An optical isolator includes a first pigtail assembly, a first collimating lens aligned with the first pigtail assembly, an optical rotator assembly, an adjustable assembly aligned with the rotator assembly, and a second pigtail assembly having a ferrule and a second optical fiber with an end attached within the ferrule. The rotator assembly includes a first birefringent wedge, an optical rotator and a magnet. The adjustable assembly includes a second birefringent wedge, a second collimating lens, and a holder holding at least a portion of the second birefringent wedge and at least a portion of the second collimating lens therein. The magnet of the rotator assembly encloses the first birefringent wedge and the rotator. The rotator is positioned between the first and second birefringent wedges. The adjustable assembly is adjustable relative to the rotator assembly. This achieves precise positional relationships among the rotator and the first and second birefringent wedges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical isolator, and particularly to an adjustable optical isolator with advantages of high isolation.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical isolators are among the key devices in optical fiber communications which attract attentions as means for materializing a highly information-oriented society in the future. An optical isolator permits the passage of light in one direction through the isolator, but prevents (or at least substantially attenuates) the passage of light in the opposite direction through the isolator.
To achieve such non-reciprocal operation, an optical isolator usually comprises a Faraday rotator which behaves differently, according to the direction in which the light passes through it. A Faraday rotator comprises a material, typically a crystalline material, which is capable of rotating the plane of polarization of light passing through it in response to an external magnetic field. The direction of rotation of the plane of polarization is dependent on both the direction of the light passing through the Faraday rotator and the applied external magnetic field. The Faraday rotator is usually combined with polarizers or birefringent walk off crystals, in order to form an isolator. The rotation of the plane of polarization provided by the Faraday rotator in one direction allows light to pass through both polarizers, whereas in the opposite direction the plane of polarization is rotated so that light is blocked by the polarizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,102 discloses such an optical isolator. It includes a pair of optical polarizers with their optical axes set at a mutual relative angle of about 45 degrees, and a Faraday rotator having a Faraday rotation angle of about 45 degrees inserted between the optical polarizers. The two polarizers and the sandwiched Faraday rotator are bonded together. The optical isolator functions to allow a forward light from a laser to pass therethrough, and to shut out a backward or return light coming back to the laser. A permanent magnet is provided for applying a static magnetic field to the Faraday rotator, to magnetically saturate or nearly saturate the Faraday rotator. The magnet defines a slot for accommodating the combination of the polarizers and the Faraday rotator therein.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,208,876, 5,317,655 and Re. 35,575, one important factor in the performance of optical isolators is the polarizers employed. The two birefringent polarizers of these patents are wedge-shaped, and arranged for optimum optical performance. The first polarizer has a front surface that receives light in the forward direction slanted at an angle "PHgr" varying from 8 degrees to 15 degrees. Similarly, the second polarizer is slanted by the same angle "PHgr" in a complementary fashion to the first polarizer. The slanted surfaces are parallel to each other. The slant of the polarizers reduces the forward reflectivity or return loss, to approximately xe2x88x9260 to 65 dB. This reduction is important for meeting the demands of present-day fiber optic networks.
Another example of a conventional isolator is shown in FIG. 1. An isolator 1xe2x80x2 comprises a pair of collimating sub-assemblies 19xe2x80x2 and a combination, i.e., the isolator core, sandwiched therebetween. The combination has a magnetic ring 12xe2x80x2, a pair of wedge-shaped polarizers 13xe2x80x2, 15xe2x80x2 and a Faraday rotator 14xe2x80x2 disposed between the two polarizers 13xe2x80x2, 15xe2x80x2. The polarizers 13xe2x80x2, 15xe2x80x2, and the rotator 14xe2x80x2 are all fixed within the magnetic ring 12xe2x80x2. Each collimating sub-assembly 19xe2x80x2 comprises a pigtail element 10xe2x80x2 (17xe2x80x2) holding one end of an optical fiber therein and a lens 11xe2x80x2 (16xe2x80x2) which is commonly a GRIN lens.
The polarizers 13xe2x80x2, 15xe2x80x2 of the isolator are fixed together within the magnetic ring 12xe2x80x2. The optical axes of the polarizers 13xe2x80x2, 15xe2x80x2 are required to be crossed at a certain angle, preferably 45 degrees. Thus unduly high manufacturing specifications and standards are required for achieving good isolation of the isolator 1xe2x80x2.
Another isolator disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,689, is shown in FIG. 2. It comprises an attaching member 5 holding an optical fiber 4 therein, a ferrule 51 positioned in the attaching member 5 and accommodating a bared end 41 of the fiber 4, a holder 52 positioned at one end of the attaching member 5 and receiving a slanted end of the ferrule 51 therein, a magnet 54 attached to the holder 52, and a sleeve 53 enclosing the magnet 54 and fixed to the attaching member 5. An isolating combination includes a pair of birefringent elements 42, 44 and a Faraday rotator 43 sandwiched therebetween. The birefringent element 44 is attached in the holder 52 together with the slanted end of ferrule 41.
This isolator is relatively easy to mass-produce. However, it still suffers from much the same design shortcomings as discussed above regarding the isolator 1xe2x80x2. That is, high manufacturing precision is still required thereby limiting any reductions in costs.
An object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable optical isolator having high isolation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost optical isolator.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an optical isolator includes a first pigtail assembly, a first collimating lens aligned with the first pigtail assembly, an optical rotator assembly aligned with the first pigtail assembly and the collimating lens, an adjustable assembly aligned with the rotator assembly, and a second pigtail assembly aligned with the adjustable assembly. The rotator assembly includes a first birefringent wedge, an optical rotator, and a magnet for enclosing the first birefringent wedge and the rotator therein. The adjustable assembly comprises a second birefringent wedge, a second collimating lens, and a holder holding at least a portion of the second birefringent wedge and at least a portion of the second collimating lens therein. The first and second pigtail assemblies each have a ferrule and an optical fiber with an end attached within the ferrule.
The rotator is positioned between the first and second birefringent wedges and the position of the adjustable assembly is adjustable relative to the rotator assembly. This achieves precise positional relationships among the rotator and the first and second birefringent wedges.
The first birefringent wedge has a first slanted surface, and the second birefringent wedge has a second slanted surface parallel to the first slanted surface. The first and second slanted surfaces of the first and second birefringent wedges may both confront the rotator, or both face away from the rotator. Alternatively, the rotator may form a pair of opposite surfaces which are slanted and parallel to the first and second slanted surfaces of the first and second birefringent wedges.


There is provided an RF coil capable of resonating or tuning two frequencies, having uniform spatial sensitivity and having a small spatially occupied volume, especially an RF coil suitable for a high magnetic field MRI apparatus. A coil apparatus is made up of a plurality of linear conductors 200, 201 arranged around a central axis and two ring conductors 202, 203 connected to the respective ends of the plurality of linear conductors 200, 201 and capacitors are inserted in the linear conductors 200, 201 and ring conductors 202, 203. The plurality of linear conductors are made up of conductors 200 located near the central axis and conductors 201 located far from the central axis and the ring conductors 202, 203 have star-like polygonal shape so that the linear conductors are arranged alternately. This structure can realize two tuning modes; a resonance mode similar to a birdcage type resonance mode and a resonance mode which becomes zero (node) in the vicinity of the linear conductor group 200 located near the central axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coil apparatus for transmitting/receiving electromagnetic waves and a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus using the same (hereinafter referred to as "MRI apparatus").
2. Background Art
MRI apparatuses are designed to irradiate an examinee placed in a uniform static magnetic field produced by a magnet with an electromagnetic field, excite nuclear spin in the examinee's body, then receive a nuclear magnetic resonance signal which is electromagnetic wave produced by the nuclear spin and image the examinee. Irradiation of the electromagnetic wave and reception of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal are realized by an RF coil which transmits or receives radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic waves and transmission coils, reception coils or dual-function coils in variety of shapes suitable for MRI apparatuses have been developed.
A signal measured by an MRI apparatus is usually signals from hydrogen nuclei contained in water or fat. In recent years, the magnetic field of such MRI apparatuses has been intensified and sensitivity has been improved. As a result, it is possible to acquire signals of nuclei other than hydrogen (called "signals from other nuclides"). For example, signals from nuclei such as phosphorus, carbon, fluorine and sodium can be acquired. It is expected that acquisition of information on muscle or protein that relates metabolism of will be available by imaging signals of phosphorus and carbon.
MRI signals from other nuclides are generally as extremely weak as on the order of 1/10 to 1/100 or less of an MRI signal of hydrogen, and it is thereby difficult to obtain detailed images. Therefore, it is a general practice to display MRI signals from other nuclides with low resolution superimposed on morphologic images created from the MRI signal of hydrogen. In this case, the MRI signal of hydrogen and MRI signals of other nuclides are preferably acquired simultaneously or successively.
Since the coil used for MRI transmission/reception has high frequency selectivity, the coil to acquire an MRI signal of hydrogen and the coil to acquire signals of other nuclides are normally set independently each other. Attempts to make one type of coil tune two frequencies have also been made.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of tuning two or more frequencies using an RF coil made up of a plurality of conductors called "rung" arranged in an axial direction between concentrically arranged single cylinders under a scheme of multiple patch resonators. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a scheme of tuning two or more frequencies by connecting inductor/capacitor resonant circuits in parallel with birdcage type coil rungs. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a scheme of tuning a birdcage type coil with two or more frequencies by providing a plurality of sets of portion called "end ring."
[Patent Document 1] U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,247
[Patent Document 2] U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,418
[Patent Document 3] U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,694

Coil apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus using the same


A head for a dental contra-angle having an operating shaft is coupled to the operating shaft in the vicinity of the bend of the contra-angle. The head is produced principally from a synthetic material and comprises an element for fastening the head onto the contra-angle, a pinion engaging a drive shaft associated with the head, and a support for receiving a tool and for locking the tool in the head. These various elements are designed so that the head can be sterilized or disposed of after use.

The present invention relates to the field of contra-angles, and more particularly, to that of heads for contra-angles of the type which are interchangeable and of low cost.
Preventing the risks of cross-contamination in the dental suite is of increasing concern for practitioners. In order to combat this risk, the dentist has available conventional sterilisation means such as autoclaves or disinfection by devices such as the one described in Patent FR 2,618,357. In the case of autoclaves, the sterilisation operations are time consuming and therefore expensive.
The apparatus according to Patent FR 2,618,357 provides a rapid and economical solution, but one which nevertheless requires additional investment on the part of the practitioner.
An effective solution for preventing cross-contamination is described in Patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,994 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,832. Unfortunately, the solutions provided are applicable only to right-handed pieces which are equipped with a right-angled head intended exclusively for prophylaxis. This does not provide a general solution for dental operations, and in particular, does not allow the fastening of a bur according to the choice of the practitioner.


A liquid crystal display and a driving method for preventing a phenomenon causing a non-uniform charge characteristic between liquid crystal cells are disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a picture display part having a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines and having liquid crystal cells sharing a data line. A gate driver sequentially supplies a scanning pulse to the gate lines. A source output enable signal generator alternately generates a first source output enable signal having a first horizontal period and a second source output enable signal delayed from the first source output enable signal by a time longer than a half of the first horizontal period and shorter than the first horizontal period. A data driver supplies data voltages to the data lines in response to the first and second source output enable signals.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display and a driving method that is adaptive for preventing a phenomenon causing a non-uniform charge characteristic between liquid crystal cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical liquid crystal display (LCD) controls light transmittance of a liquid crystal having a dielectric anisotropy property using an electric field to thereby display a picture. To this end, the LCD includes a liquid crystal display panel having liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix type, and a driver for driving the liquid crystal display panel.
In the liquid crystal display panel, gate lines and data lines cross each other and liquid crystal cells are positioned at pixel areas defined by the crossings between the gate lines and the data lines. A pixel electrode and a common electrode are provided in each liquid crystal cell for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal cells. Each pixel electrode is connected to one of the data lines via source and drain terminals of a thin film transistor (TFT) provided as a switching device in each liquid crystal cell. A gate terminal of the TFT is connected to one of the gate lines. The gate lines are supplied with a scanning pulse.
The driver includes a gate driver for applying a scanning pulse or gate pulse to the gate lines; a data driver for converting a digital video data into an analog data voltage to supply it to the data lines; a timing controller for controlling the gate driver and the data driver; and a power supply for supplying various driving voltages used for the liquid crystal display device. The timing controller controls driving timing of the gate driver and the data driver, and supplies a digital video data to the data driver. The power supply uses a DC-DC converter to generate driving voltages to be supplied to the liquid crystal display panel including a common voltage Vcom, a gate high voltage VGH, and a gate low voltage VGL.
As liquid crystal display devices have trended towards large screens and high resolutions, the number of data lines and the number of gate lines of the liquid crystal display devices have increased. However, the liquid crystal display device has a problem in that, when the number of gate lines and data lines is increased, the number of data drivers and gate drivers is also increased accordingly.
In order to reduce the number of data drivers, liquid crystal display panels have been proposed in which adjacent liquid crystal cells can share a single data line to thereby reduce the number of data lines by half. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a liquid crystal display panel having shared data lines, and FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram showing driving signals in the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display panel of the related art having a shared data line structure includes liquid crystal cells 10 and 20 independently selected by different scanning pulses supplied from different gate lines GL1 to GLn to make a time divisional charge of data to the liquid crystal cells 10 and 20 from a single one of the data lines DL1 to DLm.
The first liquid crystal cells 10 arranged at the odd column each includes a first TFT 14 connected to one of the odd gate lines GL1, GL3 . . . GLn−1 and to the left side of one of the data lines DL1 to DLm, and a first pixel electrode 12 at the odd column connected to the first TFT 14. A source electrode of the first TFT 14 is connected to the left side of the data line DL while a drain electrode thereof is connected to the first pixel electrode 12. Further, a gate electrode of the TFT 14 is connected to odd gate lines GL1, GL3 . . . GLn−1.
The second liquid crystal cells 20 arranged at the even column each includes a second TFT 24 connected to one of the even gate lines GL2, GL4 . . . GLn and to the right side of one of the data lines DL1 to DLm, and a second pixel electrode 22 at the even column connected to the second TFT 24. A source electrode of the second TFT 24 is connected to the right side of the data line DL while a drain electrode thereof is connected to the second pixel electrode 22. Further, a gate electrode of the second TFT 24 is connected to the even gate lines GL2, GL4 . . . GLn.
Odd gate pulses for maintaining a high logic value TFT-on voltage during one horizontal period are sequentially applied to the odd gate lines GL1, GL3 . . . GLn−1 by means of the first gate driver. Even gate pulses for maintaining a high logic value TFT-on voltage during one horizontal period are sequentially applied to the even gate lines GL2, GL4 . . . GLn by means of the second gate driver. No period of overlap exists between the odd gate pulses and between the even gate pulses, whereas an overlapped period corresponding to ½ horizontal period exists between adjacent odd gate pulses and even gate pulses.
When a data voltage is supplied to the liquid crystal display panel as shown in FIG. 1 using a line inversion system, then charge characteristics between odd horizontal lines and even horizontal lines become different as shown in FIG. 2. The data driver has a line inversion system to invert the polarity of data for each horizontal line to supply them to the liquid crystal cells. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, 'RO', 'BO' and 'GE' represent red, green and blue liquid crystal cells at the odd column, and 'GO', 'RE' and 'BE' represent red, green and blue liquid crystal cells at the even column. Further, 'SOE' represents a source output enable signal for instructing a data output of the data driver. The data driver supplies a data voltage to the data lines DL1 to DLm during an interval between a falling edge and a rising edge of the SOE signal.
An operation of the liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG. 1 will be described below in which a negative data voltage is charged into the liquid crystal cells arranged at the odd horizontal lines while a positive data voltage is charged into the liquid crystal cells arranged at the even horizontal lines during an odd or even frame interval.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, first and second gate pulses which are overlapped for ½ horizontal period are sequentially applied to the first and second gate lines GL1 and GL2 for the purpose of charging a negative data into the liquid crystal cells included in the odd horizontal lines. The liquid crystal cells RO, BO and GE at the odd column included in the first horizontal line pre-charges a positive voltage by the last data voltage at the previous frame interval during the first half period of the first gate pulse, and thereafter charges negative data voltages −RO, −BO and −GE to be displayed during a P1 interval corresponding to the second half period of the first gate pulse and the first half period of the second gate pulse. During the P1 interval, the liquid crystal cells GO, RE and BE at the even column included in the first horizontal line pre-charge negative data voltages −RO, −BO and −GE. The liquid crystal cells GO, RE and BE at the even column included in the first horizontal line in which the negative voltage has been pre-charged during the P1 interval in this manner, charges negative data voltages −GO, −RE and −BE to be displayed during a P2 interval corresponding to the second half period of the second gate pulse.
Subsequently, third and fourth gate pulses, which are overlapped for ½ horizontal period are sequentially applied to the third and fourth gate lines GL3 and GL4 for the purpose of charging a positive data into the liquid crystal cells included in the even horizontal lines. The liquid crystal cells RO, BO and GE at the odd column included in the second horizontal line pre-charge negative voltages −GO, −RE and −BE during the P2 interval corresponding to the second half period of the second gate pulse and the first half period of the third gate pulse, and thereafter charges positive data voltages +RO, +BO and +GE during a P3 interval corresponding to the second half period of the third gate pulse. During the P3 interval, the liquid crystal cells GO, RE and BE at the even column included in the second horizontal line pre-charge positive data voltages +RO, +BO and +GE. The liquid crystal cells GO, RE and BE at the even column included in the second horizontal line in which a positive voltage has been pre-charged during the P3 interval in this manner, charge positive data voltages +GO, +RE and +BE to be displayed during a P4 interval corresponding to the second half period of the fourth gate pulse.
As a result, since the liquid crystal cells at the odd column and the liquid crystal cells at the even column in the liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 share the same data line, the liquid crystal display panel makes a time divisional application of a data voltage supplied via the same data line to the liquid crystal cells at the odd column and the liquid crystal cells at the even column, and pre-charges the liquid crystal cells at the next horizontal line into a data voltage at the previous horizontal line in order to heighten a charge speed of the liquid crystal cells.
In the liquid crystal display device as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the liquid crystal cells at the odd column pre-charge positive voltages (or negative voltages) by the odd gate pulses and thereafter charge negative data voltages (or positive data voltages) to be displayed; whereas the liquid crystal cells at the even column pre-charge negative voltages (or positive voltages) by the even gate pulses and thereafter charge negative data voltages (or positive data voltages) to be displayed. In other words, the liquid crystal cells at the odd column charge a data voltage having a polarity different from the pre-charged voltage, whereas the liquid crystal cells at the even column charge a data voltage having the same polarity as the pre-charged voltage. Therefore, even when the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 supplies voltages having the same gray level to the liquid crystal cells at the odd column and the liquid crystal cells at the even column, a vertical stripe is generated on the display because voltages charged in the liquid crystal cells at the even column are relatively larger than voltages charged in the liquid crystal cells at the odd column.

Liquid crystal display controlling a period of a source output enable signal differently and driving method thereof


A cleaning device for medical purposes is provided, comprising a sealable sponge portion which encapsulates a pressure rupturable pouch containing liquid of a cleaning, antiseptic or similar nature, the pouch being sealed within the sponge. The sponge and pouch are usually sterilized following manufacture and packaging.. Just prior to use, pressure is applied to the exterior of the sponge causing the pouch to rupture. This forces the liquid ingredients to spread outwardly from the sponge interior to the surface of the sponge. A fairly uniform supply of liquid on the sponge surface is thereby made available for use.. A non-woven absorbent material may be sealed inside the sponge to absorb some of the liquid when it is released from the ruptured pouch. The absorbent material also functions to distribute the liquid along the sponge and provide a more uniform supply of liquid to the sponge surface.

This invention relates to a cleaning and applicator device, and more specifically, to a device providing antiseptic and cleaning action for medical purposes such as pre and post surgery, in sterile procedures, and the like.
Various types of cleaning devices, particularly of the sponge type, have been employed for pre-surgical purposes, and typical patents disclosing this technology are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,482,920; 3,876,314; 3,891,331; 4,027,985; 4,148,318; U.S. Pat. No. De. 245,390 (Design); and, French Pat. No. 1,161,656.
Some of the surgical cleaning devices disclosed in these patents are expensive and difficult to produce with conventional manufacturing equipment. In other cases, the devices do not provide an ample supply of liquid over a sufficiently wide area of cleaning surface. In other instances, it is difficult to sterilize the device readily. In still other instances, the means for initiating the flow of liquid to the device and for maintaining an even distribution of liquid to the device while in use is both awkward or impractical.
Consequently, a new and improved antiseptic and cleaning device for medical purposes is desired which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, package and sterilize, and is also convenient to use. Preferably, a reasonably uniform mounting of cleaning ingredients should be distributed along the surface of the device to facilitate a cleaning or antiseptic procedure.

Cleaning and application device for medical purposes


A method and device to simulate travel is disclosed. A user may simulate a travel, which can be for either business or for pleasure, before the user actually travels. By simulating the travel before hand, a measure of predictability is introduced for the user during the actual travel. The travel simulation may simulate conditions such as the weather and traffic patterns for cars, trains, buses, planes, and the like. The conditions are dynamically adjusted in response to the user""s inputs. The travel may be simulated for individuals who are not able to take an actual trip due to health and or other reasons.

This invention relates generally to an environmental simulation system. More particularly, the invention relates to travel simulation systems capable of simulating traveling conditions of places including weather, driving, and other environmental conditions.
Simulation systems exist for specialized training such as flight simulation for airplane pilots. Such simulation systems simulate visual as well as audio aspects of flights to train the pilots for emergency landings, equipment learning, new plane working trainings, and the like.
However, these systems are very expensive and are not generally available to the public. Also, a specialized system, such as the flight simulator, is not a generic solution in the area of simulations. The general public has very little use of such specialized simulation systems.
In addition, most or all simulators simulate xe2x80x9cmade-upxe2x80x9d environments. For example, game simulators simulate the conditions of the virtual game world. Most simulators do not account for the xe2x80x9creal-lifexe2x80x9d environmental conditions such as the weather, traffic patterns, road hazards, etc. Further more, most simulators also do not account for the dynamically changing nature of the environment.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a travel simulating system includes an environmental information supplier configured to transmit environmental information related to environmental conditions based on a plurality of inputs from a user; a travel information supplier configured to transmit travel information related to travel based on the plurality of user inputs and the information related to environmental conditions; and a travel simulator configured to receive the environmental information, the travel information, and the plurality of user inputs to simulate travel.
In accordance with another aspect of the principles of the invention, a method to simulate travel includes receiving a plurality of inputs from a user; retrieving environmental information based on the plurality of user inputs; retrieving travel information based on one or more of the plurality of user inputs and the environmental information; and simulating travel based on one or more of the plurality of user inputs, the environmental information, and the travel information.
In accordance with a further aspect of the principles of the invention, a travel simulation system includes a travel simulator configured to simulate traveling conditions based on plurality of user inputs, wherein the plurality of user inputs include at least one of source, destination, time, method of travel and type of travel; a weather data supplier configured to transmit weather information to the travel simulator, wherein the weather information includes one of a predicted weather condition based on the plurality of user inputs from a weather information database and an actual weather condition also based on the plurality of user inputs; an obstruction data supplier configured to transmit obstruction information to the travel simulator, wherein the obstruction information includes one of a predicted obstruction information based on the plurality of user inputs from an obstruction information database and an actual obstruction condition also based on the plurality of user inputs; a travel information supplier configured to transmit travel information to the travel simulator based on the plurality of user inputs and the weather and obstruction information, wherein the travel information includes one or more of preferred travel directions, alternate travel directions, and sights.
Certain advantages follow from certain embodiments of the invention. For example, the simulation system is useful to the general public. Also, the system can be implemented less expensively than a specialized system, such as the flight simulator. Further, the system provides a user with virtual travel depicting realistic environmental and traveling conditions so that a measure of predictability is introduced when the user actually takes the trip. Still further, the system is updateable with current conditions, such as environmental and traveling, so that the environmental and travel conditions may be dynamically adjusted and the future predictions may become more accurate. Still further, the system provides a virtual travel experience to those who are unable to make a trip, because of a disability, illness, or the like.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method and mechanism for automatically correlating a device to its appropriate driver within a computer system utilizing candidate matching. A device tree indicating devices coupled to a computer system is available from an operating system. Within the device tree are device nodes which specify a particular device's name (device name) and a property which indicates compatible device names (compatible names) to the particular device. Drivers for devices can be located in RAM, ROM, or in another storage media (such as disk drive). Drivers can include a data field indicating a driver name indicative of a corresponding device with which they operate. For a particular device, the system constructs a candidate list of drivers by comparing (1) the device name and (2) the compatible names from the device tree against all the driver names of data fields of all known drivers. The candidate list is sorted so that matches by device name and proper version number are higher priority. The system then sequentially attempts installation of the drivers from the candidate list to the particular device (based on priority order) to determine the appropriate driver (e.g., probing the device using diagnostic operations). Drivers are skipped that cause an error or that do not properly configure the device. The process can be repeated for all devices in the computer system. The process is dynamic in that it is operable on boot up and upon any system change that allows more drives to be recognized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of device operability with regard to devices of a computer system. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of device and driver compatibility within a computer system for device configuration.
2. Prior Art
Computer systems are composed of a variety of different components or "devices" that operate together to form the resultant system. Typically, some of the devices are supplied with the computer system initially, such as a central processing unit and a communication bus, and some devices can be installed into the computer system after the initial configuration of the system. In any event, in the general case, each device has an associated driver that, among other functions, configures the device and allows the device to be operable within the overall system. Drivers are typically software instructions that can be loaded into the computer system's memory and when executed will communicate with the device to properly configure the device for operation. The driver may initialize the device so that the device can function and the driver may also allow the device to communicate normally within the overall system. Since installed devices can be altered and since new devices can be inserted into a configured computer system, it becomes important to match the proper driver to the proper device for reliable operation of the computer system.
In the past, devices were matched with their proper driver by strict one to one correspondence that was typically manually performed by the computer system user. That is to say, the computer system user would alter the contents of a system file that was read at computer "boot" and this system file would contain a list of drivers that the computer system recognized and would associate a particular driver to a particular device according to an inflexible listing. The driver first needed to be loaded into the computer system before the system file was updated by the computer user so that the system would recognize the driver. This system is referred to herein as "hard coding" the drivers to their associated devices. While workable in some respects for knowledgeable computer users, this system is undesirable for computer users that do not have the know how to perform the proper matching between a given device and its driver or for those that do not know the location of the proper driver. It would be desirable, then, to provide a mechanism and method for reducing problems associated with configuring the proper driver with its associated device in a computer system. The present invention provides such advantageous solution.
In a particular systems, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) standard is adopted wherein a device driver name can be associated with a device. This name can be placed inside the device's memory. However, the PCI standard does not require that each device provide a name for the its associated driver. Therefore, there is not a guaranteed one to one correspondence between a device name and its associated driver for all system devices. If a driver does not provide its own driver name, then the system constructs a pseudo name using the device vender information and also the device type. However, this vender information and device type might correspond to more than one device. In such case, a driver might correspond to more than one device but will only operate with one device. This unfortunate case increases the difficulty in properly assigning a device to its driver. What is needed is a mechanism and method that overcomes the above problem. The present invention provides such solution.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism and method for efficiently and effectively correlating a computer system device with its proper device driver. It is an object of the present invention to provide the above with an automatic procedure that determines an appropriate driver, from among a set of drivers, for a particular device of a computer system. It is also an object of the present invention to perform the above for all devices of the computer system. It is yet another object of the present invention to utilize the above to facilitate computer users in configuring computer systems after a modification thereof that might involve adding or altering a computer system device which would then require a device driver update. These and other objects of the present invention will become clear within discussions of the present invention presented herein.

Dynamic device matching using driver candidate lists


A stabilizer for thermally stabilizing an organic borate salt represented by formula (1) is disclosed, comprising a compound having one or two nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring, a compound having a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group, or a compound having a thiol group. Also disclosed are a photosensitive composition comprising the stabilizer, an organic borate salt and if desired, a sensitizing dye or further a bisimidazole compound; a polymerizable composition comprising the photosensitive composition having added thereto at least one monomer having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond and if desired, a high molecular polymer or further a pigment; and a colored pattern formed by using the polymerizable composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stabilizer for preventing the thermal decomposition or reaction of an organic borate salt, a photosensitive composition comprising the stabilizer and an organic borate salt, a polymerizable composition comprising the photosensitive composition having added thereto a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond, which has excellent heat stability and aging stability and is prevented from impairment of the polymerization reactivity, a photopolymerization initiator capable of exhibiting good polymerizability even in the presence of oxygen, and a polymerizable composition containing the photopolymerization initiator.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Applications Nos. Hei 9-229376 and Hei 10-199080, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
A large number of studies have been made on organic borate salts as an important constituent element of a photopolymerizable composition. Examples thereof include an organic boron compound anion salt of an organic cationic dye (see, JP-A-62-143044 (the term xe2x80x9cJP-Axe2x80x9d as used herein means an xe2x80x9cunexamined published Japanese patent applicationxe2x80x9d), JP-A-64-13141 and JP-A-2-3052) and a system of separately adding an organic cationic dye and an organic borate salt but not adding these in the form of a complex (see, JP-A-2-4804 and JP-A-5-194619). In any of these publications, a photo-polymerizable composition having high photosensitivity obtained by adding a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond to the organic borate salt, is disclosed.
However, these photopolymerizable compositions containing an organic borate salt are not sufficiently high in the heat stability. For example, in a photopolymerizable composition containing an organic borate salt, the organic borate salt gradually decomposes at 0xc2x0 C. or higher and the decomposition is further accelerated at higher temperatures. As a result of decomposition of the organic borate salt, the photopolymerizable composition is reduced in the photopolymerizability and cannot be cured even with a sufficiently large amount of exposure.
Not only the decomposition of the organic borate salt in the photopolymerizable composition but also unintended polymerization reaction proceed in a dark place. Thus, the photopolymerizable composition is polymerized before exposure and cannot be used any more. Furthermore, as the acidity of the photopolymerizable composition increases, the organic borate salt is extremely reduced in the heat stability and seriously decomposes during the storage.
In order to overcome these problems, attempts have heretofore been made to achieve stabilization by controlling the structure of the organic borate salt, the structure or composition of the sensitizer or monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond, or the neutralization of the acidity of the composition. However, satisfactory effects have not yet been achieved.
With respect to the photopolymerizable composition containing a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond and as the photopolymerization initiator system, a titanocene compound and a sensitizer, a photopolymerizable composition further containing a heterocyclic thiol compound so as to achieve stabilization of the titanocene compound is known (see, JP-A-9-5996). However, the effect of improving the stability of the titanocene compound is not yet satisfied.
On the other hand, radiation polymerization using a radiation-sensitive polymerization initiator is being used in various fields such as semiconductor relative, printing ink, printing plate, coating, adhesion and liquid crystal display. The radiation includes high energy radiation such as electron beam and X ray, and low energy radiation such as ultraviolet ray, visible ray and infrared ray, and the radiation is applied by means of a device (lamp) emitting respective rays according to the use purposes. The high energy radiation has a high polymerization initiating capability because of its high energy but is disadvantageous in the complicated apparatus or process necessary therefor, the high use energy and the adverse effects on the environment or an operator. However, due to tendency to use a photopolymerization initiator which generates radicals by light of a low energy radiation such as ultraviolet ray, visible ray or infrared ray, the dangerous high energy radiation is less required. In particular, the photoradical polymerization initiator can polymerize vinyl-base monomers with low energy to thereby promise high sensitivity and high-speed processing and accordingly, is being used very often.
However, it is known that if the radical polymerization is performed in the presence of oxygen, the radicals generated combine with the oxygen to convert into a relatively stable peroxy radicals not having the polymerization initiating capability, whereby the polymerization is inhibited and insufficient polymerization results. This phenomenon is particularly outstanding on the surface of the photopolymerizable composition in contact with air or in the case of a thin film.
To overcome this problem, a method of blocking oxygen by forming an oxygen-blocking film on the surface of the polymerizable composition so as to prevent the effects of oxygen, a method of performing the polymerization by placing the polymerization material as a whole in a nitrogen atmosphere, a method of adding a large amount of a photopolymerization initiator to maintain the sensitivity, a method of adding a tertiary amino compound and generating active radicals from stabilized peroxy radicals to allow the polymerization to proceed, and a method of using a photocationic polymerization initiator and not relying on radicals have heretofore proposed.
However, the above-described methods for overcoming the problem of polymerization inhibition due to oxygen are disadvantageous in that the costs of raw material, process and equipment are greatly increased, the sensitivity is low, the productivity decreases due to complicated processes, and stability or odor of the polymerizable composition or the product after polymerization is another problem. Accordingly, the methods are limited in the use field or usage.
The present invention has been made to satisfy the requirements for solving the above-described problems.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an excellent stabilizer capable of imparting heat stability to the organic borate salt.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive composition comprising this stabilizer and an organic borate salt or comprising this stabilizer, an organic borate salt and a sensitizing dye.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a polymerizable composition comprising the above-described photosensitive composition having added thereto a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond, which is excellent in the heat stability and aging stability and is prevented from impairment of the polymerization reactivity.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a high-sensitivity photosensitive composition capable of efficiently initiating photopolymerization even in the presence of oxygen.
As a result of extensive investigations to solve the problems, the present inventors have found that the above-described objects can be attained by using a stabilizer having a specific molecular structure, which not only remarkably improves the stability of the organic borate salt represented by formula (1) having low heat stability but also prevents impairment of the photoreactivity of the polymerizable composition containing the organic borate salt, and further that the photosensitive composition comprising, out of stabilizers of the present invention, a compound having one or two nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring or a compound having a thiol group and an organic borate salt represented by formula (1) is a high-sensitivity photosensitive composition capable of efficiently initiating photopolymerization even in the presence of oxygen and a photopolymerizable composition comprising this photosensitive composition has high sensitivity even in the presence of oxygen. The present invention has been accomplished based on these findings.
More specifically, the invention provides:
1) A stabilizer for thermally stabilizing an organic borate salt represented by formula (1), comprising a compound having one or two nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring, a compound having a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group, or a compound having a thiol group:
(wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 each independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, an allyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkoxy group, a silyl group, an alicyclic group, a heterocyclic group, a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, and Z+ represents a quaternary ammonium cation, a quaternary pyridinium cation, a quaternary quinolinium cation, a phosphonium cation, a sulfonium cation, an oxosulfonium cation, an oxonium cation, an iodonium cation, a metal cation or a cationic dye having absorption in the ultraviolet and/or visible ray region).
2) A stabilizer for thermally stabilizing an organic borate salt represented by formula (1), comprising a compound having one or two nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring, a compound having a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group, or a compound having a thiol group:
(wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 each independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, an allyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkoxy group, a silyl group, a heterocyclic group, a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, and Z+ represents a quaternary ammonium cation, a quaternary pyridinium cation, a quaternary quinolinium cation, a phosphonium cation, a sulfonium cation, an oxonium cation, an iodonium cation, a metal cation or a cationic dye having absorption in the ultraviolet and/or visible ray region).
3) The stabilizer as described in 1) and 2) above, wherein the compound having one or two nitrogen-containing 5-or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring is a compound having one or more heterocyclic ring selected from triazole, pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazole, piperazine, tetrazole, acridine, adenine, benzothiazole, triazine, thiadiazole, imidazole, benzimidazole, thiazoline, indoline and imidazoline.
4) The stabilizer as described in 1) and 2) above, wherein the compound having a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group is an amine represented by formula (2):
R5R6R7Nxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
(wherein R5, R6 and R7 each independently represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an allyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, a heterocyclic group or an alicyclic group, provided that at least one of R5 R6 and R7 is not hydrogen. Two or three of R5, R6 and R7 may be combined to form a cyclic structure).
5) The stabilizer as described in 1) or 2) above, wherein the compound having a thiol group is a thiol represented by formula (3):
R8xe2x80x94SXxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(3)
(wherein R8 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alicyclic group or a heterocyclic group, and X represents sodium or hydrogen).
6) A photosensitive composition comprising the stabilizer described in 1) or 2) above and an organic borate salt represented by formula (1).
7) A photosensitive composition comprising the stabilizer described in 1) or 2) above, an organic borate salt represented by formula (1) and a sensitizing dye.
8) The photosensitive composition as described in 6) and 7) above, wherein the stabilizer is a compound having one or two nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring or a compound having a thiol group.
9) The photosensitive composition as described in 8) above, wherein the stabilizer is at least one selected from mercaptoimidazole, mercaptobenzimidazole, mercaptobenzothiazole, triazinetrithiol, mercaptotriazole, mercaptothiazoline, mercaptothiadiazole and mercaptotetrazole.
10) The photosensitive composition as described in 8) and 9) above, which further contains a bisimidazole compound.
11) A polymerizable composition capable of polymerization by light or heat, comprising the photosensitive composition described in any one of 6) to 10) above having added thereto at least one monomer having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond.
12) A polymerizable composition comprising the photosensitive composition described in any one of 6) to 10) above having added thereto at least one monomer having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond and a high molecular polymer.
13) A polymerizable composition comprising the photosensitive composition described in any one of 6) to 10) above having added thereto at least one monomer having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond, a pigment and a high molecular polymer.
14) The polymerizable composition as described in 12) and 13) above, wherein the high molecular polymer has an acid value of from 20 to 800 mgKOH/g.
15) A colored pattern formed on a substrate using a polymerizable composition described in any one of 11) to 14) above.
Representative examples of the stabilizer comprising a compound having one or two nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring of the present invention include compounds having a heterocyclic ring such as triazole, pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazole, piperazine, tetrazole, acridine, adenine, benzothiazole, triazine, thiadiazole, imidazole, benzimidazole, thiazoline, indoline or imidazoline.
Specific examples of this stabilizer of the present invention include 1,2,4-triazole, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (Compound 1), mercapto-1,2,4-triazole (Compound 2), 3-amino-5-carboxy-1,2,4-triazole, 2,6-dimethylolpyridine (Compound 3), 4-dimethylaminopyridine (Compound 4), mercaptopyrimidine (Compound 5), 2-aminonaphtho[1,2]thiazole, benzothiazole, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (Compound 6), 2-aminobenzothiazole, 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole (Compound 7), 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole, 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol, 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine (Compound 8), 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-trithiol, 3-mercapto-4-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole, 5-mercapto-1-methyltetrazole, 1-phenyl-5-mercapto-1H-tetrazole, 5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol, mercaptothiazole, mercaptotetrazole, 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole sodium salt, furfurylmercaptan, mercaptoimidazole, 1-acetylimidazole, 2-mercapto-1-methylimidzole (Compound 9), N-methylimidazole (Compound 10), 1,2-dimethylimidazole, 2-aminobenzimidazole, 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (Compound 11), 2-mercaptothiazoline (Table 1: Compound 12), acridine, 1-(2-aminoethyl)piperazine, 5-amino-1H tetrazole, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole and phenothiazine.
Examples of the stabilizer comprising an amine represented by formula (2) include compounds where in formula (2), R5, R6 and R7 each independently represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an allyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alicyclic group or a heterocyclic group, or two or three of R5, R6 and R7 are combined to form a cyclic structure (provided that at least one of R5, R6 and R7 is selected from those other than hydrogen).
More specifically, the alkyl group represented by R5, R6 or R7 is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and examples thereof include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a butyl group, an isobutyl group, a sec-butyl group, a pentyl group, a hexyl group, a heptyl group, an octyl group, a 3-methoxypropyl group, a 4-chlorobutyl group and a 2-diethylaminoethyl group.
The allyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted allyl group and specific examples thereof include a 2-methylallyl group and a 3-chloroallyl group.
The aryl group is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and specific examples thereof include a phenyl group, a tolyl group, a xylyl group, a 4-ethylphenyl group, a 4-tertbutylphenyl group, a 4-methoxyphenyl group, a 4-diethylaminophenyl group, a 2-methylphenyl group, a 2-methoxyphenyl group, a naphthyl group and a 4-methylnaphthyl group.
The aralkyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group and specific examples thereof include a benzyl group, a phenethyl group, a propiophenyl group, an xcex1-naphthylmethyl group, a xcex2-naphthylmethyl group and p-methoxybenzyl group.
The alkenyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group preferably having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms and specific examples thereof include a vinyl group, a propenyl group, a butenyl group, a pentenyl group, a hexenyl group, a heptenyl group, an octenyl group, a dodecinyl group and a prenyl group.
The alkynyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group preferably having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms and specific examples thereof include a butynyl group, a pentynyl group, a hexynyl group and an octynyl group.
The alicyclic group is a substituted or unsubstituted alicyclic group and specific examples thereof include a cyclohexyl group, a 4-methylcyclohexyl group, a cyclopentyl group and a cycloheptyl group.
The heterocyclic group is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group and specific examples thereof include a pyridyl group, a quinolyl group, a methylpyridyl group, an indolyl group, an imidazolyl group and a triazyl group.
Specific examples of this stabilizer include hexylamine, di-n-butylamine (Compound 14), dipropylamine, triethylamine, diethyldiamine, N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetraethylmethylenediamine (Compound 15), 2-ethylaminoethanol, 3-diethylamino-1-propanol, tributylamine, aniline, naphthylamine, benzylamine, diallylamine, phenylenediamine, octenylamine, cyclohexylamine 3-aminopyridine, aminoimidazole, hexamethylenetetramine, N-methylmorpholine (Compound 13) and triethylenediamine (Compound 16).
The stabilizer comprising a thiol represented by formula (3) of the present invention a compound where an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alicyclic group or a heterocyclic group is bonded with a thiol group or a sodium salt thereof and examples thereof include the compounds where in formula (3), R8 is an alkyl group, an allyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alicyclic group or a heterocyclic group, and X is sodium or hydrogen.
More specifically, the alkyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and examples thereof include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a butyl group, an isobutyl group, a sec-butyl group, a pentyl group, a hexyl group, a heptyl group, an octyl group, a 3-methoxypropyl group, a 4-chlorobutyl group and a 2-diethylaminoethyl group.
The aryl group is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and specific examples thereof include a phenyl group, a tolyl group, a xylyl group, a 4-ethylphenyl group, a 4-tertbutylphenyl group, a 4-methoxyphenyl group, a 4-diethylaminophenyl group, a 2-methylphenyl group, a 2-methoxyphenyl group, a naphthyl group and a 4-methylnaphthyl group.
The aralkyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group and specific examples thereof include a benzyl group, a phenethyl group, a propiophenyl group, an xcex1-naphthylmethyl group, a xcex2-naphthylmethyl group and a p-methoxybenzyl group.
The alkenyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group preferably having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms and specific examples thereof include a vinyl group, a propenyl group, a butenyl group, a pentenyl group, a hexenyl group, a heptenyl group, an octenyl group, a dodecinyl group and a prenyl group.
The alkynyl group is a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group preferably having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms and specific examples thereof include a butynyl group, a pentynyl group, a hexynyl group and an octynyl group.
The alicyclic group is a substituted or unsubstituted alicyclic group and specific examples thereof include a cyclohexyl group, a 4-methylcyclohexyl group, a cyclopentyl group and a cycloheptyl group.
The heterocyclic group is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group and specific examples thereof include a pyridyl group, a quinolyl group, a methyl-pyridyl group, an indolyl group, an imidazolyl group and a triazyl group.
Specific examples of this stabilizer include propanethiol, octanethiol, decanethiol (Compound 17), dodecanethiol (Compound 18), benzenethiol, toluenethiol, naphthalenethiol, mercaptoethanol, ethyl-2-mercaptoacetate, cyclopentanethiol, 2-benzimidazolethiol and 1,2,4-triazol-3-thiol.
Among the above-described stabilizers, heterocyclic compounds containing a tertiary nitrogen atom within the ring are particularly effective for the thermal stabilization.
Specific examples of the anion moiety in the organic borate salt represented by formula (1) for use in the present invention include n-butyltriphenyl borate, n-octyltriphenyl borate, n-dodecyltriphenyl borate, sec-butyltriphenyl borate, tert-butyltriphenyl borate, benzyltriphenyl borate, n-butyltrianisyl borate, ethyltributyl borate, phenethyltrimethyl borate, phenyltruisobutyl borate, n-pentyltri(4methoxyphenyl) borate, n-butyltri (6-methoxy-2-naphthyl) borate, methyltri (1-naphthyl) borate, n-butyltrinaphthyl borate, n-butyltri (4-methylnaphthyl)borate and ethyltriacenaphthyl borate.
Specific examples of the cation moiety in the organic borate salt represented by formula (1) for use in the present invention include tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, tetra-n-butylammonium, tetra-n-octylammonium, methylquinolinium, methylpyridinium, tetramethylphosphonium, tetra-n-butylphosphonium, trimethylsulfonium, triphenylsulfonium, trimethyloxosulfonium, diphenyliodonium, di(4-tert-butyl-phenyl) iodonium, (2-hydroxyethyl)trimethylammonium, lithium, potassium, sodium, cyanine dye cation, azomethine dye cation, xanthene dye cation and leuco dye cation.
Organic borate salts consist of the above-described anion moiety and cation moiety may be used in the present invention, however, the present invention is by no means limited thereto.
In the present invention, the method for adding the stabilizer of the present invention to the organic borate salt represented by formula (1) is not particularly limited, however, the stabilizer of the present invention is preferably dissolved in a solvent in which the organic borate salt is dissolved, because stability against heat and aging can be obtained. When these are dissolved under heating at a temperature of from room temperature to the boiling point of the solvent or a temperature lower than the melting point or decomposition point of the organic borate salt itself, whichever is lower, the organic borate salt is prevented from the decomposition and higher stability against heat and aging can be obtained as compared with the case where the stabilizer of the present invention is not added.
The stabilizer of the present invention is considered to exert the stabilizing effect based on the interaction or the like during the thermal reaction of the organic borate salt represented by formula (1). This is also inferred from the fact that a sufficiently high effect is brought out even when the amount of the stabilizer of the present invention added is very small on the basis of the organic borate salt and the effect is higher than the effect attained only by mere neutralization of the acidic substance within the system.
The stabilizer of the present invention also has a property of not inhibiting useful reaction intended, such as photoreaction, even when it is added in an excess amount.
By adding the stabilizer of the present invention, the organic borate salt can have heat stability. The organic borate salt is imparted with heat stability and aging stability in the process where the mixture of a composition having added thereto the stabilizer of the present invention is applied continuously or using, if desired, one or more means of dissolution, dispersion, kneading, emulsification and the like to a medium or solvent.
As described above, the stabilizer of the present invention is effective as a stabilizer of an organic borate salt and by combining it with an organic borate salt, the resulting composition can be used as a photosensitive composition.
The ratio of the stabilizer of the present invention to the organic borate salt used may be freely selected, however, the stabilizer is preferably used in an amount of from 10 to 500 wt %, more preferably from 50 to 200 wt %, based on the organic borate salt. Two or more stabilizers and two or more organic borate salts may be used.
The organic borate salt is usually accelerated to decompose by heat if a sensitizing dye is present, however, in the composition comprising an organic borate salt having added thereto the stabilizer of the present invention, the organic borate salt is prevented from the thermal decomposition or reaction even when a sensitizing dye having light absorbing power is added to the composition. Accordingly, change or decomposition of the sensitizing dye due to the reaction between the sensitizing dye and the organic borate salt is difficult to occur as compared with the case where the stabilizer of the present invention is absent.
The term xe2x80x9csensitizing dyexe2x80x9d as used in the present invention means a cationic dye such as cyanine, xanthene, oxazine, thiazine, diarylmethane, triarylmethane and pyrylium, or an electrically neutral dye, namely, an organic dye not comprising a counter ion but containing +∘xe2x88x92 due to resonance within the same molecule, such as merocyanine, coumarin, indigo, aromatic amine, phthalocyanine, azo and quinone-type sensitizing dyes.
In the case of a cationic dye, the counter anion may be any anion, for example, a halogen anion such as chloride, bromide or iodide anion, a benzenesulfonate anion, a p-toluenesulfonate anion, a methanesulfonate anion, an organic borate anion, a BF4 anion, a PF6 anion or a perchlorate anion.
Specific examples of the cationic dye as the sensitizing dye include Crystal Violet (CI42555), Methyl Violet (CI42535), Malachite Green (CI42000), Fuchsin (CI42510), Crystal Violet-Carbinol Base (CI42555:1), Parafuchsin (CI42500), Rhodamine B (CI45170), Victoria Blue B (CI44045), Victoria Pure Blue BOH (CI42595), Brilliant Green (CI42040), Night Blue BX (CI51185), Neutral Red (CI50040), Basic Orange 21 (CI48035), Basic Yellow 11, Basic Yellow 21, Basic Yellow 22, Basic Red 1 (CI45160), Basic Red 5 (CI50040), Basic Red 13 (CI48015), Basic Violet 7 (CI48020), Basic Violet 11 (CI45175), p-toluenesulfonate or naphthalenesulfonate of Crystal Violet, p-toluenesulfonate or perchlorate of Victoria Blue B, p-toluenesulfonate or BF4 salt of Basic Orange 21, and naphthalenesulfonate or PF6 salt of Basic Red 5.
Specific examples of the electrically neutral dye include 3-allyl-1-carboxymethyl-5-[2-(3-ethyl-2(3H)benzoxazolylidene]-2-thiohydantoin, 4-[2-(3-ethyl-2(3H)benzothiazolylidene)ethylidene]-3-phenyl-2-isooxazolin-5-one, 3-(2-benzothiazolyl)-7-(diethylamino)coumarin, 3-(2-benzimidazolyl)-7-(diethylamino)coumarin, ethyl 2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-11-oxo-1H,5H,11H-[l]benzopyrano[6,7,8-ij]quinalizine-10-carboxylate, N,Nxe2x80x2-diethylindigo, thioxoindigo, 2-dimethyl-aminoanthraquinone, 4-hydroxyazobenzene and 4-phenylamino-4xe2x80x2-nitroazobenzne.
The sensitizing dye which can be freely combined with an organic borate salt and the stabilizer to obtain a photosensitive composition is added in an amount of from 1 to 100 wt %, preferably from 5 to 30 wt %, based on the photosensitive composition. If the concentration of the sensitizing dye is less than the this range, absorption of light is reduced and the light energy cannot be used efficiently, whereas if the concentration greatly exceeds the above-described range, light is excessively absorbed by the dye, as a result, the light intensity extremely decreases in the area farther from the surface irradiated by light and sufficiently high photosensitivity cannot be ensured in the depth. The photosensitive composition of the present invention can exhibit efficient photoreaction even when two or more of the above-described sensitizing dyes are present together and due to the action of the stabilizer of the present invention, the composition can have stability.
The stabilizer of the present invention exerts the effect of preventing the thermal decomposition or reaction of an organic borate salt even in a composition comprising the stabilizer of the present invention and an organic borate salt or in a polymerizable composition obtained by adding at least one compound having one or more addition-polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated bond to a composition containing the stabilizer of the present invention, an organic borate salt and a sensitizing dye.
In the state where the stabilizer is absent, the organic borate salt thermally decomposes or reacts, the active species generated causes chain reaction of the double bonds of the compound having an ethylenically unsaturated bond, and unintended addition polymerization may proceed. However, in the polymerizable composition containing the stabilizer of the present invention, the organic borate salt is prevented from the thermal decomposition or reaction and thereby unintended thermal polymerization reaction during the storage is inhibited, hence, the composition can have aging stability.
A photosensitive composition can be obtained from a compound having one or two nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring or a compound having a thiol group represented by formula (3), out of the stabilizers of the present invention, and an organic borate salt represented by formula (1). This photosensitive composition may further contain the above-described sensitizing dye. These photosensitive compositions can efficiently initiate photopolymerization even in the presence of oxygen.
The bisimidazole compound for use in the present invention is a compound having a group resulting from two imidazole rings being combined at any site and specific examples thereof include 2,2xe2x80x2-bis(4,5xe2x80x2-dimethylimidazole) and 2,2xe2x80x2-bis(o-chlorophenyl)-4,4xe2x80x2,5,5xe2x80x2-tetraphenyl-1,2xe2x80x2-biimidazole. The compound selected from the stabilizers which can be used in the photosensitive composition, and the organic borate salt are preferably used in an amount of from 10 to 200 wt %, more preferably from 20 to 100 wt %, based on the photosensitive composition obtained by the optional combination thereof.
The monomer having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond for use in the present invention includes a (meth)acrylic acid and an ester thereof and examples thereof include methyl (meth)acrylate, butyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl (meth)acrylate, phenethyl (meth)acrylate, isobornyl (meth)acrylate, cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydoxyethyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl (meth)acrylate, N,N-dimethylaminoethyl (meth)acrylate, glycidyl (meth)acrylate and methacryloyloxyethyl isocyanate. A (meth)acrylamide and an N-substitution product thereof, such as N-methyl(meth)acrylamide, N,N-diethyl(meth)acrylamide, N-butoxymethylacrylamide, isobutoxymethylacrylamide, and (meth)acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid and a sodium salt thereof, may also be used.
Other examples of the monomer having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond for use in the present invention include compounds having an N-vinylamide structure such as N-vinylacetamide, N-vinylpropionamide and N-vinyl-butanamide; polyhydric alcohol (meth)acrylates which is an ester obtained by the esterification of an unsaturated carboxylic acid or a polycarboxylic acid with a polyhydric compound, such as phenoxydiethoxy (meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, 1,3-butanediol di(meth)acrylate, neopentyl glycol di(meth)acrylate, 2,2-bis[4-(meth)acryloyloxypolyethoxyphenyl]propane, hydroxypivalic acid neopentyl glycol di(meth)acrylate, glycerin di(meth)acrylate, glycerin tri(meth)acrylate, trimethylolethane di(meth) acrylate, triethylolpropane di(meth)acrylate, trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate, isocyanuric acid trierythritol tri(meth)acrylate, pentaerythritol di(meth) acrylate, pentaerythritol tri(meth) acrylate, pentaerythritol tetra(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol tri(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol tetra(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol penta(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol hexa(meth)acrylate, and compounds represented by formulae (4) and (5) where n=1 to 9; epoxy (meth)acrylates; and urethane (meth)acrylates obtained by the reaction with (meth)acryloyloxy isocyanate.
H2Cxe2x95x90C(CH3)COxe2x80x94(OCH2CH2)nxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94C(CH3)xe2x95x90CH2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4)
(wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 9);
H2Cxe2x95x90CHCOxe2x80x94(OCH2CH2)nxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CH2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(5)
(wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 9).
The term xe2x80x9c(meth)acrylxe2x80x9d as used herein means xe2x80x9cmethacrylxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cacrylxe2x80x9d.
The compound having an ethylenically unsaturated bond for use in a polymerizable composition comprising any combination of an organic borate salt and the stabilizer is added in an amount of from 1 to 5,000 parts by weight, preferably from 30 to 2,000 parts by weight, per 1 part by weight of the photosensitive composition. Even when two or more of the compound having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond are added, the stabilizer of the present invention exerts the effect to increase the heat stability and in turn, the polymerizable composition exhibits high sensitivity even in the presence of oxygen. Furthermore, the stabilizer can be used in a composition containing an organic borate salt, other than the polymerizable composition of the present invention.
The high molecular polymer for use in the present invention is described below. The high molecular polymer is preferably a linear polymer containing one or more monomer selected from (meth)acrylic acid, (meth)acrylic ester, N-vinylamide, (meth)acrylamide, N-substituted (meth)acrylamide, N-disubstituted (meth)acrylamide, styrene, alkyl-substituted styrene, chloromethylstyrene, vinylphenol and alkyl-substituted vinylphenol, and having a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 500,000, preferably from 5,000 to 100,000. By adjusting the acid value of this high molecular polymer to be 5 mgKOH/g or less, a high molecular polymer insoluble in an alkaline aqueous solution can be obtained. On the other hand, by adjusting the acid value to be from 20 to 800 mgKOH/g, preferably from 30 to 500 mgKOH/g, a high molecular polymer soluble in an alkaline aqueous solution can be obtained.
In the case when the polymerizable composition is used as a resist, the high molecular polymer for use in the present invention is necessary to dissolve in a solvent at the development and preferably comprises a monomer having only one polymerizable group. Examples of the monomer used herein include (meth)acrylic acid, methyl (meth)acrylate, butyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl (meth)acrylate, phenethyl (meth)acrylate, isobornyl (meth)acrylate, cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl (meth)acrylate, 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl (meth)acrylate, N,N-dimethylaminoethyl (meth)acrylate, glycidyl (meth)acrylate, methacryloyloxyethyl isocyanate, N-vinylacetamide, (meth)acrylamide, N-methyl(meth)acrylamide, N,N-diethyl(meth)acrylamide, n-butoxymethylacrylamide, isobutoxymethylacrylamide, N-hydroxymethylacrylamide, (meth)acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, N-vinylpyrrolidone, styrene, xcex1-methylstyrene, p-chloromethylstyrene and p-vinylphenol.
The high molecular polymer of the present invention preferably comprises a copolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid and a (meth)acrylic ester as a main component. Examples thereof include a methacrylic acid-butyl methacrylate copolymer, a methacrylic acid-benzyl methacrylate copolymer, an acrylic acid-methyl methacrylate-butyl methacrylate copolymer, a methacrylic acid-butyl methacrylate-isobornyl methacrylate copolymer, a methacrylic acid-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-butyl methacrylate copolymer, a methacrylic acid-methyl methacrylate-butyl methacrylate-2-hydroxyethyl acrylate-styrene copolymer, a methacrylic acid-butyl methacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer, a methacrylic acid-butyl methacrylate-cyclohexyl methacrylate-styrene copolymer, a methacrylic acid-butyl methacrylate-styrene copolymer and a methacrylic acid-acrylic acid-methyl methacrylate-butyl methacrylate copolymer. The composition and the compositional ratio of these copolymers are not particularly limited and copolymers and copolymer mixtures obtained by any combination at any compositional ratio may be used. The high molecular polymer is added in an amount of from 0.5 to 200 parts by weight, preferably from 1 to 100 parts by weight, based on the photosensitive composition comprising any combination of an organic borate salt and the stabilizer.
Examples of the pigment for use in the present invention include, in term of the color index number, C.I. Pigment Yellow 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 24, 55, 83, 86, 93, 109, 110, 117, 125, 137, 139, 147, 148, 153, 154, 166 and 168, C.I. Pigment Orange 36, 43, 51, 55, 59 and 61, C.I. Pigment Red 9, 97, 122, 123, 149, 168, 177, 180, 192, 215, 216, 217, 220, 223, 224, 226, 227, 228 and 240, C.I. Pigment Violet 19, 23, 29, 30, 37, 40 and 50, C.I. Pigment Blue 15, 15:1, 15:4, 15:6, 22, 60 and 64, C.I. Pigment Green 7 and 36, C.I. Pigment Brown 23, 25 and 26, and C.I. Pigment Black 7, and further include carbon black, surface resin treated carbon black, titanium black, aniline black, titanium white, talc, alumina and iron oxide.
The pigment may be dispersed in the polymerizable composition using, if desired, an appropriate dispersant. The pigment is used in an amount of from 0.05 to 80 parts by weight, preferably from 1 to 50 parts by weight, based on the polymerizable composition obtained by adding a monomer having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond to a photosensitive composition comprising any combination of a compound having one or more nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring or a compound having a thiol group represented by formula (3), out of the stabilizers of the present invention, and an organic borate salt represented by formula (1). Two or more of these compounds may be used in combination to attain proper tone and light-shielding ratio and even in this case, the polymerizable composition of the present invention exhibits high sensitivity.
The polymerizable composition obtained by adding a compound having one or more ethylenically unsaturated bond to the photosensitive composition comprising an organic borate salt, the stabilizer and a sensitizing dye, the polymerizable composition further containing a high molecular polymer, and the polymerizable composition still further containing a pigment each may use a solvent according to the use end.
Examples of the solvent include cyclohexane, isophorone, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethylene glycol diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, xylene, ethylbenzene, ethyl cellosolve, butyl cellosolve, methyl cellosolve acetate, ethyl cellosolve acetate, acetone, cyclohexanone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl-n-amyl ketone, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, ethyl lactate and dichloroethane. These solvents may be used individually or in combination of two or more thereof. The solvent is added in an amount of from 0.05 to 100 parts by weight based on the polymerizable composition. The solvent is preferably removed by evaporation in advance of the polymerization.
The polymerizable composition is coated on a substrate, the solvent is evaporated, and the resist film obtained is irradiated with light through a pattern mask. As a result, the photosensitive composition exposed to light is activated to generate radicals and thereby the ethylenically unsaturated bonds cause chain reaction to connect with each other, thus, the polymerization proceeds. The polymerization does not proceed in the area not exposed to light and by removing the area using an excess of an appropriate solvent such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, cyclohexane, isophorone, cellosolve acetate, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethylene glycol diethyl ether, xylene, ethylbenzene, ethyl cellosolve, butyl cellosolve, acetone, cyclohexanone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl-n-amyl ketone, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, ethyl lactate or dichloromethane, the area exposed to light remains on the substrate and a colored pattern in accordance with the pigment added can be formed.
At this time, when the high molecular polymer contained in the polymerizable composition has a high acid value (20 to 800 mgKOH/g), the unexposed area can be removed using the above-described organic solvent and additionally an alkaline aqueous solution (pH=9 to 12). The alkaline aqueous solution which can be used is an aqueous solution containing one or more of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and trialkylamine.
In this case, the photosensitive composition comprising a compound having one or more nitrogen-containing 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having a double bond within the ring or a compound having a thiol group represented by formula (3) and an organic borate salt represented by formula (1) of the present invention has good photopolymerization initiating ability even in the presence of oxygen and accordingly, irrespective of the presence or absence of an oxygen-blocking overcoat on the film of the polymerizable composition coated on a substrate, the same colored pattern can be formed.
The present invention is described in greater detail below by referring to the Examples and Comparative Examples, however, the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto as long as the scope of the present invention is persisted.
The quantitative determination of the organic borate salt was performed using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (column: SHODEX C8-5B; mobile phase: a 85:15 mixture of acetonitrile containing 4 mM of tetra-octylammoniurm bromide:water; detector: SPD-10AV, manufactured by Shimadzu Seisakusho).
The effect of the stabilizers of the present invention was verified by Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5.

Stabilizer for organic borate salts and photosensitive composition containing the same


A superstructure system for a drain located in the floor region of a wash area or shower stall, including a cover box which is to be placed over the drain and has a closed rear side and top and end faces connecting the rear side and the top, a side which is open toward the drain and a visible side which is open toward the water collection element of the drain, and in which a cover flap (10) is vertically oriented, the lower face of which, when installed, delimits a drain slot of the superstructure system and is connected to the cover box by way of a hinge so as to be horizontally pivotable.

The invention relates to a superstructure system for a drain located in the floor region of a wash area or shower stall, comprising a cover box which is to be placed over the drain having a closed rear side and top and end faces connecting the rear side and the top, a side which is open toward the drain and a visible side which is open toward the water collection element of the drain and in which a cover flap is vertically oriented, the lower face of which, when installed, delimits a drain slot of the superstructure system and is connected to the cover box by way of a hinge so as to be horizontally pivotable. The invention further relates to a set of gauges consisting of several gauges.
Such a device is known from EP 2 236 683 A1. This is a shower drain channel assembly for installation in a wall, also comprising the channel body having a lateral opening so as to allow shower water to enter the channel body.
However, this design is not suitable for a floor construction in which a channel is already present, especially in a shower tray which is recessed in a quadrate cavity and is factory-fitted with the channel. Such channels are generally provided with covers that are flush with the floor.
The aforementioned design is not suitable if, with such a starting situation, it is desired for an inlet slot to be shaped vertically toward the drain and the channel.
The object is therefore to create a cover which satisfies both the aesthetic and the technical requirements, and in particular a cover for a drain located in the floor region of a wash area or shower stall. A further object is to propose a set of gauges, so as to provide gauges by which the panel supporting the pin can be adjusted in accordance with the installation situation.
This object is achieved by a superstructure system of the type mentioned above, in which the hinge comprises at least one pin which projects horizontally inward on an inner surface of an end face, wherein a hinge opening element that is compatible with the pin is attached laterally on the cover cap and receives the pin so as to be rotatable in an almost circular hinge opening and engageable with the hinge opening and disengageable therefrom.
Further technically advantageous refinements are described in the dependent claims.
For example, the hinge and opening element may comprise a bracket which extends over the pin and slides thereon with drag, the inside edge of the bracket, together with the outside edge of a flat part connected to the cover flap, forming the hinge opening and a diverging mouth opening extending therefrom.
The bracket and flat part of the hinge opening element are preferably cut as one piece from sheet metal, wherein in a further refinement, the flat part has at least one insertion tab which is cut out of the material of the flat part and connected to a flat side of the cover flap that is bent parallel to the end face.
So as to achieve improved locking of the cover flap connected to the hinge opening element, the end of the bracket is provided with a projecting finger, which can be latched in and unlatched from an opening in the region of the face wall supporting the pin.
The pin can be fastened to a panel which is connected to the face wall. This provides a further option of allowing the panel to be aligned horizontally and vertically by means of stud bolts or the like which can be adjusted in cut-outs.
The cover flap may comprise a flat side and a frame side having bent walls, wherein the frame side can be provided with a space-occupying mounting, for example tiles, while the flat side also selectively provides a visible side having a different appearance.
It will also be pointed out that the drain is preferably designed as a drain channel, to this end the cover box preferably has a cuboid shape.
However, it will also be possible for the drain to be designed as a localized floor drain, which then preferably serves as a corner outlet. In this latter case, the superstructure system runs, corresponding to a hypotenuse, between the corner regions of the shower tray which are located perpendicularly to each other.
For installation, a set of gauges that has been found to be advantageous comprises a plurality of gauges which can be used to adjust the panel supporting the pin in accordance with the installation situation, wherein each gauge comprises a lug having a borehole that can be placed over the pin and a strip which is rigidly connected to the lug and can be placed against the outside of the cover box.


A store gathering policy is enabled or disabled at a data processing device. A store gathering policy to be implemented by a store buffer can be selected from a plurality of store gathering polices. For example, the plurality of store gathering policies can be constrained or unconstrained. A store gathering policy can be enabled by a user programmable storage location. A specific store gathering policy can be specified by a user programmable storage location. A store gathering policy can be determined based upon an attribute of a store request, such as based upon a destination address.

In many data processing devices, a store buffer is used to decouple the retirement of store operations to a system bus from a processor or cache of a data processor. The store buffer can contain a number of entries, each of which can store address information, data information, and control information that are to be provided to a bus interface unit during a write operation to memory connected to the system interconnect. In some example embodiments, a cache may be implemented between the store buffer and the processor of the data processing device to facilitate memory accesses by the processor.

Flexible control mechanism for store gathering in a write buffer