The invention is an improved method of automatically laying out a print job to be printed on a printer having a multiplicity of available media sizes. The method utilizes the ability of the printer to print full-bleed on at least some of the four edges of the paper media, and includes automatically performing the calculations to determine the appropriate shift in the location of the print area on the paper media, as well as determining whether the print area must be rotated to obtain the best fit to the media, thereby minimizing the amount of post-printing trimming required. The invention is useful in simplex and duplex printing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of automatically performing the calculations usually performed by the printer operator in laying out a print job so as to optimize the location of the printed image on the paper media, for example minimizing the amount of trimming required after printing on media larger than the desired final size. More particularly, the invention relates to automatically laying out the image size and location on the page so that, even in duplex printing, the amount of post-printing handling, such as trimming, is minimized.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
The invention relates to apparatus and methods for production of printed images on paper media. For the sake of clarity, the four edges of such paper media may be referred to herein as the leading edge, the trailing edge and two lateral edges, in reference to the direction of travel through the printer. The printed output is referred to in terms of a print area, defined by a length and width of the finished printed product, after post-printing trimming.
Many digital printers and copiers are capable of producing a finished product having the appearance of documents produced using ink-based, offset printing techniques. Such output includes brochures and the like, where the customer desires that the entire page be printed, with no unprinted margins or edges. One option for producing such documents is to print on oversize media and trim the four unprinted edges off the printed output to yield the finished product. This method produces an acceptable product and, indeed, may be requested by some customers. However, it introduces an additional production step, requiring an operator to setup a post-printing trimming device and trim the printed output to desired dimensions of the final product. In addition to increasing labor costs and production time, the additional operator intervention required introduces the possibility of operator error, resulting in expensive wasted print runs.
In setting up a print job that will be trimmed after printing, the operator is required to calculate a layout that will center the image, resulting in the same margin on the leading edge and trailing edge, on both the front and back sides of the page, followed by trimming to remove the portion outside the margin on both edges. Additional problems arise when the operator is required to print on odd-size media, for example 7″ by 9″ rather than 8½″ by 11″ media. This situation is especially problematic when the job must be printed on larger media than the customer wants delivered as the finished product. In this situation, the operator is required to perform sophisticated layout work, manually calculating the image shift required to place the image in the appropriate position on the media. In the case of simplex (single-sided) copying, the operator is required to shift the image only past any enforced printer margin, for example, a 1/10″ enforced margin on the leading edge of the page, followed by appropriate trimming on all four edges to yield that finished product. In duplex (two-sided) printing, however, the image must be shifted so that the image on the first side of the page and the image on the second side of the page coincide in the same area, so that none of the image on either side is lost in trimming. For example, in the case of printing a 7″×9″ image on 8.5″×11″ paper, the calculations would involve shifting the image from each edge, i.e., by shifting the x-origin by (8.5−7)/2 inches and the y-origin by (11−9)/2 inches. The printed output must then be trimmed to remove the portion of the paper outside these shift values. Therefore, the calculations involved in such layout work must be preserved, written down and sent to the person performing the trimming, along with the finished printing output. The trimming operator must then replicate the calculations exactly in setting up the trimming device, or the finished copy output will be trimmed incorrectly, ruining the entire print job. Each of the steps in the layout process and the setup operations on the trimming device are time-consuming, labor-intensive and are potential sources of operator error.
Many high-end printers and copiers can be enabled to print "full bleed," that is, they may be setup to print to the very edge of the paper medium. However, because of quality concerns, many electrophotographic marking engines do not allow full bleed printing on all four edges of the medium. These quality concerns relate mainly to the retention of toner on the leading edge of the media. Prior to fusing, the toner is held in association with the paper by electrostatic forces. However, the toner does not bind as well at the edges of the media, particularly because it is more susceptible to being shaken off the paper when the leading edge is contacted by the fuser nip rollers and, therefore when the leading edge enters the fuser nip rollers, the leading edge of the page is particularly susceptible to smearing or other problems resulting in poor print quality. Therefore, in order to avoid such problems, many printers only allow full-bleed printing on the trailing and lateral edges, with an enforced printer margin on the leading edge. However, in duplex printing, the leading edge of the first side of the page does not coincide with the leading edge of the second or reverse side of the page. In fact, the leading edge of the first side of the page becomes the trailing edge of the second side of the page. This makes it impossible to simply print to the limit of the enforced margin on the leading edge on both sides and trim the finished product, as the trimming will remove a portion of the image on each side of the page.
By taking advantage of the ability of such printers to print to the very edge of the page, it is possible to locate the print area on the page such that post-printing trimming is minimized. In some instances, this may require no more than centering the image between the leading and trailing edges with full-bleed printing on the lateral edges, necessitating trimming of only two sides. Such an approach is equally useful in single-sided and double-sided printing. Alternatively, in single-sided printing, it may be possible to print full-bleed on the trailing and lateral edges, trimming only the leading edge.
Additionally, one may use the different size media available, selecting the media on which the print area fits optimally. By taking advantage of the ability of the printer to print full bleed, in conjunction with the ability to shift and rotate the image, it is possible to optimize the location of the image on the page. As used herein, optimizing the location of the image on the page includes minimizing post-printing trimming, as well as other beneficial results of the invention, such as allowing processing of print jobs on available media by manipulating the location of the image on the page.
Therefore, in view of these disadvantages of the prior art and current practices there is a need in the art for a printer that takes advantage of the full-bleed printing capability of current printers and automatically performs the necessary layout calculations. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to take advantage of the ability of such printers to print to the very edge of the page, locating the print area on the page such that post-printing trimming is minimized.
It is an additional object of the invention to use the different size media available, selecting the media on which the print area its optimally, for example by rotating the print area if necessary and locating the print area so as to minimize post-printing trimming.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention are illustrated and clarified by the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, with appropriate reference to the figures described below.

Automatic layout method for full-bleed printing


A communication connection merge method and a node to be employed in the same can merge parameter of LSP, such as request bandwidth or the like, upon performing merging. The communication connection merge method performs merge process for consolidating a plurality of communication connection of a connection-oriented network at a node on the way of transfer route into a common communication connection by making judgment of possibility to have a common transfer route from a node to merge to an egress node upon merging new communication connection on setting for existing communication connection, modifying collateral parameter of the existing communication connection which is judged to merge the new communication connection for enabling accommodation of the new communication connection in the existing communication connection, and performing merge after modification of parameter of the existing communication connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a communication connection merge method and a node to be employed therein. Particularly, the invention relates to a communication connection merge method and node to be employed therein, which merges a plurality of communication connection set in a connection-oriented network during communication with simultaneously updating collateral parameter on a common path performing merging.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a communication connection merge method and a node to be employed in the same is used for merging communication connections which make transfer path from a merge point to an egress label switching router (LSR) common, upon setting a label switching path (LSP) in a MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) network as disclosed in Internet Draft, draft-ietf-mpls-arch-06.txt, August, 1999 and Internet Draft, draft-ietf-mpls-ldp-06.txt, October, 1999, for example.
Here, merge means consolidating a plurality of transfer paths into a single transfer path at a mid-way. In a path from a merge point to an egress LSR, the same transfer path identifier (here, a label of MPLS) is used for the packet. By performing merging, number of transfer label of LSR can be reduced to contribute for operation of a large-scale network.
Next, the prior art will be discussed with assumption that connection-oriented network being MPLS network, communication connection being LSP and node being LSR. Referring to FIG. 9, the MPLS network 1 is constructed with LSRs 101 to 104. Respective LSR 101 to 104 are connected through links 201 to 203. Data is exchanged through these links 201 to 203. On the other hand, an LSP 301 routed from the LSR 101 to the LSR 103 via the LSR 102 is present.
Here, consideration is given for the case that new LSP is established from the LSR 104 to the LSR 103, at first, the LSR 104 feeds an LSP setup request 401 for the LSR 103 to the LSR 102 using an LSP setting protocol. The LSR 102 receiving the LSP setup request 401 makes judgment whether or not LSP to be merged to the LSR 103 is present. If present, merging is performed. Here, since the LSP 301 which makes the path to an egress router in common, is already present, merging can be performed.
Upon performing merging, setting of LSP is not requested beyond the LSR 102 (namely to the LSR 103), an LSP setup response 402 is returned to the LSR 104. Then, with taking the LSR 104 as starting point, an LSP 302 to be merged to the LSP 301 is set in the LSR 102.
In the conventional communication connection merge method, collateral parameter (called parameter), such as request bandwidth or the like owned by the LSP cannot be merged upon performing merging. This is because the merging is performed without modifying the parameter of existing LSP.
As an example of such parameter, there are parameter relating to traffic, such as request bandwidth, delay or the like, parameter relating to policy, such as Virtual Private Network (VPN) identifier, preference or the like.
On the other hand, in the conventional communication connection merge method, once merging is performed, the merged LSP cannot be branched at the mid-way. Therefore, even if the parameter, such as request bandwidth or the like owned by the LSP could be merged together, the range of application is limited to the case where transfer path to the egress LSR can be common. For example, even if the most portion of the transfer path is common, merging cannot be performed if the egress LSR is different.

Merge method and node for consolidating a plurality of communication connections in a connection-oriented network


A phase change optical disk in which the thermal conductivity of a first region at an outer peripheral position of the disk is set at a value larger than the minimum value of that of a second region. In the optical disk, in order to provide an output characteristic of a uniform reproduced signal when the disk is rotated at a fixed rotation speed, toward an outer peripheral position thereof, the critical cooling rate of a recording film is set at a larger value or the temperature which the recording film is to reach is set at a lower value. Provided is a method of using the phase change optical disk for recording or erasing information, in which method, the power of the laser beam to be directed to an inner peripheral position of the disk is set larger than that directed to an outer peripheral position thereof.

The present invention relates to a phase change optical disk suited to carry out overwrite using a single beam (referred to as "single beam overwrite") and a method for using the optical disk. More particularly, the present invention relates to a phase change optical disk which can provide a uniform reproduction output characteristic at positions on inner and outer sides thereof, and a recording for erasing method therefor.
Generally, the phase change optical disk utilizes a change in the optical property of a recording film used, which occurs owing to the phase state change thereof, to record and erase information; the phase state of the recording film in the optical disk corresponds to the process of heating and subsequent cooling (radiation) of the recording (or erasing) position of the recording film by laser beam irradiation. On the other hand, it has been demanded in the technical field of the phase change optical disk that the single beam overwrite technique, which can erase recorded information and also record new information by only irradiating the optical disk with a single laser beam with modulated power (i.e. modulated amplitude in light intensity), can be put into practice. The single beam overwrite in the phase change optical disk is disclosed in for example, the technical report in DENSHI JOHO TSUSIN GAKKAI, (The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers of Japan) CMP 87-88, 89, 90 (1987).
A vertical structure of such a conventional optical disk 58 is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, 51 is a disk-shape PC (polycarbonate) substrate. Formed on the substrate 51 is a recording film 53 made of antimony (Sb), selenium (Se) and bismuth (Bi) which is 120 nm thick. Further formed on the recording film 53 is a protection film 56 made of an ultraviolet ray setting resin. Incidentally, 30 is a hole centrally provided on the principal surface of the optical disk 58.
In carrying out the single beam overwrite, the phase change optical disk 58 is irradiated with a laser beam having a modulated irradiation power P as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the level of recording information is at a high power Pw, and the level of erasing information is at an erasing power Pe which is lower than Pw. Such modulated irradiation power erases the previous information recorded on the optical disk and also records new information. The level of reproducing information which is at the lowest power Po is used to reproduce the recorded (or erased) information to provide a reproduced signal.
In case of the prior art, when the number of rotations of the optical disk 58 is fixed, and the single beam overwrite is carried out, the ratio of a carrier level to random noise (referred to as "CNR") during the irradiation of the laser beam with the same power is lower at the outer position of the disk where the linear velocity on the recording surface (principal surface) of the optical disk 58 is higher. The linear velocity v is defined as EQU v=2.pi.rN/60
where r indicates the radius of disk and N indicates the rotation number (rpm). On the other hand, cross-talk is less at the outer position. This is because the irradiation density of the irradiation power P of the laser beam is lower at the outer position, more specifically because the width over which information is recorded on a certain track (not shown}of the optical disk 58 is narrower at the outer position. Therefore, in order to provide the output characteristic of a substantially uniform reproduced signal at both inner and outer positions, a larger irradiation power P is required at the outer position. However, since an available output level from a semiconductor device (laser diode) has a limit, sufficient irradiation power P could not be obtained.
Additionally, if the number of rotations (rotation speed) of the optical disk 58 is suitably set so as to fix the linear velocity thereof, the above problem does not occur. In this case, however, a motor used is required to vary the number of rotations in accordance with the radial position of the optical disk where an optical head is positioned. This makes it difficult to carry out high speed random access which is a great feature of the optical disk in its use, so that the above fixing of the linear velocity can not be actually adopted.
Furthermore, there has been proposed the related art as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 362699 filed on Jun. 7, 1989 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 366,873 filed in Jun. of 1989 both assigned to the present assignee. The single beam overwrite in this related art will be explained briefly. FIG. 3 shows a vertical arrangement of the optical disk on the related art. In an optical disk 68 shown in FIG. 3, formed on a glass substrate 61 is a recording film 63 made of indium (In), antimony (Sb) and tellurium (Te), which is about 30 nm. Formed on the recording film 63 is an interference film 64 of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 which is about 70 nm thick. Formed on the interference film 64 is a reflective film 65 of gold (Au). Finally formed on the reflective film 65 is a protection film 66 of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4. A numeral 30 is a hole centrally provided on the principal surface of the optical disk. The optical disk 68 is irradiated with a laser beam 9 from its bottom surface.
The characteristic of the optical disk in the case where the disk is irradiated with the laser beam converged in about 1 .mu.m while it is rotated will be explained.
FIG. 4 shows the relation between the temperature T of the recording film reached when the recording film 63 at a recording position (or erasing position) is heated at temperatures above its melting point and the cooling rate Cs of the recording film when it passes a crystallization temperature zone, over which the crystallization of the recording film 63 is promoted, in the cooling process after having been melted; the cooling rate is measured in terms of the temperature lowered during unit time. As indicated by a solid line, the cooling rate Cs of the recording film 63 increases as its temperature rises.
if the recording film 63, after melted, is cooled at a sufficiently high cooling rate Cs, it will be made amorphous; otherwise it will be made crystalline. The minimum cooling rate Cs required for the recording film to become amorphous is the critical cooling rate thereof.
Now it is assumed that the critical cooling rate of the recording film has been set at a value Csc indicated by a broken line in FIG. 4. (The critical cooling rate can be set optionally set by changing the components and/or composition of the recording film). If the recording film 63 is heated to temperatures above the critical temperature Tc decided a point of intersection of the solid line and broken line, the cooling rate of Cs will exceed the critical cooling rate so that the recording film 63 at a recording position, after melted, will be made amorphous, i.e. placed in the recording state.
On the other hand, if the recording film 63 is only melted to a temperature T in the range from the melting point Tm to the critical temperature Tc, the cooling rate Cs will become lower than the critical cooling rate Csc so that the recording film 63 at the recording position, after melted, will be crystalline, i.e. placed in the erasing state. It should be noted that even if the temperature of the recording film does not reach the melting point Tm, the crystallization thereof will proceed as long as the temperature is higher than a glass transformation temperature Tg.
The temperature T of the recording film 63 can be controlled by the irradiation power P of the laser beam 9 so that the recording and erasing can be easily realized by only controlling the irradiation power P. Thus, the single beam overwrite can be also realized.
The above recording/erasing method (generally referred to as "melt-erasing method") once melts the recording film regardless of recording and erasing so that it can reduce incomplete erasure of information as compared with the conventional technique of erasure by crystallization from the solid phase, thereby providing high erasability and a high CNR.
Thus, the basic principle of one example of the single beam overwrite has been explained in connection with the relation between the temperature T of a recording film and the cooling rate Cs thereof.

Phase change optical disk and method for using the same


There is provided a frame for use with a back support that provides lateral support to an individual while seated to encourage a correct sitting posture, and that also provides lumbar support to the individual that varies according to the individual's size. The frame includes wing portions that act as lateral supports and as torsion bars to cause the center portion of the frame to become convex to support the lumbar region of an individual resting against the back support incorporating the frame. The frame can be incorporated into a portable support unit or to a support unit that is an integral part of a chair.

Stiffness and soreness, especially in the lower back area, are common ailments of individuals who spend a great deal of time sitting down. Usually, these ailments are due to a combination of poorly designed seating and a poor posture while seated.
A correct sitting posture requires that individuals be seated with their backs straight and their weight evenly balanced on their buttocks and thighs. Unfortunately, through bad habits or a lack of muscle strength, many individuals tend to lean on an armrest or slouch down in their seats. Also the tasks people often conduct while seated require them to regularly lean forward, or to one side, to operate a keyboard, reach a telephone, or operate a vehicle.
It is desirable that a chair or portable support be provided that encourages people to adopt a correct sitting posture while allowing them the freedom to move one way or another.
Along with encouraging people to develop a correct sitting posture, the seating should support the curvature of the spine to reduce the back strain occasioned by sitting for extended periods of time. The main area where people require support is in the lower back at the lumbar region of the spine. Stiffness and soreness in the lumbar region is usually a result of the lumbar curve of the spine having to support a majority of the weight of the upper body. The larger the individual, the greater the weight the curve must support. What is required is a device that adjusts itself to support the lumbar curve of the spine according to the upper body size of the user. The support should be rigid and should not affect the ability of the device to encourage a correct seating posture.
Many forms of back support units have been developed over the years. Examples of such units may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,485 (Shapiro) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,133 (Wolofski).
Typically, such units are made from a foam material that is molded to mimic the curvature of the average person's spine. Sometimes an S-shaped internal frame is also provided to mimic the spine. This frame is usually made from a plastic or fibreglass material. The curvature of the spine varies greatly with the population however and the molded or shaped units are rarely able to provide support where it is needed. The support that is provided is often not rigid enough to support the upper body weight acting upon the spine. Also, molded foam material and plastic or fibreglass frames tend to break down and lose their curvature over time to even further reduce the support provided.
The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a support unit that incorporates a frame providing lateral support to encourage a user to adopt a correct sitting posture and rigid lumbar support that automatically adjusts to a user's body size to support the lumbar region of their back.


An energy-efficient acceleration measurement system is presented. The system includes an accelerometer, responsive to acceleration of the system, for providing an accelerometer output signal having a magnitude indicative of at least one component of the acceleration. A motion detector is responsive to the accelerometer output signal, and provides a processor interrupt signal, but only if the magnitude of acceleration reaches a threshold. The processor, responsive to the processor interrupt signal, measures the acceleration with higher accuracy than the motion detector is capable of, but in a way that consumes more power than was needed by the motion detector.

Accelerometers are used to convert gravity-induced or motion-induced acceleration into an electrical signal that can subsequently be analyzed. Accelerometers are used in widely diverse applications including automobile air bag and suspension systems, computer hard disc drives, detonation systems for bombs and missiles, and machine vibration monitors. Accelerometers are also useful in portable devices such as wireless telephones, for example in order to cause a device to power up when the device moves sufficiently to indicate that a person has picked up the device. Wireless devices such as wireless phones operate using small batteries, and therefore it is important for every component of a wireless device to consume as little power as possible, including not just an accelerometer, but also the circuits used to evaluate data from an accelerometer.
The simplest accelerometer is only able to measure one component of the acceleration vector, but more complex accelerometers are equipped to measure all three components of acceleration, in which case the accelerometer is called a 3-axis or triaxial accelerometer. The output signal from, an accelerometer may be digital, or the output signal may be converted from analog to digital.
It has been well known for many decades that a typical accelerometer will include a "proof mass" (sometimes called a "seismic mass") which is attached to a spring, and the output signal will then be determined by the position of the proof mass. This process of producing an output signal is accomplished differently in different accelerometers, which may be potentiometric, or capacitive, or inductive. In recent years, other types of accelerometers have been developed which, for example, do not require and proof mass at all. The minimum size of an accelerometer has been gradually reduced over the years, as Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology has improved. Some MEMS-based accelerometers do not even require any moving parts.
The electrical output signal from an accelerometer must be processed in order to yield conclusions about the acceleration experienced by the device that houses the accelerometer. According to typical prior art techniques, the digital output signal from a triaxial accelerometer will be processed with full accuracy by an elaborate and energy-demanding process that involves, for example, a combination of high-pass and low-pass filtering, decimation, and calibration. It would be very useful if this prior art technique could be complemented by a less energy-demanding technique for use when less accuracy is required. This would be especially useful in portable wireless devices, which usually have very limited power capabilities.


The invention relates to an imaging element comprising a paper substrate and a layer adjacent said paper comprising polyolefin polymer and a hindered amine stabilizer wherein said hindered amine stabilizer has a number average molecular weight of less than 2300.

A considerable amount of the worldwide imaging paper base is resin coated. The maximum speed at which a polymeric coating can be applied to an imaging paper base is often limited by the bond strength between the paper and the polymer. As speed increases and or temperature decreases, the strength of the bond between the polymer and the paper tends to decrease. This is a key consideration in the manufacture of photographic paper supports, since chemicals used in the aqueous photographic processing will tend to penetrate into the support between the polymer and the paper if the bond is poor. This will leave unsightly marks around the edges of the paper after processing.
It is, therefore, necessary to compromise between a high-speed production process and a high quality photographic product. One way to overcome this conflict is to increase the temperature of the polymer. This method is appropriate as long as the temperature is not so high that decomposition of the polymer results in deleterious physical properties or photoactive substances, which will fog the emulsion. Griggs (U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,337) claims polymer extrusion temperatures from 304.degree. C. to 343.degree. C. to be used at speeds of between 61 and 305 m/min. The temperatures that Griggs teaches are adequate to assure reasonable bond, but thermal degradation in the polyolefin results in occasional product imperfections (as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No.5,503,968), which are not tolerable by today's discerning customers. These imperfections have since been reduced by the addition of antioxidants such as 4,4'-butylidene-bis(6-tert-butyl-meta-cresol). These antioxidants are adequate for reducing spot imperfections, however they also degrade bond considerably. Thus, it is no longer possible to run at the speeds claimed by Griggs and still achieve good bond at these temperatures.
Another way to overcome poor bond is to use corona discharge treatment as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,908. This technique is applied to the paper base before laminating. The corona discharge technique tends to "activate" the surface resulting in better bond once the polymer is applied. Another technique that has been used is the application of flame as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,678. This approach utilizes the flame caused by the burning of natural gas, which impinges on the paper support. Again, this technique activates the paper, giving it better bond after the polymer is applied. One possible disadvantage of this technique is the possibility that flame treatment dries out the paper. Since moisture is necessary to facilitate the curing of the hardener in the photographic emulsion, this reduced moisture may diminish productivity in the sensitizing operation.
Honma (U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,289) describes the use of ozone, which can be applied to the molten polymer. This method activates the polymer instead of the paper support again increasing the bond after the polymer is laminated onto the paper. In this application, Honma claims a maximum polymer extrusion temperature of 300.degree. C. A maximum speed of 183 m/min is demonstrated which Lee (U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,968) points out is rather slow in today's environment. Lee describes a synergistic effect when flame is used in conjunction with ozone and demonstrates that speeds of greater than 400 m/min are possible. Unfortunately, as described above, this may have the disadvantage of drying the paper.
When imaging supports are subject to variations in ambient conditions over long periods of time the image-containing and resin layers tend to deteriorate into a mass of cracks which are aesthetically undesirable and which, in extreme cases, extend over the entire print completely destroying the image. All polymers are inherently prone to chemical degradation that leads to loss of mechanical properties. They undergo thermal degradation during processing such as extrusion of thin films, and photo-oxidative degradation with long-term exposure to light. TiO.sub.2 catalyzes and accelerates both thermal and photo-oxidative degradation. In the art of resin coating imaging papers, the melt polymers are extruded at high temperatures and are also subjected to high shear forces. These conditions may degrade the polymer, resulting in discoloration and charring, formation of polymer slugs or "gels", and formation of lines and streaks in the extruded film from degraded material deposits on die surfaces. Also, thermally degraded polymer is less robust than non-degraded polymer for long-term stability, and may thereby shorten the life of the print.
Hindered phenol antioxidants are commonly used alone or in combination with secondary antioxidants to stabilize polymers during melt processing, but provide little protection from long term photo-oxidation. The phenolic type anti-oxidants also decrease the ability of the resin to adhere to the paper during the high speed extrusion process. They are also responsible for some forms of oxidative atmospheric gas yellowing in prints stored in the dark. This undesirable color may develop on the print or around the print edge with archival keeping, and has been attributed to colored oxidation products of phenolic antioxidants that are formed in the dark in the presence of white pigments such as TiO.sub.2.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,785 it is suggested using a polymeric hindered amines with greater than 2500 molecular weight as the sole stabilizer, when added to polyethylene coated photographic paper, can improve their photostability. In this patent a polymeric hindered amine is claimed as the sole stabilizer for both thermal processing and light stability in a single layer of a polymeric material, polyethylene. The adhesion of the polymeric hindered amine-containing resin to the paper is poor.
Furthermore it is desirable to make imaging elements that use other polymers than polyethylene or in combination with polyethylene. The use of such materials as polyester and or polypropylene may add improved stability and durability to the element as well as improved gloss and sheen.
There remains a need to provide an imaging support that contains pigments that are extrusion processable at low temperatures and high speeds without drying the paper, creating gels, or creating photoactive products which will fog the photographic emulsion. In addition, it must have exceptional long-term resistance to degradation and embrittlement when exposed to light and other environmental stresses, while providing an imaging support that has exceptional dark stability and prevents discoloration during dark keeping. These properties are most desirable and have significant commercial value.

Imaging element with a substrate containing low molecular weight hindered amine stabilizer


The present invention provides a heat mode recording material comprising on a flexible support having an oleophilic surface (i) a recording layer containing a light-to-heat converting substance capable of converting radiation into heat and (ii) an oleophobic surface layer, wherein said oleophobic surface layer and said recording layer may be the same layer, characterized in that the kinetic coefficient of friction (.mu..sub.k) of said material when sliding one side of said material over the other side of said material is not more than 2.6.

Lithographic printing is the process of printing from specially prepared surfaces, some areas of which are capable of accepting ink (oleophilic areas) whereas other areas will not accept ink (oleophobic areas). The oleophilic areas form the printing areas while the oleophobic areas form the background areas.
Two basic types of lithographic printing plates are known. According to a first type, so called wet printing plates, both water or an aqueous dampening liquid and ink are applied to the plate surface that contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas. The hydrophilic areas will be soaked with water or the dampening liquid and are thereby rendered oleophobic while the hydrophobic areas will accept the ink. A second type of lithographic printing plates operates without the use of a dampening liquid and are called driographic printing plates. This type of printing plates comprise highly ink repellant areas and oleophilic areas. Generally the highly ink repellant areas are formed by a silicon layer.
Driographic printing plates can be prepared using a photographic material that is made image-wise receptive or repellant to ink upon photo-exposure of the photographic material. However heat mode recording materials, the surface of which can be made image-wise receptive or repellant to ink upon image-wise exposure to heat and/or subsequent development are also known for preparing driographic printing plates.
For example in DE-A-2512038 there is disclosed a heat mode recording material that comprises on a support carrying or having an oleophilic surface (i) a heat mode recording layer containing a self oxidizing binder e.g. nitrocellulose and a substance that is capable of converting radiation into heat e.g. carbon black and (ii) a non-hardened silicon layer as a surface layer. The disclosed heat mode recording material is image-wise exposed using a laser and is subsequently developed using a developing liquid that is capable of dissolving the silicon layer in the exposed areas. Subsequent to this development the silicon surface layer is cured. Due to the use of naphta as a developing liquid the process is ecologically disadvantageous. Further since the surface layer is not hardened the heat mode recording material may be easily damaged during handling.
FR-A-1.473.751 discloses a heat mode recording material comprising a substrate having an oleophilic surface, a layer containing nitrocellulose and carbon black and a silicon layer. After image-wise exposure using a laser the imaged areas are said to be rendered oleophilic. The decomposed silicon layer is not removed. Ink acceptance of the obtained plates is poor and the printing properties such as printing endurance and resolution of the copies is rather poor.
Research Disclosure 19201 of April 1980 discloses a heat mode recording material comprising a polyester film support provided with a bismuth layer as a heat mode recording layer and a silicon layer on top thereof. The disclosed heat mode recording material is imaged using an Argon laser and developed using hexane.
EP-A-573091 discloses a method for making a lithographic printing plate requiring a heat mode recording material comprising on a support having an oleophilic surface (i) a recording layer having a thickness of not more than 3 .mu.m and containing a substance capable of converting the laser beam radiation into heat and (ii) a cured oleophobic surface layer and wherein said recording layer and oleophobic surface layer may be the same layer.
From the above it can be seen that a number of proposals have been made for making a driographic printing plate using a heat mode recording material. All these plates have the disadvantage that they exhibit blocking. This results in difficulties in all steps wherein said materials are transported such as the winding-up during the fabrication, the format cutting and the packaging, the automatic loading on the press, the transport through the irradiation station, etc.

Heat mode recording material and method for producing driographic printing plates


A catalyst of the invention includes a cyclic acylurea compound having a cyclic acylurea skeleton represented by following Formula (I):

An oxidation reaction is one of the most basic reactions in the field of organic chemical industry, and various oxidation processes have been developed. From the viewpoints of resources and environmental issues, a catalytic oxidation process, in which molecular oxygen or air is directly used as an oxidizing agent, is preferred. However, the catalytic oxidation process generally requires high temperatures and/or high pressures for activation of oxygen or, alternatively, must be performed in the co-existence of a reducing agent such as an aldehyde to proceed the reaction under mild conditions. Accordingly, such a conventional catalytic oxidation process cannot easily and efficiently produce an alcohol or a carboxylic acid under mild conditions.
Lower hydrocarbons such as methane and ethane are nitrated using nitric acid or nitrogen dioxide at high temperatures of from 250° C. to 300° C. However, when a hydrocarbon having a large number of carbon atoms is nitrated under the above condition, the substrate is decomposed, and a target nitro compound cannot be obtained in a high yield. To nitrate hydrocarbons, a method using mixed acid (a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid) is widely employed. However, this method requires large amounts of a strong acid in a high concentration.
Additionally, few processes are known for efficiently and directly introducing carboxyl groups into hydrocarbons under mild conditions.
A variety of processes are known for producing organic sulfur acids or salts thereof. For example, processes for producing a sulfonic acid include a process of oxidizing a thiol or disulfide with an oxidizing agent, a process of allowing an aromatic hydrocarbon to react with anhydrous SO3-pyridine or chlorosulfuric acid by using a Friedel-Crafts reaction, and a process of synthetically obtaining a sulfonic acid by subjecting an unsaturated compound to free-radical addition. These processes, however, require extreme reaction conditions or inevitably produce large amounts of by-products. Additionally, no processes for directly and efficiently sulfonating non-aromatic hydrocarbons have been known.
Processes are known in which a variety of compounds are added to unsaturated compounds each having a carbon-carbon double bond or heteroatom-containing compounds and thereby yield useful organic compounds. For example, when an active methylene compound such as a malonic diester is allowed to react with an olefin having an electron attractive group, such as acrylonitrile, in the presence of a base, a carbon-carbon bond is formed as a result of a nucleophilic addition reaction and thereby yields an addition product (Michael addition reaction). When two types of carbonyl compounds are treated in the presence of an acid or a base, one carbonyl compound is nucleophilically added to the other to form a carbon-carbon bond and thereby yields an aldol condensate.
These processes, however, are generally performed in the presence of an acid or base and cannot be applied to compounds each having a substituent that is susceptible to the acid or base. In addition, these processes cannot allow, for example, a hydroxymethyl group, an alkoxymethyl group, an acyl group or a tertiary carbon atom to directly combine with a carbon atom constituting an unsaturated boned of an unsaturated compound or with a methine carbon atom of a bridged cyclic compound.
Addition reactions to a carbon-carbon double bond in accordance with a radical mechanism or coupling reactions to form a carbon-carbon bond are also known. However, there are few processes that can efficiently yield addition or substitution reaction products or derivatives thereof by action of, for example, molecular oxygen under mild conditions.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 8-38909 and No. 9-327626 each propose an oxidation catalyst comprising an imide compound having a specific structure or the imide compound in combination with, for example, a transition metal compound as a catalyst for oxidizing an organic substrate with molecular oxygen. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-239730 discloses a process, in which a substrate is allowed to react with at least one reactant selected from (i) nitrogen oxides and (ii) mixtures of carbon monoxide and oxygen in the presence of the imide compound and thereby at least one functional group selected from nitro group and carboxyl group is introduced into the substrate. PCT International Publication No. WO00/35835 discloses a process, in which two compounds are allowed to react with each other in the presence of a specific imide compound and a radical generator with respect to the imide compound and thereby yield an addition or substitution reaction product or an oxidized product thereof in accordance with a radical mechanism. These processes using the imide compounds can introduce an oxygen-atom-containing group such as hydroxyl group, nitro group or carboxyl group into a substrate or can form a carbon-carbon bond. However, they are still insufficient in yields of the target compounds, stability of the catalysts or amounts of the catalysts.

Catalyst comprising cyclic acylurea compounds and processes for production organic compounds with the same

Abstract: wherein R is a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl-protecting group; n is 1 or 2; G is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom, where two Gs are the same or different when n is 2. The catalyst may include the cyclic acylurea compound and a metallic compound in combination. In the presence of the catalyst, (A) a compound capable of forming a radical is allowed to react with (B) a radical scavenging compound and thereby yields an addition or substitution reaction product of the compound (A) and the compound (B) or a derivative thereof. This catalyst can produce an organic compound with a high selectivity in a high yield as a result of, for example, an addition or substitution reaction under mild conditions.


A liquid crystal display includes a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other with liquid crystal therebetween, one of the pair of transparent substrates having a plurality of drain signal lines and a plurality of gate signal lines, and a plurality of pixel areas defined by the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines. The pixel areas includes a pixel electrode formed of a transparent electrode having a plurality of slits including a slit opened in a first direction and a slit opened in a second direction, and a counter electrode formed of a transparent electrode disposed between the transparent electrode of the pixel electrode having the plurality of slits and the one substrate.

A liquid crystal display device, which is referred to as a "lateral electric field type", is constituted such that a pair of transparent substrates are arranged to face each other in an opposed manner with a liquid crystal being disposed therebetween, and pixel electrodes and counter electrodes, which generate an electric field (lateral electric field) parallel to the transparent substrate between the counter electrode and the pixel electrode, are formed on each pixel region on a liquid-crystal side of one of such transparent substrates.
With respect to light which passes through the region between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the quantity of light is controlled by driving the liquid crystal to which the above-mentioned electric field is applied.
Such a liquid crystal display device is a known display device having broad viewing angle characteristics, whose display is not changed even when viewed from a direction oblique to a display surface.
Heretofore, the above-mentioned pixel electrode and the above-mentioned counter electrode have been formed of a conductive layer which prevents the transmission of light therethrough. However, recently, a liquid crystal display device has been developed which has a constitution in which counter electrodes formed of a transparent material are formed on the whole pixel region, except for the periphery of the pixel region, and strip-like pixel electrodes, which extends in one direction and are arranged in parallel in the direction intersecting such one direction, are formed on the counter electrodes by way of an insulation film.
In the liquid crystal display device having the above-described constitution, a lateral electric field is generated between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode so that the liquid crystal display device can largely enhance the numerical aperture while still maintaining excellent broad viewing angle characteristics. Such a technique is described in, for example, in SID (Society for Information Display) 99 DIGEST: p 202 to p 205 or Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 202356/1999.


A test system comprising a reactor having a fluid circuit and a test zone for an item under test. A plurality of control zones are included in the fluid circuit for controlling parameters of the fluid in accordance with control information. A control system receives input data specifying test values for the fluid parameters, predicts the behaviour of the fluid using the input data and a mathematical model of the reactor, calculates control information based on the predicted fluid behaviour, and communicates the control information to the control zones. The system can simulate transient test conditions by selective use of fluid evacuation and dilution, and by use of temperature and flow bypass circuits.

It is common for manufacturers to have the performance of their products tested in varying environmental conditions and/or over time to assess, for example, how the products age or degrade in particular environments. The nature of such products varies widely and includes electrical and electronic components, mechanical components, lubricants, fuels, paints, coatings and chemical compounds. Usually, dedicated test equipment is designed to suit particular products and to carry out specific tests.
Conventional test equipment tends to be energy inefficient and inflexible. The testing process therefore tends to be expensive, limited in scope and slow. It would be desirable therefore to provide improved test equipment.

Test system with recirculating fluid reactor


Crosslinked polymeric materials are described that contain pendant amine capture groups. The amine capture groups include N-sulfonyldicarboximide groups that can react with amine-containing materials by a ring opening reaction. Reaction mixtures used to prepare the crosslinked polymeric materials, articles containing the crosslinked polymeric materials, methods of making articles, and methods of immobilizing an amine-containing material are also described.

Amine-containing materials such as amine-containing analytes, amino acids, DNA, RNA, proteins, cells, tissue, organelles, immunoglobins, or fragments thereof immobilized on a surface can be used in numerous applications. For example, immobilized biological amines can be used for the medical diagnosis of a disease or genetic defect, for biological separations, or for detection of various biomolecules. Immobilization of the amine containing material is typically accomplished by reaction of an amino group with an amine reactive functional group that is covalently attached to the surface of the substrate.
Such amine reactive surfaces can be prepared, for example, by coating onto the surface of a substrate a solution of a polymeric material prepared from an amine reactive monomer such as N-[(meth)acryloxy]succinimide or vinyl azlactone. An amine-containing material can react with the N-acyloxysuccinimide group resulting in displacement of N-hydroxysuccinimide and formation of a carboxamide. An amine-containing material can react with the cyclic azlactone resulting in an opening of the ring structure.
Although polymeric surfaces that include a reactive functional group such as an N-acyloxysuccinimide group or an azlactone group can react readily with primary or secondary amine-containing materials, such reactive functional groups can suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, many of the reactions with biological amines are conducted in dilute aqueous solutions. Under these conditions, the N-acyloxysuccinimide functional group is known to undergo rapid hydrolysis. This competing reaction can cause incomplete or inefficient immobilization of the amine-containing materials on the substrate.
While azlactone functional groups are more stable to hydrolysis, it is difficult to synthesize an azlactone linked to any polymerizable group other than a vinyl group. This results in polymeric material with the amine reactive functional group directly attached to the polymer backbone. This can make it difficult for the amine containing material to get close enough to the amine reactive group for efficient immobilization.
A need exists for polymeric materials with alternative amine reactive functional groups that can be used as coatings for the immobilization of amine-containing materials and that have good adhesion to a substrate.

Crosslinked polymers with amine binding groups


The present invention relates to absorbent articles comprising superabsorbent polymer particles. The superabsorbent polymer particles are coated with cationic polymers having 1 to 25 mol/kg, referring to the total weight of the cationic polymers, of cationic groups, which can be protonated. The cationic polymers are not substantially covalently bound to the superabsorbent polymer particles. Furthermore, the superabsorbent polymer particles are not substantially covalently surface cross-linked.

Absorbent articles for receiving and retaining bodily discharges (e.g. urine or feces) such as disposable diapers, training pants, adult incontinence articles are well known in the art, and significant effort has been spent against improving their performance. Such improvements generally aim at addressing the primary function of such articles, namely retaining body fluids, but also at minimizing the negatives associated with wearing such articles by increasing the comfort of the wearer.
Many improvements are related to the "absorbent core" of the absorbent article. In the absorbent core the waste material is acquired by the article (picked up), then conducted away from the location of acquisition (distributed), and then stored (retained).
It is well established that reducing the thickness of the article by reducing the thickness of the absorbent core, helps to improve comfort. This, however, was always a question of balance between liquid handling performance and thickness. Also a substantial amount of cushioning was considered necessary for comfortable diapers. Finally the skilled person considered it impossible to reduce or even remove the fibrous material commonly applied in absorbent cores to a point where the modern particulate super absorbent materials would take over the biggest part or even all of the liquid acquisition and distribution functionalities previously provided by fibrous matrixes. Even if there were structures which could possibly provide all such beneficial aspects when dry, it was completely in-conceivable that this could be built into an absorbent core such that the liquid handling and comfort performance would be maintained even after the first gushes of liquid had been absorbed.
The development of absorbent cores of particular thinness has beneficial aspects, which make such a development the subject of substantial commercial interest. For example, thinner diapers are not just less bulky to wear, conform better to the body and fit better under clothing, they are also more compact in the package, making the diapers easier for the consumer to carry and store. Compactness in packaging also results in reduced distribution costs for the manufacturer and distributor, including less shelf space required in the store per diaper unit.
As indicated, the ability to provide thinner absorbent articles such as diapers has been dependent on the ability to develop relatively thin absorbent cores that can acquire and store large quantities of discharged body fluids, in particular urine. In this regard, the use of absorbent polymers often referred to as "hydrogels," "super absorbents" or "hydrocolloid" material has been particularly important. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,103 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,731 that disclose the use of such absorbent polymers (hereafter referred to as any of the following: hydrogel forming absorbent polymers, super absorbents, super absorbent polymers or SAPs, absorbent gel materials or AGMs). Indeed, the development of thinner diapers has been the direct consequence of thinner absorbent cores that take advantage of the ability of these SAPs to absorb large quantities of discharged body fluids, typically when used in combination with a fibrous matrix. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,402 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,022 that disclose dual-layer core structures comprising a fibrous matrix and SAPs useful in fashioning thin, compact, non-bulky diapers.
SAPs are often made by initially polymerizing unsaturated carboxylic acids or derivatives thereof, such as acrylic acid, alkali metal (e.g., sodium and/or potassium) or ammonium salts of acrylic acid, alkyl acrylates, and the like. These polymers are rendered water-insoluble, yet water-swellable, by slightly and homogeneously cross-linking the carboxyl group-containing polymer chains with conventional di- or poly-functional monomer materials, such as N,N′-methylene-bisacryl-amide, trimethylol-propane-triacrylate or triallyl-amine. These slightly cross-linked absorbent polymers still comprise a multiplicity of anionic (charged) carboxyl groups attached to the polymer backbone. It is these charged carboxyl groups that enable the polymer to absorb body fluids as the result of osmotic forces, thus forming hydrogels.
It is often desirable to increase the stiffness of SAP particles. Typically, this is done by surface cross-linking, wherein the carboxyl-groups exposed on the surface of the SAP particles are additionally cross-linked to each other. Other methods to increase the stiffness comprise coating the SAP particles. Such coatings are known for example from WO 97/12575, which discloses absorbent materials comprising absorbent gelling particles and a polycationic polymer covalently bonded to the absorbent gelling particles. European patent application EP 493 011 A2 refers to an absorbent matter comprising a water-absorbent resin particle having an acidic group on the surface, a cellulose fiber and a cationic high-molecular compound having a weight-average molecular weight of 2,000 or more. Further, WO 03/043670 discloses superabsorbent particles with a shell comprising cationic polymer cross-linked by the addition of cross-linker and adhered to the hydrogel-forming polymer by applying a coating solution containing both a cationic polymer and cross-linker.
However, the development and improvement of SAPs has so far mainly focused on use of the SAPs for final storage of liquid in the absorbent core. Consequently, it would be desirable to have SAPs, which are especially suitable for fluid acquisition and distribution in the fluid acquisition zone of the absorbent core. By replacing the fibers used in the fluid acquisition zone of prior art absorbent cores with SAPs, it would be possible to further reduce the bulk and thickness of the absorbent core.
A problem in developing SAPs for use in the fluid acquisition zone is, that the demands on the physical and chemical properties of these SAPs differ considerably from the requirements for use in the fluid storage zone. For example, it is desirable that SAPs in the fluid acquisition zone are able to quickly acquire via capillary pressure and temporarily hold fluids in voids between the SAP particles, especially in "gush" situations. The focus is not primarily on SAPs with high capacity, but it is important that a hydrogel-bed formed from SAPs has high porosity and permeability in order to be able to provide enough interstices between the swollen SAPs.
It would also be desirable to have SAP particles for use in absorbent cores, especially in the fluid acquisition zones, which have a high Free Swelling Rate (FSR). The FSR is related to the surface area of the SAP particles, and thus to their particle size, particle shape and morphology of the particles (e.g. a porous SAP particle versus a non-porous SAP particle). SAP particles having a high surface area typically also have a high FSR, which means they are able to quickly absorb liquids. The ability to quickly absorb liquids is especially important in the fluid acquisition zone of absorbent cores to create sufficient void volume. It is especially desirable to have SAP particles for use in the fluid acquisition zone, which are highly saturated already after the fist gush of liquid.
Moreover, it would be desirable to be able to provide an absorbent core comprising an acquisition zone having a relatively high concentration of SAP particles with relatively high porosities, and high permeability, and in a matrix that provides sufficient wet integrity such that its capability for acquiring and transporting fluids is not substantially reduced or minimized, even when subjected to normal use forces.
It would also be highly desirable to be able to use SAPs in these absorbent cores, especially in the fluid acquisition zones, that, when swollen by body fluids, continue to have a good wet integrity and high porosity such that the void volume per unit weight of absorbent polymer relatively high and preferably is close to that of an air-laid fibrous web, such as have been used in fluid acquisition zones of prior art absorbent articles.
Hence it is an object of the present invention to provide absorbent articles having an improved fit especially by reducing their thickness but also when being loaded, together with good fluid handling performance, especially by using materials having particulary suitable fluid distribution properties when dry and during progressive saturation with liquids.
It is a further object of the invention to achieve this by using super absorbent polymers particles.

Absorbent articles comprising super absorbent polymer having a substantially non-convalently bonded surface coating


A method for selectively enabling one of X agents in a system so as to allow the selected agent to be active in a shared communication system. The method comprises the steps of assigning each agent to a unique subset M of a plurality of N select lines, M being greater than 1 and less than N, and translating an identification number so as to assert M of the plurality of N select lines. The asserted M select lines uniquely select a designated agent. For one embodiment, all of the X agents may be selected by enabling all N select lines. For another embodiment, more than one but not all of the agents may be selected.

For electronics systems such as computer systems, it is typically necessary to provide one or more system components with the ability to selectively enable the operation of other system components. For example, a system controller or "master" such as a microprocessor may need to enable another system component or "agent" such as a memory chip in order to gain access to the data stored by the memory chip. Device selection is useful in many other systems and circumstances, as well.
There are a number of alternative methods for providing device selection in an electronics or computer system, and each method has an associated cost of implementation. For example, the master and agent devices must typically include additional pins for asserting and accepting selection or enable signals, and there are costs associated with providing semiconductor die space for these pins and supporting circuitry. Similarly, there are costs associated with providing printed circuit (PC) board space for routing the selection or enable signals between the master and agent devices.
FIG. 1 shows a system 10 that implements a prior device selection scheme wherein selection bus 15 transmits a binary encoded identification number from master 20 to select one of agents 21-36 so that master 20 may access the selected agent via data bus 48. To support device selection according to this method, each of agents 21-36 must be provided with (1) a unique identification number such as I.D. NO. 45 of agent 21 and (2) comparator circuitry 40 for comparing the transmitted identification number to the agent's identification number. In a system supporting a maximum of 2.sup.N agents, the width of selection bus 15 is N bits, and master 20 and agents 21-36 must each have N pins dedicated or multiplexed for device selection.
The number of output pins required for master 20 is minimized according to the scheme of FIG. 1; however, the total number of input pins required for agents 21-36 is maximized.
FIG. 2 shows a system 50 that implements another prior device selection scheme. A selection bus 55 transmits a binary encoded identification number (shown as BIT 0-BIT 3) and its complement (shown as BIT 0-BIT 3) from master 60 to select one of agents 61-76 so that master 60 may access the selected agent via data bus 54. The assertion or deassertion of the select signals for the complementary identification number (BIT 0-BIT 3) directly depends on the value of the true identification number (BIT 0-BIT 3) . To support device selection according to this method, each of agents 61-76 must be provided with majority logic circuitry such as a logical AND gate 52. In a system supporting a maximum of 2.sup.N agents, the width of the selection bus 55 is 2N bits, master 60 must have 2N output pins for device selection, and agents 61-76 must each have N input pins for device selection.
Device selection by the system of FIG. 2 is typically faster than that of FIG. 1 because majority logic circuitry is typically faster than comparators. Furthermore, agents need not be assigned identification numbers. The number of output pins required by the master to support device selection and the number of conductors for the selection bus are both doubled. Therefore, this prior art scheme is typically applied to systems with a limited (e.g. four) number of agents.
FIG. 3 shows a system 80 that implements another prior device selection scheme wherein each of a plurality of enable lines 85 are routed from master 90 to a corresponding one of agents 91-106 so that master 90 may enable and access the selected agent via data bus 115. To support device selection according to this method, master 90 must be provided with a 1-of-16 decoder circuit 110 that accepts a binary number and asserts one of the sixteen enable signals EN1-EN16. In a system supporting a maximum of 2.sup.N agents, master 90 must have a 1-of-N decoder providing 2.sup.N enable signals on 2.sup.N lines. Each of the 2.sup.N agents must have one input pin for device selection. Master 90 must have 2.sup.N output pins for device selection.
The total number of input pins required for the agent devices is minimized according to the scheme of FIG. 3; however, the number of output pins required for the master device is maximized. An alternative scheme would place the 1-of-16 decoder circuit 100 external to master 90, thus reducing the number of output pins for device selection by master 90. Providing the 1-of-16 decoder circuit 100 as a separate device would slow the process of device selection by an undesirable amount for some systems.

Method and apparatus for N choose M device selection


An electric motor comprising a stator having first and second ends and a cross section and a connector block mounted on one end of the stator, substantially entirely within the cross-sectional profile of the stator. The connector block has a plurality of electrical contacts oriented generally transversely outwardly with respect to the stator. An end shield is mounted over the end of the stator, overlying the top of the connector block. The end shield is spaced sufficiently from the stator in the vicinity of the connector block to allow free access to the electrical contacts of the connector block from the transverse direction.

Connector blocks are used on electric motors to speed installation and proper connection of the electric motor. These blocks are prominently placed on the electric motor so that the block can be easily accessed. However, motors are frequently handled with robotic equipment, and exposed connector blocks are vulnerable to damage. Even when handled manually, exposed connector blocks are vulnerable to damage while the motor is being handled and installed.

Motor with strategically placed connector block


A camera is used with a photo film cassette of a predetermined type. The photo film cassette includes a spool about which photo film is wound. A cassette shell contains the spool in a rotatable manner. A data disk with a bar code is disposed on the spool in a manner readable externally outside the cassette shell for signaling photo film information. In the camera, a cassette containing chamber contains the cassette. A bottom lid closes the cassette containing chamber in an openable manner. A spool drive shaft rotates the spool of the cassette in the cassette containing chamber, the spool drive shaft being connected to the spool set at a first rotational angle when the spool drive shaft has the first rotational angle. An bar code reader reads the photo film information from the data disk rotated in the cassette containing camber. A type determiner section in CPU detects whether the photo film cassette of the predetermined type is loaded in the cassette containing chamber according to the photo film information from the bar code reader. CPU controls operation of the spool drive shaft, CPU rotating the spool drive shaft when the bottom lid is closed, CPU stopping the spool drive shaft to set the spool at a second rotational angle when the type determiner section detects lack of the cassette or existence of a cassette different from the predetermined type.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera capable of reading/writing information of a photo film cassette. More particularly, the present invention relates to a camera capable of reliably detecting existence of a photo film cassette by utilizing reading of information of the photo film cassette.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A photo film cassette of a widely used 35 mm type includes a spool rotatably contained in a cassette shell, and a silver salt photo film wound about the spool in a roll form and contained in the cassette shell. Outside the cassette shell, there are a bar code printed to represent information including photo film speed, and numerals or signs printed to indicate the maximum number of available frames of the photo film. A photo film passage port or slit is formed along the cassette shell, and adapted to passage of the photo film for unwinding and winding back. In the 35 mm type, a DX code is used to represent the information.
After development of the photo film, the cassette shell of the 35 mm photo film cassette is discarded as a waste. The photo film is cut into pieces each of which includes a predetermined number of frames. Those photo film pieces are inserted into a sheet holder or photo film sheaths. The photo film being developed is handled by a photofinisher to produce photographic prints or photographs by exposing photographic paper with frames recorded on the photo film.
There is also a new standardized photo film cassette known as IX240 type, which includes the photo film, the spool and the cassette shell being plastic. The cassette shell has a photo film port shutter or cassette shutter disposed in a rotatable manner between open and closed positions in a photo film passage port. When the spool is rotated in a direction to unwind the photo film, a leader of the photo film is advanced from the inside to the outside of the cassette shell through the passage port being open.
The spool further includes a data disk and a status indicator mechanism, both of which are rotatable integrally with a core of the spool, and are visible through openings or holes formed in the cassette shell of the new standardized photo film cassette.
On the data disk is disposed a rotary bar code, which represents photo film information including photo film speed or ISO sensitivity, the maximum number of available frames of the photo film, and a photo film type. When a camera is loaded with the new standardized photo film cassette, a photo sensor automatically reads the data disk to recognize the information. The indicator mechanism includes four indicia holes and an indicator tongue. An end face of the cassette shell has the four indicia holes formed through it in different shapes. The four indicia holes represent an unexposed status, an exposed status, a developed status, and a partially exposed status. The indicator tongue is disposed fixedly with an end of the spool, and stopped behind one of the indicia holes, to indicate one of four statuses of the photo film.
The user is enabled to use the new standardized photo film cassette with the camera to take photographs in such a convenient manner as the 35 mm photo film cassette. The new standardized photo film cassette has an additional feature of containing the roll of the photo film after development for preservation. The cassette shell of the new standardized photo film cassette can be effective when the new standardized photo film cassette is loaded in various external optical instruments. Visible images of the photo film being developed can be electrically reproduced on a monitor display or printed on a sheet. The new standardized photo film cassette is useful as a container for the recording medium by the virtue of its compatibility to an audio-visual system.
The new standardized photo film cassette being standardized newly is different in the structure and operation from the 35 mm photo film cassette. Even if a user erroneously loads the newly standardized camera with the 35 mm photo film cassette, the 35 mm photo film cassette is automatically treated in the camera without recognizing the error, to damage both the 35 mm photo film cassette and the camera. Even after the erroneously inserted cassette is unloaded from the camera, an accidental operation is likely to occur when the new standardized photo film cassette is acceptably inserted in the camera.

Camera capable of reading/writing information of photo film cassette


A memory capable of suppressing disturbance is provided. This memory activates each of a selected word line and a bit line corresponding to unrewritten storage means while keeping potential difference therebetween at a level not more than a prescribed value and differentiates the length of a period for applying a voltage for rewriting to each of the selected word line and a bit line corresponding to rewritten storage means from the length of a transition period of the potential of at least either the word line or the bit line corresponding to the unrewritten storage means when performing a rewrite operation on partial selected storage means or performing no rewrite operation on all selected storage means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory, and more particularly, it relates to a memory having storage means connected between word and bit lines.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, volatile and nonvolatile memories are known as semiconductor memories. A DRAM (dynamic random access memory) is known as the volatile memory, while a flash EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read only memory) is known as the nonvolatile memory. The DRAM and the flash EEPROM allowing high integration are widely used.
FIG. 25 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing the structure of each memory cell 103 of a conventional DRAM. FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing the structure of each trench capacitor employed in the conventional DRAM. Referring to FIG. 25, each memory cell 103 of the conventional DRAM, i.e., a conventional volatile memory, is constituted of a selection transistor 101 and a capacitor 102. The capacitor 102 stores information of the memory cell 103 as charges. In order to read the information from the memory cell 103, a word line WL rises to turn on the selection transistor 101. Thus, a cell capacitance Ccell and a bit line capacitance Cb1 are capacitively coupled with each other. Therefore, a bit line potential decided by the quantity of charges stored in the memory cell 103 can be read.
In order to ensure the cell capacitance Ccell of the capacitor 102 also when the memory cell 103 of the conventional DRAM having the aforementioned structure is refined, the trench capacitor formed by vertically extending upper and lower electrodes 102a and 102c and a dielectric film 102b constituting the capacitor 102 is employed as shown in FIG. 26. If refinement further progresses, however, it is difficult to ensure the cell capacitance Ccell of the capacitor 102 with the trench capacitor shown in FIG. 26. In other words, high integration of the DRAM by reduction of a design rule increasingly approaches the limit.
In the flash EEPROM (hereinafter referred to as a flash memory), i.e., the nonvolatile memory, memory cells of a stacked or split gate CHE (channel hot electron) write system are limited in refinement of the channel length. In memory cells of an FN (Fowler-Nordheim) write system such as a NAND form, the limit of refinement is equivalent to that in logic transistors. However, the flash memory requires a high voltage of 15 V to 20 V in operation, and when a power supply voltage for the logic transistors is progressively reduced, generation efficiency for generating the high voltage of 15 V to 20 V from the reduced power supply voltage is reduced. Therefore, power consumption is increased and the area of a charge pumping part is increased, disadvantageously hindering refinement.
On the other hand, a ferroelectric memory is known as one of nonvolatile memories recently watched with interest. This ferroelectric memory utilizes pseudo capacitance variation with the direction of polarization of a ferroelectric substance as a memory element. This ferroelectric memory, allowing data rewriting at a high speed with a low voltage in principle, is spotlighted as an ideal memory having the advantages of the DRAM, i.e., the high speed and the low voltage, and that of the flash memory, i.e., nonvolatility.
Memory cell systems for a ferroelectric memory are roughly classified into three types, i.e., a one-transistor one-capacitor system, a simple matrix system and a one-transistor system. FIG. 27 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing each memory cell 113 of a one-transistor one-capacitor ferroelectric memory. FIG. 28 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing a memory cell array of a simple matrix ferroelectric memory. FIG. 29 is a hysteresis diagram for illustrating operations of the simple matrix ferroelectric memory, and FIG. 30 is a hysteresis diagram for illustrating disturbance in the simple matrix ferroelectric memory. FIG. 31 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing memory cells of a one-transistor ferroelectric memory, and FIG. 32 is a hysteresis diagram for illustrating operations of the one-transistor ferroelectric memory. FIG. 33 is an equivalent circuit diagram for illustrating a voltage application state in writing in the one-transistor ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 31, and FIG. 34 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing a voltage application state in a standby state of the one-transistor ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 31.
As shown in FIG. 27, each memory cell 113 of the one-transistor one-capacitor ferroelectric memory is constituted of a selection transistor 111 and a ferroelectric capacitor 112, similarly to a DRAM cell. The memory cell 113 is different from the DRAM cell in the ferroelectric capacitor 112. In operation, a word line WL rises to turn on the selection transistor 111. Thus, a capacitance Ccell of the ferroelectric capacitor 112 and a bit line capacitance Cb1 are connected with each other. Then, a plane line PL is pulse-driven for transmitting charges, varied in quantity with the direction of polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor 112, to a bit line BL. Data is read as the voltage of the bit line BL, similarly to the DRAM cell.
In the one-transistor one-capacitor ferroelectric memory, refinement of the ferroelectric capacitor 112 is limited due to the structure similar to that of the DRAM. Therefore, the one-transistor one-capacitor ferroelectric memory is limited in integration similarly to the DRAM.
The simple matrix ferroelectric memory is now described with reference to FIGS. 28 to 30. As shown in FIG. 28, memory cells 121 of the simple matrix ferroelectric memory are constituted of word lines WL, bit lines BL and ferroelectric capacitors 122 located on the intersections between the word lines WL and the bit lines BL.
First and second ends of the ferroelectric capacitors 122 are connected to the word lines WL and the bit lines BL respectively. This simple matrix ferroelectric memory, reading potentials resulting from capacitive coupling between the bit lines BL and the ferroelectric capacitors 122, must ensure capacitances similarly to the DRAM. However, the simple matrix ferroelectric memory, having the memory cells 121 constituted of only the ferroelectric capacitors 122 with no selection transistors, can be more increased in degree of integration than the one-transistor one-capacitor ferroelectric memory.
Operations of the simple matrix ferroelectric memory are described with reference to FIGS. 28 and 29. Table 1 shows voltages applied to the memory cells 121 in standby, reading and writing states respectively.
TABLE 1StandbyReadWrite "1"Write "0"Selected WL1/2VCCVCC0VCCNonselectedWL1/2VCC1/3VCC2/3VCC1/3VCCSelected BL1/2VCC0→FloatingVCC0NonselectedBL1/2VCC2/3VCC1/3VCC2/3VCC
As to a write operation, both ends of each ferroelectric capacitor 122 are at the same potential in the standby state. In order to write data "0" in any memory cell 121, the ferroelectric memory applies voltages VCC and 0 V to the word line WL and the bit line BL corresponding to this memory cell 121 respectively. At this time, the ferroelectric memory applies the voltage VCC to the ferroelectric capacitor 122 of this memory cell 121. Thus, the ferroelectric memory shifts to a point A shown in FIG. 29. Thereafter the ferroelectric memory sets both ends of the ferroelectric capacitor 122 to the same potential for making a transition to "0" shown in FIG. 29. In order to write data "1" in any memory cell 121, on the other hand, the ferroelectric memory applies the voltages 0 V and VCC to the corresponding word line WL and the corresponding bit line BL respectively. At this time, the ferroelectric memory applies a voltage −VCC to the ferroelectric capacitor 122. Thus, the ferroelectric memory shifts to another point B shown in FIG. 29. Thereafter the ferroelectric memory sets both ends of the ferroelectric capacitor 122 to the same potential for making a transition to "1" shown in FIG. 29.
As to a read operation, the ferroelectric memory precharges the corresponding bit line BL at 0 V. Then, the ferroelectric memory activates the corresponding word line WL to the voltage VCC. Assuming that CFE represents the capacitance of the ferroelectric capacitor 122 and CBL represents the parasitic capacitance of the bit line BL, the voltage VCC is capacitively divided by the parasitic capacitance CFE and the capacitance CBL. The capacitance CFE of the ferroelectric capacitor 122 can be approximated as C0 or C1 in response to data held therein. Therefore, the potential of the bit line BL is expressed as follows:V0={C0/(C0+CBL)}×VCC  (1)V1={C1/(C1+CBL)}×VCC  (2)
The above expression (1) indicates the potential V0 of the bit line BL connected to the memory cell 121 holding data "0", while the above expression (2) indicates the potential V1 of the bit line BL connected to the memory cell 121 holding data "1".
A read amplifier determines the difference between the bit line potentials V0 and V1 according to the above expressions (1) and (2) thereby reading data. The data of the memory cell 121 is destroyed in this data reading, and hence the ferroelectric memory performs a write operation (restore operation) responsive to the read data after the data reading.
In the simple matrix ferroelectric memory, data disadvantageously disappear from nonselected cells. More specifically, the ferroelectric memory applies a voltage ⅓ VCC to all nonselected memory cells in writing and reading. As shown in FIG. 30, therefore, the quantity of polarization Q is reduced due to the hysteresis of a ferroelectric substance, leading to disappearance of the data.
The one-transistor ferroelectric memory is now described with reference to FIGS. 31 to 34. As shown in FIG. 31, memory cells 131 of the one-transistor ferroelectric memory are formed by connecting ferroelectric capacitors 132 to gates of MOS transistors 133. In this one-transistor ferroelectric memory, first and second ends of the ferroelectric capacitors 132 are connected to word lines WL and the gates of the MOS transistors 133 constituting cell transistors respectively. In the one-transistor ferroelectric memory, threshold voltages of the MOS transistors 133 vary with the directions of polarization of the ferroelectric capacitors 132, to vary memory cell currents. The ferroelectric memory reads data by determining the variation of the memory cell currents. In the one-transistor ferroelectric memory reading data by detecting the memory cell currents, the capacitances of the ferroelectric capacitors 132 may not be increased to some extent in consideration of bit line capacitances, dissimilarly to the one-transistor one-capacitor ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 27. Therefore, the ferroelectric capacitors 132 can be so reduced in size that the one-transistor ferroelectric memory is suitable for refinement.
Operations of the one-transistor ferroelectric memory are now described. In a standby state, all word lines WL, all bit lines BL and all source lines SL are at the voltage 0 V. In a write operation for writing data "1" in any memory cell 131, the ferroelectric memory applies a step-up voltage Vpp to the word line WL corresponding to this memory cell 131. At this time, the ferroelectric memory applies a potential VCC capacitively divided with the gate capacitance of the MOS transistor 133 to the ferroelectric capacitor 132. Thus, the ferroelectric memory shifts to a point A shown in FIG. 32 despite the initial state. Thereafter the ferroelectric memory returns the word line WL to the voltage 0 V, for making a transition to data "1" shown in FIG. 32. In order to write data "0" in any memory cell 131, on the other hand, the ferroelectric memory applies the voltage 0 V and the step-up voltage Vpp to the corresponding word line WL and the corresponding bit line BL respectively. In this case, the ferroelectric memory applies a voltage −VCC to the ferroelectric capacitor 132. Thus, the ferroelectric memory shifts to a point B shown in FIG. 32. Thereafter the ferroelectric memory returns the bit line BL to the voltage 0 V, for making a transition to data "0" shown in FIG. 32.
The one-transistor ferroelectric memory performs a read operation by activating the corresponding word line WL to a voltage Vr not causing polarization inversion. Thus, the gate voltage of the cell transistor (MOS transistor) 133 varies with the written state. A current flowing through the cell transistor 133 varies with the gate voltage thereof, and hence the ferroelectric transistor reads the current difference through the corresponding bit line BL. In other words, the one-transistor ferroelectric memory may read not potential difference between the ferroelectric capacitor 132 and the bit line BL resulting from capacitive coupling but the current of the cell transistor 133, to require no polarization inversion in reading. Thus, the one-transistor ferroelectric memory is capable of nondestructive reading.
However, the one-transistor ferroelectric memory has a problem of disturbance of nonselected cells, similarly to the aforementioned simple matrix ferroelectric memory. The one-transistor ferroelectric memory also has a problem of the so-called reverse bias retention of data change resulting from a continuous reverse bias state to the ferroelectric capacitor 132. When the one-transistor ferroelectric memory applies the step-up voltage Vpp to any word line WL thereby writing data in the memory cell 131 corresponding to this word line WL as shown in FIG. 33 and thereafter returns to the standby state, a potential opposite to the direction of polarization is continuously applied as shown in FIG. 34. Therefore, the data holding time is disadvantageously reduced.
A method of reducing disturbance caused in nonselected memory cells of a one-transistor ferroelectric memory is proposed in general, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-64255 (1998), for example. In a data writing step disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-64255, the ferroelectric memory applies voltages +V, ⅓ V, 0 V and ⅔ V to a word line connected to a selected cell, the remaining word lines, a bit line connected to the selected cell and the remaining bit lines respectively as a first procedure. Then, the ferroelectric memory applies voltages 0 V, ⅓ V, ⅓ V and 0 V to the word line connected to the selected cell, the remaining word lines, the bit line connected to the selected cell and the remaining bit lines respectively as a second procedure. If applying voltages −V, −⅓ V, 0 V and −⅔ V to the word line connected to the selected cell, the remaining word lines, the bit line connected to the selected cell and the remaining bit lines respectively in the aforementioned first procedure, the ferroelectric memory applies voltages 0 V, −⅓ V, −⅓ V and 0 V to the word line connected to the selected cell, the remaining word lines, the bit line connected to the selected cell and the remaining bit lines respectively in the second procedure subsequent thereto. Thus, the ferroelectric memory applies voltages ⅓ V of different polarities to most nonselected cells throughout the first and second procedures, whereby disturbance can be remarkably reduced.
In the technique disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-64255, however, the ferroelectric memory applies no voltage to those of the non-selected cells sharing the word line and the bit line with the selected cell in the second procedure, and hence these cells are disadvantageously unavoidably disturbed. Further, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-64255 describes absolutely no method of reducing disturbance in reading.


A valve including a surface movably engaged with another surface. A coating is on the surface. The surface can have a CoF of less than 0.1; a hardness in excess of 1,200 HVN; impermeability to liquids at pressures ranging from 15 and 20,000 psi; a surface finish of 63 or less; and a thickness ranging from 0.5 to 20 mils.

Components that, when in operation, have contacting surfaces that are in relative motion typically experience abrasive wear on the surfaces caused by the frictional engagement therebetween. Such components may also experience corrosion, particularly when operating under relatively harsh conditions, such as in various oil and gas exploration, drilling, and production environments. Examples of such harsh conditions include those having sour or H2S-containing gases under high-partial pressures, high-chloride concentrations (high salinity) above ambient temperature, high-CO2 partial pressures, and combinations of these conditions. Additional examples of harsh conditions include warm and oxygenated aqueous environments, as are especially encountered when continuously injecting untreated seawater in an underground reservoir. These conditions are considered harsh because they are corrosive to typical metallic materials and can lead to various forms of degradation over time, including loss of thickness, pitting, crevices, cracking under static and/or cyclic stress, which are all potential causes of uncontrolled loss of fluids through sealing surfaces or metallic walls.
Some such components that are often operated in harsh environments are valves, including ball valves. These ball valves may be positioned at surface, subsea, and/or downhole, in all cases serving a similar function of flow and/or pressure control. Ball valves use a hollow, perforated and pivoting ball to control fluid flow therethrough. Typically, in the open position the hole through the ball is aligned with the fluid flow, and in the closed position the ball is pivoted by 90° relative to the open position such that the hole through the ball is out of alignment with the fluid flow. Other valves that are often operated in harsh environments, and may include linear perforated pistons as an alternative to ball/seat assemblies, include flow control valves, safety valves, formation isolation valves, and subsea lubricator valves. Flow control valves are typically used in completion to selectively control multiple zones, and downhole safety valves are used to provide for emergency closure in wellbores. These two types of valves are usually actually actuated by hydraulic pressure, occasionally via electrical actuations, are cylindrical, and typically utilize linear piston tubes, either selectively perforated to allow radial flow or non-perforated to directly actuate a flapper. Formation isolation valves are typically ball valves used to isolate reservoir fluids, and lubricator valves, including subsea lubricator valves, are the topmost valve on a Christmas tree that provides access to a wellbore. Each of these valves includes surfaces that move relative to one another, which subjects these surfaces to wear or various forms of degradation.

Hard and lubricious valve surfaces, material compositions and sequences of manufacturing


Directly following application of a label (3) to the adhesive coating (5) of a backing web (2) by rolling the affixation point (8) non-contact sensing by the sensor (31) of a detector device (30) establishes whether the adhesive coating (5) is not fully covered due to mutual misorientation. In the case of such a misorientation the backing web (2) including substantially all other means of a paper processing line are halted, as a result of which the exposed adhesive coating (5) is unable to soil any further parts of the machine.

The invention relates to a means for processing ply material, particularly for collating, or the like, material parts of e.g. film or paper-like material correctly positioned. As a result of this, for example, one or more ply parts, such as labels, protective films or the like may be applied to on one or more backing parts of sheet material. The material part in each case may be formed by a continuous web of material or single sections, such as sheet layers and may in each case, in the running direction or crosswise thereto, be larger than the other part or the affixation field or cover field which is covered by the smaller material part after collation. The two material parts may be joined to each other bondingly or resistant to shear as well as parallel directly juxtaposed, e.g. via a film of adhesive, substantially thinner as compared thereto, which may consist of a cold or hot glue.
The invention relates in particular to a means as set forth in the German patent application P 44 24 429.0 to which reference is made in relating the configurations and effects therein to the present invention. The material parts, affixation and/or cover fields are mostly defined at right angles or full length by straight edges or margins parallel to each other. The ply parts may be supplied endlessly from a reel storage or transferred as prestamped labels to the backing part. If the backing part is an endless web or the like defined in the running direction on both sides of the affixation point of the means under tensile stress in conveyance units, then this web may be subdivided into individual sheet plies by longitudinal or transverse partings following application of the ply parts. The parting lines are predescribed with respect to the stated fields prior to or during application of the ply parts, e.g. in the form of perforations, whereby in the running direction ply parts or affixation and/or cover fields applied one after and/or juxtaposed may each have the same or different size and shape.
After collation the material parts are required to assume with respect to each other a wanted orientation within a tolerance field which e.g. with respect to an ideal orientation allows for a shift or twist in all directions of less than 1 or 1/2 mm. Expediently offset outwardly by more than this tolerance or more than one millimeter and less than 5 or 3 millimeters are the margins of the cover field with respect to those of the affixation field, so that the edge of the smaller material part, which as a rule is that of the ply part, slightly protrudes past the affixation or bonding field. Should e.g. due to malfunctioning of the material part feed, particularly of the ply part, an orientation materialize deviating from the wanted orientation correspondingly strongly, then the affixation surface area will not be totally covered on collation of the material parts, it instead remaining partly exposed. Such non-covered regions may result in trouble in further processing of the material parts or of the backing part in the corresponding work stations, e.g. due to it tacking to machine components.