US08373869B2
A charging management server is informed of an ID number stored in an IC card, and a user charging table of the charging management server is read. A new user charging list is transmitted to an MFP. In the case where the MFP receives a cooperative job to be executed by a cooperative server, a sub charging list is generated. The generated new sub charging list is transmitted together with image data to the cooperative server. The cooperative server executes the job on the basis of charging a fee for the job. As the job is executed on the basis of charging, the sub charging list is updated. In parallel with the execution of the cooperative job by the cooperative server, the MFP can perform a normal job according to the charging list.
US08373863B2
Methods and systems for improved fiber optic gyroscopes for operation in non-atmospheric environments are provided. In one embodiment, an integrated optical circuit for an interferometer subject to non-atmospheric conditions comprises: a first section of waveguide within a Lithium crystalline structure that is exposed to an electrical field, the first section of waveguide being a Titanium-diffused waveguide region; a second section of waveguide within the Lithium crystalline structure that is not within the first section of the waveguide, the second section of waveguide being a proton-exchange waveguide region; a stitch coupling the first section of waveguide to the second section of waveguide; and a third section of waveguide configured to combine reciprocal light beams to produce an interference pattern, wherein at least one of the reciprocal light beams pass through the first section of waveguide and the second section of waveguide prior to producing the interference pattern.
US08373859B2
An imaging system for imaging skin includes a light source to illuminate a subject and a first polarizer to polarize light provided by the light source to illuminate the subject. The imaging system also includes a photodetector to acquire an image of the subject as illuminated by the light source and an adjustable second polarizer, coupled to the photodetector, to provide an adjustable degree of polarization of light received by the photodetector.
US08373858B2
This invention is an apparatus and method of real time determination of particle size and optionally chemical composition or both. An aerosol beam generator focuses a beam containing sample particles that passes through a sizing laser beam of approximately constant width to produce light scattering that is detected by a light detection means, allowing generation of electrical pulses that may be used to compute particle velocity. In being formed into a beam, the particles are accelerated to terminal velocities that are functions of their sizes. The duration of time elapsed while a particle passes through the width of the sizing laser beam is a function of its velocity which, in turn, is a function of its size. Chemical composition of the particle is determined by suitable analytical means included in the apparatus, such as mass spectrometry.
US08373856B2
A spectroscopic system is described that provides at least one of focus of an excitation beam onto a sample, automatic focus of an optical system of the spectroscopic system for collecting a spectroscopic signal, and/or averaging of excitation intensity over a surface area of the sample.
US08373849B2
A control system to control a position quantity of a movable object in dependency of signals provided by a sensor representing an actual position quantity of the moveable object, the control system being configured to provide a drive signal to an actuator which is able to apply forces to the moveable object, the control system including a set-point generator to provide a reference signal; a subtractor to provide an error signal, the error signal being the difference between the reference signal and the signals provided by the sensor; a control unit to provide a drive signal to the actuator in dependency of the error signal, wherein the control unit comprises a nonlinear controller to improve a low-frequency disturbance suppression, and wherein the control unit further includes a compensator to at least partially compensate the deterioration of the high-frequency behavior caused by the nonlinear controller.
US08373848B2
A lithographic apparatus includes an actuator for producing a force in a first direction between a first and a second part including a first magnet assembly and a second magnet assembly each attached opposite to each other to the first part of the apparatus, the first magnet assembly including a first main magnet system and a first subsidiary magnet system, and the second magnet assembly including a second main magnet system and a second subsidiary magnet system, the first and second main magnet system defining a space between them in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The actuator includes a coil attached to the second part. The distance between at least a part of the first subsidiary magnet system and at least a part of the second subsidiary magnet system is smaller than the minimum distance between the first main magnet system and the second main magnet system.
US08373842B1
A kit of parts and method for forming a praxinoscope with a base, an outer wall to be secured to the base in a cylindrical configuration, and a mirrored inner wall to be secured to the base in a faceted, substantially cylindrical configuration concentric with the outer wall. Image strips with sequential images disposed thereon can be disposed within the outer wall, and an axle member concentrically disposed through the base and the upper panel permits a rotation of the praxinoscope to produce animation. The inner and outer walls can be secured to the base by teeth that project from their lower longitudinal edges in combination with inner and outer rings of apertures disposed in ring shapes in the base. An upper panel can be similarly retained atop the inner wall. Notches at the proximal ends of the teeth can positively engage the apertures in the base.
US08373829B2
A light source comprising sidelight type backlight light guide plate (L), wherein a transmittance angle dependent layer (T1) which transmits normally incident light and reflects obliquely incident light is disposed on one surface of the sidelight type backlight light guide plate (L), and a reflection plate (R) having a repetitive slope structure is disposed on the other surface of the sidelight type backlight light guide plate (L). The invention light source is less in absorption loss due to repetition of light reflection and the like.
US08373826B2
An optical film is provided and includes a cellulose ester and an acrylic resin. The mass ratio of the cellulose ester to the acrylic resin is 70/30 to 5/95, the total haze value of the optical film is 0.80 or less, the internal haze value of the optical film is 0.01 to 0.28, and the modulus of elasticity in the transverse direction of the optical film is 2,700 to 7,000 MPa.
US08373823B2
An LCD device is disclosed. The disclosed LCD device includes: a liquid crystal display panel configured to display images; a backlight unit configured to include a light source provided for emitting light and optical sheets provided for improving optical characteristics of light which is emitted by the light source; a bottom cover with a receiving portion configured to receive the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight unit; and a heat guide member disposed on a front surface of the receiving portion of the bottom cover and configured to guide the heat generated in the light source toward the liquid crystal display panel.
US08373819B2
A backlight unit capable of preventing an initial driving malfunction is disclosed. The backlight unit includes a bottom cover opened upwardly, a reflective sheet disposed in the inner surface of the bottom cover; a plurality of lamps arranged at a fixed interval on the reflective sheet; an auxiliary light source disposed at the outer side surface of the bottom cover; and a light guide member, opposite to the emitting surface of the auxiliary light source, configured to guide light emitted from the auxiliary light source to the lamps through first and second penetration holes formed on one of the side walls of the bottom cover and the reflective sheet.
US08373809B2
In a liquid crystal display apparatus realizing a dual view display by bonding a liquid crystal panel and a parallax barrier, the parallax barrier separates display images by treating three pixels including R, G, and B pixels as one unit (one picture element). At this time, luminance variation due to crosstalk concentrates on a right-end pixel among the three pixels constituting the one picture element (in a case where each pixel receives data from a source line immediately on the left of the pixel). Accordingly, the right-end pixel is arranged to be a B pixel that has a low correlation with luminance information and in which influence of crosstalk is hard to be viewed. Further, an applied voltage to be supplied to the display pixel of the B (blue) color and an input gradation are set to have a relationship along a γ curve that makes luminance variation difficult to occur in a low luminance area.
US08373807B2
A data producing method and an electronic device thereof is disclosed. The electronic device comprises a storage module, a display module, and a control module. The storage module is capable of storing first data. The display module forms a first display area and a second display area. The data displayed on the first display area and the second display area have different optical characteristics. The control module is electrically connected to the storage module and the display module. The control module produces second data. The control module drives the first display area to display the first data and drives the second display area to display the second data. The first data and the second data are simultaneously displayed by the display module.
US08373802B1
Techniques are provided for content-aware video retargeting. An interactive framework combines key frame-based constraint editing with numerous automatic algorithms for video analysis. This combination gives content producers a high level of control of the retargeting process. One component of the framework is a non-uniform, pixel-accurate warp to the target resolution that considers automatic as well as interactively-defined features. Automatic features comprise video saliency, edge preservation at the pixel resolution, and scene cut detection to enforce bilateral temporal coherence. Additional high level constraints can be added by the producer to achieve a consistent scene composition across arbitrary output formats. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide a better visual result for retargeted video when compared to using conventional techniques.
US08373798B2
A text protection device for de-interlacing operation includes a pixel value difference calculation unit, a text detection unit and a vertical interpolation unit. The pixel value difference calculation unit is utilized for calculating pixel value differences of a plurality of pixels of a field according to a position of a target pixel being inserted into the field. The plurality of pixels forms a detection area corresponding to the target pixel. The text detection unit is utilized for determining whether the detection area includes a text stroke and determining whether the target pixel is located within a range of the text stroke to generate a text detection signal. The vertical interpolation unit performs a vertical interpolation operation to generate a pixel value of the target pixel according to the text detection signal.
US08373797B2
An image display apparatus includes an active-period interlaced-to-progressive (IP) converter configured to convert active periods (video periods) included in interlaced signals into progressive signals; a blanking-period IP converter configured to convert blanking periods included in the interlaced signals into progressive signals; a multiplexer configured to generate and output display data including both the progressive signals associated with the active periods and the progressive signals associated with the blanking periods; and a display unit configured to display the data output from the multiplexer. The blanking-period IP converter is configured to generate the progressive signals associated with the blanking periods by executing IP conversion in which values copied from data included in the interlaced signals or values corresponding to black pixels are set as pixel values of an interpolated field not included in field data of the interlaced signals.
US08373790B2
Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus utilized for an image pickup apparatus having a focus ring. The auto-focus apparatus includes an evaluation value calculator periodically calculating a plurality of evaluation values for a plurality of areas of a subject image based on high frequency components of image signals of the plurality of areas of the subject image; and a control unit, after detecting that the focus ring has been stopped, performing image processing on an area of the subject image where fluctuations of the evaluation values obtained just before the focus ring has been stopped exhibit a predetermined history, based on an evaluation value obtained in the area of the subject image exhibiting the predetermined history, and outputting instruction signals for moving a focus lens base on a peak of the evaluation values obtained by the image processing.
US08373786B2
A solid-state imaging device has: an imaging region in which a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion element are arranged, and a color filter. The color filter includes: filter components of a first color (2G), filter components of a second color (2R) formed by self-alignment and each being surrounded by the filter components of the first color (2G), and filter components of a third color (2B) formed by self-alignment and each being surrounded by the filter components of the first color (2G).
US08373765B2
An image capturing unit outputs an image data signal. A first moving picture data generating unit generates first moving picture data based on the image signal from the image capturing unit. A trigger signal generating unit causes a trigger signal to be generated, every time a predetermined trigger condition is met, while the first moving picture data generating unit is in process of generating the first moving picture data. A second moving picture data generating unit causes, every time the trigger signal is generated, generation of moving picture data corresponding to an image signal of the predetermined period of time based on the point of time the trigger signal has been generated. A recording unit effects recording of the first moving picture data and the second moving picture data.
US08373764B2
An electronic device includes an image capture module, an image processing module, and a display module. The image capture module includes a first capture unit for capturing a first image and a second capture unit for capturing a second image. The first capture unit is simultaneously enabled with the second capture unit. The second image has an overlapping view with the first image. The image processing module includes an image cropping unit and an image stitching unit. The image cropping unit crops the first image to keep a first section of the first image, and further crops the second image to keep a second section of the second image. The first section is different from the second section. The image stitching unit stitches the first section and the second section into an integrated image. The display module displays the integrated image.
US08373762B2
The invention relates to a handle (1) for actuating a device such as a video camera. The handle includes indentations (3) for accommodating the fingers of the user. An adjustment system (5, 7, 8, 9, 11) enables the width (11, 12, 13, 14) of at least a portion of said indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of the user's fingers.
US08373758B2
Techniques for analyzing performance of solar panels and/or cells are provided. In one aspect, a method for analyzing an infrared thermal image taken using an infrared camera is provided. The method includes the following steps. The infrared thermal image is converted to temperature data. Individual elements are isolated in the infrared thermal image. The temperature data for each isolated element is tabulated. A performance status of each isolated element is determined based on the tabulated temperature data. The individual elements can include solar panels and/or solar cells. In another aspect, an infrared diagnostic system is provided. The infrared diagnostic system includes an infrared camera which can be remotely positioned relative to one or more elements to be imaged; and a computer configured to receive thermal images from the infrared camera, via a communication link, and analyze the thermal images.
US08373756B2
A method for testing a monitoring device (20) of an automatic labeling machine (10) for containers (12) for correct functioning, in the case of which, a specially marked measuring container (14) is fed thereto, upon whose detection, a labeling process is discontinued at least for this measuring container (14), and the measuring container (14) provided with markings (16) is scanned by at least one optical sensing device (21) of the monitoring device (20).
US08373747B2
An imaging device for generating and displaying image to simulate movement of 3D objects includes a frame, imaging units, and image output units. The imaging units are arranged between two opposite sides of the frame and connected to one another to define an imaging space therebetween. One side of each imaging unit connects to the frame at a first angle and the opposite side thereof connected to the frame at a second angle. The image output units are arranged on the side of the frame where forming the second angle, such that the image output units face the imaging units in one-to-one correspondence to separately present a first image. The first images presented by the image output units are identical to one another, and are separately transferred by corresponding imaging units to the imaging space to form a simulated image in the imaging space.
US08373746B2
A surround vision apparatus comprises at least one screen, at least one loud speaker, a plurality of projectors and a processor, wherein the at least one screen substantially encloses a space, and wherein the plurality of projectors project images onto the said at least one screen such that the said images may be viewed from within the said enclosed space, and wherein the processor synchronizes the projection of images onto the or each screen such that the images are perceived by the viewer as being uninterrupted.
US08373745B2
An image processing apparatus inputs stereoscopic images, detects a depth of each of the inputted stereoscopic images, lays out the stereoscopic images at least in partial overlap in such a manner that the lager the depth is, the more forward the corresponding stereoscopic image is placed, and records the stereoscopic images having been laid out.
US08373742B2
A method and apparatus for enhancing a video image sent from a first terminal of a video-telephony system to a second terminal of the video-telephony system during a video telephony call. An image style is selected at the first terminal and a description of the image style is transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal. A sequence of video images transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal is modified by a style generator at the second terminal in accordance with description of the image style before being displayed at the second terminal. The first terminal includes a user interface that controls a style selector to produce the style description that defines the properties or the style such as a cropping region, a border style, an image filter, a background and an animation.
US08373741B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to present an overlay combined with a presentation of media content at each of a plurality of computing devices on an electronic communications network to illustrate a collection of one or more commentaries temporally associated with portions of the presented media content where the portions of the presented media content comprises portions of a teleconference workflow meeting, to collect one or more commentaries from each of the plurality of computing devices, and to present the commentaries from the plurality of computing devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08373734B2
An image forming apparatus, and a method of controlling same, the image forming apparatus including an image carrying body; a light exposing unit which emits a light toward the image carrying body according to a light exposing signal; a light sensor which is disposed to a side of the image carrying body to receive a part of the emitted light; and a control unit which detects a biased amount in a sub scanning direction of the emitted light of the light exposing unit based on a sensing result of the light sensor.
US08373732B2
A liquid droplet flight device is provided that moves an ink or the like using a comparatively low voltage and stably causes flight of even a high viscosity ink or the like. When causing droplets of a liquid inside a liquid retaining section to fly onto a medium transported between liquid droplet discharge means and an opposing electrode in the liquid droplet flight device, a high voltage is applied to the flight electrode from a bias power source to generate an electric field between the flight electrode and the opposing electrode. On/off control of flight control means is performed in this state to apply a drive voltage of a low voltage to an EW drive electrode from a drive power source such that the liquid inside a slit moves to a leading end portion of the flight electrode due to an electrowetting phenomenon, and the liquid that has moved to the leading end portion of the flight electrode flies toward the opposing electrode through the electric field such that a liquid droplet lands on the medium.
US08373727B2
Disclosed herewith a liquid crystal display apparatus, which includes a liquid crystal display panel that employs the delta arrangement; a subtractive color processing circuit that carries out a subtractive color processing for input image data, thereby generating subtractive color image data; and data line driving circuit that drives the liquid crystal display panel in response to the subtractive color image data. The subtractive color processing circuit carries out a weighting processing that increases or decreases the subtractive color image data according to a line that includes a sub-pixel to be subjected to a subtractive color processing, then carries out an error diffusion processing for the result of the weighting processing, thereby generating subtractive color image data. The subtractive color processing circuit carries out the weighting processing so as to increase the subtractive color image data corresponding to a line and decrease the subtractive color image data corresponding to another line.
US08373717B2
The symmetrical properties of a group of vertices are leveraged to reconstruct the group using vertex data for a subset of the vertices and a set of control data. The subset of vertices is symmetrical to one or more other subsets of vertices in the group, and the control data includes information to reconstruct the one or more other subsets using the vertex data for the first set of vertices and symmetrical characteristics of the group. In some embodiments, reconstruction is performed using a geometry shader in a graphics processor to compute the additional vertices.
US08373702B2
A graphic module wherein, given a curve P(x,y)=P(x(t), y(t)) between two points P0(x,y)=P0(x(t0), y(t0)) and P1(x,y)=P1(x(t1), y(t1), in the screen coordinates, a calculating circuit computes a curve mid-point Phalf(x,y)=Phalf(x(thalf), y(thalf)), where thalf=(t0+t1)/2 on the curve, computes a segment mid-point PM(x,y)=(P0(x,y)+P1(x,y))/2 on segment P0P1, computes a distance function d between the curve mid-point and the segment mid-point, and, given two thresholds THR0 and THR1, with THR0<=THR1, if d
US08373700B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a level storage module, a video determination module, and a resolution increasing module. The level storage module stores a super-resolution level in association with a video mode. The super-resolution level indicates intensity of super resolution conversion, in which from a first video signal having first resolution, a second video signal is obtained that has second resolution higher than the first resolution and that is to be displayed in the video mode. The video determination module identifies a video mode and determines a super-resolution level based on the video mode identified. The resolution increasing module performs the super resolution conversion on the first video signal at the super-resolution level determined by the video determination module.
US08373698B2
A system, method, program product and service for implementing a holographic enterprise network. A system for providing an interface between an operations center and a three dimensional (3D) virtual simulator system capable of rendering holographic images of the operations center is disclosed. Included is a holographic enterprise interface having a translation system for translating standard enterprise data associated with the operations center and 3D holographic data. Also enclosed is a communications manager for managing parallel communications between the holographic enterprise interface and a 3D data processing infrastructure having a holographic bus.
US08373696B2
An aspect of the present invention provides an electro-optical device including a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of power lines extending in a direction intersecting with the plurality of data lines, and a plurality of pixel circuits provided corresponding to intersections of the plurality of scanning lines and the plurality of data lines, wherein pixel circuits of the plurality of pixel circuits provided adjacent to each other along one of the plurality of data lines is coupled to one of the plurality of power lines.
US08373679B2
Touchscreen electronics for detecting touches on a display screen broadly comprises a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of receivers, and a controller. Each transmitter may transmit at least one beam across the display screen, wherein the beam may be switched on and off in a repeated pattern. The receivers may detect the beams from the transmitters, and each receiver may generate an “on” value that corresponds to the beam being switched on and an “off” value that corresponds to the beam being switched off. The controller communicates with the transmitters and the receivers and may be configured to determine that a touch has occurred when the “on” value generated by one of the receivers transitions in a sequence from greater than an upper level to less than a lower level.
US08373677B2
A detector for providing position detection of objects over a sensor with a first and second set of conductor lines forming a grid with a plurality of junctions there between at which the conductor lines do not contact, includes a signal generator providing a signal to at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines, and circuitry detecting output arising from one or both of an electromagnetic stylus and one or more fingers when present. The output arising from each of the one or more fingers is detected from at least one conductor line of the second set of conductor lines in response to the signal provided to the at least one conductor line of the first set of conductor lines. The circuitry detects positions of one or both the electromagnetic stylus and each of the one or more fingers when present responsive to the output detected.
US08373673B2
In one embodiment, a user interface is presented for initiating activities in an electronic device. The user interface includes an element referred to as a “launch wave”, which can be activated at substantially any time, even if the user is engaged with an activity, without requiring the user to first return to a home screen. In various embodiments, the user can activate the launch wave by performing a gesture, or by pressing a physical button, or by tapping at a particular location on a touchscreen, or by activating a keyboard command. In one embodiment, activation of the launch wave and selection of an item from the launch wave can be performed in one continuous operation on a touch-sensitive screen, so as to improve the expediency and convenience of launching applications and other items.
US08373669B2
In an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein an apparatus comprising a touch screen display, a sensing mechanism operable to sense an object in proximity of the touch screen display, and control logic coupled to the sensing mechanism and the touch screen display. The control logic is operable to calculate an anticipated touch point for the object on the touch screen. The control logic is responsive to calculating the anticipated touch point to increase a size of a portion of the touch screen display around the anticipated touch point.
US08373666B2
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal using a proximity sensor and a control method thereof. According to the control method of a mobile terminal, a moving image screen in which a moving image is played is displayed on a touch screen and the play speed of the moving image is controlled based on a proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor. Further, when a touch signal is input through the touch screen, a moving image screen is captured and a capture image is created. According to the present invention, various screen controls can be performed using the proximity sensor.
US08373661B2
An input apparatus including an optical mouse module and a mouse pad module is provided. The optical mouse module includes a light source and an optical sensor. The light source is adapted to emit a light beam. The optical sensor has a sensible distance. The mouse pad module is disposed on the optical mouse module. The mouse pad module includes a sliding sheet elastically coupled to the optical mouse module. The sliding sheet is adapted to move in a three-dimensional space. The optical sensor and the sliding sheet are arranged in an arrangement direction. An operation method of the input apparatus is also provided.
US08373656B2
A finger pointing apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect the finger pointing apparatus includes at least one pressure sensor fixed on a hand for triggering a corresponding electromagnetic wave transmitter to transmit electromagnetic wave when pressure is produced by a finger contacting an external object. In another aspect, the finger pointing apparatus includes at least one electromagnetic wave transmitter connected with a corresponding pressure sensor and fixed on the hand for transmitting electromagnetic wave to all electromagnetic wave receivers when pressure is detected by the pressure sensor. In one aspect, the finger pointing apparatus includes at least two electromagnetic wave receivers arranged at fixed positions with respect to each other for receiving electromagnetic wave from the at least one electromagnetic wave transmitter and transmitting received electromagnetic wave to a microprocessor. In another aspect, the finger pointing apparatus includes a microprocessor for receiving electromagnetic wave from the electromagnetic wave receivers, calculating coordinate values of a position pressed by the finger from electromagnetic wave from different electromagnetic wave receivers and outputting the coordinate values.
US08373655B2
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing a user interface (UI) having a selector controllable by a physical input device. The response of the selector is adaptively adjusted to facilitate executing desired operations within the UI. A response factor defines how far the selector moves for a given movement of the physical input device. The response factor is increased so the selector can be moved a large distance, but is dynamically decreased to provide fine-tuned control of the selector for selecting densely grouped screen elements. Screen elements can be endowed with gravity, making them easy to select, or with anti-gravity, making them more difficult to select. The disclosure methods also provide tactile feedback such as vibration or braking of the physical input device to assist a user in executing desired operations.
US08373654B2
An image based motion gesture recognition method and system thereof are disclosed. In embodiment, a hand posture detection is performed according to the received image frames, to obtain a first hand posture. It is then determined whether the first hand posture matches a predefined starting posture or not. If the first hand posture matches said predefined starting posture, movement tracking is performed according to hand locations on image frames, to obtain a motion gesture. During said movement tracking, the hand posture detection is performed according to said image frames to obtain a second hand posture, and it is determined whether the second hand posture matches a predefined ending posture. If the second hand posture matches the predefined ending posture, the movement tracking is stopped. Therefore, reduce complexity motion gesture recognition can be reduced and the reliability in interaction can be improved.
US08373652B2
An image display apparatus comprises a reference image display unit, a setting unit, an image generating unit and a tomographic image display unit. The reference image display unit displays a reference image on a display unit. The setting unit sets a display range of tomographic images in a first direction and either of a number of the tomographic images in the first direction to be displayed or a thickness of the tomographic images in the first direction, to image data corresponding to a plurality of slices. The image generating unit generates either of the tomographic images having the set thickness in the first direction or the set number of the tomographic images in the first direction using image data corresponding to a plurality of slices in the display range. The tomographic image display unit displays the generated tomographic images.
US08373646B2
In a backlight device and a driving method thereof, a voltage controller controls a voltage level of a first input voltage in response to a dimming signal to output a second input voltage. A pulse generator receives the second input voltage from the voltage controller and generates a pulse signal having a duty ratio corresponding to the dimming signal and a high voltage level corresponding to the second input voltage. An inverter generates a lamp driving signal based on the pulse signal. At least one lamp included in the backlight device is turned on or turned off in response to a lamp driving signal to adjust luminance of the backlight device.
US08373638B2
A display apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus includes: a plurality of scan signal lines and a plurality of data signal lines that cross each other; a plurality of pixels formed at each crossing of the scan signal lines and the data signal lines, wherein each of the pixels includes sub-pixels that display red color, green color, blue color and white color in response to a scan signal from the scan signal lines and a data signal from the data signal lines, wherein the sub-pixels are arranged in a 2×2 matrix; a scan signal driving circuit including a plurality of stages that supplies the scan signal to the scan signal lines; and a data signal driving circuit that supplies the data signal to the data signal lines, wherein the scan signal driving circuit, the pixels, the scan signal lines and the data signal lines are formed on a same substrate.
US08373637B2
An exemplary shift register includes plural shift register units (S1˜Sn). All the shift register units receive either a first clock signal or a second clock signal, and the shift register units output a plurality of shift register signals in sequence. An output of a previous shift register unit is an input of the next adjacent shift register unit.
US08373631B2
There are provided a driving circuit of a semiconductor display device which can obtain an excellent picture without picture blur (display unevenness) and with high fineness/high resolution, and the semiconductor display device. A buffer circuit used in the driving circuit of the semiconductor display device is constituted by a plurality of TFTs each having a small channel width, and a plurality of such buffer circuits are connected in parallel with each other.
US08373628B2
An active matrix display device has an array of display pixels, each pixel comprising a current-driven light emitting display element (2), a drive transistor (22) for driving a current through the display element and pixel circuitry including an optical feedback element (38) for controlling the drive transistor to drive a substantially constant current through the display element for a duration which depends on the desired display pixel output level and an optical feedback signal of the optical feedback element. An output configuration is applied to the display which includes values for the pixel power supply voltages, the field period and an allowed range of pixel drive levels. The output configuration is varied in response to ageing of the display element. In this device, an output configuration is varied as the device ages, so that the optical feedback system can continue to provide compensation for differential ageing of the display elements for a longer period of use of the display.
US08373624B2
An organic light emitting display device is disclosed, which including an active matrix substrate with an array of active elements disposed in an active region and a control circuit disposed in a peripheral region. A color filter substrate is oppositely disposed to the active matrix substrate, including color filter elements with different colors enclosed by a black matrix layer in a region corresponding to the active region and an extension of the black matrix layer in a region corresponding to the peripheral region. An array of OLED pixel is interposed between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate on the active region. Each of the OLED pixels includes an anode, an organic electroluminescent layer, and a cathode. A first conductive component electrically connects the control circuit and the extension of the black matrix layer. A second conductive component electrically connects the black matrix layer and the cathode.
US08373623B2
A PDP sustain driver circuit including at least one high voltage gate driver IC (HVIC) having a logic functional block. The PDP sustain driver circuit includes a signal buffer for receiving two input signals and providing the two signals to the logic functional block; and at least four switches including a charging switch, a discharging switch, a sustain switch and a grounding recovery switch, the HVIC providing a unique control signal from the logic functional block to the four switches to control said four switches.
US08373619B2
An image processing system, which corrects an aberration generated in an optical system by executing coordinate conversion of pixels of an image, has a table which holds correspondence between the positions of pixels before and after the coordinate conversion, acquires coordinates after conversion corresponding to the coordinates of representative points to be converted from the table, and calculates coordinates after conversion of a pixel between the acquired representative points by an interpolation calculation using a Lagrange interpolation formula.
US08373618B2
The invention relates to an augmented-reality system having a mobile apparatus for the context-dependent insertion of assembly instructions. The context-dependent insertion of assembly instructions with process-optimized allocation of the necessary work steps provides situation-related support by for work sequences.
US08373611B2
A probe and an antenna, more particularly, a probe and antenna using a waveguide, which reduces the multiple reflection of electromagnetic waves. The probe includes: and the antenna each include a waveguide and a resonance unit is entirely or partially disposed in the inside of the waveguide, and comprising the resonance unit including a conductor.
US08373608B2
A method of verifying programmable antenna configurations is disclosed. The method comprises selecting a desired antenna configuration from a plurality of antenna configuration patterns, with the selected antenna configuration forming at least one reconfigurable antenna from reconfigurable antenna array elements. The method validates the formation of the selected antenna configuration to determine antenna performance of the at least one reconfigurable antenna.
US08373604B2
A multiband mobile communication device has a ground plane and an antenna. The antenna is disposed on a dielectric substrate. The antenna includes a monopole, a shorted radiating portion, a first radiating branch, and a second radiating branch. The monopole includes a feeding end, and the feeding end is the feeding point of the antenna. The shorted radiating portion has a shorting end electrically connected to the ground plane, and its other end is left open. The shorted radiating portion is extended along the monopole and has a coupling gap to the monopole. The first radiating branch has an end electrically connected to the shorted radiating portion, and its other end is left open. The first radiating branch is extended toward the shorting end of the shorted radiating portion and located on the opposite side of the monopole. The second radiating branch has an end electrically connected to the shorted radiating portion, and its other end is left open. The second radiating branch is extended along the first radiating branch, with the first radiating branch located between the second radiating branch and the shorted radiating portion.
US08373592B2
A method of determining an initial position in executing a positioning calculation based on satellite signals from positioning satellites, includes: (a) executing position converging calculation based on the satellite signals using each of a plurality of first candidate positions as a provisional initial position; (b) selecting at least one second candidate position from the first candidate positions based on a calculation result of the position converging calculation; and (c) selecting the initial position from one of the second candidate positions using the satellite signals.
US08373586B2
Configurable analog input circuits are provided. An analog input circuit may include a plurality of configurable input channels, at least one analog-to-digital converter, and at least one processor. Each input channel may include a plurality of switches utilized to select a type of input signal received via the input channel and a set of input terminals selectively utilized to correspond with the selected type of input signal. The at least one analog-to-digital converter may be configured to convert, for each of the plurality of input channels, the selected type of input signal into a digital output. The at least one processor may be configured to control operation of the plurality of switches associated with each of the plurality of configurable input channels.
US08373582B2
A mobile communications device comprising a location sensing system, producing a location output; a memory, storing a set of locations and associated events; a telecommunications device, communicating event and location information between a remote system and said memory; and a processor, processing said location output in conjunction with said stored locations and associated events in said memory, to determine a priority thereof.
US08373572B2
A battery alarm for use with a battery assembly is provided, the battery alarm including a first activation component, a signaling component, and an output component. The first activation component is configured to activate the alarm upon disengagement of the battery assembly from a battery-operated device and is further configured to deactivate the alarm upon engagement of the battery pack with the battery-operated device. The signaling component is coupled to the first activation component and is configured to transmit a signal when the alarm is activated. The output component is adapted to receive the signal from the signaling component and is configured to produce a visual, audible, and/or tactile output upon receipt of the signal from the signaling component.
US08373558B2
Devices and methods for generating an alert for a vending machine are disclosed. A method of generating an alert includes monitoring a bus for at least one communication from the vending machine controller via the bus. The bus is then monitored for a response to the communication from a peripheral device to the vending machine controller via the bus. The response from the peripheral device is then processed. An alert is then generated based on the processed response. A peripheral device for generating the alert includes a bus interface configured to receive data from the bus and to transmit data onto the bus, and a processing unit coupled to the bus interface, the processing unit configured to process data received from the at least one other peripheral device and generate an alert based on the processed data.
US08373548B2
A highly portable, vertically-standing RFID tag reader, referred to as a “bollard,” is presented. The bollard includes a vertical element supporting an internal RFID tuner component above the surface on which the bollard rests. Additionally, each bollard includes a base element that provides vertical stability to the vertical element and a plurality of internal components. The internal components include the following: a power system, a processor, a tuner component, and a wireless interface. The power system provides power to the powered components of the bollard. The processor directs and/or executes the functions of the bollard with regard to an event in which the bollard is configured to participate. The tuner component is configured to read RFID tags that come within RFID communication range of the bollard. The wireless interface component is configured to provide wireless communications between the bollard and an operator console.
US08373542B2
This is an all-in-one radio frequency identification system for goods inventory and sale management, comprising at least one tag, an antenna unit and a multi-port reader comprising a micro control unit, a reader and a multiplexer. The tag is attached on each article. The antenna unit is RF coupled to the tag. The multiplexer built-in the multi-port reader is electrically coupled to the antenna unit. The reader built-in the multi-port reader is capable of transmitting RF signals, accessing commands and receiving tag signals from the multiplexer. The micro control unit is electrically coupled to the multiplexer and the reader to receive and process the reading signal and provide inventory and sale management functions and applications. Therefore, the all-in-one radio frequency identification system provides not only inventory and anti-theft functions but also information for consumer behavior research, and capable of doing stand alone operations.
US08373540B2
The anti-identity theft and information security system process includes storing secure information in association with an electronic device having a communication circuit for sending and receiving data. Biometric information is read with a scanner so that the identity of a user can be authenticating in connection with the supplied biometric information. Once approved, a data communication line is established with a remote device and access to the secure information is unlocked. Thereafter, the secure information may be transmitted between the electronic device and the remote device.
US08373539B2
It is an objective to appropriately assure a function of limiting use of appliances that cause changes in quantities of gas used. There are provided a flow detection unit 10; a flow computing unit 11; an average flow computing unit 12; a flow storage unit 13 that records an average flow quantity value; a flow change determination unit 14 that determines whether there is a flow change; a flow registration unit 15 that registers a flow quantity corresponding to a flow change or deletes a registered flow quantity close to the flow change when the flow change determination unit 14 has determined an incremental or decremental change; a flow memory unit 16; a flow change correction memory unit 17 that, when the flow change determination unit has determined presence of a change and when only the maximum flow quantity is registered, determines whether or not a sum of registered flow quantities deleted in the past and an average flow fall within a predetermined range; a determination period unit 18 that, when no flow change is determined to have been for a predetermined time period, deletes flow quantities in the flow memory unit and the registered flow quantity, thereby performing re-registration; a monitoring value memory unit 19; an abnormality determination unit 20 that compares the flow quantity value in the flow registration unit with a determination value of the monitoring value memory unit, thereby determining presence or absence of an abnormality; and an operating time correction unit 22 that outputs a re-registration correction signal through use of a determination period unit.
US08373534B2
The present invention is to provide a coil having flexibility even if it includes a core body. A flexible coil 10 comprises a plurality of sheet-like coils laminated together in a region sharing a magnetic flux, wherein each sheet-like coil has a coil section formed along a surface of an insulating sheet having flexibility; and magnetic bodies 80 and 81 that have flexibility and sandwich the plurality of the laminated sheet-like coils.
US08373531B2
A system, whereby drive units on a movable part, e.g., a turntable or linear drive, are powered in a contactless manner via, in each instance, an inductive coupling to one or more primary conductors.
US08373530B2
The invention comprises a power converter method and apparatus, which is optionally part of a filtering method and apparatus. A corona potential is the potential for long term breakdown of winding wire insulation due to the high electric potentials between winding turns winding a mid-level power inductor in a converter system. The high electric potential creates ozone, which breaks down insulation coating the winding wire and results in degraded performance or failure of the inductor. In one embodiment, the inductor is configured with inductor winding spacers, such as a main inductor spacer and/or inductor segmenting winding spacers. The spacers are used to space winding turns of a winding coil about an inductor. The insulation of the inductor spacer minimizes energy transfer between windings and thus minimizes corona potential, formation of corrosive ozone through ionization of oxygen, correlated breakdown of insulation on the winding wire, and electrical shorts in the inductor.
US08373529B2
In a three phase transformer core, amorphous metal strips are wound into rings that are combined into frames and assembled to define cores with leg cross sections that have more than 4 sides to facilitate winding transformer windings onto the legs using winding tubes. The amorphous metal layers are secured relative to one another and the core made more rigid using resin, silicon steel layers included in the amorphous metal core, or by using strapping or tying devices.
US08373523B2
An electromagnetic trip device for a circuit breaker is provided. The electromagnetic trip device includes a current path having a conductor guiding an electric current through at least one contact point formed between a fixed and at least one movable contact piece. A contact lever carries the at least one movable contact piece. The contact lever is mounted to be movable between a closed contact position and an open contact position. The electromagnetic trip device also includes a magnetic circuit with an air-gap. The movable contact lever is at least partially located in the air-gap. The electric current flows through the contact lever in a direction substantially perpendicular to the orientation of magnetic flux in the air-gap.
US08373522B2
Systems including varactor devices are provided. A varactor device (400) includes a gap closing actuator (GCA) varactor (200), includes a drive comb structure (201), an output varactor structure (514) defining an output capacitance, a reference varactor structure (214) defining a reference capacitance, and a movable truss comb structure (204) interdigitating the drive comb, the output varactor, and the reference varactor structures. The truss comb structure moves along a motion axis (205) between interdigitating positions based on a bias voltage. The device also includes a feedback circuit (404) configured for modifying an input bias voltage based on the reference capacitance to produce the output bias voltage that provides a target capacitance associated with the input bias voltage at the output varactor structure.
US08373517B2
A connector including a magnetic core and a cable. The cable includes a first conductor and a second conductor. The first conductor and the second conductor are wound around each other. The cable is wound a plurality of times through a center of and around the magnetic core. A first end of the first conductor and a first end of the second conductor are configured to connect to power line communication equipment. A second end of the first conductor and a second end of the second conductor are configured to connect to a power line.
US08373505B2
An apparatus comprises an amplifier circuit and a detection circuit. The amplifier circuit includes a high voltage supply rail, a low voltage supply rail, and an output stage. The detection circuit is electrically coupled to the amplifier output stage and generates an indication when the output voltage at the output stage exceeds a specified output voltage threshold value. The amplifier circuit further includes a bias circuit configured to bias the amplifier circuit with a first bias current value when the output voltage is less than the specified output voltage threshold value, and bias the amplifier circuit with a second bias current value when the output voltage exceeds the specified output voltage threshold value.
US08373504B2
A class D power amplifier (PA) is provided. The PA generally comprises a driver, output capacitor, a matching network, and a cancellation circuit. The driver has an input, an output, and a parasitic capacitance, and the input of the driver is configured to receive complementary first and second radio frequency (RF) signals, where there is a free-fly interval between consecutive pulses from the first and second RF signals. The output capacitor and cancellation circuit are each coupled to the output of the driver such that the cancellation circuit provides harmonic restoration at least during the free-fly interval, and the matching network is coupled to the output capacitor.
US08373503B1
A mixer in an RF demodulator includes a transconductance amplifier that converts an RF input voltage (Vin), applied to the base of a first bipolar transistor, to a first output current. The first output current contains third order intermodulation (IM3) products. An IM3 canceller is connected in parallel with the transconductance amplifier. The base of a second bipolar transistor in the IM3 canceller is coupled to the DC component of Vin, and the AC component of Vin is coupled to the emitter of the second bipolar transistor, such that the currents though the first bipolar transistor and the currents through the second bipolar transistor change oppositely. The collectors of the transistors are coupled together. The values of components in the IM3 canceller are set so that the current generated by the IM3 canceller substantially cancels IM3 distortion in the first current or other current generated in a demodulator of Vin.
US08373500B2
A voltage biasing circuit includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor, a voltage control circuit controlling a voltage between a gate and a source of the MOS transistor to operate the MOS transistor in a sub-threshold range, and a capacitor connected to the MOS transistor. The voltage biasing circuit may further include a voltage buffer connected between the voltage control circuit and the MOS transistor.
US08373498B2
A boosting circuit of charge pump type includes: charging portion for applying an input voltage to a first capacitor; double boosting portion for applying the input voltage to a second capacitor and applying a sum of the input voltage and a voltage across the first capacitor to an output capacitor in a first predetermined period after start of a boosting operation; and triple boosting portion for repeating in order, after end of the first predetermined period, a step of applying the sum of the input voltage and the voltage across the first capacitor to the second capacitor and a step of applying a sum of the voltage across the first capacitor and a voltage across the second capacitor to the output capacitor.
US08373495B2
Conventional current sharing circuits, which can be used in drivers for liquid crystal displays (LCDs), for example, often use bipolar transistors. However, bipolar transistors are not available in many CMOS processes. Thus, a current sharing circuit is provided here that employs CMOS transistors. In particular, the circuit provided here uses a current mirror and pass circuit to assist in providing this current sharing function.
US08373489B2
A comparator based circuit with effective offset cancellation includes first and second amplifiers and an offset capacitor operatively connected to the first and second amplifiers. An offset voltage source generates an offset voltage. A first switch connects the offset voltage source to ground during a first time period. The first amplifier generates an output voltage in response to the first switch connecting the offset voltage source to ground during the first time period. A second switch connects the offset capacitor to ground during a second time period. The first switch disconnects the offset voltage source from ground during a third time period, and the second switch disconnects the offset capacitor from ground during the third time period.
US08373486B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for a frequency adaptive level shifter circuit. The frequency adaptive level shifter circuit includes a first inverter, a second inverter coupled to the output of the first inverter, a capacitor coupled to the output of the second inverter, and a resistor coupled to the output of the capacitor. The frequency adaptive level shifter circuit further includes a transistor coupled to the output of the resistor, wherein the transistor has a gate connected to a reference voltage, a third inverter coupled to the output of the capacitor, and a fourth inverter coupled to the output of the third inverter and the transistor and outputting the signal.
US08373483B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for capturing and holding a level of an input signal using a low-clock-energy latch circuit that is fully static. The clock is only coupled to a first clock-activated pull-up or pull-down transistor and a second clock-activated pull-down or pull-up transistor. The level of the input signal is captured by a storage sub-circuit on one of the rising or the falling clock edge and stored to generate an output signal until the clock transitions. The level of the input signal is propagated to the output signal when the storage sub-circuit is not enabled. The storage sub-circuit is enabled and disabled by the first clock-activated transistor and a propagation sub-circuit is activated and deactivated by the second clock-activated transistor.
US08373482B2
A method of programming a ring oscillator for use as a temperature sensor comprises selecting an initial number of delay elements for use in a ring oscillator. The method further comprise starting a system clock counter and counting pulses of the ring oscillator until the system clock counter reaches a programmed value. The method also comprises determining whether a number of counted ring oscillator pulses is between lower and upper count thresholds and changing the number of delay elements for the ring oscillator as a result of the number of counted ring oscillator pulses being less than the lower count threshold or greater than the upper count threshold.
US08373479B1
A delay locked loop (DLL) circuit for improving jitters includes a detecting unit, a master controller, a slave controller, first and second variable delay lines, first and second dummy loads, and a processor. The master controller generates a first control signal in response to a detecting signal. The slave controller generates a second control signal in response to the detecting signal. The first variable delay line delays a reference clock in response to the first control signal so as to generate a delay clock. The processor is configured to selectively generate a slave input signal, wherein if the processor does not generate the slave input signal, the processor makes the second dummy load draw a load current from the slave controller.
US08373477B2
A timing adjustment circuit includes at least one data line; a phase synchronization circuit that includes a plurality of oscillation delay elements which oscillate an oscillation signal, and that is configured to oscillate the oscillation signal by synchronizing a phase of a feedback clock with a phase of a reference clock; at least one delay circuit that includes a delay element which is disposed on the data line and which is equivalent to one of the plurality of oscillation delay elements, and that is configured to delay data which is to be transmitted on the data line; and a delay adjustment unit configured to adjust an amount of delay of the delay element of the delay circuit in accordance with a signal associated with oscillation of the phase synchronization circuit.
US08373470B2
Modular delay line blocks include a plurality of delay elements, each including a delay unit, an input, an output, a next element output, and an element return path. The delay elements are coupled together in a chain between a block input and a block output. The block input is coupled to the input of a first element in the chain and the block output is coupled to the output of the first element. In addition, the next element output of the first element is coupled to the element input of a next element in the chain, and the element output of the next delay element is coupled to the element return path of a previous element in the chain. In response to a selection control signal, each element may selectively route a signal from the element input to one of the next element output or to the element output.
US08373457B2
A power-up signal generation circuit includes a main driving unit configured to drive a power-up detection node according to power supply voltage level information; an auxiliary driving unit configured to additionally drive the power-up detection node according to temperature information; and an output unit configured to output a power-up signal in response to a voltage change of the power-up detection node in accordance with the operations of the main driving unit and the auxiliary driving unit.
US08373430B1
A low inductance contact probe comprises conductively coupled plungers. The plungers have coupling means which enable them to be slidably and non-rotatably engaged. A coil spring is attached to the plungers in a manner that prevents rotation of the spring's ends. The spring provides an axial plunger bias, and a torsional bias for conductive coupling between the plungers. The torsional bias is generated by an axial displacement of the spring and by twisting the spring a predetermined angle prior to attachment to the plungers. Torsion-induced contact forces between the plungers assure a direct conductive path through the plungers. The torsional bias further enables a positive attachment of the spring to the plungers. Plungers with hermaphroditic coupling means can be fabricated from a drawn profiled stock by stamping or machining. Essential plunger coupling features can be prefabricated in a drawn profiled stock with a high degree of dimensional accuracy and reproducibility.
US08373424B2
An apparatus for detecting a fault of a flying capacitor of an insulated condition detecting unit measures (step S1), at the start of discharge of the flying capacitor, a discharge voltage of the flying capacitor according to a charge voltage of a read capacitor. After a period from the start of discharge, the apparatus measures (step S3) a discharge voltage of the flying capacitor according to a charge voltage of the read capacitor. According to a difference between the measured discharge voltages, the apparatus obtains (step S5) a discharge amount of the flying capacitor, compares the discharge amount with a reference threshold, and diagnoses (step S7) an open fault of four capacitors that constitute the flying capacitor.
US08373405B2
A power supply voltage detection circuit of the present invention includes a reference signal generation circuit that generates a reference signal according to a power supply voltage, a first transistor having a current flowing between a first terminal and a second terminal, where the current is controlled according to the reference signal, a voltage generation circuit that generates a control voltage according to a potential difference between the power supply voltage and the first terminal of the first transistor, and a second transistor that controls whether or not to output the power supply voltage according to the control voltage. Such circuit configuration enables to accurately detect a low voltage state of the power supply voltage.
US08373400B2
A system, voltage supply circuit, control unit for a voltage supply circuit, and method of controlling a voltage supply circuit are disclosed. For example, a system is disclosed that comprises at least one electronic circuit and a voltage supply unit coupled to an input of the at least one electronic circuit. The voltage supply unit includes a power unit to supply a voltage to the at least one electronic circuit and a control unit to control an operating mode of the power unit, an output of the control unit coupled to an input of the power unit. The control unit includes a mode selector to select the operating mode of the power unit, coupled to at least a first output of the power unit, an amplifier coupled to the at least a first output of the power unit, a compensation circuit, and a first switching unit coupled to the mode selector and the compensation circuit, to couple the compensation circuit to the amplifier if a selected operating mode of the power unit is a first mode.
US08373397B2
A DC-DC converter according to the present invention includes a monitoring circuit which monitors an output signal of a mode comparator and which outputs a mode change detection signal when the output of the mode comparator has output a light load mode signal, and a clamp circuit which is connected between power supply and ground and which changes a voltage at a first end of a filter circuit toward a preset prescribed voltage according to the mode change detection signal.
US08373395B2
A power source apparatus includes: a switch circuit to receive an input voltage; a control circuit to switch the switch circuit from a second state to a first state at a timing corresponding to a comparison result between a feedback voltage generated based on a first voltage corresponding to an output voltage and a reference voltage generated based on a standard voltage set in accordance with the output voltage; and a voltage generation circuit to add a compensation voltage generated by voltage-converting a time period in which the switch circuit switches from the second state to the first state to one of the first voltage and the standard voltage, to generate the feedback voltage, to add a slope voltage which changes at a slope to one of the first voltage and the standard voltage, and to generate the reference voltage.
US08373391B1
Systems devices and methods for flash charging a portable device with a charging device. The portable device may be a ruggedized hand-held controller. In some examples, the portable device includes a capacitive power supply which comprises one or more capacitors, e.g. supercapacitors. In use, the capacitive power supply may receive charge, store the charge, and provide power to power-using components of the portable device, when needed. In some examples, the system includes a charging device, such as a docking station. The charging device may couple to the portable device to charge the portable device. The charging device may include a capacitive power supply, which may comprise one or more capacitors, such as supercapacitors. In some cases, the system flash charges the capacitive power supply within the portable device, via the capacitive power supply of the charging device.
US08373378B2
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a speed control system for a motor that includes a fixed speed control portion and a variable speed control portion. The fixed speed control portion is operable to control a speed of a motor in a fixed speed mode wherein the motor is operated at a preselected fixed speed below a predetermined fixed speed mode threshold speed. The variable speed control portion is operable to control the motor in a variable speed mode wherein the motor is operated such that a speed of the motor can be selectively varied within a range between the fixed speed mode threshold speed and a maximum motor speed. The system additionally includes a switching device structured and operable to selectively switch the speed control system between the fixed speed mode and the variable speed mode.
US08373370B2
The present invention provides a position sensorless control method of a high performance permanent magnet synchronous motor during emergency operation, which can accurately detect a magnetic pole position of the synchronous motor based on a position sensorless vector control using an adaptive observer configured based on a permanent magnet synchronous motor model.
US08373366B2
A user interface (240) includes buttons (410) associated with lighting scenes stored in a memory (230). Selection of one of the buttons (410) selects an associated lighting scene as a focus group including focus light sources, where the remaining light sources are included in a surrounding group. A contrast switch (430, 435) of the user interface (240) may be configured to change a ratio of the focus group to the surrounding group, and a brightness switch (440, 445) may be configured to change the intensity by multiplying by a factor focus intensity levels of the focus light sources and/or surrounding intensity levels of the remaining light sources.
US08373365B2
A power supply with dimming control for a high-power DC LED lamp is provided. Particularly, a variable resistor is provided to a circuit of the high-power DC LED lamp for changing a current supplied to a light-emitting unit of the high-power DC LED lamp, thereby adjusting luminance (brightness) and power consumption (consumed watts) of the high-power DC LED unit of the high-power DC LED lamp. The variable resistor is provided to a driver, transformer, adaptor or power supply of the high-power DC LED lamp in a built-in manner or a remotely connected manner.
US08373360B2
A lighting control system and an LED lamp for use with the lighting control system are provided. In one embodiment, the LED lamp includes a color LED including a red LED, a green LED, and a blue LED, and a lamp contact having a first contact section, a second contact section, and a third contact section, each of the first contact section, the second contact section, and the third contact section including a positive contact and a negative contact, wherein the first contact section is electrically connected to the red LED, the second contact section is electrically connected to the green LED, and the third contact section is electrically connected to the blue LED. The lighting control system may include an LED driver unit configured to provide independent electrical connection with each of the contact sections of the LED lamp.
US08373354B2
There is provided a backlight unit driver capable of driving multi-channel lamps of a backlight unit, especially LED lamps, by supplying a driving power to the lamps using a single transformer and maintaining the current balance of the driving power supplied to each of the lamps.
US08373342B2
A light-emitting apparatus includes: light-emitting devices emitting light of different single colors in a visible wavelength region, wherein each of the light-emitting devices includes an organic layer which is interposed between first and second electrodes and in which a first or second light-emitting layer emitting light of different single colors is included at a first or second position separated from each other in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode; a first reflective interface which is provided on the side of the first electrode so as to reflect light emitted from the first or second light-emitting layer to be emitted from the side of the second electrode; and a second reflective interface and a third reflective interface which are provided on the side of the second electrode at mutually separated positions in that order in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode.
US08373340B2
An embodiment of this document provides an organic electroluminescent display device, comprising a panel, a polarization plate disposed over the panel, a cover window disposed on the polarization plate, and a support member configured to form an air layer between the panel and the polarization plate.
US08373327B2
In attachment structure for motor assembly, accommodating portion with a bottom is formed in housing such that the motor assembly including commutator motor and brush holder unit is accommodated therein with the brush holder unit facing downward. Receiving portion for positioning the brush holder unit is formed in the accommodating portion. Abutment portion is formed on the brush holder unit for positioning between stator and the brush holder unit. The motor assembly is positioned within the accommodating portion such that the brush holder unit is in contact with the receiving portion and that the stator and the brush holder unit are brought into contact with each other through the abutment portion. Fixing member is inserted from an open side of the housing, brought into contact with the stator, and fixed to the housing, so that the motor assembly is interposed between the fixing member and the receiving portion.
US08373316B2
A coolant flow enhancing device is provided to increase electric machine coil cooling at coil end turn locations. Such a device is incorporated into an overall fluid cooled electric machine that has phase separators extending through slots between stator teeth. The device includes flow deflectors located at ends of the phase separators. Each of the flow deflectors is designed so that a contour of its interior surface follows an outer contour of a corresponding one of the end turns to both maximize a cooling fluid flow rate past the one of the end turns and minimize separation of the fluid from the one of the end turns.
US08373309B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for converting data samples representing alternating electric currents. The data samples may be obtained by sampling a first alternating electric current having a first frequency at a sampling frequency, sampling a second alternating electric current having a second frequency at the sampling frequency, and converting the data samples using a conversion algorithm to compensate for any discrepancy caused by the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency. The corrected data samples may be utilized to determine various characteristics of the alternating electric current, such as voltage magnitude, voltage phase angle, current magnitude, current phase angle, and other related attributes. In one application, the systems and methods disclosed herein may be utilized in connection with an intelligent electronic device used to couple a first electrical system, such as a power generator, to a second electrical system, such as a utility intertie.
US08373307B2
A direct current (DC) power transmission system is described. The DC power transmission system includes a first plurality of series connected power collection systems and at least one superconducting DC conductor coupled to the plurality of series connected power collection systems and configured to transmit power generated by the plurality of power collection systems to a remote load.
US08373305B2
A hybrid installation for providing electric energy from regenerative energy sources, comprising a biogas installation that provides electric energy, and at least one additional energy converter, which provides electric energy and whose releasable power is depending of external influence factors, of the wind supply and/or the sun irradiation in particular, wherein the electric energy of the biogas installation and the electric energy of the at least one additional energy converter are fed into a common mains grid, characterized in that the biogas installation features a gas turbine with an electric generator which is operated by the biogas produced in the biogas installation, and whose waste heat can be supplied to the biogas installation via a heat exchanger.
US08373302B1
A renewable power transmission overlay for generating electrical power of regional extent includes three types of generators for generating electrical power from wind, solar radiation and biomass, along with a plurality of region-wide transmission facilities with each region-wide transmission facility having at least one collection facility for collecting electric power from at least one of the generators for generating electrical power. Inter-regional transmission facilities are included which selectively couple the electric power generated by at least two of the types of electrical generators and at least one substation electrical facility is coupled to each of the collection facilities of the region-wide transmission facilities for downloading the electrical power generated to a local electrical transmission grid which, preferably, firms the electric power that is generated, transmitted and downloaded to the local electrical transmission grid.
US08373301B2
A method for providing electrical power to two loads on a powered system/unit, the method including supplying electrical power from a first phase and a second phase of a three-phase inverter to a first load, supplying electrical power from the second phase and a third phase of a three-phase inverter to a second load, and independently controlling the first phase and the third phase of the electrical power to comply with an electrical requirement of the first load and/or the second load. The two loads may be DC loads that require DC power for operation, or the loads may be AC loads that require two-phase power for operation. A system for providing electrical power to two loads on a powered unit is also disclosed.
US08373300B2
A power conversion apparatus capable of improving the impedance characteristics between each of two power modules and each of a plurality of capacitor cells, the power conversion apparatus including: plural capacitor cells connected in parallel between a three-layer laminated wiring board consisting of a positive polarity conductor board and a negative polarity conductor board formed widely in the direction of the parallel disposition of the power modules and laminated with an insulation sheet therebetween; a three-layer laminated conductor board consisting of a positive polarity conductor board and a negative polarity conductor board formed widely in the direction of the parallel direction of the power modules and laminated with an insulation sheet therebetween and used to connect the positive and negative polarity sides of each of the two power modules to the laminated wiring board respectively.
US08373299B2
Direct drive rotating electrical machines with axial air gaps are disclosed. In these machines, a rotor ring and stator ring define an axial air gap between them. Sets of gap-maintaining rolling supports bear between the rotor ring and the stator ring at their peripheries to maintain the axial air gap. Also disclosed are wind turbines using these generators, and structures and methods for mounting direct drive rotating electrical generators to the hubs of wind turbines. In particular, the rotor ring of the generator may be carried directly by the hub of a wind turbine to rotate relative to a shaft without being mounted directly to the shaft.
US08373292B2
The present invention refers to an arrangement (“A”) related to a body of water for creating conditions for generating electric power from a prevailing force of wind (“W”).Utilized pontoon units are made up of and associated with at least two vertical, or at least essentially vertical, posts, which may float, for forming a frame portion and at least one upright stabilizing the position of the frame portion in the body of water.More particularly, the invention indicates that between an upright and each one of the two posts, a first post and a second post, there extends a bar-shaped means dimensioned for taking up a compressive force, and that between said upright and each one of the first and second posts there extends at least one first means dimensioned for taking up a tractive force and at least one second means dimensioned for taking up a tractive force.
US08373290B2
A system for generation of power using an apparatus in deep water is disclosed. The system includes a ballast buoy configured to achieve a desired depth in the deep water, a substantially vertical hollow tube attached to the ballast buoy that is submerged under water when the ballast buoy achieves the desired depth in the deep water, and a converter for converting the physical environment created in the substantially vertical hollow tube by placement of the ballast buoy at the desired depth in the deep water.
US08373289B2
A fuel module comprises an enclosure and a fuel chamber. In one exemplary embodiment, the fuel chamber comprises a primary containment tank contained within a secondary containment tank. The enclosure comprises a plurality of exterior enclosure walls and a plurality of interior enclosure walls that cooperate to form the secondary containment tank such that the primary containment tank is disposed between the exterior enclosure walls and the interior enclosure walls. In another exemplary embodiment, the exterior enclosure walls and the interior enclosure walls cooperate to form a single-walled fuel chamber disposed between the exterior and interior enclosure walls of the fuel module. Additional exemplary embodiments include fuel chambers configured as any multiple-wall structures, whether double-wall, triple-wall, or other, that comprise a plurality of containment tanks.
US08373288B2
An alignment mark formed by using a first mask used in forming a same memory cell pattern on a substrate and formed together with the memory cell pattern includes: a first pattern for position detection used for alignment in forming a first wiring pattern; and a first irregular reflection prevention mark that suppresses, when a position detection signal is irradiated as alignment in forming a second wiring pattern further on an upper layer side than the first wiring pattern, irregular reflection of a position detection signal from a second pattern for position detection formed further in a lower layer than the first pattern for position detection.
US08373285B2
A chip module and a fabricating method thereof are provided. Firstly, a substrate is provided. Next, a chip is assembled on the substrate and electrically connected with the substrate. Afterward, a plurality of passive units is assembled on the substrate in the style of encircling the chip. Then, a first glue structure is filled between the passive units so that an encircled area is defined by the first glue structure and the passive units. Then, a second glue structure is filled in the encircled area so that the chip is covered by the second glue structure.
US08373284B2
A semiconductor device carries a semiconductor component on a substrate and having an underfill resin applied in a gap between the substrate and the semiconductor component. The semiconductor device comprises: a lyophilic area in a portion of a region of one or both of the substrate and the semiconductor component which is in contact with the underfill resin. The lyophilic area is processed to exhibit lyophilicity with respect at least to the liquid underfill resin in comparison with an ambient region of the lyophilic area.
US08373278B2
Semiconductor dice judged as good dice are stacked on a base substrate in which through holes and through hole electrodes are formed. Next, a protection layer to cover the semiconductor dice is formed. It is preferable that the protection layer is composed of a plurality of resin layers (a first resin layer and a second resin layer) that are different, in hardness from each other. Then, a conductive terminal that is connected with the through hole electrode is formed on a back surface of the base substrate. Next, the second resin layer and the base substrate are cut along predetermined dicing lines and separated into individual semiconductor devices in chip form. A process step of separation into the semiconductor devices is performed while each of the semiconductor dice is mounted on the base substrate in wafer form.
US08373274B2
A micronized wiring structure is obtained by optimizing film forming modes of barrier metal films as being adapted respectively to a via-hole and a wiring groove, wherein sputtering processes are adopted herein, which are specifically the multi-step sputtering process for formation of the barrier metal film over the via-hole, and the one-step, low-power sputtering process for formation of the barrier metal film over the wiring groove, to thereby realize improved electric characteristics such as via-hole resistance and wiring resistance, and improved wiring reliabilities such as Cu filling property and electro-migration resistance.
US08373265B2
A package substrate includes a core board having a through hole; a circuit layer formed on the core board; a metallic ring disposed on the core board surrounding a contour of the through hole, the metallic ring having opening portions positioned opposite to each other, making the metallic ring having a disconnected manner; and an embedded component installed in the through hole. When the embedded component is deviated in the through hole to allow the electrodes to be in contact with the metallic ring, the electrodes are prevented from coming into contact with the same section of the metallic ring to thereby avoid short circuit.
US08373254B2
A crack prevention structure that reduces integrated circuit corner peeling and reduces cracking is disclosed. The crack prevention structure comprises a semiconductor substrate; a first plurality of dielectric layers of a first material disposed over the semiconductor substrate; a second plurality of dielectric layers of a second material different than the first material, disposed on the first plurality of dielectric layers, wherein the first plurality of dielectric layers and the second plurality of dielectric layers meet at an interface; and a plurality of metal structures and a plurality of via structures formed through the interface of the first plurality of dielectric layers and the second plurality of dielectric layers.
US08373252B1
An integrated circuit with capacitor structures includes a substrate and a plurality of vias extending from a front surface to a back surface of the substrate. A plurality of transistors is disposed at the front surface of the substrate and has first and second pluralities of electrodes. A patterned metal layer on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate provides first and second networks. The first network couples the first plurality of electrodes to a first via, and the second network couples the second plurality of electrodes to a second via. A dielectric layer separates first and second patterned metal layers on the back surface of the substrate. The first patterned metal layer includes a first metal plate coupled to the first via, and the second patterned metal layer includes a second metal plate coupled to the second via, forming a capacitor with the dielectric layer.
US08373243B2
A backside illuminated imaging sensor with a seal ring support includes an epitaxial layer having an imaging array formed in a front side of the epitaxial layer. A metal stack is coupled to the front side of the epitaxial layer, wherein the metal stack includes a seal ring formed in an edge region of the imaging sensor. An opening is included that extends from the back side of the epitaxial layer to a metal pad of the seal ring to expose the metal pad. The seal ring support is disposed on the metal pad and within the opening to structurally support the seal ring.
US08373241B2
The invention includes new organic-containing compositions that can function as an antireflective layer for an overcoated photoresist. Compositions of the invention also can serve effectively as a hard mask layer by exhibiting a sufficient plasma etch selectivity from an undercoated layer. Preferred compositions of the invention have a high Si content and comprise a blend of distinct resins.
US08373234B2
A semiconductor device includes a structure in which a difference in height between a cell region and a peripheral region are formed so that a buried gate structure of the cell region is substantially equal in height to the gate of the peripheral region, whereby a bit line and a storage node contact can be more easily formed in the cell region and parasitic capacitance can be decreased. The semiconductor device includes a cell region including a gate buried in a substrate, and a peripheral region adjacent to the cell region, where a step height between a surface of the cell and a surface of the peripheral region is generated.
US08373232B2
A device (10) to detect and measure static electric charge (q) on an object (100) being positioned in a distance (r.) from an input electrode (11) of the device (10) comprises at least one MOS field transistor (20). The input electrode (11) is connected with the gate electrode (21) of the MOS-FET (20) to detect said electrical charge. The MOS-FET (20) can comprise a gate oxide layer underneath the gate (21) and over the source (22) and drain (23) areas having a sufficient thickness to allow the MOS field transistor (20) to withstand several kilovolts (kV) of voltage and to avoid the loss of charges by tunnel effect due to the high potential of the gate electrode during ESD events.
US08373230B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for fabricating a semiconductor device, includes implanting one or more regions on a semiconductor wafer; performing a layer transfer onto a carrier; and transferring from said carrier to a target wafer.
US08373226B2
In Trench-Gate Fin-FET, in order that the advantage which is exerted in Fin-FET can be sufficiently taken even if a transistor becomes finer and, at the same time, decreasing of on-current can be suppressed by saving a sufficiently large contact area in the active region, a fin width 162 of a channel region becomes smaller than a width 161 of an active region.
US08373224B2
A super-junction trench MOSFET with Resurf Stepped Oxide and trenched contacts is disclosed. The inventive structure can apply additional freedom for better optimization and manufacturing capability by tuning thick oxide thickness to minimize influence of charge imbalance, trapped charges, etc. . . . Furthermore, the fabrication method can be implemented more reliably with lower cost.
US08373223B2
The semiconductor device includes a device isolation structure formed in a semiconductor substrate to define an active region, a bridge type channel structure formed in the active region, and a coaxial type gate electrode surrounding the bridge type channel structure of a gate region. The bridge type channel structure is separated from the semiconductor substrate thereunder by a predetermined distance in a vertical direction.
US08373221B2
An integrated circuit and method of forming an integrated circuit having a memory portion minimizes an amount of oxidation of nanocluster storage elements in the memory portion. A first region of the integrated circuit has non-memory devices, each having a control electrode or gate formed of a single conductive layer of material. A second region of the integrated circuit has a plurality of memory cells, each having a control electrode of at least two conductive layers of material that are positioned one overlying another. The at least two conductive layers are at substantially a same electrical potential when operational and form a single gate electrode. In one form each memory cell gate has two polysilicon layers overlying a nanocluster storage layer.
US08373208B2
A lateral super junction JFET is formed from stacked alternating P type and N type semiconductor layers over a P-epi layer supported on an N+ substrate. An N+ drain column extends down through the super junction structure and the P-epi to connect to the N+ substrate to make the device a bottom drain device. N+ source column and P+ gate column extend through the super junction but stop at the P-epi layer. A gate-drain avalanche clamp diode is formed from the bottom the P+ gate column through the P-epi to the N+ drain substrate.
US08373207B2
A semiconductor device includes: a rectifying element; an electrode pad electrically connected to the rectifying element; and a resistance and a depletion transistor arranged between the rectifying element and the electrode pad, and electrically connected to each other. The semiconductor device has a configuration in which the rectifying element, the resistance, the depletion transistor, and the electrode pad are serially connected. The semiconductor device is configured to generate a gate potential of the depletion transistor based on a difference in potential across the resistance and to produce a depletion layer in a channel of the depletion transistor based on the gate potential. As a result, a semiconductor device having reasonably large current at low voltage and small current at high voltage can be obtained.
US08373201B2
A semiconductor device includes a fuse pattern formed as conductive polymer layer having a low melting point. The fuse pattern is easily cut at low temperature to improve repair efficiency. The semiconductor device includes first and second fuse connecting patterns that are separated from each other by a distance, a fuse pattern including a conductive polymer layer formed between the first and second fuse connection patterns and connecting the first and second fuse connection patterns, and a fuse box structure that exposes the fuse pattern. The conductive polymer layer includes a nano-sized metal powder and a polymer.
US08373198B2
A substrate including a thin film transistor, the substrate including an active layer disposed on the substrate, the active layer including a channel area and source and drain areas, a gate electrode disposed on the active layer, the channel area corresponding to the gate electrode, a gate insulating layer interposed between the active layer and the gate electrode, an interlayer insulating layer disposed to cover the active layer and the gate electrode, the interlayer insulating layer having first and second contact holes partially exposing the active layer, source and drain electrodes disposed on the interlayer insulating layer, the source and drain areas corresponding to the source and drain electrodes, and ohmic contact layers, the ohmic contact layers being interposed between the interlayer insulating layer and the source and drain electrodes, and contacting the source and drain areas through the first and second contact holes.
US08373192B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a plurality of semiconductor layers, a first electrode, a second electrode, an insulating layer, a first interconnection layer, a second interconnection layer, a first metal pillar, a second metal pillar and a resin layer, and is mounted in a bent state on a curved surface. The plurality of semiconductor layers includes a first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a light emitting layer, the plurality of semiconductor layers being separated from one another. A material is provided between the plurality of the semiconductor layers separated from one another. The member has a higher flexibility than the semiconductor layers being.
US08373188B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide light-emitting diodes having a distributed Bragg reflector. A light-emitting diode (LED) according to an exemplary embodiment includes a light-emitting structure arranged on a first surface of a substrate, the light-emitting structure including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer interposed between the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer. A first distributed Bragg reflector is arranged on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, the first distributed Bragg reflector to reflect light emitted from the light-emitting structure. The first distributed Bragg reflector has a reflectivity of at least 90% with respect to light of a first wavelength in a blue wavelength range, light of a second wavelength in a green wavelength range, and light of a third wavelength in a red wavelength range. The first distributed Bragg reflector has a laminate structure having an alternately stacked SiO2 layer and Nb2O5 layer.
US08373174B2
The present III-nitride semiconductor light-emitting device comprises: a first III-nitride semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; a second III-nitride semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; an active layer disposed between the first III-nitride semiconductor layer and the second III-nitride semiconductor layer and generating light by recombination of electrons and holes; and a depletion barrier layer brought into contact with the active layer and having a first conductivity type.
US08373169B2
A thin film transistor serving as a switching device provided in respective pixels of an active matrix-type liquid crystal display, the thin film transistor including a source electrode overlapping the gate electrode, a first semiconductor layer and contacting one of the two parts of a second impurity semiconductor layer, and a drain electrode overlapping the gate electrode, the first semiconductor layer and contacting another one of the two parts of the second semiconductor layer, wherein the source and drain electrode define a channel region in the first semiconductor layer having a length between the first and second portions of the first semiconductor layer and a width same as a width of at least one of the two parts of the second semiconductor layer such that a ratio of the width to the length (W/L) of the channel region is in a range of 8 through 10.
US08373165B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit includes forming a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, patterning the first dielectric layer to form a first patterned dielectric layer, forming a non-single crystal seed layer on the first patterned dielectric layer, removing a portion of the seed layer to form a patterned seed layer, forming a second dielectric layer on the first patterned dielectric layer and the patterned seed layer, removing portions of the second dielectric layer to form a second patterned dielectric layer, irradiating the patterned seed layer to single-crystallize the patterned seed layer, removing portions of the first patterned dielectric layer and the second patterned dielectric layer such that the single-crystallized seed layer protrudes in the vertical direction with respect to the first and/or the second patterned dielectric layer, and forming a gate electrode in contact with the single-crystal active pattern.
US08373161B2
Disclosed herein are a method for fabricating an organic thin film transistor, including treating the surfaces of a gate insulating layer and source/drain electrodes with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-forming compound through a one-pot reaction, and an organic thin film transistor fabricated by the method. According to example embodiments, the surface-treatment of the gate insulating layer and the source/drain electrodes may be performed in a single vessel through a single process.
US08373155B2
An infrared photodetector including a layer structure of an intermediate layer, and a quantum dot layer having a narrower band gap than the intermediate layer and including a plurality of quantum dots alternately stacked, and detecting photocurrent generated when infrared radiation is applied to the layer structure to thereby detect the infrared radiation, the infrared photodetector further including a first barrier layer provided on one side of the quantum dot layer and having a larger band gap than the intermediate layer; and a second barrier layer provided on the other side of the quantum dot layer and having a larger band gap than the intermediate layer.
US08373151B2
A three-dimensional memory array formed of one or more two-dimensional memory arrays of one-time programmable memory elements arranged in horizontal layers and stacked vertically upon one another; and a two-dimensional memory array of reprogrammable phase change memory elements stacked on the one or more two-dimensional memory arrays as the top layer of the three-dimensional memory array.
US08373128B2
An optical ranging sensor includes an infrared LED encapsulated in a first light-permeable resin section, a light receiving device encapsulated in a second light-permeable resin section, a light-shielding resin member in contact with the first and second resin sections, a drive circuit section for driving the LED, a light receiving device control section for controlling the light receiving device, and a control section for the drive circuit section and light receiving device control section. Under control of the control section, a driving time of the LED coincides with an exposure time of the light receiving device. Further, while the LED is not driven, the light receiving device is also exposed for a time identical to the exposure time. An output difference between outputs at the exposure with driving the LED and at the exposure without driving the LED is calculated, and ranging is performed based on the output difference.
US08373125B2
A sensor switch includes an infrared sensor, and a control unit coupled to the infrared sensor and configured to receive a signal corresponding to an object detected by the infrared sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to enable an ON state of a device under control of the sensor switch for a period of time depending on a duration and a strength of the signal from the infrared sensor.
US08373098B2
A system for cleaning the interior surface of an oven appliance using heat and steam cycles is provided. More particularly, the present invention uses a heat cycle to break down water insoluble food residues into soluble materials that are then cleaned by a steam cycle. Following the steam cycle, the remaining food residues can be removed from the interior surface of the oven appliance.
US08373096B2
A toilet seat heating device is installed between a toilet cover and a bowl to provide a warming function when people use the toilet. The toilet seat heating device includes a base plate which is provided with a carbon fiber on the hotline, an upper seat and a cooling fin which is provided between the base plate and the upper seat. An upper side of the base plate is provided with an annular groove into which the carbon fiber on the hotline is provided to contact with the cooling fin. When the carbon fiber on the hotline is energized, the cooling fin can quickly absorb heat energy of the carbon fiber on the hotline and then conduct the heat energy upward to the upper seat, thereby providing a warm and comfortable toilet seat.
US08373095B2
A power line de-icing apparatus which is installed onto a power line without the need for disconnecting the power line. A temperature sensor and an ice sensor on the apparatus automatically activate the de-icing mode of operation. An internal motor and drive wheel move the apparatus along the power line in both directions, one direction at a time. Heaters and chisels on the apparatus remove any ice on the power line in one direction at a time. Power for the apparatus is generated from the electrical power carried by the power line using transformers. Proximity sensors on the apparatus detect stopping devices placed on the power line to stop the motion of the apparatus.
US08373093B2
A method and a system to increase heat input to a weld during an arc welding process. A series of electric arc pulses are generated between an advancing welding electrode and a metal workpiece using an electric arc welding system capable of generating an electric welding waveform to produce the electric arc pulses. A cycle of the electric welding waveform includes a pinch current phase providing an increasing pinch current level, a peak current phase providing a peak current level, a tail-out current phase providing a decreasing tail-out current level, and a background current phase providing a background current level. At least one heat-increasing current pulse of the cycle is generated, providing a heat-increasing current level, during the background current phase, where the heat-increasing current level is above the background current level. The cycle of the electric welding waveform with the at least one heat-increasing current pulse may be repeated until the arc welding process is completed.
US08373085B2
Plasma cutter and welder units are provided for fabricating a pipe. The plasma cutter and welder unit include a support structure having a carriage rotatably supported thereon. A plasma cutter nozzle and a weld nozzle are mounted to the carriage. A drive mechanism adjusts positioning of the plasma cutter and weld nozzles through varying control by a controller during operation. Additionally, a bearing support is provided for cradling the pipe during fabrication. The bearing support includes a plurality of bearing plates. A wedge structure is secured to each of the bearing plates and to a fixture base to form a nest for receiving the pipe. An isolation pad is disposed between the wedge structure and the fixture base.
US08373084B2
Systems and methods are provided for a torch power system having a high power density. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a torch power unit having a compressor and power electronics that include one or more power converters, wherein the torch power unit has a power output density of at least 2 watts per cubic inch, 80 watts per pound, or a combination thereof. A power conversion assembly for a torch power unit is provided that includes a single circuit board, a torch power converter mounted on the single circuit board, and a non-torch power converter mounted on the single circuit board. An electrical torch system is also provided that includes a circuit board and a power converter coupled to the circuit board, wherein the power converter includes a planar transformer, a foil wound transformer, or a combination thereof.
US08373079B2
A manually operable sensor for providing control signals to an electronic device. A fabric has a length substantially longer than its width with insulating yarns and electrically conductive yarns included therein, such that the conductive yarns define three conductive tracks running the length of the fabric. The conductive tracks are configured to interface with an electronic device at a first end and, at a second end, an active region of the fabric forms part of a sensor assembly that is receptive to a manually applied pressure. The sensor comprises first and second conductive regions to which a first and a second conductive track are connected respectively, to apply an electric potential to each conductive region. A conductive path is formed between a connected conductive track and the third conductive track of said active region when manual pressure is applied to one of the conductive regions.
US08373077B2
An electronic device enclosure includes a side panel defining a number of vents. Each vent is sandwiched by two adjacent partition members for preventing moisture penetrating the enclosure. Each of the partition members includes a plate, a first block perpendicularly extending from a first end of the plate, and a second block perpendicularly extending from a second end of the plate opposite to the first end. The first and second blocks extend in opposite directions.
US08373069B2
An electronic component mounting substrate including a support layer made of resin with first and second surfaces, an organic insulation layer on the first surface of the support layer with a first surface on opposite side of the first surface of the support layer and a second surface in contact with the first surface of the support layer, an inorganic insulation layer on the first surface of the organic layer, a conductor on the second surface of the support layer, and a first conductive circuit on the second surface of the organic layer. The inorganic layer has a second conductive circuit and a pad for mounting an electronic component inside the inorganic layer. The organic layer has a via conductor inside the organic layer and connecting the first and second circuits. The support layer has a conductive post inside the support layer and connecting the first circuit and the conductor.
US08373068B2
A shunt for measuring current passing through a conductor. The shunt includes a first section and a second section connected in series with the conductor, and a coaxial cable connected between the first and second sections. An outer conductor of the first section surrounds an internal conductor having a resistance lower than that of the outer conductor of the first section. An outer conductor of the second section surrounds an internal conductor having a resistance higher than that of the internal conductor of the second section. The dimensions of the first and second sections are the same. An internal conductor of the cable is connected between the two sections, and an outer conductor of the cable is connected to the outer conductors of the two sections. The voltage across the outer and inner conductors of the cable is proportional to the current passing through the conductor.
US08373057B2
A thermoelectric element includes at least one thermopair and a pn-junction. The thermopair has a first material with a positive Seebeck coefficient and a second material with a negative Seebeck coefficient. The first material is selectively contacted by way of a conductor with the p-side of the pn-junction, and the second material is selectively contacted by way of a conductor with the n-side of the pn-junction.
US08373051B2
The invention relates to a system for adding a string to a stringed instrument, consisting of an additional string and an additional tuning machine which can be clamped onto the head of the stringed instrument using a clamping member. The system moreover preferably comprises a hooking member to which the string can be hooked, and fixing means for fixing the hooking member to the stringed instrument.
US08373045B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH851446. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH851446, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH851446 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 CH851446.
US08373044B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH997743. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH997743, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH997743 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 CH997743.
US08373039B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV095074. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV095074, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV095074 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV095074 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV095074.
US08373036B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV386215. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV386215, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV386215 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV386215 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV386215.
US08373034B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH713848. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH713848, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH713848 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 CH713848.
US08373030B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the lettuce line designated RX06462133. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of lettuce line RX06462133, and to methods for producing a lettuce plant produced by crossing a plant of lettuce line RX06462133 with itself or with another lettuce plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of lettuce line RX06462133, including the gametes of such plants.
US08373029B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the lettuce line designated RX06473469. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of lettuce line RX06473469, and to methods for producing a lettuce plant produced by crossing a plant of lettuce line RX06473469 with itself or with another lettuce plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of lettuce line RX06473469, including the gametes of such plants.
US08373028B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the lettuce line designated RX06472065. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of lettuce line RX06472065, and to methods for producing a lettuce plant produced by crossing a plant of lettuce line RX06472065 with itself or with another lettuce plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of lettuce line RX06472065, including the gametes of such plants.
US08373014B2
Systems and processes for the alkylation of a hydrocarbon are provided that utilize a plurality of moving bed radial flow reactors. An olefin injection point can be provided prior to each reactor by providing a mixer that mixes olefin with a hydrocarbon feed, or with the effluent stream from an upstream reactor, to produce a reactor feed stream. Catalyst can be provided from the reaction zone of one reactor to the reaction zone of a downstream reactor through catalyst transfer pipes, and can be regenerated after passing through the reaction zones of the reactors. The moving bed radial flow reactors can be stacked in one or more reactor stacks.
US08373011B2
The present invention provides a process for producing a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon prepared using an α-olefin as a raw material and represented by the general formula (1), including the steps of: (I) producing a vinylidene olefin by dimerizing the α-olefin in the presence of a metallocene complex catalyst; (II) further dimerizing the vinylidene olefin in the presence of an acid catalyst; and (III) hydrogenating the obtained dimer. Further, there are provided a lubricant composition containing the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon compound produced by the above process, a bearing oil consisting of the lubricant composition, and making use of the same, a bearing and gyral equipment. The saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds produced by the process of the present invention have low-temperature fluidity, exhibiting low evaporativity, and excellent in thermal stability and oxidation stability. Thus, the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds are suitable for use as, for example, a base oil of lubricant composition for hydraulic pressure, turbine, working machine, bearing, gear, metal-working, etc.
US08373004B2
The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing colorless, isocyanurate group-comprising polyisocyanates of (cyclo)aliphatic diisocyanates.
US08372997B2
According to the invention, powders of low hygroscopicity are prepared by granulation of an aqueous solution (1) in a fluidized bed (140). A compound formed from crystalline grains whose moisture content is defined and stable is obtained. The invention applies especially to organometallic complexes of glycine with a metal.
US08372994B2
Glycidyl 2-propylheptanoate, glycidyl 4-methyl-2-propylhexanoate or a mixture of these (referred to collectively for short as glycidyl ester).
US08372989B2
Methods and compositions that can be used to make monatin from glucose, tryptophan, indole-3-lactic acid, indole-3-pyruvate, and 2-hydroxy 2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-4-keto glutaric acid, are provided. Methods are also disclosed for producing the indole-3-pyruvate and 2-hydroxy 2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-4-keto glutaric acid intermediates. Compositions provided include nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides, chemical structures, and cells. Methods include in vitro and in vivo processes, and the in vitro methods include chemical reactions.
US08372987B2
2-((R)-2-Methylpyrrolidin-2-yl)-1H-benzimidazole-4-carboxamide Crystalline Form 1, ways to make it, compositions comprising it and made using it, and methods of treating patients having disease using it are disclosed.
US08372977B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to luminescent gold(III) compounds contains a bidentate ligand with at least one strong σ-donating group, a method of preparation of these compounds and the use of these compounds in organic light emitting devices. The gold(III) compounds have the chemical structure: wherein: X is a nitrogen atom; Y is selected from a carbon or a nitrogen atom; A-B is a substituted or unsubstituted cyclometalating ligand (for Y═C) or diimine ligand (for Y═N); where A and B are cyclic structure derivatives; R1 and R2 are optionally substituted carbon donor ligands attached to the gold atom, with the proviso that R1 and R2 are not —CH3, —CH2SiMe3, mesityl, pentafluorophenyl, —CH2C(O)R′, —CH(R)SO2CH(R)—, —C6H4N═NC6H5, and wherein R1 and R2 can optionally be combined into a bidentate ligand; and n is greater or equal to zero.
US08372968B2
Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing in many organisms by a process known as RNA interference (RNAi). Using a Drosophila in vitro system, we demonstrate that 19-23 nt short RNA fragments are the sequence-specific mediators of RNAi. The short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are generated by an RNase III-like processing reaction from long dsRNA. Chemically synthesized siRNA duplexes with overhanging 3′ ends mediate efficient target RNA cleavage in the lysate, and the cleavage site is located near the center of the region spanned by the guiding siRNA. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the direction of dsRNA processing determines whether sense or antisense target RNA can be cleaved by the produced siRNP complex.
US08372961B2
Disclosed are concatameric proteins comprising two soluble domains, in which the C-terminus of a soluble domain of a biologically active protein is linked to the N-terminus of an identical soluble domain or a distinct soluble domain of a biologically active protein. Also, the present invention discloses dimeric proteins formed by formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds at the hinge region of two monomeric proteins formed by linkage of a concatamer of two identical soluble extracellular regions of proteins involving immune response to an Fc fragment of an immunoglobulin molecule, their glycosylated proteins, DNA constructs encoding the monomeric proteins, recombinant expression plasmids containing the DNA construct, host cells transformed or transfected with the recombinant expression plasmids, and a method of preparing the dimeric proteins by culturing the host cells. Further, the present invention discloses pharmaceutical or diagnostic compositions comprising the dimeric protein or its glycosylated form.
US08372958B2
The present invention encompasses monoclonal and chimeric antibodies that bind to lipoteichoic acid of Gram positive bacteria. The antibodies also bind to whole bacteria and enhance phagocytosis and killing of the bacteria in vitro and enhance protection from lethal infection in vivo. The mouse monoclonal antibody has been humanized and the resulting chimeric antibody provides a previously unknown means to diagnose, prevent and/or treat infections caused by gram positive bacteria bearing lipoteichoic acid. This invention also encompasses a peptide mimic of the lipoteichoic acid epitope binding site defined by the monoclonal antibody. This epitope or epitope peptide mimic identifies other antibodies that may bind to the lipoteichoic acid epitope. Moreover, the epitope or epitope peptide mimic provides a valuable substrate for the generation of vaccines or other therapeutics.
US08372952B2
Binding proteins that specifically bind to β-Klotho or portions thereof, FGFR1c or portions thereof, or both FGFR1c and β-Klotho, and optionally other proteins as well are provided. Coding sequences, methods of treatment and pharmaceutical compositions are also provided.
US08372941B2
A method for the purification of aromatic polyether polymers prepared by a halide displacement polymerization process comprises adsorbing the catalyst with an alkali metal halide to form an adsorbent component and then removing the adsorbent component. Mixtures resulting from this method are also discussed.
US08372940B2
An object of the present invention is to improve the abrasion resistance of a golf ball that uses a polyurethane as a resin component for a cover. Another object of the present invention is to improve the shot feeling of a golf ball that uses a polyurethane as a resin component for a cover. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a core; and a cover covering the core, wherein the cover contains a polyurethane elastomer as a resin component, and the polyurethane elastomer contains a polyol component and a polyisocyanate component and does not contain a chain extender.
US08372936B2
A silicone-type pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising (A) 100 weight parts of organopolysiloxane condensation reaction product that has at least two alkenyl groups and that is yielded by a condensation reaction between (a) hydroxyl-functional diorganopolysiloxane and (b) organopolysiloxane resin, (B) organohydrogenpolysiloxane having at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms in the molecule, in an amount sufficient to provide from 1 to 200 silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms with reference to all the alkenyl groups in the composition, (C) an organotitanium compound, at from 0.1 to 20 weight parts, and (D) a platinum catalyst in a catalytic quantity.
US08372933B2
Hyperbranched, water-soluble polymers, obtainable by Michael polyaddition of α-, β-, or γ-cyclodextrins and amines to bisacrylamides.
US08372924B2
Described herein in one embodiment is a plant for the continuous solution polymerization of one or more monomers in a solvent, e.g., a hydrocarbon solvent. In one aspect, the plant comprises a high pressure pump and at least one heat exchanger downstream of the pump. In another aspect a feed is cooled by three heat exchangers which are refrigerated by means of a common three stage compressor. In another aspect, the plant comprises a primary reactor and a secondary reactor arranged to operate in parallel, in which the ratio of volume of the primary reactor to the secondary reactor is in the range of 60:40 to 95:5. In another aspect, a method of defouling a heat exchanger is provided in which the level of liquid refrigerant in the heat exchanger is temporarily lowered.
US08372923B2
The present invention relates to a process for improving the devolatilization of polymer slurry produced in an olefin polymerization reactor. The process is characterized in that it involves an adjustment of the temperature of the interior surface of the flash line for periodically transferring polymer slurry from the polymerization reactor to a downstream processing unit. In particular, in accordance with the present process, the temperature of the interior surface of the flash line is adjusted to a temperature which is equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the polymer passing through said flash line whereby said temperature is higher in a first half of the length of the flash line than in the remaining length of the flash line.
US08372920B2
The present invention relates to a water-absorbing polymer structure comprising about 10 to about 100,000 ppm, based on the solids content of the water-absorbing polymer structure, of a non-polymerized sulphonate, a non-polymerized salt of a sulphonate or a mixture of a non-polymerized sulphonate and a non-polymerized salt of a sulphonate, and less than 1,000 ppm, based on the solids content of the water-absorbing polymer structure, of non-polymerized sulphites, non-polymerized bisulfites, non-polymerized sulphinates or non-polymerized salts of these compounds.
US08372915B2
An objective of the present invention is to provide a golf ball striking a balance between the flight distance on the driver shots and the approach performance on the approach shots and having the excellent shot feeling and durability. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a core consisting of a center and a surrounding layer covering the center; at least one intermediate layer covering the core; and a cover covering the intermediate layer; wherein at least one piece or one layer of the intermediate layer is formed from a highly elastic intermediate layer composition that contains (A) a highly elastic resin having a flexural modulus in a range from 700 MPa to 5,000 MPa and (B) an ionomer resin having a flexural modulus in a range from 150 MPa to 1,000 MPa in a content ratio ((A)/(B)) of (A) the highly elastic resin to (B) the ionomer resin (B) being (20 mass % to 80 mass %)/(80 mass % to 20 mass %) (the total is 100 mass %), and wherein a surface hardness (Hm) of the intermediate layer and a surface hardness (Hs) of the core satisfy the equation: Hm≧Hs, and the cover has a slab hardness (Hc) of 45 or less in Shore D hardness.
US08372912B2
A polyvinyl chloride composition having polyvinyl chloride resin and a plasticizer ester selected from di-butyl terephthalate, di-isobutyl terephthalate, or mixtures thereof.
US08372905B2
The present disclosure is directed to a coating composition having low molecular weight polytrimethylene ether glycol, polymers having one or more crosslinkable functional groups and a crosslinking agent having one or more crosslinking functional groups. The coating compositions can be used as interior and exterior top coats, basecoats, primers, primer surfacers and primer fillers. The disclosure is particularly directed to a coating composition comprising components derived from renewable resources.
US08372891B2
A method of reshaping 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 by controlling the salt doping level.
US08372889B2
The subject invention provides materials and methods for modulating a variety of biological factors to treat biological conditions associated with the factors. In one embodiment of the invention, a cysteamine compound is administered to a patient to treat hypercholesterolemia and/or complications associated with hypercholesterolemia. In another embodiment, a cysteamine compound is administered to a patient to prevent the onset of diabetes in an at-risk patient and/or treat or prevent the onset of diabetes-associated complications.
US08372870B2
The present invention is directed to modulators of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), as well as compositions and pharmaceutical methods thereof.
US08372868B2
Compounds and methods related to NIR molecular imaging, in-vitro and in-vivo functional imaging, therapy/efficacy monitoring, and cancer and metastatic activity imaging. Compounds and methods demonstrated pertain to the field of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor imaging, metabolic imaging, cellular respiration imaging, cellular proliferation imaging as targeted agents that incorporate signaling agents.
US08372846B2
The invention relates to compositions and co-crystals each comprising (1S,3aR,6aS)-2-[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-Cyclohexyl-2-(pyrazine-2-carbonylamino)acetyl]amino]-3,3-dimethylbutanoyl]-N-[(3S)-1-(cyclopropylamino)-1,2-dioxohexan-3-yl]-3,3a,4,5,6,6a-hexahydro-1H-cyclopenta[c]pyrrole-1-carboxamide having the structure: and the co-crystal former 4-amino salicylic acid. Also within the scope of this invention are methods of making and using the same.
US08372840B2
The present invention provides a compound of formula (I) or its salts or pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, X1, and j are defined herein. The compounds are useful as potassium ion channel inhibitors.
US08372836B2
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising a poorly water soluble ionizable drug, a cationic species and a dispersion polymer are disclosed, together with a process for forming the compositions. The neutral form of the drug has (i) a solubility of less than 1 mg/ml, in aqueous solution at a pH between 6 and 7, (ii) a solubility of less than 20 mg/mL in a volatile organic solvent, and (iii) an acidic pKa value of greater than 5. At least 90 wt % of the drug in the solid dispersion being in a non-crystalline form. The drug, the cationic species, and the dispersion polymer constitute at least 80 wt % of the solid dispersion.
US08372835B2
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of Aurora protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also provides processes for preparing compounds of the inventions.
US08372832B2
This invention relates to novel 1,4-diaza-bicyclo[3.2.2]nonyl oxadiazolyl derivatives and their use in the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions. The compounds of the invention are found to be cholinergic ligands at the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and modulators of the monoamine receptors and transporters.Due to their pharmacological profile the compounds of the invention may be useful for the treatment of diseases or disorders as diverse as those related to the cholinergic system of the central nervous system (CNS), the peripheral nervous system (PNS), diseases or disorders related to smooth muscle contraction, endocrine diseases or disorders, diseases or disorders related to neuro-degeneration, diseases or disorders related to inflammation, pain, and withdrawal symptoms caused by the termination of abuse of chemical substances.
US08372829B2
The present invention is directed to a biocidal composition comprising a blend of one or more pyrithione compounds, and one or more pyrrole compounds of Formula I wherein said biocidal composition is copper free or low copper content.
US08372825B2
Skin compositions comprising, hydrocortisone; allantoin; and a water-based vehicle that is essentially free of petroleum jelly, mineral oil and wax; and related method for protecting, healing and/or soothing the skin comprising: applying an effective amount of a cosmetic preparation selected from the group consisting of hand cream, foot cream, body cream, lip cream, lip gloss, lip stick, gel, balm and lotion to the skin surface; wherein said cosmetic preparation includes a skin composition made of hydrocortisone; allantoin; and a water-based vehicle that is essentially free of petroleum jelly, mineral oil and wax; and said effective amount is enough to protect, heal and/or soothe the skin surface.
US08372822B2
New polymorphs of Eltrombopag and Eltrombopag ethanolamine salt have been obtained and characterized. These polymorphs and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are useful, for example, in treating conditions leading to thrombocytopenia.
US08372809B2
The disclosure pertains to methods of reducing decompensation through acute intervention including in subjects afflicted with acute decompensated heart failure. Particularly, the disclosure provides methods for treating acute cardiac decompensation by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of relaxin.
US08372808B2
Provided herein are methods of decreasing glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in a cell. Such methods include administering an effective amount of a GFAP lowering compound to the cell. Also provided are compounds useful for the treatment of Alexander disease in subjects at risk of or diagnosed with Alexander disease and methods for the identification of such compounds.
US08372805B1
Disclosed herein are improved osteogenic devices and methods of use thereof for repair of bone and cartilage defects. The devices and methods promote accelerated formation of repair tissue with enhanced stability using less osteogenic protein than devices in the art. Defects susceptible to repair with the instant invention include, but are not limited to: critical size defects, non-critical size defects, non-union fractures, fractures, osteochondral defects, subchondral defects, and defects resulting from degenerative diseases such as osteochondritis dessicans.
US08372802B2
The present invention discloses compounds of formula I or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-NS4A protease. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention.
US08372795B2
The instant disclosure relates to processes for making stable compositions via combining a mixture containing at least one cationic polymer and a mixture containing at least one anionic surfactant in the presence of a high energy dispersion step, followed by incorporation of an external structurant using a low energy dispersion step, and compositions made according to the disclosed processes.
US08372794B2
A method for preparing a microemulsion is disclosed which employs a method based upon identification of the phase behavior of a plurality of components comprising the microemulsion. Further disclosed is a microemulsion composition comprising a first component, coupling agent, and surfactant.
US08372792B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a novel cleaner composition that not only reduces ignition by flame and has a small influence on the environment, but that also has an excellent property of dissolving flux residues adhered on narrow portions or in narrow gaps in an object to be cleaned that was subjected to soldering with a lead-free solder, and reduces recontamination of the object in the water-rinsing process. The present invention uses a halogen-free organic solvent (A) represented by a specific Formula; an amine-based compound (B) represented by a specific Formula; a chelating agent having no amino group (C); and, as required, water.
US08372783B2
Packaging using Gas Permeable Non-Woven Fabric based Film extends the shelf life and vase life of fresh cut flowers by changing the atmosphere in which these living products are stored and respires. The high oxygen and carbon dioxide permeability of the Gas Permeable Non-Woven Fabric based Film establishes an ideal atmosphere for the cut flowers, and therefore extends its shelf life and vase life. The establishment of lower oxygen and carbon dioxide atmospheres inside packages using Gas Permeable Non-Woven Fabric based film, also leads to reduction in the respiration rate of the cut flowers. The reduction in the respiration rate prevents loss of moisture, production of metabolic heat, and yellowing, browning, reduction in production levels of ethylene. Thus the created atmosphere is able to extend shelf life, maintain high quality and preserve nutrients of cut flowers items by naturally regulating respiration of said flower.
US08372779B2
The present invention relates to a porous metal organic framework comprising a bidentate organic compound coordinated to a metal ion selected from the group of metals consisting of Al, Fe and Cr, with the bidentate organic compound being derived from a dicarboxylic acid, wherein the framework has a structure whose projection along [001] has a pattern in which each side of a hexagon is bounded by a triangle. The present invention further relates to shaped bodies and a process for preparing the porous metal organic framework and its use.
US08372777B2
Method of contacting a hydrocarbon feed with a catalyst that includes one or more metals from Column 6 of the Periodic Table and/or one or more compounds of one or more metals from Column 6 of the Periodic Table and a support. The support comprises from 0.01 grams to 0.2 gram of silica and from 0.80 grams to 0.99 grams of alumina per gram of support. The catalyst has a surface area of at least 340 m2/g, a pore size distribution with a median pore diameter of at most 100 Å, and at least 80% of its pore volume in pores having a pore diameter of at most 300 Å or the catalyst exhibits one or more peaks between 35 degrees and 70 degrees, and at least one of the peaks has a base width of at least 10 degrees, as determined by x-ray diffraction at 2-theta.
US08372776B2
A hydroprocessing bulk catalyst is provided. A process to prepare hydroprocessing bulk catalysts is also provided. The hydroprocessing catalyst has the formula (Rp)i(Mt)a(Lu)b(Sv)d(Cw)e(Hx)f(Oy)g(Nz)h, wherein M is at least at least a “d” block element metal; L is also at least a “d” block element metal, but different from M; t, u, v, w, x, y, z representing the total charge for each of the components (M, L, S, C, H, O and N, respectively); R is optional and in one embodiment, R is a lanthanoid element metal; 0<=i<=1; pi+ta+ub+vd+we+xf+yg+zh=0; 0
US08372775B2
A method of producing a catalyst for oxygen reduction and a gas diffusion electrode.
US08372773B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a process for making a catalyst including an effective amount of iron for catalyzing one or more reactions in a hydrocarbon conversion system. The process can include grinding and coating the particles. The ground particles can have an effective amount of iron, and substantially all the particles may have a maximum dimension no larger than about 130 microns. The coating can have an effective amount of one or more hydrocarbons to provide the catalyst with improved flowability.
US08372772B2
A hydrocracking catalyst comprising zeolite crystallized as a layer on the surface of a porous alumina-containing matrix, said zeolite-layered matrix arranged in a configuration to provide macropores in which the zeolite layer is provided on the walls of the macropores. Hydrogenating metals can be incorporated into the catalyst.
US08372760B2
A system and method for forming a mechanically strengthened low-k dielectric film on a substrate includes using either spin-on-dielectric (SOD) techniques, or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques to form a low-k dielectric film on the substrate. An upper surface of the low-k dielectric film is then treated in order to increase the film's mechanical strength, or reduce its dielectric constant.
US08372756B2
A process for selectively etching a material comprising SiO2 over silicon, the method comprising the steps of: placing a silicon substrate comprising a layer of a material comprising SiO2 within a reactor chamber equipped with an energy source; creating a vacuum within the chamber; introducing into the reactor chamber a reactive gas mixture comprising a fluorine compound, a polymerizable fluorocarbon, and an inert gas, wherein the reactive gas mixture is substantially free of added oxygen; activating the energy source to form a plasma activated reactive etching gas mixture within the chamber; and selectively etching the material comprising SiO2 preferentially to the silicon substrate.
US08372755B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method may include providing a semiconductor substrate; forming gate material layers over the semiconductor substrate; forming a multi-layer hard mask layer over the gate material layers, wherein the multi-layer hard mask layer includes a plurality of film stacks, each film stack having a silicon oxide layer and a carbon-containing material layer, each film stack having a thickness equal to or less than about 10 angstrom; patterning the multi-layer hard mask layer, forming an opening of the multi-hard mask layer; etching the gate material layers within the opening of the multi-layer hard mask layer, forming a gate structure; performing a tilt-angle ion implantation process to the semiconductor substrate, wherein a first remaining thickness of the multi-layer hard mask layer is less than a first thickness; and thereafter performing an epitaxy growth to the semiconductor substrate, wherein a second remaining thickness of the multi-layer hard mask layer is greater than a second thickness.
US08372748B2
A method for manufacturing semiconductor device includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer including a contact plug defined therein to electrically couple a semiconductor substrate on which a cell region and a dummy region are defined. A sacrificial layer is formed over the interlayer dielectric layer. An etch stop pattern is formed over the sacrificial layer, the etch stop pattern being vertically aligned to the dummy region. A storage electrode region through the sacrificial layer is defined to expose a first storage electrode contact of the cell region, the second storage electrode contact of the dummy region remaining covered by the sacrificial layer. A conductive layer is deposited within the storage electrode region to form a storage electrode contacting the first storage electrode contact of the cell region.
US08372747B2
A gate insulating film and a gate electrode of non-single crystalline silicon for forming an nMOS transistor are provided on a silicon substrate. Using the gate electrode as a mask, n-type dopants having a relatively large mass number (70 or more) such as As ions or Sb ions are implanted, to form a source/drain region of the nMOS transistor, whereby the gate electrode is amorphized. Subsequently, a silicon oxide film is provided to cover the gate electrode, at a temperature which is less than the one at which recrystallization of the gate electrode occurs. Thereafter, thermal processing is performed at a temperature of about 1000° C., whereby high compressive residual stress is exerted on the gate electrode, and high tensile stress is applied to a channel region under the gate electrode. As a result, carrier mobility of the nMOS transistor is enhanced.
US08372743B2
An integrated circuit may be formed by a process of forming a three interconnect patterns in a plurality of parallel route tracks, using photolithography processes which have illumination sources capable of a pitch distance twice the pitch distance of the parallel route tracks. The first interconnect pattern includes a first lead pattern which extends to a first point. The second interconnect pattern includes a second lead pattern which is parallel to and immediately adjacent to the first lead pattern. The third interconnect pattern includes a third lead pattern which is parallel to and immediately adjacent to the second pattern and which extends to a second point in the first instance of the parallel route tracks, laterally separated from the first point by a distance less than one and one-half times a space between adjacent patterns in the parallel route tracks.
US08372742B2
An integrated circuit (IC) design method providing a circuit design layout having a plurality of functional blocks disposed a distance away from each other; identifying a local pattern density to an approximate dummy region, on the circuit design layout, within a predefined distance to one of the functional blocks; performing a local dummy insertion to the approximate dummy region according to the local pattern density; repeating the identifying and performing to at least some other of the functional blocks; and implementing a global dummy insertion to a non-local dummy region according to a global pattern density.
US08372739B2
An interconnect structure for an integrated circuit and method of forming the interconnect structure. The method includes depositing a metallic layer containing a reactive metal in an interconnect opening formed within a dielectric material containing a dielectric reactant element, thermally reacting at least a portion of the metallic layer with at least a portion of the dielectric material to form a diffusion barrier primarily containing a compound of the reactive metal from the metallic layer and the dielectric reactant element from the dielectric material, and filling the interconnect opening with Cu metal, where the diffusion barrier surrounds the Cu metal within the opening. The reactive metal can be Co, Ru, Mo, W, or Ir, or a combination thereof. The interconnect opening can be a trench, a via, or a dual damascene opening.
US08372731B2
The invention disclosed relates to the fabrication of electronic devices. A method for fabricating an electronic device is disclosed, comprising embossing a surface of a work-piece 200, 202 using an embossing tool 204, so as to form a microstructure having at least two levels of thickness contrast on the work-piece surface, and depositing fluid 208 containing a functional material onto the microstructure. In a preferred embodiment, the step of depositing fluid 208 comprises ink-jet printing. An embossing tool 204 for creating a microstructure on a work-piece 200, 202 is also disclosed, the embossing tool 204 comprising a first surface and steps of at least two different heights relative to the first surface.
US08372719B2
A method of removing a hard mask during fabrication of semiconductor devices is provided. A protective layer, such as a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer or other dielectric layer, is formed over structures formed on a substrate, wherein spacers are formed alongside the structures. In an embodiment, the structures are gate electrodes having a hard mask formed thereon and the spacers are spacers formed alongside the gate electrodes. A photoresist layer is formed over the protective layer, and the photoresist layer may be patterned to remove a portion of the photoresist layer over portions of the protective layer. Thereafter, an etch-back process is performed, such that the protective layer adjacent to the spacers remains to substantially protect the spacers. The hard mask is then removed while the protective layer protects the spacers.
US08372709B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming an interfacial layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a high-k dielectric on the interfacial layer, forming a barrier metal on the high-k dielectric, forming a poly-silicon layer on the barrier metal, patterning the interfacial layer, the high-k dielectric, the barrier metal and the poly-silicon to form a gate stack forming spacers, extension regions, sidewalls and source/drain regions, forming an interlayer dielectric on the gate stack, etching off a portion of the interlayer dielectric to expose the poly-silicon layer, forming an impurity metal layer, which includes an impurity metal having a barrier effect to the diffusive material, and a metal layer including a diffusive material, on the poly-silicon layer and converting the poly-Si layer into a silicide containing the impurity metal. The barrier metal includes a titanium nitride (TiN) or a tantalum nitride (TaN).
US08372707B2
Methods of forming non-volatile memory is described. The non-volatile memory includes a substrate having a source region, a drain region and a channel region. The channel region separates the source region and the drain region. An electrically insulating layer is adjacent to the source region, drain region and channel region. A floating gate electrode is adjacent to the electrically insulating layer. The electrically insulating layer separates the floating gate electrode from the channel region. The floating gate electrode has a floating gate major surface. A control gate electrode has a control gate major surface and the control gate major surface opposes the floating gate major surface. A vacuum layer or gas layer at least partially separates the control gate major surface from the floating gate major surface.
US08372705B2
CMOS transistors are formed incorporating a gate electrode having tensely stressed spacers on the gate sidewalls of an n channel field effect transistor and having compressively stressed spacers on the gate sidewalls of a p channel field effect transistor to provide differentially stressed channels in respective transistors to increase carrier mobility in the respective channels.
US08372698B2
A semiconductor device having a modified recess channel gate includes active regions defined by a device isolation layer and arranged at regular intervals on a semiconductor substrate, each active region extending in a major axis and a minor axis direction, a trench formed in each active region, the trench including a stepped bottom surface in the minor axis direction of the active region, and a recess gate formed in the trench.
US08372694B2
A substrate is provided with electrical connection pads on a front face and on a rear face, the front pads and rear pads being selectively connected via a network passing through the substrate. A peripheral edge of the substrate is mounted on a rigid annular frame and the rearm face secured to a suction table. A layer of a dielectric sealant containing electrically conductive particles is deposited on the front face and front pads of the substrate. Integrated-circuit chips are positioned on the front face to flatten the layer of dielectric sealant, the included electrically conductive particles making electrical connection between pads of the integrated-circuit and the front pads of the substrate. The resulting assembly in then encapsulated in a block of encapsulating material positioned on top of the front face of the substrate. The block is then diced in order to obtain a plurality of semiconductor packages.
US08372693B2
In a stacked-type semiconductor device, a first semiconductor device and at least one second semiconductor device are stacked. The first semiconductor device includes a wiring board and a first semiconductor chip mounted on the wiring board. The second semiconductor device includes a wiring board and a second semiconductor chip mounted on the wiring board. The thickness of the second semiconductor chip of each second semiconductor device is thicker than the thickness of the first semiconductor chip.
US08372689B2
In one embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device package includes: (1) providing a carrier and a semiconductor device including an active surface; (2) forming a first redistribution structure including a first electrical interconnect extending laterally within the first structure and a plurality of second electrical interconnects extending vertically from a first surface of the first interconnect, each second interconnect including a lower surface adjacent to the first surface and an upper surface opposite the lower surface; (3) disposing the device on the carrier such that the active surface is adjacent to the carrier; (4) disposing the first structure on the carrier such that the upper surface of each second interconnect is adjacent to the carrier, and the second interconnects are positioned around the device; and (5) forming a second redistribution structure adjacent to the active surface, and including a third electrical interconnect extending laterally within the second structure.
US08372681B2
A diode type ultraviolet sensor having a layered-structure body including a conductive layer composed of a sintered ceramic body having conductivity and a semiconductor layer composed of an oxide semiconductor including ZnO. The semiconductor layer is disposed on a principal surface of the conductive layer and forms a heterojunction with the conductive layer. The ultraviolet sensor is used in such a condition that the semiconductor layer is positioned at a light-receiving side irradiated by ultraviolet rays. The semiconductor layer is preferably composed of a sintered body. The sintered body serving as the conductive layer and sintered body serving as the semiconductor layer are preferably formed by co-firing. Terminal electrodes are provided on a principal surface and the other principal surface of the layered-structure body, respectively.
US08372678B2
Disclosed are solar cells and methods for making solar cells. Also disclosed are counter electrodes for solar cells including dye-sensitized and/or nanocrystal-sensitized solar cells. An example counter electrode for a solar cell may include a substrate, a microstructured template disposed on the substrate, and a layer of catalytic material disposed on the microstructured template.
US08372673B2
An embodiment of this invention discloses a method of separating two material systems, which comprises steps of providing a bulk sapphire; forming a nitride system on the bulk sapphire; forming at least two channels between the bulk sapphire and the nitride system; etching at least one inner surface of the channel; and separating the bulk sapphire and the nitride system.
US08372672B2
A nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting structure having n-type and p-type nitride semiconductor layers and an active layer formed therebetween. N-type and p-type electrodes are electrically connected to the n-type and p-type nitride semiconductors, respectively. An n-type ohmic contact layer is formed between the n-type nitride semiconductor layer and the n-type electrode and has a first layer of a material In and a second layer formed on the first layer and of a material containing W. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device has thermal stability and excellent electrical characteristics without heat treatment.
US08372665B2
In a chip pick-up process after dicing in an assembly process during manufacture of a semiconductor integrated circuit device it is an important subject to diminish a pick-up defect caused by the reduction in thickness of each chip which is proceeding in quick tempo. Particularly, bending of the chip peripheral portion caused by a peeling operation is very likely to induce cracking and chipping of the chip. In the present invention, to solve these problems, in case of peeling a chip from a dicing tape (adhesive tape) or the like while vacuum-chucking the chip by a chucking collet, the flow rate of a vacuum chucking system in the chucking collet is monitored to check a bent state of the chip before complete separation of the first chip from the adhesive tape.
US08372664B2
One object is to provide a method for manufacturing a display device in which shift of the threshold voltage of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer can be suppressed even when ultraviolet light irradiation is performed in the process for manufacturing the display device. In the method for manufacturing a display device, ultraviolet light irradiation is performed at least once, a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer is used for a switching element, and heat treatment for repairing damage to the oxide semiconductor layer caused by the ultraviolet light irradiation is performed after all the steps of ultraviolet light irradiation are completed.
US08372648B2
This invention provides compositions that have a light emitting reporter linked to biomolecules, preferably, nucleotide oligomers. The light reporter particles are silylated and functionalized to produce a coated light reporter particle, prior to covalently linking the biomolecules to the light reporter particle. The light reporter particles of the invention can be excited by a light excitation source such as UV or IR light, and when the biomolecule is DNA, the attached DNA molecule(s) are detectable by amplification techniques such as PCR.
US08372644B2
A method for growing adult cells includes harvesting a tissue sample from a subject and breaking the tissue sample into fragments. The fragments are placed into a culture vessel, and at least some of the fragments are induced to adhere to the culture vessel. The fragments are supplied with nutrients so that adult cells contained therein divide and grow.
US08372637B2
The present invention relates to a method of stabilizing a biological sample, having the steps of preparation of a biological sample, and of contacting the biological sample with a composition, having a substance according to the following structural formula: in which R1 is a hydrogen residue or a methyl residue, R2 and R3 are identical or different hydrocarbon residues with a length of the carbon chain of 1-20, and R4 is an oxygen, sulfur or selenium residue (FIG. 1).
US08372633B2
The invention concerns an assembly for packaging a volume of substance to be preserved by cryogenic vitrification characterized in that it comprises a sheathing (2) including a thin tube (6) having a predetermined internal diameter (Di) and a predetermined length (L); a support (3) comprising a zone for receiving said predetermined volume, said support (3) capable of being introduced inside said thin tube (6); and a plunger (4) for pushing forward said support (3), said support (3) then taking up a predetermined position in said thin tube (6) with an interval between each end (21, 22) of said support (2) and the neighboring end (8, 9) of said thin tube (6).
US08372628B2
The present invention is related to an isolated chemolithotrophic bacterium belonging to species Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans named Licanantay, deposited in Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH-DSMZ with number DSM 17318, and its use in pure form or in mixtures that contains it for bioleaching processes of minerals or sulfured metallic species concentrates. This Licanantay strain DSM 17318 has sulfur-oxidizing activity in both primary and secondary sulfured minerals, especially in the case of chalcopyrite, covellite, bornite, chalcocite, enargite and tennantite.
US08372626B2
An L-arabinose utilizing yeast strain is provided for the production of ethanol by introducing and expressing bacterial araA, araB and araD genes. L-arabinose transporters are also introduced into the yeast to enhance the uptake of arabinose. The yeast carries additional genomic mutations enabling it to consume L-arabinose, even as the only carbon source, and to produce ethanol. A yeast strain engineered to metabolize arabinose through a novel pathway is also disclosed. Methods of producing ethanol include utilizing these modified yeast strains.
US08372616B2
It is a subject of this invention to isolate a gene group of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of vitamin E of Para rubber tree, and to determine the base sequence of each gene. According to this invention, genes encoding enzymes involved in the vitamin E biosynthesis were isolated from Para rubber tree and the base sequences of these genes were determined. Since vitamin E is an antioxidant existing in nature, it is expected that transformation of a plant by using the genes obtained in the invention would result in an increase in the vitamin E content of the plant and, in its turn, contribute to the prevention of rubber from aging.
US08372614B2
Method for producing ethanol from solid citrus waste by reducing the concentration of limonene in citrus waste to allow fermentation. In one embodiment ground solid citrus waste is partially hydrolyzed and pasteurized by heating using a jet cooker and then injected into a flash tank to remove limonene. The heated citrus waste is then cooled, hydrolyzed with enzymes and fermented to ethanol. The remaining solids and liquids may be processed further to yield other byproducts. More particularly, the solids may be dried and pressed for use in cattle feed and the liquids may be further fermented or processed to yield additional ethanol, acetate, galacturonic acid monomers and polymers, five carbon sugars and other products.
US08372607B2
The present invention describes a method for generating a serine derivative and an optically active isomer thereof by a convenient technique, and an enzyme and the like useful in the method. In the presence of the following protein (A) and/or (B) having an enzymatic activity, an α-amino acid is reacted with an aldehyde to form a serine derivative: (A) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, and (B) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, but which includes substitution, deletion, insertion and addition of one or more amino acids and is able to catalyze the reaction to form the serine derivative.
US08372606B2
The present invention provides a method for separating and obtaining a basic amino acid hydrochloride from a basic amino acid fermentation broth or an enzyme reaction solution which enzyme reaction is catalyzed by viable microbial cells which are able to produce a basic amino acid, each containing sulfate ions, wherein product yields and qualities are almost the same and are secured more easily, as compared with the conventional technique. The method may include the steps of adding a metal chloride such as calcium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, and barium chloride to the basic amino acid fermentation broth or the enzyme reaction solution containing sulfate ions to precipitate the sulfate ions as crystals of the resulting metal sulfate, (2) removing the metal sulfate crystals from the basic amino acid solution, (3) cooling the basic amino acid fermentation broth or the enzyme reaction solution from which the metal sulfate crystals have been removed while maintaining the concentration of the metal sulfate below its saturation concentration, resulting in precipitatation the basic amino acid as hydrochloride crystals, and (4) separating and collecting the basic amino acid hydrochloride crystals.
US08372604B2
The present invention is directed to compositions and methods useful for the amplification of nucleic acid molecules by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Specifically, the invention provides compositions and methods for the amplification of nucleic acid molecules in a simplified one- or two-step RT-PCR procedure using combinations of reverse transcriptase and thermostable DNA polymerase enzymes in conjunction with sulfur-containing molecules or acetate-containing molecules (or combinations of such sulfur-containing molecules and acetate-containing molecules), and optionally bovine serum albumin. The invention thus facilitates the rapid and efficient amplification of nucleic acid molecules and the detection and quantitation of RNA molecules. The invention also is useful in the rapid production and amplification of cDNAs which may be used for a variety of industrial, medical and forensic purposes.
US08372601B2
The disclosure of the present application provides polypeptide sequences and nucleotide sequences coding for the polypeptide sequences of proteins used in the production of APPA-containing peptides. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, an isolated nucleic acid is disclosed which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having a sequence identity of 60 percent or greater to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 2-13, and 15-23.
US08372592B2
The invention provides methods of detecting a change in cell growth patterns.
US08372587B2
In the present invention, the methylation of the genomic DNA a Zar1 gene specifically found in proliferative disease is used as a marker. Specifically, the present invention provides a method for detecting proliferative disease, which comprises detecting the methylation of the genomic DNA of a Zar1 gene in a biological sample. There is thereby provided a method for detecting proliferative disease, using a marker having a high detection rate and a low false positive rate.
US08372582B2
Described are methods of identifying modulators of metabolic memory, for the treatment of microvascular complications of diabetes, as well as methods of use thereof. Also described are methods of treating microvascular complications of diabetes by decreasing expression and/or activity of SHP-1.
US08372581B2
Methods and products for the detection of oncofetal fibronectin indicating molecules in samples are provided. Methods for imaging of oncofetal fibronectin are provided. In some methods provided herein, the sample is treated with a reagent and/or contacted with a non-specific binder. Provided are methods for testing subjects to ascertain health and disease status and to assess the risk of developing a disease or condition. Methods for detecting the presence of oncofetal fibronectin indicating molecules by a variety of methods such as immunoassays and mass spectrometry also are provided. Methods and products for detection of oncofetal fibronection for selection of concepti are provided.
US08372578B2
A method of: directing an exposing light through an optical diffuser; directing the diffused light though a photomask having transparent areas corresponding to a gray-tone pattern; directing the masked light onto a photoresist material on a substrate; developing the photoresist to produce a three dimensional structure in the photoresist.
US08372570B2
The present invention provides a developer carrying member capable of maintaining excellent charge imparting property even under long-term use. The present invention relates to a developer carrying member including a substrate and a resin layer, wherein the resin layer includes an acrylic resin having three specific structural units and electroconductive particles.
US08372558B2
A vinyl monomer is graft polymerized on an aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer film substrate to introduce graft chains into the substrate and thereafter a functional monomer represented by the following formula and having sulfonic acid groups or functional groups capable of conversion to sulfonic acid groups is graft polymerized to introduce the sulfonic acid groups or the functional groups capable of conversion to sulfonic acid groups: where R is an aromatic ring or an aliphatic chain; X is (1) —OH, (2) —OLi, —ONa or —OK, (3) —F or —Cl, or (4) —OCnH2n+1 where n is an integer of 1 to 7. Since the graft chains obtained by graft polymerization of the vinyl monomer can also be utilized as scaffold polymers, the graft polymerizability of the functional monomer to the aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer film substrate is sufficiently improved to enable the preparation of a polymer electrolyte membrane that excels not only in proton conductivity and mechanical strength but also in dimensional stability.
US08372544B2
A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided that remarkably improves battery reliability by quickly lowering the potential of the positive electrode while preventing separator shrinkage at high temperatures. A separator has on its surface a shrinkage-prevention-layer formed portion (3a), in which a layer for preventing separator shrinkage is formed, and a shrinkage-prevention-layer unformed portion (3b), in which the layer for preventing separator shrinkage is not formed. A positive electrode current collector and a negative electrode current collector respectively have a positive electrode current collector exposed portion (1b) and a negative electrode current collector exposed portion (2b). The shrinkage-prevention-layer unformed portion (3b) of the separator is disposed at a region where the current collector exposed portions (1b, 2b) face each other.
US08372543B2
Disclosed are copper foil or net comprising a Cu-nitrile compound complex formed on the surface thereof, a method for preparing the same, and a lithium secondary battery that comprises an electrode using the same copper foil or net as a collector. The lithium secondary battery, which uses a copper collector comprising a Cu-nitrile compound complex formed on the surface thereof through the application of a certain voltage level, can prevent the corrosion of Cu occurring at a voltage of 3.6V or higher under overdischarge conditions away from the normal drive condition, and thus can significantly improve the capacity restorability after overdischarge.
US08372541B2
A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode containing lithium-iron phosphate, and a negative electrode containing a lithium-titanium composite oxide and a lithium composite oxide which is different from the lithium-titanium composite oxide. The lithium composite oxide has a potential of 2.5 to 3V vs. Li/Li+ at a lithium absorption/desorption and a spinel-type crystal structure.
US08372532B2
A composite article for dissipating thermal energy from a secondary battery cell includes a first graphite layer, a second graphite layer spaced away from and arranged parallel to the first graphite layer, and a metal layer sandwiched between and disposed in contact with each of the first graphite layer and the second graphite layer. The composite article has a thermal conductivity of greater than or equal to about 1,200 W/mK and an electrical conductivity of greater than or equal to about 10,000 S/cm. A secondary battery module includes the composite article and a secondary battery cell having a length and an average measurable temperature along the length during operation of the secondary battery module. The composite article is disposed adjacent and in contact with the secondary battery cell to thereby dissipate thermal energy from the secondary battery cell during operation of the secondary battery module.
US08372529B2
Provided are an organic electroluminescence device, which: shows high luminous efficiency; is free of any pixel defect; and has a long lifetime, and a material for an organic electroluminescence device for realizing the device. The material for an organic electroluminescence device is a compound of a specific structure having a π-conjugated heteroacene skeleton crosslinked with a carbon atom, nitrogen atom, or oxygen atom. The organic electroluminescence device has one or more organic thin film layers including a light emitting layer between a cathode and an anode, and at least one layer of the organic thin film layers contains the material for an organic electroluminescence device.
US08372527B2
A material for an organic electroluminescence device including at least one of compounds shown by the following formula (Ia), (Ib), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IVa) or (IVb):
US08372526B2
A device is provided, having an anode, a cathode, and an intermediate connector disposed between the anode and the cathode. A first organic layer including an emissive sublayer is disposed between the anode and the intermediate connector, and a second including an emissive sublayer is disposed between the intermediate connector and the cathode. The intermediate connector includes a first metal having a work function lower than 4.0 eV and a second metal having a work function lower than 5.0 eV. The work function of the first metal is at least 0.5 eV less than the work function of the second metal. The first metal is in contact with a sublayer of the second organic layer that includes a material well adapted to receive holes from a low work function metal.
US08372524B2
A coated article is described. The coated article includes a stainless steel substrate, a bonding layer formed on the substrate, and a hard layer formed on the bonding layer. The bonding layer is a nickel-chromium alloy layer. The hard layer is a nickel-chromium-boron-carbon-nitrogen layer. The mass percentages of carbon and nitrogen within the hard layer are gradually increased from the area near the bonding layer to the area away from the bonding layer. A method for making the coated article is also described.
US08372522B2
A process for joining a brass part and a silicon carbide ceramic part comprising: providing a brass part, a SiC ceramic part, a Ti foil and a Ni foil; placing the SiC ceramic part, the Ti foil, the Ni foil, and the brass part into a mold, the Ti foil and the Ni foil located between the SiC ceramic part and the brass part, the Ti foil abutting against the SiC ceramic part, the Ni foil abutting against the brass part and the Ti foil; placing the mold into a chamber of an hot press sintering device, heating the chamber and pressing the brass part, the SiC ceramic part, the Ti foil, and the Ni foil at least until the brass part, the SiC ceramic part, the Ti foil and the Ni foil form a integral composite article.
US08372520B2
A composite wood product and its method of manufacture. The wood product comprises aligned, substantially straight wood strands cut from veneer, disposed side by side lengthwise in substantially parallel relationship with adhesive bonding together the strands. The product is produced in a billet having a width in the range of about 3 ft. to 12 ft. and with a thickness in the range of about 1.1 inches to 2 inches. The strand ends are distributed in a specific pattern that approximates maximizing the minimum distance between strand ends. The wide sides of the billet are coated with a dark colored resin. The billet may be sawn lengthwise into sizes used for joists and rafters. Such a sawn product (e.g. 1.5″ by 9.25″) has the wide sides a dark resin color and the narrow sawn sides mostly wood colored. The strands are parallel to its length.
US08372510B2
A carbon foam article useful for, inter alia, composite tooling or other high temperature applications, which includes a carbon foam having a ratio of compressive strength to density of at least about 7000 psi/g/cc.
US08372507B1
End user filled protective packaging with self-sealing air bubbles includes a first bubble layer, a second bubble layer and a air channel layer. The first and second bubble layers are sealed together to form a plurality of bubble chambers. A plurality of bubble cells are formed in each bubble chamber by extending a plurality of air flow sealing lines. An air flow channel is formed between the second bubble layer and the air channel layer. One end of a cross air fill passage communicates with the air flow channel and the other end communicates with a fill opening in the second bubble layer. Air flows into each cross air flow passage and through the fill opening to inflate the bubble chamber. Inflation of the bubble chamber causes the plurality of air flow sealing lines to seal the cross air fill passage and prevent deflation of the bubble chamber.
US08372497B2
Air bags which are used for safety purposes to protect occupants of vehicles such as automobiles are described together with a process for coating air bags and air bag fabrics with silicone rubber compositions. In particular the invention relates to silicone rubber coatings which cure by hydrosilylation and an air bag coated with an elastomeric coating which is the cured product of a silicone composition comprising an organopolysiloxane (A) having aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon or hydrocarbonoxy substituents, an organosilicon crosslinker having at least 3 silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms, a catalyst able to promote the reaction of the aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon or hydrocarbonoxy substituents with Si—H groups and a reinforcing filler, wherein the organopolysiloxane (A) comprises a branched organopolysiloxane (A1) consisting of: (i) one or more Q units of the formula (SiO4/2) and (ii) from 15 to 8000 D units of the formula Rb2SiO2/2 which units (i) and (ii) may be inter-linked in any appropriate combination, and (i{umlaut over (υ)}) M units of the formula RaRb2SiO1/2 wherein each Ra substituent is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and an alkynyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, at least three Ra substituents in the branched siloxane being alkenyl or alkynyl units, and each Rb substituent is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an acrylate group and a methacrylate group.
US08372490B2
A film-formation method is a method for depositing a liquid containing a film material to form a film in a prescribed film formation area enclosed by a partition wall on a substrate. The film-formation method includes forming the partition wall using at least in part a wettability-variable material in which wettability with respect to the liquid is variable, depositing the liquid in the film formation area, varying the wettability of the wettability-variable material in the partition wall in a state in which the liquid is disposed within the film formation area so that liquid affinity of the wettability-variable material becomes higher than liquid affinity of the wettability-variable material before the liquid is deposited in the film formation area, and forming the film by solidifying the film material in the liquid.
US08372488B2
Methods and apparatus for thermal barrier coatings are provided. The thermal barrier coating system includes a bond coat, a first thermal barrier coating comprising a thermal conductivity, kA having a first value, and a second thermal barrier coating including a thermal conductivity, kB having a second value wherein the second value is different than the first value.
US08372479B2
Method of treating a chamber having refractory walls, in which: a treatment composition, comprising at least one organosilicon compound and at least one hydrocarbide, is sprayed into said chamber, in the presence of oxygen; and said sprayed treatment composition is heated, the spraying in the presence of oxygen taking place in the closed chamber in which the treatment composition, in a predominantly liquid state, is atomized in the form of suspended particles, the method further including said at least one organosilicon compound decomposing to form a colloidal silica aerosol in the closed chamber, an overpressure being established therein, and a colloidal silica layer being spread over the refractory walls with, as a result of said overpressure, the colloidal silica penetrating into the microcracks.
US08372478B1
A method is provided for surface treating a substrate utilizing powder coating so that the substrate can be adorned with a decorative pattern and/or color, and can have a durable, aesthetically appealing finish. The decorative pattern can be applied via transfer printing processes, for example, by a sublimation process or a hydrographic process. The method optionally can be used to produce a visually perceivable transition between a decorative pattern, for example, a camouflage pattern, and a generally solid color on the substrate. The transition can be gradual, so that the decorative pattern appears to fade into the generally solid color to provide an appealing visual effect on a product. The method can be used to surface treat a variety of products, for example, archery products and/or firearm products.
US08372470B2
A method and apparatus providing controlled growth and assembly of nanostructures is presented. A first substrate including at least one reaction site is provided. Energy is provided to the reaction site and a reaction species is introduced to the first substrate. A nanostructure is grown from the reaction site. The growth process of the nanostructure is controlled while continuously monitoring the properties of at least one of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site, and by controlling process variables based on the monitored properties of the nanostructure and the at least one reaction site.
US08372468B2
A medical electrical lead body having an outer surface and including at least one lumen having an inner surface treated with a silane surface modifying agent to form a three-dimensional, densely cross-linked lubricious coating over at least a portion of the inner surface of the lumen. The outer surface of the lead body also may be similarly treated. The lubricious silane coating may reduce the coefficient of friction of the coated surface of the lead body by as much as 80% when compared to an uncoated surface. A reduction in the coefficient of friction may enhance the stringing efficiency of a conductor through the lead body lumen and may enhance its abrasion resistance.
US08372458B2
Objects of the present invention are to provide a continuous emulsification process and equipment therefor in which exact viscosity is measured inline and production conditions are controlled automatically, and a continuous production method for process cheese type and equipment therefor. The present invention provides a continuous production method for process cheese type in which process cheese type ingredients are agitated and emulsified with any agitation intensity by an agitation bar 4 while heating in the vessel which is applied with fixed back pressure, the process cheese type is flowed and held in a holding pipe 7 for a certain period and thereby the process cheese type is cooled, and then the cooled process cheese type is molded and filled and a process cheese type product 13 is produced, wherein a transducer of an oscillating viscometer is immersed in the process cheese type during holding or after cooling such that the transducer is not directly contacted with the process cheese type; and wherein agitation intensity of the agitation device and/or back pressure applied to the vessel is adjusted such that a detected value of the transducer becomes near a target value which is set in advance, and thereby production conditions are controlled automatically so that the viscosity of the process cheese type during holding or after cooling becomes near a target viscosity.
US08372457B2
A cheese product, suitable for use as a cheese snack and/or food topping includes packaging in which moist cheese components of the snack or topping are separately sealed within a secondary package, prior to both the moist cheese and dry components of the snack or topping being sealed within a common primary container. At the time of use, a consumer opens both the primary container and the secondary package, and mixes the moist and dry components within the primary container. Following mixing, the resultant mixture of moist and dry components may be consumed directly from the primary container, or be poured out of or otherwise removed from the primary container for use as a food topping on foods such as salads, pizza, or baked potatoes. The secondary package is formed from a material and sealed in a manner that effectively precludes moisture migration between the moist and dry products during storage of the unmixed snack or topping, to thereby provide a longer shelf life.
US08372456B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing a soluble cocoa product from cocoa powder comprising the steps: a) preparing an aqueous suspension of cocoa powder (1), b) treating said suspension with one or more degrading enzymes (2), c) submitting (3) the suspension obtained in step b) to a pH treatment comprising treating said suspension for at least 2 hours at a suitable pH, a temperature of at 10 least 100° C., and a pressure which is at least 1 bar higher than the ambient pressure, d) optionally bringing the pH of the suspension obtained in step c) to a pH value corresponding with the pH of the suspension obtained in step a), e) treating (4) the suspension obtained in step c) or d) with one or more degrading enzymes, f) separating (6) the suspension (5) obtained in step e) into insoluble material (8) and a soluble part (7), and g) obtaining soluble cocoa components (10) from the soluble parts (7). The present invention further relates to cocoa products obtained by the present method and use thereof.
US08372447B2
The present invention relates to compositions comprising plants and extracts of plants with chlorogenic acids and antioxidants and/or caffeine; methods for preparing the same; and methods to promote weight loss through the administration of compositions containing these plants and plant extracts in specific proportions.
US08372440B2
The invention relates to a composition in the form of an emulsion that can be expanded by an aerosol dispenser, characterized in that it comprises from 15 to 20 volume % of alcohol, from 1 to 10 volume % of C3-C8 polyolen, a thickening agent, at least one non-ionic surfactant, a wetting agent, and one or more active ingredients dissolved or in suspension; the invention also relates to the medical and cosmetic applications thereof.
US08372433B2
The scaffold for culturing a cardiovascular tissue of the present invention is a scaffold for culturing a cardiovascular tissue, which is tubular, and comprises a foamed polymer comprising a bioabsorbable material reinforced with a reinforcing material comprising a bioabsorbable material, the foamed polymer comprising lactide (D, L, DL isomer)-ε-caprolactone copolymer containing lactide (D, L, DL isomer) in a content of 50 to 54 mole % and ε-caprolactone in a content of 50 to 46 mole %, and the reinforcing material being covered with the foamed polymer.
US08372429B2
An agent for treating ulcer containing, as an effective component, a particulate composite hydrotalcite obtained by solidly dissolving a small amount of zinc in the particulate hydrotalcite, exhibiting excellent effect for treating the peptic ulcer and, further, working as a Zn-supplying agent. The agent for treating the ulcer is represented by the following formula (1), (MgaZnb)1-xAlx(OH)2(An−)x/n.mH2O (1) wherein An− is CO32−, SO42− or Cl−, n is 1 or 2, and x, a, b and m are values that satisfy the following conditions, 0.18≦x≦0.4, 0.1≦a<1, 0
US08372428B2
A soft capsule in which a shell is filled with fill material, and the fill material is in a solid or semi-solid form at room temperature. The soft capsule may be a chewable capsule, and the fill material may comprise a low melting point additive. The content of the low melting point additive may be 10% or more with respect to the total weight of the fill material, and may have a melting point of about 20 to 50° C. The low melting point additive may be selected from the group consisting of chocolate base, lard, coconut oil and macrogol (polyethylene glycol) as well as a combination thereof.
US08372420B2
Medical implants are provided which release an anthracycline, fluoropyrimidine, folic acid antagonist, podophylotoxin, camptothecin, hydroxyurea, and/or platinum complex, thereby inhibiting or reducing the incidence of infection associated with the implant.
US08372419B2
The present invention relates to a method of coating of a device, preferably implants, with a substance comprising the steps of (a) contacting said device into a solution of said substrate or substance, and (b) drying said device while being submerged in said solution. The present invention also relates to a packaging container for a device, preferably an implant. Said packaging container being adapted such that said device is coatable within said packaging container. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method of coating the inner surfaces of a packaging container for a device, preferably implants, to be coated by a substance, comprising the steps of (a) siliconizing said inner surfaces of said container using a silicone emulsion, and (b) heat-curing to form a baked-in silicone layer on said inner surfaces of said container.
US08372415B2
Disclosed are tablets comprising hydrolytically stable formulations of (6-(5-fluoro-2-(3,4,5 -trimethoxyphenylamino)pyrimidin-4-ylamino)-2,2-dimethyl-3-oxo-2H-pyrido[3,2-b][1,4]oxazin-4(3H)-yl)methyl phosphate disodium salt (Compound 1) prepared by a wet granulation process.
US08372414B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for reducing distress dysfunction, including emotional and physical distress. The invention entails co-administration of at least one Receptor Switcher and at least one Endorphin Enhancer. Additionally, at least one Synergistic Enhance and/or at least one Exogenous Opioid are also administered to enhance or prolong the therapeutic effects.
US08372400B2
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.
US08372390B2
Methods and compositions are provided for delivery of a polynucleotide encoding a gene of interest, typically an antigen, to a dendritic cell (DC). The virus envelope comprises a DC-SIGN specific targeting molecule. The methods and related compositions can be used to treat patients suffering from a wide range of conditions, including infection, such as HIV/AIDS, and various types of cancers.
US08372386B2
The present invention relates to a keratotic plug remover composition including a polymer compound having a salt-forming group, and (a) an amino-modified silicone and/or (b) a polyoxyalkylene/dimethyl polysiloxane block copolymer, and a sheet for removing keratotic plugs including a nonwoven fabric substrate impregnated with the above composition. The keratotic plug remover composition and the sheet for removing keratotic plugs according to the present invention are enhanced in keratotic plug removing effect without increasing a pain of users when peeling the sheet pack from the skin.
US08372384B2
Functionalized cross-linked polysiloxanes, such as quaternary ammonium terminated cross-linked polyalkylsiloxanes are described herein. The functionalized cross-linked polysiloxanes may be used in an antifouling composition to prevent biological fouling in aqueous and/or marine environments.
US08372383B2
The present invention consists in a composition comprising a mixture of extracts of saw palmetto and swertia, of derivatives thereof and of active components being part of said extracts. The composition may comprise additional agents and/or extracts, for example, irritating agents, extracts for hair invigoration, hair nourishment agents, antidandruff anti-proliferative compounds, extracts with an antimicrobial, extracts with an antifungal, extracts with anti-inflammatory agents, extracts with a steroid, extracts with a nitric oxide donor and extracts with minoxidil. The concentration of saw palmetto extract in the composition is suitably 0.01-100%. The composition may comprise a suitable carrier, solvent and/or emulgent. The composition may be, for example, an internally ingested tablet, a capsule, drops or a suspension. The invention relates also to the use of said composition in the preparation of a mixture for the application to humans and animals against the loss of hair and to method for the treatment with said composition for the treatment of humans and animals against loss of hair.
US08372382B2
Disclosed is a non-ionic oil-in water emulsion comprising less than 50% by weight of water, a combination of non-ionic emulsifiers and non-ionic emulsion stabilizers, a combination of humectant skin conditioning agents, and a combination of UV absorbing agents. The emulsion can be stable and have an SPF of at least 30.
US08372380B2
Radiolabeled tracers for sulfotransferases (SULTs), their synthesis, and their use are provided. Included are substituted phenols, naphthols, coumarins, and flavones radiolabeled with 18F, 123I, 124I, 125I, or 11C. Also provided are in vivo techniques for using these and other tracers as analytical and diagnostic tools to study sulfotransferase distribution and activity, in health and disease, and to evaluate therapeutic interventions.
US08372379B2
Chelators of the formulae (I), (II) and (III) and tricarbonyl complexes of radioisotopes of Tc and Re bound to them, for use in myocardial imaging.
US08372377B2
The invention concerns a crystalline solid designated IM-18 which has the X-ray diffraction diagram given below. Said solid has a chemical composition expressed by the empirical formula: mXO2:nGeO2:pZ2O3:qR:sF:wH2O, in which R represents one or more organic species, X represents one or more tetravalent element(s) other than germanium, Z represents at least one trivalent element and F is fluorine.
US08372373B2
Provided are a graphite material suitable as an electrode material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, a carbonaceous material for battery electrodes, and secondary batteries which exhibit excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristics and excellent severe-current-load characteristics. A graphite material which has specific sizes of optically anisotropic and isotropic structures, a specific content ratio between both structures, and various orientation of crystallization; and a carbonaceous material for battery electrodes which is made using the graphite material and which exhibits a large discharge capacity and a small irreversible capacity with the severe-current-load characteristics and cycle characteristics being kept at high levels.
US08372370B2
A process for hydrogenating halogenated silanes or halogenated germanes. The process comprises hydrogenating a Lewis acid-base pair with addition of H2, hydrogenating halogenated silanes or halogenated germanes with an H−-containing Lewis acid-base pair, and regenerating the Lewis acid-base pair and releasing hydrogen halide.
US08372360B2
The present invention relates generally to a process for controlled leaching and sequential recovery of two or more metals from metal-bearing materials. In one exemplary embodiment, recovery of metals from a leached metal-bearing material is controlled and improved by providing a high grade pregnant leach solution (“HGPLS”) and a low grade pregnant leach solution (“LGPLS”) to a single solution extraction plant comprising at least two solution extractor units, at least two stripping units, and, optionally, at least one wash stage.
US08372357B2
A rotatable microfluidic device that comprises a hydrophilic microchannel structure in which there is a) an upstream microcavity I with a liquid outlet I, b) a microconduit I connected to liquid outlet I, and c) a capillary valve I associated with microconduit I. The inlet end of the microconduit is closer to the spin axis than the outlet end of the microconduit. The difference in radial distance between the inlet end and the outlet end of microconduit I is typically ≧5%, such as ≧10% or ≧100% or ≧500%, of the difference in radial distance between the uppermost part of the upstream microcavity and liquid outlet I.
US08372337B2
Method of disinfecting floors by injecting hot, wet compressed air into the floor, this air being produced by a generator, whether on board or not, consisting of two cylinders of different diameters, one (1) of large diameter into which the atmospheric air is drawn and then compressed in a chamber (11) to a pressure and temperature sufficient to allow almost instantaneous vaporization of a dose of liquid and the other (6), facing the chamber, of smaller diameter in which the charge of humidified compressed air will be partly expanded so as to bring it back to the chosen pressure and temperature for use in order to inject it into the floor.
US08372336B2
The present invention relates to the use of a product obtainable by the reaction of an alkoxylated fatty amine with a dicarboxyhc acid derivative, followed by partial or total quaternization of the reaction product obtained; or by reacting a product with a dicarboxylic acid derivative, followed by partial or total quaternization of the reaction product obtained. The product consists of >60% w/w of oligomers/polymers with at least two alkoxylated amine units and one or more diacid/acid anhydride unit or >50% w/w of oligomers/polymers with at least two alkoxylated amine units and two or more diacid/acid anhydride units; as a corrosion inhibitor for metal surfaces. The invention also relates to a method for protecting a metal surface from corrosion by contacting the metal surface with said corrosion inhibitor.
US08372334B2
Diamond-bonded constructions include a diamond-bonded body having a thermally stable region extending a distance below a diamond-bonded body surface. The thermally stable region comprises a matrix phase of bonded-together diamond crystals, and interstitial regions comprising a reaction product. The reaction product is formed by reaction between the diamond crystals and a reactive material. The reactant is a carbide former and the reaction product is a carbide. The diamond-bonded body includes a further diamond region extending from the thermally stable region that comprises the matrix phase and a Group VIII metal disposed within interstitial regions of the matrix phase. The thermally stable region is substantially free of a catalyst material used to initially form the diamond-bonded body. The diamond-bonded body may include a material layer formed from the reaction product that is disposed on a surface of the diamond-bonded body thermally stable region.
US08372333B2
A vessel comprises a probe oriented downward from an outside surface of the vessel to an inside surface of the vessel. A method of operating a vessel, the vessel comprising a vessel wall having an inside surface and an outside surface, comprises: defining a hole extending through the vessel wall, the hole being oriented at a downward angle from the outside surface to the inside surface; and placing a probe in the hole; and preventing slag buildup around the probe during operation of the vessel.
US08372330B2
A solidification substrate assembly for making a three-dimensional object from a solidifiable material includes a solidification substrate assembly. In certain examples, the solidifiable material solidifies in contact with the solidification substrate, and the tilting of the substrate and/or or the use of a peeling member facilitates separation of the substrate from the solidified material. In other examples, the solidification substrate assembly includes a film that is adjacent to a rigid or semi-rigid layer. The solidifiable material solidifies in contact with the film, and a peeling member peels the film away from the solidified material. Intelligent solidification substrate assemblies are also described in which a force sensor determines when to expose the solidifiable material to solidification energy and/or whether to use a peeling member to separate the solidification substrate from a solidified objection section.
US08372328B2
An apparatus for opening sealed packaging, including three parts, a pouring nozzle having a flange, a cylindrical cutting element and a screwcap. According to this invention, all three parts of the apparatus are produced in one piece as a semi-finished product. The teeth of the cutting element protrude into the pouring nozzle, while the screwcap is held on the flat edge of the cutting element. The three parts are connected to one another via predetermined breaking point bridges. This invention reduces the production costs and simplifies the assembly and the systems which are required for this purpose.
US08372327B2
A composite fabrication apparatus which may include a first tooling die and a second tooling die movable with respect to each other; a temperature control system having induction coils disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die; a first die susceptor provided on the first tooling die and a second die susceptor provided on the second tooling die and connected to the induction coils; and a cooling system disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die. A resin transfer system delivers resin from a resin source to the tooling dies to allow resin transfer molding. A composite fabrication method is also disclosed.
US08372319B2
The present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing spectacle lens eyewear using a block mold, front and back optical inserts, front and back optical insert gaskets, a protractor insert, a closing mechanism and a preformed frame, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a front optical insert from a look up table or computer program product and assembling the insert into the block mold; selecting a front optical insert gasket and assembling the gasket onto the front optical insert; assembling the frame front onto the front optical insert gasket; selecting a back optical insert gasket and assembling the gasket onto the back side of the frame front; selecting a back optical insert from a look up table or computer program product and assembling the insert onto the back optical insert gasket; assembling the protractor insert and adjusting the position of the back optical insert to the axis indicated on a look up table or computer program product; assembling the mold closing mechanism and securing the mold; filling the cavity through a first capillary tube; curing the closed mold to polymerize the lenses; removing the ophthalmic eyewear from the block mold and releasing the front and back optical inserts and insert gaskets; and removing the capillary tube housing and attaching earpieces.
US08372315B2
A donor-acceptor (DA) π-conjugated polymer with high charge transfer mobility has a plurality of D1kAD1k portions, where k is 1 or 2, D1 is a donor unit having at least one solubilizing side chain, and A is an acceptor unit, and the donor-acceptor (DA) π-conjugated polymer has a plurality of D2m spacer sequences situated between the D1kAD1k portions, where m is 1 to 6 and D2 is a second donor unit where all atoms of the unit are coplanar in at least one conformation that the unit can assume. The DA π-conjugated polymer can reflect a blue tinted green, deep green, or yellow tinted green color. The DA π-conjugated polymers have space-charge limited (SCL) zero field hole mobilities of at least 1×10−6 cm2V−1s−1.
US08372313B2
An objective is to provide an electrical-discharge surface-treatment electrode by which a high-coverage zinc coating film can be formed. The electrical-discharge surface-treatment electrode is made by uniformly distributing and compression-molding zinc-based powders including at least one of a pure-metal zinc powder and a metal zinc powder whose surface is oxidized, and zinc-oxide powders whose content rate ranges from 5 to 90 volume percent with respect to the zinc-based powders, to obtain a porosity ranging from 10 to 55 volume percent; then, the zinc coating film is formed using the electrical-discharge surface-treatment electrode.
US08372308B2
A method ensuring that a CaMgSi2O6:Eu2+ blue light-emitting phosphor having high emission intensity can be produced in an industrially advantageous manner is provided. The production method includes a step of mixing a calcium source powder, a europium source powder, a magnesium source powder and a silicon source powder composed of silicon diimide powder or the like in a ratio producing a CaMgSi2O6:Eu2+ blue light-emitting phosphor, and a step of subjecting the powder mixture to heating at a temperature of 400 to 1,000° C. in an oxygen-containing gas atmosphere and then firing at a temperature of 800 to 1,500° C. in a reducing gas atmosphere.
US08372292B2
Disclosed herein is a polymeric filtration medium including at least one fibrous mat of randomly oriented fibers of a polymer. The polymer has a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) between about 1.4 and about 6 and a melt flow rate greater than about 1000 g/10 minutes. Also disclosed herein are methods of making and using the polymeric filtration medium. Further disclosed herein is a composite filtration medium incorporating the polymeric filtration medium.
US08372291B2
The present invention is directed to a water treatment composition, comprising: 35-95 wt % calcium hypochlorite; 1 to 50 wt % magnesium sulfate or a hydrate thereof; 0.1 to 10 wt % lime; and 0.1 to 55 wt % of a water soluble zinc salt or a hydrate thereof; wherein the weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition. The present invention is also directed to a water treatment tablet, comprising 35-95 wt % calcium hypochlorite; 1 to 50 wt % magnesium sulfate or a hydrate thereof; 0.1 to 10 wt % lime; and 0.1 to 10 wt % of a water soluble zinc salt or a hydrate thereof; wherein the weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition. Methods of treating recreational water using the compositions are also disclosed.
US08372287B2
A solid-phase extraction device utilizing a section of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) tubing as the stationary phase is disclosed. The microscopic pores of ePTFE tubing are impregnated with a binding agent having an affinity for a target constituent within a matrix. The matrix is prepared and loaded onto the stationary phase of the system. The target constituent is retained by the stationary phase. The constituent is stripped from the stationary phase with a stripping solution, and collected for further analysis or use.
US08372276B2
A method of cleaning a membrane surface immersed in a liquid medium with a fluid flow, including the steps of providing a randomly generated intermittent or pulsed fluid flow along the membrane surface to dislodge fouling materials therefrom. A membrane module is also disclosed comprising a plurality of porous membranes (6) or a set of membrane modules (5) and a device (11) for providing a generally randomly generated, pulsed fluid flow such that, in use, said fluid flow moves past the surfaces of said membranes (6) to dislodge fouling materials therefrom.
US08372274B2
The wastewater treatment system provides multiple techniques for decontaminating wastewater contained within a single system, thus optimizing the decontamination of the wastewater. In one embodiment, the wastewater treatment system includes a steel-reinforced plastic tank having first and second partition walls dividing the tank into first, second and third chambers. The first chamber includes at least one first effluent filter and further contains anaerobic bacteria for removal of organic waste material from the wastewater received therein. The first chamber is configured for at least partial removal of particulate and organic matter from the wastewater. The second chamber includes an air diffuser and further contains aerobic bacteria for further removal of organic waste material from the wastewater received therein. The third chamber includes a sludge pump assembly and at least one second effluent filter. Resultant purified water is selectively discharged from the third chamber through an outlet port.
US08372271B2
It has been discovered that metals and/or amines can be removed or transferred from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in an emulsion breaking process by using a composition that contains water-soluble hydroxyacids. Suitable water-soluble hydroxyacids include, but are not necessarily limited to glycolic acid, gluconic acid, C2-C4 alpha-hydroxy acids, poly-hydroxy carboxylic acids, thioglycolic acid, chloroacetic acid, polymeric forms of the above hydroxyacids, poly-glycolic esters, glycolate ethers, and ammonium salt and alkali metal salts of these hydroxyacids, and mixtures thereof. The composition may also include at least one mineral acid to reduce the pH of the desalter wash water. A solvent may be optionally included in the composition. The invention permits transfer of metals and/or amines into the aqueous phase with little or no hydrocarbon phase undercarry into the aqueous phase. The composition is particularly useful in treating crude oil emulsions, and in removing calcium and other metals therefrom.
US08372263B2
A hydroisomerization catalyst according to the present invention is obtained by calcining a catalyst composite including an ion-exchanged molecular sieve or a calcined material thereof which is obtained by performing ion exchange of a molecular sieve containing an organic template in a solution containing a cation species and using water as a main solvent and at least one metal which is selected from a group consisting of metals belonging to Groups 8-10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, molybdenum, and tungsten supported on the ion-exchanged molecular sieve or a calcined material thereof.
US08372260B1
A marine drive cathodic protection control circuit and method controls ohmic current from a power source to an anode according to electrical reference potential sensed by a reference electrode. The ohmic current is interrupted for an interruption interval, and reference potential is sensed during the interruption interval. The ohmic current is controlled according to reference potential sensed during the interruption interval.
US08372249B2
In a method of producing a metal structure by photoreducing metal ion, a substance capable of suppressing growth of metal crystal is added to a medium in which metal ion is dispersed to prevent growth of the metal crystal produced by photoreduction of the metal ion, thereby processing resolution of a metal structure formed of the metal crystal is improved.
US08372244B2
The present invention relates to a process for the control of pitch in an aqueous medium by adding surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate or an aqueous suspension comprising surface-reacted calcium carbonate and having a pH greater than 6.0 measured at 20° C., to the medium, wherein the surface-reacted calcium carbonate is a reaction product of natural calcium carbonate with carbon dioxide and one or more acids, the use of the surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate for pitch control, as well as to a combination of a surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate and talc for pitch control, and the resulting composites.
US08372242B2
Conductive nonwoven webs are disclosed. The nonwoven webs contain pulp fibers combined with conductive fibers. In one embodiment, the webs are made in a wetlaid tissue or paper making process. The pulp fibers contained in the webs may comprise softwood fibers, while the conductive fibers may comprise carbon fibers. Base webs can be produced having a resistance of less than about 100 Ohms/square in one embodiment. Once produced, the conductive material can be cut into slits that are then wound on spools. From the spools, the conductive slits can be fed into a process for making any suitable product.
US08372233B2
A heat transfer material kit is disclosed that includes a first image transfer material that includes a printable non-porous surface, and a second image transfer material that includes an outer layer having a film forming binder and thermoplastic particles. The film forming binder is polar. A method of using the kit is disclosed that includes the steps of a) imaging the substantially non-porous printable surface to form an imaged surface having printed and un-printed areas; b) positioning the outer layer adjacent the imaged surface; c) transferring a portion of the outer layer to the printed area while transferring a lesser portion of the outer layer to the non-printed area to form a coated imaged surface having a non-printed area with less coating than the printed area; and d) thereafter transferring the coated image to a substrate. Alternate methods of using the kit and applying images to substrates that provide good image appearance and durability are also disclosed.
US08372227B2
In a method for producing a multilayer ceramic substrate by a non-shrinkage process, even when a total area of surface electrodes on a first principal surface side is smaller than that on a second principal surface side, a favorable balance in terms of a time period from softening to crystallization of glass is achieved between the first principal surface side and the second principal surface side, thereby allowing all base material layers to be densified and prevented from causing cracks or warpage, even when the crystallization temperature is lowered to prevent production of a reaction layer. The crystallization temperature of a glass material included in a second base material layer defining a second principal surface with a larger total area of surface electrodes is less than that of a glass material included in a first base material layer defining a first principal surface.
US08372209B2
Disclosed herein are devices, methods and systems for ex-situ component recovery. The ex-situ recovery can be performed by desorbing or outgassing components of a processing system in a recovery system, rather than in the processing system itself. The recovery system can include a docking station and/or a heated vacuum chamber. The heated vacuum chamber can be used to desorb or outgas components that will be located inside the processing system, while the docking station can be used to desorb or outgas components that will be connected to the processing system. The processing system components can be placed under pressure by the recovery system to desorb or outgas contaminants and remove virtual leaks. The recovery system pressure can include a vacuum roughing pump, a turbomolecular pump, and/or a cryogenic pump to apply a pressure necessary to desorb or outgas the components.
US08372198B2
A dual damascene structure and a method of forming a dual damascene structure are disclosed. The dual damascene structure includes an insulation member, a single crystal member and a filling member. The insulation member has an opening having a dual damascene shape. The filling member is formed on a side face of the opening. The single crystal member contacts the filling member. The single crystal member fills up the opening. In order to form a dual damascene structure, an insulating member having an opening partially filled with a preliminary single crystal member is formed. The filling member is formed on a side face of the opening. The preliminary single crystal member epitaxially grows to fill up the opening. Because the filling member is positioned between the single crystal member and the insulation member, void formation may be reduced between the single crystal member and the insulation member.
US08372192B2
Provided is a fuel cell separator that has excellent resistance to heat and hot water and has a glass transition temperature between 140° C. and 165° C. Said fuel cell separator is formed by curing a composition containing a graphite material and a binder component resin. The binder component resin contains a cresol novolac epoxy resin having a hydrolysable chlorine content of at most 450 ppm and an epoxy equivalent weight of 192-210 g/eq, a phenol resin having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of 103-106 g/eq, and an imidazole compound having a molecular weight between 140 and 180.
US08372190B2
An ink set including at least a yellow ink composition, a magenta ink composition and a cyan ink composition, wherein the yellow ink composition contains, as the yellow colorant, at least one member selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by a specific structure and a salt thereof, each of the yellow colorant, the magenta colorant and the cyan colorant contained in the yellow ink composition, the magenta ink composition and the cyan ink composition, respectively, has at least one ionic hydrophilic group, the counter ion of the ionic hydrophilic group contains a lithium ion, and the lithium ion concentration is 70 mol % or more based on all cations in each ink composition.
US08372187B2
An apparatus for generating and collecting particulate matter derived from combusting a carbon-containing fuel in oxidizing gas includes a fuel burner housed in a container. The container has a gas inlet, a gas outlet; the gas outlet connects with a conduit for transporting the gas to atmosphere which is associated with means for forcing gas to flow from the gas inlet via the container and the conduit to atmosphere. Located within the conduit is a station for collecting particulate matter from gas flowing through the conduit. The gas flow-forcing means is controlled in response to a detected gas flow rate at the gas inlet to ensure the rate of gas flow at the gas inlet is maintained at a desired rate, thereby to promote particulate matter formation. A method for collecting particulate matter derived from combusting carbon-containing fuel employs the apparatus.
US08372181B2
A filter bag assembly and an associated method. The assembly has a filter bag that includes at least two sidewalls of filter material spaced from each other at an open end and connected to provide a closed end of the filter bag assembly. At least one of the sidewalls includes at least one folded pleat. In one specific example, the folded pleat extends perpendicular relative to a direction extending from the open end to the closed end.
US08372179B2
The present invention is one or more processes for producing separable iron and titanium oxides from an ore comprising titanium oxide and iron oxide, comprising: (a) forming agglomerates comprising carbon-based material and the ore, the quantity of carbon of the agglomerates being at least sufficient for forming a ferrous oxide-containing molten slag, at an elevated temperature; (b) introducing the agglomerates onto a bed of carbon-based material in a moving hearth furnace, wherein the carbon-based materials used for both the agglomerates and the bed have a low sulfur content; (c) heating the agglomerates in the moving hearth furnace to a temperature sufficient for liquefying the agglomerates to produce a liquid comprising ferrous oxide-containing slag; (d) metallizing the ferrous oxide of the slag by reaction of the ferrous oxide and the carbon of the carbon bed at a furnace temperature sufficient for maintaining the slag in a liquid state; (e) solidifying the slag after metallization of the ferrous oxide to form a matrix of titanium oxide-rich slag having a plurality of metallic iron granules distributed there through; and (f) separating the metallic iron granules from the slag, the slag comprising greater than 85% titanium dioxide based on the entire weight of the matrix after separation of the metallic iron.
US08372173B2
Liquid separator having a centrifugal separator and a fine separator through which a gas to be purified can flow. The centrifugal separator has a cylindrical housing with a tangential inlet and an axial outlet. The fine separator has a housing which defines a space and is isolated from the inner space of the centrifugal separator using a non-return valve.
US08372171B2
A process is presented whereby hot Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas is generated under pressure in an external Combustor by the partial oxidation of a carbon-based solid fuel. This pressurized, hot CO gas or CO gas mixture is then transferred to a desulfurizing vessel containing a second carbon-based solid fuel. The hot CO laden gas and solid material contact in a counter-flow arrangement where the CO reacts with and removes sulfur impurities from the second carbon fuel. The temperature of the pressurized CO laden gas from the Combustor is controlled by varying the oxidizer feed gas composition. The Combustor also contains a means for desulfurizing its feed fuel by flowing a portion of the hot CO gas generated up through the inlet solid fuel feed line.
US08372160B2
The present invention relates to a method of leveling color of hair comprising applying to the hair a composition resulting from mixing two compositions, A and B, prior to application, wherein composition A is an aqueous composition and comprises at least one oxidizing agent and has an acidic pH, and a composition B is a substantially anhydrous composition and comprises at least one compound with bleaching effect and has a pH between 8 and 12, wherein the application processed for up to 10 min at a temperature between 20 and 45° C. before rinsing and optionally drying steps.
US08372152B2
Spinal fusion system and method utilizing an implant plate and screw, wherein at least one pawl is mounted on or integral with at least one of said plate and becomes operatively related to the screw after the screw is inserted in the implant plate to prevent the screw from moving in at least one of an axial direction or a rotational direction. Other features and embodiments are described and claimed.
US08372147B2
A method for detecting biometric parameters includes the steps of performing a bone graft procedure on a hip, providing a biometric sensor at the hip, and measuring a biometric parameter at the hip with the sensor. The sensor is capable of measuring parameters in an adjacent surrounding including pressure, tension, shear, relative position, and vascular flow. Data relating to the biometric parameter is transmitted to an external source and the data are analyzed to evaluate a biometric condition of the hip. A set of the sensors can be placed on the hip.
US08372145B2
A pulsatile, positive-displacement mechanical circulatory support pump which can be used for assistance or replacement of one or both ventricles. The pump includes a plurality of contractile elements radiating outward from an apex of a compliance chamber, the elements being incorporated in and/or in contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of the compliance chamber. These contractile elements include an electroactive dielectric elastomer or an ion exchange membrane metallic composite. Application of electric field pulses from an implantable electrical energy source such as a pacemaker will cause the contractile elements to compress and expand the compliance chamber.
US08372141B2
A stent is provided for an endoprosthesis having a main body portion and two leg portions, particularly suitable for treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurism. The stent includes barbs that are twisted and shaped set to point radially outward. Each barb, as formed, points substantially perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, even when in a non-deployed configuration. The motion to move the barb into a deployed configuration for gripping tissue is a twisting motion which moves the barb from being substantially aligned with the circumference of the stent to extending radially outwards from the stent.
US08372131B2
An expandable surgical site access system and method for using the expandable surgical site access system to perform minimally invasive, percutaneous surgeries to access the spine or other bone structures, organs, or locations of the body is disclosed. In one embodiment, the surgical site access system includes an elongated, expandable stent that is particularly adapted to be deployed in a body during a surgical procedure to provide access to a surgical site within the body. The stent defines a working channel through the body from a point of entry to the surgical site.
US08372122B2
A bone anchor comprising a self-centering ball-joint suitable for use in a spine stabilization prosthesis which supports the spine while providing for the preservation of spinal motion. The bone anchor has a deflectable ball-rod partially received in a socket of a housing formed in the head of the bone anchor. A centering rod received partially in the ball-rod and partially within the housing operates to align the ball-rod with the longitudinal axis of the bone anchor. Deflection of the ball-rod bends the centering rod which in turn applies a restoring force upon the ball-rod. The centering rod includes an inner-superelastic core and an outer polymer sheath.
US08372116B2
A dynamic stabilization system for use with a spinal motion segment includes a first bone anchor assembly, a second bone anchor assembly, and a resilient element. The resilient element includes an end portion engageable with the first bone anchor assembly and a resilient portion engageable with the second bone anchor assembly. The resilient element provides resilient resistance when the first and second bone anchor assemblies are moved toward one another and provides no resistance and is separable from the second bone anchor assembly when the first and second bone anchor assemblies are moved away from one another.
US08372112B2
A closure device for sealing a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in the heart includes a left atrial anchor adapted to be placed in a left atrium of the heart, a right atrial anchor adapted to be placed in a right atrium of the heart, and a flexible elongate member adapted to extend through the passageway and connect the left and right atrial anchors. A delivery system for delivering the closure device includes a lock push tube for moving a lock along the elongate member and a wire release tube surrounding a wire for controlling movement of the right atrial anchor along the elongate member. The lock push tube and the wire release tube extend in a side-by-side relationship. A handle includes knobs for controlling the lock push tube and the wire. A device for retrieving a mis-deployed closure device includes a shaft portion and an expandable retrieval portion.
US08372101B2
An ultrasonic surgical assembly includes an ultrasonic waveguide having a proximal end for receiving ultrasonic movement thereat, an ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly having a shell, an ultrasonic-driving-wave-signal generating circuit housed within the shell, and an ultrasonic transducer having a proximal end disposed within the shell and an ultrasonic-movement-producing distal end, and a handle body having a waveguide attachment dock operable to accept the waveguide therein, an assembly dock shaped to removably secure at least a portion of the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly thereat, the assembly dock operable to selectively removably secure at least the shell thereat and to position the ultrasonic-movement-producing distal end of the ultrasonic transducer co-axially opposite the proximal end of the ultrasonic waveguide when the ultrasonic waveguide is disposed within the waveguide attachment dock.
US08372097B2
A valvulotome device for cutting valves inside a lumen of a vein having a deployable assembly with deployable cutting blades and guide fins which permit continual centralizing, self-alignment of the cutting blades within the lumen of the vein as the valves are being excised is disclosed. The valvulotome device further includes a handle operatively associated with the deployable assembly through a catheter by the handle in a one-handed operation for deploying the guide fins and cutting blades of the deployable assembly having respective outer diameters at each deployment position.
US08372081B1
A spinal distraction assembly is provided for distracting the disc space between a pair of vertebrae, the vertebrae each having been implanted with a bone anchor. The spinal distraction assembly includes a first anchor engaging element and a second anchor engaging element. The first anchor engaging element includes a body having a channel extending through the longitudinal axis of the body. The second anchor engaging element includes a guide bar. The guide bar is dimensioned to translate through the body channel. Anchor engaging arms extend laterally from each of the body and guide bar.
US08372079B2
A guard and method for guiding a bone removal device to form an implantation space in the human spine and, if desired, for inserting a spinal implant into the implantation space.
US08372076B2
In one preferred aspect, a method is provided for inserting an instrument set having a tapered configuration into a patient. In another preferred aspect, a method is provided for inserting a cannula having an external threaded portion into bone. In yet another preferred aspect, a method is provided for forming and enlarging an opening in bone.
US08372071B2
A high-frequency treatment tool comprising: a flexible sheath to be inserted into a treatment tool insertion channel of an endoscope; a treatment tool body provided inside the flexible sheath and comprising: a flexible cord; and a high-frequency knife to which a high-frequency current is applied, formed to the front end of the flexible cord; and a hard cylinder having an electrical insulating property, inserted and fixed inside the flexible sheath, wherein the high-frequency knife comprises blade portions radially provided in its axial direction, each of the blade portions including an engaging part, and wherein, when the high-frequency knife is made to stick out from the hard cylinder, engaging parts of the blade portions abut against a rear end portion of the hard cylinder so that: the high-frequency knife is engaged with the hard cylinder; and communicating channels that communicate an inside and an outside of the flexible sheath are formed between the blade portions adjacent to each other.
US08372067B2
Systems and methods are provided for priming or purging an electrosurgical fluid irrigation system. The electrosurgical system can include a high frequency power supply, a fluid delivery system, a handheld device having one or more electrodes, and one or more connectors for connecting the handheld device to the fluid delivery system and the RF generator. The electrosurgical system may be configured to deliver RF current and irrigation fluid until a threshold current level is detected, which is indicative of a continuous flow of fluid at the electrode and purging completion. The systems and methods of purging an electrosurgical system may further include dynamically controlling an RF output and fluid delivery system in accordance with varied parameters of detected threshold current levels.
US08372057B2
An adapter for a medical receptacle having a skirt with an outside diameter and a threaded inside diameter, and a tapered post within the skirt, the adapter includes a proximal end portion having a threaded surface including at least one thread configured to threadingly engage the threaded inside diameter of the skirt, a distal end portion having a surface portion and a cylindrical recess, a conduit positioned between the tapered recess and the cylindrical recess such that the conduit is in fluid communication with both the tapered recess and the cylindrical recess; and a longitudinal axis. The proximal end portion includes a tapered recess defined by a wall, a chamfer, and a seat and the surface portion includes a means for gripping, which in one embodiment may be at least two wings.
US08372056B2
A hybrid microguide catheter and method for making and using the same. The catheter may include a first tubular member and a second tubular member. The tubular members may be arranged so that the second tubular member extends distally beyond the first tubular member. Alternatively, the catheter may include a tubular body having a first opening and a second opening. The first opening may be positioned along the tubular body a distance from the second opening.
US08372055B2
A medical device including, e.g., an implantable medical lead or drug pump catheter, a guide member, or a sheath is delivered to a target location within a patient via a catheter capable of subselecting vessels or other cavities, passages, or the like within the patient's body. The catheter employs an inflatable member that, when actuated, acts to deflect a medical device to direct the device into a vessel or other cavity, passage, or the like branching off of, e.g., a vessel in which the catheter is arranged. In some examples, the inflatable member acts to deflect the delivery catheter, which in turn necessarily deflects the implantable medical device arranged therein. In other examples, the inflatable member acts to deflect the medical device to turn the device into a vessel or other cavity, passage, or the like branching off of the vessel in which the catheter is arranged.
US08372053B2
A pants-type disposable wearing article includes a liquid-impervious base sheet, a liquid-absorbent panel and transverse elastic members, each having opposite fixed portions secured to the lateral zones of the edges article, and a free portion extending in the transverse direction of the article between the opposite fixed portions across the panel and secured neither to the base sheet nor to the panel. The article further has leg-surrounding elastic members. At the crossover points of the transverse elastic members and the leg-surrounding elastic members, the elastic members are not secured one to another.
US08372047B1
A system and method of topically applying an anesthetic, or other medication, to one or both lips of the mouth. An applicator device is provided that has a curved first wall, a curved second wall, and a horizontal shelf that joins the first wall to the second wall. The first wall, the second wall and the horizontal shelf combine to define either one or two curved lip compartments. A volume of the anesthetic, or other medication, is placed within the curved lip compartments. The applicator device is partially placed in a person's mouth so that the second wall is positioned between the back of the lips and in front of the teeth. While in this position, the lip of the user passes into the curved lip compartment and is contacted by the anesthetic.
US08372040B2
A device for transdermal drug delivery and administration of differing dosages at specific times of the day automatically pursuant to a pre-programmed dosage profile. The device includes a control and display unit, a two-part dispensing mechanism, a drug reservoir, an administration element, and a solvent removal element. The dispensing mechanism may be a peristaltic pump having an active portion with a motor, a roller, a mounting plate and a detachable passive portion with tubing and a housing. The motor and roller are mounted in the reusable portion of the delivery device with the control unit and a power source. The speed of the micromotor is controlled by the control unit, so that the turning speed of the roller is controlled which, in turn, controls the flow rate to the administration. The passive portion and drug reservoir are detachable along with the administration element for attaching a new dosing reservoir.
US08372037B2
Stabilizing an object in the body of a patient involves the injection of a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) material or other flowable material into the body of the patient so that the material contacts the object. The LCST material or other flowable material then forms a gel in the body such that the object is contained at least partially within the gel and thereby stabilized by the gel such that the object can then be easily fragmented within the body and/or retrieved from the body.
US08372028B2
A tampon applicator having an outer member adapted to house a tampon and receive an inner member. The inner member has a first end and a second end. The first end is spaced a first distance from a first longitudinal protrusion. The second end is spaced a second distance from a second longitudinal protrusion.
US08372026B2
An ocular implant having a first spine; a second spine; a first strut extending in an axial direction Z between the first spine and the second spine; a second strut extending in an axial direction Z between the first spine and the second spine; wherein an angular dimension θ of a first edge of each strut undulates as the strut extends in the axial direction Z between the first spine and the second spine; and wherein a radius r of an outer surface of each strut remains substantially constant as the strut extends the axial direction Z between the first spine and the second spine.
US08372025B2
A system or method automates and optimizes citrate anticoagulant supplementation in a blood filtration circuit during CRRT. A processor-based control system interfaces with a blood filtration circuit to detect patient blood flow into the circuit, detect fluid loss through a hemofilter, and sense vital electrolyte concentrations in the blood flow, and in response, control the addition of citrate, substitution fluid, and electrolyte supplements to ensure stability of plasma concentrations in post-dilution flow returned to the patient. The controller executes the method embodied as process control algorithms for calculating an optimal citrate flow rate as a function of selected, detected, and calculated system parameters. Citrate may be added to the circuit separately, or as part of a substitution solution or a dialysate.
US08372004B2
An endoscopic system with at least one light source for generating at least partially coherent light, for exciting fluorescent light, with at least one light-conducting element, where the at least one light source and the at least one light-conducting element are positioned in a proximal supply unit. It is further provided with an optical radiance transmission link in an insertion part and with at least one fluorescence converter for conversion into white light. According to the invention, at least one actuator is present, which is coupled with at least one light-conducting element and/or with the at least one light source and/or with the at least one fluorescence converter. With the help of the actuator, perturbations or fluctuations concerning the at least one light-conducting element and/or the at least one light source and/or the at least one fluorescence converter are generated and thereby reduce the speckles in the endoscopic image.
US08371999B2
A sexual aid device formed of a substantially U-shaped, member having a proximal end adapted for engagement within the vagina of a user distal end positioned to oppose the proximal end in a biased engagement with intra vaginal and external sexually sensitive surfaces of the user's body. A skeletal member running axially within said U-shaped member may be employed to vary the force of the biased engagement and reshape the U-shaped member. A projecting elongated member adjacent to the distal end of the U-shaped member is engageable by the user or body contact with a second user to impart force to the U-shaped member for sexual stimulation.
US08371991B2
A trampoline has a trampoline bed with a bounding surface, and a trampoline bed bounding surface. A trampoline frame holds the bounding surface substantially horizontally to provide an area for a user. A balloon coupler is attached to the trampoline. A bounce module is mounted underneath the trampoline bed bounding surface. The bounce module is placed to receive motion from a user. The user activates a mode of the bounce module during jumping. A conduit hose is attached to the balloon coupler. A one-way valve is configured to regulate flow only to the balloon, and blocking any flow away from the balloon. A pump may pump water or air to the balloon. A balloon is attached to the balloon coupler so that the balloon is in fluid communication with the conduit hose.
US08371986B2
A method for controlling a vehicle transmission during a park release event includes engaging a park brake to hold vehicle wheels against rotation, holding against rotation a first component and a second component of an epicyclic gear unit connected to the wheels, releasing the park brake, selecting a transmission drive range, releasing said first component, and operating the transmission in the selected drive range.
US08371979B2
The invention relates to a transmission unit having a continuously variable transmission part (3) and a mechanical transmission part (4) comprising a four-shaft planetary gear (5), the part comprising a first planetary gear set (8) and a second planetary gear set (1) and being connected selectively to the output (A) via a first clutch device (K1) or a second shiftable clutch device (K2). The invention is characterized in that the first planetary gear set (8) and the second planetary gear set (10) of the planetary gear (5) each comprise a first shaft (11, 12) and a second shaft (13, 15), wherein the first shafts (11, 12) are rotationally fixed to each other and connected at least indirectly to the transmission input (E), and the second shaft of the first planetary gear set (8) is connected to the continuously variable transmission part (3) and the second shaft (15) of the second planetary gear set (9) is connected to an input part (16) of the first clutch device (K1). The first planetary gear set (8) comprises a third shaft (14) connected to the continuously variable transmission (3), wherein the third shaft (14) can be further connected to the output (A) via the second clutch device (K2).
US08371975B2
A power train for a hybrid vehicle comprising may include: a first planetary gear set including rotary elements; a second planetary gear set including rotary elements at least one of which is connected with at least one of the rotary elements of the first planetary gear set; a first clutch that is configured to connect/disconnect one of the rotary elements of the first planetary gear set with/from one of the rotary elements of the second planetary gear set; and a first brake that is configured to restrain rotation of one rotary element of the second planetary gear set, wherein at least two or more independent power sources and an output element are connected to come of the rotary elements of the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear set.
US08371974B2
To facilitate a tension adjusting operation in the chain tension structure without changing a wheelbase of a vehicle. In the chain tension structure in which a chain is wound around a drive sprocket wheel which is arranged below a vehicle body frame and a driven sprocket wheel which is mounted on a rear wheel side and tension is imparted to the chain by a tension roller, the tension roller is mounted in a state that a hexagon socket head cap screw which constitutes a rotary shaft of the tension roller is inserted into an elongated hole which is opened in a plate-like projecting portion formed on the vehicle body frame.
US08371971B2
Lace designs for footballs are provided. The laces have geometries that improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the football during flight. Additionally, the placement of the laces on the football is selected to maximize aerodynamic performance of the football during flight.
US08371957B2
A golf club head can comprise a body and a protrusion weight protruded from a heel, a sole, and/or a skirt of the body. A center of gravity of the protrusion weight can be external to the body of the golf club head. A moment of inertia of the golf club head can be increased due to a distance extension between the center of gravity of the protrusion weight and a center of gravity of the golf club head, the distance extension being external to the body. The center of gravity of the golf club head can be located at a heel portion of the body, shifted by the protrusion weight away from a toe portion of the body and from a center of gravity of the body. The protrusion weight can be at least partially visible from an exterior of the golf club head. Other examples are disclosed herein.
US08371956B2
A golf grip apparatus includes a pre-molded cap that is fixedly attached to a molded outer sleeve. The golf grip is adapted to be mounted onto the proximal end of a golf club shaft. The golf grip may be permanently mounted onto the golf club shaft, with the outer sleeve of the grip being disposed around the outer circumference of the golf club shaft and the pre-molded cap of the grip being disposed at the most proximal end of the shaft. The outer sleeve may have a predetermined wall thickness that is sufficiently thin to provide a hollow area between the grip's outer sleeve and the club's shaft, when the grip is in use, thus reducing the weight of the grip. Spacers may be created on the inner surface of the grip so that when the grip is mounted onto a shaft, the spacers may assist in maintaining the position of the golf club shaft in the grip.
US08371955B2
A set of wood-type golf clubs having different club-lengths is disclosed. In order to decrease variations in the ball flying directions among the clubs, each of the wood-type golf clubs has a club-length WL in inches, a toe-side crown width L1 in millimeter, an overall crown width L in millimeter, and a crown tilt angle α2 in degree which satisfy the following conditional expressions: 0.75=<{(L1/L)+0.01×WL}=<0.95, and −22.5=<(α2−0.65×WL)=<−20.5.
US08371953B2
A golf training aide includes a pair of sleeves adapted to be placed on a golfer's arms. Each sleeve includes a pair of visually distinguishable sections, such that when the sleeves are properly positioned on the golfer's arms one of the visually distinguishable sections of each sleeve will face forwardly at the end of a proper backswing of a golf club and the other of the pair of visually distinguishable sections of each sleeve will face forwardly at the end of the forward swing of the golf club.
US08371950B2
A coupling assembly for connecting a hub bearing unit with a constant velocity joint includes a bell member of a constant velocity joint having a tubular section disposed about a driving ring and having an end surface facing a hub member end surface and an inner circumferential surface defining a bore. The inner surface has inner splines engageable with driving ring outer splines and a tapering surface section. A sealing member is disposed between the hub and bell end surfaces and seals the space between the surfaces. An annular retainer disposed within the bell bore has a tapering outer circumferential surface engageable with the inner surface section of the bore such that the tubular section is retained between the retainer outer surface and the hub end surface, preventing disengagement of the splines and compressing the sealing member between the end surfaces. A connector connects the retainer with the hub.
US08371940B1
A video game allows dynamic transitions in the number of players. A player may join other players already playing the game without interrupting the play of the existing players, and a player may cease playing the game without interrupting the play of players who continue playing. The video game uses a method including providing game play for at least one game player including displaying video information based on game program instructions and inputs from a controller. The method also includes determining whether a further player is joining the video game, and if the further player is joining the video game, displaying player specific information associated with the further player to the video information. The method also includes determining whether a player is quitting the video game, and if the player is quitting the video game, removing display of the player specific information associated with the player.
US08371935B2
A method and gaming machine are disclosed for operating a game with a primary and embedded game. An embedded game is disclosed as a bonus game with one embodiment animating miniature reels inside the primary game symbol. Each embedded slot game may have its own progressive, or may be tied into the progress associated with the primary game. Each embedded slot game will have its own paytable, and may be a miniature version of a well-recognized full-sized slot game. Also disclosed are a wagering game, a gaming machine and a networked gaming system and associated methods including a multiple-progressive wheel game. A player may win all of a set of wheel-based progressive award during play of a single game.
US08371933B2
A method of gaming comprising: receiving an input indicative that a player accepts deferred payment in respect of at least one award awardable during play of a game; conducting the play to determine whether the at least one award is made; and providing an entitlement to the player to enable the player to obtain the award after a deferment period when the award is made to the player.
US08371929B2
A method for dynamically changing the graphical content on mechanical slot machine reels is disclosed herein. The system includes mechanical slot reels, flexible display panels, and data transmission techniques which provide for dynamically updating or changing the graphics on the spinning mechanical reels in a slot machine. In one method for dynamically changing graphical reel content, new image content is placed on the reels at any time, even while the reels are spinning. The method may even be used to give the appearance of rotation to a stationary reel.
US08371922B2
A gaming system, apparatus, and method are disclosed which include identifying a set of initial game designations to produce a game ending winner for a game, one or more additional game designations may be considered, that is, compared against a set of elements shown on a card or display in play in the game. Considering these additional game designations in addition to the set of initial game designations may produce additional matched locations on the card or display and may produce a winning pattern that would not have been produced considering only the initial set of game designations. This use of additional game designations provides additional opportunities for players to obtain a winning result.
US08371921B1
A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement a wagering game combining keno and poker. A first payout is made based on a number of matches between player selected numbers and computer generated numbers on a keno grid. Card values are also associated with each number in the keno grid. The card values are determined using a deterministic hashing algorithm. Then, for each matched number, the best five card (or any other predetermined number of cards) poker hand is made using the associated card values, and a payout is made (if earned) based on a rank of the best poker hand.
US08371915B2
A target speed profile for a specified racer is computed at various points along a track. The calculation is based on the real world physics of the racing environment and incorporates physical characteristics of the track, including curvature, undulation, and/or camber. A lateral acceleration component is developed to limit the realistic maximum speed a racer may obtain at any given point along the track. Furthermore, differences in realistic maximum speeds at different points along the track can overwhelm a racer's braking capability. As such, braking capacity adjustments can be applied to decrease the maximum speed in the target speed profile, so that the overall target speed profile is more realistic and attainable.
US08371905B1
A magnetically attached spectacle lens wherein magnets are embedded in the rear surface of the lens in a circumferential groove near the periphery of the lens. The magnets are spaced around the periphery of the lens, and are held in the groove by preferably a wicked in cyanoacrylate adhesive. The spaces between the magnets are preferably filled with a light activated potting compound. Prior to installation of the magnets, the inside of the groove is painted, preferably by spraying, with an opaque paint whereby the magnets are hidden from the view of onlookers. During fabrication, after magnet installation, any overspray from the painting step is removed by using a solvent preferably applied by moistened swabs or cloth.
US08371904B2
A polishing head is presented. The polishing head includes a housing having top and bottom surfaces. The housing is formed from a single piece of material. The polishing head includes grooves disposed on the bottom surface and an inlet in communication with the grooves for coupling to a pressure medium supply to supply a pressure medium to the grooves. The pressure medium when supplied to the grooves exerts pressure on a template when attached to the bottom surface to provide back side pressure on a back surface of an article when temporally attached to the template.
US08371900B2
The invention relates to a method for operating a digital control system for track-guided toy vehicles (10), with at least two tracks (24, 26), wherein at least one set of points (34) is provided. Accordingly in each case a switching command given for a particular toy vehicle is transmitted for switching a set of points, which this toy vehicle will next cross, into the switched state in the digital control system together with a digital address of the toy vehicle to which the switching command applies; at least the toy vehicle for which a switching command is transmitted broadcasts an identifier representing the digital address of this toy vehicle in the digital control system, wherein each set of points receives a broadcast identifier from the toy vehicle that is approaching these points and compares it with the digital address of one or more transmitted switching commands and switches the points into the switched state if the digital address in the identifier of the toy vehicle received is identical to a digital address for which a switching command is transmitted in the digital control system.
US08371896B2
A toy includes electronics which generates a plurality of routines and is configured to operate in a first mode and in a second mode, a first sensor and a second sensor, each sensor operably connected to the electronics. Actuation of the first sensor causes the electronics to generate a first routine with the electronics in the first mode and to generate a second routine, different from the first routine, with the electronics in the second mode. Activation of the second sensor causes the electronics to generate of a third routine, different from the first routine, and causes the electronics to be set to the second mode. The electronics is set to the first mode upon a first application of electrical power to the electronics.
US08371895B1
A toy play set comprising user designed base plate and structure plates, story telling media, a master doll and accessory toy articles is provided for a child to rebuild a toy playing scene after reading a scene base story, and then for the child to build the play set according to his/her imaginative capability. Interactive audio and/or visual responses are provided when a master toy member touches an accessory toy member for providing further fun in playing the custom designed story scene based play set.
US08371889B2
A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a spark plug. A bending apparatus includes a bending unit having a preliminary bending unit and a main bending unit, and a gap adjusting unit. The main bending unit including pressing unit for pressing a distal end of a ground electrode toward a center electrode, and a gap adjusting unit configured to adjust a relative height position of the distal end of the ground electrode relative to a distal end of the center electrode in an axis line direction. The gap adjusting unit includes a gap adjusting unit for relatively moving the distal end of the ground electrode relative to the center electrode in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis line direction, and a restricting unit for restricting relative movement of the distal end of the ground electrode relative to the center electrode in the axis direction.
US08371888B2
A movable floating object includes a floatable body and water pumps mounted on the left and right sides of the body respectively. Intake tubes are coupled to the pumps through intake valves respectively. Discharge tubes are coupled to the pumps respectively. Exertion of force on the pumps forces water out of the pumps and through the discharge tubes, and release of the force creates a vacuum inside the pumps that sucks water into the pumps through the intake tubes and the intake valves respectively. The floatable body moves forwards when same force applied to the pumps and turns when the forces apply to the pumps are different.
US08371872B2
A rotating plug includes an insulating main body, multiple conductive prongs, multiple conductive connecting terminals, and an insulating rotating member. Electrical wires are disposed in the insulating main body. The conductive prongs are electrically connected with the electrical wires, respectively. Each conductive connecting terminal includes a fixed portion and a swing portion pivotably connected to the fixed portion. The fixed portion is mounted to the insulating main body and electrically connected to a corresponding electrical wire. The swing portion is mounted to the insulating rotating member. The conductive prongs are mounted to the insulating rotating member and electrically connected with the swing portions, respectively. The fixed portions are electrically connected with the electrical wires, respectively. When the swing portions of the conductive connecting terminals rotate, the swing portions may drive the insulating rotating member and conductive prongs to rotate together therewith. The rotating plug is flexible and convenient in use.
US08371869B2
A minute connector with a first connecting member and a second connecting member. The first connecting member has a first conductive portion disposed at each of the bottom surface of a plurality of recessing portions set at an insulative first substrate connected to first ends, and first contacts made of first carbon nanotube bundles protruding from the surface of a first substrate at second ends. The second connecting member has second contacts made of second carbon nanotube bundles connected to second conductive portions disposed at each of the bottom surface of recessing portions set at an insulative second substrate corresponding to each of the first contacts at first ends. Each of the first carbon nanotubes contacts between the second carbon nanotubes with each other in an overlapping manner at the state that the first contacts are contacted with each of the corresponding second contacts.
US08371856B2
A game box includes a box and a drawer is located in the lower space of the box and includes at least one chamber. The box includes an operation portion protruding in the upper space of the box and multiple slots are defined in an inside of the operation portion. At least one figure board slides in the slots and a light source is located in the box. The light of the light source goes through the at least one figure board. The at least one figure board includes holes which are located corresponding to the multiple areas of the map on the at least one figure board. At least one index member is received in the at least one chamber of the drawer and the players insert the index member into the correct hole in the at least one figure board.
US08371855B1
A method for sharing electronic books may include receiving a request to borrow an electronic book. The request may be received from a borrowing user's electronic book reader. The method may also include generating a borrowing user's license for the electronic book. The method may also include transmitting a copy of the electronic book to the borrowing user's electronic book reader. The method may also include transmitting the borrowing user's license to the borrowing user's electronic book reader.
US08371854B2
A dental instrument with arms pivotally connected for scissors pivot action between closed and open positions is disclosed. A pair of tines extends from distal ends of the arms and at least one shaping surface on one of said tines is supported so that it is operable to shape an interior surface of one of two matrix bands positioned around adjacent teeth. In use, each tine is positioned inside of adjacent matrix bands positioned around adjacent teeth. As the arms are pivoted towards the closed position, the shaping surface is moved towards the tine on which it is not supported and a clamping force is applied by the tines causing the shaping surface to shape at least one of the matrix bands.
US08371849B2
A method and a dental implant treatment planning and surgical guide design system based on a full anatomy model (FAM). A FAM consists of models for bones, teeth, and nerves, and a virtual stone model. A virtual stone model is not only a surface model of the soft tissue and tooth surfaces of a patient, but also a color map of tissue thickness data. It also contains the insert direction of a surgical guide. The treatment planning and surgical guide system uses the full anatomy model as a unique reference throughout the workflow. Its implant placement, restoration preview and surgical guide design are all based on the anatomy model.
US08371846B2
A self-adjustable, self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a base with a tooth face bonded to a surface of a tooth. A linking body includes a body connection. The linking body is in physical communication with an archwire transmitting a force to the linking body. A connector applies a tension between the linking body and the base motivating the linking body and the base toward a normal position.
US08371842B2
Disclosed is a mold with sliders employed for molding a plastic product having a first lateral bulge and a second lateral bulge in different directions. The mold comprises a fixed half, an angle pin, a moving half, a main slider and a tilted slider. The angle pin comprises an angle pin body with two opposite forcing surfaces. The main slider comprises a tilted slide track corresponding to the second lateral bulge. A pin slot is formed on the main slider. Two weighted surfaces are formed on the main slider at the opposite two sides of the pin slot. The angle pin body can slidably dip into the pin slot and the driving guide slot. By acting on the tilted slider and then on the main slider with the angle pin body, the mold can respectively complete the procedure of pulling out laterally bulges aslant and horizontally.
US08371840B2
A blow molding apparatus includes an injection molding station (12) that injection-molds preforms (1A) held by N (N is an integer equal to or larger than 2) rows of holding plates (30), a temperature control station (14) that performs a temperature control operation on the preforms (1A), a blow molding station (16) that blow-molds the preforms into containers, and a row pitch change section (130) that changes the row pitch of the N rows of holding plates so that P1
US08371835B2
There is provided a mold for extrusion forming of ceramic articles which is excellent in wear resistance and can remarkably decrease forming defects in the vicinity of outer peripheries thereof. The mold for the extrusion forming of the ceramic articles includes a die 1 having a plurality of back holes 9, and slits 8; a back pressing plate 12 and a back spacer 13 to adjust the amount of the kneaded clay to be supplied; and a pressing plate 11 and a spacer 10 to regulate the shape and size of the formed ceramic article. At least a portion of the supply end 22 of the die 1 which overlaps with the back pressing plate 12 is flattened, and a surface roughness (Ra) thereof is in a range of 0.05 μm to 10 μm.
US08371833B2
A supply device for the supply of pressure fluid into at least one vehicle brake or into a pressure fluid accumulator, wherein a piston is movably arranged in an accommodating member, a carrier bears a non-return valve arranged coaxially to the piston for the purpose of ventilating a working chamber into which the piston plunges, and wherein a resetting spring is arranged between the carrier and the piston. A multi-piece cage facilitating inserting the resetting spring into the cage parts, the cage parts comprise a fastener that locks the cage due to relative displacement of the cage parts, and the resetting spring is caged and simultaneously elastically preloaded under the relative displacement of the cage parts.
US08371831B2
A centrifugal discharge pump (1) for electric household appliances, of unusual efficiency, having: a working chamber which has an intake opening and a delivery opening; an open impeller (10) arranged inside the working chamber and rotatable about a main axis (x) and a motor (5) designed to drive the impeller (10) by means of a transmission shaft (6). The impeller (10) has a planar support element (11) integral with the transmission shaft (6), and a plurality of blades (12) projecting from the support element (11); a free space (13) is provided between the blades (12) in order to allow the removal of foreign solids present in the discharge stream.
US08371826B1
A geyser pump includes an air chamber having an air chamber interior, a generally U-shaped bubble-forming loop external to and disposed in fluid communication with the air chamber and a liquid delivery conduit disposed in fluid communication with the bubble-forming loop. A liquid recirculation/transfer system having an orifice disk assembly and a geyser pump is also disclosed.
US08371824B2
An apparatus and method for controlling a linear compressor with an inverter unit. In the apparatus and method, a capacitor is connected between a driving motor and an inverter unit that applies a voltage to the driving motor according to an output frequency thereof, thereby preventing a jump phenomenon due to an inductance of the motor coil. Furthermore, the linear compressor is precisely controlled through the inverter unit, thereby enhancing stability of the apparatus.
US08371823B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for controlling the operation of an electric oil pump for creating a working fluid pressure in a transmission and a clutch for a hybrid vehicle, which can accurately reflect the viscosity characteristics of oil to accurately control the operation of the pump, instead of measuring the temperature of the oil to reflect the state of the oil. In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides an apparatus for controlling the operation of an electric oil pump, the apparatus including: a current detector for detecting a current applied to a motor of an electric oil pump; a rotational speed detector for detecting a rotational speed of the motor; and a controller for calculating a load torque of the motor based on the detection values of the current detector and the rotational speed detector, calculating a target rotational speed based on the detection values, and controlling the operation of the motor based on the target rotational speed.
US08371819B2
Provided is a quiet propeller including a propeller blade having such a pitch angle not at its root portion but at its blade end edge portion with respect to a relative flow in the rotational direction, as to raise the internal pressure of a liquid thereby to eliminate a cavity, a water bubble or a cavitation at the blade root portion at the time of a high-speed rotation so that the propeller is rotated at a high speed by a small prime mover and by a prime mover capable of moving much fluid backward. In the quiet propeller, a propeller blade is curved backward at its leading end portion to form a slope portion, and a rotational front side end portion in the slope portion is formed into an arcuate shape in the side view whereas a rotational rear side end portion is so gradually extended backward from the rotational front side end portion as to become straight from the blade root to the blade end, thereby to form a deflecting slope face. At the rotating time, the fluid is pushed toward the back axis from the deflecting slope face in the slope portion.
US08371811B2
A technique is provided for improving the efficiency of a centrifugal pump. The centrifugal pump comprises diffusers that optimize the area schedule through the diffuser to diffuse the total fluid velocity and recover dynamic head while minimizing flow separation. Each diffuser comprises an improved transition from the diffuser blade into the diffuser discharge duct to remove abrupt changes in area and to reduce fluid separation. The impellers also can be constructed with impeller transitions able to reduce fluid separation and improve the efficiency of the pump.
US08371800B2
A segment of a component for use in a gas turbine includes a leading edge; a trailing edge; a pair of opposed lateral sides between the leading and trailing edges; and a seal slot provided in each lateral side. The seal slot includes a surface having a channel extending in an axial direction defined from the leading edge to the trailing edge, at least one inlet to the channel, and at least one outlet from the channel. The at least one outlet is spaced downstream from the at least one inlet in the axial direction. The segment may be an inner shroud segment or a nozzle segment.
US08371798B2
A carrier having a platform or deck mounted on a subframe tiltable relative to the vehicle chassis. The platform is preferably slidable relative to the subframe. Using Super Single rear wheels and an airbag suspension, for example, sufficient clearance is provided such that the subframe is preferably located between the vehicle chassis frame and the rear wheels. The resulting carrier has a platform with a height lower than that of previous carriers, providing it with a lower center of gravity, enabling a reduction in load angle and an increase in payload height.
US08371797B2
The invention relates to facility including a robot (2) for supplying pallet preparation stations with products (3) of the crate type or different. The structure of the facility includes side walls (11) and doors (13, 14) for accessing the palletization stations A and B. The structure further includes a fixed wall (15) separating stations A and B, and a cowling (20) mobile from one station to the other and in the shape of a dihedron, for alternatively converting each palletization station A and B into a kind of pallet hatch, wherein said conversion is carried out automatically before the opening of the door for accessing a loaded pallet located in said hatch. The cowling (20) is directly actuated by the product handling robot (2).
US08371777B2
A cutting tool including a body, a blade, a feed shaft, and a locking member. The body defines an axis and is adapted to be received by a spindle of a power tool. The blade is removably supportable on the body and rotatable about the axis for cutting a workpiece. A feed shaft is removably supportable in the body and rotatable about the axis for engaging a workpiece, the feed shaft being mountable in the cutting tool to engage and at least partially restrain the blade. The feed shaft further includes an opening transverse to the axis. The locking member is engageable with the body and with the opening in the feed shaft. Advancement of the locking member into the opening tightens both the blade and the feed shaft to the body.
US08371771B1
An anchor pile apparatus for placement in subsea soil has a tubular member has an interior passageway, a support structure affixed to the upper end of the tubular member, a shaft rotatably mounted in the support structure and extending downwardly through the interior passageway of the tubular member, and an auger connected to the shaft. A suitable hydraulic torquing tool can be connected to the shaft so as to cause the shaft to rotate for the purpose of rotating the auger. The auger is rotated so as to draw the tubular member into the subsea soil. The tubular member has a plurality of fins extending radially outwardly therefrom.
US08371766B2
A penpoint-like liquid distributor to be installed onto a container includes a receiving element, a propping element, a positioning element, a pen tube and a pen tip. The propping element has a cone that is flexibly pushing against the pen tube and closely fitting the positioning element. In non-use, a feeding portion provided on the pen tube is isolated from the container; however, when a user applies a force to the pen tube, the pen tube retreats inward and pushes the cone away from the positioning element so as to intercommunicate the feeding portion with the container. Thus, a liquid cosmetic product contained in the container is allowed to flow out through and then discharge from the pen tube. Therefore, the pen tube will not be polluted or blocked by the liquid cosmetic product accidentally.
US08371758B2
Each of an outer ring, an inner ring, and a ball is a rolling contact member formed of a β-sialon sintered body inexpensive, capable of reliably ensuring sufficient durability, and capable of being used in an application where an imposed load is changed abruptly. The sintered body contains as a main component β-sialon represented by a compositional formula of Si6-ZAlZOZN8-Z and satisfying 0.1≦z≦3.5, and has a remainder formed of an impurity. The rolling contact member has a Young's modulus of 180 GPa or greater but 270 GPa or smaller.
US08371757B2
A sealing device is to be fitted at a side of a bearing unit in order to seal a gap (15) between a stationary race (11) and a rotatable race (10) of the bearing unit. The device includes a relatively rigid reinforcing insert (16) of disc-annular shape, and a gasket (17) of relatively soft rubber or elastomeric material, over-moulded or vulcanized onto the insert (16). The gasket forms two opposite peripheral sealing portions (18, 19) intended to perform a static sealing action against the rotatable race (10) and a dynamic sealing action on the stationary race (11), respectively. The insert (16) includes magnetized or magnetizable material for forming, at predetermined angular zones or fields, a sequence of alternate and/or spaced north/south poles, in order to act as an encoder.
US08371750B2
A physical quantity detecting apparatus includes a plurality of physical quantity conversion circuits, an output selection circuit and a signal conversion circuit. Each of the plurality of physical quantity conversion circuits converts a physical quantity to be detected into a voltage corresponding to the physical quantity and outputs the voltage. The output selection circuit is electrically connected to the plurality of physical quantity conversion circuits to select a maximum voltage from among the voltages outputted from the plurality of physical quantity conversion circuits. The signal conversion circuit is electrically connected to the output selection circuit to convert the voltage outputted from the output selection circuit into a pulse signal having a pulse width or frequency corresponding to the voltage and output the pulse signal.
US08371749B2
A temperature sensor includes a compare subject voltage output unit, a temperature range decision unit, and a temperature signal output unit. The compare subject voltage output unit is configured to output a reference voltage having a constant value irrespective of a change of an external temperature and a third temperature voltage that decreases in response to an increase of an external temperature. The temperature range decision unit is configured to compare the reference voltage and the third temperature voltage, and output an enable signal, to indicate whether the external temperature is different from a normal temperature. The temperature signal output unit is configured to output a specific one of a plurality of high temperature signals or a specific one of a plurality of low temperature signals, to indicate a range of the external temperature, in response to the enable signal.
US08371747B2
A thermal oxidation tester is shown for determining thermal stability of a fluid, particularly hydrocarbons when subjected to elevated temperatures. The tendency of the heated fluid to oxidize and (1) form deposits on a surface of a heater tube and (2) form solids therein, are both measured at a given flow rate, temperature and time. The measured results are used to determine whether a fluid sample passes or fails the test. Results of measurements can be recorded in a memory device on one end of the heater tube on which the deposits were made. A method and apparatus is also provided to determine if the isolated heater tube has an electrical short to ground through the test section housing.
US08371738B2
A backlight unit 12 includes LEDs 16, light guide plates 18, an air layer AR and a scattering structures. Each light guide plate 18 has a light entrance surface 34 and a light exit surface 36. The light entrance surface 34 faces the corresponding LED 16 and light from the LED 16 enters through the light entrance surface 34. The light exit surface 36 through which light exits is arranged along an arrangement direction in which the LED 16 and the light entrance surface 34 are arranged. The light guide plates 18 are arranged in a parallel layout so as to be parallel to the light exit surface 36 and perpendicular to the arrangement direction. The air layer AR is provided between the adjacent light guide plates 18 and has a refraction index lower than that of the light guide plates 18. The scattering structures are provided in side-edge surfaces 31a that are interfaces between the light guide plates 18 and the air layer AR. The scattering structures are configured to scatter light inside the light guide plates 18. With this configuration, uneven brightness is less likely to occur.
US08371731B2
A vehicle lamp can include a light source, a reflector and a lens. The reflector can be formed in a slender shape so as to include a parabolic reflex surface in a longitudinal direction and an ellipsoidal reflex surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A focus of the parabolic reflex surface and one of the focuses of the ellipsoidal reflex surface can be located at the light source, and other focuses of the ellipsoidal reflex surface can be substantially parallel with a central axis of the lens. The reflector can reflect light emitted from the light source toward the lens with a wide angle so that light use efficiency of the light source can improve as compared with certain conventional vehicle lamps. Thus, the vehicle lamp can provide a favorable light distribution even when it is formed in a slender shape.
US08371720B2
In a diffusion sheet (46), first reflection areas (AR1) with high reflectance and second reflection areas (AR2) with low reflectance are alternately arranged parallel to each other on a light receiving surface (46R), and third reflection areas (AR3) with high reflectance and fourth reflection areas (AR4) with low reflectance are alternately arranged parallel to each other on an light emitting surface (46F). In the diffusion sheet (46), the first reflection areas (AR1) and the fourth reflection areas (AR4) are opposed to each other, and the second reflection areas (AR2) and the third reflection areas (AR3) are opposed to each other.
US08371712B2
A light source module of a projector includes a beam splitter, a red light source, a blue light source, and a blue light source. The beam splitter has a first reflection side, on which a first splitter film is provided, and a second reflection side, on which a second splitter film is provided. An angle between a normal line of the first reflection side, and a normal line of the second reflection side, is in a range between 165 degrees and 180 degrees. Both the first splitter film and the second splitter film permit red rays to pass therethrough. The red light source is separated from the blue and green light sources to obtain a better thermal dissipation.
US08371710B2
A lens for a flashlight or other lighting unit provides for focusing light from a source, such as an LED, to provide a light beam adjustable between a spot beam and a wide beam. The lens includes a lens body with a front face, a rear LED-receiving well, and a side surface extending between the front face and the rear well. The front face includes a central surface surrounded by an annular concave surface. The rear well includes a space for the LED to be adjusted in position. The rear well space is defined by a concavely-curved sidewall and a concavely-curved base. The concave curvature of the sidewall and base may be Bezier curves.
US08371704B1
An electronic device includes a display unit and a filter. The display unit is configured to provide a visual display to a user of the device. The display unit has a first side portion and a second side portion. The filter is configured to alter a viewer's perception of the visual display. The filter is pivotally coupled to the display unit. The filter is configured to pivot from a first position adjacent the first side portion of the display unit to a second position adjacent the second side portion of the display unit.
US08371698B2
A scanning projector includes a scanning mirror that sweep a beam in two dimensions. Source image data is interpolated vertically, and the results are stored in a frame buffer. Each row of the frame buffer holds vertically interpolated pixel data that lies on a trajectory corresponding to a horizontal sweep of the beam. Pixel data in each row is then interpolated to determine display pixel data. At least one light source is driven with the display pixel data to produce the beam that is reflected by the scanning mirror.
US08371694B2
An ophthalmic endoilluminator having only a first monochromatic light source emitting a first light and a second monochromatic light source emitting a second light. The first and second lights defining a light color axis representable on a chromaticity graph. A collimation element configured to collimate at least one of the first and second lights. An optical mixing device configured to mix the first and second lights into a single light beam. A lens configured to focus the single light beam. An optical fiber configured to carry the single light beam. A controller coupled to at least one of the first and second monochromatic light sources. The controller configured to tune at least one of the first and second monochromatic light sources such that the single beam of light represents a specific color of light at a point along the light color axis on the chromaticity graph.
US08371690B2
An image forming apparatus has: a first conveyance device having a plurality of first suction holes; a treatment liquid deposition device; a second conveyance device which is provided downstream of the first conveyance device in terms of a conveyance direction in which the recording medium is conveyed; and an image forming device, wherein the first suction holes of the first conveyance device and the second suction holes of the second conveyance device are formed in such a manner that first suction positions on the recording medium which are suctioned by the first suction holes of the first conveyance device and second suction positions on the recording medium which are suctioned by the second suction holes of the second conveyance device are mutually different.
US08371689B2
The present invention is an ink-jet recording apparatus 100 capable of carrying out printing continuously onto both surfaces of a recording medium 1, the ink-jet recording apparatus 100 having: a first unit 10a having a first ink-jet recording head 2a for carrying out printing onto a first surface la of the recording medium 1 and having a first drying drum 3apositioned below the first ink-jet recording head 2a and heating and drying the recording medium 1 after the printing; and a second unit 10b having a second ink-jet recording head 2b for carrying out printing onto a second surface 1b of the recording medium 1 and having a second drying drum 3b positioned below the second ink-jet recording head 2b and heating and drying the recording medium 1 after the printing.
US08371688B2
A radiation curable inkjet printing method for producing printed flexible foils and plastic bags wherein a web-like polymeric substrate having a maximum value for Tan δ between 40° C. and 110° C. and a surface energy Ssub is printed upon using a single pass inkjet printer with a non-aqueous radiation curable inkjet liquid having a surface tension SLiq, wherein SLiq is smaller than Ssub by at least 4 mN/m, and curing the radiation curable liquid on the substrate at a surface temperature equal or higher than the temperature of the maximum value for Tan δ and smaller than the melting point of the polymeric recording medium. A single pass inkjet printer is also disclosed.
US08371685B2
An inkjet head includes: a pressure chamber; an actuator which expands and contracts volume of the pressure chamber; an ink supply flow channel; an individual supply flow channel having one end connected to the ink supply flow channel and another end connected to the pressure chamber, for guiding ink from the ink supply flow channel to the pressure chamber; a nozzle which ejects the ink; a nozzle flow channel having one end connected to the pressure chamber and another end connected to the nozzle, for guiding the ink from the pressure chamber to the nozzle; an ink recovery flow channel; an individual recovery flow channel having one end connected to the nozzle flow channel at a prescribed connection position set at an intermediate point of the nozzle flow channel and another end connected to the ink recovery flow channel, for guiding the ink from the nozzle flow channel to the ink recovery flow channel; an ink flow generation device which generates a flow of the ink from the nozzle flow channel toward the individual recovery flow channel; and a control device which controls driving of the actuator so as to drive the actuator in such a manner that, when performing ejection, volume of the pressure chamber contracts and thereby the ink is caused to be ejected from the nozzle, and when not performing the ejection, the volume of the pressure chamber expands and thereby a meniscus position of the ink is caused to be withdrawn to a vicinity of the prescribed connection position.
US08371676B2
A liquid ejection device includes a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, a drive signal generating portion, a selection portion and an ejection testing portion. The nozzles are arranged to eject a liquid. The piezoelectric elements are provided in respective correspondence to the nozzles. The drive signal generating portion is arranged to generate a drive signal which repeats for each of ejection cycles in which the nozzles eject the liquid onto a pixel, there being a plurality of selectable periods provided in the ejection cycles, at least one of the periods being a testing period. The selection portion is arranged to selectively apply the drive signal to the piezoelectric elements in each of the periods. The ejection testing portion is arranged to perform ejection testing of the liquid from at least one of the nozzles to be tested.
US08371669B1
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for generating each of (i) a first signal and (ii) a second signal based at least in part on a position of a carriage, where the carriage is a component of a printing device, estimating (i) a major cycle duration associated with the first signal and (ii) a first minor cycle duration associated with the second signal, estimating a position of the carriage based at least in part on the estimated major cycle duration and the estimated first minor cycle duration, and generating a plurality of print synchronization pulses based at least in part on the estimated position of the carriage.
US08371668B2
A recording element substrate which is provided with a first recording element group and a second recording element group, each group including a plurality of recording elements. The recording element substrate includes a first terminal configured to input a data signal, a second terminal configured to input a latch signal, a shift register configured to receive the data signal input from the first terminal, a first latch circuit configured to latch data stored in the shift register based on the latch signal of a first pulse width input from the second terminal, a second latch circuit configured to latch the data stored in the shift register based on the latch signal of a second pulse width which is shorter than the first pulse width of the latch signal input from the second terminal, a first driving circuit configured to control driving of the recording elements included in the first recording element group based on a signal output from the first latch circuit, and a second driving circuit configured to control driving of the recording elements included in the second recording element group based on a signal output from the second latch circuit.
US08371654B2
A support for an armrest of a motor vehicle seat, formed of generally U-shaped solid plastic defining: a bottom intended to be attached to an armature of a backrest of the seat, and two parallel branches perpendicular to the bottom, each branch defining in a surface opposite to the other branch a hole intended to receive one end of an axis of the armrest and a groove intended to receive an armrest rotation stop element. An armrest armature, an armrest and its assembly method and a motor vehicle seat.
US08371646B1
A portable table and seating combination is disclosed. The combination includes at least a first portion of a hinge attached to a tabletop portion. The tabletop portion includes at least a top surface, and a plurality of edge portions extending from the top surface. The top surface in combination with the plurality of edge portions forms a seating confinement compartment. The combination further includes at least a retractable leg support attached to the tabletop portion. The retractable leg support resides adjacent the seating confinement compartment, and in an extended position the retractable leg support, supports the tabletop portion at a predetermined distance above a surface. The combination also includes at least a seating portion configured for confinement within the seating confinement compartment. In a first embodiment, the seating portion is an integrated seating portion. In an alternate embodiment, the seating portion is a freestanding seating portion.
US08371645B2
A portable chair has a mechanism for self folding up and cushioning a seat. The mechanism includes a tension spring assembled between a seat frame and a rear leg for collapsing the seat, and a cushioning pad affixed on the rear leg. The tension spring has first and second hook elements disposed on different orientations and engaged with holes. The hook elements are easy to install, and reduce the risk of disengagement after assembly. The length of the spring is substantially equal to the length of the space in which it is assembled, so that it is not excessively stretched during assembly, thereby preventing spring fatigue. The cushioning pad is integrally formed and includes retainer and insert portions through which it is affixed with the rear leg, and a cushion portion that can absorb noise and vibration when the seat is collapsed.
US08371634B2
A motor vehicle has a hollow space between a front pillar and a fender. A noise insulator panel is mounted within and fills the hollow the hollow space between the pillar and the fender panel to block and absorb the communication of noise to the weather strip that seals the door to the pillar. The noise insulator panel includes a housing portion of compressible foam material with a base wall that is oversized to fit in compression between the pillar and the fender panel to block the communication of noise and a sidewall that extend forwardly from the base wall to define a cavity facing the engine and tires. An absorber portion fills the open cavity of the housing portion. The absorber portion is made of a fibrous material that is secured within the cavity of the housing portion and acts to absorb noise.
US08371630B2
An auxiliary carrying device for carrying an object includes a strap, a handle, and a lacing assembly. The strap surrounds the object and includes a fixing end and a free end. The free end defines a number of through holes along the length thereof. Two ends of the handle are connected to the strap. The lacing assembly includes a connecting element and an adjusting element. The connecting element is fixed to the fixing end. The adjusting element is connected to the connecting element and comprises a post. The post is capable of inserting one of the through holes to connect the free end with the connecting element.
US08371629B1
The tank handle has an upper section, a central section, and a lower section, oriented in a common plane and integrally formed. The upper section has an aperture which thereby forms a grip for lifting, and the lower section has an aperture for coupling to a tank gas passageway. The handle is rotatably coupled to the gas passageway of a gas tank.
US08371623B2
A cam clamp assembly for a sanitary fitting includes a first arcuate segment having a first extension with a slot. A second arcuate segment has a second extension, and the first and second segments are pivotally coupled together for movement about a first axis. An elongated member is pivotally coupled to the second extension for movement of the elongated member about a second axis so that the elongated member is receivable within the slot, the second axis being parallel to the first axis. An offset cam member is pivotally mounted to the elongated member for movement about a third axis, parallel to the first and second axes. A handle rotates the cam member between an open and closed position, and defines a cam travel stop that provides a tactile indication that a predefined compression of the fitting has been obtained when the cam member has been rotated to the closed position.
US08371611B2
A rupture feature releases pressurized gas into a diffuser through an egress opening in an inflator wall responsive to a pressure impulse in the inflator. A sturdy rupture fragment is positioned opposite the egress opening. A thin rupture membrane continuously circumscribes and sealingly interconnects the rupture fragment to the inflator about the egress opening. Rupture membrane thickness is less than rupture fragment thickness or inflator wall thickness at the egress opening. The rupture membrane is upstanding from the inflator wall about the egress opening to a constant height. The rupture fragment and the rupture membrane are integrally-formed with each other and with the inflator wall at the egress opening. The pressure impulse impacts the rupture fragment, urges the rupture fragment away from the inflator, detaches the rupture fragment from the inflator by fully transversely fracturing the rupture membrane, and drives the rupture fragment into containment within the diffuser.
US08371605B2
A snowboard binding for coupling a snowboard boot to a snowboard. The binding includes a highback that extends upwardly from a midfoot or heel region of the binding to provide rear support for the boot. In one embodiment, the highback is formed of a plurality of modular components that each can be manufactured of a separate material to collectively provide desired structural characteristics to the highback. The attachment of the highback, its supporting elements and one or more straps to retain the boot within the binding are arranged such that certain attachment points are fixedly connected to each other and thus made to move synchronously when the position of the highback with respect to the binding's base is adjusted.
US08371597B2
An apparatus for assisting a person get into and exit an interior of a truck trailer. The apparatus comprises multiple parts, including a stationary step having a U-shape and a handle movable between an upright and stowed position. In its stowed position, the handle does not extend beyond the rear of the trailer, enabling the trailer to back up to a loading dock without interference from the handle. Two latching mechanisms assist in locking the handle in its upright and stowed positions. In its upright position, the handle enables a person standing on the step to more easily enter and exit the interior of the trailer.
US08371596B2
A vehicle suspension system includes a first trailing arm assembly and a second trailing assembly each including a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a vehicle frame and a trailing arm member pivotably coupled to the associated mounting bracket and adapted to be operably coupled to an axle member, wherein the trailing arm members each include an aperture extending therein, wherein the aperture has a relatively constant cross-sectional configuration along a depth thereof. The vehicle suspension system further includes a torsional member extending between the first and second trailing arm members and frictionally secured within the apertures thereof, wherein the torsional member has a relatively constant cross-sectional configuration along a length thereof that is received within the apertures of the trailing arms.
US08371595B2
A lower part structure in a vehicle body rear part has a rear suspension frame disposed in rear of a fuel tank and in front of a spare tire and has a mechanism for causing jump up of the rear part of the spare tire under load application from the vehicle rear. The lower part structure is configured so that the center in the vertical direction of the front part of the spare tire is located so as to lap on the extension line of vertical width of a frame in the vehicle width direction of the rear suspension frame, and when the spare tire is moved to the vehicle front by a load applied from the vehicle rear, the spare tire comes into contact with the rear suspension frame directly or indirectly, whereby the rear part of the spare tire is pushed up with the rear suspension frame side being the center, and is turned in the longitudinal direction.
US08371594B2
Skateboard speed control is achieved by improved application of a mechanism to provide even force to the wheels by a simplified speed control system. The speed control system is durable, compact, simple, uses minimal components, is ergonomic, and has speed control pads that move in sync while simultaneously tolerating variations in wheel orientation and position while a rider is maneuvering the skateboard.
US08371591B2
Disclosed is a disk for adjusting the angle of a snowboard binding. A base plate of the snowboard binding has a toothed gear formed at an inner periphery of a center opening thereof. As toothed gear formed at outer ends of disk gears included in the disk are engaged with the toothed gear of the base plate of the snowboard binding when a disk lever provided at the center of the disk is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, the disk can be mounted to the base plate of the snowboard binding, so as to control the angle of the snowboard binding.
US08371585B2
An oil wiper ring, comprising a body with a radially external running surface, an inner circumferential surface and an upper and lower face, and which possesses at least two slide ribs, which may be provided with a wear-resistant layer, such ribs becoming conically thinner, in the radial direction of their end faces, and which are opposite a sliding mating surface, such that they proceed from the body, at a specifiable angle, in order to form an angled side face, so that the free end of each slide rib, commencing in the region at the oil chamber side, is shaped to slope towards an area at the combustion chamber side, such that the associated transitional areas, on the one hand, from the region of the circumferential slide rib towards the angled side faces, and on the other hand, from the angled side faces to the piston ring body, are rounded, i.e. have predetermined radii.
US08371583B2
The present invention provides shuffled playing cards which eliminate the need for a game host to shuffle cards before games by taking a lot of time as well as eliminate the possibility of cheating. A shuffled playing cards (1) obtained by shuffling a predetermined number of decks of playing cards (12) using a shuffling machine is packaged as an individual pack. The shuffled playing cards (1) is individually packaged and sealed with an adhesive label (13). A bar code (13a) which represents a unique shuffled card ID has been printed on the adhesive label (13). The shuffled card ID is registered in a database by being associated with information which allows identification of a shuffling machine used to shuffle the playing card set.
US08371580B2
A paper sheet processing apparatus capable of correcting an inclination to a traveling direction when a paper sheet is inserted into an insertion slot. The paper sheet processing apparatus includes a pair of movable pieces capable of being moved toward a center direction of the traveling route through which the paper sheet is conveyed by a motor. The pair of movable pieces are moved toward the center direction of the traveling route by a driving source such that the distance between one movable piece and the other movable piece becomes shorter than a width of the bill and corrects the inclination of the bill to the traveling direction by regulating side edges of the bill to be conveyed before the bill reaches the movable pieces.
US08371567B2
Examples of novel semiconductor processing pedestals, and apparatuses including such pedestals, are described. These pedestals are specifically configured to provide uniform heat transfer to semiconductor substrates and to reduce maintenance complexity and/or frequency. Specifically, a pedestal may include a removable cover positioned over a metal platen of the pedestal. The removable cover is configured to maintain a consistent and uniform temperature profile of its substrate-facing surface even though the platen's upper-surface, which supports the cover and is in thermal communication with the cover, may have a much less uniform temperature profile. The cover may be made from certain ceramic materials and shaped as a thin plate. These materials are resistant to the processing environments and maintain their thermal characteristics over many processing cycles. The cover can be easily removed from the platen and replaced with a new one without a need for major disassembly of the entire apparatus.
US08371566B2
An anti-tipping clamp that is used as an intermediary support for a die tool. The clamp includes a body with a rail engagement section designed to engage with a rail on a conventional forming machine for securing the clamp to the rail. The clamp also includes a die tool holding section with two spaced apart lateral arms that extend upward from a body and which provide support for a die tool.
US08371546B2
A purse hanger for hanging a purse from a flat surface has a rigid interface member defining a substantially planar interface area that is co-planar with the flat surface during use. A rigid arm has a proximal end swivelably coupled with the rigid interface member and a distal end, which, in use, is oriented by gravity to a position vertically beneath the planar interface area. A flexible member has a first end coupled to the distal end of the rigid arm, and a second end coupled to a purse engagement member such as a rigid loop securing the purse strap. The flexible member allows the rigid interface member to be stored in the purse while the purse engagement member remains secured to the purse strap. The rigid interface member can have a storage cavity for storing personal items.
US08371540B1
A cable positioning bracket is provided for mounting to a building component, e.g. a wall stud. The bracket has an anchor plate for being connected to the broad surface of the building component and a pair of side plates for being connected to the narrow surface of the building component. A pair of platforms carry a series of opposed tabs that are oriented to engage and support one or more cables. One side plate pivots away from the building component by means of a hinge plate to insert the cable or cables.
US08371537B2
An aircraft structure comprising; a rear spar, an upper cover which is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear; a lower cover which is attached to the rear spar and overhangs to its rear, a hinge rib assembly comprising: a first hinge rib arm attached to a first one of the covers; and a second hinge rib arm connected to the first hinge rib arm and attached to a second one of the covers; and an aerodynamic control element pivotally mounted to the hinge rib assembly. The first and second hinge rib arms are separate parts. This provides the ability to disassemble the hinge rib in-situ for repair or maintenance purposes; the ability to install or remove the hinge rib without having to move it inboard along the structure; reduced material wastage during manufacture; and the ability to install one or more elongate lines which extend in a span-wise direction along the aircraft structure.
US08371520B2
A hybrid fixed wing aircraft converts into a roadworthy vehicle in a matter of seconds therefore operating efficiently in both air and ground transportation systems. The single piece wing is mounted on a skewed pivot that is on the lower portion of the fuselage and is operated by a pushbutton operating system. The aircraft includes telescopic twin boom tail design that when extended allows good pitch stability and damping. The aircraft's wing area may be increased with additional telescopic wing tip segments. This allows an increase in aspect ratio, hence improving efficiency at high loads. This feature also creates a reduction in induced drag at cruise speed by simply retracting the tips in flight. The vehicle has a unique synchronized control system that switches from flight to ground mode without input from the operator, thereby providing a natural interface for the operator.
US08371515B2
An injector used for an internal combustion engine includes a valve needle which closes a fuel passage by contacting a valve seat and opens the fuel passage by separating from the valve seat. A coil and a magnetic core are provided to drive the valve needle, and an anchor is held in a relatively displaceable state with respect to the valve needle. A first biasing device biases the valve needle in a direction opposite to a direction of a drive force, and a second biasing device biases the anchor in the direction of the drive force with a set load smaller than that of the first biasing device. A restricting feature restricts relative displacement of the anchor with respect to the valve needle in the direction of the drive force.
US08371512B2
A motor vehicle has a low exhaust heat engine (ME) for driving the driven wheels and a system for conditioning the air temperature of the passenger compartment (CAB). The conditioning system includes a reversible heat pump (PAC) which conditions in temperature respectively a distribution loop (DI) and an exhaust loop (RE) through which flows a coolant. The distribution loop (DI) is connected to an exchanger (H2) with the air entering the space compartment (CAB) and is connectable via an electromagnetic valve (EV1) to another exchanger (H1) with the air entering the passenger compartment (CAB). The exhaust loop (RE) is connected to an exchanger (F1) with the outside air. The exhaust loop being further connected to the engine (ME) for exchanging heat with the engine.
US08371510B2
A module for insertion into a data carrier body to form a data carrier, the module having a contact interface with a contact area, at least one integrated circuit and a display device with a display area which are interconnected. Method for producing the module, the data carrier body and the data carrier. The contact interface and the display device of the module are disposable in the data carrier body such that the contact area of the contact interface and the display area of the display device point in opposite directions. The data carrier body thus possesses a through opening into which the module is insertable as described.
US08371506B2
A device for scanning a bar code symbol is adapted to be worn comfortably on an operator's bare or gloved hand, arm, or wrist which does not interfere with normal use of the hand. When provisioned with a glove, a portable bar code scanner means is secured on the back of the glove and is electrically connected to an activation switch disposed at a button provided at the end of a cable for manipulation by a thumb or other finger. The activation switch triggers the portable bar code scanner means to scan a bar code symbol to be read.
US08371504B2
A shopping cart is disclosed. The shopping cart comprises a frame, a receptacle for holding items and a scanning apparatus for scanning items to be placed within the receptacle. The shopping cart further comprising weighing means for monitoring the weight of the receptacle.
US08371497B2
A flip chip packaging method to attach a die to a package substrate, the method including dipping the die into solder paste; placing the die onto the package substrate; and reflowing the solder paste to attach the die to the package substrate. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08371495B2
When rounding metal sheet sections for forming can bodies by means of a rounding machine, a pre-rounding element is used, whose lower part is deflectable with respect to the upper part by means of an actuating element. Thereby, the joint between the upper and the lower part is executed as a solid body joint whose section modulus in bending during the deflection is different along the joint. Thereby, a uniform impact on the metal sheet may be reached. Furthermore, the separating gap between the upper and the lower part is arranged obliquely, thus reducing the bending of the lower part.
US08371494B2
A surgical stapling device for applying an array of surgical staples to tissue is provided. The stapling device includes an approximation mechanism for moving a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly between spaced and approximated positions and a firing mechanism for ejecting the array of staples from the cartridge assembly. A single trigger is operable to effect approximation and firing of the device. The device also includes an alignment pin assembly which can be selectively manually or automatically advanced. The anvil assembly includes a stiffener plate which allows the device to have a reduced head portion profile.
US08371487B1
A handgun holster comprising a holster assembly and a strap assembly. The holster assembly consists of a U-shaped exterior wall with top, bottom, and lateral edges. Extending from the top edge is a bend that defines a tension arm. Positioned within the exterior wall are bushings. The belt strap assembly has exterior and interior faces, third and fourth ends, and at least one hole. The belt strap assembly has female and male snaps adjacent to the ends. The male snap mounts onto a selected hole of the interior face by a screw that trespasses the first bushing and screws into a bolt. A second screw trespasses the second bushing and screws into a second bolt. The holster assembly is worn in between a waistband of an article of clothing and a belt. The tension arm is fitted over the waistband and the belt strap assembly wraps around the belt.
US08371484B2
A sliding closure for a vessel containing molten metal, having a slider unit guided in a slider housing, the slider unit having a push rod that can be connected to a drive rod of a linear drive via a coupling, wherein a mounting element for the linear drive is provided on the slider housing and receives the push rod and the drive rod on a coupling side. The mounting element is equipped with an automatically operating locking device for the linear drive. The slide closure operates reliably, both during the casting process and during transport thereof between the various stations of the plant.
US08371474B2
The invention is a method of dispensing a fluid and a dispenser which will dispense an appropriate amount of fluid to effectively clean a user's hand, even if the dispenser is inactive for a period of time.
US08371469B2
A fluid container having an external container including an opening portion and a spout-equipped packaging bag used as the inner bag of the external container and having the spout joined to a packaging bag body which is receivable in the external container (20). The spout is attachable to and detachable from the opening portion of the external container.
US08371468B2
A product storage container that includes a container body, a slide mechanism, and a frangible tear strip. The container body includes a base portion that is joined to a cover portion through a hinge section. The cover portion provides an upper flange extension that defines a first slot, the base portion provides a lower flange extension that defines a second slot, and the hinge section allows the cover portion to move between an open position and a closed position. The slide mechanism is positioned within the first and second slots and is configured to secure the cover portion in the closed position when arranged in a first position. The frangible tear strip maintains the slide mechanism in the first position, and upon severing, allows the slide mechanism to travel to a second position which enables the cover to be moved to the open position.
US08371466B2
A device and methods for opening a can with a pull tab are disclosed. The device has a forward portion having a top wall and a bottom wall forming a cavity between the walls. The cavity is configured to receive the pull tab. A rear portion extends from the forward portion. The rear portion has a proximal sidewall, a distal sidewall, and a curved groove adjacent the distal sidewall. The curved groove is configured to snap onto a lip of the can. A recessed portion extends from the rear portion distal sidewall. The recessed portion can be lifted to open the can.
US08371464B2
A closure for a container has a plurality of indicia such as date and/or time, disposed on the lid's top surface, with a rotary collar which is adjustable to a fixed position to highlight (select) indicia regarding the contents of the container.
US08371461B2
A bottle assembly including a body portion having a dividing wall, a first chamber for holding a first liquid and a second chamber for holding a second liquid. The base portion of the bottle assembly includes a weight distribution mechanism for counterbalancing the first liquid against the second liquid. The weight distribution mechanism is a flexible member positioned between a first base portion of the first chamber and a second base portion of the second chamber, the flexible member slidingly engaging an inner surface of the base portion of the bottle assembly. When the first liquid is reduced, the first base portion of the first chamber is displaced in a first direction and the second base portion of the second chamber is displaced in a second direction, the first direction being opposite the second direction.
US08371455B2
A card holder has at least one slot into which cards and/or photos may be inserted. The card holder may include two curved slots that may provide vertical stability to a card inserted in one of the curved slots. The card holder may include a straight slot that may be used to accommodate thicker card stock paper. The slots in the card holder may have teeth to help grip the card/photo more securely to keep them in place. When not in use, the card holders may conveniently and securely stack on top of each other for storage.
US08371449B2
A package for a dispensing device, comprising a protection pouch arranged to enclose the dispensing device. The protection pouch comprises a base section that is arranged to support the dispensing device in the general vertical direction, and the package comprises a support member arranged to essentially elevate the base section of the pouch from a support surface.
US08371443B2
A biopsy marker delivery device are described. The delivery device can include a relatively flexible hollow tube, a pushing member such as a push rod disposed for sliding with the tube, and at least one marker disposed in the tube. A marker blocking member is disposed distal of the distal most marker, and is disposed at least partially within the hollow tube to assist in preventing premature deployment of a marker from the hollow tube. A portion of the blocking member may disposed in the hollow tube, and another portion of the member may be operatively associated with a portion of the package such that when the marker delivery device is removed from the package, the member is removed from the marker delivery device.
US08371438B2
The eyes of a contact lens wearer are protected from the effects of a liquid disinfecting solution by providing a contact lens container having a catalyst therein and a container of the disinfecting solution of unusual design. The openings of the contact lens container and the solution container are configured so only the contact lens container is able to receive solution from the solution container. This prevents the user from directly removing disinfecting solution from the solution container and thereby prevents the user from directly applying the disinfecting solution to the eye.
US08371437B2
A module (1) for a conveyor mat, comprising a body part (2) which is provided, on front and rear sides (3, 6) operatively extending transversely to the conveying direction (p), with hinge loops (5A, 5B) mutually spaced apart at mutual intermediate distances (4A, 4B), and an underside (7) operatively cooperating with a guideway. The underside (7) is provided with a downwardly extending mounting frame (11) for receiving a guide element. The module (1) may be included in a modular conveyor mat, comprising a number of modules being consecutive in conveying direction, each provided with a body part extending transversely to a conveying direction, having hinge loops reaching forwards and rearwards in the conveying direction, while the hinge loops of consecutive modules cooperate and are coupled by means of hinge pins, and at least one of the modules is designed with a mounting frame.
US08371433B2
Conveyor for transporting bottles or containers having varying diameters in lines to a bottle or container cleaning machine or packaging machine, and a method and apparatus for conveying bottles or containers.
US08371431B2
A sortation conveyor has a divert guide path which is configured to guide pushers to engage articles disposed on an endless conveying surface at an initial impact which does not result in an out of control situation even at high speeds. The divert guide path is disposed at a plurality of divert angles, and guides pushers to engage articles at a low initial contact divert angle and first lateral speed and to accelerate the articles to a final divert angle and second, higher, lateral speed. The pushers may be undergoing lateral acceleration at the time initial contact is made with the articles.
US08371428B2
An original processing apparatus capable of enhancing original processing ability even in the case of continuously processing a plurality of originals. In a first processing unit of the original processing apparatus, MICR characters on an original conveyed along a conveying path are read and an image of a front side of the original is read. The original is then conveyed to a position short of a second processing unit, and the next original is fed to the conveying path. When control information including print information is created based on a result of the processing by the first processing unit, the original positioned short of the second processing unit is conveyed to the second processing unit where print information is printed on the original and an image of a back side of the original is read.
US08371423B2
An electric braking or clutching device includes a housing; an armature having an axis and disposed at the housing, the armature and the housing defining a radial air gap therebetween; and a coil configured to generate, when energized, a magnetic field at the housing and armature, a flux path of the field extending from the coil into the housing, from the housing into the armature, from the armature into the housing, and from the housing back to the coil, with the direction of the flux path from the armature into the housing being substantially radial in orientation.
US08371416B2
The invention relates to maintaining constant holddown force on the vibrator baseplate during actuation. The invention described measures the weight on the point of locomotion verses the baseplate and dynamically adjusts the forces required to keep the holddown force on the baseplate constant.
US08371412B2
A saddle riding type vehicle includes a sensor that generates a signal, a moving member that moves a movable portion of the sensor and a coupling member that couples the moving member to a change pedal. The change pedal, the coupling member, the moving member and the sensor are arranged sequentially alongside one another along a sub-frame. The sub-frame is an existing member constituting a part of a vehicle body frame. Thus, base plates dedicated to the moving member, the sensor and the like can be eliminated.
US08371410B2
An inverted wheel type moving body according to the present invention includes a right chassis 17 and a left chassis 19 rotationally supporting wheels, motors 34 and 36 rotationally driving a right driving wheel 18 and a left driving wheel 20, a body 12 rotatably supported on the right chassis 17 and the left chassis 19 through a right arm 14 and a left arm 16, lower joint motors 65 and 95 disposed in the right arm 14 and the left arm 16 and varying vehicle height of the moving body 100, and a control unit 80 that controls the lower joint motors 65 and 95 to lower the vehicle height based on a fail signal 88 output when the inverted wheel type moving body is in an abnormal state.
US08371405B2
An auto-seek operating mode for an electric vehicle adjusts the vehicle in a direction transverse to a vehicle central axis using a vehicle power steering system and using a motor and a battery to advance the vehicle toward a target connector for a utility power grid for charging the battery. If needed, vertical vehicle position adjustments are made using a controllable vehicle suspension system.
US08371403B2
A tracked mobility device includes: a) a pair of independent, self-supported track drives defining a planar ground contact area; b) a multi-directional wheel having a raised position above the plane of the ground contact area, and a lowered position below the plane of the ground contact area; and c) an actuator for moving the multi-directional wheel to either its raised or its lowered position. When the actuator lowers the multi-directional wheel, part of the planar ground contact area is raised from the ground without raising all of the planar ground contact area from the ground. Each track drive functions independently so that bumps along one track may be traversed without tilting the entire vehicle. Each track drive may be attached to the vehicle body with flexible mounts that allow each track drive to independently tilt upward or downward as the device moves on its tracks.
US08371401B1
An electric power hybrid propulsion generation system for a motor vehicle which comprises a wind turbine rotatively mounted on a roof of the motor vehicle. Two independent electric generators are in the motor vehicle. Two drive belt assemblies extend between the wind turbine and the electric generators. An auxiliary battery array in the motor vehicle is electrically connected to the electric generators. An electric motor drive in the motor vehicle is powered by the auxiliary battery array to operate rear wheels of the motor vehicle independently from a fuel engine and transmission of the motor vehicle, which operates front wheels of the motor vehicle.
US08371400B2
A downhole tool string component has at least one end adapted to connect to an adjacent tool sting component and a bore adapted to accommodate a flow of drilling fluid. A turbine is disposed within the bore and an actuating assembly is arranged such that a clutch may mechanically connect and disconnect with the turbine.
US08371396B2
A drill pipe includes a pin end connector, a box end connector, a first communication connector and a second communication connector. The pin end connector includes a first region to form a threaded connection to join sections of the drill pipe together, and the first region includes at least one thread that begins at one end of the first region and ends at the other end of the first region. The box end connector receives the pin end connector, and the box end connector includes a second region to mate with the first region to form the threaded connection. The first communication connector is attached to the pin end connector and is located in the first region; and the second communication connector is attached to the box end connector and located in the second region to form a communication connection with the first communication connector.
US08371395B2
A power tool having a housing divided into two parts which are interconnected by a thread joint. Internal threads are provided on the housing parts. A tubular connection element has two external axially spaced thread sections which are provided for engagement with the internal threads on the housing parts. The tubular connection element has a thin walled waist section located between the external thread sections to provide a certain elastic deformation as a tightening torque is applied on the thread joint to thereby increase the clamping length of the thread joint. A resilient ring is carried on the waist section and is arranged to be elastically deformed by squeezing between the housing parts and the connection element at tightening of the thread joint, thereby providing a rotation locking friction force on the thread joint.
US08371389B2
A shifting tool and method of shifting a downhole device that requires only a minimal profile or no profile to engage and move the movable portion of the tool. The invention comprises a ported housing assembly and at least one friction pad alignable with said at least one port and radially movable through the port between a first pad position and a second pad position. In the second pad position, the friction pad extends outside said outer diameter of said housing assembly to engage the targeted downhole device. A mandrel positioned through the ported housing has a first section with a first outer diameter and a second section with a second outer diameter, said second outer diameter being greater than said first outer diameter. The mandrel is movable between a first mandrel position and a second mandrel position. In the second mandrel position, the second outer diameter supports the friction pads in the second pad position.
US08371388B2
An apparatus (100) for installing a liner string (102) in a wellbore casing (40). The apparatus (100) includes a tubular mandrel subassembly (110), a load transfer subassembly (140) and an expander cone subassembly (142). The load transfer subassembly (140) is carried on the tubular mandrel subassembly (110) and is operable to apply a force in the downhole direction to the liner string (102). The expander cone subassembly (142) is carried on the tubular mandrel subassembly (110) and is operable to radially expand at least a portion of the liner string (102) into contact with the wellbore casing (40) when axially moved through the liner string (102). In operation, decoupling of the load transfer subassembly (140) from the tubular mandrel subassembly (110) enables release of the apparatus (100) from the liner string (102).
US08371387B2
An apparatus and methods for manipulating and driving casing. The apparatus includes mechanically responsive elements for gripping an interior of a casing joint, and hydraulically responsive elements for gripping an interior of the casing joint responsive to pressure of drilling fluid flowing through the apparatus. One method comprises manipulating a casing joint by mechanically gripping an interior thereof, hydraulically gripping the interior of the casing joint responsive to drilling fluid pressure, and rotating the casing joint. Another method comprises driving casing by applying weight and torque thereto through engagement with an interior thereof.
US08371379B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a pumping station controller (14) is provided for monitoring pumping station hardware such as a well level sensor (8) and pumps (10a, . . . , 10n). A user interface (12) enables a user to input data to the controller (14) for controlling the operation of the pumps (10) based on the sensed liquid level. Pumping hardware configurations vary from site to site so that wiring the hardware to the controller may be confusing for the user. To address this problem the controller may comprise a software product (20). The software product may comprise instructions for processor (19) to determine a suitable wiring configuration between the controller (14) and the pumping station hardware, based upon user entered parameters identifying the pumping station hardware to be used.
US08371365B2
A heat exchange device of a type for affecting an exchange of heat between a first and second fluid is characterized by a plurality of heat exchange cells in a stacked arrangement wherein each cell includes inlet and outlet manifold rings which define inlet and outlet manifolds, respectively. Adjacent heat exchange cells are bonded to one another via metallurgical bonds between the contacting surfaces of the manifold rings. In a further aspect, a method for the manufacture of a heat exchange device is provided.
US08371357B2
A method and apparatus for preventing damage to an industrial door during an impact, the apparatus including a roller door having a plurality of lamellae, and a plurality of end pieces connectable to the lamellae. The industrial door also includes a drive system, connectable to the plurality of end pieces for raising and lowering the door. The lamellae include a plurality of openings formed therein and, arranged on at least one distal end thereof. The end pieces include a plurality of friction fit security devices for engaging the openings.
US08371353B2
A sealing device including a mask for partially irradiating light and a method of manufacturing a display device using the sealing device is disclosed. The sealing device used to bond first and second substrates by interposing a sealing material at edges of the first and second substrates and by irradiating light to the sealing material comprises: a mask disposed on one side of the stage, in which a transmission portion is formed in correspondence to the formation position of the sealing member so that light can be irradiated to the sealing material; and an optical head irradiating the light to the sealing material through the transmission portion of the mask. A pattern for regulating the amount of the light irradiated to the sealing material is formed in the transmission portion of the mask.
US08371350B2
A device for selectively connecting a tire to a pneumatic unit of an aircraft, the tire forming part of a wheel mounted to rotate on a hollow axle of the aircraft, the device comprising a stator and a rotor that is mounted to rotate relative to the stator and that includes a structure enabling it to be rotated by the wheel. The stator is bell-shaped and is designed to be received as a push-fit in the axle, and includes an end wall carrying a first pneumatic port for connection to the pneumatic unit via a tube running along the inside of the axle, the rotor extending substantially inside the stator.
US08371348B2
The present invention provides a pneumatic tire in which the tread pattern is optimized to improve wear resistance. The pneumatic tire has a tread portion embedding belt layer therein, wherein the tread portion has plural rows of lag grooves extending from the tread end to a tire equatorial plane and a narrow groove connecting the end of two lag grooves clipping the tire equatorial plane, wherein the narrow groove will be closed when contacting the road surface, wherein said lag groove is composed of a first lag groove portion located on the outer side in the tire widthwise direction and a second lag groove portion located on the inner side in the tire widthwise direction, wherein the maximum depth of the second lag groove portion is larger than the maximum depth of the first lag groove portion, wherein the second lag groove portion, in a sectional view in the tire circumferential direction, is composed of a shallow groove portion and deep groove portion having a larger depth than the shallow groove portion notching a part of the shallow groove portion, wherein the length in the tire circumferential direction of the deep groove portion is smaller than the length in the tire circumferential direction of the shallow groove portion.
US08371347B2
A golf club head cover with storage includes a cover body, a closure flap and a pocket. The cover body defines an interior cavity configured to receive a club head. A first portion of the closure flap is fixed relative to the cover body and a second portion of the closure flap is movable between a closed position and an opened position. In the closed position, the closure flap covers an opening of the interior cavity of the cover body. The pocket is disposed on the closure flap.
US08371342B2
The invention relates to a filling device (1) for the volumetric metering of powder (2), particularly a powdery pharmaceutical. The filling device comprises a metering container (3, 4) having an inner chamber (5) and a peripheral edge (8, 9) around a filling opening (6, 7) of the metering container (3, 4), a planar retaining device (10), which is pervious to air, but impermeable to the powder (2), and covers the filling opening (6, 7) and the edge (8, 9) when filling the metering container (3, 4), a filling pipe (11), which is guided through the retaining device (10) and opens into the inner chamber (3) when filling the metering container (3, 4), and means for generating a pressure differential on the retaining device (10).
US08371340B2
An edgewise winding method for forming an edgewise winding having a non-circular outer shape including a bent portion, a short side portion, and a long side portion is achieved by feeding a wire by a length corresponding to the short side portion or the long side portion and edgewise bending the wire by a bending jig while rotating an entire winding to form the bent portion. A side surface of the long side portion of the winding is supported by a first support block, a second support block, a first stopper block, a second stopper block, and others.
US08371332B2
A modular valve is provided. The modular valve includes a valve body having a pair of inlet ports and a pair of outlet ports. The pair of inlet ports each includes an integral stop valve and check valve. The valve body includes a cavity configured to selectively receive a pressure balancing cartridge or a thermostatic cartridge assembly.
