A device for visualizing structure located on the interior of a biological substance. The device includes a marker member that may be a solid cylinder or lumen having an interior volume having a distal end removably insertable in the biological substance relative to the interior structure to be visualized. An image-enhancing material is contained relative to the marker member in a manner such that the imaging material does not directly contact the biological substance. The imaging material of choice is one capable of producing an emission or signal detectable external to the biological substance by suitable imaging instrumentation. Also disclosed is a method for visualizing critical structures or radiation therapy targets in imaging processes such as positron emission tomography and/or single photon emission computerized tomography, MRI, or ultrasound either used alone or in combination or in registration with anatomical imaging processes such as computed tomography or mammography.

Targeting aids or landmarking devices have been employed in diagnostic imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound. These devices, commonly referred to as fiducial markers, generally occur as two types: internally occurring markers that are inherent in the subject's anatomy; and externally positionable imaging aids that can be permanently or temporarily affixed to the body under analysis. External fiducial markers have also been proposed for use and have been used in other imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) as well as in imaging techniques such as MRI and CT. No effective internally positionable devices have been developed.
Imaging techniques such as PET and SPECT rely upon cellular uptake of suitable imaging solutions such as 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose to provide accurate images of metabolically active tissue, including cancerous or abnormal tissue material. Malignant cells, such as those found in cancerous tumor tissue, generally exhibit elevated energy requirements resulting in elevated levels of glucose consumption or other functional processes. By comparison, surrounding tissue is less metabolically active. Imaging techniques such as PET make use of this differential in cellular glucose uptake or functional or molecular uptake by employing radiopharmaceutically tagged uptake solutions to demonstrate areas of interest for imaging and analysis. SPECT and PET with other radiotracers such as 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, 18F-sodium fluoride, 11C-methionine, 11C-choline, 11C-acetate, 18F-fluorocholine, 18F-fluoroethylcholine, 11C-deoxyglucose, 15O-oxygen, 11C-carbon monoxide, 15O-water, 11C-butanol, 11C—N-methylspiperone, 18F—N-methylspiperone, 18F-spiperone, 11C-flumazenil, 11C-ACHC, 11C-tyrosine, 11C-thymidine, 18F-beta estradiol, 16 alpha 18F-fluoroestradiol, 18F-moabs can image, for example, regional glucose metabolism, bone tumors, amino acid uptake and protein synthesis, cell membrane proliferation, regional brain metabolism, metabolic rate of oxygen utilization, blood flow and proteins. While both PET and SPECT allow distinction of tumor from normal tissues, there are instances in which PET and SPECT are difficult to use as a single imaging modality.
One drawback of such radiopharmaceutically assisted imaging techniques is that the visualized area of increased tracer accumulation is best localized in comparison to known anatomical references in order to be precisely characterized and located in the subject's body. In order to be visualized in a PET or SPECT scan, the anatomical element of interest must also be capable of sufficient uptake of radioactivity to provide a detectable emission. Thus, localization can be accomplished using PET or SPECT when a known anatomical landmark also exhibits increased radiotracer uptake relative to the surrounding imaged tissues. In such instances, the landmark can provide a reference against which the region under study can be located, analyzed and measured. This requirement becomes problematic in regions of greater anatomical variation, and in regions which have little radiotracer uptake on scan. Such regions provide few reference landmarks which have levels of increased cellular glucose or other tracer uptake.
This problem becomes more pronounced in situations where imaging data generated from PET or SPECT scans are to be integrated with imaging data derived from other methods such as, e.g., MRI, CT, or ultrasound. As described in Wahl et al., "Anatometabolic Tumor Imaging: Fusions of FDG PET with CT or MRI to Localize Foci of Increased Activity," J. Nucl. Med; 34 (7); 1190-1197, (1993) "metabolic" data generated from PET studies of specific anatomical regions have been fused with imaging data generated by MRI and/or CT to visualize "hot spots" generated by abnormal cellular activity. Such data have been registered to anatomical images generated by MRI and/or CT. In Thornton et al., "A Head Immobilization System for Radiation Simulation, CT, MRI, and PET Imaging," Medical Dosimetry: 16; 51-56, (1991), contour tubing is permanently mounted to immobilizing masks used in simulation planning and during radiation treatment for both central nervous system and cranial and facial tumors. A suitable positron emission material such as a fluorine-18 solution is inserted in the tubes to provide a positron emission from the known external source. The authors describe an external marker system that provides a reference system for imaging correlation.
In the process described in the Wahl et al. reference, external fiducial markers were placed during both anatomic (CT and MRI) and metabolic (PET) studies. These external fiducial markers, as well as inherent internal anatomical landmarks, were used to reconstruct fused images from the various imaging studies. This permitted greater accuracy in localizing structures of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,566 to Mountz et al. is directed to an externally positioned apparatus for defining a plane of an image through a portion of the body. The device includes a frame onto which a plurality of channels can be mounted. A suitable imaging material can be contained in the channels to provide reference markers during scanning.
The methods and devices described in the Wahl and Thornton references present difficulties when employed to visualize regions where greater patient-to-patient anatomical variation is encountered. Such regions often lack internal landmarks or accurate correlation with the positioning of external fiducial markers. The device disclosed in Mountz has an effective use in imaging more confined and rigid regions like the cranium. However, external devices such as the Mountz device or that disclosed in Thornton are not designed for marking internal imaging regions such as the chest, abdomen or pelvis. In addition, external markers do not localize deep anatomy.
In three-dimensional radiation treatment planning or intensity-modulated radiation therapy, the ability to visualize targets and critical structures is crucial. These critical structures are organs that receive radiation dose but are not themselves targets for treatment. Examples of critical structures include, but are not limited to, the optic chasm, esophagus, spinal cord, small and large bowels, rectum, kidneys, vaginal walls, etc. Knowledge of the location of critical structures, as well as the targeted tissue for treatment, permits more accurate targeting and precise administration of radiation dose and greater sparing or normal tissue radiation toxicity.
The problem can present in many situations, for example, when functional imaging is introduced into radiation treatment planning for thoracic cancers such as lung cancer. In such situations it is important to visualize critical structures, such as the esophagus, in a manner that will permit the radiation oncologist to locate and identify critical structures and to locate the target tissue to plan and administer therapeutic radiation dose in a precise and accurate manner. Critical structures, such as esophageal tissue, are difficult to visualize in PET due to relatively low metabolic uptake of radiopharmaceutically marker by the esophagus, particularly in relation to the target tumor. Under such circumstances, metabolic emission imaging techniques such as PET or SPECT are of limited utility.
References such as Wahl et al. have proposed fusing data produced from metabolic imaging techniques with data generated from other imaging techniques. However, accurate visualization of certain critical structures or targets can be difficult even in multiple imaging systems. MRI is particularly sensitive to moving tissue. Even a stationary-positioned patient will produce motion from breathing, heart rate or peristalsis which can create image displacement or edge blurring artifacts. MRI motion artifact correction techniques such as retrospective triggering and respiratory compensation as well as gradient motion compensation do not completely remove motion artifacts from an MRI image, (Brown et al. "MRI Imaging, Abbreviations, Definitions and Descriptions: A Review," Radiology (1999) 213 (3): 647.) Deep anatomy fiducial markers can facilitate inclusion of MRI imaging in multi-imaging modality fusion by complementing existing MRI artifact correction techniques.
The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound is limited when applied to the study of small and deep anatomic structures. The utility of ultrasound imaging for multimodality image fusion would be enhanced through the use of an internal fiducial marker containing contrast agents that produce a homogeneous transmission of sound, harmonics or echogenicity. When targets and critical structures can be visualized by imaging techniques such as but not limited to PET, SPECT, MRI, ultrasound, CT or mammography, the ability to obtain fused multi-imaging data is limited, due, in part, to the absence of effective constant landmarks such as internal fiducial markers.
Based on the limitations of the imaging modalities described above, it is desirable to have means for more accurately identifying internal critical structures in various imaging techniques. It is also desirable to provide utility for maximum use of existing techniques for demonstrating morphologic and molecular disease. This is one of the research priorities of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Internal marker device for identification of biological substances

The Regents of The University of Michigan


Texturing slurry for texturing a substrate for a magnetic hard disk is obtained by dispersing abrading particles of a specified kind in a specified kind of dispersant. The abrading particles include diamond clusters formed with artificial diamond particles with primary particle diameter of 20 nm or less and surrounded by impurities containing chlorine at a certain ratio. The cluster diameter and the average cluster diameter of the diamond clusters are each within a specified range. For texturing a substrate surface, the substrate is rotated, texturing slurry of this invention is supplied to the surface and a texturing tape of a specified kind is pressed against the substrate surface while it is caused to run.

This invention relates to a texturing method for forming texturing marks on the surface of a substrate for a magnetic hard disk and to slurry for using in such a method.
Magnetic hard disks are being used as a medium for recording data such as sound and image for data recording and reproducing apparatus such as computers. A magnetic hard disk is generally produced by mirror-polishing the surface of a non-magnetic substrate such as a glass substrate or an aluminum substrate with Ni—P plating, carrying out a texturing process on its surface to form approximately concentric circular texturing marks thereon and sequentially forming a magnetic layer, a protective layer, etc. on this textured surface by using a known thin-film technology such as sputtering.
As known to persons skilled in the art, the texturing process is for forming approximately concentric circular line marks on the surface of a magnetic hard disk similar to the texturing marks formed on the surface of the substrate in order to prevent the adsorption of the magnetic head to the magnetic hard disk.
For the purpose of carrying out magnetization of a magnetic hard disk accurately for accurate recording and reproduction, the surface of the magnetic hard disk must satisfy the following four topological conditions.
(1) Firstly, the pitch of the line marks formed on the surface of the magnetic hard disk must be made smaller. In other words, if the number of line marks per unit length in the radial direction of the disk is increased, the number of protruding parts of the linear marks per unit area facing the magnetic head (or the surface portions of the magnetic hard disk near the magnetic head) increases such that it becomes possible to carry out the magnetization of the magnetic hard disk more accurately. In recent years, the number of line marks per unit length in the radial direction of the disk, or the line density, is coming to be required to be 40 lines/μm or more.
(2) Secondly, deep indentations (deep indentations of line marks and scratches) must not be formed on the surface of the magnetic hard disk. This is because, if these indented parts are too deep, magnetic flux from the magnetic head does not reach the magnetic layer near the bottom of the indented parts and cannot magnetize these parts. This makes accurate recording and reproduction impossible. It is also because a magnetic layer may fail to be formed near the bottom of the indented parts at the time of forming a thin film by sputtering.
(3) Thirdly, abnormal protrusions reaching the floating distance of the magnetic head must not be formed such that the magnetic head can fly at a low height. This is because, if the magnetic head collides with such protrusions, the magnetic head may be damaged and the pieces of the protrusions will become attached to the surface of the magnetic hard disk such that accurate recording to and reproduction from the magnetic hard disk become impossible. In recent years, floating distances of 10 nm or less are being required.
(4) Fourthly, the surface roughness of the magnetic hard disk must be made low such that the magnetic head can slide smoothly on the surface of the magnetic hard disk after landing thereon and before floating up therefrom.
In summary, it is required to form line marks having indentations with an appropriate depth and protrusions with an appropriate height, and such topological surface conditions of a magnetic hard disk depends largely on the texturing process carried out on the surface of its substrate.
In view of the above, it is coming to be required in recent years to make the average surface roughness of the substrate within a range between 3 Å and 6 Å and to form texturing marks with line density of 40 lines/μm or greater on the substrate surface by a texturing process, and it is further being required that such texturing marks be formed uniformly and clearly on the substrate surface.
As described in Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 2005-131711, texturing is conventionally carried out by using free abrading particles, or by supplying slurry having abrading particles dispersed therein to the surface of the substrate and pressing a texturing tape onto the surface of the substrate so as to form approximately concentric circular texturing marks on the substrate surface.
Porous tapes made of a woven or non-woven cloth material or a foamed material capable of taking in polishing debris generated by the texturing process and acting elastically on the substrate surface are commonly used as the texturing tape.
As described in Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 6-121923 and 2005-131711, furthermore, texturing slurry containing diamond clusters as abrading particles is being used. Diamond clusters mean a bunched combination of particles of artificial diamond obtained by an explosion shock method such as described in Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 6-121923 and 2005-131711, by Eiji Oosawa in "Details of nano-diamond by oxygenless explosion method," Journal of Toryu Gakkai, Vol. 47, No. 8 (August, 2003) at pages 414-417 and by Kotaro Hanada in "Characteristics of diamond clusters and their application to solid lubrication," ibid., Vol. 47, No. 8 (August, 2003) at pages 422-425.
Mechanism of texturing by diamond clusters will be explained first. Diamond clusters dispersed as polishing materials in texturing slurry are carried inside the surface portion of the texturing tape being pressed against the surface of the magnetic hard disk substrate during the texturing process and are thereby pressed against the substrate surface. Larger diamond clusters break up as they are carried in the surface portion of the texturing tape and become diamond clusters of an appropriate size while being pressed against the substrate surface. These diamond clusters act on and texture the substrate surface while being carried inside the surface portion of the texturing tape.
Since diamond clusters are formed with extremely small artificial diamond particles with primary particle diameter of 20 nm or smaller, it used to be considered possible to reduce the average surface roughness of the substrate and to form texturing marks at a high line density by highly purifying the diamond clusters (that is, by making the purity of diamond clusters closer to that of natural diamond).
If texturing slurry having a polishing material comprising diamond clusters is used to texture a substrate for a magnetic hard disk, it is possible to form texturing marks at a line density of 40 lines/μm or more on the substrate surface but spots appear, the texturing marks being not uniform and becoming locally unclear. Thus, the current problem is that there are fluctuations in the quality of the products after the texturing process and that it is not possible to product products of a specified quality level.
In the technical field of texturing, therefore, the development of a new technology is being required for forming texturing marks uniformly and clearly on the surface of a substrate for a magnetic hard disk with average surface roughness in the range of between 3 Å and 6 Å and line density of 40 lines/μm or greater without generating any spots.

Texturing slurry and texturing method by using same


Coupler-based amplifiers provide a measure of load mismatch based on the difference between the two output signal amplitudes from the amplifiers. This measure can be used to control variable matching networks (VMNs) or amplifier supply voltages to maintain constant distortion levels and high power transfer/efficiency and even to control output power. Load mismatch is measured by comparing the amplifier device output amplitudes and adjusting the circuit based on the comparison to counteract undesired behavior, such as increasing distortion levels.

This invention relates to electronic amplifiers and more particularly to coupler-based amplifiers.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional coupler-based amplifier 100 that includes two amplifier devices 102, 104. This circuit architecture is typically used when the output power to be delivered to the load ZL exceeds the capability of a single amplifier device. In the figure, the source is indicated as a voltage source and a series impedance ZS. When the 3-dB couplers 106, 108 are of quadrature type, e.g., field-coupled lines with an electrical length of one-quarter wavelength, mismatches between the individual amplifier devices 102, 104 and the couplers do not appear at the source and load connections. It will be noted that as shown, the secondary connections of the couplers are terminated in the characteristic impedance ZO. This architecture also provides some protection against amplifier device failure in that if one device breaks down, the amplifier still works but with reduced output power.
Coupler-based amplifiers are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,434 to Selin discloses a coupler-based power amplifier where load mismatch is compensated by feedback from the output coupler to the input coupler. U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,696 to Abdollahian et al. discloses a coupler-based power amplifier with dynamic load impedance matching based on measured reflected output power. U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,541 to Cheng et al. discloses a coupler-based power amplifier with impedance modification circuits coupled to the isolated ports of the couplers, in which the impedances are modified when one amplifier is turned off. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0186079 to Kobayashi discloses a balanced amplifier with a coupler connected to the inputs of the amplifiers and matching networks connected to the outputs of the amplifiers.
A problem with conventional amplifiers such as those described above is that when the amplifier is connected to a varying load impedance ZL, the impedances ZL1, ZL2"seen" by each amplifier device diverge from the nominal value of ZL, e.g., 50 Ω. If the load is purely resistive, the impedances diverge in opposite directions with respect to both the real and imaginary parts. One amplifier device "sees" an impedance that is approximately equal to the load impedance (i.e., ZL1≈ZL), and the other amplifier device "sees" the impedance of a λ/4-transformed load impedance (i.e., ZL2≈ZO2/ZL). This in turn leads to diverging signal amplitudes Vout1, Vout2, respectively, from the amplifier devices 102, 104.

Load mismatch adaptation in coupler-based amplifiers


An article for joining concrete piles having an annular plate mounted at one end of the pile, a central opening, a front surface an obverse surface and an interlocking profile having a plurality of first and second complementary configurations. Each configuration is defined in a substantially equalized sector and arranged radially in an alternate fashion on the front surface, the first configuration is a protrusion and the second configuration is a recess, wherein the lateral edges of each protrusion carries a horizontally extending groove. When mating of two identical articles, each mounted at the ends of two separate piles, the protrusions of one article mate with the recesses of another article forming of a passageway by two adjacently positioned grooves of two contiguous protrusions of the mated articles, the passageway allows interlocking of the mated articles by inserting a pin there through.

Concrete piles that are driven to the ground serve to provide foundation support to structures. Weight of the structure is distributed by the piles in order to reduce the risk of structural failure. Precast piles that are reinforced with rebar are commonly prestressed to enhance its tensile stress resistance for reducing cracking. However, the ultimate strength in axial compression is inversely proportional to the level of prestressing such that when the level of prestressing increases, the ultimate strength in axial compression decreases.
As a single long slender concrete pile is prone to breakage during lifting, therefore such long concrete pile is often installed by dividing the pile into multiple sections and stacking them atop one another. Moreover, by employing multiple joined pile sections, long piles can be driven. The pile sections are joined end-to-end by pile splices or connectors. An example of such pile connector is known in U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,230, whereby a nut is constructed within the joining ends of the two pile sections for a threaded bolt to be fastened to the nuts. The nut is provided with an annular groove having radially directed locking notches in the bottom. A locking disk is inserted into the groove. The disk has resilient locking tongues with radial edges which are directed against the unscrewing direction and which engage with the notches in the nut.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,519 discloses another concrete pile connector that is utilized to join two sectional cast concrete piles which have longitudinal metal reinforcing rods therein. The connector has a first annular band-like metal ring secured to and surrounding certain reinforcing rods at an end portion of a first pile section. The outer surface of the ring conforms to the contour of the outer surface of the end portion of the first pile section. A second annular band-like metal ring with the same design and configuration as the first annular band-like metal ring is secured to the end portion of a second pile section. Both rings are connected by having the two end portions of a tubular metal sleeve that encompasses the abutting ends of the first and second pile sections to be respectively welded to the first and second ring.
The pile connectors from the prior arts mentioned above are used for precast concrete pile but is not adapted to be incorporated into prestressed spun piles manufacturing as it obstruct the prestressing jack equipment, and the non-symmetry will induced irregular vibrations during the pile spinning process. This present invention is specially adapted for the fabrication of spun piles without having to additionally modify the existing spun pile mould or the prestressing equipment. The interlocking profile of the present invention can be incorporated and replaced into the existing annular steel rings for spun pile joints. This present invention introduces a pair of complementary pile connectors that not only contributes to the simple and easy joining of concrete pile sections but also ensures that the strength of the connectors is greater than the ultimate bending, compressive and tensile capacity of the intact concrete section of the pile.


A centrifugal feed distributor or feeder (10) to distribute feed (16) in a substantially circular distribution array (58) for fish or livestock. Feeder (10) includes a domed housing (20), a fan assembly (32), and a rotating base (34). The domed housing (20) includes a substantially cylindrical sidewall (22), a closed upper end (24), and a large open lower end (26), which together define a inner chamber (28) and an exterior (30). The fan assembly (32) includes a plurality of fan blades (36) each connected to a vertical shaft (40) that rotates about a center of shaft when an external force (18) is applied to the fan blades. The shaft (40) is also connected to base (34), which rotates about shaft center at the same speed the fan blades rotate. The fan assembly (32) is positioned within domed housing chamber (28). An output gap (52) is defined by the position of the lower end (26) of the housing (20) in relationship to the rotating base (34). An inlet (66) provides a substantially tangential inflow of air and feed (16) to the inner chamber (28) near the upper end (24). The air carries the feed (16) into the inner chamber (28) and moves the fan blades (36) to drive the fan assembly (32). The feed (16) spirals downwardly around the sidewall (22) of the inner chamber (28) and is dropped onto the rotating base (34) for radial centrifugal distribution outwardly through the gap (52).

Because of the rapid depletion of natural fish stocks in the world's oceans, fish farms have become a booming industry. In managing fish farms, an objective is to maintain relatively equal size amongst the fish. This objective can be frustrated through traditional feeding methods where a supply of food pellets are deposited in generally one spot into the fish tank or pool. The strongest fish will fight the others for the food, thus, leaving the weaker fish with little or no food. Over time, the stronger fish, by obtaining the largest percentage of the food, grow larger than the poorly fed weaker fish.
Additionally, the feeding of the farm raised fish is by far the single largest overhead expense, typically running in the range in excess of 75%. As such, a uniform distribution food source is desired to feed all the fish at one time to raise equal size fish stock. However, current feeding methods generally break the expensive fish pellets. Once a fish pellet is broken, fish have been known to refuse to eat it. This waste becomes unacceptable to farm owners given the high overhead cost of the fish pellets. Thus, a method and device to feed a large number of fish at one time yet not breaking up the individual fish pellets is critical for the profitability of the farm owners.


Methods and apparatus for positioning a magnetic field sensor IC package having a first channel for a planar magnetic field sensing element and a second channel for vertical magnetic field sensing element in relation to an axis of a ring magnet to provide a desired phase relationship between the first and second channels. In embodiments, positioning the sensor includes an offset angle and a displacement with respect to a centerline of the ring magnet.

As is known, there are a variety of types of magnetic field sensing elements, including, but not limited to, Hall effect elements, magnetoresistance elements, and magnetotransistors. As is also known, there are different types of Hall effect elements, for example, a planar Hall element, a vertical Hall element, and a circular Hall element. As is also known, there are different types of magnetoresistance elements, for example, a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element, an anisotropic magnetoresistance element (AMR), a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element, and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ).
Hall effect elements generate an output voltage proportional to a magnetic field. In contrast, magnetoresistance elements change resistance in proportion to a magnetic field. In a circuit, an electrical current can be directed through the magnetoresistance element, thereby generating a voltage output signal proportional to the magnetic field.
Magnetic field sensors, i.e., circuits that use magnetic field sensing elements, are used in a variety of applications, including, but not limited to, a current sensor that senses a magnetic field generated by a current carried by a current-carrying conductor, a magnetic switch that senses the proximity of a ferromagnetic object, a rotation detector that senses passing ferromagnetic articles, for example magnetic domains of a ring magnet, and a magnetic field sensor that senses a magnetic field density of a magnetic field.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatus for phase selection in ring magnet sensing


A security group management system includes a cellular mobile station (2), two or more devices (3) belonging to a group, and a group management server (1). The group management server comprises a storage unit (11, 13) configured to store information about the cellular mobile station registered by a member of the group and group information about the group in advance; and a group information providing unit (16) configured to supply the group information in response only to an access from the registered cellular mobile station. The cellular mobile station has a group information transmission unit (23) configured to supply the group information to the devices so as to allow the devices to recognize that the devices belong to the group and to perform secure mutual connection and/or resource sharing among the devices.

Conventionally, an access control list (ACL) is used to allow only those devices (such as personal computers) used by specific members belonging to a certain group to access the network resources and prevent unauthorized accesses from third parties. Using the access control list, connection requests from users or devices not listed on the access control list are rejected to prevent unauthorized accesses.
In a wireless LAN, access control called MAC (media access control) address filtering is performed using an access control list. Multiple access points (APs) share the access control list to exclude unauthorized accesses from devices with MAC addresses not listed in the access control lists.
However, there are problems arising in simply using an access control list to prevent unauthorized accesses from third parties.
With the conventional access control technique using an access control list, each of the access points checks accesses using the access control list at each location as long as such accesses are made through this accessing route. However, this technique cannot be applied to an ad-hoc environment in which direct connection and/or resource sharing is carried out among multiple devices. For example, members of a particular group may connect their devices directly with each other to mutually exchange information, or a mesh network may be structured using home digital devices to share resources through mutual connections. In such a situation, a device being accessed cannot specify in advance the counterpart device currently accessing the former device, and therefore, it is difficult to prevent spoofing by a malicious third party. This involves the risk of leak of confidential information intended to be opened only to the group member.
In addition, when an access check mechanism using an ACL is provided to an accessing route, an administrator has to update the access control list every time a new user or a new device is added. Workload increases, while prompt response cannot be expected. This problem becomes conspicuous especially when forming a mesh network. One of the advantages of a mesh network is broadening of coverage by participation of multiple devices. In order to take advantage of this feature, multiple participants have to be allowed to freely connect their devices to the mesh network. It is difficult for the conventional technique to realize this, while maintaining network security.


A process recovers of pyridine and/or its derivatives from their aqueous mass and/or manufacturing reaction mass by liquid-liquid extraction employing an alkyl acetate. The process further involves effective recovering and recycling of solvents from the aqueous phase and other waste obtained during the process.

Pyridine and pyridine derivatives are effectively used as solvents and also as catalysts. They are used in the synthesis of many different products which are used as medicines, vitamins, food flavorings, paints, dyes, rubber products, adhesives, insecticides and herbicides.
The most general industrial synthetic reaction for the manufacture of pyridine bases is by the catalytic condensation of aldehydes and/or ketones with ammonia. The reaction is usually carried out at 350-500° C. and at atmospheric pressure in the presence of alumino-silicate catalyst. Acetaldehyde, formaldehyde (in the form of formalin), and ammonia are fed to a catalyst-containing reactor, where pyridine and alkyl pyridines are formed as the major product. A wide variety of catalysts, reactants, and reaction conditions are reported in known art. "Pyridine and Pyridine Derivatives", Goe, Gerald L., Kirk-Othmer, 3rd Edition, Vol. 19, John Wiley & Sons, p. 454 (1978); "Synthetic and Natural sources of the Pyridine Ring", Bailey et al., pp. 1-252 in "Heterocyclic Compounds", Volume 14, "Pyridine and Its Derivatives", John Wiley & Sons, New York (1984), all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.
Pyridine and pyridine derivatives present in the aqueous mass are extracted by suitable method. A wide variety of methods have been applied to the problem of the separation of pyridine and pyridine derivatives. The pyridine-water azeotrope has been separated in accordance with conventional techniques e.g., by conventionally breaking the water-pyridine azeotrope by the addition of suitable solvent followed by fractional distillation to prepare substantially dry pyridine. The solvent is recovered from pyridines by distillation and recycled back to the recovery column.
Several processes are disclosed in prior patent disclosures for the separation of pyridine or pyridine derivatives from aqueous solutions by using different solvents.
Benzene is most commonly used for the recovery of pyridine and picolines from the aqueous reaction mass. See ref. "Pyridine and Pyridine Derivatives" Shimizu et al p. 399 in "Ullman's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry", Vol. A22, 5th Ed.; Elvers, B., Hawkins, S., Russey, W., Schulz, G., Eds., VCH Publishers, Weinheim (1993).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,881, discloses the process in which pyridine was separated from pyridine-water azeotrope by adding benzene thereto and distilling the resultant mixture to recover substantially anhydrous pyridine.
However, benzene loss during the process results in the concern like the cost of environmental protection measures, occupational safety, increased fire risks and additional investments in hazardous waste disposal costs. Besides, the use of benzene has been banned throughout a number of industries because of its hazardous nature. Therefore, there is an urgent need to address these issues, especially when the process is implemented at commercial scale.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,058,435 reported a process in which aqueous solutions of pyridine and its homologues are subjected to extraction with highly efficient extracting agents, which are non-solvents with respect to water. The process comprises the recovery of pyridine from its aqueous solution with any one of a number of solvents such as benzene, trichloroethylene, isopropyl ether, pseudo-cumene, cyclohexane, hexane and the like.
European Patent No. EP1,346,757 discloses liquid-liquid extraction with a solvent consisting of a fluorinated fluid selected from either hydrofluoropolyethers, hydrofluoroethers, hydrofluorocarbons and/or their mixtures with perfluoropolyethers and/or perfluorocarbons.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,514 describes a method for separating pyridine from water using certain organic compounds, as the agent in azeotropic or extractive distillation. Typical examples of effective agents are: by azeotropic distillation, methyl isoamyl ketone and propylene glycol dimethyl ether; by extractive distillation, isophorone and sulfolane.
Other conventional techniques can also be used, e.g., drying operations, extraction, saltation, redistillation, etc., in accordance with fully conventional considerations, e.g., as discussed in any of a wide variety of relevant texts, e.g., see ref. "Chemist's Companion", Gordon, Arnold J. et al., John Wiley and Sons (1972).
Park, Choon Ho. et al in Journal of Applied Polymer Science (1999), 74(1), 83-89, has discussed the pervaporation separation through a poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylphosphonic acid) membrane. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based copolymers containing phosphonic acid moiety were synthesized for dehydration of aqueous pyridine solution. The in situ complex, formed between the vinylphosphonic acid (VP) moiety in the membrane and the pyridine in the feed, enhanced separation capacity of poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylphosphonic acid) (PANVP) membranes. All the PAN-based membranes containing phosphonic acid were very selective toward water. The pervaporation performances of PANVP membranes depended on the content of the phosphonic acid moiety in the membrane and operating temperature. The pervaporation separation of water/pyridine mixtures using PANVP membranes exhibited over 99.8% water concentration in permeate and flux of 4-120 gm−2h−1 depending on the content of vinylphosphonic acid and operating temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,507 describes a method of continuously separating pyridine or pyridine derivatives from aqueous solutions by extraction, wherein supercritical fluid is employed to extract the pyridine material from liquid media. The method of the invention, in particular, extracts pyridine or pyridine derivatives from aqueous solutions with pressurized carbon dioxide, which is used under pressure, or in the liquid state, or in the near critical state or in the supercritical state. The operating system is a continuously operating extraction system, so that a part, or all, of the pyridine and/or pyridine derivatives are transferred from the aqueous phase to the carbon dioxide phase, and thereafter the aqueous phase and carbon dioxide phase are separated from each other; and the pyridine and/or pyridine derivatives are separated from carbon dioxide; and the extract containing pyridine and/or pyridine derivatives is thereby obtained. Preferred temperatures for the pyridine and/or pyridine derivative contacting with carbon dioxide are from 5 to 80° C.; and preferred pressures range from 60 to 300 bar. However, the process is not suitable at, industrial scale because extraction was done at very high pressure (60 to 300 bar). This makes extraction process operationally unfriendly and highly capital intensive at industrial scale.
The processes disclosed in the prior art used hazardous and industrially unsuitable solvents. Some of the solvents disclosed are highly unsafe to handle in commercial scale manufacturing processes. Moreover most of the processes discussed in prior art are for the separation of pyridine or pyridine derivatives from aqueous solutions only, not from the complex manufacturing reaction mass. The problems associated with the above prior art can be overcome by using commercially viable; operational and eco-friendly process and solvent to avoid all the above-mentioned problems in the known prior art.

Eco-friendly process for recovery of pyridine and/or its derivatives


A capillary array capable of being easily mounted on an electrophoresis apparatus without damaging the capillaries. The capillary array can include a plurality of capillaries that can be fixed via hollow electrodes on a load header in a matrix arrangement. The load header can be disposed on the electrophoresis apparatus. The capillary array can include a capillary frame onto which a capillary head and a detection portion can be detachably mounted. The structure allows the load header, the capillary head, the detection unit and other portions of the capillary array to be handled as a unit, thereby making it easier to mount the capillary array on the electrophoresis apparatus.

1. Field
The present teachings relate to a capillary-array electrophoresis apparatus for separating and analyzing samples, such as DNA or proteins. In particular, the present teachings relate to a capillary array.
2. Background Art
An example of a known capillary array electrophoresis apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined Application) No. 2001-324473. The capillary array includes 16 capillaries each made of a quartz tube with an external diameter of about 0.35 mm and an inner diameter of about 0.05 mm. The capillary array has a load header on one end for injecting samples, and a capillary head on the: other end for injecting a buffer solution

Capillary array and electrophoresis apparatus, and methods


A device is configured to receive a message associated with a group chat. The group chat may include a communication session among a set of user devices including a first user device and a second user device. The device is configured to receive an indication that the message is confidential and designate the message as a confidential messaged based on the indication. The device is configured to determine that the first user device is authorized to display the message and that the second user device is not authorized to display the message. The device is configured to provide the confidential message to the first user device for display as part of the group chat, and to provide a blocked version of the confidential message to the second user device for display as part of the group chat.

A user device (e.g., a smartphone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, etc.) may exchange messages with other user devices as part of a group chat. A message exchanged as part of the group chat may be displayed by all user devices associated with the group chat.


A cooling system includes: an evaporator configured to evaporate coolant by receiving heat of a heating device; a heat radiator configured to radiate heat of the coolant; a circulation passage through which the coolant circulates between the evaporator and the heat radiator; a pump that is provided in the circulation passage and is configured to circulate the coolant through the circulation passage; and an expandable device that is provided in the circulation passage and has expandable inner space into which the coolant flows, wherein the evaporator, the heat radiator, the circulation passage and the inner space are fully filled with the coolant.

There are various types of cooling systems for cooling a heating device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), an LD (Laser Diode) or a CPU (Central Processing Unit). A cooling system, in which a pump circulates coolant cools a heating device by liquid coolant when a temperature of the heating device is low and cools the heating device by vaporization heat of the coolant when the temperature of the heating device is high.
The heat of the heating device is transferred to the cooling system when the pump circulates the coolant. It is therefore possible to effectively cool the heating device.
However, there is morn for improvement in a point of stably cooling the heating device.


An electrochemical biosensor formed by screen printing and method of fabricating such biosensor is disclosed in the present invention. The biosensor can quickly absorb a sample to be measured therein, effectively control volume of the sample fed and “fill-and-position” the sample therein. The biosensor includes an electrode layer (electrode area) comprising two or three electrodes, which are a working electrode, a reference electrode and an auxiliary electrode (tri-electrode) on an insulating substrate. An active reaction layer containing reactant, reaction catalyst, mediator, wetting agent and surfactant is spread on the surface of the electrode layer. A sample inflow area is formed above the electrode area by adding an upper cover on top of a middle insulating layer with a U-shaped opening formed therein. Sample solution with a minute amount about 0.8 to 1 μl can be rapidly introduced into the electrode area and the active reaction layer via the inflow area by siphon or capillary, where the ingredient of the sample can be analysed by measuring reaction between the sample, reaction catalyst and mediator in the reaction layer using electrochemical potentiometric or amperometric method. An upwardly extended closed space formed within the upper cover above the electrode area adjacent to the front of conductive wires can be effectively used to control sample volume and “fill-and-position” the sample.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrochemical biosensor formed by screen printing and a method of fabricating such biosensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, electrode sensors have been commercially utilized successfully for the fabrication of a variety of clinical measuring products, such as blood sugar, uric acid and cholesterol measuring devices, for their easy and low cost production processes and wide application of cheaper portable measuring devices. Taking the biggest and the most widely used blood sugar measuring device on market as an example, the leading manufacturers include Roche, Abbott, Bayer and Therasense and all of which fabricate blood sugar sensors by electrochemistry. The first generation of such sensors requires higher amount of blood sample (5–10 μl and above) and takes longer (30–60 seconds) to measure a sample. Hence, they are still not considered ideal although the amounts of blood sample and measuring time they require are much less than those conventional colorimetric method does. As technology has improved over the years, the latest generation of sensors only requires 0.3 μl (Freestyle by Therasense) or 1 μl (OneTouch Ultra by Lifescan), and measuring time has also been reduced to 5–10 seconds. Such sensors have become a guide for products of a similar kind and technological development, as well as for further research and development of different electrode structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,999 by Diebold et al in 1995 has disclosed a sensor including opposing working and counter electrode elements spatially displaced by a spacer having a cut-out portion forming a capillary space between the working and counter electrode elements and a vent port in the working or counter electrode where air can be vented. A precise minute amount of a sample can be introduced via the capillary space and brought into contact with electrodes and reagents. Such sensors can be fabricated by photolithography or screen printing but processes of affixing two insulating substrates with an electrode thereon are very complicated and expensive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,867 by Shieh in 1998 has also disclosed a glucose sensor generally comprising a sensor electrode, a reference electrode, and a corpuscle separation thin film carrier strip sandwiched therebetween, which can filter erythrocyte, and an opening where a sample can be introduced. The carrier strip can be used to control volume of the sample flowing into the carrier strip and to remove interruption of erythrocyte during reactions. However, the amount of the sample introduced and the speed of filtering cannot be effectively and efficiently controlled. U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,823 by Abbott has proposed an electrode strip in which electrodes are covered with one or more mesh layers. The improvement involves a partial occlusion of the mesh which underlays an aperture within an upper cover above the mesh, and the aperture is formed above or adjacent to a working electrode. The partial occlusion can reduce the total volume of blood required to perform a measurement. Such sensor only requires 2.0–2.5 μl of the sample but applies a mesh to reduce the volume of blood and distribute the sample. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,299,757 and 6,338,790 by Therasense have also suggested two opposing working and counter electrodes with a highly hydrophilic thin film finely constructed therebetween, which can introduce a sample to a sample chamber. The volume of the sample can be strictly controlled down to 0.3 μl by the water hydrophilic thin film, which is the lowest in the field. However, the processes of fabricating such sensors are very complex and extremely costly. ROC (Taiwan) Patent Publication No. 268,095 by Shieh has disclosed the technique of electrode fabrication by screen printing, in which an electrically conductive film and insulating layer are produced by screen printing. A metal layer is formed by electroplating and a circular recess, containing a so-called bio layer, is formed by coating a working and a reference electrodes with insulating paste. Sample of about 10 μl can be dropped to the recess to be measured. Such technique requires a larger amount of sample and processing such sensors introduces numerous electroplating process steps. ROC (Taiwan) Patent No. 124,332 by Apex Biotechnology Corp. has disclosed an inflow area formed above an electrode area. Mesh containing surfactant is spread above the inflow and electrode areas and sample can be brought into the electrode area by capillary or siphon. Such application is similar to that developed by Abbott, which utilizes mesh for the inflow of sample and is thus more costly, is also restricted to the amount of sample required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,229 by Winarta et al in 2001 has disclosed a disposable electrode strip, which claims to require less than 1 μl of liquid sample. A piece of gold/polyester or tin oxide/gold polyester film is cut to shape, forming a base layer of sensor. A CO2 laser is used to score the gold or tin oxide/gold polyester film and the film is scored by the laser creating scoring line such that two electrodes at sample end and three contact points are formed at an electrical contact end. A piece of double-sided tape is cut to size and shape, forming middle layer with a U-shaped channel, which contains an electrode area. A top layer, which is placed and coextensive with the middle layer, has a vent opening, which forms a fluid sample channel between sample inlet and the middle of the vent opening, which enables the fluid channel to restrict the volume of fluid to less than 1 μl. Such design is similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,420 by Nankai et al in 1992, except that electrodes are formed in a different way. The electrode sensor disclosed by Nankai et al is a bi-electrode sensor by screen printing an insulating board. A fluid channel is formed by transversely adhering two spacers on opposing ends of electrodes and a top layer without an opening on top of spacers, which in turn forms a channel transverse to a working electrode. By this way, the volume of sample flowing into the channel cannot be controlled and the sample is likely to float a vent opening, which causes contamination. Another improvement employed by Winarta et al, which applies a middle layer with a U-shaped opening on top of a working electrode and subsequently a top layer with a vent opening over the middle layer, forms a fluid sample channel between sample inlet and the middle of the vent opening. With this structure, sample fluid may float the vent opening when the size of which is too small. On the other hand, sample fluid will be retained at the edge of the vent opening when the size of which is appropriate. However, as the size of sensors is getting smaller, it is likely to touch the vent opening by hand which causes outflow of sample fluid and thus contamination.
From the above analysis, it is understood that in order to achieve smaller volume of sample fluid and faster analysis yet avoid any possible contamination, it is necessary to design electrodes which incorporate capillary and siphon.

Electrochemical biosensor by screen printing and method of fabricating same


A rocket deceleration system for a spacecraft, comprises a first set of active canted rockets for attenuating a horizontal velocity of the spacecraft and a portion of the vertical velocity thereof. A second set of active canted rockets attenuate the remainder of the vertical velocity. A third set of available canted rockets attenuate a wide range of horizontal velocities, regardless of the vehicle roll position about its vertical axis. The first set, second set and third set of rockets form a ring and combine to form a total number of rockets being divisible by the numeral 6. Each rocket is 180.degree. from an opposing rocket on the other side of the ring. A programmable controller identifies rockets to be fired to attenuate horizontal and vertical spacecraft velocities. The controller operates by i) receiving external input data regarding horizontal and vertical spacecraft velocities and vehicle roll position; ii) comparing the input data to tabulated information correlating rocket position to horizontal spacecraft velocity and vehicle roll position; and, iii) issuing a fire command to the appropriate active rockets of the first set and second set at a predetermined height above the ground. The appropriate active rockets is a constant number if there are no flight anomalies. An appropriate command is issued for adding or removing at least one rocket to the constant number of active rockets without inducing undesired imbalances in thrust forces on the spacecraft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rocket deceleration systems and more particularly to the utilization of canted rockets for the attenuation of spacecraft velocity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recovery of entry spacecraft from earth orbit has, for the United States, been accomplished by landing at sea, after deploying parachutes to reduce the vertical velocity to approximately 30 feet/second. Activities involved with the Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) Program involved the evaluation of land landing concepts. As will be described in details below, the present invention involves the use of retrorockets as the most promising approach to recovery of capsule-type vehicles, with the Apollo Spacecraft being an example. The key problem in such a re-entry technique was to fully attenuate both the vertical velocity, which is relatively constant at 30 fps, using three (Apollo) parachutes, and the horizontal velocity which was deemed to vary from zero to 53 fps (36 mph), depending on wind conditions. Other design criteria included the possibility that the vertical velocity could rise to 35 fps in the event of chute failure and 50 fps with two chutes out. Finally, an unlikely failure of one or two retrorockets could occur. It was decided that rotation of the capsule about its vertical (roll) axis would not be controlled. The goal, then, was to devise a retrorocket system that would respond to all of the variables: wind velocity, chute failures, and rocket failures, yet touch down at substantially zero vertical and horizontal velocities.
Prior art attempts to accomplish these goals were unsuccessful. For example, attempts have been made to slide on inflated bags across the landing site. But this would have required a prepared site, a constraint to be avoided, if possible. Also, the bags required tended to position the spacecraft so high above the ground that tipover of the entire assembly was considered a significant risk. Russia has successfully demonstrated ground landings for several years, using six rockets, but they can neither compensate for winds, nor can they land gently in order to accommodate a seriously ill crewman, or in spite of a failed chute. And last, crushable structures, such as honeycomb or foam were evealuated. Obviously, these would work only on a virtually windless day, with all chutes and rockets operating properly.


This invention provides a silicon composition comprising at least 15 wt % of hydrolysed silicon compounds and at least 3 wt % of a binder material. The silicon composition is used in the manufacture of ceramics. The hydrolysed silicon compounds can for example be the gel produced by hydrolysing higher boiling point organohalosilanes produced in the manufacture of organohalosilanes or halosilanes by the direct process.

Organohalosilanes, alkoxysilanes, halosilanes, and in particular methylchlorosilanes, are the building blocks from which silicone polymers are produced. Organohalosilanes and halosilanes are commercially produced by what is commonly called "the direct process", in which silicon metal is reacted with an organic halide or hydrogen chloride, optionally in the presence of a catalyst. The direct process is well known in the art, and is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,380,995. For example, in the commercial production of methylchlorosilanes by the direct process, finely ground silicon metal powder is reacted with methyl chloride in the presence of a catalyst by fluidising the silicon powder in a fluid bed by passing methyl chloride gas there through at a temperature of between 200° C. and 500° C.
As well as methylchloromonosilanes and/or chloromonosilanes, the direct process and other processes for the production of organic silicon compounds or silicon halides from silicon metal produce higher boiling point silicon compounds, particularly higher boiling point halosilanes, which are chemically active materials. Once separated from the other reaction products of the direct process, these higher boiling point silicon compounds can be hydrolysed to obtain a gel-solids mixture, referred to hereinafter as "Silicone gel", which is a mixture of hydrolysed silicon compounds. Methods of producing such a solid or granular Silicone gel are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,030, U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,810 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,609.
The present inventors have now found a useful way of processing Silicone gel or other hydrolysed silicon compounds into ceramic articles which demonstrate improved physical and/or physicochemical properties.


Gimbal system angle compensation methods and systems are provided. A particular method includes pointing an antenna at a first target using an initial set of at least four gimbal angles and determining first bore sight pointing errors resulting from a pointing direction of the antenna relative to the first target. The method also includes estimating values of a plurality of independently observable error variables based on the first bore sight pointing errors. The method further includes determining a set of gimbal angle corrections based on the values of the plurality of independently observable error variables.

Where an antenna or a similar payload is installed on a gimbal system, such that the antenna is used to point at a selected target, overall pointing direction performance may be adversely affected by intrinsic errors that exist in various system locations, such as inboard, internal, and outboard locations of the gimbal system. Pointing performance after an antenna mapping calibration may still be sensitive to the gimbal angles of the gimbal system, especially in the case where the antenna needs to cover a large field of view. Many of the intrinsic errors are due to components of the gimbal system that are not readily measurable which can cause difficulty in calibration, control, and pointing accuracy. Pointing control and accuracy are particularly challenging for applications where the antenna is mounted on a moving platform (e.g., a satellite or a ship) and is pointing at a fixed or moving target. These errors may be even more difficult to correct where the gimbal system includes multiple gimbals (e.g., two or more two-axis gimbals).


A method for manufacturing a semiconductor chip having through electrodes includes forming, in a semiconductor wafer, a plurality of electrode forming holes for forming through electrodes, superimposing bump forming masks formed with a plurality of bump holes over the front and back surfaces of the semiconductor wafer respectively so that the electrode forming holes and the bump holes are brought into alignment, placing the semiconductor wafer with the bump forming masks superimposed thereon over a stage, embedding conductive paste into the bump holes and the electrode forming holes from the bump forming mask disposed over the surface on the side opposite to the stage, of the semiconductor wafer, detaching the bump forming masks from the semiconductor wafer after the conductive paste has been embedded, and dividing the semiconductor wafer into fractions after the bump forming masks have been detached.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing semiconductor chips employed in a semiconductor device in which the semiconductor chips are stacked over a lower substrate, and a semiconductor device having the semiconductor chips.
In a conventional semiconductor device, when through electrodes are formed in stacked semiconductor chips, a plurality of bumps are formed in an insulating film formed on a circuit forming surface of a semiconductor wafer, and the surface (called front surface) on the circuit forming surface side thereof is attached or applied onto a support table such as glass using an adhesive such as an UV tape. The back surface of the semiconductor wafer is planarized by grinding or the like so as to be adjusted to a thickness of 50 μm to 200 μm. Using a resist mask in which holes are formed in regions or portions equivalent to the bumps of the front surface, electrode forming holes reaching the bumps are formed by dry etching. An insulating film is formed on the inner faces of the electrode forming holes and the back surface of the semiconductor wafer by a CVD method. A metal mask formed with holes smaller than the electrode forming holes is set onto the insulating film. With it as a mask, the insulating film on the bumps is removed by dry etching. After the removal of the metal mask, an insulating film having holes larger than the electrode forming holes is bonded onto the back surface of the semiconductor wafer. A barrier metal layer that covers over the insulating film and the inner faces of the electrode forming holes and the like is formed by the CVD method or the like. A conductive material is embedded into the electrode forming holes and the holes of the insulating film by a plating method or a metal paste method. Thereafter, the insulating film and the upper layer of the conductive material or the like are chipped off using hard cutting tools, thereby forming the corresponding through electrodes penetrating from the front surface of the semiconductor wafer to the back surface thereof, and the corresponding bumps on both sides thereof (refer to, for example, a patent document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-64451 (paragraphs 0030 on seventh path—0045 on ninth page, and FIGS. 1 through 5)).
There is also known one wherein when through plugs are formed in a lower substrate, a protective layer used as a mask for forming plug forming holes is formed in the back surface of a support substrate of a thickness of 250 μm to 550 μm, which is made up of silicon and used for a semiconductor wafer of an SOI structure, and with the protective layer as a mask and an embedded insulating layer as an etching stop layer, plug forming holes are formed by etching, and further, the embedded insulating layer is etched to form dead-end external terminal holes in a silicon layer, and after an insulating film is formed on the inner faces of the plug forming holes and external terminal holes, a conductive material is embedded in the plug forming holes and external terminal holes by a molten metal suction method or a CVD method, followed by removal of the silicon layer and the insulating film provided on external terminals formed at the bottoms of the external terminal holes by etching or the like, thereby forming the corresponding through plugs penetrating from the front surface of the lower substrate to its back surface, and the corresponding external terminals (refer to, for example, a patent document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-93954 (paragraphs 0026 on seventh page—0035 on eighth page, and FIG. 2)).
Thinning of semiconductor chips is proceeding in recent years. A semiconductor wafer whose thickness is set to about 30 μm to 70 μm has been used as a semiconductor wafer for manufacturing the semiconductor chips.
However, the technology of the patent document 1 referred to above involves the problems that since the front surface of the semiconductor wafer formed with the bumps is attached onto the support table using the adhesive, and the through electrodes and the bumps on the back surface side are formed in this state, the bumps on the front surface side adhere to the adhesive and are hence hard to peel off when the semiconductor wafer is peeled off from the support table, thus causing dropping off of the bumps on the front surface side and cracking of the semiconductor wafer, whereby the yields of the semiconductor wafer are degraded.
This is brought to the fore particularly where the semiconductor wafer is brought into thin-plate form to manufacture the thinned semiconductor chips.
Since the conductive material is embedded into the holes of the insulating film on the back surface of the semiconductor wafer and thereafter the insulating film and the upper layer of the conductive material or the like are chipped off using the hard cutting tools, a back surface planarizing process step becomes necessary to form the bumps on the back surface side for the through electrodes, thereby causing a problem in that the process of manufacturing the through electrodes becomes complex.

Manufacturing method of semiconductor chips and semiconductor device having the semiconductor chips


A formulation containing guanidine thiocyanate together with acetamide, one or more acetamide derivatives, or a combination of acetamide and one or more acetamide derivatives is used to purify one or more nucleic acids contained in a medium. In particular, a medium containing at least one nucleic acid is combined with a binding matrix and the formulation in order to cause the at least one nucleic acid to separate from its in vivo cellular environment and to bind to the binding matrix. The binding matrix with at least one nucleic acid bound thereto then is separated from substantially the rest of the combined medium and formulation, after which the at least one nucleic acid is eluted from the binding matrix to obtain the at least one nucleic acid in a substantially purified form. If different nucleic acids are to be selectively purified from a single medium, multiple binding matrices, each compatible with a different nucleic acid, can be used.

The purification of nucleic acids plays an important role in scientific procedures. There are a number of known methods of purifying single- and double-stranded DNA contained in biological fluids such as human blood, serum, and cultured cells, as well as plants, animal and human tissues, and other specimens. However, such methods can result in very low yields and do not always work well when trying to extract small amounts of nucleic acids from large samples. Known methods are described in, for example, Nargessi, U.S. Pat. No. 6,855,499 (2005); Tereba et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,673,631 (2004); McKernan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,262 (2003); Taylor et al., J. Chromatography A, 890:159-166 (2000); Ahn et al., BioTechniques, 29:466-468 (2000); Scott Jr. et al., Lett. Appl. Microbiol., 31:95-99 (2000); Lin et al., BioTechniques, 29:460-466 (2000); Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,945 (2000); Mrazek et al., Acta Univ. Palacki. Olomuc., Fac. Med. 142:23-28 (1999); Hawkins, U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,071 (1999); and Hawkins, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,628 (1998).

Methods of purifying a nucleic acid and formulation and kit for use in performing such methods


A battery pack including a plurality of battery cell groups including a first battery cell group and a second battery cell group, a first switch that is connected to the first battery cell group, a second switch that is connected to the second battery cell group, and a controller configured to selectively control charging and discharging operations of the first battery cell group and the second battery cell group using the first switch and the second switch.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to a battery pack and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, as portable mobile devices, such as cellular phones, laptop computers, camcorders, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like, have been developed, secondary chargeable/dischargeable batteries have been briskly studied. In particular, various types of secondary batteries, such as nickel-cadmium batteries, lead batteries, nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, metal lithium batteries, air zinc batteries, and the like, have been developed. Such a secondary battery is integrated with a circuit and constitutes a battery pack, and charging and discharging operations are performed using an external terminal of the battery pack.
A general battery pack includes a battery cell and a peripheral circuit or a protection circuit including a charge/discharge circuit. The peripheral circuit is manufactured as a printed circuit board (PCB) and is combined with the battery cell. When external power is connected via an external terminal of the battery pack, the battery cell is charged with the external power supplied via the external terminal and the charge/discharge circuit, and when a load is connected to the battery cell via the external terminal, the battery cell supplies power to the load via the charge/discharge circuit and the external terminal. In this case, the charge/discharge circuit controls the charging and discharging operations of the battery cell between the external terminal and the battery cell. Generally, the battery cell is connected to other battery cells in series or in parallel to each other according to an amount of load applied.
In addition, in order to implement various battery packs, a degree of freedom of design of battery packs is to be improved, and battery cells having various capacitances are to be used.

Battery pack and method of controlling the same


An integrated seal assembly and a connector incorporating the seal assembly for connecting a coaxial cable to an externally threaded port. The seal assembly includes a bellows-type seal having an elastically deformable tubular body and a plurality of sealing surfaces, and an integral joint-section intermediate an anterior end and a posterior end that assists in the axial deformation of the seal in response to axially-directed force. One of the sealing surfaces is made to engage a corresponding surface of an internally threaded nut. The nut and attached seal form an integral seal assembly. A coaxial cable connector includes a connector body. One end of the body attaches a coaxial cable, the seal assembly being rotatably attached to the other end. The connector is engagable with an externally threaded port via the internally threaded nut component of the connector. The anterior end of the seal fits over the port and a sealing surface of the seal is capable of sealing axially against a shoulder of the port while the seal body covers the otherwise exposed externally threaded port. Upon tightening of the nut on the port, the seal deflects in the axial direction to accommodate a variety of distances between the connector and the shoulder of the port. Additionally, the seal is capable of expanding to allow a second sealing surface to contact and seal against a variety of smooth outside diameters of the port. The versatility of the seal allows an operator to use one connector on a wide variety of externally threaded ports without the risk of a faulty seal at the connection or a poor connection due to an improper seal.

Community antenna television (CATV) systems and many broadband data transmission systems rely on a network of coaxial cables to carry a wide range of radio frequency (RF) transmission with low amounts of loss and distortion. A covering of plastic or rubber adequately seals an uncut length of coaxial cable from environmental elements such as water, salt, oil, dirt, etc. However, the cable must attach to other cables and/or to equipment (hereinafter, "ports") for distributing or otherwise utilizing the signals carried by the coaxial cable. A service technician or other operator must attach a coaxial cable connector (hereinafter, "connector") to the cut and prepared end of a length of coaxial cable in order to mate the coaxial cable to the port. This is typically done in the field. Environmentally exposed (usually threaded) parts of the connectors and ports are susceptible to corrosion and contamination from environmental elements and other sources, as the connections are typically located outdoors, at taps on telephone polls, on customer premises, or in underground vaults. These environmental elements eventually corrode the electrical connections located in the connector and between the connector and mating components. The resulting corrosion reduces the efficiency of the affected connection, which reduces the signal quality of the RF transmission through the connector. Corrosion in the immediate vicinity of the connector-port connection is often the source of service attention, resulting in high maintenance costs.
Numerous methods and devices have been used to improve the moisture and corrosion resistance of connectors and connections. These include, for example, wrapping the connector with electrical tape, enclosing the connector within a flexible boot which is slid over the connector from the cable, applying a shrink wrapping to the connector, coating the connector with plastic or rubber cement, and employing tubular grommets of the type discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,818 (McMills et al.) and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,679 (Szegda), for example.
Although these methods work, more or less, if properly executed, they all require a particular combination of skill, patience, and attention to detail on the part of the technician or operator. For instance, it may be difficult to apply electrical tape to an assembled connection when the connection is located in a small, enclosed area. Shrink wrapping may be an improvement under certain conditions, but shrink wrap application typically requires applied heat or chemicals, which may be unavailable or dangerous. Rubber-based cements eliminate the need for heat, but the connection must be clean and the cement applied somewhat uniformly. These otherwise attainable conditions may be complicated by cold temperatures, confined or dirty locations, etc. Operators may require additional training and vigilance to seal coaxial cable connections using rubber grommets or seals. An operator must first choose the appropriate seal for the application and then remember to place the seal onto one of the connective members prior to assembling the connection. Certain rubber seal designs seal only through radial compression. These seals must be tight enough to collapse onto or around the mating parts. Because there may be several diameters over which the seal must extend, the seal is likely to be very tight on at least one of the diameters. High friction caused by the tight seal may lead an operator to believe that the assembled connection is completely tightened when it actually remains loose. A loose connection may not efficiently transfer a quality RF signal causing problems similar to corrosion.
Other seal designs require axial compression generated between the connector nut and an opposing surface of the port. An appropriate length seal that sufficiently spans the distance between the nut and the opposing surface, without being too long, must be selected. If the seal is too long, the seal may prevent complete assembly of the connector. If the seal is too short, moisture freely passes. The selection is made more complicated because port lengths may vary among different manufacturers.
In view of the aforementioned shortcomings and others known by those skilled in the art, the inventor has recognized a need for a seal and a sealing connector that addresses these shortcomings and provides other advantages and efficiencies.


A belt guide apparatus for attachment to a belt conveyor comprises top and bottom plates. Walls extend between the top and bottom plates. The plates and walls form a belt envelope that defines a belt opening that substantially corresponds to a cross-section of the endless belt such that the endless belt can slide freely through the belt opening yet is substantially prevented from moving laterally or vertically. A front entrance of the belt envelope is configured to funnel the endless belt into the belt opening, and when attached to the belt conveyor the belt envelope is oriented such that the right and left walls are aligned with a desired path of the endless belt, and the endless belt passes through the belt opening.

Belt conveyors are used in a wide range of applications for transporting both individual packages and bulk material such as grain, ore, gravel, and the like. Such belt conveyors typically comprise a top conveying run on which the load is placed, and a bottom return run. The ends of the belt are connected together by a belt lace or like device to form an endless belt mounted on end rollers at each end of the belt conveyor.
Typically package belt conveyors have a flat top conveying run supported on a plate or rollers, while bulk belt conveyors have outer edges of the belt on the top conveying run raised to form a trough to retain the bulk material on the belt. The top conveying run may be supported in the troughed configuration by rollers or plates, and in many applications the conveying run passes through a tube that supports it in the troughed configuration. At the ends of the conveyor with either a troughed or flat conveying run, the belt is flat as it passes over the end rollers, and typically the return run is flat and is supported by idler rollers, plate sections or the like spaced at suitable intervals under the conveyor.
The mechanisms used to drive the belt will vary depending on the conveyor length, load, configuration, and like conditions. In a simple configuration, a motor can be used to drive one of the end rollers of the conveyor. Friction between the belt and drive roller causes the belt to move with the surface of the roller. Where increased force is required to drive the belt because of long length, high load, or the like, the return run typically passes through an S-drive mounted under the conveyor. In the S-drive, idler rollers cause the belt to wrap farther around the drive roller, increasing the frictional force between the belt and drive roller and allowing more power to be transferred from the drive roller to the belt.
A problem with belt conveyors is that the belt must be tracked properly, meaning it must be maintained in alignment with the end rollers, idler rollers, and S-drive rollers. Such belts tend to move laterally along the surface of the rollers toward one roller edge or the other where the belt edge will rub against support brackets and the like and be damaged. Typically adjustments are provided to track the belt by moving the ends of the rollers forward or rearward. In an initial adjustment the end rollers and S-drive rollers are squared with the proper belt path, such that the belt should track properly. During use however, conveyor belts have a tendency to wander laterally and frequent tracking adjustment is required in prior art belt conveyors. Such adjustment is conventionally accomplished by moving one end of an end roller, or one end of a drive roller, to tighten or loosen the belt.
This tracking problem has been well recognized in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 779,666 to Robins Jr. for example provides guide rollers oriented perpendicular to the edges of the belt on the conveying run and return run of a belt conveyor. When the belt moves laterally the belt edges contact the guide rollers and inhibit the lateral movement. The belt edges however tend to curl upward and climb the guide rollers, allowing the belt to move out of alignment and causing damage to the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,232 to Densmore discloses flanged guide rollers oriented to rotate about axes perpendicular to the belt edges and spaced along the conveying and return runs of a conveyor belt following a curved path. Lateral movement of the belt is inhibited when the edges of the belt contact and rotate the rollers. The flanges extend over the edges of the belt to prevent the edges of the belt from curling up and climbing the guide rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,289 to Hoggan discloses, contrary to the guide rollers of Densmore, flanged guide rollers spaced along the conveying and return runs of a conveyor belt but oriented to rotate about axes parallel to the belt edges. The flanged rollers inhibit lateral movement of the belt when the edges of the belt contact the flanges extending downward. In Hoggan the rollers extend over the edges of the belt to prevent the edges of the belt from curling up when they contact the flanges.
Prior art flanged guiding rollers used to maintain tracking provide resistance to lateral belt movement only at discrete points along the belt edge. Providing such guide rollers is costly both in terms of initial cost and continued maintenance. Further, the top conveying run of a bulk conveyor is often enclosed in a tube, such that guide rollers cannot be conveniently provided on that portion of the belt.
Rather than forcing the belt to track properly using guide rollers, U.S. Pat. No. 2,655,251 to Bankauf discloses conveyor rollers that skew in response to lateral belt movement in order to maintain the belt in the center of the rollers.


A partially completed multi-layered substrate, e.g., silicon on silicon. The substrate has a thickness of material from a first substrate. The thickness of material comprises a first face region. The substrate has a second substrate having a second face region. Preferably, the first face region of the thickness of material is joined to the second face region of the second substrate. The substrate has an interface region formed between the first face region of the thickness of material and the second face region of the second substrate. A plurality of particles are implanted within a portion of the thickness of the material and a portion of the interface region to electrically couple a portion of the thickness of material to a portion of the second substrate.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of substrates. More particularly, the invention provides a technique including a method and device for forming a conductive region between bonded substrates using an implanting technique for the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits, for example. But it will be recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability; it can also be applied to other substrates for multi-layered integrated circuit devices, three-dimensional packaging of integrated semiconductor devices, photonic devices, piezoelectronic devices, microelectromechanical systems ("MEMS"), sensors, actuators, solar cells, flat panel displays (e.g., LCD, AMLCD), biological and biomedical devices, and the like.
Integrated circuits are fabricated on chips of semiconductor material. These integrated circuits often contain thousands, or even millions, of transistors and other devices. In particular, it is desirable to put as many transistors as possible within a given area of semiconductor because more transistors typically provide greater functionality, and a smaller chip means more chips per wafer and lower costs.
Some integrated circuits are fabricated on a slice or wafer, of single-crystal (i.e., monocrystalline) silicon, commonly termed a "bulk" silicon wafer. Devices on such a "bulk" silicon wafer typically are isolated from each other. A variety of techniques have been proposed or used to isolate these devices from each other on the bulk silicon wafer, such as a local oxidation of silicon ("LOCOS") process, trench isolation, and others. These techniques, however, are not free from limitations. For example, conventional isolation techniques consume a considerable amount of valuable wafer surface area on the chip, and often generate a non-planar surface as an artifact of the isolation process. Either or both of these considerations generally limit the degree of integration achievable in a given chip. Additionally, trench isolation often requires a process of reactive ion etching, which is extremely time consuming and can be difficult to achieve accurately. Bulk silicon wafers, which are greater than 200 millimeters, are not free from defects and can reduce overall devices yields and the like.
An approach to achieving very-large scale integration ("VLSI") or ultra-large scale integration ("ULSI") uses epitaxial silicon wafers, which are commonly known as "epi-wafers." Epi-wafers often have a layer of high quality single crystalline silicon material defined overlying a face of a bulk substrate. The high quality silicon layer provides a good site for fabricating devices, often with higher yields, than conventional bulk silicon wafer materials. The high quality silicon material is often deposited by way of epitaxial silicon process reactors made by companies called Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. or ASM of Phoenix, Ariz.
Epitaxial wafers offer other advantages over bulk silicon technologies as well. For example, epitaxial wafers have almost perfect crystalline characteristics, which enhance device speed, functionality, and reliability. Additionally, the epitaxial wafers often provide higher device yields, than conventional bulk wafers. Many problems, however, than have already been solved regarding fabricating devices on bulk silicon wafers remain to be solved for fabricating devices on epitaxial silicon wafers. Epitaxial silicon wafers are made by way of epitaxial reactors, which are often expensive to purchase and difficult to maintain. The process of forming epitaxial silicon is also slow and time consuming. Accordingly, resulting epitaxial silicon wafers can often be expensive and cannot be used for the manufacture of many commercial or commodity devices such as dynamic random access memory devices (i.e., DRAMs), for example.
Another approach to achieving large scale integration often uses bonding substrates made of silicon bearing materials. Such bonding wafers are often made using layer transfer techniques, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,563, ("Henley, et al.") commonly assigned to Silicon Genesis Corporation of San Jose, Calif. and hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. Henley, et al. relates to a controlled cleaving process for manufacturing multilayered substrates. Such bonded substrates include silicon on insulator, commonly called SOI, and others. Although there has been much improvement in manufacturing substrate, there are still certain limitations that should be overcome. These limitations have been described throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
From the above, it is seen that an improved technique for manufacturing a multi-layered wafer is highly desirable.

Method and structure for implanting bonded substrates for electrical conductivity


A surface-treating apparatus has a dual-purpose surface-treating blade assembly that includes a blade holder for holding and loading a blade member, and a one-piece blade member having a first edge mounted to the blade holder and a second edge for contacting and treating a surface. The one-piece blade member has a mid-portion for applying a first edge-loading force to lightly contact and remove random spots from a central imaging region of the surface, a first end portion, and a second end portion. The dual-purpose blade assembly also includes a first shim device and a second shim device assembled respectively to the first end portion and to the second end portion of the blade member for stiffening such end portions and increasing a magnitude of each of a second and a third different edge-loading forces at such end portions relative to the first edge-loading force.

The present disclosure relates generally to electrostatographic reproduction machines, and more particularly, concerns a dual purpose surface-treating blade assembly for removing random spots from, as well as cleaning edge areas of, a moving image bearing surface within such a machine.
In a typical toner image reproduction machine, for example an electrostatographic printing process machine, an imaging region of a toner image bearing member such as a photoconductive member is charged to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. The charged portion of the photoconductive member is irradiated or exposed to a light image of an original document being reproduced. Exposure of the charged photoconductive member selectively dissipates the charges thereon in the irradiated areas. This records an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive member corresponding to the informational areas contained within the original document.
After the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member, the latent image is developed by bringing a developer material into contact therewith. Generally, the developer material comprises toner particles adhering triboelectrically to carrier granules. The toner particles are attracted from the carrier granules to the latent image forming a toner powder image on the photoconductive member. The toner powder image is then transferred from the photoconductive member to a copy sheet. The toner particles are heated to permanently affix the powder image to the copy sheet. Residual toner particles remaining on the photoconductive surface following image transfer as above are then removed by a cleaning apparatus and the surface treated in order to prepare the surface for forming another toner image.
The foregoing generally describes a typical black and white electrostatographic printing machine. With the advent of multicolor electrophotography, it is desirable to use an image-on-image architecture that comprises a plurality of image forming stations. One example of the plural image forming station architecture utilizes an image-on-image (IOI) system in that the photoreceptive member is recharged, re-imaged and developed for each color separation. This charging, imaging, developing and recharging, re-imaging and developing, all followed by transfer to paper, is done in a single revolution of the photoreceptor in so-called single pass machines, while multi-pass architectures form each color separation with a single charge, image and develop, with separate transfer operations for each color. Again as above, residual toner particles remaining on the photoconductive surface following image transfer as above are then removed by a cleaning apparatus and the surface treated in order to prepare the surface for forming another toner image.
It has been found that image-on-image processes, for example, create very high toner densities on the photoconductive or photoreceptor surface. In some machines using toner particles with toner additives in similar multi-color processes, the additional use of control patches, and engagements in component-disturbing activities such as recovery from paper jams, together create conditions that make cleaning or removal of residual toner particles from the imaging region as well as elsewhere very challenging for ordinary conventional cleaning apparatus. The situation is made worse when such conditions are combined with higher process speeds, and demands for higher print quality, longer component lives and higher machine reliability.
The following references disclose examples of existing surface cleaning and treating devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,479 issued May 25, 1993 and entitled "BTR air cleaner with biased shims" discloses apparatus for cleaning residual toner and paper fiber residue from a biased transfer roll (BTR) in an electrophotographic apparatus using high velocity air and substantially contactless flexible biased conductive shims. The high velocity air flow between the BTR and two thin conductive flex-shims is created by means of a blower that evacuates the air in the cleaner housing vacuum chamber. The high velocity air, in combination with the electrically biased BTR and flex-shims, removes residue from the BTR surface and carries it into the vacuum chamber and deposits the residue in a filter bag. The BTR biased shim cleaner system is low cost, efficient and significantly smaller than current BTR cleaning devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,320 issued Mar. 24, 1998 and entitled "Cleaning blade" discloses a spots cleaning blade for use in a cleaning apparatus in an imaging apparatus for cleaning agglomerate particles from an imaging surface, the spots cleaning blade comprising a polyether urethane and having a high hardness and low coefficient of friction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,640 issued Mar. 3, 1998 and entitled "Floating backer and mount for cleaning blades and spots blades on belt imaging surfaces" discloses apparatus for cleaning particles from a surface using a floating backer and cleaning or spots blade mounted to allow freedom to follow the location of the imaging surface. The cleaning or spots blade controls tolerances when the blade and the floating backer are mounted to a frame pivoted from a fixed photoreceptor backer. This freedom allows a minimization of the tolerances in blade load against the surface or photoreceptor, the blade angle to the photoreceptor and in the location of the blade relative to the backer. This floating backer and blade mount also minimizes the wrap required on the photoreceptor backers adjacent to the blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,401 issued Aug. 28, 2001 and entitled "Hard cleaning blade for cleaning an imaging member" discloses a relatively hard cleaning blade for use in a cleaning apparatus in an imaging apparatus for cleaning residual toner particles, including dry and liquid ink toners and carriers, from an imaging surface, the cleaning blade having a material having a hardness of from about 86 to about 120 Shore A.
As disclosed in the above examples, the uses of existing cleaning devices such as cleaning brushes and cleaning blades along with other existing surface treating devices such as spots blades, are well known. For a number of reasons including surface cleaning or treatment requirements that are often dictated by the nature of the adhesive forces holding residual toner particles to the photoreceptor surface, such existing cleaning devices and existing surface treatment devices in the above examples are typically adapted for cleaning and treating the imaging region of the photoreceptor image bearing surfaces. Accordingly, they are unsuitable and not adapted for effectively cleaning and treating the edge or margin regions that flank the imaging region of the photoreceptor image bearing surface.
It has been found that desired image quality can be detrimentally affected by a build up of airborne or spilled over toner particles and dirt on the edge or margin regions of the photoreceptor, that is, the regions that are outside of, and flank the imaging region of the photoreceptor surface. The build up occurs because the existing cleaning devices (such as a brush cleaner) and treatment devices (such as a conventional spots blade) are adapted to, and function to clean and treat only the imaging region.
Therefore, in electrostatographic toner image reproduction machines, there is still a need for a toner image bearing surface cleaning and treating apparatus that is adapted to both clean and treat the imaging regions as well as the edge or margin regions of the toner image bearing or photoreceptor surface.

Dual-purpose surface-treating blade assembly