Abstract: An anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing a phenyl triester compound of the formula (1), wherein R1 is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, m is an integer of 0 to 3, n is an integer of 1 to 3, and X1 is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, and an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound of the formula (2),  wherein R2 is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, X2 is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, A is —CH3 or —CF3, r is 0 or 1 and C* is an asymmetric carbon, provided that when A is —CH3, r is 0 and p is an integer of 4 to 10, that when A is —CF3 and when r is 0, p is an integer of 6 to 8, and further than when A is —CF3 and when r is 1, q is an integer of 5 to 8 and p is 2 or 4.

Abstract: A novel ferrielectric liquid crystal compound of the formula (1), wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, X is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, m is an integer of 1 to 3, n is an integer of 1 to 3, and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom. The ferrielectric liquid crystal compound of the invention characteristically has a ferrielectric phase in a broad temperature range and shows a high speed optical response in spite of a small spontaneous polarization.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ferrielectric liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1), wherein R is a linear alkyl group having of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, X is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, m is an integer of 1 to 3, n is an integer of 1 to 3, and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom. The ferrielectric liquid crystal compound of the present invention has a ferrielectric phase in a broad temperature range and shows a high speed response in spite of a small spontaneous polarization, and accordingly, it is very useful as a practical raw material for liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: An antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell having a high-speed response and wide viewing angle characteristic free of an image sticking phenomenon is provided. This antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell is composed of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal material held between a pair of parallel substrates. The antiferroelectric liquid crystal material filled between the parallel substrates has such a characteristic that when a sinusoidal voltage value with a changing reference frequency is applied to the antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell, the imaginary part of the complex dielectric constant obtained by Fourier transform of the output voltage value output from the antiferroelectric liquid crystal cell has no local maximum value within the reference frequency range of 100 Hz to 5 kHz.

Abstract: A novel anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds of the formula (1), ##STR1## wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, X is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, m is an integer of 1 to 3, n is an integer of 1 or 2, and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom.The above anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds have an anti-ferroelectric phase in a broad temperature range, so that they can be advantageously used as a main component for a liquid crystal material for practical use or as a component for a liquid crystal composition.

Abstract: A ferrielectric liquid crystal compound of the general formula (1), ##STR1## wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, either each of X and Y is a hydrogen atom or one of X and Y is a hydrogen atom and the other is a fluorine atom, m is an integer of 1 to 2, n is 1 and C* is an asymmetric carbon. The above liquid crystal compound shows a ferrielectric phase in a wide temperature range and exhibits a fast response in spite of its small spontaneous polarization, and it is therefore remarkably useful for an active-matrix liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A process for the production of R-configuration or S-configuration optically active alcohol having the formula (1),CH.sub.3 C*H(OH)(CH.sub.2).sub.m OC.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 (1)wherein m is an integer of 3 to 5, n is an integer of 1 to 3, and C* is an asymmetric carbon,and the formula (2), which comprises carrying out the optical resolution of the racemic alcohol,CH.sub.3 CH(OH)(CH.sub.2).sub.m OC.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 (2)wherein m is an integer of 3 to 5 and n is an integer of 1 to 3,into an R-configuration compound and S-configuration compound by the asymmetric trans-esterification thereof is provided in the presence of vinyl propionate as an esterifying agent and a lipase as a catalyst.

Abstract: A process for purifying an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal or a ferrielectric liquid crystal, which comprises the following steps 1 to 4,step 1: preparing a liquid crystal solution of an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal or a ferrielectric liquid crystal to be purified in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent,step 2; bringing the liquid crystal solution into contact with at least one adsorbent selected from the group consisting of zeolite, alumina and silica gel to separate the liquid crystal solution from the adsorbent,step 3; precision-filtering the resultant liquid crystal solution, andstep 4; removing the solvent from an obtained filtrate and recovering a purified liquid crystal,according to which process, there can be easily obtained a high-purity liquid crystal which shows a specific resistance value of at least 5.times.10.sup.12 .OMEGA..multidot.cm and a small thermal decomposition ratio, and which is therefore suitable as a raw material for a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A mold for shaping a skin sheet has a three-dimensional body including a top surface and side surfaces that work as a shaping surface, respectively. The top surface and the side surfaces have a plurality of small holes communicating with a suction unit for drawing the skin sheet thereon by suction force generated by the suction unit. Each of the side surfaces has a product portion and a non-product portion parted at a trimming line, the portions corresponding to those of the skin sheet that are used as a product and not used as the product, respectively. The body has a plurality of guidance plates, each projecting outside at an edge line of the body. An upper edge of each of the guidance plates forms a ridge line in a shape of a wave. The ridge line descends from a position in the vicinity of an intersection point of the edge line and the trimming line to a direction of the bottom of the body so as to form a valley and thereafter ascends to an opposite direction so as to form a mountain.

Abstract: A two-rings-containing phenyl ester compound of the following general formula (1), ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a linear alkyl group having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is a linear alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are both hydrogen atoms or one of X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 is a fluorine atom and the other is a hydrogen atom, Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 are both hydrogen atoms or one of Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 is a fluorine atom and the other is a hydrogen atom, and A.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, --CH.sub.3 or --CF.sub.3, provided that when A.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or --CH.sub.3, p is 0 and that when A.sup.1 is --CF.sub.3, p is 1 and q is an integer of 5 to 8, and an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing at least one of two-rings-containing phenyl ester compounds of the above general formula (1) in claim 1 and either an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound or a mixture of anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, X and Y are both a hydrogen atom, or one of them is a hydrogen atom and the other is a fluorine atom, m is an integer of 0 to 5, n is an integer of 1 to 5, and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom. Since the liquid crystal compounds of the present invention have an anti-ferroelectric phase or a ferrielectric phase and the anti-ferroelectric phase or a ferrielectric phase has a highly practical phase sequence and wide temperature range, they are of great industrial value.

Abstract: Provided are an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition consisting essentially of (a) a swallow-tailed compound of the formula (1), (b) an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound of the formula (2), and (c) a phenyl ester compound of the formula (3), and a liquid crystal display device using the composition, ##STR1## The above anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition has an anti-ferroelectric phase in a broad temperature range, has a high response time I in the transition from an anti-ferroelectric state to a ferroelectric state and a proper response time II in the transition from a ferroelectric state to an anti-ferroelectric state, and can therefore provide an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal display device having high display quality.

Abstract: A racemic compound of the formula (1) ##STR1## and an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition consisting essentially of said racemic compound and one anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound of the formula (2) or a mixture of two or more compounds selected from anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds of the formula (2), ##STR2## said composition having excellent steepness of threshold, having an anti-ferroelectric phase over a broad temperature range and having the performance of a high response speed and a high contrast.

Abstract: A racemic compound of the formula (1) ##STR1## and an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition consisting essentially of said racemic compound and one anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound of the formula (2) or a mixture of two or more compounds selected from anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds of the formula (2), ##STR2## said composition of the present invention, exhibiting a small spontaneous polarization and a fast response so that a display device having a high display quality can be achieved.

Abstract: A swallow-tail-shaped liquid crystal compound of the following general formula (1), ##STR1## wherein A is --O--, --COO-- or a single bond (--), m is an integer of 4 to 12, and n is an integer of 2 to 4.The above swallow-tail-shaped liquid crystal compound of the present invention is a novel achiral anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal and can be converted to an optically active anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal by mixing it with an optically active compound as a chiral dopant.

Abstract: A ferrielectric liquid crystal compound of the following general formula (1), ##STR1## wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms; X is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom; m and n are the same or different from each other, each being an integer of 1 to 3; and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom,the ferrielectric liquid crystal compound being remarkably valuable as a raw material for a liquid crystal display device since it shows a ferrielectric phase in a broad temperature range and shows a high-speed response in spite of its small spontaneous polarization.

Abstract: Novel anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds of the formula (1), ##STR1## wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, X is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, n is an integer of 2 to 7, p is an integer of 0 to 2 and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom. The above anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds have an anti-ferroelectric phase in a broad temperature range and have a low melting point, so that they can be advantageously used as a main component for a practically valuable liquid crystal material or as a component for a liquid crystal composition.

Abstract: A racemic compound of the formula (1) ##STR1## and an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal composition consisting essentially of said racemic compound and one anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compound of the formula (2) or a mixture of two or more compounds selected from anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds of the formula (2), ##STR2## said composition having excellent steepness of threshold, having an anti-ferroelectric phase in a broad temperature range and having the performance of a high response speed and a high contrast.

Abstract: A swallow-tailed compound of the following general formula (1), ##STR1## wherein m is an integer of 4 to 10, n is an integer of 2 to 6, p is 0 or 1 and each of X and Y is independently a hydrogen or fluorine atom; and a ferrielectric liquid crystal composition consisting essentially of the swallow-tailed compound of the general formula (1) and a ferrielectric liquid crystal compound of the following general formula (2), ##STR2## wherein R is a linear alkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, Z is a hydrogen or fluorine atom, r is an integer of 2 to 4 and s is an integer of 2 to 4. The ferrielectric liquid crystal composition has a ferrielectric phase in a broad temperature range and attains a fast response and a large tilt angle in a broad temperature range so that a ferrielectric liquid crystal display device having high display qualities can be provided.

Abstract: A powdered slush molding device has debris capturing devices in its reservoir. A resin material is passed back and forth through openings between the reservoir and the mold by rotating the apparatus back and forth until a film of desired thickness is formed on the mold. The capturing devices capture the debris formed during a molding process. Unwanted debris are then removed from the capturing devices either while the capturing devices remain within the reservoir or by removing them and removing the debris outside the reservoir.