Abstract: A process for hydrogenating a conjugated diene polymer, which process comprises the steps of: deactivating a conjugated diene polymer which is prepared by using an organic alkali metal compound as a polymerization initiator by adding a deactivator; and contacting the deactivated diene polymer with hydrogen in an inert hydrocarbon solvent to hydrogenate the double bond of the deactivated diene polymer, wherein the hydrogenation is carried out (i) in the presence of a catalyst selected from organometallic compounds represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein the symbols are defined in the specification and (ii) under a condition satisfying the following relationship:-6<(M-Z+Al-Ti)/Ti<2wherein M represents the molar amount of the organic alkali metal compound; Z represents the molar amount of the deactivator; Al represents the molar amount of an organoaluminum compound; and Ti represents the molar amount of an organotitanium compound.

Abstract: A vehicle-body structural member which extends in the fore-and-aft direction of a vehicle and axially receives a compressive force in the event of a collision of the vehicle. An embodiment of structural member is comprised of a front portion of a polygonal cross-section, an intermediate portions and a rear portion of a polygonal cross-section. The intermediate portion is formed to continuously change its cross-section from a cross-section of the front portion to a cross-section of said rear portion. Further, the intermediate portion has a compressive strength which is greater than those of the front and rear portions, the intermediate portion supports a predetermined weight such as an engine. Therefore, the front portion receives an inertia force which is larger than that applied to the rear portion in the event of a front-end collision of the vehicle so that the front portion is compressingly deformed.

Abstract: In the structure of a vehicle, torque boxes are provided for coupling extension sideframes and sidesills on right and left sides in the front of the vehicle cabin. The rear end portions of the suspension member are coupled to rear coupling portions provided in the torque boxes, and coupling points for coupling thereat with the suspension member of the rear coupling portions are provided outside in a widthwise direction of the vehicle relative to the center of a section of the extension sideframes, and inside in the car width direction than the center of a section of the sidesills. With this structure, a load to the rearward of the vehicle of the suspension member at the time of a front-end collision and a front-end offset collision of the vehicle can be efficiently dissipated and transmitted to the extension sideframe and the sidesill via the torque box, and any retreat of the suspension member can be suppressed with a light and simple structure.

Abstract: A bread making machine that prepares a dough by mixing and kneading water and ingredients poured into a bread baking case, leavens the dough, and thereafter bakes the leavened dough. The bread making machine is provided with an outside air temperature detector and an outside air humidity detector, and a dough leavening condition corresponding to a predetermined bread rising degree is set based on the correlational data on outside air temperatures and outside air humidities in function of dough rising degree and the values detected by the outside air temperature and humidity detectors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microwave oven which neither generates hot spots nor destroys a magnetron by shutting microwaves when there is no load to be heated. This microwave oven is constructed so that the impedances are matched when there is a load, and the impedances are unmatched when there is no load, by shifting the location of the opening of the cooking chamber from the center of the wave guide. When there is no load, as most of the microwaves are converted to standing waves and the pressing waves do not reach the cooking chamber, then it becomes possible to prevent dangers such as the abnormal irradiation of any part, the destruction of the chamber case owing to the occurrence of the heat spot, and the abnormal heat generation due to the leakage of the short waves.

Abstract: A diene block polymer contains (A) a resinous polybutadiene block having a glass transition temperature of -80.degree. C. or less, a crystalline melting point of 30.degree. to 130.degree. C., 80% to 93% of trans units, 5 to 15% of cis units, and 1 to 10% of vinyl units, a molecular weight of 10,000 to 200,000, and a molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn of 1.2 to 4 and (B) a conjugated diene rubbery block having a glass transition temperature of -20.degree. C. or less and either not having a crystalline melting point or having a crystalline melting point of 0.degree. C. or less, wherein the ratio of blocks (A) to blocks (B) is 2 to 80:98 to 20 (ratio by weight), the molecular weight is 20,000 to 500,000, and the molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn is 1.1 to 5 and a polymer composition containing the same.

Abstract: A member for a car body in which concave and convex beads can be positioned appropriately regardless of a complexity of a shape of the member, and the efficiency of energy absorption can be improved. The member includes side faces having concave beads provided on the side faces at positions corresponding to dip portions of a buckling waveform produced by an initial buckling load applied to the member in a state of having no bead; convex beads provided on the side faces at positions corresponding to peak portions of the buckling waveform; and flat portions without any bead, formed between each adjacent concave bead and convex bead. The side faces may also have edge beads provided on edges of the side faces at positions corresponding to a dip portion of the buckling waveform which is closest to a front end to be subjected to a crushing load.

Abstract: A conjugated diene compound prepolymer solution useful for the production of a vinyl aromatic compound high impact polymer material is produced by a process in which a prepolymerization mixture is prepared from 1 to 70 parts by weight of a conjugated diene compound and 30 to 99 parts by weight of a vinyl aromatic compound, and is prepolymerized at 0.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. in the presence of a prepolymerization catalyst which can cause the conjugated diene compound to be selectively polymerized but is substantially not effective for the polymerization of the vinyl aromatic compound to an extent such that the conjugated diene compound and the vinyl aromatic compound are prepolymerized at degrees of conversion of the conjugated diene compound at least 50% and 10% or less, respectively, and the resultant prepolymer solution is further polymerized by a radical or anionic polymerization method so that the vinyl aromatic compound is polymerized with the conjugated diene compound prepolymer.

Abstract: A method of determining the positions of beads, capable of determining appropriate positions easily. The method includes the steps of obtaining a buckling waveform on the member without any bead; analyzing the obtained buckling waveform to determine concave portions and convex portions of the buckling waveform; and determining the positions of the beads in accordance with the concave portions and the convex portions of the buckling waveform.

Abstract: A selectively, partially hydrogenated butadiene polymer produced by selectively, partially hydrogenating a butadiene polymer comprising:(1) a bound styrene content [S] of 0 to 40% by weight;(2) a vinyl linkage content [V] of 1 to 80% at the butadiene portion;(3) a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 10,000 to 1,000,000; and(4) a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 1.2 to 5.0;wherein the selectively, partially hydrogenated butadiene polymer produced is characterized by(5) a hydrogenation ratio [A] of 3 to 85% of the total butadiene portion; and(6) a hydrogenation ratio [B] of 20% or more at the vinyl linkage moiety of the butadiene portion; andwherein the [A], [B], [S] and [V] satisfy the relationships of:(7) [A]/([S]+[V]).sup.1/2 which is 2 to 8; and(8) [B].[V].sup.1/2 /[A] which is 10 to 16.

Abstract: A diene polymer expressed by the following general formula and with a weight average molecular weight, determined by GPC, of 10,000 to 1,000,000: ##STR1## (wherein, D.sub.1 indicates a diene polymer, R.sub.1 an organic group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms free from active hydrogen or a silicon compound, m is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 6, and n is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 6, m being 1 or more when n=0 and n being 2 or more when m=0).This diene polymer is used as a vulcanization use rubber composition suitable for tire applications, principally tire treads, stiffeners for high impact polystyrene, etc., thermoplastic elastomers, and thermoplastic resins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rubber-like polybutadiene or a rubber-like butadiene-styrene copolymer suited for use in tire treads which are obtained by polymerization of the monomer(s) in the presence of an organolithium catalyst, followed by reacting a carbodiimide with the reactant product thereof so as to subject it to reaction at its living point, and if necessary, further reacting the product thus obtained with a trifunctional or higher-order coupling agent. The invention further relates to a process for the production thereof, and a rubber composition containing more than a definite amount of said polymer.