Provided is a semiconductor device including a substrate with an active pattern, a gate electrode crossing the active pattern, a source/drain region in an upper portion of the active pattern at a side of the gate electrode, the source/drain region including a recess region at an upper region thereof, a contact electrically connected to the source/drain region, the contact including a lower portion provided in the recess region, and a metal silicide layer provided at a lower region of the recess region and between the source/drain region and the contact.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, and in particular, to a semiconductor device with field effect transistors and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to their small-sized, multifunctional, and/or low-cost characteristics, semiconductor devices are being esteemed as important elements in the electronic industry. The semiconductor devices may be classified into a memory device for storing data, a logic device for processing data, and a hybrid device including both of memory and logic elements. To meet the increased demand for electronic devices with fast speed and/or low power consumption, it is necessary to realize semiconductor devices with high reliability, high performance, and/or multiple functions. To satisfy these technical requirements, complexity and/or integration density of semiconductor devices are being increased.

Semiconductor device with field effect transistors and method of fabricating the same


Provided is a video providing method and a video playing method for a three-dimensional (3D) video, and an apparatus for performing the methods. The video providing method may transmit a reconstruction mode for reconstructing a low-resolution additional video having lower resolution than a high-resolution reference video.

An advanced television systems committee (ATSC)-mobile/handheld (M/H) broadcast service shares a radio frequency (RF) channel with an ATSC (hereinafter referred to as transport stream main (TS-M)) broadcast service described in ATSC A/53 standard. The M/H broadcast service uses a portion of a bandwidth of about 19.39 megabits per second (Mbps), and is provided to a mobile terminal using a transfer technology over an Internet protocol (IP) transport. An M/H frame having a bandwidth of about 19.39 Mbps is partitioned into TS-M packets and M/H packets using time-division multiplexing that are transmitted to provide different types of broadcast services independently and concurrently.
The TS-M packet is used to provide a TS-M broadcast service via a fixed broadcast network, and the M/H packet is used to provide an audio/video (A/V) service via a mobile broadcast network.
When a left video and a right video of a stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) video are encoded in accordance with an ATSC fixed broadcast service standard and an M/H broadcast service standard, respectively, and are transmitted through an ATSC-M/H broadcast system, a fixed broadcast service and a mobile broadcast service may be provided. Also, a stereoscopic 3DTV broadcast service may be provided through a terminal that receives a left video and a right video in stereo.
However, since the fixed broadcast service and the mobile broadcast service have different service standards and different channel capacities, a left video and a right video reconstructed in a user terminal have differences in resolution and a level of quantizing noise. Transitively, a 3D video created from a left video and a right video may have quality degradation.
Such an issue stems from a stereoscopic 3DTV broadcast service having an asymmetric video quality between a left video and a right video, for example, a fixed/mobile convergence 3DTV broadcast service through an ATSC-M/H broadcast system, a 3DTV broadcast service through digital video broadcasting-second generation terrestrial (DVB-T2) for high-resolution fixed broadcasting and T-2 mobile/next generation handheld (NGH) for low-resolution mobile broadcasting, a 3DTV broadcast service through integrated services digital broadcasting-terrestrial (ISDB-T) for high-resolution fixed broadcasting and OneSeg for low-resolution mobile broadcasting, a 3DTV broadcast service for a high definition (HD) video, or a reference video, and a standard definition (SD) video, or an additional video, through a simulcast system via a fixed broadcast network, and the like.

Apparatus and method for providing image, and apparatus and method for playing image

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

Kookmin University Industry Academy Cooperation Foundation


This invention pertains to combination seed capsules wherein each seed capsule includes both moieties of at least one soil conditioner and at least one seed, and optionally, one or more inorganic chemical fertilizer, growth enhancer, binder, and/or anti-fungal agent. The combination seed capsules are made by physically combining the respective soil conditioner and seed with one other, in the absence of any requirement for chemical reactions in the process of so combining the respective materials. The combination seed capsules provide cooperative and beneficial effects of the soil conditioner and the optional inorganic fertilizer, working together in controlled intimate relation with the seed, to enhance the germination and growth processes of the seed, and the plant emergent therefrom, greater than when the soil conditioner and seed, and optionally inorganic chemical fertilizer, are applied to the soil separately; the improvement being a result of the intimate relationship of the respective materials in the combination seed capsule, whereby the respective materials cooperate with each other in support of germination and plant growth.

Agricultural growers, gardeners, landscape operators, flower growers, and the like produce a wide variety of cultivated crops. Many such crops are grown from seed. The sizes, shapes, and physical characteristics of the various kinds of seeds are as varied as the number of crops produced therefrom.
Producers of such cultivated crops encounter a variety of challenges in handling and distributing such seed, as well as with sowing of such seed in suitable growing media. Certain seed may desirably be sowed by a broadcast method if the seed were compatible with broadcast application. For example, grass seed for lawns is desirably broadcast, but the low density and generally non-aerodynamic shape of some grass seed can limit the range of such broadcast, and make such seed susceptible to being blown about by wind, or washed away by surface water, even if initially well placed in a good seeding application.
Another difficulty encountered in sowing seed is that the seed may be so small as to be difficult to handle, thereby to place properly-spaced seeds at a desired spacing as to make cost-effective use of the seed, thereby to produce a crop of the related plants without using any more seed than necessary, thus to gain maximum benefit from the amount of seed used.
While small seed may be efficiently handled by industrial equipment especially designed for handling such seed, typically the user of such seed also handles various other types of seed; and may be unable to justify the cost of such specialty seed-handling equipment. Rather, the seed user typically has a limited range of seed handling equipment which must be capable of being used and/or adapted to handle and apply all the types of seeds being used by that user. Where the seed itself can be adapted to the equipment, specialty seed can be handled without need for any specialized equipment.
Even where the seed may be sown by hand, such as in seedling or bedding trays or pots, some seeds are so small as to be difficult for the sower/user to effectively manipulate and control by hand. Typical of such difficult-to-handle seeds are seeds of lettuce, carrots, the cabbage family, ground cherries, and alfalfa. Many flower seeds are equally small and/or difficult to handle and/or manipulate, for example poppy seed.
When seed is planted, the seed has immediate use for moisture to aid in germination of the seed, and subsequent early development of the resulting young plant. Where moisture is not readily available to the seed when planted, the seed may lie in a dormant state for some period of time before germinating. While the seed is thus dormant, awaiting suitable moisture, the seed is subject to a variety of hazards which may destroy its viability. The seed may be attacked by worms, parasites, and other pests. The seed may be eaten by foraging animals including insects and larvae. The seed may be overheated by a hot sun. The seed may lie dormant without germinating for so long that any plant emerging therefrom will have insufficient time to mature before the end of the growing season.
If and when the seed does germinate, the seedling plant has a continuing need for a proper balance of moisture and oxygen, as well as for such plant nutrients as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash, as well as the micronutrients, in relatively predictable quantities. To the extent the proper balance of such materials is available to the young plant, a healthy young plant may be produced, with optimum potential for maximum crop production, assuming germination occurs at a seasonably-desirable time.
To the extent one or more such materials is not available to the seed and/or the young plant, plant growth, plant health, and ultimately maturity, may be adversely affected. For example, the soil may be too dry to support germination, or optimum germination. Or while the soil may in general have a desired moisture content, moisture content at a macro level can vary widely. Thus, while the soil in general may have a desirable moisture content, the microcosm of the soil adjacent an individual seed may be too dry, or too wet, to support any germination, or optimum germination.
Similarly, the soil may be generally depleted of one or more plant nutrients needed by the germinated seedling. Or while the soil may in general have desired nutrient levels, the nutrient levels at a macro level can vary widely. Thus, the microcosm of the soil adjacent an individual seed may be too low in one or more nutrients to support a desired level of plant growth, or so high as to be toxic to a desired level of plant growth.
Further, plant nutrient chemicals may be present in the soil, but so tied up chemically in the soil as to be unavailable, or poorly available, relative to the quantities and use rates needed for desired plant growth. Or the soil may become so hard, dry, and/or caked shortly after the seed germinates that the seedling plant has difficulty penetrating such soil, difficulty becoming associated suitable nutrients, and/or difficulty taking up such nutrients because of insufficient moisture availability.
After the plant has further developed such that the plant roots extend deeper into the soil, conditions of the soil near the surface are less critical. However, until such time as the roots so penetrate, conditions of the soil at and near the top surface of the soil may be critical.
Soil fertility generally relates to uptake of plant nutrients from the soil by plants. Uptake is generally the result of two factors, the presence of plant nutrients in the soil, and the availability of the plant nutrients for plant uptake. Presence of plant nutrients in the soil is generally a function of the combination of (a) the basic level of soil fertility, (b) depletion by previous crop production and (c) replenishment with fertilizer. Availability of a plant nutrient physically present in the soil for plant uptake is in general related to solubility of the respective nutrient or nutrient combination in a solvent for the nutrient, which solvent is present in the soil, such solvent as water, along with any other material affecting solvation of the plant nutrient into the water or other solvent.
Plant nutrients are routinely depleted from the soil by crop production, and are routinely added back, or otherwise replenished, to the soil by conventional inorganic fertilizers.
In order for plant nutrients in the soil to be available for uptake by plants, the nutrients must be held in the soil without excessive leaching, but must not be held so tightly that the nutrients cannot be released for plant uptake. Thus, nutrient availability requires a balance between holding tightly enough to retain the nutrient in the root zone, without leaching, but not so tight as to make the nutrient unavailable for plant uptake. Thus, the general "condition" or "tilth" of the soil is instrumental in determining the efficiency with which plant nutrients are utilized for plant nutrition.
A properly conditioned soil has advantageous soil chemistry in combination with advantageous soil texture. Thus, in addition to providing specific plant nutrients, soil users also use products that modify basic soil chemistry, and soil texture.
Basic soil chemistry is modified by adding to the soil, for example, calcium products to provide pH control, and flyash or like products to provide pH control as well as micronutrients.
Soil texture is generally modified by adding to the soil organic matter such as manures, sludges, wood and other plant products and by-products, and the like. While such materials have good soil conditioning properties, plant nutrient value of such materials is fixed and is generally so low that other "fertilizer"-type products must in general be used in addition to the organic matter in order to preserve plant nutrient values in the soil.
The primary object of this invention is to provide solid plant seed capsule products that supply both soil conditioning properties and the seed, which can benefit from such conditioned soil, in a given seed capsule particle.
It is a further object to provide a plant nutrient material, in the seed capsule particle, in amount beneficial to the seedling emerging from the seed, and higher than a naturally-occurring amount of such nutrient in such soil conditioning material, so as to have enhanced chemical nutrient qualities over use of the soil conditioning material alone.
In another aspect, a further object is to provide soil conditioning and optionally nutrient qualities to seed products that reach the soil as the result of fulfilling objectives separate from providing soil fertility or soil conditioning.
Still another object is to provide seed capsules containing fertility-enhancing elements having a high level of plant food nutrients in combination with a high level of soil conditioning properties.
Still another object is to encapsulate a seed in a soil conditioning material using materials rich in plant nutrients as part of the encapsulating agent.
Yet another object is to provide a seed product which reduces the tendency for light weight seeds to be washed away by surface water runoff.
Still another object is to provide a seed product which obviates the typical practice of adding straw as a mulch over e.g. grass seed, to protect the seed from being washed away by surface water, from heat of the sun, and to hold moisture in the soil.
A further object is to provide products wherein a single seed capsule product particle provides enhanced soil texture and enhanced soil nutrient value at nutrient levels traditionally needed by newly-germinated seedlings, optionally with higher levels of plant nutrient suitably spaced from the seed itself so as to not be toxic to seedling growth, optionally in combination with time-release technology.
Yet another object is to provide fertility-enhancing seed capsule products having a suitable level of plant food nutrients in combination with a high level of organic matter as soil conditioning material.


The block copolymer of polyesters and polycarbonates comprises at least one of each of the constituting units of (I) and (II) having the general formulae: ##STR1## where the sign * indicates an asymmetric carbon atom; R.sub.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are either a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; m and n are respective a natural numbers ranging from 300 to 5000: The block copolymer is obtained by successive ring-opening and copolymerization of optically active .beta.-butyrolactones and cyclic carbonates in the presence of a catalyst.. The block polymer obtained has high molecular weight and high melting temperature, and can thus be used as a high strength material for practical use and which has bio-degradable and hydrolyzable nature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a block copolymer of polyesters and polycarbonates and a process for their preparation. More particularly, the present invention relates to biodegradable and hydrolyzable thermoplastic resin. The copolymer of the invention is decomposable by micro-organisms living in the soil or in the water, so that it can be used as non-polluting and clean plastic material. This quality gives the polymer a broad scope of uses, functionally as varied as a material for a fishing line, a fishing net, a sheet for agricultural use, a packing film, a surface film for paper packing, a material for lamination layers, a plasticizer, a compatibilizer etc.
Also, the polymer according to the invention is biocompatible, so that it can be hydrolyzed and absorbed by a living body. It may therefore be used in medical materials e.g. for surgical sutures or clips without requiring the extraction of stitches.
2. Prior Art
In recent years, the environmental pollution caused by the disposal of non-degradable or difficultly degradable films or fishing lines has become an important issue. To solve this problem, attempts have been made to find a plastic material that is easily degradable by the micro-organisms living in nature. Also, there is currently research into a bio-compatible plastic material that can be degraded and absorbed by living bodies. In this case, the material preferably has to maintain its strength only during the regeneration of tissue and to disappear rapidly thereafter.
Aliphatic polyesters are known to be biodegradable and bio-compatible. Among them, poly (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (hereinafter referred to as P[(R)-3HB]) accumulated in microbial cells is drawing particular attention because it is a thermoplastic resin having a high melting temperature, e.g. around 180.degree. C. (cf. "Biodegradable Macromolecular Materials", edited by Yoshiharu DOI, p21, 1990, published by Kogyo Chosa Kai). There exist many known microorganisms that accumulate various kinds of poly (R)-3-hydroxyalkanoic acid in their cells (page 26 of the aforementioned document).
A copolymer of (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid and (R)-3-hydroxyvaleric acid that shows improved properties over the polymer P[(R)-3HB] was reported by P. A. HOLMES (Phys. Technol., 1985 (16), p32). Also, a copolymer of (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid and 4-hydroxybutyric acid was reported by Y. DOI et al. (Polym. Commun., 1988 (29), 174). These copolymers are formed as random copolymers (Macromolecules 1986 (19), 2860; Macromolecules, 1988 (21), 2722).
Recently, various random copolymers of polyesters of bio-degradable high molecules containing (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid units were chemically synthesized in the presence of a distannoxane catalyst: the copolymerisation was effected by ring-opening of (R)-.beta.-butyrolactone (hereinafter referred to as (R)-BL) and of various other lactones (Macromolecules, 1993 (26), 4388).
Meanwhile, random copolymers of glycolides and lactides have already been used for bio-absorbable surgical sutures ("Bio-compatible materials--their functions and applications", 1993, p127, edited by Yoshito IKADA, published by Nippon Kikaku Kyokai).
The random copolymers of polyesters synthesized as described above decrease their crystallinity and reduce their fragility. On the other hand, the random copolymerisation usually lowers the melting temperature. Therefore, to obtain a biodegradable aliphatic polyester having a melting temperature at least as high as 100.degree. C., the polymer has to contain a large proportion of optically active units of 3-hydroxybutyric acid or of L-lactic acid, or glycolic acid units. This in turn poses a serious industrial problem due to increased production costs. Further, it is a rather difficult task to obtain a soft film or rubber from the random copolymers while simultaneously maintaining a high melting temperature and strength.
To solve the problem, block copolymers of polyesters or block copolymers of polyesters and polycarbonates may preferably be synthesized. According to M. S. Reeve et al. (Macromolecules, 1993 (26), 888), a microbially produced polymer P[(R)-3HB] was submitted to a methanolysis to obtain oligomers. Terminal hydroxyl groups of the obtained oligomers were then reacted with triethylaluminium, thereby forming polymerisation starters. Subsequently, the starters were reacted with .epsilon.-caprolactone (referred to as CL), L-lactide (L-LA) or D,L-lactide (DL-LA) to obtain a block copolymer of polyesters P[(R)-3HB] and poly .epsilon.-caprolactone, referred to as P[(R)-3HB]-PCL, a block copolymer of polyesters P[(R)-3HB] and poly L-lactide, referred to as P[(R)-3HB]-P(L-LA) and a block copolymer of polyesters P[(R)-3HB] and poly D,L-lactide, referred to as P[(R)-3HB]-P(DL-LA). However, in this method, the microbially produced polymer P[(R)-3HB] is used as a starting material, thereby incurring a higher production cost.
On the other hand, block copolymers of polyesters and polycarbonates were reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,775 and international application WO 89/05664. These are block copolymers of lactones and carbonates obtained by using alcohols as starters in the presence of tin-type catalyst.
Further block copolymers of lactones and carbonates were also obtained by using polyethyleneglycols as starters in the presence of tin-type catalyst and reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,602. Yet further block copolymers of lactones and carbonates were obtained by using butyl lithium as catalyst and reported in DE 3 607 627 A1. Further, other lactone-carbonate type block copolymers were disclosed in EP 0 427 185 A2.
To copolymerize tactones and cyclic carbonates in block, it is necessary to rely upon a living polymerization: first lactones are ring-opened and polymerized in the presence of a catalyst; then the terminals of the polymer formed are bound to the catalyst and kept in an active state. Subsequently, when cyclic carbonates are added, these are inserted successively between the polymer terminals and the catalyst, thereby extending the block copolymer chain of polyesters and polycarbonates.
However, in the system of catalysts reported in the aforementioned documents, high molecular block copolymers of polyesters and polycarbonates could not be obtained between lactones, especially (R)-BL or (S)-BL, and cyclic carbonates.

Block copolymer of polyesters and polycarbonates and process for preparation thereof

Takasago Koryo Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Takasago International Corporation)


Provided is an organic electro-luminescence display device. Because TFTs and organic light-emitting diode devices are formed on two different substrates, respectively, and the two substrates are attached to each other, so that productivity improves and manufacturing costs can be reduced. Also, because a pad portion exposed to the outside is formed using a conductive layer having corrosion resistance, corrosion of the pad portion is prevented, and thus an organic electro-luminescence display device having improved reliability can be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic electro-luminescence display device, and more particularly, to a dual panel-type organic electro-luminescence display device capable of achieving reliability and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic electro-luminescence display device uses a phenomenon that carriers such as electrons and holes create electron-hole pairs or carriers are excited to a higher energy state and then fall down to a ground state, which is a stable state, inside a semiconductor to generate light.
Since the organic electro-luminescence display device is a self-luminous type display device and thus does not require a backlight unit as in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, it can be manufactured in lightweight and a slim profile. Also, the organic electro-luminescence display device has advantages of low voltage driving, a high light-emitting efficiency, a wide viewing angle, and a fast response time, and is advantageous in realizing a high quality moving image.
Particularly, unlike an LCD device or a plasma display panel (PDP), deposition and encapsulation equipment occupy most of the manufacturing process of the organic electro-luminescence display device, thus the manufacturing process is very simple.
Also, in the case where the organic electro-luminescence display device is driven using an active matrix in which each pixel has a thin film transistors (TFT), which is a switching device, same brightness is achieved even when a low current is applied, so that low power consumption, high definition, and a large size can be realized.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an organic electro-luminescence display device according to a related art. Referring to FIG. 1, a TFT Tr is formed on the substrate 10. The TFT includes a gate electrode 15, an active layer 25, and source/drain electrodes 27a and 27b.
The substrate 10 includes a passivation layer 20 having a contact hole exposing a portion of the drain electrode 27b.
A first electrode 30 is formed on the passivation layer 20, and electrically connected to the drain electrode 27b via the contact hole.
An insulating layer 40 where a pixel region is defined is located on the passivation layer 20. An organic luminescence layer 50 is disposed on a portion of the first electrode 30 that corresponds to the pixel region. A second electrode 60, which is a common electrode, is disposed on the organic luminescence layer 50.
Here, the first and second electrodes 30 and 60 apply a forward current on the organic luminescence layer 50 to allow the organic luminescence layer 50 to emit light.
After that, after sealant 70 is coated on an outer edge of the substrate 10 in order to protect the organic light-emitting diode device E formed on the substrate 10 from external humidity and oxygen, an encapsulating substrate 80 facing the organic light-emitting diode device E is attached, so that the organic electro-luminescence display device is manufactured. The organic electro-luminescence display device is classified into a bottom-emission type organic electro-luminescence display device and a top-emission type organic electro-luminescence display device depending on an emitting direction of an image.
The bottom-emission type organic electro-luminescence display device has a disadvantage that it is difficult to apply the display device to a high resolution product due to limitations in an aperture ratio.
On the other hand, the top-emission type organic electro-luminescence display device has an advantage in an aspect of a product growth in that designing a TFT is easy and an aperture ratio can be improved.
However, since a cathode is generally located on an organic light-emitting layer in a top-emission type organic electro-luminescence display device according to a related art, a material of an electrode is difficult to select. Accordingly, transmittance is limited and a light efficiency reduces.
Also, in the top-emission type organic electro-luminescence display device according to a related art, a pad portion for receiving a signal from an outside is exposed to the outside. The pad portion is formed of metal and easily corroded by external oxygen and moisture.
The corrosion of the pad portion increases contact resistance between metal of the pad portion and contact metal of an external circuit unit to generate a dark pixel. Furthermore, the corrosion of the pad portion may reduce reliability of the organic electro-luminescence display device.

Organic electro-luminescence display device and method of manfacturing the same


A skirted crossover sub for joining an air hammer to a string of dual concentric drill pipe is characterized by passageways for directing air from the pipe string annulus to operate the hammer and for directing exhaust air and cuttings from the hammer bit to the inner pipe of the string. A tubular skirt at the downhole end of the sub surrounds the hammer and channels the flow of exhaust air therebetween. A packer and uphole reamer may be included, as well as valves for air lift and for providing proper air flow direction in the borehole annulus.

Traditional percussion drilling of wells and boreholes in the earth with pneumatically-operated downhole hammers is a well-developed art. High penetration rates in hard formations make this an attractive drilling method in mining, quarry, construction, water well, oil well and geophysical applications. A typical system employs a string of conventional drill pipe and an air hammer which drives a percussion bit. Air from a surface compressor is directed down the pipe to operate the hammer, and the entire string is usually rotated. The air exhausts through the bit at the bottom of the hole and returns to the surface through the annular space between the hole wall and the drill string (the borehole annulus).
A major problem with such a system is the need for relatively high air compressor capacity. In order to ensure proper bailing of cuttings from the bottom of the hole, upward annular air velocities in the borehole annulus of at least 4,000 feet per minute are usually recommended. Such a flow is expensive and difficult to achieve, particularly where the bit is of appreciably larger diameter than the drill string, resulting in a large borehole annulus. Other problems include lost circulation, dust control, sample contamination, formation water, sticking and the like.
Attempts to solve these and other problems have heretofore been proposed involving the use of dual concentric drill pipe in conjunction with pneumatic hammers. In such systems, the air for operating the hammer is directed down the annular conduit (the pipe annulus) defined between the inner and outer tubes of the pipe string, and at least a portion of the exhaust air and entrained cuttings is directed to the surface through the central conduit defined by the inner tube of the pipe string. One such system is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,971. The patentee suggests, however, that pressurized fluid be introduced into the borehole annulus to insure movement of fluid down the hole, around the bit and up the inner tube. A similar system is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,486. There the patentees suggest that a major portion of the exhaust air be directed up the borehole annulus. Thus neither system takes full advantage of the enclosed circulation available with dual tube pipe. Moreover, both patents disclose and depend upon "hollow" or axial flow hammers and bits suitable for cutting cores. Such hammers do not appear to be readily available commercially--probably due to technical problems of design and manufacture--and certainly are not stock items.
Another approach is proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,667,555 and 3,747,698, which utilize conventional air hammers which are widely available in various sizes and configurations. In order to adapt such a non-axial flow hammer for use with dual tube pipe, the patentees disclose cross-over subs which direct drilling fluid from the pipe annulus to operate the hammer and which direct exhaust air and cuttings into the inner tube. The former patent also teaches that a portion of the drilling fluid from the annular conduit should be injected into the borehole annulus uphole from the sub.
These systems do not completely overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. For one thing, the borehole annulus around the hammer itself remains large, making it difficult to achieve the annular air velocity required to insure proper removal of cuttings. Moreover, there is a tendency toward sticking due to small cuttings or "fines" lodging in the borehole annulus or bypassing the sub entirely. Finally, the injection of a portion of the drilling fluid into the borehole annulus above the sub to maintain a constant uphole flow in the borehole is inefficient.

Skirted hammer sub for dual tube drilling


Messages are managed for cost. A processing device includes receiving a message designating a recipient and determining a cost associated with the message.

The present invention is related to sending and receiving messages, and more specifically to cost management for messages.
In today's collaborative world there is a cost associated with message threads such as emails. The costs associated with message threads are due to, for example, long running message threads excessively using up valuable time for all the recipients, recipients (or their respective managers) not knowing the true cost of a message or thread, recipients (or their respective managers), not being able to effectively manage these message threads according to defined cost constraints, etc. The cost may be in terms of many factors such as, for example, time, resources used, energy costs, bandwidth costs, processing time, etc.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for recovering and utilizing heat of coke-oven gas, which comprises: through heat exchange with a high-temperature coke-oven gas generated from a coke oven battery and containing vaporized coal tar, vaporized low boiling point substances and dust, drying and preheating a blended raw material coal fine to be charged into coking ovens of said coke oven battery, and, on the other hand, causing most of said coal tar contained in said coke-oven gas to condense and deposit onto the particle surfaces of said coal fine during the process of said heat exchange, thereby recovering and utilizing sensible heat and condensation heat of said coke-oven gas and substances contained therein, and at the same time, eliminating most of the contained coal tar from said coke-oven gas.

In the conventional operation of a coke oven battery, a crude coke-oven gas of about 800.degree. C. is collected through a riser installed at the top of the coke oven battery to a dry main where the crude coke-oven gas is humidified and cooled to from about 80.degree. to about 100.degree. C. by spraying ammonia water. As a result, vaporized coal tar contained in the crude coke-oven gas mostly condenses in the dry main, is separated from the crude coke-oven gas, and discharged from the dry main together with ammonia water. The coke-oven gas, from which coal tar has been mostly eliminated, is then introduced into a primary cooler of the heat exchanger type comprising a plurality of tubes, where the coke-oven gas is dehumidified and cooled to from about 30.degree. to about 40.degree. C. through heat exchange with sea water or ammonia water, and the remaining coal tar and ammonia water are almost completely separated by condensation. The coal tar and the ammonia water thus separated are discharged from the primary cooler. The coal tar and the ammonia water discharged from the dry main and the primary cooler are introduced into a tar decanter, where the coal tar and the ammonia water are separated from each other. Ammonia water is synthesized in a considerable amount in the various processes mentioned above, especially in the dry main. The ammonia water discharged from the tar decanter is therefore directed again to the dry main and the primary cooler after removing of excess ammonia water, in recycle for use in cooling the crude coke-oven gas.
In the aforementioned conventional processes, it is the present situation that sensible heat and condensation heat of crude coke-oven gas and substances contained therein such as vaporized coal tar transfer to a large quantity of cooling water such as ammonia water and sea water, and are wasted with no utilization.
One of the conceivable methods for recovering and utilizing sensible heat and condensation heat of a crude coke-oven gas and substances contained therein such as vaporized coal tar comprises introducing a crude coke-oven gas of about 800.degree. C. into a heat exchanger such as a boiler, and converting water into steam through heat exchange with these sensible heat and condensation heat, thereby recovering these sensible heat and condensation heat in the form of steam. In this method, however, during the process of temperature drop by heat exchange, vaporized coal tar contained in the crude coke-oven gas deposits onto the tube walls of the heat exchanger, resulting in various disadvantages such as decrease in the heat efficiency and clogging of tubes. Because of these possible disadvantages, the utilization of crude coke-oven gas in a heat exchanger has not as yet been put to practice. While, in order to recover and utilize effectively sensible heat and condensation heat of a crude coke-oven gas and substances contained therein such as vaporized coal tar, it is absolutely necessary to establish a technique to eliminate the coal tar deposit on the tube walls of the heat exchanger, such a technique has not as yet been developed as far as we know.
In the operation of a coke oven battery, on the other hand, the preheated coal charging method or the dried coal charging method is commonly adopted with a view to improving coke productivity through increase of the quantity of coal charge per oven. The preheated coal charging method comprises charging a blended raw material coal fine preheated to a state substantially free of water into coking ovens of a coke oven battery. The dried coal charging method comprises charging a blended raw material coal fine dried to a humidity of from about 2 to about 6 wt.% into coking ovens of a coke oven battery. In general, preheating or drying of a blended raw material coal fine is carried out through heat exchange with a high-temperature combustion exhaust gas of a clean coke-oven gas from which substances contained therein such as dust, coal tar and low boiling point substances have been substantially completely eliminated as mentioned above, or of a heavy oil.
In the preheated coal charging method, in which the blended raw material coal fine is preheated to a state substantially free of water, much troubles are caused by coal dust. It is therefore necessary to take such counter-measures, to prevent troubles caused by coal dust, as adding heavy oil to a coal charge, separately installing a charging main for charging coal, or providing a settling basin, thus forming a drawback of requiring additional equipment and operating costs. In the preheated coal charging method, furthermore, the substantial absence of water in the blended raw material coal fine causes a problem of precipitation of coal tar slag in a large quantity in the treatment process of coal tar, a by-product. These difficulties considerably reduce advantages of the preheated coal charging method. In the dried coal charging method also, on the other hand, as in the above-described preheated coal charging method, troubles are inevitably caused more or less by coal dust, and moreover, the water content of the blended raw material coal fine, if reduced to less than about 4.5 wt.%, causes a large quantity of coal tar slag to precipitate during the treatment process of coal tar.

Method for recovering and utilizing heat of coke-oven gas


An information management method includes: receiving, from a manufacturer server via a network, device history information indicating a history of an operation of a device used by a first user and first anonymized user information generated by anonymizing, according to a predetermined rule, first user information including attribute information which allows identification of the first user; receiving, from a service provider server different from the manufacturer server via the network, service history information indicating a history of service used by a second user and second anonymized user information generated by anonymizing, according to the predetermined rule, second user information including attribute information which allows identification of the second user; and associating the device history information and the service history information and managing them as composite information, when the first anonymized user information and the second anonymized user information are determined to be identical or similar.

In recent years, household electric appliances and audio-visual apparatuses have been connected to a network, and various types of history information (what is called lifelog information, such as a user's use history of an electric appliance or television viewing history) are collected therefrom into the cloud. This creates an expectation that services utilizing the lifelog information collected in the cloud are provided. For example, there has been an expectation that such lifelog information collected in the cloud is utilized for provision of services in cooperation with a service provider, such as a personalized service appropriate for a life style of each user or a market analysis service wherein statistical information is used.
However, since the lifelog information involves privacy of each user, personal information included in the lifelog information should not be provided to third parties without permission from the user.
In view of this, there is proposed a method in which a service provider provides users with a service with security for anonymity of the users against the service provider (see Patent Literature (PTL) 1). In the method proposed in PTL 1, an online transaction service is provided to anonymous users.

Information management method and information management system

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A rear projection screen including a Fresnel lens sheet arranged on the projection side, and a lenticular lens sheet arranged on the observation side. The Fresnel lens sheet has a lenticular lens for vertical diffusion on its light-entering side. The lenticular lens for vertical diffusion contains a plurality of convex lenses that extend horizontally, and these plural convex lenses are arranged with a constant pitch. Further, the diffusion angle of the lenticular lens for vertical diffusion continuously increases, and, at the same time, the direction of diffusion is gradually inclined to the central part side as the distance from the central part toward each of the edges on the screen surface increases. The diffusion properties (the angle and direction of diffusion) of the lenticular lens thus continuously vary between the central part and edges of the screen surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rear projection screen comprising a Fresnel lens and a lenticular lens.
2. Related Art
Rear projection screens that comprise Fresnel lenses for refracting rays projected from an imaging source to make them almost parallel with each other, and lenticular lenses for scattering projected rays to form an image have conventionally been known as screens useful for rear projection type TVs and the like.
Further, among the conventional rear projection screens, there has been known a screen in which projected rays are diffused in the horizontal direction by a lenticular lens sheet for horizontal diffusion, and in the vertical direction by both a diffuser and a lenticular lens sheet for vertical diffusion. It is noted that the diffusion angles of these lenticular lens sheets are generally uniform over the entire screen surface.
In the conventional rear projection screens, the diffusion angle is uniform over the entire screen surface, so that there is such a problem that the phenomenon of shading, which will be described hereinafter, tends to occur.
FIGS. 12A, 12B and 12C are views for illustrating the phenomenon of shading that occurs on a rear projection screen. In these figures, FIG. 12A is a view showing how those rays projected from an imaging source 20 are observed on a rear projection screen 10. In this figure, the intensity and direction of diffusion at three points a, b and c on the rear projection screen 10 are indicated by the length and direction of an arrow, respectively. Further, FIGS. 12B and 12C respectively show the luminance distributions on the rear projection screen 10, obtainable by observing the screen from observation points p1 and p2.
As can be understood from FIGS. 12A and 12B, when the rear projection screen 10 is observed from the front (observation point p1), the luminance at the marginal part (edges a and c) of the rear projection screen 10 is lower than that at the central part b of the rear projection screen 10, so that the marginal part of the rear projection screen 10 is perceived as dark. Further, as can be known from FIGS. 12A and 12C, when the rear projection screen 10 is observed from a position (observation point p2) deviated from the position in front of the screen, the luminance at the edge a which is near the observation point p2 is highest, and this luminance gradually decreases as the distance from the edge a increases toward the central part b and then toward the edge which is at the opposite of the edge a. Therefore, those parts on the rear projection screen 10 which are apart from the observation point p2 are perceived as dark.
In such a rear projection screen 10, the diffusion angle in the vertical direction is generally set to be narrower than that in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the phenomenon of shading tends to occur in the vertical direction on the rear projection screen 10, and the brightness on the rear projection screen 10 has thus lacked uniformity.
A method in which the focal length of the Fresnel lens constituting the rear projection screen 10 is decreased has been known as a method for reducing the occurrence of such a shading phenomenon. By this method, the point of focus on the observation side of the Fresnel lens (i.e., the observation side of the rear projection screen 10) is made closer to the lens, so that, in FIG. 12A, a ray of light projected on the marginal part (edges a and c) of the rear projection screen 10 emerges by being inclined to the inside. For this reason, in this rear projection screen 10, increased luminance is observed on the marginal part (edges a and c) of the rear projection screen 10 when the screen is observed from the front (observation point p1). Moreover, even when the screen is observed from a position (observation point p2) deviated from the position in front of the screen, improved uniformity of brightness is attained on the rear projection screen 10 because decreased luminance is observed at the edge a which is near the observation point p2, while increased luminance is observed at the edge c which is apart from the observation point p2.
However, in such a rear projection screen 10, when the focal length of the Fresnel lens constituting the rear projection screen 10 is decreased, the difference among the exit angles of imaging rays of three colors projected from different positions on the imaging source 20 becomes large. When the difference in exit angle in terms of vertical direction against which the diffusion angle of the rear projection screen 10 has been set narrow becomes large, color shading tends to occur on the rear projection screen 10. When this color shading is taken into consideration, it is difficult to make the focal length of the rear projection screen 10 on the observation side shorter than approximately 10 m. Therefore, it has been impossible to reduce the occurrence of the shading phenomenon without bringing about color shading.
The present invention was accomplished in the light of the foregoing. An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a rear projection screen capable of attaining the uniformity of brightness over the entire screen surface without bringing about the the lowering of luminance on the marginal part of the screen surface, and the nonuniformity of luminance on the screen surface even when the screen is observed from a position deviated from the front.
The present invention is a rear projection screen comprising a Fresnel lens, and a lenticular lens, having diffusion properties that vary continuously between a central part and an edge of the screen surface.
In the present invention, the above-described lenticular lens is preferably such that its diffusion angle continuously increases as the distance from the central part toward the edge side on the screen surface increases and its direction of diffusion is gradually inclined to the central part side or to the edge side as the distance from the central part toward the edge side on the screen surface increases.
Further, it is preferred in the present invention that the above-described lenticular lens comprises a plurality of convex lenses and that the shapes of these plural convex lenses continuously vary as the position of the convex lens gets apart from the central part toward the edge on the screen surface. Specifically, it is preferable to make the heights of the above-described plural convex lenses continuously increase as the position of the convex lens gets apart from the central part toward the edges on the screen surface. Further, among the above described plural convex lenses, a convex lens arranged at the central part of the screen surface is preferably in such a shape that the deviation of the top of the convex lens from the center of the same is almost zero; and it is preferable that this deviation of the top of the convex lens from the center of the same continuously increases as the position of the convex lens moves from the central part toward the edges on the screen surface. Furthermore, each convex lens described above has a cross section preferably in such a shape that two circular arcs with different radii are connected. Among the above-described plural convex lenses, a convex lens arranged at the central part of the screen surface is preferably in such a shape that the proportion of the circular arc with a larger radius is higher, and it is preferable that the proportion of the circular arc with a smaller radius increases continuously as the position of the convex lens moves from the central part side toward the edge side on the screen surface. Moreover, it is preferable that the above-described plural convex lenses be arranged with a constant pitch.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the above-described lenticular lens be for vertical diffusion.
According to the present invention, since the diffusion properties of the lenticular lens continuously vary with the distance from the central part toward the edges on the screen surface, it is possible to attain the uniformity of brightness over the entire screen surface without bringing about the lowering of luminance on the marginal part of the screen surface, and the nonuniformity of luminance on the screen surface even when the screen is observed from a position deviated from the front.

Rear projection screen with uniformity of luminance


An image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge contains at least an image carrying member, a developing unit and a developer replenishment unit. The process cartridge can be mounted to or removed from the apparatus for its replacement. The process cartridge can take a first position where images can be formed and a second position where developer can be replenished. The process cartridge can be moved from the first position to the second position when a detector for detecting the depletion of the developer outputs a detection signal.

The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer material of a copier or printer.
Many methods and apparatuses for obtaining color images using the electrophotographic method have been proposed. For example, as indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 100770/1986, there is a method that latent images are formed on a photosensitive drum, which is an image forming unit, depending on the number of separated colors of an original image, they are transferred onto a transfer drum after being developed so as to form a multi-color image on the transfer drum, and they are then transferred onto a transfer material so as to obtain a color copy. An apparatus using this method requires a transfer drum which is large enough to transfer one sheet of image onto the peripheral surface thereof in addition to the photosensitive drum, and is inevitably large in size and complicated in structure.
Furthermore, for example, as indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 149972/1986, there is a method that latent images are formed and developed on a photosensitive drum, depending on the number of separated colors of an original image and they are transferred onto a transfer material when they are developed so as to obtain a multi-color copy. It is difficult in this method to registrate many color images with high accuracy, and good quality color copies cannot be obtained.
Furthermore, there is a method that latent images are formed on a photosensitive drum depending on the number of separated colors of an original image and developed by color toners repeatedly and color toner images are registrated on the photosensitive drum and transferred so as to form a color image. This basic process of multi-color image forming is indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection Nos. 75850/1985, 6766/1985, 95456/1985, 95458/1985, and 158475/1985 by the applicant of this patent and others.
In a multi-color image forming apparatus for forming color images by registration like this, a plurality of developing units containing different color toners are installed around the photosensitive drum, and latent images on the photosensitive drum are developed generally by rotating the photosensitive drum several times so as to form color images.
In an image forming apparatus such as a monochromatic color analog copier using the electrophotographic method or a copier or printer using a semiconductor laser LED scanning system, an apparatus has been proposed in which a part of the image forming means is provided as a cartridge unit, for replenishing or replacing various photoconductors of limited durability, developer carriers, cleaning materials, and developer toners when they are exhausted, and the integrated unit of the essential units of these image forming means is removed for maintenance or replacement. Various configurations such that the feed path of a transfer material whereon an image is formed by the image forming means is opened so that the transfer material can be easily removed for clearing a jam have been proposed.
A typical configuration that a photosensitive drum, developing unit, and cleaner are integratedly mounted to a support member so that they can be removed from the main unit and each unit can be easily replaced or repaired is indicated in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 54392/1983. A configuration that the essential units of the image forming means are integrated and not reused is indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 154255/1982, and a printer configuration that a non-reusable cartridge is used and latent images are formed on a photosensitive drum by dot exposure scanning by a semiconductor laser is indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 147366/1984.
Furthermore, the above publications indicate a configuration that the upper frame of the division structure is opened so as to open the transfer material feed path, and the transfer material can be easily removed in case of jamming. Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 154255/1982 mentioned above indicates a configuration that a non-reusable process cartridge is mounted to the upper frame of the bisecting structure so that it can be replaced, increasing operability of cartridge replacement and the ease of jam clearing. A configuration that priority is given to the ease of process cartridge replacement, such as a replenishment toner cartridge or a collection toner cleaning cartridge, and particularly a process cartridge, is mounted to the lower frame so as to improve the operability of maintenance, is indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 1161/1983.
A configuration that a vertical type of the above structure is used so as to improve the same direction operation and jam clearing is indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection Nos. 244058/1988, 244059/1988, 244064/1988, and 179168/1989.
However, a compact printer having a process cartridge, which comprises a developing unit and an image carrying member, which can be easily mounted to or removed from the apparatus body, is free of leakage or spilling of toner or developer from the developing unit when it is mounted to or removed from the apparatus body, and free of such problems during clearing of a jammed transfer material, has not been proposed.
A proposal that when the upper frame of a printer of the bisecting structure is open, a process cartridge mounted to the upper frame is always kept horizontal so as to prevent waste toner from spilling is indicated in Japanese Patent publication Open to Public Inspection No. 90961/1983. Although this configuration allows the cartridge to be easily mounted or a jam to be easily cleared, problems such as spilling or leakage of toner when the cartridge is mounted, a jam is cleared, or a replacement operation is performed for maintenance are, has not been solved.
In Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 72159/1983 that in a printer of the bisecting structure wherein a jam can be easily cleared, a non-reusable cartridge is mounted to the upper frame. In Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 1161/1983, a replenishment or collection toner can be easily replaced, a process cartridge is mounted on the lower frame, and the process cartridge of a developing unit, cleaning unit, and photosensitive drum is held up for clearing a jam, the operability of process cartridge replacement conflicts with the ease of jam clearing. Furthermore, in these process cartridges, since the developing unit and the cleaning unit are mounted at the bottom across the paper feed path from the transfer pole, toner spills from the developing unit or the cleaning unit even if the process cartridge is surely sealed when the process cartridge is replaced or external vibration or shock is applied to the apparatus body, causing the inside of the apparatus or the transfer paper to become soiled.
The printer indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 195357/1988 contains a process cartridge and forms a flat paper feed path at the upper part. However, there are some restrictions on the feed path from the transfer material separation unit of the photosensitive drum to the fixing unit, and problems of the feed unit have not been solved. Furthermore, the printer lacks ease of jam clearing when open, and compactness as a whole due to the upstanding stack paper feed configuration, and the opening angle of the upper frame is restricted. Therefore, the printer is not an apparatus which is superior in operability.
As to a color image forming unit, as described previously, a belt type image forming unit wherein a photoconductor is coated or deposited on a flexible belt has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application No. 192874/1989 by the applicant of this patent together with a photosensitive drum wherein a photoconductor is coated or deposited on the peripheral surface of the drum. The belt type image forming unit (hereinafter called a photosensitive belt) is determined in shape by stretching between rotating rollers including a drive roller, and is effective in configuring a compact color image forming apparatus using space effectively. Since the photosensitive belt can move along a small curvature, defective separation of a transfer material can be prevented by separating the transfer material using the curvature of a rotating roller with a small diameter.
In a color image forming apparatus using such a photosensitive belt, image forming means such as a charging means, an image exposure means, a plurality of developing units, and a cleaning means are installed mainly below the lower surface of the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt, and those image forming means are integrated in a process cartridge together with the photosensitive belt, and the process cartridge can be freely mounted to or removed from the apparatus body.
A transfer material whereon a color toner image is transferred is ejected onto a paper ejection tray installed on the top of the apparatus with the copy side down. Therefore, the necessary area of a place where the apparatus is to be installed is small.
A configuration that problems of paper feed and jam clearing are solved by using a compact cartridge and same side operation is possible is indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection Nos. 40850/1989 and 244059/1988.
A control for outputting an indication when toner of a process cartridge is exhausted or the photoconductor life expires is indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 85763/1988. However, an image forming apparatus, which is compact and easy to operate and satisfies all the requirements such as easy jam clearing, no spilling of toner during operation of the cartridge, easy cartridge replacement, and all operations available from one side via the front of the apparatus body, has not been proposed.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image carrying member by the electrophotographic method and transferring the toner image onto a transfer material so as to obtain an image, particularly in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, copier, or facsimile equipment wherein a process cartridge comprising an image carrying member integrated with at least one of a developing means and cleaning means can be freely mounted or removed.
Image forming apparatuses have come into wide use recently according to the needs of the times such as sophisticated information oriented society and individuals. Since there were not so many image forming apparatuses installed earlier, maintenance and management such as exhaustion, degradation, adjustment, and periodic inspection of various members including degradation of an image carrying member and replenishment and disposal of a developer during use of image forming apparatuses were performed by service men. However, as image forming apparatuses have come into wide use, the use status and usage of image forming apparatuses have become diversified, and a very large amount of image forming apparatuses are in use at present. Therefore, it is difficult for service men to perform maintenance and management of image forming apparatuses for users.
For this reason, an image forming apparatus having a process cartridge wherein an image carrying member is integrated with at least one of a developing means and a cleaning means has been developed. In an image forming apparatus having such a process cartridge, for example, a printer or a copier, when the process cartridge life expires due to exhaustion or degradation of an image carrying member in the process cartridge, a developer, or other parts or units, the operator, a general user with no technical knowledge, can easily maintain and manage the image forming apparatus by changing the process cartridge. In an image forming apparatus using such a process cartridge, which is indicated, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 279870/1986, the transfer material mounting direction coincides with the mounting and removing direction of a process cartridge mounted on the upper frame, and hence the operator can stand in front of the apparatus and open the upper frame so as to remove the process cartridge from the upper frame when changing the process cartridge. By doing this, expendable supplies can be easily handled or operated, and restrictions on the operation space can be minimized.
In an image forming apparatus using a process cartridge, when the process cartridge is to be replaced, that is, when the life (durable life, operation life) of the process cartridge expires due to exhaustion or degradation of parts or units in the process cartridge, the operator himself is required to replace it. Therefore, it is necessary to inform the operator of the replacement time. A method for informing an operator of the replacement time of a process cartridge is indicated, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection Nos. 163276/1982 and 152263/1983. In these publications, an image forming apparatus wherein a mechanism for counting the number of revolutions of a photosensitive drum in a process cartridge is mounted and an indication of the process cartridge replacement time is indicated when the count reaches a predetermined number.
However, even when the process cartridge life is detected and indicated by the image forming apparatus indicated in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 163276/1982 or 152263/1983, the operator, who sees the indication, is required to open the outer case of the image forming apparatus, pull out the process cartridge from the interior, and replace it. Although the process cartridge life is detected and an indication for it is indicated, the process cartridge is required to be replaced by the operator. Such work is not only extremely troublesome and burdensome but also requires great strength for the operator when the process cartridge is heavy and large due to sophisticated performance and coloration of the image forming apparatus. Furthermore, when pulling out and removing the process cartridge, the operator is required to pass it from one hand to the other, and there is a possibility that the process cartridge is dropped accidentally, some developer scatters, and the operator gets hurt.


A method and device for removing organic compounds from soil, solids, sludges and other types of contaminated materials utilizing a non-rotating contactor which can be tightly sealed from air infiltration. Binders such as cement, lime, flyash or kiln dust may be added to the soil prior to treatment so as to aid in the volatilization of the volatile organics and to immobilize the non-volatile constituents in the treated solids. The contaminated materials are fed to a chamber with a movable rake therein and are subjected to temperatures sufficiently high to violatize the organic constituents. The volatilized contaminants are purged with small amounts of air or other non-condensible gas and with superheated steam. The organic constituents can be captured in a vapor phase or they can be condensed and captured in the condensed liquid.

The Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), United States Public Law P.L. 98-616 include specific provisions restricting the direct land disposal of many hazardous wastes, including contaminated soils. These restrictions, commonly termed the "Land Ban" require that many types of waste be treated to reduce the toxicity or mobility of the hazardous components. Similar provisions have been incorporated into regulations under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 which is commonly referred to as "Superfund" and in the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act of 1986 Regulations written by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under both acts specify methods for treating a variety of wastes prior to land disposal.
The methods specified for wastes containing organic contaminants is incineration or thermal treatment. The specified method for wastes containing metals is solidification/stabilization. Wastes containing both organics and metals, such as from the production or use of metalo-organic compounds, are difficult to incinerate. The temperatures encountered in incineration volatilize the metals and their compounds resulting in the formation of metal fumes which are very fine and which require very complex and energy intensive air pollution control equipment.
An alternative method of treating contaminated solids, especially contaminated soils is indirect thermal treatment. It is proving to be the thermal treatment method of choice for many applications. Indirect thermal treatment is differentiated from incineration by two features. First, the temperatures tend to be lower (on the order of 85.degree. to 385.degree. C. rather than typically 535.degree. C. and up for incineration) and second, the waste is not directly exposed to the flame so that the contaminants released from the material being treated are not mixed with the combustion gases from the flame. Separating the waste from the combustion gases reduces the volume of contaminated gases that need to be cleaned and reduces the likelihood of formation of undesirable products of combustion such as chlordibenzodioxins and chlorodibenzofurans.
Indirect thermal treatment systems presently in use overcome many of the problems encountered when attempting to incinerate contaminated solids such as soils but they are based on equipment much like that used for incinerators. Examples of such equipment include the rotary kilns disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,942 issued to Fochtman et. al. and in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,782,625 and 4,951,417 issued to Gerkin et. al., the fluidized beds disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,778,606, 4,685,220, 4,463,691, and 4,699,721 issued to Meenan et. al., and the pyrolitic chambers disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,306,961, 4,180,455, and 4,280,879 issued to Taciuk. Noland recognizes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,206 the inherent problems in the use of incinerator-style hardware but his system utilizes an archimedes screw device for heating and conveying soils through the thermal desorber. Many disadvantages exist with such equipment. Screw devices are very complex and prone to jamming on large or sticky materials. Kilns and fluidized bed systems require relatively large amounts of gas. The rotary kilns are difficult to seal tightly and to prevent undesired air infiltration and fluidized bed systems require substantial amounts of gas to fluidize the solids. Fluidized beds cannot treat rocks, debris and other materials which cannot be fluidized. Because of these limitations, present systems produce significant amounts of particulate which is usually hazardous and which requires large and highly efficient air pollution control devices.
Indirect heating is a relatively inefficient method of transferring heat to a solid. Typically, the heat is transferred by contact between the solid and the walls of the vessel containing the solid and by blowing a hot, inert gas (termed herein as "purge gas") over the solids. With the exception of the system disclosed by Noland, the heat transfer occurs in a kiln, a device with a relatively small heat transfer area. The problem is typically overcome by also passing hot gases through the system to improve the heat transfer efficiency. Gases that have been used are nitrogen, air, and combustion gases from the indirect heater.
In the paper by Fox, R. D., Alsperin, E. S., & Huls, H. H. "Thermal Treatment for the Removal of PCBs and Other Organics from Soil" Environmental Progress (Vol. 10, No1) February, 1991, P.40, thermal separation is discussed through the use of indirect heating of the contaminated material in a rotating metal chamber. The contaminants are separated by volatilization with the contaminants then being collected through the use of condensation techniques.
In the paper by dePercin, Paul, "Thermal Desorption Attainable Remediation Levels" Remedial Action Treatment and Disposal of Hazardous Waste, Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual RREL Hazardous Waste Research Symposium, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/600/9-91/002, April 1991 P.511 (Available from the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, EPA, Cincinnati, Ohio) there is discussed one system (Described in Taciuk's patents) which does not use heated gas. Rather, the soil is simply heated to a temperature on the order of 535.degree. C. and the organics are allowed to pyrolyze. This is a very high temperature approaching that of incineration. Such a high temperature is necessary because the process does not use a purge gas. Systems which utilize purge gases can operate at lower temperatures than those that do not because the inert purge gases sweep the organics away from the solids as they are desorbed.
The purge gas is, therefore a critical element of a low temperature desorption system but it results in significant volumes of gas that must be treated prior to discharge. All processes in operation at present utilize a non-condensible gas for purging. Gases used are: air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or vent gas from the auxiliary combustor. The non-condensible gases have the following two major disadvantages:
1. The condensible gases (water, contaminants) removed from the contaminated solids are diluted by the non-condensible purge gas reducing the condensers' efficiency to remove the organics. As a result, thermal treatment systems must use refrigerated condensers, and relatively large adsorbers to capture the contaminants released from the solids.
2. The desorption process releases relatively large amounts of contaminated particulate matter. As a result, the off-gas stream must be treated to control it. The use of condensible purge gases reduce the amount of gas requiring treatment; hence, the size and cost of the requisite air pollution control devices is decreased.
Thermal desorption systems currently in use cannot use condensible purge gases because it is virtually impossible to exclude air from rotating systems that have substantial gas flows inside them. The present invention utilizes a specially designed non-rotating contactor with very few penetrations, which are small and can be readily sealed, to essentially eliminate air infiltration or releases of contaminated vapors and to thus make it possible to use superheated steam as a purge gas.
Finally, present thermal desorption systems cannot stabilize materials such as soils contaminated with metals. It is necessary to treat residues containing metals with binders in a second piece of apparatus in order to stabilize the product and reduce the leachability of metals present. Stabilization/solidification is the process whereby contaminated materials are mixed with a binder such as portland cement, lime, lime-kiln flyash, quicklime, cement kiln flyash, coal flyash or other, similar, materials either individually or in combination. Sometimes additives such as soluble silicates or iron compounds are added to change the process's characteristics. The resulting product typically sets up into a monolithic or granular material. The contaminants are bound and made less mobile by the process. Solidification/stabilization (S/S) is a well established treatment technology which has been used for many years to improve the handling and physical characteristics of soils and sludges and to reduce the mobility of toxic and carcinogenic metals. The technology does not work as well when the wastes being stabilized contain organics. Organics can reduce the strength and increase the leachability of the treated material and, as shown by Weitzman the act of stabilizing/solidifying vaporizes a substantial fraction of the volatile and semi-volatile organics contaminants.
Typically, substantial amounts of heat are generated during the mixing and solidification of the contaminated materials and binders. In fact, temperatures of 100.degree. C. and greater can occur. In the paper by Weitzman, Leo "Volatile Emissions From Stabilized Wastes" Proceedings of the Fifteenth Annual RREL Hazardous Waste Research Symposium, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/600/9-90/006, February, 1990 P.448. (Available from the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, EPA, Cincinnati, Ohio), there is described the release of up to 70% of organic contaminants during the mixing of binder and contaminated soils. Such release of organics is undesirable when the mixing occurs in the open, as is common. The present invention takes advantage of the phenomenon. By mixing the binder prior to thermal desorption, the heats of reaction of the solidification/stabilization process are utilized to reduce the fuel requirement for the desorption system.
The present invention takes advantage of the tendency for the solidification/stabilization process to volatilize organics from solids and to enhance the process by combining it with thermal treatment. My invention:
1. Simplifies the soil heating system while improving the system's heat transfer characteristics.
2. Allows the system to be readily sealed against air infiltration so that it can be operated with a variety of sweep gases, including, superheated steam. This feature minimizes the volume of the gas streams that need to be moved and allows the design to be highly compact for ease of transport. This feature also minimizes fine particulate (fume) formation which, combined with the very low volumes of gas that need to be treated makes the technology especially suitable for removing organic contaminants from solids contaminated with toxic metals such as arsenic, and lead.
3. Allows the system to be operated at any combination of temperature and sweep gas flow rates to optimize performance on different types of contaminated materials.
4. Allows the use of a condensible gas, superheated steam as the sweep gas for the system. Since non-condensible gases significantly impair the ability of condensers to remove organic constituents, this improves the efficiency of condensers and makes them a viable pollution control device for a thermal desorption system. Adsorbers are required to treat a much lower volume gas stream consisting of the small amount of remaining non-condensible gas.
5. Allows the contaminants removed from the soil to be concentrated in an aqueous phase or a gas phase, depending on the nature of the contaminant and how it can best be destroyed subsequent to removal from the solids.
6. Allows the system to be very compact so that complete modules of commercially viable units can be mounted directly on one or a few over-the-road vehicles or trailers and still remain within the U.S. Department of Transportation size limitations. Setup at the site require connecting a relatively few ducts, hoses and power lines with little or no field assembly required. This feature reduces the cost of transport, set-up and knockdown at a contaminated site.
7. Allows a high heat transfer area per unit area occupied. A compact system can, therefore have a very high solids retention time, since for a given soil, contaminant removal increases with higher temperature and with longer residence time. The compact design allows the use of lower temperatures for improved energy efficiency and a reduced likelihood of vaporizing substances such as toxic metal salts.
8. Takes advantage of the heat released by many types of binders when mixed with soil, sludge, dredging material and other types of solids to help remove the organics from the soil.

Method for removing organic contaminants from soils


A process of pickling surfaces of a steel-based metallic material containing iron, carbon and chromium at a high speed wherein the surfaces of the metallic material are pickled at a high speed by dipping and then pickling the surfaces of the metallic material in an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid or an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid-nitric acid mixture while at least one kind of ion selected from a group comprising a platinum ion, a palladium ion and a rhodium ion is contained in a hydrochloric acid having a temperature of 50.degree. to 110.degree. C. and a concentration of 100 to 450 g/l with NO.sub.3.sup.- ion contained therein by a quantity of 300 g/l or less, as desired, or pickling treatment in the aforementioned aqueous solution by feeding a direct current between two electrodes at an electric current density of 5 to 200 A/Dm.sup.2, one of the electrodes being an anode composed of the metallic material and the other one being a cathode electrode disposed opposite to the anode, or an anode and a cathode comprising one pair of electrode plates disposed at both sides of a surface of the metallic in the aqueous solution, and feeding a direct current between the anode and the cathode at an electric current density of 5 to 200 A/Dm.sup.2, to thereby dissolve off a scale formed on the surface of the metallic material in the aqueous solution by an indirect feeding of the direct current.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process of pickling oxide (scale) formed on the surface of a steel-based metallic materials such as carbon steels, low-alloy steels containing a small amount of a softening/hardening elements such as chromium, nickel, niobium, or special steels containing a large amount of chromium, nickel, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a strip of steel-based metallic material such as carbon steels, low-alloy steels, special steels, or the like, has been hitherto produced by way of the following steps. First, the strip of metallic material is subjected to mechanical descaling treatment such as shot blasting or the like, to remove scale formed on the surfaces of the strip which is hot-rolled or is annealed after hot-rolling. Subsequently, the strip is subjected to a chemical descaling treatment, i.e., pickling treatment, to achieve a complete removal of the scale therefrom, and thereafter, is cold-rolled.
To perform a pickling treatment, a specific kind of aqueous solution has been heretofore selected dependent on the kind of steel to be treated. For example, in a case where a strip of austenitic stainless steel containing nickel is pickled, an aqueous solution of a nitric acid-hydrofluoric acid mixture is employed for the steel strip. However, since a pickling ability of the aqueous solution of the nitric acid-hydrofluoric acid mixture is degraded according to an increase in chromium content of the steel, there arises a problem of intergranular corrosion of a special steel, such as lowalloy steel, a ferritic stainless steel or the like, produced without any annealing operation or merely with a simplified annealing operation and exhibiting a Cr-depleted zone along the grain boundary.
In view of the aforementioned problem, a pickling treatment is generally performed for special steels such as low-alloy steels, ferritic stainless steels or the like, by employing an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid or an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid. However, it has been considered that it is difficult to accomplish a complete pickling treatment by using the same complete pickling aqueous solution for steel-based metallic materials, each having a different composition, within the short operating time that has been required from the viewpoint of production on an industrial basis.
In consideration of the aforementioned problems, there are known many articles, each disclosing a process of effectively pickling a steel-based metallic material. For example, an official gazette of Japanese Unexamined Publication Patent (Kokai) No. 59-83783 discloses a process of pickling a strip of steel sheet by way of two steps: first, dipping the steel sheet in an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid to remove scale therefrom by dissolving it in the aqueous solution, and second, dipping the steel sheet in an aqueous solution of nitric acid to remove a dirty substance (smut) adhesively deposited on the surfaces of the steel sheet, and at the same time, maintaining the surfaces of the same in the passive state. However, this process requires a long time until the scale is completely removed from the steel sheet by successively dipping it in the aqueous solutions. In addition, this process has a problem in that intergranular corrosion occurs especially when a steel-based metallic material having the Cr-depleted zone along the grain boundary, as mentioned above, is dipped in an aqueous solution of nitric acid.
An official gazette of Japanese Unexamined Publication Patent (Kokai) No. 64-288 discloses a process of pickling a steel-based metallic material by dipping it in an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid-nitric acid mixture. Since this process has a pickling ability as large as one to five times compared with a case where an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid is employed for pickling treatment, it has the advantage that scale can be removed from the surfaces of the metallic material within a shorter operating time, and moreover, intergranular corrosion does not occur with a steel-based metallic material having the Cr-depleted zone along the grain boundary. However, when the aqueous solution of sulfuric acid-nitric acid mixture is employed for practical pickling treatment, there arises a problem in that a quantity of metallic ion such as an iron ion, a chromium ion or the like increases as a part of the metallic material, dissolved in the aqueous solution, and therefore, the composition and the nature of the aqueous solution vary, resulting in the pickling ability being substantially degraded.

Process for pickling steel-based metallic materials at a high speed


The present invention provides a solution to improve coverage and cell edge performance in a mobile user communication system is the use of fixed relays, which are pieces of infrastructure without a wired backhaul connection. The relays transmit or “relay” downlink messages between the base station (BS) and mobile stations (MSs) through a multi-hop communication. The present invention is a method and system for supporting a multiple user mobile broadband communication network that includes relay techniques suitable for user equipment in the downlink communication to the user equipment.

There is an increasing demand on mobile wireless operators to provide voice and high-speed data services, and at the same time, these operators want to support more users per base station to reduce overall network costs and make the services affordable to subscribers. As a result, wireless systems that enable higher data rates and higher capacities to the user equipment are needed. The available spectrum for wireless services is limited, however, and the prior attempts to increase traffic within a fixed bandwidth have increased interference in the system and degraded signal quality.
Wireless communications networks are typically divided into cells, with each of the cells further divided into cell sectors. A base station is provided in each cell to enable wireless communications with mobile stations located within the cell. One problem existing in the prior art systems includes the situation where the transmission/reception of each user's signal becomes a source of interference to other users located in the same cell location on the network, making the overall system interference limited.
An effective way to increase efficiency of bandwidth usage and reduce this type of interference is to use multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) technology that supports multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver. For a multiple antenna broadcast channel, such as the downlink on a cellular network, transmit/receive strategies have been developed to maximize the downlink throughput by splitting up the cell into multiple sectors and using sectorized antennas to simultaneously communicate with multiple users. Such sectorized antenna technology offers a significantly improved solution to reduce interference levels and improve the system capacity.
The sectorized antenna system is characterized by a centralized transmitter (cell site/tower) that simultaneously communicates with multiple receivers (user equipment, cell phone, etc.) that are involved in the communication session. With this technology, each user's signal is transmitted and received by the basestation only in the direction of that particular user. This allows the system to significantly reduce the overall interference in the system. A sectorized antenna system consists of an array of antennas that direct different transmission/reception beams toward each user in the system or different directions in the cellular network based on the user's location.
To improve the performance of a sectorized cell sector, schemes have been implemented using orthogonal frequency domain multiple access (OFDMA) systems. The various components on the system may be called different names depending on the nomenclature used on any particular network configuration or communication system. For instance, "user equipment" encompasses PC's on a cabled network, as well as other types of equipment coupled by wireless connectivity directly to the cellular network as can be experienced by various makes and models of mobile terminals ("cell phones") having various features and functionality, such as Internet access, e-mail, messaging services, and the like.
Further, the words "receiver" and "transmitter" may be referred to as "access point" (AP), "basestation," and "user" depending on which direction the communication is being transmitted and received. For example, an access point AP or a basestaion (eNodeB or eNB) is the transmitter and a user is the receiver for downlink environments, whereas an access point AP or a basestaion (eNodeB or eNB) is the receiver and a user is the transmitter for uplink environments. These terms (such as transmitter or receiver) are not meant to be restrictively defined, but could include various mobile communication units or transmission devices located on the network.
One of the main challenges faced by the current system developers is providing high throughput at the cell edge. Technologies like multiple input multiple output (MIMO), orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), and advanced error control codes enhance per-link throughput, but these technologies do not solve the detrimental effects of interference at borders with other cells or at the cell edge.
Cell edge performance is becoming more important as cellular systems employ higher bandwidths with the same amount of transmit power, and the systems use higher carrier frequencies with infrastructure designed for lower carrier frequencies. New standards are needed for mobile broadband access that will meet the throughput and coverage requirements of a fourth generation cellular technology.

Relay techniques suitable for user equipment in downlink


Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for texture printing. A system comprises a rasterizer configured to convert an input image with texture information to color data and texture attribute plane data, the rasterizer is configured to set the change bit of pixel n to zero when the texture information associated with pixel n is the same as pixel n−1. The system further comprises a data compressor, a memory device, a data decompressor, a color converter and a halftoner configured to convert the color data to color halftone data, and a texture data generator configured to combine the texture attribute plane data decompressed by the data decompressor and the color halftone data from the halftoner to generate output ink data for a printer engine to print the input image with texture.

Inkjet printing is a type of computer printing that recreates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink onto substrates. Inkjet printers can also be utilized to create texture by adding layers of ink to a surface to create haptic and visual perceptions of roughness on the printed surface. In contrast to 3D printing, which can create fully three-dimensional objects, texture printing is sometimes referred to as 2.5D printing.
Colorless and transparent varnish ink is typically used to build texture in texture printing. Varnish ink deposited in areas of a printed surface can add shine and depth to specific elements (e.g. logo, image) on the page. In some instances, varnish ink can be glossy, satin, or matte.
A texture inkjet printer typically uses Ultraviolet (UV) light to dry or cure varnish ink. To create texture, the printer deposits ink on the surface of the substrate and a UV light follows close behind to cure or dry the ink. Due to the speed of UV curing, dots of wet ink are hardened to create texture detail before they spread out. This curing process is generally more environmentally friendly as it produces fewer volatile organic compounds, less odor, and less heat. UV curing also allows nontraditional materials like acrylic or aluminum to be printed and may build up to two inches of texture ink thickness.
While varnish ink is often used alongside convention color ink in a texture inkjet printer, components of a conventional inkjet printer have hardware limitations that make implementing texture printing capability with conventional inkjet printer components a technical challenge.


Systems, assemblies, components and methods for correcting alignment of one or more vertebrae of a spine are provided. A first elongate derotator member includes a first elongate element having a first proximal end portion and a first distal end portion. The first distal end portion is releasably engageable with a first implant implanted in one of the vertebrae. A second elongate derotator member comprising a second elongate element is releasably engageable with a second implant implanted in the same vertebra. A transverse member is engageable with the first and second elongate elements. A first channel extends axially through the first elongate element and a second channel extends axially through the second elongate element such that a proximal end portion of the first implant can be accessed from a proximal end portion of the first elongate element by inserting a tool through the first channel and a proximal end portion of the second implant can be accessed from a proximal end portion of the second elongate element by inserting the tool or another tool through the second channel.

The fixation and/or stabilization of bones and/or bone fragments is/are commonly required by orthopedic surgeons to treat injuries such as fractures or disease. To accomplish this, the bones/bone fragments can be joined by a rod, plate or the like, which is fixed to the bones/bone fragments via fasteners such as screws, pins or the like. The connection by the rod(s), plate(s) or the like maintains the bones/bone fragments in a desired orientation and/or at desired spacings, positions, etc.
In spinal surgery, it is often necessary to secure various implants to the vertebrae and interconnect the vertebrae by attaching one or more rods or plates to the implants. Due to the complex curvature of the spine, as well as irregularities of the same that often need to be treated, it is often difficult to align a rod or plate with all of the implants/fasteners fixed to the various vertebrae to be connected via the rod or plate. In some surgeries, it is necessary to span multiple vertebrae of the spine with rods that provide stabilizing forces to the vertebrae to help maintain the desired orientations of the vertebrae to maintain a desired curvature in the spine. In these instances, repositioning of multiple vertebrae is often required, often by repositioning relative to multiple planes, in order to achieve the desired alignment of the vertebrae and correct the curvature of the spine/deformity being treated.
There is a need for instruments, assemblies and procedures to facilitate such complex realignment procedures. There is a need for instrument, assemblies and methods that not only can perform these complex procedures, but which also facilitate the ability to more readily attach the instruments when the vertebrae are out of alignment and where it would be otherwise difficult or impossible, using conventional instrumentation to interconnect instrumentation being used because of extreme malalignment of the vertebrae being treated.

Systems, assemblies and methods for spinal derotation