The present invention provides an electrolytic processing apparatus which is capable of increasing an in-plane uniformity of a film thickness of a plated film by making more uniform an electric field distribution over an entire surface to be processed of a substrate even if the substrate has a large area, and controlling more uniformly a speed, over the entire surface to be processed of the substrate. The electrolytic processing apparatus of this invention includes: a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a first electrode for being brought into contact with the substrate to supply current to a surface, to be processed, of the substrate; a second electrode disposed substantially parallel to the surface, to be processed, of the substrate in a position facing the surface, to be processed, of the substrate held by the substrate holder; a high resistance structure disposed between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the second electrode; an electrolytic solution introducing portion for introducing an electrolytic solution into a region across which the substrate held by the substrate holder and the high resistance structure face each other, from laterally of the high resistance structure; and a power source for applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrolytic processing apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly to an electrolytic processing apparatus which is used as an electroplating apparatus for use in forming interconnects by embedding a metal (interconnect material) such as copper or the like in interconnect recesses (interconnect pattern) that are formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a substrate processing apparatus which is generally used for wet-type processes such as a wet etching apparatus and a wet cleaning apparatus.
The substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention may be used as a so-called immersion-type exposure apparatus wherein a substrate is exposed to a laser beam which is converged underwater for an increased resolution.
The present invention also relates to a plating method and a plating apparatus, and more particularly to a plating method and a plating apparatus for use in forming interconnects by embedding a metal (interconnect material) such as copper or the like in interconnect recesses (interconnect pattern) that are formed in a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer, a printed-wiring board, a CSP (Chip Size Package) substrate, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, instead of using aluminum or aluminum alloys as a material for forming interconnect circuits on a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or a printed-wiring board, there is an eminent movement towards using copper (Cu) that has a low electric resistivity and high electromigration resistance. Copper interconnects are generally formed by filling copper into fine recesses formed in a surface of a substrate. There are known various techniques for forming such copper interconnects, including CVD, sputtering, and plating. According to any such technique, a copper film is formed on substantially an entire surface of a substrate, followed by removal of unnecessary copper by performing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP).
FIGS. 38A through 38C illustrate, in sequence of process steps, an example of forming such a substrate W having copper interconnects. First, as shown in FIG. 38A, an insulating film 2 of SiO2 is deposited on a conductive layer 1a in which electronic devices are formed, which is formed on a semiconductor base 1. Via holes 3 and trenches 4 for interconnect recesses are formed in the insulating film 2 by performing a lithography/etching technique. Thereafter, a barrier layer 5 of TaN or the like is formed on the insulating film 2, and a seed layer 7 as an electric supply layer for electroplating is formed on the barrier layer 5.
Then, as shown in FIG. 38B, copper plating is performed on a surface of the substrate W to fill the contact holes 3 and the trenches 4 of the semiconductor base 1 with copper and, at the same time, deposit a copper film 6 on the insulating film 2. Thereafter, the copper film 6 and the barrier layer 5 on the insulating film 2 are removed by performing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) so as to make a surface of the copper filled in the contact holes 3 and the trenches 4 and the surface of the insulating film 2 lie substantially in the same plane. Interconnects composed of the copper film 6 as shown in FIG. 38C are thus formed.
Generally, for fabrication of semiconductor devices, there are performed various wet-type processes including the electroplating process described above, a wet-type etching process for removing, with an etching solution, an unnecessary metal film deposited or adhered to a surface of a substrate, for example, a wet-type cleaning process for removing, with pure water or a chemical solution, particles or the like adhered to a surface of a substrate, and the like.
There has also been developed a so-called immersion-type exposure apparatus wherein a light beam is focused in water whose refractive index is 1.44 times higher than air, thereby making a numerical aperture greater than if exposed in air, for an increased resolution.
Semiconductor wafers for LSI and liquid crystal substrates are showing a tendency to have their area growing year after year. When a plated film is formed on a surface of such a substrate by electroplating, such a tendency poses a problem in that the plated film is likely to have film thickness irregularities. Specifically, in order to give a cathode potential to the substrate, contacts for connection to electrodes are provided in a peripheral area of an electrically conductive layer, such as a seed layer or the like, that is formed in advance on the substrate. With the substrate having a large area, the electrically conductive layer ranging from contact in a periphery of the substrate to a center of the substrate has a large electric resistance, which develops a potential difference in the substrate. The potential difference brings about a plating rate difference, leading to film thickness irregularities of the plated film.
For electroplating a surface of a substrate, an electrically conductive layer such as a seed layer or the like is formed on the surface of the substrate, and the electrically conductive layer in the vicinity of an outer peripheral edge of the substrate is brought into contact with contacts for giving a cathode potential to the electrically conductive layer. An anode is positioned in a position facing the substrate, and a space between the anode and the substrate, which serves as a cathode, is filled with a plating solution. A plating current is then passed between the anode and the substrate (cathode) to plate the electrically conductive layer onto the substrate. If the substrate has a large area, then the electrically conductive layer ranging from contact in the vicinity of an outer peripheral edge of the substrate to a center of the substrate has a large electric resistance, which develops a potential difference in the substrate, and hence a plating rate difference between various parts of the substrate.
To prevent the above problem from arising, there has been proposed a plating apparatus having a plating solution impregnated material, which is made of a water retentive material for holding a plating solution, placed between a substrate and an anode, so that plating solution held by the plating solution impregnated material increases resistance due to the plating solution between the substrate and the anode, for thereby making more uniform an electric field distribution over an entire surface to be processed of the substrate. In the plating apparatus of this type, an electric field is likely to be disturbed locally owing to presence of a plating solution introducing tube extending in the plating solution impregnated material. It is generally difficult to correct a local electric field disturbance and to supply a fresh plating solution whose composition has been adjusted to the surface of the substrate.
An electroplating apparatus of a so-called face-down type holds a substrate with its surface (surface to be processed) facing downwardly, and is designed to plate the surface (lower surface) of the substrate. Generally, the electroplating apparatus forms a jet flow (upward flow) of plating solution toward a central region of the substrate. The plating solution of the jet flow impinges upon the central region of the substrate and thereafter flows along the surface of the substrate diametrically outwardly of the substrate, thereby plating the surface of the substrate. Consequently, a speed of the plating solution flowing along the surface of the substrate differs between the central region of the substrate and a peripheral region of the substrate. If the substrate is of a large area, particularly, then this speed difference becomes so large that a plating performance differs, thereby causing film thickness irregularities of a plated film. The jet flow poses a problem in that it tends to entrain bubbles that are present in a plating bath.
With respect to a wet-type process, e.g., an immersion process such as an immersion etching process for immersing a substrate in an etching solution to etch a surface of the substrate, it is generally difficult to perform a so-called face-up etching process wherein the substrate is held with its surface (surface to be processed) facing upwardly, and the etching solution is supplied to and held on the surface (upper surface) to etch the substrate. Since the substrate is generally held and delivered for various processes while its surface is facing upwardly, it is necessary to invert the substrate by 180° each time an immersion process such as an immersion etching process is to be performed on the substrate.
The immersion-type exposure apparatus described previously is desired to perform an exposure process such that air bubbles tending to deteriorate an optical system will not be produced underwater. It is generally difficult to make an arrangement for satisfying such a demand.
With respect to the above-described copper interconnects, e.g., copper interconnects at a packaging level, interconnect recesses such as trenches and via holes having an opening width or diameter of several tens μm and an aspect ratio of at least 1 are formed in a surface of a substrate, and copper is embedded in the recesses (trenches and via holes). For increasing production efficiency for formation of interconnects, it is required to embed copper reliably at a high rate in interconnect recesses having an opening width or diameter of several tens μm and an aspect ratio of at least 1 according to copper plating.
In conventional general plating apparatus, a surface of a substrate, which has interconnect recesses covered with an electrically conductive layer, and an anode are disposed in facing relation to each other. After a space between the substrate and the anode is filled with a plating solution, a voltage is applied between the substrate and the anode to deposit a plated film on a surface of the electrically conductive layer. The plating solution which fills the space between the substrate and the anode is placed in a static state where it produces completely no flow or almost no flow during this plating process.
However, when a copper plating process is performed with a conventional general plating apparatus to embed copper at a high rate (e.g., a rate twice a conventional rate) in interconnect recesses defined in a surface of a substrate and having an opening width or diameter of several tens μm and an aspect ratio of at least 1, an electric field concentrates on opening ends (inlets) of the interconnect recesses to precipitate copper preferentially there, thereby closing the inlets of the interconnect recesses before copper is fully embedded in the interconnect recesses. Therefore, voids tend to be produced in copper (plated film) embedded in the interconnect recesses.
For embedding copper reliably in the interconnect recesses without forming voids therein, there is a certain limitation on a plating rate, and copper can currently be embedded only at a plating rate of at most about several hundreds nm/min. Therefore, there has been a strong demand for development of a plating technique capable of embedding copper at a higher rate without producing voids therein. It is considered that the demand will be stronger as the aspect ratio of interconnect recesses will be larger in the future.

Electrolytic processing apparatus and substrate processing method


Systems and methods for establishing an arbitration agreement for an agreement. A method includes creating, by a first computing system associated with a first party, an ArbitrationInformation attribute comprising the arbitration agreement. The method includes signing, by the first computing system, the ArbitrationInformation attribute with the first computing system's digital signature; creating, by the first computing system, a first SignedData message comprising the ArbitrationInformation attribute and information indicative of the agreement; and transmitting, by the first computing system, the first SignedData message to a second computing system associated with a second party different than the first party and on a different network node than the first party. The method includes signing, by the second computing system, a portion of the SignedData message or the ArbitrationInformation attribute with the second computing system's digital signature; and generating, by the second computing system, a second SignedData message around the first SignedData message.

Within the field of financial transactions, smart contracts offer entities an alternative to the traditional method of conducting transactions. There are a number of advantages to using a smart contract to carry out a financial transaction. Smart contracts allow a user to create code that automatically executes a transaction in response to the fulfillment of a condition. Transactions that may be executed via a smart contract include, for example, a transfer of funds or an escrow transaction. Smart contracts are implemented by deploying the code defining the terms and conditions of the smart contract onto a blockchain. Therefore, as opposed to a traditional financial transaction, smart contract transactions are confirmed by a peer-to-peer network of users rather than by a trusted third party. This allows smart contract transactions to be confirmed and executed in a much faster time than it typically takes for similar traditional transactions. Thus, smart contracts offer clients the benefits of automatic execution upon the fulfillment of a condition, as well as typically faster confirmations than transactions conducted in a traditional manner.
Since smart contracts are self-executing codes, often written to blockchains, that include instructions for self-executing transactions, a drawback of smart contracts is that one or more of the parties of the smart contract may be anonymous or pseudo-anonymous entities. For example, some blockchains can be permission-less, meaning that an entity can join a blockchain without providing any credentials or information indicative of the entity's identity to other parties using the blockchain. Smart contracts on such permission-less blockchains can be formed between parties that do not know each other's identities. Therefore, an entity entering a smart contract with one or more unknown parties may not know how disputes related to the smart contract will be resolved. For example, the entity entering into the smart contract may not know whether disputes will be handled by lawsuits, mediation, arbitration, etc. Furthermore, the entity entering into the smart contact may not know which country, and therefore which laws, will be applied while resolving disputes related to the smart contract.

Systems and methods for smart contracts including arbitration attributes


A perfect binder for processing book blocks, including: a conveying device adapted to convey the book blocks along a closed circulating path, the conveying device including a plurality of clamping devices each adapted to convey a book block; and a plurality of processing stations arranged successively along the closed circulating path. One of the processing stations includes a spine-processing station, and another one of the processing stations includes an end sheet feed station following the spine-processing station.

The invention relates to a perfect binder used for processing book blocks, wherein the binder comprises a conveying device with a closed circular path for conveying the book blocks. A number of successively following processing stations are assigned to the conveying device, wherein the conveying device furthermore is provided with a number of clamping devices for respectively conveying one book block to the processing stations and wherein one of the processing stations is embodied for processing the book block spine. The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding perfect binding method.
For hardcover book production, book binderies are increasingly confronted with the task of having to produce smaller book block series, frequently involving only one copy of a book. For that reason, printing machines requiring short retooling times are generally used for printing the content of these books. Short runs are most often produced with digital printers, which make it possible to dynamically change the printing content, thus making it possible to sequentially print the pages of a book and then process these further into a book block. In most cases, this is done in-line, meaning the required processing steps starting with the printing, the folding and collating of the printed sheets, the perfect binding, all the way to the finishing of the bound book, are successive, and are realized in the same system, which is also called a book-binding line.
During a perfect binding operation, the individual sheets and/or signatures previously gathered into a book block are processed through milling along the spine, which is followed by applying adhesive along the spine. A casing is then pressed against the spine, such that the casing and the book block spine are glued together. If a flexible casing is used, then the finished product is called a perfect-bound softcover. If a rigid casing is used, the finished product is referred to as a perfect-bound hardcover.
For hardcover book production, the book block is provided with end sheets that are glued with the aid of a thin bead of glue onto both sides of the book block. In the finished book, these end sheets function as hinges to the casing. To be able to align the end sheets cleanly and flush with the book block spine, they are advantageously supplied only after the milling operation. A backing strip is then attached to the book block spine, such that it overlaps the spine, for example with the aid of hot glue or PUR (polyurethane reactive adhesive). The backing strip applied in this way ensures that the book block is held together. In the following step, the book block is then trimmed to the specified format and a hardcover is attached with adhesive to the two end sheets.
A perfect binder with a compact design is known from the Swiss patent document CH 325096. The perfect binder includes a conveying device having a closed circulating path, and processing stations arranged in the region of the circulating path. The conveying device is embodied as a rotating table with gripper holders arranged along the periphery, in which respectively one pair of clamping jaws is positioned which holds the book block. Owing to the fact that the clamping jaws hold the book block throughout the processing operation, the end sheets must be supplied to the perfect binder jointly with the book block, meaning prior to the milling of the back, which causes the above-mentioned quality problems.
European patent document EP 1344655 A2 discloses a perfect binder, especially suited for short runs, with the feed station arranged downstream of the milling device. The system disclosed therein is a linear, relatively long system. It includes several processing stations arranged successively in a row, with intermittent book block conveying, which is realized with a back-and-forth moving conveying device. In the process, the book block is conveyed while positioned on its spine, and is gripped in the lower region on both sides by a clamping bar. The clamping bar is part of the conveying device, and transports the book block through the milling device and into the feed unit for the end sheets. Once there, the book block is transferred to a holding clamp, which grips the book block in the center region. Immediately thereafter, the clamping bars are released and the end sheets, as well as the backing strip, are supplied to the book block. The two clamping bars meanwhile return to the starting position to take over the next book block. As the next book block is supplied, a back region of the clamping bars takes over conveying the book block that was previously provided with the end sheets and backing strip, so as to transport it to the following processing station.
The above-described return movement of the clamping bars, however, is slower than the movement for feeding the end sheets and the backing strip, meaning the book block processed in this station is ready for the further processing before the clamping bars have reached the starting position. As a result of the back-and-forth movement of the conveying device, the cycle time of the perfect binder is therefore extended unnecessarily.
The clamping bars furthermore press together the book block near the spine, and thus compress it in the lower region. In the unit for feeding the end sheets, the book block, which is loose in the upper region, is gripped by the holding clamp while the clamping bars are still engaged. The clamping bars subsequently opened up to clear the way for supplying the end sheets. Being encircled by the clamping device unsettles the book block and can result in inaccuracies and displacements. For example, a voluminous book block must be squeezed or compressed thoroughly because the air trapped inside the book block must first be allowed to escape. In the process, the previously created milling surface can be damaged, thereby leading to problems with the adhesive application and thus the quality of the final product. A relatively high technical expenditure is furthermore required to achieve the necessary precision during the above-described transfer of the book block from the conveying device to the holding clamp. Finally, the end sheets can be supplied to the book block only during a phase where the system is stopped.

Clamp for perfect binder and perfect binding method


A method and system are described to multicast with an adaptive dual state. The system receives multicast traffic over a membership tree including a first plurality of nodes connected in a first topology destined for a plurality of multicast members of a first multicast group. Next, the system determines a rate of multicast traffic that exceeds a predetermined threshold based on the receiving the multicast traffic. Next, the system generates a dissemination tree including a second plurality of nodes connected in a second topology to reduce a number of hops to communicate the multicast traffic to the plurality of multicast members of the first multicast group. Finally, the system forwards the multicast traffic to the plurality of multicast members of the first multicast group over the dissemination tree.

Multicast is a communication technology that may be used to communicate data from a single source to multiple destinations. Such an approach lends itself well to groups that naturally share data. For example, a news service may track news stories on a particular subject that may be shared in a timely manner with a growing number of subscribers interested in the subject.


A shock absorbing device includes a cylinder. A partition wall member is inserted into the cylinder to be free to slide and partitions an interior of the cylinder into two operating chambers. A passage connects the two operating chambers. A free piston is inserted into a pressure chamber to be free to slide and partitions the pressure chamber into one chamber that communicates with one operating chamber via a one side flow passage and another chamber that communicates with the other operating chamber via another side flow passage. A spring element generates a biasing force for suppressing displacement of the free piston relative to the pressure chamber. One or both of a bypass flow passage that connects the other chamber and the one operating chamber and a bypass flow passage that connects the one chamber and the other operating chamber is provided. A relief valve is provided in the bypass flow passage.

A shock absorbing device described in JP2006-336816A and JP2007-78004A includes a cylinder, a piston that is inserted into the cylinder to be free to slide and partitions the interior of the cylinder into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a first flow passage provided in the piston to connect the upper chamber and the lower chamber, a second flow passage that opens onto a side portion of a piston rod from a tip end thereof and connects the upper chamber and the lower chamber, a housing that is attached to the tip end of the piston rod and includes a pressure chamber connected to a midway point of the second flow passage, a free piston that is inserted into the pressure chamber to be free to slide and partitions the pressure chamber into a one chamber and the other chamber, and a coil spring that biases the free piston. Thus, the one chamber of the pressure chamber communicates with the lower chamber via the second flow passage and the other chamber of the pressure chamber communicates with the upper chamber via the second flow passage.
In the shock absorbing device described above, the pressure chamber is partitioned into the one chamber and the other chamber by the free piston, and therefore the upper chamber and the lower chamber do not communicate directly via the second flow passage. However, when the free piston moves, a volume ratio between the one chamber and the other chamber varies such that a liquid in the pressure chamber travels between the upper chamber and the lower chamber in accordance with a movement amount of the free piston, and therefore it appears as if the upper chamber and the lower chamber are connected via the second flow passage.
Here, when a differential pressure between the upper chamber and the lower chamber during expansion and contraction of the shock absorbing device is set as P, a flow rate of liquid flowing out from the upper chamber is set as Q, a coefficient expressing a relationship between the differential pressure P and a flow rate Q1 of liquid passing through the first flow passage is set as C1, a pressure in the other chamber of the pressure chamber is set as P1, a coefficient expressing a relationship between a difference between the differential pressure P and the pressure P1 and a flow rate Q2 of liquid flowing into the other chamber of the pressure chamber from the upper chamber is set as C2, a pressure in the one chamber of the pressure chamber is set as P2, a coefficient expressing a relationship between the pressure P2 and a flow rate Q2 of liquid flowing into the lower chamber from the one chamber is set as C3, a sectional area serving as a pressure receiving surface area of the free piston is set as A, a displacement of the free piston relative to the pressure chamber is set as X, and a spring constant of the coil spring is set as K, and a transfer function of the differential pressure P relative to the flow rate Q is determined, Equation (1) is obtained. It should be noted that in Equation (1), s denotes a Laplace operator.
                              G                                (            s            )                          =                                            P                                            (                s                )                                                    Q                                            (                s                )                                              =                                    C                                                                                1                                            {                                  1                  +                                                                                A                        2                                                                                (                                                                              C                                                                                2                                                    +                                                      C                                                                                3                                                                          )                                                                                s                      /                      K                                                                      }                                                    1              +                                                                    A                    2                                                                          (                                                                  C                                                                                1                                            +                                              C                                                                                2                                            +                                              C                                                                                3                                                              )                                                                                s                  /                  K                                                                                (        1        )
Further, when jω is substituted for the Laplace operator s in the transfer function shown in Equation (1) and an absolute value of a frequency transfer function G (jω) is determined, Equation (2) is obtained.
                                                    G                                      (              jω              )                                                =                                                                              C                                                                                1                    [                                                                  K                        4                                            +                                                                        K                          2                                                                                A                          4                                                                                {                                                                                2                                                                                (                                                                                C                                                                                2                                                                    +                                                                      C                                                                                3                                                                                )                                                                                (                                                                                C                                                                                1                                                                    +                                                                      C                                                                                2                                                                    +                                                                      C                                                                                3                                                                                )                                                                                +                                                          C                                                                                1                                2                                                                                }                                                                                ω                          2                                                                    +                                                                                A                            8                                                                                (                                                                                C                                                                                2                                                            +                                                              C                                                                                3                                                                                )                                                                          2                                                                                (                                                                                C                                                                                1                                                        +                                                          C                                                                                2                                                        +                                                          C                                                                                3                                                                                )                                                2                                                                                ω                        4                                                              ]                                                        1                    2                                                                                K              2                        +                                                                                A                    4                                                                          (                                                                  C                                                                                1                                            +                                              C                                                                                2                                            +                                              C                                                                                3                                                              )                                                  2                                                          ω                2                                                                        (        2        )
On the basis of the above equations, a frequency characteristic of the transfer function of the differential pressure P relative to the flow rate Q in this shock absorbing device is as shown by a Bode diagram in FIG. 12. A transfer gain has Fa=K/{2×π×A2×(C1+C2+C3)} and Fb=K/{2×π×A2×(C2+C3)} as crossover frequencies, varies so as to be substantially C1 in a region where F<Fa and decrease gradually from C1 to C1×(C2+C3)/(C1+C2+C3) in a region where Fa≦F≦Fb, and is constant in a region where F>Fb. In other words, the frequency characteristic of the transfer function of the differential pressure P relative to the flow rate Q is such that the transfer gain increases in a low frequency region and decreases in a high frequency region.
Hence, in this shock absorbing device, as shown by a damping characteristic in FIG. 13, a large damping force can be generated in response to the input of low frequency vibration, and a small damping force can be generated in response to the input of high frequency vibration. Therefore, in a situation where the input vibration frequency is low, such as when a vehicle turns, a high damping force can be generated reliably, and in a situation where the input vibration frequency is high, such as when the vehicle travels on an irregular road surface, a low damping force can be generated reliably. As a result, an improvement in passenger comfort can be obtained in the vehicle.


A vehicle door includes a glass run which corresponds to an outer peripheral configuration of a door glass. The glass run includes a body portion which is provided with a bottom wall portion and an interior side wall portion and an exterior side wall portion which extend from both edges of the bottom wall portion, respectively, and a pair or seal lips which establish seals between the door glass and themselves. Furthermore, with respect to a direction towards an inside or outside of a door frame, a foot portion of the exterior seal lip is positioned further on the outer peripheral side than an inner-peripheral edge portion of a molding member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting structure of a glass run which is mounted on a door for a vehicle.
2. Related Art
A glass run is mounted on a vehicle door of a vehicle such as an automobile for sealing a peripheral edge of a vehicle door glass which moves up and down in the vehicle door. The glass run includes a body portion having a substantially U-shaped cross section provided with a bottom wall portion, and a pair of side wall portions which extend from opposite edges of the bottom wall portion, and a pair of seal lips which seal the door glass.
A general glass run mounting structure, which is taken as one example, has a structure in which a glass run is fitted in a sash having a substantially U-shaped cross section which is provided on a door frame, or a so-called sash type mounting structure. However, in a case where no channel portion such as the sash or the like is provided due to a structural limitation of the door frame, other mounting structures have to be adopted. For example, a configuration in which a glass run is fitted in between an interior side panel member and an exterior side panel member such as a molding portion which form a door frame without using a channel portion or a so-called hidden type mounting structure in which the door frame is hidden is raised.
To match the recent trend of flush surface designing, in both the types of glass run mounting structures that have been described above, a molding lip which extends from the exterior side wall portion of the body portion of the glass run does not extend around the exterior panel member as far as an exterior side of the door frame (i.e. exterior side of the exterior side panel member), so that the exterior side surface of the door frame and the exterior side surface of the door glass are configured so as to be substantially flush with each other (refer, for example, to JP 2001-206070A and JP 2002-274188A.).
In both the types of glass run mounting structures described above in which the flush surface is attempted to be realized, since the door glass moves up and down while pushing the exterior seal lip towards the exterior side of the vehicle in a position where the door glass is offset towards the exterior side of the vehicle, there has been a contemplated fear that the exterior seal lip is turned back at a vertical section of the glass run so as to be turned to the exterior side of the vehicle.
It is considered as a reason for the contemplated fear that in addition to the fact that to match the trend of flush surface designing, the molding lip or the like which extends from the exterior side wall portion of the body portion of the glass run cannot be caused to extend around the exterior side panel member as far as the exterior side surface of the door frame, a connecting portion on the glass run where the exterior seal lip connects to the exterior side wall portion (a foot portion of the exterior seal lip) is positioned on an inner-peripheral side of an inner-peripheral edge of the exterior side panel member forming the door frame, and no wall portion exists which restricts a movement of the connecting portion to the exterior of the vehicle, whereby in the event that a pressure is applied to the exterior seal lip when the door glass moves up and down, the connecting portion escapes towards the exterior side of the vehicle.


A spectacle frame includes two lenses, a frame body holding said two lenses in position, and an interchangeable decorative arrangement which includes one or more personalizing elements detachably and interchangeably affixing at a personalizing portion of the frame body, wherein the personalizing element, having a shape corresponding to the personalizing portion of said frame body, forms an add-on personal decorative item to personify the frame body so as to enhance an aesthetic appearance of the spectacle frame.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a spectacle frame, and more particularly to a spectacle frame which comprises an interchangeable arrangement to personify the spectacle frame so as to enhance an aesthetic appearance of the spectacle frame.
2. Description of Related Arts
Nowadays, people try to create their uniqueness and enjoy their own lifestyle. For example, they always try to look for different designs of clothing and spectacle frames to mix and match with the clothing. However, it is a hassle for the people to carry two or more spectacle frames at the same time. Especially for the prescription spectacle, the wearer may feel uncomfortable when he or she switches from the "daily-wearing" spectacle frame to another "back-up wearing" spectacle frame. In addition, the spectacle manufactures will only mass produce the spectacle frames with the same style and design to reduce the manufacturing cost thereof. Even though the appearance of the spectacle frame is novel and aesthetic, it stills lack of personality in individual. Therefore, hundreds of wearers may wear the same style and same color of the spectacle frame. In other words, it is impossible for the spectacle manufacturer to only manufacture a unique spectacle frame for the particular wearer. As a result the wearer can only select the spectacle frame created by the spectacle designer but cannot design his or her own spectacle frame.

Interchangeable decorative arrangement for spectacles


A light guide 11 of a rectangular cross-section has side faces 11a, 11b including short sides in the longitudinal direction of which one side face 11a is provided with a light-scattering pattern 20, formed by screen-printing in white paint, for scattering the light incident to the light guide 11. The other side face 11b facing the side face 11a is exposed from a casing 12 to serve as a light-emitting surface. In the present embodiment, it is possible to secure a sufficient amount of light because the whole area of the side face is used as the light-emitting surface. The remaining side faces 11c, 11d of the light guide 11 are side faces including the long sides. Since the side faces 11c, 11d easily produce a surface sink during molding, neither the light-scattering pattern 20 nor the light-emitting surface is provided thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illuminating device using a bar-shaped light guide and a contact-type image sensor incorporated with the illuminating device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A contact-type image sensor is used as a device for reading a document in a facsimile machine, a copying machine, an image scanner device and the like. The contact-type image sensor is provided with a line-illuminating device for linearly illuminating a document surface along the main scanning zone.
A line-illuminating device using a light guide is known. For example, Japanese Patent No. 3083092 discloses a line-illuminating device in which a light-emitting unit is provided on one end of the light guide and a light-scattering pattern is formed along the longitudinal direction of the light guide to spread and reflect the light emitted from the light-emitting unit. A plurality of light sources (i.e., LEDs) of the light-emitting unit is provided on a normal line of the light-scattering pattern, wherein a light-emitting surface of the light guide is formed in a different direction from the normal line.
In the prior art including the above-mentioned line-illuminating device, the light guide is made rectangular in its cross-section. In the case where the light-scattering pattern is formed on the light guide by printing, it is formed on the side face including long sides in the longitudinal direction for easy printing. In the embodiment of Japanese Patent No. 3083092, the side face including long sides in the longitudinal direction is provided with a slanting notch on which the light-scattering pattern is printed.
The light guide is obtained by injection-molding a resin such as acrylic. When the light guide of a rectangular cross-section is obtained by injection molding, a surface sink is mainly produced during molding on the side face including the long sides.
As described above, in the light guide having the rectangular cross-section, the light-scattering pattern has been printed on the side face including the long sides in the longitudinal direction, in other words, on the side where the surface sink is produced in the prior art. In this manner, a pattern shape is different from the intended shape and as a result, the intensity of illuminating light in a main scanning direction may be uneven.
In the case where the notch is provided to print the light-scattering pattern as described in the embodiment of Japanese Patent No. 3083092, it is troublesome because printing itself is effected on a surface which is not parallel with the side face of the light guide. Further, uneven intensity of illuminating light is readily obtained because a surface sink is easily produced on that surface.
In the conventional line-illuminating device, the light-emitting surface is comparatively small in area and the direction of illuminating light emitted from the light guide is precisely described. As a result, attenuation of light intensity in the light emitting direction becomes large and light distribution characteristics (i.e., the ratio of optical power in a predetermined position to optical power in a position out of the predetermined position) become worse. For example, fluctuation of output power in the case where a document is slightly elevated in the contact-type image sensor becomes large. In this manner, severe positioning accuracy is required when the line-illuminating device is incorporated with the contact-type image sensor.

Line-illuminating device and image sensor


A clock signal generator (1) includes a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit (25) which requires a reference clock signal of at least a predetermined first frequency (fDIGCLK). A first clock signal (REFCLK) of a second frequency (fREF) that is substantially lower than the first frequency (fDIGCLK) is multiplied so as to produce a second clock signal (DIGCLK) which has a frequency at least as high as the first frequency (fDIGCLK) and which is phase-locked with respect to the first clock signal (REFCLK). The second clock signal (DIGCLK) is applied to a reference signal input of the PLL circuit (25), which produces an output clock signal (PLLCLK or CLKOUT).

The present invention relates generally to audio frequency clock generation systems, especially for use in audio DAC systems which can replay digital audio data in analog format, for example by decoding it from compressed MP3 format or by receiving it in PCM (pulse code modulation) format supplied by a digital signal processor (DSP).
Audio digital to analog converters (DACs) are widely used in various applications, such as cell phones and MP3 players, wherein the digital audio samples are played back by means of speakers and/or headphones. Because audio signals are typically are stored and processed in digital format, the number of applications of audio DACs are increasing. Normally, a digital signal processor performs a decoding if the original audio data are compressed, and then processes and transfers the decoded and processed audio data to the audio DAC continuously at the audio data sampling rate. The audio DAC receives the audio data and plays it at a rate derived from the externally provided operating clock rate. Typically, the operating clock rate is 512, 256 or 128 times the audio sampling rate.
Since audio signals typically are presented in one of several digital formats, digital and mixed digital/analog audio converting and processing circuits are widely used. High frequency clocks (e.g., tens of MHz) are essential to enable those digital and mixed digital/analog circuits to operate. In many cases, the operating clock frequencies are required to be exponential multiples (i.e., powers of 2) of the audio sampling rates of the digital and mixed digital/analog audio converting and processing circuits.
There are two ways to reproduce digital speech and audio data. One way is to use a sample rate converter, as described in the assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,716 issued Aug. 20, 2007 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,408,485 issued Aug. 5, 2008. Another way is to play back the digital audio data with the clock synchronized to, or with the clock output sampling rate the same as, the input sampling rate used when the digital audio speech and audio data was recorded. In that case a sample rate converter is not needed, and it is necessary to generate an output sample rate clock having a frequency which is proportional to the input sample rate at which the original audio data was recorded. This is generally accomplished by using an external reference clock and a PLL to multiply that reference clock either by an integer or by a fractional number in order to generate an output clock signal having the needed output audio sampling frequency proportional to the original input sample rate. But if the reference clock is too slow for the PLL, it is likely to become unstable.
There are several ways of generating such clock signals. One way is to use a crystal oscillator which generates a fixed-frequency clock signal. One main advantages of using a crystal oscillator is that the clock signals based thereon tend to have low jitter. Another advantage is that no external reference clock signal is needed. However, a disadvantage of using a crystal oscillator is that the clock signal frequency is fixed, whereas an adjustable-frequency clock signal may be needed.
As previously indicated, another way of generating clock signals of the desired frequency for digital and mixed digital/analog circuits is to use a phase locked loop (PLL) and an external reference clock signal to generate a clock of the desired frequency. A PLL has a particular "tuning range" within which the frequency of the reference clock can be adjusted. However, the PLL performance deteriorates when the reference clock frequency is outside of its tuning range, especially for a reference clock frequency below roughly 1 kHz, to a point at which the PLL can not function normally. The performance deterioration referred to may include increased clock jitter and "wobble" of the clock frequency as the jitter becomes worse.
A clock filtering and clock divide ratio estimator circuit which is shown in subsequently described "Prior Art" FIG. 2A is similar to the loop filter 71 in FIG. 4A of the assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 7,408,485 entitled "ASYNCHRONOUS SAMPLING RATE CONVERTER AND METHOD FOR AUDIO DAC", issued on Aug. 5, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference. Further details of a similar loop filter are shown in FIG. 2 of the assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,716, entitled "ASYNCHRONOUS SAMPLE RATE CONVERTER AND METHOD", issued Aug. 20, 2007, and also incorporated herein by reference.
There is an unmet need for a low jitter clock signal generating system which produces a high frequency clock signal based on a relatively low frequency reference clock signal.
There also is an unmet need for a clock signal generating system which produces an adjustable high frequency, low jitter clock signal based on a relatively low frequency reference clock signal.
There also is an unmet need for a clock signal generating system which does not utilize a sample rate converter and which produces an adjustable high frequency, low jitter clock signal based on a relatively low frequency reference clock signal and a phase locked loop (PLL).
There also is an unmet need for a clock signal generating system which does not utilize a sample rate converter and which produces an adjustable high frequency, low jitter clock signal based on a relatively low frequency reference clock signal and a phase locked loop (PLL), wherein the phase of the adjustable high frequency, low jitter clock signal is locked relative to the phase of the low frequency reference clock signal.
There also is an unmet need for a clock signal generating system which can generate high frequency clock signals with fine granularity frequency adjustment for a wide range of low reference clock frequencies.

Operating clock generation system and method for audio applications


A dynamic logic signal repeater includes a complementary dynamic logic circuit with an input node to receive an input signal and an output node storing a precharge signal. The complementary dynamic logic circuit configuration, transistor sizing, and the use of a precharge driver results in a signal transition trip point for the precharge signal on the output node that is substantially equivalent to the signal transition trip point of a static logic circuit. Thus, the dynamic logic signal repeater has improved noise immunity. An evaluation locking transistor is connected to the complementary dynamic logic circuit and the output node. The evaluation locking transistor prevents the charging of the output node during a dynamic logic evaluation period.

Signal repeaters are used in Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits to reduce the delay of long lines. A long line is broken into smaller segments and signal repeaters are used to drive a signal between the segments.
When a signal repeater is implemented in dynamic logic, a noise problem arises. The noise problem is due mainly to cross coupling between adjacent lines. A traditional solution to this problem is to increase the distance between the lines. Another approach is to use shielding around the lines. Both of these solutions share the substantive disadvantage of requiring a relatively large amount of space. To avoid this disadvantage, the strength of precharge node feedback devices can be increased. Unfortunately, this approach reduces the speed of the repeater.
In view of the foregoing, it would be highly desirable to develop an improved high noise immunity dynamic logic repeater. The dynamic logic repeater should avoid the space problem associated with distancing or shielding approaches. In addition, the dynamic logic repeater should not sacrifice device speed, as in the case of a high strength precharge node feedback device.

Apparatus and method for improving the noise immunity of a dynamic logic signal repeater


In order to achieve both ease of removal and an increase in the rate of impregnation by a predetermined chemical, in this packaging structure of a package of wet wipes, a convex region is formed at a position containing a region that faces the opening of a main package body and that is on the upper surface of a stacked body of wet wipes. The convex region is formed protruding towards the main package body. A space is formed between the region (corresponding to the ends) aside from the convex region formed on the wet wipes and the upper surface to which the opening of the main package body is provided.

As a method for manufacturing wet wipes formed of a laminated body of sheets impregnated with a predetermined chemical, there are known methods disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2.
A method disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has: a step of impregnating an original fabric with part of a predetermined chemical during conveyance of the original fabric before lamination; a step of squeezing out an excess of the predetermined chemical impregnated in the original fabric during conveyance of the original fabric; a step of laminating a plurality of original fabrics during conveyance of the original fabrics; and a step of impregnating the original fabrics with the rest of the predetermined chemical during conveyance of the original fabrics after lamination.
Furthermore, a method disclosed in Patent Literature 2 has: a step of impregnating an original fabric with a chemical during conveyance of the original fabric before lamination; a step of laminating the original fabric while folding it back during conveyance of the original fabric; a step of conveying the original fabric after lamination while compressing it in a thickness direction and thereafter cutting the original fabric; and the like.
A package structure of the wet wipes manufactured by the methods disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 has a configuration of a so-called pop-up type that when one sheet is taken out of a container, the next one is also pulled out together and protruded from an outlet of the container.


Disclosed herein is a plane lens sheet using a light transmission rate difference, which is used for stereoscopic printing for a lenticular system and an integral photography method and has a plane surface while innumerable lenses are arranged on the surface there so that it looks like a flat transparent sheet, improves the quality of stereoscopic products employing the lens sheet and facilitates the maintenance of the stereoscopic products. The plane lens sheet includes: a concave lens layer 20 and a convex lens layer 30 laminated on each other in such a manner as the adhere to each other with the same radius curvature to form a superposed lens sheet, the concave lens layer 20 and the convex lens layer 30 being made of a transparent synthetic resin and having the same lens pitch and different light transmission rates; a thin flat transparent upper protection layer 10 formed on the concave lens layer 20; a transparent layer 50 formed below the convex lens layer 30 for forming the focal length of the laminated concave lens layer and convex lens layer; and a thin flat transparent lower protection layer 70 formed below the transparent layer 50.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lane lens sheet using a light transmission rate difference, and more particularly, to a plane lens sheet using a light transmission rate difference, which is used for stereoscopic printing for a lenticular system and an integral photography method and has a plane surface while innumerable lenses are arranged on the surface thereof so that it looks like a flat transparent sheet, improves the quality of stereoscopic products employing the lens sheet and facilitates the maintenance of the stereoscopic products.
2. Background of the Related Art
Generally, a stereo lens sheet includes innumerable lenses formed in a pattern on its surface so that the surface looks embossed. The lenses of the stereo lens sheet are used to obtain refractive effect. However, the surface of the stereo lens sheet is embossed because of the lenses formed thereon, and thus there are many problems in manufacturing products employing the stereo lens sheet and managing the products. That is, particles collect between embossed portions on the surface of the lens sheet and they are difficult to remove by cleaning. Accordingly, the transparency of the lens sheet is deteriorated so that the life span of the lens sheet is shortened.
Furthermore, the embossed surface of the lens sheet causes diffused reflection so that products employing the lens sheet look lusterless. Thus it is difficult to produce a lustrous lens sheet.
A stereoscopic printing lens sheet has a lens pitch that determines the resolution of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The correlation of the resolution of the stereo graphic and sense of depth is obtained based on the lens pitch. When the lens pitch is increased, the interval of lenses of the lens sheet is widened, which means the lenses have a large size. Thus, the resolution of stereo graphic seems poor while the sense of depth seems improved when the stereo graphic is seen with the naked eye.
Accordingly, to improve both resolution and sense of depth, a method of increasing the radiuses of curvature of the lenses of the lens sheet was used to improve the sense of depth while narrowed the interval of the lenses. However, this method narrows a 3D object recognition angle though it improves resolution and sense of depth.

Plane lens sheet using light transmission rate difference


A variable electronic component includes an insulating substrate, and a rotor made of a metal plate and rotatably supported on the substrate for parameter adjustment of the electronic component. The rotor includes a main rotor member and an upper plate member integral with the main rotor member via a connecting web which is bent so that the upper plate member overlaps on the main rotor member. The upper plate member has an engaging opening for engagement with a turning tool. The main rotor member is provided with a first engaging portion at a position spaced from the connecting web, whereas the upper plate member is provided with a second engaging portion for engagement with the first engaging portion to prevent the upper plate member from angularly deviating relative to the main rotor member when the upper plate member is overlapped on the main rotor member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure for a variable electronic component, such as variable resistor or variable capacitor, wherein a certain parameter or physical property of the component is adjusted by rotating a rotor relative to a substrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variable resistor of the above-described type is disclosed for example in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 2-92903 (Laid-open: Jul. 24, 1990; Inventors: Tamotsu YOSHIMURA et al.; Applicant: Rohm Co., Ltd.). The resistor comprises an insulating substrate formed with a resistor strip, and a metallic rotor member rotatably supported on the substrate. The rotor member has a relatively large central cup recess and an annular flange surrounding the central recess. The annular flange is formed with engaging grooves for engagement with a driver used for turning the rotor member. A part of the annular flange is downwardly deformed to work as a contact portion which comes into pressing and sliding contact with the resistor strip, so that the resistance of the resistor is adjustable by turning the rotor member relative to the substrate.
For automatic assembly of the prior art variable resistor, the rotor member is picked up by a vacuum collet for transfer to the substrate. However, since the flatness of the rotor member is very low due to the presence of the central cup recess, engaging grooves and downwardly deformed contact portion, a large degree of vacuum is required for stably holding the rotor member. Otherwise, the vacuum collet holds the rotor member in an inclined posture, thus frequently failing to properly assemble the resistor.
In view of the above problem, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 3-85604 (Laid-open: Aug. 29, 1993; Inventor: Tamotsu YOSHIMURA; Applicant: Rohm Co., Ltd.) proposes the use, in a variable resistor, of a metallic rotor which comprises a cup-form main rotor member and a flat upper plate member integral with the main rotor member via a connecting web which is bent so that the upper plate member overlaps on the main rotor member. The upper plate member has an engaging opening for engagement with a driver. Obviously, the flatness of the upper plate member enables a vacuum collet to hold the rotor reliably at the time of assembling the resistor.
However, the prior art variable resistor described above gives rise to a new problem, as described below.
At the time of performing a parameter adjustment, the rotational force of the driver is first applied to the upper plate member and then transmitted to the main rotor member via the connecting web. However, the friction between the main rotor member and the insulating substrate provides a resistance against rotation of the main rotor member relative to the substrate. Such a frictional resistance causes the connecting web to be elastically deformed at the time of turning the driver (namely, the upper plate member), and the thus deformed connecting web in turn causes the main rotor member to rotate with a slight delay relative to the upper plate member. Further, even after stopping the turning of the driver, the main rotor member still continues to rotate due to the elastic restoration of the deformed connecting web. As a result, it is very difficult to provide a stable and accurate parameter adjustment.
It is conceivable to solve the above problem by increasing the width of the connecting web and/or the thickness of the material metal plate for the rotor, thereby strengthening the connecting web. However, an increase of the width of the connecting web makes it difficult to bend the material metal plate at the connecting web, consequently resulting in a reduction of the productivity (namely, an increase of the production cost). Further, an increase of the thickness of the material metal plate also makes it difficult to press and bend the material metal plate in addition to increasing the material cost.

Structure for variable electronic component


Integrated circuit packages are formed from a panel where the panel is separated by laser cutting the panel. In some embodiments, the panel is attached to the carrier for the formation of interconnect layers on the panel. Afterwards, the panel is cut with a laser while on the carrier to separate the integrated circuit packages. A tape or other type of structure may be attached to the top of the packages after the laser cutting. The integrated circuit packages are removed from the carrier by releasing the adhesive and removing the integrated circuit packages with the tape. The packages are then removed from the tape.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to forming integrated circuit packages and more specifically to separating integrated circuit packages during manufacture.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of some integrated circuit packages, multiple integrated circuit chips are encapsulated in encapsulant to form a panel. Interconnect layers are then formed on the panel. Afterwards, the panel is separated into multiple integrated circuit packages. However, during the separation, stresses and warping may occur that could damage the integrated circuit packages of the panel.
What is needed is an improved method of manufacturing integrated circuit packages.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates identical items unless otherwise noted. The Figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.


A putt ruler is a device that separates the skills of straight-line putting from reading the green. The putt ruler may be affixed to the golf green and may be rotated to align with the identified target line. Through placement of two golf balls atop the putt ruler, a golfer may produce a putt that follows a straight line, when the stroke used may not have produced a straight-line putt on a single golf ball. The golfer may then evaluate the chosen target line in relation to the resultant putt and evaluate the speed of the putt as the ball travels along the playing surface.

The game of golf includes two parts: the long-range stroke and the short-range stroke. The goal for each hole of golf is to place the golf ball into the hole in as few strokes as possible. To be successful at the short-range portion of the game of golf, one must be able to putt straight and read a green. Reading a green encompasses imagining, visualizing, picturing, or foreseeing the speed and line on which the golf ball will roll once struck. A putt may need to travel in a straight line to land the golf ball in the hole however most putts will break. Breaking means that even while the initial path of the putt is straight, the putt will veer either to the right or the left of the initial straight line of the putt due to changes in the surface of the green. The challenge to successful putting occurs when golfers have not yet acquired the skill to putt straight and read the green. The ability to read a green and successfully execute requires the control of both the strength of the putt and the direction of the putt.
A need exists for a device to allow golfers to putt straight and thereby read the green from the resulting putt.


A process for making a random polyalkylene terephthalate/naphthalate copolymer by synthesizing a bis-(hydroxyalkyl)-naphthalate composition under transesterification conditions, and subsequently combining the bis-(hydroxyalkyl)-naphthalate, a terephthalic acid, and an alkylene glycol under direct esterification conditions to form a random polyaklylene terephthalate/naphthalate copolymer. The preferred bis-(hydroxyalkyl)-naphthalate is bis-(2-hydroxyalkyl)-2,6-naphthalate, with bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,6-naphthalate being the most preferred. Preferably, the bis-(hydroxyalkyl)-naphthalate is added at the initial stage of an acid-based polymer process, and polymerization is initiated or continued to produce a polyester copolymer. Alternatively, the bis-(hydroxyalkyl)-naphthalate is added to phthalate-based oligomers after the initial direct esterification stage, and polymerization is continued to produce a polyester copolymer.

As known to those skilled in the art, linear polyesters are generally made in two stages. In the first stage, called the esterification or transesterification stage, a dicarboxylic acid or diester is reacted with a diol at elevated temperatures and at either atmospheric or elevated pressures. In this first stage water or the corresponding alcohol is produced as a byproduct. In the second stage, also known as the polycondensation stage, a vacuum is gradually applied in the presence of one or more catalysts, liberating water along with excess diol as condensation byproducts. This two-stage process is generally conducted in the melt phase, until the intrinsic viscosity of the polymer reaches about 0.2 dl/g or higher, for example, up to about 0.6 dl/g. At this point, the molten polymer is rapidly cooled to produce a solid polymer which is then pelletized or chopped. Various polyesters can be made by such polymerization techniques, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and various copolymers thereof.
To produce crystallizable copolymers with high molecular weights and high melting points, such as those suitable for use as bottle resins, the pelletized product of the melt phase process is subsequently subjected to solid state polymerization at a temperature below the melting point of the partially formed polymer, and in the presence of a vacuum or a nitrogen purge to remove reaction byproducts. The polymer is actually polymerized in a solid state, with the the polycondensation reaction being continued in such a state. Solid state polymerization is continued until the intrinsic viscosity of the polymer reaches any desired level, such as from about 0.6 dl/g to about 1.0 dl/g or even higher. Desirably, the intrinsic viscosity ranges from about 0.70 dl/g to about 0.90 dl/g.
Two major commercial processes are used to produce high molecular weight linear polyesters. These two processes are the ester-based process and the acid-based process, which react a diester and a diacid, respectively, with one or more diols. For example, in the production of high molecular weight polyethylene terephthalate, the dimethyl ester of terephthalic acid is heated with an excess of ethylene glycol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst at a temperature of about 185.degree. C. to about 220.degree. C. under atmospheric pressure until approximately the theoretical amount of methyl alcohol has been liberated. The excess glycol is then distilled off and the remaining product, a bis glycol ester, is polymerized by condensation. Glycol is eliminated by heating the bis glycol ester with a catalyst at elevated temperatures and under reduced pressures until a high molecular weight product is formed.
High molecular weight polyesters can also be produced on a commercial scale by an acid-based process, which is a direct esterification process. Polyethylene terephthalate, for example, can be produced by heating terephthalic acid with ethylene glycol to form a mixture of low molecular weight oligomers, which can then be polycondensed by heating in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of about 260.degree. C. to about 300.degree. C. under reduced pressures to form a high molecular weight product. The acid-based process is currently preferred for commercial operations.
The acid-based process has many advantages, both technical and economics. The free acids are less expensive than dialkyl esters of acids. There is no lower alkyl alcohol byproduct, and since the excess of diol used is kept at a minimum, recovery and losses of diol are considerably reduced. No transesterification catalyst is required. The reaction rates are rapid and complete reaction from raw material to high polymer may be carried out in as little as three hours. Furthermore, polyesters formed by this method may attain intrinsic viscosities which are somewhat higher than those normally obtained by the ester interchange route. In addition to these advantages, the polyester product may contain less catalyst residue than polyester resin formed by the ester-based process. Although no catalyst is necessary at the initial stage of an ester based process, a catalyst such as zinc acetate, manganese acetate, or alkali metal alcoholates is typically employed as a transesterification catalyst. The only catalyst actually necessary is a condensation catalyst, which may suitably be antimony trioxide, zinc borate, litharge, lead acetate, magnesium oxide, or other condensation catalyst.
Polyester copolymers are generally prepared by combining one or more dicarboxylic acids with one or more diols, or by combining one or more diesters of dicarboxylic acids with one or more diols. A polyethylene terephthalate/naphthalate copolymer, for example, may be made by combining dimethyl terephthalate, dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene-dicarboxylate, and ethylene glycol. It is desirable to prepare such copolymers through a combination of terephthalic acid, 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, and ethylene glycol. However, 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, with a purity sufficient to produce high molecular weight polyester, is not currently commercially available, while its diester equivalent, dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene-dicarboxylate, is commercially available. Consequently, manufacturers that employ an ester-based process can more readily make a polyester copolymer containing both phthalate-based units and naphthalate-based units.
The conventional ester-based process to make polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) polymers employs dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene-dicarboxylate, ethylene glycol, and a catalyst, such as a manganese catalyst in the transesterification step. The presence of acidic impurities, such as the presence of terephthalic acid, would poison the catalyst, significantly reducing its activity. Thus, the presence of an acidic component would inhibit the formation of, for example, bis-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-2,6-naphthalate, the transesterification product of dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene-dicarboxylate and ethylene glycol. It is important that all the methyl groups of dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene-dicarboxylate are completely exchanged with hydroxyethyl groups, since any residual methyl end groups will not be removed during the subsequent polycondensation reaction and will act as "dead ends" on the polymer chains, thus limiting the attainable molecular weight and rate of the melt and solid state polymerization steps.
This problem was solved by combining the product of the ester-based process with the product of the acid-based process to form a polyester copolymer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,092. More specifically, this patent describes the manufacture of a polyester phthalate/naphthalate copolymer by combining a low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer with the acid based monomers used to make a phthalate-based polymer and/or with a phthalate-based oligomers, either at the initial stage of an acid-based polymer process, or at the second condensation stage of the acid based process.
The addition of the low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer to the acid based process was accomplished by cooling and pelletizing the naphthalate-based polymer. To avoid making a polymer that is brittle and which shatters upon pelletizing, the reaction was carried out to make a polymer with a minimum molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,092 directs one to make a low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer having a degree of polymerization from about 20 to 100, a number average molecular weight from about 4800 to about 24,200, and an intrinsic viscosity from about 0.15 to about 0.45 dl/g.
It would be desirable, however, to avoid manufacturing this low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer. To make the low molecular weight naphthalate polymer, a second polycondensation stage is required whereby slightly higher temperatures are employed over the temperatures employed in the initial first stage of the reaction, vacuum is gradually applied, and a polycondensation catalyst must be added in addition to the transesterification catalyst used at the initial stage. This results in additional processing, time, equipment, and ingredients. Further, once the low molecular weight naphthalate-based polymer is added to the acid based process, the process relies upon transesterification reactions to break down the molecular weight of the naphthalate-based polymer chain and distribute the smaller chains randomly across the PET polymer as it is polymerizing. In spite of the breakdown of the polymer into smaller chain molecules, the smaller chains usually contain a number of repeated -naphthalate-glycol- bonds. It would be desirable to add an ingredient to the acid based reactants which closely approximates a reactive monomer unit in order to obtain a larger number of-phthalate-naphthalate- linkages randomly distributed throughout the polymer.

Process for manufacturing polyester copolymers


An enhanced-contrast projection screen and method of controlling such screens are disclosed. An embodiment of a dynamic projection screen includes a passive layer and at least one active layer. The active layer is superimposed on at least a portion of the passive layer and is adapted to selectively toggle between being transparent and being opaque. A method of controlling such a screen includes determining desired dimensions of a reflective region, and activating at least a portion of an active layer superimposed on at least a portion of a passive layer. The active layer is adapted to selectively toggle between being transparent and opaque.

The present invention relates generally to the field of screens for reflecting a projected image. In particular, the invention relates to a dynamic screen adapted to improve contrast for a plurality of projected image dimensions.
Projection screens can be used to reflect a variety of projected images. To improve the image quality, screens often include a reflective region surrounded by a light-absorbing border, such as a black material, to enhance the contrast between the projected image and ambient or secondary light.
However, such screens cannot accommodate projected images of different dimensions. For example, the screen may be used to reflect a 3×4 television image at one time, and the same screen may be used to reflect a 9×16 widescreen projected image at another time. The same border cannot effectively enhance contrast in both cases.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A SIMD microprocessor, which can be included in an image processing apparatus using an image processing method used therein, includes a global processor and multiple processor elements controlled by the global processor. Each single processor element of the multiple processor elements includes multiple operation units. The global processor is configured to control the multiple processing elements to uniformly change a configuration of the multiple operation units in the single processor element to determine a number of data units of operation according to the multiple operation units either operated individually or in cooperation with each other in the single processor element and a width of data processed per data unit of operation performed in the single processor element. A processor element number is assigned per data unit of operation to the single processor element to use for executing an operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present patent specification relates to a single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) microprocessor, an image processing apparatus including same, and an image processing method used therein, and more particularly, to a SIMD microprocessor having multiple processor elements with multiple operation units, an image processing apparatus including the SIMD microprocessor, and an image processing method used in the SIMD microprocessor.
2. Discussion of the Background
A SIMD microprocessor sends a single instruction to multiple data to allow the multiple data to perform an identical action simultaneously. This architecture has now become widespread for use in operation of a large number of data with a single identical processing instruction, for example, image processing in a digital copier.
Such a SIMD microprocessor may include multiple processor elements or PEs, each including multiple operation units. In regular image processing, the SIMD-type processor generally aligns the multiple processor elements along a main scanning direction so as to have an identical action performed simultaneously on multiple data and achieve high-speed processing. Accordingly, the number of multiple processor elements included in the SIMD-type processor is one of most important elements to determine processing speed in image processing.
At the same time, there is increasing demand for ever higher image quality of images output from image processing apparatuses. Such improvement in performance relies significantly on bit width of operation data that is simultaneously processed in each processor element. That is, where a processing operation circuit and a data storage circuit included in a single processor element have a large bit width that can increase the accuracy of an operation, the quality of the output image can improve.
However, in terms of circuit unit size, there is a trade-off between an increase in the number of processor elements to increase operation speed and an increase in the bit widths of operation circuits and of data storage circuits to increase operation accuracy. Accordingly, it is important to appropriately analyze the contents of target image processing and construct a system to capable of performing such image processing properly.
One suggested approach is to have a SIMD-type processor including multiple operation circuits in each processor element so as to cause the multiple operation circuits to operate individually or cooperate with each other according to an operation condition. By so doing, the actual number of processor elements involved, and thus the bit width, can be changed.
Such a SIMD-type processor having the above-described configuration may have processor element (PE) numbers that are assigned in ascending order to each processor element, for example. Since each processor element includes multiple operation circuits, the relation between the PE number and the data unit of operation may depend on the configuration of the operation circuits. That is, some configurations of the operation circuits may not have a one-to-one relation between the PE number and the data unit of operation. The PE number is useful to designate specific image data, and therefore it is necessary that the relation between the PE number and the data unit of operation be 1:1.
Another approach is to have a SIMD-type processor having a different configuration to use a PE number assigned to each processor element for controlling the SIMD operation so that the operation can become more efficient. The PE number assigned to each processor element may be a fixed number.
Yet another approach is to have a SIMD-type processor having a configuration in which multiple processor elements are divided into several groups to share the use of hardware resources such as processor element local memories included in the groups so that the multiple processor elements can be effectively used as a whole processor. The SIMD-type processor having the above-described configuration may use a method for providing an identification code for designating a specific processor element within the multiple processor elements included in the groups. The identification codes may be provided to each group in an identical alignment. Therefore, an identical operation can be executed by the multiple processor elements in all groups having the identical identification code.
Further, yet another approach is to have a SIMD-type processor having a configuration in which each processor element is provided with an individual constant register for setting a unique value for the processor element from an external device. By using the individual constant register to control the SIMD operation, a unique operation may be performed by each processor element.

SIMD microprocessor, image processing apparatus including same, and image processing method used therein


A process for preparing a thermoplastic vulcanizate, the process comprising: charging a reactor with an olefinic copolymer rubber, where the olefinic copolymer rubber is characterized by a multimodal molecular weight, an average branching index of greater than 0.8, includes less than 10 parts by weight oil per 100 parts by weight rubber, includes less than 1 parts by weight non-rubber particulate, per 100 parts by weight rubber, and is in the form of granules having a particle size less than 8 mm; charging the reactor, contemporaneously or sequentially with respect to the rubber, with a thermoplastic resin, an oil, and a cure system; melt mixing the rubber, the thermoplastic resin, the oil, and the cure system; and dynamically vulcanizing the rubber.

Thermoplastic vulcanizates include blends of dynamically cured rubber and thermoplastic polymers. The rubber may be dispersed within the thermoplastic resin phase as finely-divided rubber particles. These compositions have advantageously demonstrated many of the properties of thermoset elastomers, yet they are processable as thermoplastics.
Thermoplastic vulcanizates may advantageously be prepared by dynamically vulcanizing a rubber with a curative agent while the rubber is being mixed with a thermoplastic resin. Factors that may influence the physical properties of a thermoplastic vulcanizate include those related to the physical properties of the rubber discontinuous phase such as the state of cure, the physical properties of the thermoplastic continuous phase, the size and the concentration of the particles of the discontinuous phase, the presence of fillers, curatives, and other additives present in the composition, and the like.
Physical properties of thermoplastic vulcanizates are often trade-offs between extremes. A need exists in the art for thermoplastic vulcanizate compositions having balanced properties. Ethylene based elastomers such as ethylene-propylene (alpha-olefin)-diene (EPDM) elastomers are generally polymers of very high molecular weight (as measured by their Mooney viscosity), and are often suitable for use in TPV applications. But, high molecular weight EPDM elastomers inherently possess very high viscosities, e.g., Mooney viscosity greater than 200 ML(1+4@125° C.). This inherent characteristic of EPDM results in difficulties related to the processability of these polymers. Extender oil is often added to the polymers to reduce the apparent viscosity.
The required level of extender oil depends on the molecular weight of the elastomer, but is usually sufficient to reduce the apparent viscosity of the oil extended EPDM to a Mooney viscosity of about 100 ML(1+4@125° C.) or below. Commercially available very high molecular weight EPDMs, which would be useful in TPVs, typically contain from about 50 to about 125 phr extender oil.
For example, EPDM as disclosed in WO 2000/26296 is directed to a metallocene based ethylene-alpha-olefin elastomeric composition made by a series reactor operation in which the high molecular weight component has a Mooney viscosity not exceeding 120, and is present in an amount no greater than 50 weight percent. Solvent utilized in this process is removed from metallocene based processes utilizing flash evaporation of the solvent, wherein reduced pressure is applied to the reaction product. However, at least a portion of the oil (if present) in the reaction product may become entrained in the solvent being removed under reduced pressure, and may be removed along with the solvent.
Metallocene based processes may thus be limited to a polymer product having an overall Mooney viscosity of less than about 90 ML (1+4@120° C.) in the absence of extender oil, due to the handling characteristics of such polymers including the difficulties of further processing polymers having a Mooney viscosity above about 90 ML (1+4@120° C.). However, polymer compositions having a Mooney viscosity of less than or equal to about 90 ML (1+4@120° C.) in the absence of extender oil have inferior properties.
WO 2003/066725A2 is directed to bimodal EPDM polymer compositions comprising a major polymer fraction having a Mooney viscosity above 120 ML(1+4@125° C.), and a minor polymer fraction having a Mooney viscosity of 120 ML(1+4@125° C.) or less, where the composition has a tan delta of 0.5 or less (125° C./10.4 rad/s). These compositions are essentially free of extender oil and preferably have an overall Mooney viscosity below 100 ML(1+4@125° C.) to ensure ease of processability. The compositions are prepared using metallocene catalysts in a series reactor process wherein the high molecular weight component is produced in the first reactor, and the low molecular weight component is produced in the second reactor, both using metallocene catalysts. Both components have relatively narrow molecular weight distributions with a polydispersity index (Mw/Mn) of less than 4, preferably less than 3. In addition, both components have relatively low branching as indicated by a relatively high average branching index of greater than 0.7, preferably greater than 0.8, on a scale from zero to one in which a branching index of 1 represents a linear polymer.


The present invention relates to a grounding ring which may be used in grd adapters. The grounding ring has a structure resembling a miniature box girder with an irregular hexagonal cross section and is bent into a toroidal configuration. The grounding ring is characterized by increased wall areas for establishing electrical contact between a surface of a conductor and a surface of a stuffing tube, grounding conduit, or shield grounding fitting. The grounding ring provides improved EM performance and better capacitive coupling.

(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an improved grounding ring for use in grounding adapter devices. The improved grounding ring of the present invention has a vastly larger contact area which provides better capacitive coupling.
(2) Statment of Prior Art
Electrical connectors frequently employ spring devices to provide electrical contact between a cable and a surrounding housing. U.K. Patent No. 1,402,861 to Sutcliff illustrates one such electrical connector. The connector includes a sleeve or housing formed of electrically conductive material anchored to a wall of a box structure and a bush member adapted to co-operate with the housing. The bush member has a central aperture through which a cable such as a coaxial cable is passed. A helically wound spring bent to form a ring is positioned within the sleeve to provide electrical contact between the housing and a portion of the cable. To obtain maximum contact between the spring, the cable and the housing, the spring is compressed by the bush member.
Today, virtually all grounding devices relating to wire, cable, or conduit groundings that are used in relation with stuffing tubes, shield grounding adapters, or conduit grounding fittings, use either soldered, compression, or spring type devices to cause internal grounding. U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,957 to Oberdiear illustrates one such grounding device for a shielded electrical cable. The grounding device includes a pair of relatively soft resilient O-rings, each of which is surrounded by a braided metal sheath, disposed between a cable and a housing. The rings are mounted adjacent oppositely facing bevel rings with a straight sided washer disposed between them. A nut threadedly connected to the housing is tightened to diametrically compress and distort the O-rings and sheaths simultaneously. The sheaths are thus distorted into electrical grounding engagement with the shield of the cable, the bevel rings, washer and an inner housing wall. A similar type of device is illustrated in German Offenlegungsschrift 24 05 241 to Siemens AG. One of the deficiencies of these devices is that the O-rings tend to be permanently compressed thus lessening their ability to provide good electrical contact.
In other types of devices, a toroidally shaped grounding ring such an iris ring is used to provide electrical contact between the electrical cable to be grounded and the grounding adapter or stuffing tube. Swedish Patent No. 131,239 to Sjoholm illustrates such a device. The principal deficiency of these types of grounding rings is the relatively small tangential contact areas which can be subjected to corrosion, contamination, and varying electrical performance depending on the pressures applied to the ring.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy