To improve the operability by a speed-change cable and to reduce the cable by selecting an adequate arrangement structure of the speed-change cable from a transmission case to an operating element of a handle on the front portion of a vehicle body. An arrangement structure of a speed-change cable is such that the speed-change cable is attached at one end to an arm portion of a derailleur and the speed-change cable is guided from the mounting portion through an outer cable mounting hole of a derailleur shaft to a through-hole opening at the upper front portion of a transmission case, and extends from the through-hole outside the case and along the front frame of the vehicle body substantially straight. The extended end is attached to a cable operation mechanism at the handle on the front portion of the vehicle body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement structure of a speed-change cable. More specifically, to an arrangement structure of a speed-change cable in a transmission for a bicycle.
2. Description of Background Art
A connecting portion of the speed-change cable connected to a derailleur in the transmission for a bicycle in the related art is located at the rear portion of the bicycle because the position to arrange the derailleur is in the vicinity of an axle of a rear wheel. Thus, the speed-change cable to be connected to the derailleur is arranged so as to extend from the connecting portion towards the rear of the vehicle body, inverted to form a curved portion, and extend to a speed-change operation member on a handle at the front of the vehicle body. See, for example, JP-A-8-219139 pages 3-4 and FIG. 4-FIG. 5.
As shown in FIGS. 20(a) and 20(b), the derailleur operating cable in the transmission for a bicycle disclosed in JP-A-8-219139 is configured in such a manner that a connecting portion at one end of an operating wire 02, which is an inner cable of the cable 01 is connected to the derailleur, not shown in FIGS. 20(a) and 20(b). Thus, the operating wire 02, which is the inner cable of the cable 01, is pulled or slackened to operate the derailleur by speed-change operation of a speed-change operating element provided on the handle, not shown, to select a desired speed gear.
Among others, the rear derailleur operating cable 01 is arranged so as to have an extending portion 03 from the connecting portion to the rear derailleur, not shown, rearwardly of the vehicle body, inverted to form a curved portion 04, extending along a lower horizontal frame 05 or a obliquely upwardly extending frame 06 of the vehicle body. The cable 01 further extends along the oblique frame 07 or a horizontal frame 08 and extends towards the speed-change operating element, not shown, provided on the handle at the front of the vehicle body, and connected to the speed-change operating element at the extended end, which is the other end of the cable 01, via the wire 02, which is the inner cable.
The above-described derailleur operating cable 01 which extends at portion 03 from the connecting portion to the rear derailleur rearwardly of the vehicle body and then is inverted and extends towards the front of the vehicle body cannot avoid the existence of the curved portion 04 in the course of the extension thereof. The existence of the curved portion 04 causes a frictional force between the operating wire 02, which is the inner cable of the cable 01, and the outer cable at the curved portion. Consequently, an operating load in operating the derailleur increases, and the smooth operability thereof is impaired. Thus, increases in the length of the operating cable 01 due to the existence of the curved portion 04 cannot be avoided.
Because of the arrangement structure of the above-described operating cable, the existence of the curved portion cannot be avoided in the extension forwardly of the vehicle body. Thus, a reduction of the operating load for the speed-change is difficult due to its structure, and the securement of good operability is limited. There is also a problem that a reduction in the length of the operating cable cannot be achieved.

Arrangement structure of speed-change cable


An integrated circuit fuse with a fuse element having an "open" state and a "closed" state. A fuse status indicator is provided to indicate whether the fuse element is "open" or "closed". A current driver is electrically connected between the fuse element and electrical ground. One input of a dual input multiplexer is electrically connected to the fuse status indicator. The multiplexer's other input receives a fuse status simulation signal. A simulation mode switching signal is applied to the multiplexer's select input. A fuse output signal is consequently provided at the multiplexer's output to simulate operation of the fuse element in either the "open" or the "closed" state. The fuse element can be opened by causing a current having a value exceeding a preselected minimum value to flow through the fuse element for a preselected minimum time. This is preferably accomplished by fabricating the current driver as an NMOS device having a size sufficiently large to conduct the minimum value current for the minimum time required to open the fuse element. Advantageously, a pre-driver is provided to rapidly turn the current driver on, upon receipt of a fuse opening signal.

Integrated circuits ("ICs") commonly incorporate one or more fuses, in conjunction with other circuit elements (possibly including more fuses), to control various circuit parameters (i.e. a digital value, a voltage, a current, a gain, a frequency response etc.). In general, a fuse operates in one of two states, namely a "closed" (i.e. low resistance) state, and an "open" (i.e. high resistance) state.
A variety of prior art fuses have been used in ICs. For example, one fuse structure is formed by the so-called "Zener zap" method. Such fuses operate in the "open" state by default, up to the Zener voltage; and are operated in the "closed" state by causing a very large current (typically >200 mA) to flow for a long period of time (typically >1 sec) through the fuse's Zener diode component. The objective is to increase the diode temperature to the point that the metal "spikes" through the junction, thus shorting the Zener diode. "Zener zap" fuses have very low leakage current and very low capacitance when operating in the "open" state at voltages sufficiently lower than the Zener breakdown voltage, both of which are desirable characteristics. Further, only a supply voltage (usually not the IC's own power supply) is needed to "close" such fuses, no extra process steps are required to form such fuses (assuming that Zener diodes are part of the standard process flow employed in fabricating the IC incorporating the fuse), and no extra chip pins are required if probe pads are used.
"Zener zap" fuses are however subject to some significant disadvantages. For example, such fuses can be operated in the "open" state only up to the Zener breakdown voltage. Further, a very large current (typically >200 mA, as aforesaid) must flow through fuse's Zener diode component for a very long time (typically >1 sec) to "close" the fuse. Thus, it may take several seconds to spike the junction as aforesaid. This increases test time and hence cost of the IC. Due to the large currents required, it is usually only possible to spike the junction at probe. Thus, package stress effects on some types of analog circuits can not be trimmed out. A further problem is that the fuse's resistance while operating in the "closed" state can vary widely, depending on factors such as the fabrication process employed, current, metal thickness, crystal orientation, etc. Moreover, the fuse's "open" resistance is voltage-dependent (the closer to the Zener breakdown voltage, the lower the resistance). Additionally, "Zener zap" fuses can of course only be formed by IC fabrication processes having good Zener diode fabrication characteristics.
Another common fuse structure is formed by the so-called "laser fuse link" method. Such fuses operate in the "closed" state by default, and are operated in the "open" state by using a laser to vaporize the fuse link. The link is usually made of a low resistance material such as gatePoly or metal. Desirable characteristics of laser link fuses include their very high "open" resistance (>10M.OMEGA.) if the laser is configured correctly; their low "closed" resistance (typically between 200.OMEGA. to 50 m.OMEGA.); their low capacitance; their usage of only a very small portion of the IC area; the fact that no extra process steps are required to fabricate such fuses; and, the fact that no extra chip pins or probe pads are needed to "open" the fuse (although probe pads or chip pins may be needed to measure the parameter being trimmed).
However, laser link fuses have some disadvantages, including: the need for a laser to "open" the fuse link; possible large variations in "open" resistance if the laser is not properly configured; the fact that there must be no passivation over the link and the resultant reliability hazard if the part is to go into a plastic package; the fact that such fuses can only be "opened" at probe for plastic packages and thus package stress effects on some types of analog circuits can not be trimmed out; and, the fact that it can take up to a full second to align the laser on the link and vaporize it, thus increasing test time and hence cost of the IC.
Another prior art fuse structure is formed by the so-called "poly fuse method #1" method. Such fuses operate in the "closed" state by default, and are operated in the "open" state by applying a high voltage (typically over 10 volts) across the fuse. In more modern fabrication processes this voltage is higher than the breakdown voltage of the devices comprising the IC and hence this voltage is usually forced across the fuse by an external voltage supply via probe pads. However, other probe pads are required to protect the rest of the circuitry from breakdown. Advantages of fuses formed by this method include their low "closed" resistance (typically <500.OMEGA.); the fact that passivation over the poly fuse need not be removed and hence such fuses exhibit better reliability than laser link fuses when encapsulated in plastic packages (however, if the passivation is removed then the voltage needed to "open" the fuse is reduced); the fact that no extra chip pins are required if the fuse is to be "opened" at probe with probe pads; and, their usage of only a small portion of the IC area (typically just the fuse and 2 probe pads).
Fuses formed by the poly fuse method #1 also have short-comings. For example, package stress effects on some types of analog circuits can not be trimmed out if the fuse is "opened" at probe. Further, it is possible that the fuse may "open" only marginally (i.e. exhibit an "open" resistance on the order of about 10 k.OMEGA.). This can happen if the fuse is not "opened" in the correct adiabatic manner by applying the full power of the supply to the fuse and not to its surroundings, resulting in incomplete vaporization. Hence, the sense circuitry must either detect a marginally "open" fuse and attempt to "re-open" it, failing which the part must be discarded; or, apply a much higher voltage across the fuse to ensure correct adiabatic "opening", which in turn necessitates careful protection of circuit devices incapable of withstanding such higher voltages. Since an external voltage source is required, it can take a up to one-half second to "open" the fuse (due to the large parasitic capacitances, the sense point of the supply, etc). This increases test time and hence cost of the IC.
A further problem is that, if a fuse formed by the poly fuse method #1 is not correctly "opened", the fuse may regrow over time (the so-called "poly re-growth" problem), potentially reducing the fuse's "open" resistance to that of a "closed" fuse (the re-growth resistance can be as low as 1 k.OMEGA.). Regrowth is caused by the voltage potential which is inevitably applied across the fuse during normal operation of the circuit; with the regrowth time increasing in inverse proportion to such voltage potential. If digital circuitry is used to sense the fuse, the voltage potential can be quite high, whereas in analog sense circuits the voltage potential in question is highly dependent upon the nature of the circuit.
Yet another prior art fuse structure is formed by the so-called "poly fuse method #2" method (see for example Moyal et al U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,384,727 and 5,412,594). Such fuses operate in the "closed" state by default, and are operated in the "open" state by passing an on-chip current (typically 15 mA) through the fuse via internal circuitry. This requires a fuse having sufficiently low "closed" resistance that the IR drop remains within the maximum supply voltage of the device. Fuses formed by this method usually cannot be placed in the direct analog path (i.e. indrict digital control of the analog parameter being trimmed is required). Advantages of fuses formed by this method include their low "closed" resistance (typically 200.OMEGA.); the fact that passivation over the poly fuse need not be removed and hence such fuses exhibit better reliability than laser link fuses when encapsulated in plastic packages (however, if the passivation is removed then the voltage needed to "open" the fuse is reduced); the fact that no extra chip pins are required if the fuse is to be "opened" at probe; the fact that the fuse can be "opened" either at probe or at package; the fact that the fuse can be measured to determine whether it has been only marginally "opened", and corrective action taken to reopen the fuse (although this requires extra IC area, thus increasing cost of the IC); and, the fact that the fuse can be shorted out by providing extra circuitry to prevent poly re-growth, with the fuse state held by a flip-flop (although this also requires extra IC area and thus increases cost).
The main short comings of fuses formed by the poly fuse method #2 include the fact that if the fuse is "opened" at probe, then package stress effects on some types of analog circuits can not be trimmed out; the fact that the poly fuse may "open" only marginally ("open" resistance on the order of 10 k.OMEGA.); and, the fact that such fuses are subject to the aforementioned "poly re-growth" problem.
Other prior art fuse fabrication techniques requiring special processes have also been developed.
A desirable fuse and fuse fabrication method should:
Be usable either at probe or at package. PA1 Consume no more circuit area than the fuse plus two probe pads. PA1 Provide a mode for simulating fuse "opening" to assess circuit performance without actually "opening" the fuse, thereby simplifying trimming of analog parameters by predetermining the effect of the fuse on such parameters. PA1 Provide a standby mode in which a very small idle current (<1 .mu.A) flows through the fuse, such that at startup the state of the fuse can be determined (i.e. "open" or "closed") and stored, after which the fuse can be operated in standby mode with the aforementioned simulation mode being used to drive the circuit. PA1 Ensure, to a high probability, that the fuse will "open" in the correct adiabatic manner, thereby minimizing the fuse re-growth problem (the standby mode should apply only a very small voltage potential across the fuse to prevent fuse re-growth). PA1 Minimize sense circuitry detection of marginally "open" fuses which exhibit resistance of less than about 5 k. PA1 Facilitate simultaneous "opening" of multiple fuses, thereby reducing test time. PA1 Be implementable in a standard digital CMOS process.
The present invention provides a fuse and fuse fabrication method having the foregoing characteristics.


A method for forming a patterned layer within a microelectronics fabrication. There is first provided a substrate employed within a microelectronics fabrication. There is then formed over the substrate an oxygen containing plasma etchable layer, where the oxygen containing plasma etchable layer is formed of a material which is also susceptible to etching within a fluorine containing plasma. There is then formed upon the oxygen containing plasma etchable layer a hard mask layer. There is then formed upon the hard mask layer a patterned photoresist layer. There is then etched through use of a first anisotropic plasma etch method the hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer while simultaneously reaching the oxygen containing plasma etchable layer and while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a first etch mask layer. The first anisotropic plasma etch method employs an etchant gas composition appropriate for etching the hard mask material. There is then stripped from the patterned hard mask layer the patterned photoresist layer, where the patterned photoresist layer is stripped employing a stripping method which does not attack the oxygen containing plasma etchable layer. Finally, there is then etched through use of a second plasma etch method the oxygen containing plasma etchable layer to form a patterned oxygen containing plasma etchable layer while employing the patterned hard mask layer as a second etch mask layer, where the second plasma etch method is the fluorine containing plasma etch method. The method is particularly useful for forming patterned low dielectric constant dielectric layers within microelectronics fabrications.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to oxygen containing plasma etchable layers within microelectronics fabrications. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for forming patterned oxygen containing plasma etchable layers within microelectronics fabrications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronics fabrications are formed from microelectronics substrates over which are formed patterned microelectronics conductor layers which are separated by microelectronics dielectric layers.
As microelectronics integration levels have increased and microelectronics device and conductor element dimensions have decreased, it has become increasingly common within the art of microelectronics fabrication to employ interposed between the patterns of narrow linewidth dimension and/or narrow pitch dimension patterned microelectronics conductor layers within microelectronics fabrications microelectronics dielectric layers formed of low dielectric constant dielectric materials. For the purposes of this disclosure, low dielectric constant dielectric materials are intended as dielectric materials having a dielectric constant of less than about 3.6, while higher dielectric constant dielectric layers formed within microelectronics fabrications employing conventional silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride dielectric materials typically have dielectric constants in the range of from about 4.0 to about 7.0. Microelectronics dielectric layers formed of low dielectric constant dielectric materials are desirable interposed between the patterns of narrow linewidth dimension and/or narrow pitch dimension patterned microelectronics conductor layers within microelectronics fabrications since such dielectric layers formed from such low dielectric constant dielectric materials provide dielectric layers through which there may be fabricated microelectronics fabrications with enhanced microelectronics fabrication speed, attenuated patterned microelectronics conductor layer parasitic capacitance and attenuated patterned microelectronics conductor layer cross-talk.
Low dielectric constant dielectric materials which may be employed for forming low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers within microelectronics fabrications are typically materials with elevated hydrogen and/or carbon content, such as but not limited to organic polymer spin-on-polymer dielectric materials (such as but not limited to polyimide organic polymer spin-on-polymer dielectric materials, poly (arylene ether) organic polymer spin-on-polymer dielectric materials, and fluorinated poly (arylene ether) organic polymer spin-on-polymer dielectric materials), amorphous carbon dielectric materials (such as but not limited to amorphous carbon and fluorinated amorphous carbon) and silsesqiuoxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials (such as but not limited to hydrogen silsesquioxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials, carbon bonded hydrocarbon silsesquioxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials, and carbon bonded fluorocarbon silsesquioxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials).
Silsesquioxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials are characterized by the general chemical formula R1--Si(OR2)3, where: (1) R1 may be any of several radicals, including but not limited to hydrogen radical (--H) and carbon bonded organic radicals such as but not limited to carbon bonded hydrocarbon radicals (such as but not limited to methyl radical --CH3) and ethyl radical (--C2H5)) and carbon bonded fluorocarbon radicals (such as but not limited to trifluoromethyl radical (--CF3) and pentafluoroethyl radical (--C2F5)), but not oxygen bonded radicals; and (2) R2 is typically, although not exclusively, a carbon bonded organic radical such as but not limited to a methyl radical (--CH3) or an ethyl radical (--C2H5). Such silsesquioxane spin-on-glass dielectric materials are typically spin-coated and subsequently thermally cured at temperatures of from about 350 to about 420 degrees centigrade to form within microelectronics fabrications low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers.
While organic polymer spin-on-polymer dielectric materials, amorphous carbon dielectric materials, and silsesquioxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials are thus desirable within the art of microelectronics fabrication for forming low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers within microelectronics fabrications, organic polymer spin-on-polymer dielectric materials, amorphous carbon dielectric materials, and silsesquioxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials are not entirely without problems in forming low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers within microelectronics fabrications. In particular, organic polymer spin-on polymer dielectric materials, amorphous carbon dielectric materials, and silsesquioxane spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric materials, due to their hydrogen content and/or carbon content, are difficult to pattern with uniform linewidth dimension within advanced microelectronics fabrications through conventional photolithographic methods employing conventional positive or negative photoresist etch mask layers, since when stripping while employing a conventional oxygen containing plasma etch method from such a patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layer a conventional positive or negative photoresist etch mask layer which is employed in defining the patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layer, there is typically laterally etched the patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layer due to susceptibility to etching of the low dielectric constant dielectric material within the oxygen containing plasma etch method.
Laterally etched patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers are undesirable within advanced microelectronics fabrications since when such laterally etched patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers have contact vias or interconnection vias formed therethrough to access semiconductor substrate contact regions or patterned conductor layer contact regions within microelectronics fabrications there is often compromised the linewidth and/or spacing of patterned microelectronics conductor stud layers formed within the contact vias or interconnection vias formed through those laterally etched patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers.
It is thus towards the goal of forming within advanced microelectronics fabrications patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers formed from oxygen containing plasma etchable dielectric materials, with attenuated lateral etching of the patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers when stripping from the patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers patterned photoresist layers employed in defining those patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers that the present invention is more specifically directed. In a more general sense, the present invention is also directed towards forming within advanced microelectronics fabrications patterned microelectronics layers (not necessarily patterned microelectronics dielectric layers) formed of oxygen containing plasma etchable materials with attenuated lateral etching of the patterned microelectronics layers when stripping from the patterned microelectronics layers patterned photoresist layers which are employed in defining those patterned microelectronics layers.
Various photolithographic and etch methods have been disclosed in the art of microelectronics fabrication for forming patterned microelectronics layers within microelectronics fabrications.
For example, Liu in ULSI Technology, C. Y. Chang et al., eds., McGraw-Hill (1996), pp. 446-47, discloses in general various methods for forming within integrated circuit microelectronics fabrications bordered and borderless stacked patterned conductor contact layers. Disclosed are both damascene and non-damascene methods for forming the bordered and borderless stacked patterned conductor contact layers.
Similarly, Korczynski, in "Low-k dielectric integration cost modelling," Solid State Technology, October 1997, pp. 123-28, discloses in general various methods for forming patterned low dielectric constant dielectric layers interposed between the patterns of patterned conductor interconnection layers within microelectronics fabrications. Disclosed are standard patterned conductor metal interconnection formation and isolation methods and dual damascene patterned conductor metal interconnection formation and isolation methods.
In addition, Lin et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,883, discloses a method for forming a contact via structure through at least one dielectric layer within an integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication. The method employs at least the one dielectric layer having formed thereover a first buffer layer which in turn has formed thereupon a second buffer layer, where the second buffer layer has a higher isotropic etch rate in an isotropic etch method than the first buffer layer. By employing the isotropic etch method for etching the second buffer layer and at least a portion of the first buffer layer, followed by an anisotropic etch method for etching any remainder of the first buffer layer and at least the one dielectric layer, the taper of the sidewall of a via formed through at least the second buffer layer, the first buffer layer and the dielectric layer may be controlled.
Further, Moslehi, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,693, discloses a photolithography method for use in fabricating patterned integrated circuit microelectronics layers within integrated circuit microelectronics fabrications, where the photolithography method is undertaken employing dry processing methods only. The completely dry processing photolithography method employs a halogen doped silicon layer or a halogen doped silicon-germanium layer as a photosensitive layer from which is subsequently grown an oxide hard mask layer employed as an etch mask layer when etching a processable integrated circuit microelectronics layer formed below the halogen doped silicon layer or the halogen doped silicon-germanium layer.
Yet further, Havemann, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,384, discloses a method for forming within an integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication a self-aligned via through an inorganic dielectric layer to access a patterned conductor layer formed below the inorganic dielectric layer, where the patterned conductor layer has interposed at least partially between its patterns an organic containing dielectric layer. The patterned conductor layer and the organic dielectric layer are completely covered by the inorganic dielectric layer. The method employs an anisotropic etchant which is selective to the inorganic dielectric layer with respect to the organic dielectric layer, such that the organic dielectric layer serves as an etch stop layer when etching the self-aligned via through the inorganic dielectric layer, thus avoiding overetching of the organic dielectric layer.
Still yet further, Shoda, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,953, discloses a method for forming within an integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication a void free patterned contiguous interconnection and contact stud layer within a dielectric layer having formed therein an interconnection trench contiguous with but at a different level than a contact via. The method employs forming upon the floor of the interconnection trench a first material which exhibits a first incubation time for forming the patterned contiguous interconnection and contact stud layer thereupon. The method also employs forming upon the floor of the contact via a second material which exhibits a second incubation time for forming the patterned contiguous interconnection and contact stud layer thereupon, where the first incubation time is greater than the second incubation time.
Moreover, Ohsaki, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,243, discloses a method for forming an interconnection stud layer within an interconnection via within a dielectric layer within an integrated circuit, where the interconnection via is conventionally formed employing a single etch method while employing a pair of patterned photoresist etch mask layers sequentially overlying the dielectric layer. The method employs a sacrificial organic interconnection via filling layer filled within the interconnection via subsequent to a first etch method within a pair of etch methods, such that the pair of etch methods may be undertaken with separate patterned photoresist layers and thus provide the interconnection stud layer and interconnection via of maximum width.
Finally, Lee et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,240, discloses a method for forming a patterned conductor contact layer contacting a semiconductor substrate within an integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication, while avoiding trenching within the semiconductor substrate when etching the patterned conductor contact layer from a corresponding blanket conductor contact layer formed contacting the semiconductor substrate. The method employs: (1) a first patterned conductor layer formed upon a patterned dielectric layer formed upon the semiconductor substrate, where the first patterned conductor layer does not contact the semiconductor substrate; and (2) a second patterned conductor layer patterned to terminate upon the first patterned conductor layer while contacting the first patterned conductor layer and the semiconductor substrate.
Desirable within the art of microelectronics fabrication are methods and materials through which there may be formed within microelectronics fabrications patterned microelectronics layers formed of oxygen containing plasma etchable materials, with attenuated lateral etching of the patterned microelectronics layers when stripping from the patterned microelectronics layers patterned photoresist layers employed in defining the patterned microelectronics layers. More particularly desirable within the art of microelectronics fabrication are methods and materials through which there may be formed within microelectronics fabrications patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers formed of oxygen containing plasma etchable low dielectric constant dielectric materials, with attenuated lateral etching of the patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers when stripping from the patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers patterned photoresist layers employed in defining those patterned low dielectric constant microelectronics dielectric layers.
It is towards the foregoing objects that the present invention is both generally and more specifically directed.

Hard masking method for forming oxygen containing plasma etchable layer

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


In one aspect, the invention comprises an instrumented drill head for intended use with a drilling machine including a drilling element, such as a drill bit. The drill head includes a case with a rotatable chuck for the drilling element. A first sensor associated with the drill head senses and generates an output signal representative of a first parameter of the drilling operation. A transmitter wirelessly transmits the signal to a receiver associated with a controller. A roof bolting machine including the drill head and a resin inserter is also disclosed, as are related methods of instrumenting a drill head and drilling using an instrumented drill head.

Heavy-duty drills using rotatable bits for penetrating into the earth enjoy widespread use. Recently, significant attention has been given to the use of feedback control to make the drilling operation more efficient, especially when drilling hard material (e.g., rock). By using such feedback control, the drilling operation can be continuously monitored and adjusted to ensure that the correct amount of thrust is applied or the rotational speed of the drilling element (bit) is maintained at the most efficient level to maximize the material removed per revolution, to avoid unnecessary grinding of the material, and to extend the service life of the bit. Examples of such feedback control systems can be found in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,216,800 and 6,637,522, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. As an adjunct to sensing or measuring the thrust force and rotational speed, the torque acting on the drill bit can also be estimated and used to prevent overloading on the associated rotational motor.
A known manner of assessing the thrust acting on the drill bit and the rotational speed involves sensing or measuring characteristics of the hydraulic fluid used to power the drill. For example, the pressure in the fluid may be measured by a sensor (transducer) to obtain a signal proportional to the thrust acting on the drill bit. Likewise, the velocity of the hydraulic fluid flowing to the motor for rotating the bit may be measured using a sensor to obtain a signal proportional to the rotational speed. One or both "feedback" signals may then be used to monitor the drilling operation and make any adjustments necessary to maximize efficiency and extend the life of the drill bit.
In the past, the feed pressure and velocity sensors associated with the supply of hydraulic fluid to the drill head were "hardwired" to an input board. The input board transmitted the output signals over wires connected to a remote controller or computer elsewhere on the corresponding drilling machine for providing the desirable feedback control. In the harsh environment where earth (e.g., rock or coal) drilling usually takes place (e.g., in underground mines), the wiring is readily susceptible to being damaged. Even minor damage may render the feedback control totally useless.
A more conventional manner of measuring the rotational speed employs sensors mounted external on the drill head adjacent to the bit to measure physically the rotational speed or the thrust acting on it. However, such sensors must be calibrated frequently to compensate for machine variances. Like the fluid pressure and velocity sensors mentioned in the foregoing discussion, the external sensors are also susceptible to being damaged as the result of the conditions under which the drilling machine is typically used.
Accordingly, a need is identified for one or more embodiments of an instrumented drill head that eliminate the foregoing limitations and problems, either singularly or collectively.

Instrumented drill head, related drilling/bolting machines, and methods


A shoe sole 3 of the present invention comprises a midsole 4 and an outsole 5, in which the outsole 5 includes a cushion member 10 formed beneath the midsole 4, in a shape of a series of zigzags, with a determined thickness and width. The cushion member may disperse the wearer's weight uniformly to the whole area of the shoe sole and may provide comfortable deformation of the shoe sole according to the wearer's walking behavior due to spaces defined in the cushion member. Since the cushion member gets opened and shrunk repeatedly while walking, the wearer can propel one's round walking, thereby that the shoe sole can reduce the fatigue of the wearer's feet and protect the wearer's joints like ankles and knees safely.

In general, shoes are used to protect a human's feet, and may be manufactured and be sold in a various shapes and kinds. A Shoe includes an upper for protecting an instep and an ankle, and a shoe sole for protecting a sole of the foot, in which the shoe sole increases the friction for walking and softening the impact from the sole while walking.
To soften the impact transferred from the ground to the sole in the above general shoe, an insert can be inserted inside the shoe, the shoe sole or the heel can be made of high buffering rubber and form sponge, or the shoe sole can include a built-in elastic part like an airbag or a spring.
As above mentioned, in case that a shoe sole is made only of rubber or form sponge or has an elastic member like an airbag or a spring inside, it can just absorb impact but cannot help a natural and effective walking. When walking along a walking path which is approximately shaped of an arc traveling from the heel to the toe, the conventional shoe soles have a problem that they cannot help the walker walk naturally and effectively.
Specially, since many people enjoy a bountiful life and work in 5 days per a week, the population of people who enjoy an outdoor life is steeply increasing. At the same time, many shoe makers are investing much time and effort to develop functional shoes, which can provide an improved wearing sensation, protect one's knee and ankle, and improve one's health only in case of walking with the shoes.
As various functions applicable to the outdoor shoes, there are shoes which are for non-slip, impact absorption, air ventilation, preventing athlete's foot, and odor treatment, and are also for round walking which propels one's walking naturally and effectively, as if a sphere rolls on a plane.
Relating to shoe which help the round walking and a walking propelling member therefor, a Korean Patent No. 10-560367 filed on Dec. 9, 2005 and registered on Mar. 7, 2006, discloses a walking propelling member and shoes having the walking propelling member built-in.
The conventional walking propelling member as above mentioned, includes an upper body and a lower body both shaped of a shoe heel, in which a wall member is formed between the upper and lower bodies. The wall member has a central wall vertically standing at the point of about ⅗˜⅘ of the upper/lower bodies, and a first and a second pressing walls a tilt inclined, which are getting more and more inclined from the central wall to both side ends until 16˜20 degrees.
Therefore, when a determined pressure is applied through the conventional walking propelling member, the pressure ratio is high at one end of the walking propelling member, is getting lower as moving to a center of the waling propelling member and getting higher as moving from the center to the other end, wherein the walking propelling member gets curved in a shape of an arc.
In a case that the above conventional walking propelling member is built in the heel portion of the shoe sole or installed as a shoe heel, it can be pressed into a curved shape for round walking by loads of a body applied successively, so as to absorb walking impact, protect the joints of the knee and the ankle, and reduce fatigue on the sole, through natural and effective walking.
But, since the conventional walking propelling member is positioned at the heel of the shoe sole, a short round walking is performed at the first time when the heel touches the ground, however no further round walking follows during the period of walking from the medial arch of foot to the toe.
Accordingly, there are problems that the conventional shoe sole cannot protect the walker's knee and ankle and reduce fatigue of the foot sole, with failure to more reasonable and effective load dispersion and round walking over the whole of the foot sole. Although some of the conventional shoe soles may have an additional built-in walking propelling member, such as airbag or spring, the costs for manufacturing the shoe may increase due to the inconvenience of shoe producing.

Propulsive sole for impact distribution and round walking


An elastic composition comprising the following structure:

Materials having the capability to self-heal have been long sought, particularly in the case of biomimetic materials, such as materials mimicking skin. Separation membranes would also benefit from self-healing materials with recoverable functionalities because fractures and pin-hole defects are known to adversely affect the separation performance. Stretchable elastomers that self-heal could also be of use in epidermal devices (e.g., that include wearable bio-signal monitors), strain/pressure/humidity sensors, displays, and stretchable or flexible batteries. Although elastic materials with a limited degree of self-healing capability are known, efforts in producing materials with super elasticity along with self-healing ability (e.g., to better simulate skin) have been largely unsuccessful.

Abstract: wherein: PDMS is polydimethylsiloxane having at least 5 dimethylsiloxane units; L is a bond or hydrocarbon linker; the asterisk (*) in A units denotes a connection point with an asterisk in B units, and at least one of the following linkages connect between connection points:

Abstract: r is an integer of at least 3; R is a hydrocarbon or siloxane-containing linking moiety; the composition includes a multiplicity of A units and multiplicity of B units; and a portion of the connection points are necessarily terminated by endcapping groups, wherein at least a portion of the endcapping groups are selected from the following structures:

Abstract: The invention also includes methods for making and using the above-described elastic composition.


The present invention makes repair easy and reduces effects on the electrical connection conditions of an electronic component to an internal wiring after repair and on the mechanical strength of the repair part in a case of breakage or separation of an electrode for implementation of the electronic component. In a multilayer wiring board, a plurality of wiring sheets each having an internal wiring and a plurality of electrical insulating sheets are arranged alternately in the thickness directions of these sheets, and a plurality of electrodes for implementing an electronic component electrically connected to the internal wirings are formed on the surface of an uppermost sheet. The multilayer wiring board further comprises a plurality of spare electrodes corresponding to the electrodes and electrically connected to the internal wirings connected to the corresponding electrodes directly under the corresponding electrodes on a sheet located directly under the uppermost sheet.

As examples of wiring boards of this kind, there are ones described in Patent Literature 1 to 4. One of them is shown in FIG. 7, which is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the proximity of an electronic component implemented on the upper surface of the multilayer wiring board.
Referring to FIG. 7, a multilayer wiring board 110 comprises a plurality of wiring sheets 112a, 112b and a plurality of electrical insulating sheets 114a, 114b, 114c, and these sheets 112a, 112b, 114a, 114b, 114c are layered alternately in their thickness directions.
Although only two wiring sheets 112a, 112b and only three electrical insulating sheets 114a, 114b, 114c are shown in the example shown in the figure, the multilayer wiring board 110 may comprise more wiring sheets and more electrical insulating sheets.
Each of the wiring sheets 112a, 112b comprises a sheet-like member made of ceramic, polyimide resin, or the like and a plurality of internal wirings 116 made of a conductive material such as copper at least on the upper surface of the sheet-like member.
Each of the electrical insulating sheets 114a, 114b, 114c is made of an adhesive material such as polyimide resin and is piled up over one of the wiring sheets 112a, 112b to cover the internal wirings 116.
The electrical insulating sheet 114a located at the uppermost layer of the multilayer wiring board 110 has a plurality of electrodes 122 to implement the electronic component 120 on the upper surface of the multilayer wiring board 110 (the electrical insulating sheet 114a). Each electrode 122 shapes an annular or rectangular flat land.
Each internal wiring 116 of the wiring sheets 112a, 112b and each electrode 122 of the uppermost electrical insulating sheet 114a are electrically connected by a conductive portion 124 such as a conductive through hole penetrating the multilayer wiring board 110 in the board thickness direction.
Although only one set consisting of two electrodes 122, two conductive portions 124, and one electronic component 120 is shown in the example shown in the figure, more and multiple sets each consisting of electrodes, conductive portions, and an electronic component are actually provided.
Each electrode 122 has a foot pattern 126 formed on the upper surface of the uppermost electrical insulating sheet 114a in a layer shape made of a conductive material such as copper and a connection land 128 formed on the upper surface of the foot pattern 126 to implement the electronic component 120.
Each electronic component 120 has a component main body 130 and a pair of terminals 132 protruded from both the ends of the component main body 130 and is attached to the adjacent electrodes 122 at both the terminals 132 by jointing materials 134 such as solder, conductive adhesive, or the like.
In the example shown in the figure, the electrical insulating sheet 114c located at the lowermost layer of the multilayer wiring board 110 also has a plurality of electrodes 136 on its lower surface. Each electrode 136 is electrically connected to the conductive portion 124 and is electrically connected to another board arranged on the lower side of the multilayer wiring board 110. Although only two electrodes 136 are shown in the example shown in the figure, more electrodes 136 or as many electrodes 136 as the number of the conductive portions 124 are actually provided.
In the multilayer wiring board 110 of this kind, the foot pattern 126 may be separated from the uppermost electrical insulating sheet 114a due to lack of close contact (especially, adhesiveness) between the foot pattern 126 (or the electrode 122) and the uppermost electrical insulating sheet 114a, impact applied to the multilayer wiring board 110, etc.
When the foot pattern 126 is separated as above, failures occur such as breakage of the connection land 128 formed on the foot pattern 126 or breakage of the electrode 122 itself or separation of it from the electrical insulating sheet 114a due to separation of the connection land 128 together with the foot pattern 126 from the electrical insulating sheet 114a.
As a result, in the conventional multilayer wiring board 110, the electronic component 120 is electrically separated from the internal wiring 116 or comes off from the multilayer wiring board 110, and the multilayer wiring board 110 and an apparatus equipped with this cannot be used.
When the electrode 122 is broken or separated as above, fixing or repair for electrically connecting the electronic component 120 attached to the broken or separated electrode 122 to the corresponding internal wiring 116 is done.
In the conventional multilayer wiring board 110, since the electrodes 122 are just provided in the uppermost electrical insulating sheet 114a, repair is inevitably done by means of keeping the broken or separated electrode 122, especially the foot pattern 126, on the electrical insulating sheet 114a by covering it with resin or soldering a material such as copper foil to the connection land 128 separated together with the foot pattern 126.
However, the above repair method requires a great deal of labor and skills for the repair work and causes problems of adverse effects on the electrical connection characteristics such as impedance matching between the electronic component 120 and the electrode 122 after repair and on the mechanical strength of the repair part and its proximity.
The aforementioned breakage or separation of the electrode 122 occurs not only in a case where the electrode 122 consists of the foot pattern 126 and the connection land 128 but also in a case where the electrode 122 is formed to be a single layer.    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 5-218218    Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 6-152141    Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent No. 2961859    Patent Literature 4: Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 2006-120738

Multilayer wiring board and electrical connecting apparatus using the same


A light-emitting module structurally suspended between a pair of spaced apart electrical conducting wires wherein each of the wires has selected portions that are electrically insulated from the module. The light emitting module, in concert with the electrical conducting wires, provides structural support for the light emitter portion of the light emitting module via the connections to the insulated and non-insulated portions of the electrical conducting wires. A plurality of light emitting modules may be ganged together in series, parallel or series-parallel electrical configurations to produce chains of light emitting modules. The chains of light emitting modules produce selected or desired illumination depending on the quantity of light emitting modules being ganged together.

A light emitting diode (LED) is a type of semiconductor device that emits a visible light when biased in the forward direction. Lamps incorporating such LEDs as their light source are referred to as LED lamps. Due to their construction, LED lamps are typically smaller than standard neon type lamps, making their use particularly desirable in applications where a premium is placed on space, such as advertising signs and lighted building fascia. Additionally, the LED is energy efficient in that it only requires a small amount of electricity in order to generate a relatively strong light. Therefore, the LED is a particularly desirable lighting source in applications where energy efficiency is important, such as large outdoor advertising signs that typically consume large amounts of electrical energy.
Generally, LED lamps offer a relatively high degree of illumination for their size. LED lamps must usually be combined with other LED lamps in order to achieve the same degree of illumination as a light assembly illuminated by standard neon tubes. The combination of LED lamps typically occupies less space and requires less energy to operate than that of the standard neon type lamps they replace. The space saving and energy efficient features of the LED make it a popular choice with designers who are motivated to reduce the size and/or increase the efficiency of the light source used in their products.
Recently, LED lamps have found application in the signage industry as a source of illumination, replacing standard neon type lamps, for exterior lights, such as channel letters, lighted fascias and the like. It is highly desirable that the light source used in the signs be energy efficient. The LED is a popular choice in such an application because its use permits the replacement of standard neon type lamps that require a larger space and consume a greater amount of energy to operate.
The standard neon type lamps are known to have a high rate of failure when used in a sign application. The high failure rate is attributed to the glass tube breaking due to sudden shocks or bumps experienced under normal manufacturing or shipping conditions. Unlike standard neon type lamps, LED lamps are immune to such failures due to their inherent construction. The light emitted by an LED is caused by the generation of photons from materials within the LED and is not the product of an electric current passing through an illuminating gas. Since the LED does not rely on the glass tube scheme used in neon type lamps, it is better suited for use as a reliable lighting source.
Additionally, standard filament bulb type lamps are known to generate a large amount of heat during their operation. The heat generated by standard filament bulb type lamps not only shortens the life of the light source but may cause thermal damage, deformation, cracking or the like to other nearby lighting elements, such as the deformation or cracking of a nearby plastic lens.
LED modules comprising a plurality of LED lamps are known in the art. Such modules are generally made up of a plurality of LED lamps, each having an anode and cathode lead and a printed circuit board with conductive paths. The plurality of LED lamps are each connected to the printed circuit board by soldering the anode lead of each LED to one path and soldering the cathode lead of each LED to another path. The LED lamps may be arranged along the printed circuit board as desired in order to meet the illumination, space and configuration requirements of the particular light assembly. The LED module is mechanically attached to the light assembly and the printed circuit board is electrical connected to an anode or cathode electrical source within the light assembly.
LED modules known in the art have attempted to minimize the potential for thermal damage to the LED lamps by constructing the LED leads from materials having a low thermal conductivity, such as steel. Using materials of low thermal conductivity reduces the amount of heat that can be transferred from the solder site to the LED chip itself. However, materials having low thermal conductivity necessarily have a correspondingly low electrical conductivity. Therefore, the methods used in the art to minimize the thermal damage of the LED lamps during the soldering operation has resulted in the construction of a LED module that does not display optimal electrical efficiency. Additionally, LED leads constructed from such low thermal conductivity materials effectively limit the amount of power that the LED can dissipate and remain within reliable operational parameters.
Mounting LED lamps on a printed circuit board is also costly. Each LED must be individually positioned on the board for assembly. The boards themselves are costly. Accordingly, a different approach for connecting LED lamps is desirable for both reducing the cost of an LED module and increasing the electrical efficiency of an LED module.
It would be desirable to have an LED module that can accommodate a plurality of LED lamps in a manner that will optimize the reliability of each LED. It would be desirable that the mounting of LED lamps in the LED module promote optimal electrical and thermal efficiency. It would be further desirable that the LED module permit arbitrary spacing of each LED in order to correspond to predetermined shapes or illumination requirements. It would be also desirable that the LED module be practical to produce from both an economic and manufacturing standpoint.


The invention relates to pharmaceutically acceptable salts of guanylhydrazone-containing compounds, for example, Semapimod. The invention also relates to pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the salts and methods for their use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of pharmacology. In one aspect, the invention is directed to improved salts of guanylhydrazone compounds. In another aspect, the invention is directed to the formulation of pharmaceutical compositions containing improved salts of guanylhydrazone compounds. The guanylhydrazone salts may be used for preventive or therapeutic regimens or for the identification of candidate compounds for producing effective drugs having increased or modulated solubility in water or a neutral solution for enhancing or modulating bioavailability.
2. Related Art
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0043079 to D'Souza relates to microencapsulation as a delivery vehicle for a drug. The guanylhydrazone compound Semapimod is disclosed in one embodiment.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0134904 to Giordano et al. relates to guanylhydrazone compounds for inhibiting RNase P activity.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0203969 to Bevec et al. relates to pharmaceutically active aromatic guanylhydrazone compounds.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0028851 to Bianchi et al. relates to guanylhydrazone compounds and their uses to treat inflammatory conditions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,673,777 and 6,143,728 to Tracey et al. relate to guanylhydrazone compounds and their uses for treating diseases associated with T cell activation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,248,787; 6,180,676; 6,022,900; 6,008,255; 5,859,062; 5,854,289; 5,849,794; 5,753,684; 5,750,573; and 5,599,984 all to Bianchi et al. relate to guanylhydrazone compounds and their uses to treat inflammatory conditions.
All references cited herein are incorporated by reference for all purposes.
3. Background of the Technology
Solubility in solution, either for a drug compound with a recognized activity or for a drug candidate compound, is almost always required before the compound can be analyzed or significant bioavailability achieved. Solubility in water or some aqueous or neutral solution is desirable as high solubility eases molecular pharmacology screening as well as biodistribution.
In vitro studies involving such aspects as receptor binding, enzyme inhibition, and cell cultures and studies with isolated organs are all facilitated when the compound is made soluble in H2O or other neutral media. When testing highly water insoluble material for in vitro assays, the common procedure to attain water solubility is to prepare a solution using an organic solvent (DMSO, polyethylene glycol, EtOH, etc.) and then proceed to various aqueous dilutions. In following this regimen, there is always the possibility that the compound will precipitate out during a dilution. Furthermore, any precipitation may not be properly considered if it is not noticeable or the precipitate easily adheres to the wall of the testing vessel.
Most organic acids or bases are only poorly soluble in water, whereas many corresponding salts render the drug substance ionized in H2O and hence made water soluble. Salts that are soluble in water are also ideally suited for the preparation of injectable sterile aqueous solutions. Also, fast dissolution of the active principle contained in solid dosage forms, such as for quick release tablets or hard-gelatine capsules will rely on the aqueous solubility of the drug.
When considering in vivo testing, solubility in H2O facilitates all studies in which parenteral administration is required. In pharmacokinetics, a reliable determination of absolute bioavailability via oral administration is needed before a comparison is possible with an amount administered intravenously because a dose entering the system by the parenteral route is a precisely known reference. Aqueous solubility is particularly important in toxicity studies wherein the digestibility of a compound in an animal will leave uncertainty as to whether an insoluble compound is either toxic or just incompletely absorbed.
On a therapeutic level, the major concern for finding a water-soluble drug resides in the possibility this solubility provides for intravenous administration. The water solubility of a drug is particularly important in drugs for emergency treatments that will permit therapeutic plasma levels to be reached in a very short period of time. Intravenous administration is often the only access available when a patient is otherwise incapacitated in an operation or some emergency situation. Also, water solubility is needed for several types of pharmaceutical dosage formats. Apart from parenteral injection or infusion, water solubility is important for producing aqueous drops for ocular or nasal administration, or aqueous syrup for oral administration.
For oral consumption of a drug compound, the significance of water solubility to pharmacokinetics cannot be underestimated. This is particularly so when the absorption step for the compound is preceded by a dissolution step of the orally ingested dosage format. The in-vivo dissolution step is often the rate determining step for drug absorption. Also, highly water-soluble drugs are, by the fact itself, less toxic than lower water-soluble drugs due to their facilitated renal clearance. They will have a lesser tendency to accumulate in an organism thus avoiding overload to the liver.
Complex guanylhydrazones have been reported in the patent literature above. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,984 to Bianchi et al. listed above discloses hydrochloride salts of complex guanylhydrazone compounds with some degree of water solubility. However, the high acidity associated with some hydrochloride salts, upon dissociation, can cause cellular damage and is a recognized source of phlebitis. Stranz et al., Int. J. Pharm. Compounding (2002), v. 6, n. 3, pp. 216-220. Thus, there is a need in the art to develop salts of guanylhydrazone compounds, and in particular salts of complex guanylhydrazone compounds, having both high water solubility and lower probability of cellular insult due to the acidity of the salt upon dissociation in solution.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Guanylhydrazone salts, compositions, processes of making, and methods of using


A power train configuration for an amphibious vehicle especially well suited for sit-astride applications. A prime mover drives a marine propulsion unit and/or at least one road wheel wherein the such road wheel is driven through a speed-change transmission. The speed-transmission is positioned above or below the axis of the prime mover's output shaft and preferably such that its input and output shafts are aligned at an angle of up to 90 degrees relative to the vehicle's longitudinal and lateral axes and/or the axis of the prime mover's output shaft.

The present invention relates to an amphibious vehicle capable of powered travel on land and water. The present invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to an amphibious vehicle in which a user sits astride the vehicle in the manner of a motorcycle, jet ski, quad bike, or the like.
Amphibious vehicles capable of powered travel on both land and water are known. In a typical arrangement, a prime mover (such as an engine or electric motor) is arranged to provide drive to a marine propulsion unit to propel the vehicle on water and to provide drive to one or more road wheels for travel on land.
Because of the need to drive a marine propulsion unit and at least one road wheel, the power train of an amphibious vehicle is often more complex than that of a conventional road going vehicle or marine only craft. This can give rise to difficulties in designing a power train to be accommodated in the limited available space, whilst also ensuring that the weight distribution is satisfactory for both land and marine usage. This problem is particularly acute for smaller "sit-astride" type amphibious vehicles that are similar in form to motorcycles, jet skis, or quad bikes. Such vehicles tend to have narrower, taller bodywork that makes it difficult to accommodate a conventional amphibious vehicle power train.
There is a need, therefore, for an amphibious vehicle having an improved or alternative power train layout that can be more easily accommodated in a smaller or narrower space, particularly for a sit-astride type amphibious vehicle.

Amphibious vehicle speed change transmission arrangement


A method for determining a sensitivity of a nonparaffinophilic hydrophobic microorganism to an antimicrobial agent. The method includes providing at least one receptacle containing an aqueous broth including a carbon source and introducing the nonparaffinophilic hydrophobic microorganism into the receptacle. The method further includes placing into the receptacle (i) a slide coated with a hydrophobic material and (ii) a predetermined quantity of the antimicrobial agent to be tested. By observing the nonparaffinophilic hydrophobic microorganism growth or lack thereof on the slide, it can be determined whether the predetermined quantity of the antimicrobial agent is effective in inhibiting growth of the nonparaffinophilic hydrophobic microorganism on the slide. An associated apparatus is also disclosed.

This invention relates to a method for determining the antimicrobial agent sensitivity of a nonparaffinophilic hydrophobic microorganism and an associated apparatus.
Treating infections very often involves educated guesses by medical personnel as to the nature of the microorganism involved and the correct antimicrobial agent and quantity thereof needed to effectively treat the microorganism present in the infected tissue. Medical personnel are acutely interested in rapidly ascertaining which antimicrobial agents, and which dosages, are necessary in order to assure effective inhibition of the growth of all microorganisms present in the patient.
Several of my United States Patents teach an effective, efficient and economical way for medical personnel to rapidly ascertain which antimicrobial agent and which dosage is necessary in order to treat the patient. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,056, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Despite the existence of this technology, there still remains a need to determine the antimicrobial agent sensitivity of nonparaffinophilic hydrophobic microorganisms.

Method for determining the antimicrobial agent sensitivity of a nonparaffinophilic hydrophobic microorganism


An embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining a patient-specific probability of renal transplant survival. The method collects clinical parameters from a plurality of renal transplant donor and patient to create a training database. A fully unsupervised Bayesian Belief Network model is created using data from the training database; and, the fully unsupervised Bayesian Belief Network is validated. Clinical parameters are collected from an individual patient/donor; and, such clinical parameters are input into the fully unsupervised Bayesian Belief Network model via a graphical user interface. The patient-specific probability of disease is output from the fully unsupervised Bayesian Belief Network model and sent to the graphical user interface for use by a clinician in pre-operative organ matching. The fully unsupervised Bayesian Belief Network model is updated using the clinical parameters from the individual patient and the patient-specific probability of transplant survival.

Within this application several publications are referenced by Arabic numerals within brackets. Full citations for these and other publications may be found at the end of the specification immediately preceding the claims. The disclosures of all these publications in their entireties are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application for the purposes of indicating the background of the present invention and illustrating the state of the art.
An organ transplant surgery replaces a failing organ with a healthy organ. The success rates of transplant surgery have improved remarkably from its start, but growing shortages exist in the supply of organs and tissues available for transplantation. Organs and tissues that are transplanted within the same person's body are called autografts. Transplants that are performed between two subjects of the same species are called allografts. Allografts can either be from a living or cadaveric source.
The immune system is capable of discerning a cell as being 'self' or 'non-self' according to that cell's serotype. In humans, that serotype is largely determined by human leukocyte antigen (HLA), the human version of the major histocompatibility complex. Cells determined to be non-self are usually recognized by the immune system as foreign, resulting in an immune response. Serotypes differ widely between individuals. Therefore, if organ from one human are introduced into another human, the organ is oftentimes determined to be non-self because it do not match the self-serotype, and rejected by the recipient's immune system. Critical decisions must be made prior to organ transplantation to appropriately match donors and recipients.
In some situation, this rejection can be reduced by serotyping both recipient and potential donors to determine the closest HLA match. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) facilitates organ sharing for transplantation using policies developed by a committee of experts, and approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. These policies define the criteria by organ type for organ matching, procurement, and distribution. (http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/policiesAndBylaws/policies.asp). For example, in kidney transplantation cases, the matching system allocates organs based on time on list, human leukocyte antigen (HLA A locus, B locus and DR locus) matching, and whether recipient is suitable for an extended criteria donor (ECD) kidney. However, the tools currently used to make final allocation decisions are inadequate and subjective, which may result in sub-optimal graft survival. Acute rejection of the graft by the host's immune system remains an unsolved problem in allograft organ transplant. Immunosuppressive drugs are used to help to prevent and manage acute rejection episodes in many situations.
However, as in the case of kidney transplantation, the expansion of the wait list far exceeds the number of available donor organs, contributing to the stress on the allocation system. In 2007, approximately 72,000 patients were listed with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), with only 17,513 receiving transplants, which was a 3% decrease over the previous year. Of those patients transplanted with deceased-donor grafts, approximately 10% of the grafts will fail in the first year with an additional 32% failing at five years and 61% at 10 years, which would return those patients to the wait list. In an effort to bridge this gap, medical professionals are relying on extended criteria donors (ECD) as well as donation after cardiac death (DCD). With the use of a greater number of these grafts, the ability to accurately predict graft failure becomes increasingly critical to maximize donation to the most suitable recipient and to minimize the flow of patients returning to the already burdened wait list. This application describes an objective tool that transplant surgeon may use for pairing donor organs with appropriate recipients to optimize outcomes.
As evidence-based medicine is becoming the standard of care, clinicians look towards prognostic tools to assist in decision making. [3] Machine learning can enable the development of a predictive model that incorporates multiple variables for a systems approach to organ allocation. Nomograms, neural networks, and decision trees have become popular methods for creating more objective ways to predict transplant outcomes [3, 5, 9-11]. While there are several publications on various models to predict allograft survival, these models rely on either both pre- and post-operative variables, or use only a handful of pre-operative variables for model functionality. Some of the models including nomograms, neural networks and tree-modeling offer positive predictive values for graft survival of 43.5%, 82.1% and 76%. [3-5] However, these models have not yet been implemented routinely in clinical setting.
Bayesian statistics is well suited to the analysis of large numbers of variables to predict outcomes. Originally developed in the 18th century, advances in computing power have made it practical today. Bayesian methodology has been used to predict survival in liver transplant patients, whereby using pre-transplant variables, the authors were able to predict 90-day survival with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 91% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.681. [6] The Bayesian modeling approach has not yet been applied to outcome prediction in renal allograft surgeries. Unlike traditional or frequentist statistical methods, Bayesian statistics lends itself to use with large databases, can tolerate missing values and incomplete variables, and can graphically describe the probability distributions of outcomes [7]. In other words, this type of statistical analysis allows for the use of an unlimited number of variables, and not only shows the relationship between each variable and the targeted outcome, but also the contribution of inter-variable relationships to the probability of each outcome.
This disclosure describes a machine-learning tool to generate a minimized Bayesian network that accurately predicts graft failure one and three years after transplantation based solely on pre-operative variables.

Bayesian modeling of pre-transplant variables accurately predicts kidney graft survival

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Provided is a method of manufacturing a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet. According to an aspect of the present invention, the method may include preparing a base steel sheet, forming a iron (Fe)-plated layer on the prepared base steel sheet, oxidation heating the steel sheet having the Fe-plated layer formed thereon at a temperature ranging from 600° C. to 800° C., maintaining the heated steel sheet at a temperature ranging from 750° C. to 900° C. for 5 seconds or more in a reducing atmosphere with a dew point of between −30° C. to 5° C. including 20 ppm or less of oxygen, 1 vol % to 20 vol % of H2, and N2 as well as unavoidable gases as a remainder, cooling the maintained steel sheet, and plating the cooled steel sheet by dipping in a hot-dip galvanizing bath.

Hot-dip plated steel sheets have been widely used for building materials, various structures, household appliances, and automotive bodies due to their excellent corrosion resistance. The most frequently used hot-dip plated steel sheets at present may be classified as a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet (hereinafter, referred to as "GI steel sheet") and a galvannealed steel sheet (hereinafter, referred to as "GA steel sheet"). Also, development of high-strength steel sheets used as steel sheets for automobiles has been continuously undertaken in the interests of collision safety and the improvement of fuel economy. However, since the ductility of steel sheets relatively decreases when the strength thereof is increased, research into methods of improving the ductility thereof have been carried out.
According to the foregoing methods, recently developed steels may include dual phase (hereinafter, referred to as "DP", ferrite and martensite phase) steels having manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), and/or aluminum (Al) added thereto, complex phase (hereinafter, referred to as "CP", ferrite, martensite, and precipitate phase) steels, TRIP (Transformation Induced Plasticity) steels, and the like. In the case that Mn, Si, and/or Al are added in steels as described above, steel sheets having increased ductility as well as improved strength may be manufactured.
In a typical process of manufacturing a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, a cold-rolled steel sheet (the so-called "full hard steel sheet") is subjected to pickling for the removal of oils and foreign objects on the surface thereof in a pretreatment process, annealing is performed by heating the steel sheet to a predetermined temperature in an annealing process, the steel sheet is coated with zinc (Zn) by being dipped in a galvanizing bath after being cooled to an appropriate temperature, coating weight is controlled by using an air knife, and a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet is finally manufactured by cooling the coated steel sheet to room temperature.
In a typical hot-dip plating process, since an atmosphere of an annealing furnace in an annealing process of a steel sheet may be controlled to be at a reducing atmosphere with a dew point of −30° C. or less, iron may not be oxidized. However, since a steel sheet containing easily oxidizable Si, Mn, and Al is reacted with a trace of oxygen or water vapor existing in the annealing furnace to form single or complex oxides of Si, Mn, or Al, wettability of zinc is decreased to generate so-called "bare spots" in which the surface of the plated steel sheet is locally or entirely uncoated with zinc. Therefore, surface quality of the plated steel sheet may be greatly deteriorated.
In order to address the foregoing limitations, various techniques have been suggested. Among these techniques, Patent Document 1 provides a hot-dip galvanized or galvannealed steel sheet having excellent plating qualities, in which a steel sheet is oxidized in a direct flame furnace having an oxidative environment through controlling an air-fuel ratio to be in a range of 0.80 to 0.95 in an annealing process to form iron oxide including single or complex oxides of Si, Mn, or Al to a predetermined depth in the steel sheet, the iron oxide is reduced by reduction annealing in a reducing atmosphere, and hot-dip galvanizing is then performed. When the method of reduction after oxidation is used in the annealing process, diffusion of the easily oxidizable elements, such as Si, Mn, or Al, to the surface layer is inhibited by the oxides formed to a predetermined depth from a surface layer of the steel sheet to relatively reduce the single or complex oxides of Si, Mn, or Al in the surface layer, and thus, bare spots may be reduced by the improvement of wettability with respect to zinc in a galvanizing bath. That is, when the steel sheet is heated at a high oxygen partial pressure in which iron is oxidizable, iron is oxidized within a predetermined depth of the surface layer portion to form an oxide layer. Since the elements, more easily oxidizable than iron, existing in the oxide layer are also oxidized to exist as oxides, the elements may no longer diffuse into the surface. However, easily oxidizable components, i.e., Si, Mn, and/or Al, existing in base steel under the oxide layer may diffuse into the surface layer portion according to the increases in heating temperature and time, diffusion may be inhibited at an interface between the base steel and the oxide layer due to the oxides, and instead iron oxide reacts with Si, Mn, and/or Al to reduce the iron oxide as iron, and Si, Mn, and/or Al may form a single Si oxide, a single Mn oxide, a single Al oxide, or complex oxides. Therefore, after the completion of annealing, a reduced iron layer including a portion of single Si oxide, Mn oxide, or Al oxide, or complex oxides exits in a top surface layer and an oxide layer composed of single Si oxide, single Mn oxide, or single Al oxide, or complex oxides is formed thereunder. Since the surface layer portion is mainly composed of a reduced iron component in the case that reduction is performed after oxidation, coating adhesion is excellent during galvanizing, and thus, bare spots may be significantly improved. However, since the oxide layer between the reduction layer and the base steel may be brittle during press working of the steel sheet due to the oxide layer existing under the reduced iron layer, adhesion in this region may significantly decrease.
Patent Document 2 relates to a technique for improving wettability of molten zinc with respect to a high-strength steel sheet containing Mn, Si, and/or Al, and to a technique in which a cold-rolled steel sheet is annealed and cooled to a martensitic transformation temperature, the steel sheet is preplated with one or more of nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), and copper (Cu), and hot-dip plating is then performed thereon. When the steel sheet is annealed and cooled, and then preplated as in the foregoing patent, a preplated layer covers oxides even in the case that the oxides, such as Si, Mn, or Al, are concentrated on a surface of the steel sheet, and thus, deterioration of platability due to the oxides may be resolved. However, since a continuous hot-dip plating process is integrally composed from the annealing process to the hot-dip plating in order to maintain a reducing environment, the technique as in Patent Document 2 must divide the annealing process and the plating process in order to preplate after the annealing and cooling and in this case, facility may be complicated and costs may be significantly increased.
In addition, Patent Document 3, suggested to address the limitations in that the facility of Patent Document 2 is complicated, relates to a technique in which metal is preplated in a pretreatment process before annealing and annealing and plating is then performed. However, an annealing temperature for annealing high-strength cold-rolled steel sheets, such as DP steel, CP steel, and TRIP steel sheets, in a continuous galvanizing line (CGL) is a minimum of 770° C. or more, and, in the case that a steel sheet preplated with Ni, Fe, Co, Sn, and Cu is heated to 750° C. or more, these preplated materials are diffused into the base steel. At this time, a diffusion depth of the preplated materials may be increased as the annealing temperature is higher and the annealing time is longer. When the preplated materials preplated on the surface layer portion of the base steel are diffused into the base steel, the preplated layer on the surface layer portion may be thin or may not exist, and thus, an effect of improving platability may decrease because the diffusion of Si, Mn, and Al into the surface layer may not be prevented.
Patent Document 4 is suggested to inhibit the diffusion of the materials preplated before annealing into the steel during annealing and Patent Document 4 relates to a technique in which diffusion of preplated Ni, Co, and Mo into the steel sheet is prevented when galvanizing is performed within a short period of time of 10 seconds after stainless steel preplated with Ni, Co, molybdenum (Mo) reaches a heating temperature by rapid heating at 100° C./sec or more, and thus, platability is improved by preventing concentration through diffusion of oxidative elements, such as chromium (Cr), Al, and Mn, into the surface thereof. Therefore, when preplated DP steel, CP steel, and TRIP steel are rapidly heated in an annealing furnace and maintained within a short period of time, diffusion of the preplated layer into the steel sheet may be prevented, and thus, concentration of the easily oxidizable elements, such as Si, Mn, or Al, in the surface thereof may be prevented. However, a temperature of 750° C. or more and a minimum of 30 seconds or more may be required in order to secure targeted strength and ductility, and materials in the preplated layer may be easily diffused into the steel sheet during this time, and thus, the effect of inhibiting the concentration of Si, Mn, or Al in the surface thereof by the preplated layer may decrease.
In addition, Patent Document 5 improves plating adhesion in which when preplating of iron on a steel sheet at a coating weight of 10 g/m2 before annealing is performed in order to inhibit the diffusion of Si and Mn into the surface thereof during the annealing process and reduction annealing is then performed, Si and Mn in base steel diffuse into a Fe preplated layer but Si and Mn do not diffuse into the surface thereof due to the formation of oxides in the thick preplated layer, and thus, the surface has excellent platability due to the absence of oxides and Si and Mn oxides are also discontinuously dispersed in the prelated layer. When reduction annealing is performed after the formation of the thick Fe preplated layer, Si and Mn existing in the base steel under the preplated layer may not diffuse into the surface thereof, and thus, plating wettability may be excellent because surface oxides are not formed and plating adhesion may also be excellent because oxides are dispersed in the preplating layer. However, the coating weight must be increased to an amount of 10 g/m2 in order to inhibit the diffusion of oxidative components, such as Si and Mn, into the surface thereof during the reduction annealing. In this case, an electroplating facility for forming a thick preplated layer may be required to be increased, and accordingly, costs may increase.
Meanwhile, Patent Document 6 provides a method of manufacturing a steel sheet having excellent plating adhesion without bare spots, in which, in the case that reduction annealing is performed after oxidation annealing in order to improve hot-dip platability of high-strength steel containing a large amount of Si, since Si forms an oxide on the surface thereof during the oxidation annealing to prevent the oxidation of Fe, an oxidation layer having sufficient thickness may not be obtained, and thus, the oxidation layer having sufficient thickness may be secured during the oxidation annealing by preplating one of Fe, Ni, carbon (C), sulfur (S), Cu, and Co on a steel sheet before the oxidation annealing and the oxidation and the reduction annealing are subsequently performed, and hot-dip plating is then performed after iron oxide is reduced.
With respect to the steel sheet containing a large amount of Si, a dense Si oxide is preferentially formed on the surface thereof during the oxidation process to prevent the oxidation of a base steel sheet. When preplating is performed as a method of addressing the foregoing phenomenon, the formation of Si oxide on the surface thereof during the subsequent oxidation process may be prevented due to a preplated layer, and thus, a sufficient oxidation layer may be secured. Since a Fe oxide layer is reduced in the subsequent reduction process to have no oxides or a relatively small amount of oxide on the surface of a reduced Fe layer, platability may be excellent and adhesion between the reduced Fe layer and a plated layer may also be excellent when hot-dip plating is performed.
However, when the Fe oxidation layer having a predetermined thickness is formed in the oxidation process and typical reduction annealing is then performed as in Patent Document 6, the formation of an oxide layer, such as Si oxide, Mn oxide, or Al oxide, on the interface between the reduced Fe layer and the base steel may not be avoided. That is, even in the case that plating adhesion and the adhesion between the zinc-plated layer and the reduced Fe layer may be excellent as the formation of Si oxide on the surface of the reduced Fe layer is prevented, the occurrence of delamination may not be avoided because the oxide layer, such as Si oxide, Mn oxide, or Al oxide, formed between the reduced Fe layer and the base steel may be brittle during processing.    (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-0030627    (Patent Document 2) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-200690    (Patent Document 3) Japanese Patent No. 2769350    (Patent Document 4) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-200690    (Patent Document 5) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-322551    (Patent Document 6) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-262464

High-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet having excellent plating surface quality and adhesion, and method of manufacturing the same


In an image forming apparatus having at least an amorphous silicon photosensitive member, a magnetic toner developing means and a color developer developing means, the magnetic toner has a weight-average particle diameter (D4) of from 4.0 μm to 10.0 μm and a ratio thereof to number-average particle diameter (D1), D4/D1, of from 1.0 to 2.0, and the number of magnetic particles not passing through a mesh with an opening of 34 μm which are contained in the unit volume of the magnetic toner is from 3.5 to 105. This image forming apparatus can not easily cause faulty cleaning performance even in using the magnetic toner and the non-magnetic color toners in combination and has superior environmental stability and running stability even where toners made to have small particle diameter are used or process speed is high.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus making use of an amorphous silicon photosensitive member.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, in full-color copying machines or full-color printers, it is required to enrich their functions as black-and-white machines. That is, even in full-color copying machines or full-color printers, the same speed and high image quality as those in black-and-white machines are required in monochromatic image formation, and in addition thereto there is an increasing need for copying machines or printers that can form full-color images with sharpness and high image quality. In such copying machines or printers, they are frequently used for black color alone, and toners therefor are also necessarily used in a large quantity. Accordingly, black toners in future full-color copying machines or printers are required to have higher image reproduction performance and running stability.
In electrophotography, many developing methods are known in the art. In particular, developing methods making use of magnetic developers are superior in view of running stability and running cost.
Meanwhile, in high-speed machines required to have running stability and high reliability, amorphous silicon photosensitive members are preferably used. The amorphous silicon photosensitive members have advantages that they have high sensitivity over the whole region of visible light and have so high surface hardness as to have superior durability, heat resistance and environmental stability.
Usually, toner particles having participated in development on a photosensitive member in an electrophotographic process are transferred to a transfer material such as paper, where residual toner particles not transferred thereto and having remained on the photosensitive member are removed by a cleaning member. It, however, is difficult to remove the residual toner particles completely therefrom, and residual toner particles having not been removed remain on the photosensitive member surface to become adhere or cling to the surface of the photosensitive member unwantedly. The toner particles remaining on the surface of the photosensitive member and the toner particles having adhered or clung to the surface of the photosensitive member usually do not come into question because they are usually scraped off together with the surface of the photosensitive member by the friction with toner particles or other members in the subsequent developing step or transfer step.
However, the amorphous silicon photosensitive members have so high hardness that their surfaces can not easily be scraped, and it is difficult to remove the toner particles having adhered or clung to the surface of the photosensitive member.
In addition, digital copying machines chiefly employ a method in which electrostatic latent images are formed by means of a laser. Hence, in order to achieve a high-resolution and high-minuteness developing system, it has been put forward to make toner particles have small particle diameter. However, such toner particles made to have small particle diameter are not well removable by cleaning, and hence it is attempted to improve cleaning performance by, e.g., making contact pressure of a cleaning blade higher against the photosensitive member. However, where magnetic toner particles are used, the magnetic material having come bare to toner particle surfaces may scratch the surface of the photosensitive member to cause deterioration of image quality.
Toner particles are also usually present at the part where the cleaning blade and the photosensitive member come into contact with each other. Such toner particles present there a little have the function of lubrication between the cleaning blade and the photosensitive member to make always good cleaning performable. However, it is known that, if such toner particles reduce abruptly, the lubricity may become locally poor, so that the cleaning blade may turn up in the rotational direction of the photosensitive member or may vibrate on the photosensitive member to come into a state that it can not remove the residual toner particles on the photosensitive member. Such a problem is more remarkable as higher speed is achieved (process speed is higher).
In order to keep such a phenomenon from occurring, it is practiced that, for the purpose of stable feed of toner particles to the cleaning blade, a magnet roller is placed on the upstream side of the cleaning blade in the rotational direction of the photosensitive member to apply toner particles on the photosensitive member at the same time the residue matter on the photosensitive member is scraped off by rubbing. By such a means, toner particles collected by cleaning do form a magnetic brush, which feeds the toner particles again to the surface of the photosensitive member. This has brought certain effect in respect of cleaning performance of systems making use of magnetic developers.
Aiming at further improvement of these, it is proposed to incorporate an inorganic fine powder as an abrasive or a lubricant in a magnetic developer. For example, it is disclosed that conductive zinc oxide and tin oxide are incorporated (e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. S58-66951, No. S59-168458, No. S59-168459, No. S59-168460 and No. S59-170847) or that cerium fluoride or fluorine-containing cerium oxide particles are incorporated (e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. H1-204068 and No. H8-82949). In these methods, however, any stable image density is not obtainable when digital high-speed development is performed, or abrasive particles may non-uniformly scrape the photosensitive member because their hardness is not uniform. This has tended to make the blade turn up and to cause slip-through of toner particles, because of a difference in coefficient of friction between the photosensitive member and the cleaning blade at the abraded part and the unabraded part.
Non-magnetic toners as commonly used as color toners. In the case when as stated above the magnetic developer is used as a black developer of a full-color copying machine, it is difficult to well remove both the non-magnetic toner and the magnetic-developer by cleaning, because of a difference in proper cleaning conditions between the both. It is also prevalent to use a magnetic-brush cleaning member as a cleaning auxiliary member, which, however, tends to lower the cleaning performance on the surface of the photosensitive member when full-color copying is relatively frequently used. This phenomenon may be remarkable especially when polymerization toners are used as non-magnetic color toners for the purpose of improving transfer efficiency and so forth. Toners produced by polymerization commonly have a high circularity, and hence the toners may frequently slip through the cleaning blade and this may further make poor the lubricity between the blade and the photosensitive member, so that a local force may be applied to the blade to cause its edge to chip.
Meanwhile, it is attempted to reproduce fine lines sharply even without making average particle diameter small so much, using a magnetic toner to which coarse particles are added to make the toner contain 16 μm or larger particles in a proportion of 2.1 to 4.0% by volume to broaden particle size distribution (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-249488). Also, as a technique concerning the mixture of a plurality of magnetic toners, there is a disclosure of a magnetic toner having two peaks in particle size distribution, in the region of 50 μm or less (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S56-29248). In these magnetic toners, the toners have a relatively good charging performance at the beginning of use, but may come to have an unstable charging performance with progress of running over a long period of time while repeating replenishment. Especially in severe environment such as a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, image density may decrease, or the toner tends to participate in development at non-image areas to cause fog.
It is also attempted to improve transfer performance and so forth by incorporating coarse particles in an appropriate quantity (e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 2002-91053, No. 2000-10334, No. 2002-49172 and No. 2002-162772). If, however, it is attempted to use such a toner in magnetic toners, the charging stability, running stability and so forth just owing to the magnetic toners may be damaged because the size of the coarse particles is unsuitable or because their quantity is too large.
In addition, in the above techniques, coarse particles which are so large as to be more than 100 μm are contained in a relatively large quantity in many cases. The presence of such coarse particles at the cleaning blade tends to make white lines appear on images or cause the blade edge to chip to cause image defects. Furthermore, there has been a problem such that, when used in, e.g., a full-color copying machine making use of a magnetic black toner and non-magnetic color toners in combination, faulty cleaning may occur for the reasons stated above.
Thus, in magnetic developers used in the one-component developing system, any magnetic developer has not been materialized that has running stability and charging stability well fittable to high-speed digital machines and at the same time can exhibit superior cleaning performance even when used in combination with non-magnetic color toners.