Optical device for viewing a virtual three dimensional image superimposed on a real object and characterized in that it includes means for forming a three dimensional virtual image and two semi-transparent mirrors arranged between the observer and the real object at a given angle of inclination to reflect the computer-generated virtual image of the real object.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention is an optical device for the visualization of a three-dimensional virtual image in superposition with a real object, especially for surgical applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the state of the art, processes are known for the construction of three-dimensional synthesized images from images obtained with imaging means such as a scanner, a tomograph or any other equivalent device. These images are then used for guiding surgical instruments.
As an example, German patent DE 3717871 describes an optical representation process and device for surgical interventions.
This process is intended for the reproducible optical representation of an intervention to be implemented with the aid of a surgical instrument. In this process the tomographic data for the part of the body in which the surgical intervention will be implemented are entered into the data memory of a data processing system. The data relative to the position of the field of intervention are determined from the tomographic data. In the process according to this prior document, the surgical instrument is fixed on a freely movable three-dimensional support, and the data relative to the position of the surgical instrument are determined by means of a coordinate measurement device and transmitted to the data processing system, which establishes a relation between the data relative to the position of the surgical instrument and the data relative to the position of the field of intervention, and with which the surgical instrument is oriented to the field of intervention by means of this relation. The process involves the following steps:
at least three measurement points accessible from the exterior are determined or established as reference points on the body part, PA1 tomograms including the measurement points are implemented on the body part and entered into the data memory, PA1 the position in space of the measurement points is determined by the coordinate measurement device; PA1 the measured data are entered into the data memory, PA1 the data processing system establishes a relation between the image data of the measurement points contained in the tomograms and the data determined by the coordinate measurement device from the measurement points, PA1 the coordinate measurement device continuously detects the position in space of the freely movable three-dimensional surgical instrument, and the position data are transmitted to the data processing system, PA1 the data processing system superposes the data relative to the position of the surgical instrument to the tomographic image data, and the data processing system produces superposition images on an output device, particularly a visualization screen, in which the tomographic image contents and the respective positions of the surgical instrument are superposed.
The processes according to the state of the art, however, do not allow satisfactory exploitation of the three-dimensional images under the usual operating conditions. The visualization devices of the prior art impose a specific operating technique, which is not very compatible with the usual movements of the visualization operator on an independent screen or on a helmet.

Optical device for the visualization of a three dimensional virtual image in superposition with a real object, especially for surgical applications

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)


Managing a service is provided. Information is collected about use of a set of resources by the service. A request is received to verify information regarding a selected portion of a period of time during the use of the set of resources by the service. In response to receiving the request to verify the information regarding the selected portion of the period of time during the use of the set of resources by the service, a description of the use of the set of resources by the service during the selected portion of the period of time is generated using the collected information. A response to the request is created using the generated description of the use of the set of resources by the service during the selected portion of the period of time as proof of validity of the information.

1. Field
The disclosure relates generally to a data processing environment and, in particular, to verifying information about a use of resources by a service in the data processing environment. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for using information about the use of resources by the service at the time of use in the data processing environment and then using the signed information as proof of the validity of the information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cloud computing involves the delivery of computing resources of a data processing environment. Through the use of services hosted in the data processing environment, cloud computing provides users access to the computing resources of the data processing environment. Computing resources of a cloud computing provider may include hardware resources, software, information, and other services. Computing resources of a cloud computing provider may be located in a single location or widely distributed.
The data processing environments of a cloud computing provider are typically located at server computers in a location that is remote to the users. The computing resources in the data processing environments of a cloud computing provider may be provided by the user, by the cloud computing provider, and by third-party providers of computing resources. The users of a particular data processing environment of a cloud computing provider may be consumers and corporate users. In some situations the users of a data processing environment may also be corporate users from two or more corporations who are sharing use of resources.
Due to the remoteness of the data processing environment of the cloud computing provider and also due to the number of concerned parties, users of the cloud computing provider may have concerns related to a reported use of the computing resources by a service. Further, when a user receives a bill associated with use of a service hosted in the data processing environment of a cloud computing provider, the user may question a portion of the bill.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Secure metering and accounting for cloud services

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides automated devices for use in supporting various cell therapies and tissue engineering methods. The present invention provides an automated cell separation apparatus capable of separating cells from a tissue sample for use in cell therapies and/or tissue engineering. The cell separation apparatus can be used in combination with complementary devices such as cell collection device and/or a sodding apparatus to support various therapies. The automated apparatus includes media and tissue dissociating chemical reservoirs, filters, a cell separator and a perfusion flow loop through a graft chamber which supports a graft substrate or other endovascular device. The present invention further provides methods for using the tissue grafts and cell samples prepared by the devices described herein in a multitude of therapies including revascularization, regeneration and reconstruction of tissues and organs, as well as treatment and prevention of diseases.

Cell therapy and tissue engineering is developing toward clinical applications for the repair and restoration of damaged or diseased tissues and organs. In particular, the development of vascular grafts is a major goal in the field of cardiac and peripheral vascular surgery. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the first world. The standard of care, the autograft, is not without serious morbidity. Patients with systemic disease, leaving no appropriate autograft material or having already undergone autografts, numbering 100,000 a year in the United States alone, have few autograft options.
Researchers have thus been studying synthetic grafts for over 30 years. A major challenge is providing graft materials that are biocompatible, i.e., nonthrombogenic, nonimmunogenic, mechanically resistant, and have acceptable wound healing and physiological responses (e.g., vasoconstriction/relaxation responses, solute transportation ability, etc.). Furthermore, tissue graft materials should be easy to handle, store and ship, and be commercially feasible.
Vessels have two principal failure modes: mechanical and biological, caused by thrombosis within the vessel and subsequent occlusion and/or cellular ingrowth. Synthetic vessels having material properties capable of withstanding arterial pressure are commonplace, making the search for non-thrombogenic materials the prime research interest. Endothelial cells obtained from the patient have been shown to decrease the thrombogenicity of implanted vessels (Williams et al., 1994, J. Vasc. Surg., 19:594-604; Arts et al., 2001 Lab Invest 81:1461-1465).
Endothelial cells are of critical importance in establishing a non-thrombogenic cell lining within synthetic grafts. Thus, it is desirable to achieve rapid cellular adhesion in or on a permeable matrix, scaffold, or other permeable cell substrate material in a matter of minutes or hours with an instrument that lends itself to the operating room environment, maintains a sterile barrier, is easy to use, and produces consistent graft results.
Currently, there are four main approaches for meeting these requirements, but with limited success: (i) the use of decellularized tissue materials; (ii) the use of a self-assembly mechanism, wherein cells are cultured on tissue culture plastic in a medium that induces extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis; (iii) the use of synthetic biodegradable polymers, onto which cells are subsequently seeded and cultured in a simulated physiological environment; and (iv) the use of biopolymers, such as a reconstituted type I collagen gel, which is formed and compacted with tissue cells by the application of mechanical forces to simulate a physiological environment (see, e.g., Robert T. Tranquillo, 2002, Ann. N.Y Acad. Sci., 961:251-254).
Pressure gradients involving transient high pressures have been used to deposit cells onto a permeable scaffold by a sieving action, i.e., providing a bulk flow and using a substrate or scaffold material having pores smaller than the cell population, thus capturing cells in the matrix (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,781; Williams et al., 1992, J Biomed Mat Res 26:103-117; Williams et al., 1992, J Biomed Mat Res 28:203-212.). These captured cells have been shown to subsequently adhere to the scaffold material, but with only limited clinical applicability due to failure to fully meet the requisites for successful grafts discussed above, i.e., biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and necessary physiological properties.
Beginning in the late 1970s, endothelial cell seeding was employed experimentally to improve the patency of small diameter, polymeric vascular grafts to counteract adverse reactions. Since that time, advances have been made toward this goal, with the majority of the focus on engineering a biological or a bio-hybrid graft.
Endothelial cells are more complex than was originally believed in that they do not merely create a single cell lining on the lumenal surface of blood vessels. Endothelial cells also release molecules that modulate coagulation, platelet aggregation, leukocyte adhesion, and vascular tone. In the absence of these cells, e.g., in the case of the lumen of an implanted synthetic polymeric vascular graft, the host reaction progresses to eventual failure. Loss of patency within the first thirty days post-implantation is due to acute thrombosis. This early stage failure is a consequence of the inherent thrombogenicity of the biomaterial's blood-contacting surface, which is non-endothelialized. To date, the only known completely non-thrombogenic material is an endothelium; any other material that comes into contact with the bloodstream is predisposed to platelet deposition and subsequent thrombosis. The long-term failure mode of small diameter polymeric vascular grafts is anastomotic hyperplasia leading to a loss of patency. The precise mechanisms behind initiation of anastomotic hyperplasia are still being defined; however, endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell dysfunctions and improper communications are likely involved.
Early workers in the field of small diameter graft development sought to promote graft endothelialization and, thereby, increase patency by transplanting a varying degree of autologous endothelial cells onto vascular grafts prior to implantation. This process has become known as endothelial cell seeding (partial coverage relying on continued cell proliferation) or cell sodding (full coverage). Seeding refers to a process which includes preclotting prosthetic surfaces with endothelial cells in platelet rich plasma (PRP). Sodding, by comparison, refers to a process which includes plating endothelial cells onto a pre-established PRP clot. Sodded graft surfaces are typically prepared utilizing a two-step procedure. First, PRP is clotted onto a graft, incubated for an effective period of time and then washed with culture media. Second, the PRP coated graft is plated with endothelial cells. In contrast, seeded graft surfaces are typically prepared using a one-step plating procedure, whereby endothelial cells suspended directly in PRP are plated onto a graft surface. Accordingly, in a sodded graft, endothelial cells are plated onto the surface of a PRP clot, whereas endothelial cells are plated within the PRP clot in a seeded graft. Rupnick, et al., 1989, J Vascular Surgery 9(6):788-795.
The underlying hypothesis is fairly simple; that is, by promoting the establishment of the patient's own endothelial cells on the blood contacting surface of a vascular prosthesis, a "normal" endothelial cell lining and associated basement membrane, together known as the neo-intima, will form on the graft and counteract the rheologic, physiologic, and biomaterial forces working synergistically to promote graft failure. After 30 years of research in this area, including promising animal data, this simple hypothesis has not yet yielded a clinical device.
The failure modes with endothelial-seeded grafts have been identical to untreated polymeric grafts, namely thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia. The failure modes, at least partially, are linked to the lack of a functional endothelial layer, neo-intima, on the lumenal surface of the graft and/or abnormal endothelial and smooth muscle cell direct and indirect communication. These failures in early human trials came despite successful demonstrations of seeded grafts developing into a cell lining development. These data show that neo-intimal formation on polymeric vascular graft lumenal surfaces in animal models occurs by endothelial cell proliferation from perianastomotic arteries, the microvessels of graft interstices, or circulating progenitor endothelial cells not strictly from the seeded cells.
A potential source for endothelial cell seeding is microvascular endothelial cells (MVEC). Williams et al. pioneered both freshly isolated and cultured human, canine, rabbit, rat, bovine and pig endothelial cells, specifically MVEC, in their laboratory to study cellular function. The source for human MVEC was aspirated tissue from cosmetic liposuction. Two separate protocols for human fat MVEC isolation were used depending on the end use of the cell population. The protocols differed in isolation complexity from a simple, operating room-compatible procedure for immediate sodding of human or animal grafts to a more elaborate procedure if the MVEC will be subsequently cultured.
The isolation of human MVEC has been enhanced by the use of liposuction to obtain samples of human fat. The process of aspirating fat through a liposuction cannula dissociates subcutaneous fat into small pieces which boosts the efficacy of the digestion process. The fat may be digested with collagenase (4 mg/cc) for 20 minutes, at 37° C. which releases >106 cells per gram of fat. These MVEC can be separated from the fat by gradient centrifugation. The MVEC will form a pellet and can subsequently be resuspended in culture medium after discarding the supernatant. These cells have undergone routine characterization to determine the cellular makeup of the primary isolates. A majority of the cells isolated via this procedure are endothelial cells due to their expression of von Willebrand antigen, lack of expression of mesothelial cell specific cytokeratins, synthesis of angiotensin converting enzyme, prostacyclin and prostaglandin E2, synthesis of basement membrane collagens and the morphologic expression of micropinocytic vesicles.
A human clinical trial was undertaken to evaluate endothelial cell transplantation in patients requiring peripheral bypass. During the trial, large quantities of endothelial cells were placed directly on the lumenal surface of an ePTFE graft. To improve cell deposition, all grafts were pre-wetted in culture medium containing autologous serum. Cells were suspended in the same medium at a density of 2×105 cells/cm2 graft lumenal area. This solution was held at a cross-wall, or transmural, pressure gradient of 5 psi to force cells onto the surface, a process termed pressure sodding. After institutional approval, 11 patients were enrolled and received the experimental graft. During surgical prep, the patients underwent liposuction to remove approximately 50 grams of abdominal wall fat. The fat was processed using the aforementioned procedure and the resulting cell population was pressure sodded on the intended graft and immediately implanted. After more than 4 years of follow-up, these grafts have maintained a patency rate similar to that of saphenous vein grafts.
Pressure gradients involving transient (<1 min.) relatively high pressures (250 mmHg) have previously been used to deposit cells onto a permeable scaffold by a sieving action, i.e., providing a bulk flow and using a substrate or scaffold material having pores smaller than the cell population, thus capturing cells in the matrix (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,781; Williams et al., 1992, J Biomed Mat Res 26:103-117; Williams et al., J Biomed Mat Res 28:203-212.) However, despite the aforementioned advances, clinical coronary applicability has been limited to date because the vessels do not maintain sufficiently cohesive non-thrombogenic surfaces; research has focused on additional maturation time in vitro.
Endothelial cells are of critical importance in establishing a non-thrombogenic cell lining. In addition, a need still exists for an efficient and reliable method for producing endothelial cell linings on a synthetic graft in an operating room setting, and the current invention provides a solution. It is desirable to achieve rapid cell adhesion in or on a permeable matrix, scaffold or other permeable cell substrate material in a matter of minutes or hours with an instrument that lends itself to the operating room environment, maintains a sterile barrier, is easy to use, produces consistent graft results, and is inexpensive. The present invention enables the isolation of large quantities of endothelial cells from fat tissue and the rapid cell sodding of synthetic grafts, and enables automation and adhesion of cells in a turn-key, operating room-ready instrument for the rapid sodding of the graft. This invention will likely have other applications in addition to the lining of grafts for implantation.

Cell separation apparatus and methods of use


A wide mouth plastic barrel with a removable lid and a clamping ring closure is manufactured by extruding a plastic tube into a blow mold and by producing a closed preform. The preform is finish-blown to a barrel body, wherein the blowing air for finish-blowing a barrel body with a closed lid is introduced through a blow nozzle inserted into an intermediate ring of the barrel body and the blowing air for finish-blowing a barrel body with a bung lid is introduced through a bung hole by a blow nozzle and optionally through a blow nozzle in the intermediate ring. After removal from the blow mold, the lid is separated from the barrel body by cutting out the intermediate ring. A seal is inserted into the barrel lid, and the barrel lid is fastened by the clamping ring on a projection of the basic barrel member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing wide mouth barrels having a removable lid from thermoplastic material.
2. Description of the Related Art
For manufacturing wide mouth barrels of thermoplastic material having a removable lid and a clamping ring as closure means as disclosed in EP 0 781 234 B1, an extrusion blowmolding method is used wherein in the first method step a plastic tube is extruded from a tube-forming extrusion die head and in a second method step the tube is pre-blown to a preform in a two-part blow mold; the preform is subsequently finish-blown to a closed barrel body that solidifies by contact with the cooled shaping walls of the blow mold. Subsequently, for producing the barrel opening, the top wall of the barrel body is cut out of the barrel body by a cutting tool that performs a cut concentrical to the longitudinal axis of the barrel body. The closure lids of the wide mouth barrels are produced by an injection molding device. The manufacture of the wide mouth lid barrels requires a blow molding device and an injection molding device; this requires high installation costs.

Method for manufacturing wide mouth barrels of thermoplastic materials


The present invention provides for a light-sensitive photoresist composition useful for imaging thick films, comprising a polymer which is insoluble in an aqueous alkali developer but becomes soluble prior to development, a photoacid generator which produces a strong acid upon irradiation and a photobleachable dye. The invention further provides for a process for imaging the photoresist of the present invention, especially where the thickness of the photoresist is up to 200 microns and where the process comprises a single exposure step.

Photoresist compositions are used in microlithography processes for making miniaturized electronic components such as in the fabrication of computer chips and integrated circuits. Generally, in these processes, a coating of film of a photoresist composition is first applied to a substrate material, such as silicon wafers used for making integrated circuits. The coated substrate is then baked to evaporate any solvent in the photoresist composition and to fix the coating onto the substrate. The baked coated surface of the substrate is next subjected to an image-wise exposure to radiation.
This radiation exposure causes a chemical transformation in the exposed areas of the coated surface. Visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, electron beam and X-ray radiant energy are radiation types commonly used today in microlithographic processes. After this image-wise exposure, the coated substrate is treated with a developer solution to dissolve and remove either the radiation-exposed or the unexposed areas of the coated surface of the substrate.
There are two types of photoresist compositions, negative-working and positive-working. When negative-working photoresist compositions are exposed image-wise to radiation, the areas of the resist composition exposed to the radiation become less soluble to a developer solution (e.g. a cross-linking reaction occurs) while the unexposed areas of the photoresist coating remain relatively soluble in such a solution. Thus, treatment of an exposed negative-working resist with a developer causes removal of the non-exposed areas of the photoresist coating and the creation of a negative image in the coating. Thereby uncovering a desired portion of the underlying substrate surface on which the photoresist composition was deposited.
On the other hand, when positive-working photoresist compositions are exposed image-wise to radiation, those areas of the photoresist composition exposed to the radiation become more soluble to the developer solution (e.g. a rearrangement reaction occurs) while those areas not exposed remain relatively insoluble to the developer solution. Thus, treatment of an exposed positive-working photoresist with the developer causes removal of the exposed areas of the coating and the creation of a positive image in the photoresist coating. Again, a desired portion of the underlying substrate surface is uncovered.
After this development operation, the now partially unprotected substrate may be treated with a substrate-etchant solution, plasma gases, or have metal or metal composites deposited in the spaces of the substrate where the photoresist coating was removed during development. The areas of the substrate where the photoresist coating still remains are protected. Later, the remaining areas of the photoresist coating may be removed during a stripping operation, leaving a patterned substrate surface. In some instances, it is desirable to heat treat the remaining photoresist layer, after the development step and before the etching step, to increase its adhesion to the underlying substrate.
In the manufacture of patterned structures, such as wafer level packaging, electrochemical deposition of electrical interconnects has been used as the density of the interconnects increases. For example, see Solomon, Electrochemically Deposited Solder Bumps for Wafer-Level Packaging, Packaging/Assembly, Solid State Technology. Gold bumps, copper posts and copper wires for redistribution in wafer level packaging require a resist mold that is later electroplated to form the final metal structures in advanced interconnect technologies. The resist layers are very thick compared to the photoresists used in the IC manufacturing of critical layers. Both feature size and resist thickness are typically in the range of 2 μm to 100 μm, so that high aspect ratios (resist thickness to line size) have to be patterned in the photoresist.
Devices manufactured for use as microelectromechanical machines also use very thick photoresist films to define the components of the machine.
Positive-acting photoresists comprising novolak resins and quinone-diazide compounds as photoactive compounds are well known in the art. Novolak resins are typically produced by condensing formaldehyde and one or more multi-substituted phenols, in the presence of an acid catalyst, such as oxalic acid. Photoactive compounds are generally obtained by reacting multihydroxyphenolic compounds with naphthoquinone diazide acids or their derivatives. Novolaks may also be reacted with quinone diazides and combined with a polymer. It has been found that photoresists based on only novolak/diazide do not have the photosensitivity or the steepness of sidewalls necessary for certain type of processes, especially for very thick films.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a chemically amplified photoresist useful for imaging films as thick as 200 microns, which provides good lithographic properties, particularly photosensitivity, high aspect ratio, vertical sidewalls, improved adhesion on metal and silicon substrates, compatibility with electroplating solutions and process, reduced resist film cracking and improved environmental stability. The inventors of the present invention have found that a photoresist comprising a polymer which is insoluble in an aqueous alkali developer but becomes soluble prior to development, a photoacid generator which produces a strong acid upon irradiation and a photobleachable dye which is absorbing at the same radiation wavelength(s) as the photoacid generator and preferably, has a similar or lower rate of photobleaching compared to the photoacid generator, provides the desired lithographic properties when imaged, especially for thick films up to 200 microns.

Photoresist composition for imaging thick films


Device for the micrometric endshake adjustment of a timepiece wheel set in an axial direction in relation to a structure, including a pivot bearing for this wheel set defining an axial stop member for this wheel set in this axial direction, and this device includes an adjustment stage of variable thickness in this axial direction, which includes at least one elastic return for pushing a first component provided with pivot drive means operable by a tool and carrying this bearing onto a second component fixed to this structure directly, or via at least one case, and this elastic return means are supported on this structure directly or via at least one case.

The adjustment of the endshake of a timepiece wheel set is a difficult operation, performed by highly qualified personnel, often by the elastic deformation of a structural element, bar or suchlike, or by driving out a jewel and then driving it back in again. Mechanisms rarely incorporate adjustment means, due to the very small ranges of adjustment required, of several micrometers or of several hundredths of a millimeter at most, which are impossible to obtain using conventional micrometric means, such as external-internal threads, because of the operating plays required, which are greater than the required adjustment ranges. Moreover, the space necessarily required for any adjustment mechanism is rarely compatible with that of the timepiece movement.
CH Patent Application No 339136A in the name of BUREAU TECHNIQUE ERARD, describes a timepiece bearing including a concentric arrangement of a member forming the bearing body and a central member carrying at least one jewel hole. The axial position of the central member can be adjusted by imparting a rotation thereon in relation to the bearing body.
CH Patent Application No 356090A in the name of SEITZ & CO describes a bearing with an axial stop member removably mounted in a bearing body including one of the projecting portions which cooperate with helical ramps comprised in a setting forming said axial stop member.
US Patent Application No 4192136A in the name of ROBINSON describes an axial adjustment mechanism in a timepiece, based on the cooperation of helical inclined sectors.
US Patent Application No 2010/188941A1 in the name of SEIKO (FUJIEDA HISASHI) describes a bearing structure, with an entirely axial adjustment configuration, supporting in rotation a front end portion of a wheel arbour in relation to a base body, including: a bearing, a bearing support body carrying the bearing and having a male screw portion on an outer peripheral surface of the wheel arbour, and an adjustment nut provided with a female screw portion in thread engagement with the male screw portion of the bearing support body, adjusted in its movement in the direction of extension of the wheel arbour by the base body, and adapted to adjust the position of the bearing with respect to the direction of extension of the arbour via the bearing support member.

Micrometric adjustment of the endshake of a timepiece wheel set


A thermal printing method using a printing head (6, 20) with a plurality of resistive points (P.sub.i) activated by the pulses of a supply voltage (Va) that fluctuates (.DELTA.V) depending on the number (N) of simultaneously activated resistive points (P.sub.i). The activation of the resistive points (P.sub.i) is controlled by a control signal (STRB) with a duration determined so that the energy (e) delivered to the resistive points (P.sub.i) by each pulse is unaffected by the fluctuations (.DELTA.V) of the supply voltage (Va). The control signal (STRB) includes a first pulse (STRA) with a fixed, predetermined duration (To), followed by a second pulse (STRA+) with a variable duration (t), the duration (t) of the second pulse (STRA+) being determined during the duration (To) of the first pulse (STRA) depending on the actual value (V) of the supply voltage (Va).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of thermal printing by the deposition of dyes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates more particularly to a method of continuous-tone dye diffusion printing of the type described in the articles by P. W. Webb and R. A. Hann, <<Measurement of thermal transients in a thermal print head used for dye diffusion color printing>> in IEEE Proceedings-A Vol. 138, No. 1, January 1991, and A. Kaneko, <<A Simple Simulation for Simultaneous Diffusion of Dye and Heat in Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer Printing>>, in Journal of Imaging Science, volume 35, No. 4, July/August 1991.
A method of this kind, which can be used to achieve high-quality printing, can be applied in particular to the customization of plastic cards such as smart cards, magnetic cards, badges, etc.
FIG. 1 shows a printing device 1 according to this method, designed for the customizing of plastic cards of a known kind as already described in the French patent applications No. 90 14329 or No. 94 02116 filed on behalf of the present Applicant.
In very broad terms, the printing device 1 comprises two pairs 2, 3 of secondary rollers for the conveyance of a plastic card 4 to be printed, a main conveyance and printing roller 5, a print head 6 of which only the useful bar-shaped end is shown, an inking ribbon 7 with three sequences of dyes of primary colors, generally yellow, (J), magenta (M) and cyan blue (C). The card 4 is sandwiched between the print head 6 and the main roller 5 with the interposition of the inking ribbon 7. The card 4 moves step by step in a printing direction S identified in FIG. 1 and, to each shift of the card, there corresponds an equivalent shift of the inking ribbon 7 and the printing of a line. Thus, the printing of a pattern proceeds line by line for a first primary color sequence until the entire length of the card is crossed, then the card returns to the initial position for the printing of a second primary color sequence etc. After three printing sequences, a full range of colors is obtained by the combination of the three primary colors.
FIG. 2 shows the lower face of the print head 6 in contact with the ribbon 7, and FIG. 3 gives a schematic view of the electrical structure of the print head 6. Together, these two figures provide for a clearer understanding of the printing mechanism.
As can be seen FIG. 2, the print head 6 includes a row of n heating resistive points P.sub.i (P.sub.1, P2, . . . P.sub.n), i being a index ranging from 1 to n. For the printing of a line, each resistive point P.sub.i is activated by a train of voltage pulses of the same duration, and is thus brought up to a temperature of diffusion of the dye coating the ribbon 7, namely a temperature of about 200.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. Each resistive point P.sub.i thus ensures the printing of a pixel, the set of pixels constituting a line. Of course, when an pixel should not be printed, the corresponding resistive point P.sub.i is not activated.
In FIG. 3, it can be seen schematically that the constant-duration voltage pulses providing for the activation of the resistive points P.sub.i are applied by means of a plurality of switches I.sub.i (I.sub.1, I.sub.2, . . . I.sub.n) connected to a source 8 of voltage Va by means of an electrical cable 9. The switches I.sub.i are controlled by an electronic circuit 11 that opens and closes them alternately. Since the quantity of dye deposited on the card by diffusion (the term <<migration>> is also used) is a function of the temperature of the resistive points P.sub.i, the electronic circuit 11, depending on the image to be printed, determines the number of voltage Va pulses that should be applied to each resistive point P.sub.i. The quantity of primary color deposited for each pixel is thus modulated, making it possible to obtain a large variety of shades of colors after the combination of the three primary colors.
In view of the above, it can be understood that, to print a pattern with a constant intensity of color, it suffices in principle to apply the same number of electrical pulses to the resistive points P.sub.i concerned, at each printing of a line. However, in practice, this result is not obtained and variations in color intensity occur depending on the shape of the printed pattern. For example if, as shown in FIG. 4, a gradually widening strip is printed on a card 4, then it is observed that as the strip widens, the color deposited becomes lighter. In general, it can be seen that the intensity of the color becomes smaller as the width of the printed pattern increases.
Such variations in color intensity originate in an problem that is electrical in nature. More specifically, when the printing of a line requires that a large number of resistive points P.sub.i should be activated at the same time (for large-sized patterns), a major current draw takes place in the voltage source 8 and the voltage Va provided to the print head 6 decreases appreciably. A voltage drop of this kind is due to various electrical losses by Joule effect between the source 8 and the print head 6, especially in the cable 9 which has a considerable length because of practical imperatives. Conversely, when the printing of a line requires the activation of only a small number of resistive points (for a small-sized pattern), the current is weak and the voltage drop is negligible.
To mitigate this drawback, there has already been proposed a thermal printing method using a print head that comprises a plurality of resistive points activated by pulses of a supply voltage liable to fluctuate as a function of the number of simultaneously activated resistive points, in which the activation of the resistive points is controlled by a control signal whose duration is determined so that the energy provided to the resistive points by each of the voltage pulses is appreciably constant and independent of the fluctuations of the supply voltage. A method of this kind is described by the U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,354.
However, for its implementation, this prior art method requires the designing of a relatively complex switch-over circuit that is sensitive to the supply voltage and determines the instant at which the activation pulse must be stopped. This switch-over circuit made out of analog components is difficult to implement, proves to have low precision in use and has a considerable cost price.
Again, the document PATENT ABSTRACT OF JAPAN, vol. 9, No. 322 (M-440) [2045] Dec. 12, 1985 & JP-A-60 155 475 Aug. 8, 1985 describes a method for the control of the duration of a signal to activate resistive points of a print head wherein:
1) the activation device is delivered by a timing mechanism, PA1 2) the supply voltage is sampled at a predetermined instant after the activation signal has been sent out, PA1 3) the desired duration of the activation signal is then computed, PA1 4) the desired duration of the activation signal, once computed, is sent to the timing mechanism which stops working when this duration is reached.
Thus, one drawback of the prior art methods is that they are complex to implement.

Thermal dye transfer printing method with electrical loss compensation


An expansion joint bridging device which bridges an expansion joint between two construction work parts of a traversable construction work. The expansion joint is spanned by at least two crossbeams which are supported in a load-bearing manner on both construction work parts, wherein at least one of the load-bearing supports allows a displacement movement. An overload safety device comprises two supporting profiles at a distance from one another and supported on the crossbeams, and a fill profile bridging the gap between the support profiles. If a threshold value for the force that would effect the two support profiles to approach one another is exceeded, a fixing device releases the positional stabilization such that the two support profiles can be moved towards one another by displacing the fill profile upwards out of the gap.

Bridges and comparable traffic-carrying structures are provided between abutments and superstructure and/or between subsections of the superstructure with expansion gaps, in order to permit damage-free thermal expansion or contraction of the superstructure. Depending on the size of the bridges in question, expansion gaps within the range of up to several meters are necessary. In order to permit vehicles to travel over the expansion gaps in question, expansion-gap bridging devices are provided.
In this context, the use of multi-plate roadway expansion joints is particularly well known, wherein two bridge parts (in this sense, the abutment is also a "bridge part") are joined to one another by at least two crossbeams spaced apart from one another, in such a way that the ends of bridge parts in question facing one another can undergo a relative movement toward and away from one another in the longitudinal direction of the crossbeams. Chord plates spaced apart from one another, capable of moving relative to one another and oriented substantially transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of the crossbeams, are braced on the crossbeams, such that their respective top side can be positioned substantially at the level of the roadway of the bridge or can form this, although embodiments are also known in which separate elements forming the traffic-carrying surface are disposed on the chord plates at their top side. If the ends of the bridge parts move toward one another because of thermal expansion in the longitudinal direction of the crossbeams, the spacing between the chord plates decreases. If the ends of the bridge parts move away from one another because of thermal contraction in the longitudinal direction, the spacing between the chord plates increases. Examples of pertinent prior art in this respect can be found in DE 19705531 C2, DE 3514776 C1 and DE 3212717 C1.
In regions threatened by earthquakes, the danger exists of abruptly occurring changes of position of the bridge parts relative to one another (especially in longitudinal direction of the crossbeams or with such a movement component). Under certain circumstances these changes can no longer be compensated by multi-plate roadway expansion joints, because they exceed the working range of the use for which they are intended. It is then conceivable that the bridge parts will move so much toward one another in longitudinal direction, beyond the normal thermal expansions, that the chord plates temporarily bear against one another in certain positions of the bridge parts, and further movement of the bridge parts toward one another results in internal stresses and possible damage to the chord plates or bridge parts. In such cases it is not enough to anticipate that the carrying capacity of the bridge for vehicular traffic is no longer assured after the earthquake; to the contrary, the damage to the bridge parts and/or the expansion-gap bridging device may be so pronounced that the bridge has to be completely rebuilt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,308 A discloses an expansion-gap system for bridges that is designed not only to compensate for longitudinal expansions in travel direction—caused by normal fluctuations of the ambient temperature—but also to withstand seismographic forces occurring in transverse direction relative to the roadway. For this purpose the expansion-gap system comprises a plurality of chord plates spaced apart from one another and capable of displacement, braced on a plurality of crossbeams mounted at their ends in boxes. At one end the crossbeams are respectively movable within bearing boxes in transverse direction relative to the roadway of the bridge, so that forces or displacements occurring in this direction, for example due to an earthquake, lead to corresponding transverse displacements of the crossbeams. A disadvantage is that extremely large changes of the gap width of the expansion gaps occurring during earthquakes can no longer be compensated when the chord plates are already bearing against one another, thus resulting in destruction of the expansion-gap system or detachment thereof from the structure parts, whereby the bridge will no longer be able to carry traffic for the time being after an earthquake.
The foregoing also applies to the expansion-gap bridging device according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,069 A. Certainly the entire bridging device therein is raised at one end in order to forestall permanent damage thereto when seismic events cause the gap width of the expansion gaps to narrow beyond the point at which the chord plates bear against one another. Nevertheless, this also prevents the bridge from being able to carry traffic after the earthquake. And the repair work is associated with quite considerable expense, quite aside from the fact that, in the case of a permanent change of position of the structure parts relative to one another caused by the earthquake, even if complete reconstruction of the expansion-gap bridging device is not necessary, at least very expensive adaptation of the expansion-gap bridging device to the new tectonic conditions is needed.
The objective of US 2008/0148499 A1 and EP 1355009 B1 is to alleviate at least part of these disadvantages. Thus EP 1355009 B1 discloses a bridging device for joint gaps between bridge parts of the type mentioned in the introduction that if at all possible is still intended to be capable of carrying vehicular traffic even after an earthquake, albeit to a restricted extent and with considerably greater difficulty. For this purpose, the expansion-gap construction readily permits, within first limits, changes of position of the bridge parts adjoining the expansion gap relative to one another to occur during use for which they were intended. An additional safety device disposed on one of the bridge parts and on the expansion-gap construction is intended to permit position changes of the bridge parts toward one another beyond those limits without destroying the function of the bridging device or separating the expansion-gap construction from the bridge parts. The safety device comprises at least two elements, which are firmly joined to one another but which are separated if a defined limit load is exceeded and then can be moved toward one another in a well-defined way, for which purpose one of the two elements can be firmly disposed on one of the two bridge parts. Depending on the construction of the safety device, it is intended that additional position changes in the direction of the crossbeams and/or transverse movements of the bridge parts toward one another can be compensated. The safety device represents a predetermined breaking point, which necessitates extensive repair actions after the specified limit load has been exceeded in the direction transverse to the chord plates of the expansion-gap construction. Firstly the roadway expansion joint must be restored to its original position. Then certain elements of the expansion-gap construction, including the broken safety device, must be replaced and connections adjoining it must be rehabilitated.
Nevertheless, at least some of the disadvantages depicted hereinabove in connection with U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,069 A also exist in the bridging device according to EP 1355009 B1.


A storage solution includes a first enclosure having modules and non-volatile memory, such as hard disk drives. These modules convert file I/O to block I/O. A second enclosure includes second modules and non-volatile memory. These modules are operable to cause the block I/O to be stored on the non-volatile storage in either the first or second enclosure. Thus, the modules that perform block I/O storage can access storage that resides in the file I/O server. In a different arrangement, the storage system has an enclosure having modules and non-volatile memory. One module converts file I/O to block I/O. Another module transfers block I/O to the non-volatile memory. The first and second modules are interconnected via a data bus. Block I/O is transferred between the first module and the second module via the data bus. The data bus crosses a midplane that interconnects the modules. The second module stores data in the enclosure.

In the past, computer users have relied upon network file servers to provide distributed file services between the file server and a separate storage system. Files would be transferred from host computers over a network to the file server. The file server would then use any of several methods for storing the files on remote disk drives, usually via an I/O channel connection. Expensive servers such as Microsoft NT servers or Sun Solaris servers have been employed in front of expensive storage systems to provide this functionality. This has been found to be a relatively cumbersome and expensive solution.
Designers and manufacturers of storage systems have developed technology integrate these systems. The newer storage technology is known as a network accessed storage system, or NAS. A NAS is a storage system that connects directly to a network, such as a Gigabit Ethernet network. The NAS contains an integrated file server or controller for delivering distributed file services to hosts. File I/O is transferred over the network connection, and is cached in the NAS system and stored on the disk drives, and vice-versa.
Current NAS systems typically employ many different chassis holding equipment that performs various specific functions, making the NAS quite inflexible. Furthermore, the use of optical connectors and cables is often required to connect the various chassis. Though less expensive than remote server solutions, significant cost is incurred in providing a NAS because of these issues. There are now many storage customers that desire NAS functionality but want or need a lower cost system. A more flexible NAS system that can be manufactured and maintained at significantly lower costs than current systems is therefore highly desirable.

Low cost flexible network accessed storage architecture


An innovative security solution which separates a client into a Protected Context, which is the real files and resources of the client, and an Isolated Context, which is a restricted execution environment which makes use of virtualized resources to execute applications and modify content in the Isolated Context, without allowing explicit access to the resources in the Protected Context. The solution further consolidates user interfaces to allow users to seamlessly work with content in both contexts, and provide a visual indication of which display windows are rendered from content executed in the Isolated Context.

The incidence of worm, virus and Trojan attacks on the internet have been on a sharp rise lately, and enterprises are feeling a non-trivial cost due to these attacks. Even if an enterprise is never directly infected by such an attack, this cost manifests itself in the continuous vigilance required to stay abreast of the attackers, such as by:                Continuously applying patches to workstations.        Keeping virus definition files up to date.        Real-time scanning modified files.        Scanning incoming web content and email attachments.        Loss of productivity due to security measures or protocols, such as blocked web content or email attachments.
As enterprises are continuously trying to maintain the balance between productivity and security, they are in a continuous tradeoff situation, where on the security side there is a constant push to limit the scope of the communications pathways into the enterprise, whereas on the productivity side it is desirable to allow staff access to internet content and unhindered collaboration with their colleagues.
Should an enterprise suffer infection through these attacks, the cost it incurs, and the damage it can suffer ranges widely, depending on the scale of the infection and the actions of the malware. This cost can include:                IT cost in updating virus definition files and scheduling scans, or manually eliminating the infection, workstation by workstation.        Operational crippling, when critical infrastructure such as email servers goes offline due to overload, or staff workstations have to be taken offline pending disinfection.        Financially damaging, such as when sensitive content is disclosed to the attacker or the world at large.
Currently, enterprises maintain security using a variety of methodologies, including anti-virus (AV) scanners, behavior analysis systems, restricted computing environments, and intrusion detection systems. However the current methods used to maintain enterprise security suffer from a variety of problems make them less than ideal solutions for effectively protecting an enterprise from malware.
By far the most serious problem with AV products is their inability to protect against unknown viruses. This allows new viruses a time window for rapid spreading and destruction, before AV software can be adapted and client hosts updated to test for their existence and stop the spreading.
The inability of AV products of protecting against unknown viruses creates the need for continuously updating the AV patterns files and software. This puts a strain on IT resources, network resources and computing hardware.
Furthermore, in order to maintain sufficient vigilance, most AV products provide real-time scanning, which scans all files when they're opened, and upon modification. While this has security benefits, it also has the downside of serious performance degradation.
Behavior analysis systems look at the behavior of content to determine whether the content is malicious or benign. These systems typically execute the content, either in a sandbox of some sort or under interpretation and monitor the actions it performs. Any content that performs actions which can be construed as malicious, such as modifying system configuration, modifying or replacing system or application executables, and so on, will be classified as malicious and most likely denied entry to the enterprise network.
However, these types of systems suffer from the major shortcoming that they exhibit a high percentage of both false positives and false negatives. As an example, system updates and application installers would surely classify as malicious, while, say an ActiveX control that performed malicious activity only after having been used a number of times, or for a long period of time, might evade the malicious classification.
Restricted computing environments place restrictions on the computing environment of staff within an enterprise by limiting the content that can be accessed. Access to the world wide web is often limited, whether in the set of web sites available, or in the type of content allowed. Limitations are placed on email access, most frequently in the type and size of emails and attachments allowed. General limitations are placed on access to other internet services and applications, such as Instant Messaging, file sharing services and the like. Further limitations can be placed on where documents can be saved, and quotas on the amount of storage available to users.
These restrictions can have the major shortfall of curtailing the productivity by limiting the range of activities available to users. These measures are also not failsafe, since the type of content allowed through filters often must include such things as office documents, portable document files (pdfs) and the like. This coupled with the fact that viruses can propagate through many document types, plus the fact that the applications handling the documents are also prone to vulnerabilities that can be exploited through malformed content, makes those measures not very effective.
Intrusion detection systems typically have a focus on trying to detect intrusions that have already occurred, or intrusions in progress. These types of systems may suffer from false positives, and also may have very little potential for prevention. Because these systems depend on monitoring activity on the network to infer whether an intrusion is in progress, they may interpret many sorts of unusual activity as a potential intrusion. As a case in point, monitoring email activity with a trigger on the amount of traffic generated might be triggered if a particularly important memo or good joke starts making the rounds on the enterprise network.
However, intrusion detection systems have very little prevention potential. While it is useful to receive notification of an intrusion, the fact is that once an intrusion has occurred, much of the damage has already been done. Once a viral or worm infection has taken hold, there's no way around the fact that the infection will have damaged system files and configuration, and that there is a cost to undoing this damage.
It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to allow enterprise users unfettered access to external, potentially malicious content, such as web pages, externally originated email and email attachments, while protecting the enterprise from malicious attacks by this same content.
This is achieved by the novel method of transparent isolation, which identifies the origin of the content, and persistently tags external content with its origin. Such external content can then be executed in an isolated environment, which mediates access to all resources on the local host, and to the resources and content exposed on the internal enterprise network.

Systems and methods for secure client applications


A visual restoration aiding device includes an electrode array (21) having a plurality of electrodes (21a) placed on an outside of a choroid (E2) of a patient's eye (E) to electrically stimulate cells constituting a retina (E3).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a visual restoration aiding device.
2. Description of Related Art
In diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), retinal photoreceptor cells, which are one type of the cells constituting retina, get denatured and deaden, gradually decreasing visual acuity of patients and then causing vision loss as the diseases progress. At present, there is no effective treatment for such diseases. For this purse, there have been conducted the researches to assist visual restoration by transmitting electrical stimulation pulses to an electrode array placed on the inside or outside of the retina, thereby electrically stimulating the cells constituting retina, such as bipolar cells, retinal ganglion cells, and others.
In this case where the electrode array is placed on the inside or outside of the retina, the size of the electrode array is required to be smaller in order to minimize damage to the retina, However, a visual field obtained during the visual restoration becomes narrower as a smaller electrode array is used. Furthermore, such case needs a high operating technique and there is the fear of damage to the retina by the operation.


A semiconductor package includes a first semiconductor chip mounted on the package substrate, a second semiconductor mounted on the package substrate and set apart from the first semiconductor chip in a horizontal direction thereby forming a gap between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip. The semiconductor package further includes a first thermal interface material layer formed in the gap and having a first modulus of elasticity and a second thermal interface material layer formed on each of the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip and having a second modulus of elasticity, wherein the first modulus of elasticity is less than the second modulus of elasticity.

The inventive concept relates to a semiconductor package, and more particularly, to a semiconductor package for improving package reliability.
In accordance with a trend of multi-function, high-capacity, and miniaturization of electronic products, an integrated semiconductor package in which two or more semiconductor chips (semiconductor devices) are integrated, for example, a system in package (SIP), has been proposed. In an integrated semiconductor package, warpage may occur during a manufacturing process or use because each component has various coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE). Accordingly, in the integrated semiconductor package, package components may be delaminated from each other due to the warpage or cracks, and thus, package reliability may be reduced.

Semiconductor package with thermal interface material for improving package reliability


A liquid crystal cell including antenna units includes a TFT substrate, a slot substrate, an acidic group-containing orientation film, a liquid crystal layer, and a sealant. The TFT substrate includes a first dielectric substrate, TFTs supported by the first dielectric substrate, and patch electrodes electrically connected to the TFTs. The slot substrate includes a second dielectric substrate and a slot electrode supported by the second dielectric substrate and including slots. The acidic group-containing orientation film on a surface of one of the TFT substrate and the slot substrate contains a polymer having an acidic group. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the TFT substrate and the slot substrate in which the patch electrodes and the slot electrode are opposed to each other to constitute the antenna units. The sealant surrounds the liquid crystal layer and is interposed between the TFT substrate and the slot substrate.

An antenna used for mobile communication, satellite broadcasting, and the like requires a beam scanning function that can change the beam direction. As an antenna having such a function, there has been proposed a scanning antenna utilizing large dielectric anisotropy (birefringence) of liquid crystal (including nematic liquid crystal and polymer dispersed liquid crystal) (for example, international publications WO 2017/065255 and WO 2017/130489). This type of scanning antenna has a configuration in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of electrode-attached substrates (that is, a liquid crystal cell for scanning antenna).
A scanning antenna requires a liquid crystal layer using a liquid crystal compound (for example, an isothiocyanate group-containing liquid crystal compound) with a sufficient level of dielectric anisotropy (Δε) in the gigahertz band. However, when a liquid crystal compound high in dielectric anisotropy (Δε) is used, ionic impurities are prone to dissolve from a sealant surrounding the liquid crystal layer, a sealing portion for sealing a liquid crystal injection port provided in part of the sealant, and the like, into the liquid crystal layer. Therefore, it has been a problem that the voltage holding ratio (VHR) of the liquid crystal cell is lowered due to the influence of such impurities.

Liquid crystal cell and scanning antenna


The structure comprises a tray of a substantially rectangular configuration having a telescoping hinged leg mounted to the bottom of the tray at one side thereof and projecting portions on the opposite side extending outwardly to fixedly engage clamp members in mating apertures. The clamp members mount to the side of a lounge chair or chaise while the telescoping leg is extended at a right angle to the tray and rests upon the ground where it is locked place. Alternative clamp members include flexible VELCRO.RTM. fasteners which are inserted through the tray slots and a C-clamp arrangement which surrounds a member on the chair for gripping purposes and is tightened thereabout by a vertical threaded member.

This invention relates to a tray attachment for a chair which is particularly useful on the beach where it may be attached to a lounge chair. The tray includes a hinged telescoping leg mounted against the base of the rectangular tray. In use the leg is moved downwardly and locked at a right angle to the tray. The tray may then be attached to a lounge chair with the leg inserted into the sand so that various items may be placed on the tray rather than on the sand itself. The tray is portable and takes up little space due to the fact that the single leg is hinged and telescoping to fit into the space beneath the tray.
In the prior art, various trays exist but none of the prior art patents disclose a compact, inexpensive tray which is readily portable and easily affixed to a lounge chair.
The prior art includes applicant's design patent, DES. 377,275 which depicts an earlier version of a tray attachment. The patent does not disclose the clamping arrangement which has proven exceedingly useful and is nowhere shown in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,956 to Hofmeyer is directed to a foldable table attachment for a collapsible chair. The structure, particularly the supporting member and attaching means, are quite different from the present invention.
Other prior art patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,174,669 to Lalonde and 4,591,206 to Pribble. The prior art is not believed to be directly in point since applicant is proposing a unique transportable tray which may be readily affixed to a table or chair during use.

Beach and outdoor tray attachment for lounge chairs and the like


A method of disassembling a washing machine is a disassembling method for a washing machine including a reduction-gear unit secured on the outside of a water tub and a dehydration tub disposed in the water tub, and the method includes a release step of applying force, along the axial direction of a rotary shaft, in the direction of separating the reduction-gear unit and the dehydration tub from each other to release connection between the reduction-gear unit and the dehydration tub. This scheme can be employed to provide a method of disassembling a washing machine that can recover resin included in the washing machine at a high recovery ratio.

Among constituent parts of a washing machine, plastic parts were rarely recycled. In recent years, recycling of plastic parts has been increasing. Regarding how to recycle plastic parts, various methods have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-240037 proposes a method according to which plastic parts are separately collected and recycled. This method separately collects, from waste products, the same plastic parts having the same composition, crushes and thereafter melts the plastic parts for reuse.
Some recycling plants are recycling washing machines based on this method. A washing machine is manually disassembled into small parts. The separated parts are grouped according to the material of which the parts are made. As for plastic parts, they are grouped according to the type of plastic, and thereafter crushed, washed and formed into pellets. The pellets are used again as materials for producing washing machines. This process is so-called horizontal recycling. Among plastic parts, a water tub is higher in plastic content used therefor. The water tub is also manually detached from the washing machine.
FIG. 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a washing machine. A housing 20 has its top where a control panel for example is disposed and its inside where such a main component as a water tub 11 is disposed. In water tub 11, a dehydration tub 12 is disposed. Wash water fills the inside of water tub 11 and clothes to be cleaned are put in dehydration tub 12. Dehydration tub 12 has its bottom where a pulsator 13 is disposed. Pulsator 13 is secured to a rotary shaft 16. Rotary shaft 16 is connected to a reduction-gear unit 14. Water tub 11 has its bottom where a motor 21 is disposed. Rotational motion of motor 21 is transmitted through a belt 24 to gears in reduction-gear unit 14. The rotational motion reduced in speed in reduction-gear unit 14 is transmitted to rotary shaft 16 to rotate pulsator 13 and thereby stir the wash water. The clothes are washed by the stirred flow. In removing water from the clothes, dehydration tub 12 and pulsator 13 rotate together.
While dehydration tub 12 is rotating, water tub 11 does not rotate in a washing process. Reduction-gear unit 14 at the bottom of water tub 11 is secured with clamp bolts 23 to water tub 11. Motor 21 is secured to water tub 11 as well. Around reduction-gear unit 14, a transport angle 22 is disposed. Transport angle 22 is formed for protecting reduction-gear unit 14 and a pulley of reduction-gear unit 14 from shock for example during transport of the washing machine. Transport angle 22 is formed in the shape of a belt to surround reduction-gear unit 14 and is secured to water tub 11 with screws.
When the washing machine is disassembled at a recycling plant, water tub 11 is first removed from housing 20. At this time, dehydration tub 12, pulsator 13, reduction-gear unit 14 and motor 21 for example are still attached to water tub 11. From the water tub in this state, transport angle 22 is detached and thereafter motor 21 and belt 24 are detached. Motor 21 and belt 24 are detached easily by removing screws attached to water tub 11 that are used for securing the motor. Further, clamp bolts 23 are detached. At the bottom of the water tub, in addition to the motor, the reduction-gear unit, a reduction-gear frame and the transport angle, a solenoid valve, wires and hoses for example are disposed. Water tub 11 which is removed from housing 20 and from which at least transport angle 22, motor 21 and belt 24 are thereafter detached and further clamp bolts 23 are detached is herein referred to as "water-tub unit."
FIG. 24 shows a partial cross-sectional view of water-tub unit 1. Water tub 11 is in the shape of a cylinder with its top opened and is made of plastic. In water tub 11, dehydration tub 12 in the shape of a cylinder with its top opened is formed. Pulsator 13 disposed at the bottom of dehydration tub 12 is planar in shape. In other words, the pulsator formed here is longer in its outer diameter at the bottom as compared with its dimension in the direction of the rotational axis. Rotary shaft 16 includes a dehydration-tub rotary shaft 16a for rotating the dehydration tub and a pulsator rotary shaft 16b for rotating the pulsator. Pulsator rotary shaft 16b is formed in the shape of a solid cylinder and dehydration-tub rotary shaft 16a is formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder to surround the pulsator rotary shaft. Pulsator 13 is secured with a pulsator securing screw 18 to pulsator rotary shaft 16b. Rotary shaft 16 extends through dehydration tub 12 and water tub 11 to be connected to reduction-gear unit 14 disposed at the bottom of water tub 11. At the through portion of dehydration tub 12, a dehydration-tub flange 19 is provided. With a dehydration-tub securing nut 17, dehydration flange 19 and dehydration-tub rotary shaft 16a are secured. Reduction-gear unit 14 includes a plate portion 10. Plate portion 10 is a portion that is secured with the clamp bolts to reduction-gear frame 15 that is secured to the bottom of water tub 11. Reduction-gear frame 15 has a protruding portion formed. Between plate portion 10 and the bottom of water tub 11, a gap is formed. Reduction-gear unit 14 is secured to allow a part thereof to be fit in water tub 11.
In order to disassemble water-tub unit 1, pulsator-securing screw 18 fastened at the top of pulsator 13 is loosened to be detached. After this, pulsator 13 is removed from the inside of dehydration tub 12. Then, dehydration-tub securing nut 17 coupling dehydration tub 12 and dehydration-tub rotary shaft 16a is detached to remove dehydration tub 12 from water tub 11. Depending on the structure of the washing machine, impact force is applied to rotary shaft 16 extending through dehydration tub 12 for detaching dehydration tub 12.
In this way, pulsator 13 and dehydration tub 12 can be separated from the water-tub unit. Since rotary shaft 16 from which dehydration tub 12 is detached is in the shape of a rod, the integrated reduction-gear unit 14 and rotary shaft 16 can be detached from water tub 11 in the downward direction as seen in the drawing. Components mounted on the periphery are thereafter detached so that only water tub 11 is left.
The description above is applied to an example of the washing machine. For disassembling any washing machine of a different structure, it has been necessary as well, because of structural reasons, to completely disassemble the coupling of the pulsator, dehydration tub and rotary shaft and thereby remove first the pulsator and dehydration tub from the water tub. A mechanical disassembling method that differs from the manual one is disclosed for example in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-300127 according to which mechanical cutting is done in the circumferential direction of the body of the water tub.
The manufacturer and the year of manufacture of washing machines to be recycled differ between the washing machines. If washing machines are different from each other in manufacturer and year of manufacture, they also differ in structure. Among such washing machines, some washing machines may be difficult to manually disassemble. Further, the washing machines may have been used for years that range from a few years to 20 years or longer and thus some washing machines may be difficult to manually disassemble due to the presence of rust or scale formed on the machines. Furthermore, some washing machines may be difficult to easily disassemble due to detergent residues left concentratedly at some portions of the washing machines.
Specifically, the pulsator-securing screw that secures the pulsator to the pulsator rotary shaft is difficult to be reached by a tool and is at the position that is difficult to discern. There was thus such a problem as the requirement of a special tool or longer time taken for fitting a tool in the screw slot. Further, depending on the joint portion between the pulsator and the pulsator rotary shaft or the material of which the bearing portion of the pulsator was made, or the years for which the machine had been used, there was the case where the pulsator could not easily be detached even after the pulsator securing screw was detached, due to the presence of rust or scale. In such a case, the water-tub unit was disassembled, for example, by being thrown against the floor with the opening side facing downward or using a crowbar to break the pulsator itself Thus, in such a case where the pulsator could not easily be detached from the dehydration tub, considerable effort was required.
In addition, since the opposing sides of the dehydration-tub securing nut have such a large dimension as the one ranging from 38 mm to 41 mm, a special tool is required to detach the dehydration-tub securing nut. However, the dehydration-tub securing nut is disposed at the bottom of the dehydration tub, and thus the nut is considerably difficult to be reached by the tool. Thus, there was a resultant problem of low workability in such a state where the dehydration tub was incorporated in the washing machine. Further, there was the case where scale or detergent residue was attached between the rotary shaft and the dehydration-tub flange and thus considerable time and cost were required to remove the dehydration tub from the water tub.
As seen from the above, the manual disassembling required enormous efforts and long time in some cases. When the time consumed was excessively long, the disassembly was abandoned and the washing machine was crushed and discarded without being recycled.
The mechanical cutting method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-0300127 may be used to remove the water tub without releasing the coupling between the water tub and the rotary shaft. However, the water tub is cut along one plane including the circumferential periphery of the water tub. The method thus allows only 50 to 70% of plastic relative to the total weight of the water tub to be recovered. Another disadvantage is that the larger the water tub in size, the lower the ratio of recovery.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for disassembling a washing machine that can recover resin from the washing machine at a high recovery ratio. Another object of the present invention is to provide a recycled resin and a resin product that have high quality.

Washing-machine disassembling method and disassembling apparatus, recycled resin and resin product


An image forming apparatus includes a toner case, an apparatus main body and a cover. The toner case includes a case main body, a shutter and a manipulation portion. The case main body has a discharge port configured to discharge a toner. The shutter opens/closes the discharge port. The manipulation portion is movable between a first position to make the shutter open the discharge port and a second position to make the shutter close the discharge port. To the apparatus main body, the toner case is detachably attached. The cover is openably/closably attached to the apparatus main body. The cover includes an interfering member. The interfering member is movable between an interfering position where the interfering member interferes with the manipulation portion being in the second position and an interference release position where the interfering member does not interfere with the manipulation portion being in the second position.

The present disclosure relates to an electrographic image forming apparatus.
Conventionally, an electrographic image forming apparatus carries out development process by supplying a toner (a developer) from a development device to an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum or the like. The toner used in the development process is supplied from a toner case to the development device.
The above-mentioned toner case includes, for example, a case main body having a discharge port configured to discharge the toner and a shutter configured to open/close the discharge port. In the image forming apparatus including the toner case with such a configuration, there is a possibility that a cover covering the toner case is closed by erroneous operation of a worker (e.g. a user) in a situation where the shutter closes the discharge port. If such a circumstance occurs, there is a possibility of causing a trouble that image forming operation cannot be started despite the fact that the case main body contains the toner. Thereupon, there is a configuration that a manipulation portion connected to the shutter interferes with the cover so that the cover is not closed in the situation where the shutter closes the discharge port.
When the image forming apparatus is shipped, the shutter closes the discharge port in order to prevent the toner from leaking from the case main body in transit. In the above-mentioned configuration, if the toner case is installed to an apparatus main body in the situation where the shutter closes the discharge port, because the cover becomes unclosable, it is difficult to ship the image forming apparatus in a situation where the toner case is installed to the apparatus main body. Therefore, the toner case is packed separately from the apparatus main body, and accordingly, the volume and the number of the packing materials are increased and increase of a packing cost is caused.


This invention relates to a fluorescence-mediated molecular tomographic imaging system, designed to detect near-infrared fluorescence activation in deep tissues. The system can use targeted fluorescent molecular probes or highly sensitive activatable fluorescence molecular probes. Such probes add molecular specificity and yield high fluorescence contrast, to allow early detection and molecular target assessment of diseased tissue, such as cancers, in vivo. The new tomographic imaging system enables three-dimensional localization in deep tissues and quantitation of molecular probes.

Molecular imaging can be broadly defined as the characterization and measurement of biological processes at the cellular and molecular level in mammals and human patients. In contradistinction to "classical" diagnostic imaging, for example, magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound (US) imaging, molecular imaging analyses molecular abnormalities that are the basis of disease, rather than imaging the end-effects of these molecular alterations. Specific imaging of molecular targets allows earlier detection and characterization of disease, as well as earlier and direct molecular assessment of treatment efficacy. Molecular imaging can theoretically be performed with different imaging technologies, up to now preferably with nuclear imaging technologies, e.g., PET and SPECT imaging) which have high sensitivity of probe detection. The IV administered imaging probes typically recognize a given target. Alternatively, some probes detectable by MR imaging have been developed (Moats et al., Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed., 36:726-731, 1997; Weissleder et al., Nat. Med., 6:351-5, 2000), although their detection threshold is generally in the micromolar instead of the pico/femptomolar range of isotope probes.
An alternative method is to use fluorescent probes for target recognition. For example, enzyme activatable fluorochrome probes are described in Weissleder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,486, and fluorescent molecular beacons that become fluorescent after DNA hybridization are described in Tyagi et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 16:49-53, 1998. Fluorescence activatable probes have been used in tissue culture and histologic sections and detected using fluorescence microscopy. When administered in vivo, fluorescence activatable probes have been detected by surface-weighted reflectance imaging (Weissleder et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 17:375-8, 1999); Mahmood et al., Radiology, 213:866-70, 1999. However, imaging in deep tissues (>5 mm from the surface), in absorbing and scattering media such as mammalian tissues, and quantitating fluorescence (and in particular fluorescence activation) has not been described.
To image light interactions in deeper tissues, light in the near infrared (near-IR or NIR) instead of the visible spectrum is preferred. Imaging with near infrared (near-IR or NIR) light has been in the frontier of research for resolving and quantifying tissue function. Light offers unique contrast mechanisms that can be based on absorption, e.g., probing of hemoglobin concentration or blood saturation, and/or fluorescence, e.g., probing for weak auto-fluorescence, or exogenously administered fluorescent probes (Neri et al., Nat. Biotech., 15:1271-1275, 1997; Ballou et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 41:257-63,1995; and Weissleder, 1999). In either application, NIR photons undergo significant elastic scattering when traveling through tissue. This results in light "diffusion" in tissue that hinders resolution and impairs the ability to produce diagnostically interpretable images using simple "projection" approaches (transillumination), as in x-ray imaging.
During the last decade, mathematical modeling of light propagation in tissue, combined with technological advancements in photon sources and detection techniques has made possible the application of tomographic principles (Kak and Slaney, "Principles of Computerized Tomographic Imaging," IEEE Press, New York, 1988, pp. 208-218); Arridge, Inverse Problems, 15:R41 -R93, 1999) for imaging with diffuse light. Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) uses multiple projections and deconvolves the scattering effect of tissue. DOT imaging has been used for quantitative, three-dimensional imaging of intrinsic absorption and scattering (see, e.g., Ntziachristos et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 97:2767-72, 2000, and also Benaron et al., J. Cerebral Blood Flow Metabol., 20(3):469-77, 2000). These fundamental quantities can be used to derive tissue oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations, blood oxygen saturation (Li et al., Appl. Opt., 35:3746-3758, 1996) or hematoma detection in diffuse media.
Although intrinsic-contrast for DOT imaging may be useful in certain situations, e.g., for functional brain activation studies or hematoma detection, these applications do not allow the extraction of highly specific molecular information from living tissues. Fluorochrome concentration has been measured by absorption measurements (Ntziachristos et al., 2000) or by fluroescence measurements in phantoms (Chang et al., IEEE Trans. Med. Imag., 16:68-77, 1997; Sevick-Muraca et al., Photochem. Photobiol., 66:55-64, 1997). However, previously described DOT systems and/or image algorithms have not been useful to obtain three-dimensional quantitation of fluorescence in deep tissues in living mammals.