Author: claimsbot

1. A braking apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
an operating member with which a driver performs a brake operation;
a driving piston that is supported movably in an axial direction in a cylinder and that can be moved forward by the operating member, the driving piston including an input piston and a pressurizing piston;
a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber that are sectioned in a forward position and a backward position relative to the pressurizing piston as a result that the driving piston is movably supported in the cylinder;
a control-hydraulic-pressure setting unit that sets a control hydraulic-pressure corresponding to an operation made on the driving piston by the operating member;
a hydraulic-pressure supply unit that generates a braking hydraulic-pressure from the first pressure chamber by causing the control hydraulic-pressure set by the control-hydraulic-pressure setting unit to act on the second pressure chamber;
a counterforce chamber that is arranged in the cylinder and whose volume decreases as the driving piston moves forward; and
a counterforce giving unit that is arranged in the driving piston, and that can give an operation counterforce to the operating member through the driving piston by deforming corresponding to decrease of volume of the counterforce chamber, wherein
the counterforce giving unit includes a compression chamber, a decompression chamber, and a counterforce piston provided between the compression chamber and the decompression chamber,
the compression chamber communicates with the counterforce chamber, and
the decompression chamber includes a biasing member that presses against the counterforce piston to compress the compression chamber.
2. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the counterforce chamber is formed in a ring shape between the cylinder and the driving piston, and
the counterforce piston is movably supported inside the driving piston to section the compression chamber and a communicating path that communicates the counterforce chamber and the compression chamber.
3. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein
the counterforce giving unit is provided in the input piston and
as the volume of the counterforce chamber is decreased by the driving piston, fluid from the counterforce chamber flows into the compression chamber via the communication path such that the fluid causes a volume of the compression chamber to increase and the counterforce piston to move against a bias force applied by the biasing member.
4. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising:
a cap member at an end of the counterforce giving unit;
a rubber member, adjacent to the cap member, that includes a first through hole at a center thereof; and
a support bracket, adjacent to the rubber member, that has a ring shape and includes a second through hole at a center thereof.
5. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the counterforce piston includes a support rod that extends toward the support bracket such that a central part of the support rod pierces through the second through hole and an engaging portion of the support rod engages an inner periphery of the support bracket.
6. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising:
a reserve tank; and
a discharge path between the reserve tank and the decompression chamber,
wherein the discharge path includes a first discharge path whose one end communicates with the decompression chamber through the first through hole and pierces through the input piston and the cap member, a second discharge path whose one end communicates with an other end of the first discharge path and that pierces through the cylinder, and a third discharge path that connects the second discharge path and the reserve tank.
7. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein as the volume of compression chamber increases a volume of the decompression chamber decreases such that a discharge fluid within the decompression chamber is discharged to the reserve tank via the discharge path.
8. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising:
a cap member at an end of the counterforce giving unit that includes a pedestal portion that projects inside the input piston and a support rod that extends along a center axis of the input piston from the pedestal portion, wherein
the support rod includes a first discharge path that at one end opens to the decompression chamber via the pedestal portion, and
the input piston includes a second discharge path that communicates with an other end of the first discharge path and that opens outside the cylinder.
9. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein as the volume of compression chamber increases a volume of the decompression chamber decreases such that air within the decompression chamber is discharged outside of the cylinder via the first discharge path and the second discharge path.
10. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the input piston and the pressurizing piston are arranged in series inside the cylinder,
an operating force of the operating member can be input to the input piston,
the first pressure chamber is sectioned at a frontward position relative to the pressurizing piston,
the second pressure chamber is sectioned between the pressurizing piston and the input piston,
a third pressure chamber is sectioned in a rearward position relative to the input piston, and
the second pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber communicate with each other through a communicating path.
11. A braking apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
an operating member with which a driver performs a brake operation;
a driving piston that is supported movably in an axial direction in a cylinder and that can be moved forward by the operating member;
a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber that are sectioned in a forward position and a backward position relative to the driving piston as a result that the driving piston is movably supported in the cylinder;
a control-hydraulic-pressure setting unit that sets a control hydraulic-pressure corresponding to an operation made on the driving piston by the operating member;
a hydraulic-pressure supply unit that generates a braking hydraulic-pressure from the first pressure chamber by causing the control hydraulic-pressure set by the control-hydraulic-pressure setting unit to act on the second pressure chamber;
a counterforce chamber that is arranged in the cylinder and whose volume decreases as the driving piston moves forward; and
a counterforce giving unit that is arranged in the driving piston, and that can give an operation counterforce to the operating member through the driving piston by deforming corresponding to decrease of volume of the counterforce chamber, wherein
the counterforce chamber is formed in a ring shape between the cylinder and the driving piston or an input piston,
the counterforce giving unit includes a counterforce piston that is movably supported inside the driving piston or the input piston to section a compression chamber, a communicating path that communicates the counterforce chamber and the compression chamber, and a biasing member that gives a bias in one direction to the counterforce piston to compress the compression chamber,
the counterforce piston is movably supported in the driving piston or the input piston to section the compression chamber and a decompression chamber, and
the decompression chamber is connected to a reserve tank through a discharge path.
12. The braking apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein
the discharge path includes a first discharge path whose one end communicates with the decompression chamber by piercing through the driving piston or the input piston, a second discharge path whose one end communicates with another end of the first discharge path by piercing through the cylinder, and a third discharge path that connects the second discharge path and the reserve tank, and
a sealing member to prevent leakage of hydraulic pressure from the discharge path is attached between the driving piston or the input piston and the cylinder.
13. A braking apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
an operating member with which a driver performs a brake operation;
a driving piston that is supported movably in an axial direction in a cylinder and that can be moved forward by the operating member;
a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber that are sectioned in a forward position and a backward position relative to the driving piston as a result that the driving piston is movably supported in the cylinder;
a control-hydraulic-pressure setting unit that sets a control hydraulic-pressure corresponding to an operation made on the driving piston by the operating member;
a hydraulic-pressure supply unit that generates a braking hydraulic-pressure from the first pressure chamber by causing the control hydraulic-pressure set by the control-hydraulic-pressure setting unit to act on the second pressure chamber;
a counterforce chamber that is arranged in the cylinder and whose volume decreases as the driving piston moves forward; and
a counterforce giving unit that is arranged in the driving piston, and that can give an operation counterforce to the operating member through the driving piston by deforming corresponding to decrease of volume of the counterforce chamber, wherein
the counterforce chamber is formed in a ring shape between the cylinder and the driving piston or an input piston,
the counterforce giving unit includes a counterforce piston that is movably supported inside the driving piston or the input piston to section a compression chamber, a communicating path that communicates the counterforce chamber and the compression chamber, and a biasing member that gives a bias in one direction to the counterforce piston to compress the compression chamber,
the counterforce piston is movably supported in the driving piston or the input piston to section the compression chamber and a decompression chamber, and
the decompression chamber is configured such that air is released through a discharge path that is provided in the driving piston or the input piston.

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 computer-implemented method for processing forms on a personal computer while isolated from a computer server which has a document management system, comprising the steps of:
storing Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) forms on the personal computer wherein the forms have data fields for data submission;
receiving data as input to at least one first data field on a first HTML form while the personal computer is physically disconnected from the computer server;
receiving a data submit command with respect to the first HTML form field input data;
storing the first HTML form field input data on the personal computer in response to the received data submit command;
wherein the HTML form field input data is stored in a first file on the personal computer in response to the received data submit command;
after the personal computer is connected to a network having a data connection to the document management system,
identifying second completed HTML forms including the first HTML form in response to a user command, second HTML form field input data associated with the second completed HTML forms being stored on the personal computer in second files;
using a graphical user interface to indicate that the second HTML form field input data are to be sent from the second files on the personal computer to the document management system;
converting each of the second files from a binary format into a character string;
combining the character strings corresponding to the second files into a single data stream;
sending the single data stream over the network to the document management system;

wherein after being successfully sent to the document management system, the first HTML form and the stored first HTML form field input data are removed from the personal computer;
wherein the document management system facilitates electronic capturing of documents and for storing and managing the documents.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the forms are business forms.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the personal computer is a laptop computer.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the personal computer is a notebook computer.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the personal computer is a hand-held computer.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein a remote forms manager screen is used by a user to access the HTML forms on the personal computer.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least several of the forms are grouped together and represented by an icon.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing of the HTML form field data on the personal computer includes collecting the entered data and saving the entered data to a self-contained file on the personal computer.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing of the HTML form field data on the personal computer includes collecting the entered data and saving the entered data to an HTML file on the personal computer.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein if the first HTML form and the stored HTML form field input data are not successfully sent to the document management system, the first HTML form and the stored HTML form field input data remain on the personal computer.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein if the stored HTML form field input data is successfully transferred to the document management system, then the HTML form field input data is removed from the personal computer.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein if the stored HTML form field input data is not successfully transferred to the document management system while the personal computer is connected to the network, then the HTML form field input data is not removed from the personal computer.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein the entered data includes HTML post data.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the data for each post is stored in a separate file.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the separate files are HTML files.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of the separate files represents a business document.
17. A computer-implemented system for processing forms on a personal computer while isolated from a computer server which has a document management system, comprising:
a data storage device on the personal computer that stores Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) forms, wherein the forms have data fields for data submission;
a data processor configured to store the first HTML form field input data, associated with a first HTML form, on the personal computer in response to a received data submit command, wherein the first HTML form field input data is stored in a first file on the personal computer in response to the received data submit command, wherein the storage of the first HTML form field input data in an HTML format occurs while the personal computer is physically disconnected from the computer server and includes HTML post data,
the data processor being further configured, after the personal computer is connected to a network having a data connection to the document management system, to identify second completed HTML forms including the first HTML form in response to a user command, second HTML form field input data associated with the second completed HTML forms being stored on the personal computer in second files;
a graphical user interface configured to be displayed on a display device, in response to the personal computer being connected to the network, the graphical user interface being used to indicate that the second HTML form field input data are to be sent from the second files on the personal computer to the document management system;
wherein the data processor is further configure to convert each of the second files from a binary format into a character string, combine the character strings corresponding to the second files into a single data stream, and send the single data stream over the network to the document management system;
wherein after being successfully sent to the document management system, the first HTML form and the stored first HTML form field input data are removed from the personal computer;
wherein the document management system facilitates electronic capturing of documents and for storing and managing the documents.

1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
at least three substrate tables that are each constructed to hold a substrate; and
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate,
wherein the at least three substrate tables are moveable in a common moving area extending substantially in a plane substantially perpendicular to the patterned radiation beam, the moving area comprising at least three working locations of which at least one working location is arranged for exposure of the substrate to the patterned radiation beam and at least one working location is arranged for non-exposure purposes, and
wherein the at least three substrate tables are moveable in said common area so that, in use, each of the at least three substrate tables is moveable to a position previously occupied by each of the remaining at least three substrate tables and each of the least three substrate tables is moveable to each of the at least three working locations.
2. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the three working locations are arranged for exposure of the substrate to the patterned radiation beam and at least one working location is arranged to measure parameters of the substrate.
3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the parameters of the substrate include six degrees of freedom position information of the substrate relative to the respective substrate table.
4. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fixed or limited moveable supply, and wherein each substrate table is connected to the fixed or limited moveable supply by a flexible cable andor hose, the working locations being distributed substantially around a central point.
5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the fixed or limited moveable supply is located at a central point of the moving area.
6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cable andor hose isare moveably connected to the fixed or limited moveable supply to allow a full rotation of the cable andor hose about an axis extending through the central point and perpendicular to the plane.
7. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cable andor hose isare moveably connected to the fixed or limited moveable supply for adjustment to a movement of the respective substrate table.
8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the fixed or limited moveable supply comprises a sub-supply for each substrate table, and wherein each cable andor hose of the respective substrate table isare connected to its respective sub-supply, and wherein the sub-supplies are distributed around the circumference of the moving range in the plane.
9. The lithographic apparatus of claim 8, wherein each sub-supply is moveable relative to the common moving area to avoid entanglement of the cable andor hose.
10. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fixed or limited moveable supply, wherein each substrate table is connected to the fixed or limited moveable supply by a flexible cable andor hose, and wherein at least one flexible cable andor hose extends substantially in the plane, and at least one flexible cable andor hose extends substantially out of the plane.
11. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein for double exposure of the substrate, three working locations and three substrate tables are provided, two of the three working locations being arranged for exposure, and the other one being arranged for non-exposure, and wherein for single exposure of the substrate, four working locations and four substrate tables are provided, two of the four working locations being arranged for exposure, and the other two being arranged for non-exposure.
12. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, comprising a substrate exchanger configured to exchange a substrate between a substrate table and the substrate exchanger while holding the respective substrate substantially stationary relative to the substrate exchanger with a substrate handling device seen in directions parallel to the plane, wherein the moving area of the substrate tables extends to the substrate exchanger so that the substrate table can move below the substrate handling device.
13. A device manufacturing method using a lithographic apparatus of claim 12, comprising:
transferring a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate in a first working location;
exchanging a substrate between a substrate table and the substrate exchanger in a second working location; and
performing preparatory operations on a substrate in a third working location;
wherein a substrate table is present in each of the first, second, and third working location so that the transferring, the exchanging and the performing can be performed in parallel, the method further comprising
moving the respective substrate table in the first working location to the second working location;
moving the respective substrate table in the second working location to the third working location;
moving the respective substrate table in the third working location to the first working location;
wherein the movings are performed substantially simultaneously.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transferring, the exchanging and the performing on the one hand and the movings on the other hand are performed sequentially.

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 making a semiconductor structure, comprising:
forming a bond pad as a portion of an integrated circuit, wherein the bond pad has an exposed portion and functions as a contact to the integrated circuit;
depositing by laser defined deposition a conductive pad on the exposed portion and confined within a bond pad region around the exposed portion of the bond pad; and
attaching an electrical connector to the conductive pad.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising probing the integrated circuit through the bond pad.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the probing comprises applying a probe directly to the exposed portion of the bond pad.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein:
the step of probing causes an indentation in a top surface of the bond pad; and
the step of attaching the electrical connector attaches the electrical connector directly over the indentation.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the probing comprises applying a probe directly to a top surface of the conductive pad prior to the step of attaching.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein:
the step of probing causes an indentation in a top surface of the conductive pad; and
the step of attaching the electrical connector attaches the electrical connector directly over the indentation.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing comprises:
applying powdered metallic material to cover the exposed portion of the bond pad; and
directing a laser beam to the powdered metallic material over a scan region within the bond pad region.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing comprises iteratively repeating a first step followed by a second step until the conductive pad is a predetermined thickness, wherein:
the first step comprises applying a powdered metallic material over at least the exposed portion of the bond pad; and
the second step comprises directing a laser beam to the metallic dust.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the bond pad comprises forming a dielectric over a perimeter of the bond pad to define the exposed portion of the bond pad.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the bond pad includes forming the bond pad directly on a portion of a top metal layer of the integrated circuit.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the depositing comprises forming the conductive pad to have a perimeter outside the perimeter of the bond pad.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing comprises depositing the conductive pad on all of the exposed portion of the bond pad.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of attaching comprises attaching a wire bond as the connector.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of attaching comprises attaching a solder ball as the connector.
15. A method of making a semiconductor structure, comprising:
forming a bond pad having an exposed surface and for providing an electrical contact of an integrated circuit;
depositing a conductive pad on the exposed surface using laser defined deposition, wherein the exposed surface has a side with the maximum length and the conductive pad has a side with a maximum length no more than 50 percent greater than the side with the maximum length of the exposed surface; and
attaching a connector over the conductive pad.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of depositing comprises performing a method using a laser beam selected from a group consisting of selective laser sintering and stereolithography.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising probing the integrated circuit using a probe applied over the exposed portion of the bond pad.
18. A method of making a semiconductor structure, comprising:
forming a bond pad having an exposed surface, for providing an electrical contact of an integrated circuit, and for use in probing the integrated circuit;
depositing a conductive pad on the exposed surface using laser defined deposition;
probing the integrated circuit through the bond pad; and
attaching a connector over the conductive pad.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein:
the probing comprises applying a probe directly to the exposed portion of the bond pad and making an indentation in the exposed portion of the bond pad; and
the attaching the connector comprises attaching the connector directly over the indentation.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein:
the probing comprises applying a probe directly to the conductive pad and making an indentation in the conductive pad; and
the attaching the connector comprises attaching the connector directly on the indentation.