453184results about How to "Reduce manufacturing cost" patented technology

In a thin film transistor (1), a gate insulating layer (4) is formed on a gate electrode (3) formed on an insulating substrate (2). Formed on the gate insulating layer (4) is a semiconductor layer (5). Formed on the semiconductor layer (5) are a source electrode (6) and a drain electrode (7). A protective layer (8) covers them, so that the semiconductor layer (5) is blocked from an atmosphere. The semiconductor layer (5) (active layer) is made of, e.g., a semiconductor containing polycrystalline ZnO to which, e.g., a group V element is added. The protective layer (8) thus formed causes decrease of a surface level of the semiconductor layer (5). This eliminates a depletion layer spreading therewithin. Accordingly, the ZnO becomes an n-type semiconductor indicating an intrinsic resistance, with the result that too many free electrons are generated. However, the added element works on the ZnO as an accepter impurity, so that the free electrons are reduced. This decreases a gate voltage required for removal of the free electrons, so that the threshold voltage of the thin film transistor (1) becomes on the order of 0V. This allows practical use of a semiconductor device which has an active layer made of zinc oxide and which includes an protective layer for blocking the active layer from an atmosphere.

Irrigation and drainage systems are disclosed, including a saturated zone and at least one pipe in communication with the saturated zone. The pipe(s) can be configured to comprise a tubarc porous microstructure for conducting water from the saturated zone to an unsaturated zone in order to drain the water from the saturated zone. The water can be delivered from the saturated zone to the unsaturated zone through the tubarc porous microstructure, thereby permitting the water to be harnessed for irrigation or drainage through the hydrodynamic movement of the water from one zone of saturation or unsaturation to another.

A device for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from a supply of fastener stock to couple together two or more objects. The supply of fastener stock includes a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross links which are coupled at one end to a continuous side rail. The fastener dispensing device includes a hollowed sharpened needle shaped to define a longitudinal bore and a feed mechanism for advancing the continuous side rail of the fastener stock into direct axial alignment behind the longitudinal bore of the hollowed needle. The feed mechanism includes a rotatably mounted feed shaft, a pair of feed wheels fixedly mounted on the feed shaft, each feed wheel comprising a plurality of sprockets which are sized and shaped to engage the supply of fastener stock, and first and second clutch wheels which are releasably matingly engageable with one another, the first clutch wheel being fixedly mounted on the feed shaft and the second clutch wheel being rotatably mounted on the feed shaft, each of the first and second clutch wheels including a plurality of ratchets. As a feature of the invention, the number of ratchets on each clutch wheel is at most equal to the number of sprockets on each feed wheel.

A surgical instrument includes a surgical end effector having at least one actuation assembly to effect a surgical procedure when actuated, an electric motor operationally connected to the end effector to operate the at least one actuation assembly, and a power supply electrically connected to the motor and selectively powering the motor to actuate the actuation assembly. The power supply has a battery cell with a critical current rate and, when activated to power the motor and actuate the actuation assembly, operates the cell at a super-critical current rate or at an average current rate above the critical current rate. The power supply selectively powers the motor to actuate the assembly less than 16 times during a clinical life of at least one of the end effector, the motor, and the power supply. When actuated, the assembly operates only between 0.5 seconds and 16 seconds in duration.

An electrically operated surgical instrument includes a surgical end effector having an actuation assembly effecting a surgical procedure when actuated and a handle connected to the end effector for actuating the assembly. A part of the assembly moves between start and fully actuated positions. The handle has a self-contained power supply and a drive assembly disposed entirely within the handle. The drive assembly has an electrically powered motor and a controller electrically connected to the power supply and to the motor. The controller selectively operates the motor. A transmission mechanically connects the motor to the moving part and selectively displaces the moving part anywhere between the start and fully extended positions when the motor is operated. A manual release is mechanically coupled to the transmission to selectively interrupt the transmission and, during interruption, displaces the moving part towards the start position independent of motor operation.

A vehicle information display system includes a head-up display for reflecting an image on a windshield of a vehicle and displaying the image so that a driver recognizes the image as a virtual image. Information is collected for being displayed by the head-up display. A circumstance of the vehicle, a circumstance of surrounding of the vehicle, or a circumstance of the driver is detected. The collected information is classified in accordance with a detection result. Then, display contents of the head-up display are controlled in accordance with a classification result.

The present invention provides a ceramic-glass composite electrode and a fluorescent lamp having the same. The ceramic-glass composite electrode according to the present invention is a ceramic-glass composite, which is disposed at the ends of a glass tube of the fluorescent lamp. A stopper is disposed at the end of the glass tube for pushing against the ceramic-glass composite electrode and limiting the position of the ceramic-glass composite electrode slipped on the glass tube. Thereby, flowing of adhesives into the glass tube is avoided when the adhesives are used for gluing the glass tube and the ceramic-glass composite electrode, and hence extending the lifetime of the fluorescent lamp.