A method for etching a stack with at least one silicon germanium layer over a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. A silicon germanium etch is provided. An etchant gas is provided into the processing chamber, wherein the etchant gas comprises HBr, an inert diluent, and at least one of O2 and N2. The substrate is cooled to a temperature below 40° C. The etching gas is transformed to a plasma to etch the silicon germanium layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to semiconductor devices. More specifically, the invention relates to semiconductor devices with a doped polysilicon and silicon germanium stack.
2. Description of the Related Art
The formation of film stacks of doped and undoped regions of polysilicon and silicon germanium (SiGe) are used for forming gate electrodes for semiconductor devices.

Dual doped polysilicon and silicon germanium etch


Preserved sunscreen compositions comprising 0.1 to 20% by weight of a substituted 1,3-diketone, a preservative system comprising 0.1 to 5% by weight of an organic acid and a cosmetically acceptable carrier for the sunscreen, the composition having a pH value not exceeding pH 6.

The sunscreen material, 4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4'-methoxydibenzoylmethane, known also as Parsol 1789, is supplied by L. Givaudan & Cie Societe, and is described in their GB 2 038 807, as being an outstanding UV A-filter, in that it brings about a considerable retardation in the ageing of the skin with excellent skin tolerance stability (to light, heat and to moisture).
In order to prepare an effective composition to enable a sunscreen material such as this to be applied to the human body surface, particularly to the skin or hair, it is necessary to distribute this sunscreen in a suitable carrier or diluent, at a suitable concentration to facilitate its application at a correct dose over the body surface. The composition so employed must also possess excellent preservative properties, such that the sunscreen material itself does not lose its ability to function as a UV A-filter, and also such that the composition itself is immune from microbial spoilage.
In trade literature issued by Givaudan, the following compatible substances having preservative and antimicrobial compatibility are suggested, (CTFA Designation):
Glutaral PA0 Phenoxyethanol PA0 Chlorhexidine PA0 Propylene Glycol (and) PA0 5-Bromo-5-Nitro-1,3-Dioxane PA0 Methylparaben PA0 Propylparaben PA0 Butylparaben PA0 Triclosan PA0 Methylchloroisothiazolinone (and) PA0 Methylisothiazolinone PA0 Benzalkonium Chloride PA0 Triclocarban
We have carried out extensive trials testing the ability of those from this list which are cosmetically acceptable, but have failed to show that any one, or any combination of them, is sufficiently powerful to preserve some sunscreen compositions containing the sunscreen in question against microbial spoilage, particularly against the effects of yeasts and gram-negative bacteria.
We have also examined the effects of some of the so-called compatible preservative and anti-microbial materials identified by Givaudan in their trade literature, including imidazolidinyl urea (also known as Germall 115) and diazolidinyl urea (also known as Germall II) and have confirmed that the UV A-filter activity of the sunscreen PARSOL 1789 is adversely effected.
The invention is accordingly concerned with the discovery that certain other preservative agents that are not only effective in preserving compositions containing this sunscreen against most microbial spoilage organisms, but also totally compatible with it. Furthermore, these other preservative agents have never been proposed for use with it, either by Givaudan in their trade literature nor in any other source.

Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.


A remote display device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry display a display screen. The processing circuitry generate a plurality of display data corresponding to mutually different display areas, each being a part of the display screen. The processing circuitry transmit the plurality of display data generated to a plurality of terminal devices, respectively. The processing circuitry update the display screen based on operation data indicative of an operation performed by the terminal device to the display area corresponding to the display data.

A control system including a controlled apparatus provided with a display module, such as a television, and a remote controller which remotely controls the controlled apparatus is disclosed. In this system, the display module to which a touch panel, such as a display integrated tablet, is attached to the remote controller is provided, and the same screen as the screen displayed on the controlled apparatus is displayed on the display module. Note that, when a user touches the touch panel of the remote controller, the touched coordinates are transmitted to the controlled apparatus, and the controlled apparatus processes this coordinates as if the coordinates is selected in the display screen of the controlled apparatus.
For example, a plurality of persons may work jointly, such as a plurality of sailors create a voyage plan, or a plurality of participants (children, students, etc.) receive a lesson. In such a case, it is desired that the display module of the controlled system is used for the joint project to allow the plurality of persons to operate the display module, and such an environment to utilize the display module for the joint project has been increasingly prepared because of the recent large-sized display modules. However, the disclosed system does not have the function required for such a joint project.

Remote display device, remote display system, and remote display method


There is provided a method for promoting epithelium repair in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an activator of PI3K/Akt signalling.

Asthma is a substantial global health care burden with around 300 million individual sufferers, despite substantial progress in our understanding of its pathophysiology. Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disorder in children. Although the symptoms of asthma are potentially manageable in most asthma sufferers using conventional therapeutic regimens such as topical bronchodilators and corticosteroids, these regimens fail to alter the underlying pathogenesis and present unwanted side effects. As such, there is a pressing need for identification of novel therapeutic strategies that target the principal cause of asthma and not just its clinical sequelae.
Airway remodeling in asthma, characterized as thickening of the airway mucosa, has been associated with dysregulated responses of tissue repair and regeneration to injury. These impairments have been shown to be present from early childhood, not necessarily subsequent to but rather in parallel with airway inflammation. Importantly, the airway epithelium constitutes the first barrier of defense that protects the internal milieu of the lung against foreign factors. Therefore, it is likely that underlying defective cellular mechanisms in children with asthma predispose the airways to damage, unresolved inflammation, and subsequent airway remodeling and persistent asthma symptoms.
Following injury, a rapid and coordinated reparative response is elicited to maintain epithelial barrier integrity and prevent secondary damage to the host. Physiological airway wound repair is characterized by initial cell spreading and migration into the wound site, specifically of a finite number of rows of epithelial cells surrounding the wound, termed 'leading edge cells'. This is followed by basal cell proliferation and differentiation into various epithelial cell subtypes. Similar to other epithelial linings, migration of epithelial cells after airway damage has been shown to close small wounds without the need for cell proliferation, whereas repair of large wounded areas requires both proliferation and migration. Airway epithelium from children with asthma is hyperproliferative compared to that from non-asthmatic controls.
Repair of airway epithelium from children with asthma is impaired by, and associated with, deficient production of the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, fibronectin (FN) and is partially restored by application of exogenous FN. Epithelial cells at the leading edge of the wound adhere to ECM proteins and mediate forward and directional movement of the epithelial cell sheet via binding of integrins. Airway epithelial cells express FN-binding integrins, which are essential for efficient migration and re-epithelisation of wounds and airway epithelia of adults diagnosed with asthma display reduced expression of integrin β4. However, whether dysregulation of integrin related pathways plays an important role in the pathobiology of asthma is uncertain.
Regardless of anatomical location or function, all breaches of the epithelia must be repaired quickly, not only to prevent ingress of pathogens or harmful materials to the body but also to prevent fluid loss.
It is widely accepted that the airway epithelium plays a central role in the pathogenesis of asthma and treatments improving airway epithelial barrier integrity and regeneration post wounding could lead to significant improvements in the quality of life of asthmatic patients, as well as prevent future lung damage and irreversible airway remodeling.
The present inventors have identified that defective cell migration and repair of the airway epithelium of children with asthma can be rescued via stimulation of the PI3K-Akt-integrin α5β1 axis. This can be targeted with therapeutics that activate PI3K-Akt signaling.


A right angle level holder includes a right angle level base, and a plurality of thumb screws. The right angle level base has two legs which are disposed 90 degrees apart from one another. Each leg has a slot which receives a straight level. A first side of the slot has an inverted acute angle surface which is structured to retain a first edge of a straight level. The second side of the slot has a raised portion which is high enough for tapping a threaded hole. The thumb screw is threaded in the threaded hole to retain a second edge of a straight level. The thumb screw has a first end which is adapted for turning by finger pressure. The second end of the thumb screw has a swivel tip that is adapted for retaining the second edge of a straight level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to right angle levels and more specifically to a right angle level holder which retains two straight levels at a right angle to each other.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There are several level designs which address the need for a right hand level in the construction industry. An example of some of these right hand levels are U.S. Pat. No. 2,466,829 by Sprinkel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,303,569 by Wyatt, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,301 by Tau. The length of these levels are long enough to give an accurate reading for erecting walls and the like. However, the field of art lacks a device which is adapted to receive two straight levels and constrain them at a right angle to each other.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a right hand level holder which is adapted to hold two straight levels at a 90 degree angle to each and thus allow a user to utilize existing straight levels which they already own.


A semiconductor device including: a semiconductor substrate in which an integrated circuit is formed; an insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and having a first surface and a second surface which is higher than the first surface; a first electrode formed to avoid the second surface and electrically connected to the inside of the semiconductor substrate; and a second electrode formed on the second surface and electrically connected to the inside of the semiconductor substrate.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, an electronic device, a method of manufacturing the electronic device, and electronic instrument.
A face down bonding is known as a mounting form for a semiconductor chip. This mounting form is used on the premise that the semiconductor chip is mounted in a region without a level difference. Therefore, it is difficult to mount a semiconductor chip in a region with a level difference while preventing occurrence of a connection failure.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same, electronic device and method of manufacturing the same, and electronic instrument


There is provided a lancet comprising a lancet body, a lancet cap and a pricking component. In the lancet, the lancet body and the lancet cap are made of resin and the pricking component is made of metal. The pricking component is situated in both of the lancet body and the lancet cap, and the tip of the pricking component is covered with the lancet cap. The lancet body of the lancet is thin except for a rim portion of the body, and the rim portion of the lancet body has such a form that the rim portion extends symmetrically from the thinned portion of the lancet body.

In order to measure a blood sugar level of a patient with diabetes, it is required to take a sample of the blood from the patient. The small amount of the blood to be taken can be enough. Thus, a lancet capable of taking a small amount of blood is used to measure the blood sugar level. The lancet is generally equipped with a pricking needle capable of puncturing a predetermined region of the patient's body (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,571).
In general, the lancet is used in conjunction with an injector. The injector has a function of launching the lancet toward the predetermined region. By loading the lancet into the injector, the pricking device is set up for use. The lancet loaded into the injector is launched toward the predetermined region by means of a plunger of the injector, whereby the predetermined region is pricked.
The present applicant has invented the following pricking device, and filed the application regarding such device (WO 2007/018215 A1, filed date: 8 Aug. 2006, title of the invention: "PRICKING DEVICE, AS WELL AS LANCET ASSEMBLY AND INJECTOR ASSEMBLY THAT CONSTITUTE THE PRICKING DEVICE"). Referring to the accompanying drawings, the lancet assembly and the injector assembly invented by the applicant will be briefly explained below (note that the term "lancet assembly" will be hereinafter referred to also as "lancet", and the term "injector assembly" will be hereinafter referred to also as "injector"). FIG. 14 shows an external appearance of a lancet 100′, and FIG. 15 shows an external appearance of an injector 200′. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the lancet 100′ is composed of a lancet body 104′, lancet cap 106′ and a pricking component 105′. The pricking component 105′ is attached to the lancet body 104′, and the tip of the pricking needle is covered with the lancet cap 106′. The lancet cap 106′ and the lancet body 104′ are integrally connected together by a weakened part 108′. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 17, the protective cover 102′ is provided to enclose a part of the lancet body 104′. Such lancet 100′ is loaded into the injector 200′, and thereafter the lancet cap 106′ is removed. By the removal of the lancet cap, the tip of the pricking needle 105′ is exposed, and thereby the lancet becomes ready for pricking.
The injector 200′ shown in FIG. 15 can be used in combination with the lancet 100′ to launch the lancet body with the tip of the pricking needle 105′ exposed. The injector 200′ comprises a plunger 204′. The plunger 204′ is capable of engaging with a rear end portion of the lancet body to launch the lancet body in the pricking direction (see FIG. 18). As shown in FIG. 18, the lancet 100′ is loaded into the injector 200′ by inserting the lancet 100′ into the injector 200′ through a front end opening 214′ of the injector 200′. As shown in FIG. 19, when the lancet is inserted to some degree, a rear portion 116′ of the lancet 100′ is held by tips 264′ and 266′ of the plunger 204′. Subsequently, when the insertion of the lancet is continued, the plunger 204′ is thrust backward so that the launching energy is stored. That is, the retraction of the plunger 204′ can compress a spring (not shown) provided in the plunger 204′. This means that, when the compression of the spring is released, the plunger instantly moves forward to launch the lancet. FIG. 20 shows the injector 200′ in the state where the plunger has retracted and the launching energy has been stored therein.
After the loading of the lancet 100′ into the injector 200′ is completed, the lancet cap 106′ is removed to expose the tip of the pricking needle 105′. The removal of the lancet cap 106′ will be described as follows:
As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the lancet body 104′ and the lancet cap 106′ are integrally connected together by the weakened part 108′ disposed between the lancet body and the lancet cap. The weakened part 108′ is broken by rotating the lancet body 104′ and the lancet cap 106′ around the pricking needle in the reverse direction to each other (see FIG. 20 in which the rotation of the lancet cap in the direction "G" is shown), whereby the removal of the lancet cap 106′ can be performed.
When the pricking operation is carried out, the front end opening 214′ of the injector 200′ is applied to a predetermined region to be pricked (for example, a finger tip). Subsequently, the press part 542′ of a trigger component 514′ is pushed. See FIG. 21. The pushing of the press part 542′ results in an instantaneous expansion of the compressed spring, and thereby forcing the plunger 204′ to move forwardly to prick the predetermined region with the pricking needle.
With respect to the injector, the tip of the plunge, to which tip the lancet is secured, mostly has a cylindrical portion (see FIG. 22). That is, the lancet is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the plunger, and thereby the lancet is secured to the plunger (see JP H05-285127). The lancet is more or less required to have an exact shape size with respect to the cylindrical portion. The exact shape size of the lancet makes it possible to firmly attach the lancet to the cylindrical portion of the plunger. In other words, if the cylindrical portion of the plunger does not have the exact shape size, the lancet cannot be attached to the plunger, and even if can be attached, the lancet is hard to be detached from the plunger at a point time after the pricking operation.
The lancet is used for the periodical measurement of the blood sugar level. This means that the lancet is used very often and disposable. Thus, it has been desired to keep the disposal amount of the used lancet as low as possible.


The use of cortisol agonist for preparing a system for diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome and related conditions as belly fatness, insulin resistancy including increased risk of developing senile diabetes, i.e. diabetes type II, high blood fats and high blood pressure, in which system the dose of cortisol agonist is in an interval where a difference is obtained in the inhibitory effect of the autoproduction of cortisol in individuals suffering from the metabolic syndrome, compared to normal values.

The metabolic syndrome is characterised by an increased amount of adipose tissue inside the abdominal cavity (popularly called belly fatness), insulin resistance with increased risk of developing senile diabetes, i.e. diabetes type II (=NIDDM, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus), high levels of blood fats and high blood pressure. Parallel to this is an increased risk of coronary, apoplexy, sudden death and other arteriosclerotic conditions.
A hypothetical explanation to the metabolic syndrome could be an overproduction of cortisol, a stress hormone which causes an accumulation of fat inside the abdominal cavity, and insulin resistance. Theoretically this could, through secondary metabolic effects, explain the other disorders related to the metabolic syndrome.
In Metabolism, vol. 41, No 8, 1992, pages 882–886, is shown that belly fat women have higher secretion of cortisol than "evenly fat" women. The same work describes the effects of acute mental stress on the production of cortisol. It was shown that belly fat women, at a given stress signal, produced more cortisol than 'evenly fat' women. This suggested, but did not prove, that there may be a relationship between stress and belly obesity. A dexamethasone inhibitor test was carried out with 1 mg dexamethasone and subsequent measurement of cortisol content in serum. No difference in inhibitory effect on the production of cortisol could be found between the groups of belly fat women and to evenly fat women and standard values.
Cortisol analogues, e.g. dexamethasone, have for many years been used to track so called endogenous (often hereditary) depressions in humans. The mechanism behind the test is however so far unknown.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for determining whether condition is symptom of metabolic syndrome


Components selected from bare die, surface mount devices and stacked devices are assembled using flip chip assembly methods on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) with no components having a mounted height exceeding a preferred height. The preferred height may correspond with the components having the highest power rating, because the most effective thermal coupling to a heat sinking surface will then be provided to these high-power components. A blade server is configured with the back face of high-power components coupled to a metal tank carrying cooling water. An electronic system has laminate blocks comprising repeated laminations of PCBAs coupled to metal foils. The laminate blocks are coupled to heat sink surfaces in direct contact with cooling liquid. Power density is superior to existing high-performance computing (HPC) systems and data center servers.

Rack mounted servers employ processors and supporting devices mounted on rigid printed circuit boards. High-power chips are usually sold as packaged devices that are mounted on printed circuit boards. The packaged devices consume considerably more space than the original die contained within the package. Mounting bare die on a printed circuit board can provide a higher chip density but this requires improved heat dissipation.
In the prior art, a CRAY E5-4669v4 supercomputer uses up to 384 64-bit Intel Xeon processors running at 2.2 GHz, and each processor can include up to 22 cores. The volume of the compute cabinet is 176,929 cubic inches, and the volume of the blower cabinet is 60,669 cubic inches for a total volume of 237,598 cubic inches. Power consumed by the compute cabinet is 90 kW in the maximum configuration. The density of processors per unit system volume is 384/237,598 in3 or 0.0016 processors/in3.
Also in the prior art is the HP PROLIANT BL460cG8 blade server. It has dimensions of 2.2-inch wide, 7.1-inch high, and 20.4-inches deep. It employs dual INTEL OCTA-CORE XEON E5-2660v4 processors running at 2.2 GHz. Each processor die has an area of 306.2 square millimeters and each packaged processor has an area of 2,362 square millimeters. The blade server uses a single printed circuit board having an area of 140 square inches. The number of packaged processor chips per unit system volume is 2/319 in3=0.0063 processors/in3.
Also in the prior art is a GOOGLE water-cooled device used in data centers. Tensor processing unit (TPU v3) incorporates application specific processors tailored for acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) applications. A third-generation device was announced on May 8, 2018. Tubes carry cooling water to packages comprising high power devices. The packaged devices are mounted on a printed circuit board.
There is a need in the art for server electronics having increased spatial and power densities, wherein the thermal environment is configured to support higher levels of cooling power.


A process for making gelatine films, in particular sheet gelatine, from powdered gelatine includes the following steps: The powdered gelatine with the addition of water is plasticized by the application of shearing forces at an elevated pressure and an elevated temperature, the plasticized mass is pressed in the form of a film through a slotted die, the film is drawn off the slotted die under tension and the taut film is dried.

As is generally known, sheet gelatine is widely used in the food sector, in particular in the home, in confectionary establishments, diet kitchens, food factories.
The known process for making film-like sheet gelatine requires a high degree of apparatus expenditure and is time-consuming and costly: Gelatine is put into hot water and stirred until it dissolves. A considerable amount of air is introduced into the solution and so after the gelatine has dissolved completely, degasification has to be carried out in a degasifying apparatus in order to obtain a bubble-free end product. The degased gelatine solution with a water content of between 70 and 75% is sterilized and poured in the hot state out of a pouring vat with a doctor blade onto a cooled roll. The gelatine cools down on the roll and solidifies to a jelly which is drawn as endless, broad band off the cooling roll and then cut into endless strips in a cutting apparatus. The strips are then placed on an endless net and inserted in a dryer with a length of over 100 m. To dry 110 kg of gelatine in the dryer, 35 to 40 million liters of air have to be circulated, and the air has to be dehumidified and sterilized beforehand. Such large quantities of air are required because the drying air may only be heated to under the melting point of the gelatine. After leaving the dryer, the gelatine strips are cut into sheets which are then packed or stored loose. The sheet gelatine leaves the dryer with a final moisture of 10.5 to 11.5%.
With this involved dissolving, solidifying and drying process, the gelatine suffers a considerable loss of gelatinous strength, namely approximately 20 to 25 bloom grams, which means an approximately 10% loss of quality.
The process described hereinabove involves an extremely large number of staff. For an hourly capacity of 110 kg of sheet gelatine, 6 to 7 operators are required. In particular, the packing of the sheet gelatine sheets has to be carried out by hand. It has so far not been possible to use counting machines and automatic packing machines for this purpose, more specifically, for the following reason: Shrinking effects occur during the drying of the sheet gelatine. The sheets tend to roll and, therefore, have to be placed on netting in such a way that they adhere slightly to it. This produces a netting impression on the sheet gelatine. All this unavoidably results in an undulating sheet surface and, in particular, the undulations in the edge regions of the sheets are particularly prominant owing to the particularly strong shrinkage. Owing to these unevennesses on the surface of the sheet, in particular at the edge of the sheet, the sheets become intertwined during singling-out and can, therefore, not be handled by automatic machines. Furthermore, the reject quotas during the final checking of the packages are very high.


A fixed-center constant velocity joint has a race located concentrically to a rotational first axis, and a ring-shaped cage located concentrically to a rotational second axis. Both the race and the cage are centered to a common center point lying on the first and second axes regardless of the angular state of the joint. A spherical surface carried by the race radially opposes a spherical face carried by the cage for angular movement with respect to the center point. The surface and face are in close or contacting relationship to prevent telescoping movement with respect to the first and second axes.

Known ball-type constant velocity joints are typically of a stroking variety and facilitate rotational movement between a driving shaft and a driven shaft. The ball-type joint is especially useful in applications wherein the driving and driven shafts are angled with respect to one another. Known joints include an inner race attached to one of the shafts and an outer race attached to the other shaft. The inner and outer races define grooves or channels which cooperate to form passages. Roller balls are positioned in the passages and torque is transmitted between the shafts with the roller balls.
Known ball-type joints may include six-balls or eight-balls. Generally, six-ball joints provide greater stroke and angle capabilities than eight-ball joints. On the other hand, eight-ball joints generally can be more compact than six-ball joints. It is desirable to develop a ball-type joint having the advantage of compactness provided by eight-ball joints with the angle capabilities of six-ball joints, while at the same time improving NVH (Noise Vibration and Harshness) characteristics and mechanical efficiency. Yet further, it would be desirable to develop a self-retained and fixed-center joint (i.e. non-stroking) wherein at least a portion of the joint has the ability to hold itself together prior to full assembly in any environmental application, and when operating, a joint that prevents stroking or telescoping movement.


In an X-ray CT (computerized tomographic) imaging system, a plurality of X-ray detectors, data acquisition circuitry and an image reconstruction unit are provided. The data acquisition circuitry includes a plurality of A/D converter units. The X-ray image signals derived from the plurality of X-ray detectors are A/D-converted by the corresponding ones of the A/D converter units into corresponding X-ray image data. Then, the X-ray image data obtained from the respective A/D converter units is sequentially transferred via a digital data bus to the image reconstruction unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an X-ray computerized tomographic imaging apparatus. More specifically, the present invention is directed to X-ray CT imaging data acquisition circuitry with employment of a digital data bus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a typical X-ray CT (computerized tomographic) imaging system, as partially shown in FIG. 1, a large number of X-ray detectors Ch.sub.1 to CH.sub.n ("n" being an integer) are arranged around a biological body 2 under medical examination so as to detect fan-shaped X-rays 4 penetrated through the biological body 2. These X-rays 4 are emitted from an X-ray tube 1. These X-ray detectors Ch.sub.1 to CH.sub.n constitute an X-ray detecting unit 5.
X-ray signals derived from the respective X-ray detectors CH.sub.1 to CH.sub.n are integrated by corresponding integrators 10.sub.1 to 10.sub.n, and thereafter the integrated X-ray signals are held by corresponding sample-holds 12.sub.1 to 12.sub.n. Then, the integrated X-ray signals are supplied to a multiplexer 14. As a result, for instance, the integrated X-ray signal derived from the first X-ray detecting channel (detector CH.sub.1) is outputted from the multiplexer 14 to an A/D converter 16 via an analog data bus (signal channels) 15. Subsequently, the digital X-ray signal (data) is supplied via a data coupler 18A to a computer system (not shown in detail) in which image reconstruction and other data processing are carried out so as to obtain X-ray CT image data of a slice of the biological body 2.
Similarly, the X-ray signals are supplied by the multiplexer 14, via the analog data bus 15 and A/D converter 16, to the computer system in order to similarly acquire X-ray CT image data of the slice by way of the image reconstruction technique.
The above described X-ray CT imaging system is known in the medical electronics field from, for instance, Japanese patent Disclosure (KOKAI) Application No. 2-191438 (opened on Jul. 27, 1990) filed by Toshiba corporation, and also "Radiology of the skull and brain TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY" page 4152, FIG. 119-21, volume 5, 1981, by T. H. Newton and G. D. Potts, the C. V. Mosby Company, LONDON.
As previously described, the multiplexer 14 multiplexes the respective X-ray signal detector/processing channels Ch.sub.1 -CH.sub.n ; 10.sub.1 -10.sub.n and 12.sub.1 -12.sub.n so as to sequentially furnish the respective X-ray signals, via the A/D converter 16 and the data coupler 18A, to the computer system. When, for instance, the multiplexer 14 is operated to receive the X-ray image signal from the first X-ray signal detector/processing channel Ch.sub.1, 10.sub.1 `and 12.sub.1, and then to supply thermal image X-ray signal to the A/D converter 16. As ready seen from a waveform diagram of FIG. 2, such a switching operation may cause a "long transition phenomenon". To obtain the first X-ray image signal in a stable condition, it will normally take a time period of 5 to 6 microseconds, which impedes high speed X-ray image data acquisition.
On the other hand, it is known in the art that the packaging density of X-ray detectors should be increased in order to realize a multislice or volume type X-ray CT system. Accordingly, a total image data acquisition time period of this multislice type X-ray CT system is prolonged, as compared with the normal X-ray CT system, due to the above-explained long transition time.
Furthermore, since the analog signal data bus 15 is employed between the output of the multiplexer 14 and the input of the A/D converter 16, noises may be induced into the X-ray image signals transferred from the multiplexer 14 to the A/D converter 16, resulting in deterioration of X-ray CT image quality.

X-ray computerized tomographic image data acquisition circuitry capable of performing high-speed data acquisition


Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of terminal technologies, and provide a method and an apparatus for displaying a candidate word, and a graphical user interface to improve efficiency of a user in entering information by using an input method. The method is applied to a scenario in which a user enters information by using an input method. The method includes: determining a type of an application that invokes the input method; determining, according to the type, dimension information corresponding to the type; determining, according to the dimension information, a lexicon corresponding to the dimension information; and displaying, in a default candidate option area of the input method, at least one candidate word that is in the lexicon and meets a preset condition.

With continuous development of terminal technologies, intelligent terminals are applied more widely. On an intelligent terminal, most information is entered by using an input method. Therefore, the input method becomes an essential application on the intelligent terminal, and improving efficiency of a user in entering information by using the input method also becomes a problem to be resolved urgently.
Generally, to improve efficiency of a user in entering information by using an input method, when the user enters information by using the input method, a display interface of the input method provides a candidate option area for the user. The candidate option area includes some candidate options recommended by the input method to the user. Before the user starts to enter information, the candidate option area is referred to as a default candidate option area. FIG. 1 (a) and FIG. 1 (b) are schematic diagrams of default candidate option areas provided by two input methods respectively. In FIG. 1 (a), default candidate option area A provided by an input method includes a toolbar of the input method, for example, an emoticon and setting of the input method. In FIG. 1 (b), default candidate option area A provided by an input method includes some words that are frequently entered by most users according to statistics of the input method.
In FIG. 1 (a), the default candidate option area provided by the input method can recommend only the toolbar of the input method to the user, but the toolbar of the input method is not used frequently. In FIG. 1 (b), the default candidate option area provided by the input method can recommend only the words frequently entered by most users to the user, but this may not be applicable to individual users. Therefore, the default candidate option areas provided by the two input methods are not helpful for improving efficiency of the user in entering information by using the input methods.

Method and apparatus for displaying candidate word, and graphical user interface


Novel silylethynylated heteroacenes and electronic devices made with those compounds are disclosed.

Display technology is expected to become a dominant sector of high-tech industry in the future. It is also expected that the flat panel display technology will be revolutionized by the use of organic semiconductors that will allow manufacture of cheap, flexible, lightweight, fully portable flat panel displays with no apparent limits to their size. It is predicted that due to the lower manufacturing cost, organic semiconductor based displays will eventually gain dominance over amorphous silicon based counterparts and the respective market share will grow to $1.6 billion by 2007. To realize these goals, however, significant breakthroughs will have to take place in the area of organic semiconductor material and device processing.
Interest in organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) for possible use in displays, sensors and other large area electronic applications has been increasing rapidly. Best reported organic thin film transistor (OTFT) device performance rivals or exceeds that of hydrogenated amorphous silicon devices, and low OTFT process temperatures allow fabrication on a range of surfaces including cloth, paper or lower temperature polymeric substrates.
Organic semiconductors for use in OTFTs can be broadly divided into two groups as high and low mobility materials. High mobility materials have mobility >0.1 cm2/V-s, usefully large carrier energy bandwidth (>0.1 eV) and weak or sometimes absent temperature activation of mobility. To date, most high mobility organic semiconductors have been small molecule materials (with pentacene the most notable example) and most have been deposited by vacuum sublimation or from a solution precursor with a high-temperature (>150° C.) conversion step. Low mobility materials have mobility from about 10−5-10−1 cm2/V-s, typically transport carriers by hopping, and have strong temperature activation of mobility. Most polymeric organic semiconductors fall into this group and many have the potential advantage that they can be deposited from solution.
To date, there have been few reports of low-temperature solution processed organic semiconductors with high mobility. In addition, even for low mobility materials, current solution deposition techniques have not demonstrated material structure, thickness and property control comparable to vacuum deposition techniques. The present invention relates to new organic semiconductor compounds with relatively low OTFT process temperatures and relatively high mobility.

Silylethynylated heteroacenes and electronic devices made therewith

University of Kentucky Research Foundation


A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named ‘Balanglabi’, characterized by its lavender and white bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balanglabi'.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during September 2004. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Angelonia cultivars with unique flower coloration, continuous flowering, and a moderately vigorous, freely branching, and upright growth habit.
The new Angelonia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding selection designated 696-1, not patented, characterized by its light lavender and white bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding selection designated 873-4, not patented, characterized by its light lavender and white bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during June 2005 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2005 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


A hydrostatic mechanical seal assembly includes a locally deployed pump for pressurizing a lubricant fluid between the opposing faces of a mating ring and a sealing ring. In one exemplary embodiment, such pressurization may be achieved via a device that converts the rotational motion of a drive shaft into fluid pressure. The locally deployed pump is intended to advantageously provide a stable positive pressure on the sealing interface between the mating and sealing rings, which may provide improved sealing characteristics, especially in demanding downhole environments.

Mechanical face seals are used on various types of machines and equipment, such as pumps, compressors, and gearboxes, for providing a seal between, for example, a rotating shaft and a stationary component such as a housing. Such mechanical seals typically include a pair of annular sealing rings concentrically disposed about the shaft and axially spaced from each other. Typically, one sealing ring remains stationary (e.g., engaged with the housing) while the other sealing ring rotates with the shaft. The sealing rings further include opposing sealing faces that are typically biased towards one another. Mechanical seals may be generally categorized as "contacting" or "non-contacting". In contacting mechanical seals the biasing force is carried by mechanical contact between the annular sealing rings. In non-contacting mechanical seals a pressurized fluid film between the annular sealing rings carries the biasing force. Non-contacting mechanical seals may be subcategorized as "hydrodynamic pressure lubricated" or "hydrostatic pressure lubricated".
In a hydrodynamic pressure lubricated mechanical face seal (also referred to herein as a hydrodynamic mechanical seal) the seal faces are provided with features such as grooves or vanes. Relative motion of the faces thus tends to draw the lubricating fluid into the interface between the seal faces and effectively pressurize the lubricating fluid film against the fluid being sealed (e.g., drilling fluid in downhole tools). The hydrodynamic lift (separation) of the faces is dependent on rotational speed, fluid viscosity, and the shape of the hydrodynamic features. Fluid viscosity is typically highly dependent on temperature. Such dependencies on speed and temperature tend to make it difficult to design hydrodynamic seals that meet the criteria required for typical downhole tools.
In hydrostatic pressure lubricated mechanical face seals (also referred to herein as hydrostatic mechanical seals) an essentially steady state fluid pressure is provided to the interface between the seal faces, for example, by remote pumps or energized accumulators. In a typical hydrostatic pressure lubricated seal, a radial taper is formed in the seal interface. The radial taper typically converges from the higher pressure fluid to the lower pressure fluid and acts to maintain a predetermined gap between the seal faces (the size of the gap being the primary deterrent to fluid leakage). Hydrostatic mechanical seals typically have a broader range of stable operation as compared with hydrodynamic mechanical seals. For example, hydrostatic mechanical seals are typically much less dependent on rotational speed than hydrodynamic mechanical seals.
In use hydrostatic mechanical seals typically require a stable pressure differential from the higher pressure sealed fluid to the lower pressure excluded fluid. Reversing pressure may be particularly harmful since it may reverse the direction of fluid flow. Such pressure changes may also change the radial taper such that it reverses convergence, thereby allowing contaminants into the sealing interface and compromising the sealing function. Accumulators, in particular, tend to be subject to sticking or fouling, which may cause loss (or reversing of) pressurization in hydrostatic mechanical seals. Such loss (or reversing) of pressurization often allows the excluded fluid to enter the seal interface and thus may result in premature failure of the seal assembly. In certain downhole tools, such as drill bit assemblies, drilling motors, rotational steering tools, measurement while drilling tools, turbines, alternators, and production pumps, such failure of the seal assembly often results in penetration of drilling fluid into the interior of the tool, which is known to have caused serious damage and/or failure of the tool.
Furthermore, remote pressurizing devices tend to be slow to respond to external pressure variations, for example, drilling fluid pressure spikes in a downhole drilling environment. Such pressure spikes have been observed to cause a pressure reversal in hydrostatic mechanical seals and therefore may also allow excluded fluid, such as drilling fluid, to penetrate into the interior of the tool.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved hydrostatic mechanical seal assembly, in particular, an improved hydrostatic mechanical seal assembly including a pressure generating device that might provide improved robustness for use in downhole tools.

Hydrostatic mechanical seal with local pressurization of seal interface


A device for measuring temperature comprising: first and second temperature sensors enclosed in a first material having one or more material components; a contact surface for contacting a body whose temperature is to be measured, at least part of the contact surface being parallel to a lateral direction; wherein the first and second temperature sensors are arranged at different depths from the contact surface and the net thermal conductivity across the device from the contact surface through the first and second temperature sensors is greater than the net lateral thermal conductivity of the device through the first and second temperature sensors.

This invention relates to a device for measuring temperature, particularly the temperature of an animal or human body.
Sensors for measuring temperature are well known and include thermistors, thermocouples and semiconductor-based electronic sensors. If correctly calibrated, such sensors can provide an indication of the temperature of an object in the region from which the sensor takes its inputs. For example, a thermistor placed in direct contact with an object will give an indication of the temperature of that part of the object with which the sensor is in contact.
Often, an object does not have a uniform temperature and its measured temperature varies throughout its volume. For example, the temperature of an animal or human typically varies from its core body temperature to skin temperature. Skin temperature can vary considerably with environmental conditions and it is therefore the core body temperature which is typically more important for medical and diagnostic applications. However, it is not always possible or convenient to measure core body temperature directly by invasive means. It is preferable to make one or more measurements of an easily accessible part of the body (such as skin temperature) and estimate core body temperature from those measurements.
US Patent Application No. 2007/0282218 discloses a device for measuring the local temperature of an external surface of a body using at least two temperature sensors separated by an insulating layer. The measurements may be used to calculate core body temperature by correcting for a difference between core body temperature and local temperature. Algorithms for performing such a correction in dependence on known thermal characteristics of the body are well known in the art (for example, see "Computation of mean body temperature from rectal and skin temperatures", Journal Applied Physiology 31: 484-489, 1971).
An example of a conventional device 12 for measuring the temperature of a body 11 is shown in FIG. 1. Temperature sensors 13 and 14 are arranged at different distances from the external surface 18 of body 11 in material 15, and are separated by a thermally-insulating barrier 16. The effect of thermally-insulating barrier 16 is to cause temperature sensors 13 and 14 to attain different equilibrium temperatures at different rates, such that a measurement of the temperature of body 11 can be estimated from the heat flow across the device between the first and second sensors.
Conventional devices measure the heat flow from the subject body into the device and require that the temperature sensors are accurately positioned so as to properly capture the flow of heat across the device. The accuracy of such devices is therefore heavily dependent on the accuracy of placement of the sensors of the device. Furthermore, the devices are readily influenced by other sources of heat in their environment.
There is therefore a need for a device for measuring temperature whose accuracy is less dependent on the accuracy of placement of its temperature sensors and the proximity of other sources of heat in its environment.


A multicast server apparatus operative to effect the onward transmission of data cells to a plurality of different addresses includes a switch function unit having an input port, an output port and a transfer port, data cells for multicasting being routed from the input port and to the transfer port, first and second header translation units each having an input terminal and an output terminal. The translation units serve respectively as a chainer and as a distributor, the input terminals of the chainer and the distributor being coupled to the transfer port of the switch function unit to receive data for multicasting. The chainer is effective to change address data associated with each data cell fed thereto to a form recognizable by the distributor and to feed back such data cell together with its changed address data to the transfer port. The distributor is effective to convert recognizable address data associated with data cells fed thereto to corresponding route address tags and to feed cells having such address tags to the output port of the switch function unit. Thus, a data cell for multicasting is distributed by the multicasting server apparatus separately to the plurality of different addresses as identified by the address tags.

This invention relates to multicast server apparatus and more especially it relates to such apparatus for use in asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switches.
ATM switches serve for the asynchronous transmission of digital data cells which include address data inter alia, in addition to a data packet pay load.
Multicast server apparatus which is sometimes described as point to multipoint apparatus, is used to route a data packet pay load to a plurality of different addresses.
Many data transmission network services require a multicast server capability and such services include video conferencing, video lecture calls, distributed databases and broadcast signalling at a user network interface. In order to meet these requirements a switching network must be capable of providing a multicast capability at the ATM level,


A monolithically integrated circuit comprises a thin film resistor (8) with low resistance and low temperature coefficient; a high frequency lateral power transistor device (9) including gate (17), source (16) and drain (15) regions, and a Faraday shield layer region (22; 22′) above the gate region; and at least a first metallization layer (28) there above for electrical connection of the gate (17), source (16) and drain (15) regions through via holes filled with conductive material (29c–d). The thin film resistor (8) and the Faraday shield layer region (22; 22′) are made in the same conductive layer, which is arranged below the first metallization layer (28).

A comprehensive overview of available techniques for integrated circuit resistors is given e.g. in chapter 7.3, pp. 7-9–7-11, in the VLSI Handbook (ed. Chen) by A. Lotfi, CRC Press LLC, 2000.
The main different types of resistors are: (i) diffused or bulk resistors, (ii) resistors utilizing parasitic elements of devices (pinch, epitaxial or MOS), and (iii) thin film resistors. The main drawback with diffused resistors is the large parasitic capacitances. Bulk resistors have also to be carefully designed if high breakdown voltage is needed. The same is basically true also for the parasitic element resistor types. The thin-film resistors can be made of deposited polycrystalline silicon, which is used in most integrated circuit fabrication processes, e.g. as gate or emitter material, or of thin metal or metal silicide layers. The tolerances can be made very low and there is a large range of different materials available.
In common BiCMOS processes, several types of polycrystalline silicon thin-film resistors are available in the 50–5000 Ohm/square range. There is usually a trade-off between resistivity and temperature dependence. At around 500 Ohm/square, the temperature dependence is close to zero, but at lower resistivity values, the dependence increases fastly to high positive values. The resistors are usually placed on top of field oxide areas to obtain low parasitic capacitances, and to avoid any risk of breakdown to the substrate. The gate/emitter polycrystalline silicon is used for the resistors, and a few masks added to the process to block some of the implants for the highly doped gates and emitters are needed. Another mask to block the gate/emitter silicide formation may also be required for the resistors.
In LDMOS integrated radio frequency power amplifiers, on-chip resistors for trimming and stabilizing are used, see e.g. C. Dragon, J. Costa, D. Lamey, D. Ngo, W. Burger, "A Silicon MOS Process for Integrated RF Power Amplifiers", MTT-S 1996, p. 257. The polycrystalline silicon gate layer with silicide top layer is used, and thus no additional process steps are needed. The resistivity values of these resistors are in the 1–5 Ohm/square range and are expected to have high positive temperature dependence.

Monolithically integrated circuit comprising a thin film resistor, and fabrication method thereof


There is provided a method of computing computed pathological indication(s), comprising: receiving an indication of values of current laboratory test results calculated based on an automated analysis of laboratory sample(s) collected from a target individual, selecting classifier(s) according to an analysis of the indication of values of the current laboratory test results, determining additional laboratory test(s) according to the analysis of the indication of values of the current laboratory test results and/or the selected classifier(s), generating instructions for automatic execution of second automatic laboratory testing device(s) on the laboratory sample(s) to obtain a second indication of a second value of the additional laboratory test(s), and evaluating computed pathological indication(s) by applying the selected classifier(s) to the indication of values of the current laboratory test results and the second indication of the second value of the additional laboratory test result(s).

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to systems and methods for analyzing laboratory tests and, more specifically, but not exclusively, to systems and methods for enhancing laboratory testing.
A laboratory information system (LIS) is an information management system that manages automated laboratory testing equipment, and stores the generated test results in a database.

Systems and methods for aggregation of automatically generated laboratory test results


Method and system for providing quality of service in communication network. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a communication network system. The communication network system includes a first entity that is configured to store information on a first database and to provide first network access information. The first database is configured to store at least the first network access information. The system also includes a mobile station that is capable of sending and receiving first data via a wireless connection, the mobile station that is capable of sending one or more requests for a service flow. The system also includes a second entity that is configured to provide wireless access to the mobile station. The second entity is capable of exchanging information with the first entity. The second entity includes a second database, which is configured to store at least second network access information.

The present invention relates in general to telecommunication techniques. More particularly, the invention provides a method and system for determining quality of service (QoS) in a communication networks. Merely by way of example, the invention is described as it applies to wireless access network and content provider, but it should be recognized that the invention has a broader range of applicability.
Techniques for wireless communications have progressed through the years. For example, satellite wireless communication networks have been developed where satellites are use to relay voice communication among wireless. There are other techniques as well. Over the recent years, the "cellular" wireless communication networks have become one of the most widely used technique for providing wireless communication.
A wireless network usually includes base stations and mobile stations. For example, a mobile station (MS) refers to a station that is to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified geographic locations. As an example, the mobile station is a mobile communication device. In another example, the mobile station is a cellular phone. In yet another example, a base station (BS) refers to a set of equipment that can provide connectivity, management, and control for one or more mobile stations. As merely an example, a connective service network refers to a set of network functions that provide IP connectivity services to mobile stations. In an exemplary process flow, a MS obtains radio access from a BS. Through the BS, the MS obtains IP services. Typically, the QoS for an MS is determined by the connective service network. The term QoS is broadly defined. For example, the term QoS refers to the performance specification of a communications channel or system.
Therefore, an improved method for providing wireless communication network is desired.

System and method for providing quality of service in a communication network


In a vehicle having a battery-powered drive assembly, the charging socket for recharging the battery can be closed by a flap connected to the central locking system of the vehicle. When the charging plug is removed from the charging socket, the lock of the flap is temporarily opened by the control device of the central locking system, such that said flap can be moved into the lockable closed position and is then locked automatically.

The invention relates to a vehicle having a battery-powered drive assembly having a charging socket which is connected to the battery and which serves for receiving a charging plug connected to a power source, and having a flap for closing the charging socket, wherein the flap can be locked and unlocked by the central locking system of the vehicle.
Vehicles of the generic type are being developed ever further and are increasing in relevance. For the recharging of the battery, said vehicles are normally equipped with a charging socket which is arranged behind a pivotable flap. For the recharging of the battery, the flap is opened, and a charging plug which is connected to a power source is inserted into the charging socket.
Since the charging process takes a relatively long time, it is necessary to lock the vehicle, for which purpose, in most vehicles, a central locking system is provided. In many cases, the connection between the charging plug and the charging socket is also secured, such that the charging plug cannot be pulled out by unauthorized persons.
After the end of the charging process, the charging plug must be pulled out and the flap closed. Since the vehicle is locked, however, the flap cannot be moved into its closed position without prior actuation of the central locking system. The reason for this is that, when the vehicle is locked, the locking element for the flap is situated in its blocking position. Therefore, before the flap is closed, the vehicle must initially be unlocked by the central locking system, and after the flap has been closed, the vehicle must be locked again by another actuation of the central locking system (by a key, a remote control or for example an actuation of a handle in the case of keyless entry systems).

Vehicle having a battery-powered drive assembly with a central locking system


A method for forming a semiconductor device contact plug in a contact hole without a plug cavity. The method forms a contact hole on a substrate, and then forms a barrier layer in the contact hole. Next, a contact plug is formed on the barrier layer in the contact hole. After the formation of the contact plug, a portion of the barrier layer is selectively removed using a gas mixture of a first gas and a second gas. The first gas etches the barrier layer, and the second gas forms a protective layer to prevent a cavity from forming.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a plug and more particularly, to a method for forming a conductive plug in a contact hole without a cavity formed therein.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When a high integrated device is manufactured, due to low step coverage of a metal layer such as titanium(Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), titanium tungsten (TiW), or aluminum, the process of metal wiring is facilitated after the deposition of a tungsten layer. That is, the tungsten layer is deposited in a metal contact hole or a via and etched-back to form a tungsten plug. However, since tungsten is grown on an oxide layer at a low speed, a glue layer made of Ti, TiN, or TiW is required prior to forming the tungsten layer to ensure the formation of the tungsten layer. In this case, the above process can proceed without removing the glue layer after the tungsten layer is etched-back. On the other hand, the above process may proceed after removing the glue layer in order to minimize loss of the tungsten plug for a stacked structure having more than 4 wires, such as a logic device.
A conventional method for forming a conductive plug in a contact hole will be discussed with reference to the attached drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1a, on the entire surface of a substrate 1, there is formed an interlayer insulating layer 2 using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process or a thermal oxidation process. A photoresist layer is coated on the surface of the interlayer insulating layer 2 and then exposed and developed to form a patterned photoresist layer. With the patterned photoresist layer serving as a mask, the interlayer insulating layer 2 is anisotropically etched to form a contact hole 5 on a predetermined portion of the substrate 1. Subsequently, on the resultant surface, there is formed a glue layer 3, which is a barrier layer, made of titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), or titanium tungsten (TiW) on the interlayer insulating layer 2 and in the contact hole 5. Thereafter, a tungsten layer 4 is formed over the substrate 1 using a CVD process.
Referring to FIG. 1b, the tungsten layer 4 is etched-back using fluorine gas that is injected into a plasma reactor, thereby the fluorine gas etches the tungsten layer 4 to form a tungsten plug 4a in the contact hole 5.
Referring to FIG. 1c, the glue layer 3 is etched using chlorine (C1.sub.2) gas, argon (Ar) gas, helium (He) gas, or oxygen (O.sub.2) gas in the plasma reactor. In this case, due to the chemical etching properties between chlorine gas and the glue layer 3, the glue layer 3 on the interlayer insulating layer 2 is etched away as well as a portion of the glue layer 3 in contact with a side of the interlayer insulating layer 2 in the contact hole. As a result, a serious plug cavity 6 is formed.
A conventional method for forming a conductive plug in a contact hole has the following problems.
First, a portion of the glue layer that is in contact with an interlayer insulating layer is over-etched, which forms a plug cavity.
Second, due to the plug cavity, a void is generated in a metal wiring process that decreases the reliability of a unit device.


An X-ray examination apparatus includes a scanning X-ray source for outputting X-rays, a sensor base which is attached with a plurality of X-ray sensors and which rotates about a rotation axis, and an image acquiring control mechanism for controlling rotation angle of the sensor base and acquisition of image data from the X-ray sensors. With respect to each X-ray sensor, the scanning X-ray source moves the X-ray focal position of the X-ray source to each starting position of the X-ray emission set so that the X-ray transmits through a predetermined examination area of an examination target and enters each X-ray sensor, and emits the X-rays. The image control acquiring control mechanism acquires image data detected by the X-ray sensors, and a calculation unit reconstructs an image of the examination area based on the image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray examination method and an X-ray examination apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a photographing method for examining an object using X-ray irradiation, which is a technique applicable to an X-ray examination method and an X-ray examination apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with high integration of an LSI (Large-Scale Integration) by submicron microfabrication technique, functions which were conventionally divided into a plurality of packages can now be integrated into one LSI. Since the increase in the number of pins that arise as a result of incorporating the functions necessary for one package cannot be responded with the conventional QFP (Quad Flat Package) and PGA (Pin Grid Array), LSIs of BGA (Ball Grid Array) and CSP (Chip Size Package) package, in particular, are recently being used. The BGA package is used where ultraminiaturization is necessary such as a mobile phone even if the required number of pins is not large.
The BGA and CSP package of LSI greatly contributes to ultraminiaturization, but has a feature that the solder portion and the like cannot be seen from the outer appearance after assembly. When inspecting a printed board and the like mounted with the BGA or CSP package, the quality determination is performed by analyzing a transmitted image obtained by irradiating an object to be examined with an X-ray.
For instance, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-46760 discloses an X-ray sectional examination apparatus capable of obtaining a clear X-ray image by using an X-ray planar sensor to detect the transmitted X-ray.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-344316 discloses a method of reconstructing an image in an inclined three-dimensional X-ray CT by appropriately selecting the irradiation angle of the X-ray.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-162335 discloses an X-ray examination apparatus capable of performing a two-dimensional examination based on an X-ray image acquired with parallel X-ray detection means and a three-dimensional examination based on an X-ray image acquired with inclined X-ray detection means to perform both the examinations at a high speed.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 06-100451 discloses an automatic laminographic system for creating a cross-sectional image of a connecting part of an electronic component, automatically identifying a fault of the connecting part and finding the position by the analysis system, and determining process characteristics of the connecting part.
However, in the X-ray photographing technique relating to the conventional X-ray examination described above, time is required for imaging and 3D (reconstruction) calculation if the area of an examination area that can be reconstructed is increased. For instance, in order to examine a printed board and the like as described above, images of a plurality of specific portions will suffice in most cases, instead of an image of the entire examination target. In this case, when portions to be examined in the target of examination are arranged in a scattered state, it is not efficient to prepare an X-ray detector having an area (or volume) that encompasses the entire region as the target of examination from the viewpoint of enlargement in device, increase in calculation load, and the like.
An imaging system or an examination target workpiece needs to be moved to change the examination area, whereby movable portions increase. Thus, problems in cost, maintenance, and reliability arise.
Furthermore, when changing the examination area in a case where the area of the examination target is large (e.g., a glass substrate), it is sometimes difficult to move the workpiece side in the X-Y direction or rotate the same over 360 degrees.

X-ray examination method and X-ray examination apparatus


The present invention relates to methods and devices for generating cycled waveforms of nonsingle period, and more particularly to an improvement from the one-way counter used by conventional cycled waveform generator of nonsingle period into an up-down counter or a programmable up-down counter, along with an adder/subtracter. Thus, only the varied values in waveform relative to a DC level have to be filled into a table, and then the varied values in waveform (i.e. the digital waveform sampling values) are input into said adder/subtracter to obtain a periodic digital values by adding/subtracting with a predetermined DC level. Finally, cycled waveforms of nonsingle period are obtained by digital-to-analog converting of said digital values. With the methods and devices of the present invention, not only the fillings in said table can be decreased to reduce the cost, but also the DC output level can be fixed or adjusted arbitrarily for convenient signal processing.

It is known that the earliest waveform generating device employed a crystal oscillator as the waveform generating device for the system clock, and this included a programmable frequency divider, counter, multiplexer, controller and digital-to-analog convertor (D/A), as well as various devices and methods for generating a waveform by phase accumulation. The common disadvantage of the prior art is that the manufacturing cost is too high or the relative accuracy is not good enough. Although currently some devices for generating cycled waveforms of nonsingle period are available, which can provide various waveforms of different periods by using a system clock of low frequency, such conventional devices for generating cycled waveforms of nonsingle period employ of actual value filling, i.e. DC signal and AC signal are operated and processed in advance and then filled into said table. The disadvantage of such a method is that the output signal in said table will have no symmetry. Since a symmetrical and periodic signal such as a sine wave will be symmetrical with respect to a DC level, it is not necessary that the value in each cycled period for counting be filled into said table, so that the repeated parts can be deleted to reduce the size of said table. If the output signal is not symmetrical, such an advantage can not be achieved, and also because the DC portion is contained in the output value of said table, it is more troublesome in processing.

Methods and devices for generating cycled waveforms of nonsingle period


An ink supply system comprises an ink tank which contains ink, and a liquid chamber which is connected to the ink tank through a plurality of communication paths, and supplies ink taken from the ink tank to a recording head, wherein the liquid chamber, except the plurality of communication paths and a connection section to the recording head, forms a substantially sealed space; the liquid chamber is provided with a filter which can partition the inside of the liquid chamber into a first region at the side of the ink tank and a second region at the side of the recording head, and can form a meniscus of ink which is broken by a pressure of gas in the second region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink supply system, a recording apparatus, a recording head, and a liquid supply system, by which, for example, a liquid such as ink is stably supplied with no wasted liquid from ink tanks and the like as a liquid storage section to a recording head, a pen, and the like as a liquid use section, and a gas in a liquid chamber between a liquid use section and a liquid storage section is exhausted into the liquid storage section.
2. Related Background Art
As a liquid use apparatus, there has been, for example, an ink jet recording apparatus, which forms an image on a recording medium, by giving liquid ink to the recording medium with an ink jet recording head. Recently, such a recording apparatus has been used in many cases for recording including color recording, because the recording apparatus can make comparatively small noises at recording and form small dots with a high density. As one form of such an ink jet recording apparatus, some of the apparatuses install an ink jet recording head, which is provided with ink tanks in an integrated or a detachable manner, and to which ink is supplied from the ink tanks, and comprise a carriage with which the recording head scans (main scanning) the recording medium in a predetermined direction, and conveyance means which conveys (sub-scanning) the recording medium in the direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction relatively to the recording head. The ink jet recording apparatus performs recording by discharging ink from the recording head during the main scanning process of the recording head. Furthermore, the ink jet recording apparatus installs a recording head, which can discharge a black ink and colored inks (yellow, cyan, magenta, and the like), on the carriage, to perform not only monochrome recording of a text image with the black ink, but also to permit full-color recording by changing discharging rate of each color. It becomes important in such an ink jet recording apparatus to appropriately exhaust a gas such as air, which is mixed into, or exists in an ink supply path, becomes important.
Here, the gas which goes into an ink supply system can be roughly classified into the following four groups according to causes for generation of the gas:    1) a gas going into the system from ink discharge ports of the recording head, or a gas generated along with ink discharge operation;    2) a gas separated from a gas dissolved in ink;    3) a gas which permeates into the system through a material forming the ink supply path from the outside; and    4) a gas which goes into the system when the ink tanks in a cartridge form are exchanged.
Incidentally, ink flow paths formed in the ink jet recording head have a very fine configuration to require ink supplied from the ink tanks to the recording head to be in a clean state without mixed foreign substances such as dust. That is, when the foreign substances such as dust are mixed, there is caused a problem that, especially, the narrow discharge ports in the ink flow paths of the recording head, or sections of liquid flow paths which are directly communicated with the ports are clogged with the foreign substances. Thereby, normal discharge operation of ink cannot be performed, and recovery of functions of the recording head can not be realized in some cases.
Then, it is general in many cases to have a configuration in which filter members which remove foreign substances in ink are arranged in the ink flow paths between ink supply needles, which are plunged into the ink tanks, in the recording head and the recording head, and the filter members prevent the foreign substances from entering the inside of the recording head.
On the other hand, the number of the ink discharge ports has been recently increased in order to achieve higher recording speed, and the employed frequency of a driving signal applied to an element which generates energy by which the ink is discharged has become higher and higher. Thereby, ink consumption per unit time has been remarkably increased, too. Accordingly, it is natural that the amount of ink passing through the filter members is increased. In order to reduce pressure loss of the ink at the filter members, it is effective to arrange filter members with a large area by expanding parts of the ink supply paths. However, as, in this case, a bubble which enters into the ink supply paths easily remains in space at the upstream side of the filter members in the expanded section on the ink supply paths to cause a state in which the bubble can not be discharged, there is a possibility that smooth supply of ink is blocked. Moreover, there is a possibility that the ink is caused not to be discharged, too, because the gas remaining in the ink supply paths becomes very small bubbles, and the bubbles are mixed into the ink which is guided to the discharge ports of the recording head.
Accordingly, it is strongly required to remove the gas remaining in the ink supply paths, and the following methods will be listed for removing the gas:
(1) Method by which a Gas is Removed by Cleaning Operation
One of methods by which a gas is removed is the following method by cleaning operation.
As the ink jet recording head performs recording by discharging the ink, which is liquid, as a droplet from the discharge ports arranged opposing to the recording medium, increase in the ink viscosity, ink solidification, adhesion of dust to the discharge ports, mixing of bubbles into liquid flow paths inside the discharge ports, and the like occur due to evaporation of an ink solvent from the discharge ports, and the discharge ports are clogged, and the like. Accordingly, there is a possibility that poor recording is caused.
Therefore, the ink jet recording apparatus is provided with capping means which covers the discharge ports of the recording head when recording is not operated, or a wiping member which sweeps, as required, the surface (discharge-port forming surface) of the recording head on which the discharge ports are formed. The capping means has not only a capping function by which drying of ink at the discharge ports is prevented when recording is not operated, as described above, but also a function by which clogging of the discharge ports is eliminated. For example, when clogging of the discharge ports is caused, the discharge port forming surface is covered with a cap member of the capping means, and ink is sucked and discharged from the discharge ports by a negative pressure applied in the cap member with a suction pump and the like which is communicated with the inside of the cap member. Thereby, clogging in the discharge ports, which is caused by ink solidification, and defective discharge of ink due to thickened ink or mixed bubbles in the flow path are eliminated.
Thus, forced discharge processing of ink, which is performed as described above in order to eliminate the defective discharge of ink, is called cleaning operation. The cleaning operation is carried out when recording is restarted after the long-time inactive state of the recording apparatus, or when a switch and the like for cleaning is operated by a user who recognizes that the quality of a recording image is deteriorated. After forced discharge of ink from the discharge ports, and, then, wiping operation is done to wipe the discharge port forming surface with the wiping member made of an elastic plate such as rubber. Moreover, there has been a trial in which the bubbles remaining in the ink flow paths are exhausted by the high flow speed of ink in the ink flow paths under application of the large negative pressure on the discharge-port forming surface under capping by driving the suction pump at a high speed at cleaning operation which is performed at initial filling of ink, at which ink is filled in the recording head for the first time, or at exchanging of the ink tanks.
However, as that the sectional areas of the ink flow paths are also increased when the areas of the filter members are made larger in order to control dynamic pressures at the filter members in the ink supply paths, the high flow speed of ink is not generated at the above-described cleaning operation even under application of the large negative pressure in the ink flow paths. Thereby, it is extremely difficult to remove the remaining bubbles from the discharge ports with the suction pump. That is, as a predetermined flow speed is required for the ink passing through the filters as one condition on which the bubbles can pass through the filters by an ink flow generated by the negative pressure caused with the suction pump, the pressure difference across the filters is required to be large in order to generate the predetermined flow speed. In order to realize the pressure difference, it is usually considered to reduce the filter areas for increase in flow path resistance, or to adopt a suction pump with a large flow rate. However, the ink is wastefully consumed, because the supply performance of the ink to the recording head is deteriorated when the filter areas are reduced, and a large amount of ink is discharged when the gas is removed with the suction pump with a large flow rate.
Accordingly, there are two other methods by which bubbles are removed: a method by which bubbles are directly discharged to the outside; and another method by which bubbles are moved to, and are remaining in regions in which the bubbles do not block ink supply. But, the former method, by which a communication port communicating with the outside is arranged in the ink supply paths, among the above two methods is judged not to be preferable, based on the after-described reasons.
(2) Method by which Bubbles are Directly Exhausted to the Outside
In many ordinary ink jet recording apparatuses, a negative pressure is generated in ink storage space of ink tanks in order to prevent an unfavorable leakage of ink from discharge ports of a recording head by disposing capillary force generation members such as absorbers in the ink tanks, or, by arranging elastic members such as springs in flexible ink storage bags to apply an urging force to the ink storage bags so that the inner volumes of the bags are increased. In such a case, when a mere communication port through which bubbles are directly exhausted to the outside is arranged in an ink supply path, air enters into the space from the communication port and the negative pressure will be released. Accordingly, it is required to dispose a pressure-regulating valve and the like at the communication port, and the structure of an ink supply system, that is, the recording apparatus is made complex, or large. Moreover, in order to prevent a leakage of ink from a discharge port which exhausts bubbles, it is required to dispose a water-repelling film and the like through which a gas can pass, but liquid can not pass, or, to adopt a device (a mechanism for detection of the amount of bubbles, an opening and closing mechanism for the communication port, and the like) by which the communication port is opened to exhaust bubbles only when there are remaining bubbles, and, then, there is a possibility that the manufacturing costs are increased and the structure is made complex and larger.
(3) Method by which Bubbles are Moved to, and are Remaining in Regions (for example, Ink Tanks) in which the Bubbles do not Block Ink Supply
Then, a method by which bubbles are moved to, and are remaining in regions (for example, ink tanks) in which the bubbles do not block ink supply will be considered. In such a method, the inner volume of the ink tank can be configured to be unchanged, and a generated negative pressure can be assumed to be constant, if it is possible to transfer an amount of ink corresponding to the volume of bubbles moving to an ink tank. The above configuration is preferable, because the negative pressure in equilibrium with a holding force for a meniscus formed at a discharge port can be applied on the recording head. Moreover, a gas can be completely removed from the ink supply system when the ink tank is of a cartridge form, because the ink tank is exchanged for a new one when the remaining amount of the ink for storing runs out of the tank.
Here, it is considered to be effective in order to smoothly transfer the gas to the side of the ink tank that an expanded section is provided in an ink supply path in which a filter member is arranged, as described above; and, furthermore, a portion in the upstream side of the filter member in the expanded section is formed to be, for example, tapered toward the upstream side; that is, the ink supply path running from the ink supply needle in the side of the recording head toward an installing position of the filter member is formed not to rapidly be expanded. However, in many ink jet recording apparatuses which has been widely widespread for household use ink tanks in a cartridge form, which separately store black ink and color ink, are configured to be installed in the recording head or a carriage equipped with the head in such a way that the ink tanks can be installed from the top in a detachable manner. The ink cartridge has, for example, a configuration in which the ink can be supplied to the recording head by plunging a hollow ink supply needle, which is installed upward in the carriage, into the cartridge. Therefore, the pipe diameter of the ink supply needle connecting the ink cartridge and the recording head is an important factor. In other words, a thin ink supply needle is required in order to make installation operation of the cartridge simple, but when the ink supply needle is thin, a force of an ink meniscus formed at a pipe section becomes too large to smoothly move the bubbles.
(4) Proposed Example of a Mechanism by which a Gas is Moved to the Side of an Ink Tank
Some mechanisms by which the gas is moved to the side of the ink tank have been proposed so far.
For example, the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-96744 has disclosed a configuration in which the side of the recording head is separated to a first chamber comprising an air communication port and a second chamber comprising a capillary force generation member, wherein air is supplied to the side of the ink tank through one of the communication paths by connecting the first chamber and the ink tank through two or more communication paths which are different in the heights of openings at the side of the first chamber. In this configuration, the air communication port can be arranged in the first chamber, because a negative pressure is applied to ink in a recording head by the ink head difference between the first chamber and the second chamber, or with the capillary force generation member arranged in the second chamber.
Moreover, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,984 has disclosed a configuration in which when it is assumed that a storage chamber for a negative pressure generation member and a liquid storage chamber can be separated, a gas can be securely taken in by arranging a gas priority intake path and a liquid flow-out path in a communication section which connects the intake path and the flow-out path.
Furthermore, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,863 has disclosed an ink container (ink container 50) in which a liquid flow-out pipe (drain conduits 66, 72, 74), and a gas intake pipe (vent conduits 76, 82, 84) are protruding downward, wherein an upper opening of the liquid flow-out pipe and an opening of the gas intake pipe are arranged on a bottom surface of an inner wall and inside a storage space for the ink container, respectively.
Moreover, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,102 has disclosed a configuration in which a replenisher tank can be connected to a reservoir tank comprising a storage chamber for a negative pressure generation member and an ink storage chamber. And, when the replenisher tanks are connected to the upper portion and the lower one of the space of the ink storage chamber, ink is taken into the ink storage chamber from the replenisher tank through a liquid communication pipe at the lower portion, and air is taken into the side of the replenisher tank from the ink storage chamber through an gas communication pipe at the upper portion.
Furthermore, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,630 has disclosed a configuration in which a sub-tank for adding ink to a main tank communicated with a recording head is installed in the upper portion of a main tank, a gas in the main tank is taken into the sub-tank by acceleration and deceleration of a carriage, and ink in the sub-tank is supplied to the inside of the main tank.
However, according to the configuration disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-96744, air is taken in the ink tank, depending on the supply of ink, in order to consume the ink in the ink tank which will not change its shape, and the object is not to remove bubbles remaining in an ink supply path. Especially, the negative pressure is not generated in the first chamber which is the ink supply path, and the first chamber is in contact with the atmosphere at any time, because the first chamber is open to the atmosphere through the air communication port. But, the Publication has described no matter unique to a sealed ink supply system at all, that is, in the Publication, there has been no description on the exhaust of the gas which is remaining in the ink supply path of a sealed system formed between the ink tank and the recording head.
Moreover, in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,984, there has been described only on a configuration in which the capillary force generation member and the air communication port are arranged between the ink tank and the recording head, and the ink supply path, in the same manner as that of the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-96744, is a system which is open to the atmospheric, and allows free passage of a gas through from the opening as an air communication port. But, the Publication has described no matter unique to a sealed ink supply system at all, that is, in the Publication, there has been no description on the exhaust of the gas which is remaining in the ink supply path of a sealed system formed between the ink tank and the recording head.
Furthermore, the object of technologies disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,863 is to provide a system in which the member (14) comprising the reservoir (reservoir 16, 18, 20) is refilled with ink, but not to remove bubbles remaining in the ink supply path downstream from the reservoir, and in portions using ink. Moreover, it is considered that, as the heights of the openings at the lower portions of the liquid flow-out pipe and the gas intake pipe are equal to each other, liquid and gas cannot be moved when the menisci of ink is formed in the above pipes. In addition, as there are no communication ports realizing communication between the ink storage container and the member (14), and no elements adjusting the negative pressure there is a possibility that, when use of ink is continued, the negative pressure in the inside rapidly rises and ink can not be supplied to portions using the ink.
Moreover, the configuration common to the above patent documents is a configuration in which the liquid storage section (ink tank) which can be separated is in communication with the side of the recording head through a plurality of communication paths, and the air intake unit is provided at a position downstream from the above communication paths (at the side of the recording head). Hereinafter, disadvantages of the configuration according to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,630 as a typical example will be described.
FIG. 9 shows a conceptual view of the configuration disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,630. Assuming that the air movement (gas movement to a sub-tank 22 through a pipe 56A) is stopped, the balance among forces applied on the ink meniscus section formed in a pipe 56A will be studied, referring to FIG. 9. In the first place, forces applied downward are a head pressure P1 of ink in the sub-tank 22, and a meniscus force formed at an opening section of the pipe 56A. Moreover, a force applied upward is a pressure P2 by a gas in a main tank 20. The air movement has stopped, because balance among the above forces is realized. In this case, the pressure P2 of the gas in the main tank 20 and a head pressure P3 at the position of the ink liquid level in the main tank 20 are balanced with each other. In addition, as the inside of the sub-tank 22 and that of the main tank 20 are communicated with each other through a pipe 56B, the difference between the downward ink pressure which is applied on the meniscus formed in the pipe 56A and the gas pressure P2 in the main tank 20 is equal to a head pressure difference P4 between the head pressure at the position of the meniscus and that of the liquid level in the main tank 20. Consequently, the head pressure difference P4 and the meniscus pressure are balanced with each other to cause an equilibrium state.
For example, when bubbles are further taken in from the bubble generation device 104 in the above equilibrium state, the liquid level in the main tank 20 gets low, and the head pressure difference P4 between the menisci in the pipe 56A and the liquid level is increased. And, when the head pressure difference P4 exceeds the meniscus pressure, the gas in the main tank 20 is taken into the sub-tank 22 (air movement) through the 56A, and the ink in the sub-tank 22 is supplied to the main tank 20 through the pipe 56B, along with the air movement.
However, as there is caused ink flow in the whole supply system in FIG. 9 when ink is discharged with a recording head 18, pressure loss corresponding to the quantity of the ink flow in the pipe 56B is generated in the sub-tank 22 and the main tank 20. Thereby, the pressure loss is required to be considered for the relation between the above-described meniscus pressure and the head pressure difference P4 (head pressure difference between the meniscus and the liquid level). Consequentially, when the head pressure difference P4 is larger than a pressure which is obtained by adding the pressure loss to the above-described meniscus pressure, air movement will be generated. In other words, in a state in which ink is discharged, gas-liquid exchange (air-ink exchange) is not performed unless comparing with a state in which air movement is stopped, unless the ink liquid surface in the main tank 20 gets low by the pressure loss of the pipe 56B corresponding to the quantity of the ink flow. When the ink liquid level at gas-liquid exchange is lower than the opening section of the pipe 56B, the gas-liquid exchange is not done, and the ink in the main tank 20 is completely used without using the ink in the sub-tank 22.
Accordingly, when the pipes 56A and 56B are made thinner for simple operation by which the tank is installed as described above, the pressure loss corresponding to the quantity of the ink flow is increased, and the ink liquid level in the main tank 20 at gas-liquid exchange gets low. Therefore, the size of the main tank 20 is increased, and, consequently, the size of the whole recording apparatus becomes large.
In addition, there is a possibility, as another issue, that bubbles generated in a bubble generation device 104 are drawn into a flow path in communication with the recording head when ink is discharged for the recording head 18, because the bubble generation device 104 is disposed in the lower portion of the main tank 20. Especially, when the quantity of the ink flow is increased for high speed recording, use-up of ink, and drawing of bubbles into the recording head 18 are easily occurs. Therefore, when the quantity of the ink flow caused by ink discharge of the recording head 18 is restricted, or when the bubble generation device 104 is separated from a filter 39, the size of the main tank 20 is further increased in order to prevent such drawing of the bubbles.
These disadvantages are similarly applied to a configuration in which an air intake unit is provided not in a communication path between a recording head and an ink tank, but in the side of the recording head, that is, to the configuration disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,102. As the U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,630 has the configuration in which the unit (bubble generation device 104) by which air is taken into the main tank 20 is provided while the main tank 20 in communication with the sub-tank 22 comprises a flexible ink bag 100, the above-described disadvantages are similarly applied to the Publication No. 6,520,630, like the Publication No 6,022,102.
As described above, the above-described patent literatures have disclosed that a gas is taken into the ink tanks. But, the Publication has described no matter unique to a sealed ink supply system at all, that is, in the Publication, there has been no description on the exhaust of the gas which is remaining in the ink supply path of a sealed system formed between the ink tank and the recording head. Moreover, the publications have included no description on the smooth transfer of the gas in the ink supply path of the sealed system to the side of the ink tank for remaining of the gas therein.

Ink supply system, recording apparatus, recording head, and liquid supply system