Abstract: The air valve includes a valve body for controlling operations to open and close the communication between an air pressure chamber and an air outlet, a piezoelectric element for generating driving force in the form of displacements, and a displacement enlarging mechanism for enlarging the small displacements generated by the piezoelectric element by the principle of a pry and applying the enlarged displacements to the valve body. The enlarged displacements cause a large and sufficient gap to be developed between the air pressure chamber and the air outlet when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element. When the applying of voltage to the piezoelectric element is stopped, the resetting force of the piezoelectric element itself causes the gap to be closed quickly.

Abstract: A color sorting apparatus capable of displaying images of granules picked up by a CCD sensor on a panel and performing sensibility control of defective granules while observing the displayed images is provided. The color sorting apparatus comprises a contour processor for outputting contour binary data from the picked-up images and a contour threshold, a first defective determination circuit for outputting the defective part of the granule having a predetermined area or more of part exceeding a first threshold in the form of first defective pixel binary data, and a second defective determination circuit for outputting the defective part of the granule having a part exceeding a second threshold being greater than the first threshold in the form of second defective pixel binary data. The first defective pixel binary data are displayed on a monitor for thin coloration. The second defective pixel binary data are displayed on a monitor for partial coloration.

Abstract: A color sorting apparatus capable of displaying images of granules picked up by a CCD sensor on a panel and performing sensibility control of defective granules while observing the displayed images is provided. The color sorting apparatus comprises a contour processor for outputting contour binary data from the picked-up images and a contour threshold, a first defective determination circuit for outputting the defective part of the granule having a predetermined area or more of part exceeding a first threshold in the form of first defective pixel binary data, and a second defective determination circuit for outputting the defective part of the granule having a part exceeding a second threshold being greater than the first threshold in the form of second defective pixel binary data. The first defective pixel binary data are displayed on a monitor for thin coloration. The second defective pixel binary data are displayed on a monitor for partial coloration.

Abstract: A magnetic metal removing device for color sorting apparatus includes a hollow feeding roll. Within a hollow portion of the feeding roll, a magnet is arranged such that it closely opposes to a part of an inner surface of the hollow feeding roll to form a magnetic force active surface on the corresponding outer surface of the feeding roll. Magnetic metal mixed in raw granular objects is attracted on the magnetic force active surface. The magnetic forced active surface changes to a magnetic force inactive surface as the feeding roll rotates. The magnetic metal caught on the feeding roll is released from the magnetic forced inactive surface and colleted by a collecting device.

Abstract: This invention is made on the basis of the novel findings that when, after pulverization and coating film peeling, pulverized pieces to which the coating film not peeled by the coating film peeling adheres and pulverized pieces having no coating film adhered are separated, a substantial coating film removal ratio effectively increases. In this invention, pulverized pieces obtained upon pulverization of coated resin molded products and coating film peeling of pulverized pieces are prepared. The presence/absence of adhesion of the coating film is sensed and determined for each individual pulverized piece. On the basis of the determination result, a pulverized piece having the coating film adhered is separated from pulverized pieces having no coating film adhered. After the separation, molding is performed by using the pulverized pieces having no coating film adhered.

Abstract: The air valve includes a valve body for controlling operations to open and close the communication between an air pressure chamber and an air outlet, a piezoelectric element for generating driving force in the form of displacements, and a displacement enlarging mechanism for enlarging the small displacements generated by the piezoelectric element by the principle of a pry and applying the enlarged displacements to the valve body. The enlarged displacements cause a large and sufficient gap to be developed between the air pressure chamber and the air outlet when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element. When the applying of voltage to the piezoelectric element is stopped, the resetting force of the piezoelectric element itself causes the gap to be closed quickly.

Abstract: An optical detection device for use in a color sorting apparatus for granular objects includes a CCD linear sensor. The CCD linear sensor comprises a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in one row each of which is capable of detecting red, green and blue wavelengths. The CCD linear sensor receives light from a granular object and a background which are irradiated by a red light source, a green light source and a blue light source. The red, green and blue light sources are switched over while the granular object is passing within an optical detection area. The CCD linear sensor receives light from the granular object in synchronization with the above switching operation of the light sources.

Abstract: A directly imageable planographic printing plate precursor, which may be of the positive or negative type, has at least a heat sensitive layer on a substrate. The heat sensitive layer contains a light-to-heat conversion material and a metal-containing organic compound.

Abstract: A directly imageable planographic printing plate precursor which may be of the positive or negative type, has at least a heat sensitive layer on a substrate. The heat sensitive layer contains a light-to-heat conversion material and a metal-containing organic compound.

Abstract: A magnetic metal removing device for color sorting apparatus includes a hollow feeding roll. Within a hollow portion of the feeding roll, a magnet is arranged such that it closely opposes to a part of an inner surface of the hollow feeding roll to form a magnetic force active surface on the corresponding outer surface of the feeding roll. Magnetic metal mixed in raw granular objects is attracted on the magnetic force active surface. The magnetic forced active surface changes to a magnetic force inactive surface as the feeding roll rotates. The magnetic metal caught on the feeding roll is released from the magnetic forced inactive surface and colleted by a collecting device.

Abstract: An optical detection device for use in a color sorting apparatus for granular objects includes a CCD linear sensor. The CCD linear sensor comprises a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in one row each of which is capable of detecting red, green and blue wavelengths. The CCD linear sensor receives light from a granular object and a background which are irradiated by a red light source, a green light source and a blue light source. The red, green and blue light sources are switched over while the granular object is passing within an optical detection area. The CCD linear sensor receives light from the granular object in synchronization with the above switching operation of the light sources.

Abstract: A directly imageable waterless planographic printing plate precursor is a laminate of, in turn, at least a heat sensitive layer and a silicon rubber layer on a substrate. The heat sensitive layer includes (A) a light-to-heat converting material and (B) a compound which contains N—N bonds.

Abstract: A directly imageable raw plate for waterless planographic printing plate, in which a heat insulating layer, heat sensitive layer and ink repellent layer are formed in this order on a substrate, comprising physical properties of 5 to 100 kgf/mm.sup.2 in initial elastic modulus and 0.05 to 5 kgf/mm.sup.2 in 5% stress as tensile properties of the heat sensitive layer or the heat insulating layer or the laminate consisting of both the layers.It can be suitably used also for large printing presses and web offset printing presses requiring high printing durability, and makes it possible to obtain an economically advantageous printing plate.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate, in which (1) the non-image area of a hydrophilic swellable layer is 1 to 50 g/m.sup.2 in water absorbability, and the water absorbability of the image area is less than that of the non-image area, (2) the non-image area of a hydrophilic swellable layer is 0.01 to 10 kg/mm.sup.2 in initial modulus, and the initial modulus of the image area is larger than that of the non-image area, (3) the non-image area of a hydrophilic swellable layer is 10 to 2000% in water swelling ratio, and the water swelling ratio of the image area is less than that of the non-image area, or (4) the hydrophilic swelling layer has a phase separated structure consisting of at least two phases; a phase mainly composed of a hydrophilic polymer and a phase mainly composed of a hydrophobic polymer, can be produced from a new photosensitive lithographic original plate simple in development treatment, highly repellent against ink even without being etched, and allowing the use of pure water as dampening water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a precursor of waterless planographic printing plates, in which at least a photosensitive layer and a silicone rubber layer are laminated on a substrate in this order, characterized in that said photosensitive layer contains a quinonediazide group-containing polyurethane resin and furthermore, preferably, contains a light-heat converting material.The present invention can provide a precursor of waterless planographic printing plates, which is improved in both image reproducibility and printing durability, and which can be applied to both the method of obtaining a waterless planographic printing plate by ordinary image exposure and the method of obtaining a waterless planographic printing plate by laser irradiation.

Abstract: The present invention is a water-less lithographic printing plate, in which a photosensitive layer and a silicone rubber layer are laminated in this order on a substrate, characterized in that the photosensitive layer contains the reaction product between a compound with at least one each of phenolic hydroxyl groups and non-phenolic hydroxyl groups and a quinonediazide compound, or contains both the reaction product between a compound with at least one of phenolic hydroxyl groups and a quinonediazide compound, and the reaction product between a compound with at least one of non-phenolic hydroxyl groups and a quinonediazide compound.The water-less lithographic raw plate of the present invention is excellent in image reproducibility and printing durability, and so can be favorably and economically advantageously used also in the commercial web offset printing and the newspaper web offset printing where high printing durability is required.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a water-less lithographic raw plate, in which a photosensitive layer and a silicone rubber layer are laminated in this order on a substrate, comprising: the peel bonding strength between the photosensitive layer and the silicone rubber layer being 5 to 100 g/cm, and the initial elastic modulus of the photosensitive layer after completion of exposure being 5 to 75 kgf/mm2. In the present invention, attention is paid to the peel bonding strength between the photosensitive layer and the silicone rubber layer before exposure, and it is intensified, while the photosensitive layer after completion of exposure is kept lower in elastic modulus, to provide a water-less lithographic printing plate excellent in printing durability and image reproducibility. Therefore, the water-less lithographic printing plate obtained is suitable for commercial web offset printing and newspaper web offset printing.

Abstract: The color sorting apparatus includes a grain guide device, a grain feeder, an illumination device for illuminating the grain, an optical detector consisting of an optical detection section for receiving the light from the illuminated grain and a background, and ejector for rejecting the grain. The illumination device employs at least one light source having spectral energy distribution in both the visible light region and the near infrared region. At least one set of the optical detection device for monitoring a predetermined detection field is provided. The optical detection section of the optical detection device includes a first light receiving sensor having high sensitivity to the visible light region and a second light receiving sensor having high sensitivity to the near infrared region.

Abstract: In a color sorting apparatus comprising: a grain guide device); a grain feed device; optical detecting devices including illuminating devices for illuminating the grain, light-receiving sensors for receiving the intensity of light from the illuminated grain and backgrounds; and an ejector device for removing the grain, the illuminating devices comprise first light sources having a spectral energy distribution in a visible light region and second light sources having a spectral energy distribution in a near-infrared region, and the light-receiving sensors comprise a first light-receiving sensor portion having a high sensitivity to light in the visible light region and a second light-receiving sensor portion having a high sensitivity to light in the near-infrared region, so as to detect and remove foreign matter having a different color from the good grain in visible light region as well as to separate and remove other foreign matter having the same color as the good grain or being transparent in near-infrared

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a laminate comprising a photosensitive layer and a silicone rubber layer both laminated successively onto a base substrate, in which a main component of the photosensitive layer is formed by an adduct obtained by an addition reaction of a photopolymerizable glycidyl (meth)acrylate and a monoglycidyl ether compound not having a photopolymerizable group with a diamine compound. Because of using a photosensitive layer having such a specific composition as mentioned above, the dry planographic printing plate obtained from the present invention is suitably employable in commercial web offset printing and newspaper web offset printing.