US07737162B2

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prevention of viral infections comprising as an active principle at least one imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine derivative having the general formula (Z): (formula). The invention also relates to processes for the preparation of compounds according to the invention having above mentioned general formula and their use as a medicine or to treat or prevent viral infections.
US07737160B2

Compounds having the formula are useful for inhibiting protein tyrosine kinases. The present invention also discloses methods of making the compounds, compositions containing the compounds, and methods of treatment using the compounds.
US07737159B2

Bacterial protein synthesis-inhibiting compounds having formula (I) and salts, prodrugs, and salts of prodrugs thereof, processes for making the compounds and intermediates in the processes, compositions containing the compounds, and methods of using the compounds are disclosed.
US07737153B2

The invention relates to heteroaryloxy-substituted phenylaminopyrimidines, to methods for the production thereof, and to the use of the same for producing medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. The inventive compounds inhibit Rho-Kinase.
US07737144B2

The invention relates to pyrimido[5,4-e][1,2,4]triazine-5,7-diones, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and physiologically functional derivatives.The invention therefore relates to compounds of the formula I, in which the radicals have the given meanings, and to their physiologically tolerated salts and processes for preparing them. The compounds are suitable for use as antidiabetics, for example.
US07737140B2

Compounds comprising or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or a prodrug thereof, are disclosed, wherein J1, J2, U1, B, Y, and A are as described. Methods, compositions, and medicaments related thereto are also disclosed.
US07737132B2

The invention provides a new class of antibiotics to which pathogenic bacteria have not been exposed, and thus should not have developed resistance. This new class of antibiotics are derivatives of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), which is a cyclic molecule comprising seven D-glucose units.
US07737131B2

The present invention relates to a biologically active functionalized electrospun matrix to permit immobilization and long-term delivery of biologically active agents. In particular the invention relates to a functionalized polymer matrix comprising a matrix polymer, a compatibilizing polymer and a biomolecule or other small functioning molecule. In certain aspects the electrospun polymer fibers comprise at least one biologically active molecule functionalized with low molecular weight heparin. Examples of active molecules that may be used with the multicomponent polymer of the invention include, for example, a drug, a biopolymer, for example a growth factor, a protein, a peptide, a nucleotide, a polysaccharide, a biological macromolecule or the like. The invention is further directed to the formation of functionalized crosslinked matrices, such as hydrogels, that include at least one functionalized compatibilizing polymer capable of assembly.
US07737127B2

The invention provides compounds having the following general formula (I): wherein X, R1, R2, R7 and Z are as described here.
US07737114B2

The present invention relates to macrocyclic depsipeptides, including didemnin analogs and fragments thereof, which are useful as anti-cancer agents and for other purposes. The invention includes numerous didemnin analogs and fragments and methods of making them. Methods of using these compounds as inhibitors of protein synthesis, cell growth, and tumorigenesis and as enhancers of apoptosis are also provided.
US07737107B2

A compound of formula (I); its structure represented with dotted lines being either cis- or trans-double bonds wherein: A) R1 represents a hydrogen atom and R2 represents an OH, OCH3 or OC2H5 group while either a) R4, R5, and R7 each represent hydrogen atoms with R3, R6, and R8 each representing methyl radicals; b) R4, R6, and R7 each represent hydrogen atoms with R3, R5, and R8 each representing methyl radicals; or c) R3, R6 and R7 each represent hydrogen atoms with R4, R5, and R8, each representing methyl radicals; or B) R7 represents a hydrogen atom; R1, R4, and R6 each represent hydrogen atoms with R2, R3, and R5 each representing a methyl radical while R8 represents OH, OCH3 or OC2H5 groups when dotted lines are present; when dotted lines are absent, R8 represents either OCH3 or OC2H5 groups. At least one compound is applied as an odorant agent.
US07737105B2

The invention is directed to fabric treatment compositions comprising at least one cationic polymer and at least one anionic polymer, wherein at least one of these two polymers is a silicone polymer, and wherein said composition forms a coacervate phase.
US07737100B2

Environmentally safe, cost effective, VOC-free compositions and methods for the prevention and treatment of corrosive processes in and on metal such as rust, flash rust and scale in a wide variety of industry sectors is provided. Compositions particularly well-suited for the long term prevention of rust and other corrosive processes may include an organic acid or salt thereof, a natural gum and/or wax and/or extracts or derivatives thereof, a gelling agent, and water.
US07737097B2

A method is provided for removing contamination from a substrate. The method includes applying a cleaning solution having a dispersed phase, a continuous phase and particles dispersed within the continuous phase to a surface of the substrate. The method includes forcing one of the particles dispersed within the continuous phase proximate to one of the surface contaminants. The forcing is sufficient to overcome any repulsive forces between the particles and the surface contaminants so that the one of the particles and the one of the surface contaminants are engaged. The method also includes removing the engaged particle and surface contaminant from the surface of the substrate. A process to manufacture the cleaning material is also provided.
US07737092B2

A composition suitable for use as a lubricant for a transmission includes an oil of lubricating viscosity; a dispersant; a calcium detergent; a magnesium detergent; and an inorganic phosphorus compound. At least one of the dispersant or detergent components is borated.
US07737091B2

Spherical and rod-shaped proppants and anti-flowback agents made from sillimanite minerals possess high strength and high conductivity. The sillimanite minerals may be selected from the group consisting of kyanite, sillimanite, and andalusite and may be used alone or in combination with other materials, such as bauxite, kaolin, meta-kaolin, pure or technical grade alumina (about 98%-99.9% alumina by weight), alumina-containing slag, zirconia, silica, iron, alkali elements (such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium), and virtually any other mineral containing alumina. The starting material may optionally be milled to achieve better compacity and crush resistance in the final proppant or anti-flowback agent. A fracturing fluid may comprise the rods or spheres alone, or in combination with each other or other proppants or anti-flowback agents of different shapes.
US07737090B2

A method is provided for inhibiting scale in a liquid hydrocarbon system, including the steps of: providing a liquid hydrocarbon system; providing an aloe-derived scale inhibitor; and mixing the aloe-derived scale inhibitor with the liquid hydrocarbon system in amounts effective to inhibit formation of scale. The scale inhibitor is aloe gel dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 5 and about 50% wt/wt, which includes polysaccharides having a hydrocarbon chain structure having carboxyl and alcohol functional groups that interact with divalent ions.
US07737089B2

The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing biopolymers by stepwise assembly from protected synthesis building blocks which carry two-stage protective groups. The two-stage protective groups are activated by a first illumination step and eliminated by a subsequent chemical treatment step. Photoactivatable components which considerably speed up the activation process via intramolecular triplet sensitizers or/and have fluorescence properties are used. The two-stage protective groups can be used in particular within the framework of quality control.
US07737088B1

The present invention relates to arrays of biochemical and/or biofunctional elements such as nucleic acids (oligonucleotides, for example) or other biomolecules on a carrier surface and methods of producing such arrays using photoactivation of predetermined areas for synthesis using an illumination matrix that is computer-controlled to generate an exposure pattern. This exposure pattern can be adjusted and monitored by computer using a light sensor matrix, for example a CCD matrix, to allow precise, controlled illumination of specific regions and therefore attachment of array building blocks to those specific regions. The methods and compositions of the invention permit spatially resolved photochemical synthesis of polymer probes on a carrier.
US07737086B2

A method is provided for producing a superconductive electrical conductor (7) in which a layer of an yttrium-barium-copper oxide (YBCO) is applied as a superconductive material onto a textured metal base directly or after prior application of a buffer layer, and is subjected to a heat treatment. To this end an interlayer of a metallic material which is compatible with the crystal structure of YBCO, or with the structure of a buffer layer suitable for the application of YBCO, is initially applied all around onto an elongate metal support (1). The support (1) provided with the interlayer is subsequently processed so that predetermined texturing is imparted to the interlayer as a metal base for the layer of YBCO material or for the buffer layer. The layer of superconductive YBCO material is then applied all around, directly onto the textured interlayer or onto the buffer layer previously applied thereon, and the heat treatment is finally carried out.
US07737083B2

The invention concerns high performance adsorbents based on activated carbon of high microporosity which are present in the form of discrete grains of activated carbon, preferably in spherical form, and which are characterized by the following parameters: a Gurvich total pore volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g, at least 70% of this total pore volume being formed by micropores having pore diameters of ≦20 Å, a measure of central tendency pore diameter of not more than 30 Å, and a BET surface area of at least 1500 m2/g. These high performance adsorbents are particularly useful for the adsorption of toxins, noxiants and odors, in particular from gas or to be more precise air streams, for purifying or cleaning gases, such as in particular air, for application in medicine or to be more precise pharmacy and as sorptive storage media for gases, in particular hydrogen.
US07737079B2

More selective and efficient Ni hydrotreating catalysts are those which contain more than about 60% of the Ni content on the peripheral surface of porous supports, such as extruded alumina, which may be obtained by spraying an atomized solution of a Ni compound onto the support and drying it at a temperature in the range of from 200 to 600° C. When used, for example, to remove acetylenic compounds from butadiene streams, higher recovery of the desired butadiene with lower acetylenic content and low heavy polymer deposition is obtained than was possible with prior catalysts.
US07737071B2

There is provided a catalyst for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon oil, which comprises an inorganic oxide support containing a certain amount of phosphorus oxide having provided thereon: at least one selected from metals in the Group 6 of the periodic table, at least one selected from metals in the Group 8 of the periodic table, and carbon, and which has a certain specific surface area, pore volume, and mean pore diameter, a process for producing the same, and a method for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon oil using the same.Thereby, the catalyst can be produced in a simple and convenient manner and sulfur compounds in the hydrocarbon oil can be exceedingly highly desulfurized and simultaneously nitrogen compounds can be diminished without necessitating severe operating conditions.
US07737066B2

(1) A niobium monoxide powder for a capacitor represented by formula: NbOx (x=0.8 to 1.2) and optionally containing other elements in an amount of 50 to 200,000 ppm, having a tapping density of 0.5 to 2.5 g/ml, an average particle size of 10 to 1000 μm, angle of repose from 10° to 60°, the BET specific surface area from 0.5 to 40 m2/g and a plurality of pore diameter peak tops in the pore distribution, and a producing method thereof; (2) a niobium monoxide sintered body, which is obtained by sintering the above niobium monoxide powder and, having a plurality of pore diameter peak tops in a range of 0.01 μm to 500 μm, preferably, the peak tops of two peaks among the plurality of pore diameter peak tops having a highest relative intensity are present in the range of 0.2 to 0.7 μm and in the range of 0.7 to 3 μm, respectively, and a producing method thereof; (3) a capacitor using the above sintered body and a producing method thereof; and (4) an electronic circuit and electronic device using the above capacitor.
US07737063B2

Al2O3-rare earth oxide-ZrO2/HfO2 ceramics (including glasses, crystalline ceramics, and glass-ceramics) and methods of making the same. Ceramics according to the present invention can be made, formed as, or converted into glass beads, articles (e.g., plates), fibers, particles, and thin coatings. The particles and fibers are useful, for example, as thermal insulation, filler, or reinforcing material in composites (e.g., ceramic, metal, or polymeric matrix composites). The thin coatings can be useful, for example, as protective coatings in applications involving wear, as well as for thermal management. Certain ceramic particles according to the present invention can be are particularly useful as abrasive particles.
US07737060B2

According to an aspect of the present invention, medical devices are provided that contain at least one multi-component polymeric fiber. The multi-component polymeric fiber further contains at least two components of differing composition.
US07737043B2

There are provided an inspection method of a compound semiconductor substrate that can have the amount of impurities at the surface of the compound semiconductor substrate reduced, a compound semiconductor substrate, a surface treatment method of a compound semiconductor substrate, and a method of producing a compound semiconductor crystal. In the inspection method of the surface of the compound semiconductor substrate, the surface roughness Rms of the compound semiconductor substrate is measured using an atomic force microscope at the pitch of not more than 0.4 nm in a scope of not more than 0.2 μm square. The surface roughness Rms of the compound semiconductor substrate measured by the inspection method is not more than 0.2 nm.
US07737039B2

Methods are disclosed, such as those involving increasing the density of isolated features in an integrated circuit. Also disclosed are structures associated with the methods. In one or more embodiments, contacts are formed on pitch with other structures, such as conductive interconnects. The interconnects may be formed by pitch multiplication. To form the contacts, in some embodiments, a pattern corresponding to some of the contacts is formed in a selectively definable material such as photoresist. The features in the selectively definable material are trimmed to desired dimensions. Spacer material is blanket deposited over the features in the selectively definable material and the deposited material is then etched to leave spacers on sides of the features. The selectively definable material is removed to leave a mask defined by the spacer material. The pattern defined by the spacer material may be transferred to a substrate, to form on pitch contacts. In some embodiments, the on pitch contacts may be used to electrically contact conductive interconnects in the substrate.
US07737032B2

A metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) structure that includes multiple and distinct self-aligned silicide contacts and methods of fabricating the same are provided. The MOSFET structure includes at least one metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor having a gate conductor including a gate edge located on a surface of a Si-containing substrate; a first inner silicide having an edge that is substantially aligned to the gate edge of the at least one metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor; and a second outer silicide located adjacent to the first inner silicide. In accordance with the present invention, the second outer silicide has second thickness is greater than the first thickness of the first inner silicide. Moreover, the second outer silicide has a resistivity that is lower than the resistivity of the first inner silicide.
US07737031B2

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a method of making an inverse-t shaped floating gate in a non-volatile memory cell or the like is disclosed.
US07737028B2

Embodiments of the invention provide processes for selectively forming a ruthenium-containing film on a copper surface over exposed dielectric surfaces. Thereafter, a copper bulk layer may be deposited on the ruthenium-containing film. In one embodiment, a method for forming layers on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, wherein the substrate contains a copper-containing surface and a dielectric surface, exposing the substrate to a ruthenium precursor to selectively form a ruthenium-containing film over the copper-containing surface while leaving exposed the dielectric surface, and depositing a copper bulk layer over the ruthenium-containing film.
US07737026B2

A method of forming an interconnection in a semiconductor device includes forming a first liner in a dielectric layer therein; depositing a tungsten filler on top of the first liner; performing chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) to smooth out and remove the first liner and tungsten filler from the semiconductor's exposed surface; selectively removing the first liner and tungsten filler in the via; wherein the selective removing results in the first liner and the tungsten filler being removed in an upper region of the via; forming a second liner in the upper region of the via and tungsten filler; selectively removing the second liner from the tungsten filler; forming a copper seed layer on top of the tungsten filler; depositing a copper filler on top of the copper seed layer; and performing chemical CMP to smooth out and remove the second liner and copper filler from the semiconductor's exposed surface.
US07737025B2

A method for forming an plurality of paths on a substrate includes drilling an opening for a via to a depth to expose a first pad and a second pad, lining the opening with a conductive material, and insulating a first portion of the lining in the opening from a second portion of the lining in the opening to form a first electrical path contacting the first pad and a second electrical path contacting the second pad.
US07737017B2

Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including an isolation structure and a recess gate and a method for fabricating the same. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming a trench by selectively etching an isolation region of a semiconductor substrate to define an active region; forming a first SOD partially filling the trench; forming a stress shielding layer, which is denser than the first SOD, over the first SOD; forming a second SOD that fills the trench over the first SOD including the stress shielding layer; forming a recess groove by selectively etching a portion of the active region, wherein an upper surface of the first SOD is spaced downwardly from a bottom of the recess groove, and an upper surface of the stress shielding layer is spaced upwardly from the bottom of the recessed groove; and forming a gate of a transistor that fills the recess groove.
US07737015B2

A simple and cost effective method of forming a fully silicided (FUSI) gate of a MOS transistor is disclosed. In one example, the method comprises forming a nitride hardmask overlying a polysilicon gate, forming an S/D silicide in source/drain regions of the transistor, oxidizing a portion of the S/D silicide to form an oxide barrier overlying the S/D silicide in the source/drain regions, removing the nitride hardmask from the polysilicon gate, and forming a gate silicide such as by deposition of a gate silicide metal over the polysilicon gate and the oxide barrier in the source/drain regions to form a fully silicided (FUSI) gate in the transistor. Thus, the oxide barrier protects the source/drain regions from additional silicide formation by the gate silicide metal formed thereafter. The method may further comprise selectively removing the oxide barrier in the source/drain regions after forming the fully silicided (FUSI) gate.
US07737014B2

A stressed film applied across a boundary defined by a structure or a body (e.g. substrate or layer) of semiconductor material provides a change from tensile to compressive stress in the semiconductor material proximate to the boundary and is used to modify boron diffusion rate during annealing and thus modify final boron concentrations. In the case of a field effect transistor, the gate structure may be formed with or without sidewalls to regulate the location of the boundary relative to source/drain, extension and/or halo implants. Different boron diffusion rates can be produced in the lateral and vertical directions and diffusion rates comparable to arsenic can be achieved. Reduction of junction capacitance of both nFETs and pFETs can be achieved simultaneously with the same process steps.
US07737011B2

It is an object to provide a method for improving the quality of an SiC layer by effectively reducing or eliminating the carrier trapping centers by high temperature annealing and an SiC semiconductor device fabricated by the method.A method for improving the quality of an SiC layer by eliminating or reducing some carrier trapping centers comprising the steps of: (a) carrying out ion implantation of carbon atoms (C), silicon atoms, hydrogen atoms, or helium atoms into a shallow surface layer (A) of the starting SiC crystal layer (E) to introduce excess carbon interstitials into the implanted surface layer, and (b) heating the layer for making the carbon interstitials (C) to diffuse out from the implanted surface layer (A) into a bulk layer (E) and for making the electrically active point defects in the bulk layer inactive. After the above steps, the surface layer (A) can be etched or mechanically removed. A semiconductor device according to the invention is fabricated by the method.
US07737008B2

A method for forming at least one quantum dot at at least one predetermined location on a substrate is disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises providing a layer of semiconductor material on an insulating layer on the substrate. The layer of semiconductor material is patterned so as to provide at least one line of semiconductor material having a width (wL) and having a local width variation at at least one predetermined location where the at least one quantum dot has to be formed. The local width variation has an amplitude (A) of between about 20 nm and 35 nm higher than the width wL of the at least one line. The at least one line is patterned to form at least one quantum dot. A design for a lithographic mask for use with the method and a method for making such a design are also disclosed.
US07737001B2

In a stealth dicing process for a semiconductor device with a low dielectric constant layer, the occurrence of poor appearance such as a defective shape or discoloration in the layer is reduced or prevented as follows. A low dielectric constant layer is formed in an interlayer insulating layer formed on the main surface of a semiconductor wafer. A laser beam is focused on the inside of the wafer from the reverse side of the wafer in order to form modified regions selectively. Each modified region is formed in a way to contact, or partially get into, the low dielectric constant layer. In this formation process, the semiconductor wafer is cooled by a cooling element. This reduces or prevents discoloration of the low dielectric constant layer which might occur due to the heat of a laser beam.
US07736998B2

This SOI substrate includes a base substrate which includes a single-crystal semiconductor and an active layer which includes a single-crystal semiconductor and is bonded to the base substrate with an oxide film therebetween. The oxide film is formed only in the active layer. The active layer is formed with a thickness of 10 to 200 nm and a thickness variation throughout the active layer of 1.5 nm or less by etching a surface of the active layer while selectively using only the reactive radicals generated by a plasma etching process.
US07736995B2

The invention relates to a process for producing components, in particular small glass plates such as windows for optical caps for optical components. The process includes providing a substrate, providing a carrier, joining a first surface of the substrate to a first surface of the carrier, machining the components out of the substrate, and detaching the components from the carrier in order to separate the components.
US07736990B2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a first insulating film to be used as a mask for forming a trench region directly above a semiconductor substrate; forming the trench region on the semiconductor substrate using the mask; forming a second insulating film directly above the semiconductor substrate which includes the trench region and the first insulating film so that the second insulating film has a recess above the trench region and a protrusion above the first insulating film; removing the protrusion down to the bottom of the recess as a first removal step; and removing the first insulating film and the second insulating film in accordance with a chemical mechanical polishing method so that the step formed of the recess and protrusion is reduced to 20 nm or less as a second removal step.
US07736987B2

The invention includes semiconductor constructions, and also includes methods of forming pluralities of capacitor devices. An exemplary method of the invention includes forming conductive storage node material within openings in an insulative material to form conductive containers. A retaining structure lattice is formed in physical contact with at least some of the containers, and subsequently the insulative material is removed to expose outer surfaces of the containers. The retaining structure can alleviate toppling or other loss of structural integrity of the container structures. The electrically conductive containers correspond to first capacitor electrodes. After the outer sidewalls of the containers are exposed, dielectric material is formed within the containers and along the exposed outer sidewalls. Subsequently, a second capacitor electrode is formed over the dielectric material. The first and second capacitor electrodes, together with the dielectric material, form a plurality of capacitor devices.
US07736979B2

A nanotube field effect transistor and a method of fabrication are disclosed. The method includes electrophoretic deposition of a nanotube to contact a region of a conductive layer defined by an aperture. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of depositing nanotubes in a region defined by an aperture, with control over the number of nanotubes to be deposited, as well as the pattern and spacing of nanotubes. For example, electrophoretic deposition, along with proper configuration of the aperture, allows at least one nanotube to be deposited in a target region with nanometer scale precision. Pre-sorting of nanotubes, e.g., according to their geometries or other properties, may be used in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure to facilitate fabrication of devices with specific performance requirements.
US07736978B2

A trenched field effect transistor is provided that includes (a) a semiconductor substrate, (b) a trench extending a predetermined depth into the semiconductor substrate, (c) a pair of doped source junctions, positioned on opposite sides of the trench, (d) a doped heavy body positioned adjacent each source junction on the opposite side of the source junction from the trench, the deepest portion of the heavy body extending less deeply into said semiconductor substrate than the predetermined depth of the trench, and (e) a doped well surrounding the heavy body beneath the heavy body.
US07736966B2

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor substrate that includes forming at least first and second device regions, wherein the first device region includes a first recess having interior surfaces oriented along a first set of equivalent crystal planes, and wherein the second device region includes a second recess having interior surfaces oriented along a second, different set of equivalent crystal planes. The semiconductor device structure formed using such a semiconductor substrate includes at least one n-channel field effect transistor (n-FET) formed at the first device region having a channel that extends along the interior surfaces of the first recess, and at least one p-channel field effect transistor (p-FET) formed at the second device region having a channel that extends along the interior surfaces of the second recess.
US07736965B2

Methods include making a FinFET device structure having multiple FinFET devices (e.g. ntype and/or ptype) with different metal conductors and/or different high-k insulators in the gates formed on a SOI substrate. One such method includes removing a second semiconductor layer from a second metal layer in a region above a second cap layer, from adjoining regions and from regions adjacent to a second fin.
US07736962B1

A junction field effect transistor comprises an insulating layer formed in a substrate. A source region of a first conductivity type is formed on the insulating layer, and a drain region of the first conductivity type is formed on the insulating layer and spaced apart from the drain region. A channel region of the first conductivity type is located between the source region and the drain region and formed on the insulating layer. A gate region of the second conductivity type surrounds all surfaces of a length of the channel region such that the channel region is embedded within the gate region.
US07736961B2

A high voltage field effect transistor device is fabricated. A substrate is provided. Isolation structures and well regions are formed therein. Drain well regions are formed within the well regions. An n-type channel stop resist mask is formed. N-type channel stop regions and n-type surface channel regions are formed. A p-type channel stop resist mask is formed. P-type channel stop regions and p-type surface channel regions are then formed. A dielectric layer is formed over the surface channel regions. Source regions are formed within the well regions. Drain regions are formed within the drain well regions. Back gate regions are formed within the well regions. Top gates are formed on the dielectric layer overlying the surface channel regions.
US07736958B2

In the present application, is disclosed a method of manufacturing a flexible semiconductor device having an excellent reliability and tolerance to the loading of external pressure. The method includes the steps of: forming a separation layer over a substrate having an insulating surface; forming an element layer including a semiconductor element comprising a non-single crystal semiconductor layer, over the separation layer; forming an organic resin layer over the element layer; providing a fibrous body formed of an organic compound or an inorganic compound on the organic resin layer; heating the organic resin layer; and separating the element layer from the separation layer. This method allows the formation of a flexible semiconductor device having a sealing layer in which the fibrous body is impregnated with the organic resin.
US07736952B2

A wafer packaging method is disclosed.An aspect of the invention is to provide a wafer packaging method comprising; attaching tape onto one side of a carrier, the carrier having a through-hole formed therein; attaching a wafer onto the tape exposed inside the through-hole such that at least one electrode of the wafer is exposed; and performing a packaging process on the carrier such that the wafer is packaged.
US07736948B2

Individual devices (100) are locally attached to a carrier substrate (10), so that they can be removed therefrom individually. This is achieved through the use of a patterned release layer, particularly a layer that is removable through decomposition into gaseous or vaporized decomposition products. The mechanical connection between the carrier substrate (10) and the individual devices (100) is provided by a bridging portion (43) of an adhesion layer (40).
US07736947B2

A carrier including a bottom plate, an intermediate cover, and a top cover for manufacturing a memory device is introduced herein. A printed circuit board is disposed on the bottom plate, and memory elements are arranged and disposed on the PCB. The intermediate cover is used to press peripheral regions of the printed circuit board, and to expose the regions where the memory elements are formed on the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is closely attached to a surface of the bottom plate by fixing the intermediate cover. The top cover is used to cover the memory elements formed on the printed circuit board after some manufacturing processes, and by exerting an external force, the formed memory elements are clamped down, so as to protect the memory elements from being affected by the printed circuit board in the following thermal process due to the thermal stress deformation.
US07736944B2

A semiconductor device comprises: a semiconductor chip having a first main surface, a second main surface, and a plurality of side surfaces; an extension portion which contacts and surrounds the side surfaces of the semiconductor chip; a base, which is capable of conducting heat generated by the semiconductor chip; an insulating film which is formed on the first face and the first main surface; a plurality of wiring patterns extended from electrode pads to the upper side of the first face of the extension portion; a sealing portion which is formed on the wiring patterns and insulating film; and a plurality of external terminals provided over the wiring patterns in a region including the upper side of the extension portion.
US07736939B2

A method for forming microlenses of different curvatures is described, wherein a substrate having at least a first and a second areas different in height is provided. A transparent photosensitive layer having a planar surface is formed on the substrate and then patterned into at least two islands of different thicknesses respectively over the first area and the second area. The at least two islands are heated and softened to form at least two microlenses of different curvatures respectively over the first area and the second area, wherein the higher an area is, the smaller the curvature of the corresponding microlens is.
US07736937B2

A manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging device, the device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; photodiodes each comprising a surface-side first conductivity type region formed adjacent to a surface of the semiconductor substrate and a second conductivity type region provided directly under the surface-side first conductivity type region; a second conductivity type vertical transfer region provided in the vicinity of the surface-side first conductivity type region; at least one first conductivity type inter-pixel isolation region provided under the vertical transfer region; and at least one first conductivity type overflow barrier region provided below the first conductivity type inter-pixel isolation region, the method comprising: a first step of forming the first conductivity type overflow barrier region in a semiconductor substrate; and a second step of ion-implanting first conductivity type impurity ions from a direction in which channeling tends to occur, to form at least one of the first conductivity type inter-pixel isolation region.
US07736930B2

An optical sensor package that includes an optical sensor die is mounted by flip chip interconnect onto a lead frame in a “die-down” orientation, that is, with the active side of the optical sensor die facing the lead frame. An opening is provided in the lead frame die paddle (pad), and light passes from outside the package through the opening in the lead frame die pad onto light collection elements on the active side of the chip.
US07736917B2

A laser beam irradiation method that achieves uniform crystallization, even if a film thickness of an a-Si film or the like fluctuates, is provided. The present invention provides a laser beam irradiation method in which a non-single crystal semiconductor film is formed on a substrate having an insulating surface and a laser beam having a wavelength longer than 350 nm is irradiated to the non-single crystal semiconductor film, thus crystallizing the non-single crystal silicon film. The non-single crystal semiconductor film has a film thickness distribution within the surface of the substrate, and a differential coefficient of a laser beam absorptivity with respect to the film thickness of the non-single crystal semiconductor film is positive.
US07736913B2

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing composition control to thin compound semiconductor films for radiation detector and photovoltaic applications. In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method in which the molar ratio of the elements in a plurality of layers are detected so that tuning of the multi-element layer can occur to obtain the multi-element layer that has a predetermined molar ratio range. In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method in which the thickness of a sub-layer and layers thereover of Cu, In and/or Ga are detected and tuned in order to provide tuned thicknesses that are substantially the same as pre-determined thicknesses.
US07736908B2

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a reactor having a heater, a passage for transporting a reactant, and a chamber containing a gas sample and being coupled to the passage for receiving the reactant and mixing the reactant with the gas sample. The reactor further includes a connector leading from the chamber to the heater for transporting a mixture of the reactant and gas sample, and wherein the heater heats the mixture of the reactant and gas sample.
US07736903B2

A chemical vapor sensor is provided that passively measures a suspect chemical species of interest with high sensitivity and chemical specificity, for use with safety systems. A vapor concentrator amplifies a suspect chemical vapor concentration to a detectible level, for use with an infrared detector. Compensation is provided for environmental variations that may influence the passive measurement of the chemical vapor sensor. Environmental variations may include extrinsic vapors in the surrounding air, or air currents that divert the sample vapor as it drifts from the suspect vapor source to a sampling intake. In an example, ethanol vapor is measured and carbon dioxide tracer measurements are used to calculate an ethanol vapor measurement that is adjusted for environmental variations. In an aspect, a time artifact filter sets the output of the carbon dioxide sensor to match the time dependence of the ethanol sensor, to calculate blood alcohol concentration.
US07736902B2

The present invention provides a simple, highly sensitive, and highly precise method for determining the absolute configuration of a chiral compound such as a diamine or an amino alcohol.The present invention is directed to a method for determining the absolute configuration of an asymmetric carbon of a chiral compound on the basis of the sign of the Cotton effect by analyzing a solution containing the chiral compound and a porphyrin dimer by circular dichroism spectroscopy.
US07736901B2

This invention is a disposable cartridge for use at the patient side to perform traditional coagulation assays on fresh whole blood or blood derivative samples. The cartridge, in use with an electronic analyzer allows a fluid sample to be metered and quantitatively mixed with reagents which activate the coagulation cascade. An artificial substrate for thrombin, the enzyme whose action results in clot formation is also provided. Clot formation is subsequently detected using a microfabricated sensor also housed within the cartridge which detects electrochemically the product of the thrombin reaction upon the synthetic substrate.
US07736896B2

This invention relates to methods for improved cell-based therapies for retinal degeneration and for differentiating human embryonic stem cells and human embryo-derived into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and other retinal progenitor cells.
US07736890B2

An assay method is described, which comprises the steps of immobilizing a binding partner (e.g., an antigen or antibody) for an analyte to be detected (e.g., an antibody or antigen) on a portion (140) of a surface (130) of a microfluidic chamber (120,122,124); passing a fluid sample over the surface and allowing the analyte to bind to the binding partner; allowing a metal colloid, e.g., a gold-conjugated antibody, to associate with the bound analyte; flowing a metal solution, e.g., a silver solution, over the surface such as to form an opaque metallic layer; and detecting the presence of said metallic layer, e.g., by visual inspection or by measuring light transmission through the layer, conductivity or resistance of the layer, or metal concentration in the metal solution after flowing the metal solution over the surface.
US07736882B2

Methods for synthesizing isopentenyl pyrophosphate are provided. A first method comprises introducing into a host microorganism a plurality of heterologous nucleic acid sequences, each coding for a different enzyme in the mevalonate pathway for producing isopentenyl pyrophosphate. A related method comprises introducing into a host microorganism an intermediate in the mevalonate pathway and at least one heterologous nucleic acid sequence, each sequence coding for an enzyme in the mevalonate pathway necessary for converting the intermediate into isopentenyl pyrophosphate. The invention also provides nucleic acid sequences, enzymes, expression vectors, and transformed host cells for carrying out the methods.
US07736868B2

The invention is concerned with the systematic elucidation and identification of regulatory sequences. The invention provides among others screenings and detection methods with which regulatory sequences can be identified. The invention further provides regulatory sequences and use thereof in various fields such as, but not limited to, protein production, diagnostics, transgenic plants and animals, and the therapeutic field.
US07736864B2

The invention relates to a method for the detection of inflammations, in particular of inflammatory processes in the tissue of mammary glands in humans or animals, in particular in cattle and a test-kit for carrying out said method. The method is particularly suitable for the specific detection of inflammations in mammary glands, for example during testing of milk, whereby the enzyme implicated in inflammatory processes prostaglandin D synthase (PGDS) is qualitatively or quantitatively determined.
US07736863B2

An improved monocyte activation test is described that is better able to detect non-endotoxin pyrogens in medical products, in which a sample is incubated with a monocyte-containing reagent in an assay system comprising at least one surface comprising polypropylene. The invention also concerns assay systems for use in these tests that include at least one microtiter well having at least one interior surface comprising polypropylene and having a shape such that monocyte-containing reagent is concentrated in the well to provide greater cell to cell contact. The invention also relates to a diagnostic kit that can be used to test for the presence of non-endotoxin pyrogens in a sample.
US07736862B2

The present invention relates to the discovery of a specific human taste receptor in the T2R taste receptor family, hT2R63 that responds to particular bitter compounds The present invention further relates to the use of this receptor in assays for identifying ligands that modulate the activation of this taste receptor. These compounds may be used as additives and/or removed from foods, beverages and medicinals in order to modify (block) T2R-associated bitter taste. A preferred embodiment is the use of the identified compounds as additives in foods, beverages and medicinals for blocking bitter taste.
US07736861B1

A diagnostic method for predicting whether a human tumor will be sensitive or resistant to treatment with tivozanib (AV-951) is disclosed. The method is based on measurement of macrophage content in a tissue sample from a tumor. Measurement of macrophage content can be based on analysis of macrophage marker gene expression, e.g., by RNA analysis or immunohistochemistry.
US07736859B2

The invention relates to a method for detecting an infection of a mammal with an acid-resistant microorganism, wherein (a) a stool sample of a mammal is incubated with at least two different monoclonal antibodies, fragments or derivatives thereof or aptamers under conditions allowing a complex formation of antigens of the acid-resistant microorganism with antibodies, fragments or derivatives thereof or the aptamers, and wherein (aa) the first monoclonal antibody or the fragment or the derivative thereof or the first aptamer specifically binds an epitope of the first antigen, which shows at least with some mammals a structure after the intestinal passage that corresponds to the native structure or the structure which a mammal produces antibodies against after being infected or immunised with the acid-resistant microorganism or an extract or lysate thereof or a protein therefrom or a fragment thereof or a synthetic peptide; (ab) the second monoclonal antibody or the fragment or the derivative thereof or the second aptamer specifically binds an epitope of a second antigen differing from the epitope of the first antigen, which shows at least with some mammals a structure after the intestinal passage that corresponds to the native structure or the structure which a mammal produces antibodies against after being infected or immunised with the acid-resistant microorganism or an extract or lysate thereof or a protein therefrom or a fragment thereof or a synthetic peptide, wherein the parts of the mammals may overlap according to (aa) and (ab) and in total essentially make up the overall number of infected mammals; and (b) the formation of at least one antigen-antibody complex or antigen-aptamer complex according to (aa) or (ab) is detected.
US07736858B2

A method and apparatus for the differentiation of ulcerative colitis from Crohn's disease and other gastrointestinal illnesses using the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) as a marker of ulcerative colitis is described. The apparatus consists of either a qualitative enzyme-linked immunoassay or other immunoassay that utilizes antibodies specific to human immunoglobulins for the measurement of total endogenous ANCA in a human sample. The method and apparatus can be used by healthcare providers to distinguish ulcerative colitis from Crohn's disease and other gastrointestinal illnesses.
US07736854B2

The present invention is directed to methods of generating a signal indicative of the presence of a target nucleic acid in a sample by forming a cleavage structure comprising duplex and single-stranded nucleic acid by incubating a sample comprising a target nucleic acid with a thermostable nucleic acid polymerase substantially lacking 5′ to 3′ exonuclease activity and cleaving said cleavage structure with a thermostable Fen nuclease lacking 5′ to 3′ synthetic activity to generate a signal.
US07736849B2

The present invention provides an oligonucleotide for amplifying a nucleic acid of human cytomegalovirus and a kit for detecting human cytomegalovirus. The present invention also provides an oligonucleotide for identifying a nucleic acid of human cytomegalovirus. The present invention further provides a method of detecting human cytomegalovirus in an individual.
US07736846B2

The present invention relates to regulation of inflammation. More particularly, the present invention is directed to nucleic acids encoding components of the ubiquitin ligation pathway, e.g., ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like molecules, E1, E2, and E3 proteins and their substrates, which are involved in modulation of the inflammatory process. The invention further relates to methods for identifying and using agents, including small molecule chemical compositions, antibodies, peptides, cyclic peptides, nucleic acids, RNAi, antisense nucleic acids, and ribozymes, that modulate the inflammatory process via modulation of the ubiquitin ligation pathway; as well as to the use of expression profiles and compositions in diagnosis and therapy related to regulation of inflammation and modulation of cytokine signaling involved in inflammation, e.g., for treatment of infection, autoimmune disease and other diseases related to the inflammatory process.
US07736841B2

A method and system for exposing a resist layer with regions of photosensitivity to an image in a lithographic process using a high numerical aperture imaging tool. There is employed a substrate having thereover a layer reflective to the imaging tool radiation and a resist layer having a region of photosensitivity over the reflective layer, with the resist layer having a thickness. The imaging tool is adapted to project radiation containing an aerial image onto the resist layer, with a portion of the radiation containing the aerial image passing through the resist layer and reflecting back to the resist layer. The reflected radiation forms an interference pattern in the resist layer of the projected aerial image through the resist layer thickness. The thickness and location of the resist layer region of photosensitivity with respect to the reflective layer are selected to include from within the interference pattern higher contrast portions of the interference pattern in the direction of the resist thickness, and to exclude lower contrast portions of the interference pattern in the resist thickness direction from said resist layer region of photosensitivity, to improve contrast of the aerial image in said resist layer region of photosensitivity.
US07736839B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device including a first wiring pattern extending in a vertical direction and a second wiring pattern identical in geometry to the first wiring pattern and extending in a (horizontal) direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, including the steps of: employing linearly polarized illumination to perform exposure along a mask pattern including mask patterns used to form the first and second wiring patterns, respectively; and subsequently forming the first and second wiring patterns having a geometry along the mask patterns. The mask patterns to form the first and second wiring patterns are formed to be different in geometry.
US07736836B2

The present invention relates to an improved slip film composition for use in manufacturing flexographic printing plates. The improved slip film composition of the invention comprises one or more solvents, one or more polymeric binders, a layered silicate, and optionally, a surfactant. The use of the layered silicate as a filler in the slip film composition produces an slip film composition with improved release properties and improved imaging. The slip film of the invention can be used with flexographic printing plates that are solvent developed or thermally developed.
US07736834B2

The photosensitive resin composition of the invention comprises (A) a photopolymerizing compound with two or more ethylenic unsaturated bonds in the molecule and (B) a photopolymerization initiator which initiates photopolymerization reaction of the (A) photopolymerizing compound, the photosensitive resin composition being characterized in that the molecule of the (A) photopolymerizing compound further contains a characteristic group with a bond which breaks when the (A) photopolymerizing compound is heated under temperature conditions of 130-250° C.
US07736822B2

There is provided a resist underlayer coating forming composition used in processes for manufacturing a mask blank and a mask, and a mask blank and a mask manufactured from the composition. The resist underlayer coating forming composition comprises a polymer compound having a halogen atom-containing repeating structural unit and a solvent. In a mask blank including a thin film for forming transfer pattern and a chemically-amplified type resist coating on a substrate in that order, the composition is used for forming a resist underlayer coating between the thin film for forming transfer pattern and the resist coating. The polymer compound is preferably a compound containing a halogen atom in an amount of at least 10 mass %.
US07736810B2

A porous separator for a winding-type lithium secondary battery having a gel-type polymer electrolyte includes a matrix made of polyvinyl chloride, or a matrix made of mixtures of polyvinylchloride and at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidenefluoride, a vinylidenefluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, polymethacrylate, polyacrylonitrile and polyethyleneoxide.
US07736807B2

A non-aqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery includes a positive electrode containing, as a positive electrode active material, a compound represented by the following general formula, LixFe1-yMyPO4, wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, Sn, B, Ga, Cr, V, Ti, Mg, Ca and Sr; 0.9
US07736801B2

The occurrence of micro-crack is prevented at the root of a thermally sealed area of casing materials even if a thick electric device element is sealed. Film covered battery 10 has cell element 13 to which leads 12a, 12b are connected, and casing films 11 for sealing cell element 13 with leads 12a, 12b extended therefrom. Casing films 11 are thermally sealed along the periphery to seal cell element 13. Thermally sealed area 13 of casing films 11 is positioned between both surfaces of cell element 13 in the thickness direction of cell element 13. On a side of casing films 11 from which leads 12a, 12b are not extended, close contact zone 15, in which casing films 11 are not thermally sealed to each other but are in close contact with each other, is formed continuously to a space which receives cell element 13. Close contact zone 15 has a length of one-half or more of the distance from one end to the other end of an inner edge of thermally sealed area 14.
US07736799B1

A method and apparatus is provided in which a layer of an intumescent material surrounds the casing of a battery, the layer helping to prevent the formation of perforations in the battery casing during a thermal runaway event and, if a perforation is formed, inhibiting the flow of hot, pressurized gas from within the battery. A sleeve, surrounding the cell, may be used to contain the intumescent material during the thermal event.
US07736787B2

Ceramic membranes with integral seals and support, and related electrochemical cells and cell stacks. The membrane comprises a thin electrolyte layer supported on a porous electrode layer which in turn is supported on a thick ceramic support layer, preferably a ceramic electrolyte support. The support layer is divided into a plurality of self-supporting thin membrane regions by a network of thicker integrated support ribs. The thin electrolyte layer and thick ceramic support layer preferably define a sealing perimeter surrounding the porous electrode layer.
US07736786B2

Disclosed herein is a composition suitable for use in the production of a fuel cell bipolar plate having improved electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. The composition for a fuel cell bipolar plate can include about 100 parts by weight of a basic resin composition including about 10 to about 50 parts by weight of polyphenylene sulfide as a thermoplastic resin and about 50 to 90 parts by weight of a conductive filler and about 0.01 to about 30 parts by weight of a disulfide compound. The composition can improve impregnation of the conductive filler into the thermoplastic resin.
US07736784B2

An injection nozzle assembly for a fuel cell system, the injection nozzle assembly including a housing defining a fuel chamber to accommodate hydrogen-containing fuel therein and coated with a reforming catalytic layer. An inlet is provided in a first side of the housing to introduce the hydrogen-containing fuel in the fuel chamber and an outlet is provided in a second side of the housing to discharge the hydrogen-containing fuel from the fuel chamber. An injection means is provided in the fuel chamber so that noise, vibration and power consumption due to operation of a fuel pump are reduced, and transformation efficiency for producing hydrogen ions and electrons from the hydrogen-containing fuel is increased.
US07736782B2

A proton conductive solid polymer electrolyte includes a polypyridobisimidazole-based compound and at least an acid. The proton conductive solid polymer electrolyte can be used to make a fuel cell with good power generation over a long period of time under a relative humidity of about 0% to about 50% at an operating temperature of about 100° C. to about 300° C.
US07736779B2

The present invention relates to a proton-conducting polymer membrane which comprises polyazole blends and is obtainable by a process comprising the steps A) preparation of a mixture comprising polyphosphoric acid, at least one polyazole (polymer A) and/or one or more compounds which are suitable for forming polyazoles under the action of heat according to step B), B) heating of the mixture obtainable according to step A) under inert gas to temperatures of up to 400° C., C) application of a layer using the mixture from step A) and/or B) to a support, D) treatment of the membrane formed in step C) until it is self-supporting, wherein at least one further polymer (polymer B) which is not a polyazole is added to the composition obtainable according to step A) and/or step B) and the weight ratio of polyazole to polymer B is in the range from 0.1 to 50.
US07736774B2

There are provided a solid oxide fuel cell system made up of (a) a solid oxide fuel cell stack, (b) a preliminary reformer for removing hydrocarbons having two or more carbon atoms from a hydrocarbon fuel by converting the hydrocarbons having two or more carbon atoms into methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide, and (c) an integrated heat exchanger for catalytic combustion for heating either air or fuel, or both the air and fuel, to be guided to the solid oxide fuel cell stack, by use of a combustion gas formed by combusting discharged fuel with the use of discharged air, wherein the component equipment described above are disposed in an adiabatic vessel and the integrated heat exchanger for catalytic combustion for use in the solid oxide fuel cell system.
US07736770B2

A substrate for use as a disk substrate in a hard disk drive or the like, an information recording medium such as a magnetic disk, and a starting material glass plate which is a starting material of the substrate for information recording media. The forming conditions of the starting material glass plate are controlled such that the starting material glass plate has a long-wavelength waviness of not more than 6 nm. This starting material glass plate is polished so as to have a long-wavelength waviness of not more than 6 nm using CeO2 abrasive grains having a mean grain diameter of not less than 0.01 μm and a 90% diameter of the volume grain size distribution of not less than 0.02 μm. The resulting substrate for an information recording medium has an excellent planarity, can be obtained in a short time and with a low polishing amount, and the resulting information recording medium is able to cope with increased data zone recording density.
US07736769B2

A magnetic recording medium including a substrate having a surface, an orientation control layer disposed above the surface of the substrate, an underlayer disposed above the orientation control layer, and a recording layer having an hcp crystal structure and disposed on a surface of the underlayer. The recording layer is epitaxially grown on the surface of the underlayer to define a plurality of crystal grains, wherein the crystal grains have c-axes that are inclined in a plurality of random directions, but wherein each random direction defines an angle with respect to the surface of the substrate that is within a range that is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 30 degrees. A magnetic storage apparatus including such a magnetic recording medium is also disclosed.
US07736758B2

A light emitting device having an anode and a cathode provided on a substrate, and an organic light emitting layer between the anode and the cathode, where the organic light emitting layer includes a light emitting material and first and second dopants for improving the dispersability thereof. The first and second dopants are metal organic complex compounds having the same ligand skeletal structures.
US07736751B2

The present invention provides a heretofore-unknown use for zirconium nitride as a hydrogen peroxide compatible protective coating that was discovered to be useful to protect components that catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide or corrode when exposed to hydrogen peroxide. A zirconium nitride coating of the invention may be applied to a variety of substrates (e.g., metals) using art-recognized techniques, such as plasma vapor deposition. The present invention further provides components and articles of manufacture having hydrogen peroxide compatibility, particularly components for use in aerospace and industrial manufacturing applications. The zirconium nitride barrier coating of the invention provides protection from corrosion by reaction with hydrogen peroxide, as well as prevention of hydrogen peroxide decomposition.
US07736750B2

An article includes a substrate, e.g. a glass sheet having a first major surface and an opposite second major surface having a textured surface to provide a predetermined pattern on the second surface of the substrate, and an overlay, e.g. a coating over the pattern. The percent of visible light transmittance, and percent visible light reflectance, of the substrate and the overlay is selected such that the pattern is visible when the article is viewed through one of the surfaces of the substrate or overlay. In one non-limiting embodiment, the substrate is glass and the article has a metallic appearance. In another non-limiting embodiment, the overlay is a transparent coating deposited on the second surface of the glass sheet into grooves of the pattern. Other non-limiting embodiments include the substrate having a Delta % haze of greater than 15%, and a protective overcoat over the coating.
US07736744B2

Aqueous resinous binders comprising graft copolymers, water-dilutable urethane polyols and epoxy-phosphorus acid reaction products are disclosed. The binders are useful in primer formulations for automotive applications.
US07736735B2

The coating composition of the present invention contains an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer and a polysiloxane having a specific molecular weight, wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer is prepared from a specific silane compound and a specific silyl group-containing polymer, and the weight ratio (Wa/Wb) between the silane compound content (Wa) and the silyl group-containing polymer content (Wb) is within the range from 5/95 to 50/50 (provided that Wa+Wb=100). The coating composition enables to obtain a coating film excellent in transparency, adhesion to organic substrates and radical resistance, and the coating composition has excellent storage stability.
US07736731B2

A composite structure forming method comprises the steps of first pre-treating brittle material fine particles to impart an internal strain to the brittle material fine particles, secondly causing the brittle material fine particles in which the internal strain has been created to collide with a substrate surface at high speed or applying a mechanical impact force to the brittle material fine particles containing the internal strain therein provided on the substrate surface, to deform or fracture the brittle material fine particles, re-joining the fine particles through active new surfaces generated by the deformation or fracture, forming an anchor section made of polycrystalline brittle material of which part bites into the substrate surface at a boundary section between the new surfaces and the substrate, and further forming a structure made of polycrystalline brittle material on the anchor section.
US07736727B2

A halogen-free electrically insulating film is prepared from a composition including particular amounts of a poly(arylene ether), a hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene, and a triaryl phosphate. The electrically insulating film may be prepared by an extrusion and/or calendering method. Uses of the electrically insulating film include, for example, shielding applications in power supply housing, printed circuit board insulation, backlit aircraft in flight panels and displays, business equipment insulation, computer rack partitions, and television and monitor insulation.
US07736722B2

A skateboard deck comprises a top and bottom wood portion, each wood portion having at least one layer of wood. The skateboard deck further comprises a wood core positioned in between the top and bottom wood portions. The wood core has first and second opposed surfaces, at least one of the opposed surfaces having longitudinal grooves forming hollow areas in conjunction with the top and bottom wood portions. Each of the top and bottom wood portions further comprise a crossband layer having grain perpendicular in direction to the longitudinal grooves, each crossband layer being in contact with the wood core.
US07736720B2

The invention provides a light weight composite gypsum board including a foamed low density set gypsum core, a top non-foamed (or reduced-foamed) bonding high density layer and a bottom non-foamed (or reduced-foamed) bonding high density layer, a top cover sheet bonded to the foamed low density set gypsum core by the top non-foamed (or reduced-foamed) bonding high density layer, and a bottom cover sheet bonded to the foamed low density set gypsum core by the bottom non-foamed (or reduced-foamed) bonding high density layer. The foamed low density set gypsum core is prepared having a density of less than about 30 pcf using soap foam in the gypsum-containing slurry. The combination of components provide a composite gypsum board having light weight and high strength.
US07736719B2

Protection panel (3) for an aircraft suitable for being associated with at least a portion of the surface to be protected, consisting of a plurality of layers associated with each other made of aramid fibre in which at least one of said layers consists of an aramid fibre or unidirectional fabric.
US07736717B2

A honeycomb body includes a honeycomb structure through which a fluid can flow and which is disposed in a tubular casing that is substantially gas-impermeable in a radial direction. The tubular casing includes at least one inner tubular casing part and at least one outer tubular casing part, in which at least the outer tubular casing part has cutouts at least in a subregion. The tubular casing has a reduced weight as compared to standard tubular casings, yet nevertheless has the same mechanical stability and gas-tightness. It is also possible to form the tubular casing with thermal expansion properties which are adapted to a subsequent use.
US07736706B1

Apparatus and methods of decorating guitars and other stringed musical instruments are disclosed. In one aspect, a method may include UV printing a first portion of a decoration over a first region of at least part of a guitar using a first ink drop size, and UV printing a second portion of the decoration over a second region of said at least part of the guitar using a second ink drop size. In another aspect, a method may include UV printing a mask layer over a surface of at least a portion of a guitar using a first amount of image constriction and a first amount of feathering, and UV printing a decorative layer over at least a portion of the mask layer using a second amount of image constriction and a second amount of feathering.
US07736705B2

This method to make an original photoconductor or replacement element uses a two-slot coating process to substantially simultaneously deposit a new SMTL coating layer and a thinner overcoating on an already existing SMTL layer or on a substrate. The total thickness of the existing SMTL layer plus the new SMTL layer plus the overcoating thickness should not exceed the thickness of a belt area of a marking machine or corresponding components in the to be replaced photoconductor element or the tolerances set for said SMTL and overcoating layer when making a new belt.
US07736700B2

Conventionally, cavities and cracks are filled with a solder metal which forms brittle phases with a subsequently applied coating, which have a negative effect on the mechanical properties. According to the invention, the components which form brittle phases are removed from the solder metal. The above is achieved, whereby a second material is applied which reacts with said component and which is removed again with the brittle phases, before the coating.
US07736698B2

A process for the production of a zinc oxide coating on a moving glass substrate provides a precursor mixture of a dialkylzinc compound, an oxygen-containing compound and an inert carrier gas. The precursor mixture is directed along a surface of the glass substrate in an atmospheric pressure, on-line, chemical vapor deposition process. The precursor mixture is reacted at the surface of the glass substrate to form a zinc oxide coating, essentially devoid of nitrogen, at a growth rate of >100 Å/second.
US07736694B2

A process of preparation of an antimicrobial powder coating composition comprising the steps: a) transforming a natural antimicrobial agent into a salt-form and micronizing the resulting antimicrobial salt into powder, b) mixing at least one of the natural antimicrobial salt together with at least one amino-reactive thermoplastic binder resin, c) subjecting the mixture to a melt compounding process at a temperature in a range of 80 to 230° C., at a residence time period in a range of 5 to 60 seconds, using at least one co-rotating twin-screw extruder with a soft screw design having conveying elements offering a high D/d ratio and having mixing forward kneading block elements, d) cooling the extrudate, and e) micronizing into powder particles. The process forms a powder coating composition containing a natural antimicrobial agent which results in high quality antimicrobial coatings showing a homogeneous distribution of the antimicrobial agent in the coating and a stable antimicrobial activity.
US07736686B2

Meat emulsion products and methods for producing meat emulsion products are presented. Meat emulsion products are produced that have realistic fiber definition. In an embodiment, the meat emulsion products comprise a protein, a fat and a plurality of colors and/or textures. The meat emulsion products further comprise a plurality of linear strands of fiber-like material affording the meat emulsion product a realistic meat-like appearance.
US07736685B2

The invention relates to a method for lowering the viscosity of a fat based mixture comprising solids and fat that have been previously refined to a powdery mass characterized in that the powdery mass is submitted to elongational flow effective as such to provide breaking up of the agglomerates and intimate interactions of the solids with the fat thereby resulting in the production of a pasty mass with coating of the solids with the fat. The method enables to replace conching in a traditional conche or at least reduce conching time or increase the subsequent loading and throughput of the fat based mass in traditional conches.
US07736674B2

The invention discloses a pharmaceutical composition for the controlled release of relatively toxic active compounds, in particular for bioactive proteins from the class of interferons. The composition comprises a biodegradable block copolymer constructed from poly(ethylene glycol) terephthalate (PEGT) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT). The composition is provided in the form of injectable microparticles, of an injectable liquid which may have self-gelling properties, or of a solid implant. The invention further provides a pharmaceutical kit comprising the composition, methods for preparing the composition, and the pharmaceutical uses relating thereto.
US07736671B2

Embolization, as well as related particles, compositions, and methods, are disclosed.
US07736652B2

The present invention provides methods of use of various antibody-immunostimulant fusion proteins as adjuvants of antigenic protein vaccinations to elicit humoral and/or cellular immune responses in vaccinated subjects. Compositions which include these fusion proteins and innate and/or exogenous antigenic proteins are also provided.
US07736643B2

The present invention relates to a method for screening of the lipase having improved enzymatic activity using yeast surface display vector and the mutant lipase prepared by the same, more particularly to the method comprising; 1) cloning lipase gene into surface display vector, 2) preparing mutant lipase gene library of the step 1 by mutagenic PCR, 3) transforming the mutant lipase gene library of the step 2 and surface display vector into host cell, and 4) measuring the activity of the mutant lipase displayed in the surface of the transformed host cell and selecting the mutant lipase prepared by the same. The method of the present invention can screen the lipase having improved enzymatic activity. So, it can effectively be used for the various fields, such as food and detergent industry.
US07736637B2

A novel cytokine designated TRAIL induces apoptosis of certain target cells, including cancer cells and virally infected cells. Isolated DNA sequences encoding TRAIL are disclosed, along with expression vectors and transformed host cells useful in producing TRAIL polypeptides. Antibodies that specifically bind TRAIL are provided as well.
US07736632B2

A topical deodorant composition comprising unrefined Shea butter, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, cocoa butter, coconut oil, lavender oil, Clary sage oil, benzoin gum tincture and vitamin E. The topical deodorant composition controls body odor and improves the moisture, texture and appearance of the skin. To prepare the topical deodorant composition, unrefined Shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and vitamin E are mixed over hot water at 100° F.-120° F. Cornstarch and sodium bicarbonate are added over hot water at 100° F.-120° F. Subsequently, lavender oil, Clary sage oil and benzoin gum tincture are added. The mixture is removed from heat, cooled to 75° F. and distributed via a glass jar, solid stick or squeezable tube.
US07736630B2

The present invention relates to novel cosmetic and/or dermatological compounds and compositions for the photoprotection of human skin and/or hair against the damaging effects of UV radiation, in particular solar radiation. In another embodiment the invention relates to compositions and compounds for topical application comprising at least one photoprotective compound for topical application comprising of hydroxylated derivatives of natural Jojoba wax/oil or its synthetic substitute, esterified with carboxylic acids or aminoacids bearing UV-absorbing groups.
US07736615B2

An aggregate structure of carbon fibers, organized by a plurality of carbon fibers, includes, an aggregate of the carbon fibers aligned in a lengthwise direction, in which a density of the carbon fibers at one side end is different from a density of the carbon fibers at the other side end.
US07736611B2

A method of producing a material including agglomerated particles of precipitated silica, including preparing a solution of at least two metal salts (Me), wherein the metal ions are divalent or polyvalent. A solution of alkali metal (M) silicate having a molar ratio SiO2/M2O of 1-4 is prepared. The solutions are mixed and the mixture stirred, allowing a coagulum to immediately form. The coagulum is rinsed, collected, dewatered, impregnated and processed to provide a material having a dry matter content of >75%, preferably >97%. A material obtainable by the process is also provided.
US07736603B2

A system for thermally recycling waste, for example whole used tyres (P) and fractionated waste; includes a first thermal pyrolysis column, having a first thermal base from which combustible gases are produced; a nozzle for introducing these combustible gases into a second instantaneous combustion and rapid reduction column and igniting them by injection of oxygen, this second reducing column having a second thermal base provided for carrying out purification of the burnt gases and molecular cracking; and a chute for introducing waste into this second column.
US07736601B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus for catalytic cleaning, particularly de-nitrification, of waste gases, said apparatus comprising a heat exchanger (12) for exchanging heat between the already cleaned gas and the raw gas to be cleaned, a heating channel (14), in which additional heat is supplied to the raw gas and which joins the heat exchanger (12), a jetting unit is provided in the heating channel (14) for supplying ammonia and an arrangement of catalysts (16) containing catalysts, which is attached to the heating channel (14) and is placed above the heat exchanger (12), wherein the arrangement of catalysts (16) and the heating channel (14) are connected with each other via an essentially U-shaped deflection hood (24) and the heat exchanger is one of type working in counter flow.
US07736590B2

A method to efficiently measure the oxygen content of both the headspace and fluid within a hermetically sealed container. A container is pierced using a hollow needle with the interior space sealed from the outside and the tip of said hollow needle removed, and the interior space is made continuous with the headspace within the container. A probe of a fluorescent oxygen concentration meter is inserted through the hollow needle to the interior of the container, positioned in the headspace within the container, and the oxygen concentration of the headspace 3 is measured. The probe is inserted further so that the fluorescent material is submerged in the fluid inside the container, and the dissolved oxygen concentration inside the fluid is measured.
US07736586B2

There is provided a melting furnace with an agitator. The melting furnace with an agitator includes a melting furnace that contains melt, and an agitator that agitates the melt by an electromagnetic force. The agitator includes a first electrode that is provided at an arbitrary position of the melting furnace so as to come in contact with the melt contained in the melting furnace, a second electrode that is provided near a bottom wall of the melting furnace so as to come in contact with the melt, a first magnetic field device that is provided outside the melting furnace so as to face the bottom wall of the melting furnace and makes a north pole face the bottom wall, and a second magnetic field device that is provided outside the melting furnace so as to face the bottom wall of the melting furnace and makes a south pole face the bottom wall. The first and second magnetic field devices are disposed with a gap in a certain direction.
US07736584B2

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a mixer-settler used in hydrometallurgical metal processes, such as liquid-liquid extraction, and to a mixer-settler structure where chemically resistant material, such as plate-like wall elements made of reinforced plastic, is used.
US07736582B2

A method of consolidating particulate materials into articles having combinations of properties not available by conventional processes by liquid phase sintering. These particulate materials are comprised of core particles individually coated with layers of a metal compound having a relatively higher fracture toughness than the core, such as WC or TaC. These coated particles include an outer layer comprised a metal, such as Co or Ni. The particles with these coatings are pressed to form an article and the article densified at pressures and temperatures where full density is achieved without the degradation of the material forming the core particle.
US07736581B2

A method is provided for manufacturing a plugged honeycomb structure 30 including a honeycomb substrate 1 and plugging portions 15 arranged so as to form complementary checkered patterns at both end surfaces 11 and 21 of the honeycomb substrate 1. The method includes attaching a first mask film 4a to the first end surface 11 of the honeycomb substrate 1, making slurry permeation holes 3a to introduce a plugging slurry 6, attaching a second mask film 4b to the second end surface 21 of the honeycomb substrate 1, making slurry permeation holes 3b, allowing air to flow into the cells 2 so as to discharge air giving a pressure of 0.05 to 5 MPa between the first mask film 4a and the honeycomb substrate 1; and filling cell opening end portions 7 with the plugging slurry 6 to fire the resultant slurry filled substrate 20.
US07736580B2

A method of making a food serving tray assembly comprising the step of molding a hand portable container such that the container has a serving platter and a receptacle platter. The serving platter includes a disposal opening and serving wells for receiving food items. The receptacle platter and serving platter releasably couple to one another in a serving configuration and a transport configuration. The serving platter also has an outer peripheral wall and a plurality of dividing walls defining and separating adjacent serving wells; and the serving platter is generally received within the outer peripheral wall of the receptacle platter with the bottom of the receptacle platter and the dividing walls of the serving platter collectively isolating the wells from one another when the food serving tray assembly is in the transport configuration.
US07736579B2

Wide panels of UHMWPE having exceptional flatness and surface quality are ram extruded through a slit die equipped with a plurality of individually adjustable cooling zones proximate the panel exit slit and transverse to the machine direction which cool the by a back pressure device and preferably a vertical movement restraint. The process is robust and can be run for long product campaigns.
US07736569B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for selectively dispensing reinforcement material into a concrete component. The apparatus is capable of providing, positioning and embedding any form of rolled reinforcement materials into both prefabricated concrete components and cast-in-place concrete components which can be operated by a minimal number of personnel in a timely and economical manner, and which can be used to mass produce concrete components.
US07736556B2

A method to manufacture a blowout preventer seal including disposing at least one insert and at least one elastomeric material in a mold, heating the mold to a cure temperature, curing the at least one elastomeric material, measuring a temperature of the at least one elastomeric material during the curing, adjusting a cure time and the cure temperature based on the measured temperature of the elastomeric material, and removing the cured blowout preventer seal from the mold.
US07736554B2

A method of manufacturing a part out of impervious thermostructural composite material, the method comprising forming a porous substrate from at least one fiber reinforcement made of refractory fibers, and densifying the reinforcement by a first phase of carbon and by a second phase of silicon carbide. The method then continues by impregnating the porous substrate with a composition based on molten silicon so as to fill in the pores of the substrate.
US07736541B2

An anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided that includes an epoxy resin, a phenoxy resin, a curing agent, an inorganic filler, and conducting particles as components. The phenoxy resin is controlled to have a glass-transition temperature (Tg) in a range of 66° C. to 100° C., so that the anisotropic conductive adhesive has an excellent fluidity in a mounting process, satisfactory electric conductive/insulation performances, and sufficient adhesiveness. Since the properties of the anisotropic conductive adhesive are almost invariant even if the adhesive is used for a long time under a high-temperature- and high-humidity condition, the anisotropic conductive adhesive can be used for applications where a high reliability is required.
US07736538B2

The invention relates to a mixture for applying a polymer, non-corrosive, electroconductive coating which can be shaped in a low-abrasive manner, to a base. Said mixture contains at least one substance A in the form of electroconductive hard particles, at least one substance B in the form of very soft or soft, inorganic, sliding, electroconductive or semiconductive particles, and/or at least one substance C in the form of metallic, soft or hard, electroconductive or semiconductive particles and/or soot, and optionally other constituents such as an anticorrosion pigment D, the sum of the parts by weight of the inorganic sliding particles B and the metallic particles and/or soot C amounting to between 0.25 and 99.5% of the parts by weight of the water-insoluble or only slightly water-soluble pigmentation S (A+B+C), and the size of the electroconductive hard particles A amounting to less than 10 ?m in relation to the particle size transfer value d99. The invention also relates to a method for producing a non-corrosive, viscoplastic coating on a base, said coating containing polymer and inorganic particles, and to an electroconductive coating containing polymer and inorganic particles.
US07736530B2

Disclosed is a CMP slurry in which a compound having a weight-average molecular weight of 30-500 and containing a hydroxyl group (OH), a carboxyl group (COOH), or both, is added to a CMP slurry comprising abrasive particles and water and having a first viscosity, so that the CMP slurry is controlled to have a second viscosity 5-30% lower than the first viscosity. Also disclosed is a method for polishing a semiconductor wafer using the CMP slurry. According to the disclosed invention, the agglomerated particle size of abrasive particles in the CMP slurry can be reduced, while the viscosity of the CMP slurry can be reduced and the global planarity of wafers upon polishing can be improved. Thus, the CMP slurry can be advantageously used in processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices requiring fine patterns and can improve the reliability and production of semiconductor devices through the use thereof in semiconductor processes.
US07736527B2

Siloxane polymer compositions and methods of manufacturing a capacitor are described. In some embodiments, a mold layer pattern is formed on a substrate having a conductive structure, and the mold layer pattern has an opening to expose the conductive structure. A conductive layer is formed on the substrate. A buffer layer pattern is formed on the conductive layer formed in the opening. The buffer layer pattern includes a siloxane polymer represented by the following Chemical Formula 1. The conductive layer is selectively removed to form a lower electrode. The mold layer pattern and the buffer layer pattern are removed. A dielectric layer and an upper electrode are formed on the substrate to form a capacitor. The methods may simplify manufacturing processes for a capacitor and a semiconductor device, and may improve their efficiencies.
US07736523B2

A dispenser or dispensable material for external attachment to a mobile surface cleaning device, mobile surface cleaning device provides an aftermarket apparatus and method for both on-the-go cleaning and on-the-go delivery of dispensable materials into the body of water with the dispensable material mounted either on a downstream side of the mobile surface cleaning device or spaced from the flow path through the mobile surface cleaning device.
US07736522B2

A sanitizer generation system supplies power to a first and a second sanitizer generator. Each of the sanitizer generators is connected to a body of water by a circulation system. The system includes a power supply and a control system connected to the power supply and the sanitizer generators. The control system selectively delivers electric current from the power supply to the first and second sanitizer generators.
US07736521B2

Circulating completion, workover and drilling fluids used in hydrocarbon recovery are filtered after monitoring for viscosity, which frequently causes plugging of filters. A viscometer generates a signal representative of viscosity in the fluid; the signal is used by a programmable controller to divert viscous fluid from the filter, or to take other action to prevent damage to the filter. The viscometer can be used in various positions in the system. Fluids deemed too viscous for the filter can be sent to a viscosity-reducing device, which may be a heating, shear-thinning, or cavitation device, to reduce its viscosity, enabling the fluid to pass through a filter without fouling. After filtering and a return to a lower temperature, the fluid may be treated if necessary to become viscous again for a useful purpose.
US07736515B2

There is provided a method for highly treating distillation waste generated in the process of separating a distilled alcoholic material after alcoholic fermentation of starchy materials. The method includes the steps of adding sodium polyacrylate to the distillation waste from the starchy materials, then adding chitosan to treat the distillation waste, and further adding sodium polyacrylate to the waste. Furthermore, solid-liquid separation is then carried out. A liquid material thus separated is brought into contact with a reverse osmosis membrane.
US07736512B2

The method aims at obtaining from waste and more particularly from municipal solid waste (MSW) the energy contained therein at the highest level for industrial use by means of natural technologies and with low environmental impact. The method, denoted by the acronym NEW (Natural Energy from Waste) operates through the following process phases: a) aerobic digestion of the putrescible biological part to produce stabilized waste which is easy to handle, b) separation of a fraction rich in materials with a high heat value, c) storage of the residue, rich in biodegradable and inert substances, compacted into appropriate geometrical shapes in bioreactors which can be activated and sealed, d) activation of the bioreactors with water and their service in time during anaerobic digestion to supply biogas to be used for the production of energy, e) bio-stabilization and dehydration of the residual material of the anaerobic treatment with air, f) possible recovery of the materials produced in this way. In this way the energy contained in the waste, is extracted at the most refined level in the form of plastic, plastic/paper and methane for energy uses with maximum yield and reduced production of ash, and the end material leaving the bioreactors is fully exhausted of its energy content and inertised.
US07736499B2

A disposable drain strainer is removably received within a drain opening having an adjacent drain rim substrate. The strainer has a strainer portion, a ring portion, and a seal release mechanism. Top and bottom surfaces of the ring portion are adapted to sealingly engage the drain rim substrate. The seal release mechanism is integral with the ring portion, and facilitates release of the seal so that the strainer can be readily be removed from the sink and discarded. In one embodiment, the seal release mechanism comprises a tab. In another embodiment, the seal release mechanism comprises a press-release component, wherein the ring portion has arced ring walls having convex and concave configurations. During sealing engagement with the drain rim, the ring portion is in the convex configuration. Pressure applied to the ring portion causes it to move to the concave configuration. The seal between the ring portion and the substrate is released, and the strainer can be readily removed from the drain opening for disposal without having to touch the strainer contents.
US07736483B2

A method for electroplating low-resistance metal wire for resolving the problem to fabricate the metal wire on large-area substrate through the technology of photolithographing and etching in the prior art. Then the invention improves the RC-delay characteristic of circuit on large-area substrate and reduces the number of masks for processing of a structure of gate overlap lightly-doped drain (source) (GOLDD).
US07736482B2

An electrophoresis member is produced by laying a plurality of capillaries on an adhesive layer born on a support layer to form a capillary layer, laminating thereon a second support layer, and partially removing the first support layer, the first adhesive layer and the second support layer to partially expose the capillaries to form a window portion for irradiation and detection and a sample injection portion for injecting a sample.
US07736479B2

The invention relates to an electrochemical gas sensor having a substrate, substrate surface for depositing electrodes thereon, counter and sensing electrodes for measuring current flow, an electrolyte for providing an electrical connection between the electrodes, and an electrode surface having minimal porosity, pore size, and thickness for deterring flooding.
US07736477B2

A probe for measuring an electric potential of a cell includes a plate having a surface having a first cavity provided therein, and a sensor element provided in the first cavity. A second cavity is provided in the bottomsurface of the first cavity. The first flow passage having first and second openings is provided in the plate. The first and second openings of the first flow passage open to the second cavity and outside the plate, respectively. The sensor element includes a thin plate, and a supporting substrate provided around the thin plate and in the first cavity of the plate. The thin plate has a through-hole therein having a first opening and a second opening communicating with the second cavity of the plate. The first flow passage allows fluid to flow therein. A sucking device is coupled with the second opening of the first flow passage as to suck the fluid flowing in the first flow passage. This probe can measure an electric potential of a cell floating in solution as it is in this environment.
US07736474B2

A plating apparatus securely carries out a flattening plating of a substrate to form a plated film having a flat surface without using a costly mechanism, and without applying an extra plating to the substrate. The plating apparatus includes a substrate holder; a cathode section having a seal member for watertightly sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate, and a cathode electrode for supplying an electric current to the substrate; an anode disposed in a position facing the surface of the substrate; a porous member disposed between the anode and the surface of the substrate; a constant-voltage control section for controlling a voltage applied between the cathode electrode and the anode at a constant value; and a current monitor section for monitoring an electric current flowing between the cathode electrode and the anode, and feeding back a detection signal to the constant-voltage control section.
US07736470B2

Described herein are methods and mechanisms for laterally dispensing fluid to a coke drum in a predictable and maintainable manner that alleviates thermal stress. In one embodiment, the methods and mechanisms utilize a split piping system to dispense fluid through two or more inlets into a spool that is connected to a coke drum and a coke drum bottom deheader valve. A combination of block valves and clean out ports provides a more effective means to clean the lines and allows fluid to be laterally dispensed in a controllable and predictable manner. The fluid is preferably introduced to the spool in opposing directions toward a central vertical axis of the spool at equal but opposing angles ranging from minus thirty (−30) to thirty (30) degrees relative to a horizontal line laterally bisecting the spool. Alternatively, however, fluid can be introduced to the spool tangentially.
US07736466B2

This invention relates to a paper substrate containing high surface sizing and low internal sizing and having high dimensional stability, as well as methods of making and using the composition.
US07736465B2

The invention relates to a composition comprising (a) a functional promoter comprising a water-soluble anionic polymer having a molecular weight of at least about 50,000 daltons and a molecular weight charge index value of at least about 10,000; (b) a cationic surfactant component; such that when the composition treats a fibrous substrate, in conjunction with a cationic strength agent, the treated fibrous substrate exhibits (i) a ratio of wet tensile strength to dry tensile strength ranging from about 1:5 to about 1:2 and (ii) an increase in a ratio of wet tensile strength to dry tensile strength of at least about 10%, as compared to when the fibrous substrate is treated with the functional promoter and without a surfactant. The invention also relates to a paper product made with such a system, and method for imparting wet strength to a paper product with the functional promoter.
US07736461B2

A cassette capable of preventing breakage in glass substrates includes lower and upper frames; side frames between the lower and upper frames for connecting the lower and upper frames to each other, the side frames having a plurality of insertion recesses for receiving glass substrates; and a stopper at the rear of the cassette for preventing the glass substrates from exiting a rear portion of the cassette, wherein the stopper formed with a buffer covering material.
US07736452B2

A method, in which a damaged site of a composite material structure, for example a wing skin on an aircraft, is repaired, includes the steps of repairing the damaged site with repair material, including adhesive, and at the same time bonding a test fixture, for example a button, at a test site next to the repair, by means of material that is the same as the repair material. The conditions to which the damaged site and the test site are subjected are substantially the same. After repair, the strength of the repair bond may be indirectly assessed by applying a torque to the test fixture, so as to assess the bond strength of the test fixture to the structure.
US07736450B2

A method for laser shock peening an article, such as a gas turbine engine airfoil, with varying thickness by varying a surface fluence of a laser beam over a laser shock peening surface as a function of the thickness beneath a laser shock peened spot formed by the beam on the surface. The fluence may be equal to the thickness multiplied by a volumetric fluence factor, the volumetric fluence factor being held constant over the laser shock peening surface. The volumetric fluence factor may be in a range of about 1200 J/cm3 to 1800 J/cm3 and more particularly about 1500 J/cm3. The method may include varying energy in the laser beam using a computer program controlling firing of the laser beam. A device such as an optical attenuator external to a laser performing firing may be used to vary the energy.
US07736449B2

The present invention stably provides a high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet having a high tensile strength and no non-plated portions and being excellent in workability and surface properties even when the employed equipment has only a reduction annealing furnace and a steel sheet containing relatively large amounts of Si, Mn and Al that are regarded as likely to cause non-plated portions is used as the substrate. The present invention: secures good plating performance even when the steel sheet contains Si, Mn and Al by adding Ni to a steel sheet, thus forming oxides at some portions in the steel sheet surface layer, and resultantly suppressing the surface incrassation of Si, Mn and Al at the portions where oxides are not formed; enhances the effect of Ni and accelerates the formation of oxides by further adding Mo, Cu and Sn; and moreover, in the case of a TRIP steel sheet, secures austenite by determining the ranges of Si and Al strictly, avoiding the deterioration of plating performance caused by the addition of Ni, and further adding Mo in a balanced manner.In addition, the present invention, in a TRIP steel sheet, improves press formability by regulating a retained austenite ratio and accelerates the formation of oxides by regulating a hydrogen concentration and a dew point in annealing before plating.
US07736445B2

A surface treatment method for solder joint employs alkali buffer solution dipping the solder joint and the alkali buffer solution reacts with the solder joint thus yielding a passive layer. As the resultant passive layer forms on the surface of the solder joint, thereby prevents further corrosion and dissolution during aqueous cleaning or water dipping thereafter. In addition, the passive layer ensures a good appearance with maximum protection of the solder joint and also provides a sound reliability and a high testability of a finished electronic product equipped with the solder joint.
US07736441B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of cleaning one or more fluid plenums of an electrode assembly is provided. According to the method, a plurality of fluid ports in communication with the fluid plenum are isolated and differentiated into respective sets of plenum input ports and plenum output ports. The input and output ports are engaged with respective cleaning fluid couplings. A cleaning fluid is directed through the fluid plenum by creating a fluid pressure differential ΔP=PIN−POUT across the plenum input and output ports. The pressure differential ΔP is large enough to force cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid supply duct to the cleaning fluid waste duct through the fluid plenum. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US07736439B2

The present invention relates to a method for cleaning polycrystalline silicon fragments to a metal content of <100 ppbw, wherein a polysilicon fraction is added to an aqueous cleaning solution containing HF and H2O2, this aqueous cleaning solution is removed and the polycrystalline fraction thereby obtained is washed with highly pure water and subsequently dried.
US07736436B2

An edge ring for use in batch thermal processing of wafers supported on a vertical tower within a furnace. The edge rings are have a width approximately overlapping the periphery of the wafers and are detachably supported on the towers equally spaced between the wafer to reduce thermal edge effects. The edge rings have may have internal or external recesses to interlock with structures on or adjacent the fingers of the tower legs supporting the wafers or one or more steps formed on the lateral sides of the edge ring may slide over and then fall below a locking ledge associated with the support fingers. Preferably, the tower and edge ring and other parts of the furnace adjacent the hot zone are composed of silicon.
US07736426B2

Phase change inks comprising a carrier and a colorant of the formula wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R, Y, CA, A-, m and n each, independently of the others are as defined herein.
US07736421B2

An apparatus and method for producing a region of vapor super-saturation and particle growth in a laminar flow by surrounding the particle flow with a saturated or super-saturated sheath flow from which vapor diffuses into the aerosol flow. This method is applicable when the mass diffusivity of the condensing vapor is greater than the thermal diffusivity of the carrier gas, such as is the case when water vapor diffuses into air.
US07736418B2

The aim of the invention is to be able to adapt an item of visualization or optimization software with the least possible amount of effort made on any electrostatic filter configurations. To this end, the invention provides that the electrostatic filter, the high-voltage supply units, and the auxiliary functional units can be used by the software modules in the server component as objects with characteristic features and with characteristic methods, that are capable of being accessed as information, which only exists in the server component, for the client modules via data interfaces.
US07736411B2

The invention relates to a renewable process for manufacturing ground and soil treatment compounds using plant by-products. The invention further relates to products of that process, including an anti-slip compound for use on snow- or ice-covered surfaces, and to a related fertilizer compound for improving plant growth. The described compounds primarily comprise organic by-products of timber processing operations. In addition, the invention relates to a renewable energy and resource process.
US07736406B2

A vacuum cleaner includes a main body accommodating therein an electric blower and a dust-removal driving body; and a filter unit including a frame body where a filter for collecting dust particles is installed and a dust removing plate provided at a downstream side of the filter, one end of the dust removing plate being fixed at the frame body. The other end of the dust removing plate is struck in an air flow direction by means related with driving the dust-removal driving body, thereby transmitting an impact on the frame body with a repulsive force thereof.
US07736405B2

A CMP composition containing a rheology agent, e.g., in combination with oxidizing agent, chelating agent, inhibiting agent, abrasive and solvent. Such CMP composition advantageously increases the materials selectivity in the CMP process and is useful for polishing surfaces of copper elements on semiconductor substrates, without the occurrence of dishing or other adverse planarization deficiencies in the polished copper.
US07736394B2

The actuated leg prosthesis comprises a knee member, a socket connector provided over the knee member, an elongated trans-tibial member having a bottom end under which is connected an artificial foot, and a linear actuator. A first pivot assembly allows to operatively connect the trans-tibial member to the knee member. A second pivot assembly allows to operatively connect an upper end of the actuator to the knee member. A third pivot assembly allows to operatively connect a bottom end of the actuator to the bottom end of the trans-tibial member. The prosthesis can be provided as either a front actuator configuration or a rear actuator configuration.
US07736389B1

A reading enhancement device for preventing and/or treating presbyopia of the eye. The enhancement device is sutured to an outer wall of the sclera for buckling and compressing a portion of the sclera and the ciliary body inwardly and perpendicular to the plane of the sclera and exerting a posterior compression force toward the vitreous humor in the rear of the eye. The enhancement device includes a compression body with a front of the body having semi-circular convex surface. The convex surface is used for engaging, buckling and compressing both a portion of the sclera and the ciliary body of the eye. The compression body also includes an enlarged, rounded first and second end portions and an elongated center portion with the convex surface formed thereon. Also, the compression body includes a rear having an outwardly extending rib portion with a pair of grooves at opposite ends of the rib portion. The grooves and the enlarged, rounded first and second end portions are used to aid the eye surgeon in suturing and securing the enhancement device to the side of the eye.
US07736386B2

A stent shaped as a three-dimensional body which is formed by interlaced threads (1) arranged in multistart turns of a helical line. The threads (1) are arranged in at least two groups (2 and 3) of the helical turns featuring opposite senses of helix. The stent ends are established by sections (5) where the turns of one helical line merge into those of the other helical line, said sections appearing as a single length of the thread (1).
US07736374B2

Tissue manipulation and securement systems are described herein. A tissue manipulation assembly is pivotably coupled to the distal end of a tubular member and has a lower jaw member and an upper jaw member pivotably coupled to the lower jaw member. A reconfigurable launch tube is also pivotably coupled to the upper jaw member and is used to urge the jaw members from a low-profile configuration to an open configuration for receiving tissue. The tissue manipulation assembly may be advanced through a shape-lockable endoscopic device, a conventional endoscope, or directly by itself into a patient. A second tool can be used in combination with the tissue manipulation assembly to engage tissue and manipulate the tissue in conjunction with the tissue manipulation assembly.
US07736372B2

Apparatus & methods for endoscopic suturing are described herein. A distal tip of the endoscopic device engages the tissue and then approximates the engaged tissue to form a tissue fold. A needle body positioned within a flexible catheter is deployed into or through the newly created tissue fold where it is then detached or released from the endoscopic device. The needle body has a length of suture which depends therefrom and can be used to secure the tissue fold. The entire endoscopic device or its tissue engaging assembly can then be rotated relative to the tissue fold while maintaining engagement with the tissue to maneuver the flexible catheter to the opposing side of the penetrated tissue fold. This procedure can be repeated any number of times to create an interrupted, continuous, or running suture to secure the tissue fold.
US07736371B2

A trajectory guide includes a guide body defining a selected trajectory through an entry aperture or opening, engagement surfaces for insertion into the entry aperture, and a fixing mechanism coupling the guide body with the engagement surfaces. The engagement surfaces may be easily fixed within an entry aperture and the guide body positioned in a selected orientation using the fixing mechanism to provide simple mounting of the trajectory guide. In some instances, the engagement surfaces may be fixed within the entry aperture and the guide body fixed in a selected orientation with a single fixation motion.
US07736357B2

A radiofrequency ablation system provides multiple ground pads and active control of current flow through the ground pads to provide improved power sharing at the tissue near the ground pads reducing risk of patient skin burns for higher power ablation generators.
US07736349B2

The present invention relates to absorbent articles, typically for feminine protection, including a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent element positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent element includes a fluid storage layer which is a liquid absorbent thermoplastic composition. The absorbent thermoplastic composition is a polymeric base material having particles of water-insoluble water-swellable absorbent material dispersed therein. The liquid absorbent thermoplastic composition is configured in a plurality of unattached spaced apart zones.
US07736344B2

A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with infusion medium are supported by the disposable housing portion, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics and a drive device. A reservoir is supported by the disposable housing portion and has a moveable plunger that operatively couples to the drive device, when the disposable and durable housing portions are engaged.
US07736341B2

A protective sheath for a winged needle has a hilt with a keyhole for releasably receiving a length of tubing. Methods of the invention include forming a U-shaped bend in the tubing and inserting it into the keyhole prior to packaging.
US07736338B2

An infusion medium delivery system, device and method for delivering an infusion medium to a patient-user, includes a needle inserter device and method for inserting a needle and/or cannula into a patient-user to convey the infusion medium to the patient-user. The needle inserter device and method operate to insert a needle and cannula into a patient-user's skin and automatically withdraw the needle from the patient-user, leaving the cannula in place and in fluid flow communication with a reservoir. The delivery device may include a base portion and a durable portion connectable to the base portion, and wherein the base portion can be separated from the durable portion and disposed of after one or more specified number of uses. The base portion supports the reservoir and the needle inserter device, while the durable portion supports a drive device for selectively driving the infusion medium out of the reservoir and into the needle and/or cannula.
US07736334B2

Implantable tube, for heating by conduction a heat transfer fluid for injection into all or part of a human or animal tissue, is provided with a wall having distal, median and proximal parts and comprising connecting elements for direct or indirect connection of the distal part to a fluid reservoir, and two means for connection to the terminals of an electric power supply, for incoming and outgoing current in the wall. The tube has a resistance less than 0.01Ω in its median and proximal parts, and a resistance of between 0.2 and 2Ω in its distal part. The median and proximal parts are connected electrically in series to the distal part; the tube having no additional electrical resistance.
US07736332B2

A safety shield is provided including a piercing member having a proximal end, a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis. A clip defines a first cavity dimensioned for movement of the piercing member therethrough and is oriented in an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The first cavity is movable between a movable orientation and a binding orientation. The clip includes a first leg that defines a second cavity dimensioned for movement of the piercing member therethrough and a distal part being configured to engage a medical device. The clip further includes a second leg having a bearing surface that engages the piercing member. The legs are biased for convergent movement such that the first cavity is disposed in the binding orientation and the distal part of the first leg disengages the medical device.
US07736327B2

Disclosed is a conduit that provides a bypass around an occlusion or stenosis in a coronary artery. The conduit is a tube adapted to be positioned in the heart wall to provide a passage for blood to flow between a heart chamber and a coronary artery, at a site distal to the occlusion or stenosis. The conduit has a section of blood vessel attached to its interior lumen which preferably includes at least one naturally occurring one-way valve positioned therein. The valve prevents the backflow of blood from the coronary artery into the heart chamber.
US07736325B2

An automatic back patter includes a main body, a power source, a striking disc, at least one transmitting arm, and at least patter head. The power source, the striking disc, and the transmitting arm (or arms) are installed in the main body, with the transmitting arm connected to the striking disc at one end and connected to the patter head at the other end. The patter head is fitted in an opening provided in an upper wall of the main body. Then when the power source is started, the patter head is moved up and down by the transmitting arm that is moved up and down by rotation of the striking disc rotated by the power source. When the patting head is moved up and down, it protrudes out of the opening of the main body to pat continuously and regularly the body surface of a user, whose blood circulation may be invigorated, preventing the user from getting bedsores.
US07736324B1

A portable human body pulsating apparatus has an air pressure and air pulse generator located within a case mount on a pedestal having wheels to facilitate movement of the apparatus on a surface. The pedestal has an upright piston and cylinder assembly operable to adjust the elevation of the case and generator.
US07736321B2

Method and System are disclosed for a computer-assisted diagnostic hearing test. The computer-assisted diagnostic hearing test includes an ambient noise monitoring module configured to monitor an ambient noise in a surrounding environment, a patient information module configured to receive patient information and hearing related tests selections, and a pure tone threshold module configured to facilitate manual testing of a pure tone threshold test. The computer-assisted diagnostic hearing test further includes a speech reception threshold module configured to facilitate manual testing of a speech reception threshold test, and a speech discrimination module configured to facilitate manual testing of a speech discrimination test.
US07736318B2

The monitoring device incorporates transducing devices for converting the desired measured parameters into electrical signals capable of being processed by a local computer or microprocessor system. The device interacts with the ambulatory patient and then, via a modem or other electronic communication device, transmits the measured parameters to a computer located at a remote site. At the remote location. the various indicia of the ambulatory patient's condition are monitored and analyzed by the medical professional caregiver. To provide the ambulatory patient with an added level of convenience and ease of use, such monitoring device is contained in a single integrated package.
US07736315B2

The variation in acoustic properties in soft tissues, such as biological tissues, as a function of strain may be modeled to improve elastographic measurements and to obtain direct measurements of strain or material properties and pre-stress.
US07736312B2

An acoustic monitoring system that is able to verify the success or failure of the positional adjustment of a valve without the need for additional energy during non-invasive reprogramming is provided. The acoustic monitoring system includes a programmer for generating a sequence of commands to adjust the valve mechanism, and for receiving acoustic signals for analysis, a transmitter to implement the command and adjust the valve, and a sensor for detecting an acoustic signal generated from the valve during execution of the commands. A method for using the acoustic monitoring system is also provided.
US07736309B2

Systems and methods for non-vascular sensor implantation and for measuring physiological parameters in areas of a body where the physiological parameters are heterogeneous. An implant unit is implanted in an area of a body and a foreign body capsule is allowed to form around the implant unit area. A sensor may be directed into a body cavity such as, for example, the peritoneal space, subcutaneous tissues, the foreign body capsule, or other area. A subcutaneous area of the body may be tunneled for sensor placement. Spatially separated sensing elements may be used for detecting individual amounts of the physiological parameter. An overall amount of the physiological parameter may be determined by calculating a statistical measurement of the individual sensed amounts in the area. Another embodiment of the invention, a multi-analyte measuring device, may include a substrate having an electrode array on one side and an integrated circuit on another side.
US07736308B2

A surgical retractor immobilizes tissue at a surgical site. A preferred embodiment of the retractor is used during minimally invasive direct coronary bypass procedures to arrest movement of the grafting site while the heart continues pumping. Tape or thread can be used to connect the artery to the retractor with a holder.
US07736307B2

Surgical devices for stabilizing the heart are disclosed which facilitate anastomosis under beating heart conditions. Various instruments or devices may be maneuvered and secured on a retractor device to provide stabilization of the heart. An instrument mount is provided which is preferably configured to accept a surgical instrument, such as a tissue stabilizer, and to allow the instrument to be easily maneuvered to a desired position and subsequently locked into position with a simple operation of a single locking actuator. Further disclosed are stabilizer devices each having at least one surface for contacting the heart and each being adapted to be mounted to the retractor while having the ability to be positioned in the desired location against the heart.
US07736298B2

The invention concerns a device for preventing female stress incontinence designed to be arranged in the vagina, comprising a proximal part (12) extending between a free end and a second end, configured to be undeformable under pressure and to be placed in the suburethral region of the vagina, and a distal part (14) extending the second end of the proximal part (12), made of a material reversibly deformable under pressure, and designed to be placed in the subvesical region of the vagina. The invention is characterized in that the distal part (14) delimits a closed outline which receives the weight of the bladder and transforms same into an ascending force acting on the urethra.
US07736297B2

A tinnitus method and device for providing relief to a person suffering from the disturbing effects of tinnitus is described. The method can be implemented entirely in software to spectrally modify an audio signal in accordance with a predetermined masking algorithm which modifies the intensity of the audio signal at selected frequencies. A predetermined masking algorithm is described which provides intermittent masking of the tinnitus wherein, at a comfortable listening level, during peaks of the audio signal the tinnitus is completely obscured, whereas during troughs the perception of the tinnitus occasionally emerges. In practice it has been found that such intermittent masking provides an immediate sense of relief, control and relaxation for the person, while enabling sufficient perception of the tinnitus for habituation and long term treatment to occur. Advantageously the predetermined masking algorithm is specifically tailored to the audiometric configuration of the person. For example, the masking algorithm may be partly tailored to the hearing loss characteristic of the person. A tinnitus rehabilitation device used in conjunction with a personal sound reproducing system is also described.
US07736293B2

In one embodiment a therapeutic member includes a radioactive source and a material (e.g., a bio-absorbable polymeric material) that encapsulates the radioactive source. An outer surface of the encapsulating material includes a plurality of protrusions to reduce a tendency of the member to migrate and rotate within a patient's body after implantation. In an embodiment, the encapsulating material includes an anchor mechanism that extends from at least one of the longitudinal ends of the radioactive source to reduce a tendency of the member to migrate and rotate within a patient's body after implantation. Embodiments of the present invention are also directed to strands that include similar protrusions and/or anchor mechanisms. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention are directed to spacers that resist migration and rotation. Embodiments are also directed to radiopaque markers that resist migration and rotation. This abstract is not intended to be a complete description of the invention.
US07736287B2

A rotary method for forming a vaginal applicator. The method includes the steps of providing a forming mandrel, an applicator tube, and die then arranging the forming mandrel to be inside the applicator tube and then engaging the forming mandrel and the applicator tube with the die. The forming mandrel has a first sustaining ridge having a circumferential length and a second sustaining ridge having a circumferential length. The circumferential length of the first sustaining ridge is less than the circumferential length of the second sustaining ridge.
US07736277B2

A rocking type exercising apparatus includes a movable unit on which a user rides and a driving unit for causing the movable unit to perform a rocking motion. The driving unit is designed to drive the movable unit to rock in forward/backward directions of the user riding on the movable unit and to move the movable unit forward at a greater acceleration than when the movable unit is moved backward.
US07736267B2

In response to a downshift operation (step S160) in a moving motor vehicle under an accelerator released state, a torque demand correction value Tα(T) is set to give the greater torque variation against the lower speed in a downshifting gear position and against the higher vehicle speed V, until elapse of a preset time period since the downshift operation (step S180). A torque demand Tr* to be output to a drive shaft of the motor vehicle is updated by adding the torque demand correction value Tα(T) to a previous setting of the torque demand Tr* (step S190). A motor is controlled to decelerate the motor vehicle with the updated torque demand Tr*. The torque variation thus attained is equivalent to a temporary torque variation applied to the drive shaft with a variation in rotation speed of an engine in response to a downshift operation in a conventional motor vehicle equipped with a stepped automatic transmission for torque conversion of the output power of the engine. The arrangement of the invention thus enables the driver of the motor vehicle to have the improved gearshift feeling.
US07736260B2

A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes.
US07736258B2

The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes three planetary gear sets, six torque-transmitting devices, one fixed interconnection and a grounded member. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The six torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, and the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of three to establish eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio.
US07736257B2

Pinion gears are rotatably carried within pinion gear receiving openings formed in a differential case. The inner pinion gear holding surfaces of the receiving openings are enlarged inwardly to form extensions to hold not only portions of the pinion gears that are located outwardly and that are to be held, but also part of inner meshing portions of the pinion gears that are disposed in meshing engagement with side gears in an overlapping manner. This construction prevents a tilting of the pinion gears and improves the durability.
US07736256B2

To construct an electric power steering device in which the assist power decreases only the torque required for rotating the steering wheel, while the control of the steering angle of the steered wheels follows basically the rotation of the steering wheel by the driver, except when the steering angle of the steered wheels is changed by an actuation of a vehicle behavior control device, by a tie rod connecting bar supported to make a linear motion, a rotary member rotatable around the tie rod connecting bar, a rotation conversion device for converting a rotation of a steering shaft to a rotation of the rotary member, a rotation/linear motion conversion device for converting a rotation of the rotary member to a linear motion of the tie rod connecting bar, and a power assist electric motor to give a rotational force to the rotary member.
US07736252B2

The present invention provides a lacrosse stick head having at least one of a grooved frame member and an independent stop. The lacrosse stick head has grooved construction in the entirety or portions of its frame to provide lightness while retaining the strength and durability of the prior art lacrosse stick heads. The lacrosse stick head may include a double wall scoop (e.g., upper and lower rails) to provide lightness while retaining strength and durability without altering the effectiveness of picking up a ground ball. The independent ball stop is separated from the sidewalls in order to reduce weight.
US07736250B2

A transportable basketball system having components which are arrangeable in a play configuration during which a basketball-related game can be played, and also in a transport configuration during which said transportable basketball system can be easily transported between a sand covered outdoor environment and a remote location. Preferably, the transportable basketball system comprises a wind-transmissive backboard structure having a backboard surface disposed substantially within a first plane, bounded by a frame structure, and characterized by a high degree of air permeability (i.e. transmissivity) across said backboard surface so that air currents, expected on said covered environment, can pass therethrough with minimal resistance, yet deflect a lightweight basketball when tossed thereagainst during basketball-related games. A basketball hoop structure, defining an opening through which a basketball can be passed during basketball-related games, is operably connected to the wind-transmissive backboard structure. The basketball hoop structure is generally disposed within a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane when the transportable basketball system is arranged in its play configuration. A pole assembly, including a plurality of arrangeable pole sections, is provided for supporting the wind-transmissive backboard structure at a height above the surface of a sand bed located in the sand covered outdoor environment. A pole anchoring device, driveable beneath the sand bed, is also provided for supporting the pole assembly in a substantially plumb orientation during the play configuration.
US07736243B2

In one embodiment, a golf club attachment mechanism comprises a hosel adapter with a first slot coupler across a top portion of the hosel adapter, and a shaft adapter with a second slot coupler across a bottom portion of the shaft adapter. The second slot coupler of the shaft adapter is complementary to the first slot coupler of the hosel adapter. The first slot coupler and the second slot coupler couple together to restrict a rotational movement of the hosel adapter relative to the shaft adapter. Other embodiments are disclosed herein.
US07736237B2

Incapacitation of a mammalian subject results from the application of a pulsed, low-power electric waveform. The waveform is applied to the subject at a frequency and over a time period sufficient to induce involuntary muscular contraction. Additionally, the contraction causes limited lactic acid production and is non- or minimally-injurious to the subject's tissues. A device utilizing such a waveform is designed to control or otherwise subdue an individual.
US07736234B2

Gaming machines and systems having MRAM and MROM are disclosed. MROMs for storing boot programs and other Read Only code are formed by cutting write connections or not providing PCB socket leads to MRAM write pins, or by using memory hubs to prevent writing to MRAMs. A tale-tale board or other logging device monitoring activities at various components while primary machine power is down records to MRAM, which can be dual ported to the logging device and MGC. Various components can each have dedicated logging devices and MRAMs. One MRAM associated with the brain box replaces both DRAM and NVRAM of regular machine architectures, and is used for dual purposes of regular operational use and as safe storage to facilitate a state recovery. Prioritization of data during the storage process is rendered unnecessary. Another MRAM associated with the back plane board stores data associated with the exterior housing or terminal.
US07736229B1

A method and system for playing a game are provided. In one embodiment, a party selects one or more songs. A set of songs is then randomly selected from those songs that were actually played, e.g., by a radio station, during a time period. These randomly-selected songs are the contesting-winning songs. If the song(s) that the party selected matches any of the songs in the randomly-selected set, the party is awarded a prize. Accordingly, the party wins a prize if (1) the radio station plays one of the songs the party selected and (2) that song is one of the randomly-selected songs. The award can be tiered such that the size of the prize increases as the number of songs the party guesses correctly increases.
US07736225B2

A slot machine of the present invention comprises: a display to which a plurality of symbols are arranged; a BET switch that allows a BET input; an input switch that allows an input of a rank order of the symbols; and a controller, the controller allowing an input of an additional BET from the BET switch for a predetermined period of time after the start of a rearrangement of the plurality of symbols arranged to the display until the rearrangement of symbols, accepting the input of the rank order from the input switch if there has been an input of an additional BET, and generating a predetermined bonus if a quantitative order of the numbers of the respective symbols displayed to the display is same as the rank order inputted from the input switch when the plurality of symbols arranged to the display have been rearranged.
US07736222B2

The present invention is a gaming machine having a shuffle feature and a simultaneous multiple award feature. The method for conducting the shuffle feature includes displaying a plurality of value-based symbols in a random array where each of the plurality of value-based symbols displays a number indicating a value, increasing the displayed number of one of the plurality of value-based symbols in response to a player selection, rearranging the plurality of value-based symbols in view of the random array such that the rearranged plurality defines an award and awarding the award to the player. The method for conducting the simultaneous multiple award feature includes displaying an assemblage of selectable tiles that conceal an associated plurality of icons, receiving successive player selections of the tiles, selectively revealing a first group and a second group of related game-theme icons, selectively revealing a wild icon and simultaneously awarding a first and a second award.
US07736213B2

A method of mounting a squeaker into a hard rubber ball toy. A separate sleeve or shroud is provided that retains a squeaker and forms the noise producing element to be inserted into the rubber toy. The sleeve has a recessed area that tightly mates with an opening in the rubber toy and also includes a bonding surface to secure the sleeve to the toy. The shroud could also be formed with differently sized flanges that extend from a proximate end of the sleeve. An inherent feature of the disclosed structure is that the flanges will cause the noise producing element to be retained within the toy even if the bonding of the shroud to the opening in the toy happens to fail.
US07736210B2

A microscale vacuum electronic device (10) provides for a mechanical modulation of cathode (12) position with respect to the anode position, the anode electrically biased with respect to the cathode and held in an evacuated housing with the cathode, allowing improved high-frequency modulation of an electron beam (24) useful for vacuum electronic devices such as klystrons, klystrodes, and high frequency triodes.
US07736209B2

A method for forming cathodes for use in field emission devices using nanoparticles, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), is disclosed. The CNT layer comprises the electron emitting material on the surface of the cathode. Using the methods of the present invention, the density of the deposited CNTs may be modulated by forming emitter islands on the surface of the cathode. The size and distribution of the CNT emitter islands serve to optimize the field emission properties of the resulting CNT layer. In one embodiment, the CNT emitter islands are formed using a screen-printing deposition method. The present invention may be practiced without further process steps after deposition which activate or align the carbon nanotubes for field emission.
US07736200B2

A booster cable clamp having an upper jaw and a lower jaw is disclosed. The upper jaw has an upper jaw left wall, an upper jaw right wall, and an upper jaw front wall while the lower jaw has a lower jaw left wall that substantially opposes the upper jaw left wall, a lower jaw right wall that substantially opposes the upper jaw right wall, and a lower jaw front wall that substantially opposes the upper jaw front wall. At least one of the upper jaw left wall, the upper jaw right wall, the upper jaw front wall, the lower jaw left wall, the lower jaw right wall, and the lower jaw front wall includes a substantially planar anvil contact surface.
US07736199B2

A contact retention assembly includes a body, an outward angled tine and an inward angled tine. The body extends between a front end and a back end. The outward angled tine extends from the body to a housing engagement surface and is configured to engage a portion of a housing. The inward angled tine extends from the body to a contact engagement surface and is configured to engage a contact in order to retain the contact within the assembly. The inward angled tine extends from the body in a different direction than the outward angled tine.
US07736196B1

This disclosure relates to a rugged, polarized connector or adaptor with interlocking end tabs and notches for polarizing a jack to a specific plug, and in one specific embodiment, a QMA-type RF connector where a rugged spanner nut and a rugged jack casing are used to reinforce the mating connector ends. The connector also includes tabs and mating notches on the spanner nut and the jack casing to polarize the connectors without creating a weakness in the rugged connection. A series of tab orientations is illustrated, a method for grounding the spanner nut to the connector, and a method of using the rugged and polarized interface on any type of connector or as part of a connector adaptor or add-on.
US07736193B2

An audio and video plug is provided, comprising a male audio plug having at least one audio signal plug contact and one audio ground plug contact, the plug being characterized by a substantially cylindrical video ground plug contact located radially outward said male audio plug, and being electrically insulated from said male audio plug, and at least one video signal plug contact being located inward of said video ground plug contact, and being electrically insulated from said video ground plug contact. Further an audio and video socket is provided, comprising a female audio socket having at least one audio signal socket contact and one audio ground socket contact, and a video signal socket contact being electrically insulated from said female audio socket, the socket being characterized by at least one video ground socket contact located radially outward said female audio socket, and being electrically insulated from said female audio socket and said video signal socket contact.
US07736191B1

An implantable connector electrically connects multi-conductor leads to an implantable medical device such as a neurostimulator. The connector is assembled directly into a hermetic feedthrough of the implantable device and utilizes the feedthrough housing as a sustaining structure for connector clamping. The receptacle contacts detachably connect proximal lead contacts to corresponding feedthrough pins, which provide pass-through connections to electronic circuitry contained in a hermetically sealed case. The receptacle contact has resilient contact tines designed to engage a corresponding lead contact in a sliding manner. The receptacle contact is integrated with a contact guard which protects the receptacle contact from inadvertent handling damage. The contact guard is substantially more rigid than the resilient contact to resist deformation. The contact guard protectively shields the receptacle contact tines and prevents unintended contact tine excursion. In one embodiment, the contact guard is pre-attached to the receptacle contact prior to joining to the feedthrough pin. In another embodiment, the contact guard is an integral part of the feedthrough pin. Numerous embodiments with contact preload are provided.
US07736174B2

The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device having a body and a cover coupled to the body including a receptacle face structure which forms an interior region with at least one reflective surface. At least one light emitting device is disposed in the interior region which is configured to emit illumination into at least one neutral opening and a hot opening.
US07736173B2

An insulation displacement contact (IDC) is provided for use in a connector housing having an IDC receiving passage with insertion region first side edge and insertion region second side edge defining lower stops and upper locking catches. The IDC includes a base portion with a first IDC arm extending from the base portion and a second IDC arm extending from the base portion. The arms each have a lower portion with reduced dimension, a wire cutting/clamping region with an inner surface for insulated wire cutting and clamping, and an upper portion defining a region for introducing wires for termination. The IDC arms are flexible with respect to the base portion whereby the wire cutting/clamping regions cooperate for cutting and clamping insulated wires. The IDC has a first upper locator at an exterior surface of the first IDC arm, a second upper locator at an exterior surface of the first IDC arm, a second lower locator at an exterior surface of the IDC; and a second lower locator at an exterior surface of the IDC. The first lower locator and the second lower locator contact lower stops with the first upper locator engaging a first side upper locking catch and the second upper locator engaging a second side upper locking catch upon inserting the IDC into the IDC receiving passage.
US07736169B1

The electrical connector includes a body having a terminal-receiving area, at least one terminal disposed in the corresponding terminal-receiving area, a cover sliding along a sliding route and assembled on the body. The top surface of the cover has an insertion area with holes. When the cover slides to a position, the insertion area is corresponding to the terminal-receiving area for pins of a chip module passing through the insertion area and terminal-receiving area to electrically connect with the terminal. At least one receiving plane is disposed on the top of the cover for holding. The receiving plane is higher than the insertion area. The two opposite sides of the cover outside the insertion area have a lateral protrusion protruding upwards. The lateral protrusions are parallel to the sliding route of the cover.
US07736166B2

A socket, for holding a semiconductor package, comprises a housing receiving a plurality of contacts and defining a space, a plurality of actuators assembled to the housing around the space, a lid movably assembled to the housing, a plurality of push fingers and a plurality of springs urging the push fingers. When the lid moves downwardly, the actuators are actuated to open the space and let the semiconductor package locate in the space, synchronously, the push fingers are forced by the lid to slide away from the space; When the lid moves upwardly, the actuator rotates to close the space and press the semiconductor package, and then the push fingers move back toward the space to position the semiconductor package by restore forces of the springs.
US07736165B2

An electrical connector for use with a conductor includes a housing, a conductor member and a flowable sealant. The housing defines a port. The port includes: an entrance opening; an exit opening; and a conductor passage extending between and communicating with the entrance and exit openings, the conductor passage being adapted to receive the conductor therethrough. The conductor member is disposed in the housing. The sealant is disposed in the conductor passage. The sealant is adapted for insertion of the conductor therethrough and to the conductor member such that the sealant provides a seal about the inserted conductor. The sealant is positively pre-pressurized prior to insertion of the conductor into the sealant.
US07736163B2

A bipin fluorescent-lamp holder has a housing formed with an outwardly open housing mouth and a rotor rotatable in the housing adjacent the mouth about an axis and having a diametrally throughgoing rotor slot. The rotor is rotatable between an installation position with the rotor slot aligned with the slot and an angularly offset contact position with the slot not aligned with the mouth. The rotor and housing are so dimensioned as to receive the pins extending parallel to the axis and to move the pins in a circular orbit centered on the axis on rotation of the rotor in the housing, and contacts in the housing diametrally flanking the axis each having a main part lying outside the orbit and a contact part engageable into the orbit. The contacts pins are aligned with the slot and project into ends of the slot and into engagement with the pins only in the contact position of the rotor.
US07736162B1

A card connector includes an insulating housing defining a receiving chamber for receiving a card having a gap at one side edge, an ejecting device for withdrawing the card from the card connector and including a sliding body, and a cover coupled on the insulating housing. One side of the receiving chamber defines a sliding recess where the sliding body is slidably disposed. The sliding body protrudes toward the receiving chamber to form a projection buckled into the gap of the card for securing the card. The cover is provided with a propping means at one side away from the ejecting device. The propping means includes a propping arm stretching into the receiving chamber and inclined toward the ejecting device for propping against the other side edge of the card to make the card close to the sliding body and further secure the projection in the gap.
US07736161B2

A connector assembly for printed circuit board terminal blocks and the like includes a housing having spaced side and end walls defining a chamber, and a first connector component mounted in the chamber adjacent an access opening contained in the housing walls. A second connector component external of the housing is displaceable between an engaged position in electrical engagement with the first connector component, and a disengaged position disengaged from the first component. A separating lever pivotally connected with the second connector component includes a cam arrangement that cooperates with the housing side walls to displace the second connector component from the engaged position toward the disengaged position relative to the first connector component. A locking arrangement may be provided for locking together the connector components in the electrically engaged condition.
US07736152B2

Methods for fabricating Land Grid Array (LGA) interposer contacts that are both conducting and elastic. Also provided are LGA interposer contacts as produced by the inventive methods. Provided is LGA type which utilizes a pure unfilled elastomer button core that is covered with an electrically-conductive material that is continuous from the top surface to the bottom surface of the button structure. In order to obviate the disadvantages and drawbacks which are presently encountered in the technology pertaining to the fabrication and structure of land grid arrays using electrically-conductive interposer contacts, there is provided both methods and structure for molding elastomer buttons into premetallized LGA carrier sheets, and wherein the non-conductive elastomer buttons are surface-metallized in order to convert them into conductive electrical contacts.
US07736150B2

The invention is a system and method for conveying information, job skills, academic courses, and/or other forms of learning (collectively “education”). The subject matter being taught is organized into small modular units called content modules. Content modules can be invoked in a highly flexible manner and order, based on interactions with the user. A learning matrix selectively identifies which content module is to be subsequently invoked, on the basis of user goals, test results, prerequisites relating to the subject matter, empirical evidence relating to how persons typically learn the particular subject, prior content modules invoked by the user, and/or any other potentially relevant characteristic. By incorporating information relating to the user, the user's performance, the subject matter, and/or empirical data relating to how people learn the specific subject matter, subsequent content modules can be selected to specifically tailor the learning process to the specific context of the user.
US07736135B2

A scroll compressor including a block, a fixed scroll, an orbiting scroll, a crankshaft, an Oldham ring and an oil passage is provided, wherein the fixed scroll is fixed on the block, and the orbiting scroll, the crankshaft and the Oldham ring are disposed on the block. The fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll form a gas-in area, a compressing area and a gas-out area which are connected in a series. The orbiting scroll is eccentric connected with the crankshaft to orbit over the fixed scroll and drive the Oldham ring moving. A reciprocating motion area on the block is formed via the reciprocating motion between the block and the Oldham ring, wherein the block has an oil opening in the reciprocating motion area. Besides, one terminal of the oil passage is connected to the oil opening, and another terminal of the oil passage is connected to the gas-in area and the compressing area.
US07736133B2

Upstream and downstream pump assemblies are mounted in a capsule having a bulkhead between the upstream and downstream pump assemblies, dividing the capsule into upstream and downstream chambers sealed from each other. In a dual operation mode, well fluid flows through the inlet of the capsule into the upstream chamber, where it is pumped to a first pressure level by the upstream pump assembly and discharged into the downstream chamber. The downstream pump assembly then pumps the well fluid to a second pressure level and discharges the well fluid out the outlet of the capsule. The assembly has also an upstream pump assembly only operational mode and a downstream pump assembly only operational mode.
US07736132B2

A compressor suitable for use in a portable oxygen concentrator. In one exemplary embodiment, the compressor includes a crankshaft rotatable about a central axis and a plurality of diaphragm assemblies spaced apart around the central axis generally within a plane. The diaphragm assemblies include diaphragms movably mounted to respective housings to at least partially define chambers. A plurality of rods extend between respective diaphragms and the crankshaft. The rods are coupled to the crankshaft such that the rods are offset axially from one another along the central axis and are coupled to the diaphragms for cyclically increasing and decreasing pressure within the chambers as the crankshaft rotates about the central axis.
US07736126B2

A centrifugal compressor is modified by forming a bypass between the leading edge of the compressor diffuser and a point downstream from the throat of the diffuser. The bypass may be unidirectional or bi-directional. In a bi-directional embodiment, an operable flow range of the compressor can be widened in both directions of a compressor map, i.e., extending both the surge and choke margins of a compressor at the expense of normal operating efficiencies. In a unidirectional bypass embodiment the flow range may be increased only in one direction, but there is no diminishment of efficiency of the compressor at normal operating conditions. The modification provides a simple expedient for increasing flow range without a need to redesign a compressor.
US07736125B2

A wind generator having removable change-out bearings includes a rotor and a stator, locking bolts configured to lock the rotor and stator, a removable bearing sub-assembly having at least one shrunk-on bearing installed, and removable mounting bolts configured to engage the bearing sub-assembly and to allow the removable bearing sub-assembly to be removed when the removable mounting bolts are removed.
US07736119B2

A pipe handling system comprises a pipe rack moveably coupled to a stationary frame. The pipe rack is configured to support a plurality of pipes between a loading end and a storage end. The pipe rack is moveable between a loading position where the loading end is positioned at a higher elevation than the storage end and an unloading position wherein the storage end is positioned at a higher elevation than the loading end. An arm is rotatably coupled to the loading end of the rack and is configured to engage a single pipe and move the single pipe onto or off of the pipe rack.
US07736112B2

An apparatus for monitoring the quality of a double seam used in can manufacture, or can filling, to seam a can end (2) onto a can body (1). The apparatus uses a device (41) for measuring the strain/force applied by the lifter cam (10) so as to provide information such as first operation seam quality, gross seam defects and machine condition.
US07736103B1

A lawn mower cover device for storing and securing a lawn mower for storage or transport includes a container receiving the lawn mower to protect the lawn mower. The container has an open rear end to permit the lawn mower to be inserted into the container. A handle is coupled to the container. The handle is graspable to facilitate relocation of the container. A door is hingedly coupled to the handle. The door is selectively pivoted over the open rear end of the container to close the open rear end. A plurality of wheels is rotatably coupled to the container. The wheels roll along a support surface to facilitate relocation of the container.
US07736092B2

A modular trench drain system with sloping overlay rails. A non-sloping section of trench drain is transformed into a sloping trench drain by installing sloping overlay rails. The overlay rails rest on the top of the upper edge of the sidewalls and may have a ledge which allows grating, which spans across the channel, to rest on top. The modular channels sections may be held together and in place by a clip with holes for accepting support rods which further secure the channels in place before and after the concrete has been poured and cured around the channels.
US07736065B2

A supporting disk for providing bearing support to a rotor of an open-end spinning machine, the supporting disk including a bearing ring and a supporting ring which is made of an elastic polymeric material and mounted on the periphery of the bearing ring. The bearing ring has a side ring on at least one of the sides of its outer edge. The side ring is located at a distance from the outer edge, connected to the bearing ring via holding members, and is also provided with a supporting ring on its periphery.
US07736061B2

A fluid dynamic bearing has pressure-generating grooves provided in opposed thrust surfaces of a thrust bearing portion opposite a circular plate and a stopper to direct a working fluid from inner and outer peripheral edges of the thrust bearing portion toward a radially intermediate portion thereof as a shaft member rotates relative to a support. One or more through-holes are provided between inner edges of annular regions of the thrust surfaces in which the pressure-generating grooves are provided and the intermediate portion in the radial direction. The through-holes extend through the thrust bearing portion and interconnect pressure-generating grooves in the opposed thrust surfaces so that bubbles in the working fluid can be sucked smoothly into the through-holes through the pressure-generating grooves.
US07736060B2

In a linear guide apparatus, a rolling-element accommodation belt 50 is incorporated into each of endless circulation passages. This rolling-element accommodation belt 50 is formed into a shape having ends and has a plurality of rolling-element accommodation sections for individually accommodating balls 46. Of the rolling-element accommodation sections, first rolling-element accommodation sections 55A located at the respective end sections are formed so as to constrain movement of a spacer section 59 located at the end section toward the outer periphery side of an endless circulation passage by means of the ball 46 accommodated in the spacer section. Second rolling-element accommodation sections 55B other than the first rolling-element accommodation sections are formed so as to enable removable accommodation of the balls 46 to be accommodated toward the inner periphery side of the endless circulation passage.
US07736059B2

A linear motion guide device includes a slider slidably attached onto a guide rail, an end cap and a wiper attached to the slider, the wiper includes one or more catches engaged with the end cap for anchoring the wiper to the end cap, and includes one or more spring-biased latches for resiliently engaging with the end cap and for detachably anchoring the wiper to the end cap and for allowing the wiper to be easily and readily attached to the end cap or disengaged from the end cap without additional tools, the wiper includes one or more levers for resiliently supporting the spring-biased latch.
US07736058B2

Disclosed are a reclosable tape that can be manufactured easily and stably, exhibit excellent adhesion strength regardless of a material type of a sealant layer (innermost layer) of a base material film of a bag body and good formability of an engaging portion in manufacturing; and a packaging bag with the reclosable tape. The reclosable tape 1 includes a male member 11 and a female member 12 and the packaging bag with the reclosable tape are so arranged that: a belt-shaped base 13 of the reclosable tape 1 includes a seal portion 14 and a base portion 15; a resin forming the base portion 15 has a melting point higher than that of a resin forming the seal portion 14; and the resin forming the seal portion 14 contains 50 mass % or more of a metallocene-type linear-low-density polyethylene having density of 920 kg/m3 or lower, melt flow rate of 5.0 g/l 10 min or lower.
US07736055B2

In order to achieve a consistently good image quality, an X-ray device has an X-ray source in the form of an X-ray radiator (1) and an X-ray detector (2) with a precisely defined mutual arrangement, and a subsystem (5-7; 10-11) for detecting any deviation between the actual mutual arrangement and the precise mutual arrangement of X-ray source and X-ray detector (2). Optical detection of deviations is preferably provided.
US07736053B2

Disclosed are embodiments of an improved on-chip temperature sensing circuit, based on bolometry, which provides self calibration of the on-chip temperature sensors for ideality and an associated method of sensing temperature at a specific on-chip location. The circuit comprises a temperature sensor, an identical reference sensor with a thermally coupled heater and a comparator. The comparator is adapted to receive and compare the outputs from both the temperature and reference sensors and to drive the heater with current until the outputs match. Based on the current forced into the heater, the temperature rise of the reference sensor can be calculated, which in this state, is equal to that of the temperature sensor.
US07736051B2

In a thermoelectric device, a thermoelectric element has one surface on a low temperature side and the other surface on a high temperature side. A member is attached to at least one of the low- and high-temperature-side surfaces of the thermoelectric element. A temperature detection element is provided between the member and the surface of the thermoelectric element to which the member is attached. A mirror surface state detection device is also disclosed.
US07736050B2

Provided is a fluid mixing device which produces a series of solutions with a concentration gradient. The fluid mixing device includes: a plurality of first channels disposed parallel to each other on a layer, and into which an equal amount of diluent flows from its upstream; a plurality of second channels formed perpendicular to the first channels on an adjacent layer to the layer on which the first channels are formed, and into which an equal amount of sample solution flows from its upstream; and via holes formed at at least one intersection between each of the first channel and a plurality of second channels so that a predetermined amount of sample solution flows from the second channels into corresponding first channels, wherein a series of solutions with different concentrations is produced in the first channels depending on the amount of sample solution that flows into the first channels through the via holes. Thus, a series of solutions with different concentrations is output from the first channels.
US07736045B2

A plate-shaped light guide for a planar light source device that guides a light emitted from a primary light source includes a light incident end face, a light emitting face and a back surface on the opposite to the light emitting face, wherein a plurality of first elongated lenses having an average slant angle of 0.5 to 60° are continuously or intermittently formed on one of the light emitting face and the back surface, and at least a portion of a surface of each first elongated lens, or at least a portion of the other one of the light emitting face and the back surface, or at least the portion of the surface of each first elongated lens and at least the portion of the other one of the light emitting face and the back surface includes a rough surface having an average slant angle of 0.1 to 8°.
US07736043B2

Light emitting assemblies include a light emitting panel member having at least one light input surface for receiving light from at least one light source and a pattern of deformities that vary on or in at least one surface to cause light to be emitted from the panel member. At least a portion of the light input surface may have faceted reflective or refractive surfaces or a lens array in close proximity to each light source for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from each light source.
US07736040B2

A vehicle headlamp system and a vehicle headlamp are provided. The headlamp system includes a plurality of headlamps, one headlamp disposed on each of the right and left sides of a front end portion of a vehicle. Each of the headlamps includes a lamp body having an opening portion, a transparent cover attached to the opening portion to form a lamp chamber, and a plurality of lamp units arranged inside the lamp chamber along a width direction of the vehicle. An outer side portion of the transparent cover extends toward a rear side of the vehicle. Each of the lamp units includes a light emitting element disposed such that a light emitting surface thereof faces an inner side in the width direction of the vehicle, and a reflector disposed on an inner side of the light emitting element to forwardly reflect light from the corresponding light emitting element.
US07736030B2

A solid-state illumination lamp structure includes a sleeve, a first electrode, a second electrode and a light-emitting assembly. The first electrode is mounted on one end of the sleeve and the second electrode is mounted on the other end of the sleeve. The light emitting assembly is mounted inside the sleeve and includes a circuit substrate, at least one light-emitting diode and two conducting assemblies. The two conducting assemblies are electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, so that the light emitting assembly emits light.
US07736024B2

An apparatus and method for keeping a high intensity discharge arc tube relatively horizontal in a light fixture regardless of aiming orientation of the light fixture towards a target. In one aspect, the light source is mounted in an independently pivotal yoke in the light fixture. A gearing arrangement automatically proportionally pivots the light source relative to any pivoting motion of the fixture over a range of motion such that a selected light source orientation can be approximately maintained regardless of aiming orientation of the fixture.
US07736021B2

A high performance, efficiency compact optical light beam and modifier system with reduced artifacts is presented. The design may incorporate a spiral entrance aperture with corresponding spiral masks where modification is accomplished by rotating the masks about the central axis relative to the entrance aperture. Light recapture or complex, continuous optics may be employed to increase the optical efficiency, reduce the physical dimensions, integrate condensing, or image projection functions in a reduced number of optical components.
US07736016B2

A light source unit includes a linear light source portion including a plurality of glass-sealed LEDs, a heat radiation portion including a heat radiation plate connected to the linear light source portion, and a case including an outside wall that is disposed apart from the linear light source portion and the heat radiation portion, a support portion connecting the outside wall to heat radiation portion, and a vent hole formed in the outside wall.
US07736014B2

The invention provides a lighting apparatus comprising: a) a frame spanning the roof and interior of a building, the frame having a first opening at the building roof and a second opening opposed to the first opening at the building ceiling; b) a skylight at the first opening; c) a reflective lining between the first and second openings; d) a light diffuser at the second opening; and e) at least one artificial light source located between the skylight and the diffuser; where the artificial light source is positioned at the frame periphery.
US07736010B2

A refrigerator having a lamp apparatus includes: a lamp receiving part formed at a recess portion of a rear wall surface of a storage space of the refrigerator; a light source unit installed at the lamp receiving part and being parallel to the rear wall surface of the storage space; and a lamp cover for diffusing light emitted from the light source unit. Because the light source unit and the lamp cover are provided at the lamp receiving part formed at a recess portion of the rear wall surface of the storage space of the refrigerator, both upper and lower ends of the storage space may be uniformly illuminated.
US07736002B2

A slit lamp apparatus is suspended from a support structure such that no examination table is required in front of a patient during an examination. Accordingly, a patient's interaction with the slit lamp apparatus is unobstructed. Individual components of the slit lamp apparatus are optionally movable such that they may be positioned in desired positions relative to a patient's eye during an examination.
US07736001B2

A focusing unit can be inserted into and removed from an illumination light path by rotating around a supporting portion. An index light source, a green LED, is attached to the bottom of a base. A transparent acrylic-resin disk is fixed to the base. A deflection prism is attached to the bottom of the disk. A beam from the light source enters the deflection prism. A focus index forming portion is provided on the top of the disk. In the center of a light-shielding portion is formed a slit-like opening, under which split prisms are provided. Deflected by the prisms, the beam from the light source is split into two, right-half and left-half, directional beams, and combined with an illumination optical system, in the form of two slit images, at the opening.
US07735997B2

A rigid contact lens is provided for correcting an irregularly curved cornea, comprising a front surface (2) and a rear surface which consists of (3) a central optical zone (4) and a peripheral zone (5). The central optical zone (4) has such an aspherical rotationally symmetric or non-rotationally symmetric design that, with equal central curvature radius in the center (Z) of the central optical zone (4), the sagittal depth (Sellip) of the central optical zone (4) is increased as compared with a spherical optical zone.
US07735988B2

Non-visible ink jet printing ink composition for marking a substrate, having at least one marking compound absorbing light outside the visible wavelength range of about 400-700 nm, and which contains a hydrocarbon compound, having two to six carbon atoms carrying two or three hydroxyl groups, as a non-particulate matting agent, so as to adapt the gloss of the ink-jet printed marking to the gloss of the substrate.
US07735981B2

A printhead includes a droplet-forming heater operable in a first state to form droplets from a fluid stream having a first volume traveling along a path direction and in a second state to form droplets from the fluid stream having a second volume traveling along the path direction. A droplet deflector system is positioned relative to the droplet-forming heater, which applies a force to the droplets traveling along the path direction, whereby the droplets having the first volume diverge from the path direction by a greater extent than do the droplets having the second volume. A droplet-steering heater is adapted to selectively asymmetrically apply heat to the stream such that the path direction is changed.
US07735975B2

There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from an aperture of a nozzle plate toward a recording material while reciprocating over the recording material and a platen that supports the recording material from a rear face thereof to position the recording material at a position facing the nozzle plate in a direction in which the liquid is ejected. The liquid ejecting apparatus further includes: a first electrode being provided on the platen side between the liquid ejecting head and the platen; a second electrode being provided on the liquid ejecting head side between the liquid ejecting head and the platen; and a potential difference generating section of which one end is connected to the first electrode and the other end is connected to the second electrode and that generates a potential difference between the second electrode and the first electrode.
US07735964B2

Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.
US07735960B2

A head cartridge and a liquid ejection apparatus are provided in which cleaning performance of cleaning means is improved using a liquid absorbing force of a wiping member produced along with restoration of temporarily increased elastic displacement of the wiping member. An elastic displacement h (height of a projection) of a cleaning roller temporarily produced by the projection arranged at a position in the foreground of ink ejection nozzles in the cleaning direction of a nozzle surface is established to satisfy the following condition: h>(Vu/Vr)(L+n/2−φ/2), where the restoring speed of the elastic deformation of the cleaning roller is denoted as Vu; the moving speed of the cleaning roller is denoted as Vr; the movement distance of the cleaning roller from a restoring initiation point of the elastic deformation to the center of the liquid ejection nozzles is L; the contact width between the cleaning roller and the nozzle surface is n; and the diameter of the ink ejection nozzle is φ.
US07735953B2

The liquid jetting apparatus includes a head member having a nozzle, a supporting member that that can support a medium, a scanning mechanism that can cause the head member to relatively move with respect to the medium, and a liquid jetting unit that can jet liquid from the nozzle. An area storing unit stores a relative area to which liquid can be jetted from the nozzle while the head member is caused to relatively move by the scanning mechanism. An out-of-jetting micro-vibrating-area setting unit can set out-of-jetting micro-vibrating areas before and after the relative area. A micro-vibrating unit causes liquid in the nozzle to minutely vibrate. An out-of-jetting micro-vibrating controlling unit causes the micro-vibrating unit to operate when the head member is located in the out-of-jetting micro-vibrating areas, while the head member is caused to relatively move by the scanning mechanism, based on the out-of-jetting micro-vibrating areas and head-position information.
US07735940B2

A volume-adjustable unit including a first layer, a second layer, and multiple inner paper layers disposed between the first and second layers. Each inner paper layer has two opposing sides, and each of the two opposing sides is adhered to an adjacent layer of the each inner paper layer through an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer includes multiple adhesive strips which are substantially in parallel, are spaced apart from each other and are arranged in such a way that each section of the each inner paper layer adheres to at most one adjacent layer on one of the two opposing sides through an adhesive strip, whereby multiple hexagonal columns are formed by the inner paper layers as the unit is stretched-out. The unit can be used to prepare a volume-adjustable frame of a piece of light furniture and transported from one place to another in smaller volume.
US07735939B2

A stacked cabinet structure for vertical stacking of a lower cabinet with a top wall and an upper cabinet with a bottom wall in which a spacer member is provided intermediate the top wall of the lower cabinet and the bottom wall of the upper cabinet with the spacer member supported by the top wall of the lower cabinet and supporting the bottom wall of the upper cabinet forming a horizontally extending raceway vertically between the top wall of the lower cabinet and the bottom wall of the upper cabinet for passage of utility wiring. The raceway preferably is open at least at a front access opening preferably with uninterrupted access provided to the raceway inwardly from the front access opening through the entire width of each cabinet from a first side to a second side.
US07735936B2

A spoke for a bicycle wheel has an elongated metallic material body that extends along a longitudinal axis X-X and has a first end portion for the attachment to a hub of a bicycle wheel, a second end portion for the attachment to a rim of a bicycle wheel and an intermediate portion having a portion which is flattened in a transversal direction Z perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X-X and extending along the longitudinal axis X-X up to the first end portion. The first end portion of the spoke is also flattened in the transversal direction Z and is gradually joined to the flattened portion of the intermediate portion along the longitudinal axis X-X.
US07735931B1

Portable chair apparatus includes a hollow, collapsible chair and a receptacle attached to the chair for containing the chair when it is in collapsed condition. An electrically operated air pump is used to alternatively inflate or deflate the chair.
US07735928B2

The head-rest for a seat includes an inverted U-shaped frame including two vertical branches and a horizontal branch. The horizontal branch includes two rigid sections connected together by a flexible material to allow a longitudinal, angular and/or alignment offset.
US07735927B2

A vehicle seat assembly includes an anti-backlash mechanism in the seat adjustment gearing to reduce or eliminate gaps that cause looseness in the gearing.
US07735925B2

A positioning device includes a clamping seat having first and second clamping members with clamping portions mounted around a fixed rod of a chair having an inclinable seat to which the first clamping member is fixed. An adjusting rod includes a coupling seat having a positioning groove with a low-profile section and a high-profile section. A positioning block is mounted to the second clamping member and includes a protrusion received in the positioning groove. The protrusion is engagable with one of the low-profile section and the high-profile section, so that the clamping portions can be clamp on or disengage from the fixed rod, allowing controlling of movement of the clamping seat along the fixed rod. The first clamping member includes a sidewall having a hole slideably receiving the fixed rod and in slight tight coupling with the fixed rod.
US07735924B2

A positioning device includes a clamping seat having two clamping members having clamping portions mounted around a fixed rod of a chair having an inclinable seat to which one of the clamping members is fixed. An adjusting rod includes a coupling seat and a handle fixed to the coupling seat. The coupling seat includes a positioning groove having a low-profile section and a high-profile section. A positioning block is mounted to the other clamping member and includes a protrusion received in the positioning groove. When the protrusion is engaged with the low-profile section, the clamping portions are not clamped on the fixed rod, allowing movement of the clamping seat along the fixed rod. When the handle is moved to a clamping position, the protrusion is engaged with the high-profile section, the clamping portions are clamped on the fixed rod, not allowing movement of the clamping seat along the fixed rod.
US07735907B2

A stamped metal panel used as part of a pillar of a motor vehicle includes a main wall, an outer side wall, an inner side wall and a transitional portion. The outer side wall extends from one side of the main wall. The inner side wall extends from an opposite side of the main wall and forms a generally U-shaped cross section with the main wall and the outer side wall. The inner side wall has a first wall that extends from the main wall and a second wall that extends from an end of the first wall opposite from the main wall. The transitional portion extends arcuately between the first wall and the second wall. The transitional portion is substantially tangential with at least the first wall of the first side wall to facilitate removal of the panel from between upper and lower halves of a stamping tool.
US07735904B2

A system for supporting individuals or objects is disclosed that can be used, e.g., as a bunk for sleeping upon within a vehicle, such as, e.g., a truck or commercial vehicle. The system preferably includes a support platform, a pivot mechanism, and at least one flowable-medium spring. The support platform is provided with an upper surface to support at least one individual or object within a vehicle. The pivot mechanism is connected to the support platform so as to pivot the support platform around a pivot axis to move between a stored position and a deployed position in which the support platform supports the at least one individual or object. The at least one flowable-medium spring is provided with a first end fixed relative to the vehicle and a second end fixed relative to the support platform at a location displaced from the pivot axis. Each of the at least one flowable-medium springs is arranged so as to impart an extension force that biases the support platform toward the deployed position and so as to impart an extension force that biases the support platform toward the stored position during at least portions of the movement of the support platform between the stored position and the deployed position.
US07735897B2

A vehicle slider assembly has a frame, upon which a fixed panel and an upper and a lower track are attached, and a slider panel assembly that moves in the tracks. The frame defines a window opening that the moving slider panel assembly opens and closes. The interior surfaces of the frame provide constant sealing surfaces for seals attached to the outwardly directed slider panel surfaces. The lower horizontal portion of the frame is adjacent to the lower track and has drain holes through it. The lower track has a reservoir channel defined in it, such that, moisture that is interior to the vehicle slider assembly accumulates in the reservoir channel and flows through the drain holes to the exterior of the vehicle slider assembly. An appliqué may be disposed over the exterior of the lower frame portion so that the flow of the moisture is hidden in an unencumbered and aesthetically pleasing manner.
US07735894B2

A tailgate assembly is provided for a cargo bed of a vehicle. The tailgate assembly includes a support panel and a tailgate panel. The support panel is configured for attachment to a vehicle such that the support panel is selectively pivotable between horizontal and vertical positions. The tailgate panel is attached to the support panel. The tailgate panel is configured to selectively define an end wall for the cargo bed when the support panel is in the horizontal position. The tailgate panel is configured to selectively define a step when the support panel is in the vertical position. A vehicle including a cargo bed having such a tailgate assembly is also provided.
US07735891B2

A corner rail extrusion (124) is disclosed for facilitating the sealing of joints at the corners of structures such as recreational vehicles. The corner rail extrusion (124) includes a pair of outwardly and generally perpendicularly extending legs comprising a first leg (126) and a second leg (128). The rail extrusion (124) also includes a central bulbous interior (130). The central bulbous interior (130) is positioned so as to span a corner formed by a side wall (104) and rear wall (106), with the bulbous interior (130) essentially “fitting into” a gap (122).
US07735886B2

A tool for picking up and carrying dog dung excellent in appearance and capable of being easily carried in dog walk. The tool being is operable on hand in catching, carrying, and discharging the dog dung. At least one swinging support is provided at an end of a long shaft extending from a grip of a shank. A receiver and a lid swinging in directions opposing each other are provided with openings and peripherals supported by the swinging support. Bosses formed on parts of outer walls of the receiver and the lid are connected to operating rod vertically movable along the shaft via link. By an operation unit of the operating rod arranged adjacent to the grip, the receiver is upturned about at the right angle to the shaft when the lid is shut. The receiver and the lid are largely opened forwardly during discharge of the dung. At an intermediate opening position, the receiver is inclined in a direction suitable for catching the dung by the receiver.
US07735879B2

A sucker rod connection is disclosed. The sucker rod connection comprises a tapered male member including a plurality of trapezoidal threads, and, a tapered female member also including a plurality of trapezoidal threads, in which the male member is capable of being received in threaded engagement with the female member, wherein the threads of the male member are in flank-to-flank contact, both flanks on each thread, with the threads of the female member, thereby creating diametrical interference between the male and female members preventing disengagement and substantially reducing axial interference between the male and female members.
US07735872B1

A paper receiving assembly and method provide immediate paper mounting, by presenting an uncovered contact adhesive for engaging a paper.
US07735871B2

The invention relates to a seat belt retractor including a pretensioner especially for use in motor vehicles. The seat belt retractor includes a spool belt which supports belt webbing of the seat belt and rotates in the take-up direction of the safety belt when the pretensioning drive coupled to the belt spool is activated. The belt spool is associated with a drivewheel with recesses on the periphery thereof for accepting mass bodies acting as drive means for pretensioning the seat belt. The mass bodies are stored in a tube, which tangentially flows into the drivewheel, and the mass bodies are accelerated in the tube by means of a gas generator arranged at one end of the tube.
US07735869B2

A steering shaft supporting part 100 is connected to a pair of side frames 13 and 14 and extends substantially vertically to a steering shaft 12 in side view of a vehicle. An upper part of the steering shaft 12 is supported only on the steering shaft supporting part 100 so as to be freely rotatable and freely and vertically movable around an axial core of the steering shaft 12.
US07735857B2

This curtain-type airbag apparatus is provided with: an airbag which is arranged along a top edge of a vehicle body and develops in a curtain-shape manner along an inside of a window; and an inner cover which covers a vehicle interior side of the airbag. The inner cover is supported by the vehicle body via a hinge member having a reversed U-shape.
US07735856B2

A side air-bag for use in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The side air-bag is formed from two superimposed layers (1) of a laminar material such as fabric. Each layer (1) has a leading edge (3) and a trailing edge (4). The air-bag includes at least one internal tether (8) which extends from the leading edges (3) to the trailing edges (4), with the length d of the tether being less than the width D of the elements (1) forming the airbag between the leading edge (3) and a trailing edge (4) at a point where the tether (8) is positioned.
US07735853B2

A side curtain air bag deflector bracket is provided. A powerful inflator is used that quickly fills a large side curtain air bag. Where an inflator pipe meets the air bag, there is a tendency for the air bag to deflect upwards due to the high volume of air being introduced into the bag in a short period of time. The bracket deflects the side curtain air bag so that, during this type of expansion the air bag can not migrate up into the roof lining structure of the vehicle. The bracket includes a first portion with an arched deflector that deflects the air bag, during expansion, along a path that is close to the surface of the vehicle door. The bracket also includes a second portion that includes a mounting flange and transverse deflector oriented transversely to the arched deflector.
US07735850B1

A trailer quick disconnect ball mount assembly provides a more secure, less cumbersome, more visible and better-fitting connection between the towing vehicle and trailer. The trailer quick disconnect ball mount assembly features a receiver housing with an angled sidewall that defines a tapered opening for rapid and precise alignment of the ball inside the receiver housing. The receiver housing, angled sidewall and fastening pins only cooperate only when the ball is correctly seated inside the receiver housing and also prevents accumulations of dust and dirt. The need for correctly seating the ball allows the user to instantly determine that the ball is securely connected to the receiver housing. A trailer quick disconnect ball mount system and a method for securely hitching a trailer with a quick disconnect ball mount assembly are also provided.
US07735848B2

A pintle hitch adaptor enables a vehicle equipped with a drawbar or DMI bumper to tow trailers having different towing components. The pintle hitch adaptor comprises a sleeve that fits over arid is held to the drawbar. A pintle hitch is mounted to the sleeve. Aligned holes in the sleeve and the drawbar receive a hitch ball shank. A trailer tongue with a cup or eye engages the ball. A pintle hitch latch locks to prevent disengagement of the trailer tongue cup or eye from the ball. Shoulders on a pintle hitch post prevent: the latch from contacting the cup. Alternately, the ball can be removed, and a tow pin can to used between a hole in the trailer tongue and the drawbar and sleeve holes. A locking screw on the sleeve holds the sleeve and drawbar holes in alignment when the ball is removed.
US07735842B2

A sanitary cover dispensing apparatus for use with a shopping cart that is adapted to provide a fresh disposable portion of sanitary sheet material over the shopping cart handle using an electronic advance system actuated by a touch-free sensor. The sanitary handle cover dispenser comprises a housing containing a roll of sanitized paper of plastic sheet material wound about a rotatable reel mechanism and adapted to deploy a fresh portion of sanitized sheet material in covering relation with the shopping cart handle between uses. A reel mechanism is electrically driven and actuated by a touch-free sensor upon sensing the presence of a user's hand in proximity to the sensor. The sanitary sheet material is preferably adapted with advertising content. The dispenser is further adapted with an electronic display and wireless communication functions that enable the device to receive and display information directly to the user. Such features allow the user to send an e-mail message, such as shopping list, to the store such that the message may be relayed to the device upon the user's arrival and log in.
US07735841B1

A polyurethane biasing mechanism, comprising a first surface contact area with a first mass having a durometer that provides a first resistance and a first rate of resistance responsive to application of forces. The biasing mechanism having a second surface contact area with a second mass having the same durometer that provides a second resistance and a second rate of resistance responsive to the forces. The first resistance and the first rate of resistance are different from the second resistance and second rate of resistance, a combination of which provides a rate of resistance that commensurately varies and is correspondingly responsive in relation to varying forces.
US07735838B2

A hydraulic suspension system for a vehicle includes a pair of cylinders on opposite sides of the vehicle. Each cylinder is divided by a piston into two chambers. When the vehicle is not making a significant turn, a switching valve connects the chambers in the same cylinder together and when a significant turn occurs, the switching valve cross connects the chambers of the two cylinders. That cross connection increases resistance of the suspension system to roll of the vehicle, as compared to when the cylinder chambers are not cross connected. A load leveling function also is included in the hydraulic suspension system.
US07735829B2

A method and an apparatus for turning a sheet during its transport through a printing press permit improved printing results as a result of improved sheet guidance. A sheet is tautened following a transfer from a first transport device to a second transport device.
US07735820B2

A sheet delivery apparatus includes sprockets and delivery grippers, a sheet delivery device, a switching cam, and conveyor belt, driving roller, and driven roller. The sprockets and delivery grippers hold and convey a sheet. The sheet delivery device delivers the sheet conveyed by the sprockets and delivery grippers. The switching cam is arranged upstream of the sheet delivery device in a sheet convey direction to release the sheet held by the sprockets and delivery grippers. The conveyor belt, driving roller, and driven roller are arranged below the switching cam to convey the sheet released by the switching cam in the sheet convey direction.
US07735819B2

An automatic paper feed apparatus includes a paper pickup roller (21), a paper feed roller (31) and a paper separation device (10). The paper separation device is a compound gear consisting of a first paper separation gear (11) and a second paper separation gear (12). The first and second paper separation gears are rotatably and mutually drivably coupled with each other by the engagement between a projection (13) and a protrusion (14) respectively formed thereon. The paper pickup roller and the paper feed roller are respectively actuated to rotate by the second and first paper separation gears through a paper pickup gear mechanism (23) and a paper feed gear mechanism (33, 34) each mounted on a same shaft and engaged therebetween. At the initial stage, the first paper separation gear drives the second paper separation gear to rotate, and thus the paper pickup roller and the paper feed roller are respectively actuated to rotate by the second and first paper separation gears. By then making the linear velocity of the paper feed roller to be higher than that of the paper pickup roller, a predetermined angular clearance is formed between the projection and protrusion of the respective first and second paper seperation gears, so that successive paper sheets are separated from each other, one by one, by a predetermined interval.
US07735806B2

A panel removal tool includes a plastic handle, a forked portion at a first end of said plastic handle, wherein said forked portion further comprises a fulcrum, and a blade portion at a second end of said plastic handle, said second end being opposite said first end.
US07735796B2

A simple, convenient, contaminant-resistant padding system for adding protective padding to a wide variety of hospital operating room and non-hospital related equipment is disclosed. The padding system includes an anchor having a first surface configured to be affixed to a mounting surface of an object to be protected and a second surface. The anchor also includes a protruding element formed on the second surface. The protruding element extends outward from the second surface. The system also includes a pad having a deformable recess configured to form-fit over the protruding element to hold the pad in place adjacent the mounting surface of the object to be protected. In various embodiments, the protruding element consists of one of the following shapes: hook-shaped, round, ball, oval, square, or rectangular. The deformable recess in the pad has a complementary shape. In various other embodiments, the pads can be shaped to fit over and protect one or multiple sides of an object to be protected.
US07735791B2

A supporting arm with a suction cup and a handle for attaching various equipment within a mechanical vehicle. The arm is composed of a suction cup, a push button, which slides within a housing, a rigid part, connected with the housing, and a hinging part, connected with the rigid part by means of a joint. The arm is provided with an elastic support for resting on a dashboard, which is situated opposite to the mounting joint of the suction cup under its hinged part, and with a ball joint, located above the elastic support and connected to the handle, which is fitted with an electrical connection.
US07735786B2

A temporary load support intended in use to be supported from a fixed structure (10) to temporarily support an element (50) of the fixed structure, said load support comprising a pair of mountings (11) configured to, in use, be mounted to the fixed structure at spaced locations adjacent the element, a load bearing member (17) adapted to be fixed between the mountings, the load bearing member having a support element (23) located intermediate the mountings, wherein in use the mountings are fixed to the fixed structure proximate the element such that the support element is located in the region of the element, said support element being able to support the element.
US07735785B2

A bracket (20) for attachment to a side of a radio or other multimedia instrument (40) having a leading edge (22) with an outwardly projecting, generally U-shaped rib (23) positioned inwardly of a free end of the leading edge, and/or an in-turned flange (26) positioned away from the leading edge of the bracket and having a tab (27) extending normally from the flange for engagement with the instrument to support and position the instrument during attachment of wiring elements to the instrument.
US07735781B1

A system for in-air deployment of objects utilizes an aircraft having a hatch that can be opened while the aircraft is in mid-flight. An air and pressure tight container stowed within the aircraft has a doorway that is sealed to and about the hatch from within the aircraft. Mounted within the container is an expulsion system for expelling objects from the container through its doorway and the aircraft's hatch. The container may be coupled and sealed to other containers to define a contiguous volume for storing the objects and allowing movement of the objects between containers.
US07735780B2

An aircraft stringer clip and related methods are disclosed that provide an apparatus for attaching aircraft elements to an aircraft stringer. In one embodiment, the stringer clip is a three-piece clamp assembly spanning the width of an aircraft stringer and including a single bottom member and two opposing top members that are configured to be engagingly coupled. The top and bottom members of the stringer clip are preferably made of rigid, but light-weight and flame retardant material.
US07735771B2

An apparatus for the concurrent converting of multiple web products includes at least a first unwind station and a second unwind station. The apparatus further includes a first web transformation station associated with a first web material unwound from the first unwind station, and a second web transformation station associated with the second web material unwound from the second unwind station. The first and second web transformation stations are disposed such that less than twice the width of the widest web material separates a portion of the first web material in the first web transformation station from a portion of the second web material in the second web transformation station. The method of the invention includes steps of unwinding web materials from rolls at each of the first and second unwind stations and transforming the respective web materials using the first and second web transformation stations.
US07735769B2

A method for automatic sleeve filling of a winding shaft on roll cutting and winding machines is provided in which, in an exemplified embodiment, in a first step at least two empty winding sleeves are slid onto a free end of a winding shaft so that the winding sleeves are adjacent to one another, in a second step the last winding sleeve slid on by a freely positionable fork piece of a freely programmable draw-off plate along the winding shaft is slid over the winding shaft until the last winding sleeve has reached a predetermined position, in a third step the next-to-last winding sleeve slid on is grasped by tongs freely positionable along the winding shaft and is slid over the winding shaft to the point where in a fourth step the fork piece can dip into the gap produced by the tongs so that the next-to-last winding sleeve is positionable along the winding shaft by the fork piece.
US07735764B2

A hammer assembly (51) for a glass bottle breaking apparatus comprises a shaft (52), a series of collars (53) secured on the shaft (52) and spaced one from another longitudinally of the shaft (52), a series of links (58) each being pivotally connected to a corresponding one of the collars (53) and a series of hammers (55) each being connected for pivotal movement relative to a corresponding one of the links (58), the arrangement being such that the links (58) are each provided with a curved profile (65) for locating an adjacent portion of the shaft (52) so that if, in operation, one of the hammers (55) should strike a glass fragment obstruction without dislodging it immediately, the link (58) associated with the hammer (55) will wind up on the shaft (52) thus reducing a radial displacement between the link (58) and the shaft (52) and drawing the hammer (55) under the obstruction without causing jamming of the apparatus.
US07735749B2

A fountain (50) comprises a supply of water under pressure, a primary fluidic diverter (10) having an input (12) for said supply, and first and second outputs (16a, b) diverging from said input. Two control ports (20a, b) are provided with control flow to direct input flow to one or other of the two outputs that lead to the two inputs of a vortex amplifier (40). This comprises a vortex chamber (54), a radial port (50), a vortex inducing port (60) and an axial output port (58). One (16a) of the diverter outputs is connected to the vortex inducing port, the other (16b) to the radial port, so that supply to said axial output port is modulated by formation of a vortex in the chamber when flow is to the vortex inducing port. The axial port leads to a nozzle whereby a vortex spray or axial jet is produced, depending on which diverter output (16a, b) is active. A wind detector (100) has a vertical jet (102) and a catcher (104) which fails to catch water from the jet in high wind conditions. The catcher feeds the control port (20a) of a diverter 101, or such other pressure or flow detector as may be convenient. A fountain array of elements may comprise a number of diverters, the outputs of which have branches supplying the control ports of others in the array, whereby internal control is provided.
US07735726B2

A system for managing voucher use includes a database, a voucher, and a processor. The database stores an account defining at least one approved item available for purchase and a financial balance. The voucher includes an identifier linking the voucher to the account. The processor is in communication with the database and is adapted to use the identifier to access the account. The processor is adapted to determine if an item selected for purchase is an approved item and to apply at least a portion of the financial balance toward the purchase of the selected item only if the selected item is an approved item. Other voucher systems and associated methods are also disclosed.
US07735723B2

An automated canister reloading machine is able to reload a currency canister removed from an ATM. The reloading machine includes a supply of currency notes. The reloading machine can transfer currency notes from the supply into a storage area of the canister. The canister includes a memory that can store data representative of information concerning the canister, such as data representative of the type and number of currency notes held in the canister. The reloading machine is able to update the canister memory.
US07735719B2

The present invention is related to a pocketed business communication construction, such as a presentation folder, that includes at least one independently, automatically erectable piece for displaying promotion of marketing, advertising or contact information. The assembly is used to contain complimentary and related printed pieces which are held by one or more sleeves or pockets integrally connected to a variably imaged substrate. One or more passive retaining means are provided integrally with at least one of the pocketed configurations to removably hold a biased attention direction piece. The piece is printed with matching and/or complimentary information to that contained by the pocketed communication.
US07735717B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus including a process of applying viscous liquid. The method applies viscous liquid onto a principal surface of a substrate, coats the viscous liquid closely with flexible coating material having a higher bonding strength with molecules of the viscous liquid than an intermolecular bonding strength of molecules of the viscous liquid, and then strips away the coating material together with part of the viscous liquid.
US07735715B2

A method for mounting a semiconductor chip onto a substrate comprises the steps of positioning a solder dispenser over the substrate and passing a length of solder wire through the solder dispenser to the substrate. The feeding of the wire to the substrate in a feeding direction is controlled with a wire feeder. The solder dispenser is moved relative to the substrate with a positioning device along at least one of two orthogonal axes that are substantially perpendicular to the feeding direction contemporaneously with feeding the solder wire to the surface of the substrate to dispense a line of molten solder onto the substrate. The semiconductor chip is then mounted onto the molten solder that has been dispensed onto the substrate.
US07735713B2

A method for mounting a chip component includes the steps of: flattening a solder deposit adhering onto a land terminal of a circuit board; forming grooves on the solder deposit simultaneously with or after flattening the solder deposit; coating the solder deposit with a flux; and placing a chip component on the solder deposit with the flux interposed therebetween.
US07735704B2

A surgical stapling instrument having a staple fastening assembly including a curved cartridge device. The device has at least one curved open row of staples having a first and second ends and having a concave side and a convex side. Opposite to the cartridge device there is a curved anvil for forming the ends of the staples. The instrument also includes a moving device adapted to move the anvil with respect to the cartridge device in a parallel relationship. The instrument also includes a staple driving device adapted to drive the staples out of the cartridge device towards the anvil, and a knife. The knife has opposing first and second sides and is contained in the cartridge device. There is also a knife actuating device adapted to move the knife towards the anvil. The instrument includes staple fastening assembly having a retaining pin which moves between the cartridge device to align them. The retaining pin is located on the second side of the knife in an intermediate region between the first end and second ends of the curved row of staples.
US07735697B2

Output device for a container (6) which includes a bottom and a surrounding wall, having a hub (1) and at least two arms (3) fixed to the hub (1). The invention is characterized in that each arm (3) is designed with at least one outer section designed and arranged to at use being capable of essentially preventing material from being brought towards the wall of the container, and at least one inner section connected to the outer section, designed and arranged to at use being capable of bringing the material essentially in the direction of feed for the device, at which the at least two arms (3) present essentially concave surfaces facing the direction of feed.
US07735695B2

A liquid delivering method and a liquid delivering device are provided, which solve the prior art problems including damages to a plunger and a valve seat. A liquid material delivering method includes the steps of advancing at high speed a liquid material delivering plunger with its distal end surface closely contacted with the liquid material, and subsequently abruptly stopping plunger driving means, thereby applying an inertial force to the liquid material to deliver the latter. A liquid delivering device includes a tubular metering section, a plunger internally contacting the metering section, a nozzle having a delivery port, a first valve for establishing communication between the metering section and the nozzle, a storage container for storing a liquid material, a liquid material feed valve (second valve) for establishing communication between the storage container and the metering section.
US07735694B2

A method of facilitating replacement of a supply of air freshener every time a supply of soap is replaced, including the steps of providing a supply of air freshener, providing a supply of soap and joining the supply of soap and the supply of air freshener. Another aspect of the invention is a method of packaging a supply unit including providing a supply of soap and a supply of air freshener and connecting the supply of soap and the supply of air freshener in a manner such that when the supply of soap is removed from a dispenser, the supply of air freshener is removed from the dispenser as well. Another aspect is a supply unit for the dual dispenser including a receptacle, a supply of soap within the receptacle, and a supply of air freshener connected to or secured within the receptacle.
US07735689B2

The present invention is a fluid dispensing device, connectable/disconnectable to/from a container. The device, actuable by a trigger, comprises both closing means comprising a turnable nozzle and means for locking the sliding of a dispensing piston.
US07735688B2

A manually operated, vertically reciprocating liquid pump dispenser is removably connectable to a bottle containing liquid and simultaneously pumps liquid from the bottle and air from the exterior environment of the dispenser and mixes the liquid with the air to produce a foam that is dispensed from the dispenser. The dispenser includes a closure connector and a rotatable collar on the connector that provides a mechanism for venting the interior of the bottle to the exterior environment of the dispenser while avoiding leakage of the liquid from the bottle, and also incorporate a mechanism for locking the dispenser to prevent unintended pumping of liquid from the bottle.
US07735684B2

A pill bottle that includes a first annular wall disposed within an interior portion of the bottle has an outer surface with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, vertically oriented ribs that project outwardly from that surface. A second annular wall is disposed within the interior portion of the bottle in enclosing relation to the first annular wall. The outer and inner surface of the second annular wall undulate so as to define series of troughs and ridges. An adjacent pair of the ribs is located in spaced confronting relation to each of the troughs so as to define a plurality of pill wells. Each pill is arranged and oriented so as to be “on-end” within the bottle. A method is provided for dispensing pills from a bottle.
US07735676B2

A crate includes a bottom wall including a plurality of dividers defining a plurality of container pockets and a peripheral wall extending upward from a periphery of the bottom wall. The bottom wall and peripheral wall are thermoformed from a single sheet of plastic, such as recycled PET bottles. Optional features include stabilizing feet, a peripheral lip that prevents shingling and flexible retainers protruding into the pockets to provide a tighter fit with bottles.
US07735672B2

A vented non-spill fuel cap assembly includes a self-sealing, releasable fluid coupling and a visible fill indicator. The fuel cap assembly permits transfer of fuel from a storage vessel such as a gas canister to a fuel tank equipped with the cap assembly in a manner which prevents escape and spillage of liquid fuel and vapors. Fuel is introduced from a supply canister or other source via a hose and coupling releasably matable with the self-sealing coupling on the cap assembly, without removal of the cap assembly. The indicator visibly indicates when the tank is full.
US07735669B2

A modular case assembly device including: a lower case, wherein a front wall and a rear wall protrude from a bottom plate respectively, and a left wall and a right wall protrude from left and right sides of the bottom plate respectively, and protruding pieces are punched out from upper edges of the left and right walls; an upper case structured from an upper plate and left and right side wall plates; and resilient springs, each of which is formed a press portion, a through hole and a connecting portion are further respectively formed of the press portion; The protruding pieces of the lower case transversally cross and rest atop the position fixing portions, which assist in increasing stability of the assembled upper case and lower case, and effectively provide convenient and fast assembly and disassembly.
US07735668B2

What is described is a plastic container consisting of two container parts (12, 14) which are connected to one another in an opening region. Each container part (12, 14) has a single connection frame (26, 28) which includes the connection opening. The container parts (12, 14) can be connected to one another along the facing connection frames (26, 28). At least one connection frame (26, 28) includes a support device (30, 34; 54) which extends in the connection frame (26, 28) in the vertical direction.
US07735648B2

A transport pod (1) of the invention for a mask or a semiconductor wafer (2) comprises a leakproof peripheral wall (3) surrounding an inside space (4) receiving the mask or the semiconductor wafer (2). Thermally conductive support means (11) hold the mask or the semiconductor wafer (2). A cold plate (7) thermally coupled to a cold source (8) generates a temperature gradient facing the main face (6) of the mask or the semiconductor wafer (2) that is to be protected against particulate pollution. The cold plate (7) is held by connection means (7b) including thermal insulation means (7c). An on-board energy source (9) powers the cold source (8). This significantly reduces deposition of polluting particles on the main face (6) of the mask or the semiconductor wafer (2).
US07735647B2

A shipping cradle for seedlings and the like is both nestable and stackable. When stacked, a gap is formed between vertically-adjacent cradles to permit insertion and removal of trays of seedlings, and to permit visual inspection of the seedlings. A drainage system includes a series of channels and openings that prevent water from draining onto seedlings positioned in the lower cradles. The cradles are lightweight, and can be shipped in the nested position to substantially reduce shipping costs.
US07735642B2

An ejectable disc case is made up of three pieces—a bottom piece, a top piece, and a movable tray, all of which can formed by injection molding and then assembled together by snap fit. The bottom has a hole through which a disc can be ejected and two bottom grooves engaged by groove mechanisms of the tray. The tray has a disc perimeter support for supporting a perimeter of the disc in the tray in the retracted position, a disc locking mechanism for holding the perimeter of the disc in the tray in the retracted position, a center disc rest connected to the disc perimeter support by a center disc rest slant ramp, and a hook with a hook prong that extends upwardly from the center disc rest. The hook prong moves upwardly through the disc hole and engages the disc center to secure the disc center when the tray moves from the extended position to the retracted position but disengages the disc and moves downwardly through the disc hole when the tray moves from the retracted position to the extended position. The bottom side wall through which the disc is ejected has one or more downwardly sloping ramps to actuate disengagement of the disc from the hook prong as the tray moves from the retracted position to the extended position. The tray can have multiple tray holes within the disc perimeter support to decrease the amount of material required for construction of the tray.
US07735638B2

The present disclosure relates to a conveyor frame assembly that includes a pair of spaced side rails joined by one or more cross supports. Each of the side rails includes a dedicated wire channel and self-contained air flow cavity that enhances the functionality of the conveyor frame assembly. The air flow cavity and the wire channel are formed as part of the side rails separate from typical attachment slots that receive T-shaped connectors. The cross supports utilized with the conveyor frame assembly are attached to the side rails by upper and lower connectors that are each accessible from the top of the conveyor frame assembly. Specifically, the cross support includes a center web and laterally offset attachment webs that allow for easy and convenient construction and field modification of the conveyor frame assembly.
US07735631B2

A mail processing system that delivers articles to delivery locations includes a predetermined number of casing towers arranged in parallel, wherein each casing tower has a plurality of slots to receive articles. A transport system is associated with the casing towers and configured to guide at least one transport vehicle loaded with an article along a delivery path towards a delivery location. At least one elevator device is coupled to the transport system and configured to receive the transport vehicle at a first level and to index the elevator device to move the transport vehicle from the first level to a second level, where the transport vehicle exits the elevator device to travel along the delivery path.
US07735628B2

The present invention provides a transfer system and method for aligning articles. The transfer system comprises a transfer member adapted to transfer the articles along a designated path, an orientation-adjustment portion having an orienter that is adapted to rotate at least a first portion of the articles, and a receiving portion that is adapted to restrict movement of at least a second portion of the articles along the designated path Each of the articles has a surface configuration that allows the articles to compress along an axial direction when at least two of the surface configurations of a respective adjacent two of the articles are aligned, and the receiving portion and the orienter cooperate to align the first portion and the second portion and compress a length of the first portion and the second portion along an axial direction of the articles.
US07735627B2

A plastic bottle unscrambler, wherein the tables (8) for settling and supporting the containers (2) in the cradles (6) comprise a box-like chamber having a housing (9) under the surface supporting the container (2), in which vacuum is applied, and at least one row of holes (12) arranged over the surface supporting the container (2) in the direction of feed of the cradles (6); as vacuum is applied in the housing (9), a negative pressure is created around the container (2) contained in the overlying cradle (6) to draw it and keep it lying against the outer wall (6b) of the cradle (6).
US07735626B2

A method and apparatus for automatic positioning and/or orientation of an object. The method includes applying a substance or component to an object, or takes advantage of a substance or component already on or associated with an object. The substance or component has a characteristic that can be utilized to automatically attract the substance or component. That characteristic is used to position, move, and/or orient the object automatically, without requiring manual handling. The object can then be further processed or handled. In one embodiment, the substance or component is a magnetically active substance or component. The attraction can be actuated by a magnet.
US07735616B2

A dog clutch includes a first engagement face and a second engagement face provided on a surface of a driving rotor and a driven rotor with the two surfaces being opposite each other. The first engagement face engaging with its counterpart when a driving force of the driving members is generated. The second engagement face engaging with its counterpart when the driving member receives the driving force from the driven member. The strength of the engagement portion is balanced reflecting the operational torque changing as a power transmission direction changes. A projection drawing to a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of a driving rotor and of a driven rotor, the inward extension line of the first engagement face passes through a position offset from the position representing the rotational axis, and the inward extension line of the second engagement face passes through the position representing the rotational axis.
US07735614B2

An impact attenuator, which is arranged to be flexible longitudinally as well as sideways, has a rear part with two wheels, an attenuating part, a front part with two pivot wheels, and a coupling part for connection to a vehicle. The coupling part has a damper for dampening part of the force during a collision against the impact attenuator. During a minor collision against the impact attenuator the collision force is mainly absorbed by the damper. The damper regains after a collision its original position and the impact attenuator can remain operative. During a larger collision against the impact attenuator, the collision forces are also absorbed by the attenuating part.
US07735597B2

A steering apparatus for vehicle comprises a steering shaft including a first portion connected to a steering member and a second portion connected to steerable wheels; a transmission ratio variable mechanism capable of varying a transmission ratio as a ratio of a steered angle of the steerable wheels to a steering angle of the steering member; and a reaction-force compensation motor for compensating a steering reaction force of the steering member caused by the operation of the transmission ratio variable mechanism. The transmission ratio variable mechanism includes a differential mechanism for differentially rotatably interconnecting the first and second portions; and a differential-mechanism motor for driving the differential mechanism. Both an axis of a rotary shaft of the differential-mechanism motor and an axis of a rotary shaft of the reaction-force compensation motor are aligned with an axis of the steering shaft.
US07735595B2

A hydraulic power steering system for a vehicle includes a first, hydraulic actuator for making available steering power or auxiliary steering power for adjusting the steering angle of one or more steered wheels of the vehicle, and with a second electric actuator for making available a steering power or auxiliary steering power for adjusting the steering angle of the steered wheel. For a power steering system, for which the power dissipated is reduced and the operating temperature lowered, the first hydraulic actuator can be taken out of operation while the vehicle is being driven as a function of the trip and/or vehicle parameters.
US07735594B2

There is provided a working vehicle 1including the right and left vehicle frames reinforced by an upper connecting member and a lower connecting member near the engine, thereby eliminating the conventional need for e.g. highly rigid cylindrical members in constructing the right and left vehicle frames.An engine frame for mounting an engine are connected with a pair of right and left vehicle frames, and a transmission case is placed between rear portions of the right and left vehicle frames. The right and the left vehicle frames are connected via an upper connecting member and a lower connecting member. The engine has an output portion provided with a flywheel, which has its outer circumference surrounded by the right and the left vehicle frames and the upper and the lower connecting members.
US07735591B2

A powered wheelchair includes a frame, a chair, a pair of drive wheels, a pair of rear wheels, and a pair of front wheels. Each front wheel is part of a front arm assembly that is rigidly coupled to a drive via a mounting plate. The mounting plate is connected to the wheelchair frame by a pivot. The drives are transversely mounted. The batteries are disposed rearward of the drives. The rear wheels are part of an articulating beam assembly and are positioned to provide access to the batteries from the rear of the wheelchair with ease.
US07735589B2

A housing structure of an in-wheel motor, the housing structure being formed by combining a plurality of divided housings, the housing structure receiving at least an electric motor for revolving a wheel, the housing structure includes a suspension side divided housing having a fixing boss for fixing the housing structure to a suspension system, and a connection side divided housing connecting to the suspension side divided housing and having a connection boss formed in a position corresponding to a position where the fixing boss is formed.
US07735587B1

A hand truck driving apparatus includes a dolly that has a frame having a bottom end, a top end and pair of lateral sides. A plate is attached to the frame adjacent to the bottom end and extends forward of the frame. A stabilizer is attached to and extends rearward of the frame. A pair of support wheels is rotatably attached to the stabilizer adjacent to the bottom end of the frame. A drive platform is removably attached to the dolly. A drive apparatus is mounted on the drive platform. The drive apparatus moves the drive platform and the dolly when the drive apparatus is actuated.
US07735586B2

An industrial truck and a method for its delivery are proposed, the mobile base of the industrial truck being transported to the delivery destination on a load transport vehicle. At the delivery destination, an operating device that is also supplied is used as a mobile operating device for issuing control instructions for the traction operations of the base vehicle, in order to drive the base vehicle with its own drive units off the load transport vehicle over a ramp or the like and thus to set it down.
US07735564B2

Systems and processes are provided for facilitating transfer of downhole devices through a reversibly sealable wellhead fixture capping a well under pressure, without jeopardizing operators, equipment, or the well itself. An open ended pressurizable vessel is provided that is sized and shaped to accommodate a substantial portion of a particular downhole device, such as a logging tool. The vessel includes a mating flange for coupling its open end to a reversibly sealable wellhead fixture. A pressure can be equalized between an internal cavity of the pressurizable vessel and the wellbore. Once the pressure has been equalized, a channel can be opened between the pressurizable vessel and the wellbore, allowing for transfer of the downhole device in a preferred direction, either into or out of the wellbore. One or more robotic systems can be provided to further expedite manipulation of at least one of the tool and the vessel.
US07735561B2

A method and system for performing intervention and workover operations on a subsea well are provided, as well as an adapter for connecting a lower end portion of a conduit extending from a vessel with an upper portion of a lower marine riser package associated with a subsea tree. The method includes providing a lower marine riser package connected to an upper portion of a subsea tree associated with a subsea well, and a conduit extending from a vessel toward the lower marine riser package. The conduit is connected to the lower marine riser package with an adapter. A portion of a conduit bore of the conduit above the adapter is sealed from a chamber in the adapter, and a portion of a bore extending through the lower marine riser package is sealed from the chamber. The adapter is opened for access to the chamber from the sea.
US07735554B2

A system for gasification of carbonaceous deposits below the ground surface comprising: an injection well assembly comprising one end positioned at the ground surface and the opposite end of the injection well assembly located within the carbonaceous deposit; a production well assembly comprising one end positioned at the ground surface and the opposite end of the production well assembly located within the carbonaceous deposit; a non-vertical reaction shaft assembly located within the carbonaceous deposit a distance below ground surface, the non-vertical reaction shaft having a length and comprising an injection end in communication with the end of the injection well assembly located within the carbonaceous deposit and a production end in communication with the end of the production well assembly located within the carbonaceous deposit; and a mobile electric device configured to move within the non-vertical reaction shaft assembly. A method for gasifying underground carbonaceous deposits using an electric device.
US07735545B2

In the present invention, a dual hull cyclone is incorporated into a non-powered cleaning system using balls for tubular heat exchange systems. The dual hull cyclone separates balls which are smaller than a predetermined diameter so that they can be disposed of and replaced. The dual hull cyclone also serves to separate debris from fluid in the tubular heat exchange system and also debris that may have accumulated on the balls. The cleaning system in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of balls circulating in the fluid of the heat exchange system, a ball inlet, a ball outlet, and a dual hull cyclone. The balls in the fluid are generally of a predetermined diameter suitable for cleaning the tubes in the heat exchange unit. While the balls may be made of a variety of elastomeric materials, almost any resilient material may be utilized. Furthermore, the balls used in the present invention utilize a asymmetrical weighted core to increase the specific gravity of the balls.
US07735542B2

Dental appliances including multiple components and a system and method for constructing the same are disclosed herein. The dental components are designed to fit together to form the dental appliance. The components of the dental appliance are electronically modeled, printed, and pressed sequentially, separately, or as a unitary piece. Forming the dental appliance from multiple components enables each component of the dental appliance to be formed from a different material, each material having different features associated with it. In various embodiments, different materials have different colors, textures, opacities, and transformation factors associated with them. Furthermore, each component can be formed from multiple components. In some other embodiments, a support structure is designed and constructed in order to minimize deformation of a dental component during fabrication of the component.
US07735541B2

A sheet material tensioning apparatus includes frame members interconnected one with another to define a closed contour. The apparatus applies tension to sheet material by imposing a separation between frame members to expand the closed contour. Beneficially, the sheet material tensioning apparatus includes an edge-bridging mechanism, such as a spline, to span the gap between the separated frame members. The edge-bridging mechanism maintains the continuity of the edge supporting the sheet material. The sheet material apparatus may include a crossbar assembly to add rigidity to long frame members, while maintaining planar alignment even under considerable compression.
US07735539B2

A deployable heat and smoke obstacle is disclosed. A screen is wound around a shaft over a passageway in a building or a vehicle. The shaft can rotate in response to an alarm signal to deploy the screen over the passageway to prevent smoke and heat from passing through the passageway. The screen includes magnetic sheets that engage a corresponding magnetic surface near the passageway to hold the screen in place over the passageway. The screen also includes heat-sensitive fasteners that deform when heated to engage corresponding holes in the passageway to hold the screen in place over the passageway.
US07735535B2

Method of laying a tire belt ply on a form, using one or two transporters each having gripping assemblies, for gripping and moving the gripping sectors situated at the two longitudinal ends of a belt ply. The front and rear edges are aligned, after having determined the angular geometry of the ply edges by means of a suitable device, by independently moving at least one gripping sector of each of the front and rear areas. This method makes it possible to align edges having high curvatures and to lay a belt ply on a curved form.
US07735528B2

Apparatus wherein the compression heat of refueling of a high pressure storage tank is evacuated from the interior of the tank in which a gas circulating within the tank passes through an ejector pump powered by the mechanical energy of the refueling gas as the gas traverses from the high pressure refuel depot to the storage tank and the circulating gas absorbs the refueling heat and carries the heat to a cooling system before the gas is introduced into the tank for storage.
US07735524B2

A hose (10) comprising a tubular body (12) of flexible material arranged between an inner and an outer helically wound wire (22, 24). The hose (10) further comprises an elongate member having opposing longitudinal edges, the elongate member being helically wound around the tubular body such that the opposing longitudinal edges of the layer are in an adjacent or overlapping arrangement, wherein each longitudinal edge includes a formation capable of interengaging with a cooperating formation on the opposing longitudinal edge.
US07735522B2

A flow control device that is uniquely capable of providing uniform flow under changing environmental conditions of temperature and pressure. The device achieves flow rate stabilization by taking advantage of the properties of the moving fluid in a channel with eddy currents that are generated as fluid moves past obstacles located in the fluid flow path. The shape and magnitude of such eddies depend on the viscosity of the fluid. Additionally, the device can also simultaneously stabilize the fluid flow rate under varying pressure by using a strategically positioned, yieldably deformable elastomeric membrane. Therefore, the invention uniquely combines two devices into one novel fluidic device that can stabilize a flow rate under simultaneously changing temperatures and pressures.
US07735518B2

A solenoid actuated valve assembly includes a valve body having a slidable main valve member and a pilot valve body mechanically connected to the valve body including a slidable pilot valve member. A first solenoid operated valve connected to the pilot valve body when energized directs pressurized fluid to move the pilot valve member between pilot valve open and closed positions. A second solenoid operated valve connected to the valve body when simultaneously energized with the first valve directs the fluid to move the main valve member between valve closed and open positions. A third solenoid operated valve connected to the pilot valve body when energized and when both the first and second solenoid operated valves are de-energized directs the fluid to move the pilot valve to the pilot valve open position and the main valve member to the valve closed position.
US07735510B1

This is a leak pan device designed to prevent internal damage to cabinetry caused by faulty plumbing, and also by various kinds of construction debris. It is composed of two or more parts that fit adjustably together to form a pan that has a flat bottom and one or more raised edges to contain leakage, direct it in a prescribed course through a drain or depression in a raised edge, or both. The leak pan device is easily fitted and placed beneath plumbing under kitchen, bathroom and all other plumbing areas such that the leak pan contains leaking water thereby preventing damage including rotted wood, mold build-up and warped cabinet materials.
US07735508B2

A rotary slide valve, in particular for speed-dependent power steering systems in motor vehicles, has a torsion bar, a rotary slide, and a control bushing. The control bushing is pressed onto a pinion and the torsion bar is inserted into a torsion bar bore of the pinion. The control bushing is connected rotation-fast to the pinion by shaping. The torsion bar has teeth that are pressed into the torsion bar bore of the pinion and that connect the torsion bar to the pinion rotation-fast.
US07735507B2

A tank for transporting liquids is provided. The tank includes a tank vessel having an internal baffle system including an X-shaped baffle arrangement that extends through the interior of the tank vessel in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of entry hatches can be provided in the tank vessel for permitting access into the interior of the tank vessel. Each entry hatch has a removable hatch plate and is sized to allow a person to enter the tank therethrough. At least selected ones of the baffles in the tank have access openings therethrough. Each access opening has an associated pivotal baffle door that is movable between open and closed positions. The access openings are provided in the baffles such that a person can traverse through the interior of the tank between two of the entry hatches. The tank also is equipped with a variable volume system.
US07735505B2

The quickly erectable canopy shelters include a plurality of legs connected together by an extendible perimeter assembly of link members. The roof structure is formed by a pole members pivotally mounted to the upper ends of the legs so as to extend across the shelter, and movable between a lowered position and a raised, upwardly arching position. The pole members are pivotally coupled to a central hub, and each of the pole members is formed of pole sections hinged to permit downward folding and upward unfolding until they are fully extended. Corner support strut members are pivotally mounted to the extendible perimeter assembly of link members adjacent to the legs, to support the pole members. The outer ends of the pole members are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the legs by pivoting link members that pivot between a lowered position and a raised position extending above the legs when the shelter is extended. In the raised position the pivoting link members rotate outwardly to absorb downward forces exerted on the roof structure and transmitted outwardly by the pole members.
US07735504B2

A telescoping pole assembly for an erectable, collapsible shelter, includes first and second hollow telescoping sections slidably connected together, the first telescoping section being slidably disposed within the second telescoping section, and a spring loaded detent pin mounted to the second telescoping section. A weighted internal stop member is slidably disposed within the first telescoping section for movement between a first position and a second position. The internal stop member blocks the spring loaded detent pin in the first position, and the internal stop member does not block the spring loaded detent pin in the second position.
US07735502B1

A compact, temporary shelter that includes at least two vertical frame members aligned transversely over a base frame. Each frame member includes two opposite straight lower sections, two curved eave sections, two optional straight roof sections and a curved, central peak section. Adjacent frame members are interconnected by a plurality of purlins. The shelter includes an inner liner disposed over the inside surfaces of the frame members. The inner liner creates wall air spaces between two adjacent frame members and an upper attic and a lower living space that are partially isolated. When attached to an HVAC unit, air from the living space and flows and circulates into the wall air spaces between the frame members and into the attic. From the attic, air travels through a vent opening formed on an end cover to the outside environment. Located inside the shelter is a flexible air sock that connects at one end to the output port on the HVAC unit to evenly distribute the air into the living space. Because the frame member includes straight sidewalls and the inner lining forms a relatively high ceiling, greater storage and living space is created.
US07735500B2

A height adjustable crutch includes a single tube member, a foot grip, an underarm support, and a handle. The single tube member has a central axis along which a main member, a telescoping top member, and a telescoping foot member are aligned. The top member is adjustable relative to a top end of the main member. The foot member is adjustable relative to bottom end of the main member. The foot grip is fixedly attached to the foot member, and the underarm support is fixedly attached to a top end of the top member. The underarm support is generally perpendicular to the central axis of the single tube member. The handle is fixedly attached to the main member and is offset from the central axis of the single tube such that a gap separates a central area of the handle and the main member.
US07735499B1

An activity walker has three wheeled legs positioned about an adjustable trunk surround member. The trunk surround member is hinged to open and is curved to approximate a users oval-shaped midriff. An adjustable closure on the torso/trunk surround member compensates for users of various girths. A flexible sling support extends across the interior of the surround member from its rear portion to its front portion, with fixed rearward attachments and a releasable front attachment to the interior of the surround member. This sling support is shaped to pass between a user's legs and provides body/trunk support when the user is standing upright. A length of each leg may be adjustable. The lateral extension of each leg outwardly from the surround member may be adjustable to reconfigure the stance/footprint of the walker. A friction pin may be utilized to adjust the rolling rate of each wheel.
US07735491B2

Described here are methods for altering the flow of air in a respiratory cavity such as the nostrils of the nose. These methods and devices may be useful for affecting a physiologic benefit in patients suffering from a variety of medical diseases, particularly those that may benefit from “pursed-lip” breathing and non-invasive ventilation, such as COPD, heart failure, sleep apnea, and other medical disorders. The devices are typically removable devices that may be placed over or in a respiratory cavity to increase resistance to airflow within the respiratory cavity. Resistance to expiration may be selectively increased relative to inspiration. Removable nasal devices are described.
US07735488B2

A medical device has a cuff adapted to be positioned in the trachea of a subject with a patient tube, and a first tube having a distal end coupled to the cuff and a proximal end communicable with the surroundings. More effective and simpler sample taking and/or dosing of medicament is achieved by a second tube that is coupled with a distal end to the cuff and communicable with the surroundings via a proximal end, together with a pumping device that is connected to the proximal end of the first tube and to the proximal end of the second tube in order to circulate a fluid through the cuff. The cuff has a membrane that is permeable to a specific substance, the membrane being disposed to allow transfer of the specific substance between the interior and the exterior of the cuff.
US07735482B2

The combustion control system described herein is the top assembly of a combustion chamber. It was developed as part of an efficient wood burning fire place. The assembly presumes that there is some sort of baffle above the fire directing the flames to the front and a non-airtight glass door. The object is to burn cleanly, efficiently, with a minimum of creosote on the glass and with a relatively low cost non-airtight construction. A single damper blade regulates the flue opening, the combustion air supply and dilution air for the chimney. The blade also acts as a deflector to provide a long combustion path and heat extraction. A bimetal element automatically adjusts the damper as the combustion process changes.
US07735481B1

An oven includes an oven cavity having multiple pairs of horizontally disposed guide slots recessed into the side walls of the oven cavity. At least one oven rack is configured with at least two wheels mounted on axles secured to at least one hinged support along an edge of the oven rack. After the oven rack is inserted into the oven cavity, the hinged support is pivoted to move the axles of the wheels to a generally horizontal position to cause the wheels to engage the horizontal slots and support the oven rack. The oven rack is removed from the oven cavity by lifting the oven rack to cause the wheels to disengage from the horizontal guide slots and to pivot so that the axles are at an angle with respect to the horizontal position. With the wheels disengaged from the guide slots, the oven rack is readily removable from the oven cavity.
US07735477B2

An internal EGR control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of controlling the internal EGR amount with accuracy, when controlling the internal EGR by changing both the exhaust cam phase and the exhaust valve lift. An internal EGR control system for an internal combustion engine controls internal EGR in which combustion gases are caused to remain in a cylinder. An ECU sets a target cam phase serving as a target of the exhaust cam phase, and controls a variable exhaust cam phase mechanism such that the exhaust cam phase becomes equal to the target cam phase. ECU 2 sets a target lift of an exhaust valve according to a detected actual cam phase and calculated valve-closing timing, and controls a variable exhaust valve lift mechanism such that the lift of the exhaust valve becomes equal to the target lift.
US07735473B2

A connection head structure of a high pressure fuel injection tube is provided to avoid an interference between an annular flange and an opposing part by sufficiently maintaining an tube axial direction length of the connection head and to obtain a good sealability to prevent leaking during autofrettage processing with a high pressure of not less than 300 MPa. A connection head structure of a high pressure fuel injection tube includes, on a connection end portion of a thick walled fine steel tube, a spherical seat face, an annular flange, and a circular conic face that continuously extends from the seat face, wherein a washer and a fastening nut are assembled, characterized in that when a thick walled fine steel tube has t (wall thickness)/D (outer diameter)<0.3, an tube axial direction distance L1 from a connection head end to the back face of the annular flange is from 0.38 D to 0.7 D, a spherical body radius R of the seat face is from 0.45 D to 0.65 D, and an outer diameter D1 of the annular flange is from 1.2 D to 1.4 D, wherein an inner circumferential face of the connection head includes a two stage tapered face having a cross section outline in a tube axial direction of the steel tube that broadens toward the aperture of the tube.
US07735467B2

An engine wherein a progressive throttle body includes two side by side throttle bores with throttle blades of equal size. A primary throttle opens from closed to an idle position with slowly increasing flow providing excellent idle and low engine speed air control. A secondary throttle opens slightly after the idle airflow position of the primary throttle and then opens more quickly, equaling the primary throttle opening near half throttle. Thereafter, the throttles open together, raising the airflow to maximum when both throttles are fully open. Both throttles are driven by a single electronically controlled motor or other actuator through two gearboxes that provide the varying flow curves. Throttle position sensors on both throttle shafts feed back throttle positions to an electronic controller to provide needed data for electronic throttle control in response to throttle commands. Additional features are disclosed.
US07735457B2

The invention relates to an apparatus for helping an animal, primarily a four-legged animal (such as a pet dog or cat), also possibly a human child, escape from a body of water onto a water-adjacent elevated surface. The apparatus is deployed facing the water at an edge of the elevated surface. The apparatus comprises a deck anchor component, fillable with liquid for weight, and, preferably, a friction means to reduce slipping on the elevated surface. The apparatus also comprises a stair component hingedly connected to the anchor component for rotation between lowered, raised, and folded positions. The stair component comprises at least one stair step to be submerged while the stair component is in the lowered position with the anchor component resting on the elevated surface. The animal can escape to the elevated surface by placing its feet (preferably, rear paws) on the step and thrusting upwardly. And, preferably, while drained and in the folded position, the apparatus is light and compact enough for it to be carried, preferably by a built-in handle, and stored.
US07735454B1

A dispenser-tube deer feeder having a feeder tube (1), a feeder lid (2), a feeder wall (3) and a feeder floor (4) has at least one dispenser tube (5) sized to receive a deer snout, but not larger animal snouts. The dispenser tube is extended laterally from the feeder tube proximate the feeder floor. A dispenser (13, 18, 19) in conveyance communication from the feeder tube to the dispenser tube can be structured for allowing select constituencies of granular or liquid feed to be dispensed into the dispenser tube for deer to eat. A positioner (29, 30, 31,) is provided for positioning the dispenser tube a predetermined distance above a ground surface for access by deer but not shorter animals with snouts the same size or smaller than deer snouts. At least one positioner attachment (10, 25) is provided for attaching the feeder tube to a central post, a side post or an overhanging tree or structure.
US07735449B1

A stent fixture for supporting a stent during the application of a coating substance is provided.
US07735444B1

A boarding aid assists a person in embarking on and disembarking from a deployed inflatable dinghy over the bow of the dinghy. A handgrip bar is supported by a support structure selectively coupled with the dinghy so as to be placed over the bow of the dinghy, with the handgrip bar spaced above the bow at an elevated position which renders the handgrip accessible for ready grasping by a person remaining essentially erect as the person steps aboard or leaves the dinghy. Upon selective uncoupling of the support structure from the dinghy, the support structure and the handgrip bar will be released for stowing apart from the dinghy.
US07735442B2

The invention relates to a method and to a device for producing a boat-type body (10) of a water sport device. According to the invention, a rotating frame (12), which is pre-formed about an access opening of the boat-like body (10), is arranged on an inner side of a negative mould. The outer shape of the boat-type body (10) is predetermined, essentially, by the innerside of the negative mould. The boat-like body (10) is produced in the inner side of the mould by means of a thermoplastic shaping method. During the shaping process, at least one part of the surface of the rotating frame (12) is in contact with the boat-like body (10) which is formed by the thermoplastic shaping method. The invention also relates to a water sport device.
US07735439B1

A system for quilting fabric materials includes a quilter unit having a reciprocating needle bar with a series of needles spaced therealong and carrying a series of threads for forming quilted patterns in fabric materials passing below the needles. The quilted fabric materials then can be collected on a supply roll or fed to a panel cutter downstream from the quilter unit. The panel cutter can include a panel cutting blade for cutting the quilted material in different panel lengths or sizes, as well as a series of slitting blades that can be moved into engagement with the quilted material for forming strips of the quilted material in desired widths.
US07735435B2

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a smelt spout of a boiler is provided. The boiler includes a boiler wall defining an outlet port for discharging molten smelt and the smelt spout is positioned with respect to the outlet port so that the molten smelt is able to flow along the smelt spout. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning tool having a pair of cleaning blades generally aligned with respective side walls of the smelt spout and an actuating assembly configured to move the cleaning blades from a first position to a second position. The cleaning blades each engage the respective side walls of the smelt spout to dislodge hardened smelt deposits therefrom when in the cleaning blades are in the second position.
US07735433B1

A laboratory station has rear legs and front legs which supports a table top. Utilities can be run through the rear legs and superior connections over prior art techniques are believe to be provided with preferred embodiments. Fillet nuts are believed to useful to provide increased stability over prior art designs for retaining the table top to the legs. Furthermore, a backsplash is useful in some embodiments where a single pair of rear legs are not utilized for back to back laboratory station constructions.
US07735432B2

A vehicle-mounted display elevating device comprising a display rack for mounting a display, and being provided with a threaded structure; a screw rod, engaging with the threaded structure; a gear transmission pair for coupling the output shaft of a motor with the screw rod; a guide bar carrier, one end of which is connected to the base support, and on which lower guide bars are provided; upper guide bars located in the display rack; and a stop block, on which are provided with lower guide holes and upper guide holes, and stoppers. The vehicle-mounted display elevating device is provided with anti-clamping and self-protection functions, and can be fixed inside an instrument panel, thus reducing the possibility that the display is damaged due to long time exposure.
US07735421B2

Reusable printing forms and thermal image setting on the printing forms is optimized in terms of performance. A method for manufacturing the printing form, in particular a rewritable printing form, having a thermally insulating layer, is distinguished by the fact that the thermally insulating layer is produced by the configuration of individual layers to form a layer sequence as a multilayer system. A printing form which is manufactured by the method according to the invention can have images set on it with a low power image setting device, as it is possible to effectively prevent heat from dissipating in an undesirably pronounced manner, for example into a metallic carrier.
US07735413B2

A device for brewing beer, particularly a wort pan (1), with a container body (2) to receive a wort reservoir (3), the device containing an internal boiler (4) arranged in the container body (2), which is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guiding screen (8). A wort forced flow (10) provided with a pump is also provided, which runs through the boiler (4). In order to increase the efficiency of the device, the wort forced flow (10) has a thin-layer distributor (17) for the wort, which contains a pipe subsection (11b) connected with the pump, which subsection leads above the guiding screen (8) via an outlet opening (13) with reduced outlet cross-section into the container body (2). Above the outlet opening (13), a flow-guiding baffle surface (15) is provided, at which the flow arrives from below, to deflect the liquid towards the wort reservoir (3).
US07735409B1

A conversion kit and method for converting the RUGER® 10/22® semi-automatic .22 caliber rim fire rifle to shoot .17 HM 2 cartridges utilizes the original bolt in the receiver and replaces the bolt operating handle with increased weight to replace the original bolt handle along with a .17 caliber barrel to permit the modified rifle to safely fire, eject and reload the .17 caliber cartridges.
US07735407B2

A method of applying, through spray on, extruded or flow-on application, a projectile resistant material. The method includes selecting an epoxy, selecting a fiber, selecting a ratio for combining the epoxy and the fiber, based on the ratio, combining the epoxy and the fiber to form a malleable projectile resistant type material, and applying the material. The projectile resistant material includes an epoxy and several fibers. The fibers are mixed within the epoxy based on a predetermined ratio. The predetermined ratio is for determining the projectile resistance of the material. The fibers are randomly disposed within the epoxy.
US07735403B2

Embodiments of an alignment system for a table saw are disclosed, wherein the table saw has a rotatable blade that extends through its table top, the table top having spaced indicia oriented in a direction parallel to the plane of the blade, comprising an elongated fence having first and second end portions, at least the first end portion having a mechanism for securing the fence on the table saw, an elongated portion attached to the first end portion and extending over the table top, the fence being normally oriented so that the elongated portion is parallel to the plane of the blade and being laterally adjustable relative to the blade, at least two light emitting units mounted on the fence at spaced locations along the length of the fence, each unit configured to direct light on a first side of the fence toward the indicia and enable an observer to determine if the fence is oriented parallel to the indicia.
US07735401B2

A cutting tool having a cutting portion located proximate to one end. The cutting tool including a recessed chip flute formed along the shank of the tool away from the cutting edge. The tool includes a chamfering cartridge which is clamped to the tool shank along the chip flute. The chamfering cartridge performs a chamfering or deburring operation while allowing chips from the cutting portion to pass through the flute and away from the tool and workpiece.
US07735399B2

A device having an adjustable handle and head is provided, and the device comprises: a pair of handles having opposing top and bottom ends, the top end of each of the handles having a U-shaped component; a head comprising a first and second component, each of the components having opposing top and bottom ends, the top end of each of the components having at least one contact surface, the bottom end of each of the components comprising a protrusion, and the protrusion has a plurality of external slots; the U-shaped component of the handles are designed to interact with the protrusion of the bottom end of each of the first and second components of the head, and the first and second components are connected at a pivot point; and a device for engaging the slots of the protrusion to thereby allow movement of the head and lock the head to a desired position, and the handles are designed to be squeezed together to thereby allow the contact surfaces of the first and the second top ends of the first and second components to move towards one another.
US07735395B2

An electronic communication wire connecting an input speed sensor and a computer controller in a transmission system is provided. The electronic communication wire connects at one end to the input speed sensor through a first aperture in the transmission case and at the other end to the computer controller through a second aperture in the transmission case. Thus, the electronic communication wire is attached at both ends to internal devices but it partially exists external to the transmission case along the length of the electronic communication wire. The connection between the electronic communication wire and the input speed sensor is sealed with at least a single O-ring while the connection between the electronic communication wire and the computer controller is sealed with at least a pair of O-rings. A method of electronically connecting the input speed sensor and the computer controller externally of the transmission case is also provided.
US07735394B2

The present invention provides a tractor which can prevent leaking of oil. In a tractor which forms a transmission casing by communicably connecting a plurality of cylindrical casings in the fore-and-aft direction, a shaft-support-wall forming body is detachably mounted on an inner peripheral portion of an end portion of one cylindrical casing, and end surfaces of the cylindrical casing are brought into face contact with each other and are connected with each other without interposing the shaft-support-wall forming body therebetween.
US07735393B2

A brake pedal apparatus including: (a) an operating pedal disposed pivotably about a first axis; (b) a pivot member disposed pivotably about a second axis and connected to the operating pedal via a link mechanism so as to be pivoted about the second axis in response to a depressing operation of the operating pedal; and (c) an output member for receiving an output generated by pivot motion of the pivot member. The link mechanism includes (i) a first connecting link connecting the operating pedal and the pivot member with first play, and (ii) a second connecting link connecting the operating pedal and the pivot member with second play. In a first region before a characteristic switching point of a pedal stroke of the operating pedal, the pivot member is pivoted through the first connecting link, while a lever ratio is changed according to a first lever ratio characteristic. In a second region beyond the characteristic switching point, the pivot member is pivoted through the second connecting link, while the lever ratio is changed according to a second lever ratio characteristic.
US07735392B2

A thumb-twist throttle control device for vehicles includes a control device housing, a twist-type throttle control device mounted thereon which includes a rotatable handle and a thumb-type throttle control device mounted thereon generally adjacent the twist-type throttle control device, the thumb-type throttle control device including an outwardly-extending lever pivotably mounted on the control device housing. A throttle control device control mechanism is operatively interposed between the twist-type and the thumb-type throttle control device and the throttle of the vehicle and is operative to select one of the twist-type and the thumb-type throttle control device and to operatively connect the selected one of the twist-type and the thumb-type throttle control device to the throttle of the vehicle for operation thereof, with each control device being independently operable to control the throttle yet are not simultaneously operable, i.e. only one may control the throttle at any one time.
US07735391B2

To provide a steering device for tilt and telescopic adjustments in which the locked condition can be made stronger, and when unlocked, tilt and telescopic adjustment can be smoothly carried out.A steering device, comprising: a fixed bracket having fixed side parts on both sides in the width direction; a movable bracket arranged between the fixed side parts; a friction plate fixed and oppositely arranged with a suitable gap with respect to at least one of the two fixed side parts of the fixed bracket; and a friction washer that is inserted between the fixed side part and the friction plate. A lock bolt passes through for connecting the fixed bracket, the movable bracket, the friction plate, and the friction washer to be freely locked and unlocked.
US07735389B2

An input system includes an input shaft portion, including a first and second input shafts, bearings, rotatably supporting the input shaft portion; and clutches, for transmitting rotational power to the first or second input shafts. An output system includes a first and second output shafts, and a plurality of driven gearwheels, which mesh with drive gearwheels of the first and second input shafts. Driven gearwheels for low gears disposed on the second output shaft are submerged in lubricating oil in an oil reservoir provided below the second output shaft. Drive gearwheels for low gears are disposed adjacent to the bearings. Tooth width dimensions of the drive gearwheels for the low gears are larger than tooth width dimensions of the driven gearwheels for the low gears. Exposed tooth width portions of the drive gearwheels constitute oil splashing portions which splash lubricating oil splashed by the driven gearwheels on to the bearings.
US07735387B2

A selector drive for automatic manual transmissions has an electric motor, the rotational motion of which can be transmitted to the selector mechanism for the selection of a selector position by way of a mechanical transmission chain. An electric motor (1) of the mechanical transmission chain is an electric motor with defined step width, whereby the required step number for the selection of the selector position in the selector mechanism can be determined through fixed geometrical conditions or distances according to the stipulations of the individual step angle of the electric motor and the distance between the selector positions.
US07735376B2

Embodiments of shaft torque profiling apparatuses and methods of use are generally described herein. In one embodiment, a method for determining the torsional stiffness of a least a portion of a shaft comprises: immobilizing a first portion of the shaft; immobilizing a second portion of the shaft to define a first region between the first portion and the second portion; rotating a first portion of the first region about an axis of the shaft; and measuring a rotation of the first portion of the first region. Other embodiments herein may be described and claimed.
US07735371B2

The invention relates to a dynamic pressure probe for universal use, which enables different types of mounting of the connection lines without complex adapters and/or round arches. The dynamic pressure probe comprises a probe head inside of which channels run, which lead to the part of the probe that, during a measurement, is located in the medium to be measured, and which lead to adapters mounted on the probe head, said probe head having a rectangular cross-section. The axes of the channels are located on the diagonals that run between two corners of the probe head, and the channels can be reached from two outer surfaces of the probe head via transversal boreholes.
US07735370B2

A method for non-destructive testing of a drive shaft that is accessible by only one of its ends in longitudinal waves, using a multi-element annular ultrasonic transducer. Such a transducer consists of independent elements that can be excited by electrical pulses of the same frequency, but for which different electronic phase shifts will be applied, in the invention, to the pulses transmitted to the elements. Such an electronic phase shift allows the focussing or deflection of a final beam synthesized by all the elements constituting the transducer, the said final beam being concentrated to adopt a generally cylindrical shape with a cross-section that is far smaller than the cross-section of the shaft to be tested and is highly energetic over a long distance due to the waveguide effect created by the cylindrical geometry of the shaft.
US07735369B2

A part holder for immersion ultrasonic testing having a solid buffer material with acoustic properties that match the immersion fluid is disclosed. Test systems and methods are also disclosed.
US07735367B2

A wheel balancer includes a microprocessor configured to receive data associated with a vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly imbalance from at least one sensor, and to identify optimal correction weight plane locations, as well as to present the operator with the imbalance correction weight arrangement. The microprocessor is further configured to control a projection display system disposed to project a two-dimensional image onto a surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly, to facilitate completion of a wheel imbalance correction procedure.
US07735360B2

Method for determining the reversal of the direction of engine rotation for internal combustion engines having a crankshaft fitted with a target wheel having teeth, one of which is a long tooth, with a unidirectional crankshaft position sensor delivering a signal used for counting teeth and with an engine management device including a processor and a model of the engine behavior in a stalling phase, including: recording the signal and measuring each time difference between two successive edges of the signal, calculating, on the basis of the model, the time variation of the engine position from the time differences between the edges of the signal, and estimating the stopped position of the engine, wherein the model is a second-order polynomial function of time, and the position of reversal of the direction of rotation is estimated from the calculation of the peak position of this second-order polynomial function.
US07735356B2

A measuring apparatus of submergence aggregate according to the present invention comprising a stock bin for storing fine aggregate, a fine aggregate feed hopper placed under the stock bin, a vibrating feeder placed under a discharge opening of the fine aggregate feed hopper, a screen device placed in the vicinity of an exit of the vibrating feeder, a measurement tank placed under the screen device, an electrode-type displacement sensor as means for measuring a water level placed above the measurement tank, and load cells as mass measuring means for measuring a mass of the measurement tank.
US07735353B2

A method and apparatus for imparting oscillatory motion on a test sample is disclosed in which oscillators, preferably in tubular form, are surrounded by housings. An actuator causes deforming of the housings, and the deforming movement is linked to the oscillators.
US07735351B2

A system measures an amount of wear in athletic footwear by measuring the amount of shock transmitted to a user. The measured shock is used to indicate an amount of how much cushioning has been lost by the footwear. The amount of wear is proportional to the loss of cushioning and an increase in transmitted shock to the user.
US07735350B2

Determining shot peening intensity by affixing a Almen test strip to a shot peening surface, removing the peened strip from the shot peening surface, measuring an arc height of the shot peened strip, and determining peening intensity on the surface from the measured arc height. The strip may be affixed with an adhesive such as rubber cement and may be a sub-size strip cut from a full size Almen strip. The arc heights of the sub-size strip may be correlated to arc heights of the standard strips. A sub-size strip may be affixed to and a full size standard strip may be mounted on a peening surface of a block and be simultaneously shot peened. Arc heights may be measured on a gage having support means for holding both strips.
US07735349B2

A calibration apparatus includes a motion assembly, which is arranged to move an imaging probe through a calibration point having known coordinates. The imaging probe includes an ultrasound transducer and a position sensor for acquiring concurrently a first sequence of ultrasound images and a second sequence of position measurements. The apparatus further includes a marking circuit, which is arranged to mark an ultrasound image that is acquired by the ultrasound transducer in the first sequence when the imaging probe is at the calibration point. A processor is arranged to calibrate a time offset between the first and second sequences by associating the marked ultrasound image in the first sequence with a position measurement in the second sequence whose coordinates match the coordinates of the calibration point.
US07735337B2

An arcuate-shaped ring guard for use in combination with a circular finger ring for reducing the interior circumference of the finger ring. The arcuate-shaped ring guard includes an arcuate ring reducer member being substantially crescent shaped. The ring reducer member includes an outer curved perimeter wall surface, and an interior wall surface, and opposing side wall surfaces for forming the ring reducer member. The arcuate-shaped ring guard further includes a pair of offset adjustable flange members that are attached to each of the opposing side wall surfaces of the ring reducer member in a spaced-apart and in an offset manner. Each of the offset adjustable flange members includes a first end and a second end. Each of the second ends of the offset adjustable flange members are placed adjacent to and in contact with the exterior band surface of the finger ring and are wrapped around the exterior band surface of the finger ring. The outer curved perimeter wall surface is placed adjacent to and in contact with the interior band surface of the finger ring. The interior wall surface is placed adjacent to and in contact with the skin on the under surface of the wearer's finger in order to provide a snug fit.
US07735336B2

A locking mechanism for jewelry, purses and other accessories is provided. The locking mechanism comprises first and second magnetically attracted surfaces and a collar. The second magnetically attracted surface is adapted for magnetic coupling to the first magnetically attracted surface. The collar is hingeably coupled to either the first or second magnetically attracted surfaces and is operable between an open position and a closed position. When the first and second magnetically attracted surface are magnetically coupled one to the other, and the collar is in the closed position, at least a portion of the collar surrounds a perimeter of the first and second magnetically attracted surfaces.
US07735333B2

An air conditioning and refrigeration system includes a compressor, a four-way valve, two delivering guide pipes joined to two lateral sides of the four-way valve, two thermal compensation devices and two heat exchangers. Even if the air conditioner is a window type in association with a rotary compressor, the purpose of slow running with fast temperature reduction can be reached by means of doubling refrigerant filling and flow process regulation. Meanwhile, hi/lo pressure ratio 4:1 (cool room) or 8:1 even higher (warm room) is the most novel design of the air conditioner and it is capable of secure the indoor comfort. Besides, in case of the present invention being applied to the refrigeration system, the four-way valve inverse direction of the refrigerant being changed to enhance the efficiency thereof without using tungsten filament for defrosting.
US07735316B1

This embodiment of this exhaust apparatus relates to an air intake device and a rotating blade assembly (50 and 51) which significantly reduce greenhouse gases, hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen emissions and other gases and pollutants not yet required to be tested, exhaust noise and temperature of the exhaust gases. By its chilling effect it also improves the efficiency of an internal combustion engine. An electric motor drive shaft (69) is coupled to the drive shaft (67) at the rear of the unit. The drive shaft (66) is attached to the centrifuge and rotating blade assembly (51) creating a vacuum which draws chilled exhaust gases into the unit. The vacuum helps to cool the engine and chill the gases. The gases are mixed and the resultant gaseous mixture exits from the blades into a mixture of exhaust gases (43) and chilled air (35), making a chilled air and exhaust gas mixture (58) exiting through a discharge port in the rear of the unit (65). The test results demonstrated significant reductions in greenhouse gases and exhaust gas emissions and significantly reduced engine exhaust temperature.
US07735300B2

A process for hot filling a container with a sterilized liquid, generally at a temperature that is between 60 to 95° C. An embodiment of the process includes (a) providing a container that is made of a polymer and following a process that can make it able to withstand the hot filling of said liquid; (b) filling the container with said hot liquid; (c) closing the filled container immediately after filling; (d) allowing the container to cool at least below a transition temperature that is on the order of from 40° C. to 50° C. and forming a depression inside the container, resulting in visible deformation; and (e) heating the container to bring about a relief of the residual stresses, whereby this relief leads to a shrinkage and consecutively generates an internal pressurization that compensates for at least the deformation undergone by the effects of the depression of stage (d).
US07735292B2

A masonry cavity wall structure includes a cast-in-place reinforced concrete structural wall member erected between and in confronting engagement with the outer side of a first, inner masonry wythe and the inner side of an outwardly spaced-away, upstanding wall of rigid insulation panels supported by wire tie members in embedded engagement in the mortar joints of the inner wythe, the inner wythe and tie-supported insulation panels also being used during construction of the cavity wall to provide the supporting concrete formwork for the poured structural wall member. A second, outer veneer wythe is erected a predetermined spaced distance outwardly from the insulation panels and forms an airspace cavity therebetween, the wire tie members also engaged in the mortar joints of the second, outer wythe whereby to structurally tie the masonry cavity wall together. The placement of the cast-in-place reinforced structural wall immediately adjacent the inner wythe and inwardly of the insulation provides maximum thermal mass qualities of the cavity wall construction.
US07735291B2

A corner flashing system is provided for sealing the corners of recessed window frames against moisture penetration. In a preferred embodiment, the system comprises first and second double-flap members, a half-cube member, and caulking. The first and second double-flap members, and the half-cube member are preferably made of asphalt or petroleum based material. In another preferred embodiment, the system comprises one double-flap member, a modified half-cube member, and caulking. In another preferred embodiment, the system comprises a single member that combines a double-flap member and a half-cube member, and caulking. In another preferred embodiment, the system comprises a combination member, a double-flap member, and caulking.
US07735275B2

Various embodiments of the invention are directed to an elevated batten system that includes a horizontal batten strip to which cylindrical-shaped pads are coupled. The pads elevate the horizontal batten strip above the roof deck surface, preventing water and debris from gathering on the roof deck surface and eliminating the need to install the vertical and horizontal battens in separate steps. Other various embodiments of the invention are directed to an elevated batten system that includes a horizontal batten strip to which pads are coupled that define a depressed portion. The depressed portion receives a fastener for coupling each pad to the horizontal batten strip, and in some embodiments, prevents irregularities in the height of the horizontal batten strip relative to the roof deck surface when installed on the roof deck surface.
US07735274B2

Hydraulic cement compositions that include a carbonate compound composition, e.g., a salt-water derived carbonate compound composition containing crystalline and/or amorphous carbonate compounds, are provided. Also provided are methods of making and using the hydraulic cements, as well as settable compositions, such as concretes and mortars, prepared therefrom. The cements and compositions produced therefrom find use in a variety of applications, including use in a variety of building materials and building applications.
US07735264B2

A motor vehicle door has a door body formed from a door inner part and a door outer panel fastened thereto. The door body has a shaft opening for a window shaft located inside the door body, and a shaft reinforcement fastened to the door inner part. The reinforcement extends below the shaft opening and supports the door outer panel via a downwardly bent flange of the door outer panel. A window seal for the shaft opening is received in a fastening groove formed by an upright longitudinal web of the shaft reinforcement and the downwardly bent flange.
US07735261B2

A preferred embodiment of a self-locking door assembly includes a door whose hinged-side connects to one side of a door frame by at least one hinge having two pivot joints. One of the pivot joints is mounted to the door frame and the other is mounted to the inside of the door. The free end of the door carries a latch member which engages an underside of the opposite side of the door frame when the door is partially or fully closed. After the latch engages the frame, forcing the hinged side of the door closed causes the hinge to toggle, holding the door closed under force and takes up play in the pivot joints and/or latch. For security, the pivot joints and latch are concealed when the door assembly is closed.
US07735258B2

The present invention provides a bait station and method for securing it using a receptacle for holding a weight to weight a bait enclosure and by stakes formed as a unitary part of the enclosure for securing the enclosure.
US07735255B1

An adjustable accessory mounting clamp for mounting an accessory to an accessory rail, including a primary locking arm; a secondary locking arm; a threaded adjustment rod that is anchored, at a first end, to the primary locking arm, extends through an aperture in the secondary locking arm, and is threadedly coupled to a cam lever pin of a cam lever, wherein the cam lever includes at least one caming surface, such that when the cam lever is in a closed position, the caming surface contacts an outer surface portion of the secondary locking arm to provide tension to the threaded adjustment rod; such that a distance between the primary locking claw and the secondary locking claw is adjusted to accommodate varying width accessory mounting rails.
US07735254B2

A weapon (104) including a stock, a barrel assembly (105) slidably mounted on said stock whereby, on discharging said weapon, the barrel assembly (105) slidably recoils relative to said stock, and a damper (107) for decelerating the recoiling barrel assembly, wherein said barrel assembly (105) includes a plurality of projectiles axially disposed within a barrel (108) wherein each of said projectiles is associated with a discrete propellant charge for propelling said projectile from the barrel. Suitably the weapon further includes a breech block (109) which slidably recoils relative to said stock and a further damper (106) for decelerating the recoiling breech block.
US07735235B2

A fastening device is provided and a method of using same is provided. The fastening device includes a male member having a having a projection on a first side and a securing means on a second opposing side. A female member configured to receive the male member detachably secures the female member onto the male member. The securing means on the second opposing side of the male member is configured to mate with a corresponding securing member so as to detachably fasten the male member onto the corresponding securing member. A detachable fastening device for detachably fastening a material onto an object is also provided.
US07735233B2

A measuring apparatus for measuring a workpiece (2), comprising a turntable (1) for receiving the workpiece (2), a base plate (3) with a turntable bearing, and a foundation (12) on which the base plate (3) rests. The turntable (1) comprises a vertical shaft (W) which is situated beneath the turntable (1) and is held by means of the turntable bearing in the base plate (3). The turntable baring comprises an axial bearing (9) at a bottom face end (13) of the shaft (W) which is spaced from the turntable (1). The shaft (W) is rotatably held on the axial bearing in such a way that the weight (G) of the workpiece (2), when received by the turntable (1), is introduced into the foundation (12) through the turntable (1), the shaft (W) and the axial bearing (9).
US07735229B2

A level tool comprising a body including at least one vial opening that defines a bore surface and a vial positioned at least partially within the at least one vial opening and directly supported by the body, wherein the bore surface is configured to enhance the visibility of the vial and the bore surface comprises a reflective surface finish.
US07735226B2

A structural element includes: at least one hollow metallic body (4) with a closed cross-section, an external surface (24), and at least one adhesion lug (22) formed on the external surface (24); and at least one plastic body (6) which is moulded over the metallic body, covering the external surface (24) of the metallic body in such a way as to at least partially cover the adhesion lug (22) in order to connect the plastic body (6) to the metallic body (4). According to one aspect of the invention, the adhesion lug (22) protrudes over the external surface (24) of the metallic body (4), the adhesion lug (22) being closed, connected to the metallic body (4), and having an undercut (40) in relation to the external surface (24) of the metallic body (4). The inventive structural element can be applied to the front of motor vehicles.
US07735224B2

Systems and methods of applying an ozone-depleting catalytic coating to an air stream component for producing a durable surface with optimal ozone depletion characteristics are provided. An air stream component having a surface with favorable adhesive properties or coatings is exposed to a concentration of ozone-depleting catalytic particles, wherein the receptive surface of the coated substrate binds the ozone-depleting catalytic coating.
US07735223B2

A method of fabricating or reparing a blisk (10) that comprises a plurality of blades (14) attached to the outer periphery of a disc (12). Blades (14) are formed separately from the disc (12) and are attached to stubs (13) on the disc (12) by friction welding. A metal powder, such as titanium, is sprayed onto the stubs (13) to reinforce them during the friction welding process. Once the stub (13) has been coated with the powder spray, plates (20) are fastened on the disc (12) between which the sprayed coating (18) is clamped. The plates (20) restrain the sprayed coating (18) to prevent delamination during friction welding. Once each of the blades (14) has been welded onto the respective stubs (13) the clamping plates (20) are removed and the sprayed coating (18) is machined away.
US07735210B2

A process of machining outer joint parts (11) and inner joint parts (21) of constant velocity universal ball joints, which outer joint parts (11) and inner joint parts (21) each comprise a longitudinal axis and a number of ball tracks (12), wherein the ball tracks are each arranged circumferentially in pairs (121, 122), whose central track lines are positioned in planes (E1, E2, E3, E4) extending parallel relative to one another, wherein the pairs of ball tracks (12) are machined by rotating disc tools (16) whose axes of rotation (R) perpendicularly intersect the respective longitudinal axis at a distance from one another and are held and guided coaxially relative to one another.
US07735209B2

A method and an apparatus for the attachment of a fastener element to a component, for example a sheet metal part, wherein the fastener element has an axis of symmetry, a head part having a contact surface which enters into contact with the component, a fastening section having a thread and also at least one undercut which receives the material of the component, and wherein the material of the component is pressed against the contact surface and into the undercut by means of a first tool having a die button shape matching the design of the fastener element, are characterized in that a local force is exerted on the head part of the fastener element or onto the tool to the side of the axis of symmetry and is moved circularly around the axis of symmetry while simultaneously carrying out a relative feed movement between the tool and the fastener element between which the component is arranged in order to press the material of the component into the undercut.
US07735197B2

A hinge for circumrotatory location includes a base, a locating gasket defining a pair of recesses thereon, a top cover defining a third groove in a bottom thereof. The base has a first groove, a second groove above the first groove. A retention slot connects the second groove and has two retention edges. A stop block is rotatably mounted in the retention slot and stretches into the second groove. The retention edges are capable of stopping the stop block. A pair of locating slots corresponding to the recesses are centrosymmetrically defined in the fundus of the third groove. A protrusion protrudes from the bottom of the top cover and adjacent to the third groove. The top cover lies above the locating gasket which is fitted to the first groove. The protrusion rotates around the second groove and is capable of being against two sides of the stop block.
US07735193B2

A spring hinge for spectacles is described having a hinge part (1) guided displaceably in a bow-side housing (2) in the bow longitudinal direction and having a U-shaped sliding part (4), which projects from the hinge part (1) in the displacement direction and engages in a housing recess (3), and which receives a coiled spring (14) between its two legs (6), whose hinge-side end is supported on a buttress (13) belonging to the housing (2) and whose diametrically opposite end is supported on the web (5) connecting the two legs (6) of the U-shaped sliding part (4), the hinge part (1) having the sliding part (4) comprising a passage opening (16) running in the longitudinal direction of the coiled spring (14). In order to achieve advantageous construction conditions, it is suggested that the buttress (13) be screwed through the passage opening (16) of the hinge part (1) running coaxially to the coiled spring (14) into a female thread (11) of the housing (2) which is coaxial to the coiled spring (14).
US07735192B2

An extended travel balance including a channel having a first end and a second end, a bottom pulley connected at the second end of the channel, and a bottom guide connectable at a location between the first end and the bottom pulley, and preferably between the bottom pulley and fixed pulleys of the end carriage. The bottom guide and top guide are not part of the tensioned parts in the channel and can, therefore, be stored separately from the channel with its tensioned parts—e.g., springs, pulleys, and pulley cord. Multiple bottom guide and top guide configurations can be mated to the channel with its tensioned parts without interfering with the operation of either. Fixed pulleys and bottom pulley of the end carriage are advantageously connected by an intermediate tensioned connector with all said parts held in tension between and by the connection of the bottom pulley to the tensioned pulley cord and the connection of the bottom pulley to the second end of the channel. The bottom guide in the preferred embodiment straddles said intermediate tensioned connector when connected to the channel.
US07735189B2

The invention is directed to a hanger device used to suspend hanging materials such as curtains, shower curtains, or other sheet-like materials from a horizontally suspended rod to provide a barrier or for decorative purposes. In a preferred embodiment, the hanger device comprises a body portion having first and second ends; an extending member connected to and extending from each of the first and second ends; and, a fixed or removable decorative element having a connector portion and a cover portion for attaching to one or both extending members, wherein when a plurality of hanging materials are suspended from the hanger device, a top portion of the hanging materials is coupled to each opposed extending member, such that the hanging materials are positioned between the decorative elements and the body portion.
US07735178B2

Methods and apparatus for cleaning according to various aspects of the present invention include a cleaner and a lighting system. The cleaner, such as a handheld cleaner like a brush or lint roller, cleans the item or area to be cleaned. The lighting system illuminates the area or item to be cleaned. In one embodiment, the lighting system generates ultraviolet light to illuminate debris having phosphor materials.
US07735170B1

The invention provides a stabilizing platform, a diaper changing pad which includes the stabilizing platform and a diaper changing bag.
US07735166B1

A multi-functional hammock assembly for providing user comfort and enjoyment may include first and second elongated rectilinear poles, a hammock, and first and second sleeves slidably positioned about the bottom ends of the first and second poles. The hammock assembly may further include at least one accessory and a mechanism for effectively anchoring the at least one accessory to the first and second poles. The assembly may further include a mechanism for synchronously rotating at least one of the first and second sleeves and the first and second poles about a centrally registered longitudinal axis passing through the one pole to thereby conveniently assist a user to penetrate the one sleeve into a ground surface.
US07735155B2

A pair of pants with attached skirt has first and second leg portions. Each of the leg portions has an inner side and an outer side. An abdominal portion has an upper end and a lower end and connects to the leg portions at the lower end. The abdominal portion has a waistband at the upper end. A skirt attaches to the waistband. When the pair of pants with attached skirt is worn, the skirt will cover a wearer's buttocks and thus provide modesty for the wearer. The skirt may surround the entire abdominal portion or may surround only the front or rear section of the abdominal portion. The skirt may be permanently or removably attached to the pants. The skirt may be formed at the rear as a pair of flaps meeting at a center point on the waistband.
US07735154B2

A protective ear appliance including two ear protectors with a band and a slidable coupling between the band and the ear protectors. The band encircles a portion of a wearer's head, has a curved shape with two ends and inner and outer curved surfaces. There is a slidable coupling between each of the ear protectors and the band so that each ear protector can slide independently with respect to the band to adjust the distance between the two ear protectors along the band so that the ear protectors can seat in the wearer's ears. The band can be formed with a central band hingedly coupled to the two end band portions. The ear protectors are coupled to the end band portions and slide relative to the end band portions. The protective ear appliance is designed to be worn with the central band around the back of the wearer's head.
US07735151B1

A safety vest is claimed and described. In preferred embodiments, the vest includes a front panel formed from a first section and a second section. The vest also includes a donning fastener having a first and second side. The first donning fastener side connects to the first section of the front panel. The vest also includes a safety fastener having a first safety fastener side and a second safety fastener side. In most embodiments, the first side of the safety fastener is positioned on the second donning fastener side. The second safety fastener side is connected to the second section of the front panel. The vest can be donned, secured, and removed with the donning fastener and, because of safety fasteners, will safely break away from a wearer under tension.
US07735150B2

A safety harness system to facilitate attachment and storage of a safety harness. The safety harness is secured to a garment to allow the safety harness to be removed and stored with the garment, thereby preventing entanglement and loss of the safety harness during removal and storage. By securing the safety harness to the garment, the safety harness is less likely to become tangled, lost or damaged during storage.
US07739741B2

A method and apparatus are disclosed which incorporate a system for enabling the adaptive modification of the security level of a node in a network based on software use of nodes in the network. The system is particularly applicable to dynamic network i.e. networks in which nodes may be mobile and in which the network topology is not constant.
US07739740B1

A polymorphic threat manager monitors an incoming email stream, and identifies incoming email messages to which executable files are attached. The polymorphic threat manager characterizes incoming executable files according to at least one metric. For example, the polymorphic threat manager can decompose an executable file into fragments, hash some or all of these, and use the hashes as characterization metrics. The polymorphic threat manager subsequently de-obfuscates executable files, and creates corresponding characterization metrics for the de-obfuscated images. The characterizations of executable files before and after de-obfuscation are compared, and if they differ sufficiently, the polymorphic threat manager determines that the file in question is polymorphic. The characterization metrics of such an executable file after de-obfuscation can be used as a signature for that file.
US07739739B2

An apparatus and program product initiate generation of a metafile at a client computer. The metafile is evaluated at a network server for a potential viral risk. Program code executing at the server may correlate the evaluated potential risk to a risk level stored in a database. The program code may attach a color designator or other assignment indicative of the assessed risk level to the data. A user at the client computer may act on the data based on the attached risk level.
US07739738B1

A robust and reliable mechanism is disclosed for detecting whether a system has (or may have) been booted into a compromised or otherwise unprotected environment, so that a persisted clean file cache can be used across boots when appropriate. As such security scanning of files. A clean file cache can be maintained and used by a security application to avoid unnecessarily re-scanning a file that has not been modified since last being scanned and determined clean. Unnecessary scans are therefore avoided.
US07739735B2

The invention relates to a system and method for efficient security runtime. If the same security demand for permissions occurs twice during the same code path (i.e. execution stack) the latter can be automatically turned (optimized) into a security assertion based on the former demand. A security runtime can determine which assertions to establish in a call stack, using declarative security information kept in an assembly metadata and based on execution history to know what has already been demanded for a specific stack frame. If the method being called has been allowed to execute before then a demand may be replaced with an assertion for the same permissions within the call stack. If that frame was executed then it means the security demand was successfully evaluated. Furthermore, if the permission evaluation result is known to be static (e.g., its result will not change) it can be determined that another check on the same permissions is not required higher on the stack, so this demand can safely be replaced by an assertion, which can effectively speed up the code execution without sacrificing security.
US07739733B2

Methods and systems for storing secret information in a digital vault include obtaining from a user answers to a number of different questions, and identifying which subsets or combinations of the questions for which correct answers later provided by an entity will enable that entity to gain access to the secret information in the vault. The number of questions in each combination is less than the total number of questions, and at least one subset has at least two questions. For each subset, a corresponding string of answers is generated, the string is hashed, and the resulting hash value is combined with the digital secret. This hides the digital secret, which is then stored in the vault. Methods and systems for registering authentication material include storing a hashed string of answers for each combination, generating “multiple authenticators.”
US07739732B2

A system comprises a processor, a display, an operating system executable on the processor and an executable application that is separate from the operating system. The operating system provides settings that can be used to control access to a removable storage medium. The application provides a graphical user interface (GUI) that permits a user to select a security setting from among a plurality of selectable security settings and that causes the operating system to implement the user-selected security settings to control access to the removable storage medium.
US07739728B1

End-to-end security is established automatically for network communications. In one embodiment a first host is associated with a policy manager that determines, for the first host, whether a secure session is permissible. If the secure session is determined to be permissible then the policy manager signals to intermediate devices in order to prompt establishment of SA/DA pinholes. In an alternative embodiment a neutral policy broker determines, for both first and second hosts, whether the secure session is permissible and signals to the intermediate devices to establish the pinholes if the secure session is permissible. In another embodiment the end-to-end session includes back-to-back tunnel mode sessions linked by at least one intermediate device. The intermediate device is operative to decrypt and re-encrypt traffic in the session, and may be configured by a policy manager or policy broker. Further, another security association can be nested in one or more segments of the session in a manner that permits one host to access a third host or secure resource which is shielded from the second host.
US07739722B2

A system for supporting security administration in a network system, includes a node-information memory storing node information indicative of security functions provided by hardwares and softwares of the network system, for each of the hardwares and each of the softwares, an input device which receives a set of rules as guidance relating to security of the network system, and topology information indicative of hardwares of the network system and softwares installed in each of the hardwares, and a correspondence maker which, based on the node information, makes correspondence between each of the rules and each of the hardwares or softwares indicated by the topology information.
US07739718B1

A system is described comprising: a local node to distribute multimedia content to a plurality of remote nodes; a power detection module to detect power usage of a multimedia device coupled to a first one of the remote nodes; a power analysis module to determine, based on the detected power usage, whether the multimedia device is in a first power state or a second power state; and a transmitter to transmit an indication of the detected state to the local node, the indication usable by the node to allocate multimedia processing resources across the plurality of remote nodes.
US07739716B2

While a client reproduces a moving picture, and fast-forward reproducing is carried out in the process of reproducing a moving picture based on a frame, the client transmits a search request to a server. The server searches for the frame of I picture based on a condition in the search request in the fast-forwarding direction (reproducing direction) from the frame. The server uses a search table it has. As a result of the search, the server sequentially extracts frames of I picture and transmits them to the client. The client reproduces the frames every time it receives one of them. Therefore, a network AV system allows the memory capacity of a client to be reduced as much as possible and capable of special reproducing such as fast-forward reproducing and reverse-reproducing.
US07739715B2

Systems and methods are described that support variable play speed control for media streams. The variable play speed control for media streams discussed herein provides an end-to-end solution for media stream delivery, playback, and user interface that enables end users and software developers to dynamically control the playback speed of media streams without losing the ability to comprehend the media content.
US07739705B2

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for using location information to manage spillover in an audience monitoring system are disclosed. In particular, the example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture detect spillover to generate media monitoring information. Initially, a first sensor located in a first location and a second sensor located in a second location receive a portable metering device signal. First location information is associated with receiving the portable metering device signal via the first sensor and second location information is associated with receiving the portable metering device signal via the second sensor. Media monitoring information is generated based on one of the first location information or the second location information.
US07739697B2

Web services are generated from an existing web site having web page based business processes or transactions. A script is generated representative of a user navigation sequence involved to perform the transaction. The script elements include the web application calls, input/output parameters, and/or the interrelation between the elements of the transaction. A WSDL file, web service interface code, and web service implementation code are generated from the navigation script, and may be published locally to the web site or on a remote site.
US07739696B2

Message translation systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a method for translating messages comprises reading a first sequence of one or more message elements from a first interface, wherein the message elements are structured based on a first protocol; converging on a message mapping node based on the first sequence of one or more message elements, wherein the message mapping node is defined by a protocol metadata schema; performing one or more conversion operations on the first sequence of one or more message elements to construct a second sequence of one or more message elements, wherein the one or more conversion operations are based on the message mapping node; and writing the second sequence of one or more message elements to a second interface.
US07739692B2

The present invention is directed to minimizing the dependency of source code on the characteristics of a set-top box's in-band (streaming video or audio) hardware. The set-top box software consists of a device driver layer, which is intimately aware of hardware characteristics, an application layer, which is relatively unaware of any hardware details, a middleware layer which is also relatively unaware of any hardware details, and a device translation layer (DTL). In the DTL, all of the translation between device abstractions to device driver calls that were formerly made in middleware are moved down to an engine manager. Middleware thus becomes device-independent with respect to in-band devices, and porting Middleware to new hardware becomes trivial.
US07739682B1

Methods and system for preventing or allowing an installer application from installing applications based on a comparison of the installer application actions to profiles and rules. The profiles and rules are established (and periodically updated) to identify a particular software installation process as undesirable and stop, it from occurring. An install blocker processes the profiles and rules and compares them against what the installer is trying to do as part of its installation process. If the installer is attempting to install an application deemed undesirable, the user could then be notified, provided all of the information about what the installer was trying to do, and provided choice to allow the installation to continue.
US07739679B2

An object ordering tool analyzes output from a linker to determine ordering of code objects in first and second firmware binary images. The tool produces a linker script file used by the linker to link the code objects of the second firmware binary image in a more optimal order for production of updating information used in the electronic device for updating firmware of the electronic device.
US07739670B2

A method and system for transforming information between data formats. According to one embodiment, a transformation engine receives an indication of an input data format and an output data format, identifies, based on the input data format, an input transformation program from a set of input transformation programs, each program in the set of input transformation programs configured to transform information arranged according to a distinct data format to a standard format, utilizes the identified input transformation program to transform an information source arranged according to the input data format to the standard format, identifies, based on the output data format, an output transformation program from a set of output transformation programs, each program in the set of output transformation programs configured to transform information arranged according to the standard format to a distinct data format, and utilizes the identified output transformation program to transform the information source arranged according to the standard format to the output data format.
US07739663B2

A method, system and program product for validating a runtime environment deployed across multiple computing systems is disclosed. The method includes generating, using a validation tool, a first set of checksums corresponding to message flows in a first instance of a runtime module deployed on a first system, the validation tool excluding in the first set of checksums generated any unique system data corresponding to the first system, while reading only common executable data of the runtime module. The method further includes running the validation tool on at least a second system for generating a second set of checksums corresponding to message flows in a second instance of the runtime module deployed on the second system. Further, the method includes comparing the second set of checksums to the first set of checksums to validate that the runtime module deployed on the second system is identical to the first system.
US07739657B2

A robust toolkit provides facilities that can be assembled in a modular manner to specify the fundamental architecture of a net-centric application. A bootstrapping process assembles various facilities within the architecture. A configuration facility defines an API for getting properties that can be defined in any number of different types of sources. A factory de-couples how a resource is produced from where the resource is used. A selector framework applies standard query language to contexts other than querying a database. A pipeline architecture defines a model view controller-like framework for a processing pipeline. Selectors are used to specify when certain portions of a Web conversation should be made available to a user. An authorization facility associates permissions with a user to specify which portions of an application a user is authorized to use.
US07739654B2

Exemplary techniques for model curation are described. In a described embodiment, a method comprises generating a manifest of a plurality of files corresponding to a design model; utilizing a revision control system to determine whether the generated manifest has changed relative to a previous version of the manifest; and if the generated manifest has changed, obtaining copies of the plurality of files to validate stability of the design model and curating the design model.
US07739643B2

In a semiconductor device, a method for reducing the effect of crosstalk from an aggressor line to a victim line begins with sensing the occurrence of a voltage change on the aggressor line that can induce a voltage pulse having a pulse magnitude that exceeds a pulse threshold on the victim line. The induced voltage pulse is counteracted by coupling the victim line to a counteracting voltage source. After a predetermined delay period, the coupling of the counteracting voltage source is removed from the victim line. The voltage change on the aggressor line my be sensed from a node connected to either the aggressor line or the victim line. A rising induced pulse is counteracted by coupling the victim line to a more negative voltage source, and a falling induced pulse is counteracted by coupling the victim line to a more positive voltage source.
US07739640B2

In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for static timing analysis in the presence of a coupling event and process variation. One embodiment of a method for computing a statistical change in delay and slew due to a coupling event between two adjacent nets in an integrated circuit design includes conducting a statistical timing analysis of the integrated circuit design, computing a statistical overlap window between the adjacent nets, where the statistical timing window represents a period of time during which signals on the adjacent nets can switch contemporaneously and computing the statistical change of delay due to the coupling event, in accordance with the statistical overlap window.
US07739639B2

A method and/or an apparatus of core timing prediction is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method may include generating a core timing model of a core logic that is accurately transferable to any chip-level integration process. The method may reduce performance degradation and/or performance variation of the core logic caused by a number of interactions between core logic components and chip-level components in the chip-level integration process. In addition, the core timing model of the core logic may be generated by filling un-wired tracks with metal in any of an outermost layer of the core logic after a core logic routing and constructing a layer at least an area of and adjacent to any of the outermost layer of the core logic with grounded metal that is orthogonal to those of the metal used in the outermost layer of the core logic.
US07739638B2

A circuit analyzing device includes: a peripheral input signal setting part configured to make a signal setting by a predetermined requirement for a peripheral input which does not logically affect operation of the predetermined circuit part, upon analyzing a signal delay in operation of a predetermined circuit part, and wherein: analysis is made for a signal propagation operation delay in operation of the predetermined circuit part, in consideration of influence of the signal input from the signal setting.
US07739633B2

Testing a model of a logic circuit model. The testing includes generating valid random input stimulus sequences for a logic circuit model. Enumerating critical resource requirements, enumerating critical resource availabilities does this, and selecting of stimulus sequences and determining legal times for execution of said stimulus sequences based on resource availability. This includes generating a plurality of possible combinations of input stimulus sequences and generating an array representation of critical resource requirements. These are used to generate an array representation of critical resources availabilities.
US07739630B1

Improving the timing and/or yield of a circuit design is disclosed. Timing and yield improvements are often competing objectives in circuit design since timing improvements typically result from reducing capacitive couplings and yield improvements typically increase capacitive couplings. Trade-offs between timing and yield improvements are consequently part of the circuit design and/or optimization process.
US07739607B2

Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from a module a request related to the modeling of the current state with the multiple state attributes. In such situations, the providing further includes, without further intervention related to the request by the module, determining that the request cannot currently be satisfied, and indicating to the module that the request cannot currently be satisfied, monitoring at later times after the indicating to determine whether the request can be satisfied, and indicating to the module that the request can be satisfied if it is determined at one of the later times that the request can currently be satisfied.
US07739597B2

The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates remote browsing, viewing, and manipulating any suitable number of media items from a host location. In particular, the invention involves pulling desired media items from one or more host locations to view and/or edit them on a remote interactive media display, thereby freeing up use of the host location/computer. The media items sent to the remote interactive media display via wireless or wired connection are easily edited, organized, and viewed in any suitable order, arrangement, and timed-cycle with respect to per item viewing as well as viewing of items coincident with a real time calendar. The media items can be annotated and otherwise modified from the remote display and saved to the host location. The remote interactive media frame also includes a local storage for storing media items, thereby facilitating portability of the media frame when disconnected from the host.
US07739595B2

A musical keyboard is connected to a computer. The computer implements a graphical user interface for teaching users to play the musical instrument. A computer readable music file, such as a MIDI file, is used to drive the creation of game objects that travel from a point of origination along a path toward a key of a virtual keyboard. In one form, when a user presses a key of the musical keyboard within a certain time window of arrival of the game object at the corresponding key of the virtual keyboard, the user is awarded with an audio presentation, a visual presentation and/or with game points. In a more structured learning mode, the game can be played with selectable, progressively more difficult challenges that the user masters on the road to proficiency.
US07739589B2

A method for extending markup supported by a browser can include a step of identifying a browser that presents information written in a markup language. An extender can be identified that includes at least one extension to the markup language that the browser does not normally support. The extender can be loaded resulting in the markup language supported by the browser being extended to include the extension.
US07739586B2

Markup-language documents are converted into compacted markup-language form by using a number of parameterized macros. A parameterized macro takes at least one parameter. When compacting markup-language documents, a sequence of elements is replaced by references to a macro and to parameter(s), where the macro, when used with the parameters, yields the sequence of elements. The macros used may either be predetermined, from a static dictionary, may be generated on the fly, or mix of both. The definitions of macros may be included in the compacted markup-language information in order to allow a recipient of the compacted markup-language information to expand the macro reference and parameter(s) into the sequence of elements which had been replaced.
US07739582B2

An error correction method for optical discs, and more particularly, an error correction method appropriate to high density discs is provided. The error correction method adds inner parity and outer parity to an error correction block of size n byte x m x o. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a plurality of inner parity blocks (PI blocks) by segmenting the error correction block in the inner parity (PI) direction into x segments; generating e-byte PI for each of the plurality of PI blocks generated by segmenting, and adding the e-bytes to the PI blocks PIs to the PI direction; and generating f-byte outer parity (PO) in the PO direction of the error correction block, and adding the POs to the PO direction. The error correction method enhances error correction capability while maintaining a redundancy of parity signal on a level similar to conventional DVDs.
US07739579B2

A storage apparatus composed of a plurality of magnetic disk devices are provided. An encoding unit generates, after dividing original data, a plurality pieces of encoded data equal to or more than the number of division by use of a code of which redundancy is variable. A redundancy control unit varies the redundancy in the encoding unit in accordance with the importance of the original data. A distribution processing unit distributes and stores the plurality of encoded data to and in the plurality of magnetic disk devices. A decoding unit retrieves the encoded data corresponding to, at least, the division number of the original data from the magnetic disk devices so as to decode the original data.
US07739578B2

A recording and/or reproducing method, a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and a computer readable recording medium storing a program for performing the method. A recording unit block in which invalid data is partially padded is written on an information storage medium along with padding information indicating that the invalid data is included in the recording unit block. The padding information is useful in determining whether the recording unit block includes the padding data. Accordingly, unnecessary retrial processes of a drive system are reduced such that the performance of the drive system is improved and error correction capability is enhanced.
US07739567B2

A Serializer/De-serializer (SerDes) of an integrated circuit (IC) includes selectable inputs and outputs not only for functional data and boundary scan (e.g., JTAG) test data, but also for parallel-scan test data. The serializing portion of the SerDes includes multiplexing logic responsive to control signals to select or identify one of the multiplexing logic inputs for functional data, boundary scan data and parallel-scan data. The de-serializing portion similarly includes selection logic responsive to such control signals to select or identify one of the selection logic outputs for functional data, boundary scan data and parallel-scan data. The multiplexing logic and selection logic couple the selected input or output, respectively, to the SerDes input/output pads.
US07739560B2

A test interface receives a test command designating execution of a test for a memory cell. The test storage circuit stores test information necessary to execute the test. The test storage circuit includes an erasable programmable storage unit. The decoder decodes the test command input to the test interface, and selects the test information stored in the test storage circuit. The sense amplifier reads out, from the test storage circuit, the test information selected by the decoder. The holding circuit holds the test information read out by the sense amplifier. The control circuit controls a test operation of checking whether the memory cell normally operates, on the basis of the test information held in the holding circuit. The defect storage circuit is formed for the memory cell, and stores fail information indicating that the memory cell is defective if the memory cell does not normally operate in the test operation.
US07739551B2

An error in a web page displayed on a device is detected. The error is assigned to a bucket to indicate a type of the error, and a record describing the current state of the device is generated. Both an indication of the bucket and the record describing the current state of the device are then sent to a server. At the server, error information including error records and bucket identifiers are received from multiple devices. Each error record describes a current state of one of the multiple devices at a time when an error in a web page displayed on the one device was detected. Each bucket identifier corresponds to one of the error records and describes a type of the error associated with that error record. The error records are grouped into multiple baskets based at least in part on the current state information in the error records.
US07739550B2

In a test case selection apparatus according to the present invention, a parameter setting unit 22 displays a test case selection dialogue 400, etc., on a display screen of a display section 40, and test cases that are tentatively determined to be tested in the current round of testing is selected based on various parameters received from the operator. A simulation executing unit 23 calculates a time period predicted to be required for testing test cases, and displays the prediction result in the form of a graph indicating a temporal change in the number of tests. With this configuration, the user can predict an achieved status of testing based on the prediction result, and repeat suitable changes to the various parameters, thereby suitably selecting test cases to obtain a preferably achieved status of testing.
US07739549B2

A large population of mass-produced devices (80) such as a particular model of computer hard disk drive, are distributed around the world. Each device (80) includes an arrangement for collecting failure analysis data of the device (50). Each device (80) is arranged to transmit this data to the device manufacturers server (10) via the internet (20). The server (10) analyses the data in order to determine trends in failure performance of the population of devices in order to improve future designs and to provide updated software for distribution to the devices (80) via the internet (20).
US07739548B2

A method determines actual power consumption for system power performance states (SPP-states) of a server. The method comprises initializing the server, performing a worst case workload test, measuring power consumption of the server at one or more SPP-states, and adjusting values in a lookup table to reflect the measured power consumption of the server.
US07739547B2

A method of data loading for large information warehouses includes performing checkpointing concurrently with data loading into an information warehouse, the checkpointing ensuring consistency among multiple tables; and recovering from a failure in the data loading using the checkpointing. A method is also disclosed for performing versioning concurrently with data loading into an information warehouse. The versioning method enables processing undo and redo operations of the data loading between a later version and a previous version. Data load failure recovery is performed without starting a data load from the beginning but rather from a latest checkpoint for data loading at an information warehouse level using a checkpoint process characterized by a state transition diagram having a multiplicity of states; and tracking state transitions among the states using a system state table.
US07739541B1

Systems, methods, apparatus and software can configure, support, and make use of a coordinator virtual device to determine which node or nodes of a cluster should be ejected from the cluster as a result of a cluster partition or other error event. Fencing software operating on the cluster nodes monitors the cluster for a cluster partition (split-brain) event, and when such an event occurs, software on the nodes attempts to gain control of the coordinator virtual device. A node that succeeds in gaining control of the coordinator virtual device survives. Nodes failing to gain control of the coordinator virtual device remove themselves or are removed from the cluster. The coordinator virtual device can be established by a virtual device configuration server which provides coordinator virtual device access to cluster nodes acting as virtual device configuration clients.
US07739539B2

A circuit for sampling data from a memory device comprises a circuit for providing a clock signal to the memory device, a data bus carrying data at twice the rate of the clock signal, a circuit for providing a control signal to indicate the period of time where data are valid, and a set of registers whose content is triggered by both edges of a signal resulting from the delay of the control signal. The set of registers is divided into several sub-parts, each sub-part loading the value of the data bus carrying data provided by the memory device at a period being an integer multiple of the clock signal where the sampling point is different for each sub-part.
US07739537B2

A multiple clock domain (MCD) microarchitecture uses a globally-asynchronous, locally-synchronous (GALS) clocking style. In an MCD microprocessor each functional block operates with a separately generated clock, and synchronizing circuits ensure reliable inter-domain communication. Thus, fully synchronous design practices are used in the design of each domain.
US07739536B2

A system and method for voltage and frequency margining of a digital system such as a digital processing system. Various implementations of the present invention may be utilized to programmatically vary the voltage and or frequency utilized by one or more components within a processing system to effect changes in system and or component margining.
US07739535B2

A system including an operating speed detection apparatus, an operating speed detection apparatus and method thereof. In the example method, a received clock signal may be delayed to generate a plurality of delayed clock signals. A plurality of detection signals may be generated based on the plurality of delayed clock signals and the received clock signal. An operating speed (e.g., of a system) may be determined based at least in part on the plurality of detection signals. In an example, the example method may be performed by an operating speed detection apparatus. In another example, the example method may be performed by a system including the operating speed detection apparatus.
US07739534B2

A method for implementing a power saving function of the portable electronic apparatus is provided. The method includes the step of: receiving an operation command transmitted from an input device; obtaining a new work mode which corresponds to the operation command from a work mode table that defines a plurality of work modes of the portable electronic apparatus and a plurality of operation commands corresponding to the work modes, if a current work mode of the portable electronic apparatus does not correspond to the operation command; determining component work state changes of components of the portable electronic apparatus from the current work mode to the new work mode; signaling a power control unit to change component work states of the components according to the determined component work state changes.
US07739497B1

Methods, apparatus, system and computer program are provided for concealing the identity of a network device transmitting a datagram having a network layer header. A unique local identifier and broadcast address are determined in accordance with a next-hop address. A partially encrypted network layer header is determined by encrypting a plurality of identifying portions of the network layer header, where one portion of the network layer header is the unique local identifier. The datagram is encapsulated with another network layer header whose address is set to the broadcast address. The encapsulated datagram can be received and detunneled, and an address of a recipient can be extracted from the network layer header. The datagram is then admitted into a network domain.
US07739493B2

A system for facilitating secure remote access to sensitive data is provided. The system includes a plurality of electronic devices. These electronic devices are under the control of an organization. The system also includes a data router. When the data router obtains sensitive data that is to be made available to remote clients, the data router secures the sensitive data and transmits the secured sensitive data over a first communication channel to an organization-controlled server. When the data router obtains other data that is to be made available to remote clients, the data router transmits the other data over the second communication channel to a third-party server.
US07739492B2

Reduces message length of encrypted message to be transmitted selectively to plurality of decrypting devices. An encrypting device includes a generating unit for generating node associating information configured to associate respective terminal nodes in a tree structure with each decrypting device in relation to a group of decrypting devices enabled for decryption, a extracting unit for extracting a decryption enabled node containing decrypting devices in descendant terminal nodes and not containing a decrypting device with decryption disabled in any of the descendant terminal nodes, and a unit for encrypting the message by use of a node encryption key for the decryption enabled node. Decrypting devices include specifying unit for specifying terminal node associated with decrypting device based on node associating information, and a decrypting unit for decrypting encrypted message using a node decryption key for any decryption enabled nodes ranging from terminal node to root node thereof.
US07739487B2

Systems and methods for booting a host device(s) from a peripheral device(s), via an interface, such as an MMC/SD interface, with power terminals, a data bus with data bus terminals, a clock line with a clock terminal and a command line with command terminal. Power is provided to the power terminals, and the command terminal of the MMC/SD or analogous interface is set during power-up to low. The data bus is monitored for a start bit of data transmission.
US07739473B1

Systems and methods for dynamically allocating memory for thread processing may reduce memory requirements while maintaining thread processing parallelism. A memory pool is allocated to store data for processing multiple threads that does not need to be large enough to dedicate a fixed size portion of the memory pool to each thread that may be processed in parallel. Fixed size portions of the memory pool are dynamically allocated and deallocated to each processing thread. Different fixed size portions may be used for different types of threads to allow greater thread parallelism compared with a system that requires allocating a single fixed portion of the memory pool to each thread. The memory pool may be shared between all of the thread types or divided to provide separate memory pools dedicated to each particular thread type.
US07739466B2

A method for managing a memory in a computer system is disclosed. A mapping of a virtual page to physical page is locked in response to receiving a request to make the page immutable. According to an aspect of an embodiment of the invention, locking the mapping of the virtual page to the physical page includes preventing mapping of the virtual page to another physical page. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07739465B2

A backup system is comprised of a main storage for storing original data and a plurality of local storages for distributing and storing the data. An encoding unit of the main storage server generates, after dividing the original data, a plurality of encoded data that is equal to or more than the dividing number by use of a code of which redundancy is variable. A distribution processing unit distributes the plurality of encoded data to the plurality of local storages, and causes the data to be stored therein. A restoring unit retrieves the encoded data corresponding to at least the division number of the original data from the local storages, and restores the original data. A redundancy control unit varies the redundancy in the encoding unit such that, the higher the importance of the data, the larger the redundancy. Furthermore, a distribution processing unit determines the distribution number such that the higher the reliability of the local storages, the more the number.
US07739462B2

Policy based data shredding is provided to be executed in a storage controller. A logical volume stored on media, such as magnetic disk drives, may be assigned one or more possible shredding policies. Storing and executing the policies in the controller is more efficient than performing host-based shredding and requires the use of less valuable bandwidth between the host and the controller. In addition, the controller is aware of failures, degradation and offline status of each drive in an array, and is able to thereby terminate or modify a shredding operation if necessary. Each policy includes the number of write passes to be performed on the media location in which the volume is stored and the pattern to write on the media location. The policy may also indicate whether to update a parity area during each of a plurality of write passes or only on the first.
US07739454B2

The present invention partitions a cache region of a storage subsystem for each user and prevents interference between user-dedicated regions. A plurality of CLPR can be established within the storage subsystem. A CLPR is a user-dedicated region that can be used by partitioning the cache region of a cache memory. Management information required to manage the data stored in the cache memory is allocated to each CLPR in accordance with the attribute of the segment or slot. The clean queue and clean counter, which manage the segments in a clean state, are provided in each CLPR. The dirty queue and dirty counter are used jointly by all the CLPR. The free queue, classification queue, and BIND queue are applied jointly to all the CLPR, only the counters being provided in each CLPR.
US07739449B2

A system for authenticating a memory card including: a capacity switching-type memory card host device including a capacity switch notification module which notifies a memory card targeted for exchanging information that the capacity switching-type memory card host device handles a capacity switching-type memory card, and a capacity switch authentication module which authenticates whether the targeted memory card is the capacity switching-type memory card; a capacity switching-type memory card including a capacity switching-type controller which flags the large-capacity expression register use flag on receipt of notification of being the capacity switching-type memory card host device; and a bus which transmits and receives data between the capacity switching-type memory card host device and the capacity switching-type memory card.
US07739445B1

An apparatus, circuit, and method are provided herein for locating and extracting a plurality of matching entries from one or more databases stored within a Content Addressable Memory (CAM) device. The apparatus, circuit, and method may locate the plurality of matching entries by comparing variations of a single search key to the entire database of entries. In other words, a number of bits may be stored within each of the database entries as a descriptor field. When searching for a particular entry or entries, a corresponding descriptor field included within (or appended to) the search key may be modified, after at least one matching entry is found, for locating and extracting additional entries matching the original search key. Use of the descriptor field, therefore, enables the circuit and method to locate and extract a potentially unlimited number of entries matching the original search key. The circuit and method may be used for extracting ‘k’ matching entries, the first ‘k’ matching entries, or all entries matching the original search key.
US07739442B2

A macroscalar processor architecture is described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary processor includes one or more execution units to execute instructions and one or more iteration units coupled to the execution units. The one or more iteration units receive one or more primary instructions of a program loop that comprise a machine executable program. For each of the primary instructions received, at least one of the iteration units generates multiple secondary instructions that correspond to multiple loop iterations of the task of the respective primary instruction when executed by the one or more execution units. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07739434B2

In a logically partitioned host computer system comprising host processors (host CPUs) partitioned into a plurality of guest processors (guest CPUs) of a guest configuration, a perform topology function instruction is executed by a guest processor specifying a topology change of the guest configuration. The topology change preferably changes the polarization of guest CPUs, the polarization related to the amount of a host CPU resource is provided to a guest CPU.
US07739431B2

Keystrokes input by a user are stored in non-volatile memory together with time stamps, creating a record of keystrokes and associated time stamps. At least some of the time stamps are generated and recorded in response to receipt of specific keystroke events, such as a specific keystroke, a specific sequence of keystrokes, a keystroke following an interval of inactivity or an interval of inactivity following a keystroke. The resulting keystroke record may show sessions of keystrokes received, with a start and end time stamp for each session. An alteration record is also provided to track alterations and erasures of the keystroke record.
US07739421B1

A method includes storing video data in a disk by way of a first queue comprising a linked list of buffers. Video data are received into the first queue by way of a tail buffer. The tail buffer is at one end of the linked list of buffers in the first queue. Video data are copied from a head buffer to the disk. The head buffer is at another end of the linked list of buffers in the first queue. The video data are displayed in real-time directly from the buffers in the queue, without retrieving the displayed video data from the disk, and without interrupting the storing step.
US07739419B2

A data transfer control device includes a PATA I/F connected to a PATA bus, an SATA I/F connected to an SATA bus, and a sequence controller that controls a transfer sequence. The PATA I/F includes a task file register (TFR). The sequence controller suspends transmission of a register FIS corresponding to an ATA packet command issued by a host to a device, and performs a dummy setting that causes the host to issue an ATAPI packet command using the TFR. The sequence controller transmits the register FIS corresponding to the ATA packet command to the device after the host has issued the ATAPI packet command.
US07739409B2

A system for rendering available a stream of identical random processes to at least two seperate and remote parties is disclosed. The system includes a multiple random process source which makes available a preferably large number of independent random processes. The system further includes a device available to the parties and which serves for selecting for use by each of the parties, at the same time, an identical one of said plurality of random processes.
US07739407B1

A system for personalizing and customizing user behaviors and interfaces includes a plurality of terminals for transmitting, processing and receiving information wherein the terminals are configured to each transmit a transmission signal including an identifier (ID) for identifying each of the terminals. The system also includes a network having a plurality of access points operable to communicate with the network, and a Service Enabling server connected to the network wherein each of the plurality of terminals are configured to independently access the Service Enabling server and upon accessing the Service Enabling server, a necessary service requested by the user of the terminal requesting the service is selected. Information related to the service is then placed in an understandable form for the terminal and the user.
US07739396B2

System, method and program product for managing field service of a computer. Configuration information of the computer is wirelessly sent to a remote server. In response, a determination is made as to a recommended list of updates to install in the computer which are compatible with the configuration information and not currently resident in the computer. The recommended list is wirelessly sent to the computer. In response, the recommended list is written into an RFID associated with the computer such that the RFID broadcasts the recommended list. The RFID also broadcasts an identification of the computer. A person visits a room containing the computer and uses an RFID reader to read the broadcast from the RFID. Based on the broadcast read by the RFID reader, a determination is made whether to install the recommended list of updates into the computer.
US07739395B1

A method and apparatus for call setup signaling in a VoIP network is disclosed. An application server receives call information from a network node, which causes the application server to be inserted in the call setup signaling path. The application server provides any special feature processing necessary for call setup. Upon the application server determining that it is no longer required in the signaling path for call setup, the application server removes itself from the call setup signaling path. The application server may remove itself from the signaling path prior to completion of call setup, thereby freeing up network resources and reducing post dial delay. In various embodiments, the application server removes itself from the call setup signaling path by transmitting information utilizing particular protocol messages.
US07739384B2

The present invention is a method and system of load balancing in a group of one or more servers connected to one or more subnetworks. Two or more independent servers are bound into a group, with one of the servers elected to serve as a leader. The leader acts as a load balancer for the group while the remaining servers act as slaves. This functionality eliminates the need for one or more dedicated load balancing devices and lowers the hardware requirements necessary for performing such load balancing.
US07739379B1

A network file server includes a first set of data processors for receiving requests from clients, and a second set of data processors for accessing read-write file systems. A respective data processor in the second set is assigned to each file system for exclusive management of read and write locks on the file system. Each data processor in the first set can authorize access to file systems directly accessed by more than one data processor in the second set. Processing of a request for access that is authorized is continued by the data processor that is assigned to manage the locks on the file system to be accessed. The exclusivity of lock management eliminates cache coherency problems, and dynamic load balancing can be used to prevent the lock management from becoming a bottleneck to performance. A preferred embodiment includes a cached disk storage subsystem linked to data mover computers. Each data mover has authorization and ownership information for a plurality of file systems, and maintains a local cache of locking information for file systems that the data mover can directly access. The data mover receives a client request, and if access is authorized, checks whether it can directly access the file, and if not, forwards the request to another data mover.
US07739378B2

A pollution information message system provides a system and method for generating and transmitting pollution information messages. In one embodiment, the pollution information message system employs a transceiver network with a plurality transceivers coupled to monitoring devices. Control room operators receive a pollution information message from an identifiable transceiver. The transceiver, identified by an identification code, indicates a location and the nature of the detected pollution.
US07739376B2

Methods and systems, including computer program products, implementing techniques for message filtering. The techniques include receiving a plurality of messages generated by an application, and filtering the messages, including simplifying one or more of the messages, eliminating one or more of the messages, or both simplifying and eliminating messages. The messages report errors in the execution of the application or provide warnings about possible errors.
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