An apparatus and method of ink jet printing is provided that poor ejection less occurs even where making a printing on a printing medium ready to cause a paper powder, such as a fine art paper. An image is to be printed on a printing medium by performing a relative movement of a printing medium and a printing head having a plurality of arrays each having a plurality of ejection openings. On this occasion, the image is printed by using ejection openings in a number changed in accordance with a type of the printing medium, out of a plurality of ejection openings on the two arrays adjacent to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of ink jet printing, and more particularly to an apparatus and method of ink jet printing with using ink ejection openings in accordance with the type of a printing medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the ink jet printing apparatus has become capable of making a printing in a quality not inferior to the film photograph besides outputting an in-office document through use of mainly a plain paper. This greatly relies upon density increase of the ink jet printing head, droplet size reduction, development of photographic printing medium and evolution of image processing. Meanwhile, image forming is conventionally by use of dye based ink whereas pigmented ink has been recently developed and being used for the purpose of outputting a photograph. The development of pigmented ink allows for improving image substantiality.
In conjunction with the improvement of image substantiality, the ink jet printing apparatuses are now being spread rapidly in the application of producing fine artworks. Fine art refers to a world that a subject matter such as of photograph or painting is printed on an exclusive medium for fine art and the output thereof is exhibited or marketed as an artwork. Accordingly, in producing a fine artwork, there is an importance in the durability not only of ink but also of printing paper.
In order to realize a long-term storage, the printing paper employs a structure having a material, such as a neutral paper or a cotton paper, used as a base material and an ink acceptance layer formed thereon. Furthermore, concave-convex is provided in the surface, to represent a unique texture like a painting paper or canvas. In addition, by increase the paper thickness greater than the existing ink jet paper, paper texture is improved. In this manner, various types of exclusive papers for fine art are under marketing. Specifically, the printing paper available is comparatively thick and elastic, e.g. basis weight ranges from approximately 200 g to approximately 300 g per square meter while paper thickness is from approximately 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.
Such a fine art paper is ready to produce a paper powder from the paper surface or paper end thereof. Due to this, there is a possibility that the paper powder adheres to the paper feeding roller used in a paper feeding mechanism with a result that a poor paper feed is caused by a reduced friction force. There is also a possibility that a paper powder adheres to the vicinity of an ejection opening of the printing head thus resulting in poor ejection, e.g. ink is not to be ejected, ink ejection is deflected in direction or ink ejection is reduced in amount (hereinafter, referred also to as non-ejection phenomenon). Due to the occurrence of such non-ejection phenomenon, such a stripe as blanked white possibly appears on an image during printing.
In the vicinity of an ejection opening of the printing head, an ink mist caused upon ejection might adhere to the vicinity of an ejection opening besides a paper power, to cause a non-ejection phenomenon through blockage against ejection similarly to the paper powder case. Such a mist includes so-called a floating mist being suspended in the printing apparatus by printing. Besides, there is so-called a splash mist that the ink arrived at a paper surface is splashed and put on a surface of the printing head. In order to remove a paper powder or mist thus adhered to the vicinity of an ejection opening, the existing ink jet printing apparatus is provided with a mechanism that wipes a surface having ejection openings of the printing head. It is a general practice to perform wiping periodically or in proper timing (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H07-164643).
However, because a paper powder frequently leads to a non-ejection phenomenon as compared to a mist when adhered to the vicinity of an ejection opening of the printing head, wiping only is insufficient as a countermeasure. Namely, the mist has a particle size of several μm while the paper powder occurring from a fine-art exclusive paper is in a size of several hundred μm. Non-ejection phenomenon is readily caused by a mere adhesion of one particle of paper powder. Accordingly, there is a need not to produce a paper powder or not to cause a paper powder to soar from a paper surface toward a printing head surface.
In the meanwhile, in the recent ink jet printing apparatus, a plurality of ejection openings are densely arranged in order to realize a quality, high-speed printing, which in many cases employ a printing head arranged with a plurality of ejection openings in a staggered two-array form. However, where performing an ejection of ink at the two arrays of ejection openings at the same time, two arrays of airflows are caused correspondingly to the ejection-opening arrays by the ejection. At this time, by the airflow, pressure is reduced in a space between the two arrays of ejection openings, to cause an airflow soaring in a direction from the paper surface toward the surface having ejection openings of the printing head. This resultingly makes it easy to raise a powder and splashing mist present on the paper surface. Meanwhile, the space between the two arrays of ejection openings is confined by the two arrays of airflows so that the paper powder and mist is placed in a state not easy to escape to the outside. Thus, there is a fear that the paper powder or mist adheres to the surface having ejection openings of the printing head.
In order to avoid the influence of the airflow as caused by a pressure-reduction effect occurring between the two arrays of ejection openings, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-288909, for example, discloses an art that changes the array of ejection opening for use is changed in accordance with the printing duty of an image. According to this art, when the printing duty is low, printing is by use of two arrays of ejection openings at the same time. When the printing duty is high, the two arrays of ejection openings are used one array per time, to reduce the influence of the airflow between the two arrays of ejection openings.
However, there encounters a case that it takes uselessly long in printing even where adopting the method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-288909 in an attempt to relieve the occurrence of paper powder. Namely, according to the method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-288909, the array of ejection openings for use is indiscriminately restricted at a high print duty regardless of whether a printing medium is ready to cause a paper powder or not ready to cause a paper powder. However, with a printing medium not ready to cause a paper powder, the necessity is low in restricting the array of ejection openings in order to relieve the paper powder because a paper powder is less caused or is slight in amount even if caused even at a high printing duty. Therefore, it is not effective to employ the method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-288909 where to relieve the paper powder.

Apparatus and method of ink jet printing


Described herein are methods, systems, and apparatuses to utilize a matrix operation by accessing each of the operation's matrix operands via a respective single memory handle. This use of a single memory handle for each matrix operand eliminates significant overhead in memory allocation, data tracking, and subroutine complexity present in prior art solutions. The result of the matrix operation can also be accessible via a single memory handle identifying the matrix elements of the result.

Linear algebra operations are typically computation and memory intensive operations involving potentially large, multi-dimensional matrix operands. Systems are typically designed for low arithmetic intensity operations (i.e., the ratio of arithmetic operations to memory operations), and thus are not designed for efficient execution of linear algebra operations. Furthermore, system processors typically utilize complex local memory (i.e., cache) management routines for operations involving large matrix operands, thereby increasing processing overhead and execution complexity.
Descriptions of certain details and implementations follow, including a description of the figures, which can depict some or all of the embodiments described below, as well as a description of other potential embodiments or implementations of the concepts presented herein. An overview of embodiments is provided below, followed by a more detailed description with reference to the drawings.

Matrix operands for linear algebra operations


In a method of molding a tag pin assembly P having a plurality of tag pins p each including a head 1, a filament portion 2 and a transverse rod portion 3, and implanted on one connecting rod 5 via connecting portions 4, the method produces a tag pin assembly under a ultra-close contact state by allowing balanced pressures to act on thin wall surfaces between adjacent cavities by supplying a molten resin through a main runner portion 30 connected to an injection molding machine, one first sub-runner portion 31 and a U-shape branched second sub-runner portion 32 to cavities of four tag pins 4 for one second sub-runner portion 32 in a cascade system by halving the molten resin.

This invention relates to an improvement in a tag pin assembly used for attaching a price tag to goods, that is, an assembly of tag attachers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of producing accurately and industrially a tag pin assembly having tag pins densely disposed with small gaps between them.
Tag pin is a member for attaching a price tag to goods and is also referred to as a "tag attacher". It comprises a transversely elongated, rectangular, sheet-like head, a filament portion so extended from the center of the head as to orthogonally cross the head and a transverse rod portion so disposed at the end portion of the filament portion as to orthogonally cross the filament portion, and has an H-shape as a whole. About 50 to about 200 of such tag pins are implanted to one connecting rod through connecting portions to form a tag pin assembly. Such a tag pin assembly is integrally molded from a thermoplastic synthetic resin. having molecular orientation such as nylon or polypropylene, and thereafter the filament portions are extended, their diameter is reduced as thin as a filament, and strength as well as flexibility are improved to provide a finished product.
A large number of proposals have been made for the tag pins of this kind as described, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 45-37100 and 52-20240.
The invention of Japanese Patent Publication No. 45-37100 relates to technique of so-called "inter-mold stretching", which utilizes a mold for the purpose of molding and as a clamping device as a part of stretching machine. A crude material of a tag pin assembly immediately after molded by injection-molding a synthetic resin such as a nylon inside the mold has a filament portion which is not yet stretched, its diameter is considerably great, its molecules have large proportions of amorphous portions, and its strength is not sufficiently high. Accordingly, such a tag pin cannot yet be utilized as the tag pin. Accordingly, this crude material is loaded into a stretching machine and the filament portion is stretched by 3 to 4 times, so that it becomes as thin as bristles and its strength and tenacity are improved. In this way, the finished product can be obtained.
However, the method which withdraws the crude material of the molded tag pin assembly from the mold and then loads it to the stretching machine so as to stretch the filament portion requires two process steps of the molding step and the stretching step, and the crude material of the tag pin assembly having a delicate structure must be transferred between these two process steps. Accordingly, defective products are likely to occur. In the actual production process of the tag pins, however, the machining speeds and the control conditions are entirely different between the molding step and the stretching step. For this reason, machining is mostly carried out by installing the respective machines for the respective steps in different plants.
In the invention of this Japanese Patent Publication No. 45-37100, the mold used for molding is split into upper and lower units (or into the right and left units) and is further split into the right and left units (or into the upper and lower units) at the intermediate portion of the filament portion from the parting line, so that the same mold used for molding can be used consecutively for stretching. In other words, the reference invention uses, in principle, a 4-split mold, allows the other mold to move with respect to one of the molds which clamps the filament portion, and consecutively stretches the filament portion while the crude material of the tag pin assembly produced by the molding step is kept retained inside the mold. This reference invention provides an excellent apparatus that can produce a delicate tag pin assembly highly efficiently in that the crude material of the tag pin assembly can be processed to a finished product without withdrawing it from inside the mold.
On the other hand, the invention of Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-20240 provides a "connecting pin" which can prevent entanglement of heads of a tag pin assembly. As described above, in the tag pin assembly, a large number of tag pins are implanted to one connecting rod through connecting portions, and the tag pin assembly has a comb-shape as a whole. Generally, the heads are separated from one another and can move individually and independently.
When packaging or using the tag pin assembly, a plurality of tag pin assemblies are stored in one box. Under this state, however, the heads entangle with one another, and they must be separated one by one when they are loaded into a fitting machine and are used in practice. This reference invention provides an excellent solution to this problem by connecting the heads to one another by an easily tearable connecting member and integrating the heads into a mass.
As can be seen by referring to the accompanying drawings of this Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-20240, cavities engraved in a mold are arranged transversely with a sufficient gap as wide as the thickness of each head. The tag pin assembly is molded from a thermoplastic resin such as nylon or polypropylene, and an injection molding pressure as high as about 700 to about 1,500 kg/cm.sup.2 is necessary for this molding step.
Accordingly, walls capable of withstanding this high pressure are necessary between the cavities for molding the individual tag pins. More specifically, in the case of a mold wherein cavities for a tag pin assembly are engraved in a mold steel stipulated in JIS SKD61, the gaps between the tag pins, that is, the thickness of the walls defining the chambers for storing a resin during molding, poses a problem.
In a conventional mold, one gate is provided to one connecting rod. Therefore, the resin for molding 50 to 200 tag pins is supplied through one gate and one connecting rod.
For this reason, a minimum thickness of the walls of about 1.0 to about 1.2 mm is necessary lest the walls defining the cavities are broken even when any small pressure difference exists between the molten resin packed into the cavities of the tag pins adjacent to one another. Such a limitation makes it extremely difficult to remarkably reduce the pitch of the tag pins.
To facilitate packaging and transportation of the tag pin assemblies and their loading into and operation of the fitting machine, on the other hand, the tag pin assembly must be made compact in size by reducing the gap between the heads and that between the transverse rod portions. In other words, a tag pin assembly having a dense and delicate structure is necessary, and various attempts have been made in this point. As described above, however, the gap of about 1.0 to 1.2 mm is necessary between the individual cavities for molding the tag pin assembly, or in other words, the thickness of the walls defining the cavities, is necessary. If the walls are thinner than the value described above, they are highly likely to be broken by the pressure of the injected resin and even if they are not broken, they cannot withstand repetition of stresses applied many times, and durability is therefore low.
Generally, a mold used industrially used for producing the tag pin assembly must withstand at least 10,000,000 shots from the aspect of the production cost of the mold.
Another problem is as follows. The connecting rod connecting 50 to 200 tag pins into the assembly is an important member corresponding to a runner portion through which large quantities of the resin flows during molding, and the resin injected for this connecting rod is branched and supplied into the cavities for the individual tag pins. In other words, the molten synthetic resin is supplied from one gate to one runner portion, is branched from the runner portion and is then supplied into the cavities for molding the individual tag pins.
In the case of the conventional tag pin assembly which is sold in quantities and wherein the tag pins are disposed on one connecting rod with a pitch of about 2 mm, the molten resin tends to flow substantially uniformly into the cavities for the individual tag pins. In other words, it has been confirmed that insufficiency of the molten resin in part of filament portions hardly occurs, and a defect ratio is low.
However, when the gap between the tag pins is gradually decreased so as to make the tag pin assembly more compact in size, a delicate unbalance occurs in the amount of the resin flowing into the filament portions, defects occur at the filament portions and in some case, cut-off of the supply of the resin occurs.
FIGS. 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the accompanying drawings correspond to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 37100/1971, respectively. The conventional method of producing the tag pin assembly by the "inter-mold stretching method" will be briefly explained with reference to these drawings.
The mold comprises four units, that is, upper molds 10, 10a and lower molds 11, 11a, and is split to the right and left from the parting line PL in such a manner that the other set of molds 10a, 11a can be moved with respect to one of the sets of the molds 10, 11 and stretch the filament portions 2. During molding, the split molds shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 gather together and define the cavity of the tag pin assembly P of the tag pins p each comprising the head 1, the filament portion 2, the transverse rod portion 3 and the connecting rod 5.
To begin with, while the four molds are gathered as shown in FIG. 14, the molten resin is injected into the cavity and the crude material of the tag pin assembly P is molded. Next, as shown in FIG. 15, the molds 10a, 11a are separated from the parting line PL and are moved in the transversely direction while the molds 10 and 11 are kept fixed as shown in FIG. 15, so that the filament portions 2 are stretched to a predetermined length and made thinner, and the strength is improved.
Next, ejector pins 12, 12a are brought into contact with both ends of the head 1 and other ejector pins 13, 13a are brought into contact with both ends of the transverse rod portion 3 as shown in FIG. 16. While the crude material of the tag pin assembly P is kept adhering to the lower mold side in this way, the upper molds 10, 10a are raised and the split faces in the vertical direction of the molds 11, 11a, 10, 10a are opened.
The ejector pins 12a, 13a provided to the lower mold side 11, 11a are protruded upward and the tag pin assembly P is withdrawn from the mold. In this way, molding and stretching steps of the tag pin assembly P are completed. Thereafter, portions unnecessary for the products such as a spool, a runner bar, etc, are automatically cut off by an ordinary post-processing method, and only the tag pin assembly P is transferred to a next step.
Next, the problems with this process will be explained in further detail with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.
In the cavity C, each tag pin p comprising the head 1, the filament portion 2 and the transverse rod portion 3 is so disposed at to orthogonally cross the connecting rod 5 through the connecting portion 4 in match with the crude material of the tag pin assembly P (under the state where the filament portion 2 is not yet stretched). The cavity C has a comb-shape as a whole. The center portion of this connecting rod 5 and the main runner portion 6 are connected by a sub-runner portion 7, and this main runner portion 6 is connected to the spool 8 as a main flow passage of the resin injected from an injection molding machine.
In the ordinary mold, about four cavities C are disposed on each side of this main runner portion 6 and eight crude materials of the tag pin assemblies P can be molded at one time.
FIG. 12 is a sectional side view of the principal portions of this mold. The ejector pins 12, 12a, 13, 13a are disposed at both ends of the head 1 molded between the upper mold 10 and the lower mold 11 and at both ends of the transverse rod portion 3 molded between the upper mold 10a and the lower mold 11a, and these pins are constituted in such a fashion as to simultaneously project the tag pin assemblies P in the mass form after molding from the cavities and to withdraw from the mold with the main runner 6 and the spool 8 by utilizing the piston motion of a cylinder device (see FIG. 14) provided to the upper and lower molds.
The molds 10, 10a, 11, 11a are constituted in such a manner that they are separated from the parting line PL, and one of the sets of them can instantaneously move by a predetermined distance from the other set when the filament portions 2 are stretched as indicated by an arrow.
The molten resin J discharged from the injection molding machine, not shown in the drawings, flows into portions indicated by arrows a, b, d and d' through the spool 8 and the main runner 6, altogether flows into the cavities for molding the tag pins p through the connecting rod 5 as indicated by arrows e and f, and is charged while spreading as a whole.
When the gap between the tag pins p is as wide as about 2 mm as in the crude material of the conventional tag pin assembly, the resin flows correctly into the cavities C of the tag pins p.sub.1, p.sub.2, . . . , p.sub.n. Therefore, molding defects such as insufficiency of the resin do not occur and the filament portions 2 can be molded into a predetermined dimension. Accordingly, even when these filament portions 2 are altogether stretched, there does not occur the problem that a part of them is broken and effective products occur.
Recently, attempts have been made to make the tag pin assembly more compact as a whole by reducing the length of the tag pin assembly (that is, the length of the connecting portion 5).
They are primarily directed to the following points. First, the room for intrusion of other heads 1 is eliminated by reducing the gap between the heads 1 to a value smaller than the thickness of the heads 1 so as to prevent entanglement of the heads 1. Next, handling property of the tag pin assembly is improved by minimizing the portion of the tag pin assembly, which protrudes from the fitting machine and is unstable, when it is loaded into the fitting machine. Third, material is saved by reducing the length of the connecting rod. To accomplish these objects, a tag pin assembly under a ultra-close contact state or a tag attacher of a ultra-close contact type must be developed.
This ultra-close contact tag pin assembly has a by far closer and more delicate structure than the conventional tag pin assembly, and to produce such a ultra-close contact tag pin assembly, the cavities for molding the tag pins p.sub.1, p.sub.2, . . . , p.sub.n must be disposed by far more closely to one another than the conventional mold for molding the conventional tag pin assembly.
To attain this object, the problem exists in that the "thickness of the wall" defining the cavity of the individual tag pins p must be reduced to a level which is never expected in the past. However, as already described, the pressure of the high pressure molten resin repeatedly acts on the cavity, and there is a delicate difference between the flows of the molten resin charged on both sides of the wall partitioning the cavities. Accordingly, if even a slight delay exists in the flow of the resin on one of the sides of the wall, the pressure becomes higher more quickly in one of the cavities than in the other, though limitedly. Since the flow of the molten resin is rapid, the high pressure acts impulsively on this wall surface if such a pressure difference occurs.
The time in which the molten resin is injected into the cavity is very short, and it is very important to charge the resin simultaneously and uniformly into a large number of cavities. If the balance can be established somehow in the flowing condition of the resin in this case, it is possible to reduce the gaps between the tag pins by remarkably reducing the thickness of the walls partitioning the cavities. Whether or not this problem can be solved is the pressing problem for those engaged in this field of art.
In the case of the conventional tag pin assembly, the molten resin is supplied to one connecting rod from one sub-runner portion as shown in FIG. 13 of the afore-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 37100/1971 and in FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings. Therefore, a delicate difference occurs in the packing speed of the molten resin to the cavities between the portions near and far from the inflow port of the resin, and a difference occurs between pressures acting on both sides of the wall defining the cavity. However, no substantial problem has occurred such as breakage of the wall of the cavity because the gap between the tag pins is great.
The reduction of the thickness of the wall of the cavity means the reduction of the pitch of the tag pins and the formation of a more delicate tag pin assembly, and makes it possible to produce a ultra-close contact tag pin assembly which has a delicate and compact structure, is easy to use and is free from entanglement.
The present invention is completed as a result of various studies on the flow of the molten resin inside the mold and its moldability in order to solve the problems with the prior art described above, and aims at providing a method of producing a ultra-close contact tag pin assembly.


Disclosed herein is a wireless device of the present invention, of a type wherein an external connecting terminal for electrically connecting an IC card having a function for processing various applications is disposed so as to be electrically connected to a controlling unit for carrying out the entire control of the wireless device. The controlling unit for performing the entire control of the wireless device can be replaced by an IC card having a function for carrying out the entire control of the wireless device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless device such as a pocket bell for making a wireless call, and particularly to an improvement in the extension of a wireless calling function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a radio receiving set, i.e., a wireless device such as a conventional typical pocket bell, for making a wireless call. In the same drawing, there are shown an antenna 1 for receiving an incoming radio wave, a receiving unit 2 for analyzing the radio wave received by the antenna 1, and a demodulating unit 3 for demodulating the radio wave analyzed by the receiving unit 2 and converting it into information required for control of the wireless device.
Reference numeral 4 indicates a controlling unit for electrically processing the information thus converted and performing the entire control of the wireless device. Reference numeral 5 indicates a read-only memory (hereinafter called a "ROM") having software stored therein for causing the controlling unit 4 to effect a predetermined operation. In addition, designated at numeral 6 is a random-access memory (hereinafter called a "RAM") for causing the controlling unit 4 to record necessary data therein during its control operation.
Reference numeral 7 indicates a displaying unit for displaying given characters and symbols such as messages thereon under the control of the controlling unit 4. Reference numeral 8 indicates a tone generating unit for generating a calling tone used to give notice of a call to a user upon arrival of the call under the control of the controlling unit 4 in the same manner as described above. In addition, reference numeral 9 indicates an operating unit for inputting a signal for control such as a message retrieval to the controlling unit 4, and reference numeral 10 indicates a battery for supplying electric power to the wireless device.
The operation of the conventional wireless device will now be described. The antenna 1 receives an incoming radio wave and transfers it to the receiving unit 2. The receiving unit 2 analyzes the received radio wave and sends it to the demodulating unit 3. Afterwards, the demodulating unit 3 demodulates the radio wave analyzed by the receiving unit 2 and converts it into information required for control, followed by transfer to the controlling unit 4.
The controlling unit 4 compares "Identification" in the information converted by the demodulating unit 3 with "Identification" of the wireless device. If they coincide with each other, then the controlling unit 4 takes in the information converted by the demodulating unit 3. Next, the controlling unit 4 processes this information on the basis of the software stored in the ROM 5. Afterward, the controlling unit 4 energizes the tone generating unit 8 to produce a calling tone and display a message on the displaying unit 7 if the message is given.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-190036 is disclosed as a reference in which a technique relative to the conventional wireless device referred to above has been described.
Since the conventional wireless device is constructed as described above, it simply has a function for generating a calling tone and a function for displaying a message upon reception of the radio wave. With an increase in diversification of radio communications, the terms "whenever, wherever and whomever" are common to users. Thus, the conventional wireless device cannot meet present-day needs in terms of an increase in terminals having a plurality of pieces of additive value.

Wireless communication device with multi-function integrated circuit processing card


A substrate cleaning apparatus capable of removing fine particles from a substrate, such as a wafer, without using a chemical liquid is disclosed. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a substrate supporting structure for supporting the substrate; a vibration device secured to the substrate supporting structure; a vibration controller configured to cause the vibration device to vibrate at a natural frequency of the substrate; and a cleaning liquid supply nozzle configured to supply a cleaning liquid onto the substrate.

A CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) apparatus is a device for chemically mechanically polishing a substrate, such as a wafer. The CMP apparatus is configured to provide sliding contact between a wafer and a polishing pad while supplying a polishing liquid onto the polishing pad to thereby polish a surface of the wafer by a combination of a mechanical action of abrasive grains contained in the polishing liquid and a chemical action of the polishing liquid.
Fine particles, such as polishing debris and the abrasive grains, are attached to the surface of the polished wafer. Therefore, in order to remove such fine particles from the wafer surface, the CMP apparatus typically has a cleaning unit for cleaning the wafer. A typical cleaning unit is configured to clean the surface of the wafer with a jet of pure water. However, it is difficult to remove the fine particles from the surface of the wafer by the jet of pure water.
Thus, there is a method of cleaning a surface of a wafer using a chemical liquid in place of pure water. According to this cleaning method, a zeta potential of the particles is changed by the supply of the chemical liquid onto the wafer, so that an attracting force acting between the wafer surface and the particles is weakened. Thereafter, rinsing water is supplied onto the wafer to wash away the particles from the wafer surface. This cleaning method using the chemical liquid has been often used because of its high removal efficiency of the particles. However, since the chemical liquid contains components which are harmful to human body, use of the chemical liquid entails a heavy burden on its handling and treatment.

Substrate cleaning apparatus, substrate processing apparatus, and substrate cleaning method


An hydrogen tank filling apparatus includes a first hydrogen supply pipe for supplying hydrogen substantially at an atmospheric temperature from a high-pressure hydrogen storage tank to a hydrogen tank, a second hydrogen supply pipe for supplying cooled hydrogen from the high-pressure hydrogen storage tank to the hydrogen tank, and an internal tank temperature measuring unit for measuring the temperature inside the hydrogen tank. The first hydrogen supply pipe and the second hydrogen supply pipe are selectively switched by a control unit, depending on changes in the temperature inside the hydrogen tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for filling a hydrogen tank with hydrogen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a fuel cell, which generates electrical energy by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, is supplied with hydrogen as a fuel from a hydrogen tank, which is located near the fuel cell and which stores hydrogen under a high pressure. When the amount of hydrogen that is stored in the hydrogen tank decreases, the hydrogen tank is connected to a high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, which stores hydrogen under a pressure higher than the hydrogen tank. Thus, the hydrogen tank is replenished with hydrogen supplied from the high-pressure hydrogen storage tank.
It is known in the art that when the hydrogen tank is filled with high-pressure hydrogen from the high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, the hydrogen inside the filled hydrogen tank generates heat. The temperature inside the hydrogen tank immediately after filling the hydrogen tank is higher than the ambient temperature, and is +70° C. or higher, for example. An increased pressure of hydrogen inside the hydrogen tank immediately after filling the hydrogen tank also develops at the high temperature, due to the rise in temperature. Thereafter, when the temperature inside the hydrogen tank drops, so as to be near to the atmospheric temperature, the pressure of hydrogen inside the hydrogen tank also drops to a level that is lower than the hydrogen pressure immediately after completion of filling the hydrogen tank. When the above temperature rise occurs, therefore, the filled hydrogen tank is likely to suffer a shortage of hydrogen.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-69332 discloses, as a method of reducing a temperature rise in the hydrogen tank when thus-filling a hydrogen tank with hydrogen, a hydrogen supply station having a supply pipe for supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen tank on a vehicle from a plurality of high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, which store the hydrogen under a plurality of different pressure stages. The hydrogen supply station also has a cooling means disposed within the supply pipe for cooling hydrogen as it flows through the supply pipe. The temperature inside the hydrogen tank is detected for enabling a feedback control. The hydrogen tank is filled with hydrogen, which is cooled by the cooling means, depending on the detected temperature inside the hydrogen tank.
According to the disclosed hydrogen supply station, the cooling means is disposed inside the hydrogen supply pipe, and the temperature inside the hydrogen tank is monitored and detected to enable feedback control, so as to cause the cooling means to initiate cooling of hydrogen dependent on the detected temperature. Consequently, a considerable time elapses after it is determined that the interior of the hydrogen tank needs to be cooled and until the hydrogen tank is filled sufficiently with cooled hydrogen. If the temperature inside the hydrogen tank is lowered excessively by the cooled hydrogen supplied thereto, then it is necessary to stop operation of the cooling means, and thereafter, to supply hydrogen at the atmospheric temperature to the hydrogen tank. It is quite time-consuming to fill the hydrogen tank with hydrogen at the atmospheric temperature. Therefore, the conventional hydrogen supply station is disadvantageous in that the temperature of the hydrogen used to fill the hydrogen tank is not highly responsive to temperature increases and decreases inside the hydrogen tank as it is being filled. Thus, the hydrogen tank cannot be filled with hydrogen while responding quickly to temperature changes inside the hydrogen tank.

Apparatus for and method of filling hydrogen tank with hydrogen


A transportable recycle container assembly includes a portable container mounted on rollers and having a top opening inclined toward the front of the container. A hinged top is provided to selectively cover the opening of the container, and to be opened upward to provide access to the interior of the container. The container includes mutually opposed channels in its interior side walls for receiving divider panels inserted into the container to divide the container interior into two or more separate compartments. The assembly also includes an enclosure for housing the container. Automatic opening cam mechanisms are provided in the interior of the enclosure and are responsive to the opening and closing of doors at the front of the enclosure to open and close the hinged top of the container, respectively. The container also includes one or more ring members that are inserted into and seat in the top opening or openings of the container, and hold and suspend conventional refuse bags from the top opening of the container.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a transportable recycleable refuse container assembly, in particular, a rolling covered container that is adapted to be rolled into and out of an enclosure area, where a door enclosing the enclosure is connected to a cam assembly that automatically opens the covering of the container in response to opening of the door of the enclosure, and automatically closes the covering of the container in response to closing the door.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventional refuse containers are known to have manually opened and closed lid coverings along with rollers to facilitate the transportation of the container. Containers of this type are used both in the home and in work environments, and are commonly used to store refuse to be later disposed of or recycled
A common disadvantage found in the use of this type of container is that one or more containers are needed to store the separated refuse to be disposed of and the refuse that is to be later recycled. In both the home and work environments, a separate container is required to store disposable refuse and recycleable refuse, and often still further containers are required to store different types of recycleable refuse such as aluminum and glass. Providing a separate container to store the separate types of refuse presents the problem of the containers occupying a substantial portion of the space available in the home or work place where the containers are kept.
The transportable recycle container assembly of the present invention overcomes the above disadvantages of the prior art refuse containers by providing a rolling recycle container that is capable of being subdivided into a multiple of separate interior compartments to store separated refuse that is to be later disposed of or recycled. The transportable recycle container assembly is also provided with an enclosure area into which the container is inserted to remove the container from the work area in the home or work place where the container is kept. The door or doors that permit access to or enclose the enclosure area are provided with a linkage mechanism that automatically opens and closes the hinged lid of the container in response to the respective opening and closing of the door or doors of the enclosure area containing the container.


In a starter having a planet gear speed reducer, an impact stress receiving mechanism is made up of components suitable in configuration for mass production including a ring gear having an internal gear engaged with a plurality of planet gears and axially extended ratchet-shaped teeth on the outer wall. A movable cylinder has teeth formed in the inner wall which are engaged with the ratchet-shaped teeth, and a straight spline gear on the outer wall which is engaged with the starter frame. The movable cylinder is axially slidably mounted on the ring gear. A rubber ring is arranged adjacent to the movable cylinder to absorb the force of moving the movable cylinder axially which is formed when impact stress is produced in the power transmission of the starter.

This invention relates to a starter with a planet gear speed reducer, and more particularly to an improvement of a mechanism for receiving the impact stress which may occur in the power transmission mechanism of the starter (hereinafter referred to as "an impact stress receiving mechanism", when applicable).
In a conventional starter with a planet gear speed reducer, the mechanism for receiving the impact stress which may occur in the power transmission mechanism thereof has been disclosed by Japanese Utility Model Application Examined Publication No. 45081/1987. The conventional starter, as shown in FIG. 3, has a ring gear 4 which has its inner cylindrical wall formed into an internal gear 2 which is engaged with planet gears 1, and its outer cylindrical wall formed into a helical spline gear 3. The ring gear 4 is inserted into the spigot joint 6 of the front frame 5 in such a manner that the helical spline gear 3 of the ring gear 4 is engaged with the helical spline gear formed in the inner cylindrical wall of the spigot joint of the front frame 5. An annular rubber member 7 is interposed between the ring gear 4 and an auxiliary plate 8, so as to elastically receive the axial thrust of the ring gear 4 which is moved forwardly (to the right in FIG. 3) along the helical spline gear by the reaction against the motion of the planet gears 1 inscribed in the ring gear 4.
In other words, in the conventional starter, the reaction force against the rotary motion of the planet gears 1 is elastically received by the annular rubber member 7 through the screw motion of the ring gear 4, and the impact which may occur in the power system thereof is smoothly received.
However, the conventional starter described above is disadvantageous in that it is rather difficult to manufacture the ring gear 4 by cold forging because it has the spur gear formed in the inner cylindrical wall and the helical spline gear formed in the outer cylindrical wall. The front frame having the helical spline gear formed in the spigot joint is generally made of die cast aluminum, and therefore, in the case where the helical spline gear is formed in the inner cylindrical wall of the front frame, the pattern drawing operation is rather difficult, and the resultant product is low in accuracy.
Accordingly, both the ring gear and the front frame must be formed by machining; that is, they cannot be produced on a large scale.


A motor current measurement circuit (7) includes a sense resistor (8) located in a path through which, in use of the motor (1), at least a part of the current flowing into or out of the motor flows, a first amplifier which comprises a differential amplifier (9) which has a first input and second input which are respectively connected to the opposing ends of the sense resistor and has an output at which the amplifier (9) is arranged to produce, in use, an output signal representative of a voltage dropped across the resistor (8) and hence the current flowing through the resistor (8), and an analogue to digital converter (12) having an input which is connected to the output of the first amplifier (9) and an output. The converter (12) is arranged to provide at its output a digital signal representing the current flowing through the sense resistor (8), and the first amplifier (9) comprises a transconductance amplifier whereby the output signal comprises a current which is proportional to the input voltage across the two inputs.

This invention relates to improvements in motor current measurement circuitry, in particular but not exclusively for use as part of a motor control circuit suitable for the control of a motor that forms part of an electric power assisted steering (EPAS) system.
It is known to provide a current measurement circuit for measuring the current flowing into and out of the ground return path, or DC link, of a multi-phase motor of an EPAS system. This can be used as part of the control circuit for a low speed sensorless motor, by which we mean a motor in which no dedicated position sensor is provided and instead a measure of current is used to estimate the motor position. By knowing the impedance of the motor when the rotor is at different positions it is possible to determine its position from the current measurement and how the current measurement changes over time. But this requires a highly accurate measurement if precise control is needed, which has proven especially problematic in the demanding environment in which EPAS systems are located, subject to high levels of EM noise in an often limited space.
Of course, current sensing circuits find application in a wide range of other circuits, and the present invention has application in other circuits where a high precision current measurement is required.
Typically, in prior art current measurement circuits for use in automotive applications the current measurement signal is derived from amplifying the potential difference, or voltage drop, across a resistor placed in series in the current path. With a motor, this typically requires the resistor to be placed in series with two phases of the motor or the DC link. This signal is amplified as required to a level suitable for direct input to an analogue to digital converter (ADC) where it is converted into a digital representation using an analogue to digital converter. The current measurement signal in the prior art is obtained using a differential amplifier whose output comprises a voltage proportional to the voltage dropped across the resistor. An example of such a circuit is known from WO2004/023639.


A test circuit (40) fabricated in an integrated circuit and connected to an I/O pin (36) of the packaged device (32) for providing information indicative of substrate process parameters. The test circuit (40) comprises a test transistor (24) connected to a pin (36) of the packaged device (32), and an isolation circuit (52) responsive to a signal on an input test terminal (48) for activating the test transistor (24). The isolation circuit (52) is responsive to the absence of the test signal for isolating the test transistor (24) from the pin (36), and thus isolating it from other functional circuitry (54) of the integrated circuit which is also connected to the pin (36).

Because of the complicated and highly refined nature of semiconductors fabrication processes, it is imperative that various parameters be carefully controlled to insure that the completed device complies with all technical specifications. To that end, post-fabrication testing on selected bar or die parts of a silicon wafer or slice is routinely conducted to ascertain that various circuit parameters meet both published specifications and process specifications. Generally, various dies of a silicon wafer include test transistors fabricated by the same process as the functional circuits on the dies of the silicon wafer. During testing, a test fixture makes electrical contact directly to the test transistors and applies voltages thereto to determine characteristics, such as the threshold voltage V.sub.t and the conductance K' of the test transistors. The values of these characteristics are indications of fabrication process parameters.
Another approach taken to ascertain fabrication parameters is to design a test circuit, or transistor, into every die on the wafer. The test circuit is wholly independent of the functional circuit on the die, and is accessible by test equipment only through microcontacts on the die. Testing of the test circuit can only be accomplished before the die is encapsulated into a package, such as a dual in-line package. The test circuit is not connected to the input/output pins of the packaged device and thus cannot be accessed from such pins.
The post-packaging examination of integrated circuits is an important aid in gathering information relating to process parameters. For example, when integrated circuits are returned to the manufacturer, process parameters derived from the testing of the test circuit may be correlated to the mode of failure. However, in order to gain access to the test circuit, the encapsulation or package of the integrated circuit must be removed in order to gain access to the test circuit microcontacts. The removal of the encapsulant must be carefully done so that the integrated circuit itself is not damaged, and valuable information thereby lost.
From the foregoing, it may be seen that a need has arisen for a packaged integrated circuit in which the test circuitry can be accessed from the Input/Output (I/O) pins of the device, without the presence of the test circuitry affecting the normal operation of the device.

Packaged semiconductor device with test circuits for determining fabrication parameters


A circuit is provided for precorrecting an aural carrier signal in a common amplifier system in a television transmitter wherein an aural frequency signal and a visual signal are commonly amplified. The precorrecting serves to minimize cross-modulation distortion of the aural carrier caused by the common amplification. A visual carrier signal is modulated by a video baseband signal to provide a modulated video signal from which there is provided a sampled video signal. This sampled video signal is supplied to an aural corrector which provides from the sampled video signal a phase correction signal and an amplitude correction signal. The phase correction signal and amplitude correction signal are used to modulate an aural carrier signal to provide a precorrected aural signal which is then combined with the video signal to provide a combined signal.

It is known to provide common amplification in television transmitters wherein the visual and aural carriers are commonly amplified. The United States patent to Ta et al. 5,198,904 noted that a problem resulting from such common amplification is aural carrier distortion. The distortion occurs in both the phase and amplitude domains of the aural carrier.
The patent to Ta proposes to correct the unwanted distortion of the aural carrier by predistorting phase and amplitude components of the aural carrier so as to be directly opposite to the unwanted distortions caused by the common amplification in a television transmitter. To this end, Ta samples the baseband video signal prior to the signal being used to modulate a visual IF carrier signal. The sampled baseband video signal is delayed by a video delay to compensate for the delays that are introduced in an IF vision modulator to which the baseband video signal is also supplied for modulating a visual carrier signal. The delayed baseband video signal is then applied to a complementary nonlinear amplifier which provides a phase correction signal and an amplitude correction signal. These correction signals are supplied to an amplitude and phase modulator which also receives the aural carrier. The aural carrier is modulated by the amplitude and phase correction signals to provide a modified aural signal which is summed with the output of the IF vision modulator.
It has been found that the sampled baseband video signal in the Ta et al. patent has a relatively flat amplitude response over the baseband video spectrum. However, the cross-modulation on the aural carrier has two different sideband levels. The high level is created by the double sideband region of the visual spectrum, that is .+-.0.75 MHz about the visual carrier frequency. The half amplitude levels extending to .+-.4.2 MHz about the aural carrier are due to the single sideband region (0.75-4.2 MHz) of the visual spectrum. Therefore, when modulating the aural carrier with frequency and amplitude correction signals based on Ta's flat spectral response (of the baseband signal) an incomplete cancellation of the cross-modulation will result. That is, if the .+-.0.75 MHz region is eliminated, then the single sideband regions will be over corrected. The over-correction can result in line rate sidebands being created about the aural carrier which falls back into the visual passband. Because the phase of these sidebands is not controlled, they add and subtract from the wanted visual line rate sidebands causing a change to the visual spectrum. The net result is that black to white transitions and sync pulse edges have a fuzzy appearance.
Another problem noted in the Ta et al. patent is the cost and complexity of a video delay circuit which serves to delay the baseband video signal prior to developing the correction signals. This video delay serves to compensate for the delays introduced in the IF vision modulator and filter where the baseband video signal modulates the visual IF carrier signal. Such delay circuits are expensive and, consequently, it is desirable to design circuitry to minimize or eliminate the use of such circuits.

Precorrecting an aural carrier signal in a common amplifier system


In situ (subsurface) methods and devices are described for releasing gaseous hydrocarbons and steam from solution in water or brine, from captured bubbles in formation pores, and from hydrate deposits. With geopressured brines the volume of the brine is reduced so that its volume is less than the sandstone pore volume which holds the brine; at this point the reservoir creates a gas cap of methane and steam which can be produced. Gas caps are formed in natural domes, artificial domes are developed, down-hole engines and pumps are powered both by in situ forces and by surface-generated forces; all are described.

1. Field of the Invention
Some natural subsurface waters (fresh or salty) at high pressures (geopressured or hydrostatic) contain dissolved methane and other constituents of natural gas in commerically useful concentrations. These natural gas constituents may be dissolved in the waters, held as gas bubbles which have been entrapped in porous sandstone or shale, or occur as solid hydrocarbon hydrates. For simplicity in our following descriptions, the term "brine" defines subsurface water solutions, "methane" defines hydrocarbon-gas mixtures which are being delivered from the brines, and "sandstone" defines porous solid formations which hold the brine. This invention encompasses a method and the devices for releasing methane from the natural gas constituents listed above through the use of methane ebullition brought about by pressure reduction, plus methane sweeping in which bubbles of steam or other gases carry off methane as they move up through the brine. A critical aspect of this invention is that the processes are carried out in situ (subsurface) so that the environmentally troublesome brine is never brought to the surface in order to accomplish the methane recovery. Likewise, steam can be recovered in situ in certain cases for which surface processing of brine would normally be required e.g., with geopressured brines. The pressure is lowered by pumps as brine is withdrawn from the sandstone, processed for methane and steam recovery, and reinjected into sandstone elsewhere; alternatively the pressure beneath a dome (natural, or artificially created as in this patent) in a region of geopressured can be reduced so that the whole originally geopressured brine reservoir can deliver its methane and steam to surface facilities. New subsurface engines and pumps which utilize energy both from natural in situ forces and from surface engines are described. These devices allow energy-efficient recovery of the methane and steam, and offer the possibility of electric power generation subsurface for down-hole devices.
2. Prior Art
A. "Natural Gas Resources of the Geopressured Zones in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Basin," pp. 17-33, by P. H. Jones in "Natural Gas from Unconventional Sources," Board of Mineral Resources, Commission on Natural Resources, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1976. Jones recognizes the variation of methane solubility with water pressure, the importance of deep hydrocarbons as a source of methane, and the possibility of generating artificially filled gas reservoirs at natural domes (p. 29). Jones proposes that suitable conditions for such artificial filling would be created if pressures in the sandstone were dropped some 50% by drawing brine to the surface (p. 6), and suggests a way to search for the artificial gas caps after they had been created (p. 29). However, Jones does not identify means to develop artificial gas caps other than by bringing large amounts of brine to the surface, and he does not propose the creation of artificial domes for gas collection.
B. "Method for Increasing the Recovery of Natural Gas from a Geo-Pressured Aquifer," Cook, Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,040,487 and 4,042,034, Aug. 9 and 16, 1977. These inventors recognize the value of reducing brine pressures in sandstone reservoirs to release methane within the reservoirs, but the method they propose requires bringing large amounts of brine to the surface, and the method recovers 14% or less (their calculations) of the methane present initially in the brine they process. By contrast the process of this invention could produce up to 80% of the methane present.

In situ recovery of gaseous hydrocarbons and steam


In a developing device, process cartridge, and the like, including a developer amount detector for detecting a developer amount by detecting a change in capacitance among a plurality of electrodes, a developer is circulated and supplied in an optimal manner among the electrodes constituting the developer amount detector. The lower end portion on the upper side of an opening is above the lower end portion of a second electrode. With the opening formed in this manner, when toner in a developer frame is fed among the electrodes by a toner feeding member, the toner is urged into the developing frame without being interfered with by the lower end portion on the upper side of the opening. Ideal toner circulation and toner supply can be performed, and a detection error can be decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, a developing device, and a developer frame.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by using the electrophotographic image forming process. An example of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g., a laser beam printer or LED printer), a facsimile device, and a word processor.
A process cartridge is comprised of charging means, developing means or cleaning means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum that are integrally formed into a cartridge, which is detachably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. Alternatively, a process cartridge is comprised of at least one of charging means, developing means, and cleaning means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum that are integrally formed into a cartridge, which is detachably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. Alternatively, a process cartridge is comprised of at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum that are integrally formed into a cartridge, which is detachably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process employs a process-cartridge method in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means that acts on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge is detachably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. According to the process-cartridge method, since the apparatus can be maintained by the user himself or herself without asking for a person in charge of maintenance, the operability can be greatly improved. For this reason, the process-cartridge method is widely used in the field of electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Some electrophotographic image forming apparatuses employing the process-cartridge method have developer amount detecting means for informing the user that the developer is consumed, so that the user can exchange the cartridge by himself, as described above. One developer amount detecting means employs a method of detecting the developer amount by detecting a change in capacitance between electrodes arranged in the process cartridge.
Regarding the arrangement of the electrodes, an arrangement in which an electrode rod is arranged at a predetermined distance from a developer bearing member and the capacitance between the electrode rod and the developer bearing member is detected, an arrangement in which opposing electrode plates are arranged at positions between which the developer can enter and the capacitance between the electrode plates is detected, and an arrangement as a combination of the above two arrangements are available.
Each one of the developer amount detecting means described above detects a change in capacitance caused by the amount of developer which enters between the electrodes. Thus, the detection precision is largely influenced by the circulation of the developer.
The present invention is made by further developing the related art described above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, a developer container, and a developing device, in which a developer can be circulated and supplied in an optimal manner between electrodes constituting developer amount detecting means, which detects the developer amount by detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a developing device, a developer container, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which the developer amount can be detected with a high precision.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide, in a process cartridge detachably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, a developing device, a developer container, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, developing means for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member by using a developer, a developer frame for containing the developer which visualizes the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member and supplying the developer to the developing means through an opening, a first electrode, and a second electrode provided in a direction of the developer frame to oppose the first electrode, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged at such positions that the developer can enter therebetween, and a capacitance between the second and first electrodes, which is generated when a voltage is applied to the second electrode, is detected, thereby detecting the developer amount, and the developer frame is arranged such that a lower end portion thereof on an upper side of the opening is above a lower end of the second electrode.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, a developing device, or a developer container, in which an unstable substance other than a developer is prevented from being present between electrodes, so that a developer amount detection error is minimized.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide, in a process cartridge detachably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, a process cartridge, a developing device, a developer container, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, developing means for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member by using a developer, a developer frame for containing the developer which visualizes the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member and supplying the developer to the developing means through an opening, a seal member attached to the developer frame and adapted to close the opening of the developer frame, thereby sealing the developer, a first electrode, and a second electrode provided in a direction of the developer frame to oppose the first electrode. The first and second electrodes are arranged at such positions that the developer can enter therebetween, and a capacitance between the second and first electrodes, which is generated when a voltage is applied to the second electrode, is detected, thereby detecting the developer amount. The seal member is removed leaving an attached portion thereof which is attached to the developer frame, so that the opening is unsealed and the developer can be supplied to the developing means. The attaching portion of the seal member on an upper side, which is left after unsealing, is above a lower end of the second electrode.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus, process cartridge, and developing device having developer amount detector


The method for reducing organic chlorine compounds in cement production facility is a method by which a quantity of organic chlorine compounds contained in powder is reduced in the cement production facility, and the method is provided with a heating step for heating the powder to separate the organic chlorine compounds from the powder or decompose the organic chlorine compounds and a gas thermal decomposing step for supplying heat-treated gas containing the organic chlorine compounds generated by heating the powder to a high temperature part of the cement production facility, thereby thermally decomposing the organic chlorine compounds contained in the heat-treated gas.

Dioxin (PCDD) is an abbreviated name for poly chloro dibenzo-p-dioxin, which is one type of organic chlorine compound. There is known poly chloro dibenzo-furan (PCDF) which is similar to the dioxin.
In particular, 2,3,7,8-tetra chloro dibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-T4CDD), which belongs to tetra chloro dibenzo-p-dioxins (T4CDDs) as tetrachlorides of dioxins (PCDDs), and has chlorine in the 2-, 3-, 7-, and 8-positions, is the highest in toxicity.
The 2,3,7,8-tetra chloro dibenzo-p-dioxin is generated as a by-product in the production of trichloro phenol, 2,4,5-trichloro phenoxyacetic acid, and also generated as chloridization of dibenzo-p-dioxin. The melting point is 306° C. to 307° C.
There is known, for example, PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), which is another organic chlorine compound harmful to humans. PCB high in chemical stability, insulation properties, incombustibility and adherence, has been used as insulating oil for transformers and capacitors installed in electrical equipment at power plants, railways and buildings. However, since PCB contains coplanar PCBs which are toxic as with dioxin, the substance has been prohibited from production, distribution and new applications on the basis of laws developed in 1974.
Methods for treating PCBs include, for example, an incineration treatment method for heat-treating PCBs at high temperatures, a dechlorination decomposition method for subjecting PCBs to dechlorination, and a supercritical hydroxylation decomposition method for using supercritical water to decompose PCBs into carbon dioxide and water. Of these methods, with the incineration treatment method, there is a concern that dioxins may be synthesized when gases generated in heat-treating PCBs are cooled.
Then, there are known conventional technologies, for example, those described in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2.
Patent Document 1 has disclosed a method in which gas exhausted from cement production facility is supplied to a dust collector for collecting dust including organic chlorine compounds, and at least some of the thus collected dust is fed into a high temperature part of cement production facility, which is kept at temperatures exceeding 800° C. Since dioxins undergo thermal decomposition at about 800° C., this method can be used to effectively decompose dioxins. Gas exhausted from cement production facility includes, for example, exhaust gas from a raw material dryer (a raw material processing area) for drying cement raw materials, and exhaust gas from a raw material mill (a raw material processing area) for crushing cement raw materials.
Further, evaporated organic chlorine compounds are contained to some extent also in dust-removed gas which is exhausted from a dust collector and released into the atmosphere from a gas duct. Patent Document 1 has disclosed a method for reducing dioxin concentrations in dust-removed gas as a preventive measure thereof. In other words, exhaust gas is drawn out from a place at which the temperature is kept from 30° C. to 400° C., (a low temperature part) in cement production facility, and the thus drawn out exhaust gas is supplied to the dust collector. Exhaust gas guided from the low temperature part is higher in concentration of organic chlorine compounds (low-temperature concentration) as compared with exhaust gas from a high temperature part of cement production facility. Therefore, this method is used to collect and remove dust in which organic chlorine compounds are concentrated, thus making it possible to reduce the concentration of dioxins in the dust-removed gas.
Patent Document 2 has disclosed a method for decomposing PCBs, while generation of dioxins is prevented. In other words, PCB-containing materials delivered to a cement plant from outside are fed into a rotary kiln at which the PCB-containing materials are heated by using heat (1000° C. or higher) generated on calcination of cement clinker, thereby effecting thermal decomposition of PCBs. Then, after exhaust gas generated during thermal decomposition is guided from the outside of the rotary kiln, the gas is cooled rapidly at a speed of 20° C./sec or higher. The exhaust gas is rapidly cooled at 20° C./sec or higher, by which the gas passes in a short time through a temperature range at which dioxins are synthesized in an increased quantity. Therefore, this method is used to decompose PCBs, while generation of dioxins is prevented.
PATENT DOCUMENT 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-244308
PATENT DOCUMENT 2: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-147722

Method for reducing organic chlorine compounds in cement production facility, and cement production facility


The invention concerns a conveyor belt (1) operating as a deep semicircular trough provided with a covering belt (2), characterised in that the covering belt (2) is planar in inoperative state, except for its continuous sealing loops (8) and has a width (a) linked to the length (L) of the trough-shaped conveyor belt (1), at the angle (xcex4) formed by the flexible covering belt (2), relative to the horizontal and to the length (b) of the continuous scaling loop (8), by the relationship a=L.cos xcex4+2b, and a sealing device (5) is formed by said longitudinal loop (8), being urged to enclose, by automatic engagement, each of the longitudinal ends (6) of said conveyor belt (1), and the disengagement, in the proximity of the unloading zone (Zd) is obtained by simple release, under the effect of the opening of the trough angle (xcex1) and the separation force between said belts (1, 2) without the intervention of any mechanical means.

The invention relates to the continuous handling of bulk materials using conveyors fitted with endless flexible belt conveyors. More particularly the invention concerns endless flexible belt conveyors that operate using deep semicircular troughs, said belt conveyors being leaktight to external elements such as rain, wind and pollution to ensure the protection of the transported materials and being capable of enclosing said transported materials, such as salt, powdery products, cement or cereals, to ensure the protection of the sites over which the materials are transported.
At present tubular flexible belt conveyor devices, usually called pipe conveyors or hose conveyors, or mobile sheaths capable of containing and conveying materials are known from among the handling assemblies available intended to provide double leaktightness towards the inside of the endless flexible belt conveyor, on the one hand, and towards the outside, on the other. These type of devices are described in documents WO9511848-A (DUNLOP ENERKA BV and FOERDERANLANGEN MASCHINENBAU GmbH), FR2615836-A (MAREAU), DE2263710(FRENKING and ROSSIG) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,213 (AB SCANIANINVENTOR).
These devices present several major drawbacks. Besides the reduction in the sectional capacity of the belt conveyors, and therefore the output they induce, there are difficulties in terms of the means of ensuring effective leaktightness. These difficulties result in runoff water entering the flexible belt conveyors and damaging the transported products with the consequences that this implies when the products are materials that can be affected by water or even humidity, such as cement, cereals, sugar or salt. One of the main problems is a mechanical one relating to the means intended to maintain the endless flexible belt conveyor in a tubular shape, for example in document FR2604983 -A (JAPAN PIPE CONVEYOR), and the means for closing the endless flexible belt conveyor in on itself or closing the flexible cover on the endless flexible belt conveyor near the loading zone and the means for opening said endless flexible belt conveyor near the unloading zone, as disclosed in document EP04223101 (KABUSHIKIKAISHA ISEKIKAIHATSU).
In order to overcome these drawbacks document FR2715538-A (SURRATEAU) proposes sliding said endless flexible bell conveyor on the inner wall of a belt support, that is also tubular, which does not facilitate loading and unloading operations. Another solution is proposed in document FR2615836-A (MAREAU) in which an installation is described that requires not only a guide cable and the endless flexible belt conveyor to be shaped but also grooves and projecting parts that mesh together to close the endless flexible belt conveyor above the cable.
Similarly, document FR270172-A (POIVRE) proposes teeth on the longitudinal edges of the endless flexible belt conveyor to enable them to mesh together, even though the installation described does not require a cable but rollers to shape the endless flexible belt conveyor into a tube.
In order to overcome these drawbacks, particularly to reduce the high maintenance costs resulting from the need to use more or less complex mechanical devices for shaping the pipes or opening and closing the endless flexible belt conveyor, document DE4138780-A (PHOENIX AG) proposes a flexible belt conveyor that uses roller-free device consisting of one or more guide parts, such as belts, plates or rails constituted by anti-friction, polytetrafluorethylene or polyethylene material. Even though the principle is relatively simple this device does not prevent a reduction in the sectional capacity of the flexible belt, and therefore a reduction of the output of the installation, because its pipe-shaped operation does not allow for use of an endless flexible belt conveyor with a deep semicircular trough shape.
Another attempted solution is described in document JP10120136-A (BANDO CHEMICAL INDUSTRY Ltd.) that proposes a covered belt intended to avoid the use of complex mechanical devices to assemble and separate the belt conveyor from its cover belt. In order for this to be achieved it requires a special shape, called a distorted shape, of the cover belt the edges of which are covered with an intermediary belt that is harder than the belt itself. The device also needs air to circulate between the belt conveyor and the cover belt which also requires careful installation of fragile components. In document FR20373472-A the RAYNERI company proposes a device that is also connected to a source of compressed air in order to avoid the materials that are transported in a tube shape from adhering to the surfaces of the belt.
In document U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,746 (GOODYEAR TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY) a device is described that is doubtless leaktight but that is incapable of operating in the shape of a deep semicircular trough. The same is true for the double-belt devices described in documents DE1140506 (CONTINENTAL GUMMI-WEAKE AG) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,806 (SWING).
Besides these drawbacks the above systems are also completely ineffective when the conveyor reaches the maximum degree of slope for the transported material. For this reason, document FR2469365-A (HASHIMOTO) proposes the use of an endless flexible belt conveyor the inner section of which comprises separator parts to prevent the products from sliding when the slope increases. Even though this arrangement may prove useful it has the drawback of requiring the use of special cleated belts that reduce the flexibility, increase the mass and consequently reduce the output of the handling machine.
To date there does not exist therefore a device that meets the double leaktightness criteria, the mechanical requirements of using simple means to facilitate guiding, opening and closing and those of the maximum sectional capacity of the endless flexible belt conveyor operating in the shape of deep semicircular troughs to ensure maximum output.
The technical problem therefore consists in producing a simple, inexpensive continuous handling device comprising an endless flexible belt conveyor that ensures double leaklightness, i.e. that protects the transported material from damage from outside influences, on the one hand, and the environment from pollution caused by the transported materials themselves, on the other. The device should not reduce the sectional capacity, and therefore the output, and should remain usable even when the conveyor reaches its maximum degree of slope for the transported material, i.e. when the endless flexible belt conveyor is required to operate in the shape of a deep semicircular trough without requiring complex, fragile mechanical devices to be installed in order to maintain the shape, opening and closing of said endless flexible belt conveyor.
In order to achieve this the invention consists of an endless flexible belt conveyor that operates in the shape of a deep semicircular trough, provided with a cover belt, which is also flexible, consisting of a light textile support at least one side of which is coated with an elastomer or plastic polymer that, during operation, is held in contact with the carrying side of said endless flexible belt conveyor by pressure rollers, the two said belts moving at the same speed and enclosing the transported material.
The invention is characterized in that, except for the longitudinal edges, said flexible cover belt is flat in the rest position and that its width is related to that of the endless flexible belt conveyor when said conveyor has the shape of a deep semicircular trough, at the angle relative to the horizontal created by said flexible cover belt during operation, and to the length of the continuous leaktight loop that is integrated into each of the longitudinal edges of said flexible cover belt; and in that a leaktight device between said belts is constituted on each of the longitudinal edges of said continuous leaktight loop, the width of the recess of which matches the thickness of the endless flexible bell conveyor that grips each longitudinal edge of said endless flexible belt conveyor by automatically locking near the loading zone; and in that said leaktight device is disconnected near the unloading zone by becoming simply unhooked under the load exerted by the separation between said belts and the trough angle opening without any mechanical operation being required to create said disconnection.
In a preferred embodiment the leaktight device between the flexible cover belt and the endless flexible belt conveyor is characterized in that each continuous leaktight loop is constituted by each longitudinal edge of said flexible cover belt that folds back on itself to enclose the longitudinal edges of said endless flexible belt conveyor.
In another embodiment the leaktight device between the flexible cover belt and the endless flexible belt conveyor is characterized in that each continuous leaktight loop consists of a continuous ridge that is added to each longitudinal edge of said flexible cover belt either by cold or hot bonding or mechanical assembly, said ridge gripping the longitudinal edges of said endless flexible belt conveyor.
In this embodiment each ridge constituting the section of the leaktight device borne by the flexible cover belt either consists of the same polymer material as that which constitutes the coating of said flexible cover belt or of a different polymer material, said polymer material either being an elastomer or plastic.

Endless flexible belt conveyor with a leaktight flexible cover belt


A poinsettia plant named "Marble Sails" particularly characterized by its marbled carmine/cream bracts against a background of dark green foliage, its strong, fixed stems, its long lasting keeping qualities in the home, its excellent resistance to fade, vigorous growth habits and its branch and bract production.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia pulcherrima known by the varietal name "Marble Sails".
The new cultivar was discovered among a large population of the cultivar Red Sails (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,980) in 1987 at Delhi, Ontario. The new cultivar is believed to be a sport of the cultivar Red Sails. The new cultivar was first asexually reproduced by cuttings by Fernlea Flowers, Ltd. of Delhi, Ontario in early 1988 and has been field tested and repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings by Fernlea Flowers, Ltd. of Delhi, Ontario. Continued observations from the vegetative cuttings have confirmed that the distinguishing features of this new cultivar come true, remain stable and are retained through successive propagations.
The following traits are determined to be basic characteristics of this new cultivar which in combination distinguish this poinsettia as new and distinct:
1. Eight week response time.
2. Dark green foliage.
3. Thick strong stems.
4. Large bracts.
5. Bracts have a marbled appearance with large areas of Carmine down primary vein against a cream background.
6. Same dark green foliage and flowering response as Red Sails.
7. Cyathia is larger than Red Sails.
8. Stems are thicker than Red Sails.
9. Bracts up to 4.5 inches wide and 8 inches long.
10. Outstanding disease resistance.


A sootblower nozzle head of lance tube has nozzle members, each comprising a plurality of full expansion nozzles positioned closely adjacent and parallel to each other so that the jets from the individual nozzles commingle as they exit the nozzle member to form a common jet, thereby providing the cleaning efficiency of a full expansion nozzle in the limited space available in the head of the sootblower.

The accumulation of fireside deposits on the internal heating surfaces of boilers drastically reduces their thermal efficiency and, if not removed, requires periodic shutdowns of the boiler for manual cleaning. The principal means for removing fireside deposit accumulation in boilers is a cleaning device known as a sootblower which directs jets of fluid cleaning agents, such as steam, air and/or water, against the internal surfaces of the boiler. The cleaning effectiveness of a sootblower depends to a great degree on the nozzle design which controls the mass flow, exit speed and the jet decay characteristics of the exiting jets.
The sootblower nozzle design most commonly used today is based on the de Laval design comprising convergent and divergent flow sections which form a venturi. The pressure of the cleaning agent decreases as it passes through the convergent segment of the nozzle, attaining the speed of sound at the throat of the nozzle. The pressure of the fluid cleaning agent then decreases further through the divergent section, expanding and accelerating from the nozzle throat to the nozzle exit and thereby typically exceeding the speed of sound as the cleaning agent exits. The pressure drop over the divergent section is controlled by the designed geometry of that section.
The cleaning potential of the jet emitted from a nozzle is commonly measured in terms of the jet's Peak Impact Pressure (PIP). The maximum PIP is delivered by nozzles where the pressure of the exiting jet equals the ambient pressure resulting in a "fully expanded" jet. Nozzles which do not allow the pressure of the exiting jet to reach the ambient pressure result in "under expanded" jets. In the case of under expanded jets, the pressure of the exiting jet is higher than the ambient pressure so the exiting jet must finish expanding outside the nozzle causing a series of expansion and contraction waves called "shock waves." These "shock waves" convert a substantial part of the kinetic energy of the jet stream into internal energy, thereby markedly reducing the PIP.
A "full expansion" nozzle is achieved by designing the nozzle with a specific ratio between the area of the nozzle's exit to the area of the nozzles's throat. The ratio is determined by the particular nozzle inlet pressure. In practice, this means the length of the divergent segment of the nozzle, L.sub.n, needs to be long enough to allow the full expansion and corresponding drop in pressure of the fluid cleaning agent down to the ambient pressure at the nozzle's exit. However, for most practical sootblower applications, the available space for a nozzle limits the use of conventional full expansion nozzles because their nozzle length is too great as shown in Table 1.
TABLE I ______________________________________ Conventional Full Nominal Throat Nozzle Expansion Size Area Flow Rate Length Nozzle Length (in.) (in..sup.2) (lbs/sec.) (in.) (in.) ______________________________________ 7/8 0.601 2.24 1.63 3.45 1 0.785 2.93 1.63 3.86 1 1/8 0.994 3.71 1.63 4.95 ______________________________________ *For 300 psi inlet pressure and 600.degree. F. superheated steam.
Consequently, only the shorter under expanded nozzles are used. These circumstances are most apparent with so called long retractable sootblowers, such as the one disclosed in European Patent No. 159,128. The sootblower of the '128 patent uses a lance tube typically having a plurality of nozzles at its working end which are generally positioned opposite to each other, with aligned center axes or slightly staggered center axes in order to offset the jet reaction forces, as seen in FIG. 2 of the '128 patent.
In a conventional sootblower, nearly the whole nozzle member is disposed internally in the nozzle head so that it may be inserted into the boiler furnace through a tight wall box which opens into the boiler wall. Typically the nozzle head outer diameter in conventional sootblowers is 3.5 inches, and the inside diameter is 3.0 inches. Therefore, the length of the sidewise pointed nozzle body cannot exceed approximately 1.63 inches. To obtain the required mass fluid flow for adequate cleaning, a conventional full expansion nozzle requires a length between 3 and 5 inches based on a common inlet pressure of 300 psi and superheated steam of 600.degree. F. Consequently, a conventional sootblower nozzle head is not able to house nozzles capable of generating fully expanded jets.


A method and apparatus for cleaning photoreceptor substrates where at least one substrate is rotated in a bath of moving dry ice particles. The dry ice particles contact the outer surface of the substrate, melt locally upon contact and refreeze to capture particulate contaminants on the outer surface of the dry ice particles. An inert gas counter current to the flow of moving dry ice particles is supplied to enhance cleaning efficiency and assist in removing carbon dioxide, contaminants and small dry ice particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning photoreceptor substrates. More particularly, the invention relates to an efficient cleaning method and apparatus that reduces the cost of the cleaning process, eliminates use of solvents or CFC's, is useful in cleaning photoreceptor substrates (metallic or plastic rigid cylinders, metallic or plastic flexible seamless belts, and the like) and, for that matter, any smooth surface object subject to strict cleanliness standards during manufacture, thereby reducing the unit manufacturing cost by virtue of this simplified cleaning process.
2. Description of Related Art
A photoreceptor is a cylinder or belt-like device used in a xerographic apparatus. The photoreceptor substrate is coated with one or more layers of a photoconductive material, i.e., a material whose electrical conductivity changes upon illumination. In xerographic use, an electrical potential is applied across the photoconductive layer and then exposed to light from an image. The electrical potential of the photoconductive layer decays at the portions irradiated by the light from the image, leaving a distribution of electrostatic charge corresponding to the dark areas of the projecting image. The electrostatic latent image is made visible by development with a suitable powder. Better control of the coating quality yields better imaging performance.
The coating of a substrate is generally accomplished through an automated four step process, whereby the substrate to be coated is first loaded on a support arm structure (Step 1) which then moves the substrate to successive processing stations. The substrate is first moved to the cleaning station (Step 2) which includes a cleaning chamber for receiving the support arm bearing the substrate and having decontaminating means for removing contaminants from the substrate; and then on to a coating station (Step 3) which includes a coating chamber for receiving the support arm bearing the substrate and having an applicator for applying a coating formulation onto the substrate. Finally, the substrate is moved to a curing station (Step 4) which includes a curing chamber for receiving the support arm bearing the coated substrate and has curing means for curing the coating on the substrate. An apparatus and method for processing as described above, is detailed generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,032,052 (Swain), 5,038,707 (Swain et al.) and 4,747,992 (Sypula et al.) which are referenced here for purposes of describing a substrate coating and manufacturing process. In addition, as well known in the art, other suitable methods for coating photoconductive layers can be utilized, such as dip coating, vacuum deposition and the like.
Primary cleaning, an initial step in the photoreceptor coating process described above, is the key to obtaining the aforementioned high yield with reduced manufacturing costs. Processes currently in use employ some combination of mechanical brush, liquid detergents, freon or ozone sprays with simultaneous exposure to ultraviolet light, ultrasonic and/or vapor cleaning. In whatever combination, it is a costly and complex operation which inevitably will require altering since freon/CFC's will eventually be banned. The method and apparatus proposed herein will replace part or all of the existing photoreceptor cleaning methods and perhaps most importantly, will be available for future cleaning applications (i.e., seamless flexible belt substrates, plastic rigid substrates and any other smooth surface critical parts, such as semiconductor substrates) which require extreme cleanliness during manufacture.

Primary cleaning of photoreceptor substrates by immersion in dry ice particles