A replaceable stool assembly is adapted to be removably mounted to the free end of a tubing of a piece of furniture. The assembly includes a base portion adapted to be removably mounted to the free end of the tubing and defining a plurality of reinforcing ribs disposed on the base portion for adding structural integrity to the base portion. The stool assembly further includes a seat portion adapted to operatively support a user of the assembly and be nestingly received by and removably supported on the base portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a stool and, in particular, to a table stool assembly adapted to be replaceable by parts of the assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide tables having a plurality of stools that are adapted to accommodate a number of people. Tables of this type are often employed in assembly areas, such as cafeterias like those commonly found in many institutionalized settings. These tables may be rollingly movable along a floor, stand alone or be connected to one another, be foldable, and/or simply be supported upon the floor. Alternatively, they may even fold out from any of the walls of the room to be supported upon the floor.
More specifically, tables of this type are typically designed to include a plurality of stools disposed about the perimeter of the table. In this regard, the table may include a metal framework that supports a tabletop as well as a plurality of stools. The framework acts to connect adjacent and/or opposed stools about the perimeter of the tabletop. The framework also includes a plurality of legs for supporting corresponding stools and the tabletop above the floor. Furthermore, each stool-supporting leg generally includes a hollow or solid tubing to which the seating portion of the stool is supported and that can form a part of the stool. The tubing often has a 1″ or 1¼″ diameter, and at least a portion of the tubing extends perpendicular to the floor and tabletop. The end of each leg operatively contacting the floor may include a cap, foot, or glide or even a caster for rollingly moving the table.
One type of table-stool seating portion commonly employed in the related art is an integral, one-piece unit that includes an upper seat portion that supports a person sitting on the stool and a lower seat-support structure. In turn, the seat-support structure is supported upon the tubing that forms a portion of the metal framework. The seat-support structure is designed to support the weight of any person using the seat portion. Accordingly, the seat-support structure often makes up a majority of the mass and volume of the stool seating portion as well as the cost for materials used to manufacture the stool seating portion. Stool seating portions of this type can be manufactured from plastic and are commonly supplied in a variety of colors.
However, it is not uncommon for a stool seating portion to wear out over time after repeated use. For example, sometimes the seat portion eventually fails in some manner, such as by cracking, deforming, fading, or otherwise deteriorating. On the other hand, sometimes the seat-support structure eventually fails in some manner, such as by cracking, deforming, snapping, or otherwise deteriorating. Sometimes both the seat portion and seat-support structure eventually fail. In any event, whenever replacement of the seat-support structure for tubing accommodation is necessary, the integral, one-piece stool seating portion is detached from the tubing, and a new integral, one-piece stool seating portion having the appropriate color is mounted to the tubing. Whether it is the seat portion, the seat-support structure, or both that fail(s), the entire stool seating portion must be replaced. Furthermore, because the tubing used in these applications has at least two sizes, two different sizes of a replacement seat-support structure must be manufactured to accommodate the diameter of the tubing.
In this regard, when the stool seating portion is made of plastic having a particular color, it is often desirable to match the new stool-seating-portion color with the color of the existing stool seating portions used on any given table. This means that manufacturers and wholesalers of this type of stool seating portion must maintain an inventory of the stool seating portions in each color. In turn, this raises the cost of doing business for both the manufacturers and wholesalers. Also, because the bulk of the mass and volume of the stool seating portion is in the seat-support structure, the cost of replacing a stool seating portion having a particular color when only the seat portion needs replacing is inefficient. In an institutionalized setting, this can be especially labor- and material-intensive and, thus, expensive, which is especially relatively inefficient.
Another type of table-stool seating system commonly employed in the related art is a two-piece unit. More specifically, the stool seating system generally includes an upper seat portion that supports a person sitting on the stool. The stool further includes a square plate removably attachable to the bottom surface of the upper seat portion using a special array of fasteners.
However, this type of table-stool seating portion suffers from the disadvantage that the seat portion can be replaced only by a seat portion including a bottom surface having holes adapted to accept the special array of fasteners used to mount it to the plate. This type of table-stool seating portion also suffers from the disadvantage that it is not compatible with the integral, one-piece stool seating portion as described above. As such, a mismatch of one-piece and two-piece stool seating portions for a particular table can result. Such a mismatch can be aesthetically displeasing.
Thus, there is a need in the related art for an aftermarket replacement table-stool seating portion. More specifically, there is a need in the related art for a relatively less labor- and material-intensive and, thus, less expensive way of replacing a stool seating portion supported by tubing of a table such that replacement of any part of the stool seating portion does not necessarily require replacement of the entire stool seating portion.


There is provided an advertising system and method using an Internet web browser, in which one of a menu bar, location bar, tool bar, etc. in the screen of the web browser, that is not used for displaying information from a server, is used for displaying advertisements, during a period of time for which function commands are not inputted, thereby improving effectiveness of advertisement. The advertising method using a web browser is constructed in such a manner that a moving state of a cursor is detected when a web browser is activated to be displayed, an advertising logo or phase is displayed at a portion above a text box when it is detected that the cursor is not positioned at a command input box such as menu bar, tool bar, location bar, etc., and a corresponding command input bot at which the cursor is located is displayed to receive a control signal from a user when it is detected that the cursor is placed at one of the menu bar, tool bar, location bar, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an advertising system and method using a web browser serving as an Internet surfing tool, specifically, to an advertising system and method using an Internet web browser, in which one of a menu bar, location bar, tool bar, etc. in the screen of the web browser, that is not used for displaying information from a server, is used for displaying advertisements during a period of time for which function commands are not inputted, thereby improving effectiveness of advertisement.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the popularization of the Internet, web browsers used for Internet surfing are installed in almost all computers. The web browser is a kind of program which converts contents transmitted from a server computer into a form that users can visually recognize according to a communication protocol (HTML) to display the converted form on the computer monitors of the users.
Due to free charge on Internet information service, most of servers providing information advertise manufacturing and sales companies instead of charging on their clients, to thereby make a profit. That is, most of information providers display an advertisement of a specific company in a part of a web browser when clients access a server computer, and collect advertising rates from the company for that advertisement.
In conventional advertisements using the web browsers, however, advertising logos or phrases are displayed in a part of a web browser's text window used for displaying information stored in the server. This reduces the amount of information displayed on the screen of computer monitors and gives bad images to the clients. Especially, some clients have an aversion to advertisements displayed in the text window and even disconnect with the server. Accordingly, advertising impact is reduced.

Advertising system and method using internet web browser


An electronic apparatus such as an electronic typewriter includes a display device and has a plurality of modes of operation selectable by an operator. The operation mode selected by the operator is displayed on the display device that can also display character data input to the apparatus by an input device such as a keyboard. The display device displays the selected mode after displayed character data is printed in response to the operation, for example, of a carriage return key when a line-by-line printing mode is selected or a space key when a word-by-word printing mode is selected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus having functions which are performed in various operation modes. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an electronic apparatus such as an electronic typewriter which is operative in various operation modes such as a word-by-word printing mode in which printing is conducted in a word-by-word fashion, a line-by-line printing mode in which printing is conducted in a line-by-line fashion, a line space mode which determines the amount of feed of the print paper, and so forth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical known electronic apparatus of the kind to which the subject invention relates, in addition to display segments for displaying input characters and words, includes indicators such as LEDs for indicating the operation modes chosen by the operator through operation of keys or buttons.
However, it is difficult to find a suitable location for the installation of the operation mode indicators, in the limited area on the panel or the keyboard of the electronic apparatus. In addition, the cost of production of the electronic apparatus may become unacceptably high when such operation mode indicators are provided.

Electronic apparatus with display device


An electrolysis cell for the efficient production of hydrogen and oxygen is described which comprises a substantially closed housing defining therewithin anode and cathode chambers and having first and second inlets and outlets for flowing electrolyte through the anode and cathode chambers; an ion exchange membrane within the housing separating the anode chamber from the cathode chamber; first and second electrically conductive sheet members disposed within the respective anode and cathode chambers adjacent the membrane and substantially coextensive therewith; discrete electrically conducting ultramicroelectrode particles, preferably in the 5 to 10 micron size range, disposed within the anode and cathode chambers and defining the anode and cathode of the cell; and a source of DC electrical current operatively connected to the first and second sheet members.

The present invention relates generally to electrolysis cells, and more particularly to a water electrolysis cell for efficient production of hydrogen and oxygen using ultramicroelectrodes.
In water electrolysis, a potential is applied between an anode and a cathode immersed in an electrolyte to generate hydrogen at the cathode. Rate of hydrogen generation is dependent on the applied current and is independent of voltage above the minimum potential for electrolysis to proceed. The limitation on the current is directly related to electrolyte conductivity and electrode surface area. Conventional electrolysis cells include substantially two-dimensional plate electrodes. Electrolyte-electrode interface area is maximized by roughening, perforating or corrugating the electrode surface in order to increase current density and lower cell voltage, but current density has been substantially limited to about 1000 A/m.sup.2. Porous electrodes having high pore surface area approximate three-dimensional operation and may provide current densities up to 10,000 A/m.sup.2, but pore size, length and density are not uniform. The pores are tortious and closed at the ends which causes gas generated inside the pores to be confined by capillary action until the gas pressure exceeds the capillary forces. A central core of gas established inside the pore with a thin layer of electrolyte adhering to the pore walls results in an ohmic drop through the electrolyte film, which opposes the beneficial effect of increasing electrode surface area.
The invention solves or substantially reduces in critical importance problems with existing electrolysis cells as just suggested by providing a monopolar electrolysis cell structure in which a membrane separates the catholyte and anolyte chambers and allows only ion exchange between the chambers in order to separate the generated hydrogen and oxygen, and uses ultramicroelectrode particles with diameters in the micron size range as electrodes in order to maximize electrode surface area. The invention can be operated as a fluidized bed reactor by using electrolyte flow or by recycling a portion of the generated hydrogen or oxygen to keep the particles in suspension. The invention may be statically-fed to avoid electrolyte pumping and circulating. Use of ultramicroelectrodes according to the invention provides a large surface area to the flow of electrolyte, small diffusion layer, low ohmic losses, high current densities, and rapid time response with high rate of mass transfer and the associated high operating efficiencies, as compared to conventional cells containing planar electrodes.
Background material related to electrolysis generally which may be helpful in understanding the invention may be found by reference to Pulsed DC And Anode Depolarization In Water Electrolysis For Hydrogen Generation, by A. H. Shaaban, ESL-TR-92-55, Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency, Tyndall Air Force Base FL (August 1994), and the references cited therein, the entire teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved electrolysis cell.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electrolysis cell having high current density and operating efficiency.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electrolysis cell containing porous electrodes comprising ultramicroelectrode particles.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrolysis cell providing high current density and high reaction rate for the generation of hydrogen.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electrolysis cell for producing hydrogen and oxygen at about 99.99% purity.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as a detailed description of representative embodiments proceeds.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


An image processing apparatus including a first guide configured in one of a first manner that the first guide is disposed on a first tray surface of a first tray and extends in a first direction perpendicular to a rotational axis of a second tray and parallel to the first tray surface, and a second manner that the first guide is disposed on a second tray surface of the second tray and extends in a second direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the second tray and parallel to the second tray surface, and a second guide connected with the first guide, so as to move between a first position where the second guide faces the first tray surface in a direction perpendicular to the first tray surface and a second position where the second guide faces the second tray surface in a direction perpendicular to the second tray surface.

1. Technical Field
The following description relates to one or more techniques for an image processing apparatus.
2. Related Art
An image reader has been known that includes a feed tray configured to support one or more sheets placed thereon. The feed tray is attached to an apparatus main body via a hinge in a manner openable and closable relative to the apparatus main body. When the feed tray is open, a sheet feeding port formed at the apparatus main body is open. Then, the sheets are placed to straddle both a tray surface of the feed tray and a lower surface that forms a lower end portion of the sheet feeding port. Further, when closed, the feed tray is placed on an upper surface of the apparatus main body so as to overlap the apparatus main body and cover the sheet feeding port.
The feed tray includes guides that are rotatably provided on the tray surface and configured to regulate positions of the sheets in a width direction of the sheets. A rotational axis of each guide extends in a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis of the feed tray and parallel to the tray surface of the feed tray. Each guide is configured to rotate around the corresponding rotational axis, between a position where the guide stands up from the tray surface and another position where the guide falls down on the tray surface.


Adhesive compositions comprising epoxy resins, including epoxy novalac resin, and at least one reactive multi-functional acrylate. In preferred embodiments, the compositions also include amine-curing agent having at least one a cyclic group. The adhesive compositions according to the present invention are capable of enhancing the bonding strength of the adhesive, particularly at relatively high temperatures, such as at about 80° C.

Many applications require that one article, structure or item be bonded or adhered to another article, structure or item. For example, anchor bolts are employed in various fields of engineering and construction as strengthening or reinforcing members in rock formations, or concrete or masonry structural bodies. The bolts, which are typically metallic, are inserted into holes, gaps or openings in the rock formations, or concrete or masonry structural bodies, and are fixed or anchored therein by means of an anchor composition. Objects that have been attached to concrete or masonry using anchor bolts include, but are not limited to, electrical conduits, panels, piping and wall sections. Adhesive anchors are preferred over mechanical anchors for anchoring in soft concrete or masonry because, among other reasons, adhesive anchors place less stress on the concrete or masonry. As used herein, the term "masonry" shall include, but is not limited to, stone, brick, ceramic tile, cement tile, hollow concrete block and solid concrete block. Typically, the anchor composition cures or hardens (polymerizes) to form a strong bond between the rock formation, or the concrete or masonry structural body, and the bolt.
It has been known to use curable synthetic resins as the primary adhesive for the safe fastening of anchoring rods, bolts and similar devices in solid rock, masonry, concrete and the like. Typically, but not exclusively, certain of the starting components of the adhesive composition are kept separate from one another and then combined at or near the point of fastening. In such so called two part systems, the components which are kept separate until the time of use are combined at the site and then introduced to the anchor bolt, the bore or hole prepared to receive the bolt, or both. Thus, the formation of the cured adhesive body that binds the fastener to the base structure is initiated at about the time the fastener is placed in its final position.
A useful anchor composition should provide a strong bond between the concrete or masonry and the material to be anchored to the concrete or masonry, be easy to dispense at the location of use, and is preferably not noxious or offensive to the user. It is also-preferred in certain embodiments that the adhesive is capable of achieving a substantial portion of its ultimate strength in a relatively short period of time. This last feature can be critically important to the commercial success of the adhesive since it can allow a construction project to proceed at an efficient and profitable pace. Moreover, applicants have noted that in many applications it is desirable for the adhesive to be capable of achieving good bonding properties even if it is used or applied during inclement weather, during cold weather, or under other conditions, which produce substantial moisture and/or low temperatures at the bond site.
Many of the curable adhesive compositions currently used in the industry, and in particular the field of anchoring in or to concrete, rock, and like materials, are based on compounds that are polymerized or cured by condensation and/or ring-chain conversion polymerization of monomers, oligomers, prepolymers and like compounds that have at least one functional group, typically at least one functional group along the polymer backbone, such as hydroxyl groups, and at least one terminal functional group, such as oxide groups. For example, epoxy-based adhesive compositions are typically cured by one or more of these mechanisms. The epoxy resin and a curing or hardening agent are typically mixed immediately prior to use, and cure within a certain amount of time.


A torque fuse device having a bi-directional release mechanism that releases the torque carrying capability of the shafts upon torque overload is provided. The torque fuse device includes a sleeve, a hub positioned within the sleeve, and a hydraulic torque coupler. The sleeve and the hub are adapted to be coupled with two axially aligned shafts. The hub includes a feedback ring having at least one tooth formed therein. The hydraulic torque coupler includes a piston, a cylinder and a collet. The piston is positioned between the collet and the feedback ring and slides along an inclined surface of collet. One ore more fuse pins are selectively positioned between the tooth, the piston and the cylinder to frictionally engage the sleeve to the hub. Upon a torque overload condition, the pins release from the teeth thereby releasing the torque carrying capability of the shafts.

The present invention relates to a torque fuse device for connecting two axially aligned shafts. More particularly, the torque fuse device includes a bi-directional torque release mechanism that releases the torque carrying capability of the shafts when a predetermined release torque is exceeded.
The use of torque release mechanisms to couple two axially aligned shafts is well known and used in a variety of different fields. For example, torque release mechanisms may be used in rolling steel mills and in watercraft drive applications. Specifically, torque overloads or spikes commonly occur when the steel mill rolls become jammed or when a propeller on a vessel strikes an object when traveling through a body of water. In either case, the torque release mechanism operates to release the connection between the two shafts when the aforementioned torque overload events occur to reduce or eliminate damage to the axially aligned shafts.
One type of torque release mechanism that may be used in either of these applications is referred to as a shear pin coupler. In this arrangement, a break pin is fastened between two flanges that extend from opposing axially aligned shafts. The break pin includes a weakened area that is positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pin, which allows the pin to break at a predetermined loading point. Therefore, when a torque overload occurs, the pin breaks and the two shafts are permitted to move relative to each other.
Another known torque release mechanism utilizes friction to couple the shafts to one another. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,018 provides a coupling for coupling two mutually coaxial rotatable parts. The coupling includes a cylindrical bladder that is adapted to be filled with fluid so that it expands thereby frictionally engaging the two shafts. When the bladder to filled to a desirable level to achieve the necessary friction between the shafts, a plug is used top seal the fluid within the bladder. When a torque overload condition occurs, a blade cuts or otherwise removes the plug to release the hydraulic fluid from the bladder. The friction between the shafts is then reduced allowing the two shafts to move relative to one another.
While each of the torque release mechanisms described above operates to disengage the torque carrying capability between the external shafts, they each suffer from a number of drawbacks and deficiencies. For instance, the use of a break pin or temporary plug will force the user to replace the pin or plug each time the device is reset, which is time consuming and inefficient. In addition, the user must purchase and store replacement parts, which in turn increases the operational cost of the aforementioned devices. Further, the break pin may be subject to various vibratory loads within the connected machinery during operation. This repeated vibratory loading often times causes the break pins to fail prematurely, which results in an unintended shutdown of the equipment.
Some prior art devices will attempt to self-reset with each rotation after a torque overload has occurred. Specifically, the self-resetting devices reset by the rotation of a pair of fuse halves into a particular position where a tooth engages a hole or slot. However, the use of self-resetting devices may also be problematic. Each time the self-resetting device attempts to reset, a vibratory load is imposed on one or more of its components. Thus, if the machinery continues to rotate after a torque release has occurred, the self-resetting device may destroy itself due to is own vibratory loading.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a torque release mechanism that ameliorates the aforementioned drawbacks and deficiencies. The present invention fills these needs as well as other needs.

Bi-directional release mechanism for a torque fuse device


An air filter module adapted to be used with a projection module and disposed to cover an air vent of the projection module. The air filter module includes a filter component and a cleaning unit. The cleaning unit is disposed to cover the air vent and configured to drive the filter component to have a movement so as to remove the dust on the filter component according to a cleaning-start signal. A projection device adopting the air filter module is also provided.

In recent years, the light bulb power or system thermal density in the present projection devices keeps rising due to the increasing demand for the high-brightness projection devices. In a projection device, not only the light bulbs, electronic components and power supply generate heat and thereby resulting in a high temperature while the projection device is being in use, the optical elements may also result in a high temperature while being emitted by light beams. To reduce the temperature, most of the existing projection devices are equipped with one or more axial fans or blowers for cooling the components in the projection device. However, in a high-dust environment, the airflow caused by the axial fan or blower may introduce the external dust into the inside of the projection device; and thus, the components in the projection device may have dust thereon.
Therefore, some projection devices, such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,161,315, U.S. patent publication No. 2007/0245701, U.S. patent publication No. 2007/0085976 and U.S. patent publication No. 2010/0077926 and Taiwan patents publication No. 200717163 and Taiwan patent No. 1247190, are equipped with a filter so as to prevent the dust from adhering to the internal elements of the projection devices.
However, after the filter used for a period of time, dust may block the meshes of the filter and consequently reduce the flow rate of airflow into the projection device, and thereby resulting in the projection device having a poor cooling efficiency.

Self cleaning air filter module and projection device using the same


A support element, comprising a netting comprising a composition comprising a polyphenylene sulfide resin and at least one polyhedral oligimeric silsequioxane additive, is provided.

Filters are used for a variety of applications. Many filters include both a porous filter element and at least one additional element in the form of a mesh or screen (also called netting). The additional element, which has much larger openings than the pores of the filter element, can provide support to the filter element and/or provide good drainage for the filter element (e.g., the additional element can have low edgewise flow resistance such that the pressure drop in the additional element is less than the pressure drop across the filter element, thereby providing an even distribution of fluid across the surface of the filter element). While filter elements can be pleated to increase area in a given volume, since the dirt capacity of some pleated filter elements is less than the flat sheet dirt capacity due to pleat collapse under differential pressure, it may be desirable to utilize a mesh or screen to support the pleated filter element.
However, there is a need for improved support elements.
The present invention provides for ameliorating at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art. These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description as set forth below.


A Tunnel Magnetic Junction of high magnetoresistance is prepared at temperatures and pressure consistent with Si CMOS fabrication and operation. A first metal layer of cobalt or nickel is grown on an interconnect or conductive array line of e.g., copper. The metal layer is formed by electron beam irradiation. Annealing at UHV at temperatures below 700K yields a carbon segregation that forms a few layer thick (average density 3.5 ML) graphene film on the metal layer. Formation of a second layer of metal on top of the graphene barrier layer yields a high performance MTJ.

The increasing demand for high density magnetic recording and playback, and requirements for non-volatile memory, have focused attention on magnetic tunnel junctions, and the devices that can be prepared therefrom, such as MRAMs and the like. To date, the most advanced magnetic tunnel junctions are principally made of ferromagnetic sandwiches of thin films of aluminum oxide electron tunneling barriers between a metal which is typically iron, cobalt or nickel. Recently, crystalline magnesium oxide has been proposed as the barrier layer. Different materials are selected to improve the observed tunnel magnetic resistance values. Even with thirty (30) years of intensive investigation, the highest TMR values for the Fe/MgO/Fe are about Two Hundred Forty Percent (240%).
Graphene offers decided advantages for the tunnel barrier in a magnetic tunnel junction. Indeed, magnetic tunnel junctions (FIG. 1) composed of FM/few-layer graphene/FM stacks (FM=ferromagnet, i.e., Co, Ni) have been proposed [1] as "perfect spin" filters. The ability to form such stacks on, e.g., Cu interconnect lines would allow direct integration with Si CMOS, leading to broad new capabilities in non-volatile memory, spin-logic, and defect-tolerant, adaptive computing [2-5]. This in turn requires the ability to form multiple graphene layers on Co substrates, and to do so at temperatures below ˜700 K, the thermal stability limit of low-k dielectric materials currently employed in advanced Si CMOS devices.
Graphene growth by CVD or PVD on Co surfaces is well-reported, but is usually carried out at higher temperatures (>1000 K). Ago, et al, [9] reports the growth of ordered multilayer graphene films on Co(111)/alumina films by CVD (CH4 and H2) at >1150 K. Varykhalov and Rader [12] report the growth of epitaxial graphene on Co(0001)/W(110) by CVD of propylene at ˜730 K. Graphene films non-uniform in thickness have been grown on polycrystalline Co films by CVD (ethylene) at 1073 K [13]. To date, there has not been a satisfactory report of formation of few-layer graphene films followed by annealing to give operative devices at temperatures below 700 K.
Thus, in a typical magnetoresistive random access memory, an array of parallel first conductive lines is presented on a horizontal plane, and an array of parallel second conductive lines on a second horizontal plane is disposed above the first array in a direction perpendicular to the first array of conductive lines. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,985,579, the disclosure of which pertaining to the formation of MRAMs is incorporated herein-by-reference. The MTJ element is disposed between the two arrays at each crossover point. This requires a technology that permits formation of the stack, and annealing to operative conditions, at Si CMOS compatible temperatures to be integrated in today's dominant electronic and photonic technologies, particularly communications and computing equipment.

Graphene magnetic tunnel junction spin filters and methods of making


A multi-layered protector is adapted to attach to and cover the entire sole of a shoe to protect the sole from being marred or otherwise damaged when the shoe is worn by a user. The protector includes a ground engaging layer, a wear indicating layer and an adhesive layer. The wear indicating layer is rigid in character and provides immediate feedback to a user of its exposure. A removable peel layer adjacent the adhesive layer may be removed in order to attach the sole protector to the sole of the shoe. Preferably, the ground engaging layer includes an upwardly extending, peripheral rim portion adapted to protect the outer edge portions of the sole. A deformable conforming layer is optionally provided between the wear indicating layer and the adhesive layer. The protector may be adapted for customization or may be produced specifically for use with a particular shoe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of footwear and, more particularly, to a protective covering which is adapted to be removably attached to the sole of a shoe to preserve the sole from marring or other deteriorating damage while the shoe is worn.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Collecting items which are expected to increase in value over time is commonplace. Perhaps most common is the collecting of stamps and coins. However, various other collectibles are becoming widespread, including certain dolls, baskets and even shoes. True collectors value their investments and preserve the collected items to prevent any depreciation. For instance, stamps are typically retained in transparent sleeves and not directly touched by human hands, while dolls are maintained in glass or other display containers to avoid collecting dust. Both of these storage arrangements allow the items to be viewed and appreciated, yet assures the items are well protected from various, potentially deteriorating effects.
In the case of shoes, it is now common for manufacturers to run limited edition shoe lines, much like many high priced automobiles. These shoes, which include sneakers, are high-priced and in great demand. Many people have learned that purchasing such shoes, retaining them for a certain period of time, and then selling the shoes can result in a significant return on the initial investment. However, the value of the shoes drops dramatically if the shoe is marred or otherwise damaged from its original form. Therefore, investors in this area generally retain the purchased shoes in packaging until the time for resale, thereby assuring that the original quality of the shoe remains intact.
Whether it is the original or a subsequent purchaser of collectible shoes, the shoes, at some point, are obtained for the purpose of wearing them. Just as a rich and famous woman might experience wearing a designer dress to a party or award ceremony, it is desired by many to obtain and wear collectible shoes to various events. In the past, the decision to wear a pair of collectible shoes was done at the price of severe depreciation of the shoes. Mainly, the soles of the shoes would become dirty and worn. Even a single use of the shoes in such a common fashion could result in the increased value of the shoes being completely lost. Realizing the class of people who purchase such shoes, simply stepping in gum, oil or other substances can deteriorate the shoe sole to the point where the owner may never wish to wear the shoe again.
Various protective attachments for shoes have been proposed, including peel and stick plastic films which are adapted to be removably secured to the soles of the shoes in order to prevent direct contact between the soles and the ground surface. Unfortunately, the plastic film-type attachments are simply not desirable, mainly due to the slippery nature of the material and/or the ease in which the material can be ripped, resulting in scuffing of the sole. Another previously proposed attachment employed a non-skid surface material to minimize the chance of accidental injury due to slipping. In general, the non-skid surface material was coated with an adhesive to enable the protective attachment to be removably attached to a shoe sole. Although advantageous in certain ways, this known protective attachment also suffered a common drawback in that a tear or wearing out of even a small section of the attachment directly exposed the shoe sole to irreparable damage. Examples of such prior known arrangements are represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,134,196 and 3,903,620, respectively.
Based on the above, there still exists a need for a shoe sole protector which can be readily attached to and removed from the sole of a shoe, which provides enhanced traction and assures that the sole of the shoe will not be marred due to unforeseen damage to a surface engaging layer of the protector. More specifically, there exists a need for a shoe sole protector which effectively provides a user with timely feedback in connection with any damage to the surface engaging layer of the protector, while assuring that the sole of the shoe is still appropriately protected.


The invention relates to a plug (11) for terminal blocks in telecommunications and data system equipment, comprising a lower part (1) and an upper part (12) of plastic, which are interconnected, and at least one contact element (5), which can be inserted into a tapping contact of a terminal block, with the lower part (1) being made longer than the upper part (12) and having galvanically metallized structures, which form at least the contact element (5) and extend as far as the lower edge (9) of the lower part (1), and also a method for its production.

Terminal blocks for telecommunications and data systems equipment typically comprise a first row of contact elements for connecting incoming wires and a second row of contact elements for connecting outgoing wires. Arranged between the assigned contact elements of the first and second rows are tapping contacts, into which measuring, test and protective plugs can be inserted. The tapping contacts are designed as connecting or disconnecting contacts. The known test and protective plugs are symmetrically constructed, with the housing of the plug covering the contact elements of the first and second rows of contact elements, so that they are not accessible for activation purposes. If the fitted connecting cord of the measuring or test plug happens to be a temporary patch connection and if the temporary patch connection is to be replaced by permanent jumpering, the subscriber connection must first be disconnected by removing the plug before the permanent jumpering can take place.
A further problem is that, when inserting a measuring, protective or test plug, an already existing connection should not be interrupted, since this would otherwise lead to data losses.
DE 34 46 622 A1 discloses a plug insert of a plug for a terminal block, the one-part plug insert comprising a plurality of punched parts that are electrically isolated from one another and form the interconnects, which are encapsulated in a plastic and are consequently embedded in the plastic. The punched parts are preferably formed such that they widen in the region of insertion. This ensures that the plug can be plugged in and pulled out without causing an interruption. A disadvantage of the known plugs is their relatively complex production.
Furthermore, there are known protective plugs for terminal blocks which can be inserted into connecting or disconnecting contacts of a terminal block and are unsymmetrically formed. These plugs substantially comprise an upper housing part and a printed circuit board, which at the same time closes the housing. As a result, the contact elements assigned to subscribers are freely accessible for a placement tool even when the protective plug is inserted. However, owing to the choice of the printed circuit board as the contact element, these plugs have the disadvantage that they cannot be inserted without causing an interruption on account of the circuit board contour with no edge metallization.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Plug for connection strips and method for the production thereof


True lumen reentry devices and methods useable for redirecting a guidewire from a subintimal tract within a wall of a blood vessel into the true lumen of the blood vessel. A reentry catheter device comprises a main catheter shaft having at least one guidewire outlet aperture with at least one side tube located on a distal portion of the main catheter shaft. The side tube(s) is/are tracked over initially inserted guidewire(s) to advance a distal portion of the reentry catheter device into the subintimal tract with a guidewire.

In various medical procedures, it is desirable to direct a guidewire or other elongate medical device from one location to another location within the body of a human or non-human animal subject. For example, during endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) of arteries, a guidewire may sometimes penetrate into and become embedded within the wall of the occluded artery (i.e., creating a "subintimal space" or "subintimal tract"). Often, a distal portion of the guidewire is tightly looped as it is advanced into the artery wall, thereby causing a blunt dissection or separation between tissue layers and forming a subintimal tract that has the shape of a flat or curved slit. Various reentry devices and strategies have been employed to re-direct the distal portion of the guidewire from its position within the newly-formed subintimal tract, back into the true lumen of the artery. Once the guidewire has been re-directed into the true lumen of the artery distal to the obstruction, that guidewire may then be used to facilitate the use of other catheter based devices to enlarge and stent the newly-formed subintimal tract, thereby establishing a new blood flow channel around the obstruction.
The prior art has included a number of true lumen reentry devices that are potentially useable to redirect a subintimally entrapped guidewire into the true lumen of the artery. Commercial examples of such reentry devices include the Pioneer® Catheter (Medtronic Vascular, Santa Rosa, Calif.); the OUTBACK® LTD® Reentry Catheter (Cordis Corporation, Miami, Fla.) and the Enteer™ Reentry System (Covidien/eV3, Plymouth, Minn.). Other examples are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,222 (Makower); U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,638 (Makower); U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,225 (Makower); U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,353 (Makower, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,951 (Flaherty, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,615 (Flaherty, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,824 (Flaherty, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,230 (Flaherty, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,386 (Makower et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,311 (Makower); U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,241 (Makower, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,386 (Makower, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,660,024 (Flaherty, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,648 (Flaherty, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,444 (Makower); U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,677 (Flaherty, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,464 (Makower); U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,819 (Kugler, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,323,261 (Kugler, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,727 (Kugler, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,241,311 (Ward et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,257,382 (Rottenberg, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,425 (Olson et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,922 (Noriega, et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,043,314 (Noriega, et al.).
Additionally, a recent published report describes the use of a balloon occlusion technique for diverting a guidewire from a subintimal tract into the true lumen of an artery, in lieu of using a reentry catheter. In this reported case, a 0.035 inch guidewire was initially used to form the subintimal tract that extended past an obstructive lesion. That 0.035 inch guidewire was then removed and a separate 0.018 inch guidewire was selectively advanced into the subintimal tract. A low-profile balloon catheter was then advanced over the 0.018 inch wire into the subintimal tract. The balloon was inflated to block the subintimal tract. A 0.035 inch guidewire was then advanced through the subintimal tract next to the balloon catheter. The presence of inflated balloon within the subintimal tract caused the advancing 0.035 inch guidewire to divert out of the initial subintimal tract and into the true lumen of the artery, distal to the obstruction. Although this procedure did successfully cause the 0.035 inch guidewire to re-enter the true lumen of the artery without use of a separate reentry catheter, this procedure did involve several time consuming steps and required the use of several guidewires as well as a separate balloon catheter. Additionally, as the authors note, this procedure must be performed with caution as advancement of the 0.035 inch guidewire past the inflated balloon could result in inadvertent perforation of the artery with resultant hematoma or arteriovenous fistula formation. Jaffan A. A., et al., Balloon Occlusion Of Subintimal Tract To Assist Distal Luminal Reentry Into Popliteal Artery, J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2012 October; 23(10):1389-91.
There remains a need in the art for the development of different and improved devices and methods useable for redirecting a subintimally entrapped guidewire back into the true lumen of an artery in a safe and efficient manner.

Side lumen reentry catheters and related methods


A method comprising receiving an indication from a user that the user wishes to take a picture. The method further comprising receiving motion data for a camera device and analyzing the motion data to determine a motion state of the camera. The method further comprising acting based on the motion data. In one embodiment, acting on the motion data comprises providing feedback to the user regarding a time to take a photo, based on the motion data. In one embodiment, acting on the motion data comprises automatically taking a picture when the motion state is at a particular level. In one embodiment, acting on the motion data comprises automatically taking a picture when the camera is at a correct angle as determined by the motion data.

Cameras are becoming ubiquitous, as they are being integrated into more and more devices, from cell phones, to computers, to eye glasses. However, these cameras are often cheaper and more lightweight. This results in increased motion when a picture is taken.
In the prior art, complex systems have been developed to counter the results of such motion. These systems include gyroscopes and counter balance systems, floating lenses, and post processing systems. However, including these types of complex systems in a camera is very expensive.

Method and apparatus for motion-state based image acquisition


An auto-adjusting pin tool for friction stir welding is presented wherein the pin tool automatically adjusts for welding materials of varying thicknesses, and the pin can be incrementally withdrawn from the workpieces thus eliminating any crater or keyhole in the weld. The inventive apparatus is comprised of a welding head housing a motor connected to a controller instrument package and an arbor supported by bearings. The arbor forms an interior cylinder and is encircled by a stationary slip ring though which are ported hydraulic passageways into the interior cylinder of the arbor such that a piston housed therein may be moved axially. Coupled to the piston is a pin tool which is treaded on its lower end and which is moveably seated in, and extending through, a shoulder housing having concave lower face. When welding, the rotating treaded end of the pin enters and stirs the workpieces while the lower face of the shoulder housing compacts the workpieces. As the welding head traverses the shoulder housing the controller senses any rising pressure on the lower face of the shoulder housing and withdraws the arbor to keep the pressure constant. At the same time, the piston moves towards the workpieces thus extending the pin further from the shoulder. This keeps the pin at a proper depth in the workpieces regardless of their thicknesses. As the weld terminates this same operation can be used to incrementally withdraw the pin during the final part of the traverse, thus eliminating any keyhole or crater that would otherwise be created.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to friction stir welding wherein the heat necessary to create a weld is generated by plunging a rotating pin tool into the workpiece. More particularly, this invention relates to an auto-adjusting pin tool that can weld materials of varying thicknesses, and can terminate the weld joint with no voids, holes, craters or anomalies.
2. Description of Related Art
Presently pin tools for friction stir welding are of a fixed pin length, and have a disadvantage of only being able to weld materials of the same thickness, and leave a crater, or keyhole in the workpiece when the pin is retracted.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices in that the pin length is auto-adjusting and allows material of tapered thicknesses to be welded. The pin can also be incrementally retracted which eliminates the crater, or keyhole, at the weld's terminus characteristic of the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved auto-adjusting pin tool for friction stir welding which allows for the welding of materials of varying thicknesses without leaving a keyhole on weld termination.
Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from a study of the preferred embodiment as set forth in the specifications, drawings and the appended claims.

Auto-adjustable pin tool for friction stir welding

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A liquid jet recording head includes a heater element which comprises a heat reserve layer, a resistance layer formed on the heat reserve layer, electrodes electrically connected to the resistance layer, the resistance layer generating heat when an electrical current is supplied to the resistance layer via the electrodes, and a protection layer stacked on the resistance layer, the heat generated by the resistance layer being transmitted to the liquid via the protection layer. The heater element has a special part in which a width of the resistance layer is greater than that thereof in a normal part of the heater element, the special part including a position where the bubble disappears, so that a electric current density in the resistance layer in the special part is less than that thereof in the normal part.

(1) Field of the invention
The present invention generally relates to a liquid jet recording head, and more particularly to a liquid jet recording head from which a liquid drop is jetted by a force generated by a growth of a bubble in a liquid. When an amount of heat energy is supplied to the liquid, the liquid boils and the bubble is generated in the liquid.
(2) Description of related art
In this type of the liquid jet recording head, it is required that responsiveness in a high-speed driving operation be good, that the liquid can be efficiently heated to boiling, and that a durability of the recording head be good. Due to these requirements, material and structure of conventional liquid jet recording head have been improved recently.
In a liquid jet recording head disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-34506, an electricity-heat converter constructed of three layers, a bottom layer, a heating resistance layer and a top layer are stacked, to improve the responsiveness and heating property of each electricity-heat converter. In the liquid jet recording head disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 60-236758, a thin protection layer is stacked on a heater layer so as to improve the durability.
While the generation of the bubble (main bubble or primary bubble) causing liquid drops to be jetted and the disappearance thereof are repeated sequentially on the heater layer, the following phenomenon, in which a secondary bubble remains on an area of the heater layer, can occur. That is, when an area other than an area on which the main bubble disappears has a temperature greater than a predetermined limit temperature, an elongate secondary bubble extending in a direction in which the liquid flows remains on the area. As a cavitation force of a secondary bubble is greater than that of a main bubble, the heater layer can be damaged by the cavitation force of the secondary bubble. As a result, the durability of the liquid jet recording head deteriorates.
To prevent durability from being affected by the secondary bubble, Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 62-103148 discloses a liquid jet recording head having the following structure. This structure of the liquid jet recording head has been proposed based on a phenomenon in which a center temperature of a heat operation part of the electricity-heat converter is higher than that of a surrounding part thereof in a case where the top and bottom layer of the electricity-heat converter have a constant thickness. That is, the thickness of either the top or bottom layer at the center of the heater operation part is less than that of the layer at the surrounding part thereof so that the center of the heater operation part effectively radiates heat. Thus, the temperature is uniformly distributed on the heater operation part when the heater operation part is activated, and the temperature at a center of the heater operation part is less than the limit temperature when the main bubble disappears due to inactivity of the heater operation part.
In a liquid jet recording head disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 59-95155, a conductive member is provided at a center of the electricity-heat converter (a resistance layer) so that no bubble is generated thereon. As a result, the center of the electricity-heat converter is prevented from being damaged by cavitation force. In this case, a ring shaped bubble is grown on a circumference of the electricity-heat converter, and a plurality of small bubbles are distributed, at random, on the heater operation part of the electricity-heat converter.
It is further required for this type of the liquid jet recording head to have a high reproducibility of boiling of the liquid.
In a case where the liquid is repeatedly boiled, when the bubble disappears, small residual bubbles adheres to the surface on the heater operation part of the electricity-heat converter at a position where the bubble has disappeared. Then, when a bubble starts to be generated in a next heat cycle of the electricity-heat converter, the small residual bubbles become a core of the bubble growth. This core is referred to as a bubble core. In a case where a bubble core appears on the surface of the heater operation part, the bubble is prevented from growing normally. That is, high reproducibility of the bubble in the liquid can not be guaranteed. When the reproducibility of the bubble in the liquid decreases, a size of the liquid drop, a jetting speed thereof and the like are varied, so that a quality of the dot images formed on the recording sheet deteriorates.
Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 2-25337 discloses a liquid jet recording head in which the small residual bubbles are prevented from becoming the growing core of the bubble in the next heating cycle of the electricity-heat converter. The residual bubbles are generated on the heater operation part of the electricity-heat converter at the position where the bubble disappears. Thus, when the electricity-heat converter is activated, the temperature of the heater operation part at the position where the bubble disappears is less than that at other positions on the heater operation part. As a result, even if small residual bubbles are generated on the heater operation part at the position where the bubble disappears, the small residual bubbles do not become the growing core of the bubble in the next heating cycle of the electricity-heat converter.
In the liquid jet recording head disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 2-25337, the thickness of a heat reserve layer, on which the heating resistance layer is formed, in a part including the position where the bubble disappears is decreased. Due to this structure, the temperature of the part including the position where the bubble disappears can be decreased when the bubble disappears.
However, in the conventional liquid jet recording head, it is difficult to actually form the heat reserve layer in which the thickness thereof varies between the substrate and the heating resistance layer.

Liquid jet recording head with selected bubble disappearance position


The invention is directed to an insect collection and viewing device comprising a negative air pressure generating assembly including a motor and a fan driven by the motor and a suitably shaped collection nozzle. A viewing chamber is coupled intermediate the collection nozzle and the negative air pressure assembly. The viewing chamber is tubular in shape and has an air permeable-insect impermeable screen at the downstream opening thereof and a movable valve/lens at the upstream opening thereof. When the valve/lens is open an air flow is established through the device. The air flow path is from the nozzle through the viewing chamber into and out of the assembly. In operation insects of interest are captured by sucking the insect into the device through the nozzle, then through the open valve/lens into the viewing chamber where it is captured between the screen and the closed valve. By making the valve in the shape of a transparent lens the trapped insect may be inspected through the magnifying lens.

This invention pertains to a vacuum operated insect collection and viewing device. In particular, the arrangement of the invention is designed to make it easy for children and others having an interest to explore their natural curiosity about insects, without touching or killing them and with comparative safety from being bitten or stung by them.
The prior art has many examples of devices which develop a vacuum for the purpose of trapping, collecting and disposing of insects. Insects such as flies, mosquitoes, beetles, spiders have long been considered pests and marked for destruction. Flying insects are considered a particular nuisance, especially when present in the home, dining or food handling establishments. For many years it has been commonplace to use sprays, fly swatters, fly paper, insecticides and various other remedies to deal with unwanted insects.
There are known devices that are operated by a vacuum to capture insects and deposit them in a bag or some other cleanable collection element for later disposal. Such devices normally use an elongated funnel of some sort which is put under a negative pressure, and brought near enough to the insect for the insect to be suctioned into the funnel and then into a bag or other container to be subsequently disposed of at a later time.
While some components of the invention are common to arrangements in the prior art, the purpose of the invention is, in essence, quite distinct from the purpose of the aforementioned prior art devices. The object of the invention is not to kill the insect being captured but rather to afford an opportunity to examine, study and investigate the physical makeup of the insect of interest. In this regard, it has particular utility for those studying insects, and an innate usefulness as a toy or educational device for children who have an natural inclination to capture and observe insects. The invention provides provides just such opportunity to capture insects without harming them. It furthermore provides a means to capture and study insects without touching them and with ease and a high degree of safety from insect bites. Even dangerous stinging insects can be handled and studied using the device with a general avoidance of fear in the process.


The developing apparatus includes a toner, a developing container, a developing roller, and a toner layer thickness controlling member,                wherein the toner contains toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, and silica fine particles; the covering rate X1 of the surface of each of the toner particles with the silica fine particles is 40.0 to 75.0 area %; and a diffusion index represented by X1/X2 satisfies a predetermined range where the theoretical covering rate with the silica fine particles is defined as X2,        the developing roller includes a substrate, a base layer, and a coverage portion; and the volume resistivity of the coverage portion and the average thickness of the coverage portion are within predetermined ranges.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing apparatus, a developing method, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming method.
Description of the Related Art
Higher quality of electrophotographic images has been required, and suppression of generation of "fogging" caused by toners adhering to non-image portions of electrophotographic images has been required.
A reduction in size of image forming apparatuses has recently been required. One of effective measures to satisfy this requirement is a reduction in size of a developing apparatus, which occupies a considerable volume of an image forming apparatus.
One specific method of achieving a reduction in size of the developing apparatus is use of a system without a cleaner for an electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter also referred to as a "cleaner-less system"). In such a system without the cleaner for an electrophotographic photosensitive member, however, a toner adhering onto non-developed portions, e.g., non-electrostatic latent image portions of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and remain on the electrophotographic photosensitive member even after a transferring step may adhere to a charging member and contaminate the charging member. Accordingly, adhesion of the toner to non-developed portions of the electrophotographic photosensitive member should be suppressed more significantly to attain formation of electrophotographic images with higher quality in the cleaner-less system.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-23485 discloses techniques for providing good images by way of a developing roller including a second resin coating layer of 1010 Ω·cm or more not containing an electro-conductive fine particle on a first resin coating layer of 106 Ω·cm or less.
The present inventors, who have conducted extensive research, have found that when the developing roller described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-23485 is used, adhesion of a toner to non-developed portions of the electrophotographic photosensitive member may be effectively suppressed. This is probably because the developing roller described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-23485 has a layer having high electric resistance on the surface thereof. Due to the high electric resistance of the developing roller, charges applied to the toner present between an electrophotographic photosensitive member and the developing roller barely leak to the side of the developing roller, so that the toner can keep high charge.
Unfortunately, the present inventors have conducted further research and found that the developing roller may insufficiently control the amount of the toner to be conveyed by the developing roller with a toner layer thickness controlling member under low humidity environments in which the toner readily undergoes friction charge (hereinafter this phenomenon is referred to insufficient control). Namely, the insufficient control is probably caused for the following reasons 1) and/or 2):
1) The electric resistance of the surface of the developing roller provides excessively high charges of the toner carried on the developing roller, and the highly charged toner attracts the toner not carried on the developing roller by an electrical attractive force.2) The excessively charged toner adheres to the surface of the developing roller due to an image force to roughen the surface of the developing roller, so that an unintendedly large amount of the toner is disposed on the developing roller.
Such insufficient control may cause defects called ghost and spotted or wavy unevenness of non-image portions in electrophotographic images.

Developing apparatus, developing method, image forming apparatus, and image forming method