A liquid crystal display device (20) comprises two transparent substrates (1, 2) which are joined to each other via a sealing member (3) so as to form a gap therebetween, and a liquid crystal layer (21) which is sealed in the gap and formed of a polymer dispersion liquid crystal or polymer network liquid crystal. There are provided barriers (16) in the vicinity of both ends of a side (3a) of each seal (3) between the transparent substrates (1, 2) where the pouring port (5) is provided, for preventing the liquid crystal material from turning around into terminal areas (14) when the liquid crystal material is poured from the poring hole (5) into the gap (4), wherein an adhesive force between the barriers (16) and at least one of the transparent substrates (1, 2) is weaker than that between the seal (3) and the transparent substrate. As a result, the terminal areas (14) are prevented from being insulated from and covered with the liquid crystal material and the transparent substrates (1, 2) are prevented from being broken when they are cut, thereby improving a fabricating yield.

This invention relates to a liquid crystal display device which uses a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or polymer network liquid crystal as a liquid crystal layer, which does not require a polarizing film, and a method of fabricating the same.
There has been an increasing development of various types of liquid crystal display devices (display panels) which are rendered thin and light with low power consumption. There has been recently a growing demand for a lighter and thinner display device a high demand for a low cost display device.
As a means for rendering the liquid crystal display device thin and light, it is conceived that a substrate to be used is made thin. Since a glass substrate is generally employed by a liquid crystal display device, it is a most efficient means to render the liquid crystal display device thin and light by rendering the glass substrate thin.
There has been an increasing development of reflection-type liquid crystal display devices to obtain an excellent display quality even in outdoors in fine weather. Since the reflection-type liquid crystal display device can effect a display utilizing an external light without using a backlight consuming much power, it has been fairly developed so as to realize a liquid crystal display device having less power consumption.
Reflection-type liquid crystal display devices are roughly divided into two types, a first type is a device utilizing a polarizing film and a second type is a device not using a polarizing film.
A main type of the second reflection-type liquid crystal display device not using the polarizing film comprises two types, namely, one type using a liquid crystal layer composed of a guest-host liquid crystal including a dye contained in a liquid crystal, and another type using a liquid crystal layer composed of a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal having liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer or a polymer network type liquid crystal having liquid crystal which is present in gaps between net-like polymers.
Since these two types of reflection-type liquid crystal display devices effect display while the liquid crystal layer per se is varied in a transparent state and an opaque state depending on the presence or absence of a voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer, a polarizing film is not needed, thereby effecting a bright display.
As far as low cost is concerned, an honest and steady endeavor such as the reduction of cost of a material, saving of a material to be used, or the like is carried out.
There is a liquid crystal material as a typical wasteful material to be used, and various proposals are made for saving the liquid crystal material. As an example, there is proposed a liquid crystal display device as disclosed in JP 58-37527, B.
The outline of this liquid crystal display device is explained with reference to FIG. 5. The liquid crystal display device is fabricated integrally in a configuration where a plurality of liquid crystal display devices are arranged in a row as shown in FIG. 5. Respective liquid crystal display devices 10 comprise two transparent glass substrates 1, 2 (they seem only one glass substrate because they are overlapped with each other), and these glass substrates 1, 2 are bonded to each other to form given gaps 4 by seals 3 provided on portions of respective liquid crystal display devices 10.
Pouring ports 5 are provided on each side 3a (lower side in FIG. 5) common to the seals 3 at the center thereof for pouring liquid crystal material into the gaps 4 between two glass substrates 1, 2. Barriers 6 formed of the same sealing member are provided on both ends of the respective sides 3a so as to join the seals 3 of adjoining liquid crystal display devices 10.
The barriers 6 serve to prevent the liquid crystal material from entering between the seals 3 of the adjoining liquid crystal display devices 10 when pouring the liquid crystal material into the gaps 4 of a plurality of liquid crystal display devices 10 which are integrally formed with one another.
Accordingly, since the liquid crystal material proceeds forward inside the gaps 4 surrounded by the seals 3 of the respective liquid crystal display devices 10 and the front surface of the respective sides 3a in which each pouring port 5 is provided, the liquid crystal material scarcely enters unwanted areas, thereby saving the liquid crystal material to the maximum.
Further, if only the configuration of the seals 3 is devised, the barriers 6 can be formed at the same time when the seals 3 are formed so that the liquid crystal material can be saved without adding an extra process when fabricating the liquid crystal display device, thereby greatly contributing to the low cost of the liquid crystal display device.
After pouring the liquid crystal material into the gaps 4 of the respective liquid crystal display devices 10, the pouring ports 5 of the seals 3 are sealed by a sealing agent, not shown, thereby forming liquid crystal layers which are sealed between two glass substrates 1, 2 of the respective liquid crystal display devices 10.
Finally, two glass substrates 1, 2 are cut along positions depicted by prescribed cut lines 18, thereby separating the liquid crystal display devices 10 from each other so as to complete individual liquid crystal display devices 10.
Since the reflection-type liquid crystal display device not using a polarizing film can effect a bright display, it has been fairly developed, and it mainly comprises a type using a guest-host liquid crystal as a liquid crystal layer and another type using a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or a polymer network type liquid crystal as the liquid crystal layer.
For example, when a display device using a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or a polymer network type liquid crystal is fabricated, as explained with reference to FIG. 5, a liquid crystal material formed of a mixture composed of a monomer and the liquid crystal material is poured into the gaps 4 formed by the seals 3 between two glass substrates 1, 2 and the gaps are sealed, then the entire surface of the display device is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to polymerize the monomer in the liquid crystal material, thereby forming a liquid crystal layer formed of a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or a polymer network type liquid crystal.
Meanwhile, typical liquid crystal display devices have terminal areas 14 having terminals provided on an internal surface of at least one of two glass substrates 1, 2 outside the seals 3 for electrically connecting electrodes (not shown) formed on the confronted inner surfaces of two glass substrates 1, 2 to an external circuit, as shown in FIG. 6.
When the liquid crystal display devices 10 are separated from one another by cutting two glass substrates 1, 2, the two glass substrates 1, 2 need to be separated at different positions so as to expose the terminal areas 14.
That is, the first substrate 1 positioned at the upper side in FIG. 6 is cut along first prescribed cut lines 7, and the second substrate 2 positioned at the lower side in FIG. 6 is cut along second prescribed cut lines 8, 8 every two positions so that the second substrate 2 confronting the terminal areas 14 of the first substrate 1 is removed when the liquid crystal display devices 10 are separated from each other, thereby exposing the terminal areas 14.
However, since the barriers 6 are formed of the same material as the seals 3, the terminal areas 14 formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 1 and the inner surface of the second substrate 2 confronting the terminal areas 14 are bonded to each other by the barriers 6 formed of a sealing member, so that the barriers 6 need to be peeled off by a force exceeding a force for adhering or bonding the glass substrates 1, 2 when the glass substrates 1, 2 are cut.
Since the sealing member has a strong adhesive force inherently, the terminal areas 14 of the first substrate 1 or a portion confronting the second substrate 2 is frequently broken before the unwanted portions of the second substrate 2 are removed by cutting.
The liquid crystal display devices 10 having the broken terminal areas 14 are of course faulty goods, and in the case of the liquid crystal display devices 10 having broken portions confronting the terminal areas 14, the broken portion remains on the terminal areas 14, and hence the liquid crystal display devices 10 are also faulty goods.
If the thickness of each substrate is rendered thin for rendering the liquid crystal display device 10 thin and light, this tendency becomes conspicuous. If glass having a thickness of about 0.5 mm is employed by each substrate, it is found that all the liquid crystal display devices 10 substantially become faulty goods by the same reason.
There are the following problems in the liquid crystal display device using the polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or polymer network type liquid crystal.
That is, if the barriers 6 shown in FIG. 6 are not provided, when a liquid crystal material formed of a mixture composed of a liquid crystal and a monomer is poured into the gaps of the respective liquid crystal display devices 10, the liquid crystal material enters the gaps between the seals 3 owing to capillary phenomenon to be also stuck to the terminal areas 14. Thereafter, if the liquid crystal material is irradiated with ultraviolet rays as it is, the monomer in the liquid crystal material on the terminal areas 14 is reacted to be polymerized.
Accordingly, even after the liquid crystal display devices are separated into individual ones, the polymerized liquid crystal material remains stuck to the surfaces of the terminal areas 14.
Since the polymerized liquid crystal material has a high insulating property, electric connection to the external circuit on the terminal areas 14 becomes difficult. Accordingly, it was necessary to have a special device not to render the liquid crystal material stuck to the terminal areas 14 not to be irradiated with ultraviolet rays or to provide a special process to completely remove the polymerized liquid crystal material, which was however difficult to carry out.
The invention has been developed to solve the foregoing problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of preventing a liquid crystal material from entering unwanted portions to save the amount of use of a liquid crystal material, and preventing a liquid crystal material particularly formed of polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or polymer network type liquid crystal from sticking to terminal areas of substrates, and preventing the substrates from being broken when the substrates are cut to separate the liquid crystal display devices into individual ones, so that a fabricating yield is improved to a greater extent.
To achieve the above object, the invention provides a liquid crystal display device having the following construction and a method of fabricating the same.
The liquid crystal display device according to the invention comprises two transparent substrates, a seal for forming a gap between the two substrates by joining the two substrates, a liquid crystal layer formed of a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or a polymer network type liquid crystal sealed in the gap and a pouring port provided in the seal for pouring a liquid crystal material to form the liquid crystal layer.
The liquid crystal display device is characterized in further comprising barriers provided in the vicinity of both ends of one side of the seal between the substrates where the pouring port is provided for preventing the liquid crystal material from turning around the pouring port when the liquid crystal material is poured from the pouring port into the gap between the two substrates, wherein an adhesive force between the barriers and at least one of the substrates is weaker than that between the seal and the substrate.
Further, in the case of the liquid crystal display device having terminal areas provided on an inner surface of at least one of the two substrates outside the seal and having terminals thereon for electrically connecting electrodes formed on the transparent substrate to an external circuit, the foregoing barriers are provided for preventing the liquid crystal material from turning around into the terminal areas when the liquid crystal material is poured from the pouring port into the gap between the two substrates.
The respective barriers may be formed of a conductive paste or the like having an adhesive force which is weaker than that of the seal.
Alternatively, the liquid crystal display device further includes an intermediate layer formed of a transparent organic material provided between the barriers and at least one of the two substrates, thereby weakening the adhesive force between the barriers and the substrate.
The liquid crystal display device according to the invention has the barriers for preventing the liquid crystal material from turning around to an outer periphery of the seal when pouring the liquid crystal material into the gap formed by the seal between the two substrates, thereby reducing a wasteful liquid crystal material to a greater extent. Further, a liquid crystal material is prevented from sticking to terminal areas of the substrate to form an insulating film when it is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, thereby preventing electric connection to an external circuit from being difficult.
Further, the barriers of the invention are different from the conventional barriers, namely, an adhesive force between the barriers and the substrate is weaker than an adhesive force between the seal and the substrate. Accordingly, when the liquid crystal display devices are separated from one another into individual ones after a plurality of liquid crystal display devices are formed on the same substrates, it is possible to prevent the fabrication of inferior or faulty liquid crystal display devices owing to the breakage of substrates, thereby improving a fabricating yield to a greater extent.
The method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device of the invention has the following steps.
(1) A step of forming a seal for sealing a liquid crystal layer on an inner surface of one of two transparent substrates having respectively electrodes on confronted inner surfaces thereof while leaving a pouring port for pouring a liquid crystal material;
(2) A step of forming connecting means provided outside the seal for electrically connecting the electrodes formed on the two substrates, and barriers for preventing the liquid crystal material from turning around into a portion where the connecting means are provided when the liquid crystal material is poured from the pouring port of the seal, respectively on an inner surface of one or the other of the two substrates wherein the connecting means and the barriers are respectively formed of a conductive material having an adhesive force weaker than that of the seal;
(3) A step of forming a gap between the two substrates by joining the two substrates via the seal;
(4) A step of pouring the liquid crystal material formed of a mixture composed of a liquid crystal and a monomer from the pouring port provided in the seal into the gap, then sealing the pouring port; and
(5) A step of forming the liquid crystal layer formed of a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or polymer network type liquid crystal by irradiating the liquid crystal material with ultraviolet rays to polymerize the monomer.
The foregoing connecting means and barriers can be formed by printing using a conductive paste such as a silver paste or a carbon paste
The method of fabricating the liquid crystal display device of the invention may have the following steps of A to F.
A. a step of forming seals for respective liquid crystal display devices to seal liquid crystal layers on an inner surface of one of two transparent substrates while leaving pouring ports for pouring a liquid crystal material so as to fabricate a plurality of liquid crystal display devices at the same time,
B. a step of forming barriers in the vicinity of both ends of a side of each seal on an inner surface of one or the other of the two substrates where the pouring ports are provided for preventing the liquid crystal material from turning around to portions between the adjoining liquid crystal display devices when the liquid crystal material is poured from the pouring ports, wherein the barriers are formed of a material having an adhesive force weaker than that of the seals in the manner that the barriers between adjoining liquid crystal display devices are continuous with one another,
C. a step of forming gaps for use in respective liquid crystal display devices between the two substrates by joining the two substrates via the seals;
D. a step of pouring the liquid crystal material formed of a mixture composed of a liquid crystal and a monomer from the pouring ports provided in the seals into the gaps for respective liquid crystal display devices, then sealing the pouring ports;
E. a step of forming the liquid crystal layers made of a polymer dispersion type liquid crystal or polymer network type liquid crystal by irradiating the liquid crystal material sealed in the gaps with ultraviolet rays to polymerize the monomer; and
F. a step of cutting the two substrates along portions where the barriers are formed to separate the liquid crystal display devices from one another.
The connecting means and the barriers may be formed on an inner surface of one of or the other of the two substrates via intermediate layers respectively formed of a transparent organic material by changing the foregoing step of B.
Further, in the case of fabricating a liquid crystal display device provided with terminal areas on an inner surface of at least one of the substrates outside the seals, wherein the terminal areas have terminals for electrically connecting the electrodes provided on the substrates to an external device, the foregoing step of B may be changed to the following.
That is, there are formed the barriers for preventing the liquid crystal material from turning around into terminal areas respectively on an inner surface of one or the other of the two substrates when the liquid crystal material is poured from the pouring ports of the respective seals, wherein the barriers are formed of a material having an adhesive force weaker than that of the seals or they are formed via intermediate layers made of a transparent organic material in the manner that the barriers between adjoining liquid crystal display devices are continuous with one another, on an inner surface of one or the other of the two substrates.
In the foregoing step of B or in a step where the foregoing step of B is partially modified, the barriers may be formed by printing using a conductive paste such as a silver paste or a carbon paste. Further, when the barriers are formed via the intermediate layer formed of a transparent organic material, the barriers per se may be formed of the same material as the seals.

LCD device and method of manufacture thereof


Flat cable connector 10 having numerous flat-plate-form contacts 30 in an insulating housing 20. Each contact 30 has a first arm 33 and a second arm 34coextending forwardly from a base part 31 so that the two arms are substantially parallel to each other. A contact point 35 is formed proximate the free end of the first arm 33, and an engaging projection is formed on the free end of the second arm 34 that protrudes beyond the front surface 23 of the insulating housing 20 The end portion of the flat cable 50 inserted between the arms 33 and 34is pressed by pushing the tongue part 42 of the slider 40inward so that a contact pressure is applied between the contact points 35 and the conductors of the flat cable 50Furthermore, the slider 40 is fastened to the insulating housing 20 via the contacts 30 by the latching engagement of an engaging recess 47 with the engaging projections 36.

Flat cables were developed for use in the transmission of relatively low-frequency digital or analog signals, and are widely used in various types of electronic devices and devices using electronics In particular, since flat cables are extremely thin, such cables are superior in terms of the space factor obtained; furthermore, since flat cables also have good flexibility, such cable are suitable not only for compact, high-density connections but also for mutual connections between movable parts and fixed parts.
Flat cable connectors also include vertical type connectors that have an insulating housing and contacts that are perpendicular to the circuit board; however, horizontal type connectors that utilize the compact, high-density characteristics of flat cables are more common. For example, applications are common in which a pair of flat cable connectors are connected to both ends of a flat cable, and this cable is used to connect two circuit boards that are parallel to each other or positioned in an arbitrary angular relationship.
Common conventional examples of such horizontal type flat cable connectors are described in (for example) Japanese Utility Model Application Kokoku No. 5-32945, Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 3-266384 and Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 5-251140.
In such conventional flat cable connectors, beam-form contacts or contacts having the shape of a tuning fork with one elastic arm are fastened parallel to each other in a row along an opening formed in an insulating housing. One end of the flat cable is inserted into this contact row via the opening in the insulating housing. Furthermore, since flat cables are extremely thin and flexible, a reinforcing plate is ordinarily attached to one end of the flat cable on the opposite side from the conductors in order to endow the cable with some rigidity. However, stable contact with a sufficient contact pressure between the respective conductors of such a flat cable and the contacts of the connector cannot be obtained merely by inserting one end of the flat cable into the opening formed in the insulating housing. Generally, therefore, it is necessary to insure a sufficient contact pressure by press-fitting a slider made of an insulating plastic inside the opening so that the conductors of the flat cable are pressed against the contacts by the tongue part of this slider.
A typical example of such a conventional flat cable connector will be described in further detail with reference to FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B). Here, the flat cable connector 1 has a relatively thin rectangular insulating housing 2, and contacts 4 that have two arms are fastened by press-fitting from the rear end of the connector inside contact receiving holes 3 that pass completely through the connector from the front end to the rear end. The leading end portion of a flat cable 5 is inserted between the arms of the respective contacts 4 via an opening in the front surface of the insulating housing 2. Furthermore, a slider 6 having a tongue part is pushed in from the front surface of the insulating housing 2, so that the conductors of the flat cable 6 are pressed against the contacts 4 by the tongue part.
Here, as is clear from FIG. 4(A), it is necessary that the slider 6 be securely anchored inside the insulating housing 2 after insertion so that contacts 4 constantly maintain an appropriate contact pressure against the conductors of flat cable 5. For this reason, it is necessary to dispose latching arms and engaging parts between the sides of slider 6 and the facing insulating housing 2 so that both parts are fastened by latching. As is clear from FIG. 4(A), such latching parts occupy a considerable portion of the overall width of the insulating housing 2. This is also true in the conventional examples mentioned above. When the number of conductors in the flat cable is increased so that the width of the flat cable is increased, the area occupied by the latching parts becomes smaller in relative terms; however, in view of the strong demand for light weight, thinness and compactness in recent electronic devices, the area occupied by such latching parts cannot be ignored.
Furthermore, in the case of Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 5-251140 mentioned above, a flat cable is split into a plurality of flat cables, and a connector module is formed for each of these flat cables. Latching parts are formed on sliders for each module, and a flat cable connector is obtained in which latching engagement is accomplished by means of a plurality of latching arms formed by a metal cover that accommodates a plurality of modules. However, as a result of such modularization, a certain amount of dead space is unavoidably created between the modules, so that an increase in density is hindered


The present invention relates to an illumination device. When the light from the, light emitting element is guided to the first illuminating portion of the light guide plate, the light is radiated from the whole upper surface of the first illuminating portion to illuminate the upper surface side of the light guide plate. Also, when the light from the light emitting element is guided to the second illuminating portion of the light guide plate, the light is radiated from the whole lower surface of the second illuminating portion to illuminate the lower surface side of the light guide plate. The upper and lower surface sides of the light guide plate can be excellently illuminated with one light guide plate.

For example, a wristwatch which has an analogue display function for moving a hand above a dial, and a digital function for electrooptically displaying information such as time by a display element such as a liquid crystal display element has been well known. Both of the analogue and the digital functions are illuminated by one illumination device.
The wristwatch of this type is provided with a light guide plate on a lower side of a transparent or translucent dial, which receives light of a light-emitting diode from a side surface to guide the light in a surface direction of the light guide plate. The liquid crystal display element is disposed in the lower side of a notch-for-display corresponding to a display window portion of the dial. When making the light emitting diode emit light in this state, the light is received in the light guide plate and is guided in the surface direction. This guided light is radiated from the upper surface of the light guide plate and the end surface of the notch-for-display of the light guide plate, thereby illuminating the upper side thereof through the dial and also, illuminating the liquid crystal display element from periphery thereof.

Illumination device and electronic apparatus


A handlebar grip for a transportation vehicle includes a grip body having a body portion and an annular flange provided on one end of the body portion, a tightening member mounted on the outer surface of the annular flange, a locating ring mounted on the outer surface of the annular flange in such a way that the tightening member is placed in between the locating ring and the annular flange, and a fastener inserted into a through hole of the locating ring. When the fastener is fastened up, one end of the fastener leans against the outer surface of the tightening member such that the annular flange of the grip body is pressed by the tightening member to be radially inwardly deformed and compressed against the periphery of a handlebar of the transportation vehicle. Thus, the handlebar grip is firmly fixed to the handlebar of the transportation vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a handlebar grip and more specifically, to a handlebar grip for a transportation vehicle, for example, a bicycle, motorcycle or tricycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwan Patent No. M267157 discloses a handlebar grip for a transportation vehicle including a grip body, a locating ring, a screw and a tightening member. The grip body is provided at one end thereof with an insertion groove for insertion of the locating ring and a through hole in communication with the insertion groove. The locating ring is provided with a center hole surrounded by an inner surface thereof and a threaded hole passed through the inner and outer surfaces thereof. The screw is inserted into the through hole of the grip body and threaded into the threaded hole of the locating ring. The tightening member is mounted in the inner surface of the locating ring. When the screw is screwed up, a bottom end of the screw leans against the outer surface of the tightening member such that the inner surface of the tightening member is compressed against the periphery of the handlebar of the transportation vehicle, thereby firmly fixing the handlebar grip to the handlebar of the transportation vehicle.
According to this design, both of the tightening member and the handlebar of the transportation vehicle are made of metals. When the handlebar grip and the handlebar are assembled, the constant friction between the tightening member and the handlebar will cause the inner surface of the tightening member and the periphery of the handlebar to damage, resulting in that the handlebar grip may not be securely fixed to the handlebar of the transportation vehicle. Therefore, it is a need to provide an improved handlebar grip.

International Bicycle Products Corporation


A system and method of building a routing table for use in a multiprocessor computer system having a plurality of processing nodes and physical communication links interconnecting the processing nodes in a predefined topology. The system determines all single hops for each processing node, queries each adjacent node for its single hop routes, determines if all nodes can be reached and if all nodes cannot be reached, sets x=2. The system then queries each adjacent node for its “x” hop routes, eliminates all routes to a particular node that are longer than existing routes from the node where the routing table will reside to that particular node, eliminates all routes that introduce a cyclic dependency and chooses a best route for the node. The process is repeated as needed until all nodes can be reach all other nodes.

Multiprocessor computer systems consist of nodes interconnected by physical communication links in an n-dimensional topology. Messages between nodes are routed across the physical communication links in a variety of ways. In one approach, such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,232, issued Oct. 19, 1999 to Passint et al., routers route messages between pairs of processing element nodes and a three dimensional network. A symmetric eight port router is described that, in one embodiment, has a port connected to each node; the remaining ports are connected to physical communication links in the +X, −X, +Y, −Y, +Z and −Z directions.
A primary consideration in the design of interconnect networks and corresponding routing algorithms is avoiding deadlock. Deadlock occurs when cyclic dependencies arise among a set of channel buffers, causing all involved buffers to fill up and block.
Approaches for avoiding deadlock are often dependent on a regular topology; failure of one or more communication links can reintroduce cyclic dependencies into what had been a deadlock-free routing scheme. What is needed is a system and method of routing that avoids cyclic dependencies in networks with irregular topologies, and in regular topologies made irregular due to failures on one or more components.

Systems and methods for routing packets in multiprocessor computer systems


A technique for preventing modification of productive data in a database. In response to a database access request in a productive data database access configuration, a database interface facilitates access to a sample database when a sample switch is enabled. The database interface facilitates normal database access when the sample switch is disabled.

It is common to test a database, or a system or program associated with the database, by accessing sample data in the database. However, when productive databases are tested or used to test a program, productive data may be retrieved or modified. This may have undesirable consequences. For example, a company that maintains the database may worry about retrieval of productive data for testing purposes out of security or privacy concerns. Moreover, the company may not want sample data read out during normal use of the database. Plus, as a common sense rule, it is simply unwise to risk modification of productive data for the purposes of testing.


A plurality of panels (40) are cut from a large substrate (mother substrate) including a lower large substrate (41A) and an upper large substrate (42A). For each panel (40), a frame-shaped seal (47) and a connection electrode forming section (C) are formed in the large substrate. Since the left side (47c) of the frame of a panel (40) is close to the right side (47b) of the frame of the left-adjacent panel, these sides of the seals are formed from a sealing material containing a lower density of spacers. Since the upper side (47a) of the frame of a panel (40) is separated from the lower side (47d) of the frame of the upper adjacent panel (40) by an extension (C′) for the connection electrodes, these seal members are formed from a sealing material containing a higher density of spacers.

Liquid crystal devices are used in various apparatus, including middle- and large-sized apparatus such as desktop personal computers, notebook personal computers, and liquid crystal television sets as well as small mobile apparatus such as electronic organizers, mobile telephones, and digital cameras. Thin and lightweight liquid crystal panels are used in these various types of apparatus.
A liquid crystal device has a panel filled with a liquid crystal as an electro-optical conversion member. The panel is cut from a large substrate in which a plurality of panels are formed.
A technique for forming a plurality of panels in a large substrate, cutting out the individual panels, and injecting a liquid crystal into the panels will now be described with reference to FIGS. 27 and 28.
A lower large substrate 1A and an upper large substrate 2A are provided, on either one of which frame-shaped seals 7 are formed by a technique such as printing. Each frame-shaped seal 7 corresponds to one panel A plurality of frame-shaped seals 7 are arranged in a matrix on the lower large substrate 1A or upper large substrate 2A. Part of each frame-shaped seal is left open and the opening is flanked on both sides by projections 7e projecting outward to form an injection port 7f. The injection port 7f is used to inject the liquid crystal.
The seal 7 is made of a resin adhesive 7m containing gap adjustment members (referred to hereinafter as spacers) 7n for adjusting the gap between the substrates. The spacers 7n set the amount of gap (the gap dimension) between the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A. The resin adhesive 7m may be a thermosetting adhesive, UV-curing adhesive, or other adhesive.
Each frame-shaped seal 7 has four sides 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d, side 7a facing side 7d and side 7b facing side 7c. The injection port 7f is located in side 7a.
After a plurality of frame-shaped seals 7 are formed on the lower large substrate 1A or upper large substrate 2A, the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A are placed face to face and aligned with each other in planes parallel to the opposing surfaces of the resultant large substrate. Then, the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A are bonded together by heating or ultraviolet irradiation under pressure applied to the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A from the outside toward the inside. This bonding step forms a plurality of panels 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, . . . in the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A as shown in FIG. 27.
When the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A are bonded together, injection regions B, into which the liquid crystal is injected as the electro-optical conversion member in a subsequent step, are created inside the individual seals 7 as shown in FIG. 28.
A plurality of transparent electrodes 3 are provided for each of the panels on the surface of the lower large substrate 1A facing the upper large substrate 2A as shown in FIG. 28, and oriented films 5 are provided on the transparent electrodes 3. Similarly, a plurality of transparent electrodes 4 and oriented films 6 are provided on the surface of the upper large substrate 2A facing the lower large substrate 1A.
Each liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal section containing a liquid crystal sealed in the space enclosed by the frame-shaped seal and a connection electrode forming section C outside the frame-shaped seal. Connection electrodes (or wiring electrodes) disposed in the connection electrode forming section C establish electrical connections with electrodes (mainly, pixel electrodes and wiring electrodes) disposed in the liquid crystal section to transmit signals for driving the liquid crystal.
In FIGS. 27 and 28, the connection electrode forming section C of a panel occupies the space between the frame-shaped seal 7 of the panel and the frame-shaped seal 7 of the vertically adjacent panel. The connection electrode forming section C is formed on an extension C′ of the lower large substrate 1A.
As shown in FIG. 28, the connection electrode forming section C is formed only on the lower large substrate 1A. Connection electrodes 9 are disposed on the connection electrode forming section C. The connection electrodes 9 include lead wiring electrodes (or wiring electrodes) for connection to the transparent electrodes 3 in the electro-optical conversion member injection region B on the lower large substrate 1A, and for connection through a transfer-connection structure to the transparent electrodes 4 on the upper large substrate 2A.
The dot-dash lines X1, X2, X3, and Y in FIG. 27 are cleaving or cutting lines for separating the panels 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-11, . . . , 10-21, . . . from the large substrate (mother substrate) composed of the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A. Individual panels are obtained by cutting along these cutting lines. (An arbitrary one of the panels will be referred to hereinafter as "panel 10".)
First, the lower and upper large substrates 1A, 2A are cut simultaneously into strips along cutting lines X3, each strip including a row of panels 10. Next, each strip is cut along cutting line X1 to remove a region K to trim the projecting tips of the projections 7e on both sides of the injection ports 7f in the seals 7. Then, the upper substrate 2A is cut along cutting line X2 as shown in FIG. 28 to remove an unnecessary portion D.
After the strips have been formed by these cuts, a liquid crystal is injected as an electro-optical conversion member into the individual panels through their injection ports 7f. Then, the injection ports 7f are sealed. Next, each strip is cut along cutting lines Y to obtain individual panels with the liquid crystal encapsulated therein, i.e., individual liquid crystal panels (liquid crystal devices).
The above manufacturing method allows a plurality of liquid crystal panels to be cut out and formed from a large substrate. A drawback has been found in this manufacturing method, however: the gap between the upper and lower substrates of each panel is not uniform over the entire panel, varying in different portions of the panel. The inventors have found a new tendency in this gap irregularity.
The plan view in FIG. 29 illustrates this problem of the above manufacturing method.
Among the sides 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d of the frame-shaped seal 7 of a panel 10, the gap tends to be narrower in the diagonally shaded areas E1, E2 on sides 7a and 7d than in other areas.
This problem is caused by a difference in the distance between seals: the distances between side 7a of the seal of a panel 10 and side 7d of the seal of an adjacent panel 10, and between the side 7d of the seal of a panel 10 and side 7a of the seal of an adjacent panel 10 are enlarged by the connection electrode forming section C and projecting tip clipping area K between the seal members 7a, 7d of the panel 10 and the seal members 7d, 7a of the adjacent panels 10.
With reference to the large substrate in FIG. 27, the distance between sides 7a and 7d of adjacent seals is lengthened by the connection electrode forming section C and projecting tip clipping area K between side 7a of the seal in panel 10-13 and side 7d of the seal in the upper adjacent panel 10-3. Similarly, the distance between sides 7d and 7a is lengthened by the connection electrode forming section C and projecting tip clipping area K between side 7d of the seal in panel 10-13 and side 7a of the seal in the lower adjacent panel 10-23.
In comparison, side 7b of the seal in panel 10-13 is close to side 7c of the seal in the right-adjacent panel 10-14, and side 7c of the seal in panel 10-13 is also close to side 7b of the seal in the left-adjacent panel 10-14.
If the seals disposed between the lower and upper large substrates are closely spaced in some parts and more widely spaced in other parts, the more widely spaced parts of the seals tend to experience a larger thickness deformation than the closely spaced parts when external pressure is applied to bond the lower and upper large substrates together. In short, the inventors have found that the seal thickness varies in different parts of a single panel.
If such a panel, with different thickness deformations in different seal areas (causing the gap between the lower and upper large substrates to vary significantly in different panel areas), is employed in a liquid crystal display device, uneven color and other problems degrading the color image quality or display quality will appear on the display.
Although various attempts have been made to minimize the gap irregularities of large substrates, the problem found above by the inventors have not been successfully addressed in the art.
In the art described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-75233 and illustrated in FIG. 30, for example, the distance between the centers of the lower and upper large substrates is mechanically adjusted by suction applied by a cell suctioning pump or pressure applied by a cell pressurizing compressor. FIG. 30 is a plan view showing the pattern in which the seals are disposed; each frame-shaped seal member 301 has a liquid crystal injection port 304 and is surrounded by dummy seal members 303 to balance the pressure applied to the seal material in the step of applying pressure to the substrates. No spacers are mixed into these seal members.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-14953 discloses a technique for securing a uniform cell gap for each liquid crystal panel cut from a large substrate by surrounding each frame-shaped seal formed in the large substrate by dummy seals disposed parallel to the sides of the seal.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-240621 discloses a technique for securing a uniform gap over the entire area of a liquid crystal panel composed of two substrates and providing a uniform thickness in the liquid crystal layer by placing the same number of spacers in the long sides of a rectangular frame-shaped seal as in the short sides.
Furthermore, a typical liquid crystal display panel has a pair of transparent substrates placed face to face, each equipped with transparent electrodes, an oriented film, and other elements, with a frame-shaped seal (encapsulating member) containing gap adjustment members (spacers) disposed in the peripheral parts between the opposite surfaces. A liquid crystal is injected as an electro-optical conversion member into the space surrounded by the seal between the opposite substrates.
A seal for a liquid crystal device will now be described with reference to FIGS. 31-35.
A liquid crystal panel 101 is composed of a lower substrate 110 and an upper substrate 120 placed face to face with a gap between them. The lower substrate 110, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, has a transparent substrate 111 as a base member, with transparent electrodes 112 formed by patterning on the surface of the transparent substrate 111 facing the upper substrate 120. An insulating film 113 is formed on the upper surface of the transparent electrodes 112 to prevent the transparent electrodes 112 from being short-circuited to the electrodes on the upper substrate 120 by dust or other foreign particles. The lower substrate 110 also has an oriented film 114 formed on the upper surface of the insulating film 113. When the liquid crystal panel 101 is used as a reflective liquid crystal panel, the lower substrate 110 may be opaque or semitransparent, and for an active panel TFT or MIM (TFD) elements or the like may be formed on the substrate.
The upper substrate 120 has a transparent substrate 121 as a base member, similar to the lower substrate 110, and has a color filter 122 with red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color filters arranged in a striped or matrix pattern on the surface of the transparent substrate 121 facing the lower substrate 110. As shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, a flattening film, protection film, or overcoat 123 is disposed on the lower surface of the color filter 122 to protect the color filter 122 and flatten its surface. The overcoat 123 has transparent electrodes 124 formed by patterning on its lower surface. The upper substrate 120 also has an oriented film 125 formed on the lower surface of the transparent electrodes 124.
A frame-shaped seal 130 is disposed between the lower and upper substrates 110, 120 of the liquid crystal panel 101. Spacers 131 are intermixed with the seal 130. The lower and upper substrates 110, 120 are bonded together through the seal 130.
The spacers 131 serve to maintain a uniform gap (cell gap) between the lower and upper substrates 110, 120. More specifically, the lower and upper substrates 110, 120 are positioned with a predetermined gap therebetween by the spacers 131. The region surrounded by the frame-shaped seal 130 is the space into which the liquid crystal injected. The liquid crystal 140 is injected into this space through the injection port 132 shown in FIG. 31. After a predetermined amount of liquid crystal is injected, the injection port 132 is sealed with port sealing resin 133. In this manner, the liquid crystal layer 140 shown in FIGS. 32 and 33 is formed. Intra-cell spacers 141 are scattered throughout the liquid crystal layer 140 to keep the gap (cell gap) between the substrates uniform.
A liquid crystal panel 101 having the above structure is obtained by cutting a large liquid crystal cell 501, shown as a large substrate (mother substrate) in FIG. 34, on which a plurality of liquid crystal panels are created at once, then injecting a liquid crystal into each liquid crystal cell, and sealing each injection port. The upper and lower substrates constituting the large liquid crystal cell 501 are first cut simultaneously along the cutting lines marked X-X1. Then, the upper substrate is cut along cutting lines X2-X3 to obtain strips each including a plurality of liquid crystal cells arranged in a row.
A liquid crystal is injected through the respective injection ports of the individual liquid crystal cells in the strips; then the injection ports are sealed, and the upper and lower substrates including the liquid crystal cells are cut simultaneously along cutting lines Y-Y1 in FIG. 34 to produce individual liquid crystal panels.
The large liquid crystal cell 501 shown as the mother substrate in FIG. 34 is formed by overlaying the upper large substrate 520 shown in FIG. 35(B) face to face on the lower large substrate 510 shown in FIG. 35(A). Seals 130 arranged as a plurality of rectangular frames are formed on the lower large substrate 510. No seals 130 are formed on the upper large substrate 52.
The transparent electrodes 112, insulating films 113, and oriented films 114 shown in FIGS. 32 and 33 (not shown in FIG. 35(A)) are disposed on the surface 510F of the lower large substrate 510 facing the upper large substrate 520 in FIG. 35(A). A plurality of frame-shaped seals 130 are also disposed as described above on the lower large substrate 510.
The color filters 122, overcoats 123, transparent electrodes 124, and oriented films 125 shown in FIGS. 32 and 33 (not shown in FIG. 35(B)) are disposed on the surface 520F of the upper large substrate 520 facing the lower large substrate 510 in FIG. 35(B).
A liquid crystal panel 101 produced from this large liquid crystal cell 501 has the following problems.
As shown in FIG. 31, an extension 110A of the lower substrate 110 protrudes beyond the associated end of the upper substrate 120. The side 130A of the seal adjacent to the extension 110A of the lower substrate 110 and the opposite side 130A (provided with the injection port 132) contain spacers 131 having a particle size of approximately 6.0 μm. Accordingly, the thickness of these sides 130A of the seal, corresponding to the gap between the opposite substrates, is on the average approximately 6 μm, this gap being defined by the particle size of the spacers 131.
The sides 130B of the seal that meet sides 130A at right angles contain spacers of the same size and material as those above, so the thickness of these sides 130B, corresponding to the gap between the opposite substrates, is also approximately 6 μm, defined by the particle size of the spacers 131.
The inventors have found that the luminance observed near sides 130A of the seal is different from the luminance observed near sides 130B when the completed liquid crystal panel is illuminated by a backlight. Through investigation, the inventors have found that this problem is caused by a difference in flattening between the spacers 131 in sides 130A and the spacers 131 in the sides 130B perpendicular to sides 130A. This will be described below with reference to the cross-sectional views of a representative side 130A in FIG. 32 and a representative side 130B in FIG. 33.
FIGS. 32 and 33 show the degrees of flattening of the spacers 131 in the sides 130A and 130B of the seals. The flattening of the spacers 131 in the side 130A of the seal shown (with some exaggeration) in FIG. 32, is significantly greater than the flattening of the spacers 131 in the side 130B of the seal shown in FIG. 33. More specifically, the spacers 131 in FIG. 32 are flattened enough to reduce the gap between the opposite substrates to approximately 5.5 μm, while the spacers 131 in FIG. 33 are flattened less and the gap between the opposite substrates remains approximately 6.0 μm.
It has been found that this gap difference of approximately 0.5 μm between sides 130A and 130B of the seal, which are disposed in different locations in the panel, causes luminance unevenness M in the peripheral parts around the display area Z (the effective panel area) of the liquid crystal panel 101 shown in FIG. 31 and thereby degrades the display quality.
Accordingly, the inventors examined how the positional difference of the sides of the seal causes such luminance unevenness near the seal in the panel.
Through investigation of the gap between the upper and lower substrates of a liquid crystal panel 101 obtained from a large liquid crystal cell 501 as shown in FIG. 34, it has been found that the gap S2 (FIG. 32) appears in areas corresponding to sides 130A of the seals in FIG. 35(A) and the gap S3 (FIG. 33) appears in areas corresponding to sides 130B of the seals in FIG. 35(A).
This is because in the large liquid crystal cell 501, mutually adjacent sides 130A of the seals are relatively distant from each other because of the extension 110A interposed between them, while mutually adjacent sides 130B of the seals are relatively close together because there is no extension 110A between them.
More specifically, the narrowly spaced sides 130B of the seals (spaced close together) are thought to be more resistant to the external pressure applied when the large liquid crystal cell 501 is manufactured and to be able prevent the spacers 131 in the seal from being significantly flattened. In contrast, the more widely spaced sides 130A of the seals are thought to be less resistant to the pressure applied when the large liquid crystal cell 501 is manufactured; the individual spacers 131 in sides 130A of the seals are subject to more pressure and suffer more flattening.
A difference is accordingly inferred to occur between the gaps S2 and S3 between the upper and lower substrates at sides 130A and 130B of the seal (after the seal is deformed).

Large substrate, method of manufacturing liquid crystal device from the same, and liquid crystal device obtained


A wall panel system may include a bottom drop seal assembly that maintains a constant force relative to a floor portion of an environment through a damper. The wall panel system may include an automatic top seal assembly that seals a gap between the movable wall panel system and a ceiling of the environment. The moveable wall panel system may include multiple panels and a plurality of seals positioned between adjacent panels to seal a gap between the adjacent panels.

The present disclosure relates to wall systems operable to partition a large room into a smaller room. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a wall panel system having a plurality of panels with seals.
Operable walls or partitions, also known as wall panel systems, find useful applications in a variety of venues such as classrooms, offices, convention facilities, hospitals or the like. In these venues, the operable partitions are often moved along overhead tracks from which the partitions are suspended. The partitions are along the tracks to separate or compartmentalize larger rooms or areas into smaller rooms or areas. The operable partitions are typically connected to trolleys that roll within the overhead track. The track is suspended from a support structure which is typically located above the ceiling of a room or area in which the operable partitions are installed.
Operable partitions are typically available in single panel, paired panel, and continuously hinged arrangements. Paired panel systems are hinged together in groups of two panels which are either top supported by an overhead track or floor supported. Continuously hinged panels are connected together in a train so that the panels extend as one complete unit.


A modified ranging request in a broadband communications system. The modified ranging request includes a header, a management message header attached to the header, a management message payload attached to the management message header, and a CRC attached to the management message payload. The management message header enables bandwidth requests to be made by subscriber equipment without contention. The management message header also includes state of health information on the status of a downstream transmission for enabling a central location to determine how to assign subscribers to queues in an adaptive modulation scheme.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to broadband communications systems. More particularly, the present invention is related to broadband communication systems that use Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) or any of its derivatives.
2. Background Art
In DOCSIS related broadband communications architectures, data is transferred between a central location and many remote subscribers. The central location may be referred to as a headend for cable systems, a wireless access termination system (WATS) for broadband terrestrial fixed wireless systems, or a satellite gateway for two-way satellite systems. Subscriber equipment may be referred to as a cable modem (CM) for cable systems, a wireless modem (WM) for broadband terrestrial fixed wireless systems, or a satellite modem (SM) for two-way satellite systems.
In a two-way satellite system, the communication path from the satellite gateway to the SM is called the downstream. The communication path from the SM to the satellite gateway is called the upstream.
Each SM is provided with one or more service identifiers (SIDs) and an address for identification purposes. Present DOCSIS protocol requires the upstream channel to be divided into a stream of mini-slots. The satellite gateway generates the time reference for identifying these mini-slots and controls access to these mini-slots by the SMs. The start time and duration of each mini-slot is relative to a master reference maintained by the satellite gateway. The master reference is distributed to the SMs via SYNC and upstream channel descriptor (UCD) packets. SMs may issue requests to the satellite gateway for upstream bandwidth. The satellite gateway must transmit an allocation MAP on the downstream channel defining the allowed usage of each mini-slot. For example, the satellite gateway may grant a plurality of contiguous mini-slots to an SM to transmit data. The SM must, in turn, time its transmission so that the satellite gateway receives it in the time reference specified.
The allocation MAP is a variable length MAC management message that is transmitted by the satellite gateway to the SMs to define transmission opportunities on the upstream channel. The allocation MAP includes a fixed-length header and a plurality of information elements (IEs). Each information element defines the allowed usage for a range of mini-slots. A Request IE indicates an upstream interval in which SMs may request bandwidth for upstream data transmission. In an embodiment, this may be an invitation for SMs to contend for bandwidth requests.
An SM will receive the allocation MAP and scan it for request opportunities. During a contention transmit opportunity, the SM will transmit a request for the number of mini-slots needed to accommodate a PDU (protocol data unit) that the SM desires to send. After the contention transmission, the SM will wait for a Data Grant (Data Grant Pending) or Data Acknowledge in a subsequent allocation MAP. Once the Data Grant or Data Acknowledge is received, contention resolution is complete.
In many instances the request during a contention transmission may collide with requests from other SMs and be lost. The SM will be on notice that the contention transmission was lost (i.e., a collision occurred) when a subsequent allocation MAP includes an ACK time indicating that the request would have been received and processed, yet fails to include an acknowledgment of the request. The SM must then perform a back-off algorithm, such as, for example, a binary exponential back-off algorithm, and retry. Often times multiple collisions occur causing the SM to have to backoff several times before bandwidth is allocated or until the maximum number of retries has been reached. If the maximum number of retries is reached without bandwidth being allocated, the PDU is discarded.
Two-way satellite communications systems posses a half second round trip delay. If continuous collisions occur for an SM during a bandwidth request, the round-trip delays accumulate, thereby consuming a considerable amount of time. As a result, undesired lags in service will occur. Also, in cases where a large number of subscribers are on these channels, one would not want to devote large amounts of resources to these request regions.
In other applications, it might be desirable for the satellite gateway to receive information about the status of a downstream transmission received by a given subscriber. For example, to implement an adaptive modulation scheme, such information could be used to match SMs with appropriate downstreams. Useful state of health information might include, but is not limited to, downstream codeword error rates (CER) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
One could provide such information to the satellite gateway via a high level protocol, such as SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), or via other network management communication methods where each SM is periodically polled for the information. Upon receiving the information, network management would then update a database that stores such information. The down side to such methods is that they require a great deal of processor power and consume both upstream and downstream bandwidth. For example, bandwidth would be utilized to make the request for information to each SM on the downstream and the satellite gateway would have to retrieve the information coming upstream by parsing an entire IP stack.
Therefore, what is needed is a mechanism for providing information about the status of a downstream transmission received by a given subscriber that does not require a great deal of processor power. Also what is needed is a mechanism for enabling bandwidth requests that are not subject to contention.

Modified range requests enabling bandwidth requests and state of health reporting


A stick placement apparatus for a stacking machine that transfers sticks from a stick conveyor to a stacking mechanism. Transfer units are mounted to a movable carriage that is mounted strategic to the stick conveyor. The transfer unit has telescoping tubes to facilitate ease of installation and removal. Elastomeric tips are removably mounted to arms of the transfer unit. The tips being resilient will return to their original shape if bent or otherwise deformed. A cam mechanism elevates the tips of the transfer unit to engage and transfer sticks from the stick conveyor to a pan of the stacking mechanism. The tips are provided in varying lengths and are color coded to distinguish the different lengths.

The stick placement apparatus of the present invention is the subject of prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,787 and 4,324,521, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Lumber that is produced from logs contains moisture that is undesirable. If allowed to dry naturally, the lumber pieces can warp and or split. This can be greatly alleviated by controlled drying. Thus the lumber is formed into tiers and the tiers into stacks that are placed in a dry kiln for controlled drying of the lumber. Very generally, the lumber pieces are conveyed on conveyors to a stacker whereat tiers of lumber pieces are placed one on top of the other by stacking forks. An automatic stick placer apparatus spaces sticks between each tier to allow air to flow freely around each tier of lumber pieces within the dry kiln.
As indicated above the apparatus for automatically placing the sticks between the tiers is described in the mentioned commonly assigned patents. Basically a conveyor conveys sticks in a desired spaced apart relation below a series of sticker forks which sequentially receives the lumber tiers and transfers the lumber tiers from the lumber conveyor to an adjacent stack. The stacker forks oscillate back and forth between the conveyor and the stack. Each fork carries a stick holding pan. A stick transfer device in coordination with stacker forks picks the sticks off the stick conveyor and places them into the holding pans adjacent each fork, just as the forks engage and transfer a tier of lumber pieces. Thus the stickers and tier of lumber pieces are simultaneously placed on the stack by the stacker forks.
The stick transfer mechanism essentially comprises multiple pairs of arms, each pair of arms operating to lift a stick off the stick conveyor and place it in a pan adjacent a fork. The timing is important as the process rapidly cycles through one stacking motion after another. The sticks have to be spaced properly and located at the right position in order for the rapidly cycled stick transfer arms to raise up under a stick and transfer the stick into position in the pan. Although the mechanism is very accurate and miscues are infrequent, occasionally a stick will shift out of it's required position on the conveyor and cause a jamming of the equipment. In such event it is likely that a stick transfer arm will become damaged. Most likely it is the lifting tip portion of the arm that gets broken or bent but on occasion the main arm structure will also be damaged.
Replacing a stick transfer arm is a fairly major repair project and requires substantial down time, a major concern for the stacking process. Any such interruption in the lumber processing operation can be very costly and is to be avoided if possible.


A portable terminal includes a receiver, a barcode former configured to form barcodes and a display. The barcode former forms a barcode from the data received by the receiver and the display displays the formed barcode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an OFDM signal transmission system used for digital terrestrial broadcasting and electronic commerce using communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regardless of the type of a transmission path such as satellite, cable and terrestrial, broadcasting is being digitalized more and more on a worldwide scale in recent years. Of these digital broadcasting systems, the European and Japanese digital broadcasting systems use an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (hereinafter referred to as "OFDM") transmission system.
The OFDM transmission system modulates multiple carriers orthogonal to one another with information to be transmitted for every symbol period, multiplexes those modulated signals and transmits the multiplexed signal. When the number of carriers used increases, the symbol period of each modulated signal becomes extremely long, and therefore the OFDM transmission system is characterized in that it is less susceptible to multi-path interference.
Furthermore, the OFDM transmission system provides a redundant period called a "guard period" for every symbol period, thereby prevents interference between symbols and further enhances resistance to multi-path interference. Such a redundant period can be provided because the symbol period of an OFDM signal is extremely long and a reduction of the transmission capacity due to the addition of the redundant period can be confined within an allowable range.
FIG. 48 1 is a schematic view showing a configuration of an OFDM signal. Hereinafter, a period necessary to transmit information will be referred to as an "effective symbol period and the effective symbol period plus a guard period" as a whole will be referred to as a "symbol period". As shown in the hatching in the figure, the guard period of the OFDM signal is a cyclic copy of the last part (copy part) of the effective symbol period.
Then, FIG. 49 2 will explain how the guard period increases the resistance to multi-path interference. A desired signal or a delay signal in the figure denotes an OFDN signal that has arrived with a time difference of τ and G1 and G2 denote guard periods of the first and second symbols respectively and S0, S1 and S2 denote effective symbol periods of the 0th, first and second symbol respectively. Here, the desired signal and the delay signal receive different symbols during period A and period B and receive the same signal during period C. That is, as far as time difference τ is shorter than the guard period, interference between symbols by the delay signal remains within the guard period and never adversely affects the effective symbol period of the desired signal.
Using the OFDM transmission system as the transmission system for digital terrestrial broadcasting makes it possible to implement an SFN (Single Frequency Network) that constructs a relay network using a single frequency by capitalizing on this feature of high resistance to multi-path interference and use frequency resources effectively.
FIG. 50 3(a) shows a case where a large-scale SFN is constructed using a high power relay station and FIG. 50 3(b) shows a case where a small-scale SFN is constructed using a small power relay station. When FIG. 50 3(a) is compared with FIG. 50 3(b), the distance between relay station 1A and relay station 2A is larger in FIG. 50 3(a) and the time difference until a broadcast signal arrives from the respective relay stations at reception point 3A is also greater. Therefore, constructing the large-scale SFN shown in FIG. 50 3(a) requires a longer guard period than constructing the small-scale SFN shown in FIG. 50 3(b).
However, taking a longer guard period requires an increased redundant time accordingly, and for all the increased symbol period based on the OFDM transmission system, reducing the transmission capacity poses a problem when high definition television (hereinafter referred to as "HDTV") video signals with a high volume of information are broadcast.
Therefore, when minimizing the reduction of transmission capacity due to a guard period to construct a large-scale SFN, it is advantageous to take a longer symbol period.
On the other hand, the digital terrestrial broadcasting system in Japan adopts Differential Quaternary Phase Shift Keying (hereinafter referred to as "DQPSK") or time interleave that scatters data of symbols adjacent in terms of time as the modulation system of each carrier, and thereby allows stable reception even in a mobile unit reception environment where the transmission path characteristic changes with time.
In this case, a shorter symbol period is less susceptible to time variations and allows stable reception performance even during a high-speed movement.
Thus, an optimal symbol period length varies depending on the service contents when HDTV video images are broadcast using a large-scale SFN or when services are broadcast to a mobile unit traveling at high speed, etc.
In order to respond to such a demand, as shown in FIG. 51 4, the digital terrestrial broadcasting system in Japan provides three types of mode with different effective symbol period lengths and four types of guard period ratio (ratio of guard period length to effective symbol period length) for the respective modes. Hereafter, this combination of a total of 12 types will be referred to as "transmission mode". Of these types, for example, both the guard period ratio ⅛ and the guard period ratio ¼ in mode 3 have the same guard period length of 126 μsec.
Once the locations of relay stations of a broadcaster are determined, it is possible to estimate a maximum value of differences in time required for a broadcast signal to arrive from each relay station at a reception point within the service area and a necessary guard period length is determined from the numerical value. This numerical value varies from one relay network to another, and therefore the guard period length and the accompanying effective symbol period length may vary depending on the region or broadcaster etc.
Furthermore, when the guard period length determined by a relay station is, for example, aforementioned 126 μsec, the broadcaster can select whether the guard period ratio in mode 3 should be set to ⅛ or the guard period ratio in mode 2 should be set to ¼. At this time, it is also possible to switch between these two transmission modes depending on the service content of a program, for example, using the guard period ratio ⅛ in mode 3 to increase the transmission capacity for a program broadcasting HDTV images and the guard period ratio ¼ in mode 2 to provide services to high-speed mobile units stably for a program broadcasting services for mobile units.
Furthermore, after a broadcasting service is started, when the distance between relay stations decreases due to additions of relay stations and the aforementioned time difference decreases, the necessary guard period length also decreases. However, since the guard period is a redundant period which would originally be unnecessary for transmission of information, the guard period length is naturally changed to a minimum necessary length from the standpoint of effective use of frequency resources.
As shown above, the transmission mode expressed by a combination of the effective symbol period length and guard period ratio may vary depending on the region or broadcaster and a certain broadcaster may also change with time.
On the other hand, demodulation processing for an OFDM signal on the receiving side extracts only the period necessary for demodulation from a received signal, applies Fast Fourier Transform (hereinafter referred to as "FFT") to the signal, thereby separates the carriers sent after being multiplexed and then applies detection processing according to each carrier modulation system. In the process of that processing, the transmission mode such as an effective symbol period length and guard period ratio constitutes indispensable information.
Thus, when the transmission mode of a received signal is unknown, the method for automatically acquiring the aforementioned transmission mode information from the received signal itself through signal processing is disclosed in Patent Gazette No. 2863747 or Patent Gazette No. 2879034, etc.
The prior arts disclosed in these literatures take advantage of the fact that a guard period of an OFDM signal is a cyclic copy of a signal at the tail of an effective symbol period, calculate a correlation between the received signal and a signal obtained by delaying the received signal by an estimated effective symbol period length, analyze the waveform of this correlation signal, and thereby decide the effective symbol period length and guard period length.
Conventionally, people have been conducting various kinds of electronic commerce, for example, purchasing products using a communication network such as the Internet. In such electronic commerce, products to be traded are posted on a homepage, for example. The user accesses this homepage from his/her own terminal over the Internet, selects a product to be purchased and at the same time enters user information that identifies the user.
Then, the user enters a credit number and an ID during a settlement period and specifies a settlement method such as payment on delivery. A homepage operating organization (center) authorizes the placement of an order for the product upon completion of such entries and a supplier that has received the order delivers the product to the user and receives payment according to the specified settlement method.
However, according to the transmission system using the aforementioned OFDM system, an OFDM signal is received and then the transmission mode is decided from the received signal, and therefore the time after the user selects desired information until the user receives the information includes a time for the above-described decision. which prevents quick response to the user's demand.
Furthermore, when a broadcaster switches between transmission modes according to the service content of a program as described above, demodulation processing is temporarily broken up immediately after the switchover and it is not until transmission mode decision processing is recovered from that state and the decision result is obtained that it is possible to output information after the switchover of the transmission mode, and therefore a supply of information to the user is suspended for a long time.
Furthermore, the aforementioned electronic commerce using a communication network involves problems concerning security and complexity of settlement. With regard to the security with the use of a credit card, there is concern about falsification, etc. With regard to settlement, settlement with a simpler procedure is accompanied by lower reliability of security. On the other hand, attempting to achieve both the security and ease of settlement results in an increase in the scale of system configuration.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

OFDM signal transmission system, portable terminal and E-commerce system

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A chemical vapor deposition apparatus is provided, which includes: a chamber having an inner space; a gas feed member for supplying a gas into the chamber; a susceptor disposed in the chamber and supporting a substrate; a diffuser partitioning the inner space of the chamber into first and second partitions and having a plurality of holes connecting the first partition and the second partition for gas communication; a diffuser frame incorporated into the diffuser; and an insulating frame disposed between the chamber and the diffuser.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chemical vapor deposition apparatus.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) forms a thin film on a substrate by the reaction of vapor phase chemicals (reactants) that contain the required constituents. The reactant gases are introduced into a reaction chamber and decomposed and reacted at a heated surface of the substrate to form the thin film. A wide variety of thin films utilized in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device such as a thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) is prepared by CVD.
A CVD system includes a diffuser for evenly distributing the reactant gases over a substrate. The diffuser is made of metal to serve as a powered electrode, and it is combined with a diffuser frame serving as an electrode extension by bolts. Since there is a gap between the diffuser and the diffuser frame, an arc may be generated in the gate when the diffuser 70 is supplied with high radio frequency power. The arc may remove oxide such as Al2O3 coated on the diffuser and the diffuser frame, and the metal forming the diffuser may melt and drop onto the substrate. The dropped metal component generates splash defects to reduce the quality of deposited thin films.
In addition, since the bolts for combining the diffuser and the diffuser frame make gaps with the diffuser and the diffuser frame, arc generation may be also made in the gaps. Accordingly, several particles are separated from the bolts to cause defects.


The present invention relates to an automated system for pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing, whereby a bulk of stored pharmaceutical units are singulated into a single file line for counting and dispensing. With reference to the drawings, the pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing system comprises generally, a deck assembly (A), a cylindrical chamber (B), a rotatable transport ring (C), a plurality of adjustable fingers (D), an adjustable reciprocating member (E), an adjustable rotatable member (F), a counting system (G), a hopper (H), and a control system (I).

The present invention relates to the field of automated systems for pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing. In particular, the present invention relates to an individual pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing apparatus of the pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing system.
Automated systems for pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing are known in the art, and each attempt to solve a deceptively complicated task, namely the automated reduction of pharmaceutical units from bulk storage into an easily countable line of pharmaceutical units. Previous systems however are quite large and expensive, making them difficult to retrofit into an existing community pharmacy, chain pharmacy, or institutional pharmacy designed and built when the pharmacist hand counted each and every prescription.
Previous systems further remain challenged to accurately count pharmaceutical units and avoid damaging or destroying pharmaceutical units in the process.
Thus, there remains a need for the improvement of automated systems for pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing.

Pharmaceutical singulation counting and dispensing system


The present invention relates to an improved applicator designed for the application of anesthetic fluids such as phenol as well as other fluid medicants to the tympanic membrane. The applicator comprises an articulating member with a finger gripping zone adjacent the proximal end thereof, and an angularly disposed fluid retaining applicator pad secured to the distal end thereof. The distal end is provided with a cylindrical fluid retaining applicator pad attached to the cross-sectional surface of the tip, with the outer diameter of the pad being generally equivalent to that of the articulating member. The fluid retaining applicator pad permits painless application of an anesthetizing fluids such as phenol to the tympanic membrane, with excellent positioning control being made possible by the finger gripping portion of the articulating member.

The present invention relates generally to an improved applicator designed for the application of anesthetizing or anesthetic fluids such as phenol or the like, as well as other medicants to the tympanic membrane. The device of the present invention comprises an articulating member with a finger gripping zone adjacent one end thereof and an angularly disposed fluid retaining applicator pad secured to the other end thereof, and with controlled positioning and movement of the pad being made possible by the design of the overall structure.
In the past, a number of techniques have been utilized for anesthetizing the tympanic membrane, and have been described in literature. These known techniques include the use of topical anesthetics, infiltration of the tissues of the ear with hypodermic injection, as well as the use of iontophoresis. By way of example, iontophoresis induces an anesthetic effect by applying a current through an anesthetic solution to the tympanic membrane with the dissolved anesthetic, then penetrating the tympanic membrane epithelium and inducing anesthesia. This technique, although effective, is time consuming in its application taking generally 20 to 30 minutes to produce anesthesia of the tympanic membrane.
Local infiltration of the ear canal is a more rapid technique, however it is associated with significant discomfort during the process of infiltration.
Many topical solutions have been used for anesthesia of the tympanic membrane. The vast majority of these solutions include phenol as their primary component. Of these topical anesthetics, pure liquefied phenol has evolved as being the preferred material or material of choice for this application.
Applicators designed for the application of phenol to the tympanic membrane are well known in the art. The applicators are of two specific types, rigid applicators and absorbent applicators.
Rigid applicators are usually constructed of a material inert to phenol and formed in such a fashion as to allow a small reservoir of phenol to adhere to the applicator. Application of the phenol is then accomplished by placing the rigid applicator in contact with the tympanic membrane and allowing the phenol to flow onto the tympanic membrane. Because of the rigid nature of these applicators, they may produce mechanical trauma to the tympanic membrane during the application of the phenol, resulting in discomfort.
Up until the present, absorbent applicators were frequently individually constructed at the time of use by merely twisting a wisp of cotton onto a shaft. These individually constructed applicators were generally of non-uniform construction and as a result, were prone to application of a non-uniform and possibly excessive quantity of phenol to the tympanic membrane. Phenol is a highly caustic substance and excessive quantities or uncontrolled application of phenol to the tympanic membrane is capable of causing serious injuries and consequences.

Applicator means for the application of anesthetizing fluids and the like to the tympanic membrane


There is disclosed herein an electrically conductive coupling for connecting an electrical element to a conductive circuit trace on a printed circuit board, comprising: (1) a finger extending outward from an edge of a rigid printed circuit board, wherein the circuit trace terminates on a first surface of the finger; (2) an electrical connector formed from a metal stamping and comprising: a substantially rectotubular barrel portion being dimensioned so as to provide an interference fit with the finger when the finger is inserted therein; an engaging portion being removably connectable with the electrical element; and a transition portion integral with the barrel portion and engaging portion; wherein the finger is connectably inserted into the barrel portion; and (3) a solidified joint of electrically conductive bonding material disposed on the first surface of the finger, such that the joint electrically couples the circuit trace with the barrel portion of the electrical connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical connector attachable to a rigid printed circuit board.
2. Disclosure Information
In the field of electronics, it is well known to attach plug-in modules, flex circuit wire harnesses, daughter boards, and other surface mount electrical elements 60 to an edge or surface of a rigid printed circuit board (PCB) 50, as illustrated in FIG. 1. This is accomplished by providing either J-lead or gull-wing lead terminations on the electrical elements, surface mounting the elements by registering their terminations on respective solder pasted circuit trace mounting pads, and reflowing the solder paste to form solid solder joints connecting each termination with its respective mounting pad/circuit trace.
However, electrical elements of the type illustrated in FIG. 1 may be subject to repeated engagement and disengagement with wire harnesses, plugs, and other associated members. Additionally, they may also be subject to repeated deflection, flexure, tugging, and other mechanical perturbations transmitted or caused by such associated members. Furthermore, because these elements (and the associated members attached thereto) are typically much larger and more massive than their associated solder joints, vibration and other mechanical disturbances tend to be more damaging to the element's associated solder joints, thus precluding the use of such electrical elements in some applications.
It would be desirable to provide a means for attaching these electrical elements to rigid printed circuit boards without the drawbacks mentioned above.

Electrical connector for rigid circuit boards


A method of inspecting wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers includes providing a blow-molder having a plurality of molds and a plurality of associated spindles. The containers are inspected by impinging infrared light thereon and detecting the portion of the infrared light that passes through the container and converting the same into corresponding electrical signals which are delivered to a microprocessor. The microprocessor compares the electrical signals with stored information regarding desired wall thickness of the container and emits output thickness information. The microprocessor receives signals from sensors associated with the blow-molder relating to the position of the molds, the identity of the molds and the identity of the spindles in order that the wall thickness information that is determined by inspection can be associated with specific molds and spindles. The wall thickness information may be averaged over a period of time or a number of containers. The information may be visually displayed so as to provide feedback regarding the inspection process. In a preferred embodiment wall thickness measurements are taken at several vertically spaced positions simultaneously. Corresponding apparatus is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides an automated on-line method and apparatus for inspecting wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers and, more specifically, it provides feedback regarding the thickness measurements such that the particular container being inspected is associated with a specific mold and spindle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been known that plastic containers such as bottles must be inspected in order to make sure that the wall thickness is adequate for the desired purpose and that the use of excess material is minimized.
In general, it has been known to employ sampling inspection techniques wherein, at a periodic intervals, which might be on the order of once per hour, a container was removed from the conveyance system after the container emerged from the blow-molder and was destructively tested by cutting the same into multiple, horizontal sections which were then weighed with the weight being correlated with the wall thickness.
An alternative inspection method involved measuring the wall thickness of such containers by nondestructively testing sample plastic containers. A suitable system for effecting such testing is the AGR Top Wave Profiler Gauge PG 9800. A suitable laboratory instrument for this latter approach is that sold under the trademark AGR Top Wave Wall Thickness Profiler. One of the problems with such an inspection approach is that it was time-consuming and labor intensive. Also, the long interval between samplings resulted in a delay in process feedback which in turn could result in reduced production efficiencies.
It has also been known to employ high-speed on-line wall thickness monitoring systems for blow-molded plastic containers. These systems provide real-time monitoring of material distributions and rejection of defects. A suitable system for such purpose is that sold under the trademark AGR Top Wave PET Wall System. While these systems represent a substantial improvement in the completeness of sampling by inspecting each container and the timing of same, they did not provide feedback coordinated with the operation of the blow-molding machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,995 discloses a system for measuring wall thickness of plastic containers employing infrared absorption. The containers are sampled off-line and required the use of rotation and disclosed the use of radiation sources and radiation detectors which were structured to rotate with respect to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,612 discloses a method of measuring the thickness of plastic film using relative absorptions of two infrared wavelengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,406 discloses the use of infrared absorption in measuring the wall thickness of plastic containers. On-line measurement is contemplated, but this system requires insertion of a probe into the container. Such an approach is uneconomical and inefficient in respect of current blow-molder plastic container production speeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,462 discloses the use of machine vision technology in monitoring certain defects in blow-molded containers. Among the features being monitored by this system are seal surface, base and neck folds and finish gauge inspection.
PCT publication WO 01/65204 discloses a method and apparatus for measuring plastic containers on-line employing infrared absorption. The apparatus was said to be employable on a conveyer or inside the blow-molder. It made use of laterally homogenous material distribution properties and measured though both sides of the container.
In spite of the foregoing prior art disclosures, there remains a very real and substantial need for an improved inspection system for blow molded plastic containers which will provide timely and accurate feedback regarding not only whether a container fell within the wall thickness specifications, but also identity of the molds and associated spindles which produced the container.

Method and apparatus for monitoring wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers