A SiC semiconductor element includes: a SiC substrate which has a principal surface tilted with respect to a (0001) Si plane; a SiC layer arranged on the principal surface of the substrate; a trench arranged in the SiC layer and having a bottom, a sidewall, and an upper corner region located between the sidewall and the upper surface of the SiC layer; a gate insulating film arranged on at least a part of the sidewall and on at least a part of the upper corner region of the trench and on at least a part of the upper surface of the SiC layer; and a gate electrode arranged on the gate insulating film. The upper corner region has a different surface from the upper surface of the SiC layer and from a surface that defines the sidewall. The gate electrode contacts with both of a first portion of the gate insulating film located on the upper corner region and a second portion of the gate insulating film located on the sidewall. The first portion of the gate insulating film is thicker than a third portion of the gate insulating film located on the upper surface of the SiC layer. And an end portion of the gate electrode is located on the upper corner region.

Silicon carbide (SiC) has a broader band gap and a higher dielectric breakdown voltage than silicon (Si), and therefore, is expected to be the best semiconductor material to make a next-generation low-loss power device. SiC has a lot of poly-types including cubic ones such as 3C—SiC and hexagonal ones such as 6H—SiC and 4H—SiC. Among these various poly-types, the one that is used generally to make a practical silicon carbide semiconductor element is 4H—SiC.
Among various power devices that use SiC, field effect transistors such as a metal-insulator-semiconductor field effect transistor (which will be referred to herein as a "MISFET") and a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor (which will be referred to herein as a "MESFET") are known as typical switching elements. Such a switching element can switch between ON state in which drain current of several amperes (A) or more flows and OFF state in which the drain current becomes zero by changing the voltage applied to between its gate and source electrode. Also, in the OFF state, such a switching element will achieve as high a breakdown voltage as several hundred volts or more. As for rectifiers, a Schottky diode, a pn diode and other SiC rectifiers have already been reported and are all expected to be rectifiers that can operate with a huge amount of current and with a high breakdown voltage.
SiC has a higher dielectric breakdown voltage and a higher thermal conductivity than Si. That is why a power device that uses SiC (which will be referred to herein as a "SiC power device") can have a higher dielectric strength and will cause smaller loss than a Si power device. That is why if a SiC power device can have as high performance as a Si power device, the SiC power device can have much smaller area and thickness than the Si power device.
To make an even larger amount of current flow through a power device such as a MISFET, it is effective to increase the channel density. For that reason, a vertical power MISFET with a trench gate structure has been proposed as a replacement for a traditional planar gate structure. In the planar gate structure, a channel region is defined on the surface of a semiconductor layer. In the trench gate structure, on the other hand, a channel region is defined on the side surface of a trench that has been formed in a semiconductor layer.
Hereinafter, a cross-sectional structure of a vertical MISFET with the trench gate structure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The vertical MISFET ordinarily has a plurality of unit cells that are arranged two-dimensionally. Each of those unit cells has a trench gate.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one cell pitch (i.e., a single unit cell) of a traditional vertical MISFET 1000 with the trench gate structure. In the example illustrated in FIG. 10, each unit cell has a trench gate, of which a side surface is substantially perpendicular to the principal surface of the substrate.
The vertical MISFET 1000 includes a substrate 1 of silicon carbide and a silicon carbide layer 2 that has been formed on the principal surface of the silicon carbide substrate 1. The silicon carbide layer 2 includes an n-type drift region 2d that has been defined on the principal surface of the silicon carbide substrate 1 and a p-type body region 3 that has been defined on the drift region 2d. An n-type source region 4 forms part of the surface region of the body region 3. A trench 5 has been formed in the silicon carbide layer 2 so as to run through the body region 3 and reach the drift region 2d. In this example, the trench 5 has a side surface that is perpendicular to the principal surface of the substrate 1. Inside of the trench 5, arranged are a gate electrode 7 and a gate insulating film 6 that insulates the gate electrode 7 from the silicon carbide layer 2. Further arranged on the silicon carbide layer 2 is a source electrode 10 that contacts with the source region 4 and a body region 3. And a drain electrode 9 is arranged on the back surface of the silicon carbide substrate 1.
A vertical MISFET like this may be fabricated in the following manner.
First of all, on the principal surface of an n-type silicon carbide substrate 1 with low resistivity, formed is a silicon carbide layer 2 having the same crystal structure as the silicon carbide substrate 1. For example, an n-type drift region 2d and a p-type body region 3 are defined in this order by epitaxial growth process on the principal surface of the silicon carbide substrate 1, thereby obtaining a silicon carbide layer 2. After that, a mask layer (not shown) of silicon dioxide is put on a predetermined area of the silicon carbide layer 2 and used as a mask through which n-type dopant ions (such as N (nitrogen) ions) are implanted into the body region 3, thereby defining a source region 4 in the body region 3.
After the mask has been removed, an Al film (not shown) is deposited on a part of the source region 4 with an oxide film interposed between them, and used as a mask, through which a trench 5 is cut to reach the drift region 2d.
Next, a gate insulating film 6 and a gate electrode 7 are formed in this order inside of the trench 5. The gate insulating film 6 may be an oxide film, which is obtained by thermally oxidizing the silicon carbide layer 2.
The gate electrode 7 may be formed 6 by depositing polysilicon on the gate insulating film 6 by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LP-CVD) process and then patterning it, for example. Meanwhile, a source electrode 10 is formed on the silicon carbide layer 2 to cover both the body region 3 and the source region 4, while a drain electrode 9 is formed on the back surface of the silicon carbide substrate 1. In this manner, a vertical MISFET with a trench gate structure is completed.
In a MISFET with such a trench gate structure, when the source electrode 10 and the gate electrode 7 are both grounded or when a negative bias voltage is applied to the gate electrode 7, holes are induced and stored in the vicinity of the interface between the body region 3 and the gate insulating film 6 in the region between the source region 4 and the drift region 2d, and the path of electrons which are conduction carriers is cut off. As a result, no current flows (i.e., the MISFET turns OFF). In this case, if a high voltage is applied to between the drain electrode 9 and the source electrode 10 so that the drain electrode 9 has positive potential, then the PN junction between the body region 3 and the drift region 2d becomes reverse biased. As a result, a depletion layer expands in the body region 3 and in the drift region 2d and a high voltage can be maintained.
On the other hand, if a positive bias voltage that is equal to or higher than a threshold voltage is applied to the gate electrode 7, electrons are induced and inverted in the vicinity of the interface between the body region 3 and the gate insulating film 6 in the region between the source region 4 and the drift region 2d, and an inversion layer is formed there. As a result, carriers flow from the source electrode 10 toward the drain electrode 9 by way of the source region 4, the inversion layer (not shown) that that has been formed in the body region 3 and that contacts with the gate insulating film 6, the drift region 2d and the silicon carbide substrate 1. That is to say, the MISFET turns ON.
In a vertical MISFET with the planar structure, a junction field effect transistor (which will be abbreviated herein as "JFET") is formed as a parasitic transistor between adjacent unit cells and produces a resistive component (JFET resistance). This JFET resistance is produced when current flows through the drift region that is interposed between adjacent body regions. The narrower the interval between those unit cells (i.e., the narrower the gap between the adjacent body regions), the greater the JFET resistance. That is why if the cell pitch is reduced to cut down the size, the ON-state resistance increases as the JFET resistance rises.
On the other hand, since the MISFET 1000 with the trench gate structure has no JFET resistance, the ON-state resistance decreases monotonically as the cell pitch is reduced, which is beneficial. For that reason, to cut down the size of a unit cell, it is more advantageous to adopt a MISFET with the trench gate structure.
However, in a MISFET 1000 with such a trench gate structure, the gate insulating film 6 on the inner wall of the trench 5 may have its reliability decreased due to some damage or contamination inside the trench 5, which is a problem. In addition, since the electric field intensity easily becomes excessively high at a corner portion 5A at the rim of the trench 5 and at a corner portion 5B at the bottom of the trench 5, a decrease in the breakdown voltage of the device could be caused.
To overcome such a problem, people proposed a method for smoothing and rounding such corner portions of the trench 5 by cutting the trench through a silicon carbide layer by dry etching and then conducting a heat treatment process (see Patent Document No. 1, for example). In this description, "to round" means turning a corner portion (such as a corner or an edge) into a rounder shape. Furthermore, other people proposed embedding an SiO2 film on the bottom of a trench in order to secure an even higher breakdown voltage at the bottom of the trench (see Patent Document No. 2, for example).

Silicon carbide semiconductor element and method for fabricating the same

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


N-phenethylacetamide compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X.sub.1 represents a lower alkoxy group, X.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkoxy group and R represents a phenyl group, a pyridyl group, a pyrimidinyl group or a benzoyl group, each of which may have one or more substituents selected from a halogen atom, a carbamoyl group, a lower alkoxy group, a sulfamoyl group, an amino group, a lower alkylamino group, a lower alkylthio group, a hydroxy group and a lower alkoxycarbonyl group; the parmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts and hydrates thereof; as well as the process for preparing such compounds and salts and hydrates thereof; the compounds, their salts and their hydrates having a distinct anti-peptic ulcer activity in human and animals.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to N-phenethylacetamide compounds and to processes for preparing the same. More particularly, this invention relates to novel N-phenethylacetamide compounds represented by the formula (I): ##STR2## wherein X.sub.1 represents a lower alkoxy group, X.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkoxy group and R represents a phenyl group, a pyridyl group, a pyrimidinyl group or a benzoyl group, each of which may have one or more substituents selected from a halogen atom, a carbamoyl group, a lower alkoxy group, a sulfamoyl group, an amino group, a lower alkylamino group, a lower alkylthio group, a hydroxy group and a lower alkoxycarbonyl group.
The invention also relates to hydrates (hydrated crystals containing three molecules of crystallized water) or salts of the compounds of the formula (I) and to the process for preparing such compounds, their salts and their hydrates.
The compounds having the formula (I) above as well as the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and hydrates thereof have distinctive and unique anti-peptic ulcer activity in human and animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Up to now, a compound somewhat structurally similar to those of this invention, 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine (abbreviated as Dopamine) is known and is described by L. S. Goodman and A. Gilman, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, (Fourth Edition), p. 234, 1970.
The compound, however, has not proved satisfactory for clinical use because of its undesirable side effects or insufficient activities as shown hereinafter.

N-Phenethylacetamide compounds and process for preparation thereof


A velocity vector calculating unit 40 obtains velocity vectors at various coordinates in a blood flow, on the basis of signals obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, thereby generating a plurality of vector frames, each formed from velocity vectors at a plurality of coordinates. An interpolation processing unit 50 generates interpolated frames by employing an interpolation process between two adjacent vector frames, and adds one or a plurality of such interpolated frames between said vector frames. The interpolation processing unit 50 generates each interpolated frame, formed from interpolated vectors at a plurality of coordinates, by means of an interpolation process based on velocity vectors between the two adjacent vector frames.

Techniques are known for obtaining movement information (motion information) of a bloodstream from a reception signal obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound to and from a bloodstream. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which two-dimensional velocity vectors related to a fluid are obtained at a plurality of points in an observation plane based on a reception signal obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound to and from the fluid such as the bloodstream in a living body. It becomes possible to obtain diagnostic information such as a flow line showing a flow of the fluid based on a distribution of the two-dimensional velocity vectors at the plurality of points in the observation plane, and, for example, application to diagnosis of a heart or the like is expected.
Patent Document 2 discloses an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus in which there is formed an image which expresses the bloodstream in the living body as a motion of a plurality of display elements. As each display element, a virtual particle of the bloodstream is desirable, and a device described in Patent Document 2 determines a position (movement destination) of each particle at a next frame based on a velocity vector of the particle in a current frame, and displays, for example, a trajectory or the like of each particle obtained by tracking the movement destination of each particle over a plurality of frames. With such a configuration, for example, it becomes possible to visually and intuitively check a state in the bloodstream such as an eddy flow, a turbulent flow, a stationary state, or the like.


A system for low frequency sound production in vehicular passenger compartments, comprising an electrodynamic driver, having a first acoustic mass and a first acoustic compliance; and a Helmhotz resonator, affixed to one side of said electrodynamic driver means and having a second acoustic mass and a second acoustic compliance, the second acoustic mass being affixed to a baffle facing the passenger compartment. The first and second acoustic mass have substantially similar magnitudes, and the Helmholtz resonator and the electrodynamic driver being substantially tuned to the highest and lowest frequencies of a desired passband, respectively, so as to provide a substantially flat pressure vas. frequency characteristic when the passenger compartment has dimensions generally smaller than one eighth wavelength of the lowest frequency.

The present invention relates to an electroacoustic mechanism for the production of low frequency sound in the acoustic spaces typical of the passenger compartments of vehicles. Although the technique described herein is expected to be used principally for high-fidelity music reproduction, it also is particularly attractive for applications in active noise cancellation, and may allow significant weight savings over conventional sound deadening. An actual device constructed according to these teachings has been shown to exhibit in-vehicle pressure response flat to 11 Hz, with extremely high displacement power handling in the pass band with the enclosure volume being one-half cubic foot.
The production of low frequency sound in domestic room sized acoustic spaces presents physical problems that are well understood. The solution to these problems all ultimately involve moving large amounts of air, i.e. in acoustics referred to as volume velocities of air.
The particular acoustic characteristics of vehicular passenger spaces is less generally understood. Typical existing practice has largely been a simple transference of techniques and actual devices used in domestic, large room applications, with little, if any, regard for the unique conditions and requirements of vehicular passenger compartments. In the development of the present invention, the analysis, simulation, and actual measurement of these spaces has yielded a new and optimal solution for the production of sound in this specific environment.
In adapting home sound equipment for vehicle use, modifications have typically been limited to improvements in mounting, or the substitution of plastic cones for paper in order to improve moisture resistance. Enhancements for a desired frequency response have largely been in the form of electronic equalization prior to amplification. Although this technique affords great flexibility in "tuning" a given system, it necessarily limits the maximum power handling over the part of the spectrum which has been boosted. This can become a serious problem at low frequencies where large driver excursions may be required to achieve a desired response.
Acoustical considerations have largely been based on a system's free field behavior, where the transducer may be considered a point source. In such an environment, flat acoustic pressure response is achieved by driving the air load under a constant acceleration regime.
In automotive applications, the typical practice has been to operate the system below resonance, where the driver operates in a constant displacement regime. Such systems, at best, exhibit a rolloff asymptotically approaching 12 dB./octave under free field conditions, which roughly compliments the rising response typical of vehicular interiors, as described below. The chief limitation of these systems lies in the large excursions required to produce a given volume velocity. Additionally, the enclosures for these systems tend to be rather large; on the order of several cubic feet. It should be noted that the vented box systems, as well as higher order band pass designs, exhibit asymptotic free-field low frequency rolloffs greater than 12 dB./octave, which makes them undesirable for this application.
The techniques for low frequency point sources are well known conventional systems include infinite baffle/closed box enclosures, bass reflex/vented box enclosures, and a recent variant of the vented box, the so-called band pass enclosure. All the above enclosures are designed on the premise that the air load is essentially a mass, with a small additional resistive component which actually represents the audible component. Measurement of these systems' far field response has been greatly facilitated by two techniques which do not require the use of anechoic chambers. One technique, utilizes the nearfield pressure response as a predictor of farfield response. The other technique, uses the second derivative of the enclosure's internal pressure, which, as will be demonstrated, has particular significance in the development of the present invention.
The following describes the peculiar behavior of the small acoustic spaces typical of automotive interior listening environments. Acoustic spaces with physical dimensions less than one-eighth wavelength of sound in air can be characterized as a constant acoustic compliance (Cab) (or as the reciprocal property, stiffness): EQU Cab=Vb/ro*c 2 (EQ. 1)
wherein, Vb is the internal volume of air, ro is the density of air (1.18 kg/m 3), and c is the velocity of sound in air (345 m/s).
In order to produce a constant sound pressure (Pb) in an acoustic environment characterized by a constant acoustic compliance we need a sound source whose volume velocity varies inversely with frequency, as shown in the relationship: EQU Pb=Uo/f*2*pi*Cab (EQ. 2)
But the Uo volume velocity of the sound source energizing this constant compliance space is related to outside acoustic pressure P out by the following relationship: EQU Uo=Pout/2*pi*f (EQ. 3)
Combining equations (1) and (2) we see that the sound pressure inside a constant compliance acoustic space varies inversely with the square of frequency for outside sound pressure that crosses the boundary of the constant compliance acoustic space. EQU Pb=Pout/f2*Cab (EQ. 4)
In actual practice, the dimensions of typical passenger compartments approach the 1/8 wavelength requirement over the frequency range of 15 to 45 Hz.
Accordingly, it has been found, based on measurements of the acoustic transfer function (i.e.,sound pressure response/sound pressure driving source) of various vehicular acoustic spaces, that the relationship of driving source pressure to measured acoustic space pressure will vary between a first order, inverse with frequency, and a second order, inverse with squared frequency characteristic. These observations are consistent with conventional in-box acoustic pressure measurements, wherein the internal pressure of an enclosure of small dimensions varies as the partial second integral of the external farfield pressure. In the present invention, the interior of the vehicular cabin is analogous to the interior of the cited enclosure. The variations are due to behavior which is analogous to "compliance shift", which is due to the layer of air in the immediate proximity of the radiating element not exhibiting uniform compression with respect to the rest of the enclosure. This effect will be dependent upon the specific physical configuration of the acoustic space in various vehicles.

Low frequency sound generation system for use in vehicular passenger compartments


The invention discloses quaternary ante-iso acids useful as additives in personal care products. Various quaternary derivatives of ante-sio acids are described, and examples of their use in personal care composition are presented.

Human hair contains a thin protective fatty layer of an ante-iso fatty acid, 18-methyl eicosanoic acid (18-MEA), covalently bound to the cuticle. Chemical or mechanical damage to the hair removes portions of this fatty layer making the hair less manageable, less healthy looking and more susceptible to environmental stresses. In the treatment of hair, it is desirable to replenish these ante-iso fatty acids, particularly 18-MEA.
18-MEA is relatively rare in nature and is found in small amounts in materials such as lanolin. Lanolin contains a mixture of fatty acids, including amongst other things, ante-iso fatty acids, as well as hydroxy fatty acids, iso-hydroxy fatty acids, iso fatty acids and unsubstituted fatty acids. U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,347, issuing to McCarthy et al., discloses compositions of quat derivatives of fatty acids derived from lanolin. These lanolin-derived quats are described as being useful, when combined with specific branched-diols, in the preparation of clear cosmetic formulations. These include shampoos and clear hair rinse formulations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Disclosed is a process for producing sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) with reduced amounts of silicon and magnesium impurities from wet process phosphoric acid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for making sodium tripolyphosphate with reduced amounts of magnesium and silicon impurities from wet process phosphoric acid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sodium tripolyphosphate (sometimes referred to hereafter as STPP) is used today in many agricultural, industrial and food applications. Specifically, it has been utilized as a fertilizer component, as a builder in synthetic detergents and as an ingredient in many foodstuffs.
STPP has been normally made by a process that includes the steps of (a) reacting a sodium compound such as soda ash (Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3) or caustic (NaOH) with either wet process phosphoric acid or furnace process phosphoric acid to form a reaction mixture containing monosodium phosphate (NaH.sub.2 PO.sub.4) and disodium phosphate (Na.sub.4 HPO.sub.4); (b) precipitating and thereafter removing insoluble impurities from the reaction mixture; and (c) heating the reaction mixture at elevated temperatures for sufficient time to thermally decompose or calcinate the two above-named phosphate compounds into STPP (Na.sub.5 P.sub.3 O.sub.10) and to simultaneously remove water from the reaction mixture by volatilization. It should be noted that such processes removed impurities present in the STPP feedstock strictly by precipitation.
STPP made from wet process phosphoric acid is generally less costly than STPP made from furnace process phosphoric acid because the latter type requires large amounts of thermal energy in its production. But, STPP made from the wet process generally contains greater amounts of certain impurities, particularly silicon and magnesium, which may prevent this type of STPP from being employed in certain applications. Specifically, it has been found that the presence of silicon impurities, and to a lesser degree, magnesium impurities, often may cause turbidity or cloudiness in aqueous solutions containing STPP. Thus, industries, like the food industry, which prefer clear aqueous solutions of STPP may have to employ the more expensive STPP made from furnace process acid.
Accordingly, there is a need for a better process for making STPP from wet process acid which can reduce the amount of silicon and magnesium impurities in the product. As stated above, insoluble impurities in the STPP feedstock were removed solely by precipitation techniques. As an example, see Chemical Abstracts, Volume 80, page 17044s. However, it has been found that these strictly precipitation methods of purification are not efficient when the silicon and magnesium levels are each from below about 100 to about 800 parts per million (ppm) by weight of the feedstock. At such levels, their presence can still cause the undesirable turbidity, but their removal cannot be effected easily by precipitation without also losing valuable amounts of phosphate compounds. Thus, it is believed that an improved process for making STPP from wet process acid must remove silicon and magnesium impurities by some method other than strictly precipitation. The process of the present invention is directed towards such a method.

Process for making sodium tripolyphosphate from wet process phosphoric acid


A method and apparatus for minimizing the noise component of the output signal from a resonator oscillator. A single transistor or Darlington pair of transistors in the common base configuration is placed in series with the crystal resonator of the oscillator with a selected output load impedance connected between the base and collector of the transistors. By making use of this configuration, it is possible to use the crystal resonator as an initial filter to minimize the noise component of the output signal contributed by the oscillator loop as well as minimizing the inherent noise component from the output buffer amplifiers in the output signal. A common base configuration of both of these embodiments provides a low impedance load on the oscillator loop thus minimizing the effect on tuning or Q of the oscillator while making it possible to select an output impedance load that is of sufficient size to present an output signal having a sufficiently high signal to noise ratio to provide the minimization sought.

This invention is concerned generally with oscillators, and more particularly with resonator oscillators having means for extracting the signal developed by the oscillator with a low noise component.
Oscillators basically consist of an oscillating loop from which power is extracted through the use of amplifiers. In the prior art, the signal extraction techniques generally involved monitoring the voltage across one of the circuit elements within the oscillating loop and amplifying that voltage. For oscillators that utilize crystal resonators, this technique results in a rather high noise component in the output signal. This noise is contributed by basically two sources, the oscillation loop which includes an inverting amplifier and the buffer amplifiers that are used for extracting the signal from the oscillating loop. To minimize the noise contributed by the oscillator loop in the output signal, a voltage proportional to the current through the resonator can be used as the output signal. This reduces the noise component contributed by the oscillator loop since the cleanest signal in the oscillator is the current through the resonator wherein the resonator acts as a filter. This can be done by putting a small impedance element in series with the resonator and using the voltage developed across that element as the output signal.
To obtain a high signal to noise ratio that is minimally affected by the inherent noise in the output buffer amplifier, a high output signal voltage is desired. If the impedance of the circuit element across which the output signal is generated were increased substantially in either of the above-discussed techniques, the tuning or Q of the oscillator loop would be greatly disturbed.
A circuit that presents a low impedance to the oscillator loop and a high impedance to the output buffer amplifiers without disturbing the tuning or Q of the oscillator is highly desirable. A circuit with these characteristics would, therefore, minimize the noise effects from both the oscillator loop and the buffer amplifiers. The present invention presents such a circuit.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a resonator oscillator having a crystal resonator connected in series between the input and output terminals of an inverting amplifier. In addition, there is an active output means connected in series with the crystal resonator for presenting a low impedance to the oscillator loop and for generating a high signal to noise ratio output signal in response to the current flowing through the crystal resonator.
In both embodiments of the present invention the active output means includes transistor means and an output impedance means coupled to the transistor means for developing a high signal to noise ratio output signal thereacross. In the first embodiment the transistor means includes a single transistor connected serially with the crystal resonator in a common base configuration. This transistor is connected so that the base and emitter are connected serially with the crystal resonator between the input and output terminals of the inverting amplifier. The output impedance means is then connected between the collector and base of this transistor. This configuration makes use of the natural filtering of the crystal resonator and it is this filtering characteristic that minimizes the effect of the noise from the oscillator loop in the output signal. By placing the transistor in series with the resonator, the resonator current is detected by the transistor and a nearly equivalent current is supplied to the output impedance means. The common base configuration of the transistor means also provides a low impedance to the oscillator loop thus making it possible to increase the impedance of the output impedance element to produce an output signal with a selected signal to noise ratio.
The second embodiment of the present invention includes the resonator oscillator as described above with the single transistor replaced with a Darlington pair and having this Darlington pair connected in the common base configuration. Through the use of the Darlington pair configuration the output noise power is reduced by the product of the DC base to emitter current gain of each of the two transistors. In the first embodiment the noise power is reduced by the singular base to emitter current gain of the one transistor.

Crystal oscillator having low noise signal extraction circuit


An arrangement for cleaning the mirror element of an outside rear view mirror is disclosed. The arrangement includes a washing nozzle, which is disposed in the region of the outside rear view mirror on a motor vehicle and from which a jet of a cleaning liquid may be discharged. The position of the mirror element (1) relative to the body of the motor vehicle is variable, whereas the washing nozzle (9) is connected in a fixed manner to the body. To improve the cleaning action of the washing to nozzle (9), the mirror element (2) may be adjusted between a normal position, in which the driver may observe the traffic behind him in the mirror element (2), and a cleaning position, in which an advantageous angle for cleaning, in particular a steep angle arises between the mirror plane of the mirror element (2) and the jet of cleaning liquid.

The invention relates to an arrangement for cleaning the mirror element of an outside rear view mirror with a washing nozzle, the position of the mirror element being variable relative to the body of the motor vehicle, which is disposed in the region of the outside rear view mirror on a motor vehicle and from which a jet of a cleaning liquid may be discharged.
Because of the arrangement of the outside rear view mirrors in the side region of a motor vehicle, the mirror elements become dirty relatively quickly, particularly under adverse weather conditions such as rain or when the roads have been salted. Dirt on the mirror element impairs the driver""s view of the traffic behind and therefore reduces driving safety. When a specific amount of dirt is exceeded, the mirror elements have to be cleaned, which may be effected either by hand or when the car is washed in a car wash.
Since, because of the unfavorable geometry of outside rear view mirrors, the mirror elements are not properly cleaned in the car wash and cleaning by hand is an inconvenient, time-consuming and dirty process, automatic cleaning systems corresponding to the cleaning systems for cleaning front headlamps have been developed for cleaning outside rear view mirrors. For this purpose it is possible to use, for example, windshield (windscreen) wipers integrated in the outside rear view mirror or coatings which prevent dirt sticking to the glass surface. From prior art solutions are also known, in which washing nozzles are provided at various positions of the motor vehicle in order to apply a cleaning liquid for cleaning the mirror element.
A drawback of the known solutions for automatically cleaning the mirror element by means of washing nozzles is that in most types of motor vehicle the configuration of the body and of the rear view mirrors does not allow the washing nozzle to be disposed in such a way as to achieve an effective cleaning action by virtue of an advantageous jet angle and a relatively short distance from the mirror element. When the washing nozzle is disposed e.g. in the mirror ring or bezel area, the flat jet angle in relation to the mirror element produces only an inadequate cleaning to action. Solutions involving the use of windshield wipers have an adverse effect upon the visible surface, adjustment options and positioning accuracy. Coating of the surface of the mirror glass also occasionally produces only unsatisfactory results, especially when a mist of dirt settles on the glass and is additionally dried on by a mirror glass heating is system.
The object of the present invention is to propose an arrangement for cleaning the mirror element of an outside rear view mirror which enables an improved cleaning action.
According to the invention, the washing nozzle is connected in a fixed manner to the body of the vehicle and the mirror element is adjustable at least between a normal position and a cleaning position. This means that the washing nozzle is disposed at a point of the motor vehicle, the position of which is independent of the position of the mirror element. The normal position of the mirror element is the position, in which the driver may observe the traffic behind him in the mirror element. In said case it is self-evident that, depending on the needs of the respective driver, there are various normal positions within a specific range of adjustment. The cleaning position is notable for the fact that in the cleaning position an advantageous angle for cleaning the mirror element, in particular a steep angle arises between the mirror plane of the mirror element and the jet of cleaning liquid. In consequence, the arrangement according to the invention allows the mirror element to be moved out of a normal position into a cleaning position, in which it adopts a position relative to the washing nozzle which is advantageous for cleaning. Depending on the respective type of vehicle, for use of the arrangement according to the invention it is necessary to find first a place to put the washing nozzle and then an adjusting mechanism for moving the mirror element out of the normal position into a cleaning position which is advantageous for the specific arrangement of the washing nozzle. The manner, in which the mirror clement is adjusted between the two positions, is immaterial according to the invention. Thus, the mirror element may be adjusted individually or alternatively together with a surrounding mirror housing.
The washing nozzle may in principle be disposed at any desired point of the motor vehicle. It is conceivable to fasten the washing nozzle in the door panel or a rubber profile. Particularly inexpensive assembly is enabled when the washing nozzle is disposed on a mirror base (or mirror foot) and/or mirror base cover. Thus, the washing nozzle may be installed already during preassembly of the various components of an outside rear view mirror so that, when the outside rear view mirror is fitted on the motor vehicle, all that remains is to connect the washing nozzle to the cleaning liquid system of the vehicle. Such connection may be effected by means of conventional liquid-tight flexible tube connections or alternatively by means of coupling devices, which immediately upon fitting of the mirror through simple attachment establish a liquid-proof plug-in connection.
In most modern motor vehicles, the mirror base and/or mirror base cover whereby the exterior mirror assembly attaches to the vchicle forms the window triangle of one of the front side windows in the motor vehicle. Said window triangle need not necessarily have three proper points, rather the points of the window triangle may be flattened, rounded or cut off in accordance with the geometry of the vehicle and/or side window. What is meant by a window triangle in the context of the present invention is therefore the part of the vehicle, against which the front edge of the side window is guided and at which the window aperture terminates in the direction of the front of the vehicle. When the mirror base and/or mirror base cover forms such a window triangle, it is particularly advantageous when the washing nozzle is disposed in the region of the upwardly directed point of the window triangle. Here too, the upwardly directed point of the window triangle need not be a proper point but may alternatively have a rounded- or flattened-off shape. By virtue of disposing the washing nozzle in said region, it is possible in most cases to avoid having to increase the size of the window triangle in order to fasten the washing nozzle. Advantageous cleaning positions for the mirror element moreover arise as a result of the arrangement in said region.
In principle, it is immaterial whether the mirror element is adjusted between the normal position and the cleaning position by hand or with the aid of drive motors. For increased convenience when cleaning the mirror elements and in particular to rule out the risk of the driver getting dirty while effecting the adjustment between the two positions, the mirror element should be adjustable between the normal position and the cleaning position preferably by means of a remote-controllable drive unit.
As a result, it is therefore possible to effect cleaning of the mirror element without having to leave the vehicle.
In many types of vehicle, the outside rear view mirrors are provided with a fold-in mechanism such as a powerfold mechanism as known in the art, by means of which the housing of the outside rear view mirror may be swivelled into a folded-in position next to the vehicle body. The outside rear view mirror is therefore protected from damage caused e.g., by passing bikes or motor vehicles. As a movement of the mirror element relative to the body is also effected by the known fold-in mechanisms, it is particularly advantageous when such a fold-in mechanism is used also as a drive unit for effecting the adjustment according to the invention between cleaning position and normal position of the mirror element. It is therefore possible to dispense with a separate drive unit for said task.
When the fold-in mechanism, like the fold-in mechanisms known from prior art, comprises only one swivelling axis, the positioning options for the arrangement of the washing nozzle are extremely limited. When the outside rear view mirror during inward folding is for example, as is normally the case, merely swivelled about a vertical axis, the washing nozzle has to be disposed in a region of the vehicle door behind the mirror base. While an arrangement in said region is possible in principle, e.g., in the vehicle panel, it is disadvantageous on account of the fastening means needed for said purpose, e.g., punching a hole in the vehicle panel. This problem may be solved when the housing of the outside rear view mirror may be swivelled by the fold-in mechanism about at least two swivelling axes. This gives rise to a plurality of positioning options so that the washing nozzle may be positioned at an advantageous spot and, in dependence upon said position, an advantageous cleaning position of the mirror element is adjustable.
When the cleaning nozzle is disposed e.g., in the region of the upwardly directed point of a window triangle, an advantageous cleaning position of the mirror element may be adjusted in that the housing is first swivelled in a conventional manner about a vertical axis into a position next to the body and then swivelled about a horizontal axis. In consequence, the mirror plane in such cleaning position extends from below obliquely upwards and outwards, while the mirror surface is directed upwards. In such position the mirror element may be cleaned effectively by a water jet of the water nozzle disposed in the window triangle.
In an alternative refinement, only a single swivelling axis of a fold-in mechanism is provided, which extends in an inclined manner relative to the vertical axis. In this case, the angle of inclination of the swivelling axis is preferably between 30xc2x0 and 60xc2x0, in particular substantially around 45xc2x0. Thus, on the one hand the mirror may be folded in so as to be substantially next to the body and on the other hand this mirror position, which is simultaneously the cleaning position, enables an, in terms of assembly, advantageous arrangement of the washing nozzle in the region of the mirror base.
To boost the cleaning action, it is advantageous to use pulsating water nozzles because, with such water nozzles, substantially the entire area of a mirror glass may be covered and cleaned.
To prevent the cleaning liquid from freezing at temperatures below freezing point, the washing nozzle may be designed so as to be heatable.
The cleaning effect of the arrangement according to the invention may also be boosted by coating the mirror surface with a hydrophobic and/or dirt-repelling layer so that, in particular, the long-term effect of a cleaning operation is increased and the removal of dirt particles from the surface of the mirror glass is facilitated.
According to a further refinement of the invention, the washing nozzle and/or a pump supplying the washing nozzle with the cleaning liquid is coupled in such a way to a device, which determines the position of the side window in front of which the outside rear view mirror is disposed, that a discharge of cleaning liquid through the washing nozzle is effected only when the window is substantially closed. By such means, cleaning liquid is prevented from passing into the interior of the vehicle during cleaning of the rear view mirror. The device determining the position of the side window may be, for example, part of an electric window lifter.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

Arrangement for cleaning the mirror element of an outside rear view mirror


A system (10) for delivering a cold particulate material (14) has a closed storage hopper (12) for the material, the hopper having a bottom hopper outlet (16); a venturi feeder (22) having a material inlet (20) for feeding the material, a material conduit (26) to a remote nozzle (30), and a gas inlet (24); a hopper passage (18) connecting the hopper outlet to the feeder material inlet; a gas feed valve (33), the gas feed valve being openable in response to a feed signal (40) for activating the feeder and a blast conduit to the nozzle; a heater (50) in the blast conduit for limiting cooling of a workpiece without adversely heating the material; and a comminutor (52) in the material line proximate the nozzle for delivery of the material at reduced particle size to the nozzle for increased blasting effectiveness.

The present invention relates to systems for transporting and delivering ice particles at high velocity onto a workpiece for cleaning or other treatment of the workpiece.
It is commonly known to blast a workpiece with a particulate abrasive that either melts or sublimes at room temperature for cleanly dissipating the abrasive subsequent to its use, thereby avoiding contamination of the workpiece or its environment. The abrasive can be frozen water, typically called "ice", solid carbon dioxide, typically called "dry ice", or combinations comprising one or both of these materials. One well known process for forming the particulate as dry ice is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,820 to Fong et al, wherein liquid CO.sub.2 is dispensed and frozen in a snow chamber, the snow falling into a planetary extruder die mechanism where it is compacted into pellets by being forced through radial holes of a ring-shaped die, the length of the pellets being defined by structure that fractures the material by partially blocking the exit paths from the die. The pellets can be dispensed directly upon formation or they can be stored and/or transported for use upon demand in a hopper or the like. Among the problems in this art are the following:
1. The size of the particles greatly affects blasting quality and efficiency, large particles being desirable for breaking through crusty contamination of the workpiece, smaller particles being needed for reaching small features of the workpiece, and different mixes of sizes are needed for many jobs;
2. It is more difficult to make small pellets than big ones;
3. It is difficult and expensive to adjust the particle size by changing the diameter of the pellets, in that the die is difficult to replace and the multiplicity of radial holes are expensive to produce;
4. Although some adjustment in particle size is possible by changing the length between fractures of the emerging material, the length must be maintained at near twice the diameter for uniform particle size-shortening the distance between the fractures produces greater relative variation in the length of the pellets, and attempts to make the length very short seriously degrades the integrity of the particles while subjecting the die to clogging;
5. The particles are subject to degradation by subliming, by melting, and by abrasion or pulverization during transport to the workpiece, these mechanisms having increasingly adverse effects as the particle size is reduced; and
6. The delivery of particles at very low temperatures rapidly cools the workpiece, often with undesirable effects. For example, when the workpiece is cooled below the dew-point, moisture collects thereon subsequent to the treatment, the moisture tending to attract other contaminants and thereby defeating the purpose of the treatment.
Thus there is a need for a delivery system for hygroscopic or deliquescent particulate that delivers the material at high velocity and low temperature with precise control of particle size distribution. There is a further need for such a blasting system that avoids excessive cooling of the workpiece without degrading the particulate.


A pressing force sensor that includes a sensor element configured with a piezoelectric film, a lead terminal for connection to an external circuit, a wiring conductor which connects pressing force detection electrodes and the lead terminal, and a flexible printed circuit board which withstands solder reflow temperatures. The flexible printed circuit board has the pressing force detection electrodes formed on a first principal surface thereof, and is folded via a folding line while the first principal surface faces inward. The sensor element is deflected by a pressing force applied to a second principal surface which faces outward and is in a first area of the flexible printed circuit board which is on one side with respect to the folding line, and a signal corresponding to the pressing force is thus taken out from the pressing force detection electrodes.

As a pressing force sensor related to the present invention, there is exemplified a sensor described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-275114 (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes, for example, a pressing force sensor equipped with a piezoelectric element in which a piezoelectric crystal thin film is formed on each of both principal surfaces of a flexible substrate made of a metal thin plate, and electrode layers are formed on the piezoelectric crystal thin films. The electrode layers of the piezoelectric element are connected to an external circuit through electrode films disposed such that the piezoelectric element is held therebetween.
Patent Document 1 also describes an embodiment in which an electrode film also serves as a protective film. In the embodiment, there is used as the electrode film a film made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on which electrode patterns made of copper foil are formed, for example.
However, in the pressing force sensor described in Patent Document 1, if a solder reflow process is used to connect the sensor to an external circuit, heat resistance is problematic specifically with the electrode film. As described above, an electrode film made of, for example, PET cannot withstand solder reflow temperatures (260° C. or higher).
In order to address this issue, there can be considered, for example, a countermeasure in which a flexible printed circuit board is separately prepared for connection to an external circuit, and the flexible printed circuit board is connected to the electrode film through an anisotropic conductive film or an anisotropic conductive adhesive. However, this countermeasure requires high production cost.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-275114


A dairy cow injected with a sustained release formulation comprising bovine somatotropin, a wax, and an oil produces more milk for 28 days.

This invention belongs to the fields of animal husbandry and pharmaceutical chemistry, and provides a superior sustained release injectable formulation of bovine somatotropin, a polypeptide growth hormone which has long been the subject of research. Its structure and properties are discussed by Wallis and Davies, in Pecile and Muller, Editors, Growth Hormone and Related Peptides, Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1967, pp. 1-13.
The earlier work with animal hormones, such as bovine somatotropin, was characterized by difficulty in obtaining amounts of the hormones sufficient for useful experiments. The hormones could be obtained only by isolation from the appropriate glandular tissue of animals, and the procedures were tedious and wasteful in the extreme. See, for example, an article by Reichert on the purification of anterior pituitary hormones, including bovine growth hormone, at page 360-380 of Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 37.
More recently, experimentation in animals with bovine somatotropin has become feasible on a large scale because of the development, by genetic modification methods, of microorganisms which can produce the hormones in vitro.
A number of processes for preparing bovine somatotropin by use of such microorganisms have been published. It should be noted that some of the modified microorganisms produce a modified somatotropin, typically modified by bearing one or a few extra amino acids on an end of the polypeptide chain. According to the literature, these modified hormones have the same properties and activity as does natural bovine somatotropin. Accordingly, throughout this document, the term "bovine somatotropin" is used to include modified bovine somatotropins, synthesized by genetically modified microorganisms, which share the properties and activity of natural bovine somatotropin.
The following group of patent documents and publications describe modified microorganisms, and processes making use of such microorganisms, which synthesize bovine somatotropin.
Mayne, et al., European Patent Publication No. 0095361
George, et al., European Patent Publication No. 0111814
Rottman, et al., European Patent Publication No. 0067026
Miller, et al., European Patent Publication No. 0047600
Frazer, et al., European Patent Publication No. 0068646
Aviv, et al., British Patent Application No. 2073245
De Boer, et al., European Patent Publication No. 0075444
Schoner, et al., Biotechnology, Feb. 1985, 151-154
Schoner, et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 5403-07 (1984)
It has been known for more than 35 years that bovine somatotropin, administered to dairy cows, will increase the yield of milk without adversely affecting the composition of it. Cotes, et al., Nature 164, 992 (1949). Numerous experiments were carried out, following the work of Cotes and his group, to explore further the relationship between somatotropin and increased milk yield in dairy cattle, and more recently the focus has shifted to experiments with somatotropin produced by genetically modified microorganisms. For example, see Eppard, et al., Proc. Cornell Nutr. Conf., 1984, p. 5. Some workers report that microorganism-synthesized bovine somatotropin is even more effective in increasing milk yield than is the natural hormone. DeGoeter, et al., European Patent Publication No. 0085036.

Injectable sustained release formulation


An exhaust gas cleaning system has a catalyzer provided in the exhaust passage of the engine and an adsorbent provided upstream from the catalyzer. The adsorbent temporarily adsorbs unburned hydrocarbons emitted in large amounts immediately after the engine is started. The system provides an amount of air required to substantially eliminate unburned hydrocarbons, based on the temperature of the adsorbent and the oxygen concentration in exhaust gas upstream from the catalyzer. An air supplying unit is provided upstream from the adsorbent. A temperature sensor is provided for the adsorbent. An oxygen sensor is provided at the inlet of the catalyzer. A control unit calculates the amount of air (oxygen) necessary for the catalyzer to convert the unburned hydrocarbons released from the adsorbent, based on signals from the temperature sensor and the oxygen sensor and the exhaust flow rate. The control unit accordingly controls the air supplying unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for controlling the oxygen concentration in exhaust gas and an exhaust gas cleaning system employing it, in which an adsorbent is provided either in an exhaust gas cleaning catalyzer provided in the exhaust passage of the engine or in the exhaust passage upstream from the catalyzer so that the adsorbent adsorbs unburned hydrocarbons, which are emitted in large amounts immediately after the engine is started, and releases the unburned hydrocarbons when the catalyzer has been heated to a temperature at which it becomes able to clean the exhaust gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an engine is provided with a catalyzer connected to the exhaust passage so as to clean the exhaust gas. Such a catalyzer, however, becomes able to function only when it is heated to about 300#C or higher. Therefore, when the engine is just started, i.e., when the temperature of exhaust gas is not high enough, the catalyzer does not fully work to clean the exhaust gas. Moreover, an engine which is just started and still cold emits a lot of unburned hydrocarbons. Methods to solve such a problem are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 60-190923, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Nos. 63-68713, 2-75327 and 2-135126, in which methods an adsorbent is used to temporarily adsorb unburned hydrocarbons and release them when the temperature of the exhaust gas rises to a sufficiently high level so that the catalyzer can fully work to clean the exhaust gas.
However, though Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 60-190923 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2-75327 describe that a switch valve, which is provided in the connecting portion between the main passage and the by-pass passage provided with an adsorbent, is operated in accordance with the temperature of exhaust gas, they do not refer to treatment of the unburned hydrocarbons released from the adsorbent. Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2-135126 does not refer to controlling. Though Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 63-68713 describes that a switch valve, which is provided in the connection portion between the main passage and the by-pass passage provided with an adsorbent, is operated in accordance with the temperature of exhaust gas and that a secondary supply of air is provided at least when the temperature of the adsorbent is as high as or higher than the level at which the adsorbent releases the unburned hydrocarbons, it does not refer to a method of controlling the secondary supplying of air. Further, while this Japanese Patent Publication describes that the adsorbent is cooled, for example, by using the air conditioner installed in the motor vehicle, it does not describe the control method for cooling the adsorbent.
Though a method is known in which an adsorbent is used to temporarily adsorb unburned hydrocarbons and release them when the temperature of exhaust gas becomes sufficiently high so that the catalyzer can work to clean the exhaust gas, only Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 63-68713 describes how to efficiently convert the released unburned hydrocarbons by using the catalyzer, and even this specification merely tells that a secondary supply of air is provided when the temperature has reached the level at which the unburned hydrocarbons are released.

System for controlling oxygen concentration in exhaust gas and exhaust gas cleaning system employing the same


Structurally novel kappa opioid receptor antagonists are provided and the use of these antagonists in treatment of disease states that are ameliorated by binding of the kappa opioid receptor such as heroin or cocaine addictions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compounds that bind with high affinity and/or specificity to kappa opioid receptors.
2. Background of the Invention
The study of compounds exerting their actions via the opioid receptor system has continued for nearly eight decades.1 Though this has been a broad effort, the fundamental driving force for this endeavor relates to the elimination or reduction of the side-effect profile produced by the most frequently used or abused opiates morphine (1) and heroin (2). The wealth of knowledge accumulated in this time is enormous and includes examples of milestone discoveries commensurate with its breadth from the original concept of an opiate receptor2 to the more recent cloning of three individual opioid receptor subtypes mu3-5 delta6,7 and kappa.8-10 Belonging to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), postulated to possess seven helical transmembrane (7TM) spanning regions, they are now known to be anatomically distributed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems and aside from modulation of pain are intimately involved in a diversity of biological events ranging from of the modulation of immune response11 to hibernation.12
Among the many side effects produced by compounds 1 and 2, addiction, tolerance and respiratory depression are of greatest concern when heroin abuse is considered. Though its use waned in the late 70s, increases in both the purity and availability of this drug have promoted a serious resurgence of illegal use. In the study and treatment of substance abuse, antagonists for the opioid receptors like naltrexone (3) have played a prominent role.13,14 In recent years, researchers studying the physiological mechanisms underlying addiction have sought antagonists selective for each of the three opioid receptor subtypes mu, delta and kappa. Extensive research efforts along these lines lead to the discovery of several such compounds with examples including cyprodime (mu, 4)15, naltrindole (delta, 5)16 and norbinaltorphimine (kappa, 6).17 Of the three, the kappa receptor has only begrudgingly yielded antagonists and, of the known examples, all stem from modification of the prototype, norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI, 6) Portoghese in his pioneering work provided not only the second and third generation kappa antagonists 5xe2x80x2-[(N2-butylamidino)methyl]naltrindole (7)18 and C5xe2x80x2-guanidinylnaltrindole (GNTI, 8)19 but also convincing evidence that the Glu297 residue in transmembrane helix 6 of the kappa receptor is the principle address site influencing the kappa selectivity found in 6-8. In terms of the message address concept20 as applied by Portoghese to opioid small-molecules, it is the pendant amine functionality (noted by asterisks in the chart) present in 6-8 that functions as the kappa address element by interacting with the Glu297 residue which is present in the kappa but not in the mu receptor.
In terms of substance abuse treatment, antagonists selective for the kappa receptor have been the least studied primarily due to the limited bio-availability of 6 and its analogs. However, mounting evidence that the endogenous kappa opioid system opposes the actions of mu agonists like 2 suggests that antagonists selective for the kappa receptor could suppress or eliminate the symptoms of withdrawal which arise from an overactive kappa receptor system and thus could promote abstinence and prevent relapse. Therefore, the development of novel kappa antagonists possessing improved pharmacokinetic profiles would be of great value.21-25
As is obvious from the examples above, the morphinan substructure of 3 has served as the preeminent template upon which selective antagonists have been constructed. Contrary to these efforts, our work in this field started from the relatively unstudied N-substituted trans-(3,4)-dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine class of opioid antagonist discovered by Zimmerman et al in the late 70""s, (e.g. 9).26-33 These compounds were novel opioid antagonists because their intrinsic antagonist activity was not mediated by the structure of their N-substituent (i.e. the N-methyl and N-cyclopropylmethyl analogs in the phenylpiperidine series are both pure antagonists). Instead, the antagonist activity in the phenylpiperidine series appears to arise from the 3,4-dimethyl substituents. Early investigations in the 4-phenylpiperidine series suggested that their antagonist activity was mediated through a phenylequatorial mode of binding at opioid receptors. This hypothesis was recently confirmed by the demonstration of potent though non-selective opioid antagonist activity in N-phenethyl-9xcex2-methyl-5-(3-hydroxyphenyl)morphan (10), a conformationally rigid analog of N-phenethyl-trans-3,4-dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine (9).34
It is an object of the invention to provide compounds which bind to kappa opioid receptors with high affinity.
It is another object of the invention to provide compounds which bind to kappa opioid receptors with high specificity.
It is another object of the invention to provide compounds which bind to kappa opioid receptors with high affinity and specificity.
The objects of the present invention, and others, are accomplished with compounds represented by the formula:
wherein R1 is C2-8 alkyl, C3-8 alkenyl, C3-8 alkynyl, C1-8 alkylaryl or one of the following groups:
R2 is a member selected from the group consisting of formulae (a)-(pp):
X is NR, O or S;
Y is OH, OR9, C1-8 alkyl, F, Cl, or CF3;
R is hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C3-8 alkenyl, C3-8 alkynyl, C1-8 alkylaryl, CO2R9
W is a member selected from the group consisting of: H, OH, COOR9; amino, xe2x80x94NR3SO2R9 and xe2x80x94NR3CO2R9;
Z is NR3 or O;
n is 1, 2 or 3;
m is 1, 2, 3 or 4;
j is 2, 3 or 4;
k is 1 or 2;
R3 is hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C3-8 alkenyl, C3-8 alkynyl, or C1-8 alkylaryl;
R4 is hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C3-8 alkenyl, C3-8 alkynyl, or C1-8 alkylaryl;
R5 and R6 are each independently, hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C3-8 alkenyl, C3-8 alkynyl, or C1-8 alkylaryl;
R7 and R8 are each independently, hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C3-8 alkenyl, C3-8 alkynyl, or C1-8 alkylaryl; and
R9 is C1-8 alkyl, C3-8 alkenyl, C3-8 alkynyl, or C1-8 alkylaryl;
and the use of these compounds in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of disease states that are ameliorated by binding of the kappa opioid receptor such as heroin or cocaine addictions.


Apparatus for providing closed captioning at a performance comprises means for encoding a signal representing the written equivalent of spoken dialogue. The signal is synchronized with the spoken dialog and transmitted to wearable glasses of a person watching the performance. The glasses include receiving and decoding circuits and means for projecting a display image into the field of view of the person watching the performance representing at least one line of captioning. The field of view of the displayed image is equivalent to the field of view of the performance. A related method for providing closed captioning further includes the step of accommodating for different interpupillary distances of the person wearing the glasses.

The present invention relates to a display method and apparatus for producing an image in the field of view of a person wherein the viewed image represents the written equivalent of the spoken dialogue, for example, in a film in a cinema or accompanying a live performance in a theater.
A problem facing deaf or hard of hearing people is that reading of written material accompanying a performance is not efficient unless the field of view of the display is equivalent to the field of view of the performance watched. Furthermore, the field of view of the display must be sufficiently large to show at least one line containing several words. Reading efficiency for deaf or hard of hearing people improves if two or three such lines are provided by the display. Reading efficiency is important because it is essential that the user of the display be able to read fast enough to easily keep up with the dialogue of the film or the live performance, while at the same time view the performance, and thereby suitably enjoy the experience.
Many situations exist in which it is desirable to present information to an individual by superimposing an image onto her/his normal field of vision. In addition to the so-called heads up displays now used in many aircraft, three patents describe basic techniques for wearable displays which superimpose an image with the intent of improving lipreading of speech information. Two patents to Upton U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,463,885 ('885) and 3,936,605 ('605) disclose a display which is mounted upon a pair of spectacles intended to be worn by a deaf or hard of hearing person. In Upton ('885), entitled SPEECH AND SOUND DISPLAY SYSTEM, a number of miniature light bulbs are mounted on a lens of the spectacles, and each bulb is associated with a class of speech sounds. A bulb is activated in response to the detection of a speech sound in a given class. In one embodiment, a single bulb is activated in response to the detection of a given class. In another embodiment, sounds which represent combinations of sound classes activate more than one bulb, and in a third embodiment, separate bulbs are activated to denote combinations.
In Upton ('605), entitled EYEGLASS MOUNTED VISUAL DISPLAY, a device is described wherein the source of the image is a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on the eyeglass frame at the side of the eye of the wearer and out of his normal field of view. A small, generally spherical mirror is mounted on the eyeglass lens and is of appropriate focal length to project a virtual, in-focus image into the field of view of the wearer.
Another patent, McCartney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,431, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING SPEECH INFORMATION, describes an alternate method for displaying speech information as an aid to lipreading. In McCartney, a wearable heads up display with a large aperture spherical mirror is used as a magnifier for a light emitting diode display and as a beam combined to superimpose the magnified image on the normal field of view of the wearer. A magnified virtual image of visual symbols representing speech information is produced approximately one meter away from the viewer and can be centered about the speaker's face to allow simultaneous viewing of the speaker's lips and the symbols. The display achieves high symbol brightness while consuming little electrical power by using a large spherical mirror made from glass with a high index of refraction. The ability to place small LED multisegment displays close to the eye-mirror optical axis results in an optical system which both is simple and does not interfere significantly with normal vision.
In Baker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,793, there is disclosed an infrared telecommunications system in which a building is equipped with infrared transceivers. In similar arrangement, a theater, movie house, stadium, or other location of a performance may be equipped with suitably mounted transmission apparatus for infrared transmission to a pair of infrared receiving glasses worn by a deaf or hard of hearing person.

Method and apparatus for closed captioning at a performance


An electronic device includes a scanning device for converting indicia and markings on a printed medium into scan data and a configuration device that receives the scan data. The scanning device is capable of scanning a user-fillable configuration sheet marked by a user of the electronic device and creating the scan data, with the scan data including one or more configuration indicia. The configuration device is capable of decoding the one or more configuration indicia to create one or more corresponding configuration values and configuring the electronic device with the one or more configuration values.

Due to the flexibility and power of modern microprocessors, electronic devices may be designed to perform many tasks. One example is a combination printer/scanner/copier/facsimile device. However, such devices are not without drawbacks. For example, such powerful and flexible devices must be configured before use. The configurations may include configurations of device functions, configurations for geographic regions, configurations for default values (i.e., paper sizes, fax speed dial numbers, etc.), among other things. Consequently, there may be many configuration values and choices.
In one prior art approach to configuration, a configuration process is performed at the factory by the manufacturer. This may include electronically downloading data into the memory of the device.
However, this prior art approach has several drawbacks. It delays shipping. It is time-consuming for a worker to un-box, connect, configure, and repackage each electronic device. Most of all, it is relatively expensive and requires a significant amount of man-hours to perform.
In another prior art approach, the manufacturer provides multiple configuration data sets in a memory of the electronic device. Therefore, the user may configure the electronic device by selecting an appropriate data set or sets.
However, one drawback to this prior art approach is that the cost of the excess (and unused) memory is a significant addition to the purchase price. In addition, the set-up may be difficult and time-consuming for the purchaser, especially if the purchaser is not knowledgeable about the particular device. Moreover, the user interface (such as a printer control panel, for example) may offer very limited configuration ability, i.e., no large display screen for displaying instructions, menus, choices, diagrams, etc. for the benefit of the person configuring the electronic device.
In yet another prior art approach, the purchaser is left to program the device and enter in any settings. This has obvious drawbacks in that the set-up may be difficult and time-consuming for the purchaser to perform, especially if the purchaser is not proficient in using the particular electronic device. In addition, for an electronic device that is used by multiple users, such as in an institutional setting, configuring and reconfiguring an electronic device may be too difficult and time-consuming for each user. Moreover, the user interface electronic device may again offer limited configuration ability.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art for improvements in the configuration of an electronic device.

Apparatus and method for configuration of an electronic device using a user-fillable configuration sheet

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A generic high bandwidth adapter providing a unified architecture for data communications between buses, channels, processors, switch fabrics and/or communication networks. Data is carried by data stream packets of variable lengths, and each packet includes a header control information portion required by communication protocols used to mediate the information exchange, and normally a data portion for the data which is to be communicated. A packet memory stores data packets arriving at a plurality of generic adapter input/output ports. The packet memory is segmented into a plurality of buffers, and each data packet is stored in one or more buffers as required by the length thereof. A generic adapter manager is provided for performing and synchronizing generic adapter management functions, including implementing data structures in the packet memory by organizing data packets in buffers, and organizing data packets into queues for processing by the processor subsystem or transfer to or from generic adapter input/output ports. The generic adapter manager prepares future response to anticipated requests for communications services which are functions of the current requests for communication services, such as preparing a response for an anticipated request for a next buffer by a current request for a receipt of data. The generic adapter manager stores the future responses at specified addresses in memory which can be read by a requester. Each generic adapter input/output port has associated therewith a packet memory interface providing for the transfer of data packets into and out of the packet memory, such that when a data packet is received at an input/output port, the data packet is transferred into the adapter packet memory and queued for processing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a hardware/software construct which converts data flow on one medium to data flow compatible to another medium. More specifically, the generic high bandwidth adapter of the present invention provides a data interface between system buses, switching fabrics, transmission media, and a variety of Local Area Networks (LANs).
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the prior art, communication adapter technology has enjoyed a speed advantage over available transmission technology. Recent advances in transmission technology have broken this balance, leaving the communicator with excessive capabilities. With communication rates approaching or exceeding computation rates, it has been necessary to explore alternate communication architectures. This exploration has concentrated on the two areas of new protocols and optimal implementation of existing protocols.
The progress in transmission technology has provided not only much higher data rates but also much lower error rates. Existing communication protocols were designed assuming high media error rates and data rates much lower than computational speed. An enormous emphasis was placed on providing error recovery capability to avoid excessive use of the slow transmission media. As the basic assumptions have become progressively less true, existing communication protocols have become increasingly unsuitable for new transmission media. Another contribution to the mismatch of transmission capabilities and protocols comes from the fact that many existing communication protocols were designed for "general purpose processor/software" implementations. The "software oriented" design approach of these protocols has made communication protocol processors the bottleneck in data transmission.
To correct these known design deficiencies in existing communication protocols, several new fast lightweight protocols have been proposed. Compared with existing communication protocols, these protocols emphasize high data throughput and de-emphasize complicated error recovery schemes. In addition, most of these new lightweight protocols are designed with VLSI hardware implementations in mind.
In addition to the design deficiencies mentioned above, the data throughput of existing communication protocols is further hampered by another deficiency in many current protocol implementations. This implementation deficiency is the worst case (or penalize everyone) design principle, which specifies that all packets are to be treated equally. This treatment is without regard to the behavior of the packet. A packet which is in sequence and without error traverses much the same software path as the out-of-sequence or corrupted packet. This design principle was justified in a low transmission rate, lossy network, due to high error rates and minimal impact of software path lengths on communication latency. However, with the very low error rates of current transmission technologies, the probability of good-behavior packets is significantly increased and the potential packet arrival rate is greatly increased. Protocol implementations must be adjusted accordingly.
The activities in this area have been mainly the modification of current protocol implementations, rewarding good-behavior packets and penalizing only the bad-behavior packets. Implementation schemes have also included the pipelining of packet operations and hardware functional assists.
This throughput problem becomes even more complicated for a high-speed communication adapter due to the following additional constraints:
Compatibility with Existing Protocols & Implementations.
A high-speed communication adapter is expected to support new communication technologies and provide downward compatibility to existing communication technologies. Downward compatibility means not only supporting existing communication protocols, but also possibly supporting the methods or architectures with which existing protocols have been implemented.
Compatibility with Established System Buses and/or Channels.
More often than not, a communication adapter will act as a communication front-end for a host system. That means that most of the adapter packet data will either come from or go to an attached host system through an established system bus or I/O channel. From the point of view of end-to-end performance, the data transfer between an adapter and its attached host system is as important as, if not more important than, any other segment of the communication path between two end-nodes. A high-speed communication adapter is expected to support high data transfers on a family of long-established system buses and I/O channels and still be able to abide by the architectural rules of those buses and channels.

Generic high bandwidth adapter providing data communications between diverse communication networks and computer system


A socket housing and contact assembly process includes forming the solder ball contact region after initial installation of a set of contacts into the housing. The contact regions of the set of contacts pass through corresponding contact cavities to extend beyond the housing and the contact regions are formed over at equal angles for solder ball placement.

The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical contacts, and more particularly to electrical contact assemblies.
A land grid array (LGA) is a type of surface-mount packaging for integrated circuits that is notable for having the pins on the socket rather than the integrated circuit. An LGA can be electrically connected to a printed circuit board either by the use of a socket or by soldering directly to the board.
A CPU (central processing unit) socket is a mechanical component that provides mechanical and electrical connections between an integrated circuit and a printed circuit board. The CPU socket allows the integrated circuit to be placed and replaced without soldering. LGA sockets are typically used for integrated circuits having a large number of pins. The LGA socket design provides for a compression force to be applied once a surface plate is in position. Thus, providing mechanical retention while avoiding the risk of bending pins when inserting the integrated circuit into the socket.

Electrical contact assembly for printed circuit boards

International Business Machines Corporation


Computer-implemented methods and systems for textual analysis by generating models of the progression of writing and writing abilities are provided. A set of examinee-generated responses for one or more test items may be identified based upon at least one index. One or more data-based profiles may be assembled from the identified set of examinee-generated responses. Writing characteristics may be quantified from the assembled one or more data-based profiles based on the at least one index.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for analyzing text. More specifically, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to computer-implemented methods and systems for textual analysis by generating models of the progression of writing and writing abilities.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Most automated analysis of text in the context of summative assessment is aimed at either 1) establishing measures of the complexity of texts presented to test-takers for the purposes of evaluating reading comprehension, or 2) evaluating writing responses for the purpose of generating a qualitative score.
Therefore, it is an object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide models generated to better identify and understand the features and progress of test-taker writing in order to refine test development, improve the validity and predictive value of assessments, and identify areas and strategies for instructional improvement and intervention.
Systems for automated test-grading produce scores on, for example, a scale from 1 to 6 where "6" represents the best score for a specific group of essays. For example, it's not clear how a 5th grader receiving a "6" and a 12th grader receiving a "6" can be compared. Systems designed to evaluate textual complexity tend to evaluate multiple features of writing and combine these values in unspecified ways into a single score. This single score doesn't tell why a text scored as it did.
Therefore, another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide models that compare changes both within and between grades, such as by showing change over time and variance within grades.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide composite data profiles or models of writing.
One or more of these and/or other objects, features or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow.

Methods and systems for textual analysis


Provided are a printed circuit board (PCB) having hexagonally aligned bump pads as a substrate of a semiconductor package, and a semiconductor package including the same. The PCB includes: a PCB body; a bottom metal layer at a bottom of the PCB body; and a top metal layer at a top of the PCB body, and the top metal layer includes: vias vertically connected to the PCB body; bump pads hexagonally aligned in a horizontal direction around the vias; and connection patterns connecting the vias to two or more of the bump pads. Accordingly, the number of bump pads in a unit area of the PCB may be increased.

Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a printed circuit board (PCB) on which a semiconductor chip is mounted by using bumps, and various types of semiconductor packages and semiconductor memory modules including the same.
Currently, electronic portable devices, such as mobile phones, are rapidly being made smaller. Accordingly, semiconductor packages used in electronic devices are also being made smaller and thinner. As such, semiconductor packages have to improve in performance and be reduced in size and thickness.
In this regard, a flip chip bonding method, instead of a typical wire bonding method, has become popular to bond a semiconductor chip onto a PCB as a substrate of a semiconductor package. However, while a semiconductor chip may easily have a small size and fine-pitch bumps to improve its performance, a PCB as a substrate of a semiconductor package, on which the semiconductor chip is mounted, may not cope with the fine-pitch bumps of the semiconductor chip.

Printed circuit board having hexagonally aligned bump pads for substrate of semiconductor package, and semiconductor package including the same


A sheet feeding apparatus having a feeding device including a feeding member for feeding a sheet from a rest stand and a support member for supporting the feeding member, in which the support member swings about a rotary shaft provided at one end of the support member to thereby move the feeding device up and down. A force applying unit provided on the rotary shaft brings the feeding member into contact with the sheet on the rest stand with a predetermined force. The predetermined force is smaller than a force due to the gravitational force of the feeding device against the sheet on the rest stand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus for separating and feeding sheets one by one to a predetermined position, and more particularly to a sheet conveying apparatus applicable to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a laser beam printer.
2. Related Background Art
There are proposed various types of conventional sheet conveying apparatus for automatically conveying the sheet to an image reading portion of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, in which a plurality of sheets resting on a rest stand are separated one by one in a separating portion and conveyed to the image reading portion of the image forming apparatus, and which is provided with a means for reversing a front surface and a back surface of the sheet or the like.
A flow of the original in the separating portion in the conventional sheet conveying apparatus will now be described briefly with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 (cross-sectional view and a view as viewed in a direction indicated by the arrow A). First of all, a stack of sheet Sa rested on a rest stand 11a is picked up one by one from a top portion of the sheet stack Sa by a feed means such as a feed roller 1a that stands by above the sheet stack Sa and is fed toward the separating means downstream thereof. A fixed guide 6a for smoothly guiding the sheet to the separating means is provided in a position where it does not interfere with the up-and-down movement of the feed roller 1a between the feeding means and the separating means.
The sheets that have been fed without being separated one by one by the feed roller 1a (double feed) are separated one by one by the separating means (that is composed of a separating conveying roller 3a and a separating pad 4a) located downstream of the feed roller 1a and conveyed to a predetermined image reading position.
The operation of the feed roller 1a and the separating conveying roller 3a will now be described.
First of all, the separating conveying roller 3a rotates about a shaft 5a in a sheet conveying direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 6) using a motor Ma as a drive source. The feed roller 1a is subjected to the drive transmission through a timing belt 7a and rotates about a shaft 13a in the sheet conveying direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 6) using the same motor Ma as the separating conveying roller 3a as a drive source. The up-and-down movement of the feed roller 1a is performed by means of the same motor Ma through arms 2a rotatable about the above-described shaft 5a. When the feed roller 1a is brought into contact with the sheet stack and a torque (pressure) equal to or more than a predetermined level in a direction in which the feed roller 1a presses the sheet stack is applied, a slide is generated between the shaft 5a and the arms 2a by spring clutches 12a each engaging between the shaft 5a and the arm 2a, to thereby interrupt the lowering motion of the feed roller 1a (see FIG. 12).
However, if the above-described arrangement is taken as in the conventional case, there is a fear of the generation of the following defects.
Although the fixed guide 6a for guiding the sheet from the feed roller 1a to the separating conveying roller 3a is provided in the position where it does not interfere with the up-and-down movement of the feed roller 1a, the same fixed guide could not be provided in the position (space between the arms 2a) where it interferes with the up-and-down movement in consideration of the swing (upward and downward movements) of the arms 2a, and there is a fear that the sheet could not be guided smoothly between the arms 2a. As a result, the sheet is brought into abdominal abutment with the separating conveying roller 3a (the phenomenon in which the leading end of the sheet collides against a portion other than the vicinity of the separating nip and is not led to the nip (see FIG. 11)), the leading end portion of the sheet is raised and damaged in the worst case.
In order to solve such a problem, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an arrangement is proposed in which a fixed guide 14a (that is a discrete member from the fixed guide 6a but integral with the arms 2a) is provided between the arms 2a to prevent the abdominal abutment to the separating conveying roller 3a. However, if such an arrangement is taken, there is a disadvantage that due to the sheet feeding structure of the feed roller 1a, in the case where a plurality of sheets are fed toward the separating conveying roller 3a at once, the plurality of sheets are constrained by the guide 14a so that no sheet could be fed to the separating conveying roller 3a (non-feed). Furthermore, in order to avoid the above-described abdominal abutment and non-feed, as shown in FIG. 10, it is proposed to provide a structure in which the above-described fixed guide 14a is rotatable about a pivot xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d on each of the arms 2a. However, even in such a structure, in the case where a plurality of sheets with their leading end folded are introduced to the separating conveying roller 3a, there is a fear that it is brought into abdominal abutment and the guide 14a is forced up (in a direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 10). This is insufficient as a countermeasure.
Moreover, in a practical point of view for shortening a processing time concomitant with the high speed operation, since the stack displacement of the sheets on the feed tray 11a and the stack introduction (a state where a number of sheets are introduced to the separating means in the form of a stack) are generated due to the shock upon the up-and-down movement of the feed roller 1a by the arms 2a, the up-and-down movement is not performed in many cases in the sheet feeding operation (i.e., the feed roller is always pressed to the sheet during the operation). This is the case in the above-described conventional case. Then, in the conventional structure, since the force is applied to the feed roller 1a in a direction in which the sheet stack is pressed to thereby keep a conveying force, the force in addition to a self-weight of the feed roller is applied to the feed roller 1a by the spring clutch 12a that is the force applying means to compensate for the conveying force. Namely, the conveying force is kept by means of the force of the spring clutch 12a and the gravitational force (the self-weight) of the feed roller 1a upon the forward drive of the motor Ma (in which the feed roller 1a, the separating conveying roller 3a and the arms 2a work in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 6). However, upon the interruption of the drive of the motor Ma, the force which is applied to the feed roller 1a by the spring clutch 12a is released and the bias is attained only by means of the gravitational force. Accordingly, in some cases, the feed roller 1a is jumped up by the force of restitution of the elastic deformation of the feed roller 1a or the restitution force of the elastic deformation of the spring clutch that is larger than the restitution force of the feed roller 1a immediately after the interruption of the drive, so that the feed roller 1a stays in a position somewhat away from the uppermost surface of the sheet. Then, upon the next sheet feeding operation, the feed roller 1a is lowered again downwardly so that the shock is applied to the sheet and the stack displacement and the stack introduction into the separating means would occur. Also, in the case where the separating means is not provided, the stack introduction would occur in the conveying means downstream of the conveying portion so that there is a fear that the faulty sheet conveyance would occur.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to stabilize the feed condition of the sheet, and more particularly to prevent the stack displacement on a rest stand and the stack introduction.
In order to attain this and other objects, a sheet feeding apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising:
a rest stand for resting a sheet; and
feeding means for feeding the sheet on the rest stand,
in which the feeding means swings about a rotary shaft to be movable up and down,
the feeding means abuts against the sheet on the rest stand by force applying means provided on the rotary shaft with a predetermined force, and
a force of the force applying means is smaller than a gravitational force (self-weight) of the feeding means.
In the foregoing arrangement, since the force of the force applying means is set to be smaller than the gravitational force of the feeding means, the fine up-and-down movement of the feeding means during the feeding operation is reduced to prevent any shock, any stack displacement of the sheet on the rest stand, and the stack introduction without fail.

Sheet feeding apparatus, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus