Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A touchpad for providing data input to a computer system and which includes a flexible touch-sensitive surface that conforms to arcuate surfaces, said touchpad comprising:
at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets having touchpad sensing electrodes disposed thereon, wherein the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets overlap such that the touchpad sensing electrodes form at least a grid which defines a touch-sensitive area of the touchpad, and wherein the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets can bend to thereby conform to an arcuate surface;
a printed circuit board; and
touchpad control circuitry which is mounted on the printed circuit board, wherein the touchpad control circuitry is electrically coupled to the touchpad sensing electrodes so as to receive sensing information therefrom, and wherein the touchpad control circuitry generates a plurality of signals that correspond to data input from the touchpad.
2. The touchpad as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets are selected from the group of flexible and non-conductive sheets including plastic and mylar.
3. The touchpad as defined in claim 2 wherein the touchpad sensing electrodes are formed from conductive ink.
4. The touchpad as defined in claim 3 wherein the touchpad further comprises a connection system between the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets and the touchpad circuitry on the printed circuit board, said connection system comprising:
at least two rows of solder bumps disposed on the printed circuit board, wherein the at least two rows of solder bumps are spaced apart to form a gap therebetween; and
a portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets disposed so as to cover the at least two rows of solder bumps, wherein the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets that is disposed over the gap is secured to the printed circuit board so as to fill the gap, wherein the gap between the at least two solder bumps is sufficient to create tension on the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets that is secured thereto.
5. The touchpad as defined in claim 4 wherein the touchpad further comprises an adhesive that is used to secure the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets to the printed circuit board.
6. The touchpad as defined in claim 5 wherein the touchpad further comprises providing the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets which have stiffness sufficient to create pressure to maintain electrical contact between touchpad sensing electrodes on the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets, and the at least two rows of solder bumps.
7. The touchpad as defined in claim 6 wherein the touchpad further comprises staggering solder bumps within the at least two rows of solder bumps, such that a first row of solder bumps is offset from a second row of solder bumps, relative to the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets.
8. The touchpad as defined in claim 3 wherein the touchpad further comprises a connection system between the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets and the touchpad circuitry on the printed circuit board, said connection system comprising:
a first non-conductive sheet secured to the printed circuit board;
a second non-conductive sheet partially secured to the printed circuit board, parallel to the first non-conductive sheet, and spaced apart therefrom to form a gap therebetween, wherein the second non-conductive sheet is not secured along the gap; and
a row of solder bumps disposed underneath the second non-conductive sheet where it is not secured to the printed circuit board, parallel to and near an edge of the gap, wherein the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets is disposed between the second non-conductive sheet and the row of solder bumps, and wherein touchpad sensing electrodes are in contact with the row of solder bumps.
9. A method for providing a touchpad having a flexible touch-sensitive surface that is coupled to arcuate surfaces, said method comprising the steps of:
(1) providing a flexible touch-sensitive surface that conforms to arcuate surfaces formed from at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets coupled together and having touchpad sensing electrodes disposed thereon, a printed circuit board, and touchpad control circuitry which is mounted on the printed circuit board, wherein the touchpad control circuitry is electrically coupled to the touchpad sensing electrodes so as to receive sensing information therefrom, and wherein the touchpad control circuitry generates a plurality of signals that correspond to data input from the touchpad;
(2) disposing the flexible touch-sensitive surface against a mounting surface, wherein the mounting surface is sufficiently thin to thereby enable the flexible touch-sensitive surface to detect a pointing object on an opposite side thereof; and
(3) detecting and tracking the pointing object that touches and moves along the opposite side of the mounting surface.
10. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the method further comprises the step of securing the flexible touch-sensitive surface against the mounting surface using a non-conductive adhesive.
11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets from the group of flexible and non-conductive sheets including plastic and mylar.
12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the method further comprises the step of forming the touchpad sensing electrodes from conductive ink.
13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a connection system between the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets and the touchpad circuitry on the printed circuit board that does not rely upon a pressure connector.
14. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
(1) providing at least two rows of solder bumps on the printed circuit board, wherein the at least two rows of solder bumps are spaced apart to form a gap therebetween, and
(2) securing a portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets so as to cover the at least two rows of solder bumps, wherein the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets that is disposed over the gap is secured to the printed circuit board so as to fill the gap.
15. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the method further comprises the step of utilizing a non-conductive adhesive to secure the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets to the printed circuit board.
16. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the method further comprises the step of staggering solder bumps within the at least two rows of solder bumps, such that a first row of solder bumps is offset from a second row of solder bumps, relative to the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets.
17. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the method further comprises the steps of
(1) securing a first non-conductive sheet to the printed circuit board;
(2) partially securing a second non-conductive sheet to the printed circuit board, parallel to the first non-conductive sheet, and spaced apart therefrom to form a gap therebetween, wherein the second non-conductive sheet is not secured along the gap; and
(3) providing a row of solder bumps underneath the second non-conductive sheet where it is not secured to the printed circuit board, parallel to and near an edge of the gap, wherein the portion of the at least two flexible and non-conductive sheets is disposed between the second non-conductive sheet and the row of solder bumps, and wherein touchpad sensing electrodes are in contact with the row of solder bumps.

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 for forming narrow trenches in a silicon substrate comprising the steps of:
etching the substrate to form first trenches separated by first silicon ribs;
performing a thermal oxidation of the substrate to form a silicon oxide layer developing inside and outside of the silicon, whereby second trenches narrower than the first trenches and second silicon ribs narrower than the first silicon ribs are obtained;
filling the second trenches with fingers of an etchable material;
etching the silicon oxide down to the upper surface of the second ribs while keeping silicon oxide portions between said etchable material fingers and the second ribs;
etching away the second silicon ribs and said etchable material fingers;
etching the silicon oxide for a duration sufficient to expose the substrate at the bottom of the silicon oxide portions, while leaving in place silicon oxide fingers; and
anisotropically etching the substrate between the oxide fingers to form narrow trenches in the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filling step includes the two following steps:
depositing a layer of an etchable material totally filling the second trenches and covering the silicon oxide layer, and
etching said layer of an etchable material for a duration sufficient to leave in place only fingers in the second trenches.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein an additional step of etching back of said silicon oxide fingers is provided.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:
depositing a filling layer formed of a material selectively etchable with respect to the substrate, the filling layer totally filling the narrow trenches and covering the substrate ribs separating the narrow trenches;
etching the filling layer to expose the substrate ribs, while keeping the material present between ribs;
performing a chemical-mechanical polishing of the upper portion of the ribs; and
etching back the material remaining between the ribs.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the width and the spacing of the first trenches are identical and the duration of the thermal oxidation of the substrate is provided to obtain substantially identical narrow trenches.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the etchable material used to fill the second trenches is polysilicon.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second silicon ribs and the etchable material fingers are etched simultaneously.
8. A method of forming trenches in a substrate, comprising:
forming first trenches in the substrate, the first trenches having a first width and being defined by first projections from the substrate having a second width;
forming second trenches within the first trenches, the second trenches having a third width narrower than the first width;
reducing the width of the first projections to form second projections having a fourth width that is less than the second width;
forming fingers of removable material within the second trenches;
exposing the fingers and the second projections;
selectively removing the second projections to expose respective individual regions of the substrate;
selectively removing the fingers of removable material from the second trenches;
removing a bottom of the second trenches to expose respective individual regions of the substrate for each second trench; and
removing portions of the substrate from the exposed individual regions to form third trenches in the substrate, the third trenches having the third and fourth widths of the second trenches and second projections, respectively.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the substrate comprises a silicon substrate.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the operation of reducing occurs during the operation of forming the second trenches.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the first and second widths are approximately equal and wherein the third and fourth widths are approximately equal.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein forming second trenches within the first trenches and reducing the width of the projections to a fourth width that is less than the second width comprises thermally oxidizing the substrate to form an oxidized layer in the first trenches and on the projections having the second width.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein forming a removable material within the second trenches comprises forming a removable material within the second trenches and on the oxidized layer.
14. The method of claim 8 wherein selectively removing the second projections and selectively removing the fingers occur simultaneously.

1. A pressure measuring apparatus comprising:
a gage housing containing a movement mechanism which is responsive to changes in fluid pressure, said gage housing having an engagement portion and at least one port for receiving a fluid;
an apparatus housing having a defined interior cavity that is sized to retain said gage housing therein; and
an elastomeric member surrounding at least a portion of said gage housing that isolates impact loads imparted to said device housing from said gage housing, while permitting fluid interconnection between the interior of said gage housing and a fluid source.
2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said elastomeric member includes an elastomeric gasket.
3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said elastomeric gasket includes a receiving port sized for receiving said engagement port, said gasket being fixedly attached to the interior of said device housing.
4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said elastomeric gasket includes a fluid connection port connected to said fluid source.
5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said elastomeric member includes a tight-fitting elastomeric retainer.
6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said gage housing includes an upper retaining portion and a lower engagement portion, said upper retaining portion having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of said lower engagement portion, said elastomeric retainer being sized to accommodate the upper retaining portion of said gage housing.
7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said elastomeric retainer includes a center opening sized to permit the passage of said engagement portion.
8. Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said elastomeric retainer is sized to accommodate the upper retaining portion and the lower engagement portion of the gage housing therein.
9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said elastomeric member includes a plurality of spaced ribs sized to engage the interior wall of the device housing.
10. Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said elastomeric member includes a fluid receiving port disposed in relation to the at least one port of said gage housing.
11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a peripheral bumper attached to the top of said device housing, said peripheral bumper having a raised circumferential portion for covering a top window of said gage.
12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the raised circumferential portion of said peripheral bumper is made from an elastomeric material and includes a plurality of raised protrusions configured for absorbing impact loads.
13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said peripheral bumper includes a center opening for permitting a user to see a top window of said gage, said bumper including a flexible peripheral web flange disposed between said raised protrusions and said center opening.
14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, including a peripheral ring member disposed between said top window of said gage and said peripheral top bumper.
15. A pressure measuring apparatus comprising:
a gage;
a device housing having an interior cavity into which said gage is disposed;
a movement mechanism retained within said gage which is responsive to changes in fluid pressure, wherein said gage includes an opening in a lower portion that permits fluid to enter the interior thereof; and
elastomeric supporting means within said device housing for absorbing shock and or impact loads imparted to said device housing and into which at least a portion of said gage is fitted, said elastomeric supporting means further including means for permitting fluid interconnection between said a fluid source and the interior of said gage.
16. Apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said elastomeric supporting means includes an elastomeric retainer that is form fitted to the periphery of said gage for covering the exterior thereof, said elastomeric retainer further including an opening to permit fluid interconnection between the fluid source and the interior of said gage.
17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said elastomeric retainer includes a plurality of exterior ribs.
18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the plurality of exterior ribs are provided on the bottom and the side of said retainer.
19. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein at least one exterior rib is provided on the bottom of said retainer are contoured to follow a curved profile.
20. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said device housing is attachable to an inflatable sleeve.
21. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said apparatus is used to measure blood pressure.
22. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said elastomeric supporting means includes a flexible gasket into which said gage is disposed, said flexible gasket being fixedly mounted to said device housing within said cavity.
23. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said flexible gasket includes a port to permit fluid interconnection of said gage with said fluid source.

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. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image carrier configured to support an image produced by a developing material;
an image placement portion, which is operative when an image having a size equal to or less than a prescribed size is formed, configured to decide placement of the image on said image carrier so as to reserve a vacant area, which is provided for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting at least one of an image formation position and an image formation density, on said image carrier;
an image forming portion configured to form the image on said image carrier in accordance with the decided placement, and for forming an adjustment pattern in the vacant area;
a reading portion configured to read the adjustment pattern that has been formed on said image carrier; and
an adjustment portion configured to adjust at least one of the image formation position and the image formation density based upon the adjustment pattern that has been read,
wherein said image placement portion reserves the vacant area outside an area, in which the image is formed, on said image carrier along a main-scan direction by deciding placement of the image in such a manner that short sides of the image will lie along the main-scan direction of said image carrier.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image placement portion includes an image rotating portion configured to rotate the image in such a manner that the short sides of the image will lie along the main-scan direction in a case where long sides of the image lie along the main-scan direction of the image carrier.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an inhibiting portion configured to inhibit reservation of the vacant area in a case where a print job includes an image having a size equal to or less than the prescribed size and an image having a size greater than the prescribed size and, stapling processing has been set.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reading portion detects a density adjustment pattern, which is provided for adjusting the image formation density, in addition to a position adjustment pattern, which is provided for adjusting the image formation position.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning portion configured to clean off the adjustment pattern that has been formed on said image carrier.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said cleaning portion comes into contact with said image carrier when the adjustment pattern is cleaned off, and separates from said image carrier when cleaning off of the adjustment pattern ends.
7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image carrier configured to support an image produced by a developing material;
an image placement portion, which is operative when an image having a size equal to or less than a prescribed size is formed, configured to decide placement of the image on said image carrier so as to reserve a vacant area, which is for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting at least one of image formation position and image formation density, on said image carrier;
an image forming portion configured to form the image on said image carrier in accordance with the placement decided, and for forming the adjustment pattern in the vacant area;
a reading portion configured to read the adjustment pattern that has been formed on said image carrier;
an adjustment portion configured to adjust at least one of the image formation position and image formation density based upon the adjustment pattern that has been read;
a size determination portion configured to determine the size of an image to be formed; and
a control portion configured to exercise control so as to abort formation of the adjustment pattern in a case where the size of the image is greater than the prescribed size.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said reading portion detects a density adjustment pattern, which is provided for adjusting the image formation density, in addition to a position adjustment pattern, which is provided for adjusting the image formation position.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a cleaning portion configured to clean off the adjustment pattern that has been formed on said image carrier.
10. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image carrier configured to support an image produced by a developing material;
an image placement portion, which is operative when an image having a size equal to or less than a prescribed size is formed, configured to decide placement of the image on said image carrier so as to reserve a vacant area, which is for provided forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting at least one of an image formation position and an image formation density, on said image carrier;
an image forming portion configured to form the image on said image carrier in accordance with the placement decided, and for forming the adjustment pattern in the vacant area;
a reading portion configured to read the adjustment pattern that has been formed on said image carrier;
an adjustment portion configured to adjust at least one of the image formation position and image formation density based upon the adjustment pattern that has been read;
a first transfer portion configured to transfer the image to a print medium; and
a second transfer portion having a length less than a length of said first transfer portion in the main-scan direction.
11. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus for forming an image utilizing an image carrier for supporting an image produced by a developing material, said method comprising the steps of:
deciding, when an image having a size equal to or less than a prescribed size is formed, placement of the image on the image carrier so as to reserve a vacant area, which is provided for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting at least one of an image formation position and an image formation density, on the image carrier;
forming the image on the image carrier in accordance with the decided placement, and forming an adjustment pattern in the vacant area;
reading the adjustment pattern that has been formed on the image carrier; and
adjusting at least one of the image formation position and image formation density based upon the adjustment pattern that has been read,
wherein said step of deciding further includes a step of reserving the vacant area outside an area, in which the image is formed, on the image carrier along a main-scan direction by deciding placement of the image in such a manner that short sides of the image will lie along the main-scan direction of the image carrier.
12. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus for forming an image utilizing an image carrier for supporting an image produced by a developing material, said method comprising the steps of:
deciding, when an image having a size equal to or less than a prescribed size is formed, placement of the image on the image carrier so as to reserve a vacant area, which is provided for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting at least one of an image formation position and an image formation density, on the image carrier;
forming the image on the image carrier in accordance with the decided placement, and forming an adjustment pattern in the vacant area;
reading the adjustment pattern that has been formed on the image carrier;
adjusting at least one of the image formation position and the image formation density based upon the adjustment pattern that has been read;
determining the size of an image to be formed; and
exercising control so as to abort formation of the adjustment pattern in a case where the size of the image to be formed is greater than the prescribed size.