The CPU of an electronic device generates a parameter for determining the amplitude of a serial data signal when it is output from an output device to a serial ATA bus. The parameter indicates a value that is needed to make the amplitude of the received serial data signal fall within a range, stipulated in serial ATA interface standards, when another electronic device receives the serial data signal. The parameter is generated in accordance with the cable length of the serial ATA bus designated by a cable length designation unit. The other electronic device is connected to the serial ATA bus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device for serially transferring data using a serial ATA (ATA attachment) interface. More particularly, it relates to an electronic device and signal amplitude automatic adjustment method utilizing a serial ATA interface suitable for automatically adjusting the amplitude of a serial data signal, output to a serial ATA bus, in light of the signal attenuation of the serial ATA bus.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, standards for serial ATA interfaces as a new type of interface for use in disk drives are now being worked out. Serial ATA interfaces are used as an interface between a peripheral device, represented by a magnetic disk drive, and a host (host system) represented by a personal computer. In this point, serial ATA interfaces are similar to conventional ATA interfaces (i.e., parallel ATA interfaces).
A peripheral device with a serial ATA interface, such as a magnetic disk drive (hereinafter referred to as an "HDD"), is connected to a host by a serial bus. In such an HDD, to secure compatibility with an ATA interface, it is necessary to convert an ATA interface into a serial ATA interface, and convert a serial ATA interface into an ATA interface. Such interface conversion is performed by, for example, an LSI (bridge LSI) called a serial ATA bridge.
In the serial ATA interface standards, three layers of different functions, i.e., a physical layer, link layer and transport layer, are defined. The physical layer has a function for executing high-rate serial data transmission and reception. The physical layer interprets received data, and transmits the data to the link layer in accordance with an interpretation result. The physical layer also outputs a serial data signal to the link layer in response to a request therefrom. The link layer supplies the physical layer with a request to output a signal. The link layer also supplies the transport layer with the data transmitted from the physical layer. The transport layer performs conversion for operations based on the ATA standards. Assuming that the above-mentioned bridge LSI is used in an HDD, the role of the transport layer corresponds to the role of the ATA signal output unit of a conventional host that utilizes ATA connection. The bridge LSI is connected to the disk controller (HDC) of the HDD via an ATA bus (or a bus compliant with the ATA bus) based on the ATA interface standards. Accordingly, in the connection between the bridge LSI and HDC of the HDD, operations equivalent to those stipulated in the ATA interface standards or compatible with the standards are performed. In this case, the portion of the HDD excluding the bridge LSI (hereinafter referred to as a "main HDD unit") regards the bridge LSI as an apparatus (host) for issuing a command to the main HDD unit. Accordingly, the main HDD unit operates in the same manner as a conventional HDD utilizing ATA connection. Thus, the serial ATA interface is compatible with the ATA standards concerning protocols such as logical commands. However, a data signal (parallel data signal) processed by a parallel ATA interface must be converted into a serial data signal.
The serial ATA interface standards stipulate that a cable with a length of 1 m, at maximum, can be used for data transfer using a serial ATA interface. Further, the serial ATA interface standards sets the maximum and minimum amplitudes of a signal at the receive side to 600 mV and 325 mV, respectively. Actually, however, when apparatuses are connected using a serial ATA interface, attenuation in a data signal due to the cable (serial ATA bus) used must be considered. That is, a data signal output from a transmitter that uses a serial ATA interface attenuates while passing through the cable (serial ATA bus). As a result, the amplitude of the data signal is inevitably reduced when it is received by a receiver. Thus, when the amplitude of a signal output from a transmitter is determined so that at the receive side, it falls within the range stipulated in the serial ATA interface standards, attenuation due to the cable must be considered.
Assume here that the amplitude of a signal output from a transmitter is set in light of maximum signal attenuation that occurs when a cable of 1 m is connected between the transmitter and receiver, so that at the receive side, it falls within the standard range. Assume also that the transmitter is actually connected to the receiver by a very short cable (serial ATA bus). In this case, the attenuation of a signal due to the cable is smaller than the assumed maximum attenuation, therefore the actual signal amplitude at the receiver is higher than in the maximum signal attenuation case. As a result, the amplitude of a signal received may well be higher than the reference (standard) value, which may adversely influences the receiver. On the other hand, if a long cable is used where the amplitude of a signal output from a transmitter is set in light of a short cable, the amplitude of a signal received may be lower than the reference value.
The above-described case where an assumed cable length differs from an actual one can occur when the apparatus to which a serial ATA interface is connected is, for example, a small-size HDD (magnetic disk drive). This is for the following reasons: Firstly, a small-size HDD can be used not only as a storage for a desktop computer, like a large-size HDD, but also as a storage for a portable electronic device, such as a notebook-type personal computer. Thus, a small-size HDD can be used in various occasions. If an HDD is used as a storage for a portable electronic device, the space for the HDD is generally small. In this case, the degree of freedom of selecting the length of a cable connected between the HDD and electronic device is low. For example, if a 2.5-inch HDD is used as a storage for a notebook-type personal computer, the HDD is directly connected to the computer without a cable. Thus, in the case of a small HDD, it is necessary to change the length of the cable used, depending upon the situation. In other words, the cable length cannot be set in advance. This is an example of the above-mentioned case where the assumed cable length differs from the actual one.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-341177 (hereinafter referred to as a "prior art document") discloses an image signal transmission apparatus that allows a user to adjust the amplitude of a signal in accordance with the length of a cable. In this apparatus, when the user activates application software for setting a cable length, a selection dialog box for allowing the user to designate a cable length is displayed. If the user selects a desired cable length from the selection dialog box, an amplitude control command corresponding to the selected cable length is issued. Upon receiving this command, a graphics controller outputs an amplitude control signal corresponding to the command. In response to the amplitude control signal, an amplitude control circuit at a transmit side controls the amplitude of an image signal output from the transmit side to the cable.
As described above, in the image signal transmission apparatus described in the prior art document, the amplitude of an image signal (output signal) output from the transmit side to the cable can be adjusted in accordance with a cable length designated by a user. However, the prior art document merely describes that the amplitude of an image signal is adjusted to a lower one or higher one of two values, depending upon whether 3 m or 10 m is selected as the cable length. In other words, the prior art document does not specify the two values, and does not describe how the adjustment is performed in accordance with the cable length. Accordingly, even if the image signal amplitude adjustment technique (prior technique) described in the prior art document is employed in a system in which electronic devices are connected via serial ATA interfaces, it is still difficult to make the amplitude of an input signal (received signal) at a receive side fall within the range stipulated in the serial ATA interface standards.

Electronic device with serial ATA interface and signal amplitude adjusting method


The invention provides a conductive, flexure-resistant electromagnetic-shielded flexible printed circuit assembly obtainable by forming a copper foil circuit on a heat-resistant plastic film, disposing successively thereon an undercoat layer, a metal-powder-containing electromagnetic paste shield layer and an overcoat layer, with the ground pattern of the copper foil circuit being electrically connected to the above shield layer through the undercoat layer at appropriate intervals.

The present invention relates to an electroconductive coating composition comprising a phenolic resin and a copper metal powder dispersed in said resin, and more particularly to an electroconductive coating composition with particularly improved electric conductivity, improved adhesion to copper foil and improved solder dip resistance for construction of the jumper circuit and electromagnetic shield of a printed circuit board, to a printed circuit board fabricated using said electroconductive coating composition and further to a durable flexible printed circuit assembly with electromagnetic shield.
As printed circuit boards for mounting IC, MSI, LSI etc., copper laminated insulation boards have been widely employed.
For insuring an effective utilization of the printed circuit formed on such a copper laminated insulation board, a bypass jumper circuit is provided on the printed circuit.
This jumper circuit is formed by the screen printing method which comprises forming a resist layer over the entire non-connected circuit region between copper foil circuits of a printed circuit and, then, applying a conductive silver coating composition (hereinafter referred to as a silver paste) between the copper foil circuits to be connected, skipping over the resist layer region. However, the silver paste is expensive. Moreover, although less expensive conductive copper coating compositions (hereinafter referred to as copper pastes) have been proposed as substitutes for the silver paste, these copper pastes are not dependable enough for use as the electroconductive coating composition for the formation of a jumper circuit because the use of a thermosetting phenolic resin as a main binder therein provides poor adhesion to the copper foil surface.
On the printed circuit of a printed circuit board, a shield layer is formed with a ground pattern or a resist layer interposed therebetween but the same problem in respect of adhesion to the copper foil surface of the ground pattern exists when said conventional copper paste is used for the formation of the shield layer.
Therefore, the inventors of the present invention previously proposed an electroconductive coating composition which is not costly and insures improved adhesion to copper foil and improved solder dip resistance (Japanese Patent Application No. 167229/1988).
However, the cured film of this coating composition was found to be deficient in the adhesion to the unoxidized copper foil surface.
To overcome the above-mentioned drawback, the present invention is intended to provide an electroconductive coating composition having improved adhesion to both the oxidized copper and unoxidized copper foil surfaces and improved electric conductivity and a printed circuit board fabricated using the same coating composition.

Electroconductive coating composition, a printed circuit board fabricated by using it and a flexible printed circuit assembly with electromagnetic shield

Tatsuta Electric Wire and Cable Co., Ltd


A semiconductor device is provided, which comprises a semiconductor film, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, an insulating film, and a source and drain electrodes. The semiconductor film includes at least a channel forming region, a region, a source and drain regions disposed between the channel forming region and the region, a first silicide region over the region, and a second silicide region over a portion of the source and drain regions. The insulating film has a contact hole to expose at least the first silicide region. Each of the source and drain electrodes is electrically connected to the first silicide region via the contact hole. The region includes an element imparting one conductivity type at a lower concentration than the source and drain regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the technique for manufacturing a semiconductor device such as a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as a TFT) over a substrate has advanced drastically, and has been developed to be applied to an active-matrix display device for example. In particular, a TFT using a crystalline semiconductor film can operate at high speed since the TFT has higher field-effect mobility (also referred to as mobility) than a TFT using a conventional amorphous semiconductor film.
As an example of forming a TFT over a substrate, there is one in which a base film, an active layer, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, an interlayer insulating film, and a source or drain electrode are formed in this order. In order to further increase response speed of this TFT, decreasing contact resistance with the source or drain electrode by forming silicide in a source or drain region of the active layer can be considered other than shrinking a design rule.
In order to form such silicide, titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), tungsten (W), platinum (Pt), or the like is generally used (refer to patent document 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. H10-98199).

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method and composition are disclosed for sweetening, i.e., selectively reducing the levels of H.sub.2 S and organic sulfides, in gaseous hydrocarbons streams, particularly natural gas streams. A natural gas in a pipe line, at the well head, or at a common collection point from a number of wells, is contacted with a sweetening agent comprising the reaction product of ethylene diamine with 50% uninhibited aqueous formaldehyde. The reaction product is prepared by reacting one part 99% ethylene diamine with two parts 50% aqueous uninhibited formalin at a temperature of about 55-60.degree. C. (higher temperatures may be used if the reaction is carried out under pressure) and is characterized by having a higher flash point, lower toxicity, and a lower freezing point, and better reaction rates, than other sweetening agents currently in use. The sweetening solution is water soluble, free from methanol or other alcohols, does not foam uncontrollably in use, and is free from water insoluble solids which would interfere with the injectability of the solution into a stream of flowing natural gas. The sweetening reaction takes place in-line without the need for a holding tank or reaction vessel. However, the treatment with the sweetening agent may also be carried out in a conventional gas treating tower. The reaction is complete and effective to completely sweeten a sour gas system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in the sweetening of natural gas, and more particularly to a method and composition for sweetening natural gas in a treating tower, or in a pipe line, or at the well head or a collection point in the field, the composition being characterized by having a higher flash point and lower freezing point than other sweetening agents currently in use and better reaction rates.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The production of natural gas often requires the separation or removal of various contaminants from the gas before it can be sent on for use. Natural gas often includes a substantial amount of entrained water and vaporized liquid hydrocarbons, usually the more volatile ones. Consequently the gas is subjected to treatment for separation of these components.
Natural gas may also contain gaseous impurities such as CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S which are acids in aqueous solution and thus corrosive. H.sub.2 S-containing gas is also highly toxic and malodorous and is referred to as "sour" gas. In fact, H.sub.2 S is more toxic than HCN and presents the problem that is highly malodorous at extremely low concentrations and tends to anesthetize the olfactory nerves with the result that a toxic exposure may not be recognized until it is too late. The removal or neutralization of H.sub.2 S is therefore a matter of necessity from a safety standpoint.
The removal of CO.sub.2 is not always required but can usually be removed by the other processes used to remove H.sub.2 S. In many processes of treatment, the chemicals used for sweetening react with both CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S and therefore the total amount of these impurities is used in calculating the amount of treating chemicals needed. In most procedures, the natural gas is first treated to remove water vapor and to separate condensable hydrocarbons or "condensate". The partial expansion of the gas through a choke to a lower pressure is effective to cool the gas sufficiently to remove both water and volatile hydrocarbons by condensing them from the gas stream. Often, there is material added, such as ethylene glycol, which will absorb or hydrate with the water to condense more readily from the gas stream. The expansion through the choke and consequent cooling is usually sufficient to condense the volatile liquid hydrocarbons which are recovered for use as solvents or fuel, i.e. casing head gasoline.
The technology known in the art for removing H.sub.2 S from raw natural gas was developed for large processing plants to remove H.sub.2 S in continuous processes. These large processing plants are fed by one or more natural gas wells, each of which may produce over 10 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Many of these processes utilize commodity chemicals or proprietary materials to lower the H.sub.2 S levels in natural gas to pipeline specifications. Also, many of these processes not only sweeten sour natural gas to pipeline specifications, but also regenerate most, if not all, of the sweetening compositions involved.
A major process for removal of acid constituents from natural gas is one using an alkanolamine, such as monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and/or triethanolamine (TEA). Treatment with alkanolamines involves circulating natural gas upward through a treatment tower to contact the alkanolamines. The acid gases react with the alkanolamines to form either a hydrosulfite or a carbonate of an alkanolamine. The alkanolamines admixed with the reaction products are conducted to a stripping still where the alkanolamines are removed and returned to the treatment column. The reaction products are then conducted to a reactor where they are heated sufficiently to reverse the process and regenerate the alkanolamines and release the acid gases which may be flared to convert H.sub.2 S to sulfur dioxide, or further reacted to form for solid disposal, or sent to a sulfur manufacturing plant.
There are several variations on the alkanolamine desulfurization process in use. One such process is Shell Sulfinol process (licensed by Shell) which utilizes a mixed solvent. The Sulfinol solvent is an admixture of sulfolane, water and diisopropanolamine (DIPA). Another process of this type utilizes a mixture of alkanolamines with ethylene glycol and water. This process combines the removal of water vapor, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S.
Inorganic chemical-based systems, such as those containing nitrites, may also be used in scrubber towers. Although effective, such systems produce elemental sulfur solids. An example of such a system is marketed by NL Industries under the name "SULFACHECK" and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,759. "SULFACHECK" is a buffered aqueous solution of sodium nitrite which is injected into scrubber towers to sweeten natural gas. This solvent is designed for use in a one-step batch process, wherein the H.sub.2 S is removed from a raw natural gas stream through a reaction with the sodium nitrite.
Such inorganic chemical-based sweetening materials are undesirable since, as noted above, they produce significant solids (i.e., elemental sulfur). Accordingly, such systems cannot be used in "in-line" injection systems and may only be used in bubble towers. Moreover, such inorganic chemical-based sweetening systems are not regenerable, i.e., they must be used in a batch process.
Another process for removal of H.sub.2 S, uses a solid/gas chemical reaction. An iron sponge, consisting of hydrated iron oxide on an inert support, is treated with the sour gas where the iron oxide is converted to the sulfide. The iron sulfide can be reoxidized to the oxide with release of elemental sulfur. When the spent iron sulfide is removed from the tower and exposed to air, a pyrophoric conditions may exist.
Some physical processes are used for removal of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S. Molecular sieves, i.e., zeolites and other materials having a pore size of molecular dimensions, which are specific in pore size for removal of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 S are used in the form of a bed through which the sour gas is passed. The bed is periodically regenerated by stripping with an inert gas. This process has the disadvantage present in most desulfurizing processes in that the separated H.sub.2 S or sulfur dioxide must be disposed of in the field.
The above desulfurization process have the disadvantage that reaction vessels, strippers, stills, separators and the like must be provided, which have a high capital cost. Also, these processes have the disadvantage that the current laws dealing with air pollution make it difficult to dispose of the separated H.sub.2 S or sulfur dioxide under field conditions.
There are several methods which have been developed for sweetening sour gas, i.e., for reducing the H.sub.2 S content of natural gas, continuously. For example, various chemicals may be added or injected "in-line" to natural gas pipelines. These sweetening products may be injected at the well head, separators, glycol units, coolers, compressors, etc., to provide contact with the natural gas. The natural gas industry has a great need for a satisfactory agent for sweetening sour (H.sub.2 S-containing) gases. An industrially satisfactory sweetening agent must not produce solids as the reaction product with the H.sub.2 S in the natural gas. The sweetening agent itself cannot be solid or particulate since it must be capable of in-line injection. Furthermore, the sweetening agent must be capable of reducing H.sub.2 S from levels of 1000 p.p.m or higher down to 4.0 p.p.m. or less, preferably down to essentially zero.
Materials used with such "in-line" injection systems include, e.g., various aldehydes. The H.sub.2 S reacts rapidly with the aldehyde compounds producing various types of addition products, such as polyethylene sulfide, polymethylene disulfide and trithiane. Such a process is disclosed, e.g., in Walker, J. F., Formaldehyde, Rheinhold publishing Company, New York, page 66 (1953).
Baize U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,011 discloses a method for the separation and collection of natural gas comprising the use of a sweetening solution. The sweetening solution consists of an aldehyde, a ketone, methanol, an amine inhibitor, sodium or potassium hydroxides and isopropanol. The amine inhibitor includes alkanolamines to adjust the pH.
Alkanolamines are also used to sweeten sour gas streams, e.g., in such "in-line" injection systems. Various alkanolamines may be used in such systems, e.g., monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, methyldiethanolamine and diglycolamine. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,776,870 discloses a process for separating acid components from a gas mixture comprising adding to the gas an absorbent containing water-soluble aliphatic amines and alkanolamines, preferably ethanolamine.
However, the alkanolamines are not selective in their reaction with H.sub.2 S. That is, alkanolamines absorb the total acid-gas components present in the gas stream, e.g., CO.sub.2, as well as H.sub.2 S. Such non-selectivity is not desirable in many applications and therefore, the usage of alkanolamines has also come under disfavor for this reason.
Dillon U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,512 discloses the use of a reaction product of a lower alkanolamine and (ii) a lower aldehyde (where the reactants are formaldehyde and ethanolamine the reaction product is predominately N,N' methylene bisoxazolidine; 1,3,5tri-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-hexahydro-S-triazine; or a mixture thereof) as a sweetening agent. The product is a tertiary amine, i.e., triazine, rather than a secondary amine, is poisonous, and has substantial amounts of alcohols and free formaldehyde, both of which are environmentally unacceptable.
Weers European Patent 411,745 discloses contacting liquid hydrocarbons containing hydrogen sulfide, with the reaction product of certain alkylene polyamines and formaldehyde. The alkylene polyamine recited is in the form of a formula which includes ethylene diamine as the lowest member. However, none of the working examples include ethylene diamine as the reactant and the reaction conditions and the type of formaldehyde used are substantially different from the reaction conditions and reactants used in the present invention.
Moore U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,625 discloses that 35-50% aqueous formaldehyde is used in the Mannich reaction of urea with formaldehyde, which is substantially different from the reaction disclosed in the present invention.
The in-line treatments as described in Baize U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,011 and Dillon U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,512 are available commercially in the form of sweetening solutions which are supplied for in-line injection or for use in treating towers. These solutions, however, present potential safety, handling and environmental problems.
These solutions generally require the presence of a substantial amount of methanol to prevent freezing at moderate temperatures and therefore have flash points which are low enough to present hazards in handling. Also, the presence of unreacted formaldehyde is an environmental hazard. Consequently, there is a present need for a sweetening solution which is as effective as the Baize and Dillon solutions in treating sour natural gas which is non-foaming, free from solids, has a low freezing point and a higher flash point and is free from alcohols and unreacted formaldehyde.

Composition and method for sweetening hydrocarbons


A ridge cover used to shingle houses, that gives a roof the appearance of a wood shake shingle. The cover is constructed from a rectangular sheet of asphalt composition which has a plurality of folding tabs. The tabs are arranged such that when the tabs are folded from the side, the resulting cover has a thickened portion on one end of the cover.

Ridge covers are used to shingle the ridge of a roof. It has become increasing popular to shingle the roof ridge, such that it has the appearance of a shake shingle roof. The present inventor had devised a ridge cover, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,589, with a varying thickness that when installed, produced the shake shingle effect. The change in thickness was created by taking a single flat piece of asphalt composition and folding multiple tabs until the desired thickness was obtained. As shown in FIG. 5 of the '589 patent, the individual pieces were cut out from a roll of asphalt composition into the desired shapes. The cutting of these irregular shaped pieces produced an excess amount of waste asphalt material, that is both costly and difficult to dispose.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,294 by the same inventor, discloses a ridge cover with a thickened portion that is formed by folding the middle portion of the cover. The '294 covers have to be packed in corrugated boxes which are bulky and costly. The covers can not be stacked on pallets because adjacent covers are supported by the thickened middle portion, wherein the thin portions tend to bend or bow. Therefore what is needed is a ridge cover of varying thickness that can be efficiently stacked and cut from a roll with minimal waste.


A connection socket for detachably connecting distal ends of different, thin and thick, endoscopes light guides to a single light source device includes a socket block with a cylindrical aperture accepting a distal end of a light guide in an axial direction and retainer plates pivotally mounted within the socket block around the aperture for holding and retaining a distal end of an inserted light guide, each retainer plate having a peripheral edge facing the aperture that includes first and second retaining edge sections. With a thin light guide, the retainer plates retain the distal end with the first retaining edge sections. When a thick light guide is inserted within the aperture, the retainer plates are pushed and turned by a distal edge of the thick light guide, bringing the second retaining edge sections into close contact with the distal end, retaining the distal end of the thick light guide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection socket structure for a light source device used for endoscopes through which light guide means of an endoscope is connected to the light source device to transmit light from the light source to the endoscope.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, during the use of an endoscope, light is conducted to the endoscope from a light source through light guide means such as an optical fiber or an optical fiber bundle and sent out from an exit aperture at a distal end of the endoscope for a medical illumination purpose such as for illumination of the interior of a body cavity. The light guide means of the endoscope is connected to a light source device through a connection socket installed to the light source device. As seen in FIG. 7 showing a conventional light source device 100 by way of example, the light source device 100 includes a high intensity light source lamp 30 such as a metal halide or xenon arc lamp and an optical system 31 in axially alignment with each other in a light source housing 32. The optical lens system 31 collects and condenses light from the light source lamp 30. The light source device 100 is provided with a connection socket 101 through which light guide means 20 of an endoscope (not shown) is detachably connected to the light source device 100. The light guide means 20 includes a fiber bundle 21 with a distal end portion typically encased within a cylindrical connection ferrule and a coupling cap 23. For mechanical connection of the distal end of the light guide means 20, the coupling cap 23 is screwed, or otherwise bayonet-coupled, to the connection socket 101. Light from the light source lamp 30 in the light source device 100 is conducted to the endoscope through the light guide means 20. If the distal end of the light guide means 20 is too small in outer diameter to fit snugly into a slot or aperture of the connection socket 101 without backlash, the fiber bundle 21 of the light guide means 20 is misaligned in optical axis with the light source lamp 30, so as to cause a quantitative deficiency of light to be conducted to the endoscope through the light guide means 20. The quantitative deficiency of light leads directly to a deterioration of illumination for a body cavity. In these circumstances, the distal end of the optical fiber bundle or the single optical fiber is generally encased within a cylindrical connection ferrule for insertion into a slot or aperture within the connection socket 101 of the light source device 100. The cylindrical connection ferrule has a three-dimensional profile matching the interior profile of the aperture of the connection socket 101 so as to ensure that the cylindrical connection ferrule remains snugly mounted within the aperture of the connection socket 101 without rattling. The provision of the removable connection ferrule allows a single light source device to be used to provide light for a variety of endoscopes, each having a corresponding connection ferrule.
However, problems arise in many conventional endoscopes, particularly those having different cylindrical ferules. In order to allow a single light source device for various endoscopes provided with cylindrical connection ferrules having different three-dimensional profiles, respectively, one of the conventional light source devices is provided with a plurality of connection sockets which have apertures different in interior profile one another but matching different three-dimensional profiles of the cylindrical connection ferrules respectively, or alternatively with a single connection socket having a slot or aperture variable in interior profile correspondingly to the different three-dimensional profiles of the cylindrical ferules. Examples of these conventional light source devices are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 2-50447, 11-183808 and 2001-125010.
Reference is made to FIGS. 8A, 8B and 9 for the purpose of providing an understanding of a connecting configuration of light guide means of endoscopes having cylindrical connection ferrules different in outer diameter from one another to a light source device 100 such as shown in FIG. 7 through a connection socket installed to the light source device 100.
FIGS. 8A and 8B show one example of a connection socket 101 of a conventional light source device 100 (see FIG. 7) adapted for use with various endoscopes having different light guide means 20a and 20b, respectively. For example, one of the endoscopes shown in FIG. 8A has thin light guide means 20a including a fiber bundle 21a with a distal end portion encased within a cylindrical connection ferrule 22a and the other shown in FIG. 8B has thick light guide means 20b including a fiber bundle 21b with a distal end portion encased within a cylindrical connection ferrule 22b which is, for example in this example, greater in outer diameter than the cylindrical connection ferrule 22a of the thick light guide means 20a. The connection socket 101 comprises a connection socket housing 104 having a connection lip 104a and fixedly installed to the light source device 100, a positioning block 102 slidably received within the connection socket housing 104 and biasing means 103 such as a coil spring disposed between the positioning block 102 and the connection socket housing 104. The positioning block 102 has a tapering cone-shaped aperture 102a with a truncated end opening 102b formed therein and is urged toward the connection lip 104a by the biasing means 103. When connecting the thin light guide means 20a or 20b to the light source device 100, the distal end portion of the light guide means 20a or 20b is inserted into the tapering cone-shaped aperture 102a until the cylindrical connection ferrule 22a or 22b is brought into abutment with inner surface of the tapering cone-shaped aperture 102a and then the coupling cap such as shown in FIG. 7 is screwed to the connection lip 104a of the connection socket housing 104 of the connection socket 101. During screwing the connection cap, the connection ferrule 22a or 22b forces the positioning block 102 toward the optical lens system 31 the against the biasing means 103. When the connection cap is fully screwed to a given position with respect to the connection socket 101, the light guide means 20a or 20b is firmly connected to the light source device 100 and aligned with an optical axis Lx of the optical lens element 31 by the connection socket 101 and. In the connected position, an entrance aperture of the light guide means 20a or 20b is put in a plane in conformity with a focal plane of the optical lens system 31, where light from the light source lamp 30 is most efficiently collected and condensed.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8A, when connecting the thin light guide means 20a having the cylindrical connection ferrule 22 to the light source device 100, the cylindrical connection ferrule 22a is inserted into the tapering cone-shaped aperture 102 of the positioning block 102 until it is brought into abutment with the inner surface of the positioning block 102. Further, when the coupling cap is fully screwed to the connection lip 104a of the connection socket 101, the positioning block 102 is forced against the biasing means 103 and placed at a distance from the optical lens system 31 so as thereby to position the entrance end of the fiber bundle 21 encased within the cylindrical connection ferrule 22a of the thin light guide means 20a in the focal plane of the optical lens system 31. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8B, when connecting the thick light guide means 20b having the cylindrical connection ferrule 22b to the light source device 100, the cylindrical connection ferrule 22b is inserted into the tapering cone-shaped aperture 102 of the positioning block 102 until it is brought into abutment with the inner surface of the positioning block 102. Further, when the coupling cap is fully screwed to the connection lip 104a of the connection socket 101, the positioning block 102 is forced against the biasing means 103 and placed at a distance from the optical lens system 31, shorter than the distance in the case where the thick light guide means 20b having the cylindrical connection ferrule 22b larger in diameter than the cylindrical connection ferrule 22a of the thin light guide means 20a, so as thereby to position the entrance end of the fiber bundle 21b encased within the cylindrical connection ferrule 22b of the thick light guide means 20b in the focal plane of the optical lens system 31.
The provision of the tapering cone-shaped aperture 102a in the positioning block 102 allows the single light source device 100 to be commonly used to a variety of endoscopes which have different light guide means with distal end portions encased within cylindrical connection ferrules, respectively, different in outer diameter from one another.
FIG. 9 shows another example of a connection socket 101 of the conventional light source device 100 (see FIG. 7) adapted for use with various endoscopes. The connection socket 101 includes retainer means comprising a plurality of, for example three in this example, retainer units 105 arranged at regular angular intervals, namely 120°, in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis Lx of the optical lens system 31 (see FIG. 7). Each of the retainer units 105 comprises a generally square-shaped retainer plate 106 pivoted on a spring-loaded pivot shaft 107 at one corner thereof and a biasing means 108 such as a compression spring fixedly mounted to another corner of the square-shaped retainer plate 106 adjacent to the one corner. The spring-loaded pivot shafts 107, that are secured to a connection socket housing similar to that of FIGS. 8A and 8B, are arranged at regular angular intervals, namely 120°, on a circle having a center on the optical axis Lx of the optical lens system 31 in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis Lx of the optical lens system 31 and bias the square-shaped retainer plates 106 to pivotally turn in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9. The three biasing means 107 form an aperture for insertion of cylindrical connection ferrules into the connection socket among them and provide biasing force oriented toward the optical axis Lx of the optical lens system 31.
The pivoted retainer units 105a, 105b and 105c of the connection socket are pivotally turned in a clockwise direction about the spring-loaded pivot shafts 107, respectively, according to a diameter of cylindrical connection ferrule 22×of image guide means of an endoscopes and snugly hold them by the biasing means 108. The connection socket including the pivoted retainer units 105a, 105b and 105c allows light guide means of having cylindrical connection ferrules 22×different in diameter of various endoscopes to be connected to the single light source device.
However, problems arise in these conventional light source devices 100, particularly those provided with a plurality of connection sockets having different apertures matching different profiles of connection ferrules of light guide means of various endoscopes, it is hard to position entrance apertures of the different light guide means in a desired position, for example a focal plane of the optical lens system 31 wherein light from the light source lamp 30 is most efficiently collected and condensed. Alternatively, if the light source device 100 is designed to shift the light source lamp 30 in position according to respective light guide means, the light source device 100 is undesirably made bulky for securing a large space for the light source lamp 30.
Regarding the light source device 100 provided with the connection socket 101 including the positioning block 102 having a tapering cone-shaped aperture 102a for use with various endoscopes having light guide means different in diameter of their connection ferrules from one another, a light beam from the light source lamp 30 through the optical lens system 31 is partly blocked by the truncated end opening 102b of the tapering cone-shaped aperture 102a of the positioning block 102. In consequence, it is hard to direct light always most efficiently onto entrance apertures of the different light guide means.
Further, regarding the light source device 100 provided with the connection socket 101 including a plurality of, for example three pivoted retainer units 105a, 105b and 105c for use with various endoscopes having light guide means different in ferrule diameter from one another which provide biasing force toward the optical axis Lx of the optical lens system 31 in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis Lx of the optical lens system 31, force that is provided by the connection socket 101 and countervails against force applied to the light guide means in a direction perpendicular to a direction of insertion of the light guide means is too weak to hold the light guide means in axial alignment with the light source lamp 30 during use of the endoscope. If employing the pivoted retainer units 105a, 105b and 105c designed to provide sufficiently strong force for holding the light guide means, the biasing means 108 has to provide strong spring force or has to have high resilient force and, in consequence, is inescapably large in size.

Connection socket for light source device used for endoscope


A stacked image sensor package contains an image sensor chip and a peripheral chip. A support pad for the peripheral chip adheres to a top surface of the peripheral chip, eliminating the need for a support member that otherwise would contribute to the thickness of the package. Thermal dissipation is enhanced by exposing surfaces including a back surface of the peripheral chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication methods and, more particularly, to fabrication of a thin dual chip package for an image sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
Personal devices that employ image sensors are rapidly proliferating. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell phones now join digital cameras and camcorders in the family of products that frequently include image-sensing capabilities. Because of their small size and a requirement for portability, such products benefit greatly from the existence of miniature electronics. Any opportunity to reduce the size, weight, and power consumption of image sensing electronic components accrues to the utility of these personal devices and, therefore, accrues to the public in general in terms of utility and convenience.
One way of reducing the size of image sensing components is to fabricate more than one chip in a single package. For example, an image sensor chip such as a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor or charge-coupled device (CCD) may be combined in the same package with a flash memory chip or a digital signal processor (DSP) chip. The resulting structure reduces the chip count in the product by one. Further, if two such chips can be stacked, then the area occupied by the structure can be reduced. In any case, fabricating two chips in one package reduces the amount of packaging material required to fabricate the combination which may contribute to a reduction in weight of the product.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a prior-art stacked dual chip image sensor package 10 that may appear in a device such as a digital camera. This package comprises a leadframe 15 that includes a supporting pad portion 20 and leads 25 that are used to connect components internal to the image sensor package 10 to terminals external to the image sensor package 10. The supporting pad portion 20 of the leadframe 15 supports two chips in this example. A first chip 30 is a peripheral integrated circuit such as flash memory or a DSP chip mounted on the bottom of the island portion 20 of the leadframe 15, and a second chip 35 is an image sensor chip such as a CMOS image sensor or a CCD mounted on the top of the island portion 20 of the leadframe 15. The first chip 30 has a plurality of bonding pads 45 disposed on an active surface of the first chip 30. The bonding pads 45 are connected to certain ones of leads 25 by a first plurality of wire loops 40. Likewise, the second chip 35 has a plurality of bonding pads 55 as well, the bonding pads 55 being connected to other ones of leads 25 by a second plurality of wire loops 50. The image sensor package 10 is enclosed in a plastic package, an outline 60 of which is shown in FIG. 1, and a transparent lid 65 is mounted to the plastic package to facilitate an incidence of light onto the second chip 35.
Certain parts of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1 contribute to a minimum overall thickness of the image sensor package 10, exclusive of the transparent lid 65. These parts include the first chip 30 having thickness tC1, the island portion 20 of the leadframe 15 having thickness t0, and the second chip 35 having thickness tC2. Additionally, the height tL1 of the first plurality of wire loops 40 and the height tL2 of the second plurality of wire loops 50 contribute to the minimum overall thickness of the image sensor package 10. To summarize, the minimum overall thickness of the prior art image sensor package 10 isT=tC1+tC2+tL1+tL2+t0.  Equation 1
FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional diagram of another prior-art image sensor package 110. This package comprises a substrate 120 on which is mounted a first chip 130. A spacer 121 overlies the first chip 130, and a second chip 135 is mounted on the spacer 121. The first chip 130, the second chip 135, and the substrate 120 all have bonding pads, but only a representative bonding pad 155 disposed on the first chip 130 has been assigned a reference designator in FIG. 2 in order to simplify the diagram. A first plurality of wire loops 140 connect bonding pads on the first chip 130 to bonding pads on the substrate 120. Similarly, a second plurality of wire loops 150 connect bonding pads 155 on the second chip 135 to bonding pads on the substrate 120. A plastic enclosure and transparent lid (not shown) may be included as part of the prior art image sensor package 110.
As was the case for the structure of FIG. 1, certain parts of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2 contribute to a minimum overall thickness of the image sensor package 110. These parts include the first chip 130 having thickness tC1, the substrate 120 having thickness t0, and the second chip 135 having thickness tC2. Additionally, the height tL1 of the first plurality of wire loops 140 and the height tL2 of the second plurality of wire loops 150 contribute to the minimum overall thickness of the image sensor package 110. Thus, the minimum overall thickness of the prior art image sensor package 110 is determined by Equation 1.
The thickness of each of the prior art examples just described includes a thickness of a support member. The example illustrated in FIG. 1 has a thickness that includes the thickness t0 of the island 20 of the leadframe 15 to which are mounted first and second chips 30 and 35. The example illustrated in FIG. 2 has a thickness that includes the thickness t0 of the substrate 120 to which is mounted the first chip 130.
As the capabilities of image sensing products continue to expand, while the demand for smaller and more lightweight products expands, a need continues in the prior art for image sensor packages that are relatively thin and lightweight compared to existing packages. A further need exists for packages that can efficiently dissipate heat generated by image sensor chips.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ultra thin dual chip image sensor package structure and method for fabrication


A suspension apparatus includes: a partition wall member that divides a space inside an inner tube into an upper space and a lower space; a cap that covers an upper opening portion of an outer tube; and a support member of which one end portion is retained by the cap, and of which the other end portion supports the other end portion of a piston rod, in which a through-hole is formed in a portion of the inner tube, an inner space of the piton rod is a space inside the piston rod and communicates with the lower space, the support member is a cylindrical member and forms an upper portion space, and the upper portion space communicates with the inner space of the piston rod, and at least one of the cap and the support member is provided with a communication path.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a suspension apparatus that is arranged between a vehicle body and a wheel in a two-wheeled vehicle or the like.
2. Related Art
In the related art, in a front fork in a two-wheeled vehicle known as an example of a suspension apparatus, bushes are fixed to an upper portion and a lower portion of an inner circumference of an outer tube, an inner tube is slidably fitted into the outer tube via the upper and the lower bushes, an annular oil chamber that is defined by the upper and the lower bushes is formed in a space between the inner circumference of the outer tube and an outer circumference of the inner tube, and thus a volume compensation chamber is formed to compensate for a volume affected by entry and retreat of a piston rod during a stroke of a piston.
In this type of the suspension apparatus, a hydraulic shock absorber according to JP-A-2009-85263 has a partition wall member which is mounted to the inside on an opening end side of the inner tube so that the partition wall chamber guides the piston rod mounted to the outer tube. The partition wall member is configured to have a cylindrical portion that is formed into a cylindrical shape along an inner circumference of the inner tube, and a bottom portion that is provided to block the bottom of the cylindrical portion. In a state where the cylindrical portion is screwed into the inner tube and the bottom portion is positioned inside the inner tube, using the bottom portion as a reference portion, the partition wall member divides a working oil chamber that is formed below the bottom portion from an oil reservoir chamber which is formed above the bottom portion. A piston mounted to the piston rod that is fixed to the outer tube slides inside the working oil chamber. The oil reservoir chamber supplies working oil to the working oil chamber and vice versa. The working oil chamber communicates with the annular oil chamber through an oil hole provided in the inner tube, and the working oil freely circulates therebetween. When the hydraulic shock absorber is compressed, the working oil flows from the working oil chamber into the annular oil chamber by a volume taken up by the piston rod entering the working oil chamber by a stroke. When the hydraulic shock absorber is extended, the working oil flows from the annular oil chamber into the working oil chamber by a volume freed up by the piston rod retreating from the working oil chamber by a stroke. Accordingly, a volume affected by entry and retreat of the piston rod is compensated for, and a predetermined damping force is obtained. In addition, in the hydraulic shock absorber according to JP-A-2009-85263, a plurality of adjusting portions are provided in a cap that seals an upper end opening portion of the outer tube, and the plurality of adjusting portions are placed side by side in a plan view of the cap. Each of the plurality of adjusting portions is configured to have an adjusting bolt and the adjusting portions have a plurality of adjusting nuts that match with the respective adjusting bolts. Each of the adjusting nuts has a screwed hole into which one adjusting bolt matching with one adjusting nut is screwed, and another hole that is a guide hole into which another adjusting bolt is inserted. When one of the adjusting bolts is rotated, one of the adjusting nuts into which the adjusting bolt is screwed is configured in such a manner that the adjusting nut is not rotated and is guided to move axially due to engagement of the guide hole of the adjusting nut and the other adjusting bolt.


A new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant named ‘Balwinwite’ characterized by its white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright and spreading growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant botanically known as Diascia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balwinwite'.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during December 2002. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Diascia cultivars with a well-branched, upright and spreading growth habit, continuous flowering, and medium green-colored foliage.
The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Diascia×hybrida breeding selection designated 2008-2-2-3-2, not patented, characterized by its large white-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Diascia×hybrida breeding selection designated 3384-4-1-1, not patented, characterized by its blush white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and prostrate growth habit. The new Diascia was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during March 2003 in a controlled environment at Guadalupe, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since March 2003 at Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


A method of forming a portion of a monolithic concrete building provides for two-dimensional support of horizontally extensive portions of the building at all times and thus reduces the strength required of the vertically extensive supports. The method employs flanged wall members having horizontal extents substantially equal to the selected room size. Each of the wall members has at least one flange extending horizontally towards a parallel facing wall member by about ten to twenty five percent of the intramural separation between the walls of the room being constructed. Horizontal floor or ceiling slabs that link the horizontal flanges may be cast in situ using a form plate supported by a temporary trussed joist.

A precast concrete building unit of half-room configuration with a web portion (which may form a ceiling, a floor, or a ceiling of a room on one storey of a multi-storey building and the floor of the storey above it) and opposite half-wall defining flange portions was taught by the inventor in his U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,805, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. The structure taught in that patent uses matching ridge and depression insert elements placed in a mold forming the bases of the flanges with mating tongue and groove shear keys when the units are connected flange-to-flange as upright/inverted unit pairs to form whole rooms. Staggered blocks mounted on the top edges of the top plates project into the mold to form interlocking bearing surfaces for mating diagonally positioned web-to-web upright/inverted unit pairs. Units formed in the same mold can be used for rooms, columns, shear walls, retaining walls, elevator shafts, stairwells, girders and pedestrian bridges.
In the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,943, he teaches that a U-shaped, half-room precast concrete building unit can be molded in an open box-like framework having four L-shaped corner assemblies, facing pairs of horizontal legs of which are respectively joined by laterally-extending telescoping spacers, and facing pairs of vertical legs of which are respectively each joined by two laterally-spaced longitudinally-extending plates. Inserts having alternating voids and blocks are placed longitudinally between the vertical leg pairs to form complementary block and void patterns on the molded unit juncture edges. Retainers having projections are placed over the top edges of the plates to form complementary tongue and groove portions. Relative dimensions of the molded unit are selectable through adjustment of the relative positions of the corner assemblies. The teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,943 is herein incorporated by reference.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,516,074 Borg teaches a method of making a monolithic concrete structure in which a plurality of slabs are supported by another plurality of columns. Borg does not teach the use of a wall member having a length essentially coextensive with that of a wall. Moreover, Borg does not teach providing two dimensional support of horizontally extensive portions of his structure while the structure is being grouted together.


The present invention relates to a sheet feeding roller for feeding a sheet by rotation in pressed contact with stacked sheets by an outer peripheral surface of the roller. A distance from a rotary center to the outer peripheral surface is changeable according to the state of feeding of the sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sheet feeding roller, mounted to a sheet feeding section for feeding sheets for image forming apparatuses such as printers, photocopiers, and the like, for feeding sheets by rotating in pressed contact with stacked sheets and to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus having this roller.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to FIG. 9, a sheet feeding roller for feeding such as original documents and recording sheets in a conventional image forming apparatus such as printer or photocopier is described. As shown in FIG. 9, in a sheet feeding roller 100, a housing 102 for supporting a rubber 101 serving as an elastic body is secured to a rotary shaft 103 to which drive is transmitted, and sheets are fed sheet by sheet according to rotation of the rotary shaft 103. The sheet feeding roller 100 is in a half moon shape having a cutout 104 at a part thereof, and at the home position while in waiting state, the cutout 104 faces to the sheets and does not contact with the sheets. An arc portion ensures an adequate length allowing one sheet to be picked up and delivered to the subsequent roller, not shown, disposed on a downstream side. Grooves and the like are formed on a surface of the sheet feeding roller 100, thereby devising the roller as to improve the friction force from the shape.
Sheets are stacked on a special feeding cassette 105. An intermediate plate 106 for placing the sheet bundle thereon and a spring 107 for urging the intermediate plate 106 toward the sheet feeding roller 100 are formed inside the feeding cassette 105. A separation pawl 108 is formed on a downstream side of the sheet feeding roller on the sheet feeding cassette 105, 100 in the sheet feeding direction, corresponding to the corner of the front end of the sheet placed on the intermediate plate 106, thereby separating sheets one by one by forming a loop to the sheets to some extent.
If the sheet feeding operation begins, the rotary shaft 103 starts rotating, thereby rotating the sheet feeding roller 100, and then, the roller 100 comes in pressed contact with the sheets in pushing down the sheet bundle at a portion where the sheet feeding roller 100 transits from the cutout 104 to the arc portion. The rubber 101 serving as an elastic body contacts to the topmost sheet of the sheets in applying a proper contacting pressure and feeds the sheet. At that time, a loop is gradually formed upon which the corner of the front end of the topmost sheet is made to urge the separation pawl 108, and finally the corner of the front end of the sheet disengages from the separation pawl 108 thereby separating solely the topmost sheet.
With such a sheet separation method in use of the separation pawl method, the contact pressure N applied between the sheet feeding roller 100 and the sheets is very important. If the contact pressure N is too weak, the sheets cannot overcome the opposition force from the separation pawl 108 when the sheets are urge against the separation pawl 108, so that slipping is made between the sheet feeding roller 100 and the sheets and that the sheets cannot be fed smoothly. If the contact pressure N is too strong, large frictional force may occur between the topmost sheet and the sheet just below the topmost sheet or sheets further below the topmost sheet, so that double or triple sheets may be fed instead of feeding of a single sheet.
To avoid such a problem, normally the spring 107 for lifting up the intermediate plate 106 is made with a proper load setting and a spring coefficient setting. More specifically, the weight of sheets changes according to the stacked number, and according to the stacked number, the contraction amount of the spring 107 also changes for lifting up the intermediate plate 106. Using this relation of both, the spring coefficient is set so as to make approximately constant the load exerted to the sheet feeding roller 100 and the sheets even where the stacked number of the sheets is changed.
With the structure according to the conventional art, if the kind of the sheets set to the sheet feeding cassette 105 is unchanged, the load exerted between the sheet feeding roller 100 and the sheet can be an optimum value as the theory described above, but in fact, the size and density of the stacked sheets may be diversified to many kinds. There is no spring to give constantly the optimum load to these various sheets, and the reality is that a spring having a proper value is selected in evaluating the whole balance with respect to the various sheets.
According to recent colorization of image forming apparatuses such as printers, it is a trend that users favor sheets having thicker thickness. On the other hand, from the reason to avoid environmental destructions, sheets having thinner thickness are also used more frequently. Thus, demands on the sheets allowed to be fed from the sheet feeding cassette 105 are made various, and it is difficult to correspond all the variety by solely optimizing the spring 107. That is, if the design targets at the thick paper, the spring load described above is set strongly, and therefore, doubly feeding failures (in which sheets are fed in a stacked manner) may occur in the case of thin paper although feeding failures (i.e., a phenomenon in which sheet feeding roller 100 slips on the sheet and is unable to feed out the sheet) may not occur. To the contrary, if the design targets at the thin paper, the spring load is set weakly, thereby raising a problem such that feeding failures may occur in the case of the thick paper even while doubly feeding failure may not occur.
It is an object to provide a sheet feeding roller automatically adjusting contact pressure exerted between the sheet feeding roller and sheets during feeding operation and being capable of feeding sheets properly and surely, and to provide a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the above sheet feeding roller.

Sheet feeding roller with variable radius, sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus


The present invention is directed to an object lens drive device adapted for moving an object lens in a focus direction of optical axis direction and in a tracking direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, and includes a fixed position provided in such a manner that a supporting shaft is projected, a movable portion comprised of an object lens, and a bobbin adapted so that the object lens is attached and a hole through the supporting shaft is inserted is formed, the bobbin being supported movably along the supporting shaft and rotatably with the supporting shaft being as center, a drive portion including a magnet portion provided at either one of the fixed potion and the movable portion, and a coil portion provided at the other portion to move the movable portion along the supporting shaft to thereby move the object lens in the focus direction, and to rotate the bobbin with the supporting shaft being as center to thereby move the object lens in the tracking direction, and supporting means including a magnetic member for supporting the movable portion in the state inclined with respect to the supporting shaft.

As an apparatus adapted for carrying out recording of information signals ono a disc-shaped recording medium such as optical disc, etc. and for carrying out reproduction (playback) of information signals recorded on the disc-shaped recording medium, there are used disc drive apparatuses. In the disc drive apparatuses of this kind, there is used an object lens drive device adapted for converging light beams emitted from light source onto the signal recording surface of a disc-shaped recording medium to irradiate them thereto, and for allowing such light beams to follow recording tracks formed at the disc-shaped recording medium. The object lens drive device is adapted so that a movable portion in which an object lense (objective) for converging light beams emitted from light source onto the signal recording surface of the disc-shaped recording medium is attached is supported movably along the supporting shaft and rotatably with the supporting shaft being as center. The object lens drive device carries out a focus control to move the movable portion in the axial direction of the supporting shaft in parallel to the optical axis of the object lens in accordance with focus error signal to thereby carry out control of in-focus position of the object lens, and carries out a tracking control to rotate the movable portion in the direction about the axis of the supporting shaft in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the object lens in accordance with a tracking error signal so that light beams follow recording tracks of the disc-shaped recording medium.
In the case of the object lens drive device of the shaft slidable and rotatable type adapted so that the movable portion in which object lens is attached is supported at the supporting shaft, as compared to the object lens drive device in which the movable portion is cantilever-supported by elastic displacable supporting arm with respect to the fixed portion so that it is permitted to undergo displacement in the focusing direction and in the tracking direction, since weight balance of the movable portion is satisfactory, there are the merits that vibration proof characteristic in the tracking direction of the direction perpendicular to the focusing direction of the direction in parallel to the object lens is excellent, and displacement of the movable portion by self-weight is small, etc.
In the object lens drive device of the shaft slidable and rotatable type, since supporting shaft is inserted into a supporting hole formed at bobbin constituting the movable portion so that the movable portion is supported rotatably in a direction about the axis of the supporting shaft and slidably in the axial direction, there is a predetermined clearance between the supporting hole and the supporting shaft. As a result, at the time of focus control when the movable portion is moved in a direction in parallel to the optical axis of the object lens, and at the time of tracking control when the movable portion is rotated in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the object lens, the movable portion would be inclined in an arbitrary direction with respect to the supporting shaft by clearance between the supporting hole and the supporting shaft. When the movable portion is inclined in an arbitrary direction with respect to the supporting shaft in this way, the inclination direction is changed when the movable portion is moved in the focusing direction or in the tracking direction so that the operation becomes unstable. As a result, it becomes impossible to precisely carry out the focus control and the tracking control of the object lens. It becomes impossible to allow light beams to be precisely in focus with respect to the signal recording surface of the disc-shaped recording medium and to allow them to precisely follow recording tracks. It becomes impossible to precisely carry out recording or reproduction of information signals.
In view of the above, in the object lens drive device of the shaft slidable and rotatable type provided in the conventional disc drive apparatus, e.g., tension in a predetermined direction is rendered to the movable portion by making use of elasticity of flexible printed board to always incline the movable portion in a predetermined direction with respect to the supporting shaft to thereby prevent change (fluctuation) in the inclination direction of the movable portion.
As stated above, in the object lens drive device adapted for rendering tension in a predetermined direction to the movable portion by the flexible printed board to prevent change (fluctuation) in the inclination direction of the movable portion, when the movable portion is caused to undergo movement operation, tension changes. As a result, it is impossible to securely prevent change (fluctuation) in the inclination direction of the movable portion. Thus, it becomes impossible to precisely carry out focus control and tracking control of the object lens.
In the disc drive apparatus which can be used as portable equipment, attitude of the object lens drive device changes in dependency upon use circumstances. Thus, direction of gravity with respect to movement direction of the movable portion changes. By influence of this gravity, inclination direction with respect to the supporting shaft of the movable portion changes. As a result, the operation of the movable portion becomes unstable.
In the object lens drive device of the shaft slidable and rotatable type, in order to reduce, as minimum as possible, inclination angle when inclination with respect to the supporting shaft of the movable portion is changed, there exist some object lens drive devices in which length of the supporting hole of the movable portion through which the supporting shaft is inserted is elongated. However, when length of the supporting hole is elongated, it becomes difficult to realize thin structure of the object lens drive device.
In order to prevent inclination with respect to the supporting shaft of the movable portion, there is also proposed an object lens drive device adapted for rendering biasing force in a direction perpendicular to the focusing direction to the movable portion to press the movable portion onto the supporting shaft to allow it to slide and rotate in the state caused to be linearly in contact therewith. In such an object lens drive device, not only slidability with respect to the supporting shaft of the movable portion is deteriorated because the movable portion is caused to be linearly in contact with the supporting shaft, but also the center axis of the supporting shaft and the center axis of the supporting hole are not caused to be in correspondence with each other. For this reason, the movable portion is not permitted to be smoothly slid and rotated with respect to the supporting shaft, and it also becomes impossible to carry out precise focus control and tracking control in accordance with focus error signal or tracking error signal.

Object lens drive device, and disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus


Purified HNF3.delta. proteins and processes for producing them are disclosed. DNA molecules encoding the HNF3.delta. proteins are also disclosed. The proteins may be used in regulating the transcription of one or more genes involved in the formation, differentiation, proliferation and maintenance of cells which form organ tissues, particularly pancreatic cells, as well as other tissue repair.

The search for the molecule or molecules responsible for the formation, proliferation, differentiation and maintenance of tissue and organs, such as the pancreas, has been extensive. The structures of several proteins in the family designated as Hepatocyte Nuclear Factors-3/Forkhead or HFH, have previously been elucidated. Weigel et al., Cell, 57: 645-658 (1989); Weigel and Jackle, Cell, 63: 455-456 (1990). The HNF3 branch of the HFH family, HNF3.alpha., -3.alpha., and -3.gamma., were originally identified in hepatocytes, and were hypothesized to be liver transcription factors which bind to recognition sites in DNA regulatory regions. Costa, in Liver Gene Expression, (Tronche and Yaniv, eds.) at pp. 183-204 (R. G. Landes Company)(1994). It was further observed that binding of different combinations of liver factors provided varied promoter control while minimizing the requisite number of regulatory proteins. Thus, the HNF3 family may be capable of regulating the transcription of multiple proteins. During gastrulation of mouse embryos, murine HNF3.beta. and -3.alpha. were observed to be expressed during early and late primitive streak stages of gastrulation, respectively. Later in development, all three known HNF3 genes (HNF3.alpha., -3.beta., and -3.gamma.) were expressed in the gut, pancreas and liver primordium, while only HNF3.alpha., and -3.beta. were expressed in lung. All three HNF3 genes were co-expressed in parenchymal hepatocyte cells, and in HepG2, H4IIE and FTO-2B hepatoma cell lines. HNF3.alpha. and -3.beta. were found to be expressed in the lung and in lower amounts in the intestine, whereas HNF3.gamma. MRNA is transcribed in the testis but not in sertoli cells. HNF3.beta. protein is also expressed in the pancreas, where it recognizes a HNF3 binding site required for transcriptional activation by the .alpha.-amylase enhancer region. The HNF3.alpha. gene is abundantly transcribed within a thin epithelial cell layer lining the pulmonary bronchioles, suggesting that it may regulate the transcription of genes whose protein products are secreted into the lung airway. HNF3.beta. is absent from the bronchiolar epithelium, but expressed at high levels in the smooth muscle surrounding bronchioles and arterioles, suggesting that the HNF3 genes may regulate different target genes. The HNF3 proteins have been shown to collaborate with other liver transcription factors to regulate the expression of over a dozen liver genes, including serum carrier proteins, pharmacologically active polypeptides and genes encoding enzymes involved in glucose metabolism. Thus, the HNF3 proteins are capable of regulating a large number of genes with differing effects. Lai et al., PNAS USA 90: 10421-10423 (1993) found that HNF3.alpha. and HNF3.beta. showed an inhibitory effect in cells of pancreatic origin on the promoter of the glucagon gene. Thus, the HNF3 proteins are capable of regulating genes present in pancreatic cells.


An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a disk-shaped optical recording medium such as a magneto-optical disk includes recording and/or reproducing unit, a moving unit and a controller. The recording and/or reproducing unit records input information on the disk-shaped optical recording medium loaded on the apparatus and reads out information recorded on the optical recording medium. The moving unit moves the recording and/or reproducing unit in the radius direction of the disk-shaped optical recording medium. The controller controls a recording and/or reproducing operation of the recording and/or reproducing unit and an operation of the moving unit. The controller controls the moving unit such that a moving speed for moving the recording and/or reproducing unit by the moving unit when the recording and/or reproducing unit records input information on the disk-shaped optical recording medium is lowered as compared with a moving speed for moving the recording and/or reproducing unit by the moving unit when the recording and/or reproducing unit reproduces the disk-shaped optical recording medium.

Disk recording and reproducing apparatus using a magneto-optical disk as a disk-shaped optical recording medium are now commercially available on the market. On the magneto-optical disk, data concerning recorded data is recorded on an innermost peripheral track called a TOC (table of contents). When the magneto-optical disk is reproduced, a reproduced track is searched and located by checking data recorded on the TOC.
When such magneto-optical disk is recorded or reproduced by sing data (referred to hereinafter simply as "TOC data") recorded on the TOC, a set of data can be recorded on discontinuous tracks on the magneto-optical disk. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, an audio signal of 74 minutes can be recorded on one disk. Assume now that audio signals of four pieces of music of track numbers T1, T2, T3, T4 are recorded on one disk and that non-recorded portions Ta, Tb, Tc each having a duration of several minutes are provided between pieces of music of track numbers T1 and T2, T2 and T3, and between pieces of music of track numbers T3 and T4. In this state, when an audio signal of music having a play time of 10 minutes, for example, is newly recorded on this disk as a track number T5, if an audio signal having a play time of 10 minutes can be recorded in total on the non-recorded portions Ta, Tb and Tc, as shown in FIG. 1, the audio signal of the track number T5 is recorded on the three non-recorded portions Ta, Tb and Tc separately. As the TOC data, there is added data indicating that the music of the track number T5 is recorded on the addresses of the non-recorded portions Ta, Tb and Tc.
When the music of the track number T5 is reproduced, a system controller (not shown) controls an optical pickup on the basis of the TOC data such that the optical pickup is moved over the tracks indicated by the addresses of the recorded positions Ta, Tb and Tc. In this case, since the recorded position is divided as the recorded positions Ta, Tb and Tc as shown in FIG. 1, if the music of the track number T5 is reproduced in this state, then a sound as a reproduced output is interrupted by a time in which the optical pickup is moved during the optical pickup is moved between the recorded positions Ta and Tb and between the recorded positions Tb and Tc.
To prevent the reproduced output from being interrupted, the recording and reproducing apparatus using the magneto-optical disk stores data read out from the disk in a semiconductor memory by a duration of several seconds in the form of sounds as the reproduced output. Therefore, recorded data is read out from the disk earlier than the reproduction timing of the reproduced signal output from the recording and reproducing apparatus by several seconds. In the discontinuous portion of the recorded positions, e.g., the discontinuous portion between the recorded positions Ta and Tb, the data recorded on the above semiconductor memory is output and the optical pickup is moved to the next recorded position, e.g., the optical pickup is moved from the recorded position Ta to the recorded position Tb while data stored in the memory are fully read out until the memory becomes empty. In this way, the audio signal that had been discretely recorded on the magneto-optical disk can be reproduced continuously by using the memory.
Also when an audio signal is recorded on the disk, in order to prevent the audio signal from being dropped because the audio signal is recorded on a plurality of discrete recorded positions on the disk, the recorded audio signal is temporarily stored in the memory so as to maintain a time during which the optical pickup can be moved between a plurality of discrete recorded positions. In such case, the optical pickup is moved by a moving device in the radius direction of the disk. The moving mechanism is generally composed of a moving motor and an optical pickup moving mechanism.
In the above-mentioned magneto-optical disk recording and reproducing apparatus, when data based on a continuous audio signal is recorded on the magneto-optical disk, the optical pickup irradiates the magneto-optical disk with light beam to heat a recording film of the magneto-optical disk in excess of the Curie temperature. Concurrently therewith, a magnetic head that is opposed to the optical pickup across the magneto-optical disk applies a vertical magnetic field to the magneto-optical disk. The vertical magnetic field generated from the magnetic head is modulated on the basis of recorded-data with the result that the recording film of the magneto-optical disk is magnetized in the direction of the vertical magnetic field applied from the magnetic head to thereby record data. When data that has been recorded on the magneto-optical disk is reproduced, a light beam of output level sufficiently lower than the output level of the light beam used upon recording irradiates the magneto-optical disk. In the light beam radiated on the magneto-optical disk, a plane of polarization thereof is rotated by the magnetization direction of the recording film due to Kerr effect. Recorded data is read out from the magneto-optical disk by effectively utilizing the rotation of the plane of polarization due to the Kerr effect. Accordingly, the magnetic head is used only during the recording mode and is generally placed within the apparatus at the position distant from the magneto-optical disk. Only when the magnetic head records data, the magnetic head is moved in or elevated or lowered to the position near or in contact with the magneto-optical disk.
The magnetic head is moved by energizing a suitable driving means, such as a loading motor after a recording start key of the recording apparatus, for example, was depressed. It takes several seconds for the magnetic head to move to a predetermined position to record data on the magneto-optical disk after the recording start key was depressed. In the case of the apparatus for recording and reproducing the magneto-optical disk, an input audio signal is stored in the semiconductor memory until data starts being recorded on the magneto-optical disk. Then, immediately after the magnetic head is moved to the predetermined position, the input audio signal is continuously recorded on the magneto-optical disk.
If the optical pickup is moved in the radius direction of the magneto-optical disk during the recording operation when data is recorded on a plurality of discrete recording positions on the magneto-optical disk as described above, then a noise is generated when a moving motor of the moving device is driven. The noise thus generated is mixed with recorded data and recorded on the magneto-optical disk together with recorded data. In particular, when a portable recording apparatus incorporates a microphone or an external microphone is located at the position near the recording apparatus, the microphone tends to pick up the sound of a noise generated from the recording and reproducing apparatus. Therefore, a noise generated when the feed motor is driven becomes conspicuous.
Further, a noise generated by the drive motor for moving or elevating the magnetic head in order to move the magnetic head to the position near the magneto-optical disk when the recording is started becomes relatively conspicuous. Since the magnetic head has to be moved when the recording is started, if the portable recording apparatus incorporates the microphone or the microphone is located at the position close to the recording and reproducing apparatus, then it is unavoidable that a relatively large noise is recorded when the recording is started.

Optical recording/reproducing device having a controller for reducing vibrational noise during recording by slowing moving speed of pickup


A display control apparatus includes; a display unit; a web display control unit which causes a web page to be displayed; an instruction acceptance image display control unit which causes a download instruction acceptance image to be displayed in a web page; a download instruction acceptance unit which accepts a download instruction in accordance with an operation based on the download instruction acceptance image; a processing acceptance image display control unit which displays a processing acceptance image for accepting an instruction for carrying out printing, saving or transmission in respect of the data to be downloaded, when the download instruction is accepted; and a processing acceptance unit which accepts the selection of any one of the aforementioned processes in accordance with an user's operation based on the processing acceptance image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display control apparatus, an image forming apparatus and a computer-readable recording medium storing a display control program, and more particularly, to technology for displaying a web page on a display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a display unit, consisting of a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, is provided in an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine or composite machine (a machine which combines a copying function, printer function facsimile function and scanner function), or the like, in order to display an operating guide, or the like, to a user. Furthermore, a service coupon issuing system is known according to which, when a user operates a service coupon download button on a web page which is displayed on the display unit of a user terminal, a distribution document database connected to the network is accessed, and an electronic document file for distributing a service coupon is downloaded from the database to the user's terminal.

Display control apparatus, image forming apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium storing display control program


A closed loop feedback drug delivery system for controlling muscle activity, e.g., spasticity. The system includes a sensor, e.g., an EMG sensor, for monitoring muscle activity and generating a detected muscle activity signal. A controller automatically adjusts at least one of timing and dosage of a drug administered to control muscle activity based on the detected muscle activity signal and produces a control signal. Administering of the drug, e.g., an antispasmodic drug, for controlling muscle activity based on the control signal is performed by an infusion pump. The drug after being emitted from the pump is then delivered to the spinal cord of the patient using an intrathecal catheter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a drug delivery system and, in particular, to a closed loop system and method for controlling muscle activity by infusion of drugs, e.g., antispasmodic drugs, via an intrathecal/intraspinal catheter.
2. Description of Related Art
Muscle disorders can have debilitating effects on an individual's daily life. It is desirable to administer drugs to reduce or control undesirable muscle activity. By way of example, spasticity is an abnormal involuntary muscle activity with increased muscle tone (rigidity) and sustained muscle contractions (spasm) caused by damage to the central nervous system resulting, for example, from a spinal cord or head injury. Often spasticity is but a symptom associated with a disorder such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, Parkinson's or Epilepsy.
There is a widespread degree of spasticity ranging from moderate to severe. Moderate spasticity may have little interference in the patient's normal life and typically is controlled by physical therapy and/or oral muscle relaxants. Patients that suffer from severe spasticity may be treated by way of intrathecal therapy administering the drug directly to the spinal subarachnoid space via an implantable pump. There are two main types of pumps that can be implanted for administration of drug via the intrathecal catheter. A fixed rate pump may be used to control the drug dosage, but this device does not permit dosage adjustment. Alternatively, a pump may be used that is capable of being programmed by a physician via an external battery powered computer to alter the drug dosage. This, however, is still disadvantageous in that it requires a physician or clinician to adjust or control the drug dosage. It would be desirable to adjust the drug dosage automatically without intervention by a physician or clinician.
Other types of undesirable muscle activity may likewise have a negative impact on one' daily activities and life. U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,237 discloses a method for the treatment of anxiety disorders by brain stimulation and drug infusion. Specifically, closed-loop feedback infusion of medicine and stimulation directly to the brain is disclosed in response to an electromyograph (EMG) sensor signal. The EMG sensor signal detects anxiety disorder related symptoms, e.g., excessive muscle tension or tremors. Since anxiety is controlled by the neural circuitry of the brain, the drug is delivered directly to the brain. This patented method closed-loop feedback infusion of antianxiety drugs directly to the brain based on the detection of muscle activity is disclosed exclusively for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
It is therefore desirable to subside, reduce, eliminate or control muscle activity by developing a closed loop feedback drug delivery system for the infusion of a drug directly to the spinal cord the dosage of which is automatically controlled based on detected muscle activity without intervention by a physician or clinician.

Closed loop system and method for controlling muscle activity via an intrathecal catheter


A shielded pacemaker enclosure includes a first portion, and a second portion. Both portions have conductive surfaces disposed thereon. The portions are joined together to form a chamber therein. A connector is provided which extends through the enclosure to receive a lead. Additionally, filter and isolation circuitry is employed to provide further shielding.

The present invention relates to cardiac pacemakers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shielded cardiac pacemaker enclosure.
In a normal heart, an electrical stimulus is generated within the right atrium and is transmitted to the ventricle where it produces a contracting or beating of the ventricle. However, heart disease can obstruct the normal conduction of the electrical stimulus within the heart and cause the heart to stop beating at its normal rate. Such a condition results in an array of maladies ranging from fatigue to death.
Cardiac pacemakers have largely alleviated this problem by monitoring the electrical activity of the heart itself and detecting conditions in which the electrical stimulus of the heart is inhibited. When such a condition is detected, the cardiac pacemaker takes over and stimulates the heart in a relatively normal manner until the electrical stimulus regains effective conduction.
In order to sense the minute electrical signals of the heart, the cardiac pacemaker must employ sophisticated, sensitive circuitry. As a result, such circuitry is susceptible to radio frequency interference.
Additionally, radio frequency signals are a ubiquitous part of everyday life. Such signals are generated from overhead power lines, fluorescent lights, microwave ovens, and cellular telephones, to name but a few. Although the human body is able to shield an implantable pacemaker from some forms of radio frequency signals, all pacemakers (both implantable and external) to some degree may be affected by such signals. Thus, a pacemaker may be caused to falsely sense the condition of the heart resulting in inappropriate pacemaker action.


An integration process where a first semiconductor protective layer and a second semiconductor protective layer are formed to protect the first and second semiconductor materials, respectfully, during processing to form an optical device, such as a photodetector, and a transistor on the same semiconductor. The first semiconductor protective layer protects the semiconductor substrate during formation of the second semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer protects the second semiconductor material during subsequent processing of the first semiconductor. In one embodiment, the first semiconductor includes silicon and the second semiconductor material includes germanium.

A continuing object of device performance is to increase the speed of operation. One of the techniques is the use of light as opposed to an electrical signal for the source of information for the device. The optical source needs to be converted to an electrical signal to perform a desired operation, such as controlling a computer. While different chips can be used for the optical and electrical features, it is desirable that the optical and electrical features be integrated onto one chip to decrease costs.
A photodetector is used to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal. Photodetectors can use a semiconductor material as the light absorber. Absorption of a photon can result in creation of electron-hole pairs when the photon energy is greater than the band gap of the semiconductor material. Thus the response of a semiconductor photodetector is dependent on the wavelength of the incident light. For example, the band gap of Si makes it a useful absorber, and hence photodetector, for wavelengths shorter than about 1100 nm. Important wavelengths of light used in optical communications are in bands near 1550 nm. Thus Si is not a useful material for photodetectors for these wavelengths. Ge however has a smaller band gap and can be used as a photodetector for light in both the 1310 and 1550 nm bands. However, Si remains the semiconductor of choice for the vast majority of electronic devices. Thus it would be advantageous to combine Ge photodetectors with Si integrated circuits. Furthermore since Si is transparent at the 1310 and 1550 nm wavelengths, waveguides can be fabricated in a Si chip and combined with Si integrated circuits. However, no integration method exists for forming high-quality crystalline Ge photodetectors and Si transistors on the same substrate. The integration of Ge photodetectors with CMOS integrated circuits is especially of interest because of the wide spread use of CMOS devices. While the fabrication of crystalline Ge photodetectors on Si substrates has been demonstrated, the integration of Ge photodetectors with Si CMOS integrated circuits is difficult because of conflicting materials and thermal requirements for integrating both Ge photodetectors and Si transistors on the same substrate. Therefore a need exists for forming high-quality, crystalline Ge photodetectors and Si transistors on one substrate.
Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

Method of forming a semiconductor device and an optical device and structure thereof