This invention provides an automated system for the processing of data packets, composed of personal identifiers and personal data, such that the personally identifiable data sent by one party may be considered anonymous once received by a second party. The invention uses secret sharing techniques to facilitate distributed key management of the mapping functions and strong authentication to allow the system to be operated remotely.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the processing of data packets, composed of personal identifiers and personal data, such that the data may be considered anonymous. A system is described, that without user intervention, automatically maps the personal identifiers of data packets. Hence, the system allows two or more parties to exchange sensitive personal data seamlessly without having to expose the personal identity of the individuals which the data belongs to. The invention uses secret sharing to facilitate distributed key management of the mapping functions.
2. Description of Related Art
With modern days computers, analysis of large quantities of sensitive personal data is a common practice, for instance in epidemiological research and datamining of sales data. It is quite common that such research is carried out in a manner such that the data analyzers themselves are able to identify the individuals to which the personal data belongs. Either this is because the data packets identifiers are left as the personal identifiers themselves or because when the personal identifiers are mapped, the mapping is accessible to the data analyzer.
A typical example is where the mapping is done with a symmetric encryption (as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,539 to Ehrsam et al.) and the encryption key is known by the data analyzer. The reason often being the inconvenience imposed by the encryption process, if a special third party keyholder has to attend every data encryption session. Requiring encryption supervision from multiple parties becomes even more involved and the opposite is more common in practice, i.e. that knowledge of a single key is shared among several supervisors in order to ensure the availability of some supervisor in attending the encryption process.

Automatic identity protection system with remote third party monitoring


A corrosive resistant metal material covered with a conductive substance suitable for use in a component material requiring conductivity and corrosion resistance like electrical conductive material, electrical contact, electromagnetic wave shield, electrochemical electrode or antistatic material, specifically for component material requiring conductivity in sever condition of corrosive environment is provided. A corrosive resistant metal material covered with a conductive substance is formed by cladding a corrosive resistant metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, tantalum, niobium and alloy thereof on a conductive metal selected from the group consisting of iron, aluminum, copper, titanium, magnesium, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, tungsten, nickel, chrome and alloy thereof, and covering a conductive surface finishing layer over surface of a corrosive resistant metal layer with a mixture of conductive substance and resinous binder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a corrosive resistant metal material covered with a conductive substance that is suitable for use in a component material requiring conductivity and corrosion resistance like electrical conductive material, electrical contact, electromagnetic wave shield, electrochemical electrode or antistatic material, more specifically, to a composite corrosive resistant metal material covered with a conductive substance that having both properties of each component substance, being usable for clad raw material for use in secondary working by its good surface lubricity and good releasability in processing, and being expected for application to a base material of various equipments.
2. Prior Art
In electrical equipments, many of them are used in environments exposed to atmosphere, fresh water or salty water. Contact material or conductive material used for power transmitting or signal transmitting in these equipments may be corroded in such environments, consequently, reliability of equipments may be impaired or life of equipments may be expired.
In an area of industry utilizing electrochemistry, metal is used abundantly for electrode of electroplating, molten salt electrolysis, desalination equipment or brine electrolysis, from the viewpoint of cost, stainless steel or nickel based alloy is used as electrode or insoluble electrode to prevent generation of lysate from electrode.
Metal exhibits excellent feature as a structural material, but iron based metal may not satisfy corrosion resistance. To solve this problem, metal material covered with polymer paint, polymer lining or polymer film may be used. However, according to environment or equipment to be used, covered polymer may be charged and may affect a bad influence such as damage to environment equipment by discharging.
Also in an electromagnetic wave shield, in order to give priority to electromagnetic shield characteristic, corrosion resistance of substrate metal may be sacrificed. In a fuel cell, metal is used for a separator or etc. of solid electrolyte type fuel cell, phosphoric type fuel cell, molten carbonate type fuel cell, solid polymer type fuel cell or methanol fuel cell. If a separator of a fuel cell is formed by metal, conductivity may be decreased by growth of passive state film of metal surface due to electrolysis phenomenon, in some cases corrosion may be caused.
To prevent these problems, covering layer having conductivity and corrosion resistant is generally formed over metal.
Conventionally, SUS (stainless steel), Ti (titanium) and Ti cladding material are known as corrosion resistant and conductive substrate, but these are not sufficient in conductivity. In case of SUS, contact resistance is increased by passive state film formed over surface, and in case of Ti, contact resistance is increased by large resistivity TiO2 (titanium oxide) formed over surface. As means for increasing conductivity, after secondary working, forming of conductive and corrosion resistant covering layer such as TiN (titanium nitride), TiC (titanium carbide) or Au (gold) is known, but there are problems that the processing causes high cost and is complicated.
Further, excellent corrosion resistant metal such as SUS or Ti is poor in lubricity at secondary working, therefore, there is problem that large deformation cannot be given by burning to mold at press working. To solve this problem, lubricant is used generally at press working, but man-hour is required for coating and removing of lubricant, moreover residual of lubricant has an adverse effect to performance.

Corrosive resistant metal material covered with conductive substance


A coating for a medical device, particularly for a drug eluting stent, is described. The coating includes a self-assembled monolayer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to coatings for implantable medical devices, such as drug eluting vascular stents.
2. Description of the State of the Related Art
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure for treating heart disease. A catheter assembly having a balloon portion is introduced percutaneously into the cardiovascular system of a patient via the brachial or femoral artery. The catheter assembly is advanced through the coronary vasculature until the balloon portion is positioned across the occlusive lesion. Once in position across the lesion, the balloon is inflated to a predetermined size to radially compress against the atherosclerotic plaque of the lesion to remodel the lumen wall. The balloon is then deflated to a smaller profile to allow the catheter to be withdrawn from the patient's vasculature.
A problem associated with the above procedure includes formation of intimal flaps or torn arterial linings which can collapse and occlude the conduit after the balloon is deflated. Moreover, thrombosis and restenosis of the artery may develop over several months after the procedure, which may require another angioplasty procedure or a surgical by-pass operation. To reduce the partial or total occlusion of the artery by the collapse of arterial lining and to reduce the chance of the development of thrombosis and restenosis, a stent is implanted in the lumen to maintain the vascular patency.
Stents are used not only as a mechanical intervention but also as a vehicle for providing biological therapy. As a mechanical intervention, stents act as scaffoldings, functioning to physically hold open and, if desired, to expand the wall of the passageway. Typically, stents are capable of being compressed, so that they can be inserted through small vessels via catheters, and then expanded to a larger diameter once they are at the desired location. Examples in patent literature disclosing stents which have been applied in PTCA procedures include stents illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 issued to Palmaz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 issued to Gianturco, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 issued to Wiktor.
Biological therapy can be achieved by medicating the stents. Medicated stents provide for the local administration of a therapeutic substance at the diseased site. In order to provide an efficacious concentration to the treated site, systemic administration of such medication often produces adverse or toxic side effects for the patient. Local delivery is a preferred method of treatment in that smaller total levels of medication are administered in comparison to systemic dosages, but are concentrated at a specific site. Local delivery thus produces fewer side effects and achieves more favorable results. One proposed method for medicating stents involves the use of a polymeric carrier coated onto the surface of a stent. A solution which includes a solvent, a polymer dissolved in the solvent, and a therapeutic substance dispersed in the blend is applied to the stent. The solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving on the stent surface a coating of the polymer and the therapeutic substance impregnated in the polymer.
To the extent that the mechanical functionality of stents has been optimized in recent years, it has been determined that continued improvements could be done by means of pharmacological therapies. For the purposes of pharmacological therapy, it is important to maintain the concentration of the drug at a therapeutically effective level for an acceptable period of time. Hence, controlling a rate of release of the drug from the stent is important.
In view of the foregoing, coatings for reducing the rate of release a therapeutic substance from implantable devices, such as stents, are desired. The coatings should prolong the residence time of the drug in the patient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Stent coatings containing self-assembled monolayers


In a deflecting/scanning apparatus, a rotating polygon mirror is rotatably supported by an air bearing constituted by a stationary shaft and a rotating sleeve which are made of a ceramic material. An upper portion of an end face of the rotating sleeve is covered with a lid as a separate member. A vent hole formed in the lid is sealed with an adhesive to form an air damper chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a deflecting/scanning apparatus having an air bearing and serving to scan a light beam such as a laser beam on a photosensitive member.
2. Related Background Art
A bearing rotating apparatus using an air bearing in a conventional deflecting/scanning apparatus is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 6-75185. As shown in FIG. 1, this apparatus comprises a motor housing 1, a stationary shaft 2 held by the motor housing 1, and a rotating sleeve 3. A rotating polygon mirror 5 is fixed to the rotating sleeve 3 with a leaf spring 6 via a rotating member 4. The rotating member 4 has a drive magnet 7. A drive motor 10 for rotating the rotating sleeve 3 is constituted by the drive, magnet 7, a stator 8, and a motor board 9 on which electric parts and the like are mounted.
In the above prior art, however, since the rotating sleeve 3 is not in the form of a bag with respect to the stationary shaft 2, no air damper effect can be obtained. This structure is therefore susceptible to vibrations in the thrust direction. Forming the rotating sleeve 3 into a bag-like shape costs too much because it is difficult to process a ceramic material. In addition, a vent hole is required to facilitate assembly of the rotating sleeve 3 and the stationary shaft 2. However, in order to obtain an air damper effect, the vent hole must be sealed after the assembly.


A clamp comprising a first contact surface perpendicular to a central axis of the clamp and a second contact surface tapered relative to a central axis of the clamp, whereby the clamp allows for concentric or non-concentric mating between a first component and a second component such that, when rigidly held together by the clamp such that the first contact surface of the clamp contacts a portion of the first component and the second contact surface of the clamp contacts a portion of the second component, a central axis of the first component is parallel to or coincident with a central axis of the second component.

High-pressure pumps having reciprocating elements such as plungers or pistons are commonly employed in oil and gas production fields for operations such as drilling and well servicing. For instance, one or more reciprocating pumps may be employed to pump fluids into a wellbore in conjunction with activities including fracturing, acidizing, remediation, cementing, and other stimulation or servicing activities. Due to the harsh conditions associated with such activities, many considerations are generally taken into account when designing a pump for use in oil and gas operations. One design consideration may concern ease of access to pump fluid end components, as reciprocating pumps used in wellbore operations, for example, often encounter high cyclical pressures and various other conditions that can render pump components susceptible to wear and result in a need for servicing and maintenance of the pump.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a pump fluid end that facilitates access to components therein, such as, without limitation, a reciprocating element, components of a suction valve assembly, components of a discharge valve assembly, packing, or a combination thereof, and/or otherwise facilitates pump maintenance.


An engine intake system includes: a port partition disposed to divide an intake port of a cylinder head into an upper portion and a lower portion; a first intake manifold configured to supply air, which flows from an air cleaner through a charger and an intercooler, to one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the port partition; a second intake manifold configured to supply the air, which flows from the air cleaner while bypassing the charger and the intercooler, to the other of the upper portion and the lower portion of the port partition; and a bypass valve disposed and configured to pass and block the air flowing into the second intake manifold from the air cleaner.

Recently, hybrid vehicles having both an internal combustion engine and a motor or electric vehicles having only a motor have been receiving a more attention than conventional internal combination engine vehicles.
Considering the power from a motor, a high-efficiency lean burn engine is more suitable as the engine of a hybrid vehicle, and in order to implement such a high-efficiency lean burn engine, a large amount of intake air of the engine is necessary and high-level tumble needs to be generated in combustion chambers.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and is not intended to mean that the present disclosure falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.

Engine intake system and control method thereof


A semiconductor logical device provides one or a plurality of first field effect transistor(s) which perform a switching operation in accordance with an input signal input to a gate contact thereof, a first element which is constituted by a field effect transistor whose gate and source contacts are subjected to short-circuit, and which is connected as a load of the first field effect transistor, a second element which is constituted by a field effect transistor whose gate and source contacts are subjected to short-circuit and which is connected in series to the first element to act as a load of the first field effect transistor, a source follower circuit for power-amplifying a signal which is generated in the gate-source contact of the first element, and a second field effect transistor whose drain contact is connected to the gate-source contact of the second element, whose source contact is connected to an anode contact of a diode which generates a desired voltage, and to whose gate contact an output signal of the source follower circuit is applied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor logical device which is constructed by field effect transistors, and particularly to an improvement in a switching property of a semiconductor logical device.
2. Prior Art
A development of a semiconductor logical device capable of a high speed operation has been recently required, and a semiconductor logical device formed by gallium arsenide metal Schottky junction type field effect transistors (GaAs MES FET) whose base material is gallium arsenide (GaAs) having a high electron mobility is well known (for example, "IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE CIRCUIT", VOL. 26, NO. 1, JANUARY 1991).
An inverter circuit which is one example of such a semiconductor logical device is shown in FIG. 4.
This inverter circuit is formed by improvement of a circuit named as SBFL (abbreviation of Super Buffer FET Logic), in which an element 4, which acts as a load of a high impedance by shorting between gate-source of a depletion type field effect transistor (hereinafter referred to as D type FET), is connected to an enhancement type field effect transistor 2 (hereinafter referred to as E type FET), a gate contact of an E type FET 6 forming an output circuit which is connected in series between power supply voltage V.sub.DD and V.sub.SS, and a gate contact of E type FET 2 are commonly connected, and a gate contact of the E type FET 8 and a gate contact of the element 4 are commonly connected. Further, in the inverter circuit, a feedback circuit consisting of a D type FET 10 and a Schottky barrier diode 12, which feedback to the gate contact of the E type FET 8 with respect to the change of voltage at the source contact of the E type FET 8 is provided. When an input signal V.sub.in is applied to the gate contact of the E type FET 2, an inversion output Q is output to an output terminal 14 which is connected to the source contact of the E type FET 8.
When, in the inverter circuit, the threshold voltage of the D type FET 4 is equalled to that of the D type FET 10 and both gate widths are selected to a suitable value in the design, the logical value "H" of the inversion output Q for the input signal V.sub.in of the logical value "L" is clamped to a suitable voltage by the D type FET 10 and unnecessary current which flows into a circuit (not shown) connected to the output terminal 14 is advantageously prevented. Therefore, although the inverter circuit has a large current driving ability at a transition time when the inversion output Q is inverted from the logical value "L" to "H", it has such superior function that the dissipation current can be suppressed to a small value.
However, when the inversion output Q becomes a logical value "L" in the inverter circuit having a feedback circuit shown in FIG. 4, the electric potential of the drain contact of the D type FET 10 becomes low. Thus, the gate-drain internal capacitance C.sub.GD which exists between the drain and the gate of the D type FET 10 is increased, with the result that capacitance to be charged by current which flows from the D type FET 4 is increased at a transition time when the inversion output Q is inverted from the logical value "L" to "H" and the delay of the turn-on time necessary for the charge made a problem of hindrance for high speed operation.


A device for training animals such as rats, dogs, etc. to recognize and associate target odors/scents with food. The training device, sometimes referred to herein as an odor or scent training device, includes a feeding dish/pan that is configured to have food positioned therein. The scent training device creates a scent curtain of a target scent above the food so that the animal's nose and head first penetrate the scent curtain before the animal can eat the food. As such, each time the animal reaches for more food in the feeding dish, an association between the reward of food and the target scent is strengthened.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an animal training device, and more particularly, to a scent training device.
Related Art
The most formative time in a dog's life is the early puppy period before the age of approximately twelve (12) weeks. However, most dog trainers do not train at this early age and instead generally wait until a dog matures. For example, detection dogs, which are dogs that are trained to use their sense of smell to detect target items (e.g., explosives, illegal drugs, certain foods, blood, etc.), are generally only scent trained after the dogs reach adulthood. Most scent training methods/approaches used for adult dogs are not suitable for early imprinting and training of puppies.


A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet contains at least a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive containing an acrylic polymer composition containing an acrylic polymer as a main component and a tackifier containing a tackifying resin as a main component, wherein reflection rate and attached amount in the fogging test in accordance with German Industrial Standard DIN 75201 are 70% or more and 2.0 mg or less, respectively. In the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive which forms the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a ratio of components having a molecular weight of 300 or less is preferably 4.2% by weight or less based on the total amount of solid matter of the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive. Furthermore, in the tackifying resin in the tackifier, a ratio of components having a molecular weight of 300 or less is suitably 4.2% by weight or less based on the total amount of solid matter of the tackifying resin.

Acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives are excellent in properties such as weather resistance and are widely utilized as pressure-sensitive adhesives forming pressure-sensitive adhesive layers in various pressure-sensitive adhesive sheets. Among the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives, since a water-dispersion type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive using a water-dispersion type acrylic polymer does not use any organic solvent as a solvent unlike a solvent-type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive, the water-dispersion type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive has advantages that it is desirable in view of environmental health and also is excellent in view of solvent resistance. In general, in the case that the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive is constituted by an acrylic polymer alone, it is difficult to obtain sufficient pressure-sensitive adhesive properties such as a high adhesiveness and hence a tackifying resin is added thereto in order to impart such properties. However, when the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape manufactured with adding a tackifying resin is used at fixing automobile parts such as interior materials for automobiles for a long period of time, there arises a problem that there is observed a so-called "fogging phenomenon" wherein volatile components in the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape attach to windshield and the like to cause fogging.
On the other hand, though it is a case different from the cases of pressure-sensitive adhesives or pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, a method for reducing the occurrence of the fogging phenomenon has been proposed in "adhesives" used for adhesion of interior materials for automobiles [cf. JP-A-2003-327938 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application")]. Specifically, in an adhesive comprising a styrene-based block copolymer as a main agent, there has been proposed a method for reducing the occurrence of the fogging phenomenon by regulating a ratio of components having a molecular weight of 400 or less in the total composition constituting the adhesive to less than 7% by weight.
However, such a method for reducing the occurrence of the fogging phenomenon is relevant to a hot-melt adhesive. Therefore, it is necessary to melt the adhesive by heating or the like at adhesion operation and thus a step for-melting the adhesive, such as heating, is required. Recently, in the assembly line of automobiles, it is increasingly required to shorten operating time and hence pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes with which the adhesion operation can be performed without requiring a means of heating or the like have been increasing employed. However, as mentioned above, in the case that conventional pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are used for adhesion of interior materials for automobiles, the generation of the fogging phenomenon is regarded to be problematic. In particular, as the amount of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes used per one automobile increases, a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape exhibiting a reduced occurrence of the fogging phenomenon has been desired.


The telephone system comprises a central or key service unit 1, data terminal units 5.sub.1 to 5.sub.n, and data set circuits of data terminal interface units 27.sub.1 to 27.sub.n for communications between the central unit 1 and the data terminal units 5.sub.1 to 5.sub.n, respectively. The central unit 1 includes a time switch 17 for executing exchange service and a control unit 19 for controlling the time switch 17. Each interface unit 27.sub.1 to 27.sub.n is connected to the time switch 17for communication of communication-data and connected to the control unit 19 for communication of control-data. Each interface unit 27.sub.1 to 27.sub.n enables and disables communication of communication-data between each data terminal 5.sub.1 to 5.sub.n and the time switch 17 in response to predetermined control commands received from each data terminal unit 5.sub.1 to 5.sub.n.

The present invention relates to a telephone system including a central unit provided with an exchange service function and a plurality of digital key telephone sets, and more specifically to a telephone system including digital key telephone sets each connected to a data processing terminal unit such as a personal computer, for instance.
There is known a key telephone system such that a data processing terminal unit such as a personal computer is connectable to each extension telephone set to enable data communications between given extension data terminal units. The general system configuration of the above-mentioned key telephone system is as follows: a plurality of extension key telephone sets each provided with an interface unit (e.g. RS-232C) are connected to a key service unit provided with a switching unit for exchange service and a control unit, and each data processing terminal unit is connected to each interface unit (e.g. RS-232C) for communications with the key service unit.
In the telephone system as described above, the start, interruption, restart, end, etc. of data communications between the data terminal units are executed by the corresponding exchange service of the key service unit in response to commands given from each data terminal unit to request various data communication operations. For instance, in response to a command to request a call transmitted from a data terminal unit, a control unit of the key service unit controls a switching unit so as to connect a communication path between a calling data terminal unit and a called data terminal unit, so that data communications between the two data terminal units can be started. On the other hand, in response to a command to request an interrupt transmitted from one of the data terminal units now executing data communications, the key service unit disconnects the communication path. Thereafter, in response to a command to request a restart transmitted from the same terminal unit, the key service unit reconnects the same communication path to restart the data communications.
In the above-mentioned prior-art telephone system, there exists a problem in that it is impossible to immediately execute the interrupt or restart operation of data communications in response to commands transmitted from a data terminal unit.
In more detail, when an interrupt command is transmitted from one data terminal unit during data communications for some reasons, under the condition that the control unit of the key service unit is in an overload state (i.e. plural incoming and/or outgoing calls are generated simultaneously so that control processing is delayed momentarily), the communication path is disconnected with a delay after the command has been transmitted. As a result, communication data transmitted from one data terminal unit continue to be inputted to the other data terminal unit even after the interrupt command has been transmitted. In the case where the data terminal unit is connected to the interface unit (RS-232C) in three-wire connection method, in particular, the following problems arise:
In a three-wire connection system, data communications between the data terminal unit and the interface are effected through only two data lines (i.e. sending data (SD) line and receiving data (RD) line). In general, when receiving a control command transmitted from a data terminal unit, the interface unit transmits control data corresponding to the control command and thereafter returns a result code indicative of an end of control data transmission to the data terminal unit. In response to the returned result code, the data terminal unit confirms that the command transmitted from its own unit has been received normally. However, in case some communication data transmitted from one data terminal unit continue to be inputted to the other data terminal unit after the command has been transmitted as described above, since the communication data and the result code are transmitted via the same data (RD) line, the result code cannot be discriminated by the data terminal unit.
Further, where a command to request restart of interrupted data communications is transmitted by one data terminal unit, similar problems arise: when the control unit of the key service unit is in an overload state, since the communication path is reconnected with a delay after the restart command has been transmitted, the head portion of the communication data transmitted immediately after the restart command has been transmitted will not be received by the other data terminal unit.


Disclosed herein are blended thermoplastic compositions comprising at least one polycarbonate polymer, at least one polyester polymer, and at least one reinforcing filler. The thermal blended polycarbonate compositions can optionally further comprise at least one polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer, at least one impact modifier polymer, and/or at least one flame retardant. The resulting compositions can be used in the manufacture of articles requiring materials with high modulus and high flowability, while retaining good impact strength. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

The main trend of design in consumer electronic applications, e.g. notebook, tablet and smart phone devices, is to reduce the thickness and extend the visual screen to the largest extent feasible. Therefore, high modulus materials with good ductility are needed for components of these devices such as the housing or internal support. Blended polycarbonate polymer composites are typically used materials in the consumer electronic industry due the excellent processing and low cost. In consumer electronic industry, polycarbonate is a widely used thermal plastic (e.g., thermoplastic) for different applications.
In some applications requiring high stiffness, the most effective way to elevate modulus in blended polycarbonate compositions is to incorporate glass fiber or carbon fiber into polycarbonate, with glass fiber being more cost-effective than carbon fiber. However, glass fiber generally lowers the ductility and flowability, especially when the fiber loading is high, of blended polycarbonate compositions. To compensate the loss of ductility, current approaches typically introduce certain impact modifier such as MBS, acrylate block copolymer. Unfortunately, such elastomer based impact modifiers lower the modulus and flowability, or seriously degrade the flame retardancy rating.
Thus, there remains a need for blended thermoplastic compositions that effectively balance the modulus, impact and flowability properties.

Thermal plastic blends with improved impact strength and flow


A line head includes: a first substrate having a plurality of organic electroluminescent devices; a bonding layer disposed on the first substrate and having optical transparency; a second substrate bonded to the first substrate with the bonding layer therebetween and having a reflective film that covers at least a part of the bonding layer; and a plurality of exit portions respectively from which light that has passed through the bonding layer is exited, the light emitted from the organic electroluminescent devices.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a line head and an image-forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
A line printer (i.e., an image-forming apparatus) is known as a printer employing an electrophotographic method. The line printer has a structure in which a charger, a line-shaped printer head (i.e., a line head), a developing device, a transfer device, etc., are arranged closely to each other on the circumferential surface of a photosensitive drum used as a part to be exposed. In the line printer, an exposure spot that is turned into an electrostatic latent image is formed on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum electrostatically charged by the charger while exposing the photosensitive drum through a selective light-emitting operation of light emitting devices disposed on the printer head. The latent image is then developed with a toner supplied from the developing device, and a resulting toner image is transferred to a sheet of paper by the transfer device.
An image-forming apparatus in which a light-emitting device array that has organic electroluminescence devices (organic EL devices) serving as light-emitting devices is used as a printer head is known as the thus structured line printer (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-119104, for example).
In the line head disclosed in JP 2005-119104, relatively expanded light is projected from the organic EL devices onto a photosensitive drum, and hence the light becomes relatively low in brightness (i.e., in intensity), thus making it difficult to sufficiently expose the photosensitive drum. For example, a possible method for obtaining point-like light having high brightness is to pass a large amount of electric current through the small organic EL devices. However, according to this method, high heat is generated in the organic EL devices in accordance with the amount of the electric current, and deteriorates the organic EL devices used as light emitting devices, thus shortening the life of each of the organic EL devices.


An impedance matching structure for a RF MEMS switch having at least one closeable RF contact in an RF line, the impedance matching structure comprising a protuberance in the RF line immediately adjacent the RF contact that forms one element of a capacitor, the other element of which is formed by the switch's ground plane.

Return loss is a measure of the amount of energy reflected back toward the RF source by a device. A high return loss (in dB) means that most of the signal energy gets into the device, or for a switch, most of the energy gets through the switch, if the switch itself has very little insertion loss. This is important for RF receiver front-ends where any loss, including loss of energy by reflections, directly impacts the gain and noise figure of the system.
The current HRL Laboratories' double-contact RF MEMS shown in FIG. 1 has a return loss that is less than 15 dB at 40 GHz when the switch is closed. This is too low for many switch networks where a return loss of greater than 20 dB is desired. An embodiment of the RF MEMS switch described herein is an improved double-contact RF MEMS that can achieve a return loss better than 30 dB with 3 dB or less degradation of isolation. This is an improvement of at least 15 dB in return loss over the current HRL Laboratories' practice.
Having a high return loss is important in any electrical system. HRL Laboratories' RF MEMS switch designs have been considered for use in a number of applications, including low-loss phase-shifters, system redundancy, millimeter wave beam switching, and tunable filters and oscillators. Improving the return loss, by increasing it, is desirable.
The prior art includes:                1. Loo, et. al., "Fabrication of Broadband Surface Micromachined Micro-electro-mechanical Switches for Microwave and Millimeter Wave Applications," U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,257 of Dec. 18, 2001. This patent identifies the equivalent circuit of HRL Laboratories' switch as inductive in nature and that shunt capacitances could be used tas impedance matching circuits for the switch. FIG. 6 of this patent shows such a matching network using microstrip radial stubs. Microstrip radial stubs are elements well known for impedance matching circuits, but they are not necessary, and perhaps overly complicated, for a monolithic matching circuit.        2. Loo, et. al., "Monolithic Single Pole Double Throw RF MEMS Switch," U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,767 of Aug. 27, 2002. The current practice of HRL Laboratories' RF MEMS double contact switches uses an elongate, moveable metal bar to connect the input and output transmission lines when the switch is closed. This metal bar has a width that is less than the width of the input and output transmission lines. The input and output transmission line width is nominally 50 ohms when the switch is used in a series microstrip configuration. Although some switches in the past have been fabricated with a bar the same width as the input and output transmission lines, the preferred practice is now to fabricate switches with a narrow connecting bar. This is because of fabrication yield and insertion loss reliability when the switch is closed. This type of switch is shown in the figures of that patent.
In order to make the transition from the larger width line to the smaller width line, a short linear taper is used. The metal bar appears as a small inductor at frequencies where its length is much less than a wavelength. When the taper and metal bar are much less than a wavelength, the effect of the inductance is not noticeable and the return loss is very good. As the frequency increases, the inductance of the bar becomes significant, and the return loss degrades.
With respect to this technology, the inventors have taken into account the inductance of the metal bar, and have added integrated compensating capacitors to the electrode itself. These capacitors take the form of a widening or hump in the input and output lines close to the switch connection bar contacts in combination with the switch's ground plane. This results in a vast improvement in the return loss of the switch with the narrow metal connecting bar, especially at millimeter wave frequencies.
Aside from the patents listed above, documents related to other tapered structures related to monolithic circuits and switches are noted below which shows that most switch devices are capacitive in nature, thus requiring inductive matching such as tapered lines. Being inductive, HRL Laboratories' RF MEMS switch is apparently unique in the field of RF switches in that it requires a capacitive-type matching network.                1. Malherbe, A. G. Johannes and Steyn, Andre F., "The Compensation of Step Discontinuites in TEM-Mode Transmission Lines," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Vol. MTT-26, No. 11, November 1978, pp. 883-885.—The use of short tapers between transmission line step discontinuities is a standard practice for microwave devices, such as diodes and FET's. In most cases, the input to the device has a parasitic capacitance, so narrowing the input transmission line adds some compensating inductance. Since the active part of the device is very small compared to a wavelength, linear tapers provide an acceptable input to and output from the device. This paper shows how to optimize this transition. This paper is listed to help give a physical basis to the current practice of RF line connection to microwave devices.        2. Jablonski, W., Jung, W., Gorska, M., Wrzesinska, H. and Zebrowski, Z. "Microwave Schottky Diode With Beam-Lead Contacts," 13th International Conference on Microwaves, Radar and Wireless Communications. 2000, MIKON-2000, Vol. 2, pp. 678-681, 2000. And Maruhashi, Kenichi, Mizutani, Hiroshi, and Ohata, Keichi, "Design and Performance of a Ka-Band Monolithic Phase Shifter Utilizing Nonresonant FET Switches," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Vol. 48, No. 8, August 2000, pp. 1313-1317.—Both of these papers have figures which show a linear taper from microstrip transmission line inputs and outputs into the device active region. These papers are cited as examples of current practice.        3. Rebeiz, Gabriel M. and Muldavin, Jeremy B., 'RF MEMS Switches and Switch Circuits," IEEE Microwave Magazine, December 2001, pp. 59-71.—This paper has a figure that shows that even for series RF MEMS, linear tapers are used to connect to the switch region.

RF MEMS switch with integrated impedance matching structure


The invention is a composite material of two or more biocompatible polymers, at least one of which is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and one of which is a bioabsorbable polymer. The nonabsorbable PTFE is used in the composite as a reinforcing binder. The reinforcing binder is a network of unsintered, interconnected micro-fibers which are formed, for example, by blending with a thermoplastic polymer vehicle, such as polymethylmethacrylate which is subsequently extracted. The bioabsorbable component is contained within the structure of the PTFE microfibrils. This composite is useful in the repair of mammalian tissue where tissue ingrowth and permanent support is required.

This invention relates to a composite of two or more biocompatible polymers, at least one of which is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and the other component being a bioabsorbable polymer. The nonabsorbable PTFE is used in the composite as a reinforcing binder. The reinforcing binder is a network of unsintered, interconnected microfibers. The microfibers can be formed, for example, by blending with a thermoplastic polymer vehicle, such as polymethylmethacrylate. The bioabsorbable polymer component can be present in the form of a particulate filler contained within the PTFE microfibrillar structure. The bioabsorbable particulate component can be micropulverized and could be, for example, polyglycolic acid (PGA), polylactic acid (PLA), a homo- or copolymer of trimethylene carbonate (TMC), and blends of the same or similar polymers. The polymethylmethacrylate is subsequently extracted with a suitable solvent. The resulting microporous structure has a tortuous porosity.
Alternatively, the bioabsorbable polymer can serve as the thermoplastic vehicle during the PTFE fibrillation process thus resulting in a nonporous reinforced composite structure. The bioabsorbable polymer vehicle component could be a copolymer of polyglycolic acid and trimethylene carbonate (GLY/TMC) or other bioabsorbable thermoplastic.
The composite described in this application may be useful in many biomedical applications, such as a tissue, hernia, or ligament repair device, a burn or wound dressing, a pledget, a drug delivery system and a tubular article, for example a vascular graft. The bioabsorbable component enhances tissue ingrowth within the fibrillar PTFE matrix. The nonabsorbable microfibrillar PTFE matrix provides additional support, direction and strength to the natural tissue formation.
The composite polymer structure described in this invention is useful in biomedical applications, such as in tissue repair, hernia repair, ligament repair, burn and wound dressing, pledgets, drug delivery systems, vascular grafts, etc. The bioabsorbable component enhances tissue ingrowth within the fibrillar PTFE matrix, which provides additional support, direction and strength to the natural tissue formation.
An advantage of this invention is that since a thermoplastic vehicle is used to form the fibrillar PTFE matrix, it therefore can be extruded into many different shapes such as a rod, tube, tape, film, or other intricate forms before extracting the thermoplastic.
Another advantage is that the PTFE is unsintered. Thus, the break down temperature of known bioabsorbable polymers (e.g., less than about 250.degree. C.) is avoided in the processing of the composite of this invention.
The completely fibrillated, unsintered polytetrofluoroethylene (PTFE) reinforcing binder of this invention has advantages over a prior art porous, sintered PTFE product. For a disclosure of a sintered PTFE product, see, e.g., "Fluorocarbons Available in New Fibrous, Porous Configurations" published in Materials In Design Engineering, pages 5-7, May, 1965, which is incorporated herewith by reference.
Some of the advantages of this invention, in summary form, are as follows. A filler can be added directly to the PTFE polymer without subjecting it to the detrimental effects of the sintering temperature (approximately 325.degree. F.) of PTFE. Also, a level as high as 97% filler content in the unsintered PTFE polymer can be achieved.
The prior art describes methods of preparation and nonbiological uses of fibrillar PTFE. The nonbiological uses include electrochemical applications. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,527,616; 3,407,249; and 3,407,096 which are incorporated herein by reference.
A composite material for use with mammalian tissue has been invented. The composite material comprises:
a) an unsintered, microfibrillar, nonabsorbable biocompatible component prepared from polytetrafluoroethylene, and
b) a bioabsorbable component manufactured from a polymer prepared from one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of lactides, carbonates, oxalates and lactones, and optionally
c) a nonabsorbable, biocompatible thermoplastic component manufactured from a polymer which is liquid at a temperature from about 150.degree. to 200.degree. C. and solid at ambient temperature, and which provides additional integrity to the unsintered component. In one embodiment, the bioabsorbable component is selected from the group consisting of lactides, carbonates and lactones. In a specific embodiment, the lactides are selected from the group consisting of glycolide and 3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione; the carbonate is 1,3-dioxan-2-one; and the lactones are selected from the group consisting of .epsilon.-caprolactone and 1,4-dioxan-2-one. In another embodiment, the bioabsorbable component is manufactured from glycolide.
In combination with any of the above embodiments, other embodiments are the bioabsorbable component enmeshed in the pores of the unsintered component; the composite material in the form of a sheet or a hollow tube; and the nonabsorbable, thermoplastic component being poly(ethylenevinylacetate).
Still another embodiment is wherein the nonabsorbbable, thermoplastic component is enmeshed in the pores of the unsintered component. In a specific embodiment, the nonabsorbable, thermoplastic component is poly(ethylenevinyl acetate).
An alternative composite material for use with mammalian tissue has also been invented. The alternative composite material comprises:
a) an unsintered, microfibrillar, non-absorbable biocompatible component prepared from polytetrafluoroethylene, and
b) a particulate bioabsorbable component manufactured from a polymer prepared from one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of lactides, carbonates, oxalates and lactones, and optionally
c) a non-absorbable, biocompatible thermoplastic component manufactured from a polymer which is liquid at a temperature from about 150.degree. to 200.degree. C. and solid at ambient temperature, and which provides additional integrity to the unsintered component. In one embodiment, the particulate bioabsorbable component is selected from the group consisting of lactides, carbonates and lactones. In a specific embodiment, the lactides are selected from the group of glycolide and 3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxan-2,5-dione; the carbonate is 1,3-dioxan-2-one: and the lactones are selected from the group consisting of .epsilon.-caprolactone and 1,4-dioxan-2-one. In another embodiment, the bioabsorbable component is manufactured from glycolide.
In combination with any of the above embodiments, other embodiments are the particulate bioabsorbable component being micropulverized; the composite material in the form of a sheet or a hollow tube; and the nonabsorbable, thermoplastic component being poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate).
Another alternative composite material for use with mammalian tissue has also been invented. The other alternative composite material comprises a first part consisting of the two component and optional three component composite material described above; and a second part affixed to at least one side of the first part. The second part comprises a bioabsorbable textile reinforcement component. The bioabsorbable reinforcement component is woven or knitted, and is manufactured from the same or a different polymer than the bioabsorbable component of the first part. In one embodiment, the bioabsorbable textile reinforcement component is selected from the group consisting of lactides, carbonates and lactones. In a specific embodiment, the lactides are selected from the group consisting of glycolide and 3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxan-2,5-dione; the carbonate is 1,3-dioxan-2-one; and the lactones are selected from the group consisting of .epsilon.-caprolactone and 1,4-dioxan-2-one. In another embodiment, the textile reinforcement material is affixed to both sides of the first part. In a specific embodiment, the reinforcement material is laminated to the first part.
A drawing which describes the shape and/or geometrical configuration of the composite material is not necessary for an understanding of this invention. That is, any person skilled in the composite art will know how to manufacture and how to use the invention by reading this specification generally, and the examples specifically.

Composite material having absorbable and nonabsorbable components for use with mammalian tissue


A camera module includes an actuator body movably supporting a lens assembly along the direction of an optical axis of a lens, a sensor board on which an image pickup device is mounted, a base member disposed between the actuator body and the sensor board. The base member consists of one member which acts as an actuator base and a sensor base.

This invention relates to a camera module and, in particular, to an autofocus camera module for use in a portable compact camera.
The portable compact camera is mounted in a camera-equipped cellular mobile phone. The portable compact camera is provided with the autofocus camera module. Previously, various autofocus camera modules have been proposed.
By way of illustration, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-258969 (JP-A-2006-258969) (which will be also called a first patent document) discloses a camera-equipped cellular mobile phone which is capable of shortening a time required for automatic focusing. The camera-equipped cellular mobile phone (a camera module) disclosed in the first patent document comprises an actuator (a lens driving device) for movably supporting a lens (a lens assembly, a lens barrel) along the direction of an optical axis of the lens, a sensor board on which an image pickup device and electronic parts are mounted, and a sealing member disposed between the above-mentioned actuator and the sensor board. By combining with the sensor board, the sealing member forms an enclosed space for sealing the image pickup device and the electronic parts. The actuator comprises an actuator body and an actuator base. The sealing member is also referred to as a sensor base. That is, a conventional camera module comprises four members (parts): the actuator body, the actuator base, the sensor base, and the sensor board.
The actuator body disclosed in the first patent document comprises a holder (a lens holder) including a tubular portion having an end to which the lens (the lens assembly, the lens barrel) is mounted, a driving coil fixed to the holder (the lens holder) so as to position around the tubular portion of the holder, a yoke comprising a permanent magnet opposite to the driving coil, a pair of leaf springs disposed to both sides of the tubular portion of the holder (the lens holder) in the direction of the optical axis. The pair of leaf springs supports the holder (the lens holder) in the direction of the optical axis shiftably so as to position the holder (the lens holder) in a radial direction. By energizing the driving coil, it is possible to positionally adjust the lens (the lens assembly) in the direction of the optical axis according to interaction between a magnetic field of the permanent magnet and a magnetic field due to an electric current flowing through the driving coil. In the pair of leaf springs, the one is called an upper leaf spring (a front-side spring), the other is called a lower leaf spring (a rear-side spring). The upper leaf spring (the front-side spring) has an inner end portion which is sandwiched between an upper end (a front end) of the holder and a stopper to be fitted to the holder (the lens holder).
Disclosed in the first patent document, the conventional camera module has problems as follows.
A first problem is that it is difficult to assemble the camera module with high position accuracy. This is because the conventional camera module comprises the four members (parts): the actuator body, the actuator base, the sensor base, and the sensor board.
A second problem is that the camera module has a high cost. This is because, in order to assemble the actuator base with the sensor base, it is necessary to provide with a sing-shaped convex portion and a ring-shaped concave portion preventing the entry of dirt and the entry of light in the manner which will later be described in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition, in order to assemble the actuator base with the sensor base, it is necessary to subject evaporation processing of a shielding film to both of them to shield them in common.
A third problem is that it is difficult to lower a height of the camera module. This is because, inasmuch as the conventional camera module comprises the four members (parts): the actuator body, the actuator base, the sensor base, and the sensor board, the height thereof becomes high due to thicknesses of the respective members (parts).


A control device for adjusting multiple parameters associated with an element or item of a user interface in an easy and intuitive manner. A slider control can be used to change the format or appearance of a timescale presented by the user interface. By using a single visual interface control, a slider control, a time-based scaling of a given view can be easily switched between predefined timescale settings for the timescale. The slider control, which comprises a fob and a rail, can control the parameters that dictate the appearance of the timescale, such as time units, date format, and labels. Once selected, the fob can be moved along the rail to a stop associated with parameter values for the timescale. The presentation of the timescale can be varied by moving the fob from one stop to the next stop along the rail, thereby varying the parameters defining the appearance of the timescale. A label containing information about the current timesetting for the slide control can be displayed in response to placing the cursor within the boundary for the slider control. In addition, a label is displayed adjacent to a stop as the fob moves along the rail and proximate to that stop, thereby advising the user of the time setting associated with that stop.

A display interface, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), represents a well known presentation medium for displaying computer data to a user. A GUI typically comprises a variety of display items, each having an appearance defined by one or more controllable parameters. Because users often have different views about the way a GUI should look, computer software designers have created controls that allow users to change these parameters and to customize the appearance of the GUI.
A dialog is a typical control device for enabling a user to view and select desired parameters to control the appearance of a display item. From a user's perspective, a dialog often presents a wide variety of possible control options, each requiring the user to readily understand its operation based on the text or image associated with a particular control. A "busy" dialog can offer a rather intimidating display for the typical user because it fails to support intuitive control operations. In other words, a dialog typically provides the typical user with multiple discrete options for varying the presentation of a display item, which can often lead to a user's confusion regarding the associated control operations.
Prior mechanisms for controlling parameters of a display interface also include radio buttons and pull-down menus. For radio buttons, the user typically moves the cursor onto a button associated with the desired parameter and then selects the button to change its state. Pull-down menus generally require the user to move the cursor to a desired menu, select the menu, find and select the desired parameter in the menu, and then release, thereby controlling the state of the desired parameter. To set multiple parameters, each of these prior control devices must be operated numerous times. This can be time consuming and tedious for the typical user.
A collection or set of radio buttons also presents a cluttered user interface and occupies a substantial amount of screen space. Tags or labels are typically placed proximate to radio buttons denoting the function of each button. Many programs are adapted for use in non-English speaking environments. Because each tag requires translation for a non-English speaking audience, the text and supporting source code for each tag would need to be modified. This presents time management issues for a programmer. Moreover, a translation of the tag text may lead to a translated tag occupying additional screen space, thereby contributing to an already cluttered user interface. Similar translation issues are presented by the text used in drop-down menus.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a system for changing parameters of a controllable display item by use of a single control that provides an intuitive mechanism for varying the presentation of the display item. In addition, there is a need for a control mechanism that occupies a limited amount of screen space for a user interface, while providing control features that are easy for a typical user to operate to control parameters of a display item. There is a further need for a control mechanism for controlling the parameters of a display item in a manner that exhibits a universal view of operation.

System and method for using a slider control for controlling parameters of a display item


A modular fluid storage tank, intended for underground storage of water, utilizing alternating circular and octagonal ribs in the main body and curved, ribbed, end caps. Interconnection of the tanks uses rigid pipe or semi-flexible hose. The coupling between the pipe and the tank incorporates a fitting, integrally molded into the tank, which extends into the interior of the tank, and a flexible sleeve which fits over, and is clamped to, the fitting and the pipe. The coupling is protected from the environment and is accessible from within the tank after installation for inspection and repair without the need to excavate the tank. The tank preferably has approximately equal length and diameter for improved strength. It is relatively small and lightweight, suitable for transport to and installation at a remote location without heavy equipment.

The present invention relates to the storage of fluids and in particular to the storage of fluids in a system of modular tanks.
The need for storage of water is well known, especially in the west where many regions are arid or semi-arid. Water may be stored for a variety of reasons: potable water for household use; water for livestock; and fire cisterns are some of the more common applications. While open, above ground storage is common for livestock, enclosed storage is preferred for potable water in order to avoid contamination. Where enclosed tanks are used, underground tanks are often preferred. By burying the tank, the tank itself is supported, the tank is protected, and the contents of the tank are insulated from temperature changes. Underground tanks are also commonly used as septic tanks where municipal sewer service is not available.
Various materials have been used to construct underground storage tanks. Steel and concrete have been in use for decades. Fiberglass is a newer material rapidly gaining popularity especially in petroleum storage. Steel tanks are prone to rusting, especially where they are exposed to ground water. Concrete tanks do not rust, but are semi-porous and will deteriorate with time. Fiberglass has good resistance to corrosion, but is relatively brittle, requiring careful handling, especially during installation. A sharp blow or inadvertent contact with the installation equipment can easily damage a fiberglass tank.
Both steel and concrete tanks are relatively heavy. This typically results in the tanks being constructed relatively near the point of installation to reduce transportation difficulties and expense. This weight also effectively limits the maximum size of tank which can be constructed of these materials. Fiberglass is a much lighter material and can be used to fabricate a tank which is relatively rigid for its size. This enables the construction of relatively large, light weight tanks which are efficient to build and transport. However, there must be sufficient room for the necessary equipment, such as a crane, at the job site to off load and install the tank. Additionally, construction of fiberglass tanks is a labor intensive process which makes them relatively expensive.
Polyethylene has several characteristics which make it particularly suitable for potable water storage. It is typically formed into tanks using a rotary molding process which results in a one piece, seamless tank. This limits opportunities for bacterial growth and ground water infiltration. The material is impact resistant, flexing rather than cracking like fiberglass, and is highly corrosion resistant. However, this flexibility results in a vessel which is structurally weaker, limiting the size of the tank which can be cost effectively constructed. Large radiuses and flat surfaces are prone to buckling and collapse when the surrounding ground shifts or freezes, or from external pressure due to ground water.
Where access to the site is restricted, none of the above approaches is ideal. This is a common situation in mountain communities where the terrain limits access. Roads are often narrow and sharply curved. Surfaces may be rough and unimproved, with dirt or gravel being common. However, houses and ranches in these regions are often the ones most in need of water storage because municipal water is unavailable, natural water supplies may not exist, and wells are difficult and expensive to drill and may provide only a minimal flow. In such a situation, a fire cistern may be needed for safety and is often a prerequisite to obtaining fire insurance.
Compounding the problem is the fact that the required storage capacity often exceeds the capacity of any single tank which can be efficiently moved to the site and installed. It thus becomes necessary to interconnect several tanks to form a storage system of sufficient capacity. Several designs for such systems are known. Most common are tanks which couple together with mating pipe flanges. Where the terrain is uneven, achieving the required alignment to allow insertion of all of the bolts which join the flange can be very difficult. If it is achieved, shifting of the tanks due to settling can result in significant stresses in the tanks. The strict alignment requirements can increase the cost of the excavation as it must be matched to the tank, there being little adaptability in the tank. The level of skill required to properly install and join these types of tanks is often not available in remote areas, requiring bringing in skilled labor for the installation. Further, supplies or materials may be required which are not commonly available. If additional items are needed, the project may be delayed while they are brought in.
Where the tank material is polyethylene, manufacturing characteristics of the material introduce additional problems. Uneven cooling of the mold and relative time of release of various portions of the tank from the mold cavity cause warping and distortion in the tank which can vary from one unit to another. While not significant to the performance of the tank, these variations can easily be large enough to make it difficult to align all of the bolts for an interconnecting flange, and nearly impossible to align multiple connections on the face of a tank.
One solution to the alignment problem is to interconnect the tanks with flexible hose or tubing This allows for misalignment between the tanks and eliminates the flange mating problem. However, the joints used for this type of connection are prone to leaking and require periodic inspection and repair, which typically require at least partial excavation. Additionally, the hardware components of the joint are external to the tank and are exposed to the environment and backfill material both during and after installation.
The above discussion is also applicable where above ground storage of water or other fluids is needed. Transport of full size tanks may not be practical and on-site construction difficult.
Vehicle mounted tanks pose a related problem, especially where the tank is not permanently mounted. A tank may be installed and removed with relatively high frequency as needs dictate. Further, where water transport is relatively uncommon it may not be cost effective to dedicate a vehicle to water transport. However, typical tanks are constructed of steel and are difficult to install and remove without specialized equipment such as a crane or high capacity fork lift.
There is a need for a relatively small, lightweight, modular tank, either above ground or buried, which can be transported to the installation site over narrow, unimproved roads using light to medium duty equipment. At the site, it should be possible to easily unload and quickly connect several tanks together to provide a larger storage system. Ideally, the system should provide various configurations which are adaptable to the terrain or needs of the user. Alignment between the various modules must not be critical. It should be possible to install and connect the modules using unskilled labor and materials which are commonly available in rural areas. Ideally, it should be possible to periodically inspect, and if necessary repair, the inter-tank connections after installation of the system without excavation. There is also a need for a similar modular system of constructing vehicle mounted tanks for transporting fluids, where the individual modules are easily installed and removed, preferably by one person with minimal equipment.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for the storage of liquids, primarily water, in an underground tank. The tank is adapted for use as a module in a larger storage system comprised of multiple tanks.
According to the invention there is provided a tank with a ribbed main body and curved end caps and at least one fitting which extends inward into the cavity of the tank. The ribs alternate between outward circular ribs, and inward octagonal ribs. Where the tanks will be positioned immediately adjacent to each other, the tank can be manufacture with a flat panel on each end and the fitting positioned within the panel. The fitting is initially formed as a fluid tight, integrally molded cup and the end of the cup is cut out when needed to connect to a pipe.
According to an aspect of the invention, the shape of the tank is that of a modified sphere, with the diameter and length of the tank being substantially the same.
According to another aspect of the invention, a lengthwise rib may be added to further stiffen the structure or the rib may encircle the tank along a lengthwise circumference.
Further in accordance with the invention, one or more alignment cups may be formed in the ends which accept short pipe segments for aligning adjacent tanks.
Still further in accordance with the invention, one or more spreader tubes may be positioned within the tank, pushing outward on the ends for increased strength.
Yet further in accordance with the invention, the tanks may be configured into a system of tanks, interconnected by pipes, the pipes coupling to the tanks by means of a flexible sleeve and band clamps. The sleeve and clamps are positioned within cavity of the tank. The sleeve may be of various forms or materials as necessary to provide the required amount of flexibility in the joint. If desired, the pipe may have a smaller diameter than the fitting, increasing the tolerance for angular deflection.
The advantages of such an apparatus are a tank which is relatively small and lightweight, and easily transported to remote sites. There, the tanks can be combined into a storage system of almost unlimited capacity. The tanks may be laid out in any configuration or orientation required to adapt to the local terrain. Interconnection of the tanks is achieved with simple readily available materials and can be performed by relatively unskilled labor. The joints are within the tanks, protected from the environment and readily accessible after installation for inspection or repair without excavation.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear from the detailed description of a specific illustrative embodiment thereof, presented below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for constructing modular fluid containment tanks


A method and apparatus for transferring information of an optical information-bearing signal from a first wavelength to a second wavelength. The method is implemented in an all-optical wavelength converter circuit which includes a laser diode in communication with a polarization controller. An information-bearing signal having a first wavelength is input to the circuit. A polarization controller adjusts the polarization of the information-bearing signal. The laser diode receives the polarization-adjusted information-bearing signal and generates a converted information-bearing signal by transferring the information of the polarization-adjusted information-bearing signal from the first wavelength to the second wavelength. The polarization controller receives the converted information-bearing signal from the laser diode, and polarizes the converted information-bearing signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an optical circuit that transfers information of an incoming information-bearing signal from a first wavelength to a second wavelength.
2. Background Information
Optical communication systems provide significant communications capacity using a point-to-point architecture, whereby one transmitter is connected directly to a remote receiver through a single optical fiber. One widely accepted approach used to further expand such communications capacity is implemented using a Wavelength Division Multiplex ("WDM") system. In a WDM system, sources with different wavelengths (colors) used to carry their own information are combined and transmitted through a single optical fiber. Therefore, a WDM system employing 16 different wavelengths channels can increase the capacity of the optical fiber by 16 fold.
As optical systems evolve and become optical networks with more complex topologies (e.g., ring, star, etc.), there is a need to find ways to manage different channels having different wavelengths. Wavelength converters are used in dynamic and standard WDM networks to optically transfer information from one wavelength carrier to another. Such wavelength converters add flexibility to the networks by routing and reconfiguring channels therein.
Some current wavelength converters, also known as optical transponders, process an incoming optical signal at a first wavelength by converting the optical signal to an electrical signal. The electrical signal is then regenerated back to the optical domain at a different wavelength (i.e., Optical-Electrical-Optical, or OEO). This process is expensive, complex and has limited applications since it is limited to operating at a specific data rate.
Other known wavelength converters implement an all-optical methodology which uses techniques such as Four-Wave Mixing ("FWM"), Cross-Phase Modulation, Cross-Gain Modulation ("XGM"), or the like. These techniques require complex circuitry and are inefficient, thus leading to high conversion loss. For example, known wavelength converters which use XGM generally require a semiconductor optical amplifier ("SOA") acting as a mixer in addition to a laser used as an oscillator. Such systems tend to be complicated and costly.

All-optical wavelength converter circuit


A method of making a metallic pattern (250) comprises: depositing a layer of photoresist (130) on a substrate (110); forming a pattern on the photoresist; depositing a layer of metal nanoparticles (190) on the photoresist and pattern; removing the photoresist and overlying metal nanoparticles on the photoresist; and sintering the remaining nanoparticles to form a metallic pattern.

It is often necessary to print large area electrical circuits with conductors having at least one lateral dimension of 1-1000 microns. One process for accomplishing this type of circuit printing is using vacuum deposition. This method, however, is a high-cost operation and is usually only suitable for batch processing.
Another method of constructing electrical circuits is inkjet printing of patterns using metal nanoparticles to form conductors. This process is discussed in S. Molesa et al.; "High-quality inkjet-printed multilevel interconnects and inductive components on plastic for ultra-low-cost RFID applications" University of California, Berkeley. Some problems associated with this technique are that it is substrate dependent, it is difficult to achieve lateral dimensions of less than 100 microns, and the particles must be annealed by bulk heating, which can cause substrate deformation. Another problem with inkjet deposition is that it often requires multiple passes to deposit the proper amount of material, which reduces throughput.
Attempts to solve the bulk-heating problem, shown in the following two references, involve using high-powered lasers to anneal nanoparticles. N. R. Bieri et al.; "Microstructuring by printing and laser curing of nanoparticle solutions" Applied Physics Letters, Volume 82, Number 20, May 19, 2003, pages 3529-3531; and J. Chung et al.; "Conductor microstructures by laser curing of printed gold nanoparticle ink" Applied Physics Letters, Volume 84, Number 5, Feb. 2, 2004, pages 801-803.
Lithographic patterning techniques have been employed in conventional fabrication of microelectronic devices, including thin film transistors (TFT) arrays for flat panel application. Conventional photoresist lithographic techniques applied to microfabrication have proved capable of defining structures and forming regions of material on a substrate to within dimensions of about 100 nm.
Based on a printing model, the lithographic process forms a pattern of areas that are either receptive or repellent (non-receptive) to a coating (such as ink) or to some other treatment. Conventional photolithography requires a small number of basic steps, with variations according to the materials used and other factors. A typical sequence is as follows:                (i) wet coating of a positive-working or negative-working photoresist (such as by spin-coating);        (ii) prebake of the photoresist;        (iii) exposure by some form of electromagnetic radiation through an overlay mask using an optical mask aligner to form the pattern;        (iv) curing of the masked pattern, such as by postbake; and        (v) removal of the uncured portion, using a liquid to form a pattern.
Following subsequent coating or treatment of the surface, the protective photoresist pattern can then itself be removed.
Steps (i)-(v) may be performed in air, such as in a clean room environment, and are typically performed using separate pieces of equipment. Alternately, one or more steps, such as coating deposition, may be performed in vacuum. Because of the very different nature of processes carried out in each of these steps, it would not be readily feasible to combine steps (i)-(v) in any type of automated, continuous fabrication system or apparatus.
Considerable effort has been expended to improve upon conventional methods as listed in steps (i)-(v) above in order to achieve better dimensional resolution, lower cost, and eliminate the use of chemicals such as etchants which may interact with layers previously applied.
As is well known to those skilled in the microlithographic art, conventional photoresist materials follow a "reciprocity law," responding to the total exposure received, the integral of illumination over time. Conventional photoresists are typically exposed with light in the UV portion of the spectrum, where photon energy is particularly high. Examples of photoresists used microfabrication of semiconductor components are given in U.S. Pat. No. 6,787,283 (Aoai et al.).
Additional advantages to conventional process described above are provided by e-beam and X-Ray lithography in that they provide a partial reduction of chemical processing, and while X-Ray lithography still requires the use of masks, e-beams can be used to write patterns in a resist directly without a mask. High energy radiation sufficient to cause bond breaking in organic materials causes chain scission, or depolymerization, in a coated resist such that it can be removed in the image area with solvents that will not remove the non-radiated areas. E-beams, when used as a direct pattern writing device, suffer from low throughput due to long scan times as a result of the serial limitation of a single beam exposure, and are thus limited to low volume manufacture. E-beams are used primarily in the microfabrication industry to manufacture masks for conventional processes due to their sub-micron high resolution capability.
Another improvement for metal patterning is the lift-off process, which is well known in the art. This process avoids the need for an etchant but at the cost of complexity. In this process a patterned resist layer is formed with an overhang. The patterned material is then subject to evaporation or sputtering of the desired material to be patterned. The overhangs will shadow edge regions of the resist assuming the evaporation or sputtering process is approximately collimated. This shadowed region acts as breaks in the deposited material.
Application of a resist solvent removes the resist allowing the overlying deposited material to be removed. The breaks allow the material to separate, and allows the solvent to enter and dissolve the resist.
There is a need for a process which avoids the complexity of forming overhangs, does not require a collimated deposition process and does not require a vacuum system.
A further improvement is provided by direct ablation of a resist with a high energy laser at wavelengths less than 400 nm with energies sufficient to cause resist bond breaking, volatilization, and material evacuation of the resist in the irradiated areas, thus making the solvent development step unnecessary. However, the laser systems for direct UV ablation are quite expensive, pulse, difficult to maintain, and suffer from low throughput due to their single beam limitations. Large area excimer lasers solve that deficiency, but they suffer from the requirement of a mask to form the pattern.
Therefore, a need exists for a method of direct writing, or maskless lithography that allows for the use a less expensive and versatile class of laser directed radiation, specifically the solid state IR diode lasers. IR diode lasers offer the advantages of cost, availability, reliability, and lifetime, and are used widely in the communications industry, in a variety of electronic devices such as CD and DVD writers and players, and in the graphic and reprographic arts including digital color printers, laser thermal platewriters, imagesetters, and proofers. In addition, the individual lasers can be joined in an array of up to almost one hundred or more separately modulated lasers dramatically increasing throughput compared to single beam devices. Alternatively, the light can be conjoined from several laser sources into a single bar laser fitted with a segmented light gate modulator of between 200 to up to 1000 separate addressable channels of individually controlled beams. The beam dimensions are limited only by the wavelength of the light they deliver, and can produce spots as small as 2 microns in the array direction as defined by the spatial light modulator. Examples of commercial laser systems with such capability are the Kodak Newsetter and the Creo Trendsetter plate-writer-proofer. Feature resolution of 2 microns is therefore possible with such diode laser array systems, which is more than sufficient for thin film transistor array backplanes and color filter arrays used in LCD and OLED displays. These IR lasers, as well as YAG lasers that operate in the visible spectrum, suffer from photon energies less than sufficient to break organic bonds and effect direct ablation of resists.
A need exists for a maskless lithographic method for microstructure construction that limits the need for wet chemical etching, in order to reduce cost and to be compatible flexible support substrates and roll to roll continuous manufacture.


In a self-latching sense amplifier, a first pair of matched transistors is connected as a differential pair. A second pair of matched transistors is connected each to a respective one of the transistors of the first pair as a load transistor. A feedback circuit responsive to a differential output of the differential pair cross-couples the load transistors when the differential output is greater than a threshold value, and defeats cross-coupling of the load transistors when the differential output is less than the threshold value. The cross-coupling causes the output of the sense amplifier to latch. The sense amplifier is useful in memory circuits in which it is desired to shut down core components between memory operations to conserve power, and in other small signal detection circuits.

Memory circuits typically include sense amplifiers for amplifying output data read from selected memory cells, and output latches for retaining the amplified output data while other components of the memory circuit are shut down between read and write operations to reduce power consumption. The output latches must not operate until the amplified output data has stabilized at the correct output value. Otherwise, incorrect output data may be retained by the output latches and passed to circuits connected to the memory circuits.
To ensure that output latches retain correct output data, the output latches may be triggered by a signal which is timed so as to ensure that the amplified output data has already stabilized at the correct output value. Such a signal may be derived from the signal used to initiate the read operation by passing that signal through a delay element designed to simulate the delay between initiation of a read operation and stabilization of correct amplified output data. Such delay elements often comprise a series of inverters and delay capacitors.
Unfortunately variations in processes used to manufacture a memory circuit may have different effects on components used to construct delay elements and on other components of the memory circuit so that the delay provided by delay elements may not match the delay due to other components of the memory circuit. To ensure correct operation of the memory circuit, it is therefore necessary to build some timing margin into the simulated delay, and this timing margin increases the access and cycle times of the memory circuit.
The required timing margin can be reduced somewhat by constructing the delay element from components which are similar or identical to the components of the memory circuit which contribute to the delay between initiation of a read operation and stabilization of correct amplified output data. Variations in manufacturing process should then have more similar effects on the delay provided by the delay element and the delay provided by other components of the memory circuit. However, in large memory circuits, the components making up the delay element may be thousands of microns away from the components which contribute to the delay between initiation of a read operation and stabilization of correct amplified output data. Because processing conditions vary somewhat across the surface of large substrates, the simulated delay may still differ from the delay provided by other components of the memory circuit. Consequently, some timing margin is still required, and this remaining timing margin increases the access and cycle times of the memory circuit.
Alternatively, the output latches may be configured so that they cannot operate until valid amplified output data is supplied. For example, RS output latches may have Set and Reset inputs connected respectively to positive and negative outputs of corresponding sense amplifiers, so that the output latches will not operate until a valid "1" is applied to one of the Set or Reset inputs. Unfortunately, the sense amplifier input signal may develop slowly so that there is a considerable delay before a valid "1" is applied to an input of the output latch, and this increases memory access and cycle time.

Sense amplifier and method for its operation


There are some cases that an accuracy is low for reading unique information identifying an individual from an optical disk which comprises a plurality of information layers.

Over the recent years, as the volume of information required by audio/video equipment has increased, an increased attention has been paid to disk-shaped optical recording mediums, or so-called optical disks, which allow an easy access to data, storage of a large volume of data and superiority in reduction of the sizes of equipment. Optical disks include reproduction-only optical disks, write-once-read-many optical disks, phase-change type optical disks and magnetic optical disks as read-write optical disks, etc., which are called CDs, DVDs, MOs and the like and used in a variety of actual applications. An information layer in such an optical disk, if the disk is a reproduction-only optical disk for instance, is comprised of a synthetic resin substrate, in which convex and concave pit arrays are formed in a spiral arrangement in accordance with recorded information, and a metal thin film of gold, aluminum or other substance which covers the pit arrays on the synthetic resin substrate and serves as a reflection film for reproduction laser light.
Meanwhile, as structure elements of the information layer, a write-once-read-many optical disk or rewritable optical disk comprises a synthetic resin substrate in which a tracking groove pattern is mainly recorded, a recording film such as a dye recording film and a phase-change recording film, and further, in accordance with necessity, a reflection film which reflects reproduction laser light. As the recording film, a thin film which assumes two states that can be detected by means of laser irradiation is used. Information is reproduced, as convex and concave pits formed on a synthetic resin substrate in the case of a reproduction-only optical disk, but marks formed in a recording film on grooves in the case of a write-once-read-many optical disk or rewritable optical disk, reflect reproduction laser light, and as whether there are pits or marks, the length of a pit or mark and the interval between pits or marks are determined from changes in intensity of the reflection light.
These synthetic resin substrates are manufactured by injection molding of a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate, using a metallic molding board of Ni in general which includes a convex and concave pit pattern or groove pattern and is referred to as "a stamper." An injection molding method permits to quickly manufacture a large number of synthetic resin substrates which contain the same information, using the same stamper. However, since thus manufactured synthetic resin substrates were all transferred from the same stamper, the pit or groove pattern remains entirely identical and so does the information.
This necessitates identification information unique to an individual, for managing optical disks. This is for the purpose of prevention of unauthorized copying is aimed at from a perspective of copyright protection, for example. Such identification information is different between individual mediums, and hence, can not be created using an injection molding method mentioned above. In addition, it must be ensured that the information can not be rewritten with ordinary optical disk recording/reproducing apparatuses which are generally available in the market. Noting this, proposals have been made regarding techniques for recording unique identification information which is different among individuals by a different method other than an injection molding method.
As a method of additionally recording information on a DVD, there is a standard with respect to recording of additional information in a form which resembles a barcode which is an aggregation of diametrical parallel lines. This recording standard stipulates standardized recording areas, modulation scheme, error correction scheme, etc.
This method, for a DVD-ROM for instance, requires to irradiate laser light upon an information layer inside a fabricated optical disk, dissolve and remove a metal thin film which forms the information layer, and define a barcode-like pattern having different reflection coefficients between the removed portions and the surrounding information layer.
There is alternatively a method which does not utilize dissolution of the metal thin film but requires to irradiate laser light upon the substance of the information layer inside the optical disk, change the reflection coefficient by changing a chemical, physical or optical property, and accordingly record information. An optical disk in which a phase-change recording film or a dye recording film is used as the substance of the information layer for instance corresponds to this.
In this manner, it is possible to specify the origin of the optical disk based on the unique information, prohibit illegal copying of the information, and protect the copyright. Further, as the identification information, a production lot number, a production date and the like are written on every disk in some cases, for other purposes such as production management.
A conventional optical disk comprises a first reproduction-only area of BCA (Burst Cutting Area, or sometimes information recorded in BCA) or the like, a second dedicated area formed by pre-pits, and a data area.
The first reproduction-only area is for recording unique information which identifies an individual as described above, while written in the second reproduction-only area is data such as a molding board number for the optical disk and an intensity value of optimal laser light for reading data recorded on this optical disk. The second reproduction-only area is also called "a lead-in area." If the disk is a reproduction-only optical disk, a content is recorded in the data area, but user information is recorded in the data area if the disk is a read-write optical disk.
However, with the conventional BCA recording method, since BCA recording is executed after a plurality of layers are bonded to each other, recording takes place over a plurality of mutually stacked information layers. This may result in a deteriorated accuracy of reading the unique information which identifies an individual, or even in a complete failure of data read in the worst situation. (In the case of a rewritable optical disk, in some cases, optimization of recording in each information layer becomes difficult, which in turn obstructs perfect crystallization or exerts an influence such as deformation induced by excessive heat.)
In addition, since the area dedicated to BCA recording which is large but has a small capacity gets occupied when the conventional BCA recording method is used, a read-write area which is originally intended for writing of data may shrink and a substantial recording capacity may accordingly decrease. For instance, the occupied area described above is as wide as 1.2 mm in a DVD-ROM.

Optical recording medium, method of manufacturing optical recording medium, apparatus for manufacturing optical recording medium, program, and medium

Abstract: The optical disk according to the present invention is an optical disk which comprises a first information layer and a second information layer for holding information so that, by incident light, (1) the information will be reproduced or (2) the information will be recorded and reproduced. The optical disk comprises a BCA area which is formed in the first information layer and in which individual identification information uniquely given to the optical disk is recorded.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.