Abstract: There is provided a surface cleaning apparatus and method using plasma to remove a native oxide layer, a chemical oxide layer, and a damaged portion from a silicon substrate surface, and contaminants from a metal surface. A mixture of H2 and N2 gas is used as a first processing gas. By absorbing potential in a grounded grid or baffle between a plasma generator and a substrate, only radicals are passed to the substrate, and HF gas is used as a second processing gas. Thus a native oxide layer, a chemical oxide layer, or a damaged portion formed on the silicon substrate during etching is removed in annealing step with H2 flow. The environment of a chamber is maintained constant by introducing a conditioning gas after each wafer process. Therefore, process repeatability is improved.

Abstract: There is provided a surface cleaning apparatus and method using plasma to remove a native oxide layer, a chemical oxide layer, and a damaged portion from a silicon substrate surface, and contaminants from a metal surface. By absorbing potential in a grounded grid or baffle between a plasma generator and a substrate, only radicals are passed to the substrate, and HF gas is used as a second processing gas. Thus a native oxide layer, a chemical oxide layer, or a damaged portion formed on the silicon substrate during etching a contact hole is removed and the environment of a chamber is maintained constant by introducing a conditioning gas after each wafer process. Therefore, process uniformity is improved.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a precisely controlled incision in a bodily surface is provided. The incision device includes a housing and a lancet blade carried by a lancet guide assembly. The lancet guide assembly includes a lancet guide arm mounted within the housing for pivotal movement and a guide surface. The guide surface guides the lancet blade through an arcuate cutting stroke during which the lancet blade extends through an opening in the housing as the lancet guide arm is pivoted between an unfired and a fired position The incision device also includes a trigger mechanism having a trigger arm mounted in the housing for pivotal movement between a ready-to-fire position and firing position. A spring element is arranged within the housing such that it is an unbiased condition when the trigger arm is in the ready-to-fire position and is biased as the trigger arm pivots towards the firing position.

Abstract: There is provided a blade type lancet assembly of which sterile condition is readily to be kept.A lancet assembly is composed of a lancet structure and a holder which is combined with the lancet structure, the lancet structure includes a lancet member having a pricking member and an ejector which ejects the lancet member, and an exposed portion of the pricking member is covered with a resin.

Abstract: There is provided an assembly capable of more simply adjusting a pricking depth of a pricking element and being mounted onto an injector.The assembly comprises a cap element enabled to be mounted onto the injector and having a stop means constructed such that an end of a lancet from which the pricking element protrudes abuts against the stop means after ejecting the lancet so that movement of the lancet is stopped while the pricking element is exposed outside out of the cap element, a cover element through which the pricking element exposed outside extends and which has an opening against which an object to be pieced is placed, and a adjusting element which engages the cap element and the cover element between these elements, and a distance between the stop means and the opening along a direction of the lancet ejection is changed by rotation of the adjusting element around an axis of the direction of the lancet ejection.

Abstract: A tape guide roller for a tape cassette comprises an inner cylindrical body including a flange portion projecting from the outer circumference on one end thereof, and a synthetic resin injection portion provided at the outer circumferential surface at the other end thereof, the inner cylindrical body being molded by injecting synthetic resin from a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction thereof and an outer cylindrical body having an inside diameter such that it fits tightly over the inner cylindrical body, and includes a synthetic resin injection portion provided at the outer circumferential surface on the end side thereof opposite to the end side which serves as the insertion end for the inner side cylindrical body. The outer cylindrical body is molded by injecting synthetic resin from a direction substantially perpendicular to its axial direction through the synthetic resin injection portion.

Abstract: There is provided a lancet assembly having a holder and a lancet structure which is incorporated with the holder, the lancet structure containing a lancet member having a pricking member and an ejector which ejects the lancet member, wherein an exposed portion of the pricking member is covered with a resin. In a preferred embodiment, a lancet body and a covered pricking member have portions mating each other so that the lancet body and the covered pricking member tightly engage with each other. In another preferred embodiment, at least one notch is provided to the covered pricking member. In a further embodiment, the covered pricking member contains two pairs of stops on its outside.

Abstract: A tape guide roller for a tape cassette comprises an inner cylindrical body including a flange portion projecting from the outer circumference on one end thereof, and a synthetic resin injection portion provided at the outer circumferential surface at the other end thereof, the inner cylindrical body being molded by injecting synthetic resin from a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction thereof and an outer cylindrical body having an inside diameter such that it fits tightly over the inner cylindrical body, and includes a synthetic resin injection portion provided at the outer circumferential surface on the end side thereof opposite to the end side which serves as the insertion end for the inner side cylindrical body. The outer cylindrical body is molded by injecting synthetic resin from a direction substantially perpendicular to its axial direction through the synthetic resin injection portion.

Abstract: A lancet comprising a lancet body having a needle end protruding from a lancet end, and a needle protector for protecting the protruding needle end before use, the needle protector comprising a hood portion tightly fittable on the lancet end from which the needle end protrudes in such a manner that the hood may be fitted over the lancet end to the needle end to substantially insulate the needle end from the environment after use. The lancet body and the needle protector may be integrally molded, and separated before use to expose the needle end. After use, the hood of the protector may be fitted over the lancet end. Thus, the lancet as a whole can be disposed in a safer manner than the prior art lancets.

Abstract: A blood-collecting apparatus comprises a lancet assembly composed of a lancet body and a protector, with the lancet body having a needle end which is protected by the protector. The apparatus further comprises a pricking device and an end cap, with the device separably holding the lancet body, while the end cap being formed with an opening through which the needle end can advance back and forth. The lancet body has a first locking means and an arm means corresponding to a first lockable means and a second lockable means of the end cap, respectively. The apparatus is easy to use, and those means cooperate with one another to eliminate the infection or other hygienic problems when taking a blood sample and also to render the used apparatus safely disposable.