An alarm includes a chain guard assembly in which a slide member is attached to a door jamb by a chain and is removeably engaged in a slot member which is mounted on the inside of a door. An alarm enclosure which is connected to the slot member includes an alarm and a battery. A normally open switch assembly is mounted on the slot member. Movement of the slide member caused by a forced opening of the door causes the slide member to bear against the switch assembly causing the switch assembly to close and complete an electrical circuit between the battery and the alarm thereby activating the alarm.

With the increased awareness of a need for security against forced entry into various kinds of structures and especially dwellings, there has come a need for improved security equipment. While there have been numerous developments in the field of locks, deadbolts and mechanical means of preventing unwanted entry into a dwelling there has not been a corresponding development in the area of appropriate alarm systems. Most alarm systems require a permanent installationwhich includes complex electrical wiring resulting in relatively high installation costs which makes them unsuitable for persons who are renting their dwelling units and who may not be able to afford the relatively high costs of a permanent installation. In addition, most persons who are renting their dwelling units are prevented from making extensive permanent modifications to their dwellings and are therefore unable to have the protection of an alarm system.


A circuit module and a composite circuit module, which suppress or prevent damage to a connection to or within a device when heat is applied, includes a SAW filter including a piezoelectric substrate. In a package substrate that is a resin substrate, the SAW filter is mounted. A mounting substrate is a multilayer substrate mounted on a mother substrate, and the package substrate is mounted therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit module and a composite circuit module, and more specifically, relates to a circuit module and a composite circuit module, which include surface acoustic wave filters including piezoelectric elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a circuit module of the related art, an electronic component device described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-299996 has been known. FIG. 9 is the cross-sectional structural view of an electronic component device 500 described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-299996.
The electronic component device 500 includes a SAW device 502 and a base substance 504. The SAW device 502 includes a piezoelectric single crystal substrate 506 and a comb-shaped electrode 508. The comb-shaped electrode 508 is provided on the piezoelectric single crystal substrate 506. The SAW device 502 is mounted on the base substance 504 through bumps so that the comb-shaped electrode 508 faces the base substance 504. The electronic component device 500 configured in such a way as described above is mounted in, for example, a mother substrate and used.
Incidentally, when the electronic component device 500 is heated or cooled in a reflow process or the like, there is a possibility that a connection to or within the device may be damaged. In more detail, in the electronic component device 500, the piezoelectric single crystal substrate 506 is manufactured using, for example, lithium tantalate. In addition, the base substance 504 is manufactured using, for example, a ceramic such as aluminum oxide. In addition, the mother substrate is manufactured using, for example, a glass epoxy resin. The lithium tantalate, the aluminum oxide, and the glass epoxy resin are different from one another in material properties such as a coefficient of linear expansion and a Young's modulus. Therefore, when the electronic component device 500 has been heated or cooled in the reflow process or the like, different deformations may occur in the SAW device 502, the base substance 504, and the mother substrate. As a result, there is a possibility that a connection to or within the electronic component device 500 may be damaged. Using a computer simulation, the present inventor ascertained that a connection between the SAW device 502 and base substance 504 has a special propensity to be damaged.

Circuit module and composite circuit module


A drive system for an internal combustion engine including an endless chain connecting a drive sprocket on a crankshaft to a driven sprocket on a camshaft. The drive system is comprised of at least one balance shaft and a torsion bar. The balance shaft has a first end for connection to the drive sprocket and a center bore. The torsion bar is located within the center bore of the balance shaft. The torsion bar has a first end for connection to the drive sprocket and a second end fixedly attached to the inner end of the center bore. The torsion bar absorbs torsional vibrations and isolates torsional vibrations due to inertia of the balance shaft caused by the crankshaft. Bearings are located between the first end of the torsion bar and the center bore of the balance shaft, to center the torsion bar within the balance shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of isolation of vibrations in rotating systems. More particularly, the invention pertains to a balance shaft with a torsion bar.
2. Description of Related Art
The engine arrangement of cylinders and the number of cylinders influence the balance of the engine and the vibration the engine produces. Certain popular engine configurations, such as four cylinder inline engines, are kinematically unbalanced. This results in excessive levels of vibration, which often times are found to be objectionable to the end customer. Balance shafts cancel or reduce some of the vibration produced by the engine.
Prior art FIG. 1 shows a torsion bar 4 fixedly attached to a sprocket 2 in which a chain 1 is wrapped, on a first end. The second end of the torsion bar 4 is attached to the balance shaft 8. The torsion bar 4 has at least two pairs 6a, 6b of bearings on either end to maintain the position of the torsion bar 4 relative to the balance shaft 8. The balance shaft 8 contains a weight 10 on a portion of the shaft.
An example of a balance shaft used to reduce the vibration of the engine is U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,547 which discloses a balance shaft installed into an in-line engine that includes a first journal and a second journal with first and second bearings that support the shaft. The first bearing is near the front side of the engine through a retainer. The second bearing is near a generally center portion in the axial direction of the crankshaft and secured to the cylinder block. The balance shaft also includes an oil passage, which is formed along the center axis of the shaft and communicates with grooves that splash the oil onto the outer circumferential surface of the balance shaft. The splashed oil lands on the first and second journal.
JP 07-238971A discloses a torsion spring in a damper shaft, which is inserted into a tubular casing. The casing is then attached to an equipment body.
Another examples is JP 04-228950A, which discloses a balance shaft comprising an elastic rod member with spring properties that acts as torsion bar against vibration of the crankshaft. A second shaft is connected to the crankshaft via a damper member, which is positioned in parallel to the balance shaft. The damper member follows the rotation of the crankshaft. When a difference occurs between the rotation of the second shaft and another rotation due to engine output transmission through the balance shaft, a damping force is generated.
JP 06-191461A discloses torsion bars for motorcycles that act as springs and are attached to the sides of swing arm. At least one of the torsion bars is disposed within the hollow, rotating shaft of the rotary damper. When the torsion bars act as springs, the spring forces act on the right and left swing arms.


A paintball marker for launching a paintball using a bolt with an internal impact ring for contacting a power tube sized to fit within the bolt. The power tube has an internal gas passage for supplying launching gas to the paintball and an external striking surface that is contacted by the bolt's impact ring. A main seal is positioned selectively seal the internal passage of the power tube from a gas supply. Movement of the bolt causes the impact ring to contact the striking surface to unseat the power tube from the main seal to release gas from the main gas chamber through the internal passage into the breach to launch the paintball.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in constructions for valves for compressed gas control. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements particularly suited for controlling internal operation of gas release valves in paintball markers.
2. Description of the Known Art
The game of paintball uses pneumatic guns that frangible capsules containing a marking material (paintballs). Participants fire the paintballs in an attempt to hit the other player and "mark" them as eliminated from the game. Thus, the physical devices used to launch the paintball are called "markers." These markers have two basic mechanisms including one for loading the paintball into the firing position and the other for releasing a quantity of gas to launch the paintball from the marker.
The original style of paintball markers used a two tube system with one tube housing a bolt that loads a paintball into position and another tube housing a poppet valve for releasing a quantity of Compressed gas. In these designs a hammer in the lower tube is connected to a bolt in the upper tube and the two usually move together to chamber a ball and strike a poppet style pin valve. While the setup requires few o-rings it has its drawbacks in needing separate components for the bolt and hammer, a connecting linkage between the two, a large body and heavy springs to generate the force required to open the poppet valve.
Newer marker designs are incorporating the valve and bolt into a single tube to reduce the material costs of the paintball marker. These single tube designs are commonly referred to as "spool valve" style guns. The bolt is moved axially forward to chamber the ball into the breach. At the apex of the motion either a valve is released or the bolt moves past some form of seal that allows high pressure gas to enter the breach and propel the ball out of the barrel.
The bolt is usually moved by means of applying gas pressure to a chamber on the outside of the bolt which then acts against a lip on the bolt's exterior. The main gas pressure chamber is usually behind the bolt or around a rear section of the bolt. While this design provides for a fast actuation and a simple design, it also requires a significant amount of axial length to accommodate the necessary components. Furthermore, the number of seals required for these designs introduces a large amount of friction force. The friction force can vary from shot to shot which causes inconsistent ball release and launching speed. This variation can cause variation in how long the bolt is forward and how much gas is released to the ball. To minimize the variations in how much gas is released to the ball, some of these "spool valve" markers incorporate an "on-off" mechanism as part of the bolt. When the bolt is rearward a gas chamber is allowed to fill with gas. When the bolt moves forward it closes the chamber off to any more incoming gas. The chambered gas is what propels the ball when the gun fires. This on-off mechanism necessitates more seals, and hence more complexity to the paintball gun. Finally, the use of an exterior lip on the bolt to propel it forward and rearward usually makes the gas passages from the air chamber to the ball smaller then they might otherwise be. The small passages create the need for higher gas pressures to move the needed gas from the chamber to the ball. These higher pressures tend to make the internal seals fail faster and further contribute to the increase in friction with these designs. These higher pressures also make it necessary to use high pressure solenoid valves to actuate the bolt or a secondary pressure regulator to allow use of standard, low pressure solenoid valves. Both situations increase the cost of the paintball marker.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, launching device have been known for a long time. Patents disclosing information relevant to projectile launching devices includes: U.S. Pat. No. 645,932, issued to Ferrant on Mar. 27, 1900; U.S. Pat. No. 1,167,178, issued to Hill on Jan. 4, 2016; U.S. Pat. No. 1,343,127, issued to Hallinan on Jun. 8, 2020; U.S. Pat. No. 1,743,576, issued to Smith on Jan. 14, 1930; U.S. Pat. No. 2,550,887, issued to Tratsch on May 1, 1951; U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,432, issued to Cook on Sep. 18, 1951; U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,055, issued to Collins et al. on Jul. 29, 1958; U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,476, issued to Wolverton on May 14, 1963; U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,344, issued to Vadas et al. on Feb. 10, 1970; U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,310, issued to Kensuke Chiba on Mar. 23, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,246, issued to Filippi et al. on Oct. 3, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,887, issued to Akiyama et al. on Jun. 25, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,000, issued to Rostocil on Jan. 3, 1978; U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,327 issued to Smith on May 20, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,487, issued to Houseman on Jul. 14, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,815, issued to Hung on Sep. 22, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,153, issued to Edelman on Sep. 13, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,245, issued to Chelminski on Oct. 18, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,609, issued to Tippmann on Apr. 11, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,717, issued to Rutten et al. on Feb. 13, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,282, issued to Dobbins et al. on Jun. 26, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,905, issued to Farrell on Dec. 12, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,118, issued to Perrone on Jan. 7, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,427, issued to Gardner, Jr. on Jul. 20, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,384, issued to Hu on Nov. 16, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,778, issued to Kotsiopoulos on Jan. 25, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,454, issued to Bell, et al. on Feb. 1, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,042, issued to Grenwell on Oct. 31, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,137, issued to Fusco on Apr. 2, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,483, issued to Lukas et al. on Mar. 25, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,456, issued to Perrone on Jun. 3, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,538, issued to Ellis on Mar. 17, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,720, issued to Bell, et al. on Apr. 7, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,232, issued to Bell on Oct. 6, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,736, issued to Lotuaco, III on Mar. 9, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,707, issued to Gardner, Jr. on Mar. 16, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,479, issued to Morin on Apr. 6, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,303, issued to Kotsiopoulos on Jun. 22, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,133, issued to Gardner, Jr. on Oct. 19, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,504, issued to Rice et al. on Dec. 21, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,843, issued to Smith et al. on Mar. 14, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,460, issued to Lotuaco, III on May 23, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,656, issued to Rice et al. on Oct. 31, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,137, issued to MacLaughlin on Nov. 7, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,711, issued to Perry et al. on Feb. 26, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,217, issued to Shih on Aug. 27, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,326, issued to Smith et al. on Nov. 5, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,949, issued to McKendrick on Mar. 18, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,983, issued to Li on Apr. 29, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,386, issued to Williams on Jul. 8, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,814, issued to Rice et al. on Sep. 9, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,420, issued to Moritz on Oct. 28, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,421, issued to Smith et al. on Oct. 28, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,295, issued to Jones on Nov. 11, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,963, issued to Taylor on Feb. 24, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,322, issued to Rice, et al. on May 25, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,822, issued to Styles on Jul. 20, 2004; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,306, issued to Rice on Oct. 12, 2004. Each of these patents is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Even with this plethora of designs, these prior art systems continue to have the major disadvantages previously discussed. Thus, it may be seen that these prior art patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved paintball marker is needed to overcome these limitations.


An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a display unit comprising a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, and a plurality of pixels coupled to corresponding data lines of the data lines and corresponding scan lines of the scan lines; a scan driver configured to supply a plurality of scan signals to the scan lines; a data driver configured to: output a plurality of first data signals among a plurality of data signals through a plurality of first output lines among a plurality of output lines, output a plurality of second data signals among the data signals through the first output lines, and output a plurality of third data signals among the data signals through a plurality of second output lines among the output lines, wherein the first data signals represent a first color, the second data signals represent a second color, and the third data signals represent a third color; and a data distribution unit configured to: transmit the first data signals to a plurality of corresponding first data lines among the data lines according to a first clock signal, transmit the second data signals to a plurality of corresponding second data lines among the data lines according to a second clock signal, and transmit the third data signals to a plurality of corresponding third data lines among the data lines.

(a) Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a driving method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In general, with respect to flat panel displays, there are a liquid crystal panel display, a field emission panel display, a plasma display panel (PDP), and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
Among the flat organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display using an organic light emitting diode (OLED) means a flat display using an electro-luminescence phenomenon of an organic material. The organic light emitting diode emits light using a mechanism in which electrons and holes are injected from electrodes and the injected electrons and holes are combined to have an excitation state.
The organic light emitting diode display can have reduced volume and weight because an additional light source is not required, and it may be used for an electronic product such as a portable terminal or a large-sized television with characteristics such as relatively low power consumption, high luminous efficiency, high luminance, and a wide viewing angle, as well as a fast response speed.
The organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a data driver transmitting a data signal to a plurality of data lines, a scan driver sequentially transmitting a scan signal to a plurality of scan lines, and a plurality of pixels coupled to a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines. Each pixel supplies a current corresponding to the corresponding data signal to the organic light emitting diode (OLED), and the organic light emitting diode (OLED) emits light according to the supplied current amount.
When increasing the number of pixels to improve the resolution of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a plurality of pixels coupled to one scan line are coupled to different data lines such that the number of data lines is proportionally increased. Accordingly, the circuit of the data driver may be relatively complicated and the manufacturing costs of the data driver may be relatively high.
To reduce the complexity and manufacturing costs of the data driver, a demultiplexer may be utilized, which selectively outputs one input signal to one among a plurality of output lines. That is, by sequentially applying the data signal output from the data driver to a plurality of data lines through the demultiplexer of a 1:n method, the circuit of the data driver may be simplified.
As described above, for the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display using the demultiplexer, to prevent the data signal input to each pixel during current horizontal period from being influenced by the data signal applied during the previous horizontal period, each horizontal period is divided into a writing period in which the data signal is written and a scan period in which the data signal is transmitted to each pixel according to the scan signal.
However, as the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is developed with higher resolution, a horizontal period is decreased such that the writing of the data to all pixels through the 1:n demultiplexer is limited. For this, when increasing the data writing period, the scan period is relatively shortened. Accordingly, the data compensation time is shortened such that spots may be generated in the display.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Organic light emitting display device including data distribution unit and driving method thereof


The present invention comprises a securement member to improve securement of a stent upon an expandable balloon and delivery catheter, and to constrain portions of the stent before and during stent deployment. Generally, the securement member comprises a securement connector arranged to engage a catheter, at least one flexible connecting member coupled to the securement connector, and a locking member arranged to engage a portion of a stent.

Stents and stent delivery assemblies are utilized in a number of medical procedures and situations, and as such their structure and function are well known. A stent is a generally cylindrical prosthesis introduced via a catheter into a lumen of a body vessel in a configuration having a generally reduced diameter, and then expanded to the diameter of the vessel. In its expanded configuration, the stent supports and reinforces the vessel walls while maintaining the vessel in an open, unobstructed condition.
Both self-expanding and inflation expandable stents are well known and widely available in a variety of designs and configurations. Inflation expandable stents are crimped to their reduced diameter about the delivery catheter, maneuvered to the deployment site, and expanded to the vessel diameter by fluid inflation of a balloon positioned on the delivery catheter. The present invention is particularly concerned with delivery and deployment of inflation expandable stents.
There is currently a drive in the market to reduce the wall thickness of expandable coronary stents. Clinical results have shown that a reduced stent wall thickness improves vascular response.
There is also a market drive to make stents more flexible, allowing physicians to more easily maneuver stents through the bodily lumen, especially through the tortuous paths common in small vessels.
Thus, present stents commonly combine a thin wall thickness with high flexibility, which leads to various drawbacks associated with stent delivery. Stents with a reduced wall thickness typically have reduced strength in all directions. A stent with reduced strength has less ability to remain secure on the balloon and delivery catheter in the reduced state. Therefore, the stent has an increased risk of shifting positions on the catheter as it is maneuvered through the body. The stent must be able to securely maintain its axial position on the delivery catheter without translocation of its proximal or distal ends.
Reducing stent wall thickness may also reduce the axial strength of the stent. Lowered axial rigidity allows the stent to more easily pass through curved bodily vessels but can also lead to difficulty in stent placement during expansion.
When a stent with low axial rigidity is expanded by a balloon catheter, the stent may experience increased shortening or lengthening. If balloon inflation begins at the ends and continues inward, the deployed stent often has a shorter overall length after expansion. Conversely, if balloon inflation begins at the center and moves outwardly, the stent often experiences lengthening upon deployment.
Inflation expandable stent delivery and deployment assemblies are known which utilize restraining means that overlie the stent during delivery. U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,227 to Savin et al discusses an expandable stent delivery system in which a sleeve overlaps the distal or proximal margin (or both) of the stent during delivery. During expansion of the stent at the deployment site, the stent margins are freed of the protective sleeve(s). U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,341 to Solar relates to a stent delivery and deployment assembly which uses retaining sheaths positioned about opposite ends of the compressed stent. The retaining sheaths of Solar are adapted to tear under pressure as the stent is radially expanded, thus releasing the stent from engagement with the sheaths. U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,416 to Ryan et al. describes a stent introducer system which uses one or two flexible end caps and an annular socket surrounding the balloon to position the stent during introduction to the deployment site.
These known methods typically release the stent early in the balloon inflation procedure and do not maintain the axial dimensions of the stent during inflation.
There remains a need for stent delivery systems that constrain the axial dimensions of the stent until the stent is fully expanded.
All U.S. patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.


A composition for preventing or ameliorating multiple risk factor syndrome involving visceral fat-type obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia and hypertension, which comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a licorice hydrophobic extract, a turmeric extract, a clove extract, and a cinnamon extract.

Lifestyle-related disease arising from deteriorations of living habit such as supernutrition and underexercise is a major social concern today. Lifestyle-related disease involves various states of disease such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia and hypertension, and these states of disease are gathering considerable attention as multiple risk factor syndrome that may be an underlying disease of arteriosclerosis. Moreover, this is a matter of concern not only in humans but also in pet animals such as dogs and cats.
Obesity is roughly classified into subcutaneous fat-type obesity resulting from accumulation of subcutaneous fat and visceral fat-type obesity resulting from accumulation of intra-abdominal fat.
Visceral fat-type obesity is a disease which is accompanied by hyperlipemia, glucose tolerance abnormality, and hypertension at high rates and also characterized by strong insulin resistance so that it is known as multiple risk factor syndrome. Moreover, visceral fat accumulation is not only found in obese individuals but also observed in persons within the normal body weight range and is likely to accompany the multiple risk referred to above (BIO Clinica, September, 2000 expanded issue, 16-55). This, visceral fat accumulation triggers insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia, hypertension and the like. Matsuzawa et al. coined the term "visceral fat syndrome" for this disease entity (Diabetes/Metabolism Reviews, 13, 3-13, 1997). "Syndrome X" as proposed by G. M. Reaven (Diabetes, 37, 1595-1607, 1988), "deadly quartet" as proposed by N. M. Kaplan (Archives of Internal Medicine, 149, 1514-1520, 1989), and "insulin-resistance syndrome" as proposed by R. A. DeFronzo (Diabetes Care, 14, 173-194, 1991) signify the same disease entity.
The therapy of obesity generally consists of diet therapy and exercise therapy, and drug therapy is indicated in serious obesity cases. However, these therapeutic regimens are recommended or prescribed to patients by medical institutions, and are not directed to the so-called candidate patients in the reserve. Moreover, appetite suppressants, inhibitors of digestion and absorption of carbohydrate and fat as energy sources, and energy consumption promoters can be mentioned as antiobesity agents. However, appetite suppressants and inhibitors of digestion and absorption do not positively lower visceral fat, and energy consumption promoters do not specifically lower visceral fat.
Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-11-187843 discloses that administration of an extract of Cassia nomame having fat absorption inhibitory action and an extract of Morus bombycis having carbohydrate absorption inhibitory action in combination leads to inhibition of body weight gain and reductions in subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Regarding other substances of the natural origin, it is known that substances derived from highly unsaturated oils such as fish oil and vegetable oil, e.g. linseed oil and perilla oil (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-10-231495), or conjugated isomerized highly unsaturated fatty acids (Japanese Kokai Publication 2000-144170) have an accumulated visceral fat lowering function, that an amylase inhibitor derived from wheat (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-09-194390) inhibits visceral fat accumulation, and that D-xylose and/or L-arabinose (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-07-309765 and Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-07-242551) inhibits accumulation of body fat (subcutaneous fat and visceral fat).
Diabetes mellitus is a disease the chief manifestation of which is chronic hyperglycemia resulting from a deficiency in insulin activity, and not less than 90% of diabetics are those with type II diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; NIDDM). The number of diabetic patients in Japan has increased dramatically from 1.57 million in 1993 to 2.18 million in 1996 (a patient survey of the Health and Welfare Ministry). Furthermore, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry's diabetes census undertaken in November 1997, the persons strongly suspected to be diabetic (inclusive of those on therapy) numbered 6.9 million and the sum of this number and the number of individuals in whom diabetes could not be ruled out was estimated at 13.7 million. Thus, besides the sharply increasing number of diabetics, the number of individuals in the reserve and not on therapy by medical institutions is by far large, and this is a matter of serious concern.
The therapy of diabetes mellitus includes diet therapy and exercise therapy, and in cases not sufficiently responsive to these therapies, drug therapy is superimposed. The drug therapy includes insulin therapy and administration of oral hypoglycemic drugs. As oral hypoglycemic drugs, there can be mentioned sulfonylurea derivatives such as tolbutamide and glibenclamide; biguanides such as buformin and metformin; α-glucosidase inhibitors such as acarbose and voglibose; and insulin resistance improving drugs such as troglitazone and pioglitazone.
In diet therapy, the patient is recommended to refrain from overeating and adhere to a legitimate calorie intake and, if one is obese, instructed to make efforts to slim down to the standard body weight. As foodstuffs to be used in diet therapy, assorted foods for preparation of diets for diabetics, which are special-use foods approved by the Health and Welfare Ministry, are known. However, these are no more than the so-called low-calorie, balanced-nutrition foods, and cannot be considered to have intrinsic therapeutic efficacy for diabetes.
Furthermore, these therapies are prescribed for diabetics by medical institutions and not directed to the so-called diabetics in the reserve who outnumber the diabetics by a large margin. There is accordingly a demand for a composition effective for preventing or ameliorating diabetes mellitus in the form of a food/beverage, such as food with health claims (food for specified health uses and food with nutrient function claims) or health food, or a drug (inclusive of a quasi-drug) to which access may be easily had by any one not associated with medical institutions.
The incidence of diabetes has been on the steady increase in domestic or pet animals, too, and development of a composition effective for preventing or ameliorating diabetes in domestic and pet animals is being desired.
Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-01-233217 discloses an antidiabetic composition comprising curcumenone, the extract of Curcuma aromatica, the family Zingiberaceae, as an active ingredient. Japanese Patent Hei-06-192086 discloses an antidiabetic composition comprising
(4S,5S)-(+)-germacrone-4,5-epoxide, the extract of Curcuma aromatica, as an active ingredient. Curcuma aromatica is known to be a crude drug but has not been cleared for use as a food additive.
Licorice and its aqueous extract are in use as crude drugs having analgesic/anticonvulsant and expectorant actions or as foods. Since the chief component glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizinic acid) is about 200 times as sweet as sucrose, the "licorice extract" obtainable by extracting licorice with water or an alkaline aqueous medium is a food additive for use as a sweetener as well (Annotated List of Additives in Available Books, page 163, Japanese Food Additives Association, 1999). Its physiologic actions so far known are adrenocortical electrolyte or glycocorticoid-like action, estrogen-like action, testosteron production-inhibitory action, antitussive action, antiinflammatory action, antiallergic action, detoxicating action, hyperlipemia-improving action, gastric mucosal cell cyclic-AMP concentration increasing action, experimental liver impairment preventing or ameliorating action, antiviral action, interferon-inducing action, anticaries action, tumor promoter inhibitory action, cytosolic Ca2+ lowering action, phospholipase A2 inhibitory action, LTB4 and PGE2 production inhibitory action, and platelet activating factor production inhibitory action, among others. Furthermore, licorice is one of the components of the traditional Chinese medicine Byakko-ka-Ninjin-To which is prescribed for the diabetes-associated intense dry-mouth, polyposia, and polyuria and, like gypsum, anemarrhena, and ginseng which are also formulated, an aqueous extract of licorice reportedly has a hypoglycemic action (I. Kimura, et al.: Phytotheraphy Research, 13, 484-488, 1999).
The licorice residues which remain after extraction of glycyrrhizin from licorice with water or an aqueous alkaline medium are known to have a hepato-tonic (hepatoprotectant) action and/or an antiinfective action (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-09-143085), an immunopotentiating action (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-05-262658), and an antiviral action (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-01-175942). Furthermore, the "licorice oily extract" which can be obtained by extracting the residues of licorice after aqueous washing with ethanol, acetone, or hexane is an antioxidant for use as a food additive (Annotated Lists of Additives in Available Books, page 164, Japanese Food Additives Association, 1999). The licorice oily extract is known to have antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori (Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-10-130161, Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-08-119872). However, it is not known that said licorice residues after extraction of glycyrrhizin or said licorice oily extract ever has a visceral fat lowering action, a hypoglycemic action, a lipid metabolism improving action, or a blood pressure elevation inhibitory action.
Incidentally, it is long known that an excessive intake or prolonged use of licorice induces pseudoaldosteronism inclusive of hypertension, edema, and hypokalemia. This condition is caused by glycyrrhizin which is the main component of licorice. It is also reported that hypertension may be elicited by glycyrrhetinic acid which is a hydrolyzate of glycyrrhizin (H. Siguruonsdottir, et al.: Journal of Human Hypertension, 15, 549-552, 2001). Thus, a licorice aqueous extract which contains the hydrophilic fraction of licorice and is composed predominantly of glycyrrhizin induces hypertension.
As tropical plants relegated to the genus Curcuma, the family Zingiberaceae, of Tropical Asian origin, several varieties such as Curcuma longa, Curcuma aromatica, Curcuma zedoaria, and Curcuma xanthorrhiza are known. Among these, Curcuma longa is commonly called "turmeric" and known to be one of the component spices of curry. This is not only used as a foodstuff but, because the principal component curcumin of Curcuma longa is a yellow dye (natural color), this plant or an extract thereof (curcuma dye) is used as a dyestuff or a coloring agent (a food additive). As a herbal medicine in traditional therapies such as Kampo (traditional Chinese medicine) of China, Ayur-Veda of India, and Jamu of Indonesia, it is long known that Curcuma longa has hemostatic, stomachic, antibacterial, and antiinflammatory actions, and actually this plant is still in use as a medicine. Furthermore, the efficacy of turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its principal component curcumin is attracting attention and has been found to have various physiologic actions such as an antioxidant action, a cholagogue action (a choleretic action), a visceral (liver, pancreas) function-potentiating action, an anti-tumor effect, a lipid metabolism improving action, and a skin lightening action.
However, it is not known that turmeric or its extract ever has a visceral fat lowering action, a hypoglycemic action, or a blood pressure elevation inhibitory action.
Clove is the flower-bud, leaf, or flower of Syzygium aromaticum or Eugenia caryophyllata of the family Myrtaceae and is known to be one of spices. By virtue of its antibacterial/bactericidal action and an analgesic/anesthetic action, clove has been used for many generations not only as a breath sweetener or an antiodontalgic but also as a stomachic in the realm of crude drugs and herbal medicines (Kampo medicine). Furthermore, a clove extract has been applied as an antioxidant for food additive use. However, it is not known that clove or its extract ever has visceral fat lowering action, a hypoglycemic action, a lipid metabolism improving action or a blood pressure elevation inhibitory action.
Cinnamon or cassia is the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, C. zeylanicum, or C. loureirii of the family Lauraceae. Cinnamon has antibacterial and antioxidant actions and has long been used as one of spices and its bark has been used in medicinal applications. However, it is not known that cinnamon or its extract has a visceral fat lowering action, a hypoglycemic action, a lipid metabolism improving action, or a blood pressure elevation inhibitory action.

Compositions for preventing or ameliorating multiple risk factor syndromes


Configurable light fixtures are provided. The light fixture includes a housing having an opening. At least one reflector having at least a first and a second configurable throw pattern, is disposed within the housing proximate the opening. The reflector accommodates the post-manufacture installation of a number of reflective throw pattern adjustment members to provide first and second configurable throw patterns having subtended angles with the same or different values.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to lighting fixtures and particularly relates to marine lighting fixtures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lighting systems are used in a wide variety of applications and environments. Some environments may be particularly harsh. For example, marine environments may expose a lighting system to corrosion from water, to high winds, and other operational stresses.
Marine lighting systems are used on both recreational and commercial vessels. Lighting requirements vary by service, application, and user, at times requiring a floodlight able to provide broad illumination of an area and at other times requiring the precision of a spotlight able to provide focused illumination at a specific location. Limited shipboard power can restrict the size and number of lighting fixtures that can be safely accommodated. Limited shipboard real estate places a premium on the size and utility of a marine light fixture, thus the ability to physically mount multiple lighting fixtures may not exist. Due to space constraints or operational requirements, marine lighting fixtures may be mounted in unusual configurations, at times on structures not originally intended for use as a lighting stand.
In addition to inherent shipboard physical and electrical limitations, marine light fixtures must also endure harsh operating conditions including extremes of heat, moisture, and vibration. Such operational demands increase the likelihood of failure of electronics within the light fixture. Rigorous service conditions, limited availability of shipboard space and/or resources, and wide variability in user requirements place challenging demands on marine light fixtures. Thus, a configurable marine light fixture having a flexible mounting system, and acceptable water-resistance and anti-fog characteristics is desirable.


A system for compacting and storing separately recyclable and nonrecyclable waste materials. The system includes two separate storage and compacting units, one of which is designated for the storage of recyclable material and the other designated for the storage of nonrecyclable material. The system further includes a rack structure having a substantially horizontally extending platform and a plurality of support legs extending downwardly from the substantially horizontally extending platform. The support legs and platform form a passageway or channel for receiving at least a portion of one storage and compacting unit. The other storage and compacting unit is mounted on the substantially horizontally extending platform of the rack directly above the first compacting and storage unit.

The desirability of recycling waste materials is well known. Numerous arrangements have been proposed for permitting the recycling of various waste materials. However, for recycling to be effective, it's imperative that the recycling unit be able to store both recyclable and nonrecyclable waste materials without the likelihood of contamination of the recyclable waste materials. Moreover, due to the numerous different types of recyclable material, it is often necessary to further classify and separately store different types of recyclable materials. This often results in numerous separate storage containers taking up a considerable area of a proprietors valued floor space.
Alternatively, it has been proposed to compartmentalize a single storage container to accommodate both recyclable and nonrecyclable waste materials. For example, arrangements of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,372,726, 4,557,658 and 5,001,978. Although these arrangements do not take up as much floor space as multi-container arrangements, the proprietors' storage capacity is greatly reduced requiring more frequent disposal of waste material. This obviously leads to greater expense to the proprietor which is undoubtedly passed on to the consumer. Also, the compartmentalized storage containers can often lead to contamination of the recyclable material either stored in the waste storage compartment or at the disposal site because of improper handling by an operator.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art recited above as well as achieving advantages neither disclosed nor contemplated by the prior art which are discussed hereinafter.

System for compacting and storing separately recyclable and nonrecyclable waste materials


A sheet material guiding mechanism for guiding the edge portion of sheet material comprises a movable side guide capable of sliding corresponding to the sizes of sheet material, and being fixable in any position within the sliding area; a sheet guide section provided for the movable side guide in order to regulate the position of sheet material by butting against the edge of the sheet material; and an inner-side operating section provided for the movable side guide, being capable of releasing the fixed condition of the movable side guide by depression, hence making it possible to provide a sheet material guiding mechanism having a simple structure at lower costs, and producing the suppression effect against the skew of the sheet material with the easy operation that copes with disability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet material guiding mechanism capable of reliably guiding a sheet material to be fed. The invention also relates to a sheet material feeding and conveying device provided with such mechanism, as well as a recording apparatus, such as a printer, and facsimile equipment.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a recording apparatus, such as a printer, a copying machine, and facsimile equipment, has used a post card, an envelope, and other thick paper sheets, and a thin plastic sheet and other special sheet materials, in addition to a plain paper sheet. The supply of sheet material has been performed one by one by manual insertion or by an automatic and continuous feeding by means of a sheet material feeding and conveying device. Then, for the execution of feeding and conveying operations, it is necessary to regulate the sheet material so as to feed it without skew. In the feeding portion, therefore, it is arranged to regulate both sides of sheet material by placing them along the guides when sheet material is stacked.
Usually, the reference of sheet material is established on one side. Therefore, the structure is arranged to fix the guide on the reference side, and make the guide on non-reference side movable. In the movable-guide structure of the kind, the movable guide pinches one side of the pressure plate, which enables the stacked sheet material to be biased to the feed roller, and then, the movable guide is made slidable on the pressure plate, thus fixing it in the predetermined position. As the structure for fixing the movable guide, the following is in practice, for example:
(1) A movable guide pinches a pressure plate, and the force of fixation for the movable guide is output only by the mold elasticity and friction coefficient thereof.
(2) An elastic member and a friction member are inserted between the movable guide and the pressure plate in order to output the force of fixation for the movable guide.
(3) The knurled portion is arranged for the pressure plate, and the engaging portion is provided for the movable guide corresponding to the knurled portion of the movable guide so as to enable it to be fixed in a position matching the size of a sheet material to be used. When the movable guide should move in accordance with the size of sheet material to be used, the operator nips the operating section of the movable guide. Then, the aforesaid engaging portion is released from the knurled portion to allow the movable guide to move.
However, the following problems are encountered in the conventional examples described above:
(1) It is difficult to set the optimum operating force with the structure in which the movable guide pinches the pressure plate to output the force of fixation for the movable guide only by the mold elasticity and friction coefficient thereof. In some case, the operating force is lowered due to such phenomenon as creeping or the like.
(2) The structure having the elastic member and friction member inserted between the movable guide and pressure plate makes it possible to provide the countermeasure needed for the set up of the operating force and the problem of creeping.
However, there is still a problem of increased costs, and the inferior operability when the force of fixation should increase in order to suppress the skew of a sheet material having a firmness that requires a stronger operating force.
(3) The locking mechanism that uses the knurled portion overcomes the aforesaid problems, but the operator is required to nip the operating section. Then, there is still a problem to be solved before realizing the operation that may be carried out by use of one finger, which is needed for eliminating the existing disability.

Sheet material guiding mechanism, and sheet material feeding and conveying device provided with such mechanism, and recording apparatus


Provided is a device mounted contactor and a method of reducing continuous charge distribution, especially in a vehicle. The contactor includes a housing, and a plurality of power terminals. The device may further include a conductance shield and support structure extending from the housing. Situated at least partially in the housing is a switch, which is capable of electrically coupling at least two of the plurality of power terminals. One or more electrically insulative covers may be provided. The contactor may also provide a fused accessory terminal, which is electrically coupled to one of the power terminals through a fuse. A method according to the present invention reduces continuous electrical charge distribution in an electrical circuit by mechanically attaching a first contactor power terminal to a battery terminal and electrically coupling a second contactor power terminal to a circuit, which may include a vehicle starter.

The present invention relates generally to switches and electrical charge distribution, and more specifically to a method and device for reducing continuous electric charge distribution in a vehicle.
Normally, in a vehicle motorized by an internal combustion engine, a battery is used to provide operating power for starting the engine, for igniting fuel in the cylinders and for running vehicle accessories such as lighting, information systems and entertainment systems. While these duties have different electrical current requirements, the amperage required for starting the engine far exceeds the amperage required for maintaining the other functions.
The starting circuit of a vehicle generally includes a battery, a starter contactor and a starter, wired in series. The starter contactor has two contactor terminals and is usually mounted between the battery and the starter. A wire is coupled at one end to the positive battery terminal and at the other end to a first starter contactor terminal. The second starter contactor terminal is then wired to the starter. When the ignition key of the vehicle is turned, the starter contactor is closed, thereby electrically coupling the contactor terminals and supplying the starter with the required starting amperage. Due to the high required amperage, the wire coupling the positive battery terminal to the starter contactor is of substantial diameter; therefore, it is costly.
Furthermore, a battery and a starter contactor of a vehicle are usually not juxtaposed. The greater the separation between the battery and the starter contactor, the greater the continuous charge distribution within the vehicle. That is, as the amount of wire required to couple the positive battery terminal to the starter contactor increases, the distribution of positive charge within the vehicle increases. An increase in the distribution of positive charge within the vehicle can be problematic in accident situations, potentially increasing the risk of fire. Further, such an increase requires multiple protective covers, one at the battery and one at the contactor, for guarding against incidental contact with the continuously live terminals during routine maintenance in close proximity thereto. Regarding the latter point, not only does the positive battery terminal require a protective cover, but a protective cover should be used to shield against incidental contact with the continuously live terminal on the starter contactor.
Contactors for use in circuits demanding delivery of high amperage are generally known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,566, which is assigned to the owner of the incident application, discloses a solenoid unit for use in high amperage environments. U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,566 is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Despite the existence and knowledge of such devices, the art of vehicle electrical circuit switching would benefit from a method and device for eliminating costly manufacturing components and increasing the safety of the electrical distribution system in general.


A lighting device for generating a white mixed light having controllable spectral characteristics is provided. The lighting device comprises a number of white light sources for each making a contribution to the white mixed light by generating a white light with a respective spectral expression in each case that can be quantitatively characterized, so that the white lights generated by the white light sources can form corner points of a target range for the resulting mixed light in a spectral light parameter space. The lighting device further comprises control electronics for controlling proportional contributions of the white light sources so that the position corresponding to the resulting mixed white light can be varied within the target area spanned on the corner points in the spectral light parameter space.

Lighting devices or light sources for generating a white light are known. Lighting devices with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are also known, wherein in some cases, several LEDs are combined in order to obtain a white light with desired or preferred spectral characteristics. A satisfactory adjustment of spectral characteristics of lighting devices is often not easily possible due to the mutual interdependence between different spectral characteristics. Moreover, it is often unclear how to describe the spectral characteristics of white light.

Lighting device for generating a white mixed light with controllable spectral characteristics


Apparatus and method of providing transparent relay service to a Mobile Station (MS) in a multihop relay Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system. The communication method includes checking, at least one relay station (RS), a sounding channel allocated to an MS by analyzing a message broadcast from a Base Station (BS); measuring, at the BS, an BS-MS signaling level using a sounding signal of the MS, the sounding signal received in the sounding channel; measuring, at the at least one RS, an RS-MS signaling level using a sounding signal of the MS, the sounding signal received in the sounding channel; reporting, at the at least one RS, the RS-MS signaling level measurement value to the BS; and selecting, at the BS, an RS suitable for the MS using the BS-MS signaling level measurement value and at least one RS-MS signaling level measurement value reported from the at least one RS. Accordingly, the BS can select a suitable RS for the MS by taking into account the RS-MS channel status.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a multihop relay broadcast wireless access (BWA) communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and method of providing transparent relay service to a mobile station in a relay supporting system for cell capacity expansion of a serving cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
In fourth generation (4G) communication systems, research has been conducted to provide users with various Quality of Service (QoS) at a data rate of over 100 Mbps. Specifically, research into the high rate service support to guarantee mobility and QoS in broadband wireless access (BWA) communication systems, such as Local Area Networks (LAN) and Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN), has been under way. Representative systems of the BWA communication system include Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16d and 802.16e communication systems.
IEEE 802.16d and 802.16e communication systems adapt an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)/Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme for physical channels. An IEEE 802.16d communication system addresses the stationary or fixed Subscriber Station (SS); that is, an IEEE 802.16d communication system does not take into account the mobility of the SS but the single cell structure. By contrast, an IEEE 802.16e communication system addresses the mobility of the SS, which is updated from the IEEE 802.16d communication system. The mobile SS is referred to as a Mobile Station (MS).
FIG. 1 shows a general IEEE 802.16e communication system which has a multi cell architecture, that is, a cell 100 and a cell 150. The IEEE 802.16e communication system includes a Base Station (BS) 110 managing the cell 100, a BS 140 managing the cell 150, and a plurality of MSs 111, 113, 130, 151, and 153. Signals are transmitted and received between the BSs 110 and 140 and the MSs 111, 113, 130, 151, and 153 using an OFDM/OFDMA scheme. Of the MSs 111, 113, 130, 151, and 153, the MS 130 resides in the overlapping area of the cell 100 and the cell 150; that is, in a handover region. When the MS 130 migrates to the cell 150 managed by the BS 140 while transmitting and receiving signals to and from the BS 110, the serving BS of the MS 130 is changed from the BS 110 to the BS 140.
By signaling through the direct links between the fixed BS and the MSs as shown in FIG. 1, the general IEEE 802.16e communication system can easily configure highly reliable wireless communication links between the BS and the MSs. However, since the position of the BS is fixed, the IEEE 802.16e communication system has low flexibility in the radio network configuration. Thus, it is hard to provide efficient communication services in a radio communication environment suffering severe changes of traffic distribution or traffic demand.
To overcome these shortcomings, a data delivery scheme using a multihop relay having a fixed relay station, a mobile relay station, or general MSs is applicable to a general cellular wireless communication system, such as an IEEE 802.16e communication system. A wireless communication system using a multihop relay scheme can reconfigure the network by promptly coping with the changes of the communication environment and utilize the entire radio network more efficiently. For instance, a multihop relay wireless communication system is able to expand the cell service area and increase system capacity. In detail, under poor channel conditions between a BS and an MS, better radio channel status can be provided to the MS by installing a relay station between the BS and the MS and establishing a multihop relay path via the relay station. Also, by adopting a multihop relay scheme in a cell boundary of a poor channel status from the BS, a high speed data channel can be provided and the cell service area can be expanded.
Hereinafter, descriptions are provided on a structure of a multihop relay wireless communication system for expanding the service area of a BS.
FIG. 2 shows a broadband wireless communication system using a multihop relay scheme for extending the service area of the BS. The multihop relay wireless communication system in FIG. 2 has a multicell architecture, that is, a cell 200 and a cell 240. The multihop relay wireless communication system includes a BS 210 managing the cell 200, a BS 250 managing the cell 240, MSs 211 and 213 located in the cell 200, MSs 221 and 223 managed by the BS 210 but located in an area 230 out of the cell 200, a relay station 220 providing multihop relay paths between the BS 210 and the MSs 221 and 223 in the area 230, MSs 251, 253 and 255 located in the cell 240, MSs 261 and 263 managed by the BS 250 but located in an area 270 out of the cell 240, and a relay station 260 providing multihop relay paths between the BS 250 and the MSs 261 and 263 in the area 270. Signals are transmitted and received among the BSs 210 and 250, the relay stations 220 and 260, and the MSs 211, 213, 221, 223, 251, 253, 261, and 263 using an OFDM/OFDMA scheme.
The MSs 211 and 213 and the relay station 220, which belong to the cell 200, can transmit and receive signals directly to and from the BS 210, whereas the MSs 221 and 223 in the area 230 can not transmit and receive signals directly to and from the BS 210. Hence, the relay station 220 manages the area 230 and relays signals between the BS 210 and the MSs 221 and 223 which are incapable of transceiving signals directly. The MSs 221 and 223 can transceive signals with the BS 210 via the relay station 220. Likewise, the MSs 251, 253 and 255 and the relay station 260, which belong to the cell 240, can transmit and receive signals directly to and from the BS 250, whereas the MSs 261 and 263 in the area 270 can not transmit and receive signals directly to and from the BS 250. Hence, the relay station 260 manages the area 270 and relays signals between the BS 250 and the MSs 261 and 263 which are incapable of transceiving signals directly. The MSs 261 and 263 can transmit and receive signals to and from the BS 250 via the relay station 260.
FIG. 3 shows a broadband wireless communication system using a multihop relay scheme for expanding the system capacity. The multihop relay wireless communication system in FIG. 1 includes a BS 310, MSs 311, 313, 321, 323, 331 and 333, and relay stations 320 and 330 which provide multihop relay paths between the BS 310 and the MSs 311, 313, 321, 323, 331 and 333. Signals are transmitted and received among the BS 310, the relay stations 320 and 330, and the MSs 311, 313, 321, 323, 331 and 333 according to the OFDM/OFDMA scheme. The BS 310 manages a cell 300. The MSs 311, 313, 321, 323, 331 and 333 and the relay stations 320 and 330, belonging to the cell 300, are capable of transmitting and receiving signals directly to and from the BS 310.
However, when some MSs 321, 323, 331 and 333 reside close to the boundary of the cell 300, a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of the direct links between the BS 310 and the some MSs 321, 323, 331 and 333 may lower. Thus, the relay station 320 relays the unicast traffics of the BS 310 and the MSs 321 and 323, and the MSs 321 and 323 transmit and receive the unicast traffics to and from the BS 310 via the relay station 320. Likewise, the relay station 330 relays the unicast traffics of the BS 310 and the MSs 331 and 333, and the MSs 331 and 333 transmit and receive the unicast traffics to and from the BS 310 via the relay station 330. That is, the relay stations 320 and 330 raise the effective data rate of the MSs and increase the system capacity by providing high-speed data delivery paths to the MSs 321, 323, 331 and 333.
In a broadband wireless communication system using a multihop relay scheme of FIG. 2 or 3, the relay stations 220, 260, 320 and 330 may be infrastructure relay stations which are installed by a service provider and already known to the BSs 210, 250 and 310 for management, or client relay stations which serve as subscriber stations (e.g., SSs or MSs) in some cases and relay stations in other cases. The relay stations 220, 260, 320 and 330 may be fixed relay stations, nomadic relay stations (e.g., notebook computers), or mobile relay stations such as MSs.
As discussed above, in a multihop relay wireless communication system, an RS is a relay station for cell expansion, which supports the relay between an MS outside a BS region and a BS, or a relay station for cell capacity increase, which supports the relay between an MS within the BS region and the BS.
In the mean time, when utilizing an RS for cell area expansion or a cell capacity increase, a relay service of the RS can be provided while not informing the MS of the presence of the RS; that is, by making the MS recognize the data transmission and reception with the BS. This is referred to as a transparent relay. To provide a transparent relay to the MS, a new signaling process should be defined between the BS and the RS. Primarily, it is desired to define a signaling process of selecting an RS.

Apparatus and method of providing transparent relay service to mobile station in a multihop relay broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system


A method and an apparatus for identifying motor vehicles for monitoring traffic. The identification is carried out by image-evaluation and includes determining the size ratios of a license-plate contour in a perspectively distorted image on the basis of stored standardized license-plate formats, determining the size of the perspective distortion of the license-plate contour on the basis of the associated standardized license-plate format, establishing a calculation rule for the perspective rectification on the basis of the ascertained distortion of the license-plate contour with respect to the associated license-plate format, rectifying the extracted license-plate-containing motor-vehicle view, and comparing the rectified image with reference images of front views of motor vehicles stored in a database in order to assign the image with greatest correspondence to a group of classified motor vehicles.

For capturing or identifying motor vehicles in flowing traffic, numerous methods are known. In addition, there exists a broad spectrum of sensor options, with which motor vehicles can be recognized on the basis of various features. A broad field in this respect is here the identification using external features. In a special form, such features are ascertained from motor-vehicle contours. These are obtained from profile recordings of light barrier systems or from images from video or photo systems placed above the road. It is thus possible by evaluating features of the vehicle front or of other suitable views of motor vehicles to distinguish between vehicles.
Frequently, image-based identification systems are also combined with license plate recognition, in which the registration number of the motor vehicle is ascertained from an image of the front or rear view using optical character recognition (OCR). Systems which exclusively operate with license plate recognition are also used. The ascertainment of the registration number, however, can under certain circumstances be subject to errors which are caused, for example, by the incorrect recognition of individual characters of very similar registration numbers. For this reason, the use of additional systems with which motor vehicles can be identified using further features is sensible. Such a system can be based, for example, on contour recognition, in which the match between a currently produced image and an already existing image of a motor vehicle is checked, and identification occurs on the basis of the greatest similarity.
In patent specification EP 1 997 090 B1, a camera positioned next to the road is used to ascertain the three-dimensional shape of a moving vehicle from a plurality of subsequent recordings. Using the ascertained shape, the vehicle type is then identified by way of a comparison with shapes from an already established database. A disadvantage here is that a plurality of recordings are necessary to ascertain the vehicle type, and that the recordings must be taken in correspondence with the position in which the comparison images in the database were produced.
A further variant of the capture and the identification of features of a vehicle is disclosed in EP 2 320 384 A1. Here, one or more characteristic features of the vehicle are ascertained, likewise in the image of a vehicle recorded by a camera. These characteristic features are captured using methods, which are not described in more detail, for image processing in order to ascertain light/dark regions or to calculate contrast, brightness or color value digit sums. Using these features, an already existing, categorized reference image from a database is then ascertained by similarity evaluation. With sufficient correspondence, the recorded vehicle is categorized in accordance with the classified reference image. However, it is conceded that inaccuracies in the sensor technology under different illumination conditions can lead to errors in the evaluation using a single recording, and it is therefore sensible to carry out the assessment using a plurality of images or with the additional use of further sensors. It must therefore be assumed that the capture of the selected characteristic features is significantly dependent on weather influences, light influences and deviating angle ratios of the image recording, and thus a combination of a plurality of image sensors is always necessary to uniquely identify a vehicle.

Method and apparatus for identifying motor vehicles for monitoring traffic


A data storage system provides generalized record caching through a control unit adapted to support track caching in the upper level store of a two level memory. Dynamic reallocation of space between each type of caching in the upper store follows operating patterns of host computer systems using the data storage system. A storage controller cache has a plurality of segments. A directory data entry data structure is allocated each segment. Such allocated directory entries are used to identify tracks as cached. A plurality of unallocated directory entries are also provided. As a record is cached in a segment outside of a track slot, an unallocated directory entry is used to identify a virtual track in cache corresponding to the track of the record in the lower level store. Records from one track can thus appear in several segments outside track slots. Tracking of records to locate records least recently used is done globally over all track slots and record caching segments and locally within individual record caching segments. A mechanism is provided for identifying record slots, as they become least recently used, and dropping them from the upper level store in the face of competing demands for the space. A second mechanism identifies least recently used segments for dropping from the upper level store.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to data processing, and more particularly relates to data processing systems having two or more levels of data storage in a data storage system. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a method of caching data from a lower level of storage on a higher level of storage both as individual records and in whole tracks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Common architectures for computers have two or more levels of storage for data and provide for direct processor access to data resident in faster, smaller memory in the upper levels. A second level of data storage is generally much larger but slower than memory and generally contains copies of virtually all records and programs used on a computer.
Main frame computer systems generally use auxiliary storage devices in the lower levels. In auxiliary storage devices data is recorded by making a physical change to a medium. Examples of physical storage of data on media are: pitting of aluminum by lasers; grooving of plastic disk by a needle; and forming magnetic domains on a magnetic surface with an electromagnet. A transducer can then be used to sense the physical qualities of the media and to produce an electrical signal which varies in correspondence to the physical qualities of the media. For a data processing system, the electrical signal is decoded to reproduce binary data.
Direct Access Storage Devices (DASD, pronounced "dasdee") are one type of auxiliary storage device. In a direct access storage device access time to data is independent of the location of the data in the storage device. Presently, disk drive units are the most common type of DASD. A disk drive unit records data on rotatable disks. The write and read transducers are moved radially inward and outward relative to the disk as the disk is rotated to bring any location of the disk and the appropriate transducer into proximity with one another.
The fact that access time to a location on a disk is more or less random does not mean that it is instantaneous. During a period when a DASD waits for a spinning disk to move to the correct position for a transducer to access a location, a storage controller for the DASD can perform other functions. An example of a function performed during a waiting period is the downloading of data from a buffer memory to a channel to a host computer. In large, multiple computer data processing systems, such as those serving airline reservation systems, a large number of direct access storage devices serve several computers. The storage controller is logically positioned between the DASDs and the host computers. The storage controller handles connection and disconnection between a particular computer and magnetic disk unit for transfer of data.
The IBM 3990 storage controller is an example of a storage controller used to control connections between magnetic disk units and host computers. The IBM 3990 Model 3 type controller, which is available from IBM Corporation, can handle up to sixteen channels from host computers and up to sixty-four magnetic storage units. Within the storage controller are two multipath storage directors and four storage paths, two of which are associated with each multipath storage director. Each multipath storage director may be connected to up to eight incoming channels from host computers, for a total of sixteen channels for the storage controller as a whole. Each multipath storage director is connected to two storage paths, thus functioning as an 8.times.2 switch.
Channels are physical links between the storage controller and the host computers. Usually, a host computer has two or four channels, half being physically connected to the one multipath storage director and the other half being connected to the other multipath storage director. Each storage path leads to all of the available magnetic disk units. Upon indication that a disk is ready, the controller can secure any one of a plurality of the channels and storage paths back to a host to establish a data path.
Each storage path is in effect a stand alone control unit based upon its own microprocessor. The storage paths share control information through a common memory space for synchronization functions relating to handling connections, disconnections and reconnections relating to a transaction. Each storage path in a storage control unit has access to two addressable memory devices used for supporting storage control unit operation. The memory devices are a shared control array (SCA) and a cache.
Cache is best known for its application as an adjunct to computer memory. Cache is used as a high speed storage for frequently accessed instructions and data. The length of time since last use of a record is used as an indicator of frequency of use in determining continued residency in cache. In main computer memory, program data has to be released before data competing for space can gain access. In cache, competition for space results in data falling out of the cache when they become the least recently used data. While infrequently accessed data periodically enter cache, they will tend to "age" and fall out of cache. The contents of cache are duplicated in system memory. Various data structures must be maintained to operate a memory device as a cache memory. A primary logical data structure used for the functions is a doubly chained most recently used/least recently used list for records.
Storage controller cache performs an analogous function between direct access storage devices and host computers. Reading data from (and writing data to) the magnetic media of the direct access storage devices is fairly time consuming. Among the factors slowing the read and write operations are time required for the magnetic disk to come to the appropriate position and the limited bandwidth of the magnetic transducers used to read and write the data. By placing frequently accessed records in cache, access time for data and connection time by host computers is reduced and data storage system throughput is considerably enhanced. Because high speed components are expensive in terms of cost per byte of storage, particularly when compared with magnetic media storage cache is quite small compared to the memory device for which it acts as a buffer.
In the IBM 3990 Model storage controller, data is conventionally stored to storage controller cache by track images. In fast write operations, each track image corresponds to the contents of a physical track from a direct access storage device. Where a track image is present in cache, a write command from a host computer updating a record of the track results in the record being written over the corresponding record in the track image rather than to DASD. Time is saved over waiting for the disk to come to the correct position for direct transfer of the data from the host computer. Then, as a background process, the storage controller can transfer data from cache to disk to update a record.
However, the storage of whole track images in storage controller cache is inefficient in terms of storage capacity utilization in some applications. Another approach has been to cache records, which reduces internal fragmentation in the cache at the expense of greater complexity in data structures required. Certain performance advantages go with each approach to caching. Caching systems which worked both with tracks and records have been avoided as promising excessive complexity.

Method and system for dynamic cache allocation between record and track entries

International Business Machines Corporation


A composition containing a compound represented by General Formula (I) below (see the definition in the specification for the symbols in the formula) or a salt thereof has an excellent CaSR agonistic effect and provides a pharmaceutical agent, a CaSR agonistic agent, a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a disease that can be ameliorated through CaSR activation as well as seasonings and an agent for imparting kokumi.

The calcium receptor, also called the calcium sensing receptor (also referred to as "CaSR"), was cloned from bovine thyroid in 1993 as G-protein coupled seven-transmembrane receptor (G-protein coupled receptor; GPCR) that senses extracellular calcium (Ca2+) (Non-patent Document 1). The calcium receptor has a function of altering the intracellular Ca2+ concentration by sensing extracellular Ca2+, thereby regulating production of hormones or the like involved in Ca2+ metabolic regulation, as typified by parathyroid hormone.
Recently, cinacalcet (CCT), a calcium receptor agonist, was found to have an action of suppressing secretion of parathyroid hormone by acting on the calcium receptor of parathyroid to enhance Ca2+ sensitivity of the calcium receptor (Non-patent Document 2), and it has been marketed as a therapeutic drug for secondary hyperparathyroidism of dialysis patients (Non-patent Document 3).
In addition, the calcium receptor was also found to be expressed in kidney, brain, thyroid, bones and digestive tracts, and thus considered to be involved in various diseases.
As compounds having a CaSR activating effect, other than glutathione, for example, gamma-glutamyl peptide derivatives (Non-patent Documents 4 and 9), pyrrolidine derivatives (Patent Document 1) and the like are known. In addition, CaSR agonists such as a gamma-glutamyl peptide derivative have been reported to be useful as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for diarrhea (Patent Document 2), a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for acid secretion-related diseases such as gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer and reflux esophagitis (Patent Document 3), a therapeutic agent for diabetes or obesity (Patent Document 4), and further as an immunostimulator (Patent Document 5). Furthermore, Patent Document 6 and Non-patent Document 9 describe that compounds having CaSR agonistic activity are also useful as agent for imparting kokumi.
These compounds, however, are structurally different from the alkylamine derivatives of the present invention.
Meanwhile, a gamma-glutamyl anilide derivative, among the alkylamine derivatives, is known to be used as a substrate for enzymatic activity (Non-patent Document 5 and Patent Document 7) as well as for its application as an antimicrobial agent or an anti-allergic agent (Non-patent Document 6 and Patent Document 8) and its application as an analytical reagent (Non-patent Documents 7 and 11). Moreover, an L-2-amino-3-N′-substituted ureidopropanoic acid derivative is known for its application as a synthetic intermediate of an asparagine analog employed as an anticancer agent (Non-patent Document 8). The alkylamine derivative is known as a leukotriene A4 inhibitor for application against inflammatory diseases (Non-patent Document 10). The alkylamine derivative is also known for its application as an anticancer agent (Non-patent Document 12).
The above-mentioned compounds, however, have not been known for their applications as pharmaceutical agents with a CaSR agonistic effect or applications as seasonings.


A method for implanting a cell channel ion of semiconductor device is disclosed. In accordance with the method, the bit line contact region and the edge portion of the channel region adjacent to the bit line contact region in the cell region are subjected to a selective cell channel implant process two times using a ion implant mask and rest of the cell region is subjected to cell channel implant process only once so that a impurity concentration of the storage node contact region is maintained at a lower level for minimal leakage current in the storage node contact region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method for implanting a cell channel ion of semiconductor device, and more specifically, to a method for implanting a cell channel ion of semiconductor device wherein a bit line contact region and an edge portion of a channel region adjacent to the bit line contact region in a cell region are subjected to cell channel implant process two times and rest of the cell region is subjected to cell channel implant process only once so that the leakage current in the storage node contact region is reduced and the refresh characteristic of the device is improved.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an integration of a semiconductor device progresses, increasing the integration density of semiconductor device has become a very important factor. However, improving the characteristics of each device has become an equally important factor. In particular, the refresh characteristic of a device has a large effect over the operation of the device. In order to improve the refresh characteristic of the device, a method for optimizing channel ion implant or source/drain junction ion implant has been proposed. However, the method has its limit in improving refresh characteristic of the device. Therefore, a method for reducing a leakage current in a storage node contact region is needed to overcome the limit.

Method for implanting a cell channel ion of semiconductor device


The present invention is directed to a hydroentangled nonwoven fabric with improved flame retardant properties and the making thereof, whereby the nonwoven fabric is differentially entangled to collapse upon itself and self-extinguish upon burning. The self-extinguishing fabric further exhibits favorable tactile and ductile softness while obtaining sufficient physical strength.

Technological advances have proven to provide mattresses, as well as bedding constituents, with significantly better flammability protection. It's been observed, however that specific areas of the mattress are more difficult to protect from an open flame, such as the bottom of the mattress that comes in contact with the underlying box-spring. Further, the holes imparting by the stitching utilized throughout the mattress acts as a pathway for the flame to travel. This invention relates to a durable self-extinguishing nonwoven fabric that can be used for flame-retardant mattress components and other related applications.
There are numerous flame-retardant fibers commercially available. E.I du Pont de Nemours and Company provides flame-retardant aramid fibers sold under the trade names of NOMEX® and KEVLAR®. NOMEX® materials were developed for applications requiring dimensional stability and excellent heat resistance, and which do not flow or melt upon heating. Decomposition and charring does not proceed at a significant rate until well over 350° C. without melting. NOMEX® materials in fibrous form have been used in protective apparel and similar applications, and can be processed by conventional textile technology. Heretofore, comparable flame-retardant nonwoven fabrics have been expensive to manufacture, and have not been susceptible of imaging by high pressure water jet entangling.
Given the prior art attempt to form a soft and yet strong material with thermal protective properties, there remains a need for a nonwoven fabric exhibiting these characteristics and yet is formed in an expeditious and uncomplicated manner.

Self-extinguishing differentially entangled nonwoven fabrics


A three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 projects slit light from a projector 7 onto a work 2 and a stereo camera 5 captures an image of the work projected by the slit light. A control apparatus 10 of the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 temporarily identifies a correspondence between a bright line 4j on a first image of the captured stereo image and a light-section plane 6Pj and projects the bright line 4j onto the light-section plane 6Pj. The bright line projected onto the light-section plane 6Pj is projected onto a second image. The control apparatus 10 calculates the level of similarity between a bright line 4jX projected onto the second image and a bright line on the second image and determines a result of identified correspondence relationship between the bright line 4jX and the bright line on the second image.

A stereo method that uses the principle of triangulation is well known to three-dimensionally measure an object to be measured (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "work") from an image captured by a camera. In the stereo method, generally, an image of the work is captured by a stereo camera that has been calibrated and the work is three-dimensionally measured by using the disparity between left and the right cameras.
On the other hand, when the contrast of the work is low, such as in a case of an uneven portion of a black work, it is known that a light-section method which is a type of the stereo method can be used. In the light-section method, a projector projects slit light onto the work and a three-dimensional measuring is performed by using a captured image of the work which is projected by the slit light. More specifically, in the light-section method, a three-dimensional plane equation of a light-section plane of the slit light to be projected is obtained in advance and an image of a bright line on the work projected by the slit light is captured by a camera. Then, the three-dimensional measuring is performed on the basis of the principle of triangulation from the position of the bright line on the obtained image and the three-dimensional plane equation of the light-section plane obtained in advance.
By the way, in the light-section method, if the number of the slit lights projected from the projector is one, when measuring the entire shape of the work, an image of the work has to be captured a plurality of times while moving the work or the slit light. Therefore, conventionally, a three-dimensional measuring apparatus which projects a plurality of slit lights at the same time from a projector is proposed (see PTL 1) so that the number of times of the image capturing is small when performing the three-dimensional measuring of the work.
Here, when a plurality of slit lights are projected onto the work, to perform the three-dimensional measuring, it is necessary to identifies a correspondence between each of a plurality of bright lines on the captured image and a plurality of light-section planes. Therefore, the three-dimensional measuring apparatus described in PTL 1 uses a color light source in the projector and sequentially changes colors of the bright lines so that the colors of adjacent bright lines (slit lights) are different from each other. The image of the bright lines having different colors is captured by a camera, so that the bright lines and the light-section planes correspond to each other on the basis of the colors of the bright lines.

Three-dimensional measuring apparatus, three-dimensional measuring method, and three-dimensional measuring program


A muting circuit for an audio amplifier comprises differential pairs of MOS transistors in a differential amplifier and two sets of MOS transistor switch to control the differential pairs respectively. The differential pairs are connected with a current mirror circuit and the two sets of MOS transistor switch control the first differential pair and the second differential pair of the differential pairs respectively. A muting signal controls one of the two sets of MOS transistor switch through an inverter, while controls the other of the two sets of MOS transistor switch via two inverters connected in series, so that the muting signal is able to open/close the first differential pair or the second differential pair to form a muting effect.

Referring to FIG. 1, which shows a conventional muting circuit design for audio amplifier. A pair of CMOS switchs M1 and M2 is added in the audio path of the audio amplifier, in which M1 is an NMOS, while M2 is a PMOS. The audio signal Vin is inputted to the drains of the CMOS switchs M1 and M2, then passes through the sources of the CMOS switchs M1 and M2 to be inputted to the amplifier OP4 for generating an output signal Vout. A muting signal M0 passes through two inverters INV5 and INV6 for controlling the gates of M1 and M2 respectively, and controlling a bias switch M3, as shown in the figure.
When the muting signal M0 is "1" (high voltage) (means performing the muting function), the CMOS switchs M1 and M2 will be opened, M3 will be conducting, the audio signal Vin will be blocked, and a constant bias Vreference will be inputted to the amplifier OP4, thus forming the muting effect. The equivalent circuit thereof is shown in FIG. 2.
When the muting signal M0 is "0" (low voltage) (means no muting), the CMOS switchs M1 and M2 will be conducting, M3 will be opened, the audio signal Vin passes through the CMOS switchs M1 and M2 to be inputted to the amplifier OP4. The equivalent circuit thereof is shown in FIG. 3, in which the CMOS switchs M1 and M2 become a resistor Ron, M3 is opened without any effect, the input resistance of the amplifier OP4 is Ri, therefore the input signal Vi of the amplifier OP4 equals to Vin×Ri/(Ron+Ri).
Referring to FIG. 4, which shows the resistance characteristics of the CMOS switchs M1 and M2. RM1 represents the characteristic curve of the resistance of switch M1 according to the variation of the voltage. RM2 represents the characteristic curve of the resistance of switch M2 according to the variation of the voltage. Ron represents the characteristic curve of the combined resistance of switchs M1 and M2 according to the variation of the voltage when the input signal is small. Since RM1, RM2 and Ron vary according to the voltage, Vi varies according to the variation of Ron, and causes input distortion to the amplifier OP4. Therefore this muting circuit is not a good design.


A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head includes the following processes in the following order: forming a first metal layer containing a first metal material on an insulating layer of a base on which a plurality of thermal energy generating elements and the insulating layer are laminated in this order; forming a second metal layer containing a second metal material on the first metal layer, and then patterning the second metal layer to form a plurality of protective portions; patterning the first metal layer to form a connection portion for electrically connecting the plurality of protective portions; inspecting the conduction of the connection portion and the plurality of energy generating elements; and patterning the connection portion to thereby electrically isolate the plurality of protective portions and form a plurality of close contact portions which are electrically isolated from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thermal type liquid ejection device causes film-boiling of liquid, such as ink, using thermal energy generated by energizing energy generating elements, and ejects the liquid from an ejection port utilizing pressure generated by the film-boiling to perform recording operation.
Such energy generating elements are covered with an insulating layer in order to secure the insulation between the elements and ink. Furthermore, a protective layer containing metal materials, such as tantalum and iridium, is provided in order to protect the energy generating elements from cavitation impact associated with disappearance of bubbles or chemical action caused by liquid. However, when the insulating layer has a hole (pinhole), electricity flows between the energy generating elements and the protective layer, which raises concern that desired heat generation properties are not obtained in recording operation and also the protective layer causes an electrochemical reaction, and thus deteriorates to reduce the durability or materials of the protective layer are eluted. Therefore, it is required to inspect the state of the protective layer in a manufacturing stage of a substrate for liquid ejection head to confirm that the energy generating elements and the protective layer are not conductive to each other.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-50646 discloses a method for inspecting insulation using an inspection terminal connected to a protective layer that is provided in the shape of a belt in such a manner as to protect a plurality of energy generating elements in common and an inspection terminal connected to the plurality of energy generating elements in common. According to the method, the plurality of energy generating elements can be collectively inspected for the insulation by an insulating layer.
However, in the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-50646, the plurality of energy generating elements are covered with the protective layer which is continuous in the shape of a belt. Therefore, when the energy generating elements and the protective layer enter a conductive state even at one portion during recording operation, a current flows to the protective layer covering the other energy generating elements. As a result, the entire protective layer deteriorates, which raises a possibility that poor ejection occurs in all the energy generating elements, so that recording operation cannot be continued.
In order to prevent the problem such that poor ejection occurs in all the energy generating elements in a chain reaction manner, it is considered to provide protective layers in such a manner as to be electrically isolated and independent from each other for each energy generating element. However, in such a case, an inspection of confirming the insulation between the protective layers and the energy generating elements need to be performed for each energy generating element, which requires a huge number of inspection terminals and huge time for the inspection. Thus, the efficiency is not good.

Method for manufacturing liquid ejection head