Disclosed are a climbing shoes outsole with good adhesive and non-slip properties and a method for manufacturing the same. More specifically, the climbing shoes outsole comprises a butyl rubber layer formed at a side of the outsole in contact with the ground, and a general-purpose rubber layer laminated on the butyl rubber layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a climbing shoes outsole with good adhesive and non-slip properties and a method for manufacturing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a climbing shoes outsole with good adhesive and non-slip properties that has a laminate structure including a butyl rubber as a lower layer of the outsole (side in contact with the ground), and a general-purpose rubber as an upper layer of the outsole (side of the outsole adhered to a midsole or upper), and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a butyl rubber is widely used for tire inner liners, dustproof materials, automobile tubes and the like due to low gas permeation. Also, a butyl rubber is used as a material for climbing shoes outsoles owing to considerably superior non-slip properties.
Furthermore, as described above, the butyl rubber used as a material for climbing shoes outsoles secures safety against slip and improves grip strength between shoes and the ground during climbing, thereby enhancing wear sensation and comfort. In this regard, materials for climbing shoes outsoles using a butyl rubber with superior non-slip property attract much attention to consumers.
However, companies that manufacture climbing shoes outsoles using a butyl rubber as a base material have a problem of high product defects due to low adhesive properties of butyl rubbers to midsoles or uppers.
In order to solve this problem, in an attempt to improve an adhesive strength through preliminary treatment, the adhesion surface of outsoles is subjected to buffing. However, such a buffing process causes various problems such as production of industrial wastes, noise and product defects caused by buffing.
Also, an expensive CR solvent-type adhesive agent is generally used as an adhesive agent of butyl rubbers. For this reason, problems such as increase in adhesion cost and bad workplace environments resulting from use of excess organic solvent occur.
Accordingly, in an attempt to solve the non-adhesive property, a resin or general-purpose rubber is used in conjunction with a butyl rubber.
However, in general, a butyl rubber has a low compatibility with a resin or a general-purpose rubber, thus having considerably low non-slip property, when used in combination therewith. In particular, when a butyl rubber is adhered to a general-purpose rubber by cross-linking, interfacial de-adhesion generally occurs due to great difference in cross-linking speed between the rubbers and decreased compatibility.
That is, in sulfur crosslinking, a butyl rubber has a considerably low cross-linking speed due to narrow cross-linkage sites. On the other hand, a general-purpose rubber has superior cross-linking activity in a sulfur cross-linking system, thus having a high cross-linking speed, as compared to a butyl rubber. For this reason, there is a difficulty in cross-linking adhesion due to great difference in cross-linking speed between the butyl rubber and the general-purpose rubber upon cross-linking adhesion.
There are conventional methods for adhering resins or rubbers for improving performance of compositions containing a butyl rubber as a base material. For example, a method for adhering a butyl rubber to a resin layer in the process of producing an inner liner for tires by adhering the butyl rubber to the resin layer and irradiating an electric beam thereto, to co-crosslink the butyl rubber and the resin layer is developed. However, in accordance with the method, selection of materials is limited in order to maintain adhesion strength, since adhesion strength between the butyl rubber and the resin layer depends on materials for the resin layer and butyl rubber members.
Meanwhile, as the related art, a method for adhering a resin layer to an adjacent rubber member using an indirect adhesive agent or a highly polar epoxy rubber is used. This indirect adhesive agent or highly polar rubber is expensive and entails use of compounding components having a high glass transition temperature, thus causing cracks or low low-temperature resistance in winter and being unsuitable for shoes to which roughness is repeatedly applied.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-276235 discloses cross-linkage performed by adhering a thermoplastic elastomer resin laminate to a rubber composition member, irradiating an electric beam to the resin-rubber laminate-provided member and performing vulcanization. However, in accordance with this method, disadvantageously, a non-uniform net structure may be formed, heat resistance of rubber layer is decreased, and an interfacial de-adhesion thus occurs when an adhesive layer is not used, since carbon-carbon bonds and sulfur cross-linking are introduced into the rubber layer through electric beam irradiation and vulcanization.

Climbing shoes outsole having good adhesive and non-slip properties and method for manufacturing thereof

KOREA INSTITUTE OF FOOTWEAR & LEATHER TECHNOLOGY


A network monitor and associated control system is provided to monitor a toll network for customer signaling. A multi-tone signal processor and associated control is provided such that when signaling is detected, such signaling is validated against a provisioned list. A valid signal is reported to a central control of the network switch, which takes action in response to the signal.

Telecommunications may be described as increasingly "feature rich." That is, there is an ever increasing array of features and services available to individual and business telephone subscribers. Many of the popular features, such as three-way calling, call forwarding and speed calling, are implemented at a local telephone switching system. Such features are generally initiated by the user signaling the local switch. For example, to set up a three-way call a user establishes a first call, flashes the switch-hook to signal the switch that three-way calling is desired, and then dials the telephone number of the third party. In response, the local switch sets up a three-way circuit.
In contrast to such locally provided features, network (also called toll or long distance) telecommunications supports a different type of features and/or services. Basic network telecommunications access is achieved through 1+ and 0+ calls; wherein 0+ calls provide a variety of credit card or operator assisted features. Other network telecommunications services (such as "800", "900" and software defined network) require that the user initiates these services by dialing a special 10 digit number. The toll switch recognizes the dialed number as a special number, performs a data base look-up (frequently based on both the dialed number and the calling line identification or "ANI"), and takes action according to the data retrieved from the data base.
At least one new feature has recently been proposed for network telecommunications that require the toll switch to recognize customer signaling: U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,042 entitled Spontaneous Voice and Data Messaging which issued Jun. 5, 1990, to Baral et al. This feature provides a calling party with the option of leaving a voice mail message after determining that the called party is busy or not answering. After a call is established, the calling party enters a series of dual-tone, multi-frequency (DTMF) signals and, in response, the toll switch routes the calling party to a voice messaging system. There is currently no implemented DTMF detector in toll switches capable of intercepting and translating these customer signals during the entire call for every call through the switch.
Another proposed network feature is sequence dialing, wherein a user may dial a second destination telephone number after a first connection is terminated without the user hanging up. This feature is useful for callers from pay telephones, credit card callers, or callers from other countries who have entered identification and billing information into the system, and need to make multiple calls. After the first called party disconnects, the caller enters one or more DTMF digits or other signals which cause the network switch to maintain the connection and then accept a new destination telephone number.
Therefore, a problem in the art is that there is no capability in network switches that can recognize customer signaling for the entire length of a network call, from pre-answer to post disconnect, for all calls in the network upon which a feature rich network may be built.

Method and apparatus for monitoring a network for customer signaling during the term of a call


A black-and-white aqueous alkaline photographic developer composition is described which is free of dihydroxybenzene developing agent and comprises a p-aminophenol primary developing agent and an auxiliary superadditive 3-pyrazolidone developing agent, wherein the p-aminophenol primary developing agent is represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, and R.sub.2, which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or R.sub.1, and R.sub.2 together represent the carbon atoms required to complete a 5-membered saturated ring, R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkoxy group, n represents 0 or 1, and HX represents HCl or 1/2 H.sub.2 SO.sub.4.. A process for forming a black-and-white photographic silver image comprising developing a silver halide photographic element with the black-and-white aqueous alkaline photographic developer composition is also described.

In general, the processing of black-and-white silver halide photographic elements is performed in the sequence of development, fixing and washing. Development is commonly carried out with aqueous alkaline developer compositions containing a developing agent of the dihydroxybenzene type, such as hydroquinone. Usually, dihydroxybenzene developing agents are used in combination with auxiliary superadditive developing agents. As explained in Mason, Photographic Processing Chemistry, Focal Press, London, 1975, "superadditivity" refers to a synergistic effect whereby the combined activity of a mixture of two developing agents is greater than the sum of two activities when each agent is used alone in the same developing solution. "Superadditivity" is especially described on pages 29 and 103 of Mason. Examples of useful auxiliary superadditive developing agents are 3-pyrazolidones, such as 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidone (Phenidone) and 1-phenyl4,4-dimethyl-3-pyrazolidone (Dimezone), and aminophenols, such as p-methylaminophenol sulfate (Metol). Generally, the combinations of developing agents showing superadditivity consist of one developing agent from the dihydroxybenzene type (hydroquinone) and one developing agent from either the aminophenol type or the 3-pyrazolidone type. There is a case reported at page 29 of Mason in which one of the developing agent is not of the dihydroxybenzene type, that is the case of the Phenidone/Glycin system which, however, has proved of poor utility.
While development processes based on the use of hydroquinone generally provide very good sensitometric results, they are disadvantageous with regard to ecological and environmental considerations. In particular, hydroquinone and its derivatives, and the oxidized forms thereof, have become of increasing concern in recent years from the point of view of potential toxicity and environmental pollution. Thus, there is an urgent need in the art for a hydroquinone-free development process which produces the same good results as the known development process containing hydroquinone, but which is environmentally more friendly.
Developing solutions free of hydroquinone and using ascorbic acid derivatives as developing agents have been used heretofore in a wide variety of photographic developing processes. Thus, for example, developing compositions containing ascorbic acid developing agents have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,688,548; 2,688,549; 3,922,168; 3,942,985; 4,168,977; 4,478,928; 4,650,746 and 4,975,354.
However, developing compositions containing ascorbic acid derivatives have poor resistance against aerial oxidation and cannot be left in continuous transport automatic processors for several days without undergoing a dramatic decrease of developing activity. Recently, several attempts have been made to increase resistance against aerial oxidation of developing compositions containing ascorbic acid derivatives as developing agents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,819 describes a photographic developer composition comprising a developer selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid and its sugar-type derivatives, their salts and mixture thereof, together with a sulfite, an alkali metal carbonate and a 3-pyrazolidone developer compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,767 discloses an environmentally-safe, non-toxic non-hydroquinone and non-alkali metal hydroxide containing photographic developer composition comprising a developer selected from the group consisting of 2-keto gluconic acid and derivatives thereof, together with a sulfite, an alkali metal carbonate and a 3-pyrazolidone developer compound.
WO 93-11,456 discloses a system for rapid access processing of photographic silver halide elements comprising, in combination, a photographic silver halide element of the type containing a hydrazine compound and a developer solution comprising at least one ascorbic acid developing agent selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, derivatives thereof and salts of either.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,816 describes a photographic developing solution which is free of dihydroxybenzene developing agents, has a pH in the range of from 9.5 to 11.5 and comprises (1) and ascorbic acid developing agent, (2) an auxiliary super-additive developing agent and (3) a carbonate buffering agent in a concentration of at least 0.5 molar. The developing solution is particularly useful in a process for forming a high contrast image in the graphic arts field utilizing a silver halide photographic element comprising a hydrazine compound which functions as a nucleating agent and an amino compound which functions as an incorporated booster. The developing solution is not particularly useful when a non-nucleated film, for example a radiographic film must be developed.
EP 573,700 discloses a process for developing a silver halide photographic material in a continuous automatic way using a developer solution containing an ascorbic acid analogue or derivative and a 3-pyrazolidone derivative as developing agents and replenishing the developer solution with a replenishing composition having a defined pH.
Developing compositions containing ascorbic acid as primary developing agent have the advantage of providing an environmentally favorable alternative to the use of developing solutions containing dihydroxybenzene developing agents. However, the attempts to improve resistance to aerial oxidation of the developing compositions containing ascorbic acid derivatives as primary developing agent do not sufficiently inhibit the pH decrease of the composition. In fact, as a consequence of oxidation, a gradual pH decrease will always occur, which in turn lowers the developing activity with a dramatic decrease in sensitivity and gradation for a given constant development time, especially when said developing compositions are used in continuous transport automatic processors for several days. In addition, another disadvantage of the developing compositions is that they are useful in the graphic arts film when a high contrast image is to be obtained, but they are not useful in the radiographic field, where a high contrast image is not desired.
It is object of the present invention to provide a black-and-white developing composition, useful both in graphic arts and radiographic fields, free of dihydroxybenzene developing agent, being stable against aerial oxidation and giving very constant processing results during automatic continues processing.

Photographic silver halide developer composition and process for forming photographic silver images


Cycle brake cooling articles are secured at and offset from braking elements of a wheel of a cycle, each article having a Venturi-like rigid surface, including a central portion that defines a void space, which in combination with said braking element, defines an air deflection and concentration path focused upon the brake element of the cycle wheel to effect a cooling of the element and escape of heat thru the void space. A distal portion of each rigid surface is securable to a front fork of the cycle. The Venturi-like surface may include a proximal intake section and a distal focusing section.

1. Area of Invention
The present invention relates to motorcycles.
2. Prior Art
Brakes work by using friction to slow a rotating disc or drum, a rotor thereof, turning kinetic energy into thermal energy. Metal-backed fiber pads or shoes are pressed onto the rotor by a hydraulic or mechanical article to create friction. During this process, the pads or shoes are subject to wear and overheating. One effect of overheating of brake components is warping or coning of the brake rotor. Another result of overheating is a reduction in frictional properties at the brake interface above a predetermined temperature. This may result in longer stopping distances, especially after repetitive heavy stopping. Preventing the frictional surfaces from exceeding the predetermined temperature will provide greater durability and life for the brake rotor and pads.
The terms cycle and motorcycle as used herein denote motorbikes, mopeds, cycles, scooters and the like.
The prior art includes means for brake rotor ventilation and cooling for motor vehicles as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,726 to Topouzian et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,678 to Lee. The prior art also includes a motorcycle carburetor cooling air duct as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,293 to Minami. U.S. Design Pat. No. 281,912 to Rudd discloses an ornamental design for a motorcycle cover light and air scoop. U.S. Pat. No. 2,579,603 to Tack, entitled Brake Cooling Baffle and U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,091 (2001) to Nilsen, entitled Brake Cooling System.
It would be desirable to provide a brake cooling article, for a motorcycle having improved properties of heat transfer out of a corresponding brake rotor that is cost-effective and easy to install as an aftermarket product. The present invention addresses this long felt need in the art.


A correcting method and a correcting apparatus which consider a proximity effect when drawing a pattern of a photomask by an energy beam such as an electron beam or a light proximity effect when performing exposure by using a photomask and obtaining a transfer pattern and can correct the pattern data so that the finally obtained transfer pattern becomes close to the designed pattern even if they occur. Where there is another pattern at the periphery of a pattern in a certain mesh at a center which is subjected to mesh registration, it is decided that a mutual proximity effect will occur at the time of drawing, only a part of the patterns in which it can be considered that the mutual proximity effect will occur are subdivided, and the dosage amount data at drawing are assigned to individual subdivided patterns. Where there is not another pattern at the periphery, it is decided that the self proximity effect will occur at the time of drawing, the peripheral portions of the pattern in which it can be considered that the self proximity effect will occur are subdivided, and the dosage amount data at drawing are assigned to individual subdivided patterns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of correcting data for drawing a photomask. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of correcting drawing data of a photomask for pattern transfer used in the process of production of a semiconductor or a method of correcting pattern data for preventing pattern deterioration which occurs at the time of wafer transfer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The photomask used in the process of production of a semiconductor device is constructed as a glass substrate on which a light shielding film is formed. The semiconductor is prepared by projecting and exposing the photomask onto a wafer. First, to form the photomask, it is necessary to convert designed computer-assisted design (CAD) data into data for an electron beam (EB) drawing apparatus and faithfully pattern this.
In EB photolithography, however, it has been known that the phenomenon called as the "proximity effect" governs the limit of the resolution and that it has become a serious problem in the preparation of a photomask for performing fine processing and direct drawing of a wafer. The proximity effect is caused by the scattering of electrons in a solid. The effects thereof can be classified into two types according to the shape of the pattern.
Namely, there are the self-proximity effect seen in an isolated fine pattern and the mutual proximity effect seen between adjoining patterns. In the self-proximity effect, the incident electrons are scattered to the outside of the pattern and consequently the accumulated energy within the design dimensions cannot reach a desired value and as a result the final dimensions becomes small or the corner portions are rounded. Further, in the mutual proximity effect, in a gap between the patterns, the accumulated energy reaches the threshold value due to the scattering of electrons from the patterns of the two sides and contact between patterns etc. occur.
As a method of correcting the EB proximity effect, there has already been proposed for a variable shaping type drawing apparatus the method of varying the amount of irradiation for every pattern figure. In this method, as shown in FIG. 1A, an evaluation point is provided at every pattern edge, the accumulated energy found from an exposure intensity distribution (EID) function is calculated at each evaluation point, and the optimum amount of irradiation to be given to the pattern is determined. Note, in this method, in the vicinity of the evaluation points, the amount of irradiation found when the geometrical arrangement of the adjoining patterns are different differs for every evaluation point, consequently the only thing to do is to determine the weighted average value as the amount of irradiation. In this case, sometimes the precision differs for every evaluation point or the intended precision cannot be guaranteed. In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 1B, a method of dividing the pattern data so that the amount of irradiation can be controlled for every evaluation point is adopted.
When finely dividing the pattern data existing in all EB data, however, there arises a problem that all of the correction calculation time, data size, and drawing time are increased and a reduction of the mask preparation thruput is induced.
Further, even if the mask can be correctly patterned, pattern deterioration in the wafer, called the light proximity effect, is caused at the time of exposure. This is a phenomenon where the stepper light passing through the opened mask pattern shape diffracts and interferes and consequently the pattern is not correctly resolved on the wafer surface. The light proximity effect includes the self-light proximity effect and the mutual light proximity effect.
The self-light proximity effect means that, in one's own pattern, the stepper light diffracts and, as a result, the final dimensions of the pattern resolved on the wafer become different and the precision of the final dimensions greatly differs in both of the short side and long side in the rectangular pattern. Further, the mutual proximity effect means that, as a result of interference with the stepper light diffracted from the other patterns, the final dimensions on the wafer become small.
For the correction of this light proximity effect, as shown in for example "Automatched deterioration of CAD layout failures through focus: experiment and simulation" (C. A. Spence et al., Proc. of SPIE, Vol. 2197, pp 302-313), there has already been considered the method of correcting the light proximity effect by deforming the pattern figure so that the image is resolved on the wafer in a desired shape by simulating the light intensity on the evaluation points on the pattern edges similar to the proximity effect correction of EB and while shifting the pattern edges.
Also, at the time of this correction, the pattern must be finely divided for improvement of precision, so there arise serious problems of an increase of the correction calculation time, data transfer load due to an increase of the data size, and even the drawing time in a variable shaping type drawing apparatus, a reduction of the thruput, and consequently a delay of they delivery date of products.
Usually, for about a 64 MDRAM, it is sufficient if .+-.0.05 micron is achieved in terms of the dimensional precision on the mask, but a dimensional precision of .+-.0.035 micron is required for about a 256 MDRAM (each dimension is a value on 5X recticle). In general, for the mask data processing for a 0.5 micron rule device such as 16 MDRAM, two hours per layer is set as a reference. It is necessary to suppress the size of the data to about 100 Mbytes in the EB data for drawing a mask. Even for a 64 MDRAM requiring correction of the proximity effect, an equivalent processing ability is required.
The required dimensional precision when forming a pattern on a wafer by using these masks is .+-.0.025 micron in a 0.25 micron rule device such as a 64 MDRAM. In this way, in each data correcting processing for improvement of the precision at the time of formation of a mask corrected for the proximity effect in electron beam drawing and for improvement of the precision at the wafer transfer by correcting the light proximity effect by making corrections to the mask pattern, the calculation must be ended in a practical processing time and with a practical data capacity while satisfying the above precision.
In general, the data for configuring a photomask is comprised by data expressed by just an enormous number of rectangles and trapezoids. The target of the present invention is to prepare corrected data by preliminarily considering the physical phenomenon such as drawing and transfer based on the characteristics of this data.
By this, in the processing of the drawing data of a photomask, it is made possible to prevent the throughput from being reduced by an algorithm for deriving the minimum limit of data division at a high speed for correction of data satisfying the precision required by a photomask and a wafer.

Method of exposing, with correction of pattern data used to draw photomask to overcome proximity effects


The present invention relates to a protective heat transferable overcoat element comprising a support having thereon a protective polymer layer of at least one benzoated phenoxy resin of Formula I. The present invention also relates to a thermal transfer dye donor element comprising a support having on one side thereof at least one dye layer and a protective polymer layer of at least one benzoated phenoxy resin of Formula I and a thermal transfer assemblage comprising at least one thermal transfer donor element comprising a support having on one side thereof a protective polymer layer of at least one benzoated phenoxy resin of Formula I. Finally, the present invention relates to a protected image reproduction comprising a support, an imaging layer containing an image, and a transferred protective heat transferable overcoat comprising a protective polymer layer of at least one benzoated phenoxy resin of Formula I.

In recent years, thermal transfer systems have been developed to obtain prints from pictures that have been generated electronically from a color video camera. According to one way of obtaining such prints, an electronic picture is first subjected to color separation by color filters. The respective color-separated images are then converted into electrical signals. These signals are then operated on to produce cyan, magenta and yellow signals. These signals are then transmitted to a thermal printer. To obtain the print, a cyan, magenta or yellow dye donor element is placed face-to-face with a dye receiving element. The two are then inserted between a thermal printing head and a platen roller. A line-type thermal printing head is used to apply heat from the back of the dye donor sheet. The thermal printing head has many heating elements and is heated up sequentially in response to one of the cyan, magenta and yellow signals. The process is then repeated for the other two colors. A color hard copy is thus obtained which corresponds to the original picture viewed on a screen.
Thermal prints are susceptible to retransfer of dyes to adjacent surfaces and to discoloration by fingerprints. This is due to dye being at the surface of the dye receiving layer of the print. These dyes can be driven further into the dye receiving layer by thermally fusing the print with either hot rollers or a thermal head. This will help to reduce dye retransfer and fingerprint susceptibility, but does not eliminate these problems. The application of a protective overcoat, however, will practically eliminate these concerns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,881 discloses a protective cover film for thermal dye transfer prints comprising a UV protective layer but gives no guidance for the selection of binder resins to optimize print gloss.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,713 discloses a dye donor element for thermal dye transfer, and more particularly to the use of a transferable protection overcoat in the element for transfer to a thermal print. The dye donor element includes a support with at least one dye layer area comprising an image dye in a binder and another area comprising a transferable protection layer of approximately equal size. The transferable protection layer comprises poly(vinyl formal), poly(vinyl benzal) or poly(vinyl acetal) containing at least about 5 mole % hydroxyl. There is a problem with these materials, however, in that they provide inferior gloss and iridescence performance due to refractive index mismatch with the dye receiving layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,573 relates to a dye donor element for thermal dye transfer, and more particularly to the use of particles in a transferable protection overcoat in the element for transfer to a thermal print. The dye donor element includes a support having bearing at least one dye layer area comprising an image dye in a binder and another area comprising a transferable protection layer of approximately equal size. The transferable protection layer contains particles in an amount of up to about 75% of the thickness of the transferable protection layer. Although the particles eliminate the iridescence problems of the prior art, the particles lower the gloss of the imaged print.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,637 relates to a dye donor element for thermal dye transfer, and more particularly to the use of a transferable polymeric protection overcoat having a certain molecular weight in the element for transfer to a thermal print. The dye donor element includes a support bearing at least one dye layer area comprising an image dye in a binder and another area comprising a transferable protection layer of approximately equal size. The transferable protection layer comprises poly(vinyl benzal) having a polymethylmethacrylate equivalent molecular weight of less than about 75,000 as measured by size exclusion chromatography or poly(vinyl acetal) having a polymethylmethacrylate equivalent molecular weight of less than about 65,000 as measured by size exclusion chromatography. Although this overcoat provides a clean break-off performance between transferred and non-transferred laminate, gloss performance is poor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,081 discloses a protective sheet comprising poly(vinyl formal), poly(vinyl benzal) or poly(vinyl acetal) containing at least about 5 mole % hydroxyl, and a cross-linking agent, or a phenoxy resin and a cross-linking agent. These laminates provide improved chemical degradation sensitivity, but they are difficult to manufacture. These non-benzoated phenoxy resins show poor solubility in the solvents desirable for cost-saving, such as methanol and toluene.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,449 discloses the use of elastomeric beads in a protective overcoat for better raw-stock keeping, but the gloss performance of these laminates is not optimum.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,956 discloses a protective laminate comprising a gloss-enhancing agent, and a mixture of inorganic and organic particles. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the protection layer contains from about 5% to about 60% by weight inorganic particles, from about 25% to about 80% by weight polymeric binder and from about 5% to about 60% by weight of organic particles, and an effective amount of at least one gloss-enhancing compound. The gloss enhancing compound consists of an organic molecule that is essentially colorless, does not scatter light, is substantially not absorbing of light at a wavelength from 400 to 800 nm, and has a maximum absorption at a wavelength less than 400 nm. The inorganic particles, e.g. silica, are required to provide smooth laminate tear-off, but these degrade gloss and are detrimental to the gravure coating quality. The organic particles are required to reduce iridescence, but these reduce gloss. The gloss improvement provided is not adequate.
U.S. Pat. Application No. 2006/0068174 discloses a protective sheet comprising a peeling layer and an adhesive layer, with specific refractive index requirements between the two layers to prevent iridescence. This two-layer laminate adds to manufacturing cost, and is not optimum for both gloss and image stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,611 discloses the use of a transferable protection layer containing a resin having a Tg value of 40-100° C. and a storage modulus at 110° C. of not more than 1×105 Pa, but makes no mention of cut edge quality or material solubility.
Japanese Pat. No. 2,825,778 discloses a protective laminate comprising an ultraviolet absorber with methyl methacrylate, styrene acrylate, a cellulosic resin or a mixture thereof having a glass transition point of 100° C. These acrylate laminates have poor physical properties, and styrene-containing laminate give poor barrier properties for pollutant gases.
Japanese Kokai No. 2006/021402 discloses a protective sheet comprising an acrylate copolymer resin, but these laminates have inadequate physical properties.
Japanese Kokai No. 2006/095982 discloses a protective sheet to prevent iridescence with a transferable layer of a material with a specific refractive index range which depends on the film thickness, but the resins disclosed are not optimum for both gloss and image stability.

Thermally transferable image protection overcoat


A method, a system, and a computer program product for performing contextual scrolling. One or more first scrolling operations being performed in a first view of a user interface are detected. A content in the first view of the user interface associated with the one or more first scrolling operations is identified. One or more second scrolling operations for executing navigating between one or more of the first view of the user interface and at least another view of the user interface are selected based on the one or more first scrolling operations and the identified content. The selected second scrolling operations are executed.

A computer mouse is a hand-held pointing device that detects two-dimensional movement relative to a surface. This movement is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a computer display and allows control of a computer graphical user interface. A computer mouse can have one or more buttons to allow use/selection of various items on a computer display. Other elements, e.g., touch surfaces, scroll wheels, etc. can also be part of some computer mice designs and can enable additional control, dimensional input, and other functions. However, while computer mice allow scrolling, it is important to provide contextual scrolling within user interfaces, which can improve user's productivity.


A fan system is used for dissipating heat of an electronic device. The fan system includes a fan, a hollow structure, and a control circuit. Sound waves made by the fan are transmitted to an interior of the hollow structure when the fan is operating. The control circuit is connected to the hollow structure and is configured to control deformation/deformations of the hollow structure according to a state/states of the fan and/or the electronic device, which change a volume of the interior of the hollow structure for making a resonance frequency of the hollow structure being approximate to a rotation speed of the fan or being the same as the rotation speed of the fan.

Conventionally, the fan is often disposed behind the hardware device for the rack mount disposition of the server with high memory capacitance, but the spacing between the fan and the hardware device is decreased as the requirement in spacing usage becomes more and more strict. The read performance and write performance of the hardware device may be effected by the noise frequency generated by the fan in operation. However, the rotation speed of the fan is changed based on the inside temperature of the server, and there will be various noise frequencies due to the different rotation speeds. As a result, it's difficult to suppress the noise generated by the fan.
For these reasons, it presently needs a preferable fan system to improve the above problems.

Fan system and sound suppression method thereof


An actuator includes a casing, a stationary member having a coil member and mounted in the casing and a movable member having a moving element and supported by the casing. The moving element has a shaft and is supported by the casing so as to be moved in an axial direction of the shaft and in a rotational direction having the axial direction of the shaft as its rotational axis and the moving element is moved in the axial direction and in the rotational direction by causing electric current to flow through the coil member. The stationary member includes a first stationary member for imparting to the movable member a force oriented in the axial direction and a second stationary member for imparting to the movable member a force oriented in the rotational direction, while the coil member includes a first coil member for exciting a first magnetic path passing through the first stationary member and a second coil member for exciting a second magnetic path passing through the second stationary member.

Many actuators are adapted to move in one direction of a linear direction or a rotational direction. When an actuator is moved in two directions of the linear direction and the rotational direction, a motion direction converting mechanism for converting a motion direction mechanically is employed. However, when the motion direction converting mechanism converts the motion direction, noises are produced.
In a linear actuator in which a movable member (plunger) having a shaft is disposed inside a stationary member (yoke) so as to have a gap with the stationary member and a magnetic path is excited by a coil such that the movable member is moved in an axial direction of the shaft, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-78310 discloses an arrangement in which by making the gap nonuniform relative to axial displacement (stroke position) of the movable member, the movable member is moved in an axial direction of the shaft, i.e., in a linear direction and in a rotational direction having the axial direction as its rotational axis without using the motion direction converting mechanism.
Meanwhile, in a linear oscillator in which a first movable member (plunger) having a shaft is disposed inside a stationary member (yoke) provided in a casing so as to have a gap with the stationary member and a magnetic path is excited by a coil such that the first movable member is moved in an axial direction of the shaft, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-199689 discloses an arrangement in which a second movable member (amplitude control weight) serving to cancel inertia force of the first movable member is provided and spring members are provided among the casing, the first movable member and the second movable member such that not only by making the gap nonuniform relative to axial displacement (stroke position) of the first movable member, the first movable member performs on the basis of resonance in an axial direction of the shaft both reciprocating motion and motion in a rotational direction having the axial direction as its rotational axis without using the motion direction converting mechanism but vibrations of the first movable member due to axial inertia force can be reduced.
However, although the arrangements disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2002-78310 and 2002-199689 are advantageous in that the movable member can be moved in the two directions in response to axial displacement of the movable member by a simple construction without using the motion direction converting mechanism presenting a cause of noises, relation between motion of the movable member in the axial direction and motion of the movable member in the rotational direction is fixed by shape of the gap, so that the motion of the movable member in the axial direction and the motion of the movable member in the rotational direction cannot be controlled independently of each other and degree of freedom of operational control of the movable member is not so high.


In the optical recording medium of the invention, land and groove tracks are arranged in a spiral manner, and a completion information region having identification reading completion information indicative of a rear end of an identification region is disposed between data regions. A pair of wobble pits are disposed immediately behind the identification reading completion information region, and therefore the wobble pits can accurately be detected by reading out the wobble pits on the basis of the identification reading completion information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical recording medium and an optical information apparatus in which information is optically reproduced, recorded or erased by using a light beam or the like, and a tracking method, and particularly to a method and a device for tracking correction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, techniques of reproducing or recording information in a high density by using a light beam are well known, and in practical use for an optical disk. In order to accurately reproduce data from or record data into tracks of such an optical disk, deflections of the light beam spot with respect to tracks which may be caused by eccentricity of the center hole or tracks of the optical disk, runout of the rotation shaft of the turn table, etc. must be corrected so that the light beam spot accurately follows the tracks (or conducts a tracking).
A typical tracking method is the push-pull method which uses guide grooves preformatted on an optical disk. In the push-pull method, track deviation is detected by using a diffraction distribution of a spot of a light beam which is impinged on a guide groove. It is known that, in the push-pull method, an offset due to the tilt of a disk or a movement of a light beam spot on an optical detector for detecting track deviation is produced so that there arises an error between the actual deviation of the light beam spot with respect to the track and detected track deviation.
As a method which can solve this problem, known is the wobble pit method in which track deviation is detected by means of a pair of wobble pits formed laterally on both sides of the track center. In the wobble pit method, the above-mentioned offset is produced at a low level and a tracking error signal can satisfactorily be obtained. However, a large number of wobble pits must be preformatted on an optical disk, thereby producing a problem in that the area for the preformatting reduces the disk recording capacity.
In order to comply with this, proposed is an optical information recording and reproduction apparatus using a composite tracking method in which the above-mentioned push-pull method and wobble pit method are combined with each other (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 62-89241). According to the composite tracking method, wobble pit signals are detected from light reflected from an optical disk's surface, a peak level difference between a pair of wobble pit signals is calculated, and the above-mentioned offset is reduced by subtracting the difference from a tracking error signal obtained by the push-pull method, so that a light beam spot always accurately follows the center of the track.
Another configuration is proposed in which land and groove tracks are alternately arranged in the radial direction of an optical disk and information is recorded in both the land and groove tracks so that a high density recording is realized (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 57-50330).
In the conventional composite tracking method, as described above, the accuracy of the detection of wobble pits largely affects the tracking accuracy. The above documentation of the above conventional optical information recording and reproduction apparatuses fail to describe a specific configuration and method of detecting wobble pits. The conventional apparatus conducts a sampling process on the premise that an optical disk is rotated in an ideally constant manner at a constant speed. Actually, however, it is very difficult to accurately detect wobble pits because of various reasons such as rotation unevenness of the motor for rotating the optical disk, and eccentricity of the optical disk.
In the following, the case where an optical disk which is divided into a plurality of zones is subjected to a continuous recording/reproduction process will be considered. When a continuous recording/reproduction process is conducted across zones by the MCLV method, it is impossible to, in each of the zones, instantaneously change the rotation speed of the motor for rotating the optical disk to the speed corresponding to the zone. Therefore, a light beam spot is moved to the next zone while maintaining a substantially constant rotation speed. Also in the MCAV method, the rotation speed of the motor for rotating the optical disk is kept constant, and therefore a light beam spot is moved to the next zone while maintaining a substantially constant rotation speed in the same manner as the MCLV method. In a continuous recording/reproduction process conducted across zones, consequently, the difference in pit density between the zones causes the frequency of a reproduced pit signal to be suddenly changed. Also in an optical disk divided into a plurality of zones, accordingly, it is very difficult to accurately detect wobble pits.
In actuality, it is impossible to completely eliminate a lack of wobble pits or a formation of pseudo pits due to defects or the like. There arises a problem that erroneous detection of wobble pits which is due to such an optical disk largely impairs the accuracy of the tracking correction.
In an optical disk wherein information is recorded in both land and groove tracks, in order to realize a high density recording, the polarity of a push-pull tracking error signal which is produced by using a guide groove preformatted on the optical disk is inverted at each of the land and groove tracks. This produces a problem that information recorded in both the land and groove tracks cannot be reproduced unless the tracking correction direction is inverted at each of the land and groove tracks.

Anti-wobble optical medium and tracking method and apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


During fabrication, a rotating semiconductor substrate is radiated in accordance with a thermal recipe. Temperature measurements of the semiconductor substrate are obtained along with the position of the semiconductor substrate at the time of each temperature measurement. It is then determined for the position of the semiconductor substrate whether at least one particular temperature measurement of the temperature measurements should be filtered. If so, at least one filtered temperature measurement is obtained. The radiation of the semiconductor substrate is subsequently controlled based on the temperature measurements, the at least one filtered temperature measurement, and the thermal recipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to semiconductor thermal processing during fabrication. More particularly, the invention is directed to a system and method for filtering temperature anomalies from a closed-loop thermal control system.
2. Description of Related Art
Individual semiconductors or integrated circuit (IC) devices are typically formed on a semiconductor substrate by numerous different processes. A number of these processes require thermally processing the semiconductor substrate to allow various chemical and physical reactions to take place as the substrate is fabricated into multiple IC devices. The systems that perform the thermal processing typically include a heat source, a controller for controlling the heat source, and a substrate holder for holding the semiconductor substrate adjacent the heat source during thermal processing.
Modern thermal processing systems heat semiconductor substrates under controlled conditions according to predetermined thermal recipes. These thermal recipes fundamentally consist of a temperature that the semiconductor substrate must be heated to, and the time that the thermal processing system remains at that temperature. For example, thermal recipes may require the semiconductor substrate to be heated to distinct temperatures between 30 and 1200° C., for processing times at each distinct temperature of between 0 and 60 seconds.
To meet certain objectives, such as minimal diffusion, these thermal processing systems must also restrict the amount of time that each semiconductor substrate is subjected to a high temperature. To accomplish this, the temperature ramp rate is often very steep, i.e., the thermal processing system often needs to change from a high to low temperature, or visa versa, in as short a time as possible.
These steep temperature ramp rates led to the development of Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP). During RTP the semiconductor substrate is irradiated with a radiant heat source powerful enough to quickly raise the temperature of the semiconductor substrate to the desired process temperature and hold it at that temperature for a sufficient period of time to accomplish a specific process step. Typical temperature ramp rates for RTP range from 20-250° C./second as compared to 5-15° C./minute for conventional furnaces.
RTP is typically used for thermal oxidation, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), substrate bonding, and annealing. What is more, RTP is rapidly becoming the technology of choice for oxidation and annealing steps in advanced ultra-large scale integration (ULSI) fabrication.
The radiant heat sources used in RTP systems are mostly tungsten-halogen or arc lamps arranged in a linear or circular array. This array is typically located directly above, below, or both above and below the semiconductor substrate. RTP systems typically also rotate the semiconductor substrate while irradiating it to more evenly distribute temperature across the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
Since these lamps have very low thermal mass relative to furnaces, the substrate can be heated rapidly. Rapid substrate cooling is also easily achieved since the heat source may be turned off quickly without requiring a slow temperature ramp-down. Lamp heating of the substrate minimizes the thermal mass effects of the process chamber and allows rapid real time control over the substrate temperature.
An example of a typical prior art RTP system 102 is shown in FIG. 1. An example of such a system is disclosed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,660,472; 5,689,614; 5,755,511; 5,781,693; 6,123,766; 6,350,964; 6,395,363, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, Applicant's tools incorporating such a system are sold under the RADIANCE® brand.
The RTP system 102 is shown in an open or non-operational position. Such an RTP system 102 comprises a lid 104 housing a circular array of concentric zones of heating lamps 110, and a RTP chamber 108 housing a semiconductor substrate 106. These arrays typically have about two hundred lamps for a 200 mm semiconductor substrate.
Each concentric zone of heating lamps is separately controlled by a controller 114 that is used to heat the substrate according to a predetermined thermal recipe. Temperature probes (not shown) under the substrate are used to feedback a measured temperature to the controller 114. This allows the controller to adjust each zone of concentric heating lamps to ensure that the measured temperature reflects a desired temperature dictated by the thermal recipe.
Semiconductor substrates 106 typically include areas on the surface of the substrate, which are indicated by cross-hatching, where integrated circuits (ICs), such as transistors, have or will be formed (hereinafter "IC area's"), and areas where no ICs are or will be formed (hereinafter "open area's") 112. The open area's are formed for a number of reasons. For example, ICs typically cannot be formed at the substrate edge, or around other non-IC features on the substrate. Such non-IC features include: alignment or registration features on the substrate, which are used to align semiconductor masks; a laser scribe or other identification feature for identifying each substrate; a hole used to align the substrate in each processing tool; or the like. These features are described in further detail in relation to FIG. 2B.
In use, the semiconductor substrate is typically rotated at several to several hundred revolutions per minute. However, in a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor substrate is rotated at ninety revolutions per minute. Therefore, the temperature probes measure different areas of the substrate at each instant of time. Furthermore, as the IC area's and open area's may have significantly different thermal and optical properties, the open area's may absorb more or less heat than the IC area/s. Therefore, the temperature probes adjacent the open area's could measure significantly higher or lower temperatures. To account for this difference, i.e., different temperatures measured adjacent the open area/s, the controller 114 attempts to adjust the temperature of the heating lamps. This results in different segments of the IC area's being exposed to different temperatures, which results in the IC area/s not being heated uniformly, as is typically required by the thermal recipe. Such non-uniformity leads to slip, warpage, and/or deformation of the substrate. Slip and/or warpage makes alignment of subsequent masks difficult, if not impossible, as each layer is built upon a previous layer. Alignment of each mask is made using alignment marks on the substrate, which if not always aligned with the mask, can ruin dies, significantly reduce yield, or even destroy entire substrates.
In addition, non-uniformity of the substrate leads to nonuniform material properties, such as alloy content, grain size, and dopant concentration. These nonuniform material properties degrade the circuitry and decrease IC device yield per semiconductor substrate.
One prior art system compensating for these substrate temperature non-uniformities caused by open area's, uses low pass filters or notch filters for the temperature data for all temperature probes. For example, where the thermal recipe calls for a temperature of 1000° C., the temperature probes 1-6 and 8 read 1000° C., while temperature probe 7, at an open area, reads 1020° C. at 20% of all time steps and 1000° C. at 80% of all time steps. The low pass or notch filter will average such measured temperatures and yields a measured temperature of 1004° C. Therefore, the controller will lower the temperature of the lamps by 4° C. to 996° C. at the temperature probe 7 position. This is unacceptable, as the thermal profile is adjusted either above or below the temperature required by the thermal recipe.
In addition, prior art systems that utilize low pass filters slow down the temperature response of the controller and/or the radiation source, thereby reducing controllability of the thermal process. This hampers fast temperature ramp-up and ramp-down rates, which are required by most RTP thermal recipes.
Since the above described notch or low pass filters do not differentiate between critical temperature data at IC area's and non-critical temperature data at open areas, it is common practice to minimize the open areas on the substrate by stepping out all masks to the edge of the substrate, thereby making the substrate as uniform as possible. This is extremely costly, and almost impossible for high-resolution masks.
In light of the above, there is a need for a system and method for filtering temperature anomalies from a closed-loop thermal control system, without sacrificing temperature response or compromising the thermal recipe.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor thermal process control utilizing position oriented temperature generated thermal mask


The invention relates to compounds of general formula (I); in which R is an amino or guanidino group; R2 is acetyl or trifluoroacetyl; and n is an integer from 10 to 18 or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof, methods for their preparation, pharmaceutical formulations containing them or their use in the prevention or treatment of a viral infection

Enzymes with the ability to cleave N-acetyl neuraminic acid (NANA), also known as sialic acid, from other carbohydrates are present in many microorganisms. These include bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae, Clostridium perfringens, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Arthrobacter sialophilus, and viruses such as influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, mumps virus, Newcastle disease virus and Sendai virus. Most of these viruses are of the orthomyxovirus or paramyxovirus groups, and carry a neuraminidase activity on the surface of the virus particles. Many of these neuraminidase-possessing organisms are major pathogens of man and/or animals, and some, such as influenza virus and Newcastle disease virus, cause diseases of enormous importance.
It has long been thought that inhibitors of neuraminidase might prevent infection by neuraminidase-bearing viruses. Most of the known neuraminidase inhibitors are analogues of neuraminic acid, such as 2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid (DANA) and some of its derivatives (Meindl et al, Virology, 1974 58 457). Our International Patent Publication No. WO 91/16320 describes a number of analogues of DANA which are active against viral neuraminidase, and it has been shown in particular that 4-guanidino-2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid (Compound (A), code number GG167) is useful in the treatment of influenza A and B (N. Engl. J. Med., 1997 337 874–880). Other patent applications describe various closely-related sialic acid derivatives (eg. PCT Publications No. WO 95/18800, No. WO 95/20583 and No. WO 98/06712), and anti-viral macromolecular conjugates of GG167 have also been described (International Patent Application No. PCT/AU97/00771).

International Patent Publication No. WO 00/55149, describes dimeric compounds which comprise two neuraminidase binding molecules, such as compound (A), attached to a common spacer or linking group of up to 100 atoms in length.
We have now discovered a novel class of compounds which fall within the generic scope of International Patent Publication No. WO 00/55149, but which are not specifically disclosed therein, and exhibit a surprisingly advantageous anti-influenza activity profile which includes an enhanced lung residency time and high potency.
Without wishing to be bound by theory, the basis for the long residency time in the lungs is thought to be due to the size and molecular weight of the compounds preventing entry through tight junctions in the respiratory epithelium and the polarity of the compounds being such that passage through the cell membranes occurs very inefficiently. An alternative theory is that the compounds themselves interact with the phospholipids in the cell membrane or other components of the respiratory epithelium and increase the residency time in the lungs.

Dimeric compounds and their use as anti-viral agents


A continuous passive motion cervical spine therapy device (10) for passively exercising the muscles surrounding the spine for postoperative and other rehabilitative therapy. The continuous passive motion cervical spine therapy device (10) includes a frame (12) for engaging a support surface (32). A body support (14) is provided for supporting the body a patient and includes at least a first stationary support (64) for supporting at least a portion of the back of a patient and a pivoting support (78) for supporting the head of a patient. A headrest (198) is carried by the pivoting support (78). A motor (92) is provided for driving a pivoting support oscillator (18), the oscillator (18) being provided to displace the pivoting support (78) a selected angle with respect to the horizontal. A displacement adjuster (20) is connected to each oscillator (18) for altering the amplitude of displacement. A control box (22) is provided for carrying the motor controls, including at least a patient control button (24) and an emergency stop button (26). Casters (170) with locking Wheels (172) are provided to aid in easily transporting the device (10).

In the field of postoperative spinal therapy, it is well known that serious loss of motion, painful contractures and stiffness may occur. It is also well known that rehabilitation is difficult in that the normal collagen formation cannot occur and disorganized scar results which further impedes the healing process and recovery.
Other devices have been produced to exercise the human body for rehabilitative or other purposes. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,152,431 issued to S. H. Jensen on Mar. 28, 1939; U.S. Pat. No. 2,598,204 issued to R. E. Allen on May 27, 1952; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,666 issued to J. W. Sellnor on Apr. 25, 1967; U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,132 issued to C. A. Ragon, et al. on Jun. 17, 1969; U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,480 issued to R. F. Chisholm on Nov. 30, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,017 issued to H. Stefani, Jr. on Jul. 4, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,730 issued to R. Chenera on Jul. 30, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,913 issued to A. E. Parker on May 9, 1989; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,072 issued to L. M. Goodman on May 30, 1989. Each of these devices is designed to exercise the human body in some fashion for strengthening, stretching, relaxing, reducing weight, or some other related function. None of these, however, is designed specifically for exercising a patient's cervical spine as a rehabilitation technique following surgery, or for patients suffering from chronic deconditioned spines. For example, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,623,480 ('480), 3,674,017 ('017), and 4,827,913 ('913) patents are most useful in exercising the abdomen region. However, these designs employ a single pivoting support surface, the surface being pivoted in a range from substantially the horizontal plane upward to substantially the vertical plane. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,072 ('072) patent discloses an invention which is specifically designed to exercise the legs in like manner by elevating the legs simultaneously or individually above or below the horizontal plane, with no other body parts being exercised. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,132 ('132) patent is designed to exercise the feet, legs, hips, back, arms, shoulders and neck of a patient suffering from polio or other form of paralysis or muscular disorder.
The desired exercise for postoperative cervical spinal therapy begins with the patient lying in a substantially horizontal plane, the head then being lowered to an angle below the horizontal, the buttocks, legs, and shoulders remaining stationary throughout. The head is then raised an angle above the horizontal and then lowered back to the starting position and the process repeated a desired number of times or for a desired duration. The angle to which the head is raised above the horizontal plane may be greater than, less than, or equal to the angle the head is lowered below the horizontal. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,152,431 ('431), 2,598,204 ('204), 3,315,666 ('666), and 4,531,730 ('730) patents disclose devices which ma be used to acquire this type of motion. However, they are not designed specifically for postoperative treatment or spinal patients and offer a much wider range of motion than is desired, along with other features unnecessary or inappropriate for such treatment. For example, the '666 patent is designed to massage a user's back or other body part, depending on how the device is employed, and requires the motion of the user to manipulate the device as opposed to an external power source. This, of course, is undesirable due to the weakened condition of the spinal patient. The '666 patent does not provide for a stationary buttocks support, thereby preventing the isolation of the desired muscles for rehabilitation. Likewise, the '730 patent is ineffective because it is designed specifically for stretching the legs of a user in order to improve leg flexibility. The '730 patent is also manually operated with no means for limiting the range of motion of each repetition.
It may be desirable for the exclusive exercise of the patient's cervical spine when operative or other therapeutic techniques are performed on this portion of the spine. Exercise of the lumbar spine may be unnecessary in these instances. Several patents are known to describe devices for the manipulation of the head in chiropractic procedures. Typical are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,504 issued to F. H. Barge on May 1, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,905 issued to J. E. Barnes on Mar. 17, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,828 issued to J. E. Barnes, et al., on Feb. 16, 1988; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,111 issued to L. A. Steffensmeier on Oct. 2, 1990. However, these devices are for the application of force to the body of a patient during chiropractic procedures such as "snapping" a patient's spine or a massage. These devices do not provide for continuous passive motion as a means for cervical spine therapy.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for passively exercising the muscle groups especially surrounding the cervical spine for postoperative and other rehabilitative therapy.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means whereby the normal collagen formation may occur, thus minimizing scarring and allowing a faster return to normal function and development of strength in both the muscles of function as well as the secondary support system.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means whereby the range of motion is selectable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the upper body may be exercised exclusively, while the lower body remains in a resting position.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a means whereby the patient may control the operation of the device.

Continuous passive motion cervical spine therapy device


The object of the present invention is to provide PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) activity regulators, which can be widely used for improving insulin resistance and preventing/treating various diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndromes, hyperlipemia, high-blood pressure, vascular disorders, inflammation, hepatitis, fatty liver, liver fibrosis, NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) and obesity.

Among the diseases widely called as adult diseases or life-style related diseases, those such as abnormal carbohydrate/lipid metabolisms, impaired glucose tolerance/diabetes/hyperlipemia/high-blood pressure related thereto, and abdominal obesity form clusters of the diseases, and are recognized as syndromes such as metabolic syndromes and insulin resistance syndromes, or visceral steatosis, syndrome X and the like. Patients with these syndromes not only have a low quality of life but also have higher lethal risk or a risk of developing fatal vascular disorders such as arterial sclerosis as compared with healthy people. Compounds having a thiazolidine structure such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, which have been recently found as antidiabetic agents, have a strong effect of improving insulin resistance and are expected to be applied to the treatment of the above syndromes in addition to diabetes (Non-patent Literature 1). The mechanism of these compounds having a thiazolidine structure is the agonist activity to PPAR-γ that is a transcription factor, and other compounds without a thiazolidine structure are also found as PPAR-γ agonists. PPAR-γ agonists or antagonists are expected to be applied to the diseases relating to insulin resistance or metabolic syndromes, for example, prevention/treatment of metabolic diseases, e.g. diabetes, gestational diabetes mellitus and polycystic ovary syndrome; prevention/treatment of cardiovascular diseases, e.g. ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and coronary artery cardiovascular disease; prevention/treatment of liver diseases, e.g. non-alcoholic/nonviral steatohepatitis and fatty liver disease (NASH and NAFLD); and prevention/treatment of malignant neoplasm and cancers such as large bowel cancer. Further, it has been reported that PPAR-γ agonists have a direct anti-atherogenic action and an immunoregulatory activity via immunocompetent cells such as monocytes.
On the other hand, since PPAR-γ agonists have unfavorable side-effects such as edema and weight gain, it is desired to develop PPAR-γ agonists without such side-effects. Meanwhile, fibrate agents such as clofibrate, fenofibrate and bezafibrate are antihyperlipemic agents and have the agonistic action to PPAR-α that is a transcription factor. Though it is known that PPAR-α agonists other than fibrate agents also have the antihyperlipemic action, they hardly have the antihyperglycemic action. Thus, PPAR-α agonists having a strong antihyperglycemic action are desired as therapeutic agents of a wide range of metabolic diseases such as metabolic syndromes. As mentioned above, it is obvious that the compounds that have the interaction with PPAR-α or PPAR-γ are useful. In addition to it, the agents that have the interactions with both PPAR-α and PPAR-γ can be expected to be useful for the wider range of patients since such agents have both the antihyperlipemic action due to their action to PPAR-α and the antidiabetic action due to their action to PPAR-γ (Non-patent Literature 2). Further, it is thinkable that the weight gain due to the PPAR-γ action is diminished by the effect of promoting the use of in vivo lipids due to the PPAR-α action. Dual agonists of PPAR-α and PPAR-γ have not been placed on the market in Japan. In other countries, low molecular compounds reported as having the dual agonistic action, such as muraglitazar, tesaglitazar, ragaglitazar, TAK-559 and GW-1536, have been clinically examined. However, the development of ragaglitazar, TAK-559 and GW-1536 was suspended because of the problems in the safety tests on animals. Though the effect of the dual agonists has been clinically examined, all of the problems seen in PPAR-γ agonists such as edema and weight gain have not been improved (Non-patent Literature 3). Thus, it is thought that the dual agonists still have the problems to be improved on safety thereof. Therefore, at present, it is desired to develop PPAR activity regulators such as PPAR-α agonists, PPAR-γ agonists and PPAR-α, γ dual agonists, which have good medicinal effects and high safety.
[Non-patent Literature 1] Evans R. M. et al.: PPARs and the complex journey to obesity. Nature Medicine 10 p 1-7, 2004.
[Non-patent Literature 2]1 Henke B. R.: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α/γ dual agonists for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. J Med Chem 47 p 4118-4127, 2004.
[Non-patent Literature 3] Skrumsager B. K. et al.: Ragaglitazar: the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and tolerability of a novel dual PPAR alpha and gamma agonist in healthy subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes.: J Clin Pharmacol 43 p 1244-56, 2003.

Abstract: The present invention provides PPAR activity regulators which comprise an acylamide compound having the specific structure, prodrugs thereof, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.


A drive assistance device is disclosed to assist the occupants of ordinary manual weelchairs to propel themselves. Rather than grasping the grip rings secured to the main wheels of the wheelchair the drive assist provides laterally positioned handles upon which the propulsion force can be comfortably applied. The drive assist device can be simple removed for the wheelchair by the occupant when not required. The device does not require any modification of the ordinary wheelchair. The hub assembly components of the drive assist device are simply bolted to the ordinary wheelchair using the existing fastener arrangement and if necessary can be as easily unbolted and removed.

Propulsion of ordinary manual wheelchairs is provided by the occupant by means of grip rings secured to the rim of each main wheel. By grasping the grip rings and forcing their rotation the main wheels rotate, propelling the wheelchair. Differential application of force is applied to change the lateral direction of the wheelchair. To grasp the grip ring requires that the forearm be twisted and that the force be applied to the grip by a small portion of the palm between the thumb and the fingers both requirements can be fatiguing, particularly over extended distances inasmuch as appreciable force must be applied to a small gripping area.

Drive assistance device for ordinary wheelchairs


The present invention allows a single access point (“AP”; 100) to support a plurality of devices (102, 104) operating on different frequency bands. During a first period of time, the AP initiates a contention free period at a first frequency. The AP switches from the first frequency to a second frequency, and communicates with devices operating at the second frequency. Periodically during the first period of time, the AP temporarily ceases communication with devices operating at the second frequency to initiate a contention free period at the second frequency, switch from the second frequency to the first frequency, initiate another contention free period at the first frequency, and switch from the first frequency back to the second frequency.

Current wireless systems, most notably 802.11 wireless local area network ("WLAN") systems, operate in half-duplex mode on a single frequency. That is, a subscriber in a wireless system either transmits or receives at any given time, but not both simultaneously. Further, the subscriber typically operates on a single frequency. Once a subscriber is on a frequency, it stays on that frequency.
A problem with today's wireless systems is that they only serve one group, where a group is a set of subscribers with common characteristics (e.g., operating on a common frequency band). In the broad case, groups can be large classes of subscribers. Examples of two different groups are city workers and public safety users (e.g., police personnel, fire personnel, or the like). In a technical configuration of the system, and specifically in the case of a WLAN access point ("AP"), the common set of technical characteristics includes frequency, service set identifier ("SSID"), and associations.
To serve multiple groups with existing technology requires multiple APs, which is typically not economically feasible. Further, multiple APs in close proximity exhibit interference issues, which non-deterministically decreases the throughput to both APs (in the best case scenario), and may make the APs completely unusable (in the worst case scenario).
Thus, there exists a need for a single AP to support a plurality of subscribers operating on different frequency bands.

Method for supporting a plurality of subscribers operating on different frequency bands using a single access point


A data write apparatus for nonvolatile memory includes a control device for transmitting or receiving data, and a nonvolatile memory connected to the control device through a communication line, for storing the data supplied from the control device. The nonvolatile memory permits write of data if the number of pulses of a clock signal transmitted as well as the data agrees with a prescribed number and the nonvolatile memory inhibits write of data if the number of pulses of the clock signal does not agree with the prescribed number of pulses. The control device includes a receiving member for receiving the data transmitted onto the communication line; and an increasing/decreasing member for comparing a first data supplied to the nonvolatile and a second data received by the receiving member through the communication line to determine whether or not the first data and the second data are the same data.

This invention relates to a data write apparatus for nonvolatile memory which when data supplied to an abnormality detecting device for a nonvolatile memory have become abnormal, can prevent the abnormal data from being written in the nonvolatile memory.
Conventionally, previously known is a technique which in data write into a nonvolatile memory such as EEPROM, detects that the number of pulses of a clock signal transmitted from a memory control circuit to a nonvolatile memory is larger or smaller than a prescribed number and detects that the clock signal is abnormal, thereby stopping the data write.
However, in the conventional technique described above, it is determined that abnormality has occurred using the clock signal that is a synchronous signal. Therefore even if the data actually transmitted from the memory control circuit is abnormal, as long as the number of pulses of the clock signal is normal, the abnormality of the data cannot be detected.
Specifically, where the number of pulses of the clock signal is normal and only the data to be stored is abnormal, these clock signal and data to be stored are received by the nonvolatile memory so that the abnormal data will be written in the nonvolatile memory. Particularly, where the address signal transmitted to the nonvolatile memory changes in a transmitting path, the data will be written in at an erroneous address. Owing to this, there is possibility of having an adverse effect of overwriting the data to be written at the other address on the data to be stored.

Data write apparatus for nonvolatile memory


The invention relates to an adhesive robot, comprising a device for applying adhesive to a workpiece. The adhesive robot has a nozzle head (18), which has an application nozzle (24) and can be supplied with a pressurized viscous adhesive, the nozzle head (18) and the workpiece (14) being displaceable in relation to one another. The adhesive which is issued from the application nozzle (24) in a spray jet (28) is applied to a workpiece (14) along a predefined line of application (36) in the form of a strip of adhesive (40). To facilitate the adjustment and re-calibration process, the system comprises at least one camera unit (42), which is located on the nozzle head (18) and whose leans is directed towards the spray jet (28) or the adhesive strip (40). The output of said camera unit is connected to an image evaluation unit (45). The image data (40) recorded by the camera unit (42) is buffered and compared with predetermined image values (40). The decisive control parameters for the system can be calibrated and tracked either automatically or by remote control, on the basis of deviations in the image data that have been determined along the line of application (36).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a device for applying adhesive to a workpiece, the device including a nozzle head that can be supplied with viscous adhesive under pressure and an application nozzle, wherein the nozzle head and the workpiece are moveable relative to each other via robotic means, such that the adhesive emitted from the application nozzle, preferably in the manner of a spray jet, is applied to the workpiece in the form of an adhesive strip along a predefined line of application. In the following the term "adhesive" is intended to include other viscous materials, such as insulation, which can be applied to a workpiece in viscous form via an application nozzle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the application of adhesives it is known to apply a viscous adhesive, with or without air manipulation, onto the workpiece in the form of an adhesive strip along an application line. It is further known to deflect and swirl a thread of adhesive emitted from an application nozzle according to the whirlwind principle with the aid of compressed gas and in this manner to apply upon the workpiece a strip-like, partially open, strip of material of defined breadth (EP 0576498 B1). With this type of application it has also been taken into consideration, the recognition that depending upon the viscosity or stiffness of the adhesive material, a more or less viscous or tenacious adhesive thread is emitted, even though the flow amount of material out of the application nozzle of the nozzle head remains the same and that, one on the other hand, depending upon the viscosity or tenacity of this thread, a greater or lesser gas stream is required in order to deflect the thread in predefined manner and to produce a defined strip breadth. For this, a parameter which depends upon the viscosity of the pasty material is measured, and the amount of compressed gas supplied for the time interval is so controlled in functional dependence upon the measured viscosity parameter, such that a material strip of constant breadth is sprayed along the workpiece. As viscosity dependent parameter one could consider the extrusion pressure of the material, the temperature of the pasty material and the drive pressure or, as the case may be, the drive output of a dispensing or dosing device for the pasty material. In the case that the compressed gas supply is made viscosity dependent, this involves a control technical measure which requires a substantial calibration effort. Above all in the case of the change of application parameters, in the case of changing the robot program or in the case of changing the adhesive or the workpiece surface, recalibrations are necessary, which can be quite time consuming.

Device for applying adhesive to a workpiece


A heat treatment method which can prevent heat deformation of a substrate caused during a heat treatment process on the substrate with a thin film formed on its surface is provided. The heat treatment method in accordance with the present invention includes (a) stacking a second substrate 10b on a first substrate 10a; and (b) stacking a weight 20 on the second substrate 10b, wherein the first substrate 10a and the second substrate 10b are stacked, with thin films 12 of the substrates 10a and 10b being in contact with each other. In accordance with the present invention, deformation of the substrate can be prevented by stacking the substrates, with thin films formed on the substrates being in contact with each other, and placing a weight on the stacked substrates during the heat treatment process.

An annealing apparatus used for fabrication of semiconductors, flat panel displays, and solar cells is an apparatus which is in charge of an essential heat treatment step to perform processes such as crystallization, phase change, etc. on a thin film deposited on a substrate, such as a silicon wafer or glass.
For example, in a liquid crystal display and a thin film crystalline silicon solar cell, a silicon crystallization apparatus for crystallizing amorphous silicon deposited on a glass substrate into polysilicon is a typical annealing apparatus. Typically, a minimum temperature of 550 to 600° C. is required for crystallization of amorphous silicon.
That is, in general, an annealing apparatus is a heat treatment apparatus for applying heat to a thin film formed on a substrate, whereby heat is applied to the substrate as well as to the thin film.
However, a problem of this typical heat treatment method is that warpage of the substrate is caused by differences in thermal expansion coefficient between the substrate and the thin film in a cooling step after the heat treatment process. Particularly, in the case of using a glass substrate having a low melting point, such as flat plane displays or solar cells, warpage of the substrate is more problematic. This warpage of the substrate directly affects the productivity of flat plane displays or solar cells.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the problem of a conventional heat treatment method, wherein FIG. 1(a) is a view showing the state of a substrate before heat treatment, and FIG. 1(b) is a view showing the state of a substrate deformed by heat treatment.
As shown in FIG. 1(a), a crystallization heat treatment process is carried out under a condition where, for example, an amorphous silicon thin film 12 is formed on a glass substrate 10. When the crystallization heat treatment process is carried out under the condition of FIG. 1(a), this causes a problem, as shown in FIG. 1(b), that the substrate is deformed while being bent toward a portion having a low thermal expansion coefficient in a cooling step after the heat treatment process because the thermal expansion coefficients of the substrate 10 and the thin film 12 are different from each other.

Heat treatment method for preventing substrate deformation


The present disclosure relates to systems and computer-implemented methods for obtaining both high-resolution red-green-blue (RGB) data and other data of an image-bearing surface using a single sensor array. The technique includes obtaining, using a sensor array configured to obtain measurements of M≧4 different spectral sensitivity responses per output pixel at low resolution, spectrophotometric data representing a plurality of output pixels representing the image-bearing surface, determining, using at least one electronic processor and based on the spectrophotometric data, high-resolution RGB data representing the image-bearing surface, determining, using at least one electronic processor and based on the spectrophotometric data, additional data representing a plurality of output pixels representing the image-bearing surface, and outputting the high-resolution RGB data and the additional data.

A multifunction device might include, for example, both a color printer and a color scanner. More particularly, a multifunction device might include a spectrophotometer scanner, capable of determining spectral sensitivity measurements for a variety of wavelengths, not limited to visible light. In some cases, the scanner might be used to calibrate the printer. In some high-end systems, for example, spectrophotometers are used to characterize the quality of the color output of the system, and to provide a mechanism to adjust the color output characteristics of the system.
A multifunction device might have two relevant, perpendicular dimensions: a process (or slow scan) direction, and a cross-process (or fast scan) direction. The direction in which a document moves through the multifunction device is referred to as process (or slow scan) direction, and the direction in which the sensor or sensors are oriented is referred to as cross-process (or fast scan) direction.

Dual-use full-width array and methods for usage thereof


Provided is a method of manufacturing a gas supply structure for use in an electrostatic chuck apparatus having an electrostatic chuck on the upper surface side of a metal base (1), the gas supply structure being capable of eliminating contamination due to nonuniform cooling gas jetting quantities and deposition of a thermally spraying material and the like. The method of manufacturing the gas supply structure for supplying a cooling gas supplied from the lower surface side of the metal base (1) to the back surface of a substrate (W) attracted to an upper insulating layer (6) side, through a gas supply path (3) provided on the metal base (1), the method including: prior to a step of forming a lower insulating layer (4) by thermally spraying a ceramic powder on the upper surface side of the metal base (1), a step of forming an attracting electrode (5), and a step of forming the upper insulating layer (6), a step of blocking a gas supply path outlet (3a) on the upper surface side of the metal base (1) with an adhesive (8), the adhesive containing a filler made of the same material as that of the ceramic powder that is used for forming the lower insulating layer (4); and a step of opening a hole toward the gas supply path outlet (3a) of the metal base (1) after forming the upper insulating layer (6), to thereby form a through hole (9) reaching the gas supply path (3).

As to a plasma treatment apparatus, an electron lithography apparatus, an ion implantation apparatus, and the like, which are used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, and an ion doping apparatus and the like, which are used for manufacturing a liquid crystal panel, it is required to securely hold a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, or the like, which is an object to be treated, without causing damage thereto. In particular, contamination of the semiconductor wafer, the glass substrate, or the like, to be treated should be controlled stringently these days, hence most of the systems which have been conventionally employed for clamping the substrate mechanically are being replaced with the electrostatic chuck systems that utilize an electrostatic attraction force. This is because a material of the clamp itself (aluminum material in many cases) is exposed to plasma during the treatment to be spattered therefrom, or ion irradiation in the ion implantation treatment causes the clamp to be spattered, which lead to generation of suspended matter. If the suspended matter falls onto the retained substrate, the semiconductor device or the liquid crystal display panel is significantly affected, for example, in characteristic, yield, or the like.
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of a typical electrostatic chuck apparatus, which illustrates a conventional example of an electrostatic chuck apparatus. The electrostatic chuck apparatus includes a metal base 1 made of aluminum, copper, stainless steel, or the like, an electrostatic chuck 7 formed on an upper surface side (substrate w side) of the metal base 1. The electrostatic chuck 7 includes a lower insulating layer 4, an attracting electrode 5 and an upper insulating layer 6. As an example of use of the electrostatic chuck apparatus, when the substrate w including a semiconductor wafer or the like is subjected to etching treatment in, for example, a plasma apparatus, the temperature of the substrate w temperature increases up to approximately 200 to 400° C. Accordingly, it is necessary to cool down the temperature of the substrate under the treatment to an appropriate temperature. For this reason, a liquid conduit 2 is usually formed inside the metal base 1 so as to allow a liquid cooling medium such as pure water to flow therethrough. The liquid cooling medium supplied externally via a heat exchanger and the like (not shown) is circulated inside the metal base, to thereby cool the substrate w. In addition to indirectly cooling the metal base 1 by cooling the substrate w as described above, other means are adopted in which cooling gas, such as helium, supplied from the lower surface side of the metal base 1 is supplied to the back surface side of the substrate w through a gas supply path 3 provided to the metal base 1, to thereby cool the substrate w directly.
In order to employ the cooling means of the latter, that is, in order to send the cooling gas supplied from the lower surface side of the metal base 1 to the back surface side of the substrate w attracted to the electrostatic chuck 7 so as to cool the same, gas supply path outlets (gas exhaust holes) 3a having a diameter of approximately 1 mm are usually formed in the upper surface side of the metal base 1. After forming the electrostatic chuck 7 on the upper surface side of the metal base 1, through holes are formed from the upper insulating layer 6 side of the electrostatic chuck 7 to the gas supply path outlets 3a, so as to allow the cooling gas to be supplied toward the back surface of the substrate w. Here, it is required to supply the cooling gas uniformly to the substrate w, and hence the gas supply path outlets 3a on the upper surface side of the metal base 1 may be formed as many as approximately 200 in the case of the metal base 1 for attracting a semiconductor wafer having a diameter of 300 mm, for example.
Meanwhile, when forming the electrostatic chuck 7 on the upper surface side of the metal base 1 having a gas supply path outlet 3a formed therein, if the lower insulating layer 4 is formed by thermal spraying of a ceramic powder, for example, a part of the thermal-sprayed ceramic powder may be deposited in the gas supply path 3 via the gas supply path outlets 3a. The deposit 10 in the gas supply path 3 may prevent the cooling gas from being jetted out, making an amount of gas to be jetted nonuniform when the electrostatic chuck apparatus is used. In addition, the deposit 10 maybe jetted out together with the cooling gas toward the substrate w side and may become a source of contamination. Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have proposed a method of bonding an insulating plate to each gas supply path outlet 3a of the metal base 1 before forming the lower insulating layer 4 (see Paragraph 0010 in Patent Document 1). However, the work of bonding the plate to every gas supply path outlet 3a requires enormous efforts than expected, so it is necessary to improve the technique further.    Patent Document 1: JP 2004-349664A

Method of manufacturing an electrostatic chuck