US09200502B2

An apparatus includes a base pipe, a screen and a first assembly. The screen at least partially circumscribes the base pipe to create a flow path between a first region that is outside of the screen and a second region that is inside the base pipe. The flow path includes at least one radial port of the base pipe and a third region between the screen and the exterior of the base pipe. The first assembly regulates fluid communication through the flow path. The first assembly includes a second assembly that is disposed in and mounted to the base pipe and a flow control device that is slidably connected to the second assembly. The flow control device is adapted to translate between at least two positions to regulate the fluid communication through the flow path.
US09200499B2

A dual wiper plug system having a first wiper including a first body having a first bore therethrough, and at least one wiper fin disposed around the body, a second wiper disposed axially above the first wiper, the second wiper including a second body having a second bore therethrough and a first shoulder formed on the inner surface of the second body, and at least one wiper fin disposed around the body, and a first collet ring coupled to the first wiper and including at least one collet finger extending axially upward, and a collet head disposed on an upper end of the collet finger and configured to engage the first shoulder of the second body.
US09200495B2

A grapple for use in an overshot has a tension ring with a reduced helix diameter but the helix diameter is not reduced on either sides of the control finger slot. One embodiment includes expansion blades on the inner diameter (“ID”) of the tension ring to allow the grapple to expand substantially before the fish reaches the segments. An embodiment provides for a control with an offset finger to allow the guide thread ID to be smaller than the bowl helix major ID. Also provided is grapple control for a spiral grapple that has at least one gap to allow the grapple control to be more compliant during fishing operations. The control may include one or more bridges of reduced thickness. Alternate embodiments include gaps and support bands with or without bridges and/or a backup ring to help eliminate misalignment of the grapple control with the support shoulder of the overshot guide.
US09200494B2

A downhole vibration tool for connection with a pipe string, including a housing, an unbalanced turbine assembly contained within the housing, an inlet for introducing a fluid into the unbalanced turbine assembly, and an outlet for discharging the fluid from the unbalanced turbine assembly. The unbalanced turbine assembly includes a sleeve and at least one annular turbine which is located in an annular bore defined between the housing and the sleeve.
US09200490B2

Methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an internal surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing at least one reel on which a hollow articulated lance is spooled. Tools or sensors, for example, are installed on a distal end of each lance. Hoses, electrical conduits, conductors or other similar carrier hardware inside each hollow lance supply the tools or sensors as required. A stabbing mechanism causes the reel to spool and unspool the lance so that the tools or sensors reciprocate up and down the inside of the rotating tubular.
US09200483B2

Earth-boring drill bits may include a bit body including blades extending radially over a face of the earth-boring drill bit and cutting elements attached to each blade. Only cutting elements including planar cutting faces may be attached to at least one of the blades. Only cutting elements including nonplanar cutting faces may be attached to at least another of the blades. Only cutting elements including planar cutting faces or only cutting elements including nonplanar cutting faces may be attached to each of the blades. Only cutting elements including nonplanar cutting faces may be attached to a number of the blades that may be unequal to a number of the blades to which only cutting elements comprising planar cutting faces may be attached.
US09200481B2

A method to provide in a wall of a building structure a low-profile secure canine access comprises the steps of forming an access opening through the wall, mounting a door structure in the wall, and installing a supplemental security member over the door structure to fully enclose the door structure. A door is mounted in the security member. A low profile locking system secures the door in a closed position.
US09200474B1

A locking device includes a lock and a key. The lock includes a housing, a cylindrical core inserted into and rotatable relative to the housing, and a limiting member that is mounted movably between the housing and the cylindrical core to permit or prevent the relative rotation between the housing and the cylindrical core and that extends into a helical keyway formed in the cylindrical core. The key has a helical blade capable of being inserted into the helical keyway to access the limiting member, so as to move the limiting member to permit the relative rotation between the cylindrical core and the housing.
US09200471B2

A mounting accessory is used for secure connection of a rail or other component to a hollow post positioned over an internal upright by a mounting device having an axial passage through which the upright extends. The accessory features interconnected walls facing into an open space left therebetween, the open space being sized to accommodate passage of the upright support therethrough with the mounting accessory oriented to situate the walls on different sides of the upright support. Each wall has an opening therein sized to accommodate a respective portion of the periphery of the mounting device. With a portion of the mounting device periphery received in the opening of each wall, the wall resides at or adjacent the periphery of the device to lie internally adjacent a respective wall of the post to provide extra material for engagement by a screw fastener driven through the post wall.
US09200468B2

There is provided a wind power installation pylon comprising a plurality of pylon segments which respectively have an upper and a lower horizontal flange. At least one of the plurality of the pylon segments has at least two longitudinal flanges. Each longitudinal flange has a first side for bearing against a first side of a further longitudinal flange and a second side to which the peripheral surface is welded, wherein the second side is opposite to the first side.
US09200448B2

The present invention relates to a plastic panel construction with improved resistance to heat build. An outdoor weatherable panel comprises a substrate having an upper surface, a decorative layer disposed about the upper surface of the substrate, and a size coat layer disposed between the decorative layer and the substrate, where the size coat layer comprises an additive that is reflective to infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, or both. The additive can be a color pigment, a white pigment, a metallic pigment, or a combination of two of more thereof. The modified size coat layer provides a construction with excellent properties and improved resistance to heat build.
US09200446B1

A bridging member for attachment between two structural members is described. The bridging member addresses the need to provide lateral bracing between wooden structural members such as joists, studs and rafters for which the depth of the members relative to the thicknesses requires bracing to avoid twisting or buckling. The bridging member includes a web and a pair of side flanges. Disposed on each end of the bridging member is an end flange that is disposed at an angle with respect to the web, and a connecting or end tab. The end flanges are adapted to be fastened or connected to opposing sides of the structural members while the end tabs are adapted to be secured to a top or bottom portion of the structural members.
US09200435B2

A swing spout assembly is disclosed which has a spout having a channel extending from an inlet end to a discharge end. A radially extending groove is formed adjacent the inlet end of the spout, and a snap ring is received in the groove of the spout. A pair of glides in the form of wear washers sandwich the portion of the snap ring extending out of the groove to form a bearing subassembly. An escutcheon is positioned around at least part of the inlet end of the spout. A stationary body has a portion that extends into the channel of the spout and a portion extending around an outer radial periphery of the inlet end of the spout. The portion extending around the outer periphery of the inlet end and the escutcheon defining a pocket that retains the bearing sub-assembly.
US09200428B2

An upper rotation body is rotatably attached on a lower travelling body. A storage battery module is loaded onto the upper rotation body. The storage battery module has a plurality of plate-shaped storage battery cells that are stacked in z direction when an xyz rectangular coordinate system is defined. At least one heat transfer plate is arranged between the storage battery cells. Pressing plates, which are arranged at both ends of the stack structure of the storage battery cells, apply a compressive force in the stacking direction to the storage battery cells. A first wall plate and a second wall plate pinch the stacked body in the y-direction and are fixed to the pressing plates. The positions of the heat transfer plates are restricted with respect to the first wall plate and the second wall plate.
US09200426B2

A blade control system includes an angle obtaining part, an open ratio setting part and a lift cylinder controlling part. The angle obtaining part is configured to obtain an angle of a lift frame with respect to a designed surface. The open ratio setting part is configured to set an open ratio based on the angle. The lift cylinder controlling part is configured to open a proportional control valve at the open ratio for elevating the blade when a distance between the designed surface and an edge of a blade is determined to be less than or equal to a threshold.
US09200416B2

This invention provides a safety fence which can easily be installed in parking spaces, and which enables wiring to be laid to each parking space by housing the wiring on the inside. The safety fence has two legs and a cylindrical section. The two legs are inserted in two holes formed in the ground in the width direction of a vehicle. The cylindrical section is formed in a substantially upside-down U-shape, the two ends of which are connected to the two legs. The cylindrical section houses the wiring on the inside. Two openings that expose the wiring to the outside are formed on both sides of the cylindrical section in the vehicle width direction.
US09200412B2

Railway stone ballast and related systems and methods are provided. A representative railway stone ballast includes a crushed stone matrix; rubber aggregate; and an adhesive binder adhering the rubber aggregate to the stone matrix.
US09200411B2

A process to manufacture a paper derived from minerals includes the steps of preparing a mineral preparation that includes 50% to 70% of total dry weight of rocks that have been crushed and ground into a powdery substance; combining the mineral preparation with a sodium silicate solution of total dry weight of 30% to 50%; and adding additives having a weight of 2% to 5% of a total dry weight. The powdery substance may have granules of about 0.05 mm to 0.08 mm in diameter and can be mixed with vitamin powder. The igneous rocks can be selected from the set of: dolostone, basalt, granite, gabbro, andesite, diorite, obsidian, pegmatite, peridotite, pumice, rylolite, and scoria. Sedimentary rocks can be selected from the set of: limestone, sandstone, conglomerate, shale, siltstone, brecca, gypsum, chert, travertine, flint, iron ore, rock salt, and oil shale.
US09200410B2

An electrophotographic recording sheet having, on a water-resistant support, a toner-receiving layer containing a liphophilic polymer antistatic agent with a specific surface resistivity of from 1×107 to 9×1012Ω. This electrophotographic recording sheet is excellent in recording quality, fixability, water resistance, durability, color printability and continuous printability.
US09200409B2

Embodiments include a coated paper or paperboard with a multilayer coating and methods of forming a coated paper or paperboard with the multilayer coating. The multilayer coating includes a first water vapor barrier layer, a biopolymer barrier layer, and a second water vapor barrier layer and provides the paperboard with improved oil and grease resistant properties, oxygen barrier properties, and water vapor barrier properties.
US09200406B2

The invention relates to an improved process to break down lignin macromolecules and liberating cellulose fibers in lignocellulosic material using delignifying reactants with a gaseous organic agent as a heating and reaction-accelerating media. Lignocellulosic material is first impregnated with reactant chemicals, e.g. commonly used agents such as sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. Subsequently, the energy required for the delignification reactions is provided through heating with a gaseous organic agent such as methanol or ethanol, condensing and releasing energy to the solid lignocellulosic material. The temperature during the heating step with a gaseous organic agent is higher than the temperature during the impregnation step.
US09200402B2

Methods and apparatus for heating an object 9 that includes an absorbed medium. A method embodiment comprises: placing the object 9 including the medium into an enclosure 16; initiating a heating process by subjecting the object 9 and medium to a capacitive AC electrical field generated by an RF power source 2 at a single low frequency; controlling the heating process by taking real time measurements; and making real time adjustments to the RF power source 2 in response to the real time measurements. The object 9 substantially absorbs the medium in a first “cool” state, and therefore has a maximum weight in the first “cool” state. The object 9 is substantially free from the medium in a second “heated” state, due to substantial release of the medium from the object 9. The released medium is evaporated during the heating process. The heating process is completed when the object 9 is substantially transitioned into the second “heated” state. The method further comprises causing an air flow 11 inside the enclosure 16 to carry away evaporated medium out of the enclosure 16.
US09200390B2

In a nonwoven fiber assembly which comprises a fiber comprising a thermal adhesive fiber under moisture and in which the fiber are entangled with each other, the fibers are bonded at contacting points of the fibers by melting the thermal adhesive fiber under moisture to distribute the bonded points approximately uniformly, thereby obtaining a buffer substrate. The buffer substrate may further comprises a conjugated fiber comprising a plurality of resins which are different in thermal shrinkage and form a phase separation structure, and the conjugated fibers may have an approximately uniform crimps having an average curvature radius of 20 to 200 μm and are entangled with the fibers constituting the nonwoven fiber assembly. The buffer substrate can be obtained by a method comprising the steps of: forming a web from the fiber comprising the thermal adhesive fiber under moisture; and subjecting the obtained fiber web to a heat and moisture treatment with a high-temperature water vapor to melt the thermal adhesive fiber under moisture for bonding the fibers. The buffer substrate has a high air-permeability, an excellent cushion property and softness.
US09200386B2

A method of forming color change fiber, comprises preparing polymer base material and preparing color changeable material; mixing said polymer base material and said color changeable material with a weight percentage ratio; loading said mixed said polymer base material and said color changeable material into a melting apparatus; forming polymer fiber by spinning, weaving process, wherein said polymer fiber is color changeable when sunlight irradiates on said polymer fiber.
US09200383B2

A method for the manufacture of fibrous yarn includes providing an aqueous suspension formed from fibers and at least one rheology modifier; directing the aqueous suspension through at least one nozzle, to form at least one yarn, and subjecting said yarn to dewatering. The at least one nozzle can have an inner diameter of an outlet smaller than or equal to a maximum length weighed fiber length of the fibers.
US09200382B2

The invention provides a method of screening a library of candidate agents by contacting the library with a target in a reaction mixture under a condition of high stringency, wherein the target includes a tag that responds to a controllable force applied to the tag, and passing the members of the library through a microfluidic device in a manner that exposes the library members to the controllable force, thereby displacing members of the library that are bound to the target relative to their unbound counterparts. Kits and systems for use with the methods of the invention are also provided.
US09200378B2

The present invention is directed towards methods for growing diamond nanowires via chemical vapor deposition and apparatuses that incorporate these diamond nanowires.
US09200372B2

This disclosure relates to a passivation composition containing at least one sulfonic acid, at least one compound containing a nitrate or nitrosyl ion, and water. The passivation composition is substantially free of a halide ion.
US09200368B2

Embodiments of a gas diffuser plate for distributing gas in a processing chamber are provided. The gas distribution plate includes a diffuser plate having an upstream side and a downstream side, and a plurality of gas passages passing between the upstream and downstream sides of the diffuser plate. The gas passages include hollow cathode cavities at the downstream side to enhance plasma ionization. The depths, the diameters, the surface area and density of hollow cathode cavities of the gas passages that extend to the downstream end can be gradually increased from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate to improve the film thickness and property uniformity across the substrate. The increasing diameters, depths and surface areas from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate can be created by bending the diffuser plate toward downstream side, followed by machining out the convex downstream side. Bending the diffuser plate can be accomplished by a thermal process or a vacuum process. The increasing diameters, depths and surface areas from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate can also be created computer numerically controlled machining. Diffuser plates with gradually increasing diameters, depths and surface areas of the hollow cathode cavities from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate have been shown to produce improved uniformities of film thickness and film properties.
US09200365B2

Provided are methods of catalytic atomic layer deposition using pyridine-based catalysts. Certain methods comprising activating a reaction between at least two film precursors and certain other methods of catalytic deposition of SiO2, both of which comprise using a pyridine-based catalyst.
US09200362B2

A substrate holder stocker device capable of reducing foot print is provided. The device includes: a movable table A which holds a plurality of substrate holders side by side in a plate thickness direction thereof and moves back and forth; a movable table B which is provided parallel to the movable table A and holds a plurality of the substrate holders side by side in a plate thickness direction thereof, and which moves back and forth; and an inter-table transfer mechanism for allowing the substrate holder which is held by one of the movable tables A and B stopped at predetermined positions to be held by the other of the movable tables A and B.
US09200359B2

The invention provides a vacuum enclosure which is defined by a wall having inner and outer surfaces, where the inner surface is in contact with the vacuum and the outer surface is in contact with ambient air. The vacuum enclosure is characterized by the presence therein of a getter for undesired gaseous contaminants. The getter includes a substrate (either integral with the inner surface or not) and, deposited thereon by vacuum deposition, a thin-layer laminate including at least one layer (α) of substance(s) such as platinum group metals and oxides thereof, and at least one porous hydrophilic layer (β). A corresponding layered structure having utility as a getter is also part of the invention.
US09200358B2

The present invention relates to a manufacturing process of a structural component for a motor vehicle, wherein a plate bar is heated, is fed to a die in the heated state and is shaped in the die. The process is characterized in that the plate bar is subjected to a nitriding process before the shaping. Furthermore, a plate bar for hot-forming for manufacturing a structural component for a motor vehicle is described, wherein the surface of the plate bar has a nitrided layer. Finally, the present invention relates to a structural component of a motor vehicle, which is manufactured by hot forming from a plate bar having a nitrided layer.
US09200356B2

A nozzle and process are set forth for contacting a cryogenic liquid and a gas, and discharging the resulting fluid through the nozzle. In one embodiment, the ratio of the discharged fluid's liquid component to its gaseous component is controlled as a function of the gas pressure.
US09200350B2

A silver alloy with exceptional resistance to both tarnishing and firestain includes at least 92.50% silver, from 0.70 to 1.65% germanium, from 1.30 to 1.80% indium, from 0.000 to 0.015% boron, not more than 1.0% palladium and not more than 0.20% copper.
US09200345B2

A process and a plant for treating ore concentrate particles containing valuable metal and having at least arsenic and sulfur containing components. The process comprises a two-stage roasting process comprising a first roasting step and a second roasting step. A gas mixture is formed from the first process gas component obtained from the first roasting step and from the second process gas component obtained from the second roasting step. Post combustion of the gas mixture is made in a post combustion chamber that uses the sulphide rich first process gas component and the second process gas component as oxidizer gas in order to decompose SO3 in the gas mixture. The exit gas is exposed to subsequent gas cooling and dust removal steps.
US09200331B2

The present invention relates to methods for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis based on an analysis of a patient sample. For example, patient test samples are analyzed for the presence or absence of one or more lactobacilli and two or more pathogenic organisms. The presence or absence of one or more lactobacilli and two or more pathogenic organisms may be detected using PCR analysis of nucleic acid segments corresponding to each target organism. The quantity of the target organisms can then be used to determine a score which is indicative of a diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.
US09200329B2

Methods for typing a strain of an organism are provided, the methods comprising the steps of amplifying, in a single reaction mixture containing nucleic acid from the organism, dividing the reaction mixture into a plurality of sets of second-stage reaction wells, each set of second-stage reaction wells containing a different pair of second-stage primers, subjecting each of the second-stage reaction wells to amplification conditions to generate a plurality of second-stage amplicons, melting the second-stage amplicons to generate a melting curve for each second-stage amplicon, and identifying the strain of the organism from the melting curves.
US09200326B2

The present invention provides a polymorphism detection probe that can identify a different polymorphism in a K-ras gene easily with high reliability and use of the polymorphism detection probe.
US09200322B2

The present invention provides methods and compositions for the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke. The invention further provides methods and compositions for distinguishing acute ischemic stroke from other forms of stroke and TIAs and “stroke mimic” events. Moreover, methods and compositions are provided to facilitate the treatment of acute ischemic stroke patients.
US09200319B2

The present invention relates generally to labeled and unlabled cleavable terminating groups and methods for DNA sequencing and other types of DNA analysis. More particularly, the invention relates in part to nucleotides and nucleosides with chemically cleavable, photocleavable, enzymatically cleavable, or non-photocleavable groups and methods for their use in DNA sequencing and its application in biomedical research.
US09200313B2

The present invention is directed to a method for performing an RT-PCR for amplifying a target RNA comprising the steps of a) lysis of a cellular sample which is supposed to contain the target RNA with a lysis buffer comprising between 0.2 M and 1 M Guanidine Thiocyanate, b) diluting the sample to an extent such that Guanidine Thiocyanate is present in a concentration of about 30 to 50 mM, c) reverse transcribing in the presence of a mixture of first strand cDNA synthesis primers, the mixture consisting of oligo dT primers and random primers, and d) subjecting the sample to multiple cycles of a thermocycling protocol and monitoring amplification of the first strand cDNA in real time, characterized in that steps a) to c) are done in the same vessel.
US09200312B2

Methods and materials are disclosed relating to an improved method for amplifying a signal in a diagnostic assay for a nucleic acid, comprising the steps of providing an amplification polymer bound to a nucleic acid analyte, wherein the amplification polymer comprises a plurality of amine groups; binding amine groups on the amplification polymer with a detectable label complex; and reacting under high salt conditions an acetylating compound with amine groups not bound with a detectable label complex.
US09200306B2

The present invention relates to a method for production and purification of polypeptides. In particular, the present invention relates to a fusion protein comprising a solubility-enhancing peptide tag moiety, a self-aggregating peptide moiety and a moiety of target peptide and to a method for production and purification of target peptides through expressing said fusion protein.
US09200305B2

The invention provides methods of generating physical analog polypeptides, and polypeptides generated employing the methods of the invention, that have the same amino acid composition of a reference protein, but have an unrelated primary sequence. The invention further provides compositions and methods employing such proteins.
US09200304B2

5′-guanylic acid (GMP) is produced efficiently by allowing a microorganism to react with xanthylic acid (XMP), wherein said microorganism is able to convert xanthylic acid into 5′-guanylic acid and has been modified so that the nagD gene does not function normally and 5′-guanylic acid synthetase activity is enhanced.
US09200299B2

The invention provides isolated nucleic acids and isolated polypeptides involved in the synthesis of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon intermediates. Homologs of, conservative variants of, and sequences having at least about 35% sequence identity with nucleic acids involved in the synthesis of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon intermediates are also provided. The invention further provides methods for producing an aliphatic ketone or a hydrocarbon, as well as a method for identifying an enzyme useful for the production of hydrocarbons.
US09200297B2

An isolated biologically pure culture of Clostridium tyrobutyricum ITRI04001 or an isolated biologically pure culture of Clostridium tyrobutyricum having the genotypic characteristics of ITRI04001 useful for syngas fermentation. Volatile free acids are produced by a method comprising culturing a microorganism having the genotypic characteristics of ITRI04001 in a medium; providing at least one substrate comprising at least one carbon source chosen from CO and CO2 to the microorganism; and recovering at least one free volatile free acid. Syngas can be the at least one substrate in these processes for producing volatile free acids.
US09200292B2

The invention provides a novel MYB class transcription factor gene (nucleic acid sequences, protein sequences, and variants and fragments thereof) designated MYB14 by the applicants, that is useful for manipulating the production of flavonoids, specifically condensed tannins, in plants. The invention provides the isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding proteins with at least 70% identity to any one of MYB14 polypeptide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 14 and 46 to 54. The invention also provides, constructs, vectors, host cells, plant cells and plants genetically modified to contain the polynucleotide. The invention also provides methods for producing plants with altered flavonoid, specifically condensed tannin production, making use of the MYB14 nucleic acid molecules of the invention.
US09200287B2

The invention relates to oligonucleotides including at least one backbone modification and a pyrimidine-purine dinucleotide. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use thereof.
US09200284B2

This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for reducing KRAS target RNA and protein levels via use of Dicer substrate siRNA (DsiRNA) agents possessing asymmetric end structures.
US09200272B2

An RNA extraction buffer, an RNA extraction method, and an RNA extraction kit are described which enable functional, rapid, efficient, and high-quality RNA isolation from samples containing high concentrations of aqueous metal cations, clays, silica, or silicate minerals.
US09200265B2

Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein generally relate to anti-cocaine therapeutics. Specifically, some embodiments of the invention relate to highly efficient, thermostable, and long-lasting cocaine esterase (CocE) mutants that can protect against the toxic and reinforcing effects of cocaine in subjects. Provided herein are mutant CocE polypeptides displaying thermostable esterase activity. Also provided are methods of treating cocaine-induced conditions in a subject in need via administration of mutant CocE as well as methods for high-throughput screening of candidate esterase polypeptides.
US09200263B2

The present invention provides a recombinant PRPK protein, a recombinant TPRKB protein, or a recombinant PRPK/TPRKB complex expressed by use of a eukaryotic cell expression system. The present invention also provides a method of preparing a recombinant PRPK, a recombinant TPRKB, or a recombinant PRPK/TPRKB, comprising expressing a recombinant PRPK, a recombinant TPRKB, or a recombinant PRPK/TPRKB complex by use of a eukaryotic cell expression system. The present invention also provides a method of identifying an agent that modulates PRPK, TPRKB, or PRPK/TPRKB complex using the recombinant PRPK, the recombinant PRPK or the recombinant PRPK/TPRKB complex.
US09200259B2

A new pantropic canine coronavirus (CCoV) strain, having reduced pathogenicity, and capable of eliciting an immune response, is described.
US09200248B2

The invention relates to a bioreactor for cultivating phototrophic organisms in an aqueous culture medium. The reactor parts and/or fittings that come into contact with the culture medium are entirely or partially coated with a silicone layer, and the surface of the silicone layer has a contact angle to the water of at least 100°.
US09200247B2

The invention relates to a bioreactor for cultivating phototrophic organisms in an aqueous culture medium, the reactor parts that come into contact with the culture medium being entirely or partially produced from silicone materials. The invention is characterized in that the silicone materials are produced from addition-crosslinked silicones, and the surface of the silicone materials has a contact angle to the water of at least 100°.
US09200245B2

A mulitwell plate having a plurality of picowells on the bottom of the wells of the plate as well as methods of producing the mulitwell plate are provided. Provided is also a method of handling living cells by providing an ordered array of living cells immobilized in a non-fluid matrix, contacting the living cells with a stimulus; and detecting a response to the stimulus. The present invention is also of a method of producing an ordered array of living cells.
US09200241B2

Composition comprising bornyl or isobornyl acetate and certain acids are effective for reducing malodors. The acids have the formula R—COOH in which R is C1-5 alkyl or R is C3 or C4 alkylene optionally phenyl-substituted. These compositions can be used in perfumed products, household products and personal care products.
US09200235B2

A method and system for processing algae involves the use of an ionic liquid-containing clarified cell lysate to lyse algae cells. The resulting crude cell lysate may be clarified and subsequently used to lyse algae cells. The process may be repeated a number of times before a clarified lysate is separated into lipid and aqueous phases for further processing and/or purification of desired products.
US09200226B1

A fuel soluble additive for a gasoline or diesel engine, a method for making the additive, a fuel containing the additive, a method for improving performance of fuel injectors for an engine. The fuel soluble additive includes an esterified quaternary ammonium salt derived from a tertiary amine, an epoxide, a proton donor and an anhydride.
US09200221B2

Present embodiments include systems and methods for reducing variations in a solid feed provided to a gasifier. For example, in an embodiment, a gasification feed vessel includes a solid fuel inlet configured to receive a solid fuel into the gasification feed vessel, a dry mixer configured to dry mix the solid fuel within the feed vessel, a solid fuel outlet configured to deliver a feed of the solid fuel to a gasification system, and a metering device coupled to the solid fuel outlet. The metering device is configured to control an amount of the feed of the solid fuel delivered to the gasification system. The gasification feed vessel is configured to provide the feed of the solid fuel to the gasification system within a desired energy concentration range over time.
US09200219B2

Corrosion by ammonia/amine salts in hydrocarbon streams such as distillation overhead streams that contain a mineral acid and water can be prevented, avoided or minimized by adding certain strong amines to the streams. The amines have a pKa between about 10.5 to about 12 and include, but are not necessarily limited to, dimethylamine, diethylamine, dipropylamine, diisopropylamine, di-n-butylamine, diisobutylamine, di-sec-butylamine, di-tert-butylamine, pyrrolidine, piperidine, and combinations thereof. If the hydrocarbon stream further includes a nitrogen-containing compound such as ammonia, a tramp and/or a residual amine which can form a corrosive salt with the mineral acid, then the added amine is a stronger base than the tramp or residual amine, if present. The amount of added amine is greater than total amount of nitrogen-containing compound, so that any corrosive salts formed are less corrosive than the salts that would otherwise form from the ammonia and/or tramp amine.
US09200197B2

A method of providing a phosphor with a precisely controlled element composition, a phosphor provided by the same, and a red phosphor represented by the [formula 1] are disclosed, in which CaaSrbAlcSidOeNf: Eug  [formula 1] wherein 0≦a<1, 0
US09200196B2

The present invention relates to a novel chrysene derivative and an organic electronic device using the same. A chrysene according to the present invention may act as a hole injection, hole transport, electron injection and transport, or light emitting material in an organic light emitting device and an organic electronic device, and in particular, may be used alone as a light emitting host or a dopant.
US09200191B2

Methods and compositions are provided wherein microorganisms are used to alter the interface of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-coated surfaces to increase oil recovery, for improved bioremediation and/or pipeline maintenance.
US09200176B2

A polymer is provided that preferably includes at least one unsaturated cycloaliphatic group. In one embodiment, the polymer is combined with an optional crosslinker and an optional carrier to form a coating composition suitable for use in coating articles such as packaging articles. In one embodiment, the polymer has at least one unsaturated cycloaliphatic group that is at least bicyclic.
US09200174B2

A laminated body is a laminated body that has in this order a second layer and a first layer with different indices of refraction on at least one surface of a supporting base material, and the first layer contains particles X (particles X being particles having at least an inorganic particle part), with the second layer containing particles Y (particles Y being particles having at least an inorganic particle part) and is characterized by the number average particle size (DX in the following) for the inorganic particle parts for the particles X being 5-25 nm and by Equations 1 and 2 being satisfied: 1.4≦(LX/DX)≦3  1 SLX≦7  2.
US09200172B2

Aspects describe phthalocyanine (Pc) molecules with peripheral modifications of its core (e.g., alkyl substituents) so that the Pc can self assemble, for example under vacuum sublimation, and form nanocrystals of a size on the order of nanometers. The Pc nanocrystals can be prepared, for example, by a simple vapor deposition method. Further aspects describe a polymer composite ink based Pc nanocrystals in a polymer matrix, which can be formed, for example, under a solution process approach. For example, the polymer matrix can be a different p-type conjugated polymer from the Pc nanocrystals, which are inherently p-type semiconductors. This can increase the film formation ability and charge transport properties of the polymer composite ink. The polymer composite ink can be utilized, for example, in the fabrication of optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaic devices and/or thin film transistors. The optoelectronic devices can exhibit high power conversion efficiency (PCE), for example 6-7 percent.
US09200170B2

The present disclosure provides an inkjet ink comprising an aqueous vehicle and an encapsulated pigment dispersion. A process for encapsulating pigment dispersions is provided where a pigment is dispersed with a polymeric dispersant in an aqueous solvent system. The free polymer dispersant in the pigment dispersion is limited to less than 0.12 grams per gram of pigment. This dispersed pigment is then encapsulated by adding acrylate monomers and optionally acrylic and vinyl monomers and polymerizing. In the encapsulated pigment dispersion the weight ratio of final free polymer to polymer found to the final encapsulated pigment is less than 0.9. The free polymer dispersant is measured by a centrifugation method and the final free polymer is measured by a density gradient centrifugation method. Such encapsulated pigment dispersions may be used in inkjet inks and are stable to heat, aging test conditions, and solvent challenges. Prints from these inks have better durability.
US09200166B2

A corrosion inhibition composition is disclosed comprising a zinc oxide, a zinc hydroxide benzoate, a sodium benzoate, a molybdate compound and a silicate compound. Moreover, a corrosion inhibition composition is disclosed comprising a zinc oxide, a zinc phosphate, a calcium silicate, an aluminum phosphate, a zinc calcium strontium aluminum orthophosphate silicate hydrate, a molybdate, and a silicate compound.
US09200164B2

The present patent application relates to a novel coating system, coated compositions with such a coating system, as well as to the use of such compositions in the production food, feed, dietary supplements and/or pharmaceutical products, as well as to food, feed, dietary supplements and/or pharmaceutical products comprising such compositions.
US09200160B2

There is provided herein a composition comprising: (A) a silanol and/orhydrocarbon-terminated polyorganosiloxane in an amount of from about 30 weight percent to about 90 weight percent; and, (B) a moisture curable silylated polyurethane resin in an amount of from about 10 weight percent to about 70 weight percent. There is also provided herein in another embodiment a two part sealant composition wherein the first part comprises: (A) a silanol and/or hydrocarbon-terminated polyorganosiloxane in an amount of from about 15 weight percent to about 60 weight percent, (B) a moisture curable silylated polyurethane resin in an amount of from about 2 weight percent to about 32 weight percent, and (C) a filler, said weight percents being based on the weight of the first part. In addition, there is provided herein a fumed silica composition comprising: (A) a silanol and/or hydrocarbon-terminated polyorganosiloxane in an amount of from about 20 weight percent to about 62 weight percent; (B) a moisture curable silylated polyurethane resin in an amount of from about 8 weight percent to about 38 weight percent; and, (C) a treated fumed silica in an amount of from about 5 to about 10 weight percent.
US09200153B2

A composition comprising: (I) 30 to 85 wt % of a polypropylene component comprising a polypropylene copolymer; (II) 5 to 49 wt % of a second component comprising at least one ethylene alkyl (meth)acrylate polymer having a (meth)acrylate content of at least 15 wt %; and (III) 10 to 50 wt % of glass fibers.
US09200141B2

Provided is a rubber composition capable of preventing discoloration due to an amine-based antiaging agent and wax without deteriorating the ozone resistance not only in cases where the rubber composition is used in side wall portions of tires but also in cases where the rubber composition is used in tread portions of tires. The rubber composition comprises at least one rubber component selected from a dienic synthetic rubber and a natural rubber and, as incorporated therein, at least one nonionic surfactant selected from specific compounds.
US09200139B2

Disclosed is a plasticizer composition which comprises an ester-based plasticizer and an ether compound and exhibits improved workability and heat loss in proportion to content of the ether compound.
US09200138B2

Disclosed are a method for preparing an ester plasticizer and an ester plasticizer prepared by the method. More specifically, disclosed are a method for preparing an ester plasticizer comprising trans-esterifying 100 parts by weight of dioctyl terephthalate with 0.1 to 89.9 parts by weight of butyl alcohol, and an ester plasticizer prepared by the method.Advantageously, provided are a novel method for preparing an ester plasticizer and an ester plasticizer with superior physical properties, prepared by the method.
US09200134B2

The present invention relates to a composition for a flexible substrate having thermal yellowing resistance. The composition for the flexible substrate comprises a polymer (A), an inorganic oxide particle (B), a silane compound containing an amino group (C) and a solvent (D). The polymer (A) is selected from the group consisting of a polyamic acid resin, a polyimide resin and any combination thereof. The polymer (A) is obtained by reacting a mixture that includes a tetracarboxylic dianhydride component and a diamine component. In a preferred embodiment, the polyamic acid resin and polyimide resin are prepared from a bicyclic alicyclic tetracarboxylic dianhydride or a fluorine containing tetracarboxylic dianhydride compound. In another embodiment, a polydiorganosiloxane having from 2 to 11 Si atoms and having terminal amine groups is included in the composition.
US09200128B2

There are provided a resin composition for foaming including a biodegradable resin and a foamed article made thereof. The resin composition for foaming according to the present invention includes an ethylene-vinyl acetate resin, a biodegradable polyester resin containing a monomer of a double bond compound, a cross-linking agent, a co-crosslinking agent, a filler, and a foaming agent. In the resin composition, the double bond in the biodegradable polyester resin can be chemically cross-linked to the ethylene-vinyl acetate resin by a cross-linking agent, so that a compatibility with the ethylene-vinyl acetate resin can be improved, processability (mold releasability) during a mixing and melting process can be improved, and a foaming property and a mechanical property of a foamed article can be remarkably improved.
US09200127B2

To provide a fluorinated elastomer composition which can improve, in production of a fluorinated foamed rubber by foaming and crosslinking a fluorinated elastomer using an organic peroxide as a crosslinking agent, the foamed state and physical properties of the fluorinated foamed rubber.A fluorinated elastomer composition which comprises 100 parts by mass of a fluorinated elastomer, from 0.1 to 20 parts by mass of a blowing agent and from 0.05 to 10 parts by mass of a crosslinking agent comprising a peroxide compound, and which contains no crosslinking aid or contains a crosslinking aid comprising a compound having at least two carbon-carbon double bond-containing groups in the same molecule, in a content of at most 0.3 part by mass, is foamed and crosslinked to produce a fluorinated foamed rubber.
US09200125B2

Pre-impregnated composite material (prepreg) is provided that can be cured/molded to form composite parts having high compression strength under hot and wet conditions, as well as, high damage tolerance and interlaminar fracture toughness. The matrix resin includes a thermoplastic particle component that includes polyamide particles which are composed of the polymeric condensation product of a methyl derivative of bis(4-aminocyclohexyl)methane and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid.
US09200123B2

Disclosed is a production method of a thermoplastic resin composition comprising: compounding 0.001 to 50 parts by mass of a metal complex (B) with respect to 100 parts by mass of a thermoplastic resin (A), and kneading it under a condition of a kneading temperature of 225 to 300° C. and of a kneading time of 0.5 to 20 minutes, wherein a metal of the metal complex (B) is a metal except for zinc; a molded body obtained by molding the thermoplastic resin composition which is obtained by the production method; and a light emission body using the molded body.
US09200121B2

A poly(siloxane-diphenylbutadiyne) exhibiting thermosetting properties, a highly tunable glass transition temperature (Tg), and very high thermal and thermo-oxidative stability. In one embodiment, the poly(siloxane-diphenylbutadiyne) is a poly(tetrasiloxane-diphenylbutadiyne). The present subject matter also relates to a method of synthesizing the poly(tetrasiloxane-diphenylbutadiyne).
US09200120B2

An intermediate transfer member containing a layer of a siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer. A method of preparing an intermediate transfer member including mixing a coating solution containing siloxyfluorocarbon precursor materials; applying the coating solution as a sol on a substrate; curing the coating solution on the substrate to form an intermediate transfer member containing a layer of a siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer. The surface free energy of the intermediate transfer member may be from about 10 mN/m to about 40 mN/m. A method of printing an image to a substrate includes applying an inkjet ink to an intermediate transfer member containing a layer of a siloxyflurocarbon networked polymer; spreading the ink onto the intermediate transfer member; inducing a property change of the ink; and transferring the ink to a substrate.
US09200109B2

The present invention provides a polymerizable adhesive composition comprising: (i) at least one cyanoacrylate monomer; and (ii) at least one polymerizable compound containing (a) one or more polymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds and (b) one or more biodegradable (BDG) chains. Further are provided the copolymerization product of this composition, and uses thereof in biomedical applications.
US09200107B2

A composition that includes a polymeric polyol, a (meth)acrylate, a photoinitiator and solvent is disclosed.
US09200104B2

The application provides a method of producing a comb polymer comprising the steps of: (a) Providing: (i) a plurality of monomers which are linear, branched or star-shaped, substituted or non-substituted, and have an olefinically unsaturated moiety, the olefinically unsaturated moiety being capable of undergoing addition polymerisation; (ii) an initiator compound; the initiator compound comprising a homolytically cleavable bond. (iii) a catalyst capable of catalysing the polymerisation of the monomer; and (b) Causing the catalyst to catalyse, in combination with the initiator, the polymerisation of a plurality of the monomers to produce the comb polymer. Catalysts and polymers obtainable by the process are also provided.Preferably, the comb polymer is capable of binding proteins and may be produced from monomers which are alkoxy polyethers, such as poly(alkyleneglycol) or polytetrahydrofuran.
US09200098B2

A radiation-sensitive composition includes a photoacid generator shown by a general formula (0-1a). Each of R0 individually represents a substituted or unsubstituted organic group which includes a carbon atom, a hydrogen atom, and an oxygen atom, and which includes at least one ester bond, and M+ represents a monovalent onium cation. A compound is shown by a general formula (0). R represents a substituted or unsubstituted organic group which includes a carbon atom, a hydrogen atom, and an oxygen atom, and which includes at least one ester bond, and M+ represents a monovalent onium cation.
US09200093B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a method which can simply suppress fouling in a reactor and, according to the present invention, there is provided a method of polymerizing addition polymerizable monomers using a catalyst formed by bringing (A) a transition metal compound represented by the following general formula [3] or μ-oxo type transition metal compound dimer thereof and (B) an activating agent into contact with one another, the method comprising polymerizing addition polymerizable monomers in a solvent to which a surfactant-containing particle obtained by mixing a particle composed of an inorganic compound or an organic polymer, and at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following general formula [1] and a compound represented by general formula [2] has been added. R1—O—(—R2—O—)m-Q1  [1] R1′C(═O)NR52  [2] L1aM2X1b  [3].
US09200084B2

The present invention relates to method for the preparation of a particulate reversibly-crosslinked polymeric material comprising: treating a particulate water-soluble hydroxyl-functional polymer in a liquid phase comprising a solvent mixture in that the hydroxyl-functional polymer is insoluble containing an organic solvent and water; a tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride represented by formula (I), 10 (I) wherein: U and V are independently selected from CH, N and P; 15 X is selected from a single bond, a saturated divalent (C1-C10) hydrocarbon group, O, S, NR, and PR, wherein R is selected from hydrogen and (C1-C4) alkyl; n and m are independently selected from 0 and 1; w is 1 or 2 with the proviso that; 20 if w is 1 then Y is X and if w is 2 then Y is selected from H and (C1-C4) alkyl, whereby there is no bond between both Y; and optionally a catalyst; to form a particulate reversibly-crosslinked polymeric material and 25 to a particulate reversibly-crosslinked polymeric material obtainable thereby.
US09200081B2

A method of treating a pathological syndrome includes the step of administering a pharmaceutical agent. The pharmaceutical agent contains an activated form of monoclonal, polyclonal or natural antibodies to an antigen. The activated form is prepared by repeated consecutive dilution and external treatment, predominantly based on homeopathic technology. The antigen is a substance or a drug acting as a direct cause of the pathological syndrome or involved in regulation of mechanisms of its formation. Thus, activated antibodies are raised against antigens of exogenous or endogenous origin, against autologous antigens, against fetal antigens and against anti-idiotypic antibodies.
US09200049B2

The present invention relates to mutants of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), particularly FGF-20 and FGF-21, which contain newly introduced N-linked or O-linked glycosylation site(s). The polynucleotide coding sequences for the mutants, expression cassettes comprising the coding sequences, cells expressing the mutants, and methods for producing the mutants are also disclosed. Further disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the mutants and method for using the mutants.
US09200048B2

The invention relates to novel biosynthetic growth factor mutants which exhibit improved biological activity.
US09200045B2

Elucidating the function of proteins in mammalian cells is particularly challenging due to the inherent complexity of these systems. Methods to study protein function in living cells ideally perturb the activity of only the protein of interest but otherwise maintain the natural state of the host cell or organism. Ligand-dependent inteins offer single-protein specificity and other desirable features as an approach to control protein function in cells post-translationally. Some aspects of this invention provide second-generation ligand-dependent inteins that splice to substantially higher yields and with faster kinetics in the presence of the cell-permeable small molecule 4-HT, especially at 37° C., while exhibiting comparable or improved low levels of background splicing in the absence of 4-HT, as compared to the parental inteins. These improvements were observed in four protein contexts tested in mammalian cells at 37° C., as well as in yeast cells assayed at 30° C. or 37° C. The newly evolved inteins described herein are therefore promising tools as conditional modulators of protein structure and function in yeast and mammalian cells.
US09200040B2

Disclosed are peptides that bind to Ang-2. Also disclosed are peptibodies comprising the peptides, methods of making such peptides and peptibodies, and methods of treatment using such peptides and peptibodies.
US09200029B2

A process for producing triterpene alcohol, comprising sequentially conducting the following steps (A) to (C): (A) subjecting γ-oryzanol to alkaline hydrolysis; (B) mixing the alkaline hydrolysate with a low polarity organic solvent, and extracting triterpene alcohol to obtain a triterpene alcohol-containing low polarity organic solvent; and (C) adding water to the triterpene alcohol-containing low polarity organic solvent thus obtained, removing the low polarity organic solvent, and then melting triterpene alcohol in hot water, followed by cooling.
US09200026B2

Described herein are novel macrolides, the preparation of novel macrolides, the use of novel macrolides for preventing, treating, or ameliorating various conditions, and the use of novel macrolides as antibacterial agents.
US09200023B2

A method for obtaining, with high selectivity as compared to a conventional method of mixing reaction substrates and thereafter reacting the mixture under heating, a facial isomer of tris-orthometallated iridium that is suitably used particularly as an organic electroluminescence device material, among complexes of tris-orthometallated iridium. The method for producing a complex of tris-orthometallated iridium according to the present disclosure includes, in order, a step (1) of preliminarily heating at least one of the complex of orthometallated iridium or the bidentate organic ligand; a step (2) of mixing the complex of orthometallated iridium and the bidentate organic ligand; and a step (3) of reacting the complex of orthometallated iridium and the bidentate organic ligand.
US09200021B2

The disclosure is directed to: (a) phosphacycle ligands; (b) catalyst compositions comprising phosphacycle ligands; and (c) methods of using such phosphacycle ligands and catalyst compositions in bond forming reactions.
US09200020B2

The invention relates to compounds which are useful as inhibitors of 6-oxopurine phosphoribosyltransferases such as hypoxanthine-guanine-(xanthine) phosphoribosyltransferase (HG(X)PRT).
US09200019B2

Provided are a novel phosphorus 2-pyrone derivative and a preparation method thereof. The phosphorus 2-pyrone derivative according to the present invention is capable of being efficiently synthesized by treating an alkyl hydrogen alkynylphosphonate derivative and an alkyne derivative with a minimal amount of a gold catalyst.
US09200018B2

The present invention relates to cost effective, transition-metal-free one pot process for the preparation of aryl phosphorous compounds of formula (I). Particularly, the present invention provides a process for C—P bond formation. In particular, the invention relates to mild fluoride induced generation of aryne species in situ which allows P—C bond formation to obtain aryl phosphorous compounds of formula (I) under mild condition.
US09200016B2

The invention relates to compounds of the formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R′, R1 through R7 and Ar are as defined herein. These compounds are useful as inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 10 (PDE10A) which are useful in treating central nervous system diseases such as psychosis and also in treating, for example, obesity, type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, glucose intolerance, pain and ophthalmic diseases.
US09200012B2

A patterned fine particle film structure includes a fine particle layer including fine particles arranged and bound to a surface of a substrate coated with a patterned film including a first film compound having a first functional group. The fine particles are coated with films including a first coupling agent having a first coupling reactive group that undergoes a coupling reaction with the first functional group to form a bond. The fine particle layer is bound by a bond formed through a coupling reaction. In an embodiment, fine particles coated with films of a film compound that reacts with the first coupling reactive group and the fine particles are alternately bound to the substrate.
US09200009B2

The present invention relates to a novel compound having an antiviral effect, more specifically, a pyridone derivative having HIV integrase inhibitory activity, and a medicament containing the same, in particular, an anti-HIV agent. The compound of the present invention has integrase inhibitory activity and/or cell proliferation inhibitory activity against viruses, in particular, HIV and drug-resistant strains thereof. Thus, the compound is useful in preventing or treating various diseases, viral infections (for example, AIDS), and the like in which integrase participates.
US09200007B2

Compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: W is O, N—H, N-(C1-C10 alkyl) or S; each X is independently CH or N; R1 is a 5 to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated, optionally substituted heterocycle containing at least 1 heteroatom selected from N or O; R2 is (LQ)mY; and each R3 is independently H, C1-C10 alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, are surprisingly found to be inhibitors of PI3K-p110δ, and therefore have utility in therapy.
US09200003B2

The present invention relates to novel crystalline modifications of 1-(5′-(5-(3,5-dichloro-4-fluorophenyl)-5-(trifluoro-methyl)-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-3-yl)-3′H-spiro[azetidine-3,1′-isobenzofuran]-1-yl)-2-(methylsulfonyl)ethanone. The present invention also describes compositions and methods of treating a parasitic infection or infestation in an animal in need thereof. The present invention also relates to processes for making the crystalline forms.
US09199995B2

The present invention relates to 4-((6bR,10aS)-3-methyl-2,3,6b,9,10,10a-hexahydro-1H-pyrido[3′,4′:4,5]pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]quinoxalin-8(7H)-yl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-butanone tosylate salt in crystalline and in solid forms, the method of making and using such crystals.
US09199990B2

The present disclosure relates to compounds, which are useful for regulating the expression of apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), and their use for treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and related disease states, including cholesterol- or lipid-related disorders, such as, for example, atherosclerosis.
US09199985B2

Hydrogenated pyrido[4,3-b]indoles, pyrido[3,4-b]indoles and azepino[4,5-b]indoles are described. The compounds may bind to and are adrenergic receptor α2B antagonists. The compounds may also bind to and antagonize adrenergic receptor α1B—The compounds may find use in therapy, e.g., to (i) reduce blood pressure and/or (ii) promote renal blood flow and/or (iii) decrease or inhibit sodium reabsorption. The compounds may also be used to treat diseases or conditions that are, or are expected to be, responsive to a decrease in blood pressure. Use of the compounds to treat cardiovascular and renal disorders is particularly described.
US09199968B2

Compounds and compositions comprising compounds that modulate pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) are described herein. Also described herein are methods of using the compounds that modulate PKM2 in the treatment of cancer.
US09199965B2

Disclosed herein are novel benzoimidazole derivatives functioning as antagonists to vanilloid receptor-1, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same. They are useful in preventing or treating pain, acute pain, chronic pain, neuropathic pain, postoperative pain, migraines, arthralgia, neuropathy, nerve injury, diabetic neuropathy, neurological illness, neurodermatitis, strokes, bladder hypersensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc., burns, psoriasis, itching, vomiting, irritation of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, gastric-duodenal ulcers, inflammatory intestinal diseases, and inflammatory diseases.
US09199958B2

Disclosed is an oxidation process to produce a crude carboxylic acid product carboxylic acid product. The process comprises oxidizing a feed stream comprising at least one oxidizable compound to generate a crude carboxylic acid slurry comprising furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and compositions thereof. Also disclosed is a process to produce a dry purified carboxylic acid product by utilizing various purification methods on the crude carboxylic acid.
US09199956B2

The present invention relates to a process for chemical conversion of cellulose isolated from aromatic spent biomass to hydroxymethyl furfural using an eco-friendly and economical liquids system with recoverable and reusable solid Indion catalysts and zeolite-phosphomolybdic acid hybrid catalysts. The present invention further relates to the preparation of an effective hybrid catalyst i.e. zeolite-phosphomolybdic acid catalyst for synthesis of HMF. The selectivity and yield of HMF is nearly doubled in zeolite-phosphomolybdic acid hybrid catalyst compared to the individual catalysts (zeolite or phosphomolybdic acid) or combination of catalysts viz. zeolite and phosphomolybdic acid.
US09199953B2

An amorphous form of cabazitaxel is disclosed. It is preferably characterized by an X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern as depicted in FIG. 1. It is prepared by (a) preparing a solution of cabazitaxel in a suitable solvent and mixture thereof; and (b) recovering the amorphous forms of cabazitaxel from the solution by removal of the solvent.
US09199951B2

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a 1,2-epoxide by catalytic oxidation of a terminal olefin with hydrogen peroxide wherein the catalytic oxidation is performed in a biphasic system comprising an organic phase and an aqueous reaction medium, wherein a water-soluble manganese complex is used as oxidation catalyst, wherein a terminal olefin is used with a solubility at 20° C. of at least 0.01 to 100 g in 1 liter water, and wherein the molar ratio of terminal olefin to hydrogen peroxide is in the range of from 1:0.1 to 1:2.
US09199949B2

The invention provides compounds for selectively inhibiting glycosidases, prodrugs of the compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds or prodrugs of the compounds. The invention also provides methods of treating diseases and disorders related to deficiency or overexpression of O-GlcNAcase, accumulation or deficiency of O-GlcNAc.
US09199946B2

The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I), as defined in the specification and compositions comprising any of such novel compounds. These compounds are endothelial lipase inhibitors which may be used as medicaments.
US09199942B2

The present application provides processes for making pesticidal compounds and compounds useful both as pesticides and in the making of pesticidal compounds.
US09199938B2

The invention provides novel compounds having the general formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and n are as described herein, compositions including the compounds and methods of using the compounds. The present compounds are useful as fatty-acid binding protein (FABP) 4 and/or 5 inhibitors and may be used for the treatment or prophylaxis of lipodystrophy, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, liver diseases involving inflammation, steatosis and/or fibrosis, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in particular non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, metabolic syndrome, obesity, chronic inflammatory and autoimmune inflammatory diseases.
US09199935B2

Compounds of formula (I): wherein R represents various substituent groups, are useful as inhibitors of glucosylceramide synthase.
US09199933B2

Provided are novel processes for the preparation of Saxagliptin and novel intermediates employed in the process for preparing Saxagliptin.
US09199925B2

The invention relates to innovative carbodiimides, to a process for preparing them and to the use thereof as stabilizer, crosslinker and/or compatibilizer in thermoplastics, ester-based polyols for polyurethane applications, in rigid foam, in flexible foam or, for example, in CASE (Coatings Adhesives Sealants Elastomers) applications.
US09199921B2

A silica-supported catalyst used when producing a corresponding unsaturated nitrile in a vapor-phase catalytic ammoxidation reaction of propane or isobutane, the catalyst including a metal oxide represented by the following formula (1), MoVaNbbXcTdZeOn  (1) (wherein X represents at least one or more elements selected from Sb and Te; T represents at least one or more elements selected from Ti, W, Mn, and Bi; Z represents at least one or more elements selected from La, Ce, Yb, and Y; and a, b, c, d, e, and n are in the range of 0.05≦a≦0.5, 0.01≦b≦0.5, 0.001≦c≦0.5, 0≦d≦1, and 0≦e≦1, respectively, and n denotes a value that satisfies an atomic valence) wherein the silica-supported catalyst has an average pore size of 60 to 120 nm, a total pore volume of 0.15 cm3/g or more, a specific surface area of 5 to 25 m2/g, and a crystallite size of 40 to 250 nm as determined from half width of a (001) peak by X-ray diffraction.
US09199917B2

Compounds for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of pain, including acute and chronic pain (e.g., nociceptive pain, neuropathic pain, headaches, migraine), represented by general formula (I) in which: the dotted line represents a single or a double bond; and R5 and R5′ are independently —H, —OH or —OR6, where R6 is a linear or branched C1-C4 alkyl; X is -0-, —CH2O—, —CH2CH2O—, —CH(CH3)CH2O— or —CH2CH(CH3)O—; Z is —CH2CH2O—, —CH(CH3)CH2O— or —CH2CH(CH3)O—; m is an integer of O or 1; and n is an integer of 0-50. The compounds of the invention are also effective for reducing inflammation and may be used alone or in combination with other analgesics.
US09199916B2

The invention is a novel process for the preparation of lacosamide by employing novel intermediates of formula III and IV:
US09199913B2

Beta aminocrotonates are important intermediates for the synthesis of Ca channel blockers. The processes available in the art are batch processes with yields about 85%. There are no continuous processes available for the synthesis of such compounds. This gap in the art is addressed by the invention by disclosing a continuous process resulting in high yields of beta amino crotonates.
US09199912B2

The present disclosure relates to polymorphs of 4-[2-dimethylamino-1-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)ethyl]phenyl 4-methylbenzoate hydrochloride, methods for preparing the same and use of the same.
US09199906B2

Processes for producing isophthalic acid are disclosed, the processes including a step of combining in a reaction medium meta-xylene, a solvent comprising water and a saturated organic acid having from 2-4 carbon atoms, and an oxygen-containing gas, at a temperature for example from about 145° C. to about 175° C., in the presence of a catalyst composition comprising cobalt, manganese, zirconium, and bromine, wherein the zirconium is present in the reaction medium in an amount, for example, from about 1 ppm to 50 ppm with respect to the weight of the liquid in the reaction medium.
US09199905B2

The present invention relates to a process for production of pure terephthalic acid comprising: a) removing a mother liquor from a terephthalic acid through a filter with a gas, wherein the gas comprises steam at a concentration of least about 50% by volume; b) purifying the gas; and c) recycling the gas purified in step (b) back to step (a).
US09199903B2

The invention relates to a method for catalytically condensing organic compounds containing at least one oxo and/or hydroxyl function into CH acidic compounds and/or coupling said organic compounds to the CH acidic compounds in the presence of a catalyst which comprises an active carbon substrate provided with a metal. The method is suitable in particular for generating higher alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and/or alkanes as well as mixtures thereof.
US09199897B2

An improved method for preparing squalene from a squalene-containing composition, said method comprising the steps of (a) a purification distillation carried out at a temperature T1; (b) a denaturing distillation carried out at a temperature T2; wherein steps (a) and (b) may be performed in either order; T1 and T2 are sufficient to cause squalene to boil; T2>T1; and T2>200° C.
US09199895B2

Disclosed is a method for producing 1,3-butadiene through oxidative dehydrogenation of normal-butene using a parallel reactor in which catalysts are charged into fixed bed reactors and are not physically mixed. More specifically, disclosed is a method for efficiently producing 1,3-butadiene through oxidative dehydrogenation of normal-butene using the parallel reactor containing multi-component bismuth molybdate-based catalysts exhibiting different activities to oxidative dehydrogenation for normal-butene isomers (1-butene, trans-2-butene and cis-2-butene), and butene separated from a C4 mixture containing normal-butene and normal-butane, as a reactant.
US09199894B2

A process for preparing an alkylaromatics isomerisation catalyst comprising at least 0.01% wt of platinum on a carrier comprising of from 1 to 9 wt % of ZSM-12 and inorganic binder, which process comprises treating the carrier with an impregnation solution comprising a cationic platinum compound and having a pH of more than 9, and subsequently drying and calcining the impregnated carrier at a temperature of from 200 to 420° C.; and a process for the isomerisation of alkylaromatics with the help of catalyst thus obtained.
US09199890B2

Disclosed are a gas to liquids (GTL)-floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) system that can be used in offshore oil fields or stranded gas fields and a method for producing synthetic fuel using the same. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a GTL-FPSO system capable of producing liquid synthetic fuel from gas extracted from stranded gas fields or associated gas extracted from oil fields, including a reforming reactor and a liquid hydrocarbon producer, and a method for producing the same.
US09199889B2

Embodiments of the invention relates to conversion of hydrocarbon material including but not limited to coal and biomass to a synthetic liquid transportation fuel. The invention includes the integration of a non-catalytic first reaction scheme, which converts carbonaceous materials into a solid product that includes char and ash and a gaseous product; a non-catalytic second reaction scheme, which converts a portion of the gaseous product from the first reaction scheme to light olefins and liquid byproducts; a traditional gas-cleanup operations; and the third reaction scheme to combine the olefins from the second reaction scheme to produce a targeted fuel like liquid transportation fuels.
US09199877B2

A method for making a high quality optical fiber preform includes: thermally defusing the alkali metal element into the inner side of a silica glass pipe by heating the glass pipe from the outside by a heat source while vapors of alkali metal salt generated by heating an alkali metal salt is supplied to the inside of the glass pipe from an end thereof; collapsing the glass pipe for forming a core rod; and adding a cladding part around the circumference of the core rod. At the start of the thermal diffusion, the alkali metal salt is heated at a temperature for making the vapor pressure of the alkali metal salt to be 0.1 kPa or less, and thereafter the alkali metal salt is heated up to a temperature for making the vapor pressure of the alkali metal salt to be larger than 0.1 kPa.
US09199875B2

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to articles including anticondensation and/or low-E coatings that are exposed to an external environment, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, the anticondensation and/or low-E coatings may be survivable in an outside environment. The coatings also may have a sufficiently low sheet resistance and hemispherical emissivity such that the glass surface is more likely to retain heat from the interior area, thereby reducing (and sometimes completely eliminating) the presence condensation thereon. The articles of certain example embodiments may be, for example, skylights, vehicle windows or windshields, IG units, VIG units, refrigerator/freezer doors, and/or the like.
US09199873B2

The process for producing a transparent lithium aluminosilicate glass ceramic plate includes ceramicizing a green glass body of the Li2O—Al2O—SiO2 system using a ceramization program, which includes heating it, for the purpose of nucleation, to a temperature of 750° C.±20° C. and maintaining the temperature for 20±15 minutes, further heating the green glass body, for the purpose of ceramization, to a temperature of 900±20° C. and maintaining the to temperature for 20±15 minutes and then cooling to room temperature. The transparent plate has a thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) from −0.15×10−6/K to +0.15×10−6/K at 30 to 700° C. and a brightness value observed at an angle of 2° of ≧80 for a 4-mm thick plate for transmitted normal light.
US09199871B2

The present disclosure provides a continuous strengthening device comprising a bracket, at least a strengthening furnace located below the bracket and at least a pre-heating/annealing furnace movably located on the bracket. The strengthening furnace comprises a first furnace body having a first opening located on the top and a first movable furnace cover movably located on the top of the first furnace body for sealing the first opening. The pre-heating/annealing furnace comprises a second furnace body having a second opening located on the bottom and a second movable furnace cover movably located on the bottom of the second furnace body for sealing the second opening. In operation, while the pre-heating/annealing furnace moved onto the strengthening furnace, the first movable furnace cover and the second movable furnace cover both open, so that furnace bodies of the pre-heating/annealing furnace and the strengthening furnace are connected to form an airtight space.
US09199870B2

A high-surface quality glass sheet is formed using a roll-to-roll glass soot deposition and sintering process. The glass sheet formation involves providing glass soot particles, depositing a first fraction of the glass soot particles on a deposition surface to form a supported soot layer, electrostatically attracting and collecting a second fraction of the glass soot particles onto a surface of a charged plate, removing the soot layer from the deposition surface to form a soot sheet, and heating at least a portion of the soot sheet to sinter the glass soot particles to form a glass sheet.
US09199869B2

The present invention is aimed to provide a method for producing a glass substrate with a thickness of not more than 200 μm, which is satisfied with the quality required for a substrate on which a thin-film electric circuit is formed, and a sheet glass substrate obtained according to this method. The present invention is concerned with a method for producing a glass substrate having a sheet thickness of from 10 to 200 μm, including a forming step of forming a molten glass into a ribbon shape in accordance with a down draw method, an annealing step of annealing the glass ribbon, and a cutting step of cutting the glass ribbon to give a glass substrate, wherein an average cooling rate in a temperature range of from the (annealing point+200° C.) to the (annealing point+50° C.) is controlled to the range of from 300 to 2,500° C./min.
US09199861B2

Methods, systems, and/or apparatuses for treating wastewater produced at a thermoelectric power plant, other industrial plants, and/or other industrial sources are disclosed. The wastewater is directed through a wastewater concentrator including a direct contact adiabatic concentration system. A stream of hot feed gases is directed through the wastewater concentrator. The wastewater concentrator mixes the hot feed gases directly with the wastewater and evaporates water vapor from the wastewater. The wastewater concentrator separates the water vapor from remaining concentrated wastewater. A contained air-water interface liquid evaporator may be arranged to pre-process the wastewater before being treated by the wastewater concentrator.
US09199853B2

The present invention provides a globular-shaped metal oxide powder with excellent thermal insulation performance and reduced bulk density, and a method of manufacture thereof, wherein the metal oxide powder has globular independent particles as the main component, and has BET specific surface area of 400 to 1000 m2/g, BJH pore volume of 2 to 8 mL/g, and oil absorption of no less than 250 mL/100g. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the hollow and globular shaped metal oxide powder including the step of forming an O/W/O emulsion.
US09199837B2

In an acoustic sensor, a diaphragm arranged on an upper side of a silicon substrate includes a back chamber, and an anchor supports the diaphragm. An insulating plate portion fixed to an upper surface of the silicon substrate covers the diaphragm with a gap. A conductive fixed electrode film arranged on a lower surface of the plate portion configures a back plate. The change in electrostatic capacitance between the fixed electrode film and the diaphragm outputs to the outside from a fixed side electrode pad and a movable side electrode pad as an electric signal. A protective film is arranged continuously with the plate portion at an outer periphery of the plate portion. The protective film covers the outer peripheral part of the upper surface of the silicon substrate, and the outer periphery of the protective film coincides with the outer periphery of the upper surface of the silicon substrate.
US09199836B2

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device having an MEMS element over a single semiconductor chip, the movable part of the MEMS element is fixed before the formation of a rewiring. After formation of the rewiring, the wafer is diced. Then, the movable part of the MEMS element is released by etching the wafer.
US09199832B2

A funnel kit used to transfer liquids such as ketchup, shampoo, oil, etc., from one bottle to another bottle. It functions like a funnel but its structure and material composition (plastic/rubber) allows it to hold both bottles so that they would stay in place. Usually, the top bottle has very little liquid and the bottom bottle is almost full. The weight of the fuller bottom bottle would insure that the system would not topple over. This saves the unused liquid instead of throwing it out. Combining several similar devices allows for the transfer of viscous liquid from a smaller bottle to a bigger bottle and vice-versa.
US09199831B2

A deflection resistant combination slip plate and turn plate assembly for support the steered wheels of a vehicle on a precision planar surface resistant to deflection and distortion. The slip plate and the turn plate are supported on an underlying surface by bearing assemblies, and establish a upper planar surface with the turn plate disposed in a cutout region of the slip plate. Each plate is configured for limited translational movement relative to the base plate surface on which it is supported, while the turn plate is further configured for rotational movement about a central axis. Translational movement of the plates is synchronized. Spacing between the slip plate and turn plate is minimized, and supporting means are provided to maintain the slip plate and turn plate in vertical alignment under load.
US09199830B2

Described is a hoisting apparatus comprising a temporary support that is adapted to be secured to a pair of vertically disposed, permanent threaded rods suspended from a ceiling. A pair of temporary threaded rods extends vertically downward from the temporary support. A permanent support that is desired to be lifted and secured in an elevated position is engaged with the pair of temporary rods, and a pair of lifting mechanisms is connected to the permanent support and engages with the temporary rods. The lifting mechanism is adapted to raise the permanent support along the length of the temporary rods, and as the permanent support is lifted, it comes into contact with the permanent rods. Once the desired height is reached, the permanent support can be secured to the permanent rods. The temporary support, the pair of temporary rods, and the lifting mechanisms can then be disassembled and removed.
US09199828B2

In lateral outriggers, e.g. of a mobile crane touch-free position sensors are arranged for the extension length and the operating range of the mobile crane is limited as a function of the currently measured values. In particular the touch-free magnetostrictive position sensors in a very flat housing can be well arranged between the particular telescope profiles without being exposed to the risk of damages.
US09199827B2

An overhead travelling crane system includes a conveyor device, and two clamping devices connected with the conveyor device. The conveyor device includes two lifting units and a traversing unit connected with the lifting units. When in use, each of the clamping devices is moved upward or downward by operation of each of the lifting units of the conveyor device, and is moved leftward or rightward by operation of the traversing unit of the conveyor device. In addition, each of the clamping devices is extended outward to clamp the wheel rim or retracted inward to loosen the wheel rim.
US09199819B2

A cutter assembly suitable for cutting BOPP adhesive tape and a tape dispenser incorporating the same. The cutter assembly has a row of plastic teeth where each tooth includes left and right front and rear faces, each face being disposed on a different plane, and where the planes intersect each other at the tip of the tooth. A front edge extends between the left and right front faces; a rear edge extends between the left and right rear faces; a left side edge extends between the right front and rear faces; and a right side edge extends between the left front face and the right rear face. The various edges are set at particular angles relative to each other. A protrusion for supporting the tape is provided rearwardly of the teeth and a braking mechanism is also provided on the dispenser.
US09199816B2

Methods and apparatus for guiding flexible glass ribbons (13) without mechanically contacting the central portion (4) of the ribbon are provided in which two curved sections are formed in the ribbon which stiffen the ribbon so that lateral forces can be applied to the ribbon without causing it to buckle. The curvatures of the curved sections are along the direction of motion (15) of the ribbon and can be produced using curved air-bars (12,14) and/or pairs of cylindrical rollers (5a,5b,16a,16b). The lateral forces can be applied by pairs of guide rollers (7a,7b,9a,9b) which can be mounted on spring-loaded pivot arms (6,19,29) and can have a complaint outer coating or sleeve (35). The guiding system can be used in the winding of the glass ribbon onto a cylindrical core (11).
US09199804B2

A metering device for metering granular product into a pressurized conduit of a pneumatic conveyor has a tubular housing oriented vertically. Intake and discharge openings are defined in opposite housing walls with blank walls between the openings. Upper and lower hubs are rotatably mounted and sealed in ends of the housing above and below the intake and discharge openings. An upper surface of the lower hub slopes downward toward an outer edge thereof. The upper and lower hubs are fastened to a drive shaft extending along the housing axis and a meter drive rotates the drive shaft at a selected rotational speed. Each of a plurality of flexible blades extends between the upper and lower hubs and has an outer edge wiping the inner wall surface of the housing such that a sealed blade chamber is formed between adjacent blades and one of the blank walls as the hubs rotate.
US09199795B2

An egg carrier including a gripper mechanism wherein the egg carrier is operative to grip and release an egg at a predetermined orientation. Accordingly, the egg carrier includes a mechanism whereby the gripper mechanism can be rotated whereby an egg can be released at an angle greater or less than 90°. The gripper mechanism capable of gripping an egg in one orientation and then pivoting or changing the orientation of the egg such that the egg is released at a predetermined angle.
US09199781B2

A flexible packaging laminate for a microwavable package has a built-in vent for steam. The vent is formed by an outer score line through the outer layer(s) of the laminate to define an outer flap, and a smaller-footprint inner score line formed through the inner layer(s) of the laminate, so that there is a marginal region of U- or V-shape bounded between the two score lines. A patch of pressure-sensitive adhesive is disposed between the outer and inner structures of the laminate such that PSA is present in the marginal region. Pressure exerted on the inner flap or plug created by the inner score line overcomes the PSA between the outer flap and the inner structure in the marginal region, causing the outer flap to be pushed out along with the inner flap or plug, thereby venting steam through the resulting opening.
US09199775B2

A carton including a wall (216a) having a handle (220a) that includes a load bearing edge. The load bearing edge includes a first segment (170a) that is configured to support a substantially vertical load and a second segment (172a) that is configured to support a substantially horizontal load. A first handle flap (160a) is hingedly connected to the first segment, and a second handle flap (162a) that is hingedly connected to the second segment.
US09199772B2

A time-lockable storage container having a single actuation button/dial to input a time period to lock the container.
US09199771B2

A tack-free, tamper-evident label comprising: (A) A transparent, polymeric facesheet; (B) A release ink in partial contact with the facesheet; (C) A primecoat ink in partial contact with both the release ink and the facesheet; (D) A polymeric film in contact with the primecoat ink; (E) An adhesive in contact with the polymeric film; and (F) An optional release liner in contact with the adhesive.
US09199761B2

A packaging container can be configured to include cushioning material and to be foldable between an expanded state in which the container can be used to ship an article and a compressed state in which the container occupies a smaller volumetric space without the article being contained therein. This can reduce shipping costs associated with transporting the empty container.
US09199757B2

A device and a method for aligning containers including an evaluation unit, which is capable of determining the position and/or the rotary position of at least one feature of the surface of containers to be aligned, by calculating image data of said feature in at least two views that differ with respect to the imaged rotary position of the containers, and where picture distortions and contrast limitations caused by the perspective can be compensated. The reliability of rotary position recognition and correction can thus be improved when aligning the containers.
US09199755B1

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for handling a plurality of tubes or vials, and for applying and removing caps to and from tubes or vials, which may be disposed in a rack. The apparatus and methods are well adapted for automated capping and de-capping using generic or off-the-shelf tubes, vials, and caps, such as are commonly used for laboratory samples and reagents.
US09199753B2

A strapping head for a strapping machine includes a containment frame for housing at least a strap launch/rewind path defined by a launch/tensioning assembly including a plurality of driving wheels of the strap, a welding assembly and a gripping and cutting device the driving wheels of the launch/tensioning assembly being brought into rotation by a first actuation motor, wherein all of the launch/tensioning assembly, welding assembly and gripping and cutting device have driving members driven into movement through a single linear cam apt to move alternately in the longitudinal direction through a second actuation motor and having cam profiles both on an horizontal plane and on a vertical plane, and the linear cam is actuated by the second driving motor being integral in rotation with screwed spindle transmission elements mutually cooperating with screw nut elements integral with the linear cam.
US09199747B2

An ice cream sandwich apparatus for making and wrapping ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream sandwich apparatus includes a plurality of stations driven by servo motors.
US09199742B2

From the dynamic shock of the parachute canopy applied to an aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle-(UAV) in an emergency, there is unlimited mechanical force available for exploitation through Bowden cables connected to the ends of the parachute straps, and transfer of the force in the form of a pull onto the emergency safety systems of the aircraft for the safety of passengers, and onto the aerial vehicle-(UAV).
US09199736B2

Provided is a system for reducing damage by missiles to a vehicle, the system including: (a) a detector operable to detect a missile and to generate detection information indicative of a motion of the missile; (b) a processor, configured to analyze the detection information and to selectively trigger activation of a jetting system that is mounted on the vehicle in response to a result of the analysis; and (c) the jetting system, operable to jet a high pressure jet onto the missile.
US09199731B2

A method of making a composite rotor yoke includes preparing a molded rotor yoke in a closed cavity tool and possibly machining at least one portion of the molded rotor yoke to form the rotor yoke. In the preferred embodiment, preparing the molded rotor yoke is accomplished by applying layers of uncured low-flow composite material and a layer of uncured high-flow adhesive; substantially enclosing the uncured molded rotor yoke in the closed cavity tool; applying pressure so as to compress the uncured molded rotor yoke; and curing the uncured molded rotor yoke. During the curing process, the high-flow adhesive bleeds out of the molded rotor yoke, thereby preventing marcels from forming through movement of the low-flow composite material.
US09199729B1

To configure the yaw axis control mechanism of a coaxial counter-rotating unmanned helicopter to be able to accurately control the pitch angle of the upper rotor blade by a simple configuration even if the precise adjustment is not performed. A rudder control rod is inserted into a main mast of a coaxial counter-rotating helicopter, a lower end portion thereof is connected to an output lever of the rudder servo, and a mixing rod head is fixed to an upper end portion. A link mechanism connected to the upper swash plate is attached to a side surface portion of the mixing rod head, the vertical displacement of the mixing rod head moving up and down together with the rudder control rod is converted into a displacement for tilting an upper blade holder around the spindle via the link mechanism, thereby changing the pitch angle of the upper rotor blades.
US09199728B2

A control device is provided for an aircraft, the aircraft having at least one undercarriage with one or more undercarriage wheels. A control mechanism interacts with the aircraft undercarriage and is configured to turn the undercarriage wheels relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The control device has an alignment unit which is connected to the control mechanism and which is configured to control the turning of the undercarriage wheels by means of the control mechanism during at least one part of the landing or take-off phase of the aircraft in such a way that the running direction of the undercarriage wheels is aligned in the direction of a fixed point which may be a corrected fixed point situated below a fixed point by a compensation angle.
US09199726B2

Wing load alleviation methods and apparatus are disclosed. An example winglet system for an aircraft includes a first winglet including a body portion having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a base portion to be coupled to an outboard end of a wing such that the body portion projects at an upward angle from the wing during all modes of airplane operation, a control surface coupled to the body portion proximate to the trailing edge, and at least one of a spoiler and an aileron coupled to the outboard end of the wing; and a processor to, in response to at least one input signal indicative of one of a subset of flight conditions, command actuated deflections of both the control surface of the first winglet and the at least one of the spoiler and the aileron to create an incremental pressure field in an airflow region inboard of the first winglet.
US09199723B2

A control system of an aircraft includes a computer that controls flight based on either a flight control law that controls flight by controlling the deflection angles of control surfaces or a control surface/thrust integrated flight control law that controls flight by controlling the deflection angles of the control surfaces and engine thrust, and a control surface failure/damage detection device. If malfunctioning of the control surface(s) is detected, the deflection angles and the rates of change of the deflection angles of the control surfaces are calculated based on the detection result, and the necessity of switching from the flight control law to the control surface/thrust integrated flight control law is judged by judging whether or not the calculated deflection angles or rates of change of the deflection angles exceed an acceptable range of change.
US09199722B2

Cockpit controls designed for a at least two pilots and automation. Duplications of controls: sticks and control columns move along the same position path in unison with other sets of controls electronically based on a plurality of parallel processed parameters allowing two pilots to assist each other effectively with the ability of one pilot to override the other for effective monitoring and control in normal and emergency situations.
US09199720B2

A stationary ground tube for use in an aircraft rotor fairing includes a first cylindrical portion including a first bore aligned along a longitudinal axis, the cylindrical body portion having a tubular body from a first end to a second end; and a second cylindrical portion coupled to the first cylindrical portion, the second cylindrical portion including a second bore aligned along the longitudinal axis. The second cylindrical portion is coupled to the aircraft rotor fairing via at least one attachment device.
US09199719B2

A keel beam connected to a central wing box of an aircraft and ensuring the connection between a front structure and a rear structure of an aircraft is characterized in that it includes, on the one hand, a U-shaped body with a horizontal base and two solid lateral walls, and on the other hand, a cover which has a U shape oriented in the same manner as the body, with a base in the lower portion and curved edges, the ends of which are oriented upward so that each curved edge includes an outer surface flattened against and fixed to the inner surface of the lateral walls in order to define, with the body, a closed section, the cover including openings for accessing the inside of the keel beam.
US09199717B2

A sealing assembly is provided in an airframe of aircraft. The sealing assembly includes, but is not limited to a resilient and yet stiff enough bellows body that is attachable to the fuselage of the aircraft and is further attachable to a center wing box of the aircraft. The sealing assembly seals off a gap between the fuselage and the center wing box so as to allow maintaining pressure in the fuselage if the fuselage is pressurized. The bellows body is a composite and is designed to sustain exposure to tear and wear and exposure to a high and low temperatures as well as exposure to chemicals used during operation of the aircraft.
US09199716B2

A door system for an aircraft or spacecraft having a door and an actuator for actuating the door. The actuator includes an actuator drive which moves the door in relation to the aircraft or spacecraft, a detection device which determines movement information of the door and/or of the actuator, an actuator control unit which controls the actuator based on the movement information, and an actuator housing which surrounds the actuator drive and the actuator control unit.
US09199715B2

Self-aligning fitting assemblies and systems and methods including the same are disclosed herein. The self-aligning fitting assemblies include a barrel-side fitting that includes a plurality of barrel-side attachment holes and a floor-side fitting that includes a plurality of floor-side attachment holes. The self-aligning fitting assemblies also include an alignment pin recess and a fitting alignment recess. The methods include translating a floor grid relative to a fuselage barrel, operatively aligning a plurality of alignment pin recesses with a corresponding plurality of fitting alignment recesses, and locating a plurality of alignment pins within the plurality of alignment pin recesses such that each of the plurality of alignment pins extends through a respective one of the plurality of fitting alignment recesses. The methods also include lowering the floor grid relative to the fuselage barrel and installing a plurality of fasteners.
US09199714B2

An aircraft including at least one door for passengers to board the aircraft, and at least one interconnection device connecting an aircraft internal structure component and a skin of a fuselage of the aircraft, the interconnection device being positioned near an internal periphery of the door in a region subject to external knocks and including at least one region that is weakened in terms of compression so as to absorb the knocks experienced by an external face of the skin of the fuselage, the device also being configured to withstand tensile forces applies to an internal face of the skin of the fuselage by internal pressure inside the aircraft.
US09199711B2

A drive method is disclosed. An embodiment includes an operation of at least one drive propeller of the drive system below a first predefinable propeller rotational speed according to a first operating state by operating at least one drive motor, connected to the at least one drive propeller, of the drive system via a first alternating voltage. The method further includes operation of the at least one drive propeller above the first predefinable propeller rotational speed according to a second operating state by operating the at least one drive motor via a second alternating voltage. In a transition from the first operating state into the second operating state or vice versa, the first internal combustion engine is operated at such a rotational speed that the at least one drive propeller is driven at the first propeller rotational speed, and the first alternating voltage is synchronized with the second alternating voltage.
US09199704B2

A floating dock including a submersible platform including at least one buoyancy tank wherein the buoyancy tank has a plurality of compartments each of which has a permanently open vent through which water is freely flowable into and out of the compartment and an inlet which enables air to be expelled from the compartment into the atmosphere or enables compressed air to be supplied to the compartment via a non return valve which causes water within the tank to be forced out via the vent, thereby increasing the buoyancy of the tank. The vent does not have any valves associated with it and is permanently open to the sea. As a result the floating dry dock of the present invention may be lowered and raised faster than conventional dry docks which rely on valved vents to control entry and exit of water into and out of their buoyancy tanks.
US09199701B2

A pontoon boat includes a plurality of sponsons, a deck mounted on the sponsons, and a privacy enclosure mounted on the deck. The privacy enclosure has a bottom section and a top section, both of which have a rigid construction. The top section is telescopically moveable in a vertical orientation relative to the bottom section between a retracted position and an extended position. The top section is situated over, and covers the bottom section when in the refracted position, with a majority of the top section projecting upwardly from the bottom section when in the extended position.
US09199699B1

An apparatus is provided for stowing, launching and recovering an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) on a boat bull, such as applicable to a small unit riverine craft (SURC) in water. The apparatus includes a frame for removably attaching to the hull, a lifter, a hinge, and a boom. The frame includes lateral brackets connected together by transverse braces, and attaches to the hull at cushions. The lifter connects to the frame for elevating the USV between upper and lower positions. The hinge connects to the lifter for pivoting the USV between vertical and horizontal orientations. The boom connects to the hinge for docking and releasing the USV. The USV is stowed in the vertical orientation and the upper position. The USV deploys into the water in the horizontal orientation and the lower position.
US09199692B2

A bicycle pedal is provided to be releasably secured to a cleat that is attached to a sole of a cyclist's shoe. The pedal includes a spindle, a pedal body mounted for rotation on the spindle and a measuring device. The pedal body has front and rear engaging portions which releasably engage with respective front and rear lips of the cleat when the pedal is secured to the cleat. The measuring device is disposed in the pedal body and includes a sensor configured to detect the tightness between the pedal body and the cleat.
US09199687B2

A wheel speed sensor is provided between a front wheel and a front fork. The wheel speed sensor includes a sensor body to be supported by the front side of the front fork. A front fender includes a downward extending portion extending downward along the front side of the front fork. The downward extending portion covers the sensor body. As such, the influence of an arrangement of a sensor body on the design in a saddle-type vehicle provided with a wheel speed sensor between a front fork and a wheel is suppressed.
US09199678B2

A crawler belt and a master link for use in the crawler belt enable easy connection and disconnection of the crawler belt. The crawler belt has a track chain in which a plurality of regular links are pivotally connected at their ends, the master link for connecting the ends of the track chain to form the crawler belt into a loop, and track shoes attached to the regular links and the master link respectively. The crawler belt has a slit aperture which leads only to a pin insertion hole formed at the other end of the master link and is configured such that a clamping force, generated by tightening a master bolt that imparts a tightening force to the master link to narrow the slit aperture, is allowed to work on only the regular pin inserted into a pin insertion hole leading to the slit aperture.
US09199669B2

A vehicle front end structure includes a front side member, a hood ledge and a hood ledge reinforcement. The front side member extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The hood ledge has a forward end fixedly attached to a forward section of the front side member. The hood ledge extends upwardly and laterally outward from the forward section of the front side member in a vehicle rearward direction. The hood ledge reinforcement includes a lower section fixedly attached to an outboard surface of the front side member. The upper section is fixedly attached to an underside of the hood ledge, and at least one brace is fixedly attached to both the lower and upper sections.
US09199667B2

A method for a semi-autonomous driving of a vehicle with a steer-by-wire system having a steering wheel mechanically decoupled from vehicle wheels determines values for the steering angle and the wheels angle tracking a target value of the wheels angle received from a semi-autonomous driving planning (SADP) system. The method determines the values for the steering angle and the wheels angle subject to constraints, including a constraint on a motion of the vehicle wheels, a constraint on a motion of a steering wheel, a constraint on an actuation of the steering wheel and the vehicle wheels, and a constraint on a relative motion of the steering wheel with respect to the motion of the vehicle wheels. The control commands to the column motor and the rack motor are generated according to the values for the steering angle and the wheels angle.
US09199666B2

A method for securing control of rear wheels of a motor vehicle including an electric power steering system, the method including: measuring or calculating, using a motor-angle sensor, at least angular position of the electric power steering motor, and measuring or calculating, using a steering-wheel angle sensor, at least angular position of the steering wheel; calculating, using the motor-angle sensor, at least the angular position of the steering wheel; comparing at least the angular position of the steering wheel measured using the steering-wheel angle sensor to the angular position of the steering wheel measured using the motor-angle sensor; and transmitting an alarm signal if the result of the comparison is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
US09199662B2

A lightweight and low cost gear housing for a steering gear unit is achieved. Together with forming an outward-facing flange shaped convex engagement section 43 around the middle section in the axial direction of a rack shaft 40, a gear housing is constructed that comprises a pinion-side housing 10, a non-pinion-side housing 20, and an intermediate cylindrical section 30. As a result, movement of the rack shaft 40 toward the pinion side and the non-pinion side is restricted by both ends of the pinion-side housing 10. Therefore, portions that require large strength can be limited to the pinion-side housing 10 that is short in the width direction of the vehicle, so by reducing the wall thickness of the intermediate cylindrical section 30, or by making the intermediate cylindrical section 30 using a flexible material, it is possible to make the member lightweight, as well as processing become easier, so it becomes possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.
US09199660B2

A false-brake prevention device includes a wheel shaft, a positioning structure, a protruding pillar, a wheel hub rotatably disposed on the wheel shaft, a brake base connected to the wheel shaft, and a brake pedal pivotally connected to the brake base and having a brake lever for engaging with a brake tooth structure of the wheel hub. The positioning structure is formed on one of the brake pedal and the brake base, and has lock and release slots and an elastic portion formed therebetween. A first return region is connected to a transition region and formed on a side surface of the elastic portion with a gradually reducing height from the transition region to the lock slot. The protruding pillar is formed on the other one of the brake pedal and the brake base for pushing the elastic portion and for engaging with the lock slot or the release slot.
US09199656B1

A shopping cart storage system allows a user to easily transport elongated items throughout a store. The system includes a shopping cart having a frame, a basket and a plurality of wheels. The basket and the wheels are coupled to the frame. The frame includes a lower bar spaced below the basket. An upper retaining member is coupled to the basket. The upper retaining member has an open top end and an open bottom end. A lower retaining member is coupled to the lower rail. The lower retaining member has a bottom wall and a perimeter wall coupled to and extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The lower retaining member is spaced from and vertically aligned with the upper retaining member wherein the upper and lower retaining members are configured to retain an elongated object in an upright position adjacent to the shopping cart.
US09199652B1

A railway vehicle coupler knuckle for coupling a rail car, the knuckle being constructed having an improved configuration to provide a lightweight knuckle that has the same, and preferably improved, strength and resistance to fatigue as prior knuckles of greater weight, or being constructed from material and/or combinations of configurations and materials that facilitate a stronger and more fatigue resistant construction, a lightweight construction, or combinations of these properties.
US09199637B1

A vehicle includes a first axle, a second axle, an engine having a crankshaft, a transmission having an input member that is operatively connected to the crankshaft and an output member that is operatively connected to the first axle, a first motor having a first rotor operatively connected to the crankshaft, a second motor having a second rotor that is operatively connected to the second axle, and a controller being operatively connected to the engine, the first motor, and the second motor. The controller is configured to selectively cause the engine to enter a deceleration fuel cut off mode, cause the transmission input torque to increase to zero, cause the torque of the second motor to decrease as the transmission input torque increases such that the sum of the first axle torque and the second axle torque remains substantially constant as the transmission input torque increases to zero.
US09199636B2

A control device for a vehicle drive configured with a power transfer path that includes a first engagement device, a rotary electric machine, and a second engagement device. These elements being arranged in this order from an input member coupled to an engine to an output member that is coupled to the wheels of the vehicle. A mode control unit switches among a first, second, third and fourth control modes in which the rotating electrical machine generates electricity with: (i) both the first and second engagement devices, (ii) both the first and second engagement devices, (iii) the first engagement device in the direct engagement state and with the second engagement device, and (iv) with the first engagement device in the slip engagement state and with the second engagement device.
US09199634B2

A method of operating a vehicle powertrain system where the powertrain system includes a fuel controlled engine, an electric motor, and a battery, the fuel, controlled engine and the electric motor capable of powering the powertrain system. The powertrain system is capable of operating in a plurality of operational modes. The method includes detecting a current value representative of a current flowing through a portion of the battery, calculating a first value representative of the current over a predetermined amount of time, and de-rating at least one of the plurality of operational modes in response to the calculated first value.
US09199630B2

A transmission control system is provided for used in a bicycle having a crank, a front sprocket that is rotatable independent of the crank, a rear wheel, a rear sprocket that is rotatable independent of the rear wheel, a chain that engages with the front sprocket and the rear sprocket, and at least one external transmission mechanism. The transmission control system is basically provided with a driving force output device, a detection device and at least one controller. The detection device is one of a rotational state detection device, a manual drive force detecting device and a speed detection device. The at least one controller is programmed to control the driving force output device to drive the chain and to control a gear shifting action of the at least one external transmission mechanism to shift gears, based on a comparison of the detection results by the detection device and a prescribed state or a prescribed value.
US09199628B2

An inverter converts input DC power into AC power and supplies the AC power to a motor generator. An inverter control unit executes shutdown control for stopping power conversion by the inverter, when operation of the motor generator is not requested. A transmission control unit controls the transmission. When a state quantity related to a rotation speed of the motor generator increases to a prescribed quantity during execution of the shutdown control, the inverter control unit continues the shutdown control and the transmission control unit executes shift control for controlling the transmission to reduce the rotation speed of the motor generator.
US09199620B2

A vacuum booster is configured so that at least when an input rod is released, a front surface of a flexible portion of a valve element communicates with a first port which communicates with a vacuum chamber. A valve element holder is formed of a single member made of a sheet of steel which includes a rim portion, an annular arm portion, and a crimp holding portion. The rim portion is fitted to an inner circumferential surface of a valve cylinder via a seal member. The annular arm portion extends inwards in a radial direction from a front end of the rim portion. The crimp holding portion extends from an inner circumferential end of the arm portion to form a bag-like shape and to narrow a front opening portion thereof. The crimp holding portion crimp holds a mounting bead portion of the valve element from rear thereof.
US09199615B2

A brake control system for a landing gear of an aircraft is provided. The system includes a first control channel for providing brake control signals to one or more brakes on the landing gear, and a second control channel for providing brake control signals to another one or more brakes on the landing gear. At least one of the first control channel and the second control channel is configured to act as an executive in monitoring braking efforts applied by the one or more brakes as compared to braking efforts applied by the another one or more brake, and to cause the braking efforts of at least one of the one or more brakes or the another one or more brakes to be modified in an effort to equalize the braking efforts.
US09199614B2

An on-vehicle apparatus is provided to reduce damage from collisions. In the apparatus, an object located in a field in a travel direction of a vehicle is detected and a time to collision (TTC) is detected. A controller performs automatic intervention braking in the vehicle when it determined that the time to collision is equal to or shorter than a first threshold time. Further, when it determined that the time to collision is equal to or shorter than a second threshold time shorter than the first threshold time and meets a preset actuation condition, a protection controller makes a protection device active for vehicle protection. A collision speed is also estimated based on an deceleration of the vehicle caused by the automatic intervention braking. The preset actuation condition is a condition that the estimated collision speed is equal to or higher than a preset threshold speeds.
US09199604B1

A cover adapted to attach to and move along a seatbelt strap to intermittently cover and block the buckle. The back and each side extend down from the top surface with the underside substantially flat to thereby define the cover as wedged-shaped. A pair of tab members are formed at the back, the tab members defining a T-shaped opening at the back. The T-shaped opening is adapted to contain a strap of a seatbelt such that the cover is slidably retained on the strap, as a result, the cover can intermittently cover a buckle of the seat belt, i.e. until moved by a driver. In this manner, a driver intending to unlatch the seatbelt and leave the vehicle must first slide the physically deterring and visibly reminding cover away from the latch, thereby being reminded that a passenger may be in the rear of the vehicle.
US09199580B2

A purse securing device (1) having an upper strap (4) having a first strap (5) and a second strap (6) that wrap around a head rest (7) or rear portion (8) of the vehicle seat (2). A lower strap (9) extends vertically downward from the upper strap. When laid flat the upper strap and lower strap create a substantially T-shape. The lower strap attaches to a purse to prevent the purse from tipping over.
US09199577B1

A remote controlled mirror is provided which comprises: 1) a mirror assembly, 2) a dual axis pivot bracket, and 3) a fixed mounting bracket and further comprises a horizontal drive actuator and a vertical drive actuator. The remote controlled mirror is for use in heavy equipment and comprises mirror that weigh over 10 pounds, in some embodiments 50 pounds or more and in some embodiments 80 pound or more.
US09199576B2

A system includes a camera module disposed on a vehicle. The camera module records an image and generates an image signal representing the image. The system further includes a processing device that receives the image signal generated by the camera module and determines whether a vehicle tailgate is open based on the image. A method includes receiving an image signal representing an image captured from a vehicle, processing the image signal, and determining whether a vehicle tailgate is open based on the image.
US09199572B2

The present invention provides a wide-top decking beam configured for installation in a cargo container. The beam comprises an elongate, hollow body forming an approximately rectangular shape. Flanged edges extend laterally from both sides of the top surface along the length of the beam, wherein the top of the beam has a greater width than the bottom. Obliquely angled struts run along both sides of the beam connecting the sides of the beam body to the undersides of the flanged edges thereby forming triangular trusses along the length of the beam.
US09199571B2

A cargo securing device is shown and described herein. The cargo securing device may include a strap, and a body member having an opening, the strap positioned in the opening. The cargo securing device may also include a securing mechanism located in the body member, where the strap is moveable in a first direction free from engagement with the securing mechanism and where the strap is moveable in a second direction engaging the securing mechanism generally securing the strap within the body member and fixing an operative length of the strap.
US09199569B2

Disclosed is a telescoping ramp, comprising a frame, a plurality of extendable ramp members and a magnetic base for securing to a tailgate structure. The ramp members comprise a plurality of aligned, telescoping members that form an extendable ramp, wherein the members form into one another and are extendable by separation of a first ramp end from an opposing second ramp end, the members being connected therebetween. The first ramp end connects to upstanding portions of the frame and within a slotted channel. The channel allows the first ramp end to be moved horizontally and vertically within the frame to position the condensed ramp within the frame interior, while also allowing the extended ramp to clear the frame and facilitate a smooth transition between the ramp and the frame when loading objects thereacross. The ramp members are box structures that condense into one another and include progressively tapering cross sections.
US09199557B2

A seat angle adjustment device includes a ratchet wheel, a stop plate, a locking slipper and a pawl, wherein a first stop position limiting part and a second stop position limiting part are arranged on the stop plate, when the first stop position limiting part is subjected to a rotating torque in a rotational direction, the locking slipper in a locking position circumferentially abuts against the first stop position limiting part; when the rotating torque is higher than a first preset torque value, the pawl in an extended state is driven by the ratchet wheel to rotate until the tooth part on one side of the pawl is completely engaged with the ratchet wheel; and when the rotating torque is higher than a second preset torque value, the second stop position limiting part abuts against the pawl. A seat having the seat angle adjustment device is also provided.
US09199547B2

A non-contact charging device is provided with: a power receiving device which has at least a power receiving coil which receives electrical power, in a non-contact manner, from a power transmitting coil by means of a magnetic connection; a battery which is charged by the electrical power; a charge-state detection means, which detects the charge-state of the battery; a position detection means which detects the position of the power transmitting coil; and a charge time calculation means, which calculates a first charge time for the battery according to the charge-state as detected by the charge-state detection means and a first position of the power transmitting coil as detected by the position detection means.
US09199544B2

Provided is a method of controlling an electric vehicle capable of preferably performing a regenerative control when a plurality of forward driving ranges are shifted to each other. During travelling on a downhill road, an electric vehicle executes a downhill regenerative control for adjusting the regenerative amount of an electric motor so that acceleration obtained when an accelerator is closed becomes a downhill acceleration according to a road surface slope. The downhill acceleration obtained when a second forward driving range is selected, in which the deceleration of the electric vehicle becomes larger than that in a first forward driving range, is smaller over the entire range of the set road surface slope than the downhill acceleration obtained when the first forward driving range is selected.
US09199537B2

A technology for mitigating a collision impact applied to a power controller positioned in a front compartment is provided. An automobile has a power controller and device in the front compartment. The power controller and the device are positioned side by side in an automobile lateral direction. A corner or protrusion of the power controller faces a lateral surface of the device. When the automobile collides with an obstacle, the lateral surface of the device comes into contact with the corner of the power controller. Because the lateral surface of the device is weaker than the corner of the power controller, the device breaks first. The device functions as a cushioning material to mitigate damage suffered by the power controller.
US09199535B2

A disconnectable driveline arrangement for an all-wheel drive vehicle includes a power take-off unit having a dog clutch disconnect mechanism that is configured to selectively couple an input spindle and a spool on which a ring gear is mounted.
US09199532B2

A vehicle exhaust assembly for modifying a sound of the vehicle exhaust includes a housing that is operationally coupled to a vehicle exhaust pipe on a vehicle. The vehicle exhaust is directed into the housing. A baffle is coupled to the housing. A flow of the vehicle exhaust passes over the baffle. The baffle has a plurality of exhaust apertures extending therethrough. The flow of the vehicle exhaust passes through the plurality of exhaust apertures. The plurality of exhaust apertures alters a resonant frequency of the flow of the vehicle exhaust. An audible sound of the flow vehicle exhaust is modified. A knob is operationally coupled to the housing. The knob is operationally coupled to the baffle so the knob moves the baffle. A user selectively moves the knob so baffle is positioned at a selected angle with respect to the flow of the vehicle exhaust. The audible sound of the flow of the vehicle sound is adjusted between a minimum and a maximum resonant frequency.
US09199522B2

A carrying axle (1) for trailers and a method for the production thereof are provided. The axle (1) includes an axle body (4) having an outer supporting axle tube (10) in which a rocker arm assembly (6), which is bent once or several times, is introduced. The rocker arm assembly (6) is produced as a metal, tubular stamped and bent single piece. The rocker arm assembly is stamped from a platine (21) or a sheet metal strip (23) and is bent in order to form an angled tube (22).
US09199518B2

A method of assembling an air pump in a tire is provided including: opening an axial air passageway of an elongate flexible air tube at one end; inserting one by one a plurality of one-way check valves into the air passageway from the one end to form an axial array of spaced apart check valves along the air passageway, each check valve having an external nominal width greater than a nominal width of the air tube passageway; establishing a press fit engagement between each check valve and air tube internal sidewalls defining the air passageway to place each check valve at a respective preferred position within the air passageway; retaining the check valves in the respective preferred positions within the air passageway by radial pressure from the air tube internal sidewalls and closing the one end of the flexible air tube.
US09199506B2

An improved binder clip embodies a hole-punched feature annex to the clip body is derived to provide a set of wings that meet at the center normal to the pivotal plane. Incisions to each side of the clip bodies, counter folds to take shape, provides for nominal holes to be cut into the center of each wings. A supplementary feature to the grip handle is reshaped to develop the center contour. The grip handles suspends to the hinges of the clip body, at position against the two folded edges of the clip contains center contour feature to propose clearance for any protrusions from the hole-punched annex wings of the clip to pass through. The innovative clip features are developed to assist in storing, organizing, and transporting of documents with stationary devices and posting applications e.g. inside a three-ring binder folder, any ring document holder applications, or hanging temporary documents on a bulletin board, hanging documents on a wall, etc.
US09199501B2

A feed module for supplying stamping foil for a stamping printing machine, comprising a support for at least one reel of foil to be stamped, and a drive for each such stamping foil. The support and the drive are set in a workspace which is arranged in an upper portion of the module, and the lower portion of the module has a free space which is laterally accessible from the outside and which communicates upwardly with the workspace at a top of the free space.
US09199489B2

The object of the invention is to effectively prevent a medium from swelling due to ejected liquid, and prevent a head and the medium from contacting each other. When “strong rubbing prevention” is selected in the “rubbing prevention settings”, the margin amount of the paper P is enlarged and printing is conducted. Therefore, by enlarging the margin amount, the paper can be prevented from swelling due to ejected ink, and the paper and the printing head can be more reliably prevented from contacting each other (paper rubbing).
US09199485B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for determining an operational range of colorant densities and heating powers that result in successful drying for a print media that is based on a drying quality of test images printed by a printing system. One embodiment comprises a printing system that applies colorant onto a continuous-form medium and applies heat to the medium based on a heating power. The printing system prints a plurality of test images onto the medium, where one or more of a colorant density and a heating power vary for each of the printed test images. The printing system determines a drying quality for the printed test images, and calculates an operational range of colorant densities and heating powers for the medium based on the drying quality of the printed test images.
US09199480B2

An optical scanning device includes first and second light sources, a polygon mirror, first and second scanning lenses, first and second reflecting mirrors, and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the posture of the first reflecting mirror. The adjusting mechanism adjusts the posture of the first reflecting mirror using a predetermined first adjustment amount so that a first scanning line drawn by a first light beam to scan a first circumferential surface and a second scanning line drawn by a second light beam to scan a second circumferential surface are parallel when a drum rotation speed is a predetermined first speed, and adjusts the posture of the first reflecting mirror using a predetermined second adjustment amount different from the first adjustment amount and capable of making the first and second scanning lines parallel at a second speed different from the first speed when the drum rotation speed is the second speed.
US09199456B2

A liquid jet head includes a piezoelectric body substrate on which ejection grooves penetrating from an upper surface to a lower surface and non-ejection grooves open on the lower surface are alternately arranged in a reference direction and form a groove row, a cover plate that includes a liquid chamber communicating with the ejection grooves is bonded on the upper surface of the piezoelectric body substrate, and a nozzle plate that includes nozzles communicating with the ejection grooves is bonded on the lower surface of the piezoelectric body substrate. Common drive electrodes are installed on side surfaces of the ejection grooves, which are on the lower-surface side from nearly ½ the depth of the ejection grooves, and individual drive electrodes are installed on side surfaces of the non-ejection grooves, which are on the lower-surface side from nearly ½ the depth of the non-ejection grooves.
US09199451B2

A printing element substrate, comprising a printing unit including a printing element and a transistor, a logic circuit unit configured to be supplied with a first power supply voltage and receive print data, a unit configured to be supplied with a second power supply voltage and output a signal from the logic circuit unit to a control terminal of the transistor, a voltage generation unit configured to be supplied with a third power supply voltage and generate the second power supply voltage using the third power supply voltage, and a controlling unit configured to control supply of the third power supply voltage to the voltage generation unit, wherein when the first power supply voltage is not supplied to the logic circuit unit, the controlling unit does not supply the third power supply voltage to the voltage generation unit.
US09199447B2

A printing apparatus that prints onto a printed object using a special glossy ink and a color ink includes a control unit that executes the print adding the special glossy ink to a region, in pixels of a night scene formed by the color ink, that is lighted.
US09199446B2

A rotary-style coating machine of the type capable of applying coatings to various web substrates in the commercial offset web and/or digital web printing industry. The coating machine includes a coating cylinder and a plate cylinder that are rotatably mounted within the machine. The coating cylinder includes a coating sleeve removably mounted on a mandrel, and the plate cylinder includes a plate sleeve removably mounted on another mandrel. The machine further includes a unit for depositing a coating material on the coating sleeve as the coating cylinder is rotated. The plate cylinder is operative to receive the coating material from the coating sleeve. An impression cylinder supports a web substrate that receives the coating material from the plate sleeve.
US09199437B2

A panel assembly includes a retainer, a first panel, and a second panel. A weld stud extends from the first panel. The second panel is positioned adjacent to the first panel and defines a hole that circumscribes the weld stud. The retainer includes a base and a nut. The base includes an annular cap and a cylindrical guide feature. The nut has radial fins, one of which is beveled. The cylindrical guide feature is positioned within the hole and circumscribes the weld stud. One of the radial fins is positioned adjacent to an upper surface of the cap, while the radial fin having the beveled surface is received within a slot defined by the cap to secure the nut to the base and the stud. Tabs may be arranged on an inner bore of the nut. A method of using the retainer in a panel assembly is also disclosed.
US09199434B2

A vinyl-compound-based resin composition containing a terminal vinyl compound (a) of a bifunctional phenylene ether oligomer having a polyphenylene ether skeleton, a specific maleimide compound (b), a naphthol aralkyl type cyanate ester resin (c) and a naphthalene-skeleton-modified novolak type epoxy resin (d) for a high-multilayer and high-frequency printed wiring board, which resin composition is excellent in varnish shelf life at low temperature and does not show a decrease in multilayer moldability, heat resistance after moisture absorption, electrical characteristics and peel strength even in a winter period and for a long period of time, and a prepreg, a metal-foil-clad laminate and a resin sheet each of which uses the above resin composition.
US09199433B2

There is provided a metal laminated structure comprising a first metal layer, a second metal layer and a third metal layer, the first metal layer being disposed on one surface of the second metal layer, the third metal layer being disposed on the other surface of the second metal layer, the first metal layer including at least one of tungsten and molybdenum, the second metal layer including copper, the third metal layer including at least one of tungsten and molybdenum, and a method for producing the metal laminated structure.
US09199432B2

An apparatus for decorating an article includes a decorative sheet member having a first side and a second side, neither of the first and second sides having an adhesive; a fixation sheet member having a third side configured to be attached to a surface of the article, the third side including a first adhesive with a first adhesion characteristic; and a fourth side, opposite the third side and configured to receive one of the first and second sides of the decorative sheet, the fourth side having a second adhesive with a second adhesion characteristic, the second adhesion characteristic being less permanent than the first adhesion characteristic.
US09199428B2

A multi-layer laminate may include a substrate, a printed build layer adjacent the substrate and defining a texture having elevated areas and areas of relief, a printed image layer adjacent the build layer, and a coating layer having a mineral loading and a method for creating a textured laminate may include steps to cause the printed image to be in registration with the texture.
US09199421B2

Several processes for the manufacture of thin-walled tubes are described, including: injection moulding an article and annealing the article, injection moulding a blend of a polymer and a high melt flow polymer, injection moulding a blend of a polymer and nanoparticles or nanocomposites. Using nanoparticles to improve ESCR and/or tear resistance of a polymer or blend is also disclosed.
US09199415B2

In the manufacture of articles in slabs or blocks according to so-called Bretonstone technology, a polyester resin is employed, free of reactive solvents, formed by the reaction between an epoxidized triglyceride and at least one carboxylic anhydride.
US09199413B2

In this method for producing an ornament (1), wherein an ornamental sheet (3) is bonded/affixed by means of a vacuum-press-bonding method to the convex front surface (21) of a substrate (2) provided with a convex front surface (21) and a concave back surface (22), a work-support base (6) is placed on a work placement surface (121a) formed on the upper surface of the suction chamber (120) of a vacuum-press-bonding device (100), and the substrate (2) is positioned by fitting an engagement protrusion (28) formed on the back surface of the substrate (2) covered by the ornamental sheet (3) to an engagement hole (68) at the work-support surface (61) formed on the upper surface of the work-support base (6). When bonding/affixing the ornamental sheet (3) to the substrate (2) by means of the vacuum-press-bonding device (100), position deviation of the substrate (2) is prevented by the engagement of the engagement hole (68) and the engagement protrusion (28).
US09199407B2

An in-mold grain application system includes a forming machine and an adhesive applicator. The adhesive applicator is configured to apply adhesive to a cover stock sheet prior to the sheet entering the forming machine. A controller is connected to the adhesive applicator and configured to command the adhesive applicator and control the adhesive application to the sheet.
US09199405B2

An apparatus for conveying preforms to a blow molding machine, including a sorter that sorts and uniformly orients the preforms. A gravity conveyor feeds the preforms from the sorter to the blow molding machine. A transfer device between the sorter and the conveyor transfers the preforms from the sorter to the conveyor. The sorter, the conveyor, and the transfer device all have stepless adjoined guiding surfaces with specific contours that guide the preforms through the apparatus. The transfer device is an element with a curved guiding surface adjusted to the contour of the guiding surface of the sorter at the end facing the sorter, while being adjusted to the contour of the guiding surface of the gravity conveyor at the end facing the gravity conveyor. The two contours of the guiding surfaces facing the ends of the two devices are different, the guiding surface is stepless between the two ends.
US09199393B2

A high-shear melt-kneader includes a high-shear unit (20) having an internal feedback-type screw (23) configured to apply high-shear stress to a melted resin, resin pressure sensors (33) for configured to detect a front portion resin pressure in the vicinity of an inlet of the internal feedback-type screw and a rear portion resin pressure in the vicinity of an outlet, and a control device configured to appropriately control a material supplying amount, a material temperature, a kneading time, and a screw rotation speed according to pressure values detected by the sensors. The control device controls the conditions such that waveforms with the lapse of time of the front and rear portion resin pressures are similar to each other and show variation to a steady state after formation of a predetermined peak value, and the front and rear portion resin pressures form a predetermined pressure difference with the lapse of time. According to the high-shear melt-kneader, it is possible to improve high-shear efficiency, increase precision of nano dispersion of a material, and stably and finely disperse/mix internal structures of immiscible polymer blend-based, polymer/filler-based and polymer blend/filler-based materials to a nano level.
US09199387B2

A method and apparatus for performing an order change in a corrugator uses a minimum slit head configuration with all slit heads carried on two sides of a single tool support structure. A single robot is operable on the support structure to independently reset the positions of slit heads during a running order to prepare for subsequent order change in a most efficient manner, utilizing order scheduling that eliminates order changes that cannot be formed with the minimum slit head configuration.
US09199384B2

There is provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention a razor blade assembly having two plastic blades affixed to a central metal core. Each blade includes a blade edge and a connector for connecting to a connection slot in the metal core.
US09199381B2

A parallel-kinematical machine (20) that includes three setting devices (24.1, 24.2, 24.3) each of which can be lengthened and shortened individually, wherein each setting device (24.1, 24.2, 24.3) is connected to a first, a second and a third respective inner gimbal ring (23.1, 23.2, 23.3) of universal gimbal joints (UGJ) and that each inner gimbal ring (23.1, 23.2, 23.3) is mounted in bearings (25, 26, 27) for rotation in gimbal holders (21, 22) which are rotationally mounted in outer gimbal bearings (28, 29, 39) in an outer mounting (290) wherein the first inner gimbal ring (23.1) and the third inner gimbal ring (23.3) are mounted for rotation in a common outer gimbal holder (21) which is mounted for rotation about a common gimbal axis (32, 52) and in that the second inner gimbal ring (23.2) is mounted for rotation in a single gimbal holder (22) which is mounted in two opposite bearings for rotation about a second gimbal axis (31, 51) which is not aligned with said common gimbal axis (32, 52).
US09199377B2

Provided are a method and system for extracting intended torque for a wearable robot. The method makes use of an angle or angular velocity of rotation of a motor driving a joint and an angle or angular velocity of rotation of a link connected to the joint, and includes a friction outputting process of outputting an estimated value of friction torque from the angle of rotation of the motor, a motor torque calculating process of calculating motor torque from the angular velocity of rotation of the motor, a link rotation calculating process of calculating the angular velocity of rotation of the link, and an intended torque calculating process of substituting the motor torque and the angular velocity of rotation of the link into a disturbance observer, and calculating an estimated value of the intended torque applied by a wearer.
US09199375B2

A robot includes a robot hand, an arm unit, and a controller. The robot hand includes a movable portion. To the arm unit, the robot hand is mounted. The controller is configured to control the arm unit to move the movable portion of the robot hand so as to adjust a holding position of the robot hand relative to a to-be-held object.
US09199374B2

In order to suppress fluctuations in specific components of posture angle in a target coordinate system while maintaining the position of the leading edge of the wrist, the velocity of movement of the leading edge of the wrist, and the permissible velocity of the shaft during velocity suppression, an articulated robot which moves while calculating the position in interpolated points on a teaching path, the posture and the angles in each axis is provided, wherein a judgment is made as to whether the velocity of the wrist shaft exceeds a permissible limit, and if the permissible limit is exceeded, a plurality of candidates for angle of the wrist shaft that maintain the velocity within permissible limits are calculated, and the candidate with the minimum fluctuation in the specific component of the posture angle of the weld line coordinate system is selected.
US09199358B2

An actuating device has a drive element with a cylinder (1) and a piston (2) having a piston rod (3). A toothed rack (4) is provided outside the cylinder (1) on the piston rod (3). The toothed rack (4) is implemented to cooperate with a gear element (5). An actuating element (6), pivotable in relation to the drive element, is situated in a rotationally-fixed manner with the gear element (5). An intermediate gear element (7) is situated between the cylinder (1) and the gear element (5). The intermediate gear element (7) cooperates, on one side, with the toothed rack (4) and, on the other side, with the gear element (5).
US09199349B2

An apparatus and method for using an apparatus to machine honeycomb cores are disclosed. A honeycomb core is inserted into a channel in an apparatus with removable dams. The core is flooded with a fluid which is frozen. The frozen block is machined while supported by the apparatus. The block is then melted and the machined honeycomb is removed.
US09199348B2

A crimping tool includes a housing portion defining a funnel segment and a suture locking mechanism positioned to lock sutures therein. One or more sutures can be coupled with a prosthesis and secured to the suture locking mechanism. The suture locking mechanism can be operated to draw the prosthesis through the funnel segment.
US09199342B2

It is an object to provide a repairing method for a wall member with flow passages capable of reducing the time and the cost required for a partial repairing work on the wall member with flow passages. The repairing method for the wall member with flow passages includes a removal stage of removing a portion of the wall member with flow passages (1) provided with plural flow passages (4) between the base member (2) and the plate member (3), the base member welding stage of welding the repairing base member (6) to the portion removed in the removal stage, a flow passage forming stage of providing plural overlay welds on the repairing base member (6) and forming the flow passages (4) between the overlay welded beads (8), and a plate member welding stage of welding a repairing plate member (9) onto surfaces of the plural overlay welded beads (8).
US09199338B2

A tube welding rod resistant to high stress abrasion is used for hard facing of an abrasion-resistant layer, and comprises a welded tube and a filler filling the welded tube. The filler comprises, in weight percentages, 65-90% of spherical sintered tungsten carbide particles, 5-30% of spherical cast tungsten carbide particles, 0-15% of mechanically ground cast tungsten carbide particles, 2-6% of alloy power, and 0.2-1% of an organic binder. The used of the mixed spherical sintered tungsten carbide particles and the spherical cast tungsten carbide particles improves the abrasion resistance performance of the hard-faced layer in the high stress working condition, improves the overall abrasion resistance of the abrasion-resistant hard-faced layer formed by the welding rod, and is suitable for surface hardening of bits.
US09199329B2

The invention relates to a MIG- or MAG-welding gun, comprising a hand-held grip for supporting, handling and aiming the welding gun during a welding process, the grip including a body member (1). The grip further includes a grip member (2) pivotable relative to the body member (1) and lying alongside the body member over at least part of the same lengthwise extent as the body member. The grip member (2) has its free end pivotable to such a distance from the body member (1) that a hand grasping around the pivotable grip member (2) fits between the body member (1) and the pivotable grip member (2), the body member (1) resting on top of the hand. When the pivotable grip member (2) has its free end is in its position pivoted into the engagement with the body member (1), these two components constitute jointly a handle for the hand to grasp around.
US09199328B2

A welding system including a housing forming an enclosure, a power supply arranged within the enclosure and configured to deliver welding-type power during a welding-type process, a user interface including at least one user interface device configured to select operational parameters of a welding process that includes a touch-responsive display element configured to indicate a desired setting of the at least one user interface device in response to contact by a hand of a user, and a bezel forming a marking surface associated with the at least one user interface device to display user markings and allow the user markings to be selectively erased, wherein the marking surface is proximate to the touch-responsive display element.
US09199327B2

A portable IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) of high reliability, compact size, and low cost includes a main circuit to which a control circuit and an auxiliary power supply circuit are connected. The main circuit includes, in sequence, an input rectifier filter circuit, an inverter circuit, a high-frequency primary transformer, and a secondary output rectifier circuit. The control circuit includes a PWM regulation circuit, an IGBT driving circuit, a current feedback circuit, and a current setup circuit. The inverter circuit includes a full-bridge hard switching structure, which has IGBTs constituting bridge arms that are sequentially conducted, so that their alternating conduction converts direct current into high frequency square wave alternating current, which flows through the high-frequency primary transformer and is then subjected to rectification to supply an output of low voltage direct current. Each IGBT is connected in parallel to resistor and capacitor, which constitute a peak voltage absorption circuitry.
US09199325B2

When contact between a wire electrode and a workpiece is detected while, after wire electric discharge machining is ended, the wire electrode is moved (retraced) in the direction opposite to the machining direction along the machining path, the movement of the wire electrode is stopped. The wire electrode is moved in the offset direction from the contact position. When the wire electrode and the workpiece are brought into a non-contact state, the non-contact state is detected, and the movement of the wire electrode is stopped. The wire electrode is returned from the non-contact position to the machining path, and the wire electrode is retraced along the machining path in the state where the detection of contact between the wire electrode and the workpiece is neglected. Then, an amount of distortion of the workpiece is calculated from the contact position and the non-contact position.
US09199322B2

An apparatus is provided for texturing the surface of a brake plate has three die plates and spring supports therebetween. A toothed tooling mounts to the top die plate above an anvil on the center die plate both of which ride on posts held by the lower die plate. The toothed tooling comprises multiple blades each with multiple replaceable toothed inserts are held in a cartridge arrangement. The anvil receives brake plates from a separately supported plate feed mechanism with greatly reduced reciprocating mass. The complete die set can be set up on the bench and inserted ready to use in any style of press where the press ram contacts the upper die plate.
US09199317B2

A scroll machining method for forming a wall part (21) configured in a scroll shape on a surface of a workpiece (W), which includes a first scroll machining step of machining one of the wall surfaces (22, 23), in which a tool (14) is moved relative to the workpiece from an outside of the workpiece (W) toward a center part (25) along a predetermined path (L1) while turning the rotary table (17) in a first direction (R1); and a second scroll machining step of machining the other of the wall surfaces (22, 23), in which the tool (14) is moved relative to the workpiece from the center part (25) of the workpiece (W) toward the outside by returning along the predetermined path (L1) while turning the rotary table (17) in a second direction (R2) opposite to the first direction (R1).
US09199308B2

One embodiment of the invention may include a method of producing a composite article comprising a container, filling the container with a powdered metal, and compacting the powdered metal in the container such that an interfacial bond is created between the compacted powdered metal and the container.
US09199297B2

The invention relates to a drive device for multiaxial transport of workpieces through successive machining stations of a machine tool, in particular of a multistage forming press, wherein the drive device comprises two gripper rails, wherein the two gripper rails are transversely displaceable independently of each other by a first transverse drive assigned to the first gripper rail and a second transverse drive assigned to the second gripper rail for the execution of a closing movement. The gripper rails are here vertically displaceable independently of each other for the execution of a lifting movement, and/or the gripper rails are longitudinally displaceable independently of each other for the execution of a transport movement.
US09199289B2

A method for producing a profile from a sheet-metal strip is disclosed. The sheet-metal strip is bent at least twice during a first stage, where, as viewed in the cross-section of the sheet-metal strip, a center section as well as two flank sections are formed, which project angularly from two opposing end regions of the center section. During a second stage following the first stage, the center section is compressed by two complementary roller arrangements which engage on the two opposing end regions of the center section, and the sheet-metal strip is thereby locally thickened.
US09199288B2

Methods for bioremediation of environmental media contaminated with at least one perchlorate compound. A Pseudomonas consortium of P. putida strain B, P. putida strain E, and P. fluorescens strain G was provided to contaminated water, soil, etc. under conditions to result in bioremediated water, soil, etc. In embodiments, the method is used ex-situ, e.g., in a reactor vessel, or is used in-situ.
US09199285B2

A substrate cleaning system including a carrying unit having a plurality of rollers for carrying a substrate, wherein each of the rollers includes a roller shaft and a plurality of division rollers coupled to the roller shaft, and wherein a gap between adjacent ones of the roller shafts is larger than a radius of each of the division rollers; a first rinse unit located along the carrying unit and configured to apply a first cleaning liquid onto the substrate; and a cleaning unit comprising a slit nozzle and configured to apply a second cleaning liquid to the substrate after it encounters the first rinse unit.
US09199279B2

A screening machine includes wall members, screen assembly guide members, a screen assembly and a compression assembly. The screen assembly includes a frame with a plurality of side members and a screen supported by the frame. The compression assembly is attached to at least one wall member and forms the screen assembly into a concave shape.
US09199278B2

A method for operating a shale shaker to separate solids from a solids laden fluid, the shale shaker comprising a basket for holding at least one screen and a vibratory mechanism for vibrating the basket to an acceleration value, the method comprising the steps of monitoring the magnitude of the load of solids laden fluid in the basket and adjusting the acceleration value induced in the basket according to the magnitude of the load, wherein the acceleration is stepped down to a low acceleration value below a low load threshold.
US09199271B2

The present invention provides a building material in which a coating is applied to a front surface and a side surface is sufficiently adhered to a sealing and method for manufacturing thereof. In a building material in which a coating is applied to a front surface, a coating film on a side surface is removed or reduced by laser irradiation. The part of the side surface in which the coating film has been removed or reduced by laser irradiation has a width of at least 5 mm from a front surface side toward a rear surface side of the building material, or extends over the entire side surface from the front surface side toward the rear surface side of the building material, or is formed more than a part in which coating film is formed.
US09199264B2

Apparatus for pixelating falling water droplets to create a graphical image comprising an elevated water display head formed from a series of two or more modular units. Each of the series of two or more modular units has a water reservoir, a plurality of high speed solenoids located below the water reservoir, a replaceable nozzle plate having a plurality of spaced apart nozzles wherein one of said plurality of high speed solenoids is connected to each nozzle. A programmable micro-controller is provided with each of the modular units for controlling the water supply to the water reservoir and for controlling the formation of the falling water droplets through each solenoid and nozzle. The water droplets falling from said plurality of nozzles from each of the modular units forms part of the graphical image.
US09199263B2

A play set with a mist device includes a mist frame unit supported through a framework of the play set. The mist frame unit has a hollow body and a flexible hose member mounted onto the framework, wherein a portion of the flexible hose member is constructed into a hose ring encircling a slide unit; a water inlet provided at a first end of the mist frame unit for connecting to a water source; and a plurality of mist producing units provided along the mist frame unit arranged for producing mist such that a preset mist surrounding area is defined within which the play set is located, therefore the mist can reach all play units of the play set, including the slide unit through the hose ring at an angle which is greater than 270°, thereby providing a cooling effect to the mist surrounding area.
US09199262B2

A spray hose and spray nozzle for a commercial oven may be retracted on a spring-loaded reel. A position and recent movement of the spring-loaded reel may be used to deduce likely intent of the user with respect to use of the spray nozzle and to electronically activate or deactivate water flow to the spray hose based on the deduced intent.
US09199256B2

A multifunctional dispenser includes a main body having a connecting nozzle and a water supply pipe. A control valve, a regulating device, a proportional control device and a ventilation valve are on the main body. The bottom of main body communicates with a container through the proportional control device. The control valve determines the water flow of the water supply channel. The regulating device is a rotating cylinder passing through the main body. The cylinder has a valve track and a proportional controller track corresponding to the control valve and the proportional control device respectively. The valve track includes arc sections with unequal depths. The proportional controller track includes grooves with unequal depths and supports the proportional control device. A proportional regulator of the proportional control device has liquid outlet holes. The control valve controls the ventilation valve to open/close a gas inlet channel of a concentrated liquid container.
US09199253B2

A multi-level waterway control device has: a fixed unit, a flow regulating plate, a function switching plate and a drive unit. Flow regulation is achieved through the relative rotation between the flow regulating plate and the fixed unit. The outlet functions switch is achieved through the relative rotation between the function switching plate and the fixed unit. The drive unit can slide and rotate relative to the fixed unit, at least happen between the first and second position. When the drive unit is at the first position, it can form a synchronous rotation connection with the flow regulating plate, and the drive unit can drive the rotation of the flow regulating plate to achieve flow regulation. In the second position, the drive unit can form a synchronous rotation connection with the function switching plate, can drive the rotation of the function switching plate to achieve outlet functions switch.
US09199250B2

The present invention relates to methods, devices and systems for separation and concentration of particles from liquid and fluid samples. In some embodiments, the separation/concentration is achieved by sequential centrifugation steps. In particular, one aspect of the invention relates to a separation/concentration device which comprises at least a first chamber (101) and a second chamber (103) connected by a first valve (111), whereby operation of the first valve controls the material transfer from the first chamber to the second chamber. In some embodiments, valve operation can be manually, semi-manually or automatically. Other aspects of the invention relate to single- or multi-chambered separation/concentrator devices, and methods and systems for use. Other aspects of the invention relate to devices for operation of the valves, e.g., semi-manual actuation devices, and automatic inertial activation devices and mechanical actuation devices present in purpose-built centrifuges.
US09199244B2

A method for at least partly emptying a crushing chamber formed between an inner crushing shell and an outer crushing shell of an inertia cone crusher is provided. The inner crushing shell is supported on a crushing head. A central axis of the crushing head gyrates about a gyration axis with an rpm, for crushing material in the crushing chamber. The method includes the steps of interrupting the feeding of material to the crusher; measuring, directly or indirectly, at least one of a position and a motion of the crushing head during an amplitude control period; comparing the measured position and/or motion with at least one set point value; determining, based on the comparison, the measured position and/or motion to at least one set point value, whether the rpm should be adjusted; and adjusting the rpm when necessary.
US09199232B2

The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for detecting the presence of a target analyte in a fluid sample using an assay. A fluidic device for flow control in an assay is disclosed comprising a water impermeable substrate (300) with a flow channel (301) located on its upper surface; a porous reagent pad (305) located within the flow channel, where the reagent pad includes a release zone that comprises a mobilizable reagent component of an assay; a porous sensor membrane (306) located within the flow channel downstream from the reagent pad, where the sensor membrane is separated from the reagent pad by a free space diffusion zone and where the sensor membrane includes a capture zone that comprises an immobilized capture component of the assay; a water impermeable top support located within the flow channel and disposed over at least a portion of the sensor membrane; and a flow control medium that forms a water impermeable seal around a portion of the top support and sensor membrane, where the seal is configure to direct flow of fluid into the sealed portion of the sensor membrane.
US09199231B2

Embodiments of a water treatment system, a water treatment method, and an ozone kit for a water treatment system are provided. The water treatment system includes an ozone gas source; a regenerating fluid source; a water tank; a manifold having a first port in fluid communication with the regenerating fluid source, a second port in fluid communication with an outlet of the ozone gas source, and a third port in fluid communication with the water tank via a venturi nozzle; and a control system configured to: cause regenerating fluid to be drawn through the venturi nozzle into the water tank; and cause ozone gas to be drawn through the venturi nozzle into the water tank.
US09199230B2

Stable high strength porous metal oxide articles suitable, for example, for use as catalyst supports, are prepared by predisposing fine metal oxide particles in water followed by fine dispersion under high shear, and subjecting the dispersion to a change in pH to coagulate the metal oxide particles and form a moldable viscoelastic composition. The moldings are substantially free of impurity atoms.
US09199223B2

Process for producing a supported silver catalyst, which comprises (a) reacting oxalic acid with an alkali metal base in a solvent, preferably water, to the second equivalence point of oxalic acid to give alkali metal oxalate; (b) reacting the alkali metal oxalate obtained according to (a) with silver salt in a solvent, preferably water, to give silver oxalate; (c) forming a complexation of the silver oxalate obtained according to (b) with a diamine compound in a solvent, preferably water, to give a diamine-silver oxalate complex.
US09199222B2

The removal of fluoroalkanes from fluoroalkane-containing hydrocarbon streams, preferably C3 to C5 hydrocarbon streams. The fluoroalkane-containing hydrocarbon stream is contacted with an adsorbent containing a strong acid function, preferably a silica gel or a strong cation ion-exchange resin having sulfonic acid functionality.
US09199217B2

Apparatus and methods for using acoustic radiation forces to order particles suspended in a host liquid are described. The particles may range in size from nanometers to millimeters, and may have any shape. The suspension is placed in an acoustic resonator cavity, and acoustical energy is supplied thereto using acoustic transducers. The resulting pattern may be fixed by using a solidifiable host liquid, forming thereby a solid material. Patterns may be quickly generated; typical times ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes. In a one-dimensional arrangement, parallel layers of particles are formed. With two and three dimensional transducer arrangements, more complex particle configurations are possible since different standing-wave patterns may be generated in the resonator. Fabrication of periodic structures, such as metamaterials, having periods tunable by varying the frequency of the acoustic waves, on surfaces or in bulk volume using acoustic radiation forces, provides great flexibility in the creation of new materials. Periodicities may range from millimeters to sub-micron distances, covering a large portion of the range for optical and acoustical metamaterials.
US09199215B2

A Fischer Tropsch (“FT”) reactor includes at least one FT tube. The FT tube may include a catalyst that is designed to catalyze an FT reaction, thereby creating a hydrocarbon from syngas. The FT reactor also includes a primary cooling fluid flow path that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal length of the FT tube. A secondary cooling fluid flow path extends in a direction that is different than the direction of the primary cooling fluid flow path.
US09199196B2

A method for removing nitrogen-oxides by microwave assisted catalysis, including: 1) charging a catalyst capable of absorbing and interacting with microwave into a reaction tube of a reactor device, to form a reaction bed; and 2) heating the reaction bed by microwaves; when a temperature of the reaction bed is raised to 100-600° C., passing a gas containing nitrogen-oxides through the reaction bed, and performing a gas-solid reaction between the gas and the catalyst to remove the nitrogen-oxides from the gas.
US09199191B2

A gas separation membrane module, comprising: a hollow fiber element having a hollow fiber bundle consisting of a number of hollow fiber membranes and a tube sheet provided at an end of the hollow fiber bundle for binding the hollow fiber membranes; a vessel having an opening through which the hollow fiber element is inserted or removed; a lid member having a gas outlet formed therein and attached to cover the opening of the vessel; and a perforated plate having a plurality of through holes for forming gas channels formed therein, the perforated plate being mounted between the tube sheet and the lid member, the gas separation membrane module performing gas separation by supplying mixed gas to the hollow fiber membranes.
US09199183B2

A device for launching an object away from a user comprising a popper placed on the floor for providing force for the object, a ramp positioned on said popper wherein the user applies pressure on a substantially planar peripheral portion of said popper by pressing plurality of legs through placement of foot on an elongated body of the ramp resulting in change of convex position of said substantially planar peripheral portion returns to a concave position of said substantially planar peripheral portion through the application of vertical force on said object base which further results in launching the object away from a user from said object base.
US09199180B2

The present invention provides a LED balloon which comprises a balloon, a filler, a locking device and a LED. Wherein the locking device is on the interior of the balloon, and said filler is on the exterior of the balloon. The locking device comprises two sides which define an internal a cavity within the locking device. The filler is secured within the cavity of the locking device, thereby securing the balloon to the locking device.A LED is connected to the locking device, providing illumination of the balloon from within.
US09199169B2

When a music performance game starts, the user selects a part to be assigned to himself/herself. When the selection of the assigned part is completed, an ensemble starts. When the ensemble starts, the user can participate in the ensemble by performing an input operation corresponding to the assigned part. During the ensemble, history data representing the user's musical performances in chronological order is generated and stored in an external main memory. When the ensemble ends, the user can play again, changing assigned parts. At this time, as for the part currently selected by the user, the instrument is played based on the user's input, while the history data representing the user's current musical performances in chronological order is generated. Of the other parts, as for the parts that the user has selected earlier, the instruments are played automatically based on the history data.
US09199167B2

A game apparatus includes a micon, and the micon measures step counts in correspondence with the magnitude of accelerations indicated by acceleration data from an acceleration sensor when a user carries the game apparatus in a sleep mode in which the apparatus is closed. The step counts are converted into earned coins. In each of a plurality of games executed by the game apparatus, by using the earned coins, a special item is purchased, playing in a special course is permitted, a hint is displayed, and a game is played in fast-forward.
US09199158B2

A skateboard or longboard truck comprises a hanger and a baseplate assembly. A redesigned hanger, a large ball pivot, a load-redirecting pivot cup, a tapered kingpin and other improvements give the hanger a high kingpin ratio and a high angle of mechanical advantage, thereby improving the performance and turning characteristics of the truck.
US09199139B2

A golf club head for playing golf made by a method including providing a powdered metal; and applying a controlled source of energy to the powdered metal layer by layer to form a golf club head, wherein the golf club head is formed as a one-piece golf head having a hollow or partially hollow section and no welds.
US09199130B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball traveling a greater distance by improving the properties of the spherical core. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a spherical core, and at least one cover layer covering the spherical core, wherein the spherical core is formed from a rubber composition containing a base rubber, a co-crosslinking agent, a crosslinking initiator, a filler and a polynuclear aromatic organic sulfur compound or a derivative thereof, and the spherical core has a specific hardness distribution without decreasing hardness from a central point toward a surface of the spherical core in JIS-C hardness.
US09199128B2

The invention is directed to a method of making a neutralized non-ionomeric polymer composition (NNIPC) suitable for use in a golf ball component comprising the steps of: providing a non-acid copolymer composition (NACC); soaking the NACC in an organic acid to form a soaked non-acid copolymer composition (SNACC); providing a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize at least a portion of the organic acid; and melt processing the SNACC and cation source to form the NNIPC. The invention also relates to a method of making a golf ball incorporating the NNIPC made according to the inventive method and to the resulting golf ball.
US09199127B2

The present invention is directed to a golf ball comprising a core, a cover and optionally an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover which in any combination comprise at least two color contributing components, each of which comprises a colorant that contributes to an overall golf ball color, the color contributing components having substantially similar hues and different saturations, wherein the hue and saturation and a chroma of each contributing component contributes to an overall golf ball hue, saturation and chroma such that: the overall golf ball hue is substantially similar to the hue of each color contributing component; the overall golf ball saturation is different than the saturation of at least one of the color contributing components; and the overall golf ball chroma is different than the chroma of at least one of the color contributing components.
US09199119B2

A device and method is described that can easily provide removable exercise bars from the angled portions of a structure and provide a pair of approximately horizontal bars for exercising. The method includes placing an attachment device having a pair of brackets onto co-planar and non-parallel support members. The attachment device brackets include opening for placing, removing, and securing the attachment to the support members. The height of the bars is provided according to the spacing the brackets and the support members.
US09199108B2

The present disclosure relates to a fire extinguishing composition generating fire extinguishing substance through high-temperature decomposition; the fire extinguishing composition includes a fire extinguishing material which can be decomposed to release substance with fire extinguishing properties during the heating process; the content of the fire extinguishing material is at least 80 wt %; a pyrotechnic agent is adopted as a heat source and a power source in a process of fire extinguishing; and the purpose of fire extinguishing is achieved by: igniting the pyrotechnic agent, generating a large quantity of fire substance from the fire extinguishing composition in the use of high temperature produced by burning pyrotechnic agent, and the fire substance sprays out together with the pyrotechnic agent. Compared with the traditional aerosol fire extinguishing systems, the gas fire extinguishing systems and the water type extinguishing systems, the present disclosure provides a more efficient and safer fire extinguishing composition.
US09199102B2

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for modulating melanin production, secretion and/or accumulation in human skin cells. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of A3 adenosine receptor antagonists in compositions and methods for the treatment and amelioration of hyper-pigmentation conditions and for the lightening of skin, and to the use of A3 adenosine receptor agonists in compositions and methods for the treatment and amelioration of hypo-pigmentation conditions and for the tanning of skin.
US09199101B2

The invention relates to the cosmetic use of a peptide hydrolysate of pea (Pisum sativum L.), as skin-moisturizing active agent. The invention also relates to the use of a cosmetic composition comprising an effective amount of active agent according to the invention in a physiologically acceptable medium, for preventing dryness of the skin or restoring moisturization of the skin. The invention also relates to the use of this novel active agent for preparing a pharmaceutical, in particular dermatological, composition intended for treating pathological dryness of the skin.
US09199099B2

A distal side transmitting member of an ultrasonic transmitting unit includes a projecting portion protruding from a distal side abutment portion toward a proximal direction, and a proximal side transmitting member includes a depressed portion depressed from a proximal side abutment portion toward the proximal direction. A cavity portion having a space is formed between a protruding end of the projecting portion and a bottom portion of the depressed portion inside the proximal side transmitting member when the depressed portion is engaged with the projecting portion, and one of antinode positions of an ultrasonic vibration is located within a range from the protruding end to the bottom portion.
US09199091B2

Methods for treating a network of organs including generating a map of at least a portion of the network of organs using a rendering system; selecting at least one treatment location within the luminal passageway of the network of organs; and applying an energy therapy to the treatment location to treat the smooth muscle tissue, where the energy therapy applied to the respective treatment location is defined by a plurality of parameters that are associated with a map. Such a system allows for historical or ideal treatment parameters to be identified, visually or otherwise to actual treatment locations. Also, control systems and methods for delivery of energy that may include control algorithms that prevent energy delivery if a fault is detected and may provide energy delivery to produce a substantially constant temperature at a delivery site. In some embodiments, the control systems and methods may be used to control the delivery of energy, such as radiofrequency energy, to body tissue, such as lung tissue.
US09199086B2

Methods and/or devices used in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy based on a plurality of device parameters (e.g., A-V delay, V-V delay, etc.) are optimized by setting a device parameter based on selection data. The selection data may be acquired by acquiring temporal fiducial points (e.g., heart sounds) associated with at least a part of a systolic portion of at least one cardiac cycle and/or temporal fiducial points associated with at least a part of a diastolic portion of the at least one cardiac cycle for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations, and extracting measurements from the intracardiac impedance signal acquired for each of a plurality of electrode vector configurations based on the temporal fiducial points. The acquired selection data may be scored and used to optimize the device parameter.
US09199084B2

A method for defining connections between a plurality of lead bodies and a plurality of output ports of a neurostimulator, and an external control device for performing the method are disclosed. The external control device includes a user interface and control circuitry. The method includes displaying the lead bodies and the output ports of the neurostimulator; selecting a first one of the lead bodies; dragging a connector from the first lead body to a first one of the output ports of the neurostimulator; and dropping the connector onto the first output port of the neurostimulator, thereby defining a connection between the first lead body and the first output port of the neurostimulator. In another embodiment, a method includes defining the connection between the first lead body and the first output port, and graphically displaying the connection between the first lead body and the first output port of the neurostimulator.
US09199079B2

An exemplary method of optimizing speech and music perception by a bilateral cochlear implant patient includes identifying a first ear of a bilateral cochlear implant patient as being relatively more suited for processing speech than a second ear of the patient, directing a first cochlear implant subsystem associated with the first ear to operate in accordance with a first sound processing program configured to enhance speech perception by the patient, and directing a second cochlear implant subsystem associated with the second ear to operate in accordance with a second sound processing program configured to enhance music perception by the patient. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US09199073B2

The present invention provides a nerve stump interface for generating an electric field for promoting and guiding axonal regeneration and an electric field assisted axonal regeneration system. The nerve stump interface comprises a sieve having a plurality of holes. A strip is coupled to the sieve. A first electrode is provided at one of the plurality of holes and a second electrode is provided on the strip. The strip is arranged to space the second electrode from the first electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are for generating the electric field. At least one securing element is provided on a side of the strip to allow that side of the strip to affix against an opposite side of the strip. The present invention also provides a method for assembling the electric field assisted axonal regeneration system.
US09199072B2

A proximal end of an implantable lead may include a unitary connector pin having a socket end, a conductor end, and a necked-down portion arranged therebetween, where the conductor end includes a crimp cavity with an inner surface and a proximal end of the conductor is arranged in the crimp cavity, and a pin sleeve sleevably engaging the proximal end of the conductor and crimping the proximal end of the conductor against the inner surface, the proximal end may also include a unitary ring connector having a band portion, a notch portion, and a crimp portion where the crimp portion includes a crimp cavity with an inner surface and a proximal end of the conductor is arranged in the crimp cavity, and a ring sleeve sleevably engaging the proximal end of the conductor and crimping the proximal end of the conductor against the inner surface creating a crimp connection.
US09199071B2

An electrical stimulation system includes a lead and a connector assembly. The lead includes electrodes, a first terminal array, a second terminal array, and conductors electrically coupling the electrodes to the terminal arrays. The connector assembly includes a first connector port that is open at opposing ends and that electrically couples to the first terminal array. The connector assembly also includes a second connector port that is open at a first end and electrically couples to the second terminal array. The lead and connector assembly simultaneously receive a first portion of the lead, containing the first terminal array, within the first connector port; extend a second portion of the lead out of one end of the first connector port and into the second connector port; and receive a third portion of the lead, containing the second terminal array, within the second connector port of the connector assembly.
US09199069B2

Injection ports are disclosed for use with a gastric band for the treatment of obesity. An injection port may include a septum having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side wall connecting the top surface to the bottom surface. The injection port may also include a housing including a first inner side wall being tapered inwards such that an opening defined at a first end is larger than an opening defined at a second end, the tapering of the first inner side wall being used to secure the septum within the housing. The housing may further include a second inner side wall having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second inner side wall joined to the second end of the first inner side wall, and a bottom surface joined to the second end of the second inner side wall.
US09199066B2

An angioplasty balloon having an elastic constraining structure that partially expands with the balloon so that, at maximum balloon inflation, the constraining structure forms a pattern of channels or “pillows” on the balloon.
US09199062B2

An inserter assembly for a peripheral catheter assembly configured with an adhesive plaster member, wherein the catheter tube extends through the plaster member. The inserter assembly includes a first inserter part having first and second legs, a bridge member connecting the first and second legs at a distance from each other, with the bridge member adapted for detachably engaging or holding at least a part of the needle module extending coaxially between the first and second legs. The inserter assembly includes a second inserter part for covering the needle. The plaster member impairs visual sight and the line of vision to the needle tip during puncture may be impaired. To prevent this the first inserter part serves for holding a back-folded part of the plaster member.
US09199058B2

A balloon catheter device includes a multifilar tube shaft having a shaft lumen. A shaft lumen coating is provided on a surface of the multifilar tube shaft and extends from a proximal end of the multifilar tube shaft and terminates before a distal end of the multifilar tube shaft. An inflation balloon is disposed at the distal end of the multifilar tube shaft such that the shaft lumen coating and the inflation balloon form a continuously sealed length of the shaft lumen. The shaft lumen defines an inflation lumen that is in fluid communication with an interior space of the inflation balloon.
US09199057B2

A catheter assembly comprising a urinary catheter and a package with flexible walls is provided. Coupling means in form of a first coupling member on the catheter and a second coupling member on the package is further provided. The coupling means are in form of a protrusion or depression on the second coupling member and a matching depression or protrusion on the first coupling member. The user may move the catheter in and out of the package without touching the catheter itself, thus eliminating or minimizing the risk of contamination of the catheter.
US09199054B2

Applicants have disclosed an “Articulating Headgear Connector for Respiratory Masks” which allows three-dimensional movement of the headgear connector to alleviate the mechanical forces incurred from a wearer's head movement, and thus maintain an effective seal. In the preferred embodiment, the invention comprises: a CPAP mask having a plastic shell; the mask has a stub tube extending outwardly from the shell; a headgear connector mounted loosely onto the stub tube; a T-shaped nib on the elbow guides the headgear's movement; whereby the headgear connector can slide forward on the stub tube (i.e., move along the Z axis), guided by the nib; and, whereby the headgear connector can rock (i.e., about the X-Y axes) and its sides seesaw on the stub tube (i.e., along the Z-axis), with the amount of rotation and seesawing limited by the nib.
US09199053B1

Embodiments of the present invention may provide ventilation to a patient's lung or airway using a nasal ventilation mask, as part of either a non-invasive ventilation system (NIV) or a non-invasive open-airway ventilation system (NIOV). A ventilation mask may include a rigid or semi-rigid manifold housing. A compliant tube may be located within the manifold housing for forming a main gas pathway through the manifold housing. One or more nasal connectors may be fluidly coupled to the main gas pathway in the compliant tube. A system for sensing airflow through a patient's nose may include a sensing port with a distal opening that opens to a main gas pathway. A protrusion on at least one side of the distal opening may protrude into the main gas pathway.
US09199045B2

An additive force device (111) is connectible with a drug delivery device (100) to increase the amount of force exerted by a user on the dose setting knob (24) to facilitate injection. The additive force device (111) includes a first spring (121) and a loading barrel (135) connected to the first spring (121) for storing torque therein. A ratchet assembly (129) is connected to the loading barrel (135) and to the first spring (121). The ratchet assembly (129) has a first position in which torque is stored in the first spring (121) and a second position in which torque is released from the first spring (121). An inner barrel (133) is connected to the ratchet assembly and to the drug delivery device (100). The inner barrel (133) transmits the stored torque from the first spring (121) to the drug delivery device (100) to increase an injection force thereof.
US09199043B2

A fluid syringe of the type used with fluid infusion devices is presented here. The fluid syringe generally includes a barrel, a piston, and a check valve seal. The barrel has an interior wall and a sealed main fluid chamber. The piston is slidably coupled within the barrel, and the piston has a piston seal forming an interference fluid seal against the interior wall. The check valve seal is coupled to the piston, and it is located between the piston seal and the main fluid chamber. The check valve seal forms an interference fluid seal against the interior wall when the piston is unloaded, and it disengages the interior wall to allow gas flow from the main fluid chamber toward the piston seal when the piston is loaded.
US09199042B2

To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have—the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
US09199031B2

Devices, apparatuses and methods for controlling blood-glucose levels during exercise are described. For example, an insulin infusion apparatus can include a control module to regulate a rate of therapeutic fluid release into a body of a patient based on a determined therapeutic fluid requirement profile, and a dispensing unit to release therapeutic fluid at the regulated rate. The methods and devices can be implemented by receiving a first value corresponding to a first glucose concentration before an exercise activity of a user; receiving a second value corresponding to a second glucose concentration after the exercise activity for the user; determining a glucose concentration change based on a difference between the second value and the first value; modifying a basal rate based on a comparison of the glucose concentration change with a predetermined threshold value; and, recording the modified basal rate in a computer-readable memory device.
US09199029B2

The combination (10) of a burette (11) and injection portion (20) and a tube (21) to be connected to a reservoir to drain a liquid therefrom for delivery to the burette (11). The injection port (20) is fixed to a cap (16) of the burette (11) by having an outlet (28) extending to and being secured to an inlet (19) of the burette (11).
US09199027B2

An apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment is described, including a treatment unit, an extracorporeal blood circuit, an infusion line of a replacement fluid, a dialysis line connected in inlet to the second chamber, and a fluid evacuation line; sensors for determining a first parameter relating to a patient's blood volume (BV %) a second parameter relating to an ultrafiltration flow rate (UFR) or to a patient's weight loss rate (WLR), a third parameter (Cd, Na) relating to a conductivity or concentration of a liquid crossing the dialysis line and/or the infusion line, and a fourth parameter relating to an infusion flow rate (QINF), and a control unit for performing a control procedure.
US09199025B2

A filter member used in an oxygenator is constructed to provide improved contact with a hollow fiber membrane bundle and to capture bubbles contained in blood. The filter member possesses elasticity at least in the circumferential direction to allow the inner circumference of the filter member to be increased from a natural non-expanded state prior to placement on the hollow fiber membrane bundle to an expanded state in which the inner circumference of the filter member is increased when placed on the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The filter member is constructed to satisfy the condition 0.5≦L2/L1<1, wherein L1 represents the outer circumference of the hollow fiber membrane bundle and L2 represents the inner circumference of the filter member in the natural non-expanded state.
US09199024B2

A hemodialysis system includes a body fluid volume calculating unit, a dialysis condition input unit with which blood flow velocity and dialysis fluid flow velocity in hemodialysis treatment performed after specific hemodialysis treatment can be input and input values of the blood flow velocity and the dialysis fluid flow velocity can be adjusted, a dialysis dose calculating unit configured to calculate, when the blood flow velocity and the dialysis fluid flow velocity are input to the dialysis condition input unit, by analyzing a mathematical model concerning urea kinetics, a dialysis dose of the hemodialysis treatment from the input blood flow velocity and the input dialysis fluid flow velocity, a body fluid volume calculated by the body fluid volume calculating unit, and the like, and a dialysis dose display unit configured to display the hemodialysis dose calculated by the dialysis dose calculating unit.
US09199023B2

An oxygenator includes a housing; a hollow fiber membrane layer that is stored in the housing and has multiple integrated hollow fiber membranes with a gas exchange function; a gas inlet portion and a gas outlet portion that are provided on the upstream and downstream of gas passages in lumens of the hollow fiber membranes, respectively; and a blood inlet portion and a blood outlet portion that are provided on the upstream and downstream of blood passages outsides of the hollow fiber membranes, respectively. The hollow fiber membranes in the hollow fiber membrane layer are fixed relative to each other at one end portion and the other end portion thereof. Conditions 30≦ε60 and OD≦4.5×ε are met where ε [μm] is an average separation distance between the adjacent hollow fiber membranes at a fixed portion of the hollow fiber membrane layer and OD [μm] is the outer diameter of the hollow fiber membrane.
US09199018B2

A system is disclosed for managing a supply of breast milk. In one form the system includes a codified container for receiving expressed breast milk. A computing device receives an image of the expressed milk in the codified container. The codification allows for software to recognize the size and type of the container, as well as scale and orientation, to translate the image into an accurate volume. The milk data is then processed and analyzed to produce feedback regarding the pumping session, such as logs, charts, or reminders. In other embodiments, nipple positioning may be analyzed as well.
US09199016B2

A system and methodology for the preservation of red blood cells is described in which red blood cells are oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depleted, treated and are stored in an anaerobic environment to optimize preparation for transfusion. More particularly, a system and method for extended storage of red blood cells from collection to transfusion that optimizes red blood cells prior to transfusion is described.
US09199001B2

Compositions of the invention for regenerating defective or absent myocardium comprise an emulsified or injectable extracellular matrix composition. The composition may also include an extracellular matrix scaffold component of any formulation, and further include added cells, proteins, or other components to optimize the regenerative process and restore cardiac function.
US09199000B2

The present invention relates to water soluble quaternized chitosan derivatives which form hydrogel matrix with broad antimicrobial properties for the protection and coating of medical device. Hydrogel is attractive as an antimicrobial coating since its hydrophilicity intrinsically prevents the reversible nonspecific attachment of microbes. In order to achieve hydrogel formation, quaternized chitosan can be grafted with polymerizable groups, especially photocrosslinkable groups, such as methacrylates, PEG derivatives and be converted into hydrogels through a thermal or UV polymerization process. Hydrogels are hydrated cross-linked polymeric systems that contain water in an equilibrium state forming cushion water shield. The present invention is widely used in many medical devices. This invention describes the formation of novel hydrogels based on quaternized ammonium chitosan derivatives which has been grafted with photocrosslinkable groups, hence providing hydrogels as antimicrobial water shield coating agent.
US09198998B2

The present invention relates to a composition in the fluid form intended to form a dressing on the skin. This composition comprises from 6% to 12% by weight of the total weight of the composition of a cellulose derivative, from 5% to 15% by weight of the total weight of the composition of a vegetable oil, and a volatile solvent. The oil/cellulose ratio by weight is between 0.8 and 1.5.This novel dressing base makes it possible to obtain a film on the skin having satisfactory resistances to water and to rubbing actions. The film is flexible and sufficiently comfortable, in particular when the dressing is applied to a fairly extensive area of the skin.
US09198997B2

Tissue and other body structures may be protected using a hydrated composition made from free-flowing rehydratable particles or a rehydratable sponge comprising substantially collagen-free dehydrothermally crosslinked thiolated polysaccharide. Rehydration of crosslinked or uncrosslinked polysaccharide particles may be carried out without clumping by dispersing the particles in a biocompatible water-miscible polar dispersant such as ethanol and combining the dispersion with sufficient aqueous solvent for the particles to convert them to a cohesive hydrogel. The hydrated particles or sponge may assist in returning an injured, inflamed or surgically repaired surface to a normal state, e.g., through one or more healing mechanisms such as modulation of an inflammatory response, phagocytosis, mucosal remodeling, reciliation or other full or partial restoration of normal function.
US09198996B2

This invention relates to a process for producing water-absorbing composites comprising the steps of foaming an aqueous mixture comprising at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer bearing acid groups, at least one crosslinker, at least one initiator and at least one surfactant, contacting the foam obtained with at least one web of synthetic fibers and polymerizing, to the composites themselves and to their use for absorbing aqueous fluids.
US09198990B2

A sanitizing system uses ultraviolet light within a housing having an interior chamber. When items such as shopping carts or wheel chairs are moved into and out of the interior chamber, a cover is moved to reduce the light shining out of the housing. The cover is coordinated with the door of the housing to limit light shining on the users of the system. In another configuration, a switch is used to turn off the light source to reduce the light shining out of the housing when items such as shopping carts or wheel chairs are moved into and out of the interior chamber. In both of the systems described above, the sanitizing system may use a single sanitizing source such as a UV light source or a combination of sanitizing systems such as a UV light source in combination with a source of disinfecting plasma.
US09198985B2

Disclosed are star polymers comprising a polymeric body having a core with a site-isolated chromophore and a plurality of polymer chains emanating from the core; and at least one chelating moiety bonded to at least one polymer chain. Also disclosed are bimodal contrast agents derived from star polymers and further comprising at least one metal chelated by the at least one chelating moiety. Also disclosed are methods of making and using same. Also disclosed are imaging methods employing the disclosed star polymers and/or bimodal contrast agents. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
US09198980B1

A method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of an air conditioning system. Misting the air conditioning system's condenser with water cools the condenser and enables the system to more rapidly condense the refrigerant therein. By increasing the rate at which the refrigerant is condensed, energy and wear and tear on the system is reduced. Control of the misting is important, and sensing environmental and other present metrics to assist that control increases the efficiency offered by the present method and apparatus.
US09198977B2

The invention provides immunogenic polysaccharide protein conjugates comprising capsular polysaccharides from N. Meningitidis serogroup X and methods for preparation thereof. The present invention relates to N. meningitidis X saccharide-carrier protein conjugates prepared by a conjugation reaction. Accordingly, the instant invention relates to multivalent meningococcal polysaccharide protein conjugate composition comprising capsular saccharide from serogroups X and at least one capsular saccharide from A, C, W135 and Y wherein, i) polysaccharides A C W135 X are sized mechanically whereas polysaccharide Y is sized chemically, ii) all saccharide are conjugated to carrier protein via a linker with a cyanylation conjugation chemistry iii) all saccharide to protein ratios in final conjugates are between 0.2-0.6 and iv) at least two different carrier proteins selected from the group consisting of TT, DT and CRM197 are utilized.
US09198971B2

The invention relates to a composition in the form of an injectable aqueous solution, the pH of which is between 6.0 and 8.0, comprising at least: a) a basal insulin, the isoelectric point pI of which is between 5.8 and 8.5; b) a co-polyamino acid bearing carboxylate charges and substituted with hydrophobic radicals. In one embodiment, the compositions according to the invention also comprise a prandial insulin and/or gut hormone.
US09198967B2

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions active in preventing, stabilizing and treating Alzheimer's disease and cognitive dysfunctions related thereto.
US09198966B2

The present invention concerns the field of cancer therapy. In particular, it relates to an antagonist of a B-type plexin which prevents the interaction of the B-type plexin with ErbB-2 for use as a medicament, in particular, for treating metastasizing cancer. The present invention also contemplates a method for identifying an antagonist which prevents the interaction of a B-type plexin with ErbB-2. Finally, the invention provides for a polynucleotide encoding a B-type plexin polypeptide which lacks a functional intracellular domain and the said polypeptide.
US09198956B2

This document provides methods and materials related to treating liver conditions. For example, the methods and materials relating to the use of cAMP inhibitors to treat liver conditions are provided.
US09198955B2

The present invention provides a method for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), and for reducing flu-like symptoms associated with administration of an interferon to a patient with MS. The method involves intramuscularly administering the interferon to the MS patient according to an escalating dosing regimen in weeks 1 to 3, and a full therapeutically effective dose of interferon in week 4. In one embodiment of the invention, the escalating dosing regimen comprises administering one quarter of the therapeutically effective dose in week 1, half of the therapeutically effective dose in week 2, and three-quarters of the therapeutically effective dose in week 3. Also provided are titration packages for enabling compliance with a regimen of changing dosage of an interferon over a period of time.
US09198950B2

The present invention encompasses recombinant bacteria suitable for live attenuated vaccines, and methods of use thereof. One aspect of the present invention encompasses a recombinant Salmonella bacterium. The bacterium comprises a first promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a toxin and a second promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding an antitoxin, wherein the second promoter is inactive in vivo, but active in vitro.
US09198943B2

A composition can include: silene extract; and a carrier having the silene extract. The composition can include an active agent, such as a pharmaceutical or a nutraceutical. The composition can be in a form of a solid, paste, gel, gum, or combination thereof. The carrier can facilitate retention in the mouth, chewing, sucking, holding in the lip next to the gums, or other non-liquid format. A method can provide an alternative to an activity that reduces desire to perform the activity, the method can include: administering to a subject in need thereof the composition having silene. The method can include administering the composition in an effective amount to treat one or more of smoking dependence, tobacco withdrawal symptoms, and tobacco dependence in the subject, wherein the activity is smoking.
US09198942B1

A bioactive compound obtained from A. cinnamomea mycelium is prepared. The A. cinnamomea mycelium is solid-state cultivated. The bioactive compound is 2,3,6-trimethoxy-4-methylphenol and is called Leader 1. Leader 1 effectively suppresses movement, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. Leader 1 achieves the effect of anti-metastasis and shows excellent resistance to physiological activity and mechanism on cancer metastasis.
US09198940B2

The invention relates to the use of lactic acid bacteria, for use in modifying the enteric nervous system and more particularly in treating and/or preventing intestinal disorders such as constipation and/or irritable bowel disease.
US09198937B2

Cells present in processed lipoaspirate tissue are used to treat patients. Methods of treating patients include processing adipose tissue to deliver a concentrated amount of stem cells obtained from the adipose tissue to a patient. The methods may be practiced in a closed system so that the stem cells are not exposed to an external environment prior to being administered to a patient. Compositions that are administered to a patient include a mixture of adipose tissue and stem cells so that the composition has a higher concentration of stem cells than when the adipose tissue was removed from the patient.
US09198935B2

An aqueous skin disinfecting solution has a pH of from about 2 to about 6, and consists of at least (a) hydrogen peroxide in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 4% w/w; (b) at least one surfactant chosen from alkyl betaines, alkyl amidopropyl betaines, alkyl amidopropyl betaine amides, alkylsulfobetaines, alkyl amphocarboxylates and amine oxides in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 15% w/w; (c) at least one hydrogen peroxide stabilizer in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 4% w/w; (d) at least one member chosen from cyclic carboxylic acids and salts thereof in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 4% w/w; (e) at least one skin conditioning agent in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 10% w/w; and (f) an effective amount of at least one solvent. The invention can be provided in concentrated or dried powdered form.
US09198925B2

Pharmaceutical formulations are provided which are in the form of capsules or tablets for oral use and which include a medicament dapagliflozin or its propylene glycol hydrate and a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier therefor, which formulation is designed for immediate release.
US09198924B2

The present invention relates to a new use of phosphodiesterase 1 (PDE1) inhibitors for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of narcolepsy.
US09198919B2

Dosing regimen for transdermal delivery of hormones comprising a variable treatment cycle and a variable rest interval.
US09198916B1

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for controlling tumor growth in cancer patients. These compounds and pharmaceutical compositions modulate the P-glycoprotein multidrug transporter system and inhibit the activated PI3K/Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway. The compounds and pharmaceutical compounds of the present invention are particularly useful for treating metastatic and drug-resistant tumors.
US09198915B2

Embodiments of the invention include methods and compositions involving aldose reductase inhibitors for the treatment of inflammation, including uveitis and asthma.
US09198903B2

There is provided the use of a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist to treat or prevent thrombosis, particularly arterial thrombosis, in a human or animal patient. The patient is suitably one who is at risk of bleeding, particularly those about to undergo, or those undergoing, surgery. A preferred 5-HT2A antagonist is thromboserin.
US09198898B2

The invention relates to methods for treating pruritus with NK-1 receptor antagonists such as serlopitant. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising NK-1 receptor antagonists such as serlopitant. In addition, the invention encompasses treatment of a pruritus-associated condition with serlopitant and an additional antipruritic agent, and the use of serlopitant as a sleep aid, optionally in combination with an additional sleep-aiding agent.
US09198895B2

Novel chroman derivatives and intermediate compounds, compositions containing same, methods for their preparation and uses thereof as therapeutic agents particularly as anti-cancer and chemotherapeutic selective agents are described.
US09198893B2

The present disclosure relates to methods of treating cancers that are responsive to antimetabolite or antimitotic anti-cancer agents. The methods involve the use of at least one anti-cancer agent selected from antimetabolite anti-cancer agents, antimitotic anti-cancer agents, and combinations thereof, and a superoxide dismutase mimetic to potentiate the therapeutic effect of the anti cancer agent(s).
US09198887B2

Disclosed are methods of treating subjects having conditions related to angiogenesis including administering an effective amount of a polymeric form of thyroid hormone, or an antagonist thereof, to promote or inhibit angiogenesis in the subject. Compositions of the polymeric forms of thyroid hormone, or thyroid hormone analogs, are also disclosed.
US09198886B2

The present invention relates to the use of a compound of Formula (IIV) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate, isomer or prodrug thereof in the manufacturing of a medicament for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of any of the diseases selected from the group consisting of macular degeneration, corneal neovascularization or angiogenesis, iris neovascularization or angiogenesis, retinal neovascularization or angiogenesis, diabetic proliferative retinopathy and non-diabetic proliferative retinopathy.
US09198885B2

Compositions, formulations, methods, and systems for treating regional fat deposits comprise contacting a targeted fat deposit with a composition comprising long acting beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonist and a compound that reduces desensitization of the target tissue to the long acting beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, for example, glucocorticosteroids and/or ketotifen. Embodiments of the composition are administered, for example, by injection, and/or transdermally.
US09198880B2

The present invention relates to the novel use of panduratin derivatives or an extract of Boesenbergia pandurata for enhancing muscle mass growth, fighting fatigue and enhancing exercise performance. A panduratin derivative or a salt thereof or an extract of Boesenbergia pandurata of the present invention may be used without side effect and has the effect of increasing the expression of PPAR-δ in muscles to increase muscle mass, promoting recovery from fatigue and increase mobility, thereby improving exercise performance.
US09198869B2

The present application relates to a method for managing the development and manufacturing process of a therapeutically effective formulation. Peanut proteins are characterized from peanut flour and encapsulated formulations made using the peanut flour for oral immunotherapy of peanut allergies.
US09198860B2

The present invention provides a particulate pharmaceutical composition which has improved drug encapsulation stability and is suitable for a drug delivery system. The particulate pharmaceutical composition 1 contains: a plurality of block copolymer unit 2 arranged radially, each of which has a hydrophobic polymer-chain segment 2b, which is arranged radially inside, and a hydrophilic polymer-chain segment 2a, which is arranged radially outside; a drug 4, which includes a biomacromolecule; and a charged lipid 3, which has an electrical charge opposite to that of the drug 4; wherein the charged lipid 3 is being attracted to the hydrophobic polymer-chain segment 2b, and the drug 3 is positioned radially inside the hydrophobic polymer-chain segment 2b. The pharmaceutical composition 1 can effectively prevent the drug 4 from disengaging from the particle.
US09198855B2

This invention relates to the use of an active compound selected from the group comprising a sphingoid base, a sphingoid base derivative or a mixture of two or more these compounds for manufacturing a cosmetic composition suitable for topical application with animals having an at least partly fur covered skin for maintaining and/or repairing the keratoseborrheaic condition of the skin and/or fur.
US09198847B2

Personal care compositions comprise (a) from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a galactomannan polymer derivative having a mannose to galactose ratio of greater than 2:1 on a monomer to monomer basis, the galactomannan polymer derivative selected from a cationic galactomannan polymer derivative and an amphoteric galactomannan polymer derivative having a net positive charge, wherein the cationic galactomannan polymer has a molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 10,000,000 and a cationic charge density from about 0.7 meq/g to about 7 meq/g; (b) from about 5 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of an anionic surfactant system, the anionic surfactant system comprising at least one anionic surfactant and having an ethoxylate level and an anion level, (i) wherein the ethoxylate level is from about 1 to about 6, and (ii) wherein the anion level is from about 1.5 to about 6; and (c) an aqueous carrier. Personal care compositions as described above further comprise from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of one or more conditioning agents. Methods of treating hair or skin comprise applying the personal care compositions as described above to the hair or skin and rinsing the hair or skin.
US09198845B2

Compounds of the formula (I) or salts thereof, wherein R1 represents alkyl, aryl, alkyl-aryl or aryl-alkyl, compositions containing same, and their use in counteracting human axillary malodour.
US09198838B2

The present invention relates to personal care compositions, especially those personal care compositions in the form of a personal care article that is a porous dissolvable solid substrate. The porous dissolvable solid substrate has a surface resident coating comprising a water sensitive active that can deliver a consumer benefit.
US09198837B2

The invention provides a dental gypsum-bonded investment material powder which can inhibit air bubbles from being generated in a mixed material, only by being mixed with water without using any special device or tool, and is easily mixed with the water. A specific siloxane is blended at a specific amount in relation to the dental gypsum-bonded investment material powder which includes an anionic surfactant and is excellent in a mold releasing action. In other words, the dental gypsum-bonded investment material powder is structured such as to have 0.001 to 0.2 weight % anionic surfactant, and 0.00001 to 0.0005 weight % cyclic siloxane having 3 to 10 SiO(CH3)2 units.
US09198835B2

A feeding tube assembly having a feeding tube, an imaging assembly having a rigid axis and a bending axis transversely oriented relative to the rigid axis is disclosed. The imaging assembly can be preferentially deformable along the bending axis relative to the rigid axis. A marking disposed on at least one of the imaging assembly and the feeding tube can provide an indication of the bending axis. A packaging comprising a curvilinear cavity and a circular cavity can respectively contain the imaging assembly and the feeding tube, in a coiled configuration, which induces the feeding tube assembly into a pre-set, arcuate shape.
US09198833B2

The invention relates to a device for oral application of a composition. The device comprises recess having an outer rim encompassing the recess. Within the recess, a composition is arranged. The composition comprises a gelling agent and an active agent. A cover member is attached to the rim and completely covers the recess. Thus, the cover member, together with the recess, retains the composition within the recess. The cover member has an outer surface opposed to an inner surface adjoining the recess. In order to allow preparation of the composition by adding water without the risk of losing some of the composition during preparation, the cover member comprises one or more openings for providing fluidic connection between the inner surface and the outer surface. Through this opening, water can enter for preparing the composition meanwhile the cover retains all composition within the recess. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing the device. The solid composition is introduced into the recess and the cover member is attached to the rim. The method further comprises to provide the cover member with one or more openings. The openings are adapted for providing fluidic connection between the inner surface and the outer surface of the cover member.
US09198831B2

Disclosed is a fluid transfer system for transferring a substance from one vessel to another vessel while avoiding leakage of liquid and gas contaminants. The transfer system includes a needle safe design that is facilitated by a housing that shrouds a tip of a fluid transfer cannula such that the cannula tip is not exposed for inadvertent puncture. This feature may also be enhanced by use of a blunt tipped cannula. The fluid transfer system permits multiple access by enabling the easy swabbing of a septum prior to use.
US09198824B2

A stimulator comprises a glove like member being configured to cover at least a portion of a user's hand. A bracket assembly is in engagement with the glove like member. The bracket assembly is configured to be disposed about one or more fingers of the user's hand. An extending part is configured to removably engage at least a palm side of the bracket assembly. A power pack is in engagement with the glove like member. The power pack is configured to communicate an amount of power to the extending part in engagement with the bracket assembly. A control assembly is configured to enable the user to control the communicated power in which contact of the extending part to a person's body part induces a stimulation.
US09198823B1

A walker and standing aid provides lift assist handles operably coupled to opposing tracks connected to the walker. The handles can transition between lift and adjustment configurations whereby when in the lift configuration, a person's weight can be supported thereby and when in the adjustment configuration the lift assist handle can be elevationally adjusted relative to the track. For preferred embodiments, the handles are infinitely adjustable within a range of motion along the tracks.
US09198822B1

A multi-function crutch comprises a crutch structure, a supporting structure, and one or more additional crutch structures. The crutch structure itself can be used as a crutch. Via the supporting structure, the crutch structure combines one of the one or more additional crutch structures so that it can be used as another type of crutch.
US09198820B2

The present invention relates in general to neck and jaw exercising and rehabilitation and more in particular to a device encompassing a method or methodology for configuring the device for use in strengthening, toning the neck and jaw muscles by implementing a consistent means of isotonic resistance. The present invention includes a telescopic longitudinal “spine” consisting in two parts with means to lock in place as well as a chin brace or support each adjusting to meet the user's specific anatomical features. Further elements of the present application includes a fixed padded latitudinal forehead support as well a centralized weighted “receiver” just above the aforementioned forehead support which secures the source of weighted resistance. Securing the device is an adjustable elastic strap attached to the latitudinal forehead support which reduces lateral shifting and insuring a safe isotonic movement.
US09198819B2

A cremation urn comprises a container that has a lower end and an upper end, and that is sized and configured to receive therein cremation remains of a deceased. An access cover is removably secured on the lower end of the container providing access to an interior of the container. A receptacle is located on the upper end of the container and has a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall extending peripherally around the bottom wall. An appliqué is secured in the receptacle.
US09198817B2

A patient support system includes independently adjustable end columns supporting a centrally hinged, jointed or breaking patient support structure. At least one column includes a powered rotation assembly. The patient support includes at least two sections. A coordinated drive system provides for both upwardly and downwardly breaking or jointed orientations of the two sections in various inclined and tilted positions. Cable, cantilevered and pull-rod systems are included.
US09198816B2

An infant care station includes a horizontal surface configured to support an infant patient wherein at least one wall extends generally vertically from the horizontal surface. The horizontal surface and at least one wall define a microenvironment. A processor operates a display mounted to the care station at a location external to the microenvironment to present a graphical user interface. An auxiliary input device is located within the microenvironment, is communicatively connected to the processor, and is configured for operation by a clinician to interact with the graphical user interface.
US09198809B2

An absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent article comprises a first fluid handling zone having a first Transverse Fluid Travel Distance and a second fluid handling zone having a second Transverse Fluid Travel Distance. The first Transverse Fluid Travel Distance is at least about 50% greater than said second Transverse Fluid Travel Distance, which results in an absorbent article that is better able to handle bodily fluids and reduce the risk of accidental leakage of bodily fluids onto a consumer's undergarments.
US09198807B2

A permanently closed containment pant includes an elastically extensible chassis and a sling positioned within the chassis. The sling is joined to the front waist region and the back waist region. The sling includes a fluid-impervious base sheet and a first containment flap, and a second containment flap each joined with the base sheet to create a fluid-impervious pouch. The first end of the first containment flap is joined to the first end of the second containment flap and the second end of the first containment flap is joined to the second end of the second containment flap. The sling also includes a first transition and a second transition that are elastically extensible in a longitudinal direction and in a transverse direction. In some embodiments, the containment pant has a tension in the longitudinal direction from about 1000 grams force to about 2400 grams force at an elongation of about 150%.
US09198803B1

A dressing device has a device body, a bore extending into an inner surface of the device body, and a biasing element positioned within the bore for biasing the dressing element against the ulcer. The device body functions to offload pressure from an ulcer of a patient. The biasing element functions to support a dressing element against the ulcer to medicate the ulcer, and to prevent the formation of proud flesh.
US09198802B2

A reduced pressure tissue treatment system includes an applicator having an aperture, a first pad section, and a second pad section substantially covering the aperture and positioned substantially adjacent the first pad section. A fabric layer is located at least partially between the second pad section and the drape, and the fabric layer includes a woven or non-woven fabric made from a fiber material. A drape substantially covers the first pad section, the second pad section, the fabric layer, and the applicator. A reduced pressure source is in fluid communication with at least one of the first pad section and the fabric layer for providing reduced pressure to the aperture.
US09198800B2

Systems and methods for providing communication and protection by an electronic earplug are provided. A communication and protection system includes an electronic earplug operable in a transmit mode and a receive mode. The electronic earplug includes an external microphone, an ear canal microphone, processing circuitry, and a receiver. In the receive mode, the external microphone is configured to transduce sound pressure levels received from exterior to an ear canal to electrical signals; the processing circuitry is configured to process the electrical signals from the external microphone to provide processed electrical signals; and, the receiver is configured to convert the processed electrical signal to sound. In the transmit mode, the ear canal microphone is configured to transduce sound pressure levels received from in the ear canal to electrical signals provided to a communication device; and, one or more of the external microphone, the processing circuitry, and the receiver is disabled.
US09198798B2

A phacoemulsification system for operating a surgical handpiece having a handpiece; an irrigation fluid source for supplying irrigation fluid to the eye; an aspiration source coupled to the handpiece in order to aspirate the irrigation fluid from the eye through the handpiece; and a controller for controlling a vacuum in the handpiece, the controller comprising: a sensor for sensing the vacuum in the handpiece; an occlusion parameter, the occlusion parameter being a vacuum level corresponding to an occlusion of the handpiece or a flow rate corresponding to an occlusion of the handpiece; a maximum allowable vacuum level in the handpiece, the maximum allowable vacuum level having at least a first predetermined level; and a trigger value that is set based in part on the occlusion parameter.
US09198797B2

Various adjustable cannula systems are provided. The systems can include an adjustable cannula capable of expansion and/or contraction having an elongate body with a distal end and a proximal end. The adjustable cannula can be coupled to an upper housing and a lower housing such that rotation of the upper housing results in expansion or contraction of the adjustable cannula. The adjustable cannula can also have a proximal end having a lumen larger than a distal end lumen. A plurality of flanges can be formed in the elongate body by a plurality of slits that span a majority of a length of the cannula, including along or proximate to its proximal end and distal end.
US09198792B2

According to various embodiments of the invention, an electrode for an orthotic device, includes: a conductive layer for receiving and distributing electrical current, the conductive layer formed to have a connection portion, the connection portion configured to receive an electrical current from at least one contact disposed on an orthotic device, according to an electrophysical modality; and, an interface layer attached to the conductive layer, the interface layer configured to conform to a wearer's anatomy and to conduct electrical current from the conductive layer to the wearer's anatomy. The connection portion is configured to be electrically connected to the at least one contact disposed on the orthotic device when applied by the wearer.
US09198787B2

A delivery system may include a stent-graft, a locking member, and one or more diameter reducing members. The stent-graft may include a tubular graft comprising first and second longitudinally extending sides disposed opposite each other and connected at a tangent line. When the locking member is in a locked position, the locking member restrains a surface of the graft against the cannula. The first diameter reducing member may be slidably connected to a first portion of the graft that is disposed proximate the tangent line and may be slidably connected to a second portion of the graft that is spaced circumferentially away from the tangent line. When the first diameter reducing member is in a restrained position, the second portion of the graft is drawn toward the first portion of the graft and the proximal portion of the stent-graft has a reduced diameter configuration with at least two lobes.
US09198780B2

A vacuum assisted suspension system is used to increase or maintain negative pressure or vacuum in a sealed socket cavity as a socket and prosthetic limb attachment mechanism. The system includes a vacuum pump having a housing that defines an enclosed space to receive a fluid. At least one wall of the housing and at least one movable wall define a fluid compartment. The system includes a compression transfer element connected to the at least one movable wall and connected to a prosthetic foot. The compression transfer element causes the at least one movable wall of the fluid compartment to move and increase the volume of the fluid compartment in response to a compressive force on the prosthetic foot to draw in fluid from the prosthetic socket. In the absence of a compressive force, the volume of the fluid compartment decreases thereby expelling fluid out of the fluid compartment.
US09198777B2

A manipulating tool for a medical implant includes an actuating rod. The rod has a rear end with a grip part and a fixing element at the front end for the releasable axial fixing of the implant. The implant has a counter element suitable for fixing, which has at least two undercuts spaced apart relative to an axis of its body with one respective holding surface oriented in the direction of the interior of the body. The manipulating tool has at least two clamping jaws being at a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the actuating rod, for engaging behind the undercuts on the implant side. The clamping jaws are spaced apart in the peripheral direction. A kit for implant medicine includes a medical implant and a corresponding manipulating tool.
US09198775B2

Intervertebral endoprosthesis discs suitable for surgical implantation between two vertebrae having and methods thereof. The prosthetic disc may have an endoprosthesis body including an anterior region and a posterior region designed to be positioned between a first vertebra and a second vertebra with a first and second movable insert positioned rotatably in anterior cavities and is rotatable to adjust the fasteners.
US09198767B2

Apparatus and methods for spinal the treatment of abnormal spinal stability and stenosis of the spinal canal. In one embodiment, the apparatus and methods provide treatment via decompression and/or fixation of the spinal canal. One or more implants are used to fixate the posterior column of a spinal segment compromised of the superior and inferior immediately adjacent vertebral bones. In one variant, these disclosed devices are used to fixate the posterior column of a spinal segment while another orthopedic implant is placed into the anterior column of the same spinal segment, thereby providing circumferential decompression.
US09198762B2

A base component for a tibial implant has a lateral compartment and a medial compartment spaced from the lateral compartment defining an open central section therebetween. A connecting portion connects the medial and lateral compartments at an anterior end of the base component which anterior end is located adjacent the anterior tibia. The open central section of the base component intermediate the spaced medial and lateral compartments is open to a posterior end of the base component. The medial and lateral compartments have a bone contacting surface and a superiorly facing surface. The connecting portion has a curved anteriorly facing surface and has a first angled surface extending at an angle from adjacent the anterior end of the base component at a bone contacting surface of the connecting portion superiorly to a posterior end of the connecting portion. The first angled surface defining an anterior end of the open central section.
US09198760B2

The invention relates to guiding instruments (1) for guiding an acetabular cup implant as well as to impactors (13) for press-fitting an acetabular cup implant, both of which are of use during reconstructive joint surgery, more specifically during reconstructive hip joint surgery. The guiding instruments are characterized in that they fit onto an acetabular cup implant (8) and are designed to fit onto specific areas of the pelvic bone ensuring a unique fit on the bone. The impactors are characterized in that a fixation element (15) is connected to the stem (14) of the impactor by a ball joint. The invention also relates to combined guiding and fitting elements for an acetabular cup implant, comprising a guiding instrument and an impactor.
US09198753B2

Apparatus for use with an external non-visible light source is provided. The apparatus comprises an intraocular device configured for implantation in a human eye, and comprising an energy receiver. The energy receiver is configured to receive light emitted from the external non-visible light source, and extract energy from the emitted light for powering the intraocular device. The intraocular device is configured to regulate a parameter of operation of the intraocular device based on a modulation of the light emitted by the external non-visible light source and received by the energy receiver. Other embodiments are also described.
US09198750B2

A tendon repair implant for treatment of a partial thickness tear in the supraspinatus tendon of the shoulder is provided. The implant may incorporate features of rapid deployment and fixation by arthroscopic means that compliment current procedures; tensile properties that result in desired sharing of anatomical load between the implant and native tendon during rehabilitation; selected porosity and longitudinal pathways for tissue in-growth; sufficient cyclic straining of the implant in the longitudinal direction to promote remodeling of new tissue to tendon-like tissue; and, may include a bioresorbable construction to provide transfer of additional load to new tendon-like tissue and native tendon over time.
US09198747B2

A transobturator technique was developed for treating male urinary incontinence. This approach helped to design specific instruments to pass around the ischio-pubic branches of the male pelvis from inside to outside (i.e from the suburethral space to the thigh fold). The inside-out transobturator sling technique uses specific instruments and a polypropylene mesh with two arms that are passed inside to outside through the obturator foramens, pulled for compressing the bulbar urethra upward, and tied to each other across the midline. The mesh passes around the ischio-pubic branch before being tied under the bulbar urethra where it brings tension and support.
US09198745B1

An oral appliance cleaner and holder is a device that is used to clean an oral appliance via scrubbing in conjunction with a liquid cleaning solution. The oral appliance is placed in between a first brush and a second brush. The first brush is able to rotate along with a rotatable base in order to scrub the oral appliance. The rotatable base is mounted to a fluid reservoir that transfers liquid cleaning solution to the first brush and the second brush. A lid and a sealing ring are used to prevent leakage of the liquid cleaning solution from the fluid reservoir. A plurality of slots is present in the first brush and the second brush to allow the liquid cleaning solution to pass from the fluid reservoir and come into contact with a plurality of bristles of the first brush and a plurality of bristles of the second brush.
US09198744B2

This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for recording and simulating the condylar movement of an individual. This invention also provides a dental articulator which is designed to simulate the jaw or condylar movements of a patient. This instrument enables a dentist to obtain the necessary diagnostic information for treatment of the occlusal irregularities, such as malocclusion, and the fabrication of dental cast or “dentures”.
US09198739B2

Method for producing a patient-specific bracket body (7) for a modular bracket (1) having a pad (3) and a bracket body (7), which comprises the following steps: a) providing a raw bracket body (9) having a spacer section (9d), b) establishing a first parameter for cutting through the spacer section (9d), a distance of a resulting cut surface of the spacer section (9d) from the slot (11), in order to establish a suitable height of the bracket body (7), c) establishing a second parameter for cutting through the spacer section (9d), a cutting angle to a mesio-distal axis, in order to establish a suitable torque value of the bracket body (7), d) establishing a third parameter for cutting through the spacer section (9d), a cutting angle to an occlusal-gingival axis, in order to establish a suitable rotation value of the bracket body (7), e) cutting through the spacer section (9d) according to the three established parameters, whereby a bracket body (7) is produced.
US09198736B2

Devices and methods wherein an adapter is used to attach an electromagnetic image guidance component to a medical device such that an electromagnetic image guidance system may be used to track the location of the medical device within the body of a human or animal subject.
US09198733B2

The present invention provides systems, methods, and devices for electroporation-based therapies (EBTs). Embodiments provide patient-specific treatment protocols derived by the numerical modeling of 3D reconstructions of target tissue from images taken of the tissue, and optionally accounting for one or more of physical constraints or dynamic tissue properties. The present invention further relates to systems, methods, and devices for delivering bipolar electric pulses for irreversible electroporation exhibiting reduced or no damage to tissue typically associated with an EBT-induced excessive charge delivered to the tissue.
US09198727B1

A surgical sponge organizer assembly stores and clearly displays surgical sponges after surgery. The assembly includes a hanging panel. A plurality of pouches is attached to a front surface of the hanging panel. Each of the pouches has an open upper end defining an access opening into an interior space of an associated one of the pouches wherein the interior space is configured to store a surgical sponge therein. A support member is configured for being attached to an IV pole. The hanging panel is releasably coupled to the support member.
US09198714B2

Various embodiments of surgical robot control systems are disclosed. In one example embodiment, the surgical robot control system comprises a housing. A controller is located within the housing and is coupled to a socket. The socket receives a handheld surgical user interface therein to control a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is connected to the surgical robot and comprises an end effector and a mechanical interface to manipulate the end effector. The mechanical interface is coupled to the controller. At least one sensor is coupled to the controller and the socket to convert movement of the handheld surgical user interface into electrical signals corresponding to the movement of the surgical instrument. At least one feedback device is coupled to the controller to provide feedback to a user. The feedback is associated with a predetermined function of the surgical instrument.
US09198712B1

The present invention provides an Electro Surgical Generator (ESG) optimized for lung biopsy. The ESG is exclusively battery operated and fits within the handpiece of modern endoscopic electrosurgical/electrocautery instruments, thereby avoiding wires, adapters, and coupling mechanisms. The ESG is adaptable to generate different waveforms that vary with respect to frequency, pulse width, amplitude, etc. through the use of timing circuits and voltage control (i.e. transformers). The ESG is both energy-efficient and safe. A closed loop feedback system featuring a monitor and controller ensure no more power than necessary is provided to achieve a goal current level. Dynamic Power Control (DPC) and Dynamic Temperature Control (DTC) systems vary power to maintain temperature with the lowest possible power. These features prolong battery life and guard against tissue damage. The generator includes other safety features such as resiliency against and the ability to overcome single fault events such as short circuits.
US09198711B2

An electrosurgical system is provided. The electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical generator including a computer having one or more microprocessors in operable communication with memory for storing information pertaining to the electrosurgical generator. An audio output module is in operable communication with the computer and configured to generate an audio output having the information pertaining to the electrosurgical generator embedded therein. A speaker is in operable communication with the audio output module for outputting the audio output. A recording device is configured to record the audio output. An audio collector is configured to receive the audio output from the recording device and decipher the embedded audio so that the information pertaining to the electrosurgical generator may be utilized for future use.
US09198709B2

Electrosurgical wand. At least some of the illustrative embodiment are electrosurgical wands including: an elongate housing that defines a handle end and a distal end; an aspiration aperture on the distal end of the elongate housing the aspiration aperture fluidly coupled to a first fluid conduit, the first fluid conduit within the elongate housing; a discharge aperture on the distal end of the elongate housing, the discharge aperture fluidly coupled to a second fluid conduit, and the second fluid conduit within the elongate housing; a first active electrode of conductive material on the distal end of the elongate housing, the first active electrode between the discharge aperture and the aspiration aperture; and a conductive plate that abuts the discharge aperture, at least a portion of the conductive plate disposed over the discharge aperture.
US09198703B2

System for inserting an augmentation pin into an augmentation screw, comprising a pin inserter with an axial through-bore and a lateral opening, a pin-magazine with a pin-retainer for an augmentation pin, wherein the pin-magazine may be placed in the lateral opening of the pin-inserter and an augmentation pin in the pin-retainer may be aligned with the axial through-bore. The augmentation pin may be pushed by means of a pusher from the pin-magazine into an augmentation screw, when the augmentation screw is arranged in front of the pin-inserter.
US09198698B1

This application describes surgical instruments and implants for building a posterior fixation construct across one or more segments of the spinal column. Extension guides are provided that attach to bone anchors implanted within the spine. The extension guides have a guide channel that align with a rod channel in the anchor to help direct the rod to the anchor. Instruments are provided to aid in insertion and positioning or the rod.
US09198694B2

The present invention is generally directed to orthopedic fixation devices that comprise a coupling element and a bone fastener, whereby the bone fastener can be loaded into the coupling element through the bottom of a bore in the coupling element. The orthopedic fixation devices described herein can include modular locking clamp assemblies that can be fixed onto fasteners that are already implanted in bone. The modular locking clamp assemblies can include polyaxial locking clamp assemblies, as well as monoaxial locking clamp assemblies.
US09198689B2

An apparatus for approximating planes of a body tissue during a medical procedure may include an internal portion and an external portion. The internal portion may be implantable within a body of a patient and may include a first flexible sheet member, a first magnetic member, and a first working window through the first flexible sheet member. The external portion may include a second flexible sheet member, a second magnetic member, and a second working window through the second flexible sheet member. The first magnetic member and the second magnetic member may be attracted to one another to magnetically couple the internal and external portions and capture the body tissue between the internal and external portions. The first working window may be substantially aligned with the second working window to enable access to the internal and external surfaces of the body tissue through the respective first and second working windows.
US09198679B2

The devices and methods generally relate to treatment of occluded body lumens. In particular, the present devices and method relate to removal of the occluding material from the blood vessels as well as other body lumens.
US09198673B2

An isolation device for repairing a cartilage defect including a syringe and a barrier device. The barrier device is connected to the syringe. The barrier device is sized to surround and contain the cartilage defect, and is configured to provide a seal around the cartilage defect for application of a positive pressure and a negative pressure from the device. The device is configured to provide a localized therapy to the cartilage defect.
US09198669B2

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to devices implantable into a human lung, for example to reduce the volume of air trapped in a diseased portion of the lung to prevent inhalation while permitting expiration out of the diseased portion. In some embodiments, the device comprises a distal portion with an anchor system that may anchor the device into tissue of an air passageway wall, and the distal portion may be connected to a proximal portion via a flexible portion that permits the distal portion to articulate substantially with respect to the proximal portion, such that the distal portion and the proximal portion may be non-collinear along a longitudinal axis of the distal portion. This may facilitate implantation of the device into a non-linear air passageway.
US09198666B2

A system and method for deploying an occluding device that can be used to remodel an aneurysm within the vessel by, for example, neck reconstruction or balloon remodeling. The system comprises an introducer sheath and an assembly for carrying the occluding device. The assembly includes an elongated flexible member having an occluding device retaining member for receiving a first end of the occluding device, a proximally positioned retaining member for engaging a second end of the occluding device and a support surrounding a portion of the elongated flexible member over which the occluding device can be positioned.
US09198656B1

A surgery using a suture assembly made of a continuous length of braided suture material defining an interior lumen, and forming a loop and a tail, and further comprising a first length and a second length, conceptually divided at a midpoint of the loop. The tail includes first, intermediate and second regions. The first region is formed by the first length breaching the second length and entering the interior lumen of the second length, and extending within the second length. The intermediate region is formed by the first length breaching and exiting the second length, so that the first length and the second length extend in adjacent relation. Finally, the third region is formed by the second length breaching the first length and entering the lumen of the first length and extending within the second length. The transitions between the regions of the tail offer resistance to slippage.
US09198655B2

A suture passer comprising: a shaft having an axis; a first jaw mounted to the shaft in alignment with the axis, the first jaw being configured to releasably support a length of suture thereon; a second jaw movably mounted to the shaft; and a needle movably mounted to the shaft, the needle having a hook and being configured to reciprocate in alignment with the axis so that the hook can selectively pass by the second jaw and engage suture releasably supported on the first jaw; wherein the first jaw comprises a spring for selectively binding the suture to the first jaw, and further wherein the spring comprises a recess for receiving the suture therein.
US09198652B2

One embodiment of the present invention includes a surgical instrument including an instrument body including a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end and a length therebetween; and a bushing having a length, wherein at least a portion of the length of the bushing includes a spring portion including a resilient member, wherein the bushing is cannulated such that the shaft of the instrument is positioned therethrough.
US09198648B2

A wound closure assembly and method for its use. The wound closure assembly includes a curved inserter having a distal end and a proximal end, a filamentary element extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the proximal end of the curved inserter, a first anchor coupled to the filamentary element between its first and second ends, and a second anchor positioned at the distal end of the filamentary element. The filamentary element is configured to form a slip knot between the first and second anchors so as to enable the distance between the first and second anchors to be decreased by pulling on the proximal end of the filamentary element. The distal end of the curved inserter is received within a channel in the first anchor that extends along its longitudinal length.
US09198643B2

A surgical instrument includes a housing, and a shaft including a proximal end, a deflectable portion and a distal tip. A handle is movable between first and second positions on the housing, and an actuator is movably coupled to the handle, such that movement of the handle between its first and second positions causes a corresponding movement of the actuator between first and second positions in the housing. A deflection wire includes proximal and distal portions, the distal portion being fixed to the shaft, and the proximal portion being affixed to the housing so as to provide a path length for the deflection wire within the housing. The movement of the handle causes the actuator to move to its second position, the second position of the actuator causing an increase in the path length for the deflection wire so as cause a deflection of the distal tip of the shaft.
US09198642B2

The present invention relates to a medical handheld device including at least one power unit, at least one power consumer, at least one actuation element and at least one switching device which is movable from a first switching position into a second switching position when the actuation element is actuated. The invention also relates to a power unit for use in a handheld device according to the invention. The invention also relates to a power unit for use in a medical handheld device, wherein the power unit includes at least one power consumer, at least one power source, and at least one switching device which is arranged to be moved from a first switching position into the second switching position when the actuation element is actuated by the user to provided power from the voltage source to operate the power consumer and/or the handheld device.
US09198639B2

A system for facilitating the detection of an immobilized contrast agent in medical imaging applications is proposed. The system includes means for providing a sequence of a total number of input images obtained at corresponding acquisition instants by imaging a body-part of a patient subjected to an administration of a contrast agent capable of circulating within the patient and of being substantially immobilized on a biological target, each input image including a plurality of input values each one indicative of a response to an interrogation signal of a corresponding portion of the body-part possibly including said contrast agent, and means for reducing a contribution of the circulating contrast agent within the body-part in at least one selected input image; the means for reducing includes means for creating a filtered image corresponding to each selected input image by replacing a set of input values of the selected input image with a set of corresponding filtered values, each filtered value being representative of the lowest response of the corresponding portion of the body-part in a set of multiple input images including the selected input image, the set of multiple input images consisting of a number of input images lower than the total number.
US09198636B2

An ultrasound imaging method comprises: providing a probe that includes one or more transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves; generating a sequence of spatially distinct transmit beams which differ in one or more of origin and angle; determining a transmit beam spacing substantially based upon a combination of actual and desired transmit beam characteristics, thereby achieving a faster echo acquisition rate compared to a transmit beam spacing based upon round-trip transmit-receive beam sampling requirements; storing coherent receive echo data, from two or more transmit beams of the spatially distinct transmit beams; combining coherent receive echo data from at least two or more transmit beams to achieve a substantially spatially invariant synthesized transmit focus at each echo location; and combining coherent receive echo data from each transmit firing to achieve dynamic receive focusing at each echo location.
US09198632B2

A spectral computed tomography scanner apparatus, including a rotating X-ray source, a plurality of fixed energy-discriminating detectors, a processor that generates a shadow map that indicates, for each detector/view angle, a shadow state of the detector, the shadow state indicating that one of X-rays are completely blocked by a second detector and do not reach the detector, the X-rays are partially blocked by the second detector and partially reach the detector, the X-rays are not blocked by any of the detectors and reach the detector, and the detector is not with the scan field of view at the view angle, and a controller configured to cause the scanner apparatus to perform a scan of an object over a first range of view angles to collect view data, wherein the processor is configured to perform scatter correction using the collected view data and the generated shadow map.
US09198627B2

A method of providing an accurate three-dimensional scan of a dental arch area is disclosed. The arch area has two segments and a connecting area between the two segments. The connecting area has homogeneous features. A connecting-geometry tool with at least one definable feature is affixed to the arch area. The definable feature overlays at least part of the connecting area. The arch area is scanned to produce a scanned dataset of the arch area. The definable feature of the connecting-geometry tool on the connection area is determined based on the scanned dataset. The dimensions of the arch area are determined based on the data relating to the definable features from the scanned dataset.
US09198625B2

An injection part injects a contrast agent into a subject. An image acquiring part images the subject with the contrast agent injected, and acquires a plurality of image data with different imaging times. A pixel value calculator obtains a pixel value within a region of interest set in each of the image data acquired by the image acquiring part, for each of the image data. An injection controller controls injection of the contrast agent by the injection part in accordance with the pixel value obtained for each of the image data.
US09198624B2

The present invention is capable of separating/removing the influence of skin blood flow contained in near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals and extracting a brain- or brain cortex-origin signal. Moreover, the present invention enables versatile separation of brain-origin and skin-origin signals in view of differences among individuals. A biological photometric device, wherein light transmitters and light receivers are located in such a manner that measurement can be conducted at a plurality of source-detector (SD) distances and light received by the individual light-receivers can pass through the gray matter to thereby separate a brain-origin signal and a skin-origin signal. Individual component analysis (ICA) is conducted on data obtained at the individual measurement points. Then, it is determined whether each individual component originates in the brain or in the skin with the use of the SD distance-dependency of the weighted value of each of the separated components.
US09198623B2

Analyte monitoring devices, systems, and methods are provided that relate to: enabling different application features on a data processing device for analyte monitoring devices with different analyte monitoring features; programming analyte monitoring devices in advance; personalizing an analyte monitoring device; graphically representing a remaining insulin level in a user body; and graphically representing analyte measurement related data for on-demand readings; protecting access to feature of an analyte monitoring device.
US09198617B2

A garment for ambulatory, physiological monitoring of a patient includes a belt, having first and second end portion with closures at the end portions to wrap around a user's chest, a strap having a first end coupled to a portion of the belt with the strap having a second end, a pair of shoulder strap portions each shoulder strap portion having a first end coupled together at the second end of the strap and a second end, and a back portion that joins the second ends of the pair of shoulder strap portions, with at least one of the belt, strap portions and back portion having an accommodation for carrying a sensor. Other embodiments are described.
US09198609B2

This application discloses cards comprising sintered porous plastic which may be employed in liquid sample collection, storage, transport and/or delivery to an analytical device. Sintered porous plastic materials provide a unique porous structure, an inert substrate, precise liquid holding capability, are quick drying, and easy to cut and handle.
US09198607B2

An armband comprising a detection device for detecting a blood count parameter in a blood vessel of the arm and an adjustment device for adjusting a predefined contact pressure of the armband on the arm.
US09198606B2

A replaceable magazine for use in an analytic test instrument a plurality of analytic aids on a carrier tape. The analytic aids can be made available in an application position of the magazine by means of the carrier tape. The magazine has a supply reel for holding regions of the carrier tape with unused analytic aids and a take-up reel for holding regions of the carrier tape with used-up analytic aids. The carrier tape can be moved in a spooling direction from the supply reel to the take-up reel. The magazine has a rewind lock of the take-up reel. The magazine has a tape release device, which is configured to make available a take-up reel tape reserve of the carrier tape on the side of the application position facing the take-up reel. The take-up reel tape reserve enables a lifting movement of an analytic aid situated in the application position.
US09198601B2

A system and method is provided that allows for determining the local impedance of one or more electrodes of an electrode catheter. Such local impedance may be utilized to identify the relative position of an electrode catheter to a sheath of a guiding introducer. In another arrangement, local impedance of a catheter electrode can be utilized to calibrate a catheter electrode to provide improved contact sensing.
US09198594B2

A TWA measuring apparatus includes: a T-wave feature quantity measuring section; a classifying section classifying T-wave feature quantities into groups of odd and even electrocardiogram waveforms; a reliability index calculating section calculating: first and second representative values and first and second dispersion values of the T-wave feature quantities in the odd and even group; a difference between the first and second representative values, to obtain a TWA feature quantity; and an adjustment value between the first representative value and the first dispersion value, and an adjustment value between the second representative value and the second dispersion value, to obtain a reliability index; and a reliability recognizing section recognizing: when the reliability index exceeds a threshold, that reliability of the TWA feature quantity is high; and when the reliability index does not exceed the threshold, that the reliability is low.
US09198592B2

Transducer-based systems and methods may be configured to display a graphical representation of a transducer-based device, the graphical representation including graphical elements corresponding to transducers of the transducer-based device, and also including between graphical elements respectively associated with a set of the transducers and respectively associated with a region of space between the transducers of the transducer-based device. Selection of graphical elements and/or between graphical elements can cause activation of the set of transducers associated with the selected elements. Transducer activation characteristics, such as initiation time, activation duration, activation sequence, and energy delivery characteristics, can vary based on numerous factors. Visual characteristics of graphical elements and between graphical elements can change based on an activation-status of the corresponding transducers. Activation requests for a set of transducers can be denied if it is determined that a transducer in the set of transducers is unacceptable for activation.
US09198588B2

One apparatus includes a notch filter that has a state observer unit and a parameter adaptation unit. The state observer unit is configured to receive a sampled noisy electrical signal and a sampled filtered electrical signal, the state observer unit having an estimated noise signal output, the estimated noise signal output carrying an estimated noise signal to be subtracted from the sampled noisy electrical signal, resulting in the filtered electrical signal. The parameter adaptation unit is configured to receive the estimated noise signal and an error signal from the state observer unit. The parameter adaptation unit is also configured to determine, based on the estimated noise signal and the error signal, an updated estimated noise frequency, thereby causing the state observer unit to generate an updated estimated noise signal to be provided on the estimated noise signal output.
US09198585B2

A mobile terminal and a method of measuring a bioelectric signal thereof are provided. When the mobile terminal enters a call mode, a user's pulse wave data are acquired using a plurality of electrodes provided in a body of the mobile terminal or a body of an earphone.
US09198580B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a noninvasive constituent concentration measuring apparatus and constituent concentration measuring apparatus controlling method, in which accurate measurement can be performed by superimposing two photoacoustic signals having the same frequency and reverse phases to nullify the effect from the other constituent occupying large part of the object to be measured. The constituent concentration measuring apparatus according to the invention includes light generating means for generating two light beams having different wavelengths, modulation means for electrically intensity-modulating each of the two light beams having different wavelengths using signals having the same frequency and reverse phases, light outgoing means for outputting the two intensity-modulated light beams having different wavelengths toward a test subject, and acoustic wave detection means for detecting an acoustic wave generated in the test subject by the outputted light.
US09198578B2

A hyperspectral imaging system having an optical path. The system including an illumination source adapted to output a light beam, the light beam illuminating a target, a dispersing element arranged in the optical path and adapted to separate the light beam into a plurality of wavelengths, a digital micromirror array adapted to tune the plurality of wavelengths into a spectrum, an optical device having a detector and adapted to collect the spectrum reflected from the target and arranged in the optical path and a processor operatively connected to and adapted to control at least one of: the illumination source; the dispersing element; the digital micromirror array; the optical device; and, the detector, the processor further adapted to output a hyperspectral image of the target. The dispersing element is arranged between the illumination source and the digital micromirror array, the digital micromirror array is arranged to transmit the spectrum to the target and the optical device is arranged in the optical path after the target.
US09198577B2

A disclosed method includes: identifying an axis that is a straight or curved line inside of a space; first generating plural surface regions that are orthogonal to the identified axis; second generating, from a first vector provided at each vertex of an unstructured grid disposed inside of the space, a second vector at each point of plural points on a surface region for each of the generated plural surface regions; and displaying an arrow corresponding to the generated second vector.
US09198573B2

Angle multiplexed optical coherence tomography systems and methods can be used to evaluate ocular tissue and other anatomical structures or features of a patient.
US09198571B2

A method of measuring and analyzing an ocular response in a subject comprising the steps of: Providing a video oculography based system for the subject with the system configured to collect eye images in excess of 60 hz and configured to resolve eye movements smaller than at least 3 degrees of motion; Collecting eye data with the video oculography based system wherein at least one stimulus is presented to only one eye of the subject and configured to yield a pupil eye response from at least one eye of the subject; Calculating pupilometry measurements from the eye data, wherein the pupil measurements are calculated independently for the subject's left and right eyes for each stimulus presented to the subject, and wherein comparative left and right pupilometry measurements from the eye data are calculated; analyzing a subject's ocular response based upon at least one of the calculated pupilometry measurements.
US09198565B2

A reduced area imaging device is provided for use in medical or dental instruments such as an endoscope. The imaging device is provided in various configurations, and connections between the imaging device elements and a video display may be achieved by wired or wireless connections. A connector assembly located near the imaging device interconnects the imaging device to an image/power cable extending through the endoscope. The connector provides strain relief and stabilization for electrically interconnecting the imager to the cable. The connector also serves as the structure for anchoring the distal ends of steering wires extending through the body of the endoscopic device. The connector includes a strain relief member mounted over a body of the connector. The connector allows a steering wire capability without enlarging the profile of the distal tip of the endoscopic device.
US09198560B2

A medical diagnostic instrument that enables optical viewing of a target area, includes an optical system disposed within an instrument housing, the optical system including at least one primary optical element disposed along an optical axis. A focusing screen is distally aligned along the optical axis for focusing an image of the target area received from the optical system. The focusing screen enables a user to view the target area without requiring an eyepiece, thereby permitting the caregiver to conduct examinations without requiring intimate contact between the patient and the caregiver.
US09198559B2

An endoscope comprises an elongate shaft assembly, a window, a viewing angle adjustment assembly, and an indicator feature. The window is located at the distal end of the shaft assembly. The shaft assembly is configured to transmit a view acquired through the window. The viewing angle adjustment assembly is operable to selectively change a viewing angle associated with the window. The indicator feature is positioned to be visible within a view acquired through the window. The indicator feature is configured to indicate the viewing angle associated with the window.
US09198556B2

A method of operating a dishwasher having a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and at least one rotating sprayer provided in the treating chamber to determine a standstill condition of the rotating sprayer during an automatic cycle of operation that includes a rotation of the spray arm.
US09198555B2

The invention relates to a mop cover (1) for a cleaning device. Said mop cover comprises at least two layers (2, 3) that are interlinked in a manner so as to configure a pouch-type mop cover (1) having an insertion end (4). The layers (2, 3), on their faces (5, 6) facing away from each other, configure a wiping surface and the insertion end (4) can be permanently closed in some sections.
US09198550B2

A window cleaning robot according to the present embodiment comprises a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit, which are respectively attached to and move on both surfaces of a window by magnetic force. The window cleaning robot further comprises: a first magnetic module included in the first cleaning unit; a second magnetic module included in the second cleaning unit; a magnetic force sensing part for sensing magnetic force between the first magnetic module and the second magnetic module; and a magnetic force controller for controlling the magnetic force between the first magnetic module and the second magnetic module, wherein the first magnetic module comprises a first magnet which is rotationally mounted, and a second magnet and a third magnet disposed on both sides of the first magnet, and the magnetic force controller rotates the first magnet so as to control the magnetic force between the first magnetic module and the second magnetic module.
US09198535B2

The dosing device comprises: a coffee grinder (5) for making coffee powder from coffee beans; a motor (9) for actuating the coffee grinder (5); a dosing chamber (21) wherein the coffee powder produced by said coffee grinder (5) is discharged, said dosing chamber being at least partly delimited by a first wall (33), which may be opened on command for discharging the coffee powder from the dosing chamber, and by a second wall (31), mobile by the effect of a volume variation of the coffee powder in said dosing chamber (21); an actuator (37) for controlling an opening movement of said first wall (33); an electronic control device (59 that based on the position of the second wall, causes the stop of the actuating motor (9) of the coffee grinder and the actuation of said actuator (37) for controlling the opening movement of said first wall and the discharge of the coffee powder from the dosing chamber. The second wall (31) is associated to a detection system (45) of a plurality of dosing positions of the second wall. The opening of the first wall (33) is set through the electronic control device (50), in connection with the detection system (45) and with the actuator (37), when the second wall (31) has reached one of the above dosing positions.
US09198534B2

Apparatuses, methods and systems for liquid flow control and beverage preparation are disclosed. The apparatuses, methods and systems of the present invention include liquid flow control and beverage preparation capsules, pods, cartridges, pouches, systems, and modules for controlling and directing flow streams of liquid through a beverage preparation process. The apparatuses, methods and systems of the present invention may be used in combination with or included as an integral assembly of any apparatus, method or system for liquid dispension.
US09198532B2

A popcorn popper having a heat source transferring heat to a heating surface and also having a reflective surface for focusing the heat radiated by the heat source toward the heating surface. The popcorn popper can include a mechanical stirrer on the heating surface for shifting the kernels during heating and evenly distributing the kernels across the heating surface. The popcorn popper can have a cover with an integrated reservoir for holding toppings for the popcorn, wherein the reservoir is adapted to drain the topping through the cover without fouling the cover air vents and evenly distribute the topping onto the kernels.
US09198531B2

A carpet installation apparatus is provided. The apparatus can have inner and outer telescoping tubes that are operated by a threaded rod wherein one end of the rod engages a nut or receiver on the inner tube and the other end of the rod extends through an end wall of the outer wall for attachment to a handle. Turning the handle rotates the rod and moves the inner tube inwardly or outwardly relative to the outer tube. The apparatus further includes legs extending substantially perpendicular to the tubes, the legs having pin blocks disposed on the ends thereof for gripping carpet during the installation of the carpet.
US09198528B1

An adjustable rack system that is adjustable in length as well as in width. The adjustable rack system may be used to vertically stack and display or store pies or other food or non-food items. The adjustable rack system comprises at least to support members that may be positioned parallel to each other. Each support member comprise a pair of top sliding rails, a pair of bottom sliding rails, and a pair of vertical supports, each vertical support used to couple one of the top sliding rails to a corresponding bottom rail.
US09198526B2

A cup dispenser includes a body defining a storage region adapted for receiving for an associated stack of cup-shaped articles. The body includes an open end that provides access to the storage region. Multiple fingers are connected to the body for restricting the open end of the body. An adjustment ring is connected to the body and is movable relative to the body. Movement of the adjustment ring relative to the body alters a position of each of the fingers relative to the body. The adjustment ring includes a plurality of adjustment slots and the fingers each include an adjustment stud located in one of the adjustment slots. When the adjustment ring is rotated, the adjustment slots act as cams and the adjustment studs act as cam followers such that the fingers are simultaneously and uniformly adjusted in terms of their radial position relative to the body wall.
US09198521B2

A novel article of adjustable bed is disclosed. The adjustable bed comprises at least two body-support portions and a base support for supporting the body support portions. The body support portions are mounted with respect to the base to allow angular adjustment of their relative positions to alter the configuration of the bed. Actuators are provided for angularly moving one or more of the body-support portions to effect angular adjustment of the bed. A load-bearing member projects from one of the moveable body-support portios and is supported by a bearing means arranged to run on a curved support such that each moveable body-support portion is pivotally mounted with respect to the base about a respective pivot axis defined by the center of curvature of the respective curved support. The pivot axis of the movable body-support portion is positioned above the base in a plane offset from the top edge thereof.
US09198511B2

A gun safe, according to various embodiments, comprises: (1) a secure housing defining an interior and an opening; (2) a door; and (3) a vertical array of shelves within the interior of the secure housing immediately adjacent a lateral portion of the opening. In various embodiments, each of the shelves defines a handgun support portion that comprises a cutout that is dimensioned to allow a portion of a handgun to extend through the cutout as the handgun is supported on opposite sides of the handgun by the shelf. In particular embodiments, the gun safe further comprises at least one shelf disposed within the interior of the secure housing that is configured to rotate about a central axis and defines one or more handgun support portions.
US09198509B2

The retractable shelf system allows for the compartmentalization of storage container. The system is integrated into the interior space of the storage container and includes a plurality of shelving units distributed along the length of the storage container. Each of the plurality of shelving units includes a platform, a storage shelf, a first pulley support assembly, and a second pulley support assembly. The storage shelf and the platform are positioned coincident and parallel to each other. Each of the pulley support assemblies includes a retraction mechanism and a cable through which the storage shelf is tethered to the platform; the retraction mechanisms are adjacently mounted to the platform while the cables are tethered to the storage shelf. Additionally, a first stopper and a second stopper are attached to the walls of the storage container and provide vertical structural support. The system may be positioned in a functional or retracted configuration.
US09198508B1

A collapsible shelving unit made out of pleated left and right sidewalls, a top panel, a rear pleated wall, and a multitude of permanent and removable shelves distributed within the sidewalls. The pleated design of the various walls of the shelf allow for the unit to be collapsed to a substantially flat state, ideal for transportation and storage when not in use. In the deployed state, the shelving unit is structurally supported by the rear pleated wall via a multitude of coupling fasteners resulting in a comparable shelving unit to be utilized for storing, selling, and or displaying of items. The portable, compact, and collapsible shelving unit provides the user with a highly efficient and functional shelving unit.
US09198507B1

A stand for adjustable display comprising: a holder configured to support an item to be displayed on the stand, a bottom edge of the holder configured to contact a surface on which the stand is placed; and an adjustable support configured to be attached to the holder, the adjustable support comprising a supporting leg having a first end configured to engage the holder pivotably about a first axis and a second end configured to contact the surface on which the stand is placed; and an adjusting bar having a first end configured to engage the holder pivotably about a second axis and a second end configured to slidably engage the supporting leg and to pivotably engage the supporting leg about a third axis; wherein the supporting leg comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock the stand in a stationary position between and including a minimum raised position and a maximum raised position such that the second end of the adjusting bar remains stationary on the supporting leg when raising of a top edge of the holder is stopped.
US09198502B2

A short wavelength visible light-emitting toothbrush with an electronic interlock control device preventing operation when the toothbrush is removed from the user's mouth. The electronic interlock control over operation is necessary to prevent accidental eye exposure to the high intensity light source with a wavelength in the range of 400 nm to 500 nm. The light-emitting toothbrush activates upon formation of an electrical circuit between the brush handle in contact with the users hand and the brush head or brush bristles in contact with moisture contained in a human mouth such as saliva or water mixed with toothpaste but deactivates immediately when removed from the mouth, thus protecting the user's eyes from direct exposure to the high power light source contained in the brush-head.
US09198496B2

A TV has a makeup mode in which a camera on the TV images a viewer of the TV and presents the viewer's image on the TV. To illuminate the viewer, the TV also juxtaposes with the viewer's image an all-white background image having a known color temperature and brightness.
US09198493B2

A device for maintaining a lock of hair such as a dreadlock is provided. The device comprises a housing encasing a motor activated by a controller. A grooming element for encasing the dreadlock is rotatably situated within the housing. The housing comprises a clamping mechanism for securing the device to the dreadlock. Once the dreadlock is secured by the clamping mechanism, the grooming element rotates around the dreadlock to integrate new hair growth into the dreadlock. The grooming element comprises a plurality of trimming components for removing any excess hair that did not integrate into the dreadlock.
US09198492B2

There is a luggage system and a method of storing articles of clothing using a luggage system. The luggage system includes a luggage container. The luggage container includes a main access aperture and a secondary access aperture. The luggage container includes a sealing structure functionally coupled to the secondary access aperture. The luggage container includes a one-way valve disposed through the sealing structure and configured to permit air to exit the luggage system through the sealing structure. The luggage system includes a compression bag removably coupled to the luggage container. The compression bag includes a bag body of air impermeable material and a mouth. The luggage system includes a retaining system configured to retain the bag body when the bag body is in a rolled configuration. The retaining system includes a retaining strap selectably coupleable to one of the bag body and the luggage container.
US09198490B2

The described embodiments provide a modular mobile workstation with storage capacity. The apparatus has a modular shell that can be used for a variety of purposes including, for example, a stool and low table combination, a table and coat-rack combination, and a high table combination. The modular shell encloses a removable inner shell that can be used to store goods while traveling with the unit. In one embodiment, two large wheels cap the respective ends of the shell and allow the apparatus to roll freely behind a user. A multi-use handle is also included with the apparatus. In one embodiment, the handle is collapsible and is secured to the apparatus by a securing scarf, which also serves to hold the interlocking pieces of the outer shell together. The unit is useful for travelers needing a mobile workspace, and prevents the need for additional luggage, as it also provides storage capacity.
US09198485B2

A bracelet clasp including an easily manipulated device of simple structure for adjusting the usable length of the bracelet by a firm adjustment, including when the clasp is open. The adjusting device is separate from the locking member, and the lock is arranged to move from its closed state to its open state by the user acting on the control member of the locking member such that the adjusting device is capable of being shifted independently of the open or closed state of the clasp. The clasp has a discrete structure, since it is actuated by the control member already provided for unlocking the clasp, although it is separate from the locking member of the clasp, and this additionally allows the length of the bracelet to be adjusted even when the clasp is in its closed state.
US09198484B2

Adjustable link for a bracelet, including first and second half links which are longitudinally movable via the cooperation of a guide device and a complementary guide device, and secured by the cooperation of arresting device and complementary arresting device. The first half link includes a longitudinal finger with a locking device having radial elastic return moveable between folded and unfolded positions, and the second half link includes a longitudinal channel allowing the finger to pass in only one of the folded or unfolded positions. In proximity to this channel, a complementary locking device cooperates, in at least one locking position, with the locking device in the other of this folded or unfolded positions. The locking device and complementary locking device together define at least two of the longitudinally separate locking positions.
US09198481B2

A buckle (1) having a first buckle part (2) and having at least one second buckle part (3), said first buckle part (2) having at least one locking bar (4) that can be moved back and forth between a locking position of the locking bar (4) and an unlocking position of the locking bar (4). The locking bar (4) engages behind a locking surface (5) of the second buckle part (3) in the locking position in order to lock the two buckle parts (2, 3) with each other in a connected position of the buckle parts (2, 3), and the locking bar (4) can be moved into the unlocking position in order to separate the buckle parts (2, 3), the second buckle part (3) having at least one counter locking bar (6) that can be moved back and forth between a locking position of the counter locking bar (6) and an unlocking position of the counter locking bar (6).
US09198475B2

Disclosed are a waist girth adjustor which can flexibly adjust a waist girth according to various body types of a wearer wearing trousers, and a pair of trousers having the same. The waist girth adjustor installed in inner and outer overlapping portions formed by separably cutting away one or more portions of a waist band of a pair of trousers to adjust a waist girth of the trousers, comprises: a guide rail sewn in the inner overlapping portion transversely and having a latch on an upper part thereof and a boss protruding along a lengthwise direction of one side that contacts with the inner overlapping portion; and a position fixing unit including a movable member having a first insertion portion such that the movable member is slidably coupled to the guide rail, a pressing piece rotatably coupled to one side of the movable member about a hinge shaft and resiliently supported by the side of the movable member to be caught by and fixed to the latch, and a fixing member coupled to one side of the movable member such that the movable member is fixed to and installed in the outer overlapping portion.
US09198474B1

A protective glove has an inner liner, an intermediate protective layer, and an outer saturation-proof layer. The inner layer defines fingers, a thumb, and a central opening to receive the hand of a user of the glove. The intermediate protective layer includes an impact-resistant material atop at least a portion of the fingers, thumb, and central opening of the inner layer. The saturation-proof layer prevents liquids from passing through the glove. The impact-resistant material is compressible to allow flexing of the fingers of the glove when in use.
US09198473B2

A mitt consists of a hollow flexible body having an interior, an exterior, a sleeve portion and a grip portion positioned at a remote end of the sleeve portion. The interior of the grip portion is accessible by extending ones hand through the sleeve portion. The grip portion has an external profile that is oriented transversely relative to the sleeve portion. This external profile defines two extremities which are movable between an open position, in which the extremities are spaced apart to define an elongated “C” channel and a closed position in which the extremities are brought together to define an elongated tubular channel. Fasteners are provided on the grip portion to selectively maintain the grip portion in the closed position, whereby the grip portion may be closed around a tubular bar.
US09198472B2

The present invention provides ergonomic grouting tools attached to a glove, mitt, brace, or other passive retention means worn on the hand of a user and methods of using them. In particular, one grouting tool according to the invention includes an elongate tool blade, which may for example be a squeegee, a hollow flexible tube, or a solid, flexible, generally round member, attached proximate to and extending along the fifth digit side of a glove. Reinforcement material integral with the tool blade is preferably included to prevent the tool blade from pulling away from a user's hand during use. The glove itself may be composed of fabric dip-coated in plastic, or otherwise waterproofed/sealed, over palm and finger portions, and uncoated over a wrist region and part of a region covering the back side of a user's hand to provide breathability and comfort.
US09198452B2

The present invention relates to a process for the production of a food product whereby an intermediate form of said food product comprises a pigment, which process comprises adding at least one enzyme that is effective in directly converting said pigment into a form which results in increasing the whiteness of at least part of the food product compared to the food product for which said enzyme is not added during its production. The invention also relates to food products obtained from the process of the invention.
US09198446B2

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a chocolate product. The method includes delivering liquid chocolate having a viscosity through a pipe along a delivery path to a production station for producing the chocolate product. The liquid chocolate includes solid particles suspended within the liquid chocolate. The method changes the viscosity of the liquid chocolate by applying an electric field to the liquid chocolate in a direction along the delivery path of a strength and duration determined to aggregate the suspended solid particles into streamlined shapes extending along the direction of the delivery path.
US09198441B1

The present invention relates to the slaughtering industry where slaughtered animals are cut along the median plane to provide a pair of half-carcasses, and the spinal column, also referred to as the vertebral column, is removed from the half-carcasses.
US09198439B2

The present invention aims to supply yeasts suitable for breadmaking using a large amount of yeast, as well as compositions that can give a bakery product containing said yeasts. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a bakery product and a method of selecting yeast strains giving yeasts suitable for breadmaking using a large amount of yeast.
US09198436B2

A barbeque oven is provided with the capacity to cook a variety of food items. The barbeque oven of the present invention includes a cooking tray that is slideable between a first position, where the cooking tray is located substantially within the cooking chamber and the cooking tray is driven by a driving member, and a second position, where at least a portion of the cooking tray extends through an opening in the oven housing and the cooking tray is disengaged from the driving member such that the cooking tray freely rotates. As a result, unlike conventional barbeque ovens, an operator using the present invention need not bend over nor reach far to flip, rotate, or otherwise access the food items on the cooking tray.
US09198434B1

The method of inhibiting a plant virus using gold nanoparticles is a method of inducing plant resistance against viral disease caused by Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus (BYMV) particles by introducing a therapeutically effective amount of polydispersed gold nanoparticles to the plant through a mechanical abrasive, wherein the average effective diameter of the nanoparticles is between about 0.5 nm and 200 nm and wherein the gold nanoparticles are present at a concentration of about 1.0×10−5 g/ml to about 6×10−4 g/ml, and wherein the gold nanoparticles melt and dissolve the virus particles.
US09198423B2

The present invention relates to active compound combinations, in particular within a fungicide composition, which comprises (A) Prothioconazole and (B) Iprodione. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for curatively or preventively controlling the phytopathogenic fungi of plants or crops, to the use of a combination according to the invention for the treatment of seed, to a method for protecting a seed and not at least to the treated seed.
US09198415B2

The present invention is directed to methods of increasing the environmental stress tolerance of a plant, to methods of improving the quality and/or yield of a plant crop, to methods of application of agrochemicals having a physiological effect on a plant in the plant irrigation water, and to crops produced using said methods.
US09198414B2

A method for preventing or reducing resistance to a pesticide of a substrate pest, which method comprises the administration to the substrate or the pest of a composition comprising: (a) a rapid-release formulation of an inhibitor of a factor causing or contributing to the resistance of the pest to the pesticide; and, substantially simultaneously, (b) a non-rapid release formulation of the pesticide. The invention also provides compositions suitable for use in such a method.
US09198413B2

A method for improving the distribution of agriculturally active ingredients on the surface of granules includes preparing a sprayable liquid solution of at least one agriculturally active ingredient, and applying the sprayable liquid solution on the granules by spraying the liquid solution in atomized form onto the surface of the granules to provide a coating on the surface of the granules which enables substantially all of the agriculturally active ingredient on the granule to be solubilized by the naturally occurring moisture present on the foliage of a treated weed for absorption into the cells of the treated weed when the granules are applied thereto.
US09198408B2

This disclosure provides a moving body display device, which includes a position calculating module for acquiring a positioning signal of a target moving body and calculating a position of the moving body, a behavior calculating module for calculating a positional change of the moving body based on the positioning signal, and a position storage module for storing a position where the positional change is detected when the positional change that satisfies a determination condition set is detected.
US09198401B2

A nectar feeder for hummingbirds comprises a container, base tray, a base tray cover, a float, and a stopper thereon. The container, or bottle, is used for storing nectar feed. An exit port is defined on the bottom end of the container. The base tray is connected in fluid communication with the container and has at least one vertical member depending upwardly from a top surface of the base tray. A circumferential flange or ring is provided about the float for stabilization. The float engages the at least one vertical member to prevent substantial independent lateral movement of the float. In operation, the nectar feed flows through the container and into the base tray until the float rises to a level where the stopper mechanism engages the exit port to prevent fluid from flowing into the base tray.
US09198399B1

A pet toy assembly provides entertainment and exercise for a pet. The assembly includes a frame having a middle section and a plurality of legs. Each of the legs is attached to and extends downwardly from the middle section to support the middle section above a ground surface. A tether is attached to and extends downwardly from the middle section. The tether is movable relative to the middle section. A target object is attached to a distal end of the tether with respect to the middle section.
US09198385B1

A novel maize variety designated PH269N and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH269N with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH269N 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 PH269N or a locus conversion of PH269N with another maize variety.
US09198383B1

A novel maize variety designated PH24TV and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH24TV with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH24TV 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 PH24TV or a locus conversion of PH24TV with another maize variety.
US09198378B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01045720. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01045720. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01045720 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01045720 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09198371B2

The present invention is in the field of soybean variety OW1012939 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety OW1012939 and its progeny, and methods of making OW1012939.
US09198363B2

A method and apparatus for identifying a number of diameters for a group of trees. An unmanned aerial vehicle moves on a route through the group of trees at a height that is configured to allow measurement of the number of diameters for the group of trees by a sensor system associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle. Information is generated about the number of diameters for the group of trees using the sensor system associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle.
US09198354B2

A system and method for applying a protective layer to a cotton module of compacted cotton moving in an unloading direction from a cotton module builder through an open end thereof along an unloading surface, the system including application apparatus having at least one applicator in fluid communication with at least one tank for applying a fluid contained in the at least one tank to at least a top surface of the cotton module, the fluid being applied to an exterior of the cotton module in a fluid state and solidifying into a water resistant layer prior to significantly permeating the exterior of the module, so as to capable of being removed therefrom prior to processing of the module.
US09198351B2

A front attachment for harvesting corn for use in a self-propelled combine harvester includes harvesting devices for grasping and guiding the corn stalks, for picking the corn cobs and for conveying the picked corn cobs. The front attachment has intake conveyor mechanisms extending across the width thereof, snapping devices disposed downstream of the intake conveyor mechanisms in the direction of the crop flow embodying snapping rollers rotating opposite to the direction of travel and a cross conveyor equipped with opposing auger sections. The cross conveyor draws harvested corn cobs together in the center of the front attachment and feeds them from there to a feed rake. The intake conveyor mechanisms and/or the snapping rollers and/or the cross conveyor are driven by a driven mechanism of the combine harvester, which driven mechanism is connected to a steplessly variable transmission.
US09198346B2

A control system is provided for starting electrically powered implements on a vehicle such as a grass mowing machine with electrically powered cutting reels. The electric motors are started at intervals, rather than simultaneously. The intervals between starting each electric motor may be based on pre-defined criteria such as a fixed time constant, voltage, current or speed input from a motor controller for each implement.
US09198342B2

Each wing of a rear folding implement has a wing frame supported on rear wheels for movement along the ground, and a forewing frame and wheel pivotally attached to the wing frame. A center ball joint pivotally connects right and left inner wings and a center wheel assembly supports the center ball joint. The wings extend laterally and the forewing frames are in a lowered position supported on their wheels when in the operating position. To move the wings into a transport position, the implement is towed forward and the wings pivot about the center ball joint to trail rearward and the forewing frames are moved upward to narrow the implement for transport. An air seeder cart hitch is rearward of and near the center ball joint in the operating position, and when the wings trail rearward the cart hitch is near rear ends of the trailing wings.
US09198341B2

Agricultural machine including a central frame and two work devices, the central frame being connectable to a tractor, and being provided with wheels, each work device being connected to the central frame by a first articulation and being able to be moved between a transport position and a work position. The central frame is composed of a front part, a rear part and an articulation device connecting the front part to the rear part and being able to pivot in a plane which is vertical and parallel to the direction of advance with respect to the front part and to the rear part, each work device is connected to the articulation device by the first articulation, the axis of which extends in a plane which is vertical and parallel to the direction of advance, in the plane and in the transport position, the axis of the first articulation has an inclination towards the ground following a direction opposite to the direction of advance, and in the transport position, each work device is folded towards the rear about the first articulation.
US09198337B2

A tool body (1) has a coupler for engagement with any of a variety of tool heads such as a spade head (3), and a hatchet head (4). A tool comprising the body (1) and a tool head (3-10) is a hammer action tool. It may be used as a fork, spade, chisel, hatchet, or any tool which would benefit from a hammer action. A tubular shank (21) and a hammer (22) are together a hammer weight which is pushed down by the user until it hits a receiver (23), driving the tool head. A spring (24) returns the hammer (22) and a shank (21) back up to the start position ready for the next hammer action. It also acts to push the tool head out against a work surface for overhead work such as chiseling. A spring (25), acting between a hammer impact part (22) and the handle (21, 27) takes the shock out of the impact for the user's hands. The shank (21) and the hammer (22) slide up and down together on the box-section receiver tube (32). A safety locking mechanism has a catch (30) biased to automatically lock the hammer unless the user presses a trigger in the handle.
US09204585B2

A miniature component carrier includes a thin, resilient mask through which are formed multiple spaced-apart apertures each of which is sized and shaped to compliantly receive and hold a miniature component in a controlled orientation during termination processing such that the side margins of the aperture primarily contact and grip the corner regions of the miniature component. At least some of the apertures have side margins that form rhomboidal or elliptical apertures. The shape and size of the multiple spaced-apart apertures confine within an operational tolerance contact between the side margins of the aperture and the side or end wall surfaces of the electronic component. This reduces mechanical damage to the side and end wall surfaces that results from their contact with the side margins during receipt and gripping of the miniature component in the aperture.
US09204584B2

A testing system includes a base, a frame installed on the base, a platform, a first driving mechanism, a second driving mechanism, a locating component, a third driving mechanism and a control unit. Two guiding tracks and a sliding component which slides along the two guiding tracks are disposed under two sides of the platform. The second driving mechanism is connected to the sliding component, and the third driving mechanism is disposed on the sliding component and connected to the locating component. The control unit is for controlling the first driving mechanism to drive the platform to move in a first direction, so that the locating component presses a portable electronic device disposed on the base. The control unit is further for controlling the second driving mechanism and the third driving mechanism to drive the locating component to move in a second direction and a third direction.
US09204574B1

A vapor chamber structure which locks the upper planar plate lid to the lower planar plate base without the need for brazing and prevents distortion of the surfaces from internal pressure in the chamber. The basic structure has parallel rows of latching structures on the interior surfaces of the upper planar plate lid and the lower planar plate base. Each row of latching structures has a cross section in the shape the letter “L” with the top of the “L” attached to the interior surface of the lid so that the horizontal sections of the “L”s face the lower planar base plate when the chamber is assembled.
US09204570B2

A lever mechanism facilitates coupling of a sliding board and a connector. A sliding board is partially enclosed by a sliding board enclosure, such that the sliding board is slidable relative to the enclosure. A pair of pivot levers is disposed between the sliding board and the enclosure. Each pivot lever is connected at a proximal end to the enclosure and at a pivot point to the sliding board. A distal end of the pivot lever is removably engageable with a second circuit board. The lever mechanism translates a pushing force on the enclosure to a pulling force on the sliding board, aligning and eventually coupling the sliding board with the connector.
US09204566B2

A device for protecting a computer of an aircraft turbine engine, the device comprising a box containing the computer and a cover covering the box, the box being supported by tabs forming integral portions of the box and maintaining a flow of air between the bottom of the box and a portion of the casing of the engine on which they are to come into secure contact via resilient studs, the box being made of a composite material.
US09204558B2

A method for manufacturing packaged LED is provided in the present invention. A vacuum closed space is enclosed by a base plate and a cover plate, and LED chip on the base plate is disposed in the closed space. The cover plate includes a fluorescent layer, and space between the fluorescent layer and the LED chip is vacuum. Thus, heat generated by the LED chip may not affect fluorescent material inside the fluorescent layer so that the package of LED becomes more durable.
US09204552B2

A printed wiring board includes a core substrate, an electronic component accommodated in the substrate, a first buildup structure formed on surface of the substrate and including an interlayer insulation layer, and a second buildup structure formed on the opposing surface of the substrate and including an interlayer insulation layer. The substrate includes a core material portion including multiple resin layers, a first conductive layer formed on first surface of the core portion and a second conductive layer formed on second surface of the core portion, the core portion has opening through the resin layers and accommodating the component, the insulation layer of the first structure is positioned such that the opening of the core portion is covered on the first surface, and the insulation layer of the second structure is positioned such that the opening of the core portion is covered on the second surface.
US09204549B2

An apparatus has a plurality of types of plugs used for different purposes and a plurality of circuit board assemblies. Each of the plurality of the circuit board assemblies includes a circuit board having a plurality of wiring portions formed thereon, an electrical and electronic part mounted on the circuit board, and a plurality of sockets attached to the circuit board and connected to the electrical and electronic part via the plurality of wiring portions. The sockets included in all of the plurality of circuit board assemblies have the same shape and are configured to receive any of the plurality of types of plugs.
US09204546B2

A circuit board includes a circuit layer, a first solder resist layer, a second solder resist layer and at least one conductive bump. The first solder resist layer is disposed on a lower surface of the circuit layer and has at least one first opening exposing a portion of the lower surface of the circuit layer. The second solder resist layer is disposed on an upper surface of the circuit layer and has at least one second opening exposing a portion of the upper surface of the circuit layer. The conductive bump is disposed inside the second opening of the second solder resist layer and directly connects to the upper surface of the circuit layer exposed by the second opening. A top surface of the conductive bump is higher than a second surface of the second solder resist layer.
US09204545B2

Provided is a multilayer substrate that can prevent generation of cracks caused by stress generated due to a difference between the coefficient of linear expansion of electrode pads and that of a ceramic material. An electrode pad arranged on a layer below an outermost component mounting electrode pad has a larger area than an area of the component mounting electrode pad. Similarly, an electrode pad arranged on a layer below a component mounting electrode pad has a larger area than an area of the component mounting electrode pad, an electrode pad arranged on a layer below a component mounting electrode pad has a larger area than an area of the component mounting electrode pad, and an electrode pad arranged on a layer below a component mounting electrode pad has a larger area than an area of the component mounting electrode pad.
US09204537B2

High-speed pluggable rigid-end flex circuit. A circuit includes a flexible section, rigid section, connector disposed on the rigid section, and electrically conductive signal transmission line electrically coupled to the connector. The flexible section includes a first portion of a flexible insulating layer. The rigid section includes a second portion of the flexible insulating layer and a rigid insulating layer disposed on the second portion of the flexible insulating layer. The connector is configured to form a pluggable conductive connection. The electrically conductive signal transmission line includes a first signal trace having a root mean square surface roughness below 20 micrometers and a filled signal via configured to pass through at least a portion of the rigid insulating layer. The flexible and rigid insulating layers have a dissipation factor equal to or below a ratio of 0.004 and a dielectric constant equal to or below a ratio of 3.7.
US09204533B2

Disclosed herein are an asymmetrical multilayer substrate, an RF module, and a method for manufacturing the asymmetrical multilayer substrate. The asymmetrical multilayer substrate includes a core layer, a first pattern layer formed on one side of the core layer and including a first signal line pattern, a second pattern layer formed on the other side and including a second metal plate and a second routing line pattern, a first insulating layer thinner than the core layer formed on the second pattern layer and including a first via, and a third pattern layer formed on the first insulating layer and including a third signal line pattern, wherein an impedance transformation circuit including an impedance load and a parasitic capacitance load on the transmission line is formed for impedance matching in signal transmission between the signal line patterns formed in the upper and lower side directions of the core layer.
US09204522B2

A format for controlling information between multiple masters and clients uses each of a plurality of ports over a specified line, where the specified line can be ethernet, and where the ports can be opened and closed, and where the ports are calculated based on the number assigned to the console, a console multiplier, and at least one increment that represents the kind of information where there are multiple kinds of information.
US09204516B2

A light-emitting diode driver circuit and an LED light source which are capable of reliably turning OFF an LED even when an input voltage having a value smaller than a predetermined value is supplied. A light-emitting diode driver circuit for turning ON an LED includes: an inverter which outputs electric power for driving the LED; and an inverter control circuit which controls an operation of the inverter, and when a DC voltage applied to the inverter control circuit has a value smaller than the predetermined value, the inverter control circuit stops the operation of the inverter.
US09204514B2

A laser control device comprises a driver circuitry for supplying a drive current to a laser diode (LD). The device further comprises a digital storage for storing drive current values for a plurality of temperature conditions, and a central processing unit coupled to the digital storage for controlling the driver circuitry in accordance with the drive current values from said digital storage. The central processing unit is configured for multiple updating the drive current values stored in the digital storage.
US09204512B2

An LED control circuit for controlling a current supplied to an LED unit is disclosed. A sense resistor is included for sensing an output current provided from an output node. A comparator circuit is provided for detecting upper and lower thresholds in the output current based on the voltages at ends of the sense resistor, and for controlling a current supply to maintain the current between the thresholds. The comparator circuit comprises a reference current source and reference resistors, for generating upper and lower threshold references. The comparator circuit further comprises a comparator for detecting a mid-range voltage dependent on the output current and deriving a control signal which indicates if the detected voltage is above or below the mid-range voltage. The control signal is used to adjust the reference current source, thereby to vary the upper and lower threshold references to maintain a constant median or average output current.
US09204507B2

This LED lighting device makes a maximum current to minimum current flowing in an LED a target proportion regardless of LED driving circuit performance and without erroneous operation. An LED lighting device (1) is provided with: an LED circuit (5) that includes at least one LED (1-5); a bypass means (6a) inserted in parallel with the LEDs (1-5); and an LED driving circuit (4) that supplies current by duty control to the LEDs (1-5) and the bypass means (6a). When a prescribed minimum current flows in the LED circuit (5), the LED driving circuit (4) supplies current in which a portion of current flowing in the bypass means (6a) is added to this minimum current and carries out control of the added current by a switching element (TR1) connected in series to the LED circuit (5) and the bypass means (6a).
US09204504B2

Disclosed is an LED lamp system designed to fit into a fluorescent lamp fixture and to utilize a fluorescent lamp power supply contained in the fixture and receiving power from AC mains. The LED lamp system includes an LED driver which comprises a power factor corrected driver circuit for achieving a power factor of at least about 0.8. The LED driver further comprises a current control circuit, responsive to the presence of a three-wire magnetic ballast in the fluorescent lamp power supply, for increasing the LED operating current above the nominal rated LED operating current and to a level sufficient to achieve power factor of the LED driver of at least about 0.8.
US09204503B1

In accordance with methods and systems of the present disclosure, an integrated circuit may include an output terminal and a switching circuit. The output terminal may supply charging current to a magnetic storage element for supplying energy to two or more lighting devices coupled to the magnetic storage element. The switching circuit may have an input coupled to an input power source and an output coupled to the output terminal for charging the magnetic storage element during charging intervals, wherein energy is supplied from the magnetic storage element to a first one of the lighting devices during flyback intervals following the charging intervals occurring during a first synchronization phase and to a second one of the lighting devices during flyback intervals following the charging intervals occurring during a second synchronization phase.
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