An amplifying type solid-state imaging device having a transistor formed on a semiconductor base and a charge release portion which stores a signal charge which is generated by light incident on the transistor and outputs a change of an electrical signal in accordance with the stored charge. The transistor includes: a first gate region including a portion for storing the signal charge therein and a first gate electrode formed on the semiconductor base surface; and a source and a drain formed of impurity layers of a higher concentration than the semiconductor base concentration. The charge release portion includes: a second gate region including a portion in the vicinity of the semiconductor base surface, and a second gate electrode formed via an insulating film on the semiconductor base surface; and a drain for charge discharge formed of an impurity layer of a higher concentration than the semiconductor base concentration. The stored signal charge is released to the drain for charge discharge of the charge release portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an amplifying type solid-state imaging device and an amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus including an amplifying type solid-state imaging device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a compact amplifying type solid-state imaging device capable of including an increased number of pixels, and an amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus utilizing such an amplifying type solid-state imaging device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, the mainstream of the solid-state imaging apparatus is a charge coupled device (hereinafter, referred to as CCD), which is extensively utilized in a variety of fields. In the CCD type imaging apparatus, incident light is photoelectrically converted in a photodiode or a MOS diode. A stored signal charge is transferred to a high sensitive charge release section via a CCD transfer channel, whereby the signal charge is converted into a voltage signal. This results in a high S/N ratio and a large output voltage.
In more recent years, a growing demand exists for a compact imaging apparatus and an increase in the number of pixels. To meet the demand, the size of a pixel must be scaled down. When the size of the pixel is reduced, however, the amount of charge which the CCD can transfer is small resulting in a lowered dynamic range. Furthermore, the increased number of pixels causes a greater power consumption due to the entire device being driven by several phases of clocks as in the case of the CCD.
Recently, to address these problems, an amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus has been proposed. This apparatus includes a signal charge which is generated in a pixel and is read by a scanning circuit, after the signal charge is amplified in the pixel, without being read in the pixel. In accordance with an amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus, because the signal charge is amplified, a limitation of the signal charge amount to be read out is eliminated, thus leading to an advantage over the CCD in terms of the dynamic range. Furthermore, it is sufficient to drive only horizontal and vertical line selection switches including signal readout pixels, and a voltage for when the driving is low. Therefore, the power consumption is smaller than that of the CCD.
In general, a transistor is used for amplifying a signal charge in a pixel, and the transistor is classified into an SIT type, a bipolar type and a MOS type.
With respect to the scanning circuit for the signal readout, the MOS type transistor is preferable because the structure of the MOS type transistor is simple and the production thereof is easy. When the MOS type transistor is used for amplifying a signal charge in the pixel, a monolithic apparatus can be produced, thus leading to structural advantages. Furthermore, a single MOS transistor in a pixel is advantageous for increasing the pixel density.
This type of amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus includes, for example, a TGMIS (Twin Gate MOS Image Sensor) type. One example thereof was previously proposed by the-Applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-148330 (corresponding to the copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/382,257). FIGS. 15A and 15B show the prior art pixel structure thereof, namely, the structure of the amplifying type solid-state imaging device.
As shown in prior art FIG. 15B, a first gate electrode 2 and a second gate electrode 3 are formed on a p-type semiconductor substrate 1 via an insulating film. N-type well layers 4 are suitably spaced in a horizontal direction on surface portions of the semiconductor substrate 1 and below the first gate electrode 2. N.sup.+ diffused layers are suitably spaced on surface portions of the well layers 4. One of the pairs of the n.sup.+ diffused layers constitutes a source 5 of a MOS type transistor using the first gate electrode 2 as the gate thereof, and the other n.sup.+ diffused layer constitutes a drain 6.
In the amplifying type solid-state imaging device having such a structure, incident light h.upsilon. which has penetrated the first gate electrode 2 generates electron-hole pairs by photoelectric conversion, such that electrons drift to the drain 6. On the other hand, the holes are confined in a potential barrier formed in an intermediate region of the well layer 4 and a potential barrier below the second gate electrode 3, and stored at the semiconductor/insulating film interface of the well layer 4 so as to become signal chargers.
The amount by which the potential of the well layer 4 is varied depends on the stored signal charge amount, which is read out as an amplified electric potential variation in the source 5, and used as an output signal.
The release of the signal charge is readily achieved by lowering the potential barrier below the second gate electrode 3 so that the signal charge drifts to the semiconductor substrate 1 along the path shown by the arrow in FIG. 15B. More specifically, the holes stored as the signal charges flow from the surface region of the well layer 4 to the semiconductor substrate 1, and thus the signal charges are reset. In the present specification, the release of the once stored signal charges is referred to as `a reset operation`.
Next, the operations during signal charge storage, signal readout and release of the signal charges will be described in details with reference to FIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C. Herein, the right side of each of FIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C shows a depth direction potential distribution below the first gate electrode 2, and the left side of each of FIGS. 16A, 16B and 16C shows a depth direction potential distribution below the second gate electrode 3.
First, the operation during the signal charge storage will be described with reference to FIG. 16A.
A low voltage VGA(L) is applied to the first gate electrode 2, and a medium voltage VGB(M) is applied to the second gate electrode 3. Thus, a potential barrier .DELTA..phi.B of a predetermined value or more when against holes, is formed below the second gate electrode 3. The potential barrier prevents the holes from flowing from the semiconductor substrate 1 to the surface of the well layer 4. The value of the potential barrier .DELTA..phi.B is about .about.0.5 V (i.e., a value lower than and close to 0.5 V) in the case where the semiconductor substrate 1 is silicon. The description below will be limited to the case where the substrate is silicon.
The holes generated by photoelectric conversion are stored on the surface of the well layer 4 as signal charges, and the potential distribution on the surface of the well layer 4 is raised from state (1) to state (2). During the period when a difference .DELTA..phi.AB between the surface potential of the well layer 4 and the surface potential below the second gate electrode 3 is large (ie., .DELTA..phi.AB>0.5 V), the signal charges stay on the surface. However, when the signal charges continue to be stored, the potential distribution is further raised and reaches the storage limitation state as shown in state (3). In this storage limitation state, .DELTA..phi.AB is smaller than .about.0.5 V, so that the stored holes jump the potential barrier below the second gate electrode 3 and flow to the semiconductor substrate 1. Thus, excess charge can overflow, thereby making it possible to prevent blooming . Herein, the potential depth of the n-type well layer in the state (2) is designated as .DELTA..phi.A(Sto).
Next, the operation during signal readout will be described with reference to FIG. 16B.
A high voltage VGA(H) is applied to the first gate electrode 2. Thus, a potential distribution below the first gate electrode 2 is further raised. When there is no signal charge, the potential distribution is in the state (4). When signals are being stored, the potential distribution is in the state (5), The potential depth of the n-type well layer in the state (4) is designated as .DELTA..phi.A(Det). Herein, the value of VGA(H) is selected so as to satisfy an inequality .DELTA..phi.A(Det)>.DELTA..phi.A(Sto).
On the other hand, a high voltage VGB(H) is applied to the second gate electrode 3. Thus, a potential barrier higher than the surface potential of the well layer 4 during the signal storage by .DELTA..phi.AB (>0.5 V) (in the state (5)) is formed below the second gate electrode 3. The high potential barrier prevents the signal storage charges from flowing from the surface of the well layer 4 to the semiconductor substrate 1.
When the value of VGA(H) is set so as to satisfy the requirement of .DELTA..phi.A(Det)>.DELTA..phi.A(Sto), the signal readout of a selected pixel is only performed for the following reason. Even if a source terminal VS (as shown in FIG. 15A) is connected to a plurality of common pixels, a VGA(H) is applied to a specific gate and VGA(L) is applied to other gates, and the inequality of .DELTA..phi.A(Det)>.DELTA..phi.A(Sto) is satisfied, the source electric potential to be detected is defined by the value of the source terminal corresponding to the VGA(H) gate.
Next, the operation during reset will be described with reference to FIG. 16C.
A high voltage such as VGA(H) in the signal readout, is applied to the first gate electrode 2, and a medium voltage, such as VGB(M) in signal storage, is applied to the second gate electrode 3. At this point, the potential below the second gate electrode 3 is a value (-.DELTA..phi.AB) sufficiently lower than the surface potential of the well layer 4 when there is no signal charge (i.e, in the state (4)'). For this reason, all signal charges, i.e., holes on the surface of the well layer 4, pass below the second gate electrode 3 and are released to the semiconductor substrate 1. In other words, a reset operation is performed. Thus, once image information is cleared, an operation of storing subsequent image information can be performed. Furthermore, when the reset operation is performed in the middle of the period during optical integration, the image information prior thereto is cleared, and the information after that point is stored, Thus, a so-called `shuttering operation` can be performed.
However, in the TGMIS amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus having the structure shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, when a pixel area is reduced for the purpose of increasing pixel density, the following problems arise. The problems will be described with reference to FIGS. 17A and 17B. FIG. 17A is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 15B. FIG. 17B shows a depth direction potential distribution below the first gate electrode 2 and a depth direction potential distribution below the second gate electrode 3 during the reset operation.
To increase the pixel density and reduce the pixel area, and to realize a further increase in the number of pixels and further compactness in the amplifying type solid-state imaging device used in the above-mentioned TGMIS amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus, it is necessary to further reduce the width of the second gate electrode 3 and a space between a source 5 where an output signal is detected and a drain 6.
However, when the sizes thereof are reduced to some extent, a three-dimensional potential ridge 7 is formed in the path through which the stored charges are released by an electric field which is generated by an electric potential applied to the source 5 and the drain 6. For this reason, even if the surface potential barrier below the second gate electrode 3 is lower than the surface potential below the first gate electrode 2, as shown on the left side of the FIG. 17B, the potential ridge 7 is formed in the intermediate portion between the surface of the bulk of the potential distribution below the second gate electrode 3 and the semiconductor substrate 1. Therefore, the holes which are stored as signal charges cannot flow anywhere. As a result, the stored signal charges cannot be completely released to the semiconductor substrate 1.
In order to prevent the potential ridge 7 from being formed, when the electric potential of the source 5 and the drain 6 is set at 5 V, the width of the second gate electrode 3 can be set at, for example, 3.5 .mu.m or more. However, when the width of the second gate electrode 3 is set at this, it is difficult to realize high pixel density and miniaturization of the apparatus. For this reason, according to the amplifying type solid-state imaging device having the structure shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the attempt for the high pixel density and miniaturization of the solid-state apparatus was subjected to some constraints.

Amplifying type solid-state imaging device and amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus


A stereoscopic display method includes generating a left-eye crosstalk parameter according to left-eye image data and right-eye image data; generating a right-eye crosstalk parameter according to the left-eye image data and the right-eye image data; generating calibrated left-eye image data according to the left-eye image data, the right-eye image data, the left-eye crosstalk parameter, and the right-eye crosstalk parameter; generating calibrated right-eye image data according to the left-eye image data, the right-eye image data, the left-eye crosstalk parameter, and the right-eye crosstalk parameter; and displaying the calibrated left-eye image data and the calibrated right-eye image data on a display apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to a stereoscopic image compensation method, and more particularly, to a stereoscopic image compensation method for reducing stereoscopic image crosstalk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As technology advances, the desire for better image display quality has gradually increased. In order to imitate real image display, stereo display technology has become the focus of development. The most common stereo display technologies are naked-eye stereo display technology and glass-type stereo display technology. The glass-type stereo display technology can be implemented by a time-multiplexed stereo display apparatus with shutter glasses, a time-multiplexed stereo display apparatus with polarized glasses, and a spatial-multiplexed stereo display apparatus with polarized glasses. However, conventional stereo display apparatuses cannot completely separate left-eye stereoscopic images from right-eye stereoscopic images, and thus leads to crosstalk between the left-eye stereoscopic images and the right-eye stereoscopic images, degrading the image display quality of the stereo display apparatuses.
In general, the crosstalk of a stereo display panel is consistent throughout the display panel. Nevertheless, different kinds of stereo display technologies and processes might cause crosstalk variations in different parts of the stereo display panel. Therefore, using a fixed crosstalk compensation parameter to compensate crosstalk of the stereo display panel may result in under compensation and over compensation in different areas of the stereo display panel.

Method for reducing crosstalk of stereoscopic image


Half window and door sections are fully manufactured at a manufacturing plant and transported to a job site where the half sections are interconnected by a pair of head splice members and a pair of sill splice members. The fully assembled window and door assembly then is installed in the wall opening.

Ideally, a window and door system would be totally manufactured as a unitary system and put in place in the wall opening on the job site. The problem is that the size of window and door systems is such that it is not manageable to ship an entire assembled window and door system to a job site for installation. Accordingly, the typical window and door system will be manufactured in component parts which then will be assembled on the job site. This approach has the potential of assembly problems occurring which may result in a defective window and door system. What is desirable, then, is a window and door system that can be manufactured as fully as possible but yet be of such a size that it can be readily shipped to the job site and then installed on a basis that there is a minimal opportunity for mistakes to be made which will cause the system to be inoperative.

Window and door assembly manufactured in half sections and method of installing same


Methods of treating functional disorders of the bladder in mammalian females are disclosed. A therapeutic compound is delivered directly into the trigone of the bladder. The therapeutic may be delivered to the trigone through the vaginal wall. A device for delivering the therapeutic compound is also disclosed. The device may be an array of microneedles connected to a reservoir.

The present invention relates to a method and device for treating functional bladder disorders and related disorders in women by administering a therapeutic composition to the trigone of the bladder through the vagina.
The bladder functions to store urine and at appropriate times under voluntary control to void urine and hence empty to completion in an efficient and timely manner. The storage and voiding functions of the bladder are under neural control. The innervation of the bladder is primarily autonomic with the parasympathetic system thought to dominate during voiding and the sympathetic system dominating during the storage phase. However the innervation of the bladder is complex and many of the mechanisms of storage and voiding are poorly understood. In particular there is much local interplay of complex neuronally active molecules especially related to the sensory mechanisms.
Functional disorders of the bladder interfere with the normal storage or voiding functions. Many of the functional disorders of the bladder can be treated pharmacologically. Most treatments of functional disorders are systemic with the resultant adverse effect due to pharmacological action in other body systems. Local therapy has been carried out by injection into structures of the bladder by direct visualization of the internal structure of the bladder through a cystoscope. While this method allows accurate anatomic placement of the therapeutic agent, it does require expertise in cystoscopy, consequently limiting the number of healthcare providers who can administer this type of therapy.
Local therapy would be preferred as it would avoid adverse events from distal systems at risk from systemic therapy and would allow the use of therapeutic agents that would otherwise be toxic if administered systemically. The neuronal supply to the bladder is profuse at the neck of the bladder, near the region known as the trigone. Consequently, this is an ideal site for local administration of therapeutic agents. However, local administration of drug to the bladder has been limited by the need to use a cystoscope. To date, the trigone has not been accessed via the vagina for the purposes of pharmacological treatment. The present invention provides a novel method and device for accessing the trigone for local application of therapeutic compounds to the bladder.

Method and device for delivering drug to the trigone of the bladder


A circuit and method for controlling the power associated with a power amplifier in a portable radiotelephone includes a power amplifier, a power supply, a power supply controller, connected between the power supply and the above power amplifier, for adjusting the voltage applied to the power amplifier, and a control unit, connected to the power supply controller, for controlling the adjusted voltage of the power supply controller according to the transmitting power required in a region of a strong or weak electric field, and/or required in a one of dual (FM/CDMA) modes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply circuit for a portable radiotelephone and, more particularly, to a circuit and method for controlling the power used by a portable radiotelephone.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of mobile radio communications, it is possible to interlink two independent cellular radio systems having different operating bands in a method referred to as "dual band method." For instance, in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), it is necessary to interlink the existing CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) method with the new PCS (Personal Communication System) method, in the U.S.A., to interlink the existing AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service) method with the PCS method, and in Europe, to interlink the existing GSM (Groupe Speciale Mobile) method with the DCS (Digital Communication System) 1800 method.
A cellular mobile radio system which employs the CDMA method is a "digital system. " On the other hand, a cellular mobile radio system which employs a frequency modulation method (FM), such as AMPS, is an "analog system," i.e., speech signals are not digitally encoded prior to transmission on a radio frequency (RF) carrier. In practice, a digital cellular system may be used in dual mode together with an analog system, e.g., a dual mode cellular telephone system capable of being used in both the CDMA mode and the AMPS mode.
A portable (e.g., hand-held) radiotelephone (e.g., cellular phone) which is designed to operate in dual modes generally requires different radiating power levels for each of its modes. As such, each mode requires different battery power to operate. Conventional dual mode portable radiotelephones, however, are designed having power supplies (batteries) that generate power at levels to accommodate the mode requiring the most power to operate. As a result, unnecessary power is dissipated while the portable radiotelephone is operating in the mode which requires less power, which results in a shortened battery life.
Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram illustrating a power supply circuit of a conventional portable radiotelephone is shown. The power supply circuit of the conventional portable radiotelephone includes a power supply 10 ("battery"), a DC-to-DC Converter 20 connected to the output of battery 10, an inductor L1 connected to the output of the DC-to-DC converter, a pair of voltage dividing resistors R1 and R2, which are serially connected between the output of the DC-to-DC converter 20 and a ground, a power amplifier 30 and a linear regulator 31, which are connected to the output of the DC-to-DC converter 20, and a capacitor C1 connected between an input to the power amplifier 30 and ground.
The battery 10 is usually designed to supply more power than that needed by the power amplifier 30 and that needed to operate the ICs (not shown) of the conventional portable radiotelephone. Further, the power amplifier 30 and the ICs generally require different operating voltages. For example, the output voltage of the battery 10 is generally set at 7.2 V, whereas the voltage needed for the power amplifier 30 is 5 V, and the voltage needed for the ICs is 3.3 V. When 7.2 V is applied to DC-to-DC converter 20 from the battery 10, the DC-to-DC converter 20 converts the 7.2 V supplied by the battery 10 to a voltage of 5 V. Such voltage is then applied to the power amplifier 30 to amplify incoming signals and then transmit them through an antenna (not shown). The linear regulator 31 then changes the 5 V supplied from the DC-to-DC converter 20 to 3.3 V, which voltage is applied to operate the ICs.
The output voltage of the DC-to-DC converter 20 is determined by the voltage dividing resistors R1 and R2. In the conventional method, the resistance values of resistors R1 and R2 are preset so that the required 5 V is applied to the power amplifier 30.
In a dual mode portable radiotelephone employing both an FM mode and a CDMA mode, for example, the power amplifier 30 requires 4.7 V when operating in an FM mode, as opposed to 5 V when operating in a CDMA mode, which requires the linearity and saturation characteristics unlike the FM mode. Therefore, by utilizing the conventional power supply circuit of FIG. 1 in the dual mode portable radiotelephone, the 5 V required to power the power amplifier 30 in conformity with the CDMA mode is obtained, as demonstrated above, by presetting the resistance values of the voltage dividing resistors R1 and R2 so as to generate 5 V from the output of the DC-to-DC converter 20. However, because the resistance values remain constant regardless of the operating mode, 5 V is also generated in the FM mode (which only requires 4.7 V). Therefore, when operating in the FM mode, the conventional FM/CDMA dual mode portable radiotelephone unnecessarily wastes power, which results in shortening the battery life.
In addition to the different power requirements of dual mode portable radiotelephones, portable radiotelephones may also transmit signals at different power levels depending on the area in which they are operated. Specifically, the dual mode portable radiotelephone can effectively communicate with low power in a region exhibiting a strong electric field, i.e., in the proximity of a base station, but requires high power to communicate in a region exhibiting a weak electric field, i.e., in a remote place from the base station. In any event, dual mode portable radiotelephones are generally used in close proximity to the base station, i.e, a region of strong electric field. Therefore, on average, dual mode portable radiotelephones can operate with lower transmitting power levels.
In the conventional portable radiotelephone, however, the voltage applied to the power amplifier 30 for amplifying the transmission signals is set at 5 V in consideration of the situation where the portable radiotelephone is operating in a region of a weak electric, which requires higher transmission power levels to communicate effectively. Therefore, since the 5 V applied to the power amplifier remains constant even when the portable radiotelephone is operating in a region exhibiting a strong electric field (which requires less power), unnecessary power is dissipated resulting in shortening the battery life. Moreover, the temperature of the portable radiotelephone increases, which adversely affects the circuitry.

Circuit and method for controlling the power used by a portable radiotelephone


Systems and methods for programming field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices are provided. A trained model for a deep learning process is obtained and converted to design abstraction (DA) code defining logic block circuits for programming an FPGA device. Each of these logic block circuits represents one of a plurality of modules that executes a processing step between different layers of the deep learning process.

Implementation of deep learning applications typically require a hierarchical software stack that is relatively complex to use and manage. Deep learning applications include, but are not limited to, autonomous vehicle application, object detection and identification, and computer-aided diagnosis system. As a result, users developing deep learning applications based on a trained model are also required to install and call many related software components—e.g., frameworks, libraries, and interfaces—to support multiple applications. Moreover, if there is any need to make changes in the trained model or any portion of the stack, it is typically necessary to rebuild all the related dependencies. Additionally, as the software stack associated with deep learning applications becomes more complex, the additional overhead can substantially affect the performance of such applications.
From a development point of view, a complex software stack places additional burdens on the developer. For example, the developer is now required to be familiar with different software stack compositions for different scenarios. As a result, developing a stack that addresses different scenarios is time-consuming and difficult. From a performance point of view, the complex software may not just be suboptimal for all scenarios due to the extra overheard, but additional overhead may accrue as the software stack is required to be deeper for certain applications, i.e., include a larger number of layers and support more features in each of the layers.
To optimize the implementation of deep learning applications, one conventional solution is to use an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Normally, ASICs are optimized to perform specific tasks and therefore improve the performance of such tasks. However, as noted above, the stack requirements for deep learning models can vary significantly. Thus, ASICs are typically too specific and thus limited in applicability. As a result, they may still not ADDRESS THE NEEDS for a wide variety of applications.
Another conventional approach to optimize the implementation of deep learning applications is to use FPGA devices. FPGA devices are attractive to developers because they are reprogrammable and are therefore flexible for adapting to various trained models and applications. However, FPGA device programming for deep learning applications is not straightforward. As a result, development solutions for handling deep learning applications are typically limited. One solution is to provide a deep learning software development kit based on known software stacks. However, this results in substantially the same stack management and overhead issues discussed above. Another solution is to use "turn-key" solutions—in which a toolkit is provided to allow users to support certain deep learning applications. However, this limited support for applications results in the same issues seen with ASICs.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for systems and methods to simplify FPGA device programming for deep learning applications that more fully leverages the advantages of FPGA devices.


A valve assembly cleaning device includes a conduit fluidly couples the liquid propane regulator and valve assembly to a propane tank. The cleaning system includes a first tube selectively coupled to the conduit such that the first tube is in fluid connection with the conduit and propane may flow from the propane tank to the assembly flows through the first tube. A container has a valve cleaning fluid therein. The container is in fluid communication with the first tube. Cleaning fluid may enter the conduit such that the valve assembly is cleaned by the cleaning fluid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to engine cleaning systems and more particularly pertains to a new engine cleaning systems for effectively cleaning the needles, seats, and other internal components found in regulators for liquid propane engines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of engine cleaning systems is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,361 describes an engine conditioning apparatus and method for cleaning carbon deposits and related residue and contaminants from fuel ports and internal surfaces of an internal combustion engine fuel system. Another type of engine cleaning system is U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,834 describes a method and apparatus for removing internal deposits and contaminants from fuel injected and carbureted internal combustion engines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,210 describes a cleaning and lubricating composition for mechanical seals prolonging their life.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that includes enables a user to quickly and inexpensively clean the inner components of a liquid propane regulator and lock-off valve assembly.


A disclosed fixing device includes: a heat roller unit having a rotatable roller having an elastic body on a surface thereof and a heating unit heating the roller; a pad disposed along a circumference of the elastic body of the heat roller; a belt member disposed on a curved surface of the pad, the belt member rotating by following a rotation of the heat roller; and a pressure member pressing the belt member to the heat roller using the pad, the fixing device causing a conveyed recording medium carrying a visualized image to pass through a space between the heat roller and the pressure member so as to fix the visualized image on the recording medium, wherein a curvature of the curved surface of the pad is changed in a central portion and end portions in an axial direction of the heat roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus provided with the fixing device and more particularly to a fixing device for improving fixation of a visualized image on a recording medium in a simple structure and an image forming apparatus provided with the fixing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in the field of image forming apparatuses using electrophotography such as copier, printers, facsimile devices, and the like, there have been methods for improving the fixation of a visualized image of toner carried on a recording medium. General examples of such methods involve heat fixing methods in which toner images are fixed by heating a rotatable head fixing roller from the inside using a heater, the fixing roller elastically deforming a surface of the recording medium, and by pressing an endless belt capable of conveying while being in contact with the heat fixing roller from an opposite side relative to contact face using a pressure roller.
Regarding the above-mentioned heat fixing methods, there are nip fixing methods for pressing using a pressure pad made of rubber instead of the pressure roller pressing from the opposite side and conveying the recording medium using a belt rotating on a surface of the pressure pad so as to achieve a small size and improve efficiency (refer to Patent Document 1, for example). Further, it is known that when a pressure range of the pressure pad is increased, low-energy fixing is realized.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-262903
However, when the pressure range of the pressure pad is increased, because of a load for pressing the pressure pad, plural pressure units such as springs are required as disclosed in Patent Document 1, so that the cost is increased. Further, in the fixing method as disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the springs are incorporated in a pressure applying unit including the pressure pad, a diameter of the endless belt is increased and an entire portion of the apparatus is enlarged.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus provided with fixing device


Speckle contrast optical tomography system provided with at least one point source and multiple detectors, means for providing different source positions, the point source having a coherence length of at least the source position-detector distance and means for arranging the source position-detector pairs over a sample to be inspected, the system being further provided with means for measuring the speckle contrast; the speckle contrast system of the invention thus capable of obtaining 3D images.

The present invention is related to subsurface tissue blood flow imaging techniques. More particularly, the invention is based on a new highly efficient technique based on coherent laser light speckle contrast (SC) and diffuse correlation tomography.
Imaging blood flow is critical to the diagnosis and monitoring of many diseases. Examples include most obviously the imaging of cerebral blood flow (CBF) for stroke and other ischemic injuries—all hemodynamic derangements—and also neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Coherence optical measures have traditionally had a role in rodent stroke studies by way of the laser Doppler flowmetry point measurement technique. Areas of high blood flow increase the Doppler broadening of coherent laser light. However, laser Doppler methods are point measures that rely on single scattering with limited depth penetration (<1 mm). Laser Doppler methods can be extended to imaging by raster scanning the Laser Doppler probe, but this is very slow.
Speckle methods monitor blood movement through measures like the speckle contrast related to the intensity autocorrelation function, C(τ), of coherent laser speckle. The speckle contrast will decay more quickly in tissue with tissue with faster blood flow.
There are three distinct speckle measurement approaches including: spectral (laser Doppler, LD) temporal (correlation spectroscopy) and spatial (speckle contrast). Traditional LD analysis monitors the C(T) by looking at Doppler broadening of speckle in the light frequency domain. Spatial methods monitor an integrated measure, by temporally integrating the intensity of many spatially distinct speckles for a fixed time (with a CCD for example) and performing a spatial statistical analysis.
In US 2012/0095354 Dunn et al describes laser speckle contrast imaging. However Dunn et al. presents many limitations, like noise, and is not suitable for 3D imaging.

FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE CIENCIES FOTONIQUES


A system and method directed to receiving a first data set corresponding to patient data at a first time, receiving a second data set corresponding to patient data at a second time, segmenting a first region of interest in the first data set and a second region of interest in the second data set, the first and second regions corresponding to one another and aligning the first region of interest with the second region of interest to highlight a first contour indicating a change in size, shape and orientation between the first and second regions of interest.

For many medical applications and examinations, it is useful to track the progress of tissue growth and/or shrinkage in the brain (e.g., to monitor brain atrophy in patients having neurodegenerative diseases, to determine a response of a cancerous tumor to treatment, etc.). To perform a diagnosis, a physician or other user typically compares the shape of the brain in a current brain scan to the shape from a previous brain scan. However, in many cases, the structural changes in the brain over time are subtle and therefore difficult to recognize. It therefore becomes cumbersome to properly assess an efficacy of a treatment or to track brain atrophy. There may be a need for an efficient process by which to streamline an analysis between different images.


A re-fetching cache memory improves efficiency of a processor, for example by reducing power consumption and/or increasing performance. When the cache memory is disabled or temporarily used for another purpose, a data portion of the cache memory is flushed, and a tag portion is saved in an archive. In some embodiments, the tag portion operates “in-place” as the archive, and in further embodiments, is placed in a reduced-power mode. In some embodiments, less than the full tag portion is archived. When the cache memory is re-enabled or when the temporary use completes, optionally and/or selectively, the tag portion is repopulated from the archive, and the data portion is re-fetched according to the repopulated tag portion. In some embodiments, less than the full archive is restored. According to various embodiments, processor access to the cache is enabled during one or more of: the saving; the repopulating; and the re-fetching.

Some processors, such as microprocessors, use one or more levels of cache memory in a memory hierarchy to reduce access time to data, and thus to improve performance. Some processors have sleep and/or low-power modes wherein much of the logic of the processor is powered-off and does not retain state, saving overall system power when the processor is not in use. Power savings of a sleep mode, however, is mitigated due to issues with one or more levels of cache associated with the processor. Keeping the caches powered on during sleep mode allows them to retain state, but consumes significant amounts of power, leading to increased cooling costs, reduced battery life, and reduced reliability. Powering off the caches in sleep mode consumes power in a different manner, due to reloading state into the caches from demand misses in empty (after being powered off) caches. In some processors, demand misses consume power and/or reduce performance by causing the processor to be powered on, but to be idle until the demand miss is satisfied.
Some processors and/or processor systems provide one or more caches and one or more buffers, leading, in some usage scenarios, to one or more of increased die size, increased power consumption, or complexity. Examples of the buffers include Input/Output (I/O) buffers (such as for use with a direct memory access controller) and graphics buffers.

Re-fetching cache memory enabling low-power modes


A compound represented by the formula (1). A polymer compound comprising the compound. An organic semiconductor material comprising the compound or the polymer compound. An organic semiconductor device comprising an organic layer comprising the organic semiconductor material. An organic transistor comprising a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode and an active layer, wherein the active layer comprises the organic semiconductor material.

Organic transistors are low in cost, and have properties such as flexibility, foldability and the like. Therefore, organic transistors are suitable for applications such as electronic paper, flexible displays and the like, and paid to attention recently.
Organic transistors have a layer having charge (denoting hole and electron, the same shall apply hereinafter) transportability constituted of an organic material, and as the organic material, organic semiconductor materials are mainly used.
As the performance of an organic transistor, electric field-effect mobility and the ON/OFF ratio are important and depend significantly on an organic semiconductor material used in the organic transistor. Therefore, an organic semiconductor material is required to have high mobility. If an organic semiconductor material is oxidized, the ON/OFF ratio of an organic transistor tends to lower, thus, stability against oxidation is also required. When an organic semiconductor material has high ionization potential, it is liable to be stable against oxidation.
As the organic semiconductor material used in an organic transistor, poly(3-hexylthiophene) as a polymer compound is suggested, and an organic transistor using the polymer compound shows an electric field-effect mobility of about 10−5 to 10−2 cm2/Vs and an ON/OFF ratio of 104 or less (non-patent document 1). The ionization potential of poly(3-hexylthiophene) is about 5.0 eV which is not necessarily recognized as high, thus, it is liable to be oxidized.
As the organic semiconductor material used in an organic transistor, the following polymer compound having a naphthalene structure, a thiophene structure and a benzothiadiazole structure is suggested, and the electric field-effect mobility of an organic transistor using the polymer compound is 0.003 cm2/Vs (patent document 1).


A time analyzer having an improved interpolator with temperature compensation. The time analyzer of the present invention can be operated in a wide range of temperatures without need of recalibration in the field. The device includes hardware for making a coarse time measurement. A fine time measurement is obtained by interpolating within a cycle of the master clock. A temperature correction look up table is produced which incorporates information unique to each analyzer. Information stored in the look up table of each instrument is used to correct time measurement for enhanced precision.

Time analyzers are commonly used for high resolution, multiple-stop time spectrometry. Such analyzers can be used to record event times in the microsecond range. Moreover, picosecond precision may be desirable for applications in time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry, photon timing and in pulse or signal jitter analysis. It has been heretofore known that time analyzers can be based on a coarse counter and an interpolation method in which the interpolation enhances the time resolution. Known prior art technology relating to such interpolators can be found in a paper published by M. Lampton and R. Raffanti entitled "A High-Speed Wide Dynamic Range Time-To-Digital Converter". Rev. Sci. Instrum. 65 (11), November, 1994. A further interpolator technique is disclosed in an article by Andrew Barry entitled "Dual Time to Digital Converter for Delay-Line Readout of Position-Sensitive-Gas-Field Detectors". Rev. Sci. Instrum. 64 (5), May, 1993. These publications which are incorporated by reference and submitted with this application disclose technology related to mapping from acquired quadrature samples to interpolated time. The mapping functions thus produced compensate for certain system imperfections and allow for more accurate mapping and better instrument performance. However, such techniques and instruments do not provide for temperature compensation such that the analyzer can be used at various temperatures common in practical applications without either performance degradation or instrument recalibration in the field.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a time analyzer that enables precision, high resolution time measurement over a wide operating temperature range without the need for recalibration in the field. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a time analyzer which achieves high precision operation through temperature compensation. In prior art where an instrument requires a continuous supply of samples to maintain calibration, sparse measurements cannot be made inasmuch as there is a minimum throughput requirement. Thus, a further object of the present invention is to allow greater time measurement precision to be achieved by a practical analyzer which can be operated over a selected temperature range without putting restrictions on minimum sample throughput. Other objects and advantages of the instrument will become apparent upon reading the detailed description together with the drawings described as follows.

Time analyzer having an improved interpolator with temperature compensation


A hair and scalp covering shield in the form of a flexible bag 10 is shaped to firmly cover the hair and scalp of a person intended for exposure to a hair louse treatment routine. The inlet 14 to the bag 10 in fitted with an elastic band 16. The bag 12 is fitted with an aperture in the form of a hole 24 incorporating a non-return closure type facility 18 to enable the charging of agent to a treatment zone 26 formed within the bag 12 once in use. Treatment of hair lice is effected by starving the treatment zone 26 of oxygen in response to introducing oxygen deficient agent into the zone 26 once the bulk of air has been removed.

This application claims priority from USA Provisional Application No. 60/800,580 filed on May 16, 2006.
The treatment of hair and scalp related parasitical problems, and especially head lice, is conventionally done by way of a washing action in which a chemical agent is washed into the hair and onto the scalp. As this medium is quite toxic such treatment cannot be done on a regular intermittent basis for the sake of the health of the person being treated. As the function of the conventional agent is to eliminate lice as such, unhatched eggs and nit can only be dealt with once hatched thus requiring a treatment program. As said, the toxicity of the agent serves as a restriction on such washing program in turn restricting its effectiveness. A further problem experienced with the present way of treatment is that it requires substantial effort to prevent agent from reaching the eyes, ears, mouth and perhaps other faculties of the person being treated. This is especially cumbersome in the case of smaller children. Even if the hair and scalp of a person being so treated is covered, liquid agent, as properly wetting such hair and scalp, cannot effectively be fully contained within a covering zone. While during conventional treatment the agent must be maintained on the hair and scalp for a length of time to be effective this immobilises the person undergoing such delicing treatment. It is, amongst others, an object of this invention to address these drawbacks.


A collapsible intermediate bulk container for liquid or freely flowable solid materials includes either a fabric outer/film liner bag or a bag of fabric reinforced elastomer. The bag is supported by a collapsible rigid frame which gradually collapses as the bag is emptied. The collapsible rigid frame includes a pallet-base portion that has an upper surface that is sloped to a center drainage point to facilitate complete emptying. The pallet-base portion contains a valve arrangement fixed to either the fabric outer bag (in the film-lined configuration) or to the reinforced fabric bag, at the center drainage point. The collapsed frame provides a compact return package. Either bag configuration may be reused or replaced in whole or in part.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to containers for transporting or storing liquids or freely flowable solids. Specifically, the invention relates to collapsible, reusable, and stackable intermediate bulk containers.
2. Description of Related Technology
Intermediate bulk containers are used for shipping and storing liquids such as chemicals, beverages, or food products, or freely flowable solids such as grains, livestock feeds, chemicals in powder form, and minerals in powder form. Recent designs for rigid intermediate bulk containers have typically been rectangular in shape. It is desirable to be able to move bulk containers using a fork lift and to stack them to maximize the use of storage and shipping space. To perform this function, many types of bulk containers include pallet-type bases that are compatible with standard fork lifts. Rigid bulk containers present a problem of wasted space in storing or shipping the containers when empty.
The problem of wasted space has been addressed by the development of flexible bag type bulk containers that are well known in the art. For example, LaFleur, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,040 discloses a generally rectangularly shaped large bulk bag formed from a tubular blank of woven fabric. Such flexible bag containers are used for dry material shipping and storage and are desirable for use in storing and shipping liquid or freely flowable solid materials. They cannot, however, be used for shipment or storage of liquid or freely flowable solid materials unless structural support is provided. Flexible bag containers can also be sterilized and used in conjunction with "tamper evident" seals on inlet and outlet fittings, for example, for use when holding food products.
In order to stack flexible bag containers and ensure the stability of a flexible bag container when full and in shipment, it is often desirable to reinforce the container by attaching it to a rigid frame. This is particularly important for storage and shipment of liquid materials. It is also desirable for the rigid frame to be capable of collapsing for transport or storage once the container is empty. Collapsible rigid frames for this purpose are disclosed in LaFleur et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,824, D'Hollander, U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,414, and Potter, U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,998. Similarly, collapsible rigid frames for holding flexible bag containers are available commercially under the trademark CONCERTAINER.RTM., from Van Leer Containers, Inc., 4300 West 130th Street, Chicago, Ill. 60658, under the trademark FLEXITOTE.TM., from Hoover Materials Handling Group, Inc., 2001 Westside Parkway, Suite 155, Alpharetta, Ga. 30201, and under the trademark FLUTAINER.RTM., from B.A.G. Corp., 11510 Data Drive, Dallas, Tex. 75218.
The aforementioned collapsible rigid frames, when used in conjunction with a flexible bag container, are not configured to be collapsed until the flexible bag is empty. This is a disadvantage because if the rigid frame could collapse gradually, the weight of components of the rigid frame disposed above the flexible bag could serve to provide a downward force on the flexible bag, thereby assisting in the emptying of the contents of the flexible bag.
In addition, the collapsible rigid frames require manual separation of components of the frame for collapsing, usually by two people, and this presents the possibility of losing components of the frame. The available collapsible rigid frames must also be set up before the container held by thereby can be filled.


An apparatus comprising an input section, a first delay circuit and a second delay circuit. The input section may be configured to present a first intermediate signal by selecting either (i) an input clock signal or (ii) a feedback of an output signal. The first delay circuit may be configured to generate a second intermediate signal by delaying the first intermediate signal by inserting one of a plurality of fixed delays in response to a first control signal. The second delay circuit may be configured to generate the output signal by delaying the second intermediate signal by inserting a programmable delay in response to a second control signal.

Conventional wide range programmable delay cells consume a relative large amount of silicon die area. In most conventional delay lines, a delay chain is made of a number of delay elements. Each delay element provides a relatively equal delay, which results in a fairly large delay chain with respect to silicon area.
Designers normally try to minimize the silicon area by carefully laying out the cell and trying to compact the logic as much as possible. In addition, careful layout techniques are used to balance out each step so that every delay step produces similar delay value.
Implementing a conventional delay cell takes design effort when trying to match the delay for each delay step as well while trying to minimize die size.
It would be desirable to implement a delay cell that is easy to implement and has efficient die usage.


The present invention is directed to a method of continuously calcining a limestone particle mix comprising a fine fraction of limestone particles and a coarser fraction of limestone particles. The limestone particles heat treated in a flash calciner in which the mixture is entrained and heated in process gas for an amount of time sufficient to fully calcine the fine fraction but not the coarser fraction. The process gas is separated from the heated limestone mixture. The mixture is directed to a retention vessel in which the mixture is retained for an amount of time sufficient to fully calcine the coarser fraction utilizing the process heat present in the limestone mixture. No external heat needs to be added to the retention vessel during the retention step to promote calcination.

A standard method to calcine limestone fines into lime is via a continuous gas suspension flash calciner process. In such a process, limestone fines are entrained in a heated process gas which passes upward through a vertically situated flash calciner. The flash calciner is sized and the process gas velocity is selected so that the residence time of the limestone particles within the calciner will typically be limited to from about 1 to 3 seconds. During this time full decomposition of limestone to lime must occur. Due to excellent gas/solids contact this decomposition can be achieved for particles ranging up to a nominal diameter of 0.5-1 mm using acceptable operating temperatures up to 1100-1200° C. Such particles will make up the majority of the particle size distribution of the limestone fines subject to flash calcination. However, larger particles (such as up to a top size of about 4 mm) which constitute a minority fraction of the particles in the flash calciner, require the utilization of much higher gas temperatures than 1200° C. to complete their decomposition within the time constraints set forth above. Therefore, in such a prior art process there is significant non-uniform calcinations across a wide particle size range. In order to simultaneously calcine the larger fraction in a flash calcination system it has been necessary to utilize significantly higher temperatures in the system with correspondingly increasing energy costs while contributing to adverse affects such promoting coating formation, reducing lime reactivity and possibly over-burning the finer particles in the particle mix.
A method to promote the uniform calcination of both the finer and coarser fraction of the limestone fines treated in a flash calcination process without the above adverse effects is needed. In order to be commercially viable, such a method should not add significantly to the complexity, capital cost or operating costs of the system nor add significantly to overall energy consumption.


The present invention provides a method for forming a void-free copper damascene structure comprising a substrate having a conductive structure, a first dielectric layer on the substrate, a diffusion barrier layer on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer on the barrier layer. The method comprises forming via and trench openings developing a photoresist through a first and second hard mask. The first hard mask is laterally etched such that it is eroded to a greater extent from the trench opening with respect to the underlying second dielectric layer. Remaining gap fill layer is removed and the diffusion barrier layer within the via opening is etched to expose the conductive structure. The via and trench openings are plated with a barrier metal and a copper seed layer to obtain copper features that fill the openings and form a void-free copper damascene structure.

As CMOS transistor scaling proceeds into the deep sub-micron regime, the signal integration of many active elements has necessitated that many layers of high density metal interconnect. To reduce device resistance and capacitance ("RC"), the industry has moved away from aluminum interconnect metal with silicon dioxide dielectric between the metal lines to copper coupled with low-K interlayer dielectric ("ILD") materials in single and dual damascene structures. Copper metallization combined with low dielectric constant ("low-k") ILDs has resulted in the reduction of RC time constant delays in interconnect devices. This integration of copper with low-k materials is considered to be critical to the development of next-generation ultra-large-scale integrated circuit technologies. A variety of copper and low-k approaches and integration schemes are currently being explored.
Single and dual damascene processes are well-detailed in the literature (for example, see Steinbruchel, Christoph and Barry L. Chin, "Copper Interconnect Technology," SPIE Press, 2001). Briefly described, in a dual damascene process, both the via and trenches are etched in the dielectric layer overlying an underlying interconnect or trace. The desired metal is then deposited into the trenches and holes in one step to form a dual damascene structure. Chemical mechanical polishing ("CMP") is used to remove the unwanted surface metal, while leaving the desired metal in the trenches and holes, thus forming in-laid interconnect lines and vias that are coupled to electrical components beneath the insulation layer. The goal of CMP processing is to leave a planarized surface for subsequent metallization to build multi-level interconnections.
However, there exist special challenges for fabricating damascene structures made of copper inlay and low-k ILD materials that cannot be corrected by CMP processing. Surface irregularities and other topography issues such as dishing or erosion created during the etching, ashing, resist removal, and cleaning steps are potentially more damaging in dual-damascene than in non-damascene processes. Unlike aluminum processes, where CMP flattens out the dielectric before patterning, there is no topography correction in dual-damascene. Therefore, if a dip is created at metal 1, it will be transferred into the dielectric creating a dip at metal two, and create a potential short. Thus, critical to the damascene process are vertical via profiles with smooth side walls, particularly in a via-first damascene process. If the via is sloped, residual resist or hard mask can form a "fence" that can partially block the etch, thus rounding the edges of the via and reducing the cross-sectional area of copper from the line into the via. Fencing may also be formed during the trench etch step due to a thick gap-fill (e.g., BARC gap fill material) and with the use of highly polymerizing plasma etch chemistries.
Typical damascene structures used in leading-edge devices with up to eight levels of metal incorporate a barrier metal such as Ta/TaN that surround the copper on all sides, followed by a seed layer copper deposition and copper electroplating. Optimization of the process is needed to assure adequate barrier metal step coverage in preparation for bottom-up fill by copper electroplating. Typical etching and ashing techniques result in the pullback (erosion) of the dielectric film, and an increase in the effective k, particularly for low-k materials.
FIG. 1A shows an intermediate structure created during a conventional copper dual damascene process after via and trench etching has been completed and just prior to barrier metal and copper seed deposition. This structure shows an undercut hard mask layer 14 that protrudes slightly into the trench opening 26. The hard mask layer 14 lies over the trench sidewalls which comprise low-K ILD 20. Within the via openings 28 are conductive structures 24 which are covered with a copper diffusion barrier layer 22.
Typically, the stripping and etching involved in the via and trench formation will cause a portion of the dielectric layer 20 lying beneath the hard mask 14 to be eroded such that an undercut of the hard mask results. Thus, when a barrier metal layer 30 is formed on the via opening and trench opening with conductive materials such as copper (e.g., copper seeding followed by electroplating with copper atoms), as shown in FIG. 1B, the irregularity in the sidewall of the trench results in a discontinuity of the barrier metal layer 30 (e.g., electroplating of conductive atoms does not occur at the site of the discontinuity and thus a nonconformal coating results). FIG. 1C shows the structure after metal deposition is completed and has undergone planarization by CMP. However, the resulting damascene structure exhibits failure (e.g. voids) at the surface interface between the copper feature 32 and the dielectric layer 20. Such defects in the surface result in electromigration resistance within the structure and pose performance and reliability issues in the finished devices.
Thus, while the conventional damascene processes are workable, there remains room for improvement. It would be desirable to provide a process for the formation of void-free damascene structures with precise planarization.

Method for Cu metallization of highly reliable dual damascene structures


The multilayer printed circuit board according to the present invention is a multilayer printed circuit board, in which conductor circuits and insulating layers are formed and layered, an optical path for transmitting an optical signal comprising a resin composite is formed, and conductor circuits are formed on an outermost insulating layer. Herein, an end portion of the above described optical path for transmitting an optical signal protrudes from the surface of the outermost insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer printed circuit board.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years, optical fibers have been drawing attention as the center of the field of communications. In particular, communication technology using optical fibers has become necessary in the field of IT (information technology), for the development of high-speed Internet networks.
Then, it has been proposed for such network communication, including the Internet, that optical communication using optical fibers be used for communication between a basic network and terminal apparatuses (personal computers, mobile apparatuses, games and the like) and communication between terminal apparatuses, in addition to communication in a basic network.
The present applicant has previously proposed a substrate for mounting an IC chip where conductor circuits and insulating layers are formed and layered on both sides of a substrate, solder resist layers are formed as outermost layers, an optical element is mounted, and an optical path for transmitting an optical signal is formed so as to penetrate through this substrate for mounting an IC chip as a substrate for mounting an IC chip that can be used in a terminal apparatus for an optical transmitter receiver system as that described above (see for example JP-A 2002-329891).
The contents of JP-A 2002-329891 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.


An object of the present invention is to develop a method of enhancing the cognitive ability of a brain to fundamentally cure a disease. It has been found out that, by using a medicament for treating or preventing a disease including a combination of a major tranquilizer, and vitamin C or a salt thereof and, if necessary, drip infusion, an antidepressant and an iron agent, the cognitive ability of a brain is enhanced, thus, an arbitrary disease including various cancers can be treated. The present invention also provides a method for treating or preventing a disease including a step of administering a major tranquilizer, and vitamin C or a salt thereof to a subject suffering from the disease.

(Structure of Brain)
A structure of a brain is said to be most mysterious in this universe. A human brain is classified into cerebrum and cerebellum. Simply speaking, cerebrum is a part which controls the psychiatric function, and cerebellum is a part which controls balance sense. When these two are compared, the weight of cerebellum is around 11% of a whole brain, and cerebrum accounts for a major part. When a longitudinal cross-section of a brain is observed, in the center, there are diencephalon, mesencephalon, and medulla oblongata, and medulla oblongata which is continuous with spinal cord.
(Is a Brain Heavy?!)
To say a weight of a whole brain, it is about 1450 gram in men, and is about 1300 gram, a little bit lighter in women. Does the difference in the brain weight mean that women are less wise than men? The answer is no. It has been known that wisdom does not depend on the brain weight. Meanwhile, there is a concern that if a person having such a heavy head at the top of the body has such a heavy thing placed on the head, this person might have stiff shoulders, but this is not true. A brain is protected with a triple membrane consisting of dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater in this order from the outside, and an about one cup of spinal fluid is filled between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater. By walking upright with two feet, a brain is supported by a spinal column which is in an appropriately vertical position, and an actual brain weight is not felt.
(Wrinkle of Brain)
If it is concluded that a weight of a brain has no relationship with the wisdom, what is related to the wisdom? As is frequently said from old times, there is another opinion that a person whose brain has many wrinkles is wise. A human brain has, if getting rid of wrinkles, a 2250 square centimeter area, that is, a size of one side of a newspaper. It can also be said that the wrinkles had to be folded and stored without a choice to place such a large-size brain into a narrow skull bone.
Therefore, it can be said that a wrinkle indicates a folding part. Two thirds of a surface area of a human brain is hidden in a groove of this wrinkle, and can not be seen from the outside. What can be said regarding a wrinkle is only that the relationship between a surface area when wrinkles of the brain is removed and a size of a container for a brain determines the number of wrinkles.
(Network of Nerve Cell)
When it is concluded, as described above, that neither a weight nor a wrinkle is related to the wisdom, what is a determinant factor? A possible answer is the number and the function of brain nerve cells. Meanwhile, the number of nerve cells of a human brain is said to be 14 billion in total, and when were a total of 14 billion nerve cells generated? Surprisingly, it is known that 14 billion nerve cells have already been generated at birth, same as in an adult, all equally.
In principle, a nerve cell is not divided. Assuming that there are a total of 14 billion nerve cells, all of the 14 billion nerve cells seem to be necessary for the balance or stabilization in a skull bone. Dr. Takeshi Yoro (former professor of the Institute of Brain Research, the University of Tokyo) reported that, even when a certain part of nerve cells injured, a human can live a normal life with only 3% of nerve cells. It is also reported that, even when a certain part gets damaged, intact neurons replace for it over a long time.
When a shape of a nerve cell is seen, many prickle-like materials are projected from a nerve cell. Normally, there are a few tens of prickles, and only one long prickle among them is called nerve fiber. It is shaped like a connected Vienna sausages and has a bulging part at the end. This is called terminal button. The button attaches to a adjacent or peripheral nerve cell. They are not fused into each other but merely lapped and adhered. The more binding formats there are, the better results occur, that is, a brain in which larger number of this network of nerve cells is generated more closely results in the wisdom.
(Formation of Network)
Entanglement of the nerve cells grows frequently three months after birth. It is said that, at 15 months, the entanglement becomes more complicated and, at about 3 years old to 4 years old, the development of a fundamental network is completed. A size of a brain becomes about 4-fold bigger at around 4 year old than at birth, approximately the same size as an adult. For this reason, the environment in childhood is important.
(Team Work of Brain)
A human memorizes many things every day. It is said that a brain has 14 billion nerve cells, and in which part of a brain the memorization is performed becomes a question. It has been known that memorization is performed in a head front (frontal cortex) which is present at a font part of a head, and in this part, the human behaviors such as creating a thing or thinking is conducted. In addition, a vertex of a head has relationship mainly with movement, and a side part of a head is responsible for memory, judgment, acoustic sense, and language. A rear part of a head controls an eye just situated on the other side of the head (visual sense). Like this, each part of cerebrum works separately. This separate work is not performed disorderly, but each part helps each other, and co-operates, thus, an organization play is conducted considerably well. For this reason, when a separate working system is well established, the brain works well (FIG. 1).
(Nerve Cells of a Brain are Decreasing)
Sixty to eighty thousand nerve cells of a brain are dying every day, and as a human is getting older, the number of destroyed nerve cells is increased. Since the nerve cell is not regenerated, nerve cells are decreasing without stopping. From the age of about 40, the decrease becomes remarkable. It is said that, from calculation, the nerve cell becomes zero at the age of 230. It is said that 200 thousand cells are lost every day around the age of over 40, and the number of lost cells becomes about 73 million per year. However, this seems trivial.
Japanese psychiatric medicine is directed to psychiatric analytical methodology too much, and is substantially delayed in study involving the function and the structure of cerebrum or positioning of those psychiatric medicines in the clinic setting. From now on, such region must be studied more vigorously. Now, let's discuss on the function of a brain by exemplifying an easily understandable example.
We see objects or the surrounding situation through eyes every day, but we don't always actually "see" all things that meet eyes. When we see a face of a person, even if there is a vase behind the person, we do not "see" the vase.
However, it is not considered that such the selection is conducted by the central function of visual sense.
Alternatively, when we are chatting with a person, accompanying a content of a conversation, past memory is recalled, or new presumption or imagination is generated. In such a case, no one think that such association is generated in a center of an acoustic sense.
Like this, concentration in something, recall of a memory, and imagination are not conducted in only one center such as a center of a visual sense, a center of an acoustic sense, and a center of memory. Thinking from such a thing, it is important to not only analyze each individual center separately but also comprehensively study the whole cerebrum which controls them (FIG. 2).
Meanwhile, since around 1980 in Europe and USA, a concept called Solution Focused Approach has been developed (FIG. 6).
This is a way of thinking that "it is important to treat an affected part and, at the same time, maintain a healthy part immediately."
This approach has been previously adopted mainly in department of psychosomatic medicine although ambiguously, and is a thinking way that, to treat the diseases that are not clearly grasped when pursued by a 20-century diagnosing method with poor laboratory data such as autonomic ataxia and physical abnormality, it is important to recognize and make use of the intact functions immediately rather than to detect and care the injured functions.
In such a sense, this approach is going against the scientific methodology involving mainly analysis, which is peculiar to previous Westerner (Mr. Wilder Penfield (Canada) proposed an analytical procedure, while Mr. Karl Lashley (Britain) proposed a non-analytical holonic procedure).
Recently, a trend of adoption of the solution focusing approach is prevailing also in a brain area to review the function of cerebrum and brain anatomical cell structure.
This is the approach to improve functions by preventing further expansion of a damaged part and maintaining an intact part, a much larger region than the damaged part.
As such, it goes without saying that initial therapy is important. However, there is a fact that, in most cases, initial therapy, which is naturally conducted in other departments, is not conducted in the department of psychiatry.
When "Solution Focusing Approach" is applied to cerebrum study, it is considered more important to consider whole cerebrum comprehensively rather than to center on a partial function center of cerebrum as previously preferred. A whole is not necessarily a sum of parts (holonic). It is thought that a whole is a whole, and only when a balance is taken as a whole and safety is confirmed, a higher order center of cerebrum works (FIG. 3).
A thinking way that a whole is more important than a part in cerebrum study was derived as a result of detailed experiment in a monkey in 1920's to 40's (Karl Lashley (Britain)).
At that time, the finding of more analytical method by Wilder Penfield of Canada was a master stream among such ways of thinking, and the Karl's method cannot be a master stream. However, it was gradually spread worldwide, and in 1981, Roger Sperry (1922-1994) who is a psychobiologist of USA received a Nobel Prize for study of the function in left and right hemispheres of cerebrum. The previous science technique to analyze more details limit to studies showing that "a center of a visual sense is present in 17th, 18th and 19th of lobus occipitalis," and similar findings, and an idea such as the function of a right/left brain and a whole brain has not come out.
If the cerebrum function is greatly involved in a psychiatric disease, and a disorder of the cerebrum function is deeply involved therein, it is considered that a method to treat a psychiatric disease becomes clearer by checking the cerebrum function.
For example, focusing on senile dementia which is currently increasing, a specific method will be discussed.
When any sign of dementia is suspected, the person first admits to the hospital for examinations. This is a process that was not present in the previous psychiatric hospital. In examinations, a new system with standardized checking items, not depending on subjective evaluation by a counselor is adopted, and the person's condition is precisely grasped. Depending on a degree of progression, a treating method is determined. Fundamentally, a diseased part of cerebrum is suppressed and an intact part is maintained by drug therapy to recover a decreased ability to the original state.
The concept is very simple. When an affected part comes out, it should be detected and suppressed as early as possible, and an intact part should be maintained so that the person can live a rosy later life. Of course, now to live depends on endeavor and device of each person.
For a vivid independent later life, in view of medical methodology, it is recommended that when any risk or sign of dementia is pointed out, the person should admit to the hospital for examinations to receive appropriate treatment as early as possible.
As tuberculosis and Hansen's disease, which were Previously a refractory disease, became curable by initial therapy by a physician who knows a whole, it is thought that such a time has come when a psychiatric disease is also converted into "evidence-based medicine" by introducing initial medicine mainly including drug therapy focusing on the cerebrum function as its basis (hospitalization for examinations→Solution Focused Approach etc.) (FIG. 4).
There is no doubt that cerebrum is deeply involved in a psychiatric disease, but in other physical diseases, the cerebrum function can not be neglected. It has been known also from clinical experience of the present inventor for more than 40 years that many diseases improve further by treatment on cerebrum together with local therapy.
It is thought that insulin therapy for diabetes and a cholesterol-suppressing agent for obesity are all involved in dysfunction of cerebrum, and it is natural to consider that problems such as increased CRK and dementia arises in particular occur more frequently from now on in a context with a brain.
Further, as shown in the present invention, it becomes apparent that even a cancer can be cured by treating cerebrum. It goes without saying that I, as a physician, hope, more people to know this finding.
As a conclusion, the present inventor thinks that, regardless of the type of disease, the function of cerebrum integrating mind and body must be paid more attention to treat the disease. This is because, to say extremely, all information of a body is inputted in a brain. In addition, psychological matters including past, present, imagination and others are all together inputted into cerebrum. Furthermore, natural phenomenon during the years is memorized in a brain. Since cerebrum controls a body based on the natural phenomenon recognizing that safety assured, the function of cerebrum has to be sufficiently maintained above all.
In an elderly has concomitant diseases, it is necessary to treat him/her by checking the peripheral part of a brain first. If a weight is always put on a local site which is not so important, this may conversely result in exacerbation of the state of the whole body.
A whole and a part are both important. It is thought that the scientific methodology in the 20th century focusing on a part is changing to the scientific approach focusing on a whole and further emphasizing relationship between a whole and a part in the 21st century.
It is thought that representative diseases addressed in such a change are psychiatric disease and malignant tumor. On the other hand, it is presumed that, as a theme in the medical field from now on, elucidation of a gene will be greatly closed up without any doubt.
With respect to "human genome plan" for which study and development have been rapidly progressed since 1990's, that is, a gene issue, in our country, only partial study of a DNA is marginally getting going, and control of its whole is substantially delayed. It is thought that application of gene technology in treating diseases in this area must be vigorously conducted starting from fundamental study.
Medicine to secure the healthy mind and body as early as possible, focusing on the cerebrum. The present inventor thinks that it is duty of a healthcare practitioner from now on to grasp the condition precisely and improve the damaged ability by "new medicine focusing on a whole body and maintaining a healthy part", not by "modern medicine focusing on a part."
If a normal life becomes difficult, and a person begins to suspect that he or she is ill, it is natural that he or she needs a reliable physician who can cure it. Familial care is most appreciate and only a family may be empathetic, but it goes without saying that, in order to fundamentally solve a problem, a reliable physician and reliable therapy are essential above all.
However, change in medical education, overfocus on cultivation of physicians who can see only a part, and confusion between medicine and welfare greatly destruct the clinical field of medicine.
In 17th century, Descartes advanced the theory that mind and body are separate. Since then, the Mind and Body Dualism has been ever governed the medical field. However, medicine of 21st century must be changed in a way of putting importance on a whole instead of a part. In other words, it is felt that a time has come to think again what relation is present between a brain, a body and a mind constituting a human.
Now, when this fundamental conversion is urged, attendance of conational physicians and nurses is desired towards to construction of "true medicine."
On the other hand, from accumulation of study of a brain and treatment experience on a brain, it has been known that the cerebrum function is greatly involved also in a cancer.
All information of a body is inputted in cerebrum. Cerebrum also has the function of cognizing abnormality when present anywhere. Cerebrum controls a whole body while maintaining safety of a body.
When "onset of cancer", an abnormality of a body occurs, cerebrum cognizes it and tries to exclude a cancer cell.
Then, one may have a question that "why a cancer develops in human". The reason is that when the cognitive ability of cerebrum is reduced by any reason, abnormality can not be found, permitting proliferation of a cancer cell.
Therefore, it is concluded that, in order to basically suppress a cancer, the cognizing ability of cerebrum should be activated.
Studies up to date showed that a human normally uses only 3% of cerebrum, and even when the cognitive ability is reduced, a resting 97% intact part is maintained and the cognitive ability can be enhanced again.
According to the present invention, in brief, when health of a brain can be maintained, the risk of getting a cancer is negligible. Moreover, the present inventor has explained many actual cases where a cancer patient who received treatment of cerebrum using a tranquilizer showed a recovery tendency.
Further, it has been known that even when a cancer has entered a stage of proliferation/metastasis, intake of vitamin C may suppress the proliferation. The cancer cell-proliferation-preventing effect by vitamin C is also shown in study of Dr. Linus Pauling who was rewarded a Novel prize.
The present inventor itself suffered from large intestine cancer. After being discharged from hospital, the inventor has been on a tranquilizer and vitamin C. In a health check thereafter, proliferation and metastasis were not seen at all, and a cancer specialist was surprised at it.
Additionally, when one suffers from a disease, only a family is reliable. Although there is a term of regional medicine, one can be taken care only by a family. However, a family can provide a care but not treatment. Of course, one desires to find a reliable physician who can really cure itself.
The present inventor itself is a physician who experienced a major disease, and ardently felt the necessity of a reliable physician who performs "evidence-based medicine" like the present invention.
Dr. Greenfield describes a brain and a disease in Non-Patent Literature 1 (Trends Biotechnol. 2005 January; 23(1): 34-41). However, the Literature does not describe and suggest treatment of other diseases such as cancer utilizing the cognitive ability of a brain.

Method for treating/preventing disease using cognitive ability of cerebrum and pharmaceutical


An oven is provided that includes an internal surface that faces a cooking area of the oven. An oven door is present that has a convex surface. The oven door is movable from a closed position in which the oven door blocks access to the cooking area from outside of the oven to an open position in which the oven door does not block access to the cooking area from outside of the oven. The oven may also include a receiving compartment that receives at least a portion of the oven door when the oven door is in the open position.

Oven doors found in residential and commercial settings are typically hinged at the bottom and provided with a handle at the top so that the cook grasps the handle and pulls the oven door forward and downward into the open position. The oven door thus rotates about the bottom, hinged position and in the open position extends almost completely forward. The user of the oven must stand a long distance away from the cooking area of the oven in order to place food into and remove food from the cooking area. Further, if the interior surface of the oven door is hot, this hot surface presents a safety risk to the user and other people and animals in the vicinity of the oven. Another concern with oven doors lies in the layout of a typical kitchen. Some kitchens, for example those in apartments or those that are small, have limited space and an open oven door may interfere with the opening of doors of cabinets and appliances in the kitchen. Handicapped people, such as those in wheelchairs, may not be able to maneuver their assistance device in front of the oven and open the oven door because the presence of the person or assistance device would interfere with the opening oven door due to its outward movement.
One known oven door design that attempted to correct problems associated with oven doors involved the use of a pivoting and sliding connection. Here, the oven door was moved from the closed position to the open position by first pivoting the oven door about its bottom in the conventional manner. Once moved into the open position, the oven door was then slid in a linear direction into the oven. This arrangement removed most of the oven door from view and allowed the cook to stand closer to the cooking area when checking on food located in the oven or when putting food into or removing food out of the oven. Although capable of hiding an oven door when open, such design would still be difficult for people having an assistance device such as a cane or wheel chair to open due to the outward movement of the oven door during opening. Further, such an oven door design may strike or otherwise interfere with other open doors on appliances or cabinets in the kitchen.
Another oven door design features an automatic opening oven door. The oven door is made of a series of sections that ride along a track. The cook may press a button and a motor will actuate to move the sections of the oven door along the track so that they are moved into the body of the oven. Although capable of opening and closing an oven door, this design is expensive and requires a significant number of mechanical and electrical parts and is thus not a robust design. Further, since the oven door is made of a number of sections it exhibits areas of heat loss due to gaps between the sections. This heat loss may become worse over time and can increase the cost of operating the oven, reduce the effectiveness food is cooked, and undesirably heat up the kitchen. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.

Oven with door having a convex shaped surface


An apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine to record vehicle operation data. The apparatus is arranged to record the vehicle operation data when the vehicle stops before the engine stops.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle to record vehicle operation data.
In order to clear up the cause of a traffic accident, the vehicle operation data sampled around the time when the traffic accident occurs are required. However, it is difficult to detect the time when a traffic accident occurs. It may be considered to detect this time by monitoring the operation of a protective device such as an air bag. However, this cannot accommodate a slight traffic accident and will result in an expensive vehicle operation data recording apparatus.

Vehicle operation data recording apparatus


A viscous fluid type heat generator including a housing assembly in which a fluid-tight heat generating chamber confining therein a viscous fluid to which a shearing action is applied by a disc-like rotor element rotated by a drive shaft, and having inner wall surfaces confronting outer surfaces of the rotor element, the inner wall surfaces of the fluid-tight heat generating chamber and the outer faces of the rotor element defining a gap in which the viscous fluid is held, the rotor element being provided with one or more through-holes formed in an outer peripheral portion and a radially inner portion thereof with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor element so that the through-holes cooperate with one or more non-circumferentially extending elongate indentations provided in the inner wall surfaces of the fluid-tight heat generating chamber during the rotation of the rotor element to expand a heat generating region formed by the gap. The expansion of the heat generating region formed by the gap increases a restraint acting against movement of the viscous fluid caused by the rotation of the rotor element so as to increase friction and a shearing force acting on the viscous fluid, and heat generation by the viscous fluid is increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a viscous fluid type heat generator in which a viscous fluid is subjected to a shearing action to generate heat that is in turn transmitted to a circulating heat-transfer or heat-exchange fluid in a heat receiving chamber, and is carried by the heat-transfer fluid to a desired heated area, such as a passenger compartment in an automobile. More particularly, the present invention relates to a viscous fluid type heat generator adapted for being used as a supplementary heat source incorporated in an automobile heating system, provided with a heat generation augmenting means incorporated therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-246823 (JP-A-2-246823) discloses a typical automobile heating system in which a viscous fluid type heat generator, to generate heat by using a viscous fluid generating heat when it is subjected to shearing action, is incorporated. The viscous fluid type heat generator disclosed in JP-A-2-246823 includes a pair of mutually opposing front and rear housings tightly secured together by appropriate tightening elements, such as through bolts, to define an inner heat generating chamber and a heat receiving chamber arranged adjacently to the heat generating chamber. The fluid-tight heat generating chamber is formed as a fluid-tight chamber and is isolated from the heat receiving chamber by a partition wall through which the heat is exchanged between the viscous fluid in the fluid-tight heat generating chamber and the water in the heat receiving chamber. The heat exchanging water is introduced into the heat receiving chamber through a water inlet port and delivered from the heat receiving chamber toward an external heating system, and the water is constantly circulated through the heat generator and the external heating system.
A drive shaft is rotatably supported in the front housing via anti-friction bearing so as to support thereon a rotor element in such a manner that the rotor element is rotated with the drive shaft within the fluid-tight heat generating chamber. The rotor element has outer faces which are face-to-face with the inner wall surfaces of the fluid-tight heat generating chamber and form therebetween a small gap in the shape of labyrinth grooves, and a viscous fluid is supplied into the fluid-tight heat generating chamber so as to fill the small gap, i.e., the labyrinth grooves between the rotor element and the wall surfaces of the fluid-tight heat generating chamber.
When the drive shaft of the viscous fluid type heat generator incorporated in the automobile heating system is driven by an automobile engine, the rotor element is also rotated within the fluid-tight heat generating chamber so as to apply a shearing action to the viscous fluid held between the wall surfaces of the fluid-tight heat generating chamber and the outer faces of the rotor element. Thus, the viscous fluid which generally consists of a polymer material, typically a silicone oil having a chain molecular structure presenting a high viscosity, generates heat due to the shearing action applied thereto. The heat is transmitted from the viscous fluid to the heat exchanging water flowing through the heat receiving chamber. The heat exchanging water carries the heat to the heating circuit of the automobile heating system.
In the viscous fluid type heat generator, the amount of heat generation depends on an extent of contact area of the viscous fluid with the outer faces of the rotor element and with the inner wall surfaces of the fluid-tight heat generating chamber. Namely, when the contact area is large, the heat generation by the viscous fluid is energized to supply a large amount of heat.
On the other hand, when a viscous fluid type heat generator is used as a supplementary heat source for an automobile heating system, the heat generator must be as compact as possible so as to permit the heat generator, per se, and all the other various auxiliary equipment of the automobile, to be mounted in a limited mounting area in an engine compartment. To this end, the conventional viscous fluid type heat generator is internally provided with labyrinth grooves formed in the fluid-tight heat generating chamber in order to expand the fluid-tight space defined between the axially opposite end faces of the rotor element and the inner wall surfaces of the housing, and filled with the viscous fluid generating heat during the rotation of the rotor element. Namely, an expansion in the contact area of the viscous fluid with the end faces of the rotor element and the inner wall surfaces of the housing is achieved by the provision of the labyrinth grooves without causing an increase in the entire physical size of the viscous fluid heat generator.
Nevertheless, the provision of the above-mentioned labyrinth in the fluid-tight heat generating chamber is very cumbersome from the point of view of manufacturing technique, and is disadvantage from the point of view of preventing manufacturing cost of the heat generator.
Further, in the conventional viscous fluid type heat generator, the labyrinth provided in the heat generating chamber is arranged so that labyrinth-forming projections formed in the inner wall surfaces of the housing and those formed in the outer faces of the rotor element extend concentrically with one another about the axis of rotation of the rotor element. Therefore, when both labyrinth-forming projections are inaccurately manufactured and assembled, the rotor element might mechanically interfere with the housing when the former is rotated.
Japanese Unexamined (Kokai) Patent publication No. 3-57877 (JP-A-3-57877) discloses a different type of viscous fluid type heat generator in which a rotor element rotated by a drive shaft is housed in a chamber of a rotatable body formed by a pair of confronting cover and housing. A radially outer portion of the rotor element and a confronting portion of the housing are provided with labyrinth-forming projections extending circumferentially to form a fluid-tight labyrinth generally extending in a circumferential direction. A heat generating gap is defined in the fluid-tight labyrinth, and filled with viscous fluid such as silicone oil, to perform heat generation in response to an application of shearing action to the fluid. Namely, the fluid-tight labyrinth is provided as a means for making the heat generating region as large as possible.
The cover is provided with an impeller arranged in a heat receiving chamber so as to provide a resistance against the rotation of the rotatable body. The rotation of the rotor element causes rotation of the rotatable body via the viscous fluid. At this stage, due to provision of the impeller, there occurs a difference in speed between the rotation of the rotor element and that of the rotatable body, and therefore, heat is generated by the viscous fluid held in the heat generating gap in the fluid-tight labyrinth.
Although the rotor element of JP-A-3-57877 is provided with one or a plurality of through-holes formed in a radially inner portion thereof, these through-holes do not increase an amount of generation of heat by the viscous fluid. This is because the viscous fluid is mainly filled in the above-mentioned annular heat generating gap in the fluid-tight labyrinth region, and is not filled in the region located adjacent to the through-holes. Therefore, the through-holes do not act so as to increase the strength of the shearing action applied to the viscous fluid, and should be considered as passageway means for providing a fluid communication between both sides of the rotor element, and for permitting the viscous fluid to pass therethrough as required.

Viscous fluid type heat generator with heat generation increasing means

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho