for covering vehicle's rearward of an area proximate to the key cylinder. The airbag is further provided with a flexible reinforcing cloth to be located in a part of the cover portion to contact the key accessories as the key is inserted into the key cylinder. The airbag is protected by the reinforcing cloth even if it contacts with the key accessories upon deployment.