Abstract: A process and a production apparatus for producing a high-purity carboxylic acid, from which a metal-containing impurity and/or a carbonyl-group-containing impurity have been highly purified, are provided. The process for producing a carboxylic acid according to the present invention comprises subjecting a carboxylic acid stream containing a metal-containing impurity to a first flash system 1 to give a vaporized fraction, distilling the vaporized fraction by a distillation system 5 to separate into a stream mainly containing a carboxylic acid and a fraction containing a high-volatile impurity (or lower boiling point impurity), and feeding the separated stream mainly containing the carboxylic acid to a second flash system 10 or an adsorption system to form a purified carboxylic acid.

Abstract: An outer ring, an inner ring, and a ball, each of which is a bearing part, are made of a quench-hardened steel containing not less than 0.90 mass % and not more than 1.05 mass % of carbon, not less than 0.15 mass % and not more than 0.35 mass % of silicon, not less than 0.01 mass % and not more than 0.50 mass % of manganese, and not less than 1.30 mass % and not more than 1.65 mass % of chromium with the rest consisting of an impurity. A contact surface thereof with another part has a nitrogen concentration of not less than 0.25 mass %. A remaining austenite amount in the contact surface is not less than 6 volume % and not more than 12 volume %.

Abstract: Provided is a display device which includes: a display panel having a display screen on which an image is displayed; and a touch panel which is arranged on a display screen side of the display panel. The display panel includes: a first substrate; a second substrate which is arranged on a side closer to the touch panel than the first substrate; and a polarizer which is arranged on a touch panel side of the second substrate. The touch panel is formed larger than the polarizer and is laminated to the polarizer. An auxiliary member is arranged between the touch panel and a portion of the second substrate which is exposed from the polarizer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable belt; a cleaning blade contacted to the belt; image forming stations including a first station and a second station for forming first and second adjustment toner images, respectively, on the belt, the second station being disposed downstreammost position, and the first station being disposed upstream of the second station and downstream of the cleaning blade with respect to a rotational direction of the belt; a detector for detecting the first image and the second image, at a position opposing the belt; a changing portion for changing image forming conditions of the stations on the basis of a result of detection of the detector, a controller for controlling the stations such that in a region between adjacent ones of the same images in a continuous image formations, the second image reaches the blade before the first image reaches the blade.

Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid by: a reaction step for continuously allowing methanol to react with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a metal catalyst, an ionic iodide, and methyl iodide in a carbonylation reactor, a flash distillation step for continuously feeding a flasher with a reaction mixture from the reactor and evaporating a volatile component at least containing product acetic acid, methyl acetate, and methyl iodide by flash distillation to separate the volatile component and a liquid catalyst mixture at least containing the metal catalyst and the ionic iodide, and an acetic acid collection step for separating a stream containing acetic acid from the volatile component to collect acetic acid; wherein, in the flash distillation step, the flash distillation is conducted under the condition that the concentration of methyl acetate in the liquid catalyst mixture is not less than 0.6% by weight.

Abstract: This portable terminal has disposed therein: a circuit board (14), which is disposed in a cabinet (15), and which has an electronic component (14a) mounted thereon; a display panel (11) disposed on the open plane of the cabinet (15); and a rechargeable battery (12) disposed between the display panel (11) and the circuit board (14).

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate; and a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate that includes an organic photoconductive material and charge transport materials including a styryl compound represented by structural formula (I) below and a triphenylamine compound represented by structural formula (II) below: wherein the charge transport materials have a mixing ratio of from 8.33 to 16.67 mass % of the styryl compound to from 91.67 to 83.33 mass % of the triphenylamine compound.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a first temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of an exposure device, a second temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of a photosensitive member, a color registration pattern detection unit configured to detect a color registration pattern formed on a transfer member, an actual-measurement-based color registration adjustment value calculation unit configured to calculate an actual-measurement-based color registration adjustment value from a result of the detection of the color registration pattern detection unit, and a prediction-based color registration adjustment value calculation unit configured to calculate a prediction-based color registration adjustment value from the temperature of the exposure device detected by the first temperature detection unit and the temperature of the photosensitive member detected by the second temperature detection unit.

Abstract: A production process of acetic acid according to the present invention inhibits concentration of hydrogen iodide and improves a liquid-liquid separation of an overhead from a distillation column. Acetic acid is produced by distilling a mixture containing hydrogen iodide, water, acetic acid and methyl acetate in a first distillation column (3) to form an overhead and a side cut stream or bottom stream containing acetic acid, cooling and condensing the overhead in a condenser (C3) to form separated upper and lower phases in a decanter (4). According to this process, a zone having a high water concentration is formed in the distillation column above the feed position of the mixture by feeding a mixture having a water concentration of not less than an effective amount to not more than 5% by weight (e.g., 0.5 to 4.5% by weight) and a methyl acetate concentration of 0.5 to 9% by weight (e.g., 0.5 to 8% by weight) as the mixture to the distillation column and distilling the mixture.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a human body communication apparatus includes a first human body communication terminal carried by a person, a second human body communication terminal and an authentication unit included in the first or second human body communication terminal. The first human body communication terminal includes a first detection unit to detect first living body physiological information of the carrying person. The second human body communication terminal includes a human body contact sensor and a second detection unit to detect second living body physiological information of the person who touches the human body contact sensor. The authentication unit acquires the first and second living body physiological information and determines a correlation between the first and second living body physiological information to permit communication between the first and second human body communication terminals in accordance with the correlation.

Abstract: A production process of acetic acid comprises a reaction step for continuously allowing at least one member selected from the group consisting of methanol, dimethyl ether, and methyl acetate to react with carbon monoxide in a catalyst system comprising a rhodium catalyst, an iodide salt, and methyl iodide in the presence of acetic acid and water in a plant compromising a reactor 1; a flasher 2; and a distillation column 3; wherein part of the vaporized stream is introduced into a heat exchanger 7. The process achieves a production of acetic acid with a high purity in a resource-saving and energy-saving equipment by efficiently removing a reaction heat even in a large-sized plant.

Abstract: A charging device includes: a casing provided with an opening opposing a member-to-be-charged; a discharging wire provided in the casing; a grid electrode provided in the opening; a shutter for opening and closing the opening; a cleaning member for cleaning the grid electrode; and a moving mechanism for reciprocating the shutter and the cleaning member along a longitudinal direction of the opening. The moving mechanism includes a driving member for being rotationally driven, a first moving member, held by the driving member, for moving the shutter with rotational drive of the driving member, and a second moving member, held by the driving member, for moving the cleaning member with the rotational drive of the driving member.

Abstract: A retainer includes two annular retaining plates combined with each other, and each having semispherical bulging portions arranged at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the retainer. The semispherical bulging portions, which face each other, form a pocket having a ring-like shape, for retaining a ball. The pocket includes a ball non-contact portion formed in a ball facing surface of the pocket at a center portion in a pocket axial direction, the ball non-contact portion being defined by a recess extending in a pocket circumferential direction. The following relationship is set: A/(B+C)=0.70 to 0.90, where “A” represents a pocket circumferential length of the ball non-contact portion, “B” represents a diameter of the ball, and “C” represents a gap formed between the ball and the ball facing surface of the pocket.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable image bearing member; a toner image forming portion; a transfer member; a cleaning blade, provided downstream of the transfer member and upstream of the toner image forming portion with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member; a discharging member, provided downstream of the cleaning blade and upstream of the toner image forming portion with respect to the rotational direction; and a thin plate-like member provided downstream of the discharging member and upstream of the toner image forming portion with respect to the rotational direction. An end of the thin plate-like member is contacted to a surface of the image bearing member toward an upstream side with respect to the rotational direction.

Abstract: A retainer made of a synthetic resin for use in a deep groove ball bearing is proposed of which the lubricity has been improved. The retainer includes a cylindrical first split retainer member (41) having a first axial side, and a cylindrical second split retainer member (42) having a second axial side coupled to the first axial side of the first split retainer member (41). Circumferentially spaced apart first and second cutouts (45 and 50) are formed in the first axial side of the first split retainer member (41) and the second axial side of the second split retainer member (42), respectively, which define respective pockets for receiving balls with the split retainers (41 and 42) coupled together.

Abstract: A production process of acetic acid according to the present invention inhibits concentration of hydrogen iodide and improves a liquid-liquid separation of an overhead from a distillation column. Acetic acid is produced by distilling a mixture containing hydrogen iodide, water, acetic acid and methyl acetate in a first distillation column (3) to form an overhead and a side cut stream or bottom stream containing acetic acid, cooling and condensing the overhead in a condenser (C3) to form separated upper and lower phases in a decanter (4). According to this process, a zone having a high water concentration is formed in the distillation column above the feed position of the mixture by feeding a mixture having a water concentration of not less than an effective amount to not more than 5% by weight (e.g., 0.5 to 4.5% by weight) and a methyl acetate concentration of 0.5 to 9% by weight (e.g., 0.5 to 8% by weight) as the mixture to the distillation column and distilling the mixture.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head, a capping unit, a supply unit, a wiping unit, and a control unit controlling these components. Upon receiving a maintenance signal, the control unit controls the capping unit and the supply unit so as to perform a second supplying operation of supplying air to an ejection space in an open state via a second opening, after a first supplying operation of supplying air to the ejection space in a sealed state via a first opening. Thereafter, the control unit controls the wiping unit and the capping unit so as to perform a wiping operation of wiping the surface of the opposing member and then switch the ejection space to the sealed state.

Abstract: A charging device includes a corona charger including a grid electrode, a cleaning member configured to clean the grid electrode, a sheet-type shutter configured to open/close an opening of the corona charger, and a drive source configured to drive both the cleaning member and the shutter in a longitudinal direction of the corona charger, wherein the cleaning member is provided such that a cleaning ability thereof is higher in a case where the cleaning member and the shutter are moved in a closing direction of the opening of the corona charger than in a case where the cleaning member and the shutter are moved in an opening direction of the opening of the corona charger.

Abstract: An outer ring, an inner ring, and a ball, each of which is a bearing part, are made of a quench-hardened steel containing not less than 0.90 mass % and not more than 1.05 mass % of carbon, not less than 0.15 mass % and not more than 0.35 mass % of silicon, not less than 0.01 mass % and not more than 0.50 mass % of manganese, and not less than 1.30 mass % and not more than 1.65 mass % of chromium with the rest consisting of an impurity. A contact surface thereof with another part has a nitrogen concentration of not less than 0.25 mass %. A remaining austenite amount in the contact surface is not less than 6 volume % and not more than 12 volume %.

Abstract: A touch panel includes one transparent substrate. The transparent substrate includes: a main-region for detecting a touched two-dimensional location, the main region including a two-dimensional touch sensor that detects the touched two-dimensional location; and at least one sub region for detecting whether or not a touch has been done, the sub region including a one-layer-structured touch sensor. In the two-dimensional touch sensor, a main-side insulating layer is provided between an earlier-formed portion and a later-formed portion. Accordingly, the touch panel can be configured such that the main-side insulating layer and a sub-side insulating layer can be formed in the same step and the later-formed portion and the one-layer-structured touch sensor can be formed in the same step when a paint film layer having an icon drawn is provided in the sub region and the sub-side insulating layer is provided between the paint film layer and the one-layer-structured touch sensor.