The invention concerns a fluid-distributor for a substance-exchange column, the fluid-distributor comprising at least one main duct and a plurality of distributor ducts. The distributor ducts are connected for flow purposes to the main duct and are provided with fluid-discharge openings. In order to attain particularly high-quality distribution, the effective length (L) of the fluid-discharge openings is smaller than their diameter (D).

The invention relates to a liquid distributor for a mass-transfer column and to a corresponding method, the liquid distributor having at least one main channel and a multiplicity of distributing channels which are in flow connection with the main channel and are provided with liquid-outlet openings, of which the effective length L is smaller than their diameter D, it being the case that the effective length L is established by that part of the boundary of the outlet opening which is wetted by the liquid during operation of the distributor, and the diameter D denotes the maximum linear extent of the free cross section of the liquid-outlet opening.
Distributors of this type serve for distributing liquid over the cross section of a mass-transfer column, in particular above a section provided with ordered or random packing. They are known, for example, from an article by P. Bomio et al, Chem. Tech. 43rd year, Issue November/December 1991 and are referred to therein as pipe distributors, element distributors or channel distributors. These types of liquid distributors have horizontally aligned distributing channels which are fed by at least one main channel, which usually runs perpendicularly with respect to the distributing channels. In the case of a pipe distributor, the distributing channels are closed on their top side, and in the case of an element or channel distributor they are open at the top. This leads to the problem where the flow in the longitudinal direction of the distributing channels causes a non-uniform distribution of liquid. Depending on the distance between a liquid-outlet opening and the liquid inlet into the distributing channels, said opening has the liquid flowing through it at different outlet speeds.
The object of the invention is therefore to develop a distributor, and a method, of the type mentioned above which allows a particularly high quality of distribution and requires just relatively low production outlay.
As far as equipment is concerned, this object is achieved in that the hole cross section D of the liquid-outlet openings on the inside of the distributing channels differs from the hole cross section E on the outside of the distributing channels.
As far as the method of distributing liquid in a mass-transfer column by means of a liquid distributor is concerned, it being the case that the liquid flows into a multiplicity of distributing channels via a main channel and passes out of liquid-outlet openings located in the distributing channels, it being the case that the liquid wets the liquid-outlet opening over a length which is smaller than the diameter D of the liquid-outlet opening, and it being the case that the diameter D denotes the maximum linear extent of the free cross section of the liquid-outlet opening, this object is achieved in that the liquid wets the liquid-outlet opening over its entire circumference, but not over its entire length.
Diameter here is understood as being the maximum linear extent of the free hole cross section; in the generally customary case of circular liquid-outlet openings, this diameter is the diameter of the circle at the narrowest point of the liquid-outlet opening. The liquid-outlet openings are generally arranged in a horizontally aligned wall section of the distributing channels, with the result that they have the liquid flowing through them essentially in a vertical flow direction.
The effective hole length is established by that part of the hole boundary which is wetted by the liquid during operation of the distributor. For example, in the case of a liquid-outlet opening whose cross section tapers upwards, the effective hole length is smaller than the geometric length. Liquid-outlet openings with this property are also referred to as orifice-plate holes hereinbelow. In the tests carried out within the context of the invention, it has surprisingly been found that the use of such orifice-plate holes results in a considerably improved quality of distribution.
The ratio L/D between the effective length and hole diameter of the liquid-outlet openings is smaller than 1, preferably smaller than or equal to 0.9, smaller than or equal to 0.8, smaller than or equal to 0.7 or smaller than or equal to 0.6.
The effective length of the liquid-outlet openings is preferably smaller than the geometric length thereof. The hole geometry is selected such that the hole length which is wetted by the liquid during operation is smaller than the wall thickness of the distributing channels.
The effective hole length, which is reduced in relation to the geometric hole length, is advantageously achieved in that the hole cross section of the liquid-outlet openings on the inside of the distributing channels is smaller than the hole cross section on the outside of the distributing channels. The liquid-outlet opening may be designed to taper conically from the outside inwards. It is also possible for the cross-sectional surface areas of the hole on the inside and on the outside to be shaped differently, however they are preferably the same, and particularly preferably are both circular. It has been found to be particularly expedient to provide liquid-outlet openings in the form of stepped bores, i.e. one bore running through the entire wall thickness of the distributing channel and a blind hole which is arranged concentrically with respect to said bore and penetrates from the outside just into part of the wall thickness of the distributing channel.
However, it may also be expedient to provide a greater hole cross section of the liquid-outlet openings on the inside of the distributing channels than on the outside of the distributing channels. This variant may provide production-related advantages, in particular, in the case of distributing channels which are open towards the top. The hole geometry is advantageously selected analogously to the variants described above. Stepped bores have been found to be favorable in this configuration as well.
The distributing channels are advantageously closed off at least partially towards the top. So-called pipe distributors in combination with the outlet openings according to the invention are particularly favorable since, even in the case of changes in load, this ensures a high quality of distribution of the liquid. The pipe distributor expediently has a circular or rectangular profile. This means that commercially available pipes or rectangular profiles can be used. Rectangular distributing channels additionally have the advantage that they can easily be fitted on the main channel.
For stability reasons, the wall thickness of the distributing channels is preferably between 1.5 mm and 12 mm, particularly preferably between 2 mm and 6 mm. If, in particular in the case of small hole diameters, the wall thickness exceeds the diameter of the liquid-outlet opening, then the hole geometry is modified such that the effective hole length according to the invention is smaller than the hole diameter.
The diameter of the outlet openings is advantageously from 1 to 10 mm, particularly advantageously from 2 to 6 mm. It has been found that a particularly favorable distribution of the liquid is achieved with this selection of the hole diameter.
From a production point of view, it is favorable to use distributing channels which are produced from extruded profiles or from individual parts which are connected to one another. As a result of their low weight, distributing channels made of plastic or of aluminium are advantageous.
The liquid-outlet openings are preferably arranged in the base of the distributing channels. However, a high quality of distribution is also achieved if the outlet openings are located in the side wall of the distributing channels, particularly advantageously in the bottom third of the side walls.
Moreover, the liquid distributor may have a flow separator which is arranged essentially horizontally within the distributing channels. A flow separator here is understood as being an apparatus by which a medium flowing in one direction (e.g. horizontally) is divided up into two part-streams flowing in different directions (e.g. into a stream which is still horizontal and a stream with a vertical direction component). The flow separator is preferably arranged such that, during operation of the distributor, it is located beneath the surface of the liquid flowing, or static, in the corresponding distributing channel. It causes flow resistance in the vertical direction. This results in two flow cross sections; in the top one the liquid is transported along the distributing channel, and in the bottom one flow takes place merely in the direction of the liquid-outlet opening. The reduction in the horizontal flow speed immediately above the hole brings about a further improvement in the quality of distribution.
The flow separator preferably has a perforated plate. This contains at least one essentially horizontal section. The opening ratio in this region is, for example, 3 to 13%, preferably 5 to 8%, and most preferably approximately 5%.
The invention also relates to a mass-transfer column with a distributor of this type and to the use of such a mass-transfer column for low-temperature separation of air.

Fluid-distributor for a substance-exchange column


An ESD protection circuit having a high triggering threshold. The ESD protection circuit comprises a semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR) and a bipolar-junction-transistor (BJT). The SCR comprises an anode, an anode gate, a cathode gate and a cathode. The anode is coupled to a first pad. The cathode gate and the cathode are coupled to a second pad. The BJT transistor is parasitic under a metal-on-semiconductor (MOS) transistor and has a collector and an emitter. Either the collector or the emitter is coupled to the anode gate, and the other is coupled only to the second pad. Current generated at the anode is shared by the BJT transistor. A larger current is required to trigger the SCR in the ESD protection circuit of the present invention and result in a latch-up. Thus, latch-up caused by accidental noise is prevented during normal power operations.

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), this application claims priority from Taiwanese application no. 090120068, filed with the Taiwanese Patent Office, Taiwan, on Aug. 16, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit utilizing a semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR). In particular, the present invention relates to an ESD protection circuit having a high triggering threshold.
2. Description of the Related Art
ESD protection is an important issue for semiconductor products, and is especially crucial during manufacture of minimized complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOSs). Breakdown voltages of gate oxide layers in MOS transistors have decreased as the manufacturing process has improved. In order to protect the gate oxide layer from ESD stress, an ESD protection circuit is formed at each input/output (I/O) port as a general security measure.
A semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR) is often used as an ESD protection component for its low holding voltage. FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a conventional lateral SCR. As shown in FIG. 1, a PNPN structure is formed by a P+ doped region 14, an N-well 12, a P-substrate 10 and an N+ doped region 18. The N-well 12 is coupled to the P+ doped region 14 through an N+ doped region 16 to become an anode of the SCR. The P-substrate 10 is coupled to the N+ doped region 18 through a P+ doped region
to become a cathode of the SCR. FIG. 2 is a voltage-current diagram of the conventional SCR in FIG. 1. The triggering voltage is approximately equal to the junction-breakdown voltage between the N-well 12 and the P-substrate 10 (approximately larger than 10V). The holding voltage Vhold is about 1V. The thermal energy generated by an ESD protection component during an ESD event is approximately equal to IESDxc3x97VESD. The voltage VESD generated by a conventional SCR during an ESD event is relatively low, approximately equal to the holding voltage Vhold. Therefore, a conventional SCR conducts large current without becoming overheated and thus is suitable for ESD protection.
It is noted that the triggering current Itrig of a conventional SCR is rather small as shown in FIG. 2. When used as an ESD protection component at a pad, the conventional SCR is easily triggered and latched up by noise during normal power operations. The pad is clamped to a low voltage (xcx9cVhold) and signal transmissions at the pad are interrupted.
The ESD protection circuit of the present invention has a high triggering threshold to overcome the problems caused by latch-up.
An ESD protection circuit of the present invention having a high triggering threshold comprises a semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR) and a bipolar-junction transistor (BJT). The SCR comprises an anode, an anode gate, a cathode gate and a cathode. The anode is coupled to a first pad. The cathode gate and the cathode are coupled to a second pad. The BJT is parasitic under a metal-on-semiconductor (MOS) transistor and has a collector and an emitter. Either the collector or the emitter is coupled to the anode gate, and the other is coupled only to the second pad.
Another ESD protection circuit of the present invention comprises a gate-grounded NMOS transistor and a lateral SCR. The lateral SCR comprises a substrate having a first conductivity type, a well region having a second conductivity type, a first doped region having the first conductivity type, and a second doped region having the second conductivity type. The gate-grounded NMOS transistor comprises a drain coupled only to the well region, and a gate and a source coupled together. The first doped region is coupled to a first pad. The second doped region, the source and the gate of the gate-grounded NMOS transistor are coupled to a second pad.
The ESD protection circuit of the present invention provides good ESD protection and prevents latch-up caused by accidental noise during normal power operations.


A method and system for tunable removal rates and selectivity of materials during chemical-mechanical polishing using a chemical slurry or solution with increased dissolved oxygen content. The slurry can optionally include additives to improve removal rate and/or selectivity. Further selectivity can be obtained by varying the concentration and type of abrasives in the slurry, using lower operating pressure, using different pads, or using other additives in the dispersion at specific pH values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for chemical-mechanical polishing, and, more particularly, to a method and system for tunable removal rates and selectivity during chemical-mechanical polishing.
2. Description of the Related Art
During semiconductor device fabrication, the planarity required at each level of a multilevel structure is often achieved using chemical-mechanical planarization ("CMP"). CMP typically uses a chemical solution or an abrasive and a chemical slurry to remove material. The abrasive scrapes the material to remove it, while the chemical slurry reacts with the material to weaken it for removal.
During the typical fabrication process for microelectromechanical systems ("MEMS"), integrated circuits, or through-silicon via structures, one or more top layers of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and/or polysilicon/si(100) must be polished with a dispersion that yields a very high or low polysilicon/si(100) removal rate ("RR") and a high or low selectivity over the underlying or overlying silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and/or copper layers. Both the removal rate of the undesired material and the selectivity for removal of the undesired material over the desired material are key metrics of the CMP process.
Accordingly, there is a continued need to achieve tunable removal rates and selectivities of materials commonly used in device fabrication, including but not limited to polysilicon/si(100), silicon dioxide, copper, and silicon nitride.

Tunable polish rates by varying dissolved oxygen content


There are provided a paper conveying apparatus that can prevent a drop in quality of the image data while enabling stable conveyance of paper. The paper conveying apparatus includes a first image capture unit, a second image capture unit, a pair of conveyor rollers including a first roller and a second roller, a first conveyor guide, and a second conveyor guide, wherein a nip position of the pair of conveyor rollers is arranged above an extended plane of a top surface of the first image capture unit extended to the pair of conveyor rollers side, an axis of rotation of the second roller is arranged offset to the first image capture unit side compared with an axis of rotation of the first roller at projections on the extended plane, and the first conveyor guide guides the medium conveyed to above from the extended plane, to make the medium turn downward.

In a scanner apparatus or other paper conveying apparatus which captures images of both surfaces of paper, an image capture unit which captures an image of a front surface and an image capture unit which captures an image of a back surface are often provided facing each other across the transport path of paper, so that the transport route of the apparatus is shortened in order to reduce the size of the apparatus. In this case, to enable conveyance of paper which has a certain degree of thickness, it is necessary to arrange the image capture surfaces of the image capture units separated by a certain extent. However, if the image capture surfaces of the image capture units are separated, there are the problems that the paper which is conveyed between the image capture surfaces ends up bringing wrinkled, the image becomes blurred at the time of capture, the brightness becomes uneven, etc., and the captured image data falls in quality.
An image reading apparatus which has a front surface reader which is arranged at an upper side of paper and a back surface reader which is arranged at a lower side, a pair of read rollers which are arranged at the reader inlets, and a pair of conveyor rollers which convey paper between the pair of read rollers has been disclosed. In this image reading apparatus, to enable paper to enter the reader at a slant, the pair of conveyor rollers and the pair of read rollers are arranged so that the nip positions are positioned above the transport path of paper and the axes of rotation of the lower rollers are positioned at the paper feed tray side from the axes of rotation of the upper rollers (see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-190938).


A method and system for a reconfigurable orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) chip supporting single weight diversity are provided. The reconfigurable OFDM chip may be configured to process signals such as IEEE 802.11, 802.16, and digital video broadcasting (DVB). The OFDM chip may generate channel weights to be applied to signals received in receive antennas. The weighted signals may be combined into a single received signal and channel estimates may be generated from the single received signal. Updated channel weights may be generated from the generated channel estimates. Updates to the channel weights may be performed dynamically. The configurable OFDM chip may be utilized to provide collaborative cellular and OFDM-based communication. The reconfigurable OFDM chip and the cellular chip may communicate data and/or control information via a memory coupled to a common bus.

Mobile communications has changed the way people communicate and mobile phones have been transformed from a luxury item to an essential part of every day life. The use of mobile devices is today dictated by social situations, rather than hampered by location or technology. While voice connections fulfill the basic need to communicate, and mobile voice connections continue to filter even further into the fabric of every day life, the mobile Internet is the next step in the mobile communication revolution. The mobile Internet and/or mobile video are poised to become a common source of everyday information, and easy, versatile mobile access to this data will be taken for granted.
Third generation (3G) cellular networks, for example, have been specifically designed to fulfill these future demands of the mobile devices. As these services grow in popularity and usage, factors such as cost efficient optimization of network capacity and quality of service (QoS) will become even more essential to cellular operators than it is today. These factors may be achieved with careful network planning and operation, improvements in transmission methods, and advances in receiver techniques. To this end, carriers need technologies that will allow them to increase downlink throughput and, in turn, offer advanced QoS capabilities and speeds that rival those delivered by cable modem and/or DSL service providers. In this regard, networks based on wideband CDMA (WCDMA) technology may make the delivery of data to end users a more feasible option for today's wireless carriers. The GPRS and EDGE technologies may be utilized for enhancing the data throughput of present second generation (2G) systems such as GSM. Moreover, HSDPA technology is an Internet protocol (IP) based service, oriented for data communications, which adapts WCDMA to support data transfer rates on the order of 10 megabits per second (Mbits/s).
In addition to cellular technologies, technologies such as those developed under the IEEE 802.11 and 802.16 standards, and/or the digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard, may also be utilized to fulfill these future demands of the mobile devices. For example, wireless local area networks (WLAN), wireless metropolitan area networks (WMAN), and DVB networks may be adapted to support mobile Internet an/or mobile video applications, for example. The digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard, for example, is a set of international open standards for digital television maintained by the DVB Project, an industry consortium, and published by a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The DVB systems may distribute data by satellite (DVB-S), by cable (DVB-C), by terrestrial television (DVB-T), and by terrestrial television for handhelds (DVB-H). The standards may define the physical layer and data link layer of the communication system. In this regard, the modulation schemes used may differ in accordance to technical and/or physical constraints. For example, DVB-S may utilize QPSK, DVB-C may utilize QAM, and DVB-T and DVB-H may utilize OFDM in the very high frequency (VHF)/ultra high frequency (UHF) spectrum.
These networks may be based on frequency division multiplexing (FDM). The use of FDM systems may result in higher transmission rates by enabling the simultaneous transmission of multiple signals over a single wireline or wireless transmission path. Each of these signals may comprise a carrier frequency modulated by the information to be transmitted. In this regard, the information transmitted in each signal may comprise video, audio, and/or data, for example. The orthogonal FDM (OFDM) spread spectrum technique may be utilized to distribute information over many carriers that are spaced apart at specified frequencies. The OFDM technique may also be referred to as multi-carrier or discrete multi-tone modulation. The spacing between carriers prevents the demodulators in a radio receiver from seeing frequencies other than their own. This technique may result in spectral efficiency and lower multi-path distortion, for example.
In both cellular and OFDM-based networks, the effects of multipath and signal interference may degrade the transmission rate and/or quality of the communication link. In this regard, multiple transmit and/or receive antennas may be utilized to mitigate the effects of multipath and/or signal interference on signal reception and may result in an improved overall system performance. These multi-antenna configurations may also be referred to as smart antenna techniques. It is anticipated that smart antenna techniques may be increasingly utilized both in connection with the deployment of base station infrastructure and mobile subscriber units in cellular systems to address the increasing capacity demands being placed on those systems. These demands arise, in part, from a shift underway from current voice-based services to next-generation wireless multimedia services that provide voice, video, and data communication.
The utilization of multiple transmit and/or receive antennas is designed to introduce a diversity gain and to suppress interference generated within the signal reception process. Such diversity gains improve system performance by increasing received signal-to-noise ratio, by providing more robustness against signal interference, and/or by permitting greater frequency reuse for higher capacity. In communication systems that incorporate multi-antenna receivers, a set of M receive antennas may be utilized to null the effect of (M−1) interferers, for example. Accordingly, N signals may be simultaneously transmitted in the same bandwidth using N transmit antennas, with the transmitted signal then being separated into N respective signals by way of a set of N antennas deployed at the receiver. Systems that utilize multiple transmit and receive antennas may be referred to as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. One attractive aspect of multi-antenna systems, in particular MIMO systems, is the significant increase in system capacity that may be achieved by utilizing these transmission configurations. For a fixed overall transmitted power, the capacity offered by a MIMO configuration may scale with the increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). For example, in the case of fading multipath channels, a MIMO configuration may increase system capacity by nearly M additional bits/cycle for each 3-dB increase in SNR.
However, the widespread deployment of multi-antenna systems in wireless communications, particularly in wireless handset devices, has been limited by the increased cost that results from increased size, complexity, and power consumption. Providing separate RF chain for each transmit and receive antenna is a direct factor that increases the cost of multi-antenna systems. Each RF chain generally comprises a low noise amplifier (LNA), a filter, a downconverter, and an analog-to-digital converter (A/D). In certain existing single-antenna wireless receivers, the single required RF chain may account for over 30% of the receiver's total cost. It is therefore apparent that as the number of transmit and receive antennas increases, the system complexity, power consumption, and overall cost may increase. This poses problems for mobile system designs and applications.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Reconfigurable orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) chip supporting single weight diversity


A vehicle headlamp including a headlamp unit and an auxiliary lamp in which the brightness of an end portion of the low beam light distribution pattern formed by the beam irradiation from the headlamp unit is reinforced by the auxiliary light distribution pattern formed by the beam irradiation from the auxiliary lamp unit. The high luminous intensity area of the auxiliary light distribution pattern partly overlaps the high luminous intensity area of the low beam light distribution pattern, thus allowing the low beam light distribution pattern and the auxiliary light distribution pattern to be combined. Further, by way of controlling the beam irradiation intensity of the auxiliary lamp unit by a light control unit, the brightness of the low beam light distribution pattern is reinforced by the auxiliary light distribution pattern that has brightness in response to the vehicle running condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a headlamp device for a vehicle that has an auxiliary lamp unit for reinforcing the brightness of the side end portion of a headlamp light distribution pattern.
2. Prior Art
In general, the headlamp for a vehicle is capable of selectively switching between a low beam light distribution pattern and a high beam light distribution pattern. However, in vehicle headlamps in which the structures of these respective light distribution patterns is fixed, it is difficult to execute a beam irradiation in accordance with a proper light distribution pattern in response to the condition of a running vehicle.
Accordingly, a vehicle headlamp device that overcomes such problems was demanded, and a headlamp device that uses an auxiliary lamp unit has been proposed. The auxiliary lamp unit executes a beam irradiation in accordance with its auxiliary light distribution pattern so as to reinforce the brightness of the side end portion of the headlamp light distribution pattern formed by the beam irradiation of the headlamp unit. The auxiliary lamp unit is turned on and off in response to the vehicle running condition.
FIG. 6 shows, in a perspective manner, a light distribution pattern formed by the headlamp device described above, assuming that the vehicle is turning left.
As seen from FIG. 6, in this headlamp device, a low beam irradiation is executed by the headlamp unit in accordance with its headlamp light distribution pattern P(L)xe2x80x2 that has a horizontal cut-off line CL1xe2x80x2 and an oblique cut-off line CL2xe2x80x2, and a beam irradiation is executed by the auxiliary lamp unit in accordance with its auxiliary light distribution pattern Paxe2x80x2 so as to reinforce the brightness of the left end portion of the headlamp light distribution pattern P(L)xe2x80x2. With this headlamp device, the road surface in front of the vehicle at the time of turning left is broadly irradiated by way of simultaneously turning on the headlamp unit and the auxiliary lamp unit.
However, in the vehicle headlamp device described above, a high luminous intensity area (hot zone) HZ1xe2x80x2 of the auxiliary light distribution pattern Paxe2x80x2 is formed at a position considerably apart from a high luminous intensity area HZ(L)xe2x80x2 of the headlamp light distribution pattern P(L)xe2x80x2. Accordingly, the problem is that the portion between the high luminous intensity areas HZ(L)xe2x80x2 and HZ1xe2x80x2 on the road surface in front of the vehicle becomes relatively dark due to the contrast between the high luminous intensity areas HZ(L)xe2x80x2 and HZ1xe2x80x2. As a result, the visibility in that portion is low.
In particular, the clipping point CP on a left curve road (a point to which it is considered that the driver pay his/her attention when turning left, that is, a position of the contact point when an eye point of the driver and the road shoulder side lane mark LM are connected with a tangent line) in front of the vehicle shifts toward the high luminous intensity area HZ(L)xe2x80x2 of the headlamp light distribution pattern P(L)xe2x80x2 as shown by arrows in FIG. 6 in accordance with the increase of the vehicle speed. Thus, the problem is that the high luminous intensity area HZ1xe2x80x2 of the auxiliary light distribution pattern Paxe2x80x2 formed on the 0left front side significantly reduces the visibility of the clipping point CP at the time of turning left at a high speed.
The present invention is made in light of the problems with the conventional vehicle headlamps described above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement in a headlamp device for a vehicle that is provided with an auxiliary lamp unit which executes a beam irradiation in accordance with its auxiliary light distribution pattern so as to reinforce the brightness of the side end portion of a headlamp light distribution pattern; and in the present invention, the vehicle headlamp device sufficiently increases the visibility of the road surface in front of the vehicle at the time of turning of the vehicle.
In other words, the present invention accomplishes the above object by applying innovation to the luminous intensity distribution in an auxiliary light distribution pattern and by providing a structure capable of controlling the light.
More specifically, the above object is accomplished by a unique structure for a headlamp device for a vehicle that includes:
a headlamp unit which irradiates a beam toward a front side of a vehicle in accordance with a predetermined headlamp light distribution pattern thereof, and
an auxiliary lamp unit which irradiates a beam in accordance with an auxiliary light distribution pattern thereof so as to reinforce the brightness of a side end portion of the headlamp light distribution pattern; and in the present invention:
the high luminous intensity area of the auxiliary light distribution pattern is formed at a position closer to the high luminous intensity area of the headlamp light distribution pattern than to the center position of the auxiliary light distribution pattern, and
a light control means that varies the beam irradiation intensity of the auxiliary lamp unit is connected to the auxiliary lamp unit.
The specific structures of the xe2x80x9cheadlamp unitxe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9cauxiliary lamp unitxe2x80x9d are not particularly limited; and, for instance, a so-called parabola type lamp device unit and a so-called projector type lamp device unit can be employed therefor. In addition, the structures of the light sources for the xe2x80x9cheadlamp unitxe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9cauxiliary lamp unitxe2x80x9d are not particularly limited; and, for instance, a discharge light-emitting portion of a discharge bulb and a filament of an incandescent bulb such as a halogen bulb can be employed as the light sources of the headlamp unit and the auxiliary lamp unit.
Furthermore, the xe2x80x9cauxiliary lamp unitxe2x80x9d can be a lamp that reinforces the brightness of either the right or left end portions of the headlamp light distribution pattern by the auxiliary light distribution pattern formed by the beam irradiation from the auxiliary lamp unit.
The xe2x80x9cheadlamp light distribution patternxe2x80x9d refers to a light distribution pattern that carries out a function of a headlamp, and it includes a high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern.
The xe2x80x9clight control meansxe2x80x9d is not particularly limited in its specific contents of variable control as long as it can vary the beam irradiation intensity of the auxiliary lamp unit.
As seen from the above, the headlamp device for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a headlamp unit, which irradiates the beam toward the front of the vehicle in accordance with its headlamp light distribution pattern, and a auxiliary lamp unit, which irradiates the beam in accordance with its auxiliary light distribution pattern so as to reinforce the brightness of the side end portion of the headlamp light distribution pattern; and in the present invention, the high luminous intensity area of the auxiliary light distribution pattern is formed at the position closer to the high luminous intensity area of the headlamp light distribution pattern than to the center position of the auxiliary light distribution pattern. Accordingly, the headlamp light distribution pattern and the auxiliary light distribution pattern are smoothly combined together, while the brightness of the side end portion of the headlamp light distribution pattern is reinforced by the auxiliary light distribution pattern of the auxiliary lamp unit.
Further, in the present invention, the light control means that varies the beam irradiation intensity of the auxiliary lamp unit is connected to the auxiliary lamp unit. Accordingly, the auxiliary light distribution pattern can be formed in response to the vehicle running condition. When the beam irradiation intensity of the auxiliary lamp unit is gradually increased by the light control means, the high luminous intensity area becomes bright at first, then the periphery gradually becomes bright, and at last the entire auxiliary light distribution pattern becomes bright. Accordingly, the headlamp light distribution pattern and the auxiliary light distribution pattern are smoothly combined together, and the brightness of the side end portion of the headlamp light distribution pattern is reinforced by the auxiliary light distribution pattern that has a required brightness.
As seen from the above, the headlamp device for a vehicle of the present invention is provided with an auxiliary lamp unit that executes the beam irradiation in accordance with its auxiliary light distribution pattern for reinforcing the brightness of the side end portion of the headlamp light distribution pattern. As a result, the visibility of the road surface in front of the running vehicle can be sufficiently increased at the time of turning.
The xe2x80x9clight control meansxe2x80x9d used in the above structure reduces the beam irradiation intensity in response to the increase of the vehicle speed.
Accordingly, the advantage is that it is possible to sufficiently irradiate a clipping point, which is positioned comparatively close and on one side of the road surface in front of the vehicle, by way of executing a beam irradiation so that the entire auxiliary light distribution pattern is formed on the road surface in front of the vehicle at the time of turning at a low speed. On the other hand, at the time of turning at a high speed, the beam irradiation is executed so that only the high luminous intensity area of the auxiliary light distribution pattern is formed on the road surface in front of the vehicle. Thus, a clipping point which is positioned close to a far center of the road surface in front of the vehicle is irradiated, while the area just before the clipping point is prevented from becoming too bright which would reduce the visibility of the clipping point.
Furthermore, in the structure of the present invention, a semi-high luminous intensity area (which is darker than the high luminous intensity area but is brighter than the other areas in the auxiliary light distribution pattern) of the auxiliary light distribution pattern is formed so as to extend obliquely downward from the high luminous intensity area of the auxiliary light distribution pattern toward a side laterally opposite the high luminous intensity area of the headlamp light distribution pattern. Accordingly, it is possible to sufficiently irradiate the clipping point even at the time of turning at a low speed and at a middle speed. It is also possible to prevent the portions other than the clipping point on the road surface in front of the vehicle from being irradiated too much which would reduce the visibility of the clipping point.
The specific structure of the xe2x80x9cauxiliary lamp unitxe2x80x9d is not particularly limited to that described above. However, when the auxiliary lamp unit has a reflector which is sectioned into a plurality of reflection surface areas, and the high luminous intensity area, the semi-high luminous intensity area and the other areas of the auxiliary light distribution pattern are formed by reflection lights from reflection surface areas which are different from each other in the reflector, then the auxiliary light distribution pattern can be easily formed with a target luminous intensity distribution.


The imaging lens consists of, in order from the object side, a first lens group G1 having a positive power, a diaphragm, a second lens group G2 having a positive power, and a third lens group G3. Each of the lens groups includes three or more lenses. A positive lens is disposed on a most object side in the first lens group G1, and a meniscus lens, which is concave toward the object side, is disposed to be closest to the object side in the second lens group G2. During focusing from an infinite distance object to a close-range object, elements ranging from the first lens group G1 to the second lens group G2 integrally move toward the object side, and the third lens group G3 remains stationary. The imaging lens satisfies a conditional expression about a radius of curvature of an air lens of the first lens group G1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging lens, which is appropriate for a digital camera, a video camera, and/or the like, and an imaging apparatus which comprises the imaging lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, as imaging lenses that can be used in cameras in the field mentioned above, for example, imaging lenses proposed in the following JP2013-019994A and JP2013-218015A. JP2013-019994A describes a lens system that includes in order from the object side: a first lens group that has a positive refractive power; a second lens group that has a negative refractive power; a third lens group; and a fourth lens group that has a positive refractive power, where a cemented lens is disposed right before an aperture diaphragm on the object side.
JP2013-218015A describes a front-focus-type imaging lens that performs focusing by moving a lens group on the object side. During focusing, in imaging lenses of Examples 4 and 5 of JP2013-218015A, a lens group on a most image side remains stationary, and a lens group closer to the object side than the lens group integrally moves as a movable group, thereby performing focusing. In imaging lenses of Examples 1 to 3 of JP2013-218015A, a movable group during focusing is the same as those of Examples 4 to 5. However, a floating system, in which the movable group is divided into two groups and these two groups are moved such that a relative interval therebetween is changed, may be employed.


Provided are methods of diagnosing and/or determining treatment of non-urinary tract cancers by detecting biomarkers, and aberrant methylation in said biomarkers, in human urine samples.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide: it accounted for 7.4 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2004. Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, with an estimated 12 million deaths in 2030.
Because cancer is a genetic disease, molecular changes, such as genetic and epigenetic DNA modifications, which result in neoplastic transformation, can be used as markers for the early detection of cancer.
Colorectal Cancer
Despite improvements in screening, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. When CRC is detected in its earliest stages, the survival rate can be as high as 90% compared with a survival rate of approximately 10% once the cancer has distantly metastasized. Currently, the recommended screening tests for CRC are colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy, but the adherence rate to take these tests is low (40%) in adults in the United States due to inconvenience, fear of discomfort, and the risks involved in invasive screening tests. The noninvasive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is also available, but its sensitivity is low (30%). Another emerging noninvasive screening test for CRC is the stool genetic test. Although a high specificity (92%) was obtained in a well-defined screening study in an average-risk population, the sensitivity (52%) has not been satisfactory. Thus, U.S. Health Care authorities continue to recommend an invasive flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy every 10 years for average-risk adults despite the high cost and invasive nature of these tests.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most frequent cancer in the world, and is the third leading cause of cancer mortality, responsible for between 250,000 and 800,000 deaths per year. HCC is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis with the 5 year survival rates are usually less than 5% following diagnosis using conventional methods of detection and treatment. However, early surgical and chemotherapeutic intervention can improve the prognosis, if early detection is possible. Unfortunately, the early stage of liver cancer is mostly asymptomatic, making the early detection of liver cancer a challenge. Current methods in detecting HCC include monitoring high risk groups such as those infected with HBV or HCV with regular (usually annual or biannual) physical assessments, serum liver function tests (LFTs), or ultrasound imaging for the detection of small masses in the liver. Ultrasound imaging is very expensive, making its routine use prohibitive. Moreover, detection requires the appearance of masses of at least 3 cm in size, and the outcome of the prognosis at that size is very poor. In addition to imaging techniques, the detection of the elevated serum concentrations of alpha-feto protein (AFP) has provided a useful surrogate marker for disease with at least 60% of the cases of HCC having the elevated AFP level at the time of diagnosis. However, the elevated level of AFP is influenced by and can occur because of a number of other non-malignant physiological events. It is nearly impossible to detect HCC early using current methods of detection. Thus, there is a clear and urgent need for non-invasive, reliable methods for the early detection of HCC.
Success in the treatment of individuals with cancer, such as CRC or HCC, often depends upon early detection. The earlier a tumor is detected, the better the prognosis. Many of the 520,000 lives lost to cancer each year could be saved with early detection. In many pre-neoplastic conditions, such as an inherited predisposition to a specific tumor type or in a disease-promoting neoplastic transformation, high risk individuals could be identified, and early detection programs could be implemented. From the patient's point of view, a diagnostic test is less unpleasant, invasive, and expensive, and is also more likely to be used. The importance of a non-invasive diagnosis for early cancer detection can be illustrated by the colorectal cancer screening test. These tests such as rectocolonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are effective in detecting CRC early. Unfortunately, the low compliance rate (25-35%) of adults in the US has been a problem due to inconvenience, fear of discomfort, and the risk involved in the screening test. Thus, a noninvasive, effective screening method is needed to improve a patient's comfort, so that the compliance rate can be increased, and cancer can be detected early. In all, more work is needed to develop a noninvasive, less unpleasant, highly sensitive, and less expensive screening test to augment adherence rates and to increase the role of early detection in disease prognosis.

Methods of diagnosing non-urinary tract diseases by detecting aberrant methylation

Philadelphia Health & Education Corporation


A toner composition comprised of the reaction product of resin particles containing hydroxyl, or acid groups, and an alkylene-glycidyl methacrylate polymer; pigment particles, and a wax component.

This invention is generally directed to toner and developer compositions, and more specifically the present invention is directed to toner compositions, including magnetic, single component, two component and colored toner compositions containing a wax component, In embodiments of the present invention, the toner is comprised of resin, especially a polyester resin, pigment, a wax component like polypropylene, or polyethylene, and the reaction product of an ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer with acid, or hydroxyl end groups, or mixtures thereof contained on the resin, which enables the grafted ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer to function as a compatibilizer and thus facilitate the dispersion of the wax as illustrated by the following ##STR1##
There is also provided in accordance with the present invention positively or negatively charged toner compositions comprised of polyester, pigment particles, a wax component, such as polypropylene wax, and a compatibilizer obtained by the reaction of the resin such as polyester acid end groups with an ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer, such as copolymers available from ELF Atochem North America Inc. as LOTADER.RTM. AX8840, believed to be a polyethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer, thereby permitting substantial permanent dispersion of the wax, or minimizing the amount of wax released from the toner. Free wax particles associated with that of the toner can cause filming on a magnetic roll and adversely affect the function of a magnetic brush. In monocomponent development, wherein a charge/metering blade is used, the magnetic donor roll can be filmed by the wax and cause slipping of toner behind the metering blade thereby reducing the amount of toner on the donor roll for development. There also is the potential for filming of the photoreceptor by the free wax and, in those situations wherein magnetic brush cleaners are used, filming also can occur. Furthermore, free wax particles can coat the carrier particles causing a change in the tribocharging properties, thereby reducing developer life. Also, when toner has been prepared with wax and the wax is poorly dispersed so as to generate free wax particles upon attrition to toner size, the fines collected by classification are rich in wax and may not be recyclable because their composition is different and not well controlled. These and other disadvantages are avoided or minimized with the toners and processes of the present invention.
The toner and developer compositions of the present invention are useful in a number of known electrostatographic imaging and printing systems. The toner compositions of the present invention in embodiments possess a wide fusing latitude, for example about 40.degree. to 70.degree. C., which is the temperature range between the minimum fixing temperature of, for example, from about 100.degree. C. to about 180.degree. C. required for fixing toner particles on paper and the hot offset temperature, for example, from about 150.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. Further, the toner compositions of the present invention also provide toner images with low surface energy and a low frictional coefficient, which properties enable the effective release of paper from the fuser roll and provide for a reduction in image smudging. Moreover, the developer compositions of the present invention possess stable electrical properties for extended time periods, and with these compositions, for example, there is no substantial change in the triboelectrical charging values.
Toners with waxes, such as polypropylene and polyethylene, are known. One problem associated with some of these toners, especially when the toner resin is a polyester, is that the wax component releases from the toner and adversely effects the toner characteristics, such as the toner triboelectric characteristics. For example, there are illustrated in U.K. Patent Publication 1,442,835, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, toner compositions containing resin particles and polyalkylene compounds, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, of a molecular weight of from about 1,500 to about 20,000, reference page 3, lines 97 to 119, which compositions prevent toner offsetting in electrostatic imaging processes. Additionally, the '835 publication discloses the addition of paraffin waxes together with, or without a metal salt of a fatty acid, reference page 2, lines 55 to 58. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,739, there is illustrated a toner formulation including polypropylene wax with a M.sub.w of from about 200 to about 6,000 to improve hot offset. In addition, many patents disclose the use of metal salts of fatty acids for incorporation into toner compositions, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,374. Also, it is known that the aforementioned toner compositions with metal salts of fatty acids can be selected for electrostatic imaging methods wherein blade cleaning of the photoreceptor is accomplished, reference U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,704, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, there are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,045 three component developer compositions comprising toner particles, a friction reducing material, and a finely divided nonsmearable abrasive material, reference column 4, beginning at line 31. Examples of friction reducing materials include saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, fatty acids preferably of from 8 to 35 carbon atoms, or metal salts of such fatty acids; fatty alcohols corresponding to said acids; mono and polyhydric alcohol esters of said acids and corresponding amides; polyethylene glycols and methoxy-polyethylene glycols; terephthalic acids; and the like, reference column 7, lines 13 to 43.
The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are mentioned: 4,795,689 which discloses an electrostatic image developing toner comprising as essential constituents a nonlinear polymer, a low melting polymer, which is incompatible with the nonlinear polymer, a copolymer composed of a segment polymer, which is at least compatible with the nonlinear polymer, and a segment polymer, which is at least compatible with the low melting polymer, and a coloring agent, see the Abstract, and columns 3 to 10 for example; 4,557,991 which discloses a toner for the development of electrostatic images comprised of a certain binder resin, and a wax comprising a polyolefin, see the Abstract; also, see columns 5 and 6 of this patent and note the disclosure that the modified component shows an affinity to the binder and is high in compatibility with the binder, column 6, line 25; and as collateral interest 3,965,021.
Described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,275 are methods of preventing offsetting of electrostatic images of the toner composition to the fuser roll, which toner subsequently offsets to supporting substrates, such as papers, wherein there are selected toner compositions containing specific external lubricants including various waxes, see column 5, lines 32 to 45.
However, there are various problems observed with the inclusion of polyolefins or waxes in toners. For example, when a polypropylene wax is included in a toner to enhance the release thereof from a hot fuser roll, or to improve the lubrication of a fixed toner image, it has been observed that the wax does not disperse well in the toner resin. As a result, free wax particles are released during the pulverizing step in, for example, a fluid energy mill. The poor dispersion of wax in the toner resin and, therefore, the loss of wax will then impair the release function it was designed for. Scratch marks, for example, on xerographic developed toner solid areas caused by stripper fingers have been observed as a result of the poor release. Furthermore, the free wax remaining in the developer can build up on the detone roll present in the xerographic apparatus causing a hardware failure.
All the problems mentioned above and others can be eliminated, or minimized with the toner compositions and processes of the present invention in embodiments thereof. The release of wax particles is, for example, a result of poor wax dispersion during the toner mechanical blending step. The toner additives should be well dispersed in the primary toner resin for them to impart their specific functions to the toner and thus the developer. For some of the additives, such as waxes like polypropylene, VISCOL 550P.TM. that become a separate molten phase during melt mixing, the difference in viscosity between the wax and the resin can be orders of magnitude apart, thus causing difficulty in reducing the wax phase domain size. Also, poor dispersion can be caused by the inherent thermodynamic incompatibility between polymers. The FIory-Huggins interaction parameter between the resin and the wax is usually positive (repulsive) and large thus interfacial energy remains very large in favor of phase separation into large domains to reduce interfacial area. Some degree of success has been obtained with regard to reducing free wax by mechanical blending the toner formulation in certain types of mixers, such as the known Banbury mixer and rubber mills, where the temperature of melt can be maintained at a low level and polymer viscosities are not that far apart, however, it is difficult to generate an effective wax dispersion in compounding extruders where melt temperatures are typically higher. Inclusion of the compatibilizer of the present invention is designed to overcome the inherent incompatibility between different polymers, and, more specifically, between toner resin and wax, thus widening the processing temperature latitude and enabling the toner preparation in a large variety of equipment, for example an extruder. Also, with the present invention the improvement in thermodynamic compatibility will provide for a more stable dispersion of secondary polymer phase, such as wax, in the host resin against gross phase separation over time.
Illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,242 (D/91096), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, is a toner composition comprised of resin particles, pigment particles, wax component particles, and a compatibilizer; a toner composition comprised of first resin particles, second crosslinked resin particles, pigment, wax component particles, and a compatibilizer comprised of a graft copolymer, or a block copolymer; and a toner composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein the compatibilizer is of the formula A-b-B, A-b-B-b-A or A-g-B wherein A-b-B is a block copolymer of 2 segments; A and B, A-b-B-b-A is a block copolymer of 3 segments; and A-g-B is a graft copolymer of segments A and B.
In the present invention, the compatibilizing agent ethyleneglycidyl ester is reacted with the resin like a polyester and as such, will not interfere with the toner functionality, such as in fusing, wherein it is known that certain waxes with functional groups, for example oxidized waxes, can have an affinity for the fuser roll surface, coat surface thereof and shorten fuser life. In those situations wherein a block polymer is used as a compatibilizer, ideally, each segment needs to be specifically designed to be compatible with each phase for optimal performance. This may not always be feasible, particularly when a relatively low molecular weight polyester is the binder resin. In the present invention, the glycidyl ester reacts with the polyester end groups thereby grafting polyethylene onto the polyester, and one then need only be concerned with the polyethylene to compatibilize the wax.
A number of specific advantages are associated with the invention of the present application in embodiments thereof, including improving the dispersion of toner resin particles, especially a mixture of resins and wax; improving the dispersion of wax in the toner, thus eliminating the undesirable release of wax from the toner in the form of free wax particles during the pulverizing operation of the toner manufacturing process and the subsequent contamination of xerographic machine subsystems by these free wax particles; maintaining the intended concentration of wax in the toner to provide enhancement during release from the fuser roll and avoiding the undesirable scratch marks caused by the stripper fingers; a wide process latitude can be provided during the mechanical blending operation of the toner manufacturing process; enabling the effective mechanical blending of toner to be accomplished in a number of devices, including an extruder; prevention, or minimization of toner component interactions with charge additives, pigments, the fuser roll, improved toner and developer powder flow characteristics, and the like.


The present invention relates to a structure of a solar cell for improving photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell, and a manufacturing method therefor. One aspect of the solar cell according to the present invention relates to a solar cell having a light-absorbing layer formed between two electrodes arranged to face each other, wherein an electrical polarization layer comprising an electrical polarization material forming an inner electrical field is formed between the electrodes and the light-absorbing layer.

A thin film solar cell technique is an advanced solar cell technique that is compared to a technique of crystalline silicon (Si) solar cell which currently has the largest market share, wherein the thin film solar cell has a higher efficiency than the crystalline Si solar cell and may be manufactured at a lower cost.
Various types of thin film solar cells have been developed and a typical example thereof may be a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cell.
The CIGS solar cell denotes a cell that is composed of general glass substrate-back electrode-light-absorbing layer-buffer layer-front transparent electrode, in which the light-absorbing layer absorbing sunlight is formed of CIGS or CuIn(S,Se)2 (CIS). Since the CIGS is more widely used among the CIGS or the CIS, the CIGS solar cell will be described hereinafter.
Since CIGS, as a group I-III-VI chalcopyrite-based compound semiconductor, has a direct transition type energy bandgap and a light absorption coefficient of about 1×105 cm−1 which is one of the highest among semiconductors, the CIGS is a material capable of manufacturing a high-efficiency solar cell even with a 1 μm to 2 μm thick thin film.
Since the CIGS solar cell has electro-optically excellent long-term stability even at outdoors and excellent resistance to radiation, the CIGS solar cell is suitable for a spacecraft solar cell.
In general, glass is used as a substrate of the CIGS solar cell, but the CIGS solar cell may be manufactured in the form of a flexible solar cell by being deposited on a polymer (e.g., polyimide) or a metal thin film (e.g., stainless steel, titanium (Ti)) substrate in addition to the glass substrate. In particular, the CIGS solar cell, as a low-cost, high-efficiency thin film solar cell, has been known as a solar cell having a very high commercialization potential which may replace a crystalline silicon solar cell, as the highest energy conversion efficiency of 19.5% among thin film solar cells has been recently realized.
CIGS may be used by replacing cations, such as copper (Cu), Indium (In), and gallium (Ga), and an anion, such as selenium (Se), respectively with other metal ions or anions, and these materials may be collectively referred to as a CIGS-based compound semiconductor. A representative compound of the CIGS is Cu(In,Ga)Se2, and the CIGS-based compound semiconductor is a material in which its energy bandgap as well as crystal lattice constant may be adjusted by changing types and compositions of constituting cations (e.g., Cu, silver (Ag), In, Ga, aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), etc.) and anions (e.g., Se and sulfur (S)).
Thus, a light-absorbing layer formed of a similar compound semiconductor material including a CIGS material may also be used. The light-absorbing layer may include a compound which includes M1, M2, X, and a combination thereof (where M1 is Cu, Ag, or a combination thereof, M2 is In, Ga, Al, Zn, Ge, Sn, or a combination thereof, and X is Se, S, or a combination thereof). Recently, for example, a material, such as Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) or Cu2SnxGeyS3 (CTGS), may also be used as a low-cost compound semiconductor material (where x and y are arbitrary prime numbers).
Even in a typical thin film solar cell, a technique for further increasing efficiency through a combination with a piezoelectric device has been developed.
For example, the following Patent Document 1 by Wang et al. suggests a method of improving efficiency of a hybrid solar nanogenerator, in which a charge generated by mechanical vibration is collected by installing a piezoelectric nanogenerator using a ZnO nanowire on an electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell in series or in parallel to contribute to power generation with photocurrent. However, since a technique disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 additionally requires energy and equipment to generate the mechanical vibration, economic efficiency may be reduced.
Also, in the following Patent Document 2, a solar cell technique capable of improving light conversion efficiency by an electric-field enhancement effect is disclosed in which the technique is for improving photoelectric conversion efficiency of a solar cell by effectively transferring electrons and holes, which are generated from a photoactive layer due to the light, by installing a field emission layer, which includes a nanostructure in the form of a nanorod, a nanowire, or a nanotube having a field emission effect, on an electrode of the thin film solar cell. However, as a result of being applied to various actual thin film solar cells, an efficiency improvement effect may be insignificant and processing costs for fabricating the nanostructure may be increased. Thus, similar to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, economic efficiency may be reduced.

Solar cell and method of manufacturing therefor


The invention relates to a sealing gasket, for sealing a connection between an exhaust manifold and a turbine of a vehicle, the sealing gasket comprising two flow passage openings separated by a dividing wall and a first sealing portion extending around the two openings. The sealing gasket includes at least a second sealing portion extending around one of the two openings, and preferably a third sealing portion extending around the other of the two openings.

In the truck industry, turbochargers are commonly used with Diesel cycle internal combustion engines. A turbocharger is a turbine-driven device that increases the efficiency and the power of an internal combustion engine by forcing extra air into the combustion chamber. Typically, a turbocharger is powered by a turbine driven by the hot exhaust gas of the engine.
In most of the cases, the turbine is a fixed geometry turbine that includes a flange provided with a dividing wall to separate the flow of exhaust gases in two flows. Typically, considering a six-cylinder manifold, exhaust gases coming from the first three cylinders are separated from exhaust gases coming from the three other cylinders. A comparable flange is provided on the exhaust manifold. The separation of the exhaust gases in two separate flows helps reducing fuel consumption.
Most of the time, the exhaust manifold and the turbine are two different parts, meaning that the connection between the two flanges needs to be sealed. To this end, one uses a gasket, which is often referred to as a sealing gasket. This gasket includes two flow passage openings separated by a dividing wall. In operation, exhaust manifold and turbocharger dividing walls are subjected to high temperatures, in particular when a stabilized phase is reached, i.e. after long full load running. The hottest part of exhaust manifold and turbocharger are dividing walls as they are in contact with both hot gas flows circulating through exhaust manifold and turbocharger openings and as it is not in contact with ambient air. The thermal expansion of the dividing walls is then greater than for the rest of flanges, which causes contact pressure between dividing walls. This contact pressure reduces the contact pressure of the gasket on flanges, which may cause leakage issues.
One basic solution to this problem is to delete the dividing wall portion of the gasket between the two openings, making a big large opening in the gasket. However, two disadvantages result from this solution. A first one is that the two flows of exhaust gas may communicate at the interface between the manifold and the turbine, creating losses of pulse energy and increasing full consumption. A second one is that the exhaust manifold and turbo dividing walls are locally hotter, which may cause cracks.
The invention intends to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a new gasket design, with which there is no risk of gas communication at the interface between the manifold and the turbine and with which there is less risk of leakages due to the thermal expansion of dividing walls.

Sealing gasket, for sealing the connection between an exhaust manifold and a turbine


A two-part, spliced air sleeve assembly for use with an air spring damper includes a first corded, resilient sleeve member bonded to a second corded, resilient sleeve member. The bond angles and fabrics of the first sleeve members are selected so that the first sleeve inflates to a smaller diameter than the second sleeve. A first fastener secures the first sleeve member to the second portion of a damper. A second fastener secures the upper sleeve to a piston rod of the damper to form a closed chamber for receiving pressurized fluid. When inflated for operation, the first sleeve has a smaller diameter than the second sleeve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle suspension. In particular, the present invention is concerned with a spliced air sleeve assembly for use with an air spring damper. When inflated for operation, the air sleeve assembly inflates to at least two portions having different diameters.
2. Statement of the Related Art
An air spring combined with a damper to provide a suspension device for a vehicle is well-known. Many conventional air springs employ an air sleeve constructed from a resilient material for forming a closed chamber to receive a pressurized fluid. Oftentimes, the air sleeve includes a corded fabric or a nylon cord to strengthen the sleeve and retain the sleeve's shape. Depending upon the desired spring-characteristic, a selected volume of air or another fluid is introduced into the chamber. The air sleeve inflates to a desired diameter as determined by the corded fabric. Examples of an air sleeve combined with a damper can be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,635,909, 4,688,774 and 4,763,883.
Many conventional air sleeves are molded as a tubular element having a constant uninflated diameter. When inflated for operation, the resilient material of an air sleeve expands until the cords of an embedded fabric are fully tensioned. At this point, the air sleeve will no longer expand and has reached its maximum diameter. When inflated, an air sleeve has a constant diameter.
It is important that an air sleeve combined with a damper operate without interfering with the rolling lobe action. To reduce wear and the possibility of puncture, an air sleeve should not rub or interfere with any elements of the vehicle suspension.
In some automotive suspension systems employing a strut, forces incurred by strut elements are reduced by tilting the air spring relative to the longitudinal axis of the strut. Particularly at the upper portions of the air spring, it is important that the inflated diameter of the air sleeve be large enough to avoid interference with a piston rod.

Spliced air sleeve assembly for air spring damper


A method for dynamically controlling heat dissipation of an AC LED driving circuit has steps of connecting multiple voltage-controlled transistors and a current detection unit in series to a power loop having an LED unit, connecting a resistive element between each adjacent two of the voltage-controlled transistors to constitute multiple stages of power distribution units, detecting a voltage and a current of the power loop and calculating a consumed power value, and switching to one of the stages of power distribution units with a power range in which the current power value falls. As the higher stage of power distribution unit has more resistive elements for current to flow therethrough, it can share the power of the single-chip voltage-controlled transistor when the LED unit having higher power is used, thereby avoiding overheated condition and malfunction of the voltage-controlled transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alternating current (AC) light-emitting diode (LED) driving circuit and more particularly to a method and a device for dynamically controlling heat dissipation of an AC LED driving circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIG. 8, an AC LED driving circuit has a full-bridge rectifier 50, an LED unit 51, a voltage-controlled transistor 52, a current detection unit 53 and a steady current control unit 54. The full-bridge rectifier 50 is connected to an AC power source. The AC power is rectified to a half-wave DC power and then outputted to the LED unit 51. As the voltage-controlled transistor 52 and the current detection unit 53 are connected in series to a power loop constituted by the half-wave DC power and the LED unit 51. Hence, the steady current control unit 54 can detect the magnitude of current flowing through the LED unit 51 through the current detection unit, further determine if the value of the current flowing through the LED unit 51 now is too large or too small relative to a reference current value, and adjust a bias voltage of the voltage-controlled transistor 51 to maintain the value of the current flowing through the LED unit 51 at a fixed level for the LED unit 51 to stably emit light.
As the foregoing AC LED driving circuit is a non-isolated driving circuit and has no capacitor or inductor therein, the AC LED driving circuit has an rather high overall power factor and conversion efficiency being effective in saving power. However, to keep a stable current flowing through the LED unit 51, the single-chip voltage-controlled transistor 52 used in the AC LED driving circuit to control electronic components of the LED unit 51 fails to be normally operated for the sake of being easily overheated when the LED unit with high wattage is applied.

Method and device for dynamically controlling heat dissipation of an alternating current light-emitting diode driving circuit


The invention provides a magnetic recording medium having a ferromagnetic metallic layer provided on a non-magnetic substrate, and an anticorrosive deposited on said ferromagnetic metallic layer containing a benzotriazole derivative as a main component. A magnetic recording medium is also provided having on a substrate, a ferromagnetic metallic layer containing cobalt as a main component, a passivated cobalt layer on said ferromagnetic metallic layer and an anticorrosive layer on said passivated cobalt layer, said anticorrosive layer comprising at least one anticorrosive selected from benzothiazole derivatives, benzoimidazole derivatives haaving at least one of amino group, nitro group, chlorine and mercapto group as substituent in the benzoimidazole skeleton, benzotriazole, compounds containing nitrosonaphthol as a main component, oxime compounds, phytic acid and its derivatives, quinaldinic acid and its derivatives, quinoline compounds, naphthaldehyde and its derivatives. A process for producing the same is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic recording medium and a process for producing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a magnetic recording medium having high corrosion resistance and excellent runnability (capability to run smoothly), and a process for producing such magnetic recording medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the anticorrosives used for the purpose of improving corrosion resistance of ferromagnetic metallic films of magnetic recording media, there have been proposed aromatic carboxylic acids having amino groups (Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 58-194131), cupferrons (Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 58-194138), polyamines (Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 59-3724), benzotriazoles (Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 58-194135), etc., some of which have been put to practical use.
There are various environmental factors, such as humidity, sulfur dioxide (sulfurous acid gas), nitrogen oxides, etc., which cause corrosion of ferromagnetic metallic films. None of the above-mentioned anticorrosives has a complete anticorrosive potency against these corrosive factors, and it can hardly be said that they show a satisfactory anticorrosive effect in use under the present-day complex corrosive environments.
When the ferromagnetic metallic film is covered with a higher-valent oxide which has a relatively high anticorrosiveness in itself, use of an anticorrosive having a reducing effect could prove detrimental to the protection of metallic film as such anticorrosive has an aptitude to break the anticorrosive oxide layer. In the prior art, however, little regard has been paid to such matter in the selection of anticorrosive.
Thus, various problems such as mentioned above have remained unsolved in the prior art regarding corrosion protection of ferromagnetic metallic films.
As a result of studies on the corrosion mechanism of cobalt-based ferromagnetic metallic films and the method for preventing corrosion thereof, the present inventors had previously found that when the surface of such ferromagnetic metallic film is mildly oxidized in the presence of oxygen and moisture to form a passivated cobalt layer which is essentially a cobalt oxyhydroxide layer containing three- or higher-valent cobalt ions, remarkable improvements can be attained in corrosion resistance, running stability and durability (Japanese Patent Kokai (No. 62-275316). It was found, however, that the provision of such passivated cobalt coat alone is insufficient to cope with the deterioration of corrosion resistance which would be caused when such cobalt layer is damaged due to takeup of dust or abnormal sliding contact against the magnetic head during running of the tape in actual use thereof.

Magnetic recording medium and process for producing the same


An arrangement for a transmitter and/or receiver which is adapted to allow carrier aggregation in a wireless communication system, comprising a plurality of radio frequency (RF) blocks, each of which is inherently adapted to operate substantially across (in the region of) one of the particular groups of frequency ranges. The number of groups may be 5 or less.

Carrier aggregation provides an increase in data throughput capability by allowing different parts of the frequency spectrum to be combined logically to form a single channel (e.g. over-the-air interface between a base station and a user equipment). The technique of carrier aggregation thus allows an expansion of the effective bandwidth which can be utilized in wireless communication by concurrent utilization of radio resources across multiple carriers. Multiple component carriers are aggregated to form a larger overall transmission bandwidth. Carrier aggregation spreads the available signal power over a wider bandwidth, and greatly improves throughput for high-order modulation schemes.
The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has recently finalized the definition of "release 10" standard for radio core networks and service architectures. This standard introduces a number of features, including provision for data throughput in excess of 1 Gb per second. This is one of the International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) advance requirements for a fourth generation (4G) communication standard. It proposes the use of carrier aggregation.
In one type of carrier aggregation scheme, contiguous carrier aggregation, those portions of the spectrum which are combined are adjacent. Alternatively, in non-contiguous carrier aggregation schemes, the portions of the spectrum which are combined are non-adjacent. Further, non-contiguous carrier aggregation can either be performed using channels within the same E-UTRA (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access) frequency band which is referred to as "intra-band carrier aggregation", or using channels from different E-UTRA bands which is referred to as "inter-band carrier aggregation".
In modern cellular networks, base stations, often referred to as node Bs or evolved node Bs (eNBs), communicate with user equipment such as mobile phones, laptops and the like. Node Bs are conventionally controlled by network controllers, although in certain systems, node Bs (as well as user equipment) may be provided with a degree of autonomy and communicate with like node Bs or user equipments (peer-to-peer communications). Carrier aggregation may be performed in downlink, that is, from an eNB to user equipment (UE). Carrier aggregation can also be carried out in uplink; i.e. from a UE to an eNB. Typically, using carrier aggregation, up to 5 individual channels (called component carriers) can be combined leading to a combined 100 MHz spectrum width available for communication.
The hardware of transceivers used in base stations and user equipment is usually designed specifically for implementing a specific carrier aggregation scheme. The "front end" architecture of devices (e.g. transmitter and/or receiver arrangements of UEs) designed and adapted for 3GPP release 9 standards cannot perform any of the carrier aggregations schemes proposed in 3GPP release 10. Thus devices, such as user equipment adapted for the earlier standard, would not be able to significantly improve data throughput as they would be unable to implement the carrier aggregation schemes of release 10. Similarly devices, which are able to support the latest release 10 carrier aggregation schemes, require modification to support current schemes.
Depending on the country in which e.g. a UE is to be used, only certain bands of the spectrum are available (e.g. licensed) for use by cellular communication network operators. Different countries tend to use different bands (and combinations thereof) for cellular communication. This presents a problem when designing universal user equipment adapted to be used anywhere, and which can support a wide variety of carrier aggregation schemes. Because of the high number of combinations of bands available which supporting carrier aggregation schemes, it becomes an extremely difficult task to design circuitry (such as front end architecture) for transceivers (e.g. RF circuit blocks and amplifiers) of user equipments which are sold globally and which can support carrier aggregation of two or more bands.
Carrier aggregation can, in theory, be applied to any combination of channels and furthermore, in all available E-UTRA frequency bands. To implement a particular carrier aggregation scheme would require a bespoke transceiver design, adapted specifically for those particular E-UTRA frequency bands in the particular aggregation scheme. However, designing transceiver hardware which is able to support several different carrier aggregation schemes is a difficult task. One possibility would be to use multiple separate transceivers for each band, each transmitting and receiving a single component carrier. Data streams from each carrier would then be combined and processed. However it becomes expensive and unwieldy to provide RF blocks (e.g. RF amplifiers) for each possible band. Furthermore, this solution would require the front end architecture of transceivers to be duplicated to support intra-band carrier aggregation where the signal power arriving at the antennas cannot be split across the two transceivers. While such architecture is advantageous in terms of its flexibility and component reuse, it is clearly expensive in terms of component count and total footprint.


Bearing assembly of large diameter or of the slewing type, including an inner ring and an outer ring, at least one sealing ring with an axis installed on one of the inner and outer rings, for sealing a gap between the inner and outer rings and comprising: a lip portion designed in rubbing contact with the other of the inner and outer rings, a root portion at least partly engaged with an interference fit inside a holding recess arranged on a stabilizing surface of the one of the inner and outer rings, the root portion having a main lip and at least one secondary lip, the lips applying a contact pressure inside the holding recess in order to anchor the root portion on the one of the inner and outer rings, characterized in that the holding recess comprises two blocking grooves inside which the main lip is engaged with a contact pressure.

Large size bearings are commonly used in different kinds of industrial machines such as tunnel boring machines or excavators, or in the field of defense such as radars and tanks or armored vehicles. They are also used in cranes and for the mounting of rotor blades on wind and water turbines. Some are also used in observation wheels with capsules from where the people can contemplate the outskirts of cities.
It is often desired to seal the bearing. Traditionally, sealing rings of the contacting type are used. The sealing ring comprises an anchorage portion attached to one of the ring of the bearing, and a lip portion contacting another ring of the bearing. It is important that the anchorage portion is robust so as to ensure that the seal won't get loose in time and to guaranty a correct positioning of the sealing lip(s).
One aim of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks.
To solve this problem, various solutions exist, such as the ones disclosed in US 2009-0324153-A1 and US 2012-0068413-A1.
Improvements are still possible.

Bearing assembly with an improved sealing ring


A barrier-type photo-detector, such as an infra-red detector, is disclosed. The detector may include an absorber layer having predetermined majority and minority carrier types with corresponding energy bands; and a Barrier made, at least in part, of a semiconductor with a Barrier energy gap and corresponding conduction and valence bands, a first side of said Barrier adjacent a first side of said absorber layer. Metal contact regions may be disposed on the barrier layer, the metal contact regions delineating pixels where image data may be read out from the photo-detector; wherein the Barrier is configured so as to allow minority carrier current flow while blocking majority carrier current flow between the absorber layer and the metal contact regions.

This disclosure pertains to a reduced dark current barrier-type photo-detector that is comprised of a doped semiconductor layer, a barrier, and metal contacts disposed on the barrier where the doped semiconductor layer is used for photo-absorption and the effective conduction and valance band alignments for the doped semiconductor layer and barrier are arranged so as to allow photo-generated minority carrier flow to the contacts but filter or block majority carrier flow. Individual elements (e.g., pixels) in the photo-detector array may be defined by the metal contacts disposed on the barrier. The harrier, however, may be preserved such that it extends beyond the extent of the defined pixel areas. Although applicable to a wide range of barrier-type photo-detector, the exemplary embodiments and associated energy band diagrams presented in this disclosure depict an nBm barrier-type photo-detector. The structures and methods discussed herein, however apply as well to pBm (e.g., p-doped) structures. The "m" in this case stands for the metal disposed on the barrier to define readout pixels.
An embodiment of an exemplary nBn structure electron band diagram is illustrated in FIG. 1. The embodiment represents an embodiment of the concepts described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,044,435. The underlying concept relates to driving minority carriers from a photo absorbing layer 1000 to a contact region 1020 through a barrier 1010 where the compositions of the absorber layer, barrier, and contact layers are such that minority carriers can penetrate the barrier 1010 but majority carriers cannot. As can be seen in FIG. 2 and as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,044,435,the pixels in the contact layer 2030 are isolated by etching down to, but not through, the barrier 2010 in order to accomplish pixel delineation. In the embodiment shown, each pixel is associated with a contact 2040 and a read-out interconnect point 2080. Minority carriers generated in the absorber layer 2000 pass through the barrier 2010 and into the contact layer 2030 where they are read-out through the interconnect 2080 via the contact 2040. This process complicates focal plane array structure and fabrication by requiring additional etch and passivation steps. This fabrication process results in etched mesas, which can contribute excessive dark current for small area devices.
It would be an improvement in terms of performance, manufacturability, reliability, versatility and production yield to delineate and isolate pixels in such a photo-detector in ways other than material removal. It would also be an improvement in terms of performance, manufacturability, reliability, versatility, and production yield to delineate and isolate pixels without the need for a contact layer.

Barrier photodetector with no contact layer


A classification device for classifying particles by size including an upper impeller-type rotor, a first end of which is covered with a cover disc without penetration hole and a second end of which is covered with an upper cover disc with a penetration hole; and a lower impeller-type rotor, a first end of which is covered with a cover disc without penetration hole and a second end of which is covered with a lower cover disc with a penetration hole. The upper impeller-type rotor and the lower impeller-type rotor are provided so that axes thereof are coincident and the first ends face with each other forming a gap therebetween in an axial direction, and the diameters of the penetration holes of the upper cover disc and the lower cover disc are different.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a classification device for classifying toner particles for use in image forming methods such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording, electrostatic printing, and toner jet recording.
2. Discussion of the Background
Methods of manufacturing toner are broadly divided into pulverization methods and polymerization methods. A typical pulverization method includes, for example, processes of mixing a binder resin (for fixing a toner on a recording medium) and a colorant (for providing the toner with a color), optionally along with additives such as a charge controlling agent (for providing the toner with chargeability), a magnetic material (for providing the toner with transportability), a release agent, and a fluidizer; melt-kneading the mixture; cooling and solidifying the melt-kneaded mixture; pulverizing the solidified mixture into fine particles; classifying the fine particles by size and collect desired-size particles; and mixing the collected particles with an external additive to obtain a toner. Such a toner is generally used for image forming. The toner may be further mixed with a magnetic carrier to be used for two-component developing methods.
Recent toners have a small particle diameter for high-definition printing while including a low-melting point binder resin and a release agent (such as a wax) for high-speed printing. Such toner particles having a particle diameter of 2 μm or less generally have poor heat-resistant storage stability, and are likely to cause the problems called "background fouling" and "filming". "Background fouling" is a phenomenon in which the background portion of an image is disadvantageously soiled with toner particles. "Filming" is a phenomenon in which toner particles disadvantageously form thin film thereof on a photoreceptor, etc. Therefore, it is better to remove toner particles having a particle diameter of 2 μm or less from the resultant toner.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating exemplary processes for manufacturing a toner. A material 41 to be pulverized is repeatedly subjected to a closed-circuit pulverization process in a pulverization device 42 equipped with a classification device for removing coarse particles so that coarse particles larger than desired-size particles are repeatedly subjected to pulverization. The pulverization device 42 may be an airflow-type pulverizer or a mechanical pulverizer, for example. The material 41 which have been pulverized into particles are classified into desired-size particles 44 and fine particles 45 by a classification device 43. The classification device 43 may be a multisegment airflow-type classifier or a vertical air diverter, for example.
Classification devices for manufacturing toners are divided into impeller types and non-impeller types. Impeller-type classification devices include what is called a tandem toner separator (hereinafter "TTSP"), which is one of wind power classifiers. A typical TTSP performs classification by balancing centrifugal force generated from blades provided on a rotor and centripetal force generated from fan suction force of the rotor. The centrifugal force collects coarse particles, whereas the centripetal force collects fine particles from the periphery of the rotor. A typical TTSP includes a single casing, within which two impeller-type classification rotors are provided with one end of each of which being supported. The impeller-type classification rotors are capable of being driven by a motor, and the axes thereof are coincident. The first end of each of the classification rotors in the axial direction is covered with a cover disc without penetration hole, and the second end thereof is equipped with a cover disc with a penetration hole for discharging fine particles or middle-size particles. The two classification rotors are provided so that the surfaces of the first ends thereof face with each other. As a result, a minute drift space is formed therebetween in the axial direction.
To respond to recent demands for high image quality, a small-size toner with a narrow size distribution is sought because such a toner provides good dot reproducibility. Dots formed with such a small-size toner are unlikely to vary even after developing or transfer processes. Therefore, a toner manufacturing apparatus is demanded which can accurately classify particles by size, in other words, which can remove particles with a particle diameter of 2 μm or less and collect particles with a particle diameter of from 3 to 4 μm so that a resultant toner has an average particle diameter of about 5 μm with a high yield.
Additionally, toners are simultaneously required to be fixable at low temperatures from the viewpoint of reduction of consumption energy, to include a low-softening-point binder resin from the viewpoint of color mixing, and to include a release agent to be applicable to oilless fixing processes. Such toners may have adhesion or fusion property.
In particular, such a toner having the above-described properties and a particle diameter with 2 μm or less have poor heat-resistant storage stability, and are likely to cause the problems of background fouling and filming. Therefore, a classification device which can remove toner particles with a particle diameter of 2 μm or less is demanded.
A conventional TTSP has a problem that desired-size toner particles with a particle diameter of from 3 to 4 μm are also removed along with fine particles when the maximum peripheral speed of the rotor is about 65 m/s, especially when the toner particles are for use in two-component development or non-magnetic one-component development. This is because the weight of such toner particles is very small.
Even if the classification device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-026457 is improved so that the rotor can rotate at a peripheral speed of 70 m/s or more, it is likely that toner particles as final products adhere to the spiral member due to centrifugal force generated by the rotor. Further, because the outlet part provided on the base of the outlet short pipe is narrow, emission efficiency is also reduced due to adhesion and fusion of the toner particles to the outlet part.
When a TTSP operates continuously, the following problems may arise.    1) Particles with a particle diameter of from 3 to 4 μm are classified into fine particles in large quantity and removed from the resultant product toner, resulting in deterioration of toner yield;    2) Toner particles stagnate and adhere to the inner surface of a spiral member. The adhered toner particles release therefrom and are immixed in the resultant product toner; and    3) The residence time of toner particles in a classification chamber is destabilized due to adhesion of toner particles, resulting in deterioration of classification accuracy.
Japanese Patent Application Publications Nos. 2004-198640, 2001-293438, 2006-293268 and 2008-161823, and International Patent Application Publication No. WO2004/088431 each disclose a classification device or a method of manufacturing toner using a classification device. However, these classification devices or methods are required to more improve their classification accuracy.