A shift control method of an automatic transmission that controls a shift from an nth shift speed, achieved by engagement of first and second friction elements, to an (n−3)th shift speed, achieved by engagement of third and fourth friction elements. The method includes releasing the first and second friction elements and engaging the third and fourth friction elements. Release control of the second friction element begins after release control of the first friction element begins. Engagement control of the fourth friction element begins after an engagement control of the third friction element begins.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift control method of an automatic transmission. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shift control method of an automatic transmission that controls a shift from an nth shift speed to an (n−3)th shift speed.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, in a clutch-to-clutch shift control, one frictional element is released and another frictional element is engaged. However, during some skip shifting processes, two frictional elements may be released and two other frictional elements may be engaged. However, it is difficult to control such a shift.
In some instances, two shifting processes are successively performed. For example, to perform a 6 to 3 shift, a 4 to 3 shift is performed after a 6 to 4 shift is completed.
However, according to a conventional 6 to 3 skip shift control method, since two shifting processes are successively performed, a shifting time may be long, and the shift may not be smooth.
To solve such problems, the first and second shifts may be overlapped. However, a double shift feel may be felt. In addition, since controls of on-coming and off-going elements in the second shift are started differently, shift control may be difficult, since a shift to another shift speed is needed during the 6 to 3 shift.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Shift control method of automatic transmission


An electromagnetic equipment such as dynamoelectric machine includes an electromagnetic coil formed by winding an insulated wire. The insulated wire is made of a bare conductor having, on its surface, two layers of an insulating coating composed of a varnish and a low-resistance conductive coating composed of a heat resisting varnish containing a conductive oxide. A coil formed of the insulated wire is applied to the whole electromagnetic coil or a coil part near a power supply terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an electromagnetic equipment comprising an electromagnetic coil such as transformers and dynamoelectric machines, and more particularly to such an electromagnetic equipment having improved corona resistance, dielectric strength and heat resistance.
2.Description of the Prior Art
The electromagnetic equipment of the above-described type includes induction machines such as dynamoelectric machines and transformers. Conventional induction machines comprise an electromagnetic coil formed by winding enameled wires serving as insulated wires. In the electromagnetic coil, generally, insulators deteriorate when exposed to corona discharge. In the prior art, however, the corona discharge cannot be controlled so as to reduce a quantity of electric charge discharged by the corona discharge, whereupon each insulator has a low deterioration resistance, namely, a low corona resistance. In the prior art electromagnetic coil, furthermore, an impulse voltage is unequally shared by coil portions. The unequal sharing of voltage tends to result in dielectric breakdown in a coil potion sharing an excessively high voltage. The prior art electromagnetic coil thus has a low dielectric strength. As a result, the electromagnetic coil has a difficulty in reducing a thickness of each insulator so that the size of the induction machine is reduced.
To solve the above-described problem, the prior art has provided two layers of polyester film 2 wound on a conductor 1 and mica foil 3 interposed between the polyester film layers, as shown in FIG. 13. Furthermore, the prior art has provided a polyester film 5 wound on a surface of a unit coil 4 having a plurality of turns and a mica tape 6 wound on a surface of the polyester film 5, as shown in FIG. 14. Since each prior art construction uses the mica foil 3 and the mica tape 6 respectively, they are superior in a resistance against electrical discharge, namely, in the dielectric strength. However, each construction is insufficient in the corona resistance since a quantity of electric charge discharged by the corona discharge cannot be restrained.


An arrangement for connecting at least one transverse section (1, 2) and a main section (3) in a system of sections, especially for supporting suspended ceilings, comprises a laterally resilient locking tongue (9) projecting from the end of the transverse section and having a laterally projecting hook member (15), and a connecting hole (6) arranged in the main section and adapted to receive the locking tongue (9). Separate free-standing guide means (10, 11) are arranged on the end of the transverse section (1) for cooperating with the connecting hole (6) so as to impart to the transverse section (1, 2) and the main section (3) a fixed relative position when connected.

In prior-art arrangements of the type mentioned by way of introduction, the locking tongue has a double function by serving as guide means as well as locking means, the hook member arranged thereon being adapted to cooperate with the main section or with a second locking tongue arranged from the opposite direction and belonging to a second transverse section. The rigidity of the locking tongue is considerable, in many cases by the locking tongue being formed with embossed portions, longitudinal beads or the like. As will be appreciated, this affects the resilience of the locking tongue in a negative way, which makes it difficult to mount and dismount a transverse section. Moreover a remaining deformation of the locking tongue often arises when bending it laterally outwards, as is required in mounting and dismounting. Such deformation is, of course, disadvantageous and may cause, among other things, an inaccurate positioning of the associated transverse section.
A further problem is that prior-art designs of the locking tongues in many cases involve such a length of the locking tongues that after mounting in a main section, they protrude significantly on the side of the-main section facing away from the mounted transverse section. This is particularly unfavourable when a single transverse section is to be connected, i.e. when there is no second transverse section aligned with the first transverse section on the opposite side of the main section.
In the latter case of connecting a single transverse section, the positioning will, as a rule, be more inaccurate owing to the locking tongue being movable in the connecting hole which is generally formed to receive two locking tongues


An apparatus and method for relaying neighbor BS in a multi-hop relay broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system are provided. In the BWA communication system, a BS transmits a neighbor BS advertisement message to a relay station (RS) within a cell area of the BS. The RS configures a relay neighbor BS advertisement message by eliminating unavailable neighbor BS information from the neighbor BS advertisement message, and broadcasts the relay neighbor BS advertisement message in a cell area of the RS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to relaying information in a communication system, and in particular to an apparatus and method for reconfiguring and broadcasting a neighbor Base Station (BS) advertisement message received from a serving BS by a relay station in a multi-hop relay Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, active research is being conducted to provide services with diverse Quality of Service (QoS) levels at about 100 Mbps to users in the 4th Generation (4G) communication system. Particularly, there is active research being conducted on providing high-speed service by ensuring mobility and QoS to a BWA communication system such as Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN). Examples of such research are Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16d and IEEE 802.16e.
The IEEE 802.16d and IEEE 802.16e communication systems are implemented by applying Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)/Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) to physical channels of the WMAN system. IEEE 802.16d considers only a single-cell structure with no regard to mobility of Subscriber Stations (SSs). In contrast, IEEE 802.16e supports the SS′ mobility to the IEEE 802.16d communication system. A mobile SS is called a Mobile Station (MS) or a Mobile Subscriber Station (MSS).
FIG. 1 illustrates the configuration of the conventional IEEE 802.16e communication system, configured in a multi-cell structure. Specifically, the system includes cells 100 and 150, base stations (BSs) 110 and 140 for managing the cells 100 and 150, respectively, and a plurality of MSs 111, 113, 130, 151 and 153. Signals are sent and received between the BSs 110 and 140 and the MSs 111, 113, 130, 151 and 153 in OFDM/OFDMA. The MS 130 exists in a cell boundary area between the cells 100 and 150, i.e. in a handover region. When the MS 130 moves to the cell 150 managed by the BS 140 during signal transmission/reception to/from the BS 110, the serving BS of the MS 130 changes from the BS 110 to the BS 140.
FIG. 2 illustrates an operation in a serving cell for broadcasting a Mobile_Neighbor-Advertisement (MOB_NBR-ADV) message in a cell in the conventional IEEE 802.16e communication system.
Referring to FIG. 2, a serving BS 210 collects information about its neighbor BSs 220 to 290 by communicating with them over a wired or wireless backbone network, and periodically broadcasts the neighbor BS information in a cell by a MOB_NBR-ADV message 214. Since the MOB_NBR-ADV message 214 is not intended for an MS at a particular location or in a particular direction within the cell, but is directed to all MSs within the cell, it delivers the neighbor BS information omni-directionally. An MS 212 recognizes the presence of the neighbor BSs 220 to 290 as well as the serving BS 210 by the MOB_NBR-ADV message 214. If the MS 212 is at a cell boundary between the serving BS 210 and the neighbor BS 230 as illustrated in FIG. 2, it does not need information about neighbor BSs in the opposite direction to the cell coverage, such as the neighbor BS 270. However, the serving BS 210 does not target the particular MS 212 in transmitting the neighbor BS information, and thus broadcasts the MOB_NBR-ADV message 214 across the cell. Although the MS 212 receives information about all of the neighbor BSs 220 to 290, it does not need information about the neighbor BSs 260 to 290 because they are not around the MS 212.
FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional multi-hop relay broadband wireless communication system. Referring to FIG. 3, an MS 309 is located at a cell boundary of a BS 301, though within the coverage area of the BS 301. Therefore, the MS 309 can receive a service from the serving BS 301 but with poor quality due to the distance constraint. Compared to an MS close to the serving BS 301, the MS 309 receives a service with a narrow bandwidth. Another MS 307 is outside the serving BS 301 and thus cannot communicate with the serving BS 301.
The application of a multi-hop relay scheme to both MSs 307 and 309 allows these MSs to receive a better-quality service in the manner of the MSs 311 and 313. As with the MS 309, the MS 311 is at the boundary of the service area of the BS 301. Yet, since a relay station (RS) 303 is located near the MS 311, the MS 311 can receive the service with higher quality than the MS 309 by communicating with the nearby RS 303 without the need for communication with the BS 301, though it is at the boundary of the service area of the BS 301. Like the MS 307, the MS 313 is outside the coverage of the BS 301, and cannot receive a signal or a service from the BS 301. Nonetheless, due to the existence of an RS 305 near the MS 313, the MS 313 can receive a service from the BS 301 via the RS 305.
In this manner, an MS which has difficulty in receiving a service or receives a poor quality service as illustrated in FIG. 2 can communicate with its serving BS outside the coverage area of the serving BS or receive a good-quality service from the serving BS through relaying of an RS as illustrated in FIG. 3.
Accordingly, there exists a need for reconfiguring the MOB_NBR-ADV message for effective communications among an MS, a BS and an RS in a multi-hop relay BWA communication system, when the pilot channel scanning procedure of FIG. 2 is adopted.

Apparatus and method for relaying neighbor base station information in a multi-hop relay wireless access communication system


An oral care implement having a fluid dispensing system for dispensing an oral care fluid. In one embodiment, the oral care implement may be a toothbrush including a handle, a neck and a head containing a plurality of tooth cleaning elements. Embodiments of the toothbrush further include a removable container or reservoir including a collapsible bladder that holds the oral care fluid. The bladder is in fluid communication with one or more fluid dispensing outlets disposed in the head. A manually actuated pump disposed in the handle provides the motive force for dispensing the fluid.

Oral care implements such as toothbrushes are typically used in conjunction with a dentifrice for cleansing the teeth and/or soft tissue in the oral cavity. The dentifrice or similar oral care product may contain one or more ingredients which, when administered with a toothbrush generally via a brushing action, provide an oral health benefit to the user such as removing plaque and debris from the surface of the teeth and/or gums, polishing and whitening the teeth, reducing sensitivity, reducing oral surface bacteria populations, and others. However, it is often advantageous when brushing ones teeth to supplement the oral care benefits by further dispensing one or more additional oral care products in a liquid or fluid form to optimize the oral care regimen.
An improved oral care implement such as a toothbrush capable of dispensing oral care fluids while brushing is therefore desired.


A system is disclosed. The system includes a print controller including one or more processors to receive print data, rasterize the print data into bitmap data, analyze objects in each page of bitmap data to determine sizes of objects and generate mapping data for each page of bitmap data that maps locations of page bitmap data having same size objects, a print engine to print the bitmap data to a medium and a print verification system to capture one or more images of the medium as print verification data and to detect one or more defects in the print verification data.

High speed print production systems often implement a print verification system (PVS) to detect defects in print data applied to a medium (e.g., paper). Current PVSs implement a manual setting to adjust a defect size sensitivity (DSS) by setting a minimum defect size (MDS) in which defects that are smaller than the MDS are not reported. However, defects at or above the MDS are reported and must be reviewed by Quality Assurances (QA) operators (or reviewers).
QA operators determine whether or not the reported defects impact the readability of the text in the printed documents. The size of the text affects whether a small defect is significant. For example, a small defect on small print can completely obliterate a character whereas the same defect on very large text has no impact at all. Since the MDS setting does not take into account the size of the text where the defect is reported, QA operators invariably spend much of their time reviewing insignificant defects.
Accordingly, an improved defect detection mechanism is desired.


Tricyclic diazepines of the formula: ##STR1## wherein A, B, D, E, F, Y and Z are defined in the specification which compounds have vasopressin and oxytocin antagonist activity.

Vasopressin is released from the posterior pituitary either in response to increased plasma osmolarity detected by brain osmoreceptors or decreased blood volume and blood pressure sensed by low-pressure volume receptors and arterial baroreceptors. The hormone exerts its actions through two well defined receptor subtypes: vascular V.sub.1 and renal epithelial V.sub.2 receptors. Vasopressin-induced antidiuresis, mediated by renal epithelial V.sub.2 receptors, helps to maintain normal plasma osmolarity, blood volume and blood pressure.
Vasopressin is involved in some cases of congestive heart failure where peripheral resistance is increased. V.sub.1 antagonists may decrease systemic vascular resistance, increase cardiac output and prevent vasopressin induced coronary vasoconstriction. Thus, in conditions with vasopressin induced increases in total peripheral resistance and altered local blood flow, V.sub.1 -antagonists may be therapeutic agents.
The blockade of V.sub.2 receptors may be useful in treating diseases characterized by excess renal reabsorption of free water. Antidiuresis is regulated by the hypothalamic release of vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) which binds to specific receptors on renal collecting tubule cells. This binding stimulates adenylyl cyclase and promotes the cAMP-mediated incorporation of water pores into the luminal surface of these cells. V.sub.2 antagonists may correct the fluid retention in congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, central nervous injuries, lung disease and hyponatremia.
Elevated vasopressin levels occur in congestive heart failure which is more common in older patients with chronic heart failure. In patients with hyponatremic congestive heart failure and elevated vasopressin levels, a V.sub.2 antagonist may be beneficial in promoting free water excretion by antagonizing the action of antiduretic hormone. On the basis of the biochemical and pharmacological effects of the hormones antagonists of vasopressin are expected to be therapeutically useful in the treatment and/or prevention of hypertension, cardiac insufficiency, coronary vasospasm, cardiac ischemia, renal vasospasm, liver cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, brain edema, cerebral ischemia, cerebral hemorrhage-stroke, thrombosis-bleeding, abnormal states of water retention.
The following prior art references describe peptide vasopressin antagonists; M. Manning et al., J. Med. Chem., 35, 382(1992); M. Manning et al., J. Med. Chem., 35, 3895(1992); H. Gavras and B. Lammek, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,187 (1991); M. Manning and W. H. Sawyer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,448(1991); F. E. Ali, U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,108(1988); R. R. Ruffolo et al., Drug News and Perspective, 4(4), 217, (May) (1991). P. D. Williams et al., have reported on potent hexapeptide oxytocin antagonists J. Med. Chem., 35, 3905(1992)! which also exhibit weak vasopressin antagonist activity in binding to V.sub.1 and V.sub.2 receptors. Peptide vasopressin antagonists suffer from a lack or oral activity and many of these peptides are not selective antagonists since they also exhibit partial agonist activity.
Non-peptide vasopressin antagonists have recently been disclosed, Y. Yamamura et al., Science, 252, 579(1991); Y. Yamamura et al., Br. J. Pharmacol., 105, 787(1992), Ogawa et al., (Otsuka Pharm Co., LTD.) EP 0514667-A1; JP 04154765-A; EPO 382185-A2; and W09105549. Carbostyril derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same are disclosed by Ogawa et al., (Otsuka Pharm. Co.) in EP 470514A.
Non-peptide oxytocin and vasopressin antagonist have been disclosed by Merck and Co.; M. G. Bock and P. D. Williams, EP 0533242A; M. G. Bock et al., EP 0533244A; J. M. Erb, D. F. Verber, P. D. Williams, EP0533240A; K. Gilbert et al., EP 0533243A.
Premature birth can cause infant health problems and mortality and a key mediator in the mechanism of labor is the peptide hormone oxytocin. On the basis of the pharmacological action of oxytocin, antagonists of this hormone are useful in the prevention of preterm labor, B. E. Evans et al., J. Med. Chem., 35, 3919(1992), J. Med. Chem., 36, 3993(1993) and references therein. The compounds of this invention are antagonists of the peptide hormone oxytocin and are useful in the control of premature birth.
The present invention relates to novel tricyclic derivatives which exhibit antagonist activity at V.sub.1 and/or V.sub.2 receptors and exhibit in vivo vasopressin antagonist activity. The compounds also exhibit antagonists activity of oxytocin receptors.

Tricyclic diazepine vasopressin antagonists and oxytocin antagonists


According to the invention, a pedal operation is permitted independently for each group in a keyboard, and thus various ways of sounding musical tones can be realized. More specifically, a plurality of designation elements for designating the sounding of musical tones are divided into a plurality of groups, which are designated, and according to the group designation a musical control by a pedal operation is permitted independently for each group. Thus, a choice of a musical control by a pedal operation can be made for each group according to the group designation, thus permitting various ways of sounding musical tones.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for and a method of pedal control for an electronic musical instrument, and more particularly, to improvements in the pedal operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art piano or similar musical instrument has a damper pedal, a shifting pedal, and a sostenuto pedal, etc. When the damper pedal is operated, a damper in the piano is separated from a string, allowing a continual sounding of a musical tone after the key is released; when the shifting pedal is operated, a hammer in the pedal is moved slightly to thereby cause a sounding of two of three strings; and when the sostenuto pedal is operated, only strings producing a sound at that moment are caused to continually produce a sound until the pedal is released. Namely, as described above, the pedals can effect various types of musical control; other pedals include a soft pedal and a mute pedal, etc.
The musical control by such pedals is effected uniformly over all of the keys of the piano, but in actual play, it is often desired to effect a musical control by the pedal operation for only a part of the keyboard. For example, it is often desired to divide the keyboard into an upper keyboard and a lower keyboard, and effect a musical control by the pedal operation over one of the keyboards alone. This desire is particularly pronounced with regard to a key split, in which different timbres or tone colors are produced by using the upper and lower keyboards.

Method and device for executing musical control with a pedal for an electronic musical instrument


A very highly concentrated solution is obtained in a single cycle of operation. In the solution separating apparatus, the solution is atomized into the mists to be mixed with the carrier gas, the carrier gas containing such atomized mists is transferred to the collection unit 3, and the collection unit 3 is so constructed and arranged that a specific target substance is separated and collected from the atomized mist component. The solution separating apparatus allows the mist component, by means of the carrier gas, to be in contact with the molecular sieving adsorbent 4 having a molecularly sieving capability of adsorbing the adsorbable component contained in the mist component so as to be separated from the mist component. The non-adsorbable component which is not adsorbed into the molecular sieving adsorbent 4 is separated from the mist component contained in the carrier gas in which the adsorbable component is separated, so that the target substance is separated from the carrier gas.

In recent years, a fuel is used in which alcohol is added to gasoline, so that there has been an ardent need for a technology of increasing an alcohol concentration. Alcohol can be produced at a lower cost by fermenting an organic material, for example, corn. However, biomass alcohol produced in such a method is of a lower concentration, and such alcohol has to be treated for its higher concentration by separating water content from the alcohol. In order to separate the water content from the alcohol to obtain a higher concentration, there is used a method of distillation. This method, however, suffers a disadvantage that energy consumption becomes larger. When a great amount of energy is consumed in treating alcohol for its higher concentration, it becomes impossible or difficult to reduce total consumption of gasoline even though alcohol-added gasoline is combusted.
The present inventor developed a separating apparatus for increasing an alcohol concentration by way of lower energy consumption (See Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2001-314724
In this separating apparatus, an atomization chamber of a closed structure is filled with an alcohol solution, the alcohol solution in this atomization chamber is ultrasonically vibrated by an ultrasonic vibrator to be atomized into mists, and such atomized mists are condensed and collected, so that an alcohol solution of a higher concentration can be separated. This separating apparatus is capable of separating highly concentrated alcohol as a target substance in the following operation.
Alcohol is easier than water to be shifted to the surface of a solution, and the alcohol concentration is higher in the solution at the surface. In this state, when the solution is subjected to an ultrasonic vibration, the highly concentrated alcohol turns to mists to be released into the air in a state of fine particles under the effect of the energy generated by the ultrasonic vibration. The mists released into the air have a higher concentration of alcohol. This is because the solution at its surface side with a higher alcohol concentration is easier to be transformed into the mists. The fact that alcohol is easier to be vaporized than water also accelerates a higher concentration of alcohol in the mists. This is because a greater amount of alcohol is vaporized than water out of the mists of alcohol solution, so that alcohol concentration becomes higher which is contained in a carrier gas. Consequently, when the atomized mists which are contained in the carrier gas and a component which is vaporized from the mists, namely, the mist component are collected from the carrier gas, a highly concentrated alcohol solution is to be separated. In this method, a highly concentrated alcohol solution can be separated without subjecting the solution to heat. For this reason, it is possible to separate a target substance of a high concentration with lower energy consumption. The method also carries the advantage that the target substance can be separated without undergoing deterioration because there is no heating.


In a step and repeat process with a projection exposure apparatus, a pre-auto focus process is performed so as to compensate for a focus error caused by traveling of an XY stage wherein the pre-auto focus process is performed in a period in which the XY stage is moved from one exposure location to another. The pre-auto focus process minimizes the focus error, which is further corrected in a focus adjustment process using an auto focus sensor. This technique allows a focus adjustment to be made with improved accuracy in a short time. The focus error corrected in the pre-auto focus process is such an error of the position, in a direction along the optical axis, of the exposure surface with respect to the projection image plane that occurs when the XY stage is driven in a plane that is not parallel to the projection image plane and that is proportional to the traveling distance of the XY stage in the XY plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus suitable for use as a step-and-repeat reduction projection exposure apparatus for producing a device, and also to a method of controlling such an exposure apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an exposure apparatus provided with an auto-focusing apparatus for making a focus adjustment by positioning the surface of each exposure area on a semiconductor wafer placed on a wafer stage with respect to the projection image plane of a reduction projection is lens system (projection optical system) so that a precisely focused image is formed on each exposure area, and also to a method of controlling such an exposure apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known step-and-repeat projection exposure apparatus, the focus adjustment is generally accomplished by detecting a positional deviation of the exposure surface from the projection image plane and correcting the detected deviation each time an XY stage is moved to a location where an area to be exposed (exposure shot) is just below a projection lens.
When a small-sized pattern is transferred through a reduction projection optical system including a lens with a large diameter and thus a large numerical aperture, the depth of focus decreases with the increase in the diameter of the lens. The result of the reduction in the depth of focus is that the image transfer performance becomes sensitive to a focus error due to the non-uniformity of the surface to be exposed and/or due to the coating conditions of a photoresist. To avoid such a problem, a focus adjustment must be made for each exposure area. The focus adjustment mechanism generally includes an XY stage that is moved in a step and repeat fashion so that an area to be exposed comes to a location just below a projection lens; an auto-focus sensor for detecting a focus error between the image plane and the surface of the exposure area located just below the projection lens; a Z stage for correcting the focus error detected by the sensor; and an auto-focus control system for controlling the above-described elements.
The sequence of exposing each exposure area is performed as follows.
1. A wafer is moved (one step) by driving the XY stage so that an area to be exposed (exposure area) comes to a location just below the lens.
2. The focus error or the difference between the image plane of the projection optical system and the exposure area of the wafer is detected using the focus sensor.
3. The detected focus error is corrected by moving the Z stage in a direction along the optical axis.
4. Exposure is performed.
Each of a plurality of exposure areas is exposed in the process including steps 1 to 4 described above. That is, the above-described sequence including steps 1 to 4 is repeated as many times as there are exposure areas on the wafer placed on the stage.
In recent years, semiconductor devices have been produced using a wafer with an increasingly large size. Thus, the exposure apparatus is required to expose an increasingly greater number of exposure areas (shots) for each wafer. It is desired, thus, to improve the throughput of the step-and-repeat exposure apparatus. Furthermore, as the line width of a pattern to be transferred has become smaller, higher precision control is required in the focus adjustment in a shorter time.
However, in the step-and-repeat reduction exposure apparatus, it is required to move the XY stage steps by step so that a plurality of exposure areas (shots) on a wafer come one after another to a location just below the projection lens for exposure. A focus error between the projection image plane and the exposure shot occurs each time the XY stage is moved because of the difference between the traveling plane of the XY stage and the projection image plane.
The focus error between the projection image plane S and the exposure shot, including a focus error due to the nonuniformity of the surface of exposure areas, is detected by the auto-focus sensor and corrected by the Z stage. However, if the focus error is too large, the limitation in the adjustment capability of the Z stage results in a residual focus error greater than the upper limit allowed in the pattern-transfer process. One known technique to avoid the above problem is to repeatedly perform the detection and correction of the focus error using a feedback control technique until the focus error finally falls within the allowable range. However, the focus adjustment using the feedback control technique requires a long time, depending on the amount of the focus error. If the focus adjustment is performed using the auto-focus sensor and the Z stage without using the feedback control to improve the throughput, there can be a risk that the focus accuracy becomes lower than the required limit. For the reasons described above, the amount of correction in the focus-adjustment process should be as small as possible.
The focus error caused by the difference between the stage traveling plane and the projection image plane is proportional to the moving distance of the XY stage. To place a wafer with an increasing large size, it is required that the XY stage have an increasingly large size. As a result, the reduction in the focus error caused by the difference between the stage traveling plane and the projection image plane has become an important factor to achieve an exposure apparatus with sufficiently high performance.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stage apparatus and an exposure apparatus capable of rapidly positioning the stage and making focus adjustment, and also a method of controlling such a stage and an exposure apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique to improve the throughput and the accuracy of the focus adjustment performed for each exposure shot using a step-and-repeat exposure apparatus.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a technique to theoretically predict a focus error and correct the predicted focus error during the movement of the stage thereby achieving rapid positioning of the stage.
According to an aspect of the present invention, to achieve the above objects, there is provided a stage apparatus including: a stage movable in a first direction parallel to a first plane and also in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane; first moving means for moving the stage by a specified distance in the first direction; calculation means for calculating a deviation in the second direction from a reference plane which will occur as a result of the movement of the stage accomplished by the first moving means, the calculation being performed based on the specified distance and the angle between the reference plane and the first plane; and second moving means for moving the stage in the second direction during the movement of the stage accomplished by the first moving means, so as to compensate for the deviation calculated by the calculation means.
The present invention also provides an exposure apparatus including the stage apparatus described above.
Furthermore, the invention provides a method of controlling the stage apparatus and the exposure apparatus.
Still furthermore, the invention provides a method of producing a device using the method of controlling the exposure apparatus.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

Exposure apparatus and method of controlling the same


An exercising apparatus includes a base having two upright handles on two opposite sides thereof and a ball bearing, a rotary table supported on the ball bearing and moved to turn thereon and having an upright support in the center, a foot board balanced on the upright support and moved to turn the rotary table on the ball bearing of the base, and tensile elements bilaterally connected between the rotary table and the foot board for permitting the foot board to be alternatively oscillated back and forth.

The present invention relates to an exercising apparatus which can be used for exercising twist and practicing the game of surfriding.
Various exercising apparatus have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. These apparatus are commonly designed for a specific purpose. Therefore, different exercising apparatus must be used for different exercises. Although there are universal gyms commercially available for multiple purposes, these universal gyms are commonly heavy and expensive.


An object is to increase the mechanical efficiency of an injection molding machine, decrease the inertia, and decrease the axial length. The injection molding machine comprises a cylinder member; an injection member disposed within the cylinder member such that the injection member can advance and retract; an injection motor (82); and a transmission shaft which is connected to the injection member such that the transmission shaft can rotate relative to the injection member. The transmission shaft has a rotation transmission portion, to which rotation of the injection motor (82) is transmitted, as well as a motion conversion portion for converting rotational motion to linear motion. The injection motor (82) and the transmission shaft are disposed on the same axis, and the transmission shaft is advanced and retracted inside the rotor (92) of the injection motor (82). In this case, since rotation of the injection motor (82) is transmitted directly to the transmission shaft without intervention of a speed reduction mechanism, a pulley, and the like, mechanical efficiency can be improved, and inertia can be decreased. Further, the time required for changeover from the injection stage to the pressure holding stage is shortened. Since the transmission shaft is advanced and retracted inside the rotor (92) of the injection motor (82), the injection molding machine can be reduced in axial length.

Conventionally, in an injection molding machine, resin heated and melted in a heating cylinder is injected into the cavity of a mold apparatus under high pressure so that the cavity is filled with the resin. The molten resin is then cooled and solidified so as to obtain a molded article.
For performing such molding operation, the injection molding machine includes a mold clamping apparatus and an injection apparatus. The mold clamping apparatus is provided with a stationary platen and a movable platen. The movable platen is advanced and retracted by a mold clamping cylinder, to thereby perform mold closing, mold clamping, and mold opening.
The injection apparatus includes a heating cylinder for heating and melting resin supplied from a hopper, and an injection nozzle for injecting the molten resin. Further, a screw is disposed within the heating cylinder such that the screw can be rotated and can be advanced and retracted. The screw is advanced so as to inject the resin from the injection nozzle, and is retracted so as to meter the resin.
In order to advance and retract the screw, a motor-driven injection apparatus is provided.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional injection apparatus.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes an injection apparatus, and 4 denotes a frame of the injection apparatus 2. A heating cylinder 21 is fixedly provided in front (left side in FIG. 1) of the frame 4, and an injection nozzle 21a is provided at the front end (left-side end in FIG. 1) of the heating cylinder 21. A hopper 21b is disposed on the heating cylinder 21, and a screw 20 is disposed within the heating cylinder 21 such that the screw 20 can be rotated and can be advanced and retracted (moved leftward and rightward in FIG. 1, respectively). The rear end (right-side end in FIG. 1) of the screw 20 is rotatably supported by a support member 5.
Attached to the support member 5 is a metering motor 6 having a speed reduction mechanism. The rotation of the metering motor 6 is transmitted to the screw 20 via a timing belt 7a.
Further, a screw shaft B is rotatably supported in parallel with the screw 20. The rear end of the screw shaft 8 is connected, via a timing belt 7b, to an injection motor 9 having a speed reduction mechanism. That is, the injection motor 9 is adapted to rotate the screw shaft 8. The front end of the screw shaft 8 is in screw engagement with a nut 5a fixed to the support member 5. Accordingly, when the injection motor 9 is driven, the nut 5a can be moved axially through rotation of the screw shaft 8 via the timing belt 7b.
In the injection apparatus 2 having the above-described structure, during a metering stage, the metering motor 6 is driven in order to rotate the screw 20 via the timing belt 7a, thereby retracting the screw 20 by a predetermined distance (rightward in FIG. 1). At this time, resin is supplied from the hopper 21b, heated and melted within the heating cylinder 21, and accumulated forward of the screw 20 as the screw 20 retracts.
Further, during an injection stage, the injection motor 9 is driven in order to rotate the screw shaft 8 via the timing belt 7b, so that the nut 5a and the support member 5 are moved with the rotation of the screw shaft 8. As a result, the screw 20 is advanced (moved leftward in FIG. 1), and the resin accumulated forward of the screw 20 is injected from the injection nozzle 21a.
However, the injection apparatus 2 has the following drawbacks. That is, in the injection apparatus 2, the metering motor 6 and the injection motor 9 must be driven during the metering stage and the injection stage, respectively. Further, rotation of the metering motor 6 and rotation of the injection motor 9 are transmitted to the screw 20 via speed reduction mechanisms, pulleys, etc. Therefore, mechanical efficiency is comparatively low, and inertia is comparatively high. As a result, during the injection stage, reaching an initial injection speed and changing the injection speed require a comparatively long period of time and a comparatively large torque. Further, the time required to proceed from the injection stage to the pressure holding stage is comparatively long.
In order to overcome the above-described drawbacks, there has been provided a built-in-motor-type injection apparatus in which a screw, an injection motor, and a metering motor are disposed on a common axis.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of such a conventional built-in-motor-type injection apparatus.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 12 denotes a heating cylinder, and an injection nozzle 12a is provided at the front end (left-side end in FIG. 2) of the heating cylinder 12. A screw 22 is disposed within the heating cylinder 12 such that the screw 22 can be rotated and can be advanced and retracted (moved leftward and rightward in FIG. 2).
The screw 22 has a screw head 22a at its front end. The screw 22 extends rearward (rightward in FIG. 2) within the heating cylinder 12, and is connected at its rear end (right-side end in FIG. 2) to a first spline shaft 63.
Therefore, during a metering stage, when the screw 22 is retracted (moved rightward in FIG. 2) by a determined distance, while being rotated, resin in the form of pellets is supplied from an unillustrated hopper, heated and melted within the heating cylinder 12, and accumulated forward (leftward in FIG. 2) of the screw head 22a as the screw 22 retracts.
Further, during an injection stage, when the screw 22 is advanced (moved leftward in FIG. 2), the resin accumulated forward of the screw head 22a is injected from the injection nozzle 21a and charged into a cavity of an unillustrated mold apparatus.
A drive section casing 11 is fixed to the rear end of the heating cylinder 12. A metering motor 44 is disposed at the front portion (left-side portion) of the drive section casing 11 and an injection motor 45 is disposed at the rear portion (right-side portion) of the drive section casing 11 such that the metering motor 44 and the injection motor 45 share a common center axis. The metering motor 44 comprises a stator 46 and a rotor 47, and the injection motor 45 comprises a stator 48 and a rotor 49.
The rotor 47 is supported to be rotatable relative to the drive section casing 11. Specifically, a hollow first rotor shaft 56 is fixedly fitted into the rotor 47, and the first rotor shaft 56 is supported by bearings 51 and 52.
Similarly, the rotor 49 is supported to be rotatable relative to the drive section casing 11. Specifically, a hollow second rotor shaft 57 is fixedly fitted into the rotor 49, and the second rotor shaft 57 is supported by bearings 53 and 54.
The screw 22 can be retracted, while being rotated, through drive of the metering motor 44. In order to enable this movement, a first spline nut 62 is fixed to the front end of the first rotor shaft 56; a first spline shaft 63 is in spline-engagement with the first spline nut 62; and the screw 22 is fixed to the front end of the first spline shaft 63. Therefore, when the rotor 47 is rotated through drive of the metering motor 44, rotation of the rotor 47 is transmitted to the screw 22, so that the screw 22 rotates. At this time, the first spline shaft 63 is retracted relative to the first spline nut 62, so that the screw 22 is retracted. It is to be noted that when the screw 22 is retracted, back pressure is applied to the screw 22 against pressure generated by the resin.
Further, the screw 22 can be advanced through drive of the injection motor 45. In order to enable this movement, an annular bearing retainer 64 is fixed to the rear end of the second rotor shaft 57; and a ball screw shaft 65 is inserted into and fixed to the bearing retainer 64. The ball screw shaft 65 is supported to be rotatable relative to the drive section casing 11. Specifically, the ball screw shaft 65 is supported on the drive section casing 11 via the bearing retainer 64 and a bearing 66, as well as via a bearing 67 disposed on the rear side of the bearing 66.
A ball nut 69 is disposed within the second rotor shaft 57 such that the ball nut 69 can advance and retracts, and is in meshing-engagement with the ball screw shaft 65. Accordingly, rotation of the rotor 49 is transmitted to the ball screw shaft 65 via the second rotor shaft 57 and the bearing retainer 64. The ball nut 69 and the ball screw shaft 65 convert rotational motion to linear motion, so that the ball nut 69 is advanced and retracted.
Further, in order to prevent the ball nut 69 from rotating together with the ball screw shaft 65, a hollow second spline shaft 71 is fixed to the front end of the ball nut 69, and the second spline shaft 71 is in spline-engagement with a second spline nut 76 fixed to the drive section casing 11.
A bearing box 72 is fixed to the front end of the second spline shaft 71. A thrust bearing 73 is disposed within the bearing box 72 to be located at the front side thereof, and a bearing 74 is disposed within the bearing box 72 to be located at the rear side thereof. Accordingly, the first spline shaft 63 is supported by the bearings 73 and 74 to be rotatable relative to the second spline shaft 71 and the ball nut 69.
In the above-described structure, rotation of the metering motor 44 and rotation of the injection motor 45 are transmitted to the screw 22 without intervention of a speed reduction mechanism, pulleys, etc. Therefore, mechanical efficiency increases, and inertia decreases.
The drive section casing 11 is formed of a front cover 11a, a center casing 11b, and a rear cover 11c; and the heating cylinder 12 is fixed to the front end of the front cover 11a.
The metering motor 44 is surrounded by a sleeve-shaped stator frame 46a, and the injection motor 45 is surrounded by a sleeve-shaped stator frame 48a. The front cover 11a and the center casing 11b are connected together by use of threaded rods 46b, with the stator frame 46a being sandwiched between the front cover 11a and the center casing 11b. Similarly, the center casing 11b and the rear cover 11c are connected together by use of threaded rods 48b, with the stator frame 48a being sandwiched between the center casing 11b and the rear cover 11c. The stator frame 48a is supported by means of frictional force generated through tightening of the rods 48b.
In the above-described conventional injection apparatus, since the metering motor 44 and the injection motor 45 are disposed on the same axis, the injection molding machine is increased in axial length. When an attempt is made to reduce the injection molding machine in axial length, the outer diameters of the metering motor 44 and the injection motor 45 increase, resulting in increased inertia.
Further, when the injection motor 45 is driven in order to rotate the ball screw shaft 65 to thereby inject the resin from the heating cylinder 12 through advancement of the screw 22, a reaction force corresponding to the injection force is transmitted to the rods 46b via the heating cylinder 12 and the front cover 11a, and to the rods 48b via the rear cover 11c. Therefore, the rods 46b and 48b extend, resulting in weakened tightening force.
In the above-described structure, when the rotor 47 or 49 is rotated upon drive of the metering motor 44 or the injection motor 45, the stator frame 46a or 48a may rotate. Therefore, the tightening force of the rods 46a and 48b must be controlled strictly. This makes assembly and maintenance of the injection molding machine more troublesome.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional injection apparatus, and to provide an injection molding machine which has improved mechanical efficiency and reduced inertia, which has a shortened axial length, and which facilitates assembly and maintenance.


The inkjet recording sheet of the present invention comprises a cellulosic sheet support, e.g., paper, having on at least one surface thereof an inkjet coating comprising, in combination, a porous base coat having a high absorption capacity for absorbing the vehicle of an inkjet ink, and an ink receiving coat having a superior capacity for keeping the dyes in the ink on the surface with minimal spreading, tailing or blurring, to provide a sharp image.

The present invention relates generally to a recording sheet, and more particularly to an inkjet recording sheet, the ink receptive coating thereon and the paper substrate supporting the ink receptive coating.
Paper for recording sheets used in inkjet printing must rapidly absorb the ink to reduce drying time with little or no backside show-through. Further, diffusion of ink laterally on the surface of the recording sheet must be prevented in order to achieve high resolution without blurring. Thus, for obtaining color images having good color density and resolution, with good absorbtivity and water fastness as well as optical brightness, a coated paper for inkjet printing should be able to achieve these results without any substantial dimensional change. For this purpose, the base paper for ink receptive coatings is generally made from bleached chemical pulp to which fillers, dyes, and if required, sizing agents and strength enhancers are added. An example of a typical paper basestock for use in the manufacture of an inkjet recording sheet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,259.
It is also known that paper substrates for inkjet recording can be improved by applying an under coat or base coat to the paper surface before applying the ink receptive coating. Such base coats generally comprise a pigment and binder where the coated surface has a porous structure resulting in a large amount of pores or voids in the base coat layer. An example of a base coat for an inkjet recording sheet that is subsequently provided with an ink receptive layer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,242.
Finally, the ink receptive coatings for inkjet paper must provide a surface that is receptive to the inks used for printing. In the past, this result has been achieved through the use of high pigment-to-binder ratios, usually in combination with pigments or coating materials that provide a porus and permeable coating layer. Because of the highly specific requirements for inkjet printing, coating materials used in other printing processes generally are unsatisfactory for inkjet printing.
There are two primary requirements for inkjet printing. The first is that the ink receptive coating, the substrate, and any intermediate base coat must be absorbent enough to immobilize the vehicle of the inks away from the surface so that the inks will not smear. The second requirement is that the ink receptive coating must provide a means for keeping the dyes in the ink on the surface with no spreading, tailing or blurring of the ink drops.
These requirements are achieved in the present invention with a combination of base coat and top coat where the components are matched to achieve a cooperative relationship not found in the prior art.
In conventional inkjet recording sheets, a generally porous fine powder capable of absorbing an ink is coated on a paper surface with a binder. However, when ink is brought into contact with such a coating, the coating is unable to instantaneously absorb the entire amount, and thus it takes a finite time for the inks to be absorbed. This allows the ink drop to spread in a fairly wide range among the particles of the fine powder. The color density tends to be low towards the forward edge of the spread, and the ink tends to spread unnecessarily widely, whereby the entire color density tends to be correspondingly low. This tends to make the sharpness of the printed image low and color blending or blotting is likely to result. However it has now been found possible to overcome these drawbacks by suppressing the unnecessary spread of the ink drop, and to provide a means for the ink drop including its vehicle to be absorbed into the paper substrate as a whole.
For this purpose, according to the present invention, porous particles are provided in both the ink receptive layer and in the base coat layer in a manner such that they work in a cooperative fashion to provide a superior image with good drying capacity.


A compound of formula (I) or formula (II) wherein the variables are as defined in the claims

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) plays a key role in the biology of reproduction. GnRH is also known as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH).
The GnRH decapeptide (pyro-Glu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Art-Pro-Gly-NH2 or p-EHWSYGLRPG-NH2) is formed in neurons of the medial basal hypothalamus from a larger precursor via enzymatic processing. The peptide is released in a pulsatile manner into the pituitary portal circulation system, where GnRH interacts with high-affinity receptors (7-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptors) in the anterior pituitary gland located at the base of the brain. Here, GnRH triggers the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), both of which are gonadotropic hormones (gonadotropins). LH stimulates the production of testosterone and estradiol in the testes and ovaries respectively, whilst FSH stimulates follicle growth in women and sperm formation in men. When correctly functioning, the pulsatile release and concentration levels of GnRH are critical for the maintaining of gonadal steroidogenesis and for normal functions of reproduction related to growth and sexual development.
The pituitary response to GnRH varies greatly throughout life. GnRH and the gonadotropins first appear in the foetus at about ten weeks of gestation. Sensitivity to GnRH reduces until the onset of puberty. There is, however, a brief rise during the first three months after birth. Prior to puberty, the FSH response to GnRH is greater than that of LH. Once puberty begins, sensitivity to GnRH increases, and pulsatile LH secretion ensues. Later in puberty and throughout the reproductive years, pulsatile release of GnRH occurs throughout the day, with responsiveness to LH being greater than that of FSH. Pulsatile GnRH release results in pulsatile LH and FSH release and thus testosterone and estradiol release from the gonads. Post-menopause, the concentration of FSH an LH rise, and the post-menopausal levels of FSH are higher than those of LH.
Chronic administration of GnRH agonists and antagonists results in decreased circulating levels of both LH and FSH. GnRH agonists are compounds that mimic endogenous GnRH to stimulate receptors on the pituitary gland, resulting in release of LH and FSH. After a transient rise in gonadal hormone production ("flare" response), the chronic administration of GnRH agonists results in down-regulation of the GnRH receptors. This down-regulation and desensitization results in a reduction in the circulating levels of LH and FSH. In spite of the symptom-exacerbating hormonal flare experienced, GnRH agonists have been the preferred treatment for sex-steroid-dependent pathophysiologies. GnRH agonists have been used to reduce testosterone production, thereby reducing prostate volume in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and slowing tumour growth in prostate cancer. Such compounds have also been used in the treatment of breast and ovarian cancers.
In recent years, GnRH antagonists have become available for clinical evaluation, and have been shown to have an immediate effect on the pituitary but without the observed flare associated with agonists. Use of GnRH antagonists has been reported for the treatment of ovarian, breast and prostate cancers.
Other uses of antagonists include endometriosis (including endometriosis with pain), uterine myoma, ovarian and mammary cystic diseases (including polycystic ovarian disease), prostatic hypertrophy, amenorrhea (e.g. secondary amenorrhea), and precocious puberty. These compounds may also be useful in the symptomatic relief of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Antagonists may also be useful to regulate the secretion of gonadotropins in male mammals to arrest spermatogenesis (e.g. as male contraceptives), and for treatment of male sex offenders. GnRH antagonists and agonists have been shown to have utility in treatments where a reversible suppression of the pituitary-gonadal axis is desired.
The presence of GnRH receptors on anterior pituitary cells and several tumour cell types offers the opportunity to develop drugs that act upon receptors to treat both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent cancers.
Conventionally, androgen deprivation has been the most effective systematic therapy for the treatment of metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. The prostate gland requires androgens for normal growth, maintenance, and function. Prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia, however, are common in men and develop in an environment of continuous exposure to androgen. Utilizing a GnRH antagonist to interrupt the pituitary-gonadal axis reduces androgen production and results in tumour growth modulation.
GnRH antagonists may have a direct effect on tumour growth by blocking receptors on the tumour cells. For those cancer types that respond both to sex hormones and to GnRH directly, antagonists should be effective in slowing tumour growth by two mechanisms. Since GnRH receptors are present on many prostate and breast cancer cells, it has recently been proposed that GnRH antagonists may also be effective in treating non-hormone-dependent tumours. Recent literature examples indicate that GnRH receptors are present on a number of cancer cell lines. In particular, prostate, ovarian and breast cancers (see for example Montagnani et al., Arch. Ital, Urol. Androl. 1997, 69(4), 257-263; Jungwirth et al., Prostate 1997, 32(3), 164-172; Srkalovic et al., Int. J. Oncol. 1998, 12(3), 489-498; Kottler et al., Int. J. Cancer 1997, 71(4), 595-599.
Available GnRH antagonists have primarily been peptide analogues of GnRH (see, for example, WO93/03058). Peptide antagonists of peptide hormones have some potency but, the use of current peptide antagonists is often associated with problems because peptides are degraded by physiological enzymes and often poorly distributed within the organism being treated. They thus have a limited effectiveness as drugs.
WO00/20358 discloses non-peptide analogues of GnRH.
Sila-substitution (C/Si-exchange) of drugs is a relatively recent approach for searching for organo-silicon compounds which have beneficial biological properties. The approach involves the replacement of specific carbon atoms in compounds by silicon, and monitoring how the biological properties of the compounds have changed. A review of this approach is provided in Tacke and Zilch, Endeavour, New Series, 10, 191-197 (1986).


An x-ray tube including dual, electrically-conductive emitter tubes to support and provide electrical power to an electron emitter. A method of evacuating and sealing the x-ray tube by drawing a vacuum on the x-ray tube through an inner tube of dual emitter tubes, then pinching the inner tube to seal off the enclosure and to maintain a vacuum therein.

A critical component of x-ray tubes is the electron emitter, such as a filament for example. A solid support for the electron emitter can be important because motion of such support can cause the electron emitter to bend or distort. Bending or distortion of the electron emitter during use can result in early electron emitter failure, which can cause the x-ray tube to fail. The cost of the electron emitter support, both material and manufacturing cost, can be important for a low x-ray tube cost. Precise and repeatable placement of the electron emitter in the x-ray tube during manufacturing can be important to ensure consistency of x-ray output between different units of a single x-ray tube model. Long x-ray tube life also can be important.


Methods and systems for detecting defects on a reticle are provided. One method includes printing a single die reticle in first areas of a wafer using different values of a parameter of a lithography process and at least one second area using a nominal value of the parameter. The method also includes acquiring first images of the first areas and second image(s) of the at least one second area. In addition, the method includes separately comparing the first images acquired for different first areas to at least one of the second image(s). The method further includes detecting defects on the reticle based on first portions of the first images in which variations in the first images compared to the at least one second image are greater than second portions of the first images and the first portions that are common to two or more of the first images.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for detecting defects on a reticle. Certain embodiments relate to a method for detecting crystal growth defects on a single die reticle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Fabricating semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices typically includes processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer using a large number of semiconductor fabrication processes to form various features and multiple levels of the semiconductor devices. For example, lithography is a semiconductor fabrication process that involves transferring a pattern from a reticle to a resist arranged on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated in an arrangement on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
The terms "reticle" and "mask" are used interchangeably herein. A reticle generally includes a transparent substrate such as glass, borosilicate glass, and fused silica having patterned regions of opaque material formed thereon. The opaque regions may be replaced by regions etched into the transparent substrate. Many different types of reticles are known in the art, and the term reticle as used herein is intended to encompass all types of reticles.
A process for manufacturing a reticle is in many ways similar to a wafer patterning process. For example, generally, the goal of reticle manufacturing is forming a pattern on a substrate. In this manner, reticle manufacturing may include a number of different steps such as pattern generation, which may include exposing a substrate having a resist layer formed thereon to a light source in a predetermined pattern. Alternatively, reticles may be patterned by e-beam direct write exposure. After the exposure steps, the reticle is processed through development, inspection, etch, strip, and inspection steps to complete the pattern transfer process. Defects in reticles are a source of yield reduction in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing. Therefore, inspection of a reticle is a critical step in reticle manufacturing processes.
Once a reticle is fabricated and inspected, it may be qualified as acceptable for manufacturing and released to manufacturing. During the normal course of the life of a reticle, however, defects can be introduced into the reticle. For example, after some exposures using reticles, particularly with deep ultraviolet (DUV) light, defects can appear on the reticles that can be traced back to crystalline defects growing on previously defect free reticle surfaces including those reticle surfaces that are protected by a pellicle. Such crystalline defects are also commonly referred to as "haze defects" or "reticle haze" because areas of the reticle containing such defects appear hazy. Reticle haze may occur when a cloudy substance forms as a result of airborne molecular contaminants reacting with moisture in the environment of the reticle. For example, it is possible that haze may be formed on reticles due to cleaning procedures conducted during the reticle manufacturing process. In addition, or alternatively, haze may be caused by the presence and concentration of airborne molecular contaminants in the manufacturing fabrication facility in which the reticle is being used. Regardless of the cause of reticle haze, the cost of haze defects on reticles can be exorbitant (e.g., in the millions of dollars) and is particularly problematic in fabrication facilities with DUV lithography tools. Accordingly, many manufacturers periodically image or otherwise test reticles to ensure that they are not defective.
The type of inspection, whether for qualification or re-qualification purposes, that can be performed for a reticle varies depending on the reticle itself. For example, some reticles include only a single die, while other reticles include more than one identical die. In instances in which a reticle includes more than one identical die, images or other output generated by an inspection system for one die can be compared to images or the other output for another die on the same reticle. Such "die-to-die" inspection is substantially effective, efficient, and inexpensive. Obviously however, such "die-to-die" inspection cannot be performed for a reticle that has only one die. In contrast, one common inspection method for detecting defects on a single die reticle involves using a reticle inspection system (such as one of those that are commercially available from KLA-Tencor, San Jose, Calif.) to inspect the reticle directly (e.g., by comparing light transmitted by the reticle to light reflected by the reticle on a location-by-location basis). However, although such reticle inspection systems are effective and have achieved great success commercially, such reticle inspection systems do have some disadvantages for some applications in that the reticle inspection systems have relatively high cost of ownership and relatively slow throughput.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop methods and systems for detecting defects on a reticle, and particularly a single die reticle, that are effective, efficient, and inexpensive and are particularly suitable for applications such as reticle re-qualification for which there is typically little or no reticle inspection system availability.


A method for production of a semiconductor package which enables uniform conduction processing for all through holes covered by the conduction processing without being limited to any specific structure, is free from surface relief shapes and internal voids, and enables conduction processing simply, in a short time, at a low cost utilizing existing

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for production of a semiconductor package including conduction processing of through holes in an electronic circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, a large variety of semiconductor packages are being used. Even looking at just the electronic circuit boards constituting their basic structures, there are Si and other semiconductor wafers and chips formed with semiconductor circuits and also Si interposers, glass boards, ceramic boards, plastic boards (printed circuit boards, films, etc.) and a large number of other types of boards being used.
To produce a semiconductor package, processing is frequently performed for providing conduction of through holes passing through such electronic circuit boards. The quality and efficiency of the same have extremely important significance in terms of the performance and durability of the semiconductor package and cost.
In the past, through hole connection processing was performed by electroplating the through hole or filling same with a conductive paste. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 1-258457 describes through hole conduction processing using electroplating. However, conduction processing using electroplating suffers from the problems of an uneven state of plating depending upon the position of the through holes, relief shapes at the plated surfaces at the ends of the through holes, susceptibility to residual voids inside the through holes and other such problems in quality and also long plating times, troublesome maintenance and management due to plating by wet processing, complicated processing steps requiring masking, mask peeling, etc. and other problems in efficiency. Filling conductive paste has similar problems.
As another method for providing conduction between the two sides of a board through a through hole, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-3081 22 describes method of inserting a capillary of wire bonding tool into the through hole of the board, wire bonding to an underlying electrode, and leading out a gold wire through the through hole for conduction.
However, this method requires an underlying electrode forming the bottom surface of the through hole, and so is limited to the specific cases of using such a structure. Consequently, it cannot be applied to general through holes open at the two ends. Further, this is predicated on it being possible to insert the capillary of a wire bonding tool into the through hole, so the thickness of the tip of the capillary is limited or the through hole is limited to a large diameter case, so this is not suitable for reducing the size of the semiconductor package—which would require finer through holes.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-286304 describes a method of production of a semiconductor package comprising positioning a semiconductor chip with a circuit board having a projection at the position of the through hole of its electrode and connecting them by inserting the projecting electrode into the through hole for conduction processing of the through hole.
This method, however, is a method for flip-chip mounting and requires a circuit board having a projection at the position of the through hole of the electrode of the semiconductor chip and stacks the semiconductor chip and circuit board all together, so does not allow individual conduction processing for through holes at any locations.

Method for production of semiconductor package

Abstract: facilities, wherein the conduction processing of the through holes includes a step of press fitting a conductor into the through holes by a ball bonder and a step of flattening the exposed heads of the press-fit conductors by coining.


A viscous fluid type heater is disclosed. The heater has a front housing and a rear housing secured to each other. The front housing has a space in which a first partitioning plate and a second partitioning plate located immovably fitted. A heating chamber that is defined between the first plate and the second plate accommodates viscous fluid. A rotor is rotatably supported in the heating chamber. The rotor rotates and shears the viscous fluid to generate heat. A heat exchange chamber is defined by the first and the second partitioning plates and disposed adjacent to the heating chamber. The heat exchanging chamber allows circulating fluid to flow therethrough so that the circulating fluid is heated by the heat transmitted to the heat exchanging chamber from the heating chamber. A securing structure secures the partitioning plates to the housing and concaves are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the partitioning plates to decrease a contacting area of the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle heater, in particular, a vehicle heater having a heating chamber and a heat exchange chamber, the heating chamber having a rotor connected to a drive shaft to shear viscous fluid and produce heat to heat up circulating fluid flowing in the heat exchange chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,184 discloses a heater incorporated into a heating device for motor vehicles. The heater, as shown in FIG. 5, is provided with a fixed housing 52, a working chamber 53 therein and a cooling chamber 56 arranged adjacent to the working chamber 53. The fixed housing 52 has a housing cover or lid 52a, a housing floor 52b and an intermediate wall 57. The working chamber 53 and the cooling chamber 56 are defined separately with the intermediate wall 57. The intermediate wall 57 is provided with cooling ribs 57a protruding into the cooling chamber 56. A drive shaft 58 is rotatably supported by a ball bearing 63 on the fixed housing 52. A rotor 54 is fixed to an end of the drive shaft 58 so that the rotor 54 can rotate in the working chamber 53 as an integrated part of the shaft. The working chamber 53 is filled with viscous fluid (e.g., silicone oil) so as to completely cover the gap between outer walls of the rotor 54 and inner walls of the working chamber 53.
An inlet connector 68 and an outlet connector 69 are formed on the housing floor 52b. A coolant (circulating water) flows through heater form the inlet connector 68 to the outlet connector 69.
An engine transmits the drive force to the drive shaft 58 of the heater via an electromagnetic clutch. The rotor 54 integrally rotates with the drive shaft 58 in the working chamber 53. The viscous fluid between the outer wall of the rotor 54 and the inner wall of the working chamber 53 is then stirred to be shared, generating heat as a result of fluid friction. The heat generated in the working chamber is transmitted via the intermediate wall 57 to the coolant flowing through the cooling chamber 56. This coolant is fed to a heat radiator.
The conventional heater has the cooling chamber 56 that is defined by the intermediate wall 57 at the sides of the front wall, the circumferential wall, and the rear wall of the working chamber 53. However, the intermediate wall 57 is not axially and radially aligned with respect to the rotor 54. This makes it difficult, particularly when the rotor 54 is driven at high speed, to keep a slight clearance defined between the outer surfaces of the rotor 54 and the inner wall surfaces of the working chamber 53 constant.
The cooling chamber 56 has a front cooling chamber 56a and a rear cooling chamber 56b which are connected to each other by way of the gap adjacent to the circumferential walls of the working chamber 53. The coolant in the rear cooling chamber 56b flows into and from the front cooling chamber 56a via the gap. However, since the gap has a very small width in the radial direction with respect to the rotor 54, the coolant entered the rear cooling chamber 56a through the inlet connector 68, is not able to easily flow into the front cooling chamber 56b.
In addition, the coolant reached the rear cooling chamber 56b tends to remain therein and hardly flows back to the front cooling chamber 56a. Accordingly, the circulating passage is not sufficient for the coolant to flow from the inlet connector 68 into the outlet connector 69 while flowing through the respective cooling areas equally.
Further, the gap connecting the front cooling chamber 56a with the rear cooling chamber 56b might not be able to maintain its predetermined width because the intermediate wall 57 is not radially positioned with a sufficient accuracy. Therefore, efficient heat exchange between the working chamber 53 and the cooling chamber 56 cannot be expected.

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho


A rotary fluid drive has first and second bodies 20, 120. The second body 120 is rotatable relative to and inside of the first body 20 defining a working fluid space 40 there between. Gates 130 are supported by the first body 20 and lobes 124 are provide on the second body 120. Gate pockets 26 are formed in the first body 20 into which the gates swing when contacted by the lobes 124. The gates 130 and the gate pockets 26 are configured to form a debris chamber 27 there between capable of temporarily accommodating solid debris. Each gate 130 has a plurality of projections 136A with intervening gaps 136B. The gaps form a gate pocket flow path 141. Working fluid flows via each gate pocket flow path 141 into the working fluid space 40 when the associated gate 130 is maximally deflected into its associated gate pocket 26.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates in general to bearing assemblies for downhole motors used in drilling of oil, gas, and water wells. The present disclosure also relates to drive systems incorporated in such downhole motors.
Background
In drilling a wellbore into the earth, such as for the recovery of hydrocarbons or minerals from a subsurface formation, it is conventional practice to connect a drill bit onto the lower end of an assembly of drill pipe sections connected end-to-end (commonly referred to as a "drill string"), and then rotate the drill string so that the drill bit progresses downward into the earth to create the desired wellbore. In conventional vertical wellbore drilling operations, the drill string and bit are rotated by means of either a "rotary table" or a "top drive" associated with a drilling rig erected at the ground surface over the wellbore (or, in offshore drilling operations, on a seabed-supported drilling platform or a suitably adapted floating vessel).
During the drilling process, a drilling fluid (also commonly referred to in the industry as "drilling mud", or simply "mud") is pumped under pressure downward from the surface through the drill string, out the drill bit into the wellbore, and then upward back to the surface through the annular space between the drill string and the wellbore. The drilling fluid, which may be water-based or oil-based, is typically viscous to enhance its ability to carry wellbore cuttings to the surface. The drilling fluid can perform various other valuable functions, including enhancement of drill bit performance (e.g., by ejection of fluid under pressure through ports in the drill bit, creating mud jets that blast into and weaken the underlying formation in advance of the drill bit), drill bit cooling, and formation of a protective cake on the wellbore wall (to stabilize and seal the wellbore wall).
Particularly since the mid-1980s, it has become increasingly common and desirable in the oil and gas industry to use "directional drilling" techniques to drill horizontal and other non-vertical wellbores, to facilitate more efficient access to and production from larger regions of subsurface hydrocarbon-bearing formations than would be possible using only vertical wellbores. In directional drilling, specialized drill string components and "bottomhole assemblies" (BHAs) are used to induce, monitor, and control deviations in the path of the drill bit, so as to produce a wellbore of desired non-vertical configuration.
Directional drilling is typically carried out using a downhole motor (commonly referred to as a "mud motor") incorporated into the drill string immediately above the drill bit. A typical prior art mud motor includes several primary components, as follows (in order, starting from the top of the motor assembly):                a top sub adapted to facilitate connection to the lower end of a drill string ("sub" being the common general term in the oil and gas industry for any small or secondary drill string component);        a power section comprising a positive displacement motor of well-known type, with a helically-vaned rotor eccentrically rotatable within a stator section;        a drive shaft housing configured to be straight, bent, or incrementally adjustable between zero degrees and a maximum angle;        a drive shaft enclosed within the drive shaft housing, with the upper end of the drive shaft being operably connected to the rotor of the power section; and        a bearing section comprising a cylindrical mandrel coaxially and rotatably disposed within a cylindrical housing, with an upper end coupled to the lower end of the drive shaft, and a lower end adapted for connection to a drill bit.
The mandrel is rotated by the drive shaft, which rotates in response to the flow of drilling fluid under pressure through the power section. The mandrel rotates relative to the cylindrical housing, which is connected to the drill string.
Conventional mud motors include power sections that use either a Moineau drive system or a turbine-type drive system. These types of power sections are relatively long, with typical lengths of 15-20 feet for Moineau-type power sections and 20-30 feet for turbines for motor sizes between 5″ and 8″ in diameter. For directional drilling with a bent motor assembly, it is optimal to position the bend within a few feet of the bit in order to achieve suitable levels of hole curvature and reasonable steerability of the assembly. Having the bend located above the power section or turbine would be too great a distance from the bit to be effective, so this requires the bend to be located below the power section or turbine. The bend is typically incorporated within the drive shaft housing. The driveshaft typically comprises universal joints to accommodate the angular misalignment between the power section and bearing assembly, as well as the eccentric operation in the case of a Moineau power section. The driveshaft U-joints and threaded connections are typically the weakest parts of the motor assembly and the most common locations for fractures to occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,169, U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,061, U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,117, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,832 (all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety) disclose similar types of fluid-powered rotary drive mechanisms. These mechanisms are capable of outputting levels of rotary speed and torque comparable to Moineau and turbine-type power sections, but in power sections as short as one to three feet in length. These mechanisms comprise a system of longitudinal lobes and gates, with intake and exhaust ports for directing fluid to build pressure between the lobes and gates to drive the rotation of the motor. The mechanisms operate with concentric rotation between the inner shaft and outer housing. The shorter length and concentric operation allow any of these drive systems to be incorporated directly within or attached to the mud motor bearing assembly, with no need for a driveshaft assembly with universal joints. The fixed or adjustable bent housing can be attached above the drive section while maintaining a bit-to-bend length that is as short as or shorter than in conventional downhole motors. The resulting overall length of the motor is dramatically shorter than in conventional assemblies.
These drive mechanisms do not require any elastomeric elements, in contrast to Moineau-type drive systems which incorporate elastomeric stator elements that limit the operational temperature for a Moineau-type system to a maximum of about 325-350° F. Additionally, the performance of Moineau-type drive systems tapers off sharply above 140° F. Therefore, these concentrically-operating drive systems are suitable for use in extremely high temperature and geothermal applications (500+ degrees F.) that are beyond the limits of Moineau-type systems, with little or no drop in performance.

Downhole motor with concentric rotary drive system


The three mode overrunning bi-directional clutch has a first mode where the slipper race and fixed race are coupled and power is not transmitted between the inner input shaft and the outer shaft. A second mode where the slipper race is uncoupled from the fixed race and the slipper race engages the outer shaft to provide power transmission between the inner shaft and the outer shaft. The third mode couples the slipper race to the fixed race but uses a brake to provide radial force against the slipper race to allow for partial engagement between the slipper race and the outer shaft. This third mode allows for a smooth transition between the first mode and the second mode.

Overrunning bi-directional clutches are known, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,409,001; 7,004,875; and 7,037,200. Such clutches are mounted between two coaxial shafts and are used to transfer power between the two shafts. The clutch is fixed to a first shaft and selectively engages with the second shaft so as to transfer power between the two shafts. Typically, the first shaft is the power input shaft and typically, the first shaft is also the inner shaft of the two shafts. The output shaft or second shaft can be a geared wheel.
Overrunning bi-directional clutches comprise a fixed race, a slipper race, cylindrical rollers which are housed between the two races and an actuator. The fixed race and the slipper race are coaxial cylindrical rings with opposing faces. Each of the opposing faces has concave bearing surfaces which define pockets. Each pocket houses a roller.
The slipper race has an axial groove or slit that extends both radially and axially through the race. The slit allows the slipper race to move radially under force and the memory inherent in the material from which the slipper race is made allows the race to return to a rest position once the force is withdrawn. The fixed race is mounted onto the first shaft while the slipper race is spaced in close proximity to the second shafts such that when the slipper race moves radially, it the second race, thereby transferring power between the two shafts. Once the force is removed from the slipper race, it returns to its rest position and no longer engages the second shaft. The rest position is generally referred to as the "freewheeling mode" or the first mode of operation of a clutch, while the engaged position when the slipper race engages the second shaft is referred to as the "blocked mode" or second mode of operation for the clutch.
The actuator is used to maintain the clutch in the freewheeling mode and to move the clutch to the blocked mode. Typically, the actuator is a radial mounted moveable pin which is fixed to the fixed race and retractable from the slipper race. When the actuator engages both races the two races are coupled and the clutch is in the freewheeling mode. In the freewheeling mode, the opposing concave bearing surfaces are aligned with each other and the rollers rest in the bottom of each of the opposing concave surfaces. When the actuator pin is withdrawn from the slipper race, the two races move relative to one another and the rollers move out of the bottom of the opposing concave surfaces and rise up along diagonally opposing surfaces of the pocket so as to force the slipper race to move radially and to engage the second shaft.
One of the problems with overrunning bi-directional clutches is that once the actuator is moved to transfer the clutch from the freewheeling mode to the blocked mode, the clutch reacts very quickly and the overall time period is on the order of 10 to 25 milliseconds. For shafts traveling at high speeds, this shift can cause large noises, clunking and heat because the second shaft is essentially at rest and must be brought up to the speed of the first shaft instantaneously.

Three-mode overrunning bi-directional clutch


This invention realizes and provides an image forming apparatus in which the presence or absence of a toner remaining in a toner storing portion is judged by a patch detecting method, characterized in that the wrong detection of the judgment of the presence or absence of the toner can be prevented and the lowering of image density can be suppressed. In an image forming apparatus having a first toner supply controller for controlling the driving time of a toner supplying portion on the basis of the video count number of the density signal of an image information signal, and a second toner supply controller for correcting the driving time of the toner supplying portion determined by the first toner controller, and designed such that the presence or absence of the toner remaining in the toner storing portion is judged on the basis of the density signal of a standard toner image, when the density signal of the standard toner image is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the driving time of the toner supplying portion additionally corrected per image by the second toner supply controller is made longer than when the density signal of the standard toner image is greater than the predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process, an electrostatic recording process or the like, and particularly to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile apparatus, or a compound machine having a plurality of these functions.
2. Related Background Art
In conventional image forming apparatuses of an electrophotographic type, and above all, particularly a multi-color image forming apparatus for effecting color image forming, there has been widely utilized two-component development using a mixture of a nonmagnetic toner and a magnetic carrier as a developer.
The two-component development, as compared with presently proposed other developing processes, has such merits as the stability of image and the durability of apparatus, while on the other hand, only the toner is consumed with image forming and therefore, in conformity therewith, it is necessary to suitably supply the toner and control toner density (the weight ratio of the toner to the weight of the whole developer) within an appropriate range. It is a very important factor in stabilize the quality of image to control the toner density within an appropriate range, and various methods have heretofore been proposed and put into practical use.
For example, there have heretofore been proposed and practiced a method of directly detecting toner density in a developing device by the use of an optical sensor, a method of directly detecting toner density in a developing device by the use of an inductance sensor, a method of detecting the density of a patch image by an optical sensor to thereby indirectly detect toner density in a developing device (hereinafter referred to as the patch method), a method of indirectly detecting toner density in a developing device by the use of a video counter for integrating an image information signal (hereinafter referred to as the video count method), etc. The amount of toner to be supplied to the developing device is determined on the basis of the toner density detected by one of these methods.
Among them, the patch method is a method of reading the density of a reference toner image (hereinafter referred to as the "patch image") formed on a photosensitive member as an image bearing member by a light source provided at a location opposed to the surface thereof and a sensor for receiving the reflected light thereof, and controlly the toner supply amount on the basis of the output value thereof to thereby effect toner density control. This method is widely used because when in a multi-color image forming apparatus, a plurality of developing apparatuses are provided around the photosensitive member, it is not necessary to provide a sensor for each developing apparatus and this is advantageous in terms of cost.
Also, when the patch detecting method is adopted for the toner density control of a two-component developer, it is desirable to widen the interval at which the patch images are formed to the utmost, from the point that consumption of excess toner becomes necessary to form the patch images, and the point that the ordinary image forming operation must be discontinued during the formation of the patch images and this becomes a factor which reduces productivity.
So, use is made of a method as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-27598 wherein the video count method is used in addition to the patch method. The video count method is a method of foreseeing the toner consumption amount from the integrated value of the video count number of the image density of an image information signal read by a CCD or the like, and effecting an amount of toner supply corresponding thereto, and the toner supply amount is calculated and supplied during each image forming operation, and this leads to the advantage that when a great amount of toner is consumed as when forming an image of high density, the toner supply is controlled so as to quickly provide proper developer density. On the other hand, when there is a difference between the toner consumption amount foreseen from the video count number and the actual toner consumption amount, there is the possibility that the toner density in the developer gradually deviates from a proper range.
So, use has heretofore been made of a combined method of normally effecting toner density control by the video count method, and effecting toner density control by the patch detecting method when the image forming operation has reached a predetermined number of times.
This combined method, as compared with the controlling method using only the patch detecting method, can greatly widen the interval between the patch detecting operations, and also can correct the deviation of the toner consumption amount by the video count method, by the patch detecting method and can therefore be said to be a very excellent method.
Now, when the image forming apparatus continues to be used for a long period of time, the toner in a toner storing portion storing therein the toner to be supplied becomes exhausted and therefore, a design is made such that the presence or absence of the toner remaining in this toner storing portion is judged to thereby call upon a user to supply a fresh toner. When this toner storing portion is made into a cartridge type detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus, a design should preferably be made such that if the toner in the toner storing portion is judged to be substantially absent, the user is called upon to interchange the toner storing portion made into a cartridge.
As this residual toner amount detecting means, there have heretofore been proposed and carried out a method using a piezosensor, a method using an antenna sensor, a method using an optical sensor, etc.
As another method, there is a method serving as toner presence or absence detecting means and toner density controlling means by the use of the output of a sensor for detecting the above-described patch image. Specifically, when the detection output of the patch image is a predetermined value or less or when an output of a predetermined value or less continues a plurality of times, the absence of the toner is judged. This method can perform both of toner presence or absence detection and toner density control by a single sensor and therefore, does not require the provision of a sensor exclusively for toner presence or absence detection, and is a very excellent method in terms of cost.
This method, however, performs toner presence or absence detection and toner density control by a single sensor and therefore, simply by looking at the detection output of the patch image, it is difficult to judge whether the toner is truly absent or the density of the patch image has become low due to any other factor than the toner density.
To enhance the accuracy of this toner presence or absence judgment, a threshold value to be compared with the sensor output detecting the patch image density when the absence of the toner is judged can be set to a considerably low value, but if this is done, the ordinary image density will be greatly lowered in the vicinity of the absence of the toner, and this is not preferable in practical use. Conversely, if the threshold value is set to a higher value, the lowering of the density can be suppressed, but the risk of misjudging the presence or absence of the toner will heighten.