Abstract: An object of the present invention is to utilize strong water and moisture holding property and oil and fat holding property—that is to say, binding effects—of pith fibers (ground stem or stalk internal fibers) separated from sunflower stems or stalks, which are natural products, in order to enhance binding capacity of processed meat products, and especially processed chicken products. Another object of the present invention is to apply the use of the pith fibers to other processed foods, such as noodles and sweets. The present inventor found that lipophilic pith fibers (ground stem or stalk internal fibers) separated from sunflower stems or stalks have strong water and moisture holding property and oil and fat holding property; that is to say, binding effects.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a safe and inexpensive substance exhibiting the effects of discharging in vivo cholesterol and neutral fat. The present inventors have discovered that the above object can be achieved using the sunflower stem internal fibers (pith) of plants of the family Compositae. According to the present invention, the discharge of in vivo neutral fats and cholesterol can be accelerated and thus excellent slimming effects can also be obtained.

Abstract: A button comprises a button body (10, 10a, 10b) and a prong (20, 20a, 20b) adapted to be arranged on the side of cloth (30) opposite to the side thereof on which the button body mentioned above is set in place to nip the cloth therebetween and to fixedly secure the button body to the cloth. The button body mentioned above contains an outer shell member (13), which comprises a button back (15, 15a, 15b) and a cap (14, 14a, 14b), and an insert (11, 11a, 11b) accommodated in the outer shell member. In order to make a whitish button which could be heretofore obtained only by plating, at least the button back mentioned above is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Preferably, the button back mentioned above is made of an aluminum alloy containing 3-6% by weight of magnesium, and the cross-sectional thickness of the above-mentioned button back is in the range of 0.25-0.6 mm. Further, it is desirable that the above-mentioned cap and the insert should also be made of an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: Provided is a cap (41) for a button, of which material is a polygonal plate. The cap (41) includes a main surface covering portion (42) formed substantially at the center of the polygonal plate and a plurality of holding piece portions (44) formed by bending corners of the polygonal plate from an outer peripheral end of the main surface covering portion (42) to a rear surface side of the main surface covering portion (42). Provided between the main surface covering portion (42) and the plurality of holding piece portions (44) is a lateral side covering portion (43) around the outer peripheral end of the main surface covering portion (42).

Abstract: A button comprises a button body (10, 10a, 10b) and a prong (20, 20a, 20b) adapted to be arranged on the side of cloth (30) opposite to the side thereof on which the button body mentioned above is set in place to nip the cloth therebetween and to fixedly secure the button body to the cloth. The button body mentioned above contains an outer shell member (13), which comprises a button back (15, 15a, 15b) and a cap (14, 14a, 14b), and an insert (11, 11a, 11b) accommodated in the outer shell member. In order to make a whitish button which could be heretofore obtained only by plating, at least the button back mentioned above is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Preferably, the button back mentioned above is made of an aluminum alloy containing 3-6% by weight of magnesium, and the cross-sectional thickness of the above-mentioned button back is in the range of 0.25-0.6 mm. Further, it is desirable that the above-mentioned cap and the insert should also be made of an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: The present invention provides a button including a button body 10 and a fixture 40 for fixing the button body to fabric. The button body 10 includes a shell member 11 constituting a button outer shell and an accommodation member 31. The shell member 11 includes a button cover 22 and a neck 14 formed cylindrically on the back side of the button cover 22 and having an opening 17 at an outer edge thereof. The accommodation member 31 has a shaft 33 accommodated in the neck with a portion thereof protruding from the opening, and an insert hole 34 formed on the protruding end face of the shaft for the fixture to be inserted therein. Crimping parts 18 are formed on one of the inner periphery of the opening or on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft at specified positions with a prespecified space therebetween along the circumferential direction so as to crimp into the other.

Abstract: Provided is a cap (41) for a button, of which material is a polygonal plate. The cap (41) includes a main surface covering portion (42) formed substantially at the center of the polygonal plate and a plurality of holding piece portions (44) formed by bending corners of the polygonal plate from an outer peripheral end of the main surface covering portion (42) to a rear surface side of the main surface covering portion (42). Provided between the main surface covering portion (42) and the plurality of holding piece portions (44) is a lateral side covering portion (43) around the outer peripheral end of the main surface covering portion (42).

Abstract: The present invention provides a button including a button body 10 and a fixture 40 for fixing the button body to fabric. The button body 10 includes a shell member 11 constituting a button outer shell and an accommodation member 31. The shell member 11 includes a button cover 22 and a neck 14 formed cylindrically on the back side of the button cover 22 and having an opening 17 at an outer edge thereof. The accommodation member 31 has a shaft 33 accommodated in the neck with a portion thereof protruding from the opening, and an insert hole 34 formed on the protruding end face of the shaft for the fixture to be inserted therein. Crimping parts 18 are formed on one of the inner periphery of the opening or on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft at specified positions with a prespecified space therebetween along the circumferential direction so as to crimp into the other.

Abstract: A fixture (5A) for fixing a button body (4A) on a fabric (1) includes a flange (51), a fixing post (52) provided at the center of the flange, and a packing (53) provided on the flange. The packing (53) includes a spacer (58) provided on a surface of the flange confronting the fabric, and a retainer edge (60) extending from the spacer (58) to a surface opposite to the fixing post (52) via a connecting portion (59) and covering at least a part of an outer circumferential edge of the flange (51) except an area occupied by a pressure receiver (54).

Abstract: A button body (11) has a housing (11A) for a tip end (12A) of the fixture (12) to be inserted therein. The fixture (12) has a shoulder (12C) between the tip end (12A) and a tubular portion (12B) formed continuously from the tip end (12A). The shoulder (12C) has an edge (12F) as a cutting portion to cut a fabric (1) with an insertion end (11E) of the housing (11A) of the button body (11). Without applying a big force to the edge (12F), the fabric can be cut easily regardless of the thickness of the fabric.

Abstract: The present invention provides a string fastening device which allows a string to be threaded thereinto easily, facilitates tightening of the string and enables the string to be gripped softly and captured accurately. The string fastening device can be used with its main body only and the main body includes a penetrating hole comprised of a sliding passage portion which allows the string to be moved freely and a braking passage portion for restricting movement of the string such that they adjoin. A narrow portion is provided at a joint portion so as to prevent the string from changing its path freely. The main body is made of thermoplastic elastomer to have elasticity. A rear face of the main body is formed to be a flat face. An attachment groove or sewing holes for sewing operation are provided around the penetrating hole. The main body is placed on a string threading hole in the cloth to be attached by a sewing thread to be fixed securely.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating water containing organic sulfur compounds. The method includes treating the water containing the organic sulfur compounds by adding wastewater containing a quaternary ammonium compound or wastewater containing an amine thereto. An apparatus for carrying out the above method is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a string fastening device which allows a string to be threaded thereinto easily, facilitates tightening of the string and enables the string to be gripped softly and captured accurately. The string fastening device can be used with its main body only and the main body includes a penetrating hole comprised of a sliding passage portion which allows the string to be moved freely and a braking passage portion for restricting movement of the string such that they adjoin. A narrow portion is provided at a joint portion so as to prevent the string from changing its path freely. The main body is made of thermoplastic elastomer to have elasticity. A rear face of the main body is formed to be a flat face. An attachment groove or sewing holes for sewing operation are provided around the penetrating hole. The main body is placed on a string threading hole in the cloth to be attached by a sewing thread to be fixed securely.

Abstract: A hot melt colored ink comprising: a coloring component being at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon black, an inorganic pigment, an organic pigment, a dye and an inorganic extender pigment; phytosterol and/or a derivative thereof in an amount of 0.1 to 90% by weight of the hot melt colored ink; and optionally a thermoplastic resin in an amount of 1 to 80% by weight of the hot melt colored ink. According to the hot melt colored ink of the present invention, various disadvantages found in conventional hot melt colored ink, such as grime, patchy, unsharpness and stain of transferred print (transferred image) does not occur and a print evenness and a performance (a quality and resolving power of transferred recording image) of transferred print on a transferable recording material (transferable recording paper etc.) are sufficient.

Abstract: A method for treating water containing organic sulfur compounds comprises adjusting the pH value of the water in a pH adjustment tank, biologically treating the water in a biological treatment tank, adjusting the pH value of the water to be alkaline at any places in the biological treatment tank, maintaining the dissolved oxygen concentration of the water to 2 mg/L or higher at any places in the biological treatment tank, and supplying a part of the water to the pH adjustment tank for a further treatment. An apparatus for carrying out the above method is also provided.

Abstract: A snap button includes a female member and a male member engageable therewith.

Abstract: A snap button assembly attaches onto a garment fabric. The snap button assembly has a cap member, a socket member, a tack member releasably engageable with the socket member, and a sealing member adapted to house the socket member. The sealing member has an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the cap member such that the garment fabric is held in place against sagging or separation from around the area to which the button assembly is applied.

Abstract: A multiple step-up rectifier circuit, according to the invention, has a plurality of multiple step-up rectifier circuits, each of which is constituted by a combination of a plurality of diodes connected in series, output capacitors which are connected in parallel with this series circuit of the diodes, and supply capacitors which are charged by the input AC voltages and which supply the voltages to the output capacitors in amounts equal to the discharged voltages thereof. These plurality of multiple step-up rectifier circuits are connected in series, and each of these circuits receives an arbitrary AC voltage and generates a multiple step-up voltage. In these two adjacent circuts, there is the following relation: ##EQU1## where, C.sub.1 is the capacitance of each of the capacitors constituting one of the multiple step-up rectifier circuits; E.sub.1 is the input voltage thereof; I.sub.

Abstract: A step-up rectifier circuit includes first and second input terminals for applying AC outputs of opposite polarities, a third input terminal connected between the first and second input terminals, a plurality of rectifier elements connected between the third input terminal and a first output terminal, a plurality of output capacitors connected parallel to the rectifier elements, a second output terminal connected to a node between said output capacitors, a plurality of first capacitors connected between nodes between those of said rectifying elements located between the first output terminal and the second output terminal and a plurality of second capacitors connected between nodes between those of the rectifying elements which are between the second output terminal and the third input terminal, wherein the ratio between the capacitance of the first capacitors and the second capacitors is defined such that the ratio between the output voltages at individual output terminals can be made constant, regardless of

Abstract: A step-up rectifier circuit includes first and second input terminals for applying AC outputs of opposite polarities, a third input terminal connected between the first and second input terminals, a plurality of rectifier elements connected between the third input terminal and a first output terminal, a plurality of output capacitors connected in parallel to the rectifier elements, a second output terminal connected to a node between said output capacitors, a plurality of first capacitors connected between nodes between those of said rectifying elements located between the first output terminal and the second output terminal and a plurality of second capacitors connected between nodes between those of the rectifying elements which are between the second output terminal and the third input terminal, wherein the capacitance of the capacitors is defined such that the output voltages at individual output terminals can be made constant, regardless of whether other output terminals are loaded or unloaded.