A one-time-use camera comprising a main body part having a viewfinder chamber with opposite front and rear open ends, and a pair of front and rear viewfinder lens elements that are positioned at the front and rear open ends of the chamber in a spaced optically aligned relation, is characterized in that the front and rear viewfinder lens elements have respective integral extensions that together with the front and rear viewfinder lens elements constitute separate individual L-shaped one-piece lens components which connect to one another to form a rigid rectangular-shaped unit that can be inserted into the chamber through at least one of the front and rear open ends of the chamber to position the front and rear viewfinder lens elements at the front and rear open ends.

Film and cameras that are all in one, commonly referred to as single-use or one-time-use cameras, have become well known. The one-time-use camera is a simple point-and-shoot type comprising a plastic main body part which supports a conventional film cartridge in a cartridge receiving chamber, an unexposed film roll in a film supply chamber, a fixed-focus taking lens, a film metering mechanism with a rotatably supported metering sprocket that engages the filmstrip, a manually rotatable thumbwheel rotatably engaged with a film spool inside the film cartridge, a single-blade shutter, a manually depressible shutter release button, a rotatable frame counter for indicating the number of exposures remaining for picture-taking, a direct see-through viewfinder, and in some models an electronic flash. A pair of opaque plastic front and rear cover parts house the main body part between them to complete the camera. The rear cover part connects to the main body part and/or to the front cover part to make the main body part light-tight. A decorative cardboard outer box or label at least partially covers the camera and has respective openings for the taking lens, etc.
After each picture is taken with the one-time-use camera, the photographer manually rotates the thumbwheel in a film winding direction to similarly rotate the film spool inside the film cartridge. This winds an exposed section of the filmstrip into the film cartridge. The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent of slightly more than one frame width rotates the metering sprocket in engagement with the filmstrip to decrement the frame counter to its next lower-numbered setting and to pivot a metering lever into engagement with the thumbwheel in order to prevent -further manual rotation of the thumbwheel. Manually depressing the shutter release button to take another picture pivots the metering lever out of engagement with the thumbwheel to permit renewed rotation of the thumbwheel. When the maximum number of exposures available on the filmstrip are exposed, and the filmstrip is completely wound off the take-up spool and into the film cartridge, the one-time-use camera is given to a photofinisher who tears the outer box off the camera, separates the rear cover part from the main body part, and removes the film cartridge with the exposed filmstrip from the cartridge receiving chamber. Then, he removes the exposed filmstrip from the film cartridge to develop the negatives and make prints for the customer. At least some of the used parts of the camera may be recycled, i.e. reused, to remanufacture the camera.
It is suggested in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,165 issued Oct. 4, 1994 that the direct see-through viewfinder in the one-time-use camera be a single-piece transparent plastic construction comprising a pair of front and rear lens elements and an integral beam that interconnects the lens elements in a spaced optically aligned relation. The single-piece construction is formed in one molding process, which is supposed to reduce cost. However, a problem that may occur is that the front and rear lens elements can become displaced from their optically aligned relation during a cooling period following the molding process.
This problem appears to be possibly overcome in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,717 issued May 5, 1987. The patent discloses a two-piece viewfinder comprising a front lens element and a cylindrical barrel having an open front end an integral rear-end lens element. The front lens element and the open end of the cylindrical barrel are connected to one another to make a rigid cylindrical unit with the front and rear lens elements in a spaced optically aligned relation.


The image recording apparatus includes: a recording device which deposits an image record substance on a recording medium; a recording medium conveyance device which includes a conveyance medium having a recording medium hold region and conveying the recording medium with respect to the recording device in a conveyance direction while holding the recording medium on the recording medium hold region, the recording medium conveyance device being provided with a determination pattern which is formed outside the recording medium hold region on the conveyance medium and follows the conveyance direction; a determination device which determines the determination pattern while the recording medium is held on the conveyance medium; a calculation device which acquires speed variation data of the conveyance medium in accordance with determination results of the determination device; a storage device which stores the speed variation data acquired by the calculation device; and a record timing correction device which corrects record timing of the recording device in accordance with the speed variation data of the conveyance medium stored in the storage device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus and an image recording method, and more particularly, to a configuration of an image recording apparatus, and image forming technology, for forming an image on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet recording apparatus has been known which forms an image on a recording medium, or the like, by ejecting ink from a head while conveying a recording medium or an intermediate transfer body which is fixed to a conveyance mechanism, such as a conveyance belt. In this inkjet recording apparatus, image deterioration, such as non-uniformities and color deviation, is likely to occur in the image recorded on the recording medium, or the like, when variation occurs in the conveyance speed of the recording medium, or the like, due to vibrations, fluctuations in the conveyance load resistance, or the like. Various technologies have been proposed in order to prevent non-uniformities and color deviation caused by the conveyance of the recording medium, or the like.
In the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-17458, an encoder is provided which detects slits provided on the edge of a conveyor belt, and ejection from the print head is controlled in synchronism with the output pulse signal output from the encoder, in such a manner that colored inks are ejected in consideration of the actual conveyance speed, thereby preventing color deviation in the sub-scanning direction.
In the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-211770, the color sequence in a recording device is KCMY, resist marks are recorded onto the recording paper at uniform intervals at the time of printing of the color K (black), the deviation in the movement speed of the recording paper is calculated from information obtained by reading in the resist marks, and the print timing for the colors C, M and Y is controlled on the basis of the calculated deviation in the movement speed of the recording paper, thereby eliminating color deviation caused by eccentricity in the recording paper rollers, or color non-uniformities caused by the density variations in the dots.
However, in the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-17458, since ejection is controlled in synchronism with an output pulse from the encoder, then a uniform time delay occurs between the detection and ejection, and it is difficult to provide correction for speed variations in cases where the speed variations occur in a short period of time.
In the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-211770, the behavior of the recording paper during printing and recording of the color K (black) affects positions of the resist marks, and therefore, if a non-uniformity occurs in the color K, then this non-uniformity is also superimposed on the other colors, C, M and Y, and it becomes difficult to eliminate the non-uniformity. For example, non-uniformities arise in the recorded image, as a result of impacts which occur when the recording paper is pinched between the conveyance rollers or separates from the conveyance rollers.

Image recording apparatus and image recording method


The invention is for an athletic flooring system wherein the flooring substructures are proportioned and positioned so as to give to the flooring system preferred properties in point and area elasticity. The subfloor is made up of a first and a second wood subfloor wherein the first subfloor is less continuous and more elastic than the second subfloor. The subfloors act in cooperation with a pad and with void volumes distributed in the subfloor to give the flooring system elastic properties that will render the flooring system DIN certifiable under the DIN 18032, part 2, tests.

Historically, wood has been the preferred material for athletic floors for indoor athletic venues such as gymnasiums, handball courts and the like. The structure of such flooring systems can be generally described as comprising; a bottom base, typically of concrete, a middle layer of structures referred to generally as the substructures, and the top surface which is the wood flooring. This invention relates to substructures for such flooring systems.
As the sophistication of athletics has grown, so has the development of the art and science of designing substructures for athletic floors. The substructures of athletic floors contribute significantly to the physical properties of the finished athletic floor. The athletic flooring industry has adopted a method for measuring both point elasticity and area elasticity of athletic floor constructions in terms of such factors as force attenuation, standard deformation, deformation trough, rolling load, and ball rebound, as percentages of established norms. United States Sports Labs. conducts tests to measure these properties of sports floors and to use the data taken to rate the floors. One such test that is widely accepted in the sports floor industry is the DIN 18032, Part II, test, (DIN). A DIN certification is given to floors that achieve satisfactory scores in the above described tests. The standards for DIN resting are set out in a paper titled DIN 18032 Part 2 (March 1991) as translated from the German, by Hans J. Kolitzus 1ST/USSL April 1992.
Acquiring certification under the DIN 18032 Part 2 requirements involves a series of tests and measurements done by a certified tester, under specified conditions, using specified methods and equipment.
For each of the categories of tests a specified number of measurements are taken and the results computed and averaged. The average result for each category of test must then meet the requirements for DIN certification in that category.
Force Attenuation is a measure of the force reduction achieved by a test floor as a percent of the force reduction achieved by a standardized rigid floor (steel over cement on compacted earth). The DIN test involves a dropped test weight acting through a spring loaded force transfer instrument. The force reduction is computed as a percent as; (1-Fmax test/Fmax stand.).times.100. For certification that value must be a minimum of 58%.
Standard Deformation is a measure of the vertical displacement of a test floor in response the impact of a dropped weight, measured at the location of the dropped weight on the test floor. Standard deformation is measured in millimeters and is computed by a formula that contains correction factors. For DIN certification, the computed standard deformation must be between 3.0 mm. minimum, and 5.0 mm. maximum.
Deformation Trough is a measure of vertical displacement of a test floor at 500 mm. from the location of impact of a draped weight. Deformation trough is computed as a percentage of the displacement of the floor at the location of impact. A maximum percentage of 5% is permitted for DIN certification.
Rolling Load is a measure of the effects of a weighted test wheel which is rolled over defined strips on the test floor a prescribed number of times (300 passes). The test floor is then cut up and examined. For DIN certification, no damage to the floor or its substructure can be found and any remaining impressions must be less than 0.5 mm.
Ball Rebound is a measure of the rebound of a standardized basketball dropped from a set height on a test floor and is computed as a percentage of the rebound of the basketball from a rigid floor. For DIN certification, the percentage must be a minimum of 90%.
The DIN test contains other measures such as, Sliding Coefficient, which are concerned with properties other than those significantly influenced by the flooring system of this invention.
Many of the substructures in use in the past do not yield an athletic floor that will perform at a level that will earn a DIN certification. As a result there has been a flurry of creative activity in the athletic flooring industry wherein many of the competitors have developed sophisticated and often more expensive substructures for athletic floors in order to achieve a desirable DIN certification.
As a result of this creative activity, many of the old reliable substructures that have shown their merit over the decades, have been abandoned. This invention relates to creative and unobvious improvements in such old reliable substructures which configure them so as to achieve a DIN certification.


A drill including a cutter member and a shank which are formed separately from each other and fixed to each other for rotation as a unit, wherein the shank has an engaging groove formed in a distal end face thereof such that the engaging groove extends in an axial direction of the shank and is aligned with a center of the distal end face, and the cutter member consists of a rectangular plate including a proximal end portion fixed to the shank by engagement thereof with the engaging groove, and a distal end portion which is remote from the shank and which has at least one cutting edge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drill having a shank and a cutter member which are formed separately from each other and are fixed to each other.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There are two types of drills. In the first type, a cutting portion having cutting edges is formed integrally with a shank portion. In the second type, a cutter member and a shank member which are formed separately from each other are fixed to each other.

Drill having plate-like cutter member fixed at proximal end to shank and having cutting edge at distal portion


The present invention relates to a method of performing time drift compensation in a receiver (200) and a receiver (200) for performing time drift compensation. The basic idea of the invention is that a signal is received at the receiver. A control pulse is produced after a certain number of chips of the received signal has been received. A variable delay that is applied to the received signal is controlled by means of the control pulse. The resulting delayed signal is supplied to demodulation units (202, 203) in the receiver, in which delayed signal chips have been omitted or duplicated. A compensation signal is supplied to the demodulation units in the receiver, and this compensation signal indicates whether chips have been omitted or duplicated in the delayed signal. Finally, the delayed signal is demodulated such that the demodulation units consider the omission or duplication of chips in the delayed signal.

In UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service) data processing, data pertaining to different propagation paths reach a mobile station at different instants of time. Moreover, said data may reach the mobile station from the same or different transmitting sources, i.e. base stations. The information transmitted in each path in the air interface is sampled, demodulated and delayed at the receiver, and then combined with the correspondingly processed information of the other paths to improve the quality of the received signals.
In CDMA systems, spreading is used to translate each symbol into a sequence of bits. At the transmitter, each symbol is multiplied with a wideband spreading code. The higher the bandwidth used to transmit a signal, the lower the required signal-to-noise rate must be. When a higher bandwidth is employed, the signal is spread over a greater spectrum, and that makes the signal more tolerant to interference. The spreading code is also known as the channelization code and is used to distinguish the different channels. The spreading code comprises N bits, or chips, per symbol. Each symbol to be transmitted is converted into a longer sequence of chips, by means of the multiplication. The length of the spreading code, i.e. the number of chips comprised in each spreading code, is known as the spreading factor and is dependent on the channel type. At the receiver, the original symbols can be reconstructed by multiplying the received sequence of chips with a corresponding despreading chip sequence. When the chip sequence has been demodulated at the receiver, and the corresponding symbols thus have been reconstructed, the symbols of each path are delayed with respect to the last path received, and this will compensate for the delay of each path. Note that the receiver comprises one "finger" (branch) for each path to be processed. The paths are thus time-aligned to each other and combined to form a composite symbol that is expected to have a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than a symbol received in a single path. In order to combine the different paths meaningfully, channel parameters such as number of paths, delays and attenuation of each path must be known. A major problem in particular is that the characteristics of the paths vary with time, due to the fact that the receiver is mobile. These varying characteristics must be adjusted dynamically, and that is a highly complex process.
When combining the symbols by summing each path, another problem arises. Assume that a symbol is received from a first base station (BS1) and has to be delayed and time-aligned with a subsequently received symbol from a second base station (BS2). The delay T is represented by an integral number (I) of symbol periods and a variable delay portion (D) for adjusting the alignment of symbols. If the mobile moves towards BS1 while remaining at the same distance from BS2, the delay applied to the symbol originating from BS1 should be increased to keep the two symbols aligned due to this time drift. To align a symbol received from BS1 at time t to a symbol received from BS2 at time t+D, it is necessary to adjust (delay) the symbol of BS1 with the amount D. The symbols of BS1 may then be aligned with the symbols of BS2 such that the boundary of a symbol relating to BS1 is aligned with the boundary of a symbol relating to BS2. However, a problem may still arise: after the symbol of BS1 has been subject to the delay D, a BS1 symbol of order K+1 may be aligned with a BS2 symbol of order K, and not with a BS2 symbol of order K+1, which is required to produce a coherently composite symbol. The symbol of BS1 must then be delayed by I, i.e. one symbol period, in order for the BS1 symbol of order K to become aligned to the BS2 symbol of order K. The total delay T is thus I+D in this specific example. This is known as symbol alignment. Thereafter, symbols of each path may be coherently combined to create a composite symbol.
As the mobile moves towards BS1, the delay will increase and, consequently, the delay T must be increased by 2×I, 3×I, 4×I etc. Note that the adjustment delay D varies between zero and one symbol period I and must continuously be applied to the path of BS1. When implementing the delay adjustment in the mobile phone, delay line units are employed, one for each path. To comply with real-time requirements of the system in which the mobile is comprised, there is an upper limit to the amount of delay that each delay line unit can be allowed to insert.
This maximum delay is referred to as delay line maximum length, DLM. When the delay of two multi-path symbols exceeds this maximum delay, symbol alignment is no longer possible, and symbols relating to the path of BS1 will consequently be lost. This has the effect that there can be no combination of symbols from BS1 with symbols from BS2. Thus, the worst case scenario in this example is that only symbols relating to BS2 will be received.
The delay line unit of the path relating to BS1 will then be "reset", which means that if the DLM is e.g. 5×I, the new value of the delay is set to 3×I and again, another attempt to align the path relating to BS1 with the path relating to BS2 will be undertaken, this time with new timing (delay) parameters. The resetting of the delay line has the effect that the symbols in delay line positions 4×I and 5×I are lost.
A more preferable way to perform the symbol alignment is to, once again, to make an adjustment of the path pertaining to BS1 by applying the delay D such that the boundary of a symbol relating to BS1 is aligned with the boundary of a symbol relating to BS2. Thereafter, as in the previous example, a BS1 symbol of order K+1 may be aligned with a BS2 symbol of order K, and not with a BS2 symbol of order K+1, which is required to produce a coherently composite symbol. The symbol of BS1 must then be delayed by I, i.e. one symbol period, in order for the BS1 symbol of order K to become aligned with the BS2 symbol of order K. However, if the maximum delay is reached, a coherent adding of symbols can no longer be accomplished. Therefore, both paths are subject to delays, and when the maximum delay is reached, the symbol of order K is omitted in both paths. This has the practical effect that the path of BS1 can be delayed one more symbol period at the expense of a completely lost symbol of order K (and of course at the expense of a slight delay of received symbols for the path pertaining to BS2 as these are no longer received in real-time). The omitting of symbols is referred to as time drift compensation.
If the mobile moves away from BS1 while remaining at the same distance from BS2, the delay applied to the symbols originating from BS1 should be decreased to keep the paths aligned due to this time drift. This case is symmetrical to the case where a symbol is omitted in both paths. Consequently, the symbol of order K relating to BS1 will not be omitted, but employed twice, i.e. summed twice with the symbol of order K pertaining to BS2.
In practice, not only two, but N different paths are coherently summed. Two major problems arise when combination of symbols is to be undertaken. First, the instant in time when symbols are to be omitted depends on path timing characteristics, and will vary for all paths. Second, in the above examples, it was assumed that BS2 was the reference while the timing of BS1 was adjusted. However, the symbols derived from BS2 may disappear due to fading, which has the effect that timing control and decisions taken to omit/repeat symbols must be done in relation to a new reference path. These problems will make the management of time-drift compensation difficult.
Implementation of a common delay line located before the demodulators and processing units has been described in French patent application No. 02 10452 of 21 Aug. 2002. The main difference compared to the previous delay line implementations is that, in this case, the delays are applied to the chips rather than to the symbols. This has a major impact on performance loss of the receiver, since a chip is omitted instead of a complete symbol, i.e. only 1/N out of a symbol consisting of N chips is omitted/repeated by this operation. The delay adjustments will occur at a factor N more occasions than in the case where the delays are applied on a symbol level, but these N compensations are performed on different symbols, so the modifying of chips is spread over N symbols, which minimizes the performance loss. Another major difference is that, at the output of the delay line, the fingers of the receiver are positioned to compensate for the propagation delays, so that the chips that originate from the respective propagation paths are output at the same instant of time. This has the effect that the position of each finger is changed simultaneously when a chip is omitted/repeated. This simplifies the software management as compared to prior art not employing a common delay line.
However, the receiver disclosed in French patent application No. 02 10452 of 21 Aug. 2002 still presents unacceptable performance losses. Another problem is that the software management, even though it has been simplified, is still rather complex.


A flash memory includes a memory sector, a command interface, a first signal buffer, a control signal generation circuit, a data input buffer, an error correction circuit, an address buffer, an address signal generation circuit, a plurality of data memory circuits, and write circuit. The command interface receives a write data input instruction from an external device to generate a write data input instruction signal, and receives a write instruction from the external device to generate a write instruction signal. The error correction circuit is activated by the write data input instruction signal to receive the write data in synchronization with the write enable signal, and is activated by the write instruction signal to generate a check data for an error correction in synchronization with the control signal.

The present invention relates to a flash memory, especially, to a flash memory, which comprises an error correction circuit and has high reliability, and to a flash memory used for such as NAND type flash memory and NOR type flash memory.
Among the nonvolatile semiconductor memories, the flash memory can electrically erase and rewrite data for a comparatively large unit. Then, the flash memory is applied to the memory of BIOS (basic I/O system) in the computer system, the memory of the communication rule etc. in a portable telephone, and the memory of the image in the digital camera, etc. as substitution of the hard disk drive. Therefore, when only one bit error is occurred in the data memorized in the flash memory, crash of the computer system, disable of communication of a portable telephone and destroy of data will be occurred.
Then, when high reliability is required to the system, to which the flash memory is applied, the following function is provided for the system, which manages the flash memory. That is, the function is a function to write into the flash memory by adding the check data to the information data to be memorized so as to be able to detect and correct error, to read the information data and the check data and check if the error exists in the information data, and to correct the error when there is an error.
However, there are many cases that the methods of the error correction are different for each system, which manages the flash memories. For example, if the check data is different or the data length is different, the following disadvantages will be caused. That is, when the data written by a certain system A is read with another system B, even when there is no error in data, correct data is changed as it is assumed that data has an error, misdetection of error which is not able to be corrected, as a result, the destruction of data in the system will occur.
On the other hand, there is a method of equipping the error correction circuit in the flash memory. This method is valid, since this method performs the error correction in the flash memory without depending on the system.
However, since the error correction circuit is complex and the area of the circuit becomes large, the size of the chip of the flash memory becomes large, as a result, the high cost will be caused. On the other hand, the increase of the area of the circuit is suppressed for example by sharing the data memory circuit for reading and writing in part of the error correction circuit in U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,436.
In the flash memory in recent years, the multi-level memory to memorize the data of one or more bits in one memory cell is appeared. However, in the flash memory of the multi-level memory, when one memory cell destroys, the error is caused in the data of two or more bits (that is, the burst error is caused).
To correct such a burst error efficiently by short check data, though there is a method of the error correction based on the Reed-Solomon code, a complex circuit is required to specify the error, the area of the circuit becomes large, the size of the chip of the flash memory becomes large, and the high cost will be caused. On the other hand, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,682 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,888, the error correction of the multi-level flash memory is performed by the method of the error correction of each bit, and the data of two or more bits written in one memory cell at the same time is relieved by the plurality of check data.
As mentioned above, though the technology of equipping the error correction circuit in the flash memory exists previously, the following flash memory, which comprises the error correction circuit and considers benefits and convenience on practical use, has not been found. For example,
(1) The flash memory, which has interchangeability with flash memory, which conventional error correction circuit is not equipped,
(2) The flash memory, which shortens the time required to specify detection and the error in error,
(3) The flash memory, which shortens the time required to generate check data,
(4) The flash memory, which prevents harm by error correction circuit from being generated when failure analysis is performed in the product test etc., and
(5) The flash memory, which prevents harm by circuit of error correction in the memory from being generated, when error correction is performed on application system side of the flash memory.


A process and apparatus for air forming an article having a plurality of superimposed reinforced fibrous layers. The layers are formed in substantially discrete forming chambers by depositing fibrous materials on a forming surface which moves along a forming path through the chambers. A first layer is air-formed on the forming surface as the surface moves through the first forming chamber and a second layer is air-formed over the first layer as the surface moves through the second forming chamber. A reinforcing web is embedded in the article during the air-forming process.

This invention relates generally to a process and apparatus for making an air formed article having more than one layer, and more particularly to such an article which is constructed of fibrous material having a reinforcing web incorporated therein for use as an absorbent core for applications such as disposable diapers, child's training pants, feminine care articles, incontinence articles, and the like.
In the general practice of forming fibrous articles, it has been common to use a fibrous sheet of cellulosic or other suitable absorbent material which has been fiberized in a conventional fiberizer, or other shredding or comminuting device, to form discrete fibers. In addition, particles of superabsorbent material have been mixed with the fibers. The fibers and superabsorbent particles have then been entrained in an air stream and directed to a foraminous forming surface upon which the fibers and superabsorbent particles have been deposited to form an absorbent fibrous member, such as an absorbent core to be used as part of one of the aforementioned articles. An absorbent core formed in this fashion has a liquid holding formation which is intended to be the primary repository for liquid to be held by the absorbent core. Thus, the liquid holding formation has conventionally been formed to have a greater amount of fibrous and superabsorbent material (SAM) than surrounding regions and is generally thicker than the surrounding regions of fibrous material. In addition, bonding agents or other strengthening components may be incorporated to provide a stabilized absorbent member. The absorbent member may then be stored or immediately directed for further processing and assembly with other components to produce an absorbent article. Other conventional techniques, such as dry-forming techniques, wet-laying techniques, foam-forming techniques, and various wet-forming techniques, have also been employed to form stabilized absorbent members. The resulting absorbent members have included absorbent fibers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, superabsorbent materials, binders, and strengthening components in desired combinations.
Absorbent members may also be strengthened by adding reinforcing materials, such as reinforcement filaments, tissue layers, fabric layers and netting materials to the fibrous material. For example, co-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/306,086 entitled "Absorbent Article with Reinforced Absorbent Structure" by David W. Heyn et al., discloses a reinforced fibrous absorbent member comprised of a fibrous material and a scrim (e.g., netting or mesh material) incorporated within the fibrous material to strengthen the absorbent member and reduce the risk of cracking thereof during use. The entire disclosure of the aforementioned application is incorporated herein by reference in a manner consistent herewith.
Some absorbent members are formed as a laminate, i.e., a structure having two or more layers. Conventional systems capable of making such articles typically comprise two or more complete independent forming systems, one system for forming each layer after which the layers are combined to make the article. Because the fibers are not substantially commingled at the interface between adjacent layers, the flow of liquid across the interface is inhibited, which is undesirable. The use of such systems also typically requires a large capital expenditure, and space requirements make such systems costly and often undesireable. Further, the implementation of two forming systems requires phase adjustments between the two systems to ensure that the product components by the systems are in proper registration with respect to one another in the final product. If the systems are out of phase, defective products are manufactured and waste is induced, further increasing manufacturing costs.
There is a need, therefore, for a process and apparatus which overcomes the problems associated with the prior art systems mentioned above, and which provides for the economical manufacture of articles such as fibrous absorbent members having multiple layers reinforced by a web embedded in the layers.

Process and apparatus for air forming an article having a plurality of reinforced superimposed fibrous layers


A fabric care article made of solid or semi-solid matrix of materials for repetitive or multiple use in a machine drying apparatus such as a tumble dryer. The matrix includes a structuring agent comprising a filler structuring agent and a polymeric structuring agent. The filler structuring agent comprises about 0.2 % to about 10% and the polymeric structuring agent comprises about 0.5 to about 20% by weight of the composition. The matrix further includes up to about 25% of an anionic soap surfactant, about 10% to about 60% of free fatty acid, and about 1% to about 50% of a non-ionic, but is substantially free from cationic surfactant. When the fabric care article is used up, it simply disappears, indicating to a user that the article needs to be replenished.

Uniform distribution of conditioning agent in a tumble dryer to achieve effective contact thereof with the fibrous materials of the washed fabrics in a convenient manner is not easily attained. The risk of, for example, spotting or staining, due to local application of excess conditioning agent may be significant. The use of conditioning articles, generally comprising a base or substrate, which may be form-retaining or flexible, coated and/or impregnated with conditioner has been widely used. In use, the conditioner is removable to the fabrics but the staining may be severe. For example, stains developed due to the contacting of cationic conditioning agents, e.g. quaternary ammonium salts, with materials containing color bodies or heavy metal ions such as ferrous or ferric ion may be removable, if at all, only by dry cleaning.
Reusable permeable dispensers for dispensing solid or semi-solid fabric-conditioning agents which can either be attached to the dryer drum or tumbled loosely in the dryer have been developed. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,870,145 (Mizuno); 3,948,387 (Haertle); 4,004,685 (Mizuno, et al.); and 4,014,432 (Clothier, et al.).
The present invention is based on the discovery that a fabric care composition may be designed in such a way as to not require a dispenser. The choice of specific components in specific amounts unexpectedly results in a solid mass matrix that does not require a dispenser while being capable of controlled delivery in an automatic machine tumble dryer. When the fabric care article is used up, it simply disappears, indicating to a user that the article needs to be replenished.

Unilever Home & Personal Care USA Division of Conopco, Inc.


A housing is mounted between structural support studs in adjacency to a window sill to permit opening of the housing for access to a rope wound about an associated axle structure. The lid is arranged for ease of removal or alternatively, employed as a step relative to the window sill for access to the window sill in emergency escape situations.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to fire escape structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved fire escape apparatus arranged for ease of access to an escape rope structure relative to a dwelling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Escape relative to a multi-level dwelling has been addressed in the prior art by various structure such as indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,549 to Da-Tan, et al. wherein a fire escape structure utilizes a relatively complex gear drive motor arrangement to permit lowering of individuals relative to elevated floors of the associated dwelling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,619 to Darnell sets forth a fire escape apparatus utilizing a rope structure and a knife member for severing a screen in permitting projection of the rope therethrough.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,712,645 and 4,611,688 set forth a winch structure for lowering of cable structure relative to a dwelling as further indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,699.
The prior art has heretofore typically employed relatively complex structure arranged for retrofit to an existing window sill, wherein the instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a housing arranged for ease of mounting within a wall relative to an escape window and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device related to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cell array including a memory string, a bit line connected to the memory string, a first wire connected to a cell source line of a memory cell, a second wire connected to a cell well line of a memory cell, a third wire which supplies a power supply voltage to a circuit arranged outside of a region of the cell array, a fourth wire and a fifth wire being arranged in a row direction within the cell array region, and the first wire, the second wire and the third being formed in a layer above a layer in which the bit line within the cell array is formed, the fourth wire and the fifth wire being formed in the layer in which the bit line within the cell array region is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and in particular, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device arranged with a plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a tendency to adopt methods for increasing the number of memory cells which are read once with the aim of improving the capabilities in addition to large capacity in a NAND type flash memory. Consequently, improvements in drive ability of a cell source line into which a large current flows or a ground driver of a cell well line for suppressing noise are being desired. In answer to such demands, methods are being proposed such as the method disclosed in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device in the Japanese Laid Open Patent 2006-302960, for example, in which the ground capability of a ground driver is maximized by arranging a high voltage transistor region between a sense amplifier region and a memory cell array.
In addition, in the Japanese Laid Open Patent 2006-302960, a cell source line, cell well line and power supply line are connected to the source/drain of a high voltage transistor which comprises a ground driver. However, in an actual chip, the wiring layer immediately above a ground driver are covered by a wire which connects a bit line and a sense amplifier region, the wire pitch becomes more narrow with the progress of high integration and it becomes more difficult to pass the wires themselves through. Consequently, even if the width of a wire becomes smaller due to miniaturization, it becomes more difficult to pass a cell source line, cell well line and power supply line through a wiring layer.
Also, in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device in Japanese Laid Open Patent 2006-245547, a method is proposed for maximizing the grounding ability of a ground driver by lowering the resistance of a cell source line, cell well line and power supply line which are arranged above a cell array. Furthermore, there is a tendency for a consumption current to increase with large capacity memory and high functionality and while further strengthening of a power supply line is becoming essential, in order to achieve this an increase in the width of power supply line is required which leads to an increase in the size of a chip.


A paper pressing unit is composed of two cylindrical paper pressing portions, connecting members to which the paper pressing portions are each connected, and rotational shafts protruding outward from the central parts of the connecting members along the longer sides thereof, and is rotatably supported between frames provided inside the apparatus and disposed in the width direction of the processing tray (in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2). The paper pressing portions are disposed in such a way that a surface of a circular cylinder whose cylindrical axis corresponds to a line passing through the rotational shafts is divided thereby into equal parts (into two equal parts). The paper pressing portions travel on the same orbit as the paper pressing unit rotates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to post-processing apparatuses that perform processing such as sorting and stapling for sheets of paper having an image formed thereon.
2. Description of Related Art
When a relatively large number of sheets of paper on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus, such as a copier or a printer, need to be stapled (hereinafter "stapling") or punched (hereinafter "punching"), a so-called "finisher", which is a post-processing apparatus that automatically performs predetermined post-processing such as stapling or punching is useful.
FIG. 14 is a side sectional view showing an example of the structure of a conventional post-processing apparatus. In FIG. 14, a post-processing apparatus 100 is, for example, detachably connected to an image forming apparatus 101, such as a copier, a facsimile, or a printer, on a paper ejection side thereof. The post-processing apparatus 100 is provided with a processing tray 1 that can store a plurality of sheets of paper P. On the upper right of the processing tray 1 is provided a paper entrance 2. Near the paper entrance 2 is disposed a pair of receiving rollers 3. The sheets of paper having an image formed thereon are stapled, for example, as follows. The sheets of paper P sequentially ejected through a pair of ejection rollers 102 of the image forming apparatus 101 pass through the paper entrance 2 into the post-processing apparatus 100, are then conveyed to the processing tray 1 through the pair of receiving rollers 3 and a paper conveying path R, and are then temporarily stored in the processing tray 1.
The processing tray 1 is provided with a paper raising/lowering member 9 that can move up and down along a paper receiving surface. When the sheet of paper is being conveyed to the processing tray 1, the paper raising/lowering member 9 is made to wait in the lower part of the processing tray 1, whereby the leading edges of the sheets of paper P that have sequentially been conveyed through the pair of receiving rollers 3 to the processing tray 1 are supported by the paper raising/lowering member 9. Near the position where the paper raising/lowering member 9 is made to wait is provided a stapler 5. The stapler 5 staples a stack of paper whose leading edges are evened up by the paper raising/lowering member 9. The stapled stack of paper is conveyed to the upper part of the post-processing apparatus 100 by the paper raising/lowering member 9, and is then ejected through a pair of stack ejection rollers 6 into an eject tray 7.
With respect to the post-processing apparatus described above, the following problem arises. If the rear end of the sheet of paper conveyed to the processing tray 1 floats due to curling or static electricity, the leading edge of the next sheet of paper reaches under the sheet of paper that has already been placed on the processing tray 1, resulting in an undesirable change in the sequence of the stacked sheets of paper. Alternatively, the leading edge of the next sheet of paper bumps into the rear edge of the sheet of paper that has already been placed on the processing tray 1, resulting in the occurrence of a paper jam. This hinders the sheets of paper from being conveyed or stacked smoothly.
To avoid this problem, a method for preventing the sheets of paper from being unsuccessfully stacked due to floating of the rear end of the sheet of paper conveyed to the processing tray has been proposed. For example, JP-A-H11-292387 (hereinafter "Patent Document 1") discloses a post-processing apparatus provided with a swingable paper pressing portion that presses the rear end of the sheet of paper placed on a processing tray against the tray. According to the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a sheet of paper is conveyed to the processing tray and the rear end thereof passes through a pair of receiving rollers, a pressing member moves from a retracted position (a home position) to a paper pressing position so as to press the rear end of the sheet of paper against the processing tray. When the stapled stack of paper is ejected into the eject tray, the pressing member moves to the paper pressing position so as to serve as a stack ejection guide.
To achieve a proper swinging motion of the paper pressing portion between the retracted position and the paper pressing position, the movement of the paper pressing portion has to be regulated by using a stopper member located outside the range in which the paper pressing portion moves. By doing so, however, the paper pressing portion collides with the stopper member, causing collision noise. In addition, there is a possibility that the paper pressing portion collided with the stopper member and bounded back may fail to move to a given position, interfering with the reception of the next sheet of paper.
On the other hand, JP-A-2006-16090 (hereinafter "Patent Document 2") discloses a paper stacking mechanism that reduces the collision noise by reducing the speed of a swingable paper pressing plate by a gear mechanism, and enhances swing accuracy by minimizing the bound of the paper pressing plate. Certainly, with the mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is possible to stabilize a swinging motion of the paper pressing plate. However, since the paper pressing plate is retracted from the paper pressing position when the next sheet of paper is received, there is a possibility that the rear end of the stacked sheet of paper moves again away from the surface of the tray if it strongly curls or builds up static electricity. In addition, as is the case with Patent Document 1, since the paper pressing portion needs some time to swing back and forth, it is difficult to adopt this mechanism to a model that conveys a sheet of paper at high speed. It is for this reason that the above-described mechanism is not good enough to prevent the sheets of paper from being unsuccessfully stacked, and is susceptible to further improvement.

Post-processing apparatus and image forming system provided therewith


A ratchet strap apparatus includes a tensioning strap adapted to be selectively tensioned and a cargo strap adapted to be secured to the apparatus using an inboard pin and an outboard pin and bending the cargo strap into a loop. In one embodiment, the outboard pin is secured to a side wall and an opening is provided between the outboard pin and another side wall whereby the outboard pin may be inserted into a cargo strap loop. In another embodiment, the outboard pin is slidingly received through a hole in one side wall and is selectively unseated from a saddle on the other side wall for insertion into the cargo strap loop. In yet another embodiment, the outboard pin is secured between two side walls and the inboard pin is selectively removable from and seated on saddles in each of the walls whereby the inboard pin extends therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of ratchet strap apparatus typically used in tying down cargo and other things and for tensioning purposes. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved ratchet strap apparatus including an easily attachable cargo strap.
2. Background
Ratchet strap apparatus are today commonly used, for example, in tying down cargo and loads on vehicles, trailers, etc., and for tensioning purposes as needed or desired. Ratchet strap apparatus are, for example, shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,464,915; 6,654,987; 6,547,218; 6,195,848; and 4,199,182. These apparatus essentially include a mechanism having a wind up drum rotatably mounted between two walls, and a handle engaging and rotatably driving the drum. A flat tensioning strap is selectively wound onto the drum and unwound therefrom. Another flat strap referred to herein as a cargo strap is also secured to the apparatus. The terminal ends of the straps include hooks whereby the strap ends can be hooked onto each other, the cargo/load or parts of the vehicle, trailer, etc. By winding the tension strap onto the drum, the straps are placed in tension and the cargo/load is thereby secured or tension is placed as needed or desired on the components whereat the hooks are affixed.
In most ratchet strap apparatus, the cargo strap is relatively short and is permanently affixed to the ratchet mechanism. The tensioning strap is relatively longer and must be inserted through a slot in the drum, pulled taught and then, by rotatably driving the drum, caused to become wound around the drum and thereby also become frictionally engaged and tensioned. As can be appreciated, it can be difficult to simultaneously hook the cargo strap at a desired location, hook the tensioning strap at another desired location, insert the tensioning strap through the drum slot while maintaining or drawing it taught and then grasping and moving the handle for rotatably driving the drum and tensioning the tension strap.
The ratchet strap apparatus of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,654,987 and 4,199,182 make the use thereof easier by essentially providing a mechanism that includes an inboard pin and an outboard pin on the ratchet strap apparatus for more easily attaching the cargo strap. The cargo strap is selectively attachable to the mechanism by bending it into a loop with a slack end on one side thereof and a cargo engagement end on the other, locating the outboard pin through the loop and both the slack end and cargo engagement end around the inboard pin. The slack end is sandwiched between the inboard pin and the cargo engagement end whereby tension on the cargo engagement end frictionally secures the slack end between the cargo engagement end and the inboard pin. The tensioning strap may then be wound around the drum using the ratchet handle for tensioning.
However, there remain shortcomings and drawbacks in such ratchet strap apparatus and in the securement of the cargo strap to the mechanism with the inboard and outboard pins, and a need exists for an improved ratchet strap apparatus wherein the cargo strap is relatively more easily selectively attachable to the apparatus using inboard and outboard pins.

Ratchet strap apparatus including easily attachable cargo strap


Disclosed is a process for producing the baseball or softball for child, for exercise and for toy that has good security characteristics and similar playing characteristics to a conventional game ball. The invention provides the process of manufacturing a game ball wherein products with the same appearance as the conventional baseball can be obtained at a time by injecting, pressing and foaming the material of EVA alone or blend thereof. Thus, the process can decrease a danger of the ball currently used in the Little League greatly and provide a process of producing the game ball for child, exercise and toy that displays the uniform pattern and playing characteristics and has the high productivity.

In general, a game ball such as baseball or softball is composed of an inner core, an intermediate layer and an outer skin.
The inner core is made from kapok or cork, and the outer skin has the form of two-piece covers made of leather, rubber or vinyl, which was stitched with each other.
The intermediate layer has a form where yarn or thread is wound around the core in order to keep sound, elasticity and strength upon hitting against a bat.
In this conventional game ball, tearing of the cover and breaking of the wound thread can occur as the number of use of the game ball increases. Also, the core cannot keep the proper circle form.
In addition, since the thread, cork or kapok is apt to absorb moisture, the conventional ball, when it's wet with foreign substances, is likely to decrease in strength or to distort.
Also, where baseball players play with the conventional baseball of a weight defined in the regular league, it is so dangerous that the player, in particular children, can receive a fatal wound. Therefore, there have been continued requirements for a baseball having good safety characteristics.
Some manufacturers have attempted to produce a single ball or a ball of 2- or 3-layer construction, using polyurethane or thermoplastic copolymer blend materials.
The ball made of polyurethane foam has some defects. That is, it has too high elasticity and thus, on hitting, it flies so far that it can be dangerous to the player. Also, in producing this ball, it is difficult to control polyurethane foaming within a mold and thus to obtain a uniform spherical ball.
In order to keep the uniform circular form of the game ball, in some manufacturers, methods were attempted, in which instead of winding with yarns or threads, ionomer or thermoplastic resin blend materials are injected into the form of hemispheres and two of the hemispheres are fused on the core.
However, these ball-manufacturing methods involve a complex process and require many costs. For these reasons, there have been demands for a new method of manufacturing a ball, which can keep uniformity of products and reduce production costs.


Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating communication of text data, such as TTY data formed at a mobile node. The mobile node includes a TTY text generator together with mobile station circuitry, operable in a cellular radio communication system. The mobile node provides for CTM (Cellular Text Mode) modulation of the text data. If a connection is formable with the network part of the cellular communication system by which to communicate CTM-modulated data, the text data is sent as CTM-modulated. If such a connection is not formable, detection is made of the failure of the connection, and selection is made to communicate the text data as TTY-modulated data.

The use of communication systems through which to communicate is pervasive throughout modern society. And, the need to have access to a modern communication system through which to communicate is therefore a common requirement for many. Various different types of communication systems have been developed and have been deployed through which to communicate data to effectuate varied types of communication services.
A communication system is formed, at a minimum, of a sending station and a receiving station, interconnected together by way of a communication channel. Data that is to be communicated to effectuate a communication service through operation of a communication system is sourced at, or is otherwise provided to, the sending station. The sending station converts, if necessary, the data into a form to permit its communication upon the communication channel and causes the data to be communicated thereon. The receiving station operates to detect the data communicated upon the communication channel and delivered to the receiving station and to operate upon the data once received thereat to recover the informational content thereof.
A telephonic communication system is an exemplary type of communication system. Usage of a telephonic communication system through which to communicate telephonically is pervasive. And, telephonic communication systems have been deployed, now to encompass a significant portion of the populated areas of the world. Generally, a telephonic communication system provides for the communication of both voice data and non-voice data. Two-way, full duplex communication of the data is usually provided by a telephonic communication system.
Users communicate by way of a telephonic communication system by way of communication stations referred to as telephonic stations. A telephonic station at which a call is initiated is referred to as a calling station or calling party. And, a telephonic station to which a call is placed is referred to as a called station or called party.
A radio telephonic communication system, such as a cellular communication system, also provides for telephonic communication of voice and non-voice data. The data is communicated by way of channels defined upon a radio air interface, obviating the conventional requirement that the telephonic stations be fixedly connected to wireline connections to permit the communication of data to effectuate a communication service. Because the need for the wireline connection is obviated, user mobility during communication operations is enhanced.
Additionally, telephonic stations, typically referred to as mobile stations, used in a radio telephonic communication system, are typically of dimensions permitting their carriage by a user. The use of radio links, and radio channels defined thereon, together with the ease of carriage of the mobile stations, permits the user of a mobile station to communicate telephonically from, and between, locations at which telephonic communications had previously not been feasible.
Conventional, wireline telephonic stations are sometimes adapted to include, or to permit the connection thereto, of data text devices, such as TTY devices. TTY devices permit telephonic communications to be effectuated by, e.g., hearing-impaired users. A hearing-impaired user is generally less able, or unable, to hear voice data delivered to a telephonic station and, sometimes, is unable adequately orally to communicate voice information. To compensate for this impairment, a user enters data that is to be communicated by way of the TTY device, and a recipient of the data receives the transmitted data in textual form.
The TTY devices were developed initially for their use in wireline telephonic systems. Their adaptation for use in radio telephonic communication systems is non-ideal, particularly when the radio telephonic communication system forms a digital communication system. A primary reason for this is that digital radio telephonic communication systems regularly utilize speech coding techniques to encode data prior to its communication upon radio channels defined upon a radio air interface. Speech coders are generally optimized to encode speech-like signals, not textual data. And, transmission errors during communication upon non-ideal communication channels are sometimes also more problematical when textual data rather than speech data is communicated. Modulation techniques, and modems that carry out such modulation techniques, conventionally utilized by TTY devices were not developed to take into account coding performed by speech coders to which a TTY device, and the TTY data generated thereat, passes when connected theretogether.
A CTM (Cellular Text Telephone Modem) scheme has been proposed that provides an improved manner by which to communicate text data. And, radio telephonic communication system apparatus, both for the infrastructure part of the system and for a mobile station operable therein, is being developed to facilitate the communication of CTM-modulated data.
Schemes are set forth by which to provide TTY modulation at an external TTY device that is connected to a radiotelephonic station, herein referred to as a mobile node, in the event that CTM modulation can not be performed. But, mobile nodes are now constructed to include internal TTY devices, or applications. And, the text data formed at the internal device is applied directly to a CTM modulator of the mobile node. If a connection is able to be formed to communicate the text data, to form CTM-modulated data, the data is communicated.
The existing scheme, however, generally fails to provide a manner by which to communicate the internally-sourced textual data in the event that a connection is unable to be formed to communicate the CTM-modulated textual data. In the event that such a connection is unable to be formed, presently, there is generally no standard procedure by which to ensure that the textual data is communicated.
The inability of a user to communicate the internally-sourced textual data is particularly problematic when the data is to be communicated pursuant to a request for emergency assistance, such as, in the United States and Canada, an emergency 911 call. A fallback technique by which to communicate the internally-sourced textual data in the event that CTM-modulated textual data cannot be communicated would, therefore, be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to the communication of textual data in a radio communication system that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Apparatus, and an associated method, for communicating text data in a radio communication system


A dry etching method for forming tungsten wiring having a tapered shape and having a large specific selectivity with respect to a base film is provided. If the bias power density is suitably regulated, and if desired portions of a tungsten thin film are removed using an etching gas having fluorine as its main constituent, then the tungsten wiring having a desired taper angle can be formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a circuit comprised of a thin film transistor (hereafter referred to as TFT), and a manufacturing method thereof. For example, the present invention relates to an electro-optical device typified by a liquid crystal display panel, and to electronic equipment in which the electro-optical device is installed as a part. In particular, the present invention relates to a dry etching method of etching a metallic thin film, and to a semiconductor device provided with a tapered shape wiring obtained by the dry etching method.
Note that throughout this specification, the term semiconductor device denotes a general device which functions by utilizing semiconductor characteristics, and that electro-optical devices, semiconductor circuits, and electronic equipments are all semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques of structuring a thin film transistor (TFT) using a semiconductor thin film (having a thickness on the order of several nm to several hundred of nm) formed on a substrate having an insulating surface have been in the spotlight in recent years. Thin film transistors are widely applied to electronic devices such as an IC and an electro-optic device, and in particular, development of the TFT as a switching element of an image display device is proceeding rapidly.
Conventionally, Al is often used in a TFT wiring material due to things such as its ease of workability, its electrical resistivity, and its chemical resistance. However, when using Al in a TFT wiring, the formation of a protuberance such as a hillock or a whisker due to heat treatment, and the diffusion of aluminum atoms into a channel forming region, causes poor TFT operation and a reduction of TFT characteristics. High heat resistance tungsten (W), with a relatively low bulk resistivity of 5.5 μΩ·cm, can therefore be given as a preferable wiring material other than Al as a wiring material.
Further, in recent years, the demands of microfabrication techniques have become severe. In particular, with changes in high definition and large screens of a liquid crystal display, high selectivity in the wiring processing step as well as extremely strict control of line width is required.
A general wiring process can be performed by wet etching using a solution or by dry etching using a gas. However, when considering miniaturization of the wiring, maintenance of repeatability, reduction of waste, and decrease of cost, wet etching is unfavorable, and therefore dry etching is considered favorable for wiring processing.
When processing tungsten (W) by dry etching, a mixed gas of SF6 and Cl2 is generally used as an etching gas. While microfabrication with a large etching rate in a short time is possible when this gas mixture is used, it is difficult to obtain a desirable tapered shape. In order to improve the coverage of a lamination film formed on the wiring, there are cases in which the cross section of the wiring is made an intentional forward taper, depending upon the device structure.

Wiring and manufacturing method thereof, semiconductor device comprising said wiring, and dry etching method

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A device for the advancement of bars, particularly narrow bars, in automatic loaders provided with a inclined supporting plane or with another loading system for a plurality of bars and with a mechanism for the individual release of the bars, comprising: guides, whereon supporting elements for a bar released from the plane and a carriage provided with grip elements for a bar can slide, the carriage being actuated between an initial position, where the grip elements are actuated so as to grip a bar deposited on the supporting elements, and a final position, where the bar is released by the grip elements and is secured in the spindle of an automatic lathe; a pusher which is supported so as to move parallel to itself; and actuators for actuating the pusher after the carriage between an offset position and a position wherein it is aligned with the bar deposited on the supporting elements when the carriage is in the final position.

The present invention relates to a device for the advancement of bars, particularly narrow bars, in automatic loaders.
In conventional automatic loaders, shortcomings are observed which substantially consist in their excessive longitudinal bulk and in the difficulty in achieving the advancement of bars having a very small diameter, on the order of 1-2 mm.

Device for the advancement of bars, particularly narrow bars, in automatic loaders

I.E.M.C.A. S.p.A. Industria Elettromeccanica Complessi Automatici


The present disclosure relates to a coil assembly of an MRI device. The MRI device may be configured to perform an MR scan on a subject. The coil assembly may include one or more coil units, a substrate, and a sensor mounted within or on the substrate. The one or more coil units may be configured to receive an MR signal from the subject during the MR scan. The substrate may be configured to position the one or more coil units during the MR scan. The one or more coil units may be mounted within or on the substrate. The sensor may be configured to detect a motion signal relating to a physiological motion of the subject before or during the MR scan.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices are widely used in medical imaging. A subject, such as a patient, may be scanned by an MRI device, and a coil assembly of the MRI device may be used to detect MR signals generated during the scan. In some occasions, the subject may undergo a physiological motion (e.g., a cardiac motion, a respiratory motion, etc.) during an MR scan, which may affect imaging quality, for example, result in motion artifacts in a resulting MR image. A motion signal relating to the physiological motion may need to be detected and taken into consideration in MRI. Conventionally, a motion signal detection device independent from the coil assembly may be used to detect a motion signal, and the equipment complexity and cost may increase. For example, during a scan on the chest of a patient, one or more electrodes (e.g., four electrodes representing four limbs of the patient) may be placed on the skin of the patient to detect an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal representing the cardiac motion of the patient. The electrode(s) may be fixed on the patient by a user (e.g., a doctor) and connected to wires, which may cause a potential safety risk. As another example, a belt tied around the chest of the patient and/or a pressure measurement sensor may be utilized to measure a respiratory signal of the patient. Alternatively, the patient may be trained to breathe at a certain pace and amplitude during the MR scan, which is difficult and time-consuming. Thus, it is desirable to provide a coil assembly which is capable of detecting both MR signals and motion signals, and effective systems and methods for detecting a motion signal in MRI using the coil assembly, thereby reducing or mitigate the effect of the physiological motion and improve imaging quality.

Coil assembly of magnetic resonance imaging device

SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.


A method of modifying a phosphorus-treated zeolite catalyst is carried out by contacting an unbound and calcined phosphorus-treated pentasil zeolite with water in a water treatment wherein at least a portion of the water is in a liquid phase. The water treatment is sufficient to remove at least 80% by weight or more of phosphorus from the phosphorus-treated zeolite and provide an increase in the pore volume of the zeolite by at least 50% prior to the water treatment to form a modified phosphorus-treated zeolite catalyst. A zeolite catalyst is also provided in the form of a phosphorus-containing pentasil zeolite having a phosphorus content of 7.5% or less by weight of zeolite and a 27Al MAS NMR peak at 50 ppm that is greater than any other 27Al MAS NMR and a pore volume of 0.2 ml/g or more.

A zeolite is a crystalline hydrated aluminosilicate that has a tetrahedra structure of the formula TO4. The tetrandra structure is in the form of a three-dimensional network that is formed by sharing oxygen atoms and wherein T represents tetravalent atoms, such as silicon, and trivalent atoms, such as aluminum.
In the crystalline structure of the zeolite there are pores and channels which may be interconnected. The dimensions and configuration of these pores and channels allow access of molecules of certain sizes or configurations, thus promoting the selectivity to certain products when the zeolite is used as a catalyst. Elements, such as metals, may also be deposited on or incorporated with the zeolite to facilitate selectivity or catalytic enhancement of the zeolite catalyst.
In certain instances phosphorus is used to modify the zeolite structure. In phosphorus treatment of zeolites, the zeolite is modified so that the pores and channels are occluded by various materials resulting from the treatment. This typically includes phosphates, phosphates bonded with non-framework aluminum and silicon, and amorphous alumina that is present as debris within the zeolite pore channels. Such catalysts have been shown to have improved catalysts characteristics in certain applications. Furthermore, the framework aluminum of the zeolite is decreased as a result of the phosphorus treatment and/or calcination.
The present invention is directed to a method of modifying phosphorus-containing or phosphorus-treated pentasil zeolite catalysts that have unique properties and characteristics that differ from conventional phosphorus-containing or phosphorus-treated zeolite catalysts.

Method of modifying a phosphorus-containing zeolite catalyst


A power conversion apparatus is obtained which detects a mis-connection of optical fiber cables based on a difference in mode of feedback signals, and changes a phase sequence in an automatic manner only with the use of a logical composition of a microcomputer control section. A drive circuit 2 for driving a semiconductor device 1 includes a test signal recognition section 31 that outputs inherent feedback signals 32 in response to a test signal 30 from a microcomputer control section 3. The microcomputer control section 3 includes an optical fiber mis-connection detection section 29, 33 that detects a mis-connection state of the optical fibers 8 based on the inherent feedback signals 32. The optical fiber mis-connection detection section compares the inherent feedback signals 32 with the individual normal feedback signals stored beforehand, respectively, and detects a mis-connection state of the optical fibers 8 when it is indicated that at least one inherent feedback signal does not coincide with a corresponding normal feedback signal.

In general, in a power conversion apparatus comprising an inverter, a converter or the like, there are used a plurality of semiconductor devices (GTO, IGBT, etc.) corresponding to individual phases.
The semiconductor devices, which constitute a main circuit for power conversion, can not operate by themselves, so they are driven to operate under the control of a drive unit which is separately provided.
A conventional semiconductor drive unit comprises a drive circuit that is connected to individual semiconductor devices, and a microcomputer control part that controls the drive circuit (see, for example, a first patent document).
The drive circuit and the microcomputer control part each have an O/E conversion section and an E/O conversion section at their one end, and are connected to each other in individual phases through a plurality of optical fibers (communication mediums) that have end connector portions at opposite ends thereof.
Control signals of individual phases created by the microcomputer control part are converted into optical signals and then sent to the drive circuit through the individual optical fibers, and they are further converted into electric signals, which are impressed to the individual semiconductor devices thereby to turn on and off the individual semiconductor devices.
In addition, the drive circuit has a protection detection section that monitors the abnormality of each of the individual semiconductor devices, and inputs a fault signal to a fault processing circuit in the microcomputer control part thereby to stop the apparatus.
For example, in case where the power conversion apparatus is in the form of a three-phase two-level inverter, ON/OFF commands (control signals) for three phases (U phase, V phase and W phase) of an upper arm and three phases (X phase, Y phase and Z phase) of a lower arm have a phase difference of 120 degrees between adjacent phases, and the individual control signals are set in reverse logic with a dead time interposed between adjacent ones in such a manner that the control signals for the upper arm and the lower arm are not turned on at the same time.
At this time, for example, when an optical fiber corresponding to a semiconductor device of the X phase and an optical fiber corresponding to a semiconductor device of the V phase are exchanged or reversed with each other and mis-connected to the optical fibers of the V phase and the X phase, respectively, a semiconductor device of the upper arm and a semiconductor device of the lower arm can be turned on at the same time for each phase for a certain period of time if left as they are, thus giving rise to the possibility that an arm short fault might be caused to damage the semiconductor devices.
First Patent Document    Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2003-143832


Disclosed is a safety helmet having an outer shell, having a front opening, coupled with an inner shell made of shock absorption material, an anti-dazzle visor constrained to the outer shell and movable between a position of engagement and a position of disengagement with the front opening, and an operating portion of the anti-dazzle visor, integral with this latter, and controlled, through a motion transmission cable, by a control slider coupled to a related guide fastened to the outer shell. The control slider is translatable manually between an inactive position and an active position in which the anti-dazzle visor is arranged in a position of engagement. Advantageously, the motion transmission cable has one end integral with the outer she and the other end integral with the control slider, and engages with a drive constrained to the operating portion of the anti-dazzle visor, for movement of this latter.

It is known in the art to provide safety helmets for users of vehicles such as motorcycles, or snowmobiles, with an anti-dazzle visor, usually burnished or in any case produced in such a manner as to filter external light, which is pivoted, or constrained, to the outer shell and which, due to an appropriate operating mechanism, is movable between a position of engagement of the front opening of the helmet, i.e. to protect the user's sight, and a position of disengagement from the opening.
More in particular, it is known to produce a safety helmet comprising an outer shell made of rigid synthetic material, coupled integral to a complementary inner shell made of a shock absorbing material, usually an expanded material, in turn associated with a cap for the user's comfort, which is shaped in such a manner to have a front opening which allows the user to see and a lower opening to allow the helmet to be put on.
As it is known, in some safety helmets, known as "open face" helmets, the two openings mentioned above are connected to each other without interruption, while in other helmets they are separated from each other by a specific portion of the outer shell, provided with a corresponding shock absorbing layer, arranged in the user's chin area, and consequently called "chin guard". In this latter case, production of the chin guard secured integral with the remaining part of the outer shell gives produces helmets which are known as "full face", while the production of a chin guard that is pivoted, or in any case constrained with at least a degree of freedom, to the outer shell, and which can therefore usually be lifted relative to this latter, defines helmets known as "flip-up full face".
In any case, regardless of the type of safety helmet considered, it is known to constrain to the outer shell, or optionally to extensions of the chin guard, when this is of the type that can be flipped up, a visor for protection of the user's face which reversibly covers the aforesaid front opening, and, in some cases, it is known to constrain to the outer shell an antidazzle visor, intended to engage at least part of the user's field of vision.
The anti-dazzle visor is usually constrained to the outer shell by means of an operating mechanism which allows the user, through a specific manual control, to move the visor in relation to the outer shell to engage or disengage the front opening of the helmet with the antidazzle visor.
In this regard, there are known different operating mechanisms of the anti-dazzle visor which allow the user to switch, rapidly and easily, from the aforesaid position of engagement of the anti-dazzle visor, usually coinciding with a lowered position relative to the outer shell, to the position of disengagement, usually coinciding with a raised position relative to the outer shell, and vice versa.
It is in fact essential for the person wearing the helmet to be able during travel to move the anti-dazzle visor, rapidly and with simple manual movements, from its position covering the user's field of vision, i.e. of engagement with the front opening of the helmet, to its position out of the user's field of vision, i.e. of disengagement from the front opening, when there are sudden changes in environmental light conditions, for example when entering and exiting a tunnel.
It must be noted that, above all when requiring to change from the position of engagement of the anti-dazzle visor with the front opening of the helmet to the position of disengagement of the anti-dazzle visor, or vice versa, the rapidity with which this change takes place is particularly critical.
It is also essential for the anti-dazzle visor, once arranged in the most suitable position by the user, to remain firmly in this position and not to move accidentally, for example due to vibrations or slight knocks to which the safety helmet is subjected, to the opposite position.
This requirement is particularly important in the case in which the user utilizes the safety helmet provided with the anti-dazzle visor to drive a vehicle at night or to drive a vehicle in conditions of poor environmental light, or in cases in which the anti-dazzle visor is arranged by the user in the raised position of disengagement from the front opening of the helmet. In fact, in these cases accidental lowering, due to vibrations or knocks, of the anti-dazzle visor to the position of engagement with the front opening of the helmet could cause effective problems for the user, while driving the vehicle.
The operating mechanism of the anti-dazzle visor is therefore required to ensure, even when there are vibrations and slight knocks, that it firmly maintains at least the raised position of the anti-dazzle visor, after it has been arranged in this position by the user.
Among the operating mechanisms of the anti-dazzle visor of known safety helmets, those mechanisms that provide for the use of cables for transmitting motion from a control slider, which can be operated manually by the user, to the anti-dazzle visor, are particularly effective and structurally simple.
The international patent application WO 2006/037294 A1, by SCHUBERTH ENGINEERING AG, describes an operating mechanism for an anti-dazzle visor comprising two Bowden cables, i.e. cables capable of transmitting pushing and pulling forces and movements, which have one end thereof connected to at least one control slider, sliding inside a guide integral with the outer shell of the helmet, and the other end thereof connected respectively to lateral operating portions of the anti-dazzle visor. Operation of the control slider, by the user, causes, due to the Bowden cables, transmission of motion from the slider to the anti-dazzle visor, which is thus caused to move from a position covering the field of vision, corresponding to a lowered position, to the position out of the field of vision, corresponding to a raised position, and vice versa.
Although structurally simple., this operating mechanism for the anti-dazzle visor on the one hand proves to be relatively ineffective, given that the speed with which the anti-dazzle visor passes from its position of engagement to its position of disengagement is left to the manual rapidity of the user, and on the other hand the force required by the user to move the control slider, given the presence of the Bowden cables, is substantially equivalent to the force required to raise or lower the anti-dazzle visor, and can therefore represent a possible obstacle to rapid operation of the visor.
The international patent application WO 2010/066278 A1 by LAZER S. A., relates to an operating mechanism to raise or lower an anti-dazzle visor of a safety helmet which comprises a cable, of the flexible or Bowden type, extending between a control slider of the visor, in turn slidable inside a related guide integral with the outer shell of the helmet, and a slider., constrained to two arms of two respective levers, which are in turn integral with lateral end portions of the aforesaid anti-dazzle visor, to cause raising or lowering thereof relative to the outer shell and to the related front opening.
Manual movement of the control slider inside its guide causes, through the motion transmission cable and the kinematic mechanism composed of the slider and of the two levers, movement of the anti-dazzle visor from its lowered position, i.e. covering the user's field of vision, to its raised position, i.e. out of the field of vision, and vice versa.
Although this operating mechanism was designed to allow the user to apply relatively low forces in order to operate the anti-dazzle visor, due to the presence of the two levers employed, it nonetheless has a certain degree of structural complexity and is also cumbersome and difficult to assemble.
Moreover, although the operating mechanism of the anti-dazzle visor described in WO 2010/066278 A1 allows the anti-dazzle visor to be operated by exerting a limited force on the related control slider, it is not provided with specific technical means for rapidly raising this latter in the case of need and does not seem to have any mechanism that ensures the anti-dazzle visor remains stably in its raised position, of disengagement from the front opening of the helmet.
Although the German utility model DE 8534132 U, by WITZMANN does not refer explicitly to a helmet provided with an anti-dazzle visor, it describes a mechanism for raising and lowering the protective visor relative to the front opening of the shell, which includes the use of two flexible motion transmission cables, coupled functionally to a control slider and, respectively, at the lower lateral ends of the visor that act as operating portions of this latter. The helmet also comprises elastic return means, which, interposed functionally between the outer shed and the visor, are structured to push the visor into its raised position, i.e. of disengagement from the front opening of the helmet.
The control slider, which engages slidingly inside a stepped guide adapted to provide a plurality of stable retaining positions for the slider, can be operated by the user in order to lower the visor in opposition to the action of said elastic return means.
Although this visor operating mechanism ensures considerably rapid raising of the visor, it suffers from the same drawbacks already set forth in relation to the international patent application WO 2006/037294 A1, as the force to apply to the slider, given the direct transmission of forces from the slider to the visor, must be equivalent to the force required to raise or lower the visor.


A wireless power transmission system comprising a wireless power transmitting device and a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power receiving device is configured to regulate power drawn during a power transfer phase to maintain a substantially steady power level that is less than or equal to a power consumption level demanded by an associated load. The wireless power transmitting device is configured to determine the presence of a foreign object by monitoring the power transmitted or the power received and identifying a characteristic change in steady state power indicative of the presence of a foreign object.

In inductive, wireless power transfer systems, an inductive power transmitter wirelessly transmits power to an inductive power receiver. The receiver receives the wirelessly transmitted power and provides power to an associated load, such as to an internal battery of an associated device for charging the battery.
Wireless power transfer typically requires communication between the transmitter and the receiver. The wireless power transfer process may also include various phases of operation in which information is shared between the transmitter and receiver for initiating and controlling wireless power transfer. For example, after establishing communication, the receiver may enter a handshake phase to agree on a power transfer contract with the transmitter. The power transfer contract may include one or more terms of power transfer including, for example, a maximum power transfer limit.
The wireless power transfer process may also include a calibration stage, for enabling the transmitter to detect the presence of an unwanted foreign object during wireless power transfer. The calibration stage may involve subjecting the receiver's load to varying calibration power levels, and then using response data from the receiver indicative of wireless power received to formulate a model of expected load behavior during wireless power transfer.
It is a requirement that there are no foreign objects present during the calibration phase to build a reliable load behavior model. For this reason, calibration is typically performed as quickly as possible and the model is only built using up to two varying calibration power levels. This limits the accuracy of the generated model. Furthermore, the calibration power levels are dependent on the state of the load during the calibration phase, which may limit the degree of variance between the calibration power levels and ultimately the reliability of the generated model. For example, a battery with a relatively high state of charge during calibration will only allow for relatively low power levels to calibrate the transmitter. Ultimately, this can limit the reliability of the load behavior model outside these low calibration power levels.
A power transfer phase may be initiated after calibration, in which wireless power is transmitted to the receiver's load as per the load's requirements. The transfer may occur under the terms of the negotiated power transfer contract, for example. In the power transfer phase, the receiver may communicate changing power requirements of the load to the transmitter to dynamically adjust transmitted wireless power accordingly. The receiver may also send information to the transmitter indicating the level of wireless power received during the power transfer phase. The transmitter may use this information to detect the potential presence of an unwanted foreign object by comparing the wireless power received against the model of expected load behavior formulated in the calibration phase.
As previously mentioned, the limitations imposed on the calibration phase can affect the reliability of the generated model and ultimately, the performance of the wireless power transfer system during the power transfer phase. This is particularly the case when the load's requirements during the power transfer phase change beyond the scope of the generated model.

Wireless power transfer system and devices


The present invention includes hyaluronic acid complexes of a monovalent alkali metal salt of hyaluronic acid and a tetra alkyl ammonium halide that are suitable for incorporation with tissue scaffolds that are suitable for use in repair and/or regeneration of muscoloskeletal tissue and that include a biodegradable, porous substrate made from a biodegradable, hydrophobic polymer, where the hyaluronic acid complex is substantially insoluble in water at room temperature, yet soluble in mixtures of organic and aqueous solvents in which the selected hydrophobic polymer is soluble.

There is a clinical need for biocompatible and biodegradable structural matrices that facilitate tissue infiltration to repair/regenerate diseased or damaged tissue. Previous attempts have used a number of naturally occurring, as well as synthetic biodegradable materials as scaffolds in the tissue repair process.
One class of biodegradable and biocompatible materials is the family of polysaccharides. One particular polysaccharide used for scaffolds is hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is a naturally-occurring linear polysaccharide comprised of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The ionic polymer has a range of molecular weight of from 1,000–10,000,000 Daltons. The use of purified HA has become common practice for treatments such as corneal transplantation, viscosupplementation of the knee, anti-adhesive barriers in spinal surgeries and wound healing applications.
HA has been explored as a scaffold to enhance the repair of tissue. However, the poor physical properties of natural HA and its rapid resorption by the body has restricted its use to applications where a structurally sound scaffold is not required.
Numerous groups have attempted to modify HA to obtain a more robust and water insoluble biopolymer for tissue engineering applications. One line of modifications involved the use of cross-linking agents. These cross-linking agents include formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, vinyl sulphone, biscarbodiimides, poly-functional epoxides, glycidyl ether, photocurable cinnamic acid derivatives and adipic dihydrazide. However, there are concerns regarding the potential toxicity of some of the cross-linking agents.
HA derivatives have been obtained by targeting specific functional groups of HA, such as carboxyl, hydroxyl and N-acetyl groups through chemical reactions, such as esterification, acylation, amidation, and sulphation. An example of an esterified-HA is a product sold under the tradename HYAFF 11 (Fidia Advanced Biopolymers, Abano Terme, Italy), which has its carboxyl groups modified with benzyl esters. This material is stable in aqueous media for a few weeks, but completely degrades within 2 months.
In many tissue repair applications, e.g. muscoloskeletal tissue repair and/or regeneration, the scaffold must be structurally intact for periods far longer than two months. While the use of HA in tissue repair is desired due to HA's function in extracellular matrices and its recognition by certain cell receptors that regulate attachment, proliferation, differentiation and matrix synthesis of certain cell types, thus far approaches using natural HA or known modified-HA have proven inadequate to provide tissue scaffolds that must maintain structural integrity for extended periods of time. A longer lasting material having the appropriate chemical and physical characteristics is necessary in applications such as musculoskeletal tissue repair or regeneration with prolonged enhanced tissue growth capabilities. The HA complexes described herein provide a solution to the need for such tissue scaffolds with such prolonged enhanced capabilities.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Modified hyaluronic acid for use in musculoskeletal tissue repair