Author: claimsbot

1. A method comprising
disposing a retention member adjacent a planar surface, the retention member forming one or more inner side walls which, together with the planar surface, define a retention member void sized to receive a laminar rock chip;
disposing the laminar rock chip in the retention member void such that a laminar plane of the laminar rock chip is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the planar surface;
placing into the retention member void a flowable material capable of hardening, the flowable material flowing between a bottom surface of the laminar rock chip and the planar surface and further flowing around the laminar rock chip such that substantially all of the surface area of the laminar rock chip is covered by the flowable material;
causing the flowable material to harden into a solid while retaining the laminar rock chip in place so that the laminar plane of the laminar rock chip remains substantially perpendicular to the plane of the planar surface, thereby forming a plug of solid material having the laminar rock chip embedded therein;
removing the plug from the planar surface and abrading a top surface of the plug, the top surface and a bottom surface of the plug being substantially parallel to one another, and the top surface being sufficiently abraded so that a contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip is exposed at the top surface; and
placing the bottom surface of the plug upon a hardness testing device support plate and contacting the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip at the top surface with a primary contact member of the hardness testing device so that force is applied by the primary contact member to the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip in a vector which is within the laminar plane of the laminar rock chip,

so that a hardness of the laminar rock chip is measured.
2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising abrading the bottom surface of the plug so that the top surface of the plug is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the plug.
3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the flowable material comprises an epoxy.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the flowable material comprises a metal alloy.
6. A method according to claim 4 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.
7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising disposing the laminar rock chip adjacent a stabilizing member, wherein the stabilizing member comprises at least one support member, wherein the support member retains the laminar rock chip such that the laminar plane of the laminar rock chip is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the planar surface.
8. An article comprising a laminar rock chip substantially surrounded by and imbedded within a plug comprised of a solid material, the plug forming a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface substantially parallel with the top planar surface, the laminar rock chip forming a contact surface portion exposed at the top planar surface of the plug, a laminar plane of the laminar rock chip being substantially perpendicular with the top planar surface.
9. The article according to claim 8, wherein the laminar rock chip is comprised of shale.
10. The article according to claim 9, wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.
11. The article according to claim 10, wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72\xb0 C.
12. The article according to claim 11, wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.
13. The article according to claim 8, wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.
14. The article according to claim 13, wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72\xb0 C.
15. The article according to claim 8, wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.
16. A method comprising
disposing a retention member adjacent a planar surface, the retention member forming one or more inner side walls which, together with the planar surface, define a retention member void sized to receive a laminar rock chip;
disposing the laminar rock chip in the retention member void;
placing into the retention member void a flowable material capable of hardening, the flowable material flowing between a bottom surface of the laminar rock chip and the planar surface and further flowing around the laminar rock chip such that substantially all of the surface area of the laminar rock chip is covered by the flowable material;
causing the flowable material to harden into a solid while retaining the laminar rock chip in place, thereby forming a plug of solid material having the laminar rock chip embedded therein;
removing the plug from the planar surface and abrading a top surface of the plug, the top surface and a bottom surface of the plug being substantially parallel to one another, and the top surface being sufficiently abraded so that a contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip is exposed at the top surface; and
placing the bottom surface of the plug upon a hardness testing device support plate and contacting the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip at the top surface with a primary contact member of the hardness testing device so that force is applied by the primary contact member to the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip,

so that a hardness of the laminar rock chip is measured.
17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising abrading the bottom surface of the plug so that the top surface of the plug is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the plug.
18. A method according to claim 16 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.
19. A method according to claim 16 wherein the flowable material comprises an epoxy.
20. A method according to claim 16 wherein the flowable material comprises a metal alloy.
21. A method according to claim 19 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.
22. An article comprising a laminar rock chip substantially surrounded by and imbedded within a plug comprised of a solid material, the plug forming a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface substantially parallel with the top planar surface, the laminar rock chip forming a contact surface portion exposed at the top planar surface of the plug.
23. The article according to claim 22, wherein the laminar rock chip is comprised of shale.
24. The article according to claim 23, wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.
25. The article according to claim 24, wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72\xb0 C.
26. The article according to claim 25, wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.
27. The article according to claim 22, wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.
28. The article according to claim 27, wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72\xb0 C.
29. The article according to claim 22, wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.

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 substrate for a liquid discharge head comprising an Si substrate, a liquid discharge energy generating element formed on said Si substrate and adapted to discharge liquid, a semiconductor element, and an opening formed to pass through said Si substrate by anisotropic etching and used for supplying the liquid around said liquid discharge energy generating element,
wherein, in said Si substrate, a density of oxidation induced laminate defects existing on a surface of said Si substrate opposite to a surface on which said liquid discharge energy generating element is formed is equal to or greater than 2\xd7104 partscm2 and a length of the oxidation induced laminate defects is equal to or greater than 2 \u03bcm.
2. A substrate according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen density of said Si substrate is equal to or less than 1.3\xd71018 (atomscm3).
3. A substrate according to claim 1, wherein said Si substrate is an MCZ substrate.
4. A substrate according to claim 1, wherein a Si crystal face orientation of the surface of said Si substrate on which said liquid discharge energy generating element is formed is <100> or <110>.

1. A display panel assembly, comprising:
an electro-luminescent display that is transparent;
a liquid crystal display that is transparent and segmented, wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted to the electro-luminescent display such that a segment of the liquid crystal display is substantially aligned with one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display; and
a control mechanism that varies a liquid crystal pixel gray level for the segment in order to modify an amount of ambient light passed through the electro-luminescent display.
2. A display panel assembly, comprising:
an electro-luminescent display that is transparent;
a liquid crystal display that is transparent and segmented, wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted to the electro-luminescent display such that a segment of the liquid crystal display is substantially aligned with one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display; and
a control mechanism that varies a liquid crystal pixel gray level for the segment in order to modify an amount of ambient light passed through the electro-luminescent display, wherein the electro-luminescent display comprises an organic light emitting diode display.
3. A display panel assembly, comprising:
an electro-luminescent display that is transparent;
a liquid crystal display that is transparent and segmented, wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted to the electro-luminescent display such that a segment of the liquid crystal display is substantially aligned with one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display; and
a control mechanism that varies a liquid crystal pixel gray level for the segment in order to modify an amount of ambient light passed through the electro-luminescent display, wherein an algorithm modifies the liquid crystal pixel gray level based on a content of the electro-luminescent display.
4. A display panel assembly, comprising:
an electro-luminescent display that is transparent;
a liquid crystal display that is transparent and segmented, wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted to the electro-luminescent display such that a segment of the liquid crystal display is substantially aligned with one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display; and
a control mechanism that varies a liquid crystal pixel gray level for the segment in order to modify an amount of ambient light passed through the electro-luminescent display, wherein an algorithm modifies the liquid crystal pixel gray level based on a brightness of the one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display.
5. A display panel assembly, comprising:
an electro-luminescent display that is transparent;
a liquid crystal display that is transparent and segmented, wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted to the electro-luminescent display such that a segment of the liquid crystal display is substantially aligned with one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display; and
a control mechanism that varies a liquid crystal pixel gray level for the segment in order to modify an amount of ambient light passed through the electro-luminescent display, wherein an algorithm modifies the liquid crystal pixel gray level based on a color of the one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display.
6. A display panel assembly, comprising:
an electro-luminescent display that is transparent;
a liquid crystal display that is transparent and segmented, wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted to the electro-luminescent display such that a segment of the liquid crystal display is substantially aligned with one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display; and
a control mechanism that varies a liquid crystal pixel gray level for the segment in order to modify an amount of ambient light passed through the electro-luminescent display, wherein an algorithm modifies the liquid crystal pixel gray level based on a gaze angle of an eye of a viewer.
7. A display panel assembly, comprising:
an electro-luminescent display that is transparent;
a liquid crystal display that is transparent and segmented, wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted to the electro-luminescent display such that a segment of the liquid crystal display is substantially aligned with one or more pixels within the electro-luminescent display; and
a control mechanism that varies a liquid crystal pixel gray level for the segment in order to modify an amount of ambient light passed through the electro-luminescent display, wherein an algorithm modifies the liquid crystal pixel gray level based on time periods.
8. A display panel assembly, comprising:
a transparent display panel having a viewable side, the transparent display panel comprising a display pixel;
a polarizer affixed to the viewable side;
a transparent pixelated liquid crystal array affixed to the polarizer, the transparent pixelated liquid crystal array comprising at least one liquid crystal pixel that substantially aligns to the display pixel; and
a control mechanism configured to electrically control the transparent display and the transparent pixelated liquid crystal array, wherein in a first time period, the control mechanism sets the display pixel to a predetermined brightness level and sets the liquid crystal pixel to a first orientation at every location where a display pixel is set to at least partially illuminated, and in a second time period, the control mechanism sets the display pixel to emit no light and sets the liquid crystal pixel to a second orientation.
9. A display panel assembly, comprising:
a transparent electroluminescent panel having a first electroluminescent panel side and second electroluminescent panel side;
a first transparent pixelated liquid crystal array having a first array side and a second array side, wherein a polarizer is affixed to both the first and second array sides, and the second array side with the polarizer is affixed to the first electroluminescent panel side, and;
a first transparent liquid crystal shutter panel having a first shutter panel side and a second shutter panel side, wherein the second shutter panel side is affixed to the first array side; and
a first control mechanism configured to electrically control the transparent electroluminescent panel, the first transparent pixelated liquid crystal array, and first transparent liquid crystal shutter panel, wherein in a first time period, the control mechanism sets the first transparent liquid crystal shutter to a first polarization orientation and sets the first transparent pixelated liquid crystal array to a first gray level orientation proper for forming a desired image, and in a second time period, the control mechanism turns off the transparent electroluminescent panel and sets the first transparent liquid crystal shutter panel to a second polarization orientation.
10. The display panel assembly of claim 9, further comprising:
a second transparent liquid crystal shutter panel affixed to the second electroluminescent panel side, wherein a polarizer is affixed to both sides of the second transparent liquid crystal shutter panel; and
a second control mechanism configured to electrically control the second transparent liquid crystal shutter panel, wherein in a third time period, the second transparent liquid crystal shutter panel is set to block light from transmitting, and in a fourth time period, the second transparent liquid crystal shutter panel is set to allow light to transmit.
11. The display panel assembly of claim 9, further comprising:
a second transparent pixelated liquid crystal array affixed to the second electroluminescent panel side, wherein a polarizer is affixed to both sides of the second transparent pixelated liquid crystal array; and
a second control mechanism configured to electrically control the second transparent pixelated liquid crystal array, wherein in a third time period, the second transparent pixelated liquid crystal array is set to a second gray level orientation proper for forming a second desired image, and in a fourth time period, the second transparent pixelated liquid crystal array is set to allow light to transmit.
12. The display panel assembly of claim 9, wherein the transparent electroluminescent panel comprises a multi-color array that substantially aligns to pixels in the first transparent pixelated liquid crystal array.
13. The display panel assembly of claim 9, wherein the transparent electroluminescent panel comprises a plurality of colored transparent electroluminescent panels, and the first time period comprises a plurality of sub-periods such that: each colored transparent electroluminescent panel is of a different color, each colored transparent display is turned on during a different sub-period, and the first transparent liquid crystal shutter panel is set to a different orientation during each sub-period.

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 piezoelectric vibrating device, comprising:
a piezoelectric vibrating piece that vibrates when electrically energized;
a first package plate having an inner main surface defining a recess, the recess having volume and dimensions sufficient to contain at least a portion of the piezoelectric vibrating piece, the inner main surface including a peripheral main surface that peripherally extends around the recess; and
a second package plate having inner and outer main surfaces, the inner main surface being bonded to the peripheral main surface of the first package plate using a sealing material that thus seals the piezoelectric vibrating piece inside a package formed of the first and second package plates, the sealing material including multiple concentric bands of sealing glass and multiple concentric bands of adhesive, the sealing-glass bands and the adhesive bands circumscribing the recess.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the bands of sealing glass and the bands of adhesive are arranged alternatingly with respect to distance outward from the recess.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the band located nearest the recess is a band of sealing glass.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the band located nearest the recess is a band of sealing glass.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein:
the adhesive is a polyimide resin; and
the polyimide resin has a curing temperature in a temperature range similar to a range of melting temperature of the sealing glass.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein each sealing-glass band comprises a low-melting-point glass having a melting point lower than a melting point of the first plate or of the second plate.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein:
each sealing material includes at least one gap, situated between a respective sealing-glass band and a respective adhesive band;
in the gap substantially no sealing glass or adhesive is present.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein each band of sealing glass is formed by mask-printing and each band of adhesive is formed by photolithography.
9. A piezoelectric vibrating device, comprising:
a piezoelectric plate comprising a piezoelectric vibrating piece that vibrates when electrically energized and further comprising a frame body foamed integrally with the piezoelectric vibrating piece so as to surround the piezoelectric vibrating piece while providing first and second main surfaces;
a first plate bonded to the first main surface of the frame body using a first sealing material; and
a second plate bonded to the second main surface of the frame body using a second sealing material, thereby sandwiching the frame body between the first and second plates and sealingly enclosing the piezoelectric vibrating piece within a package comprising the frame body and first and second plates, wherein
the first sealing material comprises multiple bands of sealing glass and multiple bands of adhesive, the sealing-glass bands and the adhesive bands being disposed so as to extend concentrically around a periphery of the first main surface, and

the second sealing material comprises multiple bands of sealing glass and multiple bands of adhesive, the sealing-glass bands and the adhesive bands being disposed to extend concentrically around a periphery of the second main surface.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein:
the sealing-glass bands and the adhesive bands of the first sealing material are disposed on the first main surface of the frame body in alternating order from nearest the piezoelectric vibrating piece outward; and
the sealing-glass bands and the adhesive bands of the second sealing material are disposed on the second main surface of the frame body in alternating order from nearest the piezoelectric vibrating piece outward.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein, in the first and second sealing materials, the band situated nearest the piezoelectric vibrating piece is a respective sealing-glass band.
12. The device of claim 9, wherein, in the first and second sealing materials, the band situated nearest the piezoelectric vibrating piece is a respective sealing-glass band.
13. The device of claim 9, wherein:
the adhesive is a polyimide resin; and
the polyimide resin has a curing temperature in a temperature range similar to a range of melting temperature of the sealing glass.
14. The device of claim 9, wherein each sealing-glass band comprises a low-melting-point glass having a melting point lower than a melting point of the first plate or of the second plate.
15. The device of claim 9, wherein:
each sealing material includes at least one gap, situated between a respective sealing-glass band and a respective adhesive band;
in the gap substantially no sealing glass or adhesive is present.
16. The device of claim 4, wherein each band of sealing glass is formed by mask-printing and each band of adhesive is formed by photolithography.