A method of therapeutic treatment of an area of severe infection of soft tissue within or surrounding a tooth of a patient involves administering Taurolidine, Taurultam or mixtures thereof to the area of severe infection.

The present invention is concerned with the combatting tooth and gum infections, in particular severe dental infections which are located within the alveolar region of the jaw.
Oral infections remain a relatively common cause of pain and discomfort to many patients and combatting such infections thus continues to be of clinical importance.
It was originally believed that the primary cause of dentoalveolar infection was a simple combination of Gram positive and Gram negative aerobic bacteria. Improvements in microbiological techniques have however now led to the realisation that such conditions are in fact usually caused by a mixed aerobic/anaerobic bacterial population, with Gram negative anaerobes playing an important part in the polymicrobial process.
The complex aetiology of oral infections results in the observation of widely variable resistance patterns following administration of conventional oral antibacterial preparations. Such preparations may also not be sufficiently active against some of the pathogenic organisms present. There is thus a need for a wide-spectrum agent to treat such mixed infections. Administration of an agent which is ineffective against some of the bacteria present will result in proliferation of the resistant bacterial species and complete elimination of the infection may not be achieved. Typically, the types of bacteria present in dentoalveolar infections include aerobes such as Streptococcus viridans qr., Streptococcus gr C., Corynebacterium spy., Neisseria spp and Haemophilus influenzae. Anaerobes which are also commonly present include Peptococcus spp:, Bacteroides spp. and Furobacterium spp.
Conventional treatments include bactericidal agents such as chlorophenol-camphor-menthol, chlorhexidine and antibiotics such as chlorteracyclin and tetracinolon. However such agents are not without unpleasant side-effects including allergic reactions, toxic tissue reactions causing inflammation and necrosis, tooth or filling discoloration and affecting the senses of taste and smell. Moreover, conventional agents require a relatively prolonged period of treatment to be completely effective.
The use of Chlortetracycline and Democlocycline is considered inadvisable because of their instability and increased toxicity. It has been shown in this connection, that formation of the highly nephro-toxic anhydro-4-epitetracyclin-hydrochloride occurs in older Tetracycline preparations.
The aminoglycoside antibiotic Neomycin may only be applied locally because of its extreme nephrotoxic, ototoxic and muscle relaxant properties. In this context, it is to be noted that resorption can occur when the ectoderm is damaged (i.e. marginal and apical parodontitis, mucous-membrane ulceration) and repeated usage can lead to analogous side-effects. Because of multiple resistant germ strains and an allergy rate of 15-30%, the withdrawal of this preparation was suggested in 1975. The quinoline derivative Aminoquinuride (Surfen), which increases the spectrum of Neomycin, has not been investigated sufficiently and its effectivity is controversial.
Synthetic corticosteroid derivatives like Prednisolone and Triamcinolone are intended to supercede the role of an analgesic in combination preparations. Although their strong anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties make for a quick reduction of pain this would always be accompanied by an immune separation which arises out of a comprehensive inhibition mesenchymal reaction. As well as an inhibition of the lympho-reticular system, damage also arises to the DNA-repair and mitosis capability which can lead to tissue atrophy. The fibrinogen concentration in the plasma is reduced by simultaneously strengthened fibrinolysis. It has been shown that the slow release of the working substance due to the insolubility of glucocortoid, conceals the danger that it will exhaust the efficacy of antibiotic too soon and thereby the infection could either spread unrestrained, or develop into a chronic condition. The unpleasant taste of prednisolone has also proved a deterrant against its use.
Although Chlorophenol-Camphor and Chlorophenol-Camphor-Menthol solutions are often recommended for root canal instillation and no significantly higher or stronger pain sensation following instillation in the pulpen cavity has been reported as against comparative clinical experiments, the high toxic potential is undisputed. In animal experiments strong tissue toxic reactions have been observed in the form of inflammation and necrosis formation.
Chlorhexidine, which has proved itself in extensive experimental and clinical studies as a broad spectrum anti-microbial, is also cell damaging. In tests carried out on human desmodontal fibroblasts, accelerated ageing and a cytopathological effect were demonstrated. The release of p-chloroaniline as a possible by-product of chlorohexidine, which is suspected of causing mutation and of being carcinogenic, is often denied.
It has now been found that taurolidine is effective against oral infections, especially those that are located within the infrastructure of the jaw, but exhibits a much reduced level of side-effects and provides effective relief in a shorter period.
Additionally, administration of suitable taurolidine containing compositions will neutralise bacterially originating endo- and exo-toxins as well as attacking the bacteria themselves.
Taurolidine is a synthetic derivative of the naturally occurring 2-aminoethane sulphonic acid, taurine. The use of taurolidine as a potential anti-microbial substance, acting by a methylol transfer mechanism, has been disclosed in GB 1,124,285. It is sold by Ed. Geistlich Sohne AG. under the registered Trade Mark xe2x80x98Taurolinxe2x80x99. The antibacterial substance taurultam is closely related to taurolidine and, indeed, is formed during the methylol transfer reaction between taurolidine and target substances. It is also produced by Ed. Geistlich Sohne AG. Taurultam is slightly more water soluble than taurolidine but possesses fewer methylol transfer groupings.
Taurolidine and taurultam containing toothpastes, toothgels and mouthwashes have also been disclosed in GB 1557163 and it was suggested that such formulations could be used generally in dental care, but were particularly useful in the treatment of parodontosis (a degenerative, non-inflammatory condition of the gums (periodontium) surrounding the teeth which can, result in the destruction of the tissues). The treatment of alveolitis (an infection located within a tooth socket) using a taurolidine gel fine granulate has also been proposed (see Nentwig et al., xe2x80x9cErste klinische Erfahrung mit Taurolin-Feingranulat in der zahnxc3xa4rztlichen Chirugiexe2x80x9d in Taurolin-Ein neues Konzept zur antimikrobiellen Chemotherapie chirurgischer Infektion ed. Brxc3xcckner, 1985, pages 287-289).
However, it was not previously appreciated that taurolidine compositions would be useful in combatting other, more severe dental infections such as gangrene, parodontitis and abscesses. Neither was it known that administration of a taurolidine composition was so much more effective as regards reducing the length of time and the dosage required-for treatment.
Thus, the present invention provides the use of taurolidine and/or taurultam in the preparation of an orally acceptable medicament for combatting severe dental infections or dental infection following dental surgery.
The term xe2x80x9ccombattingxe2x80x9d as used herein includes both therapeutic and prophylactic treatment. The term xe2x80x9csevere dental infectionsxe2x80x9d is used herein to refer to those infections which have become established in the interior of the jaw infrastructure, eg. dentoalveolar infections, such as gangrene, parodontitis or dental abscesses.
The condition parodontitis (or periodontitis) is an inflammatory reaction of the tissues surrounding a tooth and can be characterised by formation of periodontal pockets, pus formation, bone resorption, destruction of the periodontal ligament and tooth loss. Parodontitis is a different condition from parodontosis.
One advantage of this aspect of the invention is that the long term pain (toothache) is more rapidly reduced as compared with other antibacterial treatments. This is thought to be due to direct action of the active compounds on tumour necrosis factor (TNF), which is the cytokine responsible for many pain reactions.
It has also been found that taurolidine and/or taurultam can be used prophylactically following surgery such as implantation.
Dental, mandibular or maxillofacial surgery is relatively common and varies from a complete restructing of the jaw bone, (for example following injury to that area) to replacement of a natural tooth with an artificial dentiform implant (false tooth). Removal of a natural tooth may have occurred by accident, for example resulting from a blow to the face, or may be undertaken by surgical techniques made necessary by, for example, untreated decay of the tooth structure. Where a false tooth is to be inserted, the tooth socket is generally prepared by the dental surgeon. Usually a titanium implant is first located in the tooth socket, and then the false tooth proper is firmly attached to the titanium implant, conveniently by means of opposing screw threads so that the false tooth may be simply screwed into place. However, there is a high incidence of post-operative infection which can cause the patient much pain and discomfort, but more seriously can also lead to the ultimate rejection of the implant. Infection is a particular problem in the mouth since mixed populations of endogenous bacteria are always present and consumption of fresh food inevitably leads to the introduction of bacteria into the mouth.
Moreover it is virtually impossible to sterilise the mouth for sustained periods of time and the moist, warm conditions are ideal for bacterial reproduction.
It has however now been found that taurolidine and/or taurultam can be used prophylactically, for example by simple local application, to greatly reduce the incidence of post-operative infection.
The present invention thus provides the use of taurolidine and/or taurultam in the preparation of an orally acceptable prophylactic medicament to prevent dental or gum infections, and in particular to prevent such infections following dental, mandibular or maxillofacial surgery.
Particularly suitable compositions of taurolidine and/or taurultam which may be used to combat severe dental infections (as defined above) or as a prophylaxis include gels, emulsions, liquid gel or rinse solutions.
Certain of these compositions are new and comprise a further aspect of the present invention.
One particular formulation for use in combatting tooth infections is an aqueous emulsion comprising taurolidine or taurultam in solution in the aqueous phase. The oily phase of such an emulsion can comprise a physiologically acceptable oil eg. a food oil such as soya or arachis oil. One or more emulsifiers can be present, for example non-ionic emulsifiers such as glyceryl monostearate, fatty alcohols such as cetyl or myristyl alcohol, or lecithin. A thickening agent such as hydroxyethylcellulose (Natrosol 250 HHR), carboxymethylcellulose, polyethylene glycol, sodium alginate, polyacrylic acid cross-linked by an alkyl ether of pentaerythritol or sucrose (Carbopol) or polyvinylpyrolidone is desirably added. The advantage of such a formulation is delayed release of the taurolidine or taurultam when the formulation is introduced in the vicinity of the infection and resistance to elimination from the site of infection by saliva.
Accordingly, the present invention further provides an orally acceptable composition, said composition comprising taurolidine and/or taurultam together with pharmaceutically acceptable excipients in the form of a liquid gel, rinse solution or as an emulsion. These compositions according to the invention may be used either by themselves or in conjunction with surgery to combat the infection.
One particularly useful aspect is the impregnation of a gauze strip with a taurolidine and/or taurultam-containing emulsion which can be applied to the affected area by the dentist or orthodontist.
A taurolidine and/or taurultam containing gel is particular convenient for prophylactic use. A tube of the gel can be given to the patient who will then apply it to the affected area, as required, for example up to 6 times a day, depending on the extent of surgery and the strength of the gel.
Typically, an orally acceptable composition according to the present invention will comprise 0.5 to 5% taurolidine by weight, preferably 1 to 3% by weight, or 0.75 to 7.5% by weight of taurultam, preferably 1.5 to 4.5%.
The invention further provides a method of combatting severe dental infections (as defined herein), said method comprising administering an orally acceptable taurolidine and/or taurultam-containing composition to the affected area of the patient.
According to a particular feature of the invention we provide the use of taurolidine and/or taurultam for combatting severe dental infections such as parodontitis, dental gangrene or abscesses and for the manufacture of dental compositions for such treatment.
The liquid compositions of the invention are particularly adapted for combatting dentoalveolar infections, such as gangrene or abscesses, for example by introduction via a syringe into tooth canals or application at or near the site of infection for delayed release. Such liquid compositions include emulsions, as indicated hereinafter, which may be applied via an impregnated gauze strip overlying the infected area, as well as rinse solution which can be used in the treatment of gangrene, abscesses and perikornitis and liquid dental gels which can be introduced via a syringe in the treatment of gangrene, apical astitis and root canal treatment.
Taurolidine has been tested for a number of orodental indications against therapy using conventional antibacterials. It could be seen that all target variables fell significantly more quickly under taurolidine medication than under conventional therapy. The total treatment time in the standard group was about 40% longer than in the taurolidine group. Moreover significantly less antibiotics and analgetics were required under taurolidine medication than under standard therapy. In contrast to most of the conventional preparations, which implicate a lot of side effects as irritation of smell and taste, discoloring of teeth and fillings, allergic reactions and histotoxicity with consecutive necroses, taurolidine only shows slight pain for some minutes after application during the acute period or inflammation.
The following study clearly demonstrates that treatment of severe dental infections using taurolidine compositions results in a marked decrease in the length of treatment time.
Comparison of Taurolidine and Conventional Treatments for Dentoalveolar Infections
Material and Methods
The in-vivo tests were carried out at the Clinic for Maxillofacial Surgery, Munich University between 1989 and 1992. In accordance with modern biometric principles the study was planned as a controlled clinical trial, i.e. it was conducted according to a prospective, protective, randomized, monocentre and simple blind design.
Indications
The following 6 indications examined were selected specifically on the basis of their incidence and clinical relevance.
Alveolitis sicca dolorose
Gangrene
Parodontitis marginalis
Pericoronitis
Abscess
Infection Prophylaxis
Test Preparations
The test substances investigated were 4 different galenic presentation forms of the active component taurolidine and 4 conventional finished pharmaceuticals.
TaurolidineR irrigation fluid 3% (Geistlich, Wolhusen/ Switzerland) (1 ml cont.: 30 mg taurolidine, 50 mg PVP 17)
TaurolidineR liquid gel 3% (Geistlich, Wolhusen/Switzerland (1 g cont.: 30 mg taurolidine, hydroxycellulose)
TaurolidineR dental emulsion 3% (Geistlich, Wolhusen/ Switzerland) (1 g cont.: 30 mg taurolidine, fatty acid triglyceride, lecithin)
TaurolidineR dental gel 2% (Geistlich, Wolhusen/Switzerland (1 g cont.: 20 mg taurolidine, hydroxycellulose, gluside, polysorbates)
AUREOMYCINR ointment 3% (Cynamid-Novalis, Wolfratschausen/FRG) (1 g cont.: 30 mg chlorotetracycline, vaseline-anhydrous lanolin)
DONTISOLONR ointment Type M (Hoechst, Frankfurt Germany) (1 g cont.: 5 mg prednisolone, 2 mg neomycin HCL, 3 mg aminoquinuride 2HCl 3.5 H2O, excipients)
CHKMR solution (Haupt, Wurzburg/Germany) (1 ml cont.: 295 mg p-chlorophenol, 767 mg camphor, 18 mg menthol)
CHLORHEXAMEDR dental gel 1% (Blend-a-med, Mainz/Germany) (1 g cont.: 10 mg chlorhexidine digluconate, excipients).
Therapy Regimens
For each of the 6 indications investigated an exact therapeutic procedure was fixed. The surgical management was carried out according to the individual situation in the usual manner. Tables 1 and 2 show the antimicrobial therapy regimens defined for patient groups A (Taurolidine group) and B (Standard group). It is evident, that the only difference, with the same quantity of substance applied in the same form, was the choice of preparation.
Investigated Parameters and Randomization
For critical examination of the effectiveness of the different pharmaceuticals concerning therapeutic success and total treatment time clinical parameters reflecting the progress of recovery were controlled and documented at every session. The following 6 target variables were defined and evaluated by a uniform scale (0=none to 4=very strong):
Pain
Swelling
Secretion
Pressure pain
Repercussion
Remission
The score-level 5 (total) was given at the moment of complete remission and describes consequently the final point of treatment.
As modifying variables were recorded:
Age, sex, optional analgetic and antibiotic application as well as the site of lesion.
200 cases were treated in each indication group, the total number amounted to 1,200. The distribution into the two therapy regimens was realised by random sampling. Statistical evaluations were made by means of testing methods described in customary literature.
Results
The homogeneity tests carried out showed no statistically differences whatever (p greater than 0.05), that is the comparability of the two patient groups was guaranteed.
Characterisation of Patients
The patients ranged between 1 and 89 years of age, with a mean of 38.7 years (Standard deviation STD DEV=xc2x116.3). As was expected, stratification according to the indications showed moderate fluctuation (Pericoronitis with a mean of 29.4 years to parodontitis with a mean of 43.5 years).
The distribution of the sexes showed men (57.3%) to be in a small majority and this trend was the same across all indication groups. At first this fact seems to be astonishing, but it is in accordance with the total sex distribution in our clinic patients, which exhibits 54.5 males vs. 45.5% females (1991). The localisation of the lesions corresponded to the experiences in dental medicine. Alveolitis sicca dolorosa (67.5%) and pericoronitis (90.5%) mostly occurred in the lateral part of the mandible, while the other indications were well distributed between upper and lower jaw.
Both antibiotics as well as analgetics had been administered more often in the standard group than in the taurolidine group. The differences were statistically significant (p=0.007 resp. p=0.01).
Progress of Therapy
As is evident from Table 3 all target variables fell more quicker under taurolidine medication than under conventional therapy. For example it can be seen that those patients who were treated with taurolidine were pain-free an average of 2 days earlier than those under conventional treatment. All results were statistically highly significant in Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U-test (p less than 0.0001).
Total Treatment Time
Tables 4 and 5 show the course of the remission for the two therapy regimens. A superior effectiveness of taurolidine to the standard therapy was demonstrable for all 6 indications corresponding to a clinical relevant more rapid recovery (p less than 0.0001). Furthermore it is striking that the standard deviations in the taurolidine group were generally smaller than the comparable values in the standard group. This is also a fact that allows the dentist a better estimation of the required treatment time. Any influence of the investigated modifying variables as age, sex, localisation of the lesion and optional antibiotic or analgetic administration on the process of recovery as well as on total treatment time could not be shown neither in the taurolidine nor in the standard group.
The invention is further illustrated by the following, non-limiting Examples.

Treatment of dentoalveolar infections with taurolidine and/or taurultam

Ed. Geistlich Soehne AG fuer Chemische Industrie


Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, systems and/or devices for document control are described. For example, a document control policy may comprise a set of document control rules that may be applied to an electronic document. In one embodiment the policy may be at least partially represented by a language such as Portable Document Rights Language (PDRL), for example. PDRL, in at least one embodiment comprises a language that may be utilized for expressing the rights and conditions of a document control policy. A policy may be associated with one or more electronic documents, and may include a set of document control rules that may define rights associated with an electronic document, such as the right to access the electronic document by opening, editing, saving and/or printing the document, for example.

Electronic documents may be protected. For example, an electronic document may be accessible by use of a communications network that may employ the Internet. The accessibility may be controlled, such as by controlling the capability to open, edit, save and/or print the electronic document, for example. Access to an electronic document may be controlled by applying a policy to the electronic document. A policy may comprise a set of document control rules that may define rights associated with an electronic document. For example, the rights may include rights granted to particular users, such as the right to access, edit, save and/or print the electronic document. Additionally, the set of document control rules may include a list of users that may be granted the rights, and/or may include a set of restrictions on how and/or when one or more rules may apply to an electronic document, for example. In one embodiment, a policy may be applied to multiple electronic documents. For a variety of reasons, it may be desirable to extend a policy to include additional features.


A surge voltage reducing member includes: a magnetic body including a long-side portion and short-side portions continuously formed at both ends of the long-side portion in a longitudinal direction; and a plurality of conductive paths wound around the long-side portion. Each of the conductive paths is wound in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the long-side portion.

As a related art, a surge voltage reducing member for reducing a surge voltage, for example, a technology disclosed in JP-A-2012-174661 is well-known.
The connector device illustrated in FIG. 6 of JP-A-2012-174661 is mounted on an electric vehicle. The connector device includes two toroidal cores. The toroidal cores are made of a magnetic material and are provided in an annular shape. The power supply AC wires extending from the tubular portion of the connector device are wound around the respective toroidal cores and connected to a charger (not illustrated) mounted on the electric vehicle. The grounding wire extending from the tubular portion extends through the two toroidal cores.

Surge voltage reducing member with reduced size


A fixing device including: a fixing roller; an endless fixing belt which rotates with the fixing roller; a pressure member; a sliding sheet placed between the fixing belt and the pressure member; and a lubricating agent supplying section, a toner image being fixed onto a recording media at a nip portion formed between the fixing roller and the fixing belt, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt and a surface of the sliding sheet are formed of polytetrafluoroethylene, wherein the following relation is satisfied: H1≦H2, where H1 is a surface hardness of the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt and H2 is a surface hardness of the sliding sheet facing to the fixing belt.

In image forming apparatuses of the electro-photographic method such as copying machines, printers, facsimiles, and multifunction peripherals provided with all these functions, a latent image corresponding to the original is formed on a photoreceptor drum, this latent image is made visible by giving toners to it, this visible toner image is transferred onto a recording material, and after that, the toner image on the recording material is fixed and then the recording material is discharged to outside the apparatus.
Further, in the case of forming color images, latent images of colors Y, M, C, and K corresponding to the colors of the original are formed on four photoreceptor drums, the toner images of four colors made visible are primary-transferred on to an endless intermediate belt, then they are secondary-transferred on to a recording medium, then toner image transferred on to the recording medium is fixed, and then the recording material is discharged to outside the apparatus.
As a fixing device for fixing such toner images is present a fixing device of the heated roller method that applies heat and pressure by gripping and conveying the recording medium with the toner image transferred on to it in a nip portion formed by a fixing roller having inside it a heating member such as a halogen lamp, etc., and a pressure roller that applies pressure on the fixing roller, and such a fixing device is being used widely because its construction is simple.
However, in such a fixing device, in order to achieve high speed it is necessary to supply sufficient amount of heat to the toner and the recording medium, and to do this it is necessary to increase the nip width. In order to increase the nip width, it is possible to consider increasing the load with which the pressure roller presses the fixing roller, the thickness of the elastic layer formed from silicone rubber, etc., inside the pressure roller, or the diameters of the two rollers, etc.
However, if the load or the thickness of the elastic layer of the pressure roller is increased, the nip width along the axial direction may sometimes become uneven, and there is the possibility of uneven fixing or wrinkles of the recording material occurring. Further, if the roller diameters are increased, there is the problem that not only the fixing device becomes big but also the warming up time becomes long.
In order to solve this problem, a fixing device of the so-called FBNF method has been disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publications (see publication No. 2005-173441, No. 2004-198655, and No. 2004-206105), wherein the fixing device is provided with a fixing roller having an elastic layer made of silicone rubber and a heating member such as a halogen lamp, etc., built in at the center and rotating, an endless fixing belt that rotates being driven by the fixing roller, a pressure pad that presses against the fixing roller via the fixing belt from the inside of the fixing belt, and a low friction sliding sheet placed between the fixing belt and the pressure pad, and in the nip portion formed by the fixing roller and the fixing belt, the recording material on to which the toner image has been transferred is heated and pressed while being gripped and conveyed.
According to this fixing device, the fixing belt pressed to the fixing roller by the pressure pad deforms elastically, and a wide nip section is formed between the fixing roller and the fixing belt. Consequently, it is possible to achieve high speeds, and also the fixing device does not become big. In addition, since the thermal capacity of the fixing belt is small, the warming up time becomes short and it is possible to save energy.
Further, although in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-173441 the sliding resistance is being reduced by supplying lubricating agent between the fixing belt and pressure pad in a fixing device of the FBNF method, since the lubricating agent is not retained in a stable manner, a surface roughness of Ra=0.3 to 1.6 μm is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt thereby increasing the lubricating agent retention capacity. Further, polytetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter called PTFE) has been disclosed as the material of the releasing layer coated on the surface of the fixing belt, and PTFE has also been disclosed as the material of the sliding sheet.
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-198655, similar to Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-173441, in order to increase the lubricating agent retention capacity, the surface contacting with the fixing belt in the sliding sheet (pad cap) has been made a rough surface. It is desirable that the surface roughness of the undulating surface is Ra=0.5 to 10 μm. Further, PFA has been disclosed as the material of the releasing layer of the fixing belt, and PES (polyester sulfone), etc., have been disclosed as the material of the sliding sheet.
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-206105, although the conventional sliding sheet is formed to be porous in order to retain the lubricating agent, since it cannot withstand use for a long time, the sliding surface of the sliding sheet is made porous and to include a fluoroplastic. In addition, even PTFE has been disclosed as the material of the releasing layer of the fixing belt and also PTFE has been disclosed as the material of the sliding sheet.
As has been disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-173441, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-198655, and in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-206105, in a fixing device of the FBNF method, because of placing a sliding sheet between the fixing belt and the pressure pad, the sliding resistance of the rotating fixing belt has been reduced since the fixing belt and the pressure pad do not come into direct contact with each other. In addition, reducing the sliding resistance is also made by supplying a lubricating agent between the fixing belt and the sliding sheet.
However, since the fixing belt is in sliding contact with the sliding sheet, there is a certain amount of sliding resistance and at least some abrasion is caused in both of them. In addition, although it is necessary to retain the lubricating agent definitely in the nip portion, conventionally it was not sufficient to prevent the abrasion and an efficiency to retain the lubricant was deteriorated through a long time usage.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned problem.

Fixing device, fixing belt, and image forming apparatus

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A display panel having a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array includes an array substrate and a color filter substrate which are arranged opposite to each other. The array substrate includes a first electrode, and multiple second electrodes arranged corresponding to the respective pixel units, the first electrode and second electrodes are insulated from each other by an insulation layer; and the color filter substrate includes multiple black matrixes and multiple color resists arranged corresponding to the respective pixel units. The array substrate further includes multiple third electrodes arranged in boundary areas between two adjacent pixel units and opposite to the black matrixes. The third electrodes and the first electrode are disposed in different layers and have a same potential.

Among flat panel display devices, Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Displays (TFT-LCDs) have become predominant in the current market of flat panel displays due to their small volume, low power consumption, low manufacturing cost, radiation-free and other characteristics.
At present, display modes of the TFT-LCDs generally include the Twisted Nematic (TN) mode, the Vertical Alignment (VA) mode, the In-Plane-Switching (IPS) mode, the Fringe Field Switching (FFS) mode, etc.
The FFS mode refers to a liquid crystal display mode with a potentially widen angle of view. As illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the display panel of the FFS-type TFT-LCD, which is divided into a plurality of pixel units distributed in an array, generally includes an array substrate 1, a color filter substrate 2 and a liquid crystal layer (not illustrated). A common electrode 11 arranged on the array substrate 1 is a plate-shaped electrode, and pixel electrodes 12 arranged on the array substrate 1 are strip-shaped electrodes. The pixel electrodes 12 are isolated from the common electrode 11 by an insulation layer 13 and are arranged opposite to color resists 21 of the color filter substrate 2. Black matrixes 22 are further arranged on the color filter substrate 2 to space adjacent color resists 21 from each other. A voltage is applied to form a parallel electric field between the pixel electrodes 12 and the common electrode 11.
There is a drawback of the prior art above that the pixel units become increasingly smaller in width as pixels in the display panel become more sophisticated, and accordingly the spacing between the adjacent pixel electrodes 12a and 12b of the adjacent pixel units also becomes increasingly smaller, and when the spacing between the pixel electrodes 12a and 12b becomes smaller, liquid crystal molecules below the black matrixes 22 of the color filter substrate 2 may be deflected significantly, thus resulting in a color cast phenomenon on the display device being watched askance, which means an unsatisfactory display effect. In order to address the drawback above, the spacing between the pixel electrodes 12a and 12b is typically designed sufficiently large nevertheless at the cost of a weakened electric field at the edges of the black matrixes 22 so that the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules below the edges of the black matrixes 22 may obviously become smaller, thus lowering the transmittance, and consequently the brightness, at the edges of the black matrixes 22, which still means an unsatisfactory display effect of the display device.

XAIMEN TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


A vacuum cleaner containing an air passage system which is modified to increase the amount and speed of air drawn into the vacuum cleaner without increasing the capacity of the motor, whereby the performance of the vacuum cleaner is enhanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a passage system of a vacuum cleaner in which an air passage system is modified to increase an amount and speed of air drawn into a vacuum cleaner without having to increase a capacity of a motor so that the performance of a vacuum cleaner is enhanced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional vacuum cleaners are classified, depending upon a use and a shape, into a cylindrical vacuum cleaner which is generally employed at home, a pot-type vacuum cleaner, which is generally known as a canister vacuum cleaner, for a large places such as a place of business that requires a large capacity, and a portable vacuum cleaner which is easily carried around and employed for a specified purpose (such as a vehicle).
Among various kinds of vacuum cleaners, in case of a rechargeable vacuum cleaner such as the portable vacuum cleaner equipped with a rechargeable battery, it is difficult to produce an output of a sufficient level when using the vacuum cleaner due to the limitation of a capacity of a battery.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a construction of a passage system of the conventional vacuum cleaner.
Referring to FIG. 1, the passage system of the conventional vacuum cleaner comprises a suction motor 10 which is installed on an upper end of the vacuum cleaner to provide a suction force for sucking the outside air into the vacuum cleaner, a suction fan 20 which is placed below the suction motor 10 and blades for sucking the outside air using rotating force of the suction motor 10, a dust filter 30 which is placed below the suction fan 20 to filter dust contained in the outside air sucked by the suction fan 20, a dust-collecting bucket 40 which is positioned below the dust filter 30 to collect dust and the like filtered by the dust filter 30, and a suction nozzle 50 which is arranged below the dust collecting bucket 40 to elevate the speed of flow of the outside air sucked from the outside by the suction fan 20, up to a predetermined value.
Operations of the passage system of the conventional vacuum cleaner according to the aforementioned configuration is described hereinafter. When a user turns on the vacuum cleaner to perform a cleaning work, the suction motor 10 is initiated. The Rotating force of the suction motor 10 is transferred to the suction fan 20 which is rotatably attached to a lower end of the suction motor 10. Thereafter, as the suction fan 20 rotates, a low-pressure space is formed below the suction motor 10 to draw in the air from the outside into the vacuum cleaner.
As the air is sucked in from the outside toward the low-pressure space, dust and other particles are also sucked into the vacuum cleaner along with the outside air through the suction nozzle 50.
The outside air is then directed to the dust filter 30. In the dust filter 30, while air can freely pass through the dust filter 30, dust and the particles having a size larger than that of meshes of the dust filter 30, are filtered by the dust filter 30.
Dust and other particles which did not pass through the dust filter 30, drop down to be collected in the dust collecting bucket 40, whereby one cycle of operations of the vacuum cleaner is completed.
Also, the air which passed through the dust filter 30, is exhausted to the outside after sequentially passing through the suction fan 20 and the suction motor 10. While the air passes through the suction motor 10, heat generated by the suction motor 10 is cooled.
While undergoing time serial sequences as described above, dust and other particles contained in the outside air, are filtered by the dust filter 30. If dust and the particles are collected in the dust-collecting bucket 40 built up to the point in which in flow of the air is effected and degrade an efficiency of the vacuum cleaner, a user of the vacuum cleaner should empty out the dust-collecting bucket 40.
Since the air, which is discharged to the outside after passing through the suction motor 10, flows at a high speed, the air retains a substantial amount of kinetic energy which could be utilized to improve the efficiency. However, the passage system of the conventional vacuum cleaner dose not employ any means to reuse the air having kinetic energy.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a passage system of a vacuum cleaner, which enables the air to be exhausted is utilized again to provide an additional source of energy for the vacuum cleaner. And, in the case of a rechargeable vacuum cleaner wherein an output cannot be raised beyond a predetermined level due to the limitation within its own configuration, the passage system of the vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention allows a cleaning work to be performed in more efficient manner with the same power supply source.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a passage system of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: an ejector suction passage which is connected to one end of an outer surface of a motor case to reutilize air which has been exhausted from a suction motor; an ejector formed at the end of the ejector suction passage for accumulating air that has passed through the ejector suction passage; an ejector nozzle formed at one end of the ejector for exhausting the air at a high speed and under a low pressure; a second suction passage having one end placed at a predetermined distance from the ejector nozzle and the other end connected to a dust collecting bucket, such that the air discharged from the ejector nozzle and the air existing in an ejector chamber are simultaneously drawn in together into an ejector chamber and thereafter flows in the direction of a suction motor, an ejector chamber which is formed in the inside of the ejector nozzle, and one end of the second suction passage is connected in the ejector chamber so that an inside of the ejector chamber remains under low pressure; a second suction nozzle formed at a predetermined position in the ejector chamber to draw in the outside air at a high speed; a first suction nozzle placed at a predetermined position of the vacuum cleaner to draw the air in at a high velocity by a suction force generated by the suction motor; and a first suction passage having one end which is fastened to the first suction nozzle and the other end is connected to a predetermined part of the dust collecting bucket, in a manner such that outside air which is drawn in via the first suction nozzle, is guided toward the suction motor.
By the feature of the present invention, the passage system of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention provides advantages in that, since energy, which is contained in air discharged through a suction motor, is utilized again, cleaning performance of the vacuum cleaner can be improved.


Disclosed is a roof rack attachment arrangement for a roof rack for carrying a load on a vehicle roof including an elongated attachment member body. The attachment member body has a length along a longitudinal axis thereof. The attachment member body includes a first portion that is configured to be attached to a vehicle and a second portion that is configured to be attached to a roof rack. The attachment member body is configured to be movable between an operative position and a storage position.

Roof racks are attached in different ways dependent on the vehicle roof, e.g. with bracket clamping against door edges, clamping around or against flush or raised railings. Many vehicles have so called fixed points, i.e. designated positions often with some kind of means for securing the feet. It can be threaded nuts welded to the roof in channels. The common way to utilize these fix point positions is by attaching the feet with threaded bolts or screws. However, the mounting procedure when mounting four feet with cross bars can be cumbersome and time consuming. There is a desire to facilitate this procedure. Also, it is a desire to increase safety, e.g. avoid having the feet coming off in collisions or heaving breaking when strong forces are acting on the components in a roof rack system comprising feet and cross bars.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,016 shows a roof rack attachment member, where the roof is provided with a hook shaped attachment member, where a coupling device arranged in a foot of a roof rack is attached to the hook, and a threaded screw is used to provide a tensioning mechanism for the attachment.


The present invention relates to semiconductor devices suitable for electronic, optoelectronic and energy conversion applications. In a particular form, the present invention relates to the fabrication of a thin film solar cells and thin film transistors through the advantageous combination of semiconductors, insulators, rare-earth based compounds and amorphous and/or ceramic and/or glass substrates. Crystalline or polycrystalline thin film semiconductor-on-glass formation using alkali ion impurity barrier layer(s) are disclosed. Example embodiment of crystalline or polycrystalline thin film semiconductor-on-glass formation using rare-earth based material as impurity barrier layer(s) is disclosed. In particular, thin film silicon-on-glass substrate is disclosed as the alternate embodiment, with impurity barrier designed to inhibit transport of deleterious alkali species from the glass into the semiconductor thin film.

Prior art concerning solar cells and thin film transistors, TFTs, are known to one knowledgeable in the art. References contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,733, U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,974, U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,313, U.S. 2002/0040727, U.S. 2005/0000566 are cited as prior art and incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
The present invention addresses the need to increase solar cell efficiency and to further reduce cost over prior art techniques. Typically, present high performance and cost effective solar cell devices are based on bulk silicon materials. Single crystal silicon (sc-Si) cells exhibit single junction (SJ) efficiency approaching ηeff(SJ)˜21%. Unfortunately, prior art techniques for producing sc-Si cells are: (i) costly to manufacture; and (ii) suffer inefficient utilization of the available solar spectrum.
A widely accepted method to reduce the cost of solar cells, by workers in the field, has been to substantially reduce the amount of active material required to form the solar cell via the use of thin film semiconductors. Furthermore, the said thin films are disposed upon low cost substrates such as amorphous glass, polymer and/or metal surfaces.
The simplest and most cost effective method of producing thin films is via use of various deposition methods upon relatively lower cost substrates such as inexpensive glass, polymer and/or metal surfaces or other materials adapted for receiving a layer of silicon.
Typically, the use of low cost substrates places limitation upon thin film semiconductor crystal quality and/or thermal budget required for thin film deposition method of a thin film(s). Low thermal budget deposition of thin films typically results in poor crystal quality semiconductors realized upon amorphous glass substrates. Single semiconductor crystals may nucleate in localized areas upon an initial glass substrate surface, but formation of homogeneous and long range crystal order within the thin film across substantially the entire large area glass substrate is practically impossible without complex post growth recrystallization. Even so, the film quality attained using prior art complex recrystallization techniques is still inferior to bulk single crystal growth techniques, such as, the Czochralski crystal growth (CZ) method.
Single crystal thin film epitaxy is typically done on substrates with intrinsic properties of high single crystal quality, atomically flat surface, and low crystal structure mismatch between the film and substrate. Furthermore, the growing film must adequately wet the substrate surface for layer-by-layer epitaxy, otherwise clustered nucleation growth occurs and thus structurally defective. Glass substrates, by definition, lack all the aforementioned properties except for being able to exhibit extremely flat surfaces via polishing, e.g.; chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) or other techniques such as "float glass". Uniform and flat thin film semiconductors are typically best deposited onto glass substrate surfaces in amorphous form. Typically, flat and uniform amorphous semiconductors can be deposited onto glass substrates at room temperature or modest substrate temperatures. Subsequent thermal processing of an amorphous Semiconductor-on-Glass (a-SoG) article is then required to transform the amorphous thin film semiconductor into the desired polycrystalline form. For example, Nickel induced crystallization allows amorphous Si to be recrystallized via catalytic action into poly-Si. More desirable of the polycrystalline forms are thin film semiconductors exhibiting large domains (grain size˜0.1-10 microns) in lateral and/or vertical dimensions relative to the film growth direction. Thin films exhibiting larger lateral grain dimension than film thickness enable advantageous transport of electronic carriers parallel to the film/substrate surface. Direct deposition of thin film semiconductors onto glass substrates without complex post processing results in polycrystalline (pc), microcrystalline (mc), nanocrystalline (nc) and/or amorphous (a) semiconductor thin films.
It is well known that large area single crystal thin film semiconductors cannot be directly deposited epitaxially upon glass and/or amorphous substrates. High quality single crystal thin film semiconductors on large area glass substrates are commercially feasible at present using only thin film layer transfer techniques, such as wafer bonding and etch back technique. That is a thin film layer transfer technique comprises the steps of thinning and/or separation of a single crystal thin film from a single crystal bulk semiconductor to the film thickness required and subsequent transfer of said film onto a surface of an acceptable substrate. The single crystal thin film is then bonded to the substrate forming a thin film semiconductor-on-substrate article; in some embodiments an acceptable substrate is glass; alternatively other types of substrates are acceptable.
Layer-transfer methods provide a practical means of cost effective manufacture of single crystal thin film semiconductor disposed upon inexpensive substrates. The design compromise for the structural quality of the thin film is therefore between cost and whether single-crystal or polycrystal thin films are required for a specific application.
Prior art techniques to date fail to address the implication of the intrinsic chemical property of cheap substrate composition; for instance, glass is typically alkali-silicate-based and quite severely impacts the electronic and/or optoelectronic performance of a thin film semiconductor.
It is therefore not well known by researchers in the field of thin film semiconductor manufacture, the fact that it is not a simple matter of replacing the substrate with a cheap alternative, such SiO2-based glass, because of the typically chemically disruptive influence on at least one of the thin film electronic and/or optical and/or chemical and/or mechanical properties. For an example case of using cheap SiO2-based glass substrate to form SoG article, regardless of the thin film semiconductor manufacture technique (i.e.; via layer-transfer or direct deposition), the chemical composition of cheap glass poses severe contamination concerns for electronic and optoelectronic performance of thin film devices.

Thin film semi-conductor-on-glass solar cell devices


Various arrangements for performing secure domain name system (DNS) routing are presented. A secure signature may be generated using an internet protocol (IP) address of an authorized device. An encoded character string may be generated that comprises the IP address. The domain name server may receive a request for an IP address mapped to the hostname. The hostname may be validated using the secure signature. The IP address of the authorized device may be decoded from the encoded character string at least partially in response to the hostname being validated by the domain name server. The IP address decoded from the encoded character string may be transmitted at least partially based on the hostname being validated and the request for the IP address.

Network-enabled devices that allow for the recording and storage of media are becoming commonplace. Such devices allow for the streaming or transmission of media across the Internet for playback at a remote network-enabled playback device. In order for an end-user device to be able to access a media server, the end-user device may need to determine an Internet protocol (IP) address of the media server. To do this, the end-user device may contact a domain name server.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for secure DNS routing

DISH Network Technologies India Private Limited


Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based photoelectric conversion device having a first intrinsic silicon-based layer, a p-type silicon-based layer and a first transparent electroconductive layer, positioned in this order on one surface of a conductive single-crystal silicon substrate, and having a second intrinsic silicon-based layer, an n-type silicon-based layer and a second transparent electroconductive layer, positioned in this order on the other surface of the conductive single-crystal silicon substrate. In the present invention, a heat treatment is carried out after at least one of the transparent electroconductive layers is formed. This heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of less than 200° C. under a hydrogen-containing atmosphere.

Crystalline silicon-based solar cells using crystalline silicon substrates are high in photoelectric conversion efficiency, and thus have been widely and generally used in solar power generation systems. Among them, a crystalline silicon-based solar cell in which conductive amorphous silicon-based layers having a band gap different from that of a single-crystal silicon are formed on surfaces of the crystal silicon substrate is called a heterojunction solar cell.
Among heterojunction solar cells, a solar cell having an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer between a conductive amorphous silicon-based layer and a crystal silicon substrate is known as one embodiment of a crystalline silicon-based solar cell with a high conversion efficiency. By forming an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer between a single-crystal silicon substrate and a conductive amorphous silicon-based layer, generation of defect levels during formation of the conductive amorphous silicon-based layer can be reduced and defects present on the surface of single-crystal silicon (principally dangling bonds of silicon) can be terminated (passivated) with hydrogen. In addition, due to a presence of an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer, carrier-introduction impurities can be prevented from diffusing to the surface of single-crystal silicon at the time of forming a conductive amorphous silicon-based layer.
In the aforementioned heterojunction solar cell, a transparent electroconductive layer is formed on the surface of a conductive amorphous silicon-based layer. The transparent electroconductive layer preferably has a high optical transparency and a low resistance. As a material thereof, a transparent conductive metal oxide such as a crystalline indium tin complex oxide (ITO) is used. Generally, a collecting electrode is formed on the transparent electroconductive layer. For the collecting electrode, an Ag paste or the like is used as a material.
As a technique related to a manufacturing method of a solar cell, it is known that a heat treatment is carried out in an air atmosphere after formation of an electrode. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that in manufacture of a solar cell using a crystalline silicon substrate, a heat treatment is carried out at 300° C. or higher and 700° C. or lower under a hydrogen atmosphere after an electroconductive paste is applied. It is reported in Patent Document 1 that since a metal oxide contained in a glass frit in the electroconductive paste is subjected to hydrogen reduction by the heat treatment, both of high bonding strength and low electrical contact resistance are achieved. With respect to a manufacture of a flexible solar cell, Patent Document 2 discloses that a transparent electrode is made less resistant by carrying out a heat treatment after formation of the electrode. Patent Document 3 discloses that when a thin-film solar cell using microcrystalline silicon as a photoelectric conversion layer and a conductivity-type layer is subjected to a heat treatment under a low-oxygen partial pressure atmosphere for one hour or more, dope impurities in the conductive microcrystalline silicon layer are activated to improve electrical characteristics.

Method for manufacturing silicon-based solar cell


A technique for detecting malware involves loading known malware information, finding a string in the known malware information, saving the string in a first database, identifying a first contiguous string block from the known malware information, assigning a confidence indicator to the first contiguous string block, attempting to find the first contiguous string block in a second database containing one or more contiguous string blocks extracted from known malware, and responsive to a determination the first contiguous string block meets a predetermined threshold of similarity with a second contiguous string block contained in the second database, labelling the first contiguous string block.

Malware evolves more quickly than a human user can author countermeasures. This makes malware detection difficult, as countermeasures are often obsolete before having identified very much malware. Numerous solutions to this problem exist, from automated hash and fuzzy hash identification signatures to file geometry fingerprints, but balancing proactive identification against false positives has been challenging. A better way to identify malware that is capable of detecting previously unknown malware without generating excessive false positives would be desirable.
In addition, malware obfuscation increases the time and resources necessary to detect malware. This slows memory analysis to forensic, rather than real-time, analysis. Further, static file scanners face a daunting task in attempting to keep up with the rate of obfuscator change. A better way to handle malware obfuscation for string extraction would be desirable.

System and method for malware signature generation


A display device including TFT elements having satisfactory characteristics and being easy to assemble. In the display device, a pixel emitting red light comprises a red color filter. The red color filter forms a light shielding film for the TFT elements in a driver circuit portion or in a pixel portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device which includes therein a device (hereinafter referred to as a light emitting device) having an element where a light emitting material is sandwiched between electrodes (hereinafter referred to as a light emitting element) or a device (hereinafter referred to as a liquid crystal display device or a liquid crystal module) having an element where liquid crystal is sandwiched between electrodes (hereinafter referred to as a liquid crystal element), and a method of manufacturing thereof. For example, the present invention relates to an electric device represented by a liquid crystal display device and a light emitting device. and to an electronic equipment (electronic apparatus) having such an electric device (electronic device) mounted thereon as a component.
It is to be noted that, as used herein, the term "semiconductor device" refers to any device which can function by utilizing semiconductive characteristics, including an electric device, a semiconductor circuit, and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
These days, attention is attracted to technology for forming a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as a TFT) using a semiconductor thin film (at the thickness of several to several hundred nm) formed on a substrate having an insulating surface. A thin film transistor is widely applied to electronic devices such as an IC and an electric device. In particular, a thin film transistor as a switching element in a liquid crystal display device and in a light emitting device is actively developed for practical use.
Also, recent trend toward lighter devices in weight has induced attempt to form a light emitting element or a TFT on a flexible plastic film. However, the present situation is that a satisfactory TFT compared with one formed on a glass substrate has not been manufactured as yet.
Development of a light emitting device (also called a light emitting diode or an electroluminescent (EL) device, and hereinafter referred to as an EL display device or an EL module) using a light emitting element (hereinafter referred to as an EL element) utilizing an electroluminescent light emitting material (hereinafter referred to as an EL material) is making progress. An EL display device is structured to comprise an EL element where an EL material is sandwiched between an anode and a cathode. By applying voltage between the anode and the cathode. electric current is made to pass through the EL material, carriers are made to recombine, and light is emitted. Since, in this way, a light emitting element itself has the ability of emitting light in an EL display device, a backlight which is used in a liquid crystal display device is unnecessary. In addition, an EL display device has a wide angle of visibility, is light in weight, and has low power consumption.
To make the EL display device capable of displaying colors, there are methods: a method where EL elements emitting red, green, and blue colors are arranged in a matrix; and a method where EL elements emitting white light are used together with color filters.
In an EL display device where EL elements emitting red, green, and blue colors are used, since different EL materials are used to form EL elements emitting the respective colors, the element characteristics differ accordingly, and it is difficult to obtain uniform display.
In a color EL display device where EL elements emitting white light are used together with color filters, R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color filters are formed at positions corresponding to pixels, thereby changing colors of light to be taken out from the respective pixels. It is to be noted that, positions corresponding to pixels mean positions aligned with pixel electrodes. The color filters have an R (red), G (green), or B (blue) coloring layer, and a color shielding mask provided, except at positions corresponding to gaps of pixels. By making light transmit the color filters, red, green, and blue light are extracted. The light shielding mask of the color filters generally comprises a metal film or an organic film containing black pigment.
In a liquid crystal display device, TFTs using semiconductor of amorphous silicon or polysilicon are arranged in a matrix. A liquid crystal material is sandwiched between an element substrate where pixel electrodes, source lines, and gate lines connected to the respective TFTs are formed, and an opposing substrate having an opposing electrode disposed so as to face the element substrate. Color filters for color display is formed on the opposing substrate. In principle, such a liquid crystal display device is similar to that of the EL display device using the color filters as described above. Further, a polarizing plate is disposed as a light shutter on each of the element substrate and the opposing element to display a color image.
Also, a liquid crystal device using a metal film as the light shielding mask has a problem that signal delays are liable to occur due to parasitic capacitance formed between the metal film and other wirings. A liquid crystal device using an organic film to insulate the light shielding mask from other wirings has a problem that the number of the manufacturing processes increases.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


Interference layer which acts as a coloring surface layer on aluminum items, said layer containing an aluminum oxide layer and, deposited on this, a partially transparent layer. The aluminum oxide layer is a transparent, pore-free barrier layer produced by anodizing, of predetermined thickness d corresponding to the desired surface color of the interference layer; the thickness d of the barrier layer lies between 20 and 900 nm, and the partially transparent layer exhibits a wavelength dependent transmission .tau.(.lambda.) which is greater than 0.01 and smaller than 1. The side of the partially transparent layer facing away from the barrier layer is preferably protected from mechanical and chemical effects by an additional, transparent protective layer.

The present invention relates to an interference layer which acts as a coloring surface layer on aluminum items, said layer containing an aluminum oxide layer and, deposited on this, a partially transparent layer. The invention relates further to a process for manufacturing the interference layer according to the invention.
Interference layers which eliminate certain wavelengths of incident light by interference are known in optical applications as so called filters. Such filters are normally produced by depositing a high purity, thin metal layer on glass, subsequently depositing a dielectric layer and a further semi-transparent metal layer. The individual layers are normally deposited by PVD (physical vapor deposition) methods such as sputtering or vapour deposition.
The high purity, thin metal layer is normally of aluminum. The dielectric layers are normally layers of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or SiO.sub.2. Because of their small thickness, it is generally not possible to anodize PVD Al layers. Consequently, the dielectric layers are usually PDV-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or PDV-SiO.sub.2 layers. Depositing PDV-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or PDV-SiO.sub.2 layers is however expensive. Also, some dielectric layers deposited on aluminum surfaces by PVD methods do not adhere well. Metals such as high purity aluminum are normally employed for the semi-transparent layers.
A dielectric layer may be produced on an aluminum surface using known dc methods i.e. anodic oxidation of the aluminum surface using direct current and a sulphuric acid electrolyte. The resultant protective layer, however, exhibits a high degree of porosity due to the method employed. In order to produce surface layers with uniformity in color over large areas, it is necessary to achieve a constant thickness of interference layer over such areas. Using the dc method, however, it is difficult to produce dielectric layers of constant thickness over large areas.
The oxide layers produced in sulphuric acid are colorless and transparent only with high purity aluminum and AlMg or AlMgSi alloys based on high purity aluminum (Al.gtoreq.99.85 wt. %). With less pure materials, such as e.g. Al 99.85, Al 99.8 or Al 99.5, alloy constituents such as e.g. Fe or Si rich intermetallic phases may become incorporated in the oxide layer and lead to uncontrolled absorption and/or scattering of light and therefore to layers that are to a greater or lesser extent cloudy, or to layers with coloring which is uncontrollable.

Aluminum surface with interference colors


A wireless signal processor includes an analog front end for generating at least one baseband analog signal, at least one analog to digital converter for converting the baseband signal into a digital signal, the analog to digital converter having a resolution width and a sampling rate, and a baseband processor for measuring the signal energy in the analog to digital converter output, and when the incoming signal energy level increases or a baseband processor detects a packet, at least one of the sampling rate or resolution width also increases until the end of the packet, after which the sample rate and resolution are reduced to an interpacket rate and resolution. Additionally, the sampling rate and resolution increase after packet detection at rates and resolutions which are dependent on packet type and data rate.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art wireless communications receiver 100. An analog part of the receiver 102 comprises an antenna 104 for coupling wireless signals, which pass through transmit/receive switches and filters 106, and to variable gain low noise amplifier 108, which typically accepts a coarse gain control input 116 for reducing the LNA gain for high signal levels and increasing the LNA gain for low signal levels, thereby keeping the mixer 110 operating linearly in a noise performance optimized operating point. Baseband mixers 110 down-convert the modulated signal to a quadrature baseband signal, where a variable gain amplifier 112 optimizes the signal level to the sampling range of the signal leaving the analog signal processing subsection 102 to the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) analog to digital converter 124, also known as the IQ ADC. The selection of an optimum VGA 112 gain results in the IQ ADC 124 sampling the signal to fill the linear range of the converter 124, and the signals are passed to the baseband processor 130. A received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal is typically generated by one of the analog processing stages, which is shown following the low pass filter 111 as output 120. The RSSI signal 120 provides a coarse indication of incoming signal strength, and is typically digitized by RSSI ADC 126 and processed by AGC processor 132 to generate the LNA gain 116 and VGA gain 118. In this manner, the prior art AGC processor samples an RSSI signal and generates gain control signals to optimize the sample range of the ADC and baseband processor 130.
The communications receiver 100 separates into processing sections based on the type of technology in use. Analog processing 102 typically uses small signal amplifying elements such as linear amplifiers 108 and 112, buffers 114, and non-linear elements such as mixer 110. Typically these analog components have high current consumption for optimized high speed performance, and the power consumed by analog section 102 is a significant part of the system power. A/D Interface 122 includes high speed IQ ADC 124 which samples the down-converted and filtered baseband signal for processing and low speed ADC 126 for sampling the RSSI signal 126. The IQ ADC typically operates at a much higher sampling rate (80 MHz typically) and quantization level (10 bit) than the low speed (20 MHz or less at 8 bit) RSSI ADC. The remaining components are digital signal processing elements 128 which have power consumption that is governed by the clock rate of the synchronous clock used to drive the various stages.
For battery powered wireless receivers, it is desired to reduce the power consumption, thereby proportionally increasing the battery life powering the receiver. The opportunities for reduced power consumption for each section of the prior art receiver 100 are somewhat limited. The analog processing 102 consumes a fixed amount of power regardless of whether a packet is being received or not, and in operating conditions where the time spent receiving packets is low compared to the time spent listening for packets to receive, a large power savings may be realized by using the IQ ADC and RSSI ADC only during the intervals when they are required. The ADC interface 122 has a power consumption which includes a fixed part and a part that is proportional to the sample rate and bit width of the ADC, and is dominated by high speed converter 124. The digital processing 128 including baseband processing 130 and AGC processor 132 are dominated by displacement currents associated with switching large numbers of signal conductors from one voltage level to another, resulting in a power consumption which is largely proportional to clock speed.
In wireless systems having an analog front end without an RSSI indicator 120 or RSSI ADC 126, the prior art IQ ADC 124 operates in a full power operational mode. It is desired to provide a reduced power consumption mode for the analog to digital converter such that the power consumption of the IQ ADC 124 is reduced when a packet is not being received by generating an estimate of signal energy based on incoming baseband digitized signals to the baseband processor 130.

Apparatus for a wireless communications system using signal energy to control sample resolution and rate


A method for removing an allyl protecting group from an allyl-protected derivative of a biologically relevant amino acid is disclosed. One relevant aspect of the method is the use of soluble organometallic catalyst, such as an organopalladium catalyst. Preferably, soluble tetrakistriphenylphosphine palladium (0) is used. The allyl deprotection method now disclosed is suitable for use on an instrument for automated peptide synthesis. Methods of preparing the soluble organometallic catalyst are also disclosed, as are soluble catalyst compositions.

Over the past quarter-century, techniques have been developed and refined for the organic synthesis of diverse molecules of biological relevance. In particular, sophisticated methods have been developed for peptide synthesis. These methods have made possible the chemical synthesis of naturally-occurring peptides of interest for research or therapeutic purposes. In addition, many peptide structures have been synthesized for which there is no known naturally-occurring counterpart. It is now possible to synthetically prepare branched or cyclic peptides, or peptides in which one or more amino acid residues are glycosylated, sulfated, phosphorylated or otherwise derivatized. The state of the peptide synthetic art is reviewed in Barany et al. (1987), 30INT. J. PEPT. PROT. RES. 705-739 and Fields et al. (1992), in SYNTHETIC PEPTIDES: A USER'S GUIDE, 77-183 (Grant, ed.).
For many years, peptide structures were synthesized manually, a laborious process which required significant levels of expertise and was vulnerable to introduced error. Recently, instruments have been developed for automated peptide synthesis, an advance which significantly expands the range and variety of peptide structures that can be made. Automation allows for the preparation of peptides on a larger scale than could previously be attempted. Automated peptide synthesis instrumentation and software have greatly expanded the accessibility of peptide synthesis to academic and industrial investigators in fields beyond organic synthesis and protein chemistry. Synthesized peptide structures are now used as tools in such diverse fields as nutrition, microbiology, immunology, physiology and medicine.
With the increasing sophistication and variety of peptide synthetic techniques that have been reported, however, there has been an increasing awareness of the many limitations and undesired side-reactions that may be provoked. Many of these are idiosyncratic to a particular synthetic reagent or type of amino acid derivative, and effectively limit the range of conditions and combinations in which such reagents can be used. Many reagent- and amino acid-specific undesired side-reactions are also reviewed in Barany et al. (1987), Id. at 727-730.
Many additional and unexpected limitations and undesired side-reactions have been encountered by those adapting manual peptide synthetic techniques for use on instruments for automated peptide synthesis. Efforts to adapt existing methods of peptide synthesis for use in an automated setting, and to develop new methods uniquely suited for automated instrumentation, are presently ongoing. Many desired techniques for peptide synthesis have thus far proven incompatible with automated instrumentation.
For example, synthetic reactions involving allyl-protected amino acid derivatives have proven poorly adaptable to an automated setting. Removal of the allyl group has proven particularly difficult during automated synthesis, due to the nature and physical characteristics of the catalyst relied upon for allyl deprotection.

Automated allyl deprotection in solid-phase synthesis


A ship which has supporting columns which run vertically and are located in the hull of the ship, as well as at least one flat, rectangular area element which extends horizontally and is supported on at least one of these support columns, in which the supporting columns are located at some distance from the corner points of the rectangular area element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ship which has supporting columns which run vertically and are located in the hull of the ship, as well as at least one area element, which is mounted on the supporting columns, extends horizontally, and has corner points.
2. Background Information
In the construction of cargo ships and warships, it is necessary to provide the interior of the hull of the ship with area elements which extend horizontally, thereby creating surfaces for stowing the cargo being carried or fastening the ship's own equipment.
Known measures for creating the above-mentioned areas for stowing or fastening cargo or equipment have several disadvantages, including the requirement that the structure of the ship must be adapted to the area elements which are to be installed, because the size of the area elements cannot be modified after they have been fabricated, nor can they be adapted to the space conditions in the hull of the ship.

Ship with plane area elements which extend horizontally and are located in the hull of the ship


A virtual reflective 3D volumetric display device and a method for creating virtual reflective 3D volumetric imagery are disclosed to present virtual 3D volumetric object imagery without head tracking or tracking a person's view or eye positions, and which neither presents refractive images nor requires VR goggles or headsets, but instead presents pure volumetric object imagery appearing in the three-dimensional shapes of objects, which can be simultaneously viewed by multiple viewers who each view the shapes of the virtual 3D volumetric object imagery from their own point of view. The three-dimension volumetric reflection display adapter and standalone screen delivers the appearance of volumetric effect with ease.

Embodiments of the invention described in this specification relate to a virtual reflective three-dimension ("3D") volumetric display device and method for creating.
Only a few hologram-display-creators out of many actually deliver whats promised. Those which deliver on their promises are typically very expensive. While some people will use hologram displays, there are many other people who will not but who still wish to view or present volumetric 3D imagery.
One of the existing alternatives is to use a 3D display. However, existing 3D displays require viewers to wear 3D glasses.
Another alternative is to use virtual reality (VR) devices or systems. However, in the same way that the existing 3D displays require viewers to use 3D glasses, the existing VR devices and systems require viewers to wear VR goggles or cumbersome VR headsets.
Therefore, what is needed is a way to present virtual 3D volumetric object imagery without head tracking or tracking a person's view or eye positions, and which neither presents refractive images nor requires VR goggles or headsets.

Virtual reflective 3D volumetric display device and method for creating virtual reflective 3D volumetric imagery


Provided is an optical system, in which various aberrations including chromatic aberrations are preferably corrected and which is easily manufactured and has a superior environmental resistance, comprising a solid material (GIT1) having two surfaces both on a light incident side on a light exit side being refractive surfaces, in which following conditional expressions are satisfied:νd<30,θgd<−3.333×10−3·νd+1.40,θgF<−2.615×10−3·νd+0.67,where νd represents an Abbe number of the solid material and θgd and θgF represent partial dispersion ratios thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical system using an optical material having extraordinary partial dispersion, and more particularly to an optical system suitable for a silver halide film camera, a digital still camera, a video camera, or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In general, chromatic aberrations such as longitudinal chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification, of an optical system deteriorate as the entire length of the optical system shortens, so that an optical performance thereof is likely to reduce. In particular, in the case of a telephoto type optical system, the chromatic aberrations increase as a focal length lengthens. Therefore, the chromatic aberrations significantly deteriorate with shortening of the entire length.
Achromatization using an extraordinary partial dispersion material and achromatization using a diffraction grating have been generally known as methods of reducing such chromatic aberrations.
In the telephoto type optical system, the chromatic aberrations are generally reduced by a front lens unit, in which a passing position of a paraxial on-axis ray and a passing position of a pupil paraxial ray from the optical axis become relatively high, including a positive lens made of a low dispersion material having extraordinary partial dispersion such as fluorite and a negative lens made of a high dispersion material. Such various telephoto lenses have been proposed (Japanese Patent Publication No. S60-049883 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,983 B), Japanese Patent Publication No. S60-055805 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,084 B), and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-119092 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,188 B)).
A telephoto lens in which the chromatic aberrations are corrected using not an extraordinary partial dispersion material but a diffraction optical element has been also proposed. A telephoto lens having an F number of about F2.8 in which the chromatic aberrations are relatively preferably corrected by a combination of a diffraction optical element and a refractive optical element has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-324262 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,321 B) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06-331887 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,799 B).
With respect to features of the diffraction optical element, an absolute value of a numerical value corresponding to an Abbe number is a small value of 3.45. The chromatic aberrations can be significantly changed without substantially causing an influence on spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, and the like by slightly changing optical power (the reciprocal of a focal length) due to diffraction. Because of diffraction light, the optical power linearly changes in accordance with a change in frequency of incident light, so that a wavelength characteristic of a chromatic aberration coefficient becomes perfectly linear. Therefore, when the entire length is shortened, the spherical aberration, the coma, and the astigmatism may be particularly corrected in aberration correction. Since the chromatic aberrations are corrected by the diffraction optical element, glass materials constituting lenses and optical powers may be suitably designed so as to obtain the linearity of the wavelength characteristic of the chromatic aberration coefficient without concern for an absolute amount of the chromatic aberrations deteriorated by shortening of the entire length. As a result, the telephoto lens whose entire length is shortened can be obtained.
A liquid material whose characteristic includes relatively high dispersion and relatively extraordinary partial dispersion has been known as a material having a chromatic aberration correction function similar to that of the diffraction optical element, and an achromatization optical system using the liquid material has been proposed (U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,535 B).
According to the telephoto lenses using fluorite or the like as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. S60-049883 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,983 B), Japanese Patent Publication No. S60-055805 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,084 B), and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-119092 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,188 B), when the entire optical length is set to a relatively long length, it is possible to relatively preferably correct the chromatic aberrations. However, it is hard to correct the deterioration of chromatic aberrations due to shortening of the entire length. This is because such a method is used to merely reduce the chromatic aberrations caused in a front lens itself (lens closest to a subject) using the low dispersion and extraordinary partial dispersion of a material such as fluorite. When the chromatic aberrations deteriorated due to shortening the entire length are intended to be corrected by, for example, a lens made of low dispersion glass having a large Abbe number, such as fluorite, since it is necessary to significantly change optical power of a lens surface in order to change the chromatic aberrations, it is difficult to satisfy both the corrections of the chromatic aberrations and the corrections of various aberrations such as spherical aberration, coma, and astigmatism.
Although the diffraction optical element has a sufficient chromatic aberration correction function, there is a problem in that diffraction light of an unnecessary diffraction order other than diffraction light of an actually used design diffraction order becomes color flare light, thereby deteriorating an imaging performance. According to a so-called stack type diffraction optical element in which a plurality of blaze type diffraction gratings are stacked in an optical axis direction, energy is concentrated on the design diffraction order to significantly reduce unnecessary diffraction light. However, when a high luminance subject is photographed, there still remains a problem in that diffraction flare appears.
A method of forming an ultraviolet curable resin or the like using a metal mold has been known as a method of manufacturing the diffraction optical element. However, the diffraction efficiency of the diffraction optical element is extremely sensitive for manufacturing condition thereof. Therefore, there is also a problem in that very high mold precision and formation precision are required, thereby increasing a manufacturing cost.
Because the material disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,535 B is liquid, a structure for sealing the material is required. Therefore, it cannot be said that manufacturing is easy. Because there is also a problem that characteristics such as a refractive index and a dispersion characteristic depends on temperature, it cannot be said that an environmental resistance is sufficient. Further it is hard to obtain a sufficient chromatic aberration correction function because an interface with air is not obtained in addition that the Abbe number is relatively large, extraordinarys partial dispersion property is relatively small.


The present invention is an apparatus and cosmetic brush for reducing bacteria. The apparatus includes a sterilized cosmetic brush in a re-useable enclosure, wherein the re-useable enclosure is designed to be used during the entire life span of the cosmetic brush. The re-useable enclosure shields the sterilized brush from bacteria during shipping and sale display. Once the apparatus and brush are purchased, the re-useable enclosure and the bacteria resistant brush handle prevent the growth and spread of bacteria to other brushes. Finally, the apparatus prevents bacteria spread and growth within the re-useable enclosure by not allowing the brush and handle to touch the inner surface of the re-useable enclosure.

Cosmetic brushes, especially professional grade cosmetic brushes used in the theatre, motion picture and television industries, are typically constructed by affixing brush bristles of various materials to a wooden handle, or a handle made from some other material that is not resistant to the growth of bacteria on the handle as well as on the bristles of the brush. When wooden handles are utilized, the Goods and Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards require that the wooden handles be coated with a paint or sealant to resist bacteria growth on the handle and further, to the brush itself.
Oftentimes, after continued use and repetitive cleaning, the paint or sealant applied to the handle is eventually removed. Paint thinner used to clean the make-up from theses types of brushes usually includes a solvent such as ethanol, acetone or petroleum ethylene. Such solvents damage the paint, thus exposing the wooden handle to bacteria and providing a bacteria friendly medium for the bacteria to grow.
The GMP standards also require that brushes be sterilized and packaged before being shipped to retailers. Most manufacturers ship the brushes in a temporary packaging so that once the brushes reach the retailer, they can be removed from the temporary packaging and displayed for sale. This packaging and shipping method wastes the sterilization process and effectuates a sale display that is prone to bacteria spread, as the brushes are in close proximity to each other or even touching each other, and not displayed in packaging of any kind.
Lastly, when these types of brushes are utilized in the industry, it is common for the cosmetology artists to use and store these brushes much in the same way as they are displayed for sale. In other words, the brushes are placed in close proximity to each other and are most often in a pile. This type of storage and display arrangement, combined with the exposure of the wooden handle after continued use and cleaning, promotes bacteria growth and spread on and among a collection of brushes. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, other contaminants such as, but not limited to, viruses, allergins, mold and fungi can and do grow and spread in current brush designs. The present invention seeks to solve the growth and spread of such contaminants as well. It should be noted that use of the words contaminated and bacteria in this disclosure are inclusive of other contaminants known in the art as described above.


A system for reducing fraudulent use of a mobile telephone number in a radio telecommunications network. The system automatically bars call originations from the mobile telephone if the mobile telephone does not register with the network for a predetermined time period, or if the mobile telephone does not originate a call for a second predetermined time period. The system determines when a mobile telephone originates a call, measures a predetermined time period with a timing mechanism, and starts the timing mechanism when the mobile telephone originates a first call. The system then determines whether a second call originated from the mobile telephone during the predetermined time period and restarts the timing mechanism at the time that the mobile telephone originates a second call upon determining that the second call originated from the mobile telephone during the predetermined time period. The system reauthorizes the mobile telephone to originate calls in the network upon verification of a personal identification number entered by the subscriber.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to radio telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to a system and method of fraud prevention by automatically barring calls originating from a mobile telephone upon the expiration of a predetermined time period.
2. Description of Related Art
Fraudulent use of mobile telephones in radio telecommunications networks is a serious problem. Fraudulent users may read the mobile identification number (MIN) and electronic serial number (ESN) from a legitimate subscriber's transmissions, and program that MIN and ESN into other telephones. The telecommunications network is unable to differentiate between call originations from the legitimate subscriber and the fraudulent users who are utilizing the same MIN and ESN. Therefore, the legitimate subscriber may be billed for the fraudulent usage.
Existing cellular telephone networks utilize a process known as Code Controlled Barring (CCB) to help prevent fraud. When utilizing CCB, if a mobile subscriber knows that he will not be utilizing his mobile telephone for an extended period of time, the subscriber enters a personal identification number (PIN), and thereafter, the operator denies access to the network to any mobile telephone with the MIN and ESN of the subscriber's telephone. At a later time, the subscriber may re-enter his PIN to reactivate his network access.
A problem with this solution is that the subscriber must remember to enter the PIN and bar his telephone whenever the subscriber anticipates that he will not use the telephone for an extended period. This is a burdensome inconvenience to the legitimate subscriber. In addition, subscribers often forget to bar their telephones because of other priorities. Therefore, fraudulent users often have extended periods in which they may operate with stolen MINs and ESNs before the fraud is discovered.
Although there are no known prior art teachings of a solution to the aforementioned deficiency and shortcoming such as that disclosed herein several references discuss subject matter that bears some relation to matters discussed herein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,049 to Ghisler discloses a method of supervising subscribers in a mobile telephone system to detect fraudulent use of a mobile telephone. Ghisler assigns a predetermined sequence of numbers to each mobile telephone in the system. When a call is made by a legitimate subscriber, the sequence number is recorded in the MSC. If the next call from a mobile telephone with the same MIN and ESN does not include the next number in the assigned sequence, the call is barred.
A disadvantage of Ghisler, however, is that every mobile telephone in the system must be programmed with a different sequence of numbers. This is an expensive and burdensome process which may not be possible to implement in existing telephones already in the field. Additionally, the MSC must be programmed with the sequences of every mobile telephone in the system, thereby utilizing valuable data processing resources.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,265 to Cooper et al. discloses an apparatus for preventing subscriber number cloning by discerning temporal and spatial anomalies in the use of subscriber numbers in a cellular telephone system. If two successive calls from a particular subscriber number are detected in a time interval that is too short to justify the geographical separation of the subscriber unit for the two calls, then the Cooper apparatus determines that one of the calls is fraudulent.
The Cooper apparatus, however, does not detect any fraudulent usage if the fraudulent user is not geographically separated from the legitimate user in a time period too short to account for this movement. In addition, Cooper does not identify which call is fraudulent, only that one of the two calls may be fraudulent. An extensive verification system requiring additional intersystem signaling must also be implemented.
Review of each of the foregoing references reveals no disclosure or suggestion of a system or method such as that described and claimed herein.
In order to overcome the disadvantage of existing solutions, it would be advantageous to have a system and method of automatically barring a mobile telephone from originating calls if the mobile telephone does not originate any calls within a predetermined time period. The present invention provides such a system and method.

System and method of automatic call barring in a radio telecommunications network