US09441641B1
A fan for use by firefighters includes a pair of brackets that are rotatably attached to the fan and rotatable among three position. In a first position, the bracket retains the side of the fan on a door. In a second position, hooks on the brackets allow the fan to hang from a support. In a third position, a bracket is stored and retains coiled electrical cable to the fan. The hooks selectably engage mating slots in a second fan, allowing two fans to be stacked. Extendable arms selectably retain the fan in an open window or doorway. The Invention is also a kit to retrofit an existing fan.
US09441638B2
An oil-cooled gas compressor provided with: a compressor body (3); an oil separator (6) that separates out oil from a compressed gas; a gas pipe (8) for sending the compressed gas, from which oil has been separated out by the oil separator, to a user; and an oil pipe (7) for returning, to the compressor, the oil separated out by the oil separator. The following are also provided: an air-cooled heat exchanger (13) for cooling the aforementioned oil; a controllable-speed cooling fan (14) for blowing cooling air at said air-cooled heat exchanger; and a waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger (10), provided upstream of the air-cooled heat exchanger, for recovering heat from the oil flowing through the abovementioned oil pipe. The speed of the cooling fan is controlled so as to bring the temperature of the compressed gas discharged from the compressor body to within a prescribed range. This makes it possible both to recover waste heat from the oil heated by being used to cool the compressor, and to suppress compressor temperature fluctuations even if the load on the waste-heat-recovery equipment varies.
US09441635B2
A heat-insulating bearing structure employs three disks so that peripheral edges of the disks come into contact with a circumferential side face of a rotary shaft, to support the rotary shaft. A contact part between the rotary shaft and each disk is small, and therefore, heat conduction from the rotary shaft to each disk is small. Accordingly, the bearing structure surely supports the rotary shaft even if the rotary shaft is heated to a high temperature. Each disk is provided with fins so that, when rotated, the fins draw in surrounding air and blow out the air from the peripheral edge of the disk toward the contact part between the disk and the rotary shaft, thereby cooling the contact part and surely supporting the rotary shaft.
US09441627B2
A rotor for a progressive cavity device has a central axis and includes an outer tubular. The outer tubular has a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface defining a rotor cavity. The outer surface includes at least one helical rotor lobe. The rotor also includes a filler structure disposed within the rotor cavity. The outer tubular is made of a first material having a first density and the filler structure is made of a second material having a second density that is less than the first density.
US09441618B2
Food dispenser for free-flowing food has a piston movable in a reciprocal manner in a cylinder by a drive and having a valve (2) having a valve body (5) which is rotatable about a rotational axis (7) between a first and a second switching position. In the first switching position, a first channel (14) of valve body (5) connects a suction opening (11) and a working opening of piston (12), such that a working stroke of the piston suctions food through suction opening (11) and working opening (12) into an intermediate space. In the second switching position, a second channel (15) of valve body (5) connects working opening (12) and a dispensing opening (13) such that a second working stroke of the piston conveys food from the cylinder through working opening (12) and dispensing opening (13). The suction opening (11), working opening (12) and dispensing opening (13) are offset, spaced from one another along rotational axis (7) of the valve body (5).
US09441617B2
A liquid delivery method and apparatus which can suppress generation of turbulent flows and air bubbles, In the liquid delivery method and apparatus for delivering a liquid by reciprocally moving a plunger in a cylinder while a selector valve is shifted in a valve chamber to change over communication of the cylinder and the valve chamber with a channel leading to a liquid tank and communication of the cylinder and the valve chamber with a channel leading to a delivery port from one to the other, the cylinder and the valve chamber are communicated with the channel leading to the liquid tank and an opening/closing valve disposed between that channel and the liquid tank is opened when the plunger is retracted, and the cylinder and the valve chamber are communicated with the channel leading to the delivery port and the opening/closing valve is closed when the plunger is advanced.
US09441609B2
In a torque limiter, wedge-shaped spaces are formed between inner and outer rings so as to be arranged in the circumferential direction. In each wedge-shaped space, there are arranged a first roller and a second roller that transmit torque between the inner and outer rings by being brought into wedge-engagement when the inner and outer rings rotate relative to each other in one direction and in the other direction, respectively. Between the first and second rollers, there is arranged an urging device that urges the first and second rollers in such directions that the first and second rollers are brought into wedge-engagement. Each wedge-shaped space is formed such that when the torque becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value, a first wedge angle of the first roller or a second wedge angle of the second roller becomes such an angle that wedge-engagement of the roller is cancelled.
US09441600B2
A motor vehicle electrical system, wherein a control unit senses or detects a start-stop command for the internal combustion engine, wherein when a start-stop command is sensed or detected a switching element is switched into the first switching state and the voltage at the DC/DC output, which is connected to the switching element, is increased by a control unit by means of a control command, wherein a measuring unit senses and evaluates the voltage condition over the switching element, wherein depending upon the evaluation the start-stop command is or is not carried out by a control unit using a control command. Also disclosed is a method for operating a motor vehicle electrical system.
US09441596B2
A valve for a fuel supply of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The valve may have a valve housing that defines a channel in fluid communication with an inert gas supply line at a first end of the valve housing. The valve housing may also have a first flange disposed at a second end distal to the first end. The valve may have a valve body that selectively allow the channel of the valve housing to communicate with an inner bore of a double-walled connecting element of the fuel supply system. The valve housing may also have a second flange disposed adjacent to the first flange. The first flange and the second flange define a detection gap therebetween. The second flange may have a passage in fluid communication with a detection space of the double-walled connecting element and the detection gap.
US09441589B2
In a fuel injector, a first surface 39 of a valve seat 38 and a second surface 31 of a valve 26 are facing each other. In the first surface or the second surface, a seal member 32 disposed between the valve seat and the valve is provided. One of the first surface and second surfaces includes a protruding portion 31a that protrudes toward the other surface, and the protruding portion contacts a contact portion 39a of the other surface. The surface hardness of the protruding portion 31a disposed on either of the first surface and second surface is lower than that of the contact portion 39a of the other surface.
US09441576B2
Control means (32) that controls the actuation of Rankine cycle (8) is provided. An evaporator (10) is capable of absorbing heat from the waste heat of the internal combustion engine (4) with an upper limit of preset maximum heat absorption amount and transferring the heat to working fluid. The control means (32) controls the flow rate of the working fluid so that the working fluid evaporated by the evaporator (10) comes into a superheated state in a heater (18), when the working fluid enters the evaporator (10) at a flow rate equal to or lower than preset flow rate at which the working fluid can absorb the preset maximum heat absorption amount of heat, and controls the flow rate of the working fluid so that the working fluid that overflows the evaporator (10) is evaporated by the heater (18) and then comes into the superheat state, when the working fluid enters the evaporator (10) at a flow rate higher than the preset flow rate.
US09441573B1
A two-stroke reciprocating piston engine is configured with a cylinder having a cylinder head. A piston is mounted in a bore of the cylinder for reciprocating motion. A symmetrically shaped combustion chamber is defined by a crown of the piston at top dead center and the cylinder head. At least two valved inlet ports having orifices positioned in the cylinder head symmetrically with respect to the axis are connected to receive pressurized oxidizer charge. At least two unvalved exhaust ports having apertures positioned in the cylinder wall symmetrically with respect to the axis are provided. The exhaust ports are exposed with the piston proximate bottom dead center and are operatively positioned with respect to the at least two valved inlet port orifices for forced gas exchange in the cylinder. At least one fuel injection device introduces fuel symmetrically into the combustion chamber.
US09441568B2
Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing compressor bypass valve degradation. In one example, a method may include indicating degradation of a compressor bypass valve coupled in a compressor bypass based on intake aircharge temperature measured upstream of a compressor inlet via an air charge temperature sensor.
US09441563B2
A control device is configured that can shorten the time required for a system to stop due to an ignition switch operation in a situation in which the internal combustion engine is stopped due to stop control. The control device includes a control unit that, in the situation in which the internal combustion engine is stopped due to stop control, if the transmission mechanism is operated to a second shift position that is different from a first shift position in which the vehicle can travel, executes phase conversion control to shift a valve opening/closing timing control mechanism from a first lock phase to a second lock phase.
US09441562B2
A method for operating an internal combustion engine includes the steps of determining an oxygen filling state of an oxygen storage of a catalytic converter by way of a first lambda signal provided by a first lambda probe and an offset value, the first lambda probe being arranged in an exhaust gas stream upstream of the catalytic converter; when a second lambda signal provided by a second lambda probe arranged in the exhaust gas stream upstream of the catalytic converter falls below a lower lambda signal threshold, setting the oxygen filling state to a first value corresponding to an empty oxygen storage and/or when the second lambda signal exceeds a upper lambda signal threshold setting the oxygen filling state to a second value corresponding to a full oxygen storage; immediately thereafter regulating the oxygen filling state during at least one regulation time period to a target filling state; and after expiration of the regulation time period adjusting the offset value by way of the second lambda signal.
US09441558B2
An object of this invention is, with respect to a torque-demand-control type controller that subjects two kinds of actuators provided upstream and downstream in an intake passage to coordinated operations based on a requested torque for an internal combustion engine, to enable realization of a pulse-like torque change in a torque decreasing direction that is requested, for example, when performing an upshift operation in an electronically controlled automatic transmission. To achieve this object, according to a controller for an internal combustion engine of this invention, when a pulse component in a torque decreasing direction is included in a requested torque, a second requested torque that does not include the pulse component is generated. In this case, a first actuator provided on the downstream side in the intake passage is operated based on the requested torque. On the other hand, although a second actuator provided on the upstream side in the intake passage is operated based on the requested torque when there is not a valid value of the second requested torque, the second actuator is operated based on the second requested torque when there is a valid value of the second requested torque.
US09441554B2
A control system for an internal combustion engine, which controls an output torque of the internal combustion engine for driving a vehicle, is provided. An engine rotational speed is detected, and a change amount of the detected engine rotational speed is calculated. The output torque control amount of the engine is corrected so that the rotational speed change amount coincides with the center value of the local minimum value and the local maximum value of the rotational speed change amount. Specifically, a torque correction amount is calculated according to a torque value which is equal to half of a difference between peak vibration torque values corresponding to the local minimum value and the local maximum value of the rotational speed change amount, and an output torque control amount is corrected with the torque correction amount.
US09441552B2
A method of operation of a dual fluid fuel injection system arranged to supply fuel to a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the dual fluid fuel injection system being controllable to effect fuel metering events and fuel delivery events. The method comprises operating the dual fluid fuel injection system so as to have at least one fuel delivery event during each engine cycle and to have fewer than one fuel metering event, on average, per engine cycle. An electronic control unit for implementing the method is also described. The method and control unit allow dynamic range of a fuel metering injector, where included within the dual fluid fuel injection system, to be extended.
US09441549B2
A control device for internal combustion engine mounted in a vehicle includes a throttle valve provided in an intake passage of the internal combustion engine and capable of changing a cross-sectional area of the intake passage, a variable valve capable of changing opening and closing timings of an intake valve of the internal combustion engine, basic target torque calculation means for calculating a basic target torque of the internal combustion engine according to an operating state of the internal combustion engine, vibration control target torque calculation means for calculating a vibration control target torque of the internal combustion engine to suppress vehicle vibration according to a vibration component of the vehicle, and cylinder intake air amount control means for controlling a cylinder intake air amount by controlling one of the throttle valve and the variable valve according to the vibration control target torque and controlling the other of the throttle valve and the variable valve according to the basic target torque.
US09441545B2
A fuel supply apparatus is provided with a plurality of flow-rate regulating valves that regulate the flow rate of fuel flowing in a fuel supply line; a calculating section that calculates a required flow-rate coefficient on the basis of at least a fuel pressure in the fuel flow upstream of the flow-rate regulating valves, a pressure determined in advance as a fuel pressure downstream of the flow-rate regulating valves, and the flow rate of fuel to be supplied to one fuel nozzle among different kinds of fuel nozzles, the required flow-rate coefficient being the coefficient of the flow-rate regulating valve corresponding to the one fuel nozzle; and a valve control section that controls the degree-of-opening of the flow-rate regulating valve corresponding to the one fuel nozzle on the basis of the required flow-rate coefficient.
US09441541B2
The present disclosure involves an oil scoop manifold receives and directs the oil in fore and aft directions to lubricate multiple bearing assemblies.
US09441537B2
The exemplary illustrations generally include a method for controlling and regulating an internal combustion engine-generator system 1000 with a plurality of internal combustion engine-generator units 400 generating electric power which can be connected to a distribution grid and load consumers 200 consuming electric power, with a unit 400 comprising an internal combustion engine 401, 402, 404-408 with variable engine speeds and a generator 421-428, characterized in the steps: determining a given operating state Z* of the internal combustion engine 401, 402, 404-408 of at least one internal combustion engine-generator unit 400; deducting a range of operating states ZB* describing an electric load override Ladm depending on the given operating state Z* for the internal combustion engine of at least one internal combustion engine-generator unit 400, with the determination of the given operating state Z* and the deduction of the range of operating range ZB* occurring based on the calculation model 504 for the internal combustion engines 401, 402, 404-408; providing a scope of load requirements describing potential load requirements of a plurality of load consumers 200.
US09441533B2
Methods and systems are provided for adjusting the opening of a scroll valve of a binary flow turbine. Scroll valve adjustments are used at different engine operating conditions to improve engine performance and boost response. Scroll valve adjustments are coordinated with wastegate and EGR valve adjustments for improved engine control.
US09441519B2
Methods for adapting system variation for an engine system having an after-treatment system. Measured characteristics of the after-treatment system may be used to predict a model value(s) that is compared to a measured value(s) of the after-treatment system to provide a comparison value. Information relating to high frequency uncertainties in characteristics of the after-treatment system are removed from the comparison value to provide an estimated system variation value. The estimated system variation value may then be used to adapt a system command of a controller. Further, information relating to high frequency uncertainties in characteristics of the after-treatment system may be used by a feed-back controller to determine high frequency adaptation values that may also be used to adjust the system command. The inclusion of the estimated system variation may eliminate reliance on the feed-back controller to provide system adjustments for both high and low frequency uncertainties.
US09441516B2
The present application relates to mitigating NOx emissions, and more particularly, to vehicles including a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system in the exhaust of a diesel or gasoline engine. In one example a method includes temporarily increasing a liquid reductant dosing value injected by an injector from a first dosing value to a second dosing value, the temporary increase in response to a change from injecting liquid reductant onto a first impact location on a disperser device to injecting onto a second impact location on the disperser device.
US09441513B2
An exhaust gas purification device capable of enhancing handling operability such as maintenance of an engine includes two gas purification bodies which purify exhaust gas discharged from the engine, inner cases in which the gas purification bodies are incorporated, and outer cases in which the inner cases are incorporated. The outer cases are arranged side by side in a moving direction of exhaust gas and connected to each other. One of the adjoining inner cases is inserted into the other inner case to form a double-layer structure. A loosely-fitting gap is formed between an inner side surface of the one inner case and an outer side surface of the other inner case.
US09441506B2
Provided is a camshaft phaser (1) having a driving member (2), a driven member (3), and a spring (4). The spring (4) is axially preloaded in the spring cavity (5).
US09441500B2
A steam turbine casing position adjusting apparatus capable of employing a compact low-resolution actuator is provided. A steam turbine casing position adjusting apparatus 40 includes turbine casings 21 and 37, a rotor 23, and actuators 14 and 15 that move the turbine casings 21 and 37 in the axial direction. The actuators 14 and 15 are disposed radially outside outer peripheries forming the turbine casings 21 and 37 .
US09441489B2
A device on a shroud which is provided on a turbine rotor blade tip has a cutting structure designed like a line of ribs, locally projecting over the shroud radially to the rotational axis around which the turbine rotor blade is rotatably arranged. The sealing structure has a longitudinal extent (S) oriented in the direction of rotation (U) of the turbine rotor blade, tapers with increasing radial distance from the shroud, and terminates with a flat end face (St) which radially faces away from the turbine rotor blade, and can be divided into five interrelated surfaces.
US09441481B2
A method for identifying the type of a sampled formation fluid, such as a hydrocarbon, is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes measuring absorbance by a sample of a formation fluid at multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation with a spectrometer. The method also includes distinguishing between multiple fluid types to identify a fluid type of the sample most likely to match an actual fluid type of the sample based on the measured absorbance at two or more wavelengths of the multiple wavelengths. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
US09441479B2
A subsea installation kit is described. The kit is provided with a subsea tree, a plurality of tubing sections, a plurality of acoustic repeaters and a mechanical filter. The subsea tree is configured to be coupled to a subsea well having a wellbore. The tubing sections are configured to be connected together to form a tubing string extending from above the tree into the wellbore. The acoustic repeaters are configured to be attached to the tubing string in a spaced apart manner. One of the acoustic repeaters is a last acoustic repeater configured to be attached to the tubing string within or above the tree. The mechanical filter is configured to be connected into the tubing string and form a part of the tubing string above the last acoustic repeater, the mechanical filter configured to cause an attenuation to acoustic signals propagating in the tubing string above the tree.
US09441469B2
In a rotary pump having a rotor and a stator in communication with hydrocarbon production tubing, a submersible pump driver assembly includes a drive motor having an output connected by a drive link to the rotor of the pump. A production housing of the drive assembly includes a production passage receiving the drive link in which the output axis of the drive motor is radially offset from the passage. A control line for providing a drive input to the motor is thus suited to extend alongside the production tubing. The driver assembly thus allows for flushing with only a coiled tubing unit as the coiled tubing can be readily inserted past the offset motor and the motor can be optionally run in reverse to improve flushing.
US09441467B2
Downhole tools that have a housing and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism is adapted to index in response to one or more balls being deployed into said tool and thereafter to actuate in response to another said ball being deployed into said tool. The indexing balls and the actuation ball are substantially identical. The actuation mechanism may comprise a member adapted for indexing from an initial position sequentially through one or more intermediate positions to a terminal position where the indexed member is mounted in an annular space between an outer wall and an inner wall. The tool may comprise a central conduit which is substantially uniform internal diameter substantially free of profiles. Methods are provided that include deploying an ancillary tool through the tool which has not been actuated or drilled out.
US09441456B2
A subsurface safety valve is operable to close a fluid flow path by virtue of an axially movable flow sleeve. The valve includes a recockable actuator and a latch mechanism so that the valve can be moved to a closed position without overcoming the pressure head and frictional forces currently encountered in conventional safety valves. The latch mechanism includes one or more micro pistons.
US09441453B2
A safety valve control system may include a remotely operable control assembly, a first transducer, a valve assembly, and a compressor assembly in communication with the control assembly. The control assembly is operable to actuate the pump and valve assemblies to supply fluid to actuate the safety valve into open and closed positions, in response to one or more signals received from the first transducer. A method of operation may include maintaining the safety valve in an open or closed position while sensing a physical property with the control system; communicating a signal corresponding to the sensed physical property to the control system; and automatically closing or opening the safety valve in response to a comparison of the sensed physical property to a pre-set condition.
US09441452B2
The invention provides a flow control valve for a subsea hydrocarbon production system and a method of use. The flow control valve comprises an inlet configured to be in fluid communication to an injection fluid conduit and an outlet configured to be in fluid communication with a subsea flow system. A flow control mechanism is disposed in a flow path between the inlet and the outlet and is arranged to adjust a flow rate through the flow path. The flow control mechanism is configured to automatically adjust the flow rate of injection fluid through the flow path according to a pressure differential between fluid pressure at the inlet and fluid pressure at the outlet. Adjustment may be self-regulating, or may be controlled by a hydraulic control circuit.
US09441445B1
A housing of a dual rubber cartridge attaches at least one rubber to an inner barrel for rotation with the inner barrel. A first rubber and a second rubber may attach to the housing for quick installation of the rubbers. The user removes the housing to remove and replace the two rubbers. The user may then replace the original housing with a second housing on which new rubbers are installed. The housing enables the user to quickly replace the rubbers to reduce down time of the drilling operation.
US09441434B2
A pressure coring apparatus comprises a housing having an upper end and a lower end. A valve is coupled to the lower end of the housing and has an open position for entrance of a core and a closed position for retaining and sealing the core within the housing. A piston assembly is moveably disposed within the housing. A first volume is defined within the housing and between the upper end of the housing and the piston assembly. A second volume is defined within the housing between the lower end of the housing and the piston assembly. A pressure relief device is disposed through the housing and operable to maintain pressure within the first volume and the second volume below a target pressure.
US09441430B2
A drilling rig having continuous gas analysis can include a substructure, base, mast, pipe handler, mud pump, drilling rig power source, drawworks, cabling, rotating head, blowout preventer, drill string, and drill bit. A rig server of the drilling rig can have a rig processor and rig data storage for implementing rig operations. Piping can be in fluid communication between the blowout preventer and a gas analyzer system for real-time measurement of a concentration of gases in a drilling fluid. The gas analyzer system can include a sample chamber, means for agitating and creating a vortex, gas capturing chamber for receiving liberated fluid, gas analyzer for providing real-time gas speciation of the liberated fluid, suction pump for pulling the liberated fluid, filtration means, exhaust port, and exhaust line for flowing non-analyzed fluid to a drilling fluid storage chamber, drilling fluid conduit, or both.
US09441423B2
A system for erecting a drilling rig mast includes a substructure having an open area that is defined therein by two laterally spaced-apart substructure sides and a first mast section that is adapted to be positioned at least partially within the open area of the substructure after the first mast section has been removably connected to the substructure. The system further includes, among other things, a second mast section that is adapted to be removably connected to the first mast section the said first mast section has been removably connected to the substructure, and a mast connection apparatus that is adapted to removably connect the second mast section to the first mast section when an upper end of the first mast section is raised relative to a lower end of the second mast section.
US09441422B2
A cutting insert for a rock drill bit having a ridge formed on a cutting face that splits extrudate formed during drilling thereby reducing the mechanical specific energy that may be expended to move the extrudate across the cutting face. The cutting insert may have a cutting edge which forms the extrudate during drilling and a face having two opposing, generally symmetrical, concave regions that define an elongated ridge therebetween. The ridge may extend across a substantial portion of the face.
US09441420B2
A lateral wellbore is formed from a high side of a horizontal portion of a primary wellbore with a drill bit assembly that has a selectively extendable pilot bit. The drill bit assembly is mounted on a lower end of a drill string. A bit guide is disposed adjacent the drill bit assembly for urging the drill bit assembly in a lateral direction against the high side of the primary wellbore. Rotating the drill bit assembly while urging the drill bit assembly upward creates a groove in a subterranean formation adjacent the primary wellbore. This forms a ledge at a far end of the groove. The drill string is then drawn back from the groove, and the pilot bit is deployed. Urging the drill bit assembly forward engages the pilot bit with the ledge, providing leverage for retaining the drill bit assembly in an orientation for excavating the lateral wellbore.
US09441402B2
A power actuator is provided for a door latch. A transfer lever within the housing is selectively coupled to a motor-driven worm gear via a lost motion connector. Engaging the motor moves the transfer lever between a locked and an unlocked position, actuating an output lever mounted to a spline on the transfer lever. The worm gear returns to a neutral position when the motor is disengaged, leaving the transfer lever in either the locked or unlocked positions. Manually moving the output lever causes the transfer lever to move between its locked and unlocked positions without back-driving the worm gear. A toggle mechanism prevents the transfer lever from accidentally moving or only moving partially between the locked and unlocked positions.
US09441398B2
A lock includes a first lock part and a second lock part which is rotatably arranged in the first lock part and includes a plurality of lock elements for cooperation with the first lock part and a key. First and second groups of lock elements have a first position relative to the second lock part absent actuation of the key and are moved from the first position into a third position via a second intermediate position, and to prevent rotation of the second lock part in a first position. The lock elements in the first group are arranged to prevent rotation of the second lock part from a second position and, in the third position, allow rotation of the second lock part. Likewise, each lock element in the second group allow rotation of the second lock part and, in the third position, prevent rotation of the second lock part.
US09441379B2
A flooring system includes a plurality of individual flooring pieces, such as floor panels, each having a wear surface, an opposing mounting surface and a retention groove disposed within the mounting surface. A floor panel connector used to interconnect at least two of the floor panels has a base, at least one mast extending from an upper surface of the base and a pair of flexible arms. Each flexible arm extends transversely from opposing sides of the at least one mast and has an extending end. Contacting portions extending from a lower surface of the base are configured to engage the support surface and create a spacing between each flexible arm and the support surface to permit each flexible arm to elastically deflect toward the support surface when pressure is exerted on a floor panel. This deflection enables the extending end of each flexible arm to engage the retention groove of a corresponding floor panel.
US09441376B2
Provided are novel building integrable photovoltaic (BIP) assemblies and methods of installation thereof on building structures. The BIP assembly includes a base sheet or a sheath, which may be a plywood board or an oriented strand (OSB) board, and multiple electrically interconnected photovoltaic inserts, which are attached to and supported by the base sheet. The base sheet is configured to be positioned directly the building structures, such as roof rafters. Various electrical components may be positioned within cavities of the base sheet and/or at the back side of that sheet. Such components are configured to align in between the roof rafters during installation. The spacing between the rafters provides access to the components and allows the components to extend away from the base sheet and into the spacing. Various electrical components may be installed and removed from the BIP assembly during its fabrication and/or installation.
US09441374B2
Composite tube assemblies comprising a composite tube comprising a distal end having a first conical section and a second conical section, wherein a distal end of the first conical section is in contact with a proximal end of the second conical section having the same outer diameter as the distal end of the first conical section, wherein a proximal end of the first conical section and a distal end of the second conical section have a smaller outer diameter than the distal end of the first conical section, a locking ring disposed around the first conical section, an end fitting disposed around the second conical section, wherein the end fitting is coupled to the locking ring, and a retaining ring circumferentially disposed around the locking ring are provide.
US09441362B2
An apparatus for mitigating noise in a printer can include a plate having a plurality of holes distributed across the plate and extending through the plate, the holes being dimensioned and configured to mitigate acoustic noise in a printer. A mesh material can cover the plurality of holes, wherein the mesh material can increase air flow resistance through the holes and thereby facilitate removal of acoustic noise from a media path in the printer.
US09441360B2
A yield link connection for use in bracing structures against lateral loads, the connection comprising a first structural member fixed to a base or foundation, and to which a yield link is connected. The yield link connects the first structural member to the structure in need of bracing. The yield link is created by cutting out a portion of material from a standard rolled steel structural section. The shape and dimensions of the cutout are designed so that the remaining elements of the yield link become separate bending elements. These separate elements behave as fixed-fixed members with predictable yielding, creating four plastic hinge zones around the cutout. High hysteretic damping is achieved through designing the cutout so yielding occurs in a large amount of the steel volume remaining adjacent to the cutout. The cutout is further designed so that yielding occurs in the yield link before it occurs in the first structural member. Clearance is provided between the first structural member and the yield link to limit relative movement between the members to a predetermined amount. Should the yield link need to be replaced after an episodic event, removal of the damaged yield link is easy compared to prior art.
US09441359B1
A structural frame unit for use in constructing a multi-unit building. The structural frame unit includes a plurality of connectors, beams, columns and cross bracings to define a load bearing, structurally stable three-dimensional structure. At least a subset of the components of a structurally stable three-dimensional structure define connectors configured to secure non-structural wall panels, utilities and exterior cladding relative to the structurally stable three-dimensional structure.
US09441358B2
A folding shed including a roof with a first roof section pivotally connected to a first sidewall and a second roof section pivotally connected to a second sidewall. The folding shed may further include foldable first and second end walls, each pivotally connected to the first and second sidewalls. The folding shed may be transformed from an operation to a storage configuration by outwardly pivoting the first and second roof sections until the exterior surface of each roof section approximately abuts the exterior surface of the sidewall to which it is connected and inwardly moving foldable end walls until the interior surfaces of the sidewalls approximately abut the interior surfaces of the end walls.
US09441356B2
The present invention relates to components and method for modular building system used as houses, home flat, buildings, offices, gazebos, and pavilion, and to assemble the modular building system fast, easy and simple. Specifically a modular building system of the present invention includes structural frames for post and beam of the building system, lock mechanism for connecting and keeping rigidly said structural frames, corner support for connecting the corner of said structural frames, and structural insulated panel for the purpose wall, roof and floor. The structural frame consists of at least a groove and at least pair of bevel surface. Further the lock mechanism includes a top shell, a bottom shell, a tension screw, at least one pair of reed, at least one pair of support pieces, and at least one pair of fill pieces. And also a method for assembling said modular system is provided.
US09441342B2
Disclosed is an economical and effective way of producing a modular retaining wall for a material to be retained, using only blocks which in and of themselves are of insufficient thickness to function as retaining wall blocks. The modular wall includes backer blocks and facing blocks which are connected by separate connectors in a back to back, spaced apart arrangement, thereby forming a hollow retaining wall. The hollow wall is filled with loose filler material to increase the mass and retaining capacity of the wall. None of the wall components is embedded in the material to be retained. Further disclosed are wall components and a wall kit for a modular retaining wall. A double sided decorative wall is also disclosed. The modular wall system allows for the construction of retaining walls and freestanding, double sided, decorative walls forming both straight and curved walls.
US09441330B2
The present disclosure relates to a device for generating vertical force. The device includes a housing, at least one bearing sleeve mounted in the housing, and at least one mass sleeve mounted within the bearing sleeve. The mass sleeve includes first and second masses with the first mass being larger than the second mass and the first and second masses being positioned substantially 180 degrees relative to one another. Related methods are described.
US09441329B2
A transport system includes a main cable, a track assembly, and a conveyance assembly, wherein the track assembly is suspended from the main cable to allow unimpeded translational movement of the conveyance assembly along the track assembly. In another aspect according to the present invention, the track assembly has a track changing assembly that includes a track changing section rotatably coupled to a primary track section for selective alignment of the track changing section to any one of a plurality of exit track sections. A method of conveyance along a suspended track includes suspending a main cable between natural or artificial support structures, suspending a track assembly from the main cable, and mounting a conveyance assembly on the suspended track assembly to provide unimpeded translational movement of the conveyance assembly along the track assembly.
US09441308B2
A microfluidic transport system for transporting microdroplets in three spatial dimensions. In an example arrangement, a first planar arrangement for transporting microdroplets in two spatial dimensions responsive to electric fields created by electrical operation of electrodes is fluidically connected by one or more conduits to other planar arrangement for transporting microdroplets in two spatial dimensions responsive to electric fields created by electrical operation of electrodes. Microdroplets can be transported through the one or more conduits so as to be moved among the first and second planar arrangements.The system can be used for heat transfer, fluidic transfer, and other uses, and can be implemented within a printed circuit board, integrated circuit housing, or using materials such as metal, glass, polymer, plastic, layered materials, fibrous materials, etc. Example applications include integrated circuit cooling, energy harvesting, microfluidic systems, chemical reactors, biochemical reactors, chemical analysis arrangements, biochemical analysis arrangements, and other apparatus.
US09441293B2
A film-forming apparatus forms a film by sequentially supplying a plurality of kinds of reaction gases to a substrate placed between a placing unit and a ceiling plate in a processing chamber having vacuum atmosphere and supplying a replacement gas between supply of one reaction gas and supply of next reaction gas. A central gas ejecting unit is disposed above the central portion of the substrate, and includes gas ejecting ports formed therein to spread the gases toward the outer side in the horizontal direction. A peripheral gas supply unit is disposed to surround the central gas ejecting unit. The peripheral gas supply unit includes a plurality of gas ejecting ports, which is formed in the circumferential direction such that the gases are spread in the horizontal direction toward the outer circumferential side and the central side of the substrate in a plan view.
US09441291B2
A method of depositing a continuous TiN film on a substrate is provided. In the method, a continuous TiO2 film is deposited on a substrate, and then a continuous TiN film is deposited on the continuous TiO2 film. The TiN film is thicker than the TiO2 film.
US09441284B2
A process for treating an off-gas from the thermal processing of a precious-metal-containing feedstock, the process comprising cooling the off-gas to a temperature of from 300 to 500° C.; passing the cooled off-gas through a first particulate filter to recover particulate material; and dosing the off-gas from the first particulate filter with a sorbent material and passing the dosed off-gas through a second particulate filter; wherein at least a portion of the particulate material recovered from the first particulate filter is recycled into the thermal processing of the precious-metal-containing feedstock.
US09441283B2
Method for processing bauxite, including grinding the bauxite and extracting iron; separating the resulting pulp into a solid phase and a liquid phase; extracting aluminum from the liquid phase at a pH of about 7 to 8 to form a precipitate of sodium hydrogen carboaluminate; separating the precipitate of sodium hydrogen carboaluminate from the neutralized pulp; extracting iron from the neutralized liquid phase at a pH of at least about 12 using to form a precipitate of iron hydroxide; separating the precipitate of iron hydroxide from the basic pulp to form an iron ore concentrate and a mother liquor chelate; concentrating the mother liquor chelate using evaporation; cooling the concentrated solution; carbonizing the cooled solution with gaseous carbon dioxide under pressure to crystallize sodium hydrogen carbonate; and separating the crystallized sodium hydrogen carbonate from the carbonized solution to form a chelate liquid phase and a sodium hydrogen carbonate solid phase.
US09441280B2
A chromatographic method for separating a sugar from a sugar-containing liquid feed mixture by: contacting the liquid feed mixture with a stratum of cation exchange resin comprising a crosslinked copolymer matrix functionalized with sulfonic acid groups, and recovering a first product stream from the stratum that has a higher purity of the sugar than present in the liquid feed mixture. The method is characterized by the stratum of cation exchange resin including: i) at least 80 wt % of cation exchange resin including alkaline earth counter ions, and ii) at least 5 wt % of cation exchange resin including alkali earth counter ions.
US09441278B2
The invention discloses means and methods for genotyping an individual head of cattle. Individual's DNA is genotyped utilizing the herein defined PCR SNaP-shot protocol. The protocol comprises two PCR steps where the first step (PCR1) includes adding primers (SEQ ID No. 1-30) and/or primers extended at their 5′ end with a common 10 base motif (ACGTTGGATG) to the PCR1 reaction. The second step (PCR2) includes adding extension primers (SEQ ID No. 31-45), and/or primers adjacent to corresponding specific SNPs. Further steps include producing amplicons from a PCR1 mixture comprising template DNA and the first primer set to yield PCR1 products, using PCR1 products as templates to a set of extension primers to yield PCR2 products. Size and color separation is achieved by adding tails of different lengths to the PCR2 primers. PCR2 products are separated and the results compared with SNP profiles from the databank to obtain matching.
US09441275B2
A method for predicting a subject's risk factors for CYP3A4-related disorders includes detecting the allelic status of a SNP in a nucleic acid sample of the subject.
US09441266B2
The invention generally relates to droplet based digital PCR and methods for analyzing a target nucleic acid using the same. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve forming sample droplets containing, on average, a single target nucleic acid, amplifying the target in the droplets, excluding droplets containing amplicon from the target and amplicon from a variant of the target, and analyzing target amplicons.
US09441262B2
The invention relates to the discovery and characterization of mannan binding lectin-associated serine protease-2 (MASP-2), a new serine protease that acts in the MBLectin complement fixation pathway.
US09441261B2
Provided herein are assays and in vitro methods to determine susceptibility to a drug effective against a pathogenic bacteria, for example, a pathogenic Mycobacteria, that has a beta-lactamase activity. An excitation wavelength is delivered to a biological sample obtained from a subject having an infection from the pathogenic bacteria in the presence of a beta-lactamase substrate. The intensity of a signal, such as a fluorescent, luminescent or colorimetric signal, at an emission wavelength of a product of the beta-lactamase on the subject is correlated to drug susceptibility. Also provided is an assay system for monitoring drug susceptibility of a pathogenic bacteria comprising color-producing substrates for a beta-lactamase of the pathogenic bacteria, an assay device for visibly detecting a product of the beta-lactamase on the substrate thereof and a reader configured to quantify the visibly detected product.
US09441260B2
A biological material such as platelets is sealed inside a container with a dead space to accommodate a metabolic gas. The concentration of the gas in the dead space is monitored while the container remains sealed. In some embodiments, the container is permeable to the gas. In other embodiments, the biological material is the only growth medium in the container. The disposal of the biological material is in accordance with the monitored gas concentration. Preferably, the gas concentration is measured spectroscopically. A container for a biological material includes a main body that retains the biological material but that is permeable to a gas and a reservoir in fluid communication with the main body that is transparent to an optical wavelength that is absorbed by the gas.
US09441258B2
An analyte sensor for the continuous or semi-continuous monitoring of physiological parameters and a method for making the analyte sensor are disclosed. In one aspect, the analyte sensor includes an electrode, a sensing layer in contact with a surface of the electrode, and a protective membrane. The sensing layer is a crosslinked, hydrophilic copolymer including poly(alkylene oxide) and poly(vinyl pyridine), and an analyte sensing component is immobilized within the crosslinked, hydrophilic copolymer. The protective membrane is a crosslinked, hydrophilic copolymer including alkylene oxide, vinyl pyridine and styrene units. The method involves the formation of a sensing layer on a surface of an electrode, followed by the formation of a protective membrane on a surface of the sensing layer.
US09441247B2
The present disclosure provides TC-83 VEE-derived replicons, alphaviral replicon particles and immunogenic compositions containing TC-83 alphaviral replicon particles which direct the expression of at least one antigen when introduced into a suitable host cell. The TC-83 VEE-derived ARPs described herein are improved in that they are subject to a lower vector-specific immune response than prior art ARPs.
US09441235B2
The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase and the feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzyme that enables incorporation of monolignol ferulates, for example, including p-coumaryl ferulate, coniferyl ferulate, and sinapyl ferulate, into the lignin of plants.
US09441215B2
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having protease activity, and the use of isolated polypeptides having protease activity in animal feed. It also relates to the use of isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding the proteases in the recombinant production of isolated polypeptides having protease activity and isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding the proteases. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells, including plant and animal cells, comprising the nucleic acid sequences, as well as methods for producing and using the proteases, particularly using the proteases in animal feed.
US09441209B2
Recombinant microbial cells are disclosed herein that comprise (i) a down-regulation of an endogenous polynucleotide sequence encoding Sou2 sorbitol utilization protein, and (ii) a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biosynthetic pathway. The down-regulation of the polynucleotide sequence encoding Sou2 sorbitol utilization protein can increase the lipid content of the microbial cells and/or decrease the total amount of sugar alcohols produced by the microbial cells. Also disclosed are methods of using the recombinant microbial cells to produce oil containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as EPA.
US09441179B2
A silicon-wafer processing fluid used for processing a silicon wafer contains a friction modifier containing a nitrogen-containing compound, pH of the nitrogen-containing compound being in a range from 2 to 8 when a mass ratio with water (i.e. nitrogen-containing compound/water) is 1/99. The nitrogen-containing compound is preferably a heterocyclic compound. The silicon-wafer processing fluid restrains an abrasion of abrasive grains rigidly attached to a wire and generation of hydrogen.
US09441175B2
A process to produce low ash clean coal from high ash coal with substantially complete solvent recovery, the process including: forming a slurry of coal fines in a N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and Ethylenediamine (EDA) solution; maintaining said slurry in a reactor at a temperature range of 100° C. to 240° C. and a pressure range of 1 to 4 gauge (kg/cm2) for a period of about 15 minutes to 4 hours; separating the produced sample withdrawn from the reactor, one part being a filtrate and the other a reject; feeding the filtrate into an evaporator to recover 80-85% solvent; precipitating the concentrated filtrate material in an anti-solvent tank to separate coal from solvent; separating the coal by filtration, said separated coal having a reduced ash content; feeding the anti-solvent and solvent mixture into a distillation column to separate remaining solvent from the anti-solvent for reuse in the process.
US09441174B2
Processes for upgrading resid hydrocarbon feeds are disclosed. The upgrading processes may include: hydrocracking a resid in a first reaction stage to form a first stage effluent; hydrocracking a deasphalted oil fraction in a second reaction stage to form a second stage effluent; fractionating the first stage effluent and the second stage effluent to recover at least one distillate hydrocarbon fraction and a resid hydrocarbon fraction; feeding the resid hydrocarbon fraction to a solvent deasphalting unit to provide an asphaltene fraction and the deasphalted oil fraction.
US09441163B2
Embodiments described herein relate to compositions, devices, and methods for the alignment of certain materials including liquid crystals. In some cases, a photoresponsive material include a moiety capable of undergoing a di-pi-methane rearrangement. Methods described herein may provide chemically and/or thermally stable alignment materials for use in a various technologies, including transistors, luminescent devices, and liquid crystal devices.
US09441151B2
A method of servicing a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising placing a wellbore servicing fluid in the wellbore and/or subterranean formation, wherein the wellbore servicing fluid comprises a hydrophobically modified relative permeability modifier, an oxygenated alkylating agent, and an aqueous base fluid, and allowing the wellbore servicing fluid to modify the permeability of at least a portion of the wellbore and/or subterranean formation.
US09441144B2
Novel benzoxazine-thiol adducts are described, which may be may be cured to produce compositions useful in coating, sealants, adhesive and many other applications.
US09441138B2
A prepolymer composition and a method for manufacturing them each of which is able to impart a low temperature thermosetting property surpassing the prepolymer of the phenolic resin to a prepolymer as a mixture of a blocked polyisocyanate compound and a polyisocyanate reactive compound, while suppressing generation of a toxic gas impacting on the environment and an unpleasant odor at the time of manufacturing or at the time of thermal curing, and each of which is capable of providing a thermosetting plastic as a thermally cured product thereof to the market at a cost comparable to the phenolic resin, while restraining divergence of the formaldehyde.
US09441136B2
An environmental barrier composition and method of use for forming a structural barrier system to seal structural openings such as doors and windows is provided. The composition includes a liquid rosin that is silyl-terminated polyether, a filler material, and a curing catalyst. The method includes applying the composition to a prepared through-hole in combination with flashing material at least along a bottom surface of the through-hole and installation of a window or door into the prepared through-hole to form a barrier system in which a continuous film can be easily inspected, is waterproof, meet air barrier requirements of ASTM E2178, has elastomeric properties, allows substrate expansion, contraction, and movement, does not shrink or lose volume as it cures, and cures rapidly with sufficient adhesion to transition flashing to incorporate into a designed drainage plane and allow integration of a continuous air barrier system where the barrier is at least semi-vapor-permeable.
US09441128B2
The invention provides a production process for a self-dispersible pigment, comprising a step of bonding a functional group containing a hydrophilic group to a particle surface of a pigment by causing at least one treatment agent selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following general formula (1), a compound represented by the following general formula (2) and a compound represented by the following general formula (3) to react with the particle surface of the pigment.
US09441123B2
The present invention provides a durable, external surfactant free, cationic, water based jet ink polymer which when formulated into an ink jet ink results in a printing that has an excellent adhesion to metal or plastic substrates. Such a jet ink polymer is suitable performance replacement of solvent soluble polymers currently in commercial use. The hybridized copolymer comprises a hydrophobic functional polymeric backbone comprised of a polysiloxane polymer, a polyolefin polymer, or a functional polyvinyl polymer. The hybridized copolymer also comprises a plurality of copolymeric side chains attached to the backbone, comprising a polymerizable amine-containing unsaturated monomer, and a polymerizable unsaturated monomer. The use of the inks of the present invention enhances performance criteria such as print-head open time, ink stability, and resistance to typical water based cleaners.
US09441121B2
A process for the preparation of a dispersion, comprising: dispersing a composition comprising a particulate solid, a liquid medium and a dispersant; wherein the dispersant is obtained by a process comprising at least the steps a) and b): a) co-polymerising a monomer composition comprising at least the components i) and ii) so as to form a phospho-ester functional polymer: i) a monomer having at least one phospho-ester group and two groups independently selected from hydroxyl, amino, thiol and hydrazo groups, ii) a diisocyanate; and b) hydrolysing at least some of the phospho-ester groups in the phospho-ester functional polymer so as to result in a dispersant having phosphorus containing anionic groups.
US09441120B2
Lithographic printing inks are described, which are characterized by the inclusion of both water, in a substantially emulsified form, and inorganic filler. Inks of the present invention show improved printing properties in offset lithography, including improved transfer, reduced piling and improved mileage. They also offer cost advantages over currently available inks and the ability to minimize or eliminate entirely mineral oil from their compositions. The inks of the present invention may be used in both web-based print processes including coldset and heatset, as well as in sheetfed printing. The inks may be dried to a durable ink film at ambient temperature, with thermal energy or with actinic or electron beam radiation, or with any combination thereof.
US09441119B2
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods and compositions for forming conformal coatings on textured substrates. More specifically, embodiments of the invention generally relate to sol-gel processes and sol-gel compositions for forming low refractive index conformal coatings on textured transparent substrates. In one embodiment a method of forming a conformal coating on a textured glass substrate is provided. The method comprises coating the textured glass substrate with a sol-gel composition comprising a solidifier. It is believed that use of the solidifier expedites the sol-gel transition point of the sol-gel composition leading to more conformal deposition of coatings on textured substrates.
US09441109B2
The invention provides a PPS resin composition having excellent heat resistance and excellent electrical properties without damaging excellent physical properties including mechanical properties and low gas generation which PPS intrinsically has. There is provided a resin composition comprising (a) a polyphenylene sulfide resin and (b) one or more copolymers selected among a tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer and a tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer. In the resin composition, (a) the polyphenylene sulfide resin forms a continuous phase, (b) one copolymer selected among the above components forms primary dispersed phases, and the primary dispersed phase includes secondary dispersed phases formed by a component different from the component of the primary dispersed phase.
US09441108B2
Prepare a thermoset polyurethane foam containing a brominated polymer with aliphatic bromine as a flame retardant.
US09441104B2
Provided are a heat-curable epoxy resin composition with a superior handling property, transparency and crack resistance; and an optical semiconductor device having an optical semiconductor element encapsulated by such composition. The composition includes: (A) a prepolymer obtained by a reaction of (A-1), (A-2), (A-3) and (A-4) at an epoxy group equivalent/acid anhydride group equivalent ratio of 0.6 to 2.0, (A-1) being a triazine derivative epoxy resin, (A-2) being at least one selected from the group consisting of a bisphenol A-type epoxy resin, a bisphenol F-type epoxy resin, a hydrogenated bisphenol A-type epoxy resin and an alicyclic epoxy resin, (A-3) being an acid anhydride curing agent as a liquid at 50° C., and (A-4) being a flexibility imparting agent selected from the group consisting of a polycaprolactone polyol, a polycarbonate polyol and an acrylic block copolymer; and (B) a curing accelerator comprised of an onium salt represented by: X+Y− (1) wherein X+ represents a cation, and Y− represents an anion.
US09441093B2
Provided is an acrylic rubber composition having further improved compression set resistance and comprising, based on 100 parts by mass of (a1) an acrylic rubber obtained by copolymerizing 0.1 to 10% by mass of a crosslinkable group-containing monomer, (a2) 0.4 to 50.0% by mass of a liquid fluororubber, and the crosslinked product thereof.
US09441090B1
Methods for controlling properties of a conjugated diene monovinylarene block copolymer using a modifier during polymerization are disclosed. For instance, the Shore A hardness of the copolymer can be decreased via the addition of the modifier compound.
US09441083B2
A functional polymer membrane, prepared by curing a composition comprising a polymerizable compound (A) represented by Formula (1) and a monofunctional polymerizable compound (B): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; Q represents a polyol residue formed by removing m2 hydrogen atoms from hydroxyl groups of a trivalent to hexavalent polyol; L represents a divalent linking group; m1 represents 0 or 1; m2 represents an integer of from 3 to 6, and wherein the monofunctional polymerizable compound (B) is a (meth)acrylate compound, a (meth)acrylamide compound, a vinyl ether compound, an aromatic vinyl compound, an N-vinyl compound, or an allyl compound.
US09441080B2
The present invention provides cellulose hydrogels having one or more of the following properties: high water content, high transparency, high oxygen permeability, high biocompatibility, high tensile strength and desirable thermal stability. The present invention further provides a process for preparing a cellulose hydrogel comprising (i) a step of activating cellulose, in which the activating step comprises contacting the cellulose with a solvent to activate the cellulose for a time duration from about 2 hours to about 30 hours; (ii) substantially dissolving the activated cellulose to form a solution; and (iii) gelling the solution to form a gel, in which the gelling step comprises allowing the solution to gel in an environment comprising a relative humidity from about 30% to about 80% at 35° C.
US09441068B2
Embodiments of the invention provide for viscoelastic polyurethane foams. The foams are made from reaction system which includes (a) an isocyanate reactive component, (b) a isocyanate component, (c) one or more blowing agents, (d) a catalyst component, and (e) a silicone based surfactant. The isocyanate reactive component includes at least (i) from 25 to 80% by weight of at least one polyoxyethylene capped polyoxypropylene/polyoxyethylene polyol having a combined number average equivalent weight from 1300 to 1700, a polyoxyethylene percentage of between 75% and 95% by weight of the combined amounts of polyoxypropylene and polyoxyethylene, and a primary OH percentage of between 80 and 95% of the total number of OH groups of the polyoxyethylene capped polyoxypropylene/polyoxyethylene polyol, and (ii) from 5 to 30% by weight of the isocyanate reactive component of at least one low functionality polyol having a functionality of between 1.5 and 2.5, a combined number average equivalent weight from 500 to 1500 and an OH number of 40 to 70.
US09441061B2
A polymer composition comprising an ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer, wherein the polymer composition is characterized as having (a) a density in the range of from greater than about 0.910 g/cc to about 0.930 g/cc, as determined according to ASTM D1505; (b) a melt index in the range of from greater than about 0.5 g/10 min to about 3 g/10 min, as determined by ASTM D1238, Condition 190° C./2.16 kg; (c) a molecular weight distribution of from about 3.4 to about 12, as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC); (d) a weight average molecular weight of from greater than about 85 kg/mol to about 160 kg/mol, as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC); and (e) a z-average molecular weight of from greater than about 210 kg/mol to about 500 kg/mol, as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC).
US09441051B2
The present invention discloses a matrix comprising a modified primary hydroxyl groups containing polysaccharide comprising repeating disaccharide units wherein in at least part of the disaccharide units the primary hydroxyl group is replaced by functional groups selected from halide groups or groups comprising sulfur or phosphorus atoms, like e.g. sulfate groups, sulfonate groups, phosphonate groups and phosphate groups.
US09441049B2
The present invention relates to antibodies that are immunoreactive to the mammalian, and more particularly, the human B7-H3 receptor and to uses thereof, particularly in the treatment of cancer and inflammation. The invention thus particularly concerns humanized B7-H3-reactive antibodies that are capable of mediating, and more preferably enhancing the activation of the immune system against cancer cells that are associated with a variety of human cancers.
US09441042B2
The present invention provides anti-KDR monoclonal antibodies and related compositions, which may be used in any of a variety of therapeutic methods for the treatment of a variety of cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic retinopathy and other diseases associated with aberrant VEGF or KDR expression and/or activity.
US09441041B2
Methods are provided for the treatment of a HIV infection. The methods can include administering to a subject with an HIV infection a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that interferes with the interaction of gp120 and α4 integrin, such as a α4β1 or α4β7 integrin antagonist, thereby treating the HIV infection. In several examples, the α4 integrin antagonist is a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to a α4, β1 or β7 integrin subunit or a cyclic hexapeptide with the amino acid sequence of CWLDVC. Methods are also provided to reduce HIV replication or infection. The methods include contacting a cell with an effective amount of an agent that interferes with the interaction of gp120 and α4 integrin, such as a α4β1 or α4β7 integrin antagonist. Moreover, methods are provided for determining if an agent is useful to treat HIV.
US09441040B2
The present invention discloses novel antibodies that specifically bind to the human platelet membrane protein Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) and their monovalent fragments or derivatives. The antibodies of the invention are antibodies from hybridoma clone 390 and fragment antibodies thereof able to induce a GPVI depletion phenotype. These antibodies and Fab fragments are able to block collagen binding and thus preventing platelet activation by collagen. The invention also relates to hybridoma clones and expression plasmids for the production of disclosed antibodies and Fab fragments. The present invention further refers to the uses of monovalent antibody fragments to manufacture research, diagnostic and immunotherapeutic agents for the treatment of thrombosis and other vascular diseases. The invention also concerns a Fab bearing a molecule at the C-terminal extremity, as well as method for prevention of recognition of Fab by antibodies using such modified Fab. The invention concerns a method for prevention of platelet activation when an anti-GP VI Fab is used.
US09441037B2
Provided herein is are methods of reducing exacerbations of asthma in an asthma patient, comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of the anti-interleukin-5 receptor (IL-5R) antibody benralizumab or an antigen-binding fragment thereof.
US09441031B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide an oriented collagen/apatite material wherein an orientation is controlled, and a method of the oriented collagen/apatite material wherein an orientation is controlled. A method of producing an orientated collagen/apatite material according to the present invention, is characterized in that the method comprises; preparing a collagen having an orientation, seeding an osteoblast or a mesenchymal stem cell to produce and fix an apatite having an orientation similar to or almost the same as a direction of an orientation of the collagen on a surface and/or inside of the collagen. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of above mentioned method of producing an orientated collagen/apatite material according to the present invention, is characterized in that the osteoblast is an osteoblast like cell or an osteoblast obtained from a living organism.
US09441030B2
Disclosed is a method for producing proteins having factor VIII procoagulant activity in serum-free medium by in vitro culturing of mammalian cells, wherein the serum-free medium contains an inhibitor against the protease released from cultured cells. In accordance with this invention, the inhibitor can protect the cleavage of a target protein during cultivation and increase homogeneity of a target molecule, wherein the inhibitor can be a dextran sulfate. This invention also relates to a method of purifying target molecules from the culture medium containing both a target molecule and selected inhibitors by affinity chromatography.
US09441024B2
[Problem] To provide a glycosylated polypeptide having affinity to somatostatin receptors and, compared to somatostatins, having improved in-blood stability. [Solution] The glycosylated polypeptide is characterized by at least two amino acids in a somatostatin or an analogue thereof being replaced by glycosylated amino acids.
US09441023B2
The present invention relates to novel analogs of PYY that have an improved therapeutic profile when compared to native human PYY. These novel PYY analogs are useful in the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and other disorders.
US09441022B2
The present invention relates to the discovery of the Aegyptin gene and Aegyptin protein, a molecule that interacts with collagen and inhibits platelet adhesion, activation and aggregation. Novel biological tools, prophylactics, therapeutics, diagnostics, and methods of use of the foregoing are also disclosed.
US09441016B2
The present invention includes the complete genome sequence for the methanogen, Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, including polynucleotides which encode M. ruminantium polypeptides or peptides, as well as polynucleotides from non-coding regions. Also included are the encoded M. ruminantium polypeptides and peptides, and antibodies directed to these peptides or polypeptides, in addition to expression vectors and host cells for producing these peptides, polypeptides, polynucleotides, and antibodies. The invention further includes methods and compositions for detecting, targeting, and inhibiting microbial cells, especially methanogen cells such as M. ruminantium cells, using one or more of the disclosed peptides, polypeptides, polynucleotides, antibodies, expression vectors, and host cells.
US09441014B2
The present disclosure provides peptides and peptide compositions, which facilitate the delivery of an active agent or an active agent carrier wherein the compositions are capable of penetrating the stratum corneum (SC) and/or the cellular membranes of viable cells.
US09441013B2
The subject invention pertains to a modified MC1R peptide ligand comprising a peptide that is a melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) ligand and a functionality or linker, such as a click functionality, for conjugation to a surface or agent. The modified MC1R peptide ligand can be coupled, e.g., via a click reaction with a complementary click functionality attached, to a moiety to form an MC1R-targeted agent. Drugs, contrast agents, polymers, particles, micelles, surfaces of larger structures, or other moieties can be targeted to the MC1R. The subject invention also pertains to a MC1R peptide ligand-micelle complex comprising a peptide that is a melanocortin 1 receptor ligand connected via a click reaction product to a micelle. The micelle is stable in vivo and can target melanoma tumor cells by association of the peptide ligand with the MC1R or the tumor and selectively provide a detectable and/or therapeutic agent (such as an imageable contrast agent and/or anti-cancer agent) selectively to the tumor cell.
US09441012B2
The present application relates to novel fluorinated epoxyketone-based compounds, compositions comprising these compounds and their use, in particular for the treatment of diseases, disorders or conditions mediated by proteasome inhibition, in particular, the present application includes compounds of Formula I, and compositions and uses thereof.
US09441002B2
The thiol modified oligonucleotides have vast number of applications in the field of nucleic acid chemistry. The conjugates generated by mono thiol groups are unstable at higher temperature, in high salt concentration buffers and in presence other thiols. There is strong need to develop a novel thiol modifier probes that can generate multiple thiol groups. Described herein are efficient processes and compounds, dithiolane phosphoramidites derivative and dithiolane succinyl supports. The advantage of our cyclic disulfide thiol modifier is multifold a) each incorporation introduces two thiol groups; b) it can be introduced at any desired site of oligonucleotides; c) The symmetrical branching nature of the spacer in the linker arm of dithiolane allows for clean oligo synthesis, where cleavage of the linker arm and thereby of loss of oligo chain is prevented. We have successfully made 20-mer oligonucleotide containing single dithiolane derivative at 3′, and 21-mer oligonucleotides containing single dithiolane derivative at 5′ or in the middle of the mixed base sequence. HPLC and ESI MS analysis of these oligonucleotides indicated satisfactory purity and correct composition of these oligos, respectively.
US09441000B2
Metallocene compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing these metallocene compounds are disclosed and described. Methods of treating cancer employing such metallocene compounds and pharmaceutical compositions also are provided.
US09440988B2
The present invention makes available, inter alia, methods and reagents for modulating smoothened-dependent pathway activation. In certain embodiments, the subject methods can be used to counteract the phenotypic effects of unwanted activation of a hedgehog pathway, such as resulting from hedgehog gain-of-function, ptc loss-of-function or smoothened gain-of-function mutations.
US09440985B2
The invention relates to novel 3,6,9-triazatricyclo[7.3.1.1]tetradecane-4,8,12-trione derivatives of general formula (1), which act as allosteric AMPA receptor modulators, and to drugs based thereon which can be used for treating Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
US09440971B2
Provided herein are solid state forms of Vemurafenib hydrochloride, processes for preparing the solid state forms, as well as pharmaceutical compositions and formulations comprising said solid state forms.
US09440966B2
Present invention refers to new compounds of formula I or II, its synthesis and its use in the treatment of metabolic syndrome, particularly for the treatment of type I or type II diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome or metabolic disease or metabolic disorders.
US09440963B2
Disclosed herein are compounds effective for activation of Tie-2 and inhibition of HPTP-beta. The compounds can provide effective therapy for conditions associated with angiogenesis, for example, ocular conditions. Formulations for increased solubility are disclosed. Combination therapy with antibodies and PK/PD data are also disclosed.
US09440962B2
The present invention relates to compounds of general formula wherein Ar1/Ar2 are phenyl or a 5 or 6-membered heteroaryl; R1/R2 is hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl, CF3 or lower alkoxy; n,m are 1 or 2; or to a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt, to a racemic mixture or to its corresponding enantiomer and/or optical isomers thereof, with the exception of the compound 2,1-benzisoxazole, 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5 -yl)-. The compounds may be used for the treatment of schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, major depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, normal aging, epilepsy, retinal degeneration, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, Parkinson's disease, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, hearing loss, tinnitus, spinocerebellar ataxia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, stroke, radiation therapy, chronic stress, abuse of neuro-active drugs, such as alcohol, opiates, methamphetamine, phencyclidine and cocaine.
US09440961B2
The present invention relates to inhibitors of ROCK1 and ROCK2 and methods of modulating the pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic properties of such compounds. Also provided are methods of inhibiting ROCK1 and or ROCK2 that are useful for the treatment of disease.
US09440960B2
This invention relates to a compound of formula I and their use as inhibitors of Cathepsin C, pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, and methods of using the same as agents for treatment and/or prevention of diseases connected with dipeptidyl peptidase I activity, e.g. respiratory diseases.
US09440946B2
A compound of general formula (I): A process for preparing this compound.A fungicidal composition comprising a compound of general formula (I).A method for treating plants by applying a compound of general formula (I) or a composition comprising it.
US09440945B2
Present invention relates to methods for preparing (1α, 2β, 4β, 5α, 7β)-7-[(hydroxidi-2-thienllacetyl)oxy]-9,9-dimethyl-3-oxa-9-azoniatricyclo[3.3.1.02,4]nonane-bromide.
US09440944B2
A process for making a cyclic compounds such as cyclic acetal or cyclic ketones by feeding aldehyde or ketone compounds and polyhydroxyl compounds to a reaction zone at a molar ratio of polyhydroxyl compounds to aldehyde or ketone compounds of at least 3:1, reacting these compounds in the presence of a solid acid such as an acidic ion exchange resin, to generate a liquid reaction mixture without separating water from the reaction mixture as it is being formed in the reaction mixture, withdrawing the liquid reaction mixture from the reaction zone as a liquid product stream, and feeding the liquid reaction product stream to a distillation column to separate cyclic acetal compounds from unreacted polyhydroxyl compounds, and optionally recycling back the unreacted polyhydroxyl compounds to the reaction zone. The process produces cyclic acetal compounds in yields of at least 90% with long catalyst life. The process is also suitable to make cyclic ketals from ketone compounds.
US09440938B2
The present invention provides an sulfonamide derivative having DP receptor antagonistic activity and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the said compound as an active ingredient, and further a therapeutic agent for treating allergic diseases.A compound of the general formula (II): wherein the ring A is an aromatic carbocyclic ring etc.; the ring B is a nitrogen-containing non-aromatic heterocyclic ring etc.; the ring C is an aromatic carbocyclic ring etc.; R1 is carboxy etc.; R2 is independently a halogen atom etc.; R3 is optionally substituted alkyloxy etc.; R4 is independently a halogen atom etc.; R5 is independently optionally substituted alkyl etc.; M is sulfonyl etc.; Y is a single bond etc.; L1 is a single bond etc.; L2 is a single bond etc.; k is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; n is 0, 1 or 2; and q is 0, 1, 2 or 3; provided that a) k is not 0 when the ring B is a 6-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring containing one or two nitrogen atom(s) and the ring C is a benzene ring, etc.; a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or a hydrate thereof.
US09440922B2
A compound represented by the general Formula (I) below, or a salt or solvate thereof, which is useful as an ALK inhibitor, and is useful for prophylaxis or treatment of a disease accompanied by abnormality in ALK, for example, cancer, cancer metastasis, depression or cognitive function disorder: (meanings of the symbols that are included in the formula are as given in the specification).
US09440910B2
The present invention relates to the new impurities of Fesoterodine, Fesoterodine symmetric dimer impurity and asymmetric dimer impurity, process for preparing and isolating thereof. The invention also deals with analytical standards and analytical methods used for the control of the production process and final quality of Fesoterodine.
US09440909B2
Methods for making sulfide scavenging compositions are provided. The method comprises reacting at least one secondary amine with at least one aldehyde and solvent in the presence of a catalyst to form a reaction composition, wherein a reaction temperature is less than or equal to 90° C. Sulfide scavengers using the above method are also disclosed. Methods for removing sulfides from fluid streams are also provided. The methods include adding the above sulfide scavengers to fluid streams.
US09440891B2
The present invention is directed to methods of forming olefins, especially linear alpha olefins from fatty acids or anhydrides, each method comprising: contacting an amount of precursor carboxylic acid anhydride with a palladium catalyst comprising a bidentate bis-phosphine ligand in a reaction mixture so as to form an olefin in a product with the concomittant formation and removal of CO and water from the reaction mixture, either directly or indirectly, wherein the reaction mixture is maintained with a sub-stoichiometric excess of a sacrificial carboxylic acid anhydride, an organic acid, or both, said sub-stoichiometric excess being relative to the amount of the precursor carboxylic acid anhydride. The precursor carboxylic acid anhydride may be added to the reaction mixture directly or formed in situ by the reaction between at least one precursor carboxylic acid with a stoichiometric amount of the sacrificial acid anhydride.
US09440885B2
A dielectric ceramic composition includes at least dielectric particles having a core-shell structure and segregation particles, a concentration of a rare earth compound in the segregation particle is twice or more than an average concentration of the rare earth compound in a shell part of the dielectric particle having the core-shell structure, an area occupied by the segregation particles is 0.1 to 1.1%, when a maximum particle size of the segregation particle is defined as rbmax, a minimum particle size of the segregation particle is defined as rbmin, and an average particle size of the dielectric particle having the core-shell structure is defined as ra, a relation of rbmax/ra≦2.00 and rbmin/ra≧0.25 is satisfied, and the segregation particles substantially do not include Mg.
US09440876B2
An electron definable glass or an electron sensitive glass for microstructures is provided with microstructures and optical waveguides formed therein. The microstructures are formed by electron beam irradiation in selected areas in the electron definable glass followed by a high temperature heat treatment and chemical etching, whereas the optical waveguides are formed by irradiating the electron definable glass by an electron beam followed by a low temperature heat treatment.
US09440867B2
An electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) generates electrolyzed products by supplying a raw material solution into an electrolytic cell (4) to perform electrolysis, and generates electrolyzed water by diluting the electrolyzed products. The electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) includes a casing (20) configured to accommodate the electrolytic cell (4), and a bracket (30) fixed to the casing (20) in a freely detachable manner, and the bracket (30) includes a pair of rigid walls to which one end and the other end of the electrolytic cell (4) are attached. The pair of rigid walls have a dimension therebetween that can be adjusted according to the linear dimension of the electrolytic cell (4).
US09440859B2
A silicon carbide powder includes at least one group selected from a first group comprising an alpha phase silicon carbide pulverulent body of which a granule size (D50) is greater than 0 μm and less than 45 μm with impurities less than 10 ppm, a second group comprising an alpha phase silicon carbide pulverulent body of which a granule size is greater than 45 μm and less than 75 μm with impurities less than 10 ppm, and a third group comprising an alpha phase silicon carbide pulverulent body of which a granule size is greater than 75 μm and less than 110 μm with impurities less than 10 ppm. In addition, a method for preparing a silicon carbide powder includes adding seeds to a beta silicon carbide powder, and forming an alpha silicon carbide powder by heat treating the beta silicon carbide powder.
US09440858B2
A composition generally includes carbon particles. The particles are prepared by dissolving a carbohydrate-based precursor in water to form a precursor solution and placing the precursor solution in a pressure vessel. The precursor solution is placed in a pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is heated to a reaction temperature to form carbon particles. The carbon particles are subjected to a chemical activation and a physical activation. The composition includes, by weight, about 5% to about 30% oxygen.
US09440855B2
ProblemTo provide a process for producing single-walled carbon nanotubes with which highly pure, high-quality single-walled carbon nanotubes can be produced with high efficiency, and to provide a transparent conductive film using the single-walled carbon nanotubes obtained by that production method.SolutionA process for producing single-walled carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), wherein particles of a nonmetallic material containing 500 ppm or lower of metallic impurities including metals and compounds thereof are used as growth nuclei; and after a growth gas is introduced into a furnace used for growing carbon nanotubes, the growth gas used in an initial stage of growth of carbon nanotubes and the growth gas used in a stage of growth of regular carbon nanotubes (stationary growth stage) thereafter are prepared to different compositions and different partial pressures.
US09440849B2
A nanoparticle organic hybrid material (NOHM) containing an organic polymeric corona having a molecular weight in a range of 100-50,000 g/mol, wherein the organic polymeric corona is covalently attached to an inorganic nanoparticle core, wherein the NOHM exhibits liquid-like properties so that the NOHM moves freely and flows in a manner so that when the NOHM is in a container, the NOHM takes the shape of the container, and wherein the NOHM has a volume fraction (fc) of the inorganic particle ranging from about 0.05 to 0.75, methods of making the NOHMs, and compositions containing the NOHMs.
US09440844B2
Imaging systems may include an image sensor and a microelectromechanical systems array. The microelectromechanical systems array may be mounted over the image sensor. The system may include an infrared lens that focuses infrared light onto a first surface of the microelectromechanical systems array and a visible light source that illuminates an opposing second surface of the microelectromechanical systems array. The image sensor may capture images of the opposing second surface of the microelectromechanical systems array. The system may include processing circuitry that generates infrared images of a scene using the captured images of the microelectromechanical systems array. Microelectromechanical systems elements in the microelectromechanical systems array may change position or shape in response to infrared light that is absorbed by the microelectromechanical systems elements. Each microelectromechanical systems element may include infrared absorbing material on a metal layer. The system may include optical elements that focus visible light onto the image sensor.
US09440842B1
A cleaning product dispensing machine having compartments where users can refill their used cleaning product containers at convenient locations. The cleaning product dispensing system includes a plurality of cleaning products stored inside the machine. The quantity levels for each product is monitored by float sensors connection to wireless communication equipment capable of notifying the administration of the machines when the amount of a given product is running low or in the case of malfunction. The cleaning dispensing machine is compatible with product cleaner containers of different dimensions and of different types of cleaners.
US09440839B1
A cooling system for a beverage comprises an enclosure for housing a beverage container, a cold plate through which the beverage flows, and a refrigeration system that controllably cools the enclosure and the cold plate in a differential manner. In preferred embodiments, preference is given during normal operation to cooling the cold plate, and only cooling the enclosure when the cold plate is determined to be at or below a desired temperature. In some embodiments a special defrost cycle warms the cold plate while continuing to cool the enclosure. Controls can be mechanical, electronic or any combination of the two, and preferably utilizes information from both pressure and temperature sensors.
US09440836B2
The present application provides a rotary carbonator for use with a beverage dispensing system. The rotary carbonator may include an off-center carbonator chamber, a rotor positioned within the off-center carbonator chamber, and a number of vanes extending from the rotor. The vanes may define within the off-center carbonator chamber a first number of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second number of vane cavities with a decreasing area. A water inlet and a gas inlet may be positioned about the first vane cavities and a carbonated water outlet may be positioned about the second vane cavities.
US09440830B2
The present disclosure relates generally to lift vehicles that include a carriage having at least three wheels, a lift and a load carrying frame. The load carrying frame is connected to the lift, which is connected to the carriage. A selectively deployable platform is disclosed that is pivotably connected to the carriage and movable between a stowed position and a support position. At least two rollers may be spaced apart and configured to engage and slidably support a battery above the carriage.
US09440823B2
A transportable machine includes a frame that may be part of a motorized carriage and a machine for transport. The frame has, for example, one or more gaps defining an interface specially designed for engaging the machine. The machine includes elements adapted to fit within or otherwise engage the gaps of the frame. Fasteners join the machine and the frame, thus creating a transportable machine.
US09440816B2
A system and method are provided for improving stack integrity for a set of image receiving media substrates at an output of a compiler in an image forming device positioning a plurality of pairs of rotating shelf structures in a vicinity of an exit/ejection port of an image receiving media processing or post-processing unit. The plurality of pairs of rotating shelf structures cycle between a first (support) position and a substantially orthogonal second (drop) position with respect to a rotating axis for the rotating shelf structures. Each of the rotating shelf structures has a uniquely-portioned top surface that includes a substantially-parallel top (supporting) portion and a ramped lead-in portion facing the exit/ejection port from the image receiving media processing or post-processing unit in an effort to reduce any image receiving media substrate “stubbing” against a first of the plurality of pairs of rotating shelf structures in a process direction.
US09440812B2
Methods and systems for determining longitudinal position of an elongated web are described. Sensors are used to detect one or more substantially continuous fiducial marks disposed longitudinally on the web. The sensors generate signals associated with the fiducial marks. A position detector receives the signals and determines a longitudinal position of the web using the sensor signals. The fiducial marks may be periodic fiducial marks, such as sine and/or cosine marks on the web and/or may be piecewise continuous marks. The coarse longitudinal position of the web can be determined based on periodically recurring features of the fiducial marks. The fine longitudinal position can be determined based on continuous portions of the fiducial marks between the periodically recurring features.
US09440799B1
A conveying apparatus (10) includes a dynamic axis (20), an idler axis (30), a conveying belt (40), a work-energy conversion wireless monitoring apparatus (50) and at least an on-site wireless controller (60). The on-site wireless controller (60) is used to sense an operation status of the conveying apparatus (10) to generate a sense data (622) and to wirelessly send the sense data (622) to the work-energy conversion wireless monitoring apparatus (50). The work-energy conversion wireless monitoring apparatus (50) includes an electric generator (502), a battery (504), a rotating speed measuring sensor (506), a microprocessor (508) and a transmission antenna (510). The electric generator (502) is coupled to and connected to the idler axis (30). The electric generator (502) is driven with a rotating motion of the idler axis (30) to generate an electricity power. The battery (504) is electrically connected to the electric generator (502).
US09440798B2
A conductor loop and a conveyor belt including the conductor loop. The conductor loop is embedded in an article having a base of a polymer material with elastic properties. The conductor loop includes at least one hybrid yarn having at least a textile first material and a conductive second material closed in an endless manner.
US09440794B2
Closed conveyor belt with a housing (2) that encloses a conveyor belt (11) that can be set in motion by a drive, characterized in that both edges (22) of the conveyor belt (11), that extend in the direction of movement (P) of the conveyor belt, extend through the housing (2) by a protruding section (23) that extends through slots (24) provided to this end in the housing (2).
US09440791B2
An assembly for arranging hanging goods in a space-saving manner, in particular for forming a block of hanging goods to be stored in a high bay warehouse, comprises a feeding unit for feeding the hanging goods along a transport direction and an arrangement unit for arranging the hanging goods, wherein the arrangement unit is provided with at least two transport rails arranged adjacent to one another when seen in the transport direction.
US09440785B2
A proppant discharge system has a container with an outlet formed at a bottom thereof and a gate slidably affixed at the outlet so as to be movable between a first position covering the outlet to second position opening the outlet, and a support structure having an actuator thereon. The container is removably positioned on the top surface of the support structure. The actuator is engageable with gate so as to move the gate from the first position to the second position. A conveyor underlies the container so as to receive proppant as discharged from the container through the outlet. The container is a ten foot ISO container.
US09440782B2
A plant organizing and growing assembly includes a housing that has a bottom wall and a perimeter wall which is attached to and extends upwardly from the bottom wall. The perimeter wall has an inner surface and an outer surface. The perimeter wall bounds an enclosed space and the bottom wall has a generally rectangular shape. A plurality of legs is coupled to and extends downwardly from a bottom surface of the bottom wall. The legs are spaced apart and include four corner legs each positioned adjacent to one of the corners of the bottom wall. Each of the corner legs has a bottom surface having an aperture extending therein. Each of the apertures terminates before extending through the bottom wall such that the apertures are spaced from an upper surface of the bottom wall.
US09440776B2
Container for dangerous environments, which comprises a base (1) and one or more side walls (2) joined to the base (1), so as to define an upper opening (3) which can be closed by a cover (4) and is surrounded by a first flange (5) provided with a plurality of first holes (6), while the cover (4) is provided with a second flange (7) provided with a plurality of second holes corresponding to the first holes (6) of the first flange (5), wherein the base (1), the side walls (2) and the first flange (5) are made of a single metal piece and the cover (4) is joined to the container by means of one or more hinges (10) which allow a rotating and translatory movement of the cover (4) with respect to the container, the cover (4) being provided with a perimetric frame (13) suitable for penetrating into the upper opening (3) and for being coupled with the upper portion of the inner surfaces of the side walls (2).
US09440774B2
The invention relates to a closure for an in particular cylindrical packaging (1) for foodstuffs, having an insert (3) that comprises a preferably central outlet opening (6) and one part (5) of which is intended to be fastened to the packaging (1), and a cover (4) connected in an articulated manner thereto for sealing the top of the outlet opening (6), which cover is connected to the insert (3) by a tamper-evident closure, wherein the tamper-evident closure has a tamper-evident element (9) connected to the cover (4) or the insert (3) via at least one target break point (27), which element is arranged to the side of an in particular circumferential edge (12, 13) of the closure in the covering situation and is thus arranged offset to the outlet opening (6), wherein the tamper-evident element (9) has at least one stop (39, 38) edge on each of opposite ends, between which the tamper-evident element (9) is held to a protrusion (10) of the cover (4) or the insert (3) after loosening the tamper-evident closure. The invention further relates to a packaging for foodstuffs.
US09440773B2
A dispenser for dispensing a substance, such as a liquid lipstick or other cosmetic, pharmaceutical or cosmeceutical product, has a body with a variable-volume storage chamber for storing the product. A dispensing portion is connected with the body and a one-way valve for dispensing amounts of product therethrough. The dispensing portion defines a compression chamber in fluid communication with the storage chamber for receiving product therefrom, and an outlet aperture coupled in fluid communication with the compression chamber. The one-way valve has a valve seat, and a visco-elastic valve cover seated on the valve seat and defining a normally-closed, axially-extending seam therebetween forming a fluid-tight seal between the valve cover and valve seat. The flexible valve cover is movable relative to the valve seat, and the seam is connectable in fluid communication with the outlet aperture to allow the passage of product through the seam and out of the dispenser. An actuator is drivingly connected to the compression chamber for pressurizing product within the compression chamber and dispensing an amount of product within the compression chamber.
US09440767B2
A can end (2) is described for a metal beverage can, optionally for carbonated drinks, the can end including a cap top (3), arranged in connection to a pull tab (4) configured to remove the cap top along a pre-defined groove (9), to thereby create a drinking or pouring aperture; an elastic resilient element (10) attached to the can end; and a resiliently operated shut-off valve (6) that is part of or is connected to the elastic resilient element (10) and that is configured to seal the drinking or pouring aperture after drinking or pouring; wherein the cap top (3) is configured to remain located, after the removal, on top of the shut-off valve (6). Further, a can including such a can end, and a method for opening and reclosing such a can are described, as well as a method for producing such a can.
US09440750B2
A system for capturing aerial images, the system comprising at least one camera unit, the camera unit comprising a plurality of steerable detail camera modules, each steerable detail camera module comprising a detail camera and a beam-steering mechanism in the optical path of the camera whereby the pointing direction of the camera is time-multiplexed to provide a wider effective field of view.
US09440748B1
A method of notifying an aircraft crew member using a notification management system includes creating a rule based on at least one flight condition and transmitting the created rule to the aircraft. The at least one flight condition may include air travel data. The method also includes receiving aircraft data generated by one or more aircraft systems, comparing the received aircraft data with the rule, and issuing a notification to the aircraft crew member based on the comparison between the received aircraft data and the at least one condition in the rule. The notification may include at least one action to be performed in response to the notification.
US09440746B2
An aircraft propulsion control system for an aircraft having a plurality of combustion engines is provided. The system has a plurality of sensors for sensing a condition indicative of properties and/or formation of vapor trails which may be formed by the plurality of engines. A controller is arranged to control one or more operational variable for each of the plurality of engines. The controller is arranged to undertake a search of trial values of the operational variable by instructing different concurrent values of said operational variable across the plurality of engines and determining the resulting impact on the vapor trail formation and/or properties as sensed by the sensors. A population-based search may be performed, for example in parallel over all the engines at once so as to reduce the time taken to achieve vapor trail mitigation.
US09440741B2
An add-on sling-load system capable of being attached to a host that comprises a load provided with at least two slices arranged in a predetermined configuration and preferably a stack and a controlled coupling mechanism configured to attach and release at least one slice from the arranged configuration. The sling load system is used for multiple deliveries.
US09440729B2
In a high-lift-device, a wing, and noise reduction device for a high-lift-device that are capable of reducing noise generated when a flap is extended, preventing deterioration of aerodynamics characteristic when retracting the flap, and preventing an increase in weight, a flap main body (5) disposed so as to be extendable/retractable relative to a main wing and a protruding portion (6A-1) that smoothly protrudes at least at the vicinity of one end portion of a positive-pressure surface (PS) of the flap main body (5) in a direction away from the flap main body (5) are provided.
US09440728B2
An aircraft fuel tank system is disclosed in which a vent tank is provided with a compact vent pipe comprising one or more built-in flame barrier elements providing high liquid fuel outflow rate.
US09440722B2
A marine propeller having multiple adjustable exhaust structures is disclosed. Each adjustable exhaust structure includes an exhaust unit with exhaust through holes cut through the outer surface and inner surface of the propeller hub of the marine propeller, an adjustment member with shielding portions mounted in the exhaust unit, and a fastening member for locking the adjustment member to the exhaust unit. The adjustment member is movable to adjust the shielding area of the shielding portions relative to the exhaust through holes when disengaged from the constraint of the fastening member. Thus, the exhaust volume is adjustable to fit different conditions without changing any component parts of the marine propeller, facilitating ease of use of the marine propeller.
US09440713B2
An apparatus for transferring a fluid, in particular combustion fuel, to the tank of a vessel, having a flange that is firmly dedicated to the tank, a filler neck for receiving an external fuel hose element, and a pipe connecting the flange and the filler neck. The filler neck is pivotable about a bearing that is stationary in relation to the tank. The pipe features a plurality of pipe elements that are, at least in part, rotatably coupled to one another and to the flange and formed such that the filler neck is pivotable about at least two, preferably only two, predetermined pivot axes.
US09440712B2
A sealed and thermally insulated tank arranged in a bearing structure (1) to contain a fluid, said tank comprising walls fixed to said bearing structure, a tank wall having a primary sealed barrier, a primary insulating barrier, a secondary sealed barrier and a secondary insulating barrier, the tank comprising a through-element arranged through the tank wall, in which tank the tank wall around the through-element comprises: secondary insulating blocks arranged on the wall of the bearing structure around the through-element and being covered by a first sealed layer forming the secondary sealed barrier, a circular plate arranged parallel to the tank wall at the same level as the first sealed layer forming the secondary sealed barrier, a second sealed layer (723a-d) fixed in a sealed manner straddling the first sealed layer and the circular plate all around the circular plate.
US09440697B1
A motorcycle includes a front fender for covering above a front wheel and a headlamp device positioned forwardly of a handlebar. At a portion of an upper surface of the front fender forwardly of the headlamp device, a recess is formed which is depressed downwardly and extends in a forward and rearward direction. A projection protruding upwardly towards the rear is formed in an intermediate portion of a rear half portion of the recess with respect to a motorcycle widthwise direction. The headlamp device has a lower end formed with a recessed area in which the projection is engageable.
US09440696B2
A harness for mounting a non-pannier bag to a pannier mount. The harness has an upper frame member having at least one fastener for releasably attaching the upper frame body member to the mount, a lower frame body member disposed distally from the upper frame body member and configured to releasably engage with a lower frame portion of the mount. A connecting member attached between the upper frame body member and the lower frame body member. Two upper straps, each having a fixed end extending outwardly from one of the upper frame body and the connecting member, at least one of the upper straps being adjustable in length. Each of the two upper straps having a connector at a free end configured to releasably connect with one another to form a first loop. At least one lower strap attached at one end to the lower member, each at least one lower strap being adjustable in length and configured to be connectable to one of the upper frame body member and first loop so as to form a second loop. The first loop and the second loop together forming a receiving area for releasably securing the non-pannier bag to the pannier mount.
US09440687B2
A folding vehicle structure includes a frame having a plurality of members. A first member intersects a second member at a first pivot point. A third member, spaced from the first and second members, intersects a fourth member, which is also spaced from the first and second members, at a second pivot point. The frame includes a first cross-member extending between the first and second intersection points. The frame is collapsible.
US09440686B2
A folding vehicle structure includes a frame having a plurality of members. A first member intersects a second member at a first pivot point. A third member, spaced from the first and second members, intersects a fourth member, which is also spaced from the first and second members, at a second pivot point. The frame includes a first cross-member extending between the first and second intersection points. The frame is collapsible.
US09440683B1
A method of assembling a vehicle includes providing a body panel, a roof panel, and a clip. The clip has a central portion extending from a first end to a second end. The central portion has a first surface and a second surface. The clip additionally has a roof-side flange extending from the first surface at the first end and a body-side flange extending from the second surface at the second end. The body-side flange and second surface define a first channel therebetween. The method also includes assembling the clip to the body panel by retaining a portion of the body panel in the first channel. The method additionally includes positioning a portion of the roof panel proximate the first surface. The method further includes forming the roof-side flange toward the first surface to define a second channel with the portion of the roof panel retained in the second channel.
US09440665B2
A rail applicator assembly includes a rail having a head portion, a base portion, and a web portion extending between the head portion and the base portion. The head portion defines an outer surface. An applicator for applying a friction modifying material to the surface of the rail includes a foam body and an applicator support. The foam body is secured to the applicator support and defines a flow passageway that extends through the foam body for friction modifying material to flow through.
US09440660B2
A system for a vehicle includes an interactive display subsystem operable to generate output for display on a vehicle window, the output associated with a two-way communication interface for remote communication with a user input subsystem. A method of operating a system for a vehicle includes displaying a two-way communication interface on a vehicle window for remote communication with a user input subsystem.
US09440659B2
A driver advice system for a vehicle having at least one vehicle subsystem comprises a selector for receiving at least one driving condition indicator for the vehicle and for selecting, from a plurality of settings, a preferred setting for the at least one vehicle subsystem in response to the at least one driving condition indicator. The driver advice system includes an indication device for providing to the driver an indication of the preferred setting for one or more of the vehicle subsystems.
US09440650B2
A collision prediction apparatus includes a sensor that obtains positional information representing a position of a target object with respect to a host vehicle and a processing device wherein the processing device calculates a movement trajectory of the target object with respect to a vehicle, based on the positional information obtained at time points by the sensor, and the processing device predicts a probability of a collision between the target object and the vehicle, based on the calculated movement trajectory and at least one of three parameters which includes a number of obtainment time points of the positional information used to calculate the movement trajectory, a change manner of a lateral width of the target object related to the positional information between time points, and a change manner of the positional information of the target object with respect to the vehicle in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
US09440643B1
A vehicle and a method of controlling a vehicle are provided. The vehicle may include a controller programmed to, in response to a change from a first to a second powertrain operating mode, operate an engine and electric machine to increase a state of charge target of a traction battery to increase propulsion torque available from the electric machine. The controller may be further programmed to, in response to a decrease in accelerator pedal position and a vehicle speed being less than a threshold speed while operating the powertrain in the second powertrain operating mode and the engine and electric machine are coupled via a friction element, decrease a pressure of the friction element to a first target pressure to decouple the engine from the electric machine.
US09440640B1
A number of variation may include a method that may include providing a drive system that may deliver a torque supply to a vehicle. An electric unit may be provided. The torque supply may be reduced. A torque fill may be initiated when the torque supply is reduced. The torque fill may be supplied from the electric unit.
US09440639B2
Disclosed is a control device for a vehicle including an engine and a motor generator both for supplying a travel driving force to a driving wheel. The control device causes the engine to stop while the vehicle is traveling on a descending slope under constant vehicle speed control where the vehicle is controlled to travel at a predetermined vehicle speed. That reduces a load on a brake device.
US09440638B2
A charge utilization control system for an electric vehicle includes a controller, an electric motor connected to the controller, a battery connected to the electric motor and an internal combustion engine connected to the controller. The controller is adapted to minimize electric charge stored in the battery as the electric vehicle approaches a charging destination for the battery.
US09440637B2
A transmission apparatus mounted on a vehicle has a front-wheel speed sensor for sensing a rotation speed of a front wheel. A control unit has a ratio-change correction part that determines a correction in transmission control of the transmission apparatus using the rotation speed of the front wheel sensed by a front-wheel speed sensor. The control unit limits execution of the correction under a condition that an external device is connected to a connector. Thereby, the execution of the correction based on the rotation speed of the front wheel without a worker's intention during driving on a chassis dynamo may be suppressed.
US09440631B2
A vehicle brake monitor assembly for an air disk brake includes a brake actuator having a pushrod projecting from inside a chamber of said brake actuator. The pushrod releasably actuates a lever arm of a caliper thereby moving the disk brake into a braking position when the pushrod is in an extended position and releasing the disk brake from the braking position when the pushrod is in a retracted position. The pushrod includes a pushrod shaft and a contact member biased in a telescoping relationship relative to the pushrod shaft and the lever arm of the caliper abuts the contact member counteracting the bias of the contact member. A sensor is integrated with the assembly proximate the contact member and detects movement of the pushrod relative to the lever arm and to the pushrod shaft.
US09440630B2
A pneumatic brake valve unit for a rail vehicle, includes: a main device (20) that selectively controls a communication path between a brake pipe connector (18) and either an atmospheric exhaust line (19) or an auxiliary reservoir connector (16), such that the pressure at the brake pipe connector (18) is k times the difference between the pressure at a control reservoir connector (14) and the pressure at a main brake pipe connector (12), k being a proportionality factor; a cut-off valve (21) that controls a communication path between the main brake pipe connector (12) and the control reservoir connector (14); an accelerator device (22) that controls a communication path between the main brake pipe connector (12) and an air discharge member (19); and a driving pilot (39) which is common to both the valve (21) and the accelerator device (22) and which controls their respective communication paths.
US09440626B2
There is provided a drum brake type electric parking brake apparatus includes an electric actuator unit, a backing plate and a knuckle. The electric actuator unit includes an electric motor and a decelerator, and expands a gap between one end portions of the brake shoes based on activation of the electric motor. The electric actuator unit is separately provided from the backing plate. The electric actuator unit is arranged at an inner-side surface of the knuckle, and the backing plate is arranged at an outer-side surface of the knuckle. The backing plate and the electric actuator unit are supported and fixed to the knuckle.
US09440611B2
A gas hag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system comprises an inflatable gas hag, wherein the gas bag includes at least one vent device for venting gas from the gas bag, wherein the vent device in a first condition has a first outflow cross-section and in a second condition a second outflow cross-section; as well as a release mechanism which initially fixes the vent device and which releases the same after activation. The release mechanism includes an element to be filled with gas, with which the vent device is connected such that before filling of the tillable element it is fixed at the same and during filling of the fillable element is detached from the same, wherein the vent device is directly or indirectly connected with the tillable element via a releasable connection which will tear during filling of the fillable element and release the vent device.
US09440610B2
Provided is a curtain airbag apparatus that prevents a head of an occupant from being moved forward. To this end, according to the curtain airbag apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an auxiliary airbag is installed on an outer surface of a curtain airbag in order to prevent the head of the occupant from being moved forward.
US09440603B2
A vehicle control system is provided that is able to (i) identify a particular driver from other potential drivers and (ii) monitor various vehicle functions in order to determine if the identified driver repeatedly performs the same behavior when the vehicle is at or near the same location. When the control system determines that the identified driver repeats the same behavior in response to the vehicle being at or near the same location, the controller learns that behavior and associates it with the identified driver so that it can be automatically performed, without driver interaction, when the vehicle is at or near the same location in the future.
US09440600B2
Method for operating a fail operational power system for a vehicle includes monitoring voltages on first and second power distribution paths arranged in parallel. Each path includes a respective first or second isolator switch effective when operative in a closed state to power the respective path by a respective energy storage device for supplying electrical power to one or more loads partitioned on each of the paths. A third isolator switch controllably operative between open and closed states is monitored. The closed state of the third isolator switch connects the paths and the open state opens the connection between the paths. When a predetermined operating mode requiring fail operational power is enabled, the third isolator switch is controlled to the open state when at least one of the monitored voltages violates a reference voltage and is controlled to the closed state when neither one of the monitored voltages violate the reference voltage.
US09440599B2
An arrangement is provided for displaying information to a driver in a vehicle, where the information includes an image, and where information is displayed by a textile material positioned on the floor of the vehicle and the information displayed is a condition outside of the vehicle, where the information is displayed in the direction in which the condition occurs outside of the vehicle. Information can be displayed to a driver of a vehicle by an information arrangement not used for other information.
US09440589B2
A reflective element assembly for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes front and rear substrates with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween. An electrical connector has an attachment portion and a wire receiving portion for receiving an electrical wire therein. A flange of the attachment portion is configured to be disposed at a fourth surface of the rear substrate and a tab is configured to extend at least partially across a perimeter edge of the rear substrate. An electrically conductive material is disposed in an uncured state and uncured electrically conductive material flows at least partially through the aperture and is cured to secure the electrical connector at the rear substrate. The wire receiving portion of the electrical connector is configured to receive the electrical wire therein and includes at least one tang that engages the electrical wire when the electrical wire is inserted into the wire receiving portion.
US09440585B2
The present invention aims to provide an optical axis ascertaining device for an in-vehicle camera which can simply adjust and correct the optical axis of the camera. This device comprises image processing device (image recognition portion and tracking portion) detecting a static obstacle (for example, wheel stopper disposed on ground surface) from an image acquired by rear camera through image recognition and tracking the static obstacle and rear wheel rotation sensor as a sensor detecting a movement distance of a vehicle, for example; and ascertains the optical axis direction of the camera, based on an attachment position of the camera and the movement distance of the vehicle from where a static object being tracked is out of an image capturable region of the rear camera due to an approach of the vehicle to where the vehicle comes into contact with the static object.
US09440579B2
A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises a retractable handle having a proximal end portion in connection with a tailgate. The retractable handle forms an internal passage therethrough from the proximal end portion to a distal end portion of the retractable handle. A light source is disposed proximate the proximal end portion and configured to emit a first emission through the internal passage. At least one light emitting portion is disposed along a length of the retractable handle and configured to output light derived from the first emission to an outside environment.
US09440571B2
A conveyance seat includes a pair of side frames and a lower frame. The lower frame is formed to have a U-shaped section, an upper part of which is open, a center part position of a front side area of the U shape is recessed backward relative to both side positions in a view in a width direction of the seat. Cutouts are formed in end surfaces of the lower frame in areas connected with the pair of side frames, and the cutouts are made from the end surfaces to an inner side.
US09440568B2
A vehicle seat includes: a seat back pad of a vehicle; a rear cover coupled with the seat back pad on the rear side and made of flexible material; and a bracket formed along the periphery of the rear cover, the bracket being coupled with the seat back pad so that its front is supported by the seat back pad.
US09440565B2
An unlocking unit (10), for a vehicle seat (1), transmits a movement introduced via an actuation element (62) to at least two locking devices (90) for unlocking purposes. Each locking device (90) is paired with an unlocking element (11, 12) and the unlocking element (11, 12) is in the locked position when the respective locking device (90) is locked and in the unlocked position when the respective locking device (90) is unlocked. A display element (64) is in the display position when the locking devices (90) are unlocked and is in the non-display position when the locking devices (90) are locked. Each unlocking element (11, 12) which can be found in the unlocked position prevents the display element (64) from moving into the non-display position, and the display element (64) remains in the display position as long as at least one locking device (90) is unlocked.
US09440563B2
Human support systems for one or more of the safety, convenience, comfort of the user.
US09440550B2
A system for the management of a fleet of battery powered vehicles using a paradigm of a reserve pool of vehicles as opposed to a reserve fleet of batteries. In this system, a reserve pool of vehicles is always maintained in a ready state such that vehicles being returned with depleted batteries may be replaced with a vehicle having a fully-charged battery. The system maintains a balance between reserve fleet size and charging time (and therefore the life of the batteries) to provide optimal performance and cost savings. The system has the added advantages of capital efficiency in that that the time and labor required to change batteries, and the need to maintain extra batteries is eliminated.
US09440544B2
A system and method for managing batteries having a plurality of batteries, each battery comprises a battery ID attached thereto; a plurality of chargers, each charger comprising a charger ID attached thereto and being configured to selectively charge a battery; a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle comprises a vehicle ID attached thereto; a plurality of ID sensor units, each ID sensor unit configured to read the respective battery, charger and vehicle IDs; and a management server coupled to plurality of ID sensor units for selective control and management of identified batteries.
US09440524B2
A mount apparatus (20) for supporting a vibration source on a base is provided. The mount apparatus (20) includes a moving member (134) that is partially disposed in a pumping chamber (64) for moving within the pumping chamber (64) along a first axis (A) to create a volume change in the pumping chamber (64) to maintain the volume of the pumping chamber (64) to prevent a pressure increase in the pumping chamber (64) during the deformation of a flexible body (46) in response to an external excitation to effectively cancel the external excitation. The moving member (134) includes a moveable wall (144) of a flexible material, having a generally hour glass-shape in steady state, and extending between moving member upper and lower ends (140, 142). The moveable wall (144) flexes radially outwardly and inwardly relative to the first axis (A) in response to relative axial movement between the moving member upper and lower ends (140, 142), to amplify the volume change in the pumping chamber (64).
US09440522B2
A device for protecting a window of a vehicle from environmental conditions includes a water resistant cover for covering the window. The cover has a first side portion positionable to cover a driver's side of the window, and an opposed second side portion positionable to cover a passenger's side of the window. A frame supports the cover and includes spaced apart and resiliently flexible first and second frame members. The first and second frame members each extend widthwise with respect to the cover across at least a portion of the first side portion and at least a portion of the second side portion. The frame is collapsible to reconfigure the device from a deployed state wherein the frame supports the cover in a generally flat state to a storage state wherein the cover is folded. Fasteners are secured to the cover for mounting the device to the window.
US09440510B2
A mass transit vehicle includes a frame and a cabin mounted to the frame. The cabin includes a roof and a passenger zone defining a passenger zone length. An air cleaning unit includes an air cleaner housing mounted to the roof. The air cleaning unit is operable to draw in air through an inlet, through an air cleaning device, and discharge a flow of cleaned air out of an outlet. An air conditioning unit includes an air conditioner housing separate from the air cleaner housing. The air conditioning unit is operable to draw in air through an inlet, through an air conditioning device, and discharge a flow of conditioned air out of an outlet. The outlet of the air conditioning device is in communication with a duct system to direct the flow of conditioned air to the cabin substantially evenly along the passenger zone length.
US09440509B2
A vehicle includes a climate control system configured to regulate temperature within a cabin. The vehicle also includes a battery compartment disposed within the trunk, and a soft trim component that at least partially defines space within the trunk of the vehicle. The vehicle is further provided with a rigid insulative material formed upon and supporting a section of the soft trim such that the insulative material and section define a duct fluidly connecting the cabin and battery compartment in order to cool the battery compartment.
US09440505B2
1. Objective:Endurance of a dust cover 50 mounted on a suspension device wherein a top spring seat 85 is formed to be inclined to an axis of a shock absorber 10 and disposed rotatably about a top seat axis inclined to an axis of a shock absorber 10 is improved.2. Means for Solution:The suspension device comprises a rotation prevention portion 100 so that the dust cover 50 cannot rotate relatively a top seat portion 90 about an axis of the top seat portion 90. The rotation prevention portion 100 comprises two convex portions 110 formed in the top seat portion 90 and two concave portions 120 formed in a top connecting portion 60 of the dust cover 50.
US09440502B2
A wheel sensor (4) comprises sensing means for sensing one or more conditions within a pneumatic tire (2) of a wheel (1) and an attachment means configured to secure said sensing means to the wheel rim (3); wherein said sensor (4) further comprises an optical sensor (6) pointing towards the inside surface (12) of said tire (2) for receiving radiation radiated from said inside surface (12); whereby temperature values may be derived representative of said tire surface temperature.
US09440501B2
An ID code learning device includes a RF transceiving module, a received signal strength indication (RSSI) module, and a processing circuit. The RF transceiving module receives RF signals, and each of the RF signals contains an ID code. The RSSI module is electrically connected to the RF transceiving module to detect signal strengths of the RF signals received by the RF transceiving module. The processing circuit is electrically connected to the RF transceiving module and the received signal strength indication module respectively. The received signal strength indication module detects the RF signal with the highest signal strength, the processing circuit pairs the ID code thereof with a predetermined tire location code, and then the RF transceiving module transmits a pairing result out.
US09440495B2
The present invention provides a pneumatic tire having a carcass 11, at least one circumferential belt layer 17 provided on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the carcass 11, and plural intersecting belt layers 18 provided on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the circumferential belt layer 17, at least one of the plural intersecting belt layers having wider belt width in the tire widthwise direction than the circumferential belt layer 17, comprising: at least one layer of end-portion circumferential belt 15 provided in respective tire widthwise tread end regions on the outer side of the carcass 11 and on the inner side of the circumferential belt layer 17 in the tire radial direction; and at least one layer of slant belt 16 provided in the tire widthwise tread central region on the outer side of the carcass 11 and on the inner side of the circumferential belt layer 17 in the tire radial direction.
US09440489B2
A cassette seal includes a first and a second ring, wherein the axial sections and the radial sections of the first and second ring are aligned approximately parallel to one another, forming an interior in which a sealing arrangement arranged on the first ring engages in the direction of the second ring and a gap is formed between the radial section of the first ring and the axial section of the second ring. A fixed additional element extends on the side of the axial section of the second ring facing away from the interior, and the rises in the direction of the radial section of the first ring above the axial section of the second ring with a protrusion. The protrusion has a downward slope in the direction of the second ring, to form the gap.
US09440484B2
A method of digital continuous and simultaneous three-dimensional painting and three-dimensional drawing with steps of providing a digital electronic canvas having a screen and capable of presenting two pictures for a right eye and a left eye; providing means for continuous changing of a virtual distance between the digital electronic canvas and a painter by digitally changing a horizontal shifting between images for the right eye and the left eye on the digital electronic canvas corresponding to instant virtual canvas position; providing at least one three-axis input control device allowing digital painting or drawing on the digital electronic canvas; painting on the digital electronic canvas for any instant virtual positions of the digital electronic canvas providing simultaneous appearance of a similar stroke on the images for the right eye and the left eye.
US09440477B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for a flexible book binding with interchangeable pages are presented. A plurality of elongate rods include tips disposed on ends of the elongate rods. A plurality of flexible, elongate link members includes one or more openings disposed in the elongate link members. The one or more openings are formed to receive the tips of the elongate rods. A plurality of pages includes rod couplers disposed along edges of the plurality of pages. The rod couplers are formed to receive the elongate rods.
US09440470B2
A printing apparatus measures spectral intensity of a printed medium before an image is printed thereon, and calculates Mahalanobis distances with respect to plural types of reference printing media stored in advance. Then, the type of the printed medium is determined from the reference printing media based on the Mahalanobis distances and the image is printed thereon.
US09440466B2
A transport mechanism is provided for transporting sheets of a print medium in a printing system. The transport mechanism include a first conveyor device having a first conveyor body which is configured to support a plurality of sheets of print medium, the first conveyor body being movable to convey the sheets along the transport path in the printing system; and a transfer system including a second conveyor device having a movable second conveyor body for supporting the sheets of print medium and conveying the sheets further along the transport path, the transfer system being configured to transfer the sheets of print medium from the first conveyor body to the second conveyor body in a transfer region. The second conveyor body is arranged adjacent or proximate to the first conveyor body in the transfer region, and the transfer system includes spacer means which is configured to maintain a predefined spacing between the first conveyor body and the second conveyor body in the transfer region. An associated method of transporting sheets of a print medium in a printing system is also disclosed.
US09440465B2
A printing apparatus includes: a printing unit having a plurality of printing elements arranged in a conveyance direction of the printing sheet and configured to print the printing sheet; a conveyance control unit configured to control conveyance of printing sheets so that a trailing edge of a preceding sheet as a printing sheet precedingly fed from the stacking unit and a leading edge of a succeeding sheet as a printing sheet fed after the preceding sheet overlap each other; a determination unit configured to determine, under a predetermined condition, whether to convey the succeeding sheet to a position facing the printing unit while keeping an overlap state between the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet; and a printing control unit configured to control, based on a determination result of the determination unit, printing elements of the printing unit to be used.
US09440456B2
According to one embodiment, a dual purpose printer has a housing, a printing medium supporting section, a first printing section, and a second printing section. The housing has a discharge port and an entrance port. The printing medium supporting section is arranged inside the housing, and rotatably supports a rolled printing medium. The first printing section is configured to print on a top surface of a first continuous sheet printing medium drawn from the rolled printing medium supported on the printing medium supporting section, and to print on a second printing medium carried in through the entrance port. The second printing section is arranged inside the housing, and is configured to print on the bottom surface of the first continuous sheet printing medium.
US09440455B2
A printing device includes a paper medium print mode configured to execute printing on a paper medium; and a textile print mode configured to execute printing on a fabric medium, a print resolution in the textile print mode being lower than a print resolution in the paper medium print mode.
US09440445B2
There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including a casing, a liquid consuming section, and a tank. The tank includes a box-shaped body having a light-transmitting property and having five walls and a partition wall; a film adhered to rear end portions of the walls; and a positioning section disposed at least on an outer surface of each of the upper and lower walls, or of each of the right and left walls. In a state that the liquid consuming apparatus is placed on a horizontal plane, the box-shaped body is positioned at a posture at which the positioning section is brought into contact with the casing to thereby allow the front wall to be exposed from a side surface of the casing which extends in a direction crossing the horizontal plane, and at which the rear end portions are located inside the casing.
US09440441B2
In one example, parts to be assembled into a fluid flow structure include: a first part having a first opening therein and a first adhesive bonding surface surrounding the first opening; a second part having a second opening therein and a second bonding surface surrounding the second opening; and the first and second bonding surfaces are each configured, when the parts are assembled for bonding and an adhesive is squished between the parts, to create a capillary force along the bonding surface urging adhesive away from the opening.
US09440437B2
A liquid discharge apparatus comprises: a liquid discharge head that discharge a liquid by varying a volume of a pressure chamber with an actuator; a control unit that generates a drive signal that varies the volume of the pressure chamber; and an actuator driving unit that drives the actuator with the drive signal, wherein the drive signal includes a plurality of discharge pulses and a non-discharge pulse, the non-discharge pulse is applied at a time point at which a vibration velocity of a composite residual vibration that is of a liquid near a nozzle and that is generated by the discharge pulses peaks in a direction toward an inside or outside of the nozzle, the time point being synchronized with an intermediate time point between a fall time point and a rise time point of the non-discharge pulse.
US09440425B2
A method for setting the pressure of a printing station includes at least one cylinder, from acquired images of the printed area of the printed web. The method includes displacing the at least one cylinder in accordance with a pre-defined displacement scheme, and acquiring the acquired images of the web throughout the displacement of the at least one cylinder, for each of the at least one cylinder, determining according to the acquired images, a left side print distance and a right side print distance, and determining for the each of the at least one cylinder a left actuator working distance and a right actuator working distance for the left actuator and the right actuator, respectively, according to the left side print distance and according to the right side print distance.
US09440419B2
Photochromic polyurethane laminates and methods for the formation of same wherein a photochromic polyurethane layer of the laminate is interposed between two primer coated transparent resin sheets.
US09440418B2
Wood-based composites, and methods for their manufacture, are provided. The composites include oriented wooden strands and cured bonding resin connecting adjacent strands. The composites are relatively low-density, having an average dry density of the wooden composites of about 15-28 pounds per cubic foot (pcf). The unique composition of the composites provide improved structural and insulating (thermal and acoustic) properties when compared to traditional engineered wood products (e.g., oriented strandboard).
US09440411B2
Soil-free living roof and wall systems comprising a living layer of Bryophytes, Lichen, And Vascular Epiphytes (BLAVE) on the surface of a thin, light-weight, flexible, fire-resistant mat of mineral wool having a density in the range of about 6-12 lbs/cu ft and thickness in the range of about ⅜″ to about ¾″. Mats are provided in modular units on the order of 2′×4′; no irrigation or growth medium is used. The mats are adhered to a roof or wall with adhesive or mastic, or may be secured with fasteners. In the preferred embodiment, modular units include flexible mineral wool mats over a base sheet of non-woven plastic fibers, on the order of from 2-4 mm thick, and a wide-mesh plastic netting over the BLAVE layer, sewn through to the base layer. Methods of mat module manufacture, innoculant mix production, installation and cultivation/propagation of BLAVE are disclosed.
US09440408B2
In a method for manufacturing components from composite fiber materials, at least one placeholder is inserted into a recess in a molding tool, wherein the unfinished component is subsequently produced, the placeholder is removed, at least one lifting pad is inserted into the recess and the unfinished component is removed from the molding tool by inflating the lifting pad. In a system for manufacturing components from composite fiber materials, the component removal process is monitored and controlled by a computer unit in order to prevent predetermined maximum component loads from being exceeded. The gentle component removal process makes it possible to avoid consequential costs for repairing or reworking the components.
US09440405B2
A tire marking apparatus and tire marking method capable of placing multiple, differently colored marks on a tire sidewall. The apparatus includes a frame assembly that movably mounts a stamping bar assembly carrying a plurality of stamping bar elements, each stamping element selectively movable into a marking position and a plurality of tape cassettes, each of which may carry tape of a different color. Each tape cassette is selectively movable into a tire marking position. An actuator advances a portion of an aligned tape cassette towards a tire marking region on the sidewall and moves an aligned stamping element into printing contact with the tire sidewall. This movement transfers material from the tape to the tire sidewall in a pattern that corresponds to indicia defined by the stamping element. The frame assembly includes an intermediate frame that is shiftable between at least two positions.
US09440383B2
A decorative sheet for insert molding prepared by laminating at least a surface protective layer on a support that includes an ABS resin, wherein the support has a flexural modulus of 1500 to 3000 MPa, and a thickness of 100 to 500 μm; the surface protective layer is obtained by cross-linking and curing an ionizing radiation curable resin composition; and the ionizing radiation curable resin composition has a tensile modulus of more than 100 MPa to less than 1000 MPa and a static frictional coefficient of 1.0 or less on a surface. The decorative sheet for insert molding includes at least a picture layer, a low glossy picture ink layer provided partially and the surface protective layer in this order on the support. The surface protective layer has a thickness of 1 to 30 μm.
US09440379B2
A mold for forming a coated intramedullary (IM) nail can include a tubular member having an insertion end and an opposite end. The tubular member can comprise a sidewall extending along a longitudinal axis between an outer surface and an inner surface. The sidewall can define at least one threaded inlet port therealong. The tubular member can be configured to receive the IM nail therein. The tubular member can be further configured to locate a flowable material against the IM nail within the inner surface.
US09440373B2
Tray assemblies and methods for manufacturing ceramic articles are provided. In one embodiment, a tray assembly includes a tray body having a supporting surface operable to support a ceramic article for passage through a microwave drying apparatus during a microwave drying process and a microwave coupling cover associated with the tray body. The microwave coupling cover envelopes at least a portion of the ceramic article during the microwave drying process. The microwave coupling cover has a dielectric property such that a greater percentage of microwave energy is coupled into the ceramic article with the microwave coupling cover present during the microwave drying process than with the microwave coupling cover not present. Methods may include rotating the ceramic article when the ceramic article is about 40%-60 dry.
US09440371B2
A holding device and method for engaging a work piece to route an end thereof. The device includes parallel first and second side plates and first and second clamping plates; where the clamping plates are positioned between the side plates. A connector member connects all the plates together. An activator assembly is engaged with the plates and, in a first instance, moves the clamping plates laterally toward each other and in a second instance moves them laterally away from each other. When moved toward each other, each clamping plate contacts one of the elongated sides of the work piece and the work piece is thereby clamped between the clamping plates. A clamping element extends downwardly from the connector member to contact the work piece. The holding device is usable in two different orientations to enable routing of the end face or second face of the work piece.
US09440361B1
An apparatus has a first member and a second member that is movable relative to the first member. The apparatus also has an activation element connected to the first member. The activation element also is wrapped about at least a portion of the second member.
US09440358B2
A robotic tool system includes a gripping mechanism having a pair of movable jaws that extend along a longitudinal axis. Each jaw has a convex inner surface relative to the axis that cooperate to define a first adaptor. A tool assembly includes a tool and a second adaptor connected to the tool and having a biconvex projection. The jaws are movable towards one another from a first condition spaced from the second adaptor to a second condition in which the first adaptor engages the second adaptor to securely fasten the tool assembly to the gripping mechanism.
US09440353B1
A computing system may provide a model of a robot. The model may be configured to determine simulated motions of the robot based on sets of control parameters. The computing system may also operate the model with multiple sets of control parameters to simulate respective motions of the robot. The computing system may further determine respective scores for each respective simulated motion of the robot, wherein the respective scores are based on constraints associated with each limb of the robot and a predetermined goal. The constraints include actuator constraints and joint constraints for limbs of the robot. Additionally, the computing system may select, based on the respective scores, a set of control parameters associated with a particular score. Further, the computing system may modify a behavior of the robot based on the selected set of control parameters to perform a coordinated exertion of forces by actuators of the robot.
US09440349B2
An automatic tire loader/unloader for stacking/unstacking tires in a trailer is disclosed. In one embodiment, a mobile base structure provides a support framework for a drive subassembly, conveyance subassembly, an industrial robot, a distance measurement subassembly, and a control subassembly. Under the operation of the control subassembly, tires advance through a powered transportation path to an industrial robot which places the tires within the trailer in a vertical stacking pattern or a rick-stacking pattern, for example. The control subassembly coordinates the selective articulated movement of the industrial robot and the activation of the drive subassembly based upon the distance measurement subassembly detecting objects, including tires, within a detection space, dimensions of the trailer provided to the control subassembly, and dimensions of the tires provided to the control subassembly.
US09440340B2
An electric rivet nut tool has a motor, a torque adjuster and a control device. The control device drives the motor to rotate a driving shaft so as to set a rivet nut. The torque adjuster serves to adjust a preset torque value. When a torque generated by the driving shaft exceeds the preset torque value of the torque adjuster and it represents that the rivet nut setting job is completed, the torque adjuster then displace for the control device to detect the displacement and drive the motor to reversely rotate. Given the torque adjuster and the control device, the problems of being time-consuming, inefficient, increasing in cost and damage prone to rivet nut or motor upon setting rivet nut because of the manual switch of forward or reverse rotation of an electric rivet nut tool can be effectively resolved.
US09440328B2
The invention relates to a method for ascertaining topography deviations of a dressing tool. The method includes executing a predefined relative movement of a dressing tool in relation to a dressable grinding tool, wherein during the execution of the relative movement, at least one contour region of the dressing tool is transferred into a transfer region of the grinding tool. A plunging body made of material which can be ground in the machine is provided. The transfer region of the grinding tool is moved into the vicinity of the plunging body by a relative infeed movement. A rotational movement of the grinding tool around an axis of rotation is executed. Plunging the transfer region of the grinding tool into the material of the plunging body, to thus perform a transfer of the topography of the transfer region into an imaging region of the plunging body. A scanning movement of the topography is performed of the plunging body using a coordinate scanning sensor and a computational ascertainment by means of a computer of at least one item of coordinate information, which permits a statement about the actual geometry of the dressing tool.
US09440310B2
An exemplary system and method for welding a piston assembly includes a piston assembly having a cooling gallery and a loose granulated medium positioned therein. The cooling gallery is formed by a piston body and a cooling gallery ring, and a welder such as a laser welder is positioned proximate the assembly to weld the piston body to the cooling gallery ring. During welding, the assembly is rotated and the loose granulated medium is caused to remain in a gravitationally low portion of the cooling gallery. The weld is formed in an area proximate the loose granulated medium such that weld spatter emitted during welding is emitted into the loose granulated medium.
US09440304B2
A welding system having a welding gun with a contact tip having an bore extending therethrough and a consumable weld wire. The cross-sectional shape of the bore of the contact tip being is essentially identical to the cross-sectional shape of the weld wire. The bore having an essentially elliptical cross-sectional shape and the weld wire having an essentially elliptical cross-sectional shape.
US09440301B2
A sinker electric discharge machining apparatus includes a quill 10, to which a tool electrode is attached, and a linear motor device configured to generate a linear movement of the quill towards a workpiece. The quill includes a plate member 11 made of a metal or an alloy, a first reinforcing member 51 fixed to a front surface 14 of the plate member, a second reinforcing member 52 fixed to the front surface of the plate member, a third reinforcing member 53 fixed to a back surface 15 of the plate member and disposed opposite to the first reinforcing member across the plate member, and a fourth reinforcing member 54 fixed to the back surface of the plate member and disposed opposite to the second reinforcing member across the plate member. The quill has a cross-section that is symmetric in a width direction of the plate member.
US09440299B2
The invention relates to method of manufacturing a multiple of identical gears by means of cutting machining, in particular hob cutting or hob grinding, on a gear-cutting machine, wherein workpieces are machined by means of a rotating tool which is brought into engagement with the workpiece via the control of NC axes of the gear cutting machine. In accordance with the invention, deviations from workpiece to workpiece are compensated by a respective different control of at least one of the NC axes of the gear cutting machine.
US09440298B2
This helical broach forms a twisted groove at the inner circumference of a machined hole of a workpiece by a plurality of cutting teeth, the plurality of cutting teeth include a plurality of circumference cutting teeth which are arranged on the tip-end side of the broach body, and include a plurality of tooth thickness cutting teeth which are arranged on the rear-end side of the broach body. The plurality of tooth thickness cutting teeth include cutting edges and guiding edges, respectively. The tooth thickness cutting tooth positioned closest to the rear-end side of the broach body is provided with the guiding edge instead of the cutting edge at the intersecting ridge part between a rake face and a lateral surface facing one wall surface of both groove wall surfaces of the twisted groove of the workpiece.
US09440295B2
The invention relates to a hydraulic expanding chuck (1) having a main body (2) and an expanding bush (3), which is inserted into the main body (2) to form at least one pressure chamber (5a, 5b) and is intended for chucking a tool. The expanding bush (3) has a radial opening (20), which is arranged in alignment with a driver (21) which is held adjustably in the main body (2) and can be moved via the opening (20) into positive engagement with a driving surface (22) on the tool shank of a tool to be received in the expanding bush (3). According to the invention, the driver (21) has a driver screw (23), which can be driven from radially outside the hydraulic expanding chuck (1) and is screwed into a threaded bore (24) formed in the main body (2) in alignment with the radial opening (20).
US09440291B2
A method of forming monodispersed metal nanowires comprising: forming a reaction mixture including a metal salt, a capping agent and an ionic additive in a polar solvent at a first temperature; and forming metal nanowires by reducing the metal salt in the reaction mixture.
US09440286B2
Processes for producing a nickel-titanium alloy are disclosed. The processes are characterized by the production of nickel-titanium alloy articles having improved microstructure. A pre-alloyed nickel-titanium alloy is melted and atomized to form molten nickel-titanium alloy particles. The molten nickel-titanium alloy particles are cooled to form nickel-titanium alloy powder. The nickel-titanium alloy powder is consolidated to form a fully-densified nickel-titanium alloy preform that is hot worked to form a nickel-titanium alloy article. Any second phases present in the nickel-titanium alloy article have a mean size of less than 10 micrometers measured according to ASTM E1245-03 (2008) or an equivalent method.
US09440284B2
A riveting tool including a magnet, a magnetically attractive housing, a non-magnetically attractive bucking bar received in the housing, the bucking bar being moveable relative to the housing along a bucking bar axis, and an actuation mechanism to move the bucking bar along the bucking bar axis.
US09440279B2
The present invention proposes a crimping punch making it possible to obtain a crimping that is resistant to pulling out.To this end, the punch (20) comprises a fixing part (21) for fixing to the tool and a punching part (22) consisting of a spike (23) connected to the fixing part by a first (24) and a second (25) crimping face, the first crimping face (24) exhibiting a convex primary profile and a secondary profile comprising at least two teeth (241, 251), preferably between three and five teeth, advantageously three teeth.
US09440278B2
Methods and apparatuses for roller hemming are disclosed herein. An example of a sheet metal roller hemming apparatus includes a first electrode to electrically connect to an electrical power supply and a sheet metal workpiece. The apparatus further includes a second electrode to electrically connect to the electrical power supply and the sheet metal workpiece to cause pulsed electric current to flow through a portion of the workpiece to locally increase formability in the portion of the workpiece. The apparatus still further includes a roller assembly to contact the workpiece to cause the workpiece to bend in the portion of the workpiece when the pulsed electric current is flowing through the portion of the workpiece, and to form a hem.
US09440272B1
Systems, methods, and devices for the production of aluminum rods from aluminum bars, aluminum wires from aluminum rods, and aluminum wires from aluminum bars are disclosed and described. Annealing steps are not needed or required in the disclosed methods.
US09440265B2
To convey an object container so as to prevent the content thereof from being diffused, there is provided an information controlling apparatus which controls a robot conveying the object container, and comprises: a 3D shape measuring unit configured to measure the 3D shape of the object container; a state measuring unit configured to measure the state of the content of the object container; a conveying method determining unit configured to determine the conveying method for the object container by the robot based on the 3D shape measured by the 3D shape measuring unit and the state measured by the state measuring unit; and an action planning unit configured to control the action of the robot based on the conveying method determined by the conveying method determining unit.
US09440258B2
The present invention relates to a transducer (11) comprising—a membrane (31) configured to change shape in response to a force, the membrane (31) having a first major surface (16) and a second major surface (17), —a piezoelectric layer (18) formed over the first major surface (16) of the membrane (31), the piezoelectric layer (18) having an active portion, —first and second electrodes (19) in contact with the piezoelectric layer (18), wherein an electric field between the first and second electrodes (19) determines the mechanical movement of the piezoelectric layer (18), —support structures (40) at the second major surface (17) of the membrane (15) on adjacent sides of the active portion of the piezoelectric layer (18), at least part of the support structures (40) forming walls perpendicular, or at least not parallel, to the second major surface (17) of the membrane (31), so as to form a trench (41) of any shape underlying the active portion, so that an ultrasound transducer is obtained with a high output pressure at the support side than at the opposite side. The invention also relates to a method of forming such a transducer, and an array comprising at least one transducer of the like.
US09440252B2
Disclosed is an improved applicator gun for mixing two materials passed through the gun under pressure, an A material and a B material, usually a resin and a hardener. The improved gun has substantially straight-through flow paths that beneficially permits the gun to be used with high viscosity materials and/or highly filled materials (large particles) and that beneficially minimize the effect of the pump “wink” associated with pump cycles. The preferred gun is air actuated, so it includes a valve body, a cylinder body for using pneumatic pressure to open and close the valve body, and a trigger body for selectively providing high pressure shop air to the cylinder body. The longitudinal axis of the cylinder body's cylinder and associated piston are uniquely offset from the plane containing the A- and B-paths so that the two paths can pass substantially straight through the cylinder body, and then through the valve body, prior to exiting the tip of the spray gun.
US09440247B2
A sprinkler includes a base, a positioning collar connected to the base, a gear box connected to the positioning collar and a sprinkling member which is co-rotated with the gear box, and a bypass tube connected between the positioning collar and the sprinkling member. The positioning collar is connected with a hose for introducing water to drive the gear box and the sprinkling member. A portion of the water from the hose enters the bypass tube and is introduced into the other end of the sprinkling tube. The water is introduced into the sprinkling tube from two positions to increase the volume of the water ejected from the sprinkling tube so as to cover a larger area.
US09440242B2
The invention provides methods and compositions for improving a froth flotation type separation. The method uses a microemulsion to improve the effectiveness of a frother. The improvement allows for low dosages of frother to work as well as much greater amounts of non-microemulsified frother.
US09440241B2
An electrostatic coalescer includes an outer wall defining a flow path for receiving a process fluid. A plurality of electrode plates is disposed within the flow path. A controller includes an inductor and a signal generator. The inductor is coupled in parallel with the plurality of electrode plates. The inductor and the plurality of electrode plates define a resonant circuit. The signal generator is coupled to the plurality of electrode plates and operable to apply an alternating current signal to the plurality of electrode plates at a frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit in the presence of the process fluid. The signal generator varies the frequency of the alternating current signal based on a positive feedback signal received from the resonant circuit to maintain resonance.
US09440234B2
This disclosure is directed to a slide for analyzing target analytes of a suspension. The slide can be used to collect and hold the target analyte for imaging or further processing. The slide comprises a well section, including wells into which the target analyte can be stored. The wells may be removable and sized to fit into a second apparatus, such as a PCR thermocycler, for additional processing. Alternatively, the wells may hold processing vessels, such as PCR tubes, the processing vessels being used for downstream processing and/or analysis.
US09440229B2
A leaktight joining device for ensuring the aseptic transfer of a biopharmaceutical product between a chamber equipped with a removable door and a container equipped with a removable cover, includes: stationary temporary flanging elements, stationary unlocking elements capable of changing the container from an initial locking position to an intermediate unlocking position so as to ensure an aseptic communication between the container and the chamber, stationary locking element capable of changing the container from the intermediate locking position to a final locking position, an annular functional ring gear capable of actuating the stationary unlocking elements and the stationary locking elements of the container. The stationary temporary flanging elements, the stationary unlocking elements, and the stationary locking elements are mechanically linked to the annular functional ring gear and arranged so that the unidirectional rotation of the annular functional ring gear about the geometric axis of rotation successively drives the actuation thereof.
US09440224B2
The present invention is directed to hollow catalyst particles comprising a layered shell structure and to a method of their manufacture. The catalyst particles have the general formula Hcore/PMinner shell/IL/PMouter shell in which Hcore is the hollow core, PMinner shell is a precious metal forming the innermost layer of the shell, IL is an intermediate layer comprising a base metal/precious metal alloy, and PMouter shell is a precious metal forming the outermost layer of the shell. The precious metal is selected from Pt, Ir and Pd and mixtures or alloys thereof, and IL is an intermediate layer comprising a base metal/precious metal alloy wherein the concentration of the base metal changes from the periphery of the hollow core to the outer surface of the intermediate layer. The base metal is selected from Co, Ni, and Cu and mixtures thereof.
US09440218B2
The present disclosure relates generally to methods and active materials for purifying gas streams containing halide as a contaminant, for example, in amounts as low as parts-per-million (ppm) or even parts-per-billion (ppb). In one aspect of the invention, an active material includes (a) one or more first metals each present as a metal oxide or metal hydroxide, the first metals being selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum, and gold; and (b) one or more second metals each present as a metal oxide or metal hydroxide, the one or more second metals being selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, scandium, yttrium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, and rhenium.
US09440212B2
Integrated primary and secondary cyclone assembly includes a secondary cyclone having an outlet tube extending therefrom and a primary cyclone operatively coupled with the secondary cyclone. The outlet tube has a cross dimension and length and is configured to be secured to a pressure vessel closure head to support the secondary cyclone therefrom. The primary cyclone has a tubular support member extending therefrom. The tubular support member is aligned substantially parallel with and has a length similar to the outlet tube of the secondary cyclone and is configured to be joined to the pressure vessel closure head to support the primary cyclone therefrom.
US09440211B2
The invention relates generally to a catalyst activator, and in particular to a catalyst activator for heat conditioning a catalyst, comprising: a) a vessel for containing a catalyst charge having an internal diameter of at least 1.2 meters and/or an internal volume of at least 5 m3; b) a fluidization grid plate disposed in said vessel, said fluidization grid plate and having an upper major surface and a lower major surface; c) an array of generally conical depressions in said upper major surface that overlap by less than 17%; and d) an array of holes perforating said fluidization grid plate, said holes extending from at least some of said generally conical depressions through said lower surface.
US09440202B2
A refrigerator may include a carbonated water tank in which carbonated water is stored; a water tank supplying filtered water to the carbonated water tank; a carbon dioxide cylinder supplying carbon dioxide to the carbonated water tank; a dispenser discharging the carbonated water or the filtered water; and a controller, if the filtered water is supplied to the carbonated water tank and supply of the filtered water is completed, supplying the carbon dioxide to the carbonated water tank so as to produce the carbonated water, wherein the controller stops producing the carbonated water if a discharge instruction of the filtered water is input from a user or if a door of the refrigerator is opened while the carbonated water is produced. Filtered water and carbonated water can be selectively taken, and when a user wants to use filtered water or opens a door of a refrigerator while carbonated water is produced, the refrigerator that stops production of carbonated water is provided so that the user can be prevented from misunderstanding that the refrigerator is broken.
US09440199B2
A wine aerator includes a seal configured to engage an opening of an uncorked wine bottle. A gas conduit passes through the seal and is configured to be attachable to a gas source supplying air and/or oxygen inside the uncorked wine bottle thereby aerating the wine. A bubble-generating aeration element is disposed at the gas conduit distal end. A bubble-reducing filter element is in fluidic communication with the inside and outside of the uncorked wine bottle through the seal, wherein the bubble-reducing filter element is disposed at, near and/or within the seal. When the seal is engaged with the opening of the uncorked wine bottle the bubble-reducing filter element separates the inside from the outside of the uncorked wine bottle. The bubble-reducing filter element helps to reduce the amount of bubbles that are being generated from the wine aerator during the aeration process.
US09440194B2
A decrease in the NOx removal or reduction rate is suppressed, while suppressing the outflow of particulate matter from a filter after regeneration of the filter. To this end, in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, there are provided a filter, an NOx storage reduction catalyst, and an NOx selective reduction catalyst which is arranged at the downstream side of the NOx storage reduction catalyst, wherein when a reducing agent is supplied to the NOx storage reduction catalyst or the NOx selective reduction catalyst, rich control in which an air fuel ratio of exhaust gas is controlled to a rich air fuel ratio is carried out, and the lowest value of the air fuel ratio of the exhaust gas, at the time of carrying out the rich control in a predetermined period of time from a point in time at which the regeneration of the filter has ended, is made higher than the lowest value or an average value of the air fuel ratio of the exhaust gas at the time of carrying out the rich control in a period of time from the lapse of the predetermined period of time until when the next regeneration of the filter is carried out.
US09440190B2
Herein are described products and processes for the reduction of contaminants from flue gases. Product compositions can include an aluminosilicate; and a calcium compound selected from calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, calcium halide, PRB coal fly ash, and a mixture thereof. Processes can include injecting a sorbent composition into a flue gas at a location where the flue gas has a temperature in a range of about 1700° C. to about 400° C., admixing the sorbent composition and a contaminant to form a eutectic composition; and collecting the eutectic composition at a temperature in a range of about 400° C. and about 50° C. Other product compositions can include a combination of anti-eutectic and non-eutectic materials.
US09440183B2
A wet scrubber (1) for cleaning a process gas containing sulphur dioxide comprises an absorption vessel (2) for contacting the process gas with an absorption liquid to absorb sulphur dioxide from the process gas, a sulphite sensor (68, 74) for measuring a sulphite concentration in the absorption liquid, and a control unit (52). The control unit (52) is adapted to receive a measurement signal from the sulphite sensor (68, 74) and to control, based on the measured sulphite concentration, at least one wet scrubber operating parameter influencing the sulphite concentration in the absorption liquid.
US09440177B2
Crankcase ventilation filter assemblies are described and shown. Components, features and methods of assembly and use are described. Many of the principles relate to preferred cartridge configurations for engagement with selected housings. Selected optional features described can be used to provide indication to a service provider that a proper cartridge is not positioned appropriately in the housing for use.
US09440174B2
A filter used to reduce the emission of silica particles used in hydraulic fracturing. The silica reduction cover is a custom fit filter installed onto vent hatches of proppant storage trailers. Proppant storage trailers, or “frac sanders,” have a series of vent hatches that release air and fine particles into the atmosphere during material transfer operations. The silica reduction cover is comprised of filter material and permits the controlled release of high pressure air at each vent hatch while reducing sand particle loss. The silica reduction cover maintains proppant sand product in the trailer for production use while significantly reducing the emission of airborne sand particles in the immediate work and adjoining site areas. The silica reduction cover incorporates a viewing window so that workers may monitor proppant levels in the storage trailer while the silica reduction cover is installed.
US09440173B2
An air cleaner includes a housing and a tubular air cleaning element, which is accommodated in the housing. A tubular case of the housing has an end having an upstream opening and another end having a downstream opening. The upstream opening of the case is adapted to introduce air into the housing. A cap is attached to the downstream opening of the case. An annular sealing portion, which is held between the case and the cap, is provided in the outer periphery of the air cleaning element. The case includes a case body having the downstream opening and a support plate attached to the downstream opening of the case body. The sealing portion is held between the support plate and the cap.
US09440167B2
Systems and methods for two-phase separation are provided. The system can include a vessel having a first end, a second end, an internal volume, an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. At least one separation tray can be disposed within the internal volume. The inlet can be disposed between the separation tray and the second end. At least one impeller can be connected to a shaft and disposed within the internal volume. The shaft can be mechanically linked to a motor. The at least one impeller can be disposed between the at least one separation tray and the first end.
US09440164B2
System and method of treating waste water includes: receiving waste water at a first pressure and temperature, the waste water comprising dissolved solids and VOCs; pressurizing, by a pump, the received waste water to a second pressure greater than the first pressure; preheating, by a preheater, the waste water to a second temperature greater than the first temperature producing distilled water; further heating, by a condenser, the pressurized/preheated waste water to a fourth temperature greater than the second temperature; still further heating, by a heater, the pressurized/further heated waste water to a third temperature greater than the fourth temperature; and removing, by a flash evaporator, dissolved solids from the pressurized/heated waste water by evaporation producing steam and brine water, the brine water having a TDS content greater than a TDS content of the received waste water. The brine water may be crystallized to a solid mass.
US09440163B2
System and method of treating waste water includes: receiving waste water at a first pressure and a first temperature, the waste water comprising dissolved solids and VOCs; pressurizing the waste water to a second pressure; preheating the pressurized waste water to a second temperature to produce distilled water and pressurized/preheated water; heating the pressurized/preheated to a third temperature to produce pressurized/heated water; removing dissolved solids from the pressurized/heated water, by an evaporator operated at a third pressure less than the second pressure, to produce steam and brine water; and crystallizing the brine water, by a crystallizer operated at a fourth pressure greater than the second pressure, to produce a solid mass waste product and steam. Steam produced by the crystallizer, at the fourth pressure and a fourth temperature, is a heat source for the preheater and/or heater, and steam produced by the evaporator is a heat source for the crystallizer.
US09440159B1
Toy vehicles having a toy vehicle body having front and back ends, front and rear axles, each axle having first and second wheels fastened onto respective ends thereof, the wheels having elastic tires thereon, the front and rear axles being mounted to the toy vehicle body with the axles being parallel to each other, a motor within the toy vehicle body, and a source of electrical power within the toy vehicle body, the motor being disposed with an axis of its motor shaft passing through an axis of one of the axles and contacting the side of a tire on the wheel adjacent the motor shaft to drive the tire and thus both wheels on the respective axle in rotation to propel the toy vehicle, the side of the tire contacted by the motor shaft facing the second tire and wheel on the same axle.
US09440155B2
An amusement and leisure slide comprises at least one sliding trail forming a three-dimensional curve supported with fastenings attached to a portion of the sliding trail to an axial part disposed on a support and configured to rotate about a substantially horizontal rotation axis. The sliding trail comprises an inlet arranged in vicinity of the rotation axis of the trail and an outlet allowing a rider to exit the trail. The curve of the sliding trail is configured to form a sliding path between the inlet and the outlet extending in a volume around the rotation axis of the trail, said sliding path being driven by a motor. The sliding trail may include a dry or wet sliding tube, sliding rail(s) for guiding carts or wagons, or a sliding tube provided with rail(s) arranged inside the tube for guiding carts or wagons.
US09440152B2
Fantasy sports information may be integrated with video content of games or sporting events. An example technique includes determining one or more athletes on a roster of a fantasy sports team of a user, receiving video content of a game or sporting event, and identifying at least one athlete of interest that is on the roster of the fantasy sports team of the user depicted in the video content of the game or sporting event. The video content may then be displayed along with a visual indicator associated with the at least one athlete of interest to indicate that the athlete of interest is on the roster of the fantasy sports team of the user. The visual indicator may comprise a name, symbol, logo or other identifier of an entity, such as a sponsor of the game or sporting event.
US09440151B2
A virtual environment in which players are able to enter into financial transactions which result in a financial obligation such as a debt. If a player defaults on a debt, the debts may then be sold or otherwise transferred to a virtual collection agency, which may be able to mete out a consequence to the defaulting player. Alternatively, the consequence may be meted out by the game server or other entity.
US09440147B2
A controller to which a second controller is connected arranges, based on predetermined integrated scenario information defining a first input region allotted for the controller and a second input region allotted for the second controller within data regions for packet input data, operation input data corresponding to an operation input from a user in the first input region, and data based on extended input data obtained from an extension apparatus in the second input region, generates packet input data, and transmits it to a device main unit.
US09440142B2
A blocking mechanism for a table-type amusement game, and a table-type amusement game equipped with a blocking mechanism. The blocking mechanism utilizes a series of blocking pins goes from a closed position, which blocks a playing piece from scoring to an upper open position, which permits the playing piece to score. The blocking mechanism may be manually or electrically operated. When the blocking mechanism is electrically operated, it may be activated by the insertion of a coin into a coin and/or bill acceptor of the type found on table-type amusement games.
US09440135B2
A multilayer electronic support structure comprising at least one pair of adjacent feature layers extending in an X-Y plane that are separated by a via layer; said via layer comprising a dielectric material that is sandwiched between the two adjacent feature layers and at least one one non-cylindrical via post that couples said pair of adjacent feature layers through the dielectric material in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane; wherein said at least one non-cylindrical via post is characterized by having a long dimension in the X-Y plane that is at least 3 times as long as a short dimension in the X-Y plane.
US09440119B2
Golf ball with a novel combination of spin rate, lift coefficient, drag coefficients, and optionally moment of inertia: a golf ball with a low spin rate, a high lift coefficient, a low drag coefficient, and optionally a high moment of inertia; and a golf ball with a high spin rate, a low lift coefficient, a low drag coefficient, and optionally a low moment of inertia.
US09440118B2
Multi-layer golf balls having a hard, high compression center, a relatively soft intermediate layer, and a stiff outer cover layer, are provided. The outer surface hardness of the intermediate layer is less than that of both the center and the outer cover layer.
US09440109B2
An apparatus permitting a user to perform a simulated bicycling exercise is provided. The design includes a frame having a head tube, a first upper rear mounting point and a second lower front mounting point configured to maintain the frame, and a stem connected to a handlebar arrangement, the stem passing through the headset collar and connected to a base by a connection arrangement comprising an arm. The frame is configured to pivot about the first upper rear mounting point and second lower front mounting point in response to leaning by the user, causing rotation of the stem within the head tube by movement of the connection arrangement.
US09440105B1
An apparatus for human exercise in certain configurations includes a first foot pad attached to a first guided carrier member. A first curved guide rail is coupled to the first guided carrier member. The first curved guide rail prevents motion of the first guided carrier member except for translation along the first curved guide rail. A weight stack includes a first plurality of weights coupled to a first cable. The first cable is also coupled to the first foot pad. A tension in the first cable may oppose a translation of the first foot pad along the first curved guide rail. A stationary foot platform is fixed to the apparatus between the first curved guide rail and the weight stack. The first curved guide rail is curved away from an underlying ground plane, to define a rail height that decreases towards the stationary foot platform.
US09440098B2
An alkaline anti-wrinkling composition comprising carnosine, derivative thereof, or mixture of carnosine, and derivative thereof.
US09440093B2
A method and device for stimulating human dermal tissue retraction and collagen and elastin production is provided. One or more lasers or other electromagnetic radiation devices produce at least two output beams (split or independent beams) that can be directed to deliver electromagnetic energy to a desired subsurface depth of dermal tissue, thereby disrupting the same, without causing excessive damage to the adjacent epidermis, subcutaneous fatty tissue, or blood vessels of the skin.
US09440092B2
Phototherapy systems comprising a therapeutic lamp platform for radiant lamps such as LEDs disposed in an assembly including a reflective surface facing towards a patient and a plurality of light apertures substantially aligned with the LEDs for communicating lamp radiation from the lamps to a user. The lamps and associated circuitry are disposed so that the reflective surface is relatively smooth and seamless towards the patient. The walls have a malleable rigidity for flexible adjustability relative to the user, and the device is mounted to the user with a frame.
US09440091B2
In response to local or systemic inflammation in a patient, photobiomodulation therapy is applied to a cardiac location to reduce the risk and/or occurrence of cardiac arrhythmia. Once inflammation is identified, photobiomodulation therapy can be applied in any suitable fashion (e.g., via a catheter- or transesophageal probe-mounted photoemitter, via an externally-applied photoemitter, or via photoemitter incorporated into an implantable medical device). Photobiomodulation therapy can also be employed to good advantage in conjunction with non-photobiomodulation therapy (e.g., traditional cardiac rhythm management therapies).
US09440090B2
A photo-therapy method using a display device is provided. The photo-therapy method includes receiving a viewing time input and a photo-therapy selection input, wherein the viewing time input represents an expected viewing time of a user and the photo-therapy selection input represents a photo-therapy selected by the user. The photo-therapy method further includes calculating a period of a photo-therapy image based on the expected viewing time and a suggested treatment time of the selected photo-therapy, and displaying the photo-therapy image with the calculated period while displaying a normal image.
US09440079B2
A neurostimulation system for management of stimulation safety limits. The system determines a tissue charge injection metric at each electrode, compares the metric to the hard stop charge limit, and prevents the neurostimulator from delivering stimulation energy to the tissue region in accordance based on the comparison. The hard stop limit may be user-programmable or may be automatically modified in response to detection of electrode characteristics. The system may quantitatively notify a user of a value of the injected charge injected into the tissue. The electrodes may be organized into different sets, in which case, the system may directly control tissue charge independently at each of the electrode sets. If current steering is provided, the system may displace the electrical stimulation energy along the tissue region in one direction, while preventing the charge injection value at each of the electrodes from meeting or exceeding the hard stop charge limit.
US09440071B2
An exemplary system for facilitating binaural hearing by a cochlear implant patient includes 1) a spectral analysis facility configured to divide a first audio signal presented to a first ear of the patient and a second audio signal presented to a second ear of the patient into first and second sets of analysis channels, respectively, and 2) a processing facility configured to process acoustic content contained in a first analysis channel included in the first set of analysis channels and acoustic content contained in a second analysis channel included in the second set of analysis channels, mix the processed acoustic content contained in the first and second analysis channels, and direct a cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation representative of the mixed acoustic content to the first ear by way of a stimulation channel that corresponds to the first analysis channel.
US09440065B2
Described here are devices, systems, and methods for treating one or more conditions (such as dry eye) or improving ocular health by providing stimulation to nasal or sinus tissue. Generally, the devices may be handheld or implantable. In some variations, the handheld devices may have a stimulator body and a stimulator probe having one or more nasal insertion prongs. When the devices and systems are used to treat dry eye, nasal or sinus tissue may be stimulated to increase tear production, reduce the symptoms of dry eye, and/or improve ocular surface health.
US09440063B2
An electrode assembly for neuro-cranial stimulation includes an electrode, a conductive gel, and an adapter including an interior compartment for positioning the electrode relative to the adapter and for receiving and retaining the conductive gel. The conductive gel contacts the electrode along an electrode-gel interface. An orifice at one end of the interior compartment and adjacent to a positioning surface of the adapter for positioning the electrode assembly against a skin surface of a user enables the conductive gel is able to contact the skin surface of the user to define a gel-skin interface, such that a minimum distance between the electrode-gel interface and the gel-skin interface is maintained between 0.25 cm and 1.3 cm. An electrode assembly mounting apparatus is provided for adjustably positioning a plurality of electrode assemblies against target positions on the cranium.
US09440055B2
A balloon for medical treatments such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), delivery of a vascular stents or stent grafts, employs reinforcement materials that are patterned so as to promote consistent folding of the balloon. The reinforcements may be fiber fabric reinforcements and the balloon may be used for biocidal treatment.
US09440052B2
A needle guard assembly having a resilient arm extending from a base situated to slide along the shaft of a needle, In one implementation the needle guard has an elongate containment member that rides with the resilient arm and is co-operable with the resilient arm to effectuate a covering of the entire distal tip of the needle upon the needle being refracted into the needle guard.
US09440049B2
A system for accessing a sinus cavity of a subject includes an access tool configured to penetrate into the sinus cavity from a location external the subject. The system further includes an access sheath having a distal tubular portion, a lumen extending through the access sheath and the distal tubular portion and dimensioned to receive the access tool, the distal tubular portion comprising one or more cutting surfaces disposed about an external surface thereof. The one or more cutting surfaces may include a plurality of longitudinally oriented grooves for flutes disposed about the periphery of the distal tubular member.
US09440047B1
A system and method for catheter placement using ECG is provided. In certain embodiments, the system and method can generate a patient specific window for tracking a characteristic of an ECG waveform, such as the amplitude of a P-wave. The patient specific window can be utilized in a system and method for assisting in the placement of a catheter within a patient. In other embodiments, a tip location algorithm can be used with an anti-thrombogenic catheter and an intravascular electrode assembly for maintaining a high resolution intravascular signal in an ECG based catheter tip placement system.
US09440045B2
A hemodialysis catheter for use within a vein of a patient includes a catheter body having a proximal end when positioned within and relative to the vein. The catheter body defines an arterial lumen and a venous lumen. The catheter body is shaped with a curved tip which has a distal end. The venous lumen is truncated at a location between the proximal end of the catheter body and the distal end of the curved tip. The truncated location of the venous lumen defines an out-flow opening. The distal end of the curved tip defines an in-flow opening which corresponds to the arterial lumen. The vein has a blood flow direction and the in-flow opening faces the blood flow direction.
US09440042B2
The invention relates to a method of determining water level in a humidifier chamber that is part of a humidified gases delivery apparatus and system. The method comprising the steps of delivering power to a heater plate, varying the power delivered to the heater plate, measuring the rate of change of temperature and determining the level of water based on the heating characteristics of the volume of water within the chamber, in particular determining the level of water within the chamber based on the rate of change of temperature and the supplied power.
US09440033B2
A device having a housing; a cannula projecting forwardly from the housing; a connector useful for attaching the device to a fluid source or receptacle; a fluid flow path establishing fluid communication between the cannula and the connector; a retraction mechanism biasing the cannula away from its projecting position; and an actuator supported by the housing and configured to modify the fluid flow path so as to terminate fluid flow through the device, seal off the fluid flow path, and release the retraction mechanism to retract the cannula into the housing. The subject device is particularly preferred for use in the medical field, for example, as part of an infusion set or as a collection device for blood, or other fluids or flowable matter.
US09440030B2
The invention relates to a medicament delivery device comprising a housing arranged to receive a medicament container (20), a drive unit (25) arranged to act on a stopper (27) in said medicament container (20), which drive unit (25) comprises a torsion drive spring (50). A dose setting member (56) is operably connected to said drive unit (25) such that a manual turning of said dose setting member (56) causes a tensioning of said torsion drive spring (50). The device further comprises an activation mechanism (76) having an activation button (94) protruding through the distal end of the device, wherein said activation mechanism (76) is operably connected to said drive unit (25) such that actuation of said activation mechanism (76) causes a release of said drive unit (25) whereby a set dose of medicament is delivered.
US09440029B2
The drive mechanism comprises a lead screw (5) and a lead screw nut, which are aligned with an axis (4). The lead screw has screw threads (6, 16) having the same pitch and being intertwined.
US09440025B2
An infusion system, which may be a closed loop infusion system or “semi-closed-loop” system, uses state variable feedback to control the rate that fluid is infused into the body of a user. The closed loop infusion system includes a sensor system, a controller, and a delivery system. The “semi-closed-loop” system further includes prompts that are displayed or sounded or otherwise provide indications to the user prior to fluid delivery. The sensor system includes a sensor for monitoring a condition of the user. The sensor produces a sensor signal, which is representative of the condition of the user. The delivery system infuses a fluid into the user at a rate dictated by the commands from the controller. The system may use three state variables, subcutaneous insulin concentration, plasma insulin concentration, and insulin effect, and corresponding gains, to calculate an additional amount of fluid to be infused as a bolus and to be removed from the basal delivery of the fluid.
US09440024B2
An exemplary insulin infusion set that further provides one or more set elements including the hub, hub adhesive, fluid line tubeset, connectors, catheters and insertion needles which can be impregnated with, coated with, or otherwise configured to contain and administer an anesthetic at the insertion and set placement locations to minimize user discomfort and the risk of complications associated with the use of infusion sets. To do so, the system and method provides steps for mixing at a step (22) at least two of a solvent, an anesthetic, and a lubricant, applying the mixed compound as a coating to at least one surface of the infusion set, patch pump, or an element thereof at a step (24), and then substantially removing the solvent after coating at a step (26) to provide at least one of an anesthetic layer and a lubricant layer upon the infusion set, patch pump, or an element thereof.
US09440009B2
The present application discloses embodiments related to an implant and a method of forming an implant configured to treat a fractured bone. The implant can include a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface extending from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the body defines a central axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end; and a high tensile strand positioned adjacent the body such that at least a portion of the strand extends at least partially along the outer surface of the body in a direction substantially parallel with the central axis, and wherein the strand is loaded with an active agent.
US09440004B2
This invention provides a method for obtaining biological tissue having a three-dimensional structure of interest. The method of the invention comprises: adding a cell-containing culture solution to a culture vessel having an inner bottom surface, which is non-cell adhesive and comprises a concave-convex pattern provided thereon; performing cell culture under conditions in which intercellular adhesion takes place while centrifugal or magnetic force toward the inner bottom surface is applied to the cells that were added to the culture vessel to form tissue via intercellular adhesion; and detaching and collecting the resulting tissue from the inner bottom surface at the end in order to obtain tissue having a three-dimensional configuration using a concave-convex pattern as a template.
US09440003B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, various medical devices, including implantable or insertable medical devices, are provided, which comprise at least one particle-containing region whose surface is at least partially coated with a diamond-like coating.
US09439996B2
Provided herein are systems, apparatuses and methods for use in disinfecting pneumatic tube system (PTS) components and/or disinfecting air displaced during the operation of a PTS. More specifically, various aspects are directed to the use of light source disinfection systems for disabling bacteria, viruses and/or other micro-organisms (hereafter “pathogens”) in a PTS. The light source disinfection systems allow of cleaning pneumatic carriers, cleaning the interior of pneumatic tubes and PTS components and/or cleaning air, which is used to propel pneumatic carriers in a PTS.
US09439992B2
A sterilization cabinet for use in an autoclave. The sterilization cabinet includes one or more filtered vents permitting sterilization agent to enter and exit the interior space of the cabinet during a sterilization cycle. Each vent is occluded by a cover plate. The cover plate contains a latch configured to accept a rod extending from the center of the vent and engage a notch disposed thereon. The floor of the cabinet is shaped to direct the liquid contained within the cabinet to flow into the drain port disposed within the floor. The drain assembly is used to expel the liquid from the cabinet while preventing microbes and contaminants from entering the cabinet. The hinges connecting the door to the cabinet can be used to adjust an angle of inclination, a horizontal position, and a vertical position of the door.
US09439991B2
A method for decontaminating a medical device includes enclosing the medical device in an enclosure including a fog-permeable layer and an exterior port member coupled to the fog-permeable layer. The exterior port member of the enclosure is coupled to a chemical dispersing interface in a decontamination chamber. A pressure in the decontamination chamber is reduced to a sub-atmospheric pressure in a first evacuation step. A room temperature decontaminating fluid is introduced as a fog into the decontamination chamber. The fog is held in the decontamination chamber for a decontaminating time. The pressure in the decontamination chamber is reduced to a sub-atmospheric pressure in a second evacuation step. The decontamination chamber is vented to atmospheric pressure.
US09439989B2
Disclosed herein is a light fixture. The light fixture includes at least one first light source that emits at a peak wavelength in a range of approximately 380 nm to approximately 420 nm and at least one second light source that emits at a different peak wavelength, wherein a combined light output of the at least one first light source and the at least one second light source emits a colored light that is perceived as white light. The white light is defined by having a color rendering index (CRI) value of more than approximately 50. The at least one second light source that emits at a different peak wavelength consists of an xy coordinate on a International Commission on Illumination (CIE) 1931 xy color space diagram above a black body curve within a bounded area defined by a first line of approximately y=2.23989x−0.382773 and a second line of approximately y=1.1551x−0.195082. The combined light output has a proportion of spectral energy measured in the approximately 380 nm to approximately 420 nm range of greater than approximately 20%.
US09439985B2
The subject invention relates to the compositions for radiolabeling Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid (DTPA)-dextran with Technetium-99m and for stabilizing the DTPA-dextran Cold Kit. The composition contains Stannous Chloride ions to reduce 99mTc-pertechnetate, Ascorbic Acid to reduce stannic ions to stannous ions to maintain a reducing environment, α,α-Trehalose to add bulk and to stabilize the lyophilized composition without interfering with the radiochemical yield, and Glycine to transchelate Technetium-99m under highly acidic conditions to facilitate radiolabeling DTPA-dextran with high radiochemical purity. In addition, the invention pertains to methods for making and using the compositions. The reconstitution of the lyophilized composition by 99mTc-pertechnetate, resulting in radiolabeled 99mTc-DTPA-dextran in a composition between pH 3 to 4. This invention contains a Diluent vial, which when used will shift the pH to a moderately acidic pH, which would provide less pain on injection and ease-of-use to clinical practioners for adjusting its potency.
US09439984B2
The invention provides macrocycles useful in chelating metal ions, particularly radionuclides, to provide metal ion complexes. The invention also provides methods of using the compounds and complexes of the invention, such as in therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
US09439980B2
The application relates to a composition comprising: a stably integrating delivery vector; a modified mammalian thymidylate kinase (tmpk) wherein the modified mammalian tmpk increases phosphorylation of a prodrug relative to phosophorylation of the prodrug by wild-type human tmpk; and a detection cassette fused to tmpk. The application also relates to use of these compositions in methods of treatment of diseases such as graft versus host disease and cancer.
US09439977B2
The present invention provides a method for the treatment of interferon resistant tumors through the use of recombinant vectors encoding interferon species. In particular it is noted that interferon species provided by recombinant vectors possesses properties not associated with the recombinantly produced interferon proteins. The present invention further provides compositions useful in the treatment of interferon resistant tumors using recombinant vectors encoding interferons.
US09439969B2
The invention relates to an iron oligosaccharide compound with improved stability comprising a hydrogenated oligosaccharide in stable association with ferric oxyhydroxide, the content of dimer saccharide in said hydrogenated oligosaccharide being 2.9% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the hydrogenated oligosaccharide. In further aspects is provided a process for preparing said compound as well as the use of said compound for preparation of a composition for treatment of iron deficiency anaemia.
US09439968B2
Provided herein are lipidoids that may be prepared from the conjugate addition of alkylamines to acrylates. In some embodiments, provided lipidoids are biodegradable and may be used in a variety of drug delivery systems. Given the amino moiety of the lipidoids, they are well-suited for the delivery of polynucleotides, in addition to other agents. Nanoparticles containing the inventive lipidoids and polynucleotides have been prepared and have been shown to be effective in delivering siRNA.
US09439966B2
A multi-component nanochain for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications includes at least three nanoparticles linked together to form the nanochain. At least one nanoparticle of the nanochain has an asymmetric surface chemistry defined by asymmetrically disposed first linkers and second linkers. The nanoparticles are linked to form the nanochain by linking first linkers and/or second linkers disposed on separate nanoparticles.
US09439950B2
Disclosed are therapeutic, activated leukocyte conditioned supernatants, methods of making them, and methods of using the conditioned supernatants to repair or promote healing of wounds.
US09439948B2
A cage for facilitating fusion of bones, such as vertebrae, or fusion of adjacent bone surfaces is disclosed. In one form, the cage includes a plurality of spaced apart walls comprising a biodegradable polymeric material (e.g., polycaprolactone); an osteoconductive mineral coating (e.g., a calcium compound) on at least a portion of the walls; and a bioactive agent (e.g., a bone morphogenetic protein) associated with the polymeric material and/or the coating. The bioactive agent is present in amount that induces ossification between the bones or adjacent bone surfaces. The cage may also include a fixation plate connected to at least one of the walls.
US09439943B2
The present invention relates to peptide ligands of the melanocortin receptors, in particular the melancortin-4 receptor, and as such, are useful in the treatment of disorders responsive to the activation of this receptor, such as insulin resistance.
US09439942B2
A method of treating large cell lung cancer in a subject in need thereof is provided. The method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or an analog or derivative thereof, thereby treating the large cell lung cancer in the subject.
US09439924B2
The present disclosure describes the role for miR-322(424)/503 in the differentiation of cardiac precursor cells. Thus, the use of these molecules in the programming of resident stem/progenitor cells into cardiomyocytes, both in vitro and in vivo. Such methods find particular use in the treatment of patients post-myocardial infarction to prevent or limit scarring and to promote myocardial repair.
US09439921B2
The present invention relates to high purity cangrelor, pharmaceutical formulations comprising high purity cangrelor as an active ingredient, methods for preparing such compounds and formulations, and methods for using the pharmaceutical formulations in the inhibition of platelet activation and aggregation.
US09439918B2
Described herein are macrolide and ketolide antibiotics and pharmaceutical compositions, methods, and uses thereof for treating gastrointestinal diseases.
US09439914B2
The present invention relates to an active crystalline material, especially an active multicomponent crystalline material such as a salt or a cocrystal, which may be made by dispersing precursor components of the active crystalline material in a liquid medium which comprises an anti-solvent, maintaining the dispersion for a period during which the active crystalline material is formed, and, during said period, exposing the dispersion to a solvent, which solvent being present in the liquid medium in a minor proportion by weight thereof.
US09439905B2
The present invention provides implants comprising a therapeutic drug and a polymer containing polylactic acid (PLA) and optionally polyglycolic acid (PGA). The present invention also provides methods of maintaining a therapeutic level of a drug in a subject, releasing a therapeutic drug at a substantially linear rate, and treating schizophrenia and other diseases and disorders, utilizing implants of the present invention.
US09439900B2
There is provided pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of e.g. opioid dependency comprising microparticles of a pharmacologically-effective amount of buprenorphine, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, in associative admixture with particles comprising a weak acid, or particles comprising weakly-acidic buffer forming materials. The composition may further comprise a disintegrant and/or particles of a pharmacologically-effective amount of naloxone, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof. The compositions are useful in the treatment of opioid dependency/addiction and/or pain.
US09439885B2
The present invention is directed to a method for inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria in an infant formula comprising supplementing the infant formula with at least one diglyceride antimicrobial agent.
US09439883B2
The invention regards the use of triiodothyronine sulfate, commonly named T3S, as a medicament having thyromimetic activity for the treatment of pathologies due to organic deficiency of triiodothyronine (T3), as such or in association with thyroxine (T4), and pharmaceutical formulations for oral administration thereof.
US09439879B2
Urinary incontinence is treated by administration of pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one nitrone spin trap such as α-phenyl t-butyl nitrone (PBN) and derivatives thereof. Preferred compositions and methods of treatment further include at least one adjunctive ingredient including fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid such as ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbyl stearate, and polyenylphosphatidylcholine.
US09439870B2
The present invention concerns polymeric-enveloped microparticles including at least one HASE type acrylic copolymer, at least one solid-liquid phase change material with a phase transition temperature ranging from 20 to 90° C., and at least one active agent. In particular, the microparticles include at least one HASE type acrylic copolymer including at least one anionic monomer with a polymerizable vinyl group and a carboxyl group, at least one non-ionic hydrophobic monomer with a polymerizable vinyl group, and at least one alkoxylated associative macromonomer with a polymerizable vinyl group and a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain.
US09439867B1
A method for manufacturing a compound danshen dripping pill is disclosed. The method comprises: mixing powders of active substances with an excipient in a weight ratio between 1:1 and 1:2 to obtain a mixture; indirectly melting the mixture via a first oil at 75-80° C. until the mixture becomes a molten state; and dripping the melted mixture into a second oil at 3-10° C., cooling and solidifying the melted mixture to obtain the dripping pill. The powders of active substances comprise powders of Chinese salvia, powders of notoginseng and borneol, while the excipient comprises PEG 1500 and PEG 4000 in a weight ratio between 1:1 and 1:3.
US09439863B2
This invention relates to pharmaceutical dosage forms, particularly to pH dependent pharmaceutical dosage forms with enhanced and/or prolonged distribution of a pharmaceutical compound at a target site. More specifically, this invention relates to a controlled release intravaginal pharmaceutical dosage form and, more particularly, to a pharmaceutical dosage form which comprises microspheres encapsulated and/or embedded within a bioerodible polymeric matrix, together the microspheres and the matrix are formed into a caplet and/or tablet.
US09439862B2
Phospholipid based powders for drug delivery applications are disclosed. The powders comprise a polyvalent cation in an amount effective to increase the gel-to-liquid crystal transition temperature of the particle compared to particles without the polyvalent cation. The powders are hollow and porous and are preferably administered via inhalation.
US09439856B2
Disclosed is an effective method of preparing a composition for delivering an anionic drug, the composition comprising an anionic drug as an active ingredient, a cationic lipid, and an amphiphilic block copolymer, wherein the anionic drug forms a complex with the cationic lipid, and the anionic drug/cationic lipid complex is entrapped in a micelle structure formed by the amphiphilic block copolymer.
US09439850B2
The present invention provides a compound which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) derivative of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or solvate thereof, for use in treating various skin disorders.
US09439849B2
Provided is a composition for preventing or alleviating skin wrinkles containing honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia) extract, a fraction thereof, or a fermented honeybush as an active ingredient. More particularly, the honeybush extract or fermented honeybush of the claimed subject matter can reduce the length and depth of skin wrinkles caused by UV irradiation and reduce the thickness of the epidermal layer, in addition to suppress collagen tissue breakdown reactions, indicating it is excellent in alleviating skin wrinkles, so that it can be effectively used as an active ingredient of a composition for preventing or alleviating skin wrinkles.
US09439845B2
The present invention is directed to glycyrrhetinimidyl hydroxyproline alkyl ester compounds and their protected derivatives and cosmetically acceptable salts thereof, methods of making the compounds, cosmetic compositions containing at least one of the compounds and methods of using the same to promote collagen production in human skin. The compounds and cosmetic compositions of the invention provide various advantageous properties to the human skin.
US09439838B2
The invention relates to a solution to be selectively applied to individual parts of the surface of dental ceramic(s) and a process for using the solution in the dental field. More specifically the invention relates to a solution comprising a) a solvent, b) an effect agent, and c) a complexing agent. The invention also relates to a kit comprising the solution and to a method of using the solution for selectively treating of parts of the surface dental ceramic(s). The invention also relates to a application instrument suitable for applying the solution.
US09439829B2
The present invention presents a hypodermic injection apparatus and methods to introduce an agent to a human body in a less painful way by activating inhibitory mechanisms for pain perception. The apparatus comprises a vibration assembly that encircles a needle penetration site, a removable and disposable barrier device that isolates the apparatus from a recipient and from a needle, a mechanical assembly for syringe movement and a power and control electronics housed in a handle assembly. The vibration assembly generates and delivers vibration to the recipient through a resonant vibration chamber that contacts the recipient via the barrier device. A syringe needle penetrates the recipient's tissue through a linear tubular conduit axially located in the vibration chamber. The needle penetration site is encircled by vibration and the needle is enclosed by the barrier device while being retracted from the recipient.
US09439825B2
A walker stabilizing platform including a movement restrictor assembly for assisting a user of a walker in transitioning from a sitting position to a standing position wherein the movement restrictor assembly automatically moves from a position of engagement with the walker to a position of disengagement with the walker, and further includes means for allowing the user of the walker to move the movement restrictor assembly from the disengaged position to the engaged position without assistance.
US09439824B1
A device for promoting the extension of the sacrospinal muscles of a person resting on a horizontal surface includes stand having a horizontal cross bar fixed at opposing ends thereof with one each of a front pair legs and a rear pair of legs. Each front leg is pivotally fixed with the cross bar and configurable in both collapsed and extended configurations. At least one rigid post projects away from the cross bar, and at least one elastomeric band, when suspended from the at least one post, is capable of supporting the person around his sacrospinal muscles above the horizontal surface. The front and rear legs rest on the horizontal surface such that the cross bar is elevated above the horizontal surface sufficiently high enough to accommodate the person thereon in a supine position.
US09439822B1
A lifting assembly includes a pillow that may be positioned between a user and a support surface after the user has fallen onto the support surface. The pillow may support a weight ranging between approximately 250 pounds and 500 pounds. A valve is attached to the pillow and a pump is selectively attached to the valve. The pump selectively urges air into the pillow thereby facilitating the pump to inflate the pillow. The pillow lifts the user upwardly from the support surface as the pillow is inflated thereby facilitating the user to stand up. The pillow reaches a height ranging between approximately 18 inches and 25 inches with respect to the support surface when the pillow is inflated.
US09439820B2
A vehicle having a multiple of level compensation systems is disclosed. The vehicle comprising a chassis having a left frame, a right frame and a base plate, a first level compensation system comprising a pivot joint for pivotably connecting the left and right frames to the base plate around a common rotational axis. A first axial distance from a left rotation axis of a left wheel pair to the rotational axis is different from at least one second axial distance from a right rotation axis of a right wheel pair to the rotational axis, such that the left and right wheel pair have at least one off-set to each other. Moreover a method for traversing stairs with such vehicle is disclosed.
US09439817B2
A water-disintegrable absorbent article adapted to be easily peeled off the wearer's undergarment after use. A pantiliner has a topsheet lying on a body side of the wearer, a backsheet and a liquid-absorbent body interposed between the top- and backsheets. The backsheet may be formed of a water-disintegrable fibrous nonwoven fabric of which the component fibers have an orientation extending in a longitudinal direction. On a non-body side, first adhesive regions adapted to be attached to the wearer's undergarment and second adhesive regions allocated on both outer sides in a transverse direction of the first adhesive regions so as to be spaced in the transverse direction from the first adhesive regions. The first adhesive regions include front first adhesive regions, rear first adhesive regions and central first adhesive regions allocated between the front and rear first adhesive regions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. The second adhesive regions include front second adhesive regions and rear second adhesive regions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. The central first adhesive regions are allocated in a space area defined by the front and rear second adhesive regions and arranged in the transverse direction.
US09439809B2
Methods of sterilizing articles such as wound dressings, include the steps of providing an article that includes a polymer layer, applying an aqueous solution to the polymer layer and applying electron beam radiation to the article. The polymer layer includes a hydrophobic organic matrix that includes an elastomeric polymer and hydrophilic polymeric microparticles dispersed within the elastomeric polymer. Applying the aqueous solution to the polymer layer at least partially swells the hydrophilic microparticles of the polymer layer. In some articles the polymer layer includes an elastomeric polymer, hydrophilic polymeric microparticles dispersed within the elastomeric polymer, and hydrophilic polymer particles with greater than 10 micrometers average particle size dispersed within the hydrophobic organic matrix. These articles may be sterilized by applying either electron beam or gamma radiation.
US09439806B2
A phacoemulsification system and method, and a foot pedal device, system and method. The devices, systems and methods may include a console comprising a plurality of modes for at least one physically associated surgical instrument, and a foot pedal communicatively associated with said console and suitable for varying ones of the plurality of modes. The foot pedal may include a foot pedal base, and at least two electronically actuated sensors physically associated with the foot pedal base, communicatively connected to the console, and suitable for receiving physical indications of variations in ones of the plurality of modes.
US09439801B2
Methods of maintaining airway patency in an airway of a patient. A method includes the steps of wrapping a bioerodable material at least partway around an axis to create a wound bioerodable implant, and coupling two points on the bioerodable material to each other. The invention also provides systems for maintaining airway patency in an airway of a patient that may be used with the methods.
US09439797B2
Apparatus, system, and method are disclosed herein for controlling movement of an orthopedic joint prosthesis in a mammalian subject. The apparatus, system, or method includes an orthopedic brace configured to control movement of an orthopedic joint prosthesis. The apparatus, system, or method includes one or more sensors and one or more controllers in communication with the one or more sensors. The one or more sensors are configured to be remote from the orthopedic joint prosthesis, wherein the one or more sensors in communication with the one or more controllers are configured to detect and control one or more alignment orientations of the orthopedic joint prosthesis.
US09439793B2
Methods for accessing the common and internal iliac arteries and delivering and deploying an endovascular graft therein are disclosed. A system including a pre-loaded delivery and deployment device with an extension sheath is described which enables such a method to be practiced is also disclosed.
US09439791B2
In one embodiment according to the present invention, a stent is described having a generally cylindrical body formed from a single woven nitinol wire. The distal and proximal ends of the stent include a plurality of loops, some of which include marker members used for visualizing the position of the stent. In another embodiment, the previously described stent includes an inner flow diverting layer.
US09439789B2
An implantable medical device having enhanced endothelial migration features, generally comprises: a structural member including a leading edge and a trailing edge interconnected by a third surface region, the leading edge including a second surface region in a generally curvilinear cross-section, and the trailing edge including a fourth surface region in a generally curvilinear cross-section, whereby blood flow over the second surface region generate shear stress at the second surface region without an eddy region in the second surface region.
US09439786B2
A prosthetic ankle module allows for translational and/or rotational movement of a prosthetic foot relative to an adapter. The ankle module can include a four-bar linkage assembly. Links of the linkage assembly can be arranged in various configurations, e.g., parallel or non-parallel and having equal or non-equal lengths, to provide different functions and benefits, e.g., dorsiflexion, plantar flexion, vertical shock absorption, inversion, eversion, and/or rotation about the sagittal axis. Other types of linkage assemblies are also possible. A prosthetic foot can further include a support spring to limit the range of motion of the adapter in use.
US09439785B2
Hip replacement surgery (hip arthroplasty) includes implantation of a distal stem into a femur of a patient, and implantation of a proximal body to connect to the distal stem. A practitioner uses a “trial” or “provisional” to determine a suitable size and configuration for the implantable proximal body, then selects a suitable proximal body from a set of differently sized and shaped proximal bodies. The trial adjusts discretely, as opposed to continuously, and has discrete settings that correspond to the sizes and configurations available in the set of implantable proximal bodies. In some examples, the trials are provided as a kit of parts, where each part in the kit is adjustable for height (i.e., the length of the femur). The parts in the kit can have different, fixed, values for offset (i.e., the lateral distance of the femur to the center of the femoral head in the acetabulum).
US09439776B2
An orthopedic device for implanting between adjacent vertebrae comprising: an arcuate balloon and a hardenable material within said balloon.In some embodiments, the balloon has a footprint that substantially corresponds to a perimeter of a vertebral endplate. An inflatable device is inserted through a cannula into an intervertebral space and oriented so that, upon expansion, a natural angle between vertebrae will be at least partially restored. At least one component selected from the group consisting of a load-bearing component and an osteobiologic component is directed into the inflatable device through a fluid communication means.
US09439774B2
A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower plates, a core disposed between the plates, and at least one projection extending from at least one of the upper and lower curved surfaces of the core into at least one recess of one of the inner surfaces of the plates. The recess is oversize with respect to the projection to allow sliding movement of the plate over the core while retaining the core between the plates during such sliding movement. The projection(s) may include a rod extending through an axial hole in the core, multiple surface features of the core, or the like.
US09439769B2
A method of installing a prosthesis assembly includes installing a base component in a prepared glenoid vault, axially aligning a plurality of slots in one of a stretched glenoid bearing component and a base component with a plurality of ridges in the other of the glenoid bearing component and the base component, each of the plurality of slots having a maximum length which is greater than a maximum length of a respective one of the plurality of ridges, engaging each of the plurality of ridges with the respective one of the plurality of grooves thereby rotatably coupling the glenoid bearing component and the base component and limiting axial movement of the glenoid bearing component relative to the base component, and placing the bearing surface into articulating contact with a humeral head.
US09439768B2
A joint prosthesis system, specifically a shoulder prosthesis, for shoulder replacement, revision and repair. The implants provide fixation into the best bone available to a surgeon. The implants are used in a superior-inferior and anterior-posterior construct forming a type of cross or X-shape. The implants allow for interchangeability of the articulating component as well as rotational orientation. The systems will allow for augments to accommodate bone loss. The implants may allow for additional security using screws or anchors inserted into the scapula.
US09439765B2
Implantable devices for the surgical treatment of bone, and particularly to a bone defect at a joint region, and even more particularly at the subchondral bone level of the joint region, are disclosed. The implantable devices may be formed of a bone material, and configured to serve the dual functions of providing mechanical strength and structural integrity to the area to be treated, while also facilitating the dispersal of a flowable material in the same area. Associated delivery tools are also provided.
US09439763B2
Embodiments of prosthetic valves for implantation within a native mitral valve are provided. One embodiment of a prosthetic valve includes a radially compressible main body and a one-way valve member. In some cases, the prosthetic valves also include ventricular anchors and/or an atrial portion coupled to and disposed outside of the main body. Methods, devices, and systems for delivering such prosthetic valves to the native mitral valve and implanting them therein are also provided.
US09439762B2
A sewing ring for prosthetic heart valves that is connected and configured to pivot outward. A biocompatible fabric covering surrounds at least a portion of the sewing ring, and the ring may be exclusively connected to a stent with the fabric. The sewing ring may be generally planar and of uniform thickness, or may be of varying thickness. The fabric may be used to encompass both the stent and the sewing ring, and may be a single piece. A seam may be provided in the fabric as a discrete pivoting line. The sewing ring may be convertible between bi-stable positions. The ring may extend outward in a frusto-conical shape so as to enable inversion between a position facing the inflow end of the valve and a position facing the outflow end of the valve. A method of implantation, and a method of assembly of the heart valve is also provided.
US09439757B2
Prosthetic mitral valves and their methods of manufacture and use.
US09439756B2
An IOL injector system includes an injector; a holder for holding an IOL; and a container for holding the holder. The injector has an injection channel and a plunger movable down the channel; and a holder receiving space for snappingly receiving the holder, and the holder has a channel part with a channel forming part of the injection channel of the injector when the holder is snapped into the receiving space of the injector in line with the injection channel, the IOL being provided in the channel of the holder when holding the IOL; and opposite openings for allowing the IOL to pass, allowing the plunger to urge the IOL out of the holder and through the injection channel. The container has a reservoir for holding a storage liquid and holder; closing walls for closing the opposite openings of the holder; and retaining parts for holding the holder.
US09439754B2
The present invention relates to a prosthetic capsular bag and method for inserting the same. The prosthetic capsular bag helps to maintain the volume of the natural capsular bag, thereby stabilizing the effective lens position of an IOL so that refractive outcomes may be improved with cataract surgery. The prosthetic capsular bag further provides an integrated refractive surface, providing a means for experimentally determining an effective lens position prior to inserting an IOL.
US09439752B2
A variety of configurations of implant management devices are provided. The configurations provide different combinations of features for maintaining a location of an implant with respect to the device and managing filaments of the implant. One exemplary embodiment of a device includes a generally rectangular-shaped body having an implantable body retainer, an opening disposed a distance apart from the retainer and configured to receive a ligament graft therein, and a fold extending across the body and intersecting the opening. Folding one end of the body towards a bottom surface of the body along the fold can form a filament loop engaging region to hold in tension a filament loop extending from the implant. Additional filament(s) associated with the implant can be managed by various filament retention features. Methods for preparing a ligament graft for implantation by relying upon indicia formed on a surface of the device body are also provided.
US09439747B2
The present invention discloses a medical assembly and method to deliver and place a bodily implant inside a patient's body. The medical assembly includes an insertion tool such that a portion of the insertion tool defines a lumen. The medical assembly further includes a carrier configured to be coupled to the insertion tool and including a passageway. The medical assembly also includes a flexible elongate member configured to pass through the passageway of the carrier and the lumen. The elongate member is also configured to be coupled to the bodily implant such that a portion of the elongate member between the bodily implant and the carrier defines a length.
US09439737B2
A tray for use in bonding orthodontic appliances to selected teeth of a patient is disclosed. The tray includes an outer shell having wall sections extending over facial, lingual, and occlusal surfaces of the selected teeth to form a channel including tooth cavities having a configuration matching and arranged for receiving the selected teeth. A matrix is bonded to the inner surface of the outer shell and is contoured to complement the facial or lingual surface of the teeth. A stabilization member extends from the outer shell and includes an inside surface contoured to complement at least a portion of the facial surface of a tooth located adjacent the selected teeth. Orthodontic appliances are detachably connected to the matrix, wherein each appliance includes a base for bonding the appliance to a tooth.
US09439729B2
Radiofrequency energy emitted from and reflected back toward a thermal ablation probe may be used to detect a gradual dissolution of a reflective interface between a tumor and surrounding healthy tissue as the ablation zone passes through this interface providing a real-time guidance with respect to the progress of ablation.
US09439728B2
A system for creating an arteriovenous (AV) fistula comprises a vessel access sheath having a hollow interior and an exit port, a side access needle catheter configured to fit within the hollow interior of the sheath, a needle configured to be inserted into a blood vessel through the side access needle catheter, a toggle delivery catheter configured to fit within the hollow interior of the sheath, and a toggle apparatus configured to be delivered into a vessel through the toggle delivery catheter. The toggle apparatus comprises a shaft and a toggle member pivotably attached to a distal end of the shaft. A source of RF energy or resistive heat energy may be provided for application to the toggle member and/or to a heater insert in the toggle delivery catheter, for the purpose of creating the fistula.
US09439726B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for treating hypertension, e.g., via a pulsed electric field, via a stimulation electric field, via localized drug delivery, via high frequency ultrasound, via thermal techniques, etc. Such neuromodulation may effectuate irreversible electroporation or electrofusion, necrosis and/or inducement of apoptosis, alteration of gene expression, action potential attenuation or blockade, changes in cytokine up-regulation and other conditions in target neural fibers. In some embodiments, neuromodulation is applied to neural fibers that contribute to renal function. In some embodiments, such neuromodulation is performed in a bilateral fashion. Bilateral renal neuromodulation may provide enhanced therapeutic effect in some patients as compared to renal neuromodulation performed unilaterally, i.e., as compared to renal neuromodulation performed on neural tissue innervating a single kidney.
US09439715B2
An electrosurgical instrument is provided for the treatment of tissue, the instrument comprising an instrument shaft (10) having a longitudinal axis, and an electrode assembly at one end of the shaft. The electrode assembly comprises first and second active electrodes (11), (14) and at least one return electrode (25), the electrodes being electrically insulated one from another by means of one or more insulation members (12). The first and second active electrodes (11, 14) each have an exposed surface for treating tissue, the exposed surface (19) of the first active electrode being such as to treat tissue disposed laterally of the longitudinal axis at a first radial position with respect to the instrument shaft. The exposed surface (15) of the second active electrode is such as to treat tissue disposed laterally of the longitudinal axis at a second radial position with respect to the instrument shaft. The instrument has a first set of connections by which the first active electrode (11) can be placed in circuit with the return electrode (25), and a second set of connections by which the second active electrode (14) can be placed in circuit with the return electrode (25).
US09439703B1
A method for treating arthritis of a joint includes identifying a bone lesion in a bone adjacent to the joint; and implanting in the bone a reinforcing member in or adjacent to the bone lesion. A kit for conducting the method includes: (a) at least one reinforcing member having a proximal face adapted to face the joint, a distal face adapted to face away from the joint, and a wedge-shaped edge adapted to pierce bone, wherein the at least one reinforcing member is planar and sterile; and (b) a container adapted to maintain the at least one reinforcing member sterile. Another kit includes: (a) a sterile fluid; (b) a syringe for injecting the fluid into a bone; (c) a curing agent adapted to cure the fluid to polymerize and/or cross-link; and (d) a container adapted to maintain the sterility of contents of the container.
US09439701B2
A shaping tool shapes a smooth bone cement surface, in particular for implantation of an artificial acetabulum. The shaping tool has a curvature, whereby the shaping tool has a curved base body and at least two layers, whereby a first layer covers the curvature of the base body at least in part and is connected to the base body in a detachable manner, and a second layer covers the first layer at least in part and is connected to the first layer in a detachable manner. The shaping tool is usable to pre-shape a bone cement for insertion of an artificial acetabulum.
US09439698B2
Various forms of a cable fixation device, instrumentation, kit, and methods useful for repairing the skeletal system are introduced. The system utilizes a clamp housing fixing a butt end of a surgical cable therein. In an operative configuration the cable is looped around a damaged bone segment and reentered through a lock aperture in the clamp housing then through a collet and lock cap residing within the lock aperture. The cable loop and each aforementioned component comprise a central axis aligned within a single plane. A sliding interface situated between the lock cap and collet prevent twisting of the surgical cable. The locking mechanism is non-destructive to the cable despite repeated unlocking and relocking of the fixation device. The axis for tensioning of the cable is coincident with the locking axis. A counter torque instrument has a torsional input shaft generally perpendicular to the elongated axis of the instrument.
US09439696B2
An implant operable to alter morphology of a long bone can comprise a first longitudinal member, a second longitudinal member, and an adjusting member. The first longitudinal member can have a bone attachment end and a first connecting end. The second longitudinal member can have a second bone attachment end and a second connecting end. The adjusting member can connect to both of the first and second connecting ends. The adjusting member can be selectively moveable from a first implanted position where the first and second connecting ends are fixed to respective ends of the long bone and spaced apart a first distance to a second implanted position where the first and second connecting ends are fixed to the respective ends of the long bone and spaced apart a second distance. The second distance is less than the first distance causing a long bone to be compressed between the first and second bone attachment ends.
US09439694B2
An intramedullary nail system including an elongated nail member comprising a cavity and electrically conductive at least in part, a coil assembly, a first electrode connected to a first pole of the coil assembly and a second electrode connected to a second pole of the coil assembly. To improve such an intramedullary nail system the coil assembly is provided in an end cap assembly that is proximally releasably connected to the nail member and with at least one electrically conductive outer contact surface. At least one section of the electrically conductive outer contact surface forms the first electrode and at least one section of the nail member forms the second electrode.
US09439693B2
Disclosed herein are devices for minimally invasive vertebral augmentation and restoration of spinal lordosis using a steerable cannula assembly. When deployed, the articulating cannula, including an outer cannula and an inner cannula extending into a central lumen of the outer cannula and coupled to each other at their distal ends, can be manipulated to curve/bend the body of the articulating cannula. This manipulation is used to create a void within the interior body and may also be used to control delivery of a treatment element to the interior body.
US09439691B2
A stabilization system includes one or more leverage members configured to be mounted to a vertebra. The one or more leverage members are further configured to allow a user to manipulate the vertebra to a desired position. The stabilization system also includes a mounting bracket configured to mount to the one or more leverage members such that the one or more leverage members are immobilized. The mounting bracket is mounted to a support.
US09439683B2
A dynamic fixation medical implant having at least two bone anchors includes a longitudinal connecting member assembly having at least one transition portion and cooperating outer sleeve, both the transition portion and sleeve being disposed between the two bone anchors. The transition portion includes a rigid length or rod having apertures therein and a molded plastic length that extends through the apertures, thus attaching the plastic length to the rigid length. The sleeve surrounds the transition portion and extends between the pair of bone anchors, the sleeve being compressible in a longitudinal direction between the bone anchors.
US09439678B2
A method of designing a guide tool for cartilage repair in an articulating surface of a joint, comprising the steps of: I. determining physical parameters for cartilage damage in a joint and generating design parameters for cartilage repair objects and their relative placement in a predetermined pattern, comprising: II. selecting repair objects to fit the individual cartilage damage site wherein the repair objects have: cross sectional areas adapted to fit the surface area of the cartilage damage site, lengths adapted to fit the selected joint and/or type of cartilage damage, and surfaces intended to align with the articular cartilage surface in the joint, based on the healthy surface contour curvature, III. determining, based on obtained image data, positions and angles of the selected cartilage repair objects, wherein the positions and angles are adapted so that the selected repair objects fit the individual cartilage damage site, IV. generating design parameters of the guide tool, for placement of the cartilage repair objects comprising the following steps of: generating the design for an upper part and a lower part of a guide channel in a guide body extending from the positioning body, said guide channel passing through said positioning body and said guide body wherein the angles and positions are generated dependent on and substantially corresponding to the determined angles and positions of the selected cartilage repair objects, and wherein the design for the lower part of all the guide channel is generated dependent on and substantially corresponding to the determined cross sectional areas, of the selected cartilage repair objects.
US09439669B2
A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may comprise a transducer and an end effector. The transducer may be configured to provide vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency and may comprise a piezoelectric stack positioned along the longitudinal axis. The transducer also may comprise a first metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a first end of the piezoelectric stack and a second metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a second end of the piezoelectric stack. The length of the transducer may be greater than or equal to of one wavelength and less than ½ of one wavelength. The end effector may be coupled to the transducer and may extend along the longitudinal axis. The length of the transducer and the end effector may be a multiple of ½ of one wavelength.
US09439667B2
Various types of supporting structures, supporting devices, attachment mechanisms and attachment techniques may be provided to support and/or stabilize an intraosseous device installed at a target site in a patient. Various methods and procedures may also be provided to releasably engage a supporting structure or supporting device proximate a target site. Apparatus and methods may be provided to monitor performance of an intraosseous device during communication of drugs, medications and/or fluids with an intraosseous space.
US09439662B2
A balloon catheter includes an outer conduit having an outer surface, and an inner conduit having an outer surface. The inner conduit is suitable for passage over a guide wire, and the inner conduit is movably disposed within the lumen of the outer conduit. There is also a balloon having a proximal margin and a distal margin, such that the proximal margin of the balloon is attached to the outer surface of the distal tip of the outer conduit and the distal margin of the balloon is attached to the outer surface of the portion of the inner conduit that extends beyond the distal tip of the outer conduit. And there is a fluid port for introducing an expansion fluid into the annular space formed between the inner surface of the outer conduit and the outer surface of the inner conduit and into the lumen of the balloon, and for the removal of the expansion fluid.
US09439660B2
A method of, and apparatus for, arthroplasty of a knee joint comprising obtaining a desired spacing of the femur from the tibia by inserting a spacer into the knee joint between the femur and the tibia. The spacer is used as a reference for securing a guide jig in position about the knee joint for guiding resection of one or both of the femur and tibia for fitting of tibial and/or femoral prostheses. A method of resecting the femur while moving the tibia through an arc of motion to remove bone to the desired depth, a method of determining the position of the guide jig, the guide jog, an alignment device and the spacer are also described.
US09439659B2
A patient-specific alignment guide includes a patient-specific portion and a guiding element having a through opening. The patient-specific portion has a patient-specific surface preoperatively configured to mate as a negative of a portion of an iliac crest of a pelvis of a specific patient and mate to the iliac crest only in one position. The guiding element has a preoperatively configured orientation and location relative to the patient-specific portion for preparing a bore in the bone of the patient to direct a bone screw at the preoperatively configured orientation and location for sacroiliac fixation.
US09439657B2
New apparatuses and methods for their design and use are disclosed that can be used to assist a surgeon in placing a guide pin during hip surgery. Specifically, a hip surgery method is disclosed in which an image of a patient's femur can be obtained and used to design and prepare a mold that contains an aperture for guiding a drill at the desired location and angle. During surgery the mold can be quickly and accurately positioned on the exposed femur head. Then, a drill bit can be inserted through the aperture and an opening for a pin can be drilled into the femur head. The mold can have a unique contoured surface adapted to fit to the femur head in a single unique position such that the opening is made in a unique desired position. The apparatuses and methods facilitate faster, more accurate surgery and are less invasive.
US09439656B2
A system is provided for positioning a cutting guide on a femur of a knee to make a cut along a distal end of the femur during knee surgery. The system may generally include an adjustable femoral attachment member configured to attach to a cut distal end of the femur, a cutting guide removably attachable to the femoral attachment member and configured to guide a surgical saw to make an additional cut on the distal end of the femur, and a force sensor for positioning between the femoral attachment member and a proximal end of a tibia of the knee. The force sensor may include a medial portion for sensing a medial force in the knee and a lateral portion for sensing a lateral force in the knee.
US09439653B2
The present invention provides for devices and methods for providing endovascular therapy, including facilitating establishment of vascular access, placement of endovascular sheaths, catheter tip localization, and administration of vascular occlusion. The inventions includes a vessel cannulation device, an expandable sheath, an occlusion catheter, and a localizer each of which may be provided separately or used as part of a system.
US09439649B2
A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument has a force delivery system which communicates a changing force to a user of the surgical instrument when a limit of a surgical function is reached. A sensor senses position of a moving element to communicate a signal to the force delivery system. In various embodiments, the system generates a vibratory force to signal the user.
US09439647B1
An apparatus for passing one or more sutures in tissue repair and/or other surgical procedures. The apparatus includes a pair of jaws mounted on a distal end of a shaft, a hand assembly mounted on a proximal end of the shaft, and a curved needle mounted on the hand assembly and through a shaft. The curved needle remains within the jaw assembly and can be actuated out of the jaw assembly without deformation of the needle and by linear advancement of a needle linkage.
US09439645B2
A fixation device for delivery of biological material between soft tissue and bone. The fixation device includes an anchor having a first longitudinal bore and a first radial extending delivery bore and an insert having a second longitudinal bore and a second radial extending delivery bore. The first and second radial extending bores are aligned and positioned relative to a head of the anchor to deliver the biologic material between the soft tissue and the bone.
US09439638B2
An exposure apparatus for a paraspinal muscle clearance approach with a posterior spinal small incision includes a spinous process side vertebral plate retractor and a cooperating vertebral arch outer side retractor is provided. The apparatus can be used to separate a clearance between a multifidus muscle and a longissimus muscle under direct view, easily and atraumatically reach a screw fixation position on a vertebral arch pedicle, expose a facet joint, bluntly separate the multifidus muscle from the vertebral arch, accurately place the retractors, and thereafter locally form a surgical operation tunnel space that externally extends 10 degrees to 15 degrees. A design of angles and structures of retractors effectively protects local soft tissues and prevents a tissue damage while executing traction on local muscles and ensuring an adequate surgical space.
US09439635B2
Embodiments are described for closing vascular access ports, such as arteriotomies, which involve placement and deployment of an expandable device configured to prevent blood flow across a subject arteriotomy while also keeping disturbance of intravascular flow to a minimum. Suitable prostheses may comprise one or more frames constructed from lengths of flexible materials, such as shape memory alloys or polymers. Such frames may be coupled to sheetlike or tube-like structures configured to spread loads, minimize thrombosis which may be related to intravascular flow, and maintain hemostasis.
US09439627B2
The present disclosure is directed to an ablation planning and navigation system. The planning system includes a memory configured to store a plurality of images and a controller configured to render the plurality of images in three dimensions, automatically segment the plurality of images to demarcate a target area, and automatically determine a treatment plan based on the target area. The navigation system includes an ultrasound device having a fiducial pattern that obtains an ultrasound image, an ablation needle having a image capture device that captures an image of the fiducial pattern, and a controller that receives the ultrasound image and the fiducial image. The controller determines a position of the ablation needle based on the fiducial image. The planning and navigation system also includes a controller that receives data from the planning system and the navigation system and a display configured to display the received information.
US09439625B2
Systems are disclosed for ultrasound beamforming on an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In certain embodiments, the system includes an ultrasound probe that includes a plurality of transducer elements electrically coupled to an ASIC. The ASIC includes a plurality of waveform generators electrically coupled to a plurality of delay units. Each delay unit receives a waveform from a waveform generator or an adjacent delay unit, applies a delay to the waveform, and outputs the waveform to adjacent delay units, one or more of the plurality of transducer elements, or both. The delays that are provided to waveforms before being output to a transducer element determine the beamforming characteristics of the ultrasonic pulses generated by the ultrasound probe.
US09439621B2
A method and system acquiring, processing and displaying breast ultrasound images in a way that makes breast ultrasound screening more practical and thus more widely used, and reduces missing cancers in screening and diagnosis, using automated scanning of chestwardly compressed breasts with ultrasound. Enhanced, whole-breast navigator overview images are generated from scanning breasts with ultrasound that emphasize abnormalities in the breast while excluding obscuring influences of non-breast structures, particularly those external to the breast such as ribs and chest wall, and differentiating between likely malignant and likely benign abnormalities and otherwise enhancing the navigator overview image and other images, to thereby reduce the time to read, screen, or diagnose to practical time limits and also reduce screening or diagnostic errors.
US09439619B1
Apparatus for use with a C-arm type x-ray unit (10) to locate and center an x-ray target area. The unit has an x-ray emitter (20) located at one end of a C-arm (50) and an x-ray receptor located at the other end of the C-arm. A ring-shaped band (45) adjustably fits around an outer end of the x-ray receptor. A first laser light source (90) and a second laser light source (100) are carried on the band in a predetermined orientation to each other. The laser light sources each project a fan shaped laser light into the target area between the x-ray emitter and the x-ray receptor. The beams are adjusted to determine a center of the target area through which x-rays are propagated when a patient is positioned in the x-ray unit for a procedure to be performed.
US09439602B2
A device for generating alerts for Hypo and Hyperglycemia Prevention from Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) determines a dynamic risk based on both information of glucose level and a trend obtainable from a CGM signals. The device includes a display whose color depends on the DR (for example, red for high DR, green for low risk). When DR exceeds a certain threshold, alerts are generated to suggest the patient to pay attention to the current glucose reading and to its trend, both of which are shown on the display in numbers and symbols (e.g. an arrow with different slope or color).
US09439601B1
The present invention, herein is a method and apparatus that significantly limits the effect of high frequency (“HF”) interferences on acquired electro-physiological signals, such as the EEG and EMG. Preferably, this method comprises of two separate electronic circuitries and steps or electronics for processing the signals. One circuit is used to block the transmission of HF interferences to the instrumentation amplifiers. It is comprised of a front-end active filter, a low frequency electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shield, and an isolation barrier interface which isolates the patient from earth ground. The second circuit is used to measure the difference in potential between the two isolated sides of the isolation barrier. This so-called “cross-barrier” voltage is directly representative of the interference level that the instrumentation amplifier is subjected to. This circuit is used to confirm that the acquired signals are not corrupted by the interference.
US09439597B2
A method, and associated apparatus and system, for monitoring a baby in-utero during labor are provided. A fetal heart rate signal and a uterine activity signal are processed to derive fetal well-being information at least in part by i) processing the fetal heart rate signal and the uterine activity signal to model a relationship between uterine activity and fetal heart rate variability; and ii) deriving the fetal well-being information at least in part by processing the modeled relationship. The relationship may be modeled, for example, as a system having the uterine activity signal as an input and fetal heart rate variability as an output. Suitable system identification approaches may be used for modeling such a relationship. A signal for causing the fetal well-being information to be displayed on a display device is released to assist clinicians in identifying whether the baby being monitored is exhibiting an adverse response to hypoxic conditions. In practical systems, the fetal well-being information is derived and displayed over time to convey trends in fetal well-being.
US09439586B2
Methods, devices and systems for receiving an instruction to determine a glycemic variation level, retrieving a stored metric for determining the glycemic variation level, retrieving one or more parameters associated with the retrieved metric analysis, determining the glycemic variation level based on the retrieved one or more parameters for the retrieved metric analysis, and outputting the determined glycemic variation level when it is determined that the retrieved one or more parameters associated with the retrieved metric analysis meets a predetermined condition are disclosed.
US09439583B2
Lung conditions are diagnosed and optionally treated using a functional assessment catheter or a functional lung assessment and treatment catheter. A flow restrictive component is initially placed in a bronchus or lung passageway upstream from a diseased lung region. The isolated lung region is then functionally assessed through the catheter, while the flow restrictive component remains in place. If the patient is a good candidate for treatment by occlusive or restrictive treatment techniques, the flow resistive component may be left in place. If the patient is not suitable for such treatment, the flow resistive component may be removed.
US09439579B2
Method for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles in a field of view. Selection coils/magnets generate a magnetic selection field and drive coils generate a magnetic drive field for moving a field-free point along a predetermined trajectory through the field of view, changing the magnetization of the magnetic material locally. The drive field comprises a time-dependent oscillating drive field current per drive field coil having one or more individual oscillating frequencies and one or more individual current amplitudes and being generated by a corresponding drive field voltage generated by a superposition of a number of drive field voltage components including a drive field voltage component per drive field coil, wherein a drive field voltage component corresponding to a drive field coil comprises one or more sub-components, each having an individual voltage amplitude and having the same individual oscillating frequency as the respective drive field current of said particular drive field coil.
US09439575B2
Acquiring and processing heart rate data involves providing glasses having a microcontroller, a heart rate sensor positionable to a user, a configuration memory, at least one data memory, a clock/calendar electronic circuit, a visual and/or audible signaling unit, a rechargeable autonomous electrical power supply, and one switch for the heart rate detection function. The method involves providing a programming and data transfer unit external to the glasses, providing a connection system between the glasses and the external programming and data transfer unit, programming the configuration memory (102) of the glasses using the external programming and data transfer unit, with a minimum heart rate threshold value, a maximum heart rate threshold value, and a heart rate reading frequency value, acquiring readings in data memory of the glasses during activity, processing an alarm signal when a detected heart rate value is above a maximum or below a minimum.
US09439573B2
A method of analyzing a complex rhythm disorder in a human heart includes accessing signals from a plurality of sensors disposed spatially in relation to the heart, where the signals are associated with activations of the heart, and identifying a region of the heart having an activation trail that is rotational or radially emanating, where the activation trail is indicative of the complex rhythm disorder and is based on activation times associated with the activations of the heart.
US09439570B2
Navigational imaging system and method for use in branched luminal structure. Flexible, spatially steerable probe is equipped with forward- and side-imaging mutually complementing means to enable sub-surface imaging, quantitative determination of probe's positioning with respect to anatomical identifiers of structure, forming 3D image of structure in a volume defined by the imaging means, and positioning of probe in registration with a 3D coordinate system that is independent from the structure. Method includes determining anatomical identifiers of luminal structure branches based on 3D and sub-surface images, assigning such identifiers as fiducial points, and correlating the determined identifiers with those obtained from anatomical model to select target branch for further steering the probe. Optionally, data representing a distance between a branch of lumen from fiducial point and angular orientation of the branch is extracted from complete 3D and quantitative image of lumen obtained during a pull-back of probe along the lumen.
US09439569B2
A biosensor includes light emitting elements and a light receiving element disposed on a principal surface of a wiring board; a light shielding portion disposed between a light-emitting-element sealing portion and a light-receiving-element sealing portion; a base medium having light transmitting properties, disposed in parallel with the wiring board with the light shielding portion therebetween; an adhesion layer having light transmitting properties, configured to bond the base medium with the light-emitting-element sealing portion, the light-receiving-element sealing portion, and the light shielding portion; and a first electrocardiograph electrode attached to a principal surface of the base medium. The refractive index of the base medium is set to be higher than that of the adhesion layer, and a surface of the first electrocardiograph electrode which is adjacent to the base medium is roughened so that stray light passing through the base medium will be scattered.
US09439561B2
Methods and systems for obtaining an ocular aberration measurement of an eye of a patient are provided. Exemplary techniques involve obtaining a first induced metric for the eye that corresponds to a first accommodation state of the eye, obtaining a second induced metric for the eye that corresponds to a second accommodation state of the eye, and determining a natural metric of the eye based on the first and second induced metrics. An induced metric may include a pupil size or a spherical aberration. Techniques can also include determining a target metric for the eye base on the natural metric, determining whether an actual metric of the eye meets the target metric, obtaining an ocular aberration measurement of the eye if the actual metric meets the target metric, and determining a treatment for the eye based on the ocular aberration measurement.
US09439556B2
A system for autonomous camera control includes a first robot having a surgical tool mounted as an end effector and a second robot having a camera mounted as an end effector. A controller may be provided for manipulating the second robot, where the controller stores a first kinematic model for the first robot and a second kinematic model for the second robot. The controller may be configured to automatically manipulate the second robot to position the camera based on the second kinematic model and an expected position of the surgical tool according the first kinematic model of the first robot. The controller is further configured to identify a threshold angle from a viewing axis of the camera, calculate a tool angle from the viewing axis of the camera, and move the camera toward or further away from the tool depending on if the tool angle is greater than or less than the threshold angle.
US09439551B1
A reusable fluid dispensing system comprising a fluid dispensing head with a descending dip tube having an end and a container for holding fluid that is detachably connected to the fluid dispensing head. The container has a bottom that has a single lower recess region to receive the dip tube end, a detachable base member defining at least one region and, within that region, at least one accessory. The accessory is from a group consisting of a funnel for use in dispensing fluid concentrate and dilution fluid in to the container, a reusable non-paper sheet-like or pad-like element for smoothly spreading dispensed fluid onto a surface or scouring or polishing the surface, and concentrate for making the fluid when dissolved in dilution fluid. In addition, methods of use are taught.
US09439549B2
A dispersible, nonwoven multistrata wipe material that is stable in a wetting liquid and flushable in use is provided. More particularly, the materials are layered structures including, but not limited to, one, two, three, or four layers to form the dispersible nonwoven wipe material. The layers contain cellulosic fibers and a binder or additive.
US09439548B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum component defining an aperture, and a hand vacuum including a removable battery. The hand vacuum is in removable engagement with the vacuum component, and the battery is removable from the hand vacuum through the aperture while the hand vacuum remains in engagement with the vacuum component.
US09439541B2
The present invention provides a ready-to-assemble toilet having excellent strength. The ready-to-assemble toilet includes an outer box member, and first and second inner box members. The outer box member and the inner box members are made of corrugated board or cardboard. The outer box member includes a bottom portion and first to fourth sidewall portions. The inner box members each include first to fourth sidewall portions and a top portion. The height of the inner box members is substantially equal to the height of the outer box member. The first and second inner box members are arranged in the outer box member such that the first sidewall portions thereof respectively face the first and second sidewall portions of the outer box member. The inner box members are spaced apart from each other in the outer box member, and excrement is collected in a space formed therebetween.
US09439538B2
A food processing machine, having a jar with a base and at least one sidewall extending upwardly therefrom to define a top opening. A lid has a bottom surface with a downwardly depending sealing wall. An outer surface of the downwardly depending sealing wall corresponds to the top opening. A resiliently collapsible locking ring is removably positionable radially inward from the sealing wall and applies a radially outwardly directed force against the sealing wall when positioned radially inwardly therefrom. The resiliently collapsible locking ring is collapsed and then positioned in a receiving portion radially inward from the sealing wall. The lid is then positioned at the top opening of the jar, with the sealing wall inserted into the top opening. The sealing wall applies a radially outwardly directed force against the at least one wall to seal the lid to the jar.
US09439534B2
The present invention proposes a kit, comprising:—at least a capsule (10) for insertion in a beverage production machine and containing beverage ingredients, the capsule having a cup-like base body (10b) comprising an outlet face (10c), and—one or more beverage production parameter programming connector(s) (1) comprising an identification member (2) placed on a first side (1a) of the connector designed for representing individual information as to beverage production parameters upon mechanical contact by sensing means (8, 18) of a beverage production machine (100), said side being opposite to the second connector side (1b) designed for connection to the outlet face (10c) of the capsule, wherein either the capsule(s) (10) or the connector(s) (1) or the both is provided with means for mechanically associating the connector(1) to the capsule (10) by the consumer, preferably without using tools.
US09439527B2
A hanger for hanging an article from a supporting surface is described. The hanger comprises a base body which includes a vertical axis which, when the base body is disposed on the supporting surface, extends substantially perpendicular to the supporting surface; a catch configured to catch a portion of a handbag for hanging therefrom; an arm connected at one end to the base body and at the other end to the catch, the arm operatively connected to the base body so as to swing about the vertical axis between a stowed position wherein the catch is disposed adjacent a perimeter of the base, and a deployed position wherein the catch is spaced from the base so that it hangs downwardly from the base to support the handbag below the supporting surface.
US09439524B2
An anti-spray drinking bottle has a body, a lid, at least one check valve, a dividing mount and a guiding element. The body has a storage recess and a screwing section. The lid is detachably connected to the body and has a threaded segment connected to the screwing section, a buffering segment connected to the threaded segment and a buffering space formed in the buffering segment. The at least one check valve is mounted on the lid. The dividing board is connected to the lid, is mounted in the body and has a dividing board, a sidewall, an outlet pipe and an abutting segment. The guiding element is connected to the dividing mount, is mounted in the body and has an elongate straw tube connected to the outlet pipe.
US09439520B2
A merchandiser for displaying items at an angle with respect to a rear panel of a display fixture is formed from flat sheets. The merchandiser has first and second side panels separated by a bottom panel along first and second fold lines that are generally parallel to each other. The first and second panels are offset from each other and may be folded toward each other to a generally parallel orientation. The merchandiser has tabs extend from a rear thereof that may be received in slots in the rear panel of the fixture to couple the merchandiser thereto. The merchandiser is reversible and may be folded into a functional form which angles to either the right or the left with respect to the panel to which they are coupled to allow customers to easily view the front of items held therein while still maintaining a high density of display.
US09439493B2
Apparatus (10) for drying and smoothing hair is provided. The apparatus (10) generally comprises a hair-treatment device (16), a vacuum assembly (20) and a blower assembly (22). The hair-treatment device (16) includes a passage (64) for directing a drying-air stream (66) generated by the blower assembly (22) toward the hair of a subject, and a passageway (76) for directing a return-air stream (74) away from the subject's hair under a motive force supplied by the vacuum assembly (20). The device (16) further includes a smoothing element (42) having a surface (52) against which the hair may be contacted to achieve smoothing of the hair.
US09439488B2
A jewelry storage system having a protective jewelry sleeve and a display board is disclosed. The display board has a rigid insert disposed inside a sleeve cover with at least one securing band wrapped fully around the sleeve cover and at least one clasp loop forming at least two open slots with a center bridge formed therebetween. The protective jewelry sleeve forming a sleeve with a single open end sized to dispose the display board therein. The protective jewelry sleeve having a closure cuff configured to flip over the open end of the protective jewelry sleeve and cover the open end of the protective jewelry sleeve disposed proximal the open end and an identification marker cuff configured to hold an identification marker with indicia of the contents of the jewelry storage system disposed distal the open end.
US09439479B1
Devices, apparatus, systems and methods for providing an attachable cover with flap and a detachable fastener such as a magnet for covering the depressible release button on a driver's seat belt buckle to block access to the release button as a reminder to the driver that a child, toddler or baby is in the vehicle. The cover can further include a decorative ornament, picture and/or photograph of a child, baby or toddler to further remind a driver that a child, baby or toddler being in the vehicle.
US09439473B2
A shoe including a sole having specific characteristics, namely a width, a length, a thickness and a front/rear profile, where the sole is made with materials having a certain type of deformation and lateral reinforcements emerging from the sole and surrounding the upper that are suitable for significantly increasing both performance, such as speed and reduced fatigue, and user comfort, such as reduced impact on knees, back, leg muscles, of the shoe, which are particularly suited for use when jogging or walking on uneven outdoor surfaces, as well as for jogging or walking on roads. Furthermore, the characteristics of the sole, such as the spike surface and deformation when contacting the ground, improve safety for a user by providing enhanced grip on sloping terrain as well as on snow-covered or wet terrain.
US09439465B2
The invention could comprise a hair augmentation system comprising a binding comb comprising a handle supporting both a prong section and a clamp, the clamp is capable of removably securing to the binding comb one or more hair strands held by the prong section; an adhesive tray for applying extension adhesive to an adhesive applicator; the adhesive applicator moving in the adhesive tray to transfer extension adhesive to the one or more hair extensions held by an extension applicator; and the extension applicator that removably mates to the binding comb so that the one or more of hair extensions with extension adhesive simultaneously binds with one or more of hair stands as held by the binding comb.
US09439462B2
A protective apparel support (100) system is disclosed comprising a support frame configured to rest on the shoulders of a wearer, the support having a first shoulder member (104a), a second shoulder member (104b) and a shield (202) engagement portion. A shield (202) is selectively coupleable to the support and protective apparel (302) is coupled to the shield.
US09439435B2
Methods for controlling weeds in a crop by applying to weeds having an average height ranging from about 4 inches to about 8 inches a herbicidally effective amount of a composition that includes (a) fluthiacet-methyl and (b) a p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitor are presented.
US09439429B2
Described is a broad spectrum, synergistic fungicidal composition when used for the preservation of a glued wood product comprising as active ingredients: (A) triadimefon, and (B) cyproconazole characterized in that the weight ratio of (A):(B) is from about 20:1 to about 1:1, the composition being further characterized in that the application rate for the composition is from about 10 gai/m3 to about 6,000 gai/m3.
US09439418B2
Grease-like compositions are provided for repelling insects and preventing undesirable behavior in hoofed animals. The compositions utilize nontoxic mineral, synthetic, or vegetable oil based gels containing silica, clay, urea, polytetrafluoroethylene, or metallic soap thickeners and capsaicin.
US09439404B2
The present invention relates to a transgenic animal model system based on the development of transgenic mice bearing components of the human immune system. Specifically, the invention relates to a Flk2 deficient Rag−/−γc−/− transgenic mouse and the engraftment of said mouse with human hematopoietic stem cells. The present invention further provides methods for increasing the numbers of functionally competent human dendritic cells and the hematopoietic targets cells that they interact with in said transgenic mouse through the administration of Flk2L. The transgenic animal model system of the invention may be used for testing human vaccine candidates, for screening potential immune adjuvants and for developing novel therapeutics.
US09439402B2
An exemplary embodiment of an aquaculture cage of the invention has a buoyant structure configured to float on a water surface, an aquaculture net portion made of a material that is corrodible by salt water and attached to the buoyant structure for positioning a top of the aquaculture net portion at a distance below the water surface, where the aquaculture net portion encloses an interior of the cage from the top of the aquaculture net portion to a bottom of the aquaculture net portion to retain marine life, and an upper enclosure portion enclosing space above the aquaculture net portion for preventing the marine life from escaping over the top of the aquaculture net portion, where the upper enclosure portion comprises a material that is substantially non-corrodible by salt water.
US09439398B2
A dog feces collecting device, comprising: four crescent arms, arranged in a line of two pairs in such a way that in the middle of the line is generated a cylindrical space in which a cylindrical feces collecting container can be placed; a longitudinal axle, for pivotally connecting each of the pair of arms from a top side thereof, thereby allowing rotationally drawing away the arms of each of the pairs from each other, and vice versa; linearly drawing away each of the pair of arms from each other, and vice versa; a mechanism for carrying out the rotational movement; a mechanism for carrying out the linear movement; a mechanism in the arms for grasping the container; wherein the cylindrical container has a longitudinal cut or separatable lane. The container may be based on a cardboard kernel tube of a toilet roller.
US09439394B2
An improved animal feeder with an insertable feed restrictor. An example embodiment includes: a barrel into which animal feed may be deposited, the barrel including a slotted lip with a plurality of notches at an upper opening of the barrel; and a feed restrictor configured for removable insertion into the opening of the barrel, the feed restrictor including a round side surface including a plurality of nubs, the feed restrictor including a plurality of feed access holes arranged on a lower surface of the feed restrictor, the feed restrictor being configured to float on top of the animal feed deposited in the barrel, the feed restrictor being further configured to freely spin laterally in the barrel, the feed restrictor being further configured to lock into the barrel when the plurality of nubs on the feed restrictor are mis-aligned with the plurality of notches on the slotted lip of the barrel.
US09439393B1
Litter compositions are provided comprising sodium bentonite and various fillers. These litter compositions have substantially the same clumpability properties as a composition consisting of only the sodium bentonite.
US09439390B2
A robotic attacher retrieves cups from the left side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the left front teat, a second cup to the right front teat, a third cup to the left rear teat, and a fourth cup to the right rear teat.
US09439384B1
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01051734. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01051734. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01051734 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01051734 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09439378B1
A novel maize variety designated PH2FR9 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH2FR9 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH2FR9 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 PH2FR9 or a locus conversion of PH2FR9 with another maize variety.
US09439376B2
A novel garden bean cultivars, designated H22117 and/or H22119 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of garden bean cultivar H22117, to the plants of garden bean line H22117 and to methods for producing a bean plant by crossing the cultivar H22117 with itself or another bean line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a bean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other garden bean lines derived from the cultivar H22117.
US09439371B2
A new and distinct Guzmania hybrid named ‘Dance’ characterized by solid growth habit; funnel-form rosette plant, measuring about 38-48 cm in height (above the pot when flowering); numerous, green colored foliage (measuring about 25-40 cm length and about 2.7-3.7 cm in width) Superior floral bract production; bracts are red-purple in color (closest to RHS 61A) compound inflorescence, measuring about 12 cm in height and about 15 cm in diameter; and long-lasting habit.
US09439367B2
A watering apparatus and associated methods and systems to enable networked gardening with a remotely controllable positioning extension are disclosed. In one embodiment, the watering apparatus includes a weather-resistant housing to encompass a micro-processor and a communications circuitry. In addition, the watering apparatus includes a weather-resistant camera communicatively coupled with the weather resistant housing through the communications circuitry. An input connector directs water through a partitioned channel from the weather-resistant housing responsive to a signal from the microprocessor through a pressure regulated valve. The watering apparatus is connected to a flexible extension coupled with the weather-resistant housing to automatically transport the water through the partitioned channel to a desired location within a central view of a focused angle of the weather-resistant camera. Further, the watering apparatus may be accessed through a mobile device through a network based on an access control policy configured by a user of the watering apparatus.
US09439366B2
A dripper for drip irrigation according to the present invention comprises a first member and a second member that are formed integrally from a resin material, and includes an inter-member flow passage formed between the members. The first member is provided with a first plate and a pipe that guides an irrigation liquid, which flows in from an inflow part, to the inter-member flow passage. The second member is provided with a second plate and a discharge port. The first member is further provided with a flow regulation valve that regulates the flow of the irrigation liquid, and the second member is provided with a flow-volume control valve that controls the flow volume of the irrigation liquid.
US09439365B2
A supporter for connecting and positioning irrigation devices is revealed. The supporter for connecting and positioning irrigation devices includes a conical body and a connecting device. The conical body consists of a sharp end and a connecting end. The sharp end is mounted into the ground for positioning. The connecting device is composed of a receiving portion, assembly portions, and a switch portion. The assembly portions are used for connection to hoses and water flow guidance while the switch portion is used to control on/off of the water flow in the connecting device. The connecting device is set on the connecting end of the conical body so as to connect to hoses and position the hoses on the ground by the conical body.
US09439358B2
A rectangular baler comprising a bale chamber; a compacting plunger moveable between a retracted position and an extended position; an ejection arrangement provided in a wall comprising a shuttle assembly with at least one dog mounted for protruding from said wall when the shuttle assembly is moving from a rest position in the forward direction to move one or more bales forward; wherein at least one end dog is located in the rest position of the shuttle assembly in a zone near of the plunger in the extended position thereof, such that when the shuttle assembly moves in the forward direction, said at least one end dog is engageable behind a bale adjacent the inlet of the bale chamber.
US09439357B2
A square baler having a display system for providing the operator with an indication of the weight of completed bales to enable the operator to modify a setting of the baler that affects crop density within the bale in order to achieve a uniform bale weight. In the invention, the display serves to indicate to the operator a rolling average of the weight of a predetermined number of bales last discharged from the baler.
US09439355B2
A header for attachment to an agricultural machine is provided with a frame, a driven moveable cutting device connected to the frame, and a driven movable conveying device connected to the frame. A gearbox is connected to the frame and transmits a drive force onto the cutting device and the conveying device. The gearbox is provided with an input gearbox arranged in a first housing and a main gearbox arranged in a second housing. A separation site is formed between the input gearbox and the main gearbox. The input gearbox is arranged at a back of the header. The input gear box is a rotary speed adapter exchangeable for a gearbox with different gearing ratio.
US09439351B2
A boom arm cutting disk device for using a full area of a boom arm mounted cutting disk to cut materials facilitating vertical cutting and mulching of trees, brush, or the like. The device includes a disk configured for mounting on a boom arm such that the disk is rotatable relative to the boom arm. Each of a pair of cutters is coupled to and extends from the disk. Each of the cutters has a respective interior side edge aligned with a center of the disk and a respective blade edge extending outwardly from the interior side edge. Each blade edge defines a leading edge of the cutter as the disk is rotated wherein the cutters are configured to cut material by contact with the leading edges as a central area of the disk is urged towards the material while the disk is rotated.
US09439350B2
In a sickle cutting system, it has been found that a significant increase in ground speed while maintaining an acceptable level of cutting efficiency as measured by the average stubble length can be obtained by a combination of one or more of the features where the cutting stroke is reduced from the conventional length of 3.0 inches to a value of the order of 2.0 inches; the length of the cutting edge of each knife blade is increased to a length greater than 2.2 inches; the width at the rear of the ledger surface of each guard is increased to greater than 1.0 inches; and the front edge of the blade is formed with an apex to shed crop material to one or other side of the apex.
US09439346B2
A harvester for potatoes, beets and other root crops has digging shares arranged in a leading position in the travel direction of the harvester. A screen conveyor receiving a harvested mix and conveying the harvested mix in a conveying direction opposite to the travel direction is provided. The screen conveyor has a screen conveyor belt and guide elements supporting laterally the screen conveyor belt. The screen conveyor belt has a upwardly facing conveying stretch and a leading return pulley proximal to the digging shares. The conveying stretch forms a screening zone that, at least in the area of the leading return pulley, is oriented so as to ascend in the conveying direction. The screen conveyor belt is adjustable to different conveying slants in the area of the conveying stretch.
US09439340B2
An agricultural tillage implement includes a center frame section having a front frame member extending transverse to a travel direction, a rear frame member extending transverse to the travel direction, and a plurality of longitudinal frame members extending from and attached between the front frame member and the rear frame member. The plurality of longitudinal frame members include a pair of side frame members positioned at respective sides of the center frame section, and a pair of load distribution frame members. A plurality of tillage implements extend downwardly from the center frame section. A pull hitch is directly attached to the front frame member at two attachment locations and extends forward from the center frame section in the travel direction. Each attachment location is aligned with a respective load distribution frame member.
US09439338B2
A plow apparatus has a share to cut soil into clods, a moldboard connected to the share to turn over the clods, a beam connecting the moldboard to a motor vehicle, a vibrator assembly connected to the moldboard so as to vibrate the moldboard, a force sensor connected to the beam so as to detect a plowing force, and a controller connected to the force sensor and the vibrator assembly so as to control a vibration of the vibrator assembly according to a force value detected by the force sensor.
US09439337B1
A collapsible hand trowel comprises a rigid scoop that has a forward end terminating at a point, a rear end, and two opposing side flanges that each has a pivot bar aperture therethrough. A handle includes a rear end, a neck, and a forward end that comprises two laterally-extending pivot bars that traverse the pivot bar apertures of the scoop. An upwardly-projecting V-shaped ridge is formed along a longitudinal axis of the scoop and that terminates into two upturned handle catch flanges, each having an inwardly facing hook adapted to retain the neck of the handle therebetween. A handle lock is adapted to prevent the handle from disengaging the handle catch when the collapsible hand trowel is in the extended configuration, and when the handle lock is in a deployed position.
US09445533B2
An electronic component case for a vehicle is provided. The electronic component case includes a case body having a first space in which electronic components are disposed and a second space, which has an opening that is opened to the outside, defined adjacent to the first space to receive heat generated from the electronic components, wherein a coolant for cooling the electronic components is introduced into and discharged from the second space, and a cover disposed on the case body to seal the opening of the second space. The cover includes a first cover sealing the opening and a second cover sealing the opening and having one surface on which a first cooling part for increasing a surface area of the second cover is disposed. The first cover and the second cover are compatible with each other.
US09445524B2
In some embodiments, a cooling system for an induction charger includes a thermal conditioning module in fluid communication with an induction charging assembly, which includes a dock and an induction charging module. The dock can be configured to receive a portable electronic device, such as a cell phone, that is configured to accept inductive charging from the induction charging module. The thermal conditioning module can include a fan or other fluid encouraging assembly, ducting, and a thermoelectric device (e.g., a Peltier device). A fluid, such as air, can flow from the fan and across and/or through the thermoelectric device, thereby conditioning the fluid. The conditioned fluid can be provided to the dock to at least partially offset the heat generated by the inductive charging and/or the portable electronic device.
US09445519B2
A method of manufacturing a thick-film electrode comprising steps of: (a) applying a conductive paste onto a substrate comprising, (i) 100 parts by weight of a conductive powder, wherein the conductive powder is 16 to 49 weight percent based on the weight of the conductive paste; (ii) 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of a metal additive comprising bismuth (Bi); (iii) 1 to 25 parts by weight of a glass frit; and (iv) 50 to 300 parts by weight of an organic medium; and (b) firing the applied conductive paste to form the thick-film electrode, wherein thickness of the thick-film electrode is 0.5 to 15 μm.
US09445516B2
An electrical box may include a housing body, enclosing a cavity, which includes an access opening extending across a first plane of the housing body, and which includes a plurality of mounting outlets configured to enable electrical devices to be mounted to the housing body to face a plurality of different directions. The electrical box may further include one or more mounting brackets attached to the housing body and a cover plate shaped to match and cover the access opening of the housing body. The housing body may include a first side wall and second side wall aligned to form an inside corner of the housing body, wherein the inside corner of the housing body is configured to align with an outside corner of a building or a structure, and wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are perpendicular to the first plane.
US09445509B2
An objective of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional backplane to solve the problem that the number of layers of a printed circuit board for producing a backplane increases linearly along with the number of connectors. The three-dimensional backplane includes: a first group of connectors, a second group of connectors, a first group of printed circuit boards, and a second group of printed circuit boards. Any printed circuit board in the first group of printed circuit boards is connected to any printed circuit board in the second group of printed circuit boards. Any connector in the second group of connectors is connected to any connector in the first group of connectors. With the foregoing solution, the number of wires on each printed circuit board is reduced, so that the number of layers of a printed circuit board for producing a backplane is reduced.
US09445504B2
Disclosed are a method of manufacturing a metal wiring buried flexible substrate and a flexible substrate manufactured by the same. The method includes coating a sacrificial layer including a polymer soluble in water or an organic solvent, or a photodegradable polymer on a substrate (Step 1), forming a metal wiring on the sacrificial layer in Step 1 (Step 2), forming a metal wiring buried polymer layer by coating a curable polymer on the sacrificial layer including the metal wiring formed thereon in Step 2 and curing (Step 3) and separating the polymer layer in Step 3 from the substrate in Step 1 by removing through dissolving in the water or the organic solvent or photodegrading only the sacrificial layer present between the substrate in Step 1 and the polymer layer in Step 3 (Step 4).
US09445498B2
The epoxy resin composition according to one embodiment of the present invention contains an epoxy compound, a curing agent, and an inorganic filler, wherein the inorganic filler contains alumina (Al2O3) and boron nitride (BN).
US09445497B2
A semiconductor device includes a first ceramic substrate, a second ceramic substrate, an inter-ceramic metal having an intermediate portion interposed between an upper surface of the first ceramic substrate and a lower surface of the second ceramic substrate, a first surmounting portion formed on an upper surface of the second ceramic substrate, a second surmounting portion formed on the upper surface of the second ceramic substrate, a first connection portion abutting on an outer edge of the second ceramic substrate and connecting the intermediate portion and the first surmounting portion, and a second connection portion abutting on an outer edge of the second ceramic substrate and connecting the intermediate portion and the second surmounting portion, a circuit pattern formed on the second ceramic substrate, and a semiconductor element provided on the circuit pattern.
US09445494B2
A display panel (100) of an embodiment of the present invention includes a wiring board (100a), a counter substrate (100b) which is provided on a viewer side of the wiring board (100a), and a display medium layer (32) which is provided between the wiring board (100a) and the counter substrate (100b), wherein the wiring board (100a) includes a substrate (11) and a plurality of metal wires (GB, SB, CSB, etc.) provided on the counter substrate (100b) side of the substrate (11), and at least part of the plurality of metal wires has a moth-eye structure or inverted moth-eye structure (12M) in its surface.
US09445492B2
A printed circuit board is disclosed. The printed circuit board comprises a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface. A ground plane is on the bottom surface. A signal trace is on the top surface along a first direction. At least two isolated power planes are on the top surface adjacent to opposite sides of the signal trace, respectively. A conductive connection along a second direction couples to the two power planes, across the signal trace without electrically connecting to the signal trace, wherein the signal trace doesn't pass over any split of the ground plane.
US09445480B2
Provided is a lighting apparatus and a method for controlling the same using a mobile device. A lighting system may include a mobile terminal, a hub configured to communicate with the mobile terminal, and an LED lamp configured to communicate with the hub. The mobile terminal may be configured to display an image captured or focused using a camera at the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal may transfer to the hub information corresponding to a selection of a region of the image. The hub may provide a wireless signal corresponding to the information received from the mobile terminal for changing a color of light emitted by the LED lamp. The LED lamp may be controlled based on the ZigBee communication protocol.
US09445479B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a dimming control method and apparatus and a dimming system. The method according to an embodiment of the invention includes: detecting a conduction angle of a dimming apparatus according to an output signal; and controlling a first shunt load according to the conduction angle to disconnect the first shunt load upon detecting a valid conduction angle of the dimming apparatus and to keep the first shunt load conducted upon detecting no valid conduction angle of the dimming apparatus, thereby lowering power consumption.
US09445477B2
A primary optical unit and a photodetector unit are arranged on a side of a optical branching unit, on which primary terminals are arranged, and a lightconversion unit, which receives primary light, converts the primary light into secondary light, and emits the secondary light, is arranged on a side of the optical branching unit, on which secondary terminals are arranged, to enable guiding of the primary light from the primary optical unit to the lightconversion unit and guiding of the secondary light from the lightconversion unit to the photodetector unit through optical fibers.
US09445471B2
The present invention relates to a drive circuit of an light-emitting diode (LED) module, which includes: an LED array including a plurality of parallel groups connected in series; a power supply module for converting an external power supply into a 12V-75V forward voltage that drives each LED in the LED array; and a control module for controlling different gating switches to perform a conduction or cutoff operation according to a detected input voltage. The solution in accordance with the present invention can provide regular AC power for the LED array, without the need of providing an electrolytic capacitor. The present invention further overcomes design defects of a DC solution, optimizes the performance of a bulb, and reduces a manufacturing cost of the bulb. Compared with other lighting technologies, the AC solution reduces a total arrangement cost of the LED.
US09445470B2
An LED control circuit comprises a driver, a counter, and a controller and is configured to control a plurality of light-emitting units, each of which comprises at least one LED and a switch. The driver receives an alternating-current signal to output a driving signal whereby the light-emitting units are enabled. The counter begins a count from a start number when a voltage value of the driving signal equals a base value. When the count reaches a predetermined number, the controller controls the switch of at least one of the light-emitting units, causing the LED of the light-emitting unit to receive the driving signal. When the LED of the light-emitting unit receives the driving signal, the controller detects whether the light-emitting unit is enabled and adjusts the predetermined number accordingly.
US09445469B2
Disclosed is a backlight driving apparatus. The backlight driving apparatus includes a light source configured to include at least one LED, a DC-DC converter configured to generate a driving voltage according to a turn-on of a switching element and supply the driving voltage to the light source, a feedback circuit configured to generate a feedback voltage corresponding to a voltage level of the driving voltage supplied from light source, a duty controller connected to the light source, and configured to control a turn-on period of the LED according to an LED duty signal corresponding to a backlight dimming signal, and a switching controller configured to generate a PWM signal for controlling the turn-on of the switching element according to the feedback signal, generate a switching control signal corresponding to the PWM signal according to the LED duty signal, and selectively control the turn-on of the switching element.
US09445458B2
An induction heating device includes: a resonant circuit provided with a coil heating a workpiece inductively and a capacitor, the coil and the capacitor being coupled in parallel with each other; a switching element coupled in series with the resonant circuit; a power supply which applies to the resonant circuit, a direct-current input voltage whose instantaneous value can be changed with the lapse of time; and a power controller which controls power to the workpiece by turning the switching element ON at a certain time and changing an ON period of the switching element, and the power controller is characterized by turning the switching element ON with a delay of an integral multiple of a resonant period of the resonant circuit if a value of power to the workpiece is equal to or lower than a first threshold which is predetermined.
US09445448B1
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with wireless direct links are described. According to one embodiment, a method comprises establishing, by a first station, a wireless connection with an access point. The first station thereafter receives a direct link request from a peer station, wherein the direct link request is a request from the peer station to set up a direct link with the first station. Parameters of the direct link request are analyzed to determine if the direct link request includes invalid parameters. In response to determining that at least one invalid parameter is found in the direct link request, dropping the direct link request and not transmitting a reply message to the peer station.
US09445439B2
Systems, methods, and apparatuses (including, but not limited to, User Equipment (UE) and servers) that provide Push to Talk (PTT) over Cellular (PoC) service are described. Whether a PoC group call is established and/or released depends on the priority of any currently connected PoC groups and the number of current PoC connections.
US09445437B2
A terminal random access procedure is improved by allowing a mobile terminal to correctly map signature indexes onto cyclic shifted Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequences when the deployed cells support a high-speed mobility by informing a mobile terminal whether a cell supports high-speed mobility.
US09445436B2
The invention comprises adjustment of back-off timers to provide consistency of timing in a group of collaborating nodes.The invention facilitates optimizing access to a wireless medium in a communication network accessible by a plurality of nodes, each node implementing a back-off counting based on carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance, the plurality of nodes comprising a collaborative group of nodes further implementing a back-off allocation scheme based on each node maintaining a list of expected back-off values of the other nodes of the collaborative group, the group further comprising a receiving node and an emitting node, reception of information from the emitting node being utilized by the receiving node to maintain consistency of timing through adjustment of back-off values.
US09445435B2
Method for transmitting data from a resource-constrained transmitter to a receiver in a wireless network, comprising the following steps:—the resource-constrained transmitter (21a, 21b, 21c) sending a channel request message to the receiver,—in response to the request, the receiver (22) determining communication channel availability based on the result of a sensing step and broadcasting channel information,—the resource-constrained transmitter (21a, 21b, 21c) listening to the information and transmitting data on the corresponding channel, wherein the sensing step is performed by the receiver before or after receiving channel request from the transmitter. The invention also relates to a wireless network.
US09445434B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for transmitting a signal by a terminal in a wireless communication system which comprises a step wherein, during a predetermined time period in one portion of the frequency bandwidths from among the frequency bandwidths of channels used by said terminal, a carrier wave sensing signal of another terminal is transmitted in which information on the frequency bandwidths of the channel is included.
US09445416B2
A base station sends, to a mobile station, first resource allocation information in accordance with a scheduling request from the mobile station. Furthermore, the base station sends, to the mobile station, second resource allocation information based on the buffer status that is reported from the mobile station by using the first resource allocation information. The base station includes a receiving unit and a processor. The receiving unit receives data sent from the mobile station by using the second resource allocation information. When the processor receives a scheduling request from the mobile station before the completion of the reception of data by an amount indicated by the buffer status reported from the mobile station and when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the processor performs control such that the processor sends the second resource allocation information to the mobile station without sending the first resource allocation information.
US09445392B1
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of providing non-native notifications and system thereof. These notifications are generated by non-native applications executing on a physically disjoint source device that is communicatively coupled with a target device via an account in a cloud. An application player executing on the source device is able to capture these non-native notifications. The target device is able to receive and present these non-native notifications to a user. Notifications include alerts, reminders, updates and messages generated by non-native applications. The user does not need to access the non-native applications, or the application player or source device they are executing on to see the non-native notifications. Instead, the user views these non-native notifications at a central location on the target device.
US09445389B1
A wireless communication device that receives wireless access from a wireless access node through a relay node associated with the wireless access node comprises a wireless communication transceiver and a processing system. The wireless communication transceiver is configured to receive communications of the wireless access node that are relayed by the relay node for delivery to the wireless communication device, wherein the relay node receives the communications over a beamformed communication transmitted by the wireless access node. The processing system is configured to process the communications to determine a request for a location of the wireless communication device for the wireless access, identify a location of the relay node, and responsive to the request for the location of the wireless communication device, report the location of the relay node instead of the location of the wireless communication device.
US09445386B2
A method, apparatus, and device for managing binding information on the network side are provided. The method includes the following steps: an entity on a network side sends a Binding Revocation Indication (BRI) message to an entity which stores binding relations of mobile nodes (MNs), where the binding relation includes a mapping between a home of address (HoA) of an MN and plurality of care of addresses (CoAs) of the MN and the BRI message includes at least one CoA ID; and the entity which stores the binding relations of MNs deletes the corresponding binding relation of at least one CoA ID in the BRI message after receiving the BRI message from the entity on the network side. Thus, with the present invention, the network side can delete the binding relation between a specified CoA and an HoA in the case of plurality of CoAs, which makes it easier to maintain corresponding binding relations.
US09445377B2
The invention relates to a splitter of an indoor cellular network, with a plurality of antennas transmitting downlink signals and receiving uplink signals, the splitter distributing power to said plurality of antennas for a transmission of the downlink signals. The splitter adapts the signal power of the downlink signal for one antenna in accordance with the uplink signal received at said antenna.
US09445376B2
Compensation is provided for foreign interference within a cell. Uplink (UL) noise on an UL channel to a first base station (BS) device is detected. Whether the UL noise includes interference is determined. Interference can include any device other than a mobile device configured to communicate with a BS device associated with a cell. The first service area of the BS device can be modified, e.g., scaled based on determining that the UL noise includes interference. Scaling can include reducing the first service area to a second service area that does not include an imbalance region in the first service area caused by the foreign interference. Scaling can be effected by reducing the amount of downlink power from the first BS device, or by adjusting a re-selection parameter associated with reducing the range of the BS device.
US09445375B2
The invention is a method and a system for updating pre-distortion coefficients, which is used to solve the problem of interference with neighbor cells due to the inferior pre-distortion coefficients. The method includes: presetting a primary table and a standby table, which store default and updated pre-distortion coefficients respectively; when a data source of a pre-distortion processor adopts the standby table, adopting the updated pre-distortion coefficients to perform parameter output processing to acquire pre-distortion parameters, and conveying the pre-distortion parameters and an input signal to the pre-distortion processor to process to acquire pre-distortion signals; conveying the pre-distortion signals through various signal processors to acquire a first signal, and determining the power data of the first signal; and based on the comparing result of the power data of the first signal and a setting range, there are different actions.
US09445373B2
A mobile station apparatus resets a first parameter or a second parameter, dependent on whether a random access response corresponds to a primary cell or a secondary cell, in a case that the random access response is received, wherein the random access response corresponding to a first serving cell is received in the first serving cell and the random access response corresponding to a second serving cell is received in the second serving cell.
US09445371B2
Apparatus and methods for wideband envelope tracking systems are disclosed herein. In certain implementations, an envelope tracker includes a DC-to-DC converter, a current digital-to-analog converter (DAC), an error amplifier, a feedback circuit, and an AC combiner. The current DAC receives a digital envelope signal, and uses the digital envelope signal to generate an envelope current. The feedback circuit is connected between an output and an inverting input of the error amplifier, and the envelope current is provided to the error amplifier's inverting input. Additionally, the AC combiner generates a power amplifier supply voltage by combining an output of the DC-to-DC converter and an output of the error amplifier.
US09445364B2
The present disclosure relates to transmitting assistance information from a first node to a second node. In one embodiment, a first node includes a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver. In response to transmitting a preference indicator for a first configuration to a second node via the wireless transmitter or receiving a reconfiguration request associated with the preference indicator for the first configuration, the first node starts a timer set to a value that defines an amount of time before the first node is permitted to transmit a preference indicator for a second configuration to the second node. The first node then blocks transmission of the preference indicator for the second configuration to the second node until the timer has expired. In this manner, excessive signaling of preference indicators from the first node to the second node is avoided.
US09445363B2
A method of handling transmission configuration of a communication device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method is utilized in the communication device, and comprises determining traffic information of a plurality of packets which are transmitted between the communication device and a network of the wireless communication system according to the transmission configuration; and transmitting the traffic information to the network, for the network to configure the transmission configuration according to the traffic information.
US09445355B2
The present document provides a neighbor topology discovery method for a multi-interface terminal, to improve the usage rate of multiple interfaces. The method includes the following steps: after joining a network, the multi-interface terminal broadcasts a neighbor discovery request message to respective networks via each interface, and the neighbor discovery request message carries a neighbor hop value; and the multi-interface terminal in the network monitors broadcast messages of other terminals in the network where each interface is located; when detecting the neighbor discovery request message, if the neighbor hop value carried in the detected neighbor discovery request message indicates that the present terminal is the last hop, related information in the neighbor discovery request message is extracted, and neighbor information and network topology information of the present terminal is updated; and if not, the neighbor hop value is modified and the neighbor discovery request message is forwarded via all interfaces.
US09445354B2
A mobile communications device, operating as a Mobile Terminal (MT), is provided. In the mobile communications device, a receiver is configured to receive a Router Advertisement from a service network, a processor is configured to set an O-Flag of the Router Advertisement to 1 when the O-Flag of the Router Advertisement from the service network is set to 0, and a transmitter is configured to transmit the Router Advertisement to a Terminal Equipment (TE), wherein the TE transmits a DHCPv6 INFORMATION-REQUEST message to the MT when the TE receives the Router Advertisement.
US09445353B2
Profile-based passive network switching of wireless mobile devices comprises receiving at a wireless access point a device specific identifier beacon transmitted from a mobile device and extracting a device specific identifier from the beacon. The access point then transmits the device specific identifier and access point provider information to a networked server configured with presence network switching software for determining network switching requirements based on the transmitted device specific identifier. The access point then receives mobile device network switching data from the server for processing. The access point then transmits local wireless network authentication and connection information from the access point to the mobile device to facilitate activating a wireless network connection between the mobile device and the access point at which point the access point starts processing wireless communication from the mobile device over the local wireless network.
US09445351B2
A system and method is provided for using information broadcast by devices and resources in the immediate vicinity of a mobile device, or by sensors located within the mobile device itself, to ascertain and make a determination of the immediate environment and state of the mobile device. This determination may be used to control and manage the actions that the device is asked to carry out by or on behalf of the user.
US09445348B2
A base station (510), a local server (520), a user equipment (500) and Internet server (540) of a wireless communication network and respective methods therein are provided for enabling provision of an Internet based service to a user equipment, the base station being associated with the local server, which is capable of delivering the Internet based service. A user equipment requesting an Internet based service is requested by the Internet server to discover if the base station is associated with a local server capable of providing the Internet based service to the user equipment. If the user equipment discovers a local server, associated with the base station, capable of providing the Internet based service, the user equipment requests the Internet based service from the local server, via the base station.
US09445347B2
Techniques are disclosed for discovery of Wi-Fi serial bus and Wi-Fi docking services. Such networks include (but are not limited to) IEEE 802.11 networks.
US09445343B2
At least one example embodiment discloses a network control entity including a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a first message from a gateway if a user equipment (UE) is in a first data transmission mode having a first bearer path and the gateway has downlink user plane data for the UE associated with a second transmission mode, the first message identifying the base station serving the UE, and send a page request to the serving base station, the page request identifying the UE and instructing the serving base station to initiate a transition to the second data transmission mode for the UE, the second data transmission mode including a second bearer path between the UE and the network, the second bearer path and the first bearer path being different.
US09445340B2
Methods in a radio network node for obtaining positioning QoS information and using the positioning QoS information, as well as corresponding radio network node apparatus, are disclosed. An example method begins with the receiving (220) of positioning QoS information for a target wireless device, such as a user equipment, UE. In some cases, for example, the positioning QoS information is received from a positioning node, using the LPPa protocol. The positioning QoS information may include, for example, a desired horizontal accuracy, a desired vertical accuracy, and a target response time. The received positioning QoS information is used (230) to configure uplink transmissions to be transmitted by the target wireless device, or to configure a receiver for reception of one or more uplink transmissions from the target wireless device, or both.
US09445339B2
The invention relates to a method for supporting cell change between frequency layers. The method is performed in a Radio Network node of a wireless communication network deploying two frequency layers. The Radio Network node serves a User Equipment in a cell of a first of the two frequency layers. The User Equipment is configured to perform measurements on the first frequency layer, and to exclude measurements on a second of the two frequency layers. The method comprises receiving information from the User Equipment related to a coverage of a target cell of the second frequency layer, and determining whether to change to the target cell based on the received information.
US09445336B2
The method and the device for supporting group handover are disclosed. The method supporting group handover is provided, which is applied to UE in communication with network via a RN, including: a base station S-DeNB switching RN to a base station T-DeNB; and said S-DeNB switching UE served by said RN to said T-DeNB; wherein the MME serving said RN and the MME serving UE served by said RN are the same. Another embodiment of the present invention further provides a base station supporting group handover, The technical scheme set forth in the present invention can reduce unnecessary signaling procedure, the possibility of network congestion, and can reduce the signaling procedure of handover when group handover occurs, so as to reduce the failure of the handover process and ensure the continuity of service.
US09445322B2
Since OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing), which is a downlink access scheme used for an LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication system, is weak at interference, it is preferable that the number of base stations for transmitting the same E-MBMS (Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) data be not excessive.Thus, the mobile terminal performs: processing of obtaining measurement quality values by measuring reception quality of each base station; processing of deciding on whether the measurement quality value of a serving base station exceeds a certain receiving level; processing of adding measurement quality values of other base stations to the measurement quality value of the serving base station until the sum exceeds the certain receiving level; and processing of notifying the serving base station of the serving base station and other base stations as candidates for an active set for E-MBMS. This makes it possible to select as the active set for E-MBMS an appropriate number of base stations that make it compatible to maintain good reception quality and to prevent interference.
US09445315B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a user equipment initiates autonomous cell reselection from a source cell to a target cell. Subsequent to the reselection, the user equipment transmits information relating to the source cell to the target cell. The network is in some embodiments configured to use the information for self-organizing network purposes by connecting source-target cell pairs as neighbors.
US09445312B2
The enhanced configuration and handoff scheme leverages the configuration of the Femto system, the Femto access network conditions and the mobile device conditions to facilitate an attractive user-experience. In an embodiment, the invention is based on the use of the access network conditions, IP (Internet Protocol) multimedia service QoS constraints, and the user profile for an enhanced configuration and handoff scheme, in a multimode Femto system.
US09445309B2
In a network configured using a wireless link in which a transmission rate fluctuates, accommodation efficiency of traffic is improved while communication quality of VBR traffic is maintained. A bandwidth control device includes a stability level calculation unit which calculates a stability level indicating a probability that a bandwidth is available in a wireless link using adaptive modulation, a utilization rate calculation unit which calculates a utilization rate of a bandwidth used by traffic to be accommodated, an allocation unit which allocates, to the traffic, a link bandwidth of the stability level corresponding to the utilization rate of the traffic, and a path control unit which sets a path for the traffic in the wireless network including a communication device that performs communication over the wireless link based on the allocated link bandwidth.
US09445301B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, an apparatus, and a system for accessing a multi-operator core network. The method includes: acquiring, by a second SGSN, an LLC parameter of a first SGSN from an access network device, where the LLC parameter of the first SGSN is sent by the first SGSN to the access network device; and interacting, by the second SGSN, with an MS by using the LLC parameter of the first SGSN.
US09445296B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of wireless communications, and in particular, to a method, system, and device for configuring channel measurement and DL CSI feedback, so as to implement measurement in a dynamic TDD system. The method for configuring channel measurement according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises: a network side device dividing downlink subframes into multiple downlink subframe groups according to an interference condition on the downlink subframes; and the network side device notifying a user equipment of channel measurement configuration information corresponding to the downlink subframe groups. The network side device notifies the user equipment of the channel measurement configuration information corresponding to the multiple downlink subframe groups that are obtained according to the interference condition on the downlink subframe, thereby implementing measurement in the dynamic TDD system.
US09445286B2
The present invention discloses a protocol version negotiation method, a mobile terminal and a base station. The method includes: receiving, by a mobile terminal, an air interface message sent by a base station according to a 3GPP protocol, where the air interface message includes an information element for indicating a highest protocol version supported by the base station, and the air interface message is sent before the base station sends a request message for querying the mobile terminal capability set; obtaining the highest protocol version supported by the base station according to the information element; and if the highest protocol version supported by the mobile terminal is later than the highest protocol version supported by the base station, configuring, by the mobile terminal, a protocol version used by the mobile terminal to a protocol version same as the highest protocol version supported by the base station.
US09445285B2
Interference is mitigated in a wireless communication system using interference alignment techniques to cancel inter-cell interference based on a decoding order while using joint decoding to cancel intra-cell interference. Second transmitter-receiver pairs proximate a first transmitter-receiver pair may be selected so that the first transmitter-receiver pair is in a first cell and the second transmitter-receiver pairs are not in the first cell. Signals transmitted by the second transmitter-receiver pairs may be aligned to be received by the first transmitter-receiver pair in a first subspace of channels. A second subspace of the channels is free of the signals transmitted by the second transmitter-receiver pairs.
US09445284B2
A method for communication in a wireless network is provided. The method includes a relay node receiving a data packet and determining whether to transmit the packet without performing error checking.
US09445280B2
Multiple mobile cellular network (MCN) communication systems can be networked together to form a network of MCN communication systems (NOM). Each MCN communication system within the NOM can operate as an independent cellular network to provide communications between user equipment within a covered area. The MCN can be managed by a network management control center (NMCC). The NMCC can be configured generate coverage maps of the NOM and NMC system coverage areas.
US09445279B2
Methods and systems for determining placement of a virtual serving gateway. The method includes obtaining a set of input information. The input information includes network information and configuration information providing one or more parameters for placing the virtual serving gateway, and includes at least one mobility insensitivity criterion. Placement of the virtual serving gateway at one or more physical hosts is determined in accordance with the network information and the configuration information. The virtual serving gateway is distributively placeable across physical hosts. A set of output information is generated. The output information includes information identifying placement of the virtual serving gateway at the physical hosts, and a hosting percentage for each physical host.
US09445272B2
The invention proposes a system for authenticating and authorizing network services comprising: a mobile device being adapted to, upon receipt of an information message indicating at least one network access type, determine the network access type, to create a start message containing at least a user identity, and to encapsulate the start message in an authentication message compatible with the access network identified in the information message, and an access controller for reading the encapsulated message from the mobile and forwarding the encapsulated message to an authentication server identified in the encapsulated message. The invention also proposes a corresponding method for authenticating and authorizing network services, and an access control device, a subscriber device and a router device.
US09445270B1
A method in a wireless sensing device for authenticating a gateway device of a sensor network is described. The method includes receiving a certificate where the certificate was generated by the management server upon a determination that the gateway device and the wireless sensing device are associated and is a digital document including data and a digital signature, where the digital signature was generated by the management server based on the data and a private key of the management server, and where the data includes a first identifier and a second identifier; confirming that the wireless sensing device is authorized to upload data to the gateway device; in response to the confirming that the wireless sensing device is authorized to upload data to the gateway device, uploading to the gateway device data indicative of a plurality of sensor measurements taken over time to be transmitted to the management server.
US09445268B2
A processor of a mobile terminal refers to an app table that stores a reference flag on a per-app basis, the flag indicating whether the operation-unlock app screen is to be displayed in the foreground window of a display. Furthermore, the processor acquires from the app table the flag that corresponds to the current app in response to a lighting-off command. Moreover, the processor determines whether the operation-unlock app screen is to be displayed in the foreground window instead of the current app screen on the basis of the acquired flag. On the basis of the result of the determination, the processor controls the changing of a screen in the foreground window.
US09445266B2
There is provided a method and apparatus for allowing a user of a mobile device to securely access a storage device of a home network of the user. The method and apparatus advantageously allow for the user to share data stored on the home network with other users, or to give full or restricted access to other computing devices. The apparatus consists of a network element residing on the home network of the user, which enables communications between the network storage and the mobile device when the mobile device is in a remote location.
US09445265B2
A method and device for processing Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) switching, and a related terminal are disclosed. In a technical solution of the disclosure, two sets of authentication parameters can be stored during the process of SRVCC switching, one set of which is stored into a card and the other set is stored into a temporary data area, and specific access to the authentication parameters is controlled by a switch variable so that a user does not need to consider using which data area. It is determined, after the SRVCC switching succeeds or fails, whether authentication parameters in the temporary data area need to be written into the card. Calculated authentication parameters are directly written into the card after the SRVCC switching is started, so that update of the authentication parameters is more flexible and signalling interaction with a network can be reduced.
