A metal strip casting apparatus and method of casting continuous metal strip include assembling a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls having casting surfaces positioned laterally forming a nip between for casting, and delivering molten metal through a delivery nozzle disposed above the nip to form a casting pool supported on the casting rolls. The delivery nozzle includes at least one segment having a main portion and an end portion and an inner trough extending longitudinally through the main portion and into the end portion with end walls at opposite ends thereof, the inner trough communicating with outlets adjacent bottom portions formed in each segment adapted to deliver molten metal to a casting pool and the end portion having a reservoir portion having passages adapted to deliver molten metal to a casting pool.

This invention relates to making thin strip and more particularly casting of thin strip by a twin roll caster.
It is known to cast metal strip by continuous casting in a twin roll caster. Molten metal is introduced between a pair of counter-rotating horizontal casting rolls which are cooled so that metal shells solidify on the moving roll surfaces, and are brought together at the nip between them to produce a solidified strip product delivered downwardly from the nip between the rolls. The term "nip" is used herein to refer to the general region at which the rolls are closest together. The molten metal may be poured from a ladle into a smaller vessel or tundish/distributor, from which it flows through a metal delivery nozzle located above the nip, which directs the molten metal to form a casting pool supported on the casting surfaces of the rolls above the nip. This casting pool is typically confined at the ends of the casting rolls by side plates or dams held in sliding engagement adjacent the ends of the casting rolls.
In casting thin strip by twin roll casting, the metal delivery nozzles receive molten metal from the movable tundish and deposit the molten metal in the casting pool in a desired flow pattern. Previously, various designs have been proposed for delivery nozzles involving a lower portion submerged in the casting pool during a casting campaign, and having side openings through which the molten metal is capable of flowing laterally into the casting pool outwardly toward the casting surfaces of the rolls. Examples of such metal delivery nozzles are disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 09-103855 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,508. In prior art metal delivery nozzles, there has been a tendency to produce thin cast strip that contains defects from uneven solidification at the chilled casting surfaces of the rolls.
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for continuous thin strip casting that is capable of substantially reducing and inhibiting such defects in the cast strip, and at the same time reducing wear in the delivery nozzles and the costs in thin strip casting. By testing, we have found that a major cause of such strip defects is thinning of the shells during casting. It is believed that the thinning of the shells is caused by localized high volume flow causing washing away of the shells during formation. Such thinning of the shells can result in ridges in the cast strip. We have found by changing the delivery nozzle that the flow of molten metal into the casting pool can be made more even and closer to uniform. This improved flow from the delivery nozzle into the casting pool is particularly notable in the region where the casting pool meets the casting surfaces of the rolls, generally known as the "meniscus" or "meniscus regions" of the casting pool and provides more even flow of molten metal.
In the past, the formation of pieces of solid metal known as "skulls" in the casting pool in the vicinity of the confining side plates or dams have been observed. The rate of heat loss from the casting pool is higher near the side dams (called the "triple point region") due to conductive heat transfer through the side dams to the casting roll ends. This localized heat loss near the side dams has a tendency to form "skulls" of solid metal in that region, which can grow to a considerable size and fall between the casting rolls and causing defects in the cast strip. An increased flow of molten metal to these "triple point" regions, the regions near the side dams, have been provided by separate direct flows of molten metal to these triple point regions. Examples of such proposals may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,887 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,511. Increased heat input to these triple point regions has inhibited formation of skulls.
Australian Patent Application 60773/96 discloses a method and apparatus in which molten metal is delivered to the delivery nozzle in a trough closed at the bottom. Side openings are provided through which the molten metal flows laterally from the nozzle into a casting pool in the vicinity of the casting pool surface. The flow of molten metal into the casting pool was improved; however, unevenness in metal flow adjacent the casting roll surfaces caused washing away and thinning of the shells tending to cause defects in the cast strip. Further, there remained concern for wear on the delivery nozzle caused by the impact of the molten metal due to ferrostatic pressure, and turbulence caused as the molten metal moved through the delivery nozzle to discharge laterally into the casting pool below the meniscus of the casting pool. In addition, there was concern for extending the useful life of the delivery nozzles and in turn reducing the cost of producing thin cast strip.
The present invention provides an improved apparatus for casting metal strip and method of continuously casting metal strip. Disclosed is an apparatus for casting metal strip comprising:                (a) assembling a pair of casting rolls laterally disposed to form a nip between them,        (b) assembling an elongated metal delivery nozzle extending along and above the nip between the casting rolls, with at least one segment having a main portion and an end portion and an inner trough extending longitudinally through the main portion and into the end portion with end walls at opposite ends thereof, the inner trough communicating with outlets adjacent bottom portions formed in each segment adapted to deliver molten metal to a casting pool and the end portion having a reservoir portion having passages adapted to deliver molten metal to a casting pool,        (c) introducing molten metal through the elongated metal delivery nozzle to form a casting pool of molten metal supported on the casting rolls above the nip, such that molten metal is caused to flow into the inner trough of the delivery nozzle, from the inner trough through the outlets and through the reservoir portion passages into the casting pool, and        (d) counter rotating the casting rolls to deliver cast strip downwardly from the nip.
The metal delivery nozzle may have an inner trough including a convex upper surface or, alternatively, a concave upper surface in the bottom portion of each segment.
The metal delivery nozzle may include an end portion having at least one longitudinally extending weir adjacent to the inner trough. The end portion may also include at least one reservoir adjacent the weir and opposite the inner trough.
The metal delivery nozzle may include an end portion having at least one reservoir extending laterally from the inner trough within the end portion.
The metal delivery nozzle may include outlets that are open at an end of the metal delivery nozzle.
Various aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims.


An exhaust purification catalyst warm-up system has an air pump that supplies air upstream from an exhaust purifying catalyst, disposed in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, the pump supplying air when the exhaust purifying catalyst is being warmed up. The exhaust purification catalyst warm-up system also has an atmospheric pressure sensor that detects the atmospheric pressure, wherein correction is performed so that the degree of fuel increase is smaller, the higher is the atmospheric pressure detected by the atmospheric pressure sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust purification catalyst warm-up system and method for warming up an exhaust purification catalyst disposed in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
An exhaust purification catalyst that removes harmful components, such as carbon monoxide (CO) or nitrogen oxides (NOx) from exhaust gas, via oxidation-reduction action, is provided in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. Because an exhaust purification catalyst is not sufficiently activated until it reaches at least a prescribed temperature (for example, 350° C.), it might not be possible to efficiently remove such harmful components from the exhaust immediately after the internal combustion engine is started, because the temperature of the catalyst is below the prescribed temperature.
Given the above, the Japanese patent application publication No. JP-A-2004-108248, for example, describes a secondary air supplying device for the purpose of quickly activating an exhaust purifying catalyst when an internal combustion engine is started, the apparatus supplies air to an exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine and causes combustion of unburned fuel in the exhaust gas. With the secondary air supplying device it is possible to raise the temperature of the catalyst quickly, by promoting combustion of unburned components in the exhaust pipe to increase the temperature of the exhaust. Also, the above-noted secondary air supplying device extends the period of time during which air is supplied to the exhaust pipe longer, the lower is the atmospheric pressure. As a result, even when the atmospheric pressure is low, it is possible to raise the temperature of the catalyst to or above the activation temperature.
The Japanese patent application publication No. JP-A-2005-16396 describes a controller for an internal combustion engine that not only increases the intake air amount of an internal combustion engine in response to decreasing atmospheric pressure, but also injects fuel of an amount responsive to the intake air amount. According to this internal combustion engine controller, even when the atmospheric pressure is low, it is possible to quickly raise the temperature of the catalyst.
In the secondary air supplying device described in the Japanese patent application publication No. JP-A-2004-108248, however, by extending the period of time air is supplied to the exhaust pipe in response to decreasing atmospheric pressure, in other words, by extending the period of time of warm-up of the catalyst, the temperature is raised to at least the activation temperature. For this reason, although it is possible to raise the temperature of the catalyst to or over the activation temperature even when the atmospheric pressure is low, there was the problem of not being able to quickly activate the catalyst.
Also, when an exhaust purifying catalyst is warmed up, the controller for an internal combustion engine noted in the Japanese patent application publication No. JP-A-2005-16396 increases the intake air amount in response to a decrease in the atmospheric pressure, and injects an amount of fuel responsive to the intake air amount. For this reason, accompanying the increase in the intake air amount and the fuel injection amount, there is an increase in the output torque of the engine. As a result, when the engine is idling, the engine speed increases, and when the vehicle is running the vehicle accelerates to an extent that is noticeable by a driver.

Exhaust purification catalyst warm-up system of an internal combustion engine and method of the same


A portable or notebook type computer communication interface that permits portable computers to be reliably used in a data processing network. The interface involves communication circuitry, special device inputs and power monitoring and charging. A flexible portable computer wireless time and frequency division network is formed using a time and frequency division multiplexed communication channel assignment feature that together with a wireless link establishes a unique direct communication channel between data processing devices on different levels with data packet type transmission security. The principle permits each portable computer in the network to communicate with any other and any and all can transmit and receive at the same time.

In computer systems there are evolving, architectural configurations where one or a plurality of computer devices may interact with one or a plurality of other computer devices in a network. All devices generally have interfaces that provide input/output capability for human users. In computer networks it is becoming desirable for any user at any interface to be able to interact with any other device in the network.
The main approach in interconnecting data processing devices has been through cables. The use of cables however places a significant limitation on ability to communicate and on flexibility of physical placement of devices.
The evolution in portable computers has resulted in quite computationally powerful notebook size devices. Such devices however do not readily interface with computer networks.
There have been some attempts heretofore in the art to provide interfacing communication between portable computers and other data processing devices through the use of communication channels not involving wires, such as electromagnetic and optical transmission. An example is in the document IBM TDB Vol. 37 No. 4b April 94 Pages 91-93, wherein there is described, wireless, optical or electromagnetic, communication of data, in packet format, between a computer operating system and a portable computer through an interface that uses as a single transmission criterion, only the presence of the portable computer device in the communication channel.
There is a need in the art for greater flexibility in data processing system architecture to facilitate the use of portable computers in data processing networks.

International Business Machines Corporation


A first correction pattern and a second correction pattern are formed on an endless conveyor belt. The first correction pattern is located ahead of the second correction pattern on the conveyor belt with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt. A sensor detects positional information of the correction patterns. A timing changing unit (controlling unit) changes a detection timing of the second correction pattern from a time point at which the sensor detects the second correction pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a positional-deviation correction apparatus, a method of controlling a positional deviation, and an image forming apparatus to obtain an image visualized by superimposing a plurality of colors by an electrophotographic printer and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image forming apparatuses, it is common to perform correction of positional deviation by checking how a test pattern is printed on a recording medium. In the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3506891, a test pattern is printed on the left and right sides of a recording medium in a conveying direction and includes a first pattern and a second pattern opposing to each other. The first pattern includes stripes formed at a specific interval, and each strip has a specific line width. The second pattern also includes strips formed at a specific interval, and each strip has a specific line width; however, the specific interval is different from the interval of the first pattern.
In color image forming apparatuses, it is common to perform positional alignment of each of the colors. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-244387 discloses a technology that has a mode for executing each of a plurality of processes, enables a user to select a desired mode and performs positional alignment of the colors appropriate to the user selected mode.
In the related art, a positional-deviation correction apparatus creates images of a plurality of sets of positional deviation correction patterns and detects positional information of each set, in an unambiguous time from start of exposure. However, due to a tolerance in layout size of the positional-deviation correction apparatus, such as a stretching of an intermediate transfer belt, there is an occasion that this unambiguous time cannot be inserted between the respective sets of the correction patterns. This leads to a problem that not all the positional information of the sets of the correction patterns can be read.

Positional-deviation correction apparatus, method of controlling positional deviation, and image forming apparatus


A data processing apparatus and a vehicle having the same are provided. A data processing apparatus of a vehicle includes: a first memory having a plurality of storage areas to which each address of a plurality of addresses is allocated; and a processor configured to confirm information of data received from a first device, confirm an address corresponding to the received data based on the confirmed information of data, and store the received data in a storage area of the plurality of storage areas corresponding to the confirmed address.

In addition to basic driving functions, a vehicles performs additional functions for user convenience such as an audio function, a video function, a navigation function, an air conditioning function, a seat heating function and communication with an external terminal.
The vehicle may include electronic control devices and multimedia devices for controlling and performing driving functions and additional functions. These electronic control devices and multimedia devices transmit and receive data between each other using the same or different protocols and perform functions given to each other.
The vehicle further includes a communication device for transmitting and receiving data between devices that communicate with each other.
The communication device performs routing when communicating between different devices. These communication devices transmit data according to routing information when data is received.
Among devices, a device that transmits data transmits data regardless of whether the data is updated.
A device that receives data among the devices unconditionally processes the received data when data transmitted from another device is received regardless of whether the data is updated or the data required by the application. For this reason, there is a problem in that the load (interrupt processing, etc.) increases in the communication device and each device when communicating between devices.
In addition, when data required by the device is added, there is a problem in that the communication device needs to update routing information. When a device for receiving data is added, there is a problem in that the communication device needs to update routing information.

Data processing apparatus and vehicle having the same


A pointing device that can move an object in a desired direction on a display screen includes a control unit that switches between a first mode and a second mode in accordance with the contents of the display on the display screen. In the first mode, the pointing device outputs information as to the location of the object within a pointing area. In the second mode, the pointing device divides the pointing area into a plurality of areas and outputs information as to the divided area in which the object is located.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pointing device that can designate a desired location on a display screen, and more particularly, to a pointing device that can perform various input operations, an information display system, and an input method utilizing the pointing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pointing device that can move a cursor or a pointer in any direction over the 360 degrees on a screen has been developed as a device for moving a cursor or a pointer displayed on the display screen of a portable terminal or the like.
The structure and the operating principles of a pointing device that utilizes variations in magnetism to move a cursor in any direction over the 360 degrees on a screen are described below.
A pointing device 1 shown in FIG. 1 utilizes variations in magnetism, and includes a magnet 2 that is housed in a housing 4 and cooperates with an operating unit (not shown) and Hall elements 3 that detect a tilt or a movement of the magnet 2. On the housing 4 that houses the magnet 2, a key top unit 5 is provided to cover the housing 4. The key top unit 5 is vertically movable and is supported by springs 6.
The Hall elements 3 are devices that convert a magnetic field into voltage and output the voltage. The Hall elements 3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a predetermined reference point on a printed board 7, as shown in FIG. 2. For example, a Hall element (+X direction) 10 and a Hall element (−X direction) 11 are arranged in the X direction, and a Hall element (+Y direction) 12 and a Hall element (−Y direction) 13 are arranged in the Y direction.
The magnet 2 has a cylindrical shape, as shown in FIG. 2, and generates a magnetic field vertically with respect to the bottom surface. In a non-operating state, the magnet 2 is at a uniform distance from each of the Hall elements 10, 11, 12, and 13. As the magnet 2 is located at the same distance from the Hall elements 10, 11, 12, and 13, the magnetic fields applied to the respective Hall elements 10, 11, 12, and 13 are substantially the same. Accordingly, the voltages that are output from the Hall elements 10, 11, 12, and 13 are also uniform.
When the magnet 2 is operated and is then tilted or moved, each of the magnetic fields applied to the Hall elements 10, 11, 12, and 13 varies. As a result, the voltages that are output from the Hall elements 10, 11, 12, and 13 also vary. If the magnet 2 is tilted or moved in the positive X direction, the output voltage of the Hall element (+X direction) 10 becomes greater than the output voltage of the Hall element (−X direction) 11.
In accordance with the variations in the outputs of the Hall elements 10, 11, 12, and 13, a signal that can move the target object in any desired direction at a desired speed on the display screen can be calculated.
The pointing cursor control device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-289996 refers to a lookup table stored in a memory, and then extracts the target coordinates of the neighboring object located in the direction of moving the cursor. A control operation is then performed to move the cursor immediately to the location represented by the extracted coordinates of the neighboring object.
With the above pointing device, the cursor can be moved in any direction over the 360 degrees on the screen. However, more complicated input operations may be necessary, depending on the application. More specifically, it is necessary to perform a pointing operation in accordance with the application screen. For example, the information as to the location of the pointing device is not necessary on the menu selecting screen, and the cursor needs to be moved only in limited directions.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-289996 discloses the technique of improving the operability of the pointing device, but does not disclose the technique of performing various input operations with the pointing device.

Pointing device, information display device, and input method utilizing the pointing device


This invention can generally be described as an overall transmit (TX) scheduler state-machine that is broken down into two different state-machines: One first TX-scheduler state-machine (FTSM), executed in software, and one second TX-scheduler state-machine (STSM) executed in hardware, which is operating in four different basic states. The functional partitioning between the two state-machines is such that the most constrained real-time requirements are allocated to the STSM, while all complex decisions and non time-critical controls are allocated to the FTSM. The invention also relates to a terminal comprising the invented transmit scheduler.

In any Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) Network, such as Wireless LAN, one needs to be able to control when to transmit or not. This is accomplished by observing the media used, and trying to transmit when nobody else is using the media.
One important function in this type of Access method is the Back-off function. In a CA (Collision Avoidance) system, it is the job of a transceiver/transmitter (TX) scheduler to observe a shared media and, based on the observations, find a transmit opportunity for the own station.
In 802.11 networks, i.e. networks supporting and working according to the IEEE standard 802.11, the transceiver/transmitter TX dispatcher (i.e. TX scheduler) has to consider the following:                Energy detect on the media originating from non-802.11 stations (microwave-ovens, or Bluetooth devices for example).        Transmissions from other 802.11 stations.
The TX-dispatcher constitutes a conceptual state-machine that takes the above entities as input. By compiling the physical events on the channel with a timestamp related to the respective event, and by examining the content of radio messages sent by other stations, the TX-dispatcher decides when to dispatch a pending transmission to the shared media.
The IEEE 802.11 standard defines a set of rules that strictly and unambiguously controls when a station may access the media for transmission. The problem with this set of rules is that the decision logic becomes complex enough to require CPU processing, while the timing requirements are hard enough to be more suited for hardware processing.
The complexity of the decision logic has been the killing argument for manufacturers of 802.11 chips to choose to implement the TX-dispatcher state-machine in software only.
However, in practice the time course of a media (channel) is fragmented in many ways, which causes severe problems to design a software fulfilling said standard for transmission.
The downside of implementing the state-machine in software is because:                Power consumption is increased, as the CPU has to deal with very high-frequency events.        The performance requirement on the CPU is increased (Higher clock frequency (=higher power consumption) or more advanced CPU (=more expensive solution) is required).
As can be seen above, this is a simple task from a software point of view, but the interrupts can be triggered quite frequently, and there is a lot of time uncertainty.
To address the above stated problem, it has been suggested in the prior art to divide an overall TX-scheduler state-machine into two different state-machines: One first TX-scheduler state-machine (FTSM), executed in software, which controls and administers one second TX-scheduler state-machine (STSM) executed in hardware.
In patent application WO 01/86434 A2 a state machine is shown, implementing a communication protocol such as the Bluetooth protocol. Furthermore, a synchronous Time-Division Duplex (TDD) scheme is described, wherein decisions and state transitions are made periodically in specific points of time. The document only describe a synchronous system and is not adaptable to an asynchronous system wherein avoidance of collisions in a shared media is essential.
The patent application EP 1 333 620 A2 discloses a method for implementing a plurality of backoff counters in a single hardware backoff counter. When state transitions are made, either the software or the hardware adjusts and compares the backoff counters values.
However, the complexity of said known methods and systems are considerable as they require complex hardware and software solutions, wasting a lot of CPU time and battery power.

WLAN transmit scheduler comprising an accelerated back-off function


A network management system (NMS) automatically models a path for a customer's services from a terminating unit through elements typically on a link-by-link basis, across networks if appropriate, to a network service provider (NSP) or Internet service provider (ISP). The path may be a private virtual circuit or connection (PVC), and it may traverse an “overall network” including other networks such as an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) service or sub-networks. To model a path, the NMS creates a topology including the elements and links in the overall network and respective features, functions, characteristics, and capacities thereof. The topology allows the NMS to speedily, efficiently, and automatically provision a customer's service from the terminating unit to connection to the customer's selected NSP or ISP for Internet access.

Fast access to the Internet. Many products and services advertise fast access to the Internet, and many deliver fast access, but only after the customer has been provisioned and otherwise set-up to receive and connect to the services for appropriate interface with the Internet. The actual "provisioning" and related operations to get the customer set-up for Internet access may be anything but fast access. In fact, setting up a customer for connection to the Internet is often done manually and piecemeal, which is rather ironic given the technology being provisioned. This manual and piecemeal provisioning generally includes an element-by-element review and execution across the various networks by the appropriate service representatives. For example, a customer subscribing to ADSL service must be provisioned with the ADSL service by the ADSL service provider. The customer then is connected typically through an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch and an Internet service provider (ISP) or network service provider (NSP) for ultimate access to the Internet (or other global communications network). For each element in the network(s) necessary to connect the customer to the Internet, appropriate service representatives typically check such facts as whether the element has the capacity to serve the customer's needs, whether the element is connected appropriately to other elements necessary to the service, whether the element may properly interface with the other necessary elements, etc.
Why is the provisioning of a customer's service often done manually and piecemeal? Because there generally has been no other way to accomplish connection of a customer to across networks or cross domains to the Internet. An example best demonstrates this manual and piecemeal provisioning. A first service representative doing the provisioning for the customer's ADSL service plots a path for the customer's communications from a beginning at the customer's terminating unit (TU) through elements across the ADSL network to the point where the path crosses over to another network or domain. At that cross-over point, another service representative takes over from the first representative and continues plotting the path through his or her "territory". This hand-off of the path plotting continues until the path is completed to an end at the ISP or NSP providing the ultimate connection to the Internet.
The plotting of the path from the customer's TU to the end connection to the NSP or ISP is further complicated by the path consisting of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) (also referred to as a permanent virtual connection). Each link between elements in the path from the customer's terminating unit to the NSP must first be determined, cleared and/or configured, if necessary, and otherwise set up to service the customer as part of the PVC. Each link in the path may differ from the other links as a result of the type, placement, use or other feature of the respective elements that are linked in the path. For example, a link may connect elements from two different vendors. Further, the determination of a path for the customer's service is complicated by the traversal of the path across more than one type of network. The disparate networks add to the complications in determining a path because the networks may operate in respective protocols, or otherwise differ from each other so as to make determination of the path across the networks difficult.
Thus, the provisioning of the customer's connection to the Internet requires appropriate service representative(s) to determine the segments making up a path for the customer's service by proper element-by-element linking from the customer's terminating unit to the NSP serving the customer. This element-by-element linking may be confusing or at least complicated, and therefore, is time-consuming and slows down the customer's access to the Internet or other global communications network.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems that allow for the efficient, cost-effective, and speedy provisioning of a customer for services such as DSL service and the like, that connect the customer to the Internet or other global communications network.

Methods and systems of network management


A personal cleansing sheet with which the skin and hair can be easily cleansed of oily soils such as sebum and aqueous soils such as sweat or salts, has a structure in which an oily substance absorption layer that serves as a region that absorbs oil substances is laminated with an aqueous cleansing liquid retention layer that serves as a region that retains an aqueous cleansing liquid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a personal cleansing sheet with which the skin and hair can be easily cleansed of oily soils such as sebum or aqueous soils such as sweat or salts, and more particularly relates to a personal cleansing sheet with which the skin and hair can be easily cleansed without smudging makeup such as foundation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Skin cleansing sheets for removing soils adhering to the hair and skin, and particularly the face, have been commercially available in recent years. These skin cleansing sheets fall into two major categories, oil absorbent dry sheets used primarily for removing oily soils such as sebum, and wet sheets that retain an aqueous cleansing liquid and are used primarily for removing aqueous soils such as sweat or salts.
Typical examples of oil absorbent dry sheets include: sheets produced by subjecting a fibrous raw material such as natural pulp, paper mulberry, mitsumata, or hemp to a papermaking process, and then making this sheet thin by calendering or the like; and soft plastic films having numerous micropores on the surface. These dry sheets can be used to absorb and remove oily soils such as sebum or cosmetics that stand on the surface of the underlying makeup (such as foundation) without smudging the makeup, thereby preventing undesired shine.
A wet sheet that retains an aqueous cleansing liquid is generally produced by impregnating a nonwoven fabric of hydrophilic fibers with an aqueous cleansing liquid. If needed, a powder that makes the skin feel smooth and dry can be adhered to a surface of the sheet. Such a wet sheet allows aqueous soils such as sweat or salts that stand on the surface of the underlying makeup (such as foundation) to be removed without smudging the makeup, and allows the user to enjoy refreshing feel similar to one felt upon washing the face.
A problem with the above-mentioned oil absorbent dry sheets, however, was that they are unable to remove aqueous soils such as sweat or the salts and water-soluble proteins contained therein. A problem encountered with the above-mentioned wet sheets that retained an aqueous cleansing liquid, on the other hand, was that they were unable to remove oily soils sufficiently, and were therefore unable to adequately prevent shine or smudging.
It is an object of the present invention to allow oily soils such as sebum and aqueous soils such as sweat or salts to be removed with ease from the skin and hair.
The inventors arrived at the present invention upon discovering that the stated object can be achieved by incorporating into a single sheet material an oil absorbent region that absorbs and removes oily soils and an aqueous cleansing liquid retention region that wipes away or absorbs and removes aqueous soils.
Specifically, the present invention provides a personal cleansing sheet having a region that absorbs oily substances and a region that retains an aqueous cleansing liquid. Here, the region that absorbs oily substances may constitute one side of the sheet and the region that retains an aqueous cleansing liquid may constitute the other side, or the region that absorbs oily substances and the region that retains an aqueous cleansing liquid may both be on the same side.


Provided is a method for determining a physical shape having a predefined physical target property that includes calculating a sensitivity landscape on the basis of a shape data record for the physical shape with the aid of a calculation device. The calculation device is a machine-taught artificial intelligence device. The shape data record identifies locations at or on the physical shape. For a plurality of these locations, the sensitivity landscape respectively indicates how the target property of the physical shape changes if the physical shape changes in the region of the location. Furthermore, the shape data record for the physical shape to be determined is changed on the basis of the sensitivity landscape in such a manner that the predefined physical target property is improved.

When manufacturing physical objects, it is sometimes necessary to optimize their shape with respect to a physical property. For example, when manufacturing motor vehicles, it is necessary to optimize their outer shape with respect to the flow resistance, with the result that it is possible to determine an outer motor vehicle shape which has an optimum flow property.
Othmer 2014 ("Adjoint methods for car aerodynamics", Journal of Mathematics in Industry, Springer, 2014, 4:6) describes gradient-based optimization in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a calculation of so-called sensitivity maps which is based thereon.
However, the calculation of gradient-based sensitivity maps is computationally intensive. Their use when determining physical shapes, in particular in manufacturing processes, means a large outlay in terms of time and costs. This may result in high manufacturing costs and long design phases and may hinder interactive design.

Method and apparatus for determining a physical shape, method for manufacturing a calculation device, calculation device, and use of the calculation device


A mass flow controller comprises: a first flow meter constructed and arranged to measured flow rate of mass through the mass flow controller; a second flow meter constructed and arranged to measure flow rate of mass through the mass flow controller; a control valve constructed and arranged so as to control the flow rate of mass through the mass flow controller in response to a control signal generated as a function of the flow rate as measured by one of the flow meters; and a system controller constructed and arranged to generate the control signal, and to provide an indication when a difference between the flow rate of mass as measured by the first flow meter and the flow rate of mass as measured by the second flow meter exceeds a threshold.

Field
This disclosure relates generally to mass flow controllers (MFCs), and more particularly to a system for and method of monitoring flow through MFCs in real time. As used herein the term "gas" includes the term "vapor(s)" should the two terms be considered different.
Overview
Mass flow controllers (MFCs) are devices for measuring and controlling the flow of gases. They are usually used to control the flow of gases during a semiconductor manufacturing process wherein the flow of gases into a semiconductor tool, such as a vacuum chamber, must be carefully controlled in order to produce high yield semiconductor products. MFCs are usually designed and calibrated to control specific types of gas at particular ranges of flow rates. The devices control the rate of flow based on a given setpoint, usually predetermined by the user or an external device such as the semiconductor tool itself. MFCs can be either analog or digital. They are typically designed to be used with pressure ranges of the inlet gases, with low pressure and high pressure MFCs being available. All MFCs have an inlet port, and outlet ports, a mass flow meter including a mass flow sensor and a proportional control valve. A system controller is used as a part of a feedback control system that provides a control signal to the control valve as a function of a comparison of the flow rate as determined by the setpoint with the measured flow rate as sensed by the mass flow sensor. The feedback control system thus operates the valve so that the measured flow is maintained at the flow rate as determined by the setpoint.
Such control systems assume that the MFC remains in calibration within certain tolerances. In order test whether an MFC is within the tolerances of calibration, the MFC is typically tested off line with such devices as mass flow verifiers. The latter are used to test the flow rates. While off line testing is very accurate, there is always a problem that a MFC can become out of calibration during the running of a process (in real time), and not be detected until the process is completed. Often this can result in lower yields of semiconductor product, and even a complete failure resulting in the loss of the entire product yield. This can be expensive, and is clearly undesirable. What is needed is a device and method for continually testing the calibration settings of a MFC in real time while processes are being run.

System for and method of monitoring flow through mass flow controllers in real time


The present invention provides methods for treating constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome comprising administering to a patient in need thereof, a polymeric proanthocyanidin composition from a Croton species or Calophyllum species in an amount sufficient to treat constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (c-IBS). Treatment of c-IBS includes the treatment of the constipation component of c-IBS as well as the pain and abdominal discomfort associated with c-IBS. In one embodiment, the polymeric proanthocyanidin compound is crofelemer. The present invention in an alternative embodiment also provides methods for treating alternating constipation-predominant/diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional disorder of the bowel that has a pronounced effect on quality of life. A defining characteristic of IBS is abdominal discomfort or pain. The Rome II Diagnostic Criteria (a system for diagnosing functional gastrointestinal disorders based on symptoms) for IBS is as follows: at least 12 weeks or more, which need not be consecutive, in the preceding 12 months of abdominal discomfort or pain that is accompanied by at least two of the following features: (1) it is relieved with defecation, and/or (2) onset is associated with a change in frequency of stool, and/or (3) onset is associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool.
Other symptoms that support the diagnosis of IBS include pain; abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or feeling of incomplete evacuation); passage of mucus; and bloating or feeling of abdominal distension. Patients can be sub-divided by their underlying bowel habits: (i) diarrhea-predominate IBS, (ii) constipation-predominate IBS, and (ii) constipation alternating with diarrhea (alternating IBS).
The pathophysiology of IBS is poorly understood despite the fact that about a quarter of the population in the UK may exhibit the symptoms, and approximately 15 percent of U.S. adults report symptoms that are consistent with the diagnosis of IBS. It is estimated that only 25 percent of persons with IBS seek medical care. In addition, patients diagnosed with IBS are at increased risk for other, non-gastrointestinal functional disorders such as fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis.
IBS is the most common diagnosis made by gastroenterologists in the U.S., and accounts for 12 percent of visits to primary care providers. Approximately $8 billion in direct medical costs and $25 billion in indirect costs are spent annually in the U.S. for diagnosing and treating IBS. Thus, IBS accounts for a large proportion of annual healthcare costs in the U.S.
Primary treatment of IBS involves counseling and dietary modification. Drug therapy is considered to be beneficial if directed at individual symptoms. For diarrhea predominant cases, antidiarrheal drugs such as loperamide can be used, which treat diarrhea, but not abdominal pain. Since abdominal pain is one of the defining characteristic of IBS, anti-diarrheal drugs do not adequately treat IBS (Jailwala et al., 2000, Ann Intern Med. 2000; 133:136-147; Cremonini et al., 2004, Minerva Med 95:427-441). For constipation predominant cases, ispaghula is often used to increase dietary fiber. Where patients have pain and distension as predominant symptoms, anti-spasmolytics are commonly used. Mebeverine and peppermint oil are often used in such cases. Other agents that have been tried for treating IBS include beta-blockers, naloxone, ondansetron, calcium channel blockers, simethicone, leuprorelin, octreotide and cholecystokinin antagonists with variable results (Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 31 st Edition (1996) p. 1197).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,211,944 and 5,494,661 to Tempesta disclose the use of a proanthocyanidin polymeric composition isolated from Croton spp. or Calophyllum spp. for the treatment of viral infections. Rozhon et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0019389, disclose the use of a proanthocyanidin polymeric composition isolated from Croton spp. or Calophyllum spp. for the treatment of secretory or traveler's diarrhea. Di Cesare et al., 2002, Am J Gastroenterol 10:2585-2588 disclose a clinical trial of crofelemer as a treatment for traveler's diarrhea compared to placebo. Dosages used in this study were 500 mg/day (125 four times a day); 1000 mg/day (250 mg four times a day); and 2000 mg/day (500 mg four times a day) for two days. The study showed that the composition was useful for the amelioration of stool frequency and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with traveler's diarrhea.
Citation or identification of any reference in this section or any other section of this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art for the present application.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for treatment of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome


An image generation apparatus to generate an image includes an acquisition unit, an input unit, and a generation unit. The acquisition unit acquires image data. The input unit inputs brightness information with respect to the image data and lens characteristics of a lenticular lens. The generation unit generates a plurality of pieces of image data which is varied in brightness for being synthesized to the lenticular lens based on the brightness information and the lens characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lenticular lens, and an image generation processing for a lenticular lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the development of devices dealing with images such as a digital camera, a display, and a printer, has driven demand for the reproduction of the texture of the subject, three-dimensional view, and the like.
For example, regarding the reproduction of the texture, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-285459 discusses a technique in which an input video signal representing an image is corrected based on a reflection light model to reproduce metallic luster. In this technique, the metallic luster is reproduced based on a luminance signal in the input video signal.
Apart from this, there is known a phenomenon in which, when images of low correlation are presented before the right and left eyes of an observer, no fusion occurs, and one of the images being predominant over the other is alternately observed. This phenomenon is called binocular rivalry since the images observed fluctuate in an unstable manner with the passage of time, and the right and left eyes seem to view with each other to observe the images. Further, as is known in the art, when images of differing in luminance are presented before the right and left eyes, there is generated a luster texture called binocular luster.
Regarding the three-dimensional view, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-319214 discusses a method according to which a lenticular lens is used to present parallax images before the right and left eyes of the observer to realize a three-dimensional view. According to the method, three-dimensional reproduction is realized through a combination of images obtained by dividing a plurality of parallax images into rectangular portions and synthesizing them and a lenticular lens according to the characteristics of the lenticular lens.
In general, the luster of an object, for example a state of shining by reflected light for an object, greatly depends on bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), a four-dimensional function that defines how light is reflected at an opaque surface. BRDF represents reflectance with respect to the incident angle and the output angle of the surface of an object. The lower the luster of the object, the less the BRDF depends on the incident angle and the output angle but is a substantially fixed value. The higher the luster of an object, the larger the value of the minor surface reflection component. In other words, there is a great difference in image brightness between a region of high luster and a region of low luster in an image of the object.
Each of the devices and media dealing with images has a brightness range that the device or the medium can reproduce the image. Thus, when an image including subjects differing in luster is output from a device to a medium of a small brightness reproduction range such as a sheet of paper having a matte paper finish, the difference in brightness between the high luster region and the lower luster region cannot be reproduced to a sufficient degree, with the result that the luster texture is impaired.

Lenticular lens, image generation apparatus, and image generation method


The present invention relates to a method for protecting hematopoietic stem cells from the myelotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation therapy, which comprises, administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of transforming growth factor beta 1 for protecting bone marrow from the myelotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation therapy. The TGF.beta.1 may be administered prior (e.g. 24 hours) to the administration of the chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation therapy. Preferably, the TGF.beta.1 is administered to the subject in an amount of about 5 .mu.g to 25 .mu.g per kg body weight. The patient or subject of the present invention may be a mammal (e.g. human, domestic animal such as horse, cow, dog, cat or pig) and is preferably a human being. The mode of administration is either by interfemoral arterial, interperitoneally or subcutaneously, and preferably is by injection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of using Transforming Growth Factor beta 1 (TGF.beta.1) as a chemoprotective agent for cycle active drugs such as cyclophosphimide and melphalan, and more specifically, to a method for protecting bone marrow using TGF.beta.1.
2. Description of Related Art
Transforming growth factor .beta. (TGF.beta.1) (Roberts A. B. et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 82:119, (1985)) has been shown to both stimulate and inhibit (Sporn, M. B. et al, J. Cell Biol. 105:1039 (1987); Robey, P. G. et al, J. Cell Biol. 105:457 (1987); Centrella, M. et al, J. Biol. Chem. 262:2869 (1987); Roberts, A. B. et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:119 (1985); Arteaga, C. L. et al, Cancer Res. 48:3898 (1988)) the proliferation of several cell types, as well as suppress a variety of cytokine-induced immunological responses (Kehrl, J. et al, J. Immunol. 137:3855 (1986); Kehrl, J. H. et al, J. Exp. Med. 163:1037 (1986); Espevik, T. et al, J. Immunol. 140:2312 (1988)). Previous studies from the laboratory of the present inventors have demonstrated that TGF.beta.1 selectively inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of early hematopoietic progenitor cells in vitro (Keller, J. R. et al, J. Exp. Med. 169:737 (1988); Sing, G. K. et al, Blood 72:1504 (1988)). The studies reported herein are performed to determine whether similar effects of TGF.beta.1 on bone marrow cells could be achieved in vivo. Since the pharmacodynamics of exogenously administered TGF.beta.1 have been reported to be unfavorable due to binding to serum components such as .alpha.2-macroglobulin (O'Connor, M. D. et al, J. Biol. Chem. 262:14090 (1987)) and first-pass hepatic extraction (Coffey, R. J. et al, J. Clin. Invest. 80:750 (1987)) the present inventors have developed a surgical technique to administer TGF.beta.1 locoregionally via injection into the femoral artery. This approach allows the determination of the in vivo effects following injection of microgram amounts of TGF.beta.1 on proliferation and maturation of early hematopoietic progenitor cells. The results of these studies show that relatively small amounts of TGF.beta.1 inhibit baseline and IL-3 (interleukin 3) driven proliferation of these progenitor cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner.

Method for protecting bone marrow against chemotherapeutic drugs using transforming growth factor beta 1

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


A printing apparatus performs printing on a web of printing paper while transporting the printing paper along a transport path. The printing apparatus includes a first transport mechanism located upstream in the transport path, and a second transport mechanism located downstream in the transport path. The transport speed of the printing paper in the first transport mechanism is controlled so that a tension value measured by a first tension sensor provided near the first transport mechanism approaches a predetermined value. The transport speed of the printing paper in the second transport mechanism is controlled so that a tension value measured by a second tension sensor provided near the second transport mechanism approaches the tension value measured by the first tension sensor. Thus, the tension of the printing paper is maintained at the predetermined value in the two locations along the transport path. The printing apparatus presents no hunting problem because the tension control using the predetermined value as a target value is effected only in the first transport mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for controlling the tension of a web of printing paper in a printing apparatus for printing on the printing paper while transporting the printing paper along a predetermined transport path.
2. Description of the Background Art
A web printing apparatus for printing on a web (or elongated piece) of printing paper while transporting the printing paper along a predetermined transport path has been conventionally known. The web printing apparatus performs printing in a predetermined printing position on the printing paper while transporting the printing paper by using a plurality of rollers including an infeed roller, an outfeed roller and the like.
Such a web printing apparatus applies a predetermined tension to the printing paper to ensure the flatness of the printing paper in the printing position. Conventional techniques have applied a predetermined tension to the printing paper by setting the rotation speeds of the respective rollers for transporting the printing paper at values increasing gradually in a downstream direction along the transport path. Such techniques, however, have required a user to perform the operation of setting the rotation speeds of the respective rollers. Additionally, the user has been required to set the rotation speeds of the respective rollers again each time the type of printing paper to be used is changed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-248743 discloses a printing apparatus which measures the tension of printing paper to effect feedback control of the rotation speed of an infeed roller so that the result of measurement approaches a predetermined value. Such tension control eliminates the need for the user to set the rotation speeds of the rollers, and also achieves the automatic control of the tension of the printing paper regardless of the type of the printing paper used.
However, when the tension control disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-248743 is effected in a plurality of locations in a web printing apparatus, there arises a so-called "hunting" problem. FIG. 5 is a graph showing variations in the tension of the printing paper in two (first and second) control positions in a web printing apparatus when the tension control disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-248743 is effected in the two control positions. The abscissa of FIG. 5 represents time, and the ordinate thereof represents the tension value. The tension in the first control position (indicated by the solid curve of FIG. 5) and the tension in the second control position (indicated by the dash-and-dot curve of FIG. 5) are controlled to approach a predetermined value pv. However, because the web printing apparatus handles a single continuous piece of printing paper, the tension in the first control position and the tension in the second control position interact with each other. For this reason, the tension in the first control position and the tension in the second control position do not converge to the predetermined value pv but repeatedly swing on both sides of the predetermined value pv. Thus, it has been difficult for the tension control disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-248743 to maintain the tension of the printing paper in the plurality of locations in the web printing apparatus at a constant value.

Printing apparatus and method of tension control


In an exemplary method, repeated patterns are identified in a strip-like product. In the method the strip-like product is observed by at least one camera, and at least one digital image signal comprised of pixels is created for inspection. The image signal is searched for anomalies comprised of one or more pixels. A search image is created of any detected anomaly and its neighbourhood, and the search image is used to convolute the image signal being examined, creating a response image signal. The response image signal is used to determine image areas in the image signal being examined that are substantially similar to the search image.

Repeated fault patterns in strip-like products are usually caused by faults in or erroneous operation of machine elements. For example, repeated faults will arise in the process of metal band rolling if there is a fault or anomaly in the working roll, causing it to imprint the final product at regular intervals. Correspondingly, in the process of paper manufacturing, faults in the rolls or incorrect operation of the calendar will cause repeated variations in paper quality. A roll generally refers to an approximately cylindrical machine element that is in contact with a strip-like product and rotates in the direction in which the product progresses. It must be noted that the roll may rotate at a speed different from the speed of the product.
In some cases one or more missing patterns within a regularly repeated pattern are considered a fault in a strip-like product. These include, for example, a watermark missing from watermarked paper or an imprint missing from printed adhesive paper.
Even if weak, such a cyclical fault is often more severe than an individual fault from the point of view of the metal roller or paper-maker, as well as the end client.
Automatic visual inspection of the surface of strip-like products is often based on CCD line scan cameras that take pictures of light reflected from the surface of the product at different angles. The web itself is moving, so an image can be created by reading a single line at a time at a high speed. The image signal from the CCD line camera is converted to a digital format and digitally processed in an image-processing unit. The end product of the process is a set of electronic images representing selected parts of the strip-like product.
The publication WO 02/078873 A1 presents a method for detecting a faulty roll in the manufacture of a strip-like product. The strip is inspected after the roll unit for any visual faults, and when one is detected the faulty roll is located by opening and closing roll pairs under timed control.
The publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,307 presents an apparatus for inspecting regular roll marks. The apparatus stores imprint data along the diameter of the roll into memory and compares the imprint data with reference data at each full revolution of the roll.

Method and apparatus for identifying repeated patterns


An electrode material contains an agglomerate formed by agglomerating a plurality of agglomerated particles formed by agglomerating a plurality of particles of a carbonaceous coated electrode active material having a carbonaceous coat formed on a surface, the agglomerate is made up of hollow-structured particles and solid-structured particles, the average particle diameter of the agglomerate is in a range of 0.5 μm to 100 μm, the volume density of the agglomerate is in a range of 50% by volume to 80% by volume, the micropore distribution of micropores present in the agglomerate is monomodal, the average micropore diameter in the micropore distribution is 0.3 μm or less, and the NMP oil absorption amount of the agglomerate is in a range of 40 g/100 g to 100 g/100 g.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode material, an electrode and a lithium ion battery, and particularly to an electrode material that is preferably used as a positive electrode material used in batteries and, furthermore, a positive electrode material used in lithium ion batteries, an electrode containing the above-described electrode material, and a lithium ion battery including a positive electrode made of the above-described electrode.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, as a battery expected to attain a decrease in size and weight and an increase in capacitance, non-aqueous electrolytic solution secondary batteries such as lithium ion batteries have been proposed, and have been put into practical use.
The lithium ion battery is made up of a positive electrode and a negative electrode which can reversibly accept and expel lithium ions and a non-aqueous electrolyte.
Regarding negative electrode materials of lithium ion batteries, generally, a carbon-based material or a Li-containing metallic oxide which can reversibly accept and expel lithium ions, such as lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12), is used as a negative electrode active material.
On the other hand, regarding positive electrode materials of lithium ion batteries, a Li-containing metallic oxide which can reversibly accept and expel lithium ions, such as lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) or an electrode material mixture containing a binder and the like is used as a positive electrode active material. In addition, a positive electrode of a lithium ion battery is formed by applying the electrode material mixture to a surface of a metal foil called a collector.
The lithium ion battery has a light weight, a small size and a high energy compared to secondary batteries of the related art, such as lead batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-hydrogen batteries, and therefore the lithium ion battery is used not only as a small-scale power supply for portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and notebook computers but also as a large-scale stationary emergency power supply.
In addition, in recent years, studies are being conducted regarding the use of the lithium ion battery as a high-output power supply in plug-in hybrid vehicles, hybrid vehicles, electromotive tools and the like, and batteries being used as a high-output power supply in the above-described machines are required to have high-speed charge and discharge characteristics.
However, there is a problem in that an electrode active material of the related art, for example, an electrode material containing a lithium phosphate compound which can reversibly accept and expel lithium ions has low electron conductivity. Therefore, in order to increase the electron conductivity of electrode materials, an electrode material is proposed in which the surfaces of particles of an electrode active material are coated with an organic compound which serves as a carbon source, and then the organic compound is carbonized, whereby a carbonaceous coat is formed on the surface of the electrode active material, and carbon in the carbonaceous coat is interposed as an electron-conducting material (Patent Documents 1 and 2 and the like).
Meanwhile, as an electrode active material that realizes stable charge and discharge cycle characteristics, electrode active materials formed by joining the particles of a carbonaceous coated electrode active material having a carbonaceous coat formed on the surface together through an electron conductive substance such as carbon for which the N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) oil absorption amount is controlled to be in a range of 25 g/100 g to 35 g/100 g (Patent Document 3) or for which the N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) oil absorption amount is controlled in a range of 25 g/100 g to 200 g/100 g (Patent Document 4) have been proposed.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-15111
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-133888
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-104290
[Patent Document 4] PCT Japanese Patent Domestic Re-publication No. 2011-033707

Electrode material, electrode and lithium ion battery


A food serving apparatus with a bottom having two lateral sides, a front side, and a back side, and a center axis, and two flexible side walls, each of which are capable of automatically bending toward a center axis of the food serving apparatus in response to insertion of the apparatus into an open end of a flexible bag.

The subject matter of this invention relates to food serving devices or apparatus. The snack food bag (sometimes called a chip or crisp bag) has become a ubiquitous type of snack sale and storage means in the area of prepared snacks of all types available at any convenience store. The most common type of snack food bag is made out of metalized polypropylene or low-density polyethylene film, having a thickness generally within the range of 10 to 250 micrometers, and may be shaped as needed by individual manufacturers. Most snack food bags are formed by a tubular piece of the polypropylene material, which is sealed at the top and bottom ends using heat and/or an adhesive for sealing. To access the contents of a snack food bag, a user can pry open one of the sealed ends of the bag, to either reach inside the bag, or pour out the contents of the bag into a separate container.
Accessing the contents of a snack bag by reaching inside often does not promote mindful eating, as it is often not easy to quickly determine the amount that has been consumed. For those who pour the contents of a snack food bag into a separate container, there is no simple manner to return the contents into the bag, should they not be eaten. Pouring the contents back into the bag can easily result in spilled and broken snacks. Often a user will decide to simply throw away the uneaten snacks, believing that trying to get the snacks back into the original bag is not worth the effort. In addition, users anticipate that after presenting a container of snacks for a group of people to eat, the snacks may be contaminated with bacteria from the various individuals reaching into the container.


An object of the present invention is to provide a drug containing a compound having Trk-inhibiting activity as an active ingredient in prophylaxis and/or therapy of diseases such as pain, pruritus, lower urinary tract dysfunction, asthma, allergic rhinitis, inflammatory bowel disease or Chagas disease. A compound represented by the general formula (I):

The tropomyosin receptor kinase (hereinafter abbreviated as "Trk") family is classified as receptor tyrosine kinases and comprises TrkA which is a high-affinity receptor of nerve growth factor (hereinafter abbreviated as NGF), TrkB which is a high-affinity receptor of brain-derived neutrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin (hereinafter abbreviated as NT)-4/5 and TrkC which is a high-affinity receptor of NT-3. All Trk receptors are highly expressed in nerve tissues and are involved in differentiation and maintenance of functions of nerve cells (see Non-Patent Document 1). Meanwhile it has been known that activation of TrkA in peripheral nerves by NGF initiates hyperalgesia (see Non-Patent Document 2) and based on clinical and non-clinical test results using anti-NGF antibodies and non-clinical test results using low-molecular weight Trk inhibitors, involvement of TrkA has been reported in nociceptive pain of osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, bone fracture, interstitial cystitis and chronic pancreatitis, neuropathic pain as well as cancer pain combining both types of pain described above (see Non-Patent Document 3 to 10). Moreover, Trk receptors are expressed on cancer cells such as neuroblastoma, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer, inflammatory cells such as mast cells and eosinophils, immunocompetent cells such as T cells and B cells and keratinocytes and are reported to be potentially involved in proliferation, migration and metastasis of cancer cells, inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis and other diseases such as psoriasis (see Non-Patent Document 11 to 15). Therefore compounds having Trk-inhibiting activity may be applied to therapy of nociceptive pain, neuropathic pain and pain combining both types of pain, cancer, inflammatory diseases, allergic diseases and psoriasis.
Accordingly it is expected that development of Trk-inhibiting agents may provide novel types of prophylactic and/or therapeutic agents for pain and the like.
Meanwhile Patent Document 1 discloses a method for treating or preventing a disease in a human or other mammal regulated by tyrosine kinase, comprising administering, to a human or other mammal in need thereof, a compound of the following formula (Ia), a salt thereof, an isomer thereof or a prodrug of the compound.
The general formula (Ia) is as follows:

wherein Aa is selected from the group consisting of the following (i) to (iii) and the like;
(i) phenyl, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ra1, ORa1, a halogen and the like;
(ii) naphthyl, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ra1, ORa1, a halogen and the like;
(iii) a 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heteroaryl group, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ra1, ORa1, a halogen and the like and having 1 to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of O, N and S;
Ba is selected from the group consisting of the following (i) to (iii) and the like;
(i) phenyl, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of —La-Ma, a C1-C5 linear or branched alkyl, a halogen and the like;
(ii) naphthyl, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of —La-Ma, a C1-C5 linear or branched alkyl, a halogen and the like;
(iii) a 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heteroaryl group, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of —La-Ma, a C1-C5 linear or branched alkyl, a halogen and the like and having 1 to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of O, N and S;
La is selected from the group consisting of —(CH2)ma—O— (CH2)la—, —(CH2)ma—C(O)—(CH2)la— and the like, wherein the variables ma and la are integers independently selected from 0 to 4;
Ma is selected from the group consisting of the following (i) to (iii) and the like;
(i) phenyl, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ra1, ORa1, a halogen and the like;
(ii) naphthyl, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ra1, ORa1, a halogen and the like;
(iii) a 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heteroaryl group, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ra1, ORa1, a halogen and the like and having 1 to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of O, N and S;
wherein Ra1 is independently selected from the group consisting of (a) a hydrogen, (b) a C1-C6 alkyl, (c) phenyl, (d) a 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heteroaryl or a 8- to 10-membered bicyclic heteroaryl both having 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S, (e) a C1-C3 alkyl-phenyl and (f) an alkyl-heteroaryl having 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S; Ra1 is, when it is not a hydrogen, optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of a C1-C5 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, a C1-C3 alkoxy, hydroxy, amino, a C1-C3 alkylamino, a C2-C6 dialkylamino, a halogen, cyano and nitro (the definitions of the groups are partially abstracted).
Patent Document 1 discloses that the compound therein inhibits KDR and thereby is used for a method of treatment of diseases mediated by VEGF induced signal transduction pathways in a human or other mammal, particularly retinopathy or retinopathy of prematurity. However, it is not disclosed or suggested that the compound disclosed therein has Trk-inhibiting activity and Patent Document 1 does not specifically disclose the present compound.
Patent Document 2 discloses that a compound represented by the general formula (Ib):

wherein:
Qb1 and Qb2 are individually and independently selected from the group consisting of N and CH, and at least one of Qb1 and Qb2 is N;
each Db is individually selected from the group consisting of C, CH, C—Rb20, N—Zb3, N, O and S, such that the resultant ring is taken from the group consisting of pyrazolyl, triazolyl, isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl, oxazolyl and thiadiazolyl;
Eb is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, pyridyl and pyrimidinyl;
Xb2 is selected from the group consisting of —O—, — S(CH2)nb—, —N(Rb3) (CH2)nb— and —(CH2)pb—;
when only one of Qb1 and Qb2 is N, the ring Ab is selected from the group consisting of cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, Gb1, Gb2, Gb3 and Gb4 optionally substituted with the substituent Zb2, Rb2 and the like;
Gb1 is a heteroaryl selected from the group consisting of pyrrolyl, furyl, thienyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, pyrazolyl and the like;
Gb4 is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, naphthyl, pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl, triazinyl, pyridinyl and pyrimidinyl;
Zb2 is selected from the group consisting of aryl, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C3-C8 cycloalkyl, a branched C3-C7 alkyl and the like;
Rb2 is selected from the group consisting of a substituted aryl, substituted Gb1, substituted Gb4, a halogen and the like (the definitions of the groups are partially abstracted), a stereoisomer, regioisomer and tautomer of the compound have Abl-inhibiting activity, c-Met-inhibiting activity, b-Raf-inhibiting activity and c-Kit-inhibiting activity. However, it is not disclosed or suggested that the compounds have Trk-inhibiting activity. In addition, Patent Document 2 does not disclose the present compound.
Patent Document 3 discloses that a compound represented by the general formula (Ic):

wherein:
each Dc is individually selected from the group consisting of C, CH, C—Rc20, N—Zc3 and N, such that the resultant ring is pyrazole;
Ec is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, pyridyl and pyrimidinyl;
Xc is selected from the group consisting of —O—, — S(CH2)nc—, —N(Rc3)(CH2)nc— and —(CH2)pc—;
Ac is a ring system selected from the group consisting of phenyl, naphthyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, Gc1, Gc2 and Gc3, optionally substituted with the substituent Zc2, Rc2 and the like;
Gc1 is a heteroaryl selected from the group consisting of pyrrolyl, furyl, thienyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, pyrazolyl and the like;
Gc2 is a fused bicyclic heteroaryl selected from the group consisting of indolyl, indolinyl, isoindolyl and the like;
Gc3 is a heterocyclyl selected from the group consisting of oxetanyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, pyrrolidinyl and the like;
Zc2 is selected from the group consisting of an aryl, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C3-C8 cycloalkyl, a branched C3-C7 alkyl and the like;
Rc2 is selected from the group consisting of a C1-C6 alkyl, a branched C3-C8 alkyl, a halogen and the like (the definitions of the groups are partially abstracted), a stereoisomer, regioisomer and tautomer of the compound have Abl-inhibiting activity, c-Met-inhibiting activity and c-Kit-inhibiting activity. However, it is not disclosed or suggested that the compounds have Trk-inhibiting activity. In addition, Patent Document 3 does not disclose the present compound.
Patent Document 1: WO 2003/068228
Patent Document 2: WO 2008/131276
Patent Document 3: WO 2008/131227
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Abstract: (wherein all symbols represent the same meanings as described in the specification), a salt thereof, an N-oxide thereof, a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof is useful as a drug component having Trk-inhibiting activity in prophylaxis and/or therapy of diseases such as pain, pruritus, lower urinary tract dysfunction, asthma, allergic rhinitis, inflammatory bowel disease or Chagas disease.


A method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor forms silicon nitride (SiN) layer on a pad. Microlenses, having a minimum height and footprint according to a desired packing density of the lenses, are fabricated of an oxide film and a nitride film deposited on the silicon nitride. Since the lenses have a low height, a refractive index of the lenses may be improved. A sidewall spacer type inner lens may be additionally formed below a main lens curvature to aid in overcoming problems caused by a single-lens structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and more particularly, to a method for fabricating a microlens of a CMOS image sensor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1A illustrates a related art method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor. As shown, a metal line 1a is formed on a sublayer 1. Then, an etching process is performed to form a pad opening 1b, in which an aluminum pad 2a is formed. A pad layer 2 is formed on the sublayer 1, a color filter array 3 is formed on the pad layer 2, and a planarization layer 4 is formed on the color filter array 3. Then, a reflow process for the formation of a microlens 6 is performed. The reflow process includes forming and patterning a photoresist 5 on the planarization layer 4 and then reflowing the patterned photoresist 5 to form the structure shown in FIG. 1B. By this process of reflowing the patterned photoresist 5, the microlens 6 obtains its desired structure including the characteristics of the curvature of its upper surface, its overall size, its configuration, etc.
In the related art, the aluminum pad 2a is contaminated during a photolithography process for patterning an aluminum layer. That is, the patterned aluminum is a particle source that generates particles which remain on the pad 2a.
The formation of the color filter array 3 and the microlens 6, including the reflowing of the photoresist 5, are the final steps of a fabrication process of the related art CMOS image sensor. However, a precise shape of the curved surface of the microlens 6 is difficult to obtain. For example, for a smaller microlens, the curved surface requires a smaller radius and a shorter vertical dimension or peak height of the microlens. The structure of a smaller microlens needs to be shallower to enable an increase in packing density, but it has been particularly difficult to form a microlens having such a lower height as required.

Method for fabricating CMOS image sensor


In one embodiment, a device in a network identifies a packet to be sent to a destination in the network via a path using segment routing. The device determines a list of one or more unique identifiers for one or more of the nodes along the path. The device includes a segment routing header with the packet, the segment routing header comprising a set of segment identifiers and the list of one or more unique identifiers. The device sends the packet with the segment routing header towards the destination in the network. One or more receiving nodes that receive the packet use the set of segment identifiers to route the packet towards the destination and the list of one or more unique identifiers to notify the device when the packet was not sent to the destination via the path.

Segment routing is a routing technology that may be used in conjunction with either a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) or Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) dataplane. Generally, segment routing operates by using "segments" to represent sub-paths in the network as segment identifiers (IDs). Thus, to route a packet from one point in the network to another, the source router may select a set of segment IDs that can then be used to transmit the packet towards the destination. However, there are a number of situations that can cause the packet to be routed over a different path than the one instructed.


A recording apparatus contains a recording head having a liquid droplet ejecting surface and ejecting a liquid droplet to a recording medium, a maintenance device disposed at a position opposite to the liquid droplet ejecting surface of the recording head, and a conveying unit which conveys the recording medium between the recording head and the maintenance device. The maintenance device has a liquid housing unit which houses the liquid droplet from the recording head, and a cleaning unit which cleans the liquid droplet ejecting surface of the recording head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus used as an output device of an ink-jet recording apparatus exerting recordation by ejecting an ink from a recording unit to a recording medium, or an apparatus having such a function, e.g., a facsimile, a duplicator, a printer multifunction machine and a workstation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, color documents have been widely spread in office use, and various kinds of output apparatuses have been proposed therefor. In particular, an ink-jet system, which can be miniaturized with low cost, is used in various kinds of output apparatuses.
A recording head used in the ink-jet system is constituted with an energy generating unit, an energy converting unit for converting energy generated by the energy generating unit to an ink ejecting force, an ink ejecting outlet for ejecting an ink droplet with the ink ejecting force, and an ink feeding path connected to the ink ejecting outlet for feeding an ink Examples of the energy generating unit include devices using an electromechanical converting element, such as a piezoelectric element, and devices, in which an ink is heated with an electrothermal conversion element having a resistive heater element to form a bubble, and the ink droplet is ejected with the formation of the bubble.
In the recording head utilizing an electrothermal conversion element, not only ink ejecting outlets can be arranged at a high density owing to the small size of the electrothermal conversion element, but also a production technique of a semiconductor integrated circuit can be transferred for the production technique therefor. Accordingly, a recording head having a large number of ink ejecting outlets with high accuracy can be miniaturized and can be produced at low cost.
However, what has been commonly used is a printing system referred to as a serial scanning system, in which a recording head is reciprocally moved with recording paper being conveyed to print by one line. While the system is of a small size and low cost, it has such a problem in that the printing speed is low due to necessity of plural frequencies of scanning of the recording head for forming an image over the paper. It is necessary to lower the scanning frequency in order to improve the printing speed, and extension of a recording head is essential therefor. At the outrance of the extension of a recording head, such a non-scanning printing system is proposed in that a recording head having the same width as recording paper is used. The printing system uses an ink-jet recording apparatus having a recording head having a width equivalent to recording paper, within which a large number of ejecting outlets are arranged over the length, which is substantially the same as the recording paper, and recordation is effected by moving the recoding paper with respect to the fixed recording head.
As described in the foregoing, in order to improve the printing speed to apply to office use, such an ink-jet recording apparatus is proposed that effects printing with a non-scanning recording head corresponding to the paper width on recording paper being continuously conveyed.
In order to maintain good ink ejection performance of an ink-jet recording apparatus, such operations are necessarily carried out with a maintenance device as ejection of an ink droplet in a non-printing state (dummy jet), cleaning of a nozzle surface (wiping), and prevention of an ink from being dried (capping).
For example, in the case where the non-printing state is continued for a prolonged period of time, the ink is dried to clog the nozzle, and dusts are attached to the nozzle surface. As a result, an ink droplet cannot be ejected (dot dropout), or the ejection direction of an ink droplet is changed to lower the printing quality or to disable printing.
Accordingly, in the case where printing is paused for a prescribed period, the recording head is moved from the printing position to a maintenance position within the ink-jet recording apparatus, and dusts attached to the nozzle surface of the recording head are wiped to refresh the nozzle surface.
In order to prevent the ejection performance of an ink droplet from being changed due to change in viscosity of the ink and formation of a bubble, an ink droplet is ejected from the recording head to a receiving member in a non-printing state.
In order to prevent the nozzle surface (nozzle) of the recording head from being dried, furthermore, a cap member is provided. The cap member presses a rubber part onto the nozzle surface to seal the nozzle surface (nozzle) from the exterior.
The ink-jet recording apparatus thus configured as described in the foregoing terminates printing operation after completing printing of a prescribed number of sheets and then effects maintenance operation. Therefore, the productivity is lowered in continuous printing.
In order to solve the problem, proposals have been made, in which a receiving member for receiving dummy jet is disposed at a position opposite to a nozzle surface of a recording head (as described, for example, in JP-A-11-348313 and JP-A-12-15835). In the ink-jet recording apparatus described in JP-A-11-348313 and JP-A-12-15835, a belt for conveying recording paper passes on the downside of the receiving member, whereby the receiving member is disposed at the position opposite to the recording head (nozzle surface). According to the configuration, dummy jet can be ejected onto the receiving member within a period between passage of preceding recording paper and arrival of subsequent recording paper, whereby the productivity is improved.
It has been also proposed that a hole for dummy jet is provided in a belt for conveying to enable ejection of dummy jet during continuous printing, whereby the productivity is improved (as described in JP-A-13-113690).
However, in the techniques described in JP-A-11-348313 and JP-A-12-15835, the recording head is moved from the printing position to the maintenance position upon carrying out the maintenance operation other than dummy jet. In the case where the apparatus is configured to move the recording head between the maintenance position and the printing position, such a problem occurs in that misalignment of the recording head occurs at the, printing position due to the movement to fluctuate the printing quality. Furthermore, another problem occurs in that the constitution of the apparatus is complicated due to the movement of the recording head within the apparatus.
In the case where recording paper is conveyed with a belt having a hole as described in JP-A-13-113690, on the other hand, printed matters can be output without problem in operation for a short period, but there are cases where stress is concentrated to the edge of the hole on the belt in operation for a prolonged period to impair stable running of the belt, whereby printing quality is deteriorated.


A gloss applier includes a heating roller disposed inside a loop formed by an endless belt to heat the endless belt; a pressing rotary body pressed against the heating roller via the endless belt; a cooler disposed inside the loop formed by the endless belt and downstream from the heating roller in a direction of rotation of the endless belt, the cooler to cool the endless belt as a recording medium in contact with the endless belt is conveyed by the endless belt; a separation roller disposed inside the loop formed by the endless belt and downstream from the cooler in the direction of rotation of the endless belt, the separation roller to separate the recording medium from the endless belt; and a cooler shifter contacting the cooler to move the cooler bidirectionally to cause the cooler to contact and separate from the endless belt.

Related-art image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, or multifunction printers having at least one of copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile functions, typically form an image on a recording medium according to image data. Thus, for example, a charger uniformly charges a surface of an image carrier; an optical writer emits a light beam onto the charged surface of the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier according to the image data; a development device supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier to render the electrostatic latent image visible as a toner image; the toner image is directly transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium or is indirectly transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium via an intermediate transfer member; a cleaner then collects residual toner not transferred and remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred from the image carrier onto the recording medium; finally, a fixing device applies heat and pressure to the recording medium bearing the toner image to fix the toner image on the recording medium, thus forming the image on the recording medium.
The fixing device used in such image forming apparatuses may employ a heating roller and a pressing roller pressed against the heating roller to form a nip therebetween through which the recording medium bearing the toner image is conveyed. As the recording medium passes through the nip, the heating roller heated by a heater and the pressing roller apply heat and pressure to the recording medium, thus melting the toner image on the recording medium. After the recording medium is discharged from the nip, the melted toner image is cooled and solidified on the recording medium. However, since the melted toner image is cooled by air at ambient temperature, the surface of the toner image is waved, applying insufficient gloss to the toner image.
To address this problem, a fixing device having a gloss application mechanism is proposed. For example, an endless belt formed into a loop is stretched over a plurality of rollers including a heating roller heated by a heater, which in turn heats the endless belt. A pressing roller is pressed against the heating roller via the endless belt to form a nip between the pressing roller and the endless belt. As a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed through the nip, the endless belt heated by the heating roller and the pressing roller apply heat and pressure to the recording medium, thus melting the toner image on the recording medium. A cooler, such as a heat sink, is disposed inside the loop formed by the endless belt and downstream from the nip in the conveyance direction of the recording medium. As the recording medium discharged from the nip and in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt is conveyed by the endless belt, the cooler contacting the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt cools the recording medium via the endless belt. Since the toner image on the recording medium is cooled and solidified while it contacts the smooth outer circumferential surface of the endless belt, the surface of the toner image is not waved, thus attaining desired gloss of the toner image.
On the other hand, it is requested that the endless belt is warmed up to a target temperature of about 160 degrees centigrade in a shortened time. However, it takes longer for the endless belt in contact with the cooler to be heated to the target temperature because the cooler draws heat from the endless belt. Moreover, it is necessary to liberate the heat drawn to the cooler so that the cooler is ready to cool the recording medium, resulting in decreased thermal efficiency.

Gloss applier and image forming apparatus incorporating same