An image forming apparatus including an image bearer; a charging device charging the image bearer; a light irradiating device irradiating the charged image bearer with light to form an electrostatic image; a developing device developing the electrostatic image with a developer including a toner to form a toner image on the image bearer; a transfer device transferring the toner image; and a cleaning device cleaning the image bearer, wherein the volume average particle diameter of the toner is greater than 5.0 μm and less than 5.5 μm, the content of toner particles having a particle diameter of not greater than 4.0 μm is not higher than 20% by number, the ratio of the first shape factor SF-1 to the second shape factor SF-2 is from 1.00 to 1.15, and the content of toner particles having a SF-2 of not less than 115 is not less than 67.8% by number.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having an image bearing member, a charging device, a developing device, a transfer device and a cleaning device. In addition, the present invention also relates to a toner for use in the image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge.
2. Discussion of the Background
Electrophotographic image forming methods have been used for various fields. Electrophotographic image forming methods typically include the following processes.
(1) charging the surface of an image bearing member such as photoreceptors (charging process):
(2) irradiating the charged image bearing member with light to form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member (light irradiating process);
(3) developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner to form a toner image on the image bearing member (developing process);
(4) transferring the toner image onto a receiving material fed from a sheet feeding device optionally via an intermediate transfer medium (transfer process);
(5) fixing the toner image to the receiving material upon application of heat and pressure thereto (fixing process); and
(6) removing toner particles remaining on the image bearing member and intermediate transfer medium without being transferred so that the image bearing member and intermediate transfer medium are ready for the next image forming processes (cleaning process).
Image forming apparatuses performing such processes are broadly classified into revolver-type image forming apparatuses in which plural developing devices are arranged around one image bearing member and tandem-type image forming apparatuses which plural image bearing members are serially arranged together with respective developing devices to form respective color images. Revolver-type image forming apparatuses have an advantage of low cost. In contrast, tandem-type image forming apparatuses have an advantage of high speed printing but have a relatively high cost. Recently, tandem-type image forming apparatuses are in the mainstream because of being able to perform high speed printing.
Examples of image forming apparatuses are illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.
Referring to FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member 7; a charging device 1 configured to charge the surface of the image bearing member 7; a light irradiating device 2 configured to irradiate the charged image bearing member 7 with imagewise light to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; a developing device 3 configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a developer (such as one-component developers including a toner and no carrier, and two component developers including a toner and a carrier) to form a toner image on the image bearing member 7; a transfer device 4 configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet of a receiving material fed from a sheet feeding device 9; a cleaning device including a cleaner 6 and an auxiliary cleaner 5, which are configured to remove residual toner particles from the image bearing member 7; and a fixing device 8 configured to fix the toner image on the sheet of the receiving material.
Specific examples of the charging device 1 include short-range chargers, contact chargers and corona chargers, which apply a DC voltage or a DC voltage overlapped with an AC voltage.
Specific examples of the light irradiating device 2 include devices using a laser diode (LD), a light emitting diode (LED), a xenon lamp or the like.
Specific examples of the developing device 3 include one-component developing devices using a one-component developer, and two-component developing devices using a two-component developer.
Specific examples of the transfer device 4 include devices including a transfer belt, a transfer charger, a transfer roller or the like.
Specific examples of the auxiliary cleaner 5 include fur brushes, elastic rollers, rollers covered with a tube, devices having a non-woven cloth or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 2, plural auxiliary cleaners can be provided. In contrast, the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 includes no auxiliary cleaner.
Specific examples of the cleaner 6 include cleaning blades which are typically made of a material such as polyurethane rubbers, silicone rubbers, nitrile rubbers and chloroprene rubbers.
Blade cleaning methods have been typically used for conventional image forming apparatuses, and there are many image forming apparatuses having only a cleaning blade. In addition, there are high speed image forming apparatuses having a cleaning device having a blade and a brush located on an upstream side from the blade to prevent a situation in that a large amount of residual toner particles are present at a surface of the image bearing member.
With respect to toner for use in the developer, pulverization toners have been used for conventional image forming apparatus. However, in order to produce high quality images and to improve transferability of toner, recently toners with a small particle diameter and spherical toners have been developed and used. For example, published unexamined Japanese patent application No. (hereinafter referred to as JP-A) 01-257857 discloses a spherical toner which is prepared by a wet method such as suspension polymerization and emulsion polymerization. In addition, published examined Japanese patent application No. 04-27897 and JP-A 06-317928 have disclosed spherical toners, which are prepared by subjecting pulverized toners to a heat treatment.
However, small toners and spherical toners tend to have a drawback in that residual toner particles present on the surface of an image bearing member escape through a cleaning blade, resulting in defective cleaning (i.e., resulting in occurrence of a background development problem in that the background of an image is soiled with toner particles). When a high pressure is applied to a cleaning blade to prevent such a problem, an excessive shearing force is applied to a portion of the blade, thereby causing chipping (i.e., omission of a portion) of the cleaning blade, resulting in occurrence of defective cleaning. Alternatively, problems in that the cleaning blade and/or the image bearing member are seriously abraded occur.
When a cleaning blade is seriously abraded, the area of the contact point between the blade and the image bearing member increases, resulting in decrease of the pressure of the cleaning blade to the image bearing member. Therefore, a problem in that small toners or spherical toners cannot be well removed from the image bearing member occurs. Thus, it is hard to well remove a small-size toner or a spherical toner.
In attempting to prevent abrasion of a cleaning blade to which a high pressure is applied, JP-As 2002-244516, 2002-156877, 2002-55580, and 2002-244487 have disclosed techniques in that a lubricant is applied to the surface of the image bearing member to be cleaned by the blade.
In addition, in attempting to prolong the lives of a charging device and an image bearing member, JP-A 2002-229227 discloses a technique in that a non-contact charging device and an image bearing member having a photosensitive layer including a particulate inorganic material are used while applying a lubricant such as zinc stearate to the image bearing member.
Further, JP-A 10-142897 discloses an image forming apparatus in which a lubricant applied to the surface of an image bearing member is smoothed (or large particles of the lubricant is blocked) by a blade at a location between a charging device and a developing device.
However, image forming apparatuses having a lubricant applicator tend to have the following drawbacks.
(1) When an excessive amount of lubricant is applied to an image bearing member, the charging roller contacted with the image bearing member is contaminated, thereby causing defective charging, resulting in formation of abnormal images.
(2) Since the lubricant applied to an image bearing member is mixed with the developer used, the toner in the developer is prevented from being well charged, and thereby electrostatic latent images on the image bearing member cannot be well developed, resulting in formation of abnormal images.(3) Setting of a lubricant applicator in an image forming apparatus increases the size and costs of the apparatus.
Thus, a technique of controlling application of a lubricant to an image bearing member has not yet established. Namely, when a lubricant applicator is provided in an image forming apparatus, various problems are caused. Therefore, it is preferable to provide no lubricant applicator in an image forming apparatus in view of reduction in size and costs of the image forming apparatus.
In attempting to well remove a small toner and/or a spherical toner on an image bearing member with a cleaning blade while preventing abrasion of the cleaning blade and occurrence of the size and const problems, the following proposals have been made.
JP-A 2005-55783 discloses a toner in which plural kinds of same-polarity charge controlling agents are present on the surface of the toner and which includes an external additive, wherein the toner has a volume average particle diameter of not greater than 10 μm, and a shape factor of not greater than 180.
JP-A 2000-112169 discloses a toner in which a particulate auxiliary material is present on the surface of toner particles and which has a shape factor of from 100 to 150.
Spherical toner which is prepared by forming toner particles in an aqueous medium and which has a relatively large average particle diameter tends to be well removed from an image bearing member with a blade because such toner has a small amount of fine toner particles. However, when a small-size spherical toner is used to produce high quality images, toner particles on an image bearing member are not often removed well (i.e., the toner has a low margin for cleanability) because such toner tends to include fine toner particles (having a volume particle diameter of not greater than 4 μm) in an amount of not less than 20% by number.
In attempting to remedy the drawback of the above-mentioned small spherical toner (having a volume average particle diameter (Dv) of from 5.0 to 5.5 μm), a technique in that the content of fine toner particles (having a volume particle diameter of not greater than 4 μm) is reduced to 10% by number or less by classification is proposed. It is described therein that such toner has good blade cleanability. However, performing such a classification operation increases costs and production time of the toner while decreasing yield. Therefore, it is desirable not to perform such a classification operation.
Because of these reasons, a need exists for a technique by which a toner having a volume average particle diameter (Dv) of from 5.0 to 5.5 μm and including fine toner particles having a volume particle diameter of not greater than 4 μm in an amount of not less than 20% by number can be used without causing cleaning problems.

Image forming apparatus, process cartridge and toner for use in the image forming apparatus


A vertical transistor (70) comprising a first semiconductor layer (14) of a first conductive type. A gate structure (32) of a second conductive type disposed on the first semiconductor layer (14). The gate structure (32) may include a plurality of gates (38) separated by channels (40). A second semiconductor layer (50) of the first conductive type may be disposed over the gate structure (32) and in the channels (40). An arresting element (36) may be disposed between and upper surface of the gates (38) and the second semiconductor layer (50). A void (52) may be formed in the second semiconductor layer (50) over the gate (38).

Vertical channel field effect transistors (VFET) generally provide significantly improved switching efficiency as compared to DMOS, UMOS, or other power devices. Particularly, the vertical channel field effect transistors made out of GaAs material have an on-resistance per unit area that is five to eight times lower than state of the art silicon DMOS or UMOS power devices. In addition, GaAs vertical channel field effect transistors have excellent switching speed, on the order of 1 to 2 nanoseconds.


The present invention is directed to a pharmaceuticalm composition comprising a peptide comprising at least a portion corresponding to the C-terminus of FGF23 and an additive selected from the group consisting of vitamin D and a vitamin D receptor agonist.

Inorganic phosphate plays a key role in a myriad of biological processes, including bone mineralization, reversible regulation of protein function by phosphorylation, and production of adenosine triphosphate. Plasma levels of phosphate range between 2.2 and 4.9 mg/dl (Dwyer et al., "Severe Hypophosphatemia in Postoperative Patients," Nutr Clin Pract 7(6):279-283 (1992), Alon et al., "Calcimimetics as an Adjuvant Treatment for Familial Hypophosphatemic Rickets," Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 3: 658-664 (2008)), and are primarily regulated by modifying renal tubular reabsorption. Because of phosphate's pleiotropic activity, imbalances in phosphate homeostasis adversely affect essentially every major tissue/organ.
Hypophosphatemia is a common clinical condition with an incidence ranging from 0.2-3.1% in all hospital admissions to 21.5-80% in specific subgroups of hospitalized patients (Gaasbeek et al., "Hypophosphatemia: An Update on its Etiology and Treatment," Am J Med 118(10):1094-1101 (2005), Brunelli et al., "Hypophosphatemia: Clinical Consequences and Management.," J Am Soc Nephrol 18(7):1999-2003 (2007)). Acute clinical manifestations of hypophosphatemia include respiratory failure, cardiac arrhythmia, hemolysis, rhabdomyolysis, seizures, and coma. Chronic clinical manifestations of hypophosphatemia include myalgia and osteomalacia (Gaasbeek et al., "Hypophosphatemia: An Update on its Etiology and Treatment," Am J Med 118(10):1094-1101 (2005)). Hypophosphatemia originates from diverse pathophysiologic mechanisms, most importantly from renal phosphate wasting, an inherited or acquired condition in which renal tubular reabsorption of phosphate is impaired (Imel et al., "Fibroblast Growth Factor 23: Roles in Health and Disease," J Am Soc Nephrol 16(9):2565-2575 (2005); Negri A., "Hereditary Hypophosphatemias: New Genes in the Bone-kidney Axis," Nephrology (Carlton) 12(4):317-320 (2007)). Hypophosphatemia can also be associated with alcoholic and diabetic ketoacidosis, acute asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sepsis, recovery from organ transplantation, and the "refeeding syndrome", which refers to metabolic disturbances seen in malnourished patients on commencing nutrition (Gaasbeek et al., "Hypophosphatemia: An Update on its Etiology and Treatment," Am J Med 118(10):1094-1101 (2005), Miller et al., "Hypophosphatemia in the Emergency Department Therapeutics," Am J Emerg Med 18(4):457-461 (2000), Marinella M A., "Refeeding Syndrome and Hypophosphatemia," J Intensive Care Med 20(3):155-159 (2005)).
Oral or intravenous administration of inorganic phosphate salts is the current mainstay for the management of hypophosphatemia. Oral phosphate therapy requires high doses, which frequently lead to diarrhea or gastric irritation (Shiber et al., "Serum Phosphate Abnormalities in the Emergency Department," J Emerg Med 23(4):395-400 (2002)). For intravenous phosphate therapy, the response to any given dose is sometimes unpredictable (Bohannon N J., "Large Phosphate Shifts with Treatment for Hyperglycemia," Arch Intern Med 149(6):1423-1425 (1989), Charron et al., "Intravenous Phosphate in the Intensive Care Unit: More Aggressive Repletion Regimens for Moderate and Severe Hypophosphatemia," Intensive Care Med 29(8):1273-1278 (2003); Rosen et al., "Intravenous Phosphate Repletion Regimen for Critically Ill patients with Moderate Hypophosphatemia," Crit Care Med 23(7):1204-1210 (1995)), and complications include "overshoot" hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, and metastatic calcification (Gaasbeek et al., "Hypophosphatemia: An Update on its Etiology and Treatment," Am J Med 118(10):1094-1101 (2005); Shiber et al., "Serum Phosphate Abnormalities in the Emergency Department," J Emerg Med 23(4):395-400 (2002)). In addition, parenteral regimens are not practical for chronic disorders. Most importantly, replacement therapy alone is never adequate when there is significant renal phosphate wasting. Therefore, novel strategies for the treatment of hypophosphatemia are needed.
Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment of end-stage renal failure, and hypophosphatemia is a well recognized problem during the first weeks after engraftment. The majority of kidney transplant patients often experience excessive renal phosphate leakage (Schwarz et al., "Impaired Phosphate Handling of Renal Allografts is Aggravated under Rapamycin-based Immunosuppression," Nephrol Dial Transplant 16: 378-382 (2001); Moorhead et al., "Hypophosphataemic Osteomalacia after Cadaveric Renal Transplantation," Lancet 1(7860):694-697 (1974)), because the transplanted kidneys only marginally reabsorb the urinary phosphate to the circulation. The reasons for this poor reabsorbing activity on the part of transplanted kidneys are unknown. It frequently causes the patients malnutrition and secondary osteoporosis. This problem cannot be treated by a simple exogenous supplementation of phosphate. Similar renal phosphate leakage with unknown pathology is often observed in pediatric medicine, with outcomes such as malnutrition or growth retardation.
A recent study in adults demonstrated that as many as 93% of patients develop moderate to severe hypophosphatemia (serum phosphate concentration 0.9-2.25 mg/dl), an average of 5 weeks following transplantation (Ambuhl et al., "Metabolic Aspects of Phosphate Replacement Therapy for Hypophosphatemia After Renal Transplantation Impact on Muscular Phosphate Content, Mineral Metabolism, and Acid/base Homeostasis," Am J Kidney Dis 34:875-83 (1999)).
Health problems associated with circulating phosphate shortage are not limited to humans. Dairy cows sometimes suffer from hypophosphatemia (too low phosphate in the blood) caused by overproduction of the milk. It not only deteriorates the nutritional quality of the milk but also often make the cows useless for milk production. It is a relatively common problem in dairy farms (Goff, J P., "Pathophysiology of Calcium and Phosphorus Disorders," Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 16(2):319-37 (2000), Oetzel, G R., "Management of Dry Cows for the Prevention of Milk Fever and Other Mineral Disorders," Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 16(2):369-86 (2000)).
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23, is an endocrine regulator of phosphate homeostasis, and was originally identified as the mutated gene in patients with the phosphate wasting disorder "autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets" (ADHR) (Anonymous., "Autosomal Dominant Hypophosphataemic Rickets is Associated with Mutations in FGF23," Nat Genet 26(3):345-348 (2000)). FGF23 inhibits reabsorption of phosphate in the renal proximal tubule by decreasing the abundance of the type II sodium-dependent phosphate transporters NaPi-2A and NaPi-2C in the apical brush border membrane (Baum et al., "Effect of Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 on Phosphate Transport in Proximal Tubules," Kidney Int 68(3):1148-1153 (2005); Perwad et al., "Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 Impairs Phosphorus and Vitamin D Metabolism In Vivo and Suppresses 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1alpha-hydroxylase Expression In Vitro," Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 293(5):F1577-1583 (2007); Larsson et al., "Transgenic mice expressing fibroblast growth factor 23 under the control of the alpha1(I) collagen promoter exhibit growth retardation, osteomalacia, and disturbed phosphate homeostasis," Endocrinology 145(7):3087-3094 (2004)). The phosphaturic activity of FGF23 is down-regulated by proteolytic cleavage at the 176RXXR179 (SEQ ID NO: 1) motif, where "XX" is defined as "HT", corresponding to positions 177 and 178, respectively, of the FGF23 amino acid sequence, producing an inactive N-terminal fragment (Y25 to R179) and a C-terminal fragment (S180 to I251) (FIG. 1A) (Goetz et al., "Molecular Insights into the Klotho-dependent, Endocrine Mode of Action of Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 Subfamily Members," Mol Cell Biol 27(9):3417-3428 (2007)). FGF receptor (FGFR) 1 is the principal mediator of the phosphaturic action of FGF23 (Liu et al., "FGFR3 and FGFR4 do not Mediate Renal Effects of FGF23," J Am Soc Nephrol 19(12):2342-2350 (2008); Gattineni et al., "FGF23 Decreases Renal NaPi-2a and NaPi-2c Expression and Induces Hypophosphatemia in vivo Predominantly via FGF Receptor 1," Am J Physiol 297(2):F282-F291 (2009)). In addition, Klotho, a protein first described as an aging suppressor (Kuro-o et al., "Mutation of the Mouse Klotho Gene Leads to a Syndrome Resembling Aging," Nature 390(6655):45-51 (1997)), is required as a coreceptor by FGF23 in its target tissue in order to exert its phosphaturic activity (Kurosu et al., "Regulation of Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 Signaling by Klotho," J Biol Chem 281(10):6120-6123 (2006); Urakawa et al., "Klotho Converts Canonical FGF Receptor into a Specific Receptor for FGF23," Nature 444(7120):770-774 (2006)). Klotho constitutively binds the cognate FGFRs of FGF23, and the binary FGFR-Klotho complexes exhibit enhanced binding affinity for FGF23 ((Kurosu et al., "Regulation of Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 Signaling by Klotho," J Biol Chem 281(10):6120-6123 (2006); Urakawa et al., "Klotho Converts Canonical FGF Receptor into a Specific Receptor for FGF23," Nature 444(7120):770-774 (2006)). In co-immunoprecipitation studies, it was demonstrated that the mature, full-length form of FGF23 (Y25 to I251) but not the inactive N-terminal fragment of proteolytic cleavage (Y25 to R179) binds to binary FGFR-Klotho complexes (Goetz et al., "Molecular Insights into the Klotho-dependent, Endocrine Mode of Action of Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 Subfamily Members," Mol Cell Biol 27(9):3417-3428 (2007)).
The present invention is directed to overcoming the deficiencies in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pharmaceutical compositions including a portion of the C-terminus of FGF23


A sintered rhenium crucible, highly suitable for growing single crystals from refractory metal oxides, for example by the Czochralski technique, is formed of fine rhenium powder, by sintering. A compact is formed by cold isostatic pressing and thereafter the compact is sintered at 500-2800.degree. C. to obtain a sintered crucible. Product density is limited to 88-95% of theroretical in order to maximize creep resistance.

The invention relates to a crucible for growing single crystals from the melt in a substantially inert atmosphere, a process for making the same and use of the same.
The invention relates especially to a crucible for growing refractory single crystals, and most especially of single crystals from refractory metal oxides, preferably from alkaline earth and rare earth metal oxides and mixed oxides, in a substantially inert atmosphere.
Single crystals--which can be ultrapure or doped--are used for diverse purposes such as hard materials, drawing dies, jewel bearings, gemstones, optical components, materials for polarizing optics, laser crystals, electrooptical devices, semiconductors and memory crystals in data processing.
The preparation of single crystals takes place mainly by growth from a melt. Distinctions are made between pulling and descending techniques as well as techniques with and without a crucible. Suitable materials for crucibles include in particular graphite, noble metals (platinum, iridium, rhodium, gold) and noble metal alloys. The most important crucible crystal preparation techniques are the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique, the Nacken-Kyropoulos technique and the Czochralski technique.
In the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique, the single crystal is formed by spontaneous crystallization when the crucible containing the melt is shifted from a high-temperature furnace zone to a lower-temperature furnace zone. Crucibles suitable for this technique generally have cylindrical shape and a conically tapering bottom that narrows to a capillary. Graphite crucibles can be used to grow single crystals from oxygen-sensitive and moisture-sensitive substances under inert gas or vacuum, at the same time permitting temperatures above 2000.degree. C. to be attained (Ullmanns Encyklopadie der technischen Chemie [Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry], 4th Edition, Volume 15 (1978), 138-140).
In the Nacken-Kyropoulos technique, the crucible is placed in a tube furnace and crystallization of the melt contained in the crucible is initiated by a cooled seed crystal. Characteristic of this technique is a long furnace zone of uniform temperature and a superheated melt into which the growing crystal extends progressively as a result of cooling (Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 4th Edition, Volume 15 (1978), 139 to 140).
The Czochralski technique is one of the most important techniques for growing single crystals. In this technique the substances provided for forming the single crystal are melted in a heated crucible and then the obtained melts are brought into contact with a seed crystal attached to a holder (seed-crystal holder). The single crystals growing on the seed crystal are pulled out of the melt at constant speed together with the seed crystal (pulling direction perpendicular to the melt surface) and, after their growth is ended, are separated from the melt and seed crystal.
The crucibles are commonly made of noble metals. For example, iridium crucibles are used to grow rubies by the Czochralski technique, an argon atmosphere containing 1 to 3% oxygen being used to protect the iridium. Crucibles of platinum, rhodium or noble metal alloys (Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 4th Edition, Volume 15 (1978), 140 to 142; U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,734) are suitable for growing lower melting oxides. During the growing process, the crucibles are mounted in a single-crystal-growing apparatus, which is equipped with a crucible heater and thermal insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,046 discloses a process for growing single crystals from ceramic materials selected from the group consisting of dopants containing Y.sub.3 Al.sub.5 O.sub.12, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, MgAl.sub.2 O.sub.4 and eutectics of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /ZrO.sub.2 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.3 Al.sub.5 O.sub.12 which process is a combination of the technique of zone leveling with the gradient furnace technique. The process includes the step of seeding the melt of a ceramic material in a crucible. The crucible is preferably of high melting point material such as molybdenum, tungsten, iridium, or rhenium or of coated materials thereof.
From DE 3,301,831 Al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,728) there is known, for growing single crystals, a crucible consisting of an iridium-rhenium alloy with a rhenium content of about 1 to 20, especially about 1 to 15 parts by weight of rhenium. The crucible has a melting point of about 2450 to 2540.degree. C. and is made by hot forming and subsequent processing of iridium/rhenium obtained by sintering or casting mixtures of iridium and rhenium powders. It is preferably used to grow single crystals of gadolinium-gallium garnet by the Czochralski technique under a substantially inert atmosphere. The substantially inert atmosphere consists of an inert or slightly oxidizing atmosphere such as nitrogen, argon, helium or CO/CO.sub.2 or N.sub.2 /O.sub.2 mixtures; preferred is an atmosphere of about 98 vol % nitrogen and 2 vol % oxygen. DE 3,301,831 Al describes the well-known fact that the oxidation resistance of rhenium is lower than that of iridium and that rhenium is rapidly disintegrated by intense oxidation at high temperatures. Crucibles of iridium and iridium-base materials can be used to grow single crystals from melts having temperatures up to about 2200.degree. C. As regards growing crystals requiring even higher temperatures, however, crucible materials with adequate chemical and thermal stability are usually unavailable, and so in many cases these crystal types can be prepared only by crucible-free techniques or by cold-crucible techniques.
The object of the invention is therefore to find a crucible of high melting point material with high strength for growing refractory single crystals from the melt in a substantially inert atmosphere and a process for making the same. The crucible is intended to be suitable in particular for growing single crystals of refractory metal oxides and to be usable in the Bridgman-Stockbarger, Nacken-Kyropoulos and Czochralski techniques.

Crucible for growing single crystals, process for making the same and use of the same


A novelty figurine and carabiner storage assembly is provided. The figurine comprises a head portion, a body portion located proximate to the head portion, and at least one carabiner attachment assembly extending from the body portion for selectively allowing the figurine to be attached to or removed from another item able to receive the attachment assembly. The carabiner attachment assembly comprises at least first and second leg assemblies, with one of the leg assemblies having a selectively openable gate assembly extending therealong. The body portion has at least one substantially hollow interior section and at least one selectively openable door assembly for access into the substantially hollow interior section.

Toys and figurines have long been around bearing the portrait or resemblance of a person; usually of a famous person. It has even been a recent craze to use what has come to be known as a "bobble head" toy to bear the likeness of a famous sports figure.
In addition, carabiners have long been in use for providing a means for attaching articles to each other. Such devices have numerous applications, such as for example enabling articles to be quickly and easily secured to a backpack, purse, handbag, key chain, belt loop, utility belt, or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,266 discloses a typical carabiner-type attachment device.
It is also known to combine carabiners with other known useful items, as, for example, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,270,909, 6,223,372 and 6,527,434, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D459,338 and D469,023 and at the following websites www.fiskars.com, www.demstore.com, www.branders.com, www.advantageindustries.com and www.promoplace.com.
Such prior art devices, while useful in their own right for achieving their specific purposes, do not have the added benefit of incorporating a novelty toy item (the figurine) in a construction that allows the item to be easily, and safely, carried around by its owner/user on essentially any type of item, including any type of garment or bag. Further, none of these prior art devices comprise a way of allowing the owner/user of the novelty item to carry small objects therein, as, for example, candy or gum. It would therefore be desirable to provide such a novelty item preferably having a collectible figurine thereon. A further advantage of the subject invention would be to construct the item with a storage compartment for storage of items by the user.

Novelty figurine and carabiner storage assembly


A plugging and unplugging module case includes a body and a positioning element. The body has a plugging and unplugging opening. The positioning element has a positioning elastic body and a second engaging unit. The positioning element is disposed outside the body. The second engaging unit is a second engaging post for engaging with the first engaging hole. The body is of lower hardness than the positioning element. Hence, the positioning element quickly engages with the body, whereas the positioning elastic body is quickly positioned at a positioning hole so as to enhance the efficiency of the assembly of the plugging and unplugging module.

Rarely does transmission of data between electronic apparatuses nowadays not require a plugging and unplugging module. However, in general, a conventional positioning element of a conventional plugging and unplugging module case of a conventional plugging and unplugging module is difficult to be mounted on a body thereof. After being mounted on the body, the conventional positioning element is difficult to be positioned at a device to be installed. Accordingly, it is important to invent a plugging and unplugging module case with a positioning element which quickly engages with the body and positioning elastic bodies which can be quickly positioned at a positioning hole so as to enhance the efficiency of the assembly of the plugging and unplugging module.


A method and apparatus for depositing a ceramic film on a substrate by vacuum arc deposition, includes a vacuum chamber, a cathode comprised of an electrically conductive ceramic material to be deposited on a substrate, an electrically insulating member about the cathode, a heater for preheating the cathode to a predetermined temperature, an anode positioned downstream of the cathode and including an opening to allow ions of the ceramic material from the cathode to flow therethrough, a substrate support positioned downstream of the anode, and a plurality of magnetic members disposed around the vacuum chamber for guiding the ions from the cathode in a predetermined direction.

The present invention is directed to depositing ceramic films on a substrate, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for depositing ceramic films by vacuum arc deposition.
Vacuum (or cathodic) arc deposition is a method for depositing a thin film from a solid source (the consumable cathode) with a very high growth rate (References 1 and 2). In some forms, several solid sources may be used to stoichiometrically mix the corresponding species leading to compound films (References 3 and 6). The vacuum arc can also be run in a background gas for reactive deposition of a compound film, e.g., TiN and CrN for coating steels (References 7 and 8). Vacuum arc deposition has in general been limited to metal cathodes, which typically sustain discharge current densities above 1MA/cm2 in non-stationary spots several xcexcm in diameter (Reference 9). One or more spots may be sustained (xcx9c50A per spot). At these cathodic spots, cathode material is efficiently converted to fully ionized plasma, which can be guided (e.g. magnetically) to a substrate for deposition. This process, however, has the potential of creating tremendous, localized stresses in the cathode material, especially if the thermal and electric conductivities are low, as they will be in a non-metal. This would clearly be the case for, for example, a boron carbide (B4C) cathode, typically produced via pressed powder metallurgy.
Recently, there has been some research activity in the development of vacuum arc deposition from non-metal (ceramic or semiconducting) cathodes. Researchers in England and Israel have independently succeeded in the operation of a continuous vacuum arc on a polycrystalline silicon cathode and have deposited a-Si films of near-electronic quality (References 10-13). Both groups, however, reported that problems remained regarding cathode fracturing. A group in Germany made the first published successful run of a vacuum arc on a pure boron cathode (References 14-15). The process was run reactively in a nitrogen background to make c-BN or in an Ar background because of problems running in vacuum in a stable fashion.
Encouraged by these developments, the inventors of the present invention pursued research to develop vacuum arc deposition of boron and boron carbide. Both of these materials make films that are of great interest in Fusion as well as in non-Fusion applications. Developments in the processing and handling of the cathodes, before and during the deposition, have allowed the inventors of the present invention to demonstrate continuous vacuum arc operation on both boron and boron carbide cathodes in a true vacuum mode ( less than 1 mPa). The present invention is believed to be the first successful deposition of stoichiometrically correct boron carbide from a boron carbide cathode. Although this technology can be potentially applied to other non-metals (as long as powders are available to consolidate into cathodes), this development was motivated by a need for improved coating methods for radio-frequency (rf) antennas used in magnetic fusion energy (MFE). Boron carbide is a material traditionally used in this application, primarily because of the low atomic number of the materials in this compound.
The recent experience from tests of rf antennas in tokamak experiments at Tore Supra and DIII-D has been that B4C is a desirable coating, but needs to be thick (due to erosion) and yet have good thermal conductivity, so that the underlying cooling channels can rapidly remove the heat from the surface of the coating (Reference 16). Unfortunately, the commercial sources for appropriate boron carbide coating are very limited and fall between two extremes. Plasma sprayed coatings can be made quite thick ( greater than 10 xcexcm). However their inherent porosity substantially limits the thermal conductivity. On the other hand, sputtered boron carbide generally produces dense films that are limited in the thickness due to the high cost and low deposition rates, as well as to stresses in the film.
Vacuum arc deposition offers the possibility of dense films, deposited at a lower cost and much higher rate. Also, independent substrate bias and heating can lead to deposition of oriented crystalline film with good thermal conductivity in the direction of crystalinity. As mentioned, this invention entails the first successful deposition of boron carbide using vacuum arc technology. However, the films were produced without biasing and were amorphous. The stoichiometry of the deposited film matched that of the B4C cathode. Heating up to 600xc2x0 C. did not produce any crystallinity, but is believed to have helped in making films as thick as 350 nm without significant stresses.
Despite the absence of crystallinity, the coatings obtained by the present invention are attractive for fusion applications beyond the antennas. As a boron-rich, low-Z material, B4C would be attractive as a first wall coating in a fusion reactor. Like any other carbonaceous material, one might expect some co-deposition of sputtered material with potential retention of radioactive tritium in a reactor environment (Reference 17). However, contrary to pure carbon materials, B4C has much lower chemical and high-temperature sputtering rates, and has the added benefits of oxygen gettering due to the large boron content (Reference 18). The low carbon content suggests lower hydrogen isotope retention. Of course, for an application to relatively smaller structures, such as the antennas, this issue is even less of a concern.
Finally, one can benefit from the good vacuum compatibility of the vacuum arc process by considering using the method of the present invention for in-situ repair of in-vessel components in a fusion reactor or a reactor-relevant experiment, such as ITER (References 19-21).
Outside fusion, boron carbide is a valuable metallurgical coating. It is particularly desirable in its amorphous phase, as obtained by the present invention, because of the combination of high hardness and low friction coefficient. A good example application would be as a coating for bearings or for cutting tools.
Various methods and apparatus for depositing coatings are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,944,683; 4,452,686; 4,496,868; 4,551,221; 4,645,895; 4,716,083; 5,072,992; 5,306,408; 5,582,874; 5,635,254; 5,896,012; 5,962,288; 6,054,187; 6,087,069; 6,120,640 and H. Shinno, T. Tanabe, M. Fujitsuka and Y. Sakai, xe2x80x9cCharacterization of Carbon-Boron Coatings Prepared on Molybdenum by a Vacuum Arc Deposition Methodxe2x80x9d, Thin Solid Films 189 (1990) 149-159. However, conventional techniques do not deposit a stoichiometrically correct coating of a ceramic material, such as boron carbide, titanium diboride, and lanthanum hexaboride.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for depositing ceramic films by vacuum arc deposition which overcome the drawbacks associated with conventional techniques.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for depositing ceramic films by vacuum arc deposition which assure long-term survival of the cathode and reduce the production of macroparticlaes that negatively impact the quality of the deposited films.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for depositing ceramic films by vacuum deposition arc which produce thick films and yet have good thermal conductivity.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for depositing ceramic films by vacuum arc deposition which produce dense films that are deposited at a lower cost and a much higher rate than conventional techniques and devices.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for depositing ceramic films by vacuum arc deposition which deposits a stoichiometrically correct coating of an electrically conductive ceramic material, such as boron, boron carbide, lanthanum hexaboride, etc., on a substrate.
Yet an additional object of the present invention is to provide a new method for coating a workpiece with boron carbide or other chemically related, ceramic coatings.
In summary, the main object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for rapid coating of a surface by vacuum arc evaporation of a conductive, consolidated compound ceramic cathode. The resulting coating has nearly the same stoichiometry as the source material.
In accordance with the present invention, a method of depositing a ceramic film on a substrate by vacuum arc deposition, includes providing a vacuum chamber including a cathode comprised of a ceramic material to be deposited on a substrate, and an anode positioned downstream of the cathode, providing a substrate, preheating the cathode to a predetermined temperature, triggering an arc at the cathode surface to generate plasma for flowing towards the anode, guiding the plasma through the anode and towards the substrate, and impinging the plasma onto the substrate to deposit a substantially stoichiometric film of the ceramic material thereon.
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for depositing a ceramic film on a substrate by vacuum arc deposition, includes a vacuum chamber, a cathode comprised of an electrically conductive ceramic material to be deposited on a substrate, an electrically insulating member about the cathode, a heater for preheating the cathode to a predetermined temperature, an anode positioned downstream of the cathode and including an opening to allow ions of the ceramic material from the cathode to flow therethrough, a substrate support positioned downstream of the anode, and a plurality of magnetic members disposed around the vacuum chamber for guiding the ions from the cathode in a predetermined direction.
The novel method and apparatus of the present invention differ from the conventional vacuum-arc deposition techniques in a number of respects: (1) While the usual application of the vacuum arc as a metallurgical coater is to apply metal coatings or add metals to coatings by evaporating a metal cathode, a non-metal (ceramic) cathode is used in this invention, (2) while a conductive ceramic cathode made by consolidation of powders can in principle be used as the cathode of a vacuum arc, heating of the cathode is used in the present technique to further reduce the electrical resistance and to relieve the large stresses of the arc, which otherwise lead to fracture of the cathode, (3) since, even with heating, cathodes of these materials have been found to break under the stressful conditions of the arc, the technique of the invention uses cathodes consolidated with microwave energy to improve the integrity of the material, (4) to avoid any further stresses to the cathode, a soft-triggering method is used which is located at the center of the cathode to assure the initiation of the discharge at that location, and (5) a non-conductive ceramic shield is used around the cathode to help contain the electrical discharge within the extent of the cathode and to help guide the resulting ionized vapor toward the deposition region.

Method and apparatus for depositing ceramic films by vacuum arc deposition


The present invention provides data storage devices, systems and methods. An example device includes: a storage medium for storing data in the form of marks; and at least one probe. The probe(s) and storage medium are operable to move relative to each other, with each probe comprising a tip facing the storage medium and having a force creating unit associated thereto. The force creating units are operable to create a force acting between the tip and said storage medium. The data storage device is operable to erase an indentation mark in the storage medium by way of controlling the force creating unit for creating at least one erase force pulse with a force rise time being less than or equal to the order of 1 microsecond.

Techniques that use sharp tips, with apex dimensions on the nanometer-scale, for imaging and investigating the structure of materials down to the atomic scale, are known. Such techniques include atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), as disclosed in EP 0 223 918 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,993.
Based on the developments in scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy, new storage concepts have been introduced over the past few years that profit from these technologies. Probes having a nanoscale-sized tip have been introduced for modifying the topography and for scanning an appropriate storage medium. Data are written as sequences of bits represented by topographical marks, such as indentation marks and non-indentation marks. The tips comprise apexes with a radius in the lower nanometer range and the indentation marks have, for example, a diameter in the range of 20 to 40 nm. Hence, these data storage concepts promise ultra-high storage area density.
A storage device for storing data based on the AFM principle is disclosed in "The millipede—more than 1,000 tips for future AFM data storage" by P. Vettiger et al., IBM Journal Research Development, Vol. 44, No. 3, March 2000. The storage device has a read and write function based on a mechanical x-, y-scanning of a storage medium with an array of probes each having a tip. The probes operate in parallel, each probe scanning, during operation, an associated field of the storage medium. In this way, high data rates may be achieved. The storage medium may comprise a thin polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) layer. The tips are moved across the surface of the polymer layer in a contact mode. The contact mode is achieved by applying small forces to the probes so that the tips of the probes can touch the surface of the storage medium. For that purpose, the probes comprise cantilevers carrying sharp tips on their end sections. Bits are represented by indentation marks or non-indentation marks in the polymer layer. The cantilevers respond to these topographic changes in the surface while they are moved across the surface. Indentation marks are formed on the polymer surface by thermomechanical recording. This is achieved by heating a respective probe with a current or voltage pulse during the contact mode in a way that the polymer layer is softened locally where the tip touches the polymer layer. The result is a small indentation on the layer having a nanoscale diameter.
Reading is also accomplished by a thermomechanical concept. The heater cantilever is supplied with an amount of electrical energy, which causes the probe to heat up to a temperature that is not high enough to soften the polymer layer as is necessary for writing. The thermal sensing is based on the fact that the thermal conductance between the probe and the storage medium, especially a substrate on the storage medium, changes when the probe is moving in an indentation as the heat transport is in this case more efficient. As a consequence of this, the temperature of the cantilever decreases and hence, also its electrical resistance changes. This change of electrical resistance is then measured and serves as the measuring signal.
WO 02/061734 discloses a data storage device with a storage medium in the form of a polymer layer and a cantilever comprising a tip with a nanoscale apex being located in close contact with the storage medium. The data storage device is designed to write data to the storage medium by a combination of applying a local force to the polymer layer via the tip and applying energy to the surface in the form of heat via the tip by passing a write current through the cantilever. For this reason, the cantilever comprises a heater element to be heated up. Data are represented by indentation marks or non-indentation marks in the storage medium. For selectively erasing indentation marks, new pits are formed overlapping each other over pre-recorded indentation marks to be erased. In this way, the surface of the storage medium is substantially leveled. This is achieved by performing the write operation, that is by heating up the tip to a level sufficient to locally deform the polymer layer. This write operation is, for the purpose of erasing, performed with a high density of new pits overlapping each other so that each new pit effectively erases the immediately preceding pit. WO 02/061734 further discloses that, in the erase operation, the force being applied from the tip may be reduced or removed altogether. The application of the heating energy excites molecules in the surface of the storage medium and intermolecular forces in the surface of the storage medium are then sufficient to push the tip out as the surface of the storage medium relaxes into its stable state.

Device and method for mechanical data storage device operation and control

International Business Machines Corporation


Methods and systems for verifying authenticity of a physical object and/or for verifying possession of the object by an individual are described. In one embodiment, the object is registered with a remote processing system. Data representing at least one characteristic of the object is obtained and stored in the remote system and the identity of the individual or entity possessing the object is authenticated. After authenticating the individual, an identifier is collocated (or an existing mechanism is activated or modified to replicate the identifier) with the object, where the identifier uniquely identifies the object and the individual possessing the object. The object and the identity of the individual possessing the object can be authenticated at a future time by sensing the collocated identifier and sending the sensed identifier to the remote system. The remote system can send instructions to an entity wishing to authenticate the object and its association with the individual possessing the object. The instructions can be set up at the time the object is registered in the remote system. The remote system can perform an interactive or automated session with the entity wishing to authenticate the object, thereby saving time and providing a robust method of authentication and means for carrying out additional processing functions.

Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to authentication of objects using collocated coding. More particularly, the invention relates to authentication of objects linked to an entity using collocated coding and a remote computing system.
Description of the Related Art
The dramatic introduction of computing systems over recent decades has not yet triggered the full range of benefits for processing physical objects as those achieved in the digital domain. What has been lacking in the marketplace is a means for bridging the idiosyncrasies of the physical and virtual worlds such that a single platform of standards and processes can be uniformly performed across both worlds. Dramatic improvements in the efficiency of future commerce are possible if a system for conducting trusted global commerce can be made available to all parties in the value chain regardless of the nature of the product or channel of distribution.
Determining authenticity of an object can present complex problems. A recipient of an object may not have the knowledge necessary to authenticate an object. In addition the recipient may not have the information available locally to determine the authenticity of an object. Furthermore, determining the source of a received object presents similar complex problems. Simply trusting information received with the object indicating the source may result in false conclusions or incorrect actions being taken after receiving the object. A recipient may desire further proof that the received object did in fact come from the indicated source. Thus there is a need for a way of authenticating that an individual actually possessed and had delivered a physical object while at the same time authenticating that the object, or in some embodiments, the contents (actual or virtual) of the object are actually those that the individual possessed.

System and method for the automated processing of physical objects

1997 Irrevocable Trust for Gregory P. Benson


In an internal combustion engine, gasoline is injected directly into a combustion chamber and ignited by auto-ignition. The characteristics map range within which fuel is ignited by auto-ignition is enlarged by supercharging the internal combustion engine.

Although not yet mass produced, internal combustion engines having injection of gasoline directly into the combustion chamber and auto-ignition as in the diesel principle are known. This operating mode is referred to below as "homogeneous auto-ignition." Additional savings in fuel consumption are expected with this homogeneous auto-ignition operating mode of gasoline engines, and emission results should be even better than with internal combustion engines having direct gasoline injection and external ignition by a spark plug.
Homogeneous auto-ignition is achieved in a gasoline engine by virtue of the fact that a considerable portion of the combusted air-fuel mixture is not expelled into the exhaust but instead remains in the combustion chamber (so-called internal exhaust gas recirculation). The combusted air-fuel mixture is referred to below as residual gas (RG). With internal exhaust gas recirculation, either residual gas is retained in the combustion chamber (negative valve overlap) or residual gas is withdrawn back out of the exhaust channel or the intake channel (positive valve overlap) through variable triggering of the intake and exhaust valves at top dead center in the exhaust and refill charge cycle.
In the subsequent intake stroke, the residual gas is mixed with combustion air and fuel. Therefore, at the time of closing the intake valve(s), the gas mixture of combustion air and residual gas in the combustion chamber is at a much higher temperature than in normal operation. Compression of the gas mixture in the combustion chamber after the intake stroke causes the temperature to rise to the extent that the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber ignites spontaneously without external ignition by a spark plug. The goal of the homogeneous auto-ignition operating mode is that auto-ignition of the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber will occur approximately on reaching the ignition top dead center.
The residual gas has two important functions. First, the hot residual gas supplies heat, which, in combination with the rise in temperature in the compression stroke, allows auto-ignition of the fuel-air mixture.
The second function of the residual gas is to retard the kinetics of combustion triggered by auto-ignition to thereby reduce the mechanical load on the internal combustion engine, reduce noise production and prevent local temperature peaks from developing. Therefore, engine efficiency is improved as a result and operation of the internal combustion engine with little or even no NOx is possible because of the lower maximum temperatures.
These functions of the residual gas remaining in the combustion chamber at the same time result in restrictions on homogeneous auto-ignition operating mode to speeds amounting to approximately 50% of the maximum speed of the internal combustion engine. Furthermore, homogeneous auto-ignition operating mode may take place only up to a load of approximately ⅓ of full load of a naturally aspirated internal combustion engine. If the load is further increased, the reaction kinetics is greatly accelerated because of the reduced amount of residual gas, generating unwanted noise and resulting in a very high mechanical load on the internal combustion engine.
Another restriction on the range of use of homogenous auto-ignition operating mode occurs at speeds below 2000 rpm and at very low loads of 10% to 15% of full load, for example, because adequate cylinder filling with combustion air is impossible below this speed and at loads below 15%, and therefore this mode is not usable.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling an internal combustion engine and to provide an internal combustion engine which makes it possible to expand the characteristics map range within which the internal combustion engine is operated with homogeneous auto-ignition and therefore to further improve the emission and consumption performance of naturally aspirated internal combustion engines.

Method for operating an internal combustion engine


A Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller (1) of a 2-bus cycle transfer type executes a read cycle first to fetch data from a data source then internally rearranges or aligns the fetched data in accordance with a bus width and/or a storing address of a data destination unit and thereafter executes a write cycle to write the rearranged data in the data destination unit. The DMA controller includes a data register (106) having first and second fields (106-1 and 106-2). Data from the data source is temporarily stored in one of the first and second fields of the data register during the read cycle, and data in the other of the first and second fields is written to the data destination unit during the write cycle.

The present invention relates to a DMA (Direct Memory Access) controller and, particularly, to a DMA controller which executes a DMA data transfer according to a 2-bus cycle transfer manner.
As well known in the art, a DMA controller is used for executing a data transfer between a peripheral input/output device (referred to as "peripheral I/O", hereinafter) such as a magnetic disc device, a communication device, or display device and a main storage device (referred to as "memory", hereinafter) in lieu of a central processing unit (CPU).
With improvement of processing efficiency and speed of CPU, a data bus width thereof is increased to 32 bits, for example. When an information processing system is constructed by using a CPU having such a large data bus width, not all of the peripheral I/Os to be used in the same system may have the same bus width as that of the CPU. For example, peripheral I/Os having 8-bit (1-byte) and/or 16-bit (half word) bus width may be used for a CPU having 32-bit (1 word) bus width. In such case, a DMA data transfer is required between a memory and peripheral I/Os having bus widths different from each other.
To this end, a DMA controller of a 2-bus cycle transfer type is used. The 2-bus cycle transfer system is such that the data transfer is performed by a read bus cycle and a write bus cycle. Such DMA controller executes the read cycle first to fetch data from a data source unit such as a memory or a peripheral I/O, then internally rearranges or aligns fetched data in accordance with a bus width and/or a storing address of a data destination unit such as a peripheral I/O or a memory, and thereafter executes the write bus cycle to write the rearranged data in the data destination unit.
Thus, the DMA controller of the 2-bus cycle transfer type is required to rearrange or align the data fetched from the data source unit in order to perform a DMA transfer between ,the peripheral I/O and the memory having different bus widths. This rearrangement or alignment procedure can be completed within a read cycle if the operating frequency is low. However, when, in order to improve the transfer speed, the bus cycle is shortened by increasing operating frequency, it becomes impossible to complete such a rearrangement or alignment within the read bus cycle and, therefore, it is necessary to provide a time interval between the two bus cycles for such rearrangement. That is, it is impossible to execute the read bus cycle and the write bus cycle continuously, so that the improvement in transfer speed is restricted.

DMA controller performing data transfer by 2-bus cycle transfer manner


An intervertebral disk prosthesis for implantation between two adjacent vertebrae is disclosed which is more easily implantable intermediate the adjacent vertebrae, particularly from a posterior surgical approach, due to the two-piece construction of the intervertebral disk prosthesis. The intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention consists of first and second intervertebral disk segments which, when connected together by a bolt, together form a substantially elliptical configuration of a size fitting between the endplates of two adjacent vertebrae to maintain them in a properly spaced-apart and stable configuration which will be resistive to normal compressive forces exerted on the spine. Large apertures extending through the first and second intervertebral segments may be packed with bone chips or marrow prior to being implanted to facilitate bone ingrowth therethrough to fuse the aforesaid vertebrae together.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to prosthetic devices for implantation between adjacent vertebrae to treat patients with ruptured or severely degenerated intervertebral disks, and more particularly to a more easily implantable two-piece intervertebral disk prosthesis for insertion intermediate two adjacent vertebrae to maintain the aforesaid vertebrae in a properly spaced-apart and stable configuration which will be resistive to normal compressive forces exerted on the spine while bony integration is occurring to fuse the aforesaid vertebrae together.
The main structural support of the human skeleton is the spinal column, a bony column that consists of a plurality of vertebrae which are interlinked by flexible joints, spaced apart by gelatinous intervertebral disks of fibrocartilage, and held together by ligaments. Each vertebra has a roughly cylindrical body, with wing-like projections, and a bony arch. The arches, which are positioned next to one another, create a tunnel-like space which houses the spinal cord. The cylindrical bodies of the vertebrae are spaced apart by intervertebral disks, and bear most of the compressive load of the spinal column (approximately 80 percent of the total load).
One of the primary causes of back of neck and back pain in patients is when one of these intervertebral disks becomes degenerated or ruptured, no longer spacing the adjacent vertebrae on opposite sides of the intervertebral disk properly apart. When an intervertebral disk becomes degenerated or ruptured to the point where it no longer functions properly, a diskectomy, i.e. removal of the degenerated or ruptured disk from its location between adjacent vertebrae, is indicated, and this treatment has become the classic treatment for the dysfunctional disk.
Following the diskectomy, the two adjacent vertebrae on opposite sides of the removed disk are typically fused together in a process which has as its objective surgically reconstructing the space intermediate the two vertebrae. Two different techniques may be utilized to perform this surgical reconstruction of the intervertebral space. These first of these two techniques is the placement of an autograft, i.e. a bone graft, intermediate the two vertebrae, and the second technique is the installation of an intervertebral prosthesis intermediate the two vertebrae.
The use of autografts has been well established, and the procedure places the autograft between the superior endplate of one vertebra and the inferior endplate of the second vertebra. The autograft bears weight between the two vertebrae, and ultimately fusion occurs between the two vertebrae and the autograft. The material for the autograft may be either material excised from the patient's own fibula or pelvis, and shaped by the surgeon to fit in the intervertebral space. Alternately, an allograft, which is bone which typically has been harvested from a deceased donor, may be specially prepared and sterilized, and then shaped by the surgeon to fit properly.
The alternative to the use of autografts is the use of prosthetic intervertebral implants, which are typically made of titanium and, in some cases, graphite. A wide variety of intervertebral implants have been proposed, most of which require complex installation procedures. These prosthetic devices include wedges, solid cylinders, hollow cylinders, and complex multi-component devices having a number of specially machined parts. Many of these prosthetic devices require special preparation of the two vertebrae between which the intervertebral disk was removed, with such preparation including precision drilling or shaving of the vertebrae to create various apertures, grooves, sockets, etc.
Placement of the prosthetic devices into the intervertebral area may also be a difficult and time consuming process, particularly if the surgery is performed from the posterior side of the spine. This is due to the simple fact that the endplates of the vertebrae are located on the anterior-facing side of the spine, with the spinal cord located between the back (from which the surgical approach is typically made) and the endplates of the vertebrae.
Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that if the intervertebral prosthesis is to be inserted from the posterior, it may be difficult to maneuver the prosthesis into place. While the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine may be reached from an anterior position, the thoracic region of the spine is almost always accessed from the posterior position. Thus, many of the intervertebral prostheses previously known are simply less than ideal since they are quite difficult to properly place.
In addition, many of the intervertebral prostheses known in the art also require a great deal of vertebrae preparation. Some of these prostheses require that the facing endplates of the vertebrae be drilled and/or milled to precise shapes, while others require angles of approach which are quite difficult to attain, even when the surgeon is highly skilled in the procedure. Many of these intervertebral prostheses are far from ideal in construction and reliability, and a number of them simply fail over time since they do not adequately facilitate bone ingrowth.
It is accordingly the primary objective of the present invention that it provide an improved intervertebral disk prosthesis which may be used to replace an excised intervertebral disk and restore proper spacing between adjacent vertebrae which have had the intervertebral disk removed. It is an objective of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention that be of a design and physical configuration which may be easily installed in place intermediate the endplates of two adjacent vertebrae via a posterior surgical approach. It is a related objective of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention that it not require extensive drilling or other precision shaping of the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae prior to installation. It is also an objective of the intervertebral disk of the present invention that the implant procedure not require the use of complex tools to install and position the intervertebral disk prosthesis intermediate the two vertebrae.
It is an further objective of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention that it be implantable in a surgical procedure reducing both the trauma to the patient and the time for the surgeon to implant the device. It is also an objective of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention that it be highly resistive to dislodgement once it is initially installed intermediate two vertebrae. It is yet another objective of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention that it promote prompt and permanent ingrowth of bone material intermediate the two adjacent vertebrae to facilitate permanent fusion of the aforesaid vertebrae. Still further objectives of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention are that it be made of biocompatible material compatible with long term implant in the human body, and that it be available in different sizes and configurations to fit a wide variety of patients and different disk locations in the spine.
The intervertebral disk of the present invention must be of a construction which is both durable and long lasting, and it must require no maintenance once it is implanted. In order to enhance the market appeal of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention, it should also be of a simple mechanical design and relatively inexpensive construction to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, it is also an objective that all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives of the intervertebral disk prosthesis of the present invention be achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.

Intervertebral disk prosthesis and method of making the same


Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a stick-type tea bag, which includes (a) forming a part of a board to form a pair of holes symmetrically based on a virtual center line formed at the board, (b) disposing a jig, which has grooves at locations respectively corresponding to the pair of holes, below the board, (c) disposing a mesh member on the pair of holes to respectively cover the pair of holes, (d) attaching an edge of the mesh member to a part of the board adjacent to the holes by pushing an upper portion of the mesh member with a push rod, in a state in which the push rod is inserted into the groove, and (e) adhering inner sides of the board in a state in which the board is folded based on the center line with tea being interposed therein so that the tea is confined in a storage bag.

A general tea bag includes a filter paper in which tea is packed, a thread connected to one side of the filter paper, and a handle attached to an end of the thread. In this case, the filter paper is put into a cup containing hot water, and then, if the tea is brewed, a user takes the filter paper out of the cup by using the thread and drinks the tea. In other case, a handle unit made of paper or plastic is connected to a part of the top of the filter paper.
In case of the general tea bag, it is impossible to stir tea to brew the tea. For this reason, a user should place the filter paper in a cup and wait until tea is brewed in hot water.
In addition, in case of the general tea bag, if the filter paper is dipped in water, since the filter paper is heavy in comparison to the handle unit, the thread of the handle unit may be separated from the filter paper when the user shakes the filter paper or takes the filter paper out of water by using the handle unit.

Method for manufacturing stick-type tea bag


In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided systems, methods, and apparatuses for integrating a body joint rehabilitation regimen with a wearable movement capture device operable in conjunction with a cloud based computing environment. For instance, a wearable apparatus for monitoring activity of a body joint such as knee or elbow for monitoring rehabilitation and recovery after surgical procedures and after injury to the joint is disclosed. Such a wearable apparatus includes a wearable harness in which a first portion of the wearable harness includes an proximal strap to be positioned proximal to the body joint and in which a second portion of the wearable harness includes a distal strap to be positioned distal to the body joint, in which the wearable harness is positionable upon a patient's body at the body joint without occluding a surgical site of the patient. Such a wearable harness further includes a connecting section having a first end connected with the proximal strap and a second end connected with the distal strap and a first buckle housing (smart buckle) secured to the proximal strap of the wearable harness and a second buckle housing secured to the distal strap of the wearable harness, in which the proximal and distal straps maintain the first and the second buckles in a consistent position relative to the axis of an underlying bone such as a thigh bone, calf bone, femur, or tibia of a patient. The wearable harness further includes integrated circuitry including at least a magnetometer and accelerometer within the first buckle and an accelerometer within the second buckle. A microprocessor of the smart buckle periodically reads a switch position on the buckles, reads the magnetometer and accelerometer data and processes the data to determine (i) an angle for the sample period, and periodically classify an activity (e.g., as walking, standing, sitting, elevating, and icing, etc.). Such data is relayed to a cloud computing environment for further analysis and for access by clinicians and patients. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

The subject matter discussed in the background section is not to be assumed as prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section is not assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to claimed embodiments.
It is well known that human bodies are susceptible to injury and wear over time, especially within their body joints, such as the knees, shoulders, elbows, and hips. Rehabilitation needs may relate to increased aging, obesity, and sports-related injuries, for example. When such individuals encounter joint pain, they may seek out the assistance of medical doctors, surgeons, physical therapists, in an effort to alleviate pain and improve use of their body joints.
Medical treatment of such joints may include directed exercise, motion, or usage, which may in some instances be undertaken alone and in other instances, may include surgical or other medical treatment at or in the vicinity of the joint. For example, surgical procedures for treatment of body joints may include replacement or reconstruction of a joint or proximal or associated tissue to the joint.
Regardless of the treatment, successful joint rehabilitation has been demonstrably correlated to patient cooperation and compliance with prescribed rehabilitation exercises, treatments, and so forth. For instance, subsequent to surgical replacement or reconstruction of a body joint, the patient may be prescribed with a body joint rehabilitation regimen which includes medically prescribed movements, medically prescribed durations of rest or exercise, medically prescribed intervals of icing, and so forth.
Improved patient compliance with such prescribed body joint rehabilitation regimens will aid the patients with improved recovery times, possibly facilitate greater recovery of use of the treated body joint, and may additionally alleviate medical expense pressures for the patient and medical insurance industry owing to decreased hospital length-of-stay and/or reduced physical therapy encounters.
Unfortunately, patient compliance with a prescribed rehabilitation regimen often falls directly on a patient who must self-report compliance or a lack of compliance, as well as self-report efficacy of the treatment, post-operative pain levels, degrees of movement attained over time subsequent to treatment, and so forth. Such dependence upon the patient is simply not effective. Consequently, there is a need for more efficient, more effective, and less costly monitoring of patients undergoing body joint rehabilitation.
The present state of the art may therefore benefit from the systems, methods, and apparatuses for integrating a body joint rehabilitation regimen with a wearable movement capture device operable in conjunction with a cloud based computing environment as is described herein.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for integrating a body joint rehabilitation regimen with a wearable movement capture device operable in conjunction with a cloud based computing environment


According to various embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises: an audio module including a speaker and a receiver; a codec circuit for transmitting and receiving an audio signal; a magnetic secure transmission (MST) circuit; a switch unit; a memory; and a processor electrically connected with the audio module, the codec circuit, the MST circuit, the switch unit, and the memory, wherein, if a function for requesting a payment is executed when the codec circuit and the audio module are connected with each other, the processor can be configured to: control the switch unit so as to connect the MST circuit with the speaker and/or the receiver, which are included in the audio module; and transmit the MST signal for the payment by using the speaker and/or the receiver, which are connected with the MST circuit. In addition to various embodiments disclosed in the present invention, other various embodiments are possible.

Widespread use of various electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, laptop PCs (personal computers), and wearable devices has been followed by an increasing interest in technologies for making simple payments by using various electronic devices. Various kinds of simple payment technologies have been developed as a result of an increasing interest in simple payments.
Among various simple payment technologies, a magnetic secure transmission (MST) payment scheme refers to a technology for transmitting information regarding a card to be used for a payment by bringing an electronic device including a flexible PCB (FPCB) (for example, coil) and a loop antenna implemented as a magnetic sheet having a permeability close to a payment terminal (for example, points of sales (POS)). For example, an electronic device may deliver card information to a payment terminal by using a loop antenna to produce the same magnetic field as that produced when a payment card (for example, credit card, debit card, or check card), which is a conventional payment means, is swiped through the payment terminal. The payment terminal may recognize the magnetic field that has been output, thereby making a simple payment. The magnetic sheet may play the role of increasing the card information transmission efficiency by improving the antenna characteristics (for example, magnetic field beam forming).

Electronic device and method for making payment by using audio module


A screening system for screening passengers is disclosed. The system includes a floor grating having underlying rotating brushes that are installed in access ways at public venues (e.g., doors, turnstiles, escalators, etc.). As each passenger steps on the grating, the rotating brushes remove traces of material from the soles of that passenger's shoes and the material is analyzed for the presence of CBRNE agents via appropriate local detectors.

Terrorism is on the rise. A favorite target of terrorists is the public transportation systems: air, rail, bus, etc. For example, in a recent incident abroad, terrorists carried explosives onto buses and subways and detonated or attempted to detonate them. Many people were killed or wounded.
The most intense screening of passengers presently occurs at airports. Passengers are screened for the presence of metals and luggage is examined by x-ray analysis. In some installations, passengers are screened for the presence of explosives by passing air over their clothing in an attempt to extract traces of chemicals that are indicative of explosives. The air is then analyzed by a local detector. This requires the isolation and screening of individual passengers, which results in high unit screening cost and passenger traffic delays. Additionally, explosives can (and have been) hidden in shoes, which are usually independently screened by airport screeners.
The challenge is: how to prevent weapons-laden terrorists from accessing public transportation systems without substantially slowing the movement of individuals into these systems? And how to do so in a cost-effective manner.


A system and method are disclosed for displaying virtual objects in a mixed reality environment in a way that is optimal and most comfortable for a user to interact with the virtual objects. When a user is moving through the mixed reality environment, the virtual objects may remain world-locked, so that the user can move around and explore the virtual objects from different perspectives. When the user is motionless in the mixed reality environment, the virtual objects may rotate to face the user so that the user can easily view and interact with the virtual objects.

Mixed reality is a technology that allows virtual imagery to be mixed with a real world physical environment. A see-through, head mounted, mixed reality display device may be worn by a user to view the mixed imagery of real objects and virtual objects displayed in the user's field of view. A user may further interact with virtual objects, for example by performing hand, head or voice gestures to move the objects, alter their appearance or simply view them. As a user moves around within a physical environment, the user's position relative to the virtual objects changes. This provides a sense of perspective of the user relative to a virtual object, but it often makes it difficult to view or interact with virtual objects from off-angles.

Hologram anchoring and dynamic positioning


An indium oxide-tin oxide (ITO) sintered body is prepared by mixing a tin oxide powder with an indium oxide powder, molding the resulting mixed powder to obtain a green body, and sintering the resulting green body. At least the tin oxide powder has beforehand been pulverized by colliding tin oxide particles with each other or against a collision substance in gas streams. At least 90 wt % of the pulverized tin oxide powder is preferably particles having a particle size of 0.2-10 .mu.m. A jet mill can be used for the pulverization. The ITO sintered body has a density as high as 7.08 g/cm.sup.3 or more and, during sputtering, is free from nodule formation and is inhibited from generating particles.

ITO (indium-tin oxide) thin films are characterized by high electrical conductivity and high visible-light transmission, and have an advantage that fine processing by lithography is easy. ITO thin films are hence used in a wide range of fields, e.g., display electrodes for flat panel displays, solar cell windows, and antistatic conductive films. In particular, with the recent progress in size increase and finer quality in flat panel displays including liquid crystal displays, there is an increasingly growing demand for ITO thin films for use as display electrodes therein.
The processes for producing ITO thin films are classified into chemical film deposition techniques, e.g., spray pyrolysis process and CVD process, and physical film deposition techniques, e.g., electron beam evaporation process and sputtering process. Among these, sputtering process is used in various fields because high performance films having large areas can be easily obtained by this film deposition technique.
In producing an ITO thin film by sputtering, the target used is either an alloy target comprising indium metal and tin metal (hereinafter abbreviated as "IT target") or a composite oxide target comprising indium oxide and tin oxide (hereinafter abbreviated as "ITO target"). Compared to the sputtering process using an IT target, the process using an ITO target yields films which change less in resistance and transmission with the lapse of time and the control of conditions for film formation can be easier. Because of these advantages, the process using an ITO target has become the mainstream in processes for producing ITO thin films.
Where an ITO target is continuously sputtered in an atmosphere of argon-oxygen gas mixture, a black matter called nodule accumulates on the target surface as the integrated sputtering time increases. This black matter, which is thought to be a suboxide of indium, tends to cause arcing during sputtering because it appears on the periphery of the erosion race track of the target. It is also known that the black matter itself can be a source of particles.
As a result of the continuous sputtering, the thin films formed have defects therein. These defects have been a cause of a reduced yield in the production of flat panel displays, e.g., liquid crystal displays. In particular, in the field of flat panel displays, where there is the progress toward finer quality, the elimination of such defects in the thin films has been a serious problem which should be especially overcome because these defects cause failure of elements.
In prior art processes for producing ITO thin films, a measure to prevent the generation of such defects in thin films has been taken which comprises periodically removing the nodules on the target surface. However, this target cleaning operation has resulted in a considerable decrease in productivity.
It is known that the formation of nodules on ITO targets becomes less with increasing a density of ITO sintered body. However, a sufficiently high sintering density has not been obtained so far, and there has been a strong desire for the development of an ITO target less liable to cause the nodule formation.


A vehicle power system includes a coil that, in a first operational mode, receives power wirelessly from an external source, a first battery connected to the coil to receive power transferred from the coil while the coil is in the first operational mode, a second battery that receives power from the first battery, and a switch that switches the coil between the first operational mode and a second operational mode in which the coil receives power from the second battery and wirelessly transfers power from the second battery to an electrical load in the vehicle.

As autonomous vehicles (AVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) become more prevalent, their use cases and capabilities continue to expand. Many newer features that AVs and EVs offer require an increasingly wider range of electronic auxiliary components, including various types of sensors, such as global positioning system (GPS), light detection and ranging (LiDAR), radio detection and ranging (RADAR), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), inertial measurement unit (IMU), cameras, computer processors, and the like. Such added electrical components increase energy consumption required to control the vehicle and also expand the auxiliary load profile of the vehicle. In conventional vehicle power systems that include auxiliary components, more auxiliary power and transmission wires are required to supply energy. Accordingly, the placement and distribution of these additional devices using conventional vehicle power systems is becoming increasingly complex, expensive and sophisticated.

Systems and methods with dual function coil providing in-vehicle wireless power

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

The Regents of the University of Michigan


The present invention is a portable work station which is designed to be used in motor vehicles. The work station is a cabinet which is capable of being secured to a passenger seat of the motor vehicle, preferably by an attached securing means. There is provided a computer tray which is adapted to be releasable attachable to the work surface of the work station and capable of being received within the interior of the work station. An alternate embodiment of the present invention provides a computer tray which is attached to an articulated cantilever system which, when the lid to the main compartment is opened, projects and presents the computer tray and any computer which is secured thereon.

A large segment of the commercial workforce, especially individuals working in sales and product delivery, use their motor vehicle as a mobile office. During the course of the business day, these individuals must access files, write memoranda, print invoices or the like. When conducted within the confines of a motor vehicle, such business activities are awkward, inconvenient and vexatious.
Conventional clipboards or the like are difficult to use in a motor vehicle since they are unsupported and frequently require one hand to support the clipboard while writing. Moreover, client files and other information, which need to be readily available, are kept in a brief case or transportable file box. Unless these storage devices are immediately adjacent the drivers compartment, they are extremely difficult to access. Furthermore, these storage devices are difficult and inconvenient to transport due to their size and weight.
The recent advent of lightweight portable computers, e.g., laptop and notebook computers has alleviated many of these problems. While currently available portable computers provide the functional capabilities needed for writing and file information access, they are difficult to use in a motor vehicle. An individual using a portable computer in a motor vehicle must balance the computer on their laps or on an adjacent seat. This is awkward and becomes increasingly so if the computer is attached to additional peripheral equipment, such as a printer, a cellular modem, a 12 volt DC power converter or the like.
It is evident that there is a need for an apparatus which decreases the difficulty surrounding the use of portable computers within a motor vehicle. Furthermore, there is a need for an apparatus which provides a desk-like working surface which is adapted to hold a portable computer.
Study of the prior art reveals that there are a variety of devices which attempt to address this and other problems. These devices appear to fall within two major categories. First, devices which affix the portable computer to the motor vehicle, and second, devices which may be strapped onto an adjacent seat and which hold the portable computer.
Example devices found in the first category are U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,538 to Von Schalscha which discloses an computer mounting device for a motor vehicle. The Von Schalscha device has a vehicle mounted base which supports a series of articulated arm members ultimately terminating in a pivotally mounted tray which is capable of holding a portable computer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,668 to Crowe discloses a computer mounting device which is similar to the Schalscha device. The Crowe device has a vehicle mounting base with pivotally mounted support arm that ultimately terminates in a pivotally mounted tray capable of holding a portable computer. A final example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,491 to Tao which discloses a docking station for a laptop computer which mounts on either a vehicle console or an adjustable pedestal structure with ball and socket joints.
While the above devices suitably hold portable computers in a motor vehicle, they are designed solely for the purpose of holding an appliance such as a portable computer. The above devices have no provisions to hold other frequently used objects, nor do they have the ability to store hard copy files. Moreover, the computer trays of the above devices are not adapted for other uses, such as to provide a firm stable working surface.
The following are example devices found in the second category. U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,665 to Frank et al. discloses an interesting computer support device for use in a motor vehicle. The Frank device has an upper lid which is pivotally attached to a lower support to form an L-shape in the open position. The lower support holds the portable computer while the upper lid releasably mounts the portable computer onto the motor vehicle steering wheel. The Frank device, while suitable for mounting a personal computer to a motor vehicle steering wheel, must be removed during operating the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,120 to Hatcher discloses a support for a portable computer which is secured onto a motor vehicle passenger seat. The support has a lower unit with adjustable legs and an upper unit which is pivotally mounted to the lower unit. A Nylon strap is provided in the lower unit to secure the entire device to a car seat and a second Nylon strap is provided for securing the computer to the upper unit. The computer tray of the Hatcher device is specifically designed to surround and hold a portable computer, and, due to provided upwardly extending legs, does not provide a convenient working surface with the computer removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,507 to Szablak et al. discloses a modular workstation which is capably of being secured to a motor vehicle passenger seat. The Szablak device is a modular unit which serves as both a writing surface which has an integrally attached secondary storage unit. Szablak further provides for an additional, detachable storage unit. For a work surface, the Szablak device provides a clipboard assembly which is pivotally mounted onto the work surface to secure loose papers and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,616 to Stitt et al. discloses a general purpose organizing container (including laptop computers, cellular phones, food, etc.) that secures to a motor vehicle passenger seat by either a strap which doubles as a transport means for the container or the motor vehicle seat belt. The Stitt device provides a recessed upper work surface which is capable of holding a portable computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,676 to Griffith et al. discloses a passenger seat mounted vehicle desk. The Griffith desk is secured to the passenger seat by the seat belt and has a flat sliding work surface that is capable of supporting a portable computer. Furthermore, the Griffith device has variety of accessory receptacles and the like.
Thus, it is evident that there is a continuing need for improvements in the field. More specifically, there is a continuing need for a motor vehicle work station that is capable of holding and storing business paraphernalia and is further capable of holding a portable computer. There is also a further need for a device in which a portable computer may be freely repositioned on the work surface to provide maximum comfort and ease of use.