It is a metal oxidation treatment apparatus for carrying out the inactivation treatment of metal tubes used especially in a super high purity gas piping system and an apparatus of super high vacuum.. The support part of a support member is made as a tubular form member, and a tapered part is provided on the outer periphery thereof, and further, since a spring is mounted to be displaceable, even if fluctuation is present in the internal diameter of stainless steel tubes, it is possible to let the stainless tubes easily be supported on the support part. Also, even fluctuation of the length is present in the stainless steel tubes, the support member is always pushed to the stainless steel tubes. Oxidative gas diffusing out of the tube to be treated to the outside thereof can be released to the outside of the oxidation treatment furnace without letting it contact to the tube to be treated.

The present invention relates to a metal tube oxidation treatment apparatus, and relates particularly to a metal tube oxidation treatment apparatus for carrying out the inactivation treatment of the metal tube used in a super high purity gas piping system and a super high vacuum apparatus.
In recent years, the technology for realizing super high vacuum, or the technology for producing a reduced pressure atmosphere of super high purity by making a small flow amount of a predetermined gas flow into a vacuum chamber has become very important. These technologies are widely used in the research of material characteristics, the formation of various kinds of thin films, the production of semiconductor devices, etc., and as a result, although more and more high vacuum degree has been realized, but it is very strongly desired further to realize a reduced pressure atmosphere in which the mixing of impurity elements and impurity molecules has been reduced to the extreme limit.
For example, when it is exemplified with the case of the semiconductor device, the dimension of unit elements has become smaller year by year in order to improve the assembling degree of the integrated circuit, and research and development are actively carried out in order to practically obtain the semiconductor devices having the dimension of 1 .mu.m to submicron, and further, less than 0.5 .mu.m.
The production of such a semiconductor device as described above is carried out by repeating the procedure for forming thin films, the procedure for etching the formed thin films to a predetermined circuit pattern, etc. Then, in the process such as described above, it is usual to carry out the procedure in a super high vacuum state or in a reduced pressure atmosphere in which a predetermined gas has been introduced by putting the silicon wafers in general in a vacuum chamber. If impurities are mixed in these procedures, there are generated problems such as, for example, the film quality of thin films is deteriorated, and the accuracy of the fine finishing can not be obtained. This is the reason why the super high vacuum and the reduced pressure atmosphere of super high purity are requested.
As one of the greatest causes which prevented the realization of the super high vacuum and the reduced pressure atmosphere of super high purity, can be cited the gas released from the surface of the stainless steel and the like which are widely used in the chamber and gas pipings. Especially, it was the greatest pollution source that the water adsorbed on the surface was separated out in vacuum or in the reduced pressure atmosphere.
FIG. 6 is a graph for showing the relationship between the total leak amount of the system added with the gas piping system and reaction chambers in various kinds of apparatus (the sum of the released gas amount from the piping system and the reaction chamber internal surface and the external part leak) and the pollution of the gas. By the way, it is assumed that the original gas does not perfectly contain impurities. Plural number of lines in the figure show the result of the cases in which the flow amount has been changed to various values by making it as a parameter. Although it is a matter of course, that the less the gas flow amount becomes, the more the effect of the released gas from the internal surface is revealed, and the impurity concentration becomes relatively high.
The semiconductor process has such a tendency as to decrease the flow amount of the gas more and more in order to realize the procedures of higher accuracy such as the hole opening, the hole burying, etc. of high aspect ratio, and for example, it is usual, for example, in the process of submicron ULSI to use the flow amount of several ten cc/min or the less. When it is assumed that the flow amount of 10 cc/min is tentatively used, there is the system total leak about 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-6 Torr.multidot.l/sec in such a manner as in the apparatus widely used at present, the purity of the gas becomes 1% to 10 ppm, and it becomes far from the one of the high purity process.
The present inventor has invented the supply system of super high purity as, and has succeeded to check the leak amount from the external part of the system to less than 1.times.10.sup.-11 Torr.multidot.l/sec which is the detection limit of the detector at present. However, due to the leak from the inside of the system, that is, due to the constituents of the released gas from the surface of the above-described stainless steel, it was unable to reduce the impurity concentration of the reduced pressure atmosphere. The minimum value of the surface released gas amount obtained by the surface treatment in the super high vacuum technology at present, is in the case of the stainless steel is 1.times.10.sup.-11 Torr.multidot.l/(sec.multidot.cm.sup.2), and even it is assumed that the surface area exposed in the inside of the chamber has been estimated to be smallest such as, for example, 1 m.sup.2, the leak amount becomes in total as 1.times.10.sup.-7 Torr.multidot.l/sec, and the gas of the purity of about 1 ppm can be obtained for the gas flow amount of 10 cc/min. It is needless to say that the purity decreases further, when the gas flow amount has been diminished further.
In order to decrease the degassed constituent from the internal surface of the chamber to about the same degree as 1.times.10.sup.-11 Torr.multidot.l/sec which is equal to that of the external leak amount of the total system, it is necessary to make the degassing from the surface of the stainless steel be less than 1.times.10.sup.-15 Torr.multidot.l/sec cm.sup.2, and for that purpose, the treatment technology of the surface of the stainless steel for decreasing the gas release amount was strongly requested.
Also, in the semiconductor production process, various kinds of gases such as from the comparatively stable general gases (O.sub.2, N.sup.2, Ar, H.sup.2, He) to the special gases having strong reactivity, corrosive properties, and toxicity are used. In general, as the material of the piping and chamber for treating these gas, stainless steel is used in many cases from the reasons such as the reactivity, anti-corrosiveness, high strength, the easiness of the secondary processability, the easiness of the welding, and the easiness of polishing the internal surface.
Stainless steel is excellent in the anti-corrosiveness in a dry gas atmosphere. However, in special gases, there are such ones as boron trichloride (BCl.sub.3), boron trifluoride (BF.sub.3), which show strong corrosiveness by forming hydrogenchloride and fluoric acid when water is present in the atmosphere, and in the case when water is present in the gas atmosphere of the chlorine system and fluorine system such as the above-described BCl.sub.3 and BF.sub.3, stainless steel is easily corroded. Therefore, after the surface polishing of the stainless steel, the anti-corrosiveness treatment becomes indispensable.
As the treatment method for the anti-corrosiveness, there are the Ni-W-P coating and the like method (clean escorting method) which covers stainless steel with a metal having strong anti-corrosiveness, but in these methods, not only cracks and pin holes are liable to be formed, but also there are problems such as that the adsorption amount of water on the internal surface and the residual constituents of the solution become much, since they are the method of using the wet type galvanization. As another method, can be cited the anti-corrosiveness treatment in which a thin oxide film is formed on the metal surface by the inactivation treatment. Since stainless steel is inactivated by only being immersed in a liquid, when there is present a sufficient oxidizer in the liquid, the inactivation treatment is carried out in general at ordinary temperature or in a state where the temperature is somewhat raised in immersing in a nitric acid solution. However, since this method is also a wet method, much water and residual component of the treating solution are present in the piping and on the internal surface of the chamber. In the abovedescribed methods, the presence of adsorbed water on the internal surface gives severe damage to the stainless steel in the case when the chlorine system and fluorine system gases were made flown thereon.
Therefore, it is very important in the super high vacuum technology and the semiconductor process to constitute the chamber and the gas supply system with stainless steel formed with an inactive state film which is not subjected to damage even for a corrosive gas and has little absorption and adsorption of water.
For example, in the inactivation treatment of the stainless steel pipe, when the heat oxidation treatment has been carried out in a high purity atmosphere in which the content of water is less than 10 ppb, an inactive state film excellent in the degassing characteristics can be obtained.
FIG. 7 shows the change of the water amount contained in the purge gas in the case when stainless steel pipes having different internal surface treatment have been purged at ordinary temperature. In the experiment, N.sub.2 gas was flown in a 3/8" stainless steel pipe of the total length of 4 m at the flow amount of 450 ccm, and the water amount contained in the N.sub.2 gas at the outlet was measured by use of the HYCOSMO (low temperature optical dew point measuring instrument).
In FIG. 7, (a) shows the result of the test on the stainless steel pipe having been electrolytically polished on the internal surface.
The test shown in FIG. 7 has been carried out after the sample has been left for about 1 week in a clean room of the relative humidity of 50% and the temperature of 23.degree. C.
As is clearly known in (a) of the FIG. 7, it is known that, in the electrolytically polished pipe, a large amount of water is detected. After passing the gas for about 1 hour, about 100 ppb of water is also detected, and even after 2 hours, the water amount is detected for about 50 ppb, and it is known that the water amount is not quite decreased.
On the contrary, it was elucidated by the present inventor that the process has extremely excellent degassing characteristics in the case when the inactivated state film has been formed in a high purity dry atmosphere.
However, it is necessary to make the water content be less than 10 ppb in order to produce a stainless steel pipe having the extremely excellent degassing characteristics of the adsorbed gas, and in order to realize the super high purity oxidation atmosphere, the condition control of a high degree is necessary, and the process has high cost and its production efficiency is bad, so that the process could not be said as to be suitable to mass production. That is, by use of the conventional generally used metal oxidation treatment apparatus and the metal oxidation treatment method, it was unable to realize the oxidation atmosphere of such a super high purity as described above.
Also, especially in the stainless steel pipes having small internal diameter of such as 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2", the oxidation treatment has been carried out in such a state as it is that the inside of the stainless steel pipe has been exposed to the ambient air atmosphere and has been polluted. Also, since the external side of the stainless steel pipe has in general no relationship to the characteristics, it is very much polluted in comparison to the internal surface. When there is such a case that the gas contacting to this external surface is mixed to the gas for treating the internal surface, it is very difficult to keep the super high purity degree of the gas for treating the internal surface, and an inactivated film of good quality which is excellent in the corrosiveness and having little occlusion and adsorption of water can not be formed. Also, in the external side of the stainless steel pipe, the surface after the oxidation treatment becomes dirty by the roughness and dirtiness of the surface. Due to the fact that the external side of this stainless steel pipe oxidized becomes the cause of problems such that the pipe looks dirty and particles are generated in the case when it was piped in a clean room, together with that an inactivated state film of good quality can not be formed on the internal surface.
Therefore, in the mass production technology of the inactivation treatment of the metals to be oxidized such as the stainless steel pipe and the like, it was desired to establish the technology in which the external surface is not oxidized, together with that an inactive state film having excellent anti-corrosiveness and little occlusion and adsorption of water is formed.
Therefore, the apparatus shown otherwise in FIG. 8 has been proposed as such a technology (Japanese Patent Application No. 195185/1988).
In the apparatus shown in FIG. 8, a groove 134 having the diameter of approximately the same as the external diameter of the stainless steel pipe 101 is formed on the one surface, and the introducing port 135 and exhausting port 136 of the gas are formed on the another surface, and further, a pair of holders 103 and 104 which has communicated the groove 134 to the introducing port 135 and the exhausting port 136 is used, and further, the apparatus has such a structure that an inactive gas is introduced into the oxidation treatment furnace 137 from 119 and can be exhausted from 121.
The stainless steel pipe 101 is inserted into the groove 134 at the end thereof, and are held on the holders 103 and 104. Also, in another surfaces of the holders the gas introducing pipe 107 and the gas exhausting pipe 109 are connected.
That is, as the maximum feature of this technology, in the oxidation treatment furnace 137, while the gas is introduced form one end of the stainless steel pipe 101, ad the gas is always exhausted from another end, and impurities of the water separated from the internal surface of the stainless steel pipe 101 as the metal to be oxidation treated is exhausted out of the oxidation treatment furnace 137, and the stainless steel pipe 101 can be heat oxidized in a dry oxidation treatment atmosphere. Thereby, the water concentration in the oxidation treatment atmosphere can be decreased to less than the value objected (for example, less than 10 ppb in the case of the stainless steel), and the formation of a good inactivated state film on the surface of the metal to be oxidation treated is enabled.
Also, even if it is a stainless steel pipe in which the gas is difficultly flown, such as the stainless steel pipe and the like having small internal diameter, since the inlet and the outlet of the gas are arranged in such a manner that both ends of the stainless steel pipes are contacted, it becomes possible that the oxidation treatment atmosphere gas is flown in the inside of the stainless steel pipe, and the metal processed is heat oxidized in a dry oxidation treatment atmosphere. Thereby, the water concentration in the oxidation treatment atmosphere can be reduced to less than the objected value (for example., less than 10 ppb), and the formation of good inactivated state film on the surface of the metal processed becomes possible.
However, it was understood that the following problems are generated in this technology.
(1) At first, it is difficult to insert the stainless steel pipe 101 in the groove 134 of the holders 103 and 104. That is, when the internal diameter of the groove 134 is made too larger than the external diameter of the stainless steel pipe 101, there is generated a gap between the groove 134 and the stainless steel pipe 101, and the oxidative gas flows into the oxidation treatment furnace 137, and together with that an activated state film of good quality can not be formed on the internal surface of the stainless steel pipe 101, the external surface is also oxidized, and in order to prevent such a phenomenon, it is necessary that the internal diameter of the groove 134 is made approximately the same with the external diameter of the stainless steel pipe 101. However, when the internal diameter of the groove 134 and the external diameter of the stainless steel pipe 101 are made approximately be in the same size, the insertion of the stainless steel pipe in the groove 134 becomes difficult.
Especially, in the case when the stainless steel 101 has long length or has a small diameter, the difficulty is further increased.
Also, it is also difficult to finish the internal diameter of the groove 134 with good accuracy such that it is approximately the same with the internal diameter of the stainless steel pipe 101.
(2) Secondly, even if the finishing of the groove could be finished with good accuracy, in the case when fluctuation is present in the external diameter of the stainless steel pipes, the insertion into the groove 134 becomes impossible, when the external diameter is large, and on the contrary, when the external diameter is small, a gap is generated as has been described above, and together with that an inactivated state film of good quality can not be formed on the stainless steel pipe 101, external surface burning is generated on the external surface. By the way, such an external burning is liable to be generated at the end part of the stainless steel pipe 101.
(3) Since the gap between the holders 103 and 104 of the stainless steel pipe is constant, in the case when fluctuation was present in the length of the stainless steel pipe, then, as shown in FIG. 9, gap is generated between the groove 134 and the stainless steel pipe 101s in the case of a short stainless steel tube 101s, and an oxidative gas flows into the oxidation treatment furnace 137 from the gap thereof, and together with that inactivated state film of good quality can not be formed on the internal surface as described in (1) and (2), and there is generated the external surface burning.
(4) When the elongation by thermal expansion is generated in the stainless steel pipe 101 at the time of heating, deformation is generated in the pipe processed, since its both ends are restricted. When play is made to be present in order to prevent the deformation, the oxidative gas flows into the space of the oxidation treatment furnace from the inlet as described in (3), and together with that an inactivated state film of good quality can not be formed on the internal surface of the stainless steel pipe, but also the external surface is oxidized.
(5) In the case when the stainless steel pipe is a long length pipe, bending due to the weight of itself is generated at the central part.
By the way, the above-described problems were found out by the present inventor, and the present invention has been carried out on the basis of the discovery of such problems.

Metal tube oxidation treatment apparatus


Provided is a portable electron microscope using a microcolumn. The portable electron microscope includes a microcolumn, a low vacuum pump, a high vacuum pump, an ultra-high vacuum ion pump, a first chamber for receiving and fixing the microcolumn and a sample to be measured and forming a vacuum by means of the pumps, a controller, and a case for receiving the pumps, the chamber and the controller.

A microcolumn has been initially introduced in the 1980s as an electron beam microcolumn based on an electron emitter and an electronic optical element of a microstructure which operate under the basic principle of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The electron beam microcolumn forms an improved column by delicately assembling fine elements to minimize an optical numerical value.
The microcolumn generally includes an electron emitter, a source lens, an Einzel lens, and a deflector. With regard to the microcolumn, the structure of a single microcolumn is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 2003-66003 as an example. Related papers include "An electron beam microcolumn with improved resolution, beam current, and stability" by E. Kratschmer et al. 6, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B13(6), pp. 2498-2503, 1995, and "Experimental evaluation of a 20×20 mm footprint microcolumn" J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B14(6), pp. 3792-3796, 1996. Related patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,297,584, 6,281,508, and 6,195,214. A multi-microcolumn may be composed of a single column module (SCM) where a plurality of single microcolumns are arranged in series or parallel, or two or more standardized monolithic column modules (MCMs), i.e, a multi-column adopting 2×1 or 2×2 as a set. Further, there is a multi-column structure composed of a wafer-scale column module (WCM) where a piece of wafer acts as a lens element of a column. This basic concept is disclosed in a paper "Electron beam microcolumns for lithography and related applications" by T. H. P. Chang et al. 8, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B14, pp. 3774-3781, 1996. Another mode is a hybrid multi mode in which one or more columns may be arranged together with SCM and MCM or WCM, and some lens elements of the column may employ SCM, MCM, or WCM. Basic experimental results of this are disclosed in papers "Multi-beam microcolumns based on arrayed SCM and WCM" by Ho-Seob KIM et al. 7 persons, Journal of the Korean Physical Society, Vol. 45, No. 5, pp. 1214-1217, 2004, Microelectronic Engineering by Ho-Seob KIM et al. 6, pp. 78-79, pp. 55-61, 2005, and "Arrayed microcolumn operation with a wafer-scale Einzel Lens".
The conventional electron microscope is very large in size. Thus, when being observed by the electron microscope, a sample should be carried to a place such as a research institute where the electron microscope exists. This is inconvenient in the temporal and spatial aspect.

Portable electron microscope using micro-column


A system and method is described herein in which an audio source wirelessly transmits audio content to a first audio sink over one wireless link and to a second audio sink over another wireless link. The two audio sinks also exchange forward error correction (FEC) streams over a wireless link between the two audio sinks, wherein the FEC streams are generated by FEC encoding the audio content received from the audio source. The audio sinks advantageously use the exchanged FEC information to synchronize the playback of the audio content as well as to improve the robustness of the wireless links with the audio source in a manner that does not consume additional bandwidth on those links.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to systems in which audio content is transmitted between entities. In particular, the invention relates to systems in which audio content is wirelessly delivered from a single audio source to two audio sinks.
2. Background
In the past, telephone communication and the consumption of media content required a user to be stationary, since the electronic devices and systems that enabled such activities were themselves stationary. However, with advances in mobile technology, telephone users and media consumers have become mobile as well. The use of cellular telephones for mobile communication has become ubiquitous. Additionally, a wide variety of portable electronic devices are now available that can be used to store or access media content for playback at virtually any location. Such devices include but are not limited to portable media players, handheld computing devices, laptop computers and media-enabled cellular telephones.
To meet the demands of mobility, the speakers associated with such cellular telephones and portable electronic devices are often small and designed to operate using little power. This places constraints on the loudness and quality of the audio that can be produced by such devices. Additionally, some portable electronic devices have no speakers at all, but instead require the use of headphones to listen to audio content. Users may also choose to use headphones with devices that do have a speaker (such as cellular telephones) to enhance their perception of the audio content, to free up their hands, and/or to prevent others from hearing the audio. In any case, if the headphones are wired, then the user must be physically tethered to the device, which can be inconvenient and/or uncomfortable.
To address these issues, technology has been developed that allows cellular telephones and other portable electronic devices to form wireless links with external speaker systems so that the portable electronic devices can deliver audio content over the external systems. Examples of such external speaker systems include wireless headphones and headsets, stand-alone wireless speakers, or speakers integrated within other electronic devices or systems that are adapted to receive audio wirelessly. Protocols that can be used to enable the wireless streaming of audio to such systems include but are not limited to the well-known protocols for short-range wireless communication defined in the Bluetooth™ specifications (developed and licensed by the Bluetooth™ Special Interest Group) and the well-known protocols for wireless local area network (WLAN) communication defined in the various IEEE 802.11 standards (developed by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee).
One type of external speaker system to which audio content may be delivered wirelessly is a stereo speaker system that includes a left-channel speaker and a right-channel speaker. A conventional approach to wirelessly delivering audio content to such a system is depicted in FIG. 1. In particular, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional system 100 in which an audio source 102 wirelessly delivers audio content to a first audio sink 104 and a second audio sink 106, wherein the audio sinks are connected by a wired link 110. First audio sink 104 and second audio sink 106 are intended to represent audio speakers, or devices that contain such speakers. In system 100, audio source 102 transmits an audio stream 112 over a wireless link 108 to first audio sink 104. First audio sink 104 receives the audio stream and extracts two channels of audio content therefrom—namely, a left audio channel and a right audio channel. One channel is played back by first audio sink 104, while the other channel is transmitted over wired link 110 for playback by second audio sink 106.
In the approach shown in FIG. 1, the respective playback of each of the two channels of audio content by first audio sink 104 and second audio sink 106 can be highly synchronized since first audio sink 104 manages both channels of audio content and the delivery of audio content from first audio sink 104 to second audio sink 106 takes place over a wired transmission medium. Furthermore, the quality of the audio produced by second audio sink 106 will likely be as good as the quality of the audio produced by first audio sink 104 since little or no packet loss is expected over wired link 110. However, the approach shown in FIG. 1 is limiting because it requires that first audio sink 104 and second audio sink 106 be physically connected to each other by wired link 110. This limits the placement and mobility of each of the audio sinks. Furthermore, this prevents audio source 102 from establishing ad hoc links with two speakers that are not part of the same speaker system.
Another conventional approach to wirelessly delivering audio content to a stereo speaker system is depicted in FIG. 2. In particular, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional system 200 in which an audio source 202 wirelessly delivers audio content to a first audio sink 204 and a second audio sink 206, wherein the audio sinks are communicatively connected to each other via a wireless link 210. In system 200, audio source 202 transmits a first audio stream 212 over a wireless link 208 to first audio sink 204. First audio sink 204 receives first audio stream 212 and extracts two channels of audio content therefrom. One channel is played back by first audio sink 204, while the other channel is transmitted to second audio sink 206 as part of a second audio stream 214 transmitted over wireless link 210. Second audio sink 206 receives the second audio stream 214 and extracts the other channel of audio content for playback.
The approach shown in FIG. 2 is advantageous in that it does not require a wired link between first audio sink 204 and second audio sink 206. However, this approach also suffers from some drawbacks. For example, in the approach shown in FIG. 2, if wireless link 208 between audio source 202 and first audio sink 204 is degraded for any reason, then the quality of the audio produced by both first audio sink 204 and second audio sink 206 will suffer. Furthermore, if wireless link 210 between first audio sink 204 and second audio sink 206 is degraded for any reason, then the quality of the audio produced by second audio sink 206 will suffer.
Accordingly, what is needed is an approach to delivering audio content from a single audio source to two audio sinks that addresses the foregoing shortcomings associated with conventional solutions.

Dual streaming with exchange of FEC streams by audio sinks


The invention comprises a method of manufacturing a sample chamber, comprising the steps of: providing a first (20) and a second (30) component, the first component (20) comprising an elastomer; treating the elastomer in the region of a contact surface of the first component (20) and/or treating a contact surface of the second component (30) with a plasma, with plasma waste gas, and/or with a reactive gas; and connecting the contact surface of the first component (20) with the contact surface of the second component (30).

In particular in the field of cell microscopy, most diverse forms of sample chambers are known. Almost all sample chambers include structures for receiving a sample, for example in the form of microfluidic channels or reservoirs. Examples of such sample chambers are shown in EP 1 886 792 A2, WO 2008/149914 A2, WO 2005/079985, or DE 101 48 210. Simple and well-known forms comprise Petri dishes and multiwell plates as they are described in DIN EN ISO 24998 or ANSI/SBS 2-2004 for microplates.
Possible application fields for such sample chambers are in particular the field of molecule or cell microscopy. The samples under test are placed into a reservoir of the sample chamber together with a liquid and can then be examined with high-resolution methods (for example transmitted-light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, etc.)
Well-known sample chambers are typically made as single-component or multi-component chambers. Examples of single-component sample chambers are glass Petri dishes and multiwell plates of polystyrene (PS) which are made by injection molding. Multi-component sample chambers usually comprise at least one side wall and one bottom plate which are connected to each other by various methods. Above all, ultrasonic welding or gluing are well-known. One type of connection by adhesive or tacky layers is described, for example, in EP 1 886 792 A2.
As to manufacture, it is often advantageous to produce the sample chambers from several components or parts. A connection by ultrasonic welding, however, requires a lot of energy. The use of adhesive or tacky layers, however, often involves the use of solvents. The latter, however, are disadvantageous in that residues can lead to a contamination of the sample when the sample carrier is in use.

Method of manufacturing a sample chamber


A control apparatus of a press machine in which a motor performance torque is fluctuated in accordance with a rotational angle of the rotating body in the case of rotating the motor at a fixed instruction speed. The control apparatus includes an angle detecting apparatus detecting a rotational angle of the rotating body, a torque determining apparatus determining a necessary motor torque in correspondence to a characteristic of the press machine on the basis of a value of the rotational angle input from the angle detecting apparatus, and a speed adjusting apparatus increasing the rotational instruction speed of the motor to a value more than the fixed instruction speed, at the rotational angle of the rotating body in which the necessary motor torque becomes smaller than a predetermined motor torque reference value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a press machine having a mechanism converting a rotational motion into a reciprocating motion.
2. Description of the Related Art
A press machine includes a hydraulic press driving a slide on the basis of a hydraulic pressure, and a mechanical press driving a slide on the basis of a mechanical mechanism.
The mechanical press includes a crank press rotationally driving a crank shaft by a motor. In the crank press, a slide is ascended and descended on the basis of a rotation of the crank shaft.
The press is executed by sandwiching a worked subject between an upper metal mold fixed to a lower surface of the slide and a lower metal mold arranged in a lower side of the slide, at a time when the slide descends.
Further, the mechanical press includes a mechanical press employing a flywheel in which a rotational energy is accumulated, and a mechanical press employing a servo motor which can freely adjust a forward rotation, a backward rotation and a speed change without using the flywheel.
The press machine employing the flywheel transmits a rotational driving force of a motor 41 to a flywheel 47 via a pulley 43 and a transmission belt 45, for example, as shown in FIG. 1. A clutch 49 couples the flywheel 47 to a main gear 51 in an ON state, and disconnects the flywheel 47 from the main gear 51 in an OFF state.
The main gear 51 is fixed to one end portion of a crank shaft 53, and the crank shaft 53 is rotationally driven together with the main gear 51.
One end portion of a coupling member 55 is coupled to an eccentric portion of the crank shaft 53, and a slide 57 is coupled to the other end portion of the coupling member 55. Accordingly, a rotational motion of the crank shaft 53 is converted into a reciprocating linear motion of the slide 57, and the slide 57 is ascended and descended.
In this structure, the rotational energy accumulated in the flywheel 47 is discharged in a rotational angle region of the crank shaft 53 pressing a worked subject, and is again accumulated in the flywheel 47 in the other rotational angle region.
In the case of the press machine employing the flywheel, an apparatus is enlarged in size at a degree of an employment of the flywheel and the clutch, however, in the case of the press machine employing the servo motor, there is an advantage that the flywheel and the clutch can be omitted.
However, in the case of the press machine employing the servo motor, since it is impossible to accumulate the rotational energy in the flywheel, it is necessary to set the servo motor and a power source equipment for driving the motor to a large capacity.
Taking this point into consideration, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-344946 "Press Machine"), a condenser for accumulating an electric energy is connected to an AC power supply equipment, and the electric energy accumulated in the condenser is supplied to the servo motor in the rotational angle region of the crank shaft pressing the worked subject.
Accordingly, the AC power supply equipment is downsized, and an energy necessary at a time of pressing is secured.
However, in the case of Patent Document 1, since a great current is supplied to the servo motor in the rotational angle region of the crank shaft pressing the worked subject even if the AC power supply equipment can be downsized, a drive circuit directly driving the servo motor is enlarged at that degree.
On the other hand, it is desired to further downsize the motor and the drive circuit of the motor in the press machine employing the flywheel.
Further, it is desired to lower an electric power consumption in the press machine.

Press machine, control apparatus and control method of press machine


A moving object risk calculation unit calculates the total value at all points of intersection of a mesh M for the risk due to moving objects at each point of intersection on the basis of the risk due to objects at each point of intersection in the plurality of meshes set in the vicinity of a host vehicle. In this manner, it is possible to acquire the risk due to moving objects, such as another vehicle that is traveling or is stationary or a pedestrian who is walking or is stationary. In addition, a moving object risk calculation unit calculates the total value of the risk due to moving objects at all points of intersection of the mesh by subtracting the total value of the risk due to immovable objects, which is fixed at each point of intersection, at all points of intersection of the mesh from the total value of the risk due to objects. Therefore, since it is not necessary to distinguish between movable objects and immovable objects at each point of intersection of the mesh, the moving object risk calculation unit can calculate the total value of the risk due to moving objects with less computational load.

In order to increase the safety of traveling, an apparatus that calculates the potential risk in the vicinity of a vehicle has been proposed. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a driving assistance apparatus for a vehicle that calculates the potential risk due to the kinetic energy of a host vehicle, the potential risk due to the traveling rules, the potential risk due to the proximity to an obstacle, and the potential risk due to an interrupt vehicle. The apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 selects the larger of the potential risk due to the kinetic energy and the potential risk due to the proximity and applies a reaction force changing continuously to an accelerator pedal and a steering wheel. The apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 preferentially selects the potential risk due to an interrupt vehicle between the potential risk due to the traveling rules and the potential risk due to an interrupt vehicle and further applies a reaction force increasing in a stepwise manner to the accelerator pedal and the steering wheel.


An electromagnetic actuator for operating a setting member includes an electromagnet composed of a yoke body and a magnet coil held by the yoke body; an armature adapted to be coupled to the setting member; and a resetting spring for exerting a spring force to the armature. The spring force opposes the magnetic force generated by the electromagnet when energized. The armature is guided in a reciprocating motion which it executes in a direction of armature displacement in response to the magnetic and spring forces. The armature is provided with a plurality of throughgoing, slot-shaped apertures.

An electromagnetic actuator for operating a setting member has an electromagnet energized by a controllable current supply. The magnetic force resulting from the energization of the electromagnet affects an armature which is coupled to the setting member to be operated. Usually a resetting spring is provided which, in the de-energized state of the electromagnet, holds the armature--and the setting member connected therewith--in a first switching position. The armature, upon energization of the electromagnet, is moved towards the second switching position by the magnetic forces and is held in such a second switching position as long as the electromagnet is in an energized state.
For affecting the velocity of the armature as it approaches the pole face of the electromagnet and also, as the armature moves away from the pole face after de-energization of the electromagnet, a rapid change in the magnetic force is a desideratum. Such a rapid force change, that is, a rapid change in the magnetic field, however, is opposed by eddy currents. Conventionally, the generation of eddy currents in the electromagnet may be minimized by making the yoke body of a stack of sheet metal laminae. Thus, the energization of the electromagnet, especially during a phase when the armature is still at a significant distance from the pole face, results in a rapid build-up of the magnetic field, as described in German Offenlegungsschrift (application published without examination) No. 35 00 530. During the terminal phase of the approach of the armature, however, the effect of the electromagnet is influenced by the armature to an increasing extent. Since the armature is, as a rule, made of solid iron, the eddy currents generated therein work against a rapid field change and thus oppose a rapid change of the electromagnetic force. The same phenomenon occurs as the armature moves away from the pole face. While upon de-energization of the electromagnet only small eddy currents are present in a laminated yoke body, the eddy currents which flow in the solid iron armature even after a de-energization of the electromagnet, delay the release of the armature from the pole face. Such a "sticking" of the armature to the pole face leads to disadvantages in case of high switching frequencies and adversely affects a reproducible control of the setting member.

Electromagnetic actuator armature having eddy current-reducing means


A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a discharging portion which discharges liquid; a carriage which has the discharging portion mounted thereon, and is provided with a conductive member; a power supply source which supplies power for discharging the liquid from the discharging portion; a housing which has the power supply source installed therein; and a carriage guide axis which supports the carriage to be movable with respect to the housing, in which between the carriage guide axis and the conductive member, a coupling capacitance is formed by electric field coupling, and in which the coupling capacitance is included in a power supplying path to the discharging portion or a discharging path from the discharging portion, in a transmission path of the power.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid discharging apparatus and a control method thereof.
2. Related Art
In a printer, inside a housing, a carriage on which a printer head (hereinafter, referred to as a head) that discharges ink to a recording medium is mounted is provided, and the carriage moves in a main scanning direction. The head is moved by a driving control portion.
Here, a printer which is configured to have the driving control portion and the head mounted together on the carriage is known. In this type of the printer, a printing signal which controls the head is generated on a circuit substrate which is provided in the housing. Here, since it is necessary to transmit the printing signal to the carriage from the circuit substrate, the circuit substrate and the carriage are linked to each other by a flexible flat cable (hereinafter, referred to as an FFC) having high flexibility. The FFC is also used in supplying power to the driving control portion which is mounted on the carriage, from a power supply source which is installed in the housing.
As described above, since the carriage is a member which moves in the main scanning direction, when the carriage moves, the FFC is likely to be physically damaged on a mechanism. In addition, noise is likely to be generated in a control signal, such as the printing signal, through the FFC. Since these problems exist, it is desirable that a technology which configures a liquid discharging apparatus without using the FFC is employed.
In consideration of the above-described situation, in JP-A-2011-46118, a printer in which a timing belt that makes the carriage reciprocate is configured of a conductive material, such as a metal, and in which power is supplied to the driving control portion of the carriage via the timing belt and a pulley, is disclosed. In addition, in the printer suggested in JP-A-2011-46118, the control signal is supplied to the carriage by using a wireless communication technology. In JP-A-2013-14056, by using electromagnetic field coupling which uses a coil, a printer, which wirelessly transmits the power to the carriage from the housing, is disclosed.
In addition, a power transmission technology, which uses a coupling capacitance formed by electric field coupling, is also suggested. For example, in JPA-2012-175869, a vehicle power supplying apparatus, which performs AC power transmission to a vehicle body from a road surface by using an electrostatic capacitance of a tire of a vehicle, is disclosed.
In the housing of the printer, a mist of ink (hereinafter, referred to as ink mist) is present and is ionized by a high voltage, such as static electricity, that is generated as the recording medium is transported. In the printer which is disclosed in JP-A-2011-46118, since the timing belt which is configured of the conductive material is used, when the ink mist is adhered to the timing belt during energization, there is a risk of generation of heat due to a short circuit. In addition, similarly, even when the timing belt during energization falls off from the pulley which transfers power to the timing belt and comes into contact with the housing, there is a risk of generation of heat due to a short circuit. Furthermore, the ionized ink mist can be adsorbed to the timing belt. The ink mist which is adsorbed to the timing belt causes sliding between the timing belt and the pulley, and there is a possibility that a defect is generated in transferring power to the timing belt from the pulley. Furthermore, when electrostatic noise caused by a discharging phenomenon which is referred to as electrostatic discharge (ESD) is generated in the timing belt, there is a possibility that variation in power supplied to the carriage is generated and the operation of the driving control portion which serves as an electronic circuit is influenced.
In the printer disclosed in JP-A-2013-14056, there exist constraints in design or manufacturing because of installation of a resonator including the coil for electromagnetic field coupling. In other words, even during a period in which the carriage is moving, the coil which is installed in the carriage and the coil which is installed in the housing should be configured to form constant electromagnetic field coupling, and a resonance circuit including the coil which is installed in the carriage and a resonance circuit including the coil which is installed in the housing should be configured to magnetically resonate. Such constraints in configuration can increase cost in design or manufacturing the printer.
In JP-A-2012-175869, the power transmission technology which uses the coupling capacitance is disclosed, but since the technology is a power transmission technology which uses a configuration which is not provided in a printer, for example, a configuration that is specific to a vehicle, such as a tire or a road surface, the technology cannot be employed in a printer as it is.

Liquid discharging apparatus and control method thereof


A flat planar light fixture formed of a translucent panel with for the transmission of light is illuminated by a plurality of high brightness LEDs disposed along the edges thereof. A layer of reflective material on a back surface of the panel facilitates reflection and dispersion of light that occurs within the panel through a front surface thereof. The LEDs are powered by low-voltage direct current and coupled with an emergency backup battery that is maintained in a charged condition by household current. The light fixture may be operatively connected with a signal receiver that controls the light intensity and turns the LEDs on and off responsive to signals transmitted from a remote signal transmitter. The LEDs may be provided in different colors to allow the user to vary the color of illumination. The light fixture may also be operatively connected with an alarm system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to lighting fixtures, and more particularly to a lighting fixture illuminated by a plurality of light emitting diodes wherein the light that is within the panel is transmitted through a front surface thereof.
2. Background Art
Conventional ceiling mounted light fixtures typically employ incandescent or fluorescent light sources. Incandescent illumination systems have significant disadvantages since they consume a lot of power and produce a great deal of heat, are relatively inefficient and fragile, and require frequent replacement. Systems using fluorescent light sources also have several disadvantages since they require complicated circuitry including a ballast reactor (a coil of wire wrapped around a heavy iron core), and require substantial space for the location of the fluorescent lamps and circuitry thus increasing the profile of the fixture. Fluorescent lighting systems also consume a lot of power, are relatively inefficient, are heavy and fragile, and require frequent replacement.
Light Emitting Diodes or "LEDs" have been previously employed in the field of illuminated sign systems, and edge lighting systems, for example, luminous signs for display and advertising purposes and directional signage such as emergency exit signs. Typically, LED signs include a panel surface having graphics applied thereto or etched to define indicia and generally light is direct light from the light source onto either the viewing surface of the panel or through a translucent panel disposed behind the graphic information to be viewed. Edge lighting systems, on the other hand, use a light source to inject light into the edge of a transparent or translucent panel, whereby the panel is caused to glow and any graphics in contact with the panel are made apparent. For example, a message painted on the back side of a panel viewed from the front can be illuminated in this manner, or a panel can be caused to glow generally, the indicia being defined by or between opaque areas on the front side.
Light emitting diodes or "LEDs" are popular for use in lighting fixtures such as exit lighting primarily because of their longer service life. They also generally require lighter duty power supplies and battery backups. Maintenance costs are greatly reduced because LEDs last significantly longer before degrading to half power.
There are several patents directed toward various illuminated sign systems, and edge lighting systems employing light emitting diodes or "LEDs".
Pulles, U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,959 discloses an edge-lighted panel having a number of light sources couple to a length of flexible wiring which is arranged to be removably affixed about the peripheral edge of the panel, with the light sources disposed within light receiving cavities in the marginal portion of the panel.
Schoniger et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,258 discloses an illuminated display unit such as a board with a house number thereon or an advertising billboard, having a light guide panel. At least one electrical illuminating element is arranged in the vicinity of at least one lateral limiting edge thereof. The light guide panel serves for illuminating logo symbols, which are preferably in the form of film or of vapor coated layers, on the light guide panel. At least one of the lateral limiting edges of the light guide panel is provided with a light guide batten whose thickness is in excess of the thickness of the light guide panel and at least one of the illuminating elements is mounted in the batten. The transition between the light guide batten and the light guide panel is designed so as to have a high optical conductivity or transitivity. The external surfaces of the light guide batten are provided at least partly with an inwardly reflecting layer. This makes it possible for the light of the illuminating elements in the form of LED's with a large diameter, to be fully introduced in substantially thinner light guide panels in order to reduce costs and weight.
Hegarty, U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,591 discloses an illuminated sign system using high brightness LEDs and a translucent graphic panel with suitable opacity for the transmission of light. The graphic panel is illuminated by light from the LEDs which is injected into the edge of the graphic panel causing graphics applied to a surface of the graphic panel to become illuminated.
Tokunaga, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,043 discloses a lighting unit of an indirect type, capable of varying the luminance and color of illumination with respect to a target to be lit, and further capable of using itself as a display unit. The lighting unit comprises a light guide plate having one side fashioned into an uneven surface or a reflective surface; a plurality of light emitting diodes for supplying a light to the light guide plate, the light derived from the diodes being dispersed through the light guide plate; and a control section which controls actions including blinking of the light emitting diodes. At least a part of the diodes is intended to emit a light different in color from that of the others so that the color or blinking of illumination can be arbitrarily varied through the control by means of the control section.
Mizobe, U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,219 discloses an illuminating device in which light is introduced mainly from a light source provided at a peripheral portion of a light emitting surface thereby illuminating the light emitting surface. The illumination of the light emitting surface is kept uniform irrespective of a shape of the light emitting surface, a type of the light source, a number of light sources and a mounting position of the light sources. The device may be used as a display device.
Tung, U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,297 discloses a luminant sign having a base including a pair of opposed casings and a image plate made of transparent acrylic resin engaged with the base. The base has a circuit board with a plurality of illuminators disposed therein. A front face and a rear face of the image plate have a number of display areas defined thereon by peripheral grooves of pictures or words. Each display area has a plurality of reflective surfaces formed therein in directions non-parallel to the beam directions of the illuminators whereby each display area of the image plate will achieve a uniform intensity.
Maas et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,656 discloses a luminaire and light emitting panel comprising a relatively thin and flat light-emitting panel having a light-emitting window and, opposite the light-emitting window, a rear wall with opposed edge surfaces. At least one of the edge surfaces is light transmitting and associated with a plurality of light sources. Light originating from the light sources is spread in the panel. The device is characterized in that a plurality of deformities is provided in the panel for extracting light from the panel via the light emission window. The deformities are clustered so as to form at least one light symbol. The configuration of the clusters of deformities corresponds to the shape of the light symbol. Preferably, the luminaire has a first and a second light-transmitting edge surface, with respectively, a first and a second plurality of light sources being associated with the surfaces. A first cluster of deformities only couples light from the first light source out of the panel, thereby forming a first light symbol, while a second cluster of deformities only couples light from the second light source out of the panel, thereby forming a second light symbol, independently of the formation of the first light symbol. The luminaire provides independent lighting and coloring possibilities of light symbols in a single-panel luminaire.
Light emitting diodes or "LEDs" have not been widely accepted as a general lighting source as a replacement for incandescent or fluorescent light sources because, until just recently, they were known to have a very poor luminous efficacy and were incapable of providing sufficient brightness. As used herein, the term "luminous efficacy" means the amount of luminous flux (light) measured in lumens produced for each watt of electrical input power; and the term "efficiency" means the watts of visible energy as a ratio of the energy consumed in watts. When LEDs were first commercialized in the early 1960s, they then featured a luminous efficacy on the order of 0.15 lumen ("lm") per watt ("lm/W"). Not until the development of isoelectronically doped indirect semiconductors in the mid-1970s did diodes become brighter and more varied in color. Red, yellow, and green diodes so manufactured could produce a luminous efficacy in the range of 1 lm/W; single heterostructure diodes raised the efficacy to a range of 2 lm/W.
The recent development and plummeting costs of new semiconductor materials have made it possible to produce low cost, "high brightness" light emitting diodes, or LEDs, that provide a new alternative to conventional filament light bulbs and fluorescent tubes as a light source in ceiling light panels. LED efficiency (watts of visible energy as a ratio of the energy consumed in watts) is advancing at a rapid rate compared to conventional incandescent and fluorescent lighting. For example, Lumileds Lighting LLC, of San Jose, Calif. produces a Luxeon™ Star line of ultra bright LEDs whose brightness exceeds previous LEDs by a factor of 5 to 10 times or even more. They can also produce a white light with a luminous efficacy in the range of up to 30 lm/W. As used in the context of the present invention, the term "high brightness LED" means a light emitting diode having a luminous efficacy of at least 30 lm/W.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a flat planar light fixture formed of a translucent panel for the transmission of light that is illuminated by a plurality of high brightness LEDs disposed along the edges thereof. A layer of reflective material on a back surface of the panel facilitates reflection and dispersion of light that occurs within the panel through a front surface thereof. The LEDs are powered by low-voltage direct current through a rectifier and can be coupled with an emergency backup battery that is maintained in a charged condition by standard current. The light fixture may be operatively connected with a signal receiver that controls the light intensity and turns the LEDs on and off responsive to signals transmitted from a remote signal transmitter. The LEDs may be provided in different colors to allow the user to vary the color of illumination. The light fixture may also be operatively connected with an alarm system.

Light panel illuminated by light emitting diodes


A memory device includes a first ternary content addressable memory (TCAM), a second TCAM, a memory array coupled to the first and second TCAMs, a first priority logic coupled between the first TCAM and the memory array, a second priority logic coupled between the second TCAM and the memory array, and a look-ahead signal generated by the first priority logic and provided to the second priority logic. Match lines from the first and second TCAMs are coupled to respective word lines in the memory array.

Field
This disclosure relates generally to memories, and more specifically, to a memory array coupled with one or more ternary content addressable memories (TCAM).
Related Art
A content addressable memory (CAM) is a type of memory that is typically used in high-speed search operations. For a search operation, a CAM compares input search data against a table including rows of stored data, and returns the address of the matching data. Two basic types of CAMs include a binary CAM (BCAM) and a ternary CAM (TCAM). In a BCAM, each bitcell stores one of two data states, a logic "1" or a logic "0", such that the input search data is compared with each row of the BCAM to determine whether the stored data of the row matches the input search data. In a TCAM, each bitcell stores one of three data states, a logic "1", a logic "0", or a "don't care" value, in that the "don't care" value results in a match of the bit regardless of the value of the input bit of the search data. In order to encode three data states, each TCAM bitcell is configured to store two bits.
The address returned during a search operation can be used to retrieve data from a random access memory (RAM), which is a type of memory that is often implemented as volatile memory. One type of RAM is static RAM (SRAM), which uses latching circuitry to store data. A traditional SRAM includes a plurality of bitcells, where each bitcell stores a bit of data. In a traditional SRAM, the bitcells statically store data, as opposed to a dynamic RAM (DRAM), where the data stored at each bitcell needs to be periodically refreshed. However, a traditional SRAM is still considered volatile memory because the data stored by the SRAM is lost when power to the SRAM is lost.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, unless otherwise noted. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.

Memory array and coupled TCAM architecture for improved access time during search operation


A pedestrian notification apparatus, which is configured to be used in a vehicle, includes an ambient object detector, a notification target detector and a notifier. The ambient object detector is configured to detect ambient objects present around the vehicle. The notification target detector is configured to detect a notification target pedestrian based on the detection results of the ambient object detector. The notifier is configured to notify the notification target pedestrian that the notification target pedestrian has been detected by the notification target detector.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pedestrian notification apparatus that is used in a vehicle to notify a pedestrian of information, such as the fact that the apparatus has recognized the presence of the pedestrian.
2. Description of Related Art
There are known techniques for recognizing the ambient environment of a vehicle and notifying, when there is an obstacle which the vehicle may collide with, the vehicle driver of the presence of the obstacle. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-139229 (to be simply referred to as Patent Document 1 hereinafter) discloses an apparatus that is configured to notify the vehicle driver, when there is a nearby obstacle which has not been perceived by the vehicle driver, of the presence of the obstacle by outputting an audible alarm.
However, with the configuration of the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the obstacle is a pedestrian, it is impossible for the apparatus to notify the pedestrian of the presence of the vehicle nearing the pedestrian.
On the other hand, there are also known techniques for notifying, when there is a pedestrian in front of the vehicle, the pedestrian of the presence of the vehicle nearing the pedestrian. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-79349 (to be simply referred to as Patent Document 2 hereinafter) discloses an apparatus that is configured to transmit a signal, via a visible light irradiated by a headlight of the vehicle, to a portable device carried by the pedestrian. Consequently, upon receipt of the signal by the portable device, the pedestrian is notified of the presence of the vehicle. Further, the portable device is configured to output a pedestrian signal upon receipt of the signal transmitted by the apparatus. Consequently, upon receipt of the pedestrian signal by the apparatus, the vehicle driver is also notified of the presence of the pedestrian.
However, with the configuration of the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is impossible for the apparatus to further notify the pedestrian that the vehicle driver has recognized the presence of the pedestrian.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-143505 (to be simply referred to as Patent Document 3 hereinafter) discloses an apparatus that is configured to notify the vehicle driver of information on the ambient environment of the vehicle by displaying the information on the road surface in front of the vehicle. More specifically, the information includes, for example, road signs present in front of the vehicle and the distance from the vehicle to a preceding vehicle. The apparatus displays the information by controlling the light distribution of a headlight of the vehicle.
However, with the configuration of the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3, it is impossible for the apparatus to provide information to a pedestrian who is present near the vehicle. Consequently, it is difficult for the pedestrian to determine whether the vehicle driver has recognized the presence of the pedestrian; it is also difficult for the pedestrian to make a decision on how to behave in a way which is safe and preferable for the vehicle driver.


An automated method for generating Graphical User Interfaces (GUI's) is illustrated in the context of a system for processing financial applications. In one embodiment, the GUI generator converts domain data representing over one thousand application types into an equal number of corresponding user screens. The interface may also be bidirectional, operating on user inputs to validate data or check for double keying.

Present-day consumers have come to rely on the convenience of credit cards and other financial services. There is a high volume of new account applications for such services, even in the credit card industry, for example, where there is already a large base of existing credit card holders. Several factors may account for the high volume of credit card applications: consumers who have recently reached the age of majority are applying for their first credit card; existing credit card users often change from one credit service provider to another in order to obtain more favorable terms; and some credit card holders desire additional or upgraded credit cards.
The financial services industry is competitive. Banks and other financial service providers therefore may review a large number of applications in a limited amount of time, and they must make good decisions regarding the credit-worthiness of potential borrowers. Automated systems have been developed to process applications quickly and to track individual credit applications through the review process. Many application processing systems manage risk by employing a decision engine to consistently apply best business practices associated with the selection of customers.
Known systems and methods for processing high volumes of credit applications receive data from a single input channel, operate either in batch mode or in real-time mode, make credit decisions using a single decision engine, and customize user interfaces for different application types. Drawbacks of such implementations are considered below.
Credit applications typically include information such as name and address of the applicant(s), and may include information such as employment history, monthly income, monthly financial obligations, and the amount of credit being applied for. Potential customers submit credit applications to banks or other financial institutions through various channels. A drawback of existing application processing systems is that they are typically configured to accept applications from a single channel, for example paper applications received in the mail, applications submitted via the Internet, or applications received over the phone. Moreover, application processing systems may operate in a mode that is tailored to the type of input channel. For example, systems that process paper applications typically process in batch mode, whereas an interactive Internet application requires real time processing. It is inefficient for financial institutions to implement and maintain separate systems for processing applications that are submitted through different channels. On the other hand, it is a convenience to applicants, and thus a benefit to financial service providers, to offer a variety of application input alternatives.
Credit decisions are often made on the basis of information from the credit application itself, and from historical credit information provided by one or more independent credit bureaus. Decision engines typically include software implementations of algorithms designed to quantify risk based on such information, resulting in a determination as to whether credit should be offered to a particular applicant, and, if so, under what terms. Such algorithms are constantly evolving. As a consequence, application processing systems tailored to a particular decision engine may quickly become obsolete.
Additionally, many data processing systems, including those that process applications for financial services, are required to accommodate a variety of different user interface screens. A financial service provider may, for example, have hundreds of different new account application formats related to the variety of services it offers to consumers. System developers respond to this need by coding or scripting a variety of user interfaces that are tailored to the requirements of each application. Unfortunately, user interface requirements may be dynamic for many data processing operations. A financial services provider, for example, may wish to offer new services, may require new information to process existing products, or may simply change the layout of a user interface to make it more user-friendly. The result can be a high level of maintenance in the form of software support, which may be both costly and time-consuming.
Thus, existing application processing systems may have narrow operational value, and may require frequent modification. These and other drawbacks limit the efficiency of such systems.

System and method for processing applicant input information


A disposable diaper having an inflatable component is disclosed. The inflatable component comprises an inflatable spacer, a gas evolving material, and a port for receiving an activating material. The port can comprise a gas impermeable, liquid permeable membrane, an adhesive closure, or a mechanical closure. The inflatable spacer maintains a fecal void space intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet of the diaper.

Disposable absorbent articles are well known in the art. Disposable absorbent articles are used to absorb and retain body exudates, such as urine, fecal material, menses, and the like. A particular desired feature of disposable absorbent articles is the capability to acquire and hold body exudates to eliminate, or at least minimize, leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
References in the prior art disclose a cavity or cutout in the absorbent core to receive fecal material. The fecal material passes through the topsheet and is received by the cavity or cutout in the absorbent core. These references suffer from the drawback that a cavity in the absorbent core decreases its absorbent capacity, and that the cavity is limited in volume to the size of the absorbent core. Examples of such teachings include U.S. Pat. No. 2,043,325 issued Jun. 9, 1936 to Jackson, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,065 issued Mar. 15, 1988 to Yamada; U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,737 issued May 30, 1989 to Khan; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,840 issued Nov. 5, 1991 to Holt, et al.
Other references teach adding a spacer to the disposable absorbent article. Such spacers can suffer from the drawback that they increase the thickness and bulkiness of the disposable absorbent article, and thereby increase shipping and storage costs. Examples of such references include U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,236 issued Dec. 15, 1992 to Dreier et al.; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/898,047, Spacers for Use in Disposable Absorbent Articles and Disposable Absorbent Articles Having Such Spacers, filed Jun. 11, 1992 by Allen et al.; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/994,023, Flexible Spacers for Use in Disposable Absorbent Articles, filed Dec. 21, 1992 by Freeland.
Still other references disclose absorbent articles having inflatable structures. French Patent Application 2,561,078 published Sep. 20, 1985 in the name of Lefebvre discloses a diaper having an inflated structure which is inflatable by mouth. Such inflation can be awkward or inconvenient, especially in public places or when the diaper is already fastened to the wearer. Such an arrangement is also disadvantageous because of sanitary considerations, and because inflation may vary from consumer to consumer, resulting in over or under inflation of the structure and unpredictable product performance.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,881,491 and 3,921,232 issued to Whyte on May 6, 1975 and Nov. 25, 1975, respectively, disclose disposable absorbent articles having a plurality of discrete self inflating structures. Each self inflating structure includes a wall of semipermeable material and a gas evolving material. Upon exposing the outside of the semipermeable walls of the individual self inflating structures to an activator material, such as water or urine, the activator material permeates the individual structures to interact with the gas evolving material, whereby the individual structures become inflated by evolved gas. The structure taught by Whyte primarily addresses core densification.
Whyte's self inflating structures suffer from the disadvantage that water or urine must contact each self inflating structure if all the self inflating structures are to be properly inflated. Typically, only portions of the absorbent article will be wetted by urine during use. Therefore, many of Whyte's self inflating structures may remain uninflated. Also, initial inflation of the Whyte structure can separate the gas evolving material from the semipermeable wall, thereby slowing or stopping further inflation of the structure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article having an inflatable spacer for maintaining a fecal void volume.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable diaper having an inflatable spacer which is inflated by mixing a gas evolving material with an activating material, and a port for receiving the activating material.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable diaper having an spacer inflated by combining a gas evolving material and a liquid, and a selectively positioned liquid acquisition component.

Disposable absorbent article having an inflatable spacer


A semiconductor device improved in packaging reliability is disclosed. Each of leads used in the semiconductor device has a first surface positioned between a main surface of a resin sealing body and a back surface opposite to the main surface of the resin sealing body, a second surface positioned on the side opposite to the first surface and exposed from the back surface of the resin sealing body, a first end face positioned on a semiconductor chip side, a second end face positioned on the side opposite to the first end face and exposed from a side face of the resin sealing body, and a recessed portion depressed from the second surface to the first surface side and contiguous to the second end face, the second surface and an inner wall surface of the recessed portion being covered with a plating layer which is higher in solder wettability than the second end face of each of the leads.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. Particularly, the present invention relates to a technique applicable effectively to a non-leaded semiconductor device.
As semiconductor devices in which a semiconductor chip with an integrated circuit mounted thereon is sealed with resin, those of various package structures have been proposed and are available commercially. Among them, for example a semiconductor device called QFN (Quad Flat Non-Leaded Package) type is known. The QFN type semiconductor device has a package structure in which leads connected electrically to electrodes formed on a semiconductor chip are exposed as external connecting terminals from a back surface of a resin sealing body. Therefore, a planar size thereof can be reduced in comparison with a semiconductor device of a package structure in which leads connected electrically to electrodes formed on a semiconductor chip are projected from side faces of a resin sealing body and are bent in a predetermined shape, for example a semiconductor-device called QFP (Quad Flat Package) type.
A lead frame is used in manufacturing the QFN type semiconductor device. The lead frame is fabricated by punching a metallic sheet with a precision press or by etching the metallic sheet into a predetermined pattern. The lead frame has plural product forming areas partitioned by a frame body which includes an outer frame portion and an inner frame portion. In each product forming area are disposed a chip support (tab, die pad, chip mounting portion) for mounting a semiconductor chip thereon and plural leads whose one end portions face around the chip support. The chip support is supported by suspending leads extending from a frame body of the lead frame. Opposite end portions opposite to one end portions of the leads are supported by the frame body of the lead frame.
In fabricating the QFN type semiconductor device with use of such a lead frame, a semiconductor chip is fixed to the chip support of the lead frame, then electrodes formed on the semiconductor chip and the leads are electrically connected with each other through conductive wires, thereafter the semiconductor chip, wires, chip support and suspending leads are sealed with resin to form a resin sealing body, and subsequently unnecessary portions of the lead frame are cut off.
The resin sealing body in the QFN type semiconductor device is formed by a transfer molding method which is suitable for mass production. According to the transfer molding method, the resin sealing body is formed by positioning the lead frame between upper and lower dies of a molding die in such a manner that the semiconductor chip, leads, chip support, suspending leads and bonding wires are disposed in the interior of a cavity (resin fill portion) of the molding die, and by subsequent injection of a thermosetting resin into the cavity.
As to the QFN type semiconductor device, it is disclosed for example in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-299400.
[Patent Literature 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
No. 2000-299400

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device


A water-conditioning cartridge has a housing that encloses an ion exchanger and can be screwed via a screw thread onto a cartridge-connecting fitting. The cartridge is provided with a water inlet for admission of untreated water, especially from a water-supply system, and with a water outlet, which is connected or can be connected to a consuming component, especially a beverage machine. To ensure that the water-conditioning cartridge can be screwed onto only a particular cartridge-connecting fitting designed for this type of water-conditioning cartridge, the housing and the cartridge-connecting fitting are each provided with a plurality of annular coding ribs, which are disposed concentrically relative to the thread axis of the screw thread, and which engage with one another when the housing is screwed onto the cartridge-connecting fitting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water-conditioning cartridge, with a housing that encloses an ion exchanger and can be screwed via a screw thread onto a cartridge-connecting fitting. The cartridge is provided with a water inlet for admission of untreated water, especially from a water-supply system, and with a water outlet, which is connected or can be connected to a consuming component, especially a beverage machine.
2. The Prior Art
Water-conditioning cartridges of the type mentioned hereinabove are known from DE 38 26 857 A1, for example, and are used among other purposes in restaurants or cafes for conditioning of untreated water for beverage machines, such as coffee machines, when the untreated water drawn from a public water-supply system does not satisfy the requirements imposed by the operator on the flavor or other quality of the water or by the beverage machine on the purity thereof.
Different ion exchangers are contained in water-conditioning cartridges depending on the intended use. Such intended uses include partial demineralization to remove calcium and magnesium from the untreated water, complete demineralization to remove all ions from the untreated water, softening to lower the content of water hardeners or nitrate removal for health reasons. Confusion about the ion exchanger can lead among other results to impairment of the flavor of the prepared beverage or of operation of the beverage machine, for example by lime or boiler-scale deposits. Accordingly, such confusion should be prevented if at all possible, but preventing confusion cannot be assured merely by appropriate labeling of the cartridges.
In principle, it would certainly be possible to provide the water-conditioning cartridges with screw threads of different dimensions corresponding to the respective content and intended use, but doing so would necessitate producing a specific cartridge-connecting fitting with a complementary thread for each type of water-conditioning cartridge. This possibility not only causes relatively high complexity in terms of design, manufacture and warehousing, but also, in the case of replacement of the beverage machine, does not even allow the cartridge-connecting fitting to be newly reconfigured for a different water-conditioning cartridge.


A microorganism number-measuring apparatus includes a container holder holding container that accommodates a liquid into which microorganisms are released, power supply unit applying a microorganism-collecting voltage and a microorganism number-measuring voltage to measurement electrode that is dipped in container held by the container holder, and reuse prevention unit that makes measurement electrode burn out after a measurement operation thereof. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent improper reuse of the measurement electrode.

Measuring cells of conventionally-known microorganism number-measuring apparatuses have a configuration as follows.
The conventional measuring cell includes a container, a measurement space, a liquid containing space, an agitator, and a measurement electrode. A sampling portion disposed at a lower end of a stick-like specimen-sampling carrier is inserted into the container from a top-surface opening of the container The measurement space and the liquid containing space are sequentially disposed upward from the bottom surface of the container. The agitator is disposed on a basal plane of the measurement space. The measurement electrode is disposed above the agitator in the measurement space. The liquid containing space accommodates a liquid (sample liquid).
In addition, a body of the microorganism number-measuring apparatus is disposed outside the measurement space of the container, and includes a driving unit to drive the agitator. The body performs a measurement of the number of microorganisms by using the measuring cell.
When performing the measurement of the number of microorganisms, after the measuring cell is set in the body of the microorganism number-measuring apparatus, the sampling portion of the stick-like specimen-sampling carrier that has collected microorganisms is inserted into the container of the measuring cell from an upper portion thereof. On this occasion, the sampling portion is disposed in the measurement space disposed in a lower portion of the container, together with the liquid accommodated in the liquid containing space of the container. After that, a driving unit disposed below and outside the container drives to rotate the agitator which is disposed on the basal plane of the measurement space. With the rotation of the agitator, the sampling portion is struck to receive impacts, which thereby releases the microorganisms of the sampling portion into the sample liquid.
The released microorganisms are carried to the measurement electrode by an agitated-water flow of the sample liquid agitated by the agitator. Then, the number of the microorganisms is measured at the measurement electrode.
Note that, after finishing the measurement of the number of microorganisms, a user discards the sampling portion and the sample liquid, together with the measuring cell having the measurement electrode (see, for example, Patent Literature 1 listed below).
In this conventional case, the measuring cell having the measurement electrode is discarded after finishing the measurement of the number of microorganisms, and then a fresh measuring cell is used for the next measurement. Accordingly, since a measurement of the number of microorganisms can always be performed by using a fresh measuring cell, the apparatus has been claimed to be a highly reliable and useful device.
On the other hand, however, in the above conventional case, there has been a problem that it is difficult to prevent improper use of measuring cells.
That is, with a measuring cell once used for measuring, the top-surface of the container thereof remains in an open state for easy removal of the used sample liquid from the measuring cell. Hence, there is a possibility for the user to erroneously consider that the measuring cell would be still useable only if the sample liquid is replaced. Based on the consideration, the user would erroneously reuse the used measuring cell, with the sample liquid thereof being replaced.
However, after having been once used for measurement, the measuring cell is in the state where invisibly small microorganisms remain attached to the measurement electrode thereof, even if the sample liquid has been replaced. For this reason, reuse of the measurement electrode once used for measurement will spoil results of the measurement.


The invention provides a transreflective color filter and a method for manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display device. The transreflective color filter comprises a substrate and color resin layers formed on the substrate, wherein the color resin layers include transmissive portions and reflective portions, regions of the substrate corresponding to the transmissive portions have concaves formed therein, and a part of the transmissive portion fills the concave.

Transreflective color filters may be used widely in liquid crystal display devices, for example liquid crystal color panels in mobile products such as a cellphone, since they can provide color images with high brightness and high quality in indoor and outdoor environments. In the indoor environment, white light of a backlight source is transmitted through the transreflective color filters to realize bright color images; and in the outdoor environment, sunlight enters the transreflective color filters and then is reflected, and thereby relative bright color images can also be obtained. In order to obtain color images with high brightness and high quality in both of bright and dark environments (e.g., outdoor and indoor environments), considerations should be given to both the reflection property and transmission property of the transreflective color filter at the same time, and both of the properties require the brightness and the color saturation as high as possible. The brightness and the color saturation contradict with each other: increasing the thickness of a color film can increase the color saturation, but the brightness will be reduced because of increase of absorption; and decreasing the thickness of the color film can increase the brightness, but the color saturation will be reduced. Therefore, how to balance the brightness and the color saturation reasonably becomes an important factor in improving the property of the transreflective color filter.

Transreflective color filter and method for manufacturing the same and  liquid crystal display device


A method of forming a textured surface in a sheet of photographic paper by washing the paper for a predetermined period of time, repeatedly cockling the sheet to form a plurality of randomly placed ridges and valleys in the paper, drying the paper, and compressing the paper in a press.

Artistic works such as paintings, drawings, and photographs are often fixed on a sheet of material such as canvas, paper, or the like. The sheet of material forms a media that carries the artistic work.
Typically, the sheet is smooth or finished for receiving the artistic work. For example, canvas for painting has a roughened surface for receiving oil paint placed by the artist. Papers can be smooth or have a textured surface. The paper is textured by embossing during manufacture. Photosensitive paper for printing photographic images is provided in a number of finishes and textures. These techniques provide papers with textured surfaces.
The textured sheets presently available have minimal variation in the roughened surface. Artistically however such uniformity may fail to reflect the creativity and individuality of a work placed on the sheet. In some instances, a more richly defined texture is desirable or the artist seeks an individual unique expression of a textured surface for carrying the artist's work.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved textured paper for photographs and method of making a textured surface in a photosensitive paper.


The invention is a method and kit for conducting a rapid toxicity test. Methods and kits according to the invention include an animal or plant species in diapause.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of animal husbandry. In particular, a rapid hatching fish embryo kit and method for using same is disclosed. The invention can be used in any application where it is desirable to store and/or transport fish embryos that can be removed from the storage media and hatched, preferably within about 48 hours. For example, the present invention can be used to perform rapid toxicity assessments in the field where it would otherwise be difficult to culture the fish necessary to perform such tests. In general, the present invention can be used as a convenient means for distributing fish to investigators, aquaculturists, hobbyists, and the like.
2 Description of Related Art
Annual fish are unique in that they are common only in habitats subject to erratic climatic conditions and complete seasonal drying. As their habitats dry, all hatched fish die, and species survival is totally dependent on the adults' substrate deposition of drought-resistant eggs which are capable of entering successive stages of diapause (suspended development). These eggs remain in a state of diapause until hatching is triggered by the onset of rainfall.
The use of fish to evaluate acute toxicity in the aquatic environment is common practice. Most fish models used in standard acute toxicity testing require labor intensive culture up to the moment they are to be used in a toxicity test. Substantial amounts of time and resources are required for culturing and maintaining healthy fish, for monitoring and maintaining water quality, for monitoring and maintaining environmental conditions, and for monitoring and maintaining appropriate biological cycles. Further, existing fish models typically require critical timing, certain well developed space requirements, and specific age requirements.
Classically, the use of fish and aquatic macro-invertebrates in standard acute toxicity tests for environmental risk hazard assessments has been exceedingly labor intensive and costly because of the need to maintain continuous cultures of healthy test organisms. Consequently, as the need for more wide-spread monitoring of environmental waters and effluents for preliminary indications of toxicity became increasingly apparent, a number of alternative tests systems not requiring continuous maintenance of organisms or cultures have been developed. Termed rapid screening toxicity tests, these tests systems commonly measure bacterial bioluminescence or respiration (e.g., Microtox, Azur Environmental, Carlsbad, Calif., USA; Polytox, Bethlehem, Pa., USA) and mortality or growth of organisms after emergence from resting life stages (e.g., rotifer cysts, brine shrimp cysts, or lettuce seeds).
In total, the existing acute toxicity testing methods involving fish present problems in terms of cost, timeliness, intensive labor requirements, and specific environmental monitoring and maintenance.
Nothobranchius guentheri is an annual killifish indigenous to the coastal lowlands of Tanzania and Kenya. The embryonic development of N. guentheri has been extensively studied and is known to proceed through three successive stages, designated as diapause 1, 2, and 3. In diapause 1, the embryo is typically characterized as an undifferentiated mass of cells. In diapause 2, the embryo is typically characterized as being partially developed and having undifferentiated cells. In diapause 3, the embryo is typically characterized as being fully developed and ready to hatch in the presence of water or at the onset of rainfall.
Of the many variables affecting embryonic development, temperature has been most amply documented, and it is concluded that fully developed embryos were most sensitive to extremes and that diapause 2 embryos were less sensitive than diapause 1 embryos. Seasonal variations, including but not limited to light, light cycle, moisture content, and embryo proximity were also found to be important. Other factors known to affect the onset and duration of diapause included exposure to light, oxygen tension, partial desiccation, and exposure to ammonia.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army