Abstract: An invisible symbol reading apparatus includes a heating unit for heating an invisible symbol formed on a sample and containing a material which emits infrared light when heated, a detecting unit for detecting infrared light emitted from the invisible symbol, and an arithmetic operation unit for binarizing a detection signal from the detecting unit. The arithmetic operation unit calculates a differential coefficient of the detection signal, that corresponds to a position on the sample. On the basis of upper and lower threshold values set for the differential coefficient, the arithmetic operation unit determines a maximum value of the differential coefficient in a region exceeding the upper threshold value and a minimum value of the differential coefficient in a region smaller than the lower threshold value. The arithmetic operation unit binarizes the detection signal by using the maximum or minimum value as a leading or trailing edge of a binary function.

Abstract: A sheet for protecting a paint film is disclosed, which does not cause deterioration or discoloration the paint film even when the sheet is adhered to protect the paint film under the condition containing water or water vapor over a long period of time and thus can maintain the adhered state without peeled off the sheet. The sheet for protecting a paint film comprises a multi-layer substrate comprising a water or water vapor barrier layer as a surface layer and a water or water vapor-permeable layer as a back, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on the water or water vapor-permeable layer.

Abstract: Impurities mixed in the liquid crystal device are detected by a method comprising the steps of applying a DC electric field to a liquid crystal device having a liquid crystal layer between a pair of electrodes, and irradiating the liquid crystal device with light within a specific wavelength, while an AC pulsed electric field is being applied to the liquid A crystal device after the DC electric field is removed to obtain a field response curve corresponding to time-dependent change of light intensity during a cycle of the AC pulsed electric field by time-resolved measurement of light passed through the liquid crystal layer, wherein the impurities are detected on the basis of specific quantitative change in the electric field response curve as a function of elapsed time after the DC electric field is removed.

Abstract: A sheet for protecting paint film comprising a support having formed thereon a rubber adhesive layer comprising an isobutylene polymer having a degree of dispersion of from 1 to 2.3 and a weight average molecular weight of 300,000 to 600,000 (the domain A in the FIGURE) as the base polymer.The paint film protecting sheet has the compatibility of the prevention of the occurrence of a microdeformation and a good peelability. That is, when an article such as automobiles having a paint film applied with the protecting sheet is placed outdoors for a long period of time at high temperature, the paint film is hard to deform and the sheet can be easily peeled even after adhering for a long period of time.

Abstract: In the master cylinder of the present invention, a cylindrical portion of a grommet seal includes at least two outer sealing projections on an outer circumferential surface thereof, an inner sealing projection on an inner circumferential surface thereof at a position corresponding to a recess between the outer sealing projections, and an abutting portion adapted to abut against a positioning stepped portion provided in a supply fitting of a reservoir. When the supply fitting is inserted into the grommet seal fitted in a boss of a cylinder body, deformation of the inner sealing projection is relieved by a cavity constituted by the recess between the outer sealing projections. When a hydraulic pressure is applied to the cylindrical portion of the grommet seal, because the abutting portion of the grommet seal abuts against the positioning stepped portion of the supply fitting of the reservoir, the cylindrical portion is axially compressed, so that sealability of the sealing projections can be improved.

Abstract: A sheet for protecting paint films of automobiles for adhering to the incompletely cured paint films of automobiles comprising two pack urethane paint, the sheet comprising a support and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed thereon, wherein the sheet has a Young's modulus E of at least 75 N/mm.sup.2 and a coefficient of flexural stress k represented by the formula k=Eh.sup.3 wherein h is a thickness of the support, of 0.035 or less. The protective sheet can uniformly protect the paint films and easily be peeled and removed therefrom without causing environmental problems and adhesive remaining of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. Even when the sheet is adhered to incompletely cured paint films of automobiles and they are allowed to stand for a long period of time under an outside high temperature in summer, the sheet does not cause the deformation of the paint film and the microdeformations by the deformation of the paint film at the edge portion of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.

Abstract: A decolorizable image forming material comprising a color former, a developer and a decolorizer, the decolorizer comprising a highly amorphous phase separation inhibitor and a slightly amorphous phase separation inhibitor. A cyclic sugar alcohol is used as the highly amorphous phase separation inhibitor, and a non-aromatic cyclic compound having five-membered or larger ring substituted by a hydroxyl group or a derivative of a cyclic sugar alcohol is used as the slightly amorphous phase separation inhibitor. The decolorizable image forming material can be decolored easily after image formation by a solvent and the decolored state of which can be maintained stably, thereby making it possible to reuse paper sheets.

Abstract: A method of reading a pattern including steps of heating or irradiating with infrared light a substrate on which a transparent pattern is formed, the pattern containing a material capable of absorbing infrared light of specific wavelength such as polyacrylonitrile, and detecting infrared light which is radiated or reflected from the pattern.

Abstract: Decolorizable ink consisting of an ink composition dispersed in a solvent, the ink composition comprising a color former, a developer and a decolorizer, wherein the color former and developer are in a colored state by interaction between them and the decolorizer has a property to dissolve preferentially the developer when the ink composition is melted.

Abstract: A dual function brake fluid control apparatus is presented for performing antiskid operation as well as another control operation involving control of the fluid pressure when the apparatus is not performing an antiskid operation. The apparatus is provided with a pressure relief valve having a valve body and a piston. The relief valve is forced closed by a biasing spring acting on a valve body, and when in the open state relieves the discharge pressure of a pump to the intake side of the pump. The piston closes the relief valve when the fluid pressure from the master cylinder exceeds a specific value. This configuration allows setting the discharge fluid pressure of the pump to apply fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders for non-antiskid control operations higher than that for the antiskid control operation.

Abstract: A silicon thin film is formed by coating on a substrate a solution of polysilane represented by the general formula --(SiR.sup.1.sub.2).sub.n --, where R.sup.1 substituents are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl group having two or more carbon atoms and a .beta.-hydrogen, a phenyl group and a silyl group, and thermally decomposing the polysilane to deposit silicon.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises two substrates opposed to each other, a comb-shaped wall electrode formed to correspond to each pixel of an array defined by vertical and horizontal wires formed on the substrate, the comb-shaped wall electrode having a plurality of elemental electrodes, major surfaces of each of the elemental electrodes being substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of the two substrates, and the major surfaces of adjacent ones of the elemental electrodes constituting counter electrodes to each other, and a liquid crystal filled in a gap of the comb-shaped wall electrode provided between the two substrates.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device evaluation method including the steps of irradiating infrared a liquid crystal device with light while applying an electric field to the liquid crystal device, and obtaining a field response curve corresponding to a change in infrared light intensity with time by measuring time-profile of infrared light intensity having passed through the liquid crystal layer, wherein an impurity mixed in the liquid crystal device is detected on the basis of the slope of the field response curve which is obtained, when pulsed electric fields having different polarities are applied to the liquid crystal device, within a time corresponding to the pulse width of each pulsed electric field. An apparatus for realizing the evaluation method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A paint film-protective sheet comprising a supporting substrate having formed thereon a rubber-based pressure-sensitive layer comprising a rubber-based polymer having a low polarity and which does not contain unsaturated bonds or contains a small amount of unsaturated bonds, and a high-polar additive. The paint film-protective sheet can adhere even to a paint film which is liable to cause a poor adhesion by bleeding, etc., without need of applying a cleaning treatment, can maintain the good adhered state over a long period of time, and can be easily peeled cleanly even after adhering for a long period of time.

Abstract: A liquid developer for electrostatic photography comprising resin grains dispersed in a non-aqueous solvent having a volume specific resistivity of at least 10.sup.9 .OMEGA.cm, wherein the resin grains are obtained by polymerizing (a) at least one monomer selected from benzyl methacrylate, benzyl acrylate, styrene and a styrene derivative, and (b) at least one monomer selected from acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters having an alkyl group having not more than 3 carbon atoms which are soluble in the non-aqueous solvent but become insoluble therein by being polymerized, in the presence of a dispersion stabilizing resin which mainly comprises a graft copolymer composed of at least one macromonomer (M) containing a polymer component represented by the general formula (Ia) or (Ib) defined herein.The liquid developer is excellent in dispersion stability, and toner images having resist with high resistivity to etching solutions can be formed in electrostatic photography.

Abstract: Apparatus for achieving contact-less linking between a transmitting unit and a receiving unit when transmitting video signal, audio signal, control signal, or digital data therebetween. The apparatus includes a switch circuit which switches the output signal of a light emitting integrated circuit to a first set of light guides for spatial transmission of an optical signal representing the video, audio and control signals and digital data and to a second set of light guides for near-by transmission of the optical signal.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device including two substrates each having a liquid crystal orienting film formed on each opposing surface, and a liquid crystal sealed between these substrates, wherein a liquid crystal orienting film formed on the surface of at least one of the two substrates is constituted by a polyamino acid film having a rigid structure and a dipole moment that is bound to the surface of the substrate through a layer of surface treating agent.

Abstract: A liquid developer for electrostatic photography comprising resin grains dispersed in a non-aqueous solvent having a volume specific resistivity of at least 10.sup.9 .OMEGA.cm, wherein the resin grains are obtained by polymerizing (a) at least one monomer selected from methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate soluble in said non-aqueous solvent and (b) at least one monomer selected from acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters having an alkyl group having not more than 4 carbon atoms which are soluble in the non-aqueous solvent but become insoluble therein by being polymerized, in the presence of a dispersion stabilizing resin which is dissolved or dispersed in a colloidal form in the non-aqueous solvent and which mainly comprises a graft copolymer composed of(1) at least one macromonomer (M) having a weight-average molecular weight of 1.times.10.sup.3 to 1.times.10.sup.

Abstract: A brake fluid pressure control apparatus includes a second pump communicating port disposed to face a first pump communicating port approximately perpendicularly to the direction of movement of a spool. The first and second pump communicating ports are connected to a master cylinder, and a check valve is provided between the master cylinder and the first and second pump communicating ports. The check valve is adapted to open when the master cylinder-side brake fluid pressure becomes a predetermined value higher than the pump discharge-side brake fluid pressure. A master cylinder communicating port is provided to extend along the direction of movement of the spool. A cut-off valve is provided between the master cylinder communicating port and the master cylinder. The cut-off valve is closed when the spool is moved to provide communication between the pump communicating ports and a wheel cylinder communicating port.

Abstract: A water-soluble or water-dispersible pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising a sulfonate-containing copolymer obtained from 20 to 99% by weight of an alkoxyethyl acrylate, 1 to 30% by weight of a styrenesulfonic acid salt, and up to 50% by weight of a monomer mixture of acrylic acid-caprolactone adducts. The composition exhibits excellent pressure-sensitive adhesion while showing satisfactory water solubility or dispersibility even in an acidic aqueous solution.