Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a photo-alignment copolymer which makes it possible to produce a photo-alignment film having excellent solvent resistance and liquid crystal aligning properties, and a photo-alignment film and an optical laminate produced using the photo-alignment copolymer. A photo-alignment copolymer of the invention is a photo-alignment copolymer having a repeating unit A including a photo-alignment group represented by Formula (A) and a repeating unit B including a crosslinkable group represented by Formula (B).

Abstract: To provide a light diffusing sheet which enables the light from a lightguide plate or light source of a backlight unit to be conducted to lens film after having been converted to diffused light having a small brightness peak angle, and which generates neither a moiré or interference fringe nor luminance unevenness, and is advantageous also in terms of productivity and cost, and to provide a backlight unit having this light diffusing sheet incorporated therein, and the surface of the sheet with fine recesses formed therein serves as a light emission side. The light diffusing sheet comprises a light-transmitting resin, characterized by having fine recesses formed in at least one of the surfaces thereof, the fine recesses having a shape which is any of the shapes of an inverted polyangular pyramid, an inverted truncated polyangular pyramid, an inverted cone, and an inverted truncated cone.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a thin, low-power consumption, light-weight, and inexpensive surface light emitting apparatus using a hollow multilayer structure in combination with LEDs, and a method of light emission for the same. More specifically, the invention provides a surface light emitting apparatus comprising: a hollow multilayer structure formed from a plurality of hollow cells; a light source for emitting light into the hollow multilayer structure through an end face thereof containing a cell opening; and optical means for causing the light introduced through the cell opening-containing end face of the hollow multilayer structure to emerge from a surface of the hollow multilayer structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin, low-power consumption, lightweight, and inexpensive surface light emitting apparatus using LEDs in conjunction with a light conducting member having a plurality of light conducting rods. More specifically, the surface light emitting apparatus of the invention comprises: a light conducting member constructed from a plurality of light conducting rods and having an end face and a light-emitting face; a light source for emitting light into the light conducting member through the end face; and light deflecting means for causing the light introduced through the end face of the light conducting member to emerge from the light-emitting face of the light conducting member.

Abstract: [Problem]To provide a light diffusing sheet which enables the light from a lightguide plate or light source of the backlight unit to be conducted to lens film after having been converted to diffused light having a small brightness peak angle, and which generates neither a moiré or interference fringe nor luminance unevenness, and is advantageous also from the standpoints of productivity and cost, and to provide a backlight unit having this light diffusing sheet incorporated therein. [Means for Solution] The invention is composed of a light diffusing sheet 10 comprising a light-transmitting resin, characterized by having fine recesses formed in at least one of the surfaces 2 thereof, the fine recesses 3 having a shape which is any of the shape of an inverted polyangular pyramid, the shape of an inverted truncated polyangular pyramid, the shape of an inverted cone, and the shape of an inverted truncated cone.

Abstract: The invention provides a sheet (1) comprising a light-transmittable resin, in which irregularities are formed on both sides (1a) and (1b) of the sheet, the average surface roughness of one side (1a) which becomes the light-entering side is from 0.2 to 5.0 ?m and larger than the average surface roughness of the opposite side (1b) that becomes the light-departing side, wherein the average surface roughness of the opposite side (1b) is from 0.2 to 2.0 ?m, and the surface area ratio of the one side (1a) is smaller than the surface area ratio of the opposite side (1b).

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an easily producible light diffusing sheet which is rich in the amount of entering light from one side, can emit uniform diffused light with no variation of brightness from the opposite side by controlling optical loss at a small degree, and does not generate wrinkles when heated by light and heat from the light source.

Abstract: A highly flexible leather-like sheet material has a base layer of a fibrous aggregate containing a first polymer principally containing a first elastic polymer and, provided on the surface thereof, a coating layer of a second polymer principally comprising a second elastic polymer, said coating layer containing the two layers of a wet-formed porous intermediate coating layer integrated with the base layer and having a thickness of 10 to 40 .mu.m and having continuous pores with a maximum pore diameter of 1 to 30 .mu.m and a dry-formed porous surface coating layer having a thickness of 20 to 80 .mu.m and having continuous pores with a maximum pore diameter of substantially not more than 20 .mu.m and an average pore diameter of, preferably, 1 to 5 .mu.m obtained by extracting off fine particles, the two layers both containing a softening agent.

Abstract: A rotary type photoelectric switch comprises a rotary shaft rotated by an external force, a light interrupting plate coupled to the rotary shaft, a light-emitting element for emitting light, and a light-receiving element for receiving the light of the light-emitting element, wherein the light interrupting plate swings to enter into and exit from the lightpath formed between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element. A stopper remote from the rotary shaft regulates the stroke of the light-interrupting plate, and a wavy spring or magnet reduce bounce of the plate.

Abstract: The present invention features a sub or secondary weather strip which also functions as a rain gutter. The upper portion which extends along roof side rail is open to receive rain water while that portion which extends down along the front pillar is hollow and adapted to essentially fill the space defined between the front pillar and the sash of the door.

Abstract: Novel 2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosane-10,15-diol derivatives. Such derivatives are prepared by hydrogenation of 2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosa-11,13-diyne-10,15-diol derivatives and used as starting materials for preparing squalane.