US07682746B2
Negative electrodes and non-aqueous secondary batteries that comprise the negative electrodes are disclosed. The electrode comprises a current collector; and a mixture on the current collector, the mixture comprising a negative electrode active material, a conductive material, and a binder. The active material has the overall composition: AM1qM21-qOy; in which (1) A is LiX or LiX-rGr, in which G is selected from Na, K, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and mixtures thereof, in which G and M1 are different; (2) 0≦x≦3; 0
US07682745B2
A medical device includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for providing power to the medical device. The lithium-ion battery includes a positive electrode comprising a current collector and an active material comprising a material selected from the group consisting of LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiNixCoyNi(1−x−y)O2, LiAlxCoyNi(1−x−y)O2, LiTixCoyNi(1−x−y)O2, and combinations thereof. The lithium-ion battery also includes a negative electrode having a current collector and an active material including a lithium titanate material. The current collector of the negative electrode includes a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, and silver. The battery is configured for cycling to near-zero-voltage conditions without a substantial loss of battery capacity.
US07682743B2
A battery capable of improving the constant output discharge capacity is provided. A battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode contains iron sulfide. The anode contains lithium metal or a lithium alloy. A ratio of a discharge capacity per unit area of the cathode to a discharge capacity per unit area of the anode (the discharge capacity per unit area of the cathode/the discharge capacity per unit area of the anode) is more than 1 and 1.4 or less.
US07682739B2
A negative electrode 1 for nonaqueous secondary batteries characterized by having an active material layer 5 and a metallic lithium layer 3 both between a pair of current collecting surface layers 4. The negative electrode 1 has two negative electrode precursors 2 each composed of the current collecting surface layer 4 and the active material layer 5 on one side of the surface layer 4. The two negative electrode precursors 2 are united with their active material layers 5 facing each other and with the metallic lithium layer 3 sandwiched therebetween. A metallic material having low capability of forming a lithium compound penetrates through the whole thickness of the active material layer 5.
US07682738B2
A method for producing a lead acid battery that operates on the oxygen cycle is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: assembling a cell comprising a positive plate, a negative plate, and a sheet of separator material which is an absorbent, porous filtration medium, so that there is free space between the plates and surfaces of the separator, inserting the cell into a case, introducing into the case a mixture of sulfuric acid and silica including silica from a never dried precipitated silica slurry, causing the sulfuric acid in the mixture in the free space to gel, and sealing the case. The sulfuric acid in the mixture in the free space can be caused to gel by an increase in the silica content thereof, by an increase in the specific gravity thereof, or by both an increase in the silica content thereof, and an increase in the specific gravity thereof.
US07682732B2
A secondary battery module has a plurality of unit batteries adjacently spaced apart from each other. A barrier rib is disposed between adjacent unit batteries, the barrier rib having a plurality of protrusions.
US07682731B2
A separator for an electrochemical cell, comprising (A) a flexible perforate support, (B) a porous first ceramic material which fills the perforations in the support and which (i) has a pore structure which is characterized by an average pore size, and (ii) is suitable for receiving an ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein (C) the electrolyte-contactable pore surface of the first porous ceramic material is covered with fine particles of a further material to extend the use life, the average size of the fine particles being in the range from 0.5 to 30% and preferably in the range from 1 to 15% of the average pore size of the ceramic material.
US07682729B2
A cell binder includes a frame body and a frame body. A storage portion of a electric storage cell are pressed/clamped by the bottom of an accommodating portion of the frame body and the bottom of an accommodating portion of the frame body. Also, a sealing portion of the electric storage cell is accommodated in a gap between the bottom of a fitting concave portion of the frame body 16 and the front end of a projecting portion of the other frame body, in a state of being deflected by bending, and the sealing portion is clamped between an inner wall of the fitting concave portion and an outer wall of the projecting portion, thereby fitting the frame bodies to each other. This makes it possible to reduce the size for clamping the sealing portion and to achieve the downsizing of the entire package. In addition, providing the sealing portion with deflections allows movements of the electric storage cell to be accommodated when vibrations are applied. This eliminates a possibility that the sealing portion will be damaged by a shearing stress, and leads to durability to be improved.
US07682723B2
A membrane for fuel cells, which is characterized by a homogeneous absorption and good retention of doping agents, and which guarantees a high mechanical stability at high temperatures when doped. Such membranes consist of at least one polymer, whose nitrogen atoms are chemically bonded to a central atom of a derivative of a polybasic inorganic oxo acid. The membranes are produced from polymer solutions that are devoid of water and oxo acid derivatives, by heating the solution that has been introduced into a membrane mold until a self-supporting membrane has been formed and then by thermally regulating the latter. Inventive fuel cells having a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) that comprises a membrane of the invention and phosphoric acid as the doping agent have, for example, an impedance of 0.5-1 Ωcm2 at a measuring frequency of 1000 Hz and at an operating temperature of 160° C. and a gas flow for hydrogen of 170 mL/min and for air of 570 mL/min. They can be used as high-temperature polyelectrolyte membrane fuel cells for a working temperature of up to at least 250° C.
US07682717B2
A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell that generates an electric power and heat by a reaction of a reaction gas; a heat exchanger; a coolant circuit for a coolant between the fuel cell and the heat exchanger; a coolant circulating pump for circulating the coolant in the coolant circuit; and a drive motor for driving the coolant circulating pump, the coolant receiving and carrying the heat to the heat exchanger by the coolant circuit, the coolant circulating pump, and the drive motor. A rotational speed of the drive motor is controlled according to an upper limit of the rotational speed of the drive motor which may be determined on the basis of a cooling capacity of the heat exchanger, a speed of the vehicle mounting the fuel cell system, a generated electric power, and a flow rate of the reaction gas.
US07682708B2
A compound of formula (I), where x is 3, 2 or 1, y is 0 or 1, n1 and n2, which may be the same or different, are 0 or 1 to 3, X represents a divalent mono- or poly-aromatic and/or heteroaromatic moiety, the or each Y, which may be the same or different if x is 1, represents hydrogen or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, Z represents an aromatic group, or an inherently at least partly conjugated dendritic molecular structure comprising one or more aromatic and/or heteroaromatic groups and, optionally, alkenylene groups, connected to each other either directly or via a carbon atom of an alkenylene group, if present, to a ring carbon atom of an (hetero) aromatic group to which more than one at least partly conjugated dendritic chain is attached, said molecular structure being connected to the remainder of the molecule via a ring carbon atom, one or more of the (hetero) aromatic rings of the dendrimers optionally being substituted, Z and/or the remainder of the molecule, excluding any groups Y, being luminescent, with the proviso that when Z represents an aromatic group y must be 1.
US07682706B2
The present invention provides a precoated metal sheet excellent in the coating material adhesion and having little affect on environment. The precoated metal sheet of the invention is a precoated metal sheet comprising a metal or plated metal sheet having stacked on the surface thereof at least a coat layer and an organic resin layer, the metal or plated metal sheet mainly comprising zinc and aluminum and the coat layer mainly comprising one or both of a metal oxide and a metal hydroxide each using a metal species exclusive of chromium.
US07682705B2
A metal sheet having a microstructure relieved of notching, a carrier body having a plurality of sheets, and an exhaust system having the carrier body, are distinguished by a particularly long useful life in an automobile. Moreover, it is possible to bring about flow profiles coordinated exactly with the respective fields of use, so that a particularly efficient or extremely adaptable carrier body for purifying the exhaust gas of automobiles is provided.
US07682702B2
A process for producing water-absorbing polymeric particles comprises the steps of i) drying a hydrogel to produce a dried hydrogel, ii) separating incompletely dried polymeric particles from the dried hydrogel, and iii) drying the separated-off incompletely dried polymeric particles, wherein the separated incompletely dried polymeric particles are comminuted before said drying iii).
US07682698B2
The invention relates to a multilayer film encompassing at least one upper layer a) and one middle layer b) composed of (meth)acrylate copolymers, and also a backing layer c) composed of polycarbonate, where the upper layer a) comprises a light stabilizer and is composed of a (meth)acrylate copolymer which can form semicompatible mixtures with the polycarbonate of the backing layer c), where a test specimen produced from a mixture composed of 20% by weight of (meth)acrylate copolymer and 80% by weight of polycarbonate has a tensile strain at break of at least 75% (ISO 527-2) at 23° C., the middle layer b) comprises a dye and, where appropriate, a light stabilizer, and is composed of an identical or different (meth)acrylate copolymer which can form semicompatible mixtures with the polycarbonate of the backing layer c), where a test specimen produced from a mixture composed of 20% by weight of (meth)acrylate copolymer and 80% by weight of polycarbonate has a tensile strain at break of at least 75% (ISO 527-2) at 23° C., and the backing layer c) is composed of polycarbonate which can, where appropriate, comprise up to 30% by weight of the material of the layers a) and b). The invention also relates to the production and uses of the multilayer film, and also to semicompatible polymer mixtures composed of (meth)acrylate copolymers and polycarbonate.
US07682694B1
Method and system for making a low cost, light weight impact deflecting material, comprising directionally aligned single walled carbon nanotubes in an epoxy resin composition, that is near impervious to bullets fired at close range at all angles of incidence, that does not deteriorate upon abrasion or when exposed to wide ranges of temperature and humidity, and that when used to construct a protective shield for a body armor vest protects the wearer from blunt trauma effects.
US07682692B2
A pressure-sensitive adhesive product contains a substrate having formed on at least one surface thereof a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, wherein the substrate is formed from a styrene-based resin composition and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed from an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive containing an acrylic polymer, a liquid paraffin, and a rosin-based tackifying resin. In the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive, the ratio of the liquid paraffin is preferably 6 to 50 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the acrylic polymer and the ratio of the rosin-based tackifying resin is preferably 1 to 30 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the acrylic polymer. The liquid paraffin may have a number-average molecular weight of 300 to 500 and may have a dynamic viscosity at 37.8° C. of 6 to 80 mm2/second.
US07682690B2
A thermally-conductive interface interposable intermediate a first heat transfer surface and an opposing second heat transfer surface to provide a thermal pathway therebetween. The interface includes a thermally-conductive compound formed into a layer which is conformable between the first and second heat transfer surface. The compound is an admixture of: (a) a polymeric constituent forming a continuous matrix in the layer; and (b) a dispersed constituent forming discrete domains within the matrix, the domains being form-stable at normal room temperature in a first domain phase and conformable between the first and second heat transfer surface in a second domain phase, and the domains having a domain transition temperature above normal room temperature from the first domain phase to the second domain phase. The dispersed constituent may be a fusible, i.e., low temperature melting, metal or metal alloy.
US07682678B2
An optical information recording medium includes a substrate formed in a concave-convex state by providing pits or grooves corresponding to recorded information, used for optically reproducing the information by irradiation of a light beam, and may also include a recording layer. The optical information recording medium includes a temperature responsive layer 21 whose reflectance and/or transmittance for the light beam changes with an increase in temperature caused by the irradiation of a light beam and a light absorption layer 22. With such an arrangement, the present invention provides an optical information recording medium enabling secure and highly accurate readout of information recorded with high density, a recording method and a readout method using the same, a readout device, and a recording device.
US07682664B2
Disclosed are processes and compositions for fabricating irradiation targets from slurry compositions using a slip casting method to form a layer of the slurry composition on a substrate. The layer of slurry is allowed to dry on the substrate to produce a green cast layer that may then be cut, milled or otherwise machined to form intermediate targets having one or more predetermined configurations. These intermediate targets are subsequently subjected to a thermal process by which organic components remaining in the green cast layer are driven off and/or oxidized to form a densified, substantially inorganic, layer that has a density below that of the primary particles.
US07682663B2
The present invention is a method and apparatus for remote curing of resin-coated surfaces and articles by means of a vaporous curing agent. The method of the present invention includes the steps: (a) providing a surface of the substrate with a layer of a coating precursor comprising a curable material and a stabilized curing agent that is adapted to react with a gaseous, vaporous or aerosol initiating agent to activate the stabilized curing agent so as to cause the curable material to undergo a curing reaction; (b) subjecting the coating precursor to the gaseous, vaporous or aerosol initiating agent for sufficient time to initiate the curing reaction, and allowing the coating precursor to form a cured coating on the substrate. Another variation of the method of the present invention involves the reversal of the positions of the active compounds utilizing the interaction between the gaseous, vaporous or aerosol curing agent and coating precursor comprising a curable material and initiating agent.
US07682662B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having a paint film which is obtained from an environment-friendly aqueous paint and is excellent in the adhesion and the wear-resistance.The gist of the present invention lies in improving the adhesion between the paint film obtained from the aqueous polyurethane paint and the surface of the golf ball body by first applying the aqueous liquid of the aqueous polycarbodiimide on the surface of the golf ball body, subsequently forming the primer layer comprising the aqueous polycarbodiimide, and then applying the aqueous polyurethane paint to form the paint film, while reducing the amount of solvent used in the aqueous paint for applying on the golf ball by using the polycarbodiimide liquid and the aqueous polyurethane paint.
US07682659B1
Methods for the fabrication of suspended carbon structures using a negative photoresist that is exposed to a source of UV light, and a two step pyrolysis process. Ebeam lithography is used to define the suspended structures. The fabrication method described herein provides a novel carbon microfabrication technique, which has potential applications in carbon based electronics, sensors, batteries, microfluidics, etc.
US07682646B2
A novel canola protein isolate having predominantly of 2S canola protein and having improved solubility properties, has an increased proportion of 2S canola protein and a decreased proportion of 7S canola protein. The novel canola protein isolate is formed by heat treatment of aqueous supernatant from canola protein micelle formation and precipitation, to effect precipitation of 7S protein which is sedimented and removed. Alternatively, the novel canola protein isolate may be derived from a selective membrane procedure in which an aqueous canola protein solution containing 12S, 7S and 2S canola proteins is subjected to a first selective membrane technique to retain 12S and 7S canola proteins in a retentate, which is dried to provide a canola protein isolate consisting predominantly of 7S canola protein, and to permit 2S canola protein to pass through the membrane, the permeate is subjected to a second selective membrane technique to retain 2S canola protein and to permit low molecular weight contaminants to pass through the membrane, and the retentate from the latter membrane technique is dried.
US07682643B2
To provide a new manufacturing method of containered green tea beverage suited for selling hot. A step of eliminating silica was introduced in the manufacturing process, wherein the silica is eliminated after adding silica to a tea extract obtained by extracting green tea leaves to adsorb the sediment component present in tea extract to the silica. By adding silica to the tea extract and bringing them into contact, the proteins and polysaccharides causing secondary sediment can be selectively adsorbed and decreased, allowing the occurrence of sediment to be prevented, even when selling the beverage hot. Furthermore, it allows a large amount of flavor component to be left. Further more, a large amount of catechins can be left in the beverage, allowing the growth of heat-resistant bacteria to be inhibited by the antibacterial action of catechins.
US07682630B2
The present invention relates to polymeric antitumor agent which is formed in polymeric micelle complex by intermolecular bonding or mutual interaction between styrene maleic acid copolymer (SMA) and low molecule antitumor agent which is anthracyclins drug such as pirarubicin, doxorubicm, epirbicin, daunorbicin, acralbicin, or alkaloid antitumor agent such as cis-platinum, and taxol These polymeric antitumor agents may improve specificity to cancer cells so that it improves antitumor effect, while it may not be concentrated at normal organ or tissue, so that adverse effect may be diminished. These polymeric antitumor agents may be prepared by dissolving SMA and low molecule antitumor agent in aqueous solution, then in the presence of aqueous soluble carbodiimide, amino acids, or polyamine, adjusting pH to form micelle complex and recovering polymer fraction.
US07682620B2
The invention relates to cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition comprising an oil-containing biliquid foam dispersed in a salt-containing aqueous phase, in which the aqueous phase, having a pH of less than about 7, is gelled by a polymeric sulfonic acid. A particularly preferred gellant is ammonium poly(acryldimethyltauramide-co-vinylformamide). Unlike many other types of gels, these gels are stable at an acid pH in the presence of substantial amounts of electrolytes, and therefore are useful in delivering acidic active components.
US07682595B2
There is provided a lithium secondary battery having a high capacity and excellent high-rate discharge characteristic and charge/discharge cycle characteristic. The lithium secondary battery comprises a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an ionic conductor, wherein the positive electrode comprises lithium metal composite oxide particles; the lithium metal composite oxide particles comprise a plurality of secondary particles in an elongated shape each comprised of a plurality of primary particles with an average particle size of 0.1 to 1 μm so aggregated as to form a void therebetween; and the secondary particle is columnar or planar and has an average size in a long length direction of 5 to 15 μm.
US07682587B2
A fuel cell reformer includes a main body having a first pipe with a second pipe inside the first pipe, a thermal source unit in the second pipe, a reforming reaction unit in a first region between the first pipe and the second pipe to generate a reforming gas containing hydrogen through a reforming reaction of a fuel, and a carbon monoxide reduction unit in a region other than the first region between the first pipe and the second pipe to reduce a concentration of carbon monoxide contained in the reforming gas. A thermal treatment unit in the main body supplies thermal energy to the reforming reaction unit and the carbon monoxide reduction unit at a time of initial driving of the reformer such that the supplied thermal energy corresponds to a unique operational temperature range in the reforming reaction unit, and to a unique operational temperature range in the carbon monoxide reduction unit.
US07682580B2
A reactor includes a plurality of metal leaves which extend from an interior of the reactor to its exterior. The leaves occupy a space between an internal mandrel and an external tube. In one embodiment, the leaves are generally flat pieces of foil, stacked together so that they do not touch except at spacers formed in the pieces. In another embodiment, the leaves are formed of a pleated and crimped foil, each leaf being defined by a piece of foil that has been folded over upon itself. In both embodiments, the leaves extend from the internal mandrel, radially outward to an inner surface of the tube. The reactor facilitates the transfer of heat between the outside of the reactor and its inside region.
US07682572B2
A tissue microarray includes frozen tissue cores that extend from the top of the tissue microarray to a release. The release is a material from which embedding material of the tissue microarray can easily be removed. A stiffener is used with the release to maintain a flat shape of the release. The tissue cores may be formed from whole (i.e., paraffin-free) frozen tissue. A method and tool for manufacturing the tissue microarray are also disclosed.
US07682570B2
A thin multiwell plate for use in the transportation of microbes, animal cells, DNA, etc. The multiwell plate of the present invention comprises a sheet laminate, wherein the laminate has multiple hollow parts in which a water adsorbent material is retained. A multiplicity of microbe samples, etc. can be transported conveniently and safely by causing the water adsorbent material to retain a microbe-containing solution, a DNA sample solution, etc. In particular, an ultrathin multiwell plate can be provided due to construction with a sheet laminate, thereby rendering the transportation thereof extremely easy.
US07682567B2
A sensor is provided which comprises a waveguide for allowing an electromagnetic wave to propagate therethrough and disposing an object at a plurality of positions thereof, and a detecting portion for detecting the electromagnetic wave which has interacted with the object at the plurality of positions and propagated through the waveguide, wherein a property of the object is analyzed or identified based on an information obtained from the electromagnetic wave detected by the detecting portion. Thereby, accurate detection can be effected even when the amount of an object is small.
US07682566B2
A surface plasmon resonance assay apparatus is loaded with a sensor unit. A sensing surface of a thin film detects reaction of a sample. A dielectric prism is overlaid with the thin film to constitute an interface. A reflection angle upon occurrence of attenuated total reflection of the illuminating light is changeable according to reaction of the sample on the sensing surface. Protecting panels are disposed to face outer surfaces of the prism, for covering and protecting at least partially the outer surfaces. A first window in one of the protecting panels is positioned on a path of the illuminating light traveling for incidence on the interface, for passing the illuminating light. A second window in one remaining protecting panel is positioned on a path of the illuminating light traveling upon reflection by the interface, for passing the illuminating light.
US07682559B2
A Cr-bearing heat-resistant steel sheet with excellent workability comprising, in mass %, C of 0.001% to 0.010%, Si of 0.01% to 0.60%, Mn of 0.05% to 0.60%, P of 0.01% to 0.04%, S of 0.0005% to 0.0100%, Cr of 14% to 19%, N of 0.001% to 0.020%, Nb of 0.3% to 1.0%, Mo of 0.5% to 2.0% and, as required, one or more of Cu of 0.5% to 3.0%, W of 0.01% to 1.0% and Sn of 0.01% to 1.00%, and/or one or more of Ti of 0.01% to 0.20%, Al of 0.005% to 0.100%, Mg of 0.0002% to 0.0100%, and B of 0.0003% to 0.001%, with the remainder comprising iron and unavoidable impurities, and having an x-ray intensity ratio {111}/({100}+{211}) of 2 or greater in the central region of thickness.
US07682555B2
A suction cart suctions away the gases and dust produced during flame cutting processes and catches the scrap metal produced. The suction cart can travel underneath the flame cutting bench and is outfitted with at least one suction pipe, which emerges into a suction duct, is configured so that it is able to handle the disposal work for materials located underneath the flame cutting bench. A cleaning blade or rake is arranged on the suction cart, the cleaning blade or rake being able to be lifted and lowered onto the floor underneath the flame cutting bench.
US07682554B2
An apparatus for forming a shaped fibrous nonwoven structure including a delivery system adapted to provide a high speed composite stream comprising thermoplastic polymer fibers and a secondary material. The apparatus also includes a movable collection device having a collection surface which intersects the composite stream, and at least one deflector to mechanically redirect at least a portion of the composite stream. Further the deflector moves in synchronization with the movable collection device, such that the composite stream is collected on the collection surface forming a fibrous nonwoven structure having at least one non-linear edge.
US07682551B2
A three-dimensional component having cavities containing a photocurable resin material and having a structure in which a plurality of cured resin layers composed of the photo-cured resin material are stacked, is manufactured by stereolithography. Inorganic members are inserted into concave portions when the concave portions are formed before covering the cavities, each of the concave portions being at least a portion of the corresponding cavity, and the photocurable resin material remaining. When the three-dimensional component is completed, the photocurable resin material remaining in the cavity is thermally cured, thus being brought into contact with the inorganic members. In this manner, a three-dimensional photonic structure having the plurality of inorganic members precisely disposed at desired periodic positions within the resin matrix is efficiently manufactured.
US07682542B2
A method of making a fuser roller comprising: providing a fuser roller an outer layer comprising a fluorothermoplastic polymer; and annealing the outer surface of the outer layer through contact the outer layer by means of heat and pressure.
US07682536B2
A method for producing a microporous material comprising the steps of: providing an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); providing a filler; providing a processing plasticizer; adding the filler to the UHMWPE in a mixture being in the range of from about 1:9 to about 15:1 filler to UHMWPE by weight; adding the processing plasticizer to the mixture; extruding the mixture to form a sheet from the mixture; calendering the sheet; extracting the processing plasticizer from the sheet to produce a matrix comprising UHMWPE and the filler distributed throughout the matrix; stretching the microporous material in at least one direction to a stretch ratio of at least about 1.5 to produce a stretched microporous matrix; and subsequently calendering the stretched microporous matrix to produce a microporous material which exhibits improved physical and dimensional stability properties over the stretched microporous matrix.
US07682535B2
A method of filling the cavity of a tool used for production of a molded part from a melt, especially the cavity of an injection molding machine, wherein the melt is introduced into the cavity under pressure and is subjected to a dwell pressure towards the end or at the end of its flow path. The tool wall temperature is determined at the end of the flow path of the melt and the switching point for switching to the dwell pressure is determined from the increase of the tool wall temperature.
US07682529B2
Provided is a high density gallium oxide-zinc oxide series sintered body sputtering target for forming a transparent conductive film containing 20 to 2000 mass ppm of zirconium oxide. In a gallium oxide (Ga2O3)-zinc oxide (ZnO) series sputtering target (GZO series target) for forming a transparent conductive film, trace amounts of specific elements are added to obtain a target capable of improving the conductivity and the bulk density of the target; in other words, capable of improving the component composition to increase the sintered density, inhibit the formation of nodules, and prevent the generation of an abnormal electrical discharge and particles. Also provided are a method for forming a transparent conductive film using such a target, and a transparent conductive film formed thereby.
US07682527B2
A nanoparticle coated with a semiconducting material and a method for making the same. In one embodiment, the method comprises making a semiconductor coated nanoparticle comprising a layer of at least one semiconducting material covering at least a portion of at least one surface of a nanoparticle, comprising: (A) dispersing the nanoparticle under suitable conditions to provide a dispersed nanoparticle; and (B) depositing at least one semiconducting material under suitable conditions onto at least one surface of the dispersed nanoparticle to produce the semiconductor coated nanoparticle. In other embodiments, the nanoparticle comprises a fullerene. Further embodiments include the semiconducting material comprising CdS or CdSe.
US07682522B2
The invention includes compounds represented by Formula (1): wherein R represents hydrogen or methyl; A represents alkylene having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, wherein in the alkylene, arbitrary —CH2— may be replaced by —O—, —S—, —CH═CH—, —CO—, —COO— or —OCO—; X and Y each independently represent an aromatic ring or a cyclohexane ring, wherein in the rings, arbitrary hydrogen may be replaced by alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; Z independently represents a single bond, —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CON(R1)— or —N(R1)CO—, wherein R1 represents hydrogen or methyl; and m represents an integer of from 0 to 3.
US07682519B2
A composition of matter containing a solution made from: from about 18 to about 70 wt % of a sugar; from about 2 to about 10 wt % of a water-soluble polysaccharide; from about 0.1 to about 1 wt % of a phosphate; from about 0.01 to about 1 wt % of a surfactant; and from about 18 wt % to remainder of water. A method for dust and sand abatement and erosion prevention by: providing the above solution, applying the solution to sand or dust particles wherein the solution binds to the particles; and allowing the solution to bind to the sand or dust particles and to dry thereby forming a hardened crust.
US07682505B2
A module (1) for dry loading and unloading of a chromatography resin, a chromatography column (3) and a method for using such a module (1). The column (3) comprises an inlet valve (39) adapted to load dry chromatography resin particles and an outlet port (35) for pumping the air from de column (3). The outlet port (35) is located above the inlet valve (39).
US07682497B1
Polymeric compounds and related methods and apparatus, as can be used in a wide range of RNA and DNA separations.
US07682495B2
A processing system is described for depositing materials on multiple workpieces (wafers, display panels, or any other workpieces) at a time in a vacuum chamber. Multiple targets, of the same or different materials, may concurrently deposit material on the wafers as the pallet is rotating. Multiple magnets (one for each target) in the magnetron assembly in the sputtering chamber oscillate back and forth across an arc over their respective targets for uniform target erosion and uniform deposition on the wafers.
US07682493B2
The electrode cartridge for measuring an internal stress of a film of plating includes a cathode support, an anode support, a shield plate and an anode shell. The anode support supports an anode plate so that the anode plate is opposite to the cathode plate with a predetermined spacing. The shield plate is interposed between the cathode and anode plates. A through hole is made in the shield plate in such a manner that the through hole confronts a plating section and has a geometry which is reduced by a first predetermined scale factor relative to a geometry of the plating section. An opening is made in the anode shell in such a manner that the opening confronts the plating section and has a geometry which is magnified by a second predetermined scale factor relative to the geometry of the plating section.
US07682490B2
The present invention features a flange to flange dynamic seal and sealing system, particularly suited for use within high temperature, high pressure environments, such as a delayed coking process. The dynamic flange seal and sealing system comprises two primary elements or seals, each of which are capable of independently forming a flange seal between two flanged components or combining to create a flange seal. Specifically, these primary seals are an iconel bellows seal and a bi-material gasket, each of which surround a flange opening along a sealing surface. The flange seal created by the dynamic flange seal and sealing system is capable of being maintained in light of, or rather the sealing system adapts to, any structural or environmental changes within the connected flanges. As such, the flange seal may be a dynamic flange seal or a static flange seal or both.
US07682481B2
The present invention provides a vacuum processing apparatus that allows easy exchange of processing chambers. A vacuum processing apparatus of the present invention has a processing chamber and a carrying-in-and-out chamber. The carrying-in-and-out chamber is fixed and located at a position above the processing chamber. The processing chamber can be lowered by a vertically moving mechanism. Therefore, the processing chamber is separated from the carrying-in-and-out chamber by lowering the processing chamber. A conveying means is connected to the processing chamber so that it is possible to easily convey the processing chamber after being removed from the carrying-in-and-out chamber. The operation for exchanging the processing chambers can be simpler than in the conventional systems.
US07682480B2
A method for etching a feature in an etch layer through a photoresist mask over a substrate is provided. A substrate with an etch layer disposed below a photoresist mask is placed in a process chamber. The photoresist mask is conditioned, wherein the conditioning comprises providing a conditioning gas comprising a hydrogen containing gas with a flow rate and at least one of a fluorocarbon and a hydrofluorocarbon with a flow rate to the process chamber; and energizing the conditioning gas to form the conditioning plasma. The conditioning plasma is stepped. An etch plasma is provided to the process chamber, wherein the etch plasma is different than the conditioning plasma. A feature is etched in the etch layer with the etch plasma.
US07682479B2
A method for forming fin structures is provided. Sacrificial structures are provided on a substrate. Fin structures are formed on the sides of the sacrificial structures. The forming of the fin structures comprises a plurality of cycles, wherein each cycle comprises a fin deposition phase and a fin profile shaping phase. The sacrificial structure is removed.
US07682478B1
A vacuum infusion laminate adhesive that holds the laminate layers together as the catalyzed resin is sucked into a laminate structure. The adhesive includes properties that cross-link with polyester present in the laminate structure as it cures. Generally, the laminate layers include the assembly of polyester or vinyl ester resins that are reinforced with fiberglass.
US07682476B2
This is a method to create 3-dimensional images from a 2-dimensional image. This Method utilizes various pieces of paper produced within the process and a method of attachment all together with layering and spacing in 3-dimensions to create a final piece of artwork which is 3-dimensional. Among other uses the end product of this method can be used as a free standing work of art which can be matted and framed and placed either hanging or attached to a wall or other surface or placed on an easel or other tripod mechanism for free standing on a table or floor or other surface.
US07682475B2
A joint and method for producing a joint in an endovascular graft. In one embodiment, a flap of a flexible material portion of an endovascular graft is folded about a portion of an expandable member to form a loop portion. The flap is secured in the loop configuration so that tensile force on the expandable member is transferred into a shear force on the fixed portion of the flap.
US07682468B2
A lead-free solder alloy suitable for use in flow soldering of electronic components to printed wiring boards comprises 0.1-3 wt % of Cu, 0.001-0.1 wt % of P, optionally 0.001-0.1 wt % of Ge, and a balance of Sn. The solder alloy may further contain at least one element of Ag and Sb in a total amount of at most 4 wt %, and/or at least one element of Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, and Mo in a total amount of at most 0.5 wt % in order to strengthen the alloy, and/or at least one element of Bi, In, and Zn in a total amount of at most 5 wt % in order to lower the melting point of the alloy.
US07682464B2
A system is provided for providing automated washing and verifying compliance of use. The system provides for identifying individual users of one or more cleaning stations through various technologies, such as RFID. Individual's use of cleaning stations is monitored to determine compliance with hand-washing requirements. A compliance report may be generated based on data associated with one or more individuals' use of the cleaning station(s). Educational and/or entertainment content may be displayed to the user when he or she is using the cleaning station. Additionally, the cleaning station may identify containers having authorized consumables such as soap or disinfectant.
US07682462B2
A cluster tool includes a transfer chamber connected to a plurality of vacuum chambers. An additional process chamber connected to the transfer chamber includes a high pressure chamber assembly seated on a housing. The high pressure chamber assembly, which is adjustable between an open position and a closed position, includes an upper chamber portion and a lower chamber portion. Hydraulic cylinders mounted on the upper chamber portion and having chamber rods that attach to the lower chamber portion are configured to move the lower chamber relative to the upper chamber portion between the two positions. When the two portions are brought together into the closed, the high pressure chamber assembly forms a high pressure chamber suitable for processing wafers with supercritical CO2. Once the high pressure chamber is formed, a region between lower chamber portion and a housing may be evacuated to form a vacuum chamber outside a portion of the high pressure chamber.
US07682461B2
In a working method for a cleaning device (2) that moves back and forth in a swimming pool (1), control thereof is such that the cleaning device (2) moves from a starting position at a low speed in a forward direction V in a first pass in a first cleaning path (4) until it runs up to a pool wall (3), wherein the distance D1 traversed along the first cleaning path is measured or determined, the cleaning device (2) is then guided to a second cleaning path (5) deviating from or offset relative to the first cleaning path (4) in a second pass, initially at a low speed, whereupon the cleaning device then moves in a backward direction along the second cleaning path (5) at a high speed until the distance Dz traversed is smaller than the distance D1 traversed in the previous pass by an amount A, upon reaching distance Dz the cleaning device (2) continues to move along the second cleaning path (5) at low speed until it runs up to a swimming pool wall (3), wherein the distance D2 traversed along the second cleaning path is measured or determined, and the cleaning device (2) is controlled in the same manner in each subsequent pass as in the previous pass.
US07682451B2
There is disclosed a PBN container in which a conductive film is deposited on a surface of a body formed by depositing PBN (pyrolytic boron nitride), wherein, at least, an angle between a PBN cut face of the body and at least one wall surface adjacent to the PBN cut face is 20°-80°, and a method for producing a PBN (pyrolytic boron nitride) container comprising at least steps of depositing PBN to form a body, processing a PBN cut face of the formed body so that at least, an angle between the PBN cut face and at least one wall surface adjacent to the PBN cut face is 20°-80°, and coating a surface of the processed body with a conductive film. Thus, there can be provided a PBN container excellent in durability where a conductive film is laminated on a surface of a body formed by depositing PBN, and a method for producing the PBN container.
US07682450B2
A stacked semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the stacked semiconductor device are disclosed. The stacked semiconductor device includes a first insulating interlayer having an opening that partially exposes a substrate, wherein the substrate includes single crystalline silicon, and a first seed pattern that fills the opening, wherein the first seed pattern has an upper portion disposed over the opening, and the upper portion is tapered away from the substrate. The stacked semiconductor device further includes a second insulating interlayer formed on the first insulating interlayer, wherein a trench that exposes the upper portion of the first seed pattern penetrates the second insulating interlayer, and a first single crystalline silicon structure that fills the trench.
US07682447B1
The carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon content of flue gas in a cement clinker production apparatus is lowered by feeding a high velocity stream of hot oxygen into the flue gas. Methods and apparatus for producing the hot oxygen stream are disclosed.
US07682444B2
Process for preparing pigments of the formula (I) or tautomeric structures thereof and their hydrates, containing melamine as guest, characterized in that a mixture of the azobarbituric mono-cation salt (II) and the azobarbituric di-cation salt (III) is reacted with a nickel compound and melamine, in which cation1, cation2 and cation3 independently of one another are any desired univalent cations or the fraction of any desired multivalent cation that corresponds to a positive charge of one.
US07682432B2
An adhesion promotion process and composition for enhancing adhesion between a copper conducting layer and a dielectric material during manufacture of a printed circuit board. The composition contains a corrosion inhibitor, an inorganic acid, and an alcohol which is effective to increase copper-loading in the composition.
US07682431B1
An electroless ruthenium plating solution is disclosed herein. The solution includes a ruthenium source, a polyamino polycarboxylic acid complexing agent, a reducing agent, a stabilizing agent, and a pH-modifying substance. A method of preparing an electroless ruthenium plating solution is also provided.
US07682425B2
The invention relates to a method for removing ammonia and dust from a waste gas that occurs during the production of fertilizers, preferably urea, in which method the waste gas is introduced into a first washer, and a cooling gas is introduced into the one washer and an aqueous solution is introduced into the other washer, whereby both the waste gas and the cooling gas pass through at least one mist collector before exiting from the washer, in each instance, is supposed to be developed further in such a manner that the waste gas pollution can be clearly reduced. This is accomplished in that the additional water is first introduced into a fine-washing area of the first washer, delimited by the mist collector on the top and by a liquid-impermeable partition bottom at the bottom, and sprayed onto the at least one mist collector, and the aqueous solution that forms in the fine-washing area is subsequently passed into the second washer.
US07682422B2
A method for separating and recovering oxygen-rich air from the air, comprising, using a gas separation membrane module where a laminate consisting of a permeate-side spacer for forming a permeate gas channel communicated with a hollow section in a core tube for collecting and discharging a permeate gas and two flat-film gas separation membranes sandwiching the spacer and a feed-side spacer for forming a feed gas channel are spirally wound around the core tube such that the laminate and the feed-side spacer are alternately superimposed, vacuuming the hollow section of the core tube to 95 kPaA (absolute pressure) or less by vacuuming means while feeding the air into the feed gas channel by air feed means such that a maximum feed-air flow rate and a maximum static pressure divided by an effective membrane area of the gas separation membrane are 100 m3/min·m2 or less and 4000 Pa/m2 or less, respectively, to separate and recover oxygen-rich air from the hollow section of the core tube. Oxygen-rich air can be separated and recovered from the air by this method with high separation efficiency.
US07682421B2
A liquid is degassed with an apparatus including a membrane contactor, where the liquid is drawn through the apparatus by gravity.
US07682416B2
An air cleaner arrangement or assembly is provided. The air cleaner arrangement includes a serviceable filter cartridge. The air cleaner assembly also includes an arrangement for positioning the filter cartridge into a preferred, sealing, orientation and for securing the filter cartridge in that location. Preferred serviceable filter cartridges are provided, as well as methods of assembly and use.
US07682414B2
This dust collecting unit for use in a cleaner includes an inlet port through which air and dust is taken in, a dust catch room into which the air and dust taken in through the inlet port is led, an air flow path for separating a part of air taken in through the inlet port and ensuring air flow, an air outlet port through which the air having passed through the dust catch room and the air flow path is discharged, and a filter provided on the upstream side of the air outlet port for preventing dust from flowing to the air outlet port from the dust catch room and the air flow path.
US07682403B2
A method for treating laundry is provided. The method includes steps of applying a bleaching and antimicrobial composition to laundry in a laundry washing machine at a first pH that favors bleaching properties and at a second pH that favors antimicrobial properties, wherein the first pH and the second pH are different, and draining the bleaching and antimicrobial composition from the laundry. The step of applying a bleaching and antimicrobial composition to laundry can include a step of washing the laundry with a detergent composition for the removal of soil. In addition, the step of applying a bleaching and antimicrobial composition to laundry can precede or follow a step of washing laundry with a detergent composition for the removal of soil. A bleaching and antimicrobial composition and a laundry washing machine are provided.
US07682395B2
Methods and devices are provided for repairing or replacing damaged, injured, diseased, or otherwise unhealthy posterior elements, such as the facet joints, the lamina, the posterior ligaments, and/or other features of a patient's spinal column. In one exemplary embodiment, an implant is provided having an anterior portion that is adapted to be positioned between adjacent vertebrae and a posterior portion that is adapted to be positioned around a spinal cord and to couple to a posterior surface of at least one adjacent vertebra. In use, the implant can allow the adjacent vertebrae to move relative to one another, thereby restoring normal function to the vertebrae.
US07682392B2
The invention comprises flat, porous, bioabsorbable implants that are conducive to tissue ingrowth at spinal implantation site, and once absorbed, leave behind a functional ligamentous structure. A preferred material is small intestinal submucosa. Also disclosed are anchoring devices for attaching said implants to the vertebral bodies.
US07682386B2
A prosthesis, and method for forming same, are provided which includes expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) tubes having angularly offset node and fibril configurations. Also, the node and fibril configurations are angularly offset from the longitudinal axes of the respective tubes, providing resistance against failure in the longitudinal direction.
US07682381B2
An implantable composite medical device having a longitudinal length a woven textile portion having yarns interlaced in a woven pattern, a knitted textile portion having yarns interlooped in a knitted pattern. The woven and knitted portions are securably attached to one and the other to provide a composite woven and knitted textile surface along the longitudinal length of the device. The woven portion may have a permeability from about 30 to about 500 ml/min/cm2, and the knitted portion may have a permeability from about 30 to about 15,000 ml/min/cm2. Further, a crimped woven portion with a resiliently longitudinal stretchability from about 10 to about 100 linear percent over its quiescent longitudinal dimension or an uncrimped woven portion with a resiliently longitudinal stretchability of less than about 10 linear percent over its quiescent longitudinal dimension are useful. A knitted portion with a resiliently longitudinal stretchability from about 5 to about 200 linear percent over its quiescent longitudinal dimension is also useful.
US07682371B2
A flexible elongate device having a distally mounted occluder for collecting particulate debris in a body lumen. The occluder containing a fixed amount of fluid is reversibly expandable by push-pull actuation from a contracted configuration to a deployed configuration wherein the occluder is expanded into sealing engagement with the wall of the body lumen. The occluder has a distal end axially secured to an elongate inner member and a proximal end attached to a distal end of an outer tubular member. The occluder has an impermeable occluder casing for containing the occluder fluid. The elongate inner member is slidable within the outer tubular member such that relative longitudinal movement between the elongate inner member and outer tubular member changes the length of the occluder and thus redistributes the occluder fluid within the occluder casing to transform the occluder between its contracted and deployed configurations.
US07682359B2
The present invention provides a high-frequency treatment apparatus including: an electrode assembly electrically connected to a high-frequency generating unit for generating a high-frequency current, the assembly having, at the distal end thereof, a current-applying electrode for discharging the high-frequency current, the proximal end of the current-applying electrode being covered with an insulator; an insertion section receiving the electrode assembly, the insertion section being located on the return side of the high-frequency current discharged from the current-applying electrode; a liquid supply section for supplying an irrigation liquid to the vicinity of the current-applying electrode; and an opening section provided at the distal end part of the insulator, the opening section supplying a gas to the vicinity of the current-applying electrode.
US07682357B2
A tele-medicine system that includes an input device which can control a medical system. The input device may be the handle of a surgeon console. The medical system may include a robotically controlled medical device. A transmitter may transmit information relating to each state of the input device over a communication network. The medical system receives the transmitted state information through a receiver. The medical system changes state in response to the received state information from the input device. The system sends information relating to an entire state of the input device over a sample period to insure that the medical system receives all commands, data, etc. necessary to operate the system.
US07682354B2
A dispenser is provided. The dispenser has a reservoir for storing a liquid or solid material. The dispenser may have a piezoelectric valve or pump located in an opening of the reservoir for regulating dispensing of the material. Alternatively, the dispenser may have a piezoelectric inchworm that directly or indirectly propels the material against or out of the opening. The opening may deposit the material directly or indirectly on the surface of an animal, or under the animal's skin. The dispenser also can be attached to the surface of the animal. Alternatively, the dispenser may be placed inside the animal.
US07682343B2
A needle guard for a syringe including tabs and preferably springboards disposed on the needle guard configured to engage a luer lock to prevent rotation of the luer lock during needle exchange. The body of the needle guard preferably includes springboards which are in communication with tabs disposed on the shield when the shield is in a first, retracted position. Inward or radial depression of the tabs forces the springboards to contact the luer lock and prevent rotation of the luer lock. The needle guard further comprises a slot disposed near the proximal end of the shield which is configured to engage an end tab disposed near the distal end of the body. When the needle guard is activated, the shield slides to a second, extended position and the end tab enters into the slot to lock the shield in the extended position.
US07682336B2
An apparatus for making and administering two non-homogenous liquids to target tissue includes a spray comprising two syringes for containing the first and second non-homogenous liquid where the syringes are adapted to be removably coupled to an applicator. The applicator includes a pair of elongated tubes each having a tubular sheath at a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen in which the pair of elongated tubes are disposed. The apparatus includes a regulator module having an inlet port adapted for connection to a source of gas under pressure and a gas outlet port adopted for connection to the gas inlet port of the sheet. A vent gas inlet port is adapted for connection to a vent port of an endoscopic cannula where the regulator vents a quantity of gas from the endoscopic cannula approximately equal to a quantity of gas introduced at the gas inlet port of the sheet.
US07682334B2
The invention relates to a breast cover insert comprising a truncated conical frame (1), which is provided as a double wall (1, 6) while forming a closed space (7), whereby at least the inner wall (6) can be elastically deformed, and the space (7) contains a preferably elastically deformable medium.
US07682332B2
Methods for creating an anastomosis between a channel through the chest wall and an opening in the visceral membrane of a lung using a medical device. The methods include creating the channel through the chest wall into the pleural cavity; forming an adhesion between the chest wall and the visceral membrane of the lung; creating an opening in the visceral membrane of the lung which communicates with the channel; and inserting the medical device into the channel. The medical device has a compression structure which spans the channel. The methods include configuring the compression structure to apply a compressive force to tissue surrounding the anastomosis and/or applying agents and materials to the tissue of the anastomosis thereby accelerating the formation and healing of the anastomosis.
US07682325B2
The present invention provides an adjustable dorsal splint for resolving the shortcomings of a typical fixation splint. The invention includes a fixation splint, which contains a splint body, a first retaining portion, and a second retaining portion. A curvature adjustment portion is placed at a preset location of the splint body of the fixation splint, so as to adjust the splint body into predefined bending angle. As the fixation splint is provided with a curvature adjustment portion, it is possible to flexibly adjust the bending angle of the fixation splint to mate with the foot of the patient, thereby maintaining the position of the feet with better efficiency.
US07682319B2
The present invention provides devices, systems, methods and kits for endoscopically accessing a body cavity and providing a directed pathway toward a target tissue within the cavity. The directed pathway is provided by an access sheath which is positioned in a desired configuration, generally directed toward the target tissue. Depending on the location of the target tissue and the desired angle of approach, the access sheath may be required to maintain one or more curves in one or more planes to properly direct the interventional devices. In addition, the access sheath has a locking feature to hold the sheath in place and maintain the desired configuration. Interventional devices may then be passed through the sheath to the target tissue.
US07682318B2
Blood samples can be collected without substantial contamination from ambient air, such that the blood sample may be analyzed accurately for gaseous components such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. An embodiment of the device has integrated actuation, lancing, and sample acquisition components, which in some embodiments are miniaturized and/or disposable.
US07682313B2
A system and method for the intra corporal, telemetric measuring of blood pressure, particularly within the heart or a great vessel, includes a substantially rigid sensor chip mounted in a holder and an antenna. The holder is anchored within an appropriate location in the cardiovascular system, such as in the cardiac septum, via a catheter or other minimally-invasive procedure to position at least one capacitive pressure sensor on the chip in the blood flow to be sensed. Measured values are transmitted telemetrically from the chip to an extra corporal monitoring device.
US07682299B2
This is a continuous mode procedure wherein in a first cutting operation an upper band (5) is obtained and a lower band (6), followed by a second cutting operation to obtain some separate trapezoidal segments (4), to finish with a third cutting operation on the curled side (10) of the segment (4) to obtain a circular side with only one radius of curvature, forming in this way a wrapper (11) of conical development.
US07682283B2
A hub transmission for a bicycle comprises a hub axle; a driver rotatably supported to the hub axle; a hub shell rotatably supported to the hub axle; a power transmitting mechanism disposed between the driver and the hub shell for communicating rotational power from the driver to the hub shell through a plurality of power transmission paths; a shift mechanism for selecting the plurality of power transmission paths; a shift assist mechanism for communicating rotational power from the driver to the shift mechanism; and a power control mechanism disposed between the driver and the shift assist mechanism and coupling rotational power from the driver to the shift assist mechanism for communicating non-constant rotational power from the driver to the shift assist mechanism.
US07682278B2
In a revolving transmission having at least two revolving transmission elements which may transmit a torque frictionally, at least one gap, which is preferably only filled with a liquid, is provided between the transmission elements at least during operation.
US07682272B2
Disclosed herein is a driving device of armature balance machine, in which a driving motor is formed on the same centerline of the armature, a hinge block pivot-connected by the hinge shaft is installed in the finger mounter of the bracket in such a manner that the hinge shaft is disposed on the same centerline of the driving motor and the variable roller is formed at one side of the hinge shaft, the finger provided with a complementary roller is symmetrically constructed about the centerline of the driving motor, and thereafter a belt is wound around each roller, so that the construction of the driving motor can be simplified and thus the length of the belt is minimized and the vibration of the belt is minimized, thereby enabling to keep the tension applied to the belt in an optimum state, due to the facts that the tension of the belt is symmetrical about the centerline of the belt and also the variable roller i.e. the tension adjusting means is not operated by the belt.
US07682270B2
A device to remove an archery arrow or arrowhead from a target or receiving support is fitted to a knife at one or more suitable points and comprises a gripper which can be fitted to and/or receive an archery arrowhead or arrow that penetrates the target or the receiving support. The device installed on a knife is employed to grip the arrow or arrowhead so that the knife can be pivoted like a lever such that the tip of the knife rests on the target or receiving support. In this way, the arrow or arrowhead can be removed by tilting the knife.
US07682268B2
Collapsible structures are disclosed having a central panel, a first support panel disengageably connected to the left side of the central panel, and a second support panel disengageably connected to the right side of the central panel. Each of the central panel and support panels includes a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, and a fabric material substantially covering the frame member.
US07682262B2
A hitting face of a golf club head having improved flexural stiffness properties. In one embodiment, the hitting face is made from multiple materials. Each material has a different tensile modulus of elasticity, where the center of the hitting face has a much higher tensile modulus of elasticity than the surrounding portions of the hitting face. This creates a stiff center and a more easily deflected concentric portion. In another embodiment, the materials have different yield strengths, where the center of the hitting face has a very high yield strength compared to the surrounding portions of the hitting face. The hitting face may then plastically deform around its periphery, while the center retains its original shape.
US07682260B1
A system for anchoring inflatable structures having a base which, when the structure is inflated, rests on a supporting surface to support the structure, includes at least one water receiving anchoring portion positioned adjacent a side of the base of the structure that rests on the supporting surface and which is secured to and extends from the inflatable structure. The water receiving anchoring portion includes a water receiving section to receive water therein and a shaping section to provide a shape to the water receiving section and to the water receiving anchoring portion to ease filling of the water receiving section with water. The shaping section shapes the water receiving section generally into a cup or bucket like structure so that water can be poured into the water receiving section without the water receiving section being held in such shape by hand or without having to be filled with pressurized water.
US07682250B2
The video or other computer graphics display shows, on a touch screen, a spinnable bar having a control wheel affixed to an end thereof. Strokes of a stylus applied to the surface of the wheel controls the direction and/or rate of spin of the wheel and bar. An animated game character holding on to the spinning bar may spin with the bar and perform acrobatic acts in response to other touch screen or other types of control inputs.
US07682242B2
In a base game, when a combination of symbols, that would be a winning combination of all “BAR”s if a remaining symbol of the combination of the symbols were the “BAR”, has come to a stop on a payline L and the symbol “BAR” neighbors the symbol other than the “BAR” (=the remaining symbol) on the payline, same payout as that when the winning combination of all “BAR”s comes to a stop on the payline L is provided.
US07682238B2
A gaming apparatus includes a value output device. The value output device includes a frame, a hopper mounted to the frame having a hopper opening, an outlet spaced from the hopper opening, a first plate moveable relative to the hopper opening between a first position wherein the plate blocks the hopper opening and a second position wherein the plate is spaced from the hopper opening, and a carrier moveable between the outlet and the hopper opening.
US07682233B2
The present invention relates to a blower for air conditioner of automotive vehicles capable of striving to increase the blowing volume and reduce noise, and simplifying the structure of the blower by distributing the air come into the inside of an intake duct effectively to an upper blowing wheel and a lower blowing wheel.The blower for air conditioner of automotive vehicles comprises a scroll case formed with upper/lower suction openings at the upper/lower surfaces and a discharge opening at one side; a double suction type centrifugal fan mounted rotatably at the scroll case, and having the upper/lower blowing wheels integrated with a hub plate in the opposite direction, to which a motor is connected; an intake duct with inside/outside air suction openings and an intake door for controlling the opening degree of the inside/outside suction openings, and forming an upper air passage and a side air passage for distributing the air sucked through the inside/outside air suction openings toward the upper/lower suction openings, wherein, a ratio of an air suction cross-sectional area S1 of the upper suction opening versus a cross-sectional area S2+S3 of the side air passage is 6:4˜8:2.
US07682231B2
An exhaust fan assembly is provided for expelling contaminated air from a building. The assembly includes a plenum, a fan assembly attached to the plenum, and a windband mounted on top of the fan assembly. The fan assembly is constructed of cylindrical outer and inner walls which define a bearing chamber and surrounding annular space. A fan driven by a shaft extending downward from the bearing chamber draws exhaust air from the plenum and blows it up through the annular space to a nozzle at the top of the fan assembly.
US07682230B2
A coin hopper includes a rotating disk provided obliquely upward at a predetermined angle; an outer covering unit covering at least a lower outer circumference of the rotating disk; a holding bowl continuing from the outer covering unit and holding coins; a circular supporting rack provided in a central region of an upper surface of the rotating disk; and coin stoppers being provided on the upper surface of the rotating disk and extending radially from the supporting rack in a circumferential direction to a periphery of the rotating disk at an equal interval. Coins are accepted one by one while a surface thereof is contacted with a holding surface of the upper surface of the rotating disk between the coin stoppers, are moved in one direction while a periphery thereof is held by the supporting rack, and are received from the coin stoppers during transportation by a coin receiver.
US07682226B2
A vane pump for delivering pasty masses, in particular sausage meat, with a pump case 6 and a rotatably held rotor 3 comprising vanes 2 held so as to be radially movable which form delivery cells 4 together with the wall 5 of the pump case 6, with a suction area, a pressure area and a sealing area separating the pressure area from the suction area. For a better sealing between the suction area and the sealing area, in particular in case of high pressures in the pressure area, and for increasing the service life of the vane pump, in the sealing area at least one sealing element is provided for sealing a gap between the rotor and the wall of the pump case.
US07682222B2
A method of machining gears or other toothed articles wherein the workpiece feed rate and/or the tool shifting is varied so as to produce an irregular surface pattern on tooth surfaces with a resulting reduction in mesh noise. The method is particularly applicable to grinding spur and/or helical gears with a grinding worm.
US07682221B2
A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method can use an eddy current monitoring system and an optical monitoring system. Signals from the monitoring systems can be combined on an output line and extracted by a computer. A thickness of a polishing pad can be calculated. The eddy current monitoring system and optical monitoring system can measure substantially the same location on the substrate.
US07682213B2
An electron emission device is provided which has sufficient on/off characteristics and is capable of efficiently emitting electrons with a low voltage. An electron emission device includes a substrate, a cathode electrode, a gate electrode, which are arranged on the substrate, an insulation layer covering the surface of the cathode electrode, and a dipole layer formed by terminating the surface of the insulation layer with hydrogen.
US07682206B2
An electrical pressure contact device includes a sleeve with a first end and a second end. A contact head is slideably mounted in the sleeve and has a first end protruding from the sleeve and a second end located in the sleeve. A connecting piece has an inner portion connected to an inner wall of the sleeve and an outer portion protruding from the second end of the sleeve. An axially extending bore in a first piece located in the sleeve receives an elongated member of a second piece. A band has a plurality of inwardly arching lamellae and is located in the bore. The elongated member is inserted in the band so that the lamellae rub against the elongated member. A biasing element in the sleeve surrounds the elongated member and urges the contact head away from the sleeve.
US07682203B1
Communications jacks include a housing having a plug aperture that is configured to receive a mating plug that is inserted along a horizontal plug axis and a vertically-oriented wiring board that is mounted substantially normal to the horizontal plug axis. First through fourth contact wires are mounted in the vertically-oriented wiring board, with the first and second contact wires forming a first differential pair of contact wires and the third and fourth contact wires forming a second differential pair of contact wires. At least a portion of the first differential pair of contact wires is positioned between the contact wires of the second differential pair of contact wires, and deflectable portions of the third and fourth contact wires include a crossover. Additionally, the fixed portions of the third and fourth contacts are spaced further apart vertically than are the fixed portions of the first and second contacts.
US07682202B2
A header for an implantable pulse generator includes a header body having a bore formed therein, at least one header contact located within the bore to contact a corresponding contact of a lead terminal inserted in the bore, and a rigid component located within the bore.
US07682181B1
A latch securing member for use in maintaining a first connector having at least one latching arm in latching engagement with a second connector having at least one latch projection. The latch securing member has an inclined member which extends from proximate a front face to a rear wall, with the inclined member being positioned proximate a bottom wall at the front face and inclined toward a top surface. At least one securing arm extends from the rear wall toward the front face and is positioned proximate the top surface. The inclined member is positioned to cooperate with the latching arm of the first connector to prevent the latching arm from disengagement from the latching projection of the second connector. The securing arm cooperates with the latching arm to maintain the latch securing member in position relative to the latching arm.
US07682177B2
A connector comprising: a body for plugging in or on the body of a complementary connector along a plugging axis X-X′; connection means for co-operating with complementary connection means of the complementary connector so as to connect together electrical or optical conductors; and a locking sleeve that surrounds the body of the connector and that is adapted to co-operate with the body of the connector and with locking means provided by the complementary connector in such a manner as to block relative movement between the connector and the complementary connector in the plugging direction, the locking sleeve being movable in rotation about the axis relative to the body of the connector between an unlocking position in which the connectors can be separated and a locking position in which the connectors cannot be separated; wherein the connector includes a brake ring that co-operates with the body of the connector by being movable at least in rotation about the axis between a braking position in which the ring opposes any turning of the locking sleeve and a disengaged position in which the ring does not oppose any turning of the locking sleeve.
US07682166B2
A grounding mechanism (20) is electronically connected to a main circuit board (52), a subsidiary circuit board (53) and a key conductive member (55). The grounding mechanism includes an elastic member (30). The elastic member includes a mounting portion (31), a conductive portion (32) and a resisting portion (35). The mounting portion is electronically fixed to the main circuit board. The conductive portion extends from one side of the mounting portion for electronically connecting to the key conductive member. The resisting portion extends from another side of the mounting portion for resisting the subsidiary circuit board.
US07682161B2
An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) comprising an engaging portion (12) which comprises a pair of side walls (121) and a pair of end walls (122), a plurality of signal terminals (2) arranged along the pair of the side walls (121) and at least one power terminals (3) located at each end wall (122). The end wall (122) defines at least one groove (120) extending along a mating direction at an outside thereof to receive and retain the at least one power terminal (3).
US07682152B2
A dental implant assembly (20) including a core body (40, 140, 240, 340, 440) for engaging a tooth-replicating device (52). The core body (40, 140, 240, 340, 440) is disposed in an anchor body (24, 124, 224, 424), and a screw cap body (58) is disposed about the outer attachment surface (30, 130, 230, 430) of the anchor body (24, 124, 224, 424). The screw cap body (58) engages the bone (22) of a person to support the dental implant assembly (20) and holds the core body (40, 140, 240, 340, 440) and the anchor body (24, 124, 224, 424) together.
US07682149B2
A powered, mechanical teeth cleaning device having two lines of rotating brushes is disclosed. The brushes rotate inwardly from each side, giving a cleaning effect on both buccal and lingual surface of the tooth from the gum tissue to the tooth direction. A protective shield for minimizing tissue irritation, a guiding stop for proper tooth positioning and a brush direction-of-rotation switch are included.
US07682130B2
The invention relates to a device for cooling a housing of a gas turbine and/or of a combustion chamber, in particular of a gas turbine, comprising: a cooling gas supply device with a cooling gas outlet, out of which a cooling gas stream flows when the cooling gas supply device is in operation, and with a cooling gas inlet, via which the cooling gas stream flows back to the cooling gas supply device when the cooling gas supply device is in operation; and a cooling gas path which is led through the housing in the circumferential direction of the latter and which connects a first housing connection to a second housing connection. So that a circumferential temperature difference of the housing can be set independently of an average temperature of the housing, the cooling device is equipped with a switching device for reversing the flow direction.
US07682126B2
A device is described for the conversion of energy from free flowing water into electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic power using a submersible system of turbine propellers mounted on horizontal shafts supported by chambers, each containing switchgear and/or generators and air or water ballast. The device is tethered to the seabed by a cable. Free of a rigid vertical support, the device can yaw so that water flow in any direction can be used for power generation, as in a tidal basin. In response to sensing the water velocity of the water channel, the device actively seeks a nominal water velocity, ascending or descending as necessary.
US07682123B2
An improved apparatus and method is provided for storing semiconductor wafer carriers, and for loading wafers or wafer carriers to a fabrication tool. The apparatus preferably provides an elevated port for receipt of wafer carriers from an overhead factory transport, allows for local interconnection among a plurality of the inventive apparatuses, and enables independent loading of the factory load port and the tool load port. An inventive wafer handling method which divides a lot of wafers into sublots and distributes the sublots among tools configured to perform the same process is also provided.
US07682122B2
A warehousing system and apparatus for retrieving articles from a preselected storage area containing a quantity of the same and delivering them to a designated area spaced therefrom. A track extends a selected distance along a predetermined path that is offset a selected distance from the stored articles. A motorized carriage is rollingly mounted on the track and has a load carrying support surface thereon on which a payload is accumulated one article after another during the building of such load. A rigid superstructure is carried by the carriage and an extendible and retractable reach is mounted on thereon. A power operated article gripping assembly is carried by the reach for grasping articles one at a time in the storage area and loading them in sequence onto the carriage for delivery to the designated area. The apparatus is controlled from a location spaced from the storage area and inter-relates and controls movement of the carriage along said track, extension and retraction of the reach, and operation of the article gripping assembly to retrieve articles.
US07682121B2
A drag-behind square hay bale accumulator that groups ten (10) bales of hay is claimed. The grouping configuration has the advantage of providing the first two bales of hay turned at right angles to the remaining bales, to provide for improved stacking of the hay bales. The accumulator is comprised of an open framework within which channels for routing the bales are positioned. After a group of ten (10) bales is collected, the accumulator leaves the bales on the field in a grouping that can be mechanically picked up and stacked.
US07682117B2
An isolating connector between a first work piece and a second work piece each defining a hole therein includes first and second spring members that capture the first work piece between flanges of the spring members and establish a column between the second work piece and a head of a bolt extending through the first and second spring members and anchored in the second work piece.
US07682113B2
An extendable gantry comprises a base and an extendable transverse bridge mounted on the base. The extendable transverse bridge has an axial length greater than a width of the base.
US07682112B2
A machining tool for machining a panel is arranged in a working area of a machining surface of the panel. A holding element is arranged in a support area located on a holding surface of the panel, opposing the machining surface and on an opposite side in relation to the panel to the working area. The operating machining tool and the holding element are displaced on the panel in a co-coordinated manner according to movement presenting at least one component tangentially to the surface of the panel in such a way as to maintain the opposition of the support area and the working area during the displacement of the tool in order to machine at least a part of the machining surface.
US07682107B2
A remote mine seal spray nozzle assembly is provided that includes a rotatable nozzle body attached to a down shaft, multiple string casing. The nozzle body receives interchangeable nozzles coactively seated in a multiport manifold of the nozzle body casing. The nozzle defines a downstream spray outlet that projects a first mix formed of a cementitious grout including a water reducer and a plasticizer. The projected first mix is atomized with a second mix formed of pressurized air and a temperature optimized accelerant. An atomized mine seal mix is thereby created and projected from the downstream spray outlet to form a rapidly hardened mine seal from the accumulated mix projected from the nozzle. The multiport manifold seat establishes an upward directed spray throw axis whereby the projected mine seal mix is projected about a substantially upward arc to optimize the sealing capability of the remote mine seal.
US07682104B2
A temporary culvert barrier for placing across the mouth of a culvert for blocking litter and debris from entering or exiting the culvert and for filters to block silt or sand from clogging the culvert or the drain area. The filters may also be selected to absorb oils salts or other chemicals. The temporary barrier is easy to install and remove. The barrier plates and filters fit to the size of the culvert mouth and have adjustment slots for different width mouths. The culvert barrier may be used to prevent pollution at construction sites and be temporarily or permanently attached to culvert mouths. The filters may be changed or cleaned as required.
US07682103B2
An ornamental planting landscape irrigation distribution and reservoir product and method ecosystem employing a substantially continuous panel on the soil surface on which ornamental landscape plantings is placed or produced, the panel having a primary, lateral water distribution structure which distributes water from a water charging inlet through the lateral area to the panel periphery, where it is restrained, the primary water distribution structure being such that when filled with water or completely submerged in water air is trapped by the gaps and spaces of the material for ornamental landscape plant usage.
US07682102B1
The asphalt tamper includes a tamper plate connected to a reciprocating rod that oscillates inside of a protective sleeve, wherein the reciprocating rod abuts a cam that rotates about the output of a motor. The reciprocating rod has a shoulder that interacts with a spring that applies a biasing force ushering the reciprocating rod back and forth upon interaction with the rotating cam.
US07682097B2
A device for applying a cleaning or polishing solution to a surface and wiping the solution over the surface includes a rotatable valve that allows for the dispensing of the solution through either a nozzle that sprays the solution in front of a disposable sponge-like pad secured to the device, or directly into the pad for application to the surface by the pad. The device also includes a rearward opening that releasably receives a container of the solution to be dispensed from the device. When the container is empty, the container is removed and replaced in order to allow the device to be used in a generally continuous manner for cleaning and polishing the surface. The disposable pad connected to the device may also include a cleaning surface capable of picking up dust, dirt and other debris in addition to applying the polishing and cleaning solutions to the surface.
US07682095B2
A paper storage apparatus for stacking and storing paper in sequence comprising a first discharge roller 21 for discharging paper (check S1) in a specified discharge direction; a paper storage pocket (check storage pocket 12) for stacking the paper at a position offset from the specified direction in which the check S1 is transported by the first discharge roller 21, a movable first guide member (paper guide 60) having a first position disposed at an inclined angle relative to the direction the check S1 is discharged by the first discharge roller 21, for guiding the check S1 into the storage pocket 12, and a second position displaced from the first position for applying pressure upon the check(s)in the check storage pocket 12 and a movable second guide member (paper shift lever) 40 positioned between the first discharge roller 21 and first guide member (paper guide 60) which pivots from a first position in response to the leading edge of the paper to allow the paper to advance into a second position for urging the trailing edge of the paper toward the movable second guide member.
US07682088B2
A connector includes component parts, such as a strain relief boot or a grip, formed of a non-halogen polymer. The non-halogen polymer is preferably fungus resistant, lead free, and flame resistant. In a preferred embodiment, the non-halogen polymer is flexible and formed of a thermoplastic vulcanizate elastomer (TPVE), which may include rubber or polypropylenes.
US07682085B2
In a rotor bearing arrangement for a balancing machine having a bearing housing (1) which is supported in a radially resilient manner in a highly stiff bearing stand (2) by means of at least two identically configured and arranged spring elements, the spring elements are arranged on opposite sides of the bearing housing (1) so as to be symmetrical about a plane containing the main axis of the bearing and the bearing stand (2) has two supporting arms (11) arranged at a distance from one another, between which the bearing housing (1) is arranged and on which the spring elements are supported.
US07682081B2
A sliding bearing comprises two opposite bearing surfaces (3, 4) which enclose a gap (6) containing a lubricant film (5), the bearing surfaces (3, 4) being moveable with respect to each other in a generally parallel fashion, at least one of the surfaces (4) being provided with at least one cavity (10), the cavity having a depth (h3) which is at least equal to the lubricant film thickness. One of the length (Bp) and width (Lp) dimension of the surface area of the cavity (10) amounts to at least 100 μm.
US07682076B2
A temperature sensor including a housing and a temperature sensing element at least partially disposed in the housing. A particulate media, which may include a blend of differently sized particles, is disposed in the housing and at least partially surrounds the temperature sensing element. The particulate media may entrain oxygen to avoid a reducing atmosphere in said housing.
US07682074B2
A method and apparatus for estimating the true temperature of connate fluid within a subterranean geological formation is provided herein. The method includes generating a flow of connate fluid, measuring the temperature of the flow over time until the measured temperature reaches a limiting value termed the stabilized temperature. Multiple events of temperature sampling events can be conducted at different flow rates of the connate fluid. The stabilized temperature values can then be ascendingly organized based on the value of their respective flow rates. The limiting value reached by the stabilized temperatures is taken to be substantially equal to the actual temperature of the connate fluid residing within the subterranean formation.
US07682067B2
A mixing system includes a housing and a motor mount disposed on the housing and having a passage extending therethrough. A dive motor is coupled with the motor mount for selectively rotating the motor mount relative to the housing. A rotational assembly includes a hub having a passageway extending therethrough and a casing at least partially encircling the hub, the hub being rotatable to the casing. The rotational assembly is removably coupled to the housing so that the passageway of the hub aligns with the passage of the motor mount.
US07682065B2
An exemplary backlight module (20) includes a light source (23), a light guide plate (21), a light source reflector (22), and a holding device (24). The light guide plate includes a light incident surface (211). The light source is disposed adjacent to the light incident surface. The light source reflector attaches to the light guide plate, and includes a fixing hole (224). The holding device engages with the light source reflector at the fixing hole and restrains the light source in position a predetermined maximum distance away from the light source reflector.
US07682063B2
The present invention provides a light guide panel and a backlight module using the light guide panel. The light guide panel is disposed corresponding to a light source module of the backlight module. The light guide panel mainly comprises a plate, a plurality of microstructures and a plurality of protrusions. The plate is disposed close to the light source module and includes a microstructure surface. The microstructures and the protrusions are disposed on the microstructure surface, and the heights of the protrusions are greater than those of the microstructures, and a plurality of the microstructures are disposed between the adjacent protrusions.
US07682057B2
The invention concerns a lighting module comprising a concave reflector, and at least one light source disposed in the concavity of the reflector in order to illuminate at least upwards, and a lens situated in front of the reflector and light source. The reflector is associated with a flat plate, the top face of which is reflective in order to bend the beam coming from the reflector, the said plate comprising a front end edge able to form the cutoff in the lighting beam. The reflector is determined so as to transform a spherical wave surface coming from the source into a wave surface boiling down to an arc of a circle situated in the plane of the plate, and the lens is of revolution about an axis orthogonal to the plane of the plate and passing through the center of the said arc of a circle.
US07682054B2
An illuminating apparatus (20) includes a lamp cover (200), a solid-state light emitting component (23) and an air tank (24). The lamp cover has a first end and an opposite second end. The lamp cover tapers from the first end to the second end. The lamp cover defines therein an air channel (25) running from the first end to the second end of the lamp cover. The solid-state light emitting component is disposed in the lamp cover at the second end thereof. The air tank has a chamber (240) therein in thermally contact with the solid-state light emitting component. The air tank has a plurality of first and second air vents (244, 245). The chamber is communicated with the air channel via the first air vents, and is communicated with an ambient environment via the second air vents. The first and second air vents are disposed at different altitudes.
US07682052B2
An LED lamp has a housing comprising a heat conductive body arrayed about a longitudinal axis with a tubular projection extending therefrom coaxial with the longitudinal axis. The tubular projection has a distal end attached to the heat conductive body and a proximal end opposite thereto. A motor is positioned within the tubular projection and has a tubular, vaned fan blade operatively connected thereto. A plurality of LED components is attached to an outside surface of the tubular projection at the proximal end. An air inlet is formed at the proximal end of the tubular projection and a plurality of air outlets are spaced about the tubular projection between the distal end of the tubular projection and the LED components. A base is operatively attached to the housing for attachment to a power supply.
US07682046B2
A lamp adjustment assembly for a light fixture includes a socket platform having a base and hollow neck. A socket mounts to the base. The interior of the hollow neck includes at least three spaced-apart cam followers. A cam having spiral grooves includes a first portion that fits at least partially within the interior of the hollow neck. The cam followers mate with the grooves. An adjustment knob is coupled to a second portion of the cam and rotatably coupled to a socket housing that at least partially encloses the lamp adjustment assembly. Alignment wings extend from the base of the socket platform and are sized to fit within slots in the interior of the socket housing. The slots prevent the socket platform from rotating and limit the linear range of motion of the socket platform. A spring applies force to the base and the adjustment knob.
US07682045B2
A linear actuator (1) comprising a housing (6), a motor (2) comprising a stator with coils (4), a screw-nut system, and a rotor (5) axially and radially supported on the motor side by a bearing (11). The bearing comprises a ball (14) rigidly attached to the rotor, a cylindrical cavity (15) formed or positioned in the housing into which the ball (14) is inserted. A stop (17) is positioned in the cavity, supported in an axial direction of the rotor, against the ball (14) in essentially one point.
US07682037B1
An apparatus comprising a light-emitting device configured to illuminate blood. The light-emitting device may comprise a green light source configured to emit green light. The light-emitting device may also comprise a red light source configured to emit red light. The green and red light sources may be configured such that at least a portion of the green light and at least a portion of the red light combine to form a combined light area. The combined light area may cause a red color to be perceived as standing out in contrast to non-red colors. A filter device configured to transmit a light spectrum optimized to track blood is disclosed. The filter device may comprise a notch filter. A flashlight adaptor for illuminating blood is also disclosed. A method for illuminating blood is further disclosed.
US07682034B2
A light-source comprising at least one lighting unit (101) being arranged on a substrate (102) and a diffusing element (103) being arranged to receive and diffuse light emitted by said at least one lighting unit (101) is provided. The diffusing element (103) comprises a layer of non-woven fabric having a lower density at a side facing the lighting unit and a higher density at a side opposite to the lighting unit to obtain good diffusing properties.
US07682032B2
A bearing apparatus for pivotally moving a carrying arm relative to an anchorage is provided. The carrying arm may carry a mirror for a vehicle, the anchorage mountable to the vehicle. The bearing apparatus has a bushing located between the carrying arm and the anchorage in which a pivot bearing apparatus is moveably disposed. In one embodiment the pivot bearing apparatus has a control component and a come-along part relationally disposed about a shaft and movably connected to the control component. When the shaft is rotated, the come-along part moves along the shaft to rotate the control component. In turn, the control component transfers its rotation to pivot the carrying arm.
US07682013B2
The inkjet recording apparatus has a color ink recording head to jet color ink toward a recording medium; an invisible ink recording head to jet invisible ink toward the recording medium; and a light irradiating device to irradiate light toward the recording medium to cure the ink. A control section causes the color ink to be jetted then the light irradiating device irradiates the color ink, thereafter the invisible ink is jetted, and finally the light irradiating device irradiates the invisible ink after a lapse of a certain time from the invisible ink jetting.
US07682012B2
This invention pertains to a method of inkjet printing, in particular to a method of inkjet printing designed for high speed, high quality and high resolution. This invention also pertains to an apparatus to perform the inventive method.
US07682011B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a recording ink which is excellent in color developing properties, has a high delivery stability, can improve remarkably color saturation and can form a high-quality image, when the ink is used for printing a plain paper, further an ink cartridge, an ink record, an inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording process, wherein the recording ink having water, a wetting agent, a surfactant, and a colorant.
US07682009B1
Condensation of water from a gas, such as from atmospheric air or other nearby ambient gas, is provided for use in a variety of jetting devices, such as inkjet and lab-on-a-chip applications. Further embodiments involve the use of frozen liquids, not limited to frozen condensed water, and microcooling of fluidic components or working materials for improved process control and reliability.
US07682001B2
A piezoelectric actuator of an inkjet head and a method of forming the piezoelectric actuator. The piezoelectric actuator is formed on a vibration plate to provide a driving force to each of a plurality of pressure chambers. The piezoelectric actuator includes a lower electrode formed on the vibration plate, a piezoelectric layer formed on the lower electrode at a position corresponding to each of the pressure chambers, a supporting pad formed on the lower electrode, the supporting pad contacting one end of the piezoelectric layer and extending away from the one end of the piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode extending from a top surface of the piezoelectric layer to a top surface of the supporting pad. The upper electrode is bonded to a driving circuit above the supporting pad to receive a voltage from the driving circuit. The piezoelectric layer may have substantially the same length as the pressure chamber. The supporting pad may be formed of a photosensitive polymer and may have substantially the same height as the piezoelectric layer. The upper electrode may include a first portion formed on the piezoelectric layer and a second portion formed on the supporting pad, and the second portion may be wider than the first portion.
US07681996B2
The liquid ejection head includes: a piezoelectric body which generates pressure for ejecting liquid; a pressure chamber which is connected to a nozzle; a common liquid chamber which is arranged across the piezoelectric body from the pressure chamber and has at least five molded walls that are integrally molded from a resin material; groove-shaped wires which include a first wire and a second wire and are formed on at least two of the molded walls of the common liquid chamber; a liquid supply flow channel which is provided in one of the molded walls that is adjacent to the pressure chamber in such a manner that the liquid supply flow channel is connected with the pressure chamber; and an electronic circuit which is arranged on one of the molded walls of the common liquid chamber, wherein the first wire is connected to the piezoelectric body and the second wire is connected to the electronic circuit.
US07681995B2
A liquid ejection head for an electrostatic ink jet including an insulating ejection substrate in which through holes are bored to form ejection openings for ejecting droplets; an insulating support substrate arranged while facing the ejection substrate with a predetermined distance therebetween; a solution flow path provided between the ejection substrate and the support substrate; ejection electrodes, respectively provided corresponding to the through holes, for exerting electrostatic forces on the solution; and a shield electrode, provided corresponding to at least one of the through holes on a solution ejection side with respect to the ejection electrodes, for preventing electric field interferences between the through holes. Plural flow path wall portions contacting the ejection substrate stands in the solution flow path, and at least one of electrode lines connected to the ejection electrodes and electrode lines connected to the shield electrode are contained in the flow path wall portions.
US07681993B2
An ink jet head circuit board is provided which has heaters to generate thermal energy for ejecting ink as they are energized. This circuit board is so constructed as to reduce wire resistances for the heaters while at the same time preventing an increase in the size of the board and realizing a high-density integration of the heaters required for high resolution printing. This construction is made possible by forming electrode wires of first and second electrode wire layers to reduce an area that the wire patterns for the heater occupy on the circuit board. In reducing the effective thickness of protective insulation layer formed on the heater to prevent a possible degradation of thermal efficiency, one of the protective insulation layers over the electrode wires is removed from the heater, depending on the thickness of the electrode wires.
US07681989B2
In a piezoelectric actuator for an ink-jet printhead, and a method of forming the same, formed on a flow path plate having a pressurizing chamber, the piezoelectric actuator for applying a driving force for ink ejection to the pressurizing chamber, the piezoelectric actuator includes a lower electrode formed on the flow path plate, a bonding pad formed on the flow path plate to be insulated from the lower electrode, wherein a driving circuit for voltage application is bonded to an upper surface of the bonding pad, a piezoelectric layer formed on the lower electrode at a position corresponding to the pressurizing chamber, wherein an end of the piezoelectric layer extends onto the bonding pad, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer, wherein an end of the upper electrode extends beyond the end of the piezoelectric layer and contacts the upper surface of the bonding pad.
US07681986B2
Embodiments of an ink jet printing system include a motion stage adapted to move a substrate having a display object in a printing direction and a first printing assembly mounted over the motion stage including a set of print heads aligned and arranged consecutively in the printing direction such that the display object moves under the print heads sequentially. Embodiments of a method of ink jet printing include moving a substrate under the print heads of printing assembly sequentially in a printing direction, activating alternate ink jetting channels within each print head of the first printing assembly, activating corresponding channels within adjacent print heads in the first printing assembly alternately, and depositing ink in alternating sub-pixels within one or more pixels on the substrate.
US07681981B2
In an inkjet printer including at least a printhead of inkjet type configured to eject ink according to print data and a cleaning unit configured to perform a cleaning of the printhead by ejecting ink to produce suitable conditions for an inkjet recording, the inkjet printer further includes a user information input unit configured to input user information, a cleaning direction unit configured to issue for a user a cleaning direction, and a control unit configured to instruct the cleaning unit to clean the printhead in response to the cleaning direction issued by the cleaning direction unit on condition that the user information inputted by the user information input unit is permissible to perform the cleaning. Also disclosed is an image processing apparatus, incorporating the inkjet printer and further including a document scanner configured to read an image of a document and to generate first image data corresponding to the image, and an image data processing unit configured to convert the first image data into second image data suitable for image recording by the inkjet printer and to output to the inkjet printer.
US07681978B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a full-line inkjet head that includes ejection nozzles arrayed in the width direction of a recording medium, and that ejects a liquid functional material on the recording medium; a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium at a position opposite to the full-line inkjet head; a test image formation sheet-feeding unit that contact-feeds a test image formation sheet on the recording medium in the upstream of the ejection position on the conveying unit; and a test image formation sheet-separating unit that separates the test image formation sheet from the recording medium in the downstream of the ejection position on the conveying unit.
US07681950B2
A seat assembly for a motorcycle includes a rider seat having a forward end and a rearward end, a mounting bracket pivotally coupling the forward end of the rider seat to a frame of a motorcycle, the rider seat being pivotable to raise the rearward end of the seat, and a support arm. The seat assembly further includes a rear seat support having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion being pivotally coupled to the support arm and the second end portion supporting a rear seat. The rear seat support is pivotal from a first position in which the rear seat is hidden from view below the rider seat to a second position in which the rear seat can support a passenger. The seat assembly also includes a stop feature for supporting the second end portion relative to the support arm and a lock feature for inhibiting pivoting of the rear seat support.
US07681949B2
A haptic seat and system for use in imparting sensations to an occupant thereof. The haptic seat may be used to alert passengers of various operating conditions with some sort of tactile sensation, such as a vibration, pulse, shake, or other inducement that involves the occupant's sense of touch.
US07681948B2
Disclosed is an automotive seat the seat cushion level of which can be adjustable up-and-down, in which the safety is improved when a shock is applied to a vehicle. The automotive seat according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a level adjusting mechanism for adjusting the seat cushion level, and comprises a base frame, a seat cushion, a seat cushion frame, a space from which to the base frame being adjustable, a stopper which supports the sinking seat cushion frame at a rear end collision of an automobile. The stopper moves to narrow the space between the seat cushion frame and the stopper and supports the seat cushion frame.
US07681945B1
This invention is related to an ottoman convertible to a seating unit comprising a back-support assembly, a seat-support assembly, a base frame, and a pair of opposed armrests. Additionally, the ottoman includes a linkage system comprising a plurality of pivotably interconnected linkages, where the linkage system is configured to rotatably couple the seat-support assembly to the back-support assembly, and translatably couple the seat-support assembly and the base frame. In operation, this furniture piece is moveable between a closed position, resembling an ottoman, and an open position, wherein the back-support assembly forms the backrest of a seating unit accessible to a seated occupant. Specifically, the pivotably interconnected linkages operate such that rearward rotational movement of the back-support assembly induces forward translation of the seat-support assembly in relation to the base frame. This movement coincidentally induces the pair of opposed armrests to raise.
US07681936B2
A movable cargo floor assembly for a vehicle providing at least a portion of the cargo floor moving closer to an entrance of the vehicle or extending beyond or outside the vehicle when it is in a deployed position, and the cargo floor being in a stowed position when not in the deployed position. In addition, the cargo floor has at least one ramp surface integrated into the base of the cargo floor, and a track that is integrated into the ramp surface so that a gear assembly contacts the track and moves the cargo floor to and from a deployed position and a stowed position. Thus, as a gear rotates it contacts the teeth of the track and causes the cargo floor to move between positions.
US07681935B2
An improved truck bed extender particularly adapted for ease of installation and removal. When not being used to extend the truck bed, the extender is advantageously adapted to quickly and easily create a secondary storage area. In one embodiment, the extender includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall, a first mount and a second mount. The connecting wall extends between the first side wall and the second side wall, and cooperates with the first side wall and second side wall to form a generally U-shape frame. The first mount is secured to the first side wall and includes a first interlocking member. The second mount is secured to the second side wall and comprises a second interlocking member. The first interlocking member and the first mounting station on the vehicle and the second interlocking member and the second mounting station on the vehicle cooperate to secure the truck bed extender to the vehicle so that the extender is rotatable about an axis between a first and a second position. In the first position, the connecting wall is in an upright position over the tailgate beyond the rear end of the bed. In the second position, the connecting wall is in an upright position spaced forward from the rear end of the bed and the tailgate.
US07681932B2
A shoveling and throwing device for moving a snow from a surface comprising a frame having a first and second ends, the frame comprising at least one frame extension extending generally upwardly and at least one wheel disposed on said first end of said frame, a manually operable lever which is pivotally attached proximate to the first end of said frame, a first member having a first end being pivotally attached to the frame extension, a second member having a first end being pivotally attached proximate to a second end of the manually operable lever, a third member having a first end being pivotally attached to a second end of the second member, and a shovel blade pivotally attached to a second end of the third member.
US07681927B2
A fitting is provided that includes a receptacle having an inner wall forming a female member. The inner wall includes a shoulder and a land. A male member is received in the female member with a gap therebetween. The male member includes an outwardly opening groove. An O-ring is seated between the outwardly opening groove in the male member and the shoulder and the land of the receptacle to prevent removal of the male member from the receptacle. The outwardly opening groove, the shoulder and the land are configured such that compression of the O-ring is sufficient to prevent removal of the male member from the female member.
US07681925B2
Improvement in a quick disconnect coupling that includes a tubular coupler half, having a radially outwardly-directed roller on an outer surface portion thereof; a tubular nipple half, having a push-to-connect mechanism, including a cup-shaped member, concentrically surrounding a nipple body portion, this mechanism including a locking device having a basically L-shaped contoured slot including a helically-directed ramp inlet and a locking slot portion; the improvement comprising that the push-to-connect mechanism includes the rotatable journaling of the cup-shaped member, for limited rotational pivoting relative to the nipple half; this mechanism also including a biasing member for concurrently normally biasing the cup-shaped member to an at-rest position relative to the nipple body. A method for joining includes an initial contact between the axially-aligned roller and the helical ramp; further interaction rotationally displacing the cup shaped member until the roller enters the locking portion, resulting in reverse pivoting of the cup-shaped member.
US07681924B2
A method, apparatus, and design of a fusion welded pipe wherein the effects of an inner bead of the fusion weld are minimized. The internal shape of the pipe prior to welding may be configured in several different shapes so that the beads or lips produced by the fusion welding process are unobtrusive and do not interfere with the function of the pipe. In a likewise manner, the outer shape of the pipe prior to welding may be configured so that the lips are unobtrusive on the external surface of the pipe.
US07681907B2
An air-bag unit for a vehicle seat including a squab (2) and a back-rest (5). The back-rest (5) includes a frame which is covered with upholstery (7). An air-bag unit (22) has an inflatable air-bag (28) connected to an inflator (23) to inflate the air-bag 28. The air-bag unit 22 is mounted to the back-rest frame (6) so as to be located inboard of part of the frame (10) with the inflator (23) being located adjacent the rearmost region of the frame (6) and positioned to direct gas into the air-bag (28) in a generally forward direction. The arrangement is such that actuation of the air-bag unit (22) will cause the air-bag (28) to inflate so that at least part of the air-bag (28) lies between the frame (6) and the occupant (16) of the seat.
US07681903B1
A trailer backup alignment guide apparatus (10) is taught for aligning a vehicle hitch ball (20) to a trailer coupler (22) for attachment therebetween. The apparatus consists of a vehicle ball mount (28) incorporating a ball mounting strap (36) encompassing a vehicle ball. A vehicle mast (58) is disposed within the hitch ball mount in a vertical position. A trailer hitch coupler mount (62) is attached to the trailer which includes an L-shaped base block (64) with a telescoping trailer mast (68) in a vertical position parallel with the vehicle mast. A coupler mounting strap (70) is attached to and circumvents the coupler mount. When the ball mount and hitch coupler mount are attached to the vehicle and trailer and the vehicle is maneuverably backed toward the trailer, the masts (58) and (68) may be visually aligned to guide the vehicle in a straight line until a vehicle mast designator (60) on the vehicle mast engages a trailer mast stop (78) on the trailer mast advising the vehicle driver that alignment has been achieved.
US07681897B2
A wheel suspension includes a working cylinder, a main spring in parallel with the working cylinder, and a piston rod extending from the working cylinder and having a longitudinal axis, the piston rod having fixed thereto a piston and a mount for fixing the piston rod against movement with respect to a vehicle body. The piston is mounted with freedom of axial movement in an adjusting cylinder, the piston dividing the cylinder into a space above the piston and a space below the piston, and an additional spring is located on the longitudinal axis for supporting the adjusting cylinder against the working cylinder. A shut-off element is located in a flow connection connecting the space above the piston to the space below the piston, whereby movement of the piston in the adjusting cylinder can be blocked when the vehicle rolls.
US07681892B1
The Invention is a wheeled military vehicle that may be stacked one on top of another for efficient transportation aboard an aircraft such as a helicopter. A tubular frame reinforces the fenders of the military vehicle, allowing a first vehicle to support the weight of a second vehicle and to withstand the load applied by rigging. A pintle hook is connected to the military vehicle by a hinge and has a deployed and a folded position. The hinged pintle hook allows a combination of the military vehicle and a trailer to be shortened selectably so that the combination will occupy a reduced space within the fuselage of an aircraft.
US07681885B2
A card game that includes a first deck and a second deck of standard playing cards, a hat and a game board to facilitate playing of the card game. The first deck includes a complete set of fifty two standard playing cards and are utilized to facilitate a first round of play comprising of a plurality hand. The second deck is a rank establishing deck and is utilized to establish each players rank prior to the initial round of play. A hat is worn by a player subsequent to the first round of play functioning to identify the loser of the first round. A game board is further included to control the term of the game.
US07681873B2
The present invention provides a sheet processing apparatus, such as a finisher or sorter, for implementing predetermined processing such as alignment and stapling on an inserted sheet material (i.e. any sheet-form recording medium such as recording paper, transfer paper, or an OHP sheet), and an image forming apparatus comprising the sheet processing apparatus. The sheet processing apparatus comprises a rear end fence horizontal portion that contacts the end portion of the sheet member on the upstream side of a sheet member conveyance direction during alignment of the sheet member, a rear end fence vertical portion for supporting the other parts of the sheet member, and a staple unit for stapling the sheet member. The stapling direction in which a staple is punched by a stapler of the staple unit is set to be parallel to the rear end fence horizontal portion that contacts the rear end portion of the sheet member.
US07681870B2
A pipe clamp fixture that may be used for more than one size diameter pipe is described.
US07681859B2
A portable terminal device includes a supporting leg which makes it possible to watch television in a standing state of the terminal device. The portable terminal device comprises a main body having a mounting groove formed in a rear surface thereof to have a predetermined length, the mounting groove having a plurality of catching grooves formed in one inner side surface thereof; and a supporting leg assembly having an end rotatably supported in the mounting groove. The supporting leg assembly comprises a supporting leg including a leg portion having a predetermined length, and a hollow head portion formed at one end of the leg portion and having one side opened. A cam member is inserted and supported in the head portion of the supporting leg with a spring received therein to be movable within a certain section in an axial direction. The cam member has a cam protrusion protruding outward to be caught to one of the catching grooves by an elastic force of the spring.
US07681852B2
A system of multifunctional food and beverage holders for use in motor vehicles and other locations. The components of this system facilitate safe, convenient and flexible handling of food and beverages in automobiles and other vehicles utilizing tray/plates for holding food that can attach to a handle, rest on a flat surface or be secured in the vehicle by attachment to a cup holder adaptor that can be temporarily locked in a vehicle cup holder.
US07681845B1
A supporting stand having a lifting and positioning means includes a support, a sliding body, and a base. The sliding body has a swinging rode and is movably provided in the support. The base is connected to the support. The support has an elastic recovering means and a return path means. One end of the elastic recovering means is connected to the support, while the other end thereof is connected to the sliding body. The elastic recovering means provides a force for automatic recovery. The swinging rod is located above the return path means. In use, with the vertical movement of the sliding body in the support and the cooperation of the swinging rod and the return path means, the height of the supporting stand can be adjusted according to the user's demand. Via aforementioned arrangement, a supporting stand with no tenons on its external surface can be formed.
US07681844B2
A tie for elongated objects has a flexible strap extending from a retaining head that includes side-by-side retaining and locking regions, the tops of which form a contact surface for objects to be held. The retaining region is constructed for fastening to a T-stud on a support. The locking region is constructed to receive an entry section of the strap looped about objects to be held and to lock the strap in the locking region.
US07681843B2
A display and mounting clip, particularly adapted to mount flatware to a display board, has a shank supporting a closed loop through which the displayed item is inserted. Opposed support arms, coupled to the shank, support the item within the loop. The shank is adapted to extend through the mounting board. Flexible locking means extend from the shank and can be placed into a splayed orientation below the mounting board to retain the clip in position.
US07681842B2
A device for artificially restoring an opposing force for a device for remotely controlling an aircraft control surface, the device comprising: an actuator member (1) mounted to pivot about an axis (2) and entrain a rotary shaft (3); a stationary finger (8) parallel to said shaft (3) and supported at a radial distance from the shaft; a moving finger (5) secured to the shaft and supported at the same radial distance as the stationary finger, both fingers being parallel to the shaft; a slab (9) supported at the same radial distance as the fingers and disposed beside them; a first spring (11) between the stationary finger and the slab; and a second spring (10) between the moving finger and the slab.
US07681839B2
An aerial refueling system including a refueling drogue assembly including a refueling drogue and a refueling hose in captive relation with the refueling drogue and a drogue positioning system. The drogue positioning system including a radiation emitter, a radiation receiver and a signal processor. Then the radiation emitter is adapted to direct radiation to a positioning area a defined distance from the radiation emitter, the radiation carrying a modulated location signal containing information corresponding to positions within the positioning area. The radiation receiver is adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation carrying the modulated signal and output a signal to the signal processor indicative of the modulation of the location signal of the received radiation. And the signal processor is adapted to process the outputted signal and identify a position within the positioning area indicative of the location in the positioning area of the received radiation.
US07681838B2
An aircraft engine nacelle inlet is provided with an inlet cowling. The inlet cowling includes an inner lip, an outer lip, and a leading edge portion connecting the inner and outer lips. Heating elements are provided proximate the leading edge, either on an inside surface of the cowling or on an outside surface. An inner barrel portion and an outer barrel portion of the nacelle inlet define a space therebetween. Ice protection-related equipment such as controllers, cables, switches, connectors, and the like, may reside in this space. One or more access openings are formed in the outer barrel to enable an operator to gain access to this equipment. The inlet cowling attaches to the inner and outer barrels with its outer lip extending sufficiently far in the aft direction to cover the access opening. When the cowling is removed, the access opening is uncovered, thereby permitting access to the equipment.
US07681832B2
A ducted fan air vehicle and method of operation is disclosed for obtaining aerodynamic lift and efficiency in forward flight operation without significantly impacting hover stability. One or more retractable wings are included on the ducted fan air vehicle and are deployed during forward flight to provide aerodynamic lift. The wing or wings are retracted when the vehicle hovers to reduce the impact the wings have on stability in a wind. Each wing may conform to the curvature or profile of the vehicle when retracted, and may be constructed in one or more wing sections. The wing or wings may be deployed and retracted automatically or at the command of an operator. Each wing and related components may be integrated into the vehicle or may be detachable.
US07681829B2
A non-twist tape transfer system for interconnecting the trailing edge of tape from a first roll of tape to the leading edge of tape from a second roll of tape includes a first element which is attachable to the trailing edge of the tape on the first roll and a second element which is attachable to the leading edge of the tape on the second roll. A spindle which is attached to the holder the first roll is mounted on rotates with the roll and has a slot which releasably receives the first element in a manner such that the first element rotates with it. The second element attachable to the first element in a manner such that it does not rotate with the first element. When the tape starts to feed from the second roll the first element pulls out of the slot and proceeds with the tape.
US07681828B2
A device for winding tapes around a longitudinal object, using a supportive hollow cylinder surrounding the object, and a ring rotatable around the cylinder. A spool shaft connected at one end to the rotatable ring bears a spool on which a tape is disposed. The spool is made to rotate around the longitudinal object dispensing the tape to subsequently wrap the object. A driving mechanism may be employed for rotating the rotatable ring and spool.
US07681825B2
By adjusting phases of a webbing sensor and a locking mechanism when a spool locking section operates, special precision and rigidity are not required of respective members, and operation is stabilized. In a webbing retractor, at a time when a lock pawl meshes with a ratchet tooth of a ratchet member, if the lock pawl meshes with an Nth ratchet tooth and a sensor pawl meshes with an (N−1)st internal tooth, a release pawl is moved from a restraining position to a restraint cancelled position against urging force of a torsion coil spring and due to torque in a clockwise direction which teeth surfaces generate. When a gear ring rotates to a position at which a phase difference with the ratchet member substantially disappears, the release pawl is returned to the restraining position by the urging force of the torsion coil spring.
US07681814B2
The present invention relates to a jet mill for grinding and classifying material having an integrated dynamic classifier section connected to a conveying section to and from which a fine material and a material to be further ground are conveyed. The integrated dynamic classifier section of the present invention allows for the separation of a fine material from a material to be further ground. Furthermore, the present invention also includes a method of using such a jet mill having an integrated dynamic classifier section for grinding and classifying of material.
US07681794B2
A power supply apparatus with image scanning function is provided. The power supply apparatus is installed to a portable electronic device to supply power and scan documents, and it is also able to be handheld independently to scan documents. The power supply apparatus includes a battery pack and a scanning module. The battery pack supplies power to an electronic device electrically connected thereto and supplies power to the scanning module. The scanning module scans an object to be scanned and converts image into image data. Thus, the portable electronic device obtains the image data of the object to be scanned.
US07681793B2
A magnetic head includes a first array of elements associated with a first data format and a second array of elements associated with a second data format, the elements being selected from a group consisting of readers, writers, and combinations thereof. The first and second arrays of elements are adjacent each other in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of a magnetic medium over the head.
US07681784B2
A container with an integrated foldable closure system containing a secure locking mechanism. The container is provided with an upper edge divided by a series of mountain and valley folds into a set of triangular and quadrilateral panels. When the panels are folded down on the given folds, the panels interlock and extend beyond the centroid of the closure, thereby providing a secure locking mechanism. Also disclosed is a simple method for closing said container.
US07681782B2
A collapsible box has a body with a front panel, a bottom panel, a back panel, a top panel, a closing panel, a left folding panel, a right folding panel, and a back folding panel. The back folding panel has a center panel foldably connected to two side panels. Each of the left and right folding panels comprises two foldably connected panels. The bottom panel edges are foldably connected to edges of the front, back, left folding, and right folding panels. The opposite edges of the top panel are foldably connected to the back and closing panels. The edges of the front panel are foldably connected to one set edges of the left folding and right folding panels, and edges of the back folding panel are foldably connected to opposite set edges of the left folding and right folding panels.
US07681778B2
A method for remanufacturing an electronic assembly includes removing a first portion of an assembly housing to expose an underside of an enclosed circuit assembly. One or more solder joints on the underside of the circuit assembly are associated with at least one component that is also affixed to a portion of the housing. The opened electronic assembly is lowered onto a desoldering fixture having a plurality of solder pots configured to encompass, and thus desolder, the solder joints associated with the component that is affixed to a portion of the housing. Once the affected solder joints are melted, the remaining portion of the housing and the component affixed thereto may be lifted away, exposing the top surface of the circuit assembly for analysis, repair, and or adjustment.
US07681770B2
A stapler has a table formed with a clincher mechanism at a front end and is rotatably supported on a frame. A pair of locking plates slidably supported along the frame between the table and the frame prevents the clincher mechanism from rotating in a direction in which the clincher mechanism moves toward a staple driving section. Drive cams are provided independently for each of the locking plates to drive the locking plates. The times at which the respective locking plates are pulled out from between the table and the frame by the respective drive cams are shifted from each other.
US07681764B2
A delivering tap for a liquid vessel of the “bag in box” type, and a process for making the delivering tap, where the delivering tap has a substantially-cylindrical elongated body equipped with an end cam and a plane abutting member against the vessel; and further has a plug with a cylindrical end and an operating knob operatively connected to the body where the plug is made in a single piece, where the plug has a tamper-preventing warranty seal adapted to signal a possible tampering of the tap when opening; and where the body has a housing adapted to contain the tamper-preventing warranty seal.
US07681759B2
Fluid-dispensing apparatus include a fluid-dispensing needle. A gas discharge member is positioned proximate a dispensing end of the needle that is configured to direct a gas towards a fluid tear-off position below the dispensing end of the needle. A controller controls discharge of the gas by the gas discharge member to control dispensing of fluid from the needle. The dispensing control may control an amount of fluid dispensed from the needle and/or tailing off of fluid dispensed from the needle. The amount of fluid dispensed from the needle may be a microliter range volume of a viscous fluid.
US07681747B2
A crane to be fitted in a window opening or the like, between two opposing surfaces, has a strut (14) which is first braced between the surfaces (20a, 20b), and a boom (13) which extends away from the strut. A winch (5) on the crane winds up a lifting cafe (12) which runs over a pulley (3) at the outer end of the boom (13). The top and bottom ends of the strut have end plates (15, 7) which are designed to hold the crane rigidly between the two surfaces, but without damaging any surface finish on either surface. The boom (13) can be swung about the axis of the strut (14) to bring the load carried by the crane in towards the position of the operator.
US07681740B1
A two part drain assembly for a container assembly with a drain for flowing fluid from the interior of the container assembly to exterior of the container assembly. A back plate comprising a first sliding engagement means parallel a second sliding engagement means connected by a back plate body, wherein a drain attachment hole is disposed on the back plate body and a bottom plate is disposed perpendicular to the first sliding engagement means and the second sliding engagement means. A front cover comprising a plurality of flow holes for slidably engaging simultaneously the first sliding engagement means and the second sliding engagement means, wherein the front cover forms an enclosed hollow chamber when slidably engaged with the back plate thereby permitting fluid to flow from the interior of the container assembly into the hollow chamber while excluding particles from entering the enclosed hollow chamber.
US07681738B2
Various traveling wave grid configurations are disclosed. The grids and systems are well suited for transporting, separating, and classifying small particles dispersed in liquid or gaseous media. Also disclosed are various separation strategies and purification cells utilizing such traveling wave arrays and strategies.
US07681734B2
In an air evacuative binding type air packing bag and a packing method using the same, an air cylinder is bended to form a first cushioning wall and a second cushioning wall, two sides of the first cushioning wall and the second cushioning wall are adhered to each other to form an accepting space. Next, an article is placed in the accepting space, and air in the accepting space is then evacuated to allow the first cushioning wall and the second cushioning wall to bind the article up to retain the article in the accepting space and not to be shaken with the air packing bag.
US07681726B2
A device for mixture of substances, whether in the form of a fixed or removable cap or in the form of emersion within a container, utilizing individual internal substance containment vessels, controlled by an external actuation mechanism. The system actuation mechanism can be placed in a locked position for storage, shipping or to ensure integrity of solutions. Multiple containment vessels may be utilized, as well as multiple compartments within an individual container to produce multiple mixtures. A further embodiment encompassing a pivotal actuator and removably attached mixing mechanisms is also illustrated.
US07681725B2
A container may comprise a reservoir that may be associated with a dispensing opening or a closure element of the container. The reservoir may transfer a transferable material, such as a fragrance composition or skin health benefit ingredient, to the container's content.
US07681718B2
A conveyor assembly includes a module having a detachably fixed reinforcement link to simplify modular conveyor assembly, disassembly, and repair. The module includes a first link end extending in a first direction from a leading edge and a second link end extending in a second direction from a trailing edge. The first link end includes a first aperture for receiving a first link pin connecting the module to an adjacent module. The second link end includes a second aperture for receiving a second link pin connecting the module to another adjacent module. A reinforcement link is detachably fixed to the module. The reinforcement link includes a third aperture aligned with the first aperture for receiving the first link pin. And, the reinforcement link includes a fourth aperture aligned with the second aperture for receiving the second link pin.
US07681715B2
A method and apparatus for discharging material at spaced intervals each provide a conveying tube and a conveying mechanism for moving material from a first end of the tube toward a second opposite end. Discharge openings are provided spaced along the tube at different heights thereon. Openings near the first end are at a higher elevation on the tube than those near the second end, corresponding to downward slope of material upon initial entry and conveyance within the tube. The decreasing elevation of discharge openings and corresponding slope of material act to delay discharge near the first end, by requiring a build up of material height to reach the opening, and hasten discharge near the second end, by eliminating the need to fill drop tubes or metering devices before conveying material further along the tube. This reduces lag time between progressive discharge openings thereby providing more even material distribution therefrom.
US07681710B2
Modular transfer band assemblies and systems are provided. The modular transfer band assemblies may include a frame, pulleys supported by the frame, and a belt provided around the pulleys. The belt is configured to be driven to transfer an article off of a main conveyor line having rollers for conveying the article. The removable belt module is configured to be engaged and disengaged from the main conveyor line without the use of tools as a single, self-contained unit. Modular transfer band assembly systems may include the modular transfer band assembly and a support structure, wherein the modular transfer band assembly is removably attached to the support structure.
US07681709B2
A balustrade fastening arrangement for an escalator or passenger conveyor having a moveable skirt panel whereby the fastening arrangement secures an inner decking panel such that it overhangs the moving skirt panel between the skirt panel and the step.
US07681696B2
The earthquake control operation system for an elevator includes: an earthquake information delivering device for calculating a predicted arrival hour of earthquake waves in accordance with a position of a registered building based on an emergency earthquake bulletin including at least a seismic center of an earthquake and an hour of occurrence of the earthquake; an earthquake information receiving device for receiving the predicted arrival hour through an Internet and calculating an earthquake arrival need time as a time required for the earthquake waves to reach the building based on the predicted arrival hour; and an elevator control panel for performing an operation of stopping an elevator car at a safety floor when the elevator car is traveling toward the safety floor, a car call for the safety floor is registered, and a stop time at the safety floor is shorter than the earthquake arrival need time.
US07681695B2
A method of modernizing the car door system of a elevator car, which originally comprises at least one car door leaf, a door drive with a crank gear and a drive linkage displacing the car door leaf and a car door/shaft door coupling actuated by the drive linkage, with the following method steps: demounting the door drive together with the crank gear and the drive linkage, mounting a door drive with a linearly moved drive means and coupling of the drive means with the car door leaf of the original car door system, and mounting an actuating device for actuating the car door/shaft door coupling.
US07681694B2
An elevator system and a method for reducing total power in an elevator system are provided. The elevator system includes at least one elevator without counterweight for moving people and/or goods. The elevator without counterweight comprises a power converter unit, an elevator motor, a traction sheave, a set of hoisting ropes and an elevator car. The elevator system also includes means for storing mechanical energy and discharging an energy storage.
US07681686B1
A mobile vehicle is disclosed which includes a plurality of proportional controls to control the operation of a first set of equipment and a second set of equipment.
US07681682B2
A straddle-type vehicle that has a fuel pump mounted on the bottom of a fuel tank disposed above an engine provides simplified maintenance and cleaning of the upper portion of the engine and its peripheral parts. A fuel tank support section that connects a fuel tank such that the fuel tank can turn on a connection bolt. The fuel tank support section connects a body frame to a front end section of the fuel tank. A fuel injection device is disposed under a rear end section of the fuel tank.
US07681678B2
A motorcycle that reliably supports a load imposed on a seat while increasing charging efficiency. An intake pipe is provided in a center area in a width direction and extends rearward across and beyond an upper cross member. Left and right seat rails are provided on opposite sides of the intake pipe, and are connected to left and right main frames at portions forward of a point at which the intake pipe exceeds the upper cross member in height.
US07681675B2
An apparatus for reducing parasitic losses in a hybrid electric powertrain of a vehicle includes a drivetrain, an electric motor, and a connecting mechanism operative to selectively engage and disengage the drivetrain and the electric motor.
US07681668B2
A shrink-fit sleeve assembly comprising a bit body includes at least one sleeve port with a substantially tubular sleeve disposed therein and interferingly engaged therewith. The sleeve port includes an internal surface of substantially circular cross-section, and the tubular sleeve includes an internal nozzle port and an external surface of substantially circular cross-section. A lateral dimension of an external surface is equal to or greater than a first dimension at ambient temperature. A nozzle assembly and a method of manufacturing or retrofitting a drill bit are also disclosed.
US07681666B2
An expandable reamer apparatus and methods for reaming a borehole are disclosed, including at least one laterally movable blade carried by a tubular body selectively positioned at an inward position and an expanded position. The at least one laterally movable blade, held inwardly by at least one blade-biasing element, may be forced outwardly by drilling fluid selectively allowed to communicate therewith or by at least one intermediate piston element. For example, an actuation sleeve may allow communication of drilling fluid with the at least one laterally movable blade in response to an actuation device being deployed within the drilling fluid. Alternatively, a chamber in communication with an intermediate piston element in structural communication with the at least one laterally movable blade may be pressurized by way of a movable sleeve, a downhole turbine, or a pump.
US07681665B2
A purely mechanical hydraulic control system includes at least one drilling fluid chamber and a hydraulic fluid chamber. A system pressure spring is deployed in one of the drilling fluid chamber(s) between a positioning piston and a system pressure piston. The spring is disposed to pressurize oil in the hydraulic fluid chamber via applying a spring force to the system pressure piston. When the system is actuated (e.g., via turning on the mud pumps), the positioning piston is urged in place against a stop (e.g., a shoulder) thereby compressing the system pressure spring and pressurizing oil in the hydraulic chamber. The invention advantageously converts highly variable drilling fluid pressure to a near constant pressure hydraulic fluid.
US07681664B2
A percussion drill, and methods of using the same, including a shank in mechanical alignment with a piston-hammer and a valve in fluid communication with the piston-hammer. The percussion drill further includes an internal hydraulic dampening system for reducing the velocity of the piston-hammer when the shank is forward of a power position relative to the velocity of the piston-hammer when the shank is in a power position. Preferably, the internal hydraulic dampening system includes mechanical alignment of a portion of the piston-hammer with a port in fluid communication with the valve, operable to reduce fluid flow into an area surrounding the valve when the piston-hammer is forward of its position relative to its normal operation.
US07681650B2
A ball valve seat (10) is disclosed which provides a temporary seal for a plug (40). The valve seat comprises a substantially cylindrical body (30) of a first volume, which defines a seating surface (34). A pressure differential is developed across the valve seat when the plug sealingly engages the seating surface. The body is formed of an elastic material which compresses from a first volume to a smaller second volume by application of a force on the plug, to provide a clearance which is greater than a plugging dimension of the plug, thus allowing passage of the plug downstream. After passage of the plug, the body returns to the first volume.
US07681648B2
A method and apparatus for completing a well through expansion of tubing enable construction of the well or at least part of the well with a mono-diameter or substantially no inside diameter reduction with subsequent casings/liners. Prior to lining an extended section of the borehole, forming a discrete enlarged portion of the extended section with a relatively larger inner diameter than the remainder of the extended section of the borehole occurs where overlapping tubing sections are to be located. For some embodiments, an open-hole clad expanded in the enlarged portion of the extended section of the borehole provides an inner surface for receiving a bottom of a first expanded liner and optionally a top of a second expanded liner.
US07681644B2
A method of managing lost returns in a wellbore includes contacting a filter cake with a treating fluid to remove metallic weighting agents from the filter cake, wherein the filter cake is disposed on a face of a formation fracture in the wellbore. The method also includes contacting the filter cake with a proppant slurry, wherein the proppant slurry contacts the filter cake concurrently with the treating fluid or after the treating fluid contacts the filter cake. This method may include increasing the filter cake permeability and may utilize a barite removal agent, such as a chelation agent. At least one related wellbore management method creates a fracture in the wellbore and props open the fracture to increase wellbore integrity to utilize higher weight drilling fluids and prevent fractures from forming further down the wellbore.
US07681642B2
A method for logging a downhole formation in a wellbore. The method comprises drilling a wellbore with a drill bit coupled to a disconnect device. The disconnect device is then actuated to detach the drill bit from a portion of a conveyance. A logging operation is then performed between two portions of the disconnect device. The disconnect device may then be reattached.
US07681641B2
A method of controlling a plunger lift system for a well. The method including the steps of: defining a threshold value for a trigger event, the trigger event initiating operation of the control valve by the controller; defining event-value conditions upon which adjustment of the trigger event is adjusted; determining, upon a calling-event, if the event-value conditions have been satisfied; and adjusting the trigger event threshold value upon satisfaction of the event-value conditions.
US07681619B2
The present invention relates to an automatic window system consisting of a frame, two movable window casements, one on the outside and one on the inside of a building, and of a mechanism, which opens and closes the afore-mentioned window casements independently of each other. Glass panels having certain physical and optical properties may also be included, as well as a motor-driven blind and a rolled curtain, which together regulate the climate and temperature of the building. In one embodiment, the heat flow between the glass panels can be manipulated.
US07681616B2
A transfer tape dispenser comprises a housing and a supply spool and a take up spool disposed within the housing. A carrier ribbon has a first end and a second end, with the first end connected to the supply spool, and the second end connected to the take-up spool. An applicator tip is partially disposed within the housing and includes a platform with a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, a top surface, a bottom surface. A first wall is adjacent to the first side edge and a second wall is adjacent to the second side edge. At least one protuberance extends from the applicator tip and is adapted to maintain outer edges of the transfer tape adjacent to the top surface of the platform.
US07681605B2
A currency-operated liquid dispensing machine includes removable and replaceable containers such as carboys or bags that can be drained sequentially or in parallel. The containers are coupled to a furcated passage having an outlet. Such a vending machine dispenses metered quantities of water in response to an amount paid.
US07681594B2
A control valve having a shiftable valve plug includes a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, a flow passage extending between the inlet and the outlet, and defining a longitudinal axis, a generally cylindrical valve cage disposed within the valve body and sized to receive the valve plug, with the valve cage including at least one aperture comprising at least a portion of the flow passage, a portion of the valve cage disposed adjacent a portion of the valve body at an interface. A seal having a C-shaped cross section is provided and is disposed at the interface between the valve cage and the valve body, and a retainer is disposed adjacent the interface and positioned to secure the seal against movement along the longitudinal axis.
US07681593B1
A sequential distributor of gases/liquids for sequential, discrete, distributions of gases/liquids in specific time intervals to the most distal parts of an extremity to the most proximal part of an extremity comprising an outer cylinder having a plurality of rows of openings formed through the cylinder, an inner distributing cylinder slidably mounted within the outer distributing cylinder, a motor driving the inner cylinder, a transfer block having a pressure sensor attached to the inner cylinder, and a plurality of output hoses connected to the openings in the outer cylinder. The distributor is supplied with air by an external pump and the cycling of the gases/liquids are controlled by a computer.
US07681585B2
At least one liquid tank has an outlet opening and a drain stub extending therefrom. A circular flange has plural connection openings with connection stubs respectively extending therefrom. A drain line is connected to the circular flange and communicates with all of the connection stubs. The drain stub of each tank is flange-connected to a respective connection stub extending from the circular flange. Unneeded connection stubs can be closed with blind flanges. This provides a modular reconfigurable system allowing a selected plurality of liquid tanks to be connected to a single drain line through the flange arrangement.
US07681584B2
A system disconnector for physically disconnecting an upstream liquid system from a downstream liquid system by means of an outlet valve (35;135) depending on the pressure difference between the upstream and the downstream liquid system comprises an upstream backflow preventer (48; 148), a downstream backflow preventer (88), and an outlet valve body in the form of a piston (26; 126) arranged between the backflow preventers (48, 88). The pressure difference at the outlet valve body (26; 126) between the inlet pressure and the medium pressure between the backflow preventers counteracts a biasing spring (82; 182) acting in the opening direction of the outlet valve body. An actuating member (64; 164), which is exposed to the inlet pressure on one side and to the medium pressure on the other side is adapted to move between two stops (54, 46; 171, 146) against the power of a spring (86; 182) to compensate for small changes in inlet pressure and prevent dripping of the valve.
US07681582B2
A dishwasher includes a cabinet, an upper rack and a lower rack disposed within the cabinet. The upper and lower racks support articles to be cleaned. The dishwasher also includes a first spray arm and a second spray arm rotatably mounted within the cabinet. The first and second spray arms are operated based on a wash cycle. A controller is operatively coupled to the first and second spray arms for controlling the wash cycle. The controller is configured to operate the first and second spray arms independently of one another, and the controller is configured to control the wash cycle based on a usage condition of the water being washed.
US07681578B2
An apparatus (10) and a method for treating patients suffering from vascular disease with infra-, audible- and ultrasound waves. The apparatus (10) includes a treating head (15) for emitting sound waves with frequencies ranging from 1 Hz to 100 kHz and introducing the sound waves through a coupling medium (20) into a body portion (22) to be treated, an electronics (12) connected to the treating head (15) for energizing the treating head (15) to emit the sound waves, and a control panel (11) connected to the electronics (12) to choose the electronic waveform of the energizing.
US07681577B2
An improved ear tip for earphones and hearing protection is provided where comfort and occlusion of the ear are of most importance. The ear tip comprises an elastomer polymer resin material molded to form the material to the shape of the ear canal. A chamber is defined having a proximal and distal end, the distal end engages the acoustic exit of the transducer, sound source or sound attenuator and the proximal end of the bore is adapted to be disposed adjacent an eardrum. The inner body attaches to a nozzle, or audio playback orifice to naturally transition the acoustics from the transducer or sound attenuator to the eardrum via the ear canal. The ear tip can have a plurality of flexible annular flanges disposed at spaced intervals of the body with decreasing circumference as the flanges transition to the proximal end. Each flange tapers in a radius or curvilinear geometry as it progresses to the end of the object.
US07681565B2
An air/fuel ratio control system is provided for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and an air/fuel ratio sensor. The air/fuel ratio sensor is disposed at an exhaust gas merging portion of an exhaust passage where exhaust gas discharged from the plurality of cylinders merges together. The system includes an air/fuel ratio control device, an abnormality diagnosis device, and an enabling device. The air/fuel ratio control device individually controls an air/fuel ratio of each of the plurality of cylinders based on an output of the air/fuel ratio sensor. The abnormality diagnosis device determines whether abnormality of the air/fuel ratio sensor exists. The enabling device enables the air/fuel ratio control device to execute the controlling of the air/fuel ratio of each of the plurality of cylinders when the abnormality diagnosis device determines that the abnormality of the air/fuel ratio sensor does not exist after starting of the engine.
US07681558B2
A method for improving fuel heating is presented. The method can reduce system complexity and cost when fuel is heated within a fuel injector. In one embodiment, the method independently heats and injects fuel by changing the direction of current flow through a fuel circuit.
US07681554B2
As one embodiment, a method of operating an engine of a vehicle is provided wherein the engine has a variable engine output. The method comprises during a first engine output, delivering a first fuel to at least a cylinder of the engine via a first injector and directly injecting a second fuel directly into said cylinder via a second injector; and during a second engine output lower than said first engine output, delivering said first fuel to said at least a cylinder of the engine via said first injector and directly injecting at least a purging substance via said second injector based on an idle period since a previous injection by said second injector.
US07681551B2
A mounting structure on motorcycle for protecting a capacitor from vibration and heat. In an engine having an upright cylinder a throttle body is connected to an intake path of the cylinder via an insulator, and the throttle body is connected to an air cleaner via a connecting tube. The throttle body is thereby elastically supported relative to the engine and a vehicle body frame via the insulator and the connecting tube. A capacitor is disposed at a position downward of the throttle body. The capacitor is supported integrally with the throttle body using a lower portion of a throttle body cover that covers both left and right sides of the throttle body. A vibration isolating support structure is thus achieved for the capacitor by using the throttle body that is elastically supported.
US07681538B2
An internal combustion engine which varies a compression ratio by changing a top dead center position of a piston, including an engine block, the piston disposed in the engine block, a crank shaft supported by the engine block, and a plurality of links connecting the piston and the crank shaft. A first control shaft and a second control shaft respectively are supported by the engine block, each of which has a main shaft portion rotatably supported by the engine block and an eccentric portion eccentric to the main shaft portion, the eccentric portions of the first control shaft and the second control shaft deviating from axes of the respective main shaft portions in mutually different directions when viewed from an axial direction. A plurality of control links connect any one of the plurality of links connecting the piston and the crank shaft, and the first control shaft and the second control shaft. A driving unit is provided at least one of the first control shaft and the second control shaft, that rotates the control shaft.
US07681534B1
A gate is operatively secured to the three-point hitch of a vehicle such as a tractor or the like and is movable between a forwardly extending transport position at one side of the vehicle, a substantially vertically disposed second position, and a third rearwardly extending position to close an opening in a fence or the like. The gate may be moved by an electrical motor/gearbox or a hydraulic motor/gearbox and is radio controllable.
US07681521B2
An SOD system (100A) comprises a process block (8) for performing a prescribed processing so as to form an insulating film on a wafer W, a carrier block (7) for transferring the wafer W from the outside into the process block (8), a sub-transfer mechanism (12) for transferring the substrate W between the process block (8) and the carrier block (7), and a main transfer mechanism (15). A process tower (T1) prepared by stacking one upon the other a plurality of process units for performing a series of processing for forming an insulating film on the wafer W is arranged detachable from the process block (8).
US07681517B2
A pointer for an instrument panel which is actively lighted and, more specifically, an actively lighted pointer including a flex circuit.
US07681514B2
A fixing group of a watercraft appliance for the attachment thereof to an outer side of a deck wall of a boat comprises a base of the watercraft appliance and at least one seat formed in the base and suitable for receiving a respective threaded fastening element, so that said element has a free end projecting from the base for insertion into a respective through hole formed in the deck wall, so as to be accessible from the inner side of such a deck wall for fixing the watercraft appliance to it. The at least one seat comprises an access at a peripheral surface of the base and a retaining portion suitable for cooperating through shape coupling with said threaded fastening element to prevent the rotation and axial sliding thereof with respect to the base.The invention also refers to a method for attaching a watercraft appliance comprising said fixing group to a deck wall of a boat by means of threaded fastening elements.
US07681512B2
A wind-powered, fluid cushioned platform adapted to float on a body of liquid. The platform includes a deck having upper and lower surfaces and a lower peripheral member extending around the outer perimeter of the deck. A pump having a pump outlet is supported by the deck. A fill pipe has a first end connected to the pump outlet and a second end in communication with the lower surface of the deck. The pump is adapted to pump a fluid through the fill pipe to a blow tank formed beneath the deck between the surface of the liquid and the deck within the area circumscribed by the lower peripheral member. A plurality of vanes and/or sails are preferably coupled to the deck to catch the wind and use the power of the wind to rotate the floating platform. In one embodiment, apparatus is provided for the purpose of generating electricity as the platform rotates.
US07681509B2
A material dispensing device delivers material directly into the ground. According to one embodiment of the material dispensing device, the device comprises an elongated hollow shaft, a receptacle, a helical flange and on or more openings formed in the shaft or helical flanges. The receptacle is disposed adjacent one end of the shaft for holding material. The receptacle is communicatively open to the shaft such that the material or a liquid-material mixture dissolved from at least a portion of the material can flow from the receptacle into the shaft. The helical flange is secured to the shaft. The shaft and helical flange are configured such that rotation of the shaft and flange causes the material dispensing device to be driven into the ground. The one or more openings formed in the shaft or helical flange disperse the material or the liquid-material mixture into the ground.
US07681506B2
A railroad car truck bolster may be formed as a steel casting. That bolster may include side bearing fitting access sockets located abreast of the side bearing seats. It may also include substantially continuous internal cavities to either side of a cross-wise internal vertical web plate mounted under the center plate bowl. The truck bolster may have large brake rod apertures that have large radii of curvature, and that may be bounded internally be a shear reinforcement at the vertical plane of the truck mid-span centerline, and another shear reinforcement spaced laterally outboard of the mid-span vertical plane. The webs of the bolster may be substantially imperforate outboard of the brake rod openings. The brake rod openings may have a profile that is large enough to accept either conventional or Wabco brake rods. The end portions of the truck bolster may include bolster pockets that have both primary and secondary wedge angles.
US07681505B2
A station (2) in a personal rapid transit system has a platform (14), the edge of which defines bays (20) for parked vehicles (10). The parked vehicles are out of the path of travelling vehicles moving in a transit path extending between an entry section (4) and an exit section (6). The bays (10) include parking sections (22) alongside which the vehicles may park to enable easy transfer of passengers into and out of the vehicles. The disposition of the parking sections (22) allows the steered vehicles (10) to park close to the platform edge. The stations comprise bypass tracks (36) branched off the main track (30) and disposed in various configurations.
US07681500B2
A method for logging a plurality of slave devices is suggested, comprising the following steps: a) connecting a plurality of slave devices each having an identity and a pyrotechnic charge to an electrical conduit; b) after step a), connecting a logging device comprising a power supply, an electrical interface, and a memory and c)causing the logging device to communicate with each of the plurality of slave devices while the plurality of slave devices is simultaneously connected to the electrical conduit.
US07681499B2
A filling member for filling the concave portion of a blanket face which is generated along the opening portion of a groove of a blanket cylinder comprises a wedge-shaped limb portion and a head portion capable of filling the concave portion. The limb portion is inserted between the surface of the terminal and initial winding end side of the blanket which is approximately parallel with the surface in a condition in which one face of the limb portion is brought into contact with the terminal winding end side of the blanket and is pushed on both surfaces in which one face and another face forming a wedge shape for the one face oppose approximately parallel to at least a site adjacent to the head portion. The head portion can fill the concave portion when the limb portion is inserted between the initial winding end side and the terminal winding end side of the blanket. The face portion of the head portion which is at least farther side from the limb portion is formed in a comparatively soft sense, thereby the installation and removal of the blanket cylinder is easily carried out, and the influence of the installation and removal to the blanket cylinder and printing pressure at printing is hardly affected.
US07681493B2
An outdoor smoking system including a smoking device coupled to a cooking vessel. The smoking device includes a feed chute for continuously supplying fuel to a burning chamber without user intervention. The feed chute is positioned above the burning chamber to gravity feed the fuel into the burning chamber. A grate positioned in the bottom wall of the burning chamber allows ash created by the burning to fall out of the chamber into an ash tray. As ash leaves the chamber through the grate, additional fuel in the feed chute is allowed to enter, maintaining a substantially constant burning mass in the burning chamber.
US07681485B2
A laminated, optically transparent, ballistic resistant structure is described as having a first transparent layer, a second transparent layer of ceramic tiles spread across the first layer, and a third transparent layer. The first and third layers are bonded to opposite sides of the second layer, respectively, by transparent adhesive. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07681483B1
A sub-caliber in-bore device placed within a launching structure of a larger caliber weapon system used to simulate the firing and ballistic trajectory of a larger and relatively more expensive weapons round. The said device essentially comprises a smaller caliber weapon subsystem with recoil suppression mounting subsystem, traverse and elevation adjustment subsystem, firing circuit delay timer, and an electrical connection subassembly to allow communications with the launching system. This invention provides an accurate, realistic, and cost-effective training experience to the operator.
US07681481B1
An ammunition case reloading die assembly, and method of use, that provides calibrated adjustment of taper imposed on the mouth of an ammunition case. A calibrating ring or cap bears indicia in the form of polygonal faces, splines or radially-directed markings. The ring or cap rotates with an upper portion of the die for threaded adjustment of the position of the die within the frame of a reloading press. The die has a longitudinal bore, a lower portion whereof is tapered for imposing a tapered crimp upon the mouth of the case. The taper of the longitudinal bore is preferably chosen to make each partial rotation of the calibrating ring or cap through one indicium correspond to increasing the taper imposed on the case mouth by one thousandth of an inch per case longitudinal inch.
US07681480B2
A sizing center for sizing different styles of window coverings includes at least two sizing mechanisms disposed on the sizing center in which each sizing mechanism is adapted to size a different style of window covering. The sizing center includes a squaring block for orienting a window covering on the sizing center. The squaring block includes a first side and a second side. A cutout for receiving a plurality of slats of a window covering is located in a top surface of the squaring block, the cutout extends from the first side of the squaring block to the second side of the squaring block.
US07681478B2
The present invention relates to automotive vehicle brake lathes configured for resurfacing brake rotor components, and in particular, to an improved on-car brake lathe apparatus and a method for reducing vibrations during resurfacing of brake rotor components with a brake lathe having a variable speed spindle motor, an output spindle rotationally driven by the variable speed motor adapted to couple the brake lathe to the brake rotor component, and at least one adjustable cutting tip adapted to engage a surface of the vehicle brake component.
US07681445B2
An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium and includes: A mechanically oscillatable unit, which executes mechanical oscillations in a direction and which is secured at a seating. Included is an exciting/receiving unit, which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to mechanical oscillations and which receives the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit; and a control/evaluation unit, which controls the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit and which determines and/or monitors the process variable. At least one compensating mass is provided, which is mechanically coupled with the mechanically oscillatable unit and which is embodied and/or secured in such a manner that it executes mechanical oscillations in a direction, wherein the direction of the oscillations of the compensating mass are essentially perpendicular to the direction of the oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit.
US07681443B2
An apparatus and method for estimating the angle of attack of wheels, wheelsets, trucks and railway vehicles traveling over a track employing a wayside system having a plurality of sensors, adjacent to the rails of the track, for detecting the passing of each wheelset of each truck. Each sensor communicates its moment of activation and length of activation caused by a passing wheel to a sensor monitoring unit for use in determining the angle of attack of the passing wheel, wheelset, truck and railway vehicle. The estimated angle of attack of the wheelset at different locations along the track may be used to detect a hunting wheelset, truck or railway vehicle.
US07681440B2
A method and apparatus for conducting dynamic characterization of a gas turbine engine which involves generating exciting pressure pulses and measuring responses in the engine, and, in one aspect, then analyzing the measured response for engine dynamic characteristics.
US07681438B2
A probe for measuring the hardness of concrete includes a body adapted to receive a retainer such that the combined body and retainer can be held in an aperture extending through a wall of a mould for the hardenable material, with the body extending from the inside of the wall. A sensor circuit includes detector elements supported by the body and disposed when in use in the concrete, and circuit terminals which face the exterior of the mould wall when in use, and are accessible through the retainer for connection to terminals of an external instrument. Preferably, the detector elements are conductive portions of a printed circuit board forming a resonator. The instrument can operate a switch in the probe which interconnects the terminals to indicate a good connection and measures resonator impedance at multiple frequencies.
US07681436B2
An automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water comprises a sensor for determining chemistry information, a microprocessor for processing chemistry information, and a housing coupled to at least one of the sensor and the microprocessor. Preferably the housing is floatable or mountable. The method of providing chemistry information of a body of water comprising the steps of obtaining a sample of the body of water and determining chemistry information.
US07681434B2
The present invention provides a sensing device for obtaining information of a test sample using an electromagnetic wave including a frequency region within a frequency region of 30 GHz to 30 THz, the sensing device comprising an electromagnetic wave transmitting portion including a plurality of transmission portions (4a, 4b) for propagating electromagnetic waves and detection portions (3a, 3c) for receiving and detecting the electromagnetic waves from the plurality of transmission portions (4a, 4b), in which at least one of the plurality of transmission portions (4a, 4b) is constructed such that the test sample (5, 6) can be placed in a portion affected by an electromagnetic wave propagating therethrough.
US07681429B1
A rivet fixing device includes a catch tab retainer tube engageable with a transmission spindle of an electrically-operated, pneumatic or battery-powered electric drill or screwdriver, an inner guide sleeve, a driver, pawls, a rivet breaker, and an outer guide sleeve. By being driven by the transmission structure of the electric screwdriver, a rivet, with a shank section thereof inserted into a front end of the rivet breaker and the rivet being fit through holes defined in steel plates, iron plates, copper plates, or aluminum plates, due to the catch tab retainer tube being depressed inward to engage the transmission spindle, is driven by the rearward movement of the catch tab retainer tube to have a fit end thereof that extends beyond the holes of the plates squeezed and deformed to form an expanded portion, serving as a positioning wall that stretches and secures the rivet between the two metal plates.
US07681427B2
A device for the production and/or machining of parts, in particular for the production of stampings, by at least one die which is capable of being put under pressure and/or force, and which has at least one plate and one die element, the die element being supported in the plate against pressure elements via a resilient element.
US07681425B2
A lock core and key blank are disclosed. The disclosed lock core includes a core body, a core sleeve, a core plug, and a side pin assembly including a side pin, a region pin, and a spring.
US07681415B2
The invention relates to a method for treating the ends of glass rods in which glass rods are inserted into receptacles in a carrier and with the carrier are carried past a burner and at least one rail in an advancing direction, the flame of the burner melting at least one end of the glass rods and the glass rods being lifted by the rail in the receptacles and rolling on the rail so that the glass rods are made to rotate during the melting process.
US07681402B2
A gas turbine engine comprising an oil system and a gearbox, the gearbox is driven by at least one engine shaft, the oil system comprises a pump drivingly connected to the gearbox, an oil tank connected to the pump via a supply pipe and a delivery pipe connecting the pump to the engine for delivery of oil thereto, an anti-siphon pipe is connected between the tank and the delivery pipe to provide an excess oil flow to the engine characterized in that the anti-siphon pipe includes a variable flow valve for regulating the flow of oil passing therethrough such that at low engine speeds an adequate supply of oil is provided to a sight glass in the tank.
US07681397B2
A heat engine, includes at least one Liquid Ring Rotating Casing Compressor (LRRCC) having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the output of the LRRCC, and at least one expander having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet communicates with the combustion chamber.
US07681395B2
Backup energy systems utilizing compressed air storage (CAS) systems and bridging energy systems to supply backup power to a load are provided. During a power failure, the bridging energy system provides backup power to the load at least until the CAS system begins supplying adequate power. In various embodiments, backup power capability is enhanced through the use of one or more exhaustless heaters, which are used to heat compressed air. The compressed air, in turn, drives a turbine which is used to power an electrical generator. In various embodiments, ambient air heat exchangers or other types of heat exchangers are used to heat compressed air prior to the compressed air being routed to the turbine, thereby increasing system efficiency. Backup power and backup HVAC are also provided by utilizing turbine exhaust, heat exchangers and various resistive heating elements.
US07681393B2
A hydrostatic drive axle has two hydrostatic axial piston motors utilizing a swashplate design located coaxially next to each other, the control sides of which face each other. Tubular terminal segments (1a) of the drive axle are in the form of axial piston motors (2) and are shaped and fitted on a center segment (1b), in which there is a control base seat (3) that is common to the two axial piston motors (2). To make possible easy assembly and disassembly, the control base seat (3) is shaped and fitted in the center segment.
US07681384B2
An apparatus is disclosed for processing crop materials in a forage harvester. The apparatus may comprise a pair of rotatable rollers for cutting crop materials passed between the rollers, and a bifurcated frame supporting the rollers in a proximate condition to each other. The bifurcated frame includes a first frame portion and a second frame portion, with a first one of the rollers being mounted on the first frame portion for moving with the first portion and a second one of the rollers being mounted on the second frame portion. The first frame portion may be movable with respect to the second frame portion to move the first roller laterally away from the second roller.
US07681383B2
The invention relates generally to harvesters and, more particularly, to a combine for harvesting rows crops, which has been modified, to collect and measure grain from two separate small strip test plots. The present invention is a dual plot combine with two separate and distinct internal sections of the combine. The combine's intake has two floatably mounted feeder house. This invention harvests two lots simultaneously while maintaining the integrity of each plots' harvest data. The dual plot combine has two separate unconventional grain paths for collecting and measuring the cleaned grain drums The divided clean grain bin and weigh bucket are positioned at a low position, inside the vertical confines of the combine, on a single side of the combine. The altered grain paths allow the data collection on the clean grain from each plot to be completed quickly. This in turn allows the combine to progress to the next set of two plots quickly.
US07681382B2
An agricultural baler is provided having an adjusting arrangement between a tow bar and a frame, that maintains the spatial relationships existing in the baler constant so that there is no effect upon the flow of the crop. The use of a sensor and a positioning arrangement provides the assurance that the repositioning is not dependent upon the capability of an operator, and finally the arrangement of the sensor in the region of the take-up device sees to it that the signals are transmitted at the exact time, not too soon and not too late.
US07681380B2
A bagging conveyor quickly positions two-dimensional arrayed layers of objects inside a sealed, flexible bag prior to the layers of objects being delivered by the bagging conveyor to a palletizer. The bagging conveyor receives continuous films of packaging material from below and above the conveying surface of the bagging conveyor and positions the films of packaging material below and above the layer of objects being conveyed by the conveyor. The bagging conveyor then forms seams along the laterally opposite side edges of the packing material films at the sides of the conveyed layer of objects and forms seams laterally across the upper and lower films of packaging material in front of and behind the conveyed layer of objects, thereby quickly enclosing the conveyed layer of objects in a sealed bag as they are conveyed through the bagging conveyor.
US07681373B2
A method for supporting manufactured home structures by preventing their deterioration and devaluation through the installation of a robust foundation system. The foundation system comprises of a concrete footing, long lasting wall panels and roof panels made from steel and cellular concrete. The manufactured home can be modified to accommodate the said installation. The wall panel is attached to both the manufactured home and foundation footing below the manufactured home to provide foundational supports for the manufactured walls of the manufactured home. Roofing panels can then be installed to the top of the manufactured home and newly installed wall panels for further protection. The benefits of this method allows the owner of the newly retrofitted or installed manufactured home to claim their home as real property instead of personal property thus allowing them qualify for long term mortgages.
US07681368B1
A composite wall panel for exterior walls of a structure includes a polymeric foam core having a C-stud framing system embedded therein and an exterior and/or interior facing formed of a reinforced concrete bonded to the core surface and mechanically attached to the studs thereby providing increased strength, insulation and resistance to environmental conditions.
US07681364B2
A plastic window assembly includes a substantially transparent plastic panel and an opaque plastic frame adhered to the perimeter of the panel, which bounds and defines an effective viewing area of the panel. A transition step of the frame extends upward from the surface of the panel to a raised surface of the frame. Provided on the surface in the effective viewing area of the panel is an image. In order to print the image such that the outer edges of the image extend to an interfacial area defined by the juncture of the transition step and the second surface of the panel, a MIT printing process and specialized membrane construction is used.
US07681354B2
Kit and apparatus for watering a Christmas tree or other plant supported in a stand with a water receptacle.