A process for making up or caring for keratin fibers. A composition comprising at least one film-forming polymer in the form of particles in aqueous dispersion, wherein the at least one film-forming polymer is chosen from polyurethanes, and fibers is applied to the keratin fibers. A cosmetic composition comprising at least one film-forming polymer in the form of particles in aqueous dispersion, wherein the at least one film-forming polymer is chosen from polyurethanes, at least one wax, and fibers, can also be applied to the keratin fibers.

The present invention relates to a process for making up or caring for keratinous fibers, comprising applying to the fibers a composition comprising fibers and an aqueous dispersion of at least one film forming polymer. The invention also relates to a make-up or care composition for keratin fibers, wherein the composition comprises fibers, an aqueous dispersion of at least one film forming polymer, and at least one wax. Specifically, the invention relates to the use of this composition for making up substantially longilinear keratin fibres of human beings, such as eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair, as well as for artificial eyelashes and wigs. More specifically, the invention relates to a mascara composition.
It is known, for example in document JP-A-3 153 613, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein, to use fibers in mascara compositions in order to give a lengthening and thickening effect to the eyelashes. Documents JP-A-57 158 714 and JP-9-263 518, the disclosures of which are specifically incorporated by reference herein, describe mascara compositions comprising fibers and polymers in aqueous dispersion of acrylic type. However, the make-up composition obtained is not resistant to water, such as, for example, during bathing or when taking showers, and is not resistant to tears and/or to perspiration. The make-up compositions thus do not have good staying power over time.
An aim of the present invention, therefore, is to propose a make-up composition for keratin fibers, such as the eyelashes, which has at least one of the following properties: good staying power over time, resistance to water, in particular while rubbing, and, at the same time, imparts good lengthening properties to the eyelashes.
The inventors have discovered, surprisingly, that the use of a polyurethane dispersion combined with fibers makes it possible to make an aqueous composition water-resistant, whereas previously, so-called xe2x80x9cwaterproofxe2x80x9d mascaras were anhydrous compositions. Further, at least some embodiments of the make-up composition according to the invention have good cosmetic properties, adhere well to the eyelashes and coat them without forming blobs. In addition to being water-resistant, the make-up composition of at least some embodiments does not xe2x80x9ccrumblexe2x80x9d by the end of the day.
Thus, a subject of the invention is a process for making up or caring for keratin fibers, comprising applying to the keratin fibers a composition comprising, in a physiologically acceptable medium, fibers and at least one film-forming polymer in the form of particles in aqueous dispersion, wherein the film-forming polymer is a polyurethane. Another subject of the invention is a cosmetic composition comprising, in a physiologically acceptable medium, fibers, at least one film-forming polymer in the form of particles in aqueous dispersion, and at least one wax, wherein the film-forming polymer is a polyurethane. Another subject of the invention is a process for forming at least one film of fibers and a polyurethane polymer in the form of particles in aqueous dispersion on keratin fibers, comprising applying to the keratin fibers a make-up or care composition according to the invention, wherein the film is transfer-resistant to at least one of water, tears, and perspiration when the keratin fibers are exposed thereto.
The fibers which can be used in the composition of the invention can be fibers of synthetic, natural, mineral, and organic origin. They can be short or long, hollow or solid, individual or organized, such as, for example, like plaits or braids, and any combination thereof. They can be in any shape, and, for example, of circular or polygonal cross section, such as square, hexagonal, or octagonal, depending on the specific application envisaged. Further, their ends can be blunt and/or smooth to prevent injury.
The fibers can generally have a length, in one embodiment, ranging from 0.1 mm to 10 mm, in another embodiment ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm, and in another embodiment ranging from 1 mm to 3.5 mm. Their cross section can be included in a circle of diameter ranging from 500 nm to 500 xcexcm in one embodiment, in another embodiment in a circle of diameter ranging from 10 nm to 100 xcexcm, and in another embodiment in a circle of diameter ranging from ranging from 20 xcexcm to 50 xcexcm. The weight of the fibers is often given in denier or decitex.
The fibers which can be used according to the invention can be those used in the manufacture of textiles, such as, for example, silk fibers, cotton fibers, wool fibers, or flax fibers, cellulose fibers (or Rayon), such as, for example, extracted fibers such as fibers from wood, plants, or algae, polyamide (Nylon(copyright)) fibers, viscose fibers, acetate fibers, such as, for example, rayon acetate fibers, poly(p-phenyleneterephthalamide) (or aramide) fibers, such as, for example, Kevlar(copyright), acrylic polymer fibers, such as, for example, polymethyl methacrylate or poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) fibers, polyolefin fibers, such as, for example, polyethylene or polypropylene fibers, silica fibers, carbon fibers, such as, for example, in graphite form, polytetrafluoroethylene fibers (such as Teflon(copyright)), insoluble collagen fibers, polyester fibers, polyvinyl chloride fibers, polyvinylidene chloride fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, chitosan fibers, polyurethane fibers, polyethylene phthalate fibers, fibers formed from a mixture of polymers such as those mentioned above, such as, for example, polyamide/polyester fibers, and mixtures of different fibers.
Moreover, the fibers can be surface-treated or untreated, and can be coated or uncoated. Coated fibers which can be useful according to the invention can be, for example, polyamide fibers coated with copper sulphide for an antistatic effect, such as, for example R-STAT from Rhodia, or fibers coated with another polymer to facilitate the specific organization of the fibers (specific surface treatment), or fibers with a surface treatment which induces color and/or hologram effects, such as, for example, Lurex fiber from Sildorex.
In one embodiment, fibers of synthetic origin can be used, for example, organic fibers, such as those used in surgery. For example, water-insoluble fibers can be used. The fibers which can be used according to the invention are generally polyamide or cellulose fibers. They can generally range in length, in one embodiment, from 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and in another embodiment from 0.25 mm to 1.6 mm, and their average diameter can generally range from 5 xcexcm to 50 xcexcm. For example, the polyamide fibers sold by the company P. Bonte under the name Polyamide 0.9 Dtex 0.3 mm, having an average diameter of 6 xcexcm, a weight of about 0.9 decitex, and a length ranging from 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm, can be used. Poly-p-phenylene terephthalamide fibers with an average diameter of 12 xcexcm and a length of about 1.5 mm can also be used, such as those sold under the name Kevlar Floc by the company DuPont Fibers. Cellulose (or Rayon) fibers having an average diameter of 50 xcexcm and a length ranging from 0.5 mm to 6 mm, such as those sold under the name Natural rayon flock fiber RC1BE-N003-M04 by the company Claremont Flock can also be used. Polyethylene fibers can also be used, such as those sold under the name Shurt Stuff 13 099 F by the company Mini Fibers.
The fibers can be present in the composition according to the invention, in one embodiment, in an amount generally ranging from 0.1% to 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, and in another embodiment from 0.3% to 5% by weight.
In the present application, the expression xe2x80x9cfilm-forming polymerxe2x80x9d means a polymer which is capable, by itself or in the presence of a film-forming auxiliary agent, of forming an isolable film. The expression xe2x80x9cpolymer in the form of particles in aqueous dispersion,xe2x80x9d generally known as a latex or pseudolatex, means a phase containing water and, optionally, a compound which is soluble in water, in which the polymer is dispersed directly in the form of particles.
The polyurethane used according to the invention can be chosen, for example, from polyester-polyurethanes and polyether-polyurethanes. The polyurethane can, for example, be an anionic polyurethane, and can be chosen from polyurethanes capable of forming a film which has a hardness ranging from 10 seconds to 200 seconds. The hardness of the polymer film is measured on film obtained after drying a coat which was 300 xcexcm thick (before drying) of an aqueous dispersion containing 28% solids of the said radical-mediated polymer particles for 24 hours at 30xc2x0 C. and at 50% relative humidity. The hardness of the film is measured according to ASTM standard D-43-66, or standard NF-T 30-016 (October 1981), using a Persoz pendulum.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the polyurethane can generally have a water uptake of less than or equal to 30%, and in another embodiment can have a water uptake ranging from 0.5% to 15%. The polyester-polyurethanes according to the invention can have these water uptake properties. Such polyurethanes make it possible to obtain a make-up product which, in specific embodiments, has good staying power over time and/or good water resistance. By good staying power, it is meant that the composition remains on the surface to which it is applied for a greater period of time than a composition not comprising fibers and at least one film-forming polymer in the form of particles in an aqueous dispersion. In one embodiment of the invention, polyester-polyurethanes capable of forming a film which has a hardness ranging from 40 to 200 seconds can be used, and in another embodiment, polyester-polyurethanes capable of forming a film which has a hardness ranging from 50 to 170 seconds, can be used.
According to the present application, the expression xe2x80x9cwater uptake of the polyurethanexe2x80x9d means the percentage of water absorbed by the polyurethane after immersion for 10 minutes in water at 30xc2x0 C. The water uptake is measured for a film obtained after drying a coat 300 xcexcm thick (before drying) of an aqueous dispersion deposited on a plate for 24 hours at 30xc2x0 C. and at 50% relative humidity. Pieces of the film about 1 cm2 in area cut out of the dry film are weighed (mass measurement M1) and then immersed in water for 10 minutes. After immersion, the piece of film is wiped to remove the excess surface water and then weighed (mass measurement M2). The difference M2xe2x88x92M1 corresponds to the amount of water absorbed by the polymer. The water uptake is equal to [(M2xe2x88x92M1)/M1]xc3x97100, and is expressed as a percentage weight of water relative to the weight of polymer.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the polyurethane can have a water uptake of greater than 30%, a water uptake ranging from 30% to 150% in another embodiment, and a water uptake ranging from 40% to 100% in another embodiment. Use of polyether-polyurethanes according to the invention having these water uptake properties makes it possible to obtain a make-up product that adheres well to the eyelashes, and/or also has good staying power over time. Polyether-polyurethanes suitable for forming a film with a hardness ranging from 10 to 40 seconds can be used according to one embodiment of the invention, and polyether-polyurethanes suitable for forming a film with a hardness ranging from 20 to 35 seconds can be used according to another embodiment of the invention.
The polyurethane particles dispersed in the aqueous medium of the composition generally have a size ranging from 10 nm to 300 nm according to one embodiment, and ranging from 20 nm to 200 nm according to another embodiment.
Polyester-polyurethanes which can be used are, for example, those sold under the names xe2x80x9cAVALURE UR-425,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cAVALURE UR-430xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cAVALURE UR-405,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cAVALURE UR 410xe2x80x9d by the company Goodrich. Polyether-polyurethanes which can be used are, for example, those sold under the names xe2x80x9cSANCURE 878,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cAVALURE UR-450,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cSANCURE 861xe2x80x9d by the company Goodrich.
The polyurethane can be present in the composition used in the process according to the invention, in one embodiment, in an amount generally ranging from 1% to 60% by weight of solids, relative to the total weight of the composition, can be present in an amount ranging from 2% to 25% by weight of solids in another embodiment, and can be present in an amount ranging from 2% to 10% by weight of solids in another embodiment.
The composition according to the invention can also comprise at least one wax. The wax can be chosen from waxes of animal origin, waxes of plant origin, waxes of mineral origin, synthetic waxes, and various fractions of waxes of natural origin. The waxes can be generally present in one embodiment of the invention in an amount ranging from 0.5% to 40% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, ranging from 2% to 40% by weight in another embodiment, ranging from 5% to 30% by weight in another embodiment, and ranging from 10% to 25% by weight in yet another embodiment.
The wax can be chosen from waxes (I) having a melting point ranging from 70xc2x0 C. to 110xc2x0 C. These waxes can have a needle penetration generally ranging from 1 to 7.5. The needle penetration of the waxes is determined according to French standard NF T 60-123, or US standard ASTM D 1321, at a temperature of 25xc2x0 C. According to these standards, the needle penetration is a measurement of the depth, expressed in tenths of a millimeter, to which a standardized needle weighing 2.5 g mounted in an assembly weighing 97.5 g and placed on the wax to be tested, for 5 seconds, penetrates into the wax.
The waxes (I) can be chosen from, for example, rice bran wax, carnauba wax, ouricury wax, candelilla wax, montan waxes, sugar cane wax, and certain polyethylene waxes which satisfy the criteria for the waxes (I). The composition according to the invention can comprise, in one embodiment of the invention, an amount of waxes (I) generally ranging from 0.1% to 20% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, and an amount of waxes (I) ranging from 1% to 10% by weight in another embodiment.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the composition can comprise at least one wax (Ia) having a melting point of greater than or equal to 70xc2x0 C. and less than 83xc2x0 C., at least one wax (Ib) having a melting point ranging from 83xc2x0 C. to 110xc2x0 C., as well as mixtures thereof. The composition according to the invention can comprise a mixture of waxes (I) containing at least one first wax (Ia) and at least one second wax (Ib). This mixture of waxes (I) can generally comprise from 5% to 50% by weight of the at least one wax (Ia), relative to the total weight of the said mixture of waxes (I), and from 50% to 95% by weight of the at least one wax (Ib).
Waxes (Ia) which can be useful according to the invention are, for example, rice bran wax and candelilla wax. Waxes (Ib) which can be useful according to the invention are, for example, carnauba wax, ouricury waxes, and montan waxes. Carnauba wax is preferably used.
The composition can also comprise at least one wax (II), referred to as soft wax, having a melting point of greater than or equal to 45xc2x0 C. and less than 70xc2x0 C. Wax (II) can have a needle penetration of greater than 7.5 according to one embodiment of the invention, and less than or equal to 217 in another embodiment, measured according to the conditions defined above for the waxes (I). This wax (II) makes it possible to soften the coating applied to the eyelashes.
The waxes (II) which can be useful according to the invention are, for example, beeswax, lanolin waxes, paraffin waxes, cerasin waxes, microcrystalline waxes, ozokerites, spermacetis, certain polyethylene waxes whose molecular weight is such that they satisfy the criteria of the waxes (II), and hydrogenated plant oils.
Among the hydrogenated plant oils which can be useful according to the invention are, for example, hydrogenated jojoba waxes and hydrogenated oils which are obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of fatty substances comprising at least one fatty chain chosen from linear and non-linear C8-C32 fatty chains and which have the qualities corresponding to the definition of the waxes. Mention may be made, for example, of hydrogenated sunflower oil, hydrogenated castor oil, hydrogenated cotton oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, and hydrogenated lanolin.
The wax (I) and the wax (II) can be present in the composition in a [wax (I)/wax (II)] weight ratio ranging from 0.2:1 to 1:1 in one embodiment, and ranging from 0.4:1 to 0.7:1 in another embodiment.
The composition can also contain at least one auxiliary film-forming polymer other than the polyurethane polymer defined above, in one embodiment in an amount ranging from 0% to 15% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, in another embodiment in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 15% by weight, and in another embodiment in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 10% by weight.
Auxiliary film-forming polymers which can be useful according to the invention are, for example:
cellulose polymers such as hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylethylcellulose, and ethylhydroxyethylcellulose;
acrylic ester polymers or copolymers, such as polyacrylates and polymethacrylates;
vinyl polymers, such as polyvinylpyrrolidones, copolymers derived from (i) vinylpyrrolidone and (ii) vinyl acetate, and polyvinyl alcohol;
polyesters, polyamides, and epoxyester resins; and
polymers of natural origin which are optionally modified, such as gum arabics, guar gum, xanthan derivatives, and karaya gum.
The composition used in the process according to the invention can be in the form of a wax-in-water, water-in-wax, oil-in-water, or water-in-oil dispersion. The water content in the composition in one embodiment can generally range from 1% to 95% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, and in another embodiment can range from 10% to 80% by weight.
The composition according to the invention can also comprise at least one volatile oil. The expression xe2x80x9cvolatile oilxe2x80x9d means an oil which is capable of evaporating at room temperature from a support onto which it has been applied; in other words an oil which has measurable vapour pressure at room temperature.
Oils which can be useful according to the invention are, for example, one or more oils that are volatile at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, having, in one embodiment, for example, a vapour pressure, at ambient pressure and temperature  greater than 0 mmHg (0 Pa), and a vapour pressure, at ambient pressure and temperature ranging from 10xe2x88x923 to 300 mmHg (0.13 Pa to 40,000 Pa) in another embodiment, on condition that the boiling point is greater than 30xc2x0 C. These volatile oils are favorable for obtaining a film with total xe2x80x9ctransfer-resistancexe2x80x9d properties, i.e., good staying power, such that the composition transfers little or not at all. These volatile oils also make it easier to apply the composition to the skin, mucous membranes, and superficial body growths. These oils can be chosen from, for example, hydrocarbon-based oils, silicone oils, fluoro oils, and mixtures thereof.
The expression xe2x80x9chydrocarbon-based oilxe2x80x9d means an oil mainly containing hydrogen and carbon atoms, and possibly oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, or phosphorus atoms. The volatile hydrocarbon-based oils which can be suitable for the composition according to the invention are, for example, hydrocarbon-based oils containing from 8 to 16 carbon atoms, and, for example, C8-C16 isoalkanes (or isoparaffins) and branched C8-C16 esters, such as isododecane (2,2,4,4,6-pentamethylheptane), isodecane, isohexadecane, isohexyl neopentanoate, and mixtures thereof. Other volatile hydrocarbon-based oils such as, for example, petroleum distillates such as those sold under the name Shell Solt by the company Shell can also be used.
Volatile oils which can also be used also include volatile silicones, such as, for example, cyclic volatile silicones, for example those having a viscosity xe2x89xa68 centistokes (8xc3x9710xe2x88x926 m2/s), such as, for example, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, and hexadecamethylcyclohexasiloxane, and volatile linear silicones such as, for example, octamethyltrisiloxane, heptamethylhexyltrisiloxane, heptamethyloctyltrisiloxane, and decamethyltetrasiloxane. Volatile fluoro oils such as, for example, nonafluoromethoxybutane and perfluoromethylcyclopentane may also be used.
The volatile oil can be present in the composition according to the invention in one embodiment in an amount generally ranging up to 80% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, ranging from 1% to 80% by weight in another embodiment, ranging up to 65% by weight in another embodiment, and ranging from 1% to 65% by weight in yet another embodiment.
The composition can also comprise at least one non-volatile oil chosen from, for example, non-volatile hydrocarbon-based oils, silicone oils, and fluoro oils.
Non-volatile hydrocarbon-based oils which can be useful according to the invention are, for example:
hydrocarbon-based oils of animal origin, such as, for example, perhydrosqualene;
hydrocarbon-based oils of plant origin, such as, for example, liquid triglycerides of fatty acids of 4 to 10 carbon atoms, such as heptanoic or octanoic acid triglycerides, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, corn oil, apricot oil, castor oil, avocado oil, olive oil, cereal germ oil, soybean oil, sweet almond oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, cotton oil, hazelnut oil, macadamia oil, jojoba oil, caprylic/capric acid triglycerides such as those sold by the company Stearineries Dubois or those sold under the names Miglyol 810, 812, and 818 by the company Dynamit Nobel, and liquid karite butter;
linear or branched hydrocarbons of mineral or synthetic origin, such as, for example, petroleum jelly, polydecenes, and hydrogenated polyisobutene such as parleam;
synthetic esters and ethers, such as, for example, the oils of formula R1COOR2 in which R1 represents a higher fatty acid residue containing from 6 to 29 carbon atoms and R2 represents a hydrocarbon-based chain containing from 3 to 30 carbon atoms, such as, for example, purcellin oil, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, butyl stearate, hexyl laurate, diisopropyl adipate, isononyl isononate, 2-ethylhexyl palmitate, 2-hexyldecyl laurate, 2-octyldecyl palmitate, 2-octyldodecyl myristate or lactate; polyol esters such as propylene glycol dioctanoate, neopentyl glycol diheptanoate, diethylene glycol diisonanoate, and pentaerythritol esters;
fatty alcohols that are liquid at room temperature and which contain a branched and/or unsaturated carbon-based chain containing from 12 to 26 carbon atoms, such as, for example, octyldodecanol, isostearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, 2-hexyldecanol, 2-butyloctanol, and 2-undecylpentadecanol; and
higher fatty acids such as myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and isostearic acid; and mixtures thereof.
The non-volatile silicone oils useful according to the invention can be oils of low viscosity, such as, for example, linear polysiloxanes whose degree of polymerization is from approximately 6 to approximately 2000. Mention may be made, for example, of polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMSs) with a viscosity of greater than 10 mpaxc2x7s, phenyl dimethicones, phenyl trimethicones, and polyphenylmethylsiloxanes.
The non-volatile fluoro oils which can be useful in the composition according to the invention can be, for example, fluorosilicone oils, fluoro polyethers, and fluoro silicones as described in document EP-A-847 752, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The non-volatile oils can be present in the composition according to the invention in one embodiment in an amount generally ranging up to 50% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, ranging from 0.1 to 50% by weight in another embodiment, ranging up to 20% by weight in another embodiment, and ranging from 0.1% to 20% by weight in yet another embodiment.
The composition according to the invention can contain at least one emulsifying surfactant which is present, for example, in one embodiment of the invention in a proportion ranging from 2% to 30% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, and ranging from 5% to 15% by weight in another embodiment. These surfactants can be chosen from anionic and nonionic surfactants. Reference may be made to the document xe2x80x9cEncyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Kirk-Othmerxe2x80x9d, volume 22, pp. 333-432, 3rd edition, 1979, Wiley, for the definition of the properties and the functions (emulsifying) of the surfactants, and particularly pp. 347-377 of that reference for the anionic and nonionic surfactants. These pages from this document are incorporated by reference.
The surfactants which can be used in the composition according to the invention are, for example:
nonionic surfactants, such as, for example, fatty acids, fatty alcohols and polyethoxylated or polyglycerolated fatty alcohols such as polyethoxylated stearyl or cetylstearyl alcohol, fatty acid esters of sucrose, alkyl glucose esters, for example, polyoxyethylenated fatty esters of a C1-C6 alkyl glucose; and
anionic surfactants, such as, for example, C16-C30 fatty acids neutralized with amines, aqueous ammonia, or alkaline salts.
For example, surfactants which make it possible to obtain oil-in-water or wax-in-water emulsions can be used.
The composition can also comprise at least one dyestuff such as pulverulent compounds, which can be present, for example, in a proportion ranging from 0.01 to 25% relative to the total weight of the composition. The pulverulent compounds can be chosen from the pigments, nacres, and fillers usually used in mascaras.
The pigments can be chosen from white, colored, mineral, and organic pigments. Among the mineral pigments which may be mentioned are, for example, titanium dioxide, which can optionally be surface-treated, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide, manganese violet, ultramarine blue, chromium hydrate, and ferric blue. Among the organic pigments which may be mentioned are carbon black, pigments of D and C type and lakes based on cochineal carmine, barium, strontium, calcium, and aluminium.
The nacreous pigments can be chosen from white nacreous pigments, such as, for example, mica coated with titanium or with bismuth oxychloride, and coloured nacreous pigments such as, for example, titanium mica with iron oxides, titanium mica with ferric blue or chromium oxide, titanium mica with an organic pigment of the abovementioned type, as well as nacreous pigments based on bismuth oxychloride.
The fillers can be chosen from those which are well known to a person skilled in the art, and which are commonly used in cosmetic compositions. Fillers which can be used are, for example:
talc, which is a hydrated magnesium silicate used in the form of particles generally less than 40 microns,
micas, which are aluminosilicates of varied compositions in the form of flakes having sizes of, for example, from 2 to 200 microns in one embodiment, and from 5 to 70 microns in another embodiment, and a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 5 microns in one embodiment, and ranging from 0.2 to 3 microns in another embodiment, it being possible for these micas to be of natural origin such as muscovite, margarite, roscoelite, lipidolite or biotite, or of synthetic origin;
starch, for example, rice starch;
kaolin, which is a hydrated aluminium silicate in the form of particles of isotropic form which are generally less than 30 microns in size;
zinc oxide and titanium oxide, generally used in the form of particles not exceeding a few microns in size;
calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and magnesium hydrocarbonate;
microcrystalline cellulose;
silica; and
powders of synthetic polymers such as polyethylene, polyesters (polyethylene isophthalate or terephthalate), polyamides, such as, for example, those sold under the trade name xe2x80x9cNylonxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cTeflon,xe2x80x9d and silicone powders.
The composition according to the invention can also contain at least one ingredient commonly used in cosmetics, such as, for example, trace elements, softeners, sequestering agents, fragrances, oils, silicones, thickeners, vitamins, proteins, ceramides, plasticizers, cohesion agents, emollients, and preserving agents, as well as acidifying or basifying agents usually used in cosmetics. Needless to say, a person skilled in the art will take care to select this or these optional additional ingredient(s), and/or the amount thereof, such that the advantageous properties of the composition according to the invention are not, or are not substantially, adversely affected by the addition envisaged.
The composition according to the invention can be prepared according to the known methods of the fields under consideration.

Cosmetic composition comprising fibers and a film forming polymer


Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving a packet belonging to a flow, the packet including a marking used to identify a quality of service (QoS) required for the packet; performing buffer management to determine whether a current occupancy level of a buffer in the network node is greater than a threshold level; when the current occupancy level of the buffer does not exceed the threshold level, performing header compression on the packet in the network node; after performing header compression, performing traffic scheduling to queue the packet in a queue selected from a plurality of queues based on the marking in the packet and to output the packet from the selected queue; and forwarding the packet towards a destination, whereby buffer management, header compression, and traffic scheduling are all performed in a single network node.

Modern packet-switched networks accommodate a greater number of users and larger amount of traffic than ever before. Unfortunately, the services desired by users now require a much greater amount of bandwidth, while demanding near real-time service in many cases. Consider, for example, a typical user's experience with a mobile phone. While, several years ago, many users were content with voice-only service, many mobile phones now double as personal computers, providing access to streaming video, peer-to-peer applications, and other high bandwidth applications. Furthermore, non-mobile networks have also experienced a significant increase in traffic, as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), IP Television (IPTV), and similar services have gradually increased in popularity.
Service providers have struggled to keep pace with the ever-increasing bandwidth requirements. Given the significant expenses associated with adding additional equipment, service providers are reluctant to address this problem by simply increasing the capacity of the network. Instead, many service providers desire to decrease costs and simultaneously improve the user's quality of experience by optimizing the efficiency of data transfer over the network.
One such optimization relates to compression of headers associated with packets transferred over the network. In bandwidth-sensitive portions of the network, many service providers employ a header compression algorithm to decrease the amount of data sent over the network. As an example, this header compression may be implemented according to Request For Comments 2507, "IP Header Compression," published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). More specifically, during an initialization phase, a node known as a compressor sends a full header including a context identifier, which uniquely identifies the flow associated with the packet. A node known as a decompressor receives the full header and stores the associated context identifier. Subsequently, the compressor may send a "compressed" version of the header, which includes the context identifier, but omits much of the information included in the uncompressed header. Because the decompressor maintains a record of the context identifier and associated header information, the decompressor may reconstruct the uncompressed header rising the information contained in the compressed version.
A second optimization relates to traffic management services implemented by provider edge nodes. In particular, a typical provider edge node implements a service that prioritizes traffic, such that traffic is treated differently depending on a level of service assigned to the traffic. During periods of congestion, the node prioritizes high priority traffic, while temporarily blocking low priority traffic. This technique ensures that the most important traffic reaches its destination by delaying transmission of less important traffic until the congestion subsides.
It would be desirable to implement a network node that performs both header compression and traffic management services. Current solutions, however, fail to concurrently implement both services in a single network node in a manner that achieves the desired benefits of both, while avoiding any potential conflicts. In particular, current solutions fail to resolve the characteristics of the header compression and traffic management functionality, such that each service functions optimally when they are combined.
For the foregoing reasons and for further reasons that will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding this specification, there is a need for a solution that enables implementation of packet header compression in a node including traffic management functionality.

Implementation of internet protocol header compression with traffic management quality of service


A cache access control system for dynamically conducting specification of dedicated and common regions and thereby always conducting optimum cache coherency control. In a processor, an L1 cache including an L1 data array and a directory is provided. A plurality of L2 caches are connected to each L1 cache. The L2 caches are connected to a main memory L3. An L2 cache history manager is supplied with L2 cache status information and an L2 cache access request from L2 caches. The L2 cache history manager judges an attribute (a dedicated region or a common region) of each line of L2. On the basis of the attribute, a cache coherency manager conducts coherency control of each L2 cache by using an invalidation type protocol or an update type protocol. The attribute is judged to be the common region, only in the case where a line shared by a plurality of L2 caches in the past is canceled once by the invalidation type protocol and then accessed again.

The present invention relates to a method of fast referring to a cache memory among a plurality of processors, and a data processing system using this method. In particular, the present invention relates to a cache memory reference control system and a data processing system which are suitable for such a system that a plurality of processors share a memory system.
In a data processor including a plurality of processors each having a cache memory, it is necessary to conduct cache coherency control so that contents of cache memories will not incur a contradiction among processors.
As heretofore well known, cache coherency control methods are broadly classified into store-through (referred to as write-through as well) protocols and store-in (referred to as write-back or copy-back as well) protocols.
The store-through protocol is such a method that when a processor has written data into a cache memory in a processor a lower order hierarchy memory (such as a main storage) is also updated.
The store-in protocol is such a method that even in the case where data has been written into a cache memory in a processor such control as not to update the lower order hierarchy memory is conducted until an access request from another processor occurs.
The store-through protocol is simpler in control and easier in implementation than the store-in protocol. In the store-through protocol, however, the frequency of access to the lower order hierarchy memory increases. If the number of processors is increased, therefore, performance degradation caused by contention poses a problem.
In the case of the store-in protocol, the control becomes complicated, but the frequency of write access to the lower order hierarchy memory can be decreased. If the store path throughputs are the same, therefore, the store-in protocol becomes higher in performance than the store-through protocol.
The control complication of the store-in protocol is caused by the coherency control conducted when writing data into a cache. In the case where the coherency control is not required, therefore, the store-in control becomes equal in complication to the store-through control.
Therefore, the following system has been contrived. In this system, a memory space is divided into a common region shared by a plurality of processors and dedicated regions respectively dedicated to single processors. In the common region, cache coherency control is required. In the dedicated regions, cache coherency control is not required. For the common region, the store-through protocol is used. For the dedicated regions, the store-in protocol is used.
For example, in a cache coherency control scheme disclosed in JP-A-1-26643, accessed regions are divided into a common region accessed in common from all processors and individual regions accessed individually from respective processors. For the common region, the write-through (store-through) system is used. For the individual regions, the write-back (store-in) system is used.
As other such relating processors, those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,681, JP-A-2-226449, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,428, JP-A-4-123151, JP-A-4-296950, JP-A-5-73416, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,667 can be mentioned.
Apart from the classification of the store-in protocol and store-through protocol, cache coherency control can also be classified into two types: invalidation type protocol and update type protocol.
When writing has been conducted on a certain cache memory, there is a copy of the same data as data subjected to the alteration in another cache memory as well in some cases. In such a case, the invalidation type protocol dissolves contradiction by invalidating copy data.
When the above described cache coherency control has become necessary, the update type protocol conducts control so as to dissolve contradiction by updating the copy with altered data.
The invalidation type protocol is simpler in control and easier in implementation.
The performance depends on a memory access pattern and so on. It cannot be said unconditionally which protocol is advantageous. For bringing contents of cache memories of processors into the same status, however, the update type protocol can conduct it faster because the update type protocol does not pass through a lower order hierarchy memory.
In general, the invalidation type protocol is adopted in many cases. However, such a system that both protocols are mixedly present has also been contrived.
For example, in a system disclosed in JP-A-8-95862, a memory space is divided into a high-reliability area and a normal area. Control is conducted by using the update type protocol for the high-reliability area and the invalidation type protocol for the normal area.
In the conventional technique in which switchover of store-in protocol over to the store-through protocol and vice versa are conducted, specification of the common region and the dedicated regions serving as a criterion of the switchover is based on a memory address range or discrimination of processors. Division to the two regions is fixed.
Furthermore, in the conventional technique in which switchover of the invalidation type protocol to the update type protocol and vice versa are conducted, the switchover is based on a fixed regional partitioning that is in turn based on an address range.
In switchover of the cache coherency control protocol based on these fixed divisions, a sufficient function cannot be demonstrated, if regional partitioning cannot be determined until a program is executed.
For example, when it cannot be determined by only static analysis before program execution whether certain data corresponds to a dedicated region or a common region, the data might be actually data that is used for dedicated use and that should be processed with the store-in protocol. Even in this case, the data cannot help being handled as common data with the store-through protocol. As a result, performance degradation occurs.
Furthermore, it is actually difficult to conduct division statically for such an existing program that definite partition into dedicated regions and the common region is not conducted.
In the conventional technique, regional division serving as the criterion of switchover of cache coherency control is conducted fixedly. This results in a problem that it is impossible to sufficiently cope with such an existing program that a dynamic behavior of a program and the above described regional division are disregarded.
In the conventional technique, the invalidation type protocol is widely used because it can be implemented easily. In the case where the invalidation type protocol is applied to the common region, however, performance degradation due to mutual invalidation appears remarkably. This is another problem.
This problem is caused by the following phenomenon. A plurality of processors conduct writing into the common region. As a result, data invalidation is conducted mutually. Resultant frequent access to the lower order hierarchy memory causes the above described performance degradation.
In the conventional technique, such a reference form to the common region that access to the same region is repeated is disregarded, and the invalidation type protocol is used for both the common region and the dedicated regions. This results in a problem that performance degradation is caused by mutual invalidation in the common region.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of dynamically conducting specification of the dedicated regions and the common region, and thereby always conduct optimum cache coherency control to solve the problems caused by fixed regional division in the conventional technique.
Another object of the present invention is to solve the problems concerning the mutual invalidation in the conventional technique by using an optimum control system to the common region.
A representative mode of the present invention has the following configuration.
In a data processing system including a plurality of cache memories, such as a data processing system including a plurality of processors each having a cache memory, a cache history manager connected to respective caches and a coherency manager for conducting coherency control of respective caches are provided.
Each cache includes a cache data array and a cache directory. In the cache directory, line (or block or the like) status information is stored.
In response to a cache access request, a cache outputs a cache access request and cache status information to the cache history manager. Thereupon, the cache history manager generates new cache status information of a line accessed by the input from the cache, returns the new cache status information to the cache, judges an attribute (a dedicated region or a common region) of the line on the basis of the generated cache status information, and delivers the attribute of the judgment result to the coherency manager.
The attribute is judged to be the common region, only in the case where a line shared by a plurality of L2 caches in the past is canceled once by the invalidation type protocol and then accessed again. Otherwise, the attribute is judged to a dedicated region.
In the case where the attribute is a common region, the coherency manager uses an update type protocol or a store-through protocol. In the case where the attribute is a dedicated region, the coherency manager uses an invalidation type protocol or a store-in protocol.
Other modes of the present invention are made clear in description of preferred embodiments.


A method of preparing a carton with a prefolded interior paper lining includes feeding carton blanks having a surface, the surface having leading and trailing edges and right and left side edges, feeding a paper web, folding the paper web to have a base portion having an edge and at least a first flap joining the base portion at a first crease, cutting a section off the paper web, and inserting the paper section with the carton blank surface, such that the edge and crease of the base portion of the paper are spaced a predetermined distance inward from each respective carton blank side edge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a carton, such as a gift box. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of preparing a carton, such as a gift box, with a prefolded interior paper lining, such as prefolded tissue paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
High end retail stores typically provide their customers with gift boxes. Typically, these boxes are in the form of partially folded carton blanks, which either the store clerk can assemble, or which can be provided to the customer for later assembly at home.
Customers frequently desire an interior paper lining, such as tissue paper, in order to improve the appearance of the gift box. For the sake of efficiency, attempts have been made to prepare carton blanks with prefolded tissue paper already inside, so that once the box is assembled, the tissue paper is already inserted and neatly folded.
These related attempts to prepare boxes with prefolded paper lining have been generally unsuccessful. The tissue paper frequently is torn or crumpled during the preparation process. Another problem is that the creases of the tissue paper generally correspond to the creases of the box blank, which typically results in the paper being crumpled upon assembly of the box. Finally, fixing the paper to the carton blanks creates problems for customers who do not desire tissue paper inside the box, because removal of the paper is difficult and leaves unsightly bits of paper and glue in the box.

Carton having a prefolded interior paper lining and a method of preparing a carton with a prefolded interior paper lining


The present invention relates to methods of treating an allergic or non-allergic respiratory disorder by administering orally a composition of lactoferrin alone or in combination with metal chelators to treat respiratory disorders.

Asthma is a very common disease in the United States and other industrialized countries, affecting more than 5% of the population. Key features of asthma are airway smooth muscle hyperreactivity, leading to variable airflow obstruction; infiltration of the airway wall with inflammatory cells, most notably helper T-cells (Th2) lymphocytes and cosinophils; and structural changes, such as metaplasia of the airway epithelium from non-secretory ciliated cells to mucus-secreting goblet cells and thickening of the sub-epithelial basement membrane.
Most asthmatics have mild disease that is controlled with low doses of inhaled corticosteroids to suppress inflammation, and inhaled β2-adrenoceptor agonists to relax airway smooth muscle. However, even low doses of inhaled steroids cause systemic side effects, such as growth suppression in children and cataracts in adults. Further, approximately 15% of asthmatics have severe disease that can lead to disability or death despite treatment with high doses of steroids. Thus, safer and more effective treatments for asthma are needed.
Lactoferrin is a single chain metal binding glycoprotein. Many cells types, such as monocytes, macrophages, lymphocytes, and brush-border cells, are known to have lactoferrin receptors. In addition to lactoferrin being an essential growth factor for both B and T lymphocytes, lactoferrin has a wide array of functions related to host primary defense mechanisms. For example, lactoferrin has been reported to activate natural killer (NK) cells, induce colony stimulating activity, activate polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), regulate granulopoeisis, enhance antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity, stimulate lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity, and potentiate macrophage toxicity.
EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is a synthetic compound which has well known metal-binding characteristics. EDTA is most commonly used for chelation therapy, a treatment that involves repeated intravenous administration of EDTA to pull toxins from the bloodstream. EDTA administration is the medically accepted treatment for poisoning by heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic and thallium and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this use.
EDTA has also been proposed as a treatment for heart disease. Proponents of chelation therapy for heart disease claim that EDTA, in combination with oral vitamins and minerals, helps dissolve plaques and mineral deposits associated with atherosclerosis. Although many Americans with heart disease have turned to EDTA chelation therapy to improve their condition, the FDA has not approved this therapy as an alternative treatment for heart disease. It is thought that EDTA chelation may help strengthen the immune system by sequestering impurities from the bloodstream. EDTA is not known to cause any significant side effects when administered orally to humans.
The present invention is the first to use an oral lactoferrin composition as a treatment for allergic respiratory disorders, such as asthma. Yet further, the present invention is the first to use lactoferrin in combination with a metal chelator to treat respiratory disorders, such as asthma.

Oral lactoferrin in the treatment of respiratory disorders


A diffraction grating that achieves high diffraction efficiency at all polarizations for optical signals at telecommunications wavelengths is provided. The diffraction grating has a substrate and a plurality of reflective faces oriented at respective blaze angles xcex8b spaced along the substrate surface, with the blaze angles substantially differ from the Littrow condition. Each reflective surface is supported by a support wall connected substantially with the substrate surface. The grating may be used in interference orders greater than first order and may diffract signals with low polarization-dependent losses in addition to high polarization-averaged efficiency.

This application relates generally to a method and apparatus for diffracting light, and more specifically to a diffraction grating useful in various applications, such as optical telecommunications, that require high diffraction efficiency in multiple polarization orientations.
The Internet and data communications are causing an explosion in the global demand for bandwidth. Fiber optic telecommunications systems are currently deploying a relatively new technology called dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) to expand the capacity of new and existing optical fiber systems to help satisfy this demand. In DWDM, multiple wavelengths of light simultaneously transport information through a single optical fiber. Each wavelength operates as an individual channel carrying a stream of data. The carrying capacity of a fiber is multiplied by the number of DWDM channels used. Today, DWDM systems using up to 80 channels are available from multiple manufacturers, with more promised in the future.
Optical wavelength routing functions often use demultiplexing of a light stream into its many individual wavelengths, which are then optically directed along different paths. Subsequently, different wavelength signals may then be multiplexed into a common pathway. Within such routing devices, the optical signals are routed between the common and individual optical pathways by a combination of dispersion and focusing mechanisms. The focusing mechanism forms discrete images of the common pathway in each wavelength of the different optical signals and the dispersion mechanism relatively displaces the images along a focal line by amounts that vary with the signal wavelength.
Both phased arrays and reflective diffraction gratings may be used to perform the dispersing functions. While phased arrays are adequate when the number of channels carrying different wavelength signals is small, reflective diffraction gratings are generally preferable when large numbers of channels are used. However, reflective diffraction gratings tend to exhibit greater polarization sensitivity and since the polarization of optical signals often fluctuates in optical communication systems, this sensitivity may result in large variations in transmission efficiency. Loss of information is possible unless compensating amplification of the signals is used to maintain adequate signal-to-noise ratios. Although polarization sensitivity may generally be mitigated by increasing the grating pitch of the reflective grating, limitations on the desired wavelength dispersion for signals at optical telecommunication wavelengths preclude an increase in grating pitch sufficient to achieve high diffraction efficiency in all polarization directions.
It is thus desirable to provide a diffraction grating that can achieve high diffraction efficiency without significant polarization sensitivity when used at optical telecommunication wavelengths.
Embodiments of the present invention provide such a diffraction grating, achieving high diffraction efficiency in all polarization states when used for diffraction of an optical signal at telecommunications wavelengths. The diffraction grating in such embodiments includes a plurality of spaced triangular protrusions on a substrate in which reflective faces are blazed at angles xcex8b that are substantially different from the Littrow condition.
Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, the diffraction grating is configured to diffract an optical signal of wavelength xcex. It has a substrate and a plurality of reflective faces oriented at respective blaze angles xcex8b spaced along the substrate surface at a grating density 1/d. The blaze angles xcex8b substantially differ from the Littrow condition sin xcex8b=xcex/2d. Each of these reflective faces is supported by a support wall that is connected with the substrate surface such that the optical signal is reflected essentially only off the reflective faces and not off the support walls. Since the optical signal is reflected off the reflective faces but not the support walls, the diffraction efficiency of certain polarization states is improved.
In particular embodiments, the support walls are connected substantially normal with the surface of the substrate and in other embodiments they are connected at an obtuse angle with the substrate. The blaze angles are preferably within the range 50xc2x0xe2x89xa6xcex8bxe2x89xa670xc2x0 and more preferably within the range 50xc2x0xe2x89xa6xcex8bxe2x89xa660xc2x0. The density at which the reflective faces are spaced along the substrate is preferably between 700 and 1100 faces/mm and more preferably between 800 and 1000 faces/mm.
In a certain embodiment, the reflective faces are equally spaced along the surface of the substrate at density 1/d between 800 and 1000 faces/mm without exposing the surface of the substrate, with each of the blaze angles xcex8b substantially equal to 54.0xc2x0. In another embodiment, the reflective faces are equally spaced along the surface of the substrate at density 1/d between 800 and 1000 faces/mm such that a portion of the surface of the substrate is exposed between each such reflective face, with each of the blaze angles xcex8b substantially equal to 55.8xc2x0. In that embodiment, the support walls preferably have an altitude between 1200 and 1400 nm, more preferably substantially equal to 1310 nm.
In certain other embodiments, the diffraction grating is configured to be used to diffract the optical signal in an interference order higher than first order. In one such embodiment useful in second order for wavelengths between 1500 and 1600 nm, the reflective faces are spaced at a grating density of approximately 450 faces/mm, with blaze angles substantially equal to 55.8xc2x0. A portion of the substrate may be exposed between subsequent reflective faces, defining trenches between the faces. In one embodiment, each trench has a width between 0.50 and 0.70 xcexcm. The height of the support walls defines a groove depth, which in one embodiment is between 2300 and 2500 xcexcm.
Embodiments of the invention are also directed to a diffraction grating for diffracting an optical signal with a polarization-dependent loss less than 0.4 dB when the wavelength of the optical signal is between 1500 and 1600 nm. In one such embodiment, the grating is configured to diffract an optical signal having a wavelength between 1530 and 1565 nm with a polarization-dependent loss less than 0.04 dB.
According to embodiments of the invention, the diffraction grating is fabricated by forming two sets of parallel trenches in a crystal surface, one made with a crystalline-independent etching technique and the other made with a crystalline-dependent chemical etchant. The intersection of the two sets of trenches removes material from the crystal surface to produce an etched crystal surface that can be coated with a reflective material to form the diffraction grating or can be used as a master for batch fabrication of diffraction gratings.
In a particular embodiment, the first set of parallel trenches is initially formed perpendicularly from a surface of a silicon wafer. This set of trenches is then filled with a sacrificial material that also coats the surface of the wafer. The sacrificial material is subsequently patterned lithographically to expose the underlying wafer, with the crystalline-dependent chemical etchant being applied at the exposed portions. The deposited sacrificial material acts as an etch stop to the chemical etchant. Appropriate techniques for forming the first set of parallel trenches include reactive ion etching, deep reactive ion etching, and ion milling. Appropriate crystalline-dependent chemical etchants that preferentially stop etches along [111] orientations include KOH, hydrazine, and ethylene diamine pyrocatechol.
In another embodiment, plurality of parallel trenches are formed in a crystal surface with a crystalline-independent technique. Sacrificial material is deposited in each of the plurality of trenches, with some of the sacrificial material also being deposited on the crystal surface. The excess sacrificial material is removed from the crystal surface, such as by chemical and mechanical polishing (CMP). Subsequently, the crystal surface is exposed to a crystalline-dependent etchant. The resulting structure may be used for fabrication of the diffraction grating. Alternatively, the remaining sacrificial material may be removed from the structure before finalizing the grating fabrication.

Diffraction grating with reduced polarization-dependent loss


An injection molded threaded cap for use with containers of varying dimensions. The cap of the present invention includes a cover from which depends an integral plug. An auxiliary sealing ring is disposed at the outside base of the plug to compensate for differences between the diameter of the plug and the diameter of the opening to be sealed by the cap. To prevent doming of the cover of the cap, the underside of the cover has shrinkage resistance formations which provide the cap with structural resistance to the effects of shrinkage. The cap of the present invention further includes a ratchet ring having ratchet teeth designed to enhance the tamper-evidency of the frangible ratchet ring. In an alternative embodiment, the cap includes a thread form which reduces the amount of rotation required to install the cap onto a bottle neck. The thread form includes thread segments which result in less resin being used to form the cap and which results in the formation of an unthreaded area at the base of the inside surface of the skirt of the cap. The unthreaded area facilitates the initial engagement of the cap and the bottle neck. The alternative embodiment also includes a spline arrangement which provides the cap with an anti-stripping feature.

The present invention relates to closure devices, and in particular, relates to injection molded caps for containers which hold liquid, such as milk.
Injection molded caps for blow molded milk bottles have been used for many years. Generally, two types of caps are available, push-on caps and thread-on caps. Push-on caps are installed by aligning the cap with the opening of a container and simply applying an axial force to the top of the cap. Thread-on caps generally require that the cap and container be aligned and that a rotative force be applied to the cap. In some cases, threaded caps, if carefully designed in conjunction with the container to which it is applied, can be made so that the rotative force required to install the cap is minimized or even eliminated. These kinds of injection molded caps are often made with low density polypropylene, a common material used in injection molding.
One of the problems associated with injection molded caps relates to dimensional stability. Polypropylene and other injection moldable materials tend to shrink when they are cooled. The amount of shrinkage is difficult to quantify, and depends on factors such as temperature, the presence or absence of additives such as pigments, the configuration of the product, and other factors. Another aspect of dimensional stability relates to the deformability of the cap at the time it is ejected from the mold. When the cap is still warm after being formed in the mold, forces required to eject the cap can cause deformation of the cap. In some cases, this results in permanent changes in the shape of the product.
Another problem arising from the use of plastic caps and blow molded bottles relates to the seal which must be created between these two components. The imprecise nature of blow molding requires that cap designs be forgiving. Caps must be designed for a wide range of bottle neck shapes, since it is difficult to blow mold containers within tight tolerances.
The problem of matching a blow molded bottle neck with an injection molded cap manifests itself both with respect to the sealing of the two components and with respect to the formation of a tamper-evident connection between the two components. For example, plug-type caps have a downwardly depending plug formed on the underside of the cap. The plug is intended to seal against the inner edge of a lip formed at the top of a container. If the plug of the cap shrinks and the diameter of the container neck at the lip does not properly match the shrunken size of the plug, an effective seal may not be possible. Similarly, many threaded caps include a ratchet ring formed at the lower periphery of the cap. The ratchet ring engages matching ratchet teeth formed on a bottle neck. If the dimensional stability of the components is not sufficient, the tamper-evidency provided by the ratchet ring will not be accomplished.
A further problem arising from the use of plastic caps and blow-molded bottles relates to the automated installation of such caps onto the blow-molded bottles. The installation process involves the loose placement of a cap onto a container neck. Such loose placement occasionally results in a "cocked" cap, which in the next step of installation can result in improper engagement between the tightening tool and the cap or cross-threading of the threads of the cap and the container neck. In these instances, the capping operation can be disrupted, requiring the attention of an operator.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cap with improved dimensional stability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap in which the effects of shrinkage are reduced.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cap having improved sealing characteristics with respect to bottle containers which are manufactured to relatively loose tolerance requirements.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tamper-evident cap.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a tamper-evident threaded cap with an improved ratchet ring which prevents removal of the cap unless the ratchet ring has previously been removed.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a threaded cap which reduces the likelihood of disruptions in an automatic capping operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap for a threaded container in which the amount of rotation required to secure and remove the caps is reduced.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cap which can be produced with less resin than other caps.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved with a threaded cap which is comprised of a generally flat circular cover with a depending skirt extending from the periphery of the cover. At the bottom of the skirt, a ratchet ring is frangibly connected to the skirt. The ratchet ring includes a plurality of inwardly directed ratchet teeth. The underside of the cover includes various formations which tend to resist deformation of the cap which tends to occur as a result of shrinkage of the material comprising the cap. The cap includes a sealing plug and an auxiliary sealing ring disposed at the outside base of the sealing plug. The auxiliary sealing ring creates a seal against the top surface of a container neck, and will create a seal even if the sealing plug does not fit tightly against the inside edge of the container neck. The ratchet teeth on the tamper-evident ratchet ring are shaped to enhance the locking action of the teeth. The abutting face of each tooth is sloped so that the bottom edge of the tooth is offset with respect to the upper part of the tooth in the direction of unscrewing the cap.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the threads of the cap are generally disposed on the upper portion of the inside surface of the skirt of the cap. This creates an unthreaded section on the lower portion of the inside surface of the cap which assists in alignment of the cap and reduces the tendency of the caps to assume an improper position prior to being tightened. In the alternative embodiment, the cap has a thread configuration comprising four thread segments, each of which occupies a discrete circumferential section of the inside surface of the cap. The beginning of one thread is separated from the end of the adjacent thread by about 5 degrees. The separation of the thread segments creates vertically unthreaded areas which allow for circumferential expansion of the cap to accommodate variation in the relative size of the cap and various container necks.


Drugs in which peptides having affinity specific for phospholipids, preferably those which are contained in the constituents of lipid bilayers forming the surface layers of cells and of which the proportion in the outer part of each lipid bilayer increases when the cell is not normal, for example, in the case where it is damaged, denatured or activated, and biologically active substances bind to each other, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which codes for the amino acid sequence of the drug in the case where the biologically active substance is a peptide, and processes for producing such drugs. The drugs and novel peptides are useful as preventives and therapeutics of diseases involving coagulopathy, inflammations and immune response.

This invention relates to drugs in which peptides having affinity specific for phospholipids, preferably those which are contained in the constituents of lipid bilayers forming the surface layers of cells and of which the proportion in the outer part of each lipid bilayer increases when the cell is not normal, for example, in the case where it is damaged, denatured or activated, and biologically active substances bind to each other, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which codes for the amino acid sequence of the drug in the case where the biologically active substance is a peptide, and processes for producing such drugs.
The invention also relates to a novel peptide having affinity specific for a phospholipid, preferably one which is contained in the constituents of lipid bilayers forming the surface layers of cells and of which the proportion in the outer part of each lipid bilayer increases when the cell is not normal, for example, in the case where it is damaged, denatured or activated, more preferably phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine, further preferably phosphatidylserine, and DNA coding for the peptide.
The drugs and novel peptides of the invention are useful as preventives and therapeutics of diseases involving coagulopathy, inflammations and immune response.
Active studies are conducted today in connection with the creation of new drugs of high utility and as one of such studies an attempt is known that is directed to enhance the proportion in which a drug administered in vivo is delivered to the site for effective action while reducing the amount in which it becomes ineffective. This is an attempt at delivery of the drug in a site-specific manner, or an attempt of the so-called xe2x80x9ctargetingxe2x80x9d. A representative method of targeting is one that utilizes an antigen-antibody reaction. A method that may be mentioned as an example of this approach is one in which an F(abxe2x80x2)2 fragment of a tumor cell specific antibody (21B2) is bound to liposomes containing adriamycin (ADM) to prepare immunoliposomes such that ADM is delivered on tumor cells [I. Uyama et al., Jpn. J. Cancer Res., Vol. 85, 434 (1994)]. Another representative method of targeting is one that utilizes the interaction between a polypeptide-composed receptor and its ligand. A method that may be mentioned as an example of this approach is one in which an RGD polypeptide sequence having an ability to bind to a GPIIb/GPIIIa receptor is attached to the C terminus of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), whereby the PLA2 is delivered on the membrane surface of platelets (A.C.A.P.A. Bekkers et al., Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Vol. 74, 1138 (1995)). Other examples that have so far been reported include one in which a peptide having affinity for heparin present on the surface of cells is bound to superoxide dismutase (SOD) or complement regulatory proteins such that the SOD is delivered on the cell surface (M. Inoue et al., J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 266, 16409 (1991)) or the complement regulatory proteins is delivered on the cell surface (International Patent Publication WO/96/34965).
Peptides are known which themselves have no biological activity but which have selective affinity to the target site, whereby the binding of a biologically active substances to the target site of action is inhibited through a competitive reaction. An example of such peptides is a polypeptide that binds to a receptor on the surface of cells selectively, thereby inhibiting a ligand from binding to the receptor. An example of such polypeptides is a polypeptide fragment derived from the antigen recognizing site (or complementary determining region: CDR) of an anti-TNFxcex1 monoclonal antibody, which inhibits TNFxcex1 from binding to a receptor [E. Doring et al., Molecular Immunology, Vol. 31, 1059 (1994)]. Another example is a polypeptide which, by selective binding to a phospholipid, phosphatidylserine, inhibits a factor involved in the progress of a blood coagulation from binding to the phospholipid and which is composed of 30 amino acids at the terminus of the C2 region of a human factor VIII (International Patent Publication WO/90/15615) or 12 amino acids derived from the CDR of a phosphatidylserine recognizing antibody (Japanese Patent Public Disclosure KOKAI No. 92992/1993).
Another example that concerns the creation of new drugs of high utility is an attempt at imparting a new biologically active function to an already biologically active peptide by genetic engineering techniques. As regards TM which is known to suppress a blood clotting reaction, reports have been made of a TM derivative which has a fibrinolytic enzyme such as a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) bound to a TM peptide (Japanese Patent Domestic Announcement KOHYO 505554/1992) and a TM derivative which has a specified amino acid sequence bound to the C terminus of a TM peptide so as to impart its action in enhancing the activity of antithrombin III and suppressing platelet aggregation (Japanese Patent Public Disclosure KOKAI No. 279497/1994).
There are known many drugs today that must be used in limited doses because of the side effects they have. For example, heparin and antithrombin III are used as anticoagulants but the use of these substances must occasionally be limited since they have side effects such as the tendency to cause bleeding.
When administering drugs, it is generally required to administer more than a certain dose in order to attain a specified efficacy and side effects to the patient are sometimes a serious problem. In addition, it is by no means rare that administering high doses of drugs will eventually often increase the economic burden on the part of the patient. Therefore, it is desired to develop drugs that have high enough activity to exhibit satisfactory efficacy in low doses such that the side effects from drug administration can be reduced and which can be used more extensively without increasing the economic burden on the patient.
Under the circumstances, the present inventors conducted intensive studies with a view to attaining the stated object. As a result, they found that a drug having affinity for a specified phospholipid that was created by binding a biologically active substance to a substance having affinity for the specified phospholipid had an improved ability to localize on the specified phospholipid, thereby achieving a marked enhancement of its action and efficacy. The inventors further found that this marked enhancement of the action and efficacy of the drug was dependent on the specified phospholipid, which led to the accomplishment of the present invention.
Thus, a first aspect of the present invention is a drug that contains both a substance having affinity for a phospholipid and a biologically active substance. The drug is preferably one having a novel substance that possesses both a portion having affinity for a desired phospholipid and a portion having biologically activity; since the drug is obtained as a different form than it inherently occurs in nature, it is a drug having a chimeric substance or a substance produced by fusion of different proteins. Herein, said affinity for a phospholipid or said portion having affinity for a phospholipid preferably originates from the substance having affinity for a phospholipid, whereas the biological activity or the portion having biological activity preferably originates from the biologically active substance. Specifically, the drug is one that contains both a substance having affinity for a specified phospholipid, preferably phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine, more preferably phosphatidylserine, and a biologically active substance. Herein, the substance having affinity for a specified phospholipid is preferably a peptide or a peptide-containing substance. Said peptide has a sequence represented by the following general formula; preferably, it is composed of said sequence. It should be noted that all of the sequences to be described in this specification permit substitution, deletion, addition, insertion and so forth in part of their constituent elements unless their characteristics are impaired. Specifically, if the sequence is an amino acid sequence, one or more amino acids may be substituted, deleted, added, inserted or otherwise modified without impairing the activity of the sequence.
(A1)n1xe2x88x92(A2)n2xe2x88x92(A3)n3
(provided that in the general formula set forth above, A1 represents the amino acid sequence denoted by SEQ ID NO:1 or 10; A2 and A3 represent the amino acid sequences denoted by SEQ ID NOS:2 and 3, respectively; n1, n2 and n3 which represent the repeating numbers of A1, A2 and A3, respectively, are 0-5, 1-5 and 0-5 respectively; preferably, n1 is 0 or 1, n2 is 1, 2 or 3, and n3 is 0 or 1).
More preferably, the substance having affinity for a phospholipid has at least either of the following sequences:
(A1)1xe2x88x92(A2)1xe2x88x92(A3)1 (SEQ ID NO:8 or 9)
(A2)1xe2x88x92(A3)1 (SEQ ID NO:5)
(A2)2xe2x88x92(A3)1 (SEQ ID NO:6)
(A2)3xe2x88x92(A3)1 (SEQ ID NO:7)
(A2)2 (SEQ ID NO:22)
The drug according to the first aspect of the present invention preferably contains a peptide as the biologically active substance; specifically, at least one member selected from the group consisting of a factor involved in a blood coagulation system, a factor involved in a fibrinolytic system, a factor involved in an immune response reaction, a factor suppressing cytopathy, a factor inhibiting the activity of proteases and modified versions thereof, more preferably, at least one member selected from the group consisting of a factor suppressing a blood coagulation, a factor enhancing a fibrinolytic system, a factor suppressing a complement activating reaction, a factor suppressing the cytopathy due to active oxygen, a factor inhibiting the activity of proteases and modified versions thereof, further preferably at least one member selected from the group consisting of TM, the second region of UTI, MCP, UTI and modified versions thereof, particularly preferably a peptide having the amino acid sequence denoted by SEQ ID NO:4 or either of SEQ ID NOS: 23-25.
In a mode of containing both the biologically active substance and the substance having affinity for a specified phospholipid, the drug according to the first aspect of the invention preferably contains a linkage via a peptide bond, more preferably a linkage in which the N terminal amino acid of the substance having affinity for a phospholipid and the C terminal amino acid of the biologically active substance or, alternatively, the C terminal amino acid of the substance having affinity for a phospholipid and the N terminal amino acid of the biologically active substance are associated by a peptide bond, further preferably, a mode in which the N terminal amino acid of the substance having affinity for a phospholipid and the C terminal amino acid of the biologically active substance are associated by a peptide bond.
In its second aspect, the present invention provides a peptide having the amino acid sequence represented by the following general formula:
(A2)n2xe2x88x92(A3)n3
provided that A2 and A3 are the amino acid sequences denoted by SEQ ID NOS:2 and 3, respectively; n2 which is the repeating number of A2 is 2 or 3; n3 which is the repeating sequence of A3 is 0 or 1.
More preferably, the amino acid sequence of said peptide has either of the following sequences:
(A2)2xe2x88x92(A3)1 (SEQ ID NO:6)
(A2)3xe2x88x92(A3)1 (SEQ ID NO:7)
(A2)2 (SEQ ID NO:22)
According to its third aspect, the present invention provides DNA coding for the amino acid sequence of the drug according to the first aspect of the present invention or the peptide portion of said drug.
According to its fourth aspect, the present invention provides DNA coding for the amino acid sequence of the peptide according to the second aspect of the invention.
According to its fifth aspect, the present invention provides a process for producing the drug according to the first aspect of the invention.


A motor is provided for use in a machine. The motor includes a segmented stator and a resiliently flexible clip. The stator includes a core having spaced apart arms and a yoke. The arms define an opening therebetween, and the yoke spans the opening. The clip is removably retained on the core so as to apply pressure against each arm toward the yoke such that the arms are retained in contact with the yoke.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electric motor for use in a machine. More specifically, the present invention concerns an electric motor including a stator with segments held together by a resiliently flexed clip.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that electric motors are often used in home appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. In a dishwasher, for instance, a sump may be provided and drained by a pump that is driven by an electric motor.
Although a variety of motor component arrangements may be used, one known embodiment of an electric motor includes a stator including a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween. Wiring is wound around the arms, and a rotor is positioned at least in part within the opening defined by the arms. It is common for the stator in such motors to have a generally C-shaped core. Such a motor is typically a single phase, two-pole motor.


Embodiments described herein provide various examples of automatically processing surgical videos to detect surgical tools and tool-related events, and extract surgical-tool usage information. In one aspect, a process for automatically tracking usages of robotic surgery tools is disclosed. This process can begin by receiving a surgical video captured during a robotic surgery. The process then processes the surgical video to detect a surgical tool in the surgical video. Next, the process determines whether the detected surgical tool has been engaged in the robotic surgery. If so, the process further determines whether the detected surgical tool is engaged for a first time in the robotic surgery. If the detected surgical tool is engaged for the first time, the process subsequently increments a total-engagement count of the detected surgical tool. Otherwise, the process continues monitoring the detected surgical tool in the surgical video.

Tracking the use and managing the inventory of surgical tools in the operating rooms (ORs) play a highly important role in improving surgical outcomes and delivering quality patient care. For example, certain surgical tools have limited shelf life in terms of the number of times they can be fired. Hence, it is necessary to track and record the usages of these surgical tools. Currently, tracking and recording the usages of surgical tools in the ORs involve the surgical staff manually performing these tasks using either a computer or by making a note on the whiteboard. As another example, for minimally invasive procedures (MIS) such as a laparoscopy surgery, it is useful to detect which tools are engaged for tool inventory purposes. Today, information regarding which tools are engaged during a surgical procedure is also collected manually by the surgical staff. In fact, most of the surgical tool-related metrics in the ORs are collected manually by the surgical staff. Unfortunately, manually counting or tracking surgical-tool-related metrics for each and every surgical procedure is highly labor-intensive and error-prone.

Method and system for automatically tracking and managing inventory of surgical tools in operating rooms


Implementations and techniques for distilling popular parts of a web page are generally disclosed. In some examples the techniques include receiving, at a computing device, an indication of a clipboard operation on the web page, responsive to the received indication, obtaining information corresponding to data stored as content of the clipboard operation, storing the obtained information, determining a number of times the obtained information is stored, and setting a popularity level for the obtained information based, at least in part, on the determined number of times.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A large amount of information may be available on the Internet. However, knowing which information may be important or of interest to a particular user may be difficult. For example, a typical web page may contain many articles about many things, some of which may not necessarily be of interest to the user. The user may have navigated to the web page to view a particular article of interest, but instead, articles not related to the article of interest may inundate the user.

Distilling popular information of a web page


An information processing apparatus generates a signal of a first sound to be output to a first output device, and a signal of a second sound which is a sound to be output to a second output device and whose content is different from that of the first sound. The second output device is capable of setting a volume, and outputs a sound based on the signal of the second sound at a set volume. In addition, the second output device notifies an information processing apparatus of information about the set volume. When the set volume is small, the information processing apparatus generates the signal of the first sound so that at least a part of sounds included in the second sound is included in the first sound.

Conventionally, a game system has been known in which a general television device (first video output device) and a controller (second video output device) including a display section capable of video output, which is different from the first video output device, are used in combination. In such a game system, for example, a first game video is displayed on the television device, and a second game video different from the first game video is displayed on the display section of the controller, thereby proposing a new game.
However, the above-mentioned proposal has focused mainly on what kinds of videos are to be displayed and how to display the videos in relation to game processing. Therefore, processing relating to audio has not been neither mentioned nor proposed in particular.
Therefore, an object of the exemplary embodiments is to provide a sound output system capable of providing a user with a new game using sound output devices that are physically different from each other.
The above object is achieved by the following configurations, for example.
An exemplary configuration is a sound output system including an information processing apparatus, a first output device having a first sound output section, and a second output device having a second sound output section. The information processing apparatus includes a sound generation section configured to generate, based on predetermined information processing, a first sound signal to be output to the first output device, and a second sound signal that is a sound signal to be output to the second output device and having a sound content different from that of the first sound signal. The second output device includes: a volume setting section configured to set a volume; a second sound output control section configured to cause the second sound output section to output a second sound based on the second sound signal, at the volume set by the volume setting section; and a volume notification section configured to notify the information processing apparatus of information about the volume set by the volume setting section. The sound generation section generates the first sound signal so that at least a part of sounds included in the second sound is included in the first sound, when the volume set by the volume setting section is small. "When the volume set by the volume setting section is small" means a case where the volume of the sound outputted from the second sound output section is so small that the user cannot recognize the sound.
According to the above exemplary configuration, when there is a sound to be recognized by the user, it is possible to cause the user to reliably hear the sound.
In another exemplary configuration, the sound generation section may generate the first sound signal so that at least a part of sounds included in the second sound is included in the first sound, when the volume set by the volume setting section is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value. Alternatively, the sound generation section may generate the first sound signal so that at least a part of sounds included in the second sound is included in the first sound, when the volume set by the volume setting section is 0.
In still another exemplary configuration, the sound generation section may generate the first sound signal so that a playback volume of the second sound included in the first sound signal increases as the volume set by the volume setting section decreases, and the playback volume of the second sound included in the first sound signal decreases as the volume set by the volume setting section increases.
According to the above exemplary configurations, even when the user turns down the volume of the sound from the second output device so that it is inaudible, it is possible to cause the user to recognize the sound through the first output device.
In still another exemplary configuration, the first output device may further include a first display section, and the second output device may further include a second display section. The information processing apparatus may further include an image generation section configured to generate a first image to be displayed on the first display section, and a second image to be displayed on the second display section.
In still another exemplary configuration, the volume notification section may include an operation data generation section configured to generate operation data based on an operation performed by a user, and the information processing apparatus may further include a game processing section configured to perform game processing based on the operation data. The operation data generation section may generate the operation data including the information about the volume set by the volume setting section.
In still another exemplary configuration, the second sound may be a sound that needs to be reliably recognized by a user during execution of the predetermined information processing.
According to the above exemplary configurations, for example, in game processing, it is possible to provide a game utilizing a dramatic effect and the like caused by the sound outputted from only the second output device. In such game processing, even when the user turns down the volume of the sound from the second output device, it is possible to reduce degradation of the dramatic effect of the game sound that is intended by the game creator.
According to the exemplary embodiments, when a sound to be reliably heard by a user is used in predetermined information processing, it is possible to cause the user to reliably recognize such a sound.

Sound output system, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having sound output program stored thereon, sound output control method, and information processing apparatus


A TFT array for a display device includes a plurality of spaced apart gate conductors and a plurality of spaced apart source conductors crossing over the gate conductors. TFT's are arranged in rows and columns. The gates of TFT's in each row are connected to a gate conductor for that row, and the sources of TFT's in each column are connected to a source conductor for that column. The drains of the TFT's are connected to respective pixel electrodes arranged in rows and columns. Each of a plurality of display sections has a storage capacitance connected at one end to an associated pixel electrode. Storage capacitance conductors are arranged parallel to respective gate conductors. Storage capacitors associated with the display sections in each row are connected to a storage capacitance conductor that is connected to the gate conductor of the next adjacent row.

Some liquid crystal display devices are of an active matrix drive type. As shown in FIG. 1, in this type of liquid crystal display device, transparent plates 10 and 12 face each other with a liquid crystal layer 14 disposed between them. Transparent pixel electrodes (not shown) are arranged in matrix on a surface of the plate 10 which contacts the liquid crystal layer 14, and a transparent common electrode 16 is disposed over the entire surface of the plate 12 contacting the liquid crystal layer 14. The liquid crystal absorbs light when a voltage above a predetermined value is applied across it. Accordingly, a desired pattern can be displayed by applying a fixed voltage, e.g., ground potential, to the common electrode 16 and applying drive voltages to selected pixel electrodes. The liquid crystal layer 14 absorbs light at the portions located between the selected pixel electrodes 14 and the common electrode 16.
In order to select pixel electrodes to which a drive voltage is to be applied, a thin film transistor (TFT) is associated with each pixel electrode, and a plurality of gate conductors 18 and a plurality of source conductors 20 crossing over the respective gate conductors 18 are disposed on the surface of the plate 10 which contacts the liquid crystal layer 14. The TFT's are disposed at the respective intersections of the conductors 18 and 20 in matrix, to form a thin film transistor (TFT) array.
FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the TFT array shown in FIG. 1. TFT's 22 in one row have their respective gates connected to an associated gate conductor 18, and TFT's 22 in one column have their respective sources connected to an associated source conductor 20. The drain of each of the TFT's 22 is connected to the pixel electrode 24 with which that TFT 22 is associated. The capacitance of the liquid crystal layer 14 between each of the pixel electrodes 24 and the common electrode 16 is denoted by a reference numeral 26. In order to apply a drive voltage to a particular pixel electrode 24, a voltage for turning on the TFT 22 to which that pixel electrode is connected is applied to one end of the gate conductor 18 to which the gate of that TFT 22 is connected, and the drive voltage is applied to the source conductor 20 to which the source of that TFT is connected.
In the TFT array, when the TFT 22 is turned off after it has been turned on, the drive voltage is held by the liquid crystal capacitance 26. The thus held drive voltage may decrease due to discharge through the liquid crystal layer 14 or due to leakage current in the TFT 22.
An attempt to solve this problem is disclosed in IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES, Vol. ED-20, No. 11, November 1973, pages 995-1001, in which a storage capacitance 28 is disposed between a pixel electrode 24 and a gate conductor 18 for the adjacent row, as shown in FIG. 3. One of the techniques for connecting the storage capacitance 28 to the adjacent row gate conductor 18 is shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI 1-197722 which was laid open to public on Aug. 9, 1989. In this Japanese publication, as shown in FIG. 4, the edge of each pixel electrode 24 adjacent to a gate conductor 18 for the next adjacent row extends to a location above that gate conductor 18 to thereby form an overlap 24a. As shown in FIG. 5, between the gate conductor 18 and the overlap 24a, there is disposed a silicon nitride layer 30 which is a dielectric for the storage capacitance 28. Although not shown in FIG. 4, the silicon nitride layer 30 is an extension of a gate insulating film which is disposed on an extension 18a of the gate conductor 18 for forming a TFT. In FIG. 4, a reference numeral 32 denotes a drain electrode.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a connection of a storage capacitor to a gate conductor 18 of an adjacent row is provided for each pixel electrode 24 by an extension 24a. Accordingly, a need for providing the metal conductor for connecting the pixel electrode 24 to the gate conductor of the adjacent row is eliminated. If such a metal conductor were used, it would overlap the pixel electrode 24 and block light at the overlap, which would reduce the aperture ratio (a ratio of an area through which light can pass) to the total area. However, the use of the extension 24a does not cause an aperture ratio reduction.
However, in order to use pixel electrode extensions 24a, it is necessary to provide the gate conductor at its edge with a slope as shown in FIG. 5 to avoid disconnection of the extension 24a at the edge of the gate conductor 18. Alternatively, the thickness of the extension 24a could be larger than that of the gate conductor 18. This impedes improvement in degree of freedom in designing TFT's.
Furthermore, with the above-described structure, if one gate conductor 18 is disconnected at some point, TFT's 22 connected to that gate conductor 18 at points beyond the disconnection point will receive no voltage for turning on them. Therefore the circuit redundancy against gate conductor disconnection of this structure is low.
Furthermore, in this structure, a voltage for turning on the TFT's 20 is applied to each gate conductor 18 at one end thereof. If the gate conductors 18 are formed of a relatively high resistance material, such as phosphorus doped polycrystalline silicon, or if the gate conductors 18 have a small cross-sectional area, the capacitance associated with the gate conductor 18 and the resistance of the gate conductor 18 will cause delay in the TFT turn-on voltage while it is transmitted through the gate conductor 18.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the degree of freedom in designing TFT's to thereby simplify the TFT array manufacturing process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a TFT array with an improved redundancy against gate conductor disconnection.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a TFT array with reduced TFT turn-on voltage delay.

Thin-film-transistor array with capacitance conductors