1. Method for manufacturing a bamboo mat, comprising the processing steps of
A) processing bamboo into bamboo strips,
B) drying the bamboo strips to a predetermined moisture content,
C) machining at least the longitudinal sides of the bamboo strips dried according to step B) so as to form a uniform plane,
D) parallel positioning of a plurality of machined bamboo strips with the longitudinal sides adjoining,
E) mutually and pivotally connecting the parallel positioned bamboo strips by means of coupling means, wherein, after the connecting as according to step E), the bamboo mat is narrowed to a predetermined width in a subsequent step F) by removing bamboo on either side parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bamboo strips.
2. Method as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that during the drying in step B a width of the bamboo strip is smaller at the position of at least one node in the bamboo than a maximum width of the bamboo strip, wherein during the machining in step C) bamboo is removed on the longitudinal sides of the bamboo strip until the bamboo strip has substantially the same width over the longitudinal direction.
3. Method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that during drying in step B a thickness of the bamboo strip at the position of at least one node in the bamboo is also smaller than a thickness of the bamboo strip between the nodes, wherein during the machining in step C bamboo is removed from the top side and bottom side of the bamboo strip adjacent to the longitudinal sides until the bamboo strip has substantially the same thickness over the longitudinal direction.
4. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined moisture content in step B) lies between 6 and 12% by weight.
5. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the coupling means in step E) comprise adhesive tape, wherein the adhesive tape is arranged over a plurality of adjoining bamboo strips such that the bamboo strips are coupled pivotally to each other.
6. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that prior to the narrowing in step F) the bamboo strips of the bamboo mat which are located at the outermost positions have a greater width than the bamboo strips located between the outermost positions, wherein the bamboo strips located at the outermost positions are narrowed during the narrowing of the bamboo mat to a width substantially equal to the width of the bamboo strips located between the outermost positions.
7. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that after processing step E), parts of bamboo are also sawn off parallel in step G) on the opposite end surfaces of the bamboo mat at a predetermined angle to the longitudinal direction of the bamboo strips.
8. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the connected bamboo mat is rolled up after step E).
9. Method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of using the bamboo mat in at least one of furniture, a floor covering, a wall covering and a ceiling covering.
10. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the coupling means in step E) comprise a flexible material layer which substantially covers adjoining bamboo strips on at least one side.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of performing ultraviolet laser surface ablation of an eye surface for effecting refractive correction of the eye including having natural liquid of the eye in contact with the eye surface to be ablated, and applying a pulsed laser beam to the eye surface through the liquid to effect ablation of the surface with the laser beam to remove corneal tissue from the surface, wherein the liquid cools said eye surface as it is ablated and the laser beam has a wavelength of about 213 nm and thereby is substantially not absorbed by the liquid.
2. A method according to claim 1, further including retaining said liquid in contact with the eye surface to be ablated.
3. A method according to claim 1, further including cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an anterior surface as said eye surface is ablated.
4. A method of performing ultraviolet laser ablation of an eye surface for effecting refractive correction of the eye, including delivering a physiologically compatible liquid into contact with the surface to be ablated, and applying a pulsed laser beam to the eye surface through the liquid to effect ablation of the surface with the laser beam to remove corneal tissue from the surface, wherein the liquid cools said eye surface as it is ablated and the laser beam has a wavelength of about 213 nm and thereby is not absorbed by the liquid.
5. A method according to claim 4, further including retaining said liquid in contact with the eye surface to be ablated.
6. A method according to claim 4, further including cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an anterior surface as said eye surface is ablated.
7. Apparatus for performing ultraviolet LASIK on a surface of a cornea of an eye, including a laser delivery system having a laser source for generating a pulsed laser beam and optics for applying the laser beam to the surface to be ablated, means for providing a compatible liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated, in a position whereby said laser beam is applied to said surface through the liquid, wherein the laser beam is of a wavelength hat substantially is not absorbed by the liquid, and further including microkeratome means for cutting a flap from the cornea to expose an interior surface to be ablated, wherein a common ring serves both as a guide ring for the microkeratome and as means for retaining liquid in contact with the surface to be ablated.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said laser source is arranged to generate a laser beam at about 213 nm.
9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said laser source includes a solid state laser and a plurality of frequency doubling and mixing crystals for deriving the said laser beam from the output beam of the laser.