A developer replenishing apparatus including a first developer container for containing a developer to be replenished to a developing apparatus, a second developer container for containing the developer to be replenished to the first developer container, a first replenishing mechanism for replenishing the developer in the first developer container to the developing apparatus, a second replenishing mechanism for replenishing the developer in the second developer container to the first developer container, a driving source capable of simultaneously driving the first replenishing mechanism and the second replenishing mechanism wherein, at an operated state of the driving source, a replenishing amount of the developer per unit time from the second developer container to the first developer container is larger than a replenishing amount of the developer per unit time from the first developer container to the developing apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer replenishing apparatus for replenishing a developer replenisher to a developing apparatus for use in a copying apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, a printer or the like for developing an electrostatic image, formed on an image bearing member by an electrophotographic process or an electrostatic recording process with a developer thereby obtaining a visible image.
2. Related Background Art
In an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, a printer or the like, there is well known a method of developing an electrostatic latent image by supporting a dry developer as an image developer material on a surface of a developer carrying member, carrying and supply the developer to the vicinity of a surface of an image bearing member which bears an electrostatic latent image and developing the electrostatic latent image under an application of an alternating (AC) electric field between the image bearing member and the developer carrying member, thereby obtaining a visible image, and, it is common to employ a developing sleeve as the developer carrying member and a photosensitive drum as the image bearing member.
For such image development, there is for example known so-called magnetic brush developing method which employs a developer of a two-component composition (so-called two-component developer) containing toner particles and carrier particles, to form a magnetic brush on the surface of a developing sleeve provided therein with a magnet, positions such magnetic brush in sliding contact with or in a close relationship to a photosensitive drum opposed across a small developing gap and continuously applies an AC electric field across a gap between the developing sleeve and the photosensitive drum (S-D gap) thereby repeating a transition of the toner particles from the developing sleeve side to the photosensitive drum side and a reverse transition thereof to achieve a development.
For example in an image forming apparatus utilizing the aforementioned two-component developer, as the toner is consumed with the progress of image formation, it is necessary to replenish the toner into the developing apparatus.
In the following there will be explained a configuration of a developing apparatus for two-component magnetic brush development and a developer replenishing apparatus for replenishing the developer into the developing apparatus, with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B, which are a schematic cross-sectional views of the developing apparatus and the developer replenishing apparatus.
A developing apparatus 4 is provided, in a developer container (main body of the developing apparatus) 41, with a developing sleeve 46 as a developer carrying member, a magnet roller 47 as magnetic field generating means fixed inside the developing sleeve 46, a developing screw 44 and an agitating screw 45 serving as developer agitating means which agitates and carries the developer in the developer container 41, a toner receiving aperture 49, and a regulation blade 48 provided for forming a thin layer of the developer on the surface of the developing sleeve 46.
An interior of the developing container 41 is divided into a developing chamber 42 and an agitating chamber 43. The developing screw 44 is provided in the developing chamber 42, and the agitating screw 45 is provided in the agitating chamber 43. As shown in the illustration, the developing sleeve 46 is positioned close to the photosensitive drum 1, and is rotated in the same or opposite direction to the photosensitive drum 1, thereby executing a development in a state where the developer (hatched portion in the drawing) is in contact with the photosensitive drum 1.
A developer replenishing apparatus 50 is provided with a toner sub-container 51 for storing replenishing developer (toner) to be replenished to the developing apparatus 4. Above the toner sub-container 51, there is provided a toner supply aperture 60 capable of receiving a toner supply.
Also under the toner sub-container 51, a toner carrying pipe 52, capable of carrying the toner from the toner sub-container 51, is provided in a cylindrical shape protruding substantially horizontally. In the toner carrying pipe 52, a replenishing screw (first replenishing means) 53, having a spiral fin on a rotary axis, is provided in rotatable manner. The replenishing screw 53 is connected to drive means 54 which rotates the replenishing screw 53.
The toner sub-container 51 is also provided with a toner sensor (toner presence/absence detection sensor) 56 for directly detecting presence/absence of the toner by an optical method. Further, the toner sub-container 51 is also provided therein with an agitating member 55 capable of a rotating or reciprocating motion.
The developer replenishing apparatus 50 further includes a main toner container (second developer container) 57, provided above the toner sub-container 51, for storing the toner to be replenished to the toner sub-container 51. The main toner container 57 is provided therein with an agitating/carrying member (second replenishing means) 58 in rotatable manner, which is connected to drive means 59 which rotates the agitating/carrying member 58.
The main toner container 57 may be rendered detachable from the toner sub-container 51 and the main body of the image forming apparatus, and, in such case, it is called a toner cartridge (or toner bottle).
In the following, there will be explained an image forming operation in the developing apparatus.
The developing container 41 contains a two-component developer formed by a mixture of non-magnetic toner particles (toner) and magnetic carrier particles (carrier). A toner/carrier mixing ratio (hereinafter called T/C ratio) is maintained constant by a toner replenishment by an amount of the toner consumed in image development. More specifically, the toner is dropped, by the replenishing screw 53 from the toner sub-container 51 containing the replenishing toner, into the agitating chamber 43 provided with the agitating screw 45 through the receiving aperture 49 of the developing container 41 and thus replenished to the developing apparatus 4. For detecting and maintaining the T/C ratio of the developer in the developing container 41, there have been employed various methods.
In the following, there will be explained a toner replenishing operation into the toner sub-container 51 in case the toner therein decreases by toner consumption.
The agitating member 55 has a function of disintegrating toner by a rotating or reciprocating motion, in order to avoid toner blockage in the toner sub-container 51. Also the replenishing screw 53 is provided for executing a function of carrying the toner in the toner sub-container 51 in a longitudinal direction (direction parallel with the plane of drawing) toward the aperture 49 communicating with the developing container 41, and a function of extruding and dropping the toner from the aperture onto the developing container 41.
In case, after the detection of absence of toner by the toner sensor, a toner absent state continues even after the operation of the agitating member 55, it is judged that the toner is not solidified in a part of the toner sub-container 51 but the toner is really used up.
When the absence of toner in the toner container 51 is identified, the agitating/carrying member 58 in the main toner container 57 rotates to replenish the toner from the main toner container 57 to the toner sub-container 51. The agitating/carrying member 58 is provided for a function of disintegrating the toner by rotation thereby preventing blockage of the toner in the main toner container 57, a function of carrying the toner in the main toner container 57 in the longitudinal direction (parallel with the plane of drawing) toward the toner supply aperture 60 communicating with the toner sub-container 51, and a function of extruding and dropping the toner from the supply aperture 60 into the toner sub-container 51, and is generally constituted of a sheet material such as of PET.
The rotation of the agitating/carrying member 58 of the main toner container 57 is continued until the toner 56 detects presence of toner, and, thereafter, the toner replenishment is executed in succession from the toner sub-container 51 through the replenishing screw 53.
In the foregoing description, the agitating/carrying member 58 is assumed to start rotation after the toner sensor 56 detects a toner absent state, but the agitating/carrying member 58, being formed by a sheet material and not unnecessarily forcing the toner into the toner sub-container 51, may also be rotated even before the detection of the toner absent state.
Also in case the toner sensor 56 does not detect a toner present state even after a sufficiently long rotation of the agitating/carrying member 58 of the main toner container 57, it can be judged that the toner is replenished into the toner sub-container 51, namely that the toner is absent also in the main toner container 57, whereupon the toner absent state is informed to the user by display means such as an operation panel.
The main toner container 57 may be constructed to be detachable from the apparatus or fixed to the apparatus. In case of the detachable construction, the main toner container 57 is generally called a toner cartridge, and, when the toner is exhausted, the toner replenishment is achieved by replacing the entire main toner container 57. Also the fixed construction, the toner is directly replenished to the main toner container 57 from another toner container.
The replenishing screw 53 is rotated by the drive means 54, with a number of rotations (rotation frequency) or a rotation time selected according to a toner amount required by the developing apparatus, and the rotation is stopped when the number of rotations or the rotation time thus selected is reached, whereby the toner in an amount requested by the developing apparatus is carried and replenished into the developing container. A toner carrying amount per a turn or per a unit time is determined in advance as a constant according to the size of the toner replenishing screw, so that there is enabled a control of calculating the number of rotations or the rotation time according to the requested amount.
Since a toner carrying amount by the screw is proportional to the number of rotations of the screw, a control by the rotation time assumes that the drive means for the screw is capable of always rotating the screw with a constant speed. On the other hand, a control by the number of rotations is possible, even when the rotation speed of the screw is not constant, by providing means which counts the number of rotations of the screw.
In FIGS. 7A and 7B, for the ease of understanding, the photosensitive drum 1 and the developing container 41 has a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing while the toner sub-container 51, the replenishing screw 53 and the main toner container 57 has a longitudinal direction parallel with the plane of the drawing, but such longitudinal directions are usually provided in parallel.
In the following, there will be explained a driving mechanism for the developer replenishing apparatus 50.
FIG. 8 schematically shows the configuration of a driving mechanism 200 for the developing apparatus 4 and the developer replenishing apparatus 50, similar to that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-267419.
As explained in the foregoing, the developing apparatus 4 is capable, by a developer contained therein, of developing an electrostatic image on the photosensitive drum 1 into a visible image. The developing apparatus 4 is provided with a developing screw 44 and an agitating screw 45 constituting developer agitating means which agitates and carries the developer in the developing apparatus 4. Also the developer replenishing apparatus 50 is provided, as described above, with a toner sub-container 51 constituting a first developer container for storing toner to be replenished to the developing apparatus 4, a replenishing screw 53 constituting first replenishing means for discharging the toner from the toner sub-container 51 and replenishing it to the developing apparatus 4, a main toner container 57 constituting a second developer container storing the toner to be replenished to the toner sub-container 51, and an agitating/carrying member 58 constituting second replenishing means for discharging the toner from the main toner container 57 and replenishing it to the toner sub-container 51.
The driving mechanism 200 for the developer replenishing apparatus 50 is provided with a motor 80 constituting rotation drive means which is capable of transmitting a driving power to the replenishing screw 53 and the agitating/carrying member 58, and a drive gear train 70 constituting rotation transmitting means which is capable of transmitting the rotation of the motor 80 to the replenishing screw 53 and the agitating/carrying member 58. The drive gear train 70 includes switch means which is capable of switching in at least two states, namely a first state capable of transmitting the rotation of the motor 80 to the replenishing screw 53 and a second state capable of transmitting it to the agitating/carrying member 58.
More specifically, the drive gear train 70 includes a first drive gear 73a at the side of the motor 80 and a second drive gear 73b engaging with the first drive gear 73a, and the second drive gear 73b selectively engages with a first intermediate gear 71 for transmitting the driving power to the replenishing screw 53 or with a second intermediate gear 72 for transmitting the driving power to the agitating/carrying member 58.
The first intermediate gear 71 transmits the driving power to a replenishing screw driving gear 54 constituting drive means for the replenishing gear 53, while the second intermediate gear 72 transmits the driving power to an agitating/carrying member driving gear 59 constituting drive means for the agitating/carrying member. The second gear 73b is rotatably supported by a lever 73c, rotatably articulated about the center of the first gear 73a. Also the motor 80 is rotatable in the forward and reverse directions, and control means 90 controls rotation of the motor 80 in the forward or reverse direction and stopping thereof.
In the aforementioned configuration, when the motor 80 is rotated in a direction A1 in FIG. 8, the lever 73c rotates in a direction A2 whereby the second drive gear 73b transmits the driving power to the first intermediate gear 71. On the other hand, when the motor 80 is rotated in a direction B1, the lever 73c rotates in a direction B2 whereby the second drive gear 73b transmits the driving power to the second intermediate gear 72. As a result, when the motor 80 rotates in the direction A1, the replenishing screw 53 rotates while the agitating/carrying member 58 is stopped. Also when the motor 80 rotates in the direction B1, the agitating/carrying member 58 rotates while the replenishing screw 53 is stopped.
In this manner, the drive gear train 70, owing to the presence of the lever 73c, can be switched to a first state capable of transmitting the rotation of the motor 80 to the replenishing screw 53 and a second state capable of transmitting the rotation of the motor 80 to the agitating/carrying member 58, by the switching of the rotating direction of the motor 80 by the control means 90.
In this example, as explained in the foregoing, the first drive gear 73a, the second drive gear 73b, the lever 73c, and the control means 90 which control the forward/reverse rotation of the motor 80 constitute switching means which is capable of switching between the first state and the second state mentioned above.
In the aforementioned configuration, in case of rotating the replenishing screw 53 for toner replenishing from the toner sub-container 51 to the developing apparatus 4, the motor 80 is rotated in the direction A1 whereby the replenishing screw 53 can be rotated while the agitating/carrying member 58 is stopped. Also in case of rotating the agitating/carrying member 58 for toner replenishing from the main toner container 57 to the toner sub-container 51, the motor 80 is rotated in the direction B1 whereby the agitating/carrying member 58 can be rotated while the replenishing screw 53 is stopped.
Thus a single motor can achieve the replenishing operation and the agitating operation thereby realizing simplification, compactization and cost reduction of the image forming apparatus, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-267419.
FIG. 9 shows a driving layout of a developing apparatus 4 and a developer replenishing apparatus 50 in each image forming station P (PY, PM, PC, PK) in a four-unit tandem image forming apparatus 100. In each of the first, second, third and fourth colors, the developing apparatus 4, the developer replenishing apparatus 50 and the driving mechanism 200 (200Y, 200M, 200C, 200K) therefore have configurations which are the same as those shown in FIG. 8. A full-color printing is made possible by connecting the developing apparatuses 4 and the developer replenishing 50 of four colors as shown in FIG. 9.
In this system, images of respectively colors are superposed by a movement of an intermediate transfer member (intermediate transfer medium) 7 or a recording material (recording paper) in a direction indicated by an arrow, so that the image forming operations of the respective colors are respectively delayed by a time required by the intermediate transfer member 7 or the recording material to travel over a distance Q indicated in the drawing.
The photosensitive drum 1 (1Y, 1M, 1C, 1K) is rotated constantly as it is in contact with the recording paper or the intermediate transfer member, but the agitating screw and the developing screw as the developer agitating means in the developing apparatus 4 are usually rotated only during a necessary period within the image forming operation, in order to minimize the deterioration of the developer. However, a toner replenishing operation from the toner sub-container to the developing apparatus in a state where the agitating screw and the developing screw in the developing apparatus 4 are stopped may cause a stagnation of the replenished toner in the vicinity of the supply aperture, thereby causing a toner clogging or an uneven T/C ratio in the developing apparatus, so that the toner replenishing operation from the toner sub-container to the developing apparatus has to be conducted in a state where the agitating screw and the developing screw in the developing apparatus 4 are rotated.
FIG. 10 indicates a rotating period of the agitating screw and the developing screw in the developing apparatus, and T therein corresponds to a time of travel of the recording paper or the intermediate transfer medium over the distance Q shown in FIG. 9. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, while the agitating screw and the developing screw in the developing apparatus of each color are rotated, the corresponding motor rotates in the direction A1 to rotate the replenishing screw as the toner replenishing means in the developer replenishing apparatus thereby executing a toner replenishing operation from the toner sub-container to the developing apparatus, and the motor is rotated in the direction B1 suitably in other periods to execute an agitating operation.


A dressing is guided onto a cylinder of a printing machine. At least one roller element is used to accomplish this dressing guidance. A support, which includes spaced first and second ends, is provided. The first end of the support is connected to a cross-piece that is running along parallel to an axis of rotation of the cylinder. The at least one roller element is situated on the second end of this support. The support is an elastically flexible body. An actuator is arranged between the cross-piece and the support. The actuator is operable to move the roller toward or away from the cylinder by flexing the elastic support.

A device for mounting flexible printing plates is known from DE 197 19 559 A1. A pressure roller is arranged on a holder that is embodied, for example, as a leaf spring. The holder is connected with an insertion slider. The insertion slider can be placed against a forme cylinder by linear movement and, in the process, introduces an end of the printing plate into a fastening slit which is cut into the forme cylinder.
A device for use in pressing a dressing against a cylinder of a printing press with the aid of several rolling elements, in particular with the aid of several rollers, which rollers are arranged along the cylinder, is known from EP 0 712 725 A2.
WO 01/87613 A1 describes a method and several embodiments of a device for pressing a dressing against a cylinder of a printing press. Several rollers are pressed against the cylinder by an actuating device during mounting and dismounting of a dressing. The actuating device can be configured as a reversibly deformable hollow body, such as, for example, a tube, which deformable hollow body can be charged with a pressure medium. By charging the hollow body with the pressure medium, a rigid  roller support, which is substantially embodied in the form of a die, is pressed against the cylinder in opposition to the force exerted by a spring. In one embodiment of this prior device, the roller support is embodied as a rocker or as a one-armed lever. In addition to the first rollers, which are spaced apart from each other and which can be placed against the cylinder for mounting fresh dressings, another embodiment of this prior device provides a plurality of second rollers, which can be placed against the cylinder for use during the dismounting of dressings. Two actuating devices, which can be operated independently of each other, can be provided for placing the first and second rollers against the cylinder.

Device for guiding a dressing on a cylinder of a printing press


Multiple-configuration communication apparatus includes: a communication device (130) simultaneously maintaining at least a first and a second channel; a storage device (114, 116, 118) storing a plurality of communication configurations; and a configuration controller (120) determining a first time frame and during the first time frame, selecting a first communication configuration of the plurality of communication configurations and controlling the communication device to configure itself to the first communication configuration to at least one of transmit and receive information over the first channel, and determining a second time frame that is different from the first time frame and during the second time frame, selecting a second communication configuration of the plurality of communication configurations, and controlling the communication device to configure itself to the second communication configuration to at least one of transmit and receive information over the second channel.

As the number of communication units (e.g., laptops, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones, mobile and portable radios, etc.) in use continues to increase, this places a continued strain on already limited communication resources. To assist users of communication units in more effectively utilizing the limited communication resources, communication units have been designed to use multiple (i.e., two or more) communication protocols (e.g., 802.11, Bluetooth, various cellular protocols) and/or associated modulation techniques (e.g., CDMA (code-division multiple access), TDMA (time-division multiple access), OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing), etc.) to transmit information from and receive information to the communication unit. Such communication units are sometimes referred to as "multi-mode" or "multi-function" units and are typically implemented in one of two ways.
In the first implementation, the communication unit comprises multiple instantiations of radio apparatus, wherein each radio apparatus is configured to implement a different communication protocol and/or modulation technique. The unit can maintain multiple channels simultaneously. However, each radio in the unit is typically already pre-programmed for its intended use, so the number of physical radios that the unit contains limits the number of "modes" or "functions" that the radio may implement. In the second implementation, the communication unit comprises a single instantiation of radio apparatus which is configurable typically based on software stored in the radio. However, the radio apparatus can only maintain a single channel at any given time, wherein that channel corresponds to the mode in which the radio is currently configured. Therefore, if other functions are required, an application or user must decide whether to maintain any sessions or connections that are based on the current configuration, or to drop those sessions or connections and reconfigure the device to support others.
It would be advantageous for a communication unit to having a single instantiation of radio apparatus while being configurable for simultaneously maintaining and communicating over multiple channels. It would be further desirable that the limitations of the number of "modes" in which the radio can operate is limited primarily by the software stored on the unit for controlling its configuration into these various different modes.

Multiple configuration communication apparatus


An image-forming machine includes a photosensitive material drum, a developer mounted on a machine body so as to move in a direction to approach, and separate away from, the photosensitive material drum along guide means arranged in the machine body, and a protection cover that opens and closes a portion of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive material drum. The protection cover is supported by the machine body so as to rotate between a closed position and an opened position. An arm member is rotatably arranged in the machine body being drive-coupled to the protection cover so as to open and close the protection cover. An end of the arm member is so positioned as to be present on a locus of motion of the developer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming machine of the type of electrostatic photography, such as a laser printer, a copier or a facsimile and, particularly, to an image-forming machine of the type of electrostatic photography equipped with a protection cover capable of opening and closing the exposing surface of a photosensitive material drum.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image-forming machine, in general, a drum unit that includes a photosensitive material drum or a process unit that includes the drum unit and a developer, is equipped with a protection cover for opening and closing the exposing surface of the photosensitive material drum. JP-A-2004-151568 is disclosing an image-forming machine in which the drum unit in the process unit is equipped with a protection cover. In this machine, the drum unit includes an arm member that is rotatably arranged to open and close the protection cover, and a torsion coil spring provided between the drum unit and the arm portion so as to urge the arm member at all times toward the closed position where the protection cover conceals the exposing surface of the photosensitive material drum. When the process unit is mounted on the machine body, the arm member interferes with a stationary portion of the machine body and is rotated against the spring force of the torsion coil spring, causing the protection cover to open so that the exposing surface is exposed. When the process unit is removed from the machine body, on the other hand, the arm member is liberated from the interference with the stationary portion of the machine body, and is rotated up to the closed position due to the spring force of the torsion coil spring, causing the exposing surface to be concealed.
If the jamming occurs while the image-forming machine is in operation, the process unit is removed from the machine body to remove the jamming. After the jamming has been removed, the process unit is mounted on the machine body. The process unit is also removed and is, then, mounted at the time of regular maintenance. The protection cover temporarily coneals the exposing surface of the photosensitive material drum at the time of the above removal and mounting in order to protect the surface from being damaged.
When the drum unit or the process unit is to be replaced in the image-forming machine in which the protection cover is provided for the process unit including the drum unit or in the image-forming machine in which the protection cover is provided for the drum unit that is independently and detachably attached to the machine body, it is forced to exchange the protection cover and the related members together with the drum unit or the process unit though they really do not have to be renewed, accounting for the waste of materials and driving up the cost. Besides, the disposal of parts in an increased amount is not desirable even from the standpoint of protecting the environment.


Methods and systems for data storage are described herein. In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary process includes receiving a first data being directed to a first storage volume, receiving a second data being directed to a second storage volume, writing the first data, as part of a first I/O (input/output) process which begins before a selected time, to a first storage image and a second storage image, the first storage image and the second storage image forming a data mirror prior to the selected time, wherein writes to one image are replicated to the other image, and writing the second data, as part of a second I/O process which begins after the selected time, to the second storage image but not to the first storage image, the second I/O process being capable of running while the first process runs. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

The use of information technology (e.g., computer systems, etc.) has increased rapidly, and this use has required the storage of large amounts of data, usually in the form of digital data. This digital data includes bank records, Web sites with millions of Web pages, music, and motion pictures, etc. It is often necessary to be able to get access to the data at any time of the data; in other words, it is often necessary that the data be available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week. Further it is often necessary that the data be safeguarded from loss of the data, and thus, backup systems, which keep a backup or archival copy of the data in a safe medium (e.g., optical storage or tape storage), are often used to maintain and preserve the data in case the primary storage device (e.g., hard drives) fail. These requirements (e.g., the storage of large amounts of data which must be available at any time of the data and which must be safe guarded from loss) present difficult challenges for data storage systems which must attempt to safeguard the data (e.g., by archiving backup copies) without disrupting the desire for users to get access. Thus, it is desirable that backup operations, which make backup copies, be performed with minimal disruption to the users. Further, the backup operations should normally be done in a way that leaves the state of the captured data consistent with any ongoing storage processes. This means that all transactions and updates must be completed before the data is captured for the backup.
An example of a transaction is withdrawing money from a bank savings account. If this is performed by a user at an ATM, the account must be identified and the account holder must be verified. The amount of the withdrawal is entered and transaction information is sent to the account database. The withdrawal date, time, and amount information must be recorded and the current balance must be updated. These actions are part of the transaction. The associated data is in a consistent state if the exemplary transaction has been entirely completed or before the transaction has started processing. This means that the savings account information must reflect the new balance and record the withdrawal or not record the withdrawal and reflect the old balance. An example of an inconsistent state would be recording the withdrawal but not updating the new balance.

Data storage systems and processes, such as one-way data mirror using write mirroring


A lens barrel with a shutter unit. While the lens barrel is retracted to obtain a collapsed state or advanced to obtain a photographing state, the flexible printed circuit board of the shutter unit is bendable so as to provide a variable length for the rotation of the shutter unit 71 around the rotary axis J2 parallel with the optical axis J1. When the lens barrel is operated in the photographing state, the flexible printed circuit board is foldable so as to provide a variable length for the movement of the shutter unit 71 in the optical axis J1. The flexible printed circuit board can support flexibly without twisting and loosening. The lens barrel further includes a restraint member to bring the shutter unit 71 rotating around the central axis and to restrain the rotation of the shutter unit 71.

The invention relates to lens barrels, and in particular, to lens barrels with a shutter unit which is held in a moveable manner.
In a camera, a control circuit transmits signals via a flexible printed circuit board to drive a shutter unit disposed in the lens barrel. When the shutter unit is moved along an optical axis of the lens barrel, the sufficient length of the flexible printed circuit board is capable of holding the shutter unit without generating loose.
When the shutter unit rotates around the central axis of the lens barrel, the flexible printed circuit board may break or interfere with other members in the lens barrel. Accordingly, in Japan Pub. No. 2003-140022, the shutter unit is a non-rotary member such that it can move simply along the optical axis.
Nevertheless, to obtain a thinner, miniaturized lens barrel, the flexible printed circuit board and the shutter unit must rotate together. That is, if the shutter unit can only move in the lens barrel, it may be difficult to miniaturize and thin the lens barrel.


The present invention discloses a two basic structures (including multiple variations within one of the basic structures) and methods for fabrication of the structures which facilitate the flow of cooling gas or other heat transfer fluid to the surface of an electrostatic chuck. The basic structures address both the problem of breakdown of a heat transfer gas in an RF plasma environment and the problem of arcing between a semiconductor substrate and the conductive pedestal portion of the electrostatic chuck in such an RF plasma environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a dielectric structure which serves as a conduit for the flow of heat transfer fluid to an upper surface of an electrostatic chuck. The dielectric structure comprises a dielectric insert which is typically used in combination with at least a portion of a dielectric layer which forms the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck. The dielectric structure prevents breakdown of the heat transfer fluid fed through the electrostatic chuck to its surface to cool a bottom surface of a work piece such as a silicon wafer which is supported upon the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck. The dielectric structure also prevents a semiconductor processing plasma from penetrating into the heat transfer fluid openings in the electrostatic chuck.
2. Brief Description of the Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,479 to Collins et al. issued Sep. 27, 1994, and hereby incorporated by reference, describes an electrostatic chuck for holding an article (typically a semiconductor substrate) to be processed in a plasma reaction chamber. The electrostatic chuck includes a metal pedestal coated with a layer of dielectric material which contains a system for distributing a cooling gas upon the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck so that it contacts the bottom of an article supported on that surface. The gas distribution system includes a plurality of intersecting grooves formed entirely in the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck, with small gas distribution holes through intersections of the grooves.
The lifetime of an electrostatic chuck is affected by the presence of the gas distribution holes used to facilitate the distribution of heat transfer gas. In particular, when the electrostatic chuck is subjected to high power RF fields and high density plasmas immediately above the semiconductor substrate, it is possible to have breakdown of the cooling gas due to arcing or glow discharge. Further, since there is a direct, straight line path between the semiconductor substrate supported on the upper, dielectric surface of the electrostatic chuck and an underlying conductive layer of aluminum which forms the pedestal of the electrostatic chuck, arcing can occur along this path. Arcing or glow discharge at the surface of the semiconductor substrate can result in loss of the substrate. In addition, arcing or glow discharge within the gas distribution holes deteriorates the dielectric layer and underlying aluminum layer.
Collins et al. recommends that the aluminum layer beneath the dielectric layer be cut back (away) beneath the dielectric layer immediately adjacent the gas distribution hole to reduce the possibility of arcing across the straight line path from the semiconductor substrate to the aluminum layer. Although this reduces the possibility of arcing, it does not provide the desired isolation of the conductive electrostatic chuck from the process plasma.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,473 to Collins et al., issued May 24, 1994, and hereby incorporated by reference, describes methods of improving the clamping force of the electrostatic chuck among other features. In particular, the composition of the dielectric material and the thickness of the dielectric layer are among the critical factors in determining the clamping force. Since it is not yet practical to produce a dielectric layer which is totally flat, there are spacial gaps to be overcome. Generally, the thinner the dielectric layer, the greater the clamping force, all other factors held constant. However, there are practical limitations which limit the ultimate thickness of the dielectric layer. For dielectric layers approximately 1 mil or less in thickness, it has been found that the dielectric material breaks down and loses its insulating properties at voltages required to overcome the spacial gaps between the semiconductor substrate and the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck.
European Patent Application No. 93309608.3 of Collins et al., published Jun. 14, 1994, and hereby incorporated by reference, describes the construction of an electrostatic chuck of the kind disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,479 referenced above. The construction of the electrostatic chuck includes grit blasting of the aluminum pedestal, followed by spraying (e.g. plasma-spraying) a dielectric material such as alumina or alumina/titania upon the grit-blasted surface of the aluminum pedestal. Typically the sprayed dielectric thickness is greater than the desired final thickness, by about 15-20 mils (380-508 microns). After the dielectric material has been applied, the thickness is reduced by grinding until it has the desired final thickness, for example, of about 7 mils (180 microns). The upper surface of the dielectric layer is then processed to provide a pattern of heat transfer gas distribution grooves over the surface of the layer. Perforations are created through the dielectric layer to connect the heat transfer gas distribution grooves with gas distribution cavities contained in the pedestal of the electrostatic chuck. In some instances, the perforations in the upper surface of the underlying aluminum pedestal which lead to gas distribution cavities within the pedestal are prepared in advance of application of the dielectric layer. In other instances, the perforations in the upper surface of the aluminum pedestal are prepared simultaneously with the perforations through the dielectric layer.
The cooling gas distribution grooves in the surface of the dielectric layer can be produced using laser micro machining or by using a grinding wheel. The perforations through the dielectric layer are formed using a mechanical drill or a laser. A preferred laser is an excimer UV laser (i.e. a short wave-length, high energy laser) run at a relatively low time averaged power level. This helps reduce the redepositing of drilled aluminum from the underlying thin layer onto the walls of the perforations and onto the surface of the dielectric. Presence of such aluminum can cause arcing across the dielectric layer. The perforations are frequently placed around the outer perimeter of the surface of the electrostatic chuck. For an electrostatic chuck used with an 8 inch (200 mm) silicon wafer electrostatic chuck, the number of such perforations generally ranges from about 150 to about 300. The number of perforations depends on the amount of heat transfer load, and the heat transfer fluid flow rate required to handle this load. Typically the perforations are configured in a ring-like structure around the outer perimeter of the electrostatic chuck. A typical perforation has a diameter which is approximately 0.007.+-.0.001 inch (0.175.+-.0.025 mm).
While micro-drilling through the dielectric layer overlaying the aluminum pedestal to provide the perforations described above provides a satisfactory gas passage, it fails to address the problem of the RF plasma environment that seeks the interface between the dielectric alumina coating and the aluminum substrate. Frequently the underlying aluminum works its way up the sidewalls of the opening(s) in the dielectric layer, leading to arcing and plasma glow within the opening(s). Moreover, depending on the method used to form the perforations, the lower portion of the hole may become a metallic conductor (aluminum) despite the use of a high aspect ratio (depth/diameter) for the gas passage. The removal of machined micro chips slurry from the distribution hole is a difficult task, and is compounded by any migration of aluminum particles up through the dielectric gas distribution hole during drilling and subsequent manufacturing operations such as cleaning of passageways. Presence of machined micro chips slurry is a source of contaminant in the micro electronic environment and may even block the holes in a manner that reduces or stops heat transfer gas flow.
In light of the above, there is a need for a structure which significantly reduces the possibility of breakdown of the cooling gas due to arcing or glow discharge. Further, there is a need for a structure which significantly reduces the possibility of arcing between a semiconductor substrate and the metallic pedestal portion of the electrostatic chuck on which the semiconductor substrate is supported.

Conduits for flow of heat transfer fluid to the surface of an electrostatic chuck


An emulsion ink for stencil printing is disclosed which enlarges the selection region of a body to be printed on, improves the handling property and adds a building-up feeling and a brilliance to the printed letters and others by developing the drying property, sticking tendency and preservation stability of the ink. The emulsion ink for stencil printing is characterized by using an oil-in-water type resin emulsion as a water phase in the water-in-oil type emulsion ink consisting of an oil phase and a water phase, and it is further characterized in that the minimum film-making temperature for the oil-in-water type resin emulsion described above is 40.degree. C. or less and its compound ratio is 2-45 wt.% as a reduced solid basis of the total amount of the avaiable emulsion ink.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an emulsion ink for stencil printing. Specifically, it relates to an emulsion ink for stencil printing excellent in its drying property, sticking tendency and preservation stability and suitable for adding its building-up feeling and brilliance to the printed letters and others.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A stencil printing method has been utilized in a very extensive range of fields because of the easiness in preparing a stencil sheet. The process for drying the ink in stencil printing is normally proceeded by the permeation of an ink emulsion into a printing paper and the evaporation of the moisture contained in the ink emulsion. Therefore, it has been impossible to completely stick the ink to a printing paper since the drying process proceeds only by the evaporation of the moisture from the ink emulsion on the printing body such as a high quality paper, i.e., a coated paper which has no permeability at all, or a film.
On the other hand, in the case that a permeative material is used as a body to be printed on, the ink permeates into the inside of the body to be printed on. As a result, it is very hard to give the building-up feeling and brilliance to the printed letters and others. Further, and there is a disadvantage in that the resulting set-off is easily caused at the time of continuous printing due to the delay in its permeation velocity.
As a method for improving the drying property of the stencil printing ink, there is known a method which uses an oil-in-water type emulsion ink, the oil phase of which includes a resin component of a polymer type such as an oxidation polymerization product. It was impossible, however, to leave it for many hours due to the generation of plugging-up of the ink in the stencil sheet and the resulting handling became very troublesome due to the inferior preservation stability of the emulsion ink.


A portable chemical analytical apparatus to analyze a test swipe includes a heater to warm the test swipe to a predetermined temperature; a clamp to secure the test swipe to the heater; one or more pumps to dispense one or more chemicals onto the test swipe from a disposable cartridge; a fan to remove chemical vapors rising a predetermined distance from the test swipe; and a camera to capture an image of the test swipe for automated analysis.

This invention relates to systems for the detection of explosives and other controlled substances such as drugs or narcotics as well as other chemicals used in clandestine activities.
Recent terror attacks have changed the dynamics of the explosive detection systems across the globe. Terrorists, acting singly or in concert, instill immense fear and apprehension in civilians and governments alike with their technical knowledge about explosives. In parallel, the world has experienced an increase in the transportation of contraband substances such as drugs or narcotics.
With advances in explosives technology, such as the advent of the plastic explosives, which can be disguised as common items, it is becoming increasingly difficult to detect these substances. The problems that must be overcome in the detection of these substances as well as others, include low vapor pressure of the particular vapors escaping from the particular substance, the search time and the throughput of the various systems, the low concentration of vapor or particulate emissions from the particular substance, isolation of the particular substance with a high degree of reliability, and maintaining the integrity of the systems environment.
Various techniques for detecting substances such as explosives and drugs or narcotics have been developed, ranging from explosives/drug sniffing dogs to highly sophisticated vapor detection devices. Machine detection of the aforementioned substances can be accomplished through non-vapor detection or vapor detection. Non-vapor detection methods include x-ray detection, gamma-ray detection, neutron activation detection and nuclear magnetic resonance detection. These methods of detection are more applicable to the detection of the various substances when the substances are concealed and are carried or associated with non-living items such as baggage as these techniques might pose a threat to living items. Vapor detection methods include electron capture detection, gas chromatography detection, mass spectroscopy detection, plasma chromatography detection, bio-sensor detection and laser photo-acoustic detection. These methods of detection are more applicable to the detection of substances that are concealed and associated with living specimens.
Conventional systems tend to be large and immobile. Further, current systems can require users to manually apply toxic chemicals as testing agents. As a result, conventional systems are not mobile and hard to use. Hence, their adoption for field use has been limited.

Portable explosive or drug detection system


A method for effecting communication between devices in a communications network, the method comprising managing a communications process control flow; providing a plurality of re-usable components of the process control flow in which each component comprises a process control activity between two of the devices; aggregating the plurality of re-usable components into a sequence of the communications process control flow; in which each re-usable component is arranged to process a data structure; in which the data structure is the same for each re-usable component of the communications process control flow.

Service Assembly Architecture (SAA) is based on a set of reusable, atomic, service flow management components. These are characterized by standard interfaces that allow for the components to be assembled in any order to provide a desired overall communications control function. The standard interface is complemented by a standard data structure that provides the input and output to each component. Hence there is a high degree of standardization throughout the SAA. The provided control function is implemented in an associated communications network. The SAA allows the rapid creation of new and converged telecommunications services employing reusable service flow elements of various granularities to construct the service.
The present invention applies these novel techniques and defines new constructs that enable the rapid creation of new converged telecommunications services. The need for this ability in the telecoms industry is more acute than ever, with the convergence of fixed line, mobile and media services all melding into a common industry with common customers.
The rapid design and creation of new services has been a goal of the telecommunications industry for some time, dating at least to the post-divestiture era in the U.S. of the late 1980's. At that time many companies invested heavily in developing "service creation platforms" using conventional switches provided with "service interfaces" that allowed a limited level of call-control to be managed by a separate computer known as an adjunct processor. These efforts were motivated by the desire of a diversity of new companies, primarily the divested Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) in the US, to differentiate themselves from their siblings and other carriers with new communication services. Up until this point, the only features available for offer were those that were embedded in the traditional telecom switches such as the 5ESS. Creation of a new feature or service required the carriers to make a request of the switch supplier (AT&T, Northern Telecom, Ericsson, et al.) for the new feature, essentially requesting a custom development effort from the switch suppler. The costs and development times associated with such customizations were often very substantial, resulting in multi-million dollar quotations. The costs of building such services were so high that very few were actually built.
During this time however, new features and functionality such as in-network voice mail and E-911 services became feasible through the above noted service platforms and adjunct processors. Though there were some successful initiatives in this era, the associated capital costs and development intervals were still prohibitive for services except those that were expected to be widely adopted. Predicting such adoption was very difficult; even some services that were built directly into the switch were not commercially successful.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY


A hedge trimmer is provided which performs a trimming operation on a hedge. The hedge trimmer includes a machine body, a handle rotatably attached to the machine body, a throttle lever provided in the handle, a locking mechanism for preventing the handle from rotating relative to the machine body, and an unlocking member for unlocking the locking mechanism from the machine body. The unlocking of the locking mechanism from the machine body is effected by a slide movement of the unlocking member towards a rear part of the handle. When unlocking the locking mechanism from the machine body, the unlocking member surrounds the throttle lever so that the throttle lever can be inoperable with the result that the throttle lever is prevented from being erroneously operated during the rotational operation of the handle.

The above type of the working machine includes a machine body, a handle rotatably attached to the machine body, a throttle lever provided in the handle for adjusting a motive power output from the working machine, and a throttle lock lever for locking the throttle lever.
For practical use, it is only necessary that the power working machine include, as well as the throttle lever and the throttle lock lever, a locking mechanism provided in the machine body for locking the handle to stop rotation of the handle and an unlocking lever provided in the machine body for unlocking the locking mechanism.
The locking mechanism is operable together with a throttle wire, and the power working machine including such a locking mechanism is well known from, for example, JP-A-11-28683. The power working machine disclosed in JP-A-11-28683 will be discussed with reference to FIG. 12 hereof.
The disclosed, conventional power working machine designated at 200 includes a machine body 201, a handle 202 rotatably attached to the machine body 201, a throttle lever 203 swingably attached to the handle 202, a throttle lock lever 204 for locking the throttle lever 203, and a locking member 205 disposed to be pushed towards the machine body 201 into abutment on the machine body 201 by the swing movement of the throttle lever 203, thereby stopping rotation of the handle 202.
The throttle lock lever 204 is released from the throttle lever 203 by moving as indicated by an arrow c1. The throttle lever 203 is then gripped to move as indicated by an arrow c2, thereby pushing the locking member 205 out as indicated by an arrow c3 so as to lock the handle 202 to the machine body 201.
As for the power working machine 200, however, it is troublesome to rotate and lock the handle 202 because, in order that the handle 202 rotated relative to the machine body 201 through a predetermined angle is locked to the machine body 201, the throttle lock lever 204 is released from the throttle lever 203 and thereafter the throttle lever 203 is gripped to press the locking member 205 towards the machine body 201.
As for the power working machine 200, moreover, it is impossible to perform the following two operations simultaneously: (1) locking the handle 202 to prevent the rotation of the handle 202; and (2) releasing the throttle lock lever 204 from the throttle lever 203. Thus, the power working machine 200 presents a problem that such a connection component as a centrifugal clutch would provide such a timing of operation as to drive cutting blades (not shown) before the handle 202 is locked to the machine body 201.
There is a demand for a power working machine including a handle rotatable through a simple operation and taking such measures against erroneous operation of a throttle lever as to, for example, prevent operation of the throttle lever during rotational operation of the handle and to prevent the rotational operation of the handle during the operation of the throttle lever.


Titanium oxide, comprising lamina shaped titanium oxide particles having a thickness of 10-30 nm and a width of 0.5 to 1 .mu.m, may be prepared by exfoliating a layered titanic acid powder having a formula H.sub.x Ti.sub.2-x/4 O.sub.4.nH.sub.2 O, where x=0.60-0.75, to form a titania sol; followed by drying and heating, to obtain a titanium oxide. The layered titanic acid powder may be prepared by contacting cesium titanate having an orthorhombic layered structure with an aqueous acid solution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin fragmental titanium oxide and a porous body as an aggregate thereof, and methods for their production. More particularly, this invention relates to a thin fragmental titanium oxide and a porous body as an aggregate thereof, which are useful as pigments, coating materials, cosmetics, additives to e.g. white papers or resins such as nylon, and photofunctional materials such as e.g. catalysts, and method for their production.
2. Discussion of Background
As a method for producing titanium oxide, a method has heretofore been known wherein titanium chloride is oxidized at a high temperature in a gas phase, or a gel obtained by hydrolysis of e.g. titanium sulfate or a titanium alkoxide, is heated to obtain titanium oxide.
However, products produced by such conventional methods are aggregates of fine spherical particles, and porous products are rare. With conventional porous products, the average pore size is at a level of 20 nm at the maximum.
Titanium oxide is widely used for coating materials and cosmetics, and also as additives to resins or papers, by virtue of its excellent characteristics such as whiteness and ultraviolet ray shielding ability. However, such titanium oxide is isotropic spherical fine particles produced by conventional methods and thus has had problems with respect to the coating property, the adhesion and the dispersibility.

Thin fragmental titanium oxide and porous body as an aggregate thereof, and methods for their production

National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials


A system, a method, and a computer program for generating a seed and/or a key from live biometric indicia, such that all the information necessary for generating the seed and/or the key is not stored on a storage medium. The method comprises receiving a biometric template from a user and enrolling the template; assigning an optimization value to the enrolled biometric template; encrypting an item of test data using the optimization value, such that the optimization value is an encryption seed; storing the encrypted item of test data on the storage medium; destroying the encryption seed after encrypting the item of test data; receiving a live biometric template; comparing the templates and determining an interval based on a probability that the templates are specific to the same user; iteratively testing values within the interval to identify the value in the interval for decrypting the encrypted item of test data, wherein the value used to decrypt the item of test data is the encryption seed; and generating the key using the seed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seed and key generation systems for encryption methods. More particularly, the invention relates to a seed and a key generation system for non-deterministic biometric indicia. The system does not store all necessary information for regenerating an encryption seed or generation an encryption key. Instead, the system destroys the seed and key and requires a live biometric sample to recreate the seed/key.
2. Description of the Related Art
Limiting access to a storage medium or device or a secure repository stored on a device is often desirable. Access to the storage device may be limited to one or more authenticated users. To authenticate a user, the user must initially enroll a biometric identifier specific to the user. This biometric identifier serves as an authentication password to verify the user's identity. When future access to the storage device is desired, the user provides the same biometric identifier, referred to as a live biometric identifier. The enrolled and live biometric identifiers are compared, and if the authentication system determines that the biometric identifiers likely belong to the same user, the system unlocks or otherwise retrieves a key for accessing the storage device.
In many authentication systems, the key is encrypted prior to being stored on the storage device or otherwise made accessible by the storage device. Encryption of the key does provide some security, as a hacker (who does not have access to the live biometric identifier for the specific user) must decrypt the key prior to accessing the device. However, decryption of the key is often elementary to skilled hackers.
Another layer of security is often added to the storage device by requiring that the key be regenerated each time access to the device is requested. However, to regenerate the key, a seed must be stored (either in encrypted or even hashed form or unencrypted or unhashed form). Similar to the encrypted key, a stored encrypted seed is still vulnerable to hackers.
In view of the concerns with storing the seed/key on the storage device or otherwise making accessible by the device, authentication systems have been developed that do not store the seed and/or key on the storage device itself. Instead, the seed and/or key is communicated or otherwise transferred to an authentication server, at which it is stored. When the user desires to access the storage device, the authentication system verifies the user's identity and transfers the seed and/or key to the device for accessing of the device. This authentication method is still vulnerable to security risks, as transferring the seed and/or key increases the potential for hacking and compromises the overall security of the encryption system.
The above security disadvantages are germane to many common encryption methods, including symmetric encryption and asymmetric encryption, and authentication systems, such as a one-time password authentication system. Specifically, supply of a password in a HOTP algorithm is particularly subject to security risks.
As is known, the HOTP algorithm is an HMAC based one-time password authentication system. OTP algorithms provide a single-use (i.e., one-time) password based on a known time, a known last password entered, and a key (or a seed for generating a key) stored by or at an authentication server. A client, which could be a storage device or software on the user side, and the authentication server run the HOTP algorithm in parallel. The authentication server running the HOTP algorithm typically uses an input key, a timer (or counter), and a known previous password to determine the next password in the algorithm's sequence. At the time of the user requesting access to the storage device or software, the storage device or software on the user will output a password. The outputted password at the user side is compared to the password, at the authentication side, determined by the HOTP algorithm to be the next password in the sequence. The comparison is performed by the authentication server. If the passwords match, the user is granted access to the storage device. The outputted password at the user side is different each time and only viable for a short time, thus making it a one-time password.
Accordingly, there is a need for an encryption system that does not store or otherwise provide access to all of the information necessary for obtaining access to a storage device. More particularly, there is a need for an encryption system that requires a live biometric identifier be provided at the time of access to the device for purposes of generating the seed and/or key—as opposed to merely authenticating an identity of the user.

Dynamic seed and key generation from biometric indicia