Abstract: An apparatus for producing Ti by Ca reduction by the invention includes a reaction tank retaining a molten salt in which a molten salt CaCl2 is contained and Ca is dissolved, an electrolytic cell retaining a molten salt containing CaCl2, and a continuum body which is movably constructed while part of the continuum body is immersed in the molten salt either within the reaction tank or electrolytic cell. In the inventive method for producing Ti by Ca reduction, the molten salt in the electrolytic cell is electrolyzed to generate Ca on the cathode side which is transported to the reaction tank while deposited on and adheres to the continuum body, and TiCl4 is supplied to the reaction tank to generate Ti.

Abstract: A method for producing a metal by an electrolytic process using an yttria-containing porous ceramic body as a diaphragm is provided; the calcium formed by electrolysis cannot pass through the diaphragm, hence the back reaction can be effectively inhibited. Preferably, to be used is a diaphragm comprising a porous ceramic body having a purity of yttrium of 90 mass % or more (more preferably, 99% or more), a porosity of 1% or more and a pore diameter of 20 ?m or less, and having a thickness of 0.05-50 mm and a metal halide is used as the electrolytic bath. The method can be utilized for producing metals such as calcium or rare earth elements, in particular. For example, when the method is applied to the production of calcium, metallic calcium can be produced with ease and at low cost without the need for enormous heat energy.

Abstract: A method for production of metal by molten-salt electrolysis of the present invention is a method for production of metal by molten-salt electrolysis which is performed by filling a molten salt of calcium chloride in an electrolysis vessel having a anode and a cathode, one of the anode or cathode is arranged surrounding the other electrode, the cathode has at least one hole communicating the inner area surrounded by the cathode with the outer area, and the molten salt flows through the communicating holes from one area including the anode (the inner area or outer area) to the other area.

Abstract: A method for production of metal by molten-salt electrolysis is a method for production of metal by molten-salt electrolysis which is performed by filling molten salt of a metal chloride in an electrolysis vessel having an anode and a cathode, and a molten salt which reduces solubility of the metal in the molten salt is used.

Abstract: A mixed molten salt containing CaCl2 and NaCl is held in the reactor cell 1 at a temperature not more than 600° C. TiCl4 which is of a Ti raw material is introduced into the reactor cell 1 while Na is introduced into the reactor cell 1. Na introduced into the reactor cell 1 is replaced by Ca, Ca is dissolved in the molten salt, Ca reduces TiCl4 introduced into the reactor cell 1, and thereby Ti particles are generated. The generated Ti particles are introduced to a separation cell 2 along with the molten salt, and the Ti particles and Na are separated from the molten salt. The residual molten salt is introduced to an electrolytic cell 3 to generate Na by high-temperature electrolysis at the temperature more than 600° C. The generated Na is returned to the reactor cell 1 to replenish Na consumed in the reactor cell 1. The highly reactive Ca is not directly handled, and Na which is easy to handle is used in a circulating manner. Therefore, the Ti or Ti alloy can economically be produced by Ca reduction.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for producing Ti or a Ti alloy through reduction of TiCl4 by Ca, which can produce the high-purity metallic Ti or high-purity Ti alloy. A molten salt containing CaCl2 and having Ca dissolved therein is held in a reactor vessel, and a metallic chloride containing TiCl4 is reacted with Ca in the molten salt to generate Ti particles or Ti alloy particles in a molten CaCl2 solution, which allows enhancement of a feed rate of TiCl4 which is of a raw material of Ti, and also allows a continuous operation. Therefore, the high-purity metallic Ti or the high-purity Ti alloy can economically be produced with high efficiency. Further, the method by the present invention eliminates the need of replenishment of expensive metallic Ca and of the operation for separately handling Ca which is highly reactive and difficult to handle.

Abstract: The invention is a method for producing Ti or Ti alloys through reduction of TiCl4 by Ca, which can produce high-purity Ti metals or Ti alloys. A molten salt containing CaCl2 and having Ca dissolved therein is held in a reactor cell, electrolysis is performed in the molten salt in the reactor cell, and particulate Ti or Ti alloys are generated in the molten salt by supplying a metallic chloride containing TiCl4 to the molten salt so as to react with Ca generated on a cathode electrode side by the electrolysis, allowing enhancement of a feed rate of TiCl4 as a raw material of Ti, and also a continuous operation. Further, the method by the invention eliminates the need of the separate handling of Ca, because a reducing reaction and an electrolytic reaction can simultaneously proceed in the reactor cell to replenish Ca, consumed in the reducing reaction, by the electrolytic reaction.

Abstract: The method by the invention in which a molten salt is held in a reactor cell 1 to perform electrolysis in the molten salt of the reactor cell, the molten salt containing CaCl2 while Ca being dissolved in the molten salt, and Ti or Ti alloys are generated in the molten salt by supplying a metallic chloride containing TiCl4 into the molten salt such that the metallic chloride containing TiCl4 is caused to react with Ca generated on a cathode electrode side by the electrolysis, makes it possible to produce the high-purity Ti metals or Ti alloy. Furthermore, the reactor cell 1 includes a membrane 4 which partitions an inside of the reactor cell into a side of an anode electrode 2 and a side of a cathode electrode 3, and the membrane 4 blocks the movement of Ca generated on the cathode electrode side in the reactor cell toward the anode electrode side while permitting the molten salt to flow in the reactor cell, which allows a back reaction by Ca to be effectively suppressed.

Abstract: A method for producing Ti or Ti alloys through reduction by Ca, including: a reduction step of holding a molten salt, containing CaCl2 and having Ca dissolved therein, in a reactor vessel 1, and reacting a metallic chloride containing TiCl4 with Ca in said salt to generate particles of Ti or Ti alloys in said salt; and a separation step of separating particles of Ti or Ti alloys, generated in said salt, from said salt. An electrolysis step 8, in which CaCl2 discharged outside the reactor vessel 1 is electrolyzed into Ca and Cl2, and the generated Ca is used for the generation reaction of Ti or Ti alloys in the reactor vessel 1, is preferably added. In the electrolysis step 8, an alloy electrode made of a molten Ca alloy, if applied for a cathode, is effective in enhancing the electricity efficiency, and also can be effectively utilized as a carrier medium of Ca for raising a Ca concentration of molten salt. By this method, high-purity Ti metals can be efficiently and economically produced.

Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly 5 including: a base member 6; a movable member 7 inversely rotatably attached to the base member 6 and having one surface formed with a suction opening 20; and a covering member 8 movably attached to the base member 6. Holding members 22 for holding a cleaning sheet 21 are formed on the other surface of the movable member 7. When the one surface of the movable member 7 faces a floor surface and the other surface thereof is covered by the covering member 8, the electric vacuum cleaner can pick up filth through the suction opening 20. When the movable member 7 is rotated inversely so that the cleaning sheet 21 faces the floor surface, the electric vacuum cleaner can catch the filth by the cleaning sheet 21 and pick up the relatively large filth via a communicating path 34 formed in between the movable member 7 and the covering member 8, and the suction opening 20 connected to the communicating path 34.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a metal by a direct oxide reduction process with Ca. A CaCl2-based molten salt containing Ca is held in a reduction chamber 1, a metal oxide is introduced into the molten salt in the reduction chamber 1, and the metal oxide is reduced with the Ca in the molten salt to form said metal. The metal formed in the molten salt is separated from the molten salt in a separation means 2, and the molten salt deprived of the metal is introduced into a chlorination chamber 7 and subjected to chlorination treatment with chlorine gas to eliminate the byproduct CaO in the molten salt. The molten salt after chlorination treatment is introduced into an electrolysis chamber 8 and electrolyzed for the formation of Ca and chlorine from CaCl2, and the thus-formed Ca or Ca-containing molten salt is transferred from the electrolysis chamber 8 to the reduction chamber 1. The chlorine obtained in the electrolysis chamber 8 is used in the chlorination chamber 7.

Abstract: A porous sintered compact of titanium oxide of the present invention is characterized in that it has a porosity of 20 to 65% and a hardness of 60 (HV) or higher, or characterized in that it has a porosity of 20 to 65%, a specific surface area of 0.1 to 5.0 m2/cm3, a volume ratio of pores with 0.3 to 100 ?m diameter to be 10% or higher to the total pore volume and a hardness of 60 (HV) or higher. Using this porous sintered compact as an electrolytic raw material in the method in which titanium oxide is reduced by electrolysis with an electrolyte composed of a molten salt enables efficiently obtaining metallic titanium. The electrolytic process using a molten salt is attracting attention as a process capable of directly obtaining metallic titanium from titanium oxide with lower cost than in conventional processes, and the employment of the above porous sintered compact would promote its realization remarkably.

Abstract: Semiconductor elements are formed in a wafer. At the upper layer of the wafer, a multilayer film including a low-relative-permittivity insulating film is formed. Thereafter, on a dicing line of the multilayer film, a metal layer functioning as at least an alignment mark and a test pad is formed. Next, laser is irradiated onto a region covering the alignment mark and test pad on the dicing line. Then, mechanical dicing is performed on at least one of the alignment mark and test pad on the dicing line in such a manner that the dicing is narrower in width than the laser-irradiated region, thereby segmenting the semiconductor wafer, which forms semiconductor chips.

Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly 5 including: a base member 6; a movable member 7 inversely rotatably attached to the base member 6 and having one surface formed with a suction opening 20; and a covering member 8 movably attached to the base member 6. Holding members 22 for holding a cleaning sheet 21 are formed on the other surface of the movable member 7. When the one surface of the movable member 7 faces a floor surface and the other surface thereof is covered by the covering member 8, the electric vacuum cleaner can pick up filths through the suction opening 20. When the movable member 7 is rotated inversely so that the cleaning sheet 21 faces the floor surface, the electric vacuum cleaner can catch the filth by the cleaning sheet 21 and pick up the relatively large filth via a communicating path 34 formed in between the movable member 7 and the covering member 8, and the suction opening 20 connected to the communicating path 34.

Abstract: A switch attachment structure for an electric appliance which is simple but is able to provide good assembling efficiency. A first outer shell (2a) which constructs a part of a main body or pillar (2) of the electric appliance is provided in a bottom with an attachment frame (8). The attachment frame (8) includes a through-hole (7) for attaching a tip-over switch (3) thereto and a cutout (9) formed in a part of the attachment frame (8). The cutout (9) has a width at least as large as the thickness of a lead wire (10), thus providing the communication of the through-hole (7) with the outside of the attachment frame (8). When combining the first outer shell (2a) and a second outer shell (2b) together, the cutout (9) is filled by the second outer shell (2b).

Abstract: A lighting apparatus which enables a shade to be easily attached, detached and rotated with a simple structure and an enhanced degree of freedom in design. Grooves 9,10 defining arc-shaped portions 15,16, respectively, are formed around an axis of a head 4, to which is mounted a fluorescent light bulb 7. A shade 8 which is formed with protrusions 17, 18 opposite to the grooves 9, 10 is mounted to the head 4 so as to cover the fluorescent light bulb 7. By pressing the protrusions 17, 18 of the shade 8 into the grooves 9, 10 of the head 4, the shade 8 can be very easily mounted to the head 4. By lifting up the shade 8 from the head 4, the shade 8 can be very easily removed from the head 4. In addition, the shade 8 can be rotated by allowing the protrusions 17, 18 formed on the shade 8 to slide along the arc-shaped portions 15, 16. As such shade 8 allows a simple integral structure, degree of freedom in designing a lighting apparatus can be enhanced.

Abstract: A switch attachment structure for an electric appliance which is simple but is able to provide good assembling efficiency. A first outer shell 2a which constructs a part of a main body or pillar 2 of the electric appliance is provided in a bottom with an attachment frame 8. The attachment frame 8 includes a through-hole 7 for attaching a tip-over switch 3 thereto and a cutout 9 formed in a part of the attachment frame 8. The cutout 9 has a width at least as large as the thickness of a lead wire 10, thus providing the communication of the through-hole 7 with the outside of the attachment frame 8. When combining the first outer shell 2a and a second outer shell 2b together, the cutout 9 is filled by the second outer shell 2b.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus which enables a shade to be easily attached, detached and rotated with a simple structure and an enhanced degree of freedom in design. Grooves 9,10 defining arc-shaped portions 15,16, respectively, are formed around an axis of a head 4, to which is mounted a fluorescent light bulb 7. A shade 8 which is formed with protrusions 17, 18 opposite to the grooves 9, 10 is mounted to the head 4 so as to cover the fluorescent light bulb 7. By pressing the protrusions 17, 18 of the shade 8 into the grooves 9, 10 of the head 4, the shade 8 can be very easily mounted to the head 4. By lifting up the shade 8 from the head 4, the shade 8 can be very easily removed from the head 4. In addition, the shade 8 can be rotated by allowing the protrusions 17, 18 formed on the shade 8 to slide along the arc-shaped portions 15, 16. As such shade 8 allows a simple integral structure, degree of freedom in designing a lighting apparatus can be enhanced.

Abstract: A galvannealed steel sheet having excellent powdering resistance during press forming and excellent chipping resistance in cold environments. The steel sheet has the following chemical composition, by weight, of C: up to 0.01%, Si: 0.03 to 0.3%, Mn: 0.05 to 2%, P: 0.017 to 0.15%, Al: 0.005 to 0.1%, Ti: 0.005 to 0.1%, Nb: up to 0.1 %, B: up to 0.005%, balance: Fe and incidental impurities. The average grain size of the surface of the base metal of the galvannealed steel sheet is 12 .mu.m or less and the steel sheet is useful in the manufacture of automobiles.

Abstract: A galvannealed steel sheet suited for use in automobiles, and a manufacturing method thereof. The steel sheet has tensile strength of 340 MPa or higher and paint bake hardenability of 10 MPa or higher, and excellent resistance to powdering when press formed, and excellent resistance to chipping in cold regions. The base metal of the galvannealed steel sheet consists essentially of C: 0.004-0.008%, Si: 2.5.times.P (%)-0.20%, Mn: 0.10-0.40%, P: 0.017-0.045%, sol. Al: 0.003-0.08%, Ti: 0.002-0.015%, Nb: 0.010-0.030 %, wherein Ti (%)+Nb (%): 0.012-0.035%. A steel sheet of the chemical composition described above is hot-dip galvanized, heated up to a Fe--Zn alloying temperature at a heating velocity of 20.degree. C./sec or higher, and upon completion of the Fe--Zn alloying process, cooled down from the Fe--Zn alloying temperature at a cooling velocity of 10.degree. C./sec or higher.