1. A compound represented by the following formula (1):
wherein
R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014, \u2014S\u2014, \u2014CO\u2014, \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, or \u2014C\u2261C\u2014;
A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene; in the 1,4-cyclohexylene, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014, \u2014S\u2014, or \u2014CO\u2014, and any \u2014(CH2)2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014; in the 1,4-phenylene, any \u2014CH\u2550 may be replaced by \u2014N\u2550; and in these rings, any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine, chlorine, \u2014CN, \u2014CF3, \u2014CHF2, \u2014CH2F, \u2014OCF3, \u2014OCHF2, or \u2014OCH2F;
Z1, Z2, and Z3 each independently represents a single bond, \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014CH2O\u2014, \u2014OCH2\u2014, \u2014CF2O\u2014, \u2014OCF2\u2014, \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, \u2014CF\u2550CF\u2014, \u2014C\u2261C\u2014, \u2014(CH2)4\u2014, \u2014O(CH2)2O\u2014, \u2014(CH2)2CF2O\u2014, \u2014(CH2)2OCF2\u2014, \u2014CF2O(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014OCF2(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014CH2O\u2014, or \u2014OCH2\u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014;
X represents hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, \u2014CN, \u2014CF3, \u2014CHF2, \u2014CH2F, \u2014OCF3, \u2014OCHF2\u2014, or \u2014OCH2F;
G represents oxygen or sulfur;
n and m each independently represents 0, 1, or 2; and
in any one of the following (i) to (iii), R may represent hydrogen:
(i) the total sum of n and m is 1 or 2;
(ii) X represents fluorine, chlorine, \u2014CN, \u2014CF3, \u2014CHF2, \u2014CH2F, \u2014OCF3, \u2014OCHF2, or \u2014OCH2F; and
(iii) at least one of A1, A2, and A3 represents 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine, chlorine, \u2014CN, \u2014CF3, \u2014CHF2, \u2014CH2F, \u2014OCF3, \u2014OCHF2, or \u2014OCH2F.
2. A compound represented by the following formula (1):
wherein
R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, an alkoxy having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, an alkoxyalkyl having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms;
A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, fluorinated 1,4-phenylene, or 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl;
G represents oxygen or sulfur;
Z1, Z2, and Z3 each independently represents a single bond, \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014CH2O\u2014, or \u2014OCH2\u2014,
X represents fluorine or hydrogen;
n and m each independently represents 0 or 1; and
in any one of the following (iv) to (vi), R may represents hydrogen:
(iv) the total sum of n and m is 1 or 2;
(v) X represents fluorine; and
(vi) at least one of A1, A2, and A3 represents 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine.
3. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; and Z1, Z2, and Z3 each represents a single bond.
4. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; Z1, Z2, and Z3 each represents a single bond; and A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene.
5. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; Z1, Z2, and Z3 each represents a single bond; A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene; and R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms.
6. The compound according to claim 5, wherein any one of A1, A2, and A3 represents fluorinated 1,4-phenylene.
7. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; Z1, Z2, and Z3 each represents a single bond; A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene; and R represents an alkenyl having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms.
8. The compound according to claim 7, wherein any one of A1, A2, and A3 represents fluorinated 1,4-phenylene.
9. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; Z1, Z2, and Z3 each represents a single bond; and any one of A1, A2, and A3 represents 1,4-cyclohexylene.
10. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; and any one of Z1, Z2, and Z3 represents \u2014CH2O\u2014 or \u2014OCH2\u2014.
11. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; any one of Z1, Z2, and Z3 represents \u2014CH2O\u2014 or \u2014OCH2\u2014; and A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene.
12. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; and any one of Z1, Z2, and Z3 represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014.
13. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; any one of Z1, Z2, and Z3 represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014; and A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene.
14. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; any one of Z1, Z2, and Z3 represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014; A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene; and R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms.
15. The compound according to claim 14, wherein any one of A1, A2, and A3 represents fluorinated 1,4-phenylene.
16. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents oxygen; any one of Z1, Z2, and Z3 represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014; A1, A2, and A3 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene; and R represents an alkenyl having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms.
17. The compound according to claim 16, wherein any one of A1, A2, and A3 represents fluorinated 1,4-phenylene.
18. The compound according to claim 2, wherein G represents sulfur.
19. A compound represented by any one of the following formulae (1a) to (1m):
wherein R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, an alkoxy having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms; and Y1 to Y5 each independently represents hydrogen or fluorine.
20. The compound according to claim 19, wherein R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, an alkoxy having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl having from 2 to 7 carbon atoms.
21. The compound according to claim 19, wherein R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, an alkoxy having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl having from 2 to 7 carbon atoms; and any one of Y1 to Y5 represents fluorine.
22. A compound represented by any one of the following formulae:
wherein R represents an alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, an alkoxy having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl having from 2 to 7 carbon atoms.
23. A liquid crystal composition containing at least one compound according to claim 1 and comprising at least two compounds.
24. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 23, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae (2), (3) and (4):
wherein
R1 represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
X1 represents fluorine, chlorine, \u2014OCF3, \u2014OCHF2, \u2014CF3, \u2014CHF2, \u2014CH2F, \u2014OCF2CHF2, or \u2014OCF2CHFCF3;
ring B and ring D each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl, or 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine;
ring E represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, or 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine;
Z4 and Z5 each independently represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014(CH2)4\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, \u2014CF2O\u2014, \u2014OCF2\u2014, \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, or a single bond; and
L1 and L2 each independently represents hydrogen or fluorine.
25. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 23, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae (5) and (6):
wherein
R2 and R3 each independently represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
X2 represents \u2014CN or \u2014C\u2261C\u2014CN;
ring G represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl, or pyrimidine-2,5-diyl;
ring J represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, or 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine;
ring K represents 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene;
Z6 represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, \u2014CF2O\u2014, \u2014OCF2\u2014, or a single bond;
L3, L4, and L5 each independently represents hydrogen or fluorine; and
b, c, and d each independently represents 0 or 1.
26. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 23, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae (7), (8), (9), (10) and (11):
wherein
R4 represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
R5 represents fluorine or an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
ring M and ring P each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or decahydro-2,6-naphthylene;
Z7 and Z8 each independently represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, or a single bond; and
L6 and L7 each independently represents hydrogen or fluorine, and at least one of L6 and L7 represents fluorine.
27. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 23, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae (12), (13) and (14):
wherein
R6 and R7 each independently represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
ring Q, ring T, and ring U each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine; and
Z9 and Z10 each independently represents \u2014C\u2261C\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, or a single bond.
28. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 24, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the formulae (5) and (6):
wherein
R2 and R3 each independently represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
X2 represents \u2014CN or \u2014C\u2261C\u2014CN;
ring G represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl, or pyrimidine-2,5-diyl;
ring J represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, or 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine;
ring K represents 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene;
Z6 represents \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, \u2014CF2O\u2014, \u2014OCF2\u2014, or a single bond;
L3, L4, and L5 each independently represents hydrogen or fluorine; and
b, c, and d each independently represents 0 or 1.
29. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 24, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the formulae (12), (13) and (14):
wherein
R6 and R7 each independently represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
ring Q, ring T, and ring U each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine; and
Z9 and Z10 each independently represents \u2014C\u2261C\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, or a single bond.
30. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 25, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the formulae (12), (13) and (14):
wherein
R6 and R7 each independently represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl, any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
ring Q, ring T, and ring U each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine; and
Z9 and Z10 each independently represents \u2014C\u2261C\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, or a single bond.
31. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 26, containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the formulae (12), (13) and (14):
wherein
R6 and R7 each independently represents an alkyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and in this alkyl any \u2014CH2\u2014 may be replaced by \u2014O\u2014 or \u2014CH\u2550CH\u2014, and any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
ring Q, ring T, and ring U each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, or fluorinated 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen is replaced by fluorine; and
Z9 and Z10 each independently represents \u2014C\u2261C\u2014, \u2014COO\u2014, \u2014(CH2)2\u2014, CH\u2550CH, or a single bond.
32. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 23, further containing at least one optically active compound.
33. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 24, further containing at least one optically active compound.
34. A liquid crystal display device containing the liquid crystal composition according to claim 23.
35. A liquid crystal display device containing the liquid crystal composition according to claim 24.
36. A liquid crystal display device containing the liquid crystal composition according to claim 33.
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 power supply apparatus, comprising:
a master circuit part charging a battery initially, supplying energy to a load that is a light load, and charging the battery when discharged; and
a slave circuit part having a common output terminal with the master circuit part and supplying energy to the load that is a heavy load along with the master circuit part by distributing the load among them,
wherein the master circuit part includes a rechargeable battery therein.
2. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the master circuit part further includes an initial battery charger for charging the battery initially.
3. The power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the initial battery charger includes:
a transformer receiving AC voltage and generating an output voltage having an amplitude different from that of its input voltage according to a turns ratio between primary and secondary windings thereof;
a switch element producing intermittent current flowing in the primary winding of the transformer; and
a diode rectifying AC voltage induced in the secondary winding of the transformer into DC voltage.
4. The power supply apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the switch element is a MOSFET.
5. The power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the initial battery charger includes:
an ACDC converting unit that receives AC voltage from an AC voltage source to convert it into DC voltage;
a transformer that converts the DC voltage converted by the ACDC converting unit into DC voltage having a different amplitude according to the turns ratio between the primary and secondary windings; and
a rectifying unit rectifying an AC component mixed in the DC voltage induced in the secondary winding of the transformer into a DC component.
6. The power supply apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an inductor that removes a high-frequency noise component mixed in current supplied to the battery through the rectifying unit.
7. The power supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the ACDC converting unit is configured as a full bridge circuit that includes
a first switch element with its one terminal connected to the AC voltage source,
a first diode connected to the first switch element in series,
a second diode connected to the first switch element in parallel, and
a second switch element connected to the second diode in series.
8. The power supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first and second switch elements are MOSFETs.
9. The power supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the rectifying unit is configured as a half bridge circuit that includes
a first output diode connected to one terminal of the secondary winding of the transformer in series, and
a second output diode connected to a unit circuit consisting of the secondary winding and the first output diode in parallel.
10. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the master circuit part is configured to supply energy to the load that is a half load or less.
11. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slave circuit part is configured to supply power for charging the battery if a voltage level of the battery is at a reference voltage level or less.
12. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slave circuit part includes a bus dedicated for monitoring battery information with the master circuit part.