Abstract: The present invention provides a graft polymer composition and its production process and uses, wherein the graft polymer composition is good both in the builder performance and in the compatibility with liquid detergents. The graft polymer composition comprises at least two graft polymers obtained by a process including the step of graft-polymerizing a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer component onto a main chain including a polyether portion, wherein the monoethylenically unsaturated monomer component includes an unsaturated carboxylic monomer as an essential component. And this graft polymer composition is characterized in that there is a difference of not less than 3 in number of carbon atoms in each structural unit which composes ends of the main chain on comparison between two of the at least two graft polymers.

Abstract: There are disclosed a (meth)acrylic copolymer and its production process, wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer has the good chelating ability and dispersibility and is excellent both in the calcium-ion-binding ability and the gelation resistance in combination, and further, the deterioration of these various performances is inhibited even in the water system of high salt concentration. The (meth)acrylic copolymer comprises a constitutional unit (a) derivative from a specific (meth)acrylic monomer (A) and a constitutional unit (b1) derivative from a specific (meth)allyl-etheric monomer (B1) and has a phosphorus atom in the main chain; with the (meth)acrylic copolymer being characterized by having: a mutual ratio between the constitutional unit (a) and the constitutional unit (b1) in the specific range; a low molecular weight; and a content of phosphorus, as bonded to the copolymer, in the predetermined range; and further a gelation resistance of not more than 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides: an acrylic acid (salt) polymer, which has a low molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution and can display excellent dispersibility, or which has a high molecular weight and a high water solubility; a production process that enables easy production of this polymer; and an acrylic acid (salt) polymer composition comprising this polymer. The acrylic acid (salt) polymer is an acrylic acid (salt) polymer of which not less than 1 weight % of the entirety is accounted for by an acrylic acid (salt) polymer having a specific terminal structure. In addition, the production process for an acrylic acid (salt) polymer comprises the step of carrying out polymerization of a monomer component including an acrylic acid (salt), wherein an acrylic acid (salt) having a furfural content of 200 to 400 weight ppm is used as at least a portion of the acrylic acid (salt) in an amount of not smaller than 10 weight % of the entire monomer component.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a specific water-soluble polymer exhibiting a high calcium-ion-scavenging function and further exhibiting a high clay-dispersing function even in high-hardness water; a detergent composition comprising the water-soluble polymer; and uses, other than the detergent composition, by making the best use of the characteristics of the water-soluble polymer. The specific water-soluble polymer, according to the present invention, has a calcium ion scavengeability of not less than 0.40 and further has a clay dispersibility of not less than 0.50 in high-hardness water and, preferably, includes polymers A and B as essential components wherein the polymer A has a calcium ion scavengeability of not less than 0.45 and wherein the polymer B has a clay dispersibility of not less than 0.65 in high-hardness water. The detergent composition comprising this water-soluble polymer has a good detergency even in high-hardness water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable apparatus such as a mobile phone or a notebook type personal computer, an object of which is to improve the durability of a flexible flat cable without lowering the degree of freedom of a curled portion thereof and prevent the same from being locally worn. This portable apparatus includes a first housing having a printed board module, a second housing coupled at one end thereof with the first housing via a hinge mechanism and having a printed board module, a flexible flat cable connected at one end thereof with the printed board module in the first housing and at the other end thereof with the printed board module in the second housing, while being at least once curled at a position corresponding to the hinge mechanism, and an insert member to be inserted into the curled portion of the flexible flat cable. This insert member is not fixed to either the first housing or the second housing but the movement thereof is restricted.

Abstract: A low-molecular (meth)acrylic acid (salt)-based polymer having a good color tone is obtained by polymerizing an aqueous solution of at least one monomer component of a high concentration in the presence of an alkaline substance, wherein: 100 to 95 mol % of the at least one monomer component is a monoethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acid (salt) monomer (a) having 3 to 6 carbon atoms; and 0 to 5 mol % of the at least one monomer component is a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer (b) copolymerizable with the monomer (a) (wherein the total of (a) and (b) is 100 mol % ); and wherein: a persulfate salt and hydrogen peroxide are used together as polymerization catalysts; and the entirety of the alkaline substance as used is set not to be more than 99 mol % of the amount which is necessary for neutralizing all acid groups of the at least one monomer component; and wherein: the dropwise addition of the hydrogen peroxide is completed at the latest 10 minutes earlier than the completion time of the dropwise ad

Abstract: A process of producing a polymer by aqueous solution polymerization with good productivity without causing the formation of noxious gases or the formation of impurities due to the noxious gases, or without any danger of foaming and the like is disclosed. The process includes subjecting a monomer to aqueous solution polymerization while controlling the temperature using at least one device of an external circulation device and an internal coil device each having heat exchanging function.

Abstract: A bread baking machine of the invention has a gasket for sealing and a magnetic metal fitting A constituting a locking means, both provided on a container cover which opens and closes an opening above a lid container placed in an outer cover for storing supplementary ingredient of bread and for entering it automatically. The bread baking machine can thus lock the lid container and the container cover while keeping the gasket depressed against a sealing surface. Since this structure ensures the gasket to seal a space between the lid container and the container cover, it can prevent dew condensation and thermal deformation of components due to leakage of hot steam.

Abstract: There are disclosed a (meth)acrylic copolymer and its production process, wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer has the good chelating ability and dispersibility and is excellent both in the calcium-ion-binding ability and the gelation resistance in combination, and further, the deterioration of these various performances is inhibited even in the water system of high salt concentration. The (meth)acrylic copolymer comprises a constitutional unit (a) derivative from a specific (meth)acrylic monomer (A) and a constitutional unit (b1) derivative from a specific (meth)allyl-etheric monomer (B1) and has a phosphorus atom in the main chain; with the (meth)acrylic copolymer being characterized by having: a mutual ratio between the constitutional unit (a) and the constitutional unit (b1) in the specific range; a low molecular weight; and a content of phosphorus, as bonded to the copolymer, in the predetermined range; and further a gelation resistance of not more than 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a novel water-soluble copolymer which is excellent in performance for uses, such as detergent builders, pigment dispersants, and scale inhibitors. In addition, the present invention provides: a novel liquid detergent builder which has extremely excellent compatibility, high transparency when a liquid detergent composition comprises it, and excellent detergency; and a novel liquid detergent composition comprising the liquid detergent builder.

Abstract: There are disclosed a novel sulfur-containing poly(unsaturated carboxylic acid) and its uses and production process. A sulfur-containing poly(unsaturated carboxylic acid) having a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 500 to 4,500 and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of not more than 2.

Abstract: A bread baking machine of the invention has a gasket for sealing and a magnetic metal fitting A constituting a locking means, both provided on a container cover which opens and closes an opening above a lid container placed in an outer cover for storing supplementary ingredient of bread and for entering it automatically. The bread baking machine can thus lock the lid container and the container cover while keeping the gasket depressed against a sealing surface. Since this structure ensures the gasket to seal a space between the lid container and the container cover, it can prevent dew condensation and thermal deformation of components due to leakage of hot steam.

Abstract: A detergent composition containing at least 0.1% by weight of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of 1) a polycarboxylic acid-based polymer containing a polyalkylene glycol chain in the structure thereof, 2) a sulfonic acid group-terminated (meth)acrylic acid-based polymer, and 3) an acrylic acid (salt)-maleic acid (salt)-based copolymer having a clay dispersibility under a condition of 50 ppm of calcium carbonate of 0.3 or more; and at least 0.5% by weight of a longer alkyl chain mid-chain branched surfactant compound. The detergent composition can enhance anti-gelling properties to calcium ions, improve the dispersibility to solid particles at low temperatures or under high-hardness conditions, and improve detergency against stains such as mud and carbon black.

Abstract: This invention concerns a (meth)acrylic acid type polymer, wherein the value S representing the quantity of an sulfur element introduced which is defined by the formula, S=(quantity of S contained in polymer)/(total quantity of S)×100, is not less than 35. This (meth)acrylic acid type polymer is a water-soluble polymer of a low molecular weight which has only a small impurity content, entails no precipitation of an impurity during the preservation at a low temperature, and excels in dispersibility, chelating ability, and an anti-gelling property.

Abstract: A coffee maker is provided in which remaining water can be taken out easily, hot water is delivered intermittently to brew nice coffee. A hot water reservoir in the coffee maker has a tube provided on a bottom thereof for delivering the hot water to a coffee brewing chamber and a cap arranged with a space from the tube by a distance which is not greater than the maximum inner diameter of the tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides a production process for a terminal-end-stabilized glyoxylic acid (salt)-based polymer, which process enables to reduce the amount of the polymerization solvent, as recovered or removed after the end of the polymerization (before the start of the hydrolysis) or after the end of the hydrolysis, without lowering the production efficiency. The production process for a terminal-end-stabilized glyoxylic acid (salt)-based polymer comprises the step of polymerizing a monomer component including a glyoxylic acid ester in order to produce the terminal-end-stabilized glyoxylic acid (salt)-based polymer, wherein a terminal end stabilizer is used as a reaction medium of the polymerization.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a production process that enables to keep foaming state within a constant level and to obtain a polymer with good productivity and reproducibility with a practical plant by defining an appropriate vapor velocity from a weight-average molecular weight of the polymer that is finally intended to obtain; and a polymerization apparatus therefor. A production apparatus for producing a polymer, which comprises a reactor 1 in order to produce the polymer, a stirrer 2 in order to stir a reaction solution in the reactor 1, and a condenser 3 so that a vaporized reaction solution can be cooled and returned to the reactor 1, and further comprises a vapor velocity measuring means of monitoring a vapor velocity in the condenser, and an vapor velocity adjusting means of adjusting the vapor velocity, is used. Then, the vapor velocity is adjusted in the range of 0.001 to 0.

Abstract: The radius range of a formatted zone in each medium differs. A floppy disk and an another-standard high-capacity medium are distinguished by reading a reproduction output at an inside position in the formatted zone by heads. Since the another-standard high-capacity medium has a formatted zone starting from a more inside position than that for the floppy disk, both media can be distinguished by reading a reproduction output by the heads to check a difference in the inside position of the formatted zone.

Abstract: The present invention provides: an acrylic acid (salt) polymer, which has a low molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution and can display excellent dispersibility, or which has a high molecular weight and a high water solubility; a production process that enables easy production of this polymer; and an acrylic acid (salt) polymer composition comprising this polymer. The acrylic acid (salt) polymer is an acrylic acid (salt) polymer of which not less than 1 weight % of the entirety is accounted for by an acrylic acid (salt) polymer having a specific terminal structure. In addition, the production process for an acrylic acid (salt) polymer comprises the step of carrying out polymerization of a monomer component including an acrylic acid (salt), wherein an acrylic acid (salt) having a furfural content of 200 to 400 weight ppm is used as at least a portion of the acrylic acid (salt) in an amount of not smaller than 10 weight % of the entire monomer component.

Abstract: The present invention provides a graft polymer composition and its production process and uses, wherein the graft polymer composition is good both in the builder performance and in the compatibility with liquid detergents. The graft polymer composition comprises at least two graft polymers obtained by a process including the step of graft-polymerizing a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer component onto a main chain including a polyether portion, wherein the monoethylenically unsaturated monomer component includes an unsaturated carboxylic monomer as an essential component. And this graft polymer composition is characterized in that there is a difference of not less than 3 in number of carbon atoms in each structural unit which composes ends of the main chain on comparison between two of the at least two graft polymers.