An electrical tool includes a multi-stage gear transmission (10) located in the gear transmission housing (6) and having at least two axially displaceable indexing gear (42a, 42b), a shifting device (12) for shifting the gear transmission from one stage to another stage and having a shifting slide (14) linearly displaceable between different shifting positions, and at least two connection elements (32) for connecting the shifting slide (14) with respective indexing gears (42a, 42b), with the shifting slide (14) having a tracing profile (20) having two control tracks (22, 24), and the connection elements each having a first and second tracing sections (30a, 30b) to which the tracing profile (20) applies a shifting force in stages and which are arranged on opposite sides of a pivot axis (SA) of a respective connection element (32).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical tool, in particular a screwdriving or drilling tool, and including a gear transmission housing, and a multi-stage gear transmission located in the gear transmission housing and having at least two axially displaceable indexing gear. The tool is further provided with a shifting device for shifting the gear transmission from one stage to another stage and having a shifting slide linearly displaceable between different shifting positions, and at least two connection elements that connects the shifting slide with respective indexing gears. The shifting slide has a tracing profile for applying a shifting force to the connection elements for pivoting the connection elements in a plurality of predetermined positions corresponding to the gear transmission stages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electrical tools of the type described above, the gear transmission can have at least three stages.
German Publication DE 102 22 824 A1 discloses an electrical tool with a multi-stage gear transmission. The tool includes a shifting device having a shifting slide for operating several shifting stirrups which displace respective indexing gears. The shifting stirrup has a pivot support secured to the gear housing and a shifting section extending through a slot formed in the shifting slide. The shifting stirrups have, dependent on the position of the shifting slide, predetermined pivot positions corresponding to predetermined axial positions of the respective indexing gears.
The shifting slide requires, because of control slot formed therein, a certain headroom in the gear transmission housing and because of it, a certain space, which leads to an increase of the heights of the electrical tool in the region of the gear transmission housing.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical tool with a multi-stage gear transmission in which the space required by the shifting slide is reduced.

Electrical tool with a multi-stage gear transmission


This invention relates to a resin composition capable of being thermally cured having both a long pot life at low temperatures and a fast curing rate at higher temperatures containing a mixture of (a) a phenol-formaldehyde resole resin, and (b) a latent curing agent selected from a particular class of nitrogen-containing acidic phosphorus compounds made from either phosphoric acid or phosphorous acid.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a phenolic resin composition capable of being thermally cured and having both a long pot life and a fast curing rate. The present invention particularly relates to a phenolic resole resin composition and especially a phenol-formaldehyde resole resin composition containing a mixture of (a) a phenol-formaldehyde resole resin, and (b) a latent curing agent selected from a particular class of nitrogen-containing phosphorous compounds made from either phosphoric acid or phosphorous acid. The present invention is further directed to a method of making the phenolic resole resin composition, to a method of curing the phenolic resin composition and also to a method of making molded articles and composites using the phenolic resole resin composition.
2. Description of Related Art
Phenolic resole resins have long been cured with strong acids, such as sulfuric acid and organo-sulfonic acids. When used alone, these acids cause rapid hardening of most resole resins even at an ambient temperature, complicating the use of such resins for many applications particularly in making fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) and other resin composites and molded resin articles. The prior art, therefore, has long sought ways to retard the rate of resin cure at temperatures below the desired curing condition as a way of prolonging the pot life of such resin systems. To be useful, however, such cure rate retardation must be accomplished without degrading, to an unacceptable extent, the ultimate cure rate of the resin at the elevated cure temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,015 represents one approach to solving this problem which uses a latent catalyst comprising a salt of a primary or secondary amine and a strong acid. This latent catalyst improves storage stability (pot life) of the resole resin composition, while providing a cure rate at an elevated temperature comparable to the rate obtained using conventional strong acid catalysts. Strong acids also may be added to the composition, to an extent to act synergistically with the latent catalyst to accelerate the rate of reaction; but preferably not in an amount which would cure the resin at a commercially useful rate by itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,793 (European Patent Application 539,098) represents another approach. This patent discloses using a partial phosphate ester as a hardener for phenolic resole resins. The partial phosphate ester is prepared by reacting (partially esterifying) condensed phosphoric acids, such as orthophosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, tetraphosphoric acid or phosphorus pentoxide under relatively stringent conditions of temperature and vacuum, with polyols, such as glycerol, pentaertrythritol, sucrose and others to a constant free acidity value.
It is reported that the partial phosphate ester hardener exhibits a delayed action, i.e., the hardener cures the resole relatively slowly at a lower temperature, but allows a rapid cure when the temperature is increased. This presumably is due to dissociation of the ester at an elevated temperature to release free acid which acts as the hardener and promotes the cure reaction. Thus, it is the inherent acidity of the phosphate ester that causes the resole resin to cure. At lower temperatures, however, the partial ester is stable (i.e., has a relatively low acid value) and does not contribute to a premature cure of the resole.
There remains a need for a phenolic resin composition having a cure behavior that provides a long pot life at temperatures below curing conditions, but exhibits a rapid hardening at elevated cure temperatures.

Thermosetting phenolic resin composition


A garment for cooling the body of a wearer is described which comprises a substantially gas impermeable first substrate and a gas-permeable second substrate attached to form a cavity. At least one spacer element is provided between the first and second substrates to maintain gas flow in regions likely to be subjected to compression, e.g. by the body of a wear. At least one of the first and second substrates preferably comprises a plurality of raised protrusions on a surface within the cavity, and the gas permeable second substrate comprises a plurality of raised protrusions on the surface external to the cavity and proximate to the body of the wearer. The cavity is adapted to be connected to a gas supply such that the gas flows into the cavity and exits the cavity through the gas permeable second substrate. The cooling garment is light weight and conformable, and may be non-tethered for portability.

It is well known that subjecting a person to prolonged periods of inadequate heat dissipation leads to an increase in body temperature (heat stress), indicated by undesirable effects such as discomfort, increased fatigue, decreased physical and intellectual performance and, in extreme cases, death. Body core temperatures in excess of 38° C. will, for example, lead to impaired decision making and increased reaction times whereas core temperatures in excess of 40° C. can cause physiological damage and fatalities. Increased body temperature can result from accumulation of heat from external sources, metabolic processes due to exertion, or a combination of both. Personnel such as fire-crews, "hazmat" operatives such as those working on toxic or generally hazardous cleanup operations, and chemical plant operatives handling hazardous products are potential victims of such heat stress. Such personnel have usually to wear virtually totally sealed garments which severely inhibit cooling effects that would naturally occur due to ambient air flow over the person's skin and clothing.
One possible measure to prevent the onset of heat stress is to blow a cooling gas, usually air, optionally cooled, over the subject's body, which results in cooling of the subject by a combination of convective and evaporative cooling. Studies of heat stress effects have shown that, to minimize such effects, the average desirable amount of cooling supplied to a subject undergoing moderate exertion is a minimum of 100 watts over the area of the torso. (Ref.: "Techniques for Estimating Ventilation Requirements for Personal Air-cooling Systems", J. W. Kaufman, Naval Air Warfare Center report NAWCADPAX-99-92-TR.)
Various approaches have been proposed to achieve "air-cooling" of subjects. For example, a system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,706 to Frim et al. is one such approach. The construction of the garment disclosed in this reference comprises an air-impermeable layer and an air distribution layer attached together with a corrugated mesh spacer layer in between. A further mesh spacer layer is positioned between the air-permeable layer and the body of the wearer. Cooling air is fed into the space between the air-permeable and air-impermeable layers, exits the air-permeable layer, and is distributed over the body of the wearer. Given the multi-layer construction of the garment and the inclusion of the corrugated spacer layer the flexibility, fit and comfort of the garment would be severely compromised and would be unlikely to meet the desirability criteria defined supra. Also, the relatively high resistance of the mesh fabrics to the flow of air necessitates a high pressure air source not readily available in a portable (or non-tethered) system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,124 to Elsherif et al. discloses a personal ventilation apparatus which comprises a garment incorporating areas of air permeable material, such as open cell foam, to direct air to selected areas of the body. The system also comprises a battery powered blower unit which, optionally, includes thermoelectric heating or cooling devices or filters. Given the small areas over which the cooling air is vented relative to the total area of the torso, the cooling power of the garment disclosed in this reference is likely to be severely limited and not meet the cooling criteria previously defined.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,519 to Weber discloses a cooling garment for medical personnel which comprises a simple two-ply construction of an air-impermeable layer and an air-permeable layer, each having minimal thickness, defining a cavity into which air is blown. The cavity has no spacers, or intermediate material or structures except in the shoulder regions to prevent the collapse of the garment in that area when the garment is worn under a heavy apron such as a radiological shield. One distinct shortcoming of such a system is the absence of any intermediate layer to control airflow within the cavity resulting in uneven air distribution. A further shortcoming is the lack of a means for controlling air distribution between the inner air-permeable layer and the body of the wearer. The absence of such mechanisms may cause excessive cooling of some areas of the wearer's body, especially next to the air inlet port, while not supplying sufficient cooling in other areas. It is an objective of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the systems described above.

Gas distribution garment having a spacer element


To provide an ink jet black ink which has a favorable tint for ink jet black ink, provides high ozone fastness, a high image density, and high sticking recovery property, and is capable of suppressing the decomposition of a compound represented by the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof at the time of storage for a long time period. The ink jet black ink is an ink jet black ink comprising at least a compound represented by the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof as a coloring material, and ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol, wherein the content of ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol is 15 mass % or more and 30 mass % or less with respect to the total mass of the ink jet black ink.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet ink which has a high image density, is excellent in ozone fastness, and has high sticking recovery property and high storage stability. The present invention also relates to an ink set, an ink jet recording method, an ink cartridge, a recording unit, and an ink jet recording apparatus each using the ink as a black ink.
2. Related Background Art
An ink jet recording method is a recording method of applying a small ink droplet to any one of recording media such as plain paper or glossy media to form an image, and has become rapidly widespread owing to reduction in its costs and improvement in recording rate. With the rapid spread of digital cameras in addition to improvement in the quality of images recorded by the method, the method has been generally used as a method of outputting photographic images comparable to silver halide photographs.
In recent years, image quality has undergone an improvement more than ever owing to, for example, an extreme reduction in size of an ink droplet and an improvement of the color gamut involved in the introduction of multi-color ink. Meanwhile, there have been growing demands for a coloring material and ink, so that more stringent properties have been required in terms of an improvement of color developability and reliability such as sticking property or ejection stability (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-290552).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ink jet black ink, ink set, ink jet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit, and ink jet recording apparatus

Abstract: General formula (I)


A display device which includes a substrate, a gate line formed on the substrate, a data line intersecting the gate line, and a thin film transistor having a gate electrode connected to the gate line, a source electrode which overlaps the gate electrode and is connected to the data line, and a drain electrode which overlaps the gate electrode. The overlapping area between the gate electrode and the drain electrode is larger than the overlapping area between the gate electrode and the source electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays ("LCDs") are one of the most widely used flat panel displays. An LCD includes a pair of panels having field-generating electrodes, such as pixel electrodes and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal ("LC") layer interposed between the two panels. The LCD displays images by applying voltages to the field-generating electrodes to generate an electric field in the LC layer which determines the orientations of LC molecules therein to adjust polarization of incident light.
The LCD also includes switching elements respectively connected to the pixel electrodes, and a plurality of signal lines such as gate lines and data lines to apply voltages to the pixel electrodes by controlling the switching elements.
The LCD is widely used as a display screen for televisions as well as for display devices for computers, such that the demand for LCDs with the capacity to display motion pictures is increasing. Various methods for improving a motion picture display characteristic, and high speed driving are being developed.


According to this invention, there is provided a memory element and a matrix memory cell array including memory cells each having a nonlinear conductivity bipolar switching element constituted by a multi-layered structure which performs writing/reading operations of a polarization state of a ferroelectric body, i.e., a recording medium of the memory cell, as data and which is constituted by an insulating layer of a predetermined-thickness Langmuir-Blodgett film using most of a switching drive current as a direct tunnel current and conductive layers formed on both the surfaces of the insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and, more particularly, to a memory device having an MIM nonlinear conductivity element.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is generally provided an MIM (metal-insulating film-metal) memory device in which a ferroelectric body having a theoretically infinite retention time of stored data is used as a recording/retaining section (storage medium) and a switch for controlling write/read access of the stored data is arranged. As the switch, a switch or an MIM switch is used. The MIM switch is a two-terminal switch for switching an ON/OFF state by using nonlinear current-voltage characteristics. In the nonlinear current-voltage characteristics, a current having a rapidly increased value flows when a voltage having a predetermined voltage value is applied.
In relation to the two-terminal switch, a ferroelectric memory using a MOS switch as a data input/output switch is described in "R. Womack et al Proc. of IEEE ISCC 1989 PP. 242-243".
As an insulating film used in the MIM switch, a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film obtained by stacking orientated monomolecular layers has been proposed.
For example, when 30 layers (120 .ANG.) made of a polyimide insulator are used as the LB film, the current-voltage characteristic curve of an MIM element, as shown in FIG. 16, is obtained. This current is constituted by a direct tunnel current or the like, a high-voltage region of the current-voltage characteristic curve corresponds to the Fowler-Nordheim current (to be referred to as an F-N current hereinafter) formula.
As shown in FIG. 6, in an energy diagram of electrons of the MIM element, assume that the thickness of the insulating layer is set to be "d" and that the height of an energy barrier is set to be ".phi.". At this time, when a potential difference V (.phi.<eV) is applied across metal electrodes arranged on both the sides of the insulating layer, it is expected that a current value I of a current flowing into (passing through) the insulating layer depends on the following F-N current formula (1): ##EQU1##
Therefore, in an F-N conductive region, a relationship of log(I/V.sup.2) .infin.1/V is held, and the slope of the curve indicating the relationship is a function of ##EQU2## When the LB film is used, since the value d is estimated by the number of stacked monomolecular films, the value "m" can be calculated by the slope of an F-N plots.
That is, as shown in FIG. 17, it is found that the F-N plots have a linear portion in a high-voltage region. In this linear portion, the F-N current formula (1) is held, and the energy barrier height .phi.=0.65 eV is calculated by the slope of the linear portion.
A conventional MIM memory uses an insulating film (a direct tunnel layer or an FN tunnel layer) as a switching element to accumulate charges in a charge accumulating ferroelectric capacitor C. The insulating film allows a direct tunnel current to flow when a voltage having a predetermined value or more is applied to the insulating film. Thereafter, the insulating film having a recovered insulating property retains the charges by preventing leakage of the charges.
Therefore, a data retention time is determined by an insulating resistivity of the insulating film. when data must be retained for a long time, the insulating resistivity must be increased by increasing the thickness of the insulating film or using a resistor having a high resistivity.
However, a time required for increasing the thickness of the insulating film is increased since an insulating resistance layer is formed by the LangmuirBlodgett (LB) method. In relation to memory characteristics, a write voltage applied for allowing a tunnel current to flow is increased.
In addition, since write access is performed by not a direct tunneling phenomenon but an FN tunneling phenomenon, a write speed is decreased by a decrease in charge injection efficiency.
Therefore, characteristics such as a long data retention time, a low driving voltage, and a short processing time cannot be easily obtained in a conventional memory structure.
In the F-N current, all electrons for applying a voltage V in a region of .phi.<eV do not flow through (tunnel-conducting) the insulating film in the direction of thickness, and after they flow through a part in this direction, they flow at a conductive level of the insulating layer. The insulating film is damaged by heat generated when the electrons flow through the insulating layer. A decrease in breakdown voltage, and the like occur.
Therefore, in order to obtain satisfactory nonlinear characteristics, the value "eV" must be much larger than the value ".phi.". That is, an operation voltage must be increased.
However, when memory elements are to be integrated, the high operation voltage is a disadvantageous factor to obtain an increase in integration density of the elements, an increase in an operation speed, stability of repetitive operations, and a decrease in power consumption.


Provided is a ribonucleoside derivative represented by General Formula (I):

Synthesis of an RNA having a modified 2′-hydroxyl group requires a ribonucleoside monomer intermediate having a modified 2′-hydroxyl group. Main conventional methods of synthesizing this monomer intermediate are two: One is a method wherein the 2′- or 3′-hydroxyl group of a ribonucleoside of which the base site and the 5′-hydroxyl group are protected is converted to alkoxide with NaH, and then the ribonucleoside is subjected to a reaction with alkyl halide (Non-Patent Document 1). In this method, since in addition to a 2′-modified product a 3′-modified product, which is a positional isomer, is produced in a large amount, many cases have difficulties in separating them. In the other method, a ribonucleoside derivative of which the base site and the 3′- and 5′-hydroxyl groups are protected is reacted with NaH to alkylate the hydroxyl group at the 2′-position to form alkoxide, or is reacted with alkyl halide in the presence of a strong organic base such as BEMP (Non-Patent Document 2). In this method, a protecting group that can simultaneously protect both 3′- and 5′-hydroxyl groups is necessary, and, in general, a 1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyldisiloxane-1,3-diyl (TIPS) group or a di(tert-butyl)silanyl (DBS) group is used. However, these protecting groups are unstable to reagents such as NaH and BEMP and thereby have a major problem that by-products are produced. Since the basic conditions employed in both synthesis methods described above are strict, it is generally impossible to incorporate a functional group such as methyl ester or ethyl ester into an alkyl halide derivative that is used as a modifying group-inducing reagent. Consequently, in order to maintain the stability, only a group having large steric hindrance, such as tert-butyl ester, can be incorporated as an ester skeleton.    [Non-Patent Document 1] Richard H. Griffey, Brett P. Monia, Lendall L. Cummins, Susan Freier, Michael J. Greig, Charles J. Guinosso, Elena Lesnik, Sherilynn M. Manalili, Venkatraman Mohan, Steven Owens, Bruce R. Ross, Henri Sasmor, Ed Wancewicz, Kurt Weiler, Patrick D. Wheeler, and P. Dan Cook, J. Med. Chem. 1996, 39, 5100-5109.    [Non-Patent Document 2] Grotli, M., Douglas, M., Beijer, B., Garcia, R. G., Eritja, R., and Sproat, B., J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1997, 2779-2788.

2′-hydroxyl group-modified ribonucleoside derivatives

Abstract: (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, R3 represents a methyl group or the like, and B represents a nucleic acid base residue optionally having a protecting group or a modifying group). An RNA containing this ribonucleoside derivative shows excellent hybridization ability and resistance to nuclease.


An article of athletic footwear having an air-filled bladder disposed in a sole structure is disclosed. The air-filled bladder is in fluid communication with ambient air through a filter that permits ambient air to enter the bladder but restricts liquids and particulates from entering the bladder. In operation, the filter and bladder may be portions of a bladder system that absorb shock when the footwear contacts a playing surface. Alternatively, the filter and bladder may be portions of a bladder system that ventilates the interior of the footwear. The filter may be formed of a material such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene that is attached to a carrier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to footwear. More particularly, the present invention relates to a filter system that prevents water, other liquids, and particulates from obstructing the operation of components located within an article of footwear.
2. Description of Background Art
The principal objectives of modern athletic footwear design are to minimize weight while maximizing comfort, cushioning, stability, and durability. In order to meet this goal, footwear designers use a broad range of materials, shoe design techniques, and shoe making methods. The basic design of athletic footwear, however, remains largely uniform.
Typical athletic footwear includes two primary elements, an upper and a sole. Usually formed of leather, synthetic materials, or a combination thereof, the purpose of the upper is to comfortably secure the wearer's foot to the sole while providing necessary ventilation. Attached to the upper is the sole. The sole ordinarily has a multi-layer construction which includes an insole, midsole, and outsole. The insole commonly consists of a thin padded member placed within the upper to enhance shoe comfort. The midsole forms the middle layer of the sole and typically includes a resilient foam material that cushions the foot from the impact forces of running, walking, or other movement. The outsole is usually formed of a durable material, such as synthetic or natural rubber, to resist wear during use. In many cases, the outsole incorporates a textured surface to enhance traction.
An alternate midsole construction, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,156 (patented Jan. 15, 1980 to Marion F. Rudy), incorporated by reference, includes a midsole component in which cushioning is provided by a fluid-filled bladder formed of elastomeric materials. The bladder includes a plurality of tubular chambers which extend longitudinally through the length of an article of footwear. The various tubular chambers are in fluid communication and jointly extend across the width of the footwear. U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,945 (patented Sep. 2, 1980 to Marion F. Rudy), incorporated by reference, discloses a fluid-filled bladder encapsulated within a foam material. The combination of the bladder and the encapsulating foam material functions as a midsole. An upper may be cemented to the upper surface of the encapsulating foam material and an outsole may be affixed to the lower surface.
The fluid-filled bladders disclosed in the '156 and '945 patents utilize a gas with a large molecular size that cannot diffuse through the bladder walls. In contrast, other bladder devices, including the bladders disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,912,861 (patented Apr. 3, 1990 to Ing-Chung Huang); U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,382 (patented Aug. 9, 1994 to Yin-Jun Huang); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,462 (patented Aug. 17, 1999 to Ing-Chung Huang), which are incorporated by reference, use ambient air as the inflation gas. Unlike a gas with a large molecular size, air diffuses through bladder walls. Accordingly, those bladders that use air as an inflation gas frequently include pumps or other inflation devices to inflate the bladder with air. In addition, such bladders include valves that prevent the air from escaping through the inlet.
Over time, water and a variety of particulates, including dust, dirt, small rocks, plants, cleaning solutions, oils, cosmetics, and paint, may enter bladders, pumps, and valves in systems that include ambient air inlets. The bladders, pumps, and valves may, therefore, develop particulate deposits or mold growths that detrimentally affect performance of the bladder pumping system or the valves that prevent air from escaping. Accordingly, the art requires an improved ambient air-filled bladder that prevents substantial amounts of liquids and particulates from entering the bladder and detrimentally affecting bladder performance.


Disclosed are methods and apparatus for lighting configuration, contemplating analysis of a plurality of distance values from a plurality of distance sensors (114) to set one or more light output characteristics of a plurality of LEDs (112). The light output characteristics of the LEDs (112) are set as a function of the distance values from the distance sensors (114).

Digital lighting technologies, i.e. illumination based on semiconductor light sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), offer a viable alternative to traditional fluorescent, HID, and incandescent lamps. Functional advantages and benefits of LEDs include high energy conversion and optical efficiency, durability, lower operating costs, and many others. Recent advances in LED technology have provided efficient and robust full-spectrum lighting sources that enable a variety of lighting effects in many applications. Some of the fixtures embodying these sources feature a lighting module, including one or more LEDs capable of producing different colors, e.g. red, green, and blue, as well as a processor for independently controlling the output of the LEDs in order to generate a variety of colors and color-changing lighting effects.
Lighting fixtures embodying LEDs may be desirable in various settings such as, for example, commercial settings. Currently, most sensors that are utilized in commercial settings in combination with LED lighting fixtures are installed to capture relevant data on large areas. For example, an office may have one presence sensor in a space that will sense movements anywhere in the space and cause all lighting fixtures in the space to be illuminated in response to detected movement. Also, for example, an office may have one ambient light sensor in a space that will sense an ambient light level and cause a light output intensity of all lighting fixtures in the space to be adjusted based on the ambient light level. Such sensors may enable limited control of lighting fixtures, but do not provide for initial configuration, fine tuning, and/or adaptation of individual lighting fixtures and/or individual light sources.
Initial configuration of lighting fixtures in a commercial environment is often accomplished by calculating the number of luminaires and spacing to height ratio based on the target working surface illuminance and uniformity criteria. Such initial configuration is often time consuming and/or not adapted to particular features of the commercial space. Fine tuning of the initial configuration is likewise often time consuming and/or not adequately adapted to particular features of the commercial space. Also, such initial configuration is not easily adaptable to changes in the layout and/or usage of the office space.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide lighting configuration apparatus and methods that utilize distance sensors and that optionally overcome one or more drawbacks of certain lighting configuration technologies.

Lighting configuration apparatus and methods utilizing distance sensors


A semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor integrated circuit including a conductive pattern; an insulating layer which is formed on the semiconductor integrated circuit to forms a plurality of base members having uneven heights; an opening which is formed through the insulating layer to expose a part of the conductive pattern; and a conductive layer which is formed on the insulating layer and the opening, the conductive layer is extending from the exposed portion of the conductive pattern to the top surface of the highest base member. An electrode is composed of the insulating layer, the opening and the conductive layer.

Conventionally, for mounting process of a semiconductor integrated circuit to a connection substrate, a tape carrier package structure, a chip on board structure and a chip on glass structure have been used. According to those structures, the space between the semiconductor substrate and the connection substrate are filled with a seal resin. For an electrode structure in such a mounting structure, a bump bonding structure using a bump electrode has been used. The bump electrode may be a metal bump electrode, such as a gold (Au) bump electrode, a solder electrode made of an alloy of lead (Pb) and tin (Sn), and the like.
Such a metal bump electrode is deformed plastically, and the alloy of Pb—Sn may be broken from its crystal surface. The difference of the thermal expansion coefficients between the semiconductor substrate and the connection substrate makes some thermal stress in the electrode. Such thermal stress can be also made by the difference of the thermal expansion coefficients between the seal resin and the bump electrode itself. The thermal stress makes thermal fatigue in the electrode, and therefore the electrode may be broken in some cases. The semiconductor integrated circuit is metal-plated, then the metal plate is etched to form the bump electrode. In the semiconductor substrate, a region which is uncovered with a protection layer, such as a trimming circuit, may be seriously affected by the plating process and etching process. Such a conventional electrode structure does not have high enough reliability of electrical connection, because the surface of the semiconductor integrated circuit is not enough protected.

Semiconductor apparatus and method for fabricating the same


A photoconductive imaging member containing an optional supporting substrate, an optional hole blocking layer thereover, a photogenerating layer and a charge transport layer, and wherein the charge transport layer contains a phenol of, for example, the alternative formulas

This invention relates in general to layered imaging members, inclusive of flexible members and substantially rigid members, or OPC members, comprised, for example, of a photogenerating layer and a charge transport layer, and wherein the charge transport layer contains certain hindered phenols of the formulas illustrated herein, and which phenols are available as IRGANOX 565™ and CYANOX 2176™, available, for example, from Ciba Chemicals. The aforementioned phenols primarily function as an antioxidant and which antioxidant prevents, or minimizes the charge transport components degradation by exposure to ozone.
More specifically, disclosed herein is an electrophotographic imaging member comprised in sequence of a supporting substrate, a hole blocking layer, an adhesive layer, a photogenerating layer, and a charge transport layer containing charge, especially hole transport components, a polymer binder, the hindered phenols illustrated herein, which phenols can function as an effective anti-ozonant to eliminate or suppress the charge transport polymer binder molecular chain scission to permit the prevention of chain backbone break down into low molecular weight polymer fragments that converts the charge transport layer into a brittle coating layer. Furthermore, in embodiments the illustrated herein are electrophotographic imaging members may also contain a plurality of layers, such as two charge transport layers comprising a first (bottom) charge transport layer, which is in contiguous contact with the photogenerating layer, and a second (top) charge transport layer coated over the first charge transport layer. The bottom charge transport layer can comprise a binary solid solution of a charge transport compound and a polymer binder, whereas the top charge transport layer is comprised of a charge transport compound, a polymer binder, and a hindered phenol of the formulas illustrated herein.
Advantages associated with the imaging members of the present invention, in embodiments, thereof include, for example, the avoidance of or minimal undesirable migration of the hindered phenol to the photogenerating layer to thereby avoid imaging member instability, such as electrical performance degradation, and undesirable electrical characteristics especially on long term cycling of the member; coating of two transport layers in separate passes to, for example, minimize the transport layers thickness variations, which variations can cause image defects referred to as rain drops; minimizing and in embodiments avoiding an increase in the lateral surface conductivity of the member which in turn can cause image degradation, referred to as lateral conductivity migration (LCM), and which disadvantages are minimized or avoided with the members of the present invention.
Processes of imaging, especially xerographic imaging and printing, including digital, are also encompassed by the present invention. More specifically, the layered photoconductive imaging members of the present invention can be selected for a number of different known imaging and printing processes including, for example, electrophotographic imaging processes, especially xerographic imaging and printing processes wherein charged latent images are rendered visible with toner compositions of an appropriate charge polarity. Moreover, the imaging members of this invention are useful in color xerographic applications, particularly high-speed color copying and printing processes, and which members are in embodiments sensitive in the wavelength region of, for example, from about 500 to about 900 nanometers, and in particular from about 650 to about 850 nanometers, thus diode lasers can be selected as the light source.

Imaging member having first and second charge transport layers


A process of making a casing having at least one open end and formed with electric conducting passages and connections for electronic components or switching circuits, includes the following steps: preparing a formed body, made of ceramics, glass, glass-ceramics, metal or silicon carbide, with passageways in form of bores and/or indentations, placing the formed body in a mold and pouring liquid metal in the mold to surround the formed body, thereby filling the first passageways, and removing metal from the formed body to leave metal only in the first passageways.

The present invention refers to a method of making a casing of a type having at least one open end and formed with electrically conducting passages for connection of electronic components or switching circuits.
Casings of this type are generally known in the electronic field and produced on a large scale. However, the formation of contacts projecting outwards from the casing interior has proven difficult and can be effected only by complicated operations that greatly increase the manufacturing costs for such casings. Moreover, conventional casings exhibit a heat conductivity which is relatively low so that the required cooling effect can be attained only by greatly expanding the dimensions of the casing which significantly exceed the actual space required for the switching circuit.

Method of making a casing for receiving electronic components or switching circuits

Electrovac, Fabrikation Elektrotechnischer Spezialartikel Gesellschaft M.B.H.


The present invention relates to a method and a system for performing testing in a device (1), in which at least one program (110, 112) is loaded and at least one item of mode data relating to the program is determined. Furthermore, at least one key (111) is generated for use in said program. In the method, at least two different security levels are determined for the keys to be used in the device (1). In the method, said security level determined for the key and at least one mode data relating to the program are examined, and on the basis of the examination, it is decided if said key is available for use in the mode indicated in the mode data of the program. The invention also relates to a device, a mobile communication device and a storage medium.

There are known applications which can be used in the device after an access right has been acquired for the application. In systems of prior art, such an access right can be acquired, for example, in such a manner that the user loads an application via a data network into the device. In the same context, the user gives his/her contact data, wherein the application provider sends information necessary for opening the access right, for example via mail. The user can pay for the access right of the application advantageously in connection with the loading by giving his/her credit card number. Thus, the payment is charged through a credit card company. On the other hand, the payment can also be made in cash on delivery, wherein the user makes the payment when he/she claims the access right data sent via mail. It is possible to start using the application after the user has entered the access right data he/she has received. Such data may include, for example, a user identification and a password, a registration code, etc. Advantageously, the access rights contain information on the identification of the user's device or other individualizing information, by means of which different users are prevented from using the same application with the access rights of one user.
As electronic devices are becoming more versatile, a need has arisen to protect certain functions of the electronic devices in such a manner that access to the functions can only be attained through authorized programs. For example, mobile phones have been developed into communication devices suitable for versatile data processing, in which it is also possible to execute programs other than those necessary for implementing phone calls. It is also possible to install new programs in such devices afterwards, and to update already installed programs with newer versions. However, for example mobile phone functions require certain security that not just any program can, for example, determine information stored on the SIM card or make phone calls to the mobile communication network with counterfeit identification data so that another mobile subscriber is charged for the calls. In a corresponding manner, in devices containing for example functions relating to monetary transactions, such as the use of the device as a means of payment, it must be secured that a defective or unauthorized program is not allowed to affect the monetary transactions or to change for example the data on the amount of money stored in the device. Furthermore, the use of some digital recordings in the device may involve limited access rights. For example, the user has subscribed to music, software or other digital recordings and installed them in his/her device. In some cases, the access rights of such digital recordings is limited; for example, the digital recording can only be installed in a given device, the number of times or duration of use of the digital recording may have been limited, or a payment must be made, for example, for each time when the digital recording is used. For situations of the above kind, the software of the device is provided with a protected part in which the necessary safety checkings and functions relating to encoding and decoding are executed. Furthermore, such devices typically contain an operating system which is used e.g. for controlling the functional blocks of the device and for transmission of data between different blocks. An interface is implemented for the transmission of information between the operating system and the protected part. For example, an encrypted message received in the device is transferred to the protected part for decryption, after which the decrypted message can be transferred to the operating system for further processing.
The programs to be executed in the device can be divided into various levels of access rights. The programs can be divided, for example, into such programs which do not have any access right to functions requiring safety, and into such programs which have the possibility to process at least some of the functions requiring safety. Thus, when the program is started, the operating system or the protected part checks the access rights of the programs and prevents or allows the access of the program to certain functions. The act of determining the access rights may be based, for example, on the origin of the program, wherein it is possible to provide, for example, a program produced by the manufacturer of the device with wider access rights than a program produced by a third party. On the other hand, for example the manufacturer of the device can provide a particular program manufacturer with wider authorizations (greater reliability) than others, wherein it is possible to provide programs of more reliable program manufactures with more access rights than programs having a lower or undetermined manufacturer reliability level.
At present, keys for different uses have been stored in many devices. The keys can be used, among other things, to validate information, to check access rights, to authenticate software, and to encrypt and decrypt information. Such keys may have been stored either in such a part of the device to which ordinary software has no access, or the keys have been stored in encrypted format, wherein the program using the key comprises another key for decrypting this key. Thus, this second key must be stored in a memory which is inaccessible by ordinary programs.
One problem in the devices of the above kind is that in the development of new programs or in the further development of existing programs, it should be possible to test the programs in an environment which is as authentic as possible. The program to be tested should also have the necessary keys available. With the tools used for testing the program, such as a debugger program and/or device, it is possible to examine such areas of the device which contain information to be kept secret, such as the above-mentioned keys. Part of this information may be such that its disclosure is not very harmful. However, a part is likely to contain such keys which must remain inaccessible even in a test situation. These keys relate, for example, to various payment applications, the management of access rights to digital recordings (DRM, Digital Rights Management), the transmission of confidential information in encrypted format, and other corresponding functions.
In some arrangements of the prior art, at least all the important keys to be kept secret have been replaced with test keys which are deleted after the use. In this way, the programs can be tested by using these test keys. However, the test keys must be replaced with new keys in the device after the testing has been completed.

Method and a system for performing testing in a device, and a device


Surgical instruments, especially for opthalmological surgical procedures, have a smooth, bulbous arcuate tip that surrounds the distal end of a lumen. The tip may be translucent and flexible. Most preferably, the tip is formed of a compliant, yet self-supporting, material, such as medical grade transparent silicone elastomer. The bulbous arcuate tip may take various geometric forms, for example, generally spherical, ellipsoid or the like. The bulbous arcuate tip may be symmetrical about the elongate axis of the instrument or may be asymmetrical (i.e., angularly disposed) relative to such longitudinal axis. The surgical instruments of this invention are most preferably made by first adhering a length of compliant tubing (e.g., silicone) onto a distal end of a rigid tube (e.g., a section of a stainless steel needle). The proximal rigid tube section is preferably coaxially sleeved over, and affixed to, the distal compliant tube section. A forming wire may then be inserted into the aligned lumens of the proximal rigid tube and distal compliant tube sections so that a terminal end section of the forming wire extends beyond the distal end of the compliant tube section. A bolus of curable liquid elastomer is then applied onto the distal end of compliant tube section around the forming wire protruding therefrom. By rotating and otherwise manipulating the tube sections during curing of the liquid elastomer, a bulbous arcuate tip may be formed. Once the elastomer tip is cured (solidified), the forming wire may be withdrawn thereby forming a through lumen which terminates at the tip. The tip may alternatively be constructed using injection-molding techniques.

The present invention relates generally to the field of surgical instruments, particularly instruments employed in ophthalmologic surgical procedures. In preferred forms, the present invention relates to miniaturized surgical instruments which are especially well suited for ophthalmologic surgical procedures, for example, to aid the surgeon during macular translocation.
Macular translocation for the treatment of macular degeneration has recently attracted attention as a means to treat age-related macular degeneration. In this regard, and in numerous intraocular surgeries, it is necessary for the surgeon to complete different surgical maneuvers inside the eye such as, stopping bleeding, irrigating or aspirating blood or other fluids or injecting fluid through a retinotomy and using suction to hold tissue to be moved within the eye and fluid flow to release the suction to the tissue. Removing and replacing an intraocular instrument during these maneuvers increases the risk of complications such as retinal tearing or incarceration of detached retina or may allow outflow of fluid during instrument exchange thus increasing the risk of continuation of bleeding. Thus, it is preferred to have an instrument that can perform multiple maneuvers that may be required in sequence.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable if instruments were available that would allow the surgeon to easily and without damage, perform a series of surgical functions, such as, for example, compress bleeding blood vessels while viewing the source of bleeding and extent of tissue blanching from compression, irrigate or aspirate away blood to assist in finding the source of bleeding, irrigate fluid through a hole in the retina while obstructing backflow to create separation of the retina from underlying tissue, securely hold onto retinal or other tissue during attempts to move or otherwise relocate the tissue and then readily release the tissue. It is towards fulfilling such a need that the present invention is directed.
Broadly, the present invention is embodied in surgical instruments having a smooth, bulbous arcuate tip which surrounds a distal end of a lumen. The relative positioning of the lumen and the arcuate tip allow a surgeon to perform a series of surgical functions, such as those identified above. The rounded ball form of the tip associated with the surgical instruments of the present invention prevents abrasion or gouging of adjacent structures as can occur with a typical xe2x80x9csquared offxe2x80x9d cannula. Most preferably, the tip is formed of a compliant, yet self-supporting, material, such as medical grade transparent silicone elastomer.
The bulbous arcuate tip may take various geometric forms. In this regard, the external surface of the tip is arcuate and thus may be generally spherical, ellipsoid or the like. Also, the bulbous arcuate tip may be symmetrical about the elongate axis of the instrument or may be asymmetrical (i.e., angularly disposed) relative to such longitudinal axis.
The surgical instruments of this invention are most preferably made by first adhering a length of compliant tubing (e.g., silicone) into a distal end of a rigid tube (e.g., a section of a stainless steel needle). Specifically, it is preferred that the proximal rigid tube section is coaxially sleeved over, and affixed to, the distal compliant tube section. A forming wire may then be inserted into the aligned lumens of the proximal rigid tube and distal compliant tube sections so that a terminal end section of the forming wire extends beyond the distal end of the compliant tube section. A bolus of curable liquid elastomer is then applied onto the distal end of compliant tube section around the forming wire protruding therefrom. By rotating or molding and otherwise manipulating the tube sections during curing of the liquid elastomer, a bulbous arcuate tip may be formed. Once the elastomer tip is cured, the forming wire or mold may be withdrawn thereby forming a small hollow bore lumen which terminates at the tip. That is, the bulbous arcuate tip will surround the distal end of the thus formed lumen.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear from the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof.

Miniaturized surgical instruments especially useful for the opthalmologic surgical procedures and methods of making the same


Disclosed is a method for producing resin particles, which can impart a desired function to the surface of resin particles efficiently and simply. Also disclosed are resin particles produced by the method.

An exemplary method for producing resin particles is a method of heating, melting, and mixing a thermoplastic resin with another resin incompatible (immiscible) with the thermoplastic resin, and washing the resulting article with a solvent to give thermoplastic resin particles (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. S61(1986)-9433). Independently, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2001-199836 discloses a cosmetic including an inorganic filler or a colorant. The publication describes that the cosmetic is prepared as a polymer by melting and kneading a resin for constituting a powder, a medium (another resin) for dispersing the former resin, and an inorganic pigment; and that the resulting polymer is a powdery article containing the inorganic pigment therein.
Such fine particles each including a resin powder and an inorganic pigment contained in the resin powder are generally produced by compounding the inorganic pigment into a resin material to be powdered, to give a compound; and melting and kneading the compound with a medium resin. Independently, fine particles of another type (outer-bearing fine particles) have received attention, because they can readily exhibit a high-value-added function which an inorganic fine particle inherently has. Such outer-bearing fine particles each include a resin fine particle and an inorganic pigment (inorganic microparticle) immobilized on the outside of the resin fine particle.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. S61(1986)-9433
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2001-199836

Abstract: The method produces resin particles by melting and mixing an acidic-group-containing thermoplastic resin or elastomer with filler particles and a water-soluble material to give a resin composition containing resin fine particles formed by the thermoplastic resin and the filler particles and dispersed in a matrix including the water-soluble material; and removing the matrix component from the resin composition, to give the resin particles. The resulting resin particles each include a core particle including the acidic-group-containing thermoplastic resin or elastomer, and the filler particles immobilized on the outside of the core particle. The acidic group is preferably carboxyl group or carboxylic anhydride group.


A photosensitive element is disclosed comprising on at least one side of a support one or more silver halide emulsion layers and a non-light sensitive hydrophilic colloidal layer characterized in that at least one emulsion layer comprises silver halide crystals having an oligomeric platinum complex containing only carbonyl ligands, which is represented by formula (1): EQU [Pt.sub.3 (CO).sub.6 ].sub.n.sup.2- (1). wherein n is not more than 10.. The invention also provides a method for the preparation of a photosensitive element as described hereinbefore comprising the step of introducing the oligomeric platinum carbonyl containing complex as represented by formula (1) during grain formation in at least one silver halide emulsion.

There exists already for a long time a strong and even increasing demand for photosensitive materials that have improved sensitivity, that is for materials that respond to a decreasing amount of light energy. A very interesting possibility is found in photosensitive materials wherein the primary light-activated change exists on an atomic or molecular level which in a secondary step can be multiplicated by several orders of magnitude in order to visualize the first light interaction in the material. This `two-step` image formation mechanism is for instance encountered in silver halide materials which form the main subject of this invention. It will be clear that sensitivity in this type of materials is determined by the efficiency in which the different steps between the light interaction with the silver halide and the formation of the visual image can proceed. This invention will be specially focused on the way in which the first molecular light-induced change in silver halide crystals is realized. This change on atomic level (also called latent image formation) gives rise to the formation of a visual image after development.
The efficiency of the latent image formation depends on many factors and can therefore be influenced in many different ways. The best result is realized if each photoelectron, created after light absorption in the silver halide crystal reaches the deepest electron trap while forming the latent image. This means that the recombination between holes and electrons that are created after light absorption is as much as possible prevented. Many solutions are proposed but all of them have a limited result. One can primarily try to lower the depth of electron trap in order to increase the capture probability. Chemical sensitization with for instance sulphur, gold, selenium and other compounds or combinations thereof is mostly used for this purpose.
Another way in preventing the recombination of holes and electrons after formation is the temporary interception of these species at local traps with intermediate trap depth. This can be realized by creating a distortion internally in the crystal latice for instance by the local incorporation of an increased amount of iodide in the core or in a certain zone of the grain. Although this method leads to a sensitivity gain by decreasing the electron-hole recombination, another important feature like developability, which is wanted in modern photographic materials is deteriorated by the presence of the iodide. Temporary interceptions of the electron can be realized in many different ways and are described in many patents as for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,060, EP-A 0 336 425, EP-A 0 336 426, EP-A 0 336 427 and EP-A 0 415 480. In these cases a metal complex dopant was introduced in the silver halide crystals which always resulted in an increased sensitivity. In relation with the present invention special attention is drawn on the electron trapping agents containing CO-ligands. In EP-A 0 415 481 is McDuggle, et al. describing a dopant of the type [M(CO).sub.m L.sub.6-m ].sup.n wherein M is a metal of the 8.sup.th and 9.sup.th group of the Periodic System of Elements and L is ligand (halide or others). While m=1, 2 or 3 it can be concluded that always another ligand than the CO-ligand is present in the dopant. Evans et al. describe in U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,931 a metal complex with general formula M.sub.n X.sub.m where M are metals of the 8.sup.th, 9.sup.th or 10.sup.th group of the Periodic System of Elements and X represents a halide, pseudo-halide or CO, NO, NS, N.sub.3, O or H.sub.2 O. Further is 4.ltoreq.m/n<5 if 2<n.ltoreq.5, m/n=4 if 6.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.8 and m/n<4 if n>8. JP-A 04-125 629 describes an increase in sensitivity of a chloride-rich AgClBr-emulsion after doping with a metal complex consisting of a metal out of the 7.sup.th up to 10.sup.th and the 13th group of the Periodic System of Elements and a ligand which can be a pseudohalide, a carbonyl or another ligand. All the complexes contain one central metal atom except for rhenium. Further JP-A 06-148 784 is describing the doping of a silver halide emulsion with metal-CO-complexes (where the mentioned metals are: Cr, Mo, W and Ru) resulting in an increase of sensitivity.
Increasing the sensitivity of a silver halide emulsion can also be realized by increasing the efficiency of electron transfer from the spectral sensitizer to the silver halide grain which principally can be carried out with a supersensitizer.
Looking at the activity of the sensitizing dye, sensitivity gain can also be realized by decreasing the dye desensitization which is evolved by increasing dye concentration at the grain surface. This can for instance be done by combining an electron donating compound like ascorbic acid with specific cyanine and merocyanine dyes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,343. An electron-donating compound that is attached to a sensitizing dye or a silver halide absorptive group have also been used to get a additional sensitizing effect as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,121 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,719.
Another interesting alternative to decrease the recombination of the photo-electron and hole is introducing hole traps like silver clusters or some metal complexes in the silver halide crystal. Silver clusters can be created in crystals by reduction sensitization which is realized by treating the emulsion during the precipitation with a reductor like tin compounds, polyamine derivatives, hydrazines, ascorbic acid and analogues, etc. or by well defined pH- and/or pAg-conditions without using reducing substances. This is for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,574 which describes a method, wherein during precipitation of the silver halide or before or during physical ripening small silver specks (which do not give spontaneously developable fog) are created in reducing conditions. The same can be said for silver halide preparation methods as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,490, where at the end of a reduction periode an oxidant is introduced in the silver halide emulsion before chemical sensitizing. In most of the methods mentioned before it is very difficult to suppress fog formation till an acceptable level which is experienced as a serious problem.
In all the concepts mentioned hereinbefore it is also experienced that these silver clusters can be easily formed on {111}-AgBr crystal faces while it becomes difficult for instance on {100}-AgBr and {100}-AgCl crystal faces. An alternative way for forming silver clusters for this particular application is described in EP-Application Nr. 97/203897.0 (filed Dec. 12, 1997). In this proposal silver halide crystals have to be doped with an organic hole-trapping agent represented by R-COOM as general formula wherein R is H or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, while M is H or any metal or organic group which can form a salt. However alternative hole-trapping agents are still necessary in order to enlarge the number of possibilities to make more sensitive silver halide emulsions. Therefor a new type of platinum clusters is described hereinafter which can act as hole trapping agent.

Photosensitive silver halide emulsion containing a metal carbonyl-complex as a dopant


A pearl shine pigment preparation as a pre-product for a printing ink in ch pearl shine pigment is made into a paste with a binding agent and optionally with a solvent and/or additives and the paste is put into a compact particle form. For that purpose the paste is compressed to form compact particles by tabletting, briquetting, pelleting or extruding. In that compacted form the pearl shine pigment preparation can be used for the production of printing inks, in particular intaglio printing inks.

The invention concerns a process for the production of a pearl shine pigment preparation as a pre-product for a printing ink containing pearl shine pigment.
Pearl shine pigment is usually on the market in dust or powder form. For processing in the printing ink, the pearl shine pigment is mixed with a binding agent solution and possibly additives which are conventional in printing procedures and the mixture is adjusted to the viscosity required for application by a printing process. To achieve the soft shine effect which is typical of pearl shine pigment in the printing ink the distribution and orientation of the pearl shine pigment particles in the binding agent need to be as uniform as possible.
In principle high shearing forces are to be avoided in any procedure for processing pearl shine pigments. Therefore the pearl shine pigment must be subjected to pre-treatment with solvent over several hours (so-called "sumping") prior to the actual dispersing procedure for production of the printing ink. That operation is time-consuming and therefore also expensive. In spite of the pretreatment by "sumping" and agitation the desired uniform dispersion cannot always be achieved and as a result the printing may also not be fully satisfactory.

Process for the production of a pearl shine pigment preparation

Eckart-Werke Standard Bronzepulver-Werke Carl Eckart GmbH & Co.


Objects of the present invention are to provide an endless metal belt superior in flexing resistance and durability, to provide a fixing belt using the endless metal belt, and to provide a heat fixing device with high durability and high reliability. The objects are achieved by the endless metal belt formed of a nickel alloy containing 5% by weight or more of an additional metallic element and having a half-value width of an X-ray diffraction peak in a range of 0.5 degrees to 2 degrees for each of a crystal plane and a crystal plane, and by using the same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endless metal belt, a fixing belt and a heat fixing device (or assembly), which are used in image-forming apparatuses such as an electrophotographic apparatus and an electrostatic recording apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In an image-forming process such as an electrophotographic process, an electrostatic recording process and a magnetic recording process, a heat fixing device (or assembly) of a belt-heating system is used for forming a permanently fixed image on the surface of a recording material from an unfixed image (a toner image) which is formed on and carried by a recording material (a transfer material sheet, an electrofax sheet, electrostatic recording paper, an OHP sheet, printing paper, format paper and the like), by means of a transfer method or a direct method.
On the other hand, as a heat fixing device of a belt-heating system, a heater heating type is widely proposed and implemented which heats a resin belt or a metal belt having a low heat capacity using a ceramic heater as a heat source. Specifically, the heat fixing device of a belt-heating system of a heat-heating type generally has a nip part formed between a ceramic heater as a heating body and a pressure roller as a pressure member through a heat resistant belt (a fixing belt); makes a recording material having an unfixed toner image carried thereon introduced between the fixing belt and the pressure roller; while sandwiching the recording material between the fixing belt and the pressure roller, and transporting it along with the fixing belt, gives the heat of the ceramic heater to the recording material through the fixing belt in the nip part; and heat-fixes the unfixed toner image on the recording material with the heat and an applied pressure in the nip part.
The heat fixing device of a belt-heating system of a heater heating type can constitute an on-demand type device by using a member with a low heat capacity for the fixing belt. Specifically, the fixing device has only to heat a ceramic heater of a heat source to a predetermined fixing temperature by applying an electric current to the heater, only when an image-forming apparatus carries out image formation, has a short waiting time after the image-forming apparatus is powered on until it comes to an image-forming ready condition (a quick starting property), and has a power consumption largely reduced during a stand-by period (capable of saving power), which are advantageous.
As for a fixing belt used in such a heat fixing device of a belt-heating system of a heater heating type, it is proposed to use a fixing belt employing a metal for the base material.
A fixing belt using a metal as a base material generally employs a seamless metal such as SUS or nickel, and a well-known seamless belt made from a SUS material is produced by a plastic forming method such as spinning (for instance, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-225134). A seamless belt made from a nickel material is generally produced by electroforming in a nickel sulfamate bath or a nickel sulfate bath (for instance, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-034286 and 2001-215820).
Generally, in the present circumstances, an SUS belt made by a plastic forming method (rolling, drawing, spinning or the like) cannot cope with tendencies of a decreasing diameter (a diameter of 18 mm or smaller) for a fixing belt, and thinning (a thickness of 15 μm or less) for a base material of the fixing belt, which are required by a small-sized, high-speed and more durable fixing device. Specifically, the SUS belt has a different stress distribution in an MD direction from that in a TD direction, so that the SUS material is feared to cause cracking due to the uniaxial orientation of the axes of the crystals.
On the other hand, in an electroformed nickel belt, there has been a tendency that heat resistance has been thought much of and strength and abrasion resistance have been sacrificed. For this reason, a fixing belt produced with the use of such an electroformed nickel belt usually had a sliding layer made from polyimide provided on a sliding surface. However, because a so-called resin-based material starting with polyimide has a heat conductivity of approximately 300 times lower than that of a nickel material, a heat fixing device using such a material needs a long rise time and hides the merits of a nickel material having high heat conductivity.
An electroformed belt from a single metal hardly has the performance satisfying all demands such as yield strength, abrasion resistance and flexing resistance. For this reason, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-241984 proposes a method for producing an electroformed belt containing various metallic elements in combination and having more excellent characteristics. For instance, an electroformed nickel belt is disclosed which contains 10 to 10,000 ppm (1% by weight) by weight proportion, at least one metallic element belonging to the groups of 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the periodic table. The metallic elements in the groups of 2 to 5 in the periodic table have such characteristics as to control the growth of plated nickel crystals, systematically grow the crystals and promote the orientation, have the effect of inhibiting coarsening of the plated nickel crystals due to heat, and thereby are assumed to provide the electroformed nickel belt the hardness of which hardly lowered even by heat aging and which is superior in heat resistance.
In addition, Japanese patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-241984 discloses that when the electroformed nickel belt contains more than 10,000 ppm (1% by weight) of metallic elements in the groups of 2 to 5 in the periodic table by weight proportion, the metallic elements tend to precipitate in grain boundaries and make the electroformed nickel belt fragile.
Actually, many electroplated coatings of binary and ternary alloys are industrially widely used for machine parts and electronic components. The mechanical and electrical characteristics of the electroplated coatings of the alloys are closely connected with the composition. Furthermore, the existing state of an alloying element (such as a compound, a crystalloid and a solid solution) affects the characteristics (hardness, flexibility, stress in electrodeposits and the like) of the electroplated coatings of the alloys.
A fixing belt used in a heat fixing device must have durability for a long time. Furthermore, requirements for energy saving and space saving become severer, the miniaturization and speedup of a heat fixing device used in an image-forming apparatus, the reduction in the diameter of a fixing belt, and the thinning of a metal belt are promoted, and based on this, the metal belt having adequate abrasion resistance and superior characteristics such as flexing resistance, flexibility and durability, is demanded.
In a heat fixing device of a belt-heating system of an electromagnetic induction heating type for directly heating a metal belt by electromagnetic induction as well, the miniaturization and speedup of the heat fixing device, a reduction in the diameter of a fixing belt, and the wall-thinning of the metal belt are also promoted, and based on this, the metal belt having adequate abrasion resistance and superior characteristics in terms of flexing resistance, flexibility and durability, is demanded.

Endless metal belt, fixing belt and heat fixing device


A quasi-single-mode (QSM) optical fiber includes a core and a cladding surrounding the core. The core includes a centerline and an outer edge. The cladding includes an interior edge and an exterior edge. The cladding has a cladding outer diameter defined by the exterior edge of the cladding. The cladding outer diameter may be in the range of greater than 170 μm to about 200 μm. The QSM fiber has a cabled cutoff wavelength that is greater than about 1530 nm. The core and the cladding support a fundamental mode LP01 and a higher-order mode LP11. The fundamental mode LP01 has an effective area Aeff>150 μm2.

Optical fibers are used for a variety of applications, especially in long-haul, high-speed optical communications systems. Optical fibers have an optical waveguide structure that acts to confine light to within a central region of the fiber. One of the many benefits of optical fibers is their ability to carry a large number of optical signals in different channels, which provides for high data transmission rates and a large bandwidth.
The increasing demand for bandwidth and higher data transmission rates has resulted in optical fibers carrying more channels and higher amounts of optical power. At some point, however, the optical power carried by the optical fiber can give rise to non-linear effects that distort the optical signals and reduce the transmission capacity of the optical communications system. Consequently, there is a practical limit to how much optical power an optical fiber can carry.
Because the optical power is confined by the waveguide structure of the optical fiber, the intensity determines the severity of non-linear effects in the optical fiber. The intensity is defined as the amount of optical power in the guided light divided by the (cross-sectional) area over which the guided light is distributed. This area is referred to in the art as the "effective area" Aeff of the optical fiber. The effective area Aeff is calculated from the electromagnetic field distribution of the light traveling within the optical fiber using techniques and methods known in the art.
It is well-known that optical fibers with large effective areas Aeff are desirable in optical transmission systems because of their relatively high power threshold for nonlinear distortion impairments. The larger the effective area Aeff, the lower the intensity and thus the less non-linear effects. Because of this feature, an optical fiber with a large effective area Aeff may be operated at higher optical powers, thereby increasing the optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR).
Unfortunately, the effective area Aeff of optical fibers cannot simply be increased without bound. The conventional wisdom in the art is that an effective area Aeff of about 150 μm2 is the limit for a true single-mode fiber to maintain sufficient bend robustness, (i.e., reduced loss due to bending). In some cases, an effective area Aeff of 150 μm2 may in fact already be too large for some bending-loss requirements. However, the bending loss of an optical fiber can be reduced by increasing the mode confinement and hence the cutoff wavelength of the optical fiber associated with single-mode operation. Increasing the effective area Aeff beyond present-day values would require raising the cutoff wavelength to be above the signal wavelength, thereby resulting in few-mode operation, which gives rise to undesirable optical transmission impairments such as modal dispersion and multipath interference (MPI).
Alternatives to increasing the effective area Aeff of the optical fiber to reduce adverse non-linear effects include decreasing the effective nonlinear index n2. The nonlinear physics of an optical fiber depends on the ratio n2/Aeff. However, changing n2 is difficult and the resulting effect is likely to be very small. Reducing the fiber attenuation is another alternative for better transmission performance. A lower fiber attenuation reduces the need for amplification and thus reduces the noise of the transmission link, which in turn reduces the required signal power for a given required OSNR. However, reducing the attenuation of the optical fiber impacts the optical fiber transmission system in a different way than by changing the effective area Aeff, so that these two parameters cannot be exactly traded off.
What is needed therefore is a more robust type of large-effective-area optical fiber that reduces adverse non-linear effects while also having sufficiently small bending loss.


A rotational fluctuation amount between consecutively ignited cylinders is sequentially calculated. When the rotational fluctuation amount exceeds a first predetermined value and an emergence interval of the rotational fluctuation assumes a predetermined value, or when the rotational fluctuation amount exceeds a second predetermined value larger than the first predetermined value, the rotational fluctuation is judged to result from misfire. A cylinder subjected to the rotational fluctuation is then specified. By comparing rotational fluctuation amounts in the specified cylinder, and the two cylinders firing immediately after the specified cylinder, a determination is made as to whether it is only the specified cylinder which has misfired, the specified cylinder and the cylinder immediately following the specified cylinder have consecutively misfired, or the specified cylinder and a cylinder other than the immediately following cylinder have intermittently misfired.

Since an ignition failure in a spark ignition engine, so-called misfire, adversely affects combustion, concentrations of emission substances and driving comfort, various measures have been taken to prevent occurrences of misfire. Nevertheless, misfire may occur for some reason. Thus, it has been demanded to detect the occurrences of misfire as early and precisely as possible.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI No. 5-33717 discloses a misfire detecting device for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. This device compares a mean deviation of a mean revolution during an explosion stroke of consecutively ignited cylinders with first and second predetermined values (the first predetermined value<the second predetermined value). If the mean deviation is larger than the first and second predetermined values, it is determined that a plurality of cylinders is subjected to misfire. If the mean deviation is larger than the first predetermined value but smaller than the second predetermined value, it is determined that only one cylinder is subjected to misfire.
The aforementioned device can detect the occurrence of misfire either in a case where one cylinder is subjected to misfire or in a case where two cylinders are consecutively subjected to misfire. However, the device cannot precisely detect the occurrence of misfire in a case where two cylinders are intermittently subjected to misfire, that is, a cylinder disposed between the two cylinders is in a normal combustion state.

Misfire detecting device of multicylinder internal combustion engine


A propshaft assembly has an inner tube, an outer tube having an end splined to the inner tube thereby defining an engagement area between the inner tube and the outer tube. The propshaft assembly also includes at least one stiffening ring disposed around the outer tube. At least a portion of the stiffening ring is in contact with the outer tube.

In most conventional vehicles a vehicle driveshaft or propeller shaft (propshaft) transmits torque from the transmission through a differential to the wheels of the vehicle. The propshaft typically utilizes a pair of splined members that are commonly referred to as a "slip yoke" (outer tube) and a "yoke shaft" (inner tube). The inner tube has a splined outer surface and the outer tube has a splined inner surface. In one example, the inner tube is selectively inserted into the outer tube such that the splines of the outer tube mate with the splines of the inner tube. Such mating may be of an interference or slip fit nature. As a result of this mating, rotational energy from the outer tube may be transmitted to the inner tube or vice versa. The inserted relationship between the tubes also allows for some telescoping movement between the outer tube and the inner tube under certain operational or load conditions.
Various methods are available for forming a spline configuration on the inside surface of the outer tube and the outside surface of the inner tube. One method is to machine the spline configuration into the inner or outer surface of the tubes. Such a method, however, typically requires excess material. Another available method is to use a forming method, such as extrusion, to shape the material of the outer tube or inner tube into its splined configuration. The result of such a forming method is that, for each tube, both the inside and outside surfaces have a splined configuration. Additionally, due to the forming operation, the overall wall thickness for each tube is reduced. Such reduction in thickness causes the mating areas between the inner and outer tube to expand after repeated torsional fatigue loading and to wobble or become out-of-round under load or during operation.

Propshaft assembly with stiffening ring and seal


A partition construction includes a partition frame and a markerboard having a flat, dry erasable markerboard surface that erasably receives an erasable medium. The partition further includes top and bottom brackets for attaching the markerboard to the partition frame. The bottom bracket defines a bottom channel that receives a bottom edge of the markerboard. The top bracket defines an opposing top channel that engages a top edge of the markerboard. The top bracket includes an inner component attached to the partition frame and defining an inner portion of the top channel. The top bracket further includes an outer component that is attached to the inner component and defines an outer portion of the top channel. The outer component is configured to be secured after the markerboard is set on the bottom bracket and is pivoted into engagement with the inner components so that, when secured, the outer component, the inner component, and the bottom bracket capture the markerboard.

The present invention relates to an office partition panel system that includes a markerboard construction that may be easily, yet securely attached to a panel frame.
Modern offices and work environments often include movable partition panels detachably interconnected to subdivide open spaces in a building into individual work stations and/or offices. Various markerboards have been used in conjunction with such partition panel systems. However, presently available markerboards are often difficult to attach to the partition panels, and may not provide a secure attachment, thereby resulting in misalignment, undesirable "looseness" and other functional and aesthetic problems. Markerboards that are installed over an existing decorative skin protrude outwardly from the partition panel and may have overall dimensions that prevent true integration of the markerboard into the partition panel system. In addition, markerboards that are not configured for attachment to a given partition panel system must be custom installed. The quality of this type of installation necessarily depends on the skill of the installer, and, therefore, may lead to inconsistent results in the appearance and structural integrity of the markerboard installation. Another problem associated with markerboards is the possibility that a user marking the board will inadvertently cause a marker to travel off an edge of the markerboard and onto an adjacent decorative cover panel, resulting in an unsightly and difficult to remove stain on the adjacent cover panel. Still further, existing markerboards may be installed in an unsecured manner that allows relatively easy removal without the use of tools, leading to unauthorized or unwanted tampering.

Partition system with attached markerboard


An adhesive-backed floor, wall, or window graphic adapted for installation on a floor, wall, or window, is provided that includes a printed flexible substrate, an adhesive located on a back of the printed flexible substrate, and a back liner system. The back liner system, at least for the adhesive-backed wall and window graphic, includes removable liner dots at least in two upper corners of the adhesive-backed window graphic and in a medial location of the adhesive-backed window graphic, a center removable liner strip that is oriented vertically in an installation orientation of the adhesive-backed window graphic, and a plurality of side removable liner strips located on both sides of the center removable liner strip. An installation method using the adhesive-backed floor, wall, or window graphic is also provided that provides for easier installation with professional results.

Large format wall, floor, and window decals or adhesive-backed wall, floor, and window graphics are known. These are typically printed on an adhesive-backed polymeric material and installed respectively on a wall, floor, or window in, for example, a restaurant or store, in order to provide advertising or visual or promotional materials that can be easily seen by consumers.
Known adhesive-backed wall, floor, or window graphics or decals having a large format, i.e. greater than 2 square feet, are typically installed by professional installers in order to avoid bubbles, wrinkles, and/or poor alignment. Installation typically involves applying an application liquid to the wall, floor, or window surface, removing either one or two pieces of a liner material from the adhesive backing, and "floating" the large format wall, floor, or window graphic or decal into the desired positon on the application liquid prior to squeegeeing the liquid from behind the decal such that the adhesive can contact the wall, floor, or window surface in order to adhere the adhesive-backed wall, floor, or window graphic or decal in position. Often, the cost for installation is more than the cost of the large format adhesive-backed wall, floor, or window graphic or decal itself.
These known adhesive-backed wall, floor, or window graphics and decals are typically printed on a polymeric material, such as vinyl, typically having a thickness of less than four mils, typically in the range of 2-3 mils.
It would be desirable to provide an adhesive-backed wall, floor, or window graphic or decal system that can be easily installed by any user following simple instructions in order to achieve professional results without the high costs typically involved.

Adhesive-backed wall, floor, and window graphics and installation method