Abstract: The known electrolytic plating method is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to form thin pillars without being influenced by undercuts. The electroless plating method is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to form pillars in the same shape without voids. As a solution to these, the electrically conductive paste according to the present invention for forming pillars is used to make pillars by filling. This helps prevent undercuts, and it is also intended to provide metal pillars in the same shape with good reproducibility. The inventors found that an electrically conductive paste that is very small fine metal particles and contains a particular percentage of fine metal particles is extraordinarily advantageous in forming pillars.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a catalyst for electroless plating composed of a complex of a compound (X) and metal nanoparticles (Y), wherein the compound (X) is produced by polymerizing a monomer mixture (I) containing a (meth)acrylic acid-based monomer having at least one anionic functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a phosphoric acid group, a phosphorous acid group, a sulfonic acid group, a sulfinic acid group and a sulfenic acid group, and also provides a metal film produced using the catalyst, and a method for producing a metal film using the catalyst.

Abstract: Provided are a composite of nanoparticles of a metal such as gold, silver, a platinum metal, or copper, and a polymer, the composite allowing formation of a metal film having a sufficiently low resistivity in terms of practicality simply by drying at room temperature without requiring any special heating-baking step or any step of removing a protective agent with a solvent; a dispersion liquid of the composite; methods for producing the foregoing; and a plastic substrate formed from the dispersion liquid. The composite comprises a (meth)acrylic-based copolymer having, as side chains, a polyethylene glycol chain and a phosphate residue represented by —OP(O)(OH)2 and having, at at least one end of the molecular chain, —SR (where R represents an alkyl group or the like).

Abstract: Provided are a composite of nanoparticles of a metal such as gold, silver, a platinum metal, or copper, and a polymer, the composite allowing formation of a metal film having a sufficiently low resistivity in terms of practicality simply by drying at room temperature without requiring any special heating-baking step or any step of removing a protective agent with a solvent; a dispersion liquid of the composite; methods for producing the foregoing; and a plastic substrate formed from the dispersion liquid. When a dispersion liquid of a metal-nanoparticle-containing composite that is prepared by reducing metal ions in an aqueous medium in the presence of a (meth)acrylic-based copolymer having, as side chains, a polyethylene glycol chain and a phosphate residue represented by —OP(O)(OH)2 and having, at at least one end of the molecular chain, —SR (where R represents an alkyl group or the like), is applied to a base material and is then just dried at room temperature, a film having conductivity is formed.

Abstract: A breaking mechanism includes a latch receiver engaging a latch to allow a movable contact shoe to be closed, and a tripping device for rotationally driving the latch receiver to disengage the latch to open the movable contact shoe. An engaging surface of the latch engaging the latch receiver is formed as a projecting circular surface, whereas an engaging surface of the latch receiver engaging the projecting circular surface is formed as a recessed circular surface having a radius of curvature greater than that of the projecting circular surface. The center of the curvature of the recessed circular surface coincides with the axis of a support shaft supporting the latch receiver. The loads causing a tripping device to drive the latch receiver do not change even if the location of an engaging point is changed.

Abstract: A breaking mechanism includes a latch receiver engaging a latch to allow a movable contact shoe to be closed, and a tripping device for rotationally driving the latch receiver to disengage the latch to open the movable contact shoe. An engaging surface of the latch engaging the latch receiver is formed as a projecting circular surface, whereas an engaging surface of the latch receiver engaging the projecting circular surface is formed as a recessed circular surface having a radius of curvature greater than that of the projecting circular surface. The center of the curvature of the recessed circular surface coincides with the axis of a support shaft supporting the latch receiver. The loads causing a tripping device to drive the latch receiver do not change even if the location of an engaging point is changed.

Abstract: In a base station of a wireless telecommunications system for communicating with mobile terminals, a radiowave is received on a transmission channel and compared in field intensity with a threshold value. The threshold value is considered to be received while unused, in view of the receiver characteristics of the base station, and the base station selects a channel with the field intensity below the threshold value as an idle channel to form an idle channel list. To communicate with a mobile terminal, a channel is selected at random among the channels listed in the idle channel list. This makes it possible to reduce the probability that the same channel as that of a contiguous base station, will be selected and enables the channel selection to be achieved quickly and positively in the base station of the wireless telecommunications system sharing transmission channels of the same frequency band as that of contiguous base stations.

Abstract: An inversion spring unit for a thermal overload relay and method for making the same, comprising a support member, a spring plate having a first end, a second end, an elongated central axis, and first and second side portions disposed on opposite sides of the central axis, the side protions being bent towards each other at the first end and attached at the first end to the support member for causing the second end of the spring plate to curve in a first direction away from the central axis, and a lug disposed intermediate the first and second ends for selective engagement with a drive portion to cause the second end of the spring plate to curve in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: An inversion spring unit for a thermal overload relay and method for making the same, comprising a support member, a spring plate having a first end, a second end, an elongated central axis, and first and second side portions disposed on opposite sides of the central axis, the side portions being bent towards each other at the first end and attached at the first end to the support member for causing the second end of the spring plate to curve in a first direction away from the central axis, and a lug disposed intermediate the first and second ends for selective engagement with a drive portion to cause the second end of the spring plate to curve in a second direction opposite the first direction.