US07643362B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells, a redundancy cell array having a plurality of redundancy cells, and a detection circuit which detects a bad bit line at an end of a bad column of the memory cell array. The semiconductor memory device further includes a repair circuit which repairs the bad column of the memory cell array by use of the redundancy cell array and repairs an adjacent column which lies adjacent to the bad column on the bad bit line side detected by the detection circuit by use of the redundancy cell array.
US07643350B2
In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a memory cell array has a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells arranged in a matrix. A selecting section selects as selection memory cells, at least two of the plurality of nonvolatile memory cells from the memory cell array. A write section applies to the selection memory cells, a gate voltage which increases step by step, until a threshold voltage of each of the selection memory cells reaches a target threshold voltage, such that the threshold voltage increases step-by-step.
US07643347B2
The semiconductor memory device related to an embodiment of the present invention including a memory string in which a plurality of memory cells are connected, a bit line connected to an end of the memory string, a power supply circuit which generates a voltage or a current related to an operation state of each memory cell, a sense amplifier which supplies a control voltage or a control current which controls an operation state of each memory cell via the bit line according to the voltage or the current generated in the power circuit, and a transient response adjustment circuit which adjusts the transient response characteristics of the voltage or the current generated in the power supply circuit when the sense amplifier supplies to the bit line the control voltage or the control current which shifts the memory string from a first operation state to a second operation state.
US07643343B2
The invention provides methods and apparatus. A NAND memory block has a source select line for selectively coupling one or more strings of series-coupled non-volatile memory cells to a source line, a drain select line for selectively coupling one or more strings of series-coupled non-volatile memory cells to one or more associated bit lines, a plurality of primary rows of memory cells interposed between the source select line and the drain select line and forming a portion of the one or more strings of series-coupled non-volatile memory cells, and one or more redundant rows of memory cells interposed between the source select line and the drain select line and forming a remaining portion of the one or more strings of series-coupled non-volatile memory cells.
US07643340B2
A method of programming a selected cell in a multi-level flash memory device comprises determining whether to program an upper bit or a lower bit of a selected memory cell, detecting a current logic state of two bits of data stored in the selected memory cell, determining a target logic state for the upper or lower bit, generating a program voltage and a verify voltage for programming the upper or lower bit to the target logic state, and applying the program voltage and the verify voltage to a word line connected to the selected memory cell.
US07643339B2
A multi-bit non-volatile memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells. A page buffer is electrically coupled to the memory cell array. The page buffer includes a plurality of latches configured to store a first bit of multi-bit data to be written into or read out from one of the plurality of memory cells of the memory cell array. A buffer random access memory (RAM) is electrically coupled to the page buffer. The buffer RAM is configured to store a second bit of the multi-bit data to be written into or read out from one of the plurality of memory cells of the memory cell array. Related systems, memory cards and methods are also provided.
US07643335B2
Apparatus and systems that use phase-change memory devices are provided. The phase-change memory devices may include multiple phase-change memory cells and a reset pulse generation circuit configured to output multiple sequential reset pulses. Each sequential reset pulse is output to a corresponding one of multiple reset lines. Multiple write driver circuits are coupled to corresponding phase change memory cells and to a corresponding one of the reset lines of the reset pulse generation circuit.
US07643333B2
A method of erasing a chalcogenide variable resistance memory cell is provided. The chalcogenide variable resistance memory cell includes a p-doped substrate with an n-well and a chalcogenide variable resistance memory element. The method includes the step of applying to the variable resistance memory element a voltage that is less than a fixed voltage of the substrate. The applied voltage induces an erase current to flow from the p-doped substrate through the n-well and through the variable resistance memory element.
US07643331B2
In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device A semiconductor device may include a SRAM cell having a first inverter, a second inverter, a first transfer transistor and a second transistor, the first inverter having a first load transistor and a first driver transistor connected to the first load transistor, the second inverter having a second load transistor and a second driver transistor connected to the second load transistor, a voltage supplying circuit configured to supply a voltage to one of the terminals of the first driver transistor and one of the terminals of the second driver transistor, the voltage which is one of more than a GND voltage and less than a GND voltage.
US07643326B2
A semiconductor memory device comprises a one-transistor (1-T) field effect transistor (FET) type ferroelectric device connected between a pair of bit lines and controlled by a word line, where a different channel resistance is induced to a channel region depending on a polarity state of a ferroelectric layer; a plurality of access transistors connected between the ferroelectric device and the pair of bit lines; and a plurality of port word lines configured to select the plurality of access transistors.
US07643315B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus that includes a power supply having a primary coil and a secondary coil. The secondary coil generates an output voltage and a feedback voltage related to the output voltage. The feedback voltage is sampled at a time instant that is digitally controllable. The output voltage is determined from the feedback voltage.
US07643313B2
A PWM controller compensates a maximum output power of a power converter, and includes a PWM unit and a compensation circuit. The PWM unit generates a PWM signal for controlling a power switch to switch a power transformer, which has a primary winding connected to the power switch and is supplied with an input voltage of the power converter. A pulse width of the PWM signal is correlated to an amplitude of the input voltage. The compensation circuit generates a current boost signal in response to the PWM signal by pushing up a peak value of a current-sense signal generated by a current-sense device in response to a primary-side switching current of the power transformer. A peak value of the current boost signal is adjusted by the pulse width of the PWM signal for compensating a difference of the maximum output power caused by the amplitude of the input voltage.
US07643305B2
Stiffeners in are provided in a flexible printed circuit to prevent damages to leads and traces of the flexible circuit caused by bending, folding and other stresses.
US07643303B1
A rotating control panel system includes a base. A control panel is coupled to the base by a coupling. The coupling includes a pivot axis having an elongated pivot aperture and a pivot member located in the elongated pivot aperture. The pivot member is operable to rotate relative to the elongated pivot aperture and translate relative to the elongated pivot aperture. The coupling also includes a translation cam having an arcuate translation channel and a translation member located in the arcuate translation channel. In response to the control panel being rotated relative to the base, the pivot member rotates relative to the elongated pivot aperture, and the translation member moves relative to a first portion of the arcuate translation channel to cause the pivot member to translate relative to the elongated pivot aperture in a first direction in order to translate the control panel relative to the base in the first direction, and then moves relative to a second portion of the arcuate translation channel to cause the pivot member to translate relative to the elongated pivot aperture in a second direction in order to translate the control panel relative to the base in the second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.
US07643295B2
In an assembly of an electronic device and a heat-dissipating module, the electronic device includes an electronic component disposed within a housing provided with an air outlet port, and the heat-dissipating module includes a heat-dissipating fin base disposed within the housing adjacent to the air outlet port, and a dust removing mechanism disposed on the heat-dissipating fin base. The heat-dissipating fin base includes two spaced-apart upright sidewalls, and a plurality of heat-dissipating fins arranged between the upright sidewalls. The dust removing mechanism includes a scraping plate disposed between the upright sidewalls and accessible outwardly of the air outlet port. The scraping plate has scraping teeth extending respectively into clearances among the heat-dissipating fins. By manipulating the scraping plate to displace upwardly and downwardly relative to the heat-dissipating fin base, dust that accumulates among the heat-dissipating fins can be scraped off.
US07643293B2
A heat dissipation device and a method for fabrication thereof are disclosed. The heat dissipation device includes a heat sink having a base, and a heat pipe embedded in the base. A groove is defined in the base. The groove is enclosed by a top surface and two sidewalls slantwise extending downwardly and inwards from opposite edges of the top surface. A width of a bottom portion of the groove is shorter than that of a top portion of the groove. The heat pipe includes an evaporation portion directly pressed in the groove by punching and fully contacts with the groove. The evaporating portion is flattened when it is fully engaged in the groove to directly contact with an electronic component. The method involves directly pressing the evaporation portion of the heat pipe into the groove of the base.
US07643292B1
For mounting in a host on a motherboard over memory modules in insertion slots and cooler modules on CPUs on the motherboard to guide currents of air in carrying waste heat from the cooler modules and the memory modules to the outside of the host, an adjustable air director is disclosed to include a main air duct shell, which has sliding tracks on the top wall thereof, and a supplementary air duct shell, which is attached to one lateral side of the main air duct shell and has sliding coupling devices respectively coupled to the sliding tracks and movable with the supplementary air duct shell relative to the sliding tracks to adjust the transverse width of the adjustable air director subject to the arrangement of the CPUs and the insertion slots on the motherboard.
US07643290B1
An electronic system includes a chassis defining a substantially plane-shaped cavity. The chassis is arranged to contain an air stream (e.g., provided by a cooling subsystem) which flows from an air intake side of the chassis to an air exhaust side of the chassis through the substantially plane-shaped cavity. The air intake side of the chassis is opposite the air exhaust side of the chassis. The electronic system further includes a jacket circuit board disposed within the plane-shaped cavity, and a set of pluggable electronic modules. The jacket circuit board is oriented within the plane-shaped cavity to receive cooling from the air stream. Each pluggable electronic module is arranged to (i) electronically connect to the jacket circuit board through a front of the chassis and (ii) define a supplemental ventilation port through which air passes to augment the air stream.
US07643289B2
A frame for mounting a data storage device, includes a holder configured for mounting the data storage thereto, a baffle board mounted to the holder, and a V-shaped air guiding board mounted to the holder between the baffle board and the data storage device. An intake defined in the baffle board is configured to let airflow therethrough to cool the data storage device mounted to the frame. The opening of the “V” of the air guiding board faces the data storage device. Because of the V-shaped air guiding board, the frame efficiently dissipates heat from and around the data storage device.
US07643288B2
A portable computer has a base supporting a keyboard and a cover with a display screen, with the cover being foldable away from the base to an open configuration to view the entire screen and operate the keyboard. The cover can also be folded flush against the base to a closed configuration. A portion of the screen remains viewable in the closed configuration, either by virtue of a window formed in the base or by virtue of the portion of the cover extending past the base.
US07643274B2
An exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion is disclosed. The exterior cover includes a first rigid planar element for placement on an outside surface of the display portion. The first rigid planar element includes a raised edge along a perimeter of the first rigid planar element, wherein the raised edge extends toward the display portion. The first rigid planar element further includes a plurality of tabs located on the raised edge, wherein each tab extends from the raised edge for gripping the display portion. The exterior cover further includes a second rigid planar element for placement on an outside surface of the keyboard portion. The second rigid planar element includes a raised edge extending toward the keyboard portion. The second rigid planar element further includes a plurality of tabs for gripping the keyboard portion.
US07643260B2
A pair of back-to-back-coupled zener diodes is coupled from the input to the output of each leg of a common mode choke used in a LC circuit for reducing EMI into the power supply of an electrical device. The reversed biased zener diode of each pair breaks down when ringing voltage amplitude resulting from a voltage surge applied at the inputs of the common mode choke exceeds the breakdown threshold voltage of the zener diode. Transorb devices may be substituted for the back-to-back-coupled diode pairs.
US07643256B2
A switching system is provided. The switching system includes electromechanical switching circuitry, such as a micro-electromechanical system switching circuitry. The system may further include solid state switching circuitry coupled in a parallel circuit with the electromechanical switching circuitry, and a controller coupled to the electromechanical switching circuitry and the solid state switching circuitry. The controller may be configured to perform selective switching of a load current between the electromechanical switching circuitry and the solid state switching circuitry in response to a load current condition appropriate to an operational capability of a respective one of the switching circuitries.
US07643253B2
A rotational micro-actuator (20) used in hard disk driver is disclosed. It comprises a frame (21) approximately in the shape of letter “S” and PZT pieces (28, 29) attached to said frame (21), wherein said frame (21) is formed with a central coupling portion (213) by which the micro-actuator (20) is coupled to a suspension tongue (177), and two pieces of said PZT (28, 29) are arranged in central symmetry manner about said central coupling portion (213) such that said micro-actuator (20) can rotate about said central coupling portion (213) in response to the driving signals applied to said PZT pieces (28, 29), thus cause the displacement of the head element secured to the micro-actuator (20) so as to achieve the fine positioning of the head element. With above configuration, the micro-actuator of this invention will not cause the resonance of the suspension base plate during operation. Thereby the servo bandwidth of the hard disk driver is expanded.
US07643251B1
A disk drive for storing data includes a rotating storage disk and a slider positioned near the storage disk. The slider has a flying side and a read/write head. The flying side includes a leading bearing surface and a leading recessed surface positioned near a leading edge of the slider. The leading bearing surface can include a leading transverse section that is positioned within approximately 20 and 200 microns of the leading edge. The leading recessed surface is positioned between the leading transverse section and the leading edge. The leading bearing surface and the leading recessed surface cooperate to form a relatively high pressure area near the leading edge that facilitates a relatively rapid take-off of the slider away from the storage disk during start up of the disk drive.
US07643247B2
A thin-film resistor that has a stable electric resistance, the phase transformation to the α-phase being suppressed even in the high temperature environment, is provided. The thin-film resistor has a layered structure of: a base layer formed of a double-layered film in which an alloy film containing nickel and copper, an alloy film containing nickel and chromium or an alloy film containing copper and manganese is stacked on a tantalum film, or formed of a single alloy film containing nickel and chromium; and an electric resistance layer formed of a β-phase tantalum film or an alloy film mainly containing β-phase tantalum, and deposited on the base layer, the electric resistance layer having a crystal structure in which (002) plane of the β-phase crystal is most strongly oriented to the layer surface.
US07643235B2
Timing recovery and synchronization for data communication is utilized. A pilot sequence of signals can be selected to improve recovery of a phase offset and a frequency offset in a communication system. Sampling instances can further be adjusted based on pilot sequences within a user data portion.
US07643227B2
A lens system includes a first lens which is formed of a medium exhibiting negative refraction, and a second lens having a positive refractive index. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a lens system in which a negative refractive index medium for which a curvature of field is reduced. Moreover, it is also possible to have a lens system in which a lens having a positive focal length and a lens having a positive focal length, which is made of a positive refractive index medium, are combined.
US07643226B2
Objectives and other optical assemblies include a reflective surface that is truncated at or near a focus based on a curvature of the reflective surface. A specimen is situated at or near the focus of the reflective surface, so that the reflective surface captures and collimates optical radiation emitted from the specimen. The reflective surface can be defined on an optical substrate along with a lens surface, so that an illumination flux is focused on the specimen by the lens surface, and a secondary light flux produced in response to the illumination flux is captured and collimated by the reflective surface.
US07643218B2
The invention relates to a light redirecting film comprising a thin optically transparent substrate having opposite sides, one side of the substrate substantially covered by elongated individual optical elements whose longest dimensions are substantially aligned in a lengthwise direction, wherein the shape of at least some of the optical elements have a visually significant difference, and wherein the layout of optical element shapes and locations is such that objectionable patterns are not visible in the film under standard LCD backlight viewing conditions.
US07643207B2
A stabilised gain semiconductor optical amplifier (CG-SOA) includes and active waveguide (1) comprising an amplification medium (2), extending in longitudinal (Z), lateral (X) and vertical (Y) directions, and coupled to a laser oscillation structure comprising at least two resonant cavities (13, 14) extending in first (D1) and second (D2) directions which are different from the longitudinal direction (Z) of the active waveguide (1) and arranged in such a way as to permit the establishment of laser oscillations having at least two different relaxation oscillation frequencies.
US07643206B2
An optical amplifier of the present invention comprises: first and second optical amplifying sections connected in series to each other between an input port and an output port; a first variable optical attenuator arranged on a former stage of the first optical amplifying section; a second variable optical attenuator arranged between the first and second optical amplifying sections; an optical amplification control section that controls the first and second optical amplifying sections; and an optical attenuation control section that controls the first and second variable optical attenuators. The optical amplification control section controls each of the optical amplifying sections so that a gain of the entirety of the optical amplifier is held constant, and the optical attenuation control section controls attenuation amounts of the variable optical attenuators so that monitor values of the output powers from the variable optical attenuators approximate the same value, provided that a value of the sum of the attenuation amounts of the variable optical attenuators decided according to the signal light input power per one wavelength of a WDM light is held constant. As a result, it becomes possible to provide at a low cost the optical amplifier capable of achieving flat output wavelength characteristics and the favorable NF, irrespective of the signal light input power per one wavelength of the WDM light and the number of wavelengths thereof.
US07643202B2
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device includes at least one electrode, a first reflective layer, and a movable functional element. The movable functional element includes a flexible dielectric layer and a reflective element. The flexible dielectric layer flexes in response to voltages applied to the at least one electrode to move the functional element in a direction generally perpendicular to the first reflective layer. The reflective element has a first portion mechanically coupled to the flexible dielectric layer and a second portion spaced from the flexible dielectric layer and defining a gap therebetween.
US07643195B2
A mirror device comprises: an electrode placed on a substrate; a hinge which is connected to the electrode and which has a flat part at an end part on a side opposite to the electrode; and a mirror placed on the flat part, wherein a protrusion part formed on the flat part is placed between the flat part and the mirror.
US07643178B2
Upon outputting halftone image data to an output device, density transformation is prevalently performed to improve image quality. Density transformation corresponds to linear gamma correction, and cannot correct for color fog and the like that may occur in a photo image. Hence, lightness and color-difference information of halftone image data is acquired on the basis of low-frequency components of frequency data obtained by transforming halftone image data into spatial frequency components, and a lightness and color-difference transform amount of the halftone image data is set on the basis of the acquired lightness and color-difference information.
US07643166B2
An image forming apparatus that converts page description language to page description language corresponding to a plurality of areas; generates image data based on the converted page description language; retains the converted page description language and the generated image data; compares the retained page description language and the converted page description language; and selects one of the generated image data and the retained image data, depending on the comparison result.
US07643164B2
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for enforcing a distribution policy with respect to information transmitted from a sending fax machine to a recipient fax machine as fax traffic is presented. The method comprising defining an information distribution policy with respect to the fax traffic, then monitoring the fax traffic in accordance with the distribution policy, where the monitoring comprising: (i) de-modulating the fax traffic being monitored into a digital stream; (ii) reconstructing from the digital stream a graphic image representing at least part of the information within the fax traffic; and (iii) analyzing information within the reconstructed image, and then applying the distribution policy with respect to the analyzed fax traffic.
US07643158B2
A method is presented that allows multiple devices for generating three dimensional surface models of moving objects to be used simultaneously. A timing pattern is used to control and trigger the devices in order to operate seven of the devices without interference. In one embodiment, a method of employing optical filters is also described that then allows operation of forty nine of the devices at the same time if the normal visible spectrum is to be used for simultaneous video acquisition. In another embodiment, if no simultaneous video acquisition is required, the optical filtering technique can support up to one hundred fifty four imaging devices operating simultaneously.
US07643150B2
An optical apparatus includes a first element, a second element, a support which supports the first element, a first measuring device which measures the position of the first element relative to the support, a second measuring device which measures the position of the second element relative to the support, a third measuring device which measures any deformation of the support, and a controller. The controller controls the relative position between the first element and the second element on the basis of the measurement results obtained by the first measuring device, the second measuring device, and the third measuring device.
US07643142B2
The invention provides an apparatus including (a) a frame having a boundary plane; (b) a flow chamber supported by the frame, the flow chamber placed a distance from the boundary plane; (c) a radiation source, the radiation source directed away from the flow chamber and away from the exterior side of the boundary plane, and (d) a first reflective surface placed to direct a radiation beam in a path crossing the boundary plane to the flow chamber; (e) one or more reflective surfaces placed to direct a radiation beam from the radiation source to the first reflective surface, the path from the radiation source to the flow chamber being at least 1.5 times the distance from the flow chamber to the boundary plane.
US07643135B1
An embodiment of the invention includes using a set of telescopes to calibrate a three dimensional optical scanner. Three separate calibrations are disclosed for a survey grade calibration: (1) angular calibration, implemented using at least one anti-podal pair of telescopes, (2) range calibration, implemented using at least one telescope mounted fiber recirculator, and (3) tilt calibration, implemented using at least one pair of telescopes not mounted in anti-podal configuration and an integral tilt table. Methods for aligning or measuring the mis-alignment between anti-podal telescope pairs are also described.
US07643134B2
An apparatus and method for rapidly distinguishing positive blood cultures from negative bloodcultures in sealable containers, and for determining the combination of blood volume and hematocrit in a sealable container. The apparatus comprises an optical source for illuminating the culture with a light beam under an oblique angle to generate an asymmetric spatial distribution of backscattered light, which is imaged onto an imaging detector connected to a data analyzer.
US07643120B2
A pixel structure of an active device array substrate is provided. The pixel structure includes a scan line and a data line; an active device electrically coupled to the scan line and the data line; a pixel electrode electrically coupled to the active device, wherein the pixel electrode has at least one opening therein; and at least one island electrode disposed inside the opening, wherein the island electrode is electrically coupled to a voltage V, and the pixel electrode is electrically coupled to a driving voltage Vd that is different from the voltage V, such that a transverse electric field is formed between the island electrode and the pixel electrode.
US07643119B2
A liquid crystal display device includes opposing first and second substrates with a liquid crystal therebetween, and plural spacers formed on second substrate. An uneven portion of a rectangular shape is formed in an area on the first substrate facing an end portion of the respective spacers, and the end portion of the respective spacers and the uneven portion contact mutually, and a long side of the uneven portion is longer than one side of the end portion of the respective spacers, and a short side of the uneven portion is shorter than another side of the end portion of the respective spacers.
US07643108B2
A liquid crystal display panel is provided. The panel comprises a first substrate and a second substrate which have a display area and a non-display area, which is located around the display area. The panel comprises a plurality of dummy pixel structures in the non-display area to provide a voltage for aligning the liquid crystal materials in the non-display area.
US07643105B2
The present invention is to provide a system that displays interactive messages by light emission of preset response depending on the direction of the light from indefinite light source; a light collecting device is used to collect the incidental light from an indefinite light source into clustered beam with higher luminance to be projected into one end of a light guide device before being projected in one direction or multi directions from another end of the light guide device, or light emitted display of selected text or graphics.
US07643101B2
A fabrication method of a polysilicon LCD device includes: forming a gate electrode on a substrate; forming a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode; forming a first amorphous semiconductor layer and a second amorphous semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer; crystallizing the first and second amorphous semiconductor layers; forming source/drain electrodes on the crystallized second semiconductor layer; forming a passivation layer over the source/drain electrodes; and forming a pixel electrode connected to one of the source/drain electrodes.
US07643100B2
In a formation method for forming a fine structure in a workpiece (30) containing an etching control component, using an isotropic etching process, a mask (32, 34) having an opening (36) is applied to the workpiece, and the workpiece is etched with an etching solution (38) to thereby form a recess (40), corresponding to a shape of the opening, in a surface of the workpiece. The etching of the workpiece is stopped due to the etching control component eluted out of the workpiece in the etching solution within the recess during the isotropic etching process.
US07643096B2
Relationship information is previously generated and stored by learning based on camera motion estimation information expressing motion of a video camera, which is detected by a desired image signal picked up by the video camera, and camera motion information expressing physical motion of the video camera, which was obtained by a sensor for detecting physical motion at the same time when the desired image signal was picked up by the video camera. Camera motion estimation information with respect to an inputted image signal is detected from the inputted image signal. Camera motion prediction information with respect to the inputted image signal is generated, based on the camera motion estimation information detected and the relationship information. Based on the camera motion prediction information, a vibration signal for vibrating an object is generated. As a result, vibration data can be easily generated at low costs, based on existing video assets.
US07643086B2
An electronic still camera includes an image pickup element provided in an optically isolated space which is opened and closed by a shutter, and an image pickup optical system which makes object light incident upon the image pickup element. An image pickup light path defined between the shutter and the image pickup element is sealed by a sealing member.
US07643082B2
A scan representation position table to which three points of focus positions which become scan representation positions are recorded respectively is stored in advance based on the lens position of the zoom lens 2b and the type of priority focus.The current zoom lens 2b lens position is acquired and determination processing for short-distance priority focus or long-distance priority focus is performed when judged that the shutter button has been fully depressed at once or when the shutter button has been fully depressed before the passage of a predetermined time duration after the shutter button was halfway depressed. Then, the focus positions are acquired from the scan representation position table based on the acquired lens position and the judged priority focus, and the contrast AF processing is executed within the range of the acquired three points of focus positions.
US07643080B2
A second-frame is displayed while a through image is displayed for a reviewing purpose immediately after the photographing operation is performed. The user is allowed to combine an object image of ID photograph with the second-frame. The user obtains plural ID photograph sizes with respect to the previously set display language by operating SET key (at step S14). The ID photograph sizes are different from country to country. The user trims portions of an image of image data defined by the second-frame based on plural ID photograph sizes to produce plural trimmed-images (images of ID photograph of different sizes (at step S15). One layout image is produced using the plural trimmed-images based on a layout chosen by the user (at step S18), and is recorded (at step S19).
US07643070B2
A moving image generating apparatus of the present invention generates moving image data that is smoothly replayed from a taken still image. The apparatus includes: an image storing section that stores a plurality of captured images continuously taken in an exposure time shorter than a frame period of a moving image; a movement computing section that computes a movement of a subject between a timing at which one captured image is taken and a timing at which a captured image taken next to the one captured image is taken, based on a change of a position of the subject in the plurality of captured images; a frame image generating section that performs a blurring processing in a direction in which the subject included in the one captured image moves to generate a frame image from the one captured image, according to the movement of the subject computed from the movement computing section; and a moving image recording section that records, as a moving image, a plurality of frame images each generated from the frame image generating section in association with each of the plurality of captured images.
US07643064B1
A predictive device system includes a first device motion control input, determines a desired first device motion using the first device motion control input, and provides actual first device motion using the first device motion control input. The predictive system also determines motion inherent in a received signal using the actual first device motion, determines a difference to be simulated in a second device signal using the desired first device motion and the motion inherent in the received signal, and outputs a predictive signal using the first device motion control input and the difference to be simulated in the second device signal.
US07643062B2
A method and system for deblurring an image based on motion tracking. light is recorded at an image sensor of an imaging device to capture an image. motion of said image sensor is recorded at a motion sensor of the imaging device during the recording of the light at the image sensor. A blur kernel is generated based on the motion.
US07643053B2
A reflective liquid crystal display device combined with an optical system with a wire grid is provided for light modulation by a liquid crystal layer. This layer, made of nematic liquid crystal having negative dielectric anisotropy, is formed such that first and second orientation directions on first and second substrates are rotated by “60±α” and “60±β” degrees in first and second rotating directions starting from a reference direction, respectively. The first and second rotating directions are mutually opposite, the reference direction is parallel to the first and second substrates and within in an angular range defined by a central angle plus ±5 degrees wherein the central angle is ±45 degrees from an oscillation direction of incident polarized light, and a relationship of |α|+|β|≦10 (α and β are zero or positive integers) is fulfilled.
US07643052B2
The present invention describes a self-contained omni-directional imaging device. The device is designed to contain within it all mechanic, electronic, optic and electro-optic components required for its operation, namely: omni-directional optics, image capture device, power source, illumination sources, transmitters, receivers and additional optional elements for enhanced capabilities. A preferred embodiment of the invention describes such a device housed inside a durable spherical structure, designed for deployment to potentially hazardous environments, enabling omni-directional view to those environments without endangering the viewer. The device is capable of acquiring and transmitting still or video images and audio streams to a remote, control and display unit located near the operator. Among the typical uses for such a device are: security and surveillance, search and rescue operations, anti-terrorism and situation assessment in hostage situations and a variety of civilian and domestic uses, such as remote baby monitoring.
US07643051B2
A mobile video teleconferencing system comprising an audio-visual assembly atop a vertical support structure mounted to a powered, wheeled base. The device is controlled through a wireless Internet connection by a remote user, and is light enough to be carried with one hand.
US07643046B2
A laser beam scanning device is disclosed. The laser beam scanning device includes a diffraction optical element which forms a pattern of a diffraction image including two images extending in a direction corresponding to the sub scanning direction and one image extending in a direction inclined by θ (0<θ<90°) from the direction corresponding to the sub scanning direction by inputting a laser beam which is led to a surface of a photoconductor drum, and a light receiving element which receives the pattern of the diffraction image.
US07643040B1
There is disclosed a system and method for enhancing gray scale output on a color display. Various gray intensities are mapped based on an image made of various shades of gray so that a viewer perceives a depth of gray levels beyond those available in gray scale from the color display. Pseudo shades of gray are displayed between the levels of true gray that typically are displayed in order to provide a smoother transition between the levels of true gray that are displayed.
US07643034B2
An adaptive texture regeneration method and system for generating a sequence of images over time (an animation sequence) that gives the appearance of texture flowing over a surface. The adaptive texture regeneration method and system helps keep synthesized texture flow over a surface from becoming so distorted such that it no longer resembles the original exemplar. This is achieved in part by using pixel coordinates instead of colors. By using pixel coordinates, distortion of the texture can be measured. Based on this distortion measurement, the texture can be adaptively regenerated if necessary. The distortion measurement of the texture is measured and compared to a distortion threshold. If the measured distortion does not exceed the threshold, then the current synthesized texture is retained. On the other hand, if the measured distortion exceeds the threshold, the current synthesized texture is regenerated.
US07643030B2
The present invention comprises a computer implemented process and system for rendering curves or surfaces as 3D graphics on a display. The system of the present invention includes a computer system having a processor, a bus, and a 3D graphics rendering pipeline. The curves or surfaces are modeled by non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS). The process of the present invention functions by receiving a NURBS model for rendering from a software program running on the host processor. The NURBS model defines a curve or surface. The process of the present invention efficiently converts the NURBS model to a Bezier model using the hardware of the graphics rendering pipeline. The Bezier model describes the same curve or surface. The process of Bezier model and the graphics rendering pipeline. The points are then used by the graphics rendering pipeline to render the curve or surface defined by the Bezier model. Alternatively, a NURBS model is directly evaluated into a plurality of points on a curve or surface, and in turn, rendered into the curve or surface. This direct rendering of the NURBS model is implemented using the graphics rendering pipeline.
US07643021B2
A driving system and a driving method for motion pictures are described, using an input, a black image insertion module, an advanced overdrive module, and a partial frame rate control module. The input receives a first frame and a second frame in order. The black image insertion module inserts a single fixed gray level frame between the first frame and the second frame. The advanced overdrive module increases the second frame to (n+a) bits and converts the same to the overdrive image, in which the first frame and the second frame are n bits. The partial frame rate control module smoothes the overdrive image and converts the same to an output image to refresh the pixels from the single fixed gray level frame to the second frame.
US07643020B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal material, and drive circuitry coupled to the liquid crystal cell to provide a low voltage signal to drive the liquid crystal cell. The low voltage signal may be a pulse width modulated signal, in one embodiment.
US07643007B2
Movement of a hand operated pointing device may be tracked by providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface and providing circuitry for producing a plurality of two dimensional arrays of data related to light reflected by surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface and for processing a first array with a second array to track movement of the housing relative to the illuminated work surface. Circuitry may be provided for processing the first array with the second array to predict further movement of the housing relative to the illuminated work surface. Circuitry may be provided for selecting a different portion of the first array in accordance with the prediction for processing with a third array to track further movement of the housing. Circuitry may be provided for determining validity of the tracked movement and sending a signal to a computer related to the tracked movement unless the tracked movement is determined not to be valid.
US07642997B2
An apparatus for selecting a stressing voltage for compensating for changes in the threshold voltages (Vth) for drive transistors in pixel drive circuits in an active matrix OLED display having a plurality of OLED light-emitting pixels arranged in an array is disclosed.
US07642994B2
A plasma display panel employs a voltage circuit having an input and an output, the voltage circuit configured for supplying a negative voltage for an electrode. The plasma display panel also employs a power supply that has a positive terminal and a negative terminal, where the negative terminal is connected to the input of the voltage circuit. The power supply is otherwise configured relative to the voltage circuit such that the voltage difference between the output and the input of the voltage circuit is fixed as a function of the power supply. By fixing this voltage difference, parasitic capacitance is minimized, power consumption and calorific value are reduced, and the plasma display panel operates in a more stable manner.
US07642988B1
A system and method for mounting a plurality of antenna elements onto a cell tower is disclosed. The plurality of antennas are mounted into a radome enclosure. The radome enclosure has an outer size and shape that matches the outer size and shape of a cellular antenna element. The radome enclosure is configured to attach to a cellular tower using the same physical mounting system as the cellular antenna elements. The plurality of antennas provide multiple point-to-point links that may be used for wireless backhaul links or other applications.
US07642984B2
An antenna includes a loop radiating element, and first and second radiating arms. The loop radiating element includes first and second segments, each of which has opposite first and second ends, and an intermediate segment that interconnects the second ends of the first and second segments thereof. The first and second radiating arms extend outwardly and respectively from the first and second ends of the first segment of the loop radiating element.
US07642982B2
A relatively low cost, easy to install and aesthetically pleasing multi-band, multi-port digital video broadcast from satellite (DVBS) elliptical horn antenna designed as part of a reflector antenna system to simultaneously receive satellite television broadcast signals with circular polarity on two frequency channels. This type antenna may be implemented with a single antenna feed horn with multiple feed horns that may be arranged separately or in one or more integral feed horn blocks. The antennas may be designed to achieve acceptable circular polarity performance over broad and multiple frequency bands through the use of oppositely sloped differential phase differential sections.
US07642981B2
A slot antenna apparatus including: a grounding conductor having an outer edge including a first portion facing a radiation direction and a second portion other than the first portion, a one-end-open slot formed in the grounding conductor along the radiation direction such that an open end is provided at a center of the first portion, and a feed line including a strip conductor close to the grounding conductor and intersecting with the slot at least a part thereof to feed a radio frequency signal to the slot. The grounding conductor is formed to include at least one section at the second portion, the at least one section gradually approaches an axis passing through the slot and parallel to the radiation direction with increasing distance from the first portion.
US07642980B2
The present invention relates to a slot type antenna with integrated amplifiers, comprising a substrate S featuring a ground plane G, a longitudinal radiation open slot antenna, a power divider connected to a feeder line, an amplifier connected to each of the outputs of the power divider, such that the amplifiers are supplied in phase opposition, the output of the amplifiers being connected to a power combination circuit directly coupled to the excitation point of the slot type antenna.
US07642974B2
An antenna assembly for installation in a vehicle, such as an aircraft, and a method for using the same. The antenna assembly includes at least one window mounted antenna for an aircraft for enabling the aircraft to communicate wirelessly with a network, such as a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). The window mounted antenna includes a panel that is transparent to visible light and has at least one antenna element, which can be etched onto the panel. The panel can attach to the interior window of the aircraft, or to an inner surface of the inner pressure window of the aircraft, or can replace the interior window, so as to position the antenna element in a side-looking direction with respect to the aircraft.
US07642966B2
A carrier that extends in three mutually orthogonal directions, X, Y and Z, when in use and which comprises a back surface defining a first XY-plane and a side surface defining an XZ-plane, whereby the carrier comprises an antenna pattern. The antenna pattern comprises a wider branch that is located on the back surface of the carrier, and a narrower branch that comprises a first section that extends substantially along the Z-direction of the side surface and a second section that extends substantially in the X-direction of the side surface.
US07642962B2
An adaptive array antenna is disclosed which permits the circuit scale to be reduced by omitting a down-converter, an AD converter, and interconnects for them while controlling the directivity well. In one aspect, the array antenna comprises phase shift-amplitude control modules which accept signals received by antenna elements via an analog-to-digital converter. The value of any one of phase-amplitude change modules is set to 1. The values of the other phase-amplitude change modules are set to 0. Thus, the signal from any one antenna element is accepted. This sequence of operations is repeated as many times as there are antenna elements, whereby signals received by all the antenna elements can be accepted.
US07642959B2
Method and apparatus for processing satellite signals in an SPS receiver is described. In one example, the satellite signals are correlated against pseudorandom reference codes to produce correlation results. A determination is made whether the SPS receiver is in a motion condition or a stationary condition. The correlation results are coherently integrated in accordance with a coherent integration period. The coherent integration period is a value that depends upon the motion condition of the SPS receiver.
US07642957B2
A GPS Mobile Unit is described. The GPS Mobile Unit may include at least two antennas, at least two GPS receivers, and a position solution module in signal communication with the at least two GPS receivers.
US07642956B2
A measurement system for applications of monitoring and surveying based upon the signals transmitted by a GPS system includes a plurality of measurement stations equipped with at least one GPS receiver, one or more base stations for reception and processing of the measurements made by the plurality of measurement stations, and a network of communication between the stations. The GPS receiver is a receiver that works on a single carrier. The measurement stations are split into triangular sub-networks in which each vertex of a triangle contains a station. The base station is configured for calculating lengths of the baselines that join the measurement stations by means of the double differences, and the base station is configured for executing calculation of the solution in real time.
US07642941B2
A gamma reference voltages generating circuit is disclosed in the present invention. The gamma reference voltages generating circuit comprises a voltage provider, a plurality of first digital-to-analog converters and a plurality of second digital-to-analog converters. The voltage provider generates a plurality of first supply voltages and a plurality of second supply voltages according to a first gamma reference voltage. The first digital-to-analog converters are electrically coupled to the first supply voltages for generating a plurality of second gamma reference voltages. The second digital-to-analog converters are electrically coupled to the second supply voltages for generating a plurality of third gamma reference voltages.
US07642939B2
A data converter includes multiple analog to digital converters (ADCs) and uses a reduced number of data ports at the digital interface for transferring signal samples. The bits of the signal samples generated in parallel by the ADCs are multiplexed into fewer data streams than the number of ADCs. The data ports transfer the data streams at a higher data transfer rate than the bit rate of the samples output from the ADCs. Unused data ports are powered down, decreasing power consumption and system complexity. A host device receives the data streams using fewer input data ports and demultiplexes the received data streams to reproduce the signal samples. Efficient data transfer to a data converter including multiple digital to analog converters (DACs), from a source device generating multiple digital signals can also use fewer data ports having higher data transfer rates.
US07642937B2
Computer-implemented character conversion methods. Characters encoded in a first character set are acquired. The first character set conforms to Unicode Worldwide Character Standard and each character is encoded in first character codes according to the first character set. The first character codes of each character are then converted to numeric character references conforming to Hypertext Markup Language. The numeric character references of each character are stored using a second character set for encoding.
US07642931B2
A driving support image during a turn at an intersection is provided as a driving support by a driving support image display apparatus for a driver by the image display apparatus so that the driver can easily recognize a state ahead of his or her vehicle or a state into which the right turn is made. The driving support image is provided when a subject vehicle has reached a support starting point before the intersection based on provided information that is received from a roadside apparatus. After starting the display of the driving support image as an initial field of vision, the support image is shifted by gradually moving the field of vision of the driving support image from the initial field of vision at a predetermined timing for increased coverage of an opposite lane or a lane to be traveled after a turn.
US07642912B2
The remote control holder of the present invention includes one or more recesses for holding remote controls and one or more cup holders. The holder may also include a heating device and/or a cooling device coupled to the cup holder. The holder may also include a paging system with one or more paging buttons. Each of the paging buttons is associated with one of the recesses. Each paging button may be a different color. In addition, each paging button may be associated with a paging receiver attached to a remote control to be stored in the recess that is associated with the paging button. The method for using the remote control holder includes locating a remote control by depressing a paging button, thereby causing the associated paging receiver attached to the remote control to emit an audible alarm. The remote control may then be disposed within the recess associated with the paging button.
US07642904B2
A tire and wheel rim assembly includes a tire supporting rim having an outward facing mounting surface and at least one tire body mounted to the rim and positioning an internal tire cavity over the rim mounting surface. A tire pressure monitoring module assembly mounts to the rim mounting surface and includes a housing having an internal pressure chamber; a pressure sensing device and/or a temperature measuring sensor within the housing pressure chamber; and an elongate connecting member extending through the housing and the rim mounting surface. A crossover pipe connects the housing pressure chamber with a remote portion of the rim. The inflation pressure in the tire cavity is transferred through the axial passageway of the crossover pipe to the pressure chamber within the module housing.
US07642903B2
A tire pressure sensing device for a tow trailer that signals the driver of the tow vehicle subsequent to deflation of at least one tire mounted to the trailer. The tire pressure sensing device further includes a base plate mounted to the axle of the tow trailer releasably secured by a generally u-shaped clamp. A switch is superposed on the base plate. The switch further includes an actuating rod support member and an actuating rod extending in a downward direction. The actuating rod biases the switch to a closed position subsequent to deflation of the tire thereby electrically activating a warning indicator.
US07642900B2
An alarm device for a vehicle includes state information obtaining unit, alarm information obtaining unit, alarming unit, and controlling unit. The state information obtaining obtains as state information at least one of information of an occupant, information of the vehicle, and information of a surrounding of the vehicle. The alarm information obtaining unit obtains alarm information. The alarming unit informs the occupant of the alarm information. The controlling unit determines an expiration time of the alarm information based on the state information obtained by the state information obtaining unit when the controlling unit receives the alarm information from the alarm information obtaining unit, wherein the control unit causes the alarming unit to inform the occupant of the alarm information while the expiration time is valid.
US07642898B1
A secure apparatus, system, device and method for coding surface acoustic wave identification tags and sensors to enable unique sensor operation and identification for a multi-sensor environment. In an embodiment, a pseudo noise sequence is applied to the orthogonally coded signal for increased security. An orthogonal frequency coding technique is applied to the SAW tag using periodic reflector gratings for responding to an orthogonal interrogation signal to transmit the sensor identification and sensed data. A transceiver interrogates the sensor with a stepped chirp corresponding to the orthogonal frequency coded chip frequency response, receives a response from the SAW device, applies an oppositely stepped chirp to the response and then uses matched filtering to produce a compressed pulse. The orthogonal frequency coding technique has an inherent advantage of processing gain, code division multiple access, spread spectrum and security.
US07642896B2
An IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation 86 is attached on the backside of the glass frame 111 at its upper right portion, and on a main body frame 110 opposing to the glass frame 111, an antenna for monitoring 68 is attached. An IC tag for monitoring opening/closing operation 186 is attached on the inside of the right frame of the wooden frame 112, and on the main body frame 111 opposing to the wooden frame 112, an antenna for monitoring 168 is attached. The distance between these antenna and IC tags is respectively set to about 3 mm in a state where the frames on which they are provided are closed. A R/W unit always polls the IC tags via the antennas. When the glass frame 111 or the main body frame 110 is opened and the distance between the antenna and the IC tag exceeds about 5 mm, the communication becomes unavailable and this state is immediately detected. An antenna for key 128 is buried above a keyhole 120. When a key incorporating an IC tag for key therein is inserted in the keyhole 120, the R/W unit reads the ID code of the IC tag. A solenoid for locking operation is turned on only when the read ID code is identical to the registered ID so as to pull a plunger for unlocking the frame.
US07642894B2
A personal identification system employs a matrix of pressure sensors mounted to a plate having a template of a human hand. When a person's hand is placed on the plate and overlying the template a pressure profile of the person's hand is provided. This profile is compared with a stored pressure profile of the same person's hand. If the pressure points or profiles correlate a positive identification of the person is made.
US07642889B2
An inverter transformer includes a core structure, bobbins each including a spool portion and first and second terminal blocks and having a part of the core structure inserted therein, and primary and secondary windings wound around the bobbin, wherein the first and second terminal blocks have recesses formed at their end faces and adapted to lodge terminal pins to tie wire ends of the secondary winding therearound, the distal tip ends of the terminal pins lodged in the recesses of the first and second terminal blocks are positioned either flush with or inward of the end face of the first and second terminal blocks, parts of the core structure are located above the recesses, and the end faces of the core structure oriented substantially orthogonal to an extending direction of the terminal pins are positioned either flush with or outward of the distal tip ends of the terminal pins.
US07642884B2
A relay reset assembly for use with a relay including first and second support members and a bi-stable armature forming an armature bearing surface and carried by the first support member for pivotal movement between first and second stable positions when force is applied to the armature bearing surface, the assembly for resetting the armature in the first position after the armature is tripped into the second position, the assembly comprising an operator forming an operator bearing surface and carried by one of the first and second support members for movement between an activated position and a deactivated position and a push arm forming first and second arm bearing surfaces, the push arm carried by the second support member and juxtaposed such that each of the first and second arm bearing surfaces is proximate one or the other of the operator and armature bearing surfaces wherein, one of the first and second arm bearing surfaces engages one of the operator and armature bearing surfaces and the other of the first and second arm bearing surfaces engages the other of the operator and armature bearing surfaces when the armature is in the second position and the operator is moved from the deactivated position toward the activated position thereby applying force to the armature bearing surface, the one of the first and second arm bearing surfaces disengaging the proximate one of the operator and armature bearing surfaces when the armature has moved to the first position.
US07642878B2
A signal transmission circuit and method thereof are provided. The signal transmission circuit may include a plurality of signal transmission lines, each of the plurality of signal transmission lines configured to transfer data via signal currents and a reference transmission plane configured to transfer return currents corresponding to the signal currents, the reference transmission plane separated from each of the plurality of signal transmission lines by an insulating layer, the reference transmission plane including at least one separation slot.
US07642876B2
A PWM generator system provides improved duty cycle resolution using a sub-cycle generator for generating a sub-cycle with a period that is a small fraction of the maximum PWM period to be generated. An integral sub-cycle estimator is coupled to said sub-cycle generator for determining the integral number of said sub-cycles for on and off time of the PWM waveform. An additional sub-cycle estimator determines the additional fractional sub-cycle required to provide the on and off time. A timer coupled to the integral sub cycle estimator and the additional sub cycle estimator controls PWM output switching for the on and off time of the integral and additional fractional sub cycles.
US07642860B2
A current pre-amplifier with an input capable of receiving or supplying an input current with at least one pulse, wherein the pre-amplifier includes a regulated cascode stage including an input transistor and a first current generator as well as an output transistor and a second current generator. The pre-amplifier includes a detection device capable of detecting an input current pulse, and a feedback device capable of increasing the current supplied by the first and/or the second current generator during the entire detection of the input current pulse.
US07642857B2
An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing control of current consumption of a power amplifier. The power amplifier comprises an output stage for amplifying a RF signal, and the output stage is operably coupled to an output load. The power amplifier further comprises a bias circuit operably coupled to the output stage, wherein the bias circuit is capable of applying a bias voltage to the output stage. The power amplifier still further comprises a limit circuit operably coupled to the bias circuit for detecting an increase in the current of the output stage under an output load mismatch and in response, decreasing the bias voltage applied to the output stage.
US07642854B2
An amplifier circuit is disclosed having an output transistor for driving a complex load over a drive frequency range, wherein in the lower part of the range an inductive component of the load dominates and in the upper part the inductive component does not dominate. The amplifier circuit includes a current mirror circuit that is connected upstream of the output transistor and has a shunt path to a second potential, for the purpose of relatively reducing a DC current flowing through the output transistor in comparison with an AC current flowing through the latter.
US07642852B2
In a method and apparatus for trimming values of load resistors to reduce variations there between, a common mode feedback loop (CMFBL) included in a differential amplifier is switched from operating in a closed loop mode to operate in an open loop mode. The CMFBL includes an operational amplifier (OA) generating an output signal. A selector switch, coupled to receive the output signal, is operable to switch a path of the output signal in response to a CAL signal. In the closed loop mode, the selector switch routes the output signal to a feedback loop to provide a regulated current to the load resistors. In the open loop mode, the OA operates as a comparator and the output signal is provided as a digital signal. The selector switch provides the digital signal to a controller to digitally trim the values of the load resistors.
US07642850B2
RF amplifier system (200) incorporating feedforward linearization. The system includes a digital waveform source (202) generating digital data s(t) representative of at least one analog signal. The system also includes a feedforward linearization circuit for reducing a distortion of an RF power amplifier (212). The feedforward linearization circuit includes a differential amplifier (230) arranged for generating an error signal. The error signal is determined based on a difference between the distorted RF output signal and an analog RF reference signal (229) generated from the digital data.
US07642849B2
The invention relates to an amplifier capable of producing a plurality of currents at its output terminals, these currents being controlled by a plurality of input voltages. A multiple-input and multiple-output amplifier of the invention includes 4 signal input terminals, 4 signal output terminals, 4 active sub-circuits and a feedback network. Each active sub-circuit has a sub-circuit input terminal connected to one of the signal input terminals, a sub-circuit output terminal connected to one of the signal output terminals and a sub-circuit common terminal. The feedback network has terminals connected to the sub-circuit common terminal of each active sub-circuit. The feedback network presents, in a known frequency band, an impedance matrix producing a negative feedback such that the transfer admittance matrix of the multiple-input and multiple-output amplifier approximates a given admittance matrix.
US07642840B2
A reference voltage generator circuit is provided which is capable of stable generation of a reference voltage. A differential amplifier circuit has a non-inverting input terminal input with the voltage Vbe1 generated by a PNP transistor Q1 and an inverting input terminal input with an output signal thereof. A differential amplifier circuit has a non-inverting input terminal input with the voltage Vbe2 generated by a PNP transistor Q2 and an inverting input terminal input with the output signal of the differential amplifier circuit through a resistor R1 and also input with an output signal thereof through a resistor R2, to generate a reference voltage Vref.
US07642837B2
An internal voltage generation circuit of a semiconductor device includes: a voltage detecting unit configured to detect a voltage level of an internal voltage output terminal to output a voltage detection signal; an oscillating unit configured to generate a first oscillation signal having a predefined frequency in response to the voltage detection signal; and a pumping unit configured to perform a charge pumping operation in response to the first oscillation signal and the voltage detection signal to output an internal voltage to the internal voltage output terminal, a period of the charge pumping operation being limited within an activation period of the voltage detection signal.
US07642834B2
A driving circuit is provided by the present invention. The driving circuit includes a level shifter, a buffer and a switch. The switch is coupled between the level shifter and the buffer. While the level shifter is transiting, the switch is turned off, and the switch is turned on after the level shifter completes the transition. Therefore, the transition time of the level shifter is different from the transition time of the buffer so as to avoid simultaneously conducting large currents to adversely affect the transition capability of the level shifter.
US07642833B1
A timer circuit is disclosed. The timer, having a delay configured to track inversely with temperature of the memory device, includes a reference signal configured to increase in voltage, as the temperature of the memory device increases. The reference signal may be generated from a current that is derived from a bandgap reference circuit. The timer circuit includes a pull-down path made up of a plurality of selectable pull down transistors which are coupled to the reference signal at the gate. Resistance of the pull-down path is reduced as the reference signal is increased and the reduced resistance of the pull-down path decreases the delay of timer. A plurality of selectable delay elements may be preconfigured to adjust the delay and are coupled to the output path of the current starved inverter.
US07642829B2
A duty detection circuit includes an integration circuit for receiving an RCLK signal and an FCLK signal that are internal clock signals generated by a DLL circuit, and generating voltage levels in accordance with the duty ratio of these internal clock signals; an amplifier for amplifying the output of the integration circuit; a latch circuit for latching the output of the amplifier; a control circuit for controlling the operation timings of each component; a bias circuit for feeding a BIAS signal to the integration circuit; and a frequency monitor circuit unit for monitoring the frequency of the clock signal. The frequency monitor circuit unit is a circuit component used when the power source is turned on, during resetting, and when other initial settings are performed, and detects the actual frequency of the clock signal and adjusts the amount of charging or discharging of the capacitors C1 through C4 in the integration circuit according to this actual frequency.
US07642825B2
A DLL circuit includes a first delay line circuit, a first phase comparison circuit, a control circuit, and a first selecting circuit. The first delay line circuit can change a delay amount and provide a delay to a first clock signal. The first phase comparison circuit can detect a phase difference between the first clock signal and an output signal of the first delay line circuit, and a phase difference between a test clock signal of which frequency is lower than the first clock signal and an output signal of the first delay line circuit or a signal after dividing the output signal. The control circuit controls a delay amount of the first delay line circuit according to the detection result of the first phase comparison circuit.
US07642819B1
An integrated circuit (100) includes a current mode write driver (105). The write driver (105) includes a switching control circuit (110) including (i) a DC current control circuit (111) operable to directly convert a received ECL differential signal into first, second, third and fourth DC output currents (a, b, c, and d) and (ii) a boost current control circuit (112) operable to directly convert a received level shifted version of the ECL differential voltage signal and a delayed version of the ECL differential voltage signal into first, second, third and fourth boost output currents (a1, b1, c1, and d1). An H-bridge circuit (120) includes an output stage (125) including first and second current sourcing control nodes (126, 127) and first and second current sinking control nodes (128, 129). A first output node (131) is between the first sourcing and first sinking nodes (126, 128) and second output node between the second sourcing and the second sinking nodes (127, 129). A first, second, third and fourth current mirror including input is coupled to sourcing or sinking control nodes (126, 127, 128, and 129) and are each operable to receive one of the DC output currents and one of the boost output currents for switchably delivering current diagonally through a load (145) connected between the output nodes (131, 132).
US07642807B2
A compensated buffer circuit operative in one of at least a first mode and a second mode includes a plurality of output blocks and a plurality of predrivers, each of the predrivers having an output connected to an input of a corresponding one of the output blocks. Respective outputs of the output blocks are connected together and form an output of the buffer circuit. The output blocks are arranged in a sequence and are binary weighted such that a drive strength of a given one of the output blocks is about twice as large as a drive strength of an output block immediately preceding the given output block. Each of the predrivers selectively enables the corresponding output block connected thereto as a function of a control signal supplied to the predriver for compensating the buffer circuit for PVT variations to which the buffer circuit may be subjected. The respective control signals supplied to the predrivers collectively represent a binary code word, the binary code word in the second mode being equivalent to an arithmetic shift of the binary code word in the first mode.
US07642804B2
A system, apparatus and method for testing and measuring high frequency signals on a trace is described. In one embodiment of the invention, a footprint is manufactured on a trace to allow the testing of a signal while reducing the amount of distortion caused by prior art structures and methods. The footprint is designed to reduce stub effects and capacitance on a signal being communicated on the trace.
US07642799B2
A test chip socket comprises a contact block fixed to a tester substrate, a tray mounted to the contact block, the tray having a convex part for positioning test target chips to a plurality of mount positions, and a plurality of probes each of which is held by the contact block and contacts the tester substrate and the test target chip, wherein each probe contacts with a terminal of each test target chip mounted to the mounting position when the tray mounting the plurality of the test target chip is fixed to the contact block.
US07642797B2
There is provided a power supply stabilizing circuit provided in a chip of an electronic device. The power supply stabilizing circuit stabilizes a power supply voltage supplied to an operational circuit of the electronic device, and includes a current bypass section that supplies a bypass current from an auxiliary power supply interconnection to a main power supply interconnection, where the main power supply interconnection supplies the power supply voltage to the operational circuit, and the auxiliary power supply interconnection is different from the main power supply interconnection, and a current control section that varies an amount of the bypass current supplied by the current bypass section to the main power supply interconnection in accordance with a predetermined current variation pattern, under an external control, during an operation of the operational circuit.
US07642787B2
An automotive vehicle electrical system diagnostic apparatus includes first and second electrical connections configured to electrically couple to an electrical system of an automotive vehicle which includes a battery. Digital samples are obtained during operation of the vehicle which are related to the system. The digital samples are stored in memory.
US07642780B2
A magnetic resonance system has a basic magnet that generates a static basic magnetic field in an examination volume, and a whole-body antenna that emits a homogeneous radio-frequency field in the examination volume, the homogeneous radio-frequency field exhibiting an excitation frequency so that nuclei in an examination subject in the examination volume are excited to emit magnetic resonance signals, and a radio-frequency shield. The radio-frequency shield is arranged between the whole-body antenna and the basic magnet. The whole-body antenna is arranged between the radio-frequency shield and the examination volume. The radio-frequency shield is fashioned to exhibit a high shielding effect in a shielding frequency range that encompasses the excitation frequency. The shielding effect drops to a significantly lower shielding effect on both sides at side bands adjoining the shielding frequency range. The shielding frequency range and the side bands exhibit bandwidths that are significantly smaller than the excitation frequency.
US07642778B2
An MRI apparatus for performing an MRI examination to an object by sequentially applying an imaging method group, which is constituted by time-sequentially arranging a plurality of different imaging methods, to each of the imaging methods, has an imaging method group setting unit, a performing order setting unit and an imaging condition setting unit. The imaging method group setting unit sets the imaging method group. The performing order setting unit sets a performing order as a performing order of the imaging methods constituting the imaging method group. The imaging condition setting unit sets an imaging condition to each of the imaging methods. The workflow setting unit obtains an examination history data corresponding to the imaging method group, the performing order and the imaging condition from the examination history data previously stored to a storage unit, and sets a first workflow relating to the MRI examination by estimating an imaging time of each of the imaging methods in the performing order based on the obtained examination history data.
US07642773B2
Magnetic sensor, production method thereof, rotation detection device, and position detection device
A one-chip type magnetic sensor is provided in which thin-film anisotropic magnetoresistance elements are formed on an IC substrate. Applied magnetic fields can be detected in the magnetic sensor in vertical and horizontal directions, and detection sensitivity can be adjusted with respect to direction. The influence on a magnetic-sensitive property can be suppressed when another magnetic field is applied from another direction. A semiconductor substrate, lead frame, and lead frame(s) are accommodated in a package in the magnetic sensor. Thin-film magnetoresistance elements are formed on the substrate, which includes an electric circuit having comparison and amplification functions. The lead frame is used to mount the semiconductor substrate thereon. The lead frames are connected to the semiconductor substrate, which is attached to a semiconductor attachment surface. The lead frame has a structure in which the semiconductor attachment surface is inclined with respect to a package surface by bending the lead frame.
US07642766B2
The invention relates to electronic circuits for measuring, by synchronous detection, weak signals whose reference level is not well known and is subject to large fluctuations. A first correlated double sampling is performed between a time T1 situated just before the start of the measurement pulse and a time T2 situated just before the end of the measurement pulse; subsequently, a second correlated double sampling is performed between time T2 and a time T3 situated after the end of the measurement pulse. Finally, the difference between signal levels coming from the two measurements is taken, this difference being a representation of the signal value Vm considered with respect to a reference level that is intermediate between the reference levels at times T1 and T3.
US07642765B2
A DC voltage conversion device including a DC/DC converter and an energy reservoir capable of providing a starting voltage to the DC/DC converter.
US07642763B2
An exemplary switching power supply circuit (2) includes a power source (20), a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit (21), a first switching circuit (22), a second switching circuit (23), a first transformer (25), and a second transformer (26). The first switching circuit includes a first transistor (221) and a second transistor (222). The second switching circuit includes a third transistor (231) and a fourth transistor (232). The first transformer includes a first primary winding (251) and a second primary winding (252), and the second transformer includes a third primary winding (261) and a fourth primary winding (262). The switching circuits are controlled by pulse signals from the PWM circuit. When the first and third transistors are switched on, the power source, the first primary winding, and the first transistor form a first closed loop. The power source, the third primary winding, and the third transistor form a second closed loop.
US07642751B2
Disclosed herein is a protection circuit module (PCM) including a protection circuit for controlling overcharge, overdischarge, and overcurrent of a battery. The protection circuit module includes a pair of connecting members, which are mounted to a rectangular lower end of the PCM and electrically connected to a protection circuit, and a pair of coupling members coupled to the corresponding connecting members while plate-shaped electrode terminals of a battery cell are interposed between the connecting members and the coupling members, and a battery pack including the protection circuit module, which is electrically connected to a battery cell. According to the present invention, a welding or soldering process, which requires a large amount of time and a high degree of technical skill to manufacture a battery pack, is not necessary, the coupling force between the battery cell and the PCM is increased, and the inner space of the battery pack is maximally utilized.
US07642744B2
A charger and battery combination for recharging batteries has a pair of snap arms for retaining a battery within the pocket of the charger. When the battery is inserted into the charger pocket, the snap arms provide a downward force against the battery, thereby ensuring a sound electrical connection between the battery and electrical contacts disposed within the pocket. In one embodiment, the charger pocket includes a pair of channel apertures in which the snap arms are placed. Upon battery insertion, a flex member of the snap arm deflects, thereby allowing a mating feature of the battery to pass. When the battery is fully inserted, a coupling member of the snap arm exerts a force against the battery, thereby pushing the battery towards the bottom of the pocket.
US07642742B2
A fuel cell includes a removable and replaceable fuel supply having fuel disposed therein. A system for monitoring various parameters of the fuel such as temperature, pressure, and the levels of dissolved oxygen is provided. A plurality of sensors is disposed on the fuel supply side that is capable of communicating with a controller and memory on the fuel cell side. In another embodiment, at least one sensor for measuring a system parameter of the fuel communicates with an RFID tag either remotely or via a hardwired link. The sensor and/or the RFID tag may be coated with a substance impervious to the caustic fuel. An RFID reader station collects the data. The controller may be included to use the data in real time to alter system parameters, such as fuel pumping rates or a bleed off, or to trigger a signal, such as to notify a user of an empty fuel supply.
US07642736B2
A device and method for controlling the changing operation of an on-load tap changer (LTC) that interrupts current passing the current zero point of a commercial frequency are provided. The device may include a current zero point detecting unit that detects a zero point in the waveform of current passed through the LTC, a current zero point cycle measuring unit that measures the cycle of the current zero point detected by the current zero point detecting unit, a commercial frequency determining unit that generates an output signal when the cycle of the current zero point measured by the current zero point cycle measuring unit corresponds to a commercial frequency, and an actuation signal output unit that outputs an actuation signal used to have the LTC carry out tap changing operation in response to the output signal of the commercial frequency cycle determining unit.
US07642735B2
Pulse Density Modulation (PDM) is used to control the amount of light from a fluorescent lamp by applying a voltage to the lamp filaments at a low frequency that is approximately at a series resonant frequency of the lamp ballast inductor and the lamp filament capacitor, no voltage and a voltage at a high frequency. The lamp gas ionizes to produce light only when the low frequency voltage is applied. The fluorescent lamp gas does not ionize when the voltage at the high frequency is applied, but the high frequency voltage keeps the lamp filaments warm during low light output conditions. The low frequency, no and high frequency voltages have time periods that occur within a modulation frame time period that repeats continuously. The ratio of the low frequency voltage time period, and the no voltage and/or high frequency voltage time periods determine the light output of the fluorescent lamp.
US07642734B2
Dimming a light source such as a LED over a dimming range (0%-100%) involves adjusting at least one of the intensity (I) and the duty-cycle (DR) of a current flowing through the light source. The dimming range includes at least one portion (L%-H%; 0%-H%) where the light source is fed with a current whose intensity (I) is switched with a given duty cycle (DR) between a non-zero on value and zero, the non-zero on value being a fraction of the rated value (Irated), whereby joint CC and PWM dimming is achieved.
US07642728B2
A resonant circuit includes a feedback path for a feedback signal extending from a load terminal to an input terminal so that a potential of the load substantially tracks a potential of the input terminals. A resonant circuit extends from a load to a line terminal so that a potential of the load substantially tracks a potential of the line terminals. A resonant circuit includes a split inductor so that when the load increases so does the equivalent resonant inductance.
US07642727B2
A new ballast circuit for automotive high intensity discharge (HID) applications is disclosed. The ballast utilizes two DC/DC converters and two low frequency inverter switches. The ballast also includes an integrated high voltage ignition circuit. The positive DC/DC converter builds up a high ignition voltage in addition to raising the DC position bus. When the lamp breaks down, the DC bus voltage decreases and the ignition circuit falls inactive. The DC/DC stages are then alternately conductive to supply power to the lamp via the low frequency inverter switches. The disclosed ballast reduces the number of the switches used to four from a typical six, it utilizes independently controlled voltage source, and provides a more efficient run-up voltages waveform during pre-steady state running of the lamp.
US07642724B2
A light emitting element driving circuit, which can achieve accurate/high-speed operation even at low voltage supply voltage, comprises: driving current supply, connected to light emitting element in series between first and second power supplies, to supply driving current to the light emitting element according to the voltage of control terminal; current determiner to determine and output the current according to an output light amount of the light emitting element; current/voltage converter to convert the determined current into voltage and output it to the control terminal of the driving current supply if control signal is in a first state, and to electrically shield its output voltage terminal from the control terminal of the driving current supply if the control signal is in a second state; and resetter to connect the control terminal of the driving current supply to the second power supply if the control signal is in the second state.
US07642719B2
A discharge lamp having a starting assembly is provided for use with existing high frequency electronic ballasts. The lamp comprises a light-transmissive envelope and has a discharge sustaining fill of an inert gas mixture of krypton and argon. The starting assembly comprises at least one conductive path attached to the outside or inside surface of the envelope or embedded in the envelope.
US07642714B2
An electroluminescent device includes a transparent cathode and a substrate. A laminated body is provided Adjacent to the substrate. The laminated body includes a first electrode, an electroluminescent layer and a second metallic electrode. The second electrode is covered with transparent dielectric layers which increase the transmission of light through the second metallic electrode and serve as filters.
US07642698B2
Methods and apparatus relating to use and/or provision of a rake piezo actuator are described. In one embodiment, a piezo patch may be coupled to a plurality of blades (e.g., to cause the blades to oscillate and provide air flow between fins of one or more heat sinks). Other embodiments are also described.
US07642697B2
Disclosed is an ultrasonic motor whose output is improved by enhancing the exciting force of a vibration caused on a vibrating body having a rectangular portion. The ultrasonic motor includes the vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, and a moving body which contacts the vibrating body. The phases of two difference vibrations caused on the vibrating body are changed to make the moving direction of the moving body or the vibrating body itself variable by selecting whether to apply a drive signal to first electrodes provided at one side of the piezoelectric element or to apply a drive signal to second electrodes provided at a portion whose polarization direction differs from that of the first electrodes.
US07642696B2
An ultrasonic actuator includes an actuator body, a case and a support rubber. The support rubber is made of conductive rubber having alternately stacked insulating layers and conductive layers and arranged between the case and the actuator body such that an external electrode and an electrode is brought into conduction and applies in advance a compressive force in the direction of longitudinal vibration to the actuator body at a non-node part of the vibration of the actuator body. The support rubber is arranged such that the stacking direction of the conductive rubber intersects with a plane including the direction of longitudinal vibration and the direction of bending vibration of the actuator body.
US07642685B2
An electric rotating machine comprises: a stator in which a coil is wound on a plurality of teeth in concentrated winding, and the coil is connected to a three-phase power supply; and a rotor disposed in opposition to the teeth of the stator; wherein a ratio between the number of poles and the number of slots of the stator is 1:3. There is no higher harmonics of magnetomotive force in low order close to fundamental wave, thus enabling efficient operation of the electric rotating machine. Furthermore, owing to the stator of concentrated winding, it is possible to provide an electric rotating machine of high productivity with small coil end, high mass production, and high space factor.
US07642680B2
A rotary electrical machine comprises: a stator core; a rotor core arranged at the inner periphery of this stator core; a bracket connected with one end of the stator core; a first bearing arranged by means of the bracket; a frame and a housing connected with the other end of the stator core; a second bearing arranged by means of the housing; a ventilation fan provided between the rotor core and the first bearing, with vanes provided on the outside in the axial direction; a rotor shaft that is freely rotatably supported by the first bearing and second bearing; an inlet provided in the frame or the housing; and an outlet provided in the frame or the housing.
US07642675B2
According to one embodiment, a system with a multi-purpose switch for providing a power on function and other functions to a user comprises a temporary power control circuit configured to be coupled to and decoupled from a power source by the multi-purpose switch. The system also comprises a continuous power control circuit to provide continuous power. As a result, the multi-purpose switch is capable of providing other functions when the continuous power is being provided. In one embodiment, a method for utilizing a multi-purpose switch to provide a power on function and other functions to a user comprises coupling a temporary power control circuit to a power source by the multi-purpose switch, triggering a continuous power control circuit to provide continuous power, decoupling the temporary power control circuit from the power source by the multi-purpose switch, and making the multi-purpose switch available to provide other functions.
US07642670B2
A system for supplying electrical power to a plurality of vehicles from a central power supply through a plurality of electrical outlets includes an outlet control unit for each of the outlets and a vehicle control unit for each of the vehicles. The outlet microprocessor switches the supply of power to the outlet to communicate data to the vehicle. The vehicle microprocessor communicates data by switching a load across the power supply to provide interaction between the microprocessors to manage requirement and availability of power. The data includes whether the power plant of the vehicle is gasoline powered, diesel powered, hybrid or electric battery powered. The microprocessor of the vehicle control unit is arranged to control switches which supply power to selected loads in the vehicle and includes an interface which is arranged to connect to a Canbus communication system of the vehicle.
US07642649B2
A semiconductor device employs a support structure to mitigate damage to dielectric layers having a low dielectric constant (k). The semiconductor device includes at least one inter-level dielectric layer (ILD) comprising a material having a low dielectric constant (k), and at least one support structure disposed within the low-k dielectric layer. The support structure mitigates damage of the semiconductor device by providing a mechanically stable interface between two layers in the semiconductor device.
US07642647B2
A semiconductor device, in which it is possible to maintain high reliability in that interfacial breakdown does not occur between a solder ball and a conductive film, is provided. The semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises an uppermost layer interconnection 101, an insulating film, which is provided above the uppermost layer interconnection 101, provided with a pad via 104 reaching the uppermost layer interconnection 101, and a conductive film, which is connected to the uppermost layer interconnection 101 in a bottom of the pad via 104, and formed across from the bottom of the pad via 104 to outside the pad via 104; wherein the conductive film and the solder ball 108 provided in contact with the insulating film, and an alloy layer 110 containing a metallic element contained in the solder ball 108 and a metallic element contained in the conductive film intervene, and the solder ball is formed so as to cover the alloy layer 110.
US07642641B2
A semiconductor component includes a semiconductor chip provided with a passivation layer that covers the topmost interconnect structure of the semiconductor chip whilst leaving contact areas free. The passivation layer is in direct adhesive contact with the plastic housing composition of the semiconductor component. The passivation layer includes a polymer with embedded mineral-ceramic nanoparticles.
US07642640B2
The semiconductor device according to one of the embodiments of the present invention includes a metal block having first and second main surfaces and defining a recess on the first main surface. It also includes a semiconductor chip received within the recess of the metal block and mounted on the metal block. Further, a first terminal electrically connected with the semiconductor chip is provided, and a second terminal electrically connected with the metal block is also provided.
US07642633B2
An interposer substrate having electrodes on the front surface and on the rear surface thereof, respectively, is prepared, and at least one memory chip having electrodes connected to an internal circuit is prepared. Then, the rear surface of the memory chip is bonded to the front surface of the interposer substrate, and the memory chip is sealed to the front surface of the interposer substrate to constitute an encapsulated capsule type semiconductor package. On the other hand, a logic chip is prepared. Further, a main substrate is prepared in which electrodes are formed on the front surface and on the rear surface, respectively, and desired internal connections are provided between these electrodes. Then, the capsule type semiconductor package and the logic chip are laminated on the main substrate, and desired connections are provided between the electrodes on the rear surface of the interposer substrate of the capsule type semiconductor package, the electrodes of the logic chip and the electrodes on the front surface of the main substrate. The capsule type semiconductor package and the logic chip are sealed to the front surface of the main substrate by a resin to obtain a system-in-package type semiconductor device.
US07642628B2
A large-scale MEMS device includes a MEMS die supported by at least one compliant die mount. The compliant die mount couples the MEMS die to a support structure. The support structure is positioned within a package. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the package is substantially symmetrical about the MEMS die. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the support structure and/or the package is designed to have a neutral bend axis along the MEMS die.
US07642623B2
The present invention relates to a fabrication method for polycrystalline silicon thin film in which amorphous silicon is crystallized by laser using a mask having a mixed structure of laser transmission pattern group and laser non-transmission pattern group, wherein the mask comprises two or more of dot pattern groups in which the non-transmission pattern group is perpendicular to a scan directional axis, and the dot pattern groups are formed in a certain shape and comprise first non-transmission patterns that are not respectively arranged in a row in an axis direction perpendicular to the scan directional axis, and second non-transmission patterns that are formed in the same arrangement as the first non-transmission patterns, but are positioned in such a manner that the second non-transmission patterns are parallel to the first non-transmission patterns and vertical axis of the scan directional axis.
US07642619B2
A semiconductor device, such as an inductor, is formed with an air gap. A first level has an intra-metal dielectric layer including one or more inductor loops, one or more vias, and one or more copper bulkhead structures. An inter-level dielectric layer is formed over the first level. An extraction via is formed through the intra-metal dielectric layer and inter-level dielectric layer. An air gap is formed between inductor loops by removing portions of the intra-metal dielectric layer coupled to the extraction via using a supercritical fluid process, and forming a non-conformal layer to seal the extraction via. The air gap may be filled with an inert gas, like argon or nitrogen.
US07642614B2
Channel stop sections are formed by multiple times of impurity ion implanting processes. Four-layer impurity regions are formed across the depth of a semiconductor substrate (across the depth of the bulk), so that a P-type impurity region is formed deep in the semiconductor substrate; thus, incorrect movement of electric charges is prevented. Other four-layer impurity regions of another channel stop section are decreased in width step by step across the depth of the substrate, so that the reduction of a charge storage region of a light receiving section due to the dispersion of P-type impurity in the channel stop section is prevented in the depth of the substrate.
US07642613B2
A CMOS image sensor and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed, in which light that transmits through a microlens is prevented from being beyond a photodiode region to minimize loss of incident light and to improve low illumination characteristics of the CMOS image sensor. The CMOS image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a transistor region and a photodiode region, a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate corresponding to the transistor region, an interlayer dielectric layer formed on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate including the gate electrode, a microlens formed over the interlayer dielectric layer to condense light, and a metal barrier formed in the interlayer dielectric layer to surround a portion of the interlayer dielectric layer corresponding to the photodiode region and to reflect light in the photodiode region that transmits through the microlens but goes beyond the photodiode region.
US07642612B2
It has been difficult to manufacture a semiconductor device equipped with a microstructure having a space, an electric circuit for controlling the microstructure, and the like over one substrate.In a semiconductor device, a microstructure and an electric circuit for controlling the microstructure can be provided over one substrate by manufacturing the microstructure in such a way that a structural layer having polycrystalline silicon obtained by laser crystallization or thermal crystallization using a metal element is formed and processed at low temperature. As the electric circuit, a wireless communication circuit for carrying out wireless communication with an antenna is given.
US07642605B2
A semiconductor device includes a glass substrate having a main surface, a polysilicon film formed on the main surface, having a channel region formed and having a source region and a drain region formed on opposing sides of the channel region, a gate insulating film provided so as to be in contact with the polysilicon film and containing oxygen, and a gate electrode provided in a position facing the channel region with the gate insulating film being interposed. The polysilicon film has a thickness larger than 50 nm and not larger than 150 nm. The polysilicon film contains hydrogen in a proportion not smaller than 0.5 atomic percent and not larger than 10 atomic percent. With such a structure, a semiconductor device attaining a large drain current and having a desired electric characteristic is provided.
US07642604B2
A semiconductor device having an electrode with reduced electrical contact resistance even where either electrons or holes are majority carriers is disclosed. This device has an n-type diffusion layer and a p-type diffusion layer in a top surface of a semiconductor substrate. The device also has first and second metal wires patterned to overlie the n-type and p-type diffusion layers, respectively, with a dielectric layer interposed therebetween, a first contact electrode for electrical connection between the n-type diffusion layer and the first metal wire, and a second contact electrode for connection between the p-type diffusion layer and the second metal wire. The first contact electrode's portion in contact with the n-type diffusion layer and the second contact electrode's portion contacted with the p-type diffusion layer are each formed of a first conductor that contains a metal and a second conductor containing a rare earth metal.
US07642603B2
In one embodiment of the invention, a non-planar transistor includes a gate electrode and multiple fins. A trench contact is coupled to the fins. The contact bottom is formed above the substrate and does not directly contact the substrate. The contact bottom is higher than the gate top.
US07642599B2
A semiconductor device disclosed herein comprises: a first base region which is of a first conductivity type; a second base region which is of a second conductivity type and which is selectively formed on a major surface of the first base region; a stopper region which is of a first conductivity type and which is formed on the major surface of the first base region, the stopper region being a predetermined distance away from the second base region and surrounding the second base region; and a ring region which is of a second conductivity type which is formed on the major surface of the first base region between the second base region and the stopper region, the ring region being spirally around the second base region and electrically connected to the second base region and the stopper region.
US07642593B2
a nonvolatile memory device Includes an active region defined in a semiconductor substrate and a control gate electrode crossing over the active region. A gate insulating layer is interposed between the control gate electrode and the active reigon. A floating gate is formed in the active region to penetrate the control gate electrode and extend to a predetermined depth into the semiconductor substrate. A tunnel insulating layer is successively interposed between the control gate electrode and the floating gate, and between the semiconductor substrate and the floating gate. The floating gate may be formed after a trench is formed by sequentially etching a control gate conductive layer and the semiconductor substrate, and a tunnel insulating layer is formed on the trench and sidewalls of the control gate conductive layer. The floating gate is formed in the trench to extend into a predetermined depth into the semiconductor substrate.
US07642588B2
In a first aspect, a first apparatus is provided. The first apparatus is a memory cell of a substrate that includes (1) a PFET with an orientation approximately planar to a surface of the substrate; and (2) an NFET coupled to the approximately planar PFET. An orientation of the NFET in the substrate is approximately perpendicular to the orientation of the PFET. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US07642586B2
The present invention provides an integrated memory cell array comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of cell transistor devices including: a pillar formed in said semiconductor substrate; a gate trench surrounding said pillar; a first source/drain region formed in an upper region of said pillar; a gate dielectric formed on the bottom of said gate trench and surrounding a lower region of said pillar; a gate formed on said gate dielectric in said gate trench and surrounding a lower region of said pillar; and a second source/drain region formed in an upper region of said semiconductor substrate adjoining said gate trench; a plurality of bitlines being connected to respective first groups of first source/drain regions of said cell transistor devices; a plurality of wordlines connecting the respective gates of second groups said cell transistor devices; and a plurality of cell capacitor devices being connected to the second source/drain regions of said cell transistor devices.
US07642584B2
A thin-film semiconductor device or integrated circuit comprising an insulating substrate, TFTs (thin-film transistors) formed on the substrate, and multilayer conductive interconnections. The circuit has a first metallization layer becoming gate electrodes and gate interconnections. The surface of the first metallization layer is oxidized by anodic oxidation to form an insulating coating on the surface of the first metallization layer. A second metallization layer becoming source and drain electrodes or conductive interconnections is then formed on the insulating coating directly or via an interlayer insulator. An improvement in the production yield and improved reliability are accomplished.
US07642579B2
A pixel having a MOS-type transistor formed in and above a semiconductor substrate of a first doping type, a buried semiconductor layer of a second doping type being placed in the substrate under the MOS transistor and separated therefrom by a substrate portion forming a well. The buried semiconductor layer comprises a thin portion forming a pinch area placed under the transistor channel area and a thick portion placed under all or part of the source/drain areas of the transistor.
US07642572B2
An integrated circuit having a memory cell array and a method of forming an integrated circuit is disclosed. One embodiment provides bitlines running along a first direction, wordlines running along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, active areas and bitline contacts. The bitline contacts are arranged in columns extending in the second direction and in rows extending in the first direction. A distance between neighboring bitlines is DL, and a distance between neighboring bitline contacts is DC, DC being measured parallel to the first direction. The following relation holds: 1/2.25≦DL/DC≦1/1.75.
US07642570B2
A rescue structure to repair an open wire includes a first metal layer having at least a rescue line, an isolation layer formed on the first metal layer, and a second metal layer formed on the isolation layer. The second metal layer has at least a signal line crossing the rescue line to form an enlarged intersection node. The intersection node is particularly arranged far from the side where the rescue line is used for signal transmission.
US07642569B2
A transistor having minimized parasitics is provided including an emitter having a recessed extrinsic emitter portion atop an intrinsic emitter portion; a base including an intrinsic base portion in electrical contact with the intrinsic emitter portion and an extrinsic base portion in electrical contact with the intrinsic base portion and electrically isolated from the recessed extrinsic emitter portion by a set of emitter/base spacers; and a collector in electrical contact with the intrinsic base portion. The transistor may further include extrinsic base having top surfaces entirely silicided to the emitter/base spacer. Additionally, the transistor may include a base window opening within the transistor's active area. Methods of forming the above-described transistor are also provided.
US07642563B2
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) package. An object of the present invention is to provide an LED package having a metal PCB, which has a superior heat dissipation property and a compact structure, does not largely restrict use of conventional equipments, and is compatible with an electronic device or illumination device currently used widely. To this end, an LED package according to the present invention comprises a metal printed circuit board (PCB) formed by laminating first and second sheet metal plates with an electric insulating layer interposed therebetween; and an LED chip mounted on the first sheet metal plate of the metal PCB, wherein the first sheet metal plate has electrode patterns and leads respectively extending from the electrode patterns.
US07642560B2
A composite semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first semiconductor element portion made of a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor element portion made of a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material. The first semiconductor element portion has a first semiconductor layered structure, and the second semiconductor element portion has a second semiconductor layered structure. The first semiconductor element portion has a plurality of light-emitting regions that emit lights of different wavelengths. The second semiconductor element portion has at least one light-emitting region that emits light whose wavelength is different from the lights emitted by the light-emitting regions of the first semiconductor element portion. The light-emitting regions of the first semiconductor element portion and at least one light-emitting region of the second semiconductor element portion are electrically connected to each other.
US07642556B2
A compound semiconductor element is provided which electrically connects an electrode 3 formed on one main surface 2a of a compound semiconductor region 2 with a substrate 5 to fix an electric potential of substrate 5 at an electric potential of electrode 3, thereby preventing fluctuation in electric potential of substrate 5 under the changing operating condition of the device for stabilization in electric property of the device. Also, formed between compound semiconductor region 2 and substrate 5 is an insulating layer 6 for blocking a leakage current which may flow longitudinally between one main surface 2a of compound semiconductor region 2 and substrate 5 so that sufficiently high withstand voltage property can be given between compound semiconductor region 2 and substrate 5. In addition, formed in compound semiconductor region 2 is a notch 14 which extends in the thickness direction from main surface 2a of compound semiconductor region 2 and reaches at least insulating layer 6, and an insulating protective layer 15 covers a side surface of a conductive film 7 exposed to the notch 14 to prevent occurrence of electric discharge between conductive film 7 and substrate 5 for stable and high withstand voltage.
US07642543B2
A semiconductor light emitting device including: a support substrate; a composite connection layer formed above the support substrate, the composite connection layer including a first connection layer and a second connection layer; a diffusion barrier layer formed above the composite connection layer; a semiconductor lamination structure formed above the diffusion barrier layer; and a reflective electrode layer formed between the diffusion barrier layer and the semiconductor lamination structure, wherein: at least one of the first and second connection layers is made of eutectic material; and the diffusion barrier layer has a lamination structure having TaN layers sandwiching at least one refractory metal layer made of one or more refractory metal materials of Ta, Ti, Mo, W and TiW or alloy thereof. It is possible to prevent defects such as stripping and cracks at bonding planes and improve reliability of a final semiconductor light emitting device.
US07642536B2
A microscope produces a high magnification stereoscopic image of a specimen by generating in the specimen two needle shaped illuminated regions tilted in optical axis of the microscope using a plurality of pinholes, moveable mirrors, and beamsplitters (37, 70). Light emitted from the needle shaped regions is detected using separate detectors (56, 57). The needle shaped regions are scanned with respect to the specimen using scanner (3). Alternately, a hologram may be used to generate the needle shaped illuminated regions.
US07642535B2
A light emitting device includes: a plurality of light emitting elements that emit light to have luminosity depending on the magnitude of a driving signal; a plurality of holding units that are respectively disposed in the plurality of light emitting elements, and respectively hold the driving signal to maintain a magnitude regulated such that the luminosity of the plurality of light emitting elements becomes uniform; and a plurality of supply units that are respectively disposed in the plurality of light emitting elements, and supply the driving signal, which is held by the holding units to have a certain magnitude for a period of time according to a gradation of light to be emitted, to a corresponding light emitting element.
US07642531B2
Beam-defining apparatus and methods for defining a gas cluster ion beam used to process a workpiece. The beam-defining apparatus includes a second member projecting from a first member in a direction away from the workpiece and an aperture defined in the first and second members that is configured to transmit at least a portion of the gas cluster ion beam to the workpiece.
US07642529B2
A method includes directing an ion beam at a plurality of differing incident angles with respect to a target surface of a substrate to implant ions into a plurality of portions of the substrate, wherein each one of the plurality of differing incident angles is associated with a different one of the plurality of portions, measuring angle sensitive data from each of the plurality of portions of the substrate, and determining an angle misalignment between the target surface and the ion beam incident on the target surface from the angle sensitive data. A method of determining a substrate miscut is also provided.
US07642515B2
A component for detecting electromagnetic radiation comprises: a housing defining a chamber placed under a vacuum or underpressure, one of the faces of the housing including a window which is transparent to the radiation to be detected and the chamber including at least one detector which is used to detect the radiation in question and is arranged inside said chamber essentially against the transparent window, a getter in order to maintain the vacuum or underpressure in the chamber at an acceptable level, and a thermal stabilization device for ensuring regulation of temperature of the detector(s). The thermal stabilization device consists of a heating resistive element which is integrated into the mass of one of the walls defining the housing.
US07642509B2
Proteins with a molecular mass in the range from approximately 5 to 100 kilodaltons are structurally analyzed without prior enzymatic digestion to small peptides in a mass spectrometer that operates with an ion trap. The proteins are ionized by electrospraying or similar processes to create highly charged analyte ions, which are then introduced into the ion trap and subjected to fragmentation and partial deprotonation in either order. The fragmentation may be ergodic or electron-induced. The result remaining in the ion trap is an evenly distributed mixture of fragment ions having between one and n charges, where n is a number between three and about eight. A mass spectrum is recorded from this mixture of fragment ions, which spectrum demonstrates a sequence coverage that far exceeds the mass range of the mass analyzer for singly charged ions.
US07642508B2
In accordance with the invention, auxiliary structures are used in conjunction with a microfluidic chip to form a microfluidic electrospray structure that allows gas assisted nebulization for use in a mass spectrometry system.
US07642507B2
A tool for formation logging includes a support configured for movement in a borehole; a source mounted on the support, the source configured to emit neutrons and gamma rays; and at least one sensor mounted on the support and spaced apart from the source, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one selected from the group consisting of gamma rays and neutrons. A method for formation logging in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes emitting neutrons and gamma rays into a formation, using a source on a logging tool disposed in a borehole penetrating the formation; and detecting gamma-ray signals and neutron signals scattered by the formation, using at least one detector on the logging tool.
US07642504B2
Optical transducers are provided for detecting forces such as, rotation and transversal forces acting on them, wherein, for the purpose of detecting the forces, optical signals are transmitted through an optical path, for instance defined by an optical fiber. Moreover, polarization scrambling means are provided together with polarizing means, with the polarization scrambling means being adapted to render the polarization of the optical signals entering the optical path either parallel or perpendicular to the axis of polarization of the polarizing means. The polarization of optical signals transmitted through the transducer is further modified as a result of forces acting on the transducer so that the optical signals exiting the transducer can be used for the purpose of detecting the forces.
US07642498B2
The various embodiments disclose capacitor multiplier circuits that may be integrated into imaging devices, such as for semiconductor Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, to create an effective capacitance in response to a low frequency, such as row-wise temporal noise, that may be generated along a row of image sensor pixels. The created effective capacitance from any one of the capacitor multiplier circuits along with a small signal resistance created by a trans-conductance of a current biasing transistor form a low pass filter that will attenuate the low frequency noise.
US07642497B2
Embodiments of the invention provide pixel cells that allow both automatic light control and correlated double sampling operations. The pixel cell includes first and second photo-conversion devices that can be separately read out. For example, the second photo-conversion device can be the pixel cells' floating diffusion region, with an area and doping profile suitable for photo-conversion. An image sensor may include an array of pixel cells, some or all of which have two photo-conversion devices, and peripheral circuitry for reading out signals from the pixel cells. The image sensor's readout circuitry may monitor charge generated by the second photo-conversion devices to determine when to read out signals from the first photo-conversion devices.
US07642496B2
The present invention aims at providing a photodetector which can detect the incident light intensity with a high speed while having a wide dynamic range for incident light intensity detection. Each photodiode PDm,n generates electric charges Q by an amount corresponding to the intensity of light incident thereon. An electric charge amount level determining circuit 10m,n is provided so as to correspond to the photodiode PDm,n, determines the level of the amount of electric charges Q generated by the photodiode PDm,n, and outputs a level signal Level indicative of the result of level determination. The capacitance value of the integral capacitance part 21 in the integrating circuit 20m is set by the respective level signals Level sequentially fed from N electric charge amount level determining circuits 10m,1 to 10m,N. The integrating circuit 20m accumulates the electric charges Q fed to the input terminal sequentially from the N electric charge amount level determining circuits 10m,1 to 10m,N into the integral capacitance part 21, and outputs a voltage V20 corresponding to the amount of thus accumulated electric charges Q from the output terminal.
US07642494B2
A light emitting apparatus includes: a light emitting device with one terminal connected to a power supply terminal; a voltage detector connected between the power supply terminal and a ground terminal; a driver circuit unit connected between an input terminal receiving a signal as input and the ground terminal; a first switch connected between another terminal of the light emitting device and the driver circuit unit; a second switch connected between the input terminal and the other terminal of the light emitting device; and a switch controller. The switch controller is operable to perform an operation mode in which the first switch is connected and the second switch is disconnected in response to an output from the voltage detector having detected that a power supply voltage applied to the power supply terminal is within a range from a first voltage to a second voltage, and to perform an inspection mode in which the first switch is disconnected and the second switch is connected in response to an output from the voltage detector having detected that the power supply voltage is outside the range from the first voltage to the second voltage.
US07642488B2
An electric oven includes a cooking cavity surrounded by an inner case and being openable by a door; a first heater for heating the cooking cavity; at least one supplemental heater for heating the cooking cavity; and a controller operating the first heater to generate heat when starting cooking and selectively operating the at least one supplemental heater during cooking.
US07642486B2
A welding-type apparatus and method providing controlled termination of a welding-type process includes monitoring an arc parameter and setting a threshold based on the monitored arc parameter. When the arc parameter achieves the threshold, weld power is gradually reduced until arc termination. The system provides for a controlled arc termination process which is dynamically defined by the characteristics of each welding arc.
US07642472B2
A mounting base for switch packages having a mounting flange is provided. The base includes a body having a first receptacle and a second receptacle, and each of the first and second receptacle is configured to accept a mounting flange of the switch package with snap-fit engagement. The first and the second receptacles are inverted relative to one another and allow mounting of the switch package with a fewer number of fasteners.
US07642470B2
An electromagnetic interference shielded panel and method of manufacture. The panel includes one or more frame members having a rib adapted to provide sacrificial material when a first skin member is welded to the frame member. The first skin member is welded to the frame members of a frame assembly prior to bonding of a core member and a second skin member to the first skin member and frame assembly.
US07642469B2
An electromagnetic shielding sheet is capable of shielding electromagnetic radiation generated by a display, has a proper transparency and uniformly distributed meshes, prevents the occurrence of white and/or black spot defects and linear defects and glaring, and ensures the satisfactory visibility of images. The electromagnetic shielding sheet has a conductive structure (109) having lines (107) having straight parts of widths (W) in the range of C(1±30%), where C is a predetermined value. The radius (r) of curvature of a side surface (107S) extending between the upper side (107U) and the lower side (107B) of a bank in a section of the lines (107) in a plane perpendicular to the transparent sheet meet a condition expressed by: 1.5t≦r≦3.0t, where t is the thickness of the conductive structure (109).
US07642447B2
An electronic musical instrument comprising a CPU, a display device, operators, a data interface, and a storage device storing music tone data, all interconnected via a bus line, wherein upon an inquiry from a PC connected to the data interface for a device identity, the electronic music instrument transmits via the data interface the device identity of a removable media drive. In some embodiments, wherein upon commands sent from the PC, the electronic musical instrument transmits the stored music tone data in a format consistent with the removable media drive. An electronic music system comprising such an electronic musical instrument connected to a PC via a data interface. A method of data communication between an electronic music instrument and a PC.
US07642446B2
Channel voice messages representative of a piece of music are enciphered to pieces of enciphered music data, and the pieces of enciphered music data are stored in maker exclusive messages; the maker exclusive messages are loaded into packets, and are transmitted from a server to a client; when the packets arrive at the client, the pieces of enciphered music data are restored to the channel voice messages through a reverse process so that the piece of music is produced by means of electronic musical instruments where the data restoration program has been already loaded.
US07642445B2
A music sound generator imitates released key string vibration sounds (RKSV) and cabinet resonances of an acoustic piano. When a key is pressed, waveform is readout from a normal music sound waveform memory 15. The normal sound waveform is inputted into a filter 21, and inputted into a filter 22 through a band-pass filter 33. Output waveform of a cabinet resonance waveform memory 17 is inputted into a filter 23 when the key is pressed. Outputs of the filters are synthesized by an adder 27 through multipliers 24 through 26. When the key is pressed, a cut-off frequency of the filter 22 is sufficiently low and RKSV is not generated. If the damper is not on when key-releasing, the cut-off frequency is returned to normal and RKSV is generated. A level controller 32 attenuates the RKSV and the cabinet resonance for a longer time than the normal music sound.
US07642441B2
A percussion instrument and its method of construction. The percussion instrument has an annular body with an open top and an open bottom. The annular body has multiple sections that include a first section and an opposite second section. The first and second sections join together at bending regions that are located at opposite sides of the annular body. A striking membrane is stretched taut over the open top of the annular body. An adjustment mechanism is provided that is used to selectively bend the annular body within the bending regions. Depending upon what direction the annular body is bent, the tautness of the striking membrane is either increased or decreased. This selectively alters the tone of the sound produced by the drum.
US07642437B2
A musical instrument having a displacement member that is operable to vary sounds, thereby offering a wide variety of musical performances. A box-shaped sound generation unit accommodated in the inside of a musical instrument body generates a sound in response to any one of performance operators being operated. At least part of a displacement member provided for displacement relative to the musical instrument body is always disposed within the inside of the musical instrument body. When an operating section is operated to cause the displacement member to be displaced as a sound is generated from the sound generation unit, the sound varies according to the displacement of the displacement member.
US07642436B2
The present invention relates to a petunia plant, seed, variety and hybrid. More specifically, the invention relates to a petunia plant having an allele which results in a petunia plant with altered flower color and/or altered flower color pattern. The invention also relates to crossing petunia plants containing the allele with petunia or Calibrachoa plants lacking the allele to produce novel types of petunia and Calibrachoa-petunia inter-generic hybrid plants.
US07642428B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated LH327. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety LH327, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety LH327 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety LH327 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety LH327.
US07642426B1
Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated G07-NPXA5489, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line G07-NPXA5489 with plants of another corn plants. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line G07-NPXA5489 and plants produced by said methods.
US07642424B2
A tall fescue variety known as BE9301A which is inoculated with endophyte E34 is provided. Also provided is the endophyte E34. Methods of using the grass plant, seed, and endophyte are also provided. In particular examples, BE9301A is suitable for use in forage pastures due to the low amounts of alkaloids present.
US07642411B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D4925614. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D4925614. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D4925614 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D4925614 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07642409B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D4120384. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D4120384. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D4120384 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D4120384 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07642406B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the pea line designated 08530757. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pea line 08530757, and to methods for producing a pea plant produced by crossing a plant of pea line 08530757 with itself or with another pea plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of pea line 08530757, including the seed, pod, and gametes of such plants.
US07642399B2
The present invention provides a GLAST knockout mouse lacking the function of an endogenous glutamate transporter GLAST gene, which shows: 1) an intraocular pressure within the normal range; and 2) a reduction in the number of cells in the retinal ganglions when compared with a wild-type normal mouse. Owing to the ocular properties, this knockout mouse is useful as a model for normal tension glaucoma. By using this knockout mouse, a compound useful for the treatment of normal tension glaucoma can be screened.
US07642392B2
The present invention relates to a process for the production of branched chain hydrocarbons from methanol and/or dimethyl ether, which process comprises contacting, in a reactor, methanol and/or dimethyl ether with a catalyst comprising indium halide.
US07642380B2
The present invention relates to aromatic amine derivatives having a specific structure; and organic electroluminescent devices comprising a cathode, an anode and one or plural organic thin film layers including at least a light emitting layer which are sandwiched between the cathode and the anode wherein at least one of the organic thin film layers contains the above aromatic amine derivatives in the form of a single substance or a component of a mixture. There are provided the organic electroluminescent devices exhibiting a long life and a high efficiency of light emission which are capable of emitting a blue light having a high color purity, as well as the aromatic amine derivatives capable of realizing such organic electroluminescent devices.
US07642378B2
Biphenylcarboxamide compounds of formula (I) methods for preparing compounds of formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of formula (I) as well as the use of compounds of formula (I) as a medicine for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, obesity and type II diabetes.
US07642366B2
The invention is concerned with new phosphine ligands of the formula I wherein R1 and R2 are independently of each other alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl or heteroaryl, said alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl or heteroaryl may be substituted by alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, mono- or dialkylamino, aryl, —SO2—R7, —SO3−, —CO—NR8R8′, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, trialkylsilyl, diarylalkylsilyl, dialkylarylsilyl or triarylsilyl; R3 is alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; R4′ and R4 signify independently of each other hydrogen, alkyl or optionally substituted aryl; or R4′ and R4 together with the C-atom they are attached to form a 3-8-membered carbocyclic ring; dotted line is absent or is present and forms a double bond; R5 and R6 are independently of each other hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; or linked together to form a 3-8-membered carbocyclic ring or an aromatic ring; R7 is alkyl, aryl or NR8R8′; and R8 and R8′ are independently of each other hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; metal complexes with such ligands as well as the use of such metal complexes as catalysts in asymmetric reactions.
US07642354B2
The present invention provides a genus of polycyclic pyrazines of formula (I): wherein A and B are independently substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6- membered heterocycloalkyl, or substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6- membered heteroaryl, W1 is W2is —CH═, —NH—, —N═, —S—, or —O—; Z1 is Z2 is —CH═, —NH—, —N═, —S—, or —O—; Y is a bond, —CH═N—NH—, —NH—CH2, or —NR5—; s and t are independently integers from 1 to 4; and the substituents R1, R2A, R2B and R3 are as defined in the specification for compounds of formula (I). The polycyclic pyrazine compounds are useful as modulators of potassium ion channels in both therapeutic and diagnostic methods.
US07642348B2
Described herein are novel polynucleotides associated with prostate cancer. The polynucleotides are miRNAs, miRNA precursors, and associated nucleic acids. Methods and compositions are described that can be used for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of prostate cancer. Also described herein are methods that can be used to identify modulators of the disease-associated polynucleotides. Also described herein are methods and compositions for linear amplification and labeling of a targeted nucleic acid. The amplified targeted molecules may be used in hybridization techniques like Luminex and Microarray analysis.
US07642345B2
Cytokines and their receptors have proven usefulness in both basic research and as therapeutics. The present invention provides a new human cytokine receptor designated as “Zcytor16.”
US07642338B2
A composition and kit useful as a tacrolimus standard solution for immunoassays, and methods for making and using same. The composition and kits include a known amount of tacrolimus or a derivative thereof, and a non-specific protein capable of forming a complex with the tacrolimus or derivative thereof. The standard solution may be used to generate calibration curves for an immunoassay or to check the precision of an analytical instrument.
US07642337B2
In a method for crystallising plastic granules with a tendency to conglutinate, in particular PET and PU granules, the granules are subjected to vibratory excitation in a vibrating trough (1) transversely to the direction of longitudinal extension of the vibrating trough (1), at around their reaction temperature. The flow of granules follows a spiral path through the trough, achieving a narrow dwell time spectrum and a homogenous temperature gradient for the granules. Conglutination is also reliably prevented.
US07642325B2
A non-sticky water-based coating material in the form of a film applied to the face of a circuit board that is loaded with electronic parts; which comes into contact with the outside environment. The coating material can be formed into the film at room temperature without using a coalescence, does not contain a solvent and forms a membrane having flexibility, low Young's modulus, favorable adhesive properties, moisture resistance and insulating properties. Specifically, the non-sticky water-based conformal coating material includes a resin wherein a flexible acrylic resin having glass transition temperature of at most 0° C. is the main chain and a vinyl polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 20° C. is grafted to the flexible acrylic resin; the content of the vinyl polymer being 10 to 70% by weight based on the flexible acrylic resin.
US07642322B2
A functionalized polymer prepared by a process comprising the steps of preparing a pseudo-living polymer by polymerizing conjugated monomer with a lanthanide-based catalyst, and reacting the pseudo-living polymer with a functionalizing agent defined by the formula (I) A-R1-Z (I) where R1 is a divalent bond or divalent organic group comprising from 0 to about 20 carbon atoms, A is a substituent that will undergo an addition reaction with a pseudo-living polymer, and Z is a substituent that will react or interact with silica or carbon black reinforcing fillers, with the proviso that A, R1, and Z are substituents that will not protonate a pseudo-living polymer.
US07642318B2
A second-order modified block copolymer which can be obtained by reacting a first-order modified block copolymer with a second-order modifier, wherein the first-order modified block copolymer comprises a base block copolymer and a functional group-containing first-order modifier group bonded to the base block copolymer, wherein the base block copolymer comprises at least one polymer block comprised mainly of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer units and at least one polymer block comprised mainly of conjugated diene monomer units, and wherein the second-order modifier has a specific functional group which is reactive to the functional group of the first-order modifier group of the first-order modified block copolymer. A second-order modified block copolymer-containing polymer composition comprising the second-order modified block copolymer as well as a thermoplastic resin and/or a rubbery polymer.
US07642312B2
A composition of matter and a solvent system for use in providing a water resistant coating to a surface of a roof is disclosed. The solvent system comprises a chlorinated solvent blend which includes a vegetable oil. The solvent system and coating composition are non-flammable, environmentally friendly and provide an improved, consistent coating when applied to the surface of a roof.
US07642310B2
By molding a biodegradable plastic material which is treated with a compound reactive to the active hydrogen in the biodegradable plastic material, a biodegradable plastic material and molding having long-term reliability are obtained.
US07642307B2
The present invention describes laminate articles comprising a stiff, low-color PVB sheet having a YID of less than 12 and having a low concentration of plasticizer in the PVB composition, wherein the sheet is prepared from a composition that includes a PVB bleaching compound. A sheet of the present invention is useful for making glass laminates useful for parts in making cars, boats, trains, buildings, display cases, and other articles that utilize transparent glass laminates.
US07642306B2
A system for controlling the pH of a formaldehyde-free aqueous binder composition used in the manufacture of glass fiber products. Following the formation of an aqueous binder composition, acid is added to the composition to reduce the pH to less than about 3.4. After the acid is combined with the aqueous binder composition, the pH of the composition is measured and then compared within a pre-set set point. The rate of acid addition is then adjusted thereby adjusting the pH of the composition such that the measured pH equals the set point pH. The pH measurement is preferably done before the addition of other additives to avoid interference by those additives.
US07642303B2
Thermoplastic composition and articles containing UV absorbers that protect the articles contents from harmful UV radiation are disclosed as well as methods for making the thermoplastic articles and methods for using the articles to contain and protect materials sensitive to UV radiation. The UV absorbers contain oxazolone and/or azine functional groups that absorb UV radiation and prevent its transmission into the article. Many of the compounds are novel compositions of matter. The generally clear thermoplastic articles of this disclosure are particularly useful for containing a variety of UV sensitive consumer products that would otherwise have to be packaged in opaque containers.
US07642300B2
A composition is disclosed which comprises (i) a macromer prepared by reacting an unsaturated diacid having a carbon-carbon double bond and a saturated diacid, and (ii) a bioactive ceramic grafted to the macromer. In one embodiment, the unsaturated diacid having a carbon-carbon double bond is fumaric acid, the saturated diacid is compatible with fumaric acid and poly(propylene fumarate) such as succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid and mixtures thereof, and the bioactive ceramic is hydroxyapatite. In another embodiment, hydroxyapatite is grafted with a biodegradable and crosslinkable macromer comprising silane units alternating with furnarate and adipate units.
US07642296B2
The invention relates to novel photoinitators of formulae (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V) and (VI) wherein R1 and R2 are each independently of the other C1-C8alkyl; C1-C4alkyl substituted by OH, C1-C4alkoxy, —COO(C1-C8alkyl), (C1-C4alkyl)-COO—, —CN, benzyl, phenyl or by —N(R15)(R16); C3-C6alkerlyl, benzyl, —CH2—C6H4—(C1-C4alkyl) or phenyl; or R1 and R2 together are unbranched or branched C2-C9alkylene or C3-C6-oxa- or -azaalkylene; R3, R4, R5 and R6 are each independently of the others hydrogen, C1-C8alkyl, C3-C6alkenyl, benzyl, —CH2—C6H4—(C1-C4alkyl) or phenyl; R3 and R4 together and/or R5 and R6 together are unbranched or branched C2-C9alkylene; A is CI, Br, —O—R9, —N(R11)(R12) or —S—R18, A′ is —O—, —NH— or —NR11—; A″ is CI, Br, —O—R9, —N(R11)(R12) or —S—R18 or hydrogen, X is —O—R10 or —N(R13)(R14), n is an integer from 1 to 10, preferably an integer from 1 to 4, especially 1, 2 or 3; R7 is a linker; R8 is a bivalent C2-C3alkylele radical.
US07642292B2
A process and system for producing hydrocarbon compounds or fuels that recycle products of hydrocarbon compound combustion—carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, or both, and water. The energy for recycling is electricity derived from preferably not fossil based fuels, like from nuclear fuels or from renewable energy. The process comprises electrolyzing water, and then using hydrogen to reduce externally supplied carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, then using so produced carbon monoxide together with any externally supplied carbon monoxide and hydrogen in Fischer-Tropsch reactors, with upstream upgrading to desired specification fuels—for example, gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel fuel, and others. Energy released in some of these processes is used by other processes. Using adiabatic temperature changes and isothermal pressure changes for gas processing and separation, large amounts of required energy are internally recycled using electric and heat distribution lines. Phase conversion of working fluid is used in heat distribution lines for increased energy efficiency. The resulting use of electric energy is less than 1.4 times the amount of the high heating value of combustion of so produced hydrocarbon compounds when carbon dioxide is converted to carbon monoxide in the invention, and less than 0.84 when carbon monoxide is the source.
US07642291B2
The present invention relates to novel O-acyloxime derivatives, a preparation method thereof and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The O-acyloxime derivatives according to the present invention may valuably be used for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as hyperlipidemia, coronary arterial heart disease, atherosclerosis, and myocardial infarction caused by Lp-PLA2, because they have excellent inhibitory effect of Lp-PLA2.
US07642289B2
The present invention relates to nitrooxyderivatives or salts thereof having the following general formula (I): R—NR1c—(K)k0—(B)b0—(C)c0—NO2 (I) wherein c0, b0 and k0 are 0 or 1; R is the radical of an analgesic drug for chronic pain, for instance neurophatic pain; R1c is H or alkyl with from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; B is such that its precursor is selected from amino acids, hydroxy acids, polyalcohol, compounds; C is a bivalent radical containing an aliphatic, heterocyclic or aromatic radical.
US07642288B2
Administration of adapalene in a topical medicament to a patient so as to sustain its biological response in the treatment of acne vulgaris, wherein the administration pattern of the topical medicament comprises topically applying onto the afflicted skin area a therapeutically effective amount of adapalene at least once every two days for at least 6 months.
US07642283B2
Methods of utilizing compounds of general formulas I and II as modulators and affinity labels of the MPTP complex are elucidated. Furthermore, methods for modulating the activity of the MPTP complex, methods for determining the presence of a component of the MPTP complex, and methods for identifying an active agent that modulates the activity of the MPTP complex, specifically methods for identifying an active agent that modulates the activity of the MPTP complex by interacting with the VDAC1 component are identified. Moreover, novel compounds of general formulas I and II are disclosed.
US07642282B2
This invention relates to novel whitening agents for cellulosic substrates. The whitening agents are comprised of at least two components: at least one chromophore component and at least one polymeric component. Suitable chromophore components generally fluoresce blue, red, violet, or purple color when exposed to ultraviolet light, or they may absorb light to reflect these same shades. The whitening agents are further characterized by having a dispersion component value of the Hansen Solubility Parameter of less than or equal to about 17 MPa0.5. This invention also relates to laundry care compositions including but not limited to liquid and/or powder laundry detergent formulations and rinse added fabric softening (RAFS) compositions that comprise such whitening agents.
US07642279B2
A method of isolating atipamezole hydrocloride as a crystalline salt is provided.
US07642270B2
The invention addresses the current need for selective and potent protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors by providing potent inhibitors of c-fms kinase. The invention is directed to the novel compounds of Formula I: or a solvate, hydrate, tautomer or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: W, A, Y, Z, R101 and R200 are described in the specification.
US07642267B2
This invention relates to benzimidazoles, pyridylimidazoles and related bicyclic heteroaryl compounds, all of which may be described by of Formula I. The invention is particularly related to such compounds that bind with high selectivity and high affinity to the benzodiazepine site of GABAA receptors. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and to the use of such compounds in treatment of certain central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Novel processes for preparing compounds of Formula I are disclosed. This invention also relates to the use of benzimidazoles, pyridylimidazoles and related bicyclic heteroaryl compounds of Formula I in combination with one or more other CNS agents to potentiate the effects of the other CNS agents. Additionally this invention relates to the use such compounds as probes for the localization of GABAA receptors in tissue sections.
US07642263B2
Compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, HET-1 and HET-2 are as described in the specification, and their salts and prodrugs, are activators of glucokinase (GLK) and are thereby useful in the treatment of, for example, type 2 diabetes. Processes for preparing compounds of formula (I) are also described.
US07642246B2
Disclosed herein is rocuronium bromide having a potentiometrical assay of from 99% to 101% in acetic acid and perchloric acid, having less than about 0.2% area by HPLC of 2β-(4-morpholinyl)-16β-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-5α-androstan-3α-ol-17β-acetate, and having at least one of the solvents ethyl ether and dichioromethane in an amount equal to or less than about 850 ppm, and 600 ppm, respectively.
US07642245B2
Compounds of the formula (I) where Ar and R are as defined herein, possess antibacterial properties.
US07642244B2
Provided herein are neuropeptide-2 receptor agonists of the formula (I): as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts, derivatives and fragments thereof, wherein the substituents are as those disclosed in the specification. X is 4-oxo-6-(1-piperazinyl)-3(4H)-quinazoline-acetic acid (Pqa). These compounds, and the pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are useful for the treatment of diseases such as, for example, obesity and diabetes.
US07642239B2
The present invention concerns methods and compositions for inhibiting angiogenesis and/or tumor growth, survival and/or metastasis. In particular embodiments, the methods and compositions may concern ligands against placenta growth factor (PlGF), such as BP-1, BP-2, BP-3 or BP-4. Some methods may comprise administering one or more PlGF ligands, alone or in combination with one or more other agents, such as chemotherapeutic agents, other anti-angiogenic agents, immunotherapeutic agents or radioimmunotherapeutic agents to a subject. The PlGF ligands are effective to inhibit angiogenesis, tumor cell motility, tumor metastasis, tumor growth and/or tumor survival. In certain embodiments, PlGF ligands may be administered to subjects to ameliorate other angiogenesis related conditions, such as macular degeneration. In some embodiments, PlGF expression levels may be determined by any known method to select those patients most likely to respond to PlGF targeted therapies.
US07642238B2
To identify molecular determinants of lytic bone disease in multiple myeloma, the expression profiles of ˜12,000 genes in CD138-enriched plasma cells from newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients exhibiting no radiological evidence of lytic lesions (n=28) were compared to those with ≧3 lytic lesions (n=47). Two secreted WNT signaling antagonists, soluble frizzled related protein 3 (SFRP-3/FRZB) and the human homologue of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), were expressed in 40 of 47 with lytic bone lesions, but only 16 of 28 lacking bone lesions (P<0.05). DKK1 and FRZB were not expressed in plasma cells from 45 normal bone marrow donors or 10 Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, a related plasma cells malignancy that lacks bone disease. These data indicate that these factors are important mediators of multiple myeloma bone disease, and inhibitors of these proteins may be used to block bone disease.
US07642237B2
The invention concerns a protein of the TGF-β family, the DNA coding therefor and a pharmaceutical composition containing the protein.
US07642232B2
Pharmaceutical composition comprising both insulin and glucagon can be administered to control and treat diabetes while reducing or eliminating the risk of insulin-induced hypoglycemia.
US07642228B2
The invention relates to a method of preparing heteromultimeric polypeptides such as bispecific antibodies, bispecific immunoadhesins and antibody-immunoadhesin chimeras. The invention also relates to the heteromultimers prepared using the method. Generally, the method involves introducing a protuberance at the interface of a first polypeptide and a corresponding cavity in the interface of a second polypeptide, such that the protuberance can be positioned in the cavity so as to promote heteromultimer formation and hinder homomultimer formation. “Protuberances” are constructed by replacing small amino acid side chains from the interface of the first polypeptide with larger side chains (e.g. tyrosine or tryptophan). Compensatory “cavities” of identical or similar size to the protuberances are created in the interface of the second polypeptide by replacing large amino acid side chains with smaller ones (e.g. alanine or threonine). The protuberance and cavity can be made by synthetic means such as altering the nucleic acid encoding the polypeptides or by peptide synthesis.
US07642223B2
Methods of servicing a wellbore include generating gas in a plugging composition in situ within a permeable zone in the wellbore, thereby improving the ability of the plugging composition to seal the permeable zone. The gas may be generated via a chemical reaction by, for example, introducing first and second reactants to the plugging composition that can react at ambient temperatures in the wellbore. In an embodiment, the first and second reactants are concurrently pumped into the wellbore via separate flow paths within two concentric conduits to the permeable zone where they are allowed to contact each other in the presence of the plugging composition. In another embodiment, the first reactant, the second reactant, and a retarder for slowing the reaction between the two reactants are concurrently pumped to the permeable zone. In yet another embodiment, one of the reactants is encapsulated to delay a reaction between the two reactants.
US07642217B2
A platinum (Pt)/ruthenium (Ru) alloy catalyst, highly resistant to CO poisoning, having a lattice constant of 3.856-3.885 Å and a particle size of 2-5 nm, and supported on a carrier. The Pt/Ru alloy catalyst is highly resistant to CO poisoning, thereby allowing for higher catalytic activity when used. That is, an electrode and a fuel cell having a longer lifetime can be prepared using a smaller amount of the Pt/Ru alloy catalyst.
US07642209B2
A silicon nitride sintered material includes a silicon nitride crystal and a grain boundary layer that contains at least two of a first metal silicide (a metal silicide having, as a first metal element, at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, Mn and Cu), a second metal silicide (a metal silicide having, as a second metal element, at least one of W or Mo) and a third metal silicide (a metal silicide having a plurality of metal elements including the first metal element and the second metal element), wherein the grain boundary layer has neighboring phase where at least two of the first through third metal silicides exist in contact with each other.
US07642206B1
A ballistic resistant panel which is formed from a ceramic layer and a plurality of fibrous backing layers. A first fibrous backing layer is adjacent to the ceramic layer, and a second fibrous backing layer is adjacent to the first fibrous backing layer. Each of the fibrous backing layers are formed from a network of high tenacity fibers, but the fibers of each of the backing layers have a different composition. Preferably, the first fibrous layer is stiffer than the second fibrous layer. The panel has a ballistic resistance which is substantially equivalent to or higher than the ballistic resistance of a comparable ceramic panel construction that has only a single fibrous layer of the same type of high tenacity fibers as are in the first and second fibrous backing layers, for substantially the same areal density.
US07642204B2
In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming an insulating material comprising: a) providing a substrate within a reaction chamber; b) providing reactants comprising a Si, F and ozone within the reaction chamber; and c) depositing an insulating material comprising fluorine, silicon and oxygen onto the substrate from the reactants. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a boron-doped silicon oxide having Si—F bonds, comprising: a) providing a substrate within a reaction chamber; b) providing reactants comprising Triethoxy fluorosilane, a boron-containing precursor, and ozone within the reaction chamber; and c) depositing a boron-doped silicon oxide having Si—F bonds onto the substrate from the reactants. In yet another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a phosphorus-doped silicon oxide having Si—F bonds, comprising: a) providing a substrate within a reaction chamber; b) providing reactants comprising triethoxy fluorosilane, a phosphorus-containing precursor, and ozone within the reaction chamber; and c) depositing a phosphorus-doped silicon oxide having Si—F bonds onto the substrate from the reactants.
US07642200B2
A method of forming a thin film is provided. The method includes introducing an organometallic compound represented by the following formula onto a substrate; wherein M represents a metal in listed in Group 4A of the periodic table of elements, R1, R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having a carbon number from 1 to 5, and X represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having a carbon number from 1 to 5 and then chemisorbing a portion of the organometallic compound on the substrate. The method further includes removing a non-chemisorbed portion of the organometallic compound from the substrate, providing an oxidizing agent onto the substrate and forming a thin film including a metal oxide on the substrate by chemically reacting the oxidizing agent with a metal in the organometallic compound and by separating ligands of the organometallic compound.
US07642189B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric layer; forming a seed layer in the opening; forming a copper line on the seed layer, wherein at least one of the seed layer and the copper line includes an alloying material; and forming an etch stop layer on the copper line.
US07642188B2
A method for reducing an effective lateral resistance of a buried layer in an IC includes forming first and second circuit sections in a common substrate, the second circuit section being spaced laterally from the first circuit section. The method further includes forming an isolation buried layer in the substrate under at least a portion of the first circuit section and forming a conductive layer on a surface of the substrate, the conductive layer overlaying at least a portion of the first circuit section. A plurality of conductive plugs are formed in the substrate for operatively connecting the isolation buried layer to the conductive layer, whereby an effective lateral resistance of the isolation buried layer is reduced.
US07642184B2
The present disclosure provides a method of dual damascene processing. The method includes providing a substrate having vias formed therein; forming an under-layer in the vias and on the substrate; applying a solvent washing process to the under-layer; forming a silicon contained layer on the under-layer; patterning the silicon contained layer (SCL) to form SCL openings exposing the under-layer within the SCL openings; and etching the substrate and the under-layer within the SCL openings to form trenches.
US07642182B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for ESD protection of integrated passive devices (IPDs). The apparatus comprises one or more IPDs having terminals or other elements potentially exposed to ESD transients coupled by charge leakage resistances having resistance values much larger than the ordinary impedance of the IPDs at the operating frequency of interest. When the IPD is built on a semi-insulating substrate, various elements of the IPD are coupled to the substrate by spaced-apart connections so that the substrate itself provides the high value resistances coupling the elements, but this is not essential. When applied to an IPD RF coupler, the ESD tolerance increased by over 70%. The invented arrangement can also be applied to active devices and integrated circuits and to IPDs with conductive or insulating substrates.
US07642177B2
A method of manufacturing a nanowire, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus including a nanowire and a semiconductor apparatus formed from the same are provided. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus may include forming a material layer pattern on a substrate, forming a first insulating layer on the material layer pattern, a first nanowire forming layer and a top insulating layer on the substrate, wherein a total depth of the first insulating layer and the first nanowire forming layer may be formed to be smaller than a depth of the material layer pattern, sequentially polishing the top insulating layer, the first nanowire forming layer and the first insulating layer so that the material layer pattern is exposed, exposing part of the first nanowire forming layer to form an exposed region and forming a single crystalline nanowire on an exposed region of the first nanowire forming layer.
US07642176B2
An electrical fuse and a process of programming the same are presented. An electrical fuse comprises a lower level silicide layer on a non-doped or lightly-doped polysilicon layer, an upper level conductive layer, and a tungsten contact coupled between the lower level silicide layer and the upper level conductive layer. The tungsten contact and a neck portion of the silicide layer are the programmable portion of the electrical fuse. High post-programming resistance is achieved by a first programming phase that depletes silicide in the silicide layer, followed by a second programming phase that depletes tungsten in the tungsten contact.
US07642167B2
The present invention relates to a SON (Silicon-On-Nothing) MOSFET having a beam structure and an inverter using thereof and the method for fabricating thereof to increase the efficiency and performance of a MOSFET. A method for fabricating the SON MOSFET according to the present invention comprises the steps of (a) patterning a passivation layer on a substrate, (b) doping boron on the substrate, (c) removing the patterned passivation layer, (d) forming the beam structure on the substrate by anisotropical etching on the region not doped with boron of the substrate, (e) depositing an insulating material on the substrate having the beam structure, and (f) deposing an electrode material on the disposed insulating material.
US07642166B2
A method of manufacturing a MOS transistor device is provided. First, a semiconductor substrate having a gate structure is prepared. The gate structure has two sidewalls and a liner on the sidewalls. Subsequently, a stressed cap layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and covers the gate structure and the liner. Next, an activating process is performed. Furthermore, the stressed cap layer is etched to be a salicide block. Afterward, a salicide process is performed to form a silicide layer on the regions that are not covered by the stressed cap layer.
US07642161B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an isolation structure in a substrate to define an active region, forming a recess mask pattern over the isolation structure and the active region, etching the isolation structure exposed by the recess mask pattern to a certain depth, etching the substrate to form a recess pattern, and forming a gate electrode over the recess pattern.
US07642152B2
A method of fabricating spacers is provided. The method includes providing a substrate with a device structure formed thereon. The device structure comprises a gate structure and a pair of source/drain regions. Then, a spacer material layer is formed over the substrate to cover the substrate and the device structure. Thereafter, an etching process is performed to remove a portion of the spacer material layer so that spacers are formed on the respective sidewalls of the gate structure. After that, a plasma treatment step is performed to form a spacer protection layer on the surface of the substrate, the spacers and the gate structure.
US07642151B2
A semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate, a strain-inducing layer, a silicon layer, a FET, and an isolation region. On the silicon substrate, the strain-inducing layer is provided. On the strain-inducing layer, the silicon layer is provided. The strain-inducing layer induces lattice strain in a channel region of the FET in the silicon layer. The silicon layer includes the FET. The FET includes a source/drain region, an SD extension region, a gate electrode and a sidewall. The source/drain region and the strain-inducing layer are spaced from each other. Around the FET, the isolation region is provided. The isolation region penetrates the silicon layer so as to reach the strain-inducing layer.
US07642142B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate and forming conductor patterns and openings on the substrate. Next the openings are filled with a mask layer and upper portions of the conductor patterns are etched to form cavities. Following, a portion of the mask layer is removed to form a trench between two neighboring conductor patterns, wherein the trench exposes the substrate and the sidewalls of the two neighboring conductor patterns. Next, an insulating layer on the cavities and the trench is conformably formed, a second conductive layer is formed on the insulating layer and the trench is filled with the second conductive layer.
US07642141B2
A manufacturing method for a display device having a first conductive type thin film transistor and a second conductive type thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: in formation regions for a first conductive type thin film transistor and a second conductive type thin film transistor forming a semiconductor layer, a first insulating film covering the semiconductor layer and a gate electrode disposed on the first insulating film so as to intersect the semiconductor layer, on substrate having first conductive type impurity regions on both outer sides of a channel region of the semiconductor layer below the gate electrode forming a second insulating film, in the second insulating film and the first insulating film forming a contact hole for a drain electrode and a source electrode, in the formation region for the second conductive type thin film transistor forming electrodes and a second conductive type impurity region.
US07642136B2
A method (200) is provided for reducing stresses applied to one or more bonded interconnects (106) of a substrate (103) and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) (104). The method comprises the steps of coupling (204) a compound (108) on a top surface of the substrate, wherein the compound has the property of expanding when a heat profile is applied thereto, coupling (206) a cover (102) to the PCB that overhangs at least a portion of the compound, and applying (208) the heat profile to the compound and optionally the cover and/or PCB. More than one apparatus implementing the method is also included.
US07642130B2
A bonding pad and flip chip pads in which the surfaces are formed by different metals are juxtaposed on a substrate. The substrate is immersion-treated with a first adhesive treatment liquid which contains an adhesive giving compound for reacting with only a metal surface and giving adhesion properties and is adjusted to a pH value for forming adhesive layers on both of the metal surfaces of the flip chip pads and the bonding pad. Solder powder is attached to the adhesive layers formed on each of the metal surfaces of the pads. Then, the substrate is again immersion-treated with a second adhesive treatment liquid which contains an adhesive giving compound for reacting with only a metal surface and giving adhesion properties and is adjusted to a pH value for forming the adhesive layers on the metal surfaces of the flip chip pads while peeling the adhesive layer of the metal surface of the bonding pad. Subsequently, the solder powder attached to only the flip chip pads is melted by performing reflow after the solder powder is attached to the adhesive layers formed on only the flip chip pads.
US07642129B2
A method of forming a packaging structure and the packages formed thereof are provided. The method includes providing a package having a top surface and placing solder balls on the top surface of the package. A coplanar surface is then placed against the solder balls, wherein the surface is non-adhesive. A reflow process is performed to the solder balls, so that top surfaces of the solder balls are substantially coplanar. The coplanar surface is then removed.
US07642127B2
A method of sealing a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device from ambient conditions is described, wherein the MEMS device is formed on a substrate and a substantially hermetic seal is formed as part of the MEMS device manufacturing process. The method comprises forming a metal seal on the substrate proximate a perimeter of the MEMS device using a method such as photolithography. The metal seal is formed on the substrate while the MEMS device retains a sacrificial layer between conductive members of MEMS elements, and the sacrificial layer is removed after formation of the seal and prior to attachment of a backplane.
US07642124B2
A low channel length organic field-effect transistor can be produced in high volume and at low cost. The transistor structure includes successively deposited patterned layers of a first conductor layer acting as a source terminal, a first dielectric layer, a second conductor layer acting as a drain terminal, a semiconductor layer, a second dielectric layer, and a third conductor layer acting as the gate terminal. In this structure, the transistor is formed on the edge of the first dielectric between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. The second conductor layer is deposited on the raised surfaces formed by the dielectric such that conductive ink does not flow into the trough between the dielectric raised surfaces. This is accomplished by coating a flat or rotary print plate with the conductive ink, and applying the appropriate pressure to deposit the materials only on the raised surfaces of the dielectric. The second metal is automatically aligned to the layer beneath it. Due to this self-alignment and the short channel formed by the thickness of the dielectric material, a high-performance FET is produced without the requirement of high-resolution lithography equipment.
US07642114B2
To manufacture a micro structure and an electric circuit included in a micro electro mechanical device over the same insulating surface in the same step. In the micro electro mechanical device, an electric circuit including a transistor and a micro structure are integrated over a substrate having an insulating surface. The micro structure includes a structural layer having the same stacked-layer structure as a layered product of a gate insulating layer of the transistor and a semiconductor layer provided over the gate insulating layer. That is, the structural layer includes a layer formed of the same insulating film as the gate insulating layer and a layer formed of the same semiconductor film as the semiconductor layer of the transistor. Further, the micro structure is manufactured by using each of conductive layers used for a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode of the transistor as a sacrificial layer.
US07642113B2
An element is formed on the major surface of a semiconductor wafer, and a groove is formed in the back surface of the semiconductor wafer along a dicing line or chip dividing line by a mechanical or chemical method. A modified layer is formed by irradiating the groove with a laser, and the semiconductor wafer is divided by using the modified layer as a starting point. The back surface of the semiconductor wafer is removed to at least the depth of the groove.
US07642105B2
A manufacturing method makes memory modules from partially-good DRAM chips soldered to its substrate. The partially-good DRAM chips have a number of defective memory cells that is below a test threshold, such as 10%. Packaged DRAM chips are optionally pre-screened and considered to pass when the number of defects found is less than the test threshold. A defect table is created during testing and written to a serial-presence-detect electrically-erasable read-only memory (SPD-EEPROM) on the memory module. The memory module is finally tested on a target-system tester that reads the defect table during booting, and redirects memory access to defective memory locations identified by the defect table. The memory modules may be burned in or tested at various temperatures and voltages to increase reliability.
US07642103B2
Dicing lines extending longitudinally and transversely, and chip areas surrounded by the dicing lines are formed in a resist mask. Critical-dimension patterns are formed in the dicing lines so as to be paired while placing the center line thereof in between. The dimensional measurement of the resist film having these patterns formed therein is made under a CD-SEM, by specifying a measurement-target chip area out of a plurality of chip areas, and by specifying a position of a critical-dimension pattern on the left thereof. Then, the distance of two linear portions configuring the critical-dimension pattern is measured, wherein a portion at a point of measurement on the measurement-target chip area side as viewed from the center line of the dicing line is measured.
US07642077B2
This invention relates to a method of immobilizing biocatalysts including protein and cells by co-precipitation with silicate or organosilicate matrices through the action of an organic template molecule. The organic template molecule is in general a polyamine such as polyethylenimine (PEI), or polypeptide compound bearing at least two or three basic residues selected from the group consisting of lysine, arginine, histidine, proline, hydroxyproline, N-methylhistidine, ornithine, taurine, δ-hydroxylysine, and δ-hydroxy-ω-N,N,N trimethyllysine. The invention is also directed to a silica biocomposite comprising co-precipitates of active biocatalysts, silica or organosilicates, and an N-containing organic template molecule. Such silica biocomposites are useful in biocatalysis, and other applications requiring an immobilized biocatalyst. Preferred biocatalysts for this invention are enzymes and whole cells.
US07642076B2
An immobilized protein catalyst is prepared by applying an adhesive to a polymeric support, applying a layer of a globular protein over the layer of adhesive, binding a crosslinking agent to the protein layer, and binding the protein catalyst by reaction with the crosslinking agent.
US07642071B2
The present invention relates to a Gram-negative glycosaminoglycan gene and methods of making and using same. The present invention relates to recombinant Gram-positive host cells containing a Gram-negative glycosaminoglycan synthase gene, and methods of producing glycosaminoglycans using such recombinant host cells.
US07642055B2
The present invention is directed to methods, reagents, kits, and compositions for detecting target polynucleotide sequences, especially small target polynucleotides such as miRNAs, between two samples. A pair of linker probes can be employed in two different reactions to query a particular species of target polynucleotide. A pair of detector probes, a single forward primer specific for the target polynucleotide, and a reverse primer can be employed in an amplification reaction to query the difference in expression level of the target polynucleotide between the two samples. In some embodiments a plurality of small miRNAs are queried with a plurality of linker probes. The plurality of queried miRNAs can then be decoded in a plurality of amplification reactions.
US07642044B2
The present invention relates to the design of trimeric polypeptides using polypeptide structural elements derived from the tetranectin protein family, and their use in rational de novo design and production of multi-functional molecules including the application of the multi-functional molecules in protein library technology, such as phage display technology, diagnostic and therapeutic systems, such as human gene therapy and imaging. The trimeric polypeptides being constructed as a monomer polypeptide construct comprising at least one tetranectin trimerising structural element (TTSE) which is covalently linked to at least one heterologous moiety, said TTSE being capable of forming a stable complex with two other TTSEs; or as an oligomer which is comprised of two monomer polypeptide constructs as mentioned above, and which comprises three TTSEs or a multiplum of three TTSEs, or which is comprised of three monomer polypeptide constructs.
US07642041B2
A rotary apertured interferometric lithography (RAIL) system that includes interferometric lithography tools, a mask with a slit preferably with an arc shape, and a rotating stage is disclosed. The RAIL system could create a servo pattern of a recording-head trajectory of a hard disk drive in a master for magnetic-contact printing. The master can could be used to form arrays of sub-micron sized magnetic elements on a magnetic disk media for high-density magnetic recording applications.
US07642035B2
The present invention relates to photo-tunable dopant compositions comprising a photo-reactive chiral compound capable of undergoing a photochemical reaction resulting in the loss of chirality, and a triplet sensitizer. The present invention also relates to a display comprising a substrate, a liquid crystalline layer thereon, wherein the liquid crystalline layer comprises a nematic host, at least one chiral dopant, a photo-reacted compound, and a triplet sensitizer, and at least one transparent conductive layer. The present invention also relates to a method of tuning a cholesteric liquid crystal material comprising providing at least one mesogenic compound, at least one triplet sensitizer, and at least one photo-reactive chiral compound; combining the at least one mesogenic compound, at least one triplet sensitizer, and at least one photo-reactive chiral compound to form a mixture; and irradiating the mixture for a period of time.
US07642033B2
In a toner production method, a volatile solvent gas is jetted into a dispersion of aggregated resin particles where at least resin particles dispersed in a continuous phase are aggregated. A form of the aggregated resin particles is controlled by jetting the volatile solvent gas into the dispersion of aggregated resin particles. The volatile solvent is removed from the form-controlled aggregated resin particles.
US07642030B2
A toner including toner particles each containing a resin and a colorant, wherein the toner particle has: a region A which contains the colorant and a region B through which more electrons can pass than the region A; and the region A is covered by the region B being within 1 μm deep from a circumference of the toner particle, when the toner particle is observed in a state of a microscopic segment having a thickness of 80 to 200 nm through a transmission electron microscope at an acceleration voltage of 80 kV.
US07642023B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a color image forming method capable of forming full color images desired for a precise reproduction to the color tone of high resolution and a halftone in high-end apparatuses. Disclosed is a color image forming method employing 6 kinds of chromatic color toners and a black toner, each toner containing particles having a median particle diameter (D50) of 3-7 μm in terms of volume, a decline starting temperature of a storage elastic modulus of 10-40° C., a temperature of 70-130° C. in the storage elastic modulus range of 103-104 Pa, and a primary diameter of 40-800 nm.
US07642020B2
A methodology to improve the through-process model calibration accuracy of a semiconductor manufacturing process using lithographic methods by setting the correct defocus and image plane position in a patterning process model build. Separations of the optical model and the photoresist model are employed by separating out the adverse effects of the exposure tool from the effects of the photoresist. The exposure tool is adjusted to compensate for the errors. The methodology includes a determination of where the simulator best focus location is in comparison to the empirically derived best focus location.
US07642017B2
The reflective photomask may include a substrate, a reflective layer formed on the substrate, an absorption pattern formed on the reflective layer and over a first portion of the substrate. A compensatory portion may be formed over at least a second portion of the substrate. The second portion is adjacent to the first portion, and the compensatory portion is thinner than the absorption pattern.
US07641999B2
A fuel cell stack includes side plates of a casing. Flanges are provided on the side plates on the short sides for coupling the side plates on the short sides to the other side plates on the long sides. In each of the side plates, the center O of the coupling pin is offset from the neutral surface NS of the side plate in a direction away from a stack body by the distance “h”.
US07641998B2
An electrically conductive separator element and assembly for a fuel cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate having a monoatomic layer coating overlying the substrate. The monatomic layer coating may comprise an electrically conductive material, for example, a noble metal, desirably Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Os and preferably Au. Methods of making such separator elements and assemblies are also provided.
US07641994B2
A fuel processing method for a solid oxide fuel cell stack comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a feed stream comprising methanol and/or dimethyl ether to a methanation reactor containing catalytic material for the methanation of methanol and/or dimethyl ether; (b) processing the feed stream in the methanation reactor under adiabatic conditions to produce an effluent fuel comprising methane; (c) transferring the effluent fuel comprising methane to the anode of a solid oxide fuel cell stack comprising at least one solid oxide fuel cell; (d) providing the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell stack with an oxygen-containing gas; and (e) converting the fuel comprising methane and the oxygen-containing gas into electricity in the solid oxide fuel cell stack.
US07641989B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a medium which provides high media S/N and good corrosion resistance. According to one embodiment, in a perpendicular magnetic recording medium at least comprising a soft-magnetic underlayer, a seed layer, an intermediate layer, a magnetic recording layer and an overcoat layer which are stacked over a substrate in order, the magnetic recording layer has a granular structure which consists of many columnar grains of CoCrPt alloy and a grain boundary layer containing an oxide, the seed layer is made of TaNi alloy or TaTi alloy and the intermediate layer is made of Ru or Ru alloy which contains about 80 at. % Ru or more.
US07641985B2
A boron-free and silicon-free bonding alloy (16) for joining with a superalloy base material (12, 14). The bonding alloy includes aluminum in a concentration that is higher than the concentration of aluminum in the base material in order to depress the melting temperature for the bonding alloy to facilitate liquid phase diffusion bonding without melting the base material. The concentration of aluminum in the bonding alloy may be at least twice that of the concentration of aluminum in the base material. For joining cobalt-based superalloy materials that do no contain aluminum, the concentration of aluminum in the bonding alloy may be at least 5 wt. %.
US07641982B2
A composition includes at least one radiation curable (alkyl)acrylate-polyester oligomer, at least one photoinitiator, and at least one surfactant, wherein the composition has a viscosity of from about 50 cP to about 3000 cP at about 25° C., and a surface tension of from about 15 to about 40 dynes/cm at about 25° C.
US07641980B2
A liquid silicone rubber coating composition comprising (A) an organopolysiloxane containing silicon-bonded alkenyl radicals, (B) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane containing SiH radicals, (C) an addition reaction catalyst, (D) finely divided silica, (E) an organosilicon compound containing epoxy and alkoxy radicals, (F) an organic titanium, zirconium or aluminum compound, and (G) a silanol-containing silane or siloxane compound is coated on a surface of an airbag base fabric and cured to form a rubber coating layer thereon. The composition is suited for curtain airbags.
US07641974B2
Use for the preparation of paints for substrata coatings of aqueous dispersions of VDF-based polymers having an average particle size between 0.260 and 0.3 micrometers comprising a bifunctional surfactant of formula: A-Rf-B (I) wherein A=—O—CFX—COOM; B=—CFX—COOM with X=F, CF3;M=NH4, alkaline metal, H;Rf is a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl chain, or a (per)fluoropolyether chain such that the number average molecular weight of (I) is in the range 600-800.
US07641971B2
The invention relates to metal-treated particles, methods for their preparation and methods for using metal-treated particles for, e.g., remediation of process waste-water, sewage, contaminated groundwater aquifers, and soil containing harmful contaminants. Another aspect of the invention relates to a metal-treated particle comprising a ferrosoferric oxide core and a metal supported on the core, where the average diameter or other largest transverse dimension of the core is from about 75 nm to about 990 nm and the amount of metal supported on the core is from about 8% to about 22% by weight, based on the weight of the metal-treated particle.
US07641969B2
An optical fiber preform is assembled by inserting core rod segments axially end to end inside of a first glass overclad tube having a first, relatively low concentration of a given impurity that contributes to signal attenuation in an optical fiber to be drawn from the preform. The first overclad tube with the contained core rod segments are inserted in a second glass tube having a second concentration of the given impurity which is higher than the first concentration. The wall thickness of the first overclad tube is preferably less than that of the second overclad tube, thus reducing the amount of high purity glass needed to form the first overclad tube and attendant manufacturing costs. The core rod segments may include salvageable remnants from a single long core rod produced, for example, by vapor axial deposition (VAD).
US07641964B2
A roofing material includes a first layer including a fluoropolymer, a second layer directly bonded to and directly contacting the first layer, and a third layer underlying the second layer. The second layer includes an unfunctionalized olefinic polymer. The third layer includes a polymeric material and a filler.
US07641954B2
The invention provides a translucent glazing panel comprising: (a) a thermoplastic panel comprising (i) an outer wall having an inner surface defining an internal channel, the internal channel having an internal volume, and (ii) at least one inner wall protruding from the inner surface into the internal channel, and (b) hydrophobic aerogel particles, the hydrophobic aerogel particles being disposed within the channel. The invention also provides an insulated glazing system comprising: (a) a first U-shaped element, (b) a second U-shaped element, the first and second elements being disposed to define a cavity therebetween, and (c) an insulating panel disposed within the cavity. The insulated glazing system can further comprise hydrophobic aerogel particles disposed within the internal channel of the insulating panel. The insulating panel of the glazing system also can be the same as the translucent glazing panel described herein.
US07641953B2
A component for an interior of a vehicle including a substrate, a skin cooperating with the substrate to define a cavity, and foam disposed within the cavity. The skin includes first and second skin components cooperating to define an outer show surface and a hidden support portion that extends away from the show portion. The skin components matingly engage each other along the length of the support portion to substantially prevent the foam from leaking therebetween. Additionally, the support portion includes an deformable portion to improve the soft-touch feel of the component.
US07641938B2
A method for manufacturing the carbon nanotube composite material includes the steps of: providing a substrate, the substrate having a surface; forming a catalyst film in a special predetermined pattern on the surface of the substrate; forming a carbon nanotube array on the catalyst film to obtain the carbon nanotube array having a special predetermined pattern; providing a pair of protective layers, the protective layers being attached on a corresponding portion of ends of CNT array; filling clearances existing among CNTs of the CNT array and between the two protective layers with a matrix material; and removing the protective layers from CNT array.
US07641926B2
The present invention provides a chewing or bubble gum composition which includes a liquid fill composition and a gum region which includes a gum base surrounding the liquid fill, wherein the gum region includes a polyol composition including at least one polyol and having a water solubility of less than 72% by weight at 25° C. The composition may also include a coating region which surrounds the gum region.
US07641919B2
The invention provides a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a pharmaceutical carrier and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of cobaltocene-octamethyl, stigmastan- 3,5 -diene, galoxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and α-pinene. Also provided is a method of preparing a composition having antimicrobial activity comprising extracting a plant material in an organic solvent, contacting the extracted material to a chromatographic column, and eluting from the chromatographic column with a mobile polar phase to obtain a composition. The plant material is from Mammea Americana, Marchantaceae polymorpha, or Callistemon citrinus. Also provided is a method of inhibiting the growth of a mycobacterium, comprising administering a composition comprising a carrier and at least one compound selected from among cobaltocene-octamethyl, stigmastan, 3,5 -diene, friedelin, galoxolide, benzyl salicylate, eucalyptol, and α-pinene.
US07641915B2
The present invention relates to novel cationic lipids, transfection agents, microparticles, nanoparticles, and short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. The invention also features compositions, and methods of use for the study, diagnosis, and treatment of traits, diseases and conditions that respond to the modulation of gene expression and/or activity in a subject or organism. Specifically, the invention relates to novel cationic lipids, microparticles, nanoparticles and transfection agents that effectively transfect or deliver biologically active molecules, such as antibodies (e.g., monoclonal, chimeric, humanized etc.), cholesterol, hormones, antivirals, peptides, proteins, chemotherapeutics, small molecules, vitamins, co-factors, nucleosides, nucleotides, oligonucleotides, enzymatic nucleic acids, antisense nucleic acids, triplex forming oligonucleotides, 2,5-A chimeras, dsRNA, allozymes, aptamers, decoys and analogs thereof, and small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules, to relevant cells and/or tissues, such as in a subject or organism. Such novel cationic lipids, microparticles, nanoparticles and transfection agents are useful, for example, in providing compositions to prevent, inhibit, or treat diseases, conditions, or traits in a cell, subject or organism. The compositions described herein are generally referred to as formulated molecular compositions (FMC) or lipid nanoparticles (LNP).
US07641912B1
Antimicrobial coatings to protect surfaces and a method of applying such a coating are disclosed. An antimicrobial coating may be applied to a surface, such as the interior surface of a building's exterior wall. The interior surface must be accessed, and then an antimicrobial coating is provided and applied. The antimicrobial coating includes an inorganic antimicrobial additive and a colloidal polymeric medium. The inorganic antimicrobial additive may be silver, platinum, gold, palladium, copper, zinc, boron, or a compound of any of those elements. By including an ultraviolet tracer or color dye additive in the coating, it is possible to detect the coating at any time, provided that the surface is accessed.
US07641903B2
Disclosed are CD70 binding agents, such as anti-CD70 antibodies and derivatives, that induce a cytotoxic, cytostatic or immunomodulatory without conjugation to a therapeutic agents as well as pharmaceutical compositions and kits comprising the antibody or derivative. Also disclosed are methods for the treatment and prevention of CD70-expressing cancers and immunological disorders comprising administering the CD70 binding agents to a subject.
US07641901B2
Antibodies that bind with a B-cell antigen provide an effective means to treat autoimmune disorders. Antibodies and fragments, which may be conjugated or naked, are used alone or in multimodal therapies. The antibodies may be bispecific antibodies which may be produced recombinantly as fusion proteins, or as hybrid, polyspecific antibodies.
US07641899B2
Cytokines and their receptors have proven usefulness in both basic research and as therapeutics. The present invention provides a new human cytokine receptor designated as “Zcytor16.”
US07641892B2
Stain-removing oral compositions, such as gum compositions are herein provided. The compositions include an orally acceptable carrier and a stain-removing anionic surfactant. The surfactant includes a fatty acid salt having at least one hydroxyl functionality. The fatty acid salt may be a salt of ricinoleic acid, and may be combined with a chelating agent and/or an abrasive. The chelating agent may be a polyphosphate and the abrasive may be a silica abrasive.
US07641891B2
The present invention provides humanized, chimeric and human anti-CSAp antibodies and anti-CSAp antibody fusion proteins that are useful for the treatment and diagnosis of various cancers, including colon cancer.
US07641889B1
An apparatus and method apply water to a hydrogen-containing composition, such as a hydride, in the presence of a catalyst that promotes hydrolysis to generate hydrogen in a controlled manner. The amount of catalyst used can be carefully tailored so that the reaction rate is limited by the amount of catalyst present (passive control) or it can be sufficiently large so that the reaction is controlled by the rate of water addition (active control).
US07641886B2
The present invention provides a process for obtaining fullerene-like metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, comprising feeding a metal precursor (INi) selected from metal halide, metal carbonyl, organo-metallic compound and metal oxyhalide vapor into a reaction chamber (12) towards a reaction zone to interact with a flow of at least one chalcogen material (IN2) in gas phase, the temperature conditions in said reaction zone being such to enable the formation of the fullerene-like metal chalcogenide nanoparticles product. The present invention further provides novel IF metal chalcogenides nanoparticles with spherical shape and optionally having a very small or no hollow core and also exhibiting excellent tribological behavior. The present invention further provides an apparatus for preparing various IF nanostructures.
US07641878B2
A system and method for beneficiation of fly ash particles which at least partially reduces sulfur emissions includes at least one mixing reactor with a chamber and at least one exhaust, at least one fly ash source connected to provide fly ash particles to the chamber, at least one sorbent source, and at least one fluid supply system. The sorbent source provides at least one type of sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles to reduce sulfur emissions. A mass of the fly ash particles in the chamber is greater than a mass of the sorbent particles in the chamber. The fluid supply system provides at least one fluid to the chamber during a beneficiation of at least a portion of the fly ash particles in the chamber.
US07641876B2
One aspect of the invention relates to a method for removing contaminants from a flue gas stream (22). The method includes: removing fly ash from a flue gas stream (22) utilizing a particle collector (24); contacting the flue gas stream with an alkaline reagent in a wet scrubber (26); discharging a purge liquid (30) from the wet scrubber (26); and, combining at least a portion of the purge liquid with at least a portion of fly ash circulating within a dry circulating fluid bed scrubber (48) to form moistened fly ash (60).
US07641870B2
Hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid is cracked by a process comprising: (a) heating the hydrocarbon feedstock; (b) mixing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock with steam and optionally water to form a mixture stream; (c) introducing the mixture stream to a flash/separation apparatus to form i) a vapor phase at its dew point which partially cracks and loses/or heat causing a temperature decrease and partial condensation of the vapor phase in the absence of added heat to provide coke precursors existing as uncoalesced condensate, and ii) a liquid phase; (d) removing the vapor phase as overhead and the liquid phase as bottoms from the flash/separation apparatus; (e) treating the overhead by contacting with a hydrocarbon-containing nucleating liquid substantially free of resid and comprising components boiling at a temperature of at least about 260° C. (500° F.) under conditions sufficient to at least partially coalesce the coke precursors to provide coke precursor liquid, in the form of hydrocarbon droplets or a continuous hydrocarbon liquid phase; (f) collecting and removing the droplets; (g) directing the treated overhead from which the droplets are removed, to a heater to provide a heated vapor phase; (h) cracking the heated vapor phase in a radiant section of a pyrolysis furnace to produce an effluent comprising olefins, the pyrolysis furnace comprising a radiant section and a convection section; and (i) quenching the effluent and recovering cracked product therefrom. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.
US07641869B2
A process and apparatus are presented for obtaining inorganic fullerene-like nanostructures. A metal oxide is evaporated at predetermined temperature conditions, and is swept towards a reacting zone, to which first and second gas phase reacting agents are concurrently swept. The evaporated metal oxide thus interacts with the first reacting agent and is converted into metal suboxide nanoparticles in the gas phase. The condensing metal suboxide nanoparticles interact with the second reacting agent in the gas phase resulting in substantially pure phase of the inorganic fullerene-like nanoparticles.
US07641867B2
An exhaust gas containing a perfluoride component (PFC) and SiIF4 is conducted into a silicon remover and brought into contact with water. A reaction water supplied from a water supplying piping and air supplied from an air supplying piping are mixed with the exhaust gas exhausted from the silicon remover. The exhaust gas containing water, air, and CF4 is heated at 700° C. by a heater. The exhaust gas containing PFC is conducted to a catalyst layer filled with an alumina group catalyst. The PFC is decomposed to HF and CO2 at a high temperature exhausted from the catalyst layer is cooled in a cooling apparatus. Subsequently, the exhaust gas is conducted to an acidic gas removing apparatus to remove HF. In this way, the silicon component is removed from the exhaust gas before introducing the exhaust gas into the catalyst layer. Therefore, the surface of the catalyst can be utilized effectively, and the decomposition reaction of the perfluoride compound can be improved.
US07641858B2
An apparatus introducing a fluid using a centrifugal force includes an introduction member including a chip receiver and a fluid introduction reservoir, the chip receiver receiving a first part of a microfluidic chip, the first part including an inlet, the fluid introduction reservoir storing a fluid to be introduced to the microfluidic chip, the fluid introduction reservoir having an exit formed to correspond to the inlet of the microfluidic chip received in the chip receiver, and a support member supporting a second part of the microfluidic chip, wherein the microfluidic chip is disposed between the introduction member and the support member, the apparatus is rotatable in a state where the introduction member is closer to a center of rotation than the microfluidic chip, and the fluid is introducible from the fluid introduction reservoir through the inlet into the microfluidic chip due to a centrifugal force generated by rotation.
US07641857B2
A measuring apparatus for determining an analyte in a liquid sample includes the following apparatus components: a test element with a test field for applying the liquid sample, the test element experiencing a detectable modification due to the analyte to be determined, a detector which detects the modification and generates an electrical detector signal as a function of it, an evaluation circuit arranged downstream of the detector, which evaluates the detector signal to form a measurement result, a display device connected to the evaluation circuit for displaying the measurement result, and an electrical power supply for supplying electrical power to the electrical apparatus components. At least some of the electrical apparatus components are formed on the basis of polymer electronics so that the analyte can be determined straightforwardly, conveniently and inexpensively.
US07641851B2
An apparatus, system and method for verifying the achievement of a desired sterility assurance level (SAL) for components manipulated within a low-energy electron beam sterilization chamber. The components are preferably pre-sterilized and connected together in an assembly fashion which creates and maintains the sterility of the connection by subjecting the components to low-energy (less than 300 KeV) electron beam radiation. The verification is completed by measuring the sterilization dose delivered to a sensor, also known as a dosimeter, positioned within the sterilization process to simulate the components.
US07641850B2
A technique for net shaping gear teeth of a high performance power transmission gear from a powder metal workpiece includes heating a powder metal workpiece in the form of a near net shaped gear blank having gear teeth surfaces above its critical temperature to obtain an austenitic structure throughout its surfaces, isothermally quenching the workpiece at a rate greater than the critical cooling rate of its surfaces to a uniform metastable austenitic temperature just above the martensitic transformation temperature, rolling the gear teeth surfaces of the workpiece to a desired outer peripheral profiled shape between opposed dies, each die having an outer peripheral profiled surface, while holding the workpiece at the uniform metastable austenitic temperature, the gear teeth surfaces undergoing densification, plastic deformation, and strengthening as a result of the rolling operation, and cooling the workpiece through the martensitic range to thereby harden the surfaces of the gear teeth.
US07641837B2
A method for producing a roll film provided with a coat layer comprising the steps of: (i) producing a roll film; (ii) applying a first embossing treatment along a longitudinal direction of the roll film on a part of a lateral direction of the roll film; (iii) applying a coat layer on the roll film; (iv) applying a second embossing treatment along a longitudinal direction of the roll film on a part of a lateral direction of the roll film; (v) heat treating the roll film at a temperature of 50 to 150° C. for a duration of 1 to 30 days while the roll film is rolled in a roll.
US07641835B2
A trashcan includes a container having a base and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base forming an interior space for receipt of a trash bag therein; and a trash bag retention member disposed on the peripheral wall, the retention member defining a passageway into the interior space of the container and comprising a plurality of resilient, flexible fingers configured to receive and retain therebetween a portion of a trash bag. Each finger includes a portion thereof that extends away from the peripheral wall. Each finger is “bent” and extends away from the peripheral wall. A finger may extend away from the peripheral wall on the exterior of the container, away from the peripheral wall on the interior of the container, or both. A method of making the trashcan includes injection molding the container and the retention member separately or, alternatively, together.
US07641832B2
The process for the continuous production of a composition comprising rubber (20), a hydrocarbon resin (22) and a solvent (26) provides for the use of at least two two-screw extruders (10a, 10b) placed in series. These extruders may be of the contrarotating type or, preferably, co-rotating.
US07641831B2
A method for manufacturing plastic product includes the steps of: forming a work piece (30) in an injection molding apparatus, the work piece (30) including at least an original product (34), a butt end (36), and gate (32), the gate (32) connecting a corresponding original product (34) with the butt end (36); precutting the gate (32) in a mold before the work piece (30) has completely cooled; removing the work piece (30) from the injection molding apparatus; separating each original product (34).
US07641828B2
Methods of making a removable dental positioning appliance include forming a sheet of transparent crystalline polymeric material into a shell having cavities shaped to receive and reposition teeth from a first orientation to a successive orientation. The polymeric material may then be annealed at a temperature above its glass transition temperature or cured if a curable material to enhance characteristics of the polymeric material. The polymeric material may be coated with a second transparent material.
US07641827B2
The invention relates to a method for pressing a formed part, in which a ceramic and/or metallic material to be pressed, in particular powdery and/or granulated material (3) is being filled into the die cavity (2) of a die (1), in an axis of compaction (X) with at least one pressing punch (4, 5) the material (3) is being pressed, and in a direction, with a component of movement perpendicular to the first axis of compaction (X), a transverse punch (6) is being moved into the material (3) in a transverse axis (QX), with the movement of the transverse punch (6) being carried out during and/or after pressing of the material (3) in the axis of compaction (X), in particular during and/or after beginning of the compaction operation of the material (3). In particular there is carried out according to the method the actuation of pressing punches in the axis of compaction in such a way, that there act onto the transverse punch in the direction of the axis of compaction on both sides approximately equal forces. For reducing the installation space required at the side of the die, while nevertheless providing forces, which are sufficient for the transverse punch, it is of advantage to use an eccentric drive mechanism.
US07641823B2
The invention provides an apparatus for forming fine particles of a substance in a precipitation chamber, in which the apparatus has means to convey the fine particles from the precipitation chamber to at least one particle collection chamber, downstream of the precipitation chamber, the particle collection chamber having an inlet and an outlet separate from the inlet. The invention also provides a method of forming fine particles of a substance, the method comprising contacting a non-gaseous fluid containing the substance with a dense fluid to expand the non-gaseous fluid in a precipitation chamber, conveying a resulting mixture of fluid and the fine particles from the precipitation chamber to a collection chamber, the collection chamber having an inlet and an outlet separate from the inlet.
US07641817B2
There is provided a method for producing a silver powder having excellent dispersibility and capable of forming a paste which do not form suspended matters by phase separation and which is printed on a substrate to form a film having a uniform thickness. In this method, an alkali or a complexing agent is added to an aqueous silver salt containing solution to form a silver oxide containing slurry or an aqueous silver complex salt containing solution. After or before silver particles are deposited by reduction by adding a reducing agent to the silver oxide containing slurry or aqueous silver complex salt containing solution while stirring it, at least one chelating agent selected from the group consisting of compounds having an azole structure, dicarboxylic acids, hydroxy carboxylic acids and salts thereof is added to a silver power containing slurry solution as a dispersing agent.
US07641816B2
A semiconductive rubber composition contains copolymerized rubber containing ethylene oxide; chloroprene rubber; and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. A conductive rubber roller has a conductive rubber layer composed of the semiconductive rubber composition on an outermost layer thereof.
US07641808B2
The present invention relates to azeotropic or azeotrope-like compositions comprising a fluorinated olefin having the formula E- or Z-C3F7CH═CHC3F7, and at least one alcohol, halocarbon, hydrofluorocarbon, fluoroether, or alkanes and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the one compound selected from the group consisting of alcohols, halocarbons, fluoroalkyl ethers, hydrofluorocarbons, alkanes is either methanol, ethanol, iso-propanol, n-propanol, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, n-propyl bromide, C4F9OCH3, C4F9OC2H5, HFC-43-10mee, HFC-365mfc, heptane, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, these compositions are useful in cleaning applications as a degreasing agent or defluxing agent for removing oils and/or other residues from a surface.
US07641801B2
A method and system of removing or decreasing waste liquor manganese concentration to less than about 1 mg/L total manganese without the precipitation of significant amounts of magnesium. The method and system include steps for treating the waste liquor using three separate circuits in which in the first circuit, manganese is reduced, for example, from about 2 g/L to <500 mg/L using pH adjustment with a suitable neutralizing agent; and in the second circuit, the final target manganese level is achieved by oxidative precipitation using a suitable oxidizing agent. Part of the precipitated manganese product, e.g., MnO2, is recycled to the oxidative precipitation circuit as seed and the balance proceeds to a third circuit wherein the precipitated manganese product is re-dissolved, and then recycled to the first neutralization circuit. In the first neutralization circuit and the second oxidative precipitation circuit, the process conditions are selected to minimize the precipitation of magnesium, e.g., Mg(OH)2.
US07641799B2
A process in which isotopes of the same element belonging to the alkaline earth metals, transition elements and heavy metals having an atomic mass of less than 209, in particular lanthanide metals, are separated in an aqueous medium by treating an aqueous medium.
US07641790B2
A wearable or portable intermittently operable hydration system (10) includes a purification module (22, 50) that contains one or more solid state UV devices that are positioned in the path of hydrating fluid, or water, flow through the hydration system to a mouthpiece (18). The UV LEDs are instant on devices with essentially no ramp-up required, and a sensor (20) or the opening of a push-pull valve (53) controls the turning on of the UV LEDs. The fluid flow path may run from a bladder (12) in a backpack (19) worn by the user, a sports bottle (54) worn by or carried by the user or may be through a water filtration system that a user operates via a pump. The power for the purification module may come from batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, power converted from pumping or winding action or any combination thereof.
US07641789B2
Process to prepare a base oil having a viscosity index of between 80 and 140 starting from a distillate or a de-asphalted oil by (a) contacting the feedstock in the presence of hydrogen with a sulphided hydrodesulphurization catalyst comprising nickel and tungsten on an acid amorphous silica-alumina carrier and (b) performing a pour point reducing step on the effluent of step (a) to obtain the base oil.
US07641787B2
Compositions for reduction of NOx generated during a catalytic cracking process, preferably, a fluid catalytic cracking process, are disclosed. The compositions comprise a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst composition, preferably containing a Y-type zeolite, and a particulate NOx composition containing particles of a zeolite having a pore size ranging from about 3 to about 7.2 Angstroms and a SiO2 to Al2O3 molar ratio of less than about 500. Preferably, the NOx reduction composition contains NOx reduction zeolite particles bound with an inorganic binder. In the alternative, the NOx reduction zeolite particles are incorporated into the cracking catalyst as an integral component of the catalyst. Compositions in accordance with the invention are very effective for the reduction of NOx emissions released from the regenerator of a fluid catalytic cracking unit operating under FCC process conditions without a substantial change in conversion or yield of cracked products. Processes for the use of the compositions are also disclosed.
US07641785B2
A sensor for blood component analysis that can correct the effect of a hematocrit easily is provided. The sensor includes an analysis portion including a working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reagent portion. The reagent portion includes an oxidoreductase that reacts with the blood component and a mediator, and the blood component is measured by causing a redox reaction between the blood component and the oxidoreductase in the presence of the mediator and detecting a redox current generated by the redox reaction by the working electrode and the counter electrode. In this sensor, the reagent portion further includes a hemolyzing agent (e.g., sodium cholate) for hemolyzing an erythrocyte, and when detecting the redox current, the erythrocyte is hemolyzed with the hemolyzing agent so as to cause hemoglobin released to an outside of the erythrocyte to react with the mediator and a current generated by this reaction also is detected to correct an effect of a hematocrit.
US07641782B2
A method and apparatus for improving the corrosion resistance of chrome plated materials. After the materials to be chrome plated are mechanically abrasively polished, but before they are reverse etched, they are power washed with a high-pressure liquid. A sprayer with nozzles directed inwardly towards the materials directs water onto the material at pressures in the range of 1000 or 2500 to 3000 psi. After the materials are chrome plated, they are heated above the melting point of a buffing compound, and then the heated materials with the buffing compound applied are buffed. An induction heater is used, before or after the buffing compound is applied. Computer controls, responsive to operator input of the cross-sectional size, composition and/or speed of movement of the chrome plated materials, to in turn regulate the power to an induction coil heater.
US07641779B2
A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths.
US07641765B2
Paper coated with a coating slip containing at least one optical brightener is produced by a process in which base paper or precoated paper is treated, before application of the coating slip containing optical brightener, with at least one substance which enhances the efficiency of optical brighteners.
US07641764B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a non-woven fabric comprising a glass fiber which has a strength, flexibility and water resistance, has less skin irritancy and a good surface decoration property, and a process for producing the same, more specifically, to provide a non-woven fabric for a gypsum board which is used as a reinforcing material for a gypsum board placed on one side or both sides of the gypsum board, and a process for producing the same. A non-woven fabric for a gypsum board comprising 20 to 60% by weight of a glass fiber, 10 to 50% by weight of an organic fiber and 10 to 50% by weight of a fibrous binder, which contains the organic fiber at least on a gypsum core contact surface, is provided.
US07641755B2
An assembly for forming a hollow, ceramic arc discharge vessel for high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps is described wherein a means for self-alignment of two molded sections is provided. In particular, the sealing surface of one section of the arc discharge vessel is provided with a convex surface and the sealing surface of the other section is provided with a concave surface. The radius of the convex sealing surface is smaller than the radius of the concave sealing surface so that the sections may self-align during joining, preferably without gas entrapment in the seal.
US07641746B2
An integrated metal processing facility in which molten metal is poured into a series of molds at a pouring station to form metal castings, which are then transferred to a heat treatment line. Prior to introduction of the castings into a heat treatment station of the heat treatment line, the castings are subjected to heating sufficient to arrest cooling of the castings at or above a process control temperature for the metal thereof.
US07641742B2
There is provided a rolling bearing which has long life against rolling fatigue and exhibits no decrease in fracture strength and no increase in rate of dimensional change over time, even if the part size thereof is large, and which can obtain higher strength by crystal grains being further refined, if it has a size equal to or smaller than a prescribed size. The rolling bearing according to the present invention includes a race and a rolling element. At least one member of the race and the rolling element has a nitrogen-enriched layer in its surface layer, and a surface layer portion contains austenite crystal grains having a grain size number of at least 11. The member has hardenability allowing a position exhibiting HRC50 in a hardenability test method for steel to be apart from a quenched end by a distance of at least 12.7 mm ( 8/16 inch).
US07641741B2
A fixture includes an enlarged plate having slots in an upper surface, and support members are secured to the plate at the slots. The fixture is utilized to machine parts that are initially flame-cut from a large plate/sheet of hot-roll steel. A plurality of notches are flame-cut into the perimeter of the part. The support members engage the flame-cut slots to secure the part to the plate for machining a first side of the part. Precision notches are machined into the part, and precisely-shaped protrusions on the support members are closely received in the precision notches to precisely locate the part for further machining on a second side thereof.
US07641731B2
The invention relates to an ultra-high-performance, self-compacting light-colored concrete comprising: a cement; a mixture of calcined bauxite sands of different grain sizes, the finest sand having an average grain size of less than 1 mm and the thickest sand having an average grain size of less than 10 mm; optionally silica fume, whereby 90% of the particles thereof have a size of less than 1 ?m and the average diameter is approximately 0.5 ?m, said silica fume representing at most 15 parts by weight per 100 parts of cement; an antifoaming agent; water-reducing superplasticiser; optionally fibers; and water. The inventive concrete also comprises: ultrafine calcium carbonate particles having a specific surface area that is equal to or greater than 10 m2/g and a form factor (IF) that is equal to or greater than 0.3 and, preferably, equal to or greater than 0.4. The grain size distribution of the cements, sands, ultrafine calcium carbonate particles and silica fume is such that at least three, and at most five, different grain size ranges are present, the ratio between the average diameter of one grain size range and that of the range immediately above is approximately 10. The invention also relates to the method of preparing one such concrete and to the uses thereof.
US07641730B2
The present invention provides a glass flake having sufficiently high visible-light absorptivity. The glass flake of the present invention includes a glass composition that contains a transition metal oxide such as an iron oxide and that allows the glass flake to have a visible-light transmittance of 85% or lower measured with an A light source when the glass flake has a thickness of 15 μm. In this glass composition, it is preferable that the content of Fe2O3 (T−Fe2O3) in terms of the total iron satisfies the following formula, expressed in mass %: 10
US07641714B2
A method for recovering metal values from refractory sulfide ores is provided. The method includes the steps of separating clays and fines from crushed refractory sulfide ore, forming a heap from the refractory sulfide ore, producing a concentrate of refractory sulfide minerals from the separated fines and adding the concentrate to the heap, bioleaching the heap to thereby oxidize iron sulfides contained therein, and hydrometallurgically treating the bioleached ore to recover metal values contained therein.
US07641708B2
An air filter assembly for removing particulate matter from an incoming dirty air stream. The assembly includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet, a dirty air chamber and a clean air chamber and a non-cylindrical shaped elongated filter element arranged within the dirty air chamber constructed to remove particulate matter from an incoming air stream. A plurality of non-cylindrical filter elements are preferred. The non-cylindrical filter elements provide a decreased incoming air stream velocity when compared to conventional cylindrical filter elements having the same surface area. Alternately, the non-cylindrical filter elements allow an increase in the volume of incoming air when compared to conventional cylindrical filter elements having the same surface area.
US07641706B1
The present invention relates to the use of a naturally occurring group of biological compounds to produce a combustible fuel that may be used in either internal combustion engines or as a burnable heat source. These compounds are a set of biomolecules produced by some bacteria in nutrient limiting environmental conditions when storage of carbon is necessary. More specifically this invention envisions the use of polyhydroxy alkanoates (PHA), especially those ranging in size from C4 to C8, to produce the combustible fuel.
US07641688B2
Disclosed are implantable tissue augmentation devices, methods, and associated tools. The devices include an inflatable body, having an inner layer and an outer layer. A valve is provided for permitting the introduction of and retaining inflation media. At least one pull tab is provided on an end of the implant, to assist in positioning the implant. Kits and systems are also disclosed.
US07641687B2
A heart valve comprises a stent and a sewing cuff comprising a stiffening ring, wherein the stent and the stiffening ring are adapted to be snap-fitted. In one embodiment, the stent and the stiffening ring can together comprise one or more projections and one or more openings.
US07641685B2
A system and method for delivering and assembling a bifurcated stent in a bifurcated vessel having a first lumen and a second lumen. The system and method includes the use of three balloon catheters wherein at least one of the catheters is a fixed wire catheter. A first segment of the bifurcated stent having a stem portion, a first leg portion, a longitudinal bore extending therethrough and a branch aperture formed in the side wall is mounted on two of the balloon catheters and delivered to the treatment site where it is implanted into the first lumen. A second segment of the bifurcated stent having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal bore extending therethrough is mounted on the third balloon catheter and is delivered to the treatment site such that the distal end extends into the second lumen and the proximal end extends into longitudinal bore of the first segment. The second segment is then implanted into the second lumen and secured to the branch aperture of the first segment to form a bifurcated stent.
US07641678B2
A tanning apparatus for radiation treatment for personal care includes at least one gas discharge UV lamp, at least one ballast connected in series with said at least one gas discharge lamp, and at least one incandescent lamp separate from the gas discharge lamp or lamps. The weight of the inductive ballast is reduced in that the incandescent lamp(s) is included in the ballast or ballasts(s).
US07641674B2
Devices and methods include an anchor assembly engageable to a vertebra and a connecting element positionable through a receiver of the anchor assembly. The assembly includes an engaging member for engaging the connecting element in the receiver. The engaging member includes a plurality of elongated arcuate projecting members extending about a rotational center of the engaging member and projecting from an end surface of the engaging member to positively engage the connecting element in the receiver.
US07641668B2
An apparatus and method for ejecting fluid from a fluid delivery system. The fluid delivery system has a pneumatic assembly that when triggered injects gas into a hydraulic assembly, which in turn ejects fluid through an external interface. An electronic interface displays various measurements, for example, how much fluid has been ejected and if the hydraulic system is closed the pressure of the system. The pneumatic assembly can also be depressurized such that fluid can reenter the hydraulic assembly through the external interface.
US07641662B2
The present invention relates to a femoral condyle cutting and shaping center (10), which comprises a main driving shaft (15) provided in a transmission gearbox (4), and a main driving gear (14) mounted on the main driving shaft (15). At least a first driven gear (12) is engaged with the main driving gear (14), said first driven gear (12) being mounted on a first driven shaft (13), said first driven shaft (13) being supported in the transmission gearbox (4). One end of the first driven shaft (13) extends towards the outside of the transmission gearbox (4), and a bone shaping mill (21) is mounted on an extending end (22) of the first driven shaft (13).
US07641656B2
A bone tapping kit for cutting an internal thread into bone defining a bore. The kit comprises 1) a guide component with a threaded aperture which, when in position, is aligned with the bore, and 2) a tap having a first portion with a first diameter and an external thread designed to engage with the threaded aperture of the guide component, and a second portion having a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter and a helical cutting edge designed so that it can be received into the bore and cut an internal thread therein. The guide component and tap are dimensioned so that when the tap is introduced into the guide component the first portion engages with the threaded aperture in the guide component before the helical cutting edge of the second portion engages with the bore. Thus, the thread configuration that is cut into the bore forms a continuation of the same helix defined by the internal thread of the aperture of the guide member.
US07641649B2
An infusion media delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. The disposable housing portion supports an infusion media reservoir and a needle on a moveable platform. The platform is moveable between a first position in which a needle is disengaged with a patient and a second position in which the needle is engaged with the patient.
US07641636B2
A syringe with a closure is disclosed. The syringe comprises a needle projecting from a syringe body, the tip of the needle being enclosed by a closure cap when the syringe is in a closed position. A sealing element is provided for sealing the needle in the closed position. The sealing element has an annular, elastically deformable portion that can be sealingly pressed against the outer surface of the needle by means of the closure cap.
US07641635B2
A method of non-delaminably bonding a non-porous thermoplastic elastomer to a substrate by heating a bilayer of the elastomer and the substrate for a predetermined time and a product obtained by the method. Methods for producing non-delaminable conduits and non-delaminable kink-resistant conduits constructed of biocompatible elastomers and substrates, and products produced by these methods are taught. Methods, products, and articles of manufacture relating to non-delaminable monofilament supported kink-resistive conduits that may be used as inflow conduits in left ventricular assist devices for treatment of heart failure are also provided.
US07641632B2
A patient control system uses a patient-implanted catheter in thermal communication with a fluid bath via a circulating fluid circuit. A controller automatically controls the temperature of the fluid bath as required for selectively cooling or heating the patient in accordance with patient temperature measurements. The controller thermally decouples the catheter and patient from the fluid bath during changes in fluid bath temperatures in order to overcome the effects of system thermal mass.
US07641624B2
A femur traction device includes a brace adapted to be secured to a patient's leg, with one end secured above a break in the leg and a hitch end extending below the foot and providing a hitch for a tensioning harness. The tensioning harness is secured between the hitch and the patient's ankle, and straps of the harness may be lengthened or shortened to increase or decrease tension on the leg. The tensioning harness advantageously does not rely on hook-and-loop type fastening means, is color coded to facilitate proper use, and stores in a pouch that forms part of and is secured to the remainder of the tensioning harness.
US07641620B2
A sampling apparatus for taking a sample from the body of a patient is easily rotatable while the sample is being taken. This allows the physician to aspirate or draw the sample, rotating the sampling apparatus while holding stationary a syringe or other container for receiving the sample.
US07641619B2
The invention includes systems and methods for converting absolute pressure data acquired in anatomical environments to gauge pressure data using an implant configured to monitor pressure. The implant is configured to communicate with an external controller, which is configured to communicate with a remote microprocessor that includes real-time barometric pressure data for one or more geographic locations.
US07641614B2
Methods and apparatus for measuring arterial blood pressure at an extremity of a subject. Arterial blood pressure is derived from a circulatory measurement performed on an extremity of a subject and the circulatory measurement is normalized to account for the instantaneous vertical displacement of the extremity. The vertical displacement of the extremity relative to the heart of the subject is obtained using the angular orientation of the subject's extremity. An improved photoplethysmograph can discriminate light traversing the extremity from ambient light on the basis of differential response. The apparatus may have a conducting polymer actuator for applying pressure to the extremity of the subject. A pulsatile waveform from the photoplethysmographic signal may be obtained at a plurality of externally applied pressures to calibrate the photoplethysmograph.
US07641612B1
A blood loss detection device for a hemodialysis system having a blood intake line, a dialysis machine including a pump, with the dialysis machine in communication with the blood intake line, and a blood return line in communication with the dialysis machine. The detection device includes a patch having an exterior edge and an opening through the patch forming a target for receipt of the return blood line. A slit through the patch extends between the exterior edge and the opening. A primary loop circuit terminates at two ends at the slit. An early warning alarm circuit loop terminates at two ends at the slit. An emergency shut-down circuit loop terminates at two ends at the slit. A modular connector connects the patch to an alarm activated by the early warning alarm circuit and to a switch mechanism activated by the shut-down circuit in order to shut down the dialysis machine and the pump.
US07641602B2
A weightlifting system includes a weight arm system having a handle which may be mounted in one of a multitude of clocked positions. A handle engagement member extends radially from the handle adjacent the end section and includes a multitude of radially extending engagement male members to take the shape of a gear or multi-pointed star. The multitude of radially extending engagement members of the handle engagement member corresponds with a multitude of radially extending engagement members which defines an arm engagement member on the weight arm about an opening. The handle engagement member is the opposite of the handle engagement member such that the handle engagement member is received therein at a multitude of clocked positions as defined by the multitude of radially extending engagement handle members and the multitude of radially extending engagement arm members. The handle is clocked to a desired position relative the weight arm and an internal threaded section of a weight horn or knob is threaded to a threaded section of the handle to axially retain the handle within the weight arm.
US07641600B2
An exercise device including at least one positionable component configured to be positioned by a user. The exercise device includes a frame to which a collar is mounted. The positionable component includes a member that is slidably received within the collar and may be positioned by sliding the member to a selected position. A locking assembly is coupled to the collar and is operable to lock the member in a selected position within the collar, to release the member from the locked position, and when released, to allow the member to slide within the collar. The locking assembly includes a cam pivotably mounted to the collar and a cam follower assembly selectively biased by the cam against a portion of the member disposed inside the collar. The locking assembly also includes a pair of engagement members disposed inside the collar opposite the cam against which the cam biases the member.
US07641598B2
An exercise apparatus comprises: a frame; a crank system comprising first and second crank coupling locations, the crank system being supported by the frame; a right foot support member comprising a first right guide element; a left foot support member comprising a first left guide element; a right movable member comprising a second right guide element; a left movable member comprising a second left guide element; a first flexible support system comprising a first flexible element, the first flexible element coupled to the frame and the first and second right guide elements and operative to move the first crank coupling location when the right foot support member moves; and a second flexible support system comprising a second flexible element, the second flexible element coupled to the frame and the first and second left guide elements and operative to move the second crank coupling location when the left foot support member moves.
US07641596B2
In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, an exercise device comprises a support structure comprising a support member and a support arm having an upper support arm portion and a lower support arm portion. The support arm is mounted to the support member by a pivot assembly comprising a longitudinal pivot control mechanism and a lateral pivot control mechanism. The longitudinal pivot control mechanism is configured to allow the support arm to be selectively positioned at a first angular orientation in a longitudinal plane and the lateral pivot control mechanism is configured to allow the support arm to be selectively positioned at a second angular orientation in a lateral plane orthogonal to the longitudinal plane. The exercise device further comprises a yoke pivotably attached to the upper support arm by a yoke attachment member for rotation about a yoke rotation axis. The yoke is configured for engagement by a user in an exercise orientation and for selective rotation about the yoke rotation axis by the user.
US07641589B2
A motor vehicle with a parking brake (3) which, in addition to functioning as a parking brake (3), may also be used as an auxiliary brake for assisting the main brake (2) and/or a sustained-action brake. The parking brake (3) is preferably incorporated in the transmission (1) of the vehicle and designed as a rotary disk brake in an oil bath.
US07641584B1
A fuel-efficient automotive vehicle is provided having a power train including a primary internal combustion engine, an auxiliary engine, and a coupling system which selectively transfers power from the auxiliary engine to the primary engine when the speed of operation of the auxiliary engine equals the speed of the primary engine. The speeds of both engines are controlled by separate gas pedals conventionally located within the vehicle. The primary engine is of smaller power and better fuel efficiency than an engine which would generally be required by the vehicle. Although the primary engine can maintain the vehicle at a cruising speed, it relies upon the added power of the auxiliary engine for acceleration and hill-climbing.
US07641573B2
A fully articulated batting tee including a first support post with a telescoping stem for height-adjustable support of a baseball. The first support post extends downward from the ball to the ground to provide a first point of ground-support. A lateral support assembly comprises a plurality of lateral struts joined at one end to the first support post and extending laterally therefrom to a second support post. A pivoting coupling is mounted on the second support post, and the coupling includes a plurality of collars for insertion of corresponding struts (each of the collars slidably supports a corresponding one of the lateral struts therein). The second support post extends downward to a practice plate and is anchored thereto, thereby providing a second point of ground-support. The combination of height-adjustment, lateral adjustment and pivoting provide a fully articulating batting tee that can position the ball anywhere over or around the practice plate.
US07641571B2
The present invention provides high moment of inertia golf balls comprising a low specific gravity core layer formed from a moisture resistant composition. The moisture resistant composition has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of 12.5 g·mil/100 in2/day or less and comprises a highly neutralized acid polymer. Golf balls of the invention have a moment of inertia of 85 g·cm2 or greater.
US07641568B2
Described herein are embodiments of a golf club head having at least one rib with an external portion. For example, according to one embodiment, a wood-type golf club head includes a body that has at least one wall defining an interior cavity. The golf club head further includes at least one rib projecting from the at least one wall. The at least one rib can include an internal portion located within the interior cavity and an external portion located without the interior cavity.
US07641567B2
Apparatus for training golfers in putting techniques and the method for its use are taught. The principle of the apparatus of the invention provides two reference points, one of which is adjustable and fixed relative to the head of a putter. By sliding the two reference points along a guidance surface, the putting head moves parallel to the guidance surface with the face of the putting head at a constant angle to the guidance surface. i.e. this is a putting stroke. One of the reference points may be a part of the putter head and the other is a member, removably attachable to the putter and adjustable so that a contact head touches, and is slidable along, the guidance surface.
US07641565B2
A novel method and apparatus for detecting the placement of a golf ball for a launch monitor is disclosed. The method comprises capturing an image of a scan zone that is adjacent to the launch monitor and in the field of view of the launch monitor's image sensor, analyzing the scan zone image for the placement of an object, and determining if the object is likely the golf ball. An apparatus is also disclosed that implements the golf ball detection method.
US07641561B2
A dust cover for a steering shaft includes a bush of low-frictional material, through which a steering shaft penetrates; a plurality of bellows made of rubber, provided in an axial direction of the steering shaft, and arranged between the bush and a panel for sealing the clearance; and an annular seal lip in contact with the outer periphery of the steering shaft.
US07641558B2
An annular member is installed on a circular cylinder section of a trunnion, and a roller member, in the inner periphery of which a needle bearing is held, is installed on the circular cylinder section. The needle bearing is held between a flange section formed on one end of the roller member and the annular member installed on the trunnion with a predetermined gap between them. Further, a gap (X) between the needle bearing and the annular member is set to satisfy the following relationship. X>R/2·(1/cos θ max−1) where R: Radius of rotation of the center of the roller member relative to the center axis of an outer member. θ max: Maximum inclination angle of an inner member.
US07641553B2
The disclosure describes a computer-implemented method of providing an event related game. The method includes receiving event data associated with a media broadcast at a computer, generating a printable game set, and providing the printable game set in an electronic format configured for printing by a user. The printable game set includes at least one game card and a set of trade tickets. The at least one game card includes a list of game events associated with the media broadcast. Each trade ticket of the set of trade tickets identifies a game event.
US07641552B2
An input device is movable between at least two positions. Movement of the input device results in generated of an least two inputs, such as two signals. When associated with a gaming machine, movement of the input device by a player is used to provide multiple inputs to a gaming controller for playing a game. The input device may be used to present a game, such as a Class II bingo type game where a player is required to provide multiple inputs over the course of the game in order to participate in the game.
US07641548B2
In accordance with some embodiments, methods, computer readable media and apparatus are provided for processing lottery ticket sales. In one example, a request by a player is received to purchase at least one hidden size multiplier. Play indicia are associated with the multiplier by storing data related to the at least one set of play indicia and the multiplier, and a price is determined for the multiplier.
US07641546B2
A cooling apparatus and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The cooling apparatus is adapted to cool a system in which a heat source generating heat is arranged. The cooling apparatus includes an air stream forming unit which cools the heat source to a certain temperature, a sensing unit which includes a supplied-air temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of air supplied into the system, and a discharged-air temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of air discharged out of the system, an altitude detecting unit which detects an altitude of the system, based on the sensed supplied-air temperature and the sensed discharged-air temperature, and a cooling controller which controls the air stream forming unit, based on the detected altitude.
US07641542B2
An apparatus and a method for rucking netting onto a tube are described. The apparatus, in a first embodiment, comprises a frame having an axis, a passage along the axis, means for reciprocating movement along the axis, a netting tube releasably attachable to the means for reciprocating movement, a second tube comprising a frustum having a bore, the second tube being slidable co-axially to the netting tube, an annular space defined by the second tube and the netting tube, and spring-loaded fingers attached to the frame and extending into the passage. In another embodiment, a method for rucking netting onto a tube comprises attaching a netting tube to a moveable platform, mounting a second tube axially over the netting tube, the second tube comprising a frustum having a bore therethrough, placing an end of a netting over the second tube, forming an annular space between the netting tube and the second tube, and moving the second tube reciprocatingly through spring-loaded fingers. The second tube is a frusto-conical shape, a frusto-pyramidal shape, or another frustum shape
US07641534B2
In at least one embodiment, the invention includes a magnetic construction module having a body and at least one elastic limb extending from the body, the at least one limb having a first end portion including a first magnet disposed therein, the limb and the body comprising a gelatinous elastic material having sufficient stiffness to maintain its form under the force of gravity and having sufficient flexibility to easily bend such that the end portion is contiguous to the body.
US07641532B2
A lamp includes a reflector including a reflective portion, a heel, and a nose, wherein the nose includes an opening. A light source is disposed in the reflector. A pair of leads connects to the light source. An eyelet protrudes through the opening in the nose and receives one of the leads. A positioning member is disposed in the heel portion of the reflector. The positioning member includes an opening to receive the light source.
US07641521B2
A electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of contacts within the housing configured for mating engagement with mating contacts of a mating connector. The electrical connector also includes a compensation component housed within the housing. The compensation component has a substrate with a first trace plane and a second trace plane, and the compensation component has a plurality of traces arranged on the first trace plane. The traces are electrically connected to selected ones of the contacts. At least one of the traces includes a compensation loop arranged on the first trace plane, and at least one of the traces includes a compensation loop arranged on the second trace plane. The compensation loop provides at least one of electrical and thermal compensation.
US07641516B1
A connector (200) is provided that comprises a dielectric body (DB), pins (302), and a plate (800). Each pin is captured within DB (404) so as to extend therethrough. Each pin is defined by a pair of nubs (410, 510) extending from DB's opposing faces (408, 604), respectively. Each nub is movable along an axis aligned with an elongated length of the pin. The plate is formed of a planar conductive material secured to DB adjacent to a first opposing face. The plate comprises apertures through which the pins extend in a first direction. At least one aperture is sized and shaped to form an electrical connection between the plate and selected pins. Resilient spring fingers (RSF) are formed on a periphery of the plate. Each RSF (1006) extends away from DB in a direction between a plane defined by the first opposing face and first direction of the pins.
US07641505B2
An electrical connector with a heat dissipating device adapted to physically in contact with an electrical package disposed on a socket connector comprises a load plate having a substantially rectangular configuration defining a central opening having a first length and a first width and a heat plate having longitudinal sides and traversal ends. A heat plate has a heat pipe attached thereon and arranged such that the heat plate is disposed under the load plate, while the heat pipe is arranged above the load plate when rotated.
US07641501B2
An upper panel section includes an inserting hole into which a tip of a longitudinal-type equipment-side connector that is mounted on a PCB board of an electrical device at right angles and includes a spring section formed on its lateral surface is inserted. A foot section supports the upper panel section on the PCB. An inner circumference of the inserting hole has a shape surrounding substantially an entire circumference of the tip of the equipment-side connector. The foot section is provided at a position that opens up the lateral surface of the longitudinal-type equipment-side connector on which the spring section of the equipment-side connector is formed.
US07641499B1
A high voltage and interlock loop assembly has first and second high voltage connector housings complementarily constructed for releasable engagement with each other and for having a high voltage circuit running therethrough. First and second connectors for an interlock loop circuit are complementarily constructed for releasable engagement with each other with one of the interlock loop connectors being mounted on one of the high voltage connector housings. The first and second interlock loop connectors have complementarily abutment shoulders with one abutment shoulder being on a flexible tab. The flexible tab is movable to misalign its abutment shoulder from the other abutment shoulder when the high voltage connector housings are properly engaged together to allow full engagement of the first and second interlock loop connectors.
US07641495B1
A mounting apparatus for fixing an expansion card includes a connector configured for engagingly receiving a bottom portion of the expansion card, and a latching member made by thin strip material. The latching member includes a top wall, and two sidewalls extending down from opposite sides of the top wall configured for sandwiching the expansion card therebetween. An elastic tab extends between the sidewalls from the top wall, configured for elastically resisting against a top of the expansion card. A clipping portion is formed on a bottom of each sidewall, to engage with the connector.
US07641491B2
A load control device has a modular assembly to allow for easy adjustment of the aesthetic and the color of the load control device after installation. The load control device comprises a user interface module and a base module. The user interface module includes an actuation member for receiving a user input and a visual display for providing feedback to the user. A connector of the base module is adapted to be coupled to a connector of the user interface module, such that the base module and the user interface module are electrically connected. The connector of the base module is adapted to move along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis of the dimmer, such that the actuation member is easily aligned within an opening of a faceplate.
US07641490B2
An inverter assembly includes a housing and a substrate disposed in the housing. The substrate includes at least a first conductive layer patterned to include an alternating current (AC) path and a direct current (DC) path. A plurality of inverter switches is mounted on the substrate and electrically coupled to the AC path and the DC path.
US07641482B2
An electrical connector includes an insulating housing having a longitudinal and a lateral wall defining a top face and at least one contact. The lateral wall defines a slot thereon. The contact includes a main body located one the top face of the lateral wall and a contacting arm located above the longitudinal wall, a connecting portion extending from an inner edge of the main body and a retaining portion extending from an outer edge of the main body. The retaining portion is retained and received in the slot. A pressed portion laterally extends from the main body.
US07641474B2
One aspect of the present invention provides a method for systematically arranging paint color samples for convenient browsing and identification of desired colors by shoppers. Paint color sample cards are arranged on a two-dimensional display surface such that colors of similar hue are categorized or grouped together (e.g., along a column). Groups of paint color sample cards having different base hue or color are arranged such that there is a gradual transition between paint colors from one region to the next region. For instance, the colors of sample cards may gradually change from column to column across a two-dimensional display. Additionally, within each color group, paint color sample cards are arranged from most chromatic to least chromatic colors. Another aspect of the invention provides for accent color sample cards to be displayed adjacent to the various base color groups.
US07641473B2
A method and apparatus is provided for digitally checking the insertion quality of a target customized virtual arch wire designed during treatment planning prior to actually manufacturing the target arch wire. The method includes the steps of digitally simulating the insertion of the customized target virtual arch wire into the virtual brackets placed up on virtual teeth of a patient in an initial state of interest for checking if the arch wire could be inserted into the virtual brackets without conflicts or collisions. The initial state may be a malocclusion state or any intermediate treatment state of the patient. In the event the target virtual arch wire would cause conflicts, then the simulation optimizes the arch wire design in an attempt to eliminate the conflicts. In another aspect, a method is provided for selecting the recommended starting point for inserting the customized arch wire in the brackets placed on the dentition of the patient in the initial state.
US07641463B2
A detecting apparatus and method for detecting deformation of a fixed mold plate of an injection molding machine. The apparatus includes a mounting member and an elastic member that is received in the through hole of the mounting member and generally positioned at the center thereof. The apparatus also has a contacting member that is received in the through hole and positioned near or at the first end surface, and a sliding member that is slidably received in the through hole near or at the second end surface. A blocking member is attached to the second end surface of the mounting member. A pressure sensor is fixed between the blocking member and the contacting member.
US07641461B2
A robotic system may include a movable gantry robot, and a nozzle assembly movably coupled to the overhead beam of the gantry robot. The gantry robot may include an overhead beam extending between, and supported by, at least two side members slidably mounted on a pair of rails. The nozzle assembly may be coupled to the overhead beam of the gantry robot, and may be configured to extrude material through an outlet. The robotic system may further include a position controller configured to control position and movement of the gantry robot and the nozzle assembly.
US07641460B2
A device and method for continuous production of cotton candy and automated handling of the cotton candy in a way that collects and condenses the cotton candy into a continuous strand.
US07641457B2
The invention relates to an internal gear pump including: a rotor member including an outer rotor provided with inner teeth to which a torque supplied from a driving device is transmittable; an inner rotor provided with outer teeth engageable with the inner teeth of the outer rotor so to be driven by a rotation of the outer rotor, wherein a rotation axis of the inner rotor is eccentric with respect to a center of the rotor member; a pair of housings provided on opposite sides of the rotor member and the inner rotor to support the rotor member and the inner rotor; and at least one rolling bearing provided between at least one of the housings and the rotor member.
US07641454B2
A two-stage rotary compressor includes a sealed cylindrical compressor housing that includes first, second and third communication holes separately arranged sequentially in an axial direction on an outer peripheral wall, an accumulator held on an outer side of the housing, a low-pressure connecting pipe that connects a bottom communication hole of the accumulator and the second communication hole, and an intermediate connecting pipe that connects the first and third communication holes. The second and third communication holes are arranged at nearly the same circumferential direction position of the housing. The accumulator is held at nearly the same circumferential direction position as the second communication hole. The first communication hole is arranged at a circumferential direction position different from the second and third communication holes to ensure that the low-pressure connecting pipe and the intermediate connecting pipe two dimensionally bent in a circular arc shape do not interfere with each other.
US07641453B2
A pulsation reducing apparatus is used for an apparatus having a pump for circulating a liquid in a circulating line and a tank for storing the liquid circulating via the pump. The pulsation reducing apparatus includes a supplement tank for reserving the liquid such that a liquid surface height of the supplement tank is higher than that of the tank. The tank is connected to the supplement tank and the empty space portion of the tank is connected to the supplement tank via a gas exhaust line. When the empty space portion of the tank communicates with that of the supplement tank via the gas exhaust line due to a reduction of the liquid in the tank, the gas in the tank is exhausted to the empty space portion of the supplement tank via the gas exhaust line and the liquid in the supplement tank is supplemented into the tank.
US07641451B2
A turbo pump for evacuating a process chamber minimizes the amount time necessary to reduce the speed of the rotor in preparation for performing maintenance in the process chamber or the like. The turbo pump includes a housing communicating with the reaction chamber, a plurality of fixed stator rings spaced from one another along an inner peripheral surface of the housing, a shaft supported for rotation in the housing, a stator base surrounding the shaft and having an electric coil, a plurality of rotor blades each extending between an adjacent pair of the stator rings, and an electrode disposed at an outer peripheral surface of the housing. The electrode can receive an electric charge opposite to that applied to the rotor to forcibly stop the rotation of the rotor. Also, an electrical contact can be conductively connected to the rotor. Thus, opposite charges can be applied to the blades of the rotor and the stator to prevent the blades from contacting the stator when, for example, air backflows into the housing through a discharge port.
US07641446B2
A turbine blade 29 for a gas turbine engine 10 having an axis 20, the turbine blade 29 comprising: an aerofoil 30 including a high pressure surface 36, a low pressure surface 34, a root portion 38 and a tip surface 40 extending transverse from the high and low pressure surfaces 36 and 34, the high and low pressure surfaces 36 and 34 curve from the root portion 38 to the tip surface 40 in a direction that is substantially tangential to the axis 20 of the engine 10; and an air leakage restricting member 32 on the tip surface 40, the air leakage restricting member 32 being configured to substantially prevent leakage of air over the tip surface 40.
US07641439B2
A flow passage structure can be disposed in a multi-stage centrifugal refrigerant compressor having a deswirl vane and a return channel bend. The flow passage structure includes a two-way flow passage having a first outlet and a second outlet, for diverging externally injected refrigerant; a first side discharge flow passage connected to the first outlet of the two-way flow passage and having a first side outlet disposed below the deswirl vane, such that the diverged refrigerant can be discharged into the return channel bend and uniformly mixed with the refrigerant in the return channel bend; and a second side discharge flow passage connected to the second outlet of the two-way flow passage and having a second side outlet disposed below the deswirl, vane, such that the diverged refrigerant can be injected into the return channel bend and uniformly mixed with the refrigerant in the return channel bend.
US07641433B2
A method of trimming a plurality of sheets bound together, in which each of the plurality of sheets defines a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge that collectively define a fore edge of the closed bound document, comprising selecting a first portion of the plurality of sheets, folding the first portion of the plurality of sheets at a first fold angle and in a first fold direction, and trimming the folded first portion of the plurality of sheets near the first portion edges included in the first portion to partially achieve the desired edge effect for the bound document. The first portion of the plurality of sheets is greater than one sheet of the plurality of sheets. The first fold angle and the first fold direction are configured to achieve a desired fore edge effect.
US07641430B2
This disclosure relates to a pre-assembled fastener assembly having a retainer, a nut member, and a cold expansion mandrel that is forcibly removable after the assembly is installed into an opening of a structural workpiece. The mandrel is captured between a portion of a retainer and a portion of a nut member. The forced removal of the mandrel expands the retainer into the opening, securing the fastener assembly therein. The assembly may also include a cap coupled to the retainer to seal the opening in the structural workpiece. The nut member can be fixed or free-floating with respect to the retainer. In addition, the nut member can be threaded to receive a fastener. The mandrel is recyclable or disposable.
US07641406B2
A substrate processing apparatus includes an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, and an interface block. The interface block includes a bevel portion inspection unit. The bevel portion inspection unit inspects a bevel portion of a substrate to determine whether or not the bevel portion of the substrate is contaminated. The substrate whose bevel portion is determined to be contaminated and the substrate whose bevel portion is determined that it is not contaminated are respectively subjected to different types of processing.
US07641404B2
A substrate processing apparatus comprises an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block includes a placement/bake unit. A substrate that has been subjected to exposure processing in the exposure device is subjected to cleaning and drying processing in a second cleaning/drying processing unit, and is then transported to a placement/heating unit. In the placement/heating unit, the substrate is subjected to post-exposure bake processing.
US07641402B2
A system transports a device into a piece of industrial equipment for the purpose of collecting data inside of the industrial equipment. In an embodiment, the industrial equipment is a furnace and the device is an IR camera. The system opens a door covering an opening on the furnace, moves the IR camera inside of the furnace for a short time, the IR camera captures images, and the system removes the camera from the furnace and closes the door.
US07641399B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed that permit multi-directional fiber optic connections to a device. The multi-directional aspect of the fiber optic connections permit the connections to be aligned closely with the direction of travel of the fiber optic cables that interface with the device. Closely aligning the fiber optic connections on the device with the fiber optic cables' direction of travel maximizes the bend radius of the fiber optic cable near the point of connection or eliminates the bend altogether and reduces the likelihood of a broken fiber or signal attenuation.
US07641390B2
A method for digitally controlling the resistive output of a temperature probe is disclosed. The system is comprised of a temperature sensor, a processor and a means under the control of the processor for modifying the resistive output such as a digital potentiometer. In one embodiment, the processor reads the temperature sensor and adjusts the potentiometer based on a correlative or predictive technique so as to provide a modified output that matches that of a standard resistive temperature probe and is compatible for display on a multi-parameter monitor.
US07641389B2
A sensor comprises a reference sample arranged to be subject to at least one variable physical parameter such that a variation in the value of the at least one variable physical parameter causes a change in the magnetisation of the reference sample, means for measuring the magnetisation of the reference sample, and means for determining in dependence upon the measured magnetisation whether there has been a variation in the value of the at least one variable physical parameter, wherein the reference sample comprises a Heusler alloy.
US07641380B2
A blade assembly suited for both blending and food processing in small throat blender jars is provided. The blade assembly comprises a plurality of blade forms each designed to perform a specific blending or processing task while simultaneously working together and with the geometric restrictions of the jar to optimize the assembly's capability to crush ice, blend or mix liquids and/or semi-solid materials, and to chop, cut, or slice solid food items without the need for user interaction to clear compacted items from the blades and/or the walls or bottom of the jar during its operation. The improved performance also serves the beneficial side effect of improved bearing and motor life in the blender/food processor.
US07641373B2
Disclosed is a backlight unit which illuminates a display panel from a rear surface thereof, including at least: tubular lamps arranged in parallel to the panel; and a reflecting member which reflects light from the lamps toward the panel, wherein the reflecting member is divided into a first region opposed to an area near an electrode provided in an end portion of the lamp and a second region nearer to a middle area than the first region, the first region having a higher reflectance than the second region. In another backlight unit, a reflecting member is divided, with respect to the arrangement direction of the lamps, into an end lamp near region which is opposed to a lamp arranged in end portion and a middle region which is nearer to a middle area than the end lamp region, the end lamp region having a higher reflectance than the middle region.
US07641367B2
A horticulture light fixture having a secure glass aperture and glass retention frame that is swingably hinged to provide easy and safe maintenance of the fixture and helps facilitate cleaning of the glass. The hinge portion is constructed from sheet metal that is formed during the fabrication of the fixture. The method of construction eliminates the need to install a separate hinge saving manufacturing time and expense. In a preferred embodiment, the glass retention frame is constructed from a single continuous sheet of metal, that is punched or cut into desired dimension and shape, formed or folded to hold a flat piece of glass, and installed using common pins that provide rotational motion for swingably opening and closing of the glass simplifying maintenance of the horticulture light fixture.
US07641357B2
Disclosed is a light-emitting module wherein light entering into a solar cell is not attenuated, thereby preventing power output decrease of the solar cell. In addition, this light-emitting module can be produced by a simple process. Specifically disclosed is a light-emitting module wherein at least (a) a solar cell unit (b) a first adhesive layer, (c) a light-emitting unit composed of a second light-transmitting insulating substrate (transparent PET), a second metal layer (circuit pattern) and a light-emitting element (chip LED), (d) a second adhesive layer and (e) a third light-transmitting insulating substrate are sequentially stacked. The transparent PET having a thickness about 50-500 μm which is provided with the circuit pattern in advance is used for producing the light-emitting unit. A silver paste which can be cured by 30-minute heating at 150° C. is used as a circuit pattern material, and the circuit pattern is formed on the transparent PET by screen printing, and then thermally cured.
US07641355B2
The decorative light device has a stylized shape of a Christmas tree, or a snow flake. It comprises a transparent or translucent solid plastic member having an elongated solid plastic main body and a plurality of side branches extending outward therefrom at an angle at a plurality of junctions. A light refraction opening is formed at the main body and located adjacent to each one of those junctions. An LED light source is located at a bottom end of the main body and is operative to provide a single or a series of flashing lights of various sequential colors for illuminating the main body and the side branches. A stylized snow flake can be made with a plurality of these solid plastic members mounted in an evenly spaced manner around the periphery of a center mounting member.
US07641345B2
A projection apparatus for generating a moving star field and a cloud-like effect comprises a means for generating a cloud-like effect using at least one non-coherent light source, a means for generating a moving star field using at least one coherent light source and a means for regulating and supplying electric power. The means for generating cloud-like effect using at least one non-coherent light source comprises at least one pair of condenser lenses and an interferential filter wheel rotated by a motor, disposed between at least one pair of condenser lenses. The means for generating the moving star field using a coherent light source comprises a grating wheel rotated by a motor and a diffractive optical element disposed between the at least one coherent light source and the grating wheel.
US07641328B2
An ink for ink jet recording includes water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a water-insoluble color material, a dispersant, and a compound expressed by the following chemical formula: R—O—(CH2CH2O)n—H (I) where R is an alkyl group having a carbon number of 25 to 150 and n is from 2 to 100. The ink not only can maintain performances such as storage stability and high-quality recording images, but also can effectively prevent nozzle clogging, exhibit good dispersion stability, and achieve a high redispersion property that ensures stable ejection both during long continuous operation and after stopping the operation for a long time.
US07641327B2
A removable ink stick support for use in an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device having a first end for ink stick support proximate a melt end of an ink loader and a second end for ink stick support proximate an insertion end of an ink loader. A longitudinal member extends between the first and second ends, the longitudinal member being configured to provide a contact surface for contacting at least a portion of an ink stick as the ink stick is fed along the feed channel.
US07641322B2
A printing apparatus includes: a common liquid chamber that stores electrically conductive liquid; plural liquid transfer paths extending from the common liquid chamber to a print medium; a liquid deriving and transferring unit that selectively derives liquid from the common liquid chamber to the plural liquid transfer paths and transfers liquid to the print medium; and a liquid transfer controlling unit that controls the liquid deriving and transferring unit. The liquid deriving and transferring unit has: plural electrodes respectively provided along the plural liquid transfer paths; a voltage applying unit that selectively applies a voltage to the plural electrodes; and an insulating film provided on surfaces of the plural electrodes and adapted to reduce, when the voltage applying unit applies a voltage to one of the electrodes, liquid repellency of a part corresponding to the one of the electrodes.
US07641317B2
A liquid discharge recording head includes a substrate having a liquid supply opening facilitating supplying liquid and heating resistors for generating energy for discharging the liquid, a flow path member having discharge openings and flow paths including first and second flow paths that are adjacent each other, the second flow path being longer than the first flow path, and a first resister corresponding to the first flow path and a second resistor corresponding to the second flow path, each of the first and second resistors being disposed at an area of the flow path member which is situated in correspondence with the liquid supply opening, wherein an amount of protrusion of the first resister at a side of the first flow path is greater than an amount of protrusion of the second resister at a side of the second flow path.
US07641316B2
An ink jet head circuit board is provided which has heaters to generate thermal energy for ink ejection as they are energized. This circuit board reduces areas of the heaters to achieve higher printing resolution and image quality. This board also prevents a degradation of thermal energy efficiency and reduces power consumption. The protective insulation layer for the electrode wire layer is formed of two layers and one of the two layers is removed from above the heater to improve the heat energy efficiency. The resistor layer is deposited over the electrode wire layer. The patterning for removing the protective insulation layer is done in a wider range than a gap of the electrode wire layer, the gap being used to form the heater. Further, by forming the electrode wires in two layers, a possible reduction in an effective bubble generation area of the heater can be prevented.
US07641310B2
Lattice point data of each lattice point on W-C line in a color separation table reproducing primary color C is determined so that C ink monotonically increases from W point to C point. Also, particular color G for toning is used to monotonically increase from the halfway of W point to C point and lattice point data is determined so that the basic color C ink and the particular color G ink are mixed at C point. In a case where the reflection characteristics is made such that the basic color C ink thus produces the coloring closer to a blue color, the particular color G ink having high chroma and many portions overlapped in the zone of the C ink and the green color is used at a high density portion of the device primary color C. This realizes control of the hue shift and the high chroma both.
US07641305B2
A printer includes a cleaning mechanism that reliably performs an operation of cleaning a liquid ejecting head with a small amount of driving energy. The cleaning mechanism includes a cap manufactured by coinjection molding of a core part and an elastic part. The cap includes a bottom surface, an outer wall, and a partition wall dividing a cap inner space surrounded by the outer wall into two. A ratio of the elastic part in the partition wall is higher than that in the outer wall. With this structure, the partition wall is more elastically deformable than the outer wall. When the cap comes into contact with a nozzle surface of a recording head and covers nozzle rows, the outer wall comes into contact with the nozzle surface with a larger stress compared with the partition wall, and seals chambers where the nozzle rows on the nozzle surface are exposed.
US07641294B1
A shop desk with a desk body sized to define a volume bounded by a top, front, rear and side walls. A hutch is configured to fit within the volume when disassembled. The desk body is wider, longer and deeper than the hutch. The hutch secures to a top surface of the desk body when assembled. Legs support the desk body and a leg stabilizer platform connects to the legs at a location spaced from an underside of the desk body.
US07641293B2
An offset track forms a pattern perpendicular to the centerline of the track which enables tracks to be formed with even or odd number of metal inserts and thus accommodate virtually any tracked vehicle. The offset track uses variations in body thickness and lug width to provide a high performance offset track with improved ride, minimum vibration and longer wear. Use of full size and mini-inserts in a single track minimizes the weight and further enhances the performance of an offset track.
US07641289B2
The drive away axle assembly comprises at least an axle shaft having a proximal end seated within an axle housing and a distal terminal flange and a hub having a distal end land and a sidewall. The distal terminal flange of the axle shaft has bores therein which align with threaded bores in the distal end land of the hub, and axle shaft/hub connectors engage through the bores to removably connect the hub to the axle shaft. Further, an axle shaft retaining bolt extends through the sidewall of the hub for engagement with the axle shaft structures to maintain the axle shaft within the axle housing when the axle shaft/hub connectors are removed. Upon removal of such connectors, the hub rotates freely without imparting rotation to the axle shaft. Still further, an accessory spring may be provided for assisting in disengagement of the axle shaft flange from the hub.
US07641284B2
A slideable armrest, which may form a lid of a vehicle console compartment, comprises a cover and a base slideably connected to each other by slideable engagement between at least one guide and at least one guide groove.
US07641283B2
An insert for protecting the breathing airway of an infant conforms to the incline angle of an infant seat, such as a car seat, high chair, stroller, or jogger. Preferably the insert is hinged so it can be used in an infant seat or laid flat for use on a changing table or other flat surface. In use, two side rolls contact the infant to prevent it from moving sideways. A bottom roll prevents slouching in the seat and supports the infant's legs when laid flat. Preferably, the bottom roll is removable so the insert may be used with larger infants who do not need the provided support. An adjustable shoulder roll extends between the side rolls and can be moved up or down for proper placement behind the infant's shoulders. The shoulder roll compensates for the infant's rearward-elongated head, keeping it in a natural position to avoid compromising the airway. The rolls are preferably made of memory foam and covered by machine-washable fabric.
US07641282B2
A locking device for a seat back includes a release preventing mechanism for preventing the locking device from being unintendedly released by the fact that a second arm portion of a lift lever abuts on a side edge portion of a guide hole of a lock plate to cause the lift lever to rotate positively when a base plate rotates forward along a horizontal direction about a lock pin in a state where the lock pin engages with a lock hole of the lock plate and the second arm portion of the lift lever is located in the guide hole of the lock plate when the seat back is held at a rising position.
US07641279B1
A storage compartment and method of locking the storage compartment to an arm rest of a chair are provided. The storage compartment may include a housing having a cavity for receiving articles and a cover movable relative to the housing between a closed position and an open position. Openings may be defined in opposing sides of at least one of the housing and the cover for receiving an arm rest of a chair. The storage compartment may also include a locking mechanism moveable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition such that the housing and cover can be positioned around an arm rest of a chair and the locking mechanism can prevent removal of the storage compartment from the arm rest.
US07641275B2
A wind deflector noise reduction system is provided. The wind deflector noise reduction system particularly reduces or eliminates wind throb in a moving vehicle having a rear side window in an open position. The system includes a panel attached to the B-pillar of a motor vehicle and operable to move between a closed position and an open position. When the panel is in the open position, wind is deflected from entering the moving vehicle. An actuator associated with the panel and operable to move the panel between the closed and the open position can be energized by a controller. The controller can be activated by the user of the motor vehicle and/or by a sensor that detects the position of the rear side window.
US07641273B2
Vehicle headliners and methods of installation include headliners with a substrate layer having at least one handling component formed within the substrate layer, the handling component having a perforation between the handling component and the surrounding substrate layer, wherein the handling component aids in the handling of the headliner during installation.
US07641272B2
A vehicle body structure includes a roof panel, a front structural support member and an optional extension member. The front structural support member includes a first A-pillar attachment end, a second A-pillar attachment end, a front edge extending between the first and second A-pillar attachment ends and a rear edge extending between the first and second A-pillar attachment ends. In a first configuration, the roof panel attaches to the front edge and also to another region of the front structural support member. In a second vehicle configuration, the extension member is attached a rear edge of the front structural support member and extends to a position on the roof panel that is located vertically above the front structural support member when the front structural support member is in an installed orientation.
US07641258B2
A top for a convertible has a linkage with which a plurality of roof sections can be displaced between a closed position and an open position. The rearmost roof section is configured as a rear window frame, and the linkage has a control link which is mounted pivotally on a bracket which can be fastened or is fastened to the vehicle. The linkage has a clamping hoop and a coupling linkage for controlling the kinematics of the rear window frame, said coupling linkage having a front coupling link and a rear coupling link which are mounted pivotally on the clamping hoop and on the rear window frame. In order to stabilize the top in its end positions, for the rear coupling link, there is formed on the clamping hoop a front stop against which the rear coupling link bears when the top is closed, and a rear stop against which the rear coupling link bears when the top is open.
US07641247B2
Generally, an end effector assembly for a substrate transfer robot is provided. In one embodiment, an end effector assembly for supporting a quadrilateral substrate during substrate transfer includes an end effector having an inner edge support disposed on a first end and a first outer edge support disposed on a distal end. The first end of the end effector is adapted for coupling to a robot linkage. The first inner edge support has a face that is oriented parallel to and facing the face of the first outer edge support. This configuration of edge supports captures the substrate to the end effector thereby minimizing substrate slippage during transfer. In another embodiment, lateral guides may be utilized to further enhance capturing the substrate along the edges of the substrate open between the inner and outer edge supports.
US07641244B2
A fire door lock includes a base assembly including first and second slide blocks, a locking control assembly including a movable seat forming a groove and a tongue control plate movably mounted to one side of the locking control assembly, and a winglet assembly including first and second winglets both having a boss movably received in the groove of the movable seat and both being respectively and rotatably coupled to the first and second slide blocks. Thus, when the movable seat is driven by a handle, the movable seat moves the first and second slide blocks to withdraw first and second latch bars to unlock the fire door and when the fire door is closed, the tongue control plate is actuated to allow the movable seat to return to the locked condition and the first and second latches and a tongue are stretched out to realize three-directional locking.
US07641234B1
A ride-on turf mowing machine rollover protection assembly consisting of a mower chassis having left: and right main rails and having a plurality of cross rails spanning between the left and right main rails; left and right upwardly opening quills; a first plurality of welds rigidly interconnecting the left main rail and the left upwardly opening quill; a second plurality of welds rigidly interconnecting the right main rail and the right upwardly opening quill; a roll bar having left and right legs, each leg having a lower end, the lower ends of the left and right legs being respectively closely fitted for nesting extension into the left and right upwardly opening quills; and a plurality of helically threaded bolt, nut, and double shear eye combinations removably mounting the lower ends of the left and right legs of the roll bar within the left and right upwardly opening quills.
US07641229B2
An occupant classification system is provided based upon the use of an array of electrical switches arranged between a seat trim and a reactive surface. The switches produce selective outputs signals as an engaging surface makes contact with one or more of the switches when an occupant occupies the seat. The output signals are interpreted into a control signal to distinguish between occupants for controlling an inflatable restraint system. The occupant classification system also includes a control structure which defines a distance between the array of switches and the engaging surface that is greater than zero when the seat is unoccupied so that the switches are insensitive to the initial forces applied to the seat through the seat trim. The distance between one or more of the switches and the engaging surface decreases to zero when the occupant occupies the seat to produce the selective output signals.
US07641217B2
A detachable mobile seat includes a first part connected to a motor; a second part attached to the seat; and two links, each connected to the first part, the second part, and a wheel. The links transfer movement of the first part to the wheels. The first part includes a shaft connected to the motor, and two nuts disposed around the shaft that have screw threads in opposite directions and move along the shaft in response to operation of the motor. Each link includes a first link connected to the second part and to the nut, and a second link connected to the nut and to the wheel. The end of each second link that is nearest the wheel is rotatably connected to a connecting arm that has a rotating bar that rotates the wheel in response to operation of the links.
US07641214B2
An energy-absorbing trailer hitch assembly is provided that includes a receiver tube and an insertion tube. The receiver tube is typically fixedly attached to a motor vehicle and has a set of apertures that affords for a pin to pass therethrough. The tube also has a set of slots adjacent to the apertures, with protrusions between each aperture and its adjacent slot. The insertion tube serves as a trailer hitch and has a set of apertures that align with the set of apertures in the receiver tube. Placement of the insertion tube within the receiver tube affords for a pin to pass through and be held within said apertures. In this manner a trailer may be attached to the trailer hitch and pulled by the motor vehicle. When the trailer is impacted, for example by a rear-end collision, deformation of the pin and/or the protrusions of the receiver tube allow the pin to travel in a forward direction, thereby absorbing energy from the collision. A second embodiment of the invention provides for an energy-absorbing trailer hitch assembly wherein the apertures, slots and protrusions therebetween are located within the insertion tube instead of the receiver tube.
US07641205B2
A cart is described for use in transporting and loading kayaks and similar watercraft. The cart includes first and second side frame members having forward and rear ends; a support member extending between the frame members adjacent the frame member rear ends; a bracing member extending between the frame members adjacent the frame member forward ends; a wheel assembly adjacent the rear ends of the frame members, the assembly including first and second axle ends and wheels carried on the axle ends; and an anti-reverse braking means preventing rearward movement of the cart upon tilting of the cart upward. The braking means may include a first component attached to a frame member and a second component attached to a rotatable component of the wheel assembly, the first and second components being moved into locking engagement upon upward tilting of the cart.
US07641204B2
A wheelbarrow for transporting materials includes an undercarriage, a wheel rotatably mounted to the undercarriage, a pan mounted to and supported by the undercarriage and a fastening mechanism having a head. The pan includes a base wall and an upright wall extending upwardly from the base wall. The base wall and upright wall define a carrying space and a carrying surface facing the carrying space. A depression is formed in the pan defining a depression plane that is generally continuous with the carrying surface. The fastening mechanism mounts the pan to the undercarriage such that the head is positioned within the depression between the undercarriage and the depression plane.
US07641197B2
A player places an ante wager to participate in the play of the underlying card game. An initial deal of at least one communal partial hand of poker consisting of at least one card is dealt from a single (or multiple) standard deck(s) of cards, standard deck(s) of cards with certain cards removed, or standard deck(s) of cards that is augmented by wild cards or jokers, especially with a partial communal hand consisting of two face-up cards. The player is directed to consider the partial hand and is then directed to choose to play the partial hand as either a 5-card stud game, a 6-card stud game, or a 7-card stud game by placing an additional Play wager on a particular Play Bet circle (i.e., the 5-card game, the 6-card game or the 7-card stud game. Three additional community cards are then dealt face up to complete the 5-card stud hand, and subsequently a 4th and 5th community card. Each wagered hand would then be compared to a predetermined pay table (for the specific game play selected by the player) and winnings would be awarded for certain predetermined combinations or ranks.
US07641193B2
Various apparatus and methods for bending a sheet of media are disclosed.
US07641190B2
A medium tray (101) comprises a medium support (1) connected to a medium feeding section (100) of an image recording apparatus (200) and receiving record medium (P), and a medium guide (5) extending from the medium support (1) and supporting the record medium (P) such that an angle of a rear portion of the record medium (P) is changed. A lengthy record medium (P) having a length greater than the medium support (1) is supported by the medium guide (5) with the rear portion thereof directed at a different angle so that the length record medium (P) is loaded in the medium tray (101) without enlarging an area projecting from the image recording apparatus (200).
US07641189B2
A sheet feeder feeds a sheet to an image forming unit. The sheet feeder can include a supply tray that holds a stack of sheets, a separation element disposed at an end of the supply tray, and configured to contact and apply a resistive force to a sheet in the stack, and a separation roller disposed facing the separation element, and configured to rotate, contact and apply a feeding force to an uppermost sheet in the stack. The sheet feeder may also include a pressing plate pivotally attached to the supply tray at an end remote from the separation element, and configured to move toward the separation element as a number of sheets in the stack decreases, and a pressure applying element that increases a contact surface pressure between the separation element and the uppermost sheet in response to the pressing plate moving toward the separation element.
US07641184B2
In the image reading and recording apparatus, a separating and feeding unit, a paper end detecting unit, a reading unit, a conveying unit, and a recording unit are arranged in this order from the upstream of the conveying direction. The separating and feeding unit has a switching unit for selectively switching between a separating function of separating the uppermost one of stacked sheets and a feeding function of feeding each separated sheet at a predetermined speed. After a sheet is separated, switching from the separating function to the feeding function is carried out before the paper end detecting unit detects the top end of the sheet.
US07641178B2
A system of blocks is configured to be compatible with each other in the construction of a columnar structure. Each block has four faces and all four faces may generally have the same dimensions. The width of the blocks may generally be about twice their height. The faces of the block also may contain a slot to add an aesthetic appearance to the column. The blocks have certain constructions features that mate with specially constructed brackets in attaching a fence panel to the completed column.The blocks have interlocking elements or projections that permit positive connection between courses of blocks. Projections of one block extend into the core another block. Adjacent blocks can be rotated 90 degrees relative to each other about a vertical axis of each block with each course. The blocks can be used to construct a column that is easy to install and structurally sound.
US07641175B1
A valve body substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis has at least one internal space and comprises guide means and two separately formed portions joined by at least one cylindrical web. One or more passages spaced apart from the longitudinal axis allow fluid communication between at least one internal space and space external to the valve body. At least one internal space may be substantially filled with a substantially incompressible flowable substance to facilitate pressure equalization across the valve body. Forging or casting valve body portions to near-net-shape prior to joining minimizes machining necessary to achieve a final desired shape. Increased valve durability and reduced metal wear arise from reduced valve body weight and correspondingly reduced impact loading as the valve body moves to seal against a valve seat. Valve sealing may be aided by an elastomeric seal in a peripheral integral seal retention groove of the valve body.
US07641174B2
A valve comprising an inlet housing, an outlet housing, an elastomeric valve element having a generally dome-shaped configuration with a central integral stem positioned substantially concentrically therewith, the inlet housing and outlet housing being fastened together at a joint with the elastomeric valve element positioned therein and the valve element including a plurality of longitudinal ribs formed along an outer annular periphery of a lower end of the dome-shaped configuration that define flow channels that allow fluid flow from across an upper surface of the dome-shaped configuration through the flow channels.
US07641171B2
An object of the present invention is to obtain a quick-response fluid control valve.A fluid control valve includes a pressure chamber including an output port; an air supply nozzle and an air exhaust nozzle which are communicatively connected to the pressure chamber and positioned on a common straight line; a flapper assembly which is movable between the air supply nozzle and the air exhaust nozzle and includes a pair of opening/closing control surfaces that face an opening end of the air supply nozzle and an opening end of the air exhaust nozzle, respectively; and a flapper-assembly moving mechanism which moves the flapper assembly so that a distance between the opening end of the air supply nozzle and one of the pair of opening/closing control surfaces increases while a distance between the opening end of the air exhaust nozzle and the other of the pair of opening/closing control surfaces decreases.
US07641170B2
The present invention provides a faucet for tapping a liquid stored under pressure of a gas in a container that has less moving parts subject to wear or breakage, and has a housing made of multiple parts which can be disassembled so the faucet mechanism can be easily cleaned, repaired, or replaced. The faucet mechanism contains a piece of flexible tubing and an arrangement of a pinch roller valve mechanism that compresses the flexible tubing to shut off flow of liquid through the tubing. In one arrangement of the present invention, since the housing does not move and does not come in contact with the beverage being poured, the housing is made of a non-metallic material, such as a plastic or petroleum-based material, which is less expensive than the previous brass or stainless steel housing.
US07641168B2
This present invention concerns a mold for the aluminothermic welding of railway rails. The compressible lining (58) used to seal the molding die in relation to leakages of the weld metal in the liquid state is limited to the parts of the contact surfaces (52) of the parts (19) of the mold on the rails to be welded, corresponding to the bottom, the sides and the top of the foot, to the sides of the web and below the head. The rigid refractory material of the parts (19) is exposed in the parts (67, 71) of the contact surfaces corresponding to the sides and the top of the head, and suitable to be removed selectively from the latter. This makes it easy to adapt the mold to rails with different degrees of wear.
US07641164B2
A power seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail adapted to be fixed to a vehicle floor, a second rail adapted to be fixed to a vehicle seat and slidably supported relative to the first rail, a screw shaft screwed to a nut member which is fixed to the first rail, the screw shaft including an end portion and a stepped portion, a washer engaged with the stepped portion of the screw shaft, a gear member to which the end portion of the screw shaft is inserted, a fastening member provided at the end portion of the screw shaft, and a gear box fixed to an end of the second rail. The gear box includes a support bracket, a gear housing, and a plate. The stepped portion of the screw shaft is arranged in such a manner that the washer is connected thereto in the gear housing.
US07641160B2
An apparatus that is adapted to reduce wobble in a tripod that is used to hold an optical instrument, includes a triangular shaped base plate that includes an attachment to each leg of the tripod. The base plate includes slots at each corner or apex thereof that provides for an adjustment range sufficient for most types of tripods. A member that is attached to each leg of the tripod is attached to each corner of the base plate. A lighted carousel that includes a battery operated light and is adapted to hold a plurality of lenses is disposed above the base plate. According to a modification, the slots are eliminated from the base plate and an adjustment bar having a slot therein is attached at one end to a modified base plate and, at a remaining end, to a member that is attached to each of the legs of the tripod.
US07641152B2
The movable surfaces affecting the camber of a wing are dynamically adjusted to optimize wing camber for optimum lift/drag ratios under changing conditions during a given flight phase. In a preferred embodiment, an add-on dynamic adjustment control module provides command signals for optimum positioning of trailing edge movable surfaces, i.e., inboard flaps, outboard flaps, ailerons, and flaperons, which are used in place of the predetermined positions of the standard flight control system. The dynamic adjustment control module utilizes inputs of changing aircraft conditions such as altitude, Mach number, weight, center of gravity, vertical speed and flight phase. The dynamic adjustment control module's commands for repositioning the movable surfaces of the wing are transmitted through the standard flight control system to actuators for moving the flight control surfaces.
US07641141B2
A coreless roll (12) of a plastic film (10) is directly wound onto a tubular spindle (11); the spindle (11) is provided with an air chamber (11P) having a perforated side wall (11W), which communicate with a pressurised air source (27). At the removal of the roll (12), the inner turns of the roll (12) are radially expanded by feeding a pressurised airflow into the winding spindle (11) and the roll (12); the pressurised air is fed for a length of time required for the removal of the roll (12).
US07641140B2
A paper, board or material web is wound in a winder of the two-drum type. Winding core (10) ends placed against each other are coupled to be on the same axis of rotation during winding by severing cuts (12U, 12N) which are formed in the ends (11A, 11B) of the winding cores (10) and which deviate from a perpendicular cutting line.
US07641138B1
An auxiliary unit of paper shredder cutting tools is installed on cutting tools of a paper shredder. The auxiliary unit is formed by two L-shape plates located between two neighboring blades, an arc-shape hole at an end of each L-shape plate is hooked on a cutting bar of the cutting tool, and a through-hole of each L-shape plate provides for a support rod to be transfixed, so as to stably fix paper guides, the cutting bars and the blades. Therefore, the paper guides, the cutting bars and the blades can be prevented from getting loose or stretched open to damage the paper shredder or result in noise or even an imperfect shredding effect.
US07641137B2
In a dispersing apparatus comprising a container (10) for a dispersion material, a dissolve disc (22) drivable by a shaft (21) and a grinding device which contains a grinding medium and which has a perforated housing (34) through which dispersion material can pass by virtue of a flow generated by the dissolve disc (22), and an agitator tool which is drillable by a drive element and which is arranged in the housing (34) and is rotatable relative thereto, wherein the housing (34) surrounds the shaft (21), wherein the housing (34) is displaceable relative to the shaft (21) from a raised position into a lowered position and wherein the shaft (21) and the drive element can be coupled together by way of a coupling which has a first element (47) and a corresponding second element (53), which elements are in operative connection in the lowered position, in order to design same in such a way than a dispersing apparatus comprising a container (10) for a dispersion material, a dissolve disc (22) drivable by a shaft (21) and a grinding device which contains a grinding medium and which has a perforated housing (34) through which dispersion material can pass by virtue of a flow generated by the dissolve disc (22), and an agitator tool which is drivable by a drive element and which is arranged in the housing (34) and is rotatable relative thereto, wherein the housing (34) surrounds the shaft (21), wherein the housing (34) is displaceable relative to the shaft (21) from a raised position into a lowered position and wherein the shaft (21) and the drive element can be coupled together by way of a coupling which has a first element and a corresponding second element, which elements are in operative connection in the lowered position, in order to design same in such a way that it complies with coming anti-explosion regulations and is of a simple structure, it is proposed that the first element of the coupling is arranged at the lower end of the housing (34) and that the second element of the coupling is arranged in the region of a lower end of the shaft (21).
US07641128B2
A rail brace assembly is adapted to buttress the head of a stock rail selected from one of two different stock rail groups mounted on the top surface of a brace plate. The assembly includes a stop block assembly also is affixed to the brace plate top surface. A rail brace moveable between a first brace position in which it buttresses the head of a rail from a first stock rail group and a second brace position in which it buttresses the head of a rail from a second stock rail group, has a pair of spaced side walls, a upwardly facing top surface, first rail group head and base fishing surface contact areas, second rail group head and base fishing surface contact areas, a first rail group brace plate contact surface and a second rail group brace plate contact surface. An elastic fastener cooperates with a clip housing to clamp the rail brace against the stock rail. When the rail brace is in the first brace position the first rail group head and base fishing surface contact areas engage the rail head and base fishing surface areas, the first rail group brace plate contact surface contacts the brace plate and the second rail group head fishing surface contact area engages the stop block assembly. When the rail brace is in the second brace position the second rail group head and base fishing surface contact areas engage the head and base fishing surfaces of the stock rail, the second rail group brace plate contact surface contacts the brace plate and the first rail group head fishing surface contact area engages the stop block assembly.
US07641120B2
Disclosed is a system for embedding and recovering machine readable information on a substrate, including an image forming device containing at least two fluorescent marking materials, wherein the image forming device receives data representative of the machine readable information, and forms an image corresponding to the data in a machine readable code format with the at least two fluorescent marking materials on the substrate, and a document reading device including a radiation emitting unit that emits radiation effecting fluorescence of a first fluorescent marking material and/or second fluorescent marking material, and a reader that detects the data in the image on the image receiving substrate while the first fluorescent marking material and/or second fluorescent marking material is fluorescing.
US07641116B2
An envelope for use in containing and authenticating a ballot is presented. The envelope has a containment region dimensioned to receive a ballot or other desired document in accordance with the particular application with which the envelope is used and has a pre-defined area on the back to carry the signature of a person such as a voter using the envelope to vote by mail. A flap portion outside the pre-defined area is used to seal the containment region. A window cover is substantially in registration with the pre-defined signature area to obscure the signature in a first operative configuration and to reveal the pre-defined signature area in a second operative and to re-obscure the signature area after the signature area has been revealed whereby the ballot remains sealed during the pre-defined signature area obscured, revealed and re-obscured configurations. The window cover is arranged for automatic removal by mechanical opening means for automated processing.
US07641115B2
A method of generating an association between a sticker and an object of an object type, the sticker having disposed therein or thereon coded data at least partially indicative of a sticker identity and the object type, the method including, in a computer system: receiving indicating data from a sensing device, the indicating data being at least partially indicative of the identity of the sticker and the object type, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the sticker, being responsive to sense at least some of the coded data and generate the indicating data using the sensed coded data; identifying, using the indicating data, the identity of the sticker, the object type and the object of the object type; and, generating an association based at least partially on the sticker identity and the object.
US07641112B2
A financial transaction card includes a substantially biodegradable substrate, a plurality of seeds, and an account identifier. The plurality of seeds is coupled with the substantially biodegradable substrate such that the plurality of seeds is embedded within and substantially surrounded by the substantially biodegradable substrate. When the financial transaction card is inserted into a planting composition, the substantially biodegradable substrate decomposes leaving the plurality of seeds planted in the planting composition. The account identifier is securely connected to the substrate and links the substantially biodegradable substrate to a financial account. The account identifier is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal. Stored-value card assemblies, methods of encouraging purchase and facilitating use of a stored-value card, and other embodiments are also disclosed.
US07641099B2
A solder joint determination method is disclosed that is able to inspect a joint portion between an electrode and a soldered portion and determine a soldering condition of the joint portion reliably with high precision. The method includes the steps of: scanning a surface of the electrode with the light beam; detecting a height of the electrode relative to the circuit board from data of the scanning of the electrode; scanning a surface of the solder near the electrode with the light beam; detecting a height of the solder relative to the circuit board from data of the scanning of the solder; and determining the solder joint condition between the electronic part and the solder based on the height of the electrode and the height of the solder relative to the circuit board.
US07641096B2
A friction stir welding apparatus has a novel tool-in-tool construction where a friction stir welding pin tool extends through a center bore of a friction stir welding shoulder tool and is moveable axially and rotationally relative to the shoulder tool. The pin tool and shoulder tool both have their own dedicated tool holders and spindles that enable the tools to rotate and move axially relative to each other and enable easy replacement of each of the tools.
US07641089B2
A cordless nailer is provided having a magazine assembly with improved features. A pusher assembly is provided having a simplified and efficient construction. A nail retention feature is provided to allow easy loading and unloading of nails into the nailer.
US07641086B2
A motorcycle rack for supporting a motorcycle in a generally upright position on the bed of a truck or trailer has a main support member transversing the bed to connect to and be supported by a first and second support assembly. The motorcycle rack has one or more wheel chock assemblies on the main support member for receiving a motorcycle wheel and supporting the motorcycle while the user places restraints, when necessary, around the motorcycle. The support assemblies and/or wheel chock assemblies can include loops for securing the motorcycle. One or more moveable tie-down holds can also be placed on main support member. The support assemblies can be removably mounted on the sidewall of the vehicle using a side member and clamp or mounted to the bed using a leg and receiver combination. Cradling or clamping wheel chock assemblies can be utilized to cradle or clamp the motorcycle's wheel.
US07641081B2
Disclosed is an immersion nozzle, which comprises a vertically-extending pipe-shaped straight nozzle body 10 adapted to allow molten steel to pass downwardly from an inlet port 9 provided at an upper end thereof, and a pair of discharge portions each including a respective one of a pair of outlet ports 12 provided in a lower portion of the straight nozzle body 10 in a bilaterally symmetrical arrangement and adapted to discharge molten steel laterally from a lateral side of the straight nozzle body. Each of the discharge portions has an inner surface defining the outlet port 12 and extending parallel to an axis of the outlet port 12 to define a length of the discharge portion at 45 mm or more. A ratio of S1/S2 is in the range of 0.8 to 1.8, wherein S1 is a total transverse vertical cross-sectional area of the outlet ports, and S2 is a cross-sectional area of an inner hole of the straight nozzle body taken along a plane including a line connecting respective inwardmost and uppermost positions of the outlet ports and extends perpendicularly to an axis of the straight nozzle body. The axis of the outlet port extends laterally outwardly and downwardly at the following angle θt with respect to a horizontal direction: 0°≦θt≦20°. The immersion nozzle of the present invention can suppress deceleration of a molten steel flow discharged from the outlet port to obtain a flow speed in an intended direction over a maximized distance.
US07641079B2
A cover and trigger assembly is provided that includes having a valve that can be actuated for dispensing the contents of the can through an outlet of the valve. The assembly includes an annular component having a helical surface is secured to the can, and a cover coupled to the annular component. The cover has an opening through which a trigger extends, and the cover is rotatable relative to the helical surface on the annular component for rotatably raising or lowering the cover relative to the annular component. The raising or lowering of the cover respectively prohibits or permits movement of the trigger member to actuate the valve, thereby controlling dispensing operation of the valve.
US07641078B2
Device forming packaging for viscous products, which can be fully emptied by means of manual pumping
A packaging which enables a compressible container to be fully emptied by pressing the fingers against the body thereof. The packaging has four parts, namely: a body having a vent hole, a container with a discharge hole, a flexible pouch and a cap. The aforementioned flexible pouch retracts and moves back completely until it is applied against the inner wall of the container. When the user exerts pressure on the body of the packaging while blocking the vent hole with a finger, all of the contents are discharged from the flexible pouch gradually and without effort, by compressing the air contained in the body. The device can be adapted to all compressible packaging for liquid, viscous or pasty products.
US07641076B2
A liquid dispensing system for dispensing liquid from a container to be consumed includes a base being positionable on a support surface. The base includes a perimeter wall defining an interior space of the base. The interior space receives and stores the liquid to be dispensed. A spigot is coupled to the perimeter wall and in fluid communication with the interior space. A container is positioned on the base. The container contains the liquid to be supplied to the interior space of the base. A pump assembly is coupled to the base and in fluid communication with the container and the interior space of the base. The pump assembly is actuated to transfer liquid from the container and into the interior space of the base.
US07641067B2
A trash container that can conform a trash bag to the trash container's interior comprising a container having an interior surface for receiving a trash bag; a suction opening disposed in the container for allowing fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of the container when a suction force is applied to the suction opening; a conduit carried by the container's interior surface in fluid communication with the suction opening; a plurality of air channels extending between an interior air passage and an exterior of the conduit to allow air to flow into the interior air passage of the conduit; whereby, air may be drawn through the plurality of air channels into the interior air passage and evacuated through the suction opening, thereby causing the trash bag to conform to the interior surface when a suction force is applied to the suction opening.
US07641060B2
The window hardware system of the invention comprises a variety of different types of poles in different finishes, colors and styles. A variety of different types of finials are also provided in different colors, materials, styles and shapes. A variety of different types of separate collars are also provided where certain types of collars may match the color, style and finish of the poles. A connection mechanism is provided to connect the finial, collar and pole to one another such that any combination of finial, collar and pole can be assembled. The body of the finial can have a modular construction such that the finial can be assembled from a variety of components to create a custom look.
US07641054B2
A composite semipermeable membrane, which comprises a separating functional layer comprising a reactant of polyfunctional amine with polyfunctional acid halide, wherein a water-soluble organic material is in contact with the separating functional layer, and the separating functional layer has a boron removal ratio of 95% or more, when seawater at 25° C. having a pH of 6.5, a boron concentration of 5 ppm and a TDS concentration of 3.5% by weight is permeated under an operation pressure of 5.5 MPa.
US07641050B2
The present invention relates to a novel type of medicine pack comprising a plurality of blister units (1), said blister units (1) each having a protective case (6), with a blister strip (4) located therein, the blister strip (4) being fixedly connected to the protective case (6), and the protective case being able to be unfolded or opened out, and also, if appropriate, an outer package (5, 5a) for receiving the blister units (1).
US07641044B2
A conveyor chain for a travel way on which an operator and/or a work carriage are reliably moved in a nonskid manner. The conveyor chain has a series of modules, each with a nonskid material loaded upper surface with front and rear hinge portions for connecting the modules to each other by connecting pins. The nonskid material loaded upper surface has hollows with the hollow surfaces recessed below the upper surface. The upper surface includes a number of supporting ribs project upwardly from the hollow surfaces and terminate flush with the upper surface, so that the transfer of the work carriage is easy and a back bend radius is decreased. Miniaturization and simplification of the conveyor are attained.
US07641036B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides for a method comprising determining sales data associated with a sales device (e.g., a vending machine) and adjusting a level of sensitivity of a currency validator based on the sales data.
US07641024B2
An elevator for transporting a person between two floors of a building includes at least one carriage and a lifting system. The elevator includes a control system and door sensors detecting the opening and closing of doors covering a hoist way. The control system detects a first opening and closing of a door in front of the carriage and activates the lift system to move the carriage to an opposite floor. Upon detecting a second opening and closing of a door in front of the carriage, the control system places the lift system in a standby state. Upon detecting a third opening and closing of a door in front of the carriage, the control system again activates the lift system to move the carriage to an opposite floor.
US07641018B2
A control system for a hybrid-vehicle equipped with power takeoff equipment provides control over primary and redundant, relatively low output systems so that the redundant system is not damaged by concurrent operation of the primary system.
US07641015B2
A motorcycle includes a rear swing arm which has upper and lower arms and an arm body. The upper and lower arms are vertically swingably attached to either a body frame or an engine via pivot shafts that are disposed in vertically spaced relation to each other and extend parallel to each other toward a rear wheel. The arm body is swingably connected to a rear end of the upper and lower arms via support shafts for supporting the rear wheel.
US07641012B2
A method of mounting a battery box (10) on a frame rail (12). Fasteners and elements (36, 38; or 54, 56) provide spaced apart, axially tapered outer surfaces (46; 62) proximate a vertical side of the rail with the tapers narrowing toward the side of the rail. The box has tabs (28) having downwardly open throats (30). The box is hung on the rail by positioning the box so as to place each tab over a respective element (38 or 56) on the fastener (36 or 54) with the tab throat aligned with the element, and then lowering the box to cause the elements to enter the tab throats and the throats to come to rest on the elements so that at least some of the weight of the box is borne by the rail through the throats resting on the elements. With the throats resting on the elements, the tapered outer surfaces present axial interference to the tabs beyond the tabs relative to the rail. After the box has been hung, the box is fastened to the rail by additional fasteners.
US07641004B2
A bit for drilling a hole. The bit includes a support member, the support member having a passageway extending substantially longitudinally therethrough; a substantially annular crown defining a crown distal end and a crown proximal end, a radially inwardly located crown inner surface and a radially outwardly located crown outer surface, the crown extending from the support member; a slot extending between the crown inner and outer surfaces from the crown distal end substantially longitudinally towards the crown proximal end, the slot defining a slot first side wall, a substantially circumferentially opposed slot second side wall and a slot proximal wall extending therebetween substantially opposed the crown distal end; and a reinforcing member extending substantially circumferentially across the slot between the slot first and second walls; wherein the slot includes a slot proximal segment extending between the reinforcing member and the slot proximal wall and a slot distal segment extending between the reinforcing member and the crown distal end.
US07641002B2
In one aspect of the present invention, a rotary drag drill bit has a body intermediate a shank and a working face. The working face has a plurality of blades converging towards a center of the working face and diverging towards a gauge of the working face. A carbide section is fixed to the working face and positioned within a pocket disposed within an inverted cone of the working face. The carbide section has a distal end exposed within the working face.
US07640997B2
A breaker tool has a chassis carrying a motor, an impact mechanism operating in a certain working direction, an enclosure rigidly connected to the chassis and surrounding at least the motor, and a handle device including two handles protruding from opposite sides of the enclosure and are vibration damped relative to the chassis via swing arms, where the swing arms are arranged to accomplish a flexible parallel movement providing coupling between the chassis and the handle device. The handle device includes a bridge to which the handles are secured. The swing arms are pivotally connected to the bridge via first pivots and to the chassis via second pivots, where at least one of the first and second pivots is a torsion pivot that provides a limited torsion damped oscillation of the bridge relative to the chassis in a direction substantially parallel with the working direction.
US07640993B2
A system for installing a powered device in a downhole tube has a power line extending down a production tube and terminating in a power connector or contact. The powered device toolstring is down the tube and has a corresponding power connector or contact. The two connectors or contacts are aligned as the connector or contact of the line approaches the connector or contact of the tool. Then the two contacts are fitted together such that they make electrical connection when the powered device toolstring is located adjacent to the power connector or contact of the production tube.
US07640989B2
Electrically operated well tools. A well system includes a well tool positioned in a wellbore. The well tool includes an actuator and an operating member displaceable to operate the well tool. The actuator includes a series of longitudinally distributed electromagnets, in which current is controllable in a predetermined pattern to thereby variably control longitudinal displacement of the operating member. In another well system, the operating member is displaceable between opposite maximum limits of displacement to operate the well tool, and an electromagnet is operative to displace the operating member to at least one position between the opposite maximum limits of displacement. In a method of operating a well tool, the well tool is operated by controlling current in a series of longitudinally distributed electromagnets of an actuator in a predetermined pattern, thereby causing corresponding longitudinal displacement of an operating member.
US07640977B2
A technique is provided to facilitate connection of multiple stage completions. A first completion stage is deployed at a wellbore location. Subsequently, the next completion stage is moved downhole into engagement with the first completion stage. The completion stages each have communication lines that are coupled together downhole via movement of the completion stages into engagement.
US07640974B1
Spool apparatus for use in an underground well having casing, comprising a body sized for travel in the well casing, the body defining a well fluid flow duct having a downward facing entrance and a sidewardly facing exit, there being a lower connection for coupling the body to lower well pipe to pass fluid into the body via the entrance, and an upper connection for coupling the body to upper carrier structure used for raising and lowering the body in the well casing, and there being means to latch connect the body to the well casing in a position for well fluid delivery from the body via the exit.
US07640970B2
An evaporator utilizes micro-channel tubes, and more particularly, has a structure of a heat exchanger using micro-channel tubes, which is applied to an evaporator of a household air conditioner. The evaporator, using micro-channel tubes, includes a first heat exchanging unit including a pair of upper and lower headers, and a plurality of the micro-channel tubes erected vertically between the headers so that condensed water flows downward, and a second heat exchanging unit, installed adjacent to the first heat exchanging unit, includes a pair of upper and lower headers, and a plurality of the micro-channel tubes erected vertically between the headers so that condensed water flows downward. A plurality of return pipes connect upper headers of neighboring heat exchanging units to transmit refrigerant between the neighboring heat exchanging units.
US07640966B2
An object of the invention is to provide a heat exchanger (radiator) or a cooling module having the radiator and a condenser, which has a higher rigidity against vibration in the vertical direction. To the end, the radiator or the cooling module is mounted to a vehicle by mounting brackets, which are fixed to the radiator tanks at their vertical ends. The mounting brackets have mounting pins, with which the radiator or the cooling module is mounted to the vehicle.
US07640960B2
An apparatus for attaching two substrates to one another includes a lower chamber that holds a first substrate and an upper chamber that holds a second substrate. The upper and lower chambers are brought together to provide a space in which an attaching process is performed. Chamber transportation mechanisms are located at corners of the lower chamber and serve to move the lower chamber up toward the upper chamber so that it can be coupled with the upper chamber. Guide parts are also formed on side surfaces of the lower chamber to guide movement, and to reduce deformation of the chamber when pressure differentials act to deform the sides of the chamber.
US07640959B2
An improved device for gluing the end flap of a log and a gluing method which can be implemented in a machine for producing logs, in which the logs (14), which come from a re-reeling machine, are fed to a gluing device (11) comprising in succession a bottom unwinding roller (16) and a top feed belt (17), and, immediately downstream of the unwinding roller (16), at least one stretch of inclined surface (21), of a pre-set length, followed by a vacuum-suction roller (24), set on top of which is a top roller (25), and then by a glue dispenser (27), there being provided on top of the unwinding roller (16) a blower element (19) for blowing an end flap (29) of the log (14) and, underneath, a photo-electric cell (20) for detecting the end flap (29), in which the log fed to the unwinding roller (16) is set with a position of the free end staggered by an angle (α), which is a function of the diameter of the log and of the pre-set length of the stretch of inclined surface (21), in such a way that, when the log thus positioned rolls on the inclined surface, it sets itself on the suction roller (24), with the free portion of the end flap (29) set exactly corresponding to the area of contact with the suction roller (24).
US07640957B2
This invention relates to high performance tires designed for high vehicular speeds having thin treads with a maximum thickness of about three centimeters with a running surface which is comprised of a rubber composition which is highly loaded with a combination of reinforcing filler and rubber processing oil. The combination of reinforcing filler is comprised of conductive carbon black and optionally at least one of classical rubber reinforcing carbon black and precipitated silica and their mixtures. This high level of a combination of selective reinforcing filler together with rubber processing oil in the tread rubber is provided to promote a reduction in internal heat generation within the thin tread during high vehicular speeds, particularly for vehicles intended to be used as race cars. The carbon black reinforcement is provided as being comprised of a conductive carbon black, which may optionally be combined with a classical rubber reinforcing carbon black, and which may optionally be combined with an amorphous synthetic silica, namely a precipitated silica, to aid in providing a path for thermal conductivity through the thin, high reinforcing filler and rubber processing oil loaded tire tread to its running surface and thence to the ground in order to therefore promote a reduction in internal heat build up within the tread during high speed operation of the tire.
US07640947B2
Microfabricated fluidic devices of the present invention include switches that can be opened and closed to allow or block the flow of fluid through a channel in response to the pressure level in a gate of the switch. The microfabricated fluidic switches may be coupled together to perform logic functions and Boolean algebra, such as inverters, AND gates, NAND, gates, NOR gates, and OR gates. The logic gates may be coupled together to form flip-flops that latch signals. The present invention also includes microfabricated fluidic pressure multipliers that increase the pressure in a second chamber relative to a first chamber. Microfabricated fluidic devices of the present invention also include high or low pressure sources. A pressure source of the present includes a pump coupled to a reservoir through unidirectional valves. Microfabricated fluidic devices of the present invention may also include devices that perform analog functions such as switching regulator.
US07640933B1
A seal for a respiratory mask that includes a first end portion adapted to be coupled to a mask shell, a second end portion for sealing engagement with a face of a patient, and a sidewall extending between the first end portion and the second end portion. At least a portion of the second end portion includes a textured area having a first rms surface roughness that is greater than a second rms surface roughness of a non-textured area of the seal. The area of increased surface roughness provides the patient contacting portion of the seal with a silky feeling to maximize patient comfort and the effectiveness of the seal without impairing the sealing ability.
US07640932B2
A method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula. The method comprising the steps of forming the nasal cannula with at least one nare, and at least one nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof. Coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device for monitoring breathing characteristics of the patient while the patient is sleeping. Detecting breathing characteristics of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via at least the primary inlet/outlet opening of the nare and sending the detected breathing characteristics of the patient to detection device for evaluation.
US07640920B2
The present invention includes a first canister disposed within an intake air passage. The first canister communicates with a fuel tank via a second canister, so that a fuel vapor produced within the fuel tank can be purged by the second canister and further by the first canister. The second canister communicates with the intake air passage via a purge passage. The negative pressure within the intake air passage may be applied to the first and second canisters via the purge passage, so that the fuel vapor adsorbed by the first and second canisters can be desorbed or purged and can then be returned into the intake air passage.
US07640917B2
A fuel injector tip seal is provided including improved resistance to the heat and pressures of combustion gas. According to one aspect, the tip seal is formed from polytetrafluoroethylene and between 10 and 35 percent carbon fiber. The material offers improved surface finish and deformation resistance as well as improved thermal conduction and keeps thermal expansion low as compared to conventional fuel injector tip seal designs. According to a further aspect, a revised seal groove design is provided that allows for expansion and deformation of the tip seal and creates more pressure to the outside diameter face when pressure is applied at the tip. According to another aspect, the tip seal is formed of a flat disk-shaped seal body that can be assembled on the fuel injector by an assembly cone device that allows the disk-shaped seal body to be flipped to a ring-shaped configuration in its assembled position.
US07640915B2
Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.
US07640910B2
An opposed piston, internal-combustion engine including a cylinder with a bore and opposed pistons disposed within the bore is provided with one or more hypocycloidal drives that convert the linear motion of a piston to rotary output motion. An electrical generator includes an opposed piston, internal-combustion engine with a coil mounted to the skirt of a piston and a hypocycloidal drive connected by a rod to the piston. The construction of the hypocycloidal drive imposes a sinusoidal period on the linear motion of the piston. As the piston transports the coil though a magnetic field, a sinusoidal voltage is induced in the windings of the coil.
US07640898B2
A water-cooled internal combustion engine has a cylinder head 21 provided with a cylinder head water jacket Jh through which cooling water flows. The cylinder head water jacket Jh includes a combustion chamber water jacket 70 surrounding combustion chambers 26 and an exhaust passage water jacket 71 around an exhaust manifold passage 38. The exhaust gas discharged from the combustion chambers 26 through exhaust ports 28 flows through the exhaust manifold passage. The exhaust passage water jacket 71 is divided into an upstream water jacket 72a and a downstream water jacket 72b by a partition wall 75. The cooling water flows from both the upstream water jacket 72a and the downstream water jacket 72a into the combustion chamber water jacket 70. Equality in temperature between a combustion chamber wall and an exhaust passage wall is improved and the cylinder head 21 is heated in a uniform temperature distribution.
US07640890B1
A pet door protection apparatus for movable placement adjacent to an existing pet door, the collapsible apparatus having a first end and an open second end, the base having an adjustment plate and mechanism for adjusting the height of the interior floor, which is fitted atop the adjustment plate. The apparatus further provides a transparent side panel removably and vertically fitted within each groove of the interior base, each of an opposed pair of transparent roof panels hingedly attached to one of the side panels, respectively, the roof panels further hingedly attached to each other, a pair of opposed transparent triangular roof end panels vertically fitted between the roof panels, a protective cap fitted atop the hinged attachment of the roof panels, and a strip anchor with a plurality of weighted flexible transparent strips selectively fitted to the first end of the side panels.
US07640877B1
A branch for distributing granular material includes an inlet portion, a transition portion downstream of the inlet portion, and an outlet portion downstream of the transition portion. Each portion has a critical air flow rate that is required to cause the granular material to flow through the respective portion. The branching that occurs at the transition portion results in the critical air flow rate of the transition portion being greater than the critical air flow rate of the inlet portion, typically requiring an amount of air at least equal to the critical air flow rate of the transition portion to flow granular material through the branch. In the disclosed branch, the inlet portion is oriented relative to the outlet portion such that applying air to substantially equal the critical air flow rate of the inlet portion results in granular material being urged by gravity to move through the transition portion and into the outlet portion.
US07640864B2
A non-magnetic concrete structure having no magnetism or a very small magnetic permeability without reinforcing steel bars arranged, a sidewall for a guideway, and a method for installing the sidewall for the guideway are provided.The reinforcing steel bars-free sidewall 11 for the guideway 10 is constructed by using a non-magnetic concrete structure constructed by using a fiber-reinforced cement-based mixed material and having no reinforcing steel bars therein. The fiber-reinforced cement-based mixed material is produced by mixing non-metallic fibers or non-magnetic metal fibers into a cement-based matrix in a mixing amount of 1 to 4% for an entire volume of the cement-based matrix. The cement-based matrix is obtained by mixing a composition with water. The above composition is composed of cement, aggregate grains having a maximum grain diameter of not more than 2.5 mm, pozzolanic reaction particles having particle diameters of not more than 15 μm and supper plasticizer. The fiber-reinforced cement-based mixed material has mechanical properties: a compressive strength of not less than 150 N/mm2 and a tensile strength of not less than 5 N/mm2.
US07640863B2
A track system for storage and retrieval of materials for use with warehousing vehicle that rides upon tracks in horizontal configuration for storage locations, and that is capable of switching to and riding a sloped track to ascend or descend vertically. A set of transition exchanges allows the vehicle to access multiple levels of storage “flooring” or shelving. The exchanges use ramps, or movable sections of railway, that may be moved out of the way of a set of wheels of the vehicle, while other ramps are set in place to provide support to some wheels of the vehicle, whereby the vehicle may selectively either travel along the elevator track, or to move between elevator track and level storage locations.
US07640861B2
Medium- and high-density articles are formed from alloys containing tungsten, iron, nickel and optionally manganese and/or steel. In some embodiments, the articles have densities in the range of 8-10.5 g/cm3, and in other embodiments, the articles have densities in the range of 10.5-15 g/cm3. In some embodiments, the articles are ferromagnetic, and in others the articles are not ferromagnetic. In some embodiments, tungsten forms the largest weight percent of the alloy, and in other embodiments the alloy contains no more than 50 wt % tungsten. In some embodiments, the articles are shell shot.
US07640853B2
A rotary cage press provided internally with a deformable flexible membrane having the form of a half of the cage, this press being characterized in that the elements of recovering theliquid part of the matter include on the cage, at least one external racking device, and a connection unit through which opens out the outlet orifice of the racking device; and on the chassis, a liquid taking device including a telescopic tubular unit allowing a retracted position in which the telescopic unit presents no obstacle to the rotation of the cage and an extended position in which the telescopic unit is adapted, when the cage is in a predetermined pressing angular position, to come against the connection unit bearing in a seal-tight manner around the outlet orifice of the racking device.
US07640847B2
A method and device for assessing end point of cooking of dhal and rice with good reproducibility are disclosed. Pulses are generally consumed as dhals after cooking to soft texture. Measurement of end point of cooking of dhals, rice etc is very subjective and current methods are not very satisfactory. An innovative device and an objective method for carrying out the same were developed. This works on the principle of determining the “spread area” during progressive cooking for dhals as well as rice, and reading the cooking time form a graph plotted. The device developed for the purpose can be used to exert the desired force for pressing the cooked grain and the area to which the grain spreads is determined by counting the number of squares from an appropriate graph sheet as “spread area” is plotted against the period of cooking a progressive increase was observed. The time at which, there was a sudden increase in the spread area or when a change in the slope of the curve (sudden deflection/steadiness) occurred was considered as cooking time of the sample (dhal/rice) being cooked. The method now reported corroborated well with the standard instrumental methods. This invention provides an objective and reliable method for assessing end point of cooking of dhal and rice with good reproducibility.
US07640844B2
A coffee machine includes: a base, a basal body locating above the base, a coffee pot located above the basal body, a first coffee exit located in the bottom of the coffee pot, a coffee outlet located under the first coffee exit, the coffee outlet includes a receiving water base, a top lid; a first pin joint part and a second pin joint part respectively located at both sides of the first coffee exit, one end of the receiving water base pivotally joins the first pin joint part, another end of the receiving water base extends to the second pin joint part and outside of the bottom of the coffee pot, a second coffee exit is beside the another end of the receiving water base, a third pin joint part is between the second coffee exit and the second pin joint part.
US07640843B2
A cartridge for use in a beverage preparation machine, the cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the cartridge comprising an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge and an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the one or more beverage ingredients, wherein the one or more beverage ingredients is a liquid chocolate ingredient.
