1. A process for producing a mono- or poly-oxidised xanthophyll which process comprises oxidising a carotenoid of a lower oxidation state than the xanthophyll to be produced with an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide and an organic solvent, said solvent being immiscible with water, wherein said oxidation reaction is carried out in the presence of an iodine-containing compound.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein said mono- or poly-oxidised xanthophyll is cantaxanthin and said carotenoid of a lower oxidation state is beta-carotene.
3. A process according to claim 1, wherein said mono- or poly-oxidised xanthophyll is astaxanthin and said carotenoid of a lower oxidation state is lutein or zeaxanthin.
4. A process according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein said aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide is at a concentration comprised from 1 to 85% by weight.
5. A process according to claim 4, wherein said wherein said aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide is at a concentration of from 25 to 55% by weight.
6. A process according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein the organic solvent immiscible with water is in an amount of from 2 and 300 times the weight of the carotenoid.
7. A process according to anyone of claims 1 to 6, wherein the iodine-containing compound is selected from the group comprising iodine, iodine halide, and metal iodide.
8. A process according to claim 7, wherein said iodine-containing compound is iodine
9. A process according to claim 7, wherein said iodinated compound is an alkali metal iodide.
10. A process according to anyone of claims 7 to 9, wherein the amount of said iodine-containing compound is from 1 to 40% by mole of the amount of the carotenoid.
11. A process according to anyone of claims 1 to 10 carried out at a pH of from 2 to 10.
12. A process according to anyone of claims 1 to 11 carried at a temperature of from minus 101 C. to 50 C.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A disk apparatus for loading a disk-like recording medium to a predetermined position in the inside thereof, and performing recording information in the loaded recording medium or reproducing the information recorded in the loaded recording medium, the disk apparatus comprising:
a base chassis having a surface facing a surface of the loaded recording medium;
a movable unit having (i) a spindle motor for rotating the loaded recording medium, (ii) a head for performing the recording of the information or the reproducing of the information to the loaded recording medium, (iii) a guide shaft for supporting the head movably in a radius direction of the loaded recording medium, and (iv) a movable holding device holding the spindle motor, the head and the guide shaft;
a supporting device for supporting the movable holding device at a supporting point located between the loaded recording medium and the base chassis such that the movable holding device can swing about the supporting point between the loaded recording medium and the base chassis in a direction approximately perpendicular to the surface of the base chassis; and
a limiting device for limiting a movable range of the head by coming into contact with the head or the guide shaft when the movable holding device swings towards the surface of the base chassis, wherein
the movable holding device holds the head or the guide shaft movably in a direction away from the surface of the base chassis.
2. The disk apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
when the movable holding device swings towards the surface of the base chassis, a position of the head or the guide shaft gets close to a parallel position relative to the surface of the base chassis, in comparison with positions of the movable holding device and the spindle motor, by moving independently of the movable holding device in the direction away from the surface of the base chassis.
3. The disk apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
when the movable holding device swings towards the surface of the base chassis, the head or the guide shaft is moved independently of the movable holding device in the direction away from the surface of the base chassis by coming into contact with the limiting device.
4. The disk apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the limiting device is disposed on the guide shaft and extends towards the surface of the base chassis, and
a tip of the limiting device comes into contact with the surface of the base chassis, when the movable holding device swings toward the surface of the base chassis.
5. The disk apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the head comprises: a light source for irradiating the recording medium with a light beam; and a photoreceiver for receiving the light beam reflected from the loaded recording medium, and
the limiting device is disposed near at least one of the light source and the photoreceiver.
6. The disk apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the limiting device is disposed on the head and extends towards the surface of the base chassis, and
a tip of the limiting device comes into contact with the surface of the base chassis, when the movable holding device swings towards the surface of the base chassis.
7. The disk apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the limiting device is disposed on the surface of the base chassis and extends toward the head or the guide shaft, and
a tip of the limiting device comes into contact with the head or the guide shaft, when the movable holding device swings towards the surface of the base chassis.
8. The disk apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the movable holding device holds the guide shaft via an elastic device, and the elastic device is compressible in a direction away from the surface of the base chassis.