US08427167B2

A circuit, system and method for detecting the presence of a leakage path in a multi-cell voltage source is described. The system includes a detection circuit, the detection circuit having a first amplifier and a second amplifier, a first input of the first amplifier connected to a first terminal of the voltage source and the first input of the second amplifier connected to a second terminal of the voltage source, a second input of each of the first and second amplifiers connected to a reference voltage point, and an output of each of the first and second amplifiers connected to a respective first and second output of the detection circuit; and a processor having inputs connected to the first and second outputs of the detection circuit.
US08427166B2

An invention is provided for determining a state of health of a battery. The invention includes applying a predefined load profile to a battery, and obtaining a plurality of battery response voltage data corresponding to points along the predefined load profile. The battery electrical double layer capacity data is calculated from the battery response voltage data, and thereafter utilized to determine the state of health of the battery.
US08427162B2

An apparatus for detecting a position of a component in an earth formation is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a transmitter configured to emit a first magnetic field into the earth formation and induce an electric current in the component, the transmitter having a first magnetic dipole extending in a first direction; and a receiver for detecting a second magnetic field generated by the component in response to the first magnetic field, the receiver having a second magnetic dipole extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A method and computer program product for detecting a position of a component in an earth formation is also disclosed. Apparatus and methods are also disclosed for estimating a position of a second borehole being drilled relative to an existing first borehole.
US08427157B2

In a method and apparatus to determine a predetermined signal amplitude of an examination subject in an MR measurement in which multiple RF pulses are radiated into the examination subject in a pulse sequence in a pulse series with a repetition time TR that is smaller than the T2 times of the examination subject, a target magnetization is established for a predetermined point in time after radiation of the respective RF pulse for essentially all RF pulses from the pulse series, a target flip angle and a target phase are determined for different regions of the examination subject for essentially all RF pulses depending on the respective target magnetization, a respective amplitude and phase response is determined for essentially all RF pulses to generate the respective target magnetization after radiation of the respective RF pulse, and the RF pulses with the respective determined amplitude and phase response are radiated into the examination subject.
US08427153B2

A method for motion correction using coil arrays, termed “MOCCA,” is provided, in which coil-dependent motion-related signal variations are employed to determine information related to motion in two and three directions. With such a method, navigator echoes are not required, nor is the acquisition of additional data required to resolve complex motions in more than one direction. The motion estimation and compensation method provided by MOCCA is also applicable to applications of cardiac, respiratory, and other physiological self-gating techniques.
US08427146B2

A magnetic sensor is provided that measures a magnetic field. The sensor includes a first gas, a probe light source which causes first circular polarized light to be incident on the first gas, a second gas arranged on an optical path of a second circular polarized light, an AC magnetic field generator which generates an AC magnetic field and generates magnetic resonance, a bias magnetic field generator which generates bias magnetic fields with different intensities for the first gas and the second gas and differentiates the optical transmittance of the first circular polarized light in the first gas from the optical transmittance of the second circular polarized light in the second gas, and a detector which detects a light amount of the first circular polarized light and a third circular polarized light.
US08427144B2

A magnetoresistive element includes magnetoresistive films each having an upper surface and a lower surface, and conductors combining the magnetoresistive films in series and including top electrodes and bottom electrodes. Each one of the top electrodes and corresponding one of the bottom electrodes oppose each other to sandwich corresponding one of the magnetoresistive films. Each electrode of the top electrodes and the bottom electrodes includes a stem section and a branch section, the stem section extending in a direction along a series alignment direction of the magnetoresistive films, and the branch section extending along the lamination plane in a direction intersecting a direction in which the stem section extends. The branch section in the top electrode is in contact with an upper surface of the corresponding magnetoresistive film, and the branch section in the bottom electrode is in contact with a lower surface of the corresponding magnetoresistive film.
US08427142B2

Provided is a rotation angle detecting device with high detection accuracy, which can be structured with a small number of teeth even if a shaft angle multiplier increases, thus enhancing winding workability and becoming suitable for mass production. The rotation angle detecting device includes: a stator formed of an iron core with teeth, the stator including: an exciting winding of one phase or more; and output windings of two phases or more; and a rotor with a salient pole, in which numbers of turns of the output windings of the two phases each have a value obtained by a function containing a sum or a difference between a sine wave of an order equal to an absolute value of a sum of a number of the salient poles and a number of the pole pairs, and a sine wave of an order equal to an integer that is different from an absolute value of the number of the pole pairs of the exciting winding and different from an absolute value of a difference obtained by subtracting the number of the salient poles from the number of the pole pairs.
US08427139B2

An increment sensor assembly includes a magnet structure having at least two dual pole magnets that are magnetized 90 degrees out of phase. The magnet structure is mounted to an output shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation. At least one Hall effect sensor is associated with each magnet to determined polarity change of the magnet structure per quadrant.
US08427131B2

Regulation of a remote load center voltage from a local location of a voltage regulator and a voltage regulator control using voltage measurements from the remote load center obtained using a metering device at the load center in communication with the voltage regulator control. The metering device may obtain remote voltage information at the load center and communicate such to the voltage regulator control using a direct communications line, a wide area network, or the like. The communications may include electrical (e.g. copper cable), light (e.g. infrared over fiber optics), radio frequency, or the like. The voltage regulator control may be configured to use local measurements and a line drop compensation algorithm in the event that the remote voltage information becomes unavailable.
US08427129B2

A high current drive bandgap based voltage regulator for providing a reference voltage at a an output voltage at a designed output voltage value. The high current drive bandgap based voltage regulator includes a high current drive output transistor, a feedback network, an output terminal and an operational amplifier. The feedback network is coupled between the output of the transistor and the input of the transistor. The operational amplifier is in the feedback network and has at least two operational amplifier input terminals and an operational amplifier output terminal. The operational amplifier output terminal is coupled to the transistor input terminal, and the operational input terminals are coupled to the transistor output terminal. The output terminal of the high current drive bandgap based voltage regulator is coupled to the output of the high current drive transistor. The high current drive bandgap based voltage regulator is operable to provide a current of at least 100 μA to the output terminal while maintaining the output voltage at the output terminal at a value substantially equal to the designed output voltage value.
US08427128B2

The present invention discloses a control circuit for reducing output ripple in a constant on-time switching regulator and a method thereof, for controlling a power stage. The control circuit determines whether a zero current period wherein an output current is zero is longer than a threshold period, and switches the on-time period to a shorter period if it is longer, whereby the power stage operates according to the shorter period while still in the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM).
US08427121B2

A DC-to-DC converter generates multiple outputs from a single input supply using a single inductor. The inductor current can be changed rapidly by connecting the input voltage in either direction across the inductor using switches A to F. In use, current flows from the input supply through the inductor to an output during a charge phase, then current flows from ground through the inductor to the output in a discharge phase. The level of inductor current at the end of the discharge phase is stored. Before the next charge phase for the same output, the input supply is connected across the inductor in a slew phase to bring the inductor current to the stored level. This reduces crosstalk between outputs having different power requirements. Variable frequency noise in the converter is reduced by giving each output the same total time (slew phase+charge phase+discharge phase).
US08427119B2

A power source apparatus includes a first converter having a reactor L1, a switching element Q1, and a rectifier D1; a second converter connected in parallel with the first converter and having a reactor L2, a switching element Q2, and a rectifier D2; a capacitor C1 connected to output ends of the first and second converters; a current detector R1 detecting a resultant current of currents of the first and second converters; a controller 13 driving the switching element Q1 and the switching element Q2; and a selector. In a case where the resultant current indicates a first reference value, if one of first and second drive signals of the controller is active, the active drive signal is deactivated, and if both the first and second drive signals are active, one of the first and second drive signals that is active longer than the other is deactivated.
US08427114B2

The present invention relates to a charge status indicator and a charger. The charger comprises a charging power supply and a charge status indicator, wherein, the charge status indicator comprises a detecting chip for monitoring charge status connected between the primary winding of transformer and ground, and a display module used for displaying the charge status, wherein, said detecting chip for monitoring charge status comprising: a detecting module for detecting the charging state of the charge power supply; a comparing module for determining the current charge status based on the detected charging state. By employing the charger or the charge status indicator for a charger, a primary-side feedback control Flyback SMPS may be employed, just a simple and reliable circuit is needed, and higher efficient can be achieved.
US08427112B2

The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine the state of charge of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell using data which is representative of a state of charge of the battery/cell and/or the data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell.
US08427111B2

There is provided a battery system including a battery having a luminescent layer on surfaces of an exterior member [thereof], the luminescent layer containing a stress luminescent material that emits light in response to application of mechanical stress, a photodetector device that detects light emission by the stress luminescent material, and abnormality detection means for monitoring the light emission detected by the photodetector device and thus detecting an abnormality in the battery.
US08427103B2

The present invention provides a charging device for an electric vehicle with which optimal charging can be performed reliably when charging a storage device of the electric vehicle, without performing fast charging and normal charging at the same time.
US08427102B2

An apparatus is provided for an electronic device. The apparatus includes a dynamic electrical load, a secondary power coil receiver module that inductively receives a current from a primary coil of an power conversion system, a means for monitoring a current in the secondary receiver module being delivered to the dynamic load, a means for transmitting a power control signal to the power conversion system through the secondary charging coil, a current monitoring circuit that measures a current delivered to the dynamic load and a current limiter circuit that limits the current to the dynamic load based upon the measured charging current.
US08427101B2

Embodiments of the invention are disclosed for generating a first alternating current in a resonant receiving coil at a resonant frequency in a self-resonant circuit tuned to resonate at substantially the same resonant frequency as a resonant transmitting coil in a self-resonant circuit of a wireless charger, the resonant receiving coil operating as a magnetically coupled resonator with the resonant transmitting coil. The separation distance between the two coils may be several times larger than geometric sizes of the coils. The embodiments convert the first alternating current in a power control circuit to a second alternating current at a different frequency than the resonant frequency. The embodiments drive a the power transmitting coil using the second alternating current to inductively couple with a proximately located power receiving coil in a user's device, to provide power to the power receiving coil in the user's device by contact-less electromagnetic induction.
US08427098B2

This disclosure generally relates to stabilizing energy provided by an energy source, and more particularly to systems and methods for using multiple types of energy storage devices to selectively capture and provide energy. An energy source provides energy, and the energy storage devices selectively capture energy provided by the energy source in excess of an immediate energy requirement of a load and selectively provide energy when the immediate energy requirement of the load exceeds the energy provided by the energy source.
US08427082B2

The invention relates to a method for absorbing the displacement, under the influence of an external force, of at least one plunger (10,20) in a linear electrodynamic motor comprising a least an induction coil (11, 21) magnetically coupled with the plunger. Said method comprises the steps of: detecting in said induction coil a current induced (I′ind) amplified relative to the induced current. The invention can be applied to cryogenic machines on board space ships.
US08427073B2

A LED driving circuit and a backlight module using the same are disclosed. The LED driving circuit comprises a LED module and a current controlling unit. The LED module has a plurality of the LED strings, each having a driving terminal. The current controlling unit has a plurality of current balancing terminal coupled to the driving terminal, for balancing the currents flowing through the LED strings. The current controlling unit receives a mode switch signal, controls the amount of the currents of the LED strings about a first current value when the mode switch signal represent a first mode, and controls the amount of the currents of the LED strings about a second current value when the mode switch signal represent a second mode.
US08427069B2

A current-regulated power supply provides soft-start protection to prevent the generation of large in-rush currents. The current-regulated power supply includes a current regulation module that operates in either a soft-start mode of operation or a normal mode of operation and a mode selection module that makes mode of operation determinations. In particular, mode-selection module monitors the load current supplied to the attached load and maintains the current-regulation module in the soft-start mode of operation until the monitored load current exceeds a threshold value, at which time the mode-selection module causes the current regulation module to operate in the normal mode of operation.
US08427065B2

A driving circuit for light emitting elements comprises a rectifying unit, a first constant current unit, a first driving transistor, a first voltage control unit and at least one first light emitting element. The rectifying unit has a first terminal and a second terminal, is connected to an external power source that provides alternating current power that is sinusoidal and has alternating negative and positive segments, inverts the negative segments of the AC power to positive segments and forms a pulsating direct current voltage. The first constant current unit has a first end and a second end. The first driving transistor comprises a first gate, a first drain and a first source. The first voltage control unit comprises a first variable resistor and a first bias control element. The first light emitting element has a first end and a second end.
US08427057B2

The invention relates to a microwave frequency structure for microwave tube comprising a cylindrical vacuum jacket and a device for containing an electron beam in the axis of revolution of the cylindrical jacket. The containing device comprises at least two rows, each containing permanent magnets, each row being aligned either side of and equidistant to the beam-containment axis, the at least two rows containing permanent magnets being of parallelepipedal shapes and having a magnetic polarization parallel to one of its edges in a plane transversal to the axis, their direction of magnetization in the row changing alternately from one containing magnet to another next containing magnet, or preceding containing magnet, to create an alternating periodic magnetic field along the containment axis.
US08427054B2

A plasma display panel equipped with a front substrate and a back substrate facing each other to form a discharge space. On the discharge space side of the front substrate there are disposed a metal oxide layer and magnesium oxide crystal particles. The magnesium oxide crystal particles are arranged to be protruding closer to the discharge space than the surface of the metal oxide layer.
US08427048B2

By using a light emitting device including an insulating substrate and a light emitting unit formed on the insulating substrate, the light emitting unit including: a plurality of linear wiring patterns disposed on the insulating substrate in parallel with one another, a plurality of light emitting elements that are mounted between the wiring patterns while being electrically connected to the wiring patterns, and a sealing member for sealing the light emitting elements, as well as a method for manufacturing thereof, it becomes possible to provide a light emitting device that achieves sufficient electrical insulation and has simple manufacturing processes so that it can be manufactured at a low cost, and a method for manufacturing the same.
US08427045B2

The present invention provides an organic LED element in which the extraction efficiency is improved up to 80% of emitted light. Further, the invention relates to an electrode-attached translucent substrate having a translucent substrate, a scattering layer formed over the glass substrate and containing a base material having a first refractive index for at least one wavelength of wavelengths of emitted light of an organic LED element and a plurality of scattering materials positioned in the base material and having a second refractive index different from that of the base material, and a translucent electrode formed over the scattering layer and having a third refractive index equal to or lower than the first refractive index, in which distribution of the scattering materials in the scattering layer decreases from the inside of the scattering layer toward the translucent electrode.
US08427043B2

The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting device including a substrate, a first electrode and a second electrode on one face of the substrate, at least the first electrode being semitransparent or transparent; and an organic electroluminescent layer sandwiched between the first and second electrodes, the first electrode including a diffusing electroconductive layer having a haze of 2% or higher which is on the side where light emitted by the device is output.
US08427042B2

A light-emitting device has a structure in which a light-emitting element is placed on a wiring pattern, with the wiring pattern and an upper portion of the light-emitting element being connected with each other by a bonding wire, and has a feature in that a phosphor kneaded matter, obtained from a phosphor kneaded matter packaging container, is sealed on the wiring pattern and the light-emitting element by a sealing resin. With this structure, it becomes possible to emit white light with high efficiency and consequently to obtain white light that is remarkably superior in color reproducibility (NTSC ratio).
US08427041B2

A lutetium-based phosphor having the chemical formula: xLu3Al5O12.yGd3Al5O12:CePrEuTb, and being capable of radiating reddish orange-red spectrum when activated by a shortwave light emitted by an InGaN light-emitting diode. The invention also discloses a warm white LED using the lutetium-based phosphor that produces orange-red light having the peak wavelength λmax>560 nm, half width>125 nm and color rendering index Ra≧75 when activated by the LED radiation λ=420˜500 nm.
US08427039B2

In an optically controlled cold-cathode electron tube, the emitters 1, of nanometer and/or micron size and of elongate shape, have a structure comprising a first material (4) of sp2-bonding carbon type and a metallic second material (3), said first material being in contact with and surrounding said second material at its top and over the entire length of the emitter or at least part of said length starting from its top toward the base (b). The second material has a plasma frequency substantially equal to or greater than the frequency of the optical control wave.
US08427036B2

A phase change material (PCM) is used as thermal storage for lighting systems. The PCM is placed in a thermally conductive container in close contact with the lighting system. As the PCM absorbs heat, it changes from a solid to a liquid state, but the temperature of the PCM is clamped at its melting point temperature. For LED-based systems, the PCM is selected to have a melting point such that the junction temperatures of the LEDs in the system are maintained at approximately their optimum operating temperature inside the lighting system housing. Because the thermal conductivity of the molten PCM is poor, a low thermal resistance heat flow path is provided from the PCM to the container.
US08427030B2

A thermomagnetic generator which converts thermal energy to electrical energy without intermediate conversion to mechanical work and which works at temperatures in the range from −20° C. to 200° C. comprises a thermomagnetic material selected from, for example, (1) compounds of the general formula (I) (AyBy−1)2+δCwDxEz  (I) where A is Mn or Co, B is Fe, Cr or Ni, C, D and E at least two of C, D and E are different, have a non-vanishing concentration and are selected from P, B, Se, Ge, Ga, Si, Sn, N, As and Sb, where at least one of C, D and E is Ge or Si, δ is a number in the range from −0.1 to 0.1, w, x, y, z are numbers in the range from 0 to 1, where w+x+z=1.
US08427026B2

A stator core manufacturing method has a winding process including an L-bending process in which an outer edge of a strip of steel sheet is bent at an angle to a general plane of the strip, an edgewise-bending process in which the outer edge of the strip is bent edgewise into an arc, and a roll-bending process in which the outer edge of the strip is bent into a curve warping in a thickness direction of the strip, wherein the L-bending process, the edgewise-bending process and the roll-bending process are performed successively in a predetermined sequence before the strip is wound in a spiral fashion so as to form a generally cylindrical core.
US08427018B2

A stator for a rotary electric machine, the stator including a jacket and a stack of stator laminations placed inside the jacket, subassemblies of laminations of the stack having extensions with flow channels for passing a cooling fluid therethrough, the subassemblies being disposed in such a manner that fluid flowing along the stack is subjected to a succession of passes within the channels and of passes through wide zones extending between the channels, the stack laminations being arranged in such a manner that for at least one extension, and better for the majority, or even all of the extensions of a subassembly, the flow section made available to the flow of cooling fluid within the extension is greater than the flow section defined by the space extending radially between the extensions and the jacket.
US08427010B2

A system, in one embodiment, includes a photovoltaic power converter. The photovoltaic power converter includes one or more photovoltaic arrays configured convert solar energy into a DC signal and two or more N-level converters coupled to a common DC bus (N being an integer greater than 2).
US08427007B2

Aspects of the invention are directed to a power distribution unit including a removable management module and methods for providing power using the power distribution units. According to one embodiment the power distribution unit comprises a housing having a length, a width and a depth with a front face of the housing extending across the width and along the length with the length being substantially greater than the width and the depth, and wherein the front face of the housing defines an opening to a docking space in an interior portion of the housing, a plurality of power outlets disposed on the front face of the housing, a management module configured to detect current through at least one of the plurality of power outlets, the management module being further configured and arranged to fit within the docking space, a memory component contained within the housing and configured to store operational data for the power distribution unit, and wherein the management module and the housing are configured and arranged such that the management module is removable from the docking space through the opening in the front face.
US08426999B2

A generator for generating energy from a moving fluid, the generator including a duct of walls that include two faceplates (1) between which a diaphragm (5) is placed so as to be subjected to the action of a stream of fluid penetrating between the two faceplates, wherein the two faceplates diverge so as to cause the diaphragm to deform under the action of a stream of fluid in the form of a traveling wave that moves from a leading edge (6) of the diaphragm towards a trailing edge (7) of the diaphragm so that the trailing edge of the diaphragm is driven with transverse oscillating motion, elements (11, 12) for making use of the motion being coupled to the trailing edge.
US08426997B2

The present invention provides methods and systems for a power generation system, including an inlet for introducing a liquid into the system, an inlet pipe for carrying the liquid introduced to the inlet, a generation station for converting the flow of liquid into energy, and an outlet pipe for removing the liquid from the generation station.
US08426988B2

A downhole power generator has a substantially tubular body. A cover surrounds at least a portion of the body. At least one piezoelectric element is disposed in a cavity in the body, the piezoelectric element acting cooperatively with the cover such that motion of the cover relative to the body causes the piezoelectric element to generate electric power. A method for generating power downhole comprises disposing a cover around at least a portion of a substantially tubular body; disposing at least one piezoelectric element in the body; and engaging the piezoelectric element with the cover such that motion of the cover relative to the body causes the piezoelectric element to generate electric power.
US08426981B2

A composite layered chip package includes first and second subpackages that are stacked. Each subpackage includes a main body and wiring. The main body includes: a main part having a top surface and a bottom surface; first terminals disposed on the top surface of the main part; and second terminals disposed on the bottom surface of the main part. The first and second terminals are electrically connected to the wiring. The first and second subpackages are arranged in a specific relative positional relationship, different from a reference relative positional relationship, with each other.
US08426980B2

A chip-to-chip multi-signaling communication system with common conductive layer, which comprises a first chip, a second chip, and a common conductive layer, is disclosed. The first chip has at least a first metal pad and a second metal pad. The second chip has at least a first metal pad and a second metal pad. The common conductive layer is to a conductive material and glued directly to the first chip and the second chip. Wherein, the first metal pad of the second chip is aligned with the first metal pad of the first chip for receiving the signal from the first metal pad of the first chip through the common conductive layer. The interference generated by other pads of the first and the second chips is suppressed by the design of the pads and the common conductive layer.
US08426976B2

A non-volatile semiconductor storage device has a plurality of memory strings with a plurality of electrically rewritable memory cells connected in series. Each of the memory strings includes: a columnar semiconductor layer extending in a direction perpendicular to a substrate; a plurality of conductive layers formed at a sidewall of the columnar semiconductor layer via memory layers; and interlayer insulation layers formed above of below the conductive layers. A sidewall of the conductive layers facing the columnar semiconductor layer is formed to be inclined such that the distance thereof from a central axis of the columnar semiconductor layer becomes larger at lower position thereof than at upper position thereof. While, a sidewall of the interlayer insulation layers facing the columnar semiconductor layer is formed to be inclined such that the distance thereof from a central axis of the columnar semiconductor layer becomes smaller at lower position thereof than at upper position thereof.
US08426973B2

An integrated circuit including an insulating layer having first and second opposite surfaces. The circuit includes, in a first area, first conductive portions of a first conductive material, located in the insulating layer, flush with the first surface and continued by first vias of the first conductive material, of smaller cross-section and connecting the first conductive portions to the second surface. The circuit further includes, in a second area, second conductive portions of a second material different from the first conductive material and arranged on the first surface and second vias of the first conductive material, in contact with the second conductive portions and extending from the first surface to the second surface.
US08426968B2

A system for interconnecting at least two die each die having a plurality of conducting layers and dielectric layers disposed upon a substrate which may include active and passive elements. In one embodiment there is at least one interconnect coupling at least one conducting layer on a side of one die to at least one conducting layer on a side of the other die. Another interconnect embodiment is a slug having conducting and dielectric layers disposed between two or more die to interconnect between the die. Other interconnect techniques include direct coupling such as rod, ball, dual balls, bar, cylinder, bump, slug, and carbon nanotube, as well as indirect coupling such as inductive coupling, capacitive coupling, and wireless communications. The die may have features to facilitate placement of the interconnects such as dogleg cuts, grooves, notches, enlarged contact pads, tapered side edges and stepped vias.
US08426963B2

A power semiconductor package structure includes a carrier, a first power chip, a second power chip, a first conductive sheet, a second conductive sheet and a third conductive sheet. The first power chip has a first surface and a second surface opposing to the first surface. A first control electrode and a first main power electrode are disposed on the first surface, and a second main power electrode is disposed on the second surface. The second surface is disposed on the carrier, and electrically connected to the carrier through the second main power electrode. The second power chip has a third surface and a fourth surface opposing to the third surface. A third main power electrode is disposed on the third surface, and a fourth main power electrode is disposed on the fourth surface. The fourth surface is disposed on the first power chip. The first conductive sheet is electrically connected to the first main power electrode and the fourth main power electrode. The second conductive sheet is electrically connected to the third main power electrode. The third conductive sheet is electrically connected to the first control electrode. At least a part of the first control electrode is non-covered by the second power chip along a projection direction, which is perpendicular to the carrier.
US08426962B2

Provided is a semiconductor device including a heat dissipating fin; an insulating sheet bonded to an upper surface of the heat dissipating fin, with a part of the upper surface being exposed; a heat spreader located on the insulating sheet; a power element located on the heat spreader; and a transfer molding resin located to cover a predetermined surface including the part of the upper surface of the heat dissipating fin, the insulating sheet, the heat spreader and the power element, wherein the upper surface of the heat dissipating fin has a protruding shape and/or recessed shape located so as to bind an edge of the insulating sheet.
US08426961B2

A device includes an interposer, which includes a substrate; and at least one dielectric layer over the substrate. A plurality of through-substrate vias (TSVs) penetrate through the substrate. A first metal bump is in the at least one dielectric layer and electrically coupled to the plurality of TSVs. A second metal bump is over the at least one dielectric layer. A die is embedded in the at least one dielectric layer and bonded to the first metal bump.
US08426960B2

A method for making back-to-front electrical connections in a wafer level chip scale packaging process is disclosed. A wafer containing a plurality of semiconductor chips is mounted on a package substrate. Each semiconductor chip in the plurality includes one or more electrodes on an exposed back side. Scribe lines between two or more adjacent chips on the wafer are removed to form relatively wide gaps. A conductive material is applied to the back side of the semiconductor chips and in the gaps. The conductive material in the gaps between two or more of the chips is then cut through leaving conductive material on the back side and on side walls of the two or more chips. As a result, the conductive material provides an electrical connection from the electrode on the back side of the chip to the front side of the chip.
US08426955B2

A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a stack board; connecting a device over the stack board; forming a stack encapsulant having a cavity and a pedestal over the device and having a shaped perimeter side from a pedestal surface of the pedestal to the stack board; and attaching a stack adhesive to a base package and the pedestal, the cavity and the shaped perimeter side providing a space for connections to the stack board.
US08426942B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a base insulating layer, a silicon fuse, a pair of silicon wires, a silicon guard ring, an insulation coating, a first interlayer insulating layer, a via guard ring, a metal guard ring, a final insulating layer, and a fuse window. The base insulating layer is disposed over the semiconductor substrate. The silicon fuse is disposed on the base insulating layer. The pair of silicon wires is disposed on the base insulating layer. The silicon guard ring is disposed on the base insulating layer. The insulation coating is deposited at least over surfaces of the silicon wires. The first interlayer insulating layer is disposed on the base insulating layer. The final insulating layer is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer. The fuse window is defined above the silicon fuse inside the guard rings.
US08426934B2

According to the present invention, a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprises: a thin film structure including at least a metal layer and a protection layer deposited in any order; and a protrusion connected under the thin film structure. A preferred thin film structure includes at least a lower protection layer, a metal layer and an upper protection layer. The MEMS device for example is a capacitive MEMS acoustical sensor.
US08426932B2

A universal microelectromechanical (MEMS) nano-sensor platform having a substrate and conductive layer deposited in a pattern on the surface to make several devices at the same time, a patterned insulation layer, wherein the insulation layer is configured to expose one or more portions of the conductive layer, and one or more functionalization layers deposited on the exposed portions of the conductive layer to make multiple sensing capability on a single MEMS fabricated device. The functionalization layers are adapted to provide one or more transducer sensor classes selected from the group consisting of: radiant, electrochemical, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, and thermal sensors for chemical and physical variables and producing more than one type of sensor for one or more significant parameters that need to be monitored.
US08426927B2

A semiconductor device and method to form a semiconductor device is described. The semiconductor includes a gate stack disposed on a substrate. Tip regions are disposed in the substrate on either side of the gate stack. Halo regions are disposed in the substrate adjacent the tip regions. A threshold voltage implant region is disposed in the substrate directly below the gate stack. The concentration of dopant impurity atoms of a particular conductivity type is approximately the same in both the threshold voltage implant region as in the halo regions. The method includes a dopant impurity implant technique having sufficient strength to penetrate a gate stack.
US08426926B2

A semiconductor device includes a device isolation pattern, a gate line, and an epitaxial pattern. The device isolation pattern is disposed in a semiconductor substrate to define an active area. The gate line intersects the active area. The epitaxial pattern fills a recess region in the active area at one side of the gate line and includes a different constituent semiconductor element than the semiconductor substrate. The recess region includes a first inner sidewall that is adjacent to the device isolation pattern and extends in the lengthwise direction of the gate, and a second inner sidewall that extends in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the gate line. The active area forms the first inner sidewall of the recess, while the device isolation layer forms at least a portion of the second inner sidewall of the recess. The epitaxial pattern contacts the first inner sidewall and the second inner sidewall of the recess region.
US08426923B2

A system and method for manufacturing multiple-gate semiconductor devices is disclosed. An embodiment comprises multiple fins, wherein intra-fin isolation regions extend into the substrate less than inter-fin isolation regions. Regions of the multiple fins not covered by the gate stack are removed and source/drain regions are formed from the substrate so as to avoid the formation of voids between the fins in the source/drain region.
US08426919B2

Some embodiments include formation of at least one cavity in a first semiconductor material, followed by epitaxially growing a second semiconductor material over the first semiconductor material and bridging across the at least one cavity. The cavity may be left open, or material may be provided within the cavity. The material provided within the cavity may be suitable for forming, for example, one or more of electromagnetic radiation interaction components, transistor gates, insulative structures, and coolant structures. Some embodiments include one or more of transistor devices, electromagnetic radiation interaction components, transistor devices, coolant structures, insulative structures and gas reservoirs.
US08426905B2

The present invention relates to electrically active devices (e.g., capacitors, transistors, diodes, floating gate memory cells, etc.) having dielectric, conductor, and/or semiconductor layers with smooth and/or dome-shaped profiles and methods of forming such devices by depositing or printing (e.g., inkjet printing) an ink composition that includes a semiconductor, metal, or dielectric precursor. The smooth and/or dome-shaped cross-sectional profile allows for smooth topological transitions without sharp steps, preventing feature discontinuities during deposition and allowing for more complete step coverage of subsequently deposited structures. The inventive profile allows for both the uniform growth of oxide layers by thermal oxidation, and substantially uniform etching rates of the structures. Such oxide layers may have a uniform thickness and provide substantially complete coverage of the underlying electrically active feature. Uniform etching allows for an efficient method of reducing a critical dimension of an electrically active structure by simple isotropic etch.
US08426904B2

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells (1). Each of the nonvolatile memory cells comprises a MOS type first transistor section (3) used for information storage, and a MOS type second transistor section (4) which selects the first transistor section. The second transistor section has a bit line electrode (16) connected to a bit line, and a control gate electrode (18) connected to a control gate control line. The first transistor section has a source line electrode (10) connected to a source line, a memory gate electrode (14) connected to a memory gate control line, and a charge storage region (11) disposed directly below the memory gate electrode. A gate withstand voltage of the second transistor section is lower than that of the first transistor section. Assuming that the thickness of a gate insulating film of the second transistor section is defined as tc and the thickness of a gate insulating film of the first transistor section is defined as tm, they have a relationship of tc
US08426903B2

There are provided: a silicon pillar that is formed almost perpendicularly to a main surface of a substrate; first and second impurity diffused layers that are arranged in a lower part and an upper part of the silicon pillar, respectively; a gate electrode that is arranged horizontally through the silicon pillar; and a gate insulating film that is arranged between the gate electrode and the silicon pillar. The silicon pillar consequently has a small volume, which makes it possible to reduce the leak current of the transistor or thyristor formed in the silicon pillar.
US08426900B2

Provided is a sensing device, which includes a reactive material layer (260) responding to a specific functional group in a fluid, a sensing capacitor (B) including first and second electrodes disposed on and under an insulating layer (230), the first electrode being disposed under the reactive material layer (260), and a field effect transistor including a gate electrode connected with the first electrode of the sensing capacitor. Here, the reactive material layer (260) is formed in a conductive three-dimensional structure to widen a surface area. Thus, the sensing device may have high sensitivity by maximizing a capacitor sharing effect and a change in voltage amount applied to a gate, which may be caused by widening a surface area of the conductive three-dimensional structure with respect to the fluid flow.
US08426897B2

An improved semiconductor apparatus that comprises an elongated structure that extends into the substrate. The apparatus comprises a collection contact, a resistive path, a bias connection that creates along the length of the elongated structure, an electric field component that drives signal charge carriers in a direction perpendicular to the elongated structure, and a second bias that generates a current flow that creates within the substrate a constant electric field component to drive signal charge carriers towards the collection contact on the first surface.
US08426896B2

A solid state imaging device in which γ characteristic is obtained and enlargement of dynamic range is provided. The solid state imaging device of the present invention includes a vertical overflow function and has a feature in which potential of a semiconductor substrate is changed from a high potential to a low potential in a stepwise manner during a period from an exposure start to an exposure end.
US08426895B2

A semiconductor device capable of suppressing the occurrence of a punch-through phenomenon is provided. A first n-type conductive layer (2′) is formed on a substrate (1′). A p-type conductive layer (3′) is formed thereon. A second n-type conductive layer (4′) is formed thereon. On the under surface of the substrate (1′), there is a drain electrode (13′) connected to the first n-type conductive layer (2′). On the upper surface of the substrate (1′), there is a source electrode (11′) in ohmic contact with the second n-type conductive layer (4′), and a gate electrode (12′) in contact with the first n-type conductive layer (2′), p-type conductive layer (3′), the second n-type conductive layer (4′) through an insulation film (21′). The gate electrode (12′) and the source electrode (11′) are alternately arranged. The p-type conductive layer (3′) includes In.
US08426890B2

Stacking faults are reduced or eliminated by epitaxially growing a III-V compound semiconductor region in a trench followed by capping and annealing the region. The capping layer limits the escape of atoms from the region and enables the reduction or elimination of stacking faults along with the annealing.
US08426885B2

Disclosed is a light emitting device according to the present embodiment, which includes, a substrate; a first electrode layer disposed on the substrate; a light emitting structure disposed on the first electrode layer, which includes a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer and an active layer placed between the first and second conductive semiconductor layers; and a conductive layer, which includes a base conductive layer disposed under the substrate, a body connected to the base conductive layer while passing through the substrate and the first electrode layer, and a head disposed on top of the first electrode layer. Accordingly, the light emitting device is capable of improving light extraction efficiency and include a conductive layer to provide a carrier as well as a semiconductor layer, which are securely formed on the device.
US08426881B2

A light emitting diode includes a diode region having a gallium nitride based n-type layer, an active region and a gallium nitride based p-type layer. A first reflector layer is provided on the gallium nitride based p-type layer, and a second reflector layer is provided on the gallium nitride based n-type layer. Bonding layers, a mounting support, a wire bond and/or transparent oxide layers also may be provided.
US08426878B2

A semiconductor light emitting device includes: a support substrate; a metal layer provided on the support substrate; a semiconductor layer provided on the metal layer and including a light emitting layer; a contact layer containing a semiconductor, selectively provided between the semiconductor layer and the metal layer, and being in contact with the semiconductor layer and the metal layer; and an insulating film provided between the semiconductor layer and the metal layer at a position not overlapping the contact layer.
US08426875B2

An arrangement having at least two light-emitting semiconductor components (101, 111) arranged adjacent to one another has envelopes (102, 112) at least partly surrounding the at least two light-emitting semiconductor components in each case. The envelopes contain a converter substance, which partly or completely converts the wavelength range of the radiation emitted by the semiconductor components. At least one optical damping element (103) is arranged between the at least two light-emitting semiconductor components, which optically isolates the respective envelopes of the semiconductor components in order to reduce a coupling-in from at least one envelope (102) into at least one other of the envelopes (112), or from at least one semiconductor component (101) into the envelope (112) of at least one of the other semiconductor components (111).
US08426872B2

Light emitting diode systems are disclosed.
US08426870B2

A thin-film transistor array device includes a passivation film above first and second bottom gate transistors. A source wire is below the passivation film. A gate wire and a relay electrode are above the passivation film. The gate wire is electrically connected to a gate electrode of the first transistor via a first hole in the passivation film. A conductive oxide film is between the passivation film and both the gate wire and the relay electrode and not electrically connected between the gate wire and the relay electrode. The conductive oxide film covers an end portion of the source wire that is exposed via a second hole in the passivation film. The conductive oxide film is between the relay electrode and a current-supply electrode of the second transistor and electrically connects the relay electrode and the current-supply electrode via a third hole in the passivation film.
US08426868B2

An object is to improve field effect mobility of a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor. Another object is to suppress increase in off current even in a thin film transistor with improved field effect mobility. In a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor layer, by forming a semiconductor layer having higher electrical conductivity and a smaller thickness than the oxide semiconductor layer between the oxide semiconductor layer and a gate insulating layer, field effect mobility of the thin film transistor can be improved, and increase in off current can be suppressed.
US08426858B2

Some embodiments of the present invention include providing carbon doped regions and raised source/drain regions to provide tensile stress in NMOS transistor channels.
US08426848B2

The invention relates to an organic electronic (OE) device, in particular a transistor, comprising an interlayer between the gate insulator and the gate electrode, to novel processes for preparing the device, and to dielectric materials for use in the interlayer.
US08426845B2

An embodiment of the present invention improves the fabrication and operational characteristics of a type-II superlattice material. Layers of indium arsenide and gallium antimonide comprise the bulk of the superlattice structure. One or more layers of indium antimonide are added to unit cells of the superlattice to provide a further degree of freedom in the design for adjusting the effective bandgap energy of the superlattice. One or more layers of gallium arsenide are added to unit cells of the superlattice to counterbalance the crystal lattice strain forces introduced by the aforementioned indium antimonide layers.
US08426840B2

A nonvolatile memory cell includes a substrate and a phase changeable pattern configured to retain a state of the memory cell, on the substrate. An electrically insulating layer is provided, which contains a first electrode therein in contact with the phase changeable pattern. The first electrode has at least one of an L-shape when viewed in cross section and an arcuate shape when viewed from a plan perspective. A lower portion of the first electrode may be ring-shaped when viewed from the plan perspective. The lower portion of the first electrode may also have a U-shaped cross-section. An upper portion of the first electrode may also have an arcuate shape that spans more than 180° of a circular arc.
US08426839B1

A conductive bridging memory cell may include an ion conductor layer formed over an active electrode that is a source of conductive ions for the ion conductor; a conductive layer; and a barrier layer formed below the active layer and in contact with the conductive, the barrier layer substantially preventing a movement of conductive ions therethrough.
US08426836B2

There are provided a resistance variable nonvolatile memory device which changes its resistance stably at low voltages and is suitable for a miniaturized configuration, and a manufacturing method thereof. The nonvolatile memory device comprises: a substrate (100); a first electrode (101); an interlayer insulating layer (102); a memory cell hole (103) formed in the interlayer insulating layer; a first resistance variable layer (104a) formed in at least a bottom portion of the memory cell hole and connected to the first electrode; a second resistance variable layer (104b) formed inside the memory cell hole (103) and located on the first resistance variable layer (104a); and a second electrode (105); the first resistance variable layer (104a) and the second resistance variable layer (104b) respectively comprising metal oxides of the same kind; and the first resistance variable layer (104a) having a higher oxygen content than the second resistance variable layer (104b).
US08426834B2

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for generating EUV radiation from a gas discharge plasma. The object of the invention, to generate EUV radiation from a gas discharge plasma by with is optimized conversion efficiency of the EUV emission while locally limiting the electric discharge channel, is met in that a channel-generating beam of pulsed high-energy radiation is supplied in at least two partial beams which are focused in a pulse-synchronized manner into a superposition region along a spacing axis between the electrodes, and an electrically conductive discharge channel is generated along the superposition region due to an ionization at least of a buffer gas present in the discharge space, wherein the pulsed high-energy radiation of the channel-generating beam is triggered in such a way that the discharge channel is generated before a discharge current pulse has reached its maximum value.
US08426829B2

An ion implanter has an implant wheel with a plurality of wafer carriers distributed about a periphery of the wheel. Each wafer carrier has a heat sink for removing heat from a wafer on the carrier during the implant process by thermal contact between the wafer and the heat sink. The wafer carriers have wafer retaining fences formed as cylindrical rollers with axes in the respective wafer support planes of the wafer carriers. The cylindrical surfaces of the rollers provide wafer abutment surfaces which can move transversely to the wafer support surfaces so that no transverse loading is applied by the fences to wafer edges as the wafer is pushed against the heat sink by centrifugal force. The wafer support surfaces comprise layers of elastomeric material and the movable abutment surfaces of the fences allow even thermal coupling with the heat sink over the whole area of the wafer.
US08426824B2

The present invention relates to a detector for measuring characteristics of an energetic particle beam generated by a radiation source, the detector including means to vary the incoming particle beam energy; a plurality of sensors arranged in parallel; and processing means capable of processing signals coming from said sensors in correlation with said energy variation.
US08426819B2

Disclosed is a method for the non-invasive optic determination of the temperature of a medium, preferably a water-containing medium, wherein the medium to be analyzed is illuminated by infrared and/or visible light in the region of an absorption line, the position of which depends on the temperature of the medium, and wherein absorption of the light in the region of the absorption line is measured and the temperature is determined from said measurement by comparison with calibration data. Said method is characterized in that the medium is illuminated with at least two discrete light wavelengths (λ1, λ2), which are in the region of the absorption line (B) on different sides of the absorption maximum, that at least one measured value (ΔA/Δλ) dependent on temperature is determined from the relationship of these two determined absorption values to one another, and that the temperature is determined from said measured value by comparison with the previously recorded calibration data.
US08426817B2

A method is provided for producing an article which is transparent to infrared radiation. The method includes the steps of (a) disposing a population of nanoparticles on a substrate, wherein the population of spherical nanoparticles has a population variance of less than 10% in at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of diameter and maximum dimension; (b) subjecting the nanoparticles to spark plasma sintering, thereby producing a sintered product; and (c) removing the sintered product from the substrate as a self-supporting mass.
US08426808B2

This invention comprises a method of imaging of a substrate in which a sample of interest is first ionized at multiple known positions whereafter a mass spectrum of the ionized sample at each of the multiple known positions is produced using a Mass Spectrometer. An overall spectrum for the whole sample is then created, and a number of peaks within the overall spectrum is selected. A scan distribution for at least some of the selected peaks is created, and the scan distributions are compared to identify correlations between different analytes within the sample.
US08426807B2

The present invention generally relates to mass spectrometry and related techniques, and in some cases, to determining single species using mass spectrometry. In certain instances, polymers such as DNA or RNA can also be sequenced. Certain embodiments of the invention relate to passing a polymer, such as DNA, RNA, a protein, a polypeptide, a polysaccharide, etc., through a pore and cleaving the polymer in sequence. For instance, the polymer may be cleaved using a laser or an electric field. In some embodiments, a property of at least one subunit of a polymer is determined using mass spectrometry. In some embodiments, a single ion (which may be a subunit of a polymer, or an ion based on another species) can be isolated in a mass spectrometer and a signal generated from the single ion.
US08426806B2

Differential mobility spectrometer with spatial ion detector and methods related thereto are disclosed. The use of one or more spatial detector within differential mobility spectrometry can provide for the identification and separation of ions with similar mobility and mass.
US08426795B2

An image display apparatus includes a screen, a reflection mirror, an adaptive optics, and a projection unit. The reflection mirror has a reflective surface facing a light incident surface of the screen, and is separated from the light incident surface by a space. The boundary of the space is defined by the edges of the reflective surface and the light incident surface. The adaptive optics is disposed on the boundary of the space. The projection unit is disposed outside the space. The adaptive optics has a light exit side facing the reflective surface of the reflection mirror, and a light incident side facing the projection unit. A projecting light is generated from the projection unit, passes through the adaptive optics for adjusting the image size formed by the projecting light, and then is projected to the reflective surface of the reflection mirror for being reflected to the light incident surface.
US08426794B2

A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion unit which is arranged in a semiconductor substrate, a charge holding portion which is arranged in the semiconductor substrate and temporarily holds a charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, a first transfer electrode which is arranged at a position above the semiconductor substrate to transfer a charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the charge holding portion, a charge-voltage converter which is arranged in the semiconductor substrate and converts a charge into a voltage, and a second transfer electrode which is arranged at a position above the semiconductor substrate to transfer a charge held by the charge holding portion to the charge-voltage converter, and the first transfer electrode is arranged to cover the charge holding portion, and not to overlap the second transfer electrode when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08426791B2

Installation of solar energy systems is made easier through the use of augur tubes. The base augur tube accommodates telescoping sections which enable these systems to exhibit a smaller footprint with enhanced power ratings. A tracking head is provided in which dual axis tracking is provided using a single drive mechanism. These features are employed either together or independently.
US08426790B2

A system for generating and transmitting energy and methods of manufacturing and using the same. The system for generating and transmitting energy includes prisms, lenses, mirrors, optical cables or optic conduits, heat filters, light filters, and electricity filters. The lenses comprise lens systems to capture electromagnetic signals (wave and particle) coming from any source of radiant energy, from one or more sources of light, from one or more reflective surfaces, or from any electromagnetic wave, long or short. Upon receiving the electromagnetic signals, the lens system multiple n times the intensity of the signals by a method of infinitesimal folding of signals, a method basically consisting of an over-concentration of signals folding onto themselves tenth to millionth times in order to produce substantially concentrated signals and to project the substantially concentrated signals into one single optical cable. These substantially concentrated signals are transmitted to long distances as they are reflected through the interior of these optical cables or any especial optic conduits (in a conceptual manner similar to signal reflection in fiber optics cables). At the distal ends of the optical cable three filters will extract heat, white light and electricity.
US08426787B2

A high speed, spill-proof cooking container is provided with a novel design allowing for faster cooking speeds for multiple food varieties as well as spill-proof features. The cooking container comprises a container body having an opening defined by a rim and a lid. Inside the container body spaced from the rim is a first ledge which divides the container body into an upper segment, and a lower segment which holds the contents to be cooked. The upper segment further contains a second ledge disposed inside the container body between the first ledge and the rim. In the most preferred embodiment, the second ledge is parallel to the first ledge.
US08426784B2

A microwave applicator system exposing a material flowing through multiple applicator stages to a different radial heating pattern in each stage for uniform heating. A two-stage applicator system has a pair of back-to-back applicators, each having offset, outwardly jutting walls on opposite sides of a material flow path through a microwave exposure region. The offset, cylindrical juts formed in the wide walls of the generally rectangular waveguide cause hot spots to occur in material flowing through and between the narrow walls of the waveguide at opposite radial positions on a radial line oblique to the longitudinal direction of the waveguide. Uniform product heating can be achieved by directing a material sequentially through these two applicators in opposite directions. A cascaded applicator in which each wide wall has a pair of outward juts offset from each other and from the pair of juts on the other side wall may be used. Other multi-stage applicator systems may be used to expose a flowing material to multiple heating patterns to achieve uniform heating.
US08426780B2

A heating cartridge is intended especially for a thermostatic working valve. The cartridge is provided with a resistance wire winding (3), which is wound on a winding support (2) and is embedded in an insulating material filling (5) in a metal sheathing (7). The metal sheathing (7) is provided at one end (6) with a dimensionally stable coupling element (8) manufactured from a plastic, in which connecting lines (17, 18) are arranged, which electrically connect pluggable contact elements, especially pins (9, 10) of a connector plug, to the ends of the resistance wire winding (3). To simplify the manufacture and to obtain a compact design, the connecting lines (17, 18) are rigidly seated in the coupling element (8). The coupling element (8) is designed as a connector plug (8/1) and/or holder (8/2) and it has a connection section (28a, 28b, 28c), which protrudes into the open end of the metal sheathing (7) and which is fastened in the metal sheathing (7) in a non-positive and/or positive-locking manner by preferably radial pressing and forms a dimensionally stable structural unit with same.
US08426777B2

A method of controlling a cooking appliance is disclosed which includes receiving an input corresponding to a staged cooking function, retrieving a preselected parameter set from a data library, the preselected parameter set defining the staged cooking function and including a first heating element behavior parameter and a first temperature parameter, selecting a first heating element behavior from a control library based upon the first heating element behavior parameter, and operating one or more heating elements according to the first heating element behavior and the first temperature parameter. An oven and a tangible, machine-readable medium are also disclosed.
US08426774B2

A welding gun, including a contact tip assembly, a diffuser cap, a tip holder, and a shielding gas diffuser, where the shielding gas diffuser includes a casing and an axial tube extending within the casing, and where the casing and the tip holder are connected via a connection system that includes threads with reduced peaks.
US08426772B2

A electric welding machine having an auxiliary power output, and a method for controlling the auxiliary power output on a welding machine is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a main transformer having a first secondary winding in circuit communication with a welder power output and a second secondary winding in circuit communication with an auxiliary power supply having an auxiliary power output. The auxiliary power supply includes an input for monitoring the welder power output to determine if the welder power output is on; circuitry for determining whether a surge or spike in demand is present at the auxiliary power output; and circuitry for limiting the available power to the auxiliary power output if certain conditions are satisfied. One method includes monitoring the demand on an auxiliary power output, monitoring a welding power output, determining whether there is a spike in the demand on the auxiliary power output that is above a first limit, and reducing the available power to the auxiliary power output if the spike is above the first limit and the welding power output is energized.
US08426771B2

Various embodiments of a method for monitoring a machine condition are provided. An embodiment of the present invention provides a method of monitoring a machine condition, comprising the following steps: modeling a normal signal model performed by detecting a signal for monitoring condition of a normal machine and converting the detected signal to a normal signal model in time domain using a hidden Markov model (HMM) algorithm; calculating a probability value data of the monitoring signal at a subject machine performed by detecting a signal for monitoring condition of the subject machine in real-time and converting the detected signal to the probability value data relative to the normal state signal model using the HMM algorithm; and determining a section having deficiency where the probability value data of the monitoring signal at the subject machinery is not maintained constantly relative to the normal signal model.
US08426768B2

A method of directing a laser beam along a desired path on a workpiece and at spaced intervals delivering a pulse of laser energy comprising the steps of: using a position command stream and position feedback to control the positioning of galvanometer scanned mirror or mirrors to define the path a laser beam will travel to intersect the desired path on the workpiece; and using position feedback alone to determine when a pulse of laser energy is delivered to strike the workpiece at locations such that are uniformly overlapped along the path notwithstanding variations in galvanometer mirror velocity.
US08426759B2

Vacuum circuit breakers are to gain an extended lifetime by reducing contact face damage of moving and fixed electrodes with improved voltage withstand performance therebetween and enhanced interruption performance. Vacuum circuit breaker of the present invention has bulb 10 having: insulative vacuum tube 11; and fixed electrode 12 on end of current-carrying conductor 13 and moving electrode 15 on end of another current-carrying conductor 16 arranged in insulative vacuum tube 11 with their electrode contact faces opposed each other. Operation system for manipulating current-carrying conductor 16 of moving electrode 15 is equipped with compression-spring 20 and auxiliary compression-spring 21 that increases initial opening speed of moving electrode 15. Auxiliary compression-spring 21 ceases energizing in the middle of a circuit breaking movement of moving electrode 15 and begins storing spring energy in the middle of a circuit closing movement of the same.
US08426755B2

A technique of preventing permeation of liquid and dust to electronic parts within a housing of an input device for an in-vehicle device.An input device of an in-vehicle device comprises a housing that stores a substrate and an operating member that passes through the housing from a side of the substrate and is exposed to outside. A first drain hole is formed in the housing at a position corresponding to a gap between the housing and the operating member. The first drain hole is coupled with a drainpipe, which passes through the substrate to the back side of the substrate.
US08426752B2

An electric junction box having a casing and a circuit structure accommodated in the casing. The circuit structure includes a plurality of first bus bars arranged at intervals and synthetic resin members disposed between the adjacent first bus bars and firmly attached to the first bus bars. The synthetic resin members have heat conductivity higher than that of air. Since the heat generated from the first bus bars during electrical connecting can be transmitted to the synthetic resin members, the electric junction box can be prevented from being locally heated to a high temperature.
US08426751B2

An electrical connector assembly includes several casings juxtaposed to and connected to one another along an assembling direction, and a positioning bottom plate disposed at a level below the casings. Each casing includes a top plate, a side wall extending downwardly from a lateral side along a mounting direction transverse to the assembling direction, and one fixing pin projecting downward from a bottom end of the side wall. The positioning bottom plate is formed with several rows of fixing channel. Each row of the fixing channels is aligned with the fixing pins of a respective casing. When the juxtaposed casings are brought to fix securely on a printed circuit board supporting the positioning bottom plate, the fixing pins of the casings respectively extend through the fixing channels in the positioning bottom plate such that the positioning bottom plate absorbs an accumulated tolerance caused due to a juxtaposed connection among the casings along the assembling direction.
US08426745B2

A method and structure for a semiconductor device which provides for an etch of a metal layer such as an interconnect layer which does not affect a thinner layer such as a thin film resistor (TFR) layer, such as a circuit resistor. In one embodiment, a TFR resistor layer is protected by a patterned protective layer during an etch of the metal layer, and provides an underlayer for the metal layer. In another embodiment, the TFR layer is formed after providing the patterned metal layer. The metal layer can provide, for example, end caps for the circuit resistor.
US08426744B2

A holding member for connecting an electric part to an electric circuit board. The holding member has a base section, a pair of first leg sections, and a second leg section. The base section has a plate-like shape. The pair of first leg sections includes respective spring sections and hook sections. The second leg section includes a control section. The pair of first leg sections configured to be inserted into a through hole in the electric circuit board.
US08426737B2

The electric connection box includes a case main body; a lower cover to be attached at the case main body; a harness-through opening to be structured into a cylindrical shape with the case main body and the lower cover; a wiring harness to be passed through the harness-through opening; and a water-protect elastic sheet wound around the wiring harness to be arranged in the harness-through opening. The harness-through opening has a large diameter portion, which has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the part of the wiring harness wound with the water-protect sheet, and a small diameter portion, which has an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the part of the wiring harness wound with the water-protect sheet.
US08426730B2

A high-voltage isolator is disclosed which has a first electrical connecting piece and a second electrical connecting piece, between which an electrical isolating body extends. The end sections of the connecting pieces are connected to the isolating body, with a toroidal field control element being arranged on at least one of the end sections. A slot, which extends in the circumferential direction of the end section, is introduced on the end section which has the field control element. The field control element and the respectively associated end section are formed integrally. As a result of the slot, tension and compression forces which occur during longitudinal and lateral contractions of the isolating body and act at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the end section can be largely prevented, as can shear forces, while at the same time achieving a high level of uniformity in an area of the isolating gap, for electrical fields which occur during operation.
US08426724B2

Interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells are produced by depositing spaced-apart parallel pads of a first dopant bearing material (e.g., boron) on a substrate, heating the substrate to both diffuse the first dopant into corresponding first (e.g., p+) diffusion regions and to form diffusion barriers (e.g., borosilicate glass) over the first diffusion regions, and then disposing the substrate in an atmosphere containing a second dopant (e.g., phosphorus) such that the second dopant diffuses through exposed surface areas of the substrate to form second (e.g., n+) diffusion regions between the first (p+) diffusion regions (the diffusion barriers prevent the second dopant from diffusion into the first (p+) diffusion regions). The substrate material along each interface between adjacent first (p+) and second (n+) diffusion regions is then removed (e.g., using laser ablation) such that elongated grooves, which extend deeper into the substrate than the diffused dopant, are formed between adjacent diffusion regions.
US08426722B2

Photovoltaic structures for the conversion of solar irradiance into electrical free energy. In a particular implementation, a photovoltaic cell includes a granular semiconductor and oxide layer with nanometer-size absorber semiconductor grains surrounded by a matrix of oxide. The semiconductor and oxide layer is disposed between electron and hole conducting layers. In some implementations, multiple semiconductor and oxide layers can be deposited.
US08426717B2

A signal modulator includes a discriminator for discriminating a modulation technique through which a carrier signal was modulated to a quasi audio signal and a signal demodulation module for reproducing a continuous data stream from the quasi audio signal through a demodulating technique corresponding to the discriminated modulation technique; the discriminator includes a sampling circuit for extracting groups of samples from the quasi audio signal during each period of the carrier signal, an integrator calculating an integrated value on each group of samples, a comparator comparing the integrated value with a threshold for a neighborhood of zero so as to determine the groups of samples with the integrated value less than the threshold and a determiner measuring the time period between the groups of two modulation period and discriminating 16DPSK when the time period is equal to the modulation period.
US08426712B1

A cymbal rod adjusting and locating mechanism includes a fixed casing having a pivot hole and a connector connected to a cymbal stand pole; and a movable casing including first and second clamping members for clamping a cymbal rod therebetween. The first clamping member is provided on a surface adjoining the second clamping member with a confining zone having a screw hole, and the second clamping member is correspondingly provided on a surface adjoining the first clamping member with a clamping zone having a through hole. The first and second clamping members are engaged with each other via a guiding mechanism provided between them, and are elastically pushed apart by first elastic elements provided between them. By extending a pressing bolt through the pivot hole and the through hole to screw into the screw hole, the fixed casing and the first and second clamping members are pressed against one another.
US08426709B2

Adjustable neck-angle joint for stringed musical instrument, directed to the technique and the way of joining the neck (12) and the body (13) of a stringed musical instrument. The two parts are joined together with the use of screws. At their contact points they include a convexo-concave formation (15), (14) which provides absolute contact between the instrument's body (13) and the neck (12) with the ability to rotate laterally in a predetermined manner. Thus making possible to change the angle between the longitudinal axis of the neck (12) and the longitudinal axis of the instrument's body (13). The neck (12) is changing its angular position relative to the instrument's body (13) regulating the space between the strings and the upper surface of body, as well as the asked force on the top an acoustic musical instrument or the body of an electric musical instrument, by its strings. The instrument can be easily setup according to the player's personal preferences, such as the “action” and the desirable instrument natural resonance.
US08426702B2

The invention provides seed and plants of pepper hybrid PS 11446271 and the parent lines thereof, such as inbred parent line HAP 114-1128. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pepper hybrid PS 11446271 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another pepper plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08426701B2

The invention provides seed and plants of pepper hybrid BS02827989 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pepper hybrid BS02827989 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another pepper plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08426693B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1024720. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1024720. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1024720 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1024720 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08426689B2

The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S080100, to the plants of soybean S080100, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S080100, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S080100 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety S080100, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S080100, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S080100 with another soybean cultivar.
US08426688B2

The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S080099, to the plants of soybean S080099, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S080099, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S080099 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety S080099, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S080099, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S080099 with another soybean cultivar.
US08426682B2

Polynucleotides, polypeptides, plant cells expressing same and methods of using same for increasing abiotic stress tolerance water use efficiency (WUE), fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), biomass, vigor and/or yield of a plant. The method is effected by expressing within the plant an exogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:33, 34, 30, 27-29, 31, 32, 35-52, 1401-1403, 1405-1435, 1437-1494, 1496-1542, 1544-1553, 1555-1559, 1561-1827, 1829-1866, 1868-2450, 2453-2458, 2460-2463, 2465-2481, 2483, 2485-2746, 2765-2769, 3052-3065 and 3067-3259, thereby increasing the water use efficiency (WUE), the fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), the biomass, the vigor and/or the yield of the plant.
US08426681B2

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining polynucleic acids comprising coding sequences and/or genes involved in environmental stress resistance in plants, comprising the preparation of a cDNA library comprising coding sequences from siliques, introducing said coding sequences in yeast cells in a functional format and screening for polynucleic acids leading to an enhanced tolerance or resistance to environmental stress conditions in said transformed yeast cells. The present invention further relates to an isolated polynucleic acid obtainable by such a method as listed in Table 1 as well as recombinant polynucleic acid comprising the same. The present invention further relates to an isolated polypeptide encoded by a polynucleic acid of the invention. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a plant with enhanced tolerance or resistance to environmental stress, said method comprising introducing into a plant cell a recombinant DNA comprising a polynucleic acid as defined which when expressed in a plant cell enhances the tolerances or induces resistance to environmental stress conditions of said plant. The present invention particularly relates to plant cells, plants or harvestable parts or propagation material thereof transformed with a recombinant polynucleic acid as defined above.
US08426677B2

Novel gibberellin 2-oxidase (GA2ox) genes were identified. Differential expression of GA2ox genes correlated with flower development, seed germination, tiller growth and other developmental processes. In addition, the early and increased growth of tiller and adventitious root and altered root architecture caused by overexpression of GA2oxs further suggest the pleiotropic role of GA2oxs in controlling growth and architecture in plants such as rice. GA2ox5, GA2ox6 and GA2ox9 were three genes encoding class C20 GA2oxs in rice. Mutants or transgenic rice overexpressing class C20 GA2oxs exhibited a broad range of mutant phenotypes, including semi-dwarfism, increased root system and higher tiller numbers that may favor grain yield. Mutations in the conserved domain III were found to affect the physiological activity of class C20 GA2oxs. Methods are described for controlling plant growth and architecture by controlling gene expression of gibberellin 2-oxidase in the plant.
US08426675B2

The invention relates to recombinant vectors for inducible and/or tissue specific expression of double-stranded RNA molecules that interfere with the expression of a target gene. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to the use of Tet (tetracycline)-responsive RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) promoters (e.g., TetON or TetOFF) to direct inducible knockdown in certain cells of an integrated or an endogenous gene, such as p53. The invention also relates to a method for producing transgenic animals (e.g., mice) expressing inducible (such as tetracycline-regulated), reversible, and/or tissue-specific double-stranded RNA molecules that interfere with the expression of a target gene.
US08426674B2

Silkworms which have (i) a DNA encoding a transcriptional regulator operably linked downstream of a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and (ii) a DNA encoding TRACP5 operably linked downstream of a target promoter of the transcriptional regulator were produced. The result showed that active TRACP5b was produced from the silkworms. This means that TRACP5 produced from the silk gland of the silkworms undergoes processing in the silk gland that is similar to the processing taking place at bone resorption sites.
US08426658B2

Provided are azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions of 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane (HCFC-244bb) and hydrogen fluoride (HF). Such azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions are useful as intermediates in the production of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf).
US08426657B2

The present invention relates to compositions and processes of using perfluoropolyether to maintain or improve the oil return, lubrication, cooling capacity, or energy efficiency of a refrigeration, air conditioning or heat transfer system.
US08426649B2

Cyclic alkynes (e.g., cyclooctynes such as dibenzocyclooctynes) can be photochemically generated from cyclopropenones as disclosed herein. The cyclic alkynes can be reacted (e.g., in situ) with materials having alkyne-reactive groups (e.g., azide groups in a “click” reaction). In preferred embodiments, the generation and reaction of the cyclic alkyne can proceed in the absence of a catalyst (e.g., Cu(I)). These reactions can be useful, for example, for the selective labeling of living cells that are metabolically modified with azido-containing surface monosaccharides, or for light-directed surface patterning.
US08426648B2

The present invention relates to a hydrogenation catalyst, particularly useful for the hydrogenation of carbon disulphide (CS2) to form methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), and to a preparation method thereof. The present invention also relates to a method for continuously preparing methyl mercaptan by the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon disulphide, with a carbon disulphide conversion rate of 100%, and a methyl mercaptan selectivity of 100%.
US08426638B2

Described herein is a process in which acetic acid is produced by ethane oxidation. One byproduct of the ethane oxidation is water, which is commonly removed from the process in the same stream as the acetic acid process. As described herein, the ethane oxidation reactor effluent is processed in a predehydration tower so as to separately recover water, acetic acid, and a gas stream for recycle back to the ethane oxidation reactor.
US08426632B2

There is provided a novel crosslinking agent for use in crosslinked polymer fabrication, specifically a crosslinking agent containing at least one compound selected from glyoxylate and a glyoxylic acid ester derivative represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and R3 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
US08426613B2

This invention relates to the synthesis of substituted tetrahydroindenyls and the use of the synthesized complexes in the homo- and co-polymerization of ethylene and alpha-olefins.
US08426612B2

The present invention refers to the synthesis of 3-{[(2R)-1-methylpyrrolidin-2-yl]methyl}-5-[2-(phenylsulfonyl)ethyl]-1H-indole, a drug known by the name Eletriptan, or of its salts. In particular, the present invention regards a process for the synthesis of Eletriptan or of its salt, comprising the following steps: a) Salifying the intermediate of Formula (6), using a dicarboxylic acid to obtain a derived salt; b) Optionally, purifying said raw salt obtained according to step a) by solvent crystallization to obtain a purified salt of the intermediate of Formula (6); c) Converting said salt of the intermediate of formula (6) according to step a) or said purified salt according to step b) into an intermediate of formula (10); d) Converting the intermediate of Formula (10) into Eletriptan or its salt.
US08426609B2

A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of preparing a reactive polymer and reacting the reactive polymer with an imide compound containing a protected amino group.
US08426607B2

The present invention relates to substituted amino-benzimidazoles of general formula (1) wherein the groups R1 to R14 and A, are defined as in the specification and claims and the use thereof for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and similar diseases.
US08426606B2

The present disclosure belongs to the field of pharmaceutical chemistry, and relates to a class of 2′,2-bisthiazole non-nucleoside compounds of following formula I, the preparation method and the pharmaceutical composition thereof. The compounds have both the anti-HBV and anti-HCV activities and are useful in treating hepatitides B and C. Pharmacokinetic tests showed the compounds have good bioavailability.
US08426602B2

The present application relates to novel heteroaryl-substituted dicyanopyridines, to processes for their preparation, to their use for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases and to their use for preparing medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, preferably for the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular disorders.
US08426600B2

Disclosed is a method for preparing a montelukast sodium salt of Formula 1. The method includes coupling a methanesulfonyl compound of Formula 2 below with a compound of Formula 3 below in the presence of a bistrimethylsilylamide alkali metal salt, further adding an alkali metal base thereto and hydrolyzing the mixture by heating to prepare a compound of Formula 4 below, reacting the compound of Formula 4 with 4-tert-butylcyclohexylamine, followed by purification, to prepare an amine salt of Formula 5, and converting the amine salt of Formula 5 into a sodium salt.
US08426595B2

This invention provides novel compounds that are modulators of gamma secretase. The compounds have the formula [Chemical formula should be inserted here as it appears on abstract in electronic form.] Also disclosed are methods of modulating gamma secretase activity and methods of treating Alzheimer's disease using the compounds of formula (I).
US08426592B2

The present invention concerns the discovery that proteins encoded by a family of genes, termed here HDx-related genes, which are involved in the control of chromatin structure and, thus in transcription and translation. The present invention makes available compositions and methods that can be utilized, for example to control cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro and in vivo.
US08426590B2

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of doxazosin or salts thereof.
US08426586B2

An improved process for preparing 4-[(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)amino]-6-{[4-(N,N-dimethylamino)-1-oxo-2-buten-1-yl]amino}-7-((S)-tetrahydrofuran-3-yloxy)-quinazoline and related aminocrotonyl compounds and the preparation of a suitable salt of 4-[(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)amino]-6-{[4-(N,N-dimethylamino)-1-oxo-2-buten-1-yl]amino}-7-((S)-tetrahydrofuran-3-yloxy)-quinazoline for use as a pharmaceutically active substance.
US08426585B2

The present invention provides novel compounds useful in modulating the protein tyrosine kinase activity, and in modulating inter- and/or intra-cellular signaling. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising such compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of hyperproliferative disorders in mammals, especially humans.
US08426577B2

Disclosed are a nucleic acid molecule of Corynebacterium glutamicum origin, having an improved promoter activity, which is operably linked to operon encoding aspartate kinase and aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogense, a vector containing the same, a transformant transformed with the vector, and a method for the production of L-lysine using the transformant.
US08426571B2

A novel gene 202P5A5 and its encoded protein, and variants thereof, are described wherein 202P5A5 exhibits tissue specific expression in normal adult tissue, and is aberrantly expressed in the cancers listed in Table I. Consequently, 202P5A5 provides a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic and/or therapeutic target for cancer. The 202P5A5 gene or fragment thereof, or its encoded protein, or variants thereof, or a fragment thereof, can be used to elicit a humoral or cellular immune response; antibodies or T cells reactive with 202P5A5 can be used in active or passive immunization.
US08426565B2

The present invention relates to the identification of proteins located on the cell surface of dendritic cells or precursors thereof, particularly antigen presenting dendritic cells. In particular, the present invention relates to compounds such as antibodies that bind these proteins. These compounds can be used to detect and/or enrich a subset of dendritic cells or precursors thereof. These compounds can also be used to target antigens to dendritic cells or precursors thereof to modulate a humoral and/or T cell mediated immune response to an antigen, or used to target cytotoxic agents to dendritic cells or precursors thereof involved in diseased states.
US08426557B2

This invention relates to polypeptides which bind to IGF-1R and to applications of those polypeptides in medicine, veterinary medicine, diagnostics and imaging.
US08426552B2

A method for producing an acid group-containing polyarylene sulfide of the present invention includes a reaction step of reacting a polyhaloaromatic compound (a), an alkali metal hydrosulfide (b), an alkali metal carboxylate (c), and an aromatic compound (d) having an elimination group and an acid group, which function in a nucleophilic reaction, in the presence of a solid alkali metal sulfide.
US08426548B2

A polyimide film which, especially when superposed on a metal layer by the laminating method, has the function of diminishing the thermal distortion to be imposed on the material; an adhesive film and a flexible metal-clad laminate each comprising or obtained with the polyimide film. the polyimide film is obtained by reacting an aromatic diamine with an aromatic acid dianhydride and imidiating the polyamic acid obtained, and has a storage elastic modulus in a specific range.
US08426546B2

The present invention relates to an organopolysiloxane composition that can be vulcanized at room temperature into an elastomer that is crosslinked by polycondensation and that does not contain alkyltin-based catalysts and also to novel organopolysiloxane polycondensation catalysts.
US08426543B2

An adhesive composition of the present invention includes, as a main component, a polymer produced by copolymerization of a monomer composition including: styrene; a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester having a chain structure; a (meth)acrylic acid ester having an aliphatic ring; and a (meth)acrylic acid ester having an aromatic ring, wherein: the styrene is contained in a range of 40 to 69 parts by mass; the (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester having the chain structure is contained in a range of 20 to 30 parts by mass; the (meth)acrylic acid ester having the aliphatic ring is contained in a range of 10 to 25 parts by mass; and the (meth)acrylic acid ester having the aromatic ring is contained in a range of 1 to 5 parts by mass, where the total amount of the above components is 100 parts by mass. This allows for provision of an adhesive composition having high adhesive strength under high-temperature environment, as well as high heat resistance, high alkali resistance, and easiness in stripping from semiconductor wafers and the like even after high-temperature processing.
US08426537B2

A solid catalyst component for olefin polymerization is produced by causing (a) a solid component that includes magnesium, titanium, a halogen, and an electron donor, (b) an aminosilane compound shown by the following general formula (1), and (c) at least one organosilicon compound selected from an organosilicon compound shown by the following general formula (2-A) and an organosilicon compound shown by the following general formula (2-B) to come in contact with each other. A polymer having high stereoregularity is produced in high yield while achieving a high melt flow rate due to hydrogen by polymerizing an olefin in the presence of a catalyst that includes the solid catalyst component. R1nSi(NR2R3)4-n  (1) [CH2═CH—(CH2)1]qSiR44-q  (2-A) R5Si(OR6)4-s  (2-B)
US08426535B2

A process is disclosed for the preparation of zinc alkyl chain growth products via a catalyzed chain growth reaction of an alpha-olefin on a zinc alkyl, wherein the chain growth catalyst system employs a group 3-10 transition metal, or a group 3 main group metal, or a lanthanide or actinide complex, and optionally a suitable activator. The products can be further converted into alpha-olefins by olefin displacement of the grown alkyls as alpha-olefins from the zinc alkyl chain growth product, or into primary alcohols, by oxidation of the resulting zinc alkyl chain growth product to form alkoxide compounds, followed by hydrolysis of the alkoxides.
US08426532B2

Methods of forming polycarbonate graft copolymers are provided. In particular, a polycarbonate polymer or copolymer containing allyl groups provides the backbone for the graft copolymer, and pendant chains are attached to the copolymer through the allyl groups. The graft copolymers exhibit a combination of high transparency, good graft levels, good scratch resistance, and/or good anti-fog properties.
US08426529B2

Disclosed is a selected type of copolymer composition comprising copolymers having units derived from ethylene and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) co-monomers. Such copolymer compositions: a) have a DCPD-derived comonomer unit content of from about 25 mole % to about 45 mole %; b) have a Weight Average Molecular Weight, Mw, of greater than about 170,000; c) comprise amorphous material and have glass transition temperatures, Tg, of from about 8° C. to about 129° C., which also fit the equation Tg (in ° C.)≧[(mole % DCPD×3.142)−4.67]; and d) comprise no significant amount of crystalline polyethylene homopolymer or crystallizable polyethylene segments within the ethylene-dicyclopentadiene copolymers. Such copolymers can be readily derivatized by hydrogenation and/or epoxidation to provide polymeric materials suitable for use as engineering thermoplastics. Also disclosed are processes for preparing and optionally further derivatizing ethylene/dicyclopentadiene copolymers having the characteristics hereinbefore described.
US08426525B2

An ethylene based polymer composition comprising the following component (A) and the following component (B) wherein the content of the component (B) is 0.5 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the component (A): Component (A): an ethylene based polymer satisfying all of the following requirements (a1) to (a3): (a1) the density is 890 to 925 kg/m3, (a2) the melt flow rate (MFR) is 0.1 to 10 g/10 minutes, (a3) the flow activation energy (Ea) is 50 kJ/mol or more, Component (B): an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer satisfying all of the following requirements (b1) to (b3): (b1) the density is 890 to 925 kg/m3, (b2) the intrinsic viscosity [η] measured in a tetralin solution is 4 to 15 dL/g, (b3) the flow activation energy (Ea) is less than 50 kJ/mol.
US08426522B2

The copolymer rubber composition comprises 60 to 75% by weight of a copolymer rubber (1) and 40 to 25% by weight of a copolymer rubber (2), and [iodine value of the copolymer rubber (1)−iodine value of the copolymer rubber (2)] is 5 to 30. The copolymer rubber (1) is an ethylene-α-olefin-nonconjugated polyene copolymer rubber having an ethylene unit of 50 mol % to 70 mol %, an α-olefin unit of 50 mol % to 30 mol %, and an iodine value of 15 to 45, and the copolymer rubber (2) is an ethylene-α-olefinic copolymer rubber having an ethylene unit of more than 70 mol % and 95 mol % or less, an α-olefin unit of less than 30 mol % and 5 mol % or more, and an iodine value of 10 to 30.
US08426507B2

Provided is a polypropylene carbonate based resin composition used as a hot melt adhesive. In detail, the present invention is to provide a composition of the hot melt adhesive having high adhesion to a polar surface of the polypropylene carbonate resin based hot melt adhesive and adhesion to a non-polar surface. The composition of hot melt adhesive according to the present invention has excellent compatibility between raw materials so as to have a completely uniform phase, thereby increasing cohesive energy as the adhesive and having the excellent adhesion to the polar or non-polar surface.
US08426506B2

Addition-crosslinkable silicone compositions having high adhesion, rapid curing, and reduced odor and extractables contain a silylated citric acid.
US08426504B2

The epoxy resin composition of the present invention is characterized in that a polyamide compound having a moiety derived from a hydroxyl substituted aromatic amine having a phenolic hydroxyl group adjacent to an amino group is used as an epoxy resin hardener.
US08426500B2

An aqueous coating composition comprising (A) at least one water-dispersible organic binder containing cationic groups and (B) 0.05%-10% by weight, based on the solids content of the aqueous coating composition, of a water-thinnable vinylpyrrolidone copolymer, where the vinylpyrrolidone copolymer (B) contains vinylpyrrolidone monomer units and vinyl acetate monomer units in a molar ratio of 0.3:0.7 to 0.7:0.3, preferably of 0.4:0.6 to 0.6:0.4 and possesses a weight-average molecular weight of less than 200 000 g/mol.
US08426499B2

An offset printing ink in which a modified pigment (D) is dispersed in a vehicle as a colorant, the modified pigment (D) contains a polymer (P) on the surface thereof, and the polymer (P) is obtained by polymerizing a resin or fat (B) which has a polymerizable unsaturated group, and is soluble in a nonaqueous solvent, and at least one of polymerizable unsaturated monomers (C) which are soluble in a nonaqueous solvent and insoluble or poorly-soluble after polymerization, and specifically, the resin or fat (B) is selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins having a polymerizable unsaturated group, alkyd resins which are soluble in the nonaqueous solvent, natural resin-modified phenol resins, and fats.
US08426495B2

The invention provides a radiation-curable ink composition for inkjet recording, the ink composition containing at least: a specific azo compound, a tautomer of the azo compound, a salt of the azo compound, a salt of the tautomer, a hydrate of the azo compound, a hydrate of the tautomer, or any combination thereof; a polymer dispersant; a cationic polymerizable compound; and a cationic polymerization initiator. The invention further provides an inkjet recording method including ejecting and curing the ink composition. The invention further provides a printed matter formed by the inkjet recording method.
US08426492B2

A tissue adhesive formed by reacting an oxidized cationic polysaccharide containing aldehyde groups and amine groups with a multi-arm amine is described. The oxidized cationic polysaccharide-based polymer tissue adhesive may be useful for medical applications including wound closure, supplementing or replacing sutures or staples in internal surgical procedures such as intestinal anastomosis and vascular anastomosis, ophthalmic procedures, drug delivery, anti-adhesive applications and as a bulking agent to treat urinary incontinence. Additionally, due to the presence of the positively charged amine groups on the oxidized polysaccharide, the polymer tissue adhesive disclosed herein may promote wound healing and blood coagulation, and may possess antimicrobial properties.
US08426489B1

Present embodiments include composite dental materials for use in fillings and crowns, and methods of making the same. The composite materials can include biocompatible dental resin matrices and filler materials. The filler materials can include various types of magnetic nanoparticles. Additional embodiments include method of forming composite dental materials using a magnetic field and methods for forming aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles. Other embodiments according to present teachings include methods for filling dental cavities and forming dental crowns.
US08426488B2

An easily removable dental curable composition which prevents the fall or leakage of a temporary prosthetic appliance or a root canal filling material which is easily removed by bonding and adhering it to tooth, shows such high flowability that its operation is easy, has a long working time and excellent X-ray contrast properties and sealability and can be easily removed as required, and a filling kit. The dental curable composition comprises (A) a polymerizable monomer mixture containing a polymerizable monomer having an acid group in the molecule and (B) a polymerization initiator, wherein the component (A) contains (A′) a long-chain polymerizable monomer having a structure with a chain length of 17 or more atoms and/or the composition further comprises (D1) a soft resin material.
US08426484B2

The present invention relates to a homogenous liquid blend comprising a photoinitiator and an alkoxylate surfactant for incorporation into aqueous based and solvent based radiation curable systems. In particular the invention relates to a homogenous liquid blend which is liquid at room temperature comprising at least 30% by weight with regard to the whole blend of a solid photoinitiator of the radical type and 1-70% by weight of at least one alkoxylated liquid surface active agent and optionally an organic diluent.
US08426481B2

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a composite material including a hydrophobic porous organic polymer bead. An embodiment further relates to a method of obtaining the composite material as well as the use thereof.
US08426473B2

The present invention describes phenoxy-acetic acids and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same and methods of using the same. The phenoxy-acetic acids are activators of PPAR-δ and should be useful for treating conditions mediated by the same.
US08426470B2

A method of alleviating signs and symptoms of spasticity in human patient comprising orally administering to said human patients once in a day a controlled drug delivery system comprising an effective daily dose of baclofen or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt. The controlled drug delivery system is operable to produce a level of sedation lower than a sedation produced by three times a day immediate release tablets. A total daily dosage of the controlled release tablets and a total daily dosage of the three times a day immediate release tablets remain same.
US08426467B2

A concentrated esmolol formulation is provided that is distinguishable from a diluted form of the concentrated esmolol formulation.
US08426464B2

The present invention relates to a liquid pest control system that includes a synthetic pyrethroid as a pest control active ingredient and an agent selected from the group consisting of purified diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, tocopherol nicotinate and tocopherol succinate, and combinations thereof, to reduce or eliminate paresthesia of the synthetic pyrethroid. The system releases the synthetic pyrethroid efficiently and uniformly. The pest control system is less irritating to the animal's skin as compared to prior art systems, particularly to small breeds of dogs. The system is useful for making liquid spot-on treatments, sprays and the like.
US08426461B2

The present invention provides a preparation with improved disintegration property, a preparation showing improved bioavailability of a medicament, production methods thereof and the like. A rapidly disintegrating preparation comprising granules comprising a medicament coated with a coating layer containing sugar or sugar alcohol; and a disintegrant. A production method of a rapidly disintegrating preparation including a step of producing granules comprising a medicament, a step of forming a coating layer containing sugar or sugar alcohol on the obtained granules and a step of mixing the coated granules with a disintegrant and molding the mixture.
US08426459B2

The invention relates to a composition containing flavanolignans, e.g., isolated from Silybum marianum, and basic amino acids and, optionally, other auxiliary substances, in the form of mixture, and to the method of preparation of these compositions by mixing the components and their homogenization. The invention is applicable particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics, food industry, breweries, distilleries, and in the industry of beverage production.
US08426457B2

Methods of improving skin quality are disclosed. Generally, the methods include topically administering an IRM compound to a treatment area of skin for a period of time and in an amount effective for improving the quality of the skin. Suitable IRM compound compounds include agonists of one or more TLRs.
US08426448B2

CB-1 receptor inverse agonist compounds of Formula and pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of obesity or cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia.
US08426445B2

Provided are novel methods of treating and/or preventing a disease or condition caused by or associated with a virus belonging to the Bunyaviridae or Togaviridae family using iminosugars, such as DNJ derivatives.
US08426440B2

A compound of formula (I), wherein R, R1, R2, ring A, which ring contains one or two nitrogen atoms, and ring B are as defined in the Specification, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and uses for these compounds and compositions, in particular, in transplantation.
US08426439B2

The present invention relates to methods of treating or preventing addiction and relapse use of addictive agents, and treating or preventing addictive or compulsive behavior and relapse practice of an addictive behavior or compulsion, by administering a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist, alone or in combination with another therapeutic agent, such as, for example, an opioid receptor antagonist or an antidepressant. The present invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions for treating or preventing addiction or relapse that include a PPARγ agonist and one or more other therapeutic agents, as well as unit dosage forms of such pharmaceutical compositions, which contain a dosage effective in treating or preventing addiction or relapse. The methods and compositions of the invention are useful in the treatment or prevention of addiction to any agent, including alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamines, as well as compulsive and addictive behaviors, including pathological gambling and pathological overeating.
US08426437B2

The present invention relates to inhibitors of protein kinases of formula I: which can be used in the treatment of various diseases, notably cancer, inflammation or disorders of the central nervous system. It also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds according to the invention and their use in therapy.
US08426431B2

The invention is directed to substituted 2-aminoacetamides represented by formula (II): and to pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof, wherein the substituents are defined herein. The invention is also directed to the use of substituted 2-aminoacetamides in methods for the treatment of neuronal damage following global and focal ischemia, and for the treatment, prevention or amelioration of pain, anxiety, or manic depression, as anticonvulsants, as antimanic depressants, as local anesthetics, as antiarrhythmics and for the treatment or prevention of diabetic neuropathy.
US08426422B2

Disclosed are compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, compositions containing the compounds and methods of treating diseases during which is expressed anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein.
US08426404B2

The invention provides a novel class of compounds having Formula Ia, wherein each variable is as defined; and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and methods of using such compounds for inhibiting c-Src, FGFR3, KDR and/or Lck.
US08426402B2

The invention relates to novel benzodiazepine derivatives with antiproliferative activity and more specifically to novel benzodiazepines of formula (I) and (II), in which the diazepine ring (B) is fused with a heterocyclic ring (CD), wherein the heterocyclic ring is bicyclic or a compound of formula (III), in which the diazepine ring (B) is fused with a heterocyclic ring (C), wherein the heterocyclic ring is monocyclic. The invention provides cytotoxic dimers of these compounds. The invention also provides conjugates of the monomers and the dimers. The invention further provides compositions and methods useful for inhibiting abnormal cell growth or treating a proliferative disorder in a mammal using the compounds or conjugates of the invention. The invention further relates to methods of using the compounds or conjugates for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis or treatment of mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions.
US08426395B2

Compounds produced by combining imino sugars and creatine are herein disclosed. The compounds being in the form of a creatine imino sugar amides and produced by the disclosed methods; protecting the guanidine group of creatine and then activating the protected creatine with DCC and reacting it with an imino sugar, followed by removal of the guanidine protecting groups. The resulting creatine imino sugar amides have enhanced stability in solution as compared to related esters. In addition, specific benefits are conferred by the imino sugar in addition to, and separate from, the creatine substituent. Methods of preparation and use of these compounds are also disclosed.
US08426392B2

The invention provides a method for providing emergency contraception in a female subject, comprising providing the subject with a therapeutically effective amount of ulipristal acetate in an oral dosage form before, during or after a meal.The invention further provides a kit comprising i) an oral dosage form comprising ulipristal acetate and ii) a printed matter stating that ulipristal acetate may be taken with or without food.
US08426387B2

Phenyl boric acid and its salts and substituent derivatives (e.g., substituted phenyl) effectively inhibit the growth of several cancer cell lines and offers utility in the treatment/prevention of cancer. The material may be applied or injected into affected areas or applied topically, especially for the treatment of cervical cancer.
US08426383B2

Disclosed is an anti-aging composition for external use on skin, which includes low-molecular weight hyaluronic acids, high-molecular weight hyaluronic acids and polysaccharides extracted from root bark of Ulmus davidiana, as active ingredients. The composition including the low-molecular weight hyaluronic acids, high-molecular weight hyaluronic acids and polysaccharides extracted from root bark of Ulmus davidiana, in a predetermined ratio, shows significantly improved skin-moisturizing, skin elasticity-enhancing and inflammation-alleviating effects, as compared to a composition using one of the above ingredients alone. Therefore, the composition may be widely used as a pharmaceutical or cosmetic anti-aging composition.
US08426377B2

The invention relates to iRNA agents, which preferably include a monomer in which the ribose moiety has been replaced by a moiety other than ribose that further includes a tether having one or more linking groups, in which at least one of the linking groups is a cleavable linking group. The tether in turn can be connected to a selected moiety, e.g., a ligand, e.g., a targeting or delivery moiety, or a moiety which alters a physical property. The cleavable linking group is one which is sufficiently stable outside the cell such that it allows targeting of a therapeutically beneficial amount of an iRNA agent (e.g., a single stranded or double stranded iRNA agent), coupled by way of the cleavable linking group to a targeting agent—to targets cells, but which upon entry into a target cell is cleaved to release the iRNA agent from the targeting agent.
US08426368B2

A method of supplementing a diet and ameliorating oxidative stress in a mammal includes administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of lipid soluble, hydrophobic active compounds having a chemical structure: wherein R1 is an aromatic backbone and R2 is a sulfur containing ligand. Through formation of disulfide linkages other moieties can be attached to R2 converting the hydrophobic base into a water soluble entity, for ease of delivery, which can be reconverted back to the original compound by biochemical reduction in the blood stream.
US08426364B2

Methods are described for slowing or inhibiting the progression of heart failure in a mammalian subject suffering from chronic hypertension. The methods involve administering an εPKC, β1PKC, or βIIPKC peptide inhibitor, examples of which are provided.
US08426359B2

The present invention relates to compounds of formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof that inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis C virus NS3-NS4A protease. As such, they act by interfering with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are useful as antiviral agents. The invention further relates to pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds either for ex vivo use or for administration to a patient suffering from HCV infection and to processes for preparing the compounds. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a patient by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of this invention.
US08426356B2

The present application describes organic compounds that are useful for the treatment, prevention and/or amelioration of diseases particularly bacterial infections.
US08426351B2

The present invention provides a liquid softener composition having pH 2 to 5 at 20° C. and containing (a) a polymer compound having a weight-average molecular weight of 2,000 to 90,000 and containing specific monomer units (A) and (B) in a specific molar ratio, (b) one or more compounds selected from specific quaternary ammonium salts and amine compounds, and (c) at least one compound selected from water and solvents having a C log P value of 2 or less within specified ranges.
US08426350B2

A detergent composition comprising three or more distinct regions, the composition comprising one or more anti-corrosion agents and a bleaching compound, wherein, the bleaching compound is predominantly located in a first distinct region, and the one or more anti-corrosion agents are predominantly located in a second distinct region having a pH in the range of from 5 to 8.9 which second distinct region is not in direct contact with the first distinct region, and further wherein the second distinct region has a lower pH than the first distinct region.
US08426349B2

A chlorinated alkaline cleaning agent and methods for removing food soils with no resultant increase in foam generation. Particularly advantageous is that the addition of methanesulfonic acid in removing food soils with no resultant increase in foam generation.
US08426336B2

A composition and process for removing sulfur from middle distillate petroleum hydrocarbon fuels. The composition includes an alumina component and a carbon component. The composition is present in an amount effective to adsorb sulfur compounds from the fuel. The alumina component and the carbon component preferably collectively comprise a composite material. The composition can further include a sulfur component, preferably a metal sulfide or sulfur oxide. The composition can also further include at least one compound having a Group VI or Group VIII metal from the periodic table.
US08426335B2

An object of the present invention is to provide: a catalyst for production of acrylic acid which is a catalyst usable for production of acrylic acid and is excellent in the catalytic performances such as catalytic activity and in the physical properties such as physical strength of the catalyst itself; and a process for production of acrylic acid using this catalyst. As a means of achieving this object, a catalyst for production of acrylic acid according to the present invention is a catalyst obtained by drying a mixed liquid of starting materials including molybdenum and vanadium as essential components to give a dried material, molding the dried material with a liquid binder, and calcining the resultant molding, with the catalyst being characterized in that an ignition loss ratio of the dried material is from 5 to 40% by mass. A process for production of acrylic acid according to the present invention comprises the step of: subjecting acrolein to a catalytic gas phase oxidation in the presence of a molecular oxygen, with the process being characterized in that the above catalyst for production of acrylic acid according to the present invention is used.
US08426332B2

The present invention relates to a pillared silicate compound comprising a layered silicate structure, and bridging metal atoms located between adjacent silicate layers of the silicate structure, wherein said bridging metal atoms form at least one covalent bond to each of the adjacent silicate layers, as well as a process for the preparation of a pillared silicate compound, and further includes a pillared silicate compound obtainable and or obtained according to said process, as well as a method of catalyzing a chemical reaction comprising the step of contacting one or more chemical compounds with the any of the aforementioned pillared silicate compounds.
US08426329B2

A duplex eutectic silicon alloy including 30-70 weight % silicon, 10-45 weight % nitrogen, 1-40 weight % aluminum, and 1-40 weight % oxygen has a eutectic structure comprising a β′-sialon phase and an ο′-sialon phase. The alloy is produced by controlling cooling at a rate of 50° C. or less per minute in combustion synthesis. A ductile sintered product capable of replacing steel in various applications can be produced by placing a compact composed of a powder of the alloy in a sintering furnace which can supply a heat quantity at least ten times the heat capacity of the compact; and sintering the compact at a pressure at least as great as atmospheric pressure, within a nitrogen atmosphere in which the silicon gas mole fraction is 10% or more, and at a temperature within the range from 1400° C. to 1700° C.
US08426324B2

A method for manufacturing a memory element is proposed. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is entered into a deflector, and a laser beam which has passed through the deflector is entered into a diffractive optical element to be diverged into a plurality of laser beams. Then, a photoresist formed over an insulating film is irradiated with the laser beam which is made to diverge into the plurality of laser beams, and the photoresist irradiated with the laser beam is developed so as to selectively etch the insulating film.
US08426323B2

A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber capable of being evacuated, a substrate stage adapted to mount a substrate, a heating unit adapted to be set above the substrate mounting surface of the substrate stage, face the substrate mounted on at least the substrate mounting surface, and heat the substrate by radiant heat without being in contact with the substrate, a shutter adapted to be retractably inserted in the space between the heating unit and the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting surface, and a shutter driving unit adapted to extend/retract the shutter into/from the space. The substrate is mounted on the substrate stage to face the heating unit, the substrate is annealed by heating the substrate by radiant heat from the heating unit, and the shutter is extended into the space between the heating unit and the substrate stage.
US08426320B2

The method for forming wavelike coherent nanostructures by irradiating a surface of a material by a homogeneous flow of ions is disclosed. The rate of coherency is increased by applying preliminary preprocessing steps.
US08426319B2

An etching solution for a metal hard mask. The etching solution comprises a mixture of a dilute HF (hydrofluoric acid) and a silicon containing precursor. The etching solution also comprises a surfactant agent, a carboxylic acid, and a copper corrosion inhibitor. The etching solution is selectively toward etching the metal hard mask material (e.g., Titanium) while suppressing Tungsten, Copper, oxide dielectric material, and carbon doped oxide.
US08426298B2

A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, and an NMOS device at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the NMOS device comprises a Schottky source/drain extension region. The semiconductor structure further includes a PMOS device at the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the PMOS device comprises a source/drain extension region comprising only non-metal materials. Schottky source/drain extension regions may be formed for both PMOS and NMOS devices, wherein the Schottky barrier height of the PMOS device is reduced by forming the PMOS device over a semiconductor layer having a low valence band.
US08426296B2

The disclosed subject matter relates to systems and methods for preparing epitaxially textured polycrystalline films. In one or more embodiments, the method for making a textured thin film includes providing a precursor film on a substrate, the film includes crystal grains having a surface texture and a non-uniform degree of texture throughout the thickness of the film, wherein at least a portion of the this substrate is transparent to laser irradiation; and irradiating the textured precursor film through the substrate using a pulsed laser crystallization technique at least partially melt the film wherein the irradiated film crystallizes upon cooling to form crystal grains having a uniform degree of texture.
US08426294B2

A 3D memory device includes an array of semiconductor body pillars and bit line pillars, dielectric charge trapping structures, and a plurality of levels of word line structures arranged orthogonally to the array of semiconductor body pillars and bit line pillars. The semiconductor body pillars have corresponding bit line pillars on opposing first and second sides, providing source and drain terminals. The semiconductor body pillars have first and second channel surfaces on opposing third and fourth sides. Dielectric charge trapping structures overlie the first and second channel surfaces, providing data storage sites on two sides of each semiconductor body pillar in each level of the 3D array. The device can be operated as a 3D AND-decoded flash memory.
US08426293B2

It is an object of the present invention to decrease a unit cost of an IC chip and to achieve the mass-production of IC chips. According to the present invention, a substrate having no limitation in size, such as a glass substrate, is used instead of a silicon substrate. This achieves the mass-production and the decrease of the unit cost of the IC chip. Further, a thin IC chip is provided by grinding and polishing the substrate such as the glass substrate.
US08426287B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a gate electrode of a transistor on an insulator layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming an isolation region by performing ion implantation of an impurity of a first conductivity type into the semiconductor substrate, forming a lightly doped drain region by performing, after forming a mask pattern including an opening portion narrower than a width of the gate electrode on an upper layer of the gate electrode of the transistor, ion implantation of an impurity of a second conductivity type near the surface of the semiconductor substrate with the mask pattern as a mask, and forming a source region and a drain region of the transistor by performing ion implantation of an impurity of the second conductivity type into the semiconductor substrate after forming the gate electrode of the transistor.
US08426278B2

Apparatus for semiconductor device structures and related fabrication methods are provided. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device structure on an isolated region of semiconductor material comprises forming a plurality of gate structures overlying the isolated region of semiconductor material and masking edge portions of the isolated region of semiconductor material. While the edge portions are masked, the fabrication method continues by forming recesses between gate structures of the plurality of gate structures and forming stressor regions in the recesses. The method continues by unmasking the edge portions and implanting ions of a conductivity-determining impurity type into the stressor regions and the edge portions.
US08426276B2

A non-volatile semiconductor storage device has a plurality of memory strings with a plurality of electrically rewritable memory cells connected in series. Each of the memory strings includes: a first columnar semiconductor layer extending in a direction perpendicular to a substrate; a charge accumulation layer formed on the first columnar semiconductor layer via a first air gap and accumulating charges; a block insulation layer contacting the charge accumulation layer; and a plurality of first conductive layers contacting the block insulation layer.
US08426273B2

The invention includes methods of forming field effect transistors. In one implementation, the invention encompasses a method of forming a field effect transistor on a substrate, where the field effect transistor comprises a pair of conductively doped source/drain regions, a channel region received intermediate the pair of source/drain regions, and a transistor gate received operably proximate the channel region. Such implementation includes conducting a dopant activation anneal of the pair of source/drain regions prior to depositing material from which a conductive portion of the transistor gate is made. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.
US08426267B2

The semiconductor device includes a first MIS transistor including a gate insulating film 92, a gate electrode 108 formed on the gate insulating film 92 and source/drain regions 154, a second MIS transistor including a gate insulating film 96 thicker than the gate insulating film 92, a gate electrode 108 formed on the gate insulating film 96, source/drain regions 154 and a ballast resistor 120 connected to one of the source/drain regions 154, a salicide block insulating film 146 formed on the ballast resistor 120 with an insulating film 92 thinner than the gate insulating film 96 interposed therebetween, and a silicide film 156 formed on the source/drain regions 154.
US08426264B2

In a lateral bipolar transistor including an emitter, a base and a collector which are formed in a semiconductor thin film formed on an insulating substrate, the semiconductor thin film is a semiconductor thin film which is crystallized in a predetermined direction. In addition, in a MOS-bipolar hybrid transistor formed in a semiconductor thin film formed on an insulating substrate, the semiconductor thin film is a semiconductor thin film which is crystallized in a predetermined direction.
US08426259B2

The present invention provides an array substrate, comprising: a base substrate; a pixel electrode pattern and a gate pattern formed on the base substrate, the gate pattern comprises a gate scanning line and a gate electrode of a transistor, both of the gate scanning line and the gate electrode comprise transparent conductive metal layer and the gate metal layer stacking on the substrate, each pixel electrode in the pixel electrode pattern comprises transparent conductive metal layer; a gate insulating layer on the pixel electrode pattern and the gate pattern, an active layer pattern on the gate insulating layer and corresponding to the gate electrode, a via hole in the gate insulating layer for exposing the pixel electrode; and a source/drain pattern on the gate insulating layer, the source/drain pattern comprises a data scanning line crossing with the gate scanning line, source and drain electrodes of the transistor, and the drain electrode is in contact with the pixel electrode through the via hole.
US08426258B2

A vertical semiconductor device (e.g. a vertical power device, an IGBT device, a vertical bipolar transistor, a UMOS device or a GTO thyristor) is formed with an active semiconductor region, within which a plurality of semiconductor structures have been fabricated to form an active device, and below which at least a portion of a substrate material has been removed to isolate the active device, to expose at least one of the semiconductor structures for bottom side electrical connection and to enhance thermal dissipation. At least one of the semiconductor structures is preferably contacted by an electrode at the bottom side of the active semiconductor region.
US08426253B2

An integrated circuit device includes a die, a lead, and an electrically-conductive structure that is arranged to facilitate electrical communication between the die and the lead. The device also includes a potting material, in which the electrically conductive structure, the die, and at least part of the lead are embedded. An electrically-conductive housing encases the potting material and forms exterior packaging of the device. During manufacturing, the electrically-conductive structure, the die, and at least part of the lead may be arranged within the electrically-conductive housing either before or after the potting material is disposed in the housing. When the integrated circuit device is operating, heat is removable from the die via a thermal conduction path formed by the electrically-conductive structure, the potting material, and the electrically-conductive housing.
US08426239B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a transparent substrate having predefined active regions and non-active regions. Thereafter, the method includes spraying droplets of a lacquer on the predefined active regions to form corresponding lacquer layer regions, such that the non-active regions do not have presence of the lacquer. The lacquer layer regions are of a predefined thickness to enable their functional texturing. Texturing of lacquer layer enables light trapping or light extraction. Thereafter, one or more semiconductor layers are deposited o the lacquer layer regions and a cover substrate is provided. The cover substrate is joined to the transparent substrate at a portion of the non-active regions and encapsulates the lacquer layer regions and the one or more semiconductor layers between itself and the transparent substrate.
US08426238B2

A method for manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device is provided. A first pixel isolation member is formed in a semiconductor substrate including pixels by implanting impurity ions in a first region of the substrate to separate pixels in the first region from each other when viewed from a surface of the substrate. A second pixel isolation member is also formed in the substrate by forming a trench in a second region of the substrate different from the first region to separate pixels in the second region from each other, and filling the trench with an electroconductive material harder to polish by CMP than the substrate. The thickness of the substrate is reduced by CMP on a rear surface of the substrate using the second pixel isolation member as a stopper.
US08426236B2

A grid stack structure of a solar cell, which includes a silicon substrate, wherein a front side of the silicon is doped with phosphorus to form a n-emitter and a back side of the silicon is screen printed with aluminum (Al) metallization; a dielectric layer, which acts as an antireflection coating (ARC), applied on the silicon; a mask layer applied on the front side to define a grid opening of the dielectric layer, wherein an etching method is applied to open an unmasked grid area; a light-induced plated nickel or cobalt layer applied to the front side with electrical contact to the back side Al metallization; a silicide layer formed by rapid thermal annealing of the plated nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co); an optional barrier layer electrodeposited on the silicide; a copper (Cu) layer electrodeposited on the silicide/barrier film layer; and a thin protective layer is chemically applied or electrodeposited on top of the Cu layer.
US08426232B2

A system and method employ at least one semiconductor device, or an arrangement of insulating and metal layers, having at least one detecting region which can include, for example, a recess or opening therein, for detecting a charge representative of a component of a polymer, such as a nucleic acid strand proximate to the detecting region. A method for manufacturing forms such a semiconductor device. The system and method can be used for sequencing individual nucleotides or bases of ribonucleic acid (RNA) or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The detecting region permits a current to pass between the two doped regions in response to the presence of the component of the polymer, such as a base of a DNA or RNA strand. The current has characteristics representative of the component of the polymer, such as characteristics representative of the detected base of the DNA or RNA strand.
US08426226B2

A method for fabricating an integrated AC LED module comprises steps: forming a junction layer on a substrate, and defining a first growth area and a second growth area on the junction layer; respectively growing a Schottky diode and a LED on the first growth area and the second growth area; forming a passivation layer and a metallic layer on the Schottky diode, the LED and the substrate. Thereby, the Schottky diode is electrically connected with the LED via the metallic layer. Thus is promoted the reliability of electric connection of diodes, reduced the layout area of the module, and decreased the fabrication cost.
US08426216B2

This invention pertains to methods for authenticating an article comprising tagging the article with light emitting optical reporter particles, and more specifically tagging the articles with up-converting phosphor particles (UCP), linked to nucleic acids of detectable sequence.
US08426203B2

Previous methods for culturing primate pluripotent stem cells have required either fibroblast feeder cells or a medium which was exposed to fibroblast feeder cells to maintain the stem cells in an undifferentiated state. It has now been found that high levels of fibroblast growth factor in a medium together with at least one of gamma aminobutyric acid, pipecolic acid, and lithium, enables pluripotent stem cells to remain undifferentiated indefinitely through multiple passages, even without feeder cells or conditioned medium. Without beta-mercaptoethanol, the medium improves cloning efficiency. Also, a matrix of human proteins can be used to culture the undifferentiated cells without exposing the cells to animal products. Further disclosed are new primate pluripotent cell lines made using the defined culture conditions, including the medium and the matrix. Such new cell lines will have never been exposed to animal cells, animal products, feeder cells or conditioned medium.
US08426198B2

This invention provides a system for producing differentiated cells from a stem cell population for use wherever a relatively homogenous cell population is desirable. The cells contain an effector gene under control of a transcriptional control element (such as the TERT promoter) that causes the gene to be expressed in relatively undifferentiated cells in the population. Expression of the effector gene results in depletion of undifferentiated cells, or expression of a marker that can be used to remove them later. Suitable effector sequences encode a toxin, a protein that induces apoptosis; a cell-surface antigen, or an enzyme (such as thymidine kinase) that converts a prodrug into a substance that is lethal to the cell. The differentiated cell populations produced according to this disclosure are suitable for use in tissue regeneration, and non-therapeutic applications such as drug screening.
US08426188B2

The present invention discloses an attenuated recombinant alphavirus that is incapable of replicating in mosquito cells and of transmission by mosquito vectors. These attenuated alphavirus may include but is not limited to Western Equine Encephalitis virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus or Chikungunya virus. The present invention also discloses the method of generating such alphaviruses and their use as immunogenic compositions.
US08426185B2

Isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius are provided. Further provided are methods of at least partially degrading, cleaving, or removing polysaccharides, lignocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, chitin, polyhydroxybutyrate, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups using isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.
US08426173B2

A method for the production of 1-butanol by fermentation using a microbial production host is disclosed. The method employs a reduction in temperature during the fermentation process that results in a more robust tolerance of the production host to the butanol product.
US08426164B2

The present disclosure relates to isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides having transcriptional activation activity and to the polypeptides. The disclosure also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors and host cells including the nucleic acid sequences. The invention further relates to host cells useful for the production of polypeptides in which the production or function of the transcriptional activator has been altered, as well as to methods for producing the polypeptides.
US08426163B2

Production of a lipidated protein in an E. coli strain adapted to membrane protein expression.
US08426157B2

The invention relates to a method for analyzing the effect of a gaseous medium on a biological test system using an extracellular metabolization system. The method consists of the following steps: a biological test sample is cultivated on a permeable carrier, the gaseous medium is guided over the surface of the biological test system in order to form an exposition atmosphere over the biological test system, the extracellular metabolization system is added to a conservation medium and the permeable carrier is brought into contact with a conservation medium that comprises the extracellular metabolization system below the permeable carrier, in such a manner that the extracellular metabolization system only passes through the permeable carrier and that the biological test system is not submerged by the conservation medium containing the extracellular metabolization system.
US08426153B2

Biosensors, compositions comprising biosensors, methods of producing biosensors, and methods of using biosensors are disclosed. The biosensors comprise a fluorogen-activating peptide and a blocking peptide. The fluorogen-activating peptide and blocking peptide are covalently linked through a peptide linker. The blocking peptide associates with the fluorogen-activating peptide thereby blocking an active domain of the fluorogen-activating peptide when the linker is in an unmodified state. The peptide linker may contain an amino acid sequence that is specifically recognized as a modification substrate by a cognate enzyme. The fluorogen-activating peptide and the blocking peptide at least partially disassociate when the linker is modified by an enzyme, thereby allowing the fluorogen-activating peptide to bind a cognate fluorogen and modulate a fluorescence signal.
US08426152B2

The present invention provides a method of detecting changes in the refractive index at the surface of a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) detection system. The method includes generating an insoluble product from an enzymatic substrate using an immobilized enzyme, wherein the insoluble product accumulates at a LSPR supporting surface. The method also includes detecting changes in the reflected or transmitted light of the surface arising from the presence of the insoluble product using LSPR.
US08426145B2

Detection of toxic gluten oligopeptides refractory to digestion and antibodies and T cells responsive thereto can be used to diagnose Celiac Sprue.
US08426138B2

Methods and compositions for detecting the sub-cellular localization of a molecule are provided. Aspects of the invention include detecting translocation of a cell-surface receptor to a sub-cellular compartment, e.g., the endosome, using a reduced affinity enzyme complementation reporter system. Also provided are systems and kits for use in practicing embodiments of the methods.
US08426136B2

The invention provides a method for determining sensitivity of a cell population to apoptosis induced by Smac mimetics as a single agent or in combination with other chemodrugs, which method comprises assaying for an epigenetic modification at the TNFα locus in the cell population as compared to the TNFα locus in a cell population not sensitive to apoptosis induced by Smac mimetics as a single agent or in combination with other chemodrugs, wherein the presence of the epigenetic modification indicates that the cell population is sensitive to apoptosis induced by Smac mimetics as a single agent or in combination with other chemodrugs.
US08426134B2

This disclosure describes related novel methods for Recombinase-Polymerase Amplification (RPA) of a target DNA that exploit the properties of recombinase and related proteins, to invade double-stranded DNA with single stranded homologous DNA permitting sequence specific priming of DNA polymerase reactions. The disclosed methods have the advantage of not requiring thermocycling or thermophilic enzymes, thus offering easy and affordable implementation and portability relative to other amplification methods. Further disclosed are conditions to enable real-time monitoring of RPA reactions, methods to regulate RPA reactions using light and otherwise, methods to determine the nature of amplified species without a need for gel electrophoresis, methods to improve and optimize signal to noise ratios in RPA reactions, methods to optimize oligonucleotide primer function, methods to control carry-over contamination, and methods to employ sequence-specific third ‘specificity’ probes. Further described are novel properties and approaches for use of probes monitored by light in dynamic recombination environments.
US08426132B2

This invention provides methods and kits for performing a quantitative amplification reaction. The method employs a polymerase enzyme and an enzyme having a 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity that cleaves the 3′ oligonucleotide of the probe.
US08426130B2

The present disclosure relates to genetic markers and methods of diagnosing and screening for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). As such, the disclosure encompasses a whole-genome association analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of which a number are located within the GRB2-associated binding protein 2 (GAB2) gene as well as other markers associated with other genes. The disclosure identifies two novel haplotypes within the GAB2 gene, i.e., a LOAD risk-enhancing and a LOAD risk-decreasing haplotype. These haplotypes modify LOAD risk differentially in combination with APOE alleles. Further encompassed are therapeutic methods and agents of decreasing the deterioration of cells associated with LOAD.
US08426126B2

The invention relates to methods of separating polynucleotides, such as DNA, RNA and PNA, from solutions containing polynucleotides by reversibly binding the polynucleotides to a solid surface, such as a magnetic microparticle.
US08426125B2

The present invention provides a method of pretreating a specimen, which allows measurement according to an immunoassay to be carried out on a specimen from nasal secretion while preventing non-specific reactions. According to this method, the specimen from nasal secretion is treated with a protease beforehand and then an immunoassay is performed. As the protease, it is preferable to use semi-alkaline protease (EC 3.4.21.63). Furthermore, it is preferable that a substance to be pretreated by the pretreatment method according to the present invention is an influenza virus contained in the specimen from nasal secretion. The immunoassay preferably is an immunoagglutination assay. Examples of the immunoagglutination assay include a turbidimetric immunoassay, a latex turbidimetric immunoassay, and a latex agglutination assay that is performed on a slide glass.
US08426115B2

A pattern is formed by coating a first positive resist composition comprising a copolymer comprising lactone-containing recurring units, acid labile group-containing recurring units and carbamate-containing recurring units, and a photoacid generator onto a substrate to form a first resist film, patternwise exposure, PEB, and development to form a first resist pattern, heating the first resist pattern for inactivation to acid, coating a second positive resist composition comprising a C3-C8 alcohol and an optional C6-C12 ether onto the first resist pattern-bearing substrate to form a second resist film, patternwise exposure, PEB, and development to form a second resist pattern.
US08426114B2

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for making a semiconductor device comprises forming a photo sensitive layer on a semiconductive substrate, and forming an L-shaped structure in the photo sensitive layer by exposing the photo sensitive layer to light via a reticle, wherein the reticle comprises an L-shapes feature having a first non-orthogonal edge at an intersection of two legs of the L-shaped feature.
US08426113B2

The present invention provides chemically amplified silsesquioxane polymers for preparing masks using e-beam lithography. The silsesquioxane polymers have reactive sidechains that in the presence of an acid undergo acid catalyzed rearrangement to generate reactive functionalities that crosslink to form Si—O—Si bonds. The reactive side-chains comprise β- and γ-substituted alkyl groups bound to the silicon of the silsesquioxane polymer. The substituent of the β- and γ-substituted alkyl group is an electron withdrawing group. Resists generated with the chemically amplified silsesquioxane polymers of the present invention and imaged with e-beams have resolution of ≦60 nm line/space.
US08426101B2

A photosensitive composition containing a compound having a specific structure as described in the specification, a pattern-forming method using the photosensitive composition and the compound having a specific structure used in the photosensitive composition.
US08426096B2

A capsule toner in which fine solid particles constituting a shell layer are less likely to become detached from the surfaces of toner particles in spite of a long-term use within an image forming apparatus and which is capable of prevention of occurrence of filming on a photoreceptor drum, and a method of manufacturing the capsule toner are provided. The capsule toner includes core particle and shell layers for covering the surface of the core particle. The shell layer is formed of a plurality of fine polyester resin particles. The polyester resins contained in the fine polyester resin particles, respectively, are cross-linked to each other by a cross-linking agent.
US08426093B2

An electrophotographic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer provided including a first functional layer including a compound represented by the following Formula (I). In Formula (I), F represents an n-valent organic group having hole transportation ability; R1, R2, and R3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a monovalent organic group; L represents a divalent organic group; n represents an integer of 1 to 4; and j represents an integer of 0 or 1.
US08426089B2

A colored curable composition including: a resin obtained by reacting a polymer of an alkylene imine having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, a number average molecular weight of the polymer being 300 to 1,500, with a polyester having a carboxyl group at least one terminal, a number average molecular weight of the polyester being 1,000 to 1,000,000; a pigment; a photopolymerization initiator; a compound containing an ethylenically unsaturated double bond; and a solvent.
US08426082B2

Magnetic nanoparticle masks for lithographic applications of a substrate and methods for producing such masks via defining regions of localized magnetic field maxima and minima on a substrate are provided. Also provided are methods for producing multi-component patterns on a substrate with the magnetic nanoparticle masks.
US08426063B2

A battery pack that economically and reliably interconnects a large number of small form-factor battery cells. A conducting plate with a plurality of sets of tabs protruding from a flat surface of the conducting plate is used to connect electrical terminals of a plurality of battery cells. Each set of tabs is disposed about and exerts a spring force to a respective battery cell, thus mechanically securing and electrically connecting the conducting plate to the cell.
US08426059B2

An electrochemical cell including a housing configured to receive a cell element. The housing has an electrically-insulating material including metal oxide particles provided on at least a portion of an inner surface thereof to prevent electrical contact between the housing and the cell element. A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell including applying an electrically-insulating material including metal oxide particles to an inner surface of a housing for an electrochemical cell and inserting a cell element into the housing.
US08426051B2

Cooling air intake port (52), cooling air exhaust port (55), and securing walls (86, 87), which contact and secure the side surfaces of one or more battery cells (72), may be defined within two battery pack housing halves (50, 80). When battery pack (99) is assembled, at least one cooling air passage (91, 92) is defined by the side surfaces of the battery cells, the interior surface of the battery pack housing, and the securing walls. The cooling air passage connects the cooling air intake port to the cooling air exhaust port. By forcing cooling air through the cooling air passage, the battery cells can be effectively and efficiently cooled.
US08426047B2

A multi-series battery control system comprises battery cell groups each having a plurality of serially connected battery cells, a plurality of integrated circuits each disposed in correspondence to one of the battery cell groups and a battery control device that exchanges signals with the individual integrated circuits. Each integrated circuit includes an address setting means that receives a message unique to the integrated circuit, different from messages sent to other integrated circuits, from the battery control device, writes over an initialized address of the integrated circuit with the message and alters the message to a message with which an initialized address of another integrated circuit cannot be overwritten in a step assigned with an ordinal number matching the position of the integrated circuit with regard to the connection order.
US08426039B2

A 9,10-bisphenylphenanthrene derivative has a structure of formula (1): wherein P1 and P2 are substituted or non-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and R is a member selected from the group consisting of H, halo, cyano, trifluoromethyl, amino, C1-C10 alkyl, C2-C10 alkenyl, C2-C10 alkynyl, C3-C20 cycloalkyl, C3-C20 cycloalkenyl, C1-C20 heterocycloalkyl, C1-C20 heterocycloalkenyl, aryl and heteroaryl. The 9,10-bisphenylphenanthrene derivative of the present invention may function as a host emitter to be used in an organic light emitting device with advantages such as higher efficiency, lower operating voltage, higher brightness and higher thermal stability.
US08426021B2

The invention relates to a Radiation Curable Secondary Coating composition for use on an Optical Fiber. The Radiation Curable Secondary Coating composition is a urethane-free Alpha Oligomer prepared by reaction of the following: (a) an acrylate compound selected from an alcohol-containing acrylate or alcohol-containing methacrylate compound, (b) an anhydride compound, (c) an epoxy-containing compound, (d) optionally an extender compound, and (e) optionally a catalyst. The invention also relates to a coated wire and to a coated optical fiber.
US08426020B2

The invention provides an optical fiber coated with a Supercoating, wherein the Supercoating comprises at least two layers, wherein the first layer is a Primary Coating that is in contact with the outer surface of the optical fiber and the second layer is a Secondary Coating in contact with the outer surface of the Primary Coating, wherein the cured Primary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity: A) a % RAU of from about 84% to about 99%;B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.15 MPa and about 0.60 MPa; andC) a Tube Tg, of from about −25° C. to about −55° C.; wherein the cured Secondary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity: A) a % RAU of from about 80% to about 98%; B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.60 GPa and about 1.90 GPa; and C) a Tube Tg, of from about 50° C. to about 80° C.
US08426014B2

A liquid crystal polymer marking is obtainable by a process that comprises applying a chiral liquid crystal precursor composition onto a substrate, heating the composition to a chiral liquid crystal state, applying to at least one area of the precursor composition a modifying composition, if necessary, heating the at least one area to bring same to a modified liquid crystal state, and subsequently curing and/or polymerizing the resultant product. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US08426004B2

The invention provides a multilayer information recording medium manufacturing method, a multilayer information recording medium manufacturing apparatus, and a multilayer information recording medium that enable to make a distance from a light incident surface of the multilayer information recording medium to a farthest information recording layer thereof uniform within a plane of the medium. A multilayer information recording medium manufacturing apparatus (1) is provided with a sputtering device (3) that forms at least three information recording layers, a screen printing machine (4) that forms a first intermediate layer by screen printing, and forms a second intermediate layer by screen printing in such a manner that thickness variation of the multilayer information recording medium having the first intermediate layer is suppressed, and a spin coating device (5) that forms a cover layer by a spin coating method in such a manner that a thickness of an inner periphery of the multilayer information recording medium having the second intermediate layer becomes smaller than a thickness of an outer periphery of the multilayer information recording medium.
US08425989B2

A photoalignment material and a method of manufacturing of a display substrate using the photoalignment material are disclosed. The photoalignment material includes a photoalignment polymer, a photoalignment additive, and an organic solvent. When the photoalignment additive is used, a side reaction due to ultraviolet (UV) light may be prevented, and the stability of alignment layer may be improved.
US08425985B2

A coating method including forming a coating liquid having modified particles, the modified particles being formed by covalently attaching at least one modifier to at least one particle; forming a coating layer on a surface of subphase liquid in a container; and separating a substrate and the container.
US08425984B2

According to a manufacturing method of a multilayer film according to one aspect of the present invention, at the step of applying a coating liquid prepared by dissolving a plurality of monomers or polymers in at least one solvent onto a substrate and subsequently drying the coating liquid, the solvent is allowed to penetrate into the substrate at a specified speed. This causes concentration distribution of the solvent within the coated layer in the thickness direction thereof, and thus a multilayer film separated into an upper layer and a lower layer can be formed by one coating. Accordingly, a multilayer film having a different function in each layer can be formed by one coating.
US08425981B1

A simple coating method is used to form nanoporous hydrophobic films that can be used as optical coatings. The method uses evaporation-induced self-assembly of materials. The coating method starts with a homogeneous solution comprising a hydrophobic polymer and a surfactant polymer in a selective solvent. The solution is coated onto a substrate. The surfactant polymer forms micelles with the hydrophobic polymer residing in the particle core when the coating is dried. The surfactant polymer can be dissolved and selectively removed from the separated phases by washing with a polar solvent to form the nanoporous hydrophobic film.
US08425962B2

An HPP method for preserving a food item such as a fruit or vegetable may include the steps of: (a) placing a prepared fruit and/or vegetable in a container having a capacity less than about two gallons; (b) filling the container with a pH modifying solution or sauce to establish a pH in the container in the range of about 2 to about 6, and preferably about 4; (c) dearation; (d) sealing the container; and (e) applying pressure to the container in the range of about 2,000 to about 120,000 psi, preferably about 90,000 psi, for a time period in the range of about 1 to about 20 minutes, preferably about 5 minutes at a temperature in the range not lower than freezing and not greater than about 230° F.
US08425957B2

The invention relates to an assembly for preparing a beverage suitable for consumption. To that end, the assembly (1) is provided with at least a first covering (2) and a first ingredient (4) included in the at least first covering, the first ingredient including a substance such as milk powder/creamer, sugar and like additives soluble or extractable in a liquid such as water. The assembly is further provided with a second ingredient (14), the second ingredient including a soluble or extractable substance such as ground coffee or tea while the second ingredient forms part of a substantially rigid body (16).
US08425940B2

Substantially leachless, agent-encapsulating sol-gel particles, methods of preparing same and products containing same are provided.
US08425937B2

The invention relates to glucocorticoid replacement therapy and provides pharmaceutical compositions and kits designed to deliver one or more glucocorticoids to a subject in need thereof in a manner that results in serum levels of the glucocorticoid that essentially mimic that of a healthy subject for a clinically relevant period of time. The pharmaceutical composition comprises one or more glucocorticoids, wherein a first part of one or more glucocorticoids is substantially immediately released and a second part of one or more glucocorticoids is released over an extended period of time of at least about 8 hours, and the amount of the one or more glucocorticoids of the first part, expressed as hydrocortisone equivalents, is in a range of from about 15 to about 50% of the total hydrocortisone equivalents. The invention also relates to a kit comprising a first and a second component, the first component designed to release one or more glucocorticoids substantially immediately and the second component is designed to release one or more glucocorticoids over an extended period of time of at least 8 hours. The invention also relates to a method for treating diseases requiring glucocorticoid treatment such as in subjects having a glucocorticoid deficiency disorder. In another aspect the invention relates to the use of a first and a second amount of one or more glucocorticoids for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition or kit for the treatment of a glucocorticoid deficiency disorder.
US08425932B2

A remote treatment delivery system comprising a substantially non-skin piercing dosage projectile containing a biologically active agent and a transdermal carrier.
US08425931B2

The description provides a biodegradable hyaluronic acid derivative including at least one modified hyaluronic acid repeating unit represented by the formula (HA)-[O(C═O)NH-M]p, wherein HA is a unit including N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid, M is a modifying moiety containing a C2-16 hydrocarbyl group, and p is an integer of 1 to 4.
US08425927B2

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.
US08425903B2

The present invention relates to Notch-binding agents and Notch antagonists and methods of using the agents and/or antagonists for treating diseases such as cancer. The present invention provides antibodies that specifically bind to a non-ligand binding region of the extracellular domain of one or more human Notch receptor, such as Notch2 and/or Notch3, and inhibit tumor growth. The present invention further provides methods of treating cancer, the methods comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody that specifically binds to a non-ligand binding region of the extracellular domain of a human Notch receptor protein and inhibits tumor growth.
US08425902B2

The present invention provides antibodies useful as therapeutics for treating and/or preventing diseases associated with cells expressing CLD18, including tumor-related diseases such as gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, hepatic cancer, head-neck cancer, cancer of the gallbladder, and the metastases thereof.
US08425901B2

The invention generally features compositions and methods based on the structure-based design of alpha 1-3 N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (alpha 3 GaINAc-T) enzymes from alpha 1-3 galactosyltransferase (a3Gal-T) that can transfer 2′-modified galactose from the corresponding UDP-derivatives due to substitutions that broaden the alpha 3Gal-T donor specificity and make the enzyme a3 GaINAc-T.
US08425900B2

There is presently provided a complex of a micelle formed from a cationic polymer and a protein, and a method using the complex to deliver the protein into a cell.
US08425899B2

The described invention provides methods and regimens for treating adverse consequences of a persistent and progressive myocardial injury-due to a vascular insufficiency that occurs early or late in a subject in need thereof, and progressive myocardial injury-preventing compositions that contain a chemotactic hematopoietic stem cell product, and, optionally, an additional active agent.
US08425897B2

The present invention relates to a method of enhancing anti-tumor protection in a mammal. More particularly, the invention is concerned with combinations comprising antigen presenting cell (APC) activators and a cytokine-secreting cell and methods of administering the combination for enhanced immune response to tumor cells in a patient with a cancer.
US08425894B2

Use of the one or more oligomers of lactic acid with the following formula (I) wherein n is an integer from 2 to 25 such as, e.g., from 2 to 20, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, from 2 to 15, from 3 to 15, from 2 to 10, from 3 to 10, from 4 to 10, or from 4 to 9 or a lactic acid oligomeric product for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of a disease or condition that benefit of an acidic environment especially a gynaecological infection such as a bacterial infection, such as bacterial vaginosis, unspecific colpitis, senile colpitis, cervicitis, and urethritis, a fungal infection, such as candidosis (Candida albicans), cryptococcosis, actinomycosis, or a viral infection, such as Human Immunodefiency Virus (HIV), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
US08425891B2

Dihydroxybenzotriazole UV absorbing compounds that are particularly useful in ophthalmic devices are disclosed.
US08425873B2

Provided are a transparent electroconductive thin film of single-walled carbon nanotubes and its production method capable of further enhancing the electroconductivity and the light transmittance of the film and capable of simplifying the thin film formation process. The method comprises: dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes of mixed metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes (m-SWNTs) and semiconductor single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWNTs) in an amine solution containing an amine having a boiling point of from 20 to 400° C. as a dispersant; centrifuging or filtering the resulting dispersion to concentrate m-SWNTs, thereby giving a dispersion rich in m-SWNTs; and applying the resulting dispersion rich in m-SWNTs onto a substrate to form a thin film thereon.
US08425867B2

Disclosed are oxalate sorbent compositions, methods for their manufacture, and methods for removing mercury species from waste streams employing oxalate sorbent compositions.
US08425865B2

A method of synthesizing pyrite nanocrystals is disclosed which in one embodiment includes forming a solution of iron (III) diethyl dithiophosphate and tetra-alkyl-ammonium halide in water. The solution is heated under pressure. Pyrite nanocrystal particles are then recovered from the solution.
US08425860B2

A biological material fixed region enclosing tip, a biological material fixed region treatment apparatus, and a treatment method thereof. The biological material fixed region enclosing tip comprises: a tip form vessel having an installation opening part that is installable to a nozzle that performs suction and discharge of gas, and an opening through which inflow and outflow of fluid is possible by means of the suction and discharge of gas; a fixing region provided in the tip form vessel, in which a predetermined biological material is fixed or fixable in a plurality of different positions that are determined beforehand that are distinguishable from the exterior; and an enclosing section that encloses the fixing region within the tip form vessel such that the fixing region is able to make contact in an immovable state with the fluid that has flown into the tip form vessel from the opening.
US08425859B2

The present invention relates to a test strip for determining and/or quantifying a property of a sample, such as the concentration of an analyte, the pH, the viscosity, or the specific gravity of a fluid specimen. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved test strip and scale for determining and/or quantifying a property of a sample, such as the concentration of an analyte, the pH, the viscosity, or the specific gravity of a fluid specimen.
US08425847B2

The disclosure provides a plant for the continuous solution polymerization of a feed comprising one or more olefin monomers in a solvent, e.g., hydrocarbon solvent, in which the plant comprises means for separating solvent from the polymer including a flash tank and a vacuum devolatilizer. The plant also includes in a first aspect stabilizer addition means for adding a stabilizer to the concentrated polymer fines at a location downstream of the flash and upstream of the vacuum devolatilizer. In another aspect the plant comprises means to add a molten stabilizer to the polymer at a location downstream of the reactors.
US08425845B2

A microfluidic device having a supporting substrate, an inlet for receiving a biological sample containing target nucleic acid sequences, hybridization chambers containing probes that each have a nucleic acid sequence for hybridization with the target nucleic acid sequences to form probe-target hybrids, a fluorophore and a quencher configured such that the fluorophore emits a fluorescence signal in response to an excitation light and the quencher quenches the fluorescence signal when the probe is not hybridized, but fails to quench the fluorescence signal from the probe-target hybrid, and, a calibration chamber with no fluorophore.
US08425839B2

A sample analyzer is disclosed that comprising: a first reagent container to hold a first reagent container with a first record section which contains a first reagent management information; a second reagent container holder to hold a second reagent container with a second record section which contains a second reagent management information; a first information reader; a second information reader; a registration section for registering the combination of the first reagent and the second reagent based on the first reagent management information; a measurement section for conducting a measurement of a predetermined analysis item by using the first reagent and the second reagent corresponding to the combination registered by the registration section; and a processing section for processing a measurement result obtained by the measurement section, and for obtaining an analysis result of the sample.
US08425833B2

In various embodiments, tubular sputtering targets are produced by forming a tubular billet at least by pressing molybdenum powder in a mold and sintering the pressed molybdenum powder, working the tubular billet to form a worked billet, and heat treating the worked billet.
US08425806B2

The present invention provides a semiconductive polymer composition having (a) from 30 to 90 wt % of a polymer component, (b) from 10 to 60 wt % of carbon black and (c) from 0 to 8 wt % additives, based on the total semiconductive polymer composition, and wherein the composition comprises less than 23 particles per m2 having a width of larger than 150 μm at the half height of a particle protruding from the surface of the tape sample, less than 10 particles per m2 having a width of larger than 200 μm at the half height of a particle protruding from the surface of the tape sample, and preferably, about 0 particles per m2 having a width of larger than 500 μm at the half height of a particle protruding from the surface of the tape sample.
US08425799B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystal photoalignment agent that includes a compound selected from the group consisting of a polyamic acid having a predetermined chemical formula, a polyimide polymer having a predetermined chemical formula, and a combination thereof, and a polyimide photopolymer. The liquid crystal photoalignment agent shows a long life-span, stably maintains a pretilt angle, and shows improved after-image characteristics, liquid crystal alignment properties, and chemical resistance.
US08425793B2

A simple process is disclosed for treating substrates having pre-structured zinc oxide layers on rigid or flexible supports. The ZnO is treated with an etching medium then with a cleaning liquid. The treatment with the etching and cleaning liquids is carried out while the substrate is conveyed through a device. The process is technically simple to implement and makes it possible to regularly and homogeneously roughen and texturize ZnO layers of up to 1 m2. The device for treating substrates having pre-structured zinc oxide layers on rigid or flexible supports has for that purpose a first means for treating the substrate with an etching liquid, a second means for treating the substrate with a cleaning liquid, and another means, in particular transport rollers, for conveying the substrate from the first to the second means.
US08425787B2

A method of fabricating a bridge beam of an inkjet printhead employs a cavity formed under the bridge beam and an etch-stop layer that limits a back-surface recess formation. The method includes forming a cavity that connects between a bottom of a pair of trenches in and extending from a front surface of a substrate and depositing an etch-stop layer at a bottom of the cavity. The method further includes forming a recess in a back surface of the substrate, the recess exposing the etch-stop layer and the etch-stop layer limiting a depth of the formed recess. The method further includes removing the exposed etch-stop layer to connect the cavity and the recess, the bridge beam being a portion of the substrate above the formed cavity and between the trenches.
US08425783B2

A system and method for removing contaminant from sulfur (or sulphur) to a level that allows re-processed sulfur to reenter a supply chain. The system and method melt contaminated sulfur, filters the molten sulfur, and then dispenses the less contaminated sulfur after filtering it. More specifically, solid contaminated sulfur enters a settling tank, while heated molten sulfur circulates through the system and the settling tank. The circulation of the molten sulfur assists in the melting process of the solid sulfur, allowing the solid sulfur to melt efficiently. In preferred embodiments of the system, the system uses steam jacked sulfur lines and steam tracing to maintain temperatures for melting the solid sulfur and maintaining the molten state of the sulfur circulating through the system. Furthermore, the system comprises a programmable logic controller, which controls motors, pumps, valves, and environment monitoring instruments.
US08425780B2

This disclosure relates to dialysis venting devices and related methods. In some aspects, a dialysis system includes a fluid inlet line, a venting device in fluid communication with the fluid inlet line, and a fluid outlet line in fluid communication with the venting device. The venting device can include a housing defining a fluid chamber, a valve member disposed above the fluid chamber between a lower seat and an upper seat, and a pump that is operable to draw fluid into the fluid chamber from the fluid inlet line and to force fluid out of the fluid chamber into the fluid outlet line.
US08425778B2

The present invention provides novel silicon compounds, methods for making these novel silicon compounds, compositions comprising these novel silicon compounds attached to substrates, methods for attaching the novel silicon compounds to substrates and methods for using the compositions in a variety of chromatographic applications.
US08425773B2

The disclosure describes end cap assemblies adapted for interconnecting filtration elements in end-to-end relationship and including means for selectively preventing relative rotation between adjacent end caps once engaged.
US08425765B2

Solid organic acids may be introduced into hydrocarbon solvents to form dispersions; the dispersions in turn may be introduced into crude oil. A wash water may be added to the crude oil to create an emulsion. The organic acids may transfer metals and/or amines from a hydrocarbon phase into an aqueous phase in an electrostatic desalter which resolves the emulsion into the two phases. Suitable solid organic acids include, but are not necessarily limited to, C2-C4 alpha hydroxyacids, such as, but not necessarily limited to, glycolic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid and even sulfamic acid, chloroacetic acid, thiomalic acid, including esters of, polymers of, amine salts of, alkali metal salts of, and/or ammonium salts of all of these acids.
US08425753B2

The present invention provides a method and precursor structure to form a solar cell absorber layer. The method includes electrodepositing a first layer including a film stack including at least a first film comprising copper, a second film comprising indium and a third film comprising gallium, wherein the first layer includes a first amount of copper, electrodepositing a second layer onto the first layer, the second layer including at least one of a second copper-indium-gallium-ternary alloy film, a copper-indium binary alloy film, a copper-gallium binary alloy film and a copper-selenium binary alloy film, wherein the second layer includes a second amount of copper, which is higher than the first amount of copper, and electrodepositing a third layer onto the second layer, the third layer including selenium; and reacting the precursor stack to form an absorber layer on the base.
US08425749B1

A microfabricated particle focusing device comprises an acoustic portion to preconcentrate particles over large spatial dimensions into particle streams and a dielectrophoretic portion for finer particle focusing into single-file columns. The device can be used for high throughput assays for which it is necessary to isolate and investigate small bundles of particles and single particles.
US08425745B2

Sensor devices, methods and kits for detection of biomolecules are provided. According to various embodiments, the devices, methods and kits provide enhanced sensitivity through the measurement of electrochemical impedance and related properties. Certain embodiments employ nanostructured electrode elements including nanotubes, nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanocones. In a particular embodiment, single walled carbon nanotubes disposed in interconnected networks are used as electrodes. The device, methods and kits described herein have application for detection and measurement of biomolecular species including polynucleotides, proteins, polysaccharides and the like.
US08425744B2

An ion sensing circuit includes an ion sensing element configured for exposure to an electrolytic solution and control of a sensing current through the ion sensing element according to an ion concentration of the electrolytic solution. The ion sensing circuit further includes a current-to-voltage converter coupled electrically to the ion sensing element for generating a converted voltage from the sensing current. The ion sensing circuit also includes a comparator coupled electrically to the current-to-voltage converter for comparing the converted voltage and a threshold voltage to form a comparison result. In addition, the ion sensing circuit includes a latch coupled electrically to the comparator and the current-to-voltage converter. The latch is configured for sampling the output of the comparator according to a clock signal to generate a digital signal used by the current-to-voltage converter for converting the sensing current to the converted voltage.
US08425741B2

This invention relates to a broad beam ion deposition apparatus (100) including an ion source (101), a target (102), a tillable substrate table (103) and an auxiliary port (104). The target (102) is in the form of a carousel which carries a number of targets and the ion source (101) is configured to produce a substantially rectangular section beam (105).
US08425738B2

The present invention refers to a coating device for depositing of barrier layers on a plastic substrate comprising a first coating station for depositing a first layer comprising a metal and a second coating station for depositing a second layer comprising a resin, wherein a treatment station for treating the deposited first layer is arranged between the first and the second coating stations which comprises sputter means for depositing one or several atomic layers or isles of deposition material. The invention further refers to an appropriate method which can be carried out by the coating device and to a layer system produced thereby.
US08425736B2

A method for making a coated article includes the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a copper-cobalt target by a hot isostatic pressing process using copper powder and cobalt powder; forming a copper-cobalt alloy layer on the substrate by vacuum sputtering using the copper-cobalt target. A coated article is also described.
US08425732B2

A method of operating an assembly for recycling a solvent from a contaminated solvent solution including a source for the contaminated solvent solution at a level and a recycling assembly including a reservoir module and a recycler module. The reservoir module includes a reservoir and the recycler module includes a controller and a distillation assembly including a distiller having a conduit and a pressure relief valve. The pressure relief valve includes a tube. The method includes connecting the conduit to the source below the level; connecting the pressure relief valve tube to the source; pumping solvent into the reservoir, distiller and conduit to an operational level; and selecting a duty cycle of the controller to regulate a rest period after the controller operation of a distillation cycle.
US08425727B2

The present invention is directed to a method of treatment for paper or board including an oligoester, obtained by polycondensation of a) from 40 to 52 mol % of one or more dicarboxylic acids or esters thereof, b) from 10 to 40 mol % of ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol, c) from 3 to 20 mol % of polyethylene glycol, d) from 0.5 to 10 mol % of a water-soluble addition product of from 5 to 80 mol of an alkylene oxide with 1 mol of C1-C24-alcohols, C6-C18-alkylphenols or C8-C24-alkylamines and e) from 0.4 to 10 mol % of one or more polyols having from 3 to 6 hydroxyl groups, wherein the oligoester is applied to a paper or board. The treated paper or board exhibits increased gluability and surface energy.
US08425708B2

Thermoplastic composite laminate parts with tailored and varying thickness and/or curved sections are manufactured in a continuous process. Automated equipment or hand lay-up is used to collate parts or components into a multi-layer stack. Each stack contains all plies, including ply build-up areas, tacked in the proper location to maintain orientation and location. Some or all of the plies may be continuously fed from spools of single or multiply ply material. Ply consolidation tooling contains all necessary part features and is coordinated to the customized multiple ply stacks to form a single integrated thermoplastic composite laminate potentially having areas of differing thickness from the multiple ply stacks.
US08425691B2

The present invention is directed to a process for tempering steel comprising carburizing said steel in a vacuum furnace in the presence of a hydrocarbon carburizing gas in combination with hydrogen wherein said carburizing gas/hydrogen combination is administered to the vacuum furnace by cyclically reducing the pressure in the furnace followed by the pulsed addition of the hydrocarbon carburizing gas consisting of an acetylene/hydrogen mixture is in a ratio of from about 1:1 to about 1:10 to replenish the air removed in the pressure reduction step.
US08425689B2

A method of operating a dishwasher having a treating chamber for washing utensils includes executing a cycle of operation having at least one liquid supplying phase, removing at least some of the supplied liquid, storing the removed liquid, and later reusing at least some of the stored liquid in the same or subsequent phase or in the same or subsequent cycle of operation.
US08425688B2

The present invention relates to the acidic cleaning in the beer industry, and more particularly an improved process for acidic cleaning of the various elements and vessels that are used in the preparation of beer and other related fermented beverages, said cleaning being carried out by using a formulation comprising at least one alkane sulphonic acid.
US08425683B2

A method for tracking a scraper within a pipeline has the steps of moving the scraper along a path in the pipeline such that the scraper produces an acoustic signal, sensing the acoustic signal as produced by the scraper by at least a pair of acoustic sensors positioned in spaced relation along the pipeline, time-stamping the sensed acoustic signal, and calculating a location of the scraper based on the time-stamped acoustic signal. The acoustic signal can be a transient pressure wave produced by the movement of the scraper or a pressure signal produced by a mechanism positioned on the scraper.
US08425680B2

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for preparing a hydraulic composition including sand in which clay is present, the method including adding to the sand and clay a cationic polymer having a density of cationic charges which is greater than 0.5 meq/g and an intrinsic viscosity which is less than 1 dl/g, said cationic polymer being present in an amount of from 2-20% by weight based on the amount of clay present, said clay present in an amount of from 0.5-5% by weight of the sand present, and water.
US08425678B2

A composition for reducing undesirable odors emitted by hydrocarbonaceous materials is provided. The composition contains at least one aldehyde-containing compound and, optionally, one or more ketone-containing compound and/or a carrier. The composition is free of ester-containing compounds. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the composition contains one or more aldehyde-containing compounds and a liquid carrier. The aldehyde-containing compound(s) has a molecular weight greater than 100 daltons and may be chosen from vanillin or cinnamaldehyde. The ketone-containing compound(s) has a molecular weight greater than 100 daltons, and in exemplary embodiments, from about 120 to about 1,000 daltons. Undesirable odors from hot asphalt are reduced by the composition without adversely affecting the physical and performance properties of the asphalt or decreasing the flash point of the asphalt. The composition may be added to asphalt in a molten or semi-molten form to reduce or eliminate unpleasant odors and form a low odor asphalt.
US08425675B2

A recrystallization type of ink composition comprises a solvent, a crystalline material, and a colorant. When the recrystallization type of ink composition is applied to a non-absorption surface such as a whiteboard, a glass surface, and a plastic surface, it is recrystallized to provide a visual effect of a metal sense at the applied part.
US08425673B2

Regenerative air dryers are disclosed for feeding pressurized air with a controlled moisture content to a header. In one embodiment, a dryer comprises first and second chambers alternating between drying and regenerating phases. One of the chambers is at the drying phase while the other is at the regenerating phase. A controller is programmed to switch the phase of the chambers between drying and regenerating when the desiccant in the chamber at the drying phase has retained water to a predetermined capacity. A bypass line bypasses both chambers. An input provides air to the chamber at the drying phase and to the bypass line. A dew point feedback system controls a volume of air passing through the bypass line. Means are included for combining air from the bypass line with air exiting the chamber at the drying phase to provide air with a controlled dew point to the header.
US08425672B2

A membrane selectively permeable to light gases comprises a membrane body formed by a first plate and a second plate. The second plate comprises a thin layer that is selectively gas-permeable. In the region of windows, this layer is exposed. There, support is provided by a porous bottom wall in the first plate or by narrow bores in the second plate. A heating device causes a radiation heating of the windows.
US08425664B2

Petroleous production is associated with effluents well known to foul lines, nozzles, and containers while consuming substantial energy to assist in both production and remediation. A heat exchanger and manifold system maximizes flows, minimizes changes in flow cross-section, and maximizes heat transfer area, while recycling both water and heat between processes. Dirty regions and clean regions result from scrubbing horizontal exhaust stacks and evaporation of production water in concert to remediate one another, while recycling a significant portion of the energy consumed by each. The heat exchanger relies on a manifold having many layered conduits, each connected to a single layer level of one or more cylindrical conduits in the exchanger. The cylinders of the exchanger themselves are arranged in multiple layers, each layer of a heat exchanger element being connected to a single layer of the manifold. Any shape of cylinder may work, but a right circular cylinder having corrugated sheets spacing the layers may be simple to construct.
US08425663B2

A process for the extraction of an unwanted material from a gas comprising the steps of introducing an extraction liquid into a fluid having an unwanted liquid therein to form a physical aerosol comprising a plurality of extraction liquid droplets and the fluid, allowing the plurality of extraction liquid droplets to interact with the unwanted liquid in the gas to cause the extraction liquid droplets to be “wetted out” and captured on a porous medium, where the liquid is further contacted by the gas and simultaneously formed into a plurality of coalesceable droplets, coalescing the coalesceable droplets into larger droplets containing the unwanted liquid, and separating the larger droplets containing the unwanted liquid from the fluid.
US08425661B1

Disclosed is an Hg capture system adapted for advantageous placement within a container housing a fluorescent lamp. Such Hg capture system includes a substrate impregnated with between about 0.08 and 0.23 g/cm2 carbon carrying between about 5% and 15% sulfur, basis carbon weight, reacted with between about 0.02 to about 1% by weight iodine, basis sulfur weight. The corresponding method for scouring released vaporous Hg housed within a container includes providing a source of carbon carrying between about 5% and 15% sulfur, basis carbon weight, reacted with between about 0.02 to about 1% by weight iodine, basis sulfur weight; and placing within the container a substrate bearing an effective amount of the iodine reacted sulfur for scouring Hg released within the container.
US08425659B2

A method of separating a target component from a chemical mixture comprising contacting a chemical mixture with a microporous coordination polymer. The microporous polymer is described by the formula: [M2(C8H2O6)] where M is a transition metal, rare earth metal, or other element from the groups consisting of IIA through VB.
US08425658B2

An electro-kinetic or electro-static apparatus for moving fluid includes an enlogated electrode energizable with respect to at least one other electrode to generate ions and thereby motivate fluid flow there between. A cleaning device is positioned to frictionally engage at least two opposing surfaces of the elongated electrode. The cleaning device is movable along a length of the elongated electrode to thereby remove detrimental material from the at least two opposing surfaces of the elongated electrode. The cleaning device can be substantially off-center relative to the elongated electrode to frictionally bind upon the elongated electrode during movement of the cleaning device.
US08425657B2

A method, and an apparatus to reduce and remove liquid droplets in air, such as fog, mist, haze, spray or steam. The mist and/or air borne water or other liquid droplets catching and collection apparatus creates an “electric wind”, especially enforced by charged needle points or line arranged constructions and/or wires of the first electrode and an electric charging of mist and/or air borne water or other liquid droplets, which will be directed by the “electric wind” and the electric field between the electric source and the opposite grounded or opposite charged counter electrode (second electrode) of fine gauze or something comparable.
US08425645B2

A motor-vehicle air cleaner comprises the filter assembly, an air-cleaner housing configured to fittably and removably accommodate the filter assembly and to enclose the main filter and the auxiliary filter separately when the filter assembly is accommodated in the air-cleaner housing. The motor-vehicle air cleaner further comprises a flow restrictor configured to restrict air flow to the auxiliary filter.
US08425644B2

A V-bank air filter having a high air flow rate with low pressure drop is provided. In one embodiment, a V-bank filter includes a housing having a first pair and a second pair of pleated filter elements arranged in a vee configuration and comprising a unitary disposable filter. A centerline defined by the first pair of pleated filter elements defines an acute angle with a centerline defined by the second pair of pleated filter elements.
US08425640B2

An abrasive article comprising an elongated body, a bonding layer overlying a surface of the elongated body, and abrasive grains contained within the bonding layer at an average abrasive grain concentration within a range between about 0.02 ct/m and about 0.30 ct/m.
US08425631B2

A fossil-fuel-fired system, which includes an emissions-control-agent dispenser, a furnace, an emissions monitor and, optionally, a controller, is disclosed. The emissions-control-agent dispenser provides a prescribed amount of organic-emissions-control agent, such as, for example, an opacity-control agent to the fossil-fuel-fired system. The furnace includes an exhaust communicating with the atmosphere. The emissions monitor is capable of measuring at least one property of the flue-gas communicated through the exhaust to the atmosphere. For example, when an organic-emissions-control agent is an opacity-control agent, the emissions monitor has the capability of at least measuring opacity. When included, the controller communicates with at least the emissions-control-agent dispenser and the emissions monitor.
US08425626B2

A method of processing residual molasses from a procedure for the production of lactose from whey permeate. From this molasses, a mineral diminished component is extracted, concentrated, crystallized and therefrom a crystallized phase is separated.
US08425618B2

In a human hip replacement process, the steps include providing a selected size generally longitudinally extending stem and laterally angled neck, the stem received endwise into a recess in an elongated femur, there being a ball on the neck, the neck and stem having a non-circular tongue and groove interfit connection to resist relative rotary displacement therebetween, the connection defining a generally longitudinal axis, fitting the ball in a socket on a hip bone, to pivot in the socket, the selection of stem and neck, and tongue and groove connection between the size selected stem and neck, enabling accurate pivoting of the ball. A set of different size balls and neck units are enabled for selective choice, as during surgery.
US08425617B2

Knee prostheses featuring components that more faithfully replicate the structure and function of the human knee joint in order to provide, among other benefits: greater flexion of the knee in a more natural way by promoting or at least accommodating internal tibial rotation in a controlled way, replication of the natural screw home mechanism, and controlled articulation of the tibia and femur respective to each other in a more natural way. In a preferred embodiment, such prostheses include an insert component disposed between a femoral component and a tibial component, the insert component preferably featuring among other things a reversely contoured posterolateral bearing surface that helps impart internal rotation to the tibia as the knee flexes. Other surfaces can also be specially shaped to achieve similar results, preferably using iterative automated techniques that allow testing and iterative design taking into account a manageable set of major forces acting on the knee during normal functioning, together with information that is known about natural knee joint kinetics and kinematics.
US08425616B2

A surgical implantation approach for preparing a patient and precisely and effectively placing an energy absorbing apparatus relative to the patient's anatomy. Various surgical implantation apparatus and methods for achieving proper device-to-anatomy juxtapositional relationships are employed in the implantation approach.
US08425608B2

An expandable medical implant for supporting bone structures includes a curved outer member to cooperatively engage a first bone structure and a curved inner member configured to cooperatively engage a second bone structure. The curved inner member is receivable within and movable relative to the curved outer member along an arc bounded by the curvature of the curved outer member. One of the curved outer and inner members may include a tapered surface and the other of the curved outer and inner members may include a scalloped surface. The implant may include a locking element disposed between the tapered and scalloped surface. The locking element is movable between a locked position engaging the tapered surface and a roughened locking surface to inhibit a decrease in the overall height of the implant and an unlocked position permitting at least an increase in the overall height of the implant.
US08425601B2

The present application is directed to methods and devices that provide for asymmetrical movement of vertebral members. In one embodiment, first and second anchors connect the rod to the vertebral members. The rod may be fixedly connected to the first anchor, and movably connected to the second anchor. A limiting device may be positioned on one or both sides of the second anchor. The limiting device or devices control an extent of movement between the rod and the second anchor during vertebral motion. In one embodiment, the device controls an amount of flexion and extension of the vertebral members.
US08425600B2

A medical implant assembly and method having a medical implant, e.g. a breast prostheses, attached to a biological interface. The biological interface is comprised of a dermal material with capsular contracture inhibiting properties so that once the medical assembly is inserted into the host, the biological interface, which is intimately coupled to the implant, prevents/reduces capsular contracture formation around the implant. The biological interface comprises a plurality of apertures along its periphery, and attaches to the medical implant by receiving a plurality of attachment flaps or appendages located on the exterior surface of the medical implant within or through the apertures. The attachment of the biological interface is such that the assembly remains intact even where the attachment flaps loosen upon expansion of the implant after insertion into a host, as where the implant is therein injected to a desired dimension.
US08425597B2

Intraocular lenses for providing accommodation include an anterior optic, a posterior optic, and a lens structure. In one such lens, the lens structure comprises an anterior element coupled to the anterior optic and a posterior element coupled to the posterior optic. The anterior and posterior elements are coupled to one another at a peripheral region of the intraocular lens. The intraocular lens may also includes a projection extending anteriorly from the posterior element that limits posterior motion of the anterior optic so as to maintain a minimum separation between anterior optic and an anterior surface of the posterior optic.
US08425590B2

The present invention is directed to a stent for use in a bifurcated body lumen having a main branch and a side branch. The stent comprises a radially expandable generally tubular stent body having proximal and distal opposing ends with a body wall having a surface extending therebetween. The surface has a geometrical configuration defining a first pattern, and the first pattern has first pattern struts and connectors arranged in a predetermined configuration. The stent also comprises a branch portion comprised of a second pattern, wherein the branch portion is at least partially detachable from the stent body.
US08425589B2

A bodily implant, in particular a stent, for insertion or implantation into a living body, having a marker element made of an X-ray visible material which is inserted into a cutout in an implant structure is disclosed. The cutout has expansions on both of its opening sides, and the marker element is pressed or riveted into the cutout so that a positive fit is formed between the marker element and the implant structure.
US08425583B2

Method, systems and devices for treating insomnia by non-invasive hypothermic treatment are described. In general, these devices, systems and method enable cooling of the frontal cortex prior to and/or during sleep to enhance sleep, which may be particularly beneficial to treat insomnia.
US08425582B2

Apparatus for altering the body temperature of a patient comprises an enclosure defining an interior space for receiving at least a portion of a patient's body therein. The enclosure is constructed for transferring a heat transfer liquid into direct contact with the portion of the patient's body received in the enclosure to promote heat transfer between the patient's body and the heat transfer liquid. A drain for draining the heat transfer liquid from the interior space of the enclosure is at least partially disposed beneath the enclosure. A hold-open inhibits occlusion of the drain. A weir in fluid communication with the drain maintains the heat transfer liquid at a predetermined height in the enclosure. A control system is preprogrammed with a target temperature for the body temperature of the patient.
US08425578B2

A warming product that contains an exothermic composition configured to generate heat in the presence of oxygen and moisture is provided. The exothermic composition is applied to a thermal composite containing two or more fibrous layers, which are structured to provide enhanced distribution of the exothermic composition through the thermal composite structure. For example, a first fibrous layer may rapidly acquire the exothermic composition and distribute it primarily in the −z direction (direction of thickness) to a second fibrous layer, which may then distribute the exothermic composition primarily in the −x and −y directions. Typically, at least a portion of the exothermic composition is able to flow through the second fibrous layer and contact additional layers. For example, the exothermic composition may contain a moisture-holding layer configured to supply moisture to the exothermic composition. This places the exothermic composition into close contact with the moisture-holding layer, which may provide enhanced heating efficiency. Further, the exothermic composition may also adhere the moisture-holding layer to the composite without the need for additional bonding mechanisms.
US08425572B2

A method for utilizing a sternal closure device for securing and retaining longitudinally divided halves of a sternum, the device having two sets of anterior and posterior longitudinally extended brace members with brace joining mechanisms extending through the sternal halves to join the anterior brace members to the posterior brace members, such that the sternal halves are compressed between the anterior and posterior brace members, and transverse bridging members that laterally connect the two sets of brace members, with securing mechanisms to retain the two sets of brace members in a contracted configuration with the sternal halves in abutting relation.
US08425568B2

A dynamic stabilization device is disclosed. The device includes a dual spring member comprising an outer spring and an inner spring that have approximately equal working lengths. The dynamic stabilization device is also configured so that the dual spring member does not undergo stresses greater than an effective fatigue limit that is related to a fatigue limit of the spring. Methods for treating a deformity of a spine using a dynamic stabilization device are also disclosed.
US08425566B2

An apparatus and system useful as a stabilization or correction system for a spinal column. A threaded rod is used that can be straight, rigid, bent or flexible depending on the verterbrae condition to be addressed. The rod may be bent or flexible to achieve varying degrees of lordosis (backward curvature) or kyphosis (forward curvature) before being affixed to the anchoring means and apparatus. The straightness, curvature, bent, or flexibility of rod depends upon the location along the spinal column. Once installed to the vertebrae, the rod provides the proper, desired curvature and stabilization for the spinal column. Sharp edges and corners of the apparatus are eliminated by rounding the edges and corners.
US08425555B2

A suture lock fastening device to cinch a suture in a suture lock, cut the suture end, and deploy the suture lock in response to a single movement of a user. The fastening device includes a fastening head with a retainer that is configured to hold a suture lock in the fastening head. To release the suture lock from the fastening head, the retainer is irreversibly deformed. The fastening device may include an axially movable cutter with a cutting edge to sever the ends of the suture close to the suture lock. A threading device may be preloaded into the fastening device to facilitate threading the suture through the fastening device.
US08425544B2

A fluid injection device includes a fluid supply unit that accommodates and supplies fluid, a fluid injection unit that injects fluid supplied from the fluid supply unit, and a driving waveform generating device which is equipped with at least one adjusting device, a one-input multiple-control parameter changing unit that simultaneously changes plural control parameters for determining a fluid injection condition of the fluid injection unit on the basis of a signal from the at least one adjusting device, and a driving waveform generator that generates and outputs a driving waveform of the fluid injection unit on the basis of the control parameters set by the one-input multiple-control parameter changing unit.
US08425543B2

A method of removing a nucleus pulposus from an intervertebral disc, involving rotating a distal end head of an instrument so that flexible protrusions thereon will cut nucleus pulposus native material.
US08425542B2

An endovascular device for occluding a vascular aneurysm is disclosed. The device includes a polymeric shell member that, in one embodiment, may be constructed from a bioactive and biocompatible polyurethane-diol-glycosaminoglycan copolymer, and a biocompatible metallic frame member. The copolymer is sufficiently flexible and strong for endovascular delivery into a vascular aneurysm and for use as a polymeric shell for receiving the biocompatible metallic frame member. The biometallic frame member may include one or more components constructed from a NiTi alloy.
US08425530B2

Systems and method in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention can include an implant for positioning within a cervical facet joint for distracting the cervical spine, thereby increasing the area of the canals and openings through which the spinal cord and nerves must pass, and decreasing pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerve roots. The implant can be inserted laterally or posteriorly.
US08425524B2

A number of orthopaedic surgical instruments are also disclosed. A method, apparatus, and system for fabricating such instruments are also disclosed.
US08425520B2

An instrument for holding a bone plate may include a first arm, a second arm connected to and adjustable relative to the first arm, a first connection tip at the distal end of the first arm configured to connect to the first side wall of the bone plate, and a second connection tip at the distal end of the second arm configured to connect to the second side wall of the bone plate. A stabilizing member is connected to the first connection tip. The stabilizing member is distally spaced apart from the first connection tip to form an opening for receiving a portion of bone between the first connection tip and the stabilizing member.
US08425491B2

The present invention relates to a telescopic device comprising at least two sections, wherein an extraction force is needed to extend the device from a short telescope configuration to an extended configuration and securing the sections in extended configuration; a separation force is needed to pull the at least two sections apart; retention means coupling at least one of the two sections to at least one attachment point; and the uncoupling strength of the retention means is larger than the extraction force but smaller than the separation force. This allows the telescopic device to be properly extended into its extended configuration before the retention means uncouples the telescopic device from the at least one attachment point.
US08425485B2

The present invention provides an absorbent article having a composite sheet with a plurality of gathers on an inner surface facing a wearer's body, which fits and adheres comfortably to the wearer's skin. The composite sheet is provided which includes a stretchable non-woven fabric which expands and contracts in at least one direction, a non-stretchable non-woven fabric, a junction which binds intermittently the stretchable non-woven fabric to the non-stretchable non-woven fabric in the stretching direction, and a plurality of gathers which is formed by loosening a unbounded area of the non-stretchable non-woven fabric in a contracted state, and is arranged along a direction intersecting the stretching direction, in which an apex of each gather does not reach the neighboring gather when the gathers lean to one side of the stretchable direction.
US08425482B2

An elasticized flexible absorbent article for minor urinary incontinence is provided. The elasticized flexible absorbent article comprises an inner permeable hydrophilic layer, an absorbent layer having a first side and a second side, the first side of the absorbent layer at least partially bonded to the inner permeable hydrophilic layer, and an impermeable outer cover having a first side, a second side, and an elastic portion, the first side of the impermeable outer cover at least partially bonded to the second side of the absorbent layer, the elastic portion provided along an outer edge of the impermeable outer cover, the elasticized flexible absorbent article adapted to encompass an end portion of a male genital region.
US08425478B2

The illustrative systems, methods, and dressings for applying reduced pressure to a tissue site are presented that involve quickly removing fluids from the tissue site to reduce or avoid maceration of the epidermis. One dressing includes a dressing material for transferring the reduced pressure to the tissue site and a drape covering at least a portion of the dressing material. The dressing material includes a hydrophobic tissue-interface layer adapted to contact the tissue site. The dressing material also includes a manifold adapted to distribute reduced pressure. The manifold may be a hydrophobic layer. The dressing material also includes one or more absorbent layers adapted to absorb liquid from the tissue site via the tissue-interface layer and the manifold. Other aspects are disclosed.
US08425472B2

A safety needle assembly has a needle hub and a needle cannula projecting from the hub. Wings project transversely from the hub to facilitate manipulation and positioning of the needle assembly. A shield is hingedly attached to the needle hub and can be rotated from a first position where the needle cannula is exposed to a second position where the needle cannula is shielded. At least one latch may be disposed on the shield for secure locked engagement with the hub, the wings and/or the tubing extending from the hub. A spring may also be provided for propelling the shield into the second position.
US08425469B2

In various embodiments, multiple pumps may be used to deliver substances to multiple respective animals. A computer system may send/receive information to/from the pumps (e.g., to control and monitor various aspects of the pumps and/or store information associated with the pump). In some embodiments, the computer system may determine respective controlled delivery rates for the pumps (e.g., based in part on a weight of an animal receiving the substance from the respective pump) and send the determined controlled delivery rates to the respective pumps. The computer system may also receive user identifications from operators controlling a pump (e.g., in response to a pump alarm) and documentation indicators entered by the operator and/or pump to use in documenting pump activity.
US08425466B2

The disclosure provides a catheter for positioning in a contralateral femoral approach in highly angulated iliac bifurcations. The catheter comprises an elongate shaft, an adjustable element, and a wire entrance port on the elongate shaft. The elongate shaft has a proximal portion, an intermediate portion, a curved portion, and a distal portion. The curved portion connects the intermediate portion and the distal portion. The adjustable element is configured to encompass the distal portion and the intermediate portion together in a closed position. The adjustable element can be removed away from the distal portion permitting the distal portion in an open position. The wire entrance port is disposed in the intermediate portion near the curved portion. The distal portion is biased to be spaced away from the intermediate portion in the open position. The adjustable element is connected to an operating wire configured to advance and retreat through the wire entrance port.
US08425457B2

Sinusitis, enlarged nasal turbinates, tumors, infections, hearing disorders, allergic conditions, facial fractures and other disorders of the ear, nose and throat are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches and, in many cases, flexible catheters as opposed to instruments having rigid shafts. Various diagnostic procedures and devices are used to perform imaging studies, mucus flow studies, air/gas flow studies, anatomic dimension studies, endoscopic studies and transillumination studies. Access and occluder devices may be used to establish fluid tight seals in the anterior or posterior nasal cavities/nasopharynx and to facilitate insertion of working devices (e.g., scopes, guidewires, catheters, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for injecting diagnostic or therapeutic agents, devices for implanting devices such as stents, substance eluting devices, substance delivery implants, etc.
US08425455B2

A catheter assembly and method of using the catheter assembly is provided herein. The catheter assembly has a catheter shaft having an elongated body extending about a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion and a distal portion, an outer surface, and at least one lumen extending therethrough the elongated body at least one means for sealing at least a portion of the lumen of the bronchial vessel. At least a portion of the catheter assembly is configured for insertion into at least a portion of a bronchial vessel of a target lung region. The means for sealing is moveable between a collapsed state and an expanded state. At least a portion of the vessel can be sealed by inflating the means for sealing. The catheter assembly can then be used to infuse a dialysate solution into the target lung region.
US08425440B2

An orthotic for a joint of the human body, at which a body part pivots, includes first and second hinge members able to extend along respective posterior portions of body parts near the joint. The second member is able to be fitted with alternate orthotic support portions. A hinge connection joins the first member and the second member, permitting angular motion about an axis, and mutual disconnection and reconnection of the members at the hinge connection as the second member pivots relative to the first member.
US08425438B2

A motion assist apparatus is provided with an attaching member that has a glove shape with finger portions and a middle hand portion that is attachable to one of hands of a user, a back-side actuator that is freely expanded and contracted, and bridged between a tip of each of the finger portions and the middle hand portion on the back side of the attaching member, and a palm-side actuator that is freely expanded and contracted, and bridged between the tip of each of the finger portions and the middle hand portion on the palm side of the attaching member, and in this structure, the palm-side actuator is provided with a wire unit formed of two wires that are disposed on each of the finger portions on the palm side from the tip of each of the finger portions on the back side to the middle hand portion along the finger portion, passing through two side portions of the finger portion, so that intervals therebetween are made different at respective positions corresponding to joints of the finger portion, and rubber artificial muscle is coupled to the wire unit and is formed on the middle hand portion.
US08425432B2

A reconfigurable integrated lancet system comprises a testing device having a housing, a lancet holding device frame, a lancet, and at least one connection mechanism. The lancet holding device frame is adapted to fasten around a periphery of the housing of the testing device. The lancet holding device frame has a first lock receiving region. The lancet has a second lock receiving region. The at least one connection mechanism has a first locking end and a second locking end. The first locking end is adapted to interact within the first lock receiving region of the lancet holding device frame, to connect the connection mechanism to the lancet holding device frame. The second locking end is adapted to interact within the second lock receiving region of the lancet, to connect the connection mechanism to the lancet.
US08425426B2

Improved tourniquet apparatus for measuring a patient's limb occlusion pressure includes an inflatable tourniquet cuff for encircling a limb at a location and to which a tourniquet instrument is releasably connectable. The instrument includes pressure sensing for producing a cuff pressure signal indicative of the level of pressure in the cuff, a pressure regulation mechanism communicating with the cuff and responsive to the cuff pressure signal for moving fluid into and out of the cuff, thereby regulating the pressure in the cuff, a blood flow transducer for producing a blood flow signal indicative of blood flow past the cuff, and limb occlusion pressure means responsive to the blood flow signal and the cuff pressure signal for increasing the cuff pressure level until blood flow indicated by the blood flow signal decreases to a level less than a minimum detection threshold, and then suspending fluid movement into and out of the cuff to produce a limb occlusion pressure value that is indicative of a pressure in the cuff when the fluid motion is suspended.
US08425416B2

Systems and methods of use for continuous analyte measurement of a host's vascular system are provided. In some embodiments, a continuous glucose measurement system includes a vascular access device, a sensor and sensor electronics, the system being configured for insertion into communication with a host's circulatory system.
US08425414B2

Systems and techniques for remote medical monitoring. In one implementation, a method includes monitoring a first medical condition of an individual, the monitoring being initiated remotely by a monitoring service, receiving a query relating to a second medical condition of the individual, transmitting a response to the query to the monitoring service, receiving a prompt from the monitoring service, and transmitting a response to the prompt to the monitoring service. The query is received from the monitoring service. The prompt is designed to provoke a particular action.
US08425411B2

A surgical device and method used to assist in the surgical repair of damaged and/or severed tendons. In the present invention, the device is comprised of a distal conical member, having an inner and outer surface, a tapered tip, a rounded end, and windowed openings on either side of axial centerline passing through the inner and outer surfaces. In the same embodiment, the device is comprised of a proximal concave convex member with an inner and outer surface, a tapered tip, and a rounded end, tapering both in width and thickness to the tip. The present invention further discloses a method of passing a severed flexor tendon through the tendon sheathing to the repair site aiding in the passage of the severed tendon through the edges of the pulleys in the flexor tendon sheath, wherein the distal conical member of the device disclosed in the present invention is introduced into the edge of a flexor tendon sheath's pulley and a severed tendon end is passed along the inner surface of the conical member allowing the tendon to be reintroduced into the sheathing with minimal trauma. The present invention further discloses a method of dilation of the pulleys in the flexor tendon sheath, wherein the proximal concave convex member of the device disclosed in the present invention is introduced into the edge of a flexor tendon sheath's pulley to a desire depth and left in place until the desired amount of dilation is achieved the tendon is then introduced back into the sheathing utilizing the afore described method.
US08425408B2

A video endoscope system includes a reusable control cabinet and an endoscope that is connectable thereto. The endoscope may be used with a single patient and then disposed. The endoscope includes an illumination mechanism, an image sensor, and an elongate shaft having one or more lumens located therein. An articulation joint at the distal end of the endoscope allows the distal end to be oriented by the actuators in the control cabinet or actuators in a control handle of the endoscope. Fluidics, electrical, navigation, image, display and data entry controls are integrated into the system along with other accessories.
US08425400B2

An implant for supporting a urethra of a man which includes two elongate flexible strips that are substantially inextensible in length between opposite ends thereof and that include middle portions that are disposed adjacent to one another in side by side relationship such that a side edge of each strip faces towards the other strip, and wherein the strips are connected to each other at the middle portions, and wherein the strips have intermediate portions that extend between the middle portion and each opposite end of each strip along which the strips are separate from each other. The implant supports the urethra in such a manner that the two strips may be placed under tension independently of each other with the middle portions thereof supporting the urethra over a total width of the strips.
US08425398B2

Materials and methods related to blood pump systems are described. These can be used in patients to, for example, monitor arterial pressure, measure blood flow, maintain left ventricular pressure within a particular range, avoid left ventricular collapse, prevent fusion of the aortic valve in a subject having a blood pump, and provide a means to wean a patient from a blood pump.
US08425396B2

A pulsatile blood circulating pump system for use in cardiopulmonary bypass, ventricular assist (LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD), ECMO, organ preservation, fetal cardiac bypass, cancer treatment, and areas of circulation research, which is controlled to produce blood flow that approximates physiological blood flow. The pump system includes a pulsating mechanism having a housing defining a chamber with a compressible-expandable bladder sealably mounted. A hydraulic actuator having a pressure imparting member that acts upon pressure transmissive fluid contained within the actuator chamber to generate a pulsatile pressure on the transmissive fluid, which results in pulsatile pressure being exerted on bladder to controllably vary the volume thereof. Additionally, the system includes a compact, motor that is associated with the hydraulic actuator for moving the pressure imparting member within the fluid chamber and further includes a fully programmable motion controller that controls the motor. The system includes a programmable touch-screen component to control the motion controller.
US08425393B2

A motor-free dunnage conversion system for converting a sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage includes a container having a wall with an opening therethrough, a supply of sheet stock material within the container, and a forming member. The forming member has converging sidewalls that define a passage alignable with the opening in the wall. The forming member is a converging chute having a relatively larger inlet spaced from the outlet, which is relatively smaller than the inlet. The forming member functions to crumple the sheet stock material as a packer draws the sheet stock material through the forming member to form a crumpled strip of dunnage. The forming member has a dimension that is larger than a corresponding dimension of the opening to keep the forming member from escaping the container as the packer pulls the stock material through the forming member.
US08425388B2

The present invention encompasses principally a method of permitting packaging of one or more piece goods in one or more bag units, where said bag units are, in a selected transport direction, oriented after one another and mutually united with the aid of two, each arranged bag side allocated, thickened portions. A first means (1) is disposed whereby each one of said bag units, from a folded and/or united state, becomes openable by causing said respective bag side allocated thickened portions to pass along a distance from one another oriented rails or similar arrangements. A second means (2) is disclosed in order to, in thus opened bag units, allow insertion of one or more piece goods (G). A third means (3) is utilized, whereby each one of said bag units is sealed along a sealing zone, in order thereby to allow the enclosure of said one or more piece goods. A fourth means (4) is adapted to clip and/or cut off a sealed bag through or above said sealing zone, however under said thickened portion. Two carrier strips are selected, with an upper longitudinally oriented thickened portion and lower longitudinally oriented retaining zones, where said lower retaining zones cooperate each one with an upper retaining zone for an edge portion adjacent a bag allocated opening. Said carrier strip and said bag, in a mutually coordinated position, form a bag unit.
US08425385B2

The present invention provides a system and method of exercise utilizing fluid containing bladders. The bladders may be in communication with each other so that compression of one bladder causes the fluid to be transferred to a neighboring bladder. The system may be used to exercise complementary muscle groups. Additionally, the system may be adjustable to provide different workout levels or so that the device can be used to exercise a variety of muscle groups.
US08425384B2

An exercise machine which includes a frame which is connected to a series of pivotable links. A user sits on one of the links and applies force, typically with his legs, to a drive link. At least two of the links are connected by some form of resistance, such as hydraulic cylinder. When the user presses against one of the links, resistance is applied, through the links, by the weight of the user and the hydraulic cylinder.
US08425380B2

An engine controlling apparatus for a motorcycle for reducing the output power of the engine when necessary includes a second controller for deciding, if a brake operation is detected based on an opening value of an accelerator grip detected by a potentiometer for detecting an opening value of the accelerator grip that the accelerator grip is in an open state, whether it is necessary to reduce the output power of an engine and for carrying out output power reduction control of the engine. If a front wheel brake sensor detects a brake operation for the front wheel and in addition it is decided from the speed value detected by a vehicle speed sensor that the motorcycle is not being decelerated, then the second controller decides that there is the necessity to reduce the output power of the engine and carries out the output power reduction control of the engine.
US08425373B2

An outboard motor includes an engine that generates power and a transmission device arranged to change the speed of rotation of the engine and to transmit the rotation to a propeller. The transmission device includes a planetary gear type transmission mechanism arranged to shift to any of a plurality of speed positions, and the planetary gear type transmission mechanism is controlled to shift such that a sun gear and planetary gears unitarily rotate when a speed position is a normally used speed position. The outboard motor achieves a reduction in load normally caused by engagements between gears in a normally used speed position and also achieves significant improvement in durability of the gears.
US08425366B2

A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08425365B2

A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, at least one planetary gear set, a plurality of transfer gears connected by a layshaft, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08425363B2

A robot joint driving apparatus is smoothly operated without generation of backlash. A robot includes the robot joint driving apparatus. The robot joint driving apparatus includes an internal gear having a ring shape, a main pulley arranged at the center of the internal gear and connected to a power source, first and second pinion gears provided at both sides of the main pulley and engaged with the internal gear, first and second pulleys respectively fastened to the first and second pinion gears, first and second belts respectively connecting the main pulley and the first and second pulleys, and tension adjustment units to adjust tensions of the first and second belts.
US08425360B2

A planetary bearing structure which does not require forcible oil supply of planetary bearing using slide bearing, and which can reliably supply oil to a sliding surface and lubricate the sliding surface with a simple structure. The planetary bearing structure including: a planetary pin (30) fixed to a carrier (21), and a planetary gear (40) having a slide bearing (50) mounted on an inner peripheral surface of a shaft hole (40a), in which the planetary pin (30) turnably supports the planetary gear (40) through the slide bearing (50), and both end surfaces (41L, 41R) of the planetary gear (40) form a pair of gaps (SL, SR) between opposed wall surfaces (21L, 21R) of the carrier (21) and rotate, wherein a pair of spiral grooves (42L, 42R) formed in one of the gear end surfaces (41, 41R) forming the pair of gaps (SL, SR) and the opposed wall surfaces (21L, 21R) and oppositely oriented at gaps (SL, SR), and the planetary bearing structure has such a lubricant oil passage that the gaps (SL, SR) take an oil bath in lubricant oil, lubricant oil introduced from the sucking side gap (SR) passes between the planetary pin (30) and the slide bearing (50) and is discharged from the other discharging side gap (SL).
US08425349B2

A method for forming a golf club head having a volume of approximately 460 cubic centimeters, the method comprising the steps of casting a face component, attaching a bonding flange, stamping a metal sheet of titanium alloy to form a sole component, welding the sole component to the face component to create a golf club head subassembly having a weld line of approximately six inches and polishing the weld line.
US08425348B2

A golf club with a golf club head having one or more adjustable weights is presented. The club head may include a club head body having a recessed formed therein. In some arrangements, the recess may be formed in a sole portion of the club head body. The golf club head further includes an adjustable weight that may be rotated from a first position to a second position to adjust the weight characteristics, and thus the performance characteristics of the golf club. In some arrangements, the adjustable weight and/or any hardware, fasteners, etc. associated with the adjustable weight may be constantly connected to the golf club head such that adjustment of the weight does not include removal of the weight and/or any hardware, fasteners, etc.
US08425344B2

A variable length shaft assembly comprising at least one upper shaft portion, a lower shaft portion and a threaded fastener, wherein the threaded fastener removably connects the upper shaft portion to the lower shaft portion, is disclosed herein. The variable length shaft assembly may further comprise at least two upper shaft portions having different lengths so a golfer can adjust the total length of the shaft by removing one upper shaft portion and replacing it with another upper shaft portion having a different length. Methods of adjusting the length of a golf club shaft without damaging any portion of the shaft and variable length shaft kits are also disclosed herein.
US08425342B2

Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as putter heads, may include a putter body and an insert forming a ball striking face and engaged with the putter body. Portions of the insert may be formed of a metal material, while portions of the insert may be formed of a polymer material. The insert may include a base portion having grooves or openings formed therein. This base may be joined with another material (such as a polymer backing material) to form the insert, wherein the backing material at least partially fills the grooves or openings. In some arrangements, the backing material of the insert may be visible at the top and/or bottom surfaces of the putter structures. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.
US08425331B2

A user interface for displaying a user profile in a gaming console that communicates to a remote service. A “Gamer Profile” is created that serves as a building block for services and applications that aim to create a social community of gamers and grow relationships among players. In accordance with the present invention, the Gamer Profile is the entirety of information (e.g., metadata) related to a specific user. The Gamer Profile is developed from a set of services that collect and expose this information in a meaningful way to the community. Feedback information may be included that is provided by other users to further enhance the profile. The Gamer Profile also provides for personalization such that users can customize their gaming experience.
US08425326B2

A centralized social network tool is configured to interface with and integrates into one or more videogames and/or videogame series. The social network tool may be integral to the theme of the games and be pervasive within game play. The social network may drive progression of the story and interaction between characters. According to another aspect of the invention, the members of the social network may include actual members (corresponding to real people) and virtual members (e.g., artificial intelligence controlled bot members). The virtual members may be part of the social network and may interact with real members within and outside of the game as part of the theme of the game.
US08425324B2

The invention provides for balancing a computer game, in which players can choose between different options for a plurality of actors within the game. The actors are described by parameter vectors defining characteristics of each actor. The cost of each actor is calculated, wherein the cost of an actor characterizes the amount of resources needed to obtain the actor. Also, the rank of each actor is defined, wherein the rank of an actor characterizes a usefulness or a value of the actor. The parameters of the actors are modified until the rank and the cost of the actors are proportional for each actor, wherein the constant of proportionality is the same for all actors. Thus, the various options become approximately equally successful and the computer game is balanced.
US08425322B2

A system and method for communicating with a virtual world are disclosed. The virtual world may comprise a simulated public space configured to facilitate interaction among a plurality of users and one or more private spaces. Each private space may be associated with a particular user of the plurality of users. A particular user's interactions with the virtual world may be represented by one or more corresponding actions of an avatar. A communication device may be simulated in the virtual world. Communication may take place between the simulated communication device and a real communication device. The virtual world may be generated by one or more processors configured to simulate a communication device in the virtual world and communicate between the simulated communication device and a real communication device.
US08425319B2

An example game apparatus determines, when an input has been made with a cross button, whether an input direction indicates a diagonal direction. When the input direction indicates a diagonal direction, a follow parameter is set such that a virtual stick vector is changed so as to slowly approach an input vector. When the input direction does not indicate a diagonal direction, the follow parameter is set such that the virtual stick vector is changed so as to approach the input vector fast. Further, the game apparatus calculates the follow parameter according to an inner product of the virtual stick vector and the input vector. The game apparatus updates the virtual stick vector based on the virtual stick vector having been most recently obtained, the input vector, and the follow parameter.
US08425308B2

An approach is provided in which a disincentive is provided during the execution of a video game program that is operated by a current user. One or more disincentive factors are identified that correspond to the current user. The identified disincentive factors are compared with current time factors. Based on the comparison, one or more game characteristics are altered with the game characteristics being altered in order to provide a disincentive to continued operation of the video game program by the current user.
US08425307B2

A method of gaming comprising: selecting in at least one game round a plurality of symbols for display to a player in a set of display positions; modifying the displayed symbols copying each symbol in an original subset of the display positions to at least one clone subset of the display positions which is identical to or laterally displaced from the original subset, in response to determining that a subset of the symbols should be cloned; and determining an outcome based on the modified symbols.
US08425304B2

A gaming system comprises a wager input device for receiving a primary wager and a display for displaying a primary wagering game. The gaming system further comprises a controller which is operative to (i) detect receipt of the primary wager, (ii) display a randomly selected outcome of the primary wagering game, (iii) display a feature icon on the display, (iv) detect selection of the feature icon, (v) in response to the selection of the feature icon, display a feature menu on the display, the feature menu displaying a plurality of available features capable of activation in addition to the wagering game, and (vi) in response to a first feature of the feature menu being selected, activate and display the first feature if a first eligibility requirement is satisfied.
US08425302B2

A method of triggering a multi-player game, comprising: determining a current number of eligible gaming machines; communicating current hit rate data based on the current number of eligible gaming machines to at least each eligible gaming machine; determining at each eligible gaming machine whether to trigger the multi-player game at a hit rate based on the current hit rate data.
US08425298B2

A gaming system, a gaming machine and a method is provided having a five card video draw poker game with multiple hands. An initial five card hand is displayed to the player face-up. The player then chooses which of the initial five cards to discard. Each card that is held is then duplicated into all of the other hands to be played. Replacement cards for the unheld cards are displayed and each hand is completed to have a final five card hand. The poker hand ranking of each final five card hand is determined and winning hands receive an award. The player also receives an additional award depending on the number of final hands that fall into each poker hand category.
US08425293B2

In a video game or simulator, suggested speed indicators are computed along a suggested driving line on a path (e.g., a race track) and displayed in a simple, progressive, and user-friendly format. The displayed speed indicators are based on a racer's current speed and target speeds attributed to individual locations along the suggested driving line on the path. The speed indicators provide a dynamic indication of where and how the player should slow down or speed up relative to their current speed as their racer travels along the path. The speed indicators are displayed (e.g., using color to represent different magnitudes of suggested acceleration and deceleration) along the suggested driving line in front of the racer so that the player can anticipate braking and acceleration actions as the path and the racer's speed change.
US08425290B2

A wagering game developer can use an online wagering game community to gauge popularity of wagering games, demonstrate wagering games, test wagering games, estimate wagering game life cycles, etc. Moreover, the wagering game developer can use the creativity of community members to modify and, perhaps, develop wagering games. The wagering game developer can decompose different aspects of a wagering game into executable code units that are platform independent, reusable, and/or configurable (“wagering game widgets”). Users combine wagering game widgets, whether derived from a wagering game or user generated, to create a wagering game for playing in the online wagering game community. Wagering game developers can reward users who create the most popular wagering games, and develop proper versions of these user-created wagering games for deployment in wagering game establishments.
US08425289B2

A traveling virtual pet game simulates a pet traveling between various geographic locations. As the pet travels, users interact with the virtual pet to aid the pet in acquiring traits associated with the geographic regions in which it travels and to observe traits that the pet has previously acquired.
US08425286B2

Quick release couplings for releasably coupling components of a computer to the computer are disclosed. The quick release coupling mechanisms are generally configured to allow tool-less placement of the components relative to the computer. That is, the quick release coupling mechanisms are configured to perform their couplings without using conventional fasteners such as screws, bolts, etc. By eliminating the use of fasteners, the components may be inserted and removed from the computer without using tools (e.g., tool-less). Furthermore, the quick release couplings are easy to maneuver thereby enabling quick and straightforward assembly and disassembly of the components to and from the computer (e.g., quick release). For example, the components may be inserted and removed by a simple pushing or pulling motion, and/or by a simple flick of a latch or handle.
US08425282B2

A power tool accessory is adapted to be mounted to a spindle of a power tool having a power tool housing. The power tool accessory includes a hub, a working element, a bolt, and a nut. The hub includes a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface. The hub further includes an opening extending through the hub. An axis of rotation of the hub is defined through the opening. The working element is connected to the hub. The bolt includes a head having a cross-section that is greater than the opening of the hub. The bolt further includes a shaft adapted to extend through the opening of the hub. The shaft is adapted to be received on the spindle of the power tool. The nut cooperates with the bolt and includes a head and an aperture extending through the head. The head of the nut has a cross-section that is greater than the opening of the hub. The aperture of the nut is adapted to be received on the shaft of the bolt. The bolt and the nut are mounted to the hub such that when the power tool accessory is mounted to the power tool for operation, the position of the hub relative to the power tool housing is substantially the same regardless of whether the first surface or the second surface of the hub is adjacent to the power tool housing.
US08425279B2

An apparatus for manufacturing seeds for polycrystalline silicon manufacture by cutting a silicon rod in an axial direction into at least one plate-like member, and cutting at least one of the silicon plate-like member lengthwise into seeds that are square in cross section, that includes a table which mounts the silicon rod or at least one of the plate-like member, a pair of end-face supporting members which support the silicon rod or at least one of the plate-like member by pressing both end faces thereof in the axial direction, and a cutting blade which cuts the silicon rod or at least one of the plate-like member in the axial direction, in addition the end-face supporting members includes comb-like grooves that allow the cutting blade to pass through.
US08425277B2

A device for sharpening a twist drill point by means of a rotating grindstone (12) in a grinding machine comprises a base plate (14) lockably articulated around an axis parallel with the axis of the grindstone (12), a drill holder (16) for releasably holding a twist drill (1) to be sharpened, and a guide member (15). The guide member has a back plate (21) and a front plate (22), lockably rotatable in relation to each other. The back plate (21) is connected to the base plate (14) for movements in the direction of the grindstone axis, and the front plate (22) has guide means (28, 29) for slidably guiding the drill holder (16) in the general direction towards and away from the grindstone (12).
US08425273B2

A plurality of individual toys, at least a first one of which generates acoustic signals and at least a second one of which receives acoustic signals. When the second toy receives acoustic signals from the first toy, it responds, for example, by generating a sound and/or controlling its motion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the toys flock and/or form a procession of toys which follow a leader toy, for example a mother goose and a plurality of following and preferably quacking goslings.
US08425270B2

The present invention relates to a tie bar. The tie bar has a first subassembly and a second subassembly. The first subassembly includes an end portion configured to connect to a propulsion unit, a first tube that extends from the end portion and a threaded member operatively connected to the end portion and disposed within and at least partially extending along the first tube. The second subassembly includes an end portion configured to connect to a further propulsion unit and a second tube that extends from the end portion of the second subassembly. The second subassembly is configured to threadably engage with the threaded member. The distance of separation between the end portions is selectively adjustable thereby.
US08425266B2

An electric wire with a terminal connector includes an electric wire and a female terminal connector crimped onto a core wire exposed at the electric wire. A female terminal connector has a wire barrel having a surface to be applied to the core wire. The surface has a plurality of recesses formed therein. Each recess has an opening edge. The opening edge of the recess includes first opening edges that are parallel to each other. The space between the recesses adjacent to each other in the extending direction of the first opening edge is set narrower than the space between the recesses adjacent to each other in the extending direction of the electric wire.
US08425265B2

An arrangement for fastening an electrical conductor has a clamp (1) constructed as a pipe piece of metal and at least one clamping screw (2) for fastening an electrical conductor (3,4) in the clamp. The clamp has in its wall at least one throughhole provided with a thread for receiving the clamping screw. The clamping screw has a tubular contact part provided with an external thread and adapted to be screwed into the throughhole of the clamp, wherein the contact part has at its one axial end a contact surface for contacting an electrical conductor located in the clamp and along its extension with a circumferential intended breaking point a significant distance from the contact surface.
US08425264B2

An electrical connector for a threaded stud may include: a connector body having a first end with a recessed portion and an anti-rotation wall extending upwardly from the recessed portion; a connector element configured to electrically connect and secure the threaded stud thereto; and a fastener configured to secure said connector element to the connector body. The connector element is selectively attached to the connector body in either a right-hand configuration, in which the threaded stud is secured on a right side of the connector body, or a left-hand configuration, in which the threaded stud is secured on a left side of the connector body. The anti-rotation wall engages a side wall of the connector element to prevent the connector element from rotating about the fastener relative to the connector body.
US08425252B2

The present invention relates to an electrical connector. The electrical connector includes an insulating body having a plurality of card slots recessed at a front end. The insulating body has adjacent a plurality of first and second receiving slots disposed at a rear end of the card slots. Each of a plurality of first terminals has a first connecting portion received in the first receiving slot. Each of a plurality of second terminals has a second connecting portion received in the first receiving slot. The second terminal has an extending portion extending laterally, entering the first receiving slot, and disposing in a front-rear manner relative to a corresponding part of the first terminal. The insulating body has a gap defined between the extending portion and an adjacent extending portion.
US08425245B2

The invention relates to a fastener. The fastener includes: a lower fastening base, in which a pivoting plate is disposed upward on a back end of the lower fastening base and concavely disposed with a limiting groove, an upper fastening plate, disposed on the lower fastening base in a covering manner, in which a back end of the upper fastening plate has at least one pivoting portion pivotally connected to the pivoting plate, a limiting portion, extending backward from the upper fastening plate and penetrating the limiting groove correspondingly, at least one stop block, convexly extending from the limiting portion and located behind the pivoting plate, and a fixing part, disposed on a frond end of the lower fastening base and used for fixing the upper fastening plate to the lower fastening base.
US08425230B2

The present inventions is an abutment for use with a dental implant. The abutment comprises a prosthetic portion adapted to support a prosthesis thereon and an insert. The prosthetic portion has a subgingival end and a supragingival region for protruding beyond gingiva adjacent to the dental implant. The prosthetic portion has a passageway extending therethrough. The passageway includes an enlarged retention groove and non-round section. The insert extends into the passageway and engages the subgingival end of the prosthetic portion. The insert includes flexible retention fingers that, upon insertion into the passageway, initially contract before reaching the enlarged retention groove and then expand outwardly into the enlarged retention groove to hold the insert onto the prosthetic portion. The insert also has a non-round section for mating with the non-round section of the passageway.
US08425225B2

Method of reducing the formation of folds on metal strips (1) exposed to rapid heating in continuous heat-treatment lines, in which lines said strips are caused to pass through heating sections (2) comprising successive and separate heating means (5; 5a; 5b; 5c; 5d), wherein the average slope of the increase in temperature of the strip between the inlet and the outlet of a heating means decreases from one heating means to the following heating means.
US08425222B2

Taper portions 151 and 161 are provided in the cavity of a stationary side die 110 and the cavity of a movable side die 120 in an injection molding apparatus, respectively, and a floating mechanism 170 is provided so that one taper portions are able to freely follows the other taper portions while die clamping. This configuration makes it possible to correct axial misalignment in each of the cavities.
US08425217B2

A molding apparatus includes a mold cavity (26), an ejector pin (30), and a sensor (42). The ejector pin has a first surface (48) exposed to the cavity and a second surface (40) not exposed to the cavity. The sensor (42) is in communicative contact with the ejector pin second surface (40). The sensor (42) is capable of sensing pressure in a mold cavity (26) through the ejector pin (30). The molding apparatus may include a hollow ejector pin (108) with a first end (120) facing the mold cavity (26). A sensor (104) embedded in the hollow ejector pin first end (120) senses a mold cavity parameter. A signal line (112) from the sensor (104) is routed through the hollow ejector pin (108).
US08425216B2

There is set forth herein a system having an injection molding assembly mold including a stationary section and moveable section, the stationary section having a channel assembly, one or more nozzle and a mold cavity, the mold further having a sensor unit array, the sensor unit array comprising one or more sensor unit. The system can include one or more processing circuit that utilizes an output of the one or more sensor unit for determining a condition prevailing within the injection molding assembly.
US08425215B2

A powder compression molding machine includes a downward spray portion that sprays a lubricant toward an inner circumferential surface of a die bore and a tip face of a tip of a lower punch, an upward spray portion that sprays the lubricant toward a tip face of the tip of the upper punch, a first lubricant flow passage through which the lubricant supplied from a lubricant supply device externally provided is fed to the downward spray portion, and a second lubricant flow passage through which the lubricant supplied from the lubricant supply device externally provided is fed to the upward spray portion. A small-diameter region of which an inner diameter is made smaller than that of the first lubricant flow passage is provided at a part of the second lubricant flow passage.
US08425214B2

The invention relates to a spraying tool, in particular as part of a mold-spraying device for spraying at least one section of a wall of a mold with working medium. In at least one embodiment, the spraying tool comprises a plurality of spraying elements for dispensing working medium, and at least one working-medium supply line which supplies working medium to the plurality of spraying elements. In accordance with at least one embodiment, at least some of the spraying elements, the spraying nozzles of which point downwards during operation, are equipped with a separate valve unit which is adjacent to the spraying nozzle and the valve element of which is prestressed elastically into a closed position in which it prevents the dispensing of working medium, but can be transferred under the action of a hydraulic and/or pneumatic pressure into an open position in which it permits the dispensing of working medium.
US08425211B2

In a positive displacement machine for compressible media, having a spiral-shaped feed chamber (11) arranged in a housing (7b) between cylinder walls (14, 15), a spiral-shaped displacement body is composed of a disc (2) with spiral-shaped strips (3). The strips (3) are held eccentrically with respect to the housing, in such a way that, during operation, each point of the strip performs a movement which is limited by the peripheral walls of the feed chamber. The contour (20) of the disc is formed, in the overlapped region of the spiral at the point provided for the mutual sealing of the traversed chambers (11, 16), in the shape of the movement path. The housing edge (19) is formed, as a transition between the raised first part (17) and lowered second part (18) of the outer cylinder wall (14) of the housing, as a bulbous thickened portion. The radial extent “D” of the thickened portion is at least as great as the degree of eccentricity (“e”). In periods of machine operation, in which a higher pressure prevails in the outer, sickle-shaped working space (11) than in the suction chamber (16), the circular-arc-shaped projection (19) together with the contour of the disc forms a sealing line (21) which extends over the height of the projection.
US08425196B2

A wind turbine blade includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member joined at leading and trailing edges of the blade with a bond material. Portions of the bond material are externally exposed. The bond material has surface characteristics of at least one of a Shore D hardness value of greater than about 80 durometer or a Young's modulus stiffness value of greater than about 5 GPa. A protective coating is applied over the upper and lower shell members and exposed portions of the bond material.
US08425193B2

A rotating blade row is provided for the final stage of a steam turbine has blades with an integrated shroud. The shroud of each blade has a projection in the axial direction, in each case on its pressure side, which prevents droplets in the working fluid of the steam turbine from reaching the shroud fillet of the respective subsequent blade in the flow direction. The shroud fillet is therefore protected against erosion damage caused by droplets impact erosion. The projection is positioned and of such a size that mass equilibrium is ensured between the suction side and the pressure side of the shroud, and stress equilibrium is ensured between the projection on the pressure side and the suction-side shroud. The projection furthermore has a recess between its greatest axial extent and the leading edge.
US08425183B2

A turbine blade includes an airfoil having first and second tip ribs extending along the opposite pressure and suction sides thereof. The tip ribs are spaced apart between the leading and trailing edges of the airfoil to include a trifurcate tip baffle defining a triforial tip cavity.
US08425181B2

The axial-flow turbine includes an extraction chamber 15 disposed on the outer circumference of a turbine blade chamber 12 and an extraction opening 16. An outer diaphragm 8 forming the downstream-side wall surface of the extraction chamber 15 is provided with a projection 21 formed more radially inwardly than the downstream-side edge on the outer circumference of an adjacent bucket 2 on the upstream side of the extraction opening 16 to form the downstream-side wall surface of the extraction opening 16. The projection 21 forms an upstream-side wall surface 18 of the outer diaphragm 8 for leading a part of the working fluid to the extraction chamber 15, and an inner wall surface 19 of the outer diaphragm 8 for leading the remaining working fluid to a bucket 11 on the downstream side of the extraction opening 16.
US08425177B2

A compact lifter is disclosed which allows for an improved operating envelope of the liftplate. The lifter utilizes a motor having 210 degrees of rotation and lifting arms of a unique geometry to rotate a liftplate from a retracted position below and in front of the lifter baseplate to a dumping position wherein the opening of a refuse cart is located substantially forward of an inner hopper or container edge. As a result, refuse is dumped further into the container or vehicle hopper, which minimizes the number of packing cycles required as multiple refuse carts are emptied. The liftplate is attached to the motor using dual lifting arms, and includes a fixed upper hook. A rotating, retractable lower hooking mechanism holds the refuse cart during dumping. The compact design improves ground clearance when the lifter is retracted, permits the dumping of large commercial containers over the lifter, and requires no modification of the hopper structure of a rear-loading refuse collection vehicle. The lifter may be mounted over a wide range of mounting heights and maintain engagement with refuse carts without altering the structural components of the lifter.
US08425176B2

The rack has an inclined bottom, a slightly angled upstanding back wall, a right endwall and a short front wall defining a media cassette receiving area. Upon activation by a manually operated handle a withdrawal mechanism disposed behind the back wall, containing a carriage having a finger selectively protruding therethrough urges the rearmost media cassette in the rack along the back wall until it may be grasped by an operator. Subsequent cassettes settle backward against the back wall upon withdrawal of the rearmost media cassette. Cassettes may be added to the rack forward of any media cassettes currently therein. In this way a FIFO queue is maintained regardless of the number or mix of media cassettes stored in the rack.
US08425175B2

According to an aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a part-delivery apparatus which transports a part to a designated part-delivery position by drawing the part onto a head by suction pressure at a designated part-suction position, and which releases the part at the part-delivery position by stopping application of the suction pressure. The apparatus includes: a compliance mechanism for allowing movement of the head in a horizontal plane; an upper-side positioning unit for positioning the head in the part-suction position by responding to an upward movement of the head; and a lower-side positioning unit for positioning the head in the part-delivery position by responding to the downward movement of the head.
US08425167B2

A fastener assembly comprises a stud bolt including a bolt portion and a weld end to be welded to a workpiece, and a nut member to be screwed into the stud bolt. The nut member screwed into the stud bolt before welding is formed out of an electrically conductive material to allow the welding current to flow through the nut member into the stud bolt and weld the nut member to the workpiece while connected to the stud bolt. Then an attachment member is disposed on top of the workpiece, and the attachment member is fastened to the workpiece when the nut member is turned in the fastening direction.
US08425163B2

A thread forming tap having a complete thread portion, formed with a predetermined back taper with that decreases rotational torque during tapping work, which reduces load acting on first complete protruding portions, formed at an extreme leading end of the complete thread portion, and thereby suppressing degradation in service life of the tool due to wear.
US08425147B2

A drainage system for draining a fluid is disclosed. The drainage system includes a drain basin having a tubular body, the tubular body including a lumen, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end. The drainage system also includes at least one pipe connected to the tubular body and an end cap coupled to the bottom end of the tubular body, the end cap including a convex surface configured to divert the fluid to the at least one pipe, wherein the convex surface of the end cap is inserted through the bottom end and is disposed within the lumen of the tubular body.
US08425143B2

An end portion of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic cable (1) is covered with a friction sheet (2) having abrasive particles (2a) adhered to top and bottom surfaces thereof, the friction sheet is covered from above with a braided net tube (3) obtained by braiding a steel wire, and the portion covered with the friction sheet (2) and braided net tube (3) is embraced and secured inside an end socket (4) by a wedge (5). The end socket (4) can be secured rapidly and reliably to the end portion of the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic cable (1) while maintaining a comparatively high anchoring efficiency.
US08425142B2

A connecting arrangement for a rotationally fixed connection of components in the drive train of a motor vehicle, comprising a shaft journal and a hub of an articulation, which has a central opening for receiving the shaft journal, wherein the shaft journal can be axially fixed in the hub, for example by a retaining ring. The invention further relates to an articulated shaft comprising such a connecting arrangement.
US08425133B2

The fluid-dispensing system is used in a personal care appliance, such as a power toothbrush. The dispensing system includes a strip of discrete, fluid-containing packets, a compressible sealing member and a hollow needle for puncturing the packets, the hollow needle being connected to a workpiece such as a brushhead via a connecting line. An actuation assembly includes a piston which moves successive packets against the sealing member, initially sealing the packet thereto. Further pressure results in compression of the sealing member and puncturing of the packet by the needle, with fluid being forced by piston pressure from the packet into the hollow needle and then to the connecting line for delivery to the workpiece.
US08425130B2

PRINTER (1) WITH MODULAR CARTRIDGE made up of a printing module (2) and a modular (3) cartridge, in independent cabinets but in the same printer, being that said modular cartridge can be fiscal or a non-fiscal cartridge. Said printing module (3) comprises at least a printing mechanism (4), a paper support (5), an auxiliary connection board (7), and the latter's connection to the control board (8). In fiscal cartridges, a fiscal control board is provided, comprising the devices responsible for all fiscal control functions and also for the printing control. In case of printers that do not need fiscal control, the control board can be simplified to a board with printing control function only, making up the so-called non-fiscal cartridges.
US08425122B2

A double row roller bearing which has an outer and inner bearing ring and ball rollers, which have lateral faces and are arranged next to each other in rows, arranged between the bearing rings. The rollers roll in raceways incorporated into the inner face of the outer bearing ring and outer face of the inner hearing ring. The raceways run in parallel and have pressure angle axes that are pitched at a pressure angle relative to a bearing radial axis. The rollers have a distance relative to each other which excludes mutual frictional contacts. For this purpose, the distance of the pressure angle axes of the raceways is enlarged and both rows of rollers are guided in separate bearing cages, while the raceway of the rollers of the row with the larger reference circle arranged on the inner bearing ring has a one-sided axial extension using the distance.
US08425120B2

Disclosed herein is an electrolytic erosion preventing insulated rolling bearing and a manufacturing method thereof. In one embodiment, the electrolytic erosion preventing insulated rolling bearing includes an insulating coating being a ceramic coating layer including alumina as the main component and 0.01 to 0.2 percent by weight titanium oxide with the alumina having a particle size ranging from 10 to 50 μm and average particle size ranging from 15 to 25 μm.
US08425099B2

A ventilating unit with moisture absorber consists of an essentially vertically oriented bushing (1), provided with shoulders for engaging in an opening made in the bottom part (4) of the headlight cover and a bottom with an outlet opening, while on the bottom of the bushing there is arranged a filtering mechanism (2) on which is fitted a ventilating insert (3) with moisture absorber, whose outer peripheral walls are in close contact with the inner peripheral wall of the bushing (1). Advantageously, a paper filter is the filtering mechanism (2), and magnesium chloride hexahydrate is the moisture absorber, while a sealing element (5) is placed between at least one shoulder of the bushing (1) and the bottom part (4) of the headlight cover.
US08425097B2

A lamp unit includes: a first board supporting a first LED; a second board supporting a second LED; a first reflector that is disposed so as to reflect, toward a projection lens, light emitted by the first LED; a second reflector that is disposed so as to reflect, toward the projection lens, light emitted by the second LED; and a shade that blocks part of light reflected by the first reflector. The first and second boards support the first and second LEDs so that the first and second LEDs are disposed on opposite sides with respect to an optical axis Ax of the projection lens. The first reflector is disposed on the side opposite to the first LED with respect to the optical axis Ax, and the second reflector is disposed on the side opposite to the second LED with respect to the optical axis Ax.
US08425096B2

The signal light of mirror type consists of a light source (1), a primary optical component (2), a secondary optical component (3), a tertiary optical component (4), one or more internal glasses (5), a cover glass (6) and an optical filter (7), characterized in that the light put out by the light source (1) is focused by the primary optical component (2) on the secondary optical component (3), and scattering elements, which are on the primary optical component (2) or on the secondary optical component (3) or on the primary optical component (2) and the secondary optical component (3), after passing through the optical filter (7) are projected onto the tertiary optical component (4), while the tertiary optical component (4) is formed by one or more smooth surfaces of a mirror type, and the image of the scattering elements is further distributed by the tertiary optical component (4) and passes through the one or more internal glasses (5) and the cover glass (6).
US08425095B2

A mirror assembly for illuminating an underhood area of a vehicle having an electrical system includes a mirror head outer shell defining a light reception opening. At least one work light is mounted to the mirror head outer shell within the light reception opening. The work light is constructed and positioned such that the light emitted from the work light is directed at the underhood area of the vehicle to illuminate the underhood area.
US08425091B2

A divided LED lamp includes an LED assembly, a casing assembly, LED electronics, power and signal cables, a control panel including a display screen and operation buttons, and a bracket for mounting the lamp. The casing assembly includes a first casing member and a second casing member. At least one cable tube is formed between the first casing member and the second casing member. The power and signal cables that connect the LED assembly received in the first casing member and the LED electronics received in the second casing member are received through the cable tube. This arrangement allows the LED assembly and the LED electronics to be received in individual and independent casing members and are associated with respective individual heat dissipation fins or heat radiators, so as to realize high efficiency of heat dissipation, stabilized operation, and extended lifespan.
US08425090B2

The present invention provides a reflector cup for a lamp, including a cup body, a cup top having an aperture through which a light source is inserted into the reflector cup, and a cup bottom provided with an opening for outputting lights from the light source. The cup body is provided with a plurality of recesses or protrusions that have a curvature different from that of a surface profile of the reflector cup. In one preferred embodiment, the cup body is provided with a plurality of grid veins arranged in a matrix, in each of the grid veins is formed a protruded or recessed curved surface. The curved surface may be spherical, cylindrical, conical or the like. The invention also provides a LED reflector lamp comprising the reflector cup.
US08425073B1

An illumination/marker system mounted on a parachute slider is shown for identification, tracking, and collision avoidance in manned and unmanned parachute operations. The system includes a variety of emission/radiation sources (luminaires), and positioned at pre-determined locations on the parachute slider. A battery provides the power source. System activation means are provided automatically upon deployment of a parachute and/or slider, and/or other sensory inputs such as altitude, motion, time, or photometrics, or manual action, on demand, by the parachutist. System deactivation means provide sensory inputs or on demand by the parachutist.
US08425067B2

A composite diffuser structure includes a transparent layer having a light-entering surface and a light-emitting surface, a lenticular structure having a plurality of lenticular lens formed on the light-emitting surface, and a plurality of refection structures located on the light-entering surface. Each of the lenticular lenses has a first width. There is an opening between two adjacent reflection structures. Each of the openings has a second width. Thereby, the light beam enters into the transparent layer via the opening to increase the light efficiency. By using the diffuser layer located above the lenticular structure, the view angle can be adjusted.
US08425066B2

A domestic appliance (1) includes a housing or wall (6) and a wall portion (8). The portion is an integral part of the housing (6). The appliance has a display means (2) comprising a light source (10), a mask (2) and a diffuser (4). The housing (6) may be smoothly shaped to obtain an appealing design. A separate or standardized display may be perceived as a disruption of a smooth design of the appliance. To incorporate the display means (20) into the design the integral wall portion (8) is transparent and positioned between the diffuser (4) and the mask (2). An inner face of the wall portion (8) is directed to the mask (2). An outer face of the wall portion (8) is directed to the diffuser (4). A diffusing layer (32) included in the diffuser (4) is provided on the outer face of the integral wall portion (8).
US08425063B2

Methods and systems are described herein for an article of manufacture for use in a weapon sight wherein the article of manufacture comprises a passively charged photoluminescent material. When installed in a weapon sight, the passively charged photoluminescent material provides light to a fiber optic of the weapon sight during low light conditions to illuminate a reticle pattern of the weapon sight.
US08425061B2

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle is disclosed having a primary mirror and a spotting mirror. Both the primary mirror and the spotting mirror are secured to the same single mirror support, or backing plate. The spotting mirror is snap fit to the backing plate by having a monolithic structure which is receivable by a recess or hole in the backing plate. The recess acts as a securing device by receiving an abutment surface extending outwardly away from the monolithic structure which snaps over the backing plate and prevents the spotting mirror from moving away from the backing plate.
US08425052B2

The invention relates to an illumination system (100), a projection device, and a color wheel (20, 22, 24). The illumination system comprises a light source comprising a first light-emitting unit (50) and a second light-emitting unit each emitting light towards a light output window (110). The illumination system comprises the color wheel including a spoke (40) between two adjacent color segments. The system is configured to prevent the spoke when transiting the optical path (80) between the light source and the light output window to simultaneously transit a first optical path between the first light-emitting unit and the light output window and a second optical path between the second light-emitting unit and the light output window. The illumination system further comprises a drive unit (92) which is configured for switching off the first light-emitting unit during a time interval (p1) when the spoke transits the first optical path.
US08425051B2

A projector includes: an image projection unit that projects an image; a trapezoidal correction unit that performs trapezoidal correction on the image projected by the image projection unit; a nonvolatile storage unit that stores the amount of previous trapezoidal correction and a predetermined acceptable value associated with the amount of previous trapezoidal correction, the amount of previous trapezoidal correction being used immediately before at least one of when the projector is turned off and when signal processing is changed; and an adjustment unit that sets, if the amount of previous trapezoidal correction is greater than the predetermined acceptable value, the amount of trapezoidal correction to be performed by the trapezoidal correction unit at a predetermined standard value or zero after the projector is activated or after the signal processing is changed.
US08425047B2

A projector displays an image on a projection surface. The projector has a zoom adjusting module and a keystone correcting module. The zoom adjusting module adjusts zoom level of a zoom lens for enlarged projection of image light. The keystone correcting module corrects trapezoidal distortion of the image displayed on the projection surface by means of forming the effective panel image in a revised image formation area, the revised image formation area being part of the image formation area of the panel surface.
US08425044B2

A projection optical system receives light from a display device surface and enlarges and projects a display image thereon onto a screen surface. The projection optical system includes one or more reflective surfaces having an optical power between the display device surface and the screen surface, moves at least one optical device having an optical power to adjust focus and satisfies the following conditional formula: −0.02<{(δ1−δ2)β2}/{(δ1+δ2)β1}<0.2 where δ1 and δ2 represent, when the absolute value of a projection magnification is the highest and the lowest, respectively, during focus adjustment, the absolute value of a difference between a distance from the exit pupil of rays incident on the screen upper ends of the screen surface to the screen surface and a distance from the exit pupil of rays incident on the screen lower ends of the screen surface to the screen surface and β1 and β2 represent the maximum value and minimum value, respectively, of the projection magnification when focus is adjusted.
US08425040B2

A set of visual targets and a method for using these targets to evaluate the spatial frequency response and contrast sensitivity of the human visual system. The invention includes four choice test, six choice test, sinusoidal bulls eye and fundamental sinusoidal letters or optotype targets. The four and six choice targets feature sinusoidal gratings oriented vertically, horizontally and at angles thereto. The sinusoidal bull's eye target features concentric circular light and dark areas with brightness varying in a radial sinusoidal fashion. The fundamental sinusoidal optotype target features an optotype, such as a letter, that is made up of strokes, each of which have a width that is equal to ½ of a single sinusoidal period.
US08425027B2

Provided is an ink jet clear ink containing a polymer fine particle. The polymer fine particle has a core-shell structure obtained by polymerizing an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydrophobic monomer (b) as a core polymer in the presence of a shell polymer that is a copolymer having at least a unit derived from an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydrophobic monomer (a) and a unit derived from a monomer selected from an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated acid monomer and a salt thereof. The α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydrophobic monomer (b) includes at least a monomer containing a chain structure saturated alkyl group.
US08425024B2

The present invention is, in a liquid ejection apparatus provided with: a movable ejecting portion for ejecting liquid; and an intermediate supply path that is provided so as to supply the liquid contained in a liquid containing body arranged separately from the ejecting portion to the ejecting portion, provided with: a filter chamber that is movable together with the ejecting portion; and a valve unit that is positioned on a downstream side of the filter chamber. The filter chamber is provided with: a filter member arranged in a position distant, by a predetermined distance vertically downward, from the supply port communicatively connected with a downstream end of the intermediate supply path, and a plurality of liquid paths that extend so as to guide the liquid introduced from the supply port toward the filter member.
US08425020B2

A system for distributing fluid to a printhead, the system having a printhead a first fluid container and a second fluid container for distributing fluid from the first container to the printhead, the second container having a body for containing the fluid to a predetermined capacity, an inlet connected to the first container, a valve at the inlet, and an outlet connected to the printhead, wherein the valve is operated so that the valve is closed when the body contains fluid at the predetermined capacity and is open when fluid is distributed to the printhead via the outlet.
US08425014B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus for drive a pumping chamber of a fluid ejection system are disclosed. In one implementation, the actuator for drive the pumping chamber includes a continuous piezoelectric layer between a pair of drive electrodes and a continuous reference electrode. The pair of drive electrodes includes an inner electrode and an outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode. The actuator is further coupled to a controller which, during a fluid ejection cycle, applies a negative voltage pulse differential to the outer electrode to expand the pumping chamber for a first time period, then applies another negative voltage pulse differential to the inner electrode during a second time period after the first time period to contract the pumping chamber to eject a fluid drop.
US08425013B2

A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric member having piezoelectric pillars and grooves alternately arrayed. Each of the grooves has a first width at a bottom side of the piezoelectric pillars and a second width at an upper side of the piezoelectric pillars in a direction in which the piezoelectric pillars are arrayed. The first width is greater than the second width.
US08425003B2

A position detecting device for detecting a position of an object, includes a light emitting portion that emits light, a light receiving portion that receives the light from the light emitting portion, and a scale that is arranged between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion, and includes a position detecting pattern and a smear detecting pattern. The position detecting pattern has a first light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a first light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged in a detection range of the object. The smear detecting pattern for detecting smear of the scale has a second light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a second light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged.
US08424995B2

An ink cartridge is formed with an information-engraved section formed to have a predetermined shape. A cartridge-attachment section, to which the ink cartridge is attached, includes a deformable section, a stress light-emitting section which emits light depending on the shape of the information-engraved section by means of a stress received when the deformable section makes contact with the information-engraved section, and a light-receiving sensor which receives the light emitted by the stress light-emitting section to generate a recognition signal corresponding to the information-engraved section. An attachable member-recognition device is provided, which has a relatively cheap and simple structure, which is capable of setting information about an attachable member including, for example, the ink cartridge and a printing paper tray, and which is capable of recognizing the information.
US08424992B2

A recording apparatus, a recording method, and an operation control program, which are superior in color stability (gray balance), are capable of achieving an image quality in which dots are inconspicuous, and are capable of providing images in which phenomenon such that color varies from light source to light source is restrained. The recording method for recording an image using a cyan ink, a magenta ink, a yellow ink, a white ink, and a black ink on a recorded medium, including: a first process for receiving the image data and forming the respective dot pattern data using the various types of inks; a second process for forming respective dots on the recorded medium according to respective dot pattern data obtained in the first process, wherein the first process includes forming the color of an achromatic area at least with a white dot and a black dot when the image data has the color of the achromatic area having a lightness not lower than a predetermined value and includes a color expressed by forming a cyan dot, a magenta dot, and a yellow dot simultaneously on the basis of subtractive mixture of color stimuli.
US08424991B2

An inkjet printing apparatus prints by ejecting ink on the basis of image data while scanning a printing head, in which ejection openings for ejecting the ink are arranged, over a printing medium in a direction different from a direction of the arrangement of the ejection openings. The inkjet printing apparatus includes a counting unit for counting the number of ink ejections in a predetermined area among a plurality of areas on the basis of image data for each of the plurality of areas, with the plurality of areas being obtained by dividing, in a main scanning direction, a region over which the printing head scans, and a correction unit for correcting the image data included in the plurality of areas on the basis of the number of ink ejections in each of the plurality of areas. In addition, a printing unit prints by driving the printing head on the basis of the corrected image data. The correction unit corrects image data included in a predetermined area on the basis of an added-up value of the number of ink ejections from an area corresponding to a position where the printing head scans, and printing is implemented to the corresponding predetermined area in the scan direction.
US08424957B2

A motor vehicle (1) has a wind deflector (13) adjacent an upper cowl (8), a roof arrangement (10) behind the wind deflector (13) and an air-guiding device (16) behind the roof arrangement (10). The wind deflector (13) is extended into a first operative position (WS1) and the rear air-guiding device (16) is transferred into first lifting position (HS1) if the roof arrangement (10) is open and if the driving speed (VF) of the motor vehicle (1) is below a predetermined first value (V1). The wind deflector (13) is transferred into a second operative position (WS2) and the rear air-guiding device (16) is transferred into a second lifting position (HS2) above the first lifting position (HS1) if the roof arrangement (10) is open and if the driving speed (VF) is above a predetermined, second value (V2).
US08424942B2

An industrial gripper includes a base plate, at least three finger units to be moved relative to the base plate, a supporting unit to support the finger units, a first drive unit coupled to the supporting unit to allow simultaneous angular displacement of the finger units toward an object, and a second drive unit coupled to the supporting unit to adjust orientation angles between the finger units. Each of the finger units includes an intermediation member to be moved in a first direction by the first drive unit, a grip member to grip the object by being moved in a second direction different from the first direction as a movement direction of the intermediation member, and a connection member to convert the first direction movement of the intermediation member into the second direction movement of the grip member.
US08424941B2

An improved robotic thumb for a robotic hand assembly is provided. According to one aspect of the disclosure, improved tendon routing in the robotic thumb provides control of four degrees of freedom with only five tendons. According to another aspect of the disclosure, one of the five degrees of freedom of a human thumb is replaced in the robotic thumb with a permanent twist in the shape of a phalange. According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a position sensor includes a magnet having two portions shaped as circle segments with different center points. The magnet provides a linearized output from a Hall effect sensor.
US08424940B2

Clamp (1) for holding a container (2) by a neck (3) in a container handling machine (5), said clamp comprising a body (7) for mounting the clamp (1) on a rotary support (4), and a pair of resilient arms (11) protruding sidewise from the body (7) and each provided with a gripping jaw (12), wherein each resilient arm (11) comprises: an inner section (13) extending along the body (7) and connected thereto at a first back end junction (16); an intermediate section (14) extending substantially parallel to the inner section (13) and connected thereto at a front end junction (17); an outer section (15), provided, at a front end, with a gripping jaw (12), and extending substantially parallel to the intermediate section (14) and connected thereto at a second back end junction (18).
US08424920B2

A multi-port connector includes a plate employing a plurality of coupling retention mechanisms used to hold a plurality of fluid connectors in alignment for deployment with a respective plurality of fluid ports defined in a structure. The couplings may be loosely retained in the plate to facilitate alignment with the ports and ultimately insertion of the connectors into the ports. Each of the coupling retention mechanisms might be an opening through the plate with engagement mechanism defined within, or in conjunction with, the opening. In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention a (central) fastener may pass through the plate to selectively draw and secure the plurality of fluid connectors into engagement with the respective plurality of ports.
US08424911B2

A folding rollover protection system includes an upper ROPS tube having a pair of ends hinged to a pair of ends of a lower ROPS tube. Resilient vibration dampeners are secured to each end of the lower ROPS tube and are compressed between each end of the upper ROPS tube and each end of the lower ROPS tube when the upper ROPS tube is in the upright position.
US08424909B2

A gas generator includes: a housing having closure and diffuser shells; an inner tube member accommodating an igniter, an opening end of the inner tube member being located opposing a bottom plate of the closure shell and defining a ventilating portion formed at the opening end, the inner tube member being fixed to an igniter attaching portion, and having a cylindrical portion projecting inwardly in the closure shell, and a passage being formed between the inner tube member and the igniter attaching portion to reach the ventilating portion; an outer circumference cylindrical member provided in the combustion chamber and one end opening thereof being located at the bottom plate; and an annular porous member defining a space above the combustion chamber, the space being communicated to a gas discharge path defined between the outer circumference cylindrical member and a side surface of the diffuser shell through a communicating portion.
US08424907B2

An airbag is provided with a vent hole and a patch closing the vent hole. The airbag has a conically-shaped protrusion with the front narrowed when inflation is finished. The vent hole and patch are at the vehicle body side wall of the protrusion. The airbag has the reaction force-receiving contact portion that is partially recessed toward an occupant by receiving a reaction force substantially opposite to the approach direction of the occupant from the reaction force-applying support portion of the vehicle body structure when the occupant is cushioned, at the vehicle body side wall of the protrusion. The patch is positioned where the vent hole can keep closed when the airbag finishes inflating. The patch is not pressed against the reaction force-applying support portion but is spaced from the circumferential edge portion of the vent hole that moves when the reaction force-receiving contact portion is recessed.
US08424901B2

A travel cooler, includes a body comprising a base, sidewalls, and a lid connected together to define an interior, insulated containment space for holding cooler items. A lengthwise dimension of the cooler extends between opposite ends of the cooler, and the body defines recessed exterior surface slots extending along a lengthwise extent of the cooler. The cooler further includes a U-shaped handle having two legs connected by a handle portion. The cooler is transitionable between a first configuration, in which the legs of the U-shaped handle extend a substantial length from the body of the cooler, and a second configuration, in which the legs of the U-shaped handle are received within the recessed exterior surface slots extending along a lengthwise extent of the cooler, the handle portion extending in close proximity to an end of the body of the cooler.
US08424898B2

In order for a trailer hitch comprising a cross-member, which has its longitudinal direction extending transversely to a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and which can be connected to a body of a vehicle, a ball neck, which at a first end region is connected to the cross-member by means of a bearing unit and at a second end region carries a coupling ball, to be improved such that it has a lower weight, it is proposed that the cross-member is in the form of a hollow shaped body which varies in cross-sectional shape and has a central region and outer regions which adjoin the central region on both sides and extend as far as outer ends of the hollow shaped body, and that, starting from the outer ends, a cross-sectional shape of the outer regions has a cross-sectional area that increases progressively in the direction of the central region.
US08424892B2

A system and method for determining whether a vehicle and its axles exceed predetermined roadway weight limitations. Air fittings are installed in the air-ride systems of the vehicle. Air pressure readings taken using a hand held gauge are compared to maximum pressure values marked on the vehicle. If the air pressure exceeds the values, weight may be redistributed, if possible, until measured pressure is equal to or less than the maximum pressure values. The method allows an operator to quickly confirm that the total weight and axle weight does not exceed legal limits without the use of truck scales.
US08424885B2

A method and apparatus for an electronic equipment enclosure that provides directed airflow only to those volumes within the enclosure that require the airflow. The electronic equipment enclosure further provides protection from contaminants such as falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water, hose-directed water, and ice. A pedestal may be coupled to the electronic equipment enclosure that facilitates movement of the electronic equipment enclosure via a pallet jack, forklift, front loader, or similar jacking device. A sidecar may also be coupled to one or more sides of the electronic equipment enclosure to facilitate vertically mounted equipment within the sidecar.
US08424880B2

A camber angle changing mechanism is provided with a base member connected to the vehicle body side, a motor provided to the base member and generating rotational driving force, a rotating power transmitting mechanism that transmits the driving force of the motor, a transmitting member connected to the power transmitting mechanism through a first connecting section, a movable member for rotatably supporting the wheel, connected to the transmitting member through a second connecting member, and changing the camber angle of the wheel by being pivoted relative to the base member by the driving force of the motor; transmitted from the transmitting member, and a device for switching between a first state in which the second connecting section, the first connecting section, and a gear rotation axis are rectilinearly arranged in that order from the wheel side and a second state in which the second connecting section, the gear rotation axis, and the first connecting section are rectilinearly arranged in that order from the wheel side.
US08424869B2

An automatic document feeder includes a first roller portion on the first transportation path to feed an original to a scanning position to scan a first face of the original, a second roller portion on a second transportation path to transport the scanned original, a third roller portion on the second transportation path to feed the original to the scanning position to scan a second face of the original, a fourth roller portion on the first transportation path to transport the scanned original, and a transporting speed adjusting unit gaining a circumferential velocity of the second roller portion than the one of the first roller portion and gaining a circumferential velocity of the fourth roller portion than the one of third roller portion, when the original is transported from the first transportation path to the second transportation path and from the second transportation path to the first transportation path, respectively.
US08424868B2

A sheet supplying apparatus, comprising a housing; and a sheet-supply tray which supports a plurality of sheets and which is insertable into the housing. The sheet-supply tray includes at least one first engageable portion. The housing includes at least one second engageable portion which is engaged, in a state in which the sheet-supply tray is inserted in the housing, with the at least one first engageable portion of the sheet-supply tray. The sheet-supply tray further includes a guide portion having an inclined guide surface which guides a movement of each of the sheets supplied from the sheet-supply tray, and at least a portion of the at least one first engageable portion is provided in a rear space located in rear of the guide portion.
US08424863B2

In a paper feeder, a signal switching unit switches a paper present signal output from a paper detector to a paper absent signal indicative of absence of a paper in the second paper cassette if a first paper cassette is pulled out from a specific position.
US08424860B2

A method and device for stitching printed products with a stitching machine, which includes a stitcher head and a bending device, which travel concomitantly with each printed product as it is conveyed in a travel direction during the stitching operation. The bending device is positioned first in a first position, which corresponds to the thickness of the printed products and is a certain distance away from the stitcher head in the direction transverse to the travel direction. Before a printed product is introduced, its thickness is determined and compared with a predetermined limit value; and, if this limit value is exceeded, the bending device is brought into a predetermined second position, which is farther away than the first position from the stitching head. After the printed product has been introduced, the bending device is moved back into the first position, and the wire stitch is driven into the printed product.
US08424850B2

A baluster mounting system includes removably locking a baluster between oppositely disposed upper and lower surfaces. A first rail connector is fixed relative to either an upper or lower surface. A second rail connector is fixed relative to either the upper or lower surface which is opposite the first rail connector. A baluster is removably locked between the first and second rail connectors. The first rail connector is configured to slidably receive an end of the baluster and the second rail connector is configured to laterally receive an opposite end of the baluster. A locking sleeve is slidable along a portion of the baluster and configured for locking engagement with the second rail connector.
US08424835B2

A tie system and method for forming a wall from a hardenable building material. In one embodiment, the tie system includes multiple ties configured to be directly interconnected into a vertically extending tie stack such that multiple tie stacks can be positioned over a footing in a spaced apart arrangement. The multiple tie stacks are configured to extend substantially perpendicular between substantially parallel panel structures. Each tie stack includes one or more base members and one or more wall ties, each of which directly attach to each other in a vertically stacked arrangement.
US08424832B2

A method and apparatus for an adaptive, multi-axis suspension support system providing both coarse and fine suspension to a payload. Coarse suspension control is provided to maintain the payload within a coarse range of position. Fine suspension control is provided by monitoring and analyzing vibration characteristics in both time and frequency domains to determine the required amount of damper resistance to be exerted by a magnetorheological (MR) device.
US08424831B2

A one-piece support stand is provided for slantingly supporting an object on a work surface, and the support stand includes a central folding line for dividing the support stand into a left support panel and a right support panel interconnected with each other, and each of the support panels being substantially in a triangular shape and having a bottom edge and a bevel edge, and an inverted hook portion being formed at an intersection of the bottom edge and the bevel edge and bent towards the bevel edge, wherein the support stand is erected on the work surface by means of setting an included angle between the two bottom edges, and the two bevel edges and the two inverted hook portions being provided for supporting the object. The support stand features of a firm support, a foldable design, a convenient carry, a simple manufacturing procedure and a low manufacturing cost.
US08424828B1

A wall guard for furniture kit that underlies furniture legs and includes a pair of rectangular parallelepiped foreleg coasters and a pair of rectangular parallelepiped rear leg coasters, each of the pair of rear leg coasters having a right prism parallelepiped spur horizontally extending therefrom, which spur is slidingly insertable within an attachment member and positional by means of a pin, which attachment member has a gnomon disposed on a rear end to abut a baseboard and maintain a desired distance of a piece of furniture from a wall.
US08424825B2

An adjustable holder for an electronic device includes four pivotally attached telescopic arms. The left, right and bottom telescopic arms include an elongated sleeve and an extendable arm that moves in and out of the sleeve. Each extendable arm has a forward projecting fin with a raised edge. The top telescopic arm includes a top elongated sleeve, a secondary sleeve and an extendable hook arm. In use, the arms are rotated and extended to fit the length and width of an electronic device, which can then be cradled between the left, right and bottom fins. The hook arm is used to suspend the electronic device from any suitable fixture and a tilt arm is used to adjust the viewing angle of the cradled device.
US08424819B2

The fuel tank unit includes a fuel cutoff valve fastened to a support body. The support body and the casing of the fuel cutoff valve are made of first and second resin materials having different rates of fuel swelling. The fuel cutoff valve is fastened to the support body via a fastening mechanism. The fastening mechanism entails engaging a first support engaging portion and a second support engaging portion of the support body in first and second fastening engaging portions composed of hooks formed on the casing of the fuel cutoff valve, at first and second hook engagement levels that represent the bite of the hooks. The engaging portions are designed such that prior to fuel swelling of the support body and the base cover first hook engagement exceeds second hook engagement, whereas subsequent to fuel swelling second hook engagement exceeds first hook engagement.
US08424818B2

A system to secure a storage unit on a supply vessel surface includes a first frame module having a first attachment mechanism configured to releasably engage with a second attachment mechanism of a second frame module, and a first valve disposed on the first frame module, wherein the first valve is in fluid communication with a second valve disposed on the second frame module through a central flow pipe. The system further includes a locking mechanism configured to releasably secure the storage unit to at least the first frame module, and at least one flow conduit configured to provide fluid communication between the first valve and the storage unit.
US08424813B1

The invention is a frog panel assembly for a railway turn-out switch, as well as a rail intersection design and a frog casting therefor.
US08424808B2

Technology is described for enabling a reusable launch vehicle to compensate for wind prior to engaging propulsion during approach to landing. The technology can cause the reusable launch vehicle to begin un-powered descent; determine a first rotation angle of the reusable launch vehicle about a specified vertical descent path, the first rotation angle corresponding to a first attitude of the reusable launch vehicle selected to stabilize the reusable launch vehicle on the vertical descent path based on a wind speed and angle; and prior to engaging a propulsion device, command a second rotation angle for the reusable launch vehicle, the second rotation angle corresponding to a second attitude that, when the propulsion device is engaged, will cause the reusable launch vehicle to remain at least approximately at the vertical descent path.
US08424806B2

Aircraft component with panels (11) stiffened with stringers (15) configured with a central section (17) and some feet (19) in which there are zones of potential intersections or interferences of said stringers (15) with spars (25) and ribs (27), in which the configuration of the ends of the stringers (15) affected by said intersections or interferences includes a first section (41) in which the height of the central section (17) of the stringer (15) is reduced until it disappears and the width of the feet (19) is increased until it reaches a predetermined width A and a second section (43) with some extended feet (23) of said predetermined width A and no central section (17), including in said first section (41) the mechanical means (31) for binding the end of the stringer (15) to the skin (13). The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing said panels (11).
US08424802B2

A landing area (1) adapted to be folded, stored and/or stowed on or in the holder (2) on which it is mounted. It is multi functional, removable, modular and can be adapted to the surface (22) of the holder on which it is supported, connected and/or from which the landing area (1) hangs. Mechanical elements (26) are provided for extracting the landing area (1) from its protection components (20) and for placing the landing area in a position where the landing area is adapted for landing of an air machine or vehicle once the reception elements (10, 11), defining the landing surface (12), are extended. The above-mentioned mechanical elements, or other members (25), are used for extending the reception elements (10, 11). The latter can also be folded, stored and/or stowed using the retraction components (24).
US08424793B2

Disclosed is a filament winding device wherein an FRP layer is prevented from becoming thick by avoiding piled fibers in the case of the feeding of multiple filaments when a plurality of fibers are fed simultaneously. For realizing this theme, a filament winding device moves a fiber guide member equipped with a plurality of fiber feeding ports relatively in an axial direction of a wound member rotating relatively about the axis, and feeds fibers through the fiber feeding ports to wind the fibers around the wound member, wherein the fiber feeding ports are provided only in part of the fiber guide member. When the fiber guide member is moved relatively in the axial direction of the wound member, a plurality of fibers are fed only from one side when viewed from the wound member and the fibers are wound around the wound member while being gathered on the periphery of the wound member.
US08424781B2

A power sprayer or spray device for use with a faucet. The spray device may include a spray mode and a stream mode of operation.
US08424776B2

The present application relates to auxiliary HVAC systems for vehicles. In some embodiments, an auxiliary climate control system for a vehicle comprises a blower and heat exchanger assembly including a blower, an evaporator, an air flow actuator, and a heater core. The blower and heat exchanger assembly has a generally ‘Z’ shaped configuration.
US08424774B2

A process for decoding coded data is provided. The coded data has a plurality of layouts which each have order n (at least two) rotational symmetry and encode a codeword of a sequence of n symbols distributed at n locations about a center of rotational symmetry of the respective layout such that decoding the symbols at each of the n orientations of the layout produces n representations of the codeword. Each representation is a different cyclic shift of the codeword and is indicative of the degree of rotation of the layout. The process involves, at the computer system, identifying a layout from an image including the coded data, decoding the identified layout to determine a codeword representation, and determining a degree of rotation of the layout from the determined representation.
US08424770B2

A device (200) for customizing a portable electronic entity (100), that includes: elements for storing a plurality of groups of customization data; elements (280) for communication with a non-rewritable memory (130) of the portable electronic entity, for receiving a first identifier (415) stored in the non-rewritable memory; elements for selecting at least one group of customization data according to the first identifier; and elements (240) for customizing the portable electronic entity according to each selected group of customization data. Preferably, the elements for storing a plurality of groups of customization data are designed so that each group of customization data is associated with a second identifier, the device includes elements for associating a second identifier with the first identifier, and the selection elements are designed in order to select at least one group of data according to the second identifier corresponding to the first identifier.
US08424766B2

In one embodiment, there is provided an overmolded support assembly for support of optical elements. In one embodiment the support assembly can be of multi component construction including a base component and a supplementary component, wherein the supplementary component can be overmolded onto the base component. In one embodiment each of the base component and the supplementary component can be of unitary construction. In one embodiment the supplementary component can have a material hardness rating of lower than a material hardness rating of the base component.
US08424754B2

The invention relates to a method for setting up a fluid treatment apparatus using a single, and always accessible, reader of information relating to replaceable components which are to be mounted on the apparatus to perform the fluid treatment. It is also disclosed a fluid treatment apparatus having the always accessible reader. The reader can also be relied on to enter information other that those relating to the replaceable components, such as commands for the apparatus, patients' related information, etcetera.
US08424750B2

An authorization system including an authorization server, an account server for storing account data relating to a plurality of accounts and an access terminal for inputting data that identifies one of the plurality of accounts.
US08424748B2

An interconnection technology may use molded solder to define solder balls. A mask layer may be patterned to form cavities and solder paste deposited in the cavities. Upon heating, solder balls are formed. The cavity is defined by spaced walls to keep the solder ball from bridging during a bonding process. In some embodiments, the solder bumps connected to the solder balls may have facing surfaces which are larger than the facing surfaces of the solder ball.
US08424742B2

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for forming an anastomosis between adjacent intestinal sections of tissue is provided. The apparatus includes an anastomosis device having an anvil and a tubular body portion, wherein the anvil is selectively attachable to the tubular body portion by a shaft; and a support structure for deposition between the intestinal sections of tissue. The support structure includes a body defining an aperture therein for receiving the shaft. The body has an outer terminal edge. The support structure includes at least one layer of expandable material disposed at the outer terminal edge of the body.
US08424733B2

A roof rack assembly includes first and second roof rails spaced from one another, each roof rail having a respective deployable roof rack bow and a respective drive mechanism operatively connected to the roof rack bow that causes the roof rack bow to extend in length by a predetermined amount when pivoted from a stowed position to a deployed position and retract in length by the predetermined amount when pivoted from the deployed position to the retracted position. The predetermined amount that the bows extend when pivoted is sufficient to cause the respective roof rack bows to span from the first roof rail to the second roof rail when in the deployed position.
US08424723B2

A system and method for dispensing fluids is introduced. A preferred embodiment comprises a sealed tank, a bag containing fluid inside the sealed tank, an outlet for dispensing the liquid in the bag, and a pressure generating device to create pressure in the sealed tank.
US08424715B2

A waste container includes fixed handles integrally molded to an upper edge of the side wall. The waste container further includes a retractable handle pivotably mounted at a hinge at the upper edge of the side wall. The retractable handle is pivotable between an upright, use position above the fixed handles and a retracted position below the hinge adjacent the side wall. In this manner, the handle can be moved to the proper location for either pulling the waste container on its wheels or for emptying the waste container into the hopper of a truck.
US08424702B2

The present invention relates to a pallet container for storage and transportation of liquids, comprising a liquid container (12), a cage (13) that encloses the container and a pallet (14) with said cage mounted thereto, the cage (13) comprising a plurality of vertical (19) and horizontal (18) tubular bars connected together by welded joints formed at respective intersections (20) between the bars. At least some of said bars (19) comprise indents (22), which are at a distance from said intersections (20) that is substantially equal to or longer than the width of the bars (19, 21).
US08424699B2

An expandable and collapsible cooler includes: a base defining a bottom portion of the cooler; an upper rim defining an upper portion of the cooler; and a cooler wall extending between said base and said upper rim and surrounding an interior storage space of the cooler. The cooler wall includes inner and outer collapsible walls that extend from the upper rim. The inner collapsible wall also includes an integral bottom wall. Each collapsible wall includes a flexible elastomeric membrane having hinge lines at which the membrane is configured to bend such that the membrane is transitional between collapsed and expanded configurations. The membrane preferably is formed from silicone rubber.
US08424696B2

A bottle cap is provided that includes a bottle cap portion and an inner cup. Each of the cap portion and the inner cup has a bottom and an opening, and a cavity in between the bottom and the opening. The inner cup is preferably disposed within the cap portion in an orientation upside down relative to the cap portion and a certain distance from the cap so that the cavities of each are in communication with each other. This allows liquid to flow from the bottle that the cap is placed on into the cavity of inner cup, and from the cavity of the inner cup into the cavity of the cap when the bottle cap is tilted to the side and thereafter returned into an upright position.
US08424693B1

A plurality of trays or shelves are adjacently connected to one another and mounted on a frame to rollout and drop down from a stored position in a cabinet to a display position out of the cabinet in a progressively elevated series of connected trays. The series of trays extending from a front tray to a back tray are hingedly connected to one another and slidable on guide tracks of a frame that is secured to the interior base of the cabinet. Link arms positioned laterally of the trays are connected to sidewalls of each tray. The trays move together as a unit on the guide tracks out of the cabinet to a point where the back tray is restrained from further movement out of the cabinet. The link arms pivot downwardly so that the trays slide forwardly in slots of the arms and drop vertically down to progressively elevated heights relative to one another in a tiered arrangement. In the display position all the containers in the trays are visible because none are concealed one behind the other. The trays are lifted upwardly to a horizontal position opposite the cabinet and then pushed back into the cabinet to the stored position.
US08424683B2

A portable rolled product containing a small roll of sheets, such as tissues or wet wipes, is particularly useful for uses outside the home. The roll of sheets is contained within a flexible package, such as a plastic film wrapper, having a roll housing portion and an extended dispensing portion or channel through which the user withdraws the product. After the desired amount of the sheets is withdrawn, the extended dispensing channel can be folded back around the roll housing portion of the package for storage until further use.
US08424681B1

A packaging box is provided, for specialty shingles, wherein there are provided multiple compartments of an interior box, for accommodating shingles, with a sleeve disposed thereabout, and with a handle of the box projecting through an upper wall of the sleeve, with there being no bottom wall for the sleeve, to accommodate ready removal of the sleeve from the multiple-compartment box. A projecting handle of an underlying box can be accommodated in an opening of a next overlying box, when the packages are assembled in stacked relation one upon the other, such as in palletized form.
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