A rare earth bonded magnet formed by bonding a rare earth magnet powder with a binding resin contains the rare earth magnet powder, and a thermoplastic resin serving as the binding resin in an amount within a range of from 1 to 5 wt. %, and preferably further contains an oxidation inhibitor. As the rare earth magnet powder, for example, at least one of an Sm--Co alloy, an R--Fe--B alloy (where, R represents at least a kind of rare earth elements including Y) and an Sm--Fe--N alloy can be appropriately used. As the thermoplastic resin, for example, polyamide, a liquid crystal polymer, or a PPS is appropriately employed. As the oxidation inhibitor, a chelating agent is appropriately applicable. In such a rare earth bonded magnet, the thermoplastic resin covers the outer surface of the rare earth magnet powder 2, and is present so as to prevent particles of the magnet powder from coming into contact with each other. Such a rare earth bonded magnet should preferably have a void ratio of no more than 2 vol. %.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rare earth bonded magnet molded by bonding a rare earth magnet powder with a bonding resin (binder) and a composition of a rare earth bonded magnet to manufacture the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A rare earth bonded magnet is manufactured by using a mixture (compound) of a rare earth magnet powder and a binding resin (binder), and molding the mixture under pressure into a desired shape. Commonly employed molding methods include the compaction molding method, the injection molding method and the extrusion method.
The compaction molding method comprises the steps of packing the compound into a pressing die, compacting the packing with pressure to obtain a molded body, and then heating the molded body for setting the thermosetting resin used as the binding resin, thereby manufacturing a magnet. As compared with the other methods, this method permits molding with a smaller amount of binding resin. The resultant magnet contains a smaller amount of resin, and this is advantageous in enhancing magnetic properties. This method suffers, however a low degree of versatility with respect to the magnet shape and a low productivity.
The injection molding method comprises the steps of heating the compound to melt the thermoplastic resin of the compound, injecting the resultant melt into a mold while the melt has a sufficient fluidity, and molding the melt into a prescribed shape of magnet. This method is advantageous in that a high degree of versatility with respect to the shape of magnet is available, permitting easy manufacture of even of irregular shaped magnets. However, because a high level of fluidity of the melt is required during molding, it is necessary to increase the amount of binding resin, leading to a drawback of poor magnetic properties of the resultant magnet.
The extrusion molding method comprises the steps of heating the compound bed into an extruder to melt the thermoplastic resin of the compound, extruding the compound from a mold of the extruder and simultaneously cooling it for solidification, and cutting the resultant long molded body into prescribed lengths, thereby manufacturing a magnet. This molding method has advantages of both the compaction molding method and the injection molding method. More specifically, the extrusion molding method permits freely setting a shape of a magnet through selection of a mold, easy manufacture of a thin-walled or long magnet, and because a high level of melt fluidity is not required, allows molding with a smaller amount of added binding resin than that in the injection molding method, thus contributing to the enhancement of magnetic properties.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. JP-B-56-31841 and JP-B-56-44561, a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin has been used as a binding resin contained in the foregoing compound, and because of the properties of thermosetting resins, it has been possible to use such a small amount of addition as from 0.5 to 4 wt. %.
When employing a thermoplastic resin as the binding resin, however, the effects of the amount of addition and the state of the resin in the bonded magnet on moldability, magnetic properties and mechanical properties have not as yet been clarified.

Rare earth bonded magnet and composition therefor


A non-magnetic one-constituent developing agent is an electro-photographic developing agent that provides high quality images without fogging, scattering of toners and ineffective development by maintaining stable charges and a uniform distribution of toners over an extended lifetime in a developing apparatus of an electro-photographic image processing device. In addition, the developing agent has deodorizing, anti-bacterial and sterilizing functions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-magnetic one-constituent type developing agent, and more particularly an electro-photographic developing agent characterized by providing high quality images without fogging, scattering of toners and ineffective development by maintaining a stable charge and charge distribution of a toner over an extended lifetime in a developing apparatus of an electro-photographic image processing device. In addition, the developing agent has deodorizing, anti-bacterial and sterilizing functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electro-photographic image processing devices such as laser printers, facsimiles, copying machines, and the like are now widely used. These devices form desired images by forming latent images on photoreceptors by employing lasers, moving toners onto the latent images on the photoreceptors by using an electric potential difference, and then transferring the images onto printing media, such as paper.
Conventionally, most electro-photographic image processing devices are black and white type with dry toners. These devices are actuated by injecting charges into toners by frictional charging, and then allowing toners to move into latent images on a photoreceptor (OPC) in response to an electric potential difference. Since this type of toner is in the form of powder, environmental problems may be caused due to particulates therein. However, the devices have simple manufacturing processes, and thus, are economical, and enable the miniaturization of image-processing devices.
In the field of electro-photographic image processing devices, the term "developing agent" usually refers to a state in which carriers are mixed with toners, and also to the toner itself when carriers are not used.
Dry developing agents are classified into one-constituent type developing agents and two-constituent type developing agents, depending on the type of the charging manner of the developing agent, and are classified into magnetic and non-magnetic developing agents depending on the manners for transferring charged toner particles to a latent image. The one-constituent type developing agent is charged through friction between toner particles or friction with sleeves, and the two-constituent type developing agent is charged through friction caused by mixing non-magnetic toners and magnetic carrier particles. The two-constituent type-developing agent may provide relatively stable and effective recording images and may be applied to high-speed development. However, deterioration of carriers or a change in the mixed ratio of the developing agent and the carrier readily occurs, and a device using the same is bulky. Thus, the one-constituent type-developing agent is generally used in smaller devices, is low cost, has high reliability, and the like. The non-magnetic developing agent is moved by the mobility of the developing agent itself without the use of a magnetic force, and the magnetic developing agent may be moved by mixing magnetic materials, such as ferrite, into the developing agent. The non-magnetic developing agent is inexpensive since it does not contain magnetized particles and may be used for color printing.
A low temperature fusing property of toners reduces the energy consumption, the printing waiting time, and the like, of the printing devices, and a release agent (wax) and a binder resin having a wide range of superior fusing properties are used for this purpose. Furthermore, for a non-magnetic one-constituent polymerizing or pulverizing toner, improvements in the mobility and the charge properties of the toner particles have been achieved by forming a sphere of particles and externally adding silica, TiO2, and the like, to the sphere of particles to enhance a developing property, durability, transferring efficiency, and anti-fogging of a non-imaging part.
When using a non-contacting non-magnetic one-constituent developing method, the apparatus may be miniaturized, color corresponding is facilitated, and an edge reproduction and a tone gradation are sufficient for producing high-resolution images. However, in a non-contacting non-magnetic one-constituent developing method, a constant charge quantity and a uniform distribution of a toner must be maintained both after long periods of image printing, as well as in the initial stage of image printing, to maintain a stable developing property, and to prevent fogging and scattering, and the like. To provide the uniform charge to a toner, a uniform thin toner layer has to be formed on a developing roller. However, thinning of the toner layer causes stress in the toner, thus causing deterioration of the toner. Also, the toner layer is fused to the control blade, thus causing streaks easily. In forming a thin layer of a toner on a developing roller, a significant decrease in development efficiency and a decrease in image density may readily occur due to an increase in toner charges, and when the toner charges are decreased to improve the decrease in development efficiency, an increase in fogging and contamination by scattering, and the like, may occur.
That is, it is important to maintain a superior developing property without fog even after an extended period of image printing in the non-contacting non-magnetic one-constituent developing method, and to do this, a stable charge quantity and a uniform charge distribution in a toner must be maintained during image printing.
To achieve this, and for the purpose of removing materials having ineffective electric resistance, such as residual toner or paper powder, or an ozone adduct stuck to a photoreceptor and a control blade, 2 or 3 classes of inorganic particulates, in addition to silica, are added to the toner and mixed. The inorganic particulates provide a cleaning effect as a grinding agent, but do not satisfactorily enhance a toner-transferring property.
The developing toner used in an electro-photographic image forming apparatus comprises the constituent material of the toner itself, impurities generated in a manufacturing process, and minute amounts of coloring materials, in particular, low molecular weight coloring materials, into which a portion of the toner constituents decomposes in a storage environment after being manufactured. Such materials may cause discomfort due to irritant odors when using the toner and opening the toner container (cartridge). A heat fusing process for fusing a toner onto a printing medium, such as paper, may cause discomfort to a user since the printed image is heated, and minute constituents included in the toner enter the atmosphere. To reduce the amount of minute constituents released into the atmosphere, the main body of the apparatus may be equipped with a filter to adsorb ozone, odor, and the like. However, use of a filter increases production costs and causes annoyance due to its need to be changed regularly.
Furthermore, careful attention must be paid to the storage environment of the dry toner of an image forming apparatus since treatment such as sterilization of the toner and its container (cartridge) is not carried out. For long-term storage, bacteria, fungi, and the like, proliferate inside the toner container, which may adversely affect the quality of a printed image and harm the user. Particularly, after an image is formed on a printing medium, such as paper, many users contact the resulting images, but little attention is given to this. That is, attention and precaution are required for storage of the toner for the image forming apparatus and for the proliferation of bacteria, fungi, and the like, after an image is formed on the printing medium (e.g., paper or the like) because of the proliferation of bacteria, fungi, and the like.
Japanese laid-open patent application No. 8-314179 discloses a dry toner in which a metal ion having anti-bacterial activity is incorporated. The metal ion is incorporated into aluminosilicate, and then the aluminosilicate is incorporated into the toner. This manner of incorporating metal ions appears to use metal ions to avoid the technical difficulty of producing a particle metal, and to decrease costs. Also, the treatment in a liquid state is necessary to incorporate the metal ion into the toner. However, a difficult process is required to do this, and thus, the metal ions are incorporated into the aluminosilicate and the aluminosilicate is incorporated into the toner.
A general image forming process comprises: a charging process in which a constant charge is imparted to a photoreceptor composed of a photoconductive material; a photo-exposing process in which a latent image is formed on a photoreceptor using a laser; a developing process in which a toner image is formed by developing a developing agent on the latent image on the photoreceptor; a transferring process in which the toner image is transferred to a transfer material such as paper; a fusing process in which the toner transferred to the transfer material is fused using heat or pressure; and a cleaning process in which toners and residues remaining on a carrier of the latent image are cleaned. By repeating these respective processes, desired copies or printed products are obtained. Developing processes are classified into a contacting-type and a non contacting-type. In a contacting-type developing process, a developing agent is developed on the latent image by contacting a developing roller with a surface of a photoreceptor, and in a non contacting-type developing process, the developing roller and the surface of the photoreceptor are separated, and the developing agent is moved by electrical forces generated by an electrical potential difference between the developing roller and the photoreceptor. The contacting-type developing process is disadvantageous because the photoreceptor and the developing roller wear away, while the non contacting-type developing process is advantageous because the durability of the apparatus is more effective and the resolution is more effective since an image is developed using electrical forces.
The mobility and electrical properties of dry developing agents must not change over time or in different environmental conditions (e.g., temperature and humidity). Particularly, the developing agent of a conventional non-magnetic one-constituent developing apparatus obtains charge characteristics through frictional charging with a developing carrier, a control blade of a developing agent and a developing agent providing member. However, as a printing process is repeated, the external additives of the developing agent become embedded in the resin of the developing agent due to stress, or are separated from the developing agent. If this occurs, the mobility of the developing agent decreases, and the physical adsorptions among the developing carrier, the control blade of the developing agent and the developing agent increase. Thus, uniform frictional charging of the developing agent does not occur and the desired frictional charging property of the developing agent deteriorates. As a result, the developing agent does not become charged or its polarity becomes changed into counter polarity, and this uncharged developing agent or a developing agent having counter polarity is developed on a non-image area, causing image contamination such as fog to occur. Increasing the amount of external additives to prevent such problems causes an increase in the amount of frictional charge of the developing agent and an increase in the force between the developing agent and the developing carrier. Thus, the amount of the toner moved to the photoreceptor decreases, causing a decrease in the developing efficiency and the image density.
Also, as the amount of external additives is increased, the cleaning property of the cleaning blade which removes the remaining developing agent deteriorates, and thus, the charging roller is contaminated, and the remaining developing agent or impurity remains on the carrier of the latent image, causing the generation of spots in the image, and/or vertical white line/black lines, thus deteriorating the image quality.


A smartphone may be provided that includes: a cover layer; an LCD panel; a backlight unit which is located under the LCD panel; a pressure electrode which is located under the backlight unit; a shielding member which is located under the pressure electrode; and a converter which converts a signal comprising information for a capacitance change amount outputted from the pressure electrode to a digital signal. A magnitude of a touch pressure is detected from the digital signal.

Various kinds of input devices for operating a computing system, for example, a button, key, joystick and touch screen, etc., are being developed and used. The touch screen has a variety of advantages, e.g., ease of operation, miniaturization of products and simplification of the manufacturing process, the most attention is paid to the touch screen.
The touch screen may constitute a touch surface of a touch input device including a touch sensor panel which may be a transparent panel including a touch-sensitive surface. The touch sensor panel is attached to the front side of a display screen, and then the touch-sensitive surface may cover the visible side of the display screen. The touch screen allows a user to operate the computing system by simply touching the touch screen by a finger, etc. Generally, the computing system recognizes the touch and a touch position on the touch screen and analyzes the touch, and thus, performs the operations in accordance with the analysis.
Here, there is a demand for a detection device capable of detecting the touch position and touch pressure at the same time without degrading the performance of a display module.

Smartphone capable of detecting touch position and pressure


Squeeze cementing is conducted using non-conventional cements such as blast furnace slag--water base drilling fluid mixtures which are not adversely affected by brine or pockets of gelled drilling fluid beneath the primary cement.

Squeeze cementing is the process of forcing a cement slurry through holes or splits in a casing/wellbore annular space of a well in order to repair a primary cement job that failed due to the cement bypassing the mud (channeling); to eliminate water intrusion from above, below or within the hydrocarbon-producing zone; to reduce the producing gas to oil ratio by isolating gas zones from adjacent oil intervals; to repair casing leaks due to a corroded or split pipe; to plug all, or part, of one or more zones in a multizone injection well so as to direct the injection into the desired intervals; and to plug and abandon a depleted or watered-out producing zone.
Due to high pressures involved, squeeze cementing is beset with many problems such as propagating fractures. In addition, the use of Portland cement has several potential problems of its own, particularly where high strength and good adhesion to the borehole wall are needed in order to effect good sealing. The presence of drilling mud pockets on channels under the primary cement not only can lead to failure of the primary cement job, but can adversely affect the strength of the squeeze cementing job. In addition, the presence of brine in the well can adversely affect both the primary and remedial cement jobs, increasing setting time and causing loss of strength of the cement.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to overcoming the above-noted problems with Portland cement used for squeeze cementing.


A process for forming an ohmic contact on the back surface of a semiconductor body includes depositing a donor layer on the back surface of the semiconductor body followed by a sintering step to form a shallow intermetallic region capable of forming a low resistance contact with a contact metal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more specifically, to ohmic contact structures for float zone silicon wafers and for silicon carbide wafers and to methods for fabricating such contact structures.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known to form a semiconductor device using a semiconductor die that includes a N− epitaxial silicon layer formed atop a N+ float zone silicon substrate, for example, the device being formed in the surface of the epitaxial layer and electrode contact metals being formed on the upper and back surfaces of the die. For example, a fast recovery diode (FRED) generally includes a plurality of PN junctions formed in the upper portion of the epitaxial layer and spaced by Schottky regions. A common top electrode is shared by the PN junctions and Schottky regions to form a device that includes PN and Schottky diodes. A back electrode is formed along the back surface of the N+ float zone silicon substrate. The need to grow the epitaxial layer on a semiconductor die, however, makes the die expensive, whether used for a FRED or any other device.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to form a device directly in/on the surface of a float zone silicon die that does not have the epitaxial layer. Once forming device components in/on the upper surface of the die, a back surface contact metal must thereafter be formed. In a conventional device, the presence of a high conductivity region at the back surface of the die (e.g., N+ or P+ region) lowers the contact resistance between the contact metal and the silicon body, thereby resulting in a good ohmic contact. However, because a float zone die is usually lightly doped (e.g., N− or P−) it does not form a good ohmic contact with a contact metal.
Notably, an implant can be performed along the back surface of the die to improve its capability of forming a good ohmic contact. Such a step, however, requires additional handling, which may be undesirable when an ultrathin device is desired. In addition, an implant may not be feasible when an ultrathin device is desired.
Similarly, it is known to form a device in the upper surface of a semiconductor die made of silicon carbide. Here again, a back side contact metal needs to be formed such that the contact metal makes good ohmic contact to the silicon carbide. However, the formation of such ohmic contacts has also been quite difficult to form, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,285. For example, it has been difficult to sufficiently dope the silicon carbide surface to form an N+ region for contact by a contact metal.

Method of forming ohmic contact to a semiconductor body


Systems and methods are provided to combine multiple stimulation modalities to significantly increase the effectiveness of non-invasive stimulation. Multiple sensor and stimulation devices and modalities can be combined into a single, compact unit that minimizes the need for additional sensors or stimulation devices. The system features several subunits, referred to as sensory and stimulation devices (SSD), that are integrated into a headphone setup. The system is controlled by a centralized controller that communicates with all of the SSDs and with an external computer system that delivers learning material synchronized with the delivery of stimulations and the collection of user responses based on physiological signals.

The present application relates to systems and methods for multi-modal and non-invasive stimulation of the autonomous and central nervous system. More specifically, the present application relates to methods and apparatus for multi-modal augmentation of neural plasticity of the nervous system and modification of the psycho-physiological state of the user.
Electrical stimulation can be used to stimulate brain and nervous system activity for many different purposes. For example, electrical stimulation can be used to attempt to restore memory, increase cognitive function, modify psychophysiological state and for therapeutic purposes. The electrical stimulation can be applied through invasive and non-invasive techniques. Typically, non-invasive techniques are used for the convenience of the patient undergoing the electrical stimulation. Non-invasive techniques can typically involve the placement of electrodes near one or more nerves and/or the brain of the patient. The electrodes can then be used to apply a constant current to the nerves and/or brain in order to change the activity of the nerves and/or brain of the patient to get a desired response. The electrodes may also be used to apply a spatio-temporal activation pattern to the nerves and/or brain of the patient in order to target specific nerves or regions of the brain to obtain a specific response.
When electrical stimulation is being used on a patient, other forms of stimulation (e.g., visual stimulation or audible stimulation) are not typically used or require the use of separate systems having separate controls that are not integrated with the electrical stimulation controls. In addition, when attempting to monitor the results of electrical stimulation (or other stimulations), separate monitoring systems are required that can be cumbersome to the patient and require integration with the electrical stimulation system (or other system being used) in order to be able to identify potential responses to stimulation treatments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for multi-modal and non-invasive stimulation of the nervous system

Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville


A CD-ROM device has an audio data buffer and a computer data buffer. The audio data is read into the audio data buffer at a speed higher than required for audio playback. The audio data may then be accessed at the normal audio playback speed. The audio data buffer is then replenished at certain time intervals. During the remaining time periods, computer data may be accessed and placed in the computer data buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CD-ROM reproducing apparatus for reading out data recorded on the surface of a compact disk (CD), and particularly to a CD-ROM reproducing apparatus of the type which can be connected to an external computer system and used, and which can read out both computer data (CD-ROM data) and music data (CD-DA data) on a CD. More particularly, the present invention relates to a CD-ROM reproducing apparatus of the type which can read out computer data even during the reproduction of music data.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the recent technological improvement, various kinds of personal computers (PC) such as desktop types and notebook types have been developed and sold on the market. These computer systems have a CPU and a memory as essential components, and also, as a standard or optional feature, a non-volatile external storage device in order to record and store a large capacity of program or data. The external storage device is, for example, a FDD (Floppy Disk Drive), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory) drive, or the like. For example, in the case of an "IBM Thinkpad 560" ("Thinkpad" is a trademark of IBM Corporation) marketed by IBM Japan Corporation, not only a HDD is normally provided, but also an external FDD can be optionally connected to a FDD port located in the rear part of a PC main body, or an external CD-ROM drive can be optionally connected via a PC card (IDE card) (see FIG. 1). An example of the external CD-ROM drive is "CD-400" marketed by IBM Japan Inc.
Since the CD (compact disk) can record a large capacity with high density, it is mainly applied to recording enormously large information. Especially recently, a CD-ROM drive has been rapidly popularized, since the CD-ROM has been compact and its access time has been decreased as well as since software distribution by means of the CD-ROM has been usually effected as a result of operating system (OS) or applications being enlarged.
The CD is an information storage medium which comprises a disk made of a transparent resin as a substrate, on one surface of which pits corresponding to digital data (protruding and recessed forms with different reflectance) are spirally formed with the same density, an extremely thin metal film such as aluminum is fixed thereon, and a hard protective film is further formed on its upper layer. Then, the CD-ROM drive (CD-ROM reproducing apparatus) for reproducing data stored on the disk reads out the data by emitting laser light on the rotating disk and using the change of the intensity of reflected light. A scanning operation on the disk surface is usually carried out in accordance with a constant linear velocity (CLV) method. The scanning velocity is defined based on a "standard speed" which is equivalent to the speed of reading out and reproducing audio data. Recently, a CD-ROM drive capable of reading out the data at two times speed, four times speed, and further, eight times speed has also made an appearance.
Physical and logical specifications of a CD were proposed mainly by Sony Inc. and Philiphis Corp. and the specific contents thereof were described in a so-called "Red Book", "Yellow Book", "Green Book", and the like.
Data is basically recorded in a spiral manner on the CD from a part near the center of a disk surface to its outer periphery with the same density (see FIG. 9(a)). The physical format of the data on the CD comprises three areas of a Lead In area, a program area, and a Lead Out area in the direction from its inside to its outside. The area enclosed between Lead In and Lead Out is called a "session". A multi-session type CD has a plurality of program areas which are separated from the Lead In area and Lead Out area.
The Lead In and Lead Out areas are provided for defining a program area, and recording the attribute information of the disk or various kinds of control information such as the start position of each track in the program area. The program area is an area in which the substantial user data such as computer data or audio data is stored and comprises one or a plurality of tracks. A track can be further divided into sectors having the length of 2K byte. Each track has a variable length (Namely, the number of sectors in one track is not constant) and its length depends on the length of user data to be stored. For example, in the case of music CD, one track corresponds to one tune and the number of sectors in the track corresponds to the performance time of the tune.
Generally, while computer data is stored in the CD in accordance with a "CD-ROM format", audio data is stored in accordance with a "CD-DA format" (track of the CD-ROM format is referred to as a "CD-ROM track", and a track of the CD-DA format is referred to as a "CD-DA track", hereinafter). As one kind of the CD-DA format, there is a "CD-Graphics" format in which image data is stored in the free area of the audio data. Additionally, other formats also exist, including a "CD-I (Compact Disk-Interactive media)" format in which image data and audio data are stored in the same track in accordance with a time-division multiplexing of multiple channels) and a "CD-ROM XA" format or the like. Recently, a hybrid type CD, has been also widely employed, in which CD-ROM tracks and CD-DA tracks are mixed in a single CD.
FIG. 9(b) schematically shows the physical format of a CD. As illustrated, one session is formed in such a manner that a program area which stores the substance of user data is sandwiched between a lead in area and a lead out area.
The program area can include up to 99 tracks at maximum. In the case of the CD-DA track, one track corresponds to one tune, and in the case of music CD, the number of tracks corresponds to the number of stored tunes. The length of the track is not constant. For example, as for the CD-DA track, the number of sectors included in one track depends on the performance time of a tune.
Various kinds of control information for a session are recorded in the lead in area and the lead out area. A table for managing attribute information and control information in the session for each track unit, which is called a TOC (Table of Contents), is stored in the lead in area. As shown in FIG. 10(a), among the TOC, a 96 bit length record called a "Q channel" is prepared for each track and the respective Q channels are stored in accordance with the order of corresponding tracks in the program area (In the above figure, a Q channel "Q.sub.i " corresponds to a i-th track "T.sub.i " from the head).
Each Q channel has a data structure as illustrated in FIG. 10(b). The value stored in each field (namely, Control, ADR . . . ) of a Q channel is a value having a respective meaning when a track is sought or data is read out from the track. For example, A PSec field is used to indicate the type of a disk format. Table 1 shows the relationship between a PSec value and a format type. Specifically, if PSec=00 h, the disk has a CD-DA (herein, including CD-Graphics), CD-ROM track, or a hybrid type of the CD-DA and CD-ROM tracks: if PSec=10 h, the disk has a CD-l format type: if PSec=20 h, the disk has a CD-ROM XA format type. In general, the tracks having different PSec values are not provided on the same disk. See FIG. 11.
Further, the Control field is used for indicating the types of corresponding tracks. FIG. 12 shows the relation between the values of Control and the types of tracks. As understood from the FIG. 12, if a second significant bit of the Control field is 0, the corresponding track is a CD-DA track or CD-Graphics track: if the above mentioned bit is 1, the corresponding track is a CD-ROM track. In other words, by referring to the PSec or the Control of the Q channel, whether the corresponding track is a CD-DA track or not can be identified.
A CD-ROM drive of the type which is internally installed in or externally optionally connected to a personal computer is connected to a CPU via a bus, in a similar manner to other peripheral devices, and receives commands issued from application or an operating system (OS) during a transaction via the bus. The main contents of commands toward the CD-ROM drive are for reading out CD-ROM data, for reproducing; tune-selecting; reproduction-stopping CD-DA data or the like. The exchange of the commands or data between the CD-ROM drive and the computer main body side are usually performed under an I/O transfer method. There are exemplified, as the standards of interface for connecting the CD-ROM to the personal computer, an Enhanced IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) and SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), etc. There is also a CD-ROM drive of the type which, when audio data is to be reproduced, does not transfer audio data to the computer main body but reproduce audio sound read audio data by using an internal audio data reproducing circuit and a speaker.
CD-DA data is read out from a CD in accordance with the same manner as that of a conventional reproduction of a record. Briefly, the CD-DA data is generally read out at a "standard speed" (about 150 KBps) equal to a sampling frequency in order to reproduce it as a normal sound (that is, the data is reproduced without buffering data). On the other hand, CD-ROM data can be read out at a higher speed under buffering data or the like. A CD-ROM drive of the type, has also made an appearance, which can read out the CD-ROM data at four times speed (4.times.150=600 KBps), and eight times speed (=8.times.150=1.2 MBps).
The CD-DA format type is specified in the "Red Book", the CD-ROM format type is specified in the "Yellow Book" and the CD-I format type is in the "Green Book", respectively. The CD-I format is a standard for making an interactive operation possible and the CD-ROM XA format is a standard by which audio data is integrated with motion picture data and the obtained data is processed as multimedia data.
Recently, the needs of a PC user have been varied. For example, one of them resides in that he or she wants to make an access to CD-ROM data with keeping the performance of music CD (namely, continuously processing CD-DA data) in the case that a hybrid CD type is loaded. Especially, the PC main body side can easily perform the processing of reading out the CD-ROM data during the reproduction of the CD-DA data under the control of an operating system (for example, "OS/2" of IBM Corp. ("OS/2" is a trademark of IBM Corp.) or "Windows 95" of Microsoft Corporation) which supports a multitask environment. For example, the PC main body side can supply a "CD-ROM data reading out command" according to another program, while the processing of a previously supplied "audio reproducing command" is not terminated (that is, while the CD-ROM drive is carrying out an audio reproduction process). In other words, the PC main body side can request a "simultaneous reproduction" of audio data and computer data. If an enormously large program is to be installed into the PC main body, the needs for the "simultaneous reproduction" will be particularly large.
As described above, respective data of different data formats are stored in individual tracks (or different sessions) even on a hybrid type CD in which the CD-ROM data (namely, computer data) and the CD-DA data (namely, audio data) are mixed. Therefore, when a CD-ROM data reading out request is sent from the PC side during the reproduction of the audio data, a pick-up head must be moved to a CD-ROM track/session designated by a CD-ROM data read request from a CD-DA track/session which is being accessed at present, in order to execute the CD-ROM data reading out request. As a result of such head seek operation, the CD-ROM drive will have to interrupt the reading out of the CD-DA data and the reproduction of the audio data.
Most of conventional CD-ROM drives are designed to perform single task, so that they have to abort a processing of a prior command in order to perform the next command. Accordingly, when a conventional CD-ROM drive receives a CD-ROM data reading out request during the reproduction or play processing of audio data, the CD-ROM drive inevitably stops a CD-DA data reading out and reproducing operation. Further, since the conventional CD-ROM drive is not designed to automatically resume a command processing which is temporarily subjected to the abort processing, an audio data reproduction processing is not resumed even after the CD-ROM data is completely read out.
The PC main body side under a multitask environment can supply a next command during processing of a previous command. However, the CD-ROM drive only processes commands one by one. In other words, while the "simultaneous reproduction" can be realized on the display screen (desktop) of PC side, the CD-ROM drive cannot perform the "simultaneous reproduction".
Although the reading speed of the computer data has been promoted to increase step by step in such a way as to start from two times speed to, four times speed, eight times speed . . . , the audio data must have been read out at a standard speed equal to a sampling, because the audio data (CD-DA data) has needed to be reproduced as a normal sound at a standard speed. Specifically stated, the high speed type CD-ROM drive has needed to switch a data reading speed between a case where the computer data is read out and a case where the audio data is read out. This problem has been also an factor owing to which the simultaneous reproduction of the computer data/audio data has been prevented from being realized.

CD-ROM device capable of reproducing both audio data and computer data

International Business Machines Corporation


A microfluidic valve device includes a microfluidic chip including a substrate having a channel, a valve disposed within the channel and configured to change a conductance of the channel, with the valve having an inner channel formed therein, and an oscillator configured to generate a traveling wave. The valve is moved by generating the traveling wave to open and close the channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microfluidic device using a microfluidic chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) have been interested in the fields of, for example, biology, environmental analysis, and chemical synthesis. One of the fields with MEMS applied may be micro total analysis systems (μTAS). μTAS collectively perform chemical synthesis and chemical analysis on a microchip. A microfluidic chip is used as the microchip. The microfluidic chip is formed such that a microchannel is formed in a substrate made of a semiconductor, glass, ceramic, synthetic resin, or the like. For example, an analyte, a reagent, and/or liquid or powder (hereinafter, referred to as fluid) which is a material for the chemical synthesis, flows through the channel, and the chemical analysis or chemical synthesis is performed in the microfluidic chip. With the use of the microfluidic chip, the chemical analysis or chemical synthesis using fluid with a very small amount is available, and a feature of a high reaction rate is obtained. Thus, development of the microfluidic device using the microfluidic chip is desired.
For the actual use of the microfluidic chip, a unit of measuring and acquiring a sample for analysis by a given amount is necessary. Owing to this, a valve is provided in the channel of the microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip having the valve may be one having a diaphragm valve or one that deforms a channel to control the flow of fluid in the channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,799 (hereinafter, referred to as the '799 document) discloses in the specification a microfluidic chip having a diaphragm valve. FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views schematically showing the microfluidic chip described in the '799 document. A microfluidic chip 101 includes a substrate 108 in which channels 102a and 102b are formed. Referring to FIG. 10A, a diaphragm 103 is provided to close the upstream channel 102a and the downstream channel 102b. The diaphragm 103 is formed of a deformable member. A driving unit 104 is connected so as to deform the diaphragm 103. By deforming the diaphragm 103 using the driving unit 104, the state is switched between a state in which the upstream channel 102a and the downstream channel 102b are decoupled (see FIG. 10A) and a state in which the channels 102a and 102b are coupled (see FIG. 10B).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,878 (hereinafter, referred to as the '878 document) discloses in the specification a microfluidic chip that deforms a channel to control the flow of fluid. FIGS. 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views schematically showing the microfluidic chip described in the '878 document. A microfluidic chip 111 includes a substrate 118 in which a channel 112 is formed. Fluid such as a reagent or an analyte flows through the channel 112. The substrate 118 also has a valve driving channel 114 so as to three-dimensionally intersect with the channel 112. At least a portion in which the channel 112 three-dimensionally intersects with the valve driving channel 114 is made of a soft material such as, for example, poly-dimethyl siloxane (PDMS) 113. FIG. 11A illustrates the microfluidic chip 111 in a state in which the upstream side and the downstream side of the channel 112 are coupled. To decouple the upstream side from the downstream side of the channel 112, compressed air is applied to the valve driving channel 114. Accordingly, the pressure in the valve driving channel 114 increases, and the PDMS 113 is deformed. The deformed PDMS 113 presses the channel 112, thereby blocking the flow in the channel 112.
As described above, with the microfluidic chip described in the specification of the '799 document or the '878 document, a sample, which is necessary for analysis and which flows in the channel, can be measured and acquired by a given amount.
However, in the microfluidic chip described in the specification of the '799 document, the driving unit has to be provided to deform the diaphragm, resulting in a complicated structure. Thus, the microfluidic chip becomes large and expensive.
Also, in the microfluidic chip described in the specification of the '878 document, the valve driving channel has to be largely deformed, thereby reducing durability. In addition, the soft material such as PDMS causes the liquid or gas, in particular, a vaporized material to leak, and the leakage produces contamination.


The invention relates to a package for dispensing a foamed milk product. This package includes an aerosol can which contains a liquid phase in which a propellant gas is dissolved. The can is provided with a valve and a nozzle immediately downstream of the valve for spraying and foaming of the liquid phase. The nozzle has a central borehole and at least one lateral orifice which opens into an outlet tube. As the liquid phase is dispensed through the nozzle, a foam is generated.

The invention relates to a package that contains a milk or milk substitute product in the liquid phase.
It is already known to produce milk in pressurized cans. PCT Publication WO 96/33618 relates to a pressurized milk package which comprises, for example, CO2 in the dissolved state. This patent relates to a drink similar to a sweetened and carbonated drink. PCT Publication WO Patent 97/33813 discloses an aerosol can having a valve and a nozzle.
There is a need for a package that achieves a satisfactory foam effect when dispensing milk products, however, and these known products are insufficient in this regard. Thus, the present invention now provides a package containing milk concentrate or milk without fat, which package, during use, generates a foam.
The invention relates to a package for dispensing a foamed milk product. This package includes an aerosol can which contains a liquid phase in which a propellant gas is dissolved. The can is provided with a valve and a nozzle immediately downstream of the valve for spraying and foaming of the liquid phase. The nozzle has a central borehole and at least one lateral orifice which opens into an outlet tube. As the liquid phase is dispensed through the nozzle, a foam is generated.

Package containing a milk product or milk substitute product


Method and arrangement for providing a powertrain (1, 3, 9) for motor vehicles that includes an internal combustion engine (1) and a stagegeared gearbox (9), which has a direct gear and an indirect gear with intermeshing toothed gears (12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,). A control element (45, 48) is configured, in response to an input signal indicating that a direct gear is engaged, to be capable of controlling and/or regulating the engine (1) so that the engine can deliver a higher maximum permitted torque than when the direct gear is not engaged. The increase in the maximum permitted torque is allowed when the efficiency of the powertrain (1, 3, 9) with direct gear engaged and increased engine torque is superior to the efficiency of the powertrain (1, 3, 9) when any of the indirect gears (12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,) having a lower maximum permitted engine output torque are engaged.

Automatic gearboxes of the automated stagegeared gearbox type are being used more often in heavier vehicles with the increasing development of microprocessor systems. Using a control computer and a number of control devices, for example servomotors, such systems are able to precisely regulate the engine speed, engagement and disengagement of an automatic clutch between the engine and gearbox (and gearbox clutch members in relation to one another) so that smooth gear changes are always achieved at the correct engine speed. One advantage of this type of automatic gearbox, compared to a conventional automatic gearbox made up of planetary gear trains and having a hydrodynamic torque converter on the inlet side, lies partly in the fact that the present system is more simple and robust. Another advantage of the arrangement is that it can be manufactured at substantially lower cost than a conventional automatic gearbox, especially when used in heavy vehicles, and partly in that it affords greater efficiency, especially by way of reduced fuel consumption in the incorporating vehicle.
The development of computer technology has also had an impact on electronic control and feedback systems for a vehicle engine, and as a result, these systems have become more precise, faster and more adaptable to prevailing engine and environmental conditions. Using such technology, substantially the entire combustion process can be precisely controlled according to any operating situation. In this regard, mention should also be made here of various sensors useable for the detection of parameters essential for engine feedback and control.
A manufacturer of internal combustion engines usually optimizes an engine design in order to achieve a certain engine power output, low fuel consumption, good efficiency and high torque. By designing software incorporated into the engine control unit in a certain way, it is possible to precisely determine the appearance of an engine torque and speed curve; that is to say, what maximum torque the engine must be capable of delivering at a certain number of revolutions. This is done, in a supercharged engine (exhaust turbocharger or compressor driven by the crankshaft), for example, by controlling the boost pressure in such a way that a certain maximum torque is obtained at a certain number of revolutions. The design dimensions of the engine hardware naturally imposes purely physical or strength limits on what the engine can, on the whole, deliver. The manufacturer selects a torque and engine speed curve of a certain appearance for a particular engine model, and according to which the engine is allowed to deliver its maximum torque.
If, in driving the vehicle, the engine speed rises or falls to such an extent that the maximum engine torque is insufficient, the vehicle transmission (gearbox) should be shifted up or down so that the engine torque can be better utilized. By means of gearboxes as described above, the gearing between the engine and the vehicle's driving wheels is adjusted so that the engine speed attains a level for which the corresponding maximum torque is sufficient. In this sense, it should be regarded that the engine and the gearbox form the vehicle powertrain.
A stagegeared gearbox usually comprises (includes, but is not necessarily limited to) an input shaft, an intermediate shaft (with at least one toothed gear meshing with a toothed gear on the input shaft), and a main shaft (with toothed gears that mesh with toothed gears on the intermediate shaft). The main shaft is then further connected to an output shaft coupled to the driving wheels, by way of a prop shaft, for example. Each pair of toothed gears has a different gear ratio from another pair of gears in the gearbox. Different transmission ratios are obtained by way of different pairs of gears transmitting the torque from the engine to the driving wheels. Between two interacting and rotating toothed gears in a gearbox, friction losses occur between the teeth of each of the toothed gears which are in engagement.
In some stagegeared gearboxes the highest gear (lowest gear ratio) is a so-called direct gear. This implies that the input shaft and the main shaft (or the output shaft) in the gearbox are directly connected to one another when the direct gear is engaged. This means that the torque is transmitted straight through the gearbox without any gearing. It may alternatively be said that the transmission ratio is 1:1; consequently, no losses occur between meshing gears. An effect of the direct gear is that more fuel-savings is achieved than in the indirect gears, the transmission ratios of which are obtained through the pairs of toothed gears.
Driving a vehicle in a direct gear saves fuel in that friction losses in the gearbox are lower. When the vehicle encounters a sufficiently increased rolling resistance, due to a steeper uphill gradient, for example, or increasing headwind, the vehicle may begin to slow down due to the fact that the maximum torque from the engine is not sufficient to keep the vehicle speed constant.
In order to obtain greater motive force on the vehicle's driving wheels, an automatic stagegeared gearbox will change down to a lower gear (higher gear ratio). Owing to the new higher gearing of the engine torque, the powertrain is aimed to deliver sufficient torque to the driving wheels to be at least capable of maintaining a somewhat slower speed.
The equivalent can be said to occur in the case of brief braking in which the speed reduction does not directly cause down-shift, but the vehicle speed, after braking, is such that the corresponding engine speed and maximum torque with the direct gear engaged are insufficient and the vehicle begins to decelerate and the gearbox will then change down.
While the direct gear can be fuel-saving in this manner, it is usually at the same time also the most powerful from a strength point of view. That is to say, the transmission is capable of transmitting higher torque in the direct gear than in other gears in which the torque is transmitted via the toothing systems on the toothed gears meshing in the gear pair for each particular gear.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,302 shows an arrangement in which the engine control unit permits a higher engine output torque when a direct gear in a stagegeared gearbox is engaged. The object according to this arrangement is to utilize the greater strength of the direct gear. As soon as the control unit receives an input signal indicating that a direct gear is engaged, the engine control unit allows a higher maximum permitted drive torque output from the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,096 shows an arrangement in which a stagegeared gearbox is equipped with a direct gear and so-called overdrive gears enhanced from the strength standpoint (that is to say overdrive gear in which the transmission ratio between the rotational speed of the gearbox input and output shafts is less than 1:1). In this way, a higher maximum permitted engine output torque can be allowed for the direct gear and the overdrive gears compared to the lower gears. When the control unit receives an input signal indicating that a direct gear or overdrive gear is engaged, the engine control unit allows a higher maximum permitted output drive torque from the engine.
It should be appreciated, however, that driving in a direct gear with an increase in the maximum permitted engine output torque does not necessarily mean that the vehicle will be driven with greater fuel economy than if the vehicle were driven with an indirect gear with a lower maximum permitted engine output torque. Therefore, a need exists to reduce the fuel consumption of a vehicle in which the engine, with a direct gear engaged, can deliver an increased maximum permitted torque. This is the primary object of the invention described below.


A biodegradable nonwoven fabric and molded vessel suitable to throwaway use such as in domestic, wrapping, agricultural, gardening, and civil engineering field. A web of cellulose-based fibers are combined with chitosan salt and an interfiber binder comprising a combination of chitosan salt and fine cellulose, or by combined use of the interfiber binder and physical combining techniques. They are naturally decomposed by microorganisms in the soil and can dissolve the polution problems.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to nonwoven fabric suitable to throwaway use and particularly to a biodegradable nonwoven fabric which becomes extinct in the soil by microorganisms and to the molding vessel thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Throwaway nonwoven fabrics typified by diapers are used in large quantities recently, because of their convenience. After use, however, they are treated as general wastes, and are disposed of by burning in an incineration site, because they are not decomposed in the soil and cause contamination of soil if used in reclamation. The increasing amount of use of the throwaway nonwoven fabrics is causing, therefore, a social problem such as damaged incineration furnaces and toxic exhaust gas, like other throwaway plastics.
In the field of agriculture and gardening, on the other hand, various materials are used for seedling mats and pots and planting mats. Rock wool, a mineral fiber, is used in large quantities because of its low price, hydrophilic nature, and adequate porosity. However it can be used only in the form of sheet, lacking moldability, and cannot be decomposed by microorganisms in the soil.
Pulp regenerated from old paper is cheap and excellent in hydrophilicity and water retentivity and is processed in the form of sheet and pot, but the decomposition of pulp is inhibited by the lignin contained in the pulp. In addition, lignin and a toughening agent such as acrylic amide naturally contained in the old paper are accumulated in the soil causing soil contamination. To solve these defects, cellulose based fabrics containing a smaller amount of lignin such as cotton and rayon, needle punched nonwoven fabrics, water needle punched nonwoven fabrics, etc, are used in the agricultural, gardening, and civil engineering fields. These fiber aggregates are completely decomposed by the microorganisms in the soil in periods of 1-3 days and produces no soil contamination, but can only be used generally in the form of sheet limited in use. In a special case, it is sewed into bag form, but is expensive. Also, it is impossible to disintegrate these materials by natural decomposition and finally must depend on incineration.

Biodegradable nonwoven fabric and its molding vessel

Director, General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology


An aerial optical fiber cable comprising a non-conductive slot forming a cable core, the non-conductive slot having a concavo-concave cross-sectional shape, a pair of tubes each containing a plurality of optical fibers, each of the tubes being disposed in a respective concavity forming the concavo-concave shaped non-conductive slot, a moisture blocking tape wrapped around the non-conductive slot and the tubes, a filling compound disposed within a void formed between the concavities and the moisture blocking tape so prevent the tubes from moving in the concavities, a plurality of rod-type strength members stranded around the moisture blocking tape, and a sheath layer applied over the strength members to protect the aerial optical fiber cable from adverse environmental conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aerial optical fiber cable, wherein one or more loose tubes enclosing optical fibers are accommodated within respective grooves formed on a non-conductive slot around which a plurality of strength members are arranged.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, aerial optical fiber cables to be deployed by suspending between steel towers and/or utility poles must have excellent mechanical and environmental characteristics to survive the hostile environments (such as wind, rain, snow, lightning, and temperature extremes). As mentioned above, the aerial optical fiber cables are installed by suspending between power transmission towers and/or utility poles.
An exemplary aerial optical fiber cable may comprise a central strength member serving as a central core as well as a central support member, and a plurality of loose tubes around the central strength member, wherein the loose tubes each enclose one or more optical fibers.
Further, the entire outer circumference enclosing all the loose tubes is wrapped with outer shell tapes for preventing moisture penetration. A void space between the outer shell tapes and the central strength member is filled with a filling compound. The outside of the outer shell tape is cladded with a first polyethylene sheath layer for protecting the cable from the adverse environmental conditions. The first polyethylene sheath layer is covered with strength members in order to protect the optical fiber cables from damage caused by the hostile environmental conditions and by the external forces. The outer circumference of the strength members is cladded with a second polyethylene sheath layer for further protecting the above cable component parts against the external adverse environment conditions.
Accordingly, in the above structure of the exemplary aerial optical fiber cable, when the cable is subjected to severe external forces and/or hostile environmental conditions, the strength members and the first and second polyethylene sheath layers slip on each other due to a low friction coefficient, thereby causing damage to the optical fiber cable. And since the strength members are cladded with the polyethylene material, when the cable is exposed to a high temperature, the mechanical strength of the strength members is deteriorated, and hence the adhesive force of the clamp for fixing the optical fiber cable on the power transmission towers and utility poles decreases, resulting in separation of the optical fiber cable from the power transmission towers and utility poles.


A gimbal assembly is provided that allows for more than a single rotation about a rotational axis in both a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction.

A gimbal is a pivoted support that allows the rotation of a device about one or more axes. The devices mounted on a gimbal vary and may include, for example, a compass, various types of cameras (e.g., DSLR, thermal, IR) and laser devices, such as laser guiding and/or pointing devices.
Typically, gimbals are configured to rotate about one, two, or three perpendicular rotational axes. The increasing market interest in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for applications such as aerial photography, land surveying, thermal imaging, and surveillance has emphasized the importance of multiple rotation freedom of each axis. Unfortunately, presently known gimbals are limited to, at most, a single rotation about each rotational axis.
Hence, there is a need for a gimbal that allows for more than a single rotation about at least one rotational axis. The present disclosure addresses at least this need.

Multi-rotation gimbal assembly and mobile platform incorporating the same