Abstract: Provided is an air conditioner including an indoor unit provided with a microphone element for receiving voice instructions, such that a voice instruction spoken by an operator is acquired with high quality and control based on the voice instruction spoken by the operator is likely to be ensured. The air conditioner includes an indoor unit, a transmission unit, and a reception unit. The indoor unit has a main body and a microphone element. The main body has formed therein a blow-out port through which air-conditioned air is blown out toward a space to be air-conditioned. The microphone element accepts a voice instruction captured from a voice capturing portion arranged at a position that deviates from a ventilation space through which the air blown out from the blow-out port flows, in such a manner as to face the space to be air-conditioned. The transmission unit transmits the voice instruction accepted by the microphone element to an outside as a signal.

Abstract: A masterbatch for foam molding which contains a base resin and heat-expandable microspheres. The base resin contains EPDM and the masterbatch contains the heat-expandable microspheres in an amount ranging from higher than 300 parts by weight to 750 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the base resin and has a Moony viscosity ML 1+4 (100° C.) ranging from 15 to 90. Also disclosed is a method for producing a masterbatch for foam molding, a resin composition containing the masterbatch for foam molding, and a foam-molded product manufactured by molding the resin composition.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres and applications thereof, the heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is produced by polymerizing a polymerizable component containing (A) a nitrile monomer including methacrylonitrile, (B) a carboxyl-group-containing monomer and (C) a monomer having a functional group reactive with the carboxyl group. The polymerizable component satisfies the following conditions 1 and 2: Condition 1: The weight fraction of the monomers (A), (B) and (C) in the polymerizable component satisfy the inequality shown below. Weight fraction of the monomer (C)<Weight fraction of the monomer (A)?Weight fraction of the monomer (B)??Inequality (I) Condition 2: The ratio by weight of the monomer (B) to the monomer (C) ranges from 600:1 to 3:1.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres and applications thereof, the heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is produced by polymerizing a polymerizable component containing (A) a nitrile monomer including methacrylonitrile, (B) a carboxyl-group-containing monomer and (C) a monomer having a functional group reactive with the carboxyl group. The polymerizable component satisfies the following conditions 1 and 2: Condition 1: The weight fraction of the monomers (A), (B) and (C) in the polymerizable component satisfy the inequality shown below. Weight fraction of the monomer (C)<Weight fraction of the monomer (A)?Weight fraction of the monomer (B) ??Inequality (I) Condition 2: The ratio by weight of the monomer (B) to the monomer (C) ranges from 600:1 to 3:1.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having high heat resistance and high solvent resistance, a production process thereof include a shell of a thermoplastic resin and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent being encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin includes a copolymer produced by polymerizing a polymerizable component containing a carboxyl-group-containing monomer. The surface of the heat-expandable microspheres is treated with an organic compound containing a metal of the Groups from 3 to 12 in the Periodic Table.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having high heat resistance and high solvent resistance, a production process thereof include a shell of a thermoplastic resin and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent being encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin includes a copolymer produced by polymerizing a polymerizable component containing a carboxyl-group-containing monomer. The surface of the heat-expandable microspheres is treated with an organic compound containing a metal of the Groups from 3 to 12 in the Periodic Table.