All The Claims

1. A fluid transmissive body comprising side-by-side bicomponent fibers bonded to each other at spaced apart contact points to form a self-sustaining, three dimensional bonded fiber structure, wherein each of the side-by-side bicomponent fibers comprise:
a first fiber component having a first softening temperature; and
a second fiber component having a second softening temperature;
wherein the first softening temperature is greater than the second softening temperature; and
wherein a cross sectional area of the first fiber component comprises between 40%-85% of a cross-sectional area of the side-by-side bicomponent fiber.
2. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the first fiber component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (and copolymers thereof), polypropylene (and copolymers thereof), nylon 6, nylon 6,6, and other semicrystalline polyamides (and copolymers thereof), semicyrstaline polyesters, including polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.
3. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the second fiber component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (and copolymers thereof), polypropylene (and copolymers thereof), polyamides, including copolymers thereof, copolymers of polyesters, including copolymers of polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate, elastomeric and plastomeric polypropylenes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polyisoprene, polyisobutylene, polychloroprene, butadiene-acrylonitrile, elastomeric block olefinic copolymers, elastomeric block co-polyether polyamides, elastomeric block copolyesters, poly(ether-urethane-urea), poly(ester-urethane-urea), and elastomeric silicones.
4. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the first fiber component is a polypropylene material, and the second fiber component is a polyethylene copolymer material.
5. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers are produced from a number of thermoplastic resins consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyurethanes, and polyamides.
6. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the second softening temperature is less than 100\xb0 C.
7. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the second softening temperature is less than 190\xb0 C.
8. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the self-sustaining, three dimensional bonded fiber structure, is produced from a plurality of fibers, at least some of which are side-by-side bicomponent fibers.
9. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers have a diameter in a range from about 1 micron to about 200 microns.
10. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers have a diameter in a range from about 10 microns to about 50 microns.
11. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers comprise materials that are selected, at least in part, for their compatibility with a particular ink formulation.
12. The fluid transmissive body of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of structure components wherein each structure component has an interface with at least one other structure component, and wherein at least one of the plurality of structure components is the self-sustaining, three dimensional bonded fiber structure.
13. The fluid transmissive body of claim 12, comprising at least a first structure component and a second structure component, wherein the first structure component has an interface with the second structure component, the first structure component has a first set of fiber characteristics, the second structure component has a second set of fiber characteristics, and the first and second sets of fiber characteristics are selected so as to establish a surface energy gradient across the interface between the first and second structure components.
14. An ink jet printer cartridge, comprising:
a housing defining a reservoir cavity; and
a reservoir disposed within the reservoir cavity, the reservoir comprising a plurality of side-by-side bicomponent fibers, bonded to each other at spaced apart contact points to form a self-sustaining, three dimensional bonded fiber structure, wherein the plurality of side-by-side bicomponent fibers comprise:
a first fiber component having a first softening temperature; and
a second fiber component having a second softening temperature;
wherein the first softening temperature is greater than the second softening temperature, wherein a cross sectional area of the first fiber component comprises between 40%-85% of a cross-sectional area of the side-by-side bicomponent fiber.
15. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the first fiber component of the side-by-side bicomponent fiber comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (and copolymers thereof), polypropylene (and copolymers thereof), nylon 6, nylon 6,6, and other semicrystalline polyamides (and copolymers thereof), semicyrstaline polyesters, including polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.
16. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the second fiber component of the side-by-side bicomponent fiber comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (and copolymers thereof), polypropylene (and copolymers thereof), polyamides, including copolymers thereof, copolymers of polyesters, including copolymers of polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate, elastomeric and plastomeric polypropylenes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polyisoprene, polyisobutylene, polychloroprene, butadiene-acrylonitrile, elastomeric block olefinic copolymers, elastomeric block co-polyether polyamides, elastomeric block copolyesters, poly(ether-urethane-urea), poly(ester-urethane-urea), and elastomeric silicones.
17. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the second softening is less than 100\xb0 C.
18. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the second softening temperature is less than 190\xb0 C.
19. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the first fiber component is a polypropylene material, and the second fiber component is a polyethylene copolymer material.
20. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers are produced from a number of thermoplastic resins consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyurethanes, and polyamides.
21. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the reservoir is produced from a blend of side-by-side bicomponent fibers.
22. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers have a diameter in a range from about 1 micron to about 200 microns.
23. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers have a diameter in a range from about 10 microns to about 50 microns.
24. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers comprise materials that are selected, at least in part, for their compatibility with a particular ink formulation.
25. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the side-by-side bicomponent fibers are configured to provide a reservoir with an ink extraction efficiency of at least 70%.
26. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the bonded fiber structure is adapted to take up, hold, and controllably release a particular ink formulation.
27. A writing instrument comprising:
a housing defining a reservoir cavity; and
a self-sustaining, three dimensional bonded fiber structure disposed within the reservoir cavity, the self-sustaining, three dimensional bonded fiber structure comprising a plurality of side-by-side bicomponent fibers, bonded to each other at spaced apart contact points, each of the plurality of side-by-side bicomponent fibers comprising a first fiber component having a first softening temperature and a second fiber component having a second softening temperature, the first softening temperature being greater than the second softening temperature,
wherein a cross sectional area of the first fiber component comprises between 40%-85% of a cross-sectional area of the side-by-side bicomponent fiber, and
wherein the self-sustaining, three dimensional bonded fiber structure is one of the set consisting of an ink reservoir, a wick, and a nib.
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 thermal transfer sheet comprising: a substrate sheet; a colorant layer provided on one side of the substrate sheet; and a heat-resistant slip layer provided on the other side of the substrate sheet through a primer layer, said primer layer comprising a binder resin satisfying a GaGb ratio value of not more than 100 wherein Ga represents the storage modulus of the binder resin at 80 C., Pa; and Gb represents the storage modulus of the binder resin at 140 C., Pa.
2. The thermal transfer sheet according to claim 1, wherein both the storage modulus Gb (Pa) of the binder resin and the loss modulus Gb (Pa) of the binder resin each as measured at 140 C. are not less than 103 Pa.
3. The thermal transfer sheet according to claim 1, wherein said binder resin has a tan value of not more than 3 at 140 C.
4. The thermal transfer sheet according to claim 1, wherein said binder resin has a glass transition temperature Tg of 60 C. or above.
5. The thermal transfer sheet according to claim 1, wherein said primer layer contains an antistatic agent.

1. An integrated circuit comprising:
an interconnecting copper metallization;
a first insulating overcoat layer on the metallization;
a second insulating overcoat layer on the first overcoat layer, the second overcoat layer consisting of homogeneous silicon dioxide;
portions of the copper metallization exposed in a window through the first and second overcoat layers, the window having a rim;
a patterned conductive barrier layer on the exposed copper metallization, the window rim, and a portion of the second overcoat layer adjacent to the window rim;
a layer of bondable metal covering the patterned barrier layer, the bondable metal layer having an edge; and
a third insulating overcoat layer on the second overcoat layer and the edge of the bondable metal layer, the third insulating layer consisting of a homogeneous silicon nitride compound and forming a ledge of more than 500 nm height over the bondable metal layer.
2. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the first insulating overcoat layer is made of silicon nitride and has a thickness between about 30 to 50 nm.
3. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the second overcoat has a thickness in the range from about 200 to 1200 nm.
4. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein said barrier layer includes tantalum nitride and has a thickness in the range from about 20 to 30 nm.
5. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the bondable metal layer includes aluminum or aluminum alloy and has a thickness in the range from about 400 to 1400 nm.
6. The circuit according to claim 1 further including a ball bond attached to the bondable metal layer.
7. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the barrier and bondable metal layers overlap over the surrounding second overcoat layer for a length of about 100 to 300 nm.
8. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the ledge of the third overcoat layer overlaps over the edge of the bondable metal layer for a length of about 100 to 300 nm.
9. A method for fabricating a metal contact structure on a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor wafer having an interconnecting copper metallization;
planarizing the wafer surface to expose at least portions of the copper metallization;
depositing a first insulating overcoat layer over the planar wafer surface;
depositing a second insulating overcoat layer on the first overcoat layer, the second overcoat layer consisting of homogeneous silicon dioxide;
opening a window through the first and second overcoat layers to expose portions of the copper metallization, the window having a rim;
depositing a conductive barrier metal layer on the exposed copper metallization, the window rim, and the second overcoat layer;
depositing on the barrier layer a layer of bondable metal in a thickness suitable for wire ball bonding;
patterning the bondable and the barrier layers to retain only the portions inside the window, over the rim, and portions of the second overcoat adjacent to the window rim, whereby the bondable metal layer obtains an edge;
depositing a third insulating overcoat layer on the second overcoat layer and the bondable metal layer, the third overcoat layer consisting of a homogeneous silicon nitride compound and having a thickness of more than 500 nm; and
selectively removing the third overcoat layer from the bondable metal layer so that the metal edge remains covered by the overcoat and an overcoat ledge of more than 500 nm height is formed over the edge of the bondable metal.
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the first layer of insulating overcoat is made of silicon nitride and has a thickness in the range from about 30 to 50 nm.
11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the silicon dioxide layer has a thickness between about 200 and 1200 nm.
12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the barrier metal layer includes tantalum nitride in the thickness range from about 20 to 30 nm.
13. The method according to claim 9 wherein the bondable metal layer includes aluminum or aluminum alloy in the thickness range from about 400 to 1400 nm.
14. The method according to claim 9 further including, after selectively removing the third overcoat layer, the steps of singulating the wafer into discrete chips, attaching a selected chip onto a leadframe, and attaching a wire ball bond to the bondable metal layer of the chip.
15. The method according to claim 14 further including, after the step of attaching a ball bond, the step of molding the chip surface including the bonded metal contact structure in plastic encapsulation compound.

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 handling method for voltage faults applicable for using in a computer system, the handling method comprising:
acquiring a signal of voltage fault;
according to the signal of voltage fault and by looking up at tables, acquiring an operating status of the computer system corresponding to the signal of voltage fault, and generating a control signal according to the operating status; and
restarting the computer system according to the control signal.
2. The handling method for voltage faults as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
determining if a restarting of the computer system is successful;
if the restarting of the computer system being determined to be unsuccessful, determining if a number of times of restarting the computer system being over a preset number;
if determining that the number of times being over the preset number, then turning off the computer system; and
if determining that the number of times not being over the preset number, then returning back to the step of determining if the restarting of the computer system is successful.
3. The handling method for voltage faults as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
detecting if the signal of voltage fault being present;
if the signal of voltage fault not being detected, returning back to the step of detecting if the signal of voltage fault being present; and
if the signal of voltage fault being detected, proceeding with the step of acquiring the signal of voltage fault.
4. The handling method for voltage faults as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating status includes the computer system before or after an idle status, a status of a power supply unit, a type of voltage as well as the computer system under a stage of startup or a stage of runtime.
5. The handling method for voltage faults as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control signal includes a delay time and a number of times of restarting the computer system.
6. A handling device for voltage faults applicable for using in a computer system, the handling device comprising:
a detecting unit used to detect if a fault occurred in a voltage of the computer system in order to generate a signal of voltage fault;
a comparison unit coupled to the detecting unit to receive the signal of voltage fault, and by looking up at tables, an operating status of the computer system corresponding to the signal of voltage fault being acquired, and a control signal being generated according to the operating status; and
a control unit coupled to the comparison unit to receive the control signal and control a restarting of the computer system according to the control signal.
7. The handling device for voltage faults as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit further determines if the restarting of the computer system has succeeded, if the restarting of the computer system is determined to be unsuccessful, the control unit determines if a number of times of restarting the computer system is over a preset number, if it is determined that the number of times is over the preset number, then the control unit controls the computer system to be turned off, if it is determined that the number of times is not over the preset number, the control unit determines if the restarting of the computer system has succeeded again, until the computer system is restarted successfully or until the computer system is turned off.
8. The handling device for voltage faults as claimed in claim 6, wherein the operating status includes the computer system before or after an idle status, a status of a power supply unit, a type of voltage as well as the computer system under a stage of startup or a stage of runtime.
9. The handling device for voltage faults as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control signal includes a delay time and a number of times of restarting the computer system.