A method and apparatus for forming a large area functional deposited film on the surface of a continuously moving web member by means of a microwave plasma CVD process, characterized in that at the exterior face of the circumferential wall comprising a curved continuously moving web member of the microwave plasma CVD film-forming chamber, a member having a function of transporting the web member while pressing it and being provided with a mechanism capable of controlling the temperature of the web member is disposed.

Along with a marked increases in power generation to meet an increased demand for power supply in the recent years, problems of environmental pollution have become serious in the world.
In fact, atomic power generation was anticipated as a means of generating power capable of replacing steam-power generation and has been in operation in some places of the world. However, there were occurrences represented by Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, where the systems broke down to cause radioactive contamination. Because of this, further development of the system of atomic power generation is feared. There are some countries that effected regulations prohibiting establishment of new atomic power plants.
Now, in the case of the generation of steam power, the amount of a fossil fuel represented by coal or petroleum to be consumed for power generation in order meet the social demand for increased power supply has been continuously increased and along with this, the amount of carbon dioxide gas exhausted from the steam-power generation plants has been continuously increased resulting an increase in the carbon dioxide content of gases in the air to cause a greenhouse effect. This results in providing a global-warming phenomenon. In fact, the annual average temperature of the earth has increased in the recent years. In view of this, International Energy Agency has proposed reducing the amount of carbon dioxide exhausted from the steam-power generation plant by as much as 20% of the current level by the year of 2005.
Against this background, the populations of the developing countries will continue to increase and a demand for power supply will also be increased. In addition to this, it is expected that the manner of living in the developed countries will be further modernized. With further developments in electronic instruments the amount of power consumption per person will be eventually increased.
In view of the above, the matter of power supply is now a subject to be internationally discussed in terms of the earth.
Public attention has now focused on and various studies have been made of generating power using a solar cell since it has various advantages: it is a clean power generation system which is free of problems relating to radioactive contamination, global-warming and environmental pollution; the sunlight to be used as its energy source reaches everywhere on the earth and there is not a problem for the energy source to be localized; and the power generation equipment can be simplified and a relatively high power generation efficiency can be attained.
Now, in order for the solar cell power generation system to supply power in a quantity to satisfy the social demand, the solar cell to be used should provide a sufficiently high photoelectric conversion efficiency, it should stably exhibit solar cell characteristics an d it should be mass-produced.
In order to provide the average family with adequate power, a solar cell capable of outputting a power of about 3 KW is necessary. In this case, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell should be about 10%, the solar cell is required to have an area of about 30 m.sup.2 in order to provide said power. And in the case where it is intended to satisfy the demands for power supply for 100,000 families, the solar cell is required to have an area of 3,000,000 m.sup.2.
In view of this, public attention has been focused on an amorphous silicon solar cell which can be prepared by depositing a semiconductor film such as an amorphous silicon semiconductor film on a relatively inexpensive substrate such as glass or metal sheet wherein glow discharge is caused in a film-forming raw material gas such as silane gas. Such a solar cell can be mass-produced and can be provided at a lower cost in comparison with a solar cell prepared by using a single crystal silicon or the like. Various proposals have been made for the process of producing said amorphous silicon solar cell.
In the case of the power generation system using a solar cell, usually a plurality of unit modules are connected in series or in a row to form a unit from which a desired current or voltage can be obtained. For each of said plurality of modules, it is required that neither disconnection nor shunt circuit occur. It is further required that each of said plurality of modules stably outputs an even current or voltage. In order to satisfy these requirements, each unit module is necessarily prepared such that its most important constituent semiconductor layer stably exhibits the uniform characteristics required therefor. Further, to make it easy to design the module and also to simplify the process for assembling a plurality of unit modules in to a unit, it is essential to provide a large area semiconductor film having an uniformity not only in thickness but also in quality and capable of exhibiting uniform semiconductor characteristics. These features enable the mass-production of a solar cell and reduce the production cost. In the solar cell, the constituent semiconductor layers, which are the basic constituent elements thereof, are conjugated to form a semiconductor junction such as pn junction or pin junction. These semiconductor junctions can be attained by stacking different semiconductor layers having a different conduction type one from another, or by ion-implanting or thermally diffusing a dopant of a different conduction type into one of the constituent semiconductor layers of the same conduction type.
This situation will be further described in the case of the foregoing amorphous silicon solar cell. It is known that glow discharge is caused in a gas mixture composed of a film-forming raw material gas such as silane gas and a raw material gas capable of supplying a dopant element such as phosphine (PH.sub.3) or diborane (B.sub.2 H.sub.6) forming semiconductor films having a desired conduction type and a desired semiconductor junction can be easily attained by sequentially stacking these semiconductor films on a desired substrate. For instance, in order to prepare an amorphous silicon series solar cell, there has been proposed a method wherein a plurality of independent film-forming chambers for forming the respective semiconductor films therein are provided and each of the semiconductor films is formed in the corresponding film-forming chamber.
The specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,409 discloses a continuous plasma CVD apparatus wherein the so-called roll-to-roll system is employed. The specification describes that said apparatus makes it possible to continuously form an element having a semiconductor junction by providing a plurality of glow discharge regions through each of which regions a lengthy flexible substrate having a desired width is to be moved. A semiconductor film of a desired conduction type is formed on said substrate in each of said plurality of glow discharge regions while continuously moving said substrate in the longitudinal direction. The specification describes that a gas gate is provided between the adjacent glow discharge regions in order to prevent a raw material gas to be used in one glow discharge region from entering into the other glow discharge region. In more detail, said plurality of glow discharge regions are isolated one from the other by an isolation passage way provided with means for forming a cleaning gas stream of Ar, H.sub.2, etc. It can be said that this roll-to-roll system will be suitable for the mass-production of a semiconductor device. However, since each of the constituent semiconductor layers is formed by the plasma CVD method using a RF energy, there is a limit for continuously forming those constituent semiconductor layers at a high deposition rate while maintaining the characteristics desired for each of those constituent semiconductor layers. That is, even in the case of forming a thin semiconductor layer of, for example, about 5000 .ANG., it is necessary to always produce prescribed plasma and sustain the plasma in a uniform state over a large area. However, there are many correlated film-forming parameters which are difficult to generalize and highly skilled techniques are required to do so. In addition to this, there are still other unresolved problems that the decomposition rate and the utilization efficiency of a film-forming raw material gas are not sufficient and thus the product becomes unavoidably costly.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Sho. 61-288074 discloses a roll-to-roll film-forming apparatus comprising a reaction chamber containing a hood-like shaped curtaining portion of a flexible substrate web, said reaction chamber having a reaction space circumscribed by said hood-like shaped curtaining portions and said reaction chamber being provided with at least an activation chamber isolated from said reaction chamber. The film formation is carried out by introducing active species formed in said activation chamber and if necessary, other film-forming raw material gas into said reaction space and chemically reacting them with the action of a heat energy to form a deposited film on the inner surface of said hood-like shaped curtaining portion positioned in said reaction chamber. This apparatus is advantageous in that the apparatus can be relatively compact and the deposition rate of a film to be formed may be improved because of using an active species in comparison with the known plasma CVD apparatus. However, this film-forming apparatus utilizes chemical reaction to cause film formation with the aid of a heat energy. Therefore, when the deposition rate of a film to be formed is desired to be increased, it is necessary to increase not only the flow rate of an active species into the reaction space but also the quantity of a heat energy to be supplied. However, it is extremely difficult to do so since there is a limit not only for the manner of generating a large amount of the active species in the activation chamber and sufficiently introducing the active species into the reaction space at a high flow rate without leakage but also for uniformly supplying a large quantity of the heat energy into the reaction space.
In addition, since the means of providing the hood-like shaped curtaining portion comprises merely two transportation rollers for transporting the substrate web and the hood-like shaped curtaining portion is formed by the self-holding power of the substrate web, there are problems such that the inside volume of the space circumscribed by the substrate web is liable to change, resulting in a change in the film-forming conditions. The substrate temperature is liable to suffer from influence of a change in the pressure in the space, resulting in unevenness in the characteristics of a film formed, since the calorific capacity of the substrate web itself is relatively small. Thus, there is a serious disadvantage that it is required to adjust the substrate temperature at the position in contact with the substrate web.
In recent years, a plasma process using microwave has been spotlighted because microwave makes it possible to provide an energy density which is higher than that provided by RF in the prior art and it is suitable for effectively producing and maintaining plasma, since microwave is short in frequency band.
For instance, the specifications of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,223 and 4,504,518 describe methods for forming deposited thin films on small area substrates in a microwave glow discharge plasma under a low pressure condition. These two patent specifications describe that because the methods are conducted under low pressure conditions, any of these methods makes it possible to obtain a high quality deposited film at a remarkably high deposition rate while eliminating not only polymerization of active species which gives negative effects to the characteristics of a film to be formed but also formation of powder such as polysilane in the plasma. However, neither of these two patent specifications mentions anything about uniform deposition of a film over a large area.
The specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,341 discloses a low pressure microwave plasma CVD method and an apparatus suitable for practicing the same, wherein a photoconductive semiconductor thin film is deposited on a large area cylindrical substrate using a pair of radiative waveguide applicators in a high power process. However, the principles of large area film deposition are limited to cylindrical substrates for electrophotographic photoreceptors, and the teachings described therein are not directly transferable to planar substrates of large area. Further, the film-forming method is to be practiced in a batch system and the amount of film products obtained by one batch is limited. The specification does not teach anything about continuous film deposition on a large area planar substrate.
Now, there still remain various problems to be solved for large area film deposition because non-uniformity of a microwave energy is apt to occur in microwave plasma due to the wavelength of a microwave being short. For example, there is an attempt to use a slow microwave structure in order to provide uniformity of the microwave energy. However, there is an inherent problem in the slow microwave structure in that there is the very rapid fall off of microwave coupling into the plasma as a function of distance transverse to the microwave applicator. In order to solve this problem, a proposal has been made that the spacing of the slow microwave structure from a substrate to be processed is varied to thereby make the energy density in the vicinity of the substrate surface uniform.
For example, such a proposal can be found in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,983 or the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,717. More particularly, the former patent specification discloses that it is necessary to incline the slow wave structure at a certain angle with respect to the substrate. However, inclination of the slow wave structure leads to an insufficient coupling of a microwave energy into the plasma. The latter patent specification discloses the use of two slow wave structures in an anti-parallel arrangement but in parallel to the substrate. More particularly, the latter patent specification discloses that it is desirable to set the two slow wave applicators at an angle to each other so that the planes normal to the medians of the applicators intersect at a straight line which extends parallel to the surfaces of the substrate to be processed and at right angles to the travel direction of the substrate; and that in order to avoid destructive interference between the two s low wave applicators, it is desirable to displace the two slow wave applicators from each other transversly of the travel direction of th e substrate by a distance equal to half of the space between the cross-bars of th e waveguide.
There have been several proposals made in order to provide plasma uniformity (that is, energy uniformity). Such proposals are found, for example, in Journal of Vacuum Science Technology, B-4 (January-February of 1986) PP. 295-298 and in the same document, (January-February of 1986) PP. 126-130. These reports describe a microwave reactor called a microwave plasma disc source (MPDS) and that the plasma is in the shape of a disc or tablet, with a diameter that is a function of microwave frequency. More particularly, the reports describe that the plasma disc source can be varied with the frequency of microwave. However, in the case of a microwave plasma disc source which is designed for operation at the normal microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz, the plasma confined diameter is about 10 cm at the most and the plasma volume is about 118 cm.sup.3 at the most. This is far from a large surface area. The reports also describe that in the case of a system designed for operation at the lower frequency of 915 MHz, the lower frequency source would provide a plasma diameter of approximately 40 cm with a plasma volume of 2000 cm.sup.3. The reports further describe that the microwave plasma disc source can be scaled up to discharge diameters in excess of 1 m by operating at still lower frequencies, for example, 40 MHz. However extreme expenses are required to establish such an apparatus which can perform this. More particularly in this respect, it will be possible to attain large area plasma by lowering the frequency of microwave employed. But the high power microwave power source with such frequency region is not generally available. If it should be accessible, it will be extremely costly. In addition, as for the frequency variable high power microwave power source, it is difficult to acquire such power source.
In order to effectively provide high density plasma using microwave, there have been ways proposed to establish the electron cyclotron resonance condition (namely, the ECR condition) by arranging electromagnets around the cavity resonator as found in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Sho. 55-141729 and Sho. 57-133636. At academic meetings, etc., there have been methods reported of forming various semiconductor thin films by utilizing high density plasma. Some microwave ECR plasma CVD apparatus capable of performing such methods have been commercialized.
However, it has been generally recognized in the technical field to which the invention pertains that it is technically difficult to form a deposited film uniformly over a large area substrate because of non-uniformity of plasma caused by the wavelength of microwave and also because of non-uniformity of magnetic field distribution due to the use of the magnets for the control of plasma. In the case where the microwave ECR plasma CVD apparatus is intended to be scaled up so that film deposition over a large area can be done, there are various problems to be solved: 1) electro-magnets to be used must also be scaled up; 2) means for preventing the apparatus from overheating must be provided; and 3) a special DC high power regulated supply must be provided.
Further, as for the deposited film obtained, it is usually inferior to the deposited film obtained by the known RF plasma CVD method with respect to the film property. In addition, in the case of forming a deposited film on a substrate by the microwave ECR plasma CVD method, there is a distinguishable difference with respect to the film deposition rate and the film property between the film formed in the space where the ECR condition is established and the film formed in the space where the ECR condition is not established, in the dispersed magnetic field space in other words. In view of this, the microwave ECR plasma CVD method is not suitable for the preparation of such a semiconductor device that is required to excel in quality and in uniformity with respect to the characteristics to be provided.
The foregoing U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,223 and 4,729,341 describe the necessity of maintaining very low pressures in order to provide high density plasmas. That is, they describe that the use of low pressures is necessary in order to obtain a high film deposition rate and/or a high gas utilization efficiency. However, the foregoing slow wave structure and electron cyclotron resonance method is not sufficient to maintain the relationships among high film deposition rate, high gas utilization efficiency, high power density and low pressure.
In view of the problems described above, there is an increased demand for eliminating the foregoing problems of the known microwave plasma CVD method and providing an improved microwave plasma CVD process which is free of such problems.
There is also another demand for providing a large area or lengthy thin semiconductor film excelling in quality and uniformity of characteristics which is desirably usable in not only solar cells but also in semiconductor devices such as TFTs, photoelectric conversion elements for contact image sensors, switching elements, image input line sensors, etc. at a reduced cost.

Apparatus for continuously forming a large area deposited film by means of microwave plasma CVD process


The strain of micro-organism Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 is a novel anti-microbial and anti-oxidative probiotic. It has a high anti-microbial effect on Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and moderate activity against Helicobacter pylori strains. The strain of micro-organism possesses Mn-superoxide dismutase and both its lysates and intact cells have high anti-oxidative activity, increasing the glutathione red-ox ratio in blood sera and able to capture toxic hydroxyl radicals. The strain of micro-organism could be used as a probiotic for the production of functional food (yoghurt, cheese) and non-comestibles (tablets, capsules) for the prophylaxis of intestinal and uroinfections, both for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, caused by prolonged oxidative stress.

Probiotics are living microbial food additives, that have beneficial effect on the microbiological balance of the intestine and human health. Probiotics are used as functional food. Functional food is foodstuff, consumed additionally to usual food and containing bio-preparations (incl. probiotics) or other components favourably influencing human health or decreasing disease risks. Probiotics are consumed as components of food (probiotic yoghurt or cheese) or non-food preparations (lyophilised microbial cultures).
Most of probiotics are lactic acid bacteria, mainly lactobacilli. Lactobacilli are non-pathogenic micro-organisms, colonising the human intestinal and urogenital tract from early childhood to old age. Nowadays, several commercial probiotic lactobacilli are successfully used, among which Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (Saxelin M. Lactobacillus GG—a human probiotic strain with thorough clinical documentation. Food Rev Int 1997; 13:293-313) is the best known. Recently some new strains of lactobacilli have been described and patented, for example L. reuterii (Korea patent KR211529, C12N 1/20, Korea Institute Science Technology, 1999), isolated from animal organism and for this reason inappropriate for human usage.
Several strains of Lactobacillus fermentum are used for correction and stabilisation of intestinal micro-flora in case of dysbacterioses and urogenital infections with different ethiologies. The strain of micro-organism Lactobacillus fermentum 39 is used for producing the bacterial biological preparation (PCT/SU89/00264 (WO 91/05852), C12N 1/20, A61K 35/74, University of Tartu, 1991). The strain Lactobacillus fermentum 90-TS-4 (RU2133272, C12N 1/20, A61K 35/74, Akivo Lentsner et al., 1999) is characterised by lectin typing as a mannose-sensitive profile of the cell wall. The preparation is prescribed for use in gynaecology.
There are some well-known probiotics, targeted against only one pathogen (for example Salmonella) (U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,557, A61K 35/74, US Agriculture, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,577, A61K 35/74, US Army, 1994). Up to the present no strain of lactobacilli with an extensive anti-microbial effect against numerous pathogens and opportunistic pathogens has been described.
Likewise, yet no such strain of micro-organism is known that could have natural antibiotic resistance against drugs most frequently used in the treatment of infections. This property would permit to use such strains in case of antibiotic-treated patients. A set of different micro-organisms is used in veterinary, containing also one strain of L. fermentum, but this strain does not have a concurrent anti-microbial and anti-oxidative effect (RU2119796, A61K 35/66, Zakrõtoje aktsionernoje obshestvo "BAKS", 1998).
Anti-oxidative preparations like vitamin E and C, betacarotene a.o. nowadays get much attention in connection to healthy nutrition. Excessive formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tissue respiration can cause the damage of cells and the course of tissues. The formation of active oxygen may depend on some stress factors, such as alcohol, peroxides, and some drugs.
Usually excessive oxidation is closely connected with nutritional diseases, age, arteriosclerosis, misfunctions of the central nervous system and the intestinal tract, cancer a.o. pathological conditions. An organism has several defence systems against the toxigenicity of oxygen. It is important to take anti-oxidative substances to guarantee the functioning of these systems.
Of known solutions, the closest to this invention is the patent describing anti-oxidative food, an anti-oxidative preparation and a method of antioxidation (EPO649603, A23L 3/3472, A23L 3/3571, Otsuka Pharma Co Ltd. 1995). The object of this invention is a preparation that contains a natural substance involving mangan (leaves of tea plant) and the micro-organism Lactobacillus plantarum that produces catalase and a superoxidase-dismutase system, thus increasing the anti-oxidative activity of the host organism. The authors of this invention declare that the preparation prevents diseases developing due to active oxygen. However, they do not describe the effect of particular Lactobacillus strain with a decreasing anti-oxidative activity or capturing hydroxyl radicals in vitro. Besides that, this strain of micro-organism is also imperfect because for getting the presumable anti-oxidative effect in an organism (in vivo), it is necessary to add some Mn-containing raw material (leaves of tea plant) to the preparation, because it is only in this case its SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity is realised.


A tooth whitening appliance includes an applicator having a soft moldable core covered by a plastic film membrane. The contours of buccal surfaces of target teeth to be whitened are impressed into the applicator by applying lateral pressure. A layer of tooth whitening preparation is deposited on the impressions formed in the applicator and the applicator is repositioned against the buccal tooth surfaces for the administration of the tooth whitening preparation. The applicator core is soft and moldable preferably at or below body temperature. The membranes support the applicator in reduced thickness impression areas. The applicator core may be optionally preloaded with tooth whitening preparation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cosmetic tooth whitening and more particularly to an appliance having a membrane covered soft impressible applicator for even and efficacious delivery of a tooth whitening preparation to buccal surfaces of target teeth.
2. Antecedents of the Invention
Significant advances in the art of tooth whitening have evolved in recent years. Tooth whitening is no longer relegated to the costly and time consuming procedures rendered by the dental practitioner. Various approaches have evolved for practicing tooth whitening procedures without participation of the dental practitioner.
Among the early tooth whitening systems for do-it-yourself usage was a paste or gel containing a hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide constituent. The gel or paste was applied to tooth surfaces by, for example, a toothbrush, a cotton swab, etc.
Unfortunately, such systems failed to provide readily noticeable results, due to a combination of factors including the limited time duration of application as well as the dilution of effective whitening or bleaching constituent within the oral cavity by saliva. Further, gingival surfaces were engaged by the whitening or bleaching constituent, leading to possible gingival initiation or other undesired effects.
Improved tooth whitening procedures included the admixture of conventional toothpaste together with a tooth whitening preparation, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,374 issued Apr. 12, 1994 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,554 issued Jan. 28, 1997 to applicant herein. The employment of such technique resulted in decreased tooth surface wear as well as an increase in the rate of efficacious release of the whitening or bleaching constituent of the tooth whitening preparation.
A further approach at providing an effective delivery system for a tooth whitening preparation on buccal enamel surfaces of target teeth included the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,687 which issued Mar. 18, 1997 to applicant herein. Such system comprised and applicator for carrying and applying a liquid preparation solely upon buccal surfaces of target teeth, i.e. teeth which are visible when talking, smiling, etc. The liquid preparation was drawn to an applicator tip by capillary action. To administer a coating of the tooth whitening preparation on selected tooth enamel surfaces, the tip was wiped over the surfaces to be treated.
Other attempts for improving the self administration of tooth whitening preparations included utilizing a fitted dental trough which surrounded buccal, occlusal and lingual tooth surfaces, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,424 issued Nov. 24, 1992. The system disclosed therein did not attain widespread commercial success, perhaps due to the fact that the device was ungainly and impeded speech. It could not, therefore, be worn in any environment wherein social encounters might be anticipated. Further, the device did not assure the administration of tooth whitening preparation on only selected tooth surfaces and only to selected target teeth.
A further approach comprised the utilization of flexible strips preloaded with a tooth whitening preparation, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,453 issued Apr. 6, 1999. The flexible strips disclosed therein were unable to attain a true impression of the user's buccal dentition; it could not intimately enter interdental crevices, for example. Further, the user was not able to control the concentration of tooth whitening preparation or limit the application to selected target teeth or tooth surfaces. A further disadvantage was that the tooth whitening preparation was often in contact with gingival surfaces, which often led to gingival irritation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Tooth whitening appliance having membrane covered applicator


Techniques for generating tissue support structure are presented. A curved minimal surface shape is determined as a template for generating a tissue support structure. The determined curved minimal surface shape is numerically or functionally defined to create data representing the shape. The data is exported to a rapid prototyping system to generate a plurality of tissue support structures having a curved minimal surface. The tissue support structure can have a pore sub-section and a non-pore sub-section divided by a non-intersecting two-sided surface. A number of characteristics of the tissue support structure can be modulated including porosity and mechanical strength.

The present disclosure relates to tissue support structures, such as tissue scaffolds. For example, the disclosure relates to curved minimal surface tissue scaffolds.
Millions of surgical procedures requiring tissue substitutes to repair or replace malfunctioning tissues are performed worldwide every year. The ever widening gap between the demand and supply of transplant tissues has resulted in seeking natural and biomimetic solutions to address tissue deficiency problems. Autografting, allografting, synthetic prosthetic application, and tissue engineering techniques represent current options for these clinical needs.
Autografting involves harvesting a tissue from one location in the patient and transplanting it to another part of the same patient. Though autologous grafts typically produce the best clinical results, primarily due to minimal rejection, they have several associated problems including procurement morbidity, additional surgical cost for the harvesting procedure, and infection and pain at the harvesting site.
Allografts involve harvesting tissue or organs from a donor and then transplanting it to the patient. Minor immunogenic rejection, risk of disease transmission, and shortage of donors severely limits allografts.
Tissue engineering involves regenerating damaged or malfunctioning organs using cells, biomolecules, and synthetic or natural scaffolds. Tissue engineering involves regenerating damaged or malfunctioning organs from the recipient's own cells. The cells are placed in a tissue culture where they multiply. Once enough number of cells are produced the cells are embedded on a carrier material, scaffold, that is ultimately implanted at the desired site. Since many isolated cell populations can be expanded in vitro using cell culture techniques, only a small number of healthy cells is necessary to prepare such implants. On implantation and integration, blood vessels attach themselves to the new tissue, the scaffold dissolves, and the newly grown tissue eventually blends in with its surroundings. This technology has been effectively used to create various tissue analogs including skin, cartilage, bone, liver, nerve, and vessels.
In spite of the projected benefits of engineered tissues, the percentage share of tissue engineered grafts has not increased tremendously. This is partly due to existing technical hurdles.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research


Provided is an electronic underlay designed not to sense a hand holding a writing tool at the time of writing notes on a sheet. The electronic underlay is provided with: a sheet-like optical waveguide formed by sandwiching lattice-like cores between a sheet-like under cladding and over cladding layers; a light emitting element connected to one end surface of the core; a light receiving element connected to another end surface of the core; and storage means for storing an inputted note as electronic data. An elasticity modulus of the core is larger than that of the under cladding layer and the over cladding layer. When the surface of the optical waveguide is pressed, in the pressing direction, a deformation ratio of the core in a cross section is smaller than that of the over cladding layer and the under cladding layer.

For example, there exists one, such as an electronic notebook, which performs digital processing on notes, a schedule, and the like (e.g., see PL 1.). This is provided with a display for displaying a schedule or the like, to allow notes or the like to be inputted on the display by use of a dedicated pen or the like. That is, the display is one (touch panel) with a touch sensor, and by bringing a tip of the dedicated pen into contact with the display and moving the dedicated pen, a movement locus of the tip of the dedicated pen is inputted as notes or the like on the display. Then, in a state where the inputted information such as the notes overlaps with information such as the schedule displayed on the display, the data is stored (recorded) in the electronic notebook.


A surgical cutting tool having a "stepped" or "funneled" axial passageway for the evacuation of tissue plugs. The tool is made of a length of cylindrical surgical steel having an axial bore therethrough. The proximal end of the tool terminates in a cutting tip which has a cutting edge sufficient to cut tissue plugs of a desired diameter. The distal end is adapted for connection to a vacuum source. The axial bore has a first inside diameter at the cutting edge, a second inside diameter greater than the first inside diameter forming a first relief near the cutting edge, and a third inside diameter greater than the second inside diameter forming a second relief upstream of the first relief. This funnel configuration from the proximal end to the distal end of the tool allows tissue plugs to be easily evacuated from the tool.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to surgical cutting instruments, and, more specifically, to a surgical cutting tool having a vacuum clearance capability for use in connection with rotary cutting instruments in the field of hair transplantation.
2. Background
Many people experience over time a gradual thinning of hair with age. Men in particular are prone to receding hairlines and the loss of hair from the crown of the head, so-called male pattern baldness. Many men and women suffering from hair loss turn to hairpieces or wigs in an effort to retain a youthful appearance.
Those wanting a more permanent solution to hair loss have undergone conventional treatments for hair restoration. Preparations containing minoxidil have been shown to be effective, particularly in younger persons, but they must be applied twice a day and use must be continued indefinitely as hair loss will recur if the application is stopped. In some users minoxidil causes skin irritation.
Though hormone therapy has been prescribed for certain types of hair loss, as with other hormone treatments it is not without risk.
In an effort to achieve more significant results, hair transplantation has become an important treatment for hair loss. It involves the relocation of plugs of skin from parts of the scalp containing active hair follicles to bald areas. The process includes preparing a "recipient site," i.e. that portion of the scalp where a skin plug is removed, in the bald areas and transplanting an active hair follicle into the recipient site.
Another procedure, termed scalp reduction, may also utilize hair follicle transplantation. In scalp reduction the scalp is tightened so that hair bearing skin from the back and sides of the head is pulled toward the crown. Hair may then be transplanted to the remaining bald area at the top of the head.
Heretofore the most common method to prepare recipient sites for hair follicle transplantation has been to stab the scalp with a non-cannulated biopsy type punch for the purpose of removing cylindrical tissue plugs. This type of cutting instrument has a tubular design at the cutting tip and employs a vent hole in its side to facilitate removal of small plugs from the scalp by relieving pressure build-up. The punch, once filled with plugs, is generally handed to an assistant who must clean out the punch of plugs removed. As can be imagined, this is a laborious and offensive task. The surgeon continues the process with another clean punch.
Recent attempts have been made to somewhat automate the hair transplantation process. Certain punches have been modified with a steel shank to fit into the chuck of a motor driven power source, such as a dentist's drill, to make preparation of recipient sites easier. Other systems have been developed to more completely automate the entire process of hair transplantation. These systems utilize a surgical cutting tool coupled to a vacuum source designed to cut tissue plugs and remove them by suction.
Examples of conventional surgical instruments and systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,867,942; 4,476,864; 5,133,360; 5,172,702; 5,403,317 and PCT International Publication WO 94/07433.
One drawback to existing systems, particularly those attempting to utilize vacuum pressure for tissue plug evacuation, is the tendency of cutting tools to clog with debris. It has been found difficult to provide rotary cutting systems utilizing vacuum suction to evacuate tissue plugs from the cutting instrument which do not have this tendency.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cutting tool having vacuum clearance capability which can be used either manually or in rotary instruments and which can more effectively evacuate tissue plugs cut from the scalp.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the surgeon a single cutting instrument that can be used to complete work in the entire recipient area without a tiresome exchange of instruments.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of making such a surgical cutting instrument that provides for new various sizes of cutting tips.


A reflective resin sheet is bonded to one face of a supporting substrate transmitting a radiation ray and a resin sheet of the same material as that of the reflective resin sheet to the other face of the supporting substrate. A phosphor layer converting a radiation ray into visible light is formed additionally on the reflective resin sheet formed on one face of the supporting substrate. The phosphor layer is enclosed with an additional moisture-proof layer and the reflective resin sheet. It is possible to obtain a scintillator panel higher in sensitivity characteristics, stabilized in quality and more cost-effective by placing the reflective resin sheet between the supporting substrate and the phosphor layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scintillator panel converting radiation rays to visible light and a radiation detector using the scintillator panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent digitalized radiation detectors, such as those for medical tests or industrial nondestructive inspections, are mainly systems employing a method of converting incident X rays to visible light in a scintillator layer such as computed radiology (hereinafter, referred to as CR) and flat panel detectors (hereinafter, referred to as FPD).
Europium-added cesium bromide (CsBr:Eu) used as the phosphor layer in some CR systems and thallium-added cesium iodide (CsI:Tl) used in most FPDS are materials commonly used because they often have columnar crystals when produced by the vacuum deposition method.
For example, scintillator panels using CsI:Tl are usually produced by coating a reflective film on a radiation ray-permeable supporting substrate such as glass and forming a CsI film thereon. A protection film is occasionally formed additionally between the reflective and CsI films for protection of the reflective film.
An X ray entering the scintillator panel having such a structure through a subject from an X-ray source is converted into visible light by the scintillator. For example in the case of an X-ray photon, the photon is converted into visible light at the emission point in the phosphor layer. The light emitted at the emission point disperses in all directions, independently of the vector of the incident photon. Because the phosphor layer has a pillar structure, some of the emitted photons disperse out of the surface of the scintillator panel through the pillars, because of the difference in refractive index between pillars and the CsI layer (refractive index of CsI: 1.8). The light dispersed farther than the adjacent pillar is considered unlikely to travel through the optical interface between the many pillars in the surface direction of the phosphor layer, and thus is entrapped in one of the pillars at the interface and disperses out of the surface of the scintillator panel through the pillar. For the reasons above, the phosphor layer having a pillar structure has a function to transmit the emitted light to the next device (e.g., photodiode in the case of FPD) without light scattering, giving a scintillator layer having high-definition images.
The reflective film has a function to reflect the emitted light traveling in the supporting substrate direction to the CsI surface, and thus to improve the sensitivity of the scintillator panel.
For example, an FPD having a phosphor layer has a shape in which the scintillator panel is bonded to an image sensor having multiple photoreceptor elements arranged in a one- or two-dimensional array. The definition and sensitivity characteristics of FPDs in such a structure are influenced by the properties of the scintillator panel. In other words, the characteristics of the FPD are dependent on the pillar structure of CsI and the function of the reflective film (see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-58099, pp. 4 to 5 and FIG. 3).

Scintillator panel and radiation detector

TOSHIBA ELECTRON TUBES & DEVICES CO., LTD.


A shredder including a shredder housing having an inside, an outside, side walls, end walls, such that the end walls and side walls are engineered and joined together to maintain tight tolerance within the shredder. The end walls and side walls define a top inlet opening and a bottom outlet opening. Two parallel spaced apart shafts are horizontally aligned with each other and rotationally mounted through the end walls for receiving rotational power. Adjustable speed rotational motors engage each of the shafts for rotating them in counter-rotational directions. A plurality of uniform thickness disk-shaped blades are alternatingly positioned with interposed disk-shaped spacers placed therebetween. The spacers have a thickness slightly thicker than the blades. The blades and spacers are arranged on the shafts and mounted for counter-rotation with the shafts in an interdigitated fashion so that the blades on one of the shafts are aligned with the spacers on the other shaft such that the blades pass side-by-side closely spaced with the blades on the counter-rotating shafts so that close tolerance cutting occurs between the blades.

In connection with the manufacture and/or recycling of polymeric materials, such as rubber, plastic, and the like, shredders and grinders have been used which employ rotating or whirling blades to cut, shred, and tear the polymeric material fed into a housing containing the blades. In the past, however, these devices have had substantial clearance between one blade and another and between the blades and the housing. Typically, the blades were thin, having a thickness less than about one-half of an inch (about 1.3 cm). Operation of such devices depended upon the thickness and momentum of the rubber or plastic material and the impact speed and the sharpness of the blades to cut, chip, and shred the polymeric materials into smaller piece sizes. Such devices have been inadequate for the purpose of shredding certain types of plastic for a number of reasons, especially in the case of thin-gauge plastic film. The throughput is limited. The plastic material rather than being cut or shredded, is often torn or merely stretched and pulled through the space between the blades. Plastic film often wraps itself around the rotating shafts in string fashion and clogs the throughput of the shredder. The tearing, stretching, and clogging also wears and dulls the blades and further reduces cutting or shredding efficiency. In the case of rotating parallel shafts having blades on them, the plastic material drawn between the shafts results in a high pressure wedging therebetween, which tends to cause the shafts to spread. The plastic thus passes through the machine without cutting. A sufficient buildup of woundup plastic sheet can result, causing friction within the machine, excessive heat buildup, and subsequent meltdown of the plastic material. Removal of the melted plastic requires complete shutdown and disassembly of the apparatus.
Some known plastic cutting machines which might be adapted for shredding plastic include a solid tub-shaped housing in which rotary blades operate. Maintenance and access to the interior of the housing requires that all of the blades be loosened from the shaft and that the shafts be withdrawn axially through an end of the housing. Thus, if meltdown occurs, if plastic clogging occurs, or if other foreign materials such as metals, wire, and the like are ingested into the machine, a time-consuming and costly and inefficient repair process must be implemented. In a continuous production line, shutdown of a single shredding machine can result in a shutdown of the entire production line, thereby multiplying the cost of the repairs significantly.

Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc.


The present invention relates to a solar cell element that comprises: a semiconductor substrate; and a collector electrode including a plurality of conductor portions elongated in a first direction on one main surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the plurality of the conductor portions comprise: a linear first conductor region; and a linear second conductor region including a plated surface, the linear second conductor region being electrically connected to the first conductor region.

In a solar cell element which uses a semiconductor substrate comprised of silicon or the like, in general, electrodes to be formed on a light-receiving surface side of the semiconductor substrate include a plurality of linear collector electrodes having a narrow width and an output extraction electrode having a width wider than the line width of the collector electrode, the output extraction electrode intersecting with these collector electrodes. Moreover, in order to increase a quantity of received light of the solar cell elements, the line width of the collector electrodes formed on the light-receiving surface side is made narrower (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-53531).

Solar cell element, process for manufacturing solar cell element, and solar cell module


A secondary illumination optic, principally directed toward managing light from light emitting diode illumination sources having a primary optical element, is provided comprising a lens combination arranged along the optical axis, a central convex lens portion being centrally positioned on the optical axis, and a surrounding total internal reflection lens portion, with the central optic having a first and incident surface and a second and exiting surface, both comprising refractive faceted optical lens elements, and the total internal reflection optic lens portion having a cylinder shaped aspheric first and incident surface, a second and internal total reflection surface, and a third and exiting surface comprising refractive faceted optic lens elements, wherein, being constructed of resin having optical characteristic, the central and total internal reflection lens portions are molded as an integrated assembly from an optical resin providing a stepped tulip type lens, thinner and higher yielding than prior art lenses.

Managing the light flux from a light emitting diode (LED) source, typically being a point source, requires the use of a complex optical lens for gathering as much of the light emitted from the source as possible and redirecting the light to a surface to be illuminated in the far field in a predetermined illumination pattern. Maximizing the efficiency of an LED lighting system is measured, in part, by the amount of light successfully captured and usefully redirected by the optics to a far field object. A typical LED source has a primary resin optic molded around and encapsulating the semiconductor such that the light emitted from the source ideally behaves similar to a point source having a cosine-like distribution centrally peaking along or near the forward central axis of the source and declining to a minimum at 90 degrees from the central axis. So as to direct the light to a specific surface in the far field distal to the source, a secondary illumination optic is required. The secondary illumination optic is arranged to capture the light emitted from the LED primary optic and redirect or focus the light on a far field surface.
Light emitted near the peak of the light distribution is emitted from the LED primary optic at relatively small angles from the central lens axis is suitable for capture by a conventional convex optical lens secondary optic wherein a light ray impinging on the incident surface of the secondary optic is refracted through the lens, refracted again at the exiting surface and directed on to a far field target surface. Light emitted from the LED primary lens at higher angles from the central axis escaping capture by a centrally positioned convex optical element can be gathered and redirected by a further lens element axially surrounding and contiguous to the LED primary lens. Because this peripheral light is emitted at high angles, the peripheral lens is often in the form of a minor constructed to reflect the light forward and onward to the far field surface. Alternatively, a total internal reflection (TIR) lens is constructed around the LED primary lens wherein the light is captured by a lens having an aspheric incident surface, shaped similar to a cylinder, designed to direct light from the LED source to a circumferentially positioned lens surface at angles so as to produce internal reflection at the respectively designed circumferentially positioned lens surface thereby directing the light forward and out through an exiting surface designed to refract the light on to the far field surface. In the afore described manner, the light flux capture from the LED source is maximized as all light, regardless of the angle from the central axis, is captured by a lens surface, redirected and passed on to a far field surface. Manipulation of the lens design can further be adjusted to form desired patterns or distributions on a far field object.
The combination secondary illumination lens having a central and surrounding TIR optic is known as a tulip type lens. As the optical pathways of the central convex lens and the outer internal reflection lens elements provide separate and distinct ray pathways, the lenses may be formed together as an integrated tulip lens assembly forming the secondary illumination optic. In order to accomplish the optical characteristics afore described, the central optic and the TIR optic of a tulip lens tends to be thick. Further, because of the complex nature of the surfaces of a tulip lens, injection molded resin optic lens construction techniques are desirable; however, lens resin optics having large surface to surface thicknesses, as required in prior art tulip type lenses, present a number of serious disadvantages.
Generally the cost of manufacturing an injection molded tulip type secondary illumination optic is high principally due to the mold cycle time resulting from the length of time required to cool and set a thick lens to a temperature permitting the release of the lens from the mold. Further, thick lens designs require enhanced molding techniques so as to avoid material shrinkage or other temperature gradient induced deformities during the manufacturing process thereby reducing yield rates. Generally, the lens thickness, as measured between a mold surface and an opposing mold surface, should be minimized. Best yield rates and lowest mold cycle times are achieved with a thin and consistent mold surface to opposing mold surface resin thicknesses so as to provide minimal resin utilization, homogeneous and rapid cooling, and minimal material shrinkage. The benefits of consistent resin thicknesses are maximized when the thermal flux, during the mold cool down, from the resin, to the mold surfaces is homogeneous throughout molded lens as the lens cools, thereby providing homogeneous cooling minimizing residual resin distortion.
Although the tulip type combination lens design is ideally suited as a highly efficient secondary illumination optic for LED sources, the manufacturing constraints and costs render the design less competitive in a highly competitive market place. What is needed is an improved secondary illumination optics lens that is commensurate with injection resin optic molding techniques and manufacturable at lower costs and higher yields.


In a measuring system for an enclosed high-voltage switchgear having at least two poles, each of which is phase segregated, and with sensors for dielectric noise and a detector device connected to them for outputting a signal in the event of an noise, a time comparator is provided that blocks the output of a signal if the time difference between two noise signals from sensors of different phases is less than a certain interval of time, in particular an adjustable interval.

An enclosed high-voltage switchgear having phase-segregated poles and an electromagnetic noise measuring system is described, for example, in the article "Operation and Diagnosis Assisting System for Substations," Hitachi Review, vol. 40, no. 5 (1991) pages 359-366. In the measuring system described in this article, a spectral analysis technique is performed on the detected noise signal in order to obtain more information about the nature of the noise inside the enclosed high-voltage switchgear. This type of measuring system, however, presents many sources of error, and the probability of an error occurring increases with the number of sensors.
European Patent A 342,597 describes a measuring system for enclosed high-voltage switchgear, in which various sensors, some of which are the same as each other and some of which are not, detect partial discharge processes, the measured values of which are analyzed with regard to the intensity and duration of their occurrence. When a large enough difference exists between two measured values that are under comparison with each other, it is concluded that there is a fault in the system. Such a large difference can also occur when only a single measured value is recorded, in which case a second value is therefore assumed to be equal to zero. This could also occur if two measured values are recorded by different sensors with a great time difference. Superfluous error messages could possibly be generated in this way.
The article entitled "Proceedings of 1991 IEEE Power Engineering Society, Transmission and Distribution Conference," pages 467-472 (1991), states that irregularities in electric lengths between the sensors and the processing device can be compensated in differential measurements on high-voltage switchgear.

Measuring system for enclosed high-voltage switchgear


A device in the form of a flow cell for the chemical or electrolytic surface treatment of plate-shaped articles has first feed elements in the form of tubes with outlet openings for the directed supply of a process liquid to the articles to be treated and, in accordance with the invention, additional, second feed means in the process liquid for the directed introduction of air into the active area of guide elements, which consist of flow gratings, maintained at a distance on both sides of the articles to be treated, with small plates arranged in the manner of a shutter, which are inclined upward and downward in the direction parallel with the main plane of the flat plate articles.. This principle of admixing air in connection with the design of the guide elements as flow gratings has the effect that the emerging air bubbles pass the flow gratings in an upward direction and carry the surrounding process liquid along. The relationship between the outlay for the forced guidance of the process liquid for optimizing the process parameters and the outlay of energy required for this is decisively improved.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a device comprising a flow cell defining a treatment region that contains a treatment location that extends along a plane for the chemical or electrolytic surface treatment of plate-shaped articles at the treatment location, when a main plane of the articles extends along the plane along which the treatment location extends, with first feed elements in the form of tubes with outlet openings for the directed supply of a process liquid to the treatment region.
The basic aim in connection with surface treatment devices, for example galvanic baths, which are used for coating plate-like articles, for example printed circuit boards, is to achieve an even surface quality, for example a good distribution of the layer density over the total surface of the plate to be coated. In the case of printed circuit boards the drilled holes are particularly critical, whose interior walls should also possibly be provided with a layer density which should come as close as possible to the average copper layer density in the area of the surface.
2. Prior Art
A further aim generally is to intensify and accelerate the effects of the electrolytical or chemical processes, i.e. the deposition in a galvanic bath, as a whole, wherein it is part of the prior art in connection with galvanic baths (for example DE 44 05 741) to move the electrolyte past the printed circuit boards to be coated in the galvanic bath by means of suitable pipe arrangements in order to achieve a greater deposition speed. However, with the increasing effect of this principle, the pump outlay for the forced passage of the electrolyte through the galvanic bath is increased to uneconomical sizes. Further than that, the increased pump energy outlay leads to increasing heat development, which shows its effects in an increased heat supply to the galvanic bath, whose removal again requires additional energy outlays.
A further concept for intensifying and accelerating the processes in the galvanic bath which, for example, is used for the coating of printed circuit boards, is known from EP 0 420 640 A1; based on the known effect that a moving electrolyte permits cathode current densities of two to three times those of a non-moving electrolyte, it is proposed there to conduct air bubbles along both sides of the article to be coated, which emerge from a container below the galvanic bath and result in the desired movement effect. However, in the device described there the air bubbles are essentially used for achieving a recirculating effect in the electrolyte liquid in such a way, that the electrolyte liquid rises along the article to be coated and drops down again in the wall areas of the electrolyte container, after which the cycle starts again.

Device for chemical or electroyltic surface treatment of plate-like objects


A seat reclining apparatus includes first and second angle adjusting mechanisms, a connecting shaft being eccentric to a center of a rotating shaft of the first and second angle adjusting mechanisms, a first actuating mechanism including a first transmitting device, a second actuating mechanism including a second transmitting device, an electric drive source supplying a drive force to the first actuating mechanism, the connecting shaft transmitting the drive force from the first actuating mechanism to the second actuating mechanism, a first housing accommodating the first actuating mechanism and a second housing accommodating the second actuating mechanism.

Various types of seat reclining apparatus for vehicle have been proposed so far. For example, a reclining apparatus disclosed in JP61-60753U includes two recliners (angle adjusting mechanisms) each of which having a rotating shaft and used for adjusting an angle of a seat back relative to a seat cushion. One recliner is provided at one side of a vehicle seat in a seat width direction, and the other recliner is provided at the other side of the vehicle seat in the seat width direction, and each rotating shaft of the recliner has an identical rotation axis. The reclining apparatus further includes a connecting shaft positioned between the recliners in order to transmit a drive force from the one recliner to the other recliner. The connecting shaft is positioned in a manner where its rotation axis is eccentric to that of the rotating shafts. The reclining apparatus also includes a gear mechanism provided between each rotating shaft and the connecting shaft in order to transmit the rotation. Because the rotating shaft of each recliner is positioned so as to be eccentric to the connecting shaft, the seat may be relatively easily mounted to the vehicle, and a certain portion of the seat underwhich the rotating shafts and the connecting shaft are provided may not interfere with a passenger's hip, which increases comfortability of the seat.
Another reclining apparatus disclosed in JP63-120944U includes a recliner (angle adjusting mechanism) having a rotating shaft and a motor having a reduction gear and being distanced from the recliner. The rotating shaft of the recliner is eccentric to an output shaft of the motor, and a rotation of the motor is transmitted from the output shaft thereof to the rotating shaft of the recliner by means of a chain. The reclining apparatus also includes a reducing mechanism serving as a stopper to limit an actuation of a seat back so as not to move toward foremost and rearmost positions.
According to the reclining apparatus disclosed in JP61-60753U, during an assembly process, because a plurality of gears comprising the gear mechanism needs to be set in a certain order to a bracket provided at the seat cushion or a bracket provided at the seat back, variations may occur during the assembly process. Such variations may be accumulated; as a result, a level of an assembly precision may be decreased. Furthermore, a level of synchronization between the recliners may be decreased. According to the reclining apparatus disclosed in JP63-120944U, it is not mentioned that a drive force is transmitted between the recliners one of which is provided at one side of the seat and the other is provided at the other side of the seat. Accordingly, the assembly precision and the synchronization may not be of concern.
A need thus exists for a seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.


A circuit is provided that reduces the electromagnetic emissions from an integrated circuit. The circuit includes the resistive portion of an intrinsic low pass filter network and a means for modulating the resistance in response to switching of the integrated circuit nucleus logic elements. The resistance is increased before the nucleus logic elements switch and is gradually decreased upon completion of all switching of the nucleus logic elements. A portion of the transient switching pulse waveform, normally provided by the external power supply, is instead provided by the intrinsic nucleus capacitance associated with the nucleus logic. In particular the high frequency components are sourced by the intrinsic nucleus capacitance. The amplitude and the rise time of the transient switching pulse is thereby reduced. Further reduction in electromagnetic emission is provided by modified output buffers where transient switching waveforms are reduced by current limiting the output switching transistors and providing initial transient current from the intrinsic capacitance associated with the output buffer.

This invention generally relates to semiconductor integrated circuits and more particularly to CMOS integrated circuits having circuit means for reducing electromagnetic emissions.
In modern electronic systems, which often include many integrated circuits, the rapid switching of many thousands of logic elements causes electromagnetic emissions. Such emissions, when transmitted along power buss conductors, can interfere with the operation of the electronic system. Electromagnetic emissions may also interfere with the operation of nearby electrical equipment due to electromagnetic fields radiated into space.
Electromagnetic fields are a combination of alternating electric and magnetic fields. The electric lines of force are perpendicular to the magnetic lines of force at every point in space. The field propagates in a direction perpendicular to both electric and magnetic lines of force.
The effects of electromagnetic emissions may be as simple as static on the radio or as catastrophic as complete failure of the electronic system. If the electronic system produces excessive emissions, the system may not meet government regulations regarding emissions standards set by, for example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Prior art electronic systems have attempted to reduce electromagnetic emissions with careful attention to the layout of printed circuit boards. Sometimes additional components, such as RLC filters or chokes, must be added to the power buss or other "noisy" conductors. If the electronic system includes software, such software may be rewritten to spread noise generating circuit activity over a longer time period. In extreme instances, the crystal frequency of the system clock may have to be reduced to increase the amount of time between bursts of electromagnetic emissions.
Additional prior art methods attempt to reduce the effect of electromagnetic emissions by shielding electromagnetic sensitive components with a Faraday cage or locating sensitive components away from the source of the electromagnetic emission.
Using all the above methods to reduce electromagnetic emission problems may be required to overcome susceptibility to such emissions on a single electronic system. However, due to the random nature of such problems, it is typically very difficult, time consuming and expensive to reduce system susceptibility.
Furthermore, as such electronic systems operate at higher frequencies, the generation of electromagnetic emissions may increase rendering the above methods insufficient to reduce system susceptibility and pass FCC regulations. Accordingly, there is a great need to reduce the generation of electromagnetic emissions at the source.
One major source of electromagnetic emissions in a typical modern electronic system is the integrated circuit. Such integrated circuits have large numbers of outputs, each of which switches a relatively large amount of current, and tens of thousands of internal, or nucleus, logic elements. With a high frequency clock signal, such integrated circuits generate high amplitude transient waveforms superimposed on the power supply busses or conductors. These waveforms, which include high amplitude, high frequency fundamentals and harmonics, can be radiated or conducted to other components in the electronic system.
The integrated circuit package can further exacerbate the problems associated with electromagnetic emissions. For example, packages, such as a pin grid array package, can increase conducted and/or radiated electromagnetic emissions because longer bonding wires are required to interconnect the bonding pad on the package to the bonding pad on the integrated circuit. Each of these bonding wires acts as a loop or whip antenna from which electromagnetic emissions are radiated. Bonding wires connecting output buffers of the integrated circuit to bonding pads on the package are major contributors to radiated emissions because of the large amount of current typically switched by an output buffer.
Several methods are typically implemented to reduce package induced electromagnetic emissions. One method uses a discrete capacitor, such as flip-chip capacitor, connected between each noisy conductor and ground. These capacitors, which are often placed within the package cavity, act as a low pass filter but since the resistive component is necessarily low, the filter is relatively inefficient. Another method requires that ferrite beads be placed around the outside of noisy package pins.
Both techniques often reduce electromagnetic emissions but may not provide sufficient reduction for high speed integrated circuits having a significant number of outputs. Further, positioning capacitors within package cavity is a non-trivial task significantly increasing the cost of such packages. Ferrite beads are similarly undesirable because a bead must be used for each pin generating electromagnetic emissions. Because of the cost associated with ferrite beads, their use is usually restricted to the package pins generating the most electromagnetic emissions.

Integrated circuit having reduced electromagnetic emissions an integrated circuit including a variable impedance for reduced electromagnetic emission


Provided is a pneumatic tire, which includes a tread portion having an annular shape and extending in a tire circumferential direction, a pair of sidewall portions disposed on both sides of the tread portion, a pair of bead portions disposed on inner sides of the pair of sidewall portions in a tire radial direction, and a band-like sound absorbing member bonded to an inner surface of the tread portion along the tire circumferential direction. The band-like sound absorbing member includes a plurality of cuts in an outer circumferential surface of the band-like sound absorbing member. At least one end of each of the cuts terminates within the band-like sound absorbing member.

Cavernous resonance caused by vibration of air filled in a tire cavity is one cause of tire noise. This cavernous resonance occurs when a tread portion of a tire that contacts a road surface vibrates due to unevenness of the road surface when a vehicle is driven, and this vibration vibrates the air in the tire cavity. Because, among the cavernous resonance, sound in a particular frequency band is perceived as noise, it is important to reduce the level of noise in the frequency band from the perspective of reducing the tire noise.
As a method for reducing the noise caused by the cavernous resonance, it is proposed to mount a sound absorbing member made of a porous material such as sponge on an inner circumferential surface of a tread portion on a tire inner surface with an elastic band (for example, see Japan Patent No. 4281874). However, in a case where the sound absorbing member is fixed to the tire inner surface with the elastic band, there is a problem in that the elastic band is deformed when a vehicle is driven at high speeds.
As a countermeasure, a method of causing a band-like sound absorbing member to be directly bonded to and fixed to the tire inner surface is proposed (for example, see Japan Patent No. 5267288). However, in this case, since the band-like sound absorbing member is directly bonded to the tire inner surface, heat is accumulated in the tread portion. A problem thus arises in which the accumulated heat causes degradation of high-speed durability. Further, when the band-like sound absorbing member is directly bonded to the tire inner surface, a problem further arises in which the band-like sound absorbing member cannot be deformed in accordance with deflection of the tire and is broken when the tire rolls.
Meanwhile, when cuts are formed in the inner circumferential surface of the band-like sound absorbing member, the band-like sound absorbing member can be deformed in accordance with deformation of the tire when the tire rolls. However, the tension of the band-like sound absorbing member in the circumferential direction is generated by an increase in outer diameter of the tire at the time of inflation of the tire, and cannot sufficiently be alleviated. A problem thus arises in which the band-like sound absorbing member is liable to be peeled off.


A magnetic recorder in which magnetic signals are transmitted between a magnetic head device and a magnetic tape, comprises a capstan shaft for driving the magnetic tape when the magnetic tape is pressed against the capstan shaft, so that the magnetic tape runs on the magnetic head device. A pinch roller presses the magnetic tape against the capstan shaft. A main chassis has the magnetic head and the capstan shaft mounted thereon. The magnetic tape and the pinch roller are mounted on a side chassis, with the slide chassis being movable relatively to the main chassis in a feed path between a first position in which the magnetic tape is wound on the magnetic head device for transmitting the magnetic signals therebetween, and a second position in which the magnetic tape is separated apart from the magnetic head device. A positioning arrangement is connected to both of the main chassis and the slide chassis to restrain a change in positional relation between the main chassis and the slide chassis in at least one direction when the magnetic tape is pressed against the capstan shaft by the pinch roller, and is separated from at least one of the main chassis and the slide chassis in the at least one direction in at least a part of the feed path when the magnetic tape is prevented from being pressed against the capstan shaft by the pinch roller.

The present invention relates to a magnetic recorder, in which a magnetic head and a capstan shaft are mounted on a main chassis, and a magnetic tape and a pinch roller are mounted on a slide chassis movable on the main chassis.
In a conventional magnetic recorder as disclosed in Publication of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 61-271648 or No. 63-302458, a slide chassis with a tape cassette thereon is movable relative to a rotary drum with a magnetic head thereon so that a magnetic tape is wound onto the rotary drum in an opening of the tape cassette to transmit magnetic signals between the magnetic tape and the magnetic head. The slide chassis is supported on the main chassis by three or four boss supports in a movable manner with keeping a distance therebetween constant.

Magnetic recording having a slidable chassis


A method and apparatus for calibrating such a spot beam antenna by use of scanned spot beam signal characteristics measured by a plurality of ground based navigation receivers is disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for calibrating the pointing of antennas used in satellite-based navigation, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for calibrating such antennas by use of scanned spot beam signal characteristics measured by a plurality of navigation receivers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite system that transmits navigation signals that are received by navigation receivers and used to determine the position of the receiver to a high degree of accuracy. Currently, GPS provides standard service to commercial receivers, and a higher accuracy signal to military receivers designed to receive them.
Since such signals have military applications, countermeasures can be expected to be applied to reduce their effectiveness. One such countermeasure is jamming. To increase the effectiveness of the GPS signals in a jamming environment, a high gain spot beam antenna may be used to beam high intensity spot beams of GPS signals to areas where such jamming is expected to occur. However, the high gain of such antennas is obtained at the cost of reduced beamwidth.
Improperly pointing a spot beam antenna can result in many significant and very costly problems. The pointing problem means that GPS users (e.g., GPS-based weapon systems) in the targeted area of operation may not receive the spot beam GPS signal (rendering the weapon useless), and other equipment in the neighboring region may be unintentionally disrupted by this high-gain signal. This problem will also result in greater collateral damage and an increased number of sorties and weapons. Accurate antenna pointing needs to be maintained within a tight bound to support the Area of Operations and to minimize radio frequency interference in the neighboring region.
Hence, for such a system to be effective, the spot beams must be accurately directed at the area of operation (AOO) of interest. To achieve this, the space vehicle attitude sensors and antenna signal boresight must be accurately calibrated.
Techniques for calibrating the antenna signal boresight can be categorized as either ground calibration or on-orbit calibration. In ground calibration, the antenna signal boresight and other satellite systems ate physically calibrated on the ground during pre-flight tests. While effective, the ground calibration approach renders inaccurate solutions due to launch vehicle vibration and other effects in between the calibration on the ground and the final activation of the satellite in space.
The second category of calibration is on-orbit calibration. This technique has been applied to geosynchronous and other types of satellites, and uses ground stations and fixed-location ground beacons which are dedicated for that purpose. Such a system for interplanetary spacecraft is disclosed in "In-flight Calibration Technique for Onboard High-Gain Antenna Pointing", Hiroshi Ohtakay and Jerome Hardman, AIAA Journal of Spacecraft, Vol. 12 No. 12, page 754-759, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Unfortunately, this technique requires large fixed ground antennas which have limited availability due to resource sharing among different satellite constellations. Such resource sharing isn't a difficult problem for geosynchronously based constellations, but typical navigation satellites such as GPS satellites are not geosynchronous, and do not maintain a fixed position over a point on the Earth, but are constantly moving relative to the surface of the Earth. They thus may require additional ground stations, more frequent calibration, further burdening the ground resources.
The ground antennas are also dedicated to the purpose of calibration, and are costly. In addition, due to a limited number of fixed ground antenna locations, the geometry of the satellite and ground system often limits the effectiveness of such on-orbit systems. Such problems are worse for non-geosynchronous satellites, as they are moving with respect to the Earth's surface.
What is needed is a method for inexpensively and quickly calibrating the antenna boresights without the need for expensive ground stations dedicated to that purpose. The present invention satisfies this need.

Spot beam antenna boresight calibration using GPS receivers


Disclosed is a method for producing an alloy catalyst supported on carbon, including the steps of: dispersing alloy particles into a mixed solution of water with alcohol, introducing a silica precursor thereto, and carrying out sol-gel reaction in the presence of a basic catalyst to obtain silica-coated alloy particles; supporting the silica-coated alloy particles onto a carbon carrier to obtain silica-coated alloy particles supported on carbon; heat treating the silica-coated alloy particles supported on carbon to increase an alloying degree; and removing silica coating by using inorganic base solution and a surfactant. The method for producing an alloy catalyst provides a high-quality and high-durability alloy catalyst by increasing the alloying degree of a catalyst through a heat treatment step, while forming a silica coating layer effectively on small alloy particles having a size of several nanometers to inhibit growth of the size of alloy particles. In addition, the catalyst may be used advantageously as an electrode for fuel cells.

Fuel cells are energy conversion devices which convert chemical energy of fuel directly into electric energy, have higher efficiency as compared to conventional internal combustion engines, and show high energy density and eco-friendly characteristics. Thus, many attentions have been given to such fuel cells.
Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are operated at a low temperature of 80° C. or less in general, and thus an electrode catalyst is required in order to increase the rate of oxidation and reduction in fuel cells. Particularly, platinum is the only catalyst that can accelerate oxidation of fuel (hydrogen or alcohol) and reduction of oxygen up to a temperature of approximately 100° C., and thus has been used frequently as an electrode catalyst for fuel cells. However, since the deposit of platinum is limited and platinum is expensive, it is important to reduce the use of platinum or to maximize the catalytic activity per unit mass for the purpose of commercialization of fuel cells.
To accomplish this, many studies have been conducted about platinum alloy catalysts supported on carbon. Platinum alloy catalysts have higher activity and stability by virtue of the electrical and structural characteristics of the surface of particles in principle, and thus have been spotlighted as a reliable substitute for fuel cell electrode materials.
In general, platinum alloy catalysts supported on carbon are obtained by depositing a transition metal precursor on a platinum catalyst supported on carbon as a starting material and carrying out heat treatment at 700-1200° C. by using a gaseous reducing agent such as hydrogen. However, such heat treatment causes an increase in size of alloy particles, resulting in degradation of catalytic activity.
Under these circumstances, many studies have been conducted about methods for producing an alloy catalyst without heat treatment at high temperature, the method including: a chemical reduction process (J. Power Sources 141 (2005), 13), carbonyl complex process (J. Phys. Chem. B 108 (2004), 1938), microemulsion process (Electrochim. Acta 50 (2005), 2323), and a polyol process (Electrochim. Acta 49 (2004), 1045). However, the alloy catalysts obtained by the above processes are problematic in that a significant amount of non-alloyed transition metal is present on the particle surface and is leached out easily during the operation of a fuel cell, resulting in degradation of catalytic activity and durability.
Therefore, it is essential to carry out a heat treatment process at high temperature in order to obtain an alloy catalyst satisfying high catalytic activity and durability applicable to fuel cell catalysts. In addition to this, a novel process by which the growth of particle size is inhibited is required.

Method for producing alloy catalyst for fuel cells using silica coating

INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITY


A phase-locked loop circuit includes an array of selectable capacitors formed within the phase-locked loop circuit to enable the phase-locked loop circuit to provide a degree of coarse frequency control by adding or removing capacitors and a degree of fine frequency control by sinking or sourcing current from a charge pump into a loop filter. A finite state machine is provided within a voltage controlled oscillator calibration circuit that communicates with an external baseband processor to initiate a calibration process, and further to determine how many capacitors of an array of capacitors if formed within the phase-locked loop circuit should be coupled to provide the coarse frequency control.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless communications and, more particularly, to the operation of a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver within a component of a wireless communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The structure and operation of wireless communication systems are generally known. Examples of such wireless communication systems include cellular systems and wireless local area networks, among others. Equipment that is deployed in these communication systems is typically built to support standardized operations, i.e., operating standards. These operating standards prescribe particular carrier frequencies, modulation types, baud rates, physical layer frame structures, MAC layer operations, link layer operations, etc. By complying with these operating standards, equipment interoperability is achieved.
In a cellular system, a regulatory body typically licenses a frequency spectrum for a corresponding geographic area (service area) that is used by a licensed system operator to provide wireless service within the service area. Based upon the licensed spectrum and the operating standards employed for the service area, the system operator deploys a plurality of carrier frequencies (channels) within the frequency spectrum that support the subscribers' subscriber units within the service area. Typically, these channels are equally spaced across the licensed spectrum. The separation between adjacent carriers is defined by the operating standards and is selected to maximize the capacity supported within the licensed spectrum without excessive interference. In most cases, severe limitations are placed upon the amount of adjacent channel interference that maybe caused by transmissions on a particular channel.
In cellular systems, a plurality of base stations is distributed across the service area. Each base station services wireless communications within a respective cell. Each cell may be further subdivided into a plurality of sectors. In many cellular systems, e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) cellular systems, each base station supports forward link communications (from the base station to subscriber units) on a first set of carrier frequencies, and reverse link communications (from subscriber units to the base station) on a second set of carrier frequencies. The first set and second set of carrier frequencies supported by the base station are a subset of all of the carriers within the licensed frequency spectrum. In most, if not all, cellular systems, carrier frequencies are reused so that interference between base stations using the same carrier frequencies is minimized and system capacity is increased. Typically, base stations using the same carrier frequencies are geographically separated so that minimal interference results.
Both base stations and subscriber units include RF transceivers. Radio frequency transceivers service the wireless links between the base stations and subscriber units. The RF transmitter receives a baseband signal from a baseband processor, converts the baseband signal to an RF signal, and couples the RF signal to an antenna for transmission. In most RF transmitters, because of well-known limitations, the baseband signal is first converted to an Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal and then the IF signal is converted to the RF signal. Similarly, the RF receiver receives an RF signal, down converts the RF signal to an IF signal and then converts the IF signal to a baseband signal. In other systems, the received RF signal is converted directly to a baseband signal.
In converting the RF signal to an IF signal, the RF signal is mixed with a signal having a specified frequency that is received from a local oscillator (LO). As used herein, "local oscillator" is a generic term used to describe a device that provides a fixed frequency to a mixer that the mixer mixes with a signal of interest, e.g., baseband signal, RF signal, or IF signal. Because the mixer's ability to down convert (or up convert) a received signal depends upon it receiving an accurate frequency signal from the local oscillator, many local oscillators are formed to be adjustable so as to adjust an output frequency to a number of supported RF channels and to account for variations due to temperature, process, manufacturing and other factors that may affect the precise frequency that is produced by the local oscillator.
RF transceivers typically operate across relatively large RF frequency range with tight operating tolerance. These operating requirements, as well as the process and environmental variations described above, place substantial burden on the PLL. As is known by one of average skill in the art, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) produces a signal having a frequency characteristic that is a function of an input voltage level of the VCO. A VCO is often formed within a typical PLL to produce signals having a large frequency range for a large range in input voltage levels to create a PLL that is sufficiently adjustable to account for the process and environmental variations. However, VCOs operate best, i.e., are most linear, within small frequency ranges. Thus, when a standard PLL is required to operate across a large frequency range, the VCO often operates in at least a non-linear region. In this/these non-linear regions of operation, the VCO produces significant phase noise which degrades the LO signal produced by the PLL and, resultantly, degrades the IF signal (or baseband signal) produced by the coupled mixer.
Because the variations due to the environmental and process factors can be quite large, however, it is often required that the local oscillator be adjustable over a large range. If, for example, a voltage controlled oscillator is often required to have an ability to provide frequencies of oscillation that correspond to a large input voltage range in order to provide the necessary frequency compensation to fine tune the voltage controlled oscillator to account for environmental variations, etc. Thus, increasing frequency range requirements for a PLL increases probably phase noise and decreases performance of a phase-locked loop that is being used to provide a signal having a specified frequency characteristic of the mixer. Thus, what is needed is a circuit that reduces the required gain level for the voltage controlled oscillator and therefore reduces any introduced phase noise while accurately producing a signal with a specified frequency.


A microwave heater (22) which uses electromagnetic radiation for heating liquid flowing from a liquid source to a liquid receiver. The microwave heater (22) includes a microwave generator having an interaction region (28) within which the electromagnetic radiation is generated. At least a portion of a conduit (30) which has an inlet (32) connected to the liquid source and an outlet (34) connected to the liquid receiver is deployed within the interaction region (28). The liquid flows through the conduit (30) acting as a dielectric load of the microwave generator so as to be heated by the electromagnetic radiation.

The present invention relates to microwave devices in general. In particular, it concerns compact, efficient microwave devices for heating liquids.
It is known to use electromagnetic radiation of microwave frequencies to heat various materials, including water and other liquids.
Conventional microwave heating devices have three elements: a microwave generator, a waveguide, and an applicator. The microwave generator, which may be any of a number of types, produces microwaves of a frequency or range of frequencies suited to the material to be heated. The waveguide is coupled at one end to the microwave generator and at the other to the applicator so that radiation passes to the applicator which contains the material to be heated. Depending on the type of material to be heated, the applicator may be a cavity, as in a domestic microwave oven, or an extended waveguide through which the material to be heated is passed.
Conventional microwave heating devices have two major disadvantages. Firstly, the need for a separate waveguide and applicator in addition to the microwave generator limits the minimum size and cost of the device. And secondly, coupling losses both between the microwave generator and the waveguide, and between the waveguide and the applicator, reduce the efficiency of the device. Furthermore, most conventional microwave generators require a high-voltage power supply which leads to a high cost of manufacture.
There is therefore a need for compact, efficient microwave devices for heating liquids which overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art.

Liquid heating in interaction region of microwave generator

Ramot University Authority for Applied Research & Industrial Development Ltd.


A credential management system is described that provides a way to disable and/or rotate credentials, such as when a credential is suspected to have been compromised, while minimizing potential impact to various systems that may depend on such credentials. The credentials may be disabled temporarily at first and the availability of various resources is monitored for changes. If no significant drop of availability in the resources has occurred, the credential may be disabled for a longer period of time. In this manner, the credentials may be disabled and re-enabled for increasingly longer time intervals until it is determined with sufficient confidence/certainty that disabling the credential will not adversely impact critical systems, at which point the credential can be rotated and/or permanently disabled. This process also enables the system to determine which systems are affected by a credential in cases where such information is not known.

Security is an important concern in cloud computing due to the nature of the multitenant environment where multiple users share the resources. It is generally important for the cloud operator or service provider to manage the usernames, passwords, cryptographic keys, public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates and the like. This can be a cumbersome task because of the large numbers of users and credentials involved. In certain situations, credentials may be leaked, stolen or otherwise compromised. It is desirable to provide an efficient way to manage such large numbers of credentials, including rotating them at certain times.


This disclosure describes technology, which can be implemented as a method, apparatus, and/or computer software embodied in a computer-readable medium, capable of deforming internal geometry within an outer geometry to account for light bending due to refraction, for example, for real-time modeling of a gaze direction of a 3D computer generated character's eyes. In some implementations, internal eye geometry can be deformed to capture the effect of refraction in real-time such that the gaze direction of a 3D character's eyes can be modeled during an animation phase prior to a rendering phase in the production of a computer generated motion picture.

Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to change in its speed. In optics, refraction occurs when a light wave, or ray, travels from a medium with a given refractive index to a medium with another refractive index at angle other than zero degrees or 90 degrees. Refraction is described by Snell's law, which states that the angle of incidence is related to the angle of refraction by:
            sin                    (                  θ                                                              1                )                    sin                    (                  θ                                                              2                )              =                    v                                                  1                    v                                                  2              =                  n                                                  2                    n                                                  1            where θ1 is the angle of incidence, θ2 is the angle of refraction, v1 and v2 are the wave velocities in the respective media, and n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of the respective media.
In computer graphics, most well designed computer generated (CG) characters have expressive eyes that help them engage emotionally with an audience. The eyes of a CG character can vary dramatically in their design. For example, eyes may be comprised of varying refractive indices, varying cornea sizes, and varying locations of the internal eye geometry including the pupil, iris, and lens. Big cartoony eyes may have large refraction indices. Without accounting for refraction, the internal eye geometry of such a character will appear different when viewed from a particular position than when refraction is taken into account. Moreover, because of refraction, the actual gaze direction of a character's eye depends on the relative location of the internal eye geometry with respect to a camera position and view.

Refraction determination for animating 3D objects