Author: claimsbot

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a photosensitive drum;
an image forming unit configured to form an image on the photosensitive drum;
an intermediate transfer belt;
a transfer unit configured to transfer the image formed on the photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer belt, and transfer the image on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium;
a determination unit configured to determine whether the photosensitive drum should be replaced based on usage conditions of the photosensitive drum;
a notification unit configured to notify that the photosensitive drum should be replaced in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced; and
a separation unit configured to perform a separating operation for separating the intermediate transfer belt from the photosensitive drum,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit is configured to perform the separating operation after the image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit does not determine that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit is configured to not perform the separating operation, and
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced while the image forming unit continuously forms a plurality of images, the separation unit is configured to perform the separating operation after the plurality of images are transferred to the recording mediums by the transfer unit.
2. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a photosensitive drum;
an image forming unit configured to form an image on the photosensitive drum;
an intermediate transfer belt;
a transfer unit configured to transfer the image formed on the photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer belt, and transfer the image on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium;
a determination unit configured to determine whether the photosensitive drum should be replaced based on usage conditions of the photosensitive drum;
a notification unit configured to notify that the photosensitive drum should be replaced in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced; and
a separation unit configured to perform a separating operation for separating the intermediate transfer belt from the photosensitive drum,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit is configured to perform the separating operation after the image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit does not determine that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit is configured to not perform the separating operation, and
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit is configured to perform the separating operation after a predetermined time period has elapsed since the image on the intermediate transfer belt was transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the photosensitive drum is a first photosensitive drum on which a first image is to be formed,
the image forming apparatus further comprises a second photosensitive drum on which a second image is to be formed,
wherein a color of the second image is different from a color of the first image,
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether one of the first photosensitive drum or the second photosensitive drum should be replaced, and
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that neither the first photosensitive drum nor the second photosensitive drum should be replaced, the intermediate transfer belt comes into a state of being in abutment with the first photosensitive drum and not in abutment with the second photosensitive drum after the image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the color of the first image is black,
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether one of the first photosensitive drum or the second photosensitive drum should be replaced,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that neither the first photosensitive drum nor the second photosensitive drum should be replaced, and in a case where a monochrome image is to be formed after a color image is formed by the image forming unit, the intermediate transfer belt becomes a first state of being in abutment with the first photosensitive drum and not in abutment with the second photosensitive drum after the color image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit, and
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that neither the first photosensitive drum nor the second photosensitive drum should be replaced, and in a case where the color image is to be formed after the monochrome image is formed by the image forming unit, the intermediate transfer belt becomes a second state of being in abutment with the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum after the monochrome image on the intermediate transfer belt was transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether the photosensitive drum should be replaced based on a total number of rotation of the photosensitive drum.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, if the total number of rotation of the photosensitive drum exceeds a predetermined number, the determination unit is configured to determine whether the photosensitive drum should be replaced.
7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a photosensitive drum;
an image forming unit configured to form an image on the photosensitive drum;
an intermediate transfer belt;
a transfer unit configured to transfer the image formed on the photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer belt, and transfer the image on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium;
a determination unit configured to determine whether the photosensitive drum should be replaced based on usage conditions of the photosensitive drum;
a notification unit configured to notify that the photosensitive drum should be replaced in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced; and
a separation unit configured to perform a separating operation for separating the intermediate transfer belt from the photosensitive drum,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit is configured to perform the separating operation after the image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit does not determine that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit is configured to not perform the separating operation, and
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether the photosensitive drum should be replaced based on a total time period in which the photosensitive drum rotates.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, if the total time period for which the photosensitive drum rotates exceeds a predetermined time period, the determination unit is configured to determine whether the photosensitive drum should be replaced.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a detection unit configured to detect an abnormality in the image forming apparatus,
wherein, if the detection unit detected the abnormality, the separation unit performs the separating operation regardless of a result of determination by the determination unit.
10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the abnormality is a trouble that occurs while a calibration is being performed in the image forming apparatus.
11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising another determination unit configured to determine whether the calibration should be performed.
12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein based on a total number of pages that have been printed since the last calibration was performed, the another determination unit determines whether the calibration should be performed.
13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the photosensitive drum includes a plurality of the photosensitive drums, and
in a case where the determination unit determines that the photosensitive drum should be replaced, the separation unit separates all of the plurality of photosensitive drums from the intermediate transfer belt.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a main surface;
an n-type semiconductor region formed in said semiconductor substrate;
a non-volatile semiconductor memory element formed in said n-type semiconductor region; and
a field-effect transistor formed in said n-type semiconductor region so as to be connected to said non-volatile semiconductor memory element, wherein
said non-volatile semiconductor memory element includes: a first gate insulating film formed on said main surface so as to be located on said n-type semiconductor region; a first gate electrode provided on said first gate insulating film; and a pair of source region and drain region formed in said n-type semiconductor region and on both sides of said first gate electrode, and constituted by a p-type impurity region, said first gate insulating film includes: a first silicon oxide film formed on said main surface; a silicon nitride film formed on said first silicon oxide film; and a second silicon oxide film formed on said silicon nitride film, and said non-volatile semiconductor memory element stores information by injecting an electron into said first gate insulating film, and
said field-effect transistor is formed on said main surface so as to be located on said n-type semiconductor region, and includes a second gate insulating film made of the same material as that of said first gate insulating film.
2. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein
said drain region has a portion making contact with said first silicon oxide film and facing to said first gate electrode, where a hot electron is generated in the portion facing to said first gate electrode of said drain region, thereby injecting an electron into said first gate insulating film.
3. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein
said first gate insulating film and said second gate insulating film directly make contact with each other.
4. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein
said first gate insulating film and said second gate insulating film are separated from each other.
5. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a main surface;
an n-type semiconductor region formed in said semiconductor substrate;
a non-volatile semiconductor memory element formed in said n-type semiconductor region;
a p-type semiconductor region formed in said semiconductor substrate; and
a field-effect transistor formed in said p-type semiconductor region, wherein
said non-volatile semiconductor memory element includes: a first gate insulating film formed on said main surface so as to be located on said n-type semiconductor region; a first gate electrode provided on said first gate insulating film; a first sidewall insulating film formed on a sidewall of said first gate electrode; and a pair of source region and drain region formed in said n-type semiconductor region and on both sides of said first gate electrode, and constituted by a p-type impurity region, said first gate insulating film includes: a first silicon oxide film formed on said main surface; a silicon nitride film formed on said first silicon oxide film; and a second silicon oxide film formed on said silicon nitride film, and said non-volatile semiconductor memory element stores information by injecting an electron into said first gate insulating film,
said field-effect transistor includes: a second gate electrode formed on said p-type semiconductor region so as to interpose a second gate insulating film therebetween; and a second sidewall insulating film formed on a sidewall of said second gate electrode, and
the width of said first sidewall insulating film in the channel length direction is smaller than the width of said second sidewall insulating film in the channel length direction.
6. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 5, wherein
said field-effect transistor includes a pair of source region and drain region formed in said p-type semiconductor region and on both sides of said second gate electrode, and constituted by an n-type impurity region, said source region and said drain region of said non-volatile semiconductor memory element are formed by implanting an impurity into said semiconductor substrate using said first sidewall insulating film as a mask, and said source region and said drain region of said field-effect transistor are formed by implanting an impurity into said semiconductor substrate using said second sidewall insulating film as a mask.
7. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a main surface;
an n-type semiconductor region formed in said semiconductor substrate; and
an non-volatile semiconductor memory element formed in said n-type semiconductor region, wherein
said non-volatile semiconductor memory element includes: a first gate insulating film formed on said main surface so as to be located on said n-type semiconductor region; a first gate electrode provided on said first gate insulating film; and a pair of source region and drain region formed in said n-type semiconductor region and on both sides of said first gate electrode, and constituted by a p-type impurity region, said first gate insulating film includes: a first silicon oxide film formed on said main surface; a silicon nitride film formed on said first silicon oxide film; and a second silicon oxide film formed on said silicon nitride film, and said non-volatile semiconductor memory element stores information by injecting an electron into said first gate insulating film, and
said source region and said drain region have portions making contact with said first silicon oxide film and facing to said first gate electrode, and the width of the portion of said drain region facing to said first gate electrode is greater than the width of the portion of said source region facing to said first gate electrode.
8. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, further comprising
a pair of sidewall insulating films formed on the both sidewalls of said first gate electrode, wherein
the width of the sidewall insulating film provided on said source region side has a relatively great width and said sidewall insulating film provided on said drain region side has a relatively small width.
9. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, further comprising:
a second gate electrode formed on said source region side so as to be isolated from said first gate electrode; and
a third gate electrode formed on said drain region side so as to be isolated from said first gate electrode, wherein
the distance between said first gate electrode and said third gate electrode is greater than the distance between said first gate electrode and said second gate electrode.
10. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 9, wherein
said source region and said drain region are formed by implanting an impurity into said semiconductor substrate in the direction forming an acute angle relative to said main surface using said second and third gate electrodes as a mask, said source region and said drain region have portions making contact with said first silicon oxide film and facing to said first gate electrode, and the width of the portion of said drain region facing to said first gate electrode is greater than the width of the portion of said source region facing to said first gate electrode.

1. A two-stage attachment comprising:
one or more couples formed by a pivoted force-multiplying member of a first stage and a pivoted force-applying member of a second stage,
each force-multiplying member comprising a planar sectorial cam having curved force-imparting surface on its working edge,
the force-multiplying member further comprising a first stage pivot and means for receiving an input force imparting a rotation to the force-multiplying member about the first stage pivot,
the force-applying member comprising curved force-receiving surface on an edge facing the force-multiplying member of the couple and corresponding to its respective curved force-imparting surface,
the force-applying member further comprising a second stage pivot and a supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface is on an edge opposing the force-receiving surface and facing away from the force multiplying member of the couple, and
wherein the supporting surface is adapted to retain a working member for deforming a workpiece,
the two-stage attachment further comprising one or more pivot supporting members within which force-multiplying member-force-applying member couples are located,
wherein, when the input force is imparted to the two-stage attachment, each force-multiplying member, while commencing partial rotation around its first stage pivot, causes its sectorial cam to push against the force-receiving surface of respective force-applying member thereby urging the force-applying member to rotate partially about its second stage pivot and to push the working member against the workpiece, and
wherein structural tensions are evenly distributed throughout a material of the force-applying member.
2. The two-stage attachment of claim 1, wherein the input force is imparted by any of a mechanical source, manual effort, and both.
3. The two-stage attachment of claim 1, wherein the working members are demountable from their respective force-applying members, are made as one piece with their respective force-applying members, or both.
4. The two-stage attachment of claim 1, wherein the force-imparting surface of each force-multiplying member is convex and the force-receiving surface of respective force-applying member is concave, or wherein the force-imparting surface of each force-multiplying member is concave and the force-receiving surface of respective force applying member is convex.
5. A mechanical method of arranging energy-efficient two-stage force multiplication within limited spatial dimensions while simultaneously achieving multifunctional properties for a single tool.

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 system for imaging and diagnosing a tissue sample for pathological applications comprising:
an objective lens;
a window having a surface capable of being pressed into a contact relationship with the surface of said tissue sample;
a housing capable of being handheld having at least said objective lens and said window;
an illumination beam which is focused by said objective lens through said window to said tissue sample, in which said objective lens receives returned light from said tissue sample;
means for detecting through an aperture said returned light representing a tissue section; and
means for displaying said tissue section to diagnose abnormalities in said tissue sample.
2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a light source for said illumination beam.
3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said window is transparent to said illumination beam.
4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said objective lens has a numerical aperture of less than one.
5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said abnormalities represent a tumor.
6. The system according to claim 5 wherein said tumor represents one of carcinomas and melanomas.
7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said housing is positionable to locate said window in direct contact with said surface of said tissue sample.
8. A microscopic imaging apparatus for imaging tissue samples for pathological applications through an objective lens, said apparatus comprising;
an objective lens;
a window having a surface that is capable of being in a direct pressure contacting relationship with the surface of said tissue sample;
a housing capable of being handheld having at least said window lens in optical communication with said objective lens;
an illumination beam which is focused by said objective lens through said window to said tissue sample, wherein said objective lens receives returned light from said tissue sample representing a tissue section; and
means for detecting through an aperture said returned light representing a tissue section.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said housing is positionable to locate said window in direct contact with said surface of said tissue sample.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a light source for said illumination beam.
11. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said window is transparent to said illumination beam.
12. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said objective lens has a numerical aperture of less than one.
13. A microscopic imaging apparatus for imaging tissue samples for pathological applications through an objective lens, said apparatus comprising:
an objective lens;
a window having a surface capable of being pressed into a contact relationship with the surface of said tissue sample in which said window is in optical communication with said objective lens;
a housing capable of being handheld having at least said objective lens and said window; and
an illumination beam, and means for scanning said illumination beam on or within said tissue in accordance with a tissue section, in which said illumination beam is focused by said objective lens through said window to said tissue sample, and said objective lens receives returned light from said tissue sample representing said tissue section.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a light source for said illumination beam.
15. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said window is transparent to said illumination beam.
16. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said objective lens has a numerical aperture of less than one.
17. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said housing is positionable to locate said window in direct contact with said surface of said tissue sample.