US08771885B2
Coolant velocity greater than zero everywhere within the coolant channels (78, 85) of fuel cells (38) in a fuel cell stack (37) is assured by providing a flow of biphase fluid in the coolant channels, the flow being created by the outflow of a condenser (59). Positive pressure is applied to the coolant inlet (66) of the coolant channels. Biphase flow from an oxidant exhaust condenser, which may be a vehicle radiator (120), renders the coolant return flow more freeze tolerant. Using biphase flow within the coolant channels eliminates the need for a bubble-clearing liquid pump and reduces liquid inventory and other plumbing; this makes the fuel cell power plant more freeze tolerant.
US08771880B2
Object of the invention is to provide a binder for a separator which can be comprised by a non-aqueous electrolyte battery with improved battery properties and heat resistance; the separator comprising the binder; and the non-aqueous electrolyte battery comprising the separator. More specifically, provided is a binder for a separator of a non-aqueous electrolyte battery, the separator comprising a 2-cyanoethyl group-containing polymer having bis-cyanoethyl ether content of 0.5% by weight or less as an impurity.
US08771875B2
A substance includes an oxide including at least one element selected from the group including cobalt Co, nickel Ni, manganese Mn, iron Fe, and copper Cu; and silicon Si chemically bonded to the surface of the oxide. Also, a battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte, wherein the cathode includes an oxide including at least one selected from the group including cobalt Co, nickel Ni, manganese Mn, iron Fe, and copper Cu; and a substance including silicon Si chemically bonded to the surface of the oxide.
US08771870B2
A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrodes and a container for receiving the electrode assembly inside thereof. The secondary battery also includes a cap assembly fixed to the container to seal the container and a gasket disposed between the container and the cap assembly. The gasket has at least one concavo-convex portion on a surface contacting the container and/or the cap assembly. This improved gasket structure enhances the air tightness of the secondary battery.
US08771868B2
An electrode is provided with a metal terminal extending from a battery module main body, a bolt which has an expanded section configuring a retaining section at a rear end portion and penetrates the metal terminal upward, and an insulating body which insulates the metal terminal and the battery module case one from the other. The insulating body is provided with a drop preventing section which abuts at least a lower surface of the expanded section of the bolt and prevents the bolt from dropping from the metal terminal.
US08771860B2
A lithium secondary battery provided by the present invention includes a spirally wound electrode body in which a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet are spirally wound with a separator sheet 40 interposed therebetween, wherein on a sheet surface of at least any one from among the positive electrode sheet, negative electrode sheet, and separator sheet 40 constituting the spirally wound electrode body, a porous layer 60 is formed along a longitudinal direction of the sheet 40, and the porous layer 60 is thicker in a spiral winding direction of the spirally wound electrode body in a winding center portion 62 than in a winding outer portion 64.
US08771857B2
A redox flow (RF) battery performs charge and discharge by supplying a positive electrode electrolyte and a negative electrode electrolyte to a battery cell. Each of the positive electrode electrolyte and the negative electrode electrolyte contains a vanadium (V) ion as active material. At least one of the positive electrode electrolyte and the negative electrode electrolyte further contains another metal ion, for example, a metal ion such as a manganese ion that exhibits a higher redox potential than a V ion or a metal ion such as a chromium ion that exhibits a lower redox potential than a V ion.
US08771849B2
Embodiments of the present invention help allow accurate control of the magnetization reversal in a magnetic recording layer in small reversal units, whereby high-density recording can be achieved. According to one embodiment, by forming an intermediate layer having a granular structure similar to that of the magnetic recording layer below the magnetic recording layer, a continuous crystal grain boundary is formed at the interface between the magnetic recording layer and the intermediate layer, thereby preventing incomplete formation of the crystal grain boundary found in the initial growth layer of the magnetic recording layer. The intermediate layer comprises a non-magnetic alloy comprising Co and Cr as its main components and an oxide such as Al, Cr, Hf. Mg, Nb, Si, Ta, Ti and Zr. Further, the average content of the oxygen element in the intermediate layer is in the range from 6 at % to 20 at %.
US08771843B2
To provide a novel organic compound having a bipolar property. To reduce power consumption of a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic device. The organic compound has a fluorene skeleton and a structure in which an electron-accepting unit and a hole-accepting unit are bonded through carbon at the 9-position of the fluorene skeleton. The organic compound has a bipolar property and a large band gap. The use of the organic compound makes it possible to reduce power consumption of a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic device.
US08771837B2
The metal fiber has fiber outer surfaces (1) oriented substantially at right angles to each other and can also be provided with bent ends in the shape of a clip. The metal fiber is used to stabilize, strengthen, or fasten materials such as concrete, wood and the like. The fiber edges (2) formed by the fiber outer surfaces (1) of the metal fiber and extending in the longitudinal direction of the fiber are designed as edge surfaces (4) oriented at an angle to the fiber outer surfaces (1) in the manner of a chamfer. Said edge surfaces (4) have projections, which form anchoring heads (3) that are anchored in the materials to be stabilized, strengthened, or fastened.
US08771836B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a resin composition whose flowability is secured when the resin composition is injection-molded into injection-molded articles such as a resin-made crown-shaped cage and a resin-made seal both for a rolling bearing and a resin-made sliding bearing and which is capable of enhancing the mechanical strengths and toughnesses of these injection-molded articles to such an extent that these injection-molded articles can be used as bearing members. The resin composition is formed into a molded article and used as a bearing member. The resin composition is composed of polyamide resin or polyester resin to which polycarbodiimide is added. The polyamide resin is at least one resin selected from among polyamide 66 resin and polyamide 11 resin. The polyester resin is polytrimethylene terephthalate resin. 0.5 to 6 wt % of the polycarbodiimide is contained in an entirety of the resin composition. A resin-made crown-shaped cage (1) is obtained by injection-molding the resin composition.
US08771834B2
The present invention is a formed article sequentially comprising a base layer, a primer layer that includes a hydroxyl group-containing polymer, and a gas barrier layer, the gas barrier layer being formed of a material that includes at least an oxygen atom and a silicon atom, a surface layer part of the gas barrier layer having an oxygen atom content rate of 60 to 75%, a nitrogen atom content rate of 0 to 10%, and a silicon atom content rate of 25 to 35%, based on a total content rate of oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms, and silicon atoms, and the surface layer part of the gas barrier layer having a film density of 2.4 to 4.0 g/cm3. According to the present invention, provided is a formed article, a method for producing the same, an electronic device member including the formed article, and an electronic device including the electronic device member, with an excellent gas barrier capability and excellent transparency.
US08771832B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing a composition comprising 10 to 45% of the total solids weight lignin, polyacrylonitrile or a polyacrylonitrile copolymer, and a solvent to form a lignin-based polyacrylonitrile-containing dope and the resulting products. The dope can be processed to produce fibers, including precursor, oxidized and carbonized fibers. The oxidized fibers are of value for their flame resistant properties and carbonized fibers are suitable for use in applications requiring high strength fibers, or to be used to form composite materials.
US08771829B2
A thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a cyanophenyl endcapped polycarbonate, a potassium diphenyl sulphon-3-sulphonate; and brominated polycarbonate. In some embodiments, when the thermoplastic polymer composition is in the form of a 3 mm thick extruded sheet, the sheet has a smoke density of less than 200 at an exposure period of 240 seconds in accordance with the smoke density test as set forth in ASTM E662-06, and has no burning drips on the sheet for a duration of 10 minutes in accordance with the flammability test as set forth in NF-P-92-505.
US08771816B2
A method of preparing a medium-density polyethylene pipe comprising melting a multimodal metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin to form a molten polyethylene, wherein the multimodal metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin has a density of from about 0.925 g/ml to about 0.942 g/ml, a magnitude of slip-stick greater than about 300 psi, a stress for smooth to matte transition of greater than about 90 kPa of stress, and a shear rate for smooth to matte transition greater than about 10 s−1, wherein the magnitude of slip-stick, stress for smooth to matte transition, and shear rate for smooth to matte transition are determined by a capillary rheology test; and forming the molten polyethylene resin into pipe. A pipe prepared from a multimodal metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin having a density of from about 0.925 g/ml to about 0.942 g/ml, a magnitude of slip-stick greater than about 300 psi; a stress for smooth to matte transition of greater than about 90 kPa, and a shear rate for smooth to matte transition greater than about 10 s−1, wherein the magnitude of slip-stick, stress for smooth to matte transition, and shear rate for smooth to matte transition are determined by a capillary rheology test.
US08771814B2
A placemat that is reusable and easily transported even when dirty or wet. The placemat consists of a six-sided surface of waterproof flexible material forming the bottom, a same-shaped water resistant material forming a central layer, and a same-shaped absorbent material forming the top layer. Two straps are attached to the placemat; at the point of attachment the strap forms a loop, allowing the use of a pin or other implement to attach the mat to a soft surface. At the loose end of each strap is a pair of snaps, allowing the user to fasten the strap around an object in use by the child or baby to prevent the object from falling to the floor or ground. On the bottom of the mat is a pair of suction cups that allow the placemat to be attached to a hard surface where a pin would not be of use. The mat has two pairs of snaps located along the side edges at the proximal edge so a crumb catcher can be formed when the snaps are snapped together. When folded in the proper fashion, the placemat may be turned inside-out into a pocket located on the back of the mat, allowing for clean transportation without the need to clean the placemat beforehand.
US08771811B2
The present invention provides an ink-jet recording material containing: a support; and at least two ink-receiving layers of an ink-receiving underlayer and an ink-receiving top layer, the ink-receiving layers containing a pigment and a binder and being disposed on the support; characterized in that the ink-receiving top layer contains: a finely agglomerated pigment with an average particle diameter of 0.008 to 0.7 μm, selected from the group consisting of a silica, an alumina, and an alumina hydrate; and a coarse-grained pigment with an average particle diameter of 1 to 30 μm, the coarse-grained pigment being contained in an amount of 1 to 15 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the finely agglomerated pigment.
US08771809B2
A photoalignment material includes a photoalignment polymer having a photosensitive portion represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, R1 represents a cyclic compound, each of R2 and R3 represents a single bond, —(CnH2n)—, —(CxH2x)O(CyH2y)—, or —(CaH2a)O(CbH2b)O(CdH2d)—, “n” represents an integer in the range of 1 to 6, each of “x”, “y”, “a”, “b”, and “d” represents 0 or an integer in the range of 1 to 6, x+y is an integer in the range of 1 to 5, and a+b+d is an integer in the range of 1 to 6. Each hydrogen atom is replaceable with —CH3, —CH2—CH3, —OCH3, —OCH2CH3, —OCH2OCH3, F, or Cl, and each hydrogen atom of —CH3, —CH2—CH3, —OCH3, —OCH2CH3, or —OCH2OCH3 is replaceable with F or Cl.
US08771805B2
The present invention provides a process for embedding at least one layer of at least one metal trace in a silicone-containing polymer, comprising: a) applying a polymer layer on a substrate; b) thermally treating the polymer; c) irradiating at least one surface area of the polymer with a light beam emitted by an excimer laser; d) immersing the irradiated polymer in at least one autocatalytic bath containing ions of at least one metal, and metallizing the polymer; e) thermally treating the metallized polymer; f) applying a polymer layer covering the thermally treated metallized polymer; and g) thermally treating the metallized covered polymer. The present invention further provides a polymer layer comprising silicone containing oxide particles of SiO2, TiO2, Sb2O3, SnO2, Al2O3, ZnO, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, talc, hydroxyapatite or mixtures thereof and at least one metal trace embedded in said polymer layer.The present invention further provides a flexible electrode array comprising silicone containing oxide particles of SiO2, TiO2, Sb2O3, SnO2, Al2O3, ZnO, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, talc, hydroxyapatite or mixtures thereof and at least one metal trace embedded in said polymer layer.
US08771801B2
A method of applying particles to a backing having a make layer on one of the backing's opposed major surfaces. The method including the steps of: supporting the particles on a feeding member having a feeding surface such that the particles settle into one or more layers on the feeding surface; the feeding surface and the backing being arranged in a non-parallel manner; and translating the particles from the feeding surface to the backing and attaching the particles to the make layer by an electrostatic force.
US08771796B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a coating film that is capable of forming a coating film having excellent smoothness, distinctness of image and luster using an aqueous coating composition. The present invention provides a method for forming a coating film comprising: Step (1): forming an uncured coating film by applying to a substrate an aqueous coating composition that contains a copolymer of monomer components comprising one or more N-substituted (meth)acrylamide compounds, the copolymer being a graft copolymer comprising (A) a main chain having a lower critical solution temperature T1 in water within the range of 30 to 95° C., and (B) at least one hydrophobic side chain; Step (2): preheating the uncured coating film formed in Step (1) under heating conditions such that a preheating temperature T2 falls within the range of 60 to 100° C., and the preheating temperature T2 and the lower critical solution temperature T1 have a relationship represented by the formula T2−T1=−30 to 30° C.; and Step (3): curing the uncured coating film formed in Step (2) by heating.
US08771787B2
An ink composition useful for digital offset printing applications comprises a colorant and a plurality of curable compounds. The compounds have Hansen solubility parameters as described herein, and the resulting ink composition is both compatible with certain dampening fluids and has certain rheological properties, including a low viscosity.
US08771784B2
The present invention is directed to a method for producing a coating having a desired gloss value on a substrate. This invention is also directed to method for producing a predicted gloss value of a coating on a substrate. This invention is further directed to a method of using a matting agent comprising components derived from renewable resources.
US08771778B2
The present invention comprises a gel-stabilized foam for use in food products. Foam bubbles are stabilized by either a continuous gel coating or a particulate gel coating created under high shear conditions. The foam is viscous and shelf-stable, and can be combined with a viscous food product to lower its caloric density and improve its organoleptic properties.
US08771775B2
A pet chew may be manufactured by co-extruding multiple compositions to form a layered construction. Separate extruders may be provided to tailor processing conditions to heat and/or shear sensitive compositions, such as nutritional additives, and the respective extrudates may be combined such that relatively higher levels of nutritional compositions may be provided as an outer layer.
US08771769B2
Roasted infused seeds and a process for preparing roasted infused seeds are described. In one aspect, the roasted infused seeds may have salt, flavors, nutrients, colors, and/or functional ingredients as well as mixtures of these components infused internally into the seed. By infusing such components into the seeds, the methods described herein provide roasted seeds with unique flavors, nutrients, colors, textures, densities, and/or other functionalities.
US08771761B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising of plant extract as an active component, specifically, Bamboo extract and Scutellaria extract, for the treatment and prevention of atopic dermatitis. The present invention is a natural ingredient obtained from a plant. The present invention can control immune responses by inhibiting the release of histamine and leukotriene, and thus, has effect in the treatment or prevention of allergic diseases, inflammatory diseases and skin diseases, specifically atopic dermatitis. The present invention has been proven safe and beneficial effecting the treatment of atopic dermatitis through clinical trials, and thus, can be used for the treatment and prevention of atopic dermatitis.
US08771758B2
The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating, preventing and improving the condition and aesthetic appearance of skin, particularly, treating, preventing, ameliorating, reducing and/or eliminating fine lines and/or wrinkles of skin, where the compositions include natural plant constituents which increase expression levels genes, collagen replacement and retention, and cell proliferation of epidermis and dermis associated with the dermatological signs of aging. The compositions of the invention are topically applied to the skin, or are delivered by directed means to a site in need thereof, once daily in an amount effective in improving the condition and aesthetic appearance of skin.
US08771751B2
The invention relates to a medical implant made of a metallic material. After fulfilling its temporary support function, the implant is degraded by corrosion at a predetermined rate. Negative long-term effects are thus avoided.
US08771748B2
Methods are provided for producing compositions, e.g. pastes or clays, which rapidly set into high-strength calcium phosphate products. In the subject methods, dry reactants that include calcium and phosphate sources, as well as a monovalent cation dihydrogen phosphate salt, are combined with a setting fluid and the combined reactants are mixed to produce the settable composition. A feature of the invention is that cements rapidly set into high strength product compositions. Also provided are the compositions themselves as well as kits for preparing the same. The subject methods and compositions produced thereby find use in a variety of applications, including hard tissue repair applications.
US08771737B2
Compositions of the invention for regenerating defective or absent myocardium comprise an emulsified or injectable extracellular matrix composition. The composition may also include an extracellular matrix scaffold component of any formulation, and further include added cells, proteins, or other components to optimize the regenerative process and restore cardiac function.
US08771717B2
The present invention relates to pigments, comprising a plate-like substrate of perlite which does not contain 3D twin structure particles contained in milled expanded perlite in an amount of greater than 5% by weight., and (a) a dielectric material, especially a metal oxide, having a high index of refraction; and/or (a) a metal layer, especially a thin semi-transparent metal layer; a process for their production and their use in paints, ink-jet printing, for dyeing textiles, for pigmenting coatings (paints), printing inks, plastics, cosmetics, glazes for ceramics and glass.
US08771710B2
The present invention relates generally to a fusion protein made from a synthetic gene construct comprising of elements derived from the Leishmania antigens K26, K39, and K9. The fusion protein is particularly useful in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis, particularly visceral leishmaniasis in animals such as humans and dogs.
US08771706B2
Immunogenic polypeptides corresponding to one or more RSV G glycoproteins, or analogs thereof, are provided as components of vaccines. The inventive compositions are useful as both a prophylactic and therapeutic for the prevention and treatment of RSV infections and associated pulmonary or other diseases. The inventive immunogens include regions of the RSV G protein, specifically, amino acid residues 164-176 of RSV G A2 protein or analogs thereof. This inventive immunogen is operable alone or in combination with other polypeptides such as the RSV G protein amino acid residues 155-206, or other vaccines such as live RSV vaccines, or inactivated RSV vaccines or immunogenic analogs thereof.
US08771704B2
The present invention relates to a dengue vaccine, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same, a nucleotide sequence, and an antibody composition. The dengue vaccine of the present invention includes chimeric nonstructural protein 1, which comprises N-terminus of DV NS1 from amino-acid residues 1 to 270 and C-terminus of JEV NS1 from amino-acid residues 271 to 352 (designated DJ NS1). Therefore, the dengue vaccine without autoimmunity according to the present invention is able to avoid cross-reactions with endothelial cells and platelets, and is able to shorten the bleeding time.
US08771702B2
The present invention provides recombinant proteins or peptides comprising a mutated listeriolysin O (LLO) protein or fragment thereof, comprising a substitution or internal deletion of the cholesterol-binding domain or a portion thereof, fusion proteins or peptides comprising same, nucleotide molecules encoding same, and vaccine vectors comprising or encoding same. The present invention also provides methods of utilizing recombinant proteins, peptides, nucleotide molecules, and vaccine vectors of the present invention to induce an immune response to a peptide of interest.
US08771695B2
The present invention relates to binding proteins that bind to HER-3 and polynucleotides encoding the same. Expression vectors and host cells comprising the same for the production of the binding protein of the invention are also provided. In addition, the invention provides compositions and methods for diagnosing and treating diseases associated with HER-3 mediated signal transduction and/or its ligand heregulin.
US08771694B2
A chimeric LL2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) is described in which the variable regions of the murine LL2 mAb are recombinantly joined to the human constant region domains, which retains the immunospecificity and B-cell lymphoma and leukemia cell internalization capacity of the murine LL2 (mAB), and which exhibits reduced human anti-mouse antibody production activity (HAMA). A humanized LL2 mAb is described in which the CDRs are recombinantly joined to a framework sequence of human variable regions, and subsequently linked to human constant region domains, which retains the immunospecificity and B-lymphoma and leukemia cell internalization capacities of the murine and chimeric LL2 mABs, and has the potential for exhibiting reduced HAMA. Isolated DNAs encoding the LL2 variable and CDR framework regions are described. Conjugates of chimeric and humanized chimeric LL2 antibodies with cytotoxic agents or labels find use in therapy and diagnosis of B-cell lymphomas and leukemias.
US08771691B2
The present invention relates to methods for the treatment and the prognostic assessment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
US08771688B2
The present invention relates to a therapeutic agent for malignant mesothelioma comprising a substance which inhibits binding of CD26 to extracellular matrix such as an siRNA targeting CD26 cDNA or an anti-CD26 antibody. The present invention also relates to a method of treating malignant mesothelioma, which comprises administering the substance to a patient in need thereof.
US08771687B2
Combinations of agents that have a synergistic effect for the treatment of a tumor are disclosed herein. These combinations of agents can be used to treat tumors, wherein the cells of the cancer express a mutated BRAF. Methods are disclosed for treating a subject diagnosed with a tumor that expresses a mutated BRAF. The methods include administering to the subject (1) a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof that specifically binds glucose regulated protein (GRP) 94; and (2) a therapeutically effective amount of a BRAF inhibitor. In some embodiments, the tumor is melanoma. In some embodiments the method includes selecting a subject with primary or secondary resistance to a BRAF inhibitor. In further embodiments, treating the tumor comprises decreasing the metastasis of the tumor. In additional embodiments, the BRAF inhibitor comprises PLX4032 or PLX4720.
US08771677B2
The present invention features colony-forming unit cells derived from the chorion of human placenta and describes compositions and methods for the uses of chorionic cells and their products for therapeutic purposes based upon production and release of multiple growth factors and cytokines by these cells stimulating tissue regeneration independent of engraftment, as well as differentiation into a specific cell type.
US08771676B2
The present invention provides an agrochemically active microbial formulation comprising a combination of an agrochemically active microbe with a specified ester compound and a surfactant, the formulation exhibiting a stable pest controlling effect with no harmful effect on a plant and having highly stable viability of the agrochemically active microbe.
US08771673B2
A method of combating rheumatoid arthritis, comprising administering to a human subject in need thereof, an effective oral dose of a probiotic composition in an oral dose form including, as the only bacterial species therein, the bacterial species of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, and Enterococcus faecium. The initial occurrence, and progress of remission of the rheumatoid arthritis condition incident to such probiotic therapy, may be established and monitored by assay of rheumatoid factor and/or anti-CCP antibodies present in a blood sample of the human subject.
US08771663B2
The present innovation relates to a novel formulation capable of increasing the amount of stem cells and progenitor cells in circulation in the peripheral blood of a mammal; the formulation is characterized in that it contains defibrotide in combination with at least one haematopoietic factor having the capacity to mobilize haematopoietic progenitors, preferably G-CSF. In one embodiment, the formulation includes two separately administrable formulations, one containing a haematopoietic factor having the capacity to mobilize haematopoietic progenitors and the other containing defibrotide. The formulation is effective to achieve an increase in the number of haematopoietic progenitor cells that is greater than an increase in the number of haematopoietic progenitor cells achieved by the haematopoietic factor alone.
US08771661B2
This invention relates to high surface area materials, such as nanoparticles, that are coated with metal ions. These modified nanoparticles have active sites that bind various gases and/or odorous compounds, thereby removing these compounds from a medium such as air or water. Metal ions are adsorbed onto the surface of the nanoparticle and bound strongly to the surface. By selection of the metal ion, specific gaseous compounds and/or odorous compounds can be targeted and removed efficiently and effectively from both aqueous phase and from the air. The modified nanoparticles are useful in numerous article of manufacture for industrial and consumer use.
US08771658B2
Compositions, formulations, kits and methods for temporarily or semi-permanently transforming the shape of individual hair filaments or keratinous fibers (curling, waving or straightening) by applying no heat or heat below about 300° F. to prevent damage to the keratinous fibers.
US08771654B2
The present invention provides an artificial nail composition which can easily impart a special appearance to the tip of the finger, and which is an artificial nail material coated on a natural or artificial nail, and is used by coating on the surface of a natural or artificial nail followed by polymerization and, more particularly, an artificial nail composition which is vivid and has a natural color tone having a transparent sensation, that cannot be achieved by a conventionally used artificial nail composition containing an organic and/or inorganic colorant utilizing absorption and/or a scattering phenomenon of light, and imparts special appearance by an interference color.
US08771649B2
This invention relates to inducible release vehicle comprised of crosslinked carbohydrates or proteins and an active ingredient. The release is induced by an external stimulus, e.g. an enzyme such as amylase. Such a vehicle can particularly be used in applications for preventing microbial decay or combating microbial infections. Other uses are for oral applications such as providing antdaries or flavoring compounds and for pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical applications.
US08771648B2
There are provided pharmaceutical compositions comprising greater than 15% w/w of a compound of Formula (I) as defined herein and/or hydrate thereof and an amount of one or more effervescent agents that is sufficient to provide satisfactory in vitro dissolution; and further comprising one or more pharmaceutically acceptable ingredients; and to processes for obtaining them.
US08771647B2
The present invention provides a human photoaged skin model and an animal model, and a method of making the same, for evaluating cosmetics and similar products in terms of their anti-aging or rejuvenating effect.
US08771640B2
A method for imaging the blood flow in a patient receiving radiomedical treatment, including forming a first and a second plurality of generally spherical biologically stable members, with each respective member of the first plurality includes a first non-radioactive isotope distributed substantially uniformly therein that, upon being subjected to an effective amount of neutron irradiation, emits a therapeutic intensity and amount of beta or gamma radiation and wherein each respective member of the second plurality includes a second non-radioactive isotope distributed substantially uniformly therethrough that, upon being subjected to an effective amount of neutron irradiation, emits a detectable intensity and amount of positron radiation. The first and second members are subjected to an effective amount of neutron radiation and the irradiated first and second pluralities of irradiated first and second members are introduced into a patient's circulatory system upstream of a desired treatment site. The second plurality of irradiated members is imaged via positron emission tomography. The second isotope, once activated by neutron irradiation, has a maximum half-life of about four days.
US08771638B2
A method and apparatus for sequestering carbon dioxide from a waste gas and reusing it as a recycled gas without emissions concerns, including: given a gas source divided into a process gas and a waste gas: mixing the process gas with a hydrocarbon and feeding a resulting feed gas into a reformer for reforming the feed gas and forming a reducing gas; and feeding at least a portion of the waste gas into a carbon dioxide scrubber for removing at least some carbon dioxide from the waste gas and forming a carbon dioxide lean gas that is mixed with the reducing gas. Optionally, the method also includes feeding at least a portion of the waste gas into the carbon dioxide scrubber for removing at least some carbon dioxide from the waste gas and forming a fuel gas after the addition of a hydrocarbon that is fed into the reformer. Optionally, the gas source and the reducing gas are associated with a direct reduction process for converting iron oxide to metallic iron in a reduction furnace that utilizes the reducing gas, optionally after some modification, and produces the gas source.
US08771637B2
Disclosed herein is a process for the production of hydrogen by autothermal reforming of natural gas, with simultaneous recovery of carbon dioxide using carbon dioxide-selective membrane separation. Residual gas from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide recovery is recycled back to the autothermal reformer.
US08771634B1
The present subject matter provides heat management while generating hydrogen gas from a hydride achieved by coupling a hydride with a hydrate. The present subject matter unexpectedly provides improved methods so that the heat released by the hydride during hydrolysis is accurately balanced by the heat absorbed by the hydrate as the hydrate undergoes a phase transition to a less hydrated or to an anhydrous form. Examples of heat-moderated hydrogen generating systems are provided, and include, among others: NaBH4/Na2SO4.10H2O, NaBH4/CoSO4.7H2O, and NaBH4/FeSO4.7H2O. The subject matter provides a methodology for determining the correct proportions of hydride/hydrate to use in preparing a hydrogen generator capable of operating at a nearly constant temperature at or near a phase transition temperature of the hydrate or at a higher temperature that is still within a desired temperature range, such as, for example, 30-90° C.
US08771630B2
A method for the preparation of graphene is provided, which includes: (a) oxidizing a graphite material to form graphite oxide; (b) dispersing graphite oxide into water to form an aqueous suspension of graphite oxide; (c) adding a dispersing agent to the aqueous suspension of graphite oxide; and (d) adding an acidic reducing agent to the aqueous suspension of graphite oxide, wherein graphite oxide is reduced to graphene by the acidic reducing agent, and graphene is further bonded with the dispersing agent to form a graphene dispersion containing a surface-modified graphene. The present invention provides a method for the preparation of graphene using an acidic reducing agent. The obtained graphene can be homogeneously dispersed in water, an acidic solution, a basic solution, or an organic solution.
US08771626B2
This invention relates to a process for purifying at least one of perfluoromethane and nitrogen trifluoride from a mixture thereof using an ionic liquid. The process may be performed by a technique such as extractive distillation or absorption wherein at least one ionic liquid is used as the entraining agent or absorbent, respectively.
US08771625B2
A method is described for reducing nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas flow of combustion engines, especially a motor vehicle internal combustion engine, wherein an air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of the combustion engine is combusted in the presence of a fuel additive and, in the process, the fuel additive decomposes and the exhaust gas flow is guided through at least one catalyst arranged downstream of the combustion chamber. This method is characterized in that a fuel additive is used, which decomposes in the combustion chamber releasing ammonia and the exhaust gas flow containing ammonia is guided through at least one SCR catalyst arranged downstream of the combustion chamber to reduce the concentration of the nitrogen oxides contained therein. The method according to the invention is highly effective in reducing the nitrogen oxide content in the exhaust gas flow of a combustion engine without an exhaust gas aftertreatment system having to be expensively formed and the installation space having to be increased.
US08771622B2
A method for removing impurities from a waste solid to provide at least a portion of a suitable crystallizer feed to a process for making crystalline sodium carbonate, bicarbonate, and/or other derivatives. The method comprises: contacting the waste solid with a leach solution to dissolve at least one impurity and dissolving the resulting leached residue. Leaching may include heap percolation. The leach solution may comprise a crystallizer purge liquor, a process waste effluent, a mine water, or mixtures thereof. The method may further comprise adding a magnesium compound to the resulting leached residue during or after its dissolution to remove another impurity. The waste solid preferably comprises a pond solid containing such impurities. The pond solid may be recovered from a pond receiving crystallizer purge liquor(s) and/or other process waste effluent(s). The pond solid may contain sodium carbonate, any hydrate thereof, sodium bicarbonate, and/or sodium sesquicarbonate. The impurities to be removed may comprise sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, silicates, and/or organics.
US08771613B2
A large volume preconcentrator device for concentrating analytes. A housing accepts an analyte vapor flow, and a plurality of collection surfaces are disposed within the housing. A selectively actuatable heater is disposed on each of the plurality of collection surfaces. At least one selectively actuatable damper is disposed within the housing for selectively restricting a collection flow.
US08771610B2
A fluid reaction device includes a microfluidic reaction chip which accommodates a fluid, a heater, and a heat transfer facilitating layer which is interposed between the microfluidic reaction chip and the heater, the heat transfer facilitating layer has a higher thermal conductivity than air and can hold particles, wherein formation of an air layer can be prevented.
US08771606B2
A kitchen waste bin having a casing; a lid hingedly attached to the casing and moveable between open and closed positions. The lid includes an outer casing, an inner casing and a cavity there between. The inner casing having one or more apertures communicating between the cavity and the interior of the receptacle when the lid is closed; an ozone generator located within the cavity arranged to discharge ozone into the receptacle where the ozone generator is an ultraviolet source that includes an elongate lamp in an elongate channel shaped reflector; a switch that generates and transmits a control signal when the lid is moved; and a control unit arranged to switch the ozone generator on or off in response to a control signal. Ozone is discharged into the receptacle for a sterilization period when the lid is closed. Discharge of the ozone stops when the lid is opened.
US08771603B2
A method for scavenging hydrogen sulfide from geothermal steam in a condenser under vacuum. A fine curtain of atomized acrolein-water droplets may be sprayed into geothermal steam condensers in an amount of approximately 2:1 molar ratio of acrolein to H2S based on hydrogen sulfide in the incoming steam from the turbine. The range being approximately 0.1 ppm to 500 ppm of sulfide. The acrolein is allowed to react with the gas phase H2S to form non-volatile aldehyde byproducts which partition into the water phase, are returned to the cooling tower and ultimately removed by normal cooling-tower blow down.
US08771602B2
A resin production apparatus of the present invention includes: a reactor vessel having a vessel main body which polymerizes an ingredient to produce a thermoplastic synthetic resin which solidifies at room temperature and storing the synthetic resin in the molten state, an output mechanism disposed at a bottom part of the vessel main body, which outputs the synthetic resin in the molten state, and a temperature adjustment mechanism which adjusts temperatures of the vessel main body and the output mechanism so as to maintain the molten state of the synthetic resin; a cooling mechanism arranged below the reactor vessel, which continuously cools and solidifies the synthetic resin output from the output mechanism; and a crushing mechanism which crushes the synthetic resin fed out from the cooling mechanism.
US08771601B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for intensifying the energy content of an organic material by converting the material into hydrocarbons and the resulting product thereof. A method for converting an organic material into hydrocarbon fuels is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of pressurising said organic material being in a fluid to a pressure above 225 bar, heating said organic material in said fluid to a temperature above 200 C in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IA of the periodic table of elements. The disclosed method further comprises the steps of contacting said organic material in said fluid with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IVB of the periodic table and/or alpha-alumina assuring that said fluid has initially a pH value of above 7.
US08771598B2
A system for storing ammonia comprises gas detector that is able to detect gases other than ammonia. The system further comprises thermally activatable ammonia stores, which can be activated to release ammonia upon heating. When the ammonia stores are not heated, the system is below ambient pressure and any leak will cause external gas to enter the system. Therefore, the gas detector is used to detect the presence of such external gas, which allows to detect leaks. The gas detector may be embodied as a thermal detector using a single heater and two temperature sensors for detecting a gas flow as well as external gas.
US08771592B2
A solder composition includes about 4% to about 25% by weight tin, about 0.1% to about 8% by weight antimony, about 0.03% to about 4% by weight copper, about 0.03% to about 4% by weight nickel, about 66% to about 90% by weight indium, and about 0.5% to about 9% by weight silver. The composition can further include about 0.2% to about 6% by weight zinc, and, independently, about 0.01% to about 0.3% by weight germanium. The composition can be used to solder an electrical connector to an electrical contact surface on a glass component.
US08771591B1
A high tarnish resistant silver alloy composition formulated for jewelry and flatware manufacture is provided. In certain implementations, the alloy contains about 92%-97% by weight silver, about 0.25%-3.5% by weight palladium, about 0%-3.5% by weight platinum, about 0%-2.5% by weight gold, about 0.1%-1.0% by weight copper, about 0.5%-3.5% by weight zinc, about 0.1%-1.5% by weight tin, about 0.25%-1.5% by weight indium, about 0.03%-1.1% by weight silicon, about 0%-0.5% by weight germanium, about 0.15%-0.5% by weight gallium, about 0.25%-0.5% by weight cobalt and about 0%-0.5% by weight ruthenium. These unique combinations of elements result in the alloys with the tarnish resistance superior to typical 10K gold alloy.
US08771589B2
A spheriodal cast alloy for producing cast iron products with great mechanical strength, high-wear resistance and a high degree of ductility. The alloy comprises the following as non-iron components: between 2.5 and 2.8 wt. % C, between 2.4 and 3.4 wt. % Si, between 0.02 and 0.08 wt. % P, between 0.02 and 0.06 wt. % Mg, between 0.01 and 0.05 wt. % Cr, between 0.002 and 0.02 wt. % Al, between 0.0005 and 0.015 wt. % S, between 0.0002 and 0.002 wt. % B and conventional impurities. The alloy contains between 3.0 and 3.7 wt. % C, between 2.6 and 3.4 wt. % Si, between 0.02 and 0.05 wt. % P, between 0.025 and 0.045 wt. % Mg, between 0.01 and 0.03 wt. % Cr, between 0.003 and 0.017 wt. % Al, between 0.0005 and 0.012 wt. % S and between 0.0004 and 0.002 wt. % B. The alloy is used for example to produce chassis parts or brake discs in the automobile industry.
US08771584B2
An apparatus for the heating of plastics material pre-forms includes a conveying device, which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-determined conveying path, and at least one heating device, which heats the plastics material pre-forms during the transportation thereof. The conveying path of the plastics material pre-forms extends at least locally through a sterile room, wherein the sterile room is separated from the environment by a plurality of walls.
US08771579B2
A forming device for gathering the width of a traveling web is disclosed. The forming device includes opposing arrays of flute-forming bars that can be interlaced to define therebetween a longitudinal flute-forming labyrinth effective to reduce the width of a web traveling therethrough by a preselected take-up ratio. The flute-forming bars are curved beginning at an entry end of the forming device such that they converge in a lateral direction as they proceed in the machine direction. In this manner, individual elements of the web traveling between the respective arrays in the machine direction follow contour lines along the curved bars or between adjacent ones of the curved bars so that no such element crosses any flute-forming bar in the cross-machine direction as the web travels and is fluted. A corrugating die for introducing a near-net shape to the intermediate-fluted web is also disclosed, as are a corrugating line incorporating these operations and methods for its operation.
US08771573B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a plastic housing, where at least one first plastic housing part with at least one guide or bearing for at least one mechanically movable component, in particular a sensor, is produced in a first molding step, the at least one first plastic housing part is overmolded in a second molding step while a second plastic housing part is being formed, in order to form an integral plastic housing. Moreover, the invention relates to a plastic housing with at least one first plastic housing part including at least one guide or bearing for at least one mechanically movable component, where the at least one plastic housing part is entirely or partially overmolded by a second plastic housing part so that the integral plastic housing is formed.
US08771569B2
The present invention pertains to a polyethylene film and a process for manufacturing such film. The polyethylene film may have a ratio between the strength in a first direction in the film plane and the strength in a second direction in the film plane perpendicular to the first direction in the range of 0.1-10:1, the strength in at least one direction being at least 0.2 Gpa. The process for manufacturing a polyethylene film may have a starting UHMWPE polymer with an average molecular weight of at least 500,000 grams/mole, an elastic shear modulus determined directly after melting at 160° C. of at most 1.4 MPa, and a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6 to a solvent-free compacting process and a stretching process under such conditions that at no point during the process the temperature of the intermediate polymer film is raised to a value above its melting point.
US08771566B2
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating an insulating resin material (4) from a core/shell particle (3) having a core particle (2) containing a macromolecular compound and a shell layer (1) coating the core particle (2) and containing an inorganic compound. The method of fabrication includes mixing the core/shell particles (3) with a good solvent (10) for the macromolecular compound, infiltrating the good solvent (10) through the shell layer (1), impregnating the good solvent (10) into the macromolecular compound, molding a compact from the impregnated core/shell particles (3), and removing the good solvent from the compact by heating the molded compact.
US08771564B2
An expandable material is shaped to form a part that can provide functional attributes such as reinforcement to a structure of article of manufacture such as an automotive vehicle.
US08771563B2
There is provided a method of sealing and molding an optical device with resin by employing a die including a top piece, a bottom piece, an intermediate piece, and a mold release film pinched between the bottom and intermediate pieces. Thus, tensioned as prescribed to cover the bottom piece's cavity, when the bottom piece is heated, the mold release film expands and thus closely contacts the cavity's entire surface along the cavity's geometry so that the optical device can be sealed in transparent set resin shaped as desired.
US08771559B2
A conductive sintered oxide which includes: a conductive crystal phase having a perovskite structure represented by (RE1-cSrc)MdO3, in which RE is a group of elements consisting of Yb and/or Lu and at least one element selected from Group IIIA elements excluding Yb, Lu and La, and M is a group of elements consisting of Al and at least one element selected from Groups IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA and VIII, a first insulating crystal phase represented by RE2O3, and a second insulating crystal phase represented by SrAl2O4. The conductive crystal phase has a coefficient c satisfying 0.18
US08771557B2
An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 mΩ·cm or less. This invention aims to provide an indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film.
US08771555B2
An ink composition for forming a chalcogenide semiconductor film and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The ink composition includes a solvent, a plurality of metal chalcogenide nanoparticles and at least one selected from the group consisted of metal ions and metal complex ions. The metal ions and/or complex ions are distributed on the surface of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles and adapted to disperse the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles in the solvent. The metals of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the metal ions and the metal complex ions are selected from a group consisted of group I, group II, group III and group IV elements of periodic table and include all metal elements of a chalcogenide semiconductor material.
US08771548B2
It is an object to provide phosphors with high luminance. It also is an object to provide phosphors with less decrease in luminance due to a reduction in particle diameter. A first phosphor is represented by a general formula: aYO3/2.(3−a)CeO3/2.bAlO3/2.cGaO32.fWO3(2.80≦a≦2.99, 3.00≦b≦5.00, 0≦c≦2.00, 0.003≦f≦0.020, where 4.00≦b+c≦5.00). A second phosphor is represented by a general formula: aYO3/2.(3−a)CeO3/2.bAlO3/2.cGaO3/2.gK2WO4(2.80≦a≦2.99, 3.00≦b≦5.00, 0≦c≦2.00, 0.003≦g≦0.015, where 4.00≦b+c≦5.00).
US08771546B2
Borate luminous material is provided, wherein, comprises the compound of following structural formula: M2(Re1-xLnx)2B2O7, wherein x is in a range of 0
US08771529B1
A method of imprint lithography includes imprinting a first pattern with a first template on a first substrate of a lithographic template. A second pattern is imprinted with a second template on the substrate of the lithographic template. The first pattern and the second pattern at least partially overlap, thus forming a third pattern. The third pattern is lithographically formed on a second substrate with the lithographic template. In an embodiment, the first pattern is a concentric line pattern formed by thin film deposition. In an embodiment, the second pattern is a radial line pattern. In an embodiment the first pattern and the second pattern may have line frequency increased.
US08771523B1
A composition that has a low volatile organic compound (VOC) content and methods for producing compositions having a low VOC content. The composition, such as a solid ink and/or toner release oil composition, may include less than about 0.15% by weight VOCs that have a sufficient vapor pressure at the operating temperature of printing device to enter the gas phase at the operating temperature of the printing device.
US08771521B2
A method and a computer program product perform a backwash process, which facilitates a reduction in a reject rate associated with a water treatment tank. If a backwash process is needed, an upper burst solenoid is operated to start an airlift flow in a first airlift path at a first position and at a first point in time, at a bottom portion of the water treatment tank, and a lower burst solenoid is operated to start an airlift flow in a second airlift path at a second position and at a second point in time. The second position is below the first position and the second point in time is after the first point in time. The airlift flow in the first and second airlift paths enables suitable water flow within the water treatment tank.
US08771518B2
Fluid filtration systems and methods thereof to filter fluid in a first directional mode and a second directional mode are disclosed. Fluid filtration systems and methods thereof include a first directional mode, a second directional mode, and a filter unit. The filter unit includes a filter housing unit and a filter chamber disposed in the filter unit.
US08771516B2
Permselective asymmetric membranes suitable e.g. for hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration of blood, and having improved performance, including improved sieving characteristics, providing enhanced removal of middle molecular weight substances, e.g. inflammatory mediators having a molecular weight between 20 and 40 kDa. The improved sieving characteristics are due to a narrow pore size distribution of the membranes created in the production process. Processes for the preparation of these membranes, devices comprising these membranes, and the use of these membranes in hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration of blood, as well as in bioprocessing, plasma fractionation and the preparation of protein solutions.
US08771515B2
A horizontal flow water treatment method and wetland biofilter apparatus provides a chamber with impermeable outer walls spaced away from permeable interior walls of a media filtration bed such that a catch basin is formed between the outer walls and the interior walls. The catch basin creates an open area around the perimeter of the interior walls for influent water to fill within the open area on all sides before penetrating the filtration media, providing a large surface area for influent water to interact with the media filtration bed. The influent water enters the catch basin in a horizontal flow path to provide for pre-settling of particulates before making contact with the filtration media. The biofilter design increases the available surface area of the media filtration bed by up to four times for a given volume of water, and thereby minimizes the loading or infiltration rate on the media filtration bed.
US08771512B2
In a separation membrane module in a module main body, an upper horizontal partition plate forms an upper fluid channel, a lower horizontal partition plate forms a lower fluid channel, a plurality of vertical outer tubes are fixed between the upper horizontal partition plate and the lower horizontal partition plate, and vertical tubular membrane elements extend through the respective outer tubes with a gap. An upper end of the gap is in communication with the upper fluid channel and a lower end of the gap is in communication with the lower fluid channel. An upper end opening of each of the membrane elements is open to outside of the module main body and a lower end opening each of the membrane elements is closed. A vertical partition plate is provided in either the upper fluid channel or the lower fluid channel to form an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber.
US08771506B2
A pervious concrete slab is pre-cast in a reusable mold or form to define at least one keyway configured and arranged to engage with a complementary keyway of another similar pre-cast pervious concrete slab. The concrete slab is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to an installation site, and installed.
US08771505B2
A trap for a catch basin, and means for mounting said trap to a catch basin wall, comprises a hollow trap body having an inner wall and an outer wall, and side walls joining the inner and outer walls. The trap body has a first aperture near the top of its inner wall, allignable with an outlet of a catch basin, and a second aperture at a lower level on said trap body than said first aperture. A mounting plate is secured to the inner wall of the trap body, and has an aperture allignable with the first aperture of the trap body. A retainer plate is provided, onto which the mounting plate can be mounted. The retainer plate also has an aperture allignable with the apertures on the mounting plate and trap body.
US08771504B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning an immersed surface, comprising a hollow body, guiding and driving members, a filtration chamber which is provided in the hollow body and which has at least one liquid inlet, at least one liquid outlet and a hydraulic circuit for circulation of liquid through a filtering device. An accelerometer device is fixedly joined to the hollow body and which is adapted to provide instantaneous measurements of at least one acceleration component of the terrestrial gravity in at least one fixed direction which is fixed relative to the hollow body, and a processing unit for processing the acceleration measurements supplied by the accelerometer device.
US08771502B2
The present invention is directed to a method comprising contacting an oil sand with a suitable solvent to generate a solvated oil sand slurry; separating solvent-diluted bitumen from the solvated oil sand slurry to generate (a) a solvent-diluted bitumen and (b) a slurry with increased solids concentration; and filtering the slurry with increased solids concentration. The method of the present invention may be used to produce a low ash bitumen product and dry tailings from oil sands.
US08771498B2
An electrochemical method for producing Si nanopowder, Si nanowires and/or Si nanotubes directly from compound SiX or a mixture containing a silicon compound SiX, the method comprises: providing an electrolysis cell having a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte, using the compound SiX or the mixture containing compound SiX as a cathode and immersing the cathode in an electrolyte comprising a metal compound molten salt, applying a potential between the cathode and the anode in the electrolysis cell, and forming one or more of Si nanopowder, Si nanowires and Si nanotubes on the cathode electrode. The method has advantages of: 1) shorter production processing, 2) inexpensive equipment, 3) convenient operation, 4) reduction of contaminate, 5) easily available feed materials, and 6) easy to achieve continuous production. This is a new field of using electrochemical method for producing one-dimensional Si nano material, and a new method of producing Si nanopowder, Si nanowires and Si nanotubes.
US08771495B2
A method and composition for metallizing a via feature in a semiconductor integrated circuit device substrate, using a leveler compound which is a dipyridyl compound.
US08771481B2
A device for processing a hydrocarbon resource may include a hydrocarbon processing container configured to receive the hydrocarbon resource therein and having a pair of opposing ends with an enlarged width medial portion therebetween. The device may also a spirally wound electrical conductor surrounding the hydrocarbon processing container, and a radio frequency (RF) circuit coupled to the spirally wound electrical conductor and configured to supply RF power to the hydrocarbon resource while tracking a load resonance of the RF circuit. The RF circuit may be configured to generate magnetic fields within the hydrocarbon processing container parallel with an axis thereof.
US08771480B2
Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
US08771477B2
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for water purification and desalination. The systems have a preheater, a degasser, multiple evaporation chambers with demisters, heat pipes, and a control system, wherein the control system permits continuous operation of the purification and desalination system without requiring user intervention or cleaning. The systems are capable of recovering hear from each distillation stage, while removing, from a contaminated water sample, a plurality of contaminants including: microbiological contaminants, radiological contaminants, metals, salts, and organics.
US08771471B2
A process for making an absorbent component comprising the steps of providing individual sheets of pulp; attaching a first individual pulp sheet to one or more second individual pulp sheets to form a strip of pulp; feeding the strip of pulp into a defiberizer; defiberizing the strip of pulp to form defiberized fibers; and depositing the defiberized fibers onto a forming surface to form the absorbent component.
US08771462B2
The present disclosure generally describes techniques suitable for use in the construction or recycling of composite materials, such as thermoplastics. A coated thermoplastic article may comprise a thermoplastic portion coupled to a supramolecular polymer interface layer, with a coating layer applied to a surface of the supramolecular polymer interface layer. Application of heat to the coated thermoplastic article may cause the supramolecular polymer interface layer to undergo a phase change, allowing the coating layer to be removed from the thermoplastic portion. Application of force to the coated thermoplastic article may enhance the removal of the coating layer. Embodiments of methods, compositions, articles and/or systems may be disclosed and claimed.
US08771458B2
The object of the invention is to provide a wiring board having the uniform quality at a high yield which is produced by hot-pressing and laminating on a wiring board base material a thermotropic liquid crystal polymer which is excellent as a wiring board covering material.The present invention provides a method of making a wiring board comprising: hot-pressing and laminating a thermotropic liquid crystal polymer film on a wiring board base material on the surface of which at least one layer containing a electro-conductive circuit is exposed, characterized by that a viscoelastic characteristic of the thermotropic liquid crystal polymer film is measured at a low frequency within a laminating temperature region and the hot-pressing is carried out at a temperature selected so that the viscoelastic characteristic falls within a predetermined range.
US08771445B2
Disclosed is a method for producing single- or multi-layered fiber preforms by the TFP process with fiber strands which are aligned in particular such that they are oriented with the flux of force, wherein the fiber preforms have virtually any desired material thickness without troublesome backing layers and have virtually any desired surface geometry, comprising the steps of: laying and attaching the fiber strands on a flexible and elastic base, in particular a base formed by an elastomer, with a fixing thread led through a sewing head to form the fiber perform; and lifting the fiber preform off the elastic and flexible base. The fiber preforms produced by means of this method have a virtually optimum fiber alignment, that is to say substantially oriented with the flux of force, and no appreciable flaws in the arrangement of fibers, and consequently make it possible to create composite components that can withstand extreme mechanical stress and are at the same time lightweight, for example by subsequent processing in the RTM process.
US08771428B1
A double bucket cleaning system for use with microfiber mat mops. One bucket contains clean water; the second holds dirty water. The second bucket has a slide press for extracting dirty water from the mop. The system can use a connector to connect the two buckets together, or a single bucket with two compartments can be used. Both designs use a footpad upon which the user stands during the pressing operation. This ensures that the device remains in place during the sliding. Finally, once the dirty water has been extracted from the mop, the user can pick up clean water from the first bucket for the next portion of the floor to be cleaned. In this way, the user is able to quickly clean a large floor with clean water, instead of repeatedly dipping the mop back into dirty water.
US08771427B2
A method for manufacturing integrated circuit devices. In one aspect, the invention may be a method of manufacturing integrated circuit devices comprising: supporting a semiconductor wafer in a substantially horizontal orientation; providing a transducer assembly comprising a probe having a forward portion, a rear portion and no more than one piezoelectric transducer element coupled to the rear portion; supporting the transducer assembly so that the forward portion is adjacent but spaced from a first surface of the semiconductor wafer; rotating the semiconductor wafer; applying a fluid to the first surface of the semiconductor wafer to form a film of the fluid between a portion of the forward portion and the first surface of the semiconductor wafer; and transmitting acoustical energy generated by the piezoelectric transducer element into the film of the fluid via the forward portion, the acoustical energy loosening particles from the first surface of the semiconductor wafer.
US08771426B2
The process is for pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock and comprises: soaking a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock wherein the soaked biomass is present as a mixture with a free liquid and wherein the free liquid comprises at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof, washing the mixture of the soaked biomass and the free liquid, wherein at least a portion of the free liquid containing at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof is separated from the soaked biomass to create a soaked washed biomass and at least one free liquid stream, compressing the soaked biomass to create a released liquid, separating the released liquid from the soaked biomass, and keeping at least a portion of the released liquid separate from any free liquid.
US08771412B2
The present invention relates to a refractory coating for producing mold coatings by application to inorganically or organically-bound molding materials in lost molds or to cores for iron and steel casting, wherein the ready-to-use refractory coating has proportion by weight of 0.001% or more and less than 1% of inorganic hollow bodies, which partially or fully consist of crystalline material and have a softening point of 1000° C. or higher.
US08771406B1
A transport tank with high capacity gas scrubbing includes a vertically extending interior wall horizontally dividing the transport tank into a gas scrubbing chamber and a fluid storage chamber. A floor grate is supported within the gas scrubbing chamber at vertically spaced distance from a bottom of the transport tank and defines a gas distribution space between the floor grate and the tank bottom. A gas distribution pipe is disposed within and longitudinally extends the gas distribution space. A gas inlet is fluidically connected to the gas distribution pipe and passes through an exterior wall of the transport tank. A gas scrubbing is material disposed within the gas scrubbing chamber above the floor grate. And a gas outlet is fluidically connected to the gas scrubbing chamber for venting scrubbed gases.
US08771401B2
The disclosure provides an apparatus and method for gas separation through the supersonic expansion and subsequent deceleration of a gaseous stream. The gaseous constituent changes phase from the gaseous state by desublimation or condensation during the acceleration producing a collectible constituent, and an oblique shock diffuser decelerates the gaseous stream to a subsonic velocity while maintain the collectible constituent in the non-gaseous state. Following deceleration, the carrier gas and the collectible constituent at the subsonic velocity are separated by a separation means, such as a centrifugal, electrostatic, or impingement separator. In an embodiment, the gaseous stream issues from a combustion process and is comprised of N2 and CO2.
US08771399B2
A method and composition for removing sulfur from molten ferrous material, particularly molten iron. The desulfurization agent includes one or more pucks or briquettes of deoxidizing and/or desulfurization agent. The pucks or briquettes of deoxidizing and/or desulfurization agent include at least one deoxidizing metal and at least one ferrous metal.
US08771389B2
A method of forming one or more TSP compacts is provided. The method includes placing one or more TSP material layers in an enclosure and surrounding each TSP material layer with at least one of a pre-sintered tungsten carbide powder, pre-cemented tungsten carbide powder, tungsten carbide powder, or partially sintered tungsten carbide substrates. The method also includes exposing the enclosure to a high temperature high pressure process wherein the at least one of a pre-sintered tungsten carbide powder, pre-cemented tungsten carbide powder, tungsten carbide powder, or partially sintered tungsten carbide substrates bond to the TSP material layers forming a stack of TSP material layers including the TSP material layers one over the other with tungsten carbide bonded to each of the TSP material layers and encapsulating each of the TSP material layers.
US08771385B2
Use in a gas oil fuel composition, which preferably comprises a Fischer-Tropsch derived fuel, of a compound according to formula (I): wherein: R1 to R5 are each independently hydrogen or a C1-10 alkyl group, where such alkyl groups may be the same as or different from one another; X is a nitrogen- or oxygen-containing group, for the purpose of reducing the cetane number of said fuel composition; preparation of such a fuel composition; and operating a fuel consuming system.
US08771382B2
A cooling system for a battery cell includes at least one plate having at least one key, and a heat sink having at least one slot formed therein. The at least one key of the at least one plate is disposed in the at least one slot. The at least one plate and the heat sink form an interference fit joint securing the at least one plate to the heat sink.
US08771381B2
A process for preparing a solid electrolytic capacitor comprising application of a non-ionic polyol prior to application of a conducting polymer layer.
US08771378B2
Disclosed is an azo compound represented by the general formula (1) or a salt thereof: wherein R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxy group; and n represents 1 or 2. Also disclosed are a dye-containing polarizing film and a dye-containing polarizing plate, each of which comprises a polarizing film base material and the azo compound contained in the base material.
US08771372B1
A prosthetic device including an upper member having an upper end and a lower end, a wave member having a toe end and a heel end, and a third member having a proximal end and a distal end. In the preferred prosthetic device, the toe end of the wave member is fixedly attached to the upper member and the heel end of wave member is adapted to be deflected.
US08771369B2
The present invention relates to polymers and, specifically, to surface modification of polymers. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention increases the bond strength of UHMWPE components to PMMA bone cement by creating a chemical bond between the UHMWPE components and the PMMA bone cement. Specifically, in one exemplary embodiment, a surface of the UHMWPE component that is to be bonded to PMMA bone cement is treated with an oxidizing agent, such as an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide. In one exemplary embodiment, the UHMWPE component is treated with hydrogen peroxide by swabbing the surface of the UHMWPE component with the hydrogen peroxide solution. The surface of the UHMWPE component may then be dried and PMMA bone cement applied to the surface of the UHMWPE component.
US08771355B2
A mobile device is adapted to at least partially replace the motion characteristics of a natural inter-vertebral disc positioned in a disc space. In an embodiment, a receptacle is coupled to the bearing surface. The receptacle is adapted to accept an implantable material without the removal of the bearing surface, wherein the implantable material contacts the abutment surface of each of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the disc space and leads to fusion and immobilization of two vertebral bodies adjacent the disc space.
US08771354B2
Hard-tissue implants are provided that include a bulk implant, a face, pillars, and slots. The pillars are for implantation into a hard tissue. The slots are to be occupied by the hard tissue. The hard-tissue implant has a Young's modulus of elasticity of at least 10 GPa, has a ratio of the sum of (i) the volumes of the slots to (ii) the sum of the volumes of the pillars and the volumes of the slots of 0.40:1 to 0.90:1, does not comprise any part that is hollow, and does not comprise any non-pillar part extending to or beyond the distal ends of any of the pillars. Methods of making and using hard-tissue implants are also provided.
US08771353B2
A method and apparatus for replacing damaged meniscal tissue includes a meniscus implant including a porous body having a plurality of interconnected open micro-pores and one or more open cavities for receiving meniscal tissue. The interconnected micro-pores are arranged to allow fluid to flow into the porous body and are in fluid communication with the one or more open cavities.
US08771347B2
Systems, devices, and methods are presented for a prosthetic injectable intraocular lens. One or more silicone elastomeric patches located outside the optical path on the anterior side but away from the equator can be accessed by surgical needles in order to fill or adjust optically clear fluid within the lens. The fluid can be adjusted in order to set a base dioptric power of the lens and otherwise adjust a lens after its initial insertion. The elastomeric patches are sized so that they self-seal after a needle is withdrawn. A straight or stepped slit in the patch can allow a blunt needle to more easily access the interior of the lens.
US08771342B2
A method of deploying a stent in a bifurcation includes introducing two guidewires through the main vessel and using the two guidewires for guiding a dual lumen catheter carrying a stent first to an initial position proximal to the stent deployment position, retracting one wire, and projecting it from the catheter and through a side of the stent a branch guidewire into the second branch vessel, and then moving the catheter to the predetermined deployment position while guided by the main guidewire in the first branch vessel, and the branch guidewire in the second branch vessel. The stent is then expanded, and the catheter is removed with the stent remaining in its deployed position An alternative embodiment includes introducing one wire, advancing the system over the one wire and subsequently introducing the second wire.
US08771330B1
A personal artificial transpiration cooling system having a transpiration surface with a substrate, a transpiration membrane layer which is spaced from the substrate layer by one or more spacers to define one or more interior fluid flow channels between a first surface of the transpiration membrane layer and the substrate; and a stoma layer disposed adjacent a second surface of the permeable membrane layer, the stoma layer being spaced from the second surface of permeable membrane layer by a predetermined distance to define one or more cavities disposed between pores in the at least one stoma layer and the second surface of the permeable membrane layer. A fluid reservoir is provided in fluid communication with the one or more interior fluid flow channels, while the transpiration surface is configured to be worn by a human or an animal and the fluid reservoir is designed to be supported, in use, by the human or animal wearing the transpiration surface.
US08771327B2
A device for stimulating hair growth applied to a user's scalp. The device includes a housing. A plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the housing operable to emit non-coherent light, the non-coherent light having at least two intensity peaks. A plurality of pairs of teeth extending from the housing, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are disposed between each pair of teeth; and wherein each of the plurality of pairs of teeth parts the user's hair to expose the scalp.
US08771323B2
Silver and/or zinc ion releasing implants, systems and method of operating, inserting and activating/inactivating them are described. In some variations the implant is configured as a bone implant that includes a bone-screw or intramedullary rod like body configured to receive a treatment cartridge having a plurality of ion-releasing members configured as an anode that can controllably engage with a catheter to turn galvanic release of ions on/off as desired. These devices may be configured to release silver ions (and/or zinc ions) above a predetermined level for a predetermined period of time and may maintain a concentration of ions over a relatively large volume of tissue. The ion-releasing members may be configured to reduce or prevent implant movement.
US08771320B2
A locking assembly for securing a rod in a polyaxial bone anchoring device includes a first locking element having a first end, a second end, an outer surface with an external advancement structure, an inner wall, an internal advancement structure on the inner wall, and an engagement portion for a tool, and a second locking element having a first end configured to be oriented towards the first end of the first locking element, an opposite second end, an outer surface with an external advancement structure configured to cooperate with the internal advancement structure of the first locking element, and a portion at the second end having a width greater than a greatest width of the external advancement structure of the second locking element, wherein the second locking element is configured to move axially relative to the bone anchoring device at a speed different than the first locking element.
US08771319B2
A rod to rod connector includes at least one clamping assembly for receiving a first spinal rod. The clamping assembly may include a polyaxial articulation element. The articulation element may include a hollow body forming an opening. The clamping body may further include a pivot element configured to clamp the first spinal rod between the pivot element and a channel wall in the clamping assembly. The rod to rod connector may also include a connector member for connecting the clamping assembly to a second spinal rod. The connector member may include a socket configured to receive the polyaxial articulation element of the clamping assembly, with the articulation element polyaxially rotatable relative to the axis of the socket.
US08771316B2
A method of coupling a first portion of an anatomy to a second portion of the anatomy includes coupling first and second bones of the anatomy with a bone-tendon-bone implant. The bone-tendon-bone implant has a first bone end, a second bone end and a replacement tendon between the first and second bone ends. The first and second bone ends are positioned in corresponding first and second bores of the first and second bones. The first bone end is secured to the first bone with a first bone anchor. A second anchor coupled to the bone-tendon-bone implant is passed through and outside the second bore. The second anchor is coupled to an adjustable suture construct having two adjustable suture loops. Tensioning at least one of first and second ends of the adjustable suture construct tensions the replacement tendon and positions the first bone relative to the second bone.
US08771308B2
The present invention refers to a transmission mechanism of an eyebrow tattoo machine, which includes an eccentric rotation shaft connected to a driving axle of a motor and having a bottom end configured to rotate eccentrically with respect to the driving axle, an upper bearing coupled with the bottom end of the eccentric rotation shaft, a position-limiting cover longitudinally provided with a position-limiting groove, and a swinging rod element mounted to the upper bearing and provided with a swinging rod and a position-limiting rod on two sides respectively. Since the position-limiting rod is only allowed to swing up and down in the position-limiting groove when the eccentric rotation shaft drives the upper bearing and the swinging rod element, the end of the swinging rod away from the upper bearing can swing up and down and then drive a tattoo needle to move vertically up and down through a lateral bearing.
US08771306B2
An insertion device for safely creating an incision through tissue is provided. The device includes a tubular member and a cutting assembly. The tubular member includes proximal and distal ends and defines a passageway therethrough. The tubular member includes at least one longitudinal slot extending proximally from a distal end thereof. The cutting assembly includes a blade assembly mounted on a distal end thereof. The distal end of the cutting assembly is configured for sliding reception within the passageway of the tubular member. The blade assembly includes at least one blade movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The blade assembly is configured such that the at least one blade is received through the at least one longitudinal slot of the tubular member when the at least one blade is in an extended position.
US08771305B2
A lateral incision catheter device is described which has a first shell formed as a hollow semi-spherical surface of hard, rigid material with circumference approximately that of half a true circle, and having a longitudinal axis longer or shorter than that of a true circle, and the shell edge on each side of the longitudinal axis being a cutting surface, and with a first catheter passing through and being bonded to the first shell on the longitudinal axis of the first shell near the distal end of the first catheter and a second shell essentially the same as the first but slightly larger and bonded to the distal end of a slightly larger catheter so as to surround the first and having an opening on the longitudinal axis for the distal end of first catheter to enter and thus serve as the axis for both concentric shells. A practitioner advances the lateral incision catheter to a pre-selected site in the lumen of a blood vessel, rotates one or both catheters to properly position the shells radially then rotates the first catheter and second catheter in opposite directions so the cutting surfaces of the shell edges engage adjacent tissue to cut out and remove a section of patient's lumen wall between the closing shell edges, and after the first and the second shells have rotated about 180 degrees they constitute a substantially closed container holding the excised portion of lumen wall which may be removed from the blood vessel by retraction of the lateral incision catheter. The device may be introduced through and used in a hemostatic guiding catheter which prevents blood from escaping though the opening on the lumen wall after the opening is made.
US08771302B2
Apparatus for resecting a diseased heart valve, the apparatus including: a body portion; a first handle and a second handle; a cutting blade; a set of retaining arms; a pass-off tool having a first attachment device configured to selectively engage the first handle attached to the body portion so as to allow placement of the second handle of the body portion adjacent to the diseased heart valve, and a controller tool, having a second attachment device at the distal end thereof, the second attachment device configured to selectively engage the second handle attached to the body portion so as to allow positioning of the body portion adjacent to the diseased heart valve, a cutting blade actuator configured to cause the cutting blade to selectively rotate, and a retaining arm actuator configured to selectively position the set of retaining arms from the contracted state to the expanded state.
US08771297B2
Described here are devices, systems and methods for closing the left atrial appendage. Some of the methods described here utilize one or more guide members having alignment members to aid in positioning of a closure device. In general, these methods include advancing a first guide having a first alignment member into the left atrial appendage, advancing a second guide, having a second alignment member, into the pericardial space, aligning the first and second alignment members, advancing a left atrial appendage closure device into the pericardial space and adjacent to the left atrial appendage, and closing the left atrial appendage with the closure device. In these variations, the closure device typically has an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a closure element at least partially housed within the elongate body. The closure element comprises a loop defining a continuous aperture.
US08771296B2
A device for suturing an anatomic valve has an elongate body, a suture catch mechanism and a suture clasp arm. The suture catch mechanism is operatively coupled to the elongate body for movement between a retracted position and an advanced position. The suture clasp arm is pivotally attached to the elongate body for movement between a retracted position and an extended position. The suture clasp arm has a suture clasp configured to releasably retain a suture portion. In some embodiments, the suture clasp is positioned on the suture clasp arm such that the suture catch mechanism retrieves the suture portion from the suture clasp arm while the arm is at least partially retracted. In some embodiments, the suture clasp arm can be closed about a tissue portion without damaging the tissue portion.
US08771294B2
An aneurysm treatment device for in situ treatment of aneurysms comprises a collapsible member having a first shape wherein the first shape is an expanded geometric configuration, and a second shape, wherein the second shape is a collapsed configuration that is loadable into a catheter. The aneurysm treatment device is capable or returning to the first shape in the sac of an aneurysm upon deployment, where it occludes the aneurysm. In another embodiment an occlusion device comprises a flexible, longitudinally extending elastomeric matrix member that assumes a non-linear shape to conformally fill a targeted vascular site.
US08771282B2
A drill guide includes at least one drill guide lumen and a handle coupled to the at least one drill guide lumen. The drill guide lumen includes a proximal opening, a distal opening, and a longitudinal opening therebetween. The handle is movable between a first position relative to the drill guide lumen and a second position relative to the drill guide lumen.
US08771275B2
A device for shaping an object with a profile of at least partial sphere defined by a radius, Rsph and a maximum breadth, Dmax of the sphere comprises at least one featured frame. A cutting element has been substantially positioned on a position located within a circular orbit by the featured frame and shaped with at least a portion of circular cutting edge with a uniform radius, rCE, which is able to free spinning-able on its spinning axis while, simultaneously the featured frame revolts on a circular orbit around the polar axis of the spherical object. The circular orbit of each cutting element is defined as a motion track of a circular center of the cutting edge around the polar axis and characterized by a radius, rorb, and a tilted angle α, thereof.
US08771273B2
A surgical drill for providing holes at an angle for use in repair and replacement of the ACL is disclosed, generally comprising a drill guide having a head that is angularly adjustable with respect to a body, a flexible guide pin and a flexible drill. The adjustable head of the drill guide allows a surgeon to drill a hole in the femur at an angle to a tunnel provided in the tibia. Because the surgeon can access the femur via the hole in the tibia, the surgical drill of the present invention obviates the need for a second hole in the tissue and also makes placement of femur hole more precise for securement of the ligament or tendon graft within the hole.
US08771271B2
An intramedullary nail has a scalloped compression slot so as to define a plurality of pockets and intersections between the pockets that are narrower than the pockets. Accordingly, a compression member can be inserted into a bone segment of a fractured bone and into the slot. The compression member can be wider than the intersections. A compression actuator can apply a force against the compression member that causes the compression member to translate across the intersections from pocket-to-pocket until the fracture has been approximated. Because the compression member is wider than the intersections, the compression slot retains the compression member and prevents distraction of the fracture.
US08771270B2
A cautery instrument includes a brush-type contact providing a sliding electrical connection to a jaw of the instrument. To provide isolation, the jaws may have ends in cavities in a clevis made of an insulating material. Non-conducting drive cables can be attached to the jaws using high friction paths that prevent or resist slippage of the cables relative to the jaws.
US08771268B2
A system and method for simultaneously heating a plurality of discrete skin volumes to a coagulation temperature. The system comprises an applicator containing an electrode having a plurality of spaced apart protruding conducting elements configured to contact the skin surface at a plurality of discrete locations. A controller applies a voltage to the electrode so as to simultaneously heat a plurality of skin volumes to a coagulation temperature when the applicator is applied to the skin surface.
US08771266B2
An ablation therapeutic device includes a therapeutic electrode which is disposed at a distal end portion of a resectoscope and has a first loop-shaped portion at a distal end thereof, and a compression section which has a second loop-shaped portion extending to a position in front of the therapeutic electrode, has a higher rigidity than the therapeutic electrode, and performs an ablation therapeutic treatment of a living body tissue by a push-out operation. The therapeutic electrode has a bend portion which is bent in an obliquely forward direction from a perpendicular plane to a direction of an axis of the resectoscope, and the compression section has a length in a direction of the perpendicular plane, which is less than a length of the bend portion of the therapeutic electrode in the direction of the perpendicular plane.
US08771258B2
The present invention provides a hemostatic composite sponge comprising a porous matrix of a biomaterial and a material enhancing the adherence of said sponge to the applied tissue stably associated with at least one surface of said sponge, a method of producing these sponges and their use in hemostasis.
US08771255B2
A method and apparatus for a suture less injectable retinal detachment sponge and method for placing the sponge in a pocket beneath the surface of the sclera is the subject of the present invention. An exterior accessible pocket can be created in the sclera by making an incision in the outer surface. The incision can be made utilizing a crescent blade. The apparatus used to perform the procedure for insertion of the sponge in the pocket utilizes an injector having a cylinder and plunger combination. The cylinder can have a sponge removably contained therein and a plunger for injecting the sponge out of the cylinder portion of the injector to the desired location within the pocket.
US08771254B2
A device (10,110,210) for the expression of liquids, such as for the maintenance treatment of vascular catheters. A syringe (16; 116a,116b; 216) has a support structure (15,215) and includes at least two separate compartments (11,12; 111,112; 211,212) in which liquids for treating the lumen (L,283) of a catheter (C,280) with which the device is associated. The syringe further includes a closure plug (13,213) to be associated with the lumen being treated, which is coupled, by virtue of a releasable securement arrangement, to support structure (15,215). At least one plunger (16; 116a,116b; 216) is also included for infusing, in preset order, the different treatment liquids into the lumen to be treated, and the syringe further includes a duct (17,217) which is in fluid communication with the two compartments and is arranged through a through hole through the closure plug (13,213) in order to allow access of the treatment liquid to the interior of the lumen (L,283) upon activation of the plunger.
US08771252B2
A method and apparatus for treatment of cardiac and renal diseases associated with the elevated sympathetic renal nerve activity by implanting a device to block the renal nerve signals to and from the kidney. The device can be a drug pump or a drug eluting implant for targeted delivery of a nerve-blocking agent to the periarterial space of the renal artery.
US08771249B2
An absorbent incontinence diaper (2) has a rear area (8), a front area (6) and an intermediate crotch area (12), first and second side edges (5), and with a main part (4) having an inner face directed towards the body and an outer face directed away from the body. Side parts (16,17) are joined to the first and second side edges (5), the side parts (16,17) having an inner face and an outer face, the side parts (17) in the rear area having closure means (32) with mechanical closure aids (31). The retaining forces between the mechanical closure means (31) and the outer face of the main part are lower than the retaining forces between the mechanical closure means (31) and the outer face of the side parts (16) in the front area (6).
US08771244B2
An attachment device (2) for use in the vacuum therapy of wounds has a vacuum-tight mounting element (6). A conduit is fastening to the upper side of that mounting element in a vacuum-tight manner. The conduit (4) communicates with the wound space through openings (22) in the mounting element (6) and in the vacuum dressing. The conduit (4) is flexible and flat and is connected to the mounting element (6) non-detachably and extensively in a longitudinal section (8) on the wound side over at least 70% of its surface projected perpendicularly onto the mounting means (6). The conduit (4) is made out of a flexible elastomer material of Shore A hardness of no more than 60 and the thickness (D) of the combined conduit (4) and mounting element (6) is no more than 7 mm.
US08771243B2
A wound treatment system includes a sponge including a first surface adapted to confront a wound bed of a patient, a drape in contact with a second surface of the sponge, and a vacuum source for distributing a vacuum force through the sponge. The system also includes a wound separator having a sidewall defining an interior chamber, wherein at least a portion of an exterior of the sidewall confronts at least an interior portion of the sponge. An ostomy appliance is operatively connected to the wound separator to receive substances passing out of the wound separator.
US08771240B2
The illustrative embodiments described herein are directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods for managing liquid flow associated with a tissue site that involves using reduced pressure to control fluid flow. In one instance, an apparatus includes a first valve and a second valve in fluid communication with a reduced-pressure source. The valves are movable between an open position and a closed position and are operable to change flow status (open to closed or vice versa) based on a presence of reduced pressure. At least one of the first valve or the second valve is in the closed position to obstruct a flow of a liquid while the other is in the open position. The apparatus also includes a reservoir fluidly coupled to the first valve and the second valve. Other systems, methods, and apparatuses are presented.
US08771238B2
The present invention relates to an injection device comprising an optically-based sensor for determining the position or setting of a dose setting member arranged to set a dose to be injected from the injection device. In particular, the present invention relates to an injection device comprising a rotatably mounted member having a plurality of optically coded paths arranged on an outer surface thereof. The rotatably mounted member is operatively connected to the dose setting member and is adapted to rotate with the dose setting member.
US08771237B2
An injection device (1) for delivering a predetermined fixed dose of liquid drug, the device (1) comprising a housing (2), a first and second tubular members (7, 10). The first tubular member (7) and the housing are engaged via a first track (8) and a first protruding part (9), and the first and second tubular members (7, 10) are engaged via a second track (11) and a second protruding part (12). The first track (8) comprises a first portion (8a) which the first protruding part (9) travels during setting of the dose, and the second track (11) comprises a first portion (11a) which the second protruding part (12) travels during setting of the predetermined fixed dose. The first 10 portions (8a, 11a) of the first (8) and second (11) tracks are shaped in such a manner that the second tubular member (10) is prevented from rotating during setting 15 of a dose. The second tubular member (10) is rotationally locked to a piston rod (13), and rotation of the piston rod (13) during dose setting is thereby prevented.
US08771235B2
The invention comprises a syringe body (10) having a distal end (10B) fitted with an injection needle (14), at least one sheath (16, 18) inside which the body is positioned, and a protective cap (40) able to be retained relative to the syringe body (10) to cover the needle (14) and be separate from this body to release the needle. The device comprises a non-return unit (50) able to oppose a refitting of the cap (40) in its protection position once the needle has been released. This non-return unit, for example, comprises an elastic lip (50) joined to the sheath or the cap.
US08771231B2
A catheter fixture 11 for fixing a tubular catheter 1 to skin of a patient is provided with a plate shaped fixture main body 21, a fixing member 41 that is configured separately from the fixture main body, and a pivot connecting shaft 45. The plate shaped fixture main body 21 includes a retention part 22 where a catheter retaining groove 25 is formed, and a pair of winged pieces 23a and 23b. The pivot connecting shaft 45 both connects the fixture main body 21 and the fixing member 41 and acts as the pivot access C1 of the fixing member 41. The fixing member 41 has a pivoting action along a horizontal plane direction of the fixture main body 21 centrally around the pivot connecting shaft 45. When doing so, the catheter retaining groove 25 is covered by the fixing member 41 thereby fixing the catheter 1.
US08771228B2
A system and method of accurately pumping a fluid using tubing of variable inner diameter and material is disclosed. The disclosed pump comprises a pumping mechanism configured to compress and release a portion of a flexible tube to cause fluid to flow along the flexible tube, a gauging apparatus, and a vacuum apparatus. The gauging apparatus is configured to determine the inner diameter of the flexible tube, which value is used in calibrating the pumping rate of the pump. The vacuum apparatus is configured to reduce the ambient pressure in a volume surrounding the portion of the flexible tube, thereby causing the flexible tube to fully expand to its original outside diameter when the flexible tube is released by the pumping mechanism.
US08771220B2
In various embodiments, a glaucoma shunt may include a tube having an anterior portion (with an opening) and a posterior portion. The glaucoma shunt may include a valve, inside the tube, coupled to a drainage portion. The tube may be configured to couple to a first portion of an eye and the drainage portion may be configured to couple to a second portion of the eye. In some embodiments, the drainage portion may be configured to move the valve relative to the tube such that when the eye expands, the valve moves away from the opening in the anterior portion of the tube to increase fluid flow. The drainage portion may further be configured to move the valve relative to the tube such that when the eye contracts, the valve moves toward the opening in the anterior portion of the tube to decrease fluid flow.
US08771219B2
A gastrointestinal implant device includes a flexible, floppy sleeve, open at both ends, that extends into the duodenum. The device further includes a collapsible anchor coupled to the proximal portion of the sleeve. The device further includes a drawstring that is threaded through a proximal end of the anchor, and barbs that extend from the exterior surface of the anchor. The collapsible anchor can be a wave anchor. The drawstring can be used to collapse at least a proximal portion of the implant device. This is useful in removing or repositioning the implant device.
US08771216B2
A fluid communication device is configured to provide fluid flow between first and second chambers separated by tissue. The fluid communication device includes a member configured for insertion through and engagement of the tissue. The member includes a first opening near a first end of the member for fluidic communication with the first chamber and a second opening near a second end of the member for fluidic communication with the second chamber, the fluid member including a fluid passage that provides fluidic communication between the first and second chambers. The fluid communication device is configured to be positioned with the eye to provide fluid communication between an anterior chamber of the eye and Schlemm's canal.
US08771215B2
A machine (1) for extracorporeal blood treatment comprises a device (2) for ultrafiltration of a liquid through a semi-permeable membrane (3) of a blood treatment device (4), a first sensor (11) for ultrafiltration rate through the membrane, a second group of sensors (13) for measuring a trans-membrane pressure, an infusion line (16) with an infusion pump (17) and a programmed controller (14) for calculating a maximum infusion rate as a function of the transmembrane pressure. The machine is suitable for kidney failure treatments, such as hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration. In a relatively short time the machine enables a large quantity of corporeal blood to be removed from the patient.
US08771214B2
A hip abduction orthosis for stabilizing the hip joints of a user, provided with a trunk engaging part, first and second thigh engaging parts and first and second coupling parts, wherein the first coupling part connects the first thigh engaging part with the trunk engaging part and the second coupling part connects the second thigh engaging part with the trunk engaging part. A distance between the first and/or the second thigh engaging part and the trunk engaging part is settable. An abduction angle of that thigh engaging part is settable. The distance and the abduction angle are coupled such that a first set distance between that thigh engaging part and the trunk engaging part is coupled with a first set abduction angle and a second set distance different from the first set distance is coupled with a second set abduction angle different from the first set abduction angle.
US08771208B2
Powered orthosis systems and methods are disclosed. An orthosis system includes a frame, a trunk brace adapted to be secured to a user's trunk, a trunk joint coupling the trunk brace to the frame, an upper leg brace adapted to be secured to a user's upper leg, a hip joint coupling the upper leg brace to the trunk brace, a lower leg brace adapted to be secured to a user's lower leg, a knee joint coupling the lower leg brace to the upper leg brace, and a controller. The hip joint or knee joint includes an actuator operable to rotate the adjacent braces relative to each other. The controller is programmed to operate the actuator. An orthosis method includes securing a user to the orthosis system, enabling the user to walk while secured to the orthosis system, and actuating the hip or knee actuator to rotate the adjacent braces.
US08771204B2
An acoustic sensor is configured to provide accurate and robust measurement of bodily sounds under a variety of conditions, such as in noisy environments or in situations in which stress, strain, or movement may be imparted onto a sensor with respect to a patient. Embodiments of the sensor provide a conformable electrical shielding, as well as improved acoustic and mechanical coupling between the sensor and the measurement site.
US08771201B2
A bolus for insertion in a body fluid includes a housing, a chamber in the housing admitting body fluid therein, and a transducer in the housing providing a signal through the body fluid for measuring the pH level and/or temperature of the body fluid. The transducer also generates a signal in response to vibrations to detecting one or more additional physiological parameters.
US08771194B2
A system including an implantable neurostimulator device capable of modulating cerebral blood flow to treat epilepsy and other neurological disorders. In one embodiment, the system is capable of modulating cerebral blood flow (also referred to as cerebral perfusion) in response to measurements and other observed conditions. Perfusion may be increased or decreased by systems and methods according to the invention as clinically required.
US08771192B2
The ultrasonic sensor includes, on the same substrate, transmitter elements, receiver elements, a potential controller for receiver electrodes of the receiver elements, and a connection switching unit for the receiver electrodes and the potential controller. During the ultrasound transmission period of the transmitter elements, the connection switching unit connects the potential controller and the receiver electrodes. During the reception period of the receiver elements, the connection switching unit disconnects the potential controller and the receiver electrodes.
US08771188B2
A computerized bone motion tracking system according to one exemplary embodiment is configured to: provide a non-invasive means for accurate measurement and tracking of the motion of a bone using a volumetric ultrasound transducer and a three dimensional position measurement system; provide relative measurements of one bone relative to another bone of a joint; decompose relative joint motion into specific components; and measure joint instability and range of motion.
US08771184B2
A method of medical diagnosis and monitoring using equipment that has wireless electrodes, which are attached to the surface of the skin of the patient. The method comprises collection of data from a patient, converting the data to digital form and transmitting the digital data wirelessly from a patient to a base station located away from the patient where in the wireless transmission between the patient and base station is bi directional.
US08771181B2
A surgical retractor apparatus having one or more independent, removable extension members adapted to be mounted at the distal end of the retractor, or between the blades of a spreadable retractor, after the retractor has been positioned in the patient, such that a significant portion of the extension member extends beyond the distal end of the retractor to preclude or minimize intrusion of tissue into the access area created by the retractor. The extension members may vary in size and shape so that the most appropriate extension member can be chosen to address the intrusion problem, and the extension members may be mounted at various fixed locations, using clips, mechanical interlocking structures or the like.
US08771178B2
An endoscope 100 includes a first light source 45 that emits white illumination light, a second light source 47 that emits narrow-band light and an imaging section that has an imaging device 21 having plural detection pixels and images a region to be observed. The imaging section is caused to output a captured image signal including both a return light component of the white illumination light from the region to be observed by and a return light component of the narrow-band light the white illumination light. From the captured image signal, the return light component of the narrow-band light is selectively extracted, and a brightness level of the extracted return light component of the narrow-band light is changed by changing a light amount of light emitted from the second light source 47.
US08771173B2
The present invention provides an access device for surgery. The access device includes a guide member and a head member. The guide member and head member define a channel configured to receive and guide a sterile flexible scope with a working channel. The guide member and head member cooperate to extend through a small opening of 2 cm or less to access tissue structures. The head member may include surfaces to separate a pericardium from a surface of the heart, stabilize a beating heart and, with the endoscope, provide visibility for the implantation of a therapeutic such as stem cells to the surface of the heart with improved safety and accuracy. Ranges of other diagnostic, application of therapeutics or biologics, and observational applications may be facilitated by the access device, such as TMR, ablation, echo-probe diagnostics, LAA isolation, observation of the same procedures, etc.
US08771172B2
In a sensor system and a corresponding method for image capture of an object, an imaging sensor is arranged in a recording area of an optical sensor, the recording area being defined for the object, in such a way as to be essentially stationary relative to said object. By means of an evaluation unit, relative movements between the imaging sensor and the object can be derived from the recorded image data of the optical sensor, and a three-dimensional object image can be reconstructed from the imaging data as a function of the relative movements. When determining the relative movements, it is in particular possible as well to detect relative movements caused by the object's own motion which can be taken into account when reconstructing the object image. As a result, a high image quality of the object image is achieved.
US08771162B2
A spacer for use in brachytherapy, and radiotherapy, is formed of an encapsulating material in a generally cylindrical or elongated shape. Regions are formed within the spacer and retaining therapeutic loads, such as radiation sources and/or pharmaceutical therapeutic loads, and/or any other substances to treat a patient, such as drug liquids, powder or particles (e.g., microparticles or nanoparticles), with the particles or powders combined with binders, such as polyacrylamide, that are selected to gradually disperse the powder or particles at a desired rate. Such regions can be formed at various locations within the spacer, and can have various shapes depending on the particular design and intended usage. The outer surface of the encapsulating material can optionally include one or more fins, ribs or other physical protuberances or features that improve the fixity of the spacer when implanted within a patient's body.
US08771155B1
An exercise apparatus comprises first and second arm cuffs and a central elastic member. The first and second arm cuffs are configured to encircle right and left arms, respectively, of an exerciser. Each arm cuff is configured to encircle an elbow of the arm, a portion of an upper arm of the arm, and a portion of a lower arm of the arm. The first and second arm cuffs are attached to opposite sides in a longitudinal direction of the central elastic member. The central elastic member has a substantially rectangular shape and has a length sufficient to extend across a chest of the exerciser and for the first and second arm cuffs to encircle the right and left arms, respectively, of the exerciser.
US08771153B2
An exercise weight system includes an exercise weight bar, a plurality of weights selectively connectable to the exercise weight bar, and a cradle for holding the exercise weight bar and weights. The exercise weight bar has a rod having a longitudinal axis and a selector positioned on the rod such that the selector is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod. The exercise weight bar includes an engagement system that permits a user to selectively secure one or more weights to the rod. The engagement system includes one or more weight engagement members and a binary cam system that selectively moves the one or more weights engagement members between a first position and a second position to selectively engage or disengage various combinations of the one or more weights when the selector is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the rod.
US08771147B2
A coast stop vehicle which executes coast stop control for stopping an engine during the travel of a vehicle, is provided with a frictional engagement element provided between the engine and a driving wheel, a first deceleration calculating unit which calculates first deceleration, which is rotation deceleration of a rotation shaft on the driving wheel side of the frictional engagement element, and an engagement-state control unit which controls an engagement state of the frictional engagement element so that decrease of the engine rotation speed is suppressed on the basis of the first deceleration while the coast stop control is executed.
US08771138B2
A vehicle drivetrain has a first driver, a first clutch to selectively couple the first driver with an engine, an energy storage device coupled to the first driver, a second driver coupled to the energy storage device and connected to a driveshaft, and a second clutch that selectively couples the first and second drivers. In one embodiment, the first clutch is opened and the second clutch is closed during a vehicle operating condition requiring high torque, the first clutch is closed and the second clutch is opened during a transient vehicle operating condition, and the first clutch and the second clutch are closed during a steady-state vehicle operating condition. Additional clutches may be included to reduce energy losses or provide multiple mechanical ratios. The drivers themselves may be pumps, motors, generators, combined pump/motors, or combined motor/generators, making the invention suitable for both hydraulic implementation and electric implementation.
US08771129B2
A limited slip differential assembly includes first and second output gears in constant meshed engagement with a pinion gear. Each of the gears is rotatably positioned within a carrier housing. The second output gear is axially moveable. A rotary to linear motion actuator includes a rotatable first member and a second member axially moveable in response to rotation of the first member. A primary clutch drivingly interconnects the second output gear and the first member of the actuator. The primary clutch includes an apply plate coupled to the second output gear such that an axial force acting on the second output gear during torque transmission through the differential assembly is transferred to the primary clutch via the apply plate. A secondary clutch drivingly interconnects the second output gear and the carrier housing. The second member of the actuator provides an apply force to the secondary clutch.
US08771128B2
A vehicle drive train includes a first power disconnection device and a first driveline for transferring torque to a first set of wheels. A second driveline for transferring torque to a second set of wheels includes a differential gearset having an output coupled to a second power disconnection device. A hypoid gearset is positioned within the second driveline in a power path between the first and second power disconnection devices. The second power disconnection device includes a clutch having a first set of clutch plates fixed for rotation with the differential gearset output. The clutch further includes a second set of clutch plates fixed for rotation with a shaft adapted to transfer torque to one of the wheels of the second set of wheels. A valve limits a flow of coolant to the clutch when the second power disconnection device operates in a disconnected mode.
US08771122B2
A vehicle power output device for driving a first and second rotary electric machine in an efficient range in a wide driving region and for eliminating the need for a complicated mechanism and control. A planetary gear mechanism combines the rotational drive force of a first shaft rotationally driven by a first rotary electric machine and the rotational drive force of a second shaft rotationally driven by a second rotary electric machine and transmits the combined rotational drive force to a drive shaft with the rotational speed increased. The rotational drive force of the second shaft in the forward direction is transmitted to the planetary gear mechanism via a first one-way clutch unit and a first power transmitting mechanism. The rotational drive force of the second shaft in the opposite direction is transmitted to the drive shaft via a second one-way clutch unit and a second power transmitting mechanism.
US08771119B2
A chain is constructed by alternately connecting a pair of outer link plates connected together with pins and a pair of inner link plates connected together with bushings into which adjacent pins of adjacent pairs of outer link plates are inserted. On the outer and inner surfaces of component parts of the chain, a lubricant composition for chains containing 95% to 80% by mass of a lubricant which is liquid at room temperature and 5% to 20% by mass of a wax which is solid at room temperature and having a consistency of from 60 to 475 and a dropping point of from 60° C. to 120° C., is adhered.
US08771094B2
In one implementation, a mobile device is integrated with a bowling center automatic scoring system. For example, a server receives a lane control command originating with the mobile device and determines or identifies a bowling lane that is associated with the mobile device. A response message or signal, which includes data indicative of the bowling lane and the lane control command to, is sent to the automatic scoring system. The automatic scoring system executes the lane control command.
US08771087B2
A method and apparatus for limiting the torque from an engine to the drive train of a watercraft. A torque limiting clutch is mounted to the flywheel of the engine. The output of the clutch is connected to the drive train of the watercraft. The clutch allows all of the engine's torque to be delivered to the drive train during normal conditions and less than all of the engine's torque to be delivered to the drive train during conditions in which the drive train experiences periods of excessive force. When normal conditions return, the apparatus automatically delivers all of the engine's torque to the drive train.
US08771082B2
A gaming system includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the gaming system to perform a plurality of operations. The operations include awarding a plurality of points to a player, and, in response to a predetermined number of the points being redeemed by the player, accessing or modifying wagering game content.
US08771081B2
Methods for providing notification during an online casino game is provided. One method includes detecting a first gameplay session of the online casino game, the first gameplay session associated with a first user. The method then detects a second gameplay session of the online casino game. The second gameplay session is associated with a second user, and at least part of the second gameplay session occurring simultaneously with the first gameplay session. The method then determines whether the first user and the second user are members of a common group. If so, then the method displays a message to the first user during the first gameplay session. The message to the first user identifying the second user. The methods provided herein provide for social interaction during online game play and social friend interactions that facilitate or advance game play in an online environment.
US08771073B2
There is disclosed interactive sporting apparatus comprising a control unit (2) and a plurality of interactive units (4), the interactive units comprising: at least one signalling device (52,54) which is operable to generate a sensory stimulus or a signalling device interface adapted (51) to demountably retain a signalling device for generating a sensory stimulus; and at least one sensor (54) which is operable by a game participant proximate to an interactive unit to generate a sensing event or a sensor interface adapted to demountably retain a sensor operable by a game participant proximate to an interactive unit to generate a sensing event; wherein the control unit is operable to communicate remotely with the plurality of interactive units to specify sensory stimuli to be generated by the plurality of interactive units.
US08771072B2
First, a position and/or a direction of at least one predetermined first node among a plurality of nodes is determined, and then a position and/or a direction of at least one predetermined second node among the plurality of nodes is determined based on the position and/or the direction of the first node and reference posture information representing a reference posture of an object. Based on the position and/or the direction of the first node and the position and/or the direction of the second node thus determined, the object is displayed on a display device.
US08771070B2
A game processing server apparatus includes a unit that delivers game information to a player terminal; a unit that delivers information regarding a single base game content and information regarding one or more material game contents selected from the plurality of game contents to the player terminal, the information including information indicating that the one or more material game contents are selected as the material game contents as an initial value; and a unit that accepts information regarding whether the one or more material game contents are selected as the actual material game contents by the player from the player terminal, treats the material game contents selected by the player to be not possessed by the player anymore, and updates the parameter of the base game content.
US08771066B2
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include determining content from content sources that are accessible to a wagering game machine and determining presentation requirements for the content. The operations can further include determining a presentation template that the wagering game machine can use to present the content according the presentation requirements. The presentation template can have pre-configured presentation areas, one of which can be configured to present the content according to pre-defined configuration settings. The operations can further include determining that one pre-configured presentation area of the presentation template content can present the content in accordance with the presentation requirements, and presenting the content in pre-configured presentation area of the presentation template.
US08771065B2
A gaming apparatus includes: a first memory that stores dealer images of a plurality of dealer characters; a display device that displays the dealer image of one of the dealer characters; a betting unit that receives a bet operation input by a player; a second memory that stores a total amount of game media that are provided to the player as awards in accordance with results of a plurality of rounds of a game that are performed based on the bet operation; and a controller that determines whether the total amount has reached a predetermined amount and controls the display device to change the dealer image of the displayed dealer character to another dealer character when determined that the total amount has reached the predetermined amount.
US08771062B2
A method for testing a set of new game features for an online gaming application is provided. The method initiates with selecting a new game feature for testing from the set of new game features. Users are assigned to a test group or control group. Each of the test group users is provided a gaming application including the selected new game feature enabled. Each of the control group users is provided the gaming application without the selected new game feature enabled. Evaluation scores are generated based on gaming activity and social network activity. A score comparison report is generated comparing the evaluations scores of the test group and the control group. Based on the score comparison report, it is determined whether to continue testing one or more additional new game features from the set of new game features.
US08771061B2
A system and method for passively validating network game users is provided. Data indicative of game behavior and actions at one or more nodes interacting with a network game in a network game community are monitored. The data is evaluated to determine whether the one or more nodes are adhering to one or more rules associated with the network game. Data indicative of illicit game behavior may trigger various responses including invalidation of the node engaged in the illicit behavior. Alternatively, a query may be generated to further identify the nature and/or actual existence of illicit behavior at the node. Monitoring of game data may occur at a server, a peer, as part of a peer group or combinations thereof, which may be based on routine schedule or part of constant game behavior monitoring.
US08771059B2
Systems and methods for map-based prize discovery game are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for map-based prize discovery games may comprise: establishing an online game based on a map that includes a plurality of grid units; placing at least one object in hidden association with one or more predetermined grid units in the map; receiving from a first player at least one token and a selection of at least one available first grid unit; associating the selected at least one first grid unit with the first player; determining whether the first player wins a prize based on the selection of the at least one first grid unit and the placement of the at least one object in hidden association with the one or more predetermined grid units in the map. In another exemplary embodiment, it may be determined whether the first player wins based on a probability algorithm.
US08771056B2
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for awarding gaming payouts in slot games are provided. Embodiments are directed to initiating a reelspin and moving at least one modifying symbol to a new symbol location. If a predetermined symbol appears in the new symbol location as a result of the reelspin, the predetermined symbol is replaced with the modifying symbol.
US08771055B2
Certain examples disclose a gaming system comprising a display, a symbol selector, a symbol evaluator and a symbol modifier. The example symbol selector is arranged to select a plurality of sets of symbols for display on the display. The example symbol evaluator is arranged to determine whether the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination. The example symbol modifier is arranged to, upon a determination that the displayed symbols include any winning symbol combination, repeatedly apply a modification rule to at least one of the plurality of sets of symbols until the displayed symbols do not include any winning symbol combination.
US08771053B2
Wagering games, gaming machines, networked gaming systems and associated methods are disclosed that include a randomly selected feature game. One disclosed aspect provides for a wagering game including a primary game and a plurality of feature games. One or more of the plurality of feature games is selected for play upon a triggering event associated with the primary game. In another disclosed aspect, the wagering game may also include at least two types of progressives including wide-area progressives, casino-wide progressives, bank progressives and stand-alone progressives. Another disclosed aspect provides a pay table, wherein the pay table changes dynamically according to the size of a wager.
US08771050B2
A counting game played by one or more players involving numbers selected from pre-classified categories, suited to be played by players having different levels of mental maturity. A game involves choosing a set of numbers from one or more categories, at random. The object of the game is to generate numbers as high as possible, by using multiple math functions on the randomly generated chosen numbers. A player with the highest generated number wins the game. Apart from providing recreation and entertainment, the game develops math skills and provides mental training exercises, and can therefore be useful as a tool for educational and learning purposes.
US08771036B2
A bra comprises a pocket in a wing of the bra; the pocket may be made from the wing components or may be a separate structure; the pocket may comprise a closure, such as a zipper; the bra may comprise a high-tack material to prevent slipping of the bra when items are in the pocket.
US08771035B2
An apparatus and method for continuously monitoring the weight of an object. The apparatus does not obstruct a central portion of the bottom of the object being monitored, and is especially well-suited for monitoring the weight of a beehive. In the illustrative embodiment, a ring-shaped fluid-filled bladder is sandwiched between a ring-shaped top surface and a ring-shaped base, and a pressure hose connects the bladder to a pressure gauge. Beehive weight data can be obtained in a continuous fashion, without requiring any moving of the beehive or of the apparatus, and without any other type of disruption. Moreover, the apparatus provides a stable platform that keeps the beehive immobile during monitoring, which is beneficial for the health of the colony. Advantageously, the apparatus can be constructed from inexpensive, off-the-shelf components and materials, and is capable of obtaining accurate measurements over a wide range of temperatures and environmental conditions.
US08771032B2
A block assembly includes at least two blocks detachably connected with each other. Each of the blocks includes a main body having a bottom provided with a receiving space, at least one connecting knob formed on a top of the main body, a plurality of positioning rails formed on a peripheral wall of the receiving space, and at least one positioning piece located in the receiving space. The positioning piece has a periphery provided with at least four arcuate positioning faces. Thus, when the connecting knob of the first one of the blocks is inserted between the positioning piece and the positioning rails of the second one of the blocks, one of the positioning faces of the positioning piece covers and presses the periphery of the connecting knob of the first one of the blocks.
US08771031B2
A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: preparing a substrate including a display unit and peripheral parts; forming a cutting line on an encapsulation sheet to correspond to a boundary line between the display unit and the peripheral parts, wherein a size of the encapsulation sheet corresponds to that of the substrate; adhering the substrate and the encapsulation sheet together; removing the peripheral parts of the substrate; and cutting the encapsulation sheet along the cutting line. According to the method, a step height is not generated between the substrate and the encapsulation sheet when cutting the substrate and thus cracks may be avoided. Accordingly, products may be stably produced.
US08771027B2
A clamp for electrically connecting a contact rail and a bus bar of a PV assembly includes a base having a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end. Two fixing portions extend from both sides of the base and away from and perpendicular to the first surface, and adapted to detachably fix the clamp to the contact rail. An extending portion has a first bending extension extending and bent from the base, a parallel extension connected with the first bending extension and extending in parallel with and apart from the first surface, a second bending extension connected with the parallel extension and extending between the two fixing portions, and an actuating extension connected with the second bending extension and extending beyond the base. A locating protrusion is formed integrally with the base and adapted to engage within the first locating element and the second locating element.
US08771024B2
An electrical connector for electrically connecting multiple photovoltaic bus bars. A casing includes first and second opposing walls. An elastic strip is bent into a bent elastic strip with a first leg and a second leg. The bent elastic strip is disposed between the first and second walls of the casing with the first leg pressing against the first wall and the second leg pressing against the second wall. The bent elastic strip is configured to hold at least one of the photovoltaic bus bars between the first leg and the first wall and another of the photovoltaic bus bars between the second leg and the second wall. The bent elastic strip may be formed of resilient spring metal with a thickness and an elastic modulus. The thickness and/or the elastic modulus of the elastic strip is/are configured so that the bus bars are inserted without requiring a tool to open a space and so that the bus bars are removed from the connector without requiring a tool to break the electrical connection.
US08771021B2
A plug-and-jack for use with an electronic device that is configured to ensure circuitry of the device is protected from electrostatic discharge. In one case, the jack is an audio jack designed to protect high gain circuitry of the device against electrostatic discharge from the leads of an audio plug. The jack includes a mechanical switch that only connects the high gain circuitry to the appropriate portion of the audio plug once the audio plug is fully inserted. At the same time, the mechanical switch also connects the high gain circuitry and corresponding portion of the audio plug to an electrostatic discharge circuit.
US08771014B2
A connector housing with a mat seal, includes a connector housing a mat seal. At an outer surface of a rear wall of the connector housing, a plurality of passages for a silicone gum forming material are provided outside an area where a plurality of terminal insertion holes are formed. On the outer surface of the rear wall and outside the passages, an annular rib is protruded and surrounds an area inside the annular rib. The mat seal is molded by using the area inside the annular rib as a reservoir space in which the silicone gum forming material overflowing from the seal forming cavity is retained, and using at least one of the passages as a passage for a gate through which the silicone gum forming material is injected into the seal forming cavity, and the other of the passages as passages for overflow.
US08771006B1
A plug removal tool for removing a plug from a receptacle includes an elongate body with an upper end and an opposed lower end. The upper end defines a handle and extends along a first axis. The lower end defines a pivot area and extends along a second axis transverse to the first axis. A slot is formed in the lower end to receive a prong of the plug.
US08770997B2
The present invention provides a foldable USB connector comprising a first folding part, a second folding part and an elastic strap, facilitates effective use, saves more space to match demand for a compact design currently, and is integrated with other relevant products to create a composite product with diversified functions and advantages such as compact structure.
US08770988B2
To provide a connector embedded with a substrate which can be fabricated with fewer working process at a lower cost.A connector 10 includes a substrate 1 with an electronic component 3 mounted thereon, a terminal 4 which is electrically connected to the substrate 1, and a housing 5 comprised of synthetic resin and attached with the substrate 1 and the terminal 4. In addition, the electronic component 3 and the terminal 4 are electrically connected to the substrate 1 by reflow soldering using a lead-free solder 2. The connector 10 is fabricated by insert-molding the substrate 1 and the terminal 4 in the housing 5. Furthermore, the substrate 1 and the electronic component 3 are embedded in the synthetic resin of the housing 5.
US08770985B2
An apparatus for teaching proper technique for the Heimlich or Abdominal Thrust maneuver. When the Heimlich or Abdominal Thrust maneuver is applied to the apparatus by a user, an indicator is provided to show the user whether proper technique was used. The apparatus can take the form of a wearable garment or a form, either of which may mimic the shape of a person. The apparatus is scalable, and may be made to mimic the shapes of persons of various sizes, including infants and animals, if desired. Indicators can be included to measure the effectiveness of other techniques often used in conjunction with the Heimlich or Abdominal Thrust maneuver.
US08770976B2
A system and method for use in training armed personnel are described. According to one embodiment, the system includes a number of autonomous mobile units and the units are arranged to perform actions in a training area to simulate participants in a firearms training exercise, and at least one of the mobile units is arranged to base at least some of its actions at least partially on the behavior of at least one human in the training area.
US08770964B2
An imprint apparatus includes: a support member which supports the mold; a substrate stage which supports the substrate; a detector which detects a force applied to the mold; a mechanism which forms a space for removing the mold supported by the support member, between the support member and the substrate stage, and a controller. The controller determines a release force required to detach the mold from the cured resin, based on a detection result from the detector, compares the determined release force with a first threshold value, and causes the mechanism to form the space if the determined release force is larger than the first threshold value.
US08770963B2
A splash pan of a pottery wheel arranged to cover bottom and side areas of a turntable, includes a plurality of split dish members split in a circumferential direction and provided with a clay-storing concave portion, the split dish members being separably connectable to each other through substantially horizontal movement thereof. The split dish members are two in number and include a first split dish member having boss portions formed on an outer surface thereof and a second split dish member having engagement portions engageable with the boss portions. The engagement portions are formed on an outer surface of the second split dish member in radial positions corresponding to the boss portions and opened toward the boss portions. The engagement portions of the second split dish member are elastically deformable when engaging with the boss portions of the first split dish member.
US08770959B2
Electrospinning nozzles include novel constructs for providing spinning pores that define the origin of jets of fiber-forming media. In some embodiments, a film covers relatively large holes in a nozzle body and provides spinning pores aligned with such large holes. In some embodiments, conductive tubes are secured at or about relatively large holes in a nozzle body and provide spinning pores fluidly communicating with fiber-forming media at such large holes. In yet other embodiments, nozzle bodies are provided with circular or semi-spherical surfaces having a plurality of spinning pores.
US08770956B2
A system for continuous High Internal Phase Emulsion (HIPE) foam production. A (HIPE) is produced then extruded onto a carrier sheet positioned on a belt surface.
US08770954B2
A human-powered pump assembly includes a frame and a treadle pivot attached to the frame, such that the treadle pivot defines a horizontal rotational axis. The pump assembly includes a pair of treadles coupled to the treadle pivot and a rocker pivot attached to the frame, such that the rocker pivot defines a separate horizontal rotational axis. The pump assembly includes a reciprocating rocker coupled to the rocker pivot and to the pair of treadles to constrain the motion thereof, such that the rocker pivot axis is located below the treadle pivot axis.
US08770952B2
A sealless-type centrifugal pump includes a casing that forms a pump chamber having a liquid inflow port and an outflow port, an impeller disposed in the pump chamber and rotatably supported by a pivot bearing, and a magnetic coupling device including a driven permanent magnet built into the impeller and a driving magnet that rotationally drives the driven permanent magnet through a partition. The impeller supported in the direction of the rotation axis with respect to the casing is driven by the magnetic coupling device, and pressure is applied to liquid introduced from the direction of the rotation axis through the inflow port to send the liquid through the outflow port in a radial direction. The magnetic coupling device is disposed on a line inclined from an impeller rotating surface to the inflow port side toward the center of the rotation axis.
US08770951B2
An air pump structured to facilitate the installation of a pair of pistons includes a casing (17) having a pair of cylinder chambers (14) slidably accommodating a pair of pistons (16), respectively, and a drive chamber accommodating electromagnets between the pair of cylinder chambers. The pump casing has mutually opposing side walls and a cylindrical peripheral wall defining the drive chamber. The side walls have circular cylindrical inner peripheral surfaces (28-1) of the cylinders defined therein, respectively. A piston assembly having the pistons connected to the opposite ends of an armature (34) is inserted into the pump casing through one of the cylindrical inner peripheral surfaces and installed therein. The peripheral wall has an electromagnet-loading opening (26-2) through which electromagnet pedestal members (26-7) and the electromagnets are inserted into the casing and secured therein.
US08770946B2
An external accessory for a portable fan including a base having an air inlet located in a side wall of the base, and an air outlet detachably connectable to the base, the accessory including a high energy particle arrester filter and connectors for detachably connecting the accessory to the fan so that the filter is located upstream from the air inlet of the fan.
US08770932B2
A fan assembly includes two fans, and a number of rigid bars. The fans are connected in series. Each of the fans includes an impeller. The impellers of the fans rotate in opposite directions. The rigid bars extend through the fans and are fixed to the fans, to counteract opposing torque forces produced by the fans.
US08770927B2
A seal for a gas turbine engine component having an airfoil with a radial outward end and a radial inward end, one of which is bare metal. A seal member is adjacent to the bare metal end of the airfoil wherein the seal member is coated with a abrasive layer having a laser engraved surface with the top of the surface has less than about 5% of the surface area of the base of the abrasive layer.
US08770924B2
A support structure in a gas turbine engine including an inner annular wall and an outer annular wall defining an annular flow path, a casing housing the structure defining the flow path, and a bearing compartment housing a rotor shaft bearing located radially inwardly from the inner annular wall. The support structure includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial support members extending radially inwardly from an outer mount connection at the casing to an inner mount connection at the bearing compartment housing. The radial support members provide structural support for radial bearing loads on the rotor shaft bearing. A plurality of circumferentially spaced axial support members extend radially and axially inwardly from an outer mount connection at the casing to an inner mount connection located on an annular structure extending radially between connection locations at the bearing compartment housing and the inner annular wall.
US08770922B2
A gas turbine engine includes a fan shaft and a support which supports the fan shaft. The support defines at least one of a support transverse and a support lateral stiffness. A gear system drives the fan shaft. A flexible support at least partially supports the gear system, and defines at least one of a flexible support transverse and a flexible support lateral stiffness with respect to at least one of the support transverse and the support lateral stiffness. An input to the gear system defines at least one of an input transverse and an input lateral stiffness with respect to at least one of the support transverse and the support lateral stiffness. A method of designing a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
US08770919B2
In a turbine disk and a gas turbine, the turbine disk is firmly connected to a rotor (24) to be rotatably supported; a plurality of rotor blades (22a) is arranged on an outer circumference thereof in a circumferential direction; first cooling holes (42) penetrating the turbine disk from inside toward outside thereof and being communicatively connected to a cooling passage (41) arranged inside of the rotor blades (22a) are arranged in the circumferential direction; second cooling holes (43) arranged between each of the first cooling holes (42) and penetrating the turbine disk from the inside toward the outside thereof are provided; and the first cooling holes (42) and the second cooling holes (43) are communicatively connected by way of a radial direction communicating channel (47), to alleviate concentration of stress and to improve durability.
US08770918B1
A rotating element is associated with at least one bearing compartment that includes a bearing to support the rotating element. A seal resists leakage of lubricant outwardly of the bearing compartment and allows air to flow from a chamber across the seal and into the bearing compartment. The seal has a seal face facing a rotating face rotating with the rotating element. The seal is a non-contact seal. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
US08770913B1
An apparatus and a process for measuring rotor creep values for a monolithic rotor of an industrial gas turbine engine in order to determine when creep growth of the rotor has exceeded an allowable limit. One or more critical locations of the rotor are measured for real-time radius, and a CPU having rotor creep deflection model is used to compare the real-time data and determine if the rotor creep is within safe and allowable limits. If the creep is determined to exceed allowable values, then an alarm in initiated or engine shutdown occurs.
US08770897B2
A compact assembly for aligning a coring tool relative to a pipe sidewall. The coring tool includes a hollow, cylindrical hole saw mounted to an arbor that has an elongated pilot shaft centered in the hole saw. The assembly is made up of a base plate that is attachable to the pipe sidewall. In one embodiment, a tubular sleeve is mounted to the base plate and has a bore diameter sized for receiving the pilot shaft as the hole saw is advanced toward and saws through the pipe wall, and the entire assembly is sized to fit inside the hole saw as the hole saw saws through the pipe sidewall. In another embodiment, the base plate is configured for use with pipe sidewalls that include outwardly protruding ribs.
US08770888B2
A watering mat is provided for the large-area distribution of water, particularly in horticulture and landscaping as well as agriculture. The watering mat includes a first and a second carrier layer to accommodate other elements of the watering mat, one or more connections for connecting the first and the second carrier layers, one or more water-feeding elements arranged between the first and the second carrier layers for feeding water into the watering mat and distributing water through the watering mat, an absorption layer for water storage arranged between the first and the second carrier layers and a moisture level detector in the watering mat.
US08770883B1
A modular platform assembly includes a plurality of pivot connectors. Each pivot connector having a first connecting part that includes a first mounting member and a first engaging portion. Each pivot connector having a second connecting part that includes a second mounting member and a second engaging portion for pivoting engagement with the first engaging portion of the first connecting part. The first connecting part and the second connecting part cooperate to define a bore that extends through the first connecting part and the second connecting part of each pivot connector along a pivot axis of each pivot connector. A support rod extends through the bore of each pivot connector from the plurality of pivot connectors.
US08770882B2
A ball joint comprising a housing (4) having a pin opening (12), a ball pin (3) having a joint ball (2), the ball pin being movably supported in the housing (4) by the joint ball (2). The ball pin extends out through the pin opening (12) of the housing (4) and the joint ball (2) has a non-planar control surface (7) which is in contact with an abutment (8) provided on the housing (4).
US08770879B2
A recording section is configured to record an image on a recording medium. An endless conveying belt has a surface disposed in confrontation with the recording section and is configured to move in a conveying direction with the recording medium supported by the surface, thereby conveying the recording medium in the conveying direction. A measuring section has a detecting region and configured to measure a position of the conveying belt with respect to a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The measuring section includes an optical sensor that is configured to detect the position of the conveying belt with respect to the perpendicular direction. A sensor moving section is configured to move the sensor based on a measurement result of the measuring section, such that the conveying belt is detected in the detecting region.
US08770875B2
There is provided a recording apparatus including: a recording head having recording elements arranged in a first direction; a first transporting mechanism having a first supply roller and a first discharge roller to transport the first recording medium; a second transporting mechanism arranged between the first supply and discharge rollers in the first direction to transport the second recording medium, the second transporting mechanism holding an overlap portion, of the second recording medium, overlapping in the first direction with a portion of a recording range in which the recording elements of the recording head are arranged; and a controller controlling the recording head to perform recording on the second recording medium by using only a part of the recording elements which are located to overlap with the overlap area of the second recording medium.
US08770871B2
To provide a technique for outputting printing image data to a printing device using a colored ink, and a special glossy ink having special gloss, including a field discrimination part for discriminating whether there is an adjacent field, in which a special glossy field that is expressed using the special glossy ink and a color production field that is expressed using the colored ink are adjacent in the direction of the image plane; a special gloss boundary processor for adjusting the image data so that the ink volume of the special glossy ink affixed to the special glossy field is gradually reduced from the special glossy field towards the color production field in a case where an adjacent field is present; and an output part for outputting the printing image data based on the adjusted image data the printing device.
US08770869B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a storage unit that stores an identifier and a remaining sheet length of a roll sheet after an image formation has been finished; a specifying unit that specifies sheet lengths of pages where images are to be formed based on an image forming instruction, and a number of the pages; a computing unit that calculates a sheet length required for an image formation in accordance with the image forming instruction based on the specified sheet lengths and the specified number of the pages; and a selection unit that selects a roll sheet for the image formation in accordance with the image forming instruction based on the calculated sheet length and the stored remaining sheet length.
US08770867B2
A lifting unit for pipe inspection systems for lifting a head unit, comprising a base support with a connection module for connection to a connection unit of a carriage, a lifting system with at least one lifting arm and a drive unit for deflecting the lifting arm relative to the base support via a rotation axis, as well as a head unit with a connection module for connection of inspection units, in particular cameras and illumination systems, wherein connectors of the carriage are at least partially lead to the connection module of the head unit.
US08770866B2
A camera swing head includes a hub having a hole ring including a plurality of radially spaced apart holes. A swing plate is rotatably attached to the hub. An indexing and locking assembly allows the swing to be quickly and easily rotated to a desired position and then locked into place. The indexing and locking assembly may include a lever pivotally attached to the swing plate, and a plunger pivotally attached to a front end of the lever. Pivoting movement of the lever may move the plunger linearly on a radial axis intersecting a center of the hub. A release pin is movable from, a first position, wherein the release pin causes the plunger to be held out from engagement with one of the radially spaced apart holes, to a second position, wherein the plunger is movable into engagement with one of the radially spaced apart holes.
US08770857B2
Circuits, apparatus, and methods that provide a connector system that can supply both power and data to a mobile computing or other type of device using a single connection. Further examples also provide a power and data adapter that can provide power and data to a mobile computing device using a single cable. Further examples provide an easy disengagement when a cable connected to the connector is pulled. One such example provides a magnetic connector that uncouples without binding when its cord is pulled. Another example prevents power from being provided at a connector insert until the connector insert is placed in a connector receptacle.
US08770852B2
A wheel bearing device includes an inner shaft and an inner ring member fitted onto an outer periphery of an axially-inner end portion of the inner shaft. A shaft portion coupled to the inner shaft so as to be rotatable together with the inner shaft is inserted in a center hole of the inner shaft. Spline grooves spline-fitted to spline teeth formed on an outer periphery of the shaft portion are formed in an inner periphery of the inner shaft, which defines the center hole. An annular clearance that suppresses reduction in a diameter of the inner shaft due to fitting of the inner ring member onto the inner shaft is formed between the inner ring member and the axially-inner end portion of the inner shaft, within a range where an axial range in which the spline teeth are formed overlaps with an axial range of the inner ring member.
US08770849B2
A pivoting ball bearing. The ball bearing includes a first race and a second race and one or more rows of balls disposed therebetween. The first race includes a groove configured to have at least one row of balls track therein at a continuously variable circumferential tracking path while the first race rotates with respect to the second race. Pivoting of the first race with respect to the second race can occur by the balls shifting their circumferential tracking path within the groove of the first race. A collar on either the first race or the second race limits pivoting of the first race with respect to the second race.
US08770842B2
A hemispherical shoe (sliding member) 1 has a flat sliding surface 3, which is quenched to form a quenched portion 7. A part of the quenched sliding surface is partially annealed to form an annealed portion 6. When an oil film pressure acts on the sliding surface 1, the annealed portion 6 is deformed by pressure so that the surface thereof has a concave portion 6A. In the annealed portion 6, a remaining quenched portion 8 may remain at the center part thereof. The concave portion 6A can be used as an oil reservoir or an oil flow path, so that an excellent seizure resistance can be ensured.
US08770840B2
In an airbag structure with an inner shade cover and a manufacturing method of the airbag, a first plastic plate and a second plastic plate are stacked in parallel with each other, and the first plastic plate is formed by a plurality of air-column plates, and the air-column plate includes a plurality of nodes, and the second plastic plate is stained with a dark dye for sheltering an external light, and then both ends of the first and second plastic plates are hot sealed, and then the first and second plastic plates are folded simultaneously along the nodes, so that the first plastic plate forms a bag, and the second plastic plate is covered onto an inner side of the bag, so that the second plastic plate forms a plastic inner cover.
US08770838B2
A medical imaging system includes a first x-ray image detector, a first x-ray generator, and a motorized turntable. The first x-ray image detector and the first x-ray generator are each mounted on a base and positioned opposite each other such that x-rays are projected from the first x-ray generator to the first x-ray image detector through a first imaging volume. The motorized turntable is positioned below the first imaging volume and between the first x-ray image detector and the first x-ray generator and is configured to rotate an imaging subject within the imaging volume.
US08770835B2
The disclosure provides a system, tools and methods for estimating a property or characteristic of a fluid downhole. In one aspect, the method may include: heating the fluid at a selected or first location during a first time phase, taking temperature measurements of the fluid substantially at the selected location during a second time phase, and estimating the property of the downhole fluid using temperature measurements. Temperature measurements may also be taken at a location spaced apart from the first location and used to estimate the property of the fluid. The tool may include a device that heats the fluid during a first time phase and takes temperature measurements of the fluid during a second time phase. A processor uses the temperature measurements and a model to estimate a property of interest of the fluid.
US08770830B2
The invention concerns a strap or bracelet (1) including a first strand (2) and a second strand (3). The second strand (3) is connected to a clasp (1a) that includes a fastening device (13). The fastening device (13) joins the strands (2, 3) to each other. The invention is characterized in that the clasp (1a) further includes a safety device (17) for better joining the first strand (2) to the clasp (1a) by pressing the former onto the latter.
US08770827B2
Method for coating micromechanical components of a micromechanical system, in particular a watch movement, comprising: providing a substrate component to be coated; providing said component with a diamond coating; wherein diamond coating is provide by CVD in a reaction chamber and during CVD deposition, during the last portion of the growth process, a controlled change of the carbon content within the reaction chamber is provided, thereby providing a change of the sp2/sp3 carbon bonds in the vicinity of the surface. Corresponding micromechanical components are also provided.
US08770826B2
A gearbox is provided having an integrated breather system. The output shaft of the gearbox has integrated therein a breather bore with a top port in the top end of the output shaft and a bottom end in the side of the output shaft. The top end is in communication with the atmosphere while the bottom end is in communication with the inner oil reservoir of the gearbox. By incorporating the breather directly into the output shaft, air locking is reduced or even prevented. Further, the distance between the maximum and minimum oil fill levels is increased thereby allowing for a reduction in accidental over or under filling of the gearbox. In addition, accidental spillage of oil into the environment is reduced as the top breather port exists on top of the gearbox and may optionally include a breather line extending further upward. The reduction in air locking allows for increased accuracy in oil filling as well as reduced maintenance on the gearbox.
US08770823B2
Various embodiments of a thermal energy transfer apparatus that removes thermal energy from a light-emitting device are described. In one aspect, an apparatus comprises a silicon-based base plate and a silicon-based cover element disposed on the base plate. The base plate includes a recess to receive a light-emitting device therein. The base plate is coated with a first electrically-conductive pattern that forms a first electrode. The base plate is further coated with a second electrically-conductive pattern that is electrically isolated from the first electrically-conductive pattern. The cover element holds the light-emitting device between the base plate and the cover element with at least a portion of a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting device exposed. The cover element is coated with a third electrically-conductive pattern that is in contact with the second electrically-conductive pattern to form a second electrode when the cover element is disposed on the base plate.
US08770811B2
An assembly for a lighting and/or signalling device of an automotive vehicle. The assembly has a bracket or support, in particular made of plastic, comprising a housing, and a motor, in particular a stepping motor, arranged so as to be able to be permanently mounted, directly, in the bracket or support housing.
US08770808B1
A bicycle tail light has a casing containing LEDs and a battery, as well as a universal mounting for engaging a bicycle luggage rack, a chain stay, a seat post or a rider's messenger bag, backpack or clothing. A swivel mounting is included for adjusting the light to an appropriate tilt angle, depending on the position of the bicycle component on which the light's base is mounted. The tail light projects light from both sides as well as to the rear, providing over 180° of visibility. A micro USB charging port for the battery is located at the outside of the light casing.
US08770807B2
A method is provided for increasing the robustness of a vehicle headlight comprising a cylindrical prism that can rotate about a rotary axis in a plurality of rotary positions and comprising a Hall effect sensor by means of the output signals of which the rotary position of the cylindrical prism can be determined. According to the method, a check is made as to whether a defect of the Hall effect sensor is present. In the event of a defect of the Hall effect sensor, a stop is temporarily provided and the rotary position of the prism is verified by being blocked at the provided stop.
US08770805B2
The utility model discloses a backlight module for a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device. The backlight module comprises an LED and a backplane, wherein the backlight module also comprises a heatsink plate arranged on the outer of the backplane; and the LED is linked with the heatsink plate in the mode of heat conduction. The utility model, by arranging the LED on an extra heatsink plate which is arranged on the outer of the backplane, dissipates outward the heat emitted by the LED through the heatsink plate, lowers the temperature of the backlight cavity, and protects the optical components. At the same time, because the backplane is not directly used to dissipate heat, the gradient of temperature distribution on the backplane is reduced, thus, the gradient of temperature distribution in the backlight cavity is reduced and stress of the backlight cavity induced by the temperature gradient is also reduced.
US08770803B2
A reflective cover molding method and a reflective cover manufactured thereof are disclosed. The reflective cover molding method comprises the steps of: providing a metal substrate; setting the metal substrate on a substrate mold, and punching the metal substrate by a pressure to form a circular substrate; propping the circular substrate onto a fixed mold with a prop; jointly rotating the fixed mold and the circular substrate, applying a pressure by a spinning roller to attach the circular substrate, and applying a pressure to spin out a molded cover; setting the molded cover onto a shaped mold, and punching the molded cover by a pressure to form an optical structure surface on the molded cover; and punching the molded cover to remove a bottom hole to form the reflective cover, so as to accelerate production rate and enhance product quality, stability and precision.
US08770800B1
An optical element that may be replaceably mounted to an LED based illumination device. The optical element includes a hollow shell reflector and a plurality of annular shell elements disposed within the hollow shell reflector at different distances from the input port of the optical element. An annular shell element that is closer to the input port of the optical element has a radius that is less than the radius of an annular shell element farther from the input port.
US08770793B2
The present invention provides an LED bulb, which includes a light source portion including at least one LED chip); a housing including a bottom portion supporting the light source portion and a sidewall portion surrounding the light source portion, and opening at one side of a first direction; a base disposed on the other side of the first direction relative to the housing; and a light guide body disposed in a space surrounded by the sidewall portion, and including an incident surface facing the light source portion, a light-emitting surface for making the light from the incident surface emit toward the one side of the first direction, and a peripheral side surface located between the incident surface and the light-emitting surface, wherein the cross-sectional area of the peripheral side surface becomes increasingly larger from a side of the incident surface toward a side of the light-emitting surface.
US08770778B2
A utility light kit has one or more lights that can mount on a top platform of a ladder without requiring the user to use one hand for holding a light. The utility light kit is a portable, cordless, safe, battery-operated device that includes a tool utility tray for keeping tools or other objects conveniently located when working on a job where the ladder needs to be moved frequently. The light can be an LED panel having a plurality of lights that can be rotated to provide light in a desired area. When the utility light kit is closed, the utility tray is covered, preventing the contents from spilling out while moving the ladder. An attachment mechanism, such as clips or an attachment strap, can secure the utility light kit to the top platform of the ladder.
US08770774B2
A ventilation fan with lights includes an exhaust fan, a lid, and an illumination apparatus. The lid covers an entrance of the exhaust fan. The lid has plural exhaust gratings and an opening. The exhaust gratings are arranged at least adjacent to opposite sides of the opening. The illumination apparatus is embedded in the opening of the lid. The illumination apparatus includes a lamp housing, a lamp plate, plural light emitting diodes (LEDs), a lampshade, and plural scattering microstructures. LEDs are arranged on the lamp plate. The lampshade covers the lamp housing. The lampshade and the lamp housing cooperate to define a lamp chamber therebetween. The lamp plate and the LEDs are disposed in the lamp chamber. The scattering microstructures are disposed on an inner surface of the lampshade facing the lamp chamber.
US08770772B1
A luminous keyboard includes: a press key unit and a backlight module unit including a light guiding plate, a plurality of light guiding points, an upper light-permeable thin film disposed on a top surface of the light guiding plate, a lower light-permeable thin film disposed on a bottom surface of the light guiding plate, and a luminous element. The upper and lower light-permeable thin films respectively have refractive indices lower than that of the light guiding plate.
US08770769B2
The present invention has an object to provide a door mirror for an automobile in which a variation in a gap between a bottom wall of a housing and a pedestal portion of a door-mirror base is eliminated. In this door mirror for an automobile, even if distortion, contraction error or the like occurs in a lower housing after molding, if the frame and the shaft are assembled rotatably with accuracy, since a lower end face of a shaft container portion provided on the frame rotatably connected to the shaft fixed to a pedestal portion of the door-mirror base is in contact with the peripheral edge portion of an opening portion in the inner face of a bottom wall of the lower housing, the housing can be fixed to the frame without an error in the positional relationship between the peripheral edge portion of the opening portion of the lower housing and the shaft.
US08770760B2
The rotation axis of each mirror of a DMD (4) defines an angle of 45° with respect to long and short sides of a rectangular image display area. A polarization conversion optical system (24) makes a polarization direction of light from a light source (1) arranged in one direction and projects the arranged light, and after total reflection from the critical surface (31b) of a TIR prism (3), the light is guided to the DMD (4). When the incident surface of the critical surface (31b) and the mirror incident surface of the DMD (4) are in parallel with each other, a PBS prism array of the polarization conversion optical system (24) carries out the polarization and separation of the light from the light source (1) in a direction corresponding to the long side direction of the image display area of the DMD (4) in the case of the separation of the light from the light source (1) into two linear polarizations having different polarization directions. A polarization control means makes the two linear polarizations after the polarization and separation arranged in parallel or vertical polarization directions with respect to the incident surface of the critical surface (31b) and projects the same. Thus, a polarization condition of the light for illuminating the DMD (4) can be prevented from falling into disorder at a reflecting surface in the optical path, so that a light amount of the projection image can be prevented from reducing.
US08770759B2
A projection display system includes a glasses system, a driving unit and a projection apparatus. The driving unit is electrically connected to the glasses system for repeatedly applying or removing a voltage to/from the glasses system. The projection apparatus includes an illumination system and a color wheel. The color wheel is in a transmission path of a light beam provided by the illumination system. The color wheel has a compensation zone and a plurality of color zones. When the color wheel is rotated, the compensation zone and the color zones sequentially pass through the light beam. The compensation zone has first, second and third sub compensation zones. A time for the first sub compensation zone passing through the light beam is substantially equal to a time for the third sub compensation zone passing through the light beam. A liquid crystal glasses and a control method are also provided.
US08770755B2
Systems for extended depth frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) and related methods
Systems for extended depth frequency domain optical coherence tomography are provided including a detection system configured to sample spectral elements at substantially equal frequency intervals, wherein a spectral width associated with the sampled spectral elements is not greater than one-half of the frequency interval. Related methods are also provided herein.
US08770750B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed that provide for establishing and/or improving binocular vision by adaptation of perceptual motor learning for the visual system of a patient suffering of a binocular vision disorder. The apparatus has a set of two units, one for respectively eye, for manipulation of a vision parameter of the visual presentation, e.g. picture, movie, image. To control the visual presentation on respectively unit a processing unit is connected. The processing unit is adapted to determine a boundary value of a first and/or second vision parameter for the first and/or second manipulation of the first and second unit, where binocular vision disappears for the patient. Furthermore, the processing unit controls at least one vision parameter by manipulating, including oscillating or fluctuating, it within a first range, the first range having a maximum value that is less than the boundary value, for the perceptual motor learning.
US08770747B2
A contact lens, comprising a preprint of a first shade and a main print of a second shade, wherein the preprint consisting of a first band of gradient dot matrix, wherein the main print consisting of a second band of evenly spaced circular voids, wherein the second band surrounds the starburst pattern, wherein the first band and the second band have a substantially identical outer diameter and the first band has a smaller inside diameter than the second band, wherein the first shade and the second shade are different, wherein the gradient dot matrix is characterized by dot coverage increases in a radial direction from the center too the peripheral edge or a position near the peripheral edge of the substantially-circular pattern.
US08770741B2
A glasses-type shutter holder may include left and right temple parts connected respectively to left and right frame end parts of frame. The left and right temple parts may be foldable respectively with respect to the left and right frame end parts in accordance with movement, for each frame end part and temple part pair, of a contact position at which a movement part provided with one of the temple part and the frame end part of the pair is in contact with a contact part of the other of the temple part and the frame end part of the pair. For each of the pairs, the contact part is in contact with the movement part when the temple part is unfolded to a maximum degree, and a maximum degree of opening of the temple part is varied in accordance with the movement of the movable part.
US08770740B2
Eyewear which is suitable for routine wear and within masks which are sealed against noxious environmental gases or penetration by water is provided by a frame made up of resilient metal parts including wires to provide the frame with a shape, which facilitates the placement of the eyewear on the head of the user while limiting the movement of the eyewear when in use so as to avoid breaking the seal of a mask inside of which the eyewear is disposed when the mask is donned by the user. The eyewear has a lens holding frame for holding lenses adjacent the eyes of the user's head and connected by a bridge across the user's nose. Flexible members bent arcuately around and in conformance with the sides of the head of the user have a kink whereby to facilitate acceptance between the sides of the head and the seal of the mask with sufficient tightness against the side of the head to limit movement of the frame and the space between the seal and the head thereby avoiding breaking of the seal when the mask is in operation.
US08770736B2
Ink compositions and methods of using the same are disclosed. An example ink composition includes an inkjet vehicle, from about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt % of colorants, from about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % of anti-kogation agents, and from about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % of dispersed resin beads.
US08770734B2
There is provided a water-based ink for ink-jet recording including: a self-dispersible carbon black modified by carboxylic acid group; water; and a water-soluble organic solvent, wherein oxalate ion is contained in the water-based ink in a amount of not more than 45 ppm by weight.
US08770730B2
A liquid container enables a liquid contained in a liquid containing chamber to be supplied to an exterior through a supply port. The liquid container includes a first channel, a second channel, and a communication path. The first channel is in communication with a first opening which opens into the liquid containing chamber. The second channel is in communication with a second opening which opens into the liquid containing chamber, the second opening being positioned above the first opening in a direction of gravitational force. The communication path allows the first channel and the second channel to communicate with each other outside the liquid containing chamber to permit a flow of the liquid.
US08770729B2
An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a liquid cartridge, a cartridge holder, a hook member, and an engagement portion. The recording head ejects liquid droplets. The liquid cartridge stores liquid to be supplied to the recording head. The cartridge holder replaceably mounts the liquid cartridge. The hook member is integrally formed with an inner wall face of the cartridge holder to engage the liquid cartridge when the liquid cartridge is mounted in the cartridge holder. The engagement portion is provided at an outer wall face of the liquid cartridge to engage the hook member.
US08770726B2
According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes a substrate, a nozzle plate which includes nozzle lines, each of which includes nozzles, the nozzles which are included in one of the nozzle lines and the nozzles which are included in another of the nozzle lines alternating with each other, and forming one imaginary nozzle line, piezoelectric members which are opposed to the respective nozzle lines, and groove parts which are provided in each of the piezoelectric members, the groove parts corresponding to the nozzles to eject ink from the nozzles and being processed by cutting edges, one of the groove parts which corresponds to one of the nozzles in the imaginary nozzle line and another of the groove parts which corresponds to another nozzle adjacent to the nozzle in the imaginary nozzle line being processed by the cutting edges which are independent of each other.
US08770725B2
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an electromechanical transducer element including a first process of hydrophobizing a first area of an electrode by forming a self-assembled monolayer film; a second process of applying a sol-gel solution onto a predetermined second area of the electrode so as to produce a complex oxide; a third process of producing the complex oxide by calcining the electrode; a fourth process of acid-washing the electrode on which the complex oxide has been produced; a fifth process of hydrophobizing the first area of the acid-washed electrode by forming the self-assembled monolayer film; a sixth process of applying the sol-gel solution onto the predetermined second area; and a seventh process of producing the complex oxide by calcining the electrode.
US08770717B2
An image forming apparatus includes a carriage, an image forming unit, a driving pulley, a driven pulley, a driving source, an open-ended carriage drawing member, and a mount. The drawing member is extended between the pulleys and having end portions mounted to the carriage. Each end portion has a surface including an indented area. The mount is disposed on the carriage and having first engagement portions and second engagement portions. Each first engagement portion has at least one indented area to engage the indented area of the drawing member. Each second engagement portion is connected to a corresponding first engagement portion in an orientation to be folded back relative to the corresponding first engagement portion. The end portions are mounted to the mount in a state in which the surface having the indented area is directed to a portion folded back along a corresponding second engagement portion.
US08770714B2
A printing head assembly with integrated purge mechanism is disclosed. The printing head assembly comprises: (a) a liquid dispensing head comprising one or more dispensing nozzles enclosed in a nozzle plate, driven by at least first and second pressures, and (b) a shielding mask including an opening in front of the one or more nozzles, wherein the opening being configured such that when printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the first pressure, the liquid being dispensed in pulses through the opening in the shielding mask, and (ii) when purge printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the second pressure the liquid being drawn to a capillary gap formed between the shielding mask and the nozzle plate thereby removing the purge printing liquid from the nearby nozzles.
US08770712B2
A droplet ejection apparatus includes: a droplet ejection head having a nozzle surface in which a nozzle aperture is formed; and a wiping device which wipes the nozzle surface of the droplet ejection head by moving relatively to the droplet ejection head. The wiping device includes: a wiping device main body which moves relatively to the droplet ejection head; a drive source which is arranged on the wiping device main body; and wiping units configured to be interchangeably installed on the wiping device main body. The wiping units respectively have wiping members configured to be pressed against the nozzle surface to perform respectively different wiping operations to the nozzle surface. When each of the wiping units is installed on the wiping device main body, a corresponding one of the wiping members receives drive force from the drive source to perform a corresponding one of the wiping operations to the nozzle surface.
US08770711B2
A maintenance system for a printhead is provided having a support frame, a wiper module supported by the support frame, a lift mechanism for lifting the wiper module from the support frame, and a rotation mechanism. The wiper module has a wiper roller on a rotatable shaft and a porous material about the shaft, and a transfer roller in rotatable contact with the wiper roller. The lift mechanism lifting the wiper module to position the porous material of the wiper roller against the printhead. The rotation mechanism rotates the wiper and transfer rollers so that the porous material of the wiper roller rotates against the printhead. The porous material is configured to absorb fluid from the printhead during rotation, and so that the fluid absorbed by the porous material of the wiper roller is transferred to the transfer roller.
US08770708B2
An inkjet printer including: a print head for printing by discharging ink droplets from nozzles; a recovery process unit that executes a print head recovery process; a clock unit that counts time; a print operation measuring unit that acquires printing frequency per unit time; and a memory unit that memorizes the printing frequency per unit time; wherein the recovery process unit executes the print head recovery process based on the printing, frequency per unit time in the memory.
US08770704B2
Reducing waste in a digital printing system (200) includes moving media (214) through a web transport system (205) at a first speed. A first job is printed on the print media and a downstream finishing device (203) in a first configuration acts on the media. The web slows to a second speed prior the end of the first job and the finishing device changes to a second configuration after the first job has passed. A time to complete changing from the first to the second configuration is estimated and a time for a first section of the media containing the end of the first job to arrive at the finishing device is estimated. A second job is printed on the media prior to completion of the change based on the estimated time to completion.
US08770703B2
A printing device has a print unit that ejects fluid from ejection nozzles and prints; an ejection test unit that checks if fluid is ejected from the ejection nozzles; a cleaning unit that performs a cleaning process in either a timed cleaning mode that performs a cleaning process at a predetermined interval, or an ejection test cleaning mode that performs a cleaning process based on a test result; a decision unit that determines whether to use the timed cleaning mode or the ejection test cleaning mode based on an operating condition of the print unit; and a mode changing unit that switches the mode between the timed cleaning mode and the ejection test cleaning mode according to the decision by the decision unit.
US08770701B2
In a system having an inkjet printer and a toner printer, the ink jet printer forms an ink jet image and the toner printer forms a toner image conforming to the inkjet image and transfers the toner image onto the inkjet image. Colorant in the ink is electrostatically attracted to the toner. The toner is fixed. After fixing the colorant attracted to the toner is bound to the toner so that removal of the toner from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner from the receiver.
US08770697B2
A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a first print engine to print content on a web of paper and a vacuum unit to provide stabilization and cooling of the web. The vacuum unit operates in a first mode upon receiving an activation signal from the first print engine and operates in a second mode upon de-assertion of the activation signal.
US08770694B2
A printing element substrate, including a printing element, a switching element which drives the printing element based on an input control signal, a first current source which generates a predetermined current, a second current source which generates a current based on an input voltage, and a current generation circuit which generates the control signal by amplifying a current obtained by adding a current generated by the second current source to a current generated by the first current source, and then generates the control signal by amplifying a current generated by the first current source.
US08770690B2
An element substrate includes a plurality of terminals, a first receiving circuit and a second receiving circuit each receiving a differential signal via one of the terminals included in the plurality of terminals, a driving circuit including a first input unit for inputting a first signal and a second input unit for inputting a second signal and driving a driving element based on the first signal and the second signal, and a setting circuit for setting a first connection state of connecting an output from the first receiving circuit to the first input unit and connecting an output from the second receiving circuit to the second input unit, and a second connection state of connecting an output from the first receiving circuit to the second input unit and connecting an output from the second receiving circuit to the first input unit based on an externally input signal.
US08770688B2
According to the present invention, in the case where the amount of ink remaining in an ink tank is detected using light from a light emitting unit, whether or not the amount of remaining ink is smaller than a predetermined value can be accurately determined with a decrease in the life of the light emitting unit suppressed. Thus, the present invention determines a difference between output signals each output by the light receiving unit according to a corresponding one of at least two of a plurality of levels of light emissions from the light emitting unit. Based on the difference, whether or not the amount of remaining ink is smaller than the predetermined value is determined.
US08770683B2
A pullout guide for a furniture pullout part configured to be pulled out from a piece of furniture over a predefined pullout distance. The pullout guide includes a retraction device configured to retract the furniture pullout part at least over a portion of the predefined pullout distance. The retraction device includes a spring configuration having a first spring and a second spring connected in parallel with respect to each other. Each of the first and second springs includes a different spring characteristic curve than the other spring and/or each of the first and second springs includes a different force-distance characteristic acting in a pullout direction of the pullout guide.
US08770681B2
A rack includes an enclosure, a tray and a locking member. The enclosure defines a receiving space. The enclosure includes a side wall. The side wall includes a rail. A locking slot is defined in the side wall. The tray is received in the receiving space and is slidable on the rail. The tray includes a side plate. An operating hole is defined in the side plate. The locking member includes a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a locking portion located on the second end. The first end is attached to an inner surface of the side plate. The locking portion is engaged with the locking slot.
US08770668B2
In one aspect of the invention, a system for exchanging a milling chamber comprises a vehicle comprising a milling chamber supported by the underside of the vehicle. The underside comprises a track that interfaces with a guide of the milling chamber. The track and guide are configured to accommodate lateral movement of the milling chamber with respect to a length of the vehicle.
US08770665B2
A wheelchair accessible recliner is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the recliner includes a backrest disposed at the rear portion of the recliner and configured to support a torso and back area of a user. A front base member serves to act as a wheel chock to secure rear wheels of the wheelchair within the recliner so that the user can tilt back in his or her wheelchair to stretch and relax. The backrest is adjustable and supported by a back strut. The back strut may be adjusted manually to adjust the angle of the backrest or can be adjusted by an actuator. Armrests are disposed on each side of the recliner and configured to support arms of the user when the wheelchair is positioned within the recliner.
US08770663B2
Provided is a seat cover for use with a seat, such as a seat of a shopping cart, high chair or the like. The seat includes a front wall, rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls. The seat cover includes a liner having a front panel, a pair of opposed side panels, and a rear panel. The linear is configured to be placeable within the seat such that front panel resides adjacent the seat front wall, the rear panel resides adjacent the seat rear wall, and the pair of opposed side panels reside adjacent respective ones of the pair of opposed seat side walls. The seat cover additionally includes a character connected to the liner and positioned relative to the liner such that when the liner is placed within the seat, the character appears to be seating within the seat.
US08770662B2
A seat cover for use with vehicle seats with or without side deployed airbags. In an example, the seat cover is made of a uni-body construction with upper and lower sections for respectively covering a seat back and seat cushion. Openings are provided in the upper and lower sections for insertion of the seat back and seat cushion. A side panel is disposed on each lateral side of the upper section that aligns with an expected path of the airbag when deployed. A frangible seam couples the panel to the remaining portion of the seat cover. The frangible seam fails at a force sufficiently less than the force of a deploying airbag. Thus when the airbag is deployed the force consumed by cleaving the frangible seam panel does not impede airbag deployment. Also included is an alignment member to position the panel in the expected path of the deploying airbag.
US08770660B2
A convertible rocking chair can be converted to use as a rocking-bed, a chair and a rocking-horse. The convertible rocking chair has an arched base rack and a seat frame. The arched base rack has a curved downside for rocking and rolling back and forth against ground. The seat frame includes a left-side rack and a right-side rack for stretching a fabric cover therebetween to form an accommodating space. The left-side rack and right-side rack can be locked in a first position when converted to the rocking-bed or chair, and rotatable to close together in a second position for engaging with a seat board so as to convert to the rocking-horse. The seat frame may pivot to the arched base rack and adjust inclination by a lifting rack when being converted to a chair.
US08770656B2
A motor vehicle chassis includes two side rail members covered at the front by two lateral floor reinforcements, a rear central cross member and a transverse reinforcement which is welded to the two lateral floor reinforcements, and a floor having a seat-cushion support part. The chassis further includes a rear raiser welded to the rear central cross member and two lateral raisers welded respectively to each of the two lateral floor reinforcements. The seat-cushion support part of the floor is welded to the two lateral raisers, to the rear raiser and to the transverse reinforcement, so as to create a space for an energy reservoir under the seat-cushion support part of the floor.
US08770650B1
A variable geometry aerodynamic fairing is described for reduction of the base drag of a tractor trailer traveling at highway speed. The base drag reduction is provided by a set of two adjustable rectangular fairings which can be opened from a flat configuration when folded one against each side door, into a set of curved airfoil shaped fairings extending into the boundary layer adjacent to the trailer sides and cambered such as to turn a portion of the mainstream side air flow into the base wake region of the trailer. The cambered fairings thus reduce the strength of the standing base wake vortices and hence, the resultant negative base pressures (drag) formed in the trailer wake region. A direct application of this device would be to improve the fuel economy of a large portion of the U.S. trucking fleet during highway transit, while still providing rapid fairing retraction into a thin, flat stowed position against the trailer doors for unloading at destination.
US08770645B2
A backrest arrangement for installation in a motor vehicle for transporting wheelchair users, and a motor vehicle including the backrest arrangement. The backrest arrangement includes a fixing device that attaches the backrest arrangement to the roof of the motor vehicle. A backrest is mounted to the fixing device and is configured to support a wheelchair user. The backrest is rotatably mounted to the fixing device by a telescoping bar. The backrest may thereby be moved between a stowage position and a substantially extended operative position by rotating the backrest down from the stowage position and extending the telescoping bar. While in the stowage position, the backrest may be disposed completely in the roof region of the motor vehicle so that the backrest arrangement does not take up space in the passenger region.
US08770644B2
A vehicle having a roof lining which is bounded at the front by a front windscreen and has an overhead console which is extended toward the front by a front windscreen unit in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the covering element of the windscreen unit being attached to a front windscreen-end support at at least a first attachment point and to the overhead console at at least a second attachment point. The covering element being mounted so as to float with play in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and/or in the lateral direction of the vehicle at the first attachment point, and is mounted without play at the second attachment point for accurate alignment with the overhead console.
US08770642B1
An evidence collection device preferably includes a handle member and a container member. The handle member preferably includes an evidence retention device and a handle portion. The evidence retention device preferably includes at least one loop, a first arm and a second arm. First and second clearance slots are formed in the handle portion to provide clearance for the first and second arms. A retention dowel is inserted through the at least one loop and into the handle portion to retain the evidence retention device. The container member is sized to receive the handle portion. A tapered surface is preferably formed on one end of the handle portion. In use, the first and second arms are squeezed together with two fingers for insertion into a cartridge casing. The one end of the handle portion is inserted into the container member and retained by friction.
US08770638B2
A bumper beam assembly for a vehicle may include a back beam disposed inside a vehicle bumper, both distal ends of the back beam being oriented in a lateral direction of a main body of the vehicle, crash boxes coupled to one side of the back beam, the crash boxes protruding from the both distal ends of the back beam toward the bumper, and back beam stays integrally coupled to the other side of the back beam, the back beam stays protruding from the both distal ends of the back beam toward an inside of the vehicle, in a direction opposite to a direction in which the crash boxes protrude.
US08770636B2
Providing a bumper absorbing large amount of impact energy with respect to both a light collision and a heavy collision, and preventing the reinforcement beam from bending and protruding backward at a portion where an obstacle collides and from displacing backward in this protruding state. Provided is a bumper for vehicles including a reinforcement beam made of metal and a pair of support members having a hollow cross section, protruding from a vehicle frame, and supporting the reinforcement beam therebetween. A quenched region is provide over a portion including a middle of the reinforcement beam. Unquenched portions are provided on the pair of connecting portions or a pair of adjacent portions inside the pair of connecting portions.
US08770630B2
A method for providing a hose pipe connection is disclosed. Embodiments of the method start with a pipe having an enlarged end portion. A sleeve is introduced into the end of the flexible hose. The sleeve has an inner diameter that is equal to the inner diameter of the hose. In an embodiment, the inner diameter of the sleeve is increased while the end of the hose is already placed on the sleeve. The hose fitted with the sleeve is then introduced into the enlarged end of the pipe. Crimping of the enlarged end will then secure the sleeve and the hose and provide a fluid tight and mechanically sturdy connection.
US08770629B2
A hose end coupling comprising a unitary one-piece stem having an exterior barb end portion and an exterior ferrule interface portion, with a unitary one-piece radially crushable ferrule disposed over the stein, with a crushable socket portion disposed about the barb end portion, a deformable attachment portion disposed about the ferrule interface portion, and a torque communication portion defined between the socket portion and the attachment portion. The socket portion may retain a “C” shaped insert, one or more coiled inserts, or a plurality of stacked inserts, for gripping a hose end and the socket portion might define a lip, with a seal disposed in the socket portion between the insert(s) and the lip. Some embodiments of a “C” shaped insert define inner-circumferential teeth and corresponding outer-circumferential depression indentions.
US08770628B2
A seal assembly for a nested dual drill pipe includes a tube having a female seal assembly and a male seal assembly at the longitudinal ends. The female seal assembly includes a larger internal diameter portion, a taper adjacent thereto and a smaller internal diameter portion adjacent to the taper. The male seal assembly includes a smaller external diameter portion, a seal groove adjacent thereto and a larger external diameter portion adjacent to the seal groove. The smaller internal diameter portion and the larger external diameter portion have diameters selected to enable free longitudinal movement of the male seal assembly into the female seal assembly while limiting axial displacement to maintain the seal ring fully energized.
US08770627B2
A product package article has an HVS-perceivable security pattern on its surface. The security pattern is based on simultaneous color contrast. The security pattern can provide protection against counterfeiting.
US08770615B2
The present invention discloses a foldable collapsible wheeled stretcher on wheels, having handles for pulling and steering. The device is provided with dependent suspensions allowing mobility in rough and bumpy terrain while maintaining the stability of stretcher surface, reducing tilt and vibration that reach the wounded person being transported upon the stretcher. It is provided with folding or telescopic means allowing it to be carried upon the back or stowed in a small volume. The device enables rescue of injured people in an improved manner from (for example) regions which are not passable by vehicles, and may be pulled by a single rescuer instead of being carried by two to four. The device may be further used to transport material.
US08770601B2
A vehicle (3) comprising at least two axles (6, 7, 8) fitted with at least two tires the axis of rotation of which are always mutually parallel from one axle to another. The tires of at least one axle (7) have a cornering stiffness greater than that of the tires of another axle (6, 8).
US08770599B1
A dolly and carry cage for a device with robust tubular frame for mounting machine, with a wheel and handle dolly arrangement integral with the frame for rolling the device to work site, and with a carry handle for lifting device as needed.
US08770598B2
A hand truck includes a frame body and a wheel assembly including two wheel units spacedly supported at the frame body to switch between a first operation position and a second operation position for enabling the frame body to be tilted backward to transport a load. In the first operation position, the wheel units are oriented in parallel planes for enabling the frame body to move in a back-and-forth direction, and in the second operation position, the wheel units are oriented to align with each other in a common plane for enabling the frame body to move in a left-and-right direction. Therefore, the hand truck provides two modes of movement for two-dimensional movement.
US08770595B2
A customizable hockey skate includes a removable runner-blade assembly such that a runner-blade assembly having a first stiffness may be readily replaced with a runner-blade assembly having a second stiffness. The runner-blade assembly may be removably attached to first and second cups that are optionally removably attached to the sole of a skate boot. The first and second cups optionally are removably attachable at multiple lateral locations on the sole. Mounting plates to which the first and second cups are mounted may be included to provide damping interfaces between the first and second cups and the boot sole. The first and second cups may be separately removable from the sole such that the first cup may be replaced with a third cup (for example, a cup having a different stiffness than the first cup) without removal of the second cup.
US08770591B2
The present invention is to provide a connector seal allowing an accurate inspection of presence of an incorrectly formed bore in a terminal insertion bore of the connector seal. A connector seal includes a seal main body and a plurality of terminal insertion bores. Each terminal insertion bore has an upper membrane potion and a lower membrane portion, which are spaced one another and interconnected together with a lamella. Preferably, the terminal insertion bore has a membrane, which includes a substantially curved groove and a substantially curved lamella. Preferably, the terminal insertion bore has a membrane which includes a lamella, the lamella being oriented in a direction coincident with a diagonal line of a rectangular cross-section of a terminal so that corners of the terminal hit opposite ends of the lamella.
US08770588B2
A novelty item for parties and other amusement which is a straw containing a jellied shooter, a granita or a slush. Preferably the jellied shooter, the granita or slush contains a potable alcohol. Alternative embodiments incorporate a holder for multiple straws which may be operably connected to each other.
US08770586B2
We disclose a fluid dousing game. The game includes a frame from which a container of fluid is suspended. The release of the fluid is controlled by a valve in the bottom of the container which is created by an opening in the bottom of the container combined with a valve. When a player throws a projectile and strikes a target, a spring loaded mechanism triggers release of the fluid from the container by opening the valve.
US08770582B2
In a conveying belt that is entrained about a pair of bundle discharge rollers along a stacking wall, on which an end part of a sheet stacked on a stack tray abuts, between the stack tray and an intermediate processing tray, a position of an outer peripheral surface is displaced such that a projection amount of the conveying belt from the stacking wall is large when the pair of discharge rollers discharges the sheet to the stacking portion, and such that the projection amount is small when the pair of discharge rollers moves the sheet toward a stopper of the intermediate stacking portion.
US08770581B2
A skew correcting device includes a first roller pair configured to nip and convey a sheet, a second roller pair disposed upstream of the first roller pair and configured to nip and convey the sheet, a contact portion disposed downstream of the first roller pair, the contact portion being a portion that the leading edge of the conveyed sheet comes into contact to correct skew of the sheet, a switching mechanism configured to change a nipping force of the first roller pair before the leading edge of the conveyed sheet comes into contact with the contact portion to form a loop in the sheet, and a control unit configured to make a determination on the basis of sheet information as to whether the nipping force of the first roller pair is to be changed, the control unit being configured to control the switching mechanism on the basis of the determination.
US08770577B2
A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a sheet conveyance path provided in an apparatus main body and configured to convey a sheet, a jamming handling cover configured to be openable and closable and to expose the sheet conveyance path to an exterior by being opened, a unit configured to be able to be drawn out of the apparatus main body, a lever member provided in the sheet conveyance path and configured to rotate by contacting the sheet passing through the sheet conveyance path, and a stopper member configured to move to a restriction position to restrict the drawing-out of the unit, in conjunction with the rotation of the lever member.
US08770571B2
A sheet stacking apparatus includes an alignment unit configured to align a sheet stacked on a stacking tray in a width direction which is orthogonal to a direction in which the sheet is discharged. The alignment unit includes first and second alignment members configured to move in the width direction. The first and second alignment members come into contact with side ends in the width direction of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray to align the sheet. When a second sheet of a different length in the width direction from that of a first sheet is stacked while shifted in the width direction on the first sheet which is already stacked on the stacking tray, the sheet stacking apparatus prohibits an alignment operation of the alignment unit on the second sheet.
US08770569B2
A sheet processing apparatus is disclosed which includes front and back trailing-end reference fences that are movable and on which the sheet trailing-end abuts to align the sheet trailing-end; a side-stitching stapler that moves along the sheet trailing-end and binds a bundle of sheets aligned; a length-direction moving mechanism that moves the trailing-end reference fences in a sheet conveying direction; and a position changing unit that drives the length-direction moving mechanism to change the position of one of the trailing-end reference fences in the sheet conveying direction relative to the position of the other one. The front and back trailing-end reference fences are moved to change binding positions such that the distances from the sheet trailing-end to staple positions are made equal in front-side binding and in back-side binding.
US08770566B2
A removably supporting mechanism is provided for a workpiece holding device that can hold and release a workpiece. The workpiece holding device is removably supported on a crossbar extending substantially orthogonal to a workpiece conveying direction of a press machine. The removably supporting mechanism has a guide pin and a guide pin hole. The guide pin is fittable into and engageable with the guide pin hole. One of the guide pin and the guide pin hole is disposed on the workpiece holding device side, whereas another of the guide pin and the guide pin hole is disposed on the crossbar side. The guide pin and the guide pin hole can perform alignment of the workpiece holding device and the crossbar in a direction substantially orthogonal to an inserting direction of the guide pin.
US08770563B2
A vacuum hold-down system for use with workpieces of various shapes and/or sizes is disclosed. The system comprising a vacuum hold-down table defining a mask support plane and an apertured vacuum table mask which is selectably positionable on said mask support plane, wherein said vacuum hold-down table and said vacuum table mask is configured to define a plurality of selectable different contiguous arrays of vacuum apertures, by suitable relative positioning of said vacuum table mask and said vacuum hold-down table in said mask support plane.
US08770560B2
An electromagnetic actuator wherein an annular supporting member secured to a stator and an oscillator member secured to a movable member are disposed in opposition in an axis-perpendicular direction and are elastically linked by a supporting rubber elastic body disposed therebetween. One axial face of the supporting rubber elastic body is furnished with an inside peripheral recessed portion and an outside peripheral protruding portion while another axial face is furnished with an inside peripheral protruding portion and an outside peripheral recessed portion so as to establish in the supporting rubber elastic body an elastic center axis that curves along a sinuous trajectory of an interconnected peak segment and valley segment situated between opposing faces of the annular supporting member and the oscillator member in the axis-perpendicular direction.
US08770547B2
A fluid control valve includes a resin valve body formed with first and second passages, a resin valve upper part connected to an upper surface of the valve body, and a resin diaphragm valve element held between the valve body and the valve upper part.
US08770546B2
A ball or half-ball valve with drain-proof mechanism comprises a body; inner side of the body being formed as a chamber and a through hole communicated to the chamber; an annular seat received in an annular trench of a wall of the through hole; a drain-proof unit; a valve unit installed to the inner side of the annular seat; the valve unit having an axial hole for receiving the stem; and a cover having a size corresponding to that of the through hole of the body; the cover being locked to an outer side of the through hole. The drain-proof unit has three different structures. The elements of the structures are replaceable with each other for being installed to the valve. Each mode is suitable for different environments. In the present invention, the cover can be detached easily for repairing or maintaining the elements therein. It is easy and convenient.
US08770543B2
A poppet valve assembly includes a body and first and second check valves. The body includes opposing first and second axial end portions. The first end portion has a first circumferential surface, a first end surface, and a tapered surface, which seals with a main valve seat. The second axial end portion defines at least one metering slot. The body defines first and second internal passages. The first internal passage includes an opening in the first end surface, is in fluid communication with one of the metering slots, and has a first check valve seat. The second internal passage includes an opening in the first circumferential surface, is in fluid communication with one of the metering slot, and has a second check valve seat. The first and second check valves are disposed in the respective internal passages and are adapted for sealing engagement with the respective check valve seats.
US08770510B2
A flange for a reel for supporting a wound flexible medium includes a plate member and a set of support elements. The reel includes an elongate core defining a longitudinal core axis. The plate member engages the core and extends radially from the core toward an outer edge and has an axially inclined media engaging surface. The set of support elements have a height extending from the plate member in the axial direction, and a length extending radially, at least a first support element extending radially from proximate the core to proximate the outer edge. The axial distance between the plate member and a top of the first support element proximate the outer edge is less than an axial distance between the plate member and the top of the first support element proximate the core.
US08770502B1
The invention may be described as a shear tool or concrete pulverizer retrofit method, a hybrid demolition machine, such as one resulting from such a method, and a demolition method that may be carried out using such a demolition machine.
US08770498B2
A fuel injector includes a solenoid coil, which cooperates with an armature acted upon by a restoring spring, the armature forming an axially displaceable valve part together with a valve needle. A valve-closure member, which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat body, is provided on the valve needle. Furthermore, a reliable sealing of a thin-walled valve sleeve or of the magnetic coil exists that is made of a sealing body that is secured beneath the magnetic coil. The sealing body is tetragonal in cross-section, in particular, it has a trapezoid-like shape, and is put in between the magnetic coil and a valve housing. In its installed state, the sealing body is clamped and compressed. In its compressed state, the sealing body assumes an elliptical or egg-shaped cross-section.
US08770497B2
Device for distributing a fluid in a controlled manner, in particular for distributing a gas loaded with particles, the device comprising a pipe (1) provided with at least one inlet orifice (2) and with a series of outlet orifices (3) spread along the pipe (1) and cut in the side wall of this pipe, characterized in that at least one section (4) of the wall, located downstream of at least one outlet orifice and limited by a section (5) of the edge of this orifice, has a shape such that this section of the edge of this orifice is positioned inside the pipe so that, when the device is in service, the flow direction of the fluid exiting this orifice and travelling along said wall section is controlled by the shape of the latter section.
US08770496B2
A coating dispensing device includes a trigger assembly for actuating the coating dispensing device to dispense coating material and a nozzle through which the coating material is dispensed. The coating dispensing device further includes a source of voltage and a voltage multiplier for multiplying the voltage. The voltage multiplier is coupled to the source. An output terminal of the voltage multiplier is charged to a high-magnitude electrostatic potential and is adapted to charge coating material as the coating material is dispensed from the dispensing device. The coating dispensing device further includes a circuit for providing a visual indication of the voltage at the output terminal. The circuit for providing a visual indication of the voltage at the output terminal comprises a first impedance across which a portion of the voltage at the output terminal appears and an amplifier. The output terminal of the amplifier is coupled to a light source for providing the visual indication of the voltage at the output terminal of the voltage multiplier.
US08770495B2
A shower head includes a shell, a positioning base, a plurality of water spraying heads, a plastic piece, a metal cover and a handle set. The positioning base has a flat board and a hanging base having an elongated hole at center thereof, and a plurality of hanging slots are circularly disposed at the periphery of the flat board. The water spraying head engages with several hanging slots so as to evenly circularly dispose at the flat board. The plastic piece is formed by injection molding and a through hole is formed at center thereof. The metal cover is made by copper, surface of which has a plurality of cover through holes. The handle set has a control unit, and a connecting rod eccentrically protrudes out from one end of the control unit, and the other end is provided for a nut to lock and engage with a movable handle.
US08770492B2
An air conditioner and a controlling method thereof are provided. The controlling method may include determining an initial operation temperature based on a received external input or setting, cooling or heating a room at the determined initial operation temperature for a preset initial operation time period, and thereafter increasing or decreasing the room temperature at a preset time interval.
US08770490B2
A thermostat for a climate control system includes an electronic memory in which at least three occupancy settings are stored. The occupancy settings including a pre-defined unoccupied temperature set-point associated with an unoccupied state, a pre-defined occupied temperature set-point associated with an occupied-awake state and a pre-defined sleep temperature set-point associated with an occupied-asleep state. The thermostat's microprocessor is configured to communicate with the memory, and to establish at least three time periods during the day. The microprocessor assigns to each time period one of at least three user-selectable occupancy states including an unoccupied state, an occupied-awake state and an occupied-asleep state. The microprocessor controls operation of the climate control system to maintain the unoccupied temperature set-point during any time period assigned the unoccupied state, the occupied temperature set-point during any time period assigned the occupied-awake state, and the sleep temperature set-point to any time period assigned the occupied-asleep state.
US08770486B2
Card member apparatus, and an associated method, for storing and permitting selectable use of informational data associated with a subject. Identifying indicia stored at a first storage element, and the informational data is stored at a second storage element, together disposed upon a substrate, or otherwise supported to permit carriage by a subject. The card member is presented for reading at a card reader, and analysis is made of the identifying indicia stored at the storage element. If the identifying indicia is ascertained to correspond to the subject that carries the card member, permission is granted for the access to the informational data stored at the card member. The informational data, once accessed, is used pursuant to a transaction associated with the subject.
US08770467B2
Device made from foldable planar material for forming compartments for receiving containers comprising at least two parallel longitudinal strips and at least two transverse ribs joined via first fold lines to the longitudinal strips, transverse ribs joined to adjacent longitudinal strips being joined together in overlapping regions.
US08770463B1
A head gimbal assembly (HGA) carrier comprises a body; an HGA mounting location on the body to mount an HGA mounting member to the body; and an adjustable protective bar coupled to the body, the adjustable protective bar being moveable from a first position to a second position to provide access to an HGA mounted on the HGA mounting member.
US08770457B2
A device includes an actuation system with a dose chamber including an inlet for high pressure fluid. A working chamber extends away from the dose chamber. An annular wall separates a portion of the working chamber from the dose chamber such that the dose chamber encompasses the portion of the working chamber. In use an item to be driven along the working chamber is at least partially within the surrounded portion of the working chamber with the item at one end of its travel in the working chamber. A valve mechanism selectively allows high pressure fluid from the dose chamber to flow into the piston chamber.
US08770454B1
An apparatus for holding trash bags and facilitating trash pick up includes a bag holding base ring and interchangeable insert ring and opening ring which selectably attach to the base ring. The trash bag is secured between the opposing pairs of rings, which are each attachable to a waist belt worn by the user or can be carried individually by an attachable handle. The insert ring also includes a stripping membrane along a top surface to remove the refuse from a trash picker and retain it inside the bag.
US08770452B1
An expandable clothes hanger to hang, display, store, or transport an article of clothing with minimal creasing. The expandable clothes hanger has a hook extending upward from a bar element that supports an upper portion of an article of clothing draped thereon. Downward extending elements extend downward from the bar element and cross each other at at least a single point. Raising the crossing point along the downward extending elements causes the lower portion of the downward extending elements to extend outward, pulling taut the lower portion of draped article of clothing. Lowering the crossing point along the downward extending elements causes the lower portion of the downward extending elements to be pulled together, allowing for more compact storage of the expandable clothes hanger or for easier placement or removal of draped articles of clothing. The downward extending elements can also be configured as an attachment to a conventional hanger.
US08770448B2
Drop dispenser for releasing a pharmaceutical liquid in drop form, with a housing, a liquid storage and a discharge opening, which penetrates a wall of the housing and to which an outlet valve is assigned, for extracting the liquid. The discharge opening is surrounded by a drop-formation area on the outside of the housing, wherein this drop-formation area, at least in an outer region with respect to an alignment of the drop dispenser with the discharge opening pointing vertically downwards, has a shape tapering downwards and towards the discharge opening. The drop dispenser allows the release of drops with a constant size and shortens drying time.
US08770446B2
A system and method for dispensing a predetermined portion of a beverage or drink additive using a cost effective portion control valve that replaces electrical components with mechanical components. The present invention dispenses a controlled portion of a beverage when a lever is activated. A magnetically coupled linkage system can control the exact amount of fluid dispensed. A valve block contains a beverage input, a beverage outlet, and a valve seal. A lever arm is connected to the valve seal and connected to a magnetic housing containing a valve magnet. A yoke pivots about the valve block where the yoke contains a yoke magnet aligned to interface with the valve magnet. A lever arm return spring is connected to the lever arm and the valve block to bias the lever arm return spring to a resting position. As the yoke pivots beyond a predetermined distance, the yoke magnet separates from the valve magnet allowing the lever arm to return to the resting position closing the valve.
US08770433B2
A tray for vibratory conveying of food articles from a hopper is provided. The tray includes a tray body, food inlet portion, and a food outlet portion. An upwardly extending dividing member divides the tray into at least two food inlet conveyor passageways, the inlet conveyor passageways merging into a single food passageway that extends to the food outlet portion. The single food passageway may have an initially wide portion and subsequently narrow to a narrow portion as it approaches a discharge end. This arrangement helps to declump food items, preferably causing food items the size of chicken nuggets to be conveyed in a single-file arrangement along the single food passageway. The single food passageway is preferably non-linear, and may, for example, have a zigzag or serpentine configuration to promote accurate dispensing of food items.
US08770424B1
A wall plate is disclosed for use with a switch that is mounted in a wall receptacle in a wall. A plate that is made from a transparent material has embedded therein a composition of powdered photoluminescent material. The plate includes a front surface, a back surface, and at least one aperture for accepting the switch therethrough and for mounting the plate. The back surface of the plate includes a recessed area for receiving a gasket configured to fit at least partially within the recessed area of the plate. The gasket further includes the apertures therethrough, coaligned with the apertures of the plate. Preferably the gasket is a white, closed-cell foam material.
US08770418B2
A twist lock socket clip employs a cam over member for engagement and locking of a socket for storage or transport. A post of the clip receives the socket bore thereover and upon twisting of the socket, a cam over member depresses from engagement with the walls of the socket bore, and upon continued twisting, the cam over member relaxes and secures the socket by interaction of the socket bore detent and corresponding members on cam over arms.
US08770417B2
The invention relates to a storage product carrier for a storage shelf having a plurality of carrier supports placed one above the other and at a distance from each other, which are disposed in pairs on opposite side walls of the storage shelf and which support the storage product carrier, comprising a base body that is surrounded by an edge wall. The storage product carrier has a support wall, which protrudes from the base body. Carrier arms are provided on the support wall, which protrude from the support wall, and on which sleeve-shaped storage products (36), particularly roller bushings, can be deposited.
US08770411B2
A method for the separation of fine particles from granulate-like bulk material conveyed in a pipeline as a product flow by means of a compressed air or vacuum conveyance, characterized in that the product flow is radially dispersed at the intake end of a pipe screen integrated in the pipeline in an airtight manner, and aerated there by a cleansing airflow, flowing at an angle to the direction of the dispersed product flow, in the region of a cleansing plane, which deflects the lighter particles, fibers, clusters, dust or similar items carried in the product flow from the trajectory of the heavier granulate, and conveys said into an annular sheath through which the cleansing air flows, from which they are removed by means of a separator.
US08770399B2
A two-compartment container in which the first compartment has an upper layer and a lower layer and contains a first component that is to be added to the second compartment. There are at least two lacquer layers on the lower layer of the first compartment outside of the first compartment, between the second component and the first compartment. Above the first compartment is a dome that is bowed upward and is flexible. Depressing the dome by pushing downward on it causes the lower layer of the first compartment to be ruptured without cutting or rupturing the upper layer, releasing the first component into the second compartment.
US08770390B2
An improved conveyor belt assembly is provided with telescoping housing sections and a tension system for extending and retracting the sections relative to one another to maintain a selected tension on the conveyor belt. The assembly also has a lower end with a stepped profile matching the stepped profile of the cleated belt, so as to pick up and discharge fallen seeds or material and eliminate gaps where fallen seeds and material may collect. One or more scrapers are provided adjacent the lower track of the belt to push stray seeds and material off the lower track for pick up by the cleated belt at the lower end of the assembly.
US08770383B2
A work stopping apparatus according to this invention includes a swing unit pivotable about a first pivot shaft between an abutment position and a retracted position, and a driving unit pivoting the swing unit. The swing unit includes a swing portion and a movable portion including a work abutment portion. The movable portion is pivotable about a second pivot shaft parallel to the first pivot shaft. A distance between the first pivot shaft and the work abutment portion becomes short along with pivoting motion of the swing unit from the abutment position to the retracted position.
US08770370B2
A money handling apparatus is arranged to receive items of currency and classify each into at least one class. Each class of currency items is stored and managed by the money handling apparatus in order to be able to extract the received items. In some implementations, the money handling apparatus is arranged to receive items of currency, store items of currency, receive at least one service media, and transport at least one stored currency item to a removable storage unit in a specified sequence or order.
US08770369B2
It is provided a vehicle shift control device electrically switching a shift position between a parking position and a non-parking position, the vehicle being capable of switching a vehicle state among a first state, a second state and a third state, when an operation for switching the vehicle state is performed in the first state, if a vehicle speed is a predetermined speed or less, switching is executed to the parking position and, after completion of the switching, the vehicle state is switched to the third state, whereas when plural-times of the operations are performed successively during the vehicle running, the vehicle state is compulsorily switched to the second state, and when at least one operation of the plural-times of the operations is performed if the vehicle speed is the predetermined speed or less, switching to the parking position is executed prior to switching to the second state.
US08770367B2
A device is provided that includes a torque-transmitting mechanism selectively engageable by radially-outward force to transfer torque between a rotatable input member and a rotatable output member. A mass is connected for rotation with the output member and is configured to move radially outward as the output member rotates to reduce torque transfer from the input member to the output member as the speed of the output member approaches the speed of the input member. Furthermore, the mass connected for rotation with the output member may create a force that causes torque transfer between the input member and the output member when the output member rotates faster than the input member.
US08770359B2
A colloidal damper includes: a cylinder; a piston guided and supported by the cylinder and defining a closed space in association with the cylinder; a porous body having a multiplicity of first pores and being housed in the closed space; a liquid contained in the closed space together with the porous body, the liquid flowing into the first pores of the porous body when pressurized, and flowing out from the first pores of the porous body when the pressure is relieved. The damper may include a partition wall which has a multiplicity of second pores and which isolates the porous body from a frictional area, each of the second pores having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the porous body. The porous body may have an outer diameter larger than the size of the gap formed between the cylinder and the piston.
US08770339B2
A silencer for an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft includes an inlet, an outlet, a housing, and a flow channel of a porous material, arranged in the housing. Between the housing and the flow channel an intermediate space is created, which space is divided by at least one outer partition into outer cells arranged around the flow channel. A central body includes a casing that is permeable to gas at least in some regions and that is arranged in the interior of the silencer. The central body includes inner partitions dividing the central body into inner cells. The resonance frequency of the inner cells corresponds to the natural frequency of the first radial mode in a channel formed between the central body and the inner surface of the inlet. In this manner particularly good sound attenuation is achieved with a compact installation space of a silencer.
US08770327B2
An accessory drive mechanism for a hybrid vehicle, capable of operating accessories irrespective of the travel state of the vehicle, and also capable of smoothly switching between the power which is transmitted from the traveling motor side and the power which is transmitted from the accessory drive motor side. The accessory drive mechanism is provided with a drive power take-off mechanism (20) for taking out the power from a travel drive system (D). An accessory (11) is connected to the drive power take-off mechanism (20). A first one-way clutch (C1) which can transmit the power only to the accessory (11) side is disposed between the drive power take-off mechanism (20) and the accessory (11). An accessory driving motor (an auxiliary motor (12e)) is connected to the side of the accessory (11) which is on the opposite side from the drive power take-off mechanism (20). A second one-way clutch (C2) which can transmit the power only to the accessory (11) side is disposed between the accessory (11) and the accessory driving motor (12).
US08770326B2
A vehicle component mounting arrangement is provided with a motor, an inverter, a converter and a drive power supply battery. The motor serves as a vehicle drive source. The inverter is electrically connected to the motor to supply a drive current to the motor. The inverter is vertically arranged above the motor in a vertical direction of a vehicle. The converter is arranged inside a motor room of a vehicle. The drive power supply battery is electrically connected to the converter with an electrical harness. The drive power supply battery is arranged outside the motor room on a side of the motor room that is closer to a vehicle cabin. The converter is further arranged between the inverter and the drive power supply battery with respect to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
US08770320B2
A core lifter may be used in a drilling system. An exterior surface of the core lifter may include a plurality of longitudinally-oriented recesses. The core lifter may include a raised contact feature that may extend inwardly away from a gripping surface of the core lifter. The core lifter may include a flared skirt configured to limit movement of the core lifter relative to a core lifter case. The core lifter may be formed via stamping a sheet of material.
US08770316B2
An apparatus and system that permits radial passages and lateral passages to be jetted into surrounding subsurface formation from existing or new wells. The system employs a casing cutting component that positionable by an anchored indexing device downhole to permit the formation of accurately positioned openings in the well casing. The system employs a passage jetting component employing extreme high jet fluid pressures and a method that allows for the downhole manipulation of the components so that the radial and lateral passages are achieved by minimum pulling work on casing, tubing or other components. The system is fully controllable and reduces dramatically the margins of error and failure that are inherent of the present day systems used for radial drilling.
US08770313B2
An impulse generator (1) for a percussive tool includes a chamber (3) for receiving a liquid volume and an impulse piston (4) which is arranged for transferring pressure pulses in the liquid volume into stress wave pulses in the tool. The chamber (3) is adapted with respect to its shape such that it forms a resonance chamber for liquid in the liquid volume for forming at least one pressure antinode (11,15,17) inside the chamber. The invention also concerns a method and a hydraulic impulse tool.
US08770309B2
A tool bar assembly comprises a central section having a pair of pivotal wings each of which comprises pivotal inner and outer wing sections. The sections can be folded into a transport/storage position or unfolded into a substantially horizontal deployed position. In the deployed position, the sections are aligned end-to-end laterally behind a rear end of a movable frame which mounts central section. In the transport/storage position, the central section still extends laterally behind the rear end of the frame, but the pivotal wings have been folded forwardly at the ends of the central section to lie along opposite sides of the movable frame. In each folded pivotal wing, the inner wing section extends forwardly and upwardly at an angle from the central section and the outer wing section extends substantially rearwardly and horizontally from a front end of the inner wing section.
US08770305B2
Modular hydraulic packer-and-port system and corresponding methods of operation. The system may be installed for temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent deployments. The system and method may provide for hydraulic isolation of target zones in a well while allowing pass-through tubes to the target zones for taking samples, inserting monitoring sensors, and the like.
US08770302B2
An anchoring and expanding unit comprising an anchoring device (20, 20′) and an expanding device (30, 30′), reciprocally removably constrained, the anchoring device (20, 20′) being of the expandable type, wherein the expanding device (30, 30′) includes a series of expanding means (33a, 33b) which can be extracted and blocked in at least two different operative positions, wherein the expanding means (33a, 33b) protrude radially from the expanding device (30, 30′).
US08770300B2
A hydraulic connection mechanism for use in a wellbore comprises an upper connection tool, a lower connection tool configured to engage the upper connection tool and form a fluid communication pathway through the hydraulic connection mechanism, and a debris barrier disposed in the fluid communication pathway. The debris barrier comprises a body element, and a spring element configured to maintain the body element in a closed position when the upper connection tool is disengaged from the lower connection tool.
US08770298B2
Blowout preventer (BOP) stack and lower marine riser package for sealing an undersea well. The blowout preventer stack includes a frame extending along an axis and configured to be attached to a head of the well; an accumulator attached to the frame and configured to provide high pressure; two or more BOPs attached to the frame, the two or more BOPs being disposed within the frame and attached one on top of the other along the axis; each BOP having a body and a pair of bonnets attached to the body, where the bonnets are configured to be detachably attached to the body; each BOP having a corresponding cavity extending along the axis through which a fluid from the well is circulating; each BOP being configured to seal the well when the high pressure from the accumulator is released to the BOPs; plural brackets attached to the body of at least one BOP; and a safety bar attached to the plural brackets and configured to partially encircle the body of the at least one BOP.
US08770292B2
Heatable wellbore material, e.g., cements, polymers, composites, and epoxies, and systems and methods using heatable material, which, in certain aspects, are methods for cementing casing in a wellbore with such cement, the heatable material, in some aspects, being one or a combination of electrically resistively heatable material, microwave heatable material, and/or material heatable by the application thereto of a magnetic field.
US08770289B2
Systems and methods are provided for lifting hydrocarbons from reservoirs. A method includes injecting a heat carrier fluid comprising steam, hot water, or both into a first well and injecting an organic compound into a second well. The organic compound is selected to vaporize to a gas from the heat provided by the heat carrier fluid, forcing produced fluids to the surface. The produced fluids are collected at the surface.
US08770283B2
A method and system for acoustic monitoring using a fiber optic cable. The optical fiber is used as a distributed interferometer that may be used to monitor activity, such as activity with respect to a conduit, wellbore or reservoir. The distributed interferometric monitoring provides for accurate detection of acoustic occurrences along the fiber optic cable and these acoustic occurrences may include fluid flow in a pipeline or wellbore, processes taking place in a wellbore or pipeline, fracturing, gravel packing, production logging and/or the like.
US08770273B1
A method of preventing or minimizing contamination to the soil about an oil or gas well, using a kit to install, an impervious and reusable liner and apparatus therefor. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
US08770271B2
A pumping system includes a submersible high speed electric motor operable to rotate a drive shaft; a high speed pump rotationally fixed to the drive shaft; an isolation device operable to expand into engagement with a tubular string, thereby fluidly isolating an inlet of the pump from an outlet of the pump and rotationally fixing the motor and the pump to the tubular string; and a cable having two or less conductors, a strength sufficient to support the motor, the pump, and the isolation device, and in electrical communication with the motor. A maximum outer diameter of the motor, pump, isolation device, and cable is less than or equal to two inches.
US08770270B2
The invention relates to a double string slurry pump for pumping liquids to the surface of a hydrocarbon well and especially a hydrocarbon well that is producing both natural gas and liquid fluids. The double string slurry pump includes a hollow tube that raises and lowers the plunger and carries the liquids to the surface and an outer tube receives liquids down into the well to periodically flush area around the pump to stir up particles and fines for conveyance out of the wellbore with the liquids. The additional conduit for flushing may be used to provide biocides, solvents or other treatments including with liquids at elevated temperature to create desired results or changes downhole. Moreover, the additional conduit may be provided with ports to provide access to the interior of the gas production path to provide such treatments above the well. The natural gas is produced through the annulus between wellbore casing and the outer production tubing string.
US08770263B2
A method including positioning an insert in a vertical mold including a first mold portion and a second mold portion; and casting a material including a metal around at least a portion of the insert.
US08770259B2
An apparatus for cast-product production line includes a kneader for kneading casting sand for making mold; a mold maker for making a sand casting mold from the casting sand for making mold, the sand casting mold being provided with a molding cavity for forming a singular cast product or plural products; a molten-metal pourer for pouring molten metal into said molding cavity of the sand casting mold; and a mold disassembler for disassembling the sand casting mold having undergone molten-metal pouring. Upon disassembling the sand casting mold by the mold disassembler, the sand casting mold is disassembled in such a state that the cast product is supported by means of a cast-product supporter element.
US08770258B2
A sunshade apparatus for a vehicle includes a shading sheet, which opens and closes a light transmitting portion of a vehicle roof, a pair of holding members, which retain the shading sheet, a winding member, which winds the shading sheet and the holding members. The shading sheet is retained at edge portions of the shading sheet, which extend in the shading sheet opening-closing directions by the holding members. The holding members are retained to the winding member in a manner so that winding in at one end in turn winds off the other end and movement direction thereof is reversed at a direction change member positioned at a distance from the winding member in the shading sheet opening-closing directions and the winding member includes a biasing member, which balances tensional force acting in the shading sheet opening-closing directions at one end and the other end of each holding member.
US08770250B2
An apparatus is provided for splicing together old and new thermoformable sheets in order to supply a continuous thermoforming operation. The apparatus is used to join together thermoformable sheets by: providing a first thermoformable sheet with a trailing edge and a second thermoformable sheet with a leading edge; forming a terminal edge portion with a hot element along the trailing edge and a complementary terminal edge portion along the leading edge by severing a scrap sheet from each portion; laterally retracting each scrap portion away from the trailing edge and the leading edge; and joining together the first thermoformable sheet and the second thermoformable sheet by interlocking together the terminal edge portion with the complementary terminal edge portion.
US08770247B2
In a masking system a robot performs first conveyance work of making an object gripping unit grip an object and set the object at a predetermined position based on positional information of the object which was detected by a first detection unit, coating work of making a coating unit coat an adhesive on a masking location of the object which is set at the predetermined position, and second conveyance work of making a masking piece gripping unit adhere a masking piece to the masking location of the object based on positional information of the masking piece which was detected by a second detection unit.
US08770240B2
Tire comprising a tread having a tread surface (11) and comprising a plurality of grooves (2) of generally circumferential orientation and of depth H, these grooves (2) defining a plurality of rubber elements (3, 30), at least one of which comprises a plurality of cavities (6), each cavity (6) of volume Vc of generally elongate shape with a total length Lc and being designed to communicate with a single groove (2) of generally circumferential orientation, each cavity (6) being extended all the way along its length Lc by an incision (80) which extends radially outwardly to emerge at the tread surface (11), this tire being such that the incision (80) comprises an incision portion (81) beginning at the cavity and forming an angle A of at least 10° with a line perpendicular to the tread surface and passing through the point of intersection of the incision with the cavity (6).
US08770238B2
A delivery device for delivering composition in a container filler installation, the device comprising a tube having at least an end provided with a nozzle and an opposite end provided with means for fastening to a feed line of the filler installation, and the device further including a plate fastened to the tube and provided with a support having a portion extending in register with the nozzle to support a container. The invention also provides a filler installation including at least one such device.
US08770236B2
An inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The inflator apparatus includes a support structure; an interface portion rotatably-attached to the support structure, wherein the interface portion includes a plurality of inflator heads, wherein each inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads includes a fluid inlet; a plunger portion movably-connected to the support structure, wherein the plunger portion is movably-connected to the support structure to permit selectively coupling of the plunger portion with one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads; and a fluid conduit connected to the plunger portion, wherein the fluid conduit is fluidly connectable with the fluid inlet of the one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads. A system for processing more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed. A method for utilizing an inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed.
US08770228B2
An arrangement for a control valve for controlling pressure and flow rate of a fluid, the fluid flowing via an inlet into the control valve being brought to rotate about a main flow axis before the fluid, at least with reduced pressure or speed energy, flows via an outlet opening from the control valve and where at least one inlet port communicating with the inlet being provided tangentially in relation to an inlet portion of the speed reduction chamber located in the control valve, and where the speed reduction chamber, provided substantially concentric with the main flow axis, is divergent over at least the first portion of the main flow direction.
US08770218B2
A casing has a vessel portion, in which a float valve unit is arranged. A fuel drain through-hole having a small diameter is formed at a closed end bottom of the vessel portion. A cross sectional area of the fuel drain through-hole is extremely smaller than an opening area of an inlet port, so that fuel discharging speed of the liquid fuel from the vessel portion through the fuel drain through-hole is suppressed to a small value. As a result, a fuel holding time of the liquid fuel in the vessel portion, which has entered into the vessel portion from the inlet port, is made longer.
US08770215B1
A low flow injector controls remote delivery of low flows of gas. A higher flow carrier gas is provided by an MFC to a conduit. A remote flow restrictor is located to exhaust a critical process gas directly into the conduit. An electronic regulator controls a pressure of the critical gas responsive to a pressure point received from a controller corresponding to a desired mass flow. Also, a large flow restrictor vents the critical process gas.
US08770214B2
A gas mixture supplying method includes supplying plural kinds of gases through gas supply lines connected to a common pipeline and supplying a gas mixture of the plural kinds of gases from a gas outlet of the common pipeline to a region where the gas mixture is used through a gas mixture supply line. When two or more gases having different flow rates are supplied simultaneously, a gas having a relatively low flow rate is supplied from one of the gas supply lines provided at a position closer to the gas outlet than that for a gas having a relatively high flow rate.
US08770205B1
A cigar holder for securing a wide variety of differently shaped cigars to a variety of different mounting locations.
US08770204B2
Tobacco products (2), typically cigarettes, are manufactured on a line (1) including a cigarette maker (3) and a filter tip attachment machine (4), both equipped with a number of production devices and units connected to respective master control units (82, 83) and visual display units (84). Key characteristics of sample tobacco products (2) are tested by an auxiliary inspection unit (45) forming part of a monitoring and control system associated with the manufacturing line (1), and connected up to a common interface network (48) so that signals reflecting the monitored characteristics can be fed back to a number of control units (81) associated respectively with the devices and the units of the line (1) on which the characteristics in question depend, and programmed to pilot corrective actions in response to the feedback signal.
US08770202B2
A nipple protection device for breast-feeding mothers having a nipple portion projecting upwardly from an arched shield portion. The nipple portion is provided with at least one drinking opening at its front side. The nipple portion is of generally oval cross-section and the at least one drinking opening is formed by at least one longitudinal slit.
US08770193B2
Improved methods and devices are described for sensing the respiration pattern of a patient and controlling ventilator functions, particularly for use in an open ventilation system. An apparatus for sensing respiration and synchronizing a ventilator to the respiration of a patient is described. The apparatus may include a plurality of thermal breath sensors. At least one of the plurality of thermal breath sensors may be a heated thermal breath sensor.
US08770187B2
An aerosol dispensing device comprises a tubular body that provides a plenum, a mouthpiece having an outlet, a valve for dispensing fluid from a canister as an aerosol with relatively large and small droplet sizes into the plenum for supply to a user through the mouthpiece, and a baffle arrangement that provides first and second passageways each coupled at one end to the plenum and so configured to receive relatively small and large size droplets in the aerosol respectively, the other end of the first passageway extending to the outlet in the mouthpiece to supply the small size droplets to the user, and the other end of the second passageway being closed to inhibit passage of the large size droplets to the mouthpiece outlet, and containing a absorbent pad to prevent leakage of liquid from the canister. The pad may be pre-loaded with a flavourant.
US08770178B2
A trigger assembly for a crossbow or other weapon system. The trigger assembly includes a trigger arm coupled between a trigger and a sear. The trigger arm is not parallel to the line of fire, thereby allowing for increased mechanical advantage and a smoother, safer trigger pull. The trigger assembly incorporates various safety measures, including a dry fire mechanism which prevents the unintentional damaging and potentially dangerous release of the bowstring before an arrow is positioned on the rail of the crossbow. The trigger assembly allows for various adjustments to vary the trigger length and pull, while maintaining smoothness and preventing the unintentional or inadvertent release of the bowstring.
US08770174B2
This disclosure provides a method of controlling a diesel engine. The method includes adjusting an EGR ratio according to an engine load so that a cylinder O2 concentration decreases gradually to a predetermined load with an increase in the load of the engine, while the O2 concentration increases gradually above the predetermined load, operating the engine in a premix combustion mode where the fuel injection is terminated before a top dead center of a compression stroke in a low load operating range including the predetermined load where the O2 concentration is lowest and, after that, the fuel ignites and combusts, and operating in a diffusion combustion mode where the fuel injection is executed in parallel to the ignition and combustion of the fuel in an operating range where the load is higher than that of the operating range in the premix combustion mode and the O2 concentration is relatively high.
US08770164B2
A combustion engine can be started by means of a starting device. During the starting operation attendant with the starting device driving the vehicle this drive is also effected by energizing a clutch which connects the combustion engine via a transmission to the wheels L of the vehicle. By utilizing the starting device for the starting operation also for meanwhile driving the vehicle and/or accelerating same, a faster and/or more gradual drive/acceleration of the vehicle is realized.
US08770147B2
Disclosed is a watering device for animals and a method of producing the same, including a base unit defining a bowl portion, a housing portion disposed in the base unit and including an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the bowl portion, a dispensing unit proximate the outlet port to dispense water from the housing portion to the bowl portion via the outlet port such that water flows around the bowl portion to the housing portion via the inlet port, and a filtering unit interposed between the outlet port and the inlet port to filter the water flowing from the bowl portion to the housing portion via the inlet port.
US08770145B2
There is provided a method and system for connecting a teat cup (4) to a first teat (1) of an udder (3). In connecting, a first reference position (10) on the first teat (1) is taken for connecting, until that reference position (10) is covered by the teat cup (4), or is otherwise no longer observed. Then, a further reference position (11) on the udder is taken for tracking movements by the dairy animal. Thus the optimum reference position (10) is used for connecting, while when this optimum position is no longer available, a further reference position (11) is taken.
US08770142B2
A plasma generator may include a first electrode extending in one direction, and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode. Facing surfaces of the first electrode and the second electrode may have spiral shapes along the one direction. A cross-section of the first electrode and a cross-section of the second electrode, which are perpendicular to the one direction, may have at least partially concentric shapes. An electrode for generating plasma may include a platform extending in one direction, and at least one protruding thread spirally formed on a surface of the platform along the one direction.
US08770133B2
The present invention relates to a device for practicing towed boardsports while avoiding falls and saving time in learning, teaching, and progressing. The device consists of a rigid structure (2, 9) connected to a towing vehicle and provided with a means (3, 4) for suspending a user (5) such that the latter no longer falls. The means for suspending a user includes a rope attached to the top of the structure, at the end of which a harness for suspending the user (5) is attached. The user (5) is suspended under the device. Thus suspended, the user (5) no longer falls. The device of the invention is particularly suitable for boardsports towed by motor boats.
US08770132B2
The present invention provides an offshore wind turbine complete set, comprising a foundation, a tower column and a wind turbine set. The foundation utilizes a steel-concrete structure and comprises a plurality of tanks which are respectively provided with an opening; a lower end of the tower column is installed on the foundation; and the wind turbine set is installed on an upper end of the tower column. When the offshore wind turbine complete set floats on water, the openings of the plurality of tanks are under the water, and the tank is injected with air or water, and the buoyancy and uprighting force are provided by the plurality of tanks, so as to keep the entire structure in a vertical floating state consistent with the state of installation on the offshore site, but without external force on the water. The use of the offshore wind turbine complete set of the present invention eliminates the need for large hoisting machinery and transportation vessels in the offshore operation, the operation can be easily performed with high ratio of success, and greatly reduces the cost. Moreover, the technical solutions of the present invention have advantages such as low construction noise, small area of sea bed disturbance, and no pollutant leakage during the offshore operation and are environment-friendly.
US08770128B2
A facility for producing and processing fluids, including a boat with a system for rotatable single-point mooring via a turret pivotably mounted in a shaft which extends vertically through the hull of the boat. The turret includes an upper portion having a rotary device for receiving and supporting incoming fluid-transfer pipes, and an upper bearing, smaller in diameter than the shaft, positioned between a head portion of the upper portion of the turret and a supporting structure connected to the hull of the vessel. The upper bearing of the turret is located above the rotary device for receiving and supporting the incoming fluid-transfer pipes.
US08770124B2
A device for diminishing flow resistance in a moon pool is disclosed. The device includes a guide structure (16) having a lattice shape. The guide structure includes horizontal guide plates (20), guide ramps (22), longitudinal reinforcing beams (24) and a hinge axis (H). The horizontal guide plates are spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of a hull and arranged in rows along a lateral direction of the hull. The guide ramps are arranged in rows along the lateral direction and coupled to the respective horizontal guide plates. Front ends of the guide ramps are inclined upwards towards a bow side of the hull and spaced apart from rear ends of the adjacent fore horizontal guide plates. The longitudinal reinforcing beams support the horizontal guide plates and the guide ramps. The lattice guide structure is rotated around the hinge axis towards a transit position or a working position.
US08770119B1
The residue manager deflects cover crop stalks and flattens cover crop residue during a no-till or minimum-till agricultural planting process. The residue manager apparatus comprises an “A” shaped frame. A leading portion of the frame is designed to deflect cover crop stalks. Press shoes attached to an intermediate portion of the frame depress cover crop residue that is not deflected by the leading portion. The trailing portion of the residue manager frame is configured to attach to existing planting mechanisms, such as seed drills. As the residue manager is propelled across a field of cover crops, the residue manager deflects cover crop stalks and depresses cover crop residue adjacent to the planting mechanism so that the planting process is not obstructed by the cover crop biomass on the surface of the field.
US08770118B2
An oxygen supplying apparatus of a melting furnace, in which waste contained within the melting furnace is stirred by using an oxygen supplying member of the melting furnace, includes an air cooling member provided in a through hole formed on the melting furnace and mounted on the oxygen supplying member to allow an outside air to enter thereto.
US08770111B2
A transport vehicle that reduces shaking of a transport article includes a travelling unit, a transport unit, a fall prevention member, and a shaking reduction member. The travelling unit travels along a rail provided on a ceiling. The transport unit transports a transport article. The fall prevention member is rotatably supported such that it can rotate between a fall prevention position and a retracted position. The fall prevention member is, at the fall prevention position, below the transport article. A pushing portion of the shaking reduction member pushes against a side surface of the transport article with a pushing surface thereof in conjunction with the rotating of the fall prevention member from the retracted position to the fall prevention position. A lever portion of the shaking reduction member has one end supporting the pushing portion and the other end rotatably supported in a manner coaxial with the fall prevention member.
US08770101B2
A twine brake device is so controlled that during an initial period in which the bale chamber is not filled with harvested material, the average tension in the twine, wire or cord is higher than during a second period in which the bale chamber is completely filled with harvested material.
US08770095B2
An infusion device includes an infusion chamber with first and second portions, movable with respect to each other, one of which defines a seat for a capsule. At least one perforator is disposed in the seat to perforate the capsule. A first duct feeds an infusion fluid into the chamber and a second duct allows delivery of food product from the infusion chamber. A centering member of the capsules is housed in the seat, elastically movable in an axial direction and provided with a guide.
US08770093B2
A beverage machine comprising a drip tray device that can accommodate recipients of different heights. The drip tray device is formed of a collect tank and has a first drip support grid removably mounted on the tank for holding short recipients and has a second drip support for longer recipients such as a glass. The whole device is removable for ease of emptying and rinsing. In a possible mode, the first removable grid is provided with a gutter to evacuate liquid in a main collect reservoir.
US08770092B2
The invention relates to a brewing unit (1) for a coffee maker for brewing a ground coffee portion (10), comprising a brewing unit housing (2), an upper plunger (3) firmly connected to the brewing unit housing (2), a holder (4) for receiving the ground coffee portion (10), said holder being open at the top and closed at the bottom by a base (7), and a brewing plunger (6) for compressing the ground coffee portion (10) in a brewing chamber (5). The holder (4) and the brewing plunger (6) are disposed movably and pivotally in the brewing unit housing (2). Mechanical operating elements are provided in the brewing unit housing (2) for raising, lowering, and pivoting the holder (4) and the plunger (3). The brewing plunger (6) is hydraulically guided displaceably in the holder (4) relative to the holder (4). Between the brewing plunger bottom side (14) and the base (7) of the holder (4) a lower chamber space (13) is provided, into which the hot water supply (8) opens. The brewing plunger (3) has a passage (11) for the hot water, said passage being provided with a valve (12) and connecting the lower chamber space (13) to the brewing chamber (5). When supplying pressurized hot water via the hot water supply (8) in the lower chamber space (13), overpressure is created there, by which the brewing plunger (6) can be hydraulically pressed in the direction of the brewing chamber (5).
US08770089B2
The invention relates to mechanical engineering, in particular to piston machines and mechanisms for converting the movement of the pistons thereof into shaft rotation. The technical result of the invention involves increasing the operational reliability, extending the service life, improving the specific mass and dimensional characteristics and enhancing the effectiveness of a machine. The essence of the invention is that the piston and the crank of a piston machine are interconnected by means of a hinged joint with at least a flat hinge which enables the piston to self-center along the surface of a cylinder owing to the movement of the piston with respect to the crank in any direction on a plane that intersects the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. The surfaces of the crank that take up reactive torque are constricted by rollers with synchronized toothed wheels.
US08770079B2
A sheet hole punching device has a device frame; a plurality of punching members arranged in first and second groups, and arranged linearly on the device frame; a driving rotation shaft; a driving motor reciprocally rotating the driving rotation shaft; a gear mechanism transmitting a rotation of the driving rotation shaft; cam mechanisms converting the rotational movement; and a motor control device. The gearing mechanism includes drive gears disposed on the drive rotational shaft, and receiving gears disposed on the punching members to engage with the drive gears. The cam mechanisms include cam followers and cylindrical cams. The cylindrical cam has a V-shaped groove cam to reciprocate each of the punching members between an upper dead point and a lower dead point. The punching members are rotated in one direction to punch holes in first sheets, and subsequently rotated in a reverse direction to punch holes in following sheets.
US08770072B2
A method for single hand operation of a hand-held band saw is provided. The band saw has a frame and a handle extending from a longitudinal edge of the frame at an acute angle and opposite an edge containing a throat for receiving the work piece, and a continuous-loop blade traversing the throat. The orientation of the handle centers the mass of the saw below the hand and positions a cutting section of the blade in a vertical plane so it will engage a work piece at a preferred angle selected by the user.
US08770070B2
The present invention discloses a universal anti-torque screwdriver head structure integrally formed and divided into a polygonal insert end and a conical action end, and comprising a plurality of pull-push wings disposed around the action end, a stepped recessed formed between two adjacent pull-push wings and extended inwardly from an open end, and the recess having a longitudinal depth slightly greater than an action hole of a screw of a general specification, and the design of the stepped recess provides high-strength torque and tenacity and fits screws of various different specifications.
US08770067B2
Pliers with adjustable jaw span have a first member (1) and a second member (2) which cooperate with each other. A long slot (13) is formed in the first member (1). The second member (2) is connected with the first member (1) by means of a pivot (3) passing through the long slot (13), and rotatable around the pivot (3) relative to the first member (1), while adjusting the span of the jaws by varying the position of the pivot (3) within the long slot (13). The edge of the long slot (13) is provided with ratchet teeth (14). The pivot (3) is engaged with the ratchet teeth (14) by a pawl (31), thus the pivot is movable within the long slot (13) in a first direction and immovable in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. The pliers are convenient to operate because when the position of the pivot (3) is moved within the long slot (13), the user's operation is required only for the movement in one direction.
US08770064B2
The flexible bearing of the wave generator for a wave gear device is a deep-groove ball bearing in which an outer race and an inner race form an annular flexible bearing ring capable of bending in a radial direction. A ball diameter Da is set to be 5 to 15% greater than that of each model of the currently available product. Dimensions of orbital plane radii ro, ri of the inner and outer races are set so that the ratio ro/Da of the orbital plane radius ro of the inner race and the ball diameter Da, as well as the ratio ri/Da of the orbital plane radius ri of the outer race and the ball diameter Da, are both in the range of 0.51 to 0.52. With this configuration, the service life of the flexible bearing can be extended.
US08770061B2
A crank assembly for a bicycle's bottom bracket assembly comprises a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, at least one crank arm associated with at least one free end of said shaft, first front coupling means formed on said shaft and second front coupling means formed on said at least one crank arm, said first and second front coupling means being coupled together. In particular, the aforementioned first and second front coupling means comprise respective front toothings. The front coupling is located in an end zone, or on the outside, of a bottom bracket assembly's shaft's housing box formed in the bicycle's frame. The front coupling introduces a structural discontinuity between crank arm and shaft, for which reason the bending load exerted on the crank arm during pedaling is transmitted to the shaft to a small degree. Such a structural discontinuity is located at the shaft/crank arm interface.
US08770052B2
A linear actuator that does not require a high assembly precision is provided. A linear actuator includes a motor portion including a rotary shaft, a rotor, and a stator, a first bearing portion that supports a first end of the rotary shaft, a locknut threadably engaged on the first end of the rotary shaft, and a ball screw mechanism including a ball screw nut screwed to the locknut and a ball screw threadably engaged with the ball screw nut. Gaps formed between an outer peripheral portion of the rotary shaft and an inner peripheral portion of the locknut, except a male thread portion formed on the rotary shaft and a female thread portion formed on the locknut threadably engaged with each other, are defined to have respective predetermined sizes.
US08770051B2
An apparatus for the industrial measurement of bores in a measurement object is provided. The apparatus includes a measurement probe which can be introduced into the bore and at which at least one distance sensor is provided with which the instantaneous distance of a reference point of the measurement probe from a wall of the bore can be determined. The measurement probe is rotatably supported at a holder which is fixed with respect to the measurement object and/or whose position relative to the measurement object is known. An evaluation device receives a number of sequentially determined distances in the course of a rotation of the measurement probe.
US08770048B2
The invention provides a liquid storage installation which includes a tank (70) containing a liquid and a device (10) for measuring and sampling the liquid. The device (10) includes an elongate hollow body (12) having a closed bottom and a plurality of spaced apart sampling ports (20, 22, 24) at spaced apart positions. The device (10) further includes a sleeve (14) which extends around the sampling port and in which corresponding sampling ports (26, 28, 30) are provided at spaced apart positions. The body (12) and sleeve (14) are displaceable relative to one another between an open position in which the sampling ports are in register permitting liquid flow between the tank and the interior of the body and a closed position in which the ports are out of register and flow between the tank and the interior of the body (12) is prohibited.
US08770047B2
A method for wear analysis. The method includes introducing a lubricant sample into a tube. The lubricant sample includes debris, wear, or other particles of different sizes. The tube includes a number of filter patches, each of a predetermined pore size. The method further includes centrifuging the tube for displacing the lubricant sample, and the wear particles thereof, along a length of the tube. The filter patches impede passage of wear particles of a size larger than their pore size therethrough, thereby separating the wear particles according to the sizes of the wear particles. The tube is attached to a handler of a centrifuge for centrifugation by the centrifuge. Multiple tubes can be attached to multiple handlers of the centrifuge for simultaneous centrifugation by the centrifuge. Centrifugation tubes (or tubes) are also provided by the present disclosure.
US08770042B2
A flow meter is presented having a meter body that is enveloped by a compliant shroud that protects transducers and transducer cables. The shroud forms a chamber between the shroud and meter body, and includes a releasable portion to allow access into the chamber.
US08770035B2
A semiconductor pressure sensor (720) includes a thin film piezoelectric element (701) which applies strain to a portion of a semiconductor substrate that corresponds to a thin region (402). The thin film piezoelectric element (701) is formed at a distance away from diffusion resistors (406, 408, 410, and 412) functioning as strain gauges and is extended to the proximity of a bonding pad (716A) connected to an upper electrode layer of the thin film piezoelectric element and a bonding pad (716F) connected to a lower electrode thereof. The diffusion resistors (406, 408, 410, and 412) constitute a bridge circuit by metal wiring (722) and diffusion wiring (724). During self-diagnosis, a prescribed voltage is applied to a thin film piezoelectric element (701). If the output difference of the bridge circuit between before and after the voltage application falls outside a prescribed range, it is determined that a breakage occurs in the semiconductor pressure sensor (720).
US08770029B2
A method for ultrasonic testing of an object, the method comprising ultrasonic scanning of a plurality of scan regions of the object; converting ultrasonic echoes of the ultrasonic scanning into a plurality of electrical signals; gating the electrical signals to provide gated signals; and wherein different gating times are used for the electrical signals.
US08770027B2
The invention relates to a nondestructive ultrasonic test method in which at least one ultrasonic pulse is emitted into a workpiece under test by at least one ultrasonic transmitter (3), the ultrasonic pulse is reflected on boundary surfaces within the workpiece, the reflected ultrasound is received by at least one ultrasonic receiver (2), and the associated signals are evaluated, the ultrasound penetrating a damping block (4) that is arranged between the workpiece and the transmitter or receiver. The method is characterized in that it includes at least one step for determining at least one dimension (alpha, d1, d2) of the damping block (4) that is relevant for the ultrasonic test; in said step, the propagation time of at least one ultrasonic pulse which is generated by the ultrasonic transmitter (3), is reflected on a boundary surface (5) of the damping block (4), and is received by the ultrasonic receiver (2) is measured, and at least one dimension (alpha, d1, d2) of the damping block (4) that is relevant for the ultrasonic test is determined from the measurement.
US08770016B2
The present invention provides a DPF failure detection method and a DPF failure detection device, which can be realized with a simple configuration and detect a failure at low cost. The theoretical deposited amount of PM on a DPF 4 is calculated from the operating state of an internal combustion engine 2. The actual deposited amount of the PM on the DPF 4 is measured based on the electrical capacitance of an electrical capacitance type PM sensor 6. When the divergence of the actual deposited amount from the theoretical deposited amount exceeds an allowable limit, it is determined that the DPF 4 has a failure.
US08770015B2
A method for detecting and isolating an actual fault in a fuel delivery system having a fuel pump and a fuel pump motor, includes monitoring fuel pressure, pump current, and pump voltage. Each of a plurality of fault triggers are designated as one of flagged and un-flagged based on at least one of the fuel pressure, the pump current and the pump voltage. The actual fault in the fuel delivery system is isolated from a plurality of possible faults when a condition respective to one of the possible faults is satisfied based on at least one of the plurality of fault triggers designated as flagged and un-flagged.
US08770006B2
A compound rod bender includes a first handle arm and a second handle arm coupled to a first pivot point. A body portion of the rod bender is coupled to the first handle arm at a second pivot point and the second handle arm is coupled to the body portion at a third pivot point. The body portion also includes first and second distal arms configured with first and second rolling elements coupled to distal ends of the first and second distal arms. A barrel is provided on the body portion which is positioned on a center area of the body portion.
US08769997B2
A laundry machine is disclosed. A laundry machine includes a main laundry machine washing or drying laundry and an auxiliary laundry machine comprising a body installed in a predetermined portion of the main laundry machine, a drawer detachably from the body and a steam supply device installed in the main laundry machine, the drawer supplying steam to the drawer selectively.
US08769996B2
A dial of a circular hosiery knitting machine of the type with a cylinder and dial with yarn cutting device. The dial comprises a dial body which is substantially disk-shaped. The dial is provided with a cutting device, which comprises a plurality of cutting sectors which are distributed around the axis of the dial body and have cutting edges. The cutting sectors are arranged at sectors of the dial body which are intended to be free from needles. The cutting device comprises a cutter which is adapted to abut against the cutting edges of the cutting sectors to cut at least one yarn engaged by one of the cutting sectors in its rotary motion about the axis of the dial body with respect to the cutter.
US08769990B2
The method for tempering a glass sheet of the present invention comprises a heating step of heating the glass sheet to a temperature close to the softening point of the glass sheet, a quenching step of blowing a cooling medium to both surfaces in the thickness direction of the heated glass to cool it, and a pre-quenching step between the heating step and the quenching step and further has an internal heating substep of selectively heating the vicinity of the center portion in the thickness direction of the glass sheet at least in the quenching step, to create such a state that when the temperature at the center portion in the thickness direction of the glass sheet is close to the tempering point, the temperature at the surfaces in the thickness direction of the glass sheet is not higher than the annealing point.
US08769986B1
A tesla energy jewelry product includes a pair of substantially circular bangles that may be placed in juxtaposition to each other. Each substantially circular bangle carries either a tag or decorative charm that is suspended from the substantially circular bangle. Each said tag or decorative charm includes a source of magnetic or tesla energy to provide attractive or repelling forces between the respective tag or decorative charm.
US08769982B2
A refrigeration system can use a flash tank to separate vapor refrigerant from liquid refrigerant. The refrigeration system can include a liquid-refrigerant injection system that can inject liquid refrigerant into an intermediate-pressure location of the compressor. The injected liquid refrigerant can absorb the heat of compression during the compression process. The refrigeration system can include an economizer system that injects a refrigerant vapor into an intermediate-pressure location of the compressor in conjunction with the injection of the cooling liquid. The refrigeration system can incorporate a cooling-liquid injection system that can inject a cooling liquid into an intermediate-pressure location of the compressor.
US08769978B2
In a dehumidification/humidification device, a blower and an adsorbent module are contained in a casing. In other embodiment, the blower, the adsorbent module, and a flow passage-changing device are contained in the casing. The adsorbent module includes an adsorbing element formed by carrying an adsorbent on a permeable element and a heater directly disposed on the adsorbing element. The state of the electrification of the heater is changed and an air-blowing direction or a flow passage is changed, whereby a dehumidified air is discharged from a first suction/discharge port (or discharge port), and a humidified air is discharged from a second suction/discharge port (or discharge port).
US08769973B2
A refrigeration system for a frozen product dispenser is controlled to have a variable cooling capacity that is determined by variable cooling load demands of the dispenser. This is accomplished, in part, by providing the refrigeration system with a variable speed compressor and one or more adjustable expansion valves for metering refrigerant to associated evaporators that are heat exchange coupled to associated freeze barrels of the dispenser, and by controlling the metering setting of the expansion valves and the speed of operation of the compressor in accordance with the cooling load demands of the dispenser. The arrangement provides for efficient operation of the refrigeration system from an energy standpoint and for a reduction in on/off cycling of the system.
US08769972B2
A refrigeration system defines a closed loop that contains a working fluid, at least part of the working fluid being circulated through the closed loop. The refrigeration system includes a first heat transfer device that transfers heat from the first heat reservoir to the working fluid, a second heat transfer device that transfers heat from the working fluid to the second heat reservoir, and an electrochemical compressor between the first and second heat transfer devices. The electrochemical compressor includes one or more electrochemical cells electrically connected to each other through a power supply, each electrochemical cell including a gas pervious anode, a gas pervious cathode, and an electrolytic membrane disposed between and in intimate electrical contact with the cathode and the anode. The working fluid includes a condensable refrigerant that bypasses the electrochemical process; and an electrochemically active fluid that participates in the electrochemical process within the electrochemical compressor.
US08769971B2
An indirect evaporative cooler for cooling inlet supply air from a first temperature to a second, lower temperature using a stream of liquid coolant and a stream of exhaust or purge air. The cooler includes a first flow channel for inlet supply air and a second flow channel adjacent the first for exhaust air. The first and second flow channels are defined in part by sheets of a membrane permeable to water vapor such that mass is transferred as a vapor through the membrane from the inlet supply air to a contained liquid desiccant for dehumidification and also to the exhaust air as heat is transferred from the inlet supply air to the liquid coolant. A separation wall divides the liquid desiccant and the coolant but allows heat to be transferred from the supply air to the coolant which releases water vapor to the counter or cross flowing exhaust air.
US08769970B2
A refrigerated case (20) has a housing containing an interior volume (36) for storing items. Along an air flow path (510) through the case, a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger (60) has an evaporator section (112) and a reheat section (114). A preconditioning section (110) may be upstream of the evaporator section (112) and the evaporator section is upstream of the reheat section (114). Along a refrigerant flow path (520), the reheat section (114) is downstream of the preconditioning section (110) (if any) and upstream of the evaporator section (112) and an expansion device (62) is between the reheat (114) and evaporator (112) sections.
US08769966B2
A thermal generator (100) with at least one thermal module (110) comprising at least two magnetocaloric elements (111, 112). The thermal generator is characterized in that it comprises at least two magnetic assemblies (131, 132) in which one magnetic assembly (131, 132) subjects at least one magnetocaloric element (111, 112) of the thermal module (110) to alternate magnetic phases. The thermal generator is further characterized in that it comprises a thermally insulating body insulating the magnetic assemblies (131, 132) from each other and forming thermally insulated cells (141, 142) comprising one magnetic assembly (131, 132) and its corresponding magnetocaloric elements (111, 112).
US08769957B2
A transition piece of a combustor which is sustainable even under conditions of more severe thermal environments is provided in the present invention. A transition piece of a combustor is provided with a cylindrical trunk main body, a cylindrical exit trunk part which is joined to the downstream end of the trunk main body and which cooperates with the trunk main body to constitute a trunk part, and an inner flange which extends from the downstream end part of the exit trunk part toward the outer periphery side of the exit trunk part. The exit trunk part and the inner flange are of an one-piece product. On the exit trunk part, there is formed a groove, and there is formed a cooling fluid passage which opens at the groove.
US08769955B2
A port (60) for axially staging fuel and air into a combustion gas flow path 28 of a turbine combustor (10A). A port enclosure (63) forms an air path through a combustor wall (30). Fuel injectors (64) in the enclosure provide convergent fuel streams (72) that oppose each other, thus converting velocity pressure to static pressure. This forms a flow stagnation zone (74) that acts as a valve on airflow (40, 41) through the port, in which the air outflow (41) is inversely proportion to the fuel flow (25). The fuel flow rate is controlled (65) in proportion to engine load. At high loads, more fuel and less air flow through the port, making more air available to the premixing assemblies (36).
US08769950B2
A turbocharger including a turbine wheel having a hub-to-tip ratio of no more than 60% and blades with a high turning angle, a turbine housing forming an inwardly spiraling primary-scroll passageway that significantly converges to produce highly accelerated airflow into the turbine at high circumferential angles, and a two-sided parallel compressor. The compressor and turbine each produce substantially no axial force, allowing the use of minimal axial thrust bearings.
US08769948B2
An exhaust gas system configured for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head having at least two cylinders, a single exhaust duct emerging from the cylinder head, an individual exhaust duct provided between each cylinder and the single exhaust duct, and a reservoir of fixed volume integrated in the cylinder head and coupled to the single exhaust duct via a connecting duct. A reservoir valve is provided in the connecting duct in some embodiments. According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed in which the reservoir valve is commanded to an open position when flow through the single exhaust duct is large and commanded to a closed position when flowrate through the single exhaust duct is small. In some embodiments, a turbine, with a selectable volume upstream of the impeller, is coupled to the cylinder head.
US08769945B2
A pump displacement control cylinder is configured to control the displacement of a hydraulic pump according to pressure of hydraulic fluid and switches the discharge direction of the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump according to the supply direction of the hydraulic fluid to the pump displacement control cylinder. A forward and backward progression switching valve is configured to switch the supply direction of the hydraulic fluid to the pump displacement control cylinder. A pressure control valve is configured to control the pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the pump displacement control cylinder according to a command value input to the pressure control valve. A control section is configured to execute pump shuttle control which reduces the command value to the pressure control valve when switching between forward and backward progression using a forward and backward progression operation member.
US08769941B2
A support system for an exhaust aftertreatment system for a two-stroke locomotive diesel engine providing a secure mounting of certain components of the exhaust aftertreatment system to the locomotive structure while at the same time allowing for differential thermal expansion (and the resulting physical displacement) of the components. The support system further carries the physical mass of the components of the aftertreatment system while at the same time effectively isolating the aftertreatment system from external loads and forces caused by motions of the locomotive engine and the locomotive frame.
US08769937B2
A control method for monitoring a soot sensor of an exhaust treatment system is provided. The control method includes: determining when regeneration has completed; comparing soot sensor data to an estimated soot data based on the determining; and generating a message based on the comparing.
US08769933B2
A method to operate a vehicle equipped an internal combustion engine and a transmission coupled to drive wheels. The vehicle is equipped with a parking brake and has an electronic control unit with memory and the engine in fluid communication with an exhaust aftertreatment system. The method includes the steps of determining whether the engine is operating in idle mode for a predetermined period of time; determining whether NOx emissions exceed a predetermined level after the predetermined period of time; and limiting the engine speed not to exceed a predetermined engine speed until an operator engages the parking brake and engages an engine ignition switch.
US08769929B2
Various systems and methods are described for controlling a NOx sensor coupled to an engine exhaust system in a motor vehicle. One example method comprises generating an offset of the sensor based on an ambient air flow drawn into the exhaust system, the ambient air flow having circumvented cylinders of the engine, and adjusting an output of the sensor based on the generated offset.
US08769926B2
A thrust reversal device for a turbojet engine nacelle is provided that includes a deflection means and at least one cowl moveable relative to at least one fixed structure including at least one at least partly peripheral front frame and equipped with means for connection to a corresponding upstream portion. The front frame has a deflection edge having an upstream extension forming a deformable flap intended to become an aerodynamic interface with the corresponding upstream portion to which is attached the front frame, and in that a portion of the moveable cowl is conformed so as to, in the closing position, interface with said upstream attachment portion by forcing withdrawal of the deformable flap.
US08769924B2
A gas turbine engine assembly includes an inlet lip assembly, a fan containment case, and a front flange. The fan containment case surrounds a fan section and is positioned downstream from the inlet lip assembly. The front flange is mounted between the inlet lip assembly and the fan containment case and is positioned upstream from the fan section.
US08769916B2
A farm implement configured to be releasably coupled to a tractor equipped with a rearwardly oriented power take of device. The farm implement includes a central frame; at least two forward crop engaging arms mounted on the frame, that extend outward from a central axis to a first width and; at least two crop rearward engaging arms mounted on the frame. The rearward crop engaging arms extend outward from a central axis to a second width. A plurality of crop engaging members, are positioned on each of the forward and rearward crop engaging arms. The implement also includes a power transmission mechanism operatively connected to the forward crop and rearward engaging arms and engageable with the power take off apparatus on the associated tractor.
US08769909B2
A frame for a panel is constructed from two frame components. One of the frame components has a first wall and a first channel and the second frame component has a second wall and a second channel. The first frame component is mated to the second frame component with the first wall of the first frame component inserted in and making frictional contact with the second channel of the second frame component and the second wall of the second frame component inserted in and making frictional contact with the first channel of the first frame component. Portions of the panel are held between and make contact with the first frame component and the second frame component such that an end of the panel is located within a chamber defined between the first frame component and the second frame component.
US08769901B2
Visible and concealed cladding systems used for attaching laminate panels to building structures are provided. The visible cladding systems comprise tracks and sliding clips to slide the laminate panel into the desired location on the building wall. The concealed cladding systems comprise hanger elements to attach a laminate panel to the building wall.
US08769900B2
A panel assembly for a building structure including a support frame that is mountable relative to a building substrate, the support frame including a plurality of first members extending in a first direction and at least one member extending in a second direction and overlaying the members in the first direction, at least one sheeting member provided on at least one side of the support frame so that the support frame and the structural sheeting define a zone for a cementitious material, and a layer of cementitious material positioned against the structural sheeting to at least partially fill the zone.
US08769898B2
A facade/wall system comprises a number of modules. Each module comprises a plurality of insulating panels which have connection means on opposite sides thereof for interengaging the panels together at joints between the panels. Reinforcing elements in the form of top hat sections bridge the joints between adjacent panels. The top hat reinforcement elements used to interconnect adjacent panels in a module ensure that the composite panels act together as monolithic structure that creates a diaphragm while providing a surface to which cladding can be fixed and also providing a cavity between the panels and the cladding attached to the modules. They stiffen the panels and thereby enhance resistance to deflection. The system is cost effective and relatively easy and quick to install.
US08769894B2
One aspect of the invention relates to an insulation and ventilation system for a building envelope (e.g. a building wall and/or a building roof).The system includes: one or more interior building envelope layers; an insulation panel having an interior side abutting against at least one of the one or more interior building envelope layers and an exterior side having a plurality of transversely spaced and continuously longitudinally extending grooves interspaced between a plurality of transversely spaced and continuously longitudinally extending protrusions; and one or more exterior building envelope layers located exterior to the insulation panel to provide a plurality of transversely localized venting channels defined at least in part by an interior surface of the one or more exterior building envelope layers and the grooves of the exterior side of the insulation panel.
US08769892B2
A building structure provided with lateral walls comprising a thermoplastic polymer, which comprises: a plurality of vertical walls which are arranged on a plurality of levels, each of which walls comprises at least one first substantially continuous central panel made of a thermoplastic polymer and a pair of layers of cement plaster which are arranged on the opposite sides of the corresponding first central panel and form the opposite faces of the corresponding vertical wall, and a metallic structure for connecting at least the vertical walls of each one of the levels of the building structure.
US08769882B2
A protection system for a structural element is provided. The protection system employs a shield assembly comprising two parts formed of one or more materials configured to provide protection from a threat, such as a blast, projectiles, cutting, or a fire. At least one bracket assembly attaches to the structural element. The shield assembly is hingedly attached to the bracket assembly, so that the two parts of the shield assembly can be moved away from the structural element while remaining attached to the structural element.
US08769881B2
A pneumatic frame for textiles of control at of light used in the film industry or images capture with the object to reflect, block, filter, blur and make any use of light and have optimum control of it at the time of capturing the image. The pneumatic frame comprises a hose inflatable structure of at least twelve pieces with threads that allow its assembly, tucks vulcanized along its entire periphery which allow the passage of an elastic which is intertwined with the stitched slit, secured by hang setbolt devices along its entire periphery, as well as external gripping devices of type-setbolt screw pins.
US08769880B2
A portable and collapsible barrier that is lightweight and can be easily transported and erected. The barrier includes a base, a top and an enclosed volume such as a diaphragm that can be expanded with a medium such as a gas or liquid to a desired shape. The expanded volume will act as a barrier. When a series of expanded barriers are connected, they will form a wall that can contain bulk materials or liquids.
US08769879B2
A method of manufacturing a refrigerator door is provided. The method includes installing a display portion on a rear surface of a front decoration, the front decoration defining a front external appearance of the refrigerator door, coupling door decorations to both side ends of the front decoration, the door decorations defining both side external appearances of the refrigerator door, coupling cap decorations to upper and lower ends of the front decoration to which the door decorations are coupled, the cap decorations defining top and bottom external appearances of the refrigerator door, injecting foam liquid into a space defined by the front decoration, the door decorations and the cap decorations, and coupling a door liner to a rear of the front decoration.
US08769873B2
A casement window with multi-angle window sash includes a window frame (2) and a window sash (5). The window sash (5) is connected with the window frame (2) by a window hinge mechanical structure and a locking mechanism (7), wherein the mechanical structure of the window hinge includes a quadrilateral link mechanism (4), a movable sliding block (10), a gear (9), and a hinge seat (3); the locking mechanism (7) includes a screw rod (75) with an axial plane (78) and a thread (77). The screw rod (75) realizes the locking of the window sash (5) by meshing the thread (77) with the gear (9), and realizes the opening and closing of the window sash (5) by the axial plane (78). The casement window is simple in structure, low in cost, convenient to install and use, and provides high safety.
US08769870B2
A system for watering plants including a pot having a plant therein, a line carrying a hook, a watering activation switch connected to a watering system, and a pot weighing system comprising a movable arm assembly interacting with a weight switch. The pot does not move the movable arm assembly when the plant needs to be watered, whereby the movable arm assembly interacts with the weight switch to allow watering of the plant and the hook engages the plant watering activation switch to thereby activate the watering system to provide water to the plant. The pot moves the movable arm assembly when the plant does not need to be watered, whereby the movable arm assembly interacts with the weight switch to prevent activation of the watering system to prevent water from being provided to the plant.
US08769866B2
A high pressure injection system for applying a pesticide includes a portable, handheld application tool and a manifold head connected to the application tool. The manifold head has at least one internal passage. At least one high pressure nozzle is positioned in the manifold head and in fluid communication with the at least one internal passage. The at least one high pressure nozzle is operable at pressures between about 25 psi and about 10,000 psi. A contact plate is mounted to the manifold head and has at least one opening aligned with the at least one high pressure nozzle. A source of pesticide is fluidly connected to the at least one high pressure nozzle. A discharge valve is moveable between a closed position wherein the pesticide is inhibited from flowing to the at least one high pressure nozzle and an opened position wherein pesticide flows to the at least one high pressure nozzle.
US08769861B2
A fishing pole includes an outer tubular member having a tubular wall defining an axial hole, and an inner rod member inserted telescopically and axially into the outer tubular member. The tubular wall has small and large diameter wall sections, and a shoulder between the small and large diameter wall sections. The inner rod member has an extension portion extending out of the outer tubular member through the small diameter wall section, an enlarged engaging end portion provided at one end of the extension portion, a plurality of angularly spaced-apart openings extending axially from the enlarged engaging end portion toward the extension portion, and a plurality of compressible resilient pawl plates each extending axially between two adjacent ones of the openings. The resilient pawl plates are compressed within the large diameter wall section, and frictionally contact an inner surface of the large diameter wall section.
US08769858B2
A method of aligning a point of aim with a point of impact for a projectile device is disclosed. Using at least one superposition device coupled to the projectile device, multiple optical reference points are superposed within a first target area. Positions for at least two of the optical reference points are noted. A projectile is shot from the projectile device at a second target area, while the positions of the at least two optical reference points are maintained, to create the point of impact. The point of aim for the projectile device is adjusted to correspond with the point of impact while the positions of the at least two optical reference points are maintained. A system for aligning a point of aim with a point of impact for a projectile device is also disclosed.
US08769852B2
A flash suppressing and recoil compensating muzzle device for use with a firearm provides a muzzle device that reduces recoil and inhibits muzzle flash while preventing audible harmonic resonant ringing after the firearm is discharged. The present invention accomplishes this through the use of an open ended muzzle device that redirects a portion of the high velocity gasses exiting the terminal end of the weapon through asymmetrically placed narrowing exhaust openings. The asymmetrically placed narrowing exhaust openings gradually direct exiting gases to the rear and to the sides of the muzzle in order to reduce recoil and reducing light emissions. The narrowing exhaust openings are formed by the radially positioned prongs of a distinct weight and width, which widen from the proximal to distal end of the muzzle device. The weight and mass disparity between prongs prevents audible ringing by reducing resonant vibrations between neighboring prongs.
US08769843B2
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly has a shell having a first hardness and a recess. A lateral side of the recess has a first depth and a medial side of the recess has a second depth that is different than the first depth. A first aperture extends through a forefoot portion of the shell, with the first aperture defining a first tongue fixed on a medial side thereof with a remainder of the first tongue free to flex with respect to the shell. An insert has a second hardness and is seated in the recess. A lateral side of the insert has a first height and a medial side of the insert has a second height that is different than the first height, with the second hardness being different than the first hardness.
US08769842B2
A substrate drying apparatus includes a drying gas nozzle configured so that, assuming that a surface WA of the substrate W is a projection plane, regarding the drying gas flow Gf in the nozzle moving direction Dr, a collision position Gfw with the substrate W is located downstream of a projected discharge position Gfv′, the projected discharge position Gfv′ being a discharge position from the drying gas nozzle projected on the projection plane. In a three-dimensional space, the drying gas flow Gf is inclined, such that an angle α formed by an axis Ga of the drying gas flow Gf and a vertical line Wp of the substrate W is in a range from a half contact angle θ/2 to an angle determined by deducting the half contact angle θ/2 from 90°, the half contact angle θ/2 being a half of the contact angle θ.
US08769836B2
An article with a color change portion and a method of changing color is disclosed. The article includes at least one color change portion capable of changing colors. The color change portion comprised electrochromic fiber or fabric. The color change portion can change colors according to one or more performance parameters. The article can be connected to a computer and the color change portion can be controlled using the computer.
US08769831B2
A trimmer head for cutting vegetation is adaptable to operate in blade trimming mode and in monofilament trimming mode, and requires minimal time and effort to change between the two modes. The device comprises a bottom plate and a top plate. The top and bottom plate are urged together, thereby locking the blades in place. When the top and bottom plate are separated and rotated relative to one another, a blade may be inserted or removed from the blade posts by a gap formed between the top of the blade post and the top plate. The top plate includes a surface having a plurality of trimmer blade posts adaptable to pivotally mount at least one trimmer blade. The top plate further comprises a plurality of monofilament holes for receiving a monofilament line therethrough.
US08769824B2
The invention relates to an animal shearing machine with a housing, a shearing head connected to the housing and a drive unit arranged in the housing. The drive unit comprises an electric motor and a reduction gear connected to the shaft of the electric motor. The shearing head of the animal shearing machine has a stationary shearing blade and a movable shearing blade. A planetary gear is used as reduction gear. The driven shaft of the planetary gear is arranged parallel, in particular coaxially to the shaft of the electric motor. If oscillatingly driven shearing heads are used, the drive unit comprises an eccentric connected to the driven shaft of the reduction gear and an oscillating lever. The oscillating lever is in engagement with the movable shearing blade via the first front end and with the eccentric via a sliding element in the area of the second rear end.
US08769820B2
A method and a device for machining the tooth edges (23, 25) developed between each end face (22, 24) and the tooth flanks (26, 27) of end-cut work wheels (2). The axis of rotation (20) of the spindle that carries the machining tool (21) is displaced around an orthogonal swivel axis (16) relative to the tool axis of rotation so that the cutting directions are opposite to each other with respect to the work wheel (2) in the machining of the lower tooth edges (23) and the upper tooth edges (25).
US08769817B2
A seal assembly includes a body having two circumferential sides, a leading end, and a trailing end. At least one of the circumferential sides includes a first channel sidewall, a second channel sidewall, and a channel bottom wall that together define a seal channel for receiving a seal. The seal channel includes a slot that cooperates with a tab on the seal to facilitate securing the seal within the seal channel.
US08769813B2
A wiring material is provided by electrically connecting a connecting terminal with two single line conductors arranged in parallel. The connecting terminal is provided with a tube-shaped section for storing two single line conductors, the two single line conductors are inserted into the tube-shaped section, resistance welding is performed by carrying electricity from the external of the tube-shaped section in a status where the tube-shaped section and the single line conductors are mutually brought into contact, and the connecting terminal is electrically connected with the two single line conductors.
US08769805B2
A method of forming an electrically-conductive pattern includes selectively electroplating the top portions of a substrate that corresponds to the pattern, and separating the conductive pattern from the substrate. The electroplating may also include electrically connecting the conductive pattern to an electrical component. Conductive ink, such as ink including carbon particles, may be selectively placed on the conductive substrate to facilitate plating of the desired pattern and/or to facilitate separation of the pattern from the substrate. An example of a conductive pattern is an antenna for a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device such as a label or a tag. One example of an electrical component that may be electrically connected to the antenna, is an RFID strap or chip.
US08769789B2
A rivet machine is provided. The rivet machine employs a die including a die body that has an inner wall with a pair of retaining ribs or projections extending inwardly therefrom. In use, the rivet pushes a slug from a workpiece within which it is mounted and into an opening of the die. The projections engage and retain the slug within the inner wall. According to further aspects, the pair of retaining ribs are diametrically opposed around the inner wall. Each of the retaining ribs has two converging surfaces that form an angle of between 90 and 150 degrees. In yet another aspect, the projections can be discontinuous such that a first retaining rib is longitudinally offset on the inner wall from a second retaining rib.
US08769775B2
Provided is a button fastener, having a penetrating part (10) and a receiving part (20), wherein the penetrating part (10) is substantially u-shaped by means of having a transversal base (16) with two parallel legs (15), each of said legs (15) having a pointed end (11; 31) and a protruding retaining member (14;34) adjacent said pointed end arranged to interlock with the receiving part (20), and wherein said receiving part (20) is substantially u-shaped with at least one transversal base (25) and at a position at a distance from said transversal base (25) an interlocking receiving member (22) arranged to interlock with said penetrating part (10), wherein at least one of said parts (10, 20) is arranged with a gripping member (19, 29) which is detachable by means of a line of rupture (17, 27), and a method of fastening buttons.
US08769766B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for self-cleaning dust removal. The apparatus may be provided with a brush housing 202 having an opening 204, one or more axles 206 disposed around the opening 204, and a plurality of brush fibers 208 emanating from the one or more axles 206 that rotate inward into the opening 204. In addition, the system may include a scraping edge 106, disposed around the opening 204, farther into the brush housing 202 than the one or more axles 206, that scrapes 1408 dust off of the brush fibers 208 as they rotate inward against the scraping edge 106, and a vacuum cleaner intake port 110 inside the brush housing 202 that draws 1410 dust from off and about the brush fibers 208 as they rotate inward 1406. The system may further include a handle 112 connected to the brush housing 202 and a switch 114.
US08769760B2
A multi-head Dust mop including a bracket, a joint and a connecting rod, wherein at least two cleaning heads are arranged at the bottom circumference of the bracket; the bottom circumference of the bracket has a fastening shaft matched with the cleaning heads; the fastening shaft consists of a number of elastic fasteners; the bottom of the outer surface of each elastic fastener has a flange protruding outwards; and the cleaning heads are sleeved on the fastening shaft and limited between the flanges and the lower surface of the bracket. Several cleaning heads are capable of completely cleaning narrow corners. The connecting rod, and the cleaning heads are capable of respectively rotating in two directions. The installation of the multi-head Dust mop is completed by pressing the springs of the parts.
US08769752B2
A pre-assembled walkway is provided, comprising an elongated walkway pan, a side railing subassembly, and a plurality of mounting brackets pivotally connecting the side railing subassembly to the walkway pan. The side railing subassembly comprises a plurality of vertical supports and handrails secured to tops of the vertical supports. The walkway is in a collapsed position when the side railing subassembly is pivoted in a first direction to the walkway pan with the vertical supports substantially parallel to the walkway pan and is in an erect position when the side railing subassembly is pivoted in a second, opposite direction with the vertical supports substantially orthogonal to the walkway pan.
US08769748B2
A bedding or seating product comprising a spring core including upper and lower border wires. Each of the border wires is generally rectangular in cross-section to reduce wire costs without compromising beam strength of the border wire. Each row of springs of the spring core may be made of a single piece of wire. The rows of springs may be arranged in side-by-side rows and columns and be connected with each other by helical lacing wires.
US08769747B2
A method for adjusting pressure within an air bed comprises providing an air bed that includes an air chamber and a pump having a pump housing, selecting a desired pressure setpoint for the air chamber, calculating a pressure target, adjusting pressure within the air chamber until a pressure within the pump housing is substantially equal to the pressure target, determining an actual chamber pressure within the air chamber, and comparing the actual chamber pressure to the desired pressure setpoint to determine an adjustment factor error. The pressure target may be calculated based upon the desired pressure setpoint and a pressure adjustment factor. Furthermore, the pressure adjustment factor may be modified based upon the adjustment factor error determined by comparing the actual chamber pressure to the desired pressure setpoint.
US08769727B1
One embodiment of a temple protection device that is designed to be worn underneath the wearer's hat or baseball cap. The device has a two-sided hard plate shell (18) comprised of rigid protective material. One side of the device has a clamp (22) that is used to attach the temple protection device to the sweat band of the wearer's cap. The opposite side of the temple protection device fits against the wearer's head and may have padding (26, 28, 30) attached thereto. At the base of the hard plate shell (18) there is a temple protection flap (20) that protrudes from under the wearer's cap to cover temple area that is not under the wearer's cap. Other embodiments are described as shown.
US08769720B2
The present invention provides a glove comprises a main body adapted to receive a wearer's hand and a wrist cuff suspended over the main body. The main body further comprises a plurality of finger parts and a back hand part. The back hand part comprises a first protective panel hingedly connected at one end to the main body so that the first protective panel is suspend over the main body and slidably overlapped with a second protective panel. As the first protective panel slides over the second protective panel following the bending action of the fingers, a coordinated movement of the hand can be achieved. The second protective panel is also hingedly connected to the main body suspended over the main body and the wrist cuff, which allows for more coordinated rotating movement of the hand and the wrist following the bending action of the fingers.
US08769712B2
An elastic skin suit simulates gravitational loading. By selecting material(s) of appropriate dimensions and appropriate module of elasticity, and optionally integrating inelastic portions to maintain a desired surface distribution, the suit can be adapted to impose a loading regime that simulates the loading of terrestrial gravity in a more continuous, shoulder-to-ankle manner than current loading suits.
US08776258B2
Techniques for providing access rights to different portions of a software application to one or more authorized users are described herein. An issuance license may be inserted into the software application that divides the software application into one or more portions and identifies, for each portion, one or more users that are authorized access to the portion. Each portion of the software application may then be encrypted using, for example, a different cryptographic key. When the software is executed, an end user license may then be requested that corresponds to a particular user and that entitles the particular user access to each portion of the software application that the issuance license identifies the particular user as being authorized to access. The end user license may then be used to decrypt each portion of the software application that the issuance license identifies the particular end user as being authorized to access.
US08776254B1
A system is disclosed that provides an authenticated payload, e.g., a software program or update, to a recipient device. A storage device stores a payload. A provider server coupled to the storage device outputs the payload and a manifest table. The manifest table includes information identifying the payload. A manifest engine TX server receives the payload and the manifest table from the provider server, generates information about the received payload, compares the information generated about the payload with the contents of the received manifest table, and, if the information about the received payload matches information for a particular one of the at least one payloads included in the received manifest table, forwards the payload to a one-way data link. The output of the one-way data link is coupled to a manifest engine RX server, which in turn forwards any received payload to a recipient device coupled to an output of the manifest engine RX server.
US08776251B2
A method for data exchange between a secure element and a terminal, the secure element including a CRS (Contactless Registry Service) application, a CREL (Contactless Registry Event Listener), and at least one service application, the terminal including a SEUI (Secure Element User Interface) configured to interact with at least one out of the CRS application, the CREL application, or the service application, includes exchanging, between the secure element and the terminal, an STID (Service Type Identification) information relating to the at least one service application. The STID information indicates the service type of the at least one service application of a predetermined set of different service types.
US08776247B2
A system implements a secure transaction of data between a server and a remote device. The remote device comprises: processing means adapted to process input data according to a security process; data storage means adapted to store verification information derived from the input data according to an encryption algorithm; and communication means for communicating the input data which has been processed by the security process to the server. The server is adapted to transmit a verification request to the remote device, and to verify the integrity of the security process based on verification information received from the communication means of the remote device in response to the verification request.
US08776245B2
A system for executing trusted applications with a reduced trusted computing base. In one embodiment, the system includes a processor to dynamically instantiate an application protection module in response to a request by a program to be executed under a trusted mode. The system further includes memory to store the program which is capable of interacting with a remote service for security verification. In one embodiment, the application protection module includes a processor-measured application protection service (P-MAPS) operable to measure and to provide protection to the application.
US08776241B2
Solutions for responding to security-related incidents in a computer network, including a security server, and a client-side arrangement. The security server includes an event collection module communicatively coupled to the computer network, an event analysis module operatively coupled to the event collection module, and a solution module operatively coupled to the event analysis module. The event collection module is configured to obtain incident-related information that includes event-level information from at least one client computer of the plurality of client computers, the incident-related information being associated with at least a first incident which was detected by that at least one client computer and provided to the event collection module in response to that detection. The event analysis module is configured to reconstruct at least one chain of events causally related to the first incident and indicative of a root cause of the first incident based on the incident-related information. The solution module is configured to formulate at least one recommendation for use by the at least one client computer, the at least one recommendation being based on the at least one chain of events, and including corrective/preventive action particularized for responding to the first incident.
US08776230B1
A master policy server manages security polices for client computers through a network of local policy servers. Each local policy server is responsible for the security policies on a group of clients and maintains a data store containing the security policies and security information pertaining to the clients. Periodically, the master policy server and the local policy server synchronize, at which time the master policy server replicates updated policies to the local policy servers and the local policy servers upload client security statistics to the master policy server for consolidation into a global status.
US08776226B2
A digital filter correlation engine, wherein the correlation engine combines N arbitrary digital filter states based on the weights and along with a threshold generate a network incident. This network incident in turn can be feedback to another digital filter. This multi-layering capability allows the creation of higher level event detections that are time-based for a cyber security analyst to analyze, thereby reducing the amount of manual work the analyst has to do in inspecting behaviors within the network.
US08776216B2
Systems and methods are described for performing digital rights management. In one embodiment, a digital rights management engine is provided that evaluates license associated with protected content to determine if a requested access or other use of the content is authorized. In some embodiments, the licenses contain control programs that are executable by the digital rights management engine.
US08776213B2
A system for authenticating the user of a computing device comprises an authorized user directory. Each record is uniquely associated with an authorized user and includes at least a computing device ID value that is a globally unique value assigned to the authorized user's computing device, a group of unique depictions such as photographs, an identification of a key depiction. Portions of each image form fiducials recognizable by the user. The record further includes trace pattern verification data representing continuous trace strokes between pairs of the fiducials within the key depiction. To authenticate, the group of images are displayed to the user. The user must first select the key image and secondly trace continuous trace strokes between the pairs of fiducials to match the trace pattern verification data.
US08776204B2
In a communication network wherein a first computing device represents a resource owner and a second computing device represents a resource requestor, the resource owner detects an occurrence of an event, wherein the event occurrence represents a request to access one or more resources of the resource owner stored in a resource residence. The resource owner sends an authorization token to the resource requestor in response to the event occurrence, the authorization token serving as a proof of authorization delegated by the resource owner to be presented by the resource requestor to the resource residence so as to permit the resource requestor to access the one or more requested resources stored in the resource residence.
US08776201B2
A method for implementing unified authentication for user logon, the method comprising the steps of: establishing an authentication server; creating a user authentication account number in the authentication server; storing user information which the user uses in a plurality of systems into the authentication server; associating, in the authentication server, the created user authentication account number with the user information which the user uses in the plurality of systems; and providing an authentication flag to the client of the user by the authentication server based on the association between the user authentication account number and the user information which the user uses in the plurality of systems established in the authentication server so that the user can log on the plurality of systems using the authentication flag. The present invention is applied to provide a unified mechanism of user logon authentication in integration and mergence of the service processes provided by a plurality of Internet information systems or Internet providers, and thus the user can access all authorized application systems or service providers with only one logon authentication.
US08776200B2
The present invention relates to a method for inputting a password into an electronic terminal, wherein the method comprises: a step of saving a password character string inputted by the user through an input unit in a storage unit; a step of randomly placing adjacent characters from within the password character string into adjacent input buttons—defined as any two input buttons connected in a straight line without passing another input button—which are arranged in a two-dimensional field by a control unit, wherein the total number of input buttons is greater than the number of characters included in the password character string; a step in which the control unit places a character not included in the password character string into an input button in which a character included in the password character string has not been placed; a step in which a display unit displays each input button displaying a placed character; a step in which an input unit receives the input character string from the user; and a step in which the control unit completes the user authentication procedure when the password character string and the input character string are the same.
US08776193B2
A mobile computing device comprising a first application adapted to provide information to a server. The information is adapted to be shared by the server with at least one additional mobile computing device when the at least one additional mobile computing device is located within a specified range of the mobile computing device. Additionally, a password entered through a second application located on the additional mobile computing device may be required to correspond to a password received from the mobile computing device in order to share the information. Furthermore, the additional mobile computing device may be required to access the information within a specified time period.
US08776191B2
Techniques for reducing storage space and detecting corruption in hash-based applications are presented. Data strings are hashed or transformed into numerically represented strings. Groupings of the numeric strings form a set. Each numeric string of a particular set is associated with a unique co-prime number. All the numeric strings and their corresponding co-prime numbers for a particular set are processed using a Chinese Remainder Theorem algorithm (CRT) to produce a single storage value. The single storage value is retained in place of the original numeric strings. The original numeric strings can be subsequently reproduced and verified using the single storage value and the co-prime numbers.
US08776187B2
Guest user are enabled to access network resources through an enterprise network using a guest user account. A guest user account may be created for a guest for a limited time. Guest account credentials of the guest account may be provided to the guest to use the guest account using any of a variety of techniques described herein, for example, by scanning a guest access card, credit card or mobile telephone of guest user, and providing the guest account credentials to the user based on the information obtained. A guest access management server may be configured to generate and maintain guest accounts, authenticate guest users, and track and log guest activity. A VLAN technology may be used to separate guest traffic from host enterprise traffic on the host enterprise network. After a guest user is authenticated, communications to and from the guest user may be routed to a guest VLAN.
US08776174B2
Various embodiments comprise apparatuses and methods to allow access to a memory device by an external device. A method includes receiving, at the memory device, a request from the external device to access a storage area of the memory device and performing an unlock procedure of the storage area. The unlock procedure includes sending a first code from the memory device to the external device, and receiving a second code at the memory device from the external device. The second code is to be generated by a first encryption process performed on the first code to obtain the second code. The storage area is temporarily unlocked to allow the external device to access the storage area based on a determination that the received second code has a predetermined relationship to the first code. Additional apparatuses and methods are described.
US08776173B2
One embodiment of the invention is a method utilizing a CAPTCHA to generate a human likeness score including blocks: a) receiving a user solution to the CAPTCHA; b) receiving a user interaction pattern descriptive of an interaction undertaken by the user, through a graphical interface of the CAPTCHA, to achieve the user solution; c) determining the accuracy of the user solution; d) comparing the user interaction pattern against an interaction model generated from interaction patterns of previous users; e) calculating the human likeness score based upon the determination of block c) and the comparison of block d), wherein the human likeness score lies within a continuum of human likeness scores.
US08776172B2
The load of setting and managing the access rule for access control is large. Provided is an information sharing system comprising an information gathering means, a transportable storage device for storing at least first information and second information, a certified acquisition request generation means, and a certified acquisition request processing means, sheering the information gathering means gathers the first information and the second information from the transportable storage device, the certified acquisition request generation means transmits a certified acquisition request including certification information comprising at least part of the second information, and the certified acquisition request processing means determines, on the basis of the result of checking whether or not the certification information included in the received certified acquisition request matches any part of the first information, whether or not to transmit the first information to a device equipped with the certified acquisition request generation means that is a transmission source of the certified acquisition request.
US08776170B2
Methods and systems for remediating a security policy violation on a computer system are provided. According to one embodiment, information is received by one computer system regarding a program-code-based operational state of another computer system at a particular time. It is determined whether the program-code-based operational state represents a violation of security policies that have been applied to or are active in regard to the computer system at issue by evaluating the received information with respect to the security policies. Each security policy defines at least one parameter condition violation of which is potentially indicative of unauthorized activity or manipulation to make the computer system at issue vulnerable to attack. When a security policy violation is detected, then a remediation is identified that can address the violation; and the remediation is caused to be deployed to the computer system at issue.
US08776161B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for video processing, such as transcoding, storage, quality testing, and the like, in network edge devices. The present invention embeds various video processing capabilities within a network to provide advantages, such as superior per-user video handling, reduced network bandwidth, increased service offerings, and the like.
US08776158B1
Three contiguous segments of video data are kept in video cache memory for streaming video data to a host application from a video file in data storage. For example, three buffers are allocated in the cache memory for each video stream, and at any given time during sequential access, a particular one of the three buffers is a middle buffer from which pre-fetched data is streamed to the host application. For forward or backward streaming, the buffers also include a backward buffer as well as a forward buffer on opposite sides of the middle buffer. In order to simplify the assembling of the buffers, a shift or rotation of the roles of the buffers and an asynchronous pre-fetch for continuance of a stream or for a switched direction of a stream is triggered by the cache state of the offset requested by the video application.
US08776157B2
A “pause live television” service is implemented, where in one embodiment, a continuously streaming video from a broadcast programming source is copied into a circular buffer. A set top box (“STB”) requests a trick function, such as “pause,” by sending a message to the system, which in this case suspends the present broadcast video in the STB. The system determines an offset and when the user requests resumption of the broadcast video (e.g., “play”), the system uses the offset for that particular STB to determine the appropriate resumption point in the particular buffer to resume streaming of the video for that STB. In various embodiments, the network may begin streaming of the video at the resumption point on another channel and direct the STB to then tune to that channel. Thus, the program appears to have been seamless suspended and resumed using a network based capability.
US08776151B2
A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system is disclosed. The RS-DVR system includes a network interface to communicate data between the RS-DVR system and a subscriber system via a network, a file system module coupled to the network interface, an ingest agent coupled to the file system module to receive encoded media segments that represent media content files encoded at a plurality of different bitrates; and a storage architecture coupled to the file system to store the encoded media segments, resulting in stored media segments. The RS-DVR carries out a number of functions and operations to service multiple subscribers and associated subscriber systems, such as various storage device management operations, file structure techniques, assignment of recorded media to subscribers, file system indexing, and supporting shared and per-subscriber content rights.
US08776143B2
The present invention provides a data processing method, the data processing method including receiving a broadcasting signal where mobile service data are multiplexed with main service data, extracting transmission-parameter-channel signaling information and fast-information-channel signaling information from a data group within the received mobile service data, parsing first program table information describing virtual channel information of an ensemble and a service provided by the ensemble using the fast-information-channel signaling information, the ensemble corresponding to a virtual channel group of the received mobile service data, obtaining information representing that second program table information, which includes a descriptor describing event information of the mobile service data, is received, from the first program table information, parsing the second program table information, and storing the event information and displaying service guide information including the event information.
US08776140B2
A method and system to permit TV viewers to interact with program content broadcast over a subscriber network, such as cable, satellite, internet, or cellular telephone. The details of the ability for the viewer to interact is embedded as data in the program signal. The subscription provider broadcasts a visual indicator as a small icon during programming that informs the viewer that interaction is permitted. The viewer then uses a remote control to purchase products, vote on events, respond to polls, download files, request information, and request callback actions. The TV viewer uses the remote control to send information to a set-top box front-end application, and to iteratively create transactions that are batched and then sent to a back-end core application and database which then handles fulfillment.
US08776137B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for receiving a user input identifying a video signal, recording the video signal to the video data file and sending an instruction to a backup server. The instruction causes the backup server to concurrently record the video signal to a second video data file. The backup server can also record a second video signal to a second video data file based on a second instruction. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08776136B2
In a DVR recording apparatus, a program and EPG data are received, and the EPG data and a reservation list, which relates to a reservation status of program recording, are stored. In addition, reserved recording, for recording a program in accordance with the reservation list, is carried out. Further, in the DVR, EPG data or the reservation list is transmitted in accordance with a request from a portable telephone. On one hand, in the portable telephone, in accordance with an operation of a user, a request of the EPG data or reservation list is transmitted, and in accordance with the request, the EPG data or reservation list transmitted from the DVR is received. Then, the EPG data or reservation list is presented in the portable telephone to a user.
US08776133B2
A system for presenting an electronic programming guide in a media system is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) media receiver having a controller element to transmit to a portal information associated with an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). The portal processes the information to present a Graphical User Interface (GUI) window corresponding to a slideable canvas of the EPG in an Internet browser of a communication device requesting the EPG. Other embodiments are disclosed.
