US08664876B2
Polyphase alternating current power with a phase difference, or direct current power rectified from polyphase alternating current power, is used to drive a common electric energy-driven luminous body, or to separately drive proximately installed individual electric energy-driven luminous bodies, so that alternating-current-induced pulsation in the light output of the luminous bodies is reduced.
US08664875B1
An LED control circuit with auto ON/OFF function has a power module, a control module, a timer module, a driver module and an LED module with a first LED unit and a second LED unit. The control module generates a time control signal and an LED control signal to respectively activate the timer module and the LED module. The LED module is activated by the LED control signal only when the timer module is turned ON. The timer module can be automatically turned ON/OFF by the time control signal. Moreover, the LED control signal has high potentials and low potentials. The driver module activates the first LED unit and the second LED unit based on two the different potentials of the LED control signal respectively. Both high and low potentials of the LED control are used. The performance of the LED module is improved.
US08664874B2
A backlight unit is provided. The backlight unit includes an LED; an LED driving unit which drives the LED in accordance with a switching operation of a transistor; and a control unit which adds an additional signal to an output current of the LED to obtain a combined current, compares the combined current with the reference current, and controls the switching operation of the transistor based on the results of the comparison, wherein the additional signal is a current signal whose level increases over time in each period and is then reset to a predefined value in each period in accordance with an operation cycle of the transistor.
US08664871B2
A power supply for use in a UV curing lamp assembly is disclosed. The power supply is powered by two intermediate frequency (200-400 Hz) low voltage sinusoidal power sources that drive the primary windings of a dual laminated transformer. The low voltage sinusoidal power sources are configured to have different phases. The out-of-phase low voltage sine wave sources are converted to high voltage sine waves on the secondary windings of the dual laminated transformer having the same phase difference relationship. A single rectifier comprising six high voltage diodes, called a ladder rectifier, combine the two out-of-phase sine waves into a single, approximately DC output power source. By modulating a phase difference between two input sine wave power sources, the approximate DC output voltage exiting the ladder rectifier may be alternated between a low ripple mode of about a 13.84% ripple, a high current mode, a high voltage mode, and an intermediate mode with a ripple in the range of about 13.84% to about 100%.
US08664869B2
A method for controlling an electrical load of at least two single loads includes activating and deactivating the single loads in switching cycles of predefined duration sequentially following one another. In one switching cycle, the single loads are activated and deactivated alternately with respect to one another.
US08664864B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing combined time-varying light comprising light from one or more light sources (132, 134, 136), and determining aspects of light from one or more light sources based on measurements of the combined light. Light sources of one or more colors can be controlled to provide time-varying combined light outputs (310, 360) using different switching sequences for different light sources, for example according to PWM, PCM, or other modulation methods. By appropriately configuring the timing of the switching sequences, the combined light output can be made to exhibit a plurality of lighting combinations. A broadband optical sensor (148) can be configured to measure (145) some or all of the plurality of lighting combinations, and the measurements used to determine light output measurements of portions of the combined light, and optionally of ambient light, by appropriate processing (150) of the measurements.
US08664855B2
A high-pressure discharge lamp having an ignition aid may be provided, having a discharge vessel that is surrounded by gas, wherein the discharge vessel includes two ends having fusings in which electrodes are secured, wherein an ignition aid is fastened on at least one fusing, wherein the ignition aid has a local field amplifier in the form of a tip or a curved part, wherein the ignition aid is configured to cause a corona discharge in the surrounding gas which emits UV radiation into the discharge vessel.
US08664853B1
A photoelectric cathode has a work function lowering material such as cesium placed into an enclosure which couples a thermal energy from a heater to the work function lowering material. The enclosure directs the work function lowering material in vapor form through a low diffusion layer, through a free space layer, and through a uniform porosity layer, one side of which also forms a photoelectric cathode surface. The low diffusion layer may be formed from sintered powdered metal, such as tungsten, and the uniform porosity layer may be formed from wires which are sintered together to form pores between the wires which are continuous from the a back surface to a front surface which is also the photoelectric surface.
US08664850B2
An emitting device in an organic electroluminescent device is disclosed, in which a lower electrode pattern is formed on a substrate, an emitting layer pattern is formed on the lower electrode pattern, and a transparent electrode is formed on the emitting layer pattern and an emitting body having a structure in which an organic thin film emits light when an application current is applied to it. The pattern of the transparent electrode completely covers and is larger than that of the lower electrode. The pattern of the transparent electrode is formed over the entire area of the pattern of the lower electrode.
US08664835B2
An acoustic wave device includes: an electrode that excites an acoustic wave and is located on a substrate; and a silicon oxide film that is located so as to cover the electrode and is doped with an element or molecule displacing O in a Si—O bond, wherein the element or molecule is F, H, CH3, CH2, Cl, C, N, P, or S.
US08664834B2
An electromechanical energy converter for generating electric energy from mechanical vibrations has a bending bar clamped to a holder that can be set in vibration and elastically deflected at an end area along a path curve from a neutral position transversely to the longitudinal extension of the bending bar. A deflectable point on the bending bar is connected to the mount via a deflectable bridge part extending along the bending bar for applying to the bending bar a mechanical prestress oriented substantially in the direction of longitudinal extension of the bending bar. The bending bar has a drive connection to at least one electromechanical converter element for converting mechanical vibration energy into electric energy. The bridge part is arranged outside of the bending bar such that when the bending bar is deflected out of the neutral position, the bending bar and the bridge part extend along lines having different courses.
US08664827B2
Disclosed is an electric power generation device comprising: a pair of electrodes arranged opposite to each other; and an electret member that is arranged between the pair of electrodes to be spaced apart from the pair of electrodes, and is provided to be movable in a direction of a perpendicular axis passing through the pair of electrodes.
US08664825B2
Provided is a molded motor that hardly causes electric corrosion in bearings and produces less noise and vibration. Electrical continuity between a bracket 51 on an output side and a bracket 52 on a counter output side is secured by a conductive plate 60 having elasticity. Therefore, since the conductive plate 60 is unlikely to be cut off by an external force and does not change significantly with time, the electrical continuity between the bracket 51 on the output side and the bracket 52 on the counter output side is hardly interrupted. Accordingly, since a difference in potential between the bracket 51 on the output side and the bracket 52 on the counter output side hardly occurs, electric corrosion is hardly caused in a bearing 41 on the output side and a bearing 42 on the counter output side.
US08664823B2
A rotor for a permanent synchronous machine includes a rotor having a plurality of arcuately-shaped cavities formed within a rotor core structure. The plurality of arcuately-shaped cavities substantially concentrically layered with respect to an outer cylindrical wall of the rotor core structure. A plurality of permanent magnets is inserted within the plurality of arcuately-shaped cavities. Each cavity layer retains a permanent magnet of a first magnetic field strength disposed in end sections and a permanent magnet of a second magnetic field strength in a center section of each cavity layer. Each respective cavity includes an air barrier formed between the magnets having different magnetic field strengths. The air barrier generates a reluctance within an air barrier gap for directing a flow of flux generated by each third permanent magnet in a preceding layer in a direction toward each third permanent magnet in a succeeding layer.
US08664819B2
An apparatus and method for the installation and removal of permanent magnets in a permanent magnet electromechanical machine, for example a wind turbine power unit generator. A magnet holder is mounted on a magnet carrying structure such as a rotor. Permanent magnets may be inserted into and removed from the magnet holder after the electromechanical machine is assembled. In this manner, permanent magnets may be installed on the magnet carrying structure by an interference fit, without using bolts or adhesives, to facilitate both assembly and removal for maintenance and repair.
US08664816B1
A permanent magnet is rotated about an axis extending between opposing north and south poles. The magnetic field of the rotated permanent magnet interacts with magnetic fields of permanent magnets carried by a shuttle for repelling and attracting the fixed permanent magnets, and providing a linear reciprocating movement of the shuttle responsive to the favorable rotary motion of the rotated permanent magnet where the force of the linear motion is captured by an energy storage device.
US08664811B2
The invention relates to a device for supplying electrical current to an electric fan set of a motor vehicle, said device comprising a brush-holder plate (5), for supplying current to the motor of the set, a support (1) for an electronic circuit (3) for supplying said motor, said plate (5) and said support (1) being attached to one another.According to the invention, said device also comprises means (13, 15, 17) for joining the support (1) to the brush-holder plate (5), arranged to ensure a prepositioning relative to one another at the time of assembly.
US08664808B2
A linear motor coil assembly includes a base plate (1), a line of iron cores affixed longitudinally on the upper surface of the base plate, multiple coils respectively provided for the iron cores, and a first cooling tube being in contact with contacts the multiple coils and through which a first refrigerant passes. The lower surface of the base plate can be attached to a precision table of a machine tool or a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. A groove (8) that extends longitudinally in linear fashion is formed on the lower surface of the base plate. A second cooling tube (92, 94), through which a second refrigerant passes, provided within the groove is additionally provided in the linear motor coil assembly.
US08664806B2
Communication bus having at least one pair of communication lines designed to be connected in series respectively to conductors of a main communication bus designed to be connected to communicating devices of at least one electric panel. Said communication bus comprises at least two branched outputs each having at least two branch lines, said branch lines respectively having a first end connected to a communication line and having a second end designed for connection of the communicating devices. The communication lines are etched on a first conducting layer of a printed circuit, and the branch lines are etched on a second conducting layer of said printed circuit. The communication lines are separated from one another by a distance.
US08664805B2
A power distribution apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include a modulated block type power distribution apparatus capable of reducing a space by consequently connecting a main breaker to a sub breaker as a block not to form a gap while installing. The apparatus may include a multifunctional block type power distribution apparatus capable of easily connecting breakers with one another, the breaker having different height, by additionally installing a height controller able to control a height of a branch breaker on the apparatus manufactured in one mold and preventing wrong coupling while connecting a plurality of branch breakers with one another. The apparatus may include a preassembled power distribution apparatus capable of increasing coherence between terminals while coupling a main breaker terminal, a branch breaker terminal, and an additional breaker terminal, forming the preassembled power distribution apparatus, with various terminals of another preassembled power distribution apparatus.
US08664804B2
Systems and devices are described herein for reducing a phantom load. The system may include a device for connection to a power source and a transformer or machine, wherein the device is configured to disconnect the transformer or machine from the power source under a predetermined load condition. The device may include a contactor, a current detector, a timer, and a controller. Portions of the current detector, timer, or controller may be implemented in a microcontroller.
US08664802B2
A wireless energy transfer device (1) includes: a power transmission unit (2) that generates an oscillating magnetic field or oscillating electric field; a power reception unit (3), which is provided with a receiving antenna (31), and which converts the oscillating magnetic field or the oscillating electric field of the power transmission unit (2) to electric power by the receiving antenna (31); and an electric power theft suppression unit that suppresses the theft of energy with the oscillating magnetic field or the oscillating electric field of the power transmission unit (2).
US08664796B2
According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a UPS comprising a plurality of electrical buses, a first AC/DC converter coupled to the electrical buses and configured to convert a first input AC voltage to a plurality of DC voltages, a second AC/DC converter coupled to the electrical buses and configured to convert a second input AC voltage to the plurality of DC voltages, a third AC/DC converter coupled to the electrical buses and configured to convert a third input AC voltage to the plurality of DC voltages, a first DC/AC converter configured to convert the plurality of DC voltages into a first output AC voltage, and a DC bus balancer configured to maintain voltages present on the electrical buses by transferring energy between the plurality of electrical buses.
US08664783B2
A system for improving engine starting is disclosed. In one example, an engine starting is improved by providing a predictable load to the engine during engine starting. The predictable load may be provided by controlling alternator field voltage during the engine start.
US08664774B1
To protect victim bondwires in a packaged electronic component from crosstalk induced by noisy aggressor bondwires, shielding bondwires are configured between the victim bondwires and the aggressor bondwires. The shielding bondwires, on either side of the victim bondwires, are connected to the same reference voltage on the package side of the component and to each other on the die side of the component, e.g., via a metal connection mounted on the die. As configured in one embodiment, the shielding bondwires and metal connection form a two-dimensional Faraday cage that shields the victim bondwires from crosstalk induced by the aggressor bondwires.
US08664771B2
Some embodiments of the present invention include apparatuses and methods relating to processing and packaging microelectronic devices that reduce stresses on and limit or eliminate crack propagation in the devices.
US08664768B2
A structure includes a substrate having a plurality of balls, a semiconductor chip, and an interposer electrically connecting the substrate and the semiconductor chip. The interposer includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, at least one first exclusion zone extending through the interposer above each ball of the plurality of balls, at least one active through via extending from the first side of the interposer to the second side of the interposer, wherein the at least one active through via is formed outside the at least one first exclusion zone and wherein no active through vias are formed within the at least one first exclusion zone, and at least one dummy through via extending from the first side of the interposer to the second side of the interposer, wherein the at least one dummy through via is formed within the at least one first exclusion zone.
US08664756B2
A reconstituted wafer level package for a versatile high-voltage capable component is disclosed. The reconstituted wafer package includes a dice substantially encapsulated by a mold material except for a first face. A dielectric layer is disposed on the first face of the dice. The package further includes an array of ball bumps formed on an exterior facing portion of the dielectric layer. Further, a field plate is disposed within the dielectric material and interposed between the first face of the dice and the ball bump array. The field plate may be spaced from the dice by a predetermined distance to prevent dielectric breakdown of the material of the dielectric layer.
US08664755B2
Disclosed herein is a power module package including: a first substrate; a second substrate having a pad for connection to the first substrate formed on one side or both sides of one surface thereof and having external connection terminals for connection to the outside formed on the other surface thereof; and a lead frame having one end bonded to the first substrate and the other end bonded to the pad of the second substrate to thereby vertically connect the first and second substrates to each other.
US08664754B2
One exemplary disclosed embodiment comprises a high power semiconductor package configured as a buck converter having a control transistor and a sync transistor disposed on a common leadframe pad, a driver integrated circuit (IC) for driving the control and sync transistors, and conductive clips electrically coupling the top surfaces of the transistors to substrate pads such as leadframe pads. In this manner, the leadframe and the conductive clips provide efficient grounding or current conduction by direct mechanical connection and large surface area conduction, thereby enabling a package with significantly reduced electrical resistance, form factor, complexity, and cost when compared to conventional packaging methods using wirebonds for transistor interconnections.
US08664753B2
A semiconductor package device having a protruding component portion and a method of packaging the semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device has a component, such as a leadframe, and a packaging mold body. The packaging mold body is formed around a portion of the component and a recess is formed in the packaging mold body adjacent the protruding portion of the component to prevent the protruding portion of the component from damaging other adjacent and abutting semiconductor devices.
US08664750B2
A semiconductor substrate including a carrier, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer is disclosed. The carrier has a first surface, a second surface, and a concave portion used for receiving a semiconductor element. The first conductive layer is embedded in the first surface and forms a plurality of electric-isolated package traces. The second conductive layer is embedded in the second surface and electrically connected to the first conductive layer. The semiconductor substrate can be applied to a semiconductor package for carrying a semiconductor chip, and combined with a filling structure for fixing the chip. Furthermore, a plurality of the semiconductor substrates can be stacked and connected via adhesive layers, so as to form a semiconductor device with a complicated structure.
US08664747B2
A substrate for a light emitting diode (LED) can have one or more trenches formed therein so as to mitigate stress build up within the substrate due to mismatched thermal coefficients of expansion between the substrate and layers of material, e.g., semiconductor material, formed thereon. In this manner, the likelihood of damage to the substrate, such as cracking thereof, is substantially mitigated.
US08664746B2
A silicon on insulater (SOI) wafer is provided. A dielectric layer is formed on an active silicon substrate of the wafer. The dielectric layer is patterned and etched to expose selected portions of the silicon substrate. Impurities are then introduced into the exposed portions of the silicon substrate to act as gettering regions. The dielectric layer is then removed and an epitaxial layer of silicon is grown on the silicon substrate. Trenches are etched in the epitaxial layer of silicon through the gettering regions, partially removing the gettering regions and any contaminants contained therein. Remaining portions of the gettering regions still act as gettering regions during subsequent process steps.
US08664743B1
A structure includes a substrate, and a first metal line and a second metal line over the substrate, with a space therebetween. A first air gap is on a sidewall of the first metal line and in the space. A second air gap is on a sidewall of the second metal line and in the space. A dielectric material is disposed in the space and between the first and the second air gaps. A third air gap is underlying the lower portion of the dielectric material, wherein the first air gap, the second air gap, and the third air gap are interconnected to form a continuous air gap.
US08664741B2
Provided is a high voltage semiconductor device that includes a PIN diode structure formed in a substrate. The PIN diode includes an intrinsic region located between a first doped well and a second doped well. The first and second doped wells have opposite doping polarities and greater doping concentration levels than the intrinsic region. The semiconductor device includes an insulating structure formed over a portion of the first doped well. The semiconductor device includes an elongate resistor device formed over the insulating structure. The resistor device has first and second portions disposed at opposite ends of the resistor device, respectively. The semiconductor device includes an interconnect structure formed over the resistor device. The interconnect structure includes: a first contact that is electrically coupled to the first doped well and a second contact that is electrically coupled to a third portion of the resistor located between the first and second portions.
US08664738B2
A solid-state imaging apparatus including an insulating structural body having a through opening, a wiring part formed on a front surface of the structural body, a solid-state imaging element which is connected to the wiring part and also is attached to the structural body so as to close the through opening, a translucent member which is opposed to the solid-state imaging element and is attached to the structural body through an adhesive inside an adhesion region R so as to close the through opening, and a solder resist film with which at least a part of the front surface of the structural body is covered, and is characterized in that a region R0 in which the solder resist film is selectively removed is had in the adhesion region R and the removed region R0 is filled with the adhesive.
US08664730B2
A manufacturing method for electronic device, includes: preparing a first substrate having a plurality of first regions; preparing a second substrate having a plurality of second regions; facing the first region and the second region each other, and connecting the first substrate and the second substrate while disposing at least a part of a functional element within a space between the first region and the second region; obtaining a plurality of first divisional substrates by cutting the first substrate at each of the first regions, after the connecting of the first substrate and the second substrate; forming a sealing film covering the plurality of the first divisional substrates on the second substrate, after cutting the first substrate; obtaining a plurality of second divisional substrates by cutting the second substrate at each of the second regions, after forming the sealing film; and obtaining a plurality of individual electronic devices.
US08664725B1
A transistor may include a semiconductor region such as a rectangular doped silicon well. Gate fingers may overlap the silicon well. The gate fingers may be formed from polysilicon and may be spaced apart from each other along the length of the well by a fixed gate-to-gate spacing. The edges of the well may be surrounded by field oxide. Epitaxial regions may be formed in the well to produce compressive or tensile stress in channel regions that lie under the gate fingers. The epitaxial regions may form source-drain terminals. The edges of the field oxide may be separated from the nearest gate finger edges by a distance that is adjusted automatically with a computer-aided-design tool and that may be larger than the gate-to-gate spacing. Dummy gate finger structures may be provided to ensure desired levels of stress are produced.
US08664723B1
Integrated circuit structures having base resistance tuning regions and methods for forming the same
A structure includes an isolation ring at a top surface of a substrate. A well region of a first conductivity type is in a surface portion of the substrate. The well region includes a first portion having a top portion encircled by the isolation ring, and a second portion having a top portion encircling the isolation ring. A base resistance tuning ring includes a portion overlapped by the isolation ring, wherein the base resistance tuning ring is between the first portion and the second portion of the well region. The base resistance tuning ring is selected from the group consisting essentially of a ring of the first conductivity type, a substantially neutral ring, and a ring of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type.
US08664718B2
A power MOSFET includes a semiconductor region extending from a top surface of a semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor region is of a first conductivity type. A gate dielectric and a gate electrode are disposed over the semiconductor region. A drift region of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type extends from the top surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer has a portion over and in contact with a top surface of the drift region. A conductive field plate is over the dielectric layer. A source region and a drain region are on opposite sides of the gate electrode. The drain region is in contact with the first drift region. A bottom metal layer is over the field plate.
US08664715B2
A transistor is formed inside an isolation structure which includes a floor isolation region and a trench extending from the surface of the substrate to the floor isolation region. The trench may be filled with a dielectric material or may have a conductive material in a central portion with a dielectric layer lining the walls of the trench.
US08664709B2
A non-volatile memory including a substrate, a stacked gate structure, two doped regions and a plurality of spacers is provided. The stacked gate structure is disposed on the substrate, wherein the stacked gate structure includes a first dielectric layer, a charge storage layer, a second dielectric layer and a conductive layer in sequence from bottom to top relative to the substrate. The doped regions are disposed in the substrate at two sides of the stacked gate structure, respectively, and bottom portions of the doped regions contact with the substrate under the doped regions. The spacers are respectively disposed between each side of each of the doped regions and the substrate, and top portions of the spacers are lower than top portions of the doped regions.
US08664706B2
A method of fabricating a one-time programmable (OTP) memory cell with improved read current in one of its programmed states, and a memory cell so fabricated. The OTP memory cell is constructed with trench isolation structures on its sides. After trench etch, and prior to filling the isolation trenches with dielectric material, a fluorine implant is performed into the trench surfaces. The implant may be normal to the device surface or at an angle from the normal. Completion of the cell transistor to form a floating-gate metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor is then carried out. Improved on-state current (Ion) results from the fluorine implant.
US08664705B2
A MOS capacitor includes a substrate, a p-type MOS (pMOS) transistor positioned on the substrate, and an n-type MOS (nMOS) transistor positioned on the substrate. More important, the pMOS transistor and the nMOS transistor are electrically connected in parallel. The MOS transistor further includes a deep n-well that encompassing the pMOS transistor and the nMOS transistor.
US08664703B2
The instant application describes a display device that includes a substrate; a gate electrode provided on the substrate; a gate insulating film provided on the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer provided on the gate insulating film; a source electrode and a drain electrode provided on the semiconductor layer; a protective insulating film provided on the source electrode and the drain electrode; a pixel electrode provided on the protective insulating film, and connected to one of the source electrode and the drain electrode through a contact hole formed through the protective insulating film; and a shield provided on the protective insulating film, the shield not being electrically connected to the pixel electrode.
US08664701B2
A method for manufacturing a rectifier with a vertical MOS structure is provided. A first trench structure and a first mask layer are formed at a first side of the semiconductor substrate. A second trench structure is formed in the second side of the semiconductor substrate. A gate oxide layer, a polysilicon structure and a metal sputtering layer are sequentially formed on the second trench structure. The rectifier further includes a wet oxide layer and a plurality of doped regions. The wet oxide layer is formed on a surface of the first multi-trench structure and in the semiconductor substrate. The doping regions are formed on a region between the semiconductor substrate and the second trench structure, and located beside the mask layer. The metal sputtering layer is formed on the first mask layer corresponding to the first trench structure.
US08664695B2
A transistor comprising a plurality of active semiconductor layers on a substrate, with source and drain electrodes in contact with the semiconductor layers. A gate is formed between the source and drain electrodes and on the plurality of semiconductor layers. A plurality of field plates are arranged over the semiconductor layers, each of which extends from the edge of the gate toward the drain electrode, and each of which is isolated from said semiconductor layers and from the others of the field plates. The topmost of the field plates is electrically connected to the source electrode and the others of the field plates are electrically connected to the gate or the source electrode.
US08664672B2
A light emitting panel includes a plurality of light emitting element arrays each of which has a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a plane. The light emitting element arrays are configured so that an arrangement plane of the light emitting elements of one light emitting element array is overlapped with another arrangement plane of the light emitting elements of another light emitting element array in substantially parallel to each other, and so that the light emitting elements of one light emitting element array and the light emitting elements of another light emitting element array emit lights to the same side.
US08664671B2
A display device capable of suppressing decrease in capacitance and capable of reducing area even when a capacitor unit is repaired is provided. A capacitor unit in a display device includes: a capacitor element having a first capacitor electrode connected to a power line and provided in an SD electrode layer and a second capacitor electrode provided in a GM electrode layer; a backup capacitor electrode provided in the TM electrode layer; a disconnect-able portion at which a connection between the first capacitor electrode and the power line can be disconnected; and a connectable portion at which the backup capacitor electrode and the power line can be connected, and the disconnect-able portion and the connectable portion overlap in a stacking direction.
US08664669B2
An organic EL element has an anode, a cathode, a hole injection layer and at least one functional layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The at least one functional layer contains an organic material. Holes are injected into the functional layer from the hole injection layer, which contains a tungsten oxide. A Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy (UPS) spectrum obtained from a UPS measurement has a protrusion near a Fermi surface and within a region corresponding to a binding energy range lower than a top of the valence band. The tungsten oxide contained in the hole injection layer satisfies a condition, determined from an X-ray Photoelectronic Spectroscopy measurement, that a ratio in a number density of atoms other than tungsten and oxygen atoms to the tungsten atoms does not exceed approximately 0.83.
US08664659B2
Provided are an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the OLED display apparatus. Pixel-defining layers (PDLs) are formed of inorganic and organic insulating layers to minimize non-uniformities of the thicknesses of organic emission layers (OEMLs) and planarize lower thin film transistors (TFTs). Therefore, a lifespan of the OLED display apparatus is improved.
US08664658B2
An n-channel transistor or a p-channel transistor provided with a second gate electrode for controlling a threshold voltage in addition to a normal gate electrode is used for a complementary logic circuit. In addition, an insulated gate field-effect transistor with an extremely low off-state current is used as a switching element to control the potential of the second gate electrode. A channel formation region of the transistor which functions as a switching element includes a semiconductor material whose band gap is wider than that of a silicon semiconductor and whose intrinsic carrier density is lower than that of silicon.
US08664655B2
An organic light emitting display apparatus has a hybrid structure in which resonance red, green and blue pixels and a non-resonance white pixel are combined. An optical path control layer and a white color filter which selectively absorbs light having a specific wavelength are included in the white pixel. Thus, the organic light emitting display apparatus has a large viewing angle, low power consumption, and long lifetime.
US08664650B2
The invention relates to an arrangement including optically transparent and/or functional components. It is desirable for many applications to achieve a high functionality and variability in the utilization of electronic components over a very small area or with a small space requirement for such a design. In an arrangement in accordance with the invention, an organic electronic component and at least one further organic or inorganic electronic component are arranged layer-wise, stacked over one another, on a substrate. In this respect, planar electrically conductive electrodes at the surfaces of the components are formed such that the components are electrically connected in series and the components are each individually electrically controllable via the electrodes in accordance with their polarities.
US08664645B2
An organic electroluminescence element includes: a pair of electrodes composed of a positive electrode and a negative electrode, one of which is transparent or semitransparent; and one or more organic compound layers that are sandwiched between the pair of electrodes, in which at least one layer of the organic compound layers contains one or more of charge-transporting polyesters represented by formula (I).
US08664621B2
This device (2) for generating an ion beam (4) including a liquid metal ion source (18) is characterized in that the ion source is surrounded by a cryogenic trap (28) maintained at a low temperature, this cryogenic trap being able to trap volatile chemical species (G) by condensing them before they can reach the ion source.
US08664615B2
Disclosed is a radiation image capturing device including a control section which detects at least a start of irradiation based on a current value of a current detected by a current detection section, wherein the control section applies an ON-state voltage having a predetermined voltage value from a scan driving section to a switch section via each of scan lines simultaneously so as to perform reset processing of each of radiation detection elements before radiation image capturing, and thereafter, decreases the voltage value of the ON-state voltage simultaneously, monitors the current value outputted from the current detection section while keeping the decreased voltage value of the ON-state voltage, and waits for the start of the irradiation.
US08664613B2
The present invention provides a radiation measurement device, which shortens periodic interruption periods in the radiation measurements and prevents damage to the amplifier, and a nuclear medicine diagnosis system using such measurement device. The radiation measurement device comprises a semiconductor radiation detector detecting a radiation, a capacitor, which applies voltage to the semiconductor radiation detector, one or more direct current power supplies each capable of making either of positive and negative electric charge collect on one of the electrodes of the capacitor, a constant-current device, which conducts an electric current from the direct current power supplies to the one of the electrodes of the capacitor, and two or more switching devices installed in the wiring connecting the direct current power supplies and the one of the electrodes of the capacitor. Further disclosed is a nuclear medicine diagnosis system equipped with such radiation measurement device.
US08664608B2
Provided are sensors and methods for detecting thermal neutrons. Provided is an apparatus having a scintillator for absorbing a neutron, the scintillator having a back side for discharging a scintillation light of a first wavelength in response to the absorbed neutron, an array of wavelength-shifting fibers proximate to the back side of the scintillator for shifting the scintillation light of the first wavelength to light of a second wavelength, the wavelength-shifting fibers being disposed in a two-dimensional pattern and defining a plurality of scattering plane pixels where the wavelength-shifting fibers overlap, a plurality of photomultiplier tubes, in coded optical communication with the wavelength-shifting fibers, for converting the light of the second wavelength to an electronic signal, and a processor for processing the electronic signal to identify one of the plurality of scattering plane pixels as indicative of a position within the scintillator where the neutron was absorbed.
US08664605B2
A covert label structure comprising a three dimensional diffracting optical element layer (100) having a depth profile for producing a predetermined pattern, wherein different portions of a top surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100) have at least two different depths relative to a bottom surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100), wherein the depth profile spans across two dimensions of the top surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100), and wherein the top surface reflects light according to the predefined pattern and an overcoat layer (108) over the top surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100) wherein the overcoat layer (108) is opaque to at least one wavelength of light.
US08664604B2
A system for surveillance of a delimited area within which people move, wherein at least one hollow optical fiber is configured for extending through the area and is provided throughout its length with a plurality of holes that set an internal channel of the fiber in communication with the outside of the fiber itself. There is provided an optical source configured for supplying the optical signal to one end of the hollow optical fiber and a sensor designed to detect at one end of the hollow optical fiber the optical signal transmitted throughout the length of the fiber itself. A processing unit is configured for examining the spectrum of the optical signal detected by the sensors in order to detect the presence of toxic agents present in the area and drawn into said channel.
US08664593B2
A High Field Asymmetric Waveform Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) apparatus comprises (a) a first and a second gas inlet; (b) an expansion chamber receiving ions from an ion source and the first and second gas flows from the first and second gas inlets, respectively; (c) an outer electrode having a generally concave inner surface and comprising: (i) an ion inlet operable to receive, from the expansion chamber, the ions and a combined gas flow comprising portions of the first and second gas flows; and (ii) an ion outlet; and (d) an inner electrode having a generally convex outer surface that is disposed in a spaced-apart and facing arrangement relative to the inner surface of the outer electrode for defining an ion separation region therebetween, wherein the combined gas flow and a portion of the ions travel through the ion separation region from the ion inlet to the ion outlet.
US08664586B2
Cross-well electromagnetic (EM) imaging is performed using high-power pulsed magnetic field sources, time-domain signal acquisition, low-noise magnetic field sensors, spatial oversampling and super-resolution image enhancement and injected magnetic nanofluids. Inter-well images are generated mapping electromagnetic (EM) signal speed (group velocity) rather than conductivity maps. EM velocity maps with improved resolution for both native and injected fluids are provided.
US08664583B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for nonlinear optical surface sensing with a single thermo-electric detector. In particular, the system includes at least two signal sources that are co-aligned to propagate photons to the same location on a surface. The system also includes at least one focusing element that focuses a sequence of photons that is reflected from the location on the surface. In addition, the system includes at least one frequency selective electromagnetic detector that detects the sequence of photons that are focused from the focusing element(s). When the frequency selective electromagnetic detector senses a photon, the frequency selective electromagnetic detector emits an electrical pulse that has a voltage that is proportional to the energy level of the photon. Additionally, the system includes a processor that processes the electrical pulses, and de-multiplexes the sequence of emitted electrical pulses based on the electrical pulse voltage of the electrical pulses.
US08664579B2
A method includes sampling a first intensity of light with a first array of photo detectors of a digital camera. A second intensity of light is sampled with a second array of photo detectors of the digital camera. A first channel processor coupled to the first array of photo detectors generates a first image using first array data which is representative of the first intensity of light sampled by the first array of photo detectors. A second channel processor coupled to the second array of photo detectors generates a second image using second array data which is representative of the second intensity of light sampled by the second array of photo detectors. The first array of photo detectors, the second array of photo detectors, the first channel processor, and the second channel processor are integrated on or in a semiconductor substrate.
US08664578B2
An image sensor having a semiconductor substrate, at least two photosites in the substrate and an isolation region between the photosites. The isolation region has a first trench covered by a thin electrically insulating liner and filled with an electrically conductive material, the conductive material has a second trench at least partially filled with an optically isolating material.
US08664575B2
A miniature lightweight high-maneuverability missile (10) has a missile body (12) with three sets of at least two aerodynamic control surfaces (14, 16, 18) for independent control of roll, pitch and yaw of the missile. Each set of control surfaces (14, 16, 18) is independently controlled by a corresponding actuator (20) deployed within the missile body (12). Other preferred features include selection of an elevation angle of incidence at a target, and switching between explosive and kinetic modes of operation.
US08664556B2
Included are: a closing spring which provides a closing drive force for closing a contact of a switch device by rotating a camshaft by release of energy; a first semi-circular latch which retains stored energy of the closing spring via a closing lever; an output lever which pivots by being pressed by a cam provided on the camshaft when retention by the first semi-circular latch is released and the energy of the closing spring is released, and transmits the closing drive force to the switch device via a linking mechanism; and a second semi-circular latch which prevents the output lever from pivoting in a tripping direction via a tripping lever and retains stored energy of an interrupting spring provided on the linking mechanism, the pivoting of the output lever being caused by transmission of the stored energy of the interrupting spring.
US08664555B2
Provided is a trip button mechanism of an external handle for a circuit breaker. The trip button mechanism includes a button support, an externally operable trip button, and an elastic member. The button support is disposed at an outer casing of the externally operable handle and exposed through a penetration hole of the outer casing. The externally operable trip button includes a handle exposed through the penetration hole and a pusher in one piece with the handle. The pusher is movable along the button support for pushing a circuit breaker trip button. The elastic member applies a force to the externally operable trip button in a direction opposite to a direction in which the externally operable trip button pushes the circuit breaker trip button. Therefore, the trip button mechanism can be easily assembled to increase productivity and decrease manufacturing costs, and the trip button mechanism can be reliably operated.
US08664550B2
The present invention discloses a multi-pole circuit breaker with auxiliary supports, which comprises a base, a plurality of single-pole circuit breaking units, an operating mechanism and a rotation axis assembly, wherein the rotation axis assembly consists of a plurality of supporting assemblies and a plurality of support shaft parts in series; each of the support shaft parts is provided with a movable contact bridge; each of the supporting assembly consists of a rotation axis, an auxiliary support, an auxiliary support bearing and at least one supporting rod; the rotation axis maintains synchronous revolution with the support shaft parts; the outside of the bearing is tightly assembled with a bearing hole of the auxiliary support, while the inside is tightly assembled with the rotation axis; the supporting rod is tightly assembled with a supporting rod installing hole on the auxiliary support; the operating mechanism is fixedly connected with the supporting rod; and the supporting rod is fixedly installed on a housing of the single-pole circuit breaking unit and provides stable supporting force for the rotation axis through the auxiliary supports. The multi-pole circuit breaker has balanced contact pressure at each contact point, flexible operation, fast breaking, good breaking synchronism of contacts at all poles and long service life.
US08664545B2
Transport device for a scale, in particular a dynamic scale that preferably operates with electromagnetic force compensation, with a weighing belt that forms a preload for a weighing cell. The weighing belt is constructed to transport materials to be weighed along the X-direction while weighing. The weighing belt receives the materials from a supply device arranged in an upstream inlet area, including a supply belt or supply rollers for supporting the materials and not forming a preload for the weighing cell. Two weighing-guide elements extending in the X-direction and forming a preload provide lateral support of the materials in the Y-direction to weigh the materials during the transport on the weighing belt in the leaning position. The minimum Y-distance between the weighing-guide elements is greater than the maximum extent of the materials in the Y-direction.
US08664544B2
An attachment system for cables (7), in particular for wind turbines, has a base body (1, 3) securable to a support structure and forming cable bushings (5) with openings for cables (7). The openings can be closed by a cover (17) applying retaining forces to the cables (7). The cable bushings (5) on the base body (1, 3) are arranged at least over part of a ring, with an outside opening. The cover (17) has retaining bodies lockable to the base body (1, 3) for preliminary fixing of the cables (7) inserted into the cable bushings (5) and a tightening strap (17) encompassing the base body (1, 3) and applying retaining forces to the cables (7) via the retaining bodies.
US08664540B2
An interconnection component includes a substrate, and an active through-substrate via (TSV) penetrating through the substrate. Active metal connections are formed over the substrate and electrically connected to the active TSV. At least one of a dummy pad and a dummy solder bump are formed at surfaces of the interconnection component. The dummy pad is over the substrate and electrically connected to the active TSV and the active metal connections. The dummy solder bump is under the substrate and electrically connected to the active metal connections. The dummy pad and the dummy solder bump are open ended.
US08664538B2
The present invention relates to a terminal-integrated package method for a metal base package module that can effectively prevent short-circuit or breakage by not using wire bonding for connection with an external circuit.The terminal-integrated package method for the metal base package module includes: preparing a metal substrate formed with a conductive metal material; forming an oxide layer by oxidizing one side of the metal substrate to a predetermined depth; forming an insulation groove by partially eliminating the metal substrate to the oxide layer with a constant width along the circumference of the metal substrate from an opposite side of the metal substrate; forming a plurality of external connection terminals by forming a separation groove by eliminating a circumference portion of the metal substrate, disconnected with a center portion thereof by the insulation groove along the circumference with a predetermined gap; mounting or manufacturing an electronic part on the metal substrate or the oxide layer; and electrically connecting an electrode of the electronic part with the external connection terminal.
US08664537B2
A printed circuit board having at least two spaced apart conductive planes. A plurality of vias extend between the two spaced apart conductive planes with the vias being electrically connected to a selected one of the two conductive planes in an alternating pattern. A differential electrical signal is connectable to the conductive planes so that the vias are alternately energized by the differential electrical signal when the differential electrical signal is connected to the conductive planes.
US08664525B2
A method is disclosed for passivating and contacting a surface of a germanium substrate. A passivation layer of amorphous silicon material is formed on the germanium surface. A contact layer of metal, e.g., aluminum, is then formed on the passivation layer. The structure is heated so that the germanium surface makes contact with the contact layer. The aluminum contact layer can be configured for use as a mirroring surface for the back surface of the device. Thus, a passivated germanium surface is disclosed, as well as a solar cell comprising such a structure.
US08664523B2
A solar cell employs an optical fiber and semiconductor nanowires grown around the fiber. A p-n junction based design, organic-inorganic heterojunction, or a dye-sensitized structure is built at the surfaces of the nanowires. Light entering the fiber from a tip propagates through the fiber until it enters a nanowire where it reaches a photovoltaic element. Light entering the fiber cannot escape until it interacts with a photovoltaic element, thereby increasing the solar conversion efficiency. The fiber can transmit light, while the nanowires around the fibers increase the surface area of light exposure.
US08664507B1
Musical instrument pickups and methods of constructing same to achieve a user-desired signal output level and a user-desired tonal characteristic from a stringed instrument are disclosed. The method may include steps for selecting a coil geometry, selecting a number of coils, selecting a coil wire gauge and number of turns for each coil and selecting a pole piece. In selecting the pole piece consideration may be given to pole piece composition, pole piece thickness, height and width, and pole piece response in terms of relative inductive and relative resonant frequency characteristics and/or the shape of the frequency response in the vicinity of resonance.
US08664502B2
A method of locating, discovering, and memorizing the names of the notes for acoustic and electric stringed musical instruments is disclosed. The method includes joining the frontal view of the fingerboard of the instrument with a labeled virtual view of the fingerboard applied to the back of the instrument neck in a location corresponding to respective frets on the front.
US08664499B2
Disclosed is a nose pipe instrument capable of modulating the tone thereof. The nose pipe instrument capable of modulating the tone thereof enables a modulating plate to slide to adjust the length of a sealing path for the passage of breath from the nose of a player. Thus, the nose pipe instrument of the present invention can modulate the pitch of the tone to be played, thereby enabling various notes to be played.
US08664491B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV397654. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV397654, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV397654 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV397654 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV397654.
US08664490B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV355838. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV355838, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV355838 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV355838 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV355838.
US08664483B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the bean line designated RS 08061277. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of bean line RS 08061277, and to methods for producing a bean plant produced by crossing a plant of bean line RS 08061277 with itself or with another bean plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of bean line RS 08061277, including the pods and gametes of such plants.
US08664482B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB37K12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB37K12, cells from soybean variety XB37K12, plants of soybean XB37K12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB37K12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB37K12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB37K12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB37K12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB37K12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB37K12 are further provided.
US08664471B2
Nucleic acid compositions encoding rapidly maturing fluorescent proteins, as well as non-aggregating versions thereof (and mutants thereof) as well as the proteins encoding the same, are provided. The proteins of interest are proteins that are fluorescent, where this feature arises from the interaction of two or more residues of the protein. The subject proteins are further characterized in that, in certain embodiments, they are mutants of wild type proteins that are obtained either from non-bioluminescent Cnidarian, e.g., Anthozoan, species or are obtained from Anthozoan non-Pennatulacean (sea pen) species. In certain embodiments, the subject proteins are mutants of wild type Discosoma sp. “red” fluorescent protein. Also of interest are proteins that are substantially similar to, or mutants of, the above specific proteins. Also provided are fragments of the nucleic acids and the peptides encoded thereby, as well as antibodies to the subject proteins and transgenic cells and organisms. The subject protein and nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of different applications. Finally, kits for use in such applications, e.g., that include the subject nucleic acid compositions, are provided.
US08664465B2
A pad of elastomeric material having a softness of no more than about durometer 50 Shore 00. The pad may carry adhesive and/or a housing for adhering the pad to a surface, either directly or indirectly through an envelope which surrounds the pad and carries the adhesive. Such a pad exhibits hemostatic and leak prevention properties against needle puncture holes in the skin or the wall of a hollow medical device. Particularly, hemostasis may be prevented with low pressure application of the pad to the skin. The pad may be previously applied to the skin of the patient or a wall of a medical device such as tubing or a solution bag, and the needle may then penetrate both the pad and the skin or medical device wall, to make a resealable puncture with leakage reduction and hemostasis when the needle is withdrawn.
US08664460B2
The application discloses novel processes for the oligomerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons, and more specifically the use of selected ionic liquids containing Indium (III) Chloride in the oligomerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons, which allows for selection of the oligomers formed.
US08664455B2
The invention provides an improved process to manufacture 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane (HCFC-244bb) by reacting 2-chloro-3,3,3,-trifluoropropene (HCFO-1233xf) with hydrogen fluoride, in a liquid phase reaction in the presence of hydrogen chloride and a liquid phase fluorination catalyst. The hydrogen chloride is added into the reaction from an external source at a pressure of about 100 psig or more. The HCFC-244bb is an intermediate in the production of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene-1 (HFO-1234yf).
US08664452B2
Disclosed herein is a process for the preparation of highly pure 2,6-diisopropyl phenol (Formula I), which comprises reacting p-hydroxy benzoic acid (Formula II) with an alkylating agent in presence of aq. mineral acid followed by basification and subsequent washings to yield 4-hydroxy-3,5-diisopropylbenzoic acid (Formula III) free of dimer impurity, 4,4′-oxydibenzoic acid of Formula IV, ether impurity 3,5-di(propan-2-yl)-4-(propan-2-yloxy)benzoic acid of Formula V and the monoalkylated impurity 4-hydroxy-3-(propan-2-yl)benzoic acid of Formula VI; and decarboxylating 4-hydroxy-3,5-diisopropylbenzoic acid (Formula III) in presence of high boiling solvent and sodium hydroxide as a catalyst at high temperature to yield 2,6-diisopropyl phenol substantially free of ether impurity 1,3-di(propan-2-yl)-2-(propan-2-yloxy)benzene of Formula VII and monoalkylated phenol impurity 2-(propan-2-yl) phenol of Formula VIII. Propofol prepared by the process of the present invention is suitable for pharmaceutical use.
US08664451B2
Control of an in-series, multiple, e.g., two, reaction zone, hydroformylation process for producing normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio, the process comprising contacting an olefinically unsaturated compound, e.g., propylene, with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a catalyst comprising (A) a transition metal, e.g., rhodium, (B) an organobisphosphite, and (C) an organomonophosphite ligand, the contacting conducted in first and subsequent reaction zones and at hydroformylation conditions comprising an olefinically unsaturated compound partial pressure in each zone, the control exercised by decreasing the olefinically unsaturated compound partial pressure in the first reaction zone to decrease the N:I ratio or increasing the olefinically unsaturated compound partial pressure in the first reaction zone to increase the N:I ratio.
US08664446B1
Methods of purifying NMe3 by removing N2, NH2Me, NH3, and H2O are disclosed.
US08664442B2
A dialkylanilino-cyclohexane compound useful as an antioxidant has the following formula I or formula II: wherein Ar1 and Ar2 can be the same or different and each is an alkylaromatic group; each of R1, R2, R3, and R4 is independently selected from hydrogen or CR7R8; each of R5, R6, and R7 is independently selected from hydrogen and a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C32 hydrocarbyl group; and each R8 is independently selected from hydrogen and a C1 to C2 alkyl group, provided that when, each of R1 and R2 is CR7R8 and each such R8 is other than hydrogen, R1 and R2 may be joined to form a five or six-membered ring, and provided further that when, each of R3 and R4 is an adjacent CR7R8 and each such R8 is other than hydrogen, R3 and R4 may be joined to form a five or six-membered ring.
US08664435B2
A method of preparing a liquid lactic acid composition that has a total acid content of at least 94% (w/w) and that does not crystallize at a temperature above 10° C. includes obtaining a starting liquid lactic acid composition that has a total acid content of at least 94% (w/w) and that crystallizes at a temperature above 10° C. and incubating said starting liquid lactic acid composition at a temperature above the crystallization point of the starting liquid lactic acid composition for a time period to obtain the liquid lactic acid composition that does not crystallize at a temperature above 10° C.
US08664427B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing hyperbranched polyhydroxybenzoic acid alkoxylates, comprising the steps of: (a) reacting at least one polyhydroxybenzoic ester with one or more alkylene oxides, optionally in the presence of a basic catalyst, (b) allowing the polyhydroxybenzoic ester alkoxylates formed in step (a) to react with transesterification to form hyperbranched polyhydroxybenzoic acid alkoxylates.
US08664424B2
Provided is a method for preparing 2,5-dimethylphenylacetic acid, wherein p-xylene is mixed with paraformaldehyde and concentrated hydrochloric acid in a solvent of ion liquid to obtain 2,5-dimethyl benzyl chloride by the chloromethylation reaction. Then, 2,5-dimethyl benzyl chloride is introduced into a reactor with an acid binding agent and a solvent, the carbonylation and hydrolysis reaction is conducted in the presence of a catalyst to obtain 2,5-dimethylphenylacetic acid. The present process has new route, less synthesis steps, simple operation, lower cost, increased yield, and is friendly to the environment. Therefore, the method is suitable for industrial production.
US08664415B2
A process for preparing (meth)acrylates of C17-alcohol mixtures by reacting (meth)acrylic acid with a C17-alcohol mixture in the presence of at least one acidic catalyst and of at least one polymerization inhibitor and in the presence of a solvent which, with water, forms an azeotrope in which the esterification is performed in a reactor with a circulation evaporator, the azeotrope is distilled off and condensed, and the condensate splits into an aqueous phase and an organic phase, wherein the C17-alcohol mixture has a mean degree of branching (iso index) of 2.8 to 3.7.
US08664406B2
The disclosure provides fluorescence probe compounds of formula I, their preparation methods and applications. These compounds are useful in detecting mercury ions.
US08664405B2
The object is to provide a stable SM-108 derivative, which is effective as a carcinostatic agent, particularly an SM-108 derivative having good storage stability. An SM-108 compound having good storage stability can be produced by producing an organic sulfonic acid salt compound of SM-108. Further, a crystalline SM-108 compound containing a trace amount of an organic carboxylic acid can be produced by using an aqueous solution of the organic sulfonic acid salt of SM-108, and by adding an alkali metal salt of an organic carboxylic acid to the aqueous solution to neutralize the aqueous solution and then causing the crystal precipitation in the solution.
US08664401B2
The present invention is directed to a new class of hydroxamic acid derivatives of formula I, wherein the variables G, T, D, L, R1, R2, R3 are as described herein, their use as LpxC inhibitors, and more specifically their use to treat bacterial infections in a patient in need thereof.
US08664400B2
Triphenylamine derivatives useful as fluorophores in biology, in particular for two-photon microscopy; andcompositions comprising these derivatives, to the use of these compositions and of the derivatives themselves for labelling biological molecules (or “biomolecules”) such as nucleic acids, oligonucleotides, proteins, polypeptides, plasmids, and the like, for their examination in particular by two-photon microscopy, and to biomolecules labelled with the said derivatives.
US08664396B2
A method of staining a poly(amino acid) by contacting a poly(amino acid) with an overall neutral or overall cationic complex of at least one of transition metal ion, and a plurality of donor ligands each of which is fully coordinated to the transition metal ion and is either a nitrogen donor ligand or a cyclometalated donor ligand, such that at least one of the donor ligands is a cyclometalated donor ligand. Nitrogen donor ligands will contain heteroaryl ring systems having from 10 to 40 ring atoms, wherein each nitrogen donor ligand is substituted with from 0 to 4 R1 groups. Cyclometalated donor ligands will likewise contain heteroaryl ring systems having from 10 to 40 ring atoms, such that at least one ring atom is N, wherein each cyclometalated donor ligand is substituted with from 0 to 4 R1 groups. R1, R2, R3 and R4 groups are defined herein.
US08664394B2
A light-emitting element having excellent light-emitting properties and with which it is possible to emit blue light at a high luminance for a long period of time, and an iridium complex for realizing the same. The light-emitting element has an external quantum efficiency of at least 5% and a light emission maximum wavelength λ max of no more than 500 nm. Further, there is provided a light-emitting element including a light-emitting layer or a plurality of organic compound layers having the light-emitting layer, with at least one of the compound layers including at least one kind of a compound having a partial structure represented by the general formula K-0. In the general formula K-0, R1 to R7 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, provided that if R2 is a fluorine atom, R3 is not a hydrogen atom.
US08664392B2
Provided are compounds and compositions of general Formula IX: E1-L-Ar—X-PA, that may be utilized in bioconjugation procedures, where Ar is a chromophore and PA is a functional group capable of being attached to any bioactive molecule of interest. The present invention provides Formulas I-III that are capable of being attached to a bioactive vector for the selective delivery of said photoactive pyrazine derivatives to a desired biological target.
US08664390B2
The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of bosentan. In particular it relates to a process for preparing bosentan substantially free from the dimer impurity of formula (II) and the 6-hydroxy impurity of formula (III). The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising bosentan and its use in the treatment of endothelin-receptor mediated disorders.
US08664378B2
The present invention solves the problem of isolating nucleic acids from cells in the presence of the growth medium. The invention is particularly useful for isolating extrachromosomal replicons such as plasmids. Cells are lysed in the presence of the medium in which they were grown and nucleic acids are isolated using a pipette tip column. A liquid handling robot can be used to isolate nucleic acids from multiple samples simultaneously without the need for human intervention.
US08664373B2
The present invention provides a low-cost, efficient method for producing a glycolipid biosurfactant, in particular, lactonic sophorose lipids. This method is characterized by culturing a microorganism capable of producing the biosurfactant under limited oxygen supply. The present invention enables preferential production of lactonic sophorose lipids and facilitates recovery of the lactonic sophorose lipids in a solid form. Further, the present invention enables production of high purity acidic sophorose lipids by hydrolyzing high purity lactonic sophorose lipids produced by the above method. The present invention also provides lactonic sophorose lipids that possess strong antibacterial and antifungal activities, and an antibacterial and/or antifungal agent containing the sophorose lipids.
US08664371B2
Rinsable dyes with improved fugitivity are formulated by attaching dyestuff compounds with amine-capped sulfonic solubilizing groups to commercially available ethoxylated aniline, so that the surfactant effect of the ethoxylated aniline counteracts the substantivity of the dyestuff compound, while the neutralization of the sulfonic solubilizing groups reduces substantivity.
US08664370B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing silicon-containing azodicarbamides of the general formula (I) (R1)3-a(R2)aSi—RI—NH—C(O)—N═N—C(O)—NH—RI—Si(R1)3-a(R2)a (I), by reaction of azobiscarboxy compounds of the general formula II R3—X1—C(O)—N═N—C(O)—X1—R4 (II) with aminosilanes of the general formula III (R1)3-a(R2)aSi—RI—NH2 (III).
US08664362B2
An isolated anti-properdin antibody or antigen binding portion thereof includes a heavy chain variable domain including the 3CDRs in SEQ ID NO: 1 and light chain variable domain including the 3 CDRS in SEQ ID NO: 9.
US08664356B2
The invention provides compounds and methods, for example, to carry out organocatalytic Michael additions of aldehydes to cyclically constrained nitroethylene compounds catalyzed by a proline derivative to provide cyclically constrained α-substituted-γ-nitro-aldehydes. The reaction can be rendered enantioselective when a chiral pyrrolidine catalyst is used, allowing for Michael adducts in nearly optically pure form (e.g., 96 to >99% e.e.).The Michael adducts can bear a single substituent or dual substituents adjacent to the carbonyl. The Michael adducts can be efficiently converted to cyclically constrained protected γ-amino acid residues, which are essential for systematic conformational studies of γ-peptide foldamers. New methods are also provided to prepare other γ-amino acids and peptides. These new building blocks can be used to prepare foldamers, such as α/γ-peptide foldamers, that adopt specific helical conformations in solution and in the solid state.
US08664349B2
The present invention relates to polycarbonate compositions and copolycarbonate compositions having improved optical properties, and to their production and their use for the production of shaped parts, and to shaped parts which can thereby be obtained, the compositions containing a polycarbonate or copolycarbonate which comprises bisphenol-A and at least one pair of a phosphorus compound having the oxidation number +3 and a phosphorus compound having the oxidation number +5, and the phosphorus compound having the oxidation state +5 in a pair respectively corresponding to the oxidized form of the phosphorus compound having the oxidation state +3 and the amount of more highly oxidized compound contained being less than that of the compound with the lower oxidation number.
US08664337B2
The present invention is a film having a thickness greater than 100 microns comprising from 10 to 100 percent by weight of a polyethylene polymer made by the process of a) selecting a target polyethylene resin having a density, as determined according to ASTM D792, in the range of from 0.90 g/cm3 to 0.955 g/cm3, and a melt index, as determined according to ASTM D1238(2.16 kg, 190 C), in the range of from 0.01 g/10 min to 10 g/10 min; b) reacting said target polyethylene with an alkoxy amine derivative in an amount less than 900 parts derivative per million parts by weight of total polyethylene resin under conditions sufficient to increase the melt strength of the target polyethylene resin; and c) forming a thick film from the modified target resin. The present films include those which can achieve similar processability as those containing unmodified linear polyethylene despite having at least 10% less LDPE resins in the formulation.
US08664335B2
The various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to thermally crosslinked polymeric compositions and methods of making thermally crosslinked polymeric compositions. An embodiment of the present invention comprises a composition comprising: a first polymer comprising a first repeat unit, the first repeat unit comprising a carboxyl group, wherein the first polymer crosslinks to a second polymer formed from a second repeat unit, and wherein the first polymer crosslinks to the second polymer without formation of an ester group.
US08664331B2
A polyurethane polymer comprising from 35% to 90% (w/w) of a poly (C2-4-alkylene oxide) based on the total weight of the polymer wherein not less than 60% by weight of the poly (C2-4-alkylene oxide) is polyethylene oxide and wherein at least 5% of the poly (C2-4-alkylene oxide) based on the total weight of the polymer is incorporated in lateral chains and which contains 10 to 180 milliequivalents of add groups for each 100 gm polymer when the polyurethane contains from 35 to 45% by weight poly (C2-4-alkylene oxide), e.g. a polymer made by reacting dimethylolpropionic acid, cyclohexane dimethanol, polypropylene glycol (1000), N-methyl pyrrolidone and an α,α-diydroxy polyethylene glycol obtainable from 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, methoxy polyethylene glycol (750) and diethanolamine.
US08664314B2
Use of mixtures, comprising a total of at least 50% by weight of n-alkanols, selected from n-C24-C34 alkanols, as additive in the processing of thermoplastic polymers.
US08664311B2
Elastomer isoprene rubber compositions contain an effective amount of a polyfunctional coupling system (A) as an inorganic-elastomer filler coupling agent, and (B) at least one elastomer of natural or synthetic rubber; (C) an inorganic filler as reinforcing filler; (D) other conventional constituents or additives comprising one or more vulcanizing agent(s), the polyfunctional coupling system being of the constituents (A1) and (A2): (A1) is at least one coupling agent selected from among the functionalized organosilicon compounds of formula (I): [(G0)3SiO1/2]m[(G0)2SiO2/2]n[G0SiO3/2]o[SiO4/2]p[(G2)a(G1)a′(Z—CO—N═N—CO-A)SiO(3-a-a′)/2]q and (A2) is at least one coupling agent selected among polysulfurated “symmetric” silanes, or sulfurated “asymmetric” silanes.
US08664310B2
The present disclosure may provide a mixture for use in forming a transparent coating including a silicon alkoxide precursor and an organic polymer. The silicon alkoxide precursor may have a pH level between 1 and 4. The organic polymer may have an average molecular weight between 5,000 and 50,000 Da. The mixture may include 35% to 65% organic polymer by volume. The organic polymer may be removed from the mixture after application leaving a resultant transparent coating, wherein: the resultant coating has a porosity of ≧35% to ≦65%; a thickness in the range from ≧95 nm to ≦135 nm; pores having an average diameter from ≧5 nm to ≦50 nm; and a diameter distribution according to a log-norm distribution with a half-width of ≦10 nm.
US08664306B2
Curing agents for air-drying alkyd-based resins, coatings, such as paint, varnish or wood stain, inks and linoleum floor coverings, based on an iron/manganese complex containing tetradentate, pentadentate or hexadentate nitrogen donor ligands are disclosed.
US08664294B2
A self etching, dental cement composition is provided having the advantage of not requiring a separate etching and bonding step. The cement composition comprises a polymerizable (meth)acrylate trimellitic acid/anhydride, a phosphoric acid (meth)acrylate, a hydroxyalkyl(meth)acrylate, copolymerizable multi-functional (meth)acrylate monomers, a diluent, fillers, and a curing system. These cement compositions are prepared as a two-paste system that is combined prior to use.
US08664282B2
Described herein is a process to prepare crosslinkable polymers based on trifluorostyrene, and their use as polymer electrolyte membranes.
US08664276B2
Stilbene analogs and pharmaceutical compositions that are useful for the treatment of various cancers, including without limitation, colorectal cancer (CRC) and breast cancer are disclosed. Such stilbene analogs include, for example, compounds of the following formula: wherein Ra, Rb, R4, R6, R7, R9 and R10 are all H; R2 and R3 are independently H, halo, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, N-oxides of dialkylamino, arylalkylamino, trialkylammonium, mercapto, alkylthio, alkanoyl, nitro, nitrosyl, cyano, alkoxy, alkenyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, CONR11R12, NR11CO(R13), NR11COO(R13) or NR11CONR12R13; R11, R12 and R13, are independently, H, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or a fluorine; R8 is NRCRdZ wherein Rc is H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl or heteroaryl, Rd is an alkyl group, Z is a an unshared pair of electrons, H, alkyl or oxygen; and R1 and R5 are halogen.
US08664272B2
Methods and compositions are provided for treating myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia, wherein the composition comprises at least one compound according to Formula I: wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of —NH2, —NH—CH2—CO2H, —NH—CH(CH3)—CO2H, and —NH—C(CH3)2—CO2H, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of such a compound; and a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08664269B2
Those in need of nitroglycerin (GTN) therapy who have polymorphism in the mtALDH gene, e.g., those of Asian descent for whom this polymorphism is common, and/or who are being treated with or ingesting or exposed to mtALDH inhibitor are treated with GTN in combination with agent which converts GTN to product which is metabolized without mtALDH activity, e.g., N-acetylcysteine.
US08664260B2
A method of making a bacteriochlorin is carried out by condensing a pair of compounds of Formula II to produce the bacteriochlorin, wherein R is an acetal or aldehyde group. The condensing may be carried out in an organic solvent, preferably in the presence of an acid. The bacteriochlorins are useful for a variety of purposes such as active agents in photodynamic therapy, luminescent compounds in flow cytometry, solar cells, light harvesting arrays, and molecular memory devices.
US08664259B2
New, oil-based suspension concentrates composed of at least one room-temperature-solid compound of the formula (I′), at least one penetrant, at least one vegetable oil, at least one nonionic surfactant and/or at least one anionic surfactant, and optionally one or more additives from the groups of the emulsifiers, foam inhibitors, preservatives, antioxidants, colorants and/or inert filler materials, a process for producing these suspension concentrates, and their use for applying the active substances comprised.
US08664252B2
The present invention relates to a phosphodiesterase type III (PDE III) inhibitor and/or Ca2+-sensitizing agent or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof for the treatment of a patient suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). According to another aspect the present invention relates to the use of a PDE III inhibitor and/or Ca2+-sensitizing agent for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of a patient suffering from HCM.
US08664249B2
Tetrasubstituted benzenes that act as modulators of gamma secretase and their use in the treatment of one or more symptoms of treating neurodegenerative disorders, e.g., Alzheimer's disease, are described.
US08664241B2
Indazole compounds for treating various diseases and pathologies are disclosed. More particularly, the present invention concerns the use of an indazole compound or analogs thereof, in the treatment of disorders characterized by the activation of Wnt pathway signaling (e.g., cancer, abnormal cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, Alzheimer's disease, lung disease and osteoarthritis), the modulation of cellular events mediated by Wnt pathway signaling, as well as genetic diseases and neurological conditions/disorders/diseases due to mutations or dysregulation of the Wnt pathway and/or of one or more of Wnt signaling components. Also provided are methods for treating Wnt-related disease states.
US08664235B2
The present invention relates to a method of combating animal pests which comprises contacting the animal pests, their habit, breeding ground, food supply, plant, seed, soil, area, material or environment in which the animal pests are growing or may grow, or the materials, plants, seeds, soils, surfaces or spaces to be protected from animal attack or infestation with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one 6-halogeno[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]-pyrimidine of the general formula (I), wherein X, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined in claim 1 and/or the agriculturally useful salts thereof.
US08664232B2
The present invention relates to substituted xanthines of general formula wherein R1 to R3 are as defined herein, the tautomers, the stereoisomers, the mixtures, the prodrugs thereof and the salts thereof which have valuable pharmacological properties, particularly an inhibiting effect on the activity of the enzyme dipeptidylpeptidase-IV (DPP-IV).
US08664227B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: wherein: Ar, Z, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have AT1 receptor antagonist activity and neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and process and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08664225B2
The use of 1-[2-(2,4-dimethylphenylsulfanyl)phenyl]piperazine in the treatment of pain and residual symptoms in depression is provided.
US08664217B2
The present invention provides a novel benzodiazepine compound that blocks the IKur current or the Kv1.5 channel potently and more selectively than other K+ channels. The benzodiazepine compound of the invention is represented by General Formula (1) wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4 are each independently hydrogen or lower alkyl; R2 and R3 may be linked to form lower alkylene; Al is lower alkylene optionally substituted with one or more hydroxy; and R5 is group represented by wherein R6 and R7 are each independently hydrogen or organic group; XA and XB are each independently bond, lower alkylene, etc.
US08664210B2
New aminooxime derivatives at position 3 of 2- and/or 4-substituted androstanes and androstenes, processes for their preparation, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, such as heart failure and hypertension. In particular compounds having the general formula (I) are described, where the radicals have the meanings described in detail in the application.
US08664200B2
The present invention provides novel compounds useful as proteasome inhibitors. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various diseases.
US08664198B2
A method for constructing a compound of immunologically modified nanotubes and method for using the compound to deliver immunoadjuvants to tumor cells and to produce targeted, synergistic photophysical and immunological reactions for cancer treatment. To prepare the immunologically modified nanotubes, carbon nanotubes are dissolved in a solution of glycated chitosan, an immunostimulant, hence using glycated chitosan as a surfactant for rendering the aqueous solution of nanotubes stable. The compound can be used for treatment of cancer. The method includes steps of intratumorally administering immunologically modified nanotubes and administering laser irradiation of the target tumor. The nanotube serves as a carrier to deliver immunoadjuvants to the tumor cells and serves as a light-absorbing agent in a cell body of a tumor in a host. Upon laser irradiation of target tumor cells, immunologically modified nanotubes inside the tumor cells can produce spatially and temporally synchronized photothermal and immunological reactions for cancer treatment.
US08664193B2
The invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for inhibiting the expression of the Factor VII gene.
US08664192B2
Methods of reducing spontaneous mutation rate of a cell in a subject in need thereof by reducing endogenous levels of miR-155 are described.
US08664191B2
The present invention relates to use of two microRNAs in detection of lung cancer prognosis and in medicine preparation. Particularly, the invention relates to a composition comprising two small RNA molecules microRNA-150 and microRNA-886-3p, a device comprising the composition used in detection of lung cancer prognosis and in preparation of medicaments for inhibiting mammal and human lung cancer metastasis. Specifically, the expression levels of microRNA-150 and microRNA-886-3p can be used as the prognostic criteria of lung cancer prognosis, wherein high expression level of the gene combination indicates favorable therapeutic effect. The invention also relates to a device detecting the expression levels of microRNA-150 and microRNA-886-3p in mammalian and human lung cancer and a method for detecting the expression levels of microRNA-150 and microRNA-886-3p in samples.
US08664188B2
No antiviral regimen has been consistently successful in treating H5N1 virus infection. We demonstrate that a group of highly effective siRNAs targeting different H5N1 viral genes shares a unique motif, GGAGU/ACUCC. We further demonstrate that the effectiveness of siRNAs containing this motif is not sequence specific. The results suggested that the structure of the unique motif is critical in determining the potency of siRNA-mediated protective effects against viral infection and this potent in vivo protection is associated with early productions of β-defensin and IL-6 induced by the motif. Provided are methods and prophylactic and therapeutic agents useful against other viral infections in addition to the H5N1 influenza virus.
US08664185B2
A method for preparing a concentrated spinach extract in a liquid or dry form and having a polyphenol titer greater than or equal to 50% is described. The method includes a step of purifying a raw spinach extract in a liquid form using a liquid-liquid extraction technique with a food oil.
US08664179B2
A peptide with the following sequence YCQKFLWTCDSERPCCEGLVCRLWCKIN (SEQ ID NO 1) or a derivative thereof, and nucleic acids coding for the peptide having the sequence (SEQ ID NO 1). Also the use of this peptide as an antagonist and/or reverse agonist of T-type calcium channels. A use of the peptide for preparing a drug, in particular an analgesic one.
US08664172B2
A self-sticking disintegrating cleansing block to be attached directly to a wall of a toilet bowl or urinal, above the water-line and in the stream of flush water, by pressing the cleansing block to the wall. The cleaning block includes 25% to 99% of a solid surfactant, and 1% to 25% of a liquid component. The cleansing block may include a substrate removably attached to a surface of the cleansing block. In use, the substrate is removed from the cleansing block and the exposed surface of the cleansing block is pressed to a surface in a position above any waterline that is contacted by a rinse liquid that disintegrates the cleansing block. Rinse liquid is then allowed to contact the cleansing block such that an amount of the cleansing block is mixed with rinse fluid to clean the surface or a liquid reservoir adjacent the surface.
US08664168B2
A well treatment composite comprising a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent may be prepared by precipitating the well treatment agent, in the presence of a metal salt, from a liquid while the well treatment agent is being adsorbed onto the water-insoluble adsorbent. After a treatment fluid containing the composite is introduced into a well or a subterranean formation, the well treatment agent is slowly released from the composite. The composite permits a continuous supply of the well treatment agent into a targeted area and is particularly effective in high pH treatment fluids.
US08664165B2
A fluid loss pill that includes a crosslinked polymer gel, a brine, and solid salt particles disposed in said gel is described. Further, a method for reducing fluid loss that includes pumping a selected amount of a fluid loss pill into a wellbore leading to an oil-, condensate-, or gas-producing formation, the fluid loss pill including a crosslinked polymer gel, a brine, and solid salt particles disposed in said gel is described.
US08664157B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording material or a recording sheet that is excellent not only in whiteness of a background but also in storage property for a background and an image, and further has excellent dynamic sensitivity. In order to achieve the object, a phenol compound represented by Formula (I) [wherein R1 represents a hydroxyl group or a halogen atom, p represents 0 or an integer of 1 to 5, R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a C1-C6 alkyl group, R4 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-C6 alkyl group, an optionally substituted phenyl group or an optionally substituted benzyl group; and a bond shown with a wavy line represents E- or Z-form, or a mixture thereof] and having a color space b* of 10 or less, and preferably having brightness by Hunter of 75 or more, is used as a recording material.
US08664152B2
The present invention provides a porous cellulose gel having a high mechanical strength capable of being operated at a higher flow rate, and a method for producing the same. To a suspension liquid of cellulose particles, a crosslinking agent in an amount of from 4 to 12 times the amount of the cellulose monomer in terms of moles and an alkali in an amount of from 0.1 to 1.5 times the amount of the crosslinking agent in terms of moles are added continuously dropwise or added dividedly over a prescribed period of time, whereby flow rate characteristics of a resulting porous cellulose gel can be enhanced. According to the invention, the production efficiency of a polymer substance, such as a nucleic acid and a protein can be enhanced.
US08664150B2
Methods of producing a metal oxide are disclosed. The method comprises dissolving a metal salt in a reaction solvent to form a metal salt/reaction solvent solution. The metal salt is converted to a metal oxide and a caustic solution is added to the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution to adjust the pH of the metal oxide/reaction solvent solution to less than approximately 7.0. The metal oxide is precipitated and recovered. A method of producing adsorption media including the metal oxide is also disclosed, as is a precursor of an active component including particles of a metal oxide.
US08664149B2
Heterogeneous catalyst systems, methods of making these systems, and methods of using these systems, wherein catalytically active gold is deposited onto composite support media. The composite support media is formed by providing nanoporous material on at least a portion of the surfaces of carbonaceous host material. In representative embodiments, relatively fine, nanoporous guest particles are coated or otherwise provided on surfaces of relatively coarser activated carbon particles. Catalytically active gold may be deposited onto one or both of the guest or host materials either before or after the guest and host materials are combined to from the composite host material. PVD is the preferred catalyst system of depositing gold.
US08664143B2
A metal oxide-carbon composite includes a carbon aerogel with an oxide overcoat. The metal oxide-carbon composite is made by providing a carbon aerogel, immersing the carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum, raising the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol to atmospheric pressure, curing the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol at room temperature, and drying the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol to produce the metal oxide-carbon composite. The step of providing a carbon aerogel can provide an activated carbon aerogel or provide a carbon aerogel with carbon nanotubes that make the carbon aerogel mechanically robust.
US08664139B2
A desulfurization method of a nitrogen oxide absorption catalyst when diesel is used may include determining how many times a regeneration of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) is completed, ending a DPF regeneration, if the number of times of the DPF regeneration reaches a predetermined value and entering into a desulfurization mode to desulfurize the DPF, ending the desulfurization mode after the desulfurization mode is performed for a predetermined time, and calculating a particulate matters (PM) amount that is trapped in the DPF after the desulfurization, compensating the trapped PM amount, and determining a time of the DPF regeneration. A desulfurization timing is determined based on the number of times that the DPF is regenerated to be able to simplify the desulfurization logic and also reduce the memory of ECU, when the LNT catalyst is poisoned by a small amount of sulfur included in exhaust gas.
US08664138B2
A regenerating method for activated alumina used in regenerating working fluid of hydrogen peroxide comprises the following steps: adding deactivated alumina discharged from a regenerating bed for working fluid of hydrogen peroxide with fire resistant alumina into a reactor through the top of the reactor and settling by gravity, oxidizing atmosphere entering into the reactor from the bottom of the reactor and running upwardly, discharging regenerated alumina and fire resistant alumina through the discharging device on the bottom of the reactor, discharging exit gas through the discharge port on the top of the reactor, the reaction temperature ranging from 360-800° C., the residence time of solid feed in the reactor ranging from 3-15 h. The method is economic, environment-protective, safe, and low-costly. The regenerated alumina will not poison palladium catalyst.
US08664133B2
An optical glass having optical constants of a refractive index (nd) of 1.78 or over, an Abbe number (νd) of 30 or below, and a partial dispersion ratio (θg, F) of 0.620 or below comprises SiO2 and Nb2O5 as essential components, wherein an amount of Nb2O5 in mass % is more than 40%. The optical glass further comprising, in mass % on oxide basis, less than 2% of K2O and one or more oxides selected from the group consisting of B2O3, TiO2, ZrO2, WO3, ZnO, SrO, Li2O and Na2O wherein a total amount of SiO2, B2O3, TiO2, ZrO2, Nb2O5, WO3, ZnO, SrO, Li2O and Na2O is more than 90% and TiO2/(ZrO2+Nb2O5) is less than 0.32.
US08664117B2
Provided is a semiconductor device manufacturing method enabling miniaturization by forming a hole in a vertical shape, capable of reducing the number of processes as compared to conventional methods, and capable of increasing productivity. The semiconductor device manufacturing method includes: forming a hole in a substrate; forming a polyimide film within the hole; anisotropically etching the substrate without using a mask covering a sidewall portion of the polyimide film within the hole and removing at least a part of a bottom portion of the polyimide film within the hole while the sidewall portion of the polyimide film remains within the hole; and filling the hole with a conductive metal.
US08664114B2
A method for fabricating an image sensor includes at least one of: (1) Forming a gate on a semiconductor substrate; (2) Forming spacers on both side walls of the gate and forming a dummy pattern on an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate; and (3) Forming a metal pad for an electrical connection on an upper portion of the dummy pattern. The method may include at least one of: (1) Forming an interlayer dielectric layer covering the entire semiconductor substrate, (2) Etching portions of the interlayer dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate to form a super-contact hole; and (3) forming an insulation film on the entire surface of the interlayer dielectric layer. The method may include forming normal contact holes such that a portion of an upper portion of the gate and a partial region of the metal pad for an electrical connection are exposed and filling up the normal contact holes with a conductive material to form normal contacts.
US08664113B2
A multilayer interconnect structure is formed by, providing a substrate having thereon a first dielectric for supporting a multi-layer interconnection having lower conductor MN, upper conductor MN+1, dielectric interlayer (DIL) and interconnecting via conductor VN+1/N. The lower conductor MN has a first upper surface located in a recess below a second upper surface of the first dielectric. The DIL is formed above the first and second surfaces. A cavity is etched through the DIL from a desired location of the upper conductor MN+1, exposing the first surface. The cavity is filled with a further electrical conductor to form the upper conductor MN+1 and the connecting via conductor VN+1/N making electrical contact with the first upper surface. A critical dimension between others of lower conductors MN and the via conductor VN+1/N is lengthened. Leakage current and electro-migration there-between are reduced.
US08664112B2
Semiconductor devices comprise at least one integrated circuit layer, at least one conductive trace and an insulative material adjacent at least a portion of the at least one conductive trace. At least one interconnect structure extends through a portion of the at least one conductive trace and a portion of the insulative material, the at least one interconnect structure comprising a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the at least one conductive trace which differs from a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the insulative material. Methods of forming semiconductor devices comprising at least one interconnect structure are also disclosed.
US08664108B2
A stacked multilayer structure according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a stacked layer part including a plurality of conducting layers and a plurality of insulating layers, said plurality of insulating layers being stacked alternately with each layer of said plurality of conducting layers, one of said plurality of insulating layers being a topmost layer among said plurality of conducting layers and said plurality of insulating layers; and a plurality of contacts, each contact of said plurality of contacts being formed from said topmost layer and each contact of said plurality of contacts being in contact with a respective conducting layer of said plurality of conducting layers, a side surface of each of said plurality of contacts being insulated from said plurality of conducting layers via an insulating film.
US08664107B2
Disclosed are an application method, device and program which enable the constant retention of a fillet shape, without altering the shape due to the speed differences associated with changes in the direction of the nozzle or differences in the degree of penetration when bumps are arranged non-uniformly. In a liquid material application method a desired application pattern is created, liquid material is discharged from a nozzle whilst the nozzle and a workpiece are moved relative to one another, and the gap between a substrate and the workpiece, the workpiece being placed above the substrate by means of at least three bumps, is filled up with liquid material by capillary action. If bumps are arranged non-uniformly, the supply quantity per unit area of the application pattern is set so that a greater quantity is supplied to application areas next to areas where the integration density of bumps is high, than is supplied to application areas next to areas where the integration density of bumps is low.
US08664104B2
A method of producing a microelectronic device with transistors wherein a strain layer is formed on a series of transistors and the strain exerted on at least one given transistor of said series is released by removing a sacrificial layer situated between said given transistor and said strain layer.
US08664101B2
A first insulating interlayer is formed on a substrate including first and second regions. The first insulating interlayer has top surface, a height of which is greater in the first region than in the second region. A first planarization stop layer and a second insulating interlayer are formed. The second insulating interlayer is planarized until the first planarization stop layer is exposed. The first planarization stop layer and the first and second insulating interlayers in the second region are removed to expose the substrate. A lower mold structure including first insulation layer patterns, first sacrificial layer patterns and a second planarization stop layer pattern is formed. The first insulation layer patterns and the first sacrificial layer patterns are alternately and repeatedly formed on the substrate, and a second planarization stop layer pattern is formed on the first insulation layer pattern.
US08664090B1
A method includes forming a first buildup dielectric layer on a wafer. The wafer includes electronic components delineated from one another by singulation streets. A singulation street exposure light trap layer is formed on the singulation streets. A second buildup dielectric layer is applied and patterned by being selectively exposed to an exposure light. The singulation street exposure light trap layer traps and diffuses the exposure light thus preventing the exposure light from being reflected to the portion of the second buildup dielectric layer above the singulation streets. In this manner, complete removal of the second buildup dielectric layer above the singulation streets is insured.
US08664088B2
Provided are a heat sink material made of an alloy or a composite material including two or more types of elements which has an end surface that makes possible formation of an edge portion on which at least a laser element is mounted, a manufacturing method for the same, and a semiconductor laser device including the heat sink material. A heat sink material (10) is made of an alloy or a composite material including two or more types of elements, and provided with a main surface having a relatively large area and a secondary surface having a relatively small area which crosses the main surface, and the secondary surface includes a surface on which a discharging process has been carried out using a discharge wire (200) that is placed approximately parallel to the main surface. The manufacturing method for the heat sink material (10) is provided with the steps of placing the discharge wire (200) on a material (100, 50) to be approximately parallel to the main surface, and carrying out the discharging process on the material (100, 50) using the discharge wire (200) placed as described above.
US08664087B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure is disclosed, which includes providing a substrate comprising a bottom surface and a growth surface opposite to the bottom surface; forming a buffer layer comprising a first surface which is not a C-plane substantially parallel with the bottom surface on the growth surface; forming a semiconductor structure on the buffer layer; forming at least one cavity in the buffer layer; extending the cavity along a main extending direction; separating the substrate and the semiconductor structure; wherein the main extending direction is substantially not parallel with the normal direction of the first surface.
US08664086B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film device includes: forming a buffer layer on an Si (111) substrate and a single crystal semiconductor layer on the buffer layer; forming an island including the semiconductor layer, buffer layer, and a portion of the substrate; forming a coating layer on the island; etching the substrate along its Si (111) plane to release the island from the substrate, the coating layer serving as a mask; and bonding the released island to another substrate, a released surface of the released island contacting the another substrate. A semiconductor device includes a single crystal semiconductor layer other than Si, which has a semiconductor device formed on a front surface of an Si (111) layer lying in a (111) plane. The layer is bonded to another substrate with a back surface contacting the another substrate or a bonding layer formed on the another substrate.
US08664078B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device in which, through a simpler process, junction capacitance and power consumption can be reduced more than a conventional semiconductor device, and a manufacturing method thereof. An insulating film including an opening is formed over a base substrate and a part of a bond substrate is transferred to the base substrate, with the insulating film interposed therebetween, whereby a semiconductor film including a cavity between the semiconductor film and the base substrate is formed over the base substrate. Then, a semiconductor device including a semiconductor element such as a transistor is manufactured using the semiconductor film. The transistor includes a cavity between the base substrate and the semiconductor film used as an active layer. One cavity may be provided or a plurality of cavities may be provided.
US08664077B2
A method for forming a self-aligned overlay mark is disclosed. First, a first region, a second region and a main feature which is disposed between the first region and the second region all disposed on the substrate are provided. The first region defines a first edge and the second region defines a second edge. Second, a cut mask layer is formed to respectively cover the first region and the second region to expose the main feature. Next, the cut mask layer is determined if it is self-aligned with the second edge or the first edge, and creates a self-aligned overlay mark. Later, a main feature etching step is carried out to transfer the main feature into the substrate when the cut mask layer is determined to be self-aligned with the second edge or the first edge.
US08664066B2
The present disclosure provides manufacturing techniques in which sophisticated high-k metal gate electrode structures may be formed in an early manufacturing stage on the basis of a selectively applied threshold voltage adjusting semiconductor alloy. In order to reduce the surface topography upon patterning the deposition mask while still allowing the usage of well-established epitaxial growth recipes developed for silicon dioxide-based hard mask materials, a silicon nitride base material may be used in combination with a surface treatment. In this manner, the surface of the silicon nitride material may exhibit a silicon dioxide-like behavior, while the patterning of the hard mask may be accomplished on the basis of highly selective etch techniques.
US08664065B2
A method for forming a transistor having insulated gate electrodes and insulated shield electrodes within trench regions includes forming dielectric stack overlying a substrate. The dielectric stack includes a first layer of one material overlying the substrate and a second layer of a different material overlying the first layer. Trench regions are formed adjacent to the dielectric stack. After the insulated shield electrodes are formed, the method includes removing the second layer and then forming the insulated gate electrodes. Portions of gate electrode material are removed to form first recessed regions, and spacers are formed within the first recessed regions. Enhancements regions are then formed in the gate electrode material self-aligned to the spacers.
US08664064B2
Example embodiments are directed to a method of forming a field effect transistor (FET) and a field effect transistor (FET) including a source/drain pair that is elevated with respect to the corresponding gate structure.
US08664054B2
The invention relates to a method for forming a semiconductor structure, comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate which comprises a dummy gate formed thereon, a spacer surrounding the dummy gate, source and drain regions formed on two sides of the dummy gate, respectively, and a channel region formed in the semiconductor substrate and below the dummy gate; removing the dummy gate to form a gate opening; forming a stressed material layer in the gate opening; performing an annealing to the semiconductor substrate, the stressed material layer having tensile stress characteristics during the annealing; removing the stressed material layer in the gate opening; and forming a gate in the gate opening. By the above steps, the stress memorization technique can be applied to the pMOSFET.
US08664051B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a manufacturing method of a thin-film transistor includes: providing a substrate; sequentially forming a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, and an active layer on the substrate; forming an insulating metal oxide layer covering the active layer, wherein the insulating metal oxide layer including a metal oxide of a first metal; forming a metal layer covering the active layer, wherein the metal layer includes a second metal; forming a source electrode and a drain electrode on the metal layer with a trench separating therebetween; removing the metal layer exposed by the trench; and performing an annealing process to the metal layer and the insulating metal oxide layer, such that the metal layer reacts with the insulating metal oxide layer overlapping the metal layer to form a conducting composite metal oxide layer including the first metal and the second metal.
US08664042B2
A method to construct configurable systems, the method including: providing a first configurable system including a first die and a second die, where the connections between the first die and the second die include through-silicon-via (“TSV”), where the first die is diced from a first wafer using first dice lines; providing a second configurable system including a third die and a fourth die, where the connections between the third die and the fourth die include through-silicon-via (“TSV”), where the third die is diced from a third wafer using third dice lines; and processing the first wafer and the third wafer utilizing at least 20 masks that are the same; where the first dice lines are substantially different than the third dice lines, and where the second die includes a configurable I/O to connect the first configurable system to external devices.
US08664038B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: forming a package paddle and a terminal adjacent to the package paddle; mounting a stack paddle over the package paddle with the stack paddle at a non-center offset with the package paddle; mounting a stack integrated circuit over the stack paddle; and encapsulating the stack integrated circuit and the stack paddle.
US08664033B2
A gallium-containing alloy is formed on the light-receiving surface of a CIGS absorber layer, and, in conjunction with a subsequent selenization or anneal process, is converted to a gallium-rich region at the light-receiving surface of the CIGS absorber layer. A second gallium-rich region is formed at the back contact surface of the CIGS absorber layer during selenization, so that the CIGS absorber layer has a double-graded gallium concentration that increases toward the light-receiving surface and toward the back contact surface of the CIGS absorber layer. The double-graded gallium concentration advantageously produces a double-graded bandgap profile for the CIGS absorber layer.
US08664025B2
The width of scribe lines may be reduced in semiconductor devices by applying a process technique in which trenches may be formed first from the rear side on the basis of a required width of the corresponding trenches, while subsequently it may be cut into the substrate from the front side on the basis of a reduced thickness of the corresponding saw blades, thereby also enabling a reduction of the scribe line width. Furthermore, contamination of the front side, i.e., of the metallization system, may be reduced, for instance, by performing an optional intermediate cleaning process.
US08664022B2
A submount for a light emitting diode and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The method includes the following steps: (a) providing a silicon substrate; (b) forming a mask layer on the silicon substrate to expose a part of the silicon substrate; (c) forming a first silicon oxide layer in the part of the silicon substrate which is exposed; and (d) removing the mask layer and the first silicon oxide layer, so as to form a recess in the silicon substrate.
US08664019B2
A vertical group III-nitride light emitting device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The light emitting device comprises: a conductive substrate; a p-type clad layer stacked on the conductive substrate; an active layer stacked on the p-type clad layer; an n-doped AlxGayIn1-x-yN layer stacked on the active layer; an undoped GaN layer stacked on the n-doped layer; and an n-electrode formed on the undoped GaN layer. The undoped GaN layer has a rough pattern formed on a top surface thereof.
US08664014B2
Electrical testing of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) high-k capacitor structures is used to evaluate photoresist strip or cleaning chemicals using a combinatorial workflow. The electrical testing can be able to identify the damages on the high-k dielectrics, permitting a selection of photoresist strip chemicals to optimize the process conditions in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. The high productivity combinatorial technique can provide a compatibility evaluation of photoresist strip chemicals with high-k devices.
US08664009B2
The invention provides methods and compositions for labeling dithiol-containing analytes.
US08664006B2
A nozzle system for use in a flow cytometer for analyzing particles in a fluid stream and a method of orienting particles in a flow cytometer. The nozzle system may include a nozzle having a longitudinal axis, an interior surface defining a fluid flow path for orienting particles in the nozzle, and a downstream orifice through which a fluid stream exits. The nozzle system may also include a conduit positioned to introduce a core stream containing particles at a location offset from the longitudinal axis and a baffle downstream of the conduit to deflect the fluid stream. The method may include the steps of causing a sheath fluid to flow through the nozzle, introducing a core fluid stream into the sheath fluid at a location offset to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, and deflecting the core fluid stream with a baffle.
US08663998B2
According to embodiments of the present application, a color changeable dye can comprise a redox indicator, a reduction reaction initiator, an electron donor, an oxygen scavenger, an indicator barrier agent, a thickening agent and an agent to facilitate mixing. The color changeable dye is a first color in the presence of oxygen, capable of changing to a second color upon reduction in a substantially oxygen free environment, and capable of changing back to the first color after exposure to oxygen for a period of time corresponding to the intended use time of a disposable or limited use product. Methods of making and using the color changeable dye and apparatuses incorporating such dye are also disclosed.
US08663986B2
The instant invention relates to the use of 24-hydroxylated vitamin D compounds as therapeutics in mammalian bone fracture repair. In addition, the instant invention relates to novel 24-hydroxylated vitamin D compound receptors which can be employed in the development of compounds capable of facilitating fracture repair in animals. The instant invention also relates to nucleic acids encoding such receptors as well as vectors, host cells, transgenic animals comprising such nucleic acids and screening assays employing such receptors.
US08663984B2
Disclosed are compositions and methods relating to growth of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) using non-simian cells. In a particular example, porcine alveolar macrophage cells are described as having a capability of supporting infectivity and reproduction by PRRSV. Cells and cell lines of the invention are disclosed in connection with applications relating to PRRS disease, including vaccine technologies.
US08663976B2
A polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”) apparatus includes a PCR chip holder which accommodates and supports a PCR chip, a housing which supports ends of the PCR chip holder, a temperature control element which moves perpendicularly with respect to the PCR chip holder in a space between the housing and the PCR chip holder in the housing, and an elastic unit which elastically biases the temperature control element toward the PCR chip holder, between the temperature control element and the housing. The temperature control element includes a top surface which is selectively contacted to a bottom surface of the PCR chip.
US08663974B2
Lysing may include agitating a specimen in a chamber along with a medium that includes a particulate lysing material that has an affinity for a biological material. Lysing material may include beads or other material which may be coated that facilitates binding. The medium may include a fluid with a high salt or low pH level. Binding of biological materials to solid surfaces may be induced by particular media. The biological material may be eluted by lowering a concentration of salt or increasing a pH level. Lysing materials with two or more different affinities may be employed. Lysing materials may include particles of different sizes. Heating may be used. Lysing may be performed in a flow through apparatus. Surfaces of solid materials may be modified to capture bacteria with high cell wall lipid content.
US08663971B2
The present invention provides genetically engineered strains of Pichia capable of producing proteins with reduced glycosylation. In particular, the genetically engineered strains of the present invention are capable of expressing either or both of an α-1,2-mannosidase and glucosidase II. The genetically engineered strains of the present invention can be further modified such that the OCH1 gene is disrupted. Methods of producing glycoproteins with reduced glycosylation using such genetically engineered stains of Pichia are also provided.
US08663969B2
A mushroom culture of Agaricus bisporus produced by hybridization of a first strain and a second strain of Agaricus bisporus, wherein at least one of said first and second strains of Agaricus is a hybrid mushroom culture of Agaricus bisporus designated strain J9277. Diverse additional strains can be developed from J9277 by various means including somatic and tissue culture selection, basidiospore selection, and hybridization to other strains of Agaricus bisporus, and the resulting derivative strains can be screened for desirable commercial characteristics. One resultant class of the mushroom Agaricus bisporus (J. Lange) Imbach is the hybrid strain J10165. It exhibits an attractive appearance that includes a smooth, bright white cap, and is biologically incompatible with strains of the ‘U1’ lineage group. A method for improving facility hygiene and reducing disease incidence at any commercial Agaricus bisporus mushroom production facility is also provided.
US08663964B2
Two RNases (ranpirnase and the second embodiment disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,805) are tested against human papillomavirus infections. QRT-PCR assays indicate that the RNases have anti-viral activity against type 11 HPV.
US08663949B2
This invention relates to the integration of an ammonia production process with a fermentation process to produce products such as alcohols and/or acids in addition to ammonia. In a specific embodiment, a natural gas stream comprising methane is passed to a reforming zone to produce a substrate comprising CO and H2. The substrate is next passed to a bioreactor containing a culture of one or more microorganisms and fermenting the culture to produce one or more fermentation products comprising alcohols and/or acids and an exhaust stream comprising CO2, and H2. The exhaust stream can then be passed to a separation zone to remove at least a portion of the CO2 and produce a purified exhaust stream comprising H2 which is then passed to an ammonia production zone and is used to produce ammonia.
US08663943B2
In the present invention, we described the use of anti-DNA antibody for the detection of prions and diagnosis of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) diseases in animals and humans.
US08663937B2
The instant invention relates to the use of 24-hydroxylated vitamin D compounds as therapeutics in mammalian bone fracture repair. In addition, the instant invention relates to novel 24-hydroxylated vitamin D compound receptors which can be employed in the development of compounds capable of facilitating fracture repair in animals. The instant invention also relates to nucleic acids encoding such receptors as well as vectors, host cells, transgenic animals comprising such nucleic acids and screening assays employing such receptors.
US08663928B2
Method for the detection in homogeneous medium of a post-translational modification of a proteinaceous substrate catalyzed by a cell enzyme, characterized in that the post-translational modification reaction takes place in intact living cells, in that these cells comprise a heterologous expression vector coding for a fusion protein comprising the proteinaceous substrate and a first coupling domain and in that it comprises the following stages: (i) Incubation of the cells in the presence or in the absence of a compound to be tested capable of modulating the activity of said enzyme, (ii) Addition to the reaction medium of a first fluorescent compound member of a first pair of FRET partners covalently bonded to a coupling agent capable of binding specifically to the first coupling domain present on the proteinaceous substrate, (iii) Addition to the reaction medium of a second fluorescent compound member of this first pair of FRET partners, and covalently bonded to a binding domain specific to the site of the proteinaceous substrate having undergone the post-translational modification and not binding to the non-modified proteinaceous substrate, (i) Measurement of the FRET signal emitted by the sample, this signal being representative of the quantity of proteinaceous substrate having undergone said post-translational modification; and cells for the implementation of said method.
US08663927B2
The presently-disclosed subject matter provides systems, methods, and kits for diagnosing and/or monitoring a bacteria-related condition of interest in a subject by providing a cell sensing system, each system containing a reporter molecule capable of detecting binding of a quorum sensing molecule and capable of generating a detectable signal.
US08663925B2
The invention relates to a method of preparing a reaction mixture for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay and a solution set for PCR. The method comprises providing a sample solution comprising a biological sample to be amplified in said PCR assay and first colorant providing the solution a first color, providing a reagent solution comprising at least one other substance required for performing said assay and second colorant providing the solution a second color different from the first color, and mixing the sample solution and the first reagent solution for providing a mixed solution to be subjected to the PCR process, the mixed solution having, due to said first and second colorants, a third color different from the first and second colors. The invention significantly aids in pipetting PCR assays.
US08663924B2
A method for determining an efficiency of target enrichment from a DNA library, includes: adding a negative control sequence and a positive control sequence to the DNA library, or picking a negative control sequence and/or a positive control sequence from the library; determining a pre-capture amount of the negative control sequence and a pre-capture amount of the positive control sequence; performing enrichment of a target sequence from the DNA library using a bait sequence to produce a post-capture library; determining a post-capture amount of the negative control sequence and a post-capture amount of the positive control sequence in the post-capture library; and determining the efficiency of the target enrichment, based on the post-capture amount of the positive control sequence, the post-capture amount of the negative control sequence, the pre-capture amount of the positive control sequence, and the pre-capture amount of the negative control sequence.
US08663910B2
A plurality of kinds of liquids, which are of at least three kinds, containing (a) a test body solution containing at least one kind of an analyte, and (b) at least two kinds of liquids selected from the group consisting of a reagent solution, an amplifying solution, and a detecting solution, are fed to a detection site containing a specific binding substance with respect to the analyte. A qualitative analysis or a quantitative analysis of the analyte contained in the test body solution is thereby performed. Directions of liquid feeding of all of the plurality of the kinds of the liquids vary from one another, and the plurality of the kinds of the liquids are caused to intersect with one another at the detection site.
US08663895B2
According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a template for imprinting includes preparing a first template having a device pattern and a plurality of identification patterns, and forming a second template by transferring the device pattern and at lest desired one of the identification patterns to a template substrate.
US08663891B2
Disclosed are a toner for developing an electrostatic latent image and a method of preparing the same. The toner may include latex, a pigment and a releasing agent. The lowest crossover temperature of the toner at which the storage modulus (G′) and the loss modulus (G″) of the toner are substantially equal to each other may be in the range of about 65 to about 80° C. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the toner may be in the range of about 65,000 to about 75,000. The z-average molecular weight (Mz) of the toner may be in the range of about 110,000 to about 220,000.
US08663889B2
A polyester resin for a toner containing: a repeating unit derived from a dicarboxylic acid component; and a repeating unit derived from a dial component represented by Formula (1): wherein each of R1 and R2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, each of L1, L2 and L3 independently represents a divalent linking group selected from the group consisting of carbonyl groups, ester groups, ether groups, sulfonyl groups, substituted or unsubstituted chained alkylene groups, substituted or unsubstituted cyclic alkylene groups, substituted or unsubstituted arylene groups, and combinations thereof, L1 and L2 or L1 and L3 optionally forms a ring, each of A1 and A2 independently represents a rosin ester group, and the acid value is from 3 mgKOH/g to 30 mgKOH/g.
US08663888B2
The present invention provides a toner including: a colorant, and a binder resin, wherein the toner is fixed on a recording medium using a fixing liquid containing a softening agent for softening the toner, and wherein a weight average molecular weight of a THF soluble fraction of the toner in a molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is 3,000 to 8,300; and a glass transition temperature of the toner measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is 50° C. to 70° C.
US08663887B2
The present invention is to provide a toner for developing electrostatic images having excellent fixability, peelability, shelf stability (blocking resistance), printing durability, printing durability after being left at high temperature and thin line reproducibility. A toner for developing electrostatic images, comprising colored resin particles comprising a binder resin, a colorant and a wax, wherein the wax contains a natural sunflower wax, and wherein the natural sunflower wax has an acid value of 10 mg KOH/g or less, and a content of the natural sunflower wax is in the range from 1 to 10 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the binder resin.
US08663883B2
A charge-transporting film includes a polymer of a compound represented by Formula (I): (Ra)n-Fa-Xa-Fa′-(Ra′)n′ (I) wherein Fa and Fa′ independently represent a charge-transporting sub-unit including an aromatic ring, Ra and Ra′ independently represent a —CH═CH2 directly bonded to the aromatic ring of the charge-transporting sub-unit or a group represented by Formula (a), Xa represents an alkylene group or a bivalent group in which an alkylene group and a group selected from —O—, —S—, and ester are combined, n and n′ independently represent an integer of 0 or more (wherein n and n′ are not simultaneously 0), and L represents a linking group which is represented by *—(CH2)n″—O—CH2— and which is bonded to the aromatic ring of the charge-transporting sub-unit, wherein n″ is 1 or 2 and the linking group is bonded to the aromatic, ring of the charge-transporting sub-unit with *.
US08663879B2
A method of forming an IC including MOS transistors includes using a gate mask to form a first active gate feature having a line width W1 over an active area and a neighboring dummy feature having a line width 0.8 W1 to 1.3 W1. The neighboring dummy feature has a first side adjacent to the first active gate feature, and a nearest gate level feature on a second side opposite the first side. The neighboring dummy feature defines a gate pitch based on a distance to the first active gate feature or the neighboring dummy feature maintains a gate pitch in a gate array including the first active gate feature. The spacing between the neighboring dummy feature and the nearest gate level feature (i) maintains the gate pitch or (ii) provides a SRAF enabling distance that is ≧2 times the gate pitch and the gate mask includes a SRAF over the SRAF distance.
US08663874B2
A hardcoat composition comprises (a) one or more epoxy silane compounds, (b) one or more epoxy-functionalized perfluoropolyether acrylate oligomers, and (c) photoacid generator.
US08663864B2
In a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, which are arranged consecutively in a stacking direction, wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises a housing with at least one housing part made of a metallic material, which has an adequate electrical insulation effect and an adequate mechanical strength at a high operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, a sealing assembly is provided and comprises at least one intermediate element made of a metallic material, wherein the intermediate element is soldered to a housing part of a first fuel cell unit at at least one location by a metal solder and is secured to a housing part of a second fuel cell unit at at least another location, wherein the intermediate element and/or the housing part of the first fuel cell unit is provided with a coating made of a ceramic material.
US08663858B2
A fuel cell system which prevents the deterioration of the fuel cell stack when feeding of the oxidant gas is paused under a load to perform a fuel conservation operation. Controller shuts down oxidant gas compressor and cooling water circulating pump to execute fuel conservation operation at a low fuel cell system load. The controller gives a current draw instruction to electric power controller. In the fuel conservation operation, electric power controller draws a current larger than zero from fuel cell stack, and keeps the total charge drawn per unit time constant or substantially constant.
US08663855B2
A hydrogen-air fuel cell having a mobile element capable of, in closed position, covering the cell cathode in substantially tight fashion.
US08663848B2
Disclosed is a C2/m-structured cathode material for a lithium-ion battery. The cathode material includes a lithium transition metal oxide represented by a formula of: Li(LiwNixCoyMnz)O2, wherein w+x+y+z=1, 0.42≦z≦0.60, 0.30≦x+y≦0.55, any of w, x, and y is larger than 0, and the cathode material having a single-phase structure with a space group of C2/m. A lithium-ion battery containing the C2/m-structured cathode material is also disclosed.
US08663843B2
A lithium secondary battery (10) provided by the present invention has an iron oxide film-coated electrode employing a configuration in which an iron oxide film (144) capable of reversibly absorbing and desorbing lithium is retained on an electrically conductive base (142). The electrically conductive base (142) has a roughened surface having a surface roughness Rz of 3 μm or more, and the iron oxide film (144) is provided on the roughened surface.
US08663827B2
Provided is a battery pack, which can increase coupling force between a holder and a protection circuit board, and improve processability and productivity. The battery pack includes a bare cell, a holder disposed at one side of the bare cell and having a first fastening part, and a protection circuit assembly disposed at one side of the holder and having a second fastening part coupled to the first fastening part, wherein one of the first and second fastening parts is a protrusion and the other is a groove, and the protrusion includes a first supporting surface, a second supporting surface and a notch formed between the first and second supporting surfaces. Also, the battery pack includes a bare cell, a holder disposed at one side of the bare cell and having a first fastening part, and a protection circuit assembly disposed at one side of the holder and having a second fastening part coupled to the first fastening part, wherein the first fastening part is a first protrusion and the second fastening part is a second protrusion, and one of the first and second protrusions includes a first supporting surface, a second supporting surface and a notch formed between the first and second supporting surfaces and the other is formed in the shape of a square pillar.
US08663824B1
A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway. The system includes a sealed battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries and at least one exhaust nozzle assembly. The exhaust nozzle assembly includes an exhaust nozzle that passes and directs the flow of hot gas from within the battery pack to the ambient environment during a thermal runaway event, a nozzle seal mounted within the exhaust nozzle that seals the exhaust nozzle during normal operation of the battery pack, and a shape memory alloy (SMA) retaining member that is configured to capture an end portion of the nozzle seal and hold the seal within the exhaust nozzle when the SMA retaining member is configured in its first shape, and that is configured to release the seal from the exhaust nozzle when the SMA retaining member is heated to its transformation temperature.
US08663820B2
The invention relates to a printed document of value having at least one authenticity feature in the form of a luminescent substance based on doped host lattices. The host lattice has a strong crystal field and is doped with at least one chromophore with the electron configuration (3d)2.
US08663817B2
A brazing sheet made up of a core sheet made of aluminum alloy covered on at least one side with a layer of cladding forming a sacrificial anode. The layer of cladding is formed of an aluminum alloy of chemical composition, in % by weight: Si: >2.0-7.0; Fe<0.5; Cu<1.0; Mn: 1.0-2.0; Mg<0.5; Zn: 1.0-3.0; Cr<0.25; Ni<1.5; Ti<0.25; Co<1.5; V, In, Sn, Zr, Sc<0.25 each; other elements <0.05 each and 0.15 in total. A heat exchanger tube may be produced by folding and brazing from the brazing sheet, where the layer of cladding forms a sacrificial anode constituting the lining of the tube or “inner-liner.”
US08663814B2
An anti-wear coating, in particular an anti-erosion coating, which is applied to a surface of a component that is stressed under fluid technology and is to be protected, in particular a gas turbine part, is disclosed. The anti-wear coating includes one or more multilayer systems applied in a repeating order to the surface to be coated, and the/each multilayer system includes at least one relatively soft metallic layer and at least one relatively hard ceramic layer. All the layers of the/each multilayer system are based on chromium, and a diffusion barrier layer is applied between the surface to be protected and the multilayer system(s).
US08663806B2
Techniques, processes and structures are disclosed for providing markings on products, such as electronic devices. For example, the markings can be formed using physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes to deposit a layer of material. The markings or labels may be textual and/or graphic. The markings are deposited on a compliant layer that is disposed on a surface to be marked. The compliant layer is arranged to isolate the surface to be marked from the layer of material deposited using the PVD process.
US08663803B2
A varnish composition includes composition (A): an epoxy resin, composition (B): a hardener, composition (C): an accelerator, composition (D): phosphor-containing flame retardant, and composition (E): fillers, wherein composition (A) includes composition (A-1): phosphor-containing epoxy resin, phosphor-containing and silicon-containing epoxy resin, or a mixture thereof; composition (A-2): dicyclopentadiene epoxy resin; and composition (A-3): oxazolidone epoxy resin.
US08663798B2
A pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film of the present invention comprises: an optical film comprising a transparent base film and an optical compensation liquid crystal layer provided on one side of the transparent base film; a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on the optical compensation liquid crystal layer; and an undercoat layer that is interposed between the optical compensation liquid crystal layer and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and contains a polymer and an antioxidant. The pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film can suppress window frame unevenness when a backlight is turned on.
US08663797B2
A high-strength adhesive polymer gel comprising a polymer and polyhydric alcohol, wherein the polymer comprises a monopolymer of an acrylic monomer having an alkoxyalkyl group, or a copolymer of the acrylic monomer having an alkoxyalkyl group and another acrylic monomer which can be copolymerized with the acrylic monomer having an alkoxyalkyl group, and wherein the acrylic monomer having an alkoxyalkyl group makes up 50% by weight or more of a total amount of a polymerizable monomer.
US08663790B2
The invention relates to a polyethylene molding composition having a multimodal molecular mass distribution and comprising a first ethylene homopolymer fraction (I), a second ethylene copolymer fraction (II) and a third ethylene copolymer fraction (III). The molding composition has a density at a temperature of 23° C. in the range from 0.945 to 0.953 g/cm3, an MFR (190° C./5 kg) in the range from 2 to 7 g/10 min and a viscosity number VN3 of the total mix of ethylene homopolymer fraction (I), copolymer fraction (II) and ethylene copolymer fraction (III), measured in accordance with ISO/R 1191 in decalin at a temperature of 135° C., in the range from 200 to 250 cm3/g. The invention further relates to the use of such a molding composition for producing high-strength injection-molded screw cap closures for bottles comprising beverages, especially carbonated beverages.
US08663787B2
The invention relates to a glazing that comprises at least one layer deposited by cathodic spraying under vacuum, said layer containing one or more oxides and a proportion in weight of titanium oxide of at least 40% and not exceeding 95%. The thickness of the layer in question and optionally the thickness of the other layers containing metal oxide is/are selected so that on a clear “float” glass sheet having a thickness of 4 mm, said layer(s) would yield a reflection of at least 15% and a light transmission of at least 60%. The layer or layer system in question further has a mechanical and/or chemical resistance comparable to that of layers produced by pyrolysis for obtaining products having the same kind of optical properties.
US08663784B2
The present invention provides structures including a substrate, a crosslinked polymer film disposed over the substrate, and a patterned diblock copolymer film disposed over the crosslinked polymer film. The crosslinked polymer comprises a random copolymer polymerized from a first monomer, a second monomer, and a photo-crosslinkable and/or thermally crosslinkable third monomer, including epoxy-functional or acrylyol-functional monomers. Also disclosed are methods for forming the structures.
US08663781B2
A display window is formed by mechanically processing a transparent ceramic article. The composition of the ceramic article includes yttrium oxide and thorium oxide, the mole percentage of yttrium oxide is about 85% to about 94.99%, and the mole percentage of thorium oxide is about 4.99% to about 15%. The display window has a high light transmittance, good acid and alkali corrosion resistance, high hardness, long lifetime.
US08663780B2
A method of fabricating a membrane having a tampered pore, a polymeric membrane having a tapered pore, and uses of such polymeric membrane are disclosed. The membrane includes apertures of increasing diameter which are aligned with each other to form the tapered pore.
US08663774B2
A multilayer thermal insulation composite for fire protection applications. The composite includes a fibrous insulation layer, at least one inorganic heat absorbing layer disposed on one side of the fibrous insulation layer, and at least one superinsulation layer disposed on at least one side of the composite adjacent the heat absorbing layer or the fibrous insulation layer. The composite may further include a scrim layer comprising a high temperature resistant, flexible, woven or non-woven scrim or scrim and high temperature resistant material disposed around the multilayer thermal insulation composite partially or substantially totally encapsulating the composite. The composite is lightweight and flexible, exhibits reduced heat transfer to the cold-face, with improved thermal insulation capability.
US08663756B2
There is provided a pellicle kit for manufacturing a pellicle which comprises a pellicle frame having a jig hole in the outer wall of its frame bar and a jig having a jig pin which is adjusted to enter the respective jig hole until the front end of the jig pin is abutted against the tapered bottom face of the jig hole to thereby fix said pellicle frame.
US08663748B2
In the formation of a conductive roller 1, a compound forming an elastomer by curing through an electron beam irradiation or a ultraviolet ray irradiation is applied onto an outside of a shaft member 2 to form an elastomeric coating layer 3R and then the elastomeric coating layer is cured through an irradiation of an electron beam or a ultraviolet ray to form an elastic layer, whereby the elastic layer can be formed cheaply without sacrificing precision of peripheral dimension to largely reduce the cost of the conductive roller.
US08663745B2
Provided is a film-forming method based on an LB method by which a uniform alignment film using a helical polyacetylene can be obtained. The method based on the LB method includes: developing a helical polyacetylene onto a liquid surface; and transferring a monolayer film of the helical polyacetylene formed on the liquid surface onto a substrate to form a film, in which a compressibility P represented by the following formula (1) at a time of the film formation is 1×10−2 m/mN or less: P=(1/(dH/dS))×(1/S) (1), where H represents a surface pressure (mN/m) of the monolayer film of the helical polyacetylene, and S represents an area (m2) of the monolayer film of the helical polyacetylene developed onto the liquid surface.
US08663740B2
The invention relates to a water-based coating composition comprising: A) at least one cross-linkable compound having at least one functional group containing active hydrogen, B) at least one polyisocyanate cross-linking agent with free isocyanate groups, C) at least one catalyst compound, said catalyst compound comprising at least one catalyst for the curing reaction between the functional groups containing active hydrogen of component A and the isocyanate groups of component B, and at least one cyclodextrine.
US08663734B2
A process for preparing water-absorbing polymer particles by spraying a liquid below the product bed surface by means of at least one spray nozzle in a mixer with moving mixing tools.
US08663729B2
Disclosed herein are pet food compositions. In one embodiment, pet food compositions which are described comprise a component selected from 2-deoxy-D-glucose; 5-thio-D-glucose; 3-O-methylglucose; 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol; 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol; mannoheptulose; and mixtures thereof. In yet another embodiment, pet food compositions which are described comprise an extract of plant matter selected from avocado, alfalfa, fig, primrose, and mixtures thereof. The pet food compositions may be prepared by any of a variety of processes including, but not limited to, optional processes described herein.
US08663728B2
Mildly acidic milk and soy beverages and methods for preparation of mildly acidic milk and soy beverages are provided herein. The acidified milk and soy beverages generally comprise a milk product and a stabilizer system at a mildly acidic pH in the range of about 5.0 to about 6.0. In particular embodiments, the beverage further comprises one or more components to provide a fruit flavor to the acidified milk beverage. In embodiments, the acidified milk and soy beverages comprise a milk product in an amount sufficient to provide milk protein and/or soy protein in the beverage in an amount from about 0.25% by weight to about 4.0% by weight of the beverage and a stabilizer system comprising a carrageenan component and optionally a high acyl gellan gum. The carrageenan component desirably comprises a mildly extracted kappa-iota copolymer with minimal alkaline modification.
US08663727B2
A cooked rice molding method includes a first supplying step of spreading cooked rice in a plate form on rolling-up plates deployed horizontally, a second supplying step of placing a dried laver sheet and ingredients on the cooked rice, a first pressing step of folding a first rotating plate and a second rotating plate disposed on two sides of a base plate in a direction to erect at approximate right angles with respect to the base plate, and a second pressing step of folding the third rotating plate rotatably attached to the first rotating plate at a side opposite to the base plate, to a base plate side. Then, the method includes a repositioning step of deploying the rolling-up plates in the horizontal state, and rotating the cooked rice about 90 degrees on the rolling-up bamboo plate. Finally, the first pressing step is repeated again.
US08663723B2
The illustrative method and apparatus provides a more efficient system for automated slicing and loading of food articles into containers. The apparatus includes at least one cutting assembly and at least two chutes and depositing assemblies. The apparatus may include a positioning receptacle that aligns the food articles with a knife set and a driving arm that advances the food article into engagement with the knife set. The chutes may include a movable chute portion, which moves from alignment with the knife set to alignment with the containers, and a chute extension. Openings for the sliced food sections, which extend through the movable chute portion and the chute extension, have a cross section that changes to rotate the orientation of the food sections passing therethrough. Once deposited into the containers, the food sections are oriented with at least some cut faces of the food article adjacent the container wall.
US08663717B2
A troche for providing throat relief. The troche includes a solid base containing pectin, food flavoring, aloe vera powder 200:1, malic acid, ginseng extract, natural glycerin, manuka honey, orchid extract, lysozyme, sorbitol crystals, and sorbitol base.
US08663714B2
A dietary supplement for regulating the appetite of an individual is described. The dietary supplement comprises at least one mechanical satiety regulator, and at least one chemical satiety inducer, and may additionally comprise at least one thermogen, and/or at least one side effect remover. The dietary supplement induces satiety based on a combination of occupying part of the volume of the stomach, inducing sending signals to the brain in respect of satiety. Furthermore the dietary supplement may maintain or increase metabolism and reduce side effects such as the amount of produced flatulence. The dietary supplement may comprise fiber, whey, plant parts from plants e.g. of the genus Capsicum and plant parts from a species e.g. of the genus Mentha.
US08663713B2
A medicinal preparation, a process, a nutritional composition and regenerative and insulin potentiating method for humans and also for mammals for prevention, treatment and management/glycemic control of diabetes mellitus by obtaining optimum glucose level in blood, by administering an extract of Costus pictus to produce above effect in a dose of 500-2000 mg/day in humans and 50-200 mg/kg/day in rats. A method for treating hyperglycemia in a patient by administering a medicinal preparation of Costus pictus D. Don. A method for long term management of diabetes by avoiding the problems associated with tight control of blood glucose concentrations, i.e., hypoglycemia tolerance and seizures, while simultaneously avoiding the problems associated with conventional moderate control of blood glucose concentrations, i.e., pathological complications associated with hyperglycemia, such as nephropathy, retinopathy, etc. The medicinal preparation further affords an insulin potentiating action in addition to decreasing blood glucose and/or glycosylated hemoglobin levels.
US08663712B2
The present invention is directed to bioactive botanical cosmetic compositions derived from membrane and cell serum fractions of plant cell juice. The present invention also relates to the methods for preparing these bioactive botanical cosmetic compositions and the uses of these compositions in various cosmetic formulations and as topical skin cosmetic applications.
US08663708B2
A product of vegetal origin with a high percentage of proanthocyanidines with molecular weight of greater than 6000 daltons, a very high percentage of which proanthocyanidines have a molecular weight of greater than 30000 daltons, produces a great hypercholesterolaernic effect at acceptable doses for human consumption and little astringent and anti-nutritional effects. The product of vegetal origin may be presented as medicine, pharmaceutical composition, dietary complement or food product. An industrial process is provided for preparation of the product from dicotyledons.
US08663703B2
Provided are microparticles of active pharmaceutical ingredients, which are prepared by removing a sublimable carrier from a solid solution of the a active pharmaceutical ingredients in the sublimable carrier. Also provided are drug delivery vehicles comprising a carrier particle bearing the microparticles on its surface.
US08663698B2
A granule or a tablet of a solid dispersion that allows a drug in a preparation to be rapidly dissolved without impairing dissolving of the solid dispersion, and a method for producing same is composed of 1 to 10% by weight of a poorly soluble drug, a water-soluble polymer, an excipient and 15 to 50% by weight if a disintegrator; a tablet of a solid dispersion composed of a poorly soluble drug, 1 to 5% by weight of a water-soluble polymer, an excipient and 15 to 50% by weight of a disintegrator; and a method for producing a granule or tablet of a solid dispersion comprising spraying a water-soluble polymer solution, in which a poorly soluble drug has been dispersed or dissolved, on a mixed powder of an excipient and a disintegrator, and granulating and drying a resultant.
US08663694B2
Taste masked dosage forms for oral administration of roflumilast are described.
US08663686B2
The present invention provides compositions comprising an interpolymer of chitosan and polyethylene glycol, wherein the interpolymer is a liquid below 25° C. and a gel above 35° C. The present invention also provides methods for using the compositions to deliver drugs to a living body over time.
US08663685B2
A pharmaceutical composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a aminopyridine dispersed in a release matrix, including, for example, a composition that can be formulated into a stable, sustained-release oral dosage formulation, such as a tablet which provides, upon administration to a patient, a therapeutically effective plasma level of the aminopyridine for a period of at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours or more and the use of the composition to treat various neurological diseases.
US08663683B2
Pharmaceutical compositions of topiramate for once-a-day oral administration are provided. The formulations comprise a sustained-release component and an optional immediate-release component, the compositions of which can be selectively adjusted, respectively, to release the active ingredient along a pre-determined release profile. Method of treating or preventing pathological disorders in mammalian subjects comprising the administration of the novel formulations disclosed herein is also provided.
US08663671B2
Methods and compositions for producing hydrogel capsules enveloped with at least one coating layer is disclosed. The coating formulations deposited on the surface of the capsules can improve the physical integrity and the water-retention properties of the alginate beads. The coating formulations can be sequentially applied in various combinations to obtain desirable properties, such as improved physical integrity, mechanical strength, and low permeability, that can extend the shelf-life of the capsules when incorporated into various consumer products.
US08663669B2
In order to replace methyl bromide in all the uses thereof in soil or substrate treatment, the invention relates to the use of at least one sulphur compound having general formula: wherein R represents an alkenyl or alkyl radical, n is equal to 0, 1 or 2, x is a number between 0 and 4 and R′ represents an alkenyl or alkyl radical or, only if n=x=0, a hydrogen or alkali-metal atom. The sulphur compounds (in particular dimethyldisulphide) can be applied according to standard soil treatment methods (by injection, spraying, dripping, sprinkling) and said compounds have no phototoxic effects.
US08663665B2
The invention in one aspect relates to an anti-chafing composition with improved efficacy, in one embodiment, comprising an effective amount of boron nitride suspended in a dermatologically acceptable carrier vehicle. Another embodiment relates to an anti-chafing composition in the form of a powder or a stick containing boron nitride. The present invention also relates to a method of inhibiting or reducing chafing to the skin by topically applying an effective amount of such anti-chafing composition to the skin or to a surface to be in contact with the skin.
US08663662B2
The present invention relates to, inter alia, pharmaceutical compositions comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid and to methods of using the same to treat or prevent cardiovascular-related diseases.
US08663660B2
Polymerized micelles comprising polymerized amphiphilic molecules obtained starting from amphiphilic molecules having one or two lipid chains each comprising one or two polymerizable moieties and linked to a polar head.
US08663656B2
A small number of defined antigens can provide broad protection against meningococcal infection, and the invention provides a composition which, after administration to a subject, is able to induce an antibody response in that subject, wherein the antibody response is bactericidal against two or three of hypervirulent lineages A4, ET 5 and lineage 3 of N. meningitidis serogroup B. Rather than consisting of a single antigen, the composition comprises a mixture of 10 or fewer purified antigens, and should not include complex or undefined mixtures of antigens such as outer membrane vesicles. Five protein antigens are used in particular: (1) a ‘NadA’ protein; (2) a ‘741’ protein; (3) a ‘936’ protein; (4) a ‘953’ protein; and (5) a ‘287’ protein.
US08663651B2
The present invention is directed to novel therapeutic uses of T-140 analog peptides and compositions comprising same. Specifically, the invention provides compositions and methods useful for immunomodulation.
US08663650B2
The present invention comprises novel compositions and methods for eliciting high immune responses, of great specifity yielding conformationally sensitive antibodies. These antibodies recognize specific epitopes on a wide variety of antigens including but not limited to, amyloid protein, prion protein, P170 glycoprotein. The novel compositions of the invention comprise supramolecular antigenic constructs generally comprising a peptide sequence, covalently attached to pegylated lysine resulting in modified and enhanced peptide presentation. The unique modification methodology of the present invention is applicable to a variety of peptides and can ultimately be employed in therapeutic formulations and vaccines for diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
US08663647B2
The present invention provides immunogenic peptides comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 13, 32, and peptides comprising the above-mentioned amino acid sequences in which 1, 2, or several amino acids are substituted or added, and having cytotoxic T cell inducibility, and also provides drugs for treating or preventing tumors comprising these peptides. The peptides of this invention can be used as vaccines.
US08663645B2
The present invention pertains to the field of vaccination, and more particularly to the fields of antitumor and antiviral vaccination. The invention relates to the use of a native peptide in a medicinal composition, for selecting and/or boosting part of a CTL immune response which has been initiated by an optimized immunogenic peptide derived from said native peptide. The invention also concerns vaccination kits which comprise several doses of optimized peptides and of their cognate native peptides.
US08663644B2
The disclosure relates to a composition added to animal feed used in combination with a vaccine to enhance the effectiveness of the vaccine. Amongst other effects, the composition raises the titer of antibodies to the vaccine.
US08663643B2
Combinations of an anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate and chemotherapeutic agents, and methods of use
Combinations of the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab-MCC-DM1 and chemotherapeutic agents, including stereoisomers, geometric isomers, tautomers, solvates, metabolites and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are useful for inhibiting tumor cell growth, and for treating disorders such as cancer mediated by HER2 and KDR (VEGFR receptor 1). Methods of using such combinations for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such disorders in mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions, are disclosed.
US08663641B2
Immunoglobulin chains or antibodies having light or heavy chain complementarity determining regions of antibodies that bind to P-Selectin Glycoprotein Ligand-1. Also disclosed are methods of inducing death of an activated T-cell and of modulating a T cell-mediated immune response in a subject.
US08663640B2
The invention relates to the field of recombinant antibodies for use in human cancer therapy. More specifically the invention provides the use of an antibody composition with two distinct non-overlapping binding specificities to human EGFR. The antibody composition is effecting in treating cancer following treatment with other anti-EGFR antibodies, whether the cancer shows progression during or following the prior treatment or not. The antibody composition can also be used for repeated treatment of recurrent tumors following first-line therapy with the antibody composition of the invention, as the composition does not lead to selection of resistant tumors. A further therapeutic use is the use of an antibody composition of the invention for treatment of cancer that is resistant to known anti-EGFR antibodies.
US08663639B2
Diseases and conditions associated with tissues of the body, including but not limited to tissues in the eye, can be effectively treated, prevented, inhibited, onset delayed, or regression caused by administering therapeutic agents to those tissues. Described herein are liquid formulations which deliver a variety of therapeutic agents, including but not limited to rapamycin, to a subject for an extended period of time; liquid formulations which form a non-dispersed mass when placed in an aqueous medium of a subject; non-dispersed mass-forming liquid formulations which form a gel or gel-like substance in an aqueous medium; liquid formulations, comprising a therapeutic agent and a plurality of polymers; and methods for delivering therapeutic agents to a subject for an extended period of time using the liquid formulations. The liquid formulation may be placed in an aqueous medium of a subject, including but not limited to via intraocular or periocular administration, or placement proximate to a site of a disease or condition to be treated in a subject. A method may be used to administer rapamycin to treat or prevent angiogenesis, choroidal neovascularization, or age-related macular degeneration, or wet age-related macular degeneration in a subject. The liquid formulations may comprise rapamycin or other therapeutic agents.
US08663632B1
Compositions and methods of treating cancer using a thiaminase compound are described. The presently-disclosed subject matter includes a method of treating cancer by administering a thiaminase compound and a thiamine-dependent enzyme inhibitor.
US08663629B2
This invention provides: novel protein homologous of a Kunitz domain, which are capable of binding kallikrein; polynucleotides that encode such novel proteins; and vectors and transformed host cells containing these polynucleotides.
US08663617B2
The current invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment of wounds in a mammalian subject. Particularly, the invention relates to novel polypeptides and encoding nucleic acids that stimulate keratinocyte and endothelial cell motility and/or proliferation.
US08663615B2
The present invention comprises a bio-polymer based solid for the sustained release of an active agent into the air consisting of: a) a primary starched—based polymer; b) a secondary polyether block amide polymer, and: c) a filler component. d) one or more active oils The active oils can be one or more fragrances so as to provide an air freshening composition, a flavor to create a certain aromatic environment or a repellant such as insect repellants for the elimination of mosquitoes and the like. Animal repellants may be incorporated to ward off unwanted pets and wildlife outside the home and attractants may also be utilized in the production of fishing lures and the like.
US08663612B2
Novel ampholytic ter-polymers comprising at least an ethylenically unsaturated cationic monomer, a monomer containing a carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid group and diallyamine or derivative are claimed. Further, the ter-polymers may be used in personal care or personal washing compositions optionally in the presence of conditioning agents such as silicone, fatty amines, fatty amine oxides and fatty quaternaries and/or various benefit agents. The ter-polymer compositions are especially useful in the treatment of keratin-containing substrates. Keratin substrates include, but are not limited to, animal and human hair, skin and nails.
US08663611B2
The present disclosure is directed to a cosmetic composition for controlling perspiration and odor. Despite being free of volatile silicones—which have garnered a bad reputation due to their ecotoxicity and bioaccumulability in aquatic species—the composition of the instant disclosure replicates the textural and sensorial benefits provided by the use of volatile silicones like cyclotetrasiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane and cyclohexasiloxane.
US08663609B2
The invention relates to a composition comprising a oil-soluble polar modified polymer, a sugar silicone surfactant and a hyperbranched polyol.
US08663604B2
A method is provided for in vivo detection of a biochemical substance in an animal by culturing neurofluocytes that stably express a receptor of the biochemical substances by transfecting cells with cDNA of the receptor and a tag that will emit a detectable energy in the presence of the biochemical substance, implanting the neurofluocyte into the animal's brain; and detecting the energy emission of the tag. In a first embodiment, the biochemical substance is a neurotransmitter, the tag is a fluophore, and the step of detecting includes forming an opening in the animal's skull and optically detecting fluorescent emissions using a two-photon laser scanning microscope. Multiple biochemical substances can be simultaneously detected by culturing neurofluocytes that express different receptors and have different fluophor tags that produce fluorescent signals at distinguishable wavelengths.
US08663600B2
Methods for diagnosing prostate cancer, and differentiate prostate cancer from other prostate complications, and use of said method, and diagnosing and monitoring lymph gland metastasis, post operative examinations, and examinations during or after radiation, cytostatic, and androgen treatments are disclosed. The methods comprise injecting tracer-labelled PSA or hK2 specific antibodies, visualising PSA or hK2 producing tissue with the aid of a visualization method, and diagnosing prostate cancer from the difference in visualization.
US08663598B2
One embodiment of the disclosure provides an amino sequence of an anti-human transferrin receptor antibody, including: an amino sequence of a heavy chain variable region which is represented by SEQ ID NO.: 1 or SEQ ID NO.: 2, wherein the anti-human transferrin receptor antibody is capable of specifically binding to a human transferrin receptor.
US08663597B2
The present invention relates to a method of obtaining 68Ga from a 68Ge/68Ga radioisotope generator and a method of preparing 68Ga-radiolabelled complexes using the obtained 68Ga. The method comprises elution of the generator with an aqueous chloride ion solution. The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the 68Ga metal complex formation.
US08663593B2
There is provided a method for fabricating a three dimensional graphene structure using a catalyst template, in which the three dimensional graphene structure in various forms can be obtained through a simple process by using a metal catalyst in various forms as a template and growing graphene thereon. There is also provided a method for controlling length of a three dimensional graphene structure to be from a few nanometers to a few millimeters by controlling length of the metal catalyst template.
US08663592B2
For implementing startup and priming phases of a vegetable carbon production method, an installation includes a generator of hot gases with low oxygen content, and a fan downstream which boosts the hot gases into a lower part of a reactor. The reactor includes a column of substantial height whose upper inlet, with a temperature T3 of less than 65° C., is used to continuously load and add biomass and whose lower part has a grid for support and removal of the load, an underlying injection chamber for the gases from the generator, and a mechanism for retrieving processed substances. The installation also includes, at the outlet for cold gases at temperature T3 at the top of the reactor column, a thermal post-combustion chamber for the extracted gases, a heat exchanger, a fan, a second heat exchanger, a vent and connecting pipes. Another circuit located between the reactor and the fan includes a compressor unit to supply pressurized air at ambient temperature in the production phase and to replace the hot gases from the generator by compressed air.
US08663580B2
A dried biological fluid spot punch device includes a tube, a frit, and a filter disposed on the frit. The tube includes a main section and a distal section adjoining the main section. The main section includes a proximal tube end circumscribing a proximal tube opening, and the distal section includes a distal tube end circumscribing a distal tube opening. The distal section further includes a distal tube having a tapered inside diameter that reduces from the main section to the distal tube opening. The frit is disposed in the distal section at a distance from the distal tube opening and fixed in position by frictional contact with the distal tube wall. The punch device may also include a punching tool. The punching tool may include a body engaging the tube at the proximal tube end and an ejection mechanism configured for disengaging the body from the tube.
US08663565B2
A continuous emulsion aggregation process for the production of particles is presented including a plurality of continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR). The plurality of continuous stirred-tank reactors includes at least one feed tank of raw materials, at least one reactor for facilitating cold addition, at least two reactors for facilitating an aggregation process, at least one reactor for facilitating a shell addition process; at least one reactor for facilitating a freeze process, at least one reactor for facilitating a chelating process, at least one reactor for facilitating a ramp-up process and at least one reactor for facilitating a coalescence process, wherein the reactors are sequentially assembled in a series configuration and separated by short conduits to produce toner particles that are narrowly distributed.
US08663562B2
An apparatus and method for spectral analysis of immiscible phases are disclosed. A flow cell for online absorption measurements of immiscible process phases can comprise: a body containing an inlet window and an outlet window in operable communication with a measurement instrument; and a series of partitions that divide the inside of the flow cell into three (3) or more vessels that have an inlet and an outlet, wherein the vessels are connected in series with one another. Optionally, the first vessel is equipped with a porous membrane to facilitate the separation of immiscible process phases.
US08663560B2
A flow cell includes: a flow channel through which a sample solution flows; an inlet section which communicates with the flow channel and to which the sample solution is supplied; a transfer section which includes a plurality of opening sections, one end side of which communicates with the flow channel and an other side of which opens to outside air, and which communicates with the flow channel, and draws in and guides the sample solution supplied into the inlet section to the flow channel; a detecting section which faces the sample solution in the flow channel; and a sealing member which unsealably seals at least either one of the opening section or the inlet section.
US08663559B2
A sample analyzer that includes a sample preparing section operative to aspirate a sample from a sample container and a measuring section operative to prepare a plurality of measurement samples from the aspirated sample. A control unit is configured to sequentially measure the plurality of prepared measurement samples, obtain a plurality of measurement data for the respective measurement samples, and obtain an analysis result of a predetermined item of the sample based on the plurality of measurement data.
US08663552B2
The invention relates to the saturation of different gaseous, liquid, gel-like, solid and mixed media with ingredients emitted by vegetative plants. The method for treating a medium by saturating it with useful substances emitted by plants involves supplying a gaseous medium to a chamber containing vegetative or cut plants and passing the gaseous medium saturated with plant excreta through the medium undergoing treatment. Furthermore, a low pressure or a low and a high pressure is generated in the above-mentioned gaseous medium in the chamber containing the vegetative or cut plants. The medium treating device comprises a means for pumping the gaseous medium, at least one chamber for plants emitting plant excreta, which chamber is connected by a pipe to the above-mentioned means on the intake side and to the pumping means on the discharge side; furthermore, the above-mentioned means is connected on the discharge side to at least one container for the medium undergoing treatment.
US08663550B2
A hot work tool steel family with exceptional thermal diffusivity, toughness (both fracture toughness and notch sensitivity resilience CVN—charpy V-notch) and trough hardenability has been developed. Mechanical resistance and yield strength at room and high temperatures (above 600° C.) are also high, because the tool steels of the present invention present a high alloying level despite the high thermal conductivity. Given the exceptional resistance to thermal fatigue and thermal shock, wear resistance can be severely increased for many applications requiring simultaneously resistance to thermal cracking and wear like is the case for some forging and some parts of die casting dies.
US08663546B2
Cellular ceramic materials, for example closed cell glass ceramic materials, for use in construction of buildings comprising a clay material, carbon, and water used to form the cellular ceramic blocks, slabs and beams by expansion of the particles inside the ware. The cellular ceramic materials are produced by first mixing the clay, carbon and about 40% to about 70% water by weight of the clay in the mixture, allowing the mixture to cure, drying the cured mixture, then firing the dried mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to melt the surface of the mixture. The clay material can be, for example, surface clays, ball clays, kaolin, shale, fly ash and/or bentonite. In another embodiment a mixture of volcanic ash, carbon and water can be formed and layered with the mixture of clay, carbon and water. The cellular ceramic materials are, in most cases, impervious to liquid, are capable of supporting substantial loads in tension and compression without reinforcement, and require no additional insulating material. Such cellular ceramic material may also be used in the construction of buildings with a metal skeleton comprising metal bars forming a structure for supporting the cellular ceramic building material.
US08663541B2
The present invention relates to a medical device and method of forming the medical device. In particular, the present invention relates to a medical device having a tubular membrane structure over a radially expandable structural frame, and to a method of forming the tubular membrane on the radially expandable structural frame. In one aspect, a structural frame is placed over a spinning mandrel and a fiber is electro-statically spun over at least a portion of the structural frame forming a membrane. A transfer sheath may be used between the mandrel and structural frame to prevent the electro-statically spun fiber from adhering to the mandrel. In another aspect, a first membrane is spun over the mandrel before the structural frame is placed over the mandrel. In this aspect, at least a portion of the structural frame is sandwiched between the membranes. The membrane or membranes and structural frame form a fiber spun frame assembly. The fiber spun frame assembly may be coated with an elastic polymer. In addition, the membrane or membranes may go through some post processing to achieve desired characteristics or configurations.
US08663535B2
A trim panel for a door of a vehicle that wherein both sunshade and non-sunshade versions of the trim panel are manufactured on the same equipment, thus eliminating the need to prepare separate molds for each trim panel. Both the sunshade and non-sunshade versions of the trim panel share essentially the same components and dimension except that the sunshade trim panel has an upper surface that terminates prior to a corresponding surface of the non-sunshade trim panel. This feature allows both trim panels to be made on the same equipment and then installed as needed depending on whether a given door will include a sunshade assembly.
US08663526B2
This relates to a method, a device and a curved molded member made of composite material. From at least one composite strip (24) formed of at least two tapes (3, 4, 5) made of unidirectional reinforcing fibers, pre-impregnated with resin and pre-compacted one with the other, the strip is applied longitudinally on a silicone flexible mandrel (13), by compaction under vacuum to confer the specific shape of the mandrel to it, the resulting strip (24) is deposited on a heated metal tool (31) having a curve that complements the shape of the mandrel and forming the core (32) of a pressure and temperature application mold (26), the flexible mandrel is removed then the mold is brought to pressure and temperature for polymerization, and the member is demolded after cooling.
US08663525B2
Drip emitter having a pressure compensating element that does not contact the enclosing pipe. First known drip emitter formed from a two-shot injection mold process that includes a deformable element, membrane, compressible element or pressure compensating element that compensates pressure or flow of water against a stiff injection molded surface that is part of the drip emitter body. In addition, this is the first drip emitter (two-shot or otherwise) that includes a compensating surface that is not parallel to the membrane, i.e., at an angle to the plane of the pressure compensating element. May include fluid retainment valve, ventable/anti-siphon/non-drain or other, as part of second injection with second or third material. Allows for simple injection mold construction and eliminates need for ISO conditioning to properly seat the membrane before testing.
US08663523B2
A product 10 made from an extruded sheet or web of material 42 having a non-linear cross-section, and the process of making the product 10 is provided. The extruded web or extrudate 42 is plastically deformed in selected areas and then folded. When folded into the appropriate shape, the extrudate 42 is formed into a product 10 having a plurality of cells 14. Optionally, the cells 14a can include one or more openings 34a, allowing access to an interior of the cell 14a and reducing the weight of the product 10a.
US08663520B2
A method of making interdental cleaners includes forming a slug by extruding material in a direction of extrusion to form a first slug portion having a generally rectangular first cross-section and a second slug portion having a tapering second cross-section that extends away from the rectangular first cross-section. The method also includes stamping the slug substantially perpendicular to the direction of extrusion to form a plurality of cleaner blanks. The stamping forms the first slug portions into handle portions of the cleaner blanks, and the second slug portions into shaft portions of the cleaner blanks. The shaft portions include two pairs of converging surfaces that taper toward each other to define a point. The method also includes attaching cleaning members to the ends of the shaft portions.
US08663517B2
Polyolefin woven and nonwoven fibers, filaments and fabrics made therefrom which comprise a melt blend which comprises (a) a polyolefin; and (b) at least one compound of the formula (I) R1-(hydrophilic oligomer) (I) wherein R1 is a straight or branched chain alkyl of 22 to 40 carbon atoms and the hydrophilic oligomer is a homo- or co-oligomer consisting of monomer units derived from monomers selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, epichlorhydrin, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethylene imine, caprolactone, vinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate; and wherein the hydrophilic oligomer consists of between 2 and 10 monomer units, exhibit excellent durable wettability. The fabrics are useful in disposable diapers, training pants, feminine napkins, tampons, incontinence care products, wet and dry wipes, wound dressings, surgical capes, filter medial, battery separators and the like.
US08663516B2
A process for manufacturing a block of material that imitates natural stone. The manufactured stone not only looks and appears like natural stone, but is also consistent with the composition of natural stone. The process comprises forming an aqueous mixture of limestone aggregates, treating the mixture with carbon dioxide under pressure and then highly compressing the treated mixture in a sealed mold. This process recreates the endogenous matrix of the natural stone and its original composition. The block of material is intended for construction and decoration purposes.
US08663514B2
The invention is directed to an article made from co-injection molding using gas-assist. The article has an inner material and an outer material. The inner material has a blowing agent uniformly distributed throughout the inner material. The outer material surrounds the inner material. The use of the blowing agent in the inner material produces a repeatable and consistent structure, as the blowing agent is uniformly activated through the product. The use of the gas-assist the heat and pressure associated with the blowing agent is allowed to out gas, thereby insuring that the finished molded chair or other item is aesthetically pleasing while providing increased strength and reduced weight compared to traditional plastic chairs formed with known methods.
US08663507B2
The present invention relates to pulverulent compounds of the formula NibM1cM2d(0)x(OH)y(SO4)z, a process for the preparation thereof and the use thereof as precursors for the preparation of active materials for lithium secondary batteries.
US08663506B2
A method relating to making a metal coated filler includes mixing a solution of an organic diol with a plurality of porous filler particles to obtain a support mixture; contacting a metal salt solution with the support mixture forming a reaction mixture; and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature within a temperature range from about 50 degrees Celsius to about 200 degrees Celsius. The metal cations in the metal salt solution are reduced to metal particles by the organic diol and are disposed on the porous filler particles and on filler particle pore surfaces. The metal coated filler may then be optionally isolated. Electrically and/or thermally conductive articles including the metal coated fillers and methods for their manufacture are also disclosed.
US08663501B2
Cerium, gadolinium and terbium doped aluminum phosphates of formula I may be used in fluorescent lamps Al1-x-y-z-a-b-c-d-eTbxCeyGdzLuaScbIncLadGaePO4 I wherein x is greater than or equal to about 0.001 and less than or equal to about 0.3; y is greater than or equal to about 0.001 and less than or equal to about 0.3; z is greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.3; a is greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.1; b is greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.1; c is greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.1. d is greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.1; and e is greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.1.
US08663497B2
Disclosed is a liquid crystal composition formed by including a polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I) in a nematic liquid crystal composition with negative dielectric anisotropy (Δ∈). In the formula, ring C1 represents a benzene-1,2,4-triyl group, or the like; rings C2 to C4 represent a 1,4-phenylene group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, or the like; M1 to M3 represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; Z1 and Z2 are a direct coupling, -L1-, -L1O—, -L1O—CO—, or the like; Z6 is a direct coupling, -L2-, -OL2-, —O—COL2-, or the like; at least one of Z1, Z2, and Z6 is not a direct coupling; L1 and L2 represent a C1-10 alkylene group; Z3 to Z5 represent a direct coupling, an ester bond, or the like; and p, q, and r are 0 or 1, wherein 1≦p+q+r≦3.
US08663487B2
The invention is directed to the provision of a method for manufacturing a crystal oscillator manufacturing method that can achieve a highly precise fine adjustment without applying unnecessary external force to a crystal oscillator, and that can adjust a plurality of crystal oscillators in a collective manner. More specifically, the invention provides a method for manufacturing a crystal oscillator includes a first etching step for forming a prescribed external shape, an electrode forming step for forming an electrode at least in a portion of a surface of the external shape, a leakage amount measuring step for measuring leakage amount associated with leakage vibration of the external shape, and a second etching step for etching the external shape by an amount that is determined based on a measurement result of the leakage amount measuring step so as to adjust balance.
US08663478B2
The invention relates to a method for treating water charged with colloidal impurities, either dissolved or suspended, in a treatment plant, wherein said method comprises: the step of contacting said water, in an advanced oxidation area, with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of at least one transition-metal salt; a flocculation step that comprises contacting said water, in a flocculation area, with at least one flocculation additive and with at least one ballast comprising at least one non-soluble granular material denser than water and used as a biomass carrier; the step of feeding the water and floc mixture thus obtained into a settling area; the step of separating the treated water at the upper portion of said settling area from a mixture of sludge and ballast resulting from the settling of said flocs; the step of extracting the sludge and ballast mixture at the lower portion of said settling area; and the step of recycling at least a portion of the sludge into said advanced oxidation area.
US08663477B2
A method for conducting maintenance on a chromatography column (1; 51), said column comprising a column tube (32), a top end cell (20) and a bottom end cell (26), where during chromatography said column tube (32) is secured between said top end cell (20) and said bottom end cell (26). Said method comprises the step of rotating at least the top end cell (20) 180 degrees around a horizontal axis before maintenance is conducted to the top end cell (20).
US08663474B2
A non-blocking filtration system wherein the suspension filtered continuously scrubs the filter, keeping it free of deposits of solid deposits while the filtrate is removed in a variety of biological and chemical applications, substantially reducing the cost of unit operations.
US08663465B2
A filtration and dispensing system that is particularly suitable for underdeveloped parts of the world is provided for storing, filtering, and dispensing rainwater, surface water, or groundwater. The system includes a bank of ceramic filters, a water retention container for holding water to be dispensed by the system, and at least one header tank to which water supplied from the water retention container is fed. A pump is utilized to withdraw water from a lower portion of the water retention container and supplied to the header tank. The withdrawn water is distributed by way of piping from the header tank to individual ceramic filters in the bank of ceramic filters, and a collection tank receives filtered water discharged from the bank of ceramic filters. Trickle feed nozzles or other discharge elements are used to discharge the filtered water from the collection tank for use.
US08663463B2
A vent assembly is described for use in an extracorporeal fluid unit. A vent structure adjacent to a micro-porous membrane forms the assembly. The vent structure is porous and changes color when the vent structure becomes wet, thereby providing a visual indication that the vent structure has been exposed to liquid.
US08663461B2
Solvent regeneration to recover a polar hydrocarbon (HC) selective solvent substantially free of hydrocarbons (HCs) and other impurities from a solvent-rich stream containing selective solvent, heavy HCs, and polymeric materials (PMs) generated from reactions among thermally decomposed or oxidized solvent, heavy HCs, and additives is provided. A combination of displacement agent and associated co-displacement agent squeezes out the heavy HCs and PMs from the extractive solvent within a solvent clean-up zone. Simultaneously, a filter equipped with a magnetic field is positioned in a lean solvent circulation line to remove paramagnetic contaminants. The presence of the co-displacement agent significantly enhances the capability of the displacement agent in removing the heavy HCs and PMs from the extractive solvent. As a result, the solvent regeneration system operates under milder conditions and minimizes or eliminates the need for including a high temperature, energy intensive and difficult-to-operate thermal solvent regenerator.
US08663453B2
A crude product composition is provided comprising hydrocarbons that have a boiling range distribution between about 30° C. and 538° C. (1,000° F.) at 0.101 MPa, the hydrocarbons comprising iso-paraffins and n-paraffins with a weight ratio of the iso-paraffins to n-paraffins of at most 1.4.
US08663452B2
A method using an electrolytic cell to electrolyze urea to produce at least one of H2 and NH3 is described. An electrolytic cell having a cathode with a first conducting component, an anode with a second conducting component, urea and an alkaline electrolyte composition in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode is used to electrolyze urea. The alkaline electrolyte composition has a hydroxide concentration of at least 0.01 M.
US08663451B2
The present invention provides a linker for joining an electrode and a capture probe on a biochip, and a biochip comprising the linker. The impedance baseline of the linker of the present invention is three orders lower than the conventional long chain thiol linker when adopting in a fadaraic impedance biochip construction. With lower impedance baseline, the device designed to measure the signal of the biochip of the present invention could be further simplied on the electrical circuit design and be made in lower cost, compacter size and get the potential to be used in point-of-care applications. The present invention also provides a method of quantitatively detecting a concentration of a target analyte in a fluid sample by adopting the biochip and the linker of present invention.
US08663446B2
An electrochemical-codeposition method for forming a carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced metal nanocomposite includes providing a reaction vessel having an anode and a cathode and a plating solution therein, where the plating solution includes at least one acid, at least one surfactant, a plurality of CNTs, and a plurality of metal cations that include at least one metal. The plating solution has a pH between 2 and 4.5 and at least a portion of the plurality of CNTs are positively charged CNTs in the plating solution. A power supply is connected between the anode and cathode. The positively charged CNTs and metal cations are both electrochemically-codeposited onto the cathode to form the nanocomposite, wherein the metal provides a continuous metal phase for the nanocomposite.
US08663443B2
The present invention relates to a method for the corrosion-protective pretreatment of metal components, which at least partially comprise metal surfaces made of iron, using a chromium-free aqueous treatment solution, which contains fluoro-complexes of zirconium and/or titanium and phosphate ions in a specific ratio range to one another, and a metal component which is pretreated accordingly, and the use thereof for the application of further corrosion-protective coatings and/or lacquer systems. The method is suitable in particular as a pretreatment for electrophoretic painting of metal components, which are provided in the form of non-closed hollow bodies.
US08663435B2
The method for producing the optical semiconductor of the present disclosure includes a mixing step of producing a mixture containing a reduction inhibitor and a niobium compound that contains at least oxygen in its composition; a nitriding step of nitriding the mixture by the reaction between the mixture and a nitrogen compound gas; and a washing step of isolating niobium oxynitride from the material obtained through the nitriding step by dissolving chemical species other than niobium oxynitride with a washing liquid. The optical semiconductor of the present disclosure substantially consists of niobium oxynitride having a crystal structure of baddeleyite and having a composition represented by the composition formula, NbON.
US08663432B2
A magnetron sputtering apparatus of the invention includes: a sputtering chamber in which a target can be opposed to an object to be subjected to film formation; a gas introduction port facing the sputtering chamber; a magnet provided outside the sputtering chamber and opposite to the target and being rotatable about a rotation center which is eccentric with respect to center of the magnet; a sensor configured to detect a circumferential position of the magnet in a plane of rotation of the magnet; and a controller configured to start voltage application to the target to cause electrical discharge in the sputtering chamber on the basis of the circumferential position of the rotating magnet and gas pressure distribution in the sputtering chamber.
US08663424B2
There is provided a plasma processing apparatus capable of performing a plasma process while surely supplying a gas. The plasma processing apparatus includes an outer gas supply member having gas supply openings for supplying a plasma processing gas and a jacket configured to support the outer gas supply member within a processing chamber and serving as a gas supply member supporting device. The jacket includes three supporting members installed so as to connect the outer gas supply member and a sidewall and arranged at a certain distance in a direction in which the outer gas supply member extends and mounts fixed to the sidewall so as to mount the supporting members therein. The supporting members include a first supporting member fixed to a first mount and a second supporting member movably supported in a second mount.
US08663422B2
A ceramic fiber based fire barrier for vehicles contains and directs fires and prevents or substantially hinders fire or extreme heat from adversely affecting underlying materials. The fire barriers protect the vehicle and vehicle components from damage from fire and heat, and also provide increased protection to passengers. The fire barriers provide additional time to properly evacuate passengers from a vehicle in the case of an emergency.
US08663420B2
A rotation device includes an endless guide that defines a continuous circular path, a plurality of moving sections whose movement is guided by the endless guide, and a plurality of pads. Each pad is capable of carrying an article thereon, and each pad is mounted to a respective moving section. A method for producing a worn article using such a rotation device includes the following steps: (i) rotating a fixed pivot point about a first axis where a link connects the pivot point to the moving section; (ii) guiding a moving section along the path defined by the endless guide, where the endless guide has a second axis parallel to but offset from the first axis; (iii) receiving an article by the pad, where the rotating and guiding steps change a spacing interval between adjacent pads; and (iv) releasing the article from the pad after the spacing interval has changed.
US08663416B2
Methods of transferring an image to a substrate are generally provided. A heat transfer material can be partially cut to define a shape with cuts made into the heat transfer material (i.e., into its thickness). The heat transfer material includes a transferable portion overlying a release layer overlying a base sheet such that the cuts are made into the heat transfer material through the transferable portion while leaving the release layer and base sheet uncut. The transferable portion of the heat transfer material can be removed from the base sheet in an area surrounding the shape. Then, the heat transfer material can be positioned adjacent the substrate such that the transferable portion defined by the shape contacts the substrate. Heat and pressure can be applied to the heat transfer material. Thereafter, the base sheet can be removed.
US08663401B2
Compositions, apparatus incorporating a composition, and methods of use are described, one composition embodiment consisting essentially of one or more reactive metals in major proportion, and one or more alloying elements in minor proportion, with the provisos that the composition is high-strength, controllably reactive, and degradable under defined conditions. Compositions of the invention may exist in a variety of morphologies, including a reactive metal or degradable alloy processed into an alloy of crystalline, amorphous or mixed structure that may constitute the matrix of other composition, for instance a composite. Methods of using apparatus comprising a composition, particularly in oilfield operations are also described (e.g. flow and displacement control, sensors, actuators). This abstract allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure. It will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US08663400B2
Provided is a low alloy steel for high-pressure hydrogen gas environments, which contains, by mass percent, C: 0.15 to 0.60%, Si: 0.05 to 0.5%, Mn: 0.05 to 3.0%, P: not more than 0.025%, S: not more than 0.010%, Al: 0.005 to 0.10%, Mo: 0.5 to 3.0%, V: 0.05 to 0.30%, O (oxygen): not more than 0.01%, N: not more than 0.03%, and the balance Fe and impurities, and has tensile strength of not less than 900 MPa. This low alloy steel desirably contains B of 0.0003 to 0.003%, but in this case, N is limited to not more than 0.010%. It is desirable to contain at least one among Cr, Nb, Ti, Zr, and Ca. The contents of Mo and V desirably satisfy the following formula (1): [Mo(%)]·[V(%)]0.2≧0.32 (1).
US08663397B1
The embodiments describe methods for controlling the particles generated when cleaning and drying a wafer in a spin rinse dryer (SRD) module. In some embodiments, the substrate surface is cooled by dispensing deionized (DI) water across the surface of the substrate, while the substrate rests on the SRD chuck. In addition, a method for controlling the particles generated when sleeves in a processing module or SRD contact a substrate surface during a clamping operation or when the sleeves are removed from the substrate surface is provided. A bottom edge or lip of the sleeves and/or the surface of the wafer contacting the sleeve is wetted during clamping/unclamping operations. Alternatively, the substrate may be wetted prior to clamping/unclamping operations.
US08663395B2
A warewasher for washing wares includes a housing defining an internal space with at least one spray zone for washing wares. A liquid delivery system provides a spray of liquid within the spray zone. A tank includes an inlet that is connected to a hot water source for filling the tank with hot water. The liquid delivery system receives water from the tank. An exhaust vents heated air from the housing. A final rinse system is connected to a cold water source. A heat recovery system is located between the final rinse system and the cold water source. The heat recovery system transfers heat from the exhaust air to the cold water provided from the cold water source. A valve associated with the hot water source selectively supplements the water exiting the heat recovery system with hot water from the hot water source.
US08663393B2
A method for operating a dishwasher that includes a plurality of water circuits in which rinsing liquid is circulated according to a program control unit. In an exemplary method, the circulation of the rinsing liquid results in the passage of the rinsing liquid through at least one filter element that captures dirt entrained with the rinsing liquid. In response to a selected one of a program command provided by the program control unit and a detection of a defined degree of soiling of the filter element with dirt, the method includes circulating the rinsing liquid in a second water circuit in coordination with disposing the filter element in a second operating state thereof in which dirt can be dislodged from the filter element.
US08663383B2
The invention provides an expansive material that allows for large expansion of concrete at a material age of 2 to 7 days after pouring and permits concrete to have higher initial compressive strength and makes sure good storage stability, and a process for preparing that expansive material.The invention provides an expansive material and a process for preparing that expansive material, characterized in that clinker or pulverized clinker containing free lime, a hydraulic compound and calcium sulfate anhydrite is heat treated in a carbon dioxide gas atmosphere to form calcium carbonate in it. Preferably, the expansive material contains a particle in which the free lime, hydraulic compound, calcium sulfate anhydrite and calcium carbonate are all present; the content of calcium carbonate is 0.5 to 10% by mass; and the expansive material has a Blaine's specific surface area of 1,500 to 90,000 cm2/g. The expansive material is blended with cement into a cement composition. The preparation conditions are preferably a carbon dioxide gas flow rate of 0.01 to 0.1 L/min. and a temperature of 200 to 800° C., under which conditions there is calcium carbonate formed.
US08663381B2
A pigment is dispersed in a solvent by mixing the pigment nanoparticles with clay in a layered or platelet form and mixing the resultant mixture with the solvent. The method is based on geometric inhomogeneity and mutually exclusive aggregation. The layered or platelet clay having a high aspect ratio is provided to hinder aggregation of the pigment nanoparticles. The pigment nanoparticles can be stably dispersed in a matrix containing an organic solvent and water without aggregation again.
US08663378B2
A method of manufacturing an asphalt mix comprising: heating aggregate; introducing RAP to the aggregate; dry mixing the RAP and aggregate; forming a coating of AC on all aggregate during the step of dry mixing by extending the length in time of the dry mixing step; separately blending AC, biodegradable solvents, and anti-stripping agent to produce a blend; and wet mixing the blend into the RAP and aggregate mix. The biodegradable solvents are capable of making the asphalt mix workable at ambient temperatures and comprise pine extract and biodiesel. The length of the dry mixing is extended to at least about 35 seconds. The aggregate comprises coarse and fine virgin aggregate. RAP is about 40% of the final product. The asphalt mix is stockpiled and bagged. The method further comprises manipulating encrusted material on the outside of the stockpiled cold asphalt mix back into the stockpile.
US08663374B2
An apparatus for concentrating aerosol particles can include: a sample air inlet; an enriched aerosol outlet; an aerosol lean outlet; a flow path connecting the air inlet and aerosol rich and aerosol lean outlets; and a plurality of alternately energized and grounded electrode pairs along the flow path. The aerosol rich outlet can be in fluid communication with an aerosol particle capture device. The apparatus can include a sheath air inlet providing a flow of aerosol free air over surfaces of the alternately energized and grounded electrode pairs. The apparatus can include an elongate focusing chamber having a cylindrical shape containing the alternately energized and grounded electrode pairs that are configured as circular rings. The apparatus can include one or more structures configured to impart tangential, spiral or helical flow to a stream entering through the sample air inlet.
US08663373B2
A free radical injection ionizer for flue gas treatment with corona discharge includes an injection device for releasing free radical source substances and an electrode device for producing corona, wherein the injection device and the electrode device are arranged separately, wherein the electrode device includes a conductive pole, and discharge tips arranged on the upper and lower sides of the conductive pole at equal intervals, and the injection device includes nozzles symmetrically arranged on two sides of the electrode device, and two lines of holes axially arranged on the walls of the nozzles nearby the electrode device, the axial lines of the holes directing the discharge tips nearest the holes.
US08663371B1
A frac truck is provided for the portable metering and dispensing of sand into a fractionation fluid system. Hopper vessels for powder, sand or other aggregate have a discharge vent for releasing air that is displaced during the filling of the hoppers. Venting is required to prevent over pressurization; conventionally, this vented gas entrains a significant amount of solids that would subsequently be released into the atmosphere. A dust collector is mounted for receiving the vented air displaced when powdered material is loaded into the hoppers. The dust collector is connected through a vent tube communicating between the hoppers and the dust collector. Air vented from the hoppers is drawn though the dust collector and past and through a filter media, where clean air is discharged and solids collected. A low profile rotary airlock is used to discharge solids from the bottom of the dust collector.
US08663369B2
The present invention is directed to a method and a system for separating gas components of a combustion gas. A compressible feed stream derived from a combustion gas that contains at least one target compressible component and at least one non-target compressible component is mixed in a substantially co-current flow with an incompressible fluid stream comprising an incompressible fluid in which the target component(s) is/are capable of being preferentially absorbed. Rotational velocity is imparted to the mixed streams, separating an incompressible fluid in which at least a portion of the target component is absorbed from a compressible product stream containing the non-target compressible component(s). The compressible feed stream may be provided at a stream velocity having a Mach number of at least 0.1.
US08663365B2
A method for recovering carbon dioxide from acidified seawater using a membrane contactor and passing seawater with a pH less than or equal to 6 over the outside of a hollow fiber membrane tube while applying vacuum or a hydrogen sweep gas to the inside of the hollow fiber membrane tube, wherein up to 92% of the re-equilibrated [CO2]T is removed from the natural seawater.
US08663363B2
A CO2 recovering apparatus includes: a CO2 absorber that brings flue gas containing CO2 into contact with CO2 absorbent to reduce the CO2 contained in the flue gas; a regenerator that reduces CO2 contained in rich solvent that has absorbed CO2 in the CO2 absorber to regenerate the rich solvent, so that the CO2 absorbent that is lean solvent having CO2 reduced in the regenerator is reused in the CO2 absorber; and a controller that controls to detect the absorbent concentration in the CO2 absorbent, to increase the volume of CO2 absorbent to be circulated based on a decrease in the absorbent concentration, and to adjust the volume of steam to be supplied in the regenerator based on the volume of the CO2 absorbent to be circulated.
US08663360B2
A floating entrainment metallurgical process includes injecting a reaction gas and powdery materials into a reaction furnace, aiming to obtain a controllable highly rotating and floating state and reach the ignition point under the high-temperature radiation of the reaction furnace to combust intensely. Meanwhile, a rotating fluid injected in the reaction furnace will drive the furnace gas, and forms a relatively low-temperature circular backflow protection area around the rotating fluid.
US08663345B2
A system and method for the conversion of free fatty acids to glycerides and the subsequent conversion of glycerides to glycerin and biodiesel includes the transesterification of a glyceride stream with an alcohol. The fatty acid alkyl esters are separated from the glycerin to produce a first liquid phase containing a fatty acid alkyl ester rich (concentrated) stream and a second liquid phase containing a glycerin rich (concentrated) stream. The fatty acid alkyl ester rich stream is then subjected to distillation, preferably reactive distillation, wherein the stream undergoes both physical separation and chemical reaction. The fatty acid alkyl ester rich stream is then purified to produce a purified biodiesel product and a glyceride rich residue stream. Neutralization of the alkaline stream, formed during the alkali-catalyzed transesterfication process, may proceed by the addition of a mineral or an organic acid.
US08663341B2
A hair colorant composition comprises 2-methoxymethyl-1,4-diaminobenzene developer in combination with other p-phenylenediamine developers and selected couplers. A kit for coloring hair comprises the hair colorant composition. A method of treating hair comprises applying the hair colorant composition to hair.
US08663339B2
The invention relates to an adjusting device for a prosthetic device, having a drive (1) for adjusting at least one first component of the prosthetic device relative to a second component, wherein the drive (1) is designed as a permanent magnet electric motor and comprises a stator (4) having exciter coils (3) and a rotor (2) having at least one permanent magnet is an armature magnet (5). At least one holding magnet (6) in the form of a permanent magnet is arranged on the stator (4) to form a cogging torque for the rotor (2).
US08663324B2
An all-inside double-socket ACL reconstruction technique, according to which a femoral socket and a closed tibial socket are provided to accommodate retrograde fixation of at least one graft (for example, a semitendonosus allograft) within the sockets. The closed tibial socket is formed by using a retrograde drill device provided with a retrograde drill cutter detachable from a retrograde drill guide pin. The femoral socket may be formed by the retrograde drill method or by a conventional method, and may be carried out before or after the formation of the tibial socket. The graft is secured in the knee by employing a transversal implant, or by employing an interference screw, and/or a continuous loop/button construct.
US08663319B2
A delivery system and method for percutaneous aortic valve (PAV) replacement and apparatus used therein. A temporary aortic valve including a reversibly expandable occluding means surrounds a central catheter mechanism. The temporary valve is positioned within the ascending aorta, just above and downstream from the coronary ostia. The occluding means is configured such that, when fully expanded against the aortic wall, gaps are left that promote continuous coronary perfusion during the cardiac cycle. The temporary valve substitutes for the function of the native aortic valve during its replacement. The native aortic valve is next dilated, and then ablated through deployment of low profile, elongated, sequentially delivered stents. The stent(s) displace the native tissues and remain within the aortic annulus to receive and provide a structure for retaining the PAV. The PAV is delivered, positioned and deployed within the stent(s) at the aortic annulus with precision and relative ease.
US08663317B2
A radially expandable prosthesis for implantation in a lumen comprises a tubular wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. The tubular wall is provided with cuts to form solid struts which have a thickness and which enables the prosthesis to expand. The solid struts have reservoirs made therethrough in the form of perforating holes for containing a therapeutic agent. The perforating holes each have an inner opening and an outer opening of substantially the same size. The prosthesis, including said perforating holes, has a smooth electrochemically polished surface.
US08663310B2
A hybrid stent graft device for treatment of a Type A dissection having a first tubular portion for placement into the ascending aorta and a second tubular portion for extending around the thoracic arch and down the descending aorta is disclosed. The first tubular portion is connectable to the aorta between the sinotubular junction and the brachiocephalic artery so that it essentially replaces the ascending aorta. A temporary bypass tube allows perfusion during an operation. The second tubular portion has an elongate recess outside of the second tubular portion and an aperture defining a fluid flow path into the recess. The recess is intended to engage an outer curve of the thoracic arch to enable blood flow into the arteries of the thoracic arch. An introduction device in combination with the hybrid stent graft described above is also disclosed.
US08663308B2
The medical devices, such as stent grafts, described herein preferably include a tubular remodelable graft material attached to a support frame formed at least in part from a metallic bioabsorbable material. The remodelable graft material preferably includes an extracellular matrix material such as small intestinal submucosa (SIS). The support frame attached to the graft is preferably a bioabsorbable magnesium alloy. The devices may be implanted within a peripheral vascular body vessel from a percutaneous delivery catheter.
US08663307B2
An endoluminal prosthesis is provided that includes a tubular graft and an expandable annular support structure for use in a body lumen through which body fluids flow. The annular support structure is coupled to the tubular graft where it is to be sealingly engaged with the inner wall of a body lumen so that the graft and support structure, in combination, provide an improved seal. An embodiment according to the invention provides an annular structure with longitudinally staggered apices providing multiple levels of contact with the inner body lumen wall to provide a seal at multiple levels along the length of the prosthesis. One embodiment relates to tubular grafts for endoluminal placement within blood vessels for the treatment of abdominal and other aneurysms.
US08663305B2
A stent or stent-graft delivery system includes a handle having a graft cover retractor having a screw gear and a drive and quick release assembly. The drive and quick release assembly includes a proximal portion and a distal portion that are separable. The proximal portion of the drive and quick release assembly rotates in a first rotational direction about the screw gear to retract the graft cover using the screw gear. The drive and quick release assembly transitions from retraction using the engagement with the screw gear to retraction by sliding by the user grasping the distal portion instead of the proximal portion, and sliding the proximal portion only along the screw gear. In transitioning from using the screw gear to sliding along screw gear, it unnecessary to push any button and unnecessary for the user to remove her/his hand from the assembly.
US08663304B2
A stent and stent catheter for intra-cranial use, and a method of treating vascular disease in blood vessels in the brain.
US08663303B2
The invention generally relates to methods for using an intraocular shunt deployment device to deploy an intraocular shunt from the device and into an eye.
US08663287B2
Spine fixation constructs are configured to receive and retain a spinal rod onto a vertebral bone screw. The spine fixation constructs provide for 360° rotation about a bone screw and variable axial placement about the bone screw. In one form, a rod holder of the spine fixation construct is configured to be axially received onto the bone screw. Axial positioning of the rod holder on the bone screw is fixed through cooperation of the rod holder with a fixation component. The fixation component is axially received onto the bone screw. Retention of the spinal rod by the spinal rod holder is also provided via the fixation member. In one form, spinal rod retention is provided upon axial retention of the spinal rod holder onto the bone screw through cooperating action between the fixation mechanism and the spinal rod holder. According to an embodiment, a member of the rod holder is caused to pivot and capture the spinal rod upon receipt of the fixation member onto the bone screw and rod holder. According to another embodiment, pivoting motion of a pawl of the rod holder by the fixation member not only locks the spinal rod but skews the pawl relative to the bone screw to wedge the axial placement of the pawl and thus the rod holder relative to the bone screw.
US08663286B2
A spinal implant comprises a plurality of contiguous segments, said plurality of contiguous segments configured to apply a torque to a degenerate spinal segment in any of three orthogonal axes. At least one mounting connection is configured to connect said spinal implant to a mounting mechanism, said mounting mechanism being configured to attach said spinal implant to said degenerate spinal segment.
US08663280B2
A method of using a knotless suture anchor includes boring a nest in a bone, driving the suture anchor into the nest, tensioning an unknotted suture; and securing the unknotted suture in an anchor body by contacting the unknotted suture with an inner bottom surface of the well and a bottom face of an anchor plug, where the suture anchor includes the anchor body including a well, a top surface, a bottom surface distal to the top surface, a transverse bore proximal to the inner bottom surface of the well, and he unknotted suture threaded through the transverse bore; where the well includes an outer surface; an inner surface; and the inner bottom surface; and where the anchor plug includes a post; and the bottom face.
US08663278B2
An organ fixing equipment includes a securing part formed by bundling a suturing thread into a bar, and a fixing part composed of the suturing thread forming the securing part and a continuous suturing thread. By pulling the fixing part relative to the securing part with a force of not less than a predetermined magnitude, the suturing thread forming the securing part can be unraveled. A set of organ fixing equipment is provided with an insertion equipment, for inserting the organ fixing equipment and taking-out equipment for taking out the organ fixing equipment from the patient body.
US08663273B2
Disclosed is an adjustable occlusion device for use in a body lumen such as the left atrial appendage. The occlusion device is removably carried by a deployment catheter. The device may be enlarged or reduced to facilitate optimal placement or removal. Methods are also disclosed.
US08663262B2
A battery assembly is used in battery-powered surgical instruments with handles having a battery chamber and different handle types. The battery assembly includes a housing having an exterior shape formed to removably connect with the battery chamber of the handles and a voltage-control circuit. The housing has at least one energy storage cell operable to power a signal generation assembly of the surgical instruments and a battery/handle interface having a plurality of connectors shaped to mate with a plurality of corresponding connectors within the battery chamber of the handles. The voltage-control circuit is operable to communicatively couple with and provide power to the signal generation assembly, detect which one of the handle types is connected to the housing, provide a first output in response to a detection of a first handle type, and provide at least a second output in response to a detection of a second handle type.
US08663255B2
A gastric band comprises a bladder having an opening, an insertable component to fluidly seal the opening, and a strap that may be overmolded onto the bladder. The insertable component may be a grommet or a plug. Additionally, the insertable component may be coupled to a support member via a living hinge. In another configuration, the insertable component comprises a grommet and a suture loop at least partially formed within the grommet. A band may be provided instead of the strap, with the band having a grommet aperture formed through a deck such that the grommet may be inserted into the opening of the bladder. An overmolded shell having a latching member may be overmolded onto the deck to secure the grommet and a portion of the suture loop therein. The gastric band may further be coupled to a flexible conduit and an injection port.
US08663253B2
Methods of repairing knee meniscus tears are described which use suture passer devices and suture shuttles. These methods may be used with continuous suture passing, so that the suture passer device may remain on or in the tissue while passing a suture shuttle, and therefore a suture, back and forth from one side of the tissue to the other. These methods may be used minimally invasively for repairing meniscus tissue while avoiding further damage to the meniscus.
US08663252B2
A surgical device for suturing body lumen is described, as well as methods for suturing tissue employing the surgical device. The device can include a body having a shaft and a foot for insertion into an opening in a body lumen. The body can include tissue ports between the shaft and the foot configured to receive tissue of the body lumen surrounding the opening. The foot can include a suture secured to needle capture devices. Needle can be advanced within the shaft, through tissue within the tissue ports, and into the needle capture devices. The needle capture devices cuffs can then be withdrawn, thereby harvesting the suture, which can then be used to close the opening in the body lumen.
US08663248B2
A device for closing an opening in tissue includes a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one pin associated with a distal end the shaft. A flexible guidebody extends from the distal end of the shaft, while a foot associated with the device is movable with respect to the shaft through the pin connected to at least one slot of the foot. Another device for closing an opening in tissue includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. A plurality of feet are disposed proximate the distal end of the shaft, the plurality of feet being movable with respect to the shaft. The device further includes a flexible guidebody extending from the distal end of the shaft.
US08663245B2
The invention provides a system for occluding a left atrial appendage of a patient. The system can include a ring occluder that can be positioned around the left atrial appendage and a ring applicator to position the ring occluder with respect to the left atrial appendage. The system can also provide a tissue-grasping tool that is separable from the ring applicator tool.
US08663242B2
The invention essentially relates to a surgical needle (17) comprising a long hollow body (18) and two ends (19, 20). The body (18) comprises a ventral wall (21) and a dorsal wall (22) which are connected to one another. According to the invention, the dorsal wall (22) and the ventral wall (21) extend along the long axis of the needle (17). Each of the two ends (19, 20) comprises a hollow beveled tip (23, 24). The needle (17) also comprises a hole (25) which is provided in the dorsal wall (22) of the body (18) and a slit (26) which is provided in the ventral wall (21). In this way, a suture (30) can slide inside the hollow body (18) of the needle, the suture being retained in position by the knot (29) or means for stopping thereof. For said purpose, the smallest diameter (27) of the hole (25) is greater than the largest width (28) of the slit (26).
US08663236B2
Transgastric abdominal access methods and apparatus are described herein. A shape-lockable elongate body can be advanced endoluminally in a flexible state into the stomach, where an opening is created through the stomach wall. The opening can be created endoluminally or by incising instruments placed through the abdominal wall. The elongate body can be transitioned to a rigid state prior to, during, or after advancement into the patient and is passed through the opening into the peritoneal cavity. A dilation balloon can be positioned simultaneously within the elongate body and within the tissue opening such that the elongate body can be advanced through the tissue opening. A flexible needle catheter can also be delivered through the elongate body or an endoscope to provide for insufflation prior to cutting or piercing through the stomach wall. Also, tissue closure devices and methods to close the opening created through the stomach wall.
US08663233B2
A boring instrument guiding device which is used to guide a boring instrument that forms a pilot hole for embedding a pedicle screw in a vertebral pedicle includes a reference pin which is used as a reference by being inserted into the vertebral arch from the rear to the front of a spine, and an arm which extends sideward from the proximal end side of the reference pin, and is characterized in that a plurality of guide holes, each of which is opened toward the tip position of the reference pin to guide the boring instrument, are formed in the arm in a radial pattern centered at the tip position of the reference pin. It is possible to provide a boring instrument guiding device which is capable of more easily and precisely guiding the boring instrument.
US08663228B2
Described herein are elongate devices for modifying tissue having a plurality of flexibly connected rungs or links, and methods of using them, including methods of using them to decompress stenotic spinal tissue. These devices may be included as part of a system for modifying tissue. In general, these devices include a plurality of blades positioned on (or formed from) rungs that are flexibly connected. The rungs are typically rigid, somewhat flat and wider than they are long (e.g., rectangular). The rungs may be arranged, ladder like, and may be connected by a flexible connector substrate or between two or more cables. Different sized rungs may be used. The blades (on the rungs) may be arranged in a staggered arrangement. A tissue-collection or tissue capture element may be used to collect the cut or modified tissue.
US08663226B2
Methods and devices that displace bone or other hard tissue to create a cavity in the tissue. Where such methods and devices rely on a driving mechanism for providing moving of the device to form a profile that improves displacement of the tissue. These methods and devices also allow for creating a path or cavity in bone for insertion of bone cement or other filler to treat a fracture or other condition in the bone. The features relating to the methods and devices described herein can be applied in any region of bone or hard tissue where the tissue or bone is displaced to define a bore or cavity instead of being extracted from the body such as during a drilling or ablation procedure.
US08663225B2
A bone void filler material, including a hydrogel component provided by microparticulates of pre-set hydrogel material dispersed within a carrier component to maintain the microparticulates substantially proximate to one another so that the resulting fill material is rendered as a substantially flowable mass.
US08663194B2
The present invention provides devices, systems, and methods for delivery of an active agent into the eye of a subject. In one aspect, for example, an ocular active agent delivery device (10) can include an active agent reservoir (14) disposed in an annular housing (12), the annular housing (12) being configured to fit inside of a lens capsule and at least partially encircling a line of sight of an intraocular lens within the lens capsule. The device (10) can further include a semipermeable membrane (16) operatively coupled to the active agent reservoir (14), where the semipermeable membrane (16) is configured to allow diffusion of an active agent from the active agent reservoir (14). Additionally, a valve (18) can be operatively coupled to the active agent reservoir (14), where the valve (18) is configured to allow filling of the active agent reservoir (14) with an active agent.
US08663181B2
A disposable urine bag device includes a bag having an open top; and two cuff-like supporting members formed on two sides of the open top of the bag, wherein two fingers are allowed to insert into the supporting members to position the bag and adjust size of the open top of the bag. Moreover, a zipper is provided just below the open top of the bag for sealing the bag. Hence, after use an individual may seal the bag for disposal in an environment without the provision of public toilet. Further, an opening is provided on a sidewall of the bag for urine drainage. A woman may urinate by means of the disposable urine bag device while in standing position. Furthermore, a valve is mounted on the opening so that collected urine may drain via the valve. The collected urine may be used for health examination by hospitals.
US08663180B2
An irrigation system comprising: a reservoir with an inlet for pouring liquid into the reservoir, the inlet defining a closing element for closing the inlet; an insertion member defining an insertion end for insertion into a body cavity a human being, the insertion member defining at least one opening; and a liquid tube fluidly connecting the reservoir and having with the insertion member. At least one of reservoir and the insertion member is permanently fastened to the liquid tube.
US08663176B2
A device and method for applying chemicals to internal tissue of living organisms, including the internal tissue of plants and animals, which organisms reside in mediums such as land, air or water. Piercing elements are engageable with a chemical reservoir in order to coat of the piercing elements with a chemical. Once coated, the piercing elements are used to pierce a living organism's tissue, such as plant tissue, to deliver the chemical.
US08663175B2
The present disclosure is directed to a dose setting mechanism that may be used with a drug delivery device. The dose setting mechanism may include an inner body having a helical thread along an outer cylindrical surface of the inner body, and a drive sleeve for driving a piston rod in an axial direction, the drive sleeve positioned within at least a portion of the inner body. The dose setting mechanism may further include a dose dial sleeve rotatably engaged with the helical thread of the inner body and a dial grip connected to the dose dial sleeve and releasably connected to the drive sleeve. Further when a dose is set, the dial grip is rotated so that both the dose dial sleeve and the drive sleeve rotate with respect to the inner body.
US08663173B2
A single use disposable shield and supportive stand for placement on a medical tool such as a suction catheter comprises a transparent body for protecting a responder from bodily fluids of a patient during suctioning of the oral or nasal cavities of a patient. As well the device acts as a supportive stand and securing agent for multiple medical devices and tools The body has an aperture for receiving a bushing. The bushing has an aperture for receiving the medical tool or device.
US08663171B2
A medical use bandage is configured to immobilize, and to facilitate the use of, a tube implanted in a body. The implanted tube defines a body exit site, and a part of the tube projects from the body. The bandage includes a base support having a lower face for application to the skin and an upper face, a first bandage fixing portion for fixing the exit site, including on the lower face of the base support an adhesive fixing part to be adhered at least partly around the exit site to the skin and to a proximal portion of the projecting part of the tube, and a second bandage fixing portion for engaging the distal portion of the projecting part of the tube in a defined shape and in a sliding manner. The second bandage fixing portion is at least partly a part of the upper face of the support.
US08663154B2
An electrosurgical method for treating foot ulcer, including diabetic foot ulcer, comprising: positioning an active electrode in close proximity to the ulcer, the active electrode being disposed on a distal end of an electrosurgical shaft; applying a high-frequency voltage potential difference across the active electrode and a return electrode in the presence of an electrically conductive fluid, the voltage potential being sufficient to generate plasma at the active electrode; and stimulating the ulcer with the active electrode to increase blood flow, remove unhealthy tissue and induce the body's natural healing response.
US08663140B2
Techniques associated with an implant system for imparting vibratory massage to tissue within a body is disclosed. Methods include placing an implant device near tissue in a pelvic region, the implant device configured to produce and communicate a vibration to the tissue, the implant device including a case forming a portion of an exterior of the implant device and defining an interior of the implant device, a vibration generator mounted on the case to vibrate the implant device, and a tissue engaging structure located on the exterior surface of the case to engage the tissue, and activating the vibration generator of the implant device to cause the implant device to vibrate against the tissue, wherein the vibration stimulates a nerve to treat sexual dysfunction.
US08663138B2
A HFCWO apparatus includes a housing having a port, a therapy system carried by the housing and operable to deliver HFCWO therapy to a patient in accordance with a set of operating parameters, and a memory device couplable to the port for storing at least a portion of the set of operating parameters. The therapy system may be operable in accordance with the portion of the set of operating parameters stored in the memory device. The apparatus may comprise a wireless transmitter carried by the housing and operable to wirelessly transmit data relating to HFCWO therapy to a wireless device, such as a printer, PC, a PDA, and the like.
US08663133B2
The present invention provides a differential pressure body suit with external support against body suit migration. In its preferred embodiment, such body suit may comprise a close-fitting, multi-layered suit sealed against a mammal's skin to contain the differential pressure, or a looser-fitting suit that bends at the mammal's joints with minimal force. External support means include either fixed or movable mechanical supports attached to the body suit, extraordinary air pressure levels for making the body suit rigid, or exoskeletons attached to the body suit. A cyclic control system can turn the differential pressure condition within the body suit on and off on a selective basis to accommodate the movement of the legs of the mammal.
US08663115B2
An ultrasound probe includes a transducer array for a B-mode image which transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam for a B-mode image, and a transducer array for sound speed measurement which is laminated and formed above the transducer array for a B-mode image and receives an ultrasonic beam for sound speed measurement.
US08663111B2
The invention relates to an instrument for measuring the elasticity of a human or animal organ located behind the ribs. The instrument includes a casing having an actuator therein, the end of which is equipped with a transducer that is actuated in order to measure the elasticity of the organ. The measuring instrument also includes a mechanism for centering the transducer between the ribs.
US08663109B2
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for transcutaneous measurement of glucose in a host.
US08663105B2
An ingestible apparatus produces and processes physiological signals representative of a physiological parameter. The apparatus measures the physiological parameter from within the body of a living entity. The apparatus includes a physiological transducer circuit to sense the physiological signals, a processor to process the physiological signals in response to the physiological transducer circuit, and a transmitter that transmits the processed signals during transmission intervals which are alternated with idle intervals. The apparatus further includes a capacitor-based circuit, including at least one capacitor, to accumulate sufficient charge during one of the idle intervals to supply power to the transmitter during one of the transmission intervals.
US08663103B2
A medical device module for use in a system with a remote programmer and/or a personal data assistant (PDA) with at least one medical device includes a housing, at least one medical device and a processor. The housing is adapted to couple with the PDA. The at least one medical device interface is coupled to the housing for interfacing with the at least one medical device. The processor is coupled to the at least one medical device interface to process data from the at least one medical device. The processor is also capable of interfacing with the PDA.
US08663102B2
A surgical retractor and a method of minimally invasive surgery, wherein the surgical retractor includes ribs and a mechanism for transferring of linear and rotational movements of the ribs and wherein each rib can be easily replaced without use of any additional tools. According to embodiments of the present invention, specific parts composing the surgical retractor are made of materials transparent to Röntgen rays (x-rays).
US08663101B2
A surgical kit for operations on the spinal column includes a surgical instrument having a handle body, the handle body having a substantially flat portion blended with the body, wherein the substantially flat portion is shaped to urge the gauze for draining a wound.
US08663098B2
A scanning endoscope apparatus includes: a light source; first and second polarization sections; third and fourth polarization sections; a first wavelength separation section; a second wavelength separation section; a first detection section; and a second detection section. The scanning endoscope apparatus further includes: a first judgment section comparing light intensities of at least two of the light having a first wavelength band transmitted through the first wavelength separation section, the light having a second wavelength band transmitted through the first wavelength separation section, the light having the first wavelength band transmitted through the second wavelength separation section and the light having the second wavelength band transmitted through the second wavelength separation section to observe the return light on a surface area; and a second judgment section comparing light intensities of two which are not used by the first judgment section to observe the return light in a deep-part area of the subject.
US08663097B2
An insertion device includes: a linear member inserted into an insertion portion to be movable; a plurality of mobile bodies provided in a state of being strung together on an outer periphery of the linear member and being movable with respect to the linear member; a restricting member fixed with respect to the linear member, the restricting member restricting a movable range of each mobile body with respect to the linear member and preventing each of the mobile bodies from falling off; and a fixing pin being movable between a first position and a second position at which the fixing pin is fitted in between any adjacent two mobile bodies.
US08663089B2
A treatment tool for an endoscope, including: an insertion tube extending toward one direction; a movable tip member which is provided on a tip of the insertion tube and which is used for a treatment of a living organ; a control member of which a tip is connected to the insertion tube and controls the movable tip member by advancing and retracting a control shaft member inserted in the insertion tube; and a covering tube which covers at least one part of a circumference of the insertion tube. At least one part of the insertion tube rotates freely about an axis of the insertion tube.
US08663086B2
The embodiments described include graft devices for reinforcing patient tissue structures and methods of making and using the graft devices. In certain embodiments the graft devices have a remodelable extracellular matrix material graft body defining a slot and having a portion receivable through the slot to form a closed loop. Such graft devices can be used in encircling reinforcement of patient tissue structures such as anal sphincters or anastomosed vessel segments.
US08663084B2
A treatment planner (102) generates fluence maps (140) indicative of a desired fluence distribution at various locations (304, 312) along a treatment arc (302). A converter (142) converts the fluence distributions (140) to treatment device settings (144). The settings (144) may include multiple segments. A segment distributor (146) distributes the settings to locations in the vicinity of their original positions.
US08663080B2
An apparatus for obtaining containers from a sheet material includes an operating unit for processing the sheet material. The operating unit includes an upper operating part for interacting with an upper surface of the sheet material and a lower operating part for interacting with a lower surface of the sheet material. The apparatus further includes a sterilizing arrangement for sterilizing a space adjacent to the upper operating part and to the lower operating part, so as to create a substantially aseptic environment above and below the sheet material.
US08663070B2
This invention discloses an elliptical exercise apparatus that is characterized in having left and right tracks disposed in a guider frame which is pivotally coupled to a rear portion of the elliptical exercise apparatus. When a user uses the elliptical exercise apparatus, the guider frame is at a use position. When the user folds the elliptical exercise apparatus, the guider frame is at a storage position. A user can complete folding procedure merely by operating the guider frame without lifting some heavy components of the elliptical exercise apparatus.
US08663061B2
A gear shifting method of a hybrid vehicle may include releasing a clutch and brake of a transmission and determining a neutral condition status, controlling torque of an engine connected to one operational element of a first planetary gear set in a neutral condition, and controlling speed of a first motor/generator connected to the other operational element of the first planetary gear set. Accordingly, a speed of the first and second motor/generator are controlled and a torque of the engine is controlled in a neutral or parking state of a shift lever such that a mode change becomes easy and the torque of the engine is continuously controlled to improve a shift quality and a driving performance and to save fuel, while the neutral or parking state is changed to a drive or reverse state or the drive or reverse state is changed to the neutral or parking state.
US08663052B2
An infinitely variable transmission device (4) for a vehicle drivetrain (1) which includes a variator (8) and a gearshift transmission device (9), which produce gear ratios in a plurality of ratio ranges with continuous variation. The device has a planetary transmission device (7) in active connection with a transmission input (12), in an area of a first shaft (11), with the gearshift transmission device (9), in an area of a second shaft (14), and with the variator (8), in an area of a third shaft (16). The torque to be transmitted by the transmission device (4) passes, via at least two power paths, between the transmission input (12) and a transmission output (10). The variator (8) is arranged in one of the two power paths and the gearshift transmission device (9) is arranged between the variator (8) and the transmission output (10).
US08663047B2
A superimposed transmission for driving a rotational speed-variable work machine having the following design: an input shaft (2) is connected to an intermediate shaft (3); a pump wheel (5) of a hydrodynamic converter (6) rotates with the intermediate shaft (3); a turbine wheel (7) of the hydrodynamic converter (6) rotates with a superposition means; the intermediate shaft (3) and the transmission means are connected to an output shaft (14) by means of a differential gear (4); and the transmission means is designed as at least one coupling shaft (10), which connection the turbine wheel (7) of the hydrodynamic converter (6) to the differential gear (4). The at least one coupling shaft (10) runs parallel to the intermediate shaft (3). An additional hydrodynamic converter (15) can be present and/or the coupling shaft (10) can be connected in an engageable manner directly to the input shaft (2) by means of an additional transmission (18) for starting the transmission.
US08663039B2
A sporting base includes a main base body, a securing seat, and a ground-insertable securing unit. The main base body includes a shock-absorbing core that has a bottom surface formed with an upwardly-extending inserting hole. The securing seat is disposed fittingly and separably into the inserting hole of the main base body, and is configured to be placed stably on the ground. The securing unit is for securing the securing seat to the ground.
US08663037B2
A game goal according to the invention, such as a soccer goal, collapses both vertically and laterally. The goal includes joints and brackets which facilitate the collapse of the goal such that the during vertical collapse, the forward uprights of the goal fold below the goal's lower rear support members, enhancing the goals transportability. The goal includes stabilizing arms and corresponding receptacles to stabilize the goal in the collapsed position. The goal also has a resistive element which prevents the goal from collapsing too quickly. The goal further incorporates a rotating joint in a top corner bracket which provides an interference fit with a slot in the top corner bracket and a notch in the upright, thereby providing stability when the goal is in the upright or open position for use. Lateral stability of the goal under the weight of a net is enhanced by angle brackets at the ground level of the goal. The angle brackets pivotally connect to the lower crossbar, which folds at its center to facilitate lateral collapse of the goal. The upper crossbar also folds at its center and is attached to the upper corner brackets, which have a pivoting connection to the uprights to facilitate lateral collapse.
US08663033B2
Golf balls may include a first pole, a second pole, and a seam located between the first and second poles. Dimples are formed on a surface of the ball in a pattern that includes a plurality of repeating sectors around each pole of the ball. The sectors on one ball half are rotationally offset across the seam line from the sectors on the other ball half. Additionally, each individual sector includes a line of symmetry over which the dimple pattern on one half of the sector is mirrored on the other half. A variety of different dimple types also may be arranged on a golf ball surface, e.g., within the sectors described above. Additional aspects of this invention relate to the features of various layers of a multi-piece golf ball and to methods of making golf balls having at least some of the features mentioned above.
US08663030B2
A customizable golf club head is disclosed herein. The customizable golf club head includes a body comprising a crown and a sole and a removable skid plate attached to the sole, wherein the removable skid plate affects the face angle of the golf club head at address. The face angle of the golf club can be further altered by removing the first skid plate and replacing it with a second skid plate having a structure that, when the second skid plate is affixed to the golf club head, causes the golf club head to have a different face angle at address.
US08663022B2
An elastic joint body for a shaft arrangement for the articulated connection of two shaft sections, comprising a plurality of bushes (12) disposed in circumferential direction at predetermined angular distances in relation to a center line of the joint body, a plurality of loop assemblies (22, 24, 26), wherein each loop assembly (22, 24, 26) is looped around in each case two adjacent bushes (12) and at least two loop assemblies (22, 24, 26) are looped around each bush (12), a support device (10) that is disposed for axially guiding the plurality of loop assemblies (22, 24, 26) on at least one of the bushes, and a rubber-elastic sheath, into which the loop assemblies (22, 24, 26), the support device (10) and the bushes (12) are at least partially embedded. According to the invention it is provided that the support device (10) comprises two axially outer shoulder elements (14, 16), which may be fitted on one of the bushes (12) and against which at least two of the loop assemblies (22, 24, 26) to be guided are positioned, wherein between said assembly loops (22, 24, 26) at least one axially inner intermediate disk (18, 20) is disposed on one of the bushes (12) and is disposed at an angle obliquely relative to the center line (M) of the bush (12).
US08663020B2
A shaft, including an outer peripheral surface; an inner peripheral surface; an oil flow passage that is formed in the shaft and is defined by the inner peripheral surface; a large inner-diameter portion having a first inner diameter; a small inner-diameter portion adjoining the large inner-diameter portion in one direction along an axial direction of the shaft, and having a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter; and a through hole extending from an inner peripheral surface of the large inner-diameter portion to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft. The small inner-diameter portion is formed by bending radially inward an extending portion, which extends in the one direction from the large inner-diameter portion.
US08663014B2
Apparatus and method with physical location check-in that triggers a status change in a virtual game
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to receive a check-in indication from a physical location with a corresponding virtual location in a virtual game. An attribute in the virtual game is altered based upon the check-in indication. The attribute may be earned points for a user, a virtual object earned by a user or an enhanced popularity measure for the virtual location.
US08663012B2
A plurality of players of at least one electronic game are enabled to play the game over a network. Players are ranked, based on accomplishments during game play, on a grid having multiple vertical levels and, on at least one of the vertical levels, multiple horizontal tiers. Player rankings are adjusted, following game play, based on points earned or lost. In one embodiment, defending players may be compensated without regard to game outcome.
US08663011B2
A game and messenger client-server system is provided that includes a plurality of game clients, a game server, a plurality of messenger clients, and a messenger server. The game server includes logic to operate a multiplayer game using inputs from and outputs to an active game set of game clients, wherein game clients other than those in the active game set can join an active game by supplying the game server with a reference to the active game. Additionally, logic is included for coupling a game client to a messenger client to allow the game client to send the messenger client data used to initiate joining a game, whereby a message sent by the messenger client includes the data used to initiate joining a game. Also, logic is included for initiating a join of a game at an invitee client, using data received in a message to the invitee.
US08663002B2
A system and method for rewarding players of wagering game with a bonus is disclosed. A database is provided for collecting and storing personal interest information from two or more players. The database comprises data fields each representing a category of personal interest information. Groups of common personal information are established. Awarding a bonus award includes selecting a group and determining players currently participating in the wagering game that are in the selected group. At least one player that is currently participating in the wagering game is selected for the bonus award. The selections can be randomly made.
US08663001B2
A gaming machine system includes a system controller, and a plurality of gaming machines linked to the system controller. Each gaming machine has a first display and a game controller controlling images of symbols displayed on the first display and operable to play a game wherein at least one random event is displayed on the first display. If a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. During play of a feature game, feature images are displayed on a second display. The system further includes a remote display that is visible to anyone at the gaming machines. Images appearing on the displays of any of the gaming machines participating in the feature game are related to images displayed on the remote display, and the feature images are used in determining outcomes on those gaming machines participating in the feature game.
US08662994B2
Method, apparatus, and program product for distributing random number generation on a gaming network
Methods, apparatus, and program products are disclosed for providing distributed RNG calculation capability. Generally, gaming machines cooperate on a gaming network to calculate a result for a RNG algorithm. A preferred system uses peer machines to perform partial RNG calculations, but cooperating server machines may also be used. One method calculates a first partial RNG calculation at a first machine using a seed value. The first machine transmits results of the first partial calculation to a second machine, which completes the RNG calculation. Some algorithms may include a step of combining partial results from two or more gaming machines. A preferred system uses a RNG state tracker and a seed tracker operating on a RNG master machine. This machine initializes a partial RNG with a seed value, and then tracks the state of the partial RNG using results from the completed calculation obtained over the network.
US08662992B2
A wagering game system and operations for a wagering game system include a plugin architecture and framework in which wagering game system applications utilize plugins to provide functionality for an application or service. The plugins may be independently tested and verified by a jurisdictional testing agent to confirm that the operation of the plugin complies with the rules and regulations for a jurisdiction. If plugins are added or updated, a system vendor may submit only those plugins that require jurisdictional approval to a testing agent. An application or service may download plugins that are approved for use in the jurisdiction in which the application or service is operating.
US08662979B2
A method of allocating poker pots based on the true odds of winning the hand. The pot allocation is at the election of the two or more players involved in the hand after no more bets are possible (i.e., one or more players all in). Once no more bets are possible, the two or more players may elect to allocate the pot based on the true odds of each player winning the pot. The house or game operator may charge a fee in order for players to utilize the pot allocation option. In one version, players may allocate a percentage of the pot and play the hand out for the remaining percentage. In yet another version, if one player declines the pot allocation option, the house or operator may buy the player's hand and play it out. In yet another version, the pot allocation option may be offered to players multiple times during a poker game with the true odds changing based on newly displayed/dealt cards.
US08662957B2
In one aspect, a polishing pad includes a homogeneous unitary polishing layer having a polishing surface, an opposed bottom surface, a recess in the polishing surface extending partially but not entirely through the polishing layer, and a solid light-transmissive window is secured in the recess. In another aspect, a polishing pad includes a polishing layer having a polishing surface, and the polishing surface includes a first region having a first plurality of grooves with a first depth extending partially but not entirely through the polishing layer and a second region surrounded by the first region and having a second plurality of grooves with a second depth extending partially but not entirely through the polishing layer, the second depth greater than the first depth.
US08662956B2
Provided are a conditioner of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate over a platen pad that rotates and a method thereof. The conditioner includes a disk holder, a piston rod, a housing, and a load sensor. The disk holder secures a conditioning disk that finely cuts a surface of the platen pad. The piston rod delivers a normal force to the disk holder. The housing covers at least a portion of the piston rod. The load sensor is installed to receive the normal force that the piston rod delivers to the piston rod and measuring the normal force.
US08662954B2
A toy doll is provided having a torso defined by a front surface and a back surface. The doll may additionally include legs extending from a lower portion of the torso, an image sensor located on the back surface of the torso, and an image display located on the front surface of the torso. The doll may additionally include a control panel integrated into the pelvic region of the torso, operatively interconnected with the image sensor and the image display, so that that the image sensor and the image display are controllable by using the control panel. The doll may further include fabric clothing covering the image display, permitting a user to create the appearance of personalized graphic clothing for the doll.
US08662949B2
An architecture is presented that provides a glow in the dark flotation device that increases the likelihood of quickly locating individuals lost in water by increasing the visibility of the user, and more particularly to a durable conventional life jacket having a phosphorescent portion that emits visible light under low-light conditions.
US08662936B2
The USB female connector contains an insulating base and a shielding casing enclosing the insulating base. On the insulating base, there is mainly a ground terminal having a flat ground contact section at an end on the insulating base. From the ground contact section, the ground terminal is extended away from the insulating base and forked into a first ground extension section, a second ground extension section, and a third ground extension section. Through the forked first, second, and third ground extension sections, the high-frequency crosstalk problem is effectively resolved.
US08662932B2
A connector system having right angle, board-mounted header and receptacle connectors includes both a power interface and a signal interface for transmitting power and data signals there between. Optionally, the connectors may have features that allow the corresponding circuit boards to be offset. The connectors may have features that provide guidance for alignment of the header and receptacle connectors. The connectors may have features to enhance the electrical performance of the conductors defining the signal paths through the connector system. The connectors may have features that orient the components of the header and receptacle connectors for mounting to the circuit boards to maintain the true positions of the contacts for mounting to the circuit board.
US08662931B2
A method for using a connector with terminals for connecting to a circuit card. The connector includes a socket having a casing with an aperture for receiving the circuit card therein and electrically conductive terminals. The terminals include an elongated portion and a substantially L-shaped portion joined together by a U-shaped portion. The elongated portion has a proximal end and a distal end, and includes a support section and a bending section between the proximal end and the distal end. The U-shaped portion is disposed at the distal end of the elongated portion. The terminal continues from the U-shaped portion to approximately halfway towards the proximal end of the elongated portion and turns away from the elongated portion thereby forming the substantially L-shaped portion. The L-shaped portion ends in a lip section curving towards the proximal end of the elongated portion.
US08662925B2
Connectors to connect optional or daughter cards or boards to main or motherboards. One example provides a connector that is capable of supporting high-speed data rates by employing contacts that provide short signal paths and a ground plane to improve signal quality. The space consumed in electronic devices may be reduced by providing a connector having a low profile, while another example may provide a connector having mechanical stability. Another example provides a connector having an increased manufacturability. Other examples include wider contacts for increased current capabilities.
US08662924B2
An electrical connector system includes a receptacle connector having a receptacle housing holding a plurality of receptacle signal contacts arranged in pairs carrying differential signals. The receptacle housing has a front face. The system includes a header connector coupled to the receptacle connector. The header connector includes a header housing holding a plurality of header signal contacts arranged in pairs carrying differential signals and mated with corresponding receptacle signal contacts. The header housing has a front face that opposes the front face of the receptacle housing when coupled thereto with a gap being defined between the front faces. Gap fillers are provided within the gap. The gap fillers are conductive and include deflectable spring fingers. The gap fillers provide impedance control for the header signal contacts along the gap.
US08662915B2
A connector for connecting an FFC to a substrate includes a plurality of signal contacts, a ground contact, and a housing. The signal contacts are arranged to come into contact with signal terminals of the FFC. The ground contact comes into contact with the ground terminal of the FFC. The housing holds the plurality of signal contacts and the ground contact. A first distance from an end of the housing to a contact point of each signal contact with each signal terminal is set to be substantially equal to a second distance from an end of the housing to a contact point of the ground contact with the ground terminal. The first and second distances are measured along a direction in which one of the FFC and the FPC is inserted into or removed from the connector.
US08662897B2
The invention is a method and system that provides for efficiently incentivising and rewarding employees for their successful use of a training system or other employer defined metrics by utilizing Smartcard® cards and You Did It Right® cards. Successful demonstration of training and performance metrics is rewarded through such rewards as gift cards or discount coupons redeemable for goods and/or services at retail/service centers.
US08662895B2
The present invention provides assistance for a person to better comprehend the samples of a target language and, simultaneously, it facilitates that the person learns that language better. In order to do that, some special perspectives on those language samples are provided, and those perspectives show in a simple form the internal structure of said samples. All this will facilitate the person the assimilation of the structure and meaning of those language samples.The invention is based on two facts. First, linguistic research has show that language comprehension depends on the assimilation of the internal structure of the messages that are received. Second, language learning require the learner to comprehend messages of that language in order to be able to develop the competence to associate meaning and form.
US08662888B2
A furnace loading system for use with a heat treating furnace is disclosed. The furnace loading system includes a platform and a support structure mounted on the platform. First and second transport rails are mounted on the support structure. The furnace loading system also includes a transfer cart that is adapted for supporting a work load and for moving along the transport rails. A lift mechanism is operatively mounted on the transfer cart for vertically displacing a work load supported on the transfer cart. The furnace loading system also includes a drive mechanism mounted on the support structure and operatively connected to the transfer cart for displacing the cart along the rails. A traction device is operatively connected to the platform for moving the furnace loading system relative to a heat treating furnace.
US08662880B2
Soluble pouches are formed on a continous motion rotating thermoforming machine having cavities in the surface of a drum into which a web of polymeric film is drawn by a vacuum to form pockets. The pockets are filled with one or more components and closed by a further web of polymeric film. Shrink-back of the polymeric film within the cavities is reduced by heating the cavities with heaters.
US08662877B2
A system for a thermal manufacturing system including a heliostat and a mold. The heliostat includes at least one reflecting surface, a steering mechanism and a controller. The steering mechanism is coupled to the at least one reflecting surface and capable of directing at least a first portion of the at least one reflecting surface toward a first one of multiple, selectable focal points. The mold is located in a second one of the selectable focal points. A manufacturing method is also disclosed.
US08662876B2
Installation for heating the bodies (1) of thermoplastic preforms (2) with a view to manufacturing containers by blow-molding or stretch-blow-molding, while the preforms (2) are being moved along with their bodies (1) following a predetermined path (T), this installation comprising at least one directional source (5) of electromagnetic radiation directed towards a location (E) on the path (T); the source (5) is inclined by an angle (α) of between about 60° and 10° and preferably less than about 45°, with respect to the tangent (6) to the path (T) at the location (E); thus, the electromagnetic radiation can pass through several preform bodies or parts of bodies without being appreciably reflected back towards the source (5).
US08662865B2
A fluid end (15) for a multiple reciprocating pump assembly (12) comprises at least three plunger bores (61 or 91) each for receiving a reciprocating plunger (35), each plunger bore having a plunger bore axis (65 or 95). Plunger bores being arranged across the fluid head to define a central plunger bore and lateral plunger bores located on either side of the central plunger bore. Fluid end (15) has suction valve bores (59 or 89), each suction valve bore receiving a suction valve (41) and having a suction valve bore axis (63 or 93). Discharge valve bores (57 or 87), each discharge valve bore receiving a discharge valve (43) and having a discharge valve bore axis (63 or 93). The axes of at least one of suction (10) and discharge valve bores is inwardly offset in the fluid end from its respective plunger bore axis.
US08662856B2
A pump control system includes a source of pressurized fluid an output valve adjustably controls the flow of pressurized fluid from the source. An output valve control is coupled to the output valve and monitors the actual state of the output valve. The control selectably adjusts the output valve in response to a first control signal. A controller is coupled to the output valve control, the controller receiving information from the output valve control corresponding to the actual state of the output valve and providing to the output valve control the first control signal, the first control signal being applied to the output valve to achieve and maintain a desired state.
US08662855B2
A composite blade includes a preform and a binder. The preform is a preform of yarns woven in three-dimensions and has a tip region, a root region and an intermediate region. The intermediate region is positioned between the tip region and the root region. The yarns comprise warp yarns and weft yarns. The warp yarns form a longitudinal axis. The weft yarns are positioned at a 90 degree angle to the warp yarns. The weft yarns increase in yarn size as determined by filament count along the longitudinal axis to change the thickness of the preform. The binder maintains the relative positions of the preform yarns.
US08662851B2
A method for joining a cast metal material blade ring and a metal material hub structure into a turbine rotor. One of the blade ring and the hub structure is mounted in a holder and the other is mounted in a rotation holder for being rotated. At least one of these mountings is heated, and then they are pressed together with a selected force while rotating to weld the ring interior wall and the disk side to form the assembled structure.
US08662843B2
The system of the present application includes an adaptive twist system for a rotor blade. The adaptive twist system includes a slider mechanism coupled to a spar and to a skin. The slider mechanism provides structural connectivity between the spar and the skin while also selectively translated the skin relative to the spar, thereby causing the rotor blade to twist. A control system is used to operate the slider mechanism so that the rotor blade is automatically twisted into the optional shape during changes in flight modes.
US08662838B2
A compressor housing resistant to a titanium fire (burning titanium). A mixed housing is constructed, in which a structure holding stator blades includes a single-cast part made from titanium or titanium alloy, and at least one element forming a shield made from refractory alloy(s), and which is incombustible in presence of burning titanium, where each shield is secured to the single-cast part by fasteners. The fasteners are positioned with each shield so as to define jointly an inner wall demarcating an outer contour of the compressor airstream.
US08662837B2
A two-stage high pressure turbine includes a second stage vane having an airfoil with a profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
US08662835B2
A turbine nozzle for a turbomachine, including inner and outer annular platforms connected together by vanes, the inner platform carrying annular elements of abradable material co-operating with annular wipers of a rotor of the turbomachine to form a labyrinth seal, these elements of abradable material being carried by annular sheet-metal sectors of substantially L-, S-, or C-shaped section that are fastened by brazing or welding at their outer peripheries to the inner platform and at their inner peripheries to the elements of abradable material.
US08662831B2
A shell structure for a turbine engine that includes a plurality of diaphragms, wherein each diaphragm comprises: an annularly formed support structure that positions and secures a row of circumferentially spaced stator blades, and wherein the plurality of diaphragms are configured and axially stacked such that each diaphragm abuts the diaphragm that is positioned directly upstream from it and the diaphragm that is positioned directly downstream from it such that a first shell structure is formed; a second shell structure disposed outboard of the first shell structure; and an intermediate chamber defined between an outboard face of the first shell structure and an inboard face of the second shell structure; wherein: a downstream end and an upstream end of the first shell structure define the axial length of the first shell structure; one or more downstream radial ports are defined at the approximate axial position of the downstream end of the first shell structure, each downstream radial port fluidly connecting the intermediate chamber to the main flow path of the turbine engine; and between the axial position of the downstream axial ports and the axial position of the upstream end of the first shell structure, the first shell structure is configured such that the intermediate chamber is substantially sealed from the main flow path.
US08662828B2
A high pressure turbine of a turbomachine such as a turbojet, in which a control box of radial clearances of rotating blades are provided. An annular element including a determined flexibility has one end fixed to an annular support and the other end supported by a simple axial bearing with a given pressure on the upstream side of the control box. Thus, disturbing vibration loads are prevented at the attachment points of the control box with the external casing of turbines, thereby also eliminating the risk of cracks occurring.
US08662824B2
A rotor containment structure for gas turbine engine comprises an inner containment layer having a single integral body defining an annular structure about the rotor, and having a support on the inner surface of the inner containment layer for at least one shroud segment. An outer containment layer provides containment strength to contain blade fragments and defining an annular structure about the inner containment layer. Air passage through the outer containment layer for air to pass from an exterior of the outer containment layer to an interior of the outer containment layer; and the inner containment layer being connected at a first end to the outer containment layer with a gap defined between the inner surface of the outer containment layer and the outer surface of the inner containment layer, the gap being in fluid communication with the air passage such that air flows through the gap, beyond a free second end of the inner containment layer.
US08662823B2
A steam turbine may include a turbine section including a rotor. An inner casing is provided about the turbine, the inner casing including an upstream end, a downstream end and an inner casing exhaust port positioned at the downstream end allowing exhaust steam to exit the inner casing. An outer casing is provided about the inner casing, the outer casing including an upstream end, a downstream end and an outer casing exhaust port positioned at the upstream end of the outer casing. A flow path extends between the inner casing and the outer casing through which the exhaust steam passes in an upstream direction from the inner casing exhaust port to the outer casing exhaust port. A flow barrier may be provided in the flow path between the inner casing and the outer casing.
US08662822B2
A side channel compressor for compressing a gas comprises a housing (3), a side channel (30), located in the housing (3) and having a cross-sectional area (A), for compressing a gas, a gas inlet opening (31) formed in the housing (3), the gas inlet opening (31) being in flow connection with the side channel (30) for introducing a gas, a gas outlet opening (32) formed in the housing (3) for discharging the gas to be compressed from the side channel (30), wherein the gas outlet opening (32) is in flow connection with the gas inlet opening (31) via the side channel (30), and an impeller (2) which is mounted for rotation in the housing (3) and comprises impeller blades (1) disposed in the side channel (30), wherein the cross-sectional area (A) of the side channel (30) decreases non-monotonically from the gas inlet opening (31) towards the gas outlet opening (32).
US08662821B2
A removable steam inlet assembly and lifting fixture for a steam turbine are provided to facilitate lifting of the upper exhaust hood of the steam turbine. The removable steam inlet assembly is detached from the steam inlet of the turbine inner casing for the lift and mounted to the upper exhaust hood with a lifting fixture. Detaching and removal of the steam inlet assembly substantially lowers the clearance height for the lift, allowing lower turbine building height with significant cost savings.
US08662816B2
An improved Z-bar linkage for wheel loader machines for maneuvering an implement such as a bucket or pallet forks may include lift arms pivotally connected between an end frame of the machine and the implement, a tilt link pivotally connected between the implement and a tilt lever that is pivotally connected between the tilt link and the lift arms. Lift cylinders may rotate the lift arms to raise and lower the implement, and a tilt cylinder may drive the tilt lever and tilt link to rotate the implement between a dump position and a racked position. Ratios of the lengths of these kinematic elements are provided such that the good performance with one implement, such as bucket, does not result in poor performance with another implement, such as the pallet forks.
US08662808B2
The invention provides a type of elastic nut, primary comprising first and second compression slots allowing for compression and connecting strips at the bottom of the retaining nut, with the connecting strips in alternate positions, so that when the retaining nut is used to hold a plug in place on the bolt, and further torque is applied to the retaining nut, the nut is held in place on top of the plug with elastic force, effectively holding the plug in place more tightly.
US08662806B2
A unique self-drilling anchor screw is configured so that it can be set and used to secure a first object to a second object using only one tool to save time and effort. A nut of the screw engages a nut stop when turning in reverse, thereby driving rotation of the screw in reverse. The screw has a drill bit tip adapted for drilling a hole while turning in reverse. A hole is drilled using the drill bit tip while turning the nut in reverse with a socket wrench of the one tool. After drilling the hole, the nut is turned in the forward direction with the socket wrench to engage a sleeve member of the screw, which sets the screw in the second object. Then, the nut is further turned forward using the socket wrench to tighten the nut against the first object located between the nut and the second object.
US08662804B2
A low profile hold down assembly is mounted to the exterior surface of a sidewall of a trailer. The hold down assembly includes a cover member formed from the same material from which the sidewall of the trailer is formed and therefore is aesthetically desirable.
US08662802B2
A rigid design for a machine tool having perpendicular X, Y, and Z axes includes fixed X-axis frame members at the back of the machine, fixed Z-axis vertical frame members at the front of the machine, and fixed upper and lower Z-axis frame members rigidly attached to the fixed X-axis frame members and the fixed Z-axis vertical frame members. The frame members form a fixed, rigid, closed force loop design. A movable Y-axis column is bifurcated and a headstock is mounted in the center opening of the column. The headstock is advanced and retracted relative to the workpiece by moving the Y-axis column and the headstock relative to the workpiece. Because the headstock is fixed relative to the Y-axis column, the unsupported portion of the headstock relative to the Y-axis column does not change as the Z-axis position of the headstock changes relative to the workpiece.
US08662794B2
An adapter for connecting a helical pile to a drive assembly includes a pin block connectable to the helical pile. A tool body has a first protrusion to receive the pin block to facilitate aligning the helical pile with the tool body. A locking member is movably connected to the tool body. The locking member is movable between an insertion position to allow insertion of the pin block and a locking position to lock the pin block in the tool body.
US08662780B2
The container for fluid products, particularly creams, ointments, pastes, lotions for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use, comprises a containment body for containing a fluid product which has an exit mouth for the fluid product, a closing element for closing the mouth, and an applicator element associable with the containment body near to the mouth and suitable for dispensing the fluid product exiting from the mouth.
US08662779B2
A dispenser for fluid material that facilitates spreading of the fluid material is disclosed. The dispenser can comprise a unitary construction, or can be composed of a plurality of components that can be fastened together. Disposable cartridges containing fluid material can be attached to the dispenser, and the material within can be dispensed on a surface. The dispenser provides metered dispensing.
US08662768B2
An image forming device is provided with a sheet feeding unit capable of selectively feeding recording sheets of a plurality of sizes, a print unit configured to print out images represented by print data on page-by-page basis, the print data including information of designated size of the recording sheets. On condition that running out of the recording sheets of the designated size in the sheet feeding unit is detected during printing out of the images, the sheet feeding unit starts feeding the recording sheets of a substitute size which is different from the designated size and the print unit continues printing out of images represented by remaining part of the print data on the recording sheet of the substitute size. A storing unit stores the remaining part of the print data after printing, but not part of the print data printed on the recording sheets of designated size.
US08662764B2
In a method of controlling a gaze direction of a camera, the camera is placed on a top surface of a substrate that is pivotally coupled to a frame, wherein a movement arm depends downwardly from the substrate. The movement arm is moved with two spaced apart amplified piezoelectric ceramic stack actuators that are affixed to the frame and coupled to the movement arm by deforming the amplified piezoelectric ceramic stack actuators as a result of applying a voltage thereto, thereby changing an angular orientation of the substrate.
US08662754B1
An air or gas bearing supports a moving mass on a thin column of gas which is partially constrained in a pressurized cavity. The gas to the cavity is supplied through a fluidic amplifier. Pressure in the thin supporting column above the bearing pad, or the position of the mass surface relative to the open end of the pressurized cavity, is sensed. The resulting feedback pressure signal is dynamically compensated to produce a pressure signal to the input ports of the fluidic amplifier which is a function of the velocity of the mass. The compensation network consists of orifices, or flow resistors, and volume cavities, or compressible fluid capacitors. The compensated feedback pressure is amplified by the fluidic amplifier to provide an output pressure to the bearing cavity which is indicative of and nearly proportional to the mass velocity perpendicular to the bearing pad and achieve a high degree of damping without use of extremely small orifices or complicated electromechanical damping means.
US08662745B2
A method of measuring conditions of an ultrasonic instrument includes providing an ultrasonic instrument that includes an end effector and a waveguide operably coupled to a generator and the end effector. The method involves generating one or more pulses with the generator, transmitting the one or more pulses to one or both of the waveguide and the end effector, generating one or more waves that scatter in an interferential pattern in response to the transmission of the one or more pulses, registering a signal indicative of the interferential pattern, generating an actual interferential pattern based upon the signal, and identifying one or more conditions of the end effector based upon the actual interferential pattern.
US08662736B2
A bone cement system (100) is provided having a mixing facility (10) for mixing and dispensing of bone cement, a reservoir container (112) for a monomer, and a conveyor (122). The mixing facility (10) has a mixing cylinder (20), which stores a bone cement powder. The monomer can be conveyed from the reservoir container (112) into the mixing cylinder (20) by the conveyor (122). A sieve element is (4) is arranged between the reservoir container (112) and the mixing facility (10), in order to prevent ingress of the bone cement powder from the mixing cylinder (20) into the conveyor (122). The mixing device (10) included a dispensing opening (23) for dispensing a bone cement mixed from the bone cement powder and the monomer. The dispensing opening (23) includes a shield (1) having at least one through-opening (2). The ratio of the area of the through-opening (2) to the area of the sieve element (4) is at least 1 to 3, and the distance between the shield (1) and the sieve element (4) is at least 1 mm.
US08662735B2
Sonication of a medium for example in an immunoassay is provided by applying sound waves from a transducer to a vessel in which the medium is held by a sonotrode coupled between the transducer and the vessel. The sonotrode has a recess in which the vessel is held, the recess being formed by facing surfaces of a plurality of protruding portions of the sonotrode separated by slits and arranged around the recess. The sonotrode is coupled to the vessel by dry contact with the vessel without any coupling layers therebetween. The use of such a sonotrode provides the advantages of allowing effective sonication with relatively low energy loss and with a low temperature elevation.
US08662731B2
A display includes an outer casing, two backlight modules, and a flexible display panel. The outer casing includes at least one connecting member having two connecting ends respectively disposed at left and right sides thereof, and two casing panels connected respectively to the connecting ends and respectively having bonding faces. The two backlight modules are disposed respectively on the bonding faces of the casing panels. The flexible display panel includes two side panel sections disposed respectively on the backlight modules, and a foldable intermediate section connected between the side panel sections. The casing panels are pivotal relative to each other to move the backlight modules and the flexible display panel to an unfolded position. The backlight modules coplanarly cover a backside of the flexible display panel in the unfolded position.
US08662730B2
In a display apparatus, a light guide plate includes a chamfered corner portion that defines a light incident surface. A light source unit is arranged adjacent to the light incident surface to provide the light to the light guide plate through the light incident surface. A display panel receives light from the light guide plate to display an image. A receiving container includes sidewalls and a bottom portion to accommodate the light guide plate and the light source unit. At least one sidewall adjacent to the corner portion is divided into a first part and a second part that may be coupled to or separated from each other. Thus, the light guide plate and the light source unit may be easily accommodated in the receiving container, thereby improving an assembling efficiency.
US08662728B2
A light module is disclosed. The light module includes a first printed circuit board, a second printed circuit board, a light source, and a fixing casing, wherein the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board each has a fixing part, and the fixing part of the second printed board is attached to the fixing part of the first printed board. The light source is disposed on the first printed circuit board to couple to the first printed board and the second printed board. The fixing casing has a contact surface. When the fixing casing is fixed onto the fixing parts of the second printed circuit board and the first printed circuit board, the contact surface contacts the fixing part so that the second printed circuit board is clamped between the contact surface and the first printed circuit board.
US08662724B2
An exterior mirror system for a vehicle includes driver-side and passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assemblies including respective driver-side and passenger-side light modules and driver-side and passenger-side cameras. The light modules provide a driver-side indicator and a passenger-side indicator. The driver-side light module and the passenger-side light modules are disposed at respective mirror housing portions and move therewith when the exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to the mounting portion between its normal operating position and its folded position. The driver-side camera and the passenger-side camera are part of a multi-camera vision system of the vehicle, and the multi-camera vision system has a display device that is operable to display images for viewing by a driver of the vehicle. The displayed images displayed by the display device may include an image portion derived from image data captured by at least one of the driver-side camera and the passenger-side camera.
US08662720B2
A beacon has an associated post that is supported in relation to a watercraft. The beacon may comprise four major separable elongated members all mutually joined by an elastic cord extending along the longitudinal axis of the beacon. When separated, the four major separable members may fold in the compact configuration, thus enabling compact stowage. The beacon may comprise an internal light source, a flag or pennant, and reflective films to signal presence of the watercraft to others. The flag may be formed as a receptacle for receiving and storing the separable elongated members for stowage.
US08662707B2
Methods and systems consistent with some embodiments presented provide methods for denying visual access to a first area from a target area. In some embodiments, methods for denying visual access from a target area may include generating a structured light pattern and projecting the structured light pattern from onto the target area. The structured light pattern may be moved at a rate and in a pattern to deny visual access of a first area from the target area. In some embodiments, the rate and the pattern may be chosen based on characteristics of the target area.
US08662703B2
A lens structure for mobile phone flashlight is provided, to improve luminance of edge area and overall luminance. The lens structure includes a lens body. The lens body includes an incident surface and a light-emitting surface, and the incident surface is a Fresnel lens. Edge area of the light-emitting surface is partially disposed symmetrically with at least a pair of second surfaces, and remaining area forms a first surface. The edges of the second surfaces tilt towards direction of the incident surface so that the first surface forms an angle with the second surfaces. As such, the lens structure is able to refract light to project in near rectangular area onto a target object when taking picture.
US08662696B2
A solar-powered lighting lid is shown and described. In one embodiment, the reclosable lid comprises a light emitter, a top opaque surface having a solar panel and a photo resistor, and a rechargeable storage device. Typically, the solar panel recharges the storage device and the storage device powers the photo resistor. Further, when an ambient darkness is detected by the photo resistor, the light emitter is activated and light is at least partially visible through the transparent jar. Additionally, a solar light insert may be provided for cooperation between a jar and a band, ring or the like.
US08662691B2
A light-emitting device can include a fluorescent plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and configured to emit fluorescent light by laser irradiation. A first laser light source can be disposed such that the first surface of the fluorescent plate is irradiated with first laser light. A second laser light source can be disposed such that the second surface of the fluorescent plate is irradiated with second laser light. A reflector can include a light passing hole through which the second laser light can pass and can include a concave reflecting surface configured to cover an irradiation region with the second laser light at least on the fluorescent plate. A lens can be disposed in a space closer to the first surface of the fluorescent plate.
US08662683B2
A reflector body (10), particularly a spherical retro-reflective marker, includes a plurality of reflector body segments (11), and the individual reflector body segments (11) formed by such a reflector body (10), and there are methods for producing the reflector body segments (11) and the reflector body (10). The reflector bodies (10) include a coating having a reflection film (12), by which the reflector body segments (11) of the reflector body (10) are uniformly spanned, performed by suitably selecting the geometric shape of the reflector body segment (11) to be spanned, by injecting molding behind the reflection film (12) in an injection molding process and/or by producing the reflector body segments (11) in a forming process.
US08662674B2
Provided is a method for controlling a cooling device that includes pump (1) having pump characteristics defined by a relationship between the number of revolutions and a pressure value, and cooling fan (5), and the cooling device cools an object to be cooled by a cool wind generated by injecting air compressed by pump (1) and a cooling wind of cooling fan (5). The method includes: preparing beforehand a first parameter to associate an altitude with a change rate d of a gradient of the pump characteristics at one altitude with respect to a gradient of the pump characteristics at another altitude; and controlling the numbers of revolutions of pump (1) and cooling fan (5) based on an altitude calculated from the first parameter and the change rate d.
US08662670B2
An ophthalmic illuminator includes a one or more light combining stages arranged in series to augment a white light source with various color spectral bands. A first stage combines white light from a white light source with colored light from a first color source. Each subsequent stage in the series adds its own respective colored light. The color sources may be selectively turned on/off or driven with variable amounts of power. In this fashion, a combined light is produced by the final stage that represents a desired chromaticity and brightness as desired for a particular ophthalmic therapeutic procedure.
US08662669B2
The devices and methods of the invention ameliorate age-related losses of night time visual acuity by constricting the pupil with a directionally focused, low-power light source close to the eye that does not impair vision by reflecting off the internal glass surfaces of the windshield and windows. Preferred devices and methods include means for adjusting the brightness of the light source and the distance and angular orientation between the light source and the eye. Particularly preferred devices and methods provide means to fix the light source in relation to the eye so that effectiveness is not diminished when the driver turns his or her head.
US08662661B2
In a liquid ejection apparatus, a second casing is connected to a first casing so as to be rotatable relative to the first casing about a prescribed axis. The second casing holds a liquid ejection head and a cartridge holding portion. A lower wall of the cartridge holding portion extends in an insertion direction, along which the cartridge holding portion enables a liquid cartridge to move when the liquid cartridge is inserted into the cartridge holding portion, the insertion direction being directed from a central point in an insertion opening in a direction perpendicular to an ejection surface toward a point that is on a reference imaginary plane, on which the axis extends and which is perpendicular to the ejection surface, and that is closer to the axis than upper and lower reference points.
US08662658B2
An inkjet offset printer includes at least one printhead to eject ink on a release agent applied to an image receiving member for subsequent transfer of the ink to the surface of a recording media. The release agent is applied to the image receiving member by at least two release agent applicators. The release agent can be selectively applied to process sheets of recording media of different sizes to improve print quality. Selective application of release agent to the image receiving member prevents release agent from migrating to a transfix roll, and subsequently to the back side of the media which affects the image quality.
US08662647B2
A rotary valve for distributing ink from an ink source to a media width inkjet printhead, the valve having a body, a shaft rotatably mounted to the body, a channel cylinder arranged on the shaft to be rotatable therewith, the channel cylinder having a channel defined along its circumference, a port cylinder fixed to the body relative to the shaft so as to concentrically and sealingly enclose the channel cylinder, the port cylinder having a plurality of ports defined therethrough along its circumference for respective connection to the printhead and ink source, each port being aligned with a portion of the channel and a selection device for selectively rotating the shaft to establish interconnection between the ports and the channel thereby allowing ink flow between the ports via the channel.
US08662639B2
A flexible circuit includes a sprocket opening and electrically conductive lines connected to a print head.
US08662638B2
The present invention provides an image forming method and an ink composition used in the method by which deterioration of a head plate which is formed of silicon is suppressed and more precise images are stably formed, where ink containing an inorganic silicate compound is ejected to form an image from an inkjet head having a nozzle plate where SiO2 film is provided on a surface thereof at a side toward the ink ejection direction of the nozzle.
US08662635B2
A fluid ejection device comprising: a first mid-recording flushing unit for ejecting fluid from the plurality of nozzles and carrying out flushing under a first fluid ejection condition during a recording process in accordance with the recording data; and a second mid-recording flushing unit for ejecting the fluid from the nozzles on the head part and carrying out flushing under a second fluid ejection condition in which at least one of the ejection frequency and quantity of the droplets of fluid ejected from the nozzles is greater than with the first fluid ejection condition when the head part is in a recording initiation part of an image that is formed on the recording medium during the recording process.
US08662626B2
A device for controlling substrate web tension includes first and second driving units with respective driving rollers around which the substrate web is partially guided and tensioned. The first and second driving units have different rotational moments of inertia. A measuring unit measures the tension of the substrate web. A control unit has first and a second filtering units with different filtering characteristics for filtering the measured value. The control unit includes a first control device for controlling the first driving unit based on the measured value filtered by the first filtering device, and a second control device for controlling the second driving unit based on the measured value filtered by the second filtering device.
US08662625B2
A method of identifying positions of a plurality of printheads in a printer is described. The printer identifies the positions of each of the plurality of printheads with reference to image data of a printed test pattern. The printer calibrates one or more printheads using only a single test pattern to correct registration errors in the printheads.
US08662621B2
A droplet jetting applicator includes a droplet jet head being movably provided, having a nozzle surface provided with multiple nozzles, and being configured to jet a liquid from the multiple nozzles as droplets, a cleaner configured to clean the nozzle surface, an image shooting unit configured to shoot shapes of the droplets jetted from the droplet jet head, and a controller configured to control the droplet jet head, the cleaner, and the image shooting unit and to detect the shapes of the droplets shot by the image shooting unit.
US08662618B2
In the event that occurrence of a jam has been detected during conveyance of a sheet, the sheet is cut at a cutter unit, and a user is prompted to perform manual jam restoration processing according to the location where the jam has occurred. If the jam has occurred upstream from the cutter unit, the cut sheets left downstream from the cutter unit are discharged as completed articles.
US08662612B2
An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a head driving control unit, and a dummy ejection control unit. The dummy ejection control unit controls first dummy ejection operation to eject droplets to a continuous medium per a constant length and second dummy ejection operation to eject droplets not contributing to image formation to an image formation area. In the first dummy ejection operation, the head driving control unit applies a first non ejection pulse to a pressure generator corresponding to a non ejection nozzle. In the second dummy ejection operation, the head driving control unit applies a second non ejection pulse to the pressure generator corresponding to the non ejection nozzle. When the second non ejection pulse is applied, an amplitude or number of vibrations of a meniscus of liquid in the non ejection nozzle is greater than when the first non ejection pulse is applied.
US08662605B2
A mobile technology cabinet includes a compartment having a work platform mounted for rotational motion between a substantially vertical storage position and a deployed position. A monitor support is operatively connected to the work platform such that movement of the work platform between the storage position and the deployed position causes the monitor support to rise from a storage position to a deployed position. The work platform may be rotated relative to the cabinet to simultaneously deploy the work surface and to raise the monitor. A base supports the cabinet for movement on wheels. A frame extends from the base and supports a cabinet such that the cabinet is movable between a raised position and a lowered position.
US08662603B2
A protective enclosure including a housing defining a door opening is provided. A first flange extends from an opening end of a door and is angled relative to a surface of said door inwardly toward an interior storage space of the enclosure. The first flange and the door surface form an obtuse angle. A second flange extends from a hinge end of the door and is angled relative to the door surface inwardly toward the interior storage space. The second flange and the door surface form an obtuse angle. A hinge pivotally mounts the door with the housing. A locking mechanism selectively locks the door to the housing. The housing includes a channel disposed along at least a portion of the door opening. At least a portion of the first and second flanges are disposed within the channel when the door is closed to resist pry attacks.
US08662590B2
Headrest and method for relieving of neck and throat muscles for a sitting person. The headrest includes a headband arranged to be able to be led around the person's head, a seat band arranged to be able to be fastened to a portion of the back of a chair, and a neckband connecting the forehead portion of the headband with the seat band. The headband is displaceably arranged in the longitudinal direction of the neckband.
US08662584B1
An upper section, a lower section and an intermediate section each have top, bottom and side edges. The upper and lower sections are fabricated of a water absorbing material. The intermediate section is fabricated in an open mesh configuration of a water non-absorbing material. An upper strip of fasteners is attached to the lower edge of the upper section and the upper edge of the intermediate section. A lower strip of fasteners is attached to the lower edge of the intermediate section and the upper edge of the lower section.
US08662569B2
An active grille shutter system comprising a controller, a sensor provides a freeze signal to the controller when a temperature is near or below freezing, and an electric motor that opens and closes a plurality of vanes. The motor receives a low current signal from the controller to operate the system at a first torque level and receives a high current signal to operate the system at a second torque level when the controller receives the freeze signal. A precipitation signal from the windshield wiper system of the vehicle is provided to the controller to provide an indication that there is precipitation present in the vehicle environment. The controller may provide the high current signal to the motor only when the freeze signal and the precipitation signal are provided to the controller. A method is also provided for operating the system.
US08662567B2
A vehicle roof support pillar assembly may include a first support pillar and a second support pillar. The first support pillar may have a first hollow body with a first side surface. The second support pillar may have a second hollow body with a second side surface, the second support pillar may be positioned next to the first hollow body when assembled and in use. The first and second side surfaces may contact each other along at least a portion of their vertical extent.
US08662564B2
Hinged assemblies, and children's products including at least one hinged assembly, include a base member and a hinged member operatively and pivotally coupled to the base member to define a hinge. The hinge is configured to release if an obstruction is positioned between the hinged member and the base member while the hinged member is being closed and if a closing torque is greater than or equal to a release torque. The hinge also may be configured to not release when an opening torque is applied when the hinged member is in its open position even when the opening torque is greater than the release torque.
US08662563B1
A retractable vehicle canopy assembly provides temporary shelter from precipitation or sun. The assembly includes a housing having a bottom, a top, and a perimeter wall extending between the bottom and the top defining an interior space. The bottom of the housing is configured for coupling to a vehicle adjacent to a door of the vehicle. A slot extends through the perimeter wall of the housing. A plurality of rails is positioned in the interior space. Each of the rails is selectively extendable from the interior space through the slot. A cover is coupled to the rails and extending outwardly from the slot when the rails are extended from the slot whereby the cover is configured to shelter an area adjacent to the door of the vehicle.
US08662558B1
A vehicular storage system for providing secure storage of tools, sporting goods, and other equipment while maintaining quick removal characteristics. The system includes at least one storage assembly and a mounting assembly. Each one of the storage assemblies includes a bottom wall, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and a lid portion for selectively closing at least a portion of a compartment formed by the bottom wall and the perimeter wall. The mounting assembly is designed to be coupleable to a vehicle, such as a pick-up truck, sport utility vehicle, all terrain vehicle, boat, or other suitable vehicle. The mounting assembly facilitates removably mounting the storage assembly to the vehicle.
US08662556B2
This invention provides an apparatus and method for safely lifting large off-highway truck bodies and also allows for lifting these truck bodies inside off-highway truck service bays with limited overhead lifting clearances. The invention minimizes the stresses on the truck body and on the lifting cables/slings. This lifting apparatus and method incorporates temporary lifting eyes installed through lifting hole receivers in the truck body floor. The temporary lifting eyes can be designed such that their strength is gained thru interlocking steel members versus simply welding.
US08662552B2
A robotic finger that includes multiple phalanges, each phalange configured to be compliantly actuated. The robotic finger also includes compliant touch sensors that, in combination with the compliant actuation, provides the robotic finger with two levels of compliance. The two levels of compliance enable the robotic finger to gently conform to and manipulate objects.
US08662551B2
A housing for a seal assembly of a pump, the housing comprising a main body having a wall section with inner and outer sides, and a bore extending through the main body between the inner and outer sides, a holder protruding from the inner side of the main body, the holder having an outer edge and a bearing face which is inclined inwardly towards the inner side, and extending from the outer edge towards the bore. There is also disclosed a lifting device for use with the housing.
US08662544B2
Each of two exhaust pipes has a flared flange with the flange on one pipe spaced from the pipe's end edge forming a corner with the pipe's end segment. A triangular seal between the two flanges abuts the pipe segment and corner. One flange has an outer convex spherical surface and a concave inner spherical surface which engages the outer convex spherical surface of the seal at a contact point. Two depending conical legs of a U shaped in section band clamp engage and force the flanges and pipe corner and end segment against the seal. A clamp leg engages the outer convex spherical surface of the one flange at a tangential contact point. The one clamp leg, the one flange and the seal exhibit two tangential respective contact points defining a plane normal to that flange providing enhanced stress concentration on the seal and flanges.
US08662529B2
A side airbag having a high pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber divided by a sewn portion, a diffuser that distributes gas for inflation to the high pressure chamber and the low pressure chamber, and a check valve that regulates flowing of gas from a high pressure chamber side to a low pressure chamber side. A partitioning wall, that divides a lower chamber (high pressure chamber) and an upper chamber (low pressure chamber) within a side airbag, is structured by a portion of a lower base cloth (high pressure chamber base cloth) that structures the lower chamber or a portion of an upper base cloth (low pressure chamber base cloth) that structures the upper chamber. A check valve, that permits flowing of gas, jetted-out from a gas jetting-out portion of an inflator, from the upper chamber to the lower chamber and that regulates flowing of gas in an opposite direction, is provided integrally with the partitioning wall.
US08662528B1
The protective suit is for use by persons engaged in various potentially hazardous activities, but is particularly well adapted for wear by motorcyclists and others engaged in motorsports activities. The suit is equipped with airbags that differ from conventional automotive airbags in that the present airbags deflate more slowly to protect the wearer of the suit over a few seconds in an accident. The suit is also equipped with warning lights that are actuated in the event of an accident. The suit is electronically connected to a belt having various electronic systems capable of monitoring the condition of the motor vehicle and the wearer of the suit through sensors in the vehicle and suit. The suit is further electronically connected to the vehicle, the vehicle having a lockout system that prevents the vehicle from being started until the suit, belt, and helmet are properly connected and operable.
US08662527B2
An airbag provided with a pocket. An airbag (21) comprises a main bag body (31), an opening (32) formed in the main bag body (31), a small bag body (33) extending from the opening (32) to the inside of the main bag body, and a joining section (34) at which a part of the small bag body is joined to the main bag body. The joining section (34) is provided in the area which, when the airbag is expanded, extends from both the side surfaces of the airbag or from the top surface (72) of the airbag to the rear surface (73) which comes in contact with and holds the occupant.
US08662525B1
An adjustable width trailer is disclosed which is capable of hauling large machines, farm machinery, or the like. The trailer includes one or more pull-out extender assemblies mounted on the frame of the trailer. Each of the pull-out extender assemblies includes a plurality of horizontally disposed and horizontally spaced-apart support tubes which are secured to the frame of the trailer in a transverse relationship thereto so that the outer ends of the support tubes are positioned outwardly of the frame members of the frame of the trailer. Each of the pull-out extender assemblies includes first and second pull-out sections at one side of the trailer and third and fourth pull-out sections at the other side of the trailer which are individually movable between retraced and extended positions.
US08662524B2
An assembly including a gliding board and a device for retaining an article of footwear on the board, the device extending longitudinally from a rear end to a front end, the board having a receiving zone provided to receive the retaining device longitudinally in relation to the board. The assembly includes a wedge device which inclines the retaining device longitudinally in relation to the board, so that the retaining device is angled downwardly from the front end to the rear end.
US08662519B2
An internal cable system for a bicycle is disclosed herein. The system is configured such that vibration between one or more cables and a bicycle frame is reduced. As such, riders are able to navigate through rugged terrain without experiencing increased noise due to internal cable vibration against the bicycle frame.
US08662515B2
A movable wheelchair structure contains a base. A sliding mechanism is fixed on the base and includes two rods extending outward from one side of the base, with each rod including an auxiliary wheel extending outward from one end portion thereof. A vertical moving mechanism is fixed on the sliding mechanism. A frame is fixed on one side of the vertical moving mechanism and moves vertically and horizontally with the vertical moving mechanism and the sliding mechanism. A back support axially is coupled with a rear end of the frame. A leg member is axially connected with a front end of the frame. Thus, a user is capable of moving onto a bed or another position, enhancing usage at a hospital and at home.
US08662510B2
Wheel suspension for a wheeled vehicle, with a lower rocking lever (12) with an inner end being movably connected to a vehicle frame (14) via a lower arm part (16) of a double armed rocker (18) which is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axle (20) in the vehicle frame, and with an outer end being articulately attached to a lower part of a wheel hub (24), and an upper support arm (28) with an outer end being articulately attached to an upper end of the wheel hub (24), and with an inner end, being articulately connected to the vehicle frame (14). The upper support arm (28) is connected to an upper arm part (34) of the double armed rocker (18) via a coupling link (36), which is articulately connected to the upper support arm (28) as well as the upper arm part (34) of the double armed rocker (18), wherein the lower rocking lever (12) has an inclination obliquely downwardly outwardly from the vehicle frame (14) in a neutral position of the wheel hub (24). A hydro-pneumatically combined spring acting and damping member (42), which comprises a hydraulic piston-cylinder device (44) and a gas spring (50) communicating therewith via restriction members is with its cylinder articulately connected to the vehicle frame (14), while the outer end of the piston stem (48) of the piston-cylinder device is articulately connected to the upper support arm (28).
US08662507B2
An unpowered, self-elevating and self-lowering home appliance assembly cart for supporting and transporting a plurality of home appliance assembly components, such as oven doors, including a base, and a self-leveling and self-lowering door suspension and supporting system having a mast, a rail system moveably coupled to the mast, a plurality of arms extending from the rail system, each pair of arms for supporting a home appliance assembly component, and a self-leveling and self-lowering device that automatically self-levels and self-lowers the pair of arms within a predetermined acceptable ergonomic work zone with respect to a vertical height along the mast based on an unloaded state, a partially loaded state, and a loaded state of the plurality of arms and without power assistance, the predetermined acceptable ergonomic work zone being for loading and unloading the home appliance assembly component from the pair of arms.
US08662499B2
A method for transporting printed products is provided. The method includes the steps setting a nip to a first size for printed products having a first thickness, sensing a printed product having a second thickness different from the first thickness, the printed product sensing occurring prior to the printed product entering the nip, adjusting the first size of the nip, to a second size different from the first size, to receive the printed product having a second thickness; and transporting the printed product having the second thickness through the nip.
US08662498B2
According to one embodiment, a paper discharge device includes a discharged-sheet receiving part that can be opened and closed on a side surface of an apparatus body, is closed on the side surface and receives a recording medium dropped from above along the side surface after image formation.
US08662493B2
A user is notified that the setting of sheets with respect to a grouped plurality of sheet storage units is changed, so that a state becomes impossible to execute switching of the grouped sheet storage units. The control method includes, registering a plurality of sheet storage units each storing a sheet as one group, determining, at the time of sheet supply to any one of the sheet storage units, whether sheet information about the sheet storage unit set in the group has been changed by sheet information newly set with respect to the sheet storage unit to be supplied with the sheet, and a notifying, when it is determined that the sheet information has been changed, the user of the change in the sheet information about the sheet storage units set as one group by the supply of the sheet.
US08662485B2
A suction apparatus 1 holds a wafer W by performing vacuum-suctioning on the wafer W. The suction apparatus 1 comprises a suction substrate 2. The suction substrate 2, which is rigid, comprises a plurality of pin-like protrusions 2a formed so that the tip-end faces (upper surfaces) thereof are the same height. An elastic coating layer is coated by way of an undercoat layer 4 on the tip-end faces of the protrusions 2a. When the wafer W is suctioned, even if a foreign matter is interposed between the wafer W and the suction surface, because the foreign matter embeds itself into the coating layer 3, the planarization of the wafer W is improved. In addition, because the coating layer 3 can be made comparatively thinner, undulations in the wafer W can be reduced and, to that end, the planarization of the wafer W in the suctioned state can be improved.
US08662481B2
A system & Method for Preventing Scaling in a Flue Gas Desulphurization System is provided. The system includes an injector configured to direct a barrier fluid toward a surface that is otherwise susceptible to scaling when it comes in contact with super-saturated alkaline solutions such as slurry used to capture CO2 from a flue gas stream.
US08662463B2
A temporary bracket includes a mounting bracket, an absorbing dish, and a placing member. The mounting bracket includes a mounting body. A mounting opening is defined in the mounting body. The mounting opening includes a wide part and a narrow part communicating with the wide part. The absorbing dish includes a suction cup for sucking a surface, a neck portion extending from the suction cup, and a securing portion extending from the neck portion. The neck portion is disposed in the narrow part. The securing portion is used for extending into the wide part and moves to the narrow part to enable the neck portion to be disposed in the narrow part. The placing member is secured to the mounting bracket for supporting an object.
US08662454B2
A method of visualizing a track occupation in a train movement tracking and/or planning system for railway safety equipment for at least one train on the basis of a time-distance line diagram (TDL diagram) which is produced as computer graphics. In order to enable potential train routing collisions that are due to delays to be detected, the distance is displayed graphically as a function of time and of a further coordinate, characterizing a delay time, in a three-dimensional coordinate system.
US08662448B2
There is provided an insulation system and method for a transport vehicle. The system has first and second frame members; a first rigid foam insulation member extending between the first and second frame members; a second rigid foam insulation member, where a first sidewall of the first insulation member integrates with a second sidewall of the second insulation member; and, a third rigid foam insulation member where the second sidewall of the first insulation member integrates with a first sidewall of the third insulation member. Each of the insulation members is surrounded by a protective layer. When the insulation members are integrated, the second and third insulation members impart one or more compression forces on the first insulation member and on the first frame member in order to secure the first insulation member in place without use of any fastener device.
US08662443B2
A torsion lock may include a clutch, a spring, and a shape memory alloy (SMA) member. The spring may cause the application of pressure on the clutch for engagement thereof. The SMA member may linearly contract when heated in a manner to relieve the pressure on the clutch for disengagement thereof.
US08662438B2
The support (300) is intended to be fixed in a housing provided in the drone, through a mechanical interface (310) made of a material absorbing the mechanical vibrations. The mechanical interface, annular in shape, is intended to be attached to a corresponding annular shoulder provided in the housing. A fastening part (301) for fixing the support in the housing carries the mechanical interface (310), with at least one connection leg (302) supporting the navigation electronic card (320) and mounted free at one end on the fastening part. A battery (400) for the power supply of the drone is further accommodated in the support. The navigation electronic card may notably include a navigation sensor (321) such as an accelerometer, placed on the card in such a manner to be positioned at the barycenter of the drone.
US08662437B2
When current collecting wires are laid in parallel with each other on a solar cell on which a photosensitive film is formed, a wire tension adjusting mechanism is provided which includes a bobbin holder shaft pivotally held on the side of a frame in a bobbin cassette in a wiring apparatus and a wire bobbin is detachably fixed on the bobbin holder shaft. The wire tension adjusting mechanism further includes a pre-load means for adjusting the torque of the bobbin holder shaft and the tension of each current collecting wire to be drawn out from the wire bobbin held by the bobbin shaft is adjusted.
