In an optical pickup head, a light source emits a light beam. A first reflecting section reflects the light beam emitted from the light source and changes a direction of a travel of the light beam emitted from the light source. A second reflecting section reflects the light beam and changes a direction of a travel of the light beam after the light beam is reflected by the first reflecting section. The light beam reflected by the second reflecting section is focused on the optical recording medium. The light beam is reflected and diffracted by the optical recording medium. The light beam reflected and diffracted by the optical recording medium is detected. A common support member is formed with both the first and second reflecting sections.

This invention relates to an optical pickup head for optically reproducing, recording, or erasing information from or on an optical or magneto-optical recording medium.
An optical recording medium such as an optical disk is formed with a pattern of a groove or pits which represents recorded information. Some optical pickup heads are used in reproducing information from such an optical recording medium. In general, the optical pickup head applies a laser light beam to the optical recording medium and detects the laser light beam reflected back from the optical recording medium. Since the reflected laser light beam depends on a pattern on the optical recording medium, the reflected laser light beam represents information on the optical recording medium. Thus, the detection of the reflected laser light beam enables the reproduction of the information.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 1-273238 discloses an optical pickup head. As will be described later, the optical pickup head of Japanese application 1-273238 has some problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,823 discloses an optical pickup head which has a holographic optical element disposed in an optical path among a light source, an optical recording medium, and a photodetector unit. The holographic optical element serves to generate reliable focusing and tracking error signals.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An image-capturing device includes: a plurality of pixels, having a plurality of first electrodes provided upon one surface of a light reception unit that receives incident light, and a plurality of second electrodes provided upon another surface of the light reception unit; and an output unit that outputs a signal generated by the light reception unit upon receipt of the incident light, the light reception unit being sandwiched between the first electrodes, to which a voltage is applied, and the second electrodes.

A technique is per se known for obtaining a high resolution image or a refocused image by acquiring a plurality of digital images while changing over a plurality of masks having complicated aperture shapes set in a part of the lens optical system (for example, refer to Non-Patent Document #1). However there is the problem that this technique involves complicated operation for changing over the plurality of masks and performing image-capturing a plurality of times.

Image-capturing device and electronic camera


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a financing structure for generating a source of contingent capital for a company. According to various embodiments, the company enters into a put option agreement with an entity, such as a trust. The put option agreement permits the company to put preferred stock of the company to the trust. The company also enters into a warrant agreement with the trust. The warrant agreement permits the trust to buy equity securities (such as common stock) of the company or a corporate entity related to the company (e.g., a holding company) from the company. The trust issues to investors bifurcated convertible instruments. The instruments include a fixed income instrument and a warrant to purchase equity securities of the related corporate entity (e.g., the holding company). With the proceeds from the offering, the trust purchases eligible assets, such as low risk government securities which pay fixed or floating periodic interest or dividend payments. The interest rate or dividend rate on the fixed income instrument issued by the trust may match the yield on the eligible assets. The operating company's ability to put its preferred stock to the trust in exchange for the put option strike price payment provides the operating company and/or the holding company with the source of contingent (or soft) capital.

Some companies, particularly monoline insurance companies (i.e., insurers that insure against one type of risk), seek to maintain a large contingent source of capital (sometimes referred to as "soft capital") in order to maintain or achieve a high credit rating from credit rating agencies. The large contingent source of capital provides assurance that adverse events (such as a catastrophe leading to higher or increased claims for an insurer) would not impair the company's ability to meet its obligations. Especially for highly leveraged companies that depend on continuous efficient access to the capital markets, such as monoline insurance companies, maintaining elevated credit ratings is critical. However, to maximize return on assets and profitability, companies typically do not want such contingent capital sources to be on their balance sheets until needed. To achieve their goals, companies have obtained standby letters of credit from banks or have issued auction-rate preferred securities.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a financing involving auction-rate preferred securities. In this structure, an operating company 10 establishes a trust 12. The trust 12 issues the auction-rate preferred securities 13 to investors 14. Auction-rate preferred (ARP) securities are fixed-income instruments (such as trust preferred securities) that pay a periodic payment (e.g., a dividend or coupon) to the holders thereof. ARP securities are typically priced in a Dutch auction by prospective investors. The rate of the payment is reset each auction, which is typically every twenty-eight days, to reflect changes in market conditions. With the proceeds from the offering of the ARP securities, the trust 12 purchases eligible assets 16, which are typically thirty-day commercial paper and/or short-term government securities.
In addition, so as to reduce interest rate risk and ensure access to the full amount of the assets, the trust 12 enters into an asset swap agreement with an asset swap counterparty 17. Under the asset swap agreement, the trust 12 pays the asset swap counterparty 17 interest paid on the eligible assets 16, and the asset swap counterparty 17 makes investment decisions relating to the eligible assets 16 and pays a floating rate payment to the trust 12 that is related to a published index rate, such as LIBOR. The asset swap counterparty 17 also guarantees that the par value will be received on termination.
Because the eligible assets 16 are short-term, the trust 12 must obtain new eligible assets periodically (e.g., every thirty days). Because the yield on the eligible assets 16 may fluctuate from one period to the next, the payment rate on the ARP securities 13 must also be periodically adjusted.
The trust 12 also enters into a put option with the operating company 10. Under the put option, the operating company 10, at its option, may require the trust 12 to purchase shares of stock in the operating company 10. Typically the shares are perpetual preferred stock. The purchase price is the par value of the eligible assets 16. In exchange for this right, the operating company 10 pays a put premium (typically periodically) to the trust 12. The trust 12 uses the proceeds from the put premium and the floating rate payments from the asset swap counterparty 17 to make the payments on the ARP securities 13 to the investors 14.
Further, the put right may also be exercised by an affiliate company 18 (typically a subsidiary) of the operating company 10 exercising an unconditional right to withdraw the eligible assets 16 in exchange for delivering shares of perpetual preferred stock of the operating company 10 to the trust 12. In the event that the market value of the eligible assets 16 is less than their original value at inception (sometime referred to as "par value" herein), the trust 12 also receives a termination payment from the asset swap counterparty 17 for the difference and the trust 12 forwards that payment to the affiliate company 18 (the trust 12 makes such a payment to the asset swap counterparty 17 if the market value exceeds par value). This constitutes the contingent source of capital (soft capital) for the company. The affiliate company 18 may withdraw the assets to pay large claims in the event of a catastrophe, for example. Because the affiliate company 18 has unconditional access to the full par value of the eligible assets 16, credit rating agencies will typically consider the operating company 10 and the affiliate company 18 to own the assets for credit purposes. In such an arrangement, however, the investors 14 face the potential risk (though typically very small) that the operating company 10 or the affiliate company 18 will withdraw some or all of the eligible assets 16 and replace them with perpetual preference shares of the operating company 10.
There are drawbacks for companies that use this financing structure. For example, the ARP securities 13 have to be auctioned to prospective investors periodically (e.g., every 28 days). If there is low investor demand for such securities, the interest rate necessary to sell a sufficient amount of the securities may be high, requiring a large put premium from the operating company 10 to make up the difference. This may reduce the attractiveness of the ARP securities-based contingent capital arrangement. Stand-by letters of credit are also becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.

Structure for generating a source of contingent capital


A mobile gateway interface that enables a supervisor to conduct typical office transactions via a remote device while the supervisor is away from the office. The remote device can be one of several items, including, for example, wireless telephones, interactive pagers, personal digital assistants, laptop computers with wireless modem, and the like. The supervisor uses the remote device to log into the mobile gateway interface. After the authentication process, the supervisor makes a transaction request through the remote device. A transaction server, which is part of the mobile gateway interface, interacts with one or more resources to process or execute the transaction request. The resources can include an intranet, the Internet, and various legacy systems. Preferably, the mobile gateway interface includes one or both voice and front-end data servers that facilitate the authentication process and execution of the transaction request.

In most industries in which technicians are dispatched to field locations to provide services to customers, their supervisors are available in home offices to provide them with support, coordinate projects, and perform various office transactions. The supervisors have access in their offices to a number of resources, including various legacy systems, a company intranet, e-mail accounts, the Internet, and the like. Through these resources, the supervisors can perform various transactions, including those associated with the supervision of the technicians. For example, a supervisor may use a dispatch system, which is one of the resources, to determine which technician is closest to a particular field location.
The dispatch system and all such resources become unavailable to the supervisor when the supervisor himself is in the field. The supervisor may be in the field to respond to customer calls, provide training to new technicians, attend meetings, or for other reasons. As the resources are unavailable to him while he is on the road, the supervisor's ability to supervise his technicians becomes severely challenged. Currently, the supervisor must rely on someone else, perhaps another supervisor who is in the office, to obtain the needed information from the office resources.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a known method for a supervisor to obtain information from the resources in the office while the supervisor is away from the office. Supervisor 110 is at a field location away from the office at which dispatch system 152 is located. Supervisor 110 needs to know the whereabouts of technician 160. Supervisor 110 uses communications device 120, e.g., a wireless telephone, to call maintenance center 150. During a voice communications session via communication network 130, a colleague of supervisor 110 at maintenance center 150 obtains the name of technician 160 from supervisor 110. The colleague then consults dispatch system 152 from which information associated with technician 160 is obtained. The information may include, for example, the last dispatch time, the GPS coordinates of technician 160's current location, how many jobs technician 160 has been scheduled to perform that day, and so on. The colleague then conveys the information to supervisor 110 during the voice communications session.
On any given day, maintenance center 150 may be flooded with calls from supervisor 110 and hundreds of other supervisors attempting to obtain similar or the same information from dispatch system 152. Thus, the known method often results in significant time wasted by supervisor 110 and his colleagues. This known method is therefore highly inefficient. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that would enable supervisor 110 to access resources in the office directly.

BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation


A fault tolerant operating method for a cotton compactor of a cotton module builder or packager of a cotton harvesting machine, which serves as an alternative to shutting down the compacting process or erratic operation thereof, in the event of indication of a fault or failure condition involving one or more sensors associated with the compactor, or a conductive path in connection with a sensor, all generally identified as a fault or failure condition.

With a cotton module builder or packager on a cotton harvesting machine, parameters of the module building or packaging process, such as, but not limited to, the distribution of cotton within the module building chamber, the number of packing positions, and the number of compacting strokes, are all critical factors in forming a good rectangular module of compacted cotton that can be unloaded onto the ground as a stand alone module of cotton, and subsequently handled for transportation to the gin for processing. Steps of such module building or packaging processes are typically performed while harvesting cotton. As a result, it is preferred that such steps be conducted automatically, without requiring operator input or attention. If operation of the packager must be stopped, for instance, as a result of a fault or failure condition involving one or more sensors of the packager, or the compactor operates erratically, the harvesting operation will likely have to be stopped, resulting in costly downtime.
As is known, the distribution of the cotton within the module chamber is typically accomplished using augers attached to a compactor frame of a compactor movable upwardly and downwardly in the chamber. As cotton is being harvested and conveyed into the chamber, the augers are operated in a forward and/or a reverse direction for distributing the cotton in the chamber under the compactor. At times, the compactor is stroked or moved downwardly against the collected cotton, to compact it in the bottom of the chamber. A number of compacting positions are used to index or move the location of the compactor up within the chamber as the module is built from the bottom up. This ensures that there is space under the compactor in which to distribute the cotton.
The length of time that the augers run in the different directions, the number of compacting positions, and the number of compaction strokes before moving or indexing the compactor to the next position, are typically determined dependent upon input values for an electronic compaction program run by the compactor controller, these values being determined based on factors that typically include time, auger pressure, compactor pressure, level and distribution of cotton within the chamber, and the amount of cotton entering the chamber. The amount of cotton entering the chamber can vary as a result, for instance, of yield conditions, which, can vary even over a single cotton field. The amount of time the augers run forward and the amount of time they run rearward, the number of compactor positions and compacting strokes will usually be different for the different yield conditions, as well as other conditions, and will influence the distribution of cotton within the chamber.
The determinations by the compactor controller of the necessary duration and directions of auger operation, and whether movement to a new indexing position is necessary, are preferably automatically made, at least in part, based upon information as to the existing overall level and distribution of cotton within the chamber. This information is gathered from sensors, typically including compactor position sensors, a compactor pressure sensor, and auger pressure sensors. The compactor is preferably pivotable, and typically, two compactor position sensors are used, one for determining a position or height near a forward end of the compactor, and one near the rear end. Tilt is typically determined as a function of differences between the sensed positions, and is indicative of a higher level of cotton in the chamber adjacent to one end thereof. One or more compactor pressure sensors can be used to determine the extent to which the cotton is being compacted during the compacting strokes. One or more auger pressure sensors can be used for determining if cotton is accumulated to a greater extent toward one end of the chamber to thereby indicate need for reversal of auger direction, and for determining when compaction or indexing the compactor position is required.
As a result, in the event of a failure or faulty output or operation of one or more of the sensors, including of a conductive path connecting the sensor to the compactor controller for carrying sensor outputs to the controller, the information set for determining the next step of the compacting process will be incomplete. This can occur continuously, or in an erratic manner. In response, the controller can automatically shut down, or be shut down by the operator, but this will result in lost productivity as noted above, and is thus undesirable.
Thus, what is sought is an alternative to shut down of the compacting process when one or more sensor outputs is faulty or indicative of failure of the sensor or conductive path connecting the sensor to the controller.

Fault tolerant operating method for a cotton packager


A method for successively recording data in a hybrid digital recorder. If an optical disc has no redundant area when a hybrid digital recorder in which an optical disc recorder and an HDD recorder, etc. are integrated in one body records an input data stream on the optical disc, the input data stream is temporarily stored in an HDD. If the optical disc is replaced with a new optical disc, the input data stream is temporarily stored in the HDD, and at the same time the data stream having been temporarily stored in the HDD is read and recorded on the new optical disc at a high speed. If all the data streams temporarily stored in the HDD are read and recorded on the new optical disc, the following data stream is recorded on the new optical disc. Therefore, an external input data stream such as a long-term broadcast program is distributed to a plurality of optical discs, and is stored on the optical discs without generating any lost data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for successively recording data in a hybrid digital recorder, and more particularly to a method for successively recording long-term broadcast program data on a plurality of optical discs in a hybrid digital recorder in which a DVD recorder and an HDD recorder are integrated.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional hybrid digital recorder. For example, a hybrid digital recorder in which a DVD recorder and an HDD recorder are integrated includes an optical disc 10, an optical pickup unit 11, a Video Disc Recording (VDR) system 12, an HDD 13, a Hard Disc Recording (HDR) system 14, a microprocessor 15, and a switch 16, etc.
The microprocessor 15 controls the HDR system 14 according to a user's request when recording an external input data stream such as a long-term broadcast program, and records the external input data stream in the HDD 13. The microprocessor 15 may also record the external input data stream on a rewritable DVD (DVD-RW) by controlling the VDR system 12. In this case, the microprocessor 15 controls the switch 16 to enter the external input data stream in the HDR system 14 and/or the VDR system 12.
For example, in the case of recording a long-term broadcast program broadcast during 3 hours on the condition that a data stream broadcast during 2 hours can be recorded on a single DVD-RW disc, a user must replace a current optical disc with a new optical disc if 2 hours has elapsed while the broadcast program is recorded on the current optical disc.
However, a predetermined time (e.g., a time of about 20 seconds and over) is required for the user to replace the current optical disc with the new optical disc, such that a broadcast program is not successively recorded and a broadcast data stream corresponding to an important scene may be lost.
In the case of recording a long-term broadcast program broadcast in real time in an HDD of a predetermined device, the recorded broadcast program can actually be reproduced by only the predetermined device, such that a user who desires to reproduce the broadcast program using another device at a predetermined location must recopy the broadcast program recorded in the HDD on an optical disc such as a DVD-RW disc, resulting in greater inconvenience of use.

Method for successively recording data in hybrid digital recorder


Noise originating from the difference between a second dose as an X-ray dose used for simulation and a first dose as an X-ray dose associated with raw data obtained by past imaging operation is calculated. Simulation pure raw data as information associated with a photon count and noise which are predicted to be detected by a plurality of X-ray detection elements when imaging is performed by using X-rays of the second dose is generated on the basis of the calculated noise and the raw data obtained by past imaging operation. A simulation image predicted to be obtained by imaging operation using X-rays of the second dose is generated by using the simulation pure raw data and displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical image display apparatus and medical image display system which execute noise addition simulation used before X-ray computed tomography.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus is designed to obtain an image (tomogram) by calculating (reconstructing) the X-ray absorptance of a tissue such as an organ on the basis of the amount of X-rays absorbed in a subject to be examined as an index called a CT value with reference to the X-ray absorptance of water.
A reconstructed image inevitably contains image noise. Image noise is typically defined with reference to a variation in the CT value of a homogeneous phantom image as a standard deviation, which is generally called an image SD. In order to make diagnosis by observing a reconstructed image, e.g., to discriminate a shadow on the image as noise or a tumor, the image SD unique to the image must be considered.
In performing this X-ray computed tomography, a simulation image is sometimes generated by, for example, adding noise to an image obtained by past imaging operation to support decision of scan conditions under which a smaller dose of X-rays is allowed. An apparatus which realizes such support is called a scan plan simulator, with which a simulation image can be generated before CT scanning by inputting a region to be scanned, a body thickness, and scan conditions.
Note that a scan condition indicates at least one of the following: "scan mode", "ON/OFF of an exposure reducing function", "imaging slice thickness", "image slice thickness", "FOV", "helical pitch", "reconstruction function", "tube voltage", "tube current", and "scan speed".
The conventional scan plan simulator, however, has the following problems.
When simulation images are to be generated on a CT image basis, noise due to image reconstruction cannot be added. In addition, when simulation images are to be generated on a CT image basis, for example, artifacts originating from bones cannot be precisely reproduced theoretically. Therefore, for example, an unnecessarily good image SD (i.e., an unnecessarily high X-ray intensity) of an image obtained by actual imaging is obtained for an obtained simulation image. In contrast, a desired image SD cannot be obtained, and re-scanning is required. Either may lead to excessive X-ray exposure.

Medical image display apparatus and medical image display system


The present invention relates to a multi-active electrophotographic element having a charge-transport layer containing stable free radical compounds as the charge-transport material. A process of forming images with this element is also disclosed.

Electrophotographic imaging processes and techniques have been extensively described in patents and other literature (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,221,776; 2,277,013; 2,297,691; 2,357,809; 2,551,582; 2,825,814; 2,833,648; 3,220,324; 3,220,831; 3,220,833 and many others). Generally, these processes employ a photoconductive insulating material which is prepared to respond to imagewise exposure with electromagnetic radiation to form a latent electrostatic charge image. A variety of subsequent operations, now well-known in the art, can then be employed to produce a permanent record of this image.
Various types of photoconductive insulating materials are known for use in electrophotographic imaging processes. In many conventional electrophotographic elements, the photoconductive insulating material is in a single layer composition affixed to a conductive support.
In addition, various multi-active layer electrophotographic elements, i.e., those having more than one active layer, have been described in the art. One useful type of multi-active electrophotographic element is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,405 to Hoesterey at column 2, lines 6-20 thereof.
As described in Hoesterey, photoconductivity is achieved by applying a uniform positive charge to the surface of an element containing two layers of zinc oxide (i.e. a sensitized zinc oxide bottom layer and an unsensitized zinc oxide upper layer) and then exposing the sensitized bottom layer to a pattern of activating radiation. Photoconductivity is produced in the element by the electrical interaction of the two zinc oxide layers. Specifically, the sensitized zinc oxide bottom layer generates photoelectrons, i.e. negative charge carriers, and injects these charge carriers into the unsensitized zinc oxide upper layer which accepts and transports these charge carriers to the positively charged surface of the photoconductive element. The former layer is typically referred to as a charge generation layer, while the latter is a charge transport layer.
The concept of using two or more active layers in an electrophotographic element, with at least one layer designed primarily for the photogeneration of charge carriers and at least one other layer transporting such generated charge carriers, has been discussed in the patent literature. In addition to the above-noted Hoesterey patent, these patents include: U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,166 to Bardeen; U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,001 to Makino; U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,405 to Makino et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,058 to Hayaski et. al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,960 to Berwick et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,560 to Borsenberger et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,163 to Staudenmayer et al.; Canadian Patent No. 930,591 issued Jul. 24, 1973; Canadian Patent Nos. 932,197-199 issued Aug. 21, 1973; and British Patent Nos. 1,337,228 and 1,343,671.
Various shortcomings still exist in multi-active electrophotographic elements. For example, the multi-active elements of the Hoesterey patent suffer from the disadvantages of low speed and difficulty in cleaning. Other multi-active elements, such as those described in Canadian Patent Nos. 930,591 and 932,199, are primarily designed for positive charging and, therefore, may not be suitable for electrophotographic processes where a negative charging mode is employed.
The charge-transport layer utilized in multi-active electrophotographic elements has employed a wide variety of charge-transport materials. Most charge-transport materials preferentially accept and transport either positive charges (i.e. holes) or negative charges (i.e. electrons). Transport materials which exhibit a preference for conduction of positive charge carriers are referred to as "p-type" transport materials, while those which preferentially conduct negative charges are referred to as "n-type". In a few cases, transport materials are capable of transporting either electrons or holes. These are referred to as "bipolar" transport materials.
N-type transport materials, used in conjunction with positively charged toners, are particularly suited to "neg-pos" imaging. Neg-pos imaging is also known as discharged area development ("DAD"), wherein the light-struck (discharged) regions of the element are developed with the positive toner. Neg-pos imaging is commonly performed by laser or light-emitting diode (LED) printers. Examples of n-type transport materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,277,551, 4,609,602, 4,719,163, 4,948,911, 4,175,960, 4,514,481, 4,474,865, 4,546,059, 4,869,984, 4,869,985, 4,909,966, 4,913,996, 4,514,481 and 4,921,637.
N-type transport materials generally suffer a number of drawbacks, including low mobility of the photoelectrons, low electrophotographic speeds, high dark conductivity, poor solubility in or compatibility with binder materials, and Poor mechanical properties such as brittleness of the coating.
P-type charge-transport materials, used in conjunction with positively charged toners, are commonly used for "pos-pos" imaging. Pos-Pos imaging is also known as charged area development ("CAD"), wherein the unexposed and charged areas of the element are developed with positive toner Pos-Pos imaging is commonly seen in conventional optical copiers. Representative p-type charge-transport materials include carbazole materials, arylamine-containing materials and polyarylalkane materials. These and other illustrative p-type charge-transport materials are disclosed in Staudenmayer et al., cited above. Although, p-type charge-transport materials are superior in many respects to n-type materials, a continued need for improvement remains.
The multi-active elements described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,719,163, 4,618,560, and 4,175,960 disclose embodiments using only a p-type or an n-type charge transport material. Therefore, electrophotographic apparatus employing such elements are restricted to either neg-pos imaging or pos-pos imaging and cannot perform both.
Bipolar charge-transport material offers the advantage of an electrophotographic element capable of performing either neg-pos or pos-pos imaging by simply changing the polarity of the applied charge. This allows one machine to act as both an optical copier and an electronic printer. However, bipolar charge-transport materials currently available suffer many of the same disadvantages as n-type charge-transport materials in that they typically comprise a mixture of n-type and p-type charge-transport material.
Free radicals (i.e. an atom or group of atoms possessing an unpaired electron) have been known to have photochemical and photoconductive properties as disclosed in Eley et al., Semiconductivitv of Organic Substances, 63 Trans. Faraday Society 902-910 (1967) and Bogatyreva and Buchachenko, Photochemical Investigation of Perchlorotriphenylmethyl Radicals, 15 Kinetika i Kataliz 1152-1157 (Sep.-Oct. 1974). In electrophotographic systems, such compounds have been used to form electrostatic images by changing the conductance of light-sensitive reproduction sheets. This is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,169 to Lawton, Japanese Patent No. 114015 issued Jul. 15, 1977, and Japanese Patent No. 072387 issued Jan. 14, 1974. Stable free radicals have been used as sensitizers to increase the photosensitivity of photoresponsive compositions, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,833 to Fox. However, free radical compounds have not been used as a charge-transport material in the charge transport layer of a multi-active electrophotographic element.

Multi-active electrophotographic element and imaging process using free radicals as charge transport material


A process for the preparation of multifunctional polycarbodiimides, which are used as crosslinking agents, in which the polycarbodiimide is prepared by reacting mono- and polyisocyanates in the presence of a mono- or polyisocyanate that contains one or multiple additional reactive functional groups and in the presence of a carbodiimide catalyst, and thereafter terminating or chain extending the polycarbodiimide chain. Between 0 and 10% of an organic solvent and/or between 0 and 30% of a plasticizer and/or between 0 and 30% of a surface active component is added to the product during, before or after the polycarbodiimide forming reaction and/or the capping reaction and/or the chain extending reaction. Further, the invention relates to a coating mixture in which the polycarbodiimide is used as crosslinking agent and to the cured material obtained with the coating mixture.

Field of the Invention (Technical Field):
A process for the preparation of multifunctional polycarbodiimides, which are used as crosslinking agents, in which the polycarbodiimide is prepared by reacting mono- and polyisocyanates in the presence of a mono- or polyisocyanate that contains one or multiple additional reactive functional groups and in the presence of a carbodiimide catalyst, and thereafter terminating or chain extending the polycarbodiimide chain. Further, the invention relates to a coating mixture in which the polycarbodiimide is used as crosslinking agent and to the cured material obtained with the coating mixture.
Description of Related Art:
Polycarbodiimides are well known crosslinking agents for aqueous polymers containing carboxylic acid functions. A review of the development of the preparation and the application of polycarbodiimides is described in EP1644428 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,439,316). Of particular interest are the polycarbodiimides that possess additional functional groups that contribute to the crosslinking.
The preparation and application of multifunctional polycarbodiimides as crosslinking agents is described in EP0507407 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,481). These crosslinking agents contain carbodiimide groups and at least one other functional group.
Both groups contribute to the crosslinking. A relative large amount (about 50%) of solvent is used in the preparation method because the viscosity would otherwise become too high during the first stage of the preparation of the multifunctional polycarbodiimide crosslinking agent. As a result the crosslinking agent contains a relatively large amount of volatile organic compounds, which is undesired nowadays because of environmental reasons. In addition, the concentration of carbodiimide groups and the concentration of the other reactive groups are apparently relatively low by using this method, so that a relatively high amount of multifunctional polycarbodiimide crosslinking agent is required to obtain a good crosslinking degree of the polymer to be cross-linked.
It is described in the conclusions and examples of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,566,437 and 4,118,536 how an alkoxysilane functional polycarbodiimide can be prepared from an isocyanate with an alkoxysilane function, but this polycarbodiimide does not contain hydrophilic groups and will as a result not be well dispersible in water or aqueous systems. Moreover, 36% of an organic solvent is used in the example of U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,437 so that the benefits of the present process are not disclosed. An example of U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,536 describes how an alkoxysilane functional carbodiimide can be prepared from an isocyanate with an alkoxysilane function, but the alkoxysilane functional carbodiimide concerned is made in a very low concentration in this example, so that the benefits of the present process are missing.
The object of the present invention is to provide a process in which the disadvantages mentioned above are eliminated.

Process for the preparation of multifunctional polycarbodiimides which are used as crosslinking agents


An integrated circuit memory contains a memory cell connected to a bit line that does not float during a portion or all of the read sensing part of the read cycle. The memory cell includes a data storage device. The data storage device may be a ferroelectric capacitor, a linear capacitor, a floating gate transistor, a magnetic device, a resistive device or other type of data storage device capable of placing a charge on the bit line corresponding to a specific data state of the memory cell. The bit line and a reference bit line are connected to a differential amplifier and precharged to specified voltages. Preferably, a self-nulling sense amplifier circuit is connected to the bit lines that compensates for sense amplifier offset by applying additional charges on the bit lines. Alternatively, charge sources may be connected to the bit lines to provide additional charges on the bit lines during the read cycle. Memory cells according to this invention can be configured to provide a reference cell for the reference bit line.

Integrated circuit memory devices are used to store information in a wide variety of electronic devices including, among others, personal computers, laptop computers, tablets, cellular telephones, data servers, digital cameras and video recorders. For example, an integrated circuit memory device may be used to store data for retrieval and processing by a microprocessor or similar data processing device. In order to read data stored in a memory device, the microprocessor typically supplies a memory address to an address input of the integrated circuit device, e.g., drives an address bus to which the microprocessor and the memory device are connected. The microprocessor and memory device may be on the same silicon chip or on separate silicon chips. In response, the memory device produces the data stored in the desired memory location at an output port. Internally, the memory device must have circuitry that takes the memory address, accesses the appropriate memory locations, reads the logic states of the memory cells and then routes the information to the output port.
A memory array typically has a plurality of word lines running in one direction and a plurality of bit lines running orthogonal to the word lines, allowing each memory cell to be addressed by a specific word line and a specific bit line. During a read operation, a signal is generated on the bit line by a data storage device and this signal is read by a sense amplifier connected to the bit line prior to the read data being routed to the output port.
A major goal for integrated circuit memories is to use the smallest memory cell size so that the cost per bit will be lowest and the memory capacity or density on a single silicon chip will be highest. The problem is that the read signal margin attainable by conventional memory designs limits the minimum size memory storage device that can be used and therefore limits the smallest memory cell size.
Read signal margin is limited by two significant issues in typical memory designs. First, because of manufacturing process variations, typical latching sense amplifier circuits that read the data states of memory cells along the bit lines have variable so-called offsets that limit the ability of these sense amplifiers to reliably detect very small signal differences on bit lines. Secondly, when memories that store data on charge storage capacitors use floating bit lines for the sensing portion of the read cycle, a capacitor divider effect reduces the read signal margin.
The read cycle of conventional prior art memories includes two necessary steps. First, bit lines are precharged to a predetermined voltage, typically ground potential commonly referred to as Vss. Second, charge is transferred between the memory cells and the bit lines. The amount of charge deposited on a bit line by a memory cell determines whether the memory cell was previously programmed in a logic "1" or logic "0" state. For memory cells that include charge storage capacitors, typically the bit lines are floating between these two steps, meaning they are only capacitively coupled to surrounding circuit nodes. This two step read process limits the read signal strength that might otherwise be attainable.
With respect to the first issue, a sense amplifier has an active input and a reference input. The sense amplifier must be designed and physically laid out as symmetrically as possible with respect to the active and reference inputs in order to detect the smallest bit line signals possible. Lack of symmetry in the operation of sense amplifiers is often characterized by what is commonly referred to as sense amplifier offset that causes the sense amplifier to favor reading one data state or the other.
The semiconductor industry has spent considerable effort in designing latching sense amplifiers with as little offset as possible. However, manufacturing process variations, including reticle alignment accuracies, cause the offset to vary and limit how well these sense amplifiers can perform. These variations can affect the circuits on different parts of the same chip of silicon as well as circuits on different chips of silicon and different manufacturing lots of silicon, providing non-uniform behavior of the sense amplifiers. Sense amplifier offset affects virtually every type of integrated circuit memory that uses bit lines whether or not the bit lines are floating during the sensing portion of the read cycle. Sense amplifier offset is well known to those skilled in the art.
With respect to the second issue, two common types of integrated circuit memories that store data on charge storage capacitors and use floating bit lines for the read sensing operation are dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) where the data are held by charge stored on capacitors and ferroelectric random access memories (FRAMs) where the data are held by the direction of a polarization field within ferroelectric capacitors. The DRAM charge storage capacitor is sometimes referred to as a linear capacitor to distinguish it from a ferroelectric capacitor, but the DRAM charge storage capacitor may have some non-linear characteristics.
DRAMs are volatile in that the data must be refreshed in the memory at regular and short intervals (typically less than 100 millisecond refresh time) because the data are lost even if the power remains applied to the memory. FRAMs are nonvolatile in that the data remain even when the power is removed because the polarization field within the ferroelectric capacitor remains. Typical DRAMs and FRAMs have read cycles that are destructive meaning that the logic state in a memory cell is lost during the read operation. In this case, the data in the memory cell is replaced at the end of the read cycle, often called the restore or rewrite part of the read cycle.
Typical operation of DRAMs and FRAMs have the charge storage capacitor configured in series with the capacitance of a floating bit line for the read sensing operation. The charge from the DRAM capacitor or the FRAM ferroelectric capacitor shares between the capacitance of the charge storage capacitor and the bit line capacitance. This charge sharing reduces the read signal strength obtainable on the bit line. In the case of an FRAM, the series capacitance effect also limits the magnitude of the switching voltage that can be applied across the ferroelectric capacitor
Because the capacitor divider effect affects both read signal attenuation and the magnitude of the switching voltage in a typical FRAM, it is useful to review the operation of a typical FRAM. FIG. 1 shows a schematic of the configuration of a typical FRAM according to prior art for an n-channel implementation. For simplicity, schematics based on n-channel transistor implementations and 1T/1C memory cells are shown in the current patent. It is clear to one skilled in the art that the schematics can be implemented using p-channel transistors instead of n-channel transistors. For the same drive p-channel word line transistors are larger adding more capacitance to the bit line but may have advantages in certain applications such as radiation hardened circuits because n-channel transistors that show increase in leakage current after ionizing radiation are not used in the memory array. Converting the circuits from n-channel to p-channel is straightforward for one skilled in the art. A DRAM is similar to the circuit shown in FIG. 1 except ferroelectric capacitor 22 is replaced by a linear capacitor and for the sensing portion of the read cycle electrode 29 of the linear DRAM capacitor is typically at ground potential Vss. Ground potential Vss and power supply voltage Vdd are typically referred to as the power supply rails.
A typical FRAM has a plate line 32 running parallel to word line 28, although in some cases plate line 32 might run parallel to bit line 30. One electrode 29 of ferroelectric capacitor 22 is connected to plate line 32 on which the voltage can be varied. The opposite electrode 27 of the ferroelectric capacitor 22 is connected through word line transistor 25 to bit line 30 when the memory cell is selected for the read operation. The ferroelectric memory cell consists of ferroelectric capacitor 22 and word line transistor 25. Ferroelectric memory capacitor 22 is in series with bit line parasitic capacitance 23 for reading the logic state of a memory cell. Bit line capacitance 23 is actually distributed along the length of the bit line but for clarity it is shown in FIG. 1 as a lumped capacitance. For the sensing portion of the read cycle, bit line 30 is floating, meaning that it is only capacitively coupled to neighboring nodes.
Typically, the logic state of an FRAM memory cell is stored by one of two directions of the polarization field within ferroelectric memory capacitor 22, as is familiar to one skilled in the art. The two different polarization directions can be programmed into ferroelectric capacitor 22, one resulting when sufficient positive electrical voltage is applied from plate line 32 to bit line 30 and the other resulting when sufficient positive electrical voltage is applied from bit line 30 to plate line 32. For a subsequent read operation, if an electrical voltage is applied to ferroelectric capacitor 22 on plate line 32 with word line transistor 25 on and bit line 30 floating, the polarization direction in ferroelectric capacitor 22 will either switch to the opposite polarization direction (typically referred to as opposite state) or will remain in the same direction (typically referred to as same state) depending on whether a logic state "1" or logic state "0" was previously written into ferroelectric capacitor 22. In both polarization cases, there is a linear charge that will flow out of ferroelectric capacitor 22 onto floating bit line 30 due to the linear capacitance of ferroelectric capacitor 22. This linear charge will be the same for logic states "1" or "0." However, if the polarization of ferroelectric capacitor 22 switches to the opposite state during the sensing portion of the read cycle, an additional charge, typically referred to as switched charge, will flow onto floating bit line 30 causing the voltage generated on floating bit line 30 to be higher than that if only the linear charge flows onto bit line 30. This difference in voltage on bit line 30 for a stored logic state "1" or "0" during the sensing portion of the read cycle allows a logic state "1" to be distinguished from a logic state "0" by a latching sense amplifier connected to bit line 30 and powered at a predetermined time during the read cycle. Design and operation of sense amplifiers is well known to one skilled in the art. Because this FRAM read is destructive, data are rewritten into ferroelectric memory capacitor 22 at the end of the read cycle with the sense amplifier providing an appropriate voltage on bit line 30 while plate line 32 is cycled in voltage.
The read cycle timing and operation during the sensing portion of the read cycle is well known to one skilled in the art. For the current invention, the sensing portion of the read cycle is defined as the time between when precharging of bit line 30 (typically to ground potential Vss) is completed using transistor 24 and the time that a latching sense amplifier is powered to latch the data.
At the start of the sensing portion of the read cycle the sense amplifier is not powered. Bit line 30 is precharged to ground potential by turning on transistor 24. Transistor 24 is then turned off allowing bit line 30 to float. Transistor 25 is turned on, connecting electrode 27 of ferroelectric capacitor 22 to floating bit line 30. A voltage sufficient to switch the polarization state of ferroelectric capacitor 22 is then applied to plate line 32. As the voltage on plate line 32 is increased, the voltage to which bit line 30 rises during the sensing portion of the read cycle depends on the direction of polarization previously set in ferroelectric capacitor 22 and whether the polarization direction of ferroelectric capacitor 22 switches. After a predetermined amount of time where the voltage on bit line 30 is still below the power supply voltage, a latching sense amplifier connected to bit line 30 is powered to latch the data state of the memory cell, completing the sensing portion of the read cycle in preparation for the data to be directed to the output port of the memory.
The problem is that for a floating bit line 30, ferroelectric capacitor 22 and bit line parasitic capacitance 23 are in a series electrical circuit configuration, typically known as a capacitor divider, during the sensing portion of the read cycle. When the voltage is applied to plate line 32 of ferroelectric capacitor 22 for the sensing portion of the read cycle, the voltage divides between ferroelectric capacitor 22 and bit line capacitance 23, thereby reducing the amount of voltage available to cause adequate switching of the polarization direction of ferroelectric capacitor 22. This can result in less read signal amplitude and margin. With respect to the switching voltage across ferroelectric capacitor 22, this capacitor divider effect becomes more severe for a shorter bit line 30 that has smaller bit line capacitance 23. Therefore, the capacitor divider effect limits the smallest bit line capacitance 23 that might be used because the voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor 22 to cause its polarization direction to switch can be inadequate.
Conversely, to reduce the effect of this switching voltage reduction across ferroelectric capacitor 22 during the sensing portion of the read cycle, a bit line 30 with more capacitance 23 might be used. However, higher capacitance 23 on bit line 30 attenuates the read signal (voltage generated on bit line 30) because of the capacitor divider effect, resulting in an inadequate voltage difference on bit line 30 between a logic state "1" and logic state "0" to be reliably distinguished by a sense amplifier. So there is a serious trade off in the design of such a conventional FRAM determined by the ratio of bit line capacitance 23 to linear capacitance of ferroelectric capacitor 22. This trade off limits the minimum area ferroelectric capacitor 22 that can be used, the minimum size memory cell that can be used and the ability to scale the FRAM technology to smaller technology nodes. These factors increase the cost per bit of a typical FRAM.
With respect to a DRAM, higher capacitance on a bit line causes the read signal to be attenuated similarly to that of an FRAM. However, a DRAM memory capacitor does not have to switch by applying a voltage to a plate line, so a DRAM does not have the switching voltage issue.
FIG. 2 summarizes the capacitor divider trade-off by showing the read signal strength and switching signal strength as a function of the bit line to ferroelectric memory storage capacitor capacitance ratio. For this ratio, the capacitance of the ferroelectric capacitor is the linear capacitance of the ferroelectric capacitor. For example, for a 5 to 1 bit line capacitance to cell capacitance ratio that may be typical of today's FRAM designs, while the switching voltage can be larger than 80% of the power supply voltage, the read signal strength is reduced more than a factor of 5 (less than 20% read signal strength). For a 1 to 1 bit line capacitance to cell capacitance ratio, the read signal strength is reduced by a lesser amount of 50%, but the switching voltage is reduced by a larger factor of two.
Because of these signal strength problems, FRAMs typically use a pair of circuits shown in FIG. 1 for each memory cell. This is often referred to as a two transistor, two capacitor (2T/2C) memory cell. One circuit goes to one side of the latching sense amplifier and the other circuit goes to the reference side of the latching sense amplifier. One of the two ferroelectric capacitors is programmed to one polarization direction and the other ferroelectric capacitor is programmed to the opposite polarization direction to provide a stronger differential signal into the sense amplifier. During the sensing portion of the read cycle, the polarization direction of one of the ferroelectric capacitors switches (opposite state) and the polarization direction of the other ferroelectric capacitor does not switch (same state). The differential in voltage generated on the two floating bit lines during the sensing portion of the read cycle is sensed by a latching sense amplifier powered at a predetermined time during the read operation. Which of the two capacitors that switches polarization direction determines if the logic state of the 2T/2C memory cell is a "1" or a "0".
The 2T/2C memory cells are approximately twice the size of memory cells that employ a single ferroelectric capacitor. These latter types of memory cells are typically referred to as 1T/1C memory cells, but the industry has had a difficult time developing a sense amplifier reference signal that allows a logic state "1" to be distinguished reliably from a logic state "0". This difficulty arises because of low read signal strength on the bit lines and sense amplifier offset. In addition, the absolute bit line voltages can vary depending on a number of factors, such as with time during the sensing portion of the read cycle and with decrease of polarization of the ferroelectric capacitors over time. A fixed reference voltage is therefore not the best type of reference for a 1T/1C FRAM configuration. For a given technology node, the 2T/2C memory cells double the cost per bit of a 1T/1C memory cell and reduce the memory capacity (total number of data bits) or density for a given area of silicon by half.
With respect to the operation of a DRAM, the data are stored in the form of charge on a linear capacitor using a circuit almost identical to that in FIG. 1. However, ferroelectric capacitor 22 is replaced by a linear capacitor that has no polarization within it and the plate line is held at ground potential for both read and write operations, as previously noted. During a write operation, charge is applied and stored on the DRAM capacitor by a voltage applied on the bit line for one logic state. For the other logic state, charge is not applied on the DRAM capacitor by holding the voltage on the bit line at ground potential. During the sensing portion of the read cycle, in contrast to an FRAM, it is the charge stored on the DRAM capacitor rather than switched charge that flows onto the bit line. Like the FRAM, this charge shares with that of the floating bit line capacitance. Therefore the read signal strength attenuation shown in FIG. 2 also applies to DRAMs.

Integrated memory device and method of operating same


A fluorescence probe dye is introduced into a cell, and excitation beams at three defferent wavelengths are irradiated to the cell to measure intensities of the fluorescence generated by the excitation beams, corresponding to the three wavelengths. Then, an equilibrium reaction equation for concentrations of the fluorescence probe dye, protein, free ions and their complexes in the cell, and a relationship equation between the fluorescence probe dye, protein, free ions and their complexes are used as simultaneous equations to give concentrations of the respective components. This process can correct interactions among various components of the cell due to bonding among them and a correct ion concentration can be determined.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for measuring distributions and changes of concentrations of ions, in a cell, which contribute to controlling of functions, etc. of the cell.
2. Related Background Art
In quantifying concentrations of free ions, such as calcium ions, etc., which are present in a live cell, fluorescence probe dyes, such as Fura-2, Indo-1, etc., are used. The methods of synthesis and characteristics of these dyes are described in "The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 260, No. 6, pp. 3340-3450 (1985)" and "Biophysical Journal, Vol. 54, pp. 1089-1104 (1988)". These probe dyes have a characteristic that they bond with and dissociate from certain ions to have variable fluorescence characteristics. Due to this characteristic, a probe dye is applied into a cell, and an intensity of fluorescence generated by an excitation beam is measured, whereby an ion concentration in the cell can be measured.
The measurement based on excitation beams at only one wavelength and fluorescence of only one wavelength cannot give accurate measured values when distribution of a probe dye in the cell is not uniform. In addition there is a possibility that changes of a fluorescence intensity, such as attenuation of fluorescence, etc., which are independent of an ion concentration are measured together.
To make up for this disadvantage a method has been employed in which a fluorescence probe dye having an isosbestic point is used to measure either fluorescence intensities corresponding to excitation beams at two different wavelengths, or intensities of fluorescence at two wavelengths generated by an excitation beam of one wavelength, and the ratio of the fluorescence at the two wavelengths is determined.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show examples of the prior art, demonstrating excitation spectra and emission spectra of a fluorescence probe dye used in the above-described method. FIG. 1A shows excitation spectra of Fura-2 for measuring a concentration of calcium ions in samples, and the figures above the curves depicting the spectra indicate calcium ion concentrations in samples. As shown, a characteristic of Fura-2 is that it bonds with calcium ions in a cell to increase the fluorescence intensity in response to an excitation beam of 340 nm wavelength. Conversely, its fluorescence intensity is decreased by an excitation beam of 380 nm wavelength. Another characteristic of Fura-2 is that an intensity of the fluorescence generated by an excitation beam of 360 nm wavelength is independent of concentrations of calcium ions. In the case where Fura-2 is used, a calcium ion concentration is given based on a fluorescence intensity ratio between, e.g., 340 nm and 380 nm, or 340 nm and 360 nm, and on a calibration curve prepared beforehand. The calibration curve for converting a value of the fluorescence intensity ratio into an absolute value of a concentration can be obtained by preparing a dye containing calcium ions of a known concentration, introducing a fluorescence probe dye thereinto and measuring a fluorescence intensity ratio.
FIG. 1B is a fluorescence spectra of Indo-1 and shows spectra at respective wavelengths of fluorescence generated when a cell is irradiated with an excitation beam of 355 nm wavelength. Indo-1 has an isosbestic point at around a fluorescence wavelength of 440 nm, as does Fura-2. Accordingly, in the same way as the above-described case using Fura-2, a calcium ion concentration in the cell can be given based on a fluorescence intensity ratio between two wavelengths of the fluorescence generated by the irradiation of an excitation beam of one wavelength.
Measuring devices for use in the above-described measuring methods using fluorescence probe dyes are spectrofluorometers, microphotometers combining fluorescence microscopes and photomultipliers, image analyzers combining fluorescence microscopes and television cameras, etc.
The above-described methods are elaborated in "A. Miyakawa et al., Bunseki Kagaku, Vol. 38, No. 11, pp. 842-649 (1989)", and "A. Miyakawa, Photomedical and Photobiology, Vol. 13, pp. 15-18 (1981)".
In the above-described dual wavelength fluorescence measuring method, an error deriving from a non-homogenous concentration of a probe dye introduced into a cell can be corrected by calculating a fluorescence intensity ratio.
The above-described method is usable in cases where a probe dye is reactive only with certain ions, but it is considered that in a cell the probe dye bonds also with protein, membrane components, etc. which are present there in high concentrations. Accordingly fluorescence spectra of the probe dye, and a chelating constant thereof with ions adversely change. Then a problem with the dual wavelength fluorescence measuring method is that an error resulting from such interactions between the dye and components other than ions cannot be corrected, and an accurate ion concentration cannot be given.

Method for measurement of intracellular ion concentration using fluorescence probe dyes


A calibration standard for calibrating a tool for measuring the surface energy of a data storage component is prepared by providing a standardized sized, dimensionally stable bead having a diameter selected from a length of from 1 to 100 μm and depositing the bead on a surface of a substrate and adhering the bead to the surface with an adhesive. The calibration standard made by these processes is also contemplated.

The present disclosure relates to preparation of a calibration standard for calibrating water contact angles.
Examples of data storage components include components of hard disk drive systems (HDDs). HDDs include one or more magnetic data storage disks. HDDs are data storage devices that include one or more rotatable disks to which data is written and read by way of one or more transducing heads. A transducing head carried by a slider assembly near the disk is used to read from or write to data tracks on the magnetic disk while the disk spins. The slider assembly includes a transducing read head, a transducing write head, or both, along with a "slider element" that includes a surface that faces the spinning disk and acts as an "air bearing" relative to the spinning disk to permit smaller fly heights and close slider proximity to the disk surfaces. In embodiments, the head slider is provided with surfaces having specified surface tension requirements for desired operation.
Measurement of surface tension of various surfaces in data storage devices can be carried out by a number of techniques, most notably by evaluation of the contact angle of drops of certain liquids placed on the surface. As part of the process of carrying out a conventional surface tension measurement, one normally calibrates the instrument that measures the contact angle of a drop.

Water contact angle calibration standard


In a sheet transport system for a reproduction machine, the transport system defining a transport channel through which the sheet travels in a transport direction, an improvement comprises one or more plenums associated with the transport channel, each plenum connectable to an air flow supply, and one or more openings between each plenum and the transport channel. At least one of the one or more openings is arranged to direct air flowing through the plenum into the transport channel in the transport direction.

The present disclosure relates generally to electrostatic reproduction machines, and more particularly to an apparatus to assist in the transport of sheets through such machines.
In a typical toner image reproduction machine, for example an electrostatic printing process machine, a photoconductive member is charged to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. The charged portion of the photoconductive member is exposed to a light image of an original document being reproduced. Exposure of the charged photoconductive member selectively dissipates the charges thereon in the irradiated areas to record an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive member corresponding to the informational areas contained within the original document.
After the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member, the latent image is developed by bringing a developer material into contact therewith. Generally, the developer material comprises toner particles adhering triboelectrically to carrier granules. The toner particles are attracted from the carrier granules to the latent image forming a toner powder image on the photoconductive member. The toner powder image is then transferred from the photoconductive member to a copy sheet. The toner particles are heated to permanently affix the powder image to the copy sheet.
The foregoing generally describes a typical black and white electrostatic printing machine. With the advent of multicolor electrophotography, it is desirable to use an architecture which comprises a plurality of image forming stations. One example of the plural image forming station architecture utilizes an image-on-image (IOI) system in which the photoreceptive member is recharged, reimaged and developed for each color separation. This charging, imaging, developing and recharging, reimaging and developing, all followed by transfer to paper, is done in a single revolution of the photoreceptor in so-called single pass machines, while multi-pass architectures form each color separation with a single charge, image and develop, with separate transfer operations for each color.
In either case, the toner image ordinarily is transferred unfused onto a copy sheet of paper, which is then picked up by a transport mechanism (a pre-fuser transport) for delivery to a fuser assembly where the toner is heated and fused to make a finished copy. Conventional pre-fuser transport mechanisms typically use rotating belts stretched between a drive shaft and an idler shaft with perforations in the belts that allow vacuum pressure from a blower to be drawn through holes in a plate below the belts, and through the belts to the sheet. The vacuum pressure assists each sheet of paper that has an image on it via electrically charged toner particles, to be pulled off the photoreceptor and acquired on the pre-fuser transport, without disturbing the unfused image on the sheet, especially in the transfer zone. The sheet is then transported and delivered to the fuser module where the toner particles are heated and pressure-fused to the sheet.
Referring to FIG. 1, a typical electrostatic or electrophotographic printing machine is depicted. The machine employs a photoconductive belt that is preferably made from a photoconductive material coated on a grounding layer, which, in turn, is coated on an anti-curl backing layer. The photoconductive material is made from a transport layer coated on a generator layer. The transport layer transports positive charges from the generator layer. The belt moves in the direction of the arrow to advance successive portions of the photoconductive surface sequentially through the various processing stations disposed about the path of movement thereof. Initially, a portion of the photoconductive surfaces passes through a charging station A. At the charging station A, two corona generating devices charge photoconductive belt to a relatively high, substantially uniform potential.
Next, the charged portion of photoconductive belt is advanced through an imaging station B. At the imaging station B, a document handling unit H is positioned over a platen of the printing machine. The document handling unit H sequentially feeds documents from a stack of documents to be copied. After imaging, the original document is returned to a document tray by either of two paths. If a simplex copy is being made or if this is the first pass of a duplex copy, the original document is returned to the document tray via a simplex path. If this is the inversion pass of a duplex copy, then the original document is returned to the document tray through the duplex path.
Imaging of the document is typically achieved by two Xenon flash lamps which illuminate the document on the platen. Light rays reflected from the document are transmitted through a lens that focuses light images of the original document onto the charged portion of the photoconductive surface of belt to selectively dissipate the charge thereon. This event records an electrostatic latent image on photoconductive belt which corresponds to the informational areas contained within the original document. Thereafter, the photoconductive belt advances the electrostatic latent image recorded thereon to the development station C.
At the development station C, a magnetic brush developer unit delivers developer to developer rolls. The photoconductor belt is partially wrapped about the rolls to form extended development zones. Thus, the developer rolls advance developer material into contact with the electrostatic latent image. The latent image attracts toner particles from the carrier granules of the developer material to form a toner powder image on the photoconductive surface of belt. The belt then advances the toner powder image to a transfer station D.
At the transfer station D, a copy sheet is moved into contact with the toner powder image. First, the photoconductive belt is exposed to a pre-transfer light from a lamp (not shown) to reduce the attraction between the belt and the toner powder image. Next, a corona generating device charges the copy sheet to the proper magnitude and polarity so that the copy sheet is tacked to the photoconductive belt and the toner powder image attracted from the photoconductive belt to the copy sheet. After transfer, the corona generator charges the copy sheet to the opposite polarity to detach the copy sheet from the belt. A conveyer typically advances the copy sheet to a fusing station E.
The fusing station E includes a fuser assembly which permanently affixes the transferred toner powder image to the copy sheet. Preferably, the fuser assembly includes a heated fuser roller and a pressure roller with the powder image on the copy sheet contacting fuser roller. The fuser roll is internally heated by a quartz lamp. Release agent, stored in a reservoir, is pumped to a metering roll. A trim blade trims off the excess release agent. The release agent transfers to a donor roll and then to the fuser roll.
After fusing, the copy sheets may be fed through a decurler 55. The decurler 55 bends the copy sheet in such a way that the sheet curl produced during the fusing operation is substantially reduced. The decurler may be configured as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,268, issued to the assignee of the present invention on Nov. 6, 2001. The disclosure of this application, and particularly the description of the reproduction machine and the interface between the fusing station and the decurler, is incorporated herein by reference.
Forwarding rollers 62 then advance the sheet along a transport chute 60 to a duplex solenoid gate 65. This gate guides the sheet to a finishing station F or to a duplex tray 70. The duplex tray provides an intermediate storage for those sheets that have been printed on one side and on which an image will be subsequently printed on the second, opposed side thereof—i.e., the sheets being duplexed. In order to complete duplex copying, the simplex sheets in tray 70 are fed back to the transfer station D for transfer of the toner powder image to the opposed sides of the copy sheets. The duplex sheet is then fed through the same path as the simplex sheet to be advanced to the finishing station F.
Copy sheets are fed to the transfer station D from a high speed feeder tray I or from secondary trays 72. In many machines, a vacuum feed belt feeds successive uppermost sheets from the trays to the transfer station D.
One problem with electrostatic reproduction machines of the type just described is that the copy sheets are often difficult to extract from the fuser rolls. Many machines incorporate a stripper apparatus that separates the leading edge of a sheet from a heated fuser roll. One example of an apparatus of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,228, issued to the assignee of the present invention on Aug. 24, 2004.
Another problem with electrostatic reproduction machines is that the copy sheets leaving the fusing station E are at a high enough temperature to cause blocking—i.e., successive sheets stick together. Moreover, in the duplexing mode, the high sheet temperature often causes defects in the image transferred in the duplex pass through the machine.
One solution to this problem has been to lengthen the transport path of the sheet as it exits the fusing station. This approach inherently increases the space required between the fusing station E and the solenoid gate 65. In addition, the lengthened transport path usually requires the use of nip rollers, such as the rollers 62 shown in FIG. 1, which can mar the transferred image. Another approach to solving the high temperature problem has been to direct machine air flow across the sheet as it exits the fusing station. In some cases, this air flow may be disruptive to the smooth transport of the sheet to the subsequent stations. Moreover, the amount of air flow required to adequately cool sheets leaving the fusing station at high page-per-minute rates typically requires an air flow system that is size or cost prohibitive.
There is a need for a transport apparatus that addresses the high temperature problem associated with sheets discharged from a typical fusing station. This need is particularly acute for high volume reproduction machines and for machines with duplex capabilities.

Air drag cooler for sheet transport apparatus


A unitary foam packing element including a planar piece of foam which is precut with a plurality of score lines. The score lines define a first planar portion and a second planar portion, and enable the first planar portion to be folded over onto the second planar portion to thereby form a flat cavity between the first planar portion and the second planar portion. The score lines further define an end panel adjacent the second planar portion, which is adapted to be folded along a respective one of the score lines so as to form a first end wall of the flat cavity, and an intermediate portion between the first planar portion and the second planar portion, which is adapted to form a second end wall of the flat cavity that is opposite the first end wall.

Packing systems or packaging systems for planar objects are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,193 discloses a packaging system comprising a container made from expanded plastic and having two parts, either two bottoms, a bottom and a lid, or two lids. The two parts are placed around the substantially planar object to be packaged and the two are joined together by sealing a strip of adhesive tape along and over their outside juncture. At least one impact strip of plastic foam may be provided to protect the planar object within the cavity of the container from damage by impact forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,978 discloses a shipping container for a stack of flat glass sheets. The container comprises a piece of corrugated fiberboard that is cut and scored to form a closed shipping container when folded. A resilient and compressible corner pad is provided at each corner of the stack to absorb shock.
As evidenced by the prior art discussed above, such packing systems generally require a multitude of components in order to provide the desired level of protection to the planar object. Moreover, a plurality of sizes of packing systems are required in order to adequately accommodate the various sizes of planar objects to be protected.

SCA North America-Packaging Division, Inc.


An improved apparatus for automatically retaining a removable chamber during operation, in a system for separating and irradiating multi-component fluids. A clamp arm that having two ends is provided: the first acts as a securing means, the second contains the clamp arm center of mass. The clamp arm is pivoted on the rotating chuck near the interface of the rotating chuck interior and the removable chamber exterior. The pivot allows for rotation of the clamp arm about the pivot, the pivot being located between the first end with the securing means and the second end containing the center of mass. When the chuck is rotating, the end of the clamp arm containing the center of mass rotates outward, causing the clamp arm securing means to pivot above the removable chamber thereby securing it in place.

This invention relates to an improvement in securing or chucking, in a system for separating and irradiating multi-component fluids and, in particular, to the use of such systems in the field of treating cells with photoactivatable compounds by radiation, which activates the compounds to effect cellular change.
Numerous human disease states of the body respond favorably to the treatment of selected bodily fluid components, such as those found in blood, by visible or ultraviolet light irradiation Such treatment may be effective to eliminate immunogenicity in cells, inactive or kill selected cells, inactivate viruses or bacteria, or activate desirable immune responses. Certain forms of treatment with light irradiation may be effective without the introduction of outside agents or compounds, while others may involve the introduction of specific agents or catalysts. Among the latter treatment techniques is the use of photoactivatable agents to regulate the population of leukocytes. It is well-known that a number of human disease states may be characterized by the over production of certain types of leukocytes, including lymphocytes, in comparison to other populations of cells which normally comprise whole blood. Excessive or abnormal lymphocyte populations result in numerous adverse effects in patients including the functional impairment of bodily organs, leukocyte mediated autoimmune diseases and leukemia related disorders many of which often ultimately result in fatality.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,321,919; 4,398,906; 4,428,744 and 4,464,166 to Edelson describe methods for treating blood whereby the operation or viability of certain cellular population may be moderated thereby providing relief for these patients. In general, the methods comprise treating the blood with a dissolved photactivatable drug, such as psoralen, which is capable of forming photoaducts with DNA in the presence of ultraviolet (U.V.) radiation. It is believed that covalent bonding results between the psoralen and the lymphocyte nucleic acid thereby effecting metabolic inhibition of the treated cells. Following extracorporeal irradiation, the cells are returned to the patient where they are thought to be cleared by natural processes but at an accelerated pace, believed attributable to disruption of membrane integrity, alteration of DNA within the cell, or like conditions often associated with substantial loss of cellular effectiveness or viability.
Although a number of photoactivatable compounds in the psoralen class are known, 8-methoxy psoralen is presently the compound of choice. An effective radiation for this compound, and for many psoralens in general, is the ultraviolet spectrum in the range of approximately 320 to 400 nanometers, alternatively referred to as the uvA spectrum. As the development of photoactivatable compounds proceeds, it may be expected that changes in the preferred activation radiation spectrum may occur. For instance, it may be preferable to treat some disease states with light in the ultraviolet spectrum of 280 to 320 nanometers, referred to as the uvB spectrum.
An apparatus for carrying out the above referenced Edelson method of treatment is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,473 to Lee et al. This document describes in detail a multi-component bodily fluid separating and irradiation system which includes a housing, a rotatable chuck located within the housing, a removable separation/irradiation chamber suitable for mounting in the rotatable chuck which has at least one passage way for the passing of a multi-component bodily fluid into and out of the rotatable chamber, and a source radiant energy connected to the housing and located near the separation irradiation chamber so as to allow transmission of radiant energy to the interior of the chamber that contains the multi-component bodily fluid.
While the foregoing system and method has met clinical and regulatory standards, it is desirable to provide the system with greater operational efficiency.
In particular, the current system for retaining the removable separation/irradiation chamber utilizes either screws, which are subject to over- or under-tightening with each use, along with O-rings for gripping when the screws are tightened. In addition to problems with the tightening of the screws, the O-rings present an additional problem that make it difficult to insert or release the centrifuge bowl unless the O-rings are regularly cleaned and frequently greased.
Another method for retaining the bowl is the use of wedges. Wedges however, can be misplaced and lost and also present the possibility of being improperly inserted.
Finally, vacuum systems are available to retain the removable chamber while it is being rotated during use. Although vacuum systems are convenient, they are fairly complicated requiring pumps and rotating seals. In addition, this type of system has components that can be contaminated by a spill and is difficult to clean.
It is an object therefore, of the present invention to provide a system for automatically securing a removable chamber inside a rotating chuck that does not require operator adjustment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a securing system that does not have parts that can be misplaced and lost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a securing system that is simple, does not require additional active mechanical components and does not require cleaning or maintenance.


The formation of risperidone is enhanced by the use of enriched Z-isomer oxime intermediate(s) of formula (3) or (7).

Risperidone, or 3-[2-[4-(6-Fluoro-1,2-benzisoxazol-3-yl)-1-piperidinyl]-ethyl]-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-2-methyl -4-H-pyrido[1,2-a]-pyrimidin-4-one, is a serotonin antagonist approved for the treatment of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Its structure is shown in formula (1).
The compound and its pharmaceutical activity are identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,663.
Various methods for making risperidone are known. Typically the synthesis includes forming the benzisoxazole ring moiety by cyclizing an oxime intermediate. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,663, which corresponds to EP 196132, discloses oximating a 4-(2,4-difluorobenzoyl)piperidine hydrochloride (2)
by treating with hydroxylamine to yield a corresponding oxime (3).
The oxime is cyclized by a base in water to yield 6-fluoro-3-(4-piperidinyl)-1,2-benzizoxazole, compound (4) in approximately 62% yield.
The benzisoxazole compound (4) is N-alkylated with the 3-(2-chloroethyl)-2-methyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-4H-pyrido[1,2a]pyrimidin-4-one hydrochloride, compound (5)
in the presence of sodium carbonate and potassium iodide in dimethylformamide, to yield risperidone base in a relatively low yield (46%). This last step was reportedly improved in WO 02/14286 and in WO 02/12200 by replacing the dimethylformamide with acetonitrile, isopropanol, methyl ethylketone or iso-butanol as the solvent.
An alternative oxime route is described in ES 2050069 wherein the starting piperidine compound (2) is first N-alkylated with the pyridopyrimidinone compound (5), under essentially the same alkylation conditions as above, to yield (63%) of a dihydrochloride of an alkylated ketone compound (6).
The ketone (6) is oximated by hydroxylamine hydrochloride to yield (76%) of an alkylated oxime (7).
The oxime (7) is then cyclized in the presence of a base in 80-85% yield to the desired risperidone base.
In addition to these prior art procedures, another oxime-based synthesis route has been proposed for compounds analogous to risperidone in EP 368 888 and in EP 453042. While not applied to risperidone, the general scheme suggests forming an oxime analogous to the compound of (7) by first converting a ketone (2) to the oxime (3). This oxime is then alkylated, prior to cyclization, by the corresponding pyridopyrimidine compound to yield an alkylated oxime analogous to compound (7). As in ES 2050069, the last step is to cyclize the oxime to form the benzisoxazole ring.
The use of a different oxime compound in forming risperidone is suggested in Spanish Patent No. 2,074,966. In this patent a pyran-containing oxime of the formula
is formed. After cyclization to form the isoxazole ring, the pyran ring is opened and ultimately reacted with an amino-pyridopyrimidinone compound to form risperidone. The patent also discloses the isolation of the "syn" isomer of the oxime molecule, using chromatographic methods, from the crude mixture having a "syn/anti" ratio of 3:1.
It would be desirable to provide another useful method and reagents for making risperidone, especially a method and reagents that can provide for improved results.

Process for making risperidone and intermediates therefor

Abstract: The oxime(s) can be isomerically enriched by a variety of techniques including the use of the novel acetic acid salt thereof, which affords, inter alia, resolution of the isomers and/or by heat conversion.


A plate for a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell system is disclosed, wherein the plate includes a top layer formed from a diffusion medium and a bottom layer formed from a diffusion medium with an array of substantially planar elongate ribbons disposed therebetween.

Fuel cell systems are increasingly being used as a power source in a wide variety of applications. Fuel cell systems have been proposed for use in power consumers such as vehicles as a replacement for internal combustion engines, for example. Such a system is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/418,536, hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Fuel cell systems may also be used as stationary electric power plants in buildings and residences, as portable power in video cameras, computers, and the like. Typically, the fuel cell systems generate electricity used to charge batteries or to provide power for an electric motor.
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices which directly combine a fuel such as hydrogen and an oxidant such as oxygen to produce electricity. The oxygen is typically supplied by an air stream. The hydrogen and oxygen combine to result in the formation of water. Other fuels can be used such as natural gas, methanol, gasoline, and coal-derived synthetic fuels, for example.
The basic process employed by a fuel cell system is efficient, substantially pollution-free, quiet, free from moving parts (other than an air compressor, cooling fans, pumps and actuators), and may be constructed to leave only heat and water as by-products. The term "fuel cell" is typically used to refer to either a single cell or a plurality of cells, depending upon the context in which it is used. The plurality of cells is typically bundled together and arranged to form a stack, with the plurality of cells commonly arranged in electrical series. Since single fuel cells can be assembled into stacks of varying sizes, systems can be designed to produce a desired energy output level providing flexibility of design for different applications.
Different fuel cell types can be provided such as phosphoric acid, alkaline, molten carbonate, solid oxide, and proton exchange membrane (PEM), for example. The basic components of a PEM-type fuel cell are two electrodes separated by a polymer membrane electrolyte. Each electrode is coated on one side with a thin catalyst layer. The electrodes, catalyst, and membrane together form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA).
In a typical PEM-type fuel cell, the MEA is sandwiched between "anode" and "cathode" diffusion media (hereinafter "DM's") or diffusion layers that are formed from a resilient, conductive, and gas permeable material such as carbon fabric or paper. The DM's serve as the primary current collectors for the anode and cathode, as well as provide mechanical support for the MEA. Alternatively, the DM may contain the catalyst layer and be in contact with the membrane. The DM's and MEA are pressed between a pair of electronically conductive plates which serve as secondary current collectors for collecting the current from the primary current collectors. The plates conduct current between adjacent cells internally of the stack in the case of bipolar plates and conduct current externally of the stack in the case of monopolar plates at the end of the stack.
The secondary current collector plates each contain at least one active region that distributes the gaseous reactants over the major faces of the anode and cathode. These active regions, also known as flow fields, typically include a plurality of lands which engage the primary current collector and define a plurality of grooves or flow channels therebetween. The channels supply the hydrogen and the oxygen to the electrodes on either side of the PEM. In particular, the hydrogen flows through the channels to the anode where the catalyst promotes separation into protons and electrons. On the opposite side of the PEM, the oxygen flows through the channels to the cathode where the oxygen attracts the hydrogen protons through the PEM. The electrons are captured as useful energy through an external circuit and are combined with the protons and oxygen to produce water vapor at the cathode side.
Many fuel cells use internal membranes, such as the PEM type fuel cell which includes proton exchange membranes, also referred to as polymer electrolyte membranes. In order to perform within a desired efficiency range, it is desirable to maintain the membranes in a moist condition. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a means for maintaining the fuel cell membranes in the moist condition. This helps avoid damage to or a shortened life of the membranes, as well as to maintain the desired efficiency of operation. For example, lower water content of the membrane leads to a higher proton conduction resistance, thus resulting in a higher ohmic voltage loss. The humidification of the feed gases, in particular at the cathode inlet, is desirable in order to maintain sufficient water content in the membrane. Humidification in a fuel cell is discussed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/797,671 to Goebel et al.; commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/912,298 to Sennoun et al.; and commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/087,911 to Forte, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
To maintain a desired moisture level, an air humidifier is frequently used to humidify the air stream used in the fuel cell. The air humidifier normally consists of a round or box type air humidification module that is installed into a housing of the air humidifier. Examples of this type of air humidifier are shown and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/516,483 to Tanihara et al., hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,195, hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Membrane humidifiers have also been utilized to fulfill fuel cell humidification requirements. For the automotive fuel cell humidification application, such a membrane humidifier needs to be compact, exhibit low pressure drop, and have high performance characteristics. Typical membrane humidifiers include a wet plate that includes a plurality of flow channels formed therein adjacent a DM. The flow channels are adapted to convey a wet gas from the cathode of the fuel cell to the exhaust. Typical membrane humidifiers also include a dry plate that includes a plurality of flow channels formed therein adjacent a DM. The flow channels are adapted to convey a dry gas from a source of gas to the cathode of the fuel cell. A similar membrane humidifier assembly can be used for an anode side of the fuel cell, or otherwise as desired.
The flow channels are typically formed on both sides of the wet plate and the dry plate, which are separated by a web. The web militates against the deformation of the material forming the flow channels. By utilizing the web for support of the plates and flow channels, the overall dimensions of the plates and the flow channels are increased, thereby resulting in increased material and manufacturing costs, as well as an increased fabrication time of the membrane humidifier.
Typically, a DM is disposed adjacent the flow channels on each side of the wet plate and each side of the dry plate. To militate against movement of the DM's, an adhesive is manually applied to the wet plate and the dry plate or the DM's, and the plates and DM's are pressed together. Manually applying the adhesive to the plates or DM's increases the assembly time and the manufacturing cost of the membrane humidifier. Furthermore, the presence of the adhesive increases the overall dimensions of the plates, thereby resulting in increased material and manufacturing costs of the membrane humidifier.
It would be desirable to produce plates for a membrane humidifier, wherein the dimensions of the plates, the material costs of the membrane humidifier and the plates, and the assembly time of the membrane humidifier are minimized.

Fuel cell membrane humidifier plate design