Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is

1. An ink container for containing ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, comprising:
fibrous material;
an ink discharge port for discharging the ink to the ink jet head;
a portion for containing said fibrous material at least adjacent said ink discharge port;
wherein said fibrous material is deformed within a degree of elasticity, forming a plurality of intersections in different directions, and contained in said containing portion.
2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said fiber materil has a diameter larger than a diameter of a filter provided adjacent said discharging port in said ink container or in said ink jet head.
3. A container according to claim 1, wherein said fibrous material comprises a first fibrous material contained in a first containing portion and a second fibrous material contained in a second containing portion said second fiber material has a diameter larger than a diameter of the first fibrous material.
4. A container according to claim 1, wherein most of portions of said fibrous material contacted to an inner wall of said ink container are curved portions.
5. An ink container for containing ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, comprising:
fibrous material;
an ink discharge port for discharging the ink to the ink jet head;
a portion for containing said fibrous material at least adjacent said ink discharge port;
wherein said fibrous material and a wall of said ink container is same condition materials.
6. A container according to claim 5, wherein the materials of said wall and said fibrous material are olefin resin material.
7. A container according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the materials of said wall and said fibrous material is remelted material.
8. A container according to claim 7, wherein a temperature of remelting is not less than a boiling point of solvent of the ink.
9. An ink container comprising:
fibrous material;
an ink discharge port for discharging the ink to the ink jet head;
a portion for containing said fibrous material at least adjacent said ink discharge port;
wherein said fibrous material is deformed within a degree of elasticity, forming a plurality of intersections in different directions, and contained in said containing portion, and wherein said fibrous material is of olefin resin material, and said container contains the ink which contains pigments.
10. An ink container for containing ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, comprising:
unwoven or felt-like fibrous material;
an ink discharge port for discharging the ink to the ink jet head;
a portion for containing said fibrous material;
wherein said fiber material has a diameter larger than a diameter of a filter provided adjacent said discharging port in said ink container or in said ink jet head.
11. An ink container for containing ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, comprising:
first fibrous material comprising unwoven of felt-like fibrous material;
a first portion for containing said first fibrous material;
a second portion for containing said second fiber material;
wherein said second fiber material has a diameter larger than a diameter of the first fibrous material.
12. An ink jet apparatus comprising:
an ink container containing fibrous material at least adjacent ink discharging portion;
an ink jet head for receiving ink through said ink discharging portion from said ink container;
wherein said fibrous material is deformed within a degree of elasticity, forming a plurality of intersections in different directions, and contained in said containing portion.
13. An ink jet apparatus comprising:
an ink container containing fibrous material at least adjacent ink discharging portion;
an ink jet head for receiving ink through said ink discharging portion from said ink container;
wherein said fibrous material and a wall of said ink container is same condition materials.
14. An ink jet apparatus comprising:
an ink container containing fibrous material at least adjacent ink discharging portion;
an ink jet head for receiving ink through said ink discharging portion from said ink container;
wherein said fibrous material is deformed within a degree of elasticity, forming a plurality of intersections in different directions, and contained in said containing portion, and wherein said fibrous material is of olefin resin material, and said container contains the ink which contains pigments.
15. An ink jet apparatus comprising:
an ink container containing fibrous material at least adjacent ink discharging portion;
an ink jet head for receiving ink through said ink discharging portion from said ink container;
wherein said fiber material has a diameter larger than a diameter of a filter provided adjacent said discharging port in said ink container or in said ink jet head.
16. An ink jet apparatus comprising:
an ink container containing fibrous material at least adjacent ink discharging portion, said ink container having first fibrous material comprising unwoven of felt-like fibrous material, a first portion for containing said first fibrous material, a second portion for containing said second fiber material;
an ink jet head for receiving ink from said ink container;
wherein said second fiber material has a diameter larger than a diameter of the first fibrous material.
17. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main body of said ink container; and
producing fibrous material and continuously filling it into said main body while producing the fibrous material.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said fibrous material are temporarily stored in a storing portion and then supplied out to be filled into the main body of the ink container.
19. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main body of said ink container; and
producing a strand of fibrous material; and
filling the strand into said main body while folding the strand.
20. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main-body of said ink container; and
producing aggregates of fibrous material;
filling a predetermined number of aggregates into said main. body while producing the fibrous material.
21. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main body of said ink container; and
providing bags of a material capable of passing the ink;
filling a fibrous material in said bags;
filling a predetermined number of said bags into said ink container.
22. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main body of said ink container; and
providing fibrous material;
providing a guiding member for guiding the fibrous material;
placing an opening of said guide in the main body; and then
supplying the fibrous material into said main body through said guiding member.
23. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main body of said ink container; and
providing an aggregate of fibrous material;
providing a guiding member for holding the aggregate of the fibrous material;
placing the main body and the guiding member adjacent to each other; and then
supplying the aggregate of the fibrous material into said main body through said guiding member.
24. A method according to claim 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23, wherein the fibrous material is of olefin resin material.
25. A method according to claim 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23, wherein the fibrous material comprises two or more fibrous materials having different diameters.
26. A method according to claim 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23, wherein the fibrous material comprises two or more fibrous materials having different cross-sectional shape.
27. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main body of said ink container;
supplying the ink into said main body; and then
supplying fibrous material into said main body.
28. A method according to claim 27, wherein an amount of solvent in the ink supplied into said main body is larger by an amount of evaporation during the fibrous material supplying step.
29. A manufacturing method for a ink container containing a fibrous material for retaining ink, comprising:
providing a main body of said ink container;
supplying a solvent of the ink into said main body; and then
supplying fibrous material into said main body.

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 probe card, comprising:
a plurality of probes composed of conductive wire strands and having elastically deformable contact parts so curved as to make contact with electrode pads of a target test object, the contact parts oriented in one and the same direction and extending in a parallel relationship with one another;
a first insulating block for fixedly securing one end parts of the probes;
a second insulating block for fixedly securing the other end parts of the probes; and
a mounting plate for holding the first and second insulating blocks in such a manner that the contact parts of the probes protrude outwardly from between the first and second insulating blocks.
2. The probe card as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of insulating wire strands respectively interposed between the probes for avoidance of short-circuit.
3. The probe card as recited in claim 1, wherein an insulating layer is coated substantially on the entire surface of the probes except for the contact parts.
4. The probe card as recited in claim 1, wherein an insulating film with adhesive layer lies between the probes and the first and second insulating blocks.
5. A probe card, comprising:
a plurality of probes composed of conductive thin plates and extending in a parallel relationship with one another for avoidance of short-circuit, each of the probes having first and second contact parts at its top opposite sides and first and second coupling recesses at its bottom opposite sides;
first and second support bases respectively coupled with the first and second coupling recesses;
an insulating means for preventing the probes from short-circuiting; and
first and second embracing plates provided at opposite ends of the first and second support bases for pressing the probes against one another.
6. The probe card as recited in claim 5, wherein the insulating means comprises a plurality of insulating sheets respectively interposed between the probes.
7. The probe card as recited in claim 6, wherein each of the conductive thin plates is provided at its longitudinal opposite ends with first and second cutouts that serve to distinguish the conductive thin plates from the insulating sheets.
8. The probe card as recited in claim 5, wherein the insulating means comprises an insulating layer provided on at least one major flank surface of each of the conductive thin plates.
9. A method for producing a probe card, comprising the steps of:
aligning a plurality of conductive wire strands in a parallel relationship with one another in such a manner as to avoid occurrence of short-circuit;
fixedly securing one end parts of the conductive wire strands to a first insulating block;
fixedly securing the other end parts of the conductive wire strands to a second insulating block so that intermediate parts of the conductive wire strands can extend between the first and second insulating blocks;
attaching the first insulating block to a mounting plate;
crushing the intermediate parts of the conductive wire strands in their longitudinal directions to form curved contact parts; and
attaching the second insulating block to the mounting plate in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to the first insulating block.
10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of interposing a plurality of insulating wire strands between the conductive wire strands to avoid occurrence of short-circuit.
11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein, at the aligning step, the conductive wire strands are disposed on and bonded to an insulating film.
12. A method for producing a probe card, comprising the steps of:
winding an elongated conductive wire in plural turns around first and second spools spaced apart at a predetermined spacing in such a manner that a plurality of conductive wire strands are aligned in a parallel relationship with one another;
fixedly securing the conductive wire strands to a first insulating block;
severing the conductive wire strands at one end parts contiguous to the first spool and at the other end parts contiguous to the second spool so that intermediate parts can extend between the other end parts and the first insulating block;
fixedly securing the other end parts of the conductive wire strands to a second insulating block;
attaching the first insulating block to a mounting plate;
crushing the intermediate parts of the conductive wire strands in their longitudinal directions to form curved contact parts; and
attaching the second insulating block to the mounting plate in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to the first insulating block.
13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of interposing a plurality of insulating wire strands between the conductive wire strands to avoid occurrence of short-circuit.
14. The method as recited in claim 12 or 13, wherein an insulating film is wound around the first and second spools in advance of the conductive wire winding step.
15. A method for producing a probe card, comprising the steps of:
winding an elongated conductive wire in plural turns around a spool in such a manner that a plurality of conductive wire strands are aligned in a parallel relationship with one another;
severing the conductive wire strands so that they can have opposite end parts;
fixedly securing one end parts of the conductive wire to a first insulating block;
fixedly securing the other end parts of the conductive wire strands to a second insulating block so that intermediate parts can extend between the first and second blocks;
attaching the first insulating block to a mounting plate;
crushing the intermediate parts of the conductive wire strands in their longitudinal directions to form curved contact parts; and
attaching the second insulating block to the mounting plate in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to the first insulating block.
16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of interposing a plurality of insulating wire strands between the conductive wire strands to avoid occurrence of short-circuit.
17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein an insulating film is wound around the spool in advance of the conductive wire winding step.
18. A probe card, comprising:
a plurality of probes composed of conductive wire strands, the wire strands having first end parts, second end parts and elastically deformable intermediate contact parts so curved as to make contact with electrode pads of a target test object, the intermediate contact parts oriented in one and the same direction and extending in a parallel relationship with one another; and
means for fixedly holding the first and second end parts of the conductive wire strands in such a manner that the intermediate contact parts protrude in one direction from between the first and second end parts of the conductive wire strands.

1. A composition for treating cyst formation associated with APKD, said composition comprising an isolated human PKD1 gene having the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, its complement, or fragments thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.
2. The composition of claim 1 comprising a vector into which said PKD1 gene is incorporated.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein said isolated human PKD1 gene comprises an intronless nucleic acid sequence derived from the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, its complement or fragments thereof, wherein said intronless nucleic acid sequence is a cDNA.

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 lens driving device mounted in an optical unit, the lens driving device comprising:
a lead screw to be rotated by a motor;
a movable member including a gear portion that is a rack gear portion or a half nut portion that meshes with the lead screw;
a lens holder configured to reciprocate along a rotation axis of the lead screw as the lead screw rotates, the lens holder including a spring supporting frame;
a guide shaft that extends parallel to the rotation axis, the guide shaft extending through the movable member and the spring supporting frame; and
a coil spring that is wound around the guide shaft and disposed in the spring supporting frame, the coil spring having a first end abutting against the lens holder and a second end abutting against the movable member, the coil spring pressing the gear portion against the lead screw with an urging force thereof applied to the gear portion through the second end,
wherein the guide shaft guides both of the lens holder and the movable member to reciprocate along the rotation axis, and guides the movable member to rotate therearound.
2. The lens driving device according to claim 1,
wherein the guide shaft passes through a first portion of the spring supporting frame, a second portion of the spring supporting frame facing the first portion, and the movable member,
wherein the movable member is disposed between the first portion and the second portion such that the movable member is in contact with the first portion,
wherein the coil spring is a compression coil spring, and
wherein the compression coil spring is disposed in the spring supporting frame at a position between the movable member and the second portion, the first end of the compression coil spring abutting against the spring supporting frame, and the second end of the compression coil spring abutting against the movable member.
3. The lens driving device according to claim 2, further comprising:
an anti-rotation shaft that extends parallel to the guide shaft,
wherein the lens holder includes:
an anti-rotation piece that protrudes perpendicular to the rotation axis of the lead screw, the anti-rotation piece being pressed against the anti-rotation shaft by an urging force of the compression coil spring applied to the anti-rotation piece through the first end of the compression coil spring abutting against the spring supporting frame.
4. The lens driving device according to claim 1, further comprising:
an anti-rotation shaft that extends parallel to the guide shaft,
wherein the lens holder includes:
an anti-rotation piece that protrudes perpendicular to the rotation axis of the lead screw, the anti-rotation piece being pressed against the anti-rotation shaft by an urging force of the coil spring applied to the anti-rotation piece through the first end of the coil spring abutting against the spring supporting frame.
5. The lens driving device according to claim 1, wherein the lens holder and the movable member rotate around the guide shaft in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, respectively, by respective urging forces applied thereto from the coil spring.
6. The lens driving device according to claim 1,
wherein the spring supporting frame of the lens holder includes:
a first portion;
a second portion facing the first portion; and
a connection portion connecting the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the movable member further includes a base end portion, the movable member being disposed between the first portion and the second portion such that the base end portion is in contact with the first portion,
and wherein the guide shaft passing through the first portion, the base end portion, and the second portion.
7. The lens driving device according to claim 6,
wherein the coil spring is disposed in the spring supporting frame between the base end portion and the second portion, the first end of the coil spring abutting against the second portion, and the second end of the compression coil spring abutting against the base end portion.
8. The lens driving device according to claim 6,
wherein the movable member further includes a rod portion in which the guide shaft passes, the coil spring winding around the rod portion.