US08823924B2
A sensor is provided that includes a first optical body having at opposing, spaced sides an incident surface and a reflecting surface. The sensor includes an optical pathway for carrying incident light to the incident surface. The first optical body acts as a Fabry-Pérot etalon, such that a portion of the incident light passes through the incident surface, reflects from the reflecting surface, and then returns along the optical pathway. The first optical body is formed of a material whose optical absorbance increases depending on the neutron fluence experienced by the material, such that a corresponding characteristic attenuation is produced in the reflected light returned along the optical pathway depending on the neutron fluence experienced by the first optical body. The sensor may measure pressure in combination with the measurement of temperature and neutron fluence, and a further sensor is provided for combined measurement of pressure and neutron fluence.
US08823917B2
An electric field driven liquid crystal lens cell including a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite each other, a first plurality of split electrodes formed on the first substrate, each of the first plurality of split electrodes corresponding to one of a plurality of lens regions, a second electrode formed over an entire first surface of the second substrate, a voltage source to apply differing voltages to the first and second plurality of split electrodes, a spacer formed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the location of the spacer corresponding to the vertex of the lens when voltages are applied to at least one of the first plurality of split electrodes and the second electrode, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08823913B2
A thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate including a display area including: pixels and a periphery area where a driver for driving the pixels is disposed; first signal lines connected with the pixels and extended to the periphery area, and including first short-circuit portions provided in the periphery area; second signal lines connected with the pixels and extended to the periphery area by crossing the first signal lines in an insulated manner; first connection members overlapping lateral ends of the first signal lines, disposed in lateral sides with respect to the first short-circuited portions, and formed of a doped semiconductor; and first repairing conductors overlapping the lateral ends of the first signal lines, and disposed in the lateral sides with respect to the first short-circuited portions. Lateral ends of the first connection members are connected with the lateral ends of the first signal lines through contact holes.
US08823891B2
A liquid crystal display device includes: first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other; a gate line and a data line on the first substrate, the gate line and the data line crossing each other to define a pixel region; a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode in the pixel region on the first substrate, the thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, the pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor; a common electrode on the second substrate, the common electrode facing the pixel electrode; at least one first reset electrode and at least one second reset electrode on one of the first and second substrates, the at least one first reset electrode and the at least one second reset electrode spaced apart from each other; and a bi-stable chiral splay nematic liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates, the bi-stable chiral splay nematic liquid crystal layer having bi-stable states of a splay state as an initial state and a π-twist state, wherein first and second reset voltages are applied to the at least one first reset electrode and the at least one second reset electrode, respectively, and wherein the bi-stable chiral splay nematic liquid crystal layer transitions from the π-twist state to the splay state by applying the first and second reset voltages.
US08823888B2
Liquid crystal parallax barrier with strip-shaped and step-shaped electrodes and application thereof
Disclosed herein is a parallax barrier including a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and the second substrates. A plurality of first strip electrodes and a plurality of second strip electrodes are arranged on the first substrate, whereas a plurality of third electrodes and a plurality of fourth electrodes are arranged on the second substrate. Each of the third electrodes has a step-shaped first portion and each of the fourth electrodes has a step-shaped second portion.
US08823878B2
A method and system for airing broadcast signals is disclosed. Preferably, the system includes a production truck interface panel receiving a broadcast signal. A transmission relay circuit relays the signal from the interface panel to a broadcast network, and preferably including a broadcast signal detection circuit, and a signal processing circuit. The detection circuit determines a signal type of the broadcast signal, and the signal processing circuit processes the determined signal type. The system preferably further includes an operations control station displaying the determined type of broadcast signal. The method for airing broadcast signals over the broadcast network preferably includes the steps of providing the broadcast signal to the transmission relay circuit, detecting the broadcast signal type with the broadcast signal sensing and discerning circuit; and reconfiguring the signal processing circuit when the configuration of the signal processing circuit does not support transmission of the determined broadcast signal type.
US08823875B2
A method for encoding a carrier signal in a video signal, the video signal having one or more frames, the frames each having a first field and a second field, the first field and the second field of each frame having a plurality of scan lines, each having a plurality of pixels with an intensity value indicating brightness, the method comprising selectively designating the plurality of scan lines of the first field of the one or more frames as up lines or down lines, calculating an optimum amount of adjustment to the pixels of the up lines and the down lines, and selectively increasing the intensity value of pixels of the up lines and decreasing the intensity value of pixels of the down lines by the optimum amount of adjustment thereby modulating the video signal with a carrier signal and creating a modulated video signal.
US08823874B2
A digital cable broadcast receiver and a method for automatically processing caption data of various standards and types, is disclosed. The digital broadcast receiver includes: a demultiplexer for dividing a received broadcast stream into video data, audio data, supplementary information; a controller for determining whether caption data included in the video data is digital caption data or analog caption data on the basis of caption information included in the supplementary information, and outputting a control signal according to a result of the determining; a digital caption decoder for extracting and decoding digital caption data from the video data according to the control signal; and an analog caption decoder for extracting and decoding analog caption data from the video data according to the control signal.
US08823868B2
A device includes: an interface for performing communication with an apparatus to which the device is connected; and a supplying section that supplies support information, for notifying functions supported and controlled by the apparatus based on a detection result provided from a detecting section that detects a malfunction associated with a program held in a holding section, to the apparatus.
US08823862B2
There is provided a position detection device including a first detection sensor that operates in a predetermined direction, outputs a continuously increasing or decreasing signal, and detects an absolute position of a movable lens moved in an optical axis direction, and a second detection sensor that operates in the predetermined direction, outputs a periodically and continuously changing signal, and detects a relative position of the movable lens. The first detection sensor and the second detection sensor operate at different operation speeds.
US08823855B2
An augmented reality (AR) service including a photographing unit to capture an image of a target object, an information collecting unit to collect contextual information of the captured image of the target object, a tag generating unit to generate an AR tag of a first direction, the AR tag corresponding to the contextual information, and a display unit to display the image of the target object and the AR tag. A method for providing an AR service including capturing an image of a target object with a camera, collecting contextual information including location information of the captured image of the target object and a first azimuth information between the target object and the camera, generating an AR tag corresponding to the contextual information, and displaying the captured image of the target object and the generated AR tag.
US08823848B2
A polarization camera includes a microlement polarizer that is situated in proximity to a focal plane array. The microlement polarizer is selectively scanned with respect to an optical image direct to the focal plane array, and an image processor stores a set of images associated with the scanning. Based on the stored images, a polarization image can be produced and displayed. A periodic microelement polarizer modulates the individual images of the set, and these images can be processed by filtering in the spatial frequency domain to isolate contributions associated with one or a combination of Stokes parameters. After filtering, Stokes parameter based images can be obtained by demodulating and inverse Fourier transforming the filtered frequency domain data.
US08823842B2
The line buffer stores an input image after a change is made to the stored line position of each horizontal segment. The stored-line position memory unit stores the stored line position of each horizontal segment in the line buffer. The vertical interpolator performs vertical interpolation on each of outputs of the line buffer based on the differences between the vertical interpolation line positions and the stored line positions. Thus, the number of lines needed for vertical interpolation to be stored in the line buffer can be reduced.
US08823838B2
An image pickup system includes an image pickup apparatus in which, photoelectric conversion cells are arranged two-dimensionally, and at least some of the photoelectric conversion cells are arranged to output a signal for detecting an amount of defocus. The photoelectric conversion cells which output the signal for detecting the amount defocus form at least two photoelectric conversion cell groups, each receiving a light beam from a pupil area having different area. Each photoelectric conversion cell group has a plurality of photoelectric conversion cell columns. The image pickup system includes a calculating section which has an AF mode which generates a defocus signal by comparing mutually the signals for detecting the amount of defocus which have been output from the two photoelectric conversion cell groups, and a correction section which corrects the signal for detecting the amount of defocus, from information related to distortion of the taking lens.
US08823837B2
A zoom control method and apparatus. The zoom control method allows a subject to be photographed by automatically performing a zooming operation with a proper composition and resolves a problem where a subject disappears from a screen due to the zooming operation.
US08823831B2
In an image data processing apparatus, a conversion unit generates first image data of a first image format and second image data of a second image format and supplies the first and second image data on a time division basis with respect to each image taken by using an image sensor. An operating unit acquires the first and second image data produced on a time division basis from the conversion unit, performs a process for displaying the taken image on a display device by using the first image data, and performs a process for storing the taken image in a storage device by using the second image data.
US08823826B2
A digital camera and an image capturing method for photographing at least one object in the digital camera. An image is sensed, and an eye-gazing detection process is accordingly preformed on the image to detect an eye-gazing direction of at least one pair of eyes of the at least one object. It is determined whether the eye-gazing direction meets a gazing criterion. If the eye-gazing direction meets the gazing criterion, an application of the digital camera is triggered.
US08823819B2
An apparatus for measuring the position and shape of a pattern formed on a sheet includes a sheet on which a pattern is formed, a camera holding mechanism that is disposed perpendicular to a transportation direction of the sheet, at least one camera that is disposed such that the camera is movable in a longitudinal direction of the camera holding mechanism, and an image processing computer that processes an image picked up by the at least one camera. In the measuring apparatus, when calibration is performed, calibration is performed with reference to a picked up image of the coating pattern and a picked up image of a reference body for calibration.
US08823816B2
An imaging apparatus sets a search condition of image data so as to contain a condition that image data to be searched is created between a latest send image data that has most recently been sent among pieces of image data, which are read from a storage unit and sent to a display device or which are sent from either the imaging apparatus or other imaging apparatus to the display device, and image data that is created at the earliest time after the latest send image data has been created among the pieces of the image data stored in the storage unit; determines image data to be sent to the display device from among pieces of image data stored in each of the imaging apparatus and the other imaging apparatus, based on a search result sent from the other imaging apparatus as a response to the sent search condition.
US08823809B1
The present invention includes a system and method for increasing sensitivity of a video sensor which includes in one embodiment a distributed, parallel processing motion blur reduction system. The system includes at least one imaging sensor that outputs image data. The system uses a plurality of processors, each of which receives from the imaging sensor, data representative of an independently viewable, complete and separate image subsection. A designated processor receives output data from each of the plurality of processors, and processes such output data to generate a signal which is representative of blur causing motion. The invention also includes methods for removing motion blur.
US08823805B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to acquire image data, a positioning unit configured to perform positioning processing for acquiring positional information, a first control unit configured to control the positioning unit to perform the positioning processing at a first time interval, and to control an association unit to associate the positional information with the image data, and a second control unit configured to control the positioning unit to perform the positioning processing at a second time interval, and to control a generation unit to generate the log data based on the positional information, wherein the second control unit changes a time interval based on the acquisition status of the positional information.
US08823790B2
Methods of imaging are provided. In some embodiments, the methods may comprise obtaining a raw speckle image of a sample, converting the raw speckle image to a laser speckle contrast image using a laser speckle contrast algorithm, and converting a laser speckle contrast image to a relative correlation time image using a relative correlation time algorithm.
US08823785B2
A display system including a display apparatus for displaying a first image and a second image, two first lenses and two second lenses is provided. When a viewer sees the display apparatus via one first lenses and one second lenses, and the first image as well as the second image are parallax images, the first and second images are respectively saw by different eyes of the viewer. When the viewer sees the display apparatus through the two first lenses, and the first image as well as the second image are not parallax images, the first image irrelevant to the second image is saw by the viewer. When the viewer sees the display apparatus through the two second lenses, and the first image as well as the second image are not parallax images, the second image irrelevant to the first image is saw by the viewer.
US08823760B2
In the present invention, a detection timing of a density correction pattern is determined by correcting a timing that is determined in advance as a detection timing of the density correction pattern, based on a ratio between a conveying speed of a recording medium to which a developed image is transferred and a conveying speed of a conveying belt for conveying the image and based on a detection result of the positional deviation correction pattern.
US08823742B2
In a method of simulating a lens using augmented reality, a user who desires to purchase a vision correction product may wear lenses precisely corrected using a computer device through a virtual experience, and inconvenience of frequently replacing various lenses when taking an eye examination is considerably mitigated. An effect of wearing a variety of vision correction products in a short time period can be experienced, and it is expected to be able to select an optimized custom-tailored vision correction product. Particularly, in manufacturing a functional lens which has complicated manufacturing steps and requires a precise examination, such as a progressive multi-focal lens, a coating lens, a color lens, a myopia progress suppression lens, an eye fatigue relieve lens or the like, it is expected that a precise product can be manufactured, and manufacturing time can be greatly reduced.
US08823732B2
A method for creating image products includes the following steps. Image data and positional data corresponding to the image data are captured and processed to create geo-referenced images. Edge detection procedures are performed on the geo-referenced images to identify edges and produce geo-referenced, edge-detected images. The geo-referenced, edge-detected images are saved in a database. A user interface to view and interact with the geo-referenced image is also provided such that the user can consistently select the same Points of Interest between multiple interactions and multiple users.
US08823720B2
Methods, systems and data structures produce a rasterizer. A graphical state is detected on a machine architecture. The graphical state is used for assembling a shell rasterizer. The machine architecture is used for selecting replacement logic that replaces portions of shell logic in the shell rasterizer. The machine architecture is used for selectively inserting memory management logic into portions of the shell logic to produce.
US08823716B2
A display device including: a display section configured to display an image; a display control section configured to arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the display section and display an image in each of the display areas; an image selection section configured to select the image to be displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of input images; and a multi-screen display control section configured to display an image designation panel designating an image of a display object out of the plurality of input images on the display section, determine the images to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated during display of the image designation panel and a determination operation is performed, and make the image selection section select the images determined.
US08823715B2
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for efficient writing of pixels to tiled planar pixel arrays. An image editing operation is performed by a first thread on an area of an image comprising a plurality of tiles within the area. A lock for write operation is performed by a second thread on each of the plurality of tiles. Results of the lock for write operations are sent from the second thread to the first thread. An output of the image editing operation is sent from the first thread to one or more third thread. The output of the image editing operation is stored in the plurality of tiles by the one or more third threads.
US08823701B2
Systems and methods for substantially contemporaneously presenting a distributed simulation at multiple computing devices. A first computing device controls an object in the simulation. A second computing device generates a visual representation of the object associated with a visual status. The second computing device generates a predicted status and receives an update including new status from the first computing device. A portion of the predicted status is set equal to a portion of the new status, and a discrepancy between the predicted and visual statuses is determined. When the discrepancy is greater than a first threshold, at least one velocity of the predicted status may be modified. When the discrepancy is greater than a second threshold, the visual status is modified based at least in part on the predicted status. A new visual representation of the object is rendered based at least in part on the visual status, and displayed.
US08823699B2
A system and method for using an encoding module in a virtual world server for: receiving scene data including a description of at least one virtual object and underlying terrain associated with the scene; organizing the description of the at least one virtual object into a first track segmented by virtual object time slots, organizing the description of the underlying terrain into a second track segmented by terrain time slots; and storing the descriptions in persistent storage as separate files where users can retrieve and render the separate files.
US08823698B2
An apparatus and method for generating a three-dimensional (3D) path are provided. The apparatus includes: a polygon generation unit to generate a left polygon and a right polygon on the left and the right of path data, respectively, based on a linear interpolation point of the path data; and a polygon conversion unit to apply a height value to the linear interpolation point based on the left polygon and the right polygon and to thereby generate the 3D path.
US08823690B2
A display device according to the present invention includes: an organic EL element; an electrostatic holding capacitor; a drive transistor having a gate connected to one electrode of an electrostatic holding capacitor and a source connected to an anode of the organic EL element; another electrostatic holding capacitor having an electrode connected to the other electrode of the one electrostatic holding capacitor; a negative power supply line which determines a potential of a cathode of the organic EL element; and a scanning line drive circuit which controls switching transistors. In a display period, the entire display area of a display unit is caused to start generating photons at once. In a non-display period, the entire display area of the display unit is caused to stop generating photons at once, and the drive transistor is reset.
US08823684B2
Disclosed are: a position detection system having improved flexibility in selection of line sensors; and others. In the position detection system (PM) of the present invention, a phosphor (11) which can excite invisible light (UV light) that is light emitted from an LED (23) is arranged on an optical path between the LED (23) and a light receiving element (26).
US08823679B2
An input apparatus capable of improving detection sensitivity in detecting operations using a capacitive sensing method. An operation member is operated to change the positional relationship between a substrate and a conducive member. In the conductive member, a first part whose facing area facing an earth electrode of the substrate does not change even when the positional relationship between the substrate and the conducive member changes, and second parts whore facing area facing detecting electrodes of the substrate changes in response to a change in the positional relationship between the substrate and the conducive member are formed. The substrate or the conducive member is formed so that when the facing area of the second parts facing the detecting electrodes reaches the maximum, the facing area of the second parts facing the detecting electrodes can be equal to the facing area of the first part facing the earth electrode.
US08823669B2
A touch panel includes a display module, a touch sensor, an anti-noise unit and a signal processing unit. The display module generates a noise. The touch sensor is disposed above the display module and outputs an abnormal signal, wherein the abnormal signal includes the noise and a sensing signal. The anti-noise unit is adapted to receive the abnormal signal and then reject the noise so as to form the sensing signal. The signal processing unit is adapted to process the sensing signal.
US08823664B2
A method of tracking touches at a touch-sensing surface may include, detecting an initial location of a first contact and an initial location of a second contact at the touch-sensing surface based on a first scan of a touch-sensing surface, detecting a plurality of signal levels caused by the first contact and the second contact during a second scan of the touch-sensing surface, identifying a first signal level of the plurality of signal levels as a local maximum, and locating a lost touch based on one or more signal levels associated with one or more unit cells within a fixed distance from a first unit cell associated with the local maximum.
US08823661B2
Disclosed is a technique for allowing a user of the mobile communication terminal 10 to block transmission of screen information to a remotely connected computer through a simple touch on a task bar, without having to input a command or activate a program associated with a icon during a remote control session. As a result, the users personal information is protected while at the same time allowing the remote computer and the mobile communication terminal to communicate data effectively.
US08823656B2
The examples enable tracking of a touch gesture that may extend across a discontinuity between two or more touch screens of a mobile device or the like.
US08823655B2
A method for detecting touch-point coordinates includes: scanning a plurality of signal points in sequence to generate a plurality of original data including a plurality of original touch point data; performing a grouping algorithm for the original touch point data to group the original touch point data into a plurality of group sets; and calculating a barycentric coordinate of each of the group sets and outputting the barycentric coordinate as a touch-point coordinate of each of the group sets.
US08823653B2
A capacitive input device includes a translucent substrate; first translucent electrode lines, extending in a first direction; second translucent electrode lines, extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; interlayer insulating layers; and relay electrodes. The first translucent electrode lines intersect with the second translucent electrode lines at intersecting portions. Portions of one of each first translucent electrode line and each second translucent electrode line are connected to each other with the intersecting portions. Portions of the other are separated from each other with the intersecting portions. The translucent interlayer insulating layers overlie the first or second translucent electrode line portions connected to each other with the intersecting portions. The translucent relay electrodes overlie the interlayer insulating layers to electrically connect the first or second translucent electrode line portions, separated from each other with the intersecting portions, to each other.
US08823646B2
A display apparatus is disclosed which includes: a camera which senses a light beam focused on a screen; a video processor which processes at least one of a first image including a reference position for calculating coordinates of the light beam and a second image corresponding to the coordinates of the light beam to be displayed on the screen; and a controller which calculates the coordinates of the light beam on the basis of the reference position changed in accordance with change in a display characteristic of the first image, and transmits the calculated coordinates to the video processor so that the second image corresponding to the calculated coordinates can be displayed on the screen.
US08823645B2
A remote control apparatus for communicating with a target device includes: a sensing portion for sensing points of user contact with the apparatus, user gestures, and an acceleration value of the apparatus; a transmitting device for sending signals representative of user commands to the target device; a controller; and a memory including instructions for configuring the controller to perform a self-orientation process based upon at least one of the acceleration value and the points of user contact to determine a forward direction of a plane of operation for defining the user gestures. An axis of the determined plane of operation substantially intersects the apparatus at any angle.
US08823641B2
A three dimensional (3D) imaging system configured to display an autostereoscopic image of a scene toward a viewing area, and detect gestures occurring in the viewing area. The system includes an imaging device configured to project a plurality of projected images in distinct directions, and each projected image is characterized as a distinct perspective view of the scene. The imaging device is also configured to detect a plurality of received images for the purpose of detecting gestures. The system also includes a holographic diffuser, and a mirror arrangement configured to reflect the plurality of projected images from the imaging device toward the holographic diffuser to display an autostereoscopic image of the scene in the holographic diffuser, and reflect a plurality of perspective images from the viewing area toward the imaging device such that each received image corresponds to a distinct perspective view of the viewing area.
US08823638B2
An optical navigation module comprising a rigid flange having a top surface. An optical navigation unit can be coupled to the top surface of the rigid flange with an electrical connection electrically coupled to the optical navigation unit. An alignment flange can be coupled to the rigid flange with the alignment feature including one or more alignment features. The alignment feature can be a hole adapted to receive an alignment pin to hold and align the optical navigation module.
US08823637B2
An image processing apparatus includes: a determining unit configured to determine one or more pieces of image data to be processed; a motion detecting unit configured to detect the motion of the image processing apparatus; a processing unit configured to execute predetermined processing regarding the one or more pieces of image data determined via the determining unit; and a processing control unit configured to execute control so as to execute the predetermined processing via the processing unit, in the case of detecting that a particular operation has been executed as to the image processing apparatus via the motion detecting unit.
US08823636B2
Embodiments include a method, a manual device, a handheld manual device, a handheld writing device, a system, and an apparatus. An embodiment provides a system. The system includes a manual device. The manual device includes a first writing element operable to discharge a first marking substance on a surface in response to a movement of the first writing element upon the surface. The manual device also includes a second writing element operable to discharge a second marking substance on the surface in response to a controller. The controller is operable to encode information corresponding to an environment of the manual device by regulating a discharge of the second marking substance. The system also includes a sensor operable to acquire data indicative of an environment of the manual device.
US08823630B2
Provided are systems and methods for providing a stabilized color management system in a solid state lighting panel. Methods according to some embodiments include receiving, in the microcontroller, a color management reference value corresponding to a color characteristic of the solid state lighting panel and adjusting a control mode of the microcontroller responsive to the color management reference value.
US08823622B2
A liquid crystal display includes a plurality of gate lines having odd-numbered gate lines and even-numbered gate lines, a plurality of source lines, a first gate driver which drives the odd-numbered gate lines, a second gate driver which drives the even-numbered gate lines and a driving controller which outputs an overdriven image signal in at least one driving period of a plurality of driving periods and outputs a normal image signal in remaining driving periods of the plurality of driving periods. The overdriven image signal is obtained by adding an overdrive voltage to the normal image signal, and the overdrive voltage is set according to a level of the normal image signal.
US08823614B2
An apparatus and method for performing natural luminance adjustment by adjusting voltage levels of gray-scale voltages of a display device through a plurality of steps and determining gray-scale voltage levels of intermediate luminance levels using predetermined data when a luminance level of the display device is adjusted.
US08823597B2
The present invention provides a multi-system multi-band RFID antenna, which comprises an on-chip antenna and at least one external antenna, wherein the on-chip antenna is arranged on RFID chip; the external antennas are arranged outside the RFID chip; and the RFID chip is provided with connection pads on the outer surface, wherein both the on-chip antenna and the external antennas are connected with the RFID chip through the connection pads. According to the multi-system multi-band RFID antenna of the present invention, the RFID chip can provide appropriate antennas for applications in different systems with different frequency bands, and can satisfactorily meet the need for RFID multi-system integration applications in the future.
US08823594B2
An antenna apparatus includes a dipole antenna, a first monopole antenna and a second monopole antenna, each formed in a form of a conductor pattern on an insulating substrate. A fifth portion of the first monopole antenna and a seventh portion of the second monopole antenna are formed to be adjacent to and to be substantially parallel to a grounding conductor provided outside the antenna apparatus. The fifth portion includes a loop portion, and the seventh portion includes a loop portion.
US08823590B2
A wideband antenna for a radio transceiver device includes a first radiating element for transmitting and receiving wireless signals of a first frequency band, a second radiating element for transmitting and receiving wireless signals of a second frequency band, a grounding unit, a shorting unit having one end electrically connected to the first radiating element and the second radiating element, and another end electrically connected to the grounding unit, and a feeding board including a first feeding metal plane for transmitting wireless signals of the first frequency band and the second frequency band, a second feeding metal plane electrically connected to the second radiating element, and a metal strip electrically connected between the first radiating element and the second radiating element.
US08823584B2
A position detection device includes a first position obtaining unit obtaining position information by receiving a GPS signal, a second position obtaining unit obtaining position information based on information obtained from a plurality of peripheral base stations, a position information obtainment determining unit determining whether or not the first position obtaining unit obtains position information, a movement detection unit detecting a movement of the first position obtaining unit, a first ON and OFF state control unit controlling ON and OFF states of the first position obtaining unit, a second ON and OFF state control unit controlling ON and OFF states of the second position obtaining unit, a monitor cycle control unit controlling a monitor cycle that the first position obtaining unit obtains position information, and an output unit selecting and outputting one piece of position information obtained by the first position obtaining unit and the second position obtaining unit.
US08823583B2
A radar sensor for motor vehicles, having a transmitting part, which has two oscillators and a 90° phase shifter for generating a transmission signal, a first comparison signal, and a second comparison signal, which is phase shifted by 90° with respect to the first comparison signal, and a receiving part having an I mixer for mixing a received signal with the first comparison signal and a Q mixer for mixing the received signal with the second comparison signal, in which the transmitting part has a first transmit mixer, whose inputs are directly connected to the two oscillators, and a second transmit mixer, whose one input is directly connected to a first of the two oscillators and whose other input is connected via the phase shifter to the other oscillator.
US08823582B2
An FMCW radar sensor system is described having an antenna covered by a radome, a mixer for mixing a frequency-modulated transmission signal with a signal received by the antenna, a device for recording the mixed product of the mixer as a time-dependent signal, a device for calculating the spectrum of the time-dependent signal, and a device for detecting a reflecting coating on the radome, characterized in that the device for detecting the reflecting coating is configured for analyzing the time-dependent signal and for determining the extent of reflection on the radome based on the amplitude of this signal.
US08823575B2
An AD conversion circuit may include: a reference signal generation unit generating a reference signal increasing or decreasing with passage of time; a comparison unit including a first comparison circuit and a second comparison circuit comparing an analog signal to be subjected to an AD conversion with the reference signal; a clock generation unit including a delay circuit in which a plurality of delay units are connected to one another, and outputting a first lower phase signal and a second lower phase signal based on clock signals output from each of the plurality of delay units; a latch unit including a first latch circuit latching a logical state of the first lower phase signal and a second latch circuit latching a logical state of the second lower phase signal; and a counting unit performing counting based on the second lower phase signal output from the clock generation unit.
US08823574B2
A successive approximation type A/D converter includes: a reference signal generating section generating a reference signal; a comparator comparing an analog signal input thereto with the reference signal and converting the analog signal into a digital signal; and a control section controlling the reference signal to perform oversampling by executing an A/D conversion process on the analog signal at the comparator plural times such that the analog signal is A/D-converted into a digital value of N bits at the first A/D conversion process and such that the second and subsequent A/D conversion processes are performed starting with a lower bit of the (N−n)-th or lower order with upper n bits of the N-bit digital value obtained at the first A/D conversion process fixed.
US08823569B2
An apparatus and method for digital-to-analog conversion. A digital-to-analog converter includes a sampler for resampling a digital signal and a DAC array. The DAC array includes a sequencer, a unit element activator, and an array of one-bit DACs (unit elements). The unit elements are activated in a cyclical sequence, based on the resampled digital signal. Unit elements in the sequence may be skipped, based on a disruption probability. The disruption probability may be determined randomly, or pseudo-randomly. Output signals of the unit elements are summed or averaged to form an analog signal. The converter may include a filter to filter the analog signal.
US08823568B2
Embodiments may comprise logic such as hardware and/or code for high-speed digital-to-analog conversion of signals. Many embodiments comprise a demultiplexer to distribute sets of bits to digital-to-analog converters, the digital-to-analog converters to receive the sets of bits and the operate concurrently to convert the sets of bits from digital representations of signal segments to output analog signal segments, and an interleaver to interleave the analog signal segments from each of digital-to-analog converters in the sequence to generate an analog signal. In many embodiments, the interleaver is adapted to interleave the analog signal segments by latching magnitudes of each of the analog signal segments to an interleaved output near ends of clock cycles to attenuate non-linearities in the magnitudes of each of the analog signal segments when the magnitudes are output.
US08823564B2
A sampling circuit includes a continuous section which is a circuit for transmitting a continuous signal; a digital section for transmitting a signal which is sampled and quantized; and a sampling and holding section for transmitting a signal which is sampled but not quantized between the continuous section and the digital section. The sampling and holding section includes capacitors for accumulating charge generated by an input signal and plural switches for accumulating the charge in the capacitors. The plural switches receive plural clock signals having different operation timings and perform an ON/OFF operation in response to the supplied clock signals.
US08823560B1
An encoder is provided for encoding input data (D1) to generate corresponding encoded output data (D2). The encoder includes a data processing arrangement for generating a run-length encoded (RLE) representation of the input data (D1). Moreover, the encoder is operable to split the run-length encoded (RLE) representation into a plurality of parts (A, B), wherein at least one part is associated with original symbols and at least another part is associated with counters representative of occurrence of the original symbols. Furthermore, the encoder is operable to encode the plurality of parts (A, B) separately to generate the encoded output data (D2). There is also provided a corresponding decoder for decoding the encoded data (D2) to generate corresponding decoded output data (D3). Additionally, there is provided a coder including the aforesaid encoder and decoder.
US08823559B2
There is described a method of making a linear periodically time varying system shift-invariant, comprising the following steps implemented for each input signal the sampling rate of which has to be converted: —generating a set of polyphase components based on the input signal, —feeding the generated set of polyphase components to the system, and —generating an output signal by performing interleaving, shifting and addition on signals output by the system corresponding to the generated set of polyphase components processed by the system.
US08823558B2
System, computer program product, and computer-implemented method to improve a running disparity of an encoded bit stream in a distributed network switch, the distributed network switch comprising a plurality of switch modules including a first switch module, by receiving, at the first switch module, a raw data stream comprising a plurality of bits, receiving a bit sequence, encoding at least a first bit of the raw data stream using a corresponding at least a first bit of the bit sequence, transmitting the encoded first bit, inverting the first bit of the bit sequence, and encoding a second bit of the raw data stream using the inverted first bit.
US08823556B2
A method of estimating the type of intersection control for two or more roadways includes steps of classifying each roadway at an intersection and estimating the type of intersection control used for each roadway. Roadways can be classified by size, traveling speed, number of lanes as well as any other roadway characteristics. In some cases, a warning system can be operated using the estimated intersection control type for each roadway.
US08823548B2
Controlling a traffic signal phase at one or more intersections. A control system at an intersection is configured to operate in one of a first mode or a second mode. While operating the controller in the first mode, in response to a transit priority signal received by the control system from a vehicle assigned transit priority, a green phase of the traffic signal is extended in favor of the vehicle assigned transit priority. While operating the control system in the second mode, in response to a transit priority signal received by the control system from the vehicle assigned transit priority, a current non-green phase of the traffic signal is preempted to a green phase in favor of the vehicle assigned transit priority.
US08823545B2
There is provided a radio apparatus for a gym device, the apparatus comprising: an antenna array comprising at least two antenna elements for wirelessly communicating with exercise sensors; at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the radio apparatus at least to: generate at least one antenna beam pattern with at least one of the at least two antenna elements; and communicate wirelessly with an exercise sensor by applying the generated at least one antenna beam pattern.
US08823541B2
First, a user may select an illumination color for a bezel framing a display of an electronics device. Second, the illumination of a digital picture frame may be established based on sensed motion nearby and/or ambient light. Third, the color of a user interface presented on a display can be established to match the color of the room in which the display is disposed, as indicated by colorimetry from a camera.
US08823540B2
An electrical assembly includes a guide frame with closed and open ends, the guide frame configured to be mounted to a substrate. The guide frame defines at least one cavity configured to receive an electrical component therein. A connector housing configured to be disposed in the at least one cavity and mounted to the substrate can support a retainer that extends outwardly from a body of the connector housing. The retainer can be configured to receive an attachment member supported by a light pipe, and can extend outwardly through the closed end of the guide frame. A heat sink coupled to the guide frame can be configured to have at least a portion of the light pipe disposed therein.
US08823538B2
In a method for optimizing an order in which certain points on a circuit board can be tested and evaluated, a coordinate system is established in a circuit diagram of a circuit board, and at least one locating point is preset. When an operator selects a signal path routing within the circuit diagram, the method can display the testing points in the selected signal path routing on a display device. After calculating the distance between each of the testing points and each of the at least one locating point, a group of distances is obtained. By comparing the distances, the minimum distance can be determined from the group of distances. The method further optimizes the order of the testing points according to the distance between each of the testing points and the locating point that consists of the minimum distance.
US08823536B2
Alerts based on detected hardware and/or software problems in a complex distributed application environment are mapped to recovery actions for automatically resolving problems. Non-mapped alerts are escalated to designated individuals or teams through a cyclical escalation method that includes a confirmation hand-off notice from the designated individual or team. Information collected for each alert as well as solutions through the escalation process may be recorded for expanding the automated resolution knowledge base.
US08823535B2
Apparatus and method for directly detecting the atmospheric conditions leading to creep corrosion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) well before the PCBs in the computers start suffering from creep corrosion. The embodiment indicates the propensity of the air towards creep corrosion on PCBs. Additionally, to avoid the false reading due to condensed moisture, condensed moisture may be avoided by using a heater attached to the creep corrosion monitor that keeps the creep corrosion monitor above the dew point temperature.
US08823521B2
Systems and methods are provided for a low stock product display alert system. A system includes a pushing element configured to push one or more products toward a front of a shelf as a unit of the product is removed from the shelf. The system also includes an RFID component, where the RFID component is configured to be in a dormant state when the pushing element is in a first position. The system further includes an activation element configured to activate the RFID component when the pushing element is in a second position, where when activated, the RFID component is configured to emit a signal indicating that the product display is out of product.
US08823514B1
A system and method for a panel system containing embedded electronic elements providing both housing for the electronics and structural support. A preferred embodiment of the system is for a container security system, which is constructed into or conforming onto the roof, walls, door, or base of a cargo container is provided. The panel system may consist of a variety of electronic elements, batteries or power elements, sensors, a processing element to collect the sensor data, and a communications element to transmit outside of the container.
US08823511B2
An approach is provided for remote healthy caring and monitoring through data transmission and processing. A biological monitoring device comprises a biological sensor, a motion detector, a warning module, a transmitting module and a controller. The biological sensor acquires a biological data from a person. The motion detector senses a variation of acceleration and a variation of angle to acquire a physical condition data. The transmitting module transmits the biological data and the physical condition data to a terminal device. The controller calculates the biological data and the physical condition data based on a predetermined rule, and sends a control signal to trigger a warning module or the transmitting module according to a calculating result. The warning module is configured to send a noticeable signal to inform the person. Therefore, the monitoring range is dynamically adjusted based on the biological and physical of the person.
US08823510B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for wirelessly programming a prescription bottle cap. In an embodiment, the system includes a base station comprising an inductor and processor configured to receive prescription dosage instructions and instruct the inductor to alter a magnetic field in a manner representative of the prescription dosage instructions. In an embodiment, the system further includes a wirelessly programmable cap comprising a sensor configured to detect the magnetic field and to generate the prescription dosage information based on the magnetic field. A control unit is configured to instruct the wirelessly programmable cap to send an alert at a time designated by the prescription dosage information.
US08823501B2
An ultrasonic generation element provides a primary resonance portion existing in an ultrasonic frequency band, and is caused to perform only a notice sound generation by parametric speaker. An audible-sound generation piezoelectric speaker provides a primary resonance portion existing in an audible frequency band, and is caused to switch between a notice sound generation by dynamic speaker and a notice sound generation by parametric speaker, based on vehicular information. Under a predetermined low vehicle speed, a notice sound is generated in both (i) an area ahead of a vehicle and distant from the vehicle, and (ii) an area surrounding the vehicle. When the vehicle speed increases, a notice sound is generated at a position ahead of the vehicle and more distant from the vehicle.
US08823500B2
System and method for automating and verifying product value, usage, and suitability for use or sale
A computer-based system for monitoring product usage, value, and suitability for use or sale. The system can include one or more processors configured to process and manage data. Additionally, the system can also include product packaging comprising a machine-readable medium. Notably, the machine-readable medium can comprise product information among other types of information. The one or more processors can be configured for receiving the product information of the machine-readable medium. The machine-readable medium and corresponding medication information can be adjusted based on automated signals or interactive signals, where the signals are generated based on current or historical data regarding the product or the packaging.
US08823498B2
A transceiver includes a transmit pin configured to receive a signal from a microcontroller, a receive pin configured to transmit a signal to a microcontroller and a bus pin configured to transmit and receive signalling to/from a network. The transceiver also includes a wake-up detector for selectively waking up the microcontroller connected to the transceiver, and one or more switches operable to put the transceiver in a first mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the transmit pin is connected to the wake-up detector, and the wake-up detector is configured to activate a wake-up code in accordance with a signal received at the transmit pin.
US08823485B2
A programmable remote control unit and method. The remote control unit includes a remote control configuration file request message generating circuit configured to generate a remote control configuration file request message, the remote control configuration file request message comprising operating characteristics of the remote control unit having information about a usage characteristic of a user of the remote control unit. A transmitter is configured to send the remote control configuration file request message to a remote control configuration file generating circuit. A receiver is configured to receive the at least one remote control configuration file. A memory is configured to store the at least one remote control configuration file. A remote control configuration circuit is configured to configure the remote control unit in accordance with the at least one remote control configuration file.
US08823479B2
The present invention provides a method for positioning a suspension body and a magnetic suspension device using the method. The method comprises the following steps: step 1, providing a positioning auxiliary forming a channel for the suspension body to enter and rotate therein; step 2, placing the positioning auxiliary on a magnetic suspension base, and a center line of the channel of the positioning auxiliary being substantially collinear with a center line of the rotation of the suspension body at work; step 3, according to the channel of the positioning auxiliary, placing the suspension body at the top of the positioning auxiliary; step 4, releasing the suspension body to make it voluntarily slide down to a position to be suspended to work; step 5, removing the positioning auxiliary. The present invention can make the suspension body quickly slide down to be suspended at its work position by means of the positioning auxiliary, and so make the suspension body suspended normally, thereby greatly increasing the use efficiency.
US08823475B2
An electromagnetic relay includes multiple contact sets each including a fixed contact and a movable contact displaceable in a first direction to approach the fixed contact and in a second direction to move away from the fixed contact; multiple permanent magnets each provided on the peripheral side of a corresponding one of the contact sets and having a polarity direction perpendicular to the first and second directions; and multiple ferromagnetic bodies parallel to the polarity directions of the permanent magnets and the first and second directions, wherein in a DC electric current flowing through each of the contact sets, the direction of a force exerted based on the permanent magnet is equal to the direction of a force exerted based on the ferromagnetic body.
US08823474B2
To promptly extinguish an arc generated between contacts with a simple and inexpensive structure without negatively influencing the spring property of a movable contact piece. A contact switching mechanism includes a fixed contact piece with a fixed contact and a movable contact piece with a movable contact which faces the fixed contact in a contactable manner. At least either one of the contact pieces is provided with an extension which extends toward the contact of the remaining contact piece.
US08823467B2
An arrangement (100, 400, 500, 600) comprising a first plate (110, 410, 510, 610) and a second plate (120, 420, 520, 620) at a first distance (di) from each other with an overlap between them. The arrangement also comprises a third (130, 430, 530, 630) and a fourth (140, 440, 540, 640) plate between the first and second plates in said overlap so that the third and fourth plates do not overlap each other. All plates are made of an electrically conducting material, are essentially flat and plane and are separated from each other by a dielectric material. The first plate comprises an input/output port (111, 411, 511, 611), the second plate comprises a ground port (112), and the third and fourth plates comprise an output/input port (131, 141, 431, 441, 531, 541, 551). The arrangement will serve as a power divider, a power combiner or as a balun.
US08823462B2
A piezoelectric oscillation circuit includes: a Colpitts oscillation circuit; a first circuit unit which includes a circuit having a variable-capacity capacitor for controlling an oscillation frequency; a second circuit unit which includes a circuit having a resistance; and a piezoelectric resonator which includes a first terminal connected to the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit, and a second terminal connected to the Colpitts oscillation circuit. The Colpitts oscillation circuit connects the second terminal to a fixed potential via a dividing resistance. The second circuit unit connects the first terminal to the fixed potential via the resistance.
US08823458B2
A cascode circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor are connected to make a cascode. In addition, the circuit has a block capacitance which is connected between a control terminal of the second transistor and a source terminal of the first transistor. In addition, the circuit has a feedback element which is connected between a drain terminal of the second transistor and a control terminal of the first transistor.
US08823454B2
In accordance with at least one embodiment, an improved voltage headroom self-biased receiver is provided. In accordance with at least one embodiment, tail current sources are biased so as to be cross-coupled with respect to each other. In accordance with at least one embodiment, startup control is provided to counter defect-induced current and to ensure the circuit can function properly even with large amounts of defect current. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a positive type (p type) channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) tail current transistor is modulated by a negative type (n type) channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) differential pair virtual negative supply voltage and a NMOS tail current transistor is modulated by a PMOS differential pair virtual positive supply voltage. The amplifier's output common mode is thus self correcting to p type to n type transistor strength differences.
US08823438B2
A signal transmission circuit 200 transmits input signals IN1 and IN2 each having a different transmission speed in a mutually electrically insulated manner. Signal transmission circuit 200 includes a pulse generation unit 210, transmission units 230 and 235, a latch circuit 250, and an oscillation determination circuit 270.Transmission units 230 and 235 transmit pulse signals PLS_A and PLS_B generated by pulse generation unit 210 in accordance with logical states of input signals IN1 and IN2 to latch circuit 250 and oscillation determination circuit 270 in a mutually electrically insulated manner. Latch circuit 250 restores input signal IN1 in accordance with rising edges of pulse signals PLS_A and PLS_B. Oscillation determination circuit 270 restores input signal IN2 based on oscillation states of pulse signals PLS_A and PLS_B. With such a configuration, a plurality of signals each having a different transmission speed can be transmitted in a mutually electrically insulated manner.
US08823434B2
An operation clock generation circuit performs a calculation on the basis of the frequency errors of a fundamental clock and the clock pulses of the fundamental clock, and generates an operation clock obtained by correcting the frequency errors at first intervals. A correction clock generation circuit converts a lower-bit value that is a value represented by the bits lower than the predefined bit used for judging the change of the state of the operation clock into a count number of the clock pulses of a second clock whose frequency is higher than that of the operation clock, generates a correction clock obtained by correcting the operation clock on the basis of a time required for counting the count number of the clock pulses and the clock pulses of the operation clock.
US08823430B2
A clock generating circuit includes a phase detector for detecting a phase difference between a first clock and a second clock to generate a detecting result associated with the phase difference, a first filtering device for filtering the detecting result, a charge pump for generating a control signal according to the filtered detecting result, a second filtering device for filtering the control signal, and a controllable oscillator for generating an output clock according to the filtered control signal, wherein the output clock is utilized to generate the second clock.
US08823425B2
Disclosed herein are an output driving circuit and a transistor output circuit. The output driving circuit includes: a reference voltage generating unit generating a reference voltage; a level shift unit including a transistor latch and turning off a first transistor of a driving circuit or driving the first transistor; a driving circuit unit including the first transistor that is driven to apply power to a gate of an output transistor and a second transistor that is driven complementarily to the first transistor to lower a gate voltage of the output transistor and drive the output transistor; and an withstand voltage protecting unit that is driven by receiving a reference voltage and includes a first withstand voltage protecting unit for protecting transistors of the transistor latch and the first transistor for stable operations thereof and a second withstand voltage protecting unit for protecting the output transistor for a stable operation thereof.
US08823423B2
Apparatus for a wireless tachometer receiver. The wireless tachometer receiver includes a receiver and a signal conditioner that drives a conventional tachometer. Conventional tachometers require an input consisting of pulses at the operating voltage of the vehicle, which is typically 12 Vdc. Conventional receivers have an alternating current output that is substantially less than the operating voltage of the vehicle, which is insufficient to trigger the tachometer reliably. The signal conditioner converts the receiver output to a signal that allows for reliable operation of the conventional tachometer. In one embodiment, the signal conditioner is an amplifier that has a gain to drive the amplifier output between zero and the operating voltage of the vehicle. In another embodiment, the signal conditioner is a step-up transformer that has a ratio sufficient to produce an output at the operating voltage of the vehicle.
US08823422B2
A switching circuit for switching electric potentials, such as a capacitive high voltage load in an X-ray generator is structured into plural stages having an electronic switch, wherein the electronic switches of the different stages are arranged in series, in order to form a series conduction line for switching the electric potentials. The plural stages draw energy from the series conduction line during the time period when the series conduction line is blocked and charge an energy storage. This stored energy can be utilized for closing the series conduction line and maintaining this closed state. Further, disclosed is a method for discharging an electric load by means of a switching circuit. Also disclosed are a high voltage generator, an X-ray generator and a medical imaging system, each having such a switching circuit.
US08823420B2
In one embodiment, a level-shifter for driving a high-side power switch with sub-nanosecond timing integrity, without requiring a high-side gate-drive power supply, is provided. A drive source is connected to the gate of a power switch through a common-mode choke, and the latter level-shifts the common-mode voltage of the drive signal to the common-mode level of the power switch. The same level-shifter may also be used to drive a low-side power switch to avoid ground bounce.
US08823412B2
An automated EL CID inspection technique for the stator core of an electrical machine is provided. The inspection device includes a rail, a pickup coil and a coil support assembly. The coil support assembly includes a first part movable along the rail, and a second part where the pickup coil is actually installed. The second part is movable jointly with the first part along the rail, while also being movable relative to the first part in a direction towards or away from the stator core. A motor actuates a motion of the coil support assembly. During inspection, the motor is activated, upon which the coil support assembly moves along the rail while a specified distance is maintained between the stator core and the pickup coil by the relative motion between the first and second parts. The technique is particularly applicable in a step-iron portion of the stator core.
US08823410B2
A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a SiC BJT are provided. The SiC BJT comprises an emitter region, a base region and a collector region. The collector region is arranged on a substrate having an off-axis orientation of about 4 degrees or lower. Further, a defect termination layer (DTL) is arranged between the substrate and the collector region. A thickness and a doping level of the DTL are configured to terminate basal plane dislocations in the DTL and reduce the growth of defects from the DTL to the collector region. At least some of the embodiments are advantageous in that SiC BJTs with improved stability are provided. Further, a method of evaluating the degradation performance of a SiC BJT is provided.
US08823408B2
An evaluation system 1 according to the present invention includes: a light source 2 for exposing a pulsed white light or a pulsed laser light onto a sample; a microwave exposing and detecting unit 8 for exposing a microwave onto an organic material 12 and for detecting the intensity of the microwave which has passed through the organic material 12; a microwave passing unit 7 for making the microwave pass through the organic material 12 a plurality of times; and an evaluating unit 10 for evaluating the photoelectric conversion characteristics of the sample based on the intensity of the microwave which has passed through the organic material 12 when the pulsed white light or the pulsed laser light is exposed and the intensity of the microwave which has passed through the organic material 12 when the pulsed white light or the pulsed laser light is not exposed.
US08823404B2
There are provided an evaluation device and an evaluation method for a substrate mounting apparatus capable of simply evaluating a temperature control function of the substrate mounting apparatus depending on evaluation conditions or circumstances and an evaluation substrate used for the same. The substrate mounting apparatus holds a target substrate mounted on a mounting surface and controls a temperature of the target substrate. The evaluation device includes an evacuable airtight chamber in which the substrate mounting apparatus is provided; an evaluation substrate which is mounted on the mounting surface instead of the target substrate and includes a self-heating resistance heater; and a temperature measurement unit which measures a temperature of the evaluation substrate.
US08823402B2
An exemplary implementation of the present disclosure is a power sourcing equipment (PSE) for determining a resistance of a powered cable. The PSE includes a first supply voltage to cause a first current to flow through first and second output terminals of the PSE. The PSE also includes a second supply voltage to cause a second current to flow through third and fourth output terminals of the PSE. The PSE further includes a current modulation circuit offsetting the second current from the first current to create an offset voltage between the second and the first supply voltages to determine the resistance of the powered cable. The current modulation circuit can offset the second current from the first current utilizing a variable resistance switch to adjust the second current.
US08823399B1
Apparatuses and methods of capacitive buttons and detecting and differentiating touches from different size conductive objects on the capacitive buttons. One apparatus includes a capacitance-sensing circuit coupled to a capacitive button. The capacitive button includes a first sense element and a second sense element. The capacitance-sensing circuit is operative to measure signals from the first sense element and the second sense element with a sensing parameter (also referred to as tuning properties) set to a first value. The signals correspond to capacitances of the first sense element and second sense element. An inner perimeter of the first sense element is disposed to surround (at least in part) an outer perimeter of the second sense element. The apparatus further includes processing logic coupled to the capacitance-sensing circuit. The processing logic is operative to detect whether the first sense element is activated by a conductive object proximate to the capacitive button based on the measured signals. The processing logic detects whether the second sense element is activated by the conductive object proximate to the capacitive button based on the measured signals. The processing logic adjusts the first value to a second value for the sensing parameter when the second sense element is activated and the first sense element is not activated. The capacitance-sensing circuit is operative to measure an additional signal from the second sense element with the sensing parameter set to the second value when the second sense element is activated and the first sense element is not activated.
US08823394B2
An apparatus for capacitively measuring changes has a sensor (S) with a sensor-active region. The sensor has at least one transmitting electrode, which generates an electric field, and a further electrode (13) which is capacitively coupled to the transmitting electrode (15), wherein the transmitting electrode (15) is arranged between the further electrode (13) and an element (11) which is at a reference potential. An output of a driver/evaluation unit (5.0) is coupled to the transmitting electrode (15) and an input of the driver/evaluation unit (5.0) is coupled at high impedance to the further electrode (13), an electric field forming between the further electrode (13) and a reference potential on account of the electric field, generated by the transmitting electrode (15), between the transmitting electrode (15) and the further electrode (13). A change in the capacitance between the further electrode (13) and the reference potential is thus detected using the driver/evaluation unit (5.0). This provides a capacitive sensor which can be used to reliably detect changes in the sensor environment and is insensitive to a reference potential even in the case of a coating (18) or wetting (18).
US08823391B2
A regenerative feedback resonant circuit for measuring a transient response in a loop is disclosed. The circuit includes an amplifier for generating a signal in the loop. The circuit further includes a resonator having a resonant cavity and a material located within the cavity. The signal sent into the resonator produces a resonant frequency. A variation of the resonant frequency due to perturbations in electromagnetic properties of the material is measured.
US08823381B2
A systematic method and system for testing the charging and starting systems of a vehicle, which requires each individual test to pass before proceeding is provided. In addition, the invention incorporates an improved alternator test that determines whether the alternator belt is slipping using data read using a vehicle data port. Further, the invention provides a battery bank test that correlates the voltage before and after a load is applied to the battery bank to the batteries' conditions. When testing the starter, the oil temperature is read via the vehicle data port, allowing for a determination of whether the current draw is abnormally high.
US08823375B2
A method for generating a magnetic resonance (MR) image includes acquiring MR data from each of a plurality of RF coils and applying a prospective motion correction method to the MR data for each RF coil including determining a set of motion measurements that include a scan plane orientation associated with each data point in the MR data. The MR data for each RF coil is divided into a plurality of scan plane orientation groups based on motion changes. A set of unaliasing coefficients is generated for each scan plan orientation group and applied to the MR data to synthesize data for each RF coil. The acquired MR data and synthesized data for each RF coil is combined to generate a scan plane orientation data set. Each scan plane orientation data set is combined to generate a complete k-space data set.
US08823367B2
In a rotation angle detection apparatus, a signal detected by a magnetoresistive element is digitalized before being subjected to subtraction of the optimum correction parameter therefrom in a subtractor, the optimum correction parameter being stored in advance in a memory. Note that during the initial transmission at the time of activation, the data size “n” of a detection target obtained by a CPU from a control device is transferred to the memory, so that the optimum correction parameter for the data size of the detection target is selected. With the above, the detection unit can relatively readily cope with a request for enlargement or the like of a through hole size made by a machine side, and detection accuracy is not deteriorated and an error in absolute position processing is reduced when the curvature of the detection target is changed.
US08823362B2
A method and an array for measuring a primary current in a primary conductor that is magnetically coupled to a secondary conductor via a ferromagnetic core. In said method, a voltage having a specific amplitude is applied to the secondary conductor such that a secondary current flows for reversing the magnetization of the ferromagnetic core; the secondary current is measured while the magnetization of the ferromagnetic core is reversed in order to obtain a first measured value; the polarity of the voltage is reversed such that a secondary current flows for once again reversing the magnetization of the ferromagnetic core; the secondary current is measured while the magnetization of the core is reversed in order to obtain a second measured value; the primary current is calculated in accordance with the first and the second measured value, the polarity of the voltage being regularly reversed at a certain sensor frequency that is continuously varied.
US08823359B2
This disclosure relates to a three-phase electric energy measurement apparatus, comprising: a voltage detection unit for detecting voltage of each phase in power transmitting lines where the voltage detection unit is; a current detection unit for detecting current of each phase in the power transmitting lines where the current detection unit is; an electric energy calculation unit, connected to said voltage detection unit and said current detection unit, for receiving signals outputted from said voltage detection unit and said current detection unit, and performing signal processing and calculation, and then outputting a calculation result; wherein both said voltage detection unit and said electric energy calculation unit are connected in a star connection mode, forming a common virtual ground. Through the above-mentioned grounding manner different from that in the prior art, a three-phase four-wire electric energy meter is formed using a three-phase three-wire connection method. As a result, devices required by the three-phase electric energy measurement apparatus are saved, thereby reducing manufacture costs, and meanwhile, measurement errors due to asymmetrical loads of three phases are eliminated, thereby improving the measurement accuracy. Besides this, detection of single-phase current and single-phase voltage can be realized.
US08823356B2
Processes, machines, and articles of manufacture that may serve to enable the detection or determination of alternating line voltages from an alternating power source, such as the power grid, are provided. This automatic sensing may be useful when connections are made to the power grid, such that when connections are made, the connections may be configured to be compatible with the available power source. This automatic sensing may also be useful if power sources change characteristics over time or if devices may be connected to different power sources over time.
US08823354B2
The present disclosure provides a power semiconductor switch series circuit. The power semiconductor switch series circuit includes a plurality of series modules and a system control module. Each series module has a power semiconductor switch; a drive module for driving each power semiconductor switch to be turned on or turned off; a short-circuit detection unit for outputting at least one detection signal; an equalizer circuit; a comparison module for comparing the detection signal with a predetermined threshold, and outputting a short-circuit signal when the detection signal exceeds the predetermined threshold; and a soft turn-off module for receiving the short-circuit signal and outputting a second control signal. The system control module receives the short-circuit signal and outputs a first control signal.
US08823351B2
A control system of a DC to DC converter skips switching pulses according to the output of an overvoltage protection circuit. The overvoltage protection circuit includes an overvoltage threshold voltage control section that lowers an overvoltage threshold voltage when the pulse width has a minimum valve. The control system both improves the output voltage accuracy of the DC to DC converter under a light load and promotes a quick return to normal operation after an overvoltage protection operation under a heavy load.
US08823347B2
A voltage boosting/lowering circuit according to an aspect of the present invention includes an output voltage generation circuit 15 that includes a switch element 2 connected between an input terminal 1 and a choke coil 3 and a switch element 7 connected between the choke coil 3 and a ground, and generates an output voltage by switching the switch elements 2 and 7 between an on-state and an off-state and thereby boosting/lowering an input voltage input to the input terminal 1, a first switch control unit that outputs a first pulse signal to the switch element 2, a duty detection circuit 32 that detects a duty of the first pulse signal, and a second switch control unit that outputs a second pulse signal to the switch element 7 according to the detected duty.
US08823345B2
This invention uses new switching regulator structures to split single magnetic loops into multiple magnetic loops, with linked opposing magnetic fields, to cause a cancelling effect, resulting in a much lower overall magnetic field. This results in lower EMI. In one embodiment, synchronously switched transistors are divided up into parallel topside transistors and parallel bottomside transistors. The topside transistors are positioned to oppose the bottomside transistors, and bypass capacitors are connected between the pairs to create a plurality of current loops. The components are arranged to form a mirror image of the various current loops so that the resulting magnetic fields are in opposite directions and substantially cancel each other out. Creating opposite current loops may also be achieved by forming the conductors and components in a figure 8 pattern with a cross-over point.
US08823344B2
A control circuit arranged in a power supply including first and second switches to control an output voltage of the power supply. The control circuit includes a first control circuit that switches the first and second switches in a complementary manner in accordance with a comparison result of a first reference voltage and a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage of the power supply. A first comparison circuit compares the output voltage or feedback voltage with a second reference value. A second comparison circuit compares a coupling point current flowing through a coupling point between the first and second switches with a third reference value. A second control circuit disables complementary switching of the first and second switches in accordance with an output signal from the first comparison circuit and enables the complementary switching in accordance with an output signal of the second comparison circuit.
US08823343B2
A power amplifying circuit includes a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor that are connected in series, are interposed between a high potential power line and a low potential power line, and drive a load; a predriver that generates, in response to an input signal, gate voltages applied to the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor respectively; and a variable power source that supplies source voltages to the high potential power line and the low potential power line respectively, and is configured to control the source voltages.
US08823342B2
A multi-output dual polarity inductive boost converter includes an inductor, a first output node, a second output node, and a switching network, the switching network configured to provide the following modes of circuit operation: a first mode where the positive electrode of the inductor is connected to an input voltage and the negative electrode of the inductor is connected to ground; 2) a second mode the negative electrode of the inductor is connected to ground and the positive electrode of the inductor is connected in sequence to one or more of the fourth and fifth output nodes; and 3) a third mode where the positive electrode of the inductor is connected to the input voltage and the negative electrode of the inductor is connected in sequence to one or more of the first, second and third output nodes.
US08823330B2
A system for monitoring operation of an electric vehicle charging station is provided. The system includes a battery charger configured to couple to a device for supplying current to the device, a current sensor coupled to the battery charger for measuring current supplied from the battery charger to the device, the current sensor configured to generate a measured current profile based on the measured current supplied to the device, and a processor coupled to the current sensor. The processor is configured to receive the measured current profile transmitted from the current sensor, and compare the measured current profile to at least one known current profile to monitor operation of the charging station.
US08823324B2
A battery charging method includes generating a plurality of charge profiles, each for a different one of a plurality of batteries, wherein a charge profile indicates a charge current as a function of charge time, and at least two of the charge profiles have a different charge current at a same charge time, and concurrently charging each of the plurality of batteries based on a corresponding charge profile.
US08823323B2
Batteries, battery systems, battery submodules, battery operational methods, battery system operational methods, battery charging methods, and battery system charging methods are described. According to one aspect, a battery includes a first battery terminal, a second battery terminal, and a plurality of submodules individually comprising a first submodule terminal, a second submodule terminal, a plurality of rechargeable cells electrically coupled between the first and second submodule—terminals, and switching circuitry configured to electrically couple one of the first and second battery terminals with one of the first and second submodule terminals of one of the submodules during an engaged mode of operation of the one of the submodules and to electrically isolate the one of the first and second battery terminals from the one of the first and second submodule terminals of the one of the submodules during a disengaged mode of operation of the one of the submodules.
US08823320B2
A vehicle charging system (1) includes: a connection cable (2) for supplying power from the external power source (12) such as a commercial power source; the drive battery (8); an auxiliary battery (9); and a drive battery charging device (3). The drive battery charging device (3) includes a power source circuit (7) connected to the external power source (12), the drive battery (8), and the auxiliary battery (9). Power from at least one of the external power source (12), the drive battery (8), and the auxiliary battery (9) is supplied to the control section (4). Operation of the control section (4) becomes possible with the supplied power. Accordingly, under control of the control section (4), a charge section (10) charges the drive battery (8) and the auxiliary battery (9) using power from the external power source (12).
US08823319B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmit antenna generates an electromagnetic field having a region for wirelessly transferring power from the transmit antenna to a plurality of receiver devices. A controller is operably coupled to the transmit antenna. The controller determines a power allocation for a particular one of the plurality of receiver devices disposed within the region, and adjusts the power allocation based at least in part on a power requirement received from the particular one of the plurality of receiver devices.
US08823318B2
The present invention provides a mobile device including: a power receiver for wirelessly coupling with a power transmitter to receive power wirelessly from the power transmitter; and a function that automatically initiates upon the power receiver wirelessly coupling with the power transmitter. Also provided is a transmitter apparatus including a power transmitter for wirelessly coupling with a power receiver in a mobile device to provide power wirelessly to the power receiver, wherein, upon the power receiver wirelessly coupling with the power transmitter, data is transferred between the power transmitter and the power receiver and a function of the mobile device automatically initiates. The mobile device and transmitter apparatus together form a system for operating the mobile device. Methods and computer-readable media storing executable application programs associated with the system are also provided.
US08823298B2
A method of operating a laundry treating appliance to control a rotational speed of a drum to move the laundry within the drum according to a predetermined category of movement.
US08823293B2
A traction motor drive system includes a plurality of armatures arranged in parallel with each other and a plurality of field circuits arranged in series with one another. The plurality of field circuits is arranged in parallel with the armatures. The traction motor drive system also includes a field isolation system including a shunt circuit associated with at least one field circuit. The field isolation system includes a first field switch arranged in series with the plurality of field circuits and configured to switch between a first terminal of the shunt circuit and a first field terminal of at least one field circuit. The field isolation system includes a second field switch, arranged in series with the plurality of field circuits and configured to switch between a second terminal of the shunt circuit and a second field terminal of at least one field circuit.
US08823291B2
The present invention relates to a dual-frequency resonant cavity (6) for cyclotron which includes a dee (10), a pillar (20), and a conducting enclosure (40) surrounding the pillar and the dee, an end of the pillar being connected to the base of the conducting enclosure and an opposite end of the pillar (20) supporting the dee (10). The conducting enclosure and the pillar form a transmission line comprising at least three portions (20a, 20b, 20c), each portion having a characteristic impedance (Zc1, Zc2, Zc3). The characteristic impedance Zc2 of the intermediate portion (20b) is substantially lower than the characteristic impedances Zc1 et Zc3 of the two other portions (20a, 20b), which makes it possible to have the cavity resonate according to two modes in order to produce two distinct frequencies, without having to make use of moving components such as for example sliding short-circuits or mobile plates.The present invention also relates to a method for designing such a resonant cavity, based on the use of electromagnetic—and radio frequency simulation tools.
US08823288B2
A discharge lamp ballast apparatus includes an F/F 10 for maintaining the on or off operation of a high-side switching device Q1 of an inverter in synchronization with a rising edge and falling edge of a main signal, and a return unit 9 for generating a signal for returning, even if the output Q of the F/F is inverted owing an unforeseen situation, the output to the polarity to be output normally; and returns the output of the F/F 10 to the first polarity to be output normally using the return signal.
US08823287B2
In one embodiment, a light dimming module is disclosed. The light dimming module has a dimming engine coupled to a digital input interface and an output interface. The dimming engine is configured to provide a N-segment piecewise linear exponential digital control signal, and the output interface is configured to control the intensity of a light source.
US08823284B2
Optimal power supply topologies that do not use output bulk capacitors as well as freewheeling diodes in output section to therefore provide efficiency, cost, volume, and weight advantage over the existing solutions. The present invention applies a pulse-width modulated switched current at higher frequency (in order of 10 to 100 kHz) to LEDs without degrading optical performance. LEDs' average current control is attained using a feedback loop that senses the average value of LEDs' current and controls the current by varying the pulse width of applied current.
US08823278B2
A DC power source unit 37 is provided which boosts source voltage from a power source portion 36. A lighting circuit 38 is provided which supplies DC voltage to loads, the DC voltage being obtained by stepping down output current of the DC power source circuit 37. A control circuit 39 is provided which controls the lighting circuit 38 in accordance with at least either voltage or current of LEDs 25 and controls the DC power source unit 37 so that a ratio of output voltage to voltage of the LEDs 25 becomes a preset fixed ratio.
US08823277B2
In embodiments of the present invention, a method and system is provided for designing improved intelligent, LED-based lighting systems. The LED based lighting systems may include fixtures with one or more of rotatable LED light bars, integrated sensors, onboard intelligence to receive signals from the LED light bars and control the LED light bars, and a mesh network connectivity to other fixtures.
US08823263B2
An electron tube includes: a microwave structure having an evacuated envelope including two ends, the microwave structure being at a reference potential, an electron gun including a cathode for providing a beam of electrons, along an axis, at one end of the evacuated envelope, an electron collector for gathering electrons of the beam at the other end of the evacuated envelope, and at least one high-voltage power supply for applying to the cathode a negative high-voltage potential with respect to the reference potential. The tube includes between the cathode and the microwave structure a device for extracting the positive ions including at least one electrode carried to a negative potential with respect to the reference potential so as to extract positive ions from the evacuated envelope, these positive ions being produced by the impacting of the electrons of the electron beam with molecules of residual gas in the evacuated envelope. The invention has application to microwave electron tubes, klystron TWT etc. using a cylindrical electron beam.
US08823259B2
Disclosed are graphene shield enhanced photocathodes, such as high QE photocathodes. In certain embodiments, a monolayer graphene shield membrane ruggedizes a high quantum efficiency photoemission electron source by protecting a photosensitive film of the photocathode, extending operational lifetime and simplifying its integration in practical electron sources. In certain embodiments of the disclosed graphene shield enhanced photocathodes, the graphene serves as a transparent shield that does not inhibit photon or electron transmission but isolates the photosensitive film of the photocathode from reactive gas species, preventing contamination and yielding longer lifetime.
US08823237B2
An electric machine includes a stator having a magnetic core crossed longitudinally by a stator slot and stator winding having a phase and series of rigid, U-shaped bars inserted through the slot. The slot defines “entry” and “exit” sides in which cusps and legs of the bars are placed. The legs coming out the “exit” side are twisted through relative double folds each of which defines internal and external folds in opposite directions. Ends of the legs are electrically connected to each other to form electrical paths of the winding. A width of the cusps is identical for the bars. The ends of a pair in a part of the winding are initially not adjacent to each other and folded toward each other to be arranged parallel to each other in a circumferential direction so that the ends touch each other to allow an electrical connection between the ends.
US08823229B2
A linear actuator is provided that includes a housing having an input member supported for rotation therein. An output member travels linearly along the input member when the input member is rotated relative to the output member. A guide rail extends along an inner surface of the housing. The output member engages the guide rail to prevent rotation of the output member.
US08823228B2
Transmission drive unit (10), in particular for adjusting movable parts in the motor vehicle, having a drive motor (12) and a transmission (14) which is driven thereby, wherein the transmission (14) has an output element (70) and a self-locking device (60) with a locking element (63, 55), and the locking element locks the transmission (12) with respect to torques which are applied to the transmission (12) by the output element (70), wherein the transmission (12) with its transmission toothing (47) and a motor shaft bearing (32, 28) is designed to have optimized efficiency and minimal friction, and the drive motor (12) has, as an exciter magnet, a sleeve-shaped annular magnet (18) which is arranged in a pole pot (16) which forms a magnetic return.
US08823226B2
A sealed electric generator includes a casing (2) housing a stator (3) and a rotor (4) connected to a shaft (5), wherein the shaft (5) is provided with a duct housing and a lead (10) carrying electric power from an exciter (8) to rotor field windings (9). The duct has a sealing unit for preventing gas contained inside of the casing (2) from reaching the exciter (8). The sealing unit has first and second seals (20, 21) defining between them a chamber (22), such that gas that leaks past a seal (20, 21) enters the chamber (22).
US08823224B2
A fan having an air guide and a flywheel is provided, the flywheel being attached to a shaft, for cooling an electric motor. The electric motor has a rotor which can be attached to the shaft. The air guide is arranged in an interchangeable manner at a position between the flywheel and the rotor with respect to the axial direction, and has an air guide opening with an inner cross section for the purpose of forming a blowing channel. An air flow generated by the flywheel can be guided through the blowing channel in the axial direction. The inner cross section is smaller than an outer cross section of the rotor.
US08823217B2
A one-to-many wireless energy transmission system is provided, including a resonance transmission coil and at least a resonance receiving coil, where the resonance transmission coil has a characteristic dimension covering the area or volume larger than or equal to the total area or volume of all of the at least a resonance receiving coil. The one-to-many wireless energy transmission system can further include at least a controllable off-tune relay coil, which is placed within the work range of the resonance transmission coil. The characteristic dimension, resonance frequency and placement location of the at least a controllable relay coil are adjusted in accordance with the characteristic dimension and resonance frequency of the resonance transmission coil so that each of the at least a resonance receiving coil can receive sufficient transmitted energy uniformly within work range of resonance transmission coil to operate normally without interference with each other.
US08823214B2
A system includes at least one active energy transfer coil and a first passive energy transfer coil. The active energy transfer coil is configured to couple with a power supply. The at least one active energy transfer coil has an active coupling range. The first passive energy transfer coil is magnetically coupled to the active energy transfer coil and is located within the active coupling range. The first passive energy transfer coil has a passive coupling range. The first passive energy transfer coil is configured to provide energy to a first device located within the passive coupling range and based on energy received from the at least one active energy transfer coil.
US08823212B2
We describe a modular adjustable power factor renewable energy inverter system. The system comprises a plurality of inverter modules having a switched capacitor across its ac power output, a power measurement system coupled to a communication interface, and a power factor controller to control switching of the capacitor. A system controller receives power data from each inverter module, sums the net level of ac power from each inverter, determines a number of said capacitors to switch based on the sum, and sends control data to an appropriate number of the inverter modules to switch the determined number of capacitors into/out of said parallel connection across their respective ac power outputs.
US08823211B2
A photovoltaic inverter is provided, having a controller, an auxiliary power and a buffering element. The auxiliary power provides power to the controller. The buffering element is coupled between a photovoltaic panel and the auxiliary power such that the buffering element stores energy output from the photovoltaic panel first during a startup period, and then stops storing energy output from the photovoltaic panel and provides the stored energy to the auxiliary power, thereby performing a maximum power point tracking procedure on the photovoltaic panel during a first period following the startup period, and feeds energy output from the photovoltaic panel to the auxiliary power during a second period following the first period thereby continuously performing the maximum power point tracking procedure on the photovoltaic panel by the controller.
US08823210B1
An apparatus for perpetually harvesting ambient near ultraviolet to far infrared radiation to provide continual power regardless of the environment, incorporating a system for the harvesting electronics governing power management, storage control, and output regulation. The harvesting electronics address issues of efficiently matching the voltage and current characteristics of the different harvested energy levels, low power consumption, and matching the power output demand. The device seeks to harvest the largely overlooked blackbody radiation through use of a thermal harvester, providing a continuous source of power, coupled with a solar harvester to provide increased power output.
US08823206B2
A power-supply control device for battery having a plurality of cells connected in series has a voltage conversion unit that steps down a voltage at the battery to supply the stepped-down voltage to a first load, a first opening and closing unit that opens and closes a supply path of first power from the battery to the voltage conversion unit and a second load, a battery control unit that detects abnormality of the battery, controls opening and closing of the first opening and closing unit, and is operated by second power supplied from the battery or third power supplied from the voltage conversion unit, the second power being lower than the first power, and a second opening and closing unit that opens and closes a supply path of the second power from the battery to the battery control unit.
US08823191B2
A method for controlling a wind turbine is provided. The method includes monitoring an electrical quantity at an output terminal of the wind turbine. The electric quantity has an amplitude and periodically varying with a grid frequency. The method further includes detecting an oscillation of the amplitude and decreasing active power output from the wind turbine at the output terminal depending on the detected oscillation.
US08823184B2
An optoelectronic component includes a first substrate on which are arranged an active region and a first contact region, and a first contact layer arranged in the first contact region. The second component includes a second substrate on which is arranged at least one second contact layer arranged in a second contact region. The first contact layer connects electrically conductively with the active region and additionally is bonded to the second contact layer by an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer includes an electrically conductive adhesive. The first contact layer and/or the second contact layer are patterned at least in part.
US08823180B2
Package on package (PoP) devices and methods of packaging semiconductor dies are disclosed. A PoP device includes a bottom packaged die having solder balls disposed on the top surface thereof and a top packaged die having metal stud bumps disposed on a bottom surface thereof. The metal stud bumps include a bump region and a tail region coupled to the bump region. Each metal stud bump on the top packaged die is coupled to one of the solder balls on the bottom packaged die.
US08823169B2
A semiconductor manufacturing method includes providing a carrier; forming a first photoresist layer; forming plural core portions; removing the first photoresist layer; forming a second photoresist layer; forming a plurality of connection portions, each of the plurality of connection portions includes a first connection layer and a second connection layer and connects to each of the core portions to form a hybrid bump, wherein each of the first connection layers comprises a base portion, a projecting portion and an accommodating space, each base portion comprises an upper surface, each projecting portion is protruded to the upper surface and located on top of each core portion, each accommodating space is located outside each projecting portion, the second connection layers cover the projecting portions and the upper surfaces, and the accommodating spaces are filled by the second connection layers; removing the second photoresist layer to reveal the hybrid bumps.
US08823168B2
A method of attaching an IC wafer having a plurality of copper pillars (“CuP's) projecting from one face thereof to a substrate having a plurality of contact pads on one face thereof including applying a film having a substantial amount of filler particles therein to the one face of the wafer; applying an a-stage resin having substantially no filler particles therein to the one face of the substrate; and interfacing the film with the a-stage resin.
US08823167B2
This description relates to an integrated circuit device including a conductive pillar formed over a substrate. The conductive pillar has a sidewall surface and a top surface. The integrated circuit device further includes an under-bump-metallurgy (UBM) layer between the substrate and the conductive pillar. The UBM layer has a surface region. The integrated circuit device further includes a protection structure on the sidewall surface of the conductive pillar and the surface region of the UBM layer. The protection structure is formed of a non-metal material.
US08823161B2
A semiconductor chip includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a chip pad disposed on the first surface of the substrate, and a through-silicon via (TSV) including a plurality of sub vias electrically connected to the chip pad at different positions.
US08823143B2
Methods for electrodepositing germanium on various semiconductor substrates such as Si, Ge, SiGe, and GaAs are provided. The electrodeposited germanium can be formed as a blanket or patterned film, and may be crystallized by solid phase epitaxy to the orientation of the underlying semiconductor substrate by subsequent annealing. These plated germanium layers may be used as the channel regions of high-mobility channel field effect transistors (FETs) in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits.
US08823137B2
A semiconductor device includes first and second wells formed side by side as impurity diffusion regions of a first conductive type in a semiconductor substrate, below an intermediate dielectric film that covers a major surface of the substrate. A conductive layer formed above the intermediate dielectric film is held at a potential. A first resistive layer is formed on the intermediate dielectric film and is electrically connected to the first well. A second resistive layer is formed on the intermediate dielectric film and is electrically connected to the second well. The first resistive layer and first well form a first resistance element. The second resistive layer and second well form a second resistance element.
US08823127B2
A multijunction photovoltaic (PV) cell includes a bottom flexible substrate and a bottom metal layer located on the bottom flexible substrate. The multijunction photovoltaic cell also includes a semiconductor layer located on the bottom metal layer and a stack having a plurality of junctions located on the semiconductor layer, each of the plurality of junctions having a respective bandgap. The pluralities of junctions are ordered from the junction having the smallest bandgap being located on the substrate to the junction having the largest bandgap being located on top of the stack.
US08823124B2
A semiconductor structure for a radiation detector, comprising a substrate composed of a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate is provided with a semiconductor layer provided on the substrate and having a higher resistance in comparison to the substrate, of the first conductivity type, and electrically doped with a doping concentration, a plurality of doped regions, wherein the plurality of doped regions are provided in the semiconductor substrate and separated from each other, of a second conductivity type that is opposite from the first conductivity type, and electrically doped with a doping concentration that is higher than the doping concentration in the semiconductor substrate, at least one further doping region, and a cover layer is provided.
US08823120B2
According to an embodiment of the invention, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element includes a reference ferromagnetic layer, a storage ferromagnetic layer, and an insulating layer. The storage ferromagnetic layer includes a CoFeB sub-layer coupled to a CoFe sub-layer and/or a NiFe sub-layer through a non-magnetic sub-layer. The insulating layer is disposed between the reference and storage ferromagnetic layers.
US08823117B2
The present disclosure provides for magnetic devices and methods of fabricating such a device. In one embodiment, a magnetic device includes a first elliptical pillar of first material layers; a second elliptical pillar concentrically disposed over the first elliptical pillar, the second elliptical pillar includes second material layers. The second elliptical pillar is smaller than the first elliptical pillar in size.
US08823109B2
A transistor structure is provided in the present invention. The transistor structure includes: a substrate comprising a N-type well, a gate disposed on the N-type well, a spacer disposed on the gate, a first lightly doped region in the substrate below the spacer, a P-type source/drain region disposed in the substrate at two sides of the gate, a silicon cap layer covering the P-type source/drain region and the first lightly doped region and a silicide layer disposed on the silicon cap layer, and covering only a portion of the silicon cap layer.
US08823078B2
Provided are a non-volatile memory devices having a stacked structure, and a memory card and a system including the same. A non-volatile memory device may include a substrate. A stacked NAND cell array may have at least one NAND set and each NAND set may include a plurality of NAND strings vertically stacked on the substrate. At least one signal line may be arranged on the substrate so as to be commonly coupled with the at least one NAND set.
US08823076B2
There is provided a monolithic three dimensional array of charge storage devices which includes a plurality of device levels, wherein at least one surface between two successive device levels is planarized by chemical mechanical polishing.
US08823071B2
Disclosed is a pixel electrode which is electrically connected to a scanning line electrically connected to a gate electrode, a data line electrically connected to a data line side source and drain region, and a pixel electrode side source and drain region; and a capacitance element which has a first capacitance electrode which is electrically connected to a capacitance line, a second capacitance electrode which is provided to oppose the first capacitance electrode, and a dielectric layer which is interposed between the first capacitance electrode and the second capacitance electrode, where the first capacitance electrode is arranged to be covered with the dielectric layer and the second capacitance electrode between a layer where the transistor, the scanning line, and the data line are provided and a layer where the pixel electrode is provided.
US08823069B2
A solid-state imaging device that includes: a pixel array section configured by an array of a unit pixel, including an optoelectronic conversion section that subjects an incoming light to optoelectronic conversion and stores therein a signal charge, a transfer transistor that transfers the signal charge stored in the optoelectronic conversion section, a charge-voltage conversion section that converts the signal charge provided by the transfer transistor into a signal voltage, and a reset transistor that resets a potential of the charge-voltage conversion section; and voltage setting means for setting a voltage of a well of the charge-voltage conversion section to be negative.
US08823064B2
Asymmetric FET devices and methods for fabrication thereof that employ a variable pitch gate are provided. In one aspect, a FET device is provided. The FET device includes a wafer; a plurality of active areas formed in the wafer; a plurality of gate stacks on the wafer, wherein at least one of the gate stacks is present over each of the active areas, and wherein the gate stacks have an irregular gate-to-gate spacing such that for at least a given one of the active areas a gate-to-gate spacing on a source side of the given active area is greater than a gate-to-gate spacing on a drain side of the given active area; spacers on opposite sides of the gate stacks; and an angled implant in the source side of the given active area.
US08823056B2
Dislocation pile-ups in compositionally graded semiconductor layers are reduced or eliminated, thereby leading to increased semiconductor device yield and manufacturability. This is accomplished by introducing a semiconductor layer having a plurality of threading dislocations distributed substantially uniformly across its surface as a starting layer and/or at least one intermediate layer during growth and relaxation of the compositionally graded layer. The semiconductor layer may include a seed layer disposed proximal to the surface of the semiconductor layer and having the threading dislocations uniformly distributed therein.
US08823052B2
A power semiconductor device includes a four-layer structure having layers arranged in order: (i) a cathode layer of a first conductivity type with a central area being surrounded by a lateral edge, the cathode layer being in direct electrical contact with a cathode electrode, (ii) a base layer of a second conductivity type, (iii) a drift layer of the first conductivity typehaving a lower doping concentration than the cathode layer, and (iv) an anode layer of the second conductivity type which is in electrical contact with an anode electrode. The base layer includes a first layer as a continuous layer contacting the central area of the cathode layer. A resistance reduction layer, in which the resistance at the junction between the lateral edge of the cathode and base layers is reduced, is arranged between the first layer and the cathode layer and covers the lateral edge of the cathode layer.
US08823046B2
A light emitting diode (LED) includes a transparent insulating layer; and at least one transparent conductive oxide layer substantially enclosing the transparent insulating layer, wherein the transparent insulating layer and the at least one transparent conductive oxide layer are configured to distribute a current through the LED more concentrated toward a peripheral region of the LED.
US08823033B2
A nitride semiconductor ultraviolet light-emitting device includes at least one first conductivity-type nitride semiconductor layer, a nitride semiconductor emission layer, at least one second conductivity-type nitride semiconductor layer and a transparent conductive film of crystallized Mgx1Zn1-x1O (0
US08823029B2
Provided are a light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same. A light emitting device includes an active layer; a first conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer; a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer so that the active layer is disposed between the first and second conductive semiconductor layers; and a photonic crystal structure comprising a first light extraction pattern on the first conductive semiconductor layer having a first period, and second light extraction pattern on the first conductive semiconductor layer having a second period, the first period being greater than λ/n, and the second period being identical to or smaller than λ/n, where n is a refractive index of the first conductive semiconductor layer, and λ is a wavelength of light emitted from the active layer.
US08823026B2
A nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device of an embodiment includes a semiconductor multilayer structure having a growing plane which is an m-plane and being made of a GaN-based semiconductor. The semiconductor multilayer structure includes a n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, a p-side electrode provided on the p-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer interposed between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer. The ratio of the thickness of the active layer to the thickness of the n-type semiconductor layer, D, is in the range of 1.8×10−4≦D≦14.1×10−4. The area of the p-side electrode, S, is in the range of 1×102 μm2≦S≦9×104 μm2. A maximum current density which leads to 88% of a maximum of the external quantum efficiency is not less than 2 A/mm2.
US08823018B2
Provided is a semiconductor module having high inrush-current tolerance. A semiconductor module includes a switching element formed of a wide bandgap semiconductor, and a free wheel diode connected in antiparallel with the switching element, wherein the free wheel diode is made of silicon and has negative temperature characteristics.
US08823016B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and having a major surface, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, and a light emitting layer provided between the first and second semiconductor layers. The major surface is opposite to the light emitting layer. The first semiconductor layer has structural bodies provided in the major surface. The structural bodies are recess or protrusion. A centroid of a first structural body aligns with a centroid of a second structural body nearest the first structural. hb, rb, and Rb satisfy rb/(2·hb)≦0.7, and rb/Rb<1, where hb is a depth of the recess, rb is a width of a bottom portion of the recess, and Rb is a width of the protrusion.
US08823011B2
A high linearity bandgap engineered transistor device is provided. In one example configuration, the device generally includes a substrate and an oxide layer formed on the substrate. The device further includes a wide-bandgap body material formed between a portion of the oxide layer and a gate dielectric layer. The wide-bandgap body material has an energy bandgap of 1.35 eV or higher and is lattice matched to the substrate. The device further includes a source-drain material formed on the oxide layer adjacent to the wide-bandgap body material so as to define a hetero-structure interface where the source-drain material contacts the wide-bandgap body material. The wide-bandgap body material is also lattice matched to the source-drain material. The device further includes a gate material formed over the gate dielectric layer. Other features and variations will be apparent in light of this disclosure.
US08822998B2
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate, a plurality of sub-pixels on the substrate, each sub-pixel including a first region configured to emit light and a second region configured to transmit external light, a plurality of thin film transistors disposed in the first region of the each sub-pixel, a plurality of first electrodes disposed in the first region of each sub-pixel and electrically connected to the thin film transistors, a first insulating layer on at least a portion of the first region of each sub-pixel to cover a portion of the first electrode, an organic emission layer on the first electrode, a second insulating layer on at least a portion of the second region of each sub-pixel, the second insulating layer including a plurality of openings therein, and a second electrode covering the organic emission layer, the first insulating layer, and the second insulating layer.
US08822989B2
Provided is a semiconductor device including a transistor with large on-state current even when it is miniaturized. The transistor includes a pair of first conductive films over an insulating surface; a semiconductor film over the pair of first conductive films; a pair of second conductive films, with one of the pair of second conductive films and the other of the pair of second conductive films being connected to one of the pair of first conductive films and the other of the pair of first conductive films, respectively; an insulating film over the semiconductor film; and a third conductive film provided in a position overlapping with the semiconductor film over the insulating film. Further, over the semiconductor film, the third conductive film is interposed between the pair of second conductive films and away from the pair of second conductive films.
US08822984B2
Methods and systems for reducing the deleterious effects of gate bias stress on the drain current of an organic device, such as an organic thin film transistor, are provided. In a particular aspect, the organic layer of an organic device is illuminated with light having characteristics selected to reduce the gate bias voltage effects on the drain current of the organic device. For instance, the wavelength and intensity of the light are selected to provide a desired recovery of drain current of the organic device. If the characteristics of the light are appropriately matched to the organic device, recovery of the deleterious effects caused by gate bias voltage stress effects on the drain current of the organic device can be achieved. In a particular aspect, the organic device is selectively illuminated with light to operate the organic device in multiple modes of operation.
US08822982B2
A light emitting device which is capable of suppressing deterioration by diffusion of impurities such as moisture, oxygen, alkaline metal and alkaline earth metal, and concretely, a flexible light emitting device which has light emitting element formed on a plastic substrate. On the plastic substrate, disposed are two layers and more of barrier films comprising a layer represented by AlNxOy which is capable of blocking intrusion of moisture and oxygen in a light emitting layer and blocking intrusion of impurities such as an alkaline metal and an alkaline earth metal in an active layer of TFT, and further, a stress relaxation film containing resin is disposed between two layers of barrier films.
US08822980B2
A photoelectric conversion element is provided and includes a photoelectric conversion portion which includes: a pair of electrodes including an electron-collecting electrode and a hole-collecting electrode; and a photoelectric conversion layer between the pair of electrodes. At least part of the photoelectric conversion layer includes a mixture layer of a p-type organic semiconductor and a fullerene, and a volume ratio of the fullerene to the p-type organic semiconductor in the photoelectric conversion layer is such that the volume ratio on a side of the electron-collecting electrode is smaller than the volume ratio on a side of the hole-collecting electrode.
US08822979B2
Disclosed is an arrangement including a support and a super-conductive film which is arranged thereon. The film has a plurality of holes in order to form a perforated grating. The holes are optionally round holes having increasing sizes, triangular holes, or holes which are arranged in a meandering manner in the film, and which produce improved properties in relation to signal conversion by a vortex diode and/or in a filter. A DC signal is directly removed therein without additional electronics.
US08822976B2
A nitride semiconductor ultraviolet light-emitting element is formed by laminating at least an n-type cladding layer configured of an n-type AlGaN semiconductor layer, an active layer including an AlGaN semiconductor layer having band gap energy of 3.4 eV or larger, and a p-type cladding layer configured of a p-type AlGaN semiconductor layer. A p-type contact layer configured of a p-type AlGaN semiconductor layer that absorbs ultraviolet light emitted from the active layer is formed on the p-type cladding layer. The p-type contact layer has an opening portion penetrating through to a surface of the p-type cladding layer. A p-electrode metal layer that makes Ohmic contact or non-rectifying contact with the p-type contact layer is formed on the p-type contact layer so as not to completely block the opening portion. A reflective metal layer for reflecting the ultraviolet light is formed at least on the opening portion and covers the surface of the p-type cladding layer that is exposed through the opening portion either directly or through a transparent insulating layer that allows the ultraviolet light to pass therethrough.
US08822974B2
Some embodiments include memory cells. The memory cells may have a first electrode, and a trench-shaped programmable material structure over the first electrode. The trench-shape defines an opening. The programmable material may be configured to reversibly retain a conductive bridge. The memory cell may have an ion source material directly against the programmable material, and may have a second electrode within the opening defined by the trench-shaped programmable material. Some embodiments include arrays of memory cells. The arrays may have first electrically conductive lines, and trench-shaped programmable material structures over the first lines. The trench-shaped structures may define openings within them. Ion source material may be directly against the programmable material, and second electrically conductive lines may be over the ion source material and within the openings defined by the trench-shaped structures.
US08822973B2
Some embodiments include a memory cell that contains programmable material sandwiched between first and second electrodes. The memory cell can further include a heating element which is directly against one of the electrodes and directly against the programmable material. The heating element can have a thickness in a range of from about 2 nanometers to about 30 nanometers, and can be more electrically resistive than the electrodes. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells that include heating elements directly between electrodes and programmable materials.
US08822972B2
A non-volatile memory element including a first electrode; a second electrode; and a variable resistance layer. The variable resistance layer including, when a first metal is M and a second metal is N: a third metal oxide layer NOz; a second metal oxide layer NOy; and a first metal oxide layer MOx such that the third, second and first metal oxide layers are stacked in this order; wherein when an oxygen content atomic percentage of an oxide of the first metal M in a stoichiometric state is A, an oxygen content atomic percentage of an oxide of the second metal N in a stoichiometric state is B, an oxygen content atomic percentage of MOx is C, an oxygen content atomic percentage of NOy is D, and an oxygen content atomic percentage of NOz is E, (D/B)<(C/A), (E/B)<(C/A) and y
US08822970B2
Provided are a phase-change memory device using insulating nanoparticles, a flexible phase-change memory device and a method for manufacturing the same. The phase-change memory device includes an electrode, and a phase-change layer in which a phase change occurs depending on heat generated from the electrode, wherein insulating nanoparticles formed from a self-assembled block copolymer are provided between the electrode and the phase-change layer undergoing crystallization and amorphization.
US08822952B2
Charged particle beam apparatus arrangements in which either a first noise absorber which provides noise absorbing performance specialized for a first frequency range including the natural frequency of the charged particle beam apparatus as reference, or a second noise absorber which provides noise absorbing performance specialized for a second frequency range including the frequency of acoustic standing waves generated within the cover as reference, or both of the first and second noise absorbers is/are disposed within a cover of the charged particle beam apparatus.
US08822951B2
The present invention relates to a carrier device for transporting one or more manipulators into a vacuum specimen chamber of an electron microscope, characterized in that the carrier device comprises: (i) a platform having securing means for detachably securing the one or more manipulators to the platform, and (ii) electrical connectors secured to the platform for the electrical connection of the one or more manipulators. The present invention also relates to a method for transporting the carrier device into the vacuum specimen chamber of the electron microscope without altering the vacuum of the vacuum specimen chamber comprising transporting the carrier device of the invention through the specimen exchange chamber of the electron microscope and into the vacuum specimen chamber.
US08822948B1
A method of and apparatus for controlling the temperature of an inductively coupled or microwave induced plasma for optical emission spectrometry or mass spectrometry in which the intensities of two spectral lines of radiation emitted by the plasma are measured, and the power provided to sustain the plasma is adjusted so that the ratio of the intensities remains substantially constant.
US08822945B2
A focused ion beam apparatus includes a gas field ion gun unit having an emitter, an ion source gas supply unit for supplying different ion source gases to the emitter, a heater for heating the emitter, and an extraction electrode. A storage section stores, for each gas of a plurality of different types, set values of emitter temperature, gas pressure, extraction voltage to be applied to an extraction electrode, image contrast and image brightness. An input section selects and inputs one of the gas types. A control section reads, from the storage section, the set values of emitter temperature, gas pressure, extraction voltage, image contrast and image brightness, which correspond to the input gas type, and sets a heater, a gas control section, a voltage control section, and an adjustment section for the contrast and brightness of the image.
US08822939B2
A matrix substrate which realizes high operation speed and high reliability and which is capable of obtaining a high-quality image while the number of connection terminals is limited is provided. The matrix substrate includes pixels arranged in a matrix, N driving lines arranged in a row direction, P connection terminals where P is less than N, a demultiplexer which is disposed between the connection terminals and the driving lines and which includes first polycrystalline semiconductor TFTs and first connection terminals. The demultiplexer further includes second polycrystalline semiconductor TFTs and the second control lines used to maintain the driving lines to have non-selection voltages which bring the pixels to non-selection states between one of the connection terminals and two or more of the driving lines.
US08822938B2
A detector is disclosed, in particular for X-radiation. The detector includes an array of photodiodes, each respectively corresponding to a pixel with regard to size of their photosensitive receiving surface. Each photodiode is subdivided in the same way into at least two sub-photodiodes. Further, each photodiode includes at least one electric switch such that only one or all the sub-photodiodes of the photodiode are connectable to an evaluation circuit.
US08822927B2
A device to measure the characteristics of droplets within a stream of liquid droplets used in spraying includes a light source supplying light across the stream of droplets; a detector to detect change in the light level caused by a passing droplet, the detector generating a signal according to the change in light; and a processor to analyze the characteristics of the droplets in the stream based on the signal produced by the detection means. The light passes through a slit in a panel disposed between the droplet stream and the detector, so that the change in level of light detected by the detector is proportional to the diameter of the droplet.
US08822924B2
Described is a radiation dosimeter including multiple sensor devices (including one or more passive integrating electronic radiation sensor, a MEMS accelerometers, a wireless transmitters and, optionally, a GPS, a thermistor, or other chemical, biological or EMF sensors) and a computer program for the simultaneous detection and wireless transmission of ionizing radiation, motion and global position for use in occupational and environmental dosimetry. The described dosimeter utilizes new processes and algorithms to create a self-contained, passive, integrating dosimeter. Furthermore, disclosed embodiments provide the use of MEMS and nanotechnology manufacturing techniques to encapsulate individual ionizing radiation sensor elements within a radiation attenuating material that provides a “filtration bubble” around the sensor element, the use of multiple attenuating materials (filters) around multiple sensor elements, and the use of a software algorithm to discriminate between different types of ionizing radiation and different radiation energy.
US08822918B2
An electrode changeover switch which switches the connection state of electrodes is provided in the wiring path between eight electrodes through, arranged rotation-symmetrically about ion optical axis, and voltage generation switch which generates square wave high voltage ±V. When switch is switched as shown in the drawing, two circumferentially adjacent rod electrodes are connected to form one set, a square wave voltage of opposite phase is applied to circumferentially adjacent sets, and an effectively quadrupole electric field is formed. When switch is switched, a square wave voltage of opposite phase is applied to circumferentially adjacent rod electrodes and an octupole electric field is formed. In this way, by switching the switch according to the mass range, etc., it becomes possible to rapidly switch the number of poles of a multipole electric field and to suitably transport ions.
US08822913B2
An inductively coupled plasma source having multiple gases in the plasma chamber provides multiple ion species to a focusing column. A mass filter allows for selection of a specific ion species and rapid changing from one species to another.
US08822912B2
An ion source includes a cathode to emit electrons, a cathode grid downstream of the cathode, a reflector electrode downstream of the cathode grid, reflector grid radially inward of the reflector electrode, and an extractor electrode downstream of the reflector electrode, the extractor electrode and cathode grid defining an ionization region therebetween. The cathode and the cathode grid have a first voltage difference such the electrons are accelerated through the cathode grid and into the ionization region on a trajectory toward the extractor electrode. The reflector grid and the extractor electrode have a second voltage difference less than the first voltage difference such that the electrons slow as they near the extractor electrode and are repelled on a trajectory toward the reflector electrode. The reflector electrode has a negative potential such that the electrons are repelled away from the reflector electrode and into the ionization region.
US08822888B2
A method for controlling the pressure inside a fuel cartridge with a deformable inner fuel container connectable to a fuel cell is disclosed.
US08822881B2
A fiber optic device for enabling soldering is described. The fiber optic device includes an entry portion comprising an optical fiber bundle for receiving a single light beam wherein the optical fiber bundle splits the light beam into a plurality of separate portions, each of the separate portions for enabling soldering. The fiber optic device further includes an exit portion for emitting each of the plurality of separate portions of the light beam in a pattern to enable soldering at a plurality of locations simultaneously utilizing the single light beam.
US08822877B2
Rapid thermal processing systems and associated methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for heating a microelectronic substrate include generating a plasma, applying the generated plasma to a surface of the microelectronic substrate, and raising a temperature of the microelectronic substrate with the generated plasma applied to the surface of the microelectronic substrate. The method further includes continuing to apply the generated plasma until the microelectronic substrate reaches a desired temperature.
US08822876B2
An electrostatic chuck assembly including a dielectric layer with a top surface to support a workpiece. A cooling channel base disposed below the dielectric layer includes a plurality of inner fluid conduits disposed beneath an inner portion of the top surface, and a plurality of outer fluid conduits disposed beneath an outer portion of the top surface. A chuck assembly includes a thermal break disposed within the cooling channel base between the inner and outer fluid conduits. A chuck assembly includes a fluid distribution plate disposed below the cooling channel base and the base plate to distribute a heat transfer fluid delivered from a common input to each inner or outer fluid conduit. The branches of the inner input manifold may have substantially equal fluid conductance.
US08822863B2
A water resistant switch assembly comprises a sealed compartment, and an electrical switch within the compartment. The sealed compartment includes a housing defining a cavity that maintains the electrical switch therein, the housing having an upper opening and a lower opening. The sealed compartment further includes an elastomeric member sealing said upper opening, and a moldable member sealing said lower opening, whereby the electrical switch is sealed from the ambient. The elastomeric member is sufficiently flexible for moving a switch button of the switch within said cavity when the elastomeric member is pressed from outside the switch assembly.
US08822861B2
A friction device, keypad assembly and portable electronic device are disclosed. In one embodiment, there is provided a keypad assembly for a portable electronic device, comprising: a keypad having a number of keys each having an actuator post attached to a back side thereof; a circuit board; a light guide located between the keypad and the circuit board, the light guide defining a number of holes which provide paths for respective actuator posts to travel through to contact respective electrical switches on the circuit board; and at least one friction device located in one of the holes of the light guide, the friction device providing a physical barrier limiting movement of the actuator post in a direction normal to a direction of actuation, the friction device applying friction to at least one side of the actuator post and resisting movement of the actuator post in the direction of actuation.
US08822859B2
In one embodiment, a system includes an electrical device, a frame adapted to be attached to and removed from the electrical device without removing the electrical device from an installed position, a rocker pivotally attached to the frame, a switch disposed within the electrical device, and a subrocker arranged to enable the rocker to actuate the switch. In another embodiment, an interchange kit includes a frame adapted to be attached to and removed from an electrical device without removing the electrical device from an installed position, and a rocker pivotally attached to the frame. The rocker may be adapted to engage a subrocker on the electrical device.
US08822845B2
The invention relates to a cable sleeve for guiding a cable in the inlet and outlet region of a hand-held tool. An end of the cable sleeve on the housing side is connected to the housing in a fixable manner, particularly in a form-fitting manner, so that advantageously no dust, dirt, or water may enter between the cable sleeve and the cable. According to the invention the cable sleeve has preferably a radial sealing element which corresponds to the cable and/or the housing in a sealing manner.
US08822839B2
A multi-layer printed circuit board including a core substrate, lower interlayer resin insulating layers formed on the surfaces of the core substrate, respectively, through-hole conductors formed in penetrating holes penetrating through the core substrate and the lower interlayer resin insulating layers, conductor circuits formed on the lower interlayer resin insulating layers, respectively, upper interlayer resin insulating layers formed on the conductor circuits and the lower interlayer resin insulating layers, respectively and via hole conductors formed in the upper interlayer resin insulating layers and positioned on the through-hole conductors, respectively.
US08822838B2
A Z-directed component for mounting in a mounting hole in a printed circuit board according to one example embodiment includes a body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface. The body has a cross-sectional shape that is insertable into the mounting hole in the printed circuit board. A portion of the body is composed of an insulator. Four conductive channels extend through a portion of the body along the length of the body. The four conductive channels are spaced substantially equally around a perimeter of the body.
US08822832B2
Disclosed herein are an epoxy resin composition for a printed circuit board, an insulating film, a prepreg, and a multilayer printed circuit board, the epoxy resin composition for a printed circuit board including a liquid crystal oligomer, an epoxy resin, an amino triazine novolac hardener, and an inorganic filler; the insulating film and the prepreg each being manufactured by using the resin composition; and the multilayer printed circuit board including the insulating film or the prepreg.
US08822826B2
A cable providing circuit integrity in case of fire is configured as a flat cable with plural high power current strands extending parallel adjacent to one another in a plane. Fire resistant insulating material is arranged between the high power current strands. An insulating jacket envelopes the high power current strands and the fire resistant insulating material.
US08822825B2
The foamed electric wire with a conductor and a foamed insulation layer covering the conductor; the foamed insulation layer is obtained by kneading a base resin composed of a high melting point propylene-based resin having a melting point of 150° C. or higher with a master batch containing a thermally decomposing chemical foaming agent and a low melting point propylene-based resin having a melting point of 135° C. or lower and melting the low melting point propylene-based resin followed by foaming by inducing thermal decomposition of the thermally decomposing chemical foaming agent, and a compounding ratio of the low melting point propylene-based resin in the entire resin component formed of the high melting point propylene-based resin and the low melting point propylene-based resin is less than 20% by mass.
US08822817B2
The disclosure provides for a direct wafer bonding method including providing a bonding layer upon a first and second wafer, and directly bonding the first and second wafers together under heat and pressure. The method may be used for directly bonding an GaAs-based, InP-based, GaP-based, GaSb-based, or Ga(In)N-based device to a GaAs device by introducing a highly doped (Al)(Ga)InP(As)(Sb) layer between the devices. The bonding layer material forms a bond having high bond strength, low electrical resistance, and high optical transmittance.
US08822799B2
A training and practice mallet for keyboard percussion instruments comprising a slender, substantially cylindrical mallet shaft with a gripping end and a striking end, the gripping end improved and enhanced with a pommel, or knob, affixed to the gripping end terminus, the pommel (knob) of suitable size to be gripped in the user's hand without impeding multi-mallet manipulation, and the striking end improved with a lightweight mallet head whereby a reduced volume is produced when striking a keyboard percussion instrument and in turn reducing fatigue and irritation in the user's hands and wrists. The training and practice mallet allows for increased control and confidence at low volumes while learning complex four-mallet grips. A pommel as described above and fitted to a conventional mallet for keyboard percussion instruments.
US08822798B1
A clutch assembly for a high-hat drum cymbal. A coiled spring is compressed between an upper bearing surface on an enclosure assembly and a lower bearing surface on a bearing assembly. An upper cymbal assembly is separable from the bearing assembly, and includes a first catch for cooperation with a first lever. In one embodiment, the coiled spring forces the bearing assembly and upper cymbal assembly tightly against the lower cymbal to create a distinct sound when struck by a drumstick. In another embodiment, the bearing assembly includes a second catch for cooperation with a second lever. The first lever enables the upper cymbal to fall on the lower cymbal for another type of sound. The second lever enables the spring to bias the upper cymbal tightly against the lower cymbal.
US08822795B1
An inbred corn line, designated QAE02, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line QAE02, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line QAE02 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line QAE02 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line QAE02, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line QAE02 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.
US08822794B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH160660. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH160660, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH160660 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH160660.
US08822793B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH569965. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH569965, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH569965 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH569965.
US08822788B1
A novel maize variety designated X13B640 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X13B640 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13B640 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13B640, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13B640. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13B640.
US08822787B1
A novel maize variety designated PH18SV and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH18SV with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH18SV through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH18SV or a locus conversion of PH18SV with another maize variety.
US08822780B1
A novel maize variety designated X05C037 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X05C037 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X05C037 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X05C037, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X05C037. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X05C037.
US08822777B1
An inbred corn line, designated XHE03, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line XHE03, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line XHE03 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line XHE03 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line XHE03, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line XHE03 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.
US08822771B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB64E13 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB64E13, cells from soybean variety XB64E13, plants of soybean XB64E13, and plant parts of soybean variety XB64E13. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB64E13 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB64E13, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB64E13, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB64E13. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB64E13 are further provided.
US08822768B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1026349. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1026349. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1026349 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1026349 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08822763B2
A new lettuce variety designated ‘Pommegranate Crunch’ is described. ‘Pommegranate Crunch’ is a romaine lettuce variety exhibiting stability and uniformity.
US08822761B2
The invention provides isolated NUE (nitrogen utilization efficiency) nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering nitrogen utilization and/or uptake in plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells and transgenic plants.
US08822751B2
The adhesive bandage consists of a support with one surface having pressure sensitive adhesive and a wound covering pad placed centrally on it, which are covered by two protective detachable tear away tabs. The tear away tab consists of a single layer over the adhesive surface of the support and becomes two layered over the pad region. The two layers are fused at the zone of fusion near the margin of the pad, but are otherwise free from each other. The layer close to the pad, called inner barrier layer, completely covers the pad area. The outer layer, also called grasping layer, partially covers the barrier layer and the pad, and is folded upon itself to give sufficient length. When the outer layer is grasped to pull apart the releasable tear away tabs the inner barrier layer prevents contact of the finger to the pad. As one pulls apart the tear away tabs the barrier layers unfold and prevent contact of the fingers with the wound and wound exudates, preventing cross contamination. The bandage is enclosed in an envelope with the free ends of uneven dimension to have free part of the surface of both leaves, which are easy to grasp and separate.
US08822749B2
Process for the preparation of an olefinic product, which process comprises reacting an oxygenate feedstock and an olefinic co-feed in a reactor in the presence of an oxygenate conversion catalyst comprising a molecular sieve having one-dimensional 10-membered ring channels, and a further molecular sieve having more-dimensional channels, wherein the weight ratio between the one-dimensional molecular sieve and the further molecular sieve is in the range of from 1:1 to 100:1, to prepare an olefinic reaction effluent; separating the olefinic reaction effluent into at least a first olefinic fraction and a second olefinic fraction; recycling at least part of the second olefinic fraction; and recovering at least part of the first olefinic fraction as olefinic product.
US08822738B1
A process for preparing hydroxytyrosol, wherein a compound where X is CH2OH or CH2OM (M=Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca), R1 and R2 are identical or different and are C1-C8 alkyl radical, benzyl radical, alkyl- or halogen-substituted benzyl radical or arylalkyl radical, where R1 and R2 can also be linked via to give a ring, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are identical or different and are hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl radical, aryl radical, alkyl-substituted aryl radical, where R5 and R6 can also be linked via —(CH2)4—, —(CH2)5— or —(CH2)6— to give a ring, is reacted with an aluminum compound AlR7R8R9 (2), where R7, R8 and R9 are identical or different and are H or C1-C8 alkyl radical, and then an aqueous solution of a hydroxycarboxylic acid is added to form a clear homogeneous acidic solution with a pH<3, and hydroxytyrosol is extracted therefrom.
US08822733B2
The present invention concerns a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or mixtures thereof, and wherein the dotted line may represents an additional bond and Ra represents a hydrogen atom or a Si(Rb)3 or (Rb)2COH group, each Rb representing C1-6 alkyl group or a phenyl group. The invention concerns also the compound (I) as well as its use for the synthesis of β-santalol or of derivatives thereof.
US08822729B2
A method for providing a secondary or tertiary amine with formula (R1R2NR3)2NR4 is provided, wherein each of R1 and R2 are chosen from the group consisting of a methyl group, an ethyl group, an iso-propyl group and an n-propyl group; R3 being an alkoxyalkyl group chosen from the group consisting of —CH2CH2OCH2CH2—, —CH2CH2OCH2CH2— and —CH2CH2CH2OCH2CH2CH2—; R4 is chosen from the group consisting of a hydrogen, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an iso-propyl group, an n-propyl group and a group with formula R1R2NR3. The method comprises the steps: (α) reacting R1R2NR3(OH) with ammonia, thereby providing a mixture comprising (R1R2NR3)2NR4; (β) separating (R1R2NR3)2NR4 from said mixture.
US08822723B2
A series of curing agents are provided. The curing agents are multi-functional and phosphorus-containing. The curing agents have excellent processability to be used as an epoxy resin curing agent. The curing agents can be cured to obtain a phosphorus-containing epoxy thermoset with flame retardancy characteristic. The epoxy thermosets are very fit for circuit board substrate having high glass transition temperature; semiconductor packaging material; and related materials.
US08822713B2
Coordination complexes of at least one metal element with at least one aromatic monomer are provided. The at least one aromatic monomer may comprise at least one aromatic ring, which ring comprising at least one ethylenic group, at least one hydroxide group —OH, at least one oxime group and salts thereof. The metal element may be in the form of a metal alkoxide.
US08822700B2
The present invention discloses compounds of Formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which inhibit RNA-containing virus, particularly the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention. The present invention relates to novel antiviral compounds represented herein above, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and methods for the treatment or prophylaxis of viral (particularly HCV) infection in a subject in need of such therapy with the compounds.
US08822696B2
Disclosed are: a ligand for an asymmetric synthesis catalyst; and a process for producing an α-alkenyl cyclic compound using the ligand. Specifically disclosed are: a ligand for an asymmetric synthesis catalyst, which is represented by any one of formulae (1) to (4) [wherein R1 represents —Cl or —Br; R2 represents —CH3 or —CF3; and R3 represents —CH2—CH═CH2 or —H]; and a process for producing an α-alkenyl cyclic compound using the ligand.
US08822694B2
The present invention provides a production method of a sulfonylpyrrole compound useful as a pharmaceutical product, a production method of an intermediate used for the method, and a novel intermediate. The present invention relates to a method of producing sulfonylpyrrole compound (VIII), which includes reducing compound (III) and hydrolyzing the reduced product to give compound (IV), subjecting compound (IV) to a sulfonylation reaction to give compound (VI), and subjecting compound (VI) to an amination reaction.
US08822692B2
The present invention relates to new diterpenoid derivatives of formula (I), processes for their preparation, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma, or Alzheimer's disease and/or to prevent obstructive vascular lesions consequently to arteriotomy and/or angioplasty, and to prevent organ damage in hypertensive patients.
US08822690B2
The present invention relates to high transmission yellow dye for LCD, dye dispersion comprising the dye, coloring composite comprising the dye dispersion, color filter comprising the coloring composite, and synthetic method thereof.
US08822686B2
The invention provides an iridium-containing organic electroluminescent material, the formula of which is H: wherein R is C1-C8 alkyl. The molecule of the iridium-containing organic electroluminescent material contains benzimidazole group with electron transmission function and the benzimidazole has alkyl and fluorobenzyl group, which can improve the electron injection and transmission function of the electroluminescent material, and enable the electroluminescent material to have higher internal quanta efficiency and electroluminescent efficiency. The invention also provides a preparation method of the iridium-containing organic electroluminescent material, and an organic electroluminescent device using the material.
US08822678B2
A method for synthesizing temsirolimus, the method including: using a substituted boric acid to protect 2,2-dimethylol propionic acid to produce intermediate II; carrying out a reaction between the intermediate II and 2,4,6-trichlorobenzoyl chloride; carrying out condensation reaction between a resulting product and rapamycin to produce intermediate III; and finally using a diol to remove a protecting group from the intermediate III to yield temsirolimus.
US08822676B2
Disclosed herein are cohesive soft tissue fillers, for example, dermal and subdermal fillers, based on hyaluronic acids and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. In one aspect, hyaluronic acid-based compositions described herein include a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anesthetic agent, for example, lidocaine. The present hyaluronic acid-based compositions including lidocaine have an enhanced stability and cohesivity, relative to conventional compositions including lidocaine, for example when subjected to sterilization techniques or when stored for long periods of time. Methods and processes of preparing such hyaluronic acid-based compositions are also provided.
US08822674B2
A highly stable crystal of (1S)-1,5-anhydro-1-[5-(4-{(1E)-4-[(1-{[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amino}-2-methyl-1-oxopropan-2-yl)amino]-3,3-dimethyl-4-oxobut-1-en-1-yl}benzyl)-2-methoxy-4-(propan-2-yl)phenyl]-D-glucitol, and a process for producing the crystal are provided. Specifically, an ethanolate having the following physical properties, and a plurality of other crystal forms transformed from the ethanolate are provided: (a) Having peaks at 2θ=5.9 degrees, 17.1 degrees, 17.6 degrees and 21.5 degrees in X-ray powder diffraction (Cu—Kα); (b) Showing characteristic absorption bands at 3538 cm−1, 3357 cm−1, 2964 cm−1, 1673 cm−1, 1634 cm−1 and 1505 cm−1 in an infrared absorption spectrum; and (c) Having a melting point in a vicinity of 111° C.
US08822673B2
Methods and compositions are provided for detecting a primer extension product in a reaction mixture. In the subject methods, a primer extension reaction is conducted in the presence of a polymerase having 3′→5′ exonuclease activity and at least one FET labeled oligonucleotide probe that includes a 3′→5′ exonuclease resistant quencher domain. Also provided are systems and kits for practicing the subject methods. The subject invention finds use in a variety of different applications, and are particularly suited for use in high fidelity PCR based reactions, including SNP detection applications, allelic variation detection applications, and the like.
US08822670B2
A method of synthesizing a cDNA chain using an insoluble carrier having on the surface thereof a polymer substance containing a first unit having a group derived from a phosphoric ester composing the hydrophilic portion of phospholipid, and a second unit having a group derived from carboxylic acid having an electron-attractive substituent bound to a carbonyl group, which includes immobilizing a polynucleotide for DNA elongation; bringing a solution containing an RNA fragment, nucleotide monomers, and a reverse transcriptase or an enzyme having polymerase activity into contact with the surface of the insoluble carrier; and allowing the polynucleotide for DNA elongation immobilized on the surface of the carrier to elongate using the RNA fragment contained in the solution as a template, to thereby form a single-strand cDNA.
US08822669B2
A miRNA expression vector including SEQ ID NO. 11. The vector is capable of improving the fertility of animals by inhibiting the expression of inhibin.
US08822665B2
The invention demonstrates that, contrary to apoptotic rabies virus G proteins, certain non-apoptotic rabies virus G proteins, such as the G protein of the CVS-NIV strain, have a neurite outgrowth promoting effect. The invention further demonstrates that this neurite outgrowth promoting effect is due to the cytoplasmic tail of said non-apoptotic rabies virus G proteins, more particularly to their PDZ-BS, which shows a single-point mutation compared to the one of apoptotic rabies virus G proteins. The invention provides means for inducing and/or stimulating neurite outgrowth, which are useful in inducing neuron differentiation, for example for the treatment of a neoplasm of the nervous system, as well as in regenerating impaired neurons, for example for the treatment of a neurodegenerative disease, disorder or condition or in the treatment of a microbial infection, or in protecting neurons from neurotoxic agents or oxidative stress.
US08822642B2
Compositions and methods relating to soluble dimeric proteins are disclosed. The dimeric proteins comprise first and second polypeptide fusions linked via a dimerizing domain, each polypeptide fusion comprising first and second monomer domains corresponding to a cytokine or an extracellular domain of a cell-surface receptor. The monomer domains may be positioned amino terminal and carboxyl terminal to the dimerizing domain. Alternatively, the monomer domains may be positioned in tandem, either carboxyl terminal or amino terminal to the dimerizing domain. The dimeric proteins are useful in methods for therapy, diagnosis, and research.
US08822638B2
A peptide or peptide derivative comprising: (i) WDLYFEIVW;(SEQ ID NO: 1) or (ii) a variant amino acid sequence comprising one, two, three or four L-amino acid substitutions in WDLYFEIVW (SEQ ID NO: 1); or (iii) the retro-inverso variant of the peptide or peptide derivative of either one of parts (i) and (ii), wherein said peptide or peptide derivative has procoagulant activity. A peptide or peptide derivative comprising: (i) an amino acid sequence comprising imfwydcye; or (ii) a variant amino acid sequence comprising one, two, three, four, five or six amino acid substitutions in imfwydcye, wherein said peptide or peptide derivative has procoagulant activity.
US08822627B2
A method of manufacture of novolac-type phenol resin, wherein phenols and aldehydes are allowed to react with each other, a water-soluble organic phosphonic acid is used as a reaction catalyst, and a tertiary phosphine compound is used as a reaction promoter. It is preferable that the aforementioned organic phosphonic acid have the structure shown in the following general formula (1): R—PO(OH)2 (1) (R is a group which contains a carbon atom, and which contains —COON and/or —PO(OH)2).
US08822606B2
Embodiment of the invention provide for compositions having at least one crosslinkable silyl group in each molecule. The crosslinkable silane-terminated polymer may include a reaction product of at least a polyol having a nominal functionality of at least 2 and a isocyanate capped hydrosilylated polymer. The isocyanate capped hydrosilylated polymer may include a reaction product of at least one isocyanate and a hydrosilylated polymer. The hydrosilylated polymer may include a reaction product of a the reaction of at least a) a polymer having at least one unsaturated group and at least one alcoholic hydroxyl group in each molecule and having a number average molecular weight of between about 100 and about 5000 and b) a compound having a hydrogen-silicon bond and a crosslinkable silyl group in each molecule.
US08822605B2
Graft copolymer (P) which exhibit pH dependent swelling/dissolution properties comprising a hydrophobic back-bone and graft chains comprising acidic monomer. This Graft copolymer (P) do not swell or dissolve at acidic pH prevalent in the stomach and they swell/dissolve at near neutral pH prevalent in the intestinal region. The graft copolymer (P) is useful for the development of drug delivery formulations particularly for oral drug delivery formulations.
US08822601B2
The invention provides an ethylene-based polymer comprising the following properties: A) a MWDconv from 7 to 10; and B) a “normalized LSF” greater than, or equal to, 9.5.
US08822597B2
A process for producing rubber modified polymers having an increased rubber phase volume, including feeding a vinyl aromatic monomer and an elastomer to a polymerization reactor to form a reaction mixture, polymerizing the reaction mixture, combining a copolymer to the polymerized reaction mixture to form a combined mixture, subjecting the combined mixture to further polymerization, and obtaining a rubber modified polymer product from the further polymerization.
US08822588B2
A fluorine-containing polymer has a repeating unit of the general formula (2) and is produced by homopolymerization or copolymerization with another polymerizable double bond-containing monomer. In general formula (2), W represents a linking group; R1 each independently represents a perfluoroalkyl group; Q represents a unit structure formed by cleavage of a double bond of a polymerizable double bond-containing group; and M+ represents a hydrogen cation, a metal ion or a quaternary ammonium ion.
US08822572B2
A process for aqueous, free-radically initiated, continuous emulsion polymerization of A) at least one vinyl ester and optionally at least one (meth)acrylic ester, B) ethylene, and C) 0 to 10% by weight of one or more ethylenically unsaturated, functionalized comonomers, in the presence of 3.0 to 12.5% by weight of one or more emulsifiers, where at least 50% by weight are nonionic emulsifiers, and 0 to 10% by weight of one or more protective colloids, in a stirred tank cascade with at least two pressure reactors connected in series and with at least one low-pressure reactor connected downstream.
US08822558B2
Low density, buoyant materials, in particular hydrophobic aerogels, may be used to absorb hydrophobic liquids. The materials are adapted to float on aqueous solutions and can absorb oils or other hydrophobic liquids from the surface of the solution without absorbing appreciable amounts of the aqueous solution. Methods for creating and using the materials are disclosed.
US08822553B1
A Coal-to-Liquid Fuels production process by which carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaust by-products are significantly reduced, if not eliminated, through a system comprising the generation of a first hydrogen (H2) product and carbon from coal and generating carbon monoxide (CO) by reacting the Carbon (C) with CO2. A second hydrogen (H2) product is generated through catalyzation of water, methane reformation, electrolysis of water, or other reaction processes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is reacted with the first and second hydrogen (H2) products to form a first hydrocarbon group having Olefins. The first hydrocarbon group, as Olefins, are further reacted to form C1-40 alcohols, Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel Fuel, and Jet Fuel, and combinations thereof. At least a portion of the finished fuel blends are optionally used to generate electricity for use in the fuels production process or for distribution to an external power grid. Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel Fuel, and/or Jet Fuel are optionally blended with C1-C40 alcohol combinations for most efficient utilization of all available Carbon and to improve combustion characteristics of the finished fuels.
US08822539B2
Inhibitors of NKCC1, such as bumetanide, when coadministered with inhibitors of GABA transaminase, such as vigabatrin, attenuate both the retinal toxicity and the intramyelinic edema.
US08822537B2
A topical composition, specifically an oil-in-water emulsion, comprised of ketoprofen and oxybenzone in a physiologically acceptable topical carrier. The composition is applied topically to alleviate pain, especially pain associated with migraine headache. The composition has good photostability as well as freeze/thaw stability.
US08822531B2
Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds, and methods of preparation and use thereof are disclosed. The compounds are honokiol analogs. The compounds and compositions can be used to treat and/or prevent a wide variety of cancers, including drug resistant cancers. Representative honokiol analogs include diepoxide honokiol analogs. The compounds are believed to function, at least, by inhibiting angiogenesis and/or inducing apoptosis. Thus, the compounds are novel therapeutic agents for a variety of cancers.
US08822527B2
Disclosed herein are substituted biaryl alkyl amide compounds, methods of synthesizing substituted biaryl alkyl amide compounds and methods of treating diseases and/or conditions with substituted biaryl alkyl amide compounds.
US08822524B2
Disclosed herein is a species of peptide and non-peptide inhibitors of Akt, an oncogenic protein. Beginning with a residue of Akt target substrate GSK-3, the functional domains of the GSK-3 residue were characterized. Functionally homologous non-peptide groups were substituted for the amino acids of the GSK-3 creating a hybrid peptide-non-peptide and non-peptide compounds capable of binding to Akt. The non-peptide compounds show increased stability and rigidity compared to peptide counterparts and are less susceptible to degradation. The bound non-peptide compounds exhibit an inhibitory effect on Akt, similar to peptide-based Akt inhibitors.
US08822522B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: wherein: Ar, Z, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have AT1 receptor antagonist activity and neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and process and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08822520B2
Provided herein are compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and combination therapies for treatment of hepatitis C.
US08822513B2
The present invention relates to novel compounds having anti-cancer activity, methods of making these compounds, and their use for treating cancer and drug-resistant tumors, e.g. melanoma, metastatic melanoma, drug resistant melanoma, prostate cancer and drug resistant prostate cancer.
US08822486B2
A compound of the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as well as a pharmaceutical composition, and a method for treating diabetes.
US08822479B2
The invention relates to 6-cyclylmethyl- and 6-alkylmethyl-substituted pyrazolopyrimidines, process for their preparation, and their use for producing medicaments for improving learning and/or memory. The 6-cyclylmethyl- and 6-alkylmethyl-substituted pyrazolopyrimidines are of the formula (I): with the variables as defined in the claims.
US08822477B2
The invention relates to the use of osmolytes, in particular ectoine and hydroxyectoine, as well as their pharmacologically compatible salts and/or derivatives having equivalent effects, for producing dermatological preparations such as tinctures, lotions, O/W emulsions, W/O emulsions, creams, ointments, hydrogels or sprays for the topical prophylaxis, care and/or treatment of neurodermatitis.
US08822476B2
The present invention relates to piperidine and pyrazine derivatives according to formulae (Ia), (Ib) and (II) as autotaxin inhibitors and the use of such compounds for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of physiological and/or pathophysiological conditions, which are caused, mediated and/or propagated by increased lysophosphatic acid levels and/or the activation of autotaxin, in particular of different cancers.
US08822473B2
Methods are provided for lowering plasma level of HbA1c in a diabetic, pre-diabetic, or non-diabetic patient suffering from at least one cardiovascular disease and slowing or delaying the development of or worsening of hyperglycemia in a diabetic, pre-diabetic, or non-diabetic patient.
US08822468B2
The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and salts thereof wherein the substituents are as defined in the specification, the application of a compound of formula (I) in a process for the treatment of the human or animal body, in particular with regard to C-Met tyrosine kinase mediated disease; the use of a compound of formula (I) for manufacturing a medicament for the treatment of such diseases; pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of the formula (I), optionally in the presence of a combination partner; processes for the preparation of a compound of formula (I).
US08822464B2
This invention relates to compounds of formula I their use as positive allosteric modulators of mGlu5 receptor activity, pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, and methods of using the same as agents for treatment and/or prevention of neurological and psychiatric disorders associated with glutamate dysfunction such as schizophrenia or cognitive decline such as dementia or cognitive impairment. A, B, Ar, R1, R2, R3 have meanings given in the description.
US08822455B2
The present invention relates to a fused aminodihydrothiazine derivative of formula (I): wherein R is hydrogen or C1-6alkyl, optionally substituted by one to five halogen atoms; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; Ar is phenyl or a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic group containing 1, 2 or 3 N atoms, which Ar is optionally substituted by one to three substituents selected from hal, hydroxyl, —CN, C1-6alkyl, C2-3alkenyl, C2-3alkynyl, C1-6alkoxy, C3-6cycloalkoxy and pyrazine, where C1-6alkyl and C1-6alkoxy are optionally substituted by one to three halogen atoms; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; which compound has an Aβ production inhibitory effect or a BACE1 inhibitory effect and is useful as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a neurodegenerative disease caused by Aβ and typified by Alzheimer-type dementia.
US08822452B2
The compounds of formula (I) are derived from perhydroquinoline and perhydroisoquinoline and are useful as active pharmaceutical ingredients for the prophylaxis or treatment of diseases caused by 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11-beta-HSD1) enzyme-associated disorders, such as glaucoma, elevated ocular pressure, metabolic disorders, obesity, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, Cushing's syndrome, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, cognitive disorders, Alzheimer's disease or neurodegeneration.
US08822448B2
The present inventors have investigated a compound which has a PDE9-inhibiting action and is useful as an active ingredient for an agent for treating and/or preventing storage dysfunction, voiding dysfunction, bladder/urethral diseases, and the like, and thus, have found that a pyrazoloquinoline compound has a PDE9-inhibiting action, thereby completing the present invention.
US08822442B2
The invention features somatostatin-dopamine chimeric analogs and methods relating to their therapeutic use for the treatment of neoplasia, acromegaly, and other conditions.
US08822434B2
Phosphonate and phosphinate N-methanocarba derivatives of AMP including their prodrug analogs are described. MRS2339, a 2-chloro-AMP derivative containing a (N)-methanocarba (bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane) ring system in place of ribose, activates P2X receptors, ligand-gated ion channels. Phosphonate analogs of MRS2339 were synthesized using Michaelis-Arbuzov and Wittig reactions, based on the expectation of increased half-life in vivo due to the stability of the C—P bond. When administered to calsequestrin-overexpressing mice (a genetic model of heart failure) via a mini-osmotic pump (Alzet), some analogs significantly increased intact heart contractile function in vivo, as assessed by echocardiography-derived fractional shortening (FS) as compared to vehicle-infused mice. The range of carbocyclic nucleotide analogs for treatment of heart failure has been expanded.
US08822429B2
The present invention refers to citicoline and to compositions containing it for topic use in treating glaucoma and/or ocular hypertension.
US08822427B2
Compositions and methods of protecting aquatic invertebrates from disease is shown. In one embodiment, dsRNA or antisense RNA to a nucleic acid molecule of the disease-causing microorganism is prepared and delivered to the animal. In another embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the disease-causing microorganism is delivered to the animal. In another embodiment, the RNA or nucleic acid molecule is delivered to the animal by replicon particle. In a further embodiment, the protective molecule is delivered to the digestive tract of the animal. Protection from disease is obtained.
US08822418B2
The invention provides, among other aspects, compositions and methods for treating, preventing, and diagnosing diseases or conditions associated with an abnormal level or activity of biglycan; diseases or conditions associated with an abnormal level or activity of collagen VI; disorders associated with an unstable cytoplasmic membrane, due, e.g., to an unstable dystrophin associated protein complex (DAPC); and disorders associated with abnormal synapses or neuromuscular junctions, including those resulting from an abnormal MuSK activation or acetylcholine receptor (AChR) aggregation.
US08822415B2
The invention is directed to novel cellular factor-containing solution compositions (referred to herein as “CFS” compositions), including novel sustained-release cellular factor-containing solution compositions (referred to herein as “SR-CFS” compositions), methods of making such novel compositions and uses thereof.
US08822411B2
The present invention provides a substantially purified growth differentiation factor (GDF) receptor, including a GDF-8 (myostatin) receptor, as well as functional peptide portions thereof. In addition, the invention provides a virtual representation of a GDF receptor or a functional peptide portion thereof. The present invention also provides a method of modulating an effect of myostatin on a cell by contacting the cell with an agent that affects myostatin signal transduction in the cell. In addition, the invention provides a method of ameliorating the severity of a pathologic condition, which is characterized, at least in part, by an abnormal amount, development or metabolic activity of muscle or adipose tissue in a subject, by modulating myostatin signal transduction in a muscle cell or an adipose tissue cell in the subject. The invention also provides a method of modulating the growth of muscle tissue or adipose tissue in a eukaryotic organism by administering an agent that affects myostatin signal transduction to the organism.
US08822393B2
This invention discloses a lubricant suitable for use in percussion equipment. The lubricant comprises a base oil selected from the group consisting of Group I or Group II, blended in a synergistic amount with a gear oil package and a friction modifier. The lubricant exhibits superior wear and superior extreme pressure properties due to the synergistic effect of the gear oil package and the friction modifier. In a preferred embodiment, the gear oil package comprises a polyalkyl methacrylate polymer, and the friction modifier comprises a synthetic ester.
US08822383B2
Provided is a novel compound which can germinate seeds of root parasitic plants, more specifically, a compound represented by the formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group, or a lower alkoxy group, or R1 and R2 are linked together to form a lower alkylenedioxy group, or R1 and R2 together with the adjacent carbon atoms form a benzene ring, or R2 and R3 are linked together to form a lower alkylenedioxy group, or R2 and R3 together with the adjacent carbon atoms form a benzene ring, R6 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, X and Y are the same or different and each represents an oxygen atom and a sulfur atom, and n represents an integer of 0, 1 or 2, and a method for controlling root parasitic plants.
US08822377B2
The present invention relates to herbicidal compositions comprising topramezone and pinoxaden and optionally a herbicide safener compound such as cloquintocet. The present invention also relates to the use of these compositions for controlling undesirable vegetation, in particular in crops.
US08822373B2
A particulate water absorbing agent includes a polyacrylic acid and/or a salt thereof water absorbent resin as a main component, wherein the water absorbent resin includes α-hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a salt thereof, and the absorbing agent satisfies a specific particle size distribution and a specific water absorbing performance, thereby solving the conventional problems. Further, a production method of the water absorbing agent is characterized in that α-hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a salt thereof is added to (a) a monomer aqueous solution whose main component is acrylic acid and/or a salt thereof and which is being cross-linked and polymerized or (b) a hydrogel polymer after the polymerization. As a result, in the particulate water absorbing agent containing the water absorbent resin as a main component, it is possible to realize both excellent water absorbing performance and excellent coloring prevention effect. Further, it is possible to provide an absorbing article particulate water absorbing agent which is suitable for practical use.
US08822372B2
A process for producing an olefin oxide which comprises reacting an olefin with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper oxide and a ruthenium oxide on a porous support.
US08822368B2
The present invention relates to supported Ni-catalysts optionally comprising Zn as a promoter, methods for the production of said catalysts and uses of said catalysts for the hydrogenation of a hydrocarbon feed.
US08822367B2
Homogeneous water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) for the oxidation of water to produce hydrogen ions and oxygen, and methods of making and using thereof are described herein. In a preferred embodiment, the WOC is a polyoxometalate WOC which is hydrolytically stable, oxidatively stable, and thermally stable. The WOC oxidized waters in the presence of an oxidant. The oxidant can be generated photochemically, using light, such as sunlight, or electrochemically using a positively biased electrode. The hydrogen ions are subsequently reduced to form hydrogen gas, for example, using a hydrogen evolution catalyst (HEC). The hydrogen gas can be used as a fuel in combustion reactions and/or in hydrogen fuel cells. The catalysts described herein exhibit higher turn over numbers, faster turn over frequencies, and/or higher oxygen yields than prior art catalysts.
US08822366B2
The present invention provides an olefin polymerization catalyst, which is free of polyfunctional aromatic compounds and has a large particle diameter, and a solid titanium component (I) which forms the catalyst. The olefin polymerization catalyst comprises a solid titanium component (I), an organometallic compound (II) and optionally an electron donor (III) wherein the solid titanium component (I) comprising titanium, magnesium and halogen is obtainable by allowing a magnesium compound (A) having no reducing ability in a liquid state to contact with an ester compound (B) represented by the following formula (1) and a liquid titanium compound (C) in a specific order, wherein R2 and R3 are COOR1 or R, and at least one of R2 and R3 is COOR1, two or more R1 each are a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and two or more R are a hydrogen atom, or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and at least two of Rs may be bonded each other to form a ring, and the skeleton of the ring formed may include a double bond or a hetero atom.
US08822365B2
Process for the preparation of a solid olefin polymerization catalyst system, comprising an organometallic compound of a transition metal of Group 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC 2007) in the form of solid particles comprising the steps of I) generating an emulsion by dispersing a liquid clathrate in a solvent (S) wherein (i) the solvent (S) constitutes the continuous phase of the emulsion and comprises a nonreactive fluorinated synthetic oil having a viscosity at 20° C. according to ASTM D445 of at least 10 cSt up to 2000 cSt (ii) the liquid clathrate constitutes in form of droplets the dispersed phase of the emulsion, II) solidifying said dispersed phase to convert said droplets to solid particles and III) optionally recovering said particles to obtain said catalyst system, wherein the liquid clathrate comprises (a) a lattice being the reaction product of a1) a transition metal compound of formula (I) LmRnTXq wherein “T” is a transition metal of anyone of the groups 3 to 10 of the periodic table (IUPAC2007), preferably a transition metal of anyone of the groups 4 to 6 of the periodic table (IUPAC2007), more preferably titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr) or hafnium (Hf), i.e. zirconium (Zr) or hafnium (Hf), each “X” is independently a monovalent s-ligand, each “L” is independently an organic ligand which coordinates to the transition metal (T), “R” is a bridging group linking said organic ligands (L), “m” is 2 or 3, preferably 2, “n” is 0, 1 or 2, preferably 1, “q” is 1, 2 or 3, preferably 2, m+q is equal to the valency of the transition metal (T), a2) a cocatalyst comprising aluminoxane a3) a compound being effective to form the lattice with the transition metal compound and/or the aluminoxane and b) a hydrocarbon solvent (HS).
US08822363B2
This disclosure relates to a process for regenerating a catalyst composition, wherein the catalyst composition comprising a molecular sieve and at least 10 wt. % coke having a C/H molar ratio in the range of 0.26 to 5, the process comprising (a) contacting the catalyst composition with a first oxidative medium having oxygen and water at first conditions sufficient to form a first regenerated catalyst composition having at least 50 wt. % less coke than the catalyst composition; and then (b) contacting at least a portion of the first regenerated catalyst composition with a second oxidative medium having oxygen, and optionally water, at second conditions sufficient to form a second regenerated catalyst composition having at least 50 wt % less coke than the first regenerated catalyst composition, wherein the catalyst composition in step (a) and the first regenerated catalyst in step (b) have contacted total amount of water in the range of 1 to 50 weight water per weight of the second regenerated catalyst composition.
US08822362B2
The present invention relates to a molten, fluid refractory product comprising, in weight percentages on the basis of the oxides and for a total of 100% of the oxides: ZrO2+Hf2O: remainder to 100% 4.0%
US08822358B2
Disclosed is a fabric for an airbag including a polyester fiber, and particularly to a polyester fabric for an airbag of which toughness is 3.5 to 6.0 kJ/m3 and tearing strength measured according to the ASTM D 2261 TONGUE method is 18 to 30 kgf, wherein the fabric includes polyester fiber of which toughness is 70 to 95 J/m3, a method of preparing the same, and an airbag for a car including the same.
US08822354B2
A coated fabric having a base fabric and an auxiliary layer laminated thereto, wherein the exposed face of the auxiliary layer is coated with a coating composition.
US08822347B2
A system to form a wet soluble lithography layer on a semiconductor substrate includes providing the substrate, depositing a first layer comprising a first material on the substrate, and depositing a second layer comprising a second material on the substrate. In an embodiment, the first material comprises a different composition than the second material and one of the first layer and the second layer includes silicon.
US08822344B1
A method for etching an etch layer is provided. A glue layer having metallizable terminations is formed over the etch layer. The glue layer is exposed to a patterned light, wherein the metallizable terminations of the glue layer illuminated by the patterned light become unmetallizable. A metal deposition layer is formed on the glue layer, wherein the metal deposition layer only deposits on areas of the glue layer with metallizable terminations of the glue layer. The etch layer is etched through portions of the glue layer without the metal deposition layer.
US08822328B1
A method for patterning a semiconductor structure is provided. The method comprises following steps. A first mask defining a first pattern in a first region and a second pattern in a second region adjacent to the first region is provided. The first pattern defined by the first mask is transferred to a first film structure in the first region, and the second pattern defined by the first mask is transferred to the first film structure in the second region. A second film structure is formed on the first film structure. A second mask defining a third pattern in the first region is provided. At least 50% of a part of the first region occupied by the first pattern defined by the first mask is identical with a part of the first region occupied by the third pattern defined by the second mask.
US08822324B2
A structure and method of forming passivated copper chip pads is described. In various embodiments, the invention describes a substrate that includes active circuitry and metal levels disposed above the substrate. A passivation layer is disposed above a last level of the metal levels. A conductive liner is disposed in the sidewalls of an opening disposed in the passivation layer, wherein the conductive liner is also disposed over an exposed surface of the last level of the metal levels.
US08822323B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a transition layer, including (a) forming a wiring and a die pad on a wafer, (b) forming a thin film layer on an entire surface of the wafer obtained in the step (a), (c) forming a resist layer on the thin film layer, and forming a thickening layer on a resist layer unformed section, (d) peeling the resist layer, (e) removing the thin film layer by etching, and (f) dividing the wafer to thereby form semiconductor devices.
US08822319B2
A method of manufacturing a non-volatile memory is provided. A substrate includes a memory cell region and a first periphery circuit region. The memory cell region includes a select transistor region. A first gate dielectric layer having a first thickness is formed on the substrate in the first periphery circuit region and the select transistor region. A portion of the first gate dielectric layer on the select transistor region is removed to form a second gate dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer has a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness.
US08822316B2
A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate having a first conductive type layer; a first diffusion region which has the first conductive type and is formed in the first conductive type layer; a second diffusion region which has a second conductive type and an area larger than an area of the first diffusion region and overlaps the first diffusion region; and a PN junction formed at an interface between the first and the second diffusion regions. The second diffusion region includes a ring shaped structure or a guard ring includes an inverted region which has the second conductive type. According to such a configuration, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device having the required Zener characteristics with good controllability.
US08822311B2
A III-nitride semiconductor device includes an active region for supporting current flow during forward-biased operation of the III-nitride semiconductor device. The active region includes a first III-nitride epitaxial material having a first conductivity type, and a second III-nitride epitaxial material having a second conductivity type. The III-nitride semiconductor device further includes an edge-termination region physically adjacent to the active region and including an implanted region comprising a portion of the first III-nitride epitaxial material. The implanted region of the first III-nitride epitaxial material has a reduced electrical conductivity in relation to portions of the first III-nitride epitaxial material adjacent to the implanted region.
US08822310B2
Some embodiments discussed relates to an apparatus for holding a substrate, comprising a body with a surface for a semiconductor wafer to rest on, with the surface having a first surface area on which a first area of the semiconductor wafer can rest, and a second surface area on which a second area of the semiconductor wafer can rest, wherein the second surface area protrudes with respect to the first surface area.
US08822300B2
A low capacitance transient voltage suppressor with reduced clamping voltage includes an n+ type substrate, a first epitaxial layer on the substrate, a buried layer formed within the first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, and an implant layer formed within the first epitaxial layer below the buried layer. The implant layer extends beyond the buried layer. A first trench is at an edge of the buried layer and an edge of the implant layer. A second trench is at another edge of the buried layer and extends into the implant layer. A third trench is at another edge of the implant layer. Each trench is lined with a dielectric layer. A set of source regions is formed within a top surface of the second epitaxial layer. The trenches and source regions alternate. A pair of implant regions is formed in the second epitaxial layer.
US08822297B2
Provided is a method of fabricating a MOS device including the following steps. At least one gate structure is formed on a substrate, wherein the gate structure includes a gate conductive layer and a hard mask layer disposed on the gate conductive layer. A first implant process is performed to form source and drain extension regions in the substrate, wherein the gate conductive layer is covered by the hard mask layer. A process is of removing the hard mask layer is performed to expose the surface of the gate conductive layer. A second implant process is performed to form pocket doped regions in the substrate, wherein the gate conductive layer is not covered by the hard mask layer.
US08822295B2
A static random access memory fabrication method includes forming a gate stack on a substrate, forming isolating spacers adjacent the gate stack, the isolating spacers and gate stack having a gate length, forming a source and drain region adjacent the gate stack, which generates an effective gate length, wherein the source and drain regions are formed from a low extension dose implant that varies a difference between the gate length and the effective gate length.
US08822291B2
A method of forming a device is disclosed. A substrate having a device region is provided. The device region comprises a source region, a gate and a drain region defined thereon. A drift well is formed in the substrate adjacent to a second side of the gate. The drift well underlaps a portion of the gate with a first edge of the drift well beneath the gate. A secondary portion is formed in the drift well. The secondary portion underlaps a portion of the gate with a first edge of the secondary portion beneath the gate. The first edge of the secondary portion is offset from the first edge of the drift well. A gate dielectric of the gate comprises a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness. The second portion is over the secondary portion.
US08822284B2
A method for fabricating FinFETs is described. A semiconductor substrate is patterned to form odd fins. Spacers are formed on the substrate and on the sidewalls of the odd fins, wherein each spacer has a substantially vertical sidewall. Even fins are then formed on the substrate between the spacers. A semiconductor structure for forming FinFETs is also described, which is fabricated using the above method.
US08822283B2
A method of making an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a gate dielectric over the substrate, such as a high-k dielectric. A metal gate structure is formed over the semiconductor substrate and the gate dielectric and a thin dielectric film is formed over that. The thin dielectric film includes oxynitride combined with metal from the metal gate. The method further includes providing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) on either side of the metal gate structure.
US08822282B2
Structures and methods for fabricating high speed digital, analog, and combined digital/analog systems using planarized relaxed SiGe as the materials platform. The relaxed SiGe allows for a plethora of strained Si layers that possess enhanced electronic properties. By allowing the MOSFET channel to be either at the surface or buried, one can create high-speed digital and/or analog circuits. The planarization before the device epitaxial layers are deposited ensures a flat surface for state-of-the-art lithography.
US08822281B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die mounted over a carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and carrier. An insulating layer is formed over the semiconductor die and encapsulant. A plurality of first vias is formed through the insulating layer and semiconductor die while mounted to the carrier. A plurality of second vias is formed through the insulating layer and encapsulant in the same direction as the first vias while the semiconductor die is mounted to the carrier. An electrically conductive material is deposited in the first vias to form conductive TSV and in the second vias to form conductive TMV. A first interconnect structure is formed over the insulating layer and electrically connected to the TSV and TMV. The carrier is removed. A second interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die and encapsulant and electrically connected to the TSV and TMV.
US08822267B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to manufacturing system-in-packages at wafer-level. In particular, various embodiments are directed to adhering a first wafer to a second wafer and adhering solder balls to contact pads of the first wafer. In one embodiment, a first wafer having first and second surfaces is provided. The first wafer includes bond pads located on the first surface that are coupled to a respective semiconductor device located in the first wafer. A second wafer having an electrical component located therein is provided. A conductive adhesive is provided on at least one of the first wafer and the second wafer. Conductive balls are provided on the bond pads on the first surface of the first wafer. The conductive balls and the conductive adhesive are heated to cause the conductive balls to adhere to the bond pad and the conductive adhesive to adhere the first wafer to the second wafer.
US08822265B2
Methods for producing RRAM resistive switching elements having reduced forming voltage include preventing formation of interfacial layers, and creating electronic defects in a dielectric film. Suppressing interfacial layers in an electrode reduces forming voltage. Electronic defects in a dielectric film foster formation of conductive pathways.
US08822263B2
It is provided a hetero epitaxial growth method, a hetero epitaxial crystal structure, a hetero epitaxial growth apparatus and a semiconductor device, the method includes forming a buffer layer formed with the orienting film of an oxide, or the orienting film of nitride on a heterogeneous substrate; and performing crystal growth of a zinc oxide based semiconductor layer on the buffer layer using a halogenated group II metal and an oxygen material. It is provided a homo epitaxial growth method, a homo epitaxial crystal structure, a homo epitaxial growth apparatus and a semiconductor device, the homo epitaxial growth method includes introducing reactant gas mixing zinc containing gas and oxygen containing gas on a zinc oxide substrate; and performing crystal growth of a zinc oxide based semiconductor layer on the zinc oxide substrate.
US08822262B2
A laser contact process is employed to form contact holes to emitters of a solar cell. Doped silicon nanoparticles are formed over a substrate of the solar cell. The surface of individual or clusters of silicon nanoparticles is coated with a nanoparticle passivation film. Contact holes to emitters of the solar cell are formed by impinging a laser beam on the passivated silicon nanoparticles. For example, the laser contact process may be a laser ablation process. In that case, the emitters may be formed by diffusing dopants from the silicon nanoparticles prior to forming the contact holes to the emitters. As another example, the laser contact process may be a laser melting process whereby portions of the silicon nanoparticles are melted to form the emitters and contact holes to the emitters.
US08822261B2
A method of making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes disposing an absorber layer on a window layer. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the absorber layer with a first solution including a first metal salt to form a first component, wherein the first metal salt comprises a first metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, chromium, zinc, indium, tungsten, molybdenum, and combinations thereof. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the first component with cadmium chloride to form a second component. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the second component with a second solution including a second metal salt to form an interfacial layer on the second component, wherein the second metal salt comprises a second metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and combinations thereof.
US08822254B2
A MEMS manufacturing method and device in which a spacer layer is provided over a side wall of at least one opening in a structural layer which will define the movable MEMS element. The opening extends below the structural layer. The spacer layer forms a side wall portion over the side wall of the at least one opening and also extends below the level of the structural layer to form a contact area.
US08822251B2
The present invention provides a MEMS and a sensor having the MEMS which can be formed without a process of etching a sacrifice layer. The MEMS and the sensor having the MEMS are formed by forming an interspace using a spacer layer. In the MEMS in which an interspace is formed using a spacer layer, a process for forming a sacrifice layer and an etching process of the sacrifice layer are not required. As a result, there is no restriction on the etching time, and thus the yield can be improved.
US08822250B2
Certain embodiments provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, including: providing a first stack film on a first substrate, the first stack film being formed by stacking a p-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer having a multiquantum well structure of a nitride semiconductor, and an n-type nitride semiconductor layer in this order; forming an n-electrode on an upper face of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer; and forming a concave-convex region on the upper face of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer by performing wet etching on the upper face of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer with the use of an alkaline solution, except for a region in which the n-electrode is formed.
US08822247B2
An optical semiconductor element and a manufacturing method thereof that can improve the light extraction efficiency with maintaining the yield. The manufacturing method includes forming a plurality of recesses arranged at equal intervals along a crystal axis of a semiconductor film in a surface of the semiconductor film; and performing an etching process on the surface of the semiconductor film, thereby forming a plurality of protrusions arranged according to the arrangement form of the plurality of recesses and deriving from the crystal structure of the semiconductor film in the surface of the semiconductor film.
US08822237B2
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacture are provided, such as a MTJ device and a method of manufacturing a MTJ device. The MTJ device may include a bottom electrode, a MTJ stack, and a top electrode, wherein the top electrode is formed using a hole-filling technique. The top electrode may have slanted sidewalls. The MTJ stack may be formed by depositing corresponding MTJ layers. A patterned mask may be formed and patterned over the MTJ layers to form an opening defining the top electrode. The opening is filled with a conductive material to form the top electrode. The top electrode is then used as a mask to pattern the MTJ layers, thereby forming a MTJ stack.
US08822236B2
An ammonia-free method of depositing silicon nitride by way of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Source gases of silane (SiH4) and nitrogen (N2) are provided to a parallel-plate plasma reactor, in which energy is capacitively coupled to the plasma, and in which the wafer being processed has been placed at a support electrode. Low-frequency RF energy (e.g., 360 kHz) is applied to the support electrode; high-frequency RF energy (e.g., 13.56 MHz) is optionally provided to the parallel electrode. Process temperature is above 350° C., at a pressure of about 2.5 torr. Any hydrogen present in the resulting silicon nitride film is bound by N—H bonds rather than Si—H bonds, and is thus more strongly bound to the film. The silicon nitride can serve as passivation for ferroelectric material that may degrade electrically if contaminated by hydrogen.
US08822232B2
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the reduction of atherosclerotic plaques and the decrease in the level of total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, serum LDL cholesterol, and serum HDL cholesterol. The present invention also relates to methods for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and mycoplasma associated diseases.
US08822231B2
A method for the analysis of at least two analytes in a liquid sample, in which a substrate is provided wherein at least two different types of capturing molecules are immobilized on the substrate and wherein each type of capturing molecule has specific affinity for an analyte. The sample is contacted with capturing molecules, wherein for at least one analyte to be analyzed contact is induced between the capturing molecules and a labelled detection molecule with specific affinity for the analyte, and for at least one another analyte to be contact is induced between the capturing molecules and a labelled version of the analyte. A detectable signal is measured from the labelled detection molecule and the labelled analyte on the substrate, wherein the concentration of the labelled analyte is adapted to the concentration of the analyte in the sample.
US08822218B2
This invention provides methods of generating natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DCs). The methods utilize human hemangioblasts as intermediate cells to generate the NK cells and DCs. In various embodiments, the methods do not require the use of stromal feeder layers.
US08822206B2
Cell stimulation, staining, and visualization are common techniques in both clinical and research settings. The invention is directed to microfluidic devices for in situ cell stimulation, staining, and/or visualization, and related methods for applying one or more stimuli to the cells, and fixing and staining of cells in situ. The device allows for high-throughput screening of living cells using a minimal quantity of reagents where the fate of individual cells can be followed over time.
US08822201B2
The invention relates to a method for recovering of oil from plant seeds characterized in that a) an aqueous solution containing one or more cellulolytic and/or lipolytic and/or pectinolytic and/or proteolytic enzyme(s) and/or phytase is sprayed onto the seed, b) the thus obtained seed is directly supplied to a one-stage or multistage pressing in a way known per se, optionally coupled to an extraction, and c) the oil is recovered in a way known per se and optionally further processed, and the use of the method, particularly in the production of edible oil or biodiesel.
US08822196B2
The invention provides chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) comprising an antigen binding domain of a KDR-1121 or DC101 antibody, an extracellular hinge domain, a T cell receptor transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain T cell receptor signaling domain. Nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, populations of cells, antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions relating to the CARs are disclosed. Methods of detecting the presence of cancer in a host and methods of treating or preventing cancer in a host are also disclosed.
US08822194B2
Bacteria that are auxotrophic for at least two amino acids found in at least one tumor are effective anti tumor treatments, labeling agents, and vaccines against infection. Improved antitumor effects can also be provided such strains by passage through an appropriate tumor model.
US08822192B2
A vaccine composition and method of vaccination are provided useful for immunizing a subject against a rotavirus. The vaccines include rotavirus strains CDC-9 and CDC-66, fragments thereof, homologues thereof, or combinations thereof. Inventive vaccines may include a fragment of CDC-9, CDC-66, homologues thereof, or combinations thereof. Methods of inducing an immunological response are provided by administering an inventive vaccine.
US08822185B2
Methods of increasing the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotes, accomplished by modifying the activity of peroxisome biogenesis factor (Pex) proteins, are disclosed. Disruptions of a chromosomal Pex3 gene, Pex10p gene or Pex16p gene in a PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotic strain resulted in an increased amount of PUFAs, as a percent of total fatty acids and as a percent of dry cell weight, in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of the strain, as compared to the parental strain whose native Pex protein was not disrupted.
US08822184B2
Multiple properties of plasmonic assemblies are determined by their geometrical organization. This patent focuses on the formation of Janus structure of the asymmetric assembly structure of the gold nanorods and gold nanoparticles. Chiral structure of gold nanorods and gold nanoparticles can be obtained through the characterization of optical spectra of the Janus structure. And it opens the door for the explanation of the mechanism of the chirality, plays a strong guiding role in the negative refractive material above and has good application prospects.
US08822183B2
A device for amplifying target nucleic acid in a sample can include a planar fluidic assembly including a transparent substrate, a porous material layer on a surface of the transparent substrate, and a cover over the porous material layer and sealingly affixed to the substrate. The cover may be spaced from the porous material layer and a flow channel defined between the porous material layer and the cover. The flow channel may have a uniform cross-section from a first end to a second end. The assembly can further include an inlet in flow communication with the first end of the flow channel to introduce sample containing target nucleic acid into the flow channel, an outlet in flow communication with the second end of the flow channel, and a plurality of nucleic acid primers retained by the porous material layer at discrete regions along and within the flow channel, each of the plurality of nucleic acid primers being complementary to a portion of the target nucleic acid in the sample to enable a primer-based amplification reaction of the target nucleic acid. The porous material layer may be configured to retain, at the discrete regions and during a primer-based amplification reaction, sample introduced to the flow channel and amplified product of the amplification reaction.
US08822182B2
The invention provides an immunogenic or antigenic polypeptide containing a translocation domain, a peptide epitope, at least one biologically active agent, and cleavage sites. These polypeptides are useful for activating T cell responses.
US08822170B2
Luciferase enzymes with greatly increased thermostability, e.g., at least half lives of 2 hours at 50° C., cDNAs encoding the novel luciferases, and hosts transformed to express the luciferases, are disclosed. Methods of producing the luciferases include recursive mutagenesis. The luciferases are used in conventional methods, some employing kits.
US08822166B2
The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) using PKC-elicited gene expression profiles. PKC-activation elicits different genomic profiles in AD cells, as compared with control cells, which can be used to diagnose AD and individuals at risk for developing AD.
US08822155B2
Methods are provided for diagnosing in a subject a condition, such as a carcinoma, sarcoma or leukemia, associated with hypermethylation of genes by isolating the genes from tissue containing as few as 50 to 1000 tumor cells. Using quantitative multiplex methylation specific PCR (QM-MSP), multiple genes can be quantitatively evaluated from samples usually yielding sufficient DNA for analysis of only 1 or 2 genes. DNA sequences isolated from the sample are simultaneously co-amplified in an initial multiplex round of PCR, and the methylation status of individual hypermethylation-prone gene promoter sequences is then determined separately or in multiplex using a real time PCR round that is methylation status-specific. Within genes of the panel, the level of promoter hypermethylation as well as the incidence of promoter hypermethylation can be determined and the level of genes in the panel can be scored cumulatively. The QM-MSP method is adaptable for high throughput automated technology.
US08822154B2
The present invention provides a primer extension reaction method, such as a PCR method, for structure-independent amplification of DNA containing CG-rich repeat sequences wherein in the extension step the temperature fluctuates between a first extension temperature and a second extension temperature. The present invention also provides methods for diagnosing disorders. The present invention also provides a thermal cycler programmed to perform the method of the invention.
US08822150B2
The invention relates to methods for indexing samples during the sequencing of polynucleotide templates, resulting in the attachment of tags specific to the source of each nucleic acid sample such that after a sequencing run, both the source and sequence of each polynucleotide can be determined. Thus, the present invention pertains to analysis of complex genomes (e.g., human genomes), as well as multiplexing less complex genomes, such as those of bacteria, viruses, mitochondria, and the like.
US08822147B2
Methods for detecting multiple targets in a biological sample are provided. The methods includes contacting the sample with a first probe; physically binding the first probe to a first target; observing a first signal from the first probe; applying a chemical agent to modify the first signal; contacting the sample with a second probe; physically binding the second probe to a second target; and observing a second signal from the second probe. The methods disclosed herein also provide for multiple iterations of binding, observing, signal modification for deriving information about multiple targets in a single sample. An associated kit and device are also provided.
US08822138B2
There is provided a resist underlayer film having both heat resistance and etching selectivity. A composition for forming a resist underlayer film for lithography, comprising a reaction product (C) of an alicyclic epoxy polymer (A) with a condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid and monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B). The alicyclic epoxy polymer (A) may include a repeating structural unit of Formula (1): (T is a repeating unit structure containing an alicyclic ring in the polymer main chain; and E is an epoxy group or an organic group containing an epoxy group). The condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid and monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B) may include a condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid (B1) and a monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B2) in a molar ratio of B1:B2=3:7 to 7:3. The condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid (B1) may be 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid and the monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B2) may be benzoic acid.
US08822137B2
An interconnect structure and methods for making the same include sidewall portions of an interlevel dielectric layer. The sidewall portions have a width less than a minimum feature size for a given lithographic technology and the width is formed by a thickness of the interlevel dielectric layer when conformally formed on vertical surfaces of a mandrel. The sidewall portions form spaced-apart openings. Conductive structures fill the spaced-apart openings and are separated by the sidewall portions to form single damascene structures.
US08822126B2
The invention provides a resin composition for laser engraving, having a binder polymer containing at least one of a structure unit represented by the following Formula (I) or a structure unit represented by the following Formula (II). In the Formulae, Q represents a partial structure which provides an acid group having an acid dissociation constant pKa of 0 to 20 when it is in the form of -Q-H; R1 to R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group; and A and B each independently represent a bivalent organic connecting group. The invention further provides a relief printing plate precursor having a relief forming layer containing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a relief printing plate having crosslinking components of the relief forming layer and laser engraving the relief forming layer, and a relief printing plate formed thereby.
US08822119B2
A two-component developer including at least a toner and a carrier. The toner includes a coloring particle prepared by agglutinating and fusing a resin particle having colorants and a resin particle having wax, and 0.2-2.0 wt. % hydrophobic silica and 0.01-1.0 wt. % a hydrotalcite-like compound as external additives. A shape coefficient of the toner is 0.93-0.99. The carrier includes at least a magnetic particle coated with a silicone resin layer, with a volume average particle diameter of 20-100 μm.
US08822114B2
An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a substrate; a photosensitive layer that is provided on the substrate; and a surface layer that is provided on the photosensitive layer, contains fluororesin particles, is a single layer having a thickness of 3 μm or greater, and has a cross-section, taken along a thickness direction thereof, which satisfies specific expressions.
US08822112B2
The present application relates to a siloxane-based compound, a photosensitive composition including the same, and a photosensitive material.
US08822107B2
The present disclosure provide one embodiment of a method of a lithography process for reducing a critical dimension (CD) by a factor n wherein n<1. The method includes providing a pattern generator having a first pixel area S1 to generate a data grid having a second pixel area S2 that is equal to n2*S1, wherein the pattern generator includes a multi-segment structure having multiple grid segments, wherein the grid segments includes a first set of grid segments and a second set of grid segments, each of the first set of grid segments being configured to have an offset in a first direction; and scanning the pattern generator in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction during the lithography process such that each of the second set of grid segments is controlled to have a time delay.
US08822104B2
A photomask is provided. The photomask is applied to a photolithography apparatus and includes a substrate with a mask pattern disposed thereon. The mask pattern includes at least one main pattern and a plurality of sub-resolution assistant features (SRAFs). The SRAFs are disposed around the at least one main pattern and separated from each other, wherein a distance between each of the SRAFs and the at least one main pattern is about 3 to 10 times a linewidth of the at least one main pattern. The photomask would result in an improved imaging quality on the wafer.
US08822099B2
The present invention provides a fuel cell separator with a gasket manufactured by integrally forming a gasket on one side of a separator; independently injection molding a frame gasket on a frame such that a first airtight portion covers the entire surface of the frame to maintain the shape of the frame gasket and a second airtight portion projects upward and downward from both ends of the first airtight portion; and bringing the first airtight portion of the frame gasket into contact with the other side of the separator with the gasket formed on one side thereof. To create a fuel cell stack in certain embodiments, the invention stacks the second airtight portion of the frame gasket on another second airtight portion of an adjacent unit cell with a membrane-electrode assembly interposed therebetween.
US08822093B2
Disclosed is a cooling system for a fuel cell vehicle which employs a single integrated radiator disposed on a front side of the vehicle and configured to cool cooling fluid by exchanging heat using exterior air to integrally manage a fuel cell stack and an electrical power apparatus. More specifically, the integrated radiator is divided into a first high temperature region and a second low temperature region according to a flow requirements so that the fuel cell stack is cooled with cooling fluid flowing through the high temperature region and the electrical power apparatus is cooled with cooling fluid flowing through the low temperature region.
US08822088B2
A power storage device which has high charge/discharge capacity and less deterioration in battery characteristics due to charge/discharge and can perform charge/discharge at high speed is provided. A power storage device includes a negative electrode. The negative electrode includes a current collector and an active material layer provided over the current collector. The active material layer includes a plurality of protrusions protruding from the current collector and a graphene provided over the plurality of protrusions. Axes of the plurality of protrusions are oriented in the same direction. A common portion may be provided between the current collector and the plurality of protrusions.
US08822072B2
A nonaqueous electrolyte includes: a solvent, an electrolyte salt, and at least one of heteropolyacid salt compounds represented by the following formulae (I) and (II): HxAy[BD12O40].zH2O (I), HpAq[B5D30O110].rH2O (II). A represents Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Al, NH4, or an ammonium salt or phosphonium salt; B represents P, Si, As or Ge; D represents at least one element selected from Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Rh, Cd, In, Sn, Ta, W, Re and Tl; x, y and z are values falling within the ranges of (0≦x≦1), (2≦y≦4) and (0≦z≦5), respectively; and p, q and r are values falling within the ranges of (0≦p≦5), (10≦q≦15) and (0≦r≦15), respectively.
US08822066B2
A secondary battery including an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a separator between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate; a first collecting plate electrically connected to the first electrode plate, the first collecting plate including a first fuse region; a second collecting plate electrically connected to the second electrode plate, the second collecting plate including a second fuse region; and a case accommodating the electrode assembly, the first collecting plate, and the second collecting plate, wherein a first sectional area of the first fuse region is larger than a second sectional area of the second fuse region.
US08822058B2
An object is to, in a battery pack device in which battery cells are lined up, provide a thermally conductive member that can reduce the risk of heat being conducted to an adjacent battery cell in order to make the cooling property of each battery cell uniform, and a battery pack device using this thermally conductive member. Provided is a thermally conductive member arranged between battery cells when assembling the battery cells into a battery pack, wherein the thermally conductive member includes thermally conductive layers each having a thermal conductivity of 0.5 W/mK or more provided respectively on both sides of a backing layer having a thermal conductivity of less than 0.5 W/mK. Especially, it is preferred that a resin member forming the backing layer has a flexural modulus of 1 GPa or more.
US08822056B2
A battery support includes a base having an upper surface and a lower surface, a spine extending downwardly from and axially along the base such that at least a portion of the base is cantilevered from the spine, and at least one rib extending downwardly from the base and laterally from the spine. The upper surface is sized to support a battery thereon.
US08822052B2
The present invention relates to a battery cartridge which can be freely arranged and configured, and which has superior performance for protection, insulation and heat dissipation of unit battery cells. The battery cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of unit cells generating current; a cover contacting one surface of the plurality of unit cells to dissipate heat; and an inner cartridge member disposed between an edge of the plurality of unit cells and the cover.
US08822038B2
An coated article includes a substrate; and a coating deposited on the substrate, wherein the coating is a titanium layer mixed with a first element and a second element, M is at least one element selected from a group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, niobium, hafnium and tantalum; R is at least one element selected from a group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanide.
US08822031B2
An adhesive composition that includes: one or more polyester polyether copolymers of formula I: wherein Nu is a predominately cyclic nucleus and R1 is randomly selected from either a C2-6 alkylene or an amorphous, long-chain polyether subunit including a polyoxyalkylene group; one or more polyisocyanate prepolymers that includes the reaction product of: one or more polyols; and a polyfunctional isocyanate having a functionality of more than about 2; polymeric MDI; and a first aromatic or aromatic-aliphatic polymer tackifying resin having a softening point of equal to or greater than about 100° C.
US08822030B2
Nanoplatelet forms of metal hydroxide and metal oxide are provided, as well as methods for preparing same. The nanoplatelets are suitable for use as fire retardants and as agents for chemical or biological decontamination.
US08822020B2
The invention relates to a molding mass made from vinyl chloride polymer or polyvinylchloride at 5 to 94 wt. % and a K value of 50 to 90 additives at 2 to 25 wt. % and a polymer, whereby the weight percentages relate to the total weight of the molding mass. The polymer is a semi-crystalline or amorphous polyester. The film is produced from the molding mass by plastifying and fusing the same and calendering or extruding the same to give a film with a thickness of 100 microns to 1 mm. By means of subsequent in-line or off-line method steps, the film, for example, by means of drawing with a drawing degree of 1.3 to 7, can be further processed to give a thin high-shrinkage film.
US08822017B2
A surface treatment method of oil contaminated xerographic prints which increases the surface energy of the print to levels close to the values corresponding to the original uncontaminated paper. Subjecting the contaminated surface to both ultraviolet (UV) radiation and ozone can change the chemical structure of the surface of the paper in such a way that a highly polar surface is created as a consequence of this treatment, leading to enhanced adhesion properties of the xerographic print.
US08822013B2
A cloth for swimsuits includes synthetic fiber multifilament yarns and elastic fibers, wherein a front surface and a back surface of the cloth have a water-repellent finish(es); bumps and hollows are formed on the back surface; the bumps and hollows on the back surface have a height difference of 150 μm to 650 μm; and the hollows have a width of 100 μm to 5000 μm.
US08822005B2
A vacuum insulated panel comprises a filler and a vacuum-tight high-barrier film envelope, with an air-permeable sheet element that serves as a filter material for dust, wherein the sheet element consists of the same material as the sealing layer of the high-barrier film enveloping the vacuum insulated panel and passes through the sealing seams of the high-barrier film, and to a method for producing such a vacuum insulated panel, wherein the sheet element, in the form of a strip preferably folded along a central axis, is placed between two sealing films and is thermally adhesively bonded to the inwardly disposed sealing layers of the sealing films such that a joint is formed between the two sealing films which are sealed together by means of a respective seam on each of perpendicular sides, the strip-shaped sheet element being co-sealed into the seams.
US08822004B2
An apparatus for collecting make-up residue. One embodiment comprises a mat configured to collect the make-up residue. The mat includes a first side section and a second side section connected by a center section. The first side section and the second side section are able to open about the center section so that the mat lies substantially flat. This allows for collection of make-up residue that falls on top surface of the mat. The first side section and the second side section are also able to fold about the center section into a U-shape (or V-shaped) so that the make-up residue resting on the top surfaces of the first side section and the second side section falls toward the center section. When the make-up residue falls into the center section, the make-up residue may be poured from the center section, such as into a container.
US08821999B2
Vacuum-insulated glass (VIG) windows (10) that employ glass-bump spacers (50) and two or more glass panes (20) are disclosed. The glass-bump spacers are formed in the surface (24) of one of the glass panes (20) and consist of the glass material from the body portion (23) of the glass pane. Thus, the glass-bump spacers are integrally formed in the glass pane, as opposed to being discrete spacer elements that need to be added and fixed to the glass pane. Methods of forming VIG windows are also disclosed. The methods include forming the glass-bump spacers by irradiating a glass pane with a focused beam (112F) from a laser (110). Heating effects in the glass cause the glass to locally expand, thereby forming a glass-bump spacer. The process is repeated at different locations in the glass pane to form an array of glass-bump spacers. A second glass pane is brought into contact with the glass-bump spacers, and the edges (28F, 28B) sealed. The resulting sealed interior region (40) is then evacuated to a vacuum pressure of less than one atmosphere.
US08821992B2
A liquid crystal formulation is described. The liquid crystal formulation comprises a first oligosiloxane-modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material; and at least one additional material selected from a second oligosiloxane-modified nano-phase segregating liquid crystalline material, non-liquid crystalline oligosiloxane-modified materials, organic liquid crystalline materials, or non-liquid crystalline materials, wherein the liquid crystal formulation has an I→SmA*→SmC* phase transition, with a SmC* temperature range from about 15° C. to about 35° C., a tilt angle of about 22.5°±6° or about 45°±6°, a spontaneous polarization of less than about 50 nC/cm2., and a rotational viscosity of less than about 600 cP. Devices containing liquid crystal formulations are also described. The device has a stable bookshelf geometry, bistable switching, and isothermal electric field alignment, a response time of less than 500 μs when switched between two stable states, and an electric drive field of less than about 30 V/μm.
US08821990B2
The present invention provides a DLC film that has good adhesiveness even in a low-temperature environment, and a DLC film-forming method capable of forming this DLC film. The present invention also provides a DLC film that has excellent initial compatibility, and a DLC film-forming method capable of forming this DLC film. In the present invention, a first opposing surface (31) that faces an inner clutch plate, of a substrate (30) of an outer clutch plate (15) is covered by a DLC film (26). Also, a treatment layer (33) is formed on a surface layer portion of the substrate (30). The treatment layer (33) is formed by applying direct-current pulse voltage to the substrate (30), and generating plasma in an atmosphere that contains argon gas and hydrogen gas.
US08821981B2
A method of forming a seal includes preparing a froth from a one component polyurethane precursor, applying the froth to a surface of an article, and simultaneously applying water with the froth, the froth curing to form a gasket having a density not greater than 350 kg/m3 bonded to the article.
US08821976B2
A method for elaborating carbon nanotubes on a substrate is provided. The method may comprise a step for growing on the substrate the nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition by having a stream comprising a carbon source, a precursor source of an oxide compound and, optionally a catalyst source, pass over the substrate.
US08821975B2
A method for making a branched carbon nanotube structure includes steps, as follows: providing a substrate and forming a buffer layer on a surface of the substrate; depositing a catalyst layer on the surface of the buffer layer; putting the substrate into a reactive device; and forming the branched carbon nanotubes on the surface of the buffer layer and along the surface of the buffer layer by a chemical vapor deposition method. The material of the catalyst layer is non-wetting with the material of the buffer layer at a temperature that the branched carbon nanotube are formed. A yield of the branched carbon nanotubes in the structure can reach about 50%.
US08821974B2
A liquid hydrophobizing agent is supplied to a substrate and a surface of the substrate is hydrophobized. A solvent, lower in surface tension than water and capable of dissolving the hydrophobizing agent, is supplied to the substrate in a pre-drying rinsing step. Thereafter, the substrate is dried. The substrate to be processed is maintained in a state of not contacting water until it is dried after being hydrophobized.
US08821968B2
A method of fabricating a layer-structured catalysts at the electrode/electrolyte interface of a fuel cell is provided. The method includes providing a substrate, depositing an electrolyte layer on the substrate, depositing a catalyst bonding layer to the electrolyte layer, depositing a catalyst layer to the catalyst bonding layer, and depositing a microstructure stabilizing layer to the catalyst layer, where the bonding layer improves adhesion of the catalyst onto the electrolyte. The catalyst and a current collector is a porous catalyst and a fully dense current collector, or a fully dense catalyst and a fully dense current collector structure layer. A nano-island catalyst and current collector structure layer is deposited over the catalyst and current collector or over the bonding layer, which is deposited over the electrolyte layer. The fuel cell can be hydrogen-fueled solid oxide, solid oxide with hydrocarbons, solid sensor, solid acid, polymer electrolyte or direct methanol.
US08821962B2
An electronic device, such as a thin-film transistor, includes a substrate and a dielectric layer formed from a dielectric composition. The dielectric composition comprises a dielectric material and a low surface tension additive. The low surface tension additive allows for the formation of a thin, smooth dielectric layer with fewer pinholes and enhanced device yield. In particular embodiments, the dielectric material comprises a lower-k dielectric material and a higher-k dielectric material. When deposited, the lower-k dielectric material and the higher-k dielectric material form separate phases.
US08821958B2
A method for electrostatic coating of medical devices such as stents and balloons is described. The method includes applying a composition to a polymeric component of a medical device which has little or no conductivity. The polymeric component could be a material from which the body or a strut of the stent is made or could be a polymeric coating pre-applied on the stent. The polymeric component could be the balloon wall. A charge can then be applied to the polymeric component or the polymeric component can be grounded. Charged particles of drugs, polymers, biobeneficial agents, or any combination of these can then be electrostatically deposited on the medical device or the coating on the medical device. One example of the composition is iodine, iodine, iodide, iodate, a complex or salt thereof which can also impart imaging capabilities to the medical device.
US08821947B2
A method of treating cholesterol imbalance, high LDLs, and other metabolic syndrome problems and symptoms of osteoarthritis. The regimen preferred embodiment includes lipids as 60% or more of daily caloric content, protein up to 10%-15% of daily caloric content; and carbohydrates up to 25% or less of daily caloric content, primarily in the form of non-starchy, low-glycemic fresh fruit and vegetables, and nuts, along with a daily intake of 35 grams of dietary fiber, with a significant percentage of this as soluble fiber; average daily cholesterol intake of less than 10 mg, and 30 grams of cocoa solids.
US08821946B2
Highly compactable granulations and methods for preparing highly compactable granulations are disclosed. More particularly, highly compactable calcium carbonate granulations are disclosed. The granulations comprise powdered materials such as calcium carbonate that have small median particle sizes. The disclosed granulations are useful in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical tableting and provide smaller tablet sizes upon compression than previously available.
US08821942B1
A calcium carbonate granulation and a method for preparing a calcium carbonate granulation are provided. The method includes applying an atomized binder to powdered calcium carbonate in a fluid bed granulator at a relatively high atomization pressure to achieve a reduced binder droplet size, and drying the resulting composition at elevated temperatures in a fluidized bed dryer. The resulting granulation include porous granules having a lower density and reduced mean particle size with improved compressibility. In addition, the resulting granulation can be compacted into tablets having a hardness 50% greater than the hardness of tablets formed from commercially available granulations.
US08821933B2
Methods and compositions related polymers and hydrogels. In some cases to biodegradable hydrogels for use in medical applications are disclosed. The polymers and hydrogels may be produced from cross-linked dextran and poly(epoxides). The poly(epoxides) may be poloxamers.
US08821932B2
A process for the production of a composition comprising a water-insoluble statin which comprises the steps of: a) providing a mixture comprising: i) a water-insoluble statin ii) a water soluble carrier, iii) a solvent for each of the statin and the carrier, and b) spray-drying the mixture to remove the or each solvent and obtain a substantially solvent-free nano-dispersion of the statin in the carrier.
US08821924B2
The invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising rhein or diacerein or salts or esters or prodrugs thereof, optionally with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. The invention also relates to the methods for preparing such compositions.
US08821921B2
The use of vitamin D3 for the manufacture of a medicament for the transdermal treatment of neurogenic inflammation and neuropathic pain (including peripheral neuropathic pain); also a method for the relief of neurogenic inflammation and neuropathic pain using this medicament.
US08821919B2
A method for debridement of wound on the skin by placing against the wound a glass-based borate-based composition to release dissolution products which support neutrophilic activity into the wound by dissolution.
US08821912B2
Methods of fabricating implantable medical devices, preferably with PEEK, having antimicrobial properties, are disclosed. The antimicrobial effect is produced by incorporating ceramic particles containing antimicrobial metal cations into molten PEEK resin, which is subsequently allowed to cool and set in its final shape achieved by injection molding, cutting and machining or other techniques.
US08821907B2
N-halaminehydantoinyl epoxide compounds which can be used for the construction of coatings and materials which can be rendered biocidal by exposure to halogen solutions either before or after curing the coating or material are disclosed. The biocidal coatings and materials can then be used to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, as well as virus particles, which can cause infectious diseases, and those microorganisms which cause noxious odors and unpleasant coloring such as mildew. The coatings are compatible with a variety of substrates including, but not limited to, cellulose, chitin, chitosan, synthetic fibers, cement grout, latex caulk, acrylic films, polyurethanes, plastics and paints.
US08821906B2
The present disclosure relates to a biocompatible polymer composition for an article comprising a surface intended to contact blood, tissue, skin, epithelial layers, wounds, cells in culture fluids, body fluids, dialysis fluids, therapeutic fluids, or mixtures thereof for removal or infusion. The invention also relates to a method for the preparation of an article comprising the biocompatible polymer composition and a use thereof.
US08821905B2
The present invention provides an oil-in-water emulsified composition comprising the following ingredients (A)-(G) characterized by miniaturization of the emulsified particles by means of high pressure emulsification: (A) salt type drug (B) hydrophilic nonionic surfactant (C) N-long chain acyl acidic amino acid mono salt (D) two or more types of higher fatty acids and alkali that constitutes higher fatty acid soap (E) higher alcohol (F) oil component (G) water. The object of the present invention is to provide an oil-in-water emulsified composition prepared by miniaturizing emulsified particles by means of a high pressure emulsification method, said composition being superior in terms of emulsification stability such that electrolyte salt type drugs can be stably blended in.
US08821896B2
Disclosed are substantially purified Plasmodium sporozoites and preparations of Plasmodium sporozoites substantially separated from attendant non-sporozoite material, where the preparations of Plasmodium sporozoites have increasing levels of purity. Vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions comprising purified Plasmodium sporozoites are likewise provided. Methods of purifying preparations of Plasmodium sporozoites are also provided.
US08821894B2
The present invention concerns methods and compositions for treating or preventing a bacterial infection, particularly infection by a Staphylococcus bacterium. The invention provides methods and compositions for stimulating an immune response against the bacteria. In certain embodiments, the methods and compositions involve a non-toxigenic Protein A (SpA) variant.
US08821885B2
The invention is directed to immunogenic compositions, and methods for their use in the formulation and administration of therapeutic and prophylactic pharmaceutical agents. In particular, the invention provides immunogenic compositions and methods for preventing, treating, and/or ameliorating microbial infection, including, for example, influenza, or one or more symptoms thereof.
US08821883B2
The disclosure provides a non-naturally occurring BAFF-R glycoprotein having a deletion in the extracellular domain which results in an altered O-linked glycosylation pattern. The disclosure also provides methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating B-cell- and T-cell-mediated disorders.
US08821876B2
Methods of identifying infectious disease infection prior to presentation of symptoms, assays for identifying genomic markers of infectious disease, and methods for diagnosing the underlying etiology of infectious disease.
US08821873B2
The present invention concerns methods for the treatment of diffuse large cell lymphoma by administration of an anti-CD20 antibody and chemotherapy. Particular embodiments include the administration of anti-CD20 antibody in combination with chemotherapy comprising CHOP (cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin/doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone/prednisolone) and/or in combination with a transplantation regimen.
US08821868B2
Described herein are compositions and methods of use of anti-pancreatic cancer antibodies or fragments thereof, such as murine, chimeric, humanized or human PAM4 antibodies. The subject antibodies show a number of novel and useful therapeutic characteristics, such as binding with high specificity to pancreatic and other cancers, but not to normal or benign pancreatic tissues and binding to a high percentage of early stage pancreatic cancers. In preferred embodiments, the antibodies bind to pancreatic cancer mucins. The antibodies and fragments are of use for the detection, diagnosis and/or treatment of cancer, such as pancreatic cancer. The antibodies, such as PAM4 antibodies, bind to a PAM4 antigen that shows unique cell and tissue distributions compared with other known antibodies such as CA19.9, DUPAN2, SPAN1, Nd2, B72.3, and Lea and Le(y) antibodies that bind to the Lewis antigens.
US08821863B2
The present invention provides humanized antibodies that immunospecifically recognize human α9 integrin. Some of these antibodies inhibit the biological functions of the α9 integrin, thereby exhibiting therapeutic effects on various disorders or diseases that are associated with α9 integrin, including cancer, e.g., the growth and metastasis of a cancer cell, and inflammatory diseases, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hepatitis, bronchial asthma, fibrosis, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, granuloma, an inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), an autoimmune disease, and so forth.
US08821862B2
The present invention provides compositions comprising an antibiofilm enzyme, a soluble β-N-acetylglucosaminidase similar to the dspB gene (DispersinB®), and an antimicrobial for preventing growth and proliferation of biofilm-embedded microorganisms in acute and chronic wounds, and methods of treatment. The invention further provides methods for preparing medical devices, and in particular, wound care devices using soluble β-N-acetylglucosaminidase based antimicrobial compositions.
US08821853B2
An anti-fatty liver agent containing a cell and/or a culture of the lactic acid bacterium Latobacillus gasseri as an active ingredient is provided. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical agent having an anti-fatty liver activity or an anti-fatty liver beverage or food containing a cell and/or a culture of the lactic acid bacterium Latobacillus gasseri as an active ingredient. Methods of treating fatty liver in a subject by administering a cell and/or a culture of the lactic acid bacterium Latobacillus gasseri are also provided.
US08821849B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of occluding a vascular site in a mammal, comprising the step of introducing into the vasculature of a mammal at or proximal to a surgical site, a composition comprising at least one optionally purified inverse thermosensitive polymer, wherein said inverse thermosensitive polymer gels in said vasculature, thereby temporarily occluding a vascular site of said mammal, wherein said temporarily occluded vasculature site is kept in a substantially cylindrical shape.
US08821840B2
The present invention relates to bleaching composition for keratin fibers, especially human hair, comprising at least one compound with bleaching and/or highlighting effect and a quaternized hydroxyethyl cellulose polymer with cationic substitution of trimethyl ammonium and dimethyldoceyl ammonium.
US08821838B2
The present invention provides a trialkoxysilane having structure I wherein R1 is independently at each occurrence a C1-C3 alkyl group; R3 is independently at each occurrence a hydrogen or a C1-C3 alkyl group; R4 is a C1-C5 aliphatic radical, a C7-C12 aromatic radical, or a C5-C10 cycloaliphatic group; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; q is 1, 2 or 3; t is 0, 1 or 2; and X− represents a charge balancing counterion. The trialkoxysilanes are useful for the preparation of nanoparticulate diagnostic imaging agent compositions.
US08821834B2
The present invention concerns a hydrogen gas-generating apparatus (10) comprising (1) a reservoir (100) comprising an aqueous component (110), (2) a fuel compartment (200) comprising a solid metal borohydride fuel component (210), and (3) a reaction chamber (300) comprising an aerogel catalyst (310). A first fluid path introduces the aqueous component into the fuel compartment where the solid metal borohydride fuel component is dissolved into a liquid metal borohydride fuel component (210′). A second fluid path introduces the liquid metal borohydride fuel component into the reaction chamber to produce a hydrogen gas by means of a hydride-water oxidation reaction that is accelerated by the aerogel catalyst. The temperature and/or pressure of the reaction chamber are predetermined to maintain the water in the borate byproduct to be substantially in the liquid phase to minimize the precipitation of the borate byproduct.
US08821828B2
The invention relates to a method for generating nitric oxide, in particular for therapeutic applications, which comprises the steps of: guiding a process gas into a reaction chamber 3, wherein the process gas comprises nitrogen and oxygen, heating the process gas to a temperature which is sufficiently high to enable a reaction of oxygen and nitrogen to form nitric oxide, thereby forming a gas which comprises nitric oxide, and extracting the nitric oxide comprising gas from the reaction chamber 3, wherein oxygen is present in the process gas in the reaction chamber in an amount of <5 vol-%.
US08821817B2
A method is described to produce high purity rare earth oxides of the elements La, Ce, Tb, Eu and Y from phosphor, such as waste phosphor powders originating in various consumer products. One approach involves leaching the powder in two stages and converting to two groups of relatively high purity mixed rare earth oxides. The first group containing Eu and Y is initially separated by solvent extraction. Once separated, Eu is purified using Zn reduction with custom apparatus. Y is purified by running another solvent extraction process using tricaprylmethylammonium chloride. Ce is separated from the second group of oxides, containing La, Ce and Tb by using solvent extraction. Subsequently, La and Tb are separated from each other and converted to pure oxides by using solvent extraction processes. A one-stage leaching process, wherein all rare earths get leached into the solution and subsequently processed, is also described.
US08821815B2
A cell isolation instrument includes: a first container which has an opening in an upper portion; a filtration member which defines at least a part of a lower portion of the first container; an isolation member which is movably housed in the first container to collide with a tissue, thereby isolating cells; and a second container which houses the first container in a manner that the first container can be taken out.
US08821804B2
The invention relates to the use of monoliths as particle filters for limiting the deactivation of catalysts during catalytic reactions in multi-tubular reactors. The invention is particularly well-suited for catalytic oxidation reactions in the gaseous phase. The invention also relates to multi-tubular reactors including monoliths as particle filters.
US08821799B2
A method and system for using spatially modulated excitation/emission and relative movement between a particle (cell, molecule, aerosol, . . . ) and an excitation/emission pattern are provided. In at least one form, an interference pattern of the excitation light with submicron periodicity perpendicular to the particle flow is used. As the particle moves along the pattern, emission is modulated according to the speed of the particle and the periodicity of the stripe pattern. A single detector, which records the emission over a couple of stripes, can be used. The signal is recorded with a fast detector read-out in order to capture the “blinking” of the particles while they are moving through the excitation pattern. This concept enables light detection with high signal-to-noise ratio and high spatial resolution without the need of expensive and bulky optics.
US08821794B2
A sensor chip (100) for detecting particles, the sensor chip (100) comprising a substrate (102), an electric connection structure (104) arranged in a surface portion of the substrate (102) and adapted for an electric connection to an electric connection element (106), a sensor active region (108) arranged in another surface portion of the substrate (102) and being sensitive to the presence of the particles to be detected, and a continuous dielectric layer (110) covering the substrate (102) including covering the electric connection structure (104) and the sensor active region (108).
US08821792B2
A system for managing treatment of a particular health condition afflicting a patient includes a health management application program that prompts a user for entry of health condition data, including patient physiological data, subjective patient health condition data, and medication delivery data, compiles the health condition data into a data summary, and transmits the data summary through a communication unit. A drop-down list related to subjective symptoms is provided, which includes stress and depression. A touch screen is provided for a graphical user interface. The health management program also provides prompts for the entry of diet data, and further displays drop-down lists related to daily activities and alerts for medication delivery.
US08821787B2
A catalytic composition with a corrosion-inhibiting effect on metal surfaces is described. Also described, is a corrosion-inhibiting process and use of a corrosion inhibitor. Further, the catalytic composition can have a corrosion-inhibiting effect on metal surfaces in contact with an esterification medium comprising a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, wherein the composition comprises as a catalyst, a strong protonic acid and, as corrosion inhibitor, an iron(III) carboxylate.
US08821784B2
This invention discloses bottles and pre-forms prepared by injection-stretch-blow-molding (ISBM) from a composition comprising polypropylene and an inorganic non-sorbitol nucleating agent.
US08821777B2
There is disclosed an improved seat element having a seating surface element that incorporates a plurality of peak portions and a plurality of valley portions. Preferably, the plurality of peak portions and the plurality of valley portions is incorporated in an outermost surface of the seating surface element. The term “outermost surface” is intended to include an area of the seating surface element for contact by and/or support of an occupant of the seat element and does not include, for example, grooves or trenches in which there is disposed a component for attachment of a trim cover. A process and a mold for production of such a seat element are also described.
US08821776B2
A process for the additivation of synthetic fibers, artificial fibers and polymers conferring special properties to them, the process comprising the following steps: the encapsulation of an additive in the pores of a porous material; the incorporation of particles of the porous material (capsules) into the polymer matrix of the fiber; and spinning of the fiber; the capsule withstanding the temperatures and other conditions of the different manufacturing processes which the fibers might undergo and the introduction of the additive into the polymer matrix thereof, characterised in that the porous material is a metal oxide, a zeolite, an aluminophosphate, clay, a carbon material, a hybrid organic-inorganic material or a porous polymer. The invention is an improvement in the additivation process of fibers and polymers in terms of the nature of the capsules used, the increase in the storage capacity of additives thereof, the process of incorporating the capsules into the polymer matrix of the fibers and the fact that the present invention refers to an industrial process.
US08821774B2
A process for manufacturing high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, including subjecting a polyethylene tape with a weight average molecular weight of at least 500,000 grams/mole, a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6, and a 200/110 uniplanar orientation parameter of at least 3 to a force in the direction of the thickness of the tape over the entire width of the tape. A polyethylene fiber having a Mw of at least 500 000 gram/mole, a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6, and a 020 uniplanar orientation value of at most 55°.
US08821763B2
An active material capable of forming an electrochemical device excellent in its discharge capacity and rate characteristic is provided. The active material in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention comprises a compound particle containing a compound having a composition represented by the following chemical formula (1), a carbon layer covering the compound particle, and a carbon particle. The active material in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention comprises a carbon particle and a compound particle having an average primary particle size of 0.03 to 1.4 μm, being carried by the carbon particle, and containing a compound represented by the following chemical formula (1): LiaMXO4 (1) where a satisfies 0.9≦a≦2, M denotes one species selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, and VO, and X denotes one species selected from the group consisting of P, Si, S, V, and Ti.
US08821758B2
A complex crystal phosphor is an inorganic composition containing at least an M element, an Al element, silicon, oxygen, and nitrogen. The inorganic composition has particles having at least two types of crystal phase, and the at least two types of crystal phase include a first crystal phase which is the same as a M2SiO4 crystal and a second crystal phase as a β-sialon crystal. Here, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba).
US08821757B2
The invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium comprising one or more compounds of the formula (I), in which R0 has the meanings indicated in Claim 1, and to the use thereof in electro-optical liquid-crystal displays.
US08821747B2
A method for manufacturing a glass substrate for a magnetic disk comprises a surface grinding step of processing a mirror-surface plate glass, having a main surface in the form of a mirror surface, to a required flatness and surface roughness using fixed abrasive particles. The method comprises, before the surface grinding step using the fixed abrasive particles, a surface roughening step of roughening the surface of the mirror-surface plate glass by frosting.
US08821743B2
The disclosure relates to a method for making a grating. The method includes the following steps. First, a substrate is provided. Second, a patterned mask layer is formed on a surface of the substrate. Third, the substrate with the patterned mask layer is placed in a microwave plasma system. Fourth, a plurality of etching gases are guided into the microwave plasma system simultaneously to etch the substrate through three stages. The etching gas includes carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), argon (Ar2), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Finally, the patterned mask layer is removed.
US08821738B2
A method for processing a substrate is provided; wherein the method comprises applying a film of a copolymer composition, comprising a poly(styrene)-b-poly(siloxane) block copolymer component; and, an antioxidant to a surface of the substrate; optionally, baking the film; annealing the film in a gaseous atmosphere containing ≧20 wt % oxygen; followed by a treatment of the annealed film to remove the poly(styrene) from the annealed film and to convert the poly(siloxane) in the annealed film to SiOx.
US08821732B2
A device (SMB) for separation by simulated moving bed adsorption comprises a plurality of elementary zones Zi in series operating in a closed loop, each of said zones comprising, between two successive fluid injection or extraction points, a unique bed Li of adsorbant solid with volume VAi and a non-selective free volume Vi, in which the majority of the zones are ordinary elementary zones each having an identical volume VA of the same adsorbant S, and a substantially identical non-selective free volume equal to V;the device also comprises at least one particular elementary zone Z0, termed the particular elementary zone, comprising a non-selective free volume V0 which is greater than V, and a unique bed L0 of adsorbant S0 with volume VA0 which is less than VA, S0 having a volume adsorption capacity C0 which is greater than that, C, of S, such that the overall adsorption capacity C0×VA0 of Z0 is closer to the overall adsorption capacity C×VA of each of the ordinary elementary zones than the overall adsorption capacity of Z0 calculated as if the adsorbant solid of bed L0 of Z0 were not the solid S0 but the solid S.
US08821726B2
A submerged membrane separator 31 includes: a casing 33 opened at the top; a plurality of flat membrane cartridges 34 arrayed at intervals in the casing 33; and an air diffuser 36 provided below the membrane cartridges 34. The membrane cartridges 34 are movably held in the up-down direction in the casing 33 while having a space α in the up-down direction. Lifting suppressing members 63a and 63b for restricting a lifting amount of the membrane cartridges 34 during filtration operation to be smaller than the space α in the up-down direction are provided in the casing 33.
US08821717B2
A process for upgrading hydrocarbon oil feedstreams employs a solid adsorption material to lower sulfur and nitrogen content by contacting the hydrocarbon oil, with a solid adsorbents in a mixing vessel; passing the slurry to a membrane separation zone to separate the solid adsorption material with the adsorbed sulfur and nitrogen compounds from the treated oil; recovering the upgraded hydrocarbon product having a significantly reduced nitrogen and sulfur content as the membrane permeate; mixing the solid adsorbent material with aromatic solvent to remove and stabilize the sulfur and nitrogen compounds; transferring the solvent mixture to a fractionation tower to recover the solvent, which can be recycled for use in the process; and recovering the hydrocarbons that are rich in sulfur and nitrogen for processing in a relatively small high-pressure hydrotreating unit or transferring them to a fuel oil pool for blending.
US08821710B2
Hydrocarbons may be formed from six carbon sugars. This process involves obtaining a quantity of a hexose sugar. The hexose sugar may be derived from biomass. The hexose sugar is reacted to form an alkali metal levulinate, an alkali metal valerate, an alkali metal 5-hydroxy pentanoate, or an alkali metal 5-alkoxy pentanoate. An anolyte is then prepared for use in a electrolytic cell. The anolyte contains the alkali metal levulinate, the alkali metal valerate, the alkali metal 5-hydroxy pentanoate, or the alkali metal 5-alkoxy pentanoate. The anolyte is then decarboxylated. This decarboxylating operates to decarboxylate the alkali metal levulinate, the alkali metal valerate, the alkali metal 5-hydroxy pentanoate, or the alkali metal 5-alkoxy pentanoate to form radicals, wherein the radicals react to form a hydrocarbon fuel compound.
US08821708B2
A surface treatment method of cladding a Sn or Sn alloy coating with one or more metals selected from among Mn, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Ga, In, Ti, Ge, Pb, Sb and Bi continuously or discontinuously in such a way as to make the Sn or Sn alloy coating partially exposed, which method makes it possible to inhibit the generation of whiskers in an Sn or Sn alloy coating formed on the surface of a substrate to which other member is pressure-welded or the joint surface to be soldered. Cladding an Sn or Sn alloy coating with a prescribed metal continuously or discontinuously in such a way as to make the coating partially exposed inhibits the generation of whiskers by contact pressure in pressure welding, and further inhibits the generation of whiskers without impairing the solder wettability of the coating even when the cladding is not followed by heat treatment or reflowing.
US08821706B2
A method for producing a conductive polymer film using an apparatus comprising a prism having a working electrode, a light-emitting means, a light probe disposed on both sides of the prism, a container having an electrolytic solution containing a conductive-polymer-forming monomer and a dopant, a counter electrode immersed in the electrolytic solution, a power supply connected to a working electrode and the counter electrode, and a controller connected to the light probe and the power supply means. The method comprises determining an absorption spectrum from light reflected by the conductive polymer film, storing the relation between the absorbance of the conductive polymer film obtained from the absorption spectrum and a parameter of the conductive polymer film in the controller, and controlling current supply to the electrodes based on the relation of the absorbance and the parameter to obtain a desired parameter.
US08821697B2
Method and apparatus for sputter depositing silver selenide and controlling defect formation in and on a sputter deposited silver selenide film are provided. A method of forming deposited silver selenide comprising both alpha and beta phases is further provided. The methods include depositing silver selenide using sputter powers of less than about 200 W, using sputter power densities of less than about 1 W/cm2, using sputter pressures of less than about 40 mTorr and preferably less than about 10 mTorr, using sputter gasses with molecular weight greater than that of neon, using cooling apparatus having a coolant flow rate at least greater than 2.5 gallons per minute and a coolant temperature less than about 25° C., using a magnetron sputtering system having a magnetron placed a sufficient distance from a silver selenide sputter target so as to maintain a sputter target temperature of less than about 350° C. and preferably below about 250° C. during sputter deposition, and heating the sputter deposition substrate to greater than about 30° C.
US08821690B2
The invention relates to a paper product formed from fiber-based source material and applicable as printing paper. According to the invention, the surface of the paper product is finished by providing sufficient density on the surface so that the density of at least one surface layer of the paper product is sufficiently high to yield a Gurley-Hill value of more than 7000 s/100 ml as measured from the entire paper product, and the paper product has been dried to a moisture content of less than 3.5%. In addition, the invention relates to a process for manufacturing a paper product.
US08821689B1
A composition comprising starch, a biogum and water subjected to heat, shearing and optionally depolymerization is provided which is useful as a stable high solids dispersion useful in various applications including as wet-end additives for paper making.
US08821686B2
The invention relates to a method and equipment for treatment of black liquor at a pulp mill in order to recover chemicals and energy contained therein. In the invention, the black liquor is pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis reactor (4), the formed gaseous components are forwarded for utilization and the solids are mixed with water, whereby the formed solids are returned to a lime burning kiln (1) and the sodium-hydroxide-containing liquid is returned to the pulp cooking process.
US08821681B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for wet treatment of a disc-like article, which comprises: a spin chuck for holding and rotating the disc-like article, and an inner edge nozzle dispensing treatment liquid directed towards a first peripheral region of the first surface of the disc-like article, wherein the first surface is facing the spin chuck and the first peripheral region is defined as being a region of the first surface with an inner radius (ri), which is greater than 1 cm less than the disc-like article's radius (ra), wherein the inner edge nozzle is positioned in a stationary manner between the disc-like article (when placed on the spin chuck) and the spin chuck, wherein the inner edge nozzle is feed through a central pipe, which is disposed in a stationary manner and penetrates centrally through the spin chuck, for supplying a treatment liquid against a first surface of the disc-like article.
US08821672B2
An adhesive fastening element includes a first member and a second member adjacent to the first member and movable relative to the first member along a longitudinal axis of the adhesive fastening element, wherein a bond is formed by an adhesive between the workpiece and the first and second members of the adhesive fastening element. A method for de- bonding a workpiece from an adhesive fastening element includes moving the second member away from the workpiece and breaks the bond between the second member and the workpiece and moving the first and second members such that the second member moves towards the workpiece and applies a force to the workpiece so as to break the bond between the first member and the workpiece, and lo de-bond the workpiece from the adhesive fastening element.
US08821668B2
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an FRP tubular body. The manufacturing method includes the steps of winding a fiber reinforced resin member containing a fiber and a matrix resin around a mandrel, thereby obtaining an intermediate formed body, winding a wrapping tape around an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate formed body (6) with an application of a tension, curing the matrix resin in the intermediate formed body having the wrapping tape wound therearound, and pulling the mandrel out and removing the wrapping tape after the curing step, thereby obtaining a cured tubular body. It is preferable that a fabric tape should be used as the wrapping tape. It is preferable that a tensile stress to be applied to the fabric tape (8) should be set to be equal to or higher than 5 (Mpa) and is equal to or smaller than 150 (Mpa) at the tape winding step. In the manufacturing method, the matrix resin can be effectively extracted at a subsequent step to the winding step.
US08821665B2
A method includes: shaping a transparent belt base having opposite ends into a tubular shape with the ends thereof spaced away from or in contact with each other to make a tubular belt base; superposing a release base having a liquid layer of a curable polyurethane elastomer on and in contact with the outer periphery of the tubular belt base inclusive of the space or contact portion between the ends in a manner that the liquid layer is sandwiched in between the transparent belt base and the release base; curing the curable polyurethane elastomer while the liquid layer being sandwiched between the transparent belt base and the release base to form a transparent polyurethane elastomer layer; stripping the release base off the transparent polyurethane elastomer layer; and connecting the ends of the tubular transparent belt base spaced away from or in contact with each other to form a joint.
US08821651B2
A method for surface treating a heat exchanger, a hydrophilizing treatment agent used in this method, and an aluminum heat exchanger obtained from this method are provided that excel in the initial adherence, hydrophilicity, and odor suppressibility, and can maintain these abilities for an extended time, while having little burden on the environment and the human body. The method for surface treating an aluminum heat exchanger that is brazed includes (1) a pickling treatment step; (2) a chemical conversion treatment step; and (3) a hydrophilization treatment step, in which the acidic cleaning agent contains nitric acid and sulfuric acid and contains ferric salt in a predetermined amount, the hydrophilizing treatment agent contains silica grains coated with a vinyl alcohol polymer and a polyallylamine resin.
US08821647B2
Cleaning of a bulk dispense system of an appliance is provided. The appliance can include a user accessible compartment whereby the bulk dispense system is connected to a supply of a cleaning fluid. The appliance can be activated so as to flow the cleaning fluid through the bulk dispense system to help clean the system by e.g., removing particulates of detergent, fabric softener, and/or other undesirable matter that may be in the system.
US08821646B1
An irrigation system cleaning formulation contains a sufficient concentration of a water-soluble organic acid which has a pK(1)a of less than about 4.0. A cleansing irrigation water contains a sufficient amount of such cleaning formulation, and a method of cleaning an irrigation system uses such cleaning formulation.
US08821641B2
Provided is a substrate treatment apparatus. The substrate treatment apparatus includes a process chamber, a support unit disposed within the process chamber to support a substrate, and a nozzle unit disposed within the process chamber to spray gas. The nozzle unit includes a first nozzle spraying process gas, and a second nozzle spraying blocking gas onto an inner wall of the process chamber or an area adjacent to the support unit to prevent the process gas from being deposited on the inner wall of the process chamber or the support unit.
US08821640B2
Apparatus and method for volatilizing a source reagent susceptible to particle generation or presence of particles in the corresponding source reagent vapor, in which such particle generation or presence is suppressed by structural or processing features of the vapor generation system. Such apparatus and method are applicable to liquid and solid source reagents, particularly solid source reagents such as metal halides, e.g., hafnium chloride. The source reagent in one specific implementation is constituted by a porous monolithic bulk form of the source reagent material. The apparatus and method of the invention are usefully employed to provide source reagent vapor for applications such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) and ion implantation.
US08821628B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous suspension of dispersed calcium carbonate, wherein the resulting coating of said suspension provides opaque properties or has a specific light scattering coefficient S. The invention further relates to compositions of such suspensions of dispersed calcium carbonate and to its use in the field of paper coatings and paper mass fillings as well as paints and plastic coatings.
US08821621B2
A filter system includes a housing, a filter medium disposed within the housing and a optical analyte sensor also disposed within the housing in fluid communication with the filter medium. The optical analyte sensor includes a detection medium that changes at least one of its optical characteristics in response to an analyte. The filter system further includes an optical reader having at least one light source and at least one detector. The optical reader is attached to the housing such that at least a portion of light emitted by at least one light source is reflected from the optical analyte sensor and captured by at least one detector.
US08821620B2
A drying agent cartridge for a commercial vehicle includes a drying agent cartridge housing which is delimited at the top by a cover and at the bottom by a support element. The drying agent cartridge also has a drying agent container which is accommodated in the drying agent cartridge housing. The drying agent container is connected to the drying agent cartridge housing in a positively locking manner.
US08821617B2
Disclosed herein are a polyimide-polybenzoxazole copolymer, a method for preparing thereof and a gas separation membrane comprising the same. More specifically, provided are a polyimide-polybenzoxazole copolymer simply prepared through thermal-rearrangement performed by thermally treating a polyimide-poly (hydroxyimide) copolymer as a precursor, a method for preparing the same, and a gas separation membrane comprising the same. The copolymer shows superior gas permeability and gas selectivity, thus being suitable for use in gas separation membranes in various forms such as films, fibers or hollow fibers. The gas separation membrane thus prepared can advantageously endure even harsh conditions such as long operation time acidic conditions and high humidity due to the rigid polymer backbone present in the copolymer.
US08821612B2
The present invention relates to a stepwise method for the production of titanium-aluminum compounds and some titanium alloys and titanium-aluminum inter-metallic compounds and alloys. In a first step an amount of aluminum is mixed with an amount of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and then an amount of titanium chloride (TiCl4) is added to the mixture. The mixture is heated to a temperature of less than 220° C. to form a product of TiCl3, aluminum and AlCl3. In a second step, more aluminum can be added if required, and the mixture heated again to a temperature above 900° C. to form titanium-aluminum compounds. This method results in the production of powdered forms of titanium-aluminum compounds with controllable composition. Suitable reactor apparatus is also described.
US08821610B2
A method and a device are described for the production of metal powder or alloy powder of a moderate grain sizes less than 10 μm, comprising or containing at least one of the reactive metals zirconium, titanium, or hafnium, by metallothermic reduction of oxides or halogenides of the cited reactive metals with the aid of a reducing metal, wherein said metal powder or alloy powder is phlegmatized by adding a passivating gas or gas mixture during and/or after the reduction of the oxides or halogenides and/or is phlegmatized by adding a passivating solid before the reduction of the oxides or halogenides, wherein both said reduction and also said phlegmatization are performed in a single gas-tight reaction vessel which can be evacuated.
US08821606B2
A metal bonded grinding stone is manufactured by heating and pressurizing a material including abrasive grains, a cobalt, a tungsten disulfide and a copper tin alloy to obtain a sintered product, and rapid-cooling the sintered product.
US08821603B2
A hard composite member produced by a rapid omni-directional compaction process that includes the steps of: providing a pre-compaction composite comprising a substrate, a superhard member and a layer of braze between the substrate and the superhard member; placing the pre-compaction composite in a pressure transmitting material contained within a shell to form an isostatic die assembly; heating the isostatic die assembly to a temperature at which the pressure-transmitting material is capable of fluidic flow and wherein the temperature ranges between greater than the melting point of the braze layer and less than or equal to about 1200° C.; and in a forging press, compressing the isostatic die assembly to consolidate the pre-compaction composite under omnidirectional pressure at a pressure equal to or greater than about 60,000 psi into a dense, consolidated body.
US08821602B2
Systems and methods for collecting, storing, and conveying aqueous thermal energy are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a floating film retains solar energy in a volume of water located under the film. A series of curtains hanging from a bottom surface of the film define a passage between a periphery of the film and a center of the film to direct the heated water at the center of the film. The heated water is circulated to deliver the heat to a dissociation reactor and/or donor substance. The donor is conveyed to the reactor and dissociated.
US08821582B1
A hip implant has a neck body that connects to a bone fixation body. The bone fixation body has a porous structure with an elongated shape. An internal cavity is formed in the bone fixation body and includes a substance to stimulate bone growth.
US08821577B2
An intervertebral disk prosthesis (4), comprising: a rigid top plate (5); a rigid bottom plate (6); and an elastically-compressible intermediate cushion (7) received between the two inside surfaces of the plates (5, 6); remarkable in that the assembly is subdivided in the thickness direction into two units resting one on the other via complementary contact surfaces.
US08821576B2
An intervertebral disk prosthesis is disclosed. The intervertebral disk prosthesis has a base plate, a top plate opposite the base plate, and an intervening core located between the top plate and base plate. One of the plates has a first concave contact face facing the core, which has an adjacent first convex contact face. A groove is provided around one of the contact faces in which an elastic ring is placed. When placed in the groove, the elastic ring is also in contact with the opposite contact face.
US08821573B2
A device for maintaining or achieving soft tissue expansion applicable to any body region already temporarily expanded including: an adhesive element deformable and capable of adapting to the shape of this body region, and which can then itself become mechanically rigid enough to resist tendency of the expanded tissue to recoil or to which a second material can be applied to form a stent adapted to the shape of the body area to provide the necessary structural rigidity to prevent recoil of the expansion and thereby induce its retention of its expanded shape after the stent is removed.
US08821569B2
Multiple component heart valves and apparatus and methods for implanting them are provided. The heart valve generally includes a first annular prosthesis and a second valve prosthesis. The first prosthesis includes an annular member compressible from a relaxed condition to a contracted condition to facilitate delivery into a biological annulus, the annular member being resiliently expandable towards the relaxed condition. The first prosthesis also includes guide rails extending therefrom. The second prosthesis includes an annular frame, valve elements, and receptacles for receiving respective guide rails therethrough when the second prosthesis is directed towards the first prosthesis. In addition, a valve holder may releasably carry the valve prosthesis that includes channels for receiving respective guide rails therethrough when the guide rails are received through the valve prosthesis. A delivery tool is also provided that includes an actuator for selectively compressing the annular member into the contracted condition.
US08821568B2
An implant to be used as medical or dental implant, comprising a metallic or polymeric base which is covered by the vitamin D precursor cholecalciferol. The implant can be obtained by direct covering of the polymeric or metallic base with a solution comprising cholecalciferol or also covering the base with the 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), and subsequently irradiated with UV light to induce the formation of cholecalciferol. Optionally, the coating of the implant may include an antioxidant such as vitamin E. This implant enhances osseointegration in compromised patients by means of the endogenous synthesis and activity of vitamin D in hard and mineralized tissue regeneration. Furthermore, a method to obtain these implants which comprises coating the surface of the implant directly with cholecalciferol or with a specific concentration of 7-DHC and irradiated with UV light to induce the formation of cholecalciferol.
US08821564B2
Some embodiments are directed to a stent graft comprising a first stent graft having a first and a second stent and a first and a second inner graft supported by the first stent, and an outer graft. The second inner graft can be spaced apart from the first inner graft so that a portion of the first stent is not covered by either the first inner graft or the second inner graft. A first and second portion of the outer graft can be attached to the first stent, the outer graft being unsupported by the stent between the first and second portions so as to form a fillable space between the outer graft, the first inner graft, and the second inner graft. Some embodiments further comprise a second stent graft deployable within the inside of the first stent graft to sealingly cover the uncovered portion of the first stent.
US08821550B2
A system for installing a vertebral stabilization system. The system includes an installation tool including a handle portion and a shaft extending distally from the handle portion. The shaft includes a conduit and a staple mechanism. The system also includes a flexible implant member extending along the conduit configured to be advanced out from a distal end of the shaft, and a staple housed in the staple mechanism. The staple is configured to secure the flexible implant member to a vertebra. The handle portion is configured to selectively advance the flexible implant member from the shaft and to selectively actuate the staple mechanism.
US08821534B2
A hemostasis assembly having a selectively expandable hemostasis member can be used with a medical device and in a method for delivering a closure element through tissue and into an opening formed in, or adjacent to, a wall of a blood vessel or other body lumen of any size while maintaining or improving hemostasis. The medical device and method of use utilizes such an expandable hemostasis member to maintain or improve hemostasis throughout a medical procedure for closing and/or sealing openings through tissues and/or blood vessels.
US08821525B2
Improved lancet configurations and protective lancet endcap configurations are disclosed. In example forms, one or more flexing cantilevers project from the lancet body for coupling with a cooperating receiver of a lancing device. A gripping handle extends from a sterility cap for ease of removal from and replacement over the lancet tip. A lancet body has a smoothly curved wave contour with at least one crest and at least one trough for engagement with a cooperating receiver of a lancing device.
US08821521B2
A device and a method for treating a medical condition include a reversible member disposed in a patient's gastro-intestinal tract, and a dispensing member coupled to the reversible member that delivers a drug and/or a noxious when a predetermined substance is detected. In a different embodiment, the device and method of the present invention include a polymer infused with a drug and disposed into a preformed shell inside the gastric space, where it expands and hardens, releasing the drug over time. Both the casing and the polymer may be biocompatible. The present invention enables the slow-release of anti-addictive agents without patient tampering and with the appropriate dosage. Ancillary systems such as sensors, actuators, refill and recharge ports, and communication and data processing units may also be included.
US08821518B2
A suture passer device may include a first jaw, a second jaw, and a tissue penetrator which may penetrate through tissue positioned between the first and second jaws to carry a suture. Further, the device may include an actuator which may manipulate at least one of the first or second jaws and the tissue penetrator Additionally, the first and second jaws may be substantially parallel to one another at any position to which the at least one jaw is manipulated. Additionally, the tissue penetrator may travel along an arcuate path from a first position, recessed within the first jaw, to a second position where the tissue penetrator extends through the tissue to be positioned in communication with the second jaw.
US08821517B2
A mechanical system for bilaterally securing skin tissue preferably utilizes a tissue manipulator apparatus to approximate a portion of an interior surface of each of two pieces of living dermis tissue along a vertical interface below an exterior surface without overlapping either interior surface across the vertical interface. An applicator apparatus includes a driving head portion positioned in the vertical interface and at least partially below the exterior surface and a handle portion positioned at least partially above the exterior surface. The applicator apparatus bilaterally drives at least one portion of the fastener through each piece of the living dermis tissue behind the interior surface of that piece of tissue such that the fastener is positioned below the exterior surface and a portion of the fastener is positioned generally transverse to the vertical interface.
US08821515B2
A ligating instrument is provided, including an elongate member, such as a tube, having a lumen, the elongate member extending from a proximal actuator member to a distal ligating band dispenser. A pull line may extend through the lumen of the elongate member, with a proximal end of the pull line connected to the actuator member and a distal end of the pull line connected to the ligating band dispenser, wherein actuation of the actuator member draws the pull line in a proximal direction through the elongate member to deploy the ligating bands. The ligating band dispenser may be adapted to be mounted on the distal tip of an endoscope, and the elongate member may be adapted to be positioned outside of the endoscope from the ligating band dispenser to the actuator member. Alternatively, a ligating instrument may be provided for use with an endoscope, wherein a pull line of the ligating instrument is adapted to be positioned outside of the endoscope, wherein the pull line may be secured to the endoscope by clips or some other means. In a method of using a ligating instrument with an endoscope, a distal ligating band dispenser is attached to a distal tip of an endoscope, and a pull line of the ligating instrument is extended on the outside of the endoscope, such that the pull line extends, on the outside of the endoscope, from the distal ligating band dispenser to a proximal actuator member.
US08821514B2
The present disclosure is directed to a fastener applying surgical fastener applier for ensuring proper seating of a fastener within tissue. The surgical fastener applier includes an actuation mechanism, a drive mechanism, and a control system. The control system is configured to determine loading along an axis and to allow movement of the drive mechanism.
US08821510B2
A medical device including a tube having a coil fitted around at least a part of an inner liner, such as PTFE, and a braid extending over at least part of the coil. A polymeric layer is positioned over the braid to adhere to the inner liner. A portion of the coil advantageously comprises a polymer, such as PEEK, while the coil may also have a metal portion. The polymer coil may extend along at least at the proximal region of the tube, and the metal coil may extend along at least at the distal region of the tube. A polymer coil, a metal coil or any combination thereof can extend along the intermediate region of the tube. The polymer coil can be configured so that the tube is longitudinally splittable with a cutting instrument.
US08821503B2
The ancillary tool according to the invention comprises a handle for manipulating an acetabulum provided, in its distal part, with a head for gripping the acetabulum and, in its proximal part, with a surface for application of a force of impaction. The tool further comprises at least one added endpiece adapted to be removably connected to the distal end of the handle. This endpiece defines both a face for wedging the acetabulum and an opposite face for interaction of the endpiece with the head of the handle, these faces both being borne by a radially deformable supple ring. The invention is particularly applicable to the positioning of an acetabular prosthesis in an anatomical or prosthetic cavity of a patient's hip.
US08821499B2
A positioning apparatus for guiding resection of a patient tissue and guiding placement of a prosthetic implant component in a desired implant position with respect to the resected patient tissue and method of use are described. A locating block includes a mating surface contoured for mating contact with the patient tissue. A cutting plane indicator provides a physical indication of a desired cutting plane for the resection. A placement indicator is spaced apart from the locating block and includes a component-contacting feature. An elongate spacing arm is operative to space the placement indicator apart from the locating block. The spacing arm is configured to place the component-contacting feature of the placement indicator at a predetermined placement position in three-dimensional space relative to the patient tissue. The placement position predetermination is at least partially based upon pre-operative imaging of the patient tissue.
US08821485B2
A method of performing a catheter-based procedure can include introducing a delivery sheath inside a patient's body and advancing a secondary sheath through the delivery sheath, toward a treatment site inside the patient's body. The secondary sheath can be distinct from the delivery sheath, coaxial to the delivery sheath along at least a portion of a length of the delivery sheath, and can have a default linear shape that is substantially free of radial bias. The method can further include introducing a catheter through the delivery sheath and secondary sheath, to the treatment site, and performing a procedure at the treatment site with the catheter. Performing the procedure can include performing the procedure while maintaining at a relatively fixed position the secondary sheath.
US08821481B2
An apparatus for ophthalmic laser surgery includes a contact surface for shaping abutment of an eye to be treated, a first radiation-source for making a treatment laser beam available, optical components for directing the treatment laser beam through the contact surface onto the eye, and also a measuring instrument for measuring the depth of the anterior chamber of the eye bearing against the contact surface, whereby the measuring instrument makes measured data available that are representative of the depth of the anterior chamber of the eye at least one point of the same. The apparatus enables a monitoring of the depth of the anterior chamber for a predetermined limiting value being fallen short of and in this way can prevent a dangerous close approach of the posterior surface of the cornea to the anterior surface of the lens when the eye is pressed against the contact surface.
US08821479B2
According to one embodiment, a medical device may include an energy supply. The energy supply may include a lithium-ion polymer battery including at least two battery stacks and a control unit. One of the at least two battery stacks may be a backup energy source. The control unit may monitor and control the energy supply such that when the control unit detects a fault in the at least two battery stacks, the control unit disconnects a faulty battery stack. The energy supply may be rechargeable. Each of the at least two battery stacks may include a positive potential terminal, a negative potential terminal and one or more battery cell.
US08821470B2
A two-piece wearable absorbent article (such as a diaper) including an outer cover and an absorbent insert for use therewith, are disclosed. The outer cover may have a first hook-and-loop fastening system that provides for removable and refastenable and adjustable fastening of the outer cover about a wearer's lower torso. The absorbent insert and outer cover may have a second hook-and-loop fastening system that provides for removable and refastenable fastening of the insert within the outer cover. The first and second hook-and-loop fastening systems may have respective holding force and acoustic characteristics within advantageous performance ranges, individually and with respect to each other.
US08821467B1
A washable absorbent article with a front portion, a back portion and a crotch portion therebetween. The article is constructed with a fully detachable one-piece adjustable belt which is hidden from view when the article is adorned. The belt attaches to rear sideflaps from opposing ends wherein alternate sized belts can be interchanged. Alternative hidden adjustable belts comprise partially detachable one piece units or elongated extensions of the rear sideflaps; and are intended to be wrapped around the waist of the user so the absorbent article can remain in place while a user is performing bodily functions. The belts can be partially or fully detached if a pull up underwear type garment is desired. The front portion is constructed to be brought up between the legs wherein the front portion elongated side flaps are attached to the rear portion of the article to assume a pant like shape. The caregiver may use existing attachment means to keep the absorbent article away from the genitalia while the wearer is performing bodily functions, including fastening front portion sideflaps to back portion sideflaps or laundry securing tabs. Additional washable external absorbent pads can be secured on the absorbent article for added absorbency. Furthermore, the article can be provided with leg coverings by affixing the absorbent body onto open crotch pants.
US08821463B2
The present invention concerns a drainable ostomy pouch comprising first proximal pouch wall and second distal pouch wall joined together along the outer periphery to form a cavity for accommodating waste material and to form an outlet portion with an outlet for draining the content of the pouch; an inlet provided in the first pouch wall for receiving waste into the pouch; a comfort layer provided at least on the distal side wall; a closure system with first and second fastener strips provided on at least one, preferably both exterior sides of the pouch walls for in cooperation to close the outlet by folding the outlet portion upon itself, wherein the second fastener strip is provided between the comfort layer and the distal side wall such that the outlet portion when folded up may be releasably secured to the comfort layer between the comfort layer and the distal side wall.
US08821457B2
Disclosed are lacrimal inserts and their method of use for delivery of medication to the eye. The plug includes a body portion sized to pass through a lacrimal punctum and be positioned within a lacrimal canaliculus of the eyelid. The plug may contain a core, or reservoir, at least partially within the body portion comprising a therapeutic agent that is configured to controlled release into the eye and is configured for release medication via a designated port, valve, or orifice in the insert housing and inhibits diffusion of medication via the housing itself.
US08821454B2
A dispensing device and the method of making same for dispensing medicaments to a patient that includes a housing, a first assembly connected to the first end of the housing that includes a body portion, and a penetrating sub-assembly. The first assembly also includes a rate control chip of novel construction that is connected to the penetrating sub-assembly and functions to control the rate of flow of medicinal fluid to the patient. Disposed within the housing is a second assembly that includes a shuttle, a collapsible container carried by the shuttle and a plurality of variable force springs that function to thrust the collapsible container into penetrating engagement with the penetrating member of the penetrating assembly and then to collapse the collapsible container to deliver the medicinal fluid to the patient. Connected to the second end of the housing is a novel third assembly that includes an operating member that is threadably connected to the shuttle. The operating member functions to controllably move the shuttle forwardly of the housing. The apparatus also includes a novel locking mechanism that releasably locks the operating member against rotation relative to the shuttle.
US08821453B2
A folding panel needle guard comprises front and rear panels coupled together at hinges, a collar attached to the front panels at hinges, a guard base element coupled to the rear panels at hinges, a hub and a spring to unfold and lock the front and rear panels in a co-linear needle shielded configuration. The folding panel needle guard is mountable to a needle or syringe assembly.
US08821449B1
One embodiment of a clear rubber base with two parallel grooves in it attached to a clear rubber lid by a clear rubber base/lid connector. The clear rubber lid has four complementary grooves in it so that when the fastener is closed the grooves from the base and lid line up forming a snug fit for the feeding tube. Attached to the lid and across from the base/lid connector is a clear rubber pull tab. Along the bottom portion of the base is a slit that goes around the entire circumference of the base allowing enough room for the adhesive strip to fit into the slit. With the adhesive strip in place the feeding tube fastener can be applied to the skin of the abdomen.
US08821448B2
An apparatus for sealing, securing and adjusting the length of a flexible tube is disclosed. The apparatus has a housing and an anchor. The housing has a sealing section, middle section and a opposing end. The housing has an outer surface and an inner lumen. The housing has at least one pair of abutted surfaces which define a slit from said outer surface to said lumen. The anchor has a base and a grip. The grip extends upwardly from the base. The grip is configured to engage the middle section of the housing. A method for using an apparatus for sealing, securing and adjusting the length of a flexible tube is also disclosed.
US08821447B2
The present invention provides a device and a system for the delivery of biological material across the biological tissue. The device may be for the programmed delivery of biological material through a needle or a micro-needle or micro-needles or biodegradable micro-needles.
US08821441B2
A vasoocclusive coil is reinforced with a stretch resistant member to improve safety during retraction of the coil. The stretch resistant member is fixedly attached at one end to the vasoocclusive coil, and the other end of the stretch resistant member is detachably mounted to an elongated pusher member to allow for placement and release of the vasoocclusive coil within the patient's vasculature.
US08821439B2
A needle guard assembly having a resilient arm extending from a base situated to slide along the shaft of a needle. In one implementation the needle guard has an elongate containment member that rides with the resilient arm and is co-operable with the resilient arm to effectuate a covering of the entire distal tip of the needle upon the needle being retracted into the needle guard.
US08821436B2
A fluid transfer device is disclosed and described, the device comprising a housing comprising a first piercing assembly associated with the housing, the first piercing assembly adapted for accessing a first container, the first piercing assembly comprising a first piercing member comprising at least one conduit. A second piercing assembly is associated with the housing, the second piercing assembly adapted for accessing a second container, the second piercing assembly comprising a second piercing member comprising at least one conduit.
US08821434B2
A method for transferring a solid body across a surface of a biological body includes (i) applying an electrical input to a controllable electromagnetic actuator; (ii) producing with the electromagnetic actuator a mechanical force corresponding to the electrical input; and (iii) applying the mechanical force to a reservoir coupled at one end to a nozzle, the mechanical force producing a pressure within the reservoir, a magnitude of the pressure varying with the mechanical force and causing ejection of a fluid from the reservoir to drive the solid body into the biological body. A method for delivering a substance to a target body includes (i) positioning a needle-free injector proximate to a surface of the target body; (ii) injecting the substance into the target body; and (iii) while injecting, moving the needle-free injector along the surface, thereby sweeping the surface.
US08821430B2
An arterio-venous graft (16) is provided with a constriction device (20) near its arterial end. The constriction device (20) is used to reduce the flow through the AV graft under normal conditions and to relieve the constriction when high flow through the AV graft is required, such as for vascular access for hemodialysis.
US08821428B2
A traction apparatus which impresses a desired traction force to a body to be pulled is provided. The traction apparatus includes: a traction mechanism that includes a harness coupled to the body to be pulled, a rope having one end attached to the harness, and a take-up drum attaching to an other end of the rope and impressing the traction force on the body to be pulled by taking up the rope; a first pulley that engages at a predetermined wrapping angle the rope to which the traction force is impressed by being taken up by the take-up drum, a rope load being impressed to the first pulley from the rope; a coupling plate that rotatably holds the first pulley, the rope load being impressed to the coupling plate from the first pulley; a load sensor plate that holds the coupling plate at one end portion thereof, the rope load being impressed to the load sensor from the coupling plate; an outer frame that fixes an other end portion of the load sensor plate; and a load cell adhered to a surface of the load sensor plate.
US08821426B2
A leg support is adapted to be secured to a leg. The leg support includes an elongate and continuous strut having first and second rigid or semi-rigid segments, and a flexible middle segment located therebetween. The strut is arranged for securing to a posterior side of a leg and is centrally located along a medial-lateral plane of a leg. A resilient device is secured to the strut against a first surface thereof and extends across a length of the middle strut segment whereby the resilient device is configured to assist and resist certain movements of a leg. A coupling arrangement is arranged to be secured to footwear.
US08821423B2
A compliance strapping includes a predetermined adjustability, tamper deterring and indicating strapping, adapted, in use, to form an encircling loop. The compliance strapping is passed around an object and for further security the strap can be threaded through lining material or through a wearable article or medical device. The free end of the elongate member is passed through the loop, which may be a D-loop sewn into the strapping, thus forming an encircling loop of strapping. The second end is brought around to close proximity with a region of the strapping which has been passed through the loop and the tamper indicating means fastened known as the self locking rivet to said region of the strapping. Thus the encircling loop cannot be broken because the region of the strapping with the self locking rivet fastened thereto cannot pass back through the D-loop.
US08821420B1
A hand and wrist restorer and method of use having a cuff which is capable of grasping a portion of the outer skin of a limb and securing the fascia tissue thereunder together with a support which allows a user to provide a distal force upon the limb while rotating or moving the distal portion of the limb whereby a stretch of the fascia tissue occurs.
US08821409B2
A device for collecting material from lung aerosols. The device functions by collecting aerosols from the lower airway separated from material in the by collecting air from the upper airway in a chamber that when full causes the remaining exhaled aerosols from the lungs to be captured by a filter. The filter collects sample of material from the separated lung aerosols.
US08821406B2
An introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly that is insertable into a blood vessel of a human or veterinary patent to measure the temperature of blood flowing through that blood vessel. The introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly may be used in conjunction with an indwelling heat exchange catheter system to warm or cool all or a portion of the patient's body to a desired target temperature and to maintain such target temperature for a desired period of time.
US08821399B2
A tape cassette for a medical handheld device is disclosed as comprising a carrier tape, which carries test fields for assaying a sample of a human or animal bodily fluid and/or lancets as functional elements, a supply chamber, in which a supply section of the carrier tape comprising unused functional elements is positioned, a winding unit, in order to wind up the carrier tape and draw it through a tape exit opening of the chamber, so that the functional elements may be brought sequentially into a usage position. The carrier tape in the tape exit opening is oriented transversely to the supply section positioned in the supply chamber.
US08821398B2
A system includes a capsule body having a casing introduced into a subject to perform, in liquid, examination of or treatment on the interior of the subject, the casing containing a permanent magnet, a mass of the casing excluding the magnet being set to be less than a product of a volume of the casing and a density of the liquid; a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic attraction for the magnet to guide the capsule body; and a magnetic field generation device that controls the magnetic field generator to generate the magnetic attraction by setting a maximum value of the generated magnetic attraction vertically upward to the capsule body, to be equal to a maximum value of the generated magnetic attraction vertically downward to the capsule body, and by setting the maximum values to be less than a value obtained by multiplying a mass of the magnet by a gravitational acceleration.
US08821397B2
The present disclosure relates to a sensor for monitoring the depth of consciousness of a patient. The sensor includes a plurality of light sources, light detectors, and in some embodiments, electrodes. In an embodiment, the sensor includes reusable and disposable portions.
US08821381B2
The present invention provides an electronic endoscope which enables the image pickup apparatus of the electronic endoscope to be easily replaced with image pickup apparatuses of different specifications. The electronic endoscope according to the present invention is configured by including a distal end member which is provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion of the electronic endoscope, and which includes an image pickup apparatus mounting hole as a housing portion for housing an image pickup apparatus; and an outer shape adjusting member as an adjusting member which is provided between the image pickup apparatus and the image pickup apparatus mounting hole, and which fixes the image pickup apparatus in the image pickup apparatus mounting hole.
US08821378B2
The invention proposes a device for minimally invasive intervention in the skeletal region, in particular on the spinal column, having at least a cannula with a distal end generally bevelled in shape relative to a symmetrical axis of the cutting tool and an optical probe (endoscope) for insertion through the cavity of the cannula. The device is further characterized in that the cannula takes the form of a hollow cutting tool, in which the most distal region of the distal end comprises a cutting edge, which is incorporated into the edge of the wall of the cutting tool.
US08821375B1
A method of treating pelvic organ prolapse in a patient is provided. The method includes inserting a support device into a natural vaginal opening of the patient and placing the support device in contact with an interior apical portion of a vagina. The method additionally includes implanting an anchor in the patient and attaching a first end of the anchor to the support device and attaching a second end of the anchor to one of a sacrum and a ligament of the patient.
US08821373B2
Generally described herein are certain embodiments directed to an orientation-independent injection port fluidly coupled to a gastric banding system. The injection port may be configured to simplify the port-targeting process when a medical professional attempts to penetrate the injection port with a needle during a gastric band-adjusting procedure. For example, the injection port may be orientation-independent with the entire outer shell acting as the needle access point. Alternatively, and/or in addition, the inner core of the injection port may be hard or firm, thereby allowing for easier locating (e.g., when the medical professional performs palpation). Furthermore, the hard inner core may prevent needle over-throws, and help stabilize pressure.
US08821372B2
A mesh delivery system for sacral colpopexy procedures is disclosed. The system uses a mesh stabilizer (30) that is introduced in a compressed configuration through a surgical port into the abdomen, and a vaginal probe (10) (inserted through the vagina) with a magnetic or non-magnetic head that engages with the mesh stabilizer (30), anchoring it in position. The mesh stabilizer (30) employs a pseudoelastic shape memory alloy, and folds compact to deliver multiple mesh straps or a single Y-shaped surgical mesh in a streamlined configuration into the abdomen for facilitating the sacral colpopexy procedure. After delivery, the stabilizer (30) expands to a functional configuration where it interfaces with the probe (10) head and stabilizes and adjustably feeds the mesh strap(s) for suturing while maintaining stabilization of the mesh on the vaginal apex and while keeping excess mesh from obscuring the surgeons view. After suturing, the stabilizer can be removed back through the surgical port.
US08821364B2
A system, method and device for treating tumor cells utilizing a resorbable therapy seed made up of microspheres containing a beta- or alpha-particle-emitting radiation source and a resorbable polymer matrix. These seeds are implanted within the tumor and then rapidly dissolved so as to release the microspheres from the polymer matrix. These microspheres then spread within a preselected target area and provide radiation therapy in a predetermined amount and at a preselected rate according the specific needs and necessities of the users. The configuration of the microspheres, the types of radiation provided and the location and use of these microspheres provides desired localized treatment to target cells while preferentially avoiding or minimizing undesired damage to surrounding tissue. The present invention provides a method for making the seeds, as well as a method for utilizing the seeds as a part of the treatment method.
US08821362B2
An apparatus and method for separating a mixed flow into a higher-density component and a lower-density component is provided. The apparatus may include a casing having a fluid entrance assembly, a fluid outlet assembly, and a drain. The apparatus may also include a plurality of rotary separators disposed in the casing. Each of the plurality of rotary separators may include an inlet in fluid communication with the fluid entrance assembly, a discharge in fluid communication with the fluid outlet assembly, and an outlet passage in communication with the drain. At least one of the plurality of rotary separators may include a stationary housing and a rotatable drum disposed at least partially in the stationary housing. The stationary housing may define a slot at least partially providing the outlet passage, and the rotatable drum may be configured to centrifuge the mixed flow.
US08821347B2
A vehicle control device includes: an erroneous operation determination unit that determines whether erroneous operation of an accelerator pedal is performed; an increase suppression unit that suppresses an increase in driving force of a vehicle in response to the erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal; a position measuring unit that measures the depressed position of a brake pedal; a tendency determination unit that determines a deviation tendency of the depressed position of the brake pedal; and a suppression amount varying unit that varies a suppression amount of the increase in the driving force on the basis of the deviation tendency.
US08821338B2
Rotary actuators having a final output member rotatable about an axis of rotation; a motor unit designed to drive the final output member for rotation about the axis of rotation; and an elastic unit arranged between the motor unit and the final output member and having an input member torsionally coupled to the motor unit and an output member rigidly connected for rotation with the final output member are provided.
US08821334B2
A multi-speed power transmission device includes an input shaft, first and second output shafts and a planetary gearset. An axially moveable sleeve fixes the first output shaft and the input shaft for rotation when in a first position and the sleeve fixes the sun gear and the input shaft for rotation when in a second position. A hub is axially moveable and free to rotate relative to the first output shaft when in the first position. The hub is fixed for rotation with the first output shaft when in the second position. A cam plate is continuously fixed for rotation with the carrier and urges the hub toward its second position when in a second axial position. The input shaft drives the first output shaft at a reduced speed via the planetary gearset when the sleeve, hub and cam plate are at their second positions.
US08821321B2
A club-swing practice apparatus includes a tee and a bar assembled to the tee. The tee has a positioning portion and a ball supporter. The bar is assembled to the tee and has a coupling portion capable of being coupled with the ball supporter.
US08821319B2
A designing method according to the present invention includes the steps of: (1) dividing a surface of a phantom sphere of a golf ball 2 into a plurality of units U by division lines 14 obtained by projecting edge lines of a regular polyhedron inscribed in the phantom sphere, on the surface of the phantom sphere; (2) obtaining a base pattern by randomly arranging a plurality of dimples 8 in one unit U such that the dimples 8 do not overlap each other; and (3) developing the base pattern over other units U such that patterns of two adjacent units U are not mirror-symmetrical to each other. The regular polyhedron is preferably a regular dodecahedron or a regular icosahedrons.
US08821315B2
Provided is a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer, and a cover having a plurality of dimples. The core has a hardness which gradually increases from a center to a surface thereof, the hardness difference in JIS-C hardness units between the core center and the core surface being at least 15 and, letting (I) be the average value for cross-sectional hardnesses at a position about 15 mm from the core center and at the core center and letting (II) be the cross-sectional hardness at a position about 7.5 mm from the core center, the hardness difference (I)−(II) in JIS-C units being not more than ±2. The envelope layer, intermediate layer and cover have hardnesses which satisfy the condition: cover hardness>intermediate layer hardness>envelope layer hardness.
US08821310B2
A golf club includes a shaft and a head, the torque of the entire length of the shaft being in a range of 3 to 5°. From viewpoints of a torsional rigidity distribution of the shaft, an integrated value of the torsional rigidity on the grip end side of the shaft is 85% or less of the integrated value of the torsional rigidity of the entire length of the shaft. The head has a distance to the center of gravity of 40 to 48 mm and a gravity center angle of 22 to 30°.
US08821308B2
A club-swing alignment apparatus includes a tee and a frame assembled to the tee. The tee has a positioning portion and a ball supporter. The frame includes two rails and a crossbar interconnected between the two rails. The two rails and the crossbar jointly form a reference movement path. The crossbar includes an engaging portion assembled to the ball supporter of the tee. A frame of a club-swing alignment apparatus includes two rails and a crossbar interconnected between the two rails. The crossbar has an engaging portion. The two rails and the crossbar jointly form a reference movement path.
