The invention is directed to an arrangement for determining the pupil center of an eye of a person in an image. The arrangement includes a touch-sensitive display device for displaying the image with the eye of the person and a gesture recognition unit for recognizing a first predetermined gesture in response to a touching of the touch-sensitive display device by a user. The gesture recognition unit is configured to recognize, as a first predetermined gesture, a movement of two fingers at a distance (D) to each other touching the touch-sensitive display and carrying out an orbital rotational movement about a common rotation center. A contrast changing unit changes the contrast of the image displayed on the touch-sensitive display device in response to the user touching the touch-sensitive display device in a manner recognized as the first predetermined gesture by the gesture recognition unit.

In order to achieve the best possible visual performance of a spectacle wearer with his new spectacles, it requires more than only an exact determination of the correction lenses. In addition to establishing the required dioptric power and selecting a suitable spectacle lens type, it is important to center the spectacle lenses in the frame and in relation to the eyes in accordance with use.
Electronic spectacle lens centering has become the norm since the introduction of a video centering system by ZEISS in 1992. The precision and speed of measurement factors are decisive in the development of such systems.
An important parameter for correct spectacle lens centering lies in determining the location of the pupil center in relation to the frame. Under the product name i.Terminal, ZEISS offers a video centering unit by means of which the pupil center of a spectacle wearer can be determined. In particular, a camera is used to make a frontal record of the spectacle wearer and show it on a display of a computer. With the aid of the computer, it is possible, inter alia, to mark and register the location of the pupil center on the displayed image by way of a graphical user interface.
Any floor-mounted unit or else a mobile unit, such as a laptop or tablet, is suitable as a computer. The mobile device can comprise a touch-sensitive display apparatus, in particular a touchscreen, instead of a conventional keyboard.
According to the definition specified on https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchscreen (retrieved on 23 Sep. 2015), a touchscreen or touch-sensitive screen is "a combined input and output unit, by means of which the program flow of a technical unit, usually a computer, can be controlled directly by touching parts of an image. The technical implementation of the command entry is, as it were, invisible to the user and thus generates the impression of the direct control of a computer by pointing. The image which is made touch sensitive by the touchpad (situated thereon or therebelow) can be generated in various ways: dynamically by means of monitors, by projection or physically (for example, as a printout).
Instead of controlling a mouse pointer with the mouse or the like, it is possible to use the finger or a stylus. The display of a mouse pointer is therefore only still necessary if accurate and/or permanent positioning is desired (for example, in the case of graphical design) or if the image content needs to remain visible when selected (for example, if not enough display area is available).
The analogous operation to the mouse click is a short tap. By pulling the finger or stylus over the touchscreen, it is possible to carry out a "drag-and-drop" operation. Some systems can simultaneously process a plurality of touches into commands (Multi-Touch), for example to rotate or scale displayed elements. The term "Multi-Touch" is usually also used in the context of the capability of the system to identify gestures (for example, "swiping" to turn over a page).
Other systems permit the full emulation of a mouse pointer with an only display modus separate from tapping, for example, by the contactless identification of a finger hovering thereabove."
If a tablet with touchscreen is used in the above-described video centering unit, operations performed with the aid of a mouse pointer when using a floor-mounted unit as a computer, for example, positioning of circular or rectangular marking aids, "freezing" of images or marking of positions, are performed with the aid of finger contacts on the screen.

Arrangement for determining the pupil center


An electron emitting apparatus having excellent mechanical strength and capable of satisfactorily emitting electrons even if a high electric field is applied and a manufacturing method therefor are disclosed. The electron emitting apparatus according to the present invention incorporates a first gate electrode formed on a substrate, a cathode formed on the first gate electrode through a first insulating layer and having a projection projecting over the first insulating layer and a second gate electrode formed on the cathode through a second insulating layer. The electron emitting apparatus has the cathode structured such that the projection has an inclined surface, the thickness of which is reduced toward the leading end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron emitting apparatus for emitting field electrons from a cathode thereof, a manufacturing method therefor and a method of operating the electron emitting apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flat electron emitting apparatus having a cathode formed into a flat shape, a manufacturing method therefor and a method of operating the flat electron emitting apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, display units have been researched and developed such that the thickness of the display unit is attempted to be reduced. In the foregoing circumstance, a field emission display (hereinafter abbreviated to xe2x80x9cFEDxe2x80x9d) incorporating so-called electron emitting apparatuses has attracted attention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the FED has portions each of which corresponds to one pixel, the portion including a spint electron emitting apparatus 100 and a fluorescent surface 101 formed opposite to the spint electron emitting apparatus 100. A multiplicity of the foregoing pixels are formed into a matrix configuration so that a display unit is constituted.
In the portion corresponding to one pixel, the electron emitting apparatus 100 incorporates a cathode 103 formed on a cathode panel 102; a gate electrode 105 laminated on the cathode 103 through an insulating layer 104; and electron emitting portions 107 each of which is formed in each of a plurality of openings 106 formed in the gate electrode 105 and the insulating layer 104. The FED has the fluorescent surface 101 formed opposite to the electron emitting apparatus 100. The fluorescent surface 101 is composed of a front panel 108, an anode 109 and a fluorescent member 110 formed on the front panel 108. Moreover, the FED is structured such that predetermined voltages are applied to each of the cathode 103, the gate electrode 105 and the anode 109, respectively.
Each of the electron emitting portions 107 of the FED is formed into a cone-like shape realized by finely machining a material, such as W, Mo or Ni. The leading end of the electron emitting portion 107 is disposed apart from the gate electrode 105 for a predetermined distance. The electron emitting apparatus 100 is structured such that electrons are emitted from the leading ends of the electron emitting portions 107. The electron emitting apparatus 10 has a multiplicity of the electron emitting portions 107.
In the FED structured as described above, a predetermined electric field is generated between the cathode 103 and the gate electrode 105. As a result, electrons are emitted from the leading ends of the electron emitting portions 107. Emitted electrons collide with the fluorescent member 110 formed on the anode 109. As a result, the fluorescent member 110 is excited to emit light. When the quantity of electrons which are emitted from the electron emitting portions 107 of the FED corresponding to the pixels is adjusted, a required image can be displayed on the display unit.
When the spint electron emitting apparatus is manufactured, the openings 106 are formed such that the diameter of each opening 106 is about 1 mm. Then, the electron emitting portions are perpendicularly evaporated in the surfaces of the openings 106. Specifically, a separation layer is formed on the gate electrode 105 after the openings 106 have been formed. Then, a metal film or the like is formed. As a result, the metal film is formed on the gate electrode 105 and the bottom surfaces of the openings 106. Then, the film forming operation is continued to grow the metal film so that the cone-line electron emitting portions 107 are formed. Then, the metal film formed on the gate electrode 105 is, together with the separation layer, removed.
However, the cone-like electron emitting portions of the spint type electron emitting apparatus cannot easily be formed. Thus, there arises a problem in that a stable electron emitting characteristic cannot be realized. The reason for this lies in that the electron emitting characteristic of the spint electron emitting apparatus considerably depends on the distance between the leading end of each of the electron emitting portions and the gate electrode. Therefore, the electron emitting portions cannot reliably be formed.
When the electron emitting portions are formed, the process for forming the metal film on the gate electrode having a large area and removal of the metal film and the separation layer from the same must uniformly be performed. If the metal film cannot uniformly be formed or if the metal film and the separation layer cannot uniformly be removed, electrons cannot easily be generated from the electron emitting portions by dint of the electric field generated from the gate electrode.
When electron emitting portions are formed to correspond to a large screen, satisfactory perpendicularity cannot be realized in a film forming direction over the screen. Therefore, uniform electron emitting portions cannot easily be formed on the overall surface of the screen. What is worse, contamination sometimes occur when the metal film and the separation film are removed. Thus, there arises a problem in that satisfactory manufacturing yield cannot be obtained.
To overcome the problems experienced with the spint electron emitting apparatus, a flat electron emitting apparatus has been suggested which has a structure that a high electric field is applied to the edge of a metal electrode so as to emit field electrons.
The flat electron emitting apparatus has a structure that an emitter electrode formed into a plate-like shape is held between a pair of gate electrodes through insulating layers. Thus, an electric field generated between a pair of gate electrodes and an emitter electrode causes electrons to be emitted from the emitter electrode.
The structure of the flat electron emitting apparatus permits the emitter electrode for emitting electrons to be formed into the plate-like shape. Therefore, the flat electron emitting apparatus can easily be manufactured as compared with the above-mentioned spint electron emitting apparatus.
Also the flat electron emitting apparatus must enlarge the electric field which is generated between the emitter electrode and the pair of the gate electrodes in order to improve the electron emitting characteristic. To enlarge the electric field, the emitter electrode must furthermore be fined so as to furthermore reduce the curvature radius of the leading end of the emitter electrode.
However, if the emitter electrode of the flat electron emitting apparatus is simply fined, the mechanical strength of the emitter electrode decreases considerably. Therefore, a great electric field cannot be generated. If a great electric field is applied to the fined emitter electrode, the emitter electrode is sometimes broken. Thus, the foregoing fine emitter electrode cannot be used in a high electric field.
Hitherto, the curvature radius of the leading end of the emitter electrode can be reduced during a process for manufacturing the flat electron emitting apparatus only when exposing, developing and etching conditions for the photoresist are delicately controlled. Therefore, the conventional method cannot easily form an emitter electrode of the type having satisfactory mechanical strength and provided with the leading end having a small curvature radius.
What is worse, the flat electron emitting apparatus suffers from a poor quantity of electrons which reach the anode as compared with the spint electron emitting apparatus. Therefore, the flat electron emitting apparatus cannot cause the fluorescent member disposed on the anode to satisfactorily emit light.
Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide an electron emitting apparatus and a manufacturing method therefor which is capable of overcoming the problems experienced with the conventional electron emitting apparatus, which exhibits satisfactory mechanical strength and which is able to satisfactorily emit electrons.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of operating the electron emitting apparatus such that electrons generated by the electron emitting apparatus can efficiently reach the anode.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electron emitting apparatus comprising: a first gate electrode formed on a substrate; a cathode formed on the first gate electrode through a first insulating layer and having a projection projecting over the first insulating layer; and a second gate electrode formed on the cathode through the second insulating layer, wherein the cathode has a structure that the projection is provided with an inclined surface having a thickness which is reduced toward the leading end of the projection.
The electron emitting apparatus according to the present invention is structured as described above so that an electric field is generated among the first gate electrode, the second gate electrode and the cathode. The electric field causes electrons to be emitted from the leading end of the cathode. The electron emitting apparatus according to the present invention has the inclined surface formed such that the thickness of the projection of the cathode is reduced toward the leading end of the projection. Thus, the curvature radius of the leading end of the cathode is reduced. That is, the portion of the cathode adjacent to the first and second insulating layers has a large thickness as compared with that of the leading end. Therefore, the electron emitting apparatus enables the leading end of the cathode to have an excellent field electron emitting characteristic. Moreover, the dynamic strength of the cathode adjacent to the first and second insulating layers can be increased.
To overcome the above-mentioned problem experienced with the conventional structure, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an electron emitting apparatus comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a first gate electrode layer, a first insulating film, a cathode layer, a second insulating film and a second gate electrode layer in this sequential order; forming a first opening in a predetermined region of the second gate electrode layer and causing the second insulating film to be exposed through the first opening; isotropically etching the second insulating film exposed through the first opening to expose the cathode layer through an opening having a size larger than the size of the first opening; anisotropically etching the cathode layer to form a second opening and causing the first insulating film to be exposed through the second opening; and isotropically etching the first insulating layer exposed through the second opening to cause the first gate electrode layer to be exposed, wherein the step for forming the second opening is performed such that the cathode layer is anisotropically etched so that an inclined surface having a thickness which is reduced to an end of the opening is formed.
The method of manufacturing the electron emitting apparatus structured as described above is performed such that the cathode layer is exposed such that the size of the opening is made to be larger than the size of the first opening. In this state, anisotropic etching is performed so that the second opening is formed. That is, the foregoing method is performed such that the region of the exposed cathode adjacent to the second insulating layer is covered with the second insulating film and the first gate electrode layer from an upper position. Therefore, anisotropic etching for forming the second opening is performed such that the rate at which the exposed cathode is etched is reduced in a direction toward the second insulating layer. Therefore, the foregoing method is able to easily form the second opening having the inclined surface, the thickness of which is reduced toward the end of the second opening.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an electron emitting apparatus comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a first gate electrode layer, a first insulating film, a cathode layer, a second insulating film and a second gate electrode layer in this sequential order; forming a resist film having an opening corresponding to a predetermined region of the second gate electrode layer; anisotropically etching the resist film and the second gate electrode layer exposed through the opening to form a first opening so as to cause the second insulating film to be exposed through the first opening; isotropically etching the second insulating film exposed through the first opening to expose the cathode layer through an opening having a size which is larger than the size of the first opening; anisotropically etching the exposed cathode layer to form a second opening and causing the first insulating film to be exposed through the second opening; and isotropically etching the first insulating layer exposed through the second opening so as to expose the first gate electrode layer, wherein the step for forming the first opening is performed such that an inclined surface having a thickness which is reduced toward an end of the first opening is formed, and the step for forming the second opening is performed such that the cathode layer is anisotropically etched together with an end of the first opening so that the inclined surface provided for the first opening is transferred so that an inclined surface having a thickness which is reduced toward an end of the first opening is formed.
The method of manufacturing an electron emitting apparatus according to the present invention is structured as described above such that the first opening having the inclined surface, the thickness of which is reduced toward the end of the first opening, is formed. Then, the cathode layer is anisotropically etched together with the inclined surface of the first opening in a state in which the cathode layer is exposed in such a manner that the size of the opening is larger than the size of the first opening. Thus, the second opening is formed. Therefore, the foregoing method is performed such that the anisotropic etching operation for the purpose of forming the second opening results in the etching rate of a region of the exposed cathode layer adjacent to the second insulating layer being reduced owing to an influence of the inclined surface provided for the first opening. As a result, the second opening having the inclined surface having the thickness which is reduced toward the end of the second opening can be formed by the above-mentioned method.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating an electron emitting apparatus such that an electron emitting apparatus having a first gate electrode, a cathode formed on the first gate electrode through a first insulating layer and a second gate electrode formed on the cathode through a second insulating layer which are formed on a substrate is operated, the method of operating an electron emitting apparatus comprising the step of: applying voltages to satisfy a relationship as V2 greater than V1 greater than Vc on an assumption that voltage which is applied to the first gate electrode is V1, voltage which is applied to the cathode is Vc and voltage which is applied to the second gate electrode is V2.
The method of operating the electron emitting apparatus according to the present invention and structured as described above is performed such that the voltage which is positive with respect to the cathode is applied to the first and second gate electrodes. Therefore, an electric field is generated among the first gate electrode, the second gate electrode and the cathode. Since the electric field is applied to the cathode, the cathode emits electrons. At this time, a voltage higher than the voltage which is applied between the first gate electrode and the cathode is applied between the second gate electrode and the cathode. Therefore, the electric field which is generated from the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode causes electrons emitted from the cathode to move to the second gate electrode. Therefore, the above-mentioned method enables electron generated by the cathode to be extracted in a direction of the second gate electrode.

Electron emitting apparatus, manufacturing method therefor and method of operating electron emitting apparatus


In a micro-bridge structure in which a temperature detecting portion 14 (diaphragm) including a bolometer thin film 7 is supported by a supporting portion 13 in a state floated from a circuit substrate 2, a reflective film 3 reflecting a THz wave is formed on the circuit substrate 2, an absorbing film 11 absorbing the THz wave is formed on the temperature detecting portion 14, and an optical resonance structure is formed by the reflective film 3 and the temperature detecting portion 14. And a gap between the reflective film 3 and the temperature detecting portion 14 is set approximately ¼ of a wavelength of an infrared ray on the basis of the wavelength of the infrared ray (in a range of approximately 1.5 to 2.5 μm, for example), and a sheet resistance of the temperature detecting portion 14 is set in a range in which an absorptance of the THz wave becomes a predetermined value or above on the basis of the THz wave (in a range of approximately 10 to 100 Ω/sq.). By this arrangement, the absorptance of the THz wave is drastically improved while using the structure and manufacturing technique of a bolometer-type infrared detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detector for detecting an electromagnetic wave (THz-wave) in a THz-frequency band and more particularly to a bolometer-type THz-wave detector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an electromagnetic wave in a terahertz frequency band between light and an electromagnetic wave (that is, an electromagnetic wave with a frequency of 1012 Hz and a wavelength of approximately 30 μm to 1 mm, hereinafter referred to as THz-wave) has drawn attention as the electromagnetic wave directly reflecting information of a substance. A detector for detecting the THz wave (hereinafter referred to as a THz-wave detector) is generally in a structure comprising an antenna portion such as a dipole antenna or a Bow-tie antenna capturing the THz wave and an electric signal conversion portion for converting the THz wave captured by the antenna portion into an electric signal. As methods of converting the electromagnetic wave into the electric signal, Capacitive coupling method, Resistive coupling method and the like are known.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,655 discloses, for example, a Capacitive-coupling type THz-wave detector as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B. This THz-wave detector is in a structure in which a glass layer 21 is formed on a substrate 20, four metal antennas 22 (Bow-tie antennas) are formed on the glass layer 21, and a detecting element 27 in which a heater film 23, an insulator 24, a thermal resistance layer 25, and an insulator 26 are laminated is formed at the center part of the four metal antennas 22 with a predetermined gap (GAP 1 and GAP 2) from the glass layer 21 and the metal antennas 22.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,655 also discloses a Resistive-coupling type THz-wave detector as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B. This THz-wave detector is in a structure in which the glass layer 21 is formed on the substrate 20, the four metal antennas 22 (Bow-tie antennas) are formed on the glass layer 21, and the detecting element 27 in which the heater film 23 connected to the four metal antennas 22 is formed with a predetermined gap (GAP 3) from the glass layer 21 and the insulator 24, the thermal resistance layer 25, and the insulator 26 are laminated on the heater film 23 is formed at the center part of the four metal antennas 22. In the structure of the Resistive-coupling type THz-wave detector, a leg 28 with an impedance matched to 50 to 100Ω is needed in order to effectively transmit energy collected by the metal antennas 22 to the heater film 23, and heat conductance becomes large. Therefore, it is described that sensitivity of the Resistive-coupling type THz-wave detector is lower by one order of magnitude than that of the Capacitive-coupling type THz-wave detector.
In the case of detection of a THz wave by the Capacitive-coupling type THz-wave detector, efficient transmission of energy collected by the metal antennas 22 to the heater film 23 is required. For that purpose, a gap between the glass layer 21 and the detecting element 27 (GAP 1), and a gap between the metal antenna 22 and the detecting element 27 (GAP 2) should be controlled accurately. The above U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,655 describes that a scope of 0.1 to 1 μm is preferable as the value of GAP 2. However, if the detecting element 27 is to be floated from the glass layer 21 by the leg 28 using the MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology, it is difficult to set the gap within the range of 0.1 to 1 μm, and there is a problem that yield is lowered.
In the case of detection of the THz wave by the Resistive-coupling type THz-wave detector, efficient transmission of the energy collected by the metal antennas 22 to the heater film 23 is also required. For that purpose, the gap between the glass layer 21 and the heater film 23 (GAP 3) should be controlled accurately. The above U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,655 describes that a scope of 0.2 to 1 μm is preferable as the value of GAP 3. However, if the heater film 23 is to be floated from the glass layer 21 using the MEMS technology, it is difficult to set the gap within the range of 0.2 to 1 μm, and there is a problem that yield is lowered.
It is also known that an effective aperture that can capture the electromagnetic wave by the antenna becomes an area merely of a circle with a radius of a half wavelength at the most. It is necessary to increase the size of the metal antenna 22 to efficiently capture the THz wave, but if the THz-wave detector in the above structure is made into a two-dimensional array, the size of each detector is limited. Therefore, the size of the detecting element 27 inevitably becomes small. For example, with the THz wave with the wavelength of 1 mm, the size of the detecting element 27 is approximately several μm. It is extremely difficult to incorporate the detecting element 27 in such a small region of several μm, and there is a problem that the yield is further deteriorated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology


The present invention provides a novel class of 4,5-diaryl-3(2H)-furanone derivatives, which inhibit strongly and selectively COX-2 over COX-1. They are useful to treat inflammation, inflammation-associated disorders, and COX-2 mediated diseases.

The present invention relates generally to 4,5-diaryl-3(2H)-furanone derivatives, methods of preparation therefor, and their use for the treatment of inflammation and inflammation-associated disorders as selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.
Prostaglandins are known to play an important roles in the inflammation. Since prostaglandins are produced from arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenases, inhibition of prostagalndin synthesis by cyclooxygenases, especially synthesis of PGE2, PGG2, and PGH2, leads to the treatment of inflammation.
There are at least two kinds of cyclooxygenases, cyclooxygenase-1 (abbreviated as COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (abbreviated as COX-2). COX-1 is constitutively present in the gastrointestinal tract and the kidney, and is implicated to be responsible for the maintenance of the physiological homeostasis, such as gastrointestinal integrity and renal function. Interruption of COX-1 activity can lead to life-threatening toxicities to the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulceration and bleeding. In the meantime, COX-2 is induced upon inflammatory stimuli and known to be responsible for progression of inflammation. Thus, selective inhibition of COX-2 over COX-1 is useful for the treatment of inflammation and inflammation-associated disorders without incurring gastrointestinal toxicities.
Conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as indomethacin, naproxen, ketoprofen, ibuprofen, piroxicam, diclofenac etc, inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2, which would demonstrate their gastrointestinal toxicities as well as anti-inflammatory potency. However, they possess serious life-threatening gastrointestinal toxicities of bleeding and ulceration arising from their inhibition of COX-1, which limit their clinical use. Thus, a selective inhibitor of COX-2 can be useful as an anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent without the gastrointestinal toxicities, frequently occurring upon chronic use of conventional NSAIDs.
COX-2 inhibitors are implicated to possess a broad therapeutic spectrum besides anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activity. For example inhibition of COX-2 can prevent growth of certain types of cancer, especially colon cancer [J. Clin. Invest. 99, 2254 (1997)]. Another application of a COX-2 inhibitor can be found in the treatment of degenerative chronic neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer""s disease [Neurology 48, 626 (1997)]. COX-2 inhibition would be useful in reducing the infarct volume accompanying the stroke [J. Neuroscience 17, 2746 (1997)].
Recently two of COX-2 selective antiinflammatory drugs, celecoxib and rofecoxib, were introduced into the clinic for arthritic indications. Celecoxib and rofecoxib show anti-inflammatory potency comparable to conventional NSAIDs without COX-2 selectivity. In the meantime, these drugs show appreciably lower gastro-intestinal toxicities than conventional NSAIDs without COX-2 selectivity over COX-1. Thus, COX-2 selective inhibition itself can be enough for anti-arthritic potency and the inhibition of COX-1 is largely responsible for the gastrointestinal toxicities associated with conventional NSAIDs without COX-2 selectivity.
cis-1,2-Diaryl-alkenes or its structural-equivalents are known to be a pharmacophore for achieving selective COX-2 inhibition over COX-1 [Ann. Rep. Med. Chem. 32, 211 (1997)]. In case of celecoxib and rofecoxib, pyrazole and 2(5H)-furanone correspond to the scaffold, respectively.
By adopting an appropriate scaffold for the cis-alkene pharmacophore, it would be possible to modulate both in vitro and in vivo characteristics of such inhibitors, such as dosing regimen, daily dose, clinical indications arising from tissue distribution characteristics, safety profile, and so on.
In this invention, 3(2H)-furanone is adopted as a scaffold for COX-2 inhibitors. 3(2H)-furanone derivatives were prepared for use in the treatment of glaucoma [EP 0 737 476 A2]. However, there is no precedent case that 3(2H)-furanone derivatives have been ever used as COX-2 inhibitors. There is no reported case of 4,5-diaryl-3(2H)-furanone derivatives, either.
The 4,5-diaryl-3(2H)-furanone derivatives disclosed herein selectively inhibit COX-2 over COX-1 and relieve the effects of inflammation. 4,5-Diaryl-3(2H)-furanone derivatives of this invention do not show substantial inhibition of COX-1 and consequently show reduced gastrointestinal side effects. Thus, 4,5-diaryl-3(2H)-furanone derivatives of this invention are found useful as anti-inflammatory agents with significantly reduced gastrointestinal side effects, when compared with conventional NSAIDs.
The present invention provides a novel class of potent selective COX-2 inhibitors.
The present invention provides a novel class of 3(2H)-furanone derivatives as selective COX-2 inhibitors, which are represented by Formula I:
or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
X represents halo, hydrido, or alkyl;
Y represents alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, (N-acylamino)-sulfonyl, (N-alkylamino)sulfonyl, or alkylthio;
Z represents oxygen or sulfur atom;
R1 and R2 are selected independently from lower alkyl radicals, or form a 4- to 6-membered aliphatic or hetero cyclic group, taken together with the 2-position carbon atom of the 3(2H)-furanone ring;
and AR represents a substituted or non-substituted aromatic group of 5 to 10 atoms.
The present invention further provides methods for preparing 3(2H)-furanone derivatives of Formula I.

4,5-diaryl-3(2H)-furanone derivatives as cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors


This document relates to methods and materials involved in fastening or constricting. For example, devices (e.g., adjustable vascular pedicle constricting devices) configured to allow a user (e.g., a surgeon) to apply a band element at least partially around a desired structure (e.g., tissue such as a vascular pedicle) in a manner that allows the degree of constriction to be adjustable are provided.

1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in fastening or constricting. For example, this document relates to devices (e.g., adjustable and/or removable devices such as adjustable vascular pedicle constricting devices) configured to allow a user (e.g., a surgeon) to apply a band element at least partially around a desired structure (e.g., tissue such as a vascular pedicle) in a manner that allows the degree of constriction to be adjustable.
2. Background Information
Surgeons perform many different types of surgeries using procedures ranging from open surgery to minimally invasive surgery (e.g., laparoscopic and endoscopic surgeries). In some cases, a surgeon may need to fasten two tissues together, hold a particular tissue in a desired position, or constrict a particular tissue (e.g., a vascular pedicle). In such cases, a surgeon can use surgical sutures or surgical clips.

Adjustable fastening or constricting devices

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research


A cylinder liner is disclosed, the cylinder liner having a smoother internal surface of an internal side than known cylinder liners. The internal surface having at least one of a reduced peak height of (Rpk) of ≦0.25 μm, a core roughness (Rk) of about 0.2 μm to about 0.6 μm, a reduced valley depth (Rvk) of about 1.2 μm to about 2.5 μm, a material ratio (Mr1) of ≦ 10%, and a material ratio (Mr2) of about 70% to about 90%.

Oil bearing surfaces such as typically found in cylinders or cylinder liners of internal combustion engines, or piston-cylinder assemblies, commonly called linear actuators, have special material surfaces. These surfaces have a special topography and are usually formed first by a rough hone and then a finish hone both rough and finish hones are "stones" mounted in a honing machine head which rotates and axially translates the stones within the cylindrical bore of the surface. Both rough and finish hones are usually mounted in the same honing machine head and the operations take place sequentially at the same location. Also used in the rough and finish operations are steel holders with abrasive minerals plated thereon. In either case the tool is rigid and presents in the operation an unyielding abrasive-work interface.
The resultant surface has folded over peaks, folded over metal and debris in the bottom of the cross hatching oil grooves. This is true even though the surface is constantly flushed with lubricant or coolant during the honing operations.
In operation, the rough honing tools which contain a coarse abrasive grit are pressed against the cylinder walls to perform the work required. After a predetermined time cycle the rough honing tools are retracted into the honing head and the finish honing tools, containing a very fine abrasive grit, are pressed against the cylinder walls during the final finishing operation.
The rough hone forms in the surface a pattern of ridges and grooves, almost like a cross hatch pattern. These grooves or striations are the oil retention pattern against which the piston or piston rings ride. Unfortunately when the rough hone operation is completed the surface greatly enlarged shows deep peaks and valleys or other sharp projections which can break off, and which would contribute to piston or ring wear, and all of the detrimental performance, life and environmental problems associated therewith. For example, ring or piston wear is the cause of "blow by" which can create all kinds of emission problems in an internal combustion engine. The purpose of the finish hone is to smooth over the peaks and valleys.
It has been discovered that rigid finish hones, while somewhat improving the topography of the surface, can in many instances actually contaminate the surface by driving or embedding dislodged hard abrasive particles into the surface. This has been determined by photomicrographs and by tests of engines and engine oil after break in. The particle is usually driven into the slope or crown of a ridge which is the seal bearing surface. Thus, instead of the surface being improved, it has been made worse. A projecting hard abrasive particle will score a piston ring or seal causing premature failure, blow by, and poor engine efficiency, for example, and most of the other problems honing is supposed to address.
It would be desirable to develop a cylinder liner that generates less friction during use thereby resulting in improved fuel consumption and emission.

Cylinder liner and method of forming the same


The present invention relates to a seaming apparatus (10) for joining, along a seam without thread, two or more flexible sheets (12, 14). The apparatus comprises bonding means (16, 18) for bonding together at least two flexible sheet materials. The bonding means has a nip portion (36) for releasably engaging together sheet material, and drive means (20, 22) formed and arranged for engaging sheet material, and moving it incrementally through the bonding means. The drive means is formed and arranged to co-operate with the nip portion so as to sequentially nip then drive material through the apparatus wherein only one of the nip portion or the drive means is in contact with sheet material at any given moment. A method for joining flexible sheets by use of the apparatus of the invention is also described.

The present invention relates to a seaming apparatus, in particular an ultrasonic or laser seaming apparatus for use in joining together two or more fabric or material components without thread. The apparatus is particularly suitable for seaming garments for example protective or weatherproof and other garments such as underwear, sportswear and the like comprising materials including thermoplastic sheets or textile materials made of or including substantially thermoplastic fibres, but not exclusively.


A wire harness routing method is provided. A wire harness is routed on a protector base. A protective tape is wound around an outer periphery of the wire harness at a position outside an end portion of the protector base in a longitudinal direction. A cover is put on the protector base under the above state. The wire harness is fixed to, by winding a binding band at a position where the tape is wound, a wire harness-fixed protruding piece protruding outward in the longitudinal direction from an end portion of the cover in the longitudinal direction.

When a wire harness routed in a vehicle is fixed to a fixing target member such as a vehicle body, a protector is widely used from a viewpoint of wire harness protection. A protector having a gutter-like protector base having a wire harness accommodation space therein and a cover to be put on an open upper face of the protector base is generally well known as the protector.
This type of protector is often provided with a protruding piece at an end portion of the protector base in a longitudinal direction for fixing the wire harness with a binding band, a tape, or the like. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a protector in which a protruding piece extending in a tongue-like shape is provided at an end portion of a bottom wall of a protector base in a longitudinal direction, and a wire harness is fixed to the protruding piece by a binding band or a tape.
Incidentally, when the wire harness is fixed to the protruding piece of the protector base by, for example, the binding band, in order to prevent a side slip of the wire harness after the fixing or to reduce hitting on the wire harness by the binding band, that is, in order to protect the wire harness, a protective tape is wound around an outer periphery of the wire harness in advance, and the binding band is used to fasten the protective tape together with the protruding piece from above the protective tape. In this case, the protective tape is preferably wound only around the outer periphery of the wire harness.
However, if the wire harness-fixed protruding piece is provided on the protector base as described above, when the protective tape is wound around the outer periphery of the wire harness, the protruding piece may be wound together with the tape. Therefore, in order to prevent the protruding piece from being wound together, the tape is wound while lifting the wire harness. As a result, when the wire harness is lifted, a position of electric wires of the wire harness may be deviated or an electric wire bundle may be collapsed.

Wire harness routing method, wire harness routing structure, and wire harness protector


Methods of programming a non-volatile memory device having at least one memory block with a plurality of memory cells located at intersections of rows and columns is disclosed. Pursuant to these methods, at least two addresses that select corresponding rows of the memory block may be received and temporarily stored. Then, the rows selected by the temporarily stored addresses may be simultaneously activated, and at least some of the memory cells in the activated rows are simultaneously programmed. Corresponding non-volatile memory devices are also provided.

Semiconductor memories are a vital component of most digital logic systems. As such, advances in the fabrication of semiconductor memories that provide for higher integration densities and faster operating speeds may enhance the performance standards of many digital logic families. Semiconductor memory devices include volatile random access memories (RAMs) and non-volatile memory devices. In RAMs, data may be stored using a bistable flip-flop such as in a static random access memory (SRAM) or by charging a capacitor as in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). IN either case, the stored data can be read out as long as power is applied to the memory device, but the data is lost when the power is turned off.
Non-volatile memories, such as, for example, MROM, PROM, EPROM and EEPROM memory devices are capable of storing data even when the power to the device is turned off. The non-volatile memory data storage mode may be permanenet or reprogrammable, depending upon the fabrication technology used. Non-volatile memories are used for program and microcode storage in a wide variety of applications in the computer, avionics, telecommunications and consumer electronics industries. A combination of single-chip volatile and non-volatile memory storage modes are also available in devices such as non-volatile SWAM (nvRAM) for use in systems that require fast, programmable non-volatile memory. In addition, dozens of special memory architectures have evolved which contain some additional logic circuitry to optimize their performance for application-specific tasks.
It typically is difficult or even impossible for general users of systems with Mesh ROM ("MROM"), Programmable ROM ("PROM") or Erasable Programmable ROM ("EPROM") memories to erase and write over information stored in the memory devices. On the other hand, Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM ("EEPROM") memory devices can be erased and new data can be stored therein. As such, EEPROM memory devices are now widely used as auxiliary memories and/or to store system programming that requires periodic updates. Flash EEPROM devices generally have a higher degree of integration than do conventional EEPROM devices, and thus flash EEPROM memory devices are often used in applications that require a large auxiliary memory. NAND-type flash EEPROM memory devices (hereinafter, referred to as "NAND-type flash memory") generally have a higher degree of integration than do NOR-type flash EEPROM memory devices.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the array structure of a conventional non-volatile memory device. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the memory cell array of the flash memory device includes a storage area for storing information, which may be divided into a main field 10 and a spare field 20. While the memory cell array depicted in FIG. 1 corresponds to a single memory block (or portion thereof), those of skill in the art will appreciate that typically the memory cell array will include many memory blocks. The spare field 20 may be used to store information related to the main field 10 as well as information such as error correction codes, device codes, other codes, page information and the like. Each of the main and spare fields 10 and 20 in the memory cell array includes a plurality of cell strings 1 (which are sometimes referred to as NAND strings) as illustrated in FIG. 1. A page buffer circuit (not illustrated in FIG. 1) is provided in the flash memory device to store data in and read data out of the memory cell array. As is well known in the art, memory cells of a NAND-type flash memory device may be programmed and erased using Fowler-Nordheim ("F-N") tunneling current as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,563 entitled "NONVOLATILE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,717 entitled "NONVOLATILE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT MEMORY DEVICES HAVING ADJUSTABLE ERASE/PROGRAM THRESHOLD VOLTAGE VERIFICATION CAPABILITY", the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in their entirety.
In order to store data in the main field 10, a data loading command is applied to the flash memory device, and addresses and data are successively provided to the flash memory device. In general, data that is to be stored in the device is sequentially transferred to the page buffer circuit in a byte or word unit. Once a page of data is loaded into the page buffer circuit, the data is programmed into the memory cell array (that is, memory cells of the selected page) in response to a program command.
After the memory cells of a selected page are programmed, information indicating whether the memory cells of the selected page were programmed normally may be stored in a specific region (e.g., a spare field) of the memory cell array. Such information is often referred to as "page information" or as a "confirm mark." The page information corresponding to pages WL0-WLm may, for example, be stored in a specific string of the spare field 20. For example, the page information corresponding to a first page WL0 may be stored in a memory cell M0′ of a string that is connected to spare bit line SBL0, the page information corresponding to a second page WL1 may be stored in a memory cell M1′ of the string that is connected to spare bit line SBL0, and the page information corresponding to the last page WLm may be stored in a memory cell Mm′ of the string that is connected to the spare bit line SBL0.
As should be clear from the above description, two program operations are required to store a pace data. Thus, if a memory cell array has 32 pages (or word lines), 64 program operations are required to store all 32 pages of data.

Non-volatile memory devices having multi-page programming capabilities and related methods of operating such devices


A scanning exposure apparatus and method for synchronously moving a mask and a substrate with respect to an exposing radiation flux to project an image of a mask pattern on the mask onto the substrate, includes a movable mask stage for holding the mask, a movable substrate stage for holding the substrate, an alignment sensor detecting an initial rotational angle of the mask relative to the substrate, a projection optical system projecting the image of the mask pattern onto the substrate with a predetermined projection ratio, a mask position detector outputting first signals indicating the position of the mask stage, a substrate position detector outputting second signals indicating the position of the substrate stage, a calculation unit processing the first signals and the second signals in accordance with the projection ratio of the projection optical system and the initial rotational angle of the mask relative to the substrate to derive a positional deviation of the mask stage relative to the substrate stage, and a controller controlling the mask stage movement and the substrate stage movement to eliminate the positional deviation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection type exposure apparatus which is used to transfer a mask pattern onto a photosensitive substrate in a photolithographic process used to manufacture semiconductor devices, imaging devices (CCD's, etc.), liquid crystal display devices, and thin-film magnetic heads, etc. More particularly, the present invention relates to the a scanning exposure apparatus such as a projection type exposure apparatus using a step-and-scan exposure scheme in which a mask pattern is successively transferred onto respective shot areas on a photosensitive substrate by the synchronized scanning of the mask and the photosensitive substrate.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventionally, in manufacture of semiconductor devices, etc., a reduction projection type exposure apparatus (steppers) using a step-and-repeat exposure scheme (one-time exposure system) has been widely used as a projection type exposure apparatus to transfer a reticle pattern (mask pattern) on a mask onto respective shot areas of a wafer coated with a photoresist. Recently, a projection type exposure apparatus using a so-called "step-and-scan" exposure scheme has attract considerable attention. In the step-and-scan exposure apparatus (or scanning exposure apparatus), reduced images of a pattern on a reticle are successively transferred onto respective shot areas of a wafer and are exposed by scanning the reticle and wafer in synchronization with each other with respect to a projection optical system. The step-and-scan exposure apparatus projects a portion of the pattern on the reticle onto the wafer via the projection optical system to meet the recent requirement that larger pattern images be transferred to the wafer without using a large or complicated projection optical system. In conventional aligners, in which the pattern on the entire surface of the reticle is transferred onto the entire surface of the wafer as a positive, unit-magnified image through a one-time scanning exposure using an integral type stage system, the structure of the apparatus is rather simple. In the step-and-scan exposure apparatus, however, it is necessary for the reticle stage and the wafer stage to move at different speeds in accordance with the projection magnification. Furthermore, since movement between the shot areas on the wafer surface is performed by stepping motion, the stage system (reticle stage and the wafer stage) becomes very complicated, and also extremely high accuracy is required in controlling the stage system and the exposure apparatus itself.
Specifically, in the case of a projection type exposure apparatus using a step-and-scan scheme, it is necessary that the reticle stage and the wafer stage be scanned independently and in a stable manner with both stages synchronized in a predetermined positional relationship. Conventionally, therefore, the following method has been used, for example. Prior to the initiation of scanning, the reticle stage and the wafer stage are aligned. Then, in synchronization with the movement (scanning) of the wafer stage at a predetermined speed in a predetermined direction, the reticle stage is moved (scanned) at a scanning speed corresponding to the predetermined speed. At the same time, the positional deviations of both stages in the scanning direction and non-scanning direction (i. e., the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction) are determined by calculation, and the position of the reticle stage, for example, is finely adjusted to reduce the positional deviations thus determined.
In the method described above, positional deviations of the reticle stage and wafer stage in the scanning direction and non-scanning direction are determined at the time of scanning exposure, and the exposure apparatus is controlled so that these positional deviations are independently corrected. Accordingly, the correction of positional deviations is performed independently in the scanning direction and the non-scanning direction even in the case where the wafer stage is rotated during scanning exposure by yawing, for example. As a result, a positional deviation (synchronization error) is generated between the reticle and the wafer.
In regard to this problem, it is possible to detect the relative rotational angle between the reticle stage and the wafer stage; and control the system such that this rotational angle is maintained at a predetermined target value. However, in the case that positional deviations in the translational direction and the rotational angle are corrected independently, since positional deviations in the translational direction are also generated by rotation, a long correction time (adjustment time) is required in order to bring such synchronization errors within a permissible range.
When superimposing exposure is performed for respective shot areas on the wafer in a one-time exposure system, the superimposition error can be reduced by correcting the wafer position in accordance with the shot arrangement of the wafer, etc., for example. In the case of a scanning exposure system, however, the reticle and wafer are scanned in synchronization with each other. Accordingly, if the wafer is warped or deformed, there is a possibility that the abovementioned synchronization error will increase if the position of the reticle or wafer is simply subjected to a fine adjustment to correct the superimposition error.


The present invention relates to knits that can be used to make rip-resistant sheer hosiery or similar garments, using a specific combination of UHMWPE fiber and stretch fiber, such as spandex. The knit has rip-resistant and anti-microbial properties. Details are provided to avoid problems with pilling and the appearance of bald spots during use. A variation of the knit is useful for activewear.

Sheer hosiery, whether in the form of sheer tights, stockings or trouser socks, is traditionally very fragile, and easy to rip.
The sheerness of hosiery is measured in denier. Denier is a unit of measure for the linear mass density of fibers, and is the mass in grams per 9000 meters of the fiber. Sheerness refers to the level at which light is able to travel through a hosiery garment. Sheerness is determined by the denier of the fibers used in the construction of the hosiery garment. Hosiery garments produced using lower denier measurements of 1 to 30 will be sheer in appearance, allowing the most light to pass through. Hosiery produced using fibers that are 31-100 denier, are termed semi-opaque to nearly opaque in appearance. Above 100 denier no longer produce sheer hosiery, allowing no light to pass through.
Traditional fibers used in hosiery (i.e.; nylon, Lycra™, polyester) have very low tensile strength, which results in very weak garments, particularly at lower deniers. Sheer hosiery products (30 denier and below) made using these fibers are very fragile. They can easily be ripped by hand, foot or hang nail, and are generally considered disposable. Tensile strength is the maximum amount of tensile stress that can be applied to a material before the material ceases to be elastic, and is measured in units of pascals (Pa) or newtons per square metre of N/m2.
There is a need for a commercially viable sheer elastic knit that is not easy to rip.
There are prior attempts to create form-fitting clothing that has a high resistance to cutting. US 2010/0050699 of Kolton discusses using a high performance fiber (one of which is UHMWPE), combined with a suitable high performance nylon, to produce several types of protective wear, including hosiery. However, this application is focussed on producing protective clothing, and does not focus on low denier products or high gauge knitting, or the challenges of producing coloured materials when using UHMWPE.

Rip resistant, non-pilling fine knit garments


Protecting device includes a main body and a removable cover. The main body receives an electronic device and includes a first holding member and a second holding member. The removable cover includes a first attaching portion, a first supporting portion, a second attaching portion and a second supporting portion. When the removable cover is located on a closed position, the first holding member holds the first attaching portion, or the second holding member holds the second attaching portion. When the removable cover is located on a first open position, the first holding member holds the first attaching portion, and the first supporting portion is configured to support the electronic device. When the removable cover is located on a second open position, the second holding member holds the second attaching portion, and the second supporting portion is configured to support the electronic device.

Tablet devices, such as tablet computers, are increasingly being used by consumers due to their portability and ease of use. Performing word processing on a touch-screen keyboard can be cumbersome and less efficient. Consumers desiring the word processing functionality of a laptop can choose to attach a physical keyboard to their tablet computer. Other consumers desire using their tablet computer for media purposes, such as playing games or viewing movies.


A button-type battery includes, a) an anode; b) a cathode positioned adjacent to the anode; c) an electrolyte between the anode and the cathode; d) a conductive first terminal housing member in electrical contact with one of the anode or the cathode; the first terminal housing member having a periphery; e) a conductive second terminal housing member in electrical contact with the other of the anode or the cathode; the second terminal housing member having a periphery; f) the first and second terminal housing members forming an enclosed housing which holds and protects the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte; and g) the first and second terminal housing member peripheries being configured together to form an electrically insulative seal which seals the anode, the electrolyte and the cathode within the housing formed by the first and second terminal housing members, the electrically insulative seal comprising cross-linked butyl rubber. The seal can include a gasket which constitutes the cross-linked butyl rubber or other material. The seal can comprise an uncured precursor to butyl rubber. Methods of forming such button-type batteries include in situ curing or forming butyl rubber in place on one of the battery terminals. Alternately, a butyl rubber precursor can be applied to one or both of the battery terminals.

Button-type batteries are small, thin energy cells that are commonly used in watches and other electronic devices requiring a thin profile. A conventional button-type battery includes two electrodes in the form of an anode and a cathode. These are typically separated by a porous separator. An electrolyte is present within pores of the separator.
These internal battery components are housed within a metal casing or housing formed by a lower conductive can and an upper conductive lid. A common prior art material for the can and lid is stainless steel. The can is typically in electrical contact with the cathode to form the positive battery terminal, and the lid is in electrical contact with the anode to form the negative battery terminal. The can and lid are crimped or pressed together to form a fluid-tight seal which entirely encloses the anode, cathode, separator, and electrolyte. An electrically insulating sealing gasket is provided within the primary seal between the lid and can to electrically isolate the two housing members.
There is a need in button-type battery usage to make such energy cells thinner. Today, the thinnest commercially available button-type battery has a thickness of 1.2 mm (47.2 mils). It would be desirable to make a thinner battery, particularly one having a thickness of less than 1 mm (39.4 mils). A countering concern, however, is that the integrity of the fluid-tight seal cannot be compromised simply to achieve the goal of thinner batteries.
One challenge in the fabrication of thin button cells concerns the battery seal. Industry standard coin cell battery gaskets typically employ an injection molded polymer gasket (i.e., polypropylene or polyethylene). Minor imperfections and voids in the crimped gasket seal area are normally filled by the application of a supplemental sealant material, such as asphalt. However, conventional injection molding technology is not easily adapted to ultra-thin button cell batteries due to the minimum thickness of the gasket that can be cost effectively obtained. Further, water permeability of the seal becomes problematic with thinner and thinner button cell gaskets and seals.
Accordingly, needs remain in the development of improved materials and methods associated with button-type battery seals.

Method of forming a battery and such battery formed


A Head-Mounted Display (HMD) is provided which comprises a camera configured to capture a video of a real-world scene with a first field-of-view (FoV), a network interface circuit configured to stream video to a receiving display device, and processing means which is operative to generate a 3D model of the real-world scene, and to generate a video from the 3D model using a second FoV which is wider than the first FoV. The processing means is further operative to estimate a motion of the camera, and to stream the generated video to the receiving display device if the estimated motion of the camera satisfies one or more conditions indicative of rapid motion, else stream the captured video to the receiving display device.

Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) or similar devices can be used in visual remote-guidance applications. For instance, a support engineer visiting a site for serving a radio base station may wear an HMD comprising a front-facing camera which captures a video of the physical real-world scene which the support engineer is viewing, such as a radio base station cabinet. The HMD may be used for displaying relevant documentation to the support engineer, while at the same time streaming the captured video to a remote location, e.g., to a Network Operations Center (NOC), where it is viewed by an expert who is guiding and/or assisting the support engineer.
Owing to the limited Field-of-View (FoV) of the camera comprised in the HMD, the person viewing the video captured by the HMD camera only has a limited FoV of the site visited by the support engineer. In particular, this is the case if the HMD camera is zoomed-in to provide a close-up view of the equipment to be serviced.
As a result of the limited FoV of the captured video, the person watching the captured video may suffer from Visually Induced Motion Sickness (VIMS), In particular, this is the case if the HMD camera is moving rapidly, e.g., if the support engineer rotates his/her head or changes position rapidly. Generally, VIMS is caused by motion which is seen but not felt. Due to the limited FoV, only a subset of visual reference points in the real-world scene are captured by the video.


In an image forming method, when viewed from the moving direction of a photosensitive body 1, there is disposed, on the upstream side, a first developing roller 61 opposed to and adjacent to the photosensitive body 1 and rotatable in the opposite direction to the photosensitive body 1, while the peripheral speed ratio of the roller 61 to the photosensitive body 1 ranges from 0.8 to 2.0; on the downstream side of the roller 61, there is disposed a second developing roller 62 rotatable in the same direction to the photosensitive body 1, while the peripheral speed ratio of the roller 62 to the photosensitive body 1 ranges from 1.05 to 2.0; and the shape coefficient SF1 of the toners of two-component developing agent ranges from 120 to 170, while the shape coefficient SF2 ranges from 110 to 130.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming method and an image forming apparatus for forming a large number of images repetitively in an electrophotographic method and an electrostatic recording method and, in particular, to such image forming method and apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier using a two-component magnetic developing agent consisting mainly of magnetic carriers and toners.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional electrophotographic method and electrostatic recording method, the entire area of the surface of a photoconductive photosensitive body is charged uniformly and is then exposed to thereby form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body. After then, the electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing apparatus including a developing roller rotatable and having power of magnetic suction according to a two-component developing method for developing an electrostatic latent image using toners including coloring agents and magnetic carriers. In this development, the toners including coloring agents, due to the rotation of the developing roller, are rubbed against the magnetic carriers to be thereby electrically charged with desired values. The developed toner image is transferred onto a recording medium such as a recording sheet. The toner image on the recording medium is fixed to thereby form a recorded image. On the other hand, the remaining toners, which are not transferred onto the recording medium but are left on the photosensitive body, are cleaned by a cleaner. The above process is repeated for a long period of time. The image forming technology using the two-component developing method is proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 3008838 and JP-B-6-29979.
Now, description will be given below in more detail of a developing system in which development is carried out while supplying toners to a photosensitive body 1. Firstly, description will be given of a forward-rotation developing system according to the prior art with reference to FIG. 2. A developing roller 61, which can be rotated in the same direction as the photosensitive body 1, includes a magnet 51 in the interior thereof; due to the magnetic suction power of the magnet 51, a two-component magnetic developing agent consisting mainly of toners and magnetic carriers is attracted to the developing roller 61, is then delivered due to the rotation of the developing roller 61 and is thus contacted with the photosensitive body 1, thereby developing an electrostatic latent image. The advantage of this developing system is as follows: that is, since, in the developing area where the photosensitive body and toners are contacted with each other and an electrostatic latent image is developed, the toners on the developing roller moves in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the photosensitive body, the force for the toners to rub against the surface of the photosensitive body increases and thus the cleaning effect in cleaning the surface of the photosensitive body can be enhanced. Also, because the developing roller moves in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the photosensitive body, a speed difference between the photosensitive body and developing roller is increased; and, therefore, even in case where the number of rotations of the developing roller is set small, there can be realized a high image density. However, the present developing system has a disadvantage that, since the contact between the photosensitive body and toners is strong, the quality of the image formed can be put into disorder. Also, there arises another problem that the leading end of a gang black image portion can be chipped.
Next, description will be given below of a reverse-rotation developing system according to the prior art with reference to FIG. 3. A developing roller 61, which can be rotated in the opposite direction to the photosensitive body 1, includes a magnet 51 in the interior thereof; due to the magnetic suction power of the magnet 51, a two-component magnetic developing agent consisting mainly of toners and magnetic carriers is attracted to the developing roller 61, is then delivered due to the rotation of the developing roller 61 and is thus contacted with the photosensitive body 1, thereby developing an electrostatic latent image. The advantage of this developing system is as follows: that is, since, in the developing area where the photosensitive body and toners are contacted with each other and an electrostatic latent image is developed, the toners on the developing roller moves in the same direction as the moving direction of the photosensitive body, the force for the toners to rub against the surface of the photosensitive body decreases, so that the quality of the image formed cannot be degraded but a high image quality can be realized. However, the present reverse-rotation developing system also has a disadvantage that, since the force for the toners to rub against the surface of the photosensitive body is weak, the cleaning performance of the surface of the photosensitive body is poor. Also, because the developing roller moves in the same direction as the moving direction of the photosensitive body, the speed difference between the photosensitive body and developing roller is small; and, therefore, to realize a high image density, the number of rotations of the developing roller must be set large. Further, in the case of the image quality, there is a problem that the rear end of a gang black image can be chipped. This phenomenon occurs very often especially when the image density is low.
In order to solve the above problems, there is proposed a center feed developing system including two developing rollers 61, 62 which, as shown in FIG. 4, can be rotated in the mutually opposite directions. On the upstream side of the moving direction of the photosensitive body, in the developing area, there is disposed a first developing roller 61 which can be moved in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the photosensitive body; and, on the downstream side thereof, there is disposed a second developing roller 62 which can be moved in the same direction to the moving direction of the photosensitive body. That is, in the center feed developing system, since it is capable of both reverse-rotation development and forward-rotation development, the disadvantages of the respective developing systems can be compensated to thereby be able to obtain good image quality.
However, when either of the above-mentioned reverse-rotation or forward-rotation developing system including a developing roller is employed in high-speed printing, there arises the following problem: that is, the developing ability is scarce because of the increased rotation and, in order to compensate this, the number of rotations of the developing roller must be increased; and, therefore, there is caused a vicious circle that stresses to be given to the developing agent increase to thereby shorten the life of the developing agent and impair the stability of the quality of the image formed.
Also, the present inventors have conducted examination tests to check the center feed developing system for the performance thereof when it is employed in high-speed printing. According to our tests, we have found the following problems. That is, when compared with the developing system including a single roller, the center feed developing system is enhanced in the high developing performance and is able to reduce the number of rotations of the developing rollers. However, in the center feed developing system, the ratio between the peripheral speed of the first developing roller and the peripheral speed of the photosensitive body as well as the ratio between the peripheral speed of the second developing roller and the peripheral speed of the photosensitive body have great influences on the quality of the image formed. That is, in case where the respective peripheral speed ratios go below their optimum ranges, even in the case of the center feed developing system, the developing performance is lowered to thereby have an ill influence on the image quality. On the other hand, in case where the respective peripheral speed ratios exceed their optimum ranges, the developing performance can be enhanced but stresses applied to both of the toners and developing agent increase to thereby have an ill influence on the life of the developing agent and thus impair the stability of the image quality. As can be seen from this, even in the center feed developing system, in case where the respective peripheral speed ratios deviate from their optimum ranges, the image quality and the characteristic of the developing agent can be ill influenced.
Here, description will be given below in more detail of the case in which the respective peripheral speed ratios are set so as to exceed their optimum ranges. In the case of the center feed developing system, as shown in FIG. 4, between the first and second developing rollers, there is interposed a developing agent distributing member 8; and thus, the developing agent can be restrictively distributed to the respective developing rollers by the developing agent distributing member 8. In such restrictive distribution of the developing agent, however, large stresses are applied to both of the toners and developing agent. Due to this, there arise the following problems: that is, external additives added to the surfaces of the toners can be embedded into the toner surfaces, and the toner components can be fused (spent) to the surfaces of the carriers, with the result that the frictional electric charging between the toners and carriers can be insufficient, a sufficient amount of charged electricity cannot be obtained, the toners can be scattered, a photographic fog can increase, and the life of the developing agent can be lowered.

Image forming method and image forming apparatus


A shade comprising a fabric having divider strips dividing the fabric into panels of predetermined outline, each strip being sewn or otherwise secured directly to the fabric in fixed relation thereto and draw cords extending in operative relation to the divider strip so that the divider strips form focal lines for folding of the sheet of fabric as the cords are drawn.

THIS INVENTION relates to improvements in or in relation to blinds particularly to those known as xe2x80x9croman shadesxe2x80x9d and more particularly but not limited thereto to, baton, cascade roman, oriental, panel, brick, diamond and other patterned roman shades. The present invention has particular application to the above named forms of roman shades but has general application to any type of shade where the present invention can be employed.
Roman shades are normally used as window furnishings, room dividers, privacy screens, awnings, wardrobe screens and the like applications. They can by made from natural or synthetic fabric materials. Examples of the materials include bonded fabrics, suede lined or coated fabrics, loose lined, sunscreen or sheer fabrics, canvas, plain or printed fabric.
Roman shades usually employ parallel spaced timber divider strips slidably held in pockets and operable by draw cords so that the divider strips form focal lines for folding of the shade as the cords are drawn.
Manufacture of a standard roman shade typically involves the following steps:
(i) measuring out the fabric;
(ii) hemming the fabric;
(iii) measuring the position and spacing of the lath pockets, for parallel operation of the laths;
(iv) sewing the pockets;
(v) inserting timber dowels into the pockets; and
(vi) hang the shade.
As a roman shade is a visual element any pockets that are even marginally out of parallel can create an undesirable appearance in the finished blind as the human eye is very perceptive to misalignment of this kind. Due to the construction of the roman blind, errors in measurement at step (iii) and or in sewing at step (iv) cannot be easily corrected.
One effort to simplify the process is disclosed in Australian patent application No. 74080/91 to Schon B. V. The specification discloses a retractable roman shade where shade laths are formed from an assembly comprising a strip and a fabric retainer rod insertable into the strip, the strip including a channel, the channel having a resilient clip entry receiving the retainer rod used to push fabric into and retain the fabric in the channel. This in effect displaces the fabric along the line of the strip and by using a number of these the usual focal lines for operation of the roman shade are formed. The main problem with this arrangement is that particularly for thin fabrics the strips tend to move relative to the fabric.
As a consequence of these inherent requirements for accuracy the construction of roman shades is a time consuming labour intensive process. The process also are requires a high level of machinist skill. Some of the more complex shapes such as cascade roman and baton roman are even more difficult and time consuming to make than the simpler forms.
Although variations on roman blinds have been adopted by various manufacturers in an effort to reduce labour and time none have found a simple solution.
For example, the use of an interference fit between the fabric pinched between the rod and the channel as shown in the Australian Patent application No. 740870/91 is unsuitable for thicker fabrics which simply do not fit. In addition a problem also common to other roman blinds is that the fabric gathered at the lath is effectively wasted fabric. Furthermore where a patterned or printed fabric is used the gathered fabric at the lath breaks the continuity of the pattern, again with undesirable visual effect. Simply put all the prior art lath arrangements even having regard to the time and labour factors are really only suitable for plain fabric due to this disruption of the pattern arising from gathering of the fabric at the lath.
Nevertheless it is undesirable in a Roman shade to completely eliminate pleats as the pleats give the roman shade its traditional identity but it would be desirably to retain the roman shade style but alleviate the problems of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of constructing roman type blinds whereby a quick accurate result can be obtained with less time than using the prior art methods.
In one aspect, therefore, the present invention resides in a shade comprising a fabric having a plurality of horizontal divider strips adhered directly to the fabric in fixed relation thereto by sewing or equivalent technique, a plurality of draw cords extending through one or more of the divider strips so that the divider strips form focal lines for folding of the shade as the cords are drawn. The invention embraces all known means of securing a divider strip directly to the fabric in fixed relation thereto. Examples of the securing means include stapling, adhesive, fusion, welding, clamping etc.
In the traditional roman shade stitching is generally disguised by the shape and position of the pockets or the fabric colour, but generally visible stitching is considered undesirable, particularly where light can pass through stitch holes. In another preferred aspect therefore, the present invention resides in a lath assembly comprising a divider strip suitable for being adhered to a fabric in fixed relation thereto by sewing or equivalent technique and a cover member coupled to the strip. Preferably the divider strip is made from a base strip having a longitudinal fold line and the strip is formed when the base strip is folded about the fold line, the cover member being adapted to maintain the strip in the folded form. Where the strip is sewn to a fabric the cover member is automatically positioned when connected in order to prevent light being transmitted through the stitch holes.
The divider strips can comprise any stiffened material that can be adhered to the fabric. The divider strip can be made up of discrete strip elements adhered to the fabric to form an effective strip extending across the fabric. Each strip can be adhered directly to the fabric by sewing or equivalent technique or can be employed to deform the fabric to give a predetermined special effect.
In one example, the strips are formed as laminated fabric or a flexible cord. The laminated fabric is typically formed from fabric layers glued or otherwise secured together. The cord is typically a multi fibre cord having a braided outerwall enabling the cord to flex and move in response to shade fabric movement. Strip thicknesses up to 5 mm thick can be used but 3 mm is typical. Clearly this aspect allows the lath assembly to flex to some degree in response to shrinkage of the shade fabric. A similar embodiment employs a flexible cord or other flexible filamentary material where the lath assembly allows lateral and particularly longitudinal adjustment of the lath assembly in response to shade fabric compression arising through shrinkage.
For high shrinkage rates in one form the lath assembly is formed from a notched or a serpentine shaped strip, the strip typically being made from a preformed plastics or woven onto the shade fabric from a cord wound in a serpentine form. In another form the lath assembly is made from discrete elements woven or otherwise secured at spaced intervals to the shade fabric so that the elements together form an effective strip that can move in response to shrinkage of the shade fabric.
In another aspect the strips are formed as a plastics strip 1 mm to 5 mm thick and 3 mm to 30 mm wide. Where plastics are employed the strips can include ring attachment means for securing a cord guide ring or the like. Strips made of aluminium can be as thin as 0.2 mm so that it can be sewn to the fabric. In another embodiment the strips include foldable portions and possibly also clip means for securing the fordable portions together so that the strips can be pressed into the fabric and as the strips are folded and clipped together the fabric follows a predetermined deformation in order to provide a predetermined effect on the opposite side of the fabric.
Where the lath assembly comprising one or more flexible cords adhered to the fabric, the cords can be used to retain a cover member clipped to the cord to add substance to the lath assembly, with the cover member gathering shade fabric to automatically provide a particular desired shade type.
In another further aspect there is provided a lath assembly having a strip which is channel shaped and adhered directly to fabric, and a cover member having a recess in which the strip is fitted. The strip has a web portion and a side wall portion extending from each end of the web portion. The shade fabric is sewn on the exterior of the web portion. Preferably the side wall portions have flanges extending outwardly therefrom. Advantageously the recess has a shape complementary to the channel shaped strip so that the strip can be slid into the recess and be retained therein. The cover member has a ring or clip attachment means for a ring or clip to be attached thereto. The attachment means can be in the form of a restricted opening for the ring or clip to be slid in position. Preferably a plurality of rings or clips are provided spacedly along the assembly. In this invention the stitch holes on the strip are covered by the cover member to prevent ingress of light through the stitch holes.
In yet another further aspect of the present invention a lath assembly is provided and the assembly has a strip arranged within a recess of a cover member and at least one ring attachment member is secured to the cover member. The shade fabric is sewn on one side of the strip. The cover member has a restricted opening at the entrance of the recess for retaining the strip. Preferably the cover member is substantially C-shaped and includes a web portion, a side portion extending from each end of the web portion and a flange portion extending inwardly from the free end of each of the side portions. The web portion of the cover member may be provided with a groove for accommodating the stitching on the strip. The groove may be formed by a bent part on the web portion. Each ring attachment member is preferably channel shaped, and has a web portion and a side portion extending from each end of the web portion. A groove is provided in the attachment member for receiving a ring. The attachment member is provided with securing means for securing the attachment member to the cover member. Preferably a plurality of ring attachment members are spacedly arranged on the cover member. In this invention the stitch holes on the strip are also covered by the cover member and the attachment member to prevent ingress of light through the stitch holes.
In an alternative aspect of the present invention, a shade is provided, the shade comprising a fabric having a plurality of clip members secured to the fabric at predetermined positions for forming a particular pattern.
Preferably the pattern includes a brick configuration or a diamond configuration. More preferably the brick configuration represents stacking bricks. The diamond configuration includes an array of diamonds arranged in rows.
In one form the fabric has a plurality of divider strips adhered to the fabric, and the or selected clip members are connected to at least one of the divider strips.
Advantageously the clip members include a ring attachment means for accommodating a ring for a draw cord.
In another alternate aspect of the present invention, a clip member for a shade is provide. The clip member has a pair of jaws between which a part or a folded part of the shade fabric is secured. Any known means for securing the fabric to the jaws may be employed. The securing means can include sewing, stapling, gluing or clamping such as by a tube rivet.
The clip member may be formed in two compatible parts. Desirably each part includes one of the jaws and the two parts can be snap fitted together.
The clip member is conveniently configured to accommodate a cover member of the above described lath assembly. Alternatively it can be configured to accommodate the above mentioned lath assembly.


A method of dynamically adapting the number of available channels in a first set of available channels for use by at least one signal source in a communications system. The method includes the steps of computing at least one received signal statistic; determining an adjustment to the number of available channels in the first set based on the at least one computed received signal statistic; and signaling to each active signal source in the system to cause the signal sources to use the adjusted number of available channels for transmitting signals.

A fast, efficient and reliable means of communicating data in a multi-user system is desirable for many applications. A need for such methods arises when multiple pieces of data (from multiple sources) need to be quickly read by a receiver. One particular application of such technology is in the electronic identification of multiple items.
The electronic identification industry is important for numerous commercial and military applications, including real-time item tracking and inventory. Such uses can greatly increase operational efficiency in a myriad of scenarios, including virtually all of those involving some form of manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and retail. The ability to quickly and efficiently perform accurate real-time inventory tracking can greatly reduce waste in many forms, including, but not limited to, the misplacement of items, over- or under-stocking of items, and item theft.
Currently, the electronic identification industry relies heavily on manual (light-based) scanning to identify a plurality of items, where each item is assigned a product code. The Universal Product Code (UPC) system is currently in widespread use throughout the United States retail industry. Manually scanning items, however, is extremely time-consuming and highly prone to human error.
Thus, there exists a need to provide a method for fast, efficient and reliable transmission of data from multiple sources to a receiver. More specifically, there exists a need to read such data as quickly as possible for all possible operating cases in an RFID system. Such scenarios may include cases where the number of tags ranges from very low to very high, or cases where the communications channel conditions range from very poor to very good. There exists a need for a method to adapt the data transmission system to all of these cases, in order to increase system throughput and efficiency.

Method and apparatus for adaptive processing gain for multiple source devices in a communications system


A storage system having first and second storage sections, each configured for storing containers arranged in multiple rows at various horizontal levels with respect to ground. A group of transportation devices is configured for moving in a horizontal direction along corresponding pairs of rails arranged at multiple horizontal levels in a passage between the first storage section and the second storage section so as to have access to the containers arranged in both the first and second storage sections. Each transportation device movable along a corresponding pair of rails is configured to include a container access mechanism movable up and down with respect to the corresponding pair of rails so as to handle one or more containers stored in a row above and below the corresponding pair of rails.

Typical warehouse operations include handling and storage of products in order to efficiently receive inventory, store it, collect products from different containers to prepare orders, and ship orders to customers. Handling and storage of products in a storage system involve a number of in-storage inventory transfers performed within the warehouse. After containers with products are received and moved to an initial storing location, products are often moved within the facility for storage or order selection. Further, after an order for product shipment is received, it is necessary to collect the required products to fulfill the order and move orders to a shipping area.
Several transfer movements are required in a typical warehouse. First, products are moved from the receiving area to a remote storage location. Additional movements may be required prior to order assembly, depending upon warehouse operating procedures. To fulfill an order, products are usually transferred from a storage area to a picking area. Finally, prepared orders are moved from a picking area to a shipping dock for loading to outbound transportation means.
In traditional storage systems, transfer movements are carried out using a combination of lift trucks, conveyors, and manual processes. However, such transfer operations are slow, and involve complex logistics and substantial labor cost when a large number of orders must be processed.
Therefore, it would be desirable to develop storage systems capable of performing in-storage transfer operations in a quick and efficient manner.

Transferring containers in storage system


A gun muzzle cover includes a washer portion having an adhesive side and a transparent cover portion attached to said washer portion. A muzzle cover provided with a removable slick for packaging and transport. A muzzle cover kit includes a removable slick, one or more muzzle covers removably adhered to said slick, a cleaning pad with a prepping agent, and container to house the kit.

Many people own and use guns for various activities such as hunting, protection, skeet shooting, target practice, among others. Using a gun in the outdoors, particularly a rifle, opens the gun barrel to dust, moisture, dirt, and other foreign materials. Unwanted foreign materials and moisture can affect performance and safety. Before now, gun users have had to rely on tape for protection which is messy and unreliable. Thus, there is a need for a device that protects a gun barrel from dust and moisture without affecting accuracy or performance.
Presently known art attempts to address this problem, but has not completely solved the problem. The following represents a list of known related art:
Reference:Issued to:Date of Issue:3,455,047HoagJul. 15, 19695,105,571Kinchin et al.Apr. 21, 19924,817,322Dietz et al.Apr. 4, 19894,084,340ScudderApr. 18, 19783,849,923HawkinsNov. 26, 19743,593,451McDonnellJul. 20, 19713,354,569KassabianNov. 28, 19673,063,184Sukala, Jr.Nov. 13, 19622,545,473KremkauMar. 20, 1951Des 271,126DoakOct. 25, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,047 to Hoag teaches a "Scotch Tape" muzzle cover where the tape is cut into a generally disk shape, with adhesive either generally applied on one side, or applied in a ring fashion, and then taped to the muzzle.
The teachings of each of the above-listed citations (which does not itself incorporate essential material by reference) are herein incorporated by reference. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


An additional image is formed on a recording medium by filling a predetermined area including a punched portion or a stapled portion, in addition to an image which is to be formed originally, such as a text document. The additional image is formed with white developer or transparent developer. Since the thickness of the recording medium is increased by the white developer or transparent developer forming the additional image portion, the region around the punched portion or the stapled portion is reinforced and the recording medium is kept from being broken easily. When the image and the additional image are superposed, the superposition of the image and the additional image is avoided by either reducing the image or changing the position of the image to be formed.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which reinforces a perforated portion of a recording medium having an image formed thereon.
Some image forming apparatuses, such as a copying machine and a printer device, have functions of performing a process such as stapling or punching for recording paper having an image formed thereon. When stapling a relatively small number of recording paper sheets, the turned tip portion of the staple may break through the recording paper from the reverse face to the right face. In the meantime, since punched recording paper sheets are bundled with a string or a binder, the punched portion becomes more breakable over time.
In view of such circumstances, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-91283(1999) is a technique of attaching to the punched recording paper a reinforcing member for reinforcing the punched portion. Moreover, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-123098(1997) is a technique of attaching a reinforcing member around a punched hole of the recording paper while punching the recording paper with the formation of an image, in order to reinforce the punched portion of the recording paper and keep the same from being broken easily.
Both of the conventional techniques use a method of attaching a prepared reinforcing member to the recording paper in order to reinforce the punched hole. The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-91283 has a problem that it is troublesome since it requires operations of attaching a reinforcing member to each recording paper sheet. Moreover, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-123098 has a problem that it needs the reinforcing members to be prepared. Another problem thereof is that a plurality of bundled recording paper sheets take up much space since the thickness of each recording paper sheet is increased when the reinforcing member is attached thereto.

Image forming apparatus performing post treatment accompanied with perforation