US08207997B2

An optical scanning apparatus effectively blocks undesirable-light generated in opposed scanning units, and forms high-quality image with simple configuration. The apparatus includes two scanning units disposed with a polygon mirror therebetween, each scanning unit including: an incident optical system guiding a beam from a light source to the polygon mirror; and an imaging optical system including an imaging optical element to cause the deflected beam form an image on a scanning surface. One of the scanning units includes a member to block an undesirable light reflected on optical surfaces of the imaging optical element of the other scanning unit and traveling toward the scanning surface of said one scanning unit. rp
US08207994B2

The light-emitting device includes: light-emitting elements linearly arrayed at intervals corresponding to a first resolution; switch elements electrically connected to the light-emitting elements; a transfer signal supply unit supplying a transfer signal for transmitting an on state among the switch elements by alternately repeating operations of turning on one switch element and turning on two adjacent switch elements including the one switch element; and a light-emission signal supply unit supplying a light-emission signal corresponding to a second resolution being a half of the first resolution, at supply timing changed according to whether in a first mode for causing an odd-numbered light-emitting element and a next even-numbered one to emit light as a pair, or the second mode for causing an even-numbered light-emitting element and a next odd-numbered one to emit light as a pair, the light-emitting elements arrayed at positions corresponding to the numbers.
US08207989B2

Embodiments that provide multi-video synthesis are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, multi-video synthesis includes breaking a main video into a plurality of main frames and break a supplementary video into a plurality of supplementary frames. The multi-video synthesis also includes assigning one or more supplementary frames into each of a plurality of states of a Hidden Markov Model (HMM), where each of the plurality of states corresponding to one or more main frames. The multi-video synthesis further includes determining optimal frames in the plurality of main frames for insertion of the plurality of supplementary frames based on the plurality of states and visual properties. The optimal frames include optimal insertion positions. The multi-video synthesis additionally includes inserting the plurality of supplementary frames into the optimal insertion positions to form a synthesized video.
US08207970B2

An information processing apparatus includes, for example, a touch panel placed over a display screen. For example, when a start of a touch input is detected, the first-touch-input coordinates are determined as object generation coordinates and an object is displayed in the coordinates. When an input direction based on coordinates continuously detected after the object generation coordinates until, for example, a touch-off is determined to be a predetermined direction, the object is moved in a specific direction. Alternatively, an input direction is determined based on coordinates continuously detected after the object generation coordinates until a touch-off, and then, based on the input direction, the direction opposite to the input direction, for example, is determined to be a moving direction and the object is moved in the moving direction.
US08207964B1

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for generating a three dimensional output which includes a continuum of image data sprayed over three-dimensional models. The three-dimensional models can be representative of features captured by the image data wherein image data can be captured at multiple disparate points along another continuum. The user interface can also include multiple modalities of image data and statistical analysis of the image data.
US08207962B2

A stereo graphics system based on depth-based image rendering is disclosed. A master pipeline renders a first image from graphics data and derives a depth image relating to the first image. A rendering unit accesses the first image and the depth image from the master pipeline and renders a second image based on the first image and the depth image. First and second frame buffers retrieves and stores the first and second images, and a compositor accesses the first and second images from the frame buffers and combines the images to generate a resulting image.
US08207960B2

A source driver adapted to drive a display panel and a driving method thereof are provided herein. The source driver includes an output buffer and a first pre-charge circuit. The output buffer has a first input terminal receiving a pixel signal and has both of a second input terminal and an output terminal coupled to the display panel. The first pre-charge circuit charges the output terminal of the output buffer to a preset voltage associated with the pixel signal for a pre-charge period. The output buffer is inactivated during the pre-charge period and is activated for a preset period after the pre-charge period. Therefore, power consumption of the source driver can be reduced.
US08207957B2

An electroluminescent display device having a first and a second power supply; a respective power supply line for each row, wherein each power supply line is placed along a horizontal direction and is connected to the respective first electrodes of the driving TFTs of the pixels in the corresponding row; a plurality of switches, each connected to one or more power supply lines, for selectively connecting the corresponding one or more power supply lines to either the first or the second power supply; a gate driver for selecting a gate line; and a selecting circuit for controlling the plurality of switches, wherein the selecting circuit causes the power supply line corresponding to the selected gate line to be connected to the first power supply, and the one or more power supply lines not corresponding to the selected gate line to be connected to the second power supply.
US08207956B2

The present invention provides a transmission signal generating method for a display device to compensate channel effect. The transmission signal generating method includes using a plurality of signal amplitudes and a first signal direction to generate a plurality of positive levels, using the plurality of signal amplitudes and a second signal direction to generate a plurality of negative levels, and using a plurality of signaling lines for transmission of the pluralities of negative and positive levels. A first positive level and a first negative level both have a minimum signal amplitude of the plurality of signal amplitudes. The amplitude difference of the first positive and negative levels is greater than an amplitude difference of any two neighboring levels of the plurality of negative levels and also the plurality of positive levels.
US08207954B2

A display device having a hybrid drive including a substrate, a two-dimensional pixel array formed on the substrate, the pixels associated into a plurality of pixel groups. A separate set of group row electrodes and group column electrodes are connected to pixels in pixel groups, so that a single group row electrode together with a single group column electrode drives a single pixel. Two or more chiplets are located over the substrate within the pixel array, each chiplet associated with a pixel group and having connections to each of the associated group row electrodes and associated group column electrodes and having storage elements, the storage element storing a value representing a desired luminance for a pixel and the chiplet using such value to control the desired luminance of each pixel in its associated pixel group.
US08207950B2

A user interface enhancement system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid contained within the fluid vessel that cooperates with the sheet to transmit an image through the sheet without substantial obstruction, a displacement device that influences the volume of fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and retract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and an attachment component that couples the sheet to the device is disclosed.
US08207948B2

A method of identifying objects on a touch-sensitive device comprises scanning a plurality of “m” traces of the touch-sensitive device, m being a positive integer, obtaining a count value of each of the “m” traces, wherein an x-th trace has a count value ax, x being an index number from 1 to m, comparing a count value ai with a count value ai+1 in an increasing order of index number in a first comparison process until a count value aj not smaller than aj+1 is identified, and based on the count value aj, comparing the count value aj with one of count values following aj in an increasing order of index number in a second comparison process until a count value ak is identified, wherein a difference between the count values aj and ak satisfies a first threshold.
US08207938B2

A signal filtering method for filtering signals obtained at a number of time points by an electronic device is provided. Each of the signals corresponds to an i-th value at an i-th time point of the abovementioned time points, and the i-th value and an (i+1)-th value are defined as an i-th ordering sequence, wherein i is a positive integer. Each of the i-th ordering sequence and an (i+1)-th ordering sequence conforms to a first strict monotonicity. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, whether an (i+2)-th ordering sequence conforms to a second strict monotonicity is determined. If yes, then execute the next step. Determine whether an (i+3)-th ordering sequence conforms to the second strict monotonicity. If not, a signal obtained at an (i+3)-th time point is deleted.
US08207935B2

An electrophoretic display device includes pixels each including an electrophoretic element that has a pixel electrode, an opposing electrode that faces the pixel electrode, and an electrophoretic layer that is configured by electrophoretic particles disposed between the pixel electrode and the opposing electrode. The pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, and an insulating layer formed of a photosensitive insulating material is disposed in areas between the adjacent pixel electrodes.
US08207927B2

A liquid crystal display and a method of operating the liquid crystal display, in which the liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel, a gate driver, a gamma voltage generator, a data driver, and a gamma voltage compensator. The liquid crystal panel has a plurality of pixels respectively arranged in pixel areas defined by gate lines and data lines. The gate driver drives the gate lines, and the gamma voltage generator generates gamma voltages having different voltage levels from each other. The data driver drives the data lines according to the gamma voltages. The gamma voltage compensator compensates for at least one of the gamma voltages, which are generated from the gamma voltage generator, by using one of a gate-off voltage provided to the gate lines and a storage voltage provided to a storage capacitor included in the pixel.
US08207913B2

A plasma display panel; a scan electrode drive circuit for generating a gently decreasing downward inclined waveform voltage in an initializing period, a gently increasing first inclined waveform voltage, and a second inclined waveform voltage having a steeper gradient than the first inclined waveform voltage and decreasing immediately after the increasing waveform voltage reaches a predetermined potential in the last part of the sustain period. The lowest voltage in the downward inclined waveform voltage is switched at a first voltage, a second voltage higher than the first voltage and a third voltage higher than the second voltage to generate a downward inclined waveform voltage. The lowest voltage is switched according to the detected temperature to generate the downward inclined waveform voltage.
US08207912B2

Sustain pulses are alternately applied to a pair of display electrodes of discharge cells provided in a plasma display panel (PDP) to generate a sustain discharge to display an image on the PDP. The sustain pulses include two-crests discharge voltage waveforms having a first maximum and second maximum values, in which discharges are generated twice in a half cycle. After applying a sustain pulse having a one-crest discharge voltage waveform to a pair of display electrodes, a predetermined number of sustain pulses of two-crests discharge voltage waveforms are consecutively applied. A time, from applying a second sustain pulse of a two-crests discharge voltage waveform to clamping a voltage of the second sustain pulse to the second maximum value, is made longer than a time, from applying a first sustain pulse of a two-crests discharge voltage waveform to clamping a voltage of the first sustain pulse to the second maximum value.
US08207906B2

Circuits, methods, and apparatus for adapters and docking stations that include one or more of the following: reradiating antennas to enhance wireless signal integrity, inductive charging circuits, and wireless or optical data links. The adapters may be inserts for use in a docking station, adapters for a cable connection, or other type of device. One example provides an adapter that includes a reradiating antenna. In other examples, passive coupling is used to charge a rechargeable battery in the handheld device. Other examples include wireless or optical circuits for faster data transmission.
US08207890B2

A device can access scaled values and scaling factors, which are used to convert the scaled values into coefficients and residuals. The coefficients and residuals can in turn be used with time-dependent functions to reconstruct predicted ephemeris data, including clock correction data, for satellite navigation system satellites. Ephemeris data that is broadcast from any of the satellites can be used to update the calculated ephemeris data.
US08207889B2

According to one embodiment, a dual polarization radar apparatus includes a received power calculation unit configured to calculate a horizontal polarization received power and a vertical polarization received power, the horizontal polarization received power indicating a power value of a horizontal polarization received signal reflected from an observation target, the vertical polarization received power indicating a power value of a vertical polarization received signal reflected from the observation target, a power ratio calculation unit configured to calculate a power ratio between the horizontal polarization received power and the vertical polarization received power, and an interference judgment unit configured to judge that an interference signal is mixed to the horizontal polarization received signal or the vertical polarization received signal when the power ratio is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
US08207876B2

A network optimization device may receive a stream of data and generate a signature for a plurality of fixed length overlapping windows of the stream of data. The device may select a predetermined number of the generated signatures for each Ln-byte segment of the data stream, wherein Ln is greater than a length of each of the windows. The network device may store the selected signatures in a bucketed hash table that includes a linked-list of entries for each bucket.
US08207871B2

A method and apparatus for controlling a cooking apparatus is provided including a microprocessor responsive to a set of user actuable keypads. The control comprises a numeric selector for initiating a cook time duration in minutes corresponding to the numeric selector with a first press. The same numeric selector can add (x) time in seconds to the cook time duration with a second press. And any numeric selector can then add ½ (x) time in seconds to the cook time duration with a third press.
US08207866B2

A system for advising the operator of a transportation vehicle to impending travel conditions responsive to proximity to the area affected by the travel conditions. The system has location determination capability such as a GPS system and a source of travel condition advisory messages. When a travel condition advisory message is received and the vehicle is in the affected area, an audible signal is delivered within the transportation vehicle. Apparatus of the system may be self-contained and located aboard the transportation vehicle or alternatively may comprise message transmission apparatus located externally of the transportation vehicle.
US08207861B2

A system for detecting and containing a breach in a container includes a first containment layer and a first sensor layer. The first sensor layer includes at least one signal path extending the first sensor layer. The first sensor layer may be provided by either a fiber optic or a wire. An inability of the at least one signal path to conduct a signal from a first end to a second end represents either a breach, or an attempted breach, from outside the container or a failure of the container. The containment layers may seal against any leakage of material in a container subsequent to a breach either from within or from without. An additional layer may be provided to protect against intrusion and may be made from material such as Kevlar. The detection and containment system may be implemented to protect tunnels, pipelines, hatches and manhole covers.
US08207849B2

A security storage container securely retains an item of merchandise and typically includes a base and lid. An alarm system in the container is activated when the container is locked and deactivated when the container is unlocked. The alarm system may include a flashing LED, an EAS tag for activating a security gate, and a sound-emitting device which may emit a loud alarm upon an attempt to pry the lid from the base or upon the container entering into proximity of a security gate.
US08207848B2

An electronic locking device secures a shipping container and includes a housing, two arms, a sensing circuit, and electronics. The pair of arms extend from the housing and couple to the hasp. The arms transition between locked and unlocked configurations relative to the hasp, with one or both of the arms pivoting relative to the other. A bolt seal locks the arms in the locked configuration. The sensing circuit, which includes sensing contacts, is in a “closed” state or “open” state depending on whether the arms are in the locked or unlocked configuration. The electronics record and report the state of the sensing circuit, thereby indicating whether the arms are locked or unlocked.
US08207833B2

A method for making a communication available between data modules that are interconnected via communication units of a device for making the communication available, in which at least one data module is automatically selected by at least one communication unit via a data protocol.
US08207830B2

A network communication system (2) for two-way communication comprises: —at least one group of network devices (11); —at least one command device (20) capable of issuing at least one command signal (SC); 5—coordinating means (40) provided with a network definition memory (41) and with a device status memory (42). A network device, in response to receiving a command signal (SC), sends an acknowledgement signal (SA) to the command device. The coordinating means, in response to receiving a command signal for a 10 network device, watches for the corresponding acknowledgement signal from that network device and, in case of that network device failing to timely send the acknowledgement signal, amends in said device status memory (42) the status information (M(i)) relating to said network device. The coordinating means automatically removes a potentially defective 15 network device from the network definition memory (41) on entry of a network amendment mode.
US08207829B2

Apparatus and method for commissioning a wireless communication link between a remote controller device (24) that transmits a signal and a remote controlled device (11) that receives the signal include a first button (40) that is recessed within the housing of the remote controller (24) that can be pressed to cause the remote controller (24) to transmit a commissioning signal. A second button (50) that is recessed within the housing of the remote controlled device (11) can be pressed to cause the remote controlled device (11) to receive and learn the commissioning. The remote controller (24) and the remote controlled device (11) have complementary mating structures carried thereon that will simultaneously operate the first and second buttons when the remote controller (24) and the remote controlled device (11) are physically mated with another.
US08207826B2

Systems and techniques for generating data showing a signal environment experienced by a radio frequency identification (RFID) communication device. A transceiver within the communication device sweeps through a frequency range of interest in order to receive signals within the frequency range. Depending on the nature of the signals of interest, the signals detected may be reflected signals generated in response to a carrier signal produced by the communication device, or active signals produced by active sources. Baseband analysis is performed in order to detect and identify reflective signals, and spectrum analysis is performed in order to detect and identify active signal sources.
US08207825B2

An RFID reader is operable to receive an inbound RF signal during transmission of an outbound RF signal. The inbound RF signal may be a modulated, backscattered signal from a tag that has substantially the same frequency as the outbound RF signal or at a different frequency from the outbound RF signal. The receiver section of the RFID reader is operable to down convert the inbound RF signal by using a transmitter signal generated by the transmitter section to generate at least one local oscillation signal. The receiver section then processes and digitizes the down converted inbound RF signal to produce an encoded inbound signal.
US08207822B2

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates receiving data from at least one device. A radio frequency identification (RFID) network can include at least one device that receives data from a tag. A batcher component can collect the data based on a start boundary and an end boundary and communicate the batched data to an RFID process.
US08207816B2

A biometric access control system for tracking critical assets and including an ID station incorporating a biometric input reader, an RFID antenna and reader and a wired or wireless (Bluetooth) communication device. A remotely positioned structure includes either or both of a rack or a locker for holding a plurality of the critical assets in individually locked fashion. A processor control built into the ID station operatively actuates each of a plurality of individual locking mechanisms incorporated into the rack structure or locker, in response to successive biometric and weapon selection inputs communicating with the processor, and for determining at least one of user identification and weapon release authorization prior to the processor actuating the locking mechanism to release the weapon. An associated computer writeable medium operates with the processor and establishes a series of subroutines for establishing user identification, weapons rating, selective weapon release/reentry and associated maintenance and record keeping log reports.
US08207814B2

The present disclosure describes embodiments of a power-over-ethernet (“POE”) controller and an access control system comprising the same. In an embodiment, the access control system includes a POE controller configured to couple with a Fire Access Control Panel of an automated Fire Detection System. The access control system may further include one or more peripheral devices coupled with the POE controller and configured to be powered with electrical power received via an ethernet port of the POE controller. The peripheral devices may include an access device, a door strike, and a digital output device. Embodiments of a kit containing one or more partially or fully assembled components of the access control system are also described.
US08207812B2

A signal isolating transformer may be arranged such that a first coil of the signal isolating transformer is located in a medium voltage compartment and a second coil of the signal isolating transformer is located external to the medium voltage compartment. The transformer spans an opening defined by a grounded wall to isolate faults in the medium voltage compartment.
US08207811B2

A printed wiring board including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface on the opposite side of the second surface, a first conductive circuit formed on the first surface of the substrate, a second conductive circuit formed on the second surface of the substrate, a magnetic body embedded in the substrate and extending in a thickness direction of the substrate, the magnetic body having a through-hole formed through the magnetic body and extending in the thickness direction of the substrate, and a through-hole conductor formed on an inner surface of the through-hole of the magnetic body such that the first and second conductive circuits are electrically connected to each other through the through-hole conductor.
US08207800B2

To provide an elastic wave filter capable of obtaining steep attenuation at a high band side or a low band side in a pass band and having high selectivity. An elastic wave filter is configured in a manner that when seen in a propagation direction of an elastic wave, as for respective electrode fingers composing each group of electrode fingers in an input side tapered IDT electrode and an output side tapered IDT electrode, width dimensions thereof are the same one another, and a distance dimension between the adjacent electrode fingers is formed to be the same as the width dimension of the electrode finger, when seen in the propagation direction of an elastic wave, as for a group of electrode fingers in a grating reflector, width dimensions of respective electrode fingers composing the group of the electrode fingers are the same, and a distance dimension between the adjacent electrode fingers is formed to be the same as the width dimension, and the width dimension of the electrode finger and the distance dimension between the electrode fingers are set to be equal to or less than a minimum value or equal to or more than a maximum value of the width dimension of the electrode finger and the distance dimension between the electrode fingers in the input side tapered IDT electrode and the output side tapered IDT electrode.
US08207795B2

A delay cell for use in a ring oscillator and associated method is provided. The delay cell includes a differential amplifier, a switched capacitance bank, and a Kvco equalizer. The differential amplifier comprises a differential pair, a first load and a second load. The differential pair includes a positive input terminal, a negative input terminal, a positive output terminal, and a negative output terminal. The first load is coupled to the positive output terminal, and the second load is coupled to the negative output terminal. The switched capacitance bank has a plurality of controlled capacitor paths selectively connecting to the positive output terminal or the negative output terminal according to a capacitance controlling signal. The Kvco equalizer has an adjustable current source for providing a current to the Kvco equalizer according to a current controlling signal to compensate currents flowing through the first load and the second load.
US08207793B2

A local oscillator circuit for a signal transmitter or receiver, the circuit comprising: an input for receiving a master oscillating signal from a master oscillator; and signal processing circuitry configured to be clocked by the master oscillating signal to generate a local oscillator signal, the signal processing circuitry being such that the local oscillator signal has substantially no harmonic content at any integer multiple of the frequency of the master oscillator signal, which oscillates at (2n+1)/2 times the frequency of the generated local oscillator signal, with n being a positive integer.
US08207790B2

A high frequency power amplifier includes first and second transistors connected in parallel and amplifying a high frequency signal; a first switch connected to outputs of the first and second transistors and which connects an input terminal selectively to first and second output terminals; a third transistor amplifying a signal output from the first output terminal of the first switch; and a second switch having a first input terminal connected to the third transistor, a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the first switch, and which selectively connects the first and the second input terminals to an output terminal of the second switch.
US08207785B2

A charge pump circuit, including a charging capacitor, a pumping capacitor, a switch, two voltage-limiting devices, and two path-control devices, generates an output voltage by amplifying an input voltage. The charging capacitor is charged by the input voltage and discharged according to the voltage level of a node. The pumping capacitor can provide the output voltage by storing the charges transmitted from the charging capacitor. The switch controls the signal transmission path between the node and a ground terminal according to a clock signal. The first path-control device controls the signal transmission path between the input signal and the charging capacitor. The second path-control device controls the signal transmission path between the charging capacitor and the pumping capacitor.
US08207773B2

A pulse width modulation circuit may generate an adjustable output signal that periodically transitions between a first and a second state with an adjustable duty cycle. A first pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate a first pulse signal that periodically transitions at an adjustable delay with respect to a periodic reference signal. A second pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate a second pulse signal that periodically transitions at an adjustable delay with respect to the periodic reference signal. A logic circuit may be configured to generate the adjustable output signal based on both the first and the second pulse signals.
US08207770B1

An apparatus may comprise a time-to-digital circuit architecture. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08207769B2

The disclosure relates to phase detectors. Charge up and charge down signals that are generated by a phase detector cause i) following detection of a first edge of a reference clock signal, switching on of a switching transistor of sink current; ii) following detection of an edge of a feedback clock signal falling within less than 180 degrees from the first edge, switching on of a switching transistor of source current and switching off of the switching transistor of sink current; and iii) following detection of an edge of another reference signal at a point in time about midway between the first edge and a next similar edge of the reference clock signal has past, switching off of the switching transistor of source current while maintaining the switching transistor of sink current switched off.
US08207768B2

A locked loop may have an adjustable hysteresis and/or a tracking speed that can be programmed by a user of an electronic device containing the locked loop or controlled by an integrated circuit device containing the locked loop during operation of the device. The looked loop may include a phase detector having a variable hysteresis, which may be coupled to receive a reference clock signal and an output clock signal from a phase adjustment circuit through respective frequency dividers that can vary the rate at which the phase detector compares the phase of the output clock signal to the phase of the reference clock signal, thus varying the tracking speed of the loop. The hysteresis and tracking speed of the locked loop may be programmed using a variety of means, such as by a temperature sensor for the electronic device, a mode register, a memory device command decoder, etc.
US08207765B2

Provided is a signal generating apparatus that generates an output signal having a designated phase, comprising a phase difference detecting section that outputs a control signal corresponding to a phase difference between a reference signal having a prescribed period and the output signal; an oscillating section that generates a periodic signal having a frequency corresponding to the control signal; and a phase shifting section that outputs the output signal to have a phase that is shifted from the phase of the periodic signal by a designated phase amount.
US08207764B2

An apparatus for clock/voltage scaling includes a device power manager arranged to supply a scalable frequency clock to an interface; a delay-locked loop, supplied by a constant fixed frequency clock and a constant voltage, arranged to generate a unique code depending on process, voltage, and/or temperature; and controlled delay line elements coupled to the delay-locked loop, arranged to generate an appropriate delayed data strobe based on the unique code. A method for a digital phase lock loop high speed bypass mode includes providing a first digital phase lock loop in a first high speed clock domain; providing a second digital phase lock loop in a second clock domain; controlling an output of a first glitchless multiplexer according to preselected settings using a device power manager synchronized locally; and controlling an output of a second glitchless multiplexer using a control logic element of the second digital phase lock loop.
US08207762B2

A digital time base generator and method for providing a first clock signal and a second clock signal in which a base clock signal having a base frequency is generated to provide two clock signals of slightly different frequencies with defined time or phase delay. Here, the base frequency is divided by a first integer to produce a first auxiliary signal, the frequency of the first auxiliary signal is multiplied by a factor to obtain the first clock signal, the base frequency is further divided by a second integer to produce a second auxiliary signal, and the frequency of the second auxiliary signal is multiplied by the factor to obtain the second clock signal.
US08207755B1

A leakage current reduction circuit comprising a transmission gate, a feedback channel and a controller is placed between a first device supplied with a first voltage potential and a second device supplied with a second voltage potential. The voltage potential mismatch between the first device and the second device may cause a leakage current flowing through the input stage of the second device. By employing the low leakage power detection circuit, a logic high state generated from the first device can be converted into a logic high state having an amplitude approximately equal to the second voltage potential.
US08207733B2

A microwave imaging system provides superior breast imaging resolution by combining MR microwave absorption and MR-compatible microwave tomography calculations. These techniques may also be supplemented with magnetic resonance elastography techniques, for example, to facilitate quick multispectral imaging.
US08207728B2

A power distribution system sensor and/or control device is integrated with a wireless communication device in an encapsulating weather resistant housing. The device includes a power supply that is adapted to couple to a conductor of the power distribution network to provide rectified and conditioned power as necessary to operate the distribution and/or control device and the wireless transceiver. The wireless communication device may be a low power packet data radio transceiver operating in accordance with any suitable communication standard.
US08207726B2

The service phase of the electrical connection to a customer endpoint device located within a power distribution system is determined by various techniques. At the feeder level, the system may be programmed to induce momentary power interruptions, thereby causing missed zero crossings at the customer endpoint devices. The pattern of these interruptions is a controlled one, designed specifically to avoid causing noticeable disruption even to sensitive devices, but to be unusual enough that it is statistically unlikely to be naturally occurring. The monitoring of the zero crossing information is used to determine the phase of the service line to the customer endpoint devices.
US08207720B2

Methods and apparatus for power supply load dump compensation according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a power stage system, such as a power stage system comprising a bootstrapped driver circuit and a power stage responsive to the driver circuit. The power stage system may further include a load dump compensation circuit connected to the driver circuit, wherein the load dump compensation circuit is configured to remove a bias current generated by the bootstrapped driver circuit. Various aspects of the present invention may be implemented in conjunction with any appropriate power supply, such as a switching regulator, for example a buck converter.
US08207709B1

The system contains a voltage reference input positioned to be compared to an initial generator output voltage of an engine generator control unit by a subtractor circuit. A resistive voltage divider has at least one input series resistor, a subtractor input, at least two secondary resistors, and a ground. The input series resistor is disposed between the voltage reference input and the subtractor input. The secondary resistors are disposed between the subtractor input and the ground. At least two transistor switches connected between the secondary resistors and the ground. The reduced generator output voltages are from the input series resistor and the secondary resistors.
US08207700B2

The invention relates to a switch arrangement of an electric motor drive (1). The electric motor drive comprises safety switches (3) determined by the safety of the drive, a controlled mechanical brake (4), a power supply circuit (5) of the brake control, a power converter (6), which power converter comprises a network rectifier (7) and a power rectifier (8) of the motor. The power rectifier of the motor is at least partly implemented with controlled semiconductor switches (9, 10) arranged into a bridge. The power converter comprises an intermediate circuit (11, 12) between the network rectifier and the power rectifier of the motor. The switch arrangement comprises normally-open switches (13, 14) in the intermediate circuit of the power converter (6).
US08207699B2

An alternating current motor control system constituted of: a control unit; a cycloconverter functionality; a phase control functionality; and a semiconductor switching unit comprising a plurality of electronically controlled semiconductor switches each associated with a particular winding of a target alternating current motor and each independently responsive to the control unit. In one embodiment the semiconductor switching unit is arranged to connect the windings of the target alternating current motor to a three phase power input in one of a star and a delta configuration responsive to the control unit.
US08207693B2

Controller assemblies and packaging for electronic control systems of electric motors utilized in utility vehicles or other power equipment. Features of the controller assemblies and packaging described herein allow for, among other things, modularity, scalability, and improved heat transfer.
US08207689B2

The present invention is based on a regulation circuit (200a, 200b) for making available a constant current supply on the basis of a transformer principle, in which there flows through the luminescent diodes (D1, . . . , DN) a triangular a.c. current (ID) varying periodically around a d.c. current value. With this method it is afforded by means of a circuitry provision that both the charging and also the discharging current (IL1) of an inductive reactance (XL1) connected in series to the luminescent diodes (D1, . . . , DN), functioning as a storage choke (L1) for filtering of mains harmonics, flows as diode current (ID) through the luminescent diodes (D1, . . . , DN). The advantage of this method consists in a significant reduction of the overall power loss (PV, ges) of the LED illumination module (100). According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention the ceramic circuit board (102) of the LED illumination module (100) in accordance with the invention has a direct mains current supply (104, 108), which for protection from mechanical damage is accommodated in a transparent housing (106) having a highly transparent polymer mass (110) serving as optically active lens surface.
US08207684B2

A Buck converter may include an input for connecting a DC voltage source; an output for connecting an LED; and a diode, an inductor and a main switch; wherein the diode and the main switch are coupled in series, wherein the inductor is coupled between the connecting point for the diode and the main switch, and a first output connection, wherein the converter further includes: a first auxiliary switch supplied with a first voltage; and a second auxiliary switch supplied with a second voltage, wherein the first auxiliary switch and the second auxiliary switch are coupled to the main switch such that the first voltage stipulates the switch-off time for the main switch and the second voltage stipulates the switch-on time for the main switch.
US08207683B2

A buck converter for providing a current for an LED includes an input for connection of a DC voltage source; an output for connection of the LED; and a Buck diode, a Buck inductor and a Buck main switch which has a control electrode, a working electrode and a reference electrode. The diode and the main switch are coupled in series, wherein the connecting point between the diode and the main switch is coupled to the second output connection. The converter includes: an auxiliary winding which is coupled to the inductor and has a connection which is coupled to the second input connection and a connection which is coupled to the control electrode of the switch, wherein the auxiliary winding is coupled to the inductor such that, when current is flowing through the switch, a current is provided through the auxiliary winding to the control electrode of the switch.
US08207665B2

An organic EL element has excellent features as compared with other electroluminescent elements, but on the other hand, has a problem that the life of the element is not sufficiently long. In addition, since the organic EL element is expected to be applied to a mobile display and the like, it is also important to improve power efficiency. Hence, an object of the invention is to provide an element structure to realize an improvement in power efficiency and an improvement in the life of the element at the same. In the construction of an organic EL element of the invention, the first electroluminescent film 303 is sandwiched by the first anode 302 and a cathode 304, and the second electroluminescent film 305 and the second anode 306 are laminated over the cathode 304. At this time, the first anode 302 is put into contact with the second anode 306 to form a parallel circuit to decrease an electric current passing through the respective electroluminescent films.
US08207658B2

A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using a vapor phase catalyst of directly growing aligned carbon nanotubes on a metal surfaces. The method allows for fabrication of carbon nanotube containing structures that exhibit a robust carbon nanotube metal junction without a pre-growth application of solid catalytic materials to the metal surface or the use of solder or adhesives in a multi-step fabrication process.
US08207649B2

The invention relates to a surface acoustic wave resonator produced on a cut substrate with propagation axes for which a nonzero directivity exists and comprising at least one central transducer (Tc) exhibiting a central axis, a first array of reflectors (R1) and a second array of reflectors (R2), said arrays being situated on either side of said transducer, characterized in that the two arrays of reflectors exhibit nonsymmetric configurations with respect to the central axis of said central transducer.The introduction of an asymmetry makes it possible to strongly attenuate the parasitic resonances which may appear when the resonators are produced notably on piezoelectric substrates of quartz type or any other material and cut with propagation axes for which there exists a natural directivity (LiTaO3, LiNbO3, langasite, GaPO4, LiB4O7, KNbO3, etc.).
US08207635B2

In one example, an electric circuit may be provided that is coupled to a line. The electric circuit may include a switch connected in series with a load, where the switch and the load are in series between two conductors of the line. The line may provide power to the load. The electric circuit may also include a resistive element connected in parallel with the switch and in series with the load. The switch may be configured to short circuit the resistive element when closed such that the voltage on the line varies between two voltage levels when the switch is opened and closed. The line provides power to the load when the switch is opened and when the switch is closed.
US08207632B2

[Task]In a power conversion system, a variation in PCS alternating current voltage is suppressed during a change operation to a self-contained run according to an instantaneous voltage drop-service interruption.[Means for solving the task]During an ordinary system voltage stabilization, with change switch 25 changed to the output side of APR control circuit 22 and change switch 400 changed to the output side of charge/discharge run PWM command value preparing section 200, the power conversion system is run in a charge/discharge run mode. If the instantaneous voltage drop or the service interruption occurs, change switch 25 is changed to the output side of the self-contained run change prior current command value preparing section 60 and the constant current discharge run is carried out in which the electric power is discharged for a predetermined time duration in response to the current command value of the self-contained run change prior current command value preparing section 60. Thus, after a predetermined time has elapsed, change switch 400 is changed to the output side of the self-contained run PWM command value preparing section 30 to perform the self-contained run. At this time, the variation in PCS alternating current voltage in the power conversion system is suppressed.
US08207629B2

A transformer, particularly a seat transformer, for a sitting device, comprising at least one transformation unit, which has at least one input and at least one output. According to the invention, the transformation unit is provided for transforming a low voltage present at the input.
US08207626B1

A device and method for activating the electronic odometer of a vehicle without using an electrical power source residing on the vehicle. The device is housed in a portable case and includes an electrical power source, a load circuit for connecting the power source to the electrical system of a vehicle, and a fault protection circuit that is electrically in parallel with the load circuit for protecting the vehicle and the device from damage that could otherwise result from a short circuit in the vehicle's electrical system. The method includes a series of steps that involve connecting electrical power to the vehicle's computer and various electrical subsystems in a predefined order.
US08207618B2

This semiconductor device is a semiconductor device in which a semiconductor element is flip-chip mounted onto a circuit substrate and the semiconductor element is covered and sealed with a sealing resin. A recess portion is formed in the sealing resin on a surface opposite to the mounting surface of the semiconductor element. Warping of the semiconductor device is reduced by the action of this recess portion.
US08207613B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a cell array layer including a first and a second wiring, which cross each other; a third wiring formed on a first wiring layer below the cell array layer; a fourth wiring formed on a second wiring layer above the cell array layer; and a contact extending in a stacking direction for connecting the third and the fourth wiring, wherein the device further comprises a redundant wiring layer being formed between the first and the second wiring layer, the redundant wiring layer being formed with a redundant wiring having a portion extending in the same direction as at least one of the third and the fourth wiring, and the third and the redundant wiring, and the fourth and the redundant wiring being connected by a plurality of contacts arranged along the portion extending in the same direction as the third or the fourth wiring.
US08207611B2

A semiconductor device including an intermediate insulating film formed over a plurality of first conductors over a semiconductor substrate. Contact holes are formed in the intermediate insulating film over the first conductors, and contact plugs are buried in the contact holes, respectively. A plurality of second conductors are formed over the plurality of contact plugs on the intermediate insulating film, respectively, and are electrically connected to the plurality of first conductors via the contact plugs. In certain regions of the semiconductor device, the contact plugs may terminate within the intermediate insulating film, thereby electrically insulating the second conductors from the first conductors.
US08207596B2

An insulation structure is provided. The insulation structure includes a deep trench filled with silicon and disposed in a substrate, a first oxide layer serving as the insulation structure and disposed on the surface of the silicon in the deep trench, a first silicon layer disposed on the first oxide layer, a gate disposed on the first silicon layer and a shallow trench isolation adjacent to the deep trench.
US08207595B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate wafer, a dielectric layer overlying the substrate wafer, a patterned conductor layer in the dielectric layer, and a first barrier layer overlying the conductor layer. A silicon top wafer is bonded to the dielectric layer. A via is formed through the top wafer and a portion of the dielectric layer to the first barrier layer. A sidewall dielectric layer is formed along inner walls of the via, adjacent the top wafer to a distance below an upper surface of the top wafer, forming a sidewall dielectric layer shoulder. A sidewall barrier layer is formed inward of the sidewall dielectric layer, lining the via from the first barrier layer to the upper surface of the top wafer. A conductive layer fills the via and a top barrier layer is formed on the conductive layer, the sidewall barrier layer, and the top wafer.
US08207586B2

A MEMS sensor includes a first substrate; a second substrate; a movable electrode portion and a fixed electrode portion which are arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein: conductive supporting portions of the movable electrode portion and the fixed electrode portion are, respectively, fixedly secured to a surface of the first substrate via a first insulating layer; a second insulating layer, a lead layer buried into the second insulating layer, and connection electrode portions that are electrically connected to the lead layer to be individually connected to the conductive supporting portions are provided on a surface of the second substrate; a metallic connection layer is formed on the surface of one of the respective conductive supporting portions; one of the respective connection electrode portions and the metallic connection layer are bonded together by eutectic bonding or diffusion bonding; and, at least each of the connection electrode portions has a thickness of about 4 μm or smaller.
US08207578B2

A method for forming a doped region of a semiconductor device includes masking a portion of a substrate with a mask. The mask is configured to create a graded doping profile within the doped region. The method also includes performing an implant using the mask to create doped areas and undoped areas in the substrate. The method further includes diffusing the doped areas to create the graded doping profile in the doped region. The mask could include a first region having openings distributed throughout a photo-resist material, where the openings vary in size and spacing. The mask could also include a second region having blocks of photo-resist material distributed throughout an open region, where the photo-resist blocks vary in size and spacing. Diffusing the doped areas could include applying a high temperature anneal to smooth the doped and undoped areas to produce a linearly graded doping profile.
US08207566B2

A vertical channel transistor includes a plurality of active pillar patterns extending perpendicularly from the top surface of the substrate toward an upper part. A gate insulating layer is deposited on the side wall of the active pillar pattern and serves as an ion diffusion barrier between the pillar patterns and surrounding lower gate electrodes. The resultant pillar pattern structure is encapsulated with a metal. The resultant pillar pattern is surrounded on all sides by a specified height by a sacrificial layer of Spin-On Dielectric (SOD). The metal layer is etched-back to the height of the sacrificial layer, thus forming the lower gate electrodes. A spacer layer of an insulating mater is deposited surrounding the upper part of the pillar patterns and the sacrificial layer is removed exposing a part of the lower gate electrodes. The exposed gate electrode is etched to facilitate semiconductor integration.
US08207565B2

A semiconductor device includes: a stacked body including a conductive layer and an insulating layer alternately stacked on a base body; a pair of wall portions formed on the base body with a height equivalent to or larger than a thickness of the stacked body and opposed with a spacing wider than a thickness for one layer of the conductive layer; a contact layer interposed between the wall portions and connected to the conductive layer in the stacked body through an open end between the wall portions; and a contact electrode provided on the contact layer and connected to the contact layer.
US08207559B2

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, A Schottky junction field effect transistor (JFET) is created using cobalt silicide, or other Schottky material, to form the gate contact of the JFET. The structural concepts can also be applied to a standard JFET that uses N− type or P− type dopants to form the gate of the JFET. In addition, the structures allow for an improved JFET linkup with buried linkup contacts allowing improved noise and reliability performance for both conventional diffusion (N− and P− channel) JFET structures and for Schottky JFET structures. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the gate poly, as found in a standard CMOS or BiCMOS process flow, is used to perform the linkup between the source and the junction gate and/or between the drain and the junction gate of a junction filed effect transistor (JFET). Use of a bias on the gate linkup of the JFET allows an additional tuning knob for the JFET that can be optimized to trade off breakdown characteristics with reduced on resistance. In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a patterned buried layer is used to form the back gate control for a junction field effect transistor (JFET). The structure allows a layout or buried layer pattern change to adjust the pinch-off voltage of the JFET structure. Vertical and lateral diffusion of the buried layer is used to adjust the JFET operating parameters with a simple change in the buried layer patterns. In addition, the structures allow for increased breakdown voltage by leveraging charge sharing concepts and improving channel confinement for power JFET structures. These concepts can also be applied to both N− channel and P− channel diffusion JFETs and to Schottky JFET structures.
US08207558B2

A semiconductor device in which the self-turn-on phenomenon is prevented that can significantly improve power conversion efficiency. The semiconductor device is a system-in-package for power supply applications in which a high-side switch, a low-side switch, and two drivers are included in a single package. The device includes an auxiliary switch disposed between the gate and source of said low-side switch, and a low-side MOSFET 3 for the low-side switch and an auxiliary MOSFET 4 for the auxiliary switch are disposed on the same chip. In this way, the self-turn-on phenomenon can be prevented, allowing the mounting of a low-side MOSFET 3 with a low threshold voltage and thereby significantly improving power conversion efficiency. The gate of the auxiliary MOSFET 4 is driven by the driver for the high-side MOSFET 2, thereby eliminating the need for a new drive circuit and realizing the same pin configuration as existing products, which facilitates easy replacement.
US08207549B2

An exemplary light emitting diode package includes a housing, and a light emitting unit received in the housing. The light emitting unit includes a first carbon nanotube layer, a plurality of spaced light emitting chips, and a second carbon nanotube layer. The light emitting chips are formed on the first carbon nanotube layer. The second carbon nanotube layer covers the light emitting chips.
US08207546B2

A reliable semiconductor light-emitting device and a method for manufacturing the same can be provided in which peeling can be prevented in a phase boundary, and optical axis positional errors between the optical lens and a semiconductor light-emitting chip can be reduced or prevented. The semiconductor light-emitting device can include a base board having at least one chip, a reflector fixed on the base board so as to enclose the chip, and an encapsulating resin disposed in the reflector. An optical lens can include a concave-shaped cavity that has an inner corner surface having a plurality of convex portions thereon. The optical lens can be located adjacent the reflector by contacting the lens with a top surface of the reflector so as to enclose the reflector. A spacer that is disposed between the concave-shaped cavity and the reflector can ease a stress that is generated due to temperature changes.
US08207540B2

An object is to provide a light-emitting element which exhibits light emission with high luminance and can be driven at low voltage. Another object is to provide a light-emitting device or an electronic device with reduced power consumption. Between an anode and a cathode, n (n is a natural number of two or more) EL layers are provided, where between a first EL layer and a second EL layer, a first layer containing any of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a rare earth metal, an alkali metal compound, an alkaline earth metal compound, and a rare earth metal compound, a second layer containing a material having a high electron-transporting property in contact with the first layer, and a region containing a material having a high hole-transporting property and an acceptor material in contact with the second layer are provided in this order from the anode side.
US08207539B2

A semiconductor light-emitting device having a thinned structure comprises a thinned structure formed between a semiconductor light-emitting structure and a carrier. The manufacturing method comprises the steps of forming a semiconductor light-emitting structure above a substrate; attaching the semiconductor light-emitting structure to a support; thinning the substrate to form a thinned structure; forming or attaching a carrier to the thinned substrate; and removing the support.
US08207538B2

A thin film transistor includes a first insulating layer covering the gate electrode layer; source and drain regions which at least partly overlaps with the gate electrode layer; a pair of second insulating layers which is provided apart from each other in a channel length direction over the first insulating layer and which at least partly overlaps with the gate electrode layer and the pair of impurity semiconductor layers; a pair of microcrystalline semiconductor layers provided apart from each other on and in contact with the second insulating layers; and an amorphous semiconductor layer covering the first insulating layer, the pair of second insulating layers, and the pair of microcrystalline semiconductor layers and which extends to exist between the pair of microcrystalline semiconductor layers. The first insulating layer is a silicon nitride layer and each of the pair of the second insulating layers is a silicon oxynitride layer.
US08207534B2

A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes a substrate, a plurality of gate line formed on the substrate, a plurality of common electrodes having a transparent conductive layer on the substrate, a gate insulating layer covering the gate lines and the common electrodes, a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on the gate insulating layer, a plurality of data lines including a plurality of source electrodes and formed on the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer, a plurality of drain electrodes formed on the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer, and a plurality of pixel electrodes overlapping the common electrodes and connected to the drain electrodes. Because the common electrodes are made of ITON, IZON, or a-ITON, or a double layer of ITO/ITON, IZO/IZON, or a-a-ITO/a-ITON, when H2 or SiH4 are injected to form a silicon nitride (SiNX) layer on the common electrodes, the opaque metal Sn or Zn in which the metal component is reduced in the IZO, ITO, or a-ITO is not produced on the surfaces of the common electrode.
US08207531B2

Provided is a thin film transistor including: a first gate electrode; a first gate insulating layer covering the first gate electrode; a semiconductor layer on the first gate insulating layer; a second gate insulating layer on the semiconductor layer; a second gate electrode on the second gate insulating layer; and a drain electrode and a source electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, in which: the semiconductor layer is an amorphous oxide semiconductor containing at least one of Zn, Ga, In, and Sn; the first gate electrode shields light entering the semiconductor layer from below, and the second gate electrode shields light entering the semiconductor layer from above; and the second gate electrode is electrically connected to the first gate electrode by penetrating the first gate insulating layer and the second gate insulating layer, to thereby shield light entering the semiconductor layer from at least one of sides thereof.
US08207525B2

An organic thin film transistor including a substrate having thereon at least three terminals of a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, an insulator layer and an organic semiconductor layer, with a current between a source and a drain being controlled upon application of a voltage to the gate electrode, wherein the organic semiconductor layer includes a specified organic compound having an aromatic heterocyclic group in the center thereof; and an organic thin film light emitting transistor utilizing an organic thin film transistor, wherein the organic thin film transistor is one in which light emission is obtained utilizing a current flowing between the source and the drain, and the light emission is controlled upon application of a voltage to the gate electrode, and is made high with respect to the response speed and has a large ON/OFF ratio, are provided.
US08207518B2

According to one embodiment, an information recording and reproducing device includes a first layer, a second layer and a recording layer. The recording layer is provided between the first layer and the second layer and being capable of reversibly changing between a first state having a first resistance and a second state having a second resistance higher than the first resistance by a current supplied via the first layer and the second layer. The recording layer includes a first compound layer and an insulating layer. The first compound layer contains a first compound. The first compound includes a first cation element and a second cation element of a type different from the first cation element. The insulating layer contains a third compound, and the third compound includes an element selected from group 1 to 4 elements and group 12 to 17 elements in the periodic table.
US08207517B2

A photo interrupter is provided. The photo interrupter includes a housing and a light emitting/receiving unit. The housing defines a recess portion and has a first engaging portion disposed in the recess portion. The light emitting/receiving unit has a second engaging portion. When the light emitting/receiving unit is disposed in the recess portion, the first engaging portion engages with the second engaging portion.
US08207516B2

A system for providing radiation protection is provided that includes a garment that contours to an operator's body. The garment protects the operator from radiation. The garment is supported by a suspension component that reduces a portion of weight of the garment for the operator, the garment including a belt, which includes a release mechanism that offers an entry into the garment. In more specific embodiments, the release mechanism is a quick release that allows the operator to disengage from the garment using a single hand movement. The belt can include at least one flexible joint. The belt opens to allow the operator to enter the garment, and the operator, in entering and exiting the garment, is able to limit his contact to components on or near a front of the garment such that the operator can operate the release mechanism for the garment without losing sterility.
US08207509B2

Substrates, systems and methods for analyzing materials that include waveguide arrays disposed upon or within the substrate such that evanescent fields emanating from the waveguides illuminate materials disposed upon or proximal to the surface of the substrate, permitting analysis of such materials. The substrates, systems and methods are used in a variety of analytical operations, including, inter alia, nucleic acid analysis, including hybridization and sequencing analyses, cellular analyses and other molecular analyses.
US08207506B2

An electron multiplier includes a neutron-sensitive composition having silicon oxide, lead oxide, boron-10 enriched boron oxide, and yttrium oxide. The composition is capable of interacting with neutrons to form an electron cascade. The electron multiplier can be in the form of a microchannel plate, a microfiber plate, or a microsphere plate.
US08207498B2

An electron beam apparatus which includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed, and an electron optical system. The electron optical system includes an electron gun that generates a primary electron beam, an immersion objective lens that converges the primary electron beam on the sample, an ExB deflector that separates a secondary particle, which is generated from irradiation of the primary beam to the sample, from an optical axis of the primary beam, a reflecting member to which the secondary particle collides, an assist electrode which is located under the reflecting member, a plurality of incidental particle detectors that selectively detect a velocity component and an azimuth component of a ternary particle which is generated by the secondary particle colliding to the reflecting member, and a center detector that is located above the reflecting member.
US08207496B2

An electrospray ion source for a mass spectrometer includes an electrode comprising at least a first plurality of protrusions protruding from a base, each protrusion of the at least a first plurality of protrusions having a respective tip; a conduit for delivering an analyte-bearing liquid to the electrode; and a voltage source, wherein, in operation of the electrospray ion source, the analyte-bearing liquid is caused to move, in the presence of a gas or air, from the base to each protrusion tip along a respective protrusion exterior so as to form a respective stream of charged particles emitted towards an ion inlet aperture of the mass spectrometer under application of voltage applied to the electrode from the voltage source.
US08207492B2

The exemplary embodiments provide a method, system, and device for identifying chemical species in a sample. According to one embodiment, the method, system, and device may include introducing a sample gas into a differential ion mobility device, ionizing at least a portion of the sample gas to generate at least one ion species, filtering the at least one ion species between a pair of filter electrodes, generating a detection signal in response to the at least one ion species depositing a charge on a collector electrode, and detecting a spectral peak associated with the at least one ion species.
US08207490B2

A method and apparatus for providing a timed, synchronized dynamic alpha or beta particle source for testing the response of continuous air monitors (CAMs) for airborne alpha or beta emitters is provided. The method includes providing a radioactive source; placing the radioactive source inside the detection volume of a CAM; and introducing an alpha or beta-emitting isotope while the CAM is in a normal functioning mode.
US08207478B2

A method and apparatus for rapid and selective heating of materials using variable frequency RF and microwaves. The apparatus uses variable frequency solid state electronics as a microwave power source, a novel microwave heating head to couple microwave energy to the target materials and a match-up network to tune the frequency and impedance match between the microwave source and the load. An electronic and computer measurement and control system is employed to monitor and control the microwave heating process. The method teaches the use of inductive microwave coupling for thin conductive materials such as metal film and impurity doped silicon wafers. The method also teaches the use of capacitive microwave coupling for dielectric material such as glass and ceramics. The method further teaches the use of rapid and selective heating of heterostructure for bonding and sealing of mems and integrated circuits. The method and apparatus can provide ultra-high heating speed along with ultra-high heating temperatures for rapid thermal processing of semiconductors and other materials. It also allows the use of bonding materials with high melting temperature for strong bonding and sealing of mems and IC devices. The apparatus further provides for high interconnection density of integrated circuits as connections are made without the use of solder bumps.
US08207466B2

The present invention relates generally to pushbutton actuators. More particularly, the invention encompasses a pushbutton 2 position twist release switch with integral LED and actuator. The invention also includes a pushbutton 3 position momentary switch with an integral LED and actuator. Another embodiment of the invention relates to a pushbutton 3 position maintained switch with an integral LED and actuator. The invention also includes various embodiments of the inventive pushbutton actuator of this invention. The inventive pushbutton also comprises a pushbutton knob that has ridges for the transmission and scattering of light for the LED in the module.
US08207463B2

A miniature switch with a switch operating unit having a swinging motion about a fulcrum on the side opposing the pressed side, instead of a spindle in the switch operating unit. The miniature switch includes: a switch operating unit composed of a holder 9 and an operational button 2 fixed to the holder 9; and a switch mechanism unit composed of a printed circuit board 6, a connector 5, and switch elements 7 arranged in a case 4, and coil springs 8 which engage between the switch elements 7 and the holder 9, wherein the switch operating unit and the switch mechanism unit are coupled to each other by a first packing 10 made of a resilient material, and the switch mechanism unit and the switch operating unit are disposed in a housing 1.
US08207461B2

A switch structure on the sidewall of a circuit board for an electronic device and manufacturing methods of the circuit board are provided. The switch structure includes a circuit board, a plurality of conductive portions, and a movable unit. The conductive portions are formed on a sidewall of the circuit board and electrically insulated from each other. The movable unit is disposed corresponding to the conductive portions to electrically connect or disconnect the plurality of conductive portions to achieve the switch function. The switch structure utilizes the structural design of the circuit board to reduce the space on the circuit board preserved for a circuit board switch.
US08207457B2

A reversing switch for a tap changer of a transformer is provided. The reversing switch includes first and second contact structures for connection to a winding of the transformer and a mounting structure for connection to a neutral terminal of the transformer. A bus bar connects a third contact structure to the mounting structure. A movable contact arm is secured to a rotatable post. The contact arm includes a contact assembly mounted to an arm. The contact assembly has one or more outward contacts and one or more inward contacts. The one or more inward contacts engage the third contact structure and the one or more outward contacts selectively engage the first contact structure or the second contact structure. The first and second contact structures and the mounting structure are located at about the same radial distance from the post, while the third contact structure is located closer to the post.
US08207449B2

An electronic device such as a sensor or a NEMS. The electronic device comprises at least one substrate; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the substrate; and at least one nano-wire growing from an edge of a first electrode to an edge of a second electrode. A method for making an electrode structure by providing a substrate; forming a plurality of electrodes on the substrate; growing at least one nano-wire from the edge of a first electrode; and connecting the at least one nano-wire to the edge of a second electrode is also disclosed.
US08207447B2

A polytetrafluoroethylene porous body which is produced by molding a polytetrafluoroethylene mixture, including a polytetrafluoroethylene powder and a pore-forming agent, into a predetermined shape, and subsequently removing the pore-forming agent. The pore-forming agent includes (a) one or more powders selected from a group consisting of dicarboxylic acid powders and benzoic acid powders, and (b) an organic solvent.
US08207435B2

A tool is provided for assisting in teaching music to a player of a steel pan/drum. The tool comprises a substantially circular base divided into twelve radial sectors, a central sector, and three concentric, radially spaced rings, thereby having 37 elements. Each element bears an indicium representative of a unitary, distinct note name in a range of three consecutive octaves plus a first note in a fourth consecutive octave. Each ring is arranged in so that a counter-clockwise-adjacent note name is separated by an interval of a fifth and a clockwise-adjacent note name is separated by an interval of a fourth.
US08207434B2

An enclosure is provided for a musical instrument, particularly for a guitar. The enclosure has a flexible rear panel having a laterally enlarged lower portion to cover the back side of the guitar. The enclosure further includes a flexible front side being substantially of the same size and shape as the rear side of the enclosure. A side panel, which is substantially continuous, interconnects the rear side and the front side of the enclosure. Preferably, the front side is clear or transparent so that the guitar may be viewed from outside the enclosure. An opening is provided in the bottom of the side wall and the opening is sized and shaped to allow the passage of the guitar in and out of the enclosure.
US08207429B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH889077. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH889077, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH889077 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH889077.
US08207424B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH895525. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH895525, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH895525 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH895525.
US08207423B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH279302. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH279302, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH279302 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH279302.
US08207419B2

The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 09R798B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 09R798B2R2. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 09R798B2R2 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 09R798B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08207417B2

The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 09R550B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 09R550B2R2. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 09R550B2R2 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 09R550B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08207412B1

A novel soybean variety, designated XB43U10 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB43U10, cells from soybean variety XB43U10, plants of soybean XB43U10, and plant parts of soybean variety XB43U10. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB43U10 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XB43U10, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB43U10. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB43U10 are further provided.
US08207409B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1016347. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1016347. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1016347 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1016347 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08207405B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5234214. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5234214. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5234214 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5234214 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08207397B1

Non-dehiscent sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) (IND) designated Sesaco 33 (S33) is herein disclosed. Its degree of shatter resistance, or seed retention, makes S33 suitable for mechanized harvesting and for selection for sesame crop growth in certain geographical locations, particularly where lodging is a high risk factor.
US08207388B2

A catalytic composition is described for the transalkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons comprising a zeolite and an inorganic binder, characterized by an extra-zeolitic porosity, i.e. the porosity obtained by adding the mesoporosity and the macroporosity fractions present in the catalytic composition, higher than or equal to 0.7 cc/g, which is such as to consist for a fraction of at least 30% of pores having a diameter greater than 100 nanometers. These catalytic compositions have a crushing strength not lower than 1.7 kg/mm and an apparent density not higher than 0.5 g/cc. A process is also described for the transalkylation of polyalkylated aromatic hydrocarbons which uses these catalytic compositions.
US08207383B2

The present invention provides a process for preparing 1234yf, comprising: (i) contacting 1233xf with hydrogen fluoride HF in gas phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst under conditions sufficient to produce a reaction mixture; (ii) separating the reaction mixture into a first stream comprising HCl, 1234yf and a second stream comprising HF, unreacted 1233xf and 245cb; (iii) recycling at least a part of the second stream at least in part back to step (i). The present invention also provides a process for preparing 1234yf, comprising: (i) contacting 1233xf with hydrogen fluoride HF in gas phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst under conditions sufficient to produce a reaction mixture; (ii) separating the reaction mixture into HCl and a stream containing the fluorinated products; (iii) separating said stream containing the fluorinated products into a first stream comprising 1234yf and a second stream comprising HF, unreacted 1233xf and 245cb; (iv) recycling at least a part of the second stream at least in part back to step (i).
US08207370B2

It is an objective of the present invention to produce an anti-form of an optically active β-hydroxy-α-aminocarboxylic acid ester efficiently, simply and industrially advantageously. The objective can be accomplished by directly and selectively producing the anti-form of the optically active β-hydroxy-α-aminocarboxylic acid ester by asymmetric reduction of a β-keto-α-aminocarboxylic acid ester using an optically active amine complex as a catalyst. Further, the β-keto-α-aminocarboxylic acid ester as a raw material can be produced at a high yield by reacting a glycine derivative with a carboxylic acid derivative.
US08207369B2

A conjugate comprising L-DOPA covalently linked to at least one γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) moiety, an ester and/or an addition salt thereof are disclosed, as well as uses thereof for treating a neurodegenerative disease or disorder.
US08207366B2

High boiling residue from the direct synthesis of alkylchlorosilanes are converted in large part to monosilanes by heating the residue by passage of alternating current in a pressurized reactor.
US08207361B2

The present invention relates to solid crystalline Tigecycline, and crystalline forms thereof.
US08207360B2

A process for producing propylene oxide from propylene is disclosed. The process comprises reacting propylene and an oxidant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen in a slurry comprising a catalyst and a solvent having a boiling point of 110° C. or lower to produce a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture including the catalyst is distilled to produce a vapor stream comprising propylene, propylene oxide, and at least a portion of the solvent, and a slurry stream comprising the solvent and the catalyst. At least a portion of the slurry stream is recycled to the reaction step.
US08207358B2

The present invention relates to a stereoselective synthesis of novel β-lactam dimers as useful precursors for the preparation of paclitaxel, docetaxel, and analogues thereof. More particularly, the new β-lactams are prepared from readily available and enantiomerically pure chiral auxiliaries. The β-lactams are then reacted with a suitably protected taxane to produce diastereomerically enriched side chain-bearing taxanes. Finally, the chiral auxiliary is cleaved and protecting groups are removed to provide the desired taxane.
US08207352B2

A new technical process for preparation of enantiomerically pure antifungal compounds of formula I by resolution of the racemates has been disclosed.
US08207348B2

The invention provides a thiazolothiazole compound represented by the following Formula (I). In Formula (I), Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group; R1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group; and n represents an integer of 0 or 1. The invention further provides a thiazolothiazole polymer having the thiazolothiazole compound as a polymerization unit thereof.
US08207347B2

The present invention relates to compounds useful in therapy, in particular in the treatment of psychosis, to compositions comprising said compounds, and to methods of treating diseases comprising the administration of said compounds.
US08207343B2

A method for the preparation of montelukast and salts thereof has been described. The method comprises of following steps: (a) (S)-1-(3-((E)-2-(7-chloroquinolin-2-yl)vinyl)phenyl)-3-(2-isopropenylphenyl)propyl methane sulphonate (styrene mesylate salt) (b) coupling with 1-(mercapto methyl)cyclopropane acetic acid followed by salification with an amine gives styrene amine salt (c) Converting styrene amine salt to Montelukast amine salt (d) Converting Montelukast amine salt to Montelukast free acid and or its required alkali/alkaline salt.
US08207339B2

The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of Moxifloxacin of Formula (I) and salts thereof by means of a process providing the coupling reaction of 1-cyclopropril-6,7-difluoro-1,4-dihydro-8-methoxy-4-oxo -3-quinolinic acid or ester thereof with (4aS, 7aS) -octahydro-1H-pyrrole[3,4-b]pyridine using a magnesium salt.
US08207332B2

Disclosed are methods of attaching biologically active compounds to a solid surface, comprising modifying the solid surface using triazine chloride and attaching the biologically active compound to the triazine moiety.
US08207328B2

Lactosamine derivatives and related methods suitable for the preparation, including large-scale production, of N-acetyllactosamine, lactosamine, numerous lactosamine salts and a number of lactosamine-containing oligosaccharides are provided.
US08207322B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fluorescent protein and a novel chromoprotein. The present invention provides a novel fluorescent protein derived from Montipora sp., Acropora sp. and Lobophytum crassum, and a novel chromoprotein derived from Actinia equine.
US08207321B2

Method for production of indolocarbazoles by using rebeccamycin biosynthetic genes. The invention is based on utilization of rebeccamycin biosynthetic genes from Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes for production of indolocarbazoles in related microorganisms (Streptomyces spp.). Method includes the isolation of a DNA fragment from Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes ATCC39243 containing the rebeccamycin biosynthesis gene cluster and the expression of these genes in Streptomyces albus, achieving production of rebeccamycin and derivatives. The invention is suitable for use in the pharmaceutical field.
US08207313B2

New and useful compounds C. roseus cultured hairy roots are provided, by Isolating flavone glycosides together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. This is accomplished by immersing powdered the hairy roots in methanol to produce an extract, concentrating the extract, resuspending the extract in water, extracting the compound with organic solvent, and isolating the compound from the organic solvent.
US08207307B2

Disclosed herein are methods for the recombinant expression of mammalian cell membrane-bound human CCN1 or a CCN1 domain thereof in mammalian cells, comprising transforming a mammalian host cell with a vector encoding CCN1 or a CCN1 domain thereof C-terminally fused to a mammalian cell transmembrane domain (CCN1 fusion protein), expressing said CCN1 or CCN1 domain fusion protein in said host cell, and recovering said membrane bound CCN1 or said CCN1 domain thereof. Disclosed herein is the use of such membrane bound CCN1 and domain for the generation of corresponding antibodies. Antibodies against human CCN1 are useful for the treatment of diseases.
US08207295B2

The invention provides novel guanylate cyclase-C agonist peptides and their use in the treatment of human diseases including gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation or cancer (e.g., a gastrointestinal cancer). The peptides can be administered either alone or in combination with an inhibitor of cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterase. The gastrointestinal disorder may be classified as either irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, or excessive acidity etc. The gastrointestinal disease may be classified as either inflammatory bowel disease or other GI condition including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and cancer.
US08207294B2

A method for treating a human infected with Aspergillus by using thymosin alpha 1 as an immuno-stimulator in activating dendritic cells. The method is particularly useful in preventing an infection by Aspergillus in an immuno-compromised host being treated with a bone marrow transplantation.
US08207292B2

The invention provides a method for the treatment of COPD and/or gastrointestinal disease conditions ameliorated by histamine management in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a histidine decarboxylase inhibitor.
US08207289B2

Polyester compositions, especially polyethylene terephthalate homopolymer and copolymers, are disclosed containing titanium catalysts and catalyst deactivator added late in the manufacturing processing having reduced acetaldehyde generation rates. The polyester compositions are low in free acetaldehyde, making them suitable for fabrication into beverage containers for relatively tasteless beverages such as bottle water. Furthermore, the polyesters are polymerized to a high inherent viscosity in reduced processing time, without the necessity of further polymerization in the solid state, and in the absence of acetaldehyde scavengers leading to polyester polymers having reduced color.
US08207281B2

The present invention relates to a process for preparing transition metal compounds, in particular ansa-bisindenyl-metallocenes having nitrogen, phosphor, sulfur or oxygen comprising substituents, the corresponding transition metal compounds themselves and their use in the preparation of catalyst systems and also the use of the catalyst systems in the polymerization and copolymerization of olefins.
US08207276B2

A dip-forming latex composition comprising a conjugated diene rubber latex and an organic peroxide, wherein the residual effective activity of organic peroxide defined as the ratio of organic peroxide retaining reactivity to the whole organic peroxide contained in the latex composition is 35% or higher. The invention provides a dip-formed article, which exhibits good softness of touch and comfortable fittingness and excellent in tensile strength and resistance to flexing fatigue; which itself hardly suffers coloration especially when the article thereof is worn as a glove for continuous operation for a long time and is hard to reduce adhesiveness and following characteristics to hand while wearing it; and a dip-forming latex composition capable to give such an article by dip-forming thereof.
US08207266B2

A resin composition for blow molding is provided, made by formulating 0 to 30 weight parts of an inorganic filler based on 100 weight parts of a resin composition having of: 20 to 95% by weight of polypropylene resin having a melting point evaluated by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) of 160° C. or higher, the polypropylene resin being formulated of a propylene-ethylene block copolymer having an ethylene content of 3 to 15% by weight; and 5 to 80% by weight of polyethylene resin having a melting point evaluated by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) of 130° C. or higher, and a tensile break strength is 250 Kg/cm3 or more at ambient temperature, and a tensile break elongation is 500% or more.
US08207252B2

The present invention provides a moisture-curable composition containing silylated polyurethane prepolymer and silane acrylate polymer. The composition is flowable at room temperatures, and upon curing forms high modulus resins for use in adhesives, coatings and sealants for automotive and industrial applications.
US08207251B2

A composition that may be used to form an electronic circuit element includes metal nanoparticles in a metal nanoparticle solution, at least a low-polarity additive and a solvent. The low-polarity additive is either a styrenated terpene resin or a polyterpene resin. The composition may be used to form conductive features on a substrate by depositing the composition onto a substrate, and heating the deposited composition on the substrate to a temperature from about 80° C. to about 200° C. to form conductive features on the substrate.
US08207246B2

A process for making a latex emulsion suitable for use in a toner composition includes contacting a resin with a solid neutralizing agent in the absence of an organic solvent to form a mixture either via a co-feeding process or a pre-blend mixture, and adding a solid or aqueous surfactant to the pre-blend mixture or prior to melt mixing the mixture.
US08207244B2

Azo compounds that block visible light are disclosed. These light absorbers are particularly suitable for use in intraocular lens materials.
US08207242B2

To provide a photocurable material which can form a cured product having a high transparency and a high refractive index, a process for producing the material easily, and an article having a high transparency and a high refractive index.The photocurable material is obtained by a production process comprising (i) a step of reacting a polymerizable component (A) comprised of at least one type of a compound (a) having a (meth)acryloyloxy group, and a compound (B) having a mercapto group and a carboxy group to obtain a surface modifier (C) which has the carboxy group derived from the compound (B) at a terminal, (ii) a step of modifying the surface of inorganic fine particles (D) with the surface modifier (C) to obtain surface-modified inorganic fine particles (E), and (iii) a step of obtaining a photocurable material which contains the surface-modified inorganic fine particles (E), a polymerizable component (F) comprised of at least one type of a compound (f) having a (meth)acryloyloxy group, and a photopolymerization initiator (G).
US08207241B2

Nanosize titanium dioxide having supported thereon metallic platinum are efficient hydrosilylation catalysts whose hydrosilylation activity may be increased by irradiation. The catalysts are prepared by depositing soluble platinum compounds on a titanium dioxide sol or titanium dioxide pigments followed by drying, calcining, and reduction to platinum metal. The catalysts are particularly useful in preparing addition-curable organopolysiloxane elastomers.
US08207236B2

The present invention provides a method for the production of porous particles that involves extracting an organic solvent from a water-in-oil-in-water emulsion. In accordance with the method of the invention, a first aqueous solution including a porosity-promoting agent is emulsified into an organic solution including a therapeutic constituent and, optionally, a matrix material to form a water-in-oil emulsion. The water-in-oil emulsion is then emulsified into a second aqueous solution including a surfactant to form the water-in-oil-in-water emulsion. Extraction of the organic solvent from the water-in-oil-in-water emulsion, such as by supercritical fluid extraction, causes the therapeutic constituent and optional matrix material to precipitate and thus form an aqueous suspension of porous particles. The aqueous suspension can be centrifuged, filtered and lyophilized to obtain dry porous particles suitable for use in the deep lung delivery of drugs and other therapeutic agents.
US08207235B2

The invention pertains to a process for stabilizing a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer comprising ion exchange groups, said process comprising: suspending at least one semi-crystalline fluoropolymer having ion exchange groups [polymer (I)] in at least one fluorinated organic dispersing medium [medium (M)] so as to obtain a dispersion (D) of polymer (I) in a dispersing medium (M); contacting said dispersion (D) with fluorine under irradiation with U.V. radiation so as to obtain a stabilized polymer. Still objects of the invention are a stable semi-crystalline fluoropolymer as above defined having a low amount of unstable ends groups of —COF type, the use of the stabilized fluoropolymer obtained by the process or of the stable fluoropolymer in fuel cells devices, a membrane and a membrane-electrode assembly comprising said fluoropolymers.
US08207231B2

The invention relates to agents which combat the hepatitus A virus, containing only minimal amounts of chlorine-containing and/or chlorine cleaving active ingredients, or none of said substances. The inventions also relates to the use of these agents and to a method for their production.
US08207228B2

A class of topomimetic calixarene-based peptide mimetics is described. Calixarene-based peptide mimetics have various biological activities such as, for example, bactericidal activity, antiangiogenic activity, and/or antitumor activity. Methods of use and methods of designing calixarene-based peptide mimetics are described.
US08207223B2

A pharmaceutical composition for topical administration for prevention and/or treatment of diseases associated with decrease in bone mass comprising an EP4 agonist as an active ingredient. An EP4 agonist, in which includes a compound possessing prostaglandin skeleton as a representative, possesses promoting action on bone formation, so it is useful for prevention and/or treatment of diseases associated with decrease in bone mass (bone diseases such as primary osteoporosis, secondary osteoporosis, bone metastasis of cancer, hypercalcemia, Paget's disease, bone loss and bone necrosis, postoperative osteogenesis, alternative therapy for bone grafting).
US08207217B2

The present invention relates to crystalline forms of the mono-sodium salt of D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, their use in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, and processes for their preparation. In particular, the present invention relates the crystal modification 1 (polymorphic form F), the crystal modification 2 (polymorphic form I), and the crystal modification 3 (polymorphic form X) of the mono-sodium salt of D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan.
US08207215B2

Compositions comprising ketorolac tromethamine at a therapeutically effective concentration of less than 0.5% are disclosed herein. Methods of treating or preventing ocular pain using said compositions are also disclosed herein.
US08207201B2

The present invention provides an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of substance abuse and dependence, which contains a compound of the formula (I) represented by (R)-2-{3-[1-(acenaphthen-1-yl)piperidin-4-yl]-2,3-dihydro-2-oxo-benzimidazol-1-yl}-N-methylacetamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient.
US08207198B2

The present invention relates to substituted triazoles of formula (I), uses thereof, processes for the preparation thereof and compositions containing said compounds. These inhibitors have utility in a variety of therapeutic areas including sexual dysfunction.
US08207197B2

The invention relates to new crystalline 1-[3-[3-(4-chlorophenyl)propoxy]propyl]-piperidine monohydrochloride, the respective manufacture and methods of use, and compositions containing such a compound.
US08207180B2

The present invention provides tricyclic indoles and (4,5-dihydro) indoles of the formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein the ring A represents a fused pyrazole, pyridine or pyrimidine, means either simple or double carbon-carbon bond and R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the specification. Further objects of the invention are a process for the preparation of the compounds of the formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and methods for treating cell proliferative disorders. As a matter of fact, the compounds of the formula (I) are useful, in therapy, in the treatment of diseases associated with a disregulated protein kinase activity, in particular Cdc7 and AKT kinase activity, like cancer.
US08207175B2

The present invention relates to compounds and uses of compounds which interact with chitinase enzymes, in particular the inhibition of those enzymes. Compounds of the invention are generally depicted by the following formula:
US08207170B2

The present application discloses a compound, or enantiomers, stereoisomers, rotamers, tautomers, racemates or prodrug of said compound, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates or esters of said compound, or of said prodrug, said compound having the general structure shown in Formula 1: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or ester thereof, wherein the various moieties are defined herein. Also disclosed is a method of treating chemokine mediated diseases, such as, palliative therapy, curative therapy, prophylactic therapy of certain diseases and conditions such as inflammatory diseases (non-limiting example(s) include, psoriasis), autoimmune diseases (non-limiting example(s) include, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis), graft rejection (non-limiting example(s) include, allograft rejection, xenograft rejection), infectious diseases (e.g, tuberculoid leprosy), fixed drug eruptions, cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity responses, ophthalmic inflammation, type I diabetes, viral meningitis and tumors using a compound of Formula 1.
US08207169B2

The compounds of Formula D are of the class of triazolo-pyrido-pyrazines which are inhibitors of AKT useful for the treatment of cancer
US08207159B2

The invention relates to the use of galanthamine, as free base or as acid addition salt, for the treatment of cerebral, central nervous or psychiatric symptoms, defunctionalization manifestations or disorders occurring through intake of psychotropic substances as a consequence of occasional or chronic abuse of addictive substances, intoxicants or medicines, or as side effects of the use, especially repeated or prolonged, as intended of medicaments, or as an effect of use, in particular repeated or prolonged, not as intended of medicaments, or as a result of acute poisoning by psychotropic toxic substances, or as a result of chronic exposure to toxic substances with a psychotropic effect in humans or other vertebrates.
US08207152B2

There is provided use of a cyclic compound or a pharmaceutically active salt thereof in the manufacture of a medicament to prevent and/or inhibit and/or arrest cell cycling, wherein the cyclic compound comprises at least one ring, wherein Group I and Group II, independently of each other, are attached to a ring of the cyclic compound; wherein Group I is a hydrocarbyl or an oxyhydrocarbyl group; and wherein Group II is a group of the formula X is P or S; when X is P, Y is ═O or S, Z is —OH and R is hydrocarbyl or H; when X is S, Y is ═O, Z is ═O, and R is hydrocarbyl or N(R1)(R2), wherein each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from H or a hydrocarbyl group.
US08207149B2

A stable, controlled release formulation for oral dosing of vitamin D compounds is disclosed. The formulation is prepared by incorporating one or more vitamin D compounds into a solid or semi-solid mixture of waxy materials. Oral dosage forms can be prepared by melt-blending the components described herein and filling gelatin capsules with the formulation.
US08207139B2

The present invention relates to methods for the treatment of inflammation. Specifically, disclosed herein are methods to inhibit vascular inflammatory responses by inhibiting the proton-sensing GPR4 receptor. Such methods can be utilized, most preferably, in pharmaceutical compositions to modulate inflammation in acidosis-related diseases.
US08207122B2

An anti-cancer bioactive peptide having an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO.1, or a functional analogue thereof prepared by substitution, insertion, or deletion of one or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO. 1, or a peptide having 90% homology in amino acid sequence with that of SEQ ID NO. 1. The anti-cancer bioactive peptide of the invention can selectively kill cancer cells and exhibit low cytotoxicity against normal cells.
US08207117B2

The invention concerns glycosylated proteins having human factor VIII activity. In a preferred embodiment, the protein is glycosylated with oligosaccharides that include an alpha-(2,6)-linked sialic acid and a bisecting GlcNAc linked to a core beta-mannose.
US08207114B2

Targeted therapeutics that localize to a specific subcellular compartment such as the lysosome are provided. The targeted therapeutics include a therapeutic agent and a targeting moiety that binds a receptor on an exterior surface of the cell, permitting proper subcellular localization of the targeted therapeutic upon internalization of the receptor. Nucleic acids, cells, and methods relating to the practice of the invention are also provided.
US08207113B2

The invention provides methods for preparing a peptide useful in generating an antibody specific for the glycosylated form of a glycopolypeptide wherein the glycosylated portion is isolated and a peptide corresponding to amino acids adjacent to a glycosylated N-linked glycosylation site is prepared.
US08207111B2

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for treating muscular dystrophy. The method for treating muscular dystrophy according to the present invention is characterized in comprising a step of administering a caldecrin.
US08207108B2

The present invention relates to compositions of UV absorbers and optionally additional antioxidants. The compositions are useful for the protection and stabilization of photosensitive ingredients such as colorants, dyes, scents, fragrances and active ingredients in body care products, household products or inks against the deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation and oxygen.
US08207106B2

Disclosed is a method for producing an anionic surfactant powder, which comprises a step wherein an aqueous anionic surfactant solution having an anionic surfactant concentration of 0.01-40% by weight is introduced into a granulating machine or a drying machine having a mixing blade under a reduced pressure for granulation and drying.
US08207098B2

A lubricant additive comprising a rod-like liquid crystal compound possessing a cation group and an anion is disclosed. The rod-like liquid crystal compound is typically a specific type of 4-(1,3-diox-2-yl)pyridinium salt and exhibits an effect of reducing the coefficient of friction if added in a small amount. A lubricant composition and a grease composition comprising the lubricant additive are also disclosed.
US08207096B2

A method of servicing a wellbore comprising placing a composition comprising a surfactant, brine, an oleaginous fluid, and optionally a co-surfactant in an annular space of the wellbore, wherein the composition forms a microemulsion under low shear conditions.
US08207095B2

Scale inhibiting particulates formed from a mixture of fly ash and a phosphonic acid curing agent; wherein the fly ash is cured into a solid material by the contact with the phosphonic acid curing agent. The mixture may also contain a multivalent ion and the particulates may be coated with a coating material in an amount from about 0.1% to about 40% coating material by weight of the scale inhibiting particulate to delay the release of the scale inhibitor.
US08207091B2

In agriculture when temperature and moisture deviate from the norm two things happen, plant growth suffers and disease flourishes. The Stoller model for plant growth states that proper hormone balance is necessary for optimum growth and performance. When growth conditions deviate from the norm, hormone balance is altered and plant growth suffers. This invention presents evidence to support this model and explain the relationship between hormone levels and plant growth. A clear understanding of this relationship will facilitate crop treatments aimed to eliminate these problems. Although we cannot control the climate, we can control the damage caused by environmental stresses by manipulating the levels and/or ratio of plant hormones in the different plant tissues. By adjusting the levels and/or ratios of hormones, particularly auxin and cytokinins in the root tissue, we can assist the plant in overcoming or compensating for this environmental stress.
US08207087B2

The present invention relates to a ferric and manganese binary oxide (FMBO) based adsorbent, its preparation and application method. The FMBO based adsorbent comprises a ferric and manganese binary oxide (FMBO) and a carrier. The mass ratio of FMBO to the carrier is between 0.2:100 and 15:100. The FMBO based adsorbent effectively removes the arsenic in groundwater, particularly the arsenite. The present invention also provides the equipment for preparation and application of the adsorbent.
US08207079B2

A photocatalyst-coated body comprises a substrate and a photocatalyst layer provided on the substrate, the photocatalyst layer comprising photocatalyst particles of 1 part or more by mass and less than 20 parts by mass, inorganic oxide particles of 70 parts or more by mass and less than 99 parts by mass, and the dried substance of a hydrolyzable silicone of zero parts or more by mass and less than 10 parts by mass, provided that a total amount of the photocatalyst particles, the dried substance of the inorganic oxide particles and the hydrolyzable silicone is 100 parts by mass in terms of silica, wherein the photocatalyst layer has a film thickness of 3.0 μm or less.
US08207075B2

Provided is an optical glass having optical constants, a refractive index (nd) of more than 1.9 and an Abbe number (νd) of not more than 38, having a small partial dispersion ratio and capable of being produced from inexpensive materials. The optical glass has a partial dispersion ratio (θg, F) of at most 0.615, and contains, as indispensable ingredients, B2O3, La2O3, TiO2, Nb2O5 and Ta2O5, wherein the ratio, as % by mass, of TiO2/Nb2O5 is at most 0.26 and GeO2/Nb2O5 is at most 0.38. The optical glass contains, in terms of % by mass, the following ingredients: B2O3  5 to 22%, La2O3  15 to 50%, TiO20.01 to 15%, Nb2O5  5 to 40%, and Ta2O5 0.1 to 25%, and SiO20 to 10% and/or GeO20 to 10% and/or Al2O30 to 10% and/or Gd2O30 to 16% and/or ZrO20 to 15% and/or WO30 to 22% and/or Sb2O30 to 1%.
US08207065B2

A method for forming a shallow trench isolation includes providing a substrate with a trench, a first liner layer and a second liner layer sequentially in the trench with a first oxide filling the trench, performing a first wet etching to remove part of the first oxide and part of the first liner layer to expose the substrate, performing a second wet etching to remove part of the second liner layer so that the second liner layer is lower than surface of the substrate, performing a third wet etching to remove part of the first oxide and part of the first liner layer, and filling the trench with a second oxide to form a shallow trench isolation.
US08207055B2

A method for generating an electrode layer pattern in an organic functional device (101; 201) comprising a first transparent electrode layer (103; 203), a second electrode layer (104; 204) and an organic functional layer (102; 202) sandwiched between said first and second electrode layers (103, 104; 203, 204). The method comprises the steps of arranging (601) a laser (704; 804) to irradiate said organic functional device (701; 801) through said first transparent electrode layer (103; 203), selecting (602) a set of laser parameters in order to enable said laser (704; 804) to locally modify an electric conductivity of said second electrode layer (104; 204), and locally modifying, by said laser (704; 804) in accordance with said set of laser parameters, the electric conductivity of said second electrode layer (104; 204), thereby generating said electrode layer pattern.
US08207052B2

There is provided a method of fabrication an integrated circuit comprising providing a substrate with a bond pad formed thereover, the bond pad having a top surface for the formation of bonding connections. A passivation layer is provided over the bond pad followed by an overlying masking layer. The passivation layer is subsequently etched in accordance with the masking layer to form a patterned passivation layer with an opening that exposes a portion of the top surface of the bond pad. After etching the passivation layer, the mask layer is removed by a plasma resist strip followed by a wet solvent clean that removes etch residue from the passivation layer etch. Finally, a bond pad protective layer is grown over the surface of the bond pad. The bond pad may be composed of aluminum and the bond pad protective layer may be aluminum oxide.
US08207050B2

A crystallization method includes providing a substrate having a silicon thin film; positioning a laser mask having first to fourth blocks on the substrate, each block having a periodic pattern including a plurality of transmitting regions and a blocking region; and crystallizing the silicon thin film by irradiating a laser beam through the laser mask. A polycrystalline silicon film crystallized by this method is substantially free from a shot mark, and has uniform crystalline characteristics.
US08207047B2

A system for simultaneously treating multiple workpieces is configured with treatment sites, configured to hold respective workpieces, fixed on a rotatable base. Treatment stations are equipped with respective active components operable simultaneously to treat respective workpieces identically on respective aligned treatment sites. For loading and unloading the treatment sites are rotated through distinct loading and unloading stations of the treatment stations which allow loading of a second batch while a first batch is being unloaded.
US08207046B2

To prevent bubbles from occurring along a transfer interface, the present method includes the steps of: forming a peeled layer 10 in a transferred member 6 by implanting a peeled-layer forming substance into the transferred member 6; forming a planar surface in the transferred member 6 by planarizing a surface of the transferred member 6; forming a composite including the transferred member 6 and a glass substrate 2 by directly combining the transferred member 6 via the planar surface with a surface of the glass substrate 2; and peeling a part of the transferred member 6 from the composite along the peeled layer 10 serving as an interface by heat-treating the composite.
US08207025B2

In an embodiment, an insulating film is formed over a flat surface; a mask is formed over the insulating film; a slimming process is performed on the mask; an etching process is performed on the insulating film using the mask; a conductive film covering the insulating film is formed; a polishing process is performed on the conductive film and the insulating film, so that the conductive film and the insulating film have equal thicknesses; the conductive film is etched, so that a source electrode and a drain electrode which are thinner than the conductive film are formed; an oxide semiconductor film is formed in contact with the insulating film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a gate insulating film covering the oxide semiconductor film is formed; and a gate electrode is formed in a region which is over the gate insulating film and overlaps with the insulating film.
US08207007B2

There is provided a method of producing a semiconductor device. The method includes the steps of: forming a first hard mask having an opening above a substrate; forming a sacrificial film above a side surface of the opening of the first hard mask; forming a second hard mask in the opening having the sacrificial film above the side surface; removing the sacrificial film after the second hard mask is formed; ion implanting a first conductivity-type impurity through the first hard mask; and ion implanting a second conductivity-type impurity through the first and second hard masks.
US08207005B2

Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using novel methods to form the active doped region(s) and the metal contact structure of the solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include the steps of depositing a dielectric material that is used to define the boundaries of the active regions and/or contact structure of a solar cell device. Various techniques may be used to form the active regions of the solar cell and the metal contact structure.
US08206994B2

The invention relates to a method for treating drops in a microfluid circuit, comprising at least one microchannel (12) through which the drops flow, characterized in that a laser (26) is brought to bear on the interface of said drops in the transport liquid (F3), or on the interface of drops in contact, in order to carry out a sorting of the drops, to form nanodrops from a larger drop or to fuse drops (60, 64) in contact and initiate reactions between the fluids contained in said drops.
US08206988B2

A flow cytometry nozzle and method for orienting sperm cells in a fluid flow path including an interior surface of a nozzle. The interior surface of the nozzle having a first, a second and a third axially tapered region for progressively accelerating the speed of a fluid stream in a downstream direction toward a nozzle exit. At least two of the regions having generally elliptical cross sectional shapes oriented in different directions for applying torsional forces to a fluid stream passing there through, tending to bring sperm cells in the stream into a desired orientation.
US08206979B2

The invention relates to a method for the expansion and differentiation of haematopoietic stem cells into enucleated erythrocytes, in two steps: a first step in a culture medium, where cell proliferation and erythmid differentiation are induced in the presence of growth factors, and a second step modeling a reconstitution of the microenvironment, substantially without erythropoietin (EPO). Optionally, the method of culture may comprise an intermediate step, with haematopoietic growth factors.
US08206978B2

The present invention provides a new fluorescent protein, engineered to facilitate release from self-cleaving peptides.
US08206977B2

A tricistronic vector (i.e., a vector capable of expressing three exogenous genes, which are not fused together, under the control of one promoter) effectively can encode an immunoglobulin-presenting polypeptide and two immunoglobulin (Ig) polypeptides. The encoded Ig-presenting polypeptide is able to associate with at least one of the Ig polypeptides via co-expressed associating agents. A vector according to the present invention particularly is suited for phage display technology, e.g., when the Ig-presenting polypeptide is a phage coat protein and the Ig polypeptides associate to form a Fab.
US08206971B2

Modified forms of naturally occurring bacteriocins, such as the R-type pyocins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are disclosed as are methods for producing them in GRAS organisms. The bacteriocins are modified at the ends of their tail fibers in a region responsible for binding specificity and affinity to their cognate binding partners, or receptors, such as those on the surface of bacteria. Methods for the use of the modified bacteriocins, such as to bind receptors, including virulence or fitness factors, on the surfaces of bacteria, are also described.
US08206964B2

An acetyl xylan esterase variant having perhydrolytic activity is provided for producing peroxycarboxylic acids from carboxylic acid esters and a source of peroxygen. More specifically, a Thermotoga maritima acetyl xylan esterase gene was modified using error-prone PCR and site-directed mutagenesis to create an enzyme catalyst characterized by an increase in specific activity. The variant acetyl xylan esterase may be used to produce peroxycarboxylic acids suitable for use in a variety of applications such as cleaning, disinfecting, sanitizing, bleaching, wood pulp processing, and paper pulp processing applications.
US08206963B2

An acetyl xylan esterase variant having perhydrolytic activity is provided for producing peroxycarboxylic acids from carboxylic acid esters and a source of peroxygen. More specifically, a Thermotoga maritima acetyl xylan esterase gene was modified using error-prone PCR and site-directed mutagenesis to create an enzyme catalyst characterized by an increase in the ratio of peracetic acid formation to peracetic acid hydrolysis specific activities (PAAF/PAAH ratio). The variant acetyl xylan esterase may be used to produce peroxycarboxylic acids suitable for use in a variety of applications such as cleaning, disinfecting, sanitizing, bleaching, wood pulp processing, and paper pulp processing applications.
US08206956B2

The present invention provides a process for growing eukaryotic microorganisms which are capable of producing lipids, in particular lipids containing polyenoic fatty acids. The present invention also provides a process for producing eukaryotic microbial lipids.
US08206952B2

In a method for synthesizing a long nucleic acid molecule, a first immobilized nucleic acid has a first 5′ region and a first 3′ region and a second immobilized nucleic acid has a second 5′ region and a second 3′ region. The second 3′ region and the first 5′ region have identical nucleic acid sequences. An oligonucleotide is hybridized to the first 3′ region, extending the hybridized oligonucleotide and producing a first extension product having a 3′ region that is complementary to the first 5′ region. The 3′ region of the first extension product is hybridized to the second 3′ region, extending the 3′ region of the first extension product and producing a synthesized nucleic acid molecule having a 3′ region that is complementary to the second 5′ region, wherein the synthesized nucleic acid molecule has a sequence complementary to the first and second 3′ and 5′ regions.
US08206934B2

The present invention provides protein-based biomarkers and biomarker combinations that are useful in qualifying ovarian cancer status in a patient. In particular, the biomarkers of this invention are useful to classify a subject sample as ovarian cancer, ovarian cancer of low malignant potential, benign ovarian disease or other malignant condition. The biomarkers can be detected by SELDI mass spectrometry, immunoassay, or other means.
US08206922B2

Methods are described for screening a subject for risk of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 2A or for diagnosing Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or a predisposition for developing Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in a subject, by detecting the presence or absence of a mutation in the mitofusin gene in a biological sample collected from the subject. Methods are also described for detecting the presence of a genetic polymorphism associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 2A in a sample of patient nucleic acid, by amplifying a mitofusin gene sequence in the patient nucleic acid to produce an amplification product; and identifying the presence of a Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 2A associated polymorphism in the amplification product.
US08206918B2

The present invention relates to systems, devices, and methods for performing biological reactions. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of lipophilic, water immiscible, or hydrophobic barriers in sample separation, purification, modification, and analysis processes.
US08206915B2

Disclosed are compositions and methods for the sensitive and selective detection of ions using nucleic acid enzymes.
US08206909B2

The invention relates to methods for amplifying, modifying, mutating and cloning DNA of any size. These methods comprise a series of PCR reactions, which are punctuated by ligation reactions.
US08206892B2

Devices having a thin film or laminate structure comprising hafnium and/or zirconium oxy hydroxy compounds, and methods for making such devices, are disclosed. The hafnium and zirconium compounds can be doped, typically with other metals, such as lanthanum. Examples of electronic devices or components that can be made include, without limitation, insulators, transistors and capacitors. A method for patterning a device using the materials as positive or negative resists or as functional device components also is described. For example, a master plate for imprint lithography can be made. An embodiment of a method for making a device having a corrosion barrier also is described. Embodiments of an optical device comprising an optical substrate and coating also are described. Embodiments of a physical ruler also are disclosed, such as for accurately measuring dimensions using an electron microscope.
US08206875B2

The contraction and deformation of a seal member are inhibited. To realize this, in a separator in which the shapes of projections and recesses forming at least fluid passages are inverted from each other on the front surface and the back surface of the separator and which is provided with a manifold for supplying and discharging a fluid, the separator, when a seal member for sealing the fluid is provided along the edge side of the separator forming the contour of the manifold, a projecting section capable of functioning as a spacer between the separator and another member adjacent to the separator is provided between the seal member and the edge side.
US08206867B2

A flat tube double-sided power generation type fuel cell is comprised of the combination of one or more of the following means (1) and (2). That is, means (1) for optimizing the constitution of an current-collecting electrode thereby making the flow of fuel or air uniform over the entire region, and means (2) for dividing the current-collecting electrode into two regions thereby shunting the flow of the fuel into a flow directing to the anode of the cell and a flow directly directing to the downstream, for increasing the power generation amount in the cell, the means being applicable also to a cell of a cylindrical shape.
US08206865B2

A separator includes a separator body 11 and a collector 12. The separator body 11 prevents a mixed flow of fuel gas and oxidizer gas. The collector 12 is formed from a metal lath RM in which through holes each having an opening shape assuming the form of a hexagon are formed in a meshy, step-like arrangement. This establishes a substantially linear contact mode between the collector 12 and each of the separator body 11 and a carbon cloth CC superposed on an MEA 30. This contact mode increases a contact area between the carbon cloth CC and gas and allows a necessary and sufficient contact area between the carbon cloth CC and the separator body 11. Thus, gas can be supplied efficiently, and generated electricity can be collected efficiently to thereby improve electricity generation efficiency of a fuel cell.
US08206862B2

A system for communicating measurement data from each fuel cell or a group of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, including a plurality of fuel cells, a plurality of stack plates, and a plurality of embedded smart plates. The stack plates are between each fuel cell and on each end of the stack, and the plurality of embedded smart plates are mechanically and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stack plates, and each smart plate including optical transceivers on the top side and the bottom side. The system further includes first and second aggregator devices, said first and second aggregator devices including at least one optical transceiver for communicating with the embedded smart plate adjacent to the first or second aggregator device, where one aggregator device initiates communication with the embedded smart plates and the other aggregator device completes communication.
US08206860B2

A system and method for maintaining the voltage of fuel cells in the fuel cell stack below a predetermined maximum voltage. The method determines a desired voltage set-point value that defines a predetermined maximum fuel cell voltage value and uses the voltage set-point value and an average fuel cell voltage to generate an error value there-between. The method generates a minimum gross power prediction value using the modified voltage set-point value to prevent the fuel cell voltages from going above the predetermined maximum fuel cell voltage value and generating a supplemental power value based on the minimum gross power prediction value and the error value to determine how much power needs to be drawn from the stack to maintain the fuel cell voltage below the predetermined maximum voltage value. The method uses the supplemental power value to charge the battery or operate an auxiliary load coupled to the stack.
US08206841B2

There is provided a moisture-reactive composition comprising a moisture-reactive organometallic compound, and a polymer having a carboxyl group at the end of a main chain or a side chain. A moisture-absorbing film formed of the moisture-reactive composition is also provided. An organic electroluminescent device comprising the moisture-reactive composition is also provided wherein a laminate is formed by interposing an organic luminescent material layer made of an organic material between a pair of electrodes facing each other, and a structure shields the laminate from the outside air, and drying means are arranged in the structure, wherein the drying means is formed of the moisture-reactive composition.
US08206832B2

There is provided a photosensitive thermosetting resin composition of an alkali development type from which it is possible to form a coating film that is halogen-free yet has high-level flame retardancy, has a superior low warpage property after it is cured, is excellent in plasticity, resolution, soldering heat resistance, chemical resistance, and the like, and a flexible printed circuit board using the same. There is provided a photosensitive thermosetting resin composition of an alkali development type and a flexible printed circuit board using the same, the photosensitive thermosetting resin composition including: (A) a resin component having a (meth)acryloyl group and a carboxyl group in one molecule and soluble in a dilute alkali solution; (B) a phosphorus-containing epoxy thermosetting resin component; (C) a photopolymerization initiator; (D) an organophosphorus compound; and (E) a diluent, and having excellent performance in all the properties comparable to those of conventional photosensitive thermosetting resin compositions using brominated epoxy resin and a halogen-based flame retardant, and having an excellent property of not generating hydrogen bromide which has been a problem at the time of the combustion.
US08206828B2

A material for electroless plating shows good adhesion for a catalyst and does not cause delamination of a catalyst adhering layer from a non-conductive base material in a catalyst adhering step, development step or other step.In a material for electroless plating, having a catalyst adhering layer on a non-conductive base material, the catalyst adhering layer is formed from a hydrophilic and/or water-soluble resin containing hydroxyl group, and a curable layer formed from a resin having hydroxyl group and an isocyanate type compound is provided between the base material and the catalyst adhering layer. The catalyst adhering layer is preferably formed while isocyanate groups of the isocyanate type compound in the curable layer remain.
US08206819B2

A varnish includes an epoxy resin, a curing agent, an accelerator agent and fillers. The fillers include inorganic mineral powders. The inorganic mineral powders have composition of SiO2 in weight ratio of 55±5% and a composition of aluminum compound in weight above 35%. Glass fabric cloth is dipped into the varnish so as to form a prepreg with better machined-work capability.
US08206816B2

An article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex, the polyelectrolyte complex comprising an intermolecular blend of a predominantly positively-charged polyelectrolyte and a predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte and being free of salt crystals having a size greater than about 1 micrometer and free of voids having a size greater than about 100 nm, the article having no transverse dimension less than about 10,000 nm.
US08206810B1

A non-fibrous, high tenacity, highly oriented UHMWPE tape or sheet of high molecular weight having a substantially large aspect ratio, a high tenacity, and a substantially higher tensile modulus. The UHMWPE tape includes an average molecular weight of 2,000,000 or greater, a width of ½-inch or greater, a thickness of between 0.0008 and 0.004 inch, and a modulus of between 1600 and 2500 grams per denier.
US08206802B2

Trim panel including a decoration layer having a decoration side provided with a decoration, a contact layer having a contact side structured and arranged for contact with a substrate, and an intermediate layer having a cell structure and being at least one of: connected one of indirectly or directly to the decoration layer and connected one of indirectly or directly to the contact layer. A connecting layer is produced from a wood material and formed in one piece with at least one connecting element formed on at least two opposing sides of the connector layer in the form of complementary tongue and groove connectors. Intermediate layer is one of: arranged on a side of connecting layer facing towards decoration layer or on a side of connecting layer facing towards contact layer, and is exposed on edges of trim panel running orthogonally to panel plane.
US08206800B2

A design and process are provided in which a fully activated thermosetting adhesive layer and multi-layered thermoplastic adhesive are positioned between a flock layer and a substrate.
US08206797B2

A heat-shrinkable polyester film is obtained which is extremely satisfactory in openability along a perforation, has exceedingly high productivity, and is less apt to split in the lengthwise direction in processing, e.g., printing. Provided is a label which is formed from the heat-shrinkable film and is satisfactorily tearable. The label is one formed from a tubular material which comprises as a base a heat-shrinkable film thermally shrinking mainly in the film width direction and which has been cut according to an object to be packaged, both edges in the film width direction having been bonded to each other. The tubular material has been thermally shrunk to constitute the label, with which at least part of the periphery of the object to be packaged is covered. The label has an angle tear strength in the direction perpendicular to the main shrinkage direction (i.e., in the film length direction) of 100-310 N/mm and a tensile break strength in the direction perpendicular to the main shrinkage direction (i.e., in the film length direction) of 50-300 MPa.
US08206788B2

In the manufacture of electronic devices that use porous dielectric materials, the properties of the dielectric in a pristine state can be altered by various processing steps. In a method for restoring and preserving the pristine properties of a porous dielectric layer, a substrate is provided with a layer of processed porous dielectric on top, whereby the processed porous dielectric is at least partially exposed. A thin aqueous film is formed at least on the exposed parts of the processed porous dielectric. The exposed porous dielectric with the aqueous film is exposed to an ambient containing a mixture comprising at least one silylation agent and dense CO2, resulting in the restoration and preservation of the pristine properties of the porous dielectric.
US08206782B2

The present invention describes a process for the surface finishing of materials via application of specific polymethacrylate layers. The polymethacrylate layers are composed of blends of at least two (co)polymers of polymethacrylates, and specific “reactive monomers” are present here in a polymerized mixture which forms the polymethacrylate layer. At the application temperature established, these form a chemical and, where appropriate, also a physical bond to the substrate, and therefore have adhesion-promoting action.
US08206779B2

A method for producing a laminate comprising a support; and at least two layers provided by coating at least two kinds of coating compositions, respectively, the method comprising: simultaneously coating at least two kinds of coating compositions on a support; and drying the at least two kinds of coating compositions, wherein the at least two kinds of coating compositions each comprises a compound having a polymerizable functional group capable of forming a chemical bond to each other.
US08206778B2

A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium includes the steps of forming an intermediate layer that is electrically conductive over a non-magnetic substrate; forming an aluminum-containing layer on the intermediate layer; forming a plurality of micro pits in the aluminum-containing layer; generating an alumina-containing layer by anode oxidation of the aluminum-containing layer and simultaneously forming a plurality of nano holes in the alumina-containing layer originating from the plurality of micro pits respectively to expose the intermediate layer; cleaning and drying the plurality of nano holes using a fluid selected from the group consisting of a sub- and super-critical carbon dioxide fluid; and depositing a magnetic metal selectively through the plurality of nano holes on the intermediate layer to form a plurality of magnetic recording elements that collectively form a magnetic recording layer.
US08206777B2

An improved electrical line comprising an electrical conductor (5) and a layer of thermoplastic material wherein the layer consists of at least one inner layer (6) and one outer layer (7) and the outer layer (7) comprises a lubricant which has migrated from the inner layer (6) into the outer layer (7).
US08206775B2

The pattern defect repairing apparatus comprises an application head, a waste ejection board, a waste ejection vessel, a waste ejection board moving stage, a head lifting stage, and an application unit base. The application head comprises an ink-jet head and a head holder. An ink jet head has an ejection nozzle, and is attached to the head holder and able to be moved up and down by the head lifting stage. The waste ejection vessel is provided to the waste ejection board and able to be moved between a waste ejection position and a retreated position by the waste ejection board moving stage. Repairing material is ejected for waste onto the waste ejection board set in the vicinity of the nozzle immediately before application to repair the defect. The tip end of the nozzle is prevented from being dried.
US08206755B2

The invention refers to an isolated extract of walnuts of high efficiency and stability over time useful for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of viral, fungal and bacterial diseases, which is characterized in that it is obtained from a process comprising: i) Collecting unripe walnut fruits as raw material; ii) Preparing the raw material for the extraction; iii) Freezing the raw material prepared in the previous step; iv) Drying; v) Extracting in a time lower than 10 minutes; vi) Filtration; and vii) Final packaging.The invention also refers to its use for manufacturing a medicament for the treatment of bacterial, fungal and viral diseases and to a composition comprising it.
US08206750B2

The present disclosure provides charged lipoprotein complexes that include as one component a negatively charged phospholipid that is expected to impart the complexes with improved therapeutic properties.
US08206730B2

A cosmetic composition is provided which includes composite particles of a sunscreen agent and a condensation polymerized polyamide binder, a water-insoluble powdered polymer of porous particles having an Oil Absorbance (castor oil) Value ranging from about 90 to about 500 ml/100 gm, and a cosmetically acceptable carrier. The composition exhibits an excellent soft focus property to hide skin imperfections, and retains relatively high SPF photoprotection.
US08206729B2

A topical composition with a sustained softness feel to the skin, comprising an effective amount of boron nitride suspended in a dermatologically acceptable carrier vehicle, wherein the composition suitably adheres to the skin, leaving a coating layer comprising boron nitride particles. The present invention also relates to a method of massaging by applying the composition of the present invention on the body part to be massaged, and massaging the part coated with the composition of the invention.
US08206728B2

Disclosed are sunscreen compositions containing at least one sunscreen agent, a volatile solvent comprising a cosmetically acceptable lower alkanol, and a fluorinated alkyl ether, and methods of making and using same.
US08206720B2

Fusion proteins comprising CD4 minimal modules that bind to HIV Env polypeptides in a non-CD4 backbone are described. Also described are complexes of these fusion proteins with Env as well as methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention using the polynucleotides and polypeptides are also provided.
US08206714B2

Human antibodies, preferably recombinant human antibodies, that specifically bind to human tumor necrosis factor α (hTNFα) are disclosed. These antibodies have high affinity for hTNFα (e.g., Kd=10−8 M or less), a slow off rate for hTNFα dissociation (e.g., Koff=10−3 sec−1 or less) and neutralize hTNFα activity in vitro and in vivo. An antibody of the invention can be a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof. The antibodies, or antibody portions, of the invention are useful for detecting hTNFα and for inhibiting hTNFα activity, e.g., in a human subject suffering from a disorder in which hTNFα activity is detrimental. Nucleic acids, vectors and host cells for expressing the recombinant human antibodies of the invention, and methods of synthesizing the recombinant human antibodies, are also encompassed by the invention.
US08206711B2

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) may be treated with antibodies directed against the CD20 antigen.
US08206705B2

Compositions and methods for treating Th2- and ThI-mediated disease are provided.
US08206701B2

The present invention relates to semi-allogeneic antigen-presenting cells into which proteins and/or peptides or RNA or DNA or cDNA, respectively, encoding said proteins and/or peptides which are overexpressed in tumor cells or which are derived from autologous tumor cells or different tumor cells or different tumor cell lines have been introduced. Furthermore the invention relates to methods for the generation of these semi-allogeneic antigen-presenting cells as well as to the use thereof in the treatment of tumor diseases.
US08206695B2

Effective enhancement of eyelash length and density can be obtained by topical applications of an active agent selected from a class of compounds consisting of synthetic prostaglandin agonists, polymers thereof and mixtures thereof preferably having the chemical formula of C24H35NO5, such as 7-[3.5-dihydroxy-2-(3-hydroxy-4phenoxy-but-1-enyl)-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid ethylamide. Such active agents having a molecular weight of 417.54 can be employed in concentrations from 0.00075% to 0.03% by weight in mixtures with inactive ingredients, such as gels, oils, etc. Results are obtained by daily topical applications of active agent in such liquid mixtures (tinctures) at the roots of the lashes and/or lash follicles.
US08206693B2

Peptides are provided that have binding affinity for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The polymethyl methacrylate-binding peptides may be used to prepare peptide-based reagents suitable for use in a variety of applications. The peptide-based reagents may be used to couple benefit agents to a PMMA polymer surface or may be used to couple a benefit agent comprising a PMMA polymer surface to a target surface, such as a body surface.
US08206690B2

The present invention relates to Orthosiphon spicatus for use in oral health applications, an oral composition comprising Orthosiphon spicatus, and the use of Orthosiphon spicatus or the composition, in the improvement or maintenance of oral health in an animal, preferably through the reduction or control of dental plaque and/or alteration of the bacterial content of dental plaque, in the oral cavity of the animal. The invention also includes Orthosiphon spicatus for use in the prevention or treatment of gingivitis in an animal. The invention also provides a method for improving or maintaining oral health in an animal.
US08206681B2

The present invention relates to a process for producing red iron oxide with only marginal goethite content, wherein a ferrous chloride feedstock is employed as starting material. The process comprises precipitating lepidocrocite seeds having a high BET surface area by mixing the ferrous chloride feedstock with an alkali and oxidizing the obtained mixture, and growing the lepidocrocite seeds, whereby the lepidocrocite converts into red iron oxide.
US08206675B2

The present invention relates to a polyethoxysiloxane (PES) material to be obtained in that (a) a first hydrolysis condensation reaction of a maximum of one group X of one or more different Si compounds of the formula (I) SiX4 (I) in which the groups X are the same or different and represent hydroxy, hydrogen, or ethoxy (EtO), are catalyzed in an acidic fashion at an initial pH value of 0 to ≦7, is conducted in the presence of ethanol (EtOH) or an ethanol-water mixture as a solvent over a time period of 1 to 24 hours at a temperature of 0° C. to 78° C, (b) a second hydrolysis condensation reaction of the material obtained in step (a) is conducted while simultaneously removing the solvent by successive evaporation in a gas diffusion-tight container at a pressure of 100 to 1013 mbar, preferably at a slight negative pressure of 300 mbar to 800 mbar and a temperature of 50-78° C. until a drastic increase in viscosity (at a shear rate of 10 s−1 at 4° C.) to 0.5 to 2 Pa·s until a constant weight is attained and a cyclotetrasiloxane of the general formula ((SiO(OH)0,75(OEt)1,25× 1/64H2O)4 and a molar mass of 4*approx. 114 g=approx. 456 g; (c) said PES material is cooled in a closed container over a time period from a few minutes to a few hours, and (d) the PES material obtained from step (c) is converted into an rPES material by a third hydrolysis condensation reaction.
US08206671B2

The present invention provides a porous composite oxide comprising an aggregate of secondary particles in the form of aggregates of primary particles of a composite oxide containing two or more types of metal elements, and having mesopores having a pore diameter of 2-100 nm between the secondary particles; wherein, the percentage of the mesopores between the secondary particles having a diameter of 10 nm or more is 10% or more of the total mesopore volume after firing for 5 hours at 600° C. in an oxygen atmosphere.
US08206669B2

A feed gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 is treated to produce an H2-enriched product and a CO2 product. The feed gas is separated by pressure swing adsorption to provide a stream of the H2-enriched product, and two streams of sour gas depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas. One of the streams of sour gas is processed in an H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system, in which H2S in the sour gas is converted to elemental sulfur order to obtain a stream of sweetened gas, from which the CO2 product is formed. The other of said streams of sour gas is processed in an oxidation system, in which H2S in the sour gas is oxidized to SOx(SO2 and SO3) which is introduced into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system.
US08206667B2

A fixed bed membrane reactor is disclosed. The reactor has a housing including an inlet for receiving reactants and an outlet for discharging retentate streams of reaction products. The inlet and outlet are in fluid communication with a reaction zone in which the reactants may pass downstream from the inlet to the outlet with the reactants reacting to produce reaction products including water. The reactor further includes a membrane assembly disposed in fluid communication with the reaction zone. The membrane assembly includes at least one porous support with a water permselective membrane affixed thereto. The membrane allows water produced in the reaction zone to be selectively removed from the reaction zone as a permeate stream while allowing retentate reaction products to remain in the reaction zone and be discharged as a retentate stream. Ideally, the membrane assembly locates most of the membrane proximate the downstream portion of the reaction zone where accumulated produced water may be selectively removed from the reaction product as opposed to the upstream portion where relatively little water accumulation has occurred. A method for using the reactor to perform in situ water dehydration of reactions, such as Fischer-Tropsch reaction, is also disclosed.
US08206663B2

An agitating device for agitating a blood sample in a sample container is disclosed. The agitating device includes a base comprising a horizontally-supported shaft, a container holder including a first hand and a second hand, the first hand having a first hole at one end and a first hold portion at other end, the second hand having a second hole at one end and a second hold portion at other end, the first and second holes through which the shaft is inserted, the first and second hands being rotatable relative to the shaft and the first and second hold portions faced each other, and an agitation drive unit including a contact member for contacting the container holder and a drive source for reciprocating the contact member contacting the container holder between a lower position and an upper position.
US08206649B2

A component measuring apparatus is provided with a case having a cylindrical case main body and a cover arranged to cover the base end opening section of the case main body; a chip mounting section for mounting a chip; a light measuring section for detecting a prescribed component; a printed board whereupon a control section having a function of controlling the operation of the light measuring section is arranged; a liquid crystal display device; a battery arranging section for arranging a battery provided on the cover; an O-ring arranged between the case main body and the light measuring section on the leading end section of the case main body; and an O-ring arranged between the case main body and the cover on the base end opening section of the case main body. Sealing of inside the case is ensured by the O-ring.
US08206647B2

A system using electrochemically-activated water (ECAW) for manufacturing, processing, packaging, and dispensing beverages. The system uses ECAW solutions in the beverage facility clean-in-place system to achieve improved microbial control while greatly reducing water usage and reducing or eliminating the use of chemical detergents and disinfectants.
US08206646B2

Methods for manufacturing sputtering target assemblies and assemblies thereof are provided, particularly targets made of powders. Powders are adhered to a backing plate by use of a vacuum hot press, the powder preferably contacted by non-planar surfaces, and is compressed with at least about 95% density and substantially simultaneously diffusion-bonded to the backing plate.
US08206644B2

A device for implementing a method of sizing a cylindrical part following shaping, by plastic deformation, of a metallic material that has maximum structural shrinkage at a maximum-shrinkage temperature between a first temperature and a second temperature, which is lower than the first temperature, is disclosed. The method includes placing the part in a shaft furnace, heating the part to the first temperature, lowering and fitting into the part an internal-sizing tool with an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the part at maximum structural shrinkage, transporting the assembly formed by the part and the sizing tool to a tempering vessel, cooling the part to a temperature below said second temperature, and extracting the internal-sizing tool. The method applies to the manufacture of turbomachine casings.
US08206628B2

A process for making an embossed web. A precursor web is provided between a forming structure and a compliant substrate. The forming structure has a plurality of discrete protruded elements and lands completely surrounding them. Pressure is provided between the compliant substrate and the forming structure to conform the precursor web to the forming structure to form the embossed web. The resulting embossed web has a plurality of discrete extended elements completely surrounded by land areas.
US08206622B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing microspheres comprising an ionically crosslinked polymer, the process comprising: (a) producing liquid aerosol droplets (13) from a solution (3) comprising an ionically crosslinkable polyionic polymer into a continuous gas stream by using an ultrasonic nebulizer; (b) transferring the gas stream into a gelling solution (10) comprising di-, multi- or polyvalent ions, whereby crosslinked polymer microspheres (14) are formed, (c) separating the microspheres from the gelling solution, and (d) optionally, filtering the microspheres through a screen.
US08206617B2

An iridium-containing group II-VI compound phosphor capable of efficiently emitting light without any economical problems or problems in energy efficiency or color purity is provided. A method for producing the phosphor is also provided. The phosphor comprises iridium and a group II-VI compound semiconductor, and the iridium is uniformly dispersed in surfaces of phosphor particles and in an inside of the phosphor particles. The method for producing the iridium-containing phosphor comprises firing an inorganic composition containing a group II-VI compound semiconductor and an iridium compound, and an iridium complex salt is used as the iridium compound.
US08206610B2

A liquid crystal composition is provided that satisfies at least one of characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, a small viscosity, a suitable optical anisotropy, a negatively large dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a high stability to ultraviolet light and a high stability to heat, or that is suitably balanced regarding at least two of the characteristics. The crystal liquid display device using the composition is suitable for an AM device that has a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio, a long service life and so forth, and can be used for a liquid crystal projector, a liquid crystal television and so forth.
US08206609B2

The present invention relates to a reducing agent for low temperature reducing and sintering of copper nanoparticles and a method for low temperature sintering using the same. The reducing agent includes formic acid or acetic acid and C1 to C3 alcohol or ether which allows reducing and sintering at a low temperature of less than 250° C. The sintered copper nanoparticles provide excellent electrical properties and are suitable for forming fine wirings patterns.
US08206604B2

A method for confining plasma within a plasma processing chamber while processing a substrate is provided. The method includes igniting the plasma within a plasma generating area, wherein the plasma generating area is surrounded by a set of confinement rings. The method also includes providing a chamber wall outside of the set of confinement rings. The method further includes providing a dielectric liner electrode arrangement positioned between the chamber wall and the set of confinement rings, wherein the dielectric liner electrode arrangement having an electrode encapsulated within a dielectric liner, the dielectric liner electrode arrangement being coupled with the chamber wall to create a modified chamber wall. The method yet also includes providing a parallel LC circuit arrangement, the parallel LC circuit arrangement being coupled between the dielectric liner electrode arrangement and the chamber wall.
US08206597B2

The invention describes microchannel apparatus and catalysts that contain a layer of a metal aluminide or are made in a process in which a metal aluminide layer is formed as an intermediate. Certain processing conditions have surprisingly been found to result in superior coatings. The invention includes chemical processes conducted through apparatus described in the specification. Other catalysts and catalyst synthesis techniques are also described.
US08206596B2

The present invention relates to a magnetic separation apparatus for continuous separating and recovering magnetic solid particles from a solid-liquid mixture. The apparatus includes at least one magnetic separation unit and each unit includes: an outer cylindrical vessel having a material inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet; an inner cylindrical vessel, at least part of which extends along the axis inside the first cylindrical vessel without contacting with the inner surface of the outer cylindrical vessel; and a magnet, rendering the bottom of the inner cylindrical vessel magnetism during the first period and making the part of the surface lose its magnetism during a second period. When the solid-liquid mixture flows through the magnetic surface of the inner cylindrical vessel in the passage, the magnetic solids are absorbed and separated from the mixture.
US08206591B2

The invention is directed to a method of removing a deleterious substance bound to a protein in blood of a patient by introducing a displacer substance into the blood under conditions in which the displacer substance replaces deleterious substance bound to the protein, thereby resulting in additional unbound deleterious substance in the blood, and removing unbound deleterious substance from the blood by extracorporeal renal replacement treatment.
US08206589B2

Various embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus for producing purified water from sea water or some other salty or brackish water source by using brackish concentrate mixed with salty water. The various embodiments also provide methods and apparatus for the treatment of toxicity of brackish concentrate, which brackish concentrate exhibits on aquatic life inhabiting the area of discharge of the brackish concentrate, as well as a method for environmentally safe disposal of brackish concentrate.
US08206588B2

A condensate filtering device of the present invention comprises a simulation unit which is able to simulate operating conditions being the same as operating conditions of a main body of an actual condensate filtering device and sample a hollow fiber membrane easily. The condensate filtering device comprises a unit evaluating properties of a hollow fiber membrane provided with a main body of the condensate filtering device containing a first hollow fiber membrane module in which filtration of condensate and air scrubbing washing are repeated, and equipped with a column containing a second hollow fiber membrane module having a hollow fiber membrane which is the same kind as the hollow fiber membrane of the first hollow fiber membrane module; and a line introducing the condensate for unit which is a branched line from a line introducing the condensate directing to the main body of the condensate filtering device and introduces the condensate into the unit evaluating the properties of the hollow fiber membrane.
US08206580B2

An integrated blood treatment module comprises a blood treatment device (1) having a housing (2) and a first end-cap (4) and a second end-cap (5) closing both ends of the housing (2). A pump hose (17) for a peristaltic pump has a first end (18) that is secured to the housing (2) and a second end (16) that is connected to a blood inlet port (15) of the first end-cap (4) so as to form a loop. A degassing device (30) is connected to the second end-cap (5). The degassing device (30), which, in use, is full of liquid, comprises a hydrophobic membrane through which bubbles and micro-bubbles escape the degassing device.
US08206577B2

This invention encompasses systems and methods for pretreating a carbonaceous material, comprising heating to a suitable temperature and for a suitable reaction time, a mixture comprising the carbonaceous material, one or more catalysts or catalyst precursors and a hydrocarbonaceous liquid.
US08206570B2

The present invention concerns a method for preparing an organic copolymer film on electrically conductive or semi-conductive surfaces in two steps. The first step includes electrolysis of an electrolytic solution containing an adhesion primer, in contact with a surface. The second step corresponds to the reaction, at the surface obtained previously, of a solution containing the following species: a protic solvent, and a “radically polymerizable” monomer. The polymerizable monomer is solubilized in micellar form. The surfaces obtained with the use of this method, and their applications apply to preparation of microelectronic components, biomedical devices or screening kits, as well as kits for preparing an organic copolymer film on an electrically conductive or semi-conductive surface.
US08206566B2

Disclosed herein is an electrochemical measurement system for analyzing heavy metals in organic compound-containing samples, comprising: a lower plate; a flow channel plate; an upper plate; an organic compound-decomposing electrode and a heavy metal analysis electrode; and a flow changeover portion. The disclosed system can continuously perform a pretreatment process for organic compound decomposition and a process for heavy metal analysis, thus making it possible to achieve the selective analysis and separation of heavy metals in wastewater. Also, it can substitute for expensive spectrophotometric analysis equipment and makes it possible to monitor trace heavy metals on-line in situ. In addition, it may include a small-sized battery as a power source, such that it is easy to carry and use.
US08206555B2

A papermaking machine for making paper includes a forming section, a press section, and a drying section. The paper web is pressed between two press members while enclosed between a press felt and a transfer belt having non-uniformly distributed microscopic depressions in its surface, the web following the transfer belt from the press to a transfer point at which the web is transferred via a suction transfer device onto a structuring fabric, the web then being dried on a drying cylinder. The transfer point is spaced a distance D from the press nip selected based on machine speed, a basis weight of the web, and the surface characteristics of the transfer belt, such that within the distance D a thin water film between the web and the transfer belt at least partially dissipates to allow the web to be separated from the transfer belt.
US08206551B2

There is described a wafer processing system for thinned wafers that are easily broken during handling. The system protects against breakage during handling and provides for temperature controls during processing.
US08206544B2

A device for ideal cutting of an adhesive film mother sheet which prevents or reduces displacement or peeling of a cover film, etc. on an adhesive layer when the adhesive film mother sheet deforms as a result of shearing forces that act during cutting. The cutting device cuts the adhesive film mother sheet into strips while performing conveyance thereof and includes a cutter mechanism and heating mechanism. The cutter mechanism may include an upper blade unit wherein a plurality of upper blades are arranged axially and a lower blade unit wherein a plurality of lower blades are arranged axially. The heating mechanism is disposed upstream of the cutter mechanism and may include a blower, a heater, a temperature sensor, and/or a temperature control unit. The blower may be connected to the heater via a an air passage and be disposed so as to blow heated air onto the adhesive film mother sheet.
US08206543B2

The present invention is directed to a continuous process that may be utilized to create an intermediate web assembly that includes a plurality of individual prime label segments with each segment having printed portion that has an outline and a pattern coated adhesive disposed on a first web which has an outline such that when the printed portion is applied over the pattern of adhesive, the outlines of each are substantially in alignment with one another. The process is utilized to create intricately shaped prime label products.
US08206541B2

A method for manufacturing a finished carbon fiber (FCF) collar stay includes the steps of fabricating a FCF sheet having at least one design and producing a FCF collar stay from the FCF sheet. A finished carbon fiber (FCF) collar stay has at least one carbon fiber sheet impregnated with resin; the sheet may produce a plurality of like FCF stays.
US08206533B2

A method for making a disposable absorbent core comprises depositing absorbent particulate polymer material from a plurality of reservoirs in a printing roll onto a substrate disposed on a grid of a support which includes a plurality of cross bars extending substantially parallel to and spaced from one another so as to form channels extending between the plurality of cross bars. The plurality of reservoirs in the first peripheral surface are arranged in an array comprising rows extending substantially parallel to and spaced from one another. The support and printing roll are arranged such that the plurality of cross bars are substantially parallel to the rows of the plurality of reservoirs and the absorbent particulate polymer material is deposited on the substrate in a pattern such that the absorbent particulate polymer material collects in rows on the first substrate formed between the first plurality of cross bars. A thermoplastic adhesive material is deposited on the absorbent particulate polymer material and the substrate to cover the absorbent particulate polymer material on the substrate and form an absorbent layer. A disposable absorbent article and apparatus for making an absorbent article are also disclosed.
US08206532B2

In a method and a tool for forming an elongate, hollow article of a fiber-reinforced composite material one end of an article laminate applied to a tool bar is placed in engagement with or is supported by an anvil of the tool so as to control the direction of longitudinal movement of the cured article relative to the tool bar during the cooling and dismantling phase.
US08206530B2

A manufacturing method of a printed circuit board having an electro component is disclosed. The method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: seating an electro component, in which an electrode is formed on an upper side, on an upper side of a bonding sheet; seating an insulator, in which a cavity corresponding to the electro component has been formed, on the upper side of the bonding sheet; laminating a first insulating resin on an upper side of the insulator such that an upper side of the electro component is covered; polishing the first insulating resin such that the electrode is exposed; and forming a first circuit pattern, which is electrically connected to the exposed electrode, on the polished first insulating resin.
US08206513B2

To clean an element in a vacuum chamber by causing particles sticking to the element to scatter, the present invention uses a means for applying a voltage to the element and causing the particles to scatter by utilizing Maxwell's stress, a means for electrically charging the particles and causing the particles to scatter by utilizing the Coulomb force, a means for introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and causing the particles sticking to the element to scatter by causing a gas shock wave to hit the element, a means for heating the element and causing the particles to scatter by utilizing the thermal stress and thermophoretic force, or a means for causing the particles to scatter by applying mechanical vibrations to the element. The thus scattered particles are removed by carrying them in a gas flow in a relatively high pressure atmosphere.
US08206512B2

A detergent module for dispensing detergent during a wash-cycle is presented in which a sensor senses and indicates or a user via control input indicates whether the detergent in the module is a solid-type detergent or a liquid-type detergent, and the detergent-type indication is used by a dishwashing machine or a laundry washing machine to select a washing algorithm tailored to exploit the cleaning efficiency of the detergent.
US08206510B2

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for an ultraviolet cleaning tool. The cleaning tool includes ultraviolet source spaced apart from a surface having contaminant particles. The ultraviolet source can create ozone between the surface and the ultraviolet source which breaks the chemical bonds between particles and the surface. The apparatus includes a gas feed which introduces a gas to aid the chemical bond. Additionally, the gas feed can introduce a gas to remove the particles from the surface.
US08206508B2

A method controllably and sustainably creates an upwardly directed gradient of dropping temperatures in a wet treatment tank between a cooled and face down workpiece (e.g., an in-process semiconductor wafer) and a lower down heat source. A thermal fluid upwell containing thermally collapsible bubbles is then directed from the heat source to the face down workpiece. In one class of embodiments, bubble collapse energy release and/or bubble collapse locations are controlled so as to avoid exposing delicate features of the to-be-treated surface to damaging forces. In one class of embodiments the wet treatment includes ultra-cleaning of the work face. Cleaning fluids that are essentially free of predefined contaminates are upwelled to the to-be-cleaned surface and potentially contaminated after-flows are convectively directed away from the workpiece so as to prevent recontamination of the workpiece.
US08206507B2

The invention provides an evaporation apparatus, which is able to improve an efficiency of evaporation materials, uniformity of deposited films, and throughput of the evaporation process. Disclosed is an evaporation source holder, which is installed in an evaporation chamber and configured to hold an evaporation material, and a moving mechanism, which is configured to move the evaporation source holder during evaporation of the evaporation material. The evaporation apparatus is further characterized by a shutter over the evaporation source holder, a filter over the shutter, and a heater surrounding the filter.
US08206502B2

The invention is directed to mixtures of PcTiO and a minor amount of another, substituted titanyl phthalocyanine and the synthesis of mixtures of PcTiO and a minor amount of another, substituted titanyl phthalocyanine. The invention is further directed towards milled pigment compositions of such mixtures, and to use of such milled pigment compositions in an electrophotographic element.
US08206500B1

A Performance Grade asphalt mix composition is provided which contains i) an asphalt extender containing the residue from the purification process of used/waste lubricating oil; ii) liquid asphalt cement; iii) asphalt bearing waste materials; and iv) aggregates. The invention further relates to a method of preparing the asphalt composition and a paving composition containing same.
US08206494B2

The invention concerns a device for air/water extraction by semi-humid electrostatic collection, comprising a chamber (7) containing a discharge electrode (1) for generating an ion flow from an ionized gas accumulation surrounding the discharge electrode (1) and a counter-electrode (2), an inlet (3) for mixing air and aerosol to be extracted which contains liquid or solid particles, a steam supply tube (8) and an outlet (4) for the cleansed air. The invention is characterized in that the device enables steam to be introduce the steam supply tube (8) in the gap between the discharge electrode (1) and the counter-electrode (2) so as to form a steam sheath (10) enclosing the discharge electrode over its entire length, such that the treated air is not steam-saturated.
US08206492B2

An apparatus for cleaning diesel particulate filters. First and second nozzle members direct flows of compressed air into the axially-extending filter cells from both ends of the filter, the nozzle members being offset so as to avoid blowing directly towards one another. The flows from the nozzles impinge only one or a few cells at a time. The nozzle members are moved over the entirety of the first and second end faces of the filter. The nozzles may be translated on arms while the filter is rotated simultaneously on a turntable or rollers. The filter and nozzles are housed within a cabinet having one or more windows, which enable an operator to view the cleaning process and also to identify filters having damaged media. The dislodged particulate material is withdrawn from the cabinet by an exhaust duct system.
US08206490B2

A separator scrubber (58) and isolation loop (78) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving means (61) within the scrubber (58) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to remove contaminants from the fuel reactant into the water. An accumulator (68) collects the separated contaminants and water, and an isolation loop pump (84) directs flow of the separated contaminant stream through the isolation loop (78). A heat exchanger (86) and an ion exchange bed (88) modify the heat of, and remove contaminants from, the separated contaminant stream, and the isolation loop (78) directs the decontaminated stream back onto the packed bed (62)-. Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange bed (88) minimizes cost and maintenance requirements.
US08206482B2

Vacuum cleaner filters, in particular replaceable vacuum cleaner filters suitable for both dry and wet/dry type vacuum cleaners are disclosed, as well as systems incorporating the use of such filters and methods for their use. The filters include a plurality of adjacently positioned pleats arranged in a closed circumferential, cylindrically-shaped path, a top end cap having a central orifice capable of constricting a post on a vacuum filter cage, and optionally a molded end ring oppositely-spaced from the top end cap for engagement with the motor housing of a vacuum cleaner.
US08206477B2

A liquid trap device for a gas is provided which includes a trap housing (3) that is formed from a ceiling wall (5), a bottom wall (6) and a peripheral wall (7), the ceiling wall (5) having provided therein a gas inlet port (20) and a gas outlet port (21), and a filter element (4) that is retained between the ceiling wall (5) and the bottom wall (6), the interior of the filter element (4) communicating with the gas inlet port (20) and the outer peripheral face of the filter element (4) communicating with the gas outlet port (21) via an internal space (8) of the trap housing (3), wherein the trap housing (3) is formed as a shape that in plan view is long along one laterally central line (X), and the filter element (4) and an outlet port upstream portion (21a), opening within the trap housing (3), of the gas outlet port (21) are disposed in proximity to first and second side wall portions (7a, 7b) respectively of the peripheral wall (7) facing each other on the laterally central line (X). This enables a liquid trap device for a gas to be provided in which a sufficient lateral distance from a filter element to a gas outlet can be guaranteed while having small dimensions and the performance in capturing a liquid can be enhanced.
US08206465B2

An azo pigment showing excellent coloring characteristics such as tinctorial strength and hue and excellent fastness such as light fastness, and a pigment dispersion containing the azo pigment are provided. An azo pigment represented by the following general formula (1) and a pigment dispersion containing the pigment: Wherein Y, G, X1, X2, R1, R2 and R3 are defined in the claims and in the specification.
US08206464B2

Disclosed are cationic polymeric dye with a hue value of h=210° to 330° comprising: a) a polymer backbone, b) a residue of an organic dye, and c) optionally colorless organic groups, wherein (b) and (c) are covalently bound to the polymer backbone (a), and wherein the cationic charges can independently be part of the dye or the colorless organic groups. The dyes are distinguished by their depth of shade and their good fastness properties to washing, such as, for example, fastness to light, shampooing and rubbing.
US08206460B2

Described herein are one or more implementations of a security system for one or more protected devices. The security system implements an authentication system that enables protected devices. Protected devices are enabled for a particular network, and are disabled when the protected devices leave the network.
US08206457B2

A triphasic prosthetic device for repairing or replacing cartilage or cartilage-like tissue. The prosthetic device comprises a highly oriented hollow body component between a superficial random oriented polymer layer and a base component.
US08206448B2

A method of treating a disc that is leaking nucleus pulposus through at least one defect in the annulus fibrosus. The method includes injecting a fibrin sealant into the disc to reduce at least a portion of the at least one defect, wherein the fibrin sealant injected into the disc comprises fibrinogen and an activating compound, wherein at least a portion of the fibrin forms after injection, wherein the fibrinogen, the activating compound or both has been reconstituted with a solution containing at least one additive, with the proviso that a corticosteroid is absent from the fibrin sealant injected into the disc.
US08206423B2

A device for introduction into a body in a straight configuration and assuming within the body a predefined curved configuration, includes an elongated element formed from a number of segments interconnected so as to form effective hinges therebetween. When the elongated element is confined to a straight state, the effective hinges transfer compressive forces from each segment to the next so that the elongated element can be pushed to advance it through a conduit. When the elongated element is not confined to a straight state, the effective hinges allow deflection of each segment relative to adjacent segments until abutment surfaces of the segments come into abutment, thereby defining a fully flexed state of the elongated element with a predefined curved configuration. The device can be produced with a wide range of two-dimensional and three-dimensional curved forms, and has both medical and non-medical applications.
US08206417B2

Apparatus and methods for optimizing anchoring force are described herein. In securing tissue folds, over-compression of the tissue directly underlying the anchors is avoided by utilizing tissue anchors having expandable arms configured to minimize contact area between the anchor and tissue. When the anchor is in its expanded configuration, a load is applied to the anchor until it is optimally configured to accommodate a range of deflections while the anchor itself exerts a substantially constant force against the tissue. Various devices, e.g., stops, spring members, fuses, strain gauges, etc., can be used to indicate when the anchor has been deflected to a predetermined level within the optimal range. Moreover, other factors to affect the anchor characteristics include, e.g., varying the number of arms or struts of the anchor, positioning of the arms, configuration of the arms, the length of the collars, etc.
US08206411B2

A trocar sleeve includes a trocar cannula and a trocar housing having a housing member base and a housing member cover. The trocar cannula and trocar housing are mechanically interfitted to form a trocar sleeve, wherein at least a portion of the trocar cannula sits within the housing member base with the housing member cover sitting over the trocar cannula for securing the at least a portion of the trocar cannula within the housing member base. The trocar sleeve also includes a stop-cock valve mechanically interfitted between the trocar cannula and the trocar housing.
US08206403B2

An atherectomy device containing cannula systems having lumens adapted for insertion of a blood filter and an atherectomy catheter useful for performing atherectomy directly on a patient's cardiovascular tissue. Other embodiments include a lumen for arterial perfusion useful in providing oxygenated blood to the aorta during cardiopulmonary bypass. The distal end of the atherectomy catheter includes an assembly with a pincer, a loop with or without a mesh, laser, hydraulics, or other suitable mechanism adapted for removing atheroma from a cardiac or vascular tissue. Methods of using the systems for vascular atherectomy are also disclosed herein.
US08206401B2

An endoscopic cutting and retrieval instrument includes an elongate electrically conductive wire and an inner loop and an outer loop both connected to a distal end of the wire. The inner loop and the outer loop have a common proximal loop portion and different distal loop portions. The distal loop portion of the outer loop is longer than the distal loop portion of the inner loop so that the outer loop is larger than the inner loop. A net attached to the outer loop forms a retrieval basket for capturing severed polyps and other tissues masses.
US08206397B2

A series of instruments (30, 80, 120, 210, 510, 550) are provided for direct-anterior and oblique-anterior disc space and end plate preparation. The instruments (30, 80, 120, 210, 510, 550) provide precise guidance for channel formation in the vertebral endplates by guiding rotating and bladed cutting instruments (122, 250, 580). Instrumentation (550) for oblique-anterior disc space preparation includes compound angulation to account for the angle of approach to the spine and the angulation between adjacent vertebrae. Methods and techniques for use of the instruments (30, 80, 120, 210, 510, 550) are also described.
US08206396B2

A femoral head surgical resurfacing aid that includes a C-shaped band with an interior surface conformed to fit a femoral neck of a patient is presented. An arch extends from one side of the C-shaped band to the other side of the C-shaped band and further extends over a femoral head of the patient. An alignment tube guide is positioned along the arch and extends outward from the arch.
US08206390B2

A bone plate assembly and method of using the same in a patient is disclosed that includes a ratchet mechanism that allows unidirectional incremental adjustment of the overall length of the bone plate assembly. The bone plate assembly is capable of being created to have various stages. One illustrative bone plate assembly includes an intermediate plate component having a first tongue extending upwardly from a central portion of the intermediate plate component and a second tongue extending downwardly from the central portion of the intermediate plate component. First and second end plate components are included that have first and second tongue grooves that are adapted to slidably engage at least a portion of the first and second tongues. A first and second ratchet mechanism is included that allows the first and second end plate components to be incrementally ratcheted toward the central portion of the intermediate plate component.
US08206384B2

The present invention encompasses apparatus and methods for mapping electrical activity within the heart. The present invention also encompasses methods and apparatus for creating lesions in the heart tissue (ablating) to create a region of necrotic tissue which serves to disable the propagation of errant electrical impulses caused by an arrhythmia.
US08206381B2

This disclosure relates generally to electrosurgical methods and devices. In one embodiment, an electrosurgical device is provided suitable for applying phase controlled RF energy to a treatment site. The electrosurgical device comprises a multi-electrode electrosurgical probe electrically coupled to a plurality of RF generators. Also provided are methods of use of such an electrosurgical device, as well as other electrosurgical devices. The methods and devices disclosed herein find utility, for example, in the field of medicine.
US08206380B2

A method for measuring the contact force exerted on tissue by a probe for heating the tissue and containing an antenna which is connected to a radiometer whose output reading indicates the temperature at depth of the tissue contacted by the probe comprises displaying the output reading of the radiometer, applying sufficient power to the probe to heat the tissue to a selected first temperature that is not lethal to the tissue, moving the probe into contact with the tissue, observing the increase in the displayed temperature reading that occurs when the probe contacts the tissue, and advancing the probe toward the tissue until the displayed temperature reading reaches a value corresponding to a selected tissue contact force. After the probe position in the tissue has stabilized, the applied power to the probe may be increased to heat the tissue to a selected second temperature that is lethal to tissue for a sufficient time to ablate the tissue followed by lowering the tissue heating to a sub-lethal temperature. Apparatus for practicing the method is also disclosed.
US08206379B2

Techniques for altering iris pigment in a human or animal, thereby altering iris color of an iris from a first iris color to a second iris color, are provided. An apparatus includes at least one laser device and a masking device. Another apparatus includes at least one laser device and a contact lens. The at least one laser device can generate at least one beam to selectively remove iris pigment of at least one preselected pigment color from the iris. The energy level of the at least one beam is within a predetermined range. The masking devices include a transparent portion and an opaque portion. The opaque portion of one such masking device occludes a portion of the at least one beam to protect a pupil area. The opaque portion of another such masking device creates an elliptical beam for application of the beam laterally from the side of the iris or some other different angle for lateral exposure of the iris. The contact lens includes a transparent portion and an opaque portion. The opaque portion of such contact lens occludes a portion of the at least one beam to protect a pupil area. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus further includes a second laser device capable of generating a second beam to selectively remove iris pigment of a second preselected pigment color from the iris.
US08206374B2

Embodiments hereof relate to a catheter having a metal hypotube proximal shaft and a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit electrically connected to the metal hypotube such that the metal hypotube operates as an antenna for transmitting and receiving modulated RF signals between the RFID integrated circuit and an external receiver configured to read the electronic identification information carried by the RFID integrated circuit. The hypotube and RFID integrated circuit are embedded in a luer hub of the catheter. The RFID integrated circuit contains electronic identification information such as model/serial number, manufacturing information and other summary information for improving traceability of the catheter and removing paper work associated with product tracking.
US08206370B2

A dual lumen guidewire support catheter for accurately crossing a chronic total occlusion in a vessel is disclosed. The dual lumen guidewire support catheter includes a first lumen portion and a second lumen portion sharing a common side and a common distal end. The first lumen portion can be a rapid exchange or over-the-wire portion, while the second lumen portion is an over the wire portion. One or both of the portions can include a discontinuity to enable removal of a guidewire following placement through or at an occlusion or lesion.
US08206369B2

A method is provided for surgically implanting a first electrode and a second electrode on or proximate to at least one of the sphenopalatine ganglia, the sphenopalatine nerves, or the vidian nerves located on different sides of a patient's face. One step of the method includes inserting the first electrode into a coronoid notch located on one side of the patient's face. A second electrode is inserted into a coronoid notch located on the other side of the patient's face. The first and second electrodes are then advanced on or proximate to first and second locations on different sides of the patient's face, respectively. Each of the first and second locations includes at least one of the sphenopalatine ganglia, the sphenopalatine nerves, or the vidian nerves.
US08206368B2

Disclosed is a dispensing system a dispenser having a first chamber containing a first material and a second chamber containing a second material. The dispenser is configured to selectively retract one of the chambers at least partially within the other to transition the dispenser between an extended position and a compact position. The first chamber includes an open top end that is, before use, covered with a first breakable membrane. A breaker ring, at least initially covered with a second breakable membrane, is configured to break the breakable membranes when the dispenser is transitioned between an extended position and a compact position. In the compact position, with the membranes broken, the first material and second material are free to form a mixture that can be dispensed via an opening in the dispenser's openable tip.
US08206353B2

A system for delivering fluidic media may include a reservoir disposed within a housing, the reservoir having at least one wall bordering an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the wall being made of a material comprising a cyclic olefin copolymer, the wall for substantially preventing light from passing through the material of the wall. Fluidic media contained in the interior volume may be expelled through a fluid conduit.
US08206347B2

A feeding tube device for delivering a substance into a stomach of a patient. The feeding tube may include an overlapping segment integrally formed with and extending from the distal end of the feeding tube, and an inflation lumen defined within the feeding tube. The overlapping segment may surround at least a portion of the distal end of the feeding tube to form a balloon structure in communication with the inflation lumen.
US08206345B2

The present invention provides a medical device having an elongate body with both a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the elongate body defines an intake lumen and an exhaust lumen. The medical device also has a first pliable element defining a cooling chamber disposed at a point along the elongate body, with the cooling chamber being in fluid communication with the intake lumen and the exhaust lumen. A second pliable element is provided which at least partially encloses the first pliable element, thereby defining a junction between the first and second pliable element. Moreover, a check valve is included which is in fluid communication with the junction between the first pliable element and second pliable element, the valve further being in fluid communication with the exhaust lumen. In addition, the medical device may include sensors or other monitoring means in fluid communication with the junction and the cooling chamber.
US08206340B2

A portable insulin injection pen and blood glucose monitoring device is integrated into a single unit for testing and treating diabetes symptoms. The device has a housing of a size suitable for transport in a user's clothing pocket or handbag. Within the housing is a blood glucose monitoring system for receiving a sample of the user's blood and detecting its glucose level, an insulin injection mechanism for administering an insulin injection, and a microprocessor that calculates an insulin dosage appropriate to the detected blood glucose level and sets the insulin injection mechanism to administer the calculated insulin dosage. A communication device automatically informs a remote emergency service provider, such as 911 or an emergency service to which the user has subscribed, if the microprocessor determines that the detected blood glucose level presents a potential danger to the user. The microprocessor also calculates treatment regimens specific to a particular user based on the detected blood glucose level and displays the treatment regimens on an LCD display. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, a GPS receiver within the housing detects the location of the device, and the communication device, which can be a cellular telephone separate from the housing connected wirelessly to the unit via a Bluetooth connection or cellular telephone circuitry within the housing itself, transmits information regarding the location to the remote emergency service.
US08206334B2

An implantable system for the treatment of hydrocephalus has a plurality of hollow microneedles in a fixed array. The microneedles have passages there through and are of a size to extend through dura mater with a proximal end on one side of the dura mater and a distal end communicating with the venous system in an area on a second side of the dura mater. An array of microvalves associated with a proximal end of the microneedles include segments movable by a pressure build up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the interior of the brain to provide open communication between the interior of the brain on one side of the dura mater and the venous system on the second side of the dura mater. A plurality of fluid transmitting members has distal ends communicating with the microvalves and a proximal end communicating with the ventricular space of the brain. The fluid transmitting members transmit CSF from the ventricular space through the microvalves and micro needles in fluid communication with the fluid transmitting members to prevent an excessive pressure build up of CSF within the interior of the brain.
US08206330B2

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for controlling an inflammatory response in a subject. Extracorporeal devices, systems, and methods are provided that alter the functional structure of one or more inflammatory mediators in the peripheral blood of the subject. The device or system is useful in a method for treating an inflammatory disease or condition in the subject.
US08206316B2

A biopsy device comprises a body, a needle, and a cutter actuation mechanism. The needle extends distally from the body. The cutter actuation mechanism rotates and translates the cutter relative to the body and relative to the needle. The cutter has an overmold presenting a lead screw and a hex portion. The cutter actuation mechanism comprises a first gear disposed about the hex portion of the overmold and a second gear engaged with the lead screw of the overmold by a nut that is integral with the second gear. The cutter actuation mechanism is operable to simultaneously rotate the first gear relative to the body at a first rotational speed and the second gear relative to the body at a second rotational speed. With the lead screw and the nut rotating at different rotational speeds, the lead screw rotates relative to the nut at a third rotational speed.
US08206309B2

The blood pressure monitoring apparatus and method are disclosed that can monitor a blood pressure of a subject using an electrocardiogram signal, a pulse wave signal and a body characteristic information of the subject, wherein the electrocardiogram signal and the pulse wave signal of the subject are monitored to remove a noise signal generated from monitoring of the pulse wave signal, allowing monitoring a precise blood pressure of the subject, and calculating the pulse wave analysis information using the monitored pulse wave signal, and using the electrocardiogram signal and the pulse wave signal to calculate a pulse transit time (PPT), and plugging a calculated pulse wave propagation time, pulse wave analysis information and body characteristic information of the subject into a predetermined regression equation to monitor the blood pressure.
US08206308B2

A catheter assembly for an intravascular ultrasound system includes a catheter, an imaging core, and a shield-coupling capacitor. The catheter defines a lumen extending along a longitudinal length of the catheter. The imaging core is configured and arranged for inserting into the lumen. The imaging core includes a rotatable driveshaft, one or more transducers, one or more conductors, and a conductive shield. The one or more transducers are mounted to the rotatable driveshaft. The one or more conductors are coupled to the one or more transducers and extend along the driveshaft. The conductive shield is disposed around the one or more conductors. The shield-coupling capacitor is electrically coupled to the conductive shield and includes one or more rotating capacitors. The one or more rotating capacitors include one or more rotating plates and one or more stationary plates. The shield-coupling capacitor is configured and arranged for coupling to a system ground.
US08206306B2

Medical diagnostic instruments/systems are provided that include (i) a proximal handle configured and dimensioned to permit an operator to manually grasp the instrument; (ii) an ultrasound probe including a longitudinal shaft extending distally from the handle and terminating in a distal end, and an ultrasound transducer mounted with respect to the longitudinal shaft, the ultrasound transducer including an array of ultrasonic energy generation elements (iii) a tactile feeler probe mounted with respect to the ultrasound probe; and (iv) at least one hollow receiver member mounted with respect to the longitudinal shaft of the ultrasound probe, the at least one hollow receiver member configured to receive a K-wire to permit the instrument to be slidably mounted thereto for purposes of guiding the ultrasound and tactile feeler probes axially relative to a desired anatomical location. Advantageous methods for use of the disclosed instruments/systems are also provided.
US08206304B1

A system is disclosed for the detection of blood flow. The system provides, a portable transceiver unit having a signal generator, a signal comparator, and an audio output whereby a user receives an audio signal indicating differences in Doppler signal, and a Doppler probe coupled to the portable transceiver. The Doppler probe including a piezoelectric crystal disposed at a first end of the Doppler probe; at least one wire transmitting signals between the transceiver unit to the piezoelectric crystal; a rigid or flexible sheath disposed around at least part of the at least one wire and the piezoelectric crystal; and a transceiver unit coupler disposed at a second end of the Doppler probe. The system may also have a quantitative blood flow meter or signal strength meter.
US08206296B2

Method and system for providing diabetes management and insulin therapy based on substantially real time glucose monitoring system is provided.
US08206295B2

A surgical assembly including a flexible shell that defines a flexible sheet-like structure with a major top wall opposite a major bottom wall. The top wall is impermeable to air flow therethrough and has a first set of holes that allow for air flow therethrough. The bottom wall is impermeable to air flow therethrough and has a second set of holes that allow for air flow therethrough. A first fluid path supplies a source of suction to the first set of holes in a manner that is independent to suction supplied the second set of holes. A second fluid path supplies a source of suction to the second set of holes in a manner that is independent to suction supplied to the first set of holes. The supply of suction to the first set of holes is used to engage and hold tissue adjacent the top wall by suction forces applied through the first set of holes. The supply of suction to the second set of holes is used to engage and hold tissue adjacent the bottom wall by suction forces applied through the second set of holes. The tissue that is engaged adjacent the top wall is sealably disposed about the first set of holes, and tissue that is engaged adjacent the bottom wall is sealably disposed about the second set of holes.
US08206284B2

An integrated endoscope and accessory treatment device is provided. The device employs a medical treatment device at its distal end that is combined with the endoscope as a complete system. The treatment device is controlled by integrated elements at the proximal end of the endoscope. The treatment devices may include tissue apposition devices, tissue cutting devices, forceps and others.
US08206277B2

An apparatus and method support rollers with a shaft along an axis absent of deflection of the shaft. Under load, the shaft deflects and the rollers reorient themselves along the shaft such that outer circumferential surfaces of the rollers are substantially parallel to the undeflected axis.
US08206274B2

A dumbbell has an optional number of weight discs which stand on end in a stand, and a handle with anchorages. The anchorages and the weight discs have connecting structures which, in the axial direction, interconnect the anchorages with a neighboring weigh disc or neighboring weight discs, respectively. On the other hand, the connecting structures permit movement transversely of the axial direction. The weight discs display locking structures, which, in the activated state in directions transversely of the axial direction, prevent mutual movements between the weight discs and the anchorages. The locking structures have locking bodies which are movable so that their directions of movement have an axial component and which are disposed at the peripheral regions of the weight discs, and also are insertable in corresponding recesses in a neighboring weight disc or an anchorage. The locking bodies are operable by an operating arrangement located inside the peripheral contour of the weight discs.
US08206252B2

A hybrid powertrain includes an internal combustion engine, at least one electric machine and a multi-speed transmission. The electric machine is connected to a shaft between the internal combustion engine and the multi-speed transmission. The 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 a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes arranged within a transmission housing.
US08206249B1

A tension head for a racquet stringing machine in which roller bearings are used between the outer vice plates and the vice jaws. Also, a pin on one vice jaw extends into a slot in an outer vice plate and in the slot is an adjustable screw which allows override of the compression on string upon contact with the pin. Also a follower is mounted on the lead screw and steadied by a guide bar in order to reduce spurious movement of the snatch vice during operation.
US08206248B2

A tennis racket includes a frame that includes a shaft and a looped frame portion, the shaft having a grip formed on one end side thereof, the frame portion being joined to the other end side of the shaft and forming a hitting face with a string being strung across and a plurality of insertion holes that provide communication between an inner peripheral side surface and an outer peripheral side surface of the frame portion and through which the string is inserted. Shock absorbing portions and hard portions are provided in an alternating fashion on at least a part of the outer peripheral side surface of the frame portion. Each shock absorbing portion is formed between insertion holes that are adjacent to each other. Each hard portion is formed between insertion holes that are adjacent to each other and is less elastically deformable than the shock absorbing portion.
US08206246B2

A system and method for improving a player's efficiency in shooting by providing a player with various shooting challenge routines at which a player makes either a total number of shots or a total number shots in a row. Statistics regarding the player's performance are stored, printed and/or evaluated and the player can use the information to improve his or her efficiency at one or more of the plurality of different locations where the player shoots the basketball.
US08206240B2

A golf club head comprising a strike face having a heel portion, a toe portion, and an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion includes one or more score lines. At least a portion of one or more score lines include a different average surface roughness and associated surface reflectance than at least the intermediate portion. A method for producing such a club head is also provided.
US08206238B2

A shaft for a golf club comprises a plurality of fiber-reinforced resin layers. A plurality of circumferentially oriented metal wires are provided at intervals of 1 mm to 4 mm in an axial direction of the shaft having a length in an axial direction of more than 100 mm and less than 300 mm and being centered at a position of 3.25×102 mm from a larger-diameter end of the shaft.
US08206237B2

Disclosed herein are muscle-back iron golf clubs that have improved mass qualities to provide higher rotational moments of inertia and lower center of gravity while retaining the workability of muscle-back irons and the size, shape and dimensions preferred by tour players and low handicap players.
US08206234B1

A golf putter head for mounting on a shaft to create a golf putter club wherein the putter head includes a frame fabricated of a metal and having a toe end cap and heel end cap. The end caps are spaced apart one from the other by at least one rib integral with the toe and heel end caps. The rib and end caps partially defining at least one central body void. An elongated central filler segment fills the central body void and a has a top surface a bottom surface. The central filler segment in combination with the frame defines at least one generally vertically oriented planar ball contacting surface. The central filler segment is fabricated of polymer based material and the frame generates a moment of inertia significantly greater than a body excluding the end caps.
US08206230B2

An entertainment structure and apparatus principally comprising a 360-degree 2D and/or 3D cinematic theater. Seating for audience members is arrangeable on a circular motion base platform. A compound curved screen may lower from above to surround the theater upon a circular motion base platform, providing seamless media. A 2D/3D projection system is oriented within the structure to provide 2D/3D images on the screen through projection overlap for edge blending. A control system is used to rotate, pitch and roll the motion base platform. The control system can be synchronized with the media presentation. The structure includes a number of variations such as a variety of seating orientations, a stationary screen, a variety of screen configurations, and modular tracking seating.
US08206225B2

A reusable interdiction apparatus that makes use of a housing of dimensions making the housing suitable to be carried and thrown by an individual. A light source is disposed within the housing and adapted to project an optical signal through a portion of the housing. A controller is used for controlling operation of the light source. A power source is disposed within the housing and used for powering the controller and the light source.
US08206223B2

A game system including cards with computer-readable information is provided. The computer-readable information may be in the form of a code embodied on the cards. The cards may be selectively chosen and compiled in a card compiling device that is configured to remove singly a series of cards from one location and to deliver the removed cards to a new location.
US08206220B2

A game controller comprising: a hand-held base unit comprising one or more base unit actuators, each configured to generate a respective actuation signal in response to user input; and a module comprising two or more module actuators, each configured to generate a respective actuation signal in response to user input. The module is mounted to the base unit and can be rotated horizontally between two or more orientations to adjust the configuration of the module actuators relative to the base unit actuator(s).
US08206218B2

A 3D videogame system capable of displaying a left-right sequences through a different, independent VGA or video channel, with a display device sharing a memory in an immerse manner. The system has a videogame engine controlling and validating the image perspectives, assigning textures, lighting, positions, movements and aspects associated with each object participating in the game; creates left and right backbuffers, creates images and presents the information in the frontbuffers. The system allows handling the information of data associated to the xyz coordinates of the object's image in real-time, increases the RAM for the left-right backbuffer, with the possibility to discriminate and take the corresponding backbuffer, whose information is sent to the frontbuffer or additional independent display device sharing a memory in an immerse manner.
US08206211B2

A gaming system of the present invention comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a control device including a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to execute processing of (A) cumulatively counting a part of a number of betted game media as a cumulative value based on number-of-game-media information received from the gaming machine, and (C) executing a common game, when a number of the gaming machines joining the game is equal to or more than a specific number.
US08206209B1

A method of conducting a wagering game includes indicating a random outcome by displaying selected game symbols, initiating a first bonus at a preselected number of plays, providing a first award of a first desired number of credits, initiating a second bonus at a first multiple of the preselected number of plays, wherein the first multiple is a number greater than 1, providing a second award of a second desired number of credits, wherein the second desired number of credits is the product of the first desired number of credits times the first multiple, initiating a third bonus at a second multiple of the preselected number of plays, wherein the second multiple is a number greater than 1, and providing a third award of a third desired number of credits, wherein the third desired number of credits is the product of the first desired number of credits times the second multiple.
US08206202B2

The present invention relates to a flexible grinding product and a method of producing the same. Such a grinding product comprises a flexible underlay (1) which consists of two layers laminated to each other. These comprise a lower base layer (2) and an upper layer (3), a cavity layer. The underlay includes a top surface (5) having at least one adhesive layer (6) arranged thereto after lamination and a layer of grinding agent (7) applied by means of the adhesive layer. The grinding product is characterized in that the layer that is coated with grinding agent includes holes which form cavities (4), whereby the cavities provide space for grinding dust and grinding residues and facilitate their removal from the surface being ground.
US08206201B2

A method of producing a brush for carrying out surface roughing, polishing, lapping, and smoothing operations comprises a first molding operation of one or more mixes including one or more moldable synthetic materials so as to obtain a base portion (6; 160) and a plurality of bristle members (3; 130, 130a, 130b) projecting from a surface (6a; 160a) of the base portion (6; 160) and including at least one abrasive material. The invention also relates to a brush tool of synthetic material including one or more abrasive grain material in the bristle members (3; 130, 130a, 130b) thereof.
US08206199B2

An electric abrasive sharpener for sharpening edges having pairs of interlocking abrasive wheels formed with opposite abrasive helical threads. Each end of the threads respectively has lead-in section and lead-out section having chamfer edge portion to eliminate kickback. The abrasive wheels of the sharpener is driven by a single phase AC motor connected to a motor drive that steps down the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor to rotate the abrasive wheels with increased torque.
US08206191B2

A water jet propulsion watercraft includes a pair of jet propulsion devices arranged right and left of a hull centerline. Each jet propulsion device includes a jetting unit arranged to jet water, a deflector supported on the hull and arranged to rotate to right and left, the deflector including a forward drive jet port and a reverse drive jet port. Each jet propulsion device includes a bucket arranged to change between a forward drive position and a reverse drive position. The bucket includes a reflecting surface arranged to reflect the water jetted from the forward drive jet port when the bucket is at the reverse drive position, and an auxiliary nozzle including an entrance opened to the reflecting surface and arranged to jet water introduced into the entrance along a hull right/left direction. The entrance of the auxiliary nozzle is spaced away from the forward drive jet port in the hull right/left direction and does not oppose the forward drive jet port in a state where the bucket is arranged at the reverse drive position and the deflector is arranged at the straight drive position.
US08206190B2

An amphibious fighting vehicle capable of moving on a water surface including a front planing tracked belt disposed on a front portion of the amphibious fighting vehicle, a rear driving tracked belt, side buoys disposed on lateral sides of the amphibious fighting vehicle, a rear buoy disposed on a rear end of the amphibious fighting vehicle, the buoys assisting in setting an immersion line of the amphibious fighting vehicle at a predetermined value, and a set of identical engines that propel the amphibious fighting vehicle at a speed sufficient for movement on the water surface and a land surface.
US08206187B2

A tab (51) of a male terminal (50) is inserted into a main portion (11) of a female terminal (10). The tab (51) contacts a contact portion (16) of a resilient contact piece (15) to connect the female and male terminals (10, 50) electrically. A guiding portion (18) is formed on an inner surface of the main portion (11) for guiding the tab (51) inserted into the main portion (11) to a position where the tab (51) contacts the contact portion (16). The guiding portion (18) extends from a position before a contact position of the tab (51) with the contact portion (16) to the contact position while being inclined with respect to an inserting direction of the tab (51).
US08206174B2

A high frequency receptacle connector has an insulating housing, multiple first terminals, multiple second terminals, a shell and a plug detecting assembly. The first and second terminals are mounted on the insulating housing and capable of implementing USB3.0 protocol. The shell covers the insulating housing and terminals. The plug detecting assembly has a first detecting terminal and a second detecting terminal. The first detecting terminal is mounted on the insulating housing. The second detecting terminal is mounted on the insulating housing and selectively bends to contact or isolate from the first detecting terminal. The high frequency receptacle connector is capable of providing electric power under a power-saving mode of a PCB on which the high frequency receptacle connector is mounted.
US08206173B2

A connector assembly includes a first connector having a recess disposed in a first side thereof, a second connector disposed in the recess and connected to the first connector, and a lever rotatably connected to the second connector. The lever is rotated toward the first connector by an external force after the second connector is connected to the first connector. The lever is connected to the first connector to fix the second connector in the recess of the first connector.
US08206168B2

Terminal assemblies, connectors and methods of manufacturing the terminal assemblies are provided such that a plurality of elongated terminals are arranged in parallel at a pre-defined pitch and are partially enclosed by a terminal holding member, and in which the terminals are separated from one another during a material removal process.
US08206163B2

A USB connector for connecting with a USB female comprises a rotating shaft assembly which is capable of rotating, metal legs, a connecting line, and a substrate, and said rotating shaft assembly includes a rotating shaft, a rotating shaft sleeve and a rotating shaft support, the rotating shaft is disposed in the rotating shaft sleeve and is capable of rotating relative to the rotating shaft sleeve, the rotating shaft sleeve is located in a support hole of the rotating shaft support, and the rotating shaft assembly with the rotating shaft support is fixed on the surface of the substrate by the rotating shaft support. According to the USB connector and the USB device, the metal legs are formed on the surface of the substrate to ensure the connecting strength of the metal legs and reduce the thickness of the USB device.
US08206161B1

An electrical connector assembly includes a printed circuit board and an electrical connector. The printed circuit board has a circuit board and a soldering board. A plurality of soldering holes is opened on the soldering board. The electrical connector has an insulating housing. A plurality of signal terminals are assembled in the insulating housing and each signal terminal has a soldering tail projecting upward beyond the propping portion for being inserted into the soldering holes and then soldered with the soldering board. A main shell has a lower shell, a front shell for accommodating the insulating housing therein. An upper shell matches with the lower shell to define a receiving room for receiving the circuit board therein. The upper shell has an auxiliary plate covered on the soldering board and cooperating with the front shell to enclose the soldering board thereamong.
US08206159B2

A particular connector is for selectively connecting a first and a second mating connector which are insertable into the particular connector from mutually perpendicular directions, respectively. The particular connector includes a contact and a housing holding the contacts. The contact has a first a second contact portion which are for contacting with the first and the second mating connectors, respectively. The housing includes a first fitting portion provided with a first insertion opening for inserting the first mating connector, a second fitting portion provided with a second insertion opening for inserting the second mating connector, and guide portions which define the first and the second insertion openings, respectively. By the guide portions, the first and the second mating connectors are allowed to be selectively connected to the connector.
US08206153B2

Methods of selecting or designing an implant to be used in a patient are provided. A CT scan of a patient's mouth is performed. A 3D CAD model of the patient's mouth is created utilizing data generated by the CT scan. Properties of the patient's mouth are determined based upon CT scan data and assigned to the 3D CAD model. A desired location for an implant is selected. A FEA simulation is performed on the 3D CAD model to choose an implant or to design an implant that optimizes a selected variable.
US08206151B2

A dental wedge for use in the inter-proximal space between adjacent teeth. The wedge includes a taper section ending at a tip, and a body section extending to the tapering section at one end. The body section has an inverted V-shaped cross-section, flexing of the sides of the V-shape allowing the wedge to adapt to various contours of the inter-proximal space. The mid-portion of the body section is narrower than at least a portion of the wedge at either end of the mid-portion.
US08206143B2

The present teachings provide a modular articulating cement spacer mold for forming a temporary implant comprising a mold first portion; a mold second portion; a hinge region connecting the mold first portion and mold second portion; and a self-securing device to removably secure and separate the mold first portion and the mold second portion. Other modular articulating cement spacer molds are also provided.
US08206137B2

There is provided a cylinder apparatus consisting of a cylinder, a piston performing reciprocating motion between a top dead point and a bottom dead point with oscillatory movement in the cylinder, wherein the cylinder has an oscillatory distance between the top dead point and the bottom dead point, which is shorter than the oscillatory distance at the top and bottom dead points.
US08206125B2

A fluid working machine (1) has several working chambers (5) of cyclically changing volume. For pumping hydraulic fluid, the inlet and outlet valves (8, 9) are electrically actuated. The timing of the actuation of said electrically actuated valves (8, 9) is varied depending on the fluid flow demand.
US08206122B2

A rotor for mounting blades thereon to form an impeller rotatable about a main axis thereof. Each of the blades has a mounting portion. The rotor includes primary slots and auxiliary slots, each of the primary slots is adapted for receiving the mounting portion of the blade. The primary and auxiliary slots are adapted to change their dimensions during rotation of the impeller due to centrifugal forces and thermal effects caused by the rotation thereof. The change in dimensions is adapted to exert pressure on the mounting portion of the blade to retain it within the primary slot.
US08206116B2

An array of blades for use in an engine includes a disk having a slot, a pair of rails adjacent the slot and extending above an upper surface of the slot, and a pair of shoulders located outside the rails. A plurality of radially loaded blades are inserted into the slot. A plurality of snaps overhang the rails and rest on the shoulders. Each of the blades is positioned between a pair of snap seals and overlaps a side edge of each one of the pair of snap seals.
US08206113B2

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for gradually converting marine wave energy into electricity. The energy reserve provided by wind power holds enough energy for the needs of the entire mankind. The invention provides an efficient means of putting this energy reserve to practical use. Mounted on a rotating power shaft is a pair of form parts, the convex and concave shape, especially the round-pointed open V-shape of which reverses its orientation by 180 degrees, i.e. turns from convex to concave, whenever the power shaft makes a rotation of 180 degrees. The circular motion of water occurring in a wave drives such a turbine effectively while the wave dies out. The pair of convex and concave form parts extends helically around the power shaft, whereby water currents in all directions, which come to contact with the pair of form parts, produce a rotative moment.
US08206112B2

A wind turbine having a cooling system, which wind turbine includes a nacelle in connection with which one or more wind turbine components are arranged, is disclosed. The cooling system includes at least one cooling circuit arranged to lead a heat transfer medium to and from one or more of the wind turbine components, at least one cooling device arranged to cool the heat transfer medium, at least one pump arranged in connection with the at least one cooling circuit to circulate the heat transfer medium in the cooling circuit, and at least one medium tank arranged in connection with the cooling circuit. The at least one medium tank is arranged inside the nacelle.
US08206111B2

Wind turbine having a rotor, a nacelle frame (13) housing with electrical generation means coupled to the rotor hub (11), braking means and control means of the drive train rotational position, the nacelle frame (13) and the rotor hub (11) having an arrangement for preventing the rotor hub (11) rotation when certain maintenance or assembly activities should be carried out, the arrangement including at least one sliding pin (21) in the nacelle (13), first actuating means (31) for pushing/pulling it axially into/from at least one corresponding hole (23) in the rotor hub (11) and means for allowing vertical and lateral adjustment displacements of the sliding pin (21) so that it can remain concentrically aligned with the hole (23) when it is inserted into it.
US08206108B2

A turbine blade includes a convex suction side wall, a concave pressure side wall, a tip wall, an internal cooling circuit, and a plurality of tip edge channels. The tip wall is recessed from a first tip edge of the suction side wall and a second tip edge of the concave pressure side wall to define a suction side wall tip section and a pressure side wall tip section, and the suction side wall tip section is shorter than the pressure side wall tip section. The internal cooling circuit is formed at least partially between the convex suction side wall, the concave pressure side wall, and the tip wall. The plurality of tip edge channels formed through the first tip edge of the convex suction side wall extend to the internal cooling circuit. Methods of manufacturing turbine blades are also provided.
US08206106B2

In a preferred embodiment, pairs of oscillating wind paddles are mounted in the lee of a wind turbine of the lift type. An oscillating wind paddle assembly has an upper pair of paddles moving between a first position at substantially right angles to the direction of wind and a second position substantially parallel to the direction of the wind and mounted on arms extending to either side of a shaft to which they are connected through a one-way clutch, and a lower pair of paddles moving between a position at substantially right angles to the direction of the wind and a second position substantially parallel to the direction of the wind and mounted on arms extending to either side of the same shaft to which they are connected through a one-way clutch, one of the paddles being a drive paddle and the other a recovery paddle, the two pairs of paddles being out of phase with respect to one another.
US08206105B2

A method for controlling load reduction for a wind turbine rotor with rotor blades comprising an aerodynamic active element responsive to a control signal for modifying its setting is provided. The loads acting on the rotor blades in relation to the rotor's azimuth are detected and individual control signals based on a PI control system are established. Each individual control signal is a complex number containing an amplitude defining the degree of modification of the respective setting and an angle defining the phase of the modification of the respective setting with respect to the rotor's azimuth. The angle of the complex number is corrected by a phase correction factor. The elements are provided with the individual control signals. The input to the PI-control system is a complex load vector.
US08206100B2

A stator assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: (a) an outer shroud having a circumferential array of outer slots; (b) an inner shroud having a circumferential array of inner slots; (c) a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes extending between the inner and outer shrouds, each vane having inner and outer ends which are received in the inner and outer slots; and (d) an annular, resilient retention ring spring which engages the inner ends of the vanes and urges them in a radially inward direction.
US08206092B2

Gas turbine engines and related systems involving blade outer air seals are provided. In this regard, a representative blade outer air seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: an annular arrangement of outer air seal segments, each of the segments having ends, the segments being positioned in an end-to-end orientation such that each adjacent pair of the segments forms an intersegment gap therebetween, each intersegment gap being defined, at least partially, by a first recess and a first protrusion, the first protrusion being sized and shaped to be received by the first recess, one of the first recess and the first protrusion being located on an end of a first segment of an adjacent pair of the segments, another of the first recess and the first protrusion being located on an end of a second segment of the adjacent pair of the segments.
US08206086B1

An inlet case for a small gas turbine engine, where the inlet case is formed as a hybrid piece with a metallic inner shroud cylinder and plastic guide vanes and plastic outer shroud molded around the metallic inner shroud cylinder. The metallic inner shroud cylinder carries an electric generator and provides for a good convective heat transfer surface to carry heat away from the electric generator and into the inlet air flow entering the engine. The plastic guide vanes and outer shroud allow for a light weight inlet case assembly that is also much easier to form the airfoil shapes than a machined metallic inlet case. The plastic guide vanes and outer shroud are injection molded around the metallic inner shroud cylinder to produce a rigid single inlet case. The metallic cylinder includes axial extending slots that receive the lower ends of the guide vanes during the injection molding process.
US08206078B2

A system is provided for monitoring radial motion of a rotating shaft of a turbocharger. The turbocharger includes a compressor and a turbine coupled to opposing ends of the shaft. The system includes a thrust collar including a cylindrical portion and a flange configured to radially extend from one end of the cylindrical portion. The thrust collar is configured to rotate with the shaft. A sensor is positioned within a separation of an outer surface of the thrust collar flange, and the sensor is configured to monitor the separation as indicative of the radial motion of the shaft. Additionally, a method is provided for monitoring radial motion of a rotating shaft of a turbocharger.
US08206073B2

An apparatus is provided for pressing a casing or a slip-fold against an adhesive-covered back and adjacent side flanks of a book block, which is conveyed while clamped into a circulating clamp of a perfect binder with the book back projecting downward. The apparatus includes a back pressing device for pressing the casing against the adhesive-covered back and a flank pressing device for pressing the casing against the side flanks. These devices are driven synchronized with the timing of the book binder clamps for conveying the book blocks. At least the flank pressing device is assigned an individual drive unit which is connected to a control device of the perfect binder.
US08206070B2

The present invention is a weld adapter including a body portion having a first aperture and at least two flanges connected to the body portion. The present invention also includes a second aperture formed in one of the at least two flanges, with the second aperture substantially aligned with the first aperture. Additionally, one of the flanges is adaptable for being connected to a structure.
US08206069B1

An apparatus for securing one or two personal transport vehicles such as motorcycles or ATV's in an upright position on a support surface such as the bed of a truck or the ground includes a pair of elongated straight handlebar struts telescopically adjustable to a length fixable by a first key lock. Each strut has an upper hook lockable by a second key lock to a handlebar of a personal transport vehicle, and a lower hook securable within a perforation through an anchor member such as a truck bed component or an elongated, perforated channel member, by a third key lock. The apparatus includes an elongated cross-lock arm telescopically adjustable to a length fixable by a cross-lock arm key lock. Each cross-lock arm has at one end thereof a swivelable hook for engaging a structural member of a personal transport vehicle, and at the other end a fixed hook for engaging a perforation through an eye plate protruding from the strut, the longitudinal position of which eye plate is adjustable on the strut. A pair of struts and a pair of cross-lock arms are used to secure a single vehicle, and a pair of vehicles is securable by a pair of struts and single cross-lock arm disposed between the vehicles.
US08206068B2

In a main spindle device provided with a housing and a main spindle, a labyrinth-forming annular groove is formed, in the circumferential direction of the main spindle, on the outer circumferential surface of a protruding portion of the spindle that protrudes from the housing on the front side. A housing lid member having a protruding portion that is inserted into the labyrinth-forming annular groove so as not to contact an inside surface of the labyrinth-forming annular groove all around the periphery is fixed to the housing on the front side thereof and forms a labyrinth seal portion between the protruding portion and the labyrinth-forming annular groove. The housing lid member is constructed so that the housing lid member can be divided into at least two pieces with respect to the circumference of the labyrinth-forming annular groove.
US08206067B2

The ceramic drill bit has a particular geometry and is very advantageously applicable to the very high-speed drilling of parts made of a composite, especially a carbon-fiber composite having an epoxy resin matrix. The invention also relates to a method for the high-speed drilling of composites.
US08206060B2

A sheet-like element for reinforcing, separating and draining large structures such as road embankments. The element includes a sheet-like body which has a lattice like configuration with main wires and transverse wires stretched respectively along two mutually substantially perpendicular directions and that intersect in nodes. The main extend in the extrusion direction of the blank. The main wires have an upper rim and a pair of substantially vertical lateral walls extending downwardly from the upper rim at opposite ends of said upper rim. The main wires have a lower rim in regions remote from the nodes. The main wires have a lower portion in regions at the nodes which converge with the transverse wires.
US08206059B1

A load transfer apparatus accommodates movement between adjacent concrete slabs. The load transfer apparatus includes a spine in a form of an elongated hinge having a longitudinal axis A. A first dowel and a second dowel project radially from the spine and are located at two spaced points along said longitudinal axis A.
US08206048B2

According to aspects described herein, there is disclosed an apparatus for de-skewing substrate media in a printing system. The apparatus includes at least one sensor for measuring skew of the substrate media being transferred relative to a process direction. The apparatus also includes a nip assembly for moving the substrate media in the process direction. The nip assembly includes a drive roller and an idler roller for engaging the substrate media. The drive roller is rotatably supported on a shaft axis, with the shaft axis being pivotally supported substantially at one end thereof for aligning the shaft axis with the measured substrate media skew. The shaft axis pivots about a pivot axis perpendicular to the shaft axis.
US08206046B2

A recording device that records images on both sides of a recording medium using two recording heads suppresses slack in the recording medium and conveys the recording medium reliably. A first recording unit 21 holds and conveys the roll paper 20 between a first recording head 22 that records images to one side of the roll paper 20 and a first platen roller 27. A second recording unit 41 located downstream from the first recording unit 21 holds and conveys the roll paper 20 between a second recording head 42 that records images to the other side of the roll paper 20 and a second platen roller 47. The first platen roller drive unit turns so that the circumferential speed of the second platen roller 47 is faster than the circumferential speed of the first platen roller 27.
US08206045B2

Embodiments of hands-free camera holders according to the present disclosure can enable a user to obtain the exact picture they want by giving them complete control of the camera position. A hands-free camera holder can include a camera support member, e.g., a platform, that is connected by way of an adjustable frame. In optional embodiments, the user can connect to the frame by way or a collar/harness. By using a switch, or trigger means, that is connected to the camera, to take the picture, the framing of the picture is not disturbed, whether activated by the user or an assistant. The separate switch concept/means can also enable individuals with disabilities to use other parts of their body to operate the camera. Using adaptive technology, any reliable movement can be used as a trigger for the camera.
US08206044B2

Disclosed herein is an integrated optical sub-assembly for a diplexer, which can adopt a low-price small aperture isolator by disposing an isolator closer to a ferrule, such that the isolator may be distanced from a laser diode, and so the total cost can be reduced and the construction can be simplified; and an integrated optical sub-assembly for a triplexer, which has simplified construction for reducing the manufacturing costs, and whose exterior dimension can be reduced and the manufacturing can be easier by adopting a ball lens for narrowing the beam width.
US08206043B2

A fiber optic connector release mechanism is disclosed. The mechanism may be used to release a transceiver module housed in a cage that is permanently mounted on a printed circuit board. The release mechanism may include a cam mounted bail that rotates a U-shaped flange through a two stage travel path to urge the bail forward in a slide path on the transceiver module. As the bail begins to move forward, wedge elements at the end of a pair of slide arms extending rearward from the bail may contact locking tabs on the cage, forcing the locking tabs outward. As the locking tabs are forced outward, the shoulders of the transceiver module are released, and the transceiver module is free to slide out of the cage as the operator pulls on the bail.
US08206041B2

This high power optical connector is used at least on a light-receiving side of an optical fiber. The high power optical connector is provided with: a housing; a ferrule which is accommodated in the housing to retain the optical fiber; and a flange which is connected and fixed to the housing while being in contact with an end portion of the ferrule. The ferrule is made of a transparent glass; and the flange is made of a transparent material which transmits a light which propagates through the optical fiber.
US08206039B2

A support device for a bearing assembly includes a housing with a bore and a centerline and a bearing having a bore for receiving a rotatable shaft. The support device has an annular body disposable within the housing bore and having a central axis and inner and outer surfaces extending circumferentially about the axis, the inner surface defining a central bore for receiving the bearing. One or more first integral spring portions extend generally between the inner and outer surfaces and have a first stiffness and one or more second integral spring portions are each spaced circumferentially from the first spring(s). The second spring extends generally between the inner and outer surfaces and has a second, greater stiffness. The body is adjustably angularly positionable about the body axis to adjust a position of the shaft axis with respect to the housing centerline when disposed within the support bore.
US08206036B2

A linear motion rolling guide unit, which has underside seals prevented from falling off a slider, comprises a slider having a pair of end caps secured at ends of a casing, and underside seals provided between the pair of end caps having engaging projections. Insertion holes are formed in the underside seals and engaged with the engaging projections to secure the underside seals to the slider. Fallout-inhibiting protrusions are provided at ends of each underside seal in the longitudinal direction. The slider has holding portions each having a hole or a recess into which each of the fallout-inhibiting protrusions is inserted when the underside seal is secured to the slider. A gap is maintained between the holding portion having the hole or the recess and the outer periphery of the fallout-inhibiting protrusion.
US08206027B2

The invention relates to the use of an apparatus for adding at least one solid or viscous liquid additive, or an additive dispersed in solvent, to a reactor interior of a reactor for preparing crosslinked, finely divided polymers by copolymerizing (a) water-soluble, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers and (b) from 0.001 to 5 mol %, based on the monomers (a), of monomers comprising at least two polymerizable groups, (c) from 0 to 20 mol %, based on the monomers (a), of water-insoluble monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, where the apparatus comprises at least one screw for conveying the at least one additive and the at least one screw ends in an addition orifice substantially flush with the inner wall of the reactor interior.
US08206018B2

An exemplary water jet guided laser device includes a water-ejecting device and a hollow light guide pipe. The water-ejecting device has a water chamber, a light incident through hole and a water-ejecting through hole defined at opposite sides thereof. The light incident through hole and the water-ejecting through hole are in communication with the water chamber. The water-ejecting device is configured for ejecting water from the water chamber through the water-ejecting through hole. The light incident through hole is configured for introducing a laser beam in the water chamber. The hollow light guide pipe is mounted in the water chamber and aligned with the light incident through hole and the water-ejecting through hole. The light guide pipe is watertight and is configured for receiving and guiding the laser beam from the light incident through hole to the water-ejecting through hole.
US08206008B2

A stage light fixture is provided with a main body extending along a longitudinal axis; with a light source arranged inside the main body at a closed end of the main body and adapted to emit a light beam substantially along the axis; with an objective lens arranged at an open end of the main body opposite to the closed end along the axis; and with light beam adjusting means arranged between the light source and the objective lens for intercepting the light beam, which are movable along the axis of the main body.
US08206002B1

A modular lighted floor mat for use beneath equipment for providing hands-free light necessary to work on the equipment. The modular lighted floor mat for use beneath equipment includes a lighted floor mat assembly including a base member, light-emitting members, and a transparent load-bearing cover being disposed over the light-emitting members and the base member and being capable of withstanding substantial weights and also being impervious to chemicals.
US08206000B2

A hollow edge-type backlight module with a light-emitting array and a display apparatus containing the same are disclosed. The hollow edge-type backlight module mainly utilizes a hollow reflection structure to replace a light-guide plate structure, and forms a light-emitting unit by collaborating with an edge-type light source, and forms a light-emitting array by appending together a plurality of light-emitting units. The reflection structure of each light-emitting unit has a horizontal surface and a reflective surface connected to the horizontal surface, wherein there is an angle included between the reflective surface and a surface extended from the horizontal surface, and the light source is disposed adjacent to the horizontal surface. A diffuser of the hollow edge-type backlight module is disposed above the reflective surface and the horizontal surface, and the diffuser, the light source, the horizontal surface and the reflective surface define at least one air cavity.
US08205995B2

The present invention relates to an optical device for privacy or contrast enhancement of a viewing display. Also disclosed are a system including the optical device and methods of improving privacy or contrast of a viewing display, such as a plasma display panel, a liquid crystal display panel, an inorganic light emitting diode display panel, or an organic light emitting diode display panel.
US08205992B2

A polarization element includes: a substrate; a plurality of convex line sections on one surface of the substrate and forming stripes in a plan view; and a multilayer thin line provided to each convex line section and extending along the convex line sections, wherein the multilayer thin line has a lower layer on the convex line section, and an upper layer stacked on the lower layer, the lower layer and the upper layer each have a first thin line on one side surface in a direction along a shorter dimension of the convex line section, and a second thin line on the other side surface, the materials of the lower layer first thin line and the upper layer first thin line are different from each other, and the materials of the lower layer second thin line and the upper layer second thin line are different from each other.
US08205990B2

A fundus camera that obtains focus evaluation values by scanning, in which a focusing lens moves a predetermined distance according to a photographing mode before the focusing lens starts scanning for obtaining focus evaluation values.
US08205981B1

Systems and methods are described for printing directly onto textiles including digitally printing an image in a single pass. The systems and methods provide for printing in one pass, thereby reducing distortion from movement of the textile or misalignment of the print head(s). The systems and methods provide for a second print head that may operate as a redundant print head.
US08205972B2

An image forming apparatus includes a recording head having a nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles is formed; and a vibration generating mechanism which is arranged at a position away from a recording medium in a moving direction of a recording head, and which intermittently sucks or blows air from and to the nozzle surface of the recording head moved to the position. The vibration generating mechanism vibrates a meniscus of a liquid inside each of the nozzles. Accordingly, there is provided an image forming apparatus in which the liquid is not consumed unnecessarily and thus is economical, and which effectively facilitates maintenance and recovery of the jetting function of the nozzles.
US08205969B2

A print head for a printer includes a jet stack for passage of ink to media to form an image on the media. The jet stack includes a substrate having a micro actuator. The substrate has an opening through the substrate that is proximate to the micro actuator and a diaphragm bonded to the substrate. The diaphragm has an opening through the diaphragm that is configured for fluid communication with the opening through the substrate. The diaphragm opening has a width that is larger than a width of the opening in the substrate.
US08205967B2

A liquid ejection head includes a substrate, having a front surface and a back surface, provided on the front surface with an energy generating element for generating energy used for ejecting liquid; a supply port, provided so as to penetrate between the front surface and the back surface of the substrate, for supplying the liquid to the energy generating element; a first film provided on the front surface of the substrate; and a second film provided so as to coat a wall of the substrate defining the supply port. The first film and the second film surface-contact each other with respect to two directions substantially perpendicular to each other.
US08205957B2

A droplet discharge device includes: a discharge unit discharging a droplet and being moved relatively to a discharged object, on which the droplet is discharged, so as to form a predetermined pattern on the discharged object; a discharge amount measurement unit measuring a discharge amount of the droplet discharged from the discharge unit; a temperature acquisition unit acquiring a temperature of the discharge unit in the formation of the predetermined pattern; a temperature adjustment unit adjusting the temperature of the discharge unit; and a discharge amount adjustment unit adjusting the discharge amount of the discharge unit. In the device, the temperature adjustment unit adjusts a temperature of the discharge unit in the measurement of the discharge amount by the discharge amount measurement unit to the temperature in the formation of the predetermined pattern.
US08205954B2

An image recording apparatus includes a feeding device which feeds a recording medium based on a target feed amount, a recording device which records an image on the recording medium that is fed by the feeding device, a feed-amount correcting portion which corrects the target feed amount, and a recording-position adjusting portion which adjusts a first position in which an image recording is initiated on the recording medium, corresponding to a correction of the target feed amount by the feed-amount correcting portion.
US08205948B2

A method of determining an initial pressure prevailing between a master brake cylinder and an inlet valve of a wheel brake cylinder of a motor vehicle determines the initial pressure taking into consideration the variation of a voltage of a PWMoperated motor of a pump, which is used for the return delivery of brake fluid from a low-pressure accumulator into the master brake cylinder. Several characteristic quantities of the voltage variation are measured and converted to respective initial pressure values. The characteristic quantities or the initial pressure values determined therefrom are filtered or conditioned in the event of lack in quality or reliability of the measured characteristic quantities. The respective initial pressure values of similar size are averaged, and the averaged initial pressure values are temporally averaged in order to dampen fluctuations.
US08205938B2

A seat device, in particular a motor vehicle or airplane seat device, has a table mounting unit. It is suggested that the table mounting unit comprises at least one coupling gear.
US08205924B2

A pick-up style utility vehicle has a front seat, a rear seat, a cargo bed that is expandable forward, and a screen shield arranged at the front end of the cargo bed. The position of the cargo bed can be changed between an expanded state and a non-expanded state. A winding device for the screen shield is provided on a front panel. The screen shield is made of a net material having flexibility, for example. One end of the screen shield is windably supported by the winding device. The other end of the screen shield has an engaging portion. A first engaged portion for a non-expanded position and a second engaged portion for an expanded position are provided in the cabin frame.
US08205923B2

A ditch molding has a head with left and right wings that lap onto the roof, a stem depending from the head, and an enlarged foot at the lower end of the stem. A molding clip has a base mounted in the ditch and left and right biasing arms have wedge faces that engage with the foot to urge the foot downwardly into the ditch, establishing an installed position of the molding. The left and right biasing arms yield away from each other upon an upward movement of the foot. Left and right trap arms also provided on the clip have trap ends overlying the foot of the molding in spaced relation there from when the molding is in the installed position. Upward movement of the foot causes the foot to engage with the trap ends of the trap arms, trapping the foot against further upward movement.
US08205918B2

A locking structure applied on a board sliding in a track. The board has locating hole. The locking structure includes a moving member and a locking plate respectively disposed on the board. The moving member has a pull ring portion, a first extending arm, a second extending arm, a first contact portion and a second contact portion. The locking plate has a first engaging arm and a second engaging arm, wherein the first engaging arm leans against the first contact portion and the second engaging arm leans against the second contact portion when a loading is applied to the moving member via the pull ring portion to push the moving member from an initial position to a disengaging position. The first extending arm and the second extending arm apply a resilient force to drive the moving member from the disengaging position back to the initial position.
US08205917B2

There is provided a novel fitting having male and female ends and a tapered internal luer-type seal. The male fitting end has a periphery upon which is mounted at least one boss. The female fitting end has a slot into which the boss may be inserted. At the bottom of the slot is a stop to limit the insertion depth of the boss. The male and female ends may then be rotated relative to each other to move the boss into a window on the female end. The window has a frame and the upper frame is angled slightly, corresponding to the boss, which serves to draw the male end farther in to the female end. The window has a side frame that stops the rotational movement of the boss. When the movement of the boss is stopped, the male and female tapers are in substantially leak-free contact. There is also provided a closed suction catheter using the novel fitting, such that the catheter may be easily and quickly removed and replaced.
US08205913B2

A respiratory triple swivel manifold is provided which has a base port, which is coupled to a central body. The central body has two laterally-positioned arms, and each arm has a lateral port. Each base port and each lateral port has an inner sleeve which is movable relative to its port. The manifold also has a proximal port coupled to the central body, which may or may not have a rotatable inner sleeve. At least one of the arms and its respective lateral port is positioned at an angle in a range of greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees relative to the central body. Desirably, the base port, the central body and its arms and their respective ports form a Y-shape. The proximal port may intersect the Y-shaped manifold. The base port includes a ramp to direct an object moved through one port into a passageway of the manifold and through the base port to an endotracheal tube without folding, twisting or bunching of any portion of the object within the manifold.
US08205910B2

Multiple embodiments are disclosed which display modularity for accomplishing multiple modes of operation for a utility vehicle. The utility vehicle (100) may include a rear cargo platform (450), a plurality of connection points (460) disposed in matrix and adapted to couple an item to the rear cargo platform, and three or more couplings (490) for adding a subsection (470) in a non-pivotable manner or pivotably coupling the rear cargo platform. The vehicle may be a four-wheeled vehicle that coverts to a six-wheeled vehicle by the addition of the subsection. The utility vehicle may include a subsection cargo platform which may be coupled to the rear cargo platform and may pivot rearward. The utility vehicle may include couplings for adding a second subsection.
US08205906B2

The invention relates to a rehabilitation children's sport stroller, comprising a frame (28), a seat (10), and a pivot device (16), which at least in some regions connects the seat (10) to the frame (28) pivotally about a seat pivot axis (S) and comprises a first joint (20) and a second joint (22), which are provided on the seat (10) on mutually opposing sides, wherein the first joint (20) and the second joint (22) can be locked, the first joint (20) comprising a first-joint operating element (40) for releasing the first joint (20). According to the invention, the second joint (22) is connected to the first-joint operating element (40) by means of a push-stable transfer device such that during an actuation of the first-joint operating element (40) the first joint (20) and the second joint (22) are released. Furthermore, the second joint (22) has a second-joint operating element for locking and releasing the second joint (22), wherein the second-joint operating element is connected to the first joint (20) by means of the push-stable transfer device (46) such that the first joint (20) is released when releasing the second joint (22).
US08205898B2

In a front wheel drive vehicle a traditional twist beam axle suffers from a short service life due to premature failures in intermediate areas between the end sections and the transitional section. A twist beam suspension is provided comprising a transverse strut (16) interconnecting longitudinal control arms (12). The transverse strut (16) may be formed from a tubular pipe. The tubular member may define a pair of tubular end sections (18), a deformed, U-shaped transitional section (20), and a pair of intermediate sections (22) between the end sections (18) and the transitional section (20). The intermediate section (22) may define a contour (28), known as a tongue. The tongue (28) enhances the flexibility in torsion and improves the stiffness in bending of the transverse strut (16). The tongue (28) may also include a concavity, to further aid in improving stiffness.
US08205895B2

A swingable and speedable freewheeled vehicle includes a swingable device installed between a frame and each rear wheel. The swingable device has a guiding track fixed to a seated member, a spindle pivoted on said seated member, and a sliding assembly for sliding along the guiding track. Thereby, while driving the freewheeled vehicle via swinging, a sliding stem of the sliding assembly would slide along the guiding track and subject to an inertial force. Accordingly, a distance between the ground and the frame would be varied commensurately with the freewheeled vehicle moving along with the inertia force during the sliding so as to readily and speedily motivate the freewheeled vehicle forwards.
US08205876B2

A sheet ejector, configured to eject sheets so as to insert a later-ejected sheet under an earlier-ejected sheet on a catch tray, includes a feed roller provided to the catch tray, wherein the feed roller is configured to feed, in a predetermined ejecting direction, the later-ejected sheet that is inserted under the earlier-ejected sheet, and a switching mechanism configured to switch a state of the feed roller relative to a sheet on the catch tray between a contact state where the feed roller contacts the sheet on the catch tray and a non-contact state where the feed roller is kept from contacting the sheet on the catch tray.
US08205874B2

The invention relates to a device and a method for separating notes of value of a value note stack. The device comprises at least one input tray having an opening for the insertion of the value note stack and at least one closing element for closing and opening the opening of the input tray. Further, the device has at least one pressure element for pressing the notes of value inserted into the input tray against a pull-off element. The closing element and the pressure element are connected to each other.
US08205869B2

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a conveying mechanism and a control unit. The conveying mechanism is configured to pick up and convey a sheet every first time interval T and includes a sound source which produces a plurality of element sounds attendant on conveying the sheet. The control unit is configured to control the conveying mechanism so that the element sounds are caused at times determined based on a second time interval. The second time interval is acquired by dividing the first time interval T by a division number n which is an integer of two or more.
US08205864B2

The invention relates to a strut for a wheel suspension of motor vehicles, comprising a telescoping shock absorber and a support spring which surrounds it, as well as with a vertical adjustment means with a driven driving spindle which is pivoted by way of a body-mounted bearing on the engine housing side, which interacts with a vertically adjustable lifting element which is arranged to be non-rotatable and which bears the spring plate of the support spring. According to the invention, the driving spindle, in addition to the body-mounted bearing, is supported directly or indirectly on the cylinder tube of the shock absorber to be able to pivot and move axially relative to it.
US08205863B2

One exemplary embodiment can be a distributor for a liquid in a gas-liquid contacting vessel. The distributor can include: a first member forming a plurality of apertures permitting a liquid to pass there-through; a first compartment coupled to the first member forming a barrier proximate to a perimeter of a first aperture of the plurality of apertures; and a second compartment coupled to the first member forming a barrier proximate to a perimeter of a second aperture of the plurality of apertures. Generally, the first compartment forms a hole at a first height and the second compartment forms a hole at a second height different from the first height with respect to the first member.
US08205862B2

A device for mixing water and gas for drinking purposes including mixing of water and gas, in which a water supply and a gas supply end. The mixing includes a turbulence generator, having a housing containing a mixture of water and gas and a plunger with two frontal faces. The plunger and the housing can be moved relative to each other in an oscillating manner. A flow connection is provided between the two frontal faces of the plunger.
US08205855B2

An electric control valve provided in the present invention has a valve gate and a control actuator including a middle seat (10), a setting part (9), a thermal sensitive element (7), a pushing rod (11) and a memory alloy spring (6), wherein, the thermal sensitive element (7) is disposed within the middle seat (10) and fixed by the setting part (9), with both poles on it being connected with control terminals respectively, the thermal sensitive element (7) is surrounded by the memory alloy spring (6) and the pushing rod (11) located under the memory alloy spring from outside. Through applying operating voltage on the thermal sensitive element within the electric control valve and then swiftly transmitting heat to the memory alloy spring, when the temperature of the memory alloy spring reaches to a deforming temperature, the memory alloy spring deforms and expands and thus pushes the pushing rod to move. A core 4 and a piston are then driven to move by magnetic coupling. Therefore, the valve is controlled to be closed off. The electric control valve provided in the present invention has characteristics of low energy consuming and stable operating performance, achieving a sensitive remote control of the electric control valve.
US08205850B2

The disclosed hands-free reading device is a particle filled bag having an alcove to support a book or other item comprising readable text in a hands-free reading position. A method of arranging an item for the purposes of reading is also provided.
US08205847B2

The present invention provides a connection system for attaching and detaching a device to and from a support arm. The connection system is comprised of a key member having a keyed portion. A first section is attachable to a support arm. The first section is dimensioned to receive the keyed portion of the key member. A second section is attachable to a device. The second section is dimensioned to attach to the first section. An actuator is operable to move between a first position and a second position. The second section is locked to the first section when the actuator is in the first position. The second section is detachable from the first section when the key member is locked to the first section and the actuator is in the second position.
US08205839B2

A method for performing east-west station keeping for a satellite in an inclined synchronous orbit is described. The method includes averaging a value of a right ascension of the ascending node for an inclination vector associated with the satellite over a period of the control cycle, and managing corrections for the satellite such that an eccentricity vector, directed at perigee, is substantially collinear with the inclination vector.
US08205838B2

Spacecraft vehicles and methods for providing reorbiters capable of moving target objects are provided. More particularly, a reorbiter utilizing electrostatic or Coulomb force for acting on target objects and for moving the target objects into new orbits or altitudes are provided. The reorbiter may establish an electrostatic force by controlling the electrical potential of the reorbiter through active charge emission. The target object may acquire an electrical potential due to its interaction with the space plasma and photoelectrons or the reorbiter may impart additional charge to the target object. After establishing the electrostatic force, a propulsion system of the reorbiter is operated to provide thrust. Thrust is directed to change the orbit and/or position of the target object that is being moved by the electrostatic force between the reorbiter and the target object.
US08205834B2

A support structure for an aircraft, includes one or several bar elements and one or several junction elements. At least one bar element includes a transition region which can be made to engage at least one junction element. When the transition region of the bar element engages at least one junction element, centric force transmission takes place between the bar element and the junction element.
US08205833B2

An aircraft passenger seat configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention utilizes composite materials to achieve significant weight savings relative to conventional seat designs. The seat includes one or more lightweight composite support legs, a lightweight composite seat pan, and a lightweight composite seat back structure. The support legs are coupled to the seat pan, which is in turn coupled to the seat back structure. The support legs utilize composite frame elements that are formed as continuous compression molded composite extrusions. The seat pan includes composite fore and aft cross beams that are also formed as continuous compression molded composite extrusions. The aft cross beam includes a rear flange that serves as a flexible “hinge” for the seat back structure. The seat can leverage producible and relatively inexpensive composite manufacturing techniques such that the seat can be economically produced for use as an economy class seat.
US08205831B2

A heliport is formed by the assembly of a planar member including longitudinally-extending deck materials, each of which has a longitudinally-extending T-slot formed in the upper side thereof and is connected to a plurality of deck slats. Each deck slat is of generally I-beam configuration, with the lower flange thereof having a plurality of longitudinally-extending striations. A plurality of fixture blocks is provided, with each fixture block having a hole therein and including a plurality of striations for cooperatively engaging the striations in the lower flange of a deck slat. The head of a carriage bolt is disposed in the T-slot of the longitudinal deck materials, and extends through the fixture block, and is connected at its opposite end to a deck slat by a washer and nut, thereby providing a rigid interconnection between the deck slats and the planar member.
US08205828B2

Embodiments of a submersible transport and launch canister are provided for use by a diver in the deployment of an airborne object. In one embodiment, the submersible transport and launch canister includes a pressure vessel having an open end portion and a storage cavity configured to receive the airborne object therein. A diver-actuated cap is movable between an open position and a closed position in which the diver-actuated cap sealingly engages the open end portion. A propellant device is fluidly coupled to the storage cavity and is configured to propel the airborne object from the storage cavity and through the open end portion when the propellant device is actuated by the diver.
US08205824B2

An aircraft fuselage structure is described for a flying-wing aircraft, having a central area of slight curvature and side areas of greater curvature, which forms a pressure body and has an outer skin and structure reinforcements which support the outer skin. According to the invention, the structure reinforcements contain three-dimensional truss bending supports which extend over the area of light curvature and comprise first straps, which run close to the outer skin 9, and second straps, which run at a distance from the outer skin, and are connected to one another by coupling elements.
US08205817B2

A bead mill for performing wet comminuting including a stationary vessel having an internal wall and forming a milling chamber to be filled at least partly with milling bodies, raw particles and a carrying liquid to form a suspension within the milling chamber; an activator shaft, rotatable around an axis concentric with the stationary vessel and a rotating activator connected to the activator shaft, to comminute said raw particles to produce milled particles; characterized in that said bead mill further comprises a separator, containing a separator chamber disposed substantially vertically, a laminarization portion providing an upward laminar suspension flow within the separator chamber, to separate the milled particles from the milling beads and raw particles depending on the flow velocity of said upward laminar suspension flow.
US08205816B2

This utility patent is a single-handed vertical solid material grinder. It includes a shell, a handle set with a motion handle and a mounted handle, and a grinding set. The grinding set has a sector unit that is a sector cylinder with parallel teeth and a grinding unit with fixed teeth. The mounted handle is placed inside the shell. Between the motion handle and the shell is an elastic repositioning unit. There is a driving set between the motion handle and the sector unit. When using one hand to pull and then release the handle set, through the handle set inside the shell and the grinding set of sector unit and grinding unit, the motion handle will drive the sector unit move back and forth around the spinning axis, thus pushing the parallel teeth on the sector surface to smash back and forth through the fixed teeth on the grinding unit's surface. Thus the solid raw material is caught between the surfaces of the parallel teeth and the fixed teeth and is grinded down. So by using one hand to operate the handle set the user can continuously grind the material particles. It can reduce a lot of effort. And by setting a collection box on the outlet of the shell, the grinded particles can be collected without wasted.
US08205809B2

An antomizing foam pump creates atomized droplets of a foamable liquid in air in a compression chamber. The compression chamber is then collapsed to force the droplets and air through a mesh screen to create a foam product.
US08205801B2

A semiconductor device includes a memory portion, a logic portion, and a plurality of signal lines for electrically connecting the memory portion and the logic portion. In the case where a transfer rate between the semiconductor device and a communication device is α [bps], a first clock frequency generated in the logic portion is Kα [Hz] (K is an integer of 1 or more), the number of reading signal lines of the plurality of signal lines is n (n is an integer of 2 or more), and a second clock frequency generated in the logic portion is Lα/n [Hz] (L is any integer satisfying L/n
US08205783B2

In a reflow soldering apparatus, when changing the operation mode from a production mode to a temperature profile mode, a warning-issue-time is set to a point of time (for example, several seconds) before the circuit board reaches an exit of the main body of the soldering apparatus to issue an alarm at this set time. A control unit thereof calculates a period of time when the alarm issues based on the set warning-issue-time before circuit-board-discharge and the like. After a sensor of entrance side has detected that the circuit board enters into main body of the reflow soldering apparatus, the control unit determines whether or not the starting time of the alarm sound has been elapsed. The control unit controls the information unit to sound the alarm when the control unit determines that the starting time of the warning issue has elapsed.
US08205782B2

A compression assembly for use in compressing tissue comprising a first portion which includes a first compression element and a second portion which comprises a second compression element, at least one support element, and at least one spring element. Typically the spring element is formed of a shape-memory material. The at least one spring element is in compressive force contact with the second compression element and the tissue to be joined is positioned between the first and second compression elements. A plurality of needles on one of the support elements is operative to pierce the tissue and the first portion of the assembly, holding the first compression element to the second portion of the assembly. The invention is appropriate for joining severed tissue in anastomosis procedures or closing natural or surgically produced tissue perforations.
US08205779B2

A surgical instrument comprising a handle portion, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle portion, and a tool adjacent the distal portion of the elongated body portion and having at least one jaw movable to a clamping position to clamp tissue. A tactile feedback system includes an expandable member extending from the handle portion, the expandable member providing a tactile indicator of a tissue parameter of tissue clamped by the least one jaw.
US08205777B2

A fuel gas has a gas including at least 40 weight % or more of 1-butene and propane, or at least 56 weight % or more of 1-butene and propylene. A combustion type power tool is driven by the fuel gas. A compressed gas container for a combustion type power tool has an inner side vessel filled with the fuel gas. When the fuel gas includes propane, 1-butene may be equal to or higher than 59 weight % and equal to or lower than 95 weight %. When the fuel gas includes propylene, the 1-butene may be equal to or higher than 70 weight % and equal to or lower than 96 weight %.
US08205776B2

A dual function clip device for an electronic device having a screen has a body for receiving the electronic device, a clip mechanism with an arm movable relative to the body, and a viewing position support mechanism. The arm is pivotally movable about an axis in a first longitudinal position. The arm and its pivot axis is also movable longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the device to at least one second longitudinal position where it may pivot open about the pivot axis. When the arm is open in the second longitudinal and open pivoted position, the clip device may be positioned to engage an upwardly facing flat surface so that the electronic device may be oriented to a viewing position to display its screen. A release lock and securement device are used for retaining the arm and for viewing position support. A method for displaying the screen is also described.
US08205753B2

This invention relates to the use of a compound of the formula (I) where R1 is a hydrocarbon group having 1-40 carbon atoms, R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 2-4 carbon atoms, and also R3 is an alkoxy group, n is in the range from 1 to 50, and m is 1 or 2, as flotation reagent in silicate flotation R1—O—R2—NH(2-m)—[(R3)n—H]m  (I).
US08205751B2

This invention relates to a packet for containing products and designed to display the products in a manner especially convenient for them to be picked by the user.
US08205742B2

A harvester includes a conveyor having molded conveyor buckets. The conveyor includes a continuous first chain and a continuous second chain extending parallel to the first chain. Parallel spaced apart rods extend between the chains. Each bucket includes a front wall, a rear wall higher than the front wall, opposed sides connecting the front wall and the rear wall and a bottom portion connecting the front wall, the rear wall and the opposed sides. The front wall includes a mounting portion configured to extend over a rear wall of an adjacent bucket and one of the rods when assembled in a conveyor. The mounting portion is a lip in a first embodiment, an insert in a second embodiment and an upper portion of the front wall folded over in a third embodiment.
US08205731B2

A lockup device 5 of a torque converter 1 has a piston 51, a first plate 61, a second plate 62, a intermediate plate 63, a plurality of first springs 64, and a plurality of second springs 65. The intermediate plate 63 is provided so as to be able to rotate with respect to the piston 51 within a specific angular range. The second springs 65 are disposed more to the outside in the radial direction than the first springs 64 so as to act in series with the first springs 64 via the intermediate plate 63, and are supported by the intermediate plate 63 so as to be elastically deformable in the rotation direction. The driven plate 68 has prongs 68a that can come into contact with the ends of the second springs 65, and is fixed to the outer peripheral part of the turbine 4.
US08205727B2

An electromagnetic brake (20), in particular for an electric drive is provided, having a brake body (3), which is provided with a sleeve-shaped permanent magnet (4), an electromagnet (5) with an exciting coil (6), an external ring in the form of an external pole and an internal ring (8) in the form of an internal pole, wherein an armature disc (12) rotatably connected to a shaft is attractable against the brake body (3) or the external or internal ring surfaces by the permanent magnet (4) force acting against a return spring force. When the exciting coil is powered, the permanent magnet (4) magnetic field is compensated in such a way that the armature disc (12) is lifted up from the brake body (3) by the spring force, thereby allowing the brake to be released. A radial cross-sectional dimension or cross-sectional thickness d of the permanent magnet (4) is smaller than the axial dimension thereof and a spatial arrangement, viewed in the axial direction, is provided between the armature disc (12) and the exciting coil (6) in the area radially external with respect to the exciting coil (6) or the housing thereof.
US08205724B2

A disk brake apparatus that can suppress vibration and a brake noise phenomenon in a low deceleration range and increase braking force in a high deceleration range. In the low deceleration range a push surface at a tip of a small-diameter push portion of an inner piston pushes a back plate of a brake pad at a center of the push surface corresponding to a radial inside where deflection and inclination of a disk rotor is insignificant, thereby suppressing the vibration and brake noise phenomenon in the low deceleration range. In the high deceleration range the back plate of the brake pad is pushed at a radially outside push location of the disk rotor in an aperture-side end face of an outer piston, thereby making the braking force in the high deceleration range larger than the braking force in the low deceleration range.
US08205723B2

A brake apparatus for carts with three or more wheels such as golf bag carts, baby strollers and the like includes a hand brake control assembly fixed on the cart frame and having a body and a lug in pinned connection with the body. Brake activation can be done through a pull on the lug. On the other hand, brake release is achieved by pressing springy pushbuttons on both sides of the lug to escape the clipping pin from the indent. A brake pole set, fixed on a rear wheel axle tube, is capable of offering a buffer mechanism, which avoids potential destruction to the wheel. A brake wire enables easy operation and achieves an automatic lock during braking, which substantially prevents the lapse of releasing the brake by the user.
US08205717B2

The instant invention, the Vehicle Ladder Mounting System, is comprised of a rail assembly, a plurality of support assemblies, one or more security assemblies, and one or more accessory assemblies. The rail assembly of the instant invention is comprised of two parallel rails connected by a plurality of cross-member assemblies. The instant invention can be easily adapted, augmented, and modified because of the structure of the aluminum channel. The design of the instant invention allows for multiple configurations as the rail can be attached to the punched pattern in many configurations via a bolt-nut combination. The instant invention is also comprised of assemblies that can be used to stack ladders on a vehicle. The instant invention is also comprised of an inclined ladder rack assembly and accessory attachments such as the shovel holders, beacon support, and inclined beacon support.
US08205706B2

To provide a swing arm pivot structure for a motorcycle which can prevent rubbing between a swing arm and a body frame with a simple structure and can reduce a manufacturing cost for the motorcycle. The swing arm pivot structure includes a swing arm for supporting a rear wheel, a pivot shaft mounted to a body frame and inserted through a swing arm pivot of the swing arm, a first bearing located between one end portion of the swing arm pivot and the body frame for pivotably supporting the swing arm, a first collar located between the inner circumference of the first bearing and the pivot shaft, and a second collar located between the first collar and the body frame. The second collar has a rigidity different from the rigidity of the first collar and the body frame.
US08205696B2

A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. Engine operation is directed from an upright operator support column. A molded chassis is hinge coupled to pivot about alternative contoured track support pan assemblies. The pan support assemblies cooperate with flexible track surfaces (e.g. fringe or pleat members) and foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. A lower support pan exhibits convex edge surfaces that contact track pleats or fringe pieces and includes an elliptic longitudinal channel. Alternative upper support pans provide a reciprocating wheeled steering plate, longitudinal drive lug channels and contoured snow diversion surfaces and/or an agitator. Internal track surfaces include UHMW pieces at or aligned to the drive lugs. Ground contact lugs exhibit traction promoting and snow clearing contoured profiles, shapes and recesses.
US08205693B2

A casing bit, which may comprise a composite structure, for drilling a casing section into a subterranean formation, and which may include a portion configured to be drilled therethrough. Cutting elements and methods of use may be included. Adhesive, solder, electrically disbonding material, and braze affixation of a cutting element may be included. Differing abrasive material amount, characteristics, and size of cutting elements may be included. Telescoping casing sections and bits may be included. Embodiments may include: at least one gage section extending from the nose portion, at least one rotationally trailing groove formed in at least one of the plurality of blades, a movable blade, a leading face comprising superabrasive material, at least one of a drilling fluid nozzle and a sleeve, grooves for preferential failure, at least one rolling cone affixed to the nose portion, at least one sensor, discrete cutting element retention structures, and percussion inserts.
US08205688B2

In one aspect of the invention a tool string steerable system has a drill bit body with a working face. An indenter protrudes from the working face and the indenter is rotational fixed to a tool string component above the drill bit body. The indenter is rotationally isolated from the drill bit body.
US08205687B2

A blade for a stabilizer configured with a compound engagement profile for reducing a tendency toward whirl and other vibrational effects when rotated within a borehole of a subterranean formation is provided. A method for stabilizing down-hole components is also provided.
US08205679B2

A technique enables efficient deployment of instrumentation gauges in a wellbore. The technique comprises preparing offline a plurality of assemblies having a combined packer and gauge mandrel with an associated gauge. Each assembly is combined with a segment or length of instrumentation cable that is fully spliced with the gauge during offline assembly time. Various splice halves also can be assembled during offline assembly time.
US08205673B2

A method of removing a partial amount of water in a well, comprises deploying a differential filter downhole; and performing a downhole operation, wherein the differential filter comprises a swellable polymer that swells after contacting water such that permeability of the differential filter is reduced by removing said partial amount of water, the swellable polymer being non-soluble in the water and/or hydrocarbon and wherein the swellable polymer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, polymethacrylic acid, poly maleic anhydride, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, latex, polyamide, polyester, and a co-polymer thereof.
US08205670B2

A wellhead seal assembly forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A metal seal ring has inner and outer walls separated by a slot. An energizing ring has a C-ring captured on its outer surface. When the energizing ring is moved further into the slot, the C-ring is forced from its pocket and engages a profile on the seal ring, locking the energizing ring to the seal assembly.
US08205667B2

A heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes, a header tank coupled to the plurality of tubes, and a connector coupled to the header tank. The connector includes a female joint part that is to be coupled to a male joint part of an external pipe and a tubular part that extends from the female joint part and has a closed end on a side opposite to the female joint part. The connector is coupled to the header tank such that a side wall of the tubular part is located on an outer periphery of the header tank.
US08205665B2

A heat dissipation device includes a heat sink having a first fin unit and a second fin unit adjoining each other. The first fin unit includes a plurality of parallel stacked first fins each including a main body and two flanges extending perpendicularly from two opposite sides of the main body. The second fin unit includes a plurality of parallel stacked second fins each including a main body and two flanges extending perpendicularly from two opposite sides of the main body. The first fin unit and the second fin unit are arranged back-to-back. The main body of an outmost first fin adjacent to the second fin unit abuts the main body of an outmost second fin adjacent to the first fin unit. An interval between two neighboring first fins is smaller than that between two neighboring second fins.
US08205663B2

A device for determining the integrity of a greensand mold comprising two or more measurement sensors or plates on a support or supports. The support may comprise a frame straddling a mold production line between the mold machine and the pour station. When the production line is stopped, the measurement sensors or plates are extended to contact opposing sides of a mold and determine electrical characteristics of the mold, including capacitance and inductance. By comparing the electrical characteristics of the mold to the electrical characteristics of recently tested molds in the production line, a determination can be made whether the mold should be used at the pour station.
US08205650B2

A clamping assembly to hold a woodworking knife in place in a woodworking machine. The clamping assembly comprises a clamping component comprising a body and an actuator. The body has three discrete contact positions distributed thereon: 1) a fulcrum located generally at one end, 2) a knife abutting portion located generally at the other end, and 3) a bearing surface located elsewhere. The actuator is for applying a clamping force to the body along a clamping axis located intermediate of the knife abutting portion and the fulcrum. The fulcrum is a surface having a normal that is at an angle to the clamping axis. The bearing surface is a surface wherein a line normal to the bearing surface intersects the line normal to the fulcrum at a position outside of the clamping component at a location farther askew of the clamping axis than the fulcrum.
US08205639B2

Disclosed is a valve sealant fitting of high quality, which not only ensures rapid and easy injection of a sealant but also maximizes an effect of preventing a leakage. That is, the present invention provides a valve sealant fitting, which comprises, sequentially assembles and couples: a sealant body 10 having an insert coupling groove 12 with a sealing O-ring 12a mounted on an inner wall of the body, a sealant exit port 13 with a small diameter and a sloped injection port at a lower end of the body, and an exit port side ball 14 mounted at a bottom of the exit port 13; an insert 20 having an intermediate sealant movement path 21 for guiding the sealant to be injected toward an inner center of the insert and having a sealed port 22 and a coil spring 23 interposed at a lower end of the insert; and an upper end cap 30 having a sealant injection port 31 with a small diameter mounted on an upper end of the insert 20 and having an injection port side ball 32 mounted below the injection port 31.
US08205636B2

In a pressure compensation type flow rate control valve, overshoot of a flow rate when an upstream pressure is abruptly increased is suppressed. A first variable orifice 11 is provided on the side of an inflow opening and a second variable orifice 15 is provided on the side of an outflow opening. As the spool 3 is displaced from its initial position by a pressure of fluid entering when the upstream fluid pressure is increased, the opening of the first variable orifice 11 is gradually reduced, and the opening of the second variable orifice 15 is gradually increased. Since the second variable orifice 15 on the side of the outflow opening is previously reduced, even if the upstream pressure is abruptly increased, fluid more than a predetermined amount does not flow out toward the downstream.
US08205632B2

A fluid flow control device such as a volume booster has an inlet, an outlet and an exhaust port all for an operating fluid. A pilot inlet receives a pilot pressure signal which operates a valve stem actuator via a diaphragm assembly. The valve stem is operable to open a supply valve between the inlet and outlet and, separately and independently, to open an exhaust valve disposed between the outlet and the exhaust. In a further position both the valves are closed. Movement of the stem in a reciprocal manner by the diaphragm assembly causes a respective annular shoulder to engage a respective valve and lift it off a valve seat against the force of a biasing spring. A first fluid leak path is provided between the valve stem and the supply valve for allowing fluid to leak through the supply valve chamber when the supply valve is open and a second fluid leak path is defined by the exhaust valve for allowing fluid to leak through the exhaust valve chamber. The leak paths provide for a force balancing arrangement that allows the valve stem to move easily and the diaphragm assembly to be reduced in size. The arrangement allows the exhaust port to be positioned on the same side of the diaphragm assembly as the inlet and outlet so that fluid can be vented through the exhaust at flow volume comparative to the operating fluid flow in the inlet and outlet.
US08205628B2

A portable barrier includes a pedestal assembly and a cover assembly. The pedestal assembly includes (i) a plurality of legs that are movable with respect to each other, the plurality of legs include a first lateral leg having a first free leg end, and a second lateral leg having a second free leg end, and (ii) a first limiter connected to the first lateral leg and the second lateral leg. The cover assembly including (i) a plurality of arms that are movable with respect to each other, the plurality of arms include a first lateral arm having a first free arm end and a second lateral arm having a second free arm end, and (ii) a covering connected to the first lateral arm and the second lateral arm. The portable barrier is configured to be moved between a protection mode and a storage mode.
US08205627B2

A quick folding structure for a post unit of a tent frame includes upper, middle and lower posts, an upper connector, and a lower connector. The upper connector is disposed between the upper and middle posts and includes a first upper connecting portion and a second upper connecting portion. The lower connector is disposed between the middle and lower posts and includes a first lower connecting portion and a second lower connecting portion. A wire rope has a first end secured to the first upper connecting portion and a second end connected to a pin. A spring and the pin are disposed in a ladder-shaped trough of the first lower connecting portion. Two ends of the spring engage with the ladder-shaped trough and a first end of the pin, respectively. A second end of the pin faces an engaging notch of the second lower connecting portion.
US08205625B2

A surface treatment apparatus of a substrate can clean a substrate surface in the air without employing a vacuum apparatus, and can remove a natural oxide film or an organic material, such as BTA, from the substrate surface without resorting to plasma cleaning. The surface treatment apparatus includes: an inert gas supply section for supplying an inert gas to the whole or part of a substrate surface to form an oxygen-blocking zone; a heating section for keeping the substrate surface at a predetermined temperature; and a cleaning gas supply section for supplying a cleaning gas to the oxygen-blocking zone to clean the substrate surface.
US08205619B2

An articulating elongate surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, an elongated body portion, a tool assembly pivotally supported on the distal end of the elongated body portion. The elongate surgical instrument includes as well an articulation mechanism to effect the movement of the tool assembly, the articulation mechanism including a pivot member operatively coupled to the tool assembly. The elongated body includes at least one articulation drive member having at least one retaining surface therein; a firing rod disposed adjacent the articulation drive, with an articulation locking actuating surface disposed upon the firing rod; and an articulation locking means configured to selectively engage and disengage from the actuating surface and to selectively engage and disengage from the retaining surface of the articulation drive member.
US08205608B2

Less hazardous methods for generating thermal energy for heating water, medical supplies or comestible products using improved flameless chemical heaters/flameless ration heaters by novel chemical or electrochemical means, each capable of suppressing the generation of hydrogen gas. Remote unit self-heating meals may be more rapidly heated by forming a reaction mixture comprising magnesium or a magnesium-containing alloy, and a hydrogen eliminator or suppressor, and introducing water to react the reaction mixture and generate a more rapid release of thermal energy sufficient to effectuate a more accelerated temperature rise and more rapid heating of medical supplies, water, rations or other comestible substances while simultaneously suppressing or eliminating the generation of potentially hazardous hydrogen.
US08205607B1

A compound archery bow includes a handle having projecting limbs, and first and second pulleys mounted on the limbs for rotation around respective axes. First and second cable anchors are disposed on the base adjacent to respective ends of a cable groove. A bow cable arrangement includes a bowstring cable extending from a bowstring anchor on the first pulley around a bowstring let-out groove and then toward the second pulley. A first cable extends from the first anchor on the first pulley through a portion of the cable groove on the first pulley and then toward the second pulley. A second cable extends from the second anchor toward the second pulley. Draw of the bowstring cable way from the bow handle lets out bowstring cable from the bowstring let-out groove on the first pulley and rotates the first pulley around its axis, lets out the first cable from the cable groove on the first pulley and takes up the second cable into the cable groove on the first pulley including a portion of such groove previously occupied by the first cable. The first pulley includes a hub surrounding the first axis and a removable draw module having an edge extending from the hub toward said second anchor. The cable groove extends along the edge of the draw module and the hub between the first and second anchors.
US08205603B2

A method of coking entrained oil from blow-by gas (F) of an engine (14) in a closed breather assembly (16) includes the steps of transporting the blow-by gas from the engine to a mist separator (18), transporting the blow-by gas from the mist separator to a breather coking device (12), heating the breather coking device at least one of conductively and convectively with an exhaust manifold (32) of the engine, coking out at least a portion of entrained oil from the blow-by gas and depositing the coked oil at the breather coking device, and transporting the blow-by gas from the breather coking device to one of a turbocharger compressor (24) and the engine.
US08205602B2

A condensation collection system for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas recirculation system comprises a condensation collection line, a condensation accumulator, and a condensation expulsion line. The condensation collection line is disposed in fluid communication with an air intake system of an internal combustion engine. The condensation accumulator is in fluid communication with the condensation collection line. The condensation collection line being disposed between the air intake system and the condensation accumulator. The condensation expulsion line is in fluid communication with the condensation accumulator. A portion of the condensation expulsion line is disposed in contact with an engine exhaust pipe. The condensation expulsion line has an opening to vent condensation to the atmosphere.
US08205601B2

An engine system includes a correction factor generation module and a boost pressure correction module. The correction factor generation module generates a correction factor based on a first pressure difference, wherein the first pressure difference corresponds to a difference between an intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP) when an engine is on and a barometric pressure. The boost pressure correction module generates a corrected boost pressure based on the MAP when the engine is on, a second pressure difference, and the correction factor, wherein the second pressure difference corresponds to a difference between the MAP when the engine is off and the barometric pressure.
US08205598B2

A nozzle (10) for a fuel injector of an engine includes a generally cylindrical housing (16) having a valve passage (28) disposed generally longitudinally along the centerline C of the housing and extending from a top surface (12) of the housing. An annular groove (40) is disposed in the top surface (12) of the housing (16) and is concentrically disposed about the valve passage (28). A plurality of high pressure passages (44) are disposed in the annular groove (40). The high pressure passages (44) fluidly communicate with the valve passage at a junction chamber (34). A nozzle tip (24) is in fluid communication with the junction chamber (34).
US08205597B2

A centrifugal pump driven by mechanical coupling with an engine has a low pressure inlet receiving fuel from a fuel circuit of an aircraft, a high pressure outlet connected to a regulator circuit for regulating the flow rate of fuel supplied to the engine, and an assistance pump unit that is electrically controlled, having an inlet connected to the aircraft fuel circuit and an outlet connected to the flow rate regulator circuit so as to deliver, via its outlet, fuel that is at a predetermined minimum pressure, the pressure of the fuel supplied to the regulator circuit being the higher of the pressures delivered by the centrifugal pump and the assistance pump unit.
US08205594B2

A control system is provided for a generator set coupled to supply electrical power to an external load. The control system may have an input device configured to receive input indicative of a desired adjustment to the external load, and a power control device operable to affect a power output of the generator set. The control system may also have a controller in communication with the input device and the power control device. The controller may be configured to determine a change in the power output of the generator set corresponding to the desired adjustment to the external load, and to operate the power control device to implement the change in power output of the generator set before the desired adjustment to the external load is initiated.
US08205576B2

An animal litter is provided for simultaneously delivering urine-absorbent and mental-stimulating properties of the litter. The litter includes in combination a plurality of urine-absorbent particles forming a litter particulate component and a plurality of unfoldable polymeric cylinders constituting a polymeric cylinder component and intermixed with the urine-absorbent particles. The polymeric cylinders have a mean cylinder height of between 1 and 30 millimeters, a ratio of cylinder height to cylinder diameter of 1:1 to 12:1, and a strip length to cylinder height ratio of greater than 10:1. The litter particulate component is present relative to the cylinders in a volume ratio of 1:1 to 25:1. The litter provides mental stimulation and boredom reduction of a caged animal.
US08205564B2

An aircraft table system includes a table member, a sled member, and a spine member. The sled member moves reversibly on the spine member between a lower sled position and an upper sled position. The system further includes one or more spring elements coupled to the sled member. One or more cables may be coupled between the spine member and the spring elements such that the spring elements impart and/or maintain tension on the cables. The tension may be at least partially converted into an upward force imparted on the sled member.
US08205563B2

An aircraft table system includes a table member configured to move reversibly from an undeployed position to a deployed position, coupled to a movable sled member. The system may further include one or more rollers in conjunction with one or more guide rails to facilitate the motion of the sled member. The system may further include a spine member with one or more holes in conjunction with one or more bolts and one or more cables to hold the sled and table members in place. The system may further include a spine member in conjunction with one or more spring reel elements and one or more cables to impart an assisting or resisting force on the sled member.
US08205559B2

An apparatus for transporting a payload along the inside of a substantially horizontal pipe, which apparatus includes a pair of spaced apart, vertically aligned, relationally pivotably connected, rollable pipe tracking contactors, wherein pivoting of one of the pipe tracking contactors in a first direction results in pivoting of the other pipe tracking contactor in a direction opposite to the first direction. The apparatus further includes a control system which is used to maintain the vertical alignment of the pipe tracking contactors and which includes a two-dimensional tilt sensor that provides information to a controller regarding the orientation of the apparatus. Using the information from the sensor, the controller is able to correct both the lateral position and the speed of the contactors to bring the apparatus back into vertical alignment.
US08205554B2

The invention relates to an apparatus, in particular a firing apparatus (1) for a pyrotechnic protection apparatus, in particular an airbag or belt pretensioner, comprising: a power leadthrough, in particular a metal fixing material leadthrough (2), comprising a base body (8) which is provided with a passage opening (7), and at least one metal pin (6) which is arranged in the passage opening (7) in the base body (8) in a fixing material (6); a housing part (19, 4) which at least partially accommodates the power leadthrough so as to form a space for accommodating a propellant charge (5); a casing (22) which at least partially surrounds the power leadthrough (2), the metal pin (6) and the housing part (19, 4); wherein the base body (8) has a thickness D in the range of from 2.0 mm to 0.1 mm, preferably in the range of from less than 1.0 mm to 0.1 mm, in particular less than 0.8 mm to 0.5 mm, and means (27) are provided on the metal pin (6) in such a way that the casing (22) engages with the metal pin, wherein the casing and the base body together absorb a pull-out force of the metal pin which is greater than 150 N, in particular greater than 165 N, preferably greater than 200 N, in particular greater than 250 N, in particular greater than 300 N.
US08205546B2

A baler for making compacted bales of a cellulosic and preferably woody biomass material, the baler comprising: a housing defining a compaction chamber therein, wherein the housing comprises a top wall, an infeed opening defined in the top wall for introducing the material into the compaction chamber, and a hopper system comprising: first and second doors pivotably attached to the housing in opposing array over the infeed opening, wherein each door comprises a pivot having a plurality of fingers extending in planar array therefrom and defining a plurality of recesses disposed therebetween, and wherein the fingers of the first and second doors are staggered such that the fingers of each door are positioned opposite to and receivable by the recesses of the other door, and actuator means for pivoting the doors upwardly to form a chute for directing the material toward the infeed opening, and downwardly to intermesh and preferably interlock the fingers and substantially cover the infeed opening.
US08205536B2

An integrated weapons pod includes a plurality of pod components such as a targeting system, a weapons bay, a central processing unit (“CPU”), a wireless data link, and an external shell. The external shell houses the targeting system, the weapons bay, the CPU, and the wireless data link in a single freestanding unit. The weapons bay is configured to house one or more weapons and deploy the one or more weapons at a target. The CPU is operable to control operation of the targeting system, the weapons bay, and the wireless data link. The targeting system is operable to provide to the one or more weapons location information identifying a location of the target, and the wireless data link is operable to exchange data with a remote operator.
US08205530B2

Processes for high speed machining of workpiece materials using high performance tools with prolonged tool life and improved surface finish are provided by vibrating the tool and/or the workpiece at a frequency greater than the frequency of shear localization in the primary shear zone or chip segmentation occurring in the absence of tool vibration, with an amplitude sufficient to break up the tool-chip atomic contact, thereby decreasing the tool-chip contact length through decreasing the tool-chip contact time, thereby suppressing accelerated chemical tool wear caused by dissolution of the tool into the workpiece by nanocrystalline grain boundary diffusion and grain boundary sliding mechanisms by preventing shear localization associated with nanocrystalline grain formation in the primary shear zone of the chip, and suppressing oxidation wear of the tool by preventing segmentation of the chip.
US08205528B1

A wire stripper adaption as disclosed comprises an output limiter to limit a splitting point of an insulation from an insulated wire at a first predetermined distance. The output limiter is suspended in any position radial to the wire leaving the wire stripper. An input guide is configured to axially align the insulated wire entering the wire stripper at a second predetermined distance radial to the wire entering the wire stripper. One of a circular hole and a semicircular hole defined in a body or the wire stripper itself cuts the insulation around the wire as it is circularly passed around a sharpened edge of the hole. The body defines three hole pairs configured to position an elongate cutting blade in the body for an operator to sharpen a first end of the elongate blade and a first and second beveled edges at an acute angle to the first end.
US08205525B2

The invention relates to a rotational vibration damper for a crankshaft of a piston engine. The rotational vibration damper comprises a hub which defines an axis of rotation, and a mass member which, via at least one spring element, is coupled to a hub and is able to rotationally vibrate freely relative to the hub. The mass member is annular in shape and is arranged coaxially relative to the hub, wherein the at least one spring element made of steel is provided in the form of a bendable spring.
US08205522B2

In a “tip following” robotic arm, the apertures through which control cables pass are arranged to ensure that the cables are maintained in contact with at least a part of the aperture, leading to a more stable and controllable arrangement.
US08205520B2

To render a gear arrangement for a transmission as quiet as possible but nevertheless able to handle heavy loads, a first gear made of a first material and a second gear made of a second material sit loosely next to one another on a common shaft. The elasticity of the first gear, preferably made of plastic, is chosen to be greater than that of the second gear, preferably made of metal, while the strength of the second gear is chosen to be greater than that of the first gear. Because the second gear preferably exhibits a slightly smaller toothing than the first gear, only the first gear comes into engagement with another gear in normal operation. As the load increases, the first gear made of plastic yields in the elastic range so that now the second gear made of metal also comes into engagement in order to accept the forces occurring and thereby protect the first gear against overloading and fracture. The gear arrangement is generally suitable for transmissions, for example for planetary transmissions.
US08205506B2

A device for the fixing of a prismatic mechanical test piece, which consists of two mechanisms that secure the test piece (7) on both sides, where each mechanism consists of two independent blocks (1 and 2), the second block (2) being displaceable in relation to the first (1), at least two rods (3) and a cylinder (4) for assisting the attachment between both blocks (1 and 2), a screw (5) for assuring the attachment between both blocks (1 and 2), and an adapter plate (6) which is adjusted to the second block (2) by means of a pin or bolt (8). Moreover, both blocks (1 and 2) have on the surface facing the test piece (7), an inclined plane (9) which has a grinding at each end in the form of a dovetail (10), such that the test piece (7) remains secured between the two grindings (10).
US08205486B2

An atmometer device comprises a porous evaporator member, a suction tube communicating water from a reservoir to the porous evaporator member, a sensor measuring a moisture characteristic of soil associated with a crop, a mechanism arranged for controllably varying a rate of evaporation of the water through the porous evaporator member responsive to the moisture characteristic measured by the sensor, and an indicator arranged to indicate water loss in the reservoir. By controlling rate of evaporation of the water through the porous evaporator member responsive to the measured moisture characteristic of the soil, the amount of water loss in the reservoir during the given time period more accurately reflects crop evapotranspiration.
US08205478B1

An apparatus to aid in the testing of smoke detectors comprises a rifle-shaped design which holds and dispenses aerosol cans of smoke and air is herein disclosed. The apparatus is approximately four (4) feet long and includes additional extension tubes approximately three (3) feet long. In such a manner the apparatus is capable of reaching smoke detectors that are seven (7) feet or more above the users head. In addition to dispensing smoke for testing and air for purging, the apparatus also includes a magnetic adapter for testing smoke detector switches, a mechanical probe attachment for smoke detector activation, and a holder for electronic devices such as barcode scanners. In such a manner the testing and maintenance of most smoke detectors can be performed safely from ground level without the use of ladders or other assistance.
US08205476B2

A method of correcting the shape of a brittle cast component such as a low pressure turbine blade. The method includes steps of placing the component against a creep mold having a surface defining the desired profile of the component and HIP treating it to creep deform the component to the desired shape whilst consolidating it and removing gas and shrinkage porosity.
US08205465B2

A control system for an expansion valve and evaporator of an air conditioner system is provided that comprises an expansion valve having a valve element that is movable relative to a valve port for varying an opening area to regulate the flow of refrigerant to an evaporator coil. The evaporator coil has an inlet and an outlet, and is configured to conduct heat to a refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil, where the exiting refrigerant temperature is dependent on the refrigerant flow rate. The control system for controlling the expansion valve includes an evaporator coil outlet temperature sensor, which is configured to sense the temperature of refrigerant within the evaporator coil near the outlet of the evaporator coil. A controller is in communication with the evaporator coil outlet temperature sensor for sensing temperature of refrigerant near the evaporator outlet, and is configured to determine a control set point based on the refrigerant temperature near the evaporator outlet. The control set point is used to determine a valve opening area to regulate refrigerant flow into the evaporator such that temperature of refrigerant at the evaporator outlet is within a temperature band having a lower bound within 12 degrees Fahrenheit above the liquid-to-vapor transition temperature.
US08205459B2

A thermo-electro-acoustic refrigerator comprises a sealed body having a regenerator, hot and cold heat exchangers, an acoustic source, and an acoustic energy converter. A first drive signal drives the acoustic source to produce an acoustic pressure wave in the region of the regenerator. The converter converts a portion of the acoustic pressure into a second drive signal which is fed back to and further drives the acoustic source. The pressure wave produces a thermal gradient between the cold and hot heat exchangers, permitting heat extraction (cooling) within at least one of the heat exchangers. The resonant frequency of the refrigerator can be controlled electronically, and is not limited by the physical structure of the refrigerator body and its elements.
US08205453B2

In order to assemble together two parts (154, 162) of materials having different coefficients of expansion via mutually engaged edge portions (154a, 162a), tongues (170) are formed in the thinned edge of one of the parts, the tongues being separated by slots (172) obtained by cutting or machining the material of the part, and the parts are assembled together by fastening (174) via the tongues. The edge portions are mutually engaged in such a manner as to be in substantially leaktight contact at the high temperatures encountered in operation. The method is applicable in particular to assembling together parts made respectively of metal and of ceramic composite material, in particular in an aviation gas turbine, for example, upstream and downstream secondary nozzles.
US08205452B2

In one embodiment, a system includes a fuel nozzle that includes a fuel injector configured to output a fuel flow and a premixer tube disposed about the fuel flow output from the fuel injector. The premixer tube includes a perforated portion and a non-perforated portion, and the non-perforated portion is downstream of the perforated portion.
US08205450B2

A method of operating a turbocharger is provided, wherein the turbocharger comprises a compressor for compressing inlet air to be supplied to an internal combustion engine and an exhaust gas turbine for driving said compressor. The turbocharger further comprises an electric motor for driving said compressor operable by an electric supply system including an alternator and an electric energy storage device. A connection between said alternator and said electric energy storage device is disconnectable by a switch. According to the present invention, the method comprises the following steps:detecting a transient condition, wherein said internal combustion engine is required to be accelerated;supplying electric energy to said electric motor only from said electric energy storage device at the beginning of said transient condition until a predetermined state is reached;supplying electric energy to said electric motor from the electric supply system after said predetermined state is reached.
US08205434B2

A joint including a first component and a second component. The second component including a shape memory material component. The first component has a half dovetail shaped slot and the shape memory material second component has a half dovetail shaped attachment feature disposed in the half dovetail shaped slot in the first component.
US08205425B2

A method for producing a multidirectional contexture made of fibers, in particular carbon fibers, in which a unidirectional contexture web is wound at an angle about a plate to form a coil, wherein the plate is provided with a device for compensating friction, and the coil is pulled off from the plate. In order to provide improved pulling of the fibers off a plate a cascade guide is being used, which is disposed at the end of the plate and which comprises a laterally extended wedge.
US08205422B2

A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a flexible draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly to permit the draper assembly to flex with the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes fore-and-aft extending rollers and an endless flexible belt entrained around the rollers. The draper assembly further includes at least one support panel to support the belt.
US08205419B2

A self-propelled bagging machine for storing grain in a sleeve (unfolding plastic film pipe or silo bag) made up of an upper receiving hopper which outlet leads to a grain discharge tunnel over which such folded sleeve fits, all of this mounted on a chassis equipped with running gear and dragging pole, where such hopper outlet comprises a wall that is transversally connected to the hopper according to a downward slant plane leading to the discharge tunnel arranged under the vertical projection of the mouth of said hopper, and where such running gear comprises a back single-shaft running gear that is connected to the wheels, and a smaller front steering running gear; such grain bagging machine further includes: a dual compensated braking device made up of an adjustable primary hydraulic braking mechanism and an adjustable secondary hydraulic braking mechanism which act simultaneously on the back shaft of the bagging machine, and where a mechanic articulation mounted on the chassis in such a way that it is sensitive to pulling variations during the machine operation activates an inverted operation hydraulic pump for reception/release of braking fluid from/to the secondary braking mechanism circuit for braking compensation. Dual compensated braking device to be applied to the self-propelled grain bagging machine described above.
US08205415B2

There is provided a packaged roast and ground coffee product comprising a lightweight, thin-walled reclosable container made of laminated plastic material comprising a moisture barrier and an oxygen barrier, and a quantity of roast and ground coffee disposed within the container. The container comprises a finish that includes a top surface and one or more snap beads positioned below the top surface. A plurality of snap bead segments may be circumferentially spaced from one another. A sealing member may be sealed to the top surface. The sealing member may include a one-way valve permitting venting of CO2 resulting from off-gassing of the roast and ground coffee while preventing ingress of air. A removable overcap comprising a top wall and a depending skirt may be affixed to the finish. The skirt may include an inner surface with at least one locking member dimensioned to engage the snap beads in an interference fit so that the locking member and the snap beads are interengageable between locked and unlocked positions. The packaged roast and ground coffee is preferably capable of withstanding stacking loads typically encountered in distribution for retail sale, as well as loads associated with decreased interior pressure without permitting ingress of air.
US08205408B2

A building framework includes plural column assemblies interconnected by plural full-length beam assemblies, with the union of the column assemblies and beam assemblies forming beam-to-column joint assemblies according to this invention. The column assemblies include pairs of side plates spanning the column members of the column assemblies and projecting toward another column assembly of the plurality of such column assemblies. The full-length beam assemblies include beam members for being received between column assemblies to be interconnected and defining an end gap with respect to each column member. Additionally, the full-length beam assemblies include at each opposite end portion thereof a pair of cover plates, including an upper cover plate and a lower cover plate, which cover plates are sized and configured to be united with the side plates of a column assembly, as by welding applied at a construction site. The full-length beam assemblies may also include provisions for drawing together the side plates of a column assembly preparatory to welding, which side plates are sufficiently spaced apart to provide a “rattle” space allowing entry of an end portion of a full-length beam assembly between the side plates as a step in the erection process for the framework.
US08205406B2

Systems, components, and methods for attaching insulating foam panels to a wall provide additional insulation by virtue of the low thermal conductivity of the foam material of which the panels are made. Structural elements disposed within the panels provide attachment features used for fixing the panels to the wall, and also provide a structural mounting for finishing materials that may be placed on the wall. A clip attaches to the attachment features and is then affixed to the wall. One or more shims may be attached to the clip for accommodating irregularities in the wall. The shims also may be used in a variety of additional applications where accommodation for irregularities in spacing is desired.
US08205403B2

The present disclosure concerns a system, methods and compositions for attaching architectural panels to a building surface, such as a wall. In certain embodiments, the system comprises panels, each with upper, lower and side interlocking members. In a preferred embodiment, the upper and lower interlocking members form a modified tongue and groove joint, with a 45 degree angle interface, while the side interlocking members form a ship lap joint. The upper and lower interlocking members may be designed to press the panels against the building surface and to hide the locations of screws or other attachment devices when the interlocking members are engaged. The system provides a stronger and more secure attachment of panels to a building surface, while eliminating the problem of having to disguise the location of the attachment devices where such devices are inserted directly through the surface of the panel.
US08205392B2

A method for mounting an auxiliary member on a window or door frame already installed and whereon is mounted a drive assembly comprising at least one actuating member and at least one transmission rod mounted in at least one slot of the frame. The method comprises the steps of, providing, between the auxiliary member and the rod, a coupling that is slidable in a longitudinal direction and fixed in any direction orthogonal to the direction of sliding, and forming a through hole in the rod by a screw carried by the auxiliary member, and fastening the auxiliary member to the rod by the engagement of a tip of the screw with the through hole.
US08205390B2

A flange mounted weatherseal includes a carrier and a flexible cover covering the carrier. The carrier includes a base portion, a first side portion and a second side portion generally parallel to the first side portion and cooperating together with the first side portion and the base portion to define a generally U-shaped channel. The first side portion defines a plurality of first fingers, the second side portion defines a plurality of second fingers opposite the first fingers along a longitudinal axis, and the base portion defines a plurality of webs offset along the longitudinal axis relative to the first fingers and the second fingers. The first fingers, the second fingers and the webs each include deformations defining a non-planar cross sectional shape along the longitudinal axis to increase the rigidity of the carrier.
US08205387B2

Systems and methods are described for controlling a breakaway feature in a sliding door. The sliding door can be mounted in a doorway on a door hanger. The door is typically attached at one end using a hinge mechanism and maintained in planar alignment with the doorframe by a controllable mechanism such as an electromagnetic shear lock. An activation switch, such as a push-bar switch, initiates a delayed egress sequence that disengages the shear lock by controlling an energizing current in a magnet. When the shear lock is disengaged, the door can swing on the hinged mechanism. The delayed egress sequence can include one or more delays prior to disengaging the shear lock. Override signals can inhibit or force disengagement of the shear lock.
US08205382B2

A wrapper for wrapping a flower pot and/or floral grouping is disclosed. The wrapper is constructed of a sheet of material having an extension attached to a portion of the sheet of material. When the wrapper is formed about a flower pot to form a decorative cover, upper edges of the sheet of material and extension cooperate to form a skirt portion preferably having at least two separate edges providing a “two-sheet” effect in the decorative cover. The wrapper may have extensions on opposing ends of the sheet of material and may have one or more additional overlapping extensions.
US08205374B2

A shoulder weapon carrier system comprising a shoulder stock (10) attached to a pistol (3), said stock (10) being releasably supported by means of a slide assembly (119) to a supporting box (167) on a user's belt. In a preferred embodiment, the shoulder weapon carrier system comprises: a pistol (3) comprising ≧frame and having a transverse slot at the bottom of the frame and transverse holes in the upper rear of the frame; a shoulder stock (10) comprising a stock body comprising a butt (31), a cross pin that is adapted for engagement with the transverse slot and studs that are adapted for engagement with the two transverse holes; a slide assembly (119) that is slidably mounted on said stock body, said slide assembly (119) comprising a slide tongue (131) having a slide hook; a supporting box (167) having an opening that is adapted for receiving said slide tongue (131).
US08205370B2

A wearable band with an adjustable size or length. The band includes a first band element with a raised center or identification member. The band includes a second band element with a body having a loop or lasso at one end defined by an inner surface of a sidewall. The outer sidewall of the raised center member is detachably coupled to the inner surface of the loop-defining sidewall when the center member is received within and captured by the loop such as by a snap detent arrangement. To allow sizing, the second band element includes both an inner band sizing element including the loop-defining sidewall at one of its ends and an outer band sizing element that is detachably coupled to the inner band sizing element. The length of the second band element is defined by the combined length of the inner and outer band sizing elements.
US08205363B2

A steam ironing machine, at least comprises a base, a telescopic shaft and an ironing device, wherein the base is provided with a steam generator and an outer case surrounding it. The telescopic shaft with a support seat mounted on its top end is disposed on the base and the support seat can move a distance relative to the base. The ironing device can detachedly be mounted on the support seat, wherein the steam generator in the base is attached to the ironing device.
US08205354B2

A sole for shoes, of waterproof and vapor-permeable type, including a lower element of plastic material, with formed thereon a tread with multiple through holes, a water impermeable and permeable to water vapor membrane arranged above the lower element and superimposed on the through holes, the membrane being joined perimetrically and hermetically to at least one component of the sole to avoid rise of liquids through the sole, and a vapor-permeable or perforated mechanism protecting the membrane, arranged below the membrane superimposed on the area of the holes. The sole includes individual vapor-permeable or perforated protective elements, each arranged so as to block a corresponding through hole. The lower element forms, for each through hole, an undercut region for preventing downward extraction for each protective element.
US08205348B2

The present invention relates to a removable tile spacer for enabling even spacing between a first tile and a second tile that are perpendicular to each other. The second tile has an end opposite the first tile. The removable tile spacer includes a first elongate member interposable between the first tile and the end of the second tile to provide spacing between the first tile and the second tile. The tile spacer includes a body. The first elongate member is connected to and extends away from the body at an angle relative to the body such that the body has at least a portion which is spaced-apart from both the first tile and the second tile when the first elongate member is interposed between the first tile and the end of the second tile. This thereby facilitates removal of the tile spacer when tile spacing is completed.
US08205343B2

A safety razor includes a handle and a blade unit having at least one blade. The blade unit is connected to the handle for a pivotal movement relative thereto. One of the handle and the blade unit has a concave portion formed on its surface. A relative movement transfer member is formed between the handle and the blade unit for transferring a relative movement between the handle and the blade unit caused by the pivotal movement. A return force generating member is formed in the concave portion for generating a return force for the blade unit in response to the relative movement transfer member. The return force generating member includes a holding structure for holding a part of the relative movement transfer member, and an elastic member connected to the holding structure for generating the return force in response to the relative movement transfer member.
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