US09696173B2
A mechanism for providing an instruction notification for navigation. A method includes receiving destination data of a user device and generating default navigation instruction in view of the destination data. The default navigation instruction provides directions from a first location of the user device to a second location of the destination data. The method also includes setting the user device to a commute mode in view of the destination data. The commute mode includes generating a modified navigation instruction that modifies the default navigation instruction.
US09696171B2
A map application includes a mechanism to perform context-based analysis to determine the purpose of a journey. The context-based analysis can include an analysis of any or all of the following: the destination, one or more calendars, social media, and historical data. Once the context-based analysis determines the purpose of the journey, the map application suggests one or more stops based on the purpose of the journey, and displays the suggested stop(s) on the map displayed to the user.
US09696166B2
An autocheck module of a map system is configured to automatically identify anomalous conditions within map data that may indicate an error within the data. The identification of the anomalous conditions is accomplished by application of different autocheck types to the map data, each autocheck type representing a class of anomalies and being triggered if particular map data exhibits the anomalous condition associated with the autocheck type. In one embodiment, for at least some of the portions of map data that trigger an autocheck type, an issue entry is created in an issue database, the issue entry referencing the autocheck type that was triggered, the map data that triggered it, and any associated data of relevance for the particular autocheck type in question.
US09696161B2
A celestial compass kit. The kit includes an inclinometer, a camera system with a special telecentric fisheye lens for imaging at least one celestial object and a processor programmed with a celestial catalog providing known positions at specific times of at least one celestial object and algorithms for automatically calculating target direction information based on the inclination of the system as measured by the inclinometer and the known positions of at least one celestial object as provided by the celestial catalog and as imaged by the camera. The telecentric fisheye lens produces an image on the sensor located at or near the focal plane which remains spatially constant within sub-micron accuracies despite thermally produced changes in the focus of the lens.
US09696158B2
In a gyro sensor, two detection weights are placed in an outer drive weight to be arranged in an x-axis direction and coupled to each other via a coupling spring. By thus coupling the two detection weights via the coupling spring, it is possible to separate an in-phase-mode resonant frequency fin and an anti-phase-mode resonant frequency fanti from each other. As a result, it is possible to provide the gyro sensor which can suppress an output error on receiving an impact and perform more precise angular velocity detection.
US09696150B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an overlay error measuring device for correcting a pattern displacement other than an overlay error to thereby achieve high-precision overlay error measurement. To accomplish the abovementioned purpose, the present invention proposes an overlay error measuring device which measures a dimension between a plurality of patterns belonging to different layers using a signal obtained by a charged particle beam device, and when measuring the dimension, corrects an amount corresponding to a pattern shift due to an optical proximity effect and measures the dimension between the plurality of patterns.
US09696146B2
The present invention relates to a scanning probe (100) for the dimensional acquisition of an object (400) by irradiating the object (400) with light and detecting reflected light comprising: a detection unit (120) comprising an imaging sensor (122) and a sensor lens assembly (124) for detecting the reflected light, a light projecting unit (141) comprising a light source (142) for generating light, and source optics (145) for focusing the light, and light plane generating optics (143) for generating a light plane (149) for irradiating the object, and an adjustment mechanism (155) comprised in the light projecting unit (141), for adjusting the position or orientation of the light plane relative to the detection unit. It further relates to a method for assembly of a scanning probe (100).
US09696140B2
Some embodiments of the invention relate to a laser tracker for continuously pursuing a reflective target and for determining the position of the target. The method may include a base which defines a vertical axis, a beam guiding unit for emitting a measurement beam, the beam guiding unit being pivotable by motor relative to the base about the vertical axis and an inclination axis, and a measurement axis being defined by an emission direction of the measurement beam. The laser tracker may include a precision distance measurement unit and an angle measurement function. The target search unit may have illumination source for illuminating the target, a first camera with a first position-sensitive detector and at least one part of the illumination beam reflected on the target being determinable as a first target position, and a control and evaluation unit.
US09696134B2
A system (10) for measuring a physical characteristic of an object (11) using dual path, two-dimensional Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) includes an extended broadband light source (13) producing an incident light beam (14) and an interferometer (15) having a beam splitter (16) that splits the incident beam into first and second component (17, 18) beams and directs the second component beam (18) on to a moveable mirror (19) for creating an optical path difference between the first component beam (17) and a reflection (20) of the second component beam. A focusing lens (21) having a focal plane (22) focuses the first component beam and the reflection of the second component beam to form a fringe pattern (23) on the focal plane, and a configurable imaging system (25) images the fringe pattern on to a plane (12) of the object to allow two-dimensional measurement of the object without spatial scanning.
US09696126B2
A signal is injected into a wired series of detonators to obtain a reflected signal which represents a validated status of the system. The reflected signal is compared to a second reflected signal, generated in a similar way, some time later; to detect factors which affect the validated status of the system.
US09696113B2
Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide a holster for a weapon, tool, or other implement. The holster comprises a backing that may be combined with one or more interchangeable shell components (i.e., covers) to at least partially encase the implement. The backing includes a recessed portion, and a retention membrane is coupled to the backing to form a cavity with the recessed portion. The membrane is arranged to flex partially into the cavity when the implement is encased within the holster.
US09696098B2
Disclosed herein is a once-through evaporator comprising an inlet manifold; one or more inlet headers in fluid communication with the inlet manifold; one or more tube stacks, where each tube stack comprises one or more substantially horizontal evaporator tubes; the one or more tube stacks being in fluid communication with the one or more inlet headers; one or more outlet headers in fluid communication with one or more tube stacks; and an outlet manifold in fluid communication with the one or more outlet headers.
US09696094B2
A cooling unit includes a tank having an inlet port and a discharge port for refrigerant, first and second radiators connected to the tank, the first and second radiators each having a flow path, an inlet chamber defined in the tank for supplying the refrigerant flowing therein from the inlet port to the first radiator, a discharge chamber defined in the tank for discharging the refrigerant cooled in the second radiator to the discharge port, and a reservoir in which bubbles generated in the refrigerant are collected, the reservoir being provided between the inlet chamber and the discharge chamber in the tank.
US09696092B2
A furnace cooling panel monitoring system utilizes individual cooling panel data to produce critical monitoring data. An exemplary cooling panel monitoring system utilizes the input from a plurality of temperature sensors configured to accurately measure the temperature change of cooling fluid flowing through each individual panel. The change in temperature from the inlet to the outlet of a cooling panel along with the flow rate of the cooling fluid through the panel can be used to calculate the a heat energy dissipation rate of the cooling panel, or heat flux. The flow rate through individual panels is determined by K-values or resistance to flow constants for a given cooling panel. The heat energy dissipation rate for individual panels can be provided to a user through a computer implemented monitoring program in real time. Alerts may be initiated by the computer implemented monitoring program when a threshold value has been exceeded.
US09696090B2
A thermal processing furnace for workpieces has a blowing hood in which a nozzle is installed, the nozzle blowing a gas flow to thermally process a workpiece, including a driving mechanism that adjusts a distance between the nozzle and a portion of the workpiece facing the nozzle so that the gas flow blown from the nozzle impinges on workpieces of various dimensions at a desired flow velocity, wherein a plurality of nozzles are arranged as the nozzle along a conveying direction of the workpiece in a zone where the thermal processing is performed, and the driving mechanism adjusts a distance between each of the nozzles and a portion of the workpiece facing the nozzle individually in each of the plurality of nozzles.
US09696087B2
A method for separating air is provided, in which a flow of oxygen-rich liquid is sent to a top of a pure oxygen column, having a pure oxygen reboiler, in which said flow is purified in order to form a vessel liquid containing at least 98 mol % of oxygen and the vessel liquid is drawn off as a product. A supercharged airflow at a second pressure is sent to the pure oxygen reboiler and to a liquid oxygen vaporizer; a nitrogen-rich gas is drawn from the top of the medium-pressure column and sent to an intermediate reboiler of the low-pressure column and the condensed gas is sent to the top of the medium-pressure column; and a nitrogen-rich gas or air is sent to a vessel reboiler of the low-pressure column and the liquid that condenses therein is sent to the medium-pressure column.
US09696069B2
An ejector has a primary inlet, a secondary inlet, and an outlet. A primary flowpath extends from the primary inlet to the outlet and a secondary flowpath extends from the secondary inlet to the outlet, merging with the primary flowpath. A motive nozzle surrounds the primary flowpath upstream of a junction with the secondary flowpath. The motive nozzle has a throat and an exit. In one group of embodiments, an effective area of the exit is variable. In others, the needle may extend downstream from a flow control portion or may have an upstream convergent surface of a flow control portion.
US09696046B2
An air handling unit has a first modular cabinet comprising a first profile, a second modular cabinet comprising a second profile that is complementary to the first profile, and the first profile comprises an alignment feature. An air handling unit has a heat exchanger cabinet comprising a first profile, a blower cabinet comprising a second profile complementary to the first profile, a first connector system disposed at least partially on each of the heat exchanger cabinet and the blower cabinet, and the first connector system is operable to releasably secure the first profile to the second profile. An air handling unit has a first modular cabinet comprising a first portion of a first connection system and a second modular cabinet comprising a second portion of the first connection system. A component of the first portion may be least partially received within the second portion.
US09696037B2
The present application provides a combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustor may include a liner and a flow sleeve surrounding the liner with the liner and the flow sleeve defining a flow path therebetween. A liner retaining feature extends into the flow path to retain the liner within the flow sleeve. The liner retaining feature may include a bolt therein.
US09696036B2
The present invention relates to a combustion chamber tile of a gas turbine with a plate-like basic element which is provided with at least one effusion cooling hole extending through the basic element from a surface of one side to the other side, with the effusion cooling hole being designed, from the one side of the basic element and beginning from an inlet opening, substantially at right angles to the surface over part of its length, wherein the effusion cooling hole inside the basic element has a straight section and is then provided with an offset section.
US09696030B2
A combustion system is provided for an oxy-combustion furnace. The combustion system includes at least one windbox mountable on the oxy-combustion furnace and having at least one main firing location. At least one primary inlet is positioned in the at least one main firing location for conveying fuel and the first oxidant into the oxy-combustion furnace. At least one secondary inlet is positioned in the at least one main firing location for conveying the second oxidant into the oxy-combustion furnace. The at least one secondary inlet is angularly offset from the at least one primary inlet.
US09696028B2
A boiler system for producing steam from water includes a plurality of serially arranged oxy fuel boilers. Each boiler has an inlet in flow communication with a plurality of tubes. The tubes of each boiler form at least one water wall. Each of the boilers is configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air. Each boiler includes an oxy fuel combustion system including an oxygen supply for supplying oxygen having a purity of greater than 21 percent, a carbon based fuel supply for supplying a carbon based fuel and at least one oxy-fuel burner system for feeding the oxygen and the carbon based fuel into its respective boiler in a near stoichiometric proportion. The oxy fuel system is configured to limit an excess of either the oxygen or the carbon based fuel to a predetermined tolerance. The boiler tubes of each boiler are configured for direct, radiant energy exposure for energy transfer. Each of the boilers is independent of each of the other boilers.
US09696025B2
An inflatable display with dynamic lighting effect has an inflatable body, an air pump inflating the inflatable body, and a lighting assembly mounted inside the inflatable body for providing dynamic lighting variations. The lighting assembly has a light housing, a power supply, a lighting module, and a refracting module mounted in the light housing. The lighting module and the refracting module rotate relative to each other. As light beams emitted from the lighting module pass through the refracting module, the light beams are mixed and refracted. With relative rotation of the lighting module and the refracting module, the light beams can project outwards to further penetrate through the inflatable body at different angles covering a large area to form the dynamic lighting variations and to exhibit the dynamic lighting effect.
US09696015B2
An emergency warning light assembly has features that enable changing a color of light emitted from the assembly and changing a beam pattern and beam intensity of light emitted from the assembly.
US09696014B2
A radiation emitting element comprising a radiation transmissive element having a first refractive index, a first surface, a second, opposite surface, a radiation emitter adapted to emit radiation of a predetermined wavelength into the radiation transmissive element, and a plurality of radiation controlling elements, wherein each radiation controlling element comprises: a first liquid having a second refractive index, a second fluid having a third refractive index being lower than the second refractive index, the second refractive index being closer to the first refractive index than the third refractive index, means for altering a shape of the first liquid between two modes wherein: • in a first mode, the first liquid being in contact with the first surface at a first surface part, and an interface between the first liquid and the second fluid, at the first surface part, is not parallel to the first surface part and • in a second mode, a surface of the second fluid, at the first surface part, is at least substantially parallel to the shape of the first surface part, wherein the first liquid has a transmittance of at least 10% at the predetermined wavelength.
US09696008B2
The present disclosure provides systems and techniques for directing light into one or more light beams which converge into an aggregate beam. In certain example embodiments, the present disclosure provides a reflector having one or more reflective curved surfaces for reflecting and focusing light from one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) into one or more light beams, which make up an aggregate light beam. In certain example embodiments, the reflective curved surfaces are paraboloid surfaces.
US09695991B2
A diffused flexible LED linear light assembly (100) includes a flexible LED linear light component (102) having a flexible base (104) with individual LEDs (106) spaced longitudinally along the direction of the component (102). A partially translucent housing (120) houses the flexible LED linear light component (102). A curved section (124) of the translucent housing (120) varies in thickness in its lateral surfaces. The thickness may be varied so as to allow a relatively higher percentage of light transmission in areas of weakest LED output strengths. This light output intensity through the translucent housing, in view of the thickness variation, is substantially even or constant circumferentially and radially through the translucent section (124) of the translucent housing (120).
US09695988B2
A pipeline-waste-gas reducer apparatus to reduce the amount of gas wasted by existing high-pressure pipelines having existing pipeline controllers and existing actuator-based control valves, by reducing the pressure of gas sent to existing pipeline controllers by a determined factor, consequently reducing the amount of gas wasted by the controllers, and then increasing control pressure returned by the controllers by the same factor, ensuring that the proper control pressure is sent to the existing actuator-based control valves.
US09695985B2
A fluid supply system adapted for vacuum and pressure cycling of fluid, including a transfer vessel adapted to supply a process canister with fluid drawn from a bulk canister under a vacuum, wherein delivery of fluid from the transfer vessel to the process canister is accomplished with positive pressure. A method is also disclosed of delivering fluid, including drawing fluid under vacuum from a bulk canister and pressurizing the transfer vessel to effect dispensing of the fluid into a process canister for delivery to a location of use.
US09695978B2
Embodiments according to this disclosure include methods and systems for lubricating sheet metal stock by wiping a controlled amount of lubricant onto the surfaces of the sheet metal with strips of material, such as felt, saturated with the lubricant. The lubrication methods and systems disclosed herein can also provide for control of the pressure at which the lubricant is delivered, the volume of lubricant delivered, and the frequency lubricant is delivered to the felt strips. The lubricant is delivered to the felt strips at a number of locations and the felt material is configured to naturally wick the lubricant from the injection sites to the spaces between injection sites to substantially saturate the entire strip.
US09695977B2
A multi-function clamp with integrated universal mount for an electronic device, such as a camera phone or tablet computer is described. The clamp may be adapted to support the electronic device in a variety of configurations, such as placed upon a desktop, strapped to a user's hand or fastened to a multiple of photography stability devices, such as a tripod or shoulder rig. The clamp may also allow secure mounting of electronic device to a number of objects, such as a tree, handlebar, auto interior, etc. when used with elastomer, adhesive or hook and loop straps. The clamp may be used with an electronic control module that mounts to a shoe on the clamp and electronically connects with the electronic device. The clamp may be used in combination with a hot shoe for attachment to a conventional SLR camera, wherein a camera phone is either wirelessly or with a wire interfaced to the SLR so that activation of the camera phone simultaneously activates the SLR.
US09695970B2
A pulsation control device is constructed at least partially of a composite carbon (and/or other fibers)/epoxy exostructure having an oblong cylindrical or spheroidal shape, optionally with metallic portions or reinforcements, together with a non-metallic polymer non-load sharing liner. A pressure drop tube preferably extends from an opening through an exterior wall of the body into an interior space within the body.
US09695965B2
A valve comprising a shoulder, a movable check member having a wall facing the shoulder and a coupling member. The movable check member is adapted to prevent fluid passage through or out of the valve when in contact with the shoulder. The coupling member is adapted to displace the movable check member away from the shoulder responsive to the pressure being applied on the wall exceeding a predetermined threshold. The coupling member is further adapted to retract and maintain the movable check member secured against the shoulder responsive to the fluid flow pressure at the wall dropping below the threshold.
US09695959B2
A guide system configured to guide a pipeline from a laying vessel onto the bed of a body of water has a float unit; a trolley, which is housed inside the frame, is selectively connectable to a pipeline spanning a given or designated path between the laying vessel and the bed of the body of water, and is configured to roll along the pipeline, parallel to the given or designated path; and at least one motor connected to the trolley) to selectively adjust the distance between the float unit and the laying vessel.
US09695958B2
An arrangement that brings all of the separate elements of equipment used to lay product offshore such as pipe, umbilicals and power cables and assembles them into a single device that can be installed on a vessel of opportunity is described. A base is used for mounting, integration, and installation of the separate elements onto a vessel. The base receives a movable lay chute, an apparatus for moving and stabilizing the lay chute, a movable hang off clamp and work table, a movable access platform, a product support arm and wheel, and a fixed chute.
US09695957B2
A connecting device for connecting an external function device to an arrangement and for cutting off flow paths by accommodating a clamping device includes a pressure-measuring unit and/or a length-measuring unit configured to detect a clamping force and/or a distance such that it is possible to monitor the status of the clamping device.
US09695948B2
A vacuum valve with a housing having a valve seat, a closure member which, in a closed position, is pressed against the valve seat, and a manual actuator, by which the closure member is displaceable in a linear manner and which includes a screw transmission, which is actuatable by a rotational element and has a first driving part connected to the rotational element and a second driving part connected to the closure member. The driving parts have mating external and internal threads. A closing spring acts between the valve housing and the closure member. The first driving part is displaceable relative to the valve housing parallel to the closing direction, and with the closure member in the open position, the closure member is held against displacement in the closing direction by a supporting stop against which a stop face of the rotational element or of the first driving part abuts.
US09695939B2
A seal structure includes: first and second members defining a hollow internal area of a fluid device; and a seal member fixed to the first member for sealing a gap between the first and second members. The seal member includes a sliding contact member being in sliding contact with a surface of the second member and formed of a resin. The second member includes a resin layer and a resin layer holding structure. The resin layer is formed by sliding the second member on the sliding contact member to transfer the resin forming the sliding contact member onto a sliding contact portion of the surface of the second member at which the second member comes into contact with the sliding contact member. The resin layer holding structure is a porous film formed by electric discharge surface treatment and holds the resin layer in the sliding contact portion.
US09695936B2
A multilayer metal gasket (28) for establishing a seal between two mating members, such as between a cylinder head (22) and an engine block (24). The gasket assembly (28) includes a primary functional layer (30) having an embossed primary sealing bead (38). A primary stopper layer (52) bridges the convex embossed portion of the primary sealing bead and is fixed relative to the primary functional layer (30) by welding (54) or clinching. A secondary functional layer (44) is paired with the primary functional layer (30) and inverted relative thereto so that its secondary sealing bead (48) aligns with the primary sealing bead (38) and their respective concave depressions open toward one another, with the primary stopper layer (52) sandwiched therebetween. A compression limiter (50) may be carried on the functional layer (44) or alternatively a distance layer (364, 464). The assembly (28) may include a tertiary functional layer (58) having a tertiary sealing bead (62) inverted relative to, and aligned directly with, the primary sealing bead (38).
US09695935B2
A sealing device that suppresses degradation of sealing properties resulting from conduction of heat generated by sliding of a resin-made sealing member and a rotating shaft to a rubber-made sealing member. The sealing device includes a rubber sealing member (110), a resin sealing member (120), a support ring (130), and a case (180), the support ring (130) has: a large diameter portion (131); an inward flange (135) that extends inwardly in a radial direction from an end portion of the large diameter portion (131) on an air side, and has a notch (135a) with which a nail portion (183) of the case is engaged; a small diameter portion (133) that is in contact with an inner peripheral surface of a lip portion (112) of the rubber sealing member (110); and a lip retaining portion (134).
US09695911B2
The present invention provides an oil seal cap that can be attached to a part to be closed without any laborious and time-consuming step and can achieve an efficient oil passage operation such as an oil changing operation. An oil seal cap 30 includes: a body part 31 having a first hole 31a passing therethrough; a port part 32 provided on the body part 31 inside an outer circumferential part of the body part 31 when viewed in the passing-through direction of the first hole 31a, the port part 32 having a second hole 32a passing therethrough and extending in the same direction as the passing-through direction of the first hole 31a; and a plug member 33 configured to block the second hole 32a, the plug member 33 being removably mounted on the port part 32. The second hole 32a is opened, through the first hole 31a, toward a side opposed to a side where the port part 32 is provided on the body part 31; and a surface of the body part 32 is provided with a locking part 38a projecting with respect to the surface.
US09695904B2
A centrifugal pendulum device includes a pendulum mass carrier, which is rotatable about a rotation axis, and at least one pendulum mass, which is supported on the pendulum mass carrier for movement along a track between end stops which are spaced from one another in circumferential direction in relation to the rotation axis. A spring device urges the pendulum mass in one of the end stops, when the rotation speed of the pendulum mass carrier drops below a limit rotation speed.
US09695903B2
To provide a novel damper for a compressor that includes a vibration isolation system that suits the low rotation speed of a compressor of a cooling apparatus.A plurality of support projections that support annular mounting portions of a compressor at multiple points are provided at an upper end portion of a cylindrical support. The plurality of support projections elastically support the compressor so that the compressor has a high center of gravity and allow the compressor to be laterally displaced by vibration. Moreover, a bellows portion that is elastically deformed while being in contact with the annular mounting portion that becomes laterally displaced is provided. The elastic deformation of the bellows portion buffers the lateral displacement of the compressor and stirs a viscous fluid that fills inside thereof to buffer the vibration.
US09695898B2
A damping force generating apparatus of a shock absorber includes a main flow path through which a working fluid flows, a main valve which generates a damping force by controlling the flow of the working fluid by opening and closing the main flow path, a pilot chamber into which the working fluid branched from the main flow path flows and which applies an internal pressure in a valve closing direction to the main valve by a pressure of the working fluid, and a pilot flow path to which the working fluid flows out from the pilot chamber. In addition, a jet stream which is generated in a flow path narrowed by the main valve in the main flow path joins the flow of the working fluid which flows out from the pilot chamber via the pilot flow path.
US09695893B2
A fast-positioning brake slave cylinder adjuster includes a driving rod, an operation grip, a positioning mechanism, and a baffle. Therein, the driving rod engages a driving disk for being coupled with a brake slave cylinder, while the driving rod has a first thread section and a second thread section with different rotation directions. The operation grip drives the driving rod. The positioning mechanism is mounted around the driving rod, and capable of generating a clutching movement. When being de-clutched with the driving rod, the positioning mechanism is allowed to fast move axially along the driving rod; when being clutched with the driving rod, the positioning mechanism is allowed to be screwed to the first or second thread sections. The baffle is mounted around the outer periphery of the positioning mechanism. Therefore, with a fast adjusting function achieved, the adjusting operation is facilitated.
US09695888B2
A method for preventing overheating of a clutch for a vehicle may include determining, by a controller, whether a state of the vehicle satisfies a hill hold condition; acquiring, by the controller, a temperature of a clutch between an engine and a transmission when the hill hold condition is satisfied; applying, by the controller, a first torque having a predetermined square wave shape to the clutch when the temperature of the clutch reaches a first temperature; and applying, by the controller, a second torque having a predetermined sine wave shape to the clutch when the temperature of the clutch reaches a second temperature higher than the first temperature.
US09695870B2
A centering spring assembly of a turbomachine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a damper beam, a bearing support, and a spanner nut. At least a portion of the damper beam axially overlaps at least a portion of the spanner nut relative to a rotational axis of the turbomachine.
US09695869B2
A spherical plain bearing comprising an inner ring provided with a spherical outer surface and with lateral surfaces, an outer ring provided with a corresponding spherical inner surface mounted on the outer surface, and a sleeve mounted into a bore of the inner ring. The inner ring comprises at least three part rings which are mounted in contact in the circumferential direction one relative to another. At least one protrusion is provided on an outer surface of the sleeve and extends into a groove formed on the bore of the inner ring. The sleeve leaves the lateral surfaces free of the inner ring.
US09695868B2
A bearing arrangement (28) having at least one radial air bearing (1) and/or having an axial air bearing (15′). The radial air bearing (1) has an inner annular bearing plate (7) and a spring plate (10) which surrounds the bearing plate (7) at the outside. The bearing plate and spring plate being formed as a single-piece component.
US09695863B2
A retention clip is provided. The retention clip comprises a spring section, a first elbow section extending from the spring section, a handle section extending from the first elbow section, and a second elbow section opposite the first elbow section. The second elbow section may extend between the handle section and the spring section. A retention assembly is also provided. The retention assembly may comprise a mounting fitting and a housing disposed in the mounting fitting. The housing may define a perimeter of an opening. A retention clip may be disposed around the housing with an elbow section extending into the perimeter to obstruct the opening.
US09695862B1
A thread-cleaning tool comprises a partially hollow nut for use with a pneumatic, hydraulic, or electrical nut-running power tool. The nut comprises a plurality of brushes mounted in alignment with the outside corners of the nut, and facing inward to the central orifice of the nut, such that the nut abrasively removes corrosion and particulates from the threads of a shaft. In an embodiment, the brushes of the nut are mounted upon brush assemblies comprising rotating cam members, located in recesses spaced to align with the outer corners of the nut, providing a mechanism for the brushes to move back and forth as the nut is rotated up and down the thread. The brush assemblies can be easily removed or substituted as wear and tear accumulates.
US09695855B2
A building block structure includes a joint adaptor unit and at least one connection bar. The joint adaptor unit includes one or multiple joint adaptors, each of which includes at least one screwing connection end that includes a right/left-hand combined threaded hole formed therein. The right/left-hand combined threaded hole includes multiple right-handed screw troughs and multiple left-handed screw troughs that are alternately arranged. The connection bar has one end having multiple spaced right-handed external threads and an opposite end having multiple spaced left-handed external threads. As such, when the connection bar is rotated in a given direction, the right-handed external threads and the left-handed external threads are simultaneously screwed into the right/left-hand combined threaded holes of two oppositely facing joint adaptors. Through rotation in an opposite direction, the right-handed external threads and the left-handed external threads are simultaneously disengaged from the right/left-hand combined threaded holes.
US09695838B2
The invention relates to a radial compressor (1) for an exhaust gas turbocharger, in particular of an internal combustion engine, with a compressor housing (2) comprising an axial inlet channel (3) and a radial outlet channel (4), with a compressor wheel (6) for delivering and compressing a gas, wherein the compressor wheel (6) has an axial inlet side (7) facing the inlet channel (3), a radial outlet side (8) facing the outlet channel (4) and an axial wheel surface contour (9), which extends from the inlet side (6) as far as to the outlet side (7), with an adapter element (10) which is substantially designed sleeve-like, which can be axially introduced into a fastening section (11) provided on the compressor housing (2), wherein the adapter element (10) at least in sections has a surface contour (13), which is designed substantially complementarily to the axial wheel surface contour (9), so that by axially moving the adapter element (10) in the fastening section (11) a gap width (w) of a passage gap (14) axially formed between the adapter element (10) and the compressor wheel (6) along the surface contours (9, 13) facing one another can be adjusted.
US09695837B2
The device is configured for moving a fluid within a gearbox. In one illustrative embodiment, the device includes a base portion coupled to a rotatable member within the gearbox. An inlet portion of the device is configured to draw the fluid from a reservoir portion of the gearbox. The device is configured to utilize a centrifugal force for moving the fluid from the inlet portion toward the base portion along an interior surface of a conical portion. In another illustrative embodiment, the device includes a conical portion having an external threaded portion configured to capture a fluid during a rotation of the device. In such an embodiment, the threaded portion is configured to utilize a centrifugal force for moving the fluid captured by the threaded portion along an exterior surface of the conical portion.
US09695836B2
Provided is a fly wheel, including: a fly wheel body provided with a receiving part in which air is filled and mounted on driving shaft; a blade radially coupled to the fly wheel body, including a ventilation passage formed therein to be communicated with the receiving part and a puncturing part formed on an outer race thereof to be communicated with the ventilation passage, and generating thrust by discharging the air filled in the receiving part to the puncturing part at the time of rotating the driving shaft; and a check valve installed on the fly wheel body and being opened and closed by a pressure difference between the receiving part and the outside.
US09695824B2
A pump shaft (10; 12) and a pump member (16; 18) mountable on the shaft for rotation with the shaft have respective contact surfaces that contact when the pump member is mounted on the shaft. At least one of the contact surfaces is formed such that corrosion products of the surface are substantially incompatible with the other contact surface so that joining of the shaft and pump member at the contact surfaces by corrosion is substantially prevented. The pump shaft and pump member may be parts of a dry pump.
US09695823B2
A compressor is provided and may include a shell, an orbiting scroll, a driveshaft and an unloader counterweight. The orbiting scroll may be disposed within the shell and include a boss portion. The driveshaft may include an eccentric pin and rotate about a longitudinal axis. The unloader counterweight assembly may include a first, a second end, and a longitudinal opening extending therebetween. The eccentric pin of the driveshaft may be disposed within the longitudinal opening at the first end of the unloader counterweight assembly. The boss portion of the orbiting scroll may be disposed within the longitudinal opening at the second end of the unloader counterweight assembly.
US09695817B1
Methods of and devices for testing medical pumps via tracking induced bubble trajectories within a fluid flow conduit comprising a valve and methods of synchronized corrections of flow data estimates.
US09695815B2
A pump device and method for stabilizing a suction flow rate irrespective of an outside air temperature. The method includes: outputting a drive signal for driving a motor at a rotation speed for discharging gas of the reference flow rate from the suction port of the pump main body; measuring a temperature of gas discharged from the suction port or a temperature of the pump main body by a temperature sensor attached to the pump main body; calculating an actual flow rate of the gas discharged from the suction port based on a temperature signal relating to the temperature of the gas included in an output of the temperature sensor; and correcting the drive signal such that the actual flow rate equals the reference flow rate and outputting the corrected drive signal to the motor.
US09695810B2
A linear compressor is provided. The linear compressor may include a shell having a refrigerant inlet, a cylinder provided within the shell, a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder to compress a refrigerant, a motor assembly that provides a drive force to the piston, a support provided for the magnet assembly, to support an end of a permanent magnet, and a frame engaged with the cylinder to support the motor assembly, and that includes a contact to absorb impact when the piston collides against the support.
US09695809B1
An air pump capable of twist-locking engagement includes a body housing, a head housing, a leakproof ring, an elastic sleeve, a pushing member and an end cap. The body housing has a cam section formed as a tube having a quarter-round section. The head housing has an opening segment. The head housing and the body housing are rotatably coupled with the leakproof ring arranged therebetween. The elastic sleeve is located at the opening segment of the head housing. The pushing member is located at one end of the elastic sleeve and received in the cam section. The end cap is screwed to the opening segment for pressing against and positioning the elastic sleeve. By a twisting operation of the air pump, the cam section can be turned to engage or release an air valve of an article to be inflated.
US09695797B2
A vehicular fluid power transmitting device includes a pump impeller, a turbine runner, a damper device, a set member, and a centering member. The pump impeller has a pump shell to which torque from a drive source is input. The damper device has a damper input member and a damper output member. The damper input member is connected to an output shaft of the drive source. The damper output member is connected to the pump shell. The set member is fixed to the pump shell, and is connected to the damper output member. Also, the centering member is provided protruding toward the pump shell from the output shaft of the drive source, and is fitted together with the damper input member.
US09695786B2
An engine system includes an internal combustion engine having an intake duct and an exhaust duct; a flow control module fluidly coupled to the intake duct; a compressor in fluid communication with the intake duct via the flow control module; a heat exchanger having an exhaust flow path in fluid communication with the exhaust duct, and having an oxidizer flow path, an outlet of the compressor being in selective fluid communication with the intake duct via the flow control module and the oxidizer flow path of the heat exchanger; a first temperature sensor in fluid communication with the intake duct; and a controller operatively coupled to the flow control module and the first temperature sensor, the controller being configured to actuate the flow control module between a first configuration and a second configuration based at least in part on a signal from the first temperature sensor.
US09695785B2
A number of variations may include an EGR-mixer system that may include an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve and a venturi mixer. The venturi mixer may be constructed and arranged to facilitate condensation of water out of exhaust gas and/or intake air entering the EGR-mixer system.
US09695775B2
An internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes at least one cylinder head and at least one exhaust pipe having at least one flange, whereby the flange has at least two flange fastening holes that have at least two fastening screws for fastening the exhaust pipe to the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine, whereby the exhaust pipe can be arranged so as to be connected to the cylinder head by means of the fastening screws in such a way that it can be dismantled, whereby at least one centering device is provided essentially in the area of the flange holes.
US09695761B2
A method of distinguishing piston slap from engine knock in a reciprocating device includes obtaining a fundamental frequency of a cylinder, the cylinder having a thrust face and an anti-thrust face, receiving a first signal from a first knock sensor mounted on the cylinder, and identifying piston slap by evaluating whether a first plurality of amplitudes of the first signal at the fundamental frequency and one or more harmonic frequencies of the fundamental frequency exceed a piston slap threshold value.
US09695760B2
A method/system for maintaining the energy efficiency history of predicted route segments in a database, providing adaptive feedback to hybrid vehicle controls, and displaying the energy efficiency history to the driver. As the vehicle travels on a route, the system stores energy efficiency information for route segments. The system may include sensors, a memory, and a processor to learn energy efficiency information based on how fuel and battery power are used over a route segment and/or route. The method/system may utilize energy efficiency information to adjust a start/stop engine threshold of a hybrid vehicle. When the processor predicts that the vehicle will travels on the predicted route segment again, the vehicle may optimize powertrain parameters such as the start/stop engine threshold during traveling on the predicted route segment and/or before reaching the predicted route segment.
US09695759B2
An injection device for an internal combustion engine is proposed having at least one injection valve system for injecting fuel into an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine and at least one heating device for pre-heating fuel injected by the injection valve system, the injection valve system including a first injection valve for injecting fuel in the direction of a first inlet opening of a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine and a separate, second injection valve for injecting fuel in the direction of a second inlet opening of the combustion chamber.
US09695758B2
A fuel system is disclosed that is capable of operating in multiple combustion modes. A method is also disclosed of operating a dual fuel engine in conjunction with the fuel system. The method may include detecting a performance parameter of gaseous fuel in the fuel system. The method may also include selecting a combustion mode from a plurality of combustion modes based on the performance parameter. The method may further include injecting gaseous fuel and liquid fuel into at least one cylinder of the engine according to an injection timing corresponding to the selected combustion mode.
US09695749B2
This invention relates to electrical power systems, including generating capacity of a gas turbine, and more specifically to augmentation of power output of gas turbine systems, that is useful for providing additional electrical power during periods of peak electrical power demand.
US09695748B2
Systems and methods for storing and retrieving thermo-mechanical energy are disclosed. The systems and methods include a thermodynamic cycle (e.g., a reversible transcritical, trilateral, Brayton or Rankine/vapor compression cycle) that includes a plurality of loops and works as a heat pump in charging mode and as a heat engine in discharging mode. Each loop in the thermodynamic cycle includes pressure increasing and decreasing devices, high and low pressure heat exchanging devices, and the same or different working fluid. The system further includes one or more heat storage chains with hot and cold storage reservoirs and a heat storage fluid. At least one of the high and low pressure heat exchanging devices is a gradient heat exchanging device that exchanges heat with the heat storage chain. Also, at least one other high or low pressure heat exchanging device exchanges heat with a separate heat storage device or a heat source or sink.
US09695738B2
A uniflow two-stroke engine, includes: a cylinder receiving a piston such that the piston can reciprocate therein; an exhaust port provided in an upper end part of the cylinder; and a scavenging port that is provided in a lower side wall portion of the cylinder so as to be opened and closed by the piston, wherein a downstream portion of the scavenging port that opens out to the cylinder includes a guide member that gives a downward velocity component to a gas flow entering the cylinder from the scavenging port.
US09695737B2
A prechamber system for an internal combustion engine has a prechamber, a fuel introduction device, a dead space which connects the fuel introduction device to the prechamber. A channel is provided which connects the prechamber to the dead space.
US09695733B2
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of a first fluid using a second fluid, wherein the heat exchanger has a base for separating the first fluid from the second fluid, said base having a sealing region. Furthermore, the heat exchanger has a partition for separating the first fluid from the second fluid, wherein the at least one partition is connected in a fluid-tight manner to the base, wherein the at least one partition forms a fluid duct for the first fluid. Furthermore, the heat exchanger has a housing. In the sealing region between the base and the housing, there is arranged a sealing element which is pressed in a fluid-tight manner against the base and against the housing.
US09695721B2
A modular exhaust manifold includes a plurality of exhaust manifold segments coupled together along a common axis. Exhaust manifold segments include a water jacket tube defining a liquid coolant passage around each of the plurality of exhaust manifold segments. The internal combustion engine also includes a coupling assembly for joining adjacent exhaust manifold segments. The coupling assembly includes a plurality of annular sealing devices configured to fit within a first set of grooves formed on an end portion of a first exhaust manifold segment. The coupling assembly also includes a spacing collar configured to attach to the end portion of the first exhaust manifold segment and couple with a fixed radial flange formed on an adjacent end portion of a second exhaust manifold segment to join the first exhaust manifold segment and the second exhaust manifold segment.
US09695718B2
A silencer comprises a casing, an inlet pipe for introducing an exhaust into the casing, and an outlet pipe for discharging the exhaust out of the casing. A lid is provided at an exhaust inflow side opening of the outlet pipe and arranged to close the exhaust inflow side opening. The lid has an exhaust inlet for flowing the exhaust into the outlet pipe, a valve body for opening and closing the exhaust inlet, and at least one communication hole formed separately from the exhaust inlet. The valve body is configured to be rotationally movable about a rotation axis of the valve body inside the outlet pipe. The at least one communication hole is provided closer to the rotation axis of the valve body than the exhaust inlet.
US09695715B2
An electrothermal energy storage and discharge system is provided including a charging cycle and a discharging cycle. The charging cycle includes a refrigeration unit and a thermal unit, and the discharging cycle includes a power unit. The refrigeration unit is driven by an excess electric power and is configured to generate a cold energy storage having a solid carbon dioxide. The thermal unit is driven by a thermal energy and is configured to generate a hot energy storage and/or provide a hot source. The power unit operates between the cold energy storage and at least one of the hot energy storage and hot source so as to retrieve the energy by producing a high pressure carbon dioxide and a hot supercritical carbon dioxide, and generating an electric energy using the hot supercritical carbon dioxide.
US09695714B2
A turbine module comprises a turbine shaft, a rotor assembly secured to the shaft, a bearing assembly rotatably supporting the turbine shaft, and a bearing housing containing the bearing assembly. The bearing housing includes a gutter at least partially circumscribing the bearing assembly, and a drain disposed proximate a base of the gutter. The gutter includes a first sloped floor portion circumferentially adjacent to the drain.
US09695710B2
A transfer bearing assembly includes a transfer bearing shaft. An oil transfer bearing surrounds the transfer bearing shaft. A radially extending tube is attached to the transfer bearing shaft and is configured to engage a carrier on a speed reduction device.
US09695709B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a gas turbine engine is provided having a bearing chamber leak detection system. The gas turbine engine includes a rotatable shaft, a bearing assembly supporting the rotatable shaft, and a plurality of bearing chamber seals surrounding the rotatable shaft creating an annular bearing chamber enclosing the bearing assembly. One or more walls substantially surrounding the bearing chamber create a plenum between the walls and the bearing chamber, and a pressurized air inlet to the plenum is provided. The pressurized air inlet includes an airflow sensor configured and positioned to sense a flow of pressurized air into the plenum, such that airflow at the sensor is indicative of airflow from the plenum into the bearing chamber via one or more of the plurality of bearing chamber seals.
US09695688B2
The present invention relates to a round-shaft chisel arrangement with a chisel, comprising a chisel shaft and a chisel tip, a clamping sleeve and a retaining ring. The present invention further relates to a retaining ring for such a round-shaft chisel arrangement and a set comprising a clamping sleeve and a retaining ring. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for securing a round-shaft chisel against axial displacement in a chisel retainer.
US09695686B2
Devices, systems and methods for transmitting downhole data are provided. The devices include a rotor-stator modulator configured for use in a drill string, and a drive and control system configured to drive the rotor according to a modulation scheme resulting in both oscillating and full rotational movement. The modulation scheme can comprise a trajectory algorithm such as a QAM trajectory algorithm. The systems include a modulator disposed within a drill string which creates modulated pulses according to an algorithm providing for both oscillating and full rotational movement of the rotor, and may also include a demodulator. The methods include transmitting coded data by driving a rotor relative a stator disposed in a drill string according to a modulation scheme that provides both oscillating and full rotational movement and results in modulated mud pulses representative of data recorded downhole, and may involve decoding the data.
US09695681B2
A method of fracturing a wellbore formation that includes positioning an end of a coiled tubing string adjacent a first location within a wellbore, pumping fluid down the wellbore to fracture the formation, and monitoring a pressure within the wellbore during the procedure with at least one sensor connected to a communication line. The fracturing procedure may be a re-fracturing of the wellbore. The method may include actuating a single isolation element or two isolation elements to isolate a portion of the wellbore to be fractured. The method may include modifying the fracturing procedure in real time based on data from monitoring the pressure during the procedure. A system for fracturing a wellbore includes coiled tubing, a communication line within the coiled tubing, and at least one pressure sensor connected to the communication line. Pressure sensors may be connected to both the exterior and interior of the coiled tubing.
US09695679B2
Methods and systems operate multiple downhole tools in wells based on hydraulic pressures supplied in control lines. The methods and systems pair each of the tools with a manifold enabling selective actuation of each of the tools from a remote location. Some embodiments include between three and twelve manifold and tool pairs configured for control independent from one another with four of the control lines.
US09695677B2
A system and methodology facilitates creation of perforations along a wellbore. The technique utilizes a perforating gun system having cooperating components, such as a carrier, a loading system, and a plurality of shaped charges. The cooperating components are constructed to break down into multiple smaller pieces upon detonation of the plurality of shaped charges. This allows the perforating gun system to effectively disappear within the wellbore such that any remaining small pieces do not interfere with well flow and/or later interventions.
US09695668B2
The present invention relates to a millable plugging device for use in a well pipe. The device includes an inner mandrel and an outer housing provided radially outside at least parts of the inner mandrel. A sealing assembly is provided radially outside the inner mandrel, where the sealing assembly is configured to be brought from a run state to a set state by a relative axial displacement between the inner mandrel and the outer housing. The millable plugging device has a first center axis and the second mandrel section has a second center axis which is displaced parallel in relation to the first center axis. Rotation of the inner mandrel in the set state is bringing a third mandrel section of the mandrel to a locked state, in which further rotation of the inner mandrel is prevented.
US09695666B2
A backup ring design for a packer sealing element features a folding shape where opposed legs are pushed together for extension in a radial direction toward the surrounding tubular to span the extrusion gap. The design can use a V-shape where the vertex is toward the mandrel and the legs are oriented toward the surrounding tubular. The legs in that instance can be thicker than the vertex thickness to aid in folding while providing enhanced strength at the surrounding tubular where shear forces apply as a result of seal compression against the surrounding tubular. The design features a single or multiple vertices that are similarly aligned or alternatingly oppositely aligned to create a zigzag shape in cross-section. Material selection can vary with the expected service conditions.
US09695664B2
A system for high pressure proppant blending includes at least one high pressure pump coupled to a high pressure flow path, the high pressure flow path entering a wellhead. The system further includes a chamber storing a mixture of proppant and compressed gas. The system also includes a high pressure nozzle. An output of the high pressure nozzle is coupled to the high pressure flow path between the at least one high pressure pump and the wellhead. The chamber is coupled to an input of the high pressure nozzle.
US09695661B2
A particulate-accommodating fluid flow directing apparatus comprises a failure detection housing containing a flow directing insert, the housing serving as a pressure boundary; failure at any location along the insert being detectable by means associated with the housing. The insert can be manufactured of erosion resistant materials, including non-ductile materials such as ceramics. The insert is sealed to the housing at an inlet and a discharge forming a pressure chamber between the insert and housing. The pressure chamber can be maintained at a pad pressure complementary to the process pressure, the pad pressure being maintained and monitored for indication of insert failure.
US09695660B2
A casing mill for downhole casing milling has multiple elongated cutter bases hingedly connected to a main body by a plurality of positioning arms. An operating mechanism within the main body of the casing mill, actuated by fluid flow, moves the cutter bases to an extended position. Multiple cutters fixed to the cutter bases are then positioned to engage a casing end surface. Preferably, the cutters are arranged in vertically spaced apart rows, such that when one row is worn out in the milling process a visual indication is seen at the surface, as the casing mill drops to the next row of cutters.
US09695655B2
A method of controlling the annular pressure in a well during a well construction operation. The operation comprises pumping a fluid down a tubing located within the well and extracting the fluid that flows back through an annulus within said well and surrounding the tubing. The method comprises defining a set pressure pref, determining a desired extraction flow rate qc of fluid from said annulus in dependence upon the set pressure pref and a pumped flow rate into the annulus, and configuring an extraction path to achieve said desired extraction flow rate.
US09695648B2
An apparatus is disclosed that forms a piping thread form of four threads per inch pipe (TPI). The thread form is configured to have a load flank, a load flank angle, a stab flank, a stab flank angle, a crest, and a root. Hydrostatic pressure tests using the 4-round thread form at pressures of 4,500 psi and greater resulted in failures due to thread leaks. Tensile tests using the 4-round thread form at loads of 187,400 lbs. and greater resulted in shearing at forces of 3,535 psi and greater.
US09695647B2
A retainer and guide ring includes a first ring half and a second ring half that when placed adjacent to one another forms a complete ring. The retainer and guide ring also includes a kerf that is formed between ends of each of the first and second ring halves, which ranges from about zero inches to about 0.010 inches. In some exemplary embodiments, the retainer and guide ring is formed by obtaining two identical rings and making a cut along an edge of the diameter on each ring thereby forming a larger ring arc and a smaller ring arc for each of the rings. The two larger ring arcs are used to form the retainer and guide ring. In another exemplary embodiment, the retainer and guide ring is formed by obtaining a single ring and making a cut along the diameter.
US09695639B2
An assembly for use to cement an uncased wellbore and create a sidetrack of a wellbore with a single trip into the wellbore. The assembly includes a mill selectively connected to a whipstock. A snorkel tube is positioned within a bore of the mill and within a bore of the whipstock. The assembly is connected to drill string and positioned within an openhole portion of the wellbore. After the assembly has been anchored, cement may be pumped down the drill string and through the snorkel tube. The mill may be removed from the whipstock by shearing a shearable device connecting the mill to the whipstock. The mill is used engage a diverting surface on the whipstock and create a sidetrack. The mill may also mill a portion of the snorkel tube or the snorkel tube may be removed from wellbore up the drill string prior to milling the sidetrack.
US09695632B2
A device for aid in feeding a cord through an opening wherein a U-shaped trough wall is provided at the inlet end of the opening to help collect and consolidate any loose ends of the cord.
US09695629B2
A glazing for daylighting and seasonal thermal control, the glazing including a pane defined between an outside-oriented interface and an inside-oriented interface, the pane comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first component has a parabolic reflective surface with a focus point located on the second component.
US09695627B2
A glazing unit includes a substrate having two opposing external faces and a peripheral edge face linking the two faces, as well as a peripheral sealing arrangement added at the border of the substrate against its edge face and its two external faces, wherein the sealing arrangement includes at least two seals cooperating respectively with the two external faces of the substrate, and with the edge face of the substrate, the two seals forming a zone of overlap over one another on the edge face of the glazing unit.
US09695624B2
A household refrigeration appliance includes a heat-insulated body which has an inner container with a coolable interior for storing foodstuffs, a refrigeration device for cooling the coolable interior, an electromechanical opening assistance device, and a door leaf hinged relative to the body for opening and closing the coolable interior, or a drawer which is pushed into the coolable interior in the closed state, to close the interior, and is withdrawn at least partially from the coolable interior in the open state. The electromechanical opening assistance device has an electromechanical actuator configured when activated to automatically open the closed door leaf or the closed drawer at least partially by repositioning an operating element of the electromechanical opening assistance device. The electromechanical actuator has an electric motor, a drive pinion, a cylindrical gear with dual gearing, and a toothed rack.
US09695623B2
A powered folding door or window system includes at least two rigid panels that are linked together by at least one vertical hinge/pivot to fold between a closed state, where the panels extend across an opening, to an open state, where they are retracted to one side of the opening and stacked against each other. The system incorporates a motor and a drive belt mechanism as primary means for driving the panels. The system further includes a powered actuator on one of the panels and a co-operative element on a linked adjoining panel; whereby the powered actuator cooperates with the co-operative element on the linked adjoining panel to move the linked adjoining panel and said one panel about the vertical hinge/pivot linking them; whereby the powered actuator may start the opening of the door or window system and/or complete the closing of the system.
US09695618B2
The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock comprising an actuation/locking lever mechanism, with a first lever and a second lever, both levers being couplable with each other in at least two different relative positions. At least the one, first lever comprises a detent spring connected thereto for engagement with at least one detent recess on the other, second lever.
US09695611B2
The present invention relates to a new inflatable and flexible modular habitat for welding in wells and/or high fire risk rated facilities, offshore and onshore to trap slag, sparks and the like, by a structure and/or module-based assembly. The structure can be resized and assembled on site to allow it to adapt to different applications of hot work without having to stop the production.
US09695610B2
A cover body (22) includes side surface portions (22a, 22b) that surround a housing (2) of a speaker (1) in an installed state, and a ceiling surface portion (22c) that covers the side surface portions (22a, 22b). An open portion (23) that can expose an operation portion (9) of the speaker (1) is formed in one of the side surface portions (22b), and an overhang portion (24) that protrudes from the surface of the side surface portion (22b) is provided above the open portion (23).
US09695588B2
The panel includes a water resistant barrier layer secured atop its outward facing surface. The water resistant barrier layer includes a skid resistant surface. The panels are made of lignocellulosic material. The water resistant and skid resistant surface may include indicia for aligning strips of tape or for aligning fasteners. A method for manufacturing the water resistant building panels is also disclosed and includes the steps of feeding paper onto a forming belt, depositing lignocellulosic material and the binding agent onto the forming belt so as to form a lignocellulosic mat, applying heat and pressure so as to impart the skid resistant surface on the paper, and cutting panels to predetermined sizes.
US09695586B1
Technologies for making self-erecting structures are described herein. An exemplary self-erecting structure comprises a plurality of shape-memory members that connect two or more hub components. When forces are applied to the self-erecting structure, the shape-memory members can deform, and when the forces are removed the shape-memory members can return to their original pre-deformation shape, allowing the self-erecting structure to return to its own original shape under its own power. A shape of the self-erecting structure depends on a spatial orientation of the hub components, and a relative orientation of the shape-memory members, which in turn depends on an orientation of joining of the shape-memory members with the hub components.
US09695585B1
A dome-shaped shelter, which is readily manually assembled and disassembled, as needed, the shelter comprising a plurality of side-by-side generally triangular shaped arched segments enclosing a generally circular area, a support base with each of the segments comprising a lower end resting on the support base and a pair of spaced apart rigid upwardly arched side members converging upwardly from the lower end and a weather and UV resistant covering skin, a latch assembly securing each arched side member of a segment to the adjacent arched side member of an adjacent segment, a rigid vertical support mast releasably secured at the center of the encircled area, and manually releasable locking means securing the segments to the mast.
US09695580B2
A touchless faucet including a tubular spout having a curved portion including an inlet end through which a fluid flow enters the spout and an outlet end through which the fluid flow exits the spout. The outlet end is located forward and downward of an apex of the curved portion and the inlet end is located rearward and downward of the apex. The faucet also includes an electronic valve for controlling the fluid flow and a sensor disposed completely within the spout along an underside of the curved portion adjacent the apex. The sensor includes a transmitter for emitting a signal and a receiver for detecting an interruption of the signal within a detection zone that does not intersect with the fluid flow from the outlet end of the spout. The sensor communicates with the electronic valve to control the fluid flow when the interruption of the signal is detected.
US09695579B2
An automatic faucet includes a housing constructed to receive at least one water inlet conduit and having a spout for delivering water. The automatic faucet includes a valve module, a sensor module, a battery module, a turbine module, and a control module. The valve module includes a valve controlled by an electromagnetic actuator for controlling the water flow from the spout. The sensor module is constructed to provide sensor data influenced by a user. The control module is constructed to control opening and closing of the valve by providing signals to the electromagnetic actuator. The control module is also constructed to receive sensor data from the sensor module and execute a sensing algorithm. The control module is also constructed to execute a power management algorithm for managing electrical power generated by the water turbine and provided to and from the battery.
US09695577B2
The invention relates to a method for automatic flushing of fluid lines, in particular potable water lines. The invention further relates to a device for automatic flushing of fluid lines, in particular potable water lines. The invention is based on the technical problem to provide a method and a device for automatic flushing which allows a flushing behaviour that is better-suited to the circumstances and more reliable. The technical problem is solved by a method for automatic flushing of at least one fluid line, in particular a potable water line, in which a temperature profile of the fluid is measured, in which the measured data are evaluated and in which the automatic flushing of the at least one fluid line is influenced by an outcome of the evaluation.
US09695574B2
A work vehicle includes a control unit having a motor switch control unit and a motor command determining unit. The motor switch control unit controls a motor switching mechanism so that a third motor connects to a first motor when a first rotation speed is less than a second rotation speed. The first rotation speed is the rotation speed of the first motor corresponding to that of a rotating shaft of the third motor. The second rotation speed is the rotation speed of the second motor corresponding to that of a rotating shaft of the third motor. When the third motor is connected to the first motor, the motor command determining unit determines a command torque for the first motor and the third motor so that the command torque for the third motor is no more than the command torque for the first motor.
US09695571B1
A payload monitoring system on a machine includes a payload sensor configured to generate a plurality of payload data corresponding to a payload amount in a bucket of a machine, the plurality including a first payload data and a second payload data and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the first payload data from the payload sensor and off-board payload data from an off-board system, compare the first payload data to the off-board payload data to generate a payload data offset, receive the second payload data from the payload sensor, and generate an adjusted payload data based on the second payload data and the payload data offset.
US09695570B2
In a state in which an arm 21 is oscillated to a lowest position, each control link 22 is arranged to be horizontally extended backward where the control link 22 is pivotally connected to a point A, and is pivotally connected to the arm 21 at a point D. An arm cylinder 23 is arranged to be vertically extended upward where the arm cylinder 23 is pivotally connected to a point B, and is pivotally connected to the arm 21 at a point E. The lift link 24 is arranged to be vertically extended upward where the lift link 24 is pivotally connected to a point C, and is pivotally connected to the arm 21 at a point F. The points E and F are located above the point D.
US09695568B2
A permanent frost protected shallow foundation footing for a building is assembled from a plurality of form parts arranged in a chain that is partially below ground level to form a foundation perimeter. The form parts are made of a lightweight material such as insulating foam material shaped as an elongated sectional unit with an overhang part overhanging a cavity part of an interior cavity. The interior cavity has an opening for receiving a concrete pour concurrent with a concrete pour of a floor. Open ends of the assembled sectional units abut each other in end-to-end alignment to form an elongated cavity inside the perimeter chain of form parts that is filled with concrete. The overhang part may have a foot shape that fits inside the interior cavity of another form part that may also have a foot shape for compact storage or transport prior to assembly.
US09695567B2
Methods and systems for monitoring and controlling a grouting operation are described. In one aspect, the method includes: performing the grouting operation by injecting grout into a borehole and cyclically: monitoring the borehole pressure until the borehole pressure equals a first pressure threshold; in response to determining that the borehole pressure equals the first pressure threshold, halting the injection of grout into the borehole; monitoring the borehole pressure until the borehole pressure decreases to a second pressure threshold, the second pressure threshold being lower than the first pressure threshold; in response to determining that the borehole pressure equals the second pressure threshold, restarting injection of grout into the borehole, until a terminating condition is satisfied and, as a result, terminating the grouting operation.
US09695564B2
Disclosed is a system for removing floating waste which includes a storage filter support that has a conical shape and tapers to a lower end thereof when it is installed for use and a storage filter that is inserted into the storage filter support from above. The system further includes a pump and an internal impeller when the system is a model to be used in water with zero velocity. Alternatively the system further includes an internal impeller and a speed increaser when the system is a model to be used in water with a velocity that is not zero. The speed increaser is installed in the storage filter support and drives the internal impeller.
US09695561B2
A snow plow lifting device is operatively connected to a snow plow for selectively imparting a lifting force on the snow plow. This lifting force reduces the effective weight of the snow plow bearing on an underlying surface such as a roadway. Thus, during a snow plowing operation, this reduces the wear on a lower edge of a blade that forms a part of the snow plow.
US09695556B2
A sealing panel device for use with a guillotine well having a length, width, and depth is provided. In some embodiments the device may comprise an elongate panel having a length and width that is greater than the length and width of the guillotine well. A first arm and a second arm may be coupled to the elongate panel. The first arm may comprise a width greater than the width of the guillotine well and a depth greater than the depth of the guillotine well. The second arm may comprise a width greater than the width of the guillotine well and a depth greater than the depth of the guillotine well. A sealing gasket may be coupled to the elongate panel, first arm, and second arm which may extend around the guillotine well when the device is positioned over the guillotine well of a Modular Causeway Systems section.
US09695551B2
In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure provides for a process for preparing a dispersion of starch particles in an aqueous liquid. In one or more embodiments, the process includes introducing a feed starch and the aqueous liquid into a rotor stator mixer, maintaining the feed starch and the aqueous liquid in the rotor stator mixer at a temperature ranging from a gelation temperature to less than a solubilization temperature, and shearing the feed starch into starch particles with the rotor stator mixer to form the dispersion of starch particles in the aqueous liquid. In one or more embodiments, the starch particles produced by this process have an average particle size diameter of no larger than 2 micrometers and the dispersion has 20 to 65 weight percent of the starch particles based on a total weight of the dispersion.
US09695549B2
The invention relates to a process of detoxifying pretreated lignocellulose-containing material comprising washing the pretreated lignocellulose-containing material in a washing solution and treating the used washing solution to remove an enzyme inhibitor and/or an inhibitor of a fermenting organism before recycling the used washing solution.
US09695547B2
A method is provided for operating a laundry dryer having a rotatable drum for accommodating clothes to be dried and an apparatus for circulating drying air through the drum. The method comprises the steps of performing a drying cycle selected by a user, wherein the drying cycle comprises predetermined drum movements over time depending on the cycle selected, detecting values indicative of the temperature of the drying air exiting the drum, based on said detected values, determining that the clothes inside the drum are in tangling conditions and starting an untangling operation for untying the clothes inside the drum. The untangling operation comprises modification of the predetermined drum movements. The modification comprises at least one of the following: stopping the rotation of the drum, reversing the rotation of the drum, modifying the speed of rotation of the drum, at the end of the untangling operation, either resuming the predetermined drum movements associated to the drying cycle that was running before starting the untangling operation, or performing drum movements over time different from the predetermined drum movements associated to the drying cycle that was running before starting the untangling operation.
US09695541B2
A drum washing machine and a control method thereof. The drum washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub including a first tub part and a second tub part, a drum, an inlet provided at one side of the second tub part and supplying condensed water, and at least one flow path provided on one surface from among the inner surfaces of the second tub part opposite the drum and guiding flow of the condensed water to increase a contact area between the condensed water supplied from the inlet and the second tub part. The drum washing machine improves the structure of the tub to effectively inject condensed water, and may thus increase condensing efficiency. Further, the drum washing machine improves the structures of the tub and the drying duct, and may thus prevent accumulation of lint and lowering of performance of the drum washing machine.
US09695536B2
In an overlock sewing machine, a main shaft fixing operating shaft is provided with a differentiation ring that can be swung in a predetermined range such that, when the rotation of a main shaft is to be enabled, it is set to an enable state in a stationary state, and when the rotation of the main shaft is disabled, it is swung and shifted from the enable position. Furthermore, a looper cover open/closed detection configuration is configured by modifying a part of a typical known configuration. Such an arrangement provides an overlock sewing machine having a simple configuration that requires only a single micro switch to detect the switching between the threading mode and the sewing mode and to detect the open/closed state of the looper cover.
US09695534B2
An apparatus for fabricating gasket pads for sealing a drum of a drier and a gasket pad fabricated. The apparatus automates the operations of guiding a strip of felt textile, cutting a portion of the felt textile by a predetermined length, butting both ends of the cut felt textile portion to each other without a difference in height, and sewing the both ends of the cut felt textile portion. Since gasket pads are fabricated by the automated operations instead of manual operations dependent of the experiences of workers, the same gasket pads can be fabricated with high-quality.
US09695531B2
Consolidated carbon nanotube or graphene yarns and woven sheets are consolidated through the formation of a carbon binder formed from the dehydration of sucrose. The resulting materials, on a macro-scale are lightweight and of a high specific modulus and/or strength. Sucrose is relatively inexpensive and readily available, and the process is therefore cost-effective.
US09695522B2
A deposition mask including a mask body including a plurality of pattern holes; a plurality of protrusions protruding from the mask body; and a plurality of grooves formed in the mask body. A grain size of the mask body is in arrange of about 10 μm to about 1000 μm, and a difference between a maximum height of the plurality of protrusions and a maximum height of the plurality of grooves is equal to or less than 0.5 μm.
US09695521B2
The invention is directed to a process to prepare metal nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles by applying a cathodic potential as an alternating current (ac) voltage to a solid starting metal object which solid metal object is in contact with a liquid electrolyte comprising a stabilizing cation. The invention is also directed to the use of the nanoparticles as a catalyst.
US09695519B2
A positive electrode catalyst, for use in a positive electrode in a device provided with the positive electrode and a negative electrode, in which a reaction represented by 4OH−→O2+2H2O+4e− is performed on a side of the positive electrode. The positive electrode catalyst includes a layered metal oxide, wherein the layered metal oxide is a Ruddlesden-Popper type layered perovskite represented by (La1-xAx) (Fe1-yBy)3(Sr1-zCz)3O10-a wherein, A is a rare earth element other than La, B is a transition metal other than Fe, and C is an alkaline earth metal other than Sr; and x satisfies an expression: 0≦x<1, y satisfies an expression: 0≦y<1, z satisfies an expression: 0≦z<1, and a satisfies an expression: 0≦a≦3.
US09695518B2
Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) stack obtainable by a process comprising the use of a glass sealant with composition 50 to 70 wt % SiO2, 0 to 20 wt % Al2O3, 10 to 50 wt % CaO, 0 to 10 wt % MgO, 0 to 2 wt % (Na2o 1K2O), 0 to 10 wt % b2O3, and 0 to 5 wt % of functional elements selected from TiO2, ZrO2, ZrO2, F, P2O5, Mo03, FeO3, MnO 2, La—Sr—Mn—O perovskite (LSM) and combinations thereof. Preferably, the sealant is a sheet of E-glass fibers with a composition in wt % of 52-56 SiO2, 12-16AL2O3, 16-25 CaO, 0-6MgO, 0-2 Na2+K2O, 0-10 B2O3, 0-1.5 TiO2, O-1F.
US09695514B2
A laminated coating film according to the present invention comprises at least one coating film (A) and at least one coating film (B) laminated on each other and has excellent abrasion resistance. [Coating film (A)] The compositional formula is (M1-aSia)(BxCyN1-x-y) (wherein M represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of a Group-4 element, a Group-5 element, a Group-6 element and Al; and a, x and y respectively represent the atomic ratios of Si, B and C), wherein a, x and y respectively fulfill the formulae: 0.05≦a≦0.35, 0≦x≦0.15 and 0≦y≦0.5. [Coating film (B)] The compositional formula is L(BxCyN1-x-y) (wherein L represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of W, Mo and V; and x and y respectively represent the atomic ratios of B and C), wherein x and y respectively fulfill the formulae: 0≦x≦0.15 and 0≦y≦0.5.
US09695513B2
A hydrophobization treatment apparatus includes a cooling device which cools a substrate, a light irradiation device which irradiates thermal radiation light from light sources onto front surface of the substrate, a gas supply device which supplies hydrophobization-treatment gas to the substrate, an exhaust device which exhausts the gas, a lifting device which moves the substrate such that the lifting device raises and lowers the substrate between the cooling device and light sources, and a control device which has circuitry to control the light irradiation device, the gas supply device, the exhaust device and the lifting device. The circuitry of the control device executes first gas supply control to discharge and exhaust the gas into and from the space between the gas container and substrate, and after the first control, second gas supply control to discharge and exhaust the gas into and from the space between the gas container and substrate.
US09695512B2
In one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing system includes a film forming apparatus configured to form a film on a surface of a wafer. The system further includes a gas supply module configured to supply at least a type of source gas for the film into the film forming apparatus. The system further includes a measurement module configured to measure a discharge amount of an exhaust gas from the film forming apparatus. The system further includes a controller configured to calculate a value corresponding to a surface area of the wafer based on the discharge amount of the exhaust gas from the film forming apparatus, and to control a supply amount of the source gas to the film forming apparatus based on the value corresponding to the surface area of the wafer.
US09695503B2
Methods for depositing a nanocrystalline diamond layer are disclosed herein. The method can include delivering a sputter gas to a substrate positioned in a processing region of a first process chamber, the first process chamber having a carbon-containing sputter target, delivering an energy pulse to the sputter gas to create a sputtering plasma, the sputtering plasma having a sputtering duration, the energy pulse having an average power between 1 W/cm2 and 10 W/cm2 and a pulse width which is less than 100 μs and greater than 30 μs, the sputtering plasma being controlled by a magnetic field, the magnetic field being less than 300. Gauss, and delivering the sputtering plasma to the sputter target to form an ionized species, the ionized species forming a crystalline carbon-containing layer on the substrate.
US09695489B1
A method of forming a gun barrel is disclosed that includes applying one or more coatings to the gun barrel such as just a top coating, or a bond coating and then a top coating. The method may also include (before applying one or more coatings): threading an outer surface of the gun barrel proximate a first end of the gun barrel; threadedly coupling the first end of the gun barrel to a gun chamber; fixedly coupling the gun barrel to the gun chamber. The method may also include heat treating the coating layer(s), contouring the outer coating layer, applying a ceramic top coating to the contoured outer coating layer of the gun barrel, and/or sealing the gun barrel with a liquid metal sealer.
US09695488B2
A steel is used for providing a bolt that has a high strength and still exhibits excellent hydrogen embrittlement resistance. The steel contains C of 0.30% to 0.50%, Si of 1.0% to 2.5%, Mn of 0.1% to 1.5%, P of greater than 0% to 0.015%, S of greater than 0% to 0.015%, Cr of 0.15% to 2.4%, Al of 0.010% to 0.10%, N of 0.001% to 0.10%, Cu of 0.1% to 0.50%, Ni of 0.1% to 1.0%, Ti of 0.05% to 0.2%, and V of 0% to 0.2%, with the remainder including iron and inevitable impurities, in which a ratio [Ni]/[Cu] is 0.5 or more, and a total content [Ti]+[V] is 0.085% to 0.30%.
US09695486B2
There is provided a Cr-containing austenitic alloy having a chromium oxide film with a thickness of 5 nm or larger on the surface, wherein the content of Mn in a base metal is, by mass percent, less than 0.1%. The chemical composition of the base metal desirably consists of, by mass percent, C: 0.15% or less, Si: 1.00% or less, Mn: less than 0.1%, P: 0.030% or less, S: 0.030% or less, Cr: 10.0 to 40.0%, Ni: 8.0 to 80.0%, Ti: 0.5% or less, Cu: 0.6% or less, Al: 0.5% or less, and N: 0.20% or less, the balance being Fe and impurities.
US09695483B2
Disclosed are a method of determining an HPV integration site in a genome of a human tissue sample and a system thereof. The method comprises: subjecting genome DNA of the human tissue sample to a first sequencing, to obtain a sequencing result; determining DNA fragments containing both HPV sequence and human genome sequence, based on the sequencing result; determining a pair of amplification primers based on the DNA fragments containing both HPV sequence and human genome sequence, subjecting the genome DNA of the human tissue sample to PCR amplification using the pair of amplification primers, to obtain PCR product; and subjecting the PCR product to a second sequencing, to determine the integration site in a genome of the human tissue sample. The method is easy to be operated with low cost, high efficiency and excellent repeatability, which may be used to detect all HPV genotypes one time, and may rapidly and accurately determine detailed sequence information and integration site.
US09695482B2
In a method and system for forming concentrated volumes of microbeads, a polymer solution and/or suspension includes a polymer dissolved and/or dispersed in a medium. Streams of a focusing fluid and of the polymer solution and/or suspension flow towards a fluid bath, and into intersection with one another, so as to focus the polymer solution and/or suspension. The polymer solution and/or suspension stream forms microbeads in the fluid bath Some of the focusing fluid is drawn from the fluid bath, so as to concentrate the microbeads in the fluid bath. The system includes a flow focusing apparatus and a liquid-containing cell. The focusing apparatus includes polymer and focusing nozzles. The cell contains the fluid bath and has an outlet port, through which the focusing fluid is drawn.
US09695481B2
The invention provides a polynucleotide comprising a reporter sequence operatively linked to a regulatory element of a gene selected from Bscl2, Srxnl, Cbr3, Ephxl, Nope, Cdknla, Perp, Pltp, Cgrefl, Ltb4r1, Btg2, Gpx2, Ltb4r2, Ddit4l, Fosl1, and Egr1, which regulatory element stimulates expression of the reporter sequence in response to a genotoxic agent or to an oxidative stress-inducing agent. The invention also provides a method of detecting a genotoxic or oxidative stress-inducing agent comprising subjecting a cell containing the polynucleotide of the invention to a test agent; and assessing the expression of the reporter sequence. The invention provides a method of detecting a genotoxic or oxidative stress-inducing agent comprising subjecting one or more cells that comprise a reporter sequence operatively linked to a regulatory element of a gene, which regulatory element stimulates expression of the reporter sequence in response to a genotoxic agent or to an oxidative stress-inducing agent, to a test agent, and assessing the expression of the one or more reporter sequences; wherein at least one cell subjected to a test agent comprises a polynucleotide comprising a reporter sequence operatively linked to a regulatory element of the Bscl2 gene.
US09695478B2
The invention provides methods, nucleic acids and kits for detecting, or for detecting and distinguishing between or among liver cell proliferative disorders or for detecting, or for detecting and distinguishing between or among colorectal cell proliferative disorders. The invention discloses genomic sequences the methylation patterns of which have utility for the improved detection of and differentiation between said class of disorders, thereby enabling the improved diagnosis and treatment of patients.
US09695477B2
A system and method for determining the genetic data for one or a small set of cells, or from fragmentary DNA, where a limited quantity of genetic data is available, are disclosed. Genetic data for the target individual is acquired and amplified using known methods, and poorly measured base pairs, missing alleles and missing regions are reconstructed using expected similarities between the target genome and the genome of genetically related subjects. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, incomplete genetic data is acquired from embryonic cells, fetal cells, or cell-free fetal DNA isolated from the mother's blood, and the incomplete genetic data is reconstructed using the more complete genetic data from a larger sample diploid cells from one or both parents, with or without genetic data from haploid cells from one or both parents, and/or genetic data taken from other related individuals.
US09695476B2
The invention provides an in vitro method or assay for the diagnosis of osteochondrosis or prediction of the likelihood of its onset in a terrestrian mammal, comprising measuring the expression level of a marker in a sample obtained from said terrestrian mammal and comparing said expression level to the expression level of said marker measured in a sample obtained from one or more terrestrian mammals of the same species not affected by osteochondrosis, wherein the marker is ApoB-3G, and wherein an increase in the expression level of ApoB-3G is indicative of osteochondrosis. The invention also provides a diagnostic kit for use in said method, which comprises at least one agent, which binds specifically to the product of the gene of the respective marker and which can be used to determine the expression level of said marker, wherein the marker is ApoB-3G.
US09695475B2
The present invention provides compounds and methods for competitive modulation of microRNAs. Such compounds and methods have profound effects on cells. MicroRNAs (microRNAs), are small (approximately 18-24 nucleotides in length), non-coding RNA molecules encoded in the genomes of plants and animals. In certain instances, microRNAs regulate the expression of genes by binding to the 3′-untranslated regions (3′-UTR) of specific mRNAs. More than 1000 different microRNAs have been identified in plants and animals.
US09695466B2
The invention relates to methods to reduce the length of a homonucleotide repeat sequence a target DNA sequence. This is done by using an oligonucleotide primer which extends in the unaltered repeat of identical nucleotides of the target polynucleotide, the oligonucleotide primer comprises at the at the 5′ side a sequence which hybridizes with the sequence preceding the targeted sequence repeat, but the oligonucleotide primer is not 100% complementary with the sequence repeat in the target sequence.
US09695457B2
Methods for the detection or diagnosis of a bacterial infection or colonization utilizing mass spectrometric analysis are provided. The methods involve short-term enrichment of samples followed by mass spectrometric analysis of biomarker profiles. Also provided are methods for preparing short-term enrichment cultures.
US09695448B2
The present invention provides a biosafety-guarded photobiological butanol production technology based on designer transgenic plants, designer algae, designer blue-green algae (cyanobacteria and oxychlorobacteria), or designer plant cells. The designer photosynthetic organisms are created such that the endogenous photobiological regulation mechanism is tamed, and the reducing power (NADPH) and energy (ATP) acquired from the photosynthetic process are used for synthesis of butanol (CH3CH2CH2CH2OH) directly from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The butanol production methods of the present invention completely eliminate the problem of recalcitrant lignocellulosics by bypassing the bottleneck problem of the biomass technology. The photobiological butanol-production technology of the present invention is expected to have a much higher solar-to-butanol energy-conversion efficiency than the current technology and could also help protect the Earth's environment from the dangerous accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere.
US09695442B2
Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for targeted deletion of double-stranded DNA. The compositions include fusion proteins comprising a cleavage domain (or cleavage half-domain) and an engineered zinc finger domain, and polynucleotides encoding same. Methods for targeted deletion include introduction of such fusion proteins, or polynucleotides encoding same, into a cell such that two targeted cleavage events occur. Subsequent cellular repair mechanisms result in deletion of sequences between the two cleavage sites.
US09695440B2
Compositions and methods for conferring pesticidal activity to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for a toxin polypeptide are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in plants and bacteria. Compositions also comprise transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, isolated toxin nucleic acid molecules are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed, and antibodies specifically binding to those amino acid sequences. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:4-19, or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1-3, as well as variants and fragments thereof.
US09695435B2
A technique by which the production of plant biomass can be significantly increased is provided. A protein phosphatase 2C gene having 3 consensus sequences comprising the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NOS: 1-3 from the N-terminal side in such order is over-expressed.
US09695433B2
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having beta-xylosidase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
US09695427B2
Testosteronan, a heparosan analog having the structure [-4-D-GlcUA-α1,4-D-GlcNAc-α1-]n, is produced by testosteronan synthase, a single protein that is a dual-action catalyst that utilizes UDP-GlcUA and UDP-GlcNAc to synthesize a polysaccharide having the structure [-4-D-GlcUA-α1,4-D-GlcNAc-α1-]n.
US09695416B2
The present disclosure relates to normalization of biological samples, particularly samples comprising nucleic acids to be sequenced. The normalization protocols described herein may be utilized across multiple samples to cap total stoichiometric input and minimize variations in transcript abundance on a per-sample basis in a multiplexed fashion to dramatically increase the accuracy, capacity and efficiency of nucleic acid sequencing.
US09695403B2
This invention relates to phytases, polynucleotides encoding them, uses of the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention, as well as the production and isolation of such polynucleotides and polypeptides. In particular, the invention provides polypeptides having phytase activity under high temperature conditions, and phytases that retain activity after exposure to high temperatures. The invention further provides phytases which have increased gastric lability. The phytases of the invention can be used in foodstuffs to improve the feeding value of phytate rich ingredients. The phytases of the invention can be formulated as foods or feeds or supplements for either to, e.g., aid in the digestion of phytate.
US09695397B2
The present invention includes vaccine compositions and methods for using these vaccine compositions in active immunotherapy. The vaccine compositions include allogeneic activated Th1 memory cells. The compositions can also include one or more disease-related antigens. The methods include administering the vaccine compositions to provide a Th1 footprint in normal individuals or patients susceptible to disease or having minimal residual disease.
US09695392B2
An apparatus for substantially horizontally oscillating one or more vessels containing a liquid, a solid, or a mixture thereof that operates to thoroughly disrupt and mix solid and liquid substances in vessels, like test tubes. The apparatus provides superior mixing through oscillation of the vessels both horizontal and vertical directions through the use of one or more springs and rotating mechanical components. The apparatus includes a circular rotating ring having a toothed circumference that rotates horizontally, at least one vessel support having a compartment configured to hold the one or more vessel vessels and a spring attached to the housing and in constant contact with each of the one or more vessel supports.
US09695389B2
The invention features a bioreactor for the growth of macroalgae and methods for using the bioreactor to maintain optimal nutrient levels for the organisms in an aquarium or aquaculture system. The devices and methods of the invention provide for the bioremediation of excess nutrients in order to maintain nutrient balance in an aquarium or aquaculture system that facilitates growth and/or health of one or more of the organisms that reside therein.
US09695384B2
A process for the production of a composition comprising 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl glyceride (OPO) comprises: providing one or more palm oil stearin fractions comprising tripalmitoyl glyceride and having an iodine value between about 18 and about 40; interesterifying the one or more palm oil stearin fractions to form a randomly interesterified palm oil stearin; subjecting the randomly interesterified palm oil stearin to enzymic transesterification with oleic acid or a non-glyceride ester thereof using an enzyme having selectivity for the 1- and 3-positions of a glyceride; and separating palmitic acid or palmitic non-glyceride esters from the product obtained in (iii) to form a composition comprising OPO glyceride.
US09695383B2
The present invention relates to a process for in situ regeneration of spent filter aid including the steps of: a) circulating through a spent filter aid cake in a circulation loop a regenerating oil at a temperature of from 40° C. to 100° C., in a regenerating oil/spent filter aid (v/w) ratio of from 0.3/1 to 12/1; b) removing the regenerating oil from the treated spent filter aid cake; and c) recovering the regenerated filter aid.
US09695378B2
A sliding mechanism includes first and second members slidable relative to each other and a grease composition interposed between the first and second members and containing a thickening agent and a base oil, wherein the grease composition contains lithium 12-hydroxystearate as the thickening agent and dioctyl sebacate and/or poly-α-olefin as the base oil; and wherein at least one of the first and second member has a sliding surface coated with a hard carbon film of diamond-like carbon.
US09695375B2
A fuel additive is formed from dispersions including an organic phase, at least one amphiphlic agent and solid objects based on particles of an iron compound in the crystallized form with a small size, as a fuel additive. The particles have an average size DDRX of less than or equal to 7 nm measured by X-ray diffraction, and at least 80% by number of the particles have a size DMET of less than or equal to 7 nm measured by transmission electron microscopy.
US09695372B2
Provided herein are compositions and methods for producing products by photosynthetic organisms. The photosynthetic organisms can be genetically modified to effect production, expression, or both, of products. The methods and compositions are particularly useful in the petrochemical industry.
US09695369B2
Processes for upgrading partially converted vacuum residua hydrocarbon feeds are disclosed. The upgrading processes may include: steam stripping the partially converted vacuum residua to generate a first distillate and a first residuum; solvent deasphalting the first residuum stream to generate a deasphalted oil and an asphaltenes fraction; vacuum fractionating the deasphalted oil to recover a deasphalted gas oil distillate and a heavy deasphalted residuum; contacting the first distillate and the deasphalted gas oil distillate and hydrogen in the presence of a first hydroconversion catalyst to produce a product; contacting the heavy deasphalted residuum stream and hydrogen in the presence of a second hydroconversion catalyst to produce an effluent; and fractionating the effluent to recover a hydrocracked atmospheric residua and a hydrocracked atmospheric distillate
US09695367B2
Oil-water dispersions and emulsions derived from petroleum industry operations are demulsified and clarified using an aqueous water clarifier composition. Formation of such oil-water dispersion and emulsions is inhibited and mitigated using the aqueous water clarifier composition comprising a latex dispersion of an anionic polymer, an alcohol, and a base. The latex dispersion of an anionic polymers comprise an anionic polymer comprising: A) 2-80% by weight of at least one C3-C8 α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer; B) 15-80% by weight of at least one nonionic, copolymerizable α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer; C) 0-50% by weight of one or more of the following monomers: C1) at least one nonionic vinyl surfactant ester; or C2) at least one nonionic, copolymerizable α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer having longer polymer chains than monomer B), or C3) at least one nonionic urethane monomer; and, optionally, D) 0-5% by weight of at least one crosslinker.
US09695361B2
The liquid crystal composition of the present invention can be used in a liquid crystal display element of an IPS type or a TN type in which display defects such as burn-in and dropping marks in high speed response are unlikely to be generated. Since the liquid crystal composition contains a component which is a dielectrically positive component including a dielectrically positive compound and a dielectrically neutral component of which dielectric anisotropy is greater than −2 and less than +2, the liquid crystal composition has excellent characteristics that the liquid crystal composition has a liquid crystal phase in a wide temperature range, low viscosity, excellent solubility at a low temperature, high specific resistance and a high voltage holding ratio, and is stable with respect to heat and light.
US09695356B1
Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, wherein A is an alkali metal, such as Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs or any combination thereof; B is an alkali earth metal, such as Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba or any combination thereof; and X is a halide, such as Cl, Br, I, F or any combination thereof. Radiation detectors comprising the novel metal halide scintillators and other ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2EuX4 and AEu2X5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.
US09695345B2
The present invention relates to a dicing die bonding film employed in a semiconductor packaging process, and a semiconductor device using the same. The dicing die bonding film is configured such that a ratio X/Y of adhesive power X between the wafer and the adhesive layer of the die bonding portion to tacky power Y between the die bonding portion and the tacky layer of the dicing portion is 0.15 to 1, and the adhesive layer of the die bonding portion has a storage modulus of 100 to 1000 MPa at a normal temperature. The dicing die bonding film according to the present invention reduces burr generation in dicing process, and thereby preparing a semiconductor device having excellent reliability without inferiority caused by bad connection reliability due to the burr covering a bonding pad.
US09695330B2
Provided is a liquid composition containing a first solvent that is a first glyceryl mono-alkyl ether having a distribution coefficient of water-octanol which is in a range of 0.9 to 2.6; a second solvent that is an organic solvent having a distribution coefficient of water-octanol which is equal to or greater than −1.0 and less than 0.9; water; and a coloring material, in which a content of the first solvent is in a range of 0.005 mass % to 0.5 mass %, and a content of the second solvent is in a range of 0.5 mass % to 15 mass %.
US09695326B2
An ink jetting ink set includes an ink composition for recording supplied to and used in an ink flow path and containing at least one of a glitter pigment and a metal oxide as a coloring material, and an auxiliary ink composition used in cleaning of the ink flow path, in which, in cases where a dynamic viscosity at 20° C. in the ink composition for recording is η1 (mm2/s) and a surface tension at 20° C. is γ1 (mN/m), and the dynamic viscosity at 20° C. in the auxiliary ink composition is η2 (mm2/s) and the surface tension at 20° C. is γ2 (mN/m), the following formula (1) and the following formula (2) are satisfied at the same time. η1≦η2 (1) γ1≧γ2 (2)
US09695324B2
Provided is a method of forming an antifouling coating film including the steps of [1] preparing a colored antifouling paint containing a prescribed Si-containing hydrolyzable resin and a color pigment such that a coating film having a target dry film thickness T completely hides a surface of an object to be coated, the colored antifouling paint has a color difference ΔE1 between the coating film having the thickness T and a coating film having a dry film thickness of 0.8 T, at least 2.0, and preferably the colored antifouling paint has a color difference ΔE2 between the coating film having the thickness T and a coating film having a dry film thickness of 1.2 T, less than 1, and [2] coating a surface of the object with the colored antifouling paint until the surface of the object is completely hidden by the coating film formed from the colored antifouling paint.
US09695315B1
The present invention relates to a modified computer silicon rubber protection shell and its manufacturing methods, comprising: 100 to 120 parts of polycarbonate, 10 to 12 parts of anion-carried capsule mesoporous silica microsphere, 10 to 12 parts of sodium polyacrylate, 20 to 30 parts of modified tackifying resin micro powder, 10 to 12 parts of colored gel, 6 to 8 parts of silicon nitride micro powder, 5.5 to 6.5 parts of fiberglass, 5 to 7 parts of nano-biomass silica hydrated micro powder, 2.8 to 4.8 parts of sodium succinate, 20 to 30 parts of organic super-dissolving silica gel micro powder in which the weight percentage of nano platinum contained is 15%, 20 to 30 parts of 50-degrees-hardness methylvinyl silicon rubber, and the right amount of deionized water.
US09695314B2
A resin composition contains an aromatic polycarbonate resin, an aromatic polyester resin, an acrylic triblock copolymer composed of a polymer block containing an acrylic acid ester unit and a polymer block containing a methacrylic acid ester unit, a glycidyl group-containing polyethylene copolymer, an organic phosphorus flame retardant, and a flame retardant antidrip agent.
US09695312B2
A resin composition for producing a composite part, comprising a first resin component comprising a glycidyl ether epoxy resin, a second resin component comprising a naphthalene based epoxy resin, and an amino-phenyl fluorene curative; wherein the epoxy resin components a) and b) contain up to 33 wt % of the second resin component.
US09695302B2
Provided are: a rubber composition for studless winter tires, achieving balanced improvement in performance on ice and snow, wet grip performance, and abrasion resistance; and a studless winter tire including a tread formed from the same. The rubber composition for studless winter tires includes: a rubber component including NR and BR; an aromatic oil; silica; and carbon black, wherein the combined amount of NR and BR is 30 mass % or more per 100 mass % of the rubber component; the amount of aromatic oil is 12-85 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component; the silica content is 45 mass % or more per 100 mass % in total of silica and carbon black; the silica includes at least one silica (1) with an N2SA of 100 m2/g or less and at least one silica (2) with an N2SA of 180 m2/g or more; the combined amount of silicas (1) and (2) is 30-150 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component; and the amounts of silicas (1) and (2) satisfy: [Amount of silica (1)]×0.2≦[Amount of silica (2)]≦[Amount of silica (1)]×6.5.
US09695301B2
The present invention provides a nanoparticle of an inorganic oxide particle being surface-treated, wherein: a primary particle size of the nanoparticle measured by a dynamic light scattering method is 8 nm or more and 30 nm or less, and the inorganic oxide particle is surface-treated in such a way that alkoxy groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms are contained in a range of 0.001 to 0.5 mol/100 g. The inventive nanoparticle, being added to a silicone resin composition, enables the cured product thereof to possess excellent mechanical properties, transparency, crack resistance, heat resistance, and gas barrier properties, and enables the composition to have low viscosity and good workability even after the addition of the nanoparticle.
US09695293B2
A corona resistant resin composition having sufficient resistance to corona discharge, and a corona resistant member are provided. This corona resistant member is formed by molding a corona-resistant resin composition obtained by melting and mixing at least a resin component and mica, and a mode diameter of the mica in the volume-based particle size distribution measured by a laser diffraction/scattering method after molding is 1 to 200 μm. For 100 parts by mass of the resin component, there are preferably 25-101 parts by mass of mica.
US09695291B2
A porous polytetrafluoroethylene film comprising a fluororesin containing polytetrafluoroethylene as a main component, wherein an envelope surface area of resin fibers included per film having an area of 1 m2 and a thickness of 25 μm is 4,000 m2 or more, and a melting point peak is 333° C. or lower.
US09695288B2
A graft copolymer comprising polyolefin and engineering thermoplastic components, wherein the thermoplastic component is a polymer comprising heteroatoms or heteroatom containing moieties in its backbone and phenyl or substituted phenyl groups, the polyolefin component covalently bound to the engineering thermoplastic component. The graft copolymer is the reaction product of an engineering thermoplastic having at least one phenylene in the polymer backbone, and a vinyl/vinylidene terminated polyolefin having a weight average molecular weight of at least 300 g/mole, wherein the vinyl/vinylidene terminated polyolefin is selected from polyethylenes, polypropylenes, ethylene-propylene copolymers, polyisobutylenes, polydienes, propylene-based elastomers, ethylene-based plastomers, and combinations thereof.
US09695277B2
The present invention relates to the preparation of modified polymers by incorporating a compositional modifier into a polymer to produce the modified polymer. More particularly, the invention relates the preparation of condensation type copolyesters or copolyamides by joint short length polyester or polyester oligomers or short length polyamide or polyamide oligomers with a modifier which contains hydroxyl acids blocks.
US09695274B2
The present invention relates to polymers containing 2,7-pyrene structural units, to a process for the preparation thereof, and to blends and formulations comprising these polymers. The present invention furthermore relates to the use of the polymers or blends according to the invention in electronic devices and to electronic devices, in particular OLEDs, comprising the polymers or blends according to the invention.
US09695263B2
Disclosed is a fluorine-containing oligomer comprising a copolymer of a fluoroalkyl alcohol (meth)acrylic acid derivative of the formula: CnF2n+1(CH2)dOCOCR═CH2 [I], wherein R is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, n is an integer of 1 to 10, and d is an integer of 1 to 6; and a (meth)acrylic acid derivative of the formula: (CH2═CRCO)mR′ [II], wherein R is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, m is 1, 2, or 3; and when m is 1, R′ is —OH group, NH2 group that is unsubstituted or mono- or di-substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a monovalent group derived from an alkylene glycol or polyalkylene glycol group containing an alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms; when m is 2 or 3, R′ is a divalent or trivalent organic group derived from a diol or triol. The copolymerization reaction is performed using a hydrocarbon-based peroxide or azo compound polymerization initiator. Also disclosed are nano-silica composite particles formed as a condensate of the fluorine-containing oligomer and an alkoxysilane with nano-silica particles.
US09695251B2
The invention provides compositions useful as molecular probes. In particular, the invention provides activatable cell penetrating peptides comprising a fluorescence donor and a fluorescence acceptor. Exemplary fluorescence donors and fluorescence acceptors include compounds derived from cyanine. Also provided are ratiometric, multispectral, and excitation lifetime imaging methods for detecting the molecular probes provided herein.
US09695246B2
Human antibodies, preferably recombinant human antibodies, both humanized and chimeric, which specifically bind to human OX40 are disclosed. Preferred antibodies have high affinity for OX40 receptor and activate the receptor in vitro and in vivo. The antibody can be a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof. The antibodies, or antibody portions, are useful for modulating receptor activity, e.g., in a human subject suffering from a disorder in which OX40 activity is detrimental. Nucleic acids, vectors and host cells for expressing the recombinant human antibodies are provided, and methods of synthesizing the recombinant human antibodies, are also provided.
US09695237B2
The present invention provides an anti-human FOLR1 antibody against diseases associated with human FOLR1-expressing cells, which specifically recognizes and binds to an amino acid sequence of human FOLR1 or a conformational structure thereof and also has a high effector activity such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity (ADCC activity). The present invention can provide a monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes and binds to the amino acid sequence of human FOLR1 or the conformational structure thereof and also has ADCC activity and CDC activity, or an antibody fragment thereof, a DNA encoding the antibody, a vector comprising the DNA, a transformant obtained by introducing the vector, a method for producing the antibody or the antibody fragment thereof using the transformant, and a therapeutic agent and a diagnostic agent comprising the antibody or the antibody fragment as an active ingredient.
US09695233B2
The present invention relates to bispecific antibody against human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF/VEGF-A) and against human angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) of human IgG1 or IgG4 subclass with mutations I253A, H310A, and H435A, methods for their production, pharmaceutical compositions containing said antibodies, and uses thereof.
US09695212B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide novel and highly active cyclic-di-nucleotide (CDN) immune stimulators that activates DCs via a recently discovered cytoplasmic receptor known as STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes). In particular, the CDNs of the present invention are provided in the form of a composition comprising one or more cyclic purine dinucleotides that induce STING-dependent TBK1 activation, wherein the cyclic purine dinuclotides present in the composition are substantially pure Rp,Rp or Rp,Sp stereoisomers, and particularly substantially pure Rp,Rp, or RpSp CDN thiophosphate diastereomers.
US09695204B2
The present disclosure provides for processes and intermediates in the large-scale manufacture of the compound of formula (I) or hydrates thereof.
US09695203B2
Fluorinated cyclopentene moieties and fluorinated cyclopentene functionalized silica materials are provided. The fluorinated cyclopentene functionalized silica materials include a silica material having the fluorinated cyclopentene moiety covalently bonded thereto. Exemplary silica materials include a polysilsesquioxane, a nanosilica, a microsilica, a silica gel, a silica aerogel, or combinations thereof. The fluorinated cyclopentene moieties are based on a modification of perfluorocyclopentene (i.e., 1,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoro-1-cyclopentene) by nucleophilic substitution with an appropriate nucleophile having a reactive functional group. Methods for preparing fluorinated cyclopentene moieties and the corresponding fluorinated cyclopentene functionalized silica materials are also provided.
US09695195B2
The present invention provides compounds of the formula: that are 5HT3 receptor antagonists and are therefore useful for the treatment of diseases treatable by inhibition of 5HT3 receptor such as emesis, pain, drug addiction, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, and GI disorders. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and processes for preparing such compounds.
US09695194B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for inhibiting the activity of skin proteases, especially human kallikrein 7 (KLK7), human kallikrein 5 (KLK5), and human kallikrein 14 (KLK14). More specifically, the invention relates to the use of substituted 3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones being selective inhibitors of human skin kallikreins for the treatment of skin diseases, more specifically for the treatment of inflammatory skins diseases, especially Netherton syndrome.
US09695192B2
The present disclosure relates to compounds that are sodium channel inhibitors and to their use in the treatment of various disease states, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In particular embodiments, the structure of the compounds is given by Formula I: wherein Y, Z, n, R1 and R3 are as described herein, to methods for the preparation and use of the compounds and to pharmaceutical compositions containing the same.
US09695187B2
Disclosed is a compound of formula 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, where R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R7′, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12 and R13 are as disclosed herein. Also, disclosed is a process for the preparation of the compound of formula 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and intermediates used therein. The compound of formula 1 can be used in the preparation of halichondrin analogs, such as Eribulin; and a process for its preparation from the compound of formula 1 is also disclosed.
US09695186B2
An alicyclic diepoxy compound represented by the following general formula (1): (in the general formula (1), R1 and R2 each independently represent one selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and a fluorine atom, and n represents an integer of 2 to 5).
US09695180B2
The present invention is directed to imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine derivatives of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which are LSD1 inhibitors useful in the treatment of diseases such as cancer.
US09695179B2
The present invention relates to compounds that bind to and otherwise modulate the activity of bromodomain-containing proteins, to processes for preparing these compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and to methods of using these compounds for treating a wide variety of conditions and disorders.
US09695177B2
An improved method of preparing tetranitroglycoluril (TNGU) via the in situ decomposition of a nitrimino group with elimination of nitrogen without the use of dinitrogen pentoxide. The compound is useful as a high energy, high density explosive or propellant oxidizer.
US09695164B2
The present invention relates to crystalline forms of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt. The present invention provides crystalline Form A and crystalline Form B of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt, and the methods and uses for the preparation thereof. The X-ray powder diffraction patterns of crystalline Form A and crystalline Form B are as shown by FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, respectively. The crystalline forms of the present invention have low moisture absorption and high stability, as well as excellent use and storage performances.
US09695161B2
Disclosed are compounds having the formula: wherein X is as defined herein, and methods of making and using the same.
US09695159B2
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of canagliflozin and intermediates thereof.
US09695157B2
Methods for improving mitochondrial function, decreasing iron accumulation, and/or decreasing oxidative stress by exposing cells or treating a subject to compounds or compositions of the general formula are described that are beneficial in treating, for example, diseases and conditions such as Friedreich's ataxia, normal aging, and various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, such compounds are useful as probes for identifying defects in mitochondrial metabolism, mitochondrial iron accumulation, cellular stress among other mitochondrial diseases and helping to identify compounds active in overcoming such defects.
US09695150B2
The present invention relates to a crystalline form of N-(3-fluoro-4-((7-(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropoxy)quinolin-4-yl)oxy)phenyl)-1,5-dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide p-toluenesulfonate, the process for preparing the crystalline form thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the crystalline form thereof. This invention also relates to a method of using such a crystalline form in the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases in mammals, especially in humans.
US09695148B2
This 2-pyridone compound represented by formula [1] or a tautomer of said compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said tautomer, or a solvate of said compound or the like has a superior GK-activating effect and is useful as a pharmaceutical.
US09695146B2
Provided herein are solid forms comprising (a) 4-amino-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidine-3-yl)isoindoline-1,3-dione and (b) a coformer. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the solid forms (e.g., cocrystals) and methods for treating, preventing and managing various disorders are also disclosed.
US09695145B2
Provided are processes for the preparation of isotopologues of 3-(4-((4-(morpholinomethyl)benzyl)oxy)-1-oxoisoin-dolin-2-yl)piperidine-2,6-dione, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US09695138B1
The present disclosure relates to phenothiazine derivatives such as conjugates of phenothiazine compounds, as well as pharmaceutical compositions thereof. The present disclosure also relates to a method of making and the use of such compounds for treating cancer, e.g., a lung cancer, a colon cancer, breast cancer or pancreatic cancer.
US09695124B2
The present invention provides a method of producing a 2-aminonicotinic acid benzyl ester derivative at a high yield and with a high purity. By reacting a benzyl halide derivative with a 2-aminonicotinic acid derivative in a polar solvent in the presence of a prescribed base, it is possible to obtain a 2-aminonicotinic acid benzyl ester derivative at a high yield and with a high purity.
US09695122B2
The present invention relates to compounds and processes for preparing compounds of Formula (I), including compounds such as trans-7-oxo-6-(sulphooxy)-1,6-diazabicyclo[3,2,1]octane-2-carboxamide and salts thereof (e.g., NXL-104).
US09695121B2
The present invention relates to 2,6-bis(aminomethyl)piperidine derivatives as such (in the following text abbreviated to “2,6-BAMP derivatives”) which are defined by the general formula (I) shown in the following text. In addition, the present invention relates to a process for preparing such 2,6-BAMP derivatives by hydrogenation of the corresponding 2,6-dicyanopiperidine derivatives (hereinafter abbreviated to “2,6-DCP derivatives”) in the presence of a catalyst. The present invention further provides for the use of the 2,6-BAMP derivatives of the invention as hardeners for epoxy resins, as intermediate in the preparation of diisocyanates, which play an important role in the production of polyurethanes, as starters in the preparation of polyetherols and/or as monomers for polyamide production. The present invention further relates to the diisocyanates as such prepared from the 2,6-BAMP derivatives and also the corresponding preparative process.
US09695107B2
A curable sensitizer that exhibits a radical-polymerization sensitizing ability that conventional sensitizers do not have in a polymerization reaction using radicals, and is easily available at a low cost, a photocurable material containing the sensitizer, a cured product of the photocurable material, and a material for a wiring harness containing the photocurable material. The curable sensitizer contains an alcohol (meth)acrylate synthesized from an alcohol having one or more hydroxy groups and two or more oxygen atoms in a molecule and a (meth) acrylate ingredient selected from a (meth)acrylic acid and a derivative thereof. An ester bond is formed between one of the hydroxy groups of the alcohol and the (meth)acrylate ingredient. The sensitizer is capable of increasing curability of a curable material when mixed in the material. The photocurable material contains the curable sensitizer and a photoinitiator. The material for the wiring harness contains the photocurable material.
US09695094B2
Methods, catalysts, and reactor systems for producing in high yield aromatic chemicals and liquid fuels from a mixture of oxygenates comprising di- and polyoxygenates are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods, catalysts, and reactor systems for producing aromatic chemicals and liquid fuels from oxygenated hydrocarbons such as carbohydrates, sugars, sugar alcohols, sugar degradation products, and the like; and methods, catalysts, and reactor systems for producing the mixture of oxygenates from oxygenated hydrocarbons such as carbohydrates, sugars, sugar alcohols, sugar degradation products, and the like. The disclosed catalysts for preparing the mixture of oxygenates comprise a NinSnm alloy and a crystalline alumina support.
US09695092B2
The invention describes a new method for treating sludge, which can result in the production of high nitrogen organically-augmented inorganic fertilizer that incorporates municipal sludges or biosolids or organic sludges that can compete with traditional fertilizers such as ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate and urea on the commodity fertilizer marketplace. The method takes advantage of the thixotropic property of dewatered biosolids or organic sludge to create a pumpable paste-like material from the biosolids or organic sludge that is then treated with an oxidizer to reduce odorant effects and an acid. This mix is then interacted with concentrated sulfuric and or phosphoric acids and an ammonia source or alternatively a hot or molten melt or salt of ammonium sulfate/phosphate to form a fertilizer mix. The present invention controls the heat, atmospheric pressure and retention time of the fertilizer mix in the reaction vessel. When a fertilizer melt is formed ammoniation is subsequently completed by the specific use of vaporized ammonia. The invention can also be an add-on to commercial production of ammonium salts. The fertilizer produced by the present invention contains more than 8 wt. % nitrogen and preferably 15 wt. % nitrogen. The invention is oriented to be tailored to the biosolids production for individual municipal waste treatment plants in order to keep the fertilizer manufacturing plants of the present invention small with a minimization of logistics and liability.
US09695087B2
A sialon sintered body includes a β-sialon (Si6-ZAlZOZN8-Z) and at least one polytype sialon, wherein a Z value is 0.4 or greater and 1.0 or less, a proportion of a total of peak intensities of each polytype sialon to a total of peak intensities of each sialon, is 10% or greater and 50% or less, at least one rare earth element B selected from a group consisting of La and Ce and at least one rare earth element C selected from a group consisting of Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er, Yb, and Lu is included, a molar ratio of the rare earth element B and the rare earth element C is 1.0:0.06 to 1.0:3.5 in terms of an oxide, and a total content of the rare earth elements B and C is 0.8 mol % or greater and 4.0 mol % or less in terms of an oxide.
US09695081B2
Alkali-free glasses are disclosed having (in weight %) 50≦SiO2≦80%, 2≦Al2O3≦17%, 8≦B2O3≦36%, and greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 25% of at least one of CaO, MgO, BaO, SrO or ZnO. The alkali-free glasses can have a surface layer with greater than 0.2 weight % N. Such alkali-free glasses are achieved by nitriding processes and exhibit increased strength, scratch resistance and chemical durability.
US09695067B2
A conductive micro-channel structure includes a layer having layer edges and an electrode having first and second portions formed in or under the layer. One or more fluid micro-channels are formed in the layer, expose the first portion of the electrode, and extend to a layer edge to form a fluid port. A conductor micro-channel includes a solid conductor in the conductor micro-channel. The solid conductor is electrically conductive, is electrically connected to the second portion of the electrode, and extends from the second portion to a layer edge to form a conductor port.
US09695066B2
This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering water from wastewater such as urine. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods can utilize membrane technology for extracting purified water in a single step. A containment unit can include an ionomer membrane, such as Nafion®, over a hydrophobic microporous membrane, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The containment unit can be filled with wastewater, and the hydrophobic microporous membrane can be impermeable to liquids and solids of the wastewater but permeable to gases and vapors of the wastewater, and the ionomer membrane can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to one or more contaminants of the gases and vapors. The containment unit can be exposed to a dry purge gas to maintain a water vapor partial pressure differential to drive permeation of the water vapor, and the water vapor can be collected and processed into potable water.
US09695065B2
Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a highly permeable thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, or forward or reverse osmosis, for use with tap water, seawater and brackish water, particularly for use with brackish water at low energy conditions. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine and a flux enhancing combination, which includes a metal chelate additive containing a bidentate ligand and a metal atom or metal ion and a dialkyl sulfoxide, to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer of the thin film composite membrane. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.
US09695060B2
A fused product including lithium-manganese spinel, which is optionally doped, having a spinel structure AB2O4, where the site A is occupied by lithium and the site B is occupied by manganese, it being possible for the site B to be doped with an element B′ and it being possible for the site A to exert a substoichiometry or a superstoichiometry with respect to the site B, so that the product observes the formula Li(1+x)Mn(2−y)B′yO4, with −0.20≦x≦0.4 and 0≦y≦1, the element B′ being chosen from aluminum, cobalt, nickel, chromium, iron, magnesium, titanium, vanadium, copper, zinc, gallium, calcium, niobium, yttrium, barium, silicon, boron, zirconium and their mixtures.
US09695057B2
The present invention concerns a SAPO-34 molecular sieve and method for preparing the same, whose chemical composition in the anhydrous state is expressed as: mDIPA.(SixAlyPz)O2, wherein, DIPA is diisopropylamine existing in cages and pore channels of said molecular sieve, wherein m is the molar number of diisopropylamine per one mole of (SixAlyPz)O2, and m is from 0.03 to 0.25; x, y, z respectively represents the molar number of Si, Al, P, and x is from 0.01 to 0.30, and y is from 0.40 to 0.60, and z is from 0.25 to 0.49, and x+y+z=1. The SAPO-34 molecular sieve can be used as catalysts for acid-catalyzed reaction or oxygenate to olefins reaction.
US09695056B2
This invention refers to a microporous crystalline material of zeolitic nature that has, in its calcined state and in the absence of defects in its crystalline matrix manifested by the presence of silanols, the empirical formula x(M1/nXO2):yYO2:gGeO2:(1−g)SiO2 in which M is selected between H+, at least one inorganic cation of charge +n, and a mixture of both, X is at least one chemical element of oxidation state +3, Y is at least one chemical element with oxidation state +4 different from Si, x takes a value between 0 and 0.2, both included, y takes a value between 0 and 0.1, both included, g takes a value between 0 and 0.5, both included that has been denoted ITQ-55, as well as a method for its preparation. This invention also relates to uses of the crystalline material of zeolitic nature for adsorption of fluid components, membrane separation of fluid components, storage of fluid components, and catalysis of various conversion reactions.
US09695055B2
A synthetic gel for crystal growth, which induces only secondary growth from the surface of a silicalite-1 or zeolite beta seed crystal and cannot induce crystal nucleation in the synthetic gel for crystal growth or on the surface of the seed crystal. The synthetic gel contains fumed silica, tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH), [(NH4)2SiF6], KOH, and H2O, or contains tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH), hydrogen fluoride, and H2O.
US09695054B2
A process for preparing precipitated silicas in which: (i) an aqueous stock with a pH of between 2 and 5 is formed; (ii) silicate and acid are simultaneously added to said stock, such that the pH of the resulting reaction medium is maintained between 2 and 5; (iii) silicate is added until a pH value of between 7 and 10 is obtained; (iv) silicate and acid are simultaneously added, such that the pH of the reaction medium is between 7 and 10; (v) acid is added until a pH value of between 2.5 and 5.3 is obtained; and (vi) the reaction medium is placed in contact with acid and silicate, such that the pH is between 2.5 and 5.3; wherein the acid used in at least one of the process steps is a concentrated acid.
US09695050B2
Systems and methods are provided for processing metal sulfate compounds and sequestering CO2. These systems and processes involve one or more electrochemical cells for producing an alkali-containing catholyte and involve a CO2 absorption reactor operatively connected to the electrochemical cell and to a CO2 source. The CO2 absorption reactor receives the alkali-containing catholyte and CO2 gas for forming an alkaline carbonate solution. The alkaline carbonate solution is directed to a vessel where it reacts with an acidic sulfate solution comprising metal ions resulting in precipitation of solid metal carbonate compounds. The acidic sulfate solution may comprise sulfide leachates from acid mine drainage, sulfide mine tailings and/or reacted pyrite concentrate. The acidic sulfate solution may be circulated through an optional SO2 reduction reactor prior to reaction in the vessel. The SO2 reduction reactor reduces trivalent metal compounds present in the acidic sulfate solution to divalent metal compounds.
US09695039B1
The present disclosure relates to a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) package having two MEMS devices with different pressures, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the (MEMS) package includes a device substrate and a cap substrate bonded together. The device substrate includes a first trench and a second trench. A first MEMS device is disposed over the first trench and a second MEMS device is disposed over the second trench. A first stopper is raised from a first trench bottom surface of the first trench but below a top surface of the device substrate and a second stopper is raised from a second trench bottom surface of the second trench but below the top surface of the device substrate. A first depth of the first trench is greater than a second depth of the second trench.
US09695036B1
The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to micromachined resonator comprising: a first resonant structure extending along a first axis, wherein the first axis is different from a crystal axis of silicon, a second resonant structure extending along a second axis, wherein the second axis is different from the first axis and the crystal axis of silicon and wherein the first resonant structure is coupled to the second resonant structure, and wherein the first and second resonant structures are comprised of silicon (for example, substantially monocrystalline) and include an impurity dopant (for example, phosphorus) having a concentrations which is greater than 1019 cm−3, and preferably between 1019 cm−3 and 1021 cm−3.
US09695025B2
A method for controlling an aerial apparatus with a telescopic boom, strain gauge sensors for detecting the bending state of the telescopic boom in horizontal and vertical directions, a gyroscope attached to the top of the telescopic boom and a control arrangement for controlling movement of the aerial apparatus on the basis of signal values gained from the sensors and the gyroscope, the method including the following steps: obtaining raw signals from the sensors and the gyroscope, calculating reference signals from the raw signals, reconstructing a first oscillation mode and a second oscillation mode from the reference signals and additional model parameters related to construction of the aerial apparatus, calculating a compensation angular velocity value from the reconstructed oscillation modes, and adding the calculated compensation angular velocity value to a feedforward angular velocity value to result in a drive control signal.
US09695023B1
A load-supporting apparatus includes a pair of support assemblies each including a base, and a slide, formed with an abutment, mounted to the base for movement between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base. The support assemblies extend in the same direction, and a linkage assembly interconnects the slides and enables adjustment of the support assemblies toward and away from one another. The abutments of the slides define contact points that engage and stabilize a load relative to the support assemblies, when the load is supported by the slides. The bases of the support assemblies are concurrently mountable releasably to a lift operable for raising and lowering the load-supporting apparatus between raised and lowered positions. The support assemblies are enabled for adjustment toward and away from one another via the linkage assembly, when the bases of the support assemblies are concurrently mounted releasably to the lift.
US09695022B2
A method for selecting a trajectory for container locking uses at least one twistlock sensor on a machine to sense a location of a twist lock hole on an object. The sensed location is transmitted to a processor to calculate a sensed trajectory for a twistlock to engage the twist lock hole. At least one operator input sensor is used to sense an input from an operator moving the twist lock to engage the twist lock hole. The sensed operator input is transmitted to the processor to calculate an operator trajectory for the twist lock to engage the twist lock hole. The sensed trajectory is compared with the operator trajectory to determine which should be used.
US09695018B2
Example drive systems for handrails of walkways and moving stairs may comprise a plurality of carriages. In some examples, each carriage may comprise a body with several leading rollers that roll along a guide that defines a handrail path. The carriage may further comprise a locking/release mechanism for selectively coupling the carriage to a drive chain of the handrail. The locking/release mechanism may comprise a hook configured to move between an engagement position wherein the carriage is coupled to the drive chain and a disengagement position wherein the carriage is uncoupled from the drive chain. In some cases, a position of the hook may be controlled by a wheel that travels along a cam profile.
US09695016B2
A method of checking the functional capability of at least one safety element of a safety circuit of an elevator installation utilizes a first processing unit and a second processing unit for the at least one safety element. The at least one safety element is connected with a control unit by a communications network. At least one signal is provided by the first processing unit on the basis of at least one communication from the control unit. The at least one provided signal is detected by the second processing unit connected with the first processing unit and is communicated to the control unit by way of the communications network. The at least one communicated signal is checked for the validity thereof by the control unit.
US09695015B1
An elevator door safety lock system ensures that an elevator door remains securely closed when it is not aligned with one of a plurality of floor openings. The safety lock system includes a vertical position sensor which includes an RFID reader disposed on the elevator and a plurality of RFID tags each disposed in the shaft at a different floor opening. The reader identifies when it is aligned or non-aligned with any tag indicating when the elevator is aligned and non-aligned with a floor opening. A control unit communicates with the safety lock system and an elevator controller. A door monitor indicates if the elevator door is open or closed and an engagement sensor detects whether the door lock is engaged.
US09695011B2
An elevator car guided at guide rails has a safety brake exerting a braking force on the guide rails in the event of non-compliance of a safety criterion. A housing of the safety brake has a wedge-shaped opening into which the guide rail is introduced, a brake body in the opening between a surface of the housing bounding the opening and a guide surface of the guide rail, an activating mechanism for transmitting an activation force to the brake body to press the brake body against the bounding surface and the guide surface, and a release mechanism connected indirectly or directly with the brake body for keeping the brake body in a rest position against the activation force. The release mechanism includes an articulated arm movable into an extended position for holding the brake body in the rest position and into a folded position for releasing the activation force.
US09695008B2
A cable reel that has first and second opposing flanges. The first flange has a first hub portion and the second flange has a second hub portion. The first and second hub portions are axial aligned and configured to mate with one another to support cable. The first hub portion includes an elongated wall extends from the first flange. The elongated wall is sized to support cable. The elongated wall defines an inner area that is configured to accept the second hub portion. The elongated wall includes a plurality of flexible segments. The second hub portion includes a truncated wall that is receivable in the inner area of the first hub portion. The truncated wall includes a tapered outer surface for engaging and expanding the plurality of flexible segments.
US09695004B2
The present invention relates to a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle which can manufacture electric rolls by conveying and winding an electrode from the electric rolls without breakage when the electrode rolls are manufactured by using electrode rolls in which an electrode is configured in a direction to fill the electrode rolls in a box at a high integration in a manufacturing process of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle that is configured by stacking electrode rolls in a sealed (cylindrical or angular) box. The present invention provides a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle, which can prevent a breakage when an electrode is conveyed, by providing a guide roller at a moving position of the electrode on an external surface of a conveying roller.
US09695001B2
A control system for pressing an abutting object against an abutted object includes: a mechanical device including a motor and causing a force from the motor to act on the abutting object to displace the abutting object toward the abutted object, a driving device driving the motor according to an inputted operation amount, a measuring device measuring a physical amount related to displacement of the abutting object, and a controller. The controller executes: a position control process to calculate the operation amount to be inputted to the driving device, a reaction force estimation process to estimate a reaction force acting on the abutting object, and a compliance control process to correct the operation amount which is calculated in the position control process and to be inputted to the driving device by a compliance control based on an estimate value of the reaction force estimated in the reaction force estimation process.
US09694990B2
A transport and handing-over arrangement for disc shaped substrates, comprising a carrier (3) and a take-over arrangement (15). Both are moveable relative to each other. A relatively heavy substrate carrier (7) of magnetizable material is taken-over from the take-over arrangement (15) by distance control of a permanent magnet (17) at the take-over arrangement (15) or is returned therefrom to a carrier (3). The controlled drive of the permanent magnets (17) in the take-over arrangement (15) is performed by means of pneumatic piston/cylinder arrangements (19).
US09694984B2
A conveying device for conveyed goods, comprising a conveying rake having at least one prong, and a first drive assembly which is operatively connected to the conveying rake. The conveying rake is drivable by the first drive assembly so as to perform a reciprocating movement in the conveying direction and to perform a reciprocating movement in a penetration direction. The conveying device furthermore has a mating rake having at least one prong, and a second drive assembly which is operatively connected to the mating rake. The mating rake is displaceable in the conveying direction in relation to the conveying rake, so as to clamp conveyed goods between the prong of the conveying rake and the assigned prong of the mating rake. A method for operating a conveying device for conveyed goods is also disclosed.
US09694982B2
An apparatus for transporting endless dough strips or substantially non-rigid shaped bodies such as, in particular, biscuit dough shaped bodies and the like, includes a machine frame, a closed circulating conveyor belt, a deflecting roller which contacts the conveyor belt on the inner side for deflection and has a deflection axle or shaft which is mounted rotationally laterally on the machine frame, and a drive roller which contacts the conveyor belt on the inner side for driving and has a drive shaft which is mounted rotationally laterally on the machine frame and is driven by a drive. The drive roller is connected to the machine frame by a pivoting apparatus.
US09694975B2
A transport system for a storage and retrieval system having an array of storage levels, each storage level having respective storage areas, the transport system including a vertical conveyor having a frame and support shelves movably coupled to the frame, each support shelf being configured to hold one or more uncontained case units in predetermined areas of the support shelf, and transfer vehicles disposed on respective ones of the storage levels, the vertical conveyor having a conveyor to transfer vehicle interface configured to transfer the uncontained case units substantially directly between the support shelves and the transfer vehicles for transport to the storage areas in substantially one transfer vehicle picking operation.
US09694972B1
Ring for securing a bag to a waste container support includes an annular portion including an upper wall, an inner circumferential wall extending downward from an inner edge region of the upper wall and an outer circumferential wall extending downward from an outer edge region of the upper wall. An annular channel is defined on an underside of the annular portion. The inner and/or outer wall includes pinches each including a pair of slots extending upward from a lower edge of the wall. The slots are spaced apart from one another to enable a solid portion of the wall therebetween to temporarily flex outward, which aids in engagement and disengagement of the ring to a projection on the support, with a bag being sandwiched between the ring and projection and thereby secured to the support. Tabs may extend upward from the upper wall to aid in handling of the ring.
US09694967B2
A container for dispensing an aerosol product. The container (1) includes a body (2) formed of plastics material such as PET, and a mounting cup and collar assembly (53). The body (2) includes a neck (10) defining an opening (50) having internal and external walls (51 and 52), respectively. The mounting cup and collar assembly (53) is formed of malleable material, and is shaped to straddle the internal and external walls (51 and 52) of the opening (50), and be crimped to the external wall (52) of the neck (10). The mounting cup and collar assembly (53) is preferably of unitary construction, and, includes a lining (60) on its inner surface to assist in providing a seal between the components.
US09694938B2
A collapsible receptacle, such as a beverage cup, that is reconfigurable between expanded and collapsed configurations with an inner sleeve with first and second opposed major walls divided by opposed fold lines, an outer sleeve with first and second opposed major walls divided by opposed fold lines, and a liner retained by the inner and outer sleeves. The receptacle is retained in an expanded configuration when the opposed fold lines of the inner and outer sleeves are not aligned, and the receptacle can be collapsed when the opposed fold lines are aligned. A lid can be removably retained by a retaining ring. The opposed fold lines of the inner and outer sleeves can be disposed in groups, such as groups of two fold lines, so that the sleeves have opposed minor walls. The major walls can taper in thickness from their mid-portions to the opposed fold lines.
US09694937B2
A component carrying tray includes a bottom plate on which a component is stacked, and a projection. The projection has a main body and a regulator. The main body is hollow and has a tapering shape. The regulator is formed in the main body and extends in a direction perpendicular to the carrying surface and contacts a side surface of the component to regulate the component carried on the carrying surface. The bottom plate has a through hole so that when the component carrying tray is stacked on an additional component carrying tray, a projection of the additional component carrying tray comes into the hollow part of the main body. An opening is formed in the projection and configured to avoid, when the component carrying tray is stacked on an additional component carrying tray, interference between the projection and a regulator of the additional component carrying tray.
US09694936B2
Jack units are employed to attach skates to an object to be moved. Each jack unit has a tongue that slidably engages a coupling slot affixed to the object, and can be operated to raise or lower the tongue; when raised, the object is supported on the skates and can be rolled to a new location. A crane can attach to lift eyes on the jack units to allow the system to be lifted with the skates attached to the object, avoiding the risk of positioning the skates while the object is suspended. Rotation-limiting structures can be employed to block rotation of the trailing skates to facilitate steering when rolling the object supported by the system. The coupling slots can be provided in coupling elements which can attach directly to the object or which can be employed to form a freestanding frame to which the object is secured.
US09694934B2
A bulk bin has a perimeter wall and first and second floor panels hingedly joined to the perimeter wall. Each floor panel is selectively foldable from a stowed position to a deployed position. In some embodiments, the first floor panel has a first tab and a first hole and the second floor panel has a second tab and a second hole. The first tab is configured for being selectively received in the second hole for interlocking engagement with the second floor panel, and the second tab is configured for being selectively received in the first hole for interlocking engagement with the first floor panel to secure the first and second floor panels in the deployed position. In certain embodiments, the perimeter wall includes multiple wall portions foldably joined together. At least two of the wall portions are joined at a fold joint of at least three spaced apart vertical creases.
US09694933B2
A package for containing items having a flip-open package closure is provided. In some embodiments, the package includes a rigid package body and a flexible closure flap. The flexible closure flap is coupled to a hangtab portion of the package body such that the flexible closure flap moves from a closed position to an open position with respect to the package body based on a position of the hangtab portion. An upper edge of a front side of the package body engages the lower portion of the closure flap when the package is closed, while the lower edge of the closure flap is released from the upper edge upon pivoting backward of the hangtab portion. Such pivoting of the hangtab portion, and corresponding manipulation of the closure flap, may occur without directly contacting the closure flap.
US09694932B2
The storage box is fanned from a sheet provided with a plurality of folding lines defining a parallelepiped provided with six faces. One of the faces is a hinged lid, and it is characterized in that the opposed face to the hinged lid comprises a first sector provided with an oblique folding line that defines a first joining zone. A second sector also provided with an oblique folding line that is joined to the first sector in the first joining zone; and a third sector is provided with an oblique folding line that defines a second joining zone; and a fourth sector that is joined to the third sector in the second joining zone.
US09694931B2
A fluid container and method of manufacture. The fluid container may be a drinking vessel, and may include an opening in a bottom surface thereof and a coupling device around the opening. The coupling device may include a first component in contact with the bottom surface of the fluid container around the opening and a second component in contact with the first component in a fluid-tight closed configuration. The second component may include a magnetic material. The coupling device may be biased in the fluid-tight closed configuration via magnetic attraction of the first and second components.
US09694929B2
A foamed and stretched plastic bottle having, in the body portion thereof, a foamed region in which foamed cells are distributed, wherein, in at least a portion of the foamed region, the lengths of the foamed cells in the axial direction of the bottle are so distributed as to gradually decrease as the positions of the foamed cells shift from the outer surface side of the body portion toward the central portion thereof and then gradually increase as their positions shift from the central portion thereof toward the inner surface side thereof. The foamed and stretched plastic bottle of the invention exhibits excellent light-shielding property.
US09694920B2
A toilet used in outer space comprises a housing, a gathering system and a collecting system installed in the housing, wherein the gathering system is an electric feeding mechanism with a conveying channel, a spiral shaft, an inlet member fitted to the conveying channel, and an outlet member formed on the conveying channel, the spiral shaft is placed in the conveying channel to move axially relative to the conveying channel, and includes a cleaner located below the conveying channel and inserting through the conveying channel having a sleeve member fitted to an output gear thereof, and the sleeve member actuates the spiral shaft to rotate via a pillar and includes a tab disposed on an inner wall thereof to correspond to the spiral groove, between the pillar and the conveying channel is defined a compression spring; the gathering system being connected to the outlet member.
US09694919B2
The invention relates to the protection of spacecraft from debris and to de-orbiting devices of the atmospheric drag type, and to debris sweeping apparatus for the removal of debris from the space environment. The debris shielding apparatus for a spacecraft has a shield unit including a shielding surface for impeding incident debris. The shield unit is attached to the spacecraft body and has a drive mechanism for positioning the shield unit in relation to the spacecraft body. The drive mechanism is capable of moving the shield unit between a stowed first position and a deployed second position. In the deployed second position the plane of the shielding surface is at an angle to the spacecraft body.
US09694913B2
An aircraft LED light unit is disclosed that includes a flat electric circuit device having a first main surface, a second main surface and at least one side surface extending between the first main surface and the second main surface, power supply circuitry, disposed in the electric circuit device, at least one heat transport element, disposed in the electric circuit device, and at least one LED. The at least one LED is arranged on the at least one side surface of the electric circuit device, is electrically coupled to the power supply circuitry, and is in heat exchange relationship with the at least one heat transport element.
US09694911B2
An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using a set of wing mounted thrust producing elements and a set of tail mounted rotors for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to vertical takeoff with the rotors in a rotated, take-off attitude then transitions to a horizontal flight path, with the rotors rotated to a typical horizontal configuration. The aerial vehicle uses different configurations of its wing mounted rotors and propellers to reduce drag in all flight modes.
US09694898B2
Methods for manufacturing a reinforced composite structure for an aircraft and devices used in such methods are provided. A device includes a base, a first support member fixedly attached to the base, and a second support member fixedly attached to the base and aligned longitudinally with the first support member. The first support member and the second support member are spaced a first distance apart. Two pinching wheels are spaced a second distance apart. The two pinching wheels are positioned proximate to ends of the first support member and the second support member. The second distance is less than the first distance. The two pinching wheels are configured to receive a composite material layout between them and to cause two lengths of the composite material layout to contact each other.
US09694897B2
A rigid polymer porous material sheet is produced by feeding a slurry of polymer mixture comprising ultrafine polyvinylchloride particle, non-phthalate plasticizer, foaming agent and thermal stabilizer, polymer chips, fillers and fire retardant chemicals into a heated mold and pressing the mixture with high applied pressure. The temperature of the mold is below 190° C. to soften the polymer mixture and decompose the foaming agent forming the closed cell polyvinylchloride foam with 10 to 40% density with closed air cells. The thermal resistance of the rigid polymer porous sheet and sound attenuation properties are significantly improved. The rigid polymer porous sheet can be bent at sharp angles without crack formation facilitating its use as wall boards. The sheets produced may be embossed or molded to produce decoration boards, advertising boards, cabinet doors and furniture with decorative features. They can also be used in aeronautical applications as acoustic thermal insulation systems.
US09694895B2
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite stringer. A composite material and foam are laid up onto a tool in the form of a stringer. The foam has a plurality of structural members within the foam. The plurality of structural members has a number of orientations to resist a number of loads. The composite material, the foam in the form of the stringer, and the plurality of structural members are cured to form the composite stringer.
US09694890B2
An improved top down furling system includes one or more improved components. A lower rotary drive unit with a rotary tack swivel rotates against a fixed portion of the furler, or is configured to permit routing of the tack line below the unit. The system may include an anti-torsion cable constructed in a manner so as to be able to transmit torque without excessive tension applied to the cable. The system also may include an end terminal of the anti-torsion cable having a quick side mount or bayonet type connection to the rotary drive unit.
US09694867B2
A lockable bicycle rack system includes a mounting clip and a rack configured to detachably couple to a bicycle frame. The rack includes a body, a lid pivotally coupled to the body between an open position and a closed position, and a locking mechanism. The mounting clip is coupled to the rack and includes a base component adapted to couple to a container, a rack receiving gap, and a lever arm having a rack latch that extends at least partially across the rack receiving gap when the lever arm is in a locked position. A side member of the body extends through and is locked within the rack receiving gap when the rack latch is in the locked position, and a side member of the lid prevents the lever arm from leaving the locked position when the lid is in the closed position.
US09694855B2
A vehicle rear portion structure has: a suspension structural portion that overlaps a rear side member as seen in a vehicle plan view; an inlet pipe that passes-through between the rear side member and the suspension structural portion; and a pipe protecting portion that is provided at a position overlapping the rear side member and the suspension structural portion in a vehicle plan view, and a length in a vehicle vertical direction of the pipe protecting portion is set to be longer than an outer diameter of the inlet pipe, and rigidity, with respect to load from a vehicle lower side, of the pipe protecting portion is set to be higher than that of the inlet pipe.
US09694854B2
A vehicle chassis includes a pair of rails spaced from each other. A beam is disposed between the pair of rails and defines a cavity. The beam includes walls and hinges connected in alternating arrangement about the cavity. Each hinge is connected to two of the walls. A wedge is disposed between one of the rails and the beam adjacent the cavity for driving the walls and hinges toward an expanded position during a side impact.
US09694850B2
The present invention is a guidance computing system used by the driver of a vehicle towing a trailer while backing-up that rapidly calculates and predicts the direction in which the tow vehicle and trailer will become generally in-line for a given position of the steering wheel, thereby enabling the use of slower, lower cost microcomputers. This is accomplished by using a predetermined table, based on a baseline trailer of known length, having a measure of turning as one of its axes; such an axis is necessary to facilitate ratiometric scaling to convert table values to correspond to any length trailer. In a specially equipped vehicle incorporating servomechanisms to enable the vehicle to steer itself, the driver indicates the direction desired for the trailer to travel. The present invention also predicts left and right path limits for controlling the direction of the trailer when maneuvering complex paths.
US09694848B1
A High Performance Steering System for amplifying the turning motion of an axle as the turning motion is applied to wheels or tracks at the outer ends of the axle. The present invention generally includes a support member such as an axle which is secured underneath the frame of a vehicle such as a garden tractor or automobile. The support member includes a fixed post and an outer post for each wheel that is steered. Wheels or tracks are connected to the outer posts, such as by mounts. Rotation of the support member imparts forces through sprockets, gears, pulleys, tie rod linkages, or the like to amplify the turning motion of the support member as it is applied to the outer post. The amount of such amplification of turning motion between the support member and outer posts may be varied with differing size ratios of the sprockets, gears, or pulleys.
US09694847B2
A ball bearing for rotatably supporting a steering shaft, which is comprised of an input shaft and an output shaft connected to each other via a torsion bar is secured by a lock nut. The lock nut has an inside diameter Y1 greater than a maximum outside diameter X6 of the sensor body of a torque sensor mainly configured from a permanent magnet, first and second yoke members, and a magnetic sensor, which are disposed on the outer periphery of the steering shaft. With this configuration, the torque sensor and the lock nut radially overlap with each other, thus reducing the size of a device. Also, because of the lock nut being assembled so as to pass through the outer peripheral side of the torque sensor, component parts can be installed from one direction, thus improving the assembling workability of the device.
US09694839B2
A medical trolley cart having a main housing with an interior chamber. The main housing has front, back, first side, second side, top and bottom panels. A front door on the front of said main housing provides accessing an interior chamber, which may have a plurality of sliding shelves. A rear door on the rear of said main housing provides access to a rear portion of the interior chamber or to a second chamber within the cart. The rear door has a hinge around which the door is opened and a latch for holding the rear door in a closed position. The rear door opens to a maximum point at which the rear door forms an angle of 15-40 degrees with the main housing.
US09694838B2
A selectively extendable length trolley for supporting and conveying various sized and configured containers for pieces or components in an industrial plant. The trolley includes an adjustable length trolley structure, front and rear adjustable frames and locating supports for the containers that include side supports adjustable in position in a transverse direction, orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (L). A steering control unit (2) of the trolley (1) is articulated to the front frame (32) and operates in such a way that the front wheel unit and the rear wheel unit are made to oscillate in opposite directions to keep the wheels aligned with the curved path to be followed. In a preferred embodiment, the front and rear adjustable frames are T-shaped providing an open or free space at the two sides of the central structure of the trolley.
US09694837B2
Collapsible reusable carrying cases are provided in sizes varying from small food containers to large push cart bins on casters. The cases are assembled or disassembled from a joined flat space-saving configuration to a functioning case and vice-versa. All parts that make up a carrying case do not separate from the carrying case and no parts can be removed. The cases are formed from rigid plastic panels, and are assembled or disassembled without tools. The sides of the cases are erected progressively by hand by interlocking elements at the corners. The panels also disassemble progressively by being manually pulled apart. When folded into a flat storage or shipping configuration, the panels stay together, resisting unfolding by virtue of snaps which are either molded into the panels or bonded to them. The carrying cases are resistant to water, dirt, bacteria, molds, allergens, and inclement weather.
US09694835B2
A detection system for a rail vehicle includes a control module, which has a sensor input for receiving a signal from a sensor. The control module is configured to receive the signal and to output information responsive to the signal. In operation, the control module and a sensor are deployed on board the rail vehicle. The sensor is configured to generate the signal responsive to detecting a designated condition on board the rail vehicle. When the condition occurs, the sensor outputs the signal, which is received by the control module. Responsive to the signal, the control module outputs the information, such as communicating information of the signal content to another rail vehicle, or to an off board location. The designated condition may be unauthorized use of a handheld wireless device in a rail vehicle, or intruder entry into an unmanned rail vehicle.
US09694824B2
Methods and systems for selecting vehicle operating modes in response to output of remote security token devices are described. In one example, a vehicle operating mode may be determined when two key fobs having different, but valid, security token assignments are present within a vehicle cabin. Further, one mode of a two mode key fob may be selectively deactivated and reactivated to provide system flexibility.
US09694816B2
A passenger actionable emergency vehicle management system for altering the behavior of the vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle management system comprises a vehicle overriding mechanism operatively connected to the vehicle and capable of overriding driver controlled vehicle systems, a control circuit operatively connected to the vehicle overriding mechanism and an actuator, operatively connected to the control circuit and located in the vehicle within reach of a vehicle passenger seat.
US09694811B1
An intelligent intervention method based on an integrated tire pressure monitoring system includes monitoring a tire pressure and a tire temperature of a vehicle, and monitoring, a wheel speed of the vehicle; transmitting the tire pressure, the tire temperature and the wheel speed to a host; judging in real time whether the vehicle is in a normal status or in an abnormal status, via integrating the tire pressure, the tire temperature and the wheel speed; producing a deviation signal, when the tire pressure, the tire temperature and the wheel speed deviate from normal thresholds and transmitting the deviation signal to an intelligent intervention system; and performing intelligent intervention to slow down the vehicle in a straight line until the vehicle stops, when the deviation signal is received. The method enables the vehicle to run safely until stopping even in case of tire blowout, so as to prevent rollover or collision.
US09694807B2
A powertrain system for a vehicle is described, and includes an internal combustion engine mechanically coupled to an electric machine to generate propulsion torque and electric power storable on an energy storage device. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes determining a first desired powertrain output power associated with a road load and determining a second desired powertrain output power associated with a feed-forward state-of-charge (SOC) for the energy storage device. The internal combustion engine and the electric machine are controlled responsive to the first and second desired powertrain output powers.
US09694806B2
A hybrid vehicle has an engine and a motor-generator as power sources and has an inter-vehicle distance detection unit to detect an inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle. A power generation amount is restricted according to the inter-vehicle distance in a power generation travel mode in which power of the engine drives the motor-generator while being transferred to the drive wheels. Output torque of an engine drivetrain is reduced according to the restricted power generation amount.
US09694800B2
A secondary parking apparatus is provided for a vehicle having components of a parking brake system, components of an anti-lock brake system (ABS), and a manually-operable device. The secondary parking apparatus comprises an electronic controller arranged to (i) monitor the manually-operable device to detect an operator intent signal to apply parking brakes of the parking brake system, (ii) receive a combination of one or more signals indicative of a fault condition of the vehicle, and (iii) provide one or more control signals to be applied to components of the ABS to selectively exhaust air pressure from components of the ABS to atmosphere so that parking brakes of the parking brake system are applied to park the vehicle when both the operator intent signal and the combination of one or more signals indicative of a fault condition of the vehicle are detected.
US09694795B2
A method for determining the conditions of an underlying surface during unbraked or braked travel of a vehicle by a wheel-specific characteristic variable which is derived from a change over time in the wheel speed detected at at least one vehicle wheel. According to invention there is provision that a) a jolt signal is formed by double differentiation of the wheel speed, b) in order to form the characteristic variable the difference between the absolute value of the jolt signal and a tolerance value is summed or integrated over time, and c) the condition of the underlying surface is determined by comparing the characteristic variable with an oscillation signal threshold value.
US09694790B2
A trailer stabilizing device for stabilizing a parked freight trailer comprising a frame having mounted thereto at least a right side wheel and a left side wheel, the frame also including a hitch, a fifth wheel, and at least one of a repositionable wheel chock and a repositionable hook, the trailer stabilizing device further including a repositioning device in order to reposition at least one of the repositionable wheel chock and the repositionable hook. The present disclosure also includes a method of stabilizing a parked trailer at a loading dock, the method comprising: (a) positioning a wheeled trailer stabilizer underneath a parked freight trailer at a loading dock while landing gear of the parked freight trailer are deployed and a kingpin of the parked trailer is accessible; (b) securing the kingpin of the parked freight trailer to a fifth wheel of the wheeled trailer stabilizer; and, (c) deploying a repositionable hook operatively coupled to the frame of the wheeled trailer stabilizer so the repositionable hook couples to a cleat mounted to the ground, where deployment of the hook is operative to exert a pulling force on the kingpin.
US09694788B2
In an anti-theft method for an automobile, each of NFC devices on the automobile is activated to detect corresponding induction coils when the automobile receives a preset door locking command. The method confirms a status of each of the plurality of doors according to detecting whether each of the NFC devices detects the corresponding induction coil, and further determines whether at least one of the doors of the automobile is opened abnormally according to the confirmed status of each of the doors. When at least one of the doors of the automobile is determined to be opened abnormally, the method controls an alarm unit of the automobile to output a preset warning.
US09694786B1
A vehicle security device antenna LED status indicator, matching the host of a vehicle security system installed inside a vehicle, said antenna unit including: a circuit structure with relevant electronic components such as a wireless transceiver; an LED to display the received signal and usage status, electrically connected to the circuit structure; and a light-guiding structure, corresponding and abutting to the LED, with the end of the light-guiding structure away from the LED bonded with a light hood; the antenna light unit is attached to the windshield at the place behind the internal rearview mirror. When the anti-theft system of the vehicle is activated, the antenna light unit will distinctively indicate that the vehicle is under the anti-theft status.
US09694784B2
In a webbing take-up device, an open portion is formed in the other side, in a direction about a rotational axis of a switch pawl, of a sensor holder. In a state where an engagement piece is positioned on the outside of the open portion, the switch pawl is rotated about a shaft to cause the engagement piece to enter in a window portion, so, a distal end of the engagement piece, bent in a hook shape, faces to a regulation wall in an axial direction of the shaft. It is not necessary to elastically deform the engagement piece when bringing the regulation wall and the engagement piece into facing. Therefore, the engagement allowance in the engagement piece with the regulation wall can be enlarged and the distal end of the engagement piece can be prevented from crossing over the regulation wall and moving toward the shaft side.
US09694778B1
A vehicle seat includes a frame, a cover, and a seat side airbag assembly. The seat side airbag assembly includes a chute mounted to the frame and extending to the cover. An airbag is fixed to the chute, with the chute extending between the airbag and the cover. The chute is attached to the cover.
US09694773B2
A rod stiffener may include a rod molded by a glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, and brackets connected to both ends of the rod, in which properties of a core part forming a center of the rod and an outer part surrounding the core part are formed to be different from each other, and the properties of the core part and the outer part are differentiated by a mixing amount of glass fiber and polypropylene resin including the glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin.
US09694764B2
Described herein is a system and method of activating vehicle electromechanical systems based on image recognition and radio frequency systems. The system includes radio frequency (RF) antennas for receiving wireless communication signals from a transponder. A RF controller verifies that the transponder is associated with the vehicle. Upon detection and verification of the transponder, a camera system captures images and an image processing engine determines if the images contain valid gestures associated with commands for the electromechanical systems. A controller triggers the electromechanical systems to perform the command if the gesture is valid. For example, the command may be an activation or deactivation command.
US09694762B2
A vehicle body structure includes first and second body structures defining first and second interior cavities. A mounting portion of the base member is fixed to the first body structure. A guide member is fixed to the second body structure. A channel member is movably received by the guide member. A first end of the channel member is rotatably fixed to a receiving portion of the base member and defines a first end opening such that the receiving portion extends into the first end opening. A second end is positioned within the second interior cavity and defines a second end opening with a channel extending from the first end opening to the second end opening. The channel member extends across an exterior space between the first and second body structures. A wiring harness passes through the channel from the first interior cavity to the second interior cavity.
US09694760B2
A system for projecting an image onto a window of a vehicle is supplied. The system includes a support, a camera, a projector, and a projective film. The support is mounted in the vehicle for holding an electronic device. The camera is mounted to relative to the location for capturing an image of the display when the electronic device is mounted on the support. The projector is in signal communication with the camera. The projector projects an image from the camera onto the window. The projective film mounted on the vehicle window configured to act as a projection screen for the projector. When the electronic device is mounted on the support displays an electronic image, the camera captures the image and sends the image to the projector, and the projector projects the image onto the projective film on the window. The discourse also provides a method using the system.
US09694756B2
A drop down ladder rack is disclosed. The ladder rack has a first assembly and a second assembly configured to be mounted on top of a vehicle. The assemblies are coupled to a connecting rod, which is rotatable. The assemblies move between a first, raised position and a second, lowered position. Each of the first and second assemblies comprises a first support member fixedly secured to the vehicle, a second load carrying member configured to be slideably engaged with a first end of the first support member, and a third actuation member configured to enable the second load carrying member to move with respect to the first support member. A first end of the third actuation member is connected to the connecting rod by a drive rod and a second end of the third actuation member is pivotably connected to the second load carrying member, thereby enabling the second load carrying member to move with respect to the first support member. The first assembly further comprises a downwardly extending arm attached to the second load carrying member to lower the first assembly to a third, fully extended position.
US09694747B2
An approach is provided for generating a collision alert based on the stopping distance associated with a vehicle based on an identifying characteristic. The approach includes detecting an identifying characteristic of a first vehicle traveling in front of a second vehicle. The approach also includes querying for a stopping distance associated with the first vehicle based on the identifying characteristic. The approach further includes determining an approach speed at which the second vehicle is approaching the first vehicle; and generating a collision alert based on the stopping distance and the approach speed.
US09694742B2
A vehicle panel assembly comprises a trim assembly, a light and a sensor. The trim assembly defines a recessed storage area. The light is disposed on the trim assembly and configured to emit visible light toward the recessed storage area. The sensor is disposed on the trim assembly proximate to the recessed storage area and configured to activate the light to emit the visible light upon the sensor sensing a presence of an object entering an area proximate to the sensor that includes the recessed storage area.
US09694740B2
Certain example embodiments relate to a vehicle window (e.g., sunroof). Side-firing LEDs are provided between first and second substantially parallel substrates and emit light towards central regions of the window. A liquid-crystal inclusive switchable film is provided between the first and second substrates. The liquid crystals are sized such that light received from the LEDs is redirected in a direction substantially normal to major surfaces of the first and second substrates. The switchable film is operable in at least first and second modes, with the window in the first mode having a visible transmission of less than 1%, and with the window in the second mode having a visible transmission of 7-15%. The switchable film and the LEDs are operable independently of one another in connection with the LEDs emitting light and the switchable film controlling visible transmission therethrough.
US09694728B2
A vehicle heating apparatus is a heating apparatus to be mounted on or built in a vehicle seat at a position below a sitting portion of the vehicle seat. The vehicle heating apparatus includes: a housing having an intake port, a blowing port, and an internal space serving as a flow path of air from the intake port to the blowing port; a fan provided in the internal space of the housing; and a heater provided in the internal space of the housing. In a usage state where the vehicle heating apparatus is mounted on or built in the vehicle seat, the blowing port is located above the intake port and opens downwardly with respect to a horizontal direction. Thereby, the amount of heating required for the heater is further reduced.
US09694727B2
The invention relates to a device for damping an upper suspension part in at least one spatial direction with respect to a lower suspension part movable relative thereto, wherein a spring apparatus which acts between the upper suspension part and the lower suspension part is provided for damping, wherein an actuating element is provided by way of which a force can be introduced into the device bidirectionally in the operating direction of the spring apparatus, wherein the actuating element is actuable via a control apparatus, wherein the actuating element comprises a drive, preferably in the form of a rotary field magnet, and a coupling rod, drivable by the drive and in the form of a shaft, in such a way that a distance between the lower suspension part and upper suspension part can be varied as a result of the coupling rod rotating.
US09694724B2
A vehicular seat slide device, includes: a first rail fixed to one of a vehicular floor and a seat; a second rail fixed to the other one of the floor and the seat, and linked to be movable relative to the first rail; a screw rod supported by the second rail to be rotatable around an axial line which extends in a moving direction; a metal case fixed to the first rail, and through which the screw rod is inserted; a resin nut housed in the metal case in a state of being unmovable in the moving direction with respect to the metal case, and screwed to the screw rod; and a metal nut housed in the metal case in a state of not being in contact with the resin nut in the moving direction, and screwed to the screw rod.
US09694715B1
A seat assembly includes a removable vehicle seat having a front latch, a rear latch, and a seat mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to a vehicle floor. The front latch includes a striker receiving slot having a slot width, and the seat mounting bracket includes a front and rear striker, where the front striker is configured to be received in the receiving slot. The front striker includes an engagement portion having a flat, angled engagement surface in cross-section. In an installation position of the seat, the front latch receives the engagement portion with the engagement surface being substantially parallel to the receiving slot thereby providing for a clearance fit. In an installed position of the seat, the receiving slot is angled relative to the engagement surface such that the front striker engages opposing walls of the receiving slot thereby establishing an interference fit between the striker and front latch.
US09694707B2
Systems and methods for electric vehicle battery systems with replaceable parallel electric vehicle battery modules are described herein. The electric vehicle battery system includes a plurality of electric vehicle battery modules connected in parallel. Each electric vehicle battery module includes a battery. Each electric vehicle battery module can also include a balancing circuit in electrical communication with a current path from the battery to an electric vehicle battery module output node. Each electric vehicle battery module also may have a current sensor in electromagnetic communication with the current path between the battery and the balancing circuit. The current sensor can be configured to sense a current level between the battery and the balancing circuit. The balancing circuit can be configured to balance the current level sensed by the current sensor of each electric vehicle battery module.
US09694701B2
A vehicle charging apparatus mounted on a vehicle for charging an on-vehicle battery from an external power supply, with a charging plug connected to the vehicle, includes a communication device that is configured to perform communication with a charging facility providing the external power supply with the charging plug connected and locked to the vehicle. The communication device prohibits disconnection of the communication when an unlocking operation to unlock the charging plug is executed during charging from the external power supply to the on-vehicle battery.
US09694700B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided a charging management system. Based on an estimated duration from a time when an electric vehicle having arrived at each of a charging facilities starts charging until the charging is complete, the system determines the charging facility a charging facility utilization of which is to be recommended to be one of the charging facilities related to a path to a destination which has a shortest maximum wait time from a time when a plurality of electric vehicles arrive at the charging facility until the charging is complete, and reports information indicative of the determined charging facility to the electric vehicle not having arrived at the charging facility.
US09694691B2
An electric vehicle enables cooling performance for a DC/DC converter to be improved and includes a steering mechanism supporting a front wheel, a head pipe supporting the steering mechanism, a frame member extending from the head pipe backward and downward, a front cowl covering the head pipe, the front cowl hanging and extending to a lower-half of the front wheel, an electric motor rotating and drive the rear wheel, a DC/DC converter disposed in the frame member behind the front wheel in a posture facing a travelling direction to convert voltage, and a heat radiation fin extending in a vehicle vertical direction, the heat radiation fin being provided in a front face of the DC/DC converter, the front face facing the front wheel. The front cowl expands to left and right sides of the DC/DC converter in the vehicle width direction to collect travelling wind to the heat radiation fin.
US09694675B2
An object is to provide a fuel supply apparatus that is configured to enhance the strength of a fitting portion of a filler neck body that is fit in a tube. The fuel supply apparatus (FS) comprises a filler neck body (110) that is configured to include a hollow fuel passage-forming portion (110a) arranged to define a fuel passage (100P) which a supplied fuel passes through, and a fitting portion (111) configured to be fit in a tube (40) arranged to introduce the supplied fuel to a fuel tank (FT); a nozzle guide (150) that is placed inside of the fuel passage-forming portion (110a) and is configured to introduce a fueling nozzle (NZ) for supplying the fuel; and a first rib (151) that is provided at a position opposite to the fitting portion (111) to be placed between the filler neck body (110) and the nozzle guide (150) and to be in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the nozzle guide (150).
US09694674B2
A fuel system comprises a fuel tank including at least a top wall, a bottom wall, and one or more stanchions positioned within the fuel tank, each stanchion coupled to the top wall and the bottom wall. A strain gauge is positioned on the outside of the fuel tank, opposite an intersection of a stanchion and the top wall, such that degradation of the stanchion results in results in pressure-dependent deformation of the fuel tank that is registered by the strain gauge. In this way, degradation of deformable fuel tanks, such as polymeric fuel tanks, may be diagnosed and indicated.
US09694673B2
To assist in maintaining a seal ring in a proper position in a fuel tank assembly, a retaining ring is utilized. The retaining ring surrounds the seal ring to provide a physical barrier to restrict the seal ring. The assembly includes a tank having an opening and a plurality of flanges located about the opening, a fuel pump module, the retaining ring and a seal ring. The retaining ring is located within the plurality of flanges, positioned around the opening and the fuel pump module. The seal ring is located within the plurality of flanges, positioned around the opening and the fuel pump module such that in a radial direction the seal ring is positioned between the fuel pump module and the retaining ring, and in an axial direction the seal ring is positioned between the fuel pump module and the fuel tank.
US09694665B2
A liquid leakage countermeasure of a cooling medium channel is facilitated, and a need of high power of a pump for circulating a cooling medium is relaxed. An electric vehicle includes: a vehicle body including a dashboard which separates a front space covered with a hood and a boarding space provided with a seat on which a driver is seated; an electric component which is provided behind the dashboard and generates heat by electric energy for generating rotational power for vehicle traveling; and a heat exchanger provided behind the dashboard and configured to cool down a cooling medium circulating between the heat exchanger and the electric component.
US09694663B2
A family of hybrid electric transmission arrangements share a common center housing, rear housing, two electric machines, power-split planetary gearset, and torque multiplication gearset. One arrangement additionally utilizes an overdrive gearset and an overdrive clutch. Another arrangement additionally utilizes two clutches and a brake to implement three operating modes. Since the components that differ between the two arrangements use the same general packaging space and all shift elements are hydraulically controlled via a front housing, the design of the front housing is also similar.
US09694655B2
A noise abatement device for a vehicle having a body including a sunroof and a sunroof drain hose open for a fluid to flow from the sunroof to outside of the body. The noise abatement device includes a housing and at least one baffle. The housing has an interior wall and is configured to form an entry port connectable to the drain hose and an exit port openable to the outside of the body. The entry port is at a first elevation and the exit port is at as second elevation, lower than the first elevation. At least one baffle is attached to the interior wall. The baffle is configured to allow the fluid to flow via gravity from the entry port to the exit port and to create a tortuous path through the housing to prevent noise from outside of the body from entering the drain hose.
US09694654B1
The present invention comprises a visor assembly for filtering sunlight through a field of view of a driver. The assembly has motorized tinted visors that can be set in a stowed position, positioned upward, and lowered into the field of vision of the driver, allowing sunlight to pass through the tinted visors for filtering, via forward and reverse buttons. The tinted visors can include at least one amber tinted visor. The amber tinted visor is amber in color, adding contrast and visual acetate distinction in low-light driving situations. The tinted visors can also include at least one gradient tinted visor. The gradient tinted visor has a color gradient transitioning from a dense, dark blue color, adding brilliance and attenuation, to clear acetate, providing an unobstructed view of traffic.
US09694650B1
The invention provides a ventilation member attached to a wall member having a wall opening. The ventilation member includes: an outer surface member attached to an outer surface of the wall member to cover the wall opening; and an inner surface member attached to an inner surface of the wall member to cover the wall opening and coupled to the outer surface member. The outer surface member and the inner surface member are configured as identical members and each have an opening and at least one fin provided in the opening.
US09694645B2
A torsion spring bar system for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle includes on each vehicle side a torsion spring bar which is oriented transversely to the vehicle longitudinal center and acts on each wheel guide element of the wheel suspension with variable pretension via an output lever positioned outwards with respect to the vehicle longitudinal center. The torsion spring bar is acted upon by an actuator with a torsional moment. The torsion spring bars on both vehicle sides are coupled to one another at their axially adjacent ends in the vehicle longitudinal center via at least one additional torsion spring element.
US09694643B2
A device (1) for adjusting the height of a vehicle body, including a movement thread (4) which is arranged between vehicle body and a wheel carrier and shifts two components (2, 3) which are displaceable in relation to each other between an upper and a lower adjustment position, wherein the movement thread (4) is provided with two threaded parts which are rotatable relative to each other, are formed from a spindle (7) and a spindle nut (3) and are in operative engagement with each other. The one threaded part is accommodated on one component in a manner fixed axially and rotationally driven by a rotary drive (6), and the other threaded part is accommodated on the other component non-rotatably and in an axially displaceable manner. In order to protect the movement thread (4), in particular the operative engagement, against high mechanical loads, a switchable locking device (18) spanning the operative engagement of the threaded parts (A, B) of the movement thread (4) is provided.
US09694638B2
A spring rubber seat provided between a spring formed by winding a wire rod to elastically support a chassis and a spring seat where the spring is placed. The spring rubber seat includes an arc seat portion having a seat surface where the spring is seated; and a link portion that links one circumferential end with the other circumferential end of the seat portion to make the spring rubber seat in an annular shape.
US09694637B2
A flexible joint for attachment to a suspension link. The flexible joint includes a housing, where the housing includes an external surface and an internal surface. The flexible joint also includes a joint insert. The joint insert includes a first section and a second section attached to the first section at an attachment point. The joint insert also includes an inner sleeve, where the inner sleeve includes a first portion in the first section of the joint insert and a second portion in the second section of the joint insert. The inner sleeve also includes a channel, where the channel is configured to receive at least a portion of an external device and an external surface. The joint insert further includes an elastomer, where the elastomer is fused to at least a portion of the external surface of the inner sleeve, a portion of the elastomer is in contact with the internal surface of the housing, and the elastomer is not permanently attached to the internal surface.
US09694635B2
A tire traction device can include a primary strap configured to extend around at least a portion of a vehicle tire; a traction plate having a channel configured to receive the primary strap, and one or more traction-enhancing surfaces extending from the channel; and a base member having a first surface adapted to sit on a circumferential portion of the vehicle tire, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the second surface defines a recess adapted to receive the channel of the traction plate. Other features and embodiments, and a method of attaching a tire traction device to a vehicle tire, are also described.
US09694632B2
A device for monitoring tires for vehicle wheels, includes: an electronic unit adapted to detect at least one characteristic quantity of a tire and to transmit at least one corresponding parameter representative of said detected quantity; a connection element to keep the electronic unit constrained to an internal surface of the tire, the connection element including a first portion having a base surface adapted to be secured to the inner surface of the tire, and a cavity for housing the electronic unit wherein the first portion has at least one slot interposed between the electronic unit and the projection thereof on the base surface, the slot having a distal profile relative to the electronic unit which is entirely contained in the base surface. A tire for vehicle wheels provided with the monitoring device and a method for installing the electronic unit in the tire.
US09694630B2
A method of determining tire pressure includes providing a control unit which comprises a pressure sensor. The control unit is in fluid communication with a wheel valve via a fluid control circuit. A pressure of air in the fluid control circuit is measured utilizing the pressure sensor. The method also includes determining whether a leak is present in a fluid control circuit and providing a leakage compensation pressure. The tire pressure is calculated by adding the pressure of the air in the fluid control circuit and the leakage compensation pressure together.
US09694627B2
A hub-bearing assembly provided with a bearing unit and a rotatable rotor-hub. The bearing unit includes a stationary radially outer ring, a couple of rotatable radially inner rings, and a double row of rolling elements, wherein the rolling elements are interposed between the outer ring and the inner rings, whose centers are located along a first circle having a radius, with respect to a symmetry axis of the assembly. The rotor-hub is made of a light alloy. A tubular portion is assembled on top of the radially inner rings. The tubular portion is steadily fixed a flange portion, axially external and includes a plurality of fixing holes. Axes of the fixing holes are located along a second circle defined by a radius respective to the symmetry axis of the assembly. The radius of the first circle (rolling elements) is greater than the radius of the second circle (fixing holes).
US09694624B2
An automatic cover-opening device has a body, at least one cover panel and a recoil mechanism. The body has an insertion hole defined in the body. The at least one cover panel is mounted on the body and moveably closes the insertion hole. Each one of the at least one cover panel has a guiding segment having at least one guiding edge inclined relative to an axis of the insertion hole to guide an axial force along the axis of the insertion hole to a lateral direction non-parallel with the axis, so as to generate a lateral component force for opening the at least one cover panel. The recoil mechanism is disposed on the body to push the at least one cover panel to a closed position for closing the insertion hole. With such an arrangement, an automatic cover-opening device that can be applied for insertion of a rod-like object is provided.
US09694618B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a multilayer element (100), and also to a multilayer element (100) produced by said method. On and/or in a carrier ply (1) a decorative ply (3) is formed. The decorative ply (3) has a first region (8) and a second region (9). Viewed perpendicular to the plane of the carrier ply (1), the decorative ply (3) has in the first region (8) a first transmittance and in the second region (9) a second transmittance greater in comparison to the first transmittance. A layer (5) to be structured and a photoactivatable resist layer are disposed on the first side (11) of the carrier ply (1). On exposure of the resist layer through the decorative ply (3), the decorative ply (3) serves as an exposure mask. The at least one layer (5) to be structured and the resist layer are structured in register to one another by means of structuring operations synchronized with one another.
US09694617B1
A greeting card having a miniature model of a faux harp attached thereto with a die cut character attached to a motor which effects movement of the die cut character such that it appears the die cut character is playing the faux harp.
US09694612B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink tank, a recording head, a monitor, an operation panel, and a controller. The ink tank forms an ink chamber and including an injection inlet. The recording head ejects ink from the ink chamber to record an image on a sheet. The operation panel receives user input. The controller controls operation of the recording head, the monitor, and the operation panel. The controller performs receiving a completion signal indicating completion of ink injection, decision processing deciding whether an initial processing has been completed, and inquiry processing based on receipt of the completion signal.
US09694598B2
Printing heads of combinations of four ink colors and seven printing characteristic ranks are previously used to print an image for measurement, and table parameters corresponding to all of the combinations of nozzle ink colors and printing characteristic ranks are obtained on the basis of a measurement result of this image for measurement and stored in a memory. Then, when printing is actually performed in a printer, a primary color image for measurement is printed for each nozzle of a printing head for each of four ink colors. A printing characteristic rank for each nozzle is obtained for each of four ink colors based on a measurement result of this image for measurement, and a table parameter is selected that corresponds to the same combination as the combination of the obtained printing characteristic rank of each nozzle of four ink colors, by referring to the memory.
US09694591B2
An inkjet printing system is disclosed and comprises at least one fluid reservoir containing a fluid, a fluid line that fluidly couples the at least one fluid reservoir with an imaging device, and a fluid level sensing apparatus fluidly coupled with the at least one fluid reservoir. The fluid level sensing apparatus comprises: a bottom portion having a fluid volume VB; an intermediate portion vertically adjacent the bottom portion and having a fluid volume VI, the intermediate portion including a first fluid sensor spaced vertically from a second fluid sensor; and an upper portion vertically adjacent the intermediate portion and having a fluid volume Vu, wherein Vu>VI>VB. The inkjet printing system also comprises a pump fluidly coupled with the at least one fluid level sensing apparatus and configured to exert fluid pressure along the at least one fluid level sensing apparatus.
US09694586B1
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge for an inkjet printer, the ink cartridge having a separate refilling port formed on the upper surface of a main body housing in which ink is stored and having mounted a port cover for opening and closing the refilling port, thereby enabling convenient refilling of ink through the refilling port by an individual user even without using a separate working tool or a specialized company for refilling ink. In addition, by having formed a display window for observing, with the naked eye from the outside, the amount of ink being refilled, the ink cartridge enables the user to easily perceive time for refilling ink. Also, by preventing the ink from being refilled too much or too little when the ink is being refilled, the ink cartridge enables refilling of an appropriate amount of the ink.
US09694585B2
There is provided a method of filling a liquid container with liquid such that an amount of remaining air is suppressed to be as small as possible. For this purpose, while performing, on a liquid containing chamber, a primary pressure reduction, a primary injection, a secondary pressure reduction, and a secondary injection in turn, degrees of the primary pressure reduction and secondary pressure reduction are each appropriately adjusted to fill the liquid with a target amount of air remaining.
US09694571B2
A system for laminating an optical film according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a panel transfer unit to transfer a panel, a first laminating unit installed on a transfer line of the panel to laminate an optical film on a first surface of the panel along a first direction parallel to a transfer direction of the panel, and a second laminating unit installed on the transfer line of the panel to laminate an optical film on a second surface of the panel along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.
US09694564B2
A heat-sealable polymer-based multilayer film for peelable packaging comprising a polymer-based core layer having an interior-facing side and an exterior-facing side; a peelable intermediate layer on the interior-facing side of the core layer, the peelable layer having an interior-facing side and a core-facing side, and the peelable layer containing a peeling agent; and an interior skin layer on the interior-facing side of the peelable layer; wherein the core layer is polypropylene-based and contains a propylene-ethylene copolymer to impart puncture-resistance to the multilayer film.
US09694562B2
Coated articles and methods for applying coatings are described. The article may include a base material and a coating comprising silver formed thereon. In some embodiments, the coating comprises a silver-based alloy, such as a silver-tungsten alloy. The coating may, in some instances, include at least two layers. For example, the coating may include a first layer comprising a silver-based alloy and a second layer comprising a precious metal. The coating can exhibit desirable properties and characteristics such as durability (e.g., wear), hardness, corrosion resistance, and high conductivity, which may be beneficial, for example, in electrical and/or electronic applications. In some cases, the coating may be applied using an electrodeposition process.
US09694559B2
A cover plate, to cover part of a space between a door and a door surround, comprising at least one pressure element secured to at least part of the external face of the cover plate. The pressure element comprises two sheets, an external sheet and an internal sheet, these two sheets being superposed and fixed together. The internal and external sheets are respectively made from materials that have different thermal expansion properties causing at least a contraction of the internal sheet with respect to the external sheet, at least for a range of temperatures comprised between −20° C. and −50° C.
US09694557B2
A plastic component, with fiber reinforcement, for use in a motor vehicle. The plastic component comprises a number of fiber layers connected to one another by injection of plastic and by a pressing force. The plastic component comprises at least two structural parts which overlap one another a pressing direction such that the die comprises at least one upper die portion formed with a pressing unit for applying a pressing force in the pressing direction, and at least one lower die portion which cooperates with the upper die portion to form a cavity in which the plastic component is formed. A die insert is fitted in the die and can move by and with the upper die portion and is designed to transmit the pressing force to the at least one structural part of the plastic component which is overlapped by the other structural part of the plastic component in the pressing direction.
US09694552B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for molding an annular member capable of accurately molding an annular member into a predetermined cross-sectional shape even if the annular member has a thick-walled inner peripheral part and a thin-walled outer peripheral part. The method for molding a bead filler (11) including a thick-walled inner peripheral part (11a) and a thin-walled outer peripheral part (11b), the method comprising the steps of extruding, into an annular shape, rubber (R1) by a first extruder (30) onto a molding table (20) through a first die (31) provided with an opening having the same cross-sectional shape as that of the inner peripheral part (11a) while the molding table (20) is rotated, and molding the inner peripheral part (11a); and extruding, into an annular shape, rubber by a second extruder (40) onto the molding table (20) through a second die (41) provided with an opening having the same cross-sectional shape as that of the outer peripheral part (11b) while the molding table (20) is rotated, and molding the outer peripheral part (11b).
US09694551B2
A process for manufacturing tires for vehicle wheels includes associating at least one reinforcing structure with at least one surface portion of at least one tire component laid on a forming support, wherein associating the at least one reinforcing structure includes bringing, through a handling and deposition member, at least one reinforcing element to the forming support and depositing, through said handling and deposition member, the reinforcing element on a respective deposition part defined on a surface portion of the component. The depositing includes gradually laying the reinforcing element on the deposition part following the profile of the deposition part in a circumferential direction.
US09694540B2
A water sports board includes a top deck forming portions of an outer surface of the water sports board; an underside forming portions of the outer surface; a set of internal baffle chamber structures disposed between the top deck and the underside, each baffle chamber structure fluidically isolated from another baffle chamber structure and including a plurality of pressurizable/inflatable baffle elements therein having hollow elongate internal passages that are fluidically coupled to one another; and a set of inflation/deflation valves fluidically coupled to the set of baffle chamber structures, wherein each inflation/deflation valve is accessible from the outer surface of the water sports board. The water sports board can also include a concavity adjustment mechanism by which concavity of the underside of the water sports board is adjustable. Essentially the entire water sports board is manufacturable by way of 3D printing.
US09694518B2
Disclosed are articles having authentication features, as well as methods for authenticating such articles by forming authentication features to prevent or diminish counterfeiting activities. A surface of an article to be authenticated (or a surface of a component associated with the article) may have a region with a periodic array of nanopillars comprising a polymeric material formed thereon. The array of nanopillars thus defines an authentication feature (e.g., a graphic image or other pattern). In certain aspects, the authentication feature may be substantially invisible to the human eye under normal conditions, but revealed when condensate is created on the surface by exposure to moisture or vapor (e.g., human breath). The methods of forming nanopillar arrays disclosed herein are simple and permit single-step replication with high fidelity. Furthermore, the methods may be used with a variety of substrates, including fabric, textiles, leather, glass, paper, and metals by way of non-limiting example.
US09694513B2
The kneading apparatus 1 includes a casing 2, a pair of elongated screws 4a, 4b rotatably provided in the casing 2. The screws 4a, 4b are arranged parallel and horizontally with respect to one another. The casing 2 has a main body 20 and a screw container 3 provided in the casing 2. The screw container 3 defines a kneading section 30 therein. The screw 4a includes a screw axis 41 having an outer periphery, a first screw member 42 provided on the outer periphery of the screw axis 41 and a kneading member 43 provided on the outer periphery of the screw axis 41. The first screw member 42 and kneading member 43 are provided in the kneading section 30. The screw 4a, the first screw member 42 and the kneading member 43 respectively have core portions 411, 412, 413 having a surface and outer layers 45 respectively provided on the surfaces of the core portions 411, 412, 413. The screw container 3 and the outer layers 45 are constituted of a nonmetallic material.
US09694508B2
A saw assembly includes a drive member, a motor, a housing, a foot, a spring, a first clamp component, and a clamp actuator. The drive member is configured to be moved in a repeating pattern. The motor is configured to move the drive member in the repeating pattern. The housing defines an interior space in which the motor is positioned and includes a first limiter. The foot includes (i) a base defining a work piece contact surface, and (ii) an extension structure attached to the base. The foot is configured to pivot in relation to the housing about a pivot axis between a rest position and a non-rest position. The spring is configured to bias the foot toward the rest position. The first clamp component includes a first clamping surface positioned in the interior space of the housing. The clamp actuator has a second limiter and a second clamping surface.
US09694507B2
There are provided a shape data generation apparatus and shape data generation program capable of arranging, on one sheet-like medium, parts obtained by slicing one cutting shape. A shape data generation apparatus includes a slicing unit (11) configured to slice a cutting shape represented by supplied shape data into a plurality of parts in accordance with a closed shape prepared in advance, an arrangement unit (12) configured to arrange, of the cutting shape, a part protruding from the closed shape to fit in a free space within the closed shape, and a generation unit (13) configured to generate shape data representing a plurality of parts fitted in the closed shape.
US09694493B2
An umbilical member arrangement structure capable of properly arranging an umbilical member in a parallel link robot. A first additional actuator is arranged on a passive link part of a parallel link robot. An Umbilical member is withdrawn from an opening formed on a generally circular bottom surface of a base part, while having a margin, approaches the passive link part, while extending in an intersecting direction with respect to a longitudinal direction of the passive link part, and is connected to the first additional actuator. The “intersecting direction” means a direction extending at an angle of 70 to 110 degrees, preferably 80 to 100 degrees, more preferably about 90 degrees, with respect to the longitudinal direction of the passive link part.
US09694484B2
An electric machine tool includes a first actuating device and a second actuating device. The second actuating device is arranged at a distance from the first actuating device. The first actuating device is mechanically connected to the second actuating device by a switching connector which is configured to be loaded in tension only.
US09694482B2
Tooling for partial disassembly of a bypass turbofan engine wherein the longitudinal axis of the bypass turbofan engine remains generally horizontal during disassembly. The low pressure turbine module is removed with a low pressure turbine module horizontal removal tool. An extended bearing nut tool may be supported by a stabilization member and may remove a bearing nut. An extended high pressure turbine shaft stretching tool may stretch a high pressure turbine shaft to release a high pressure turbine shaft nut. An extended bearing pulling tool may be used to pull a bearing while the low pressure turbine shaft remains in place. A modified measurement bridge may be used to measure the position of certain components while the low pressure turbine shaft remains in place. A nozzle jig may be used to assemble nozzles and feather seals to create a nozzle module. And an arcuate datum may be used to make certain measurements from the aft end of the high pressure turbine shaft while the low pressure turbine shaft remains in place.
US09694478B1
A blind bolt and tool is used for fastening a bolt through a hole in a structure when only one side of the structure is accessible. A receiver is formed on the tip end of a bolt shaft opposite from a bolt head. Internal threads are formed within the receiver proximate an outward end, and a hex socket is formed in the inward end of the receiver. External threads and a guide are formed on a tip of the tool, and the external threads mate with the internal threads in the receiver to hold the bolt during installation. A hex key on one end of the tool engages the hex socket in the receiver so that the tool may impose a torque on the bolt when a nut is being tightened on the bolt. In another embodiment, a splined tip is formed on the end of the bolt. The tip is designed to shear off when a sufficient torque is applied. Also, a shim is configured to fit between structures held together by the blind bolt.
US09694473B2
A rotary tool (21) working surface (23) includes a plurality of cutting bodies (24). The rotary tool (21) can be driven about a rotational axis (R). The actual enveloping surface (HF) of the working surface (23) is ascertained by an optical measuring arrangement (29). At least one other target variable (GS) is detected, which describes a microscopic parameter of the working surface (23). The actual variable (GI) corresponding to each specified target variable (GS) is detected by the measuring arrangement (29), and the deviation between the target variable (GS) and the actual variable (GI) is determined. If the actual enveloping surface (HF) lies outside of a specified target enveloping area (HR) or if a deviation (D) between an actual variable (GI) and the corresponding target variable (GS) is unacceptably large, selected first and/or second cutting bodies (24a, 24b) are machined and/or removed by a laser device (35).
US09694471B2
This invention concerns a burnishing head for smooth rolling of the ring-shaped flat end faces (3, 4) at the thrust bearing of crankshafts by means of two cylindrical burnishing rollers (1, 2) which are arranged to be rotated and are side by side in parallel to each other within a burnishing head housing (12) that is pivotable about its longitudinal axis (20) to reach its the working position. Each burnishing roller (1, 2) is pivoted in a cage (10, 11) which is provided in the burnishing head housing (12) with low play (13) and lateral relocatability.
US09694467B2
A polishing method of polishing a substrate includes moving a stopper from a predetermined initial position by a distance corresponding to a target polishing amount of a substrate. The method further includes pressing a polishing tool against the substrate by a pressing member while rotating the substrate. The method further includes polishing the substrate until a positioning member which moves together with the pressing member is brought into contact with the stopper.
US09694458B2
An interior cleaning device for a machine tool includes a pipe arranged inside a cover covering at least a periphery of a machining section of the machine tool, and a pump for supplying liquid into the pipe, the interior cleaning device being for ejecting liquid from the pipe and cleaning accumulated substances accumulated inside the cover, wherein the pipe includes a first pipe provided with a first ejection section for ejecting liquid or air into the cover, and a second pipe installed inside the first pipe and that is provided with a second ejection section at a part facing other than downward in a vertical direction.
US09694455B2
A precision tripod motion system is provided. The tripod motion system in one example includes a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge portions, a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint portions, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece, three linear actuators pivotally coupled to the three bottom SDOF hinge portions of the bottom plate and coupled to the three top TDOF joint portions of the top plate, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators configured to change length over a linear actuation span, and a rotator component and/or a positioning table affixed to the top plate and the bottom plate. The tripod motion system is additionally coupled to a rotator component and a positioning table to provide six degrees of freedom of motion.
US09694449B2
There is provided a welding jig for a secondary battery capable of preventing battery cells from floating in a jig by designing the jig so that the thinnest portion in a thickness direction of a battery cell is an alignment reference based on an end at which a terminal unit is positioned in as width direction of a battery cell. The welding jig for a secondary battery includes a main body including a battery cell inserting hole into which at least one battery cell is inserted and a jig inserting opening passing through the main body to expose a lower portion of the battery cell, a first side jig that is positioned on one side of the jig inserting opening of the main body and in which at least one first groove unit is formed to surround one side of an external surface of the battery cell, and a second side jig that is positioned on the other side of the jig inserting opening of the main body and in which at least one second groove unit is formed to surround the other side of the external surface of the battery cell. In a thickness direction of the battery cell, the first groove unit and the second groove unit are formed to be smaller than the battery cell inserting hole.
US09694447B1
The present invention facilitates improvements in laser ablation of solid samples to be analyzed by an external inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrometer, ICP/mass-spectrometer (ICP-MS), or flowing afterglow (FAG) mass spectrometer (FAG-MS) for elemental analysis (ICP and ICP-MS) or molecular analysis (FAG-MS). A novel invention mirror-with-hole beam combiner eliminates chromatic aberration in the invention sample view and allows rad-hardening the laser ablation invention for use in a radiation hot cell for analysis of high activity nuclear waste. Many other novel invention rad-hardening attributes facilitate a comprehensive rad-hardened laser ablation system (the world's first). In other embodiments, invention novelties include unusually large homogeneous focused laser spot diameters, unusually long laser objective lens focal length, wide range operationally variable laser path length with built-in re-alignment, operationally variable demagnification ratio and diameter of the focused laser spot, the use of significantly higher powered SMR lasers in a large spot diameter to facilitate high sensitivity bulk analysis of solid samples, a demountable and gravitationally self-sealing stack assembly laser ablation cell, and the world's first auto-samplers (mechanized sample changers) for analytical laser ablation.
US09694446B2
Methods and systems for drilling precise orifices in a wall of non-uniform thickness are provided. In one aspect, a thickness profile of at least a portion of the wall is created and the wall is irradiated with at least one laser beam to ablate a portion of the wall to thereby form an orifice in the wall. During the irradiation, one or more parameters of the least one laser beam are adjusted one or more times in accordance with the thickness profile to compensate for the non-uniform thickness of the wall.
US09694443B2
A laser welding apparatus that welds a butted interface of a workpiece by laser light irradiation while successively feeding the workpiece having the butted interface to a welding position includes an X- and Y-axis scanner that scans laser light outputted from a laser light source in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction which are orthogonal to each other, a measuring device that measures a dimension along the butted interface, and a scanner control device that controls driving of the X- and Y-axis scanner so as to weld the butted interface by laser light irradiation.
US09694436B2
The use of lead-free solder (flux) in Wafer Level Packaging applications requires more control of the temperature and environment during the reflow process. The flux needs to be applied by spin coating, reflowed in a controlled environment and then removed with a cleaning process. Incorporating these three processes in one compact system provides an efficient and economical solution. The unique design of the reflow oven consists of multiple hotplates and one cold plate, arranged in a circle to allow wafers to proceed through the oven in a rotary fashion.
US09694433B2
A disclosed method of joining a cooling component includes joining an electronic component and a spherical shaped bottom plate of a cooling component to each other by pressing the bottom plate against the electronic component, while providing a thermal bonding material between the bottom plate and the electronic component.
US09694423B2
A method including: flowing a liquid carrier medium (12) having a supply (14) of metal particles (16) across a surface (20) of a substrate (10); directing an energy beam (30) through the flowing liquid carrier medium toward the surface; and heating at least some of the metal particles in the liquid carrier medium with the energy beam to form a metallic deposit (32) that is bonded to the substrate surface and that is covered by the liquid carrier medium.
US09694419B2
An injection molding system and method of operating the system are disclosed. The system may include a hopper, a barrel configured to receive injection material from the hopper, a screw disposed within the barrel, and a mold defining a mold cavity configured to receive the injection material from the barrel. A pressure-balancing conduit may connect the mold cavity and a rear end of the barrel and be configured to allow air to flow from the mold cavity to the rear end of the barrel. A mold valve may be disposed between the pressure-balancing conduit and the mold cavity and a barrel valve may be disposed between the pressure-balancing conduit and the rear end of the barrel. The method may include opening the mold valve and injecting a material into the mold cavity from the barrel.
US09694417B2
A pivotable tundish (1) for continuous casting a metal alloy. The tundish includes a body (3) with a first chamber (5), a second chamber (7), a first passage (12) between the first chamber and the second chamber, and a second passage (16) between the second chamber and a mold (9). The first chamber is adapted to receive and hold a base metal constituting the base for forming the metal alloy by addition of alloying elements. The metal alloy is fed from the second chamber to the mold through the second passage. The second chamber further includes a first portion (30) and a second portion (32), and a third passage (36) between the first portion and the second portion. In the casting state the metal alloy is formed while casting by adding the alloying elements to the second portion of the second chamber.
US09694390B1
An apparatus for separating carbon or resin from slurry. The apparatus comprises a frame, a rotary cage screen assembly, a cage screen support and rotary drive system, a carbon collection assembly and a hopper moveably connected to the rotary cage screen assembly. The apparatus is positional partially within an adsorption tank or other container capable of containing slurry.
US09694389B2
The object of the invention is the provision of methods for controlled production of continuous multi-component filaments or discreet structures using a multi-component liquid jet issuing from an orifice. A multi-component jet consists of two or more liquids. The liquids may be miscible or immiscible, and form a co-axially propagating flow along the central axis of a flow cell. The working distance between the exit orifice and a substrate can be as large as 50 mm, so that in-flight processing of the jet is possible. The coaxial flow consists of an outer sheath liquid and an inner sample liquid or composite of liquids. The flow cell and the exit channel of the deposition head are heated so that the pressurized sheath liquid temperature is raised to near or above the boiling point of the sheath liquid at the local atmospheric pressure. The jet exits the deposition head through the orifice, and the outer liquid is evaporated as the jet falls at atmospheric pressure. The sheath liquid is processed thermally, optically, or chemically during flight to form a protective or insulating layer for the inner liquid or liquids. The inner liquids may contrastingly consist of an ultraviolet (UV) curable ink that is processed in-flight or after deposition. Since UV curable inks contain no volatile components, the coaxial jetted filament can be processed without producing cracks or bubbles in the sheath layer. Line widths are produced in the range from approximately 1 to 1000 microns.
US09694366B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for grouping fragile floating objects, such as floating fruits, in batches in at least one accumulation channel. An upstream portion (12) of at least one accumulation channel is supplied with objects transported by a hydraulic current as far as a downstream end of the latter provided with a retaining/releasing device for retaining/releasing the objects. The speed of the hydraulic current is adjusted so as to bring about a hydraulic superposition of the objects retained in a superposition zone of the accumulation channel against the retaining/releasing device which is closed so as to retain the objects.
US09694357B1
A method of making a multi-acid polymer comprising: reacting a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form with anhydrous ammonia to obtain a sulfonamide, wherein the polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form has a formula R—SO2F or R—SO2Cl, respectively, with R being one of more units of the polymer precursor without sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride, and wherein the sulfonamide has a formula R—SO2—NH2; and reacting the sulfonamide with a compound of a formula COOH—X-AGG under a mild base condition, wherein X is one of C6H3 or N(CH2)3 and AGG is an acid giving group, to form the multi-acid polymer having an imide base and more than two proton conducting groups.
US09694356B2
This disclosure describes a method for regenerating a semi-regenerated reforming catalyst. The method comprises adjusting the reaction temperature to 250-480° C., introducing a sulfur-containing naphtha into the reforming reactor, or stopping introducing a feedstock into the reforming reactor, and introducing a sulfur-containing hydrogen into a recycle gas, until the sulfur content in the catalyst is 0.32-0.8 mass %, then the catalyst is subject to coke-burning, oxychlorination and reduction. Alternatively, the method first subjects the spent catalyst to coke-burning followed by introducing sulfate ions thereinto; and then performing oxychlorination and reduction. Disclosed is still another method for regenerating a platinum-rhenium reforming catalyst, which comprises coke-burning the spent catalyst; introducing sulfur and chlorine in the catalyst by impregnation; and then drying, calcinating and reducing.
US09694348B2
Provided is an exhaust catalyst that exhibits higher NOX-reducing activities at the time of engine restart while maintaining its catalytic activities during normal traveling. This invention provides an exhaust cleaning catalyst comprising a substrate and a catalyst coating layer that includes CeO2. Catalyst coating layer is constituted in its thickness direction with multiple coating layers. In a top coating layer located at the outermost surface, the CeO2 content in a top coating layer's upstream portion is less than the CeO2 content in a top coating layer's downstream portion; and the CeO2 content in the top coating layer's upstream portion is less than the CeO2 content in a lower coating layer. The CeO2 content per liter of catalyst volume in the entire coating layer is 10 g/L to 30 g/L.
US09694347B2
A supported precious metal catalyst for the high-temperature combustion of a hydrocarbon includes 1-10% by weight in total of one or more precious metals on a refractory metal oxide support material, and 1-20% by weight in total of one or more stabilizing metals selected from rare earths and Groups IA, IIA, and IIIA of the periodic table of the elements, wherein at least part of the precious metal is present as a mixed metal oxide with one or more of the stabilizing metals.
US09694344B2
Provided is a novel continuous single-step method of manufacturing a multilayer sorbent polymeric membrane having superior productivity, properties and performance. At least one layer of the polymeric membrane comprises sorbent materials and a plurality of interconnecting pores. The method includes: (a) coextruding layer-forming compositions to form a multilayer coextrudate; (b) casting the coextrudate into a film; (c) extracting the film with an extractant; and (d) removing the extractant from the extracted film to form the multilayer sorbent polymeric membrane. The sorbent membrane of this disclosure can find a wide range of applications for use in filtration, separation and purification of gases and fluids, CO2 and volatile capture, structural support, vehicle emission control, energy harvesting and storage, device, protection, permeation, packaging, printing, and etc.
US09694337B2
An enhanced thermal interface material (TIM) gap filler for filling a gap between two substrates (e.g., between a coldplate and an electronics module) includes microcapsules adapted to rupture in a magnetic field. The microcapsules, which are distributed in a TIM gap filler, each have a shell that encapsulates a solvent. One or more organosilane-coated magnetic nanoparticles is/are covalently bound into the shell of each microcapsule. In one embodiment, (3-aminopropyl) trimethylsilane-coated magnetite nanoparticles are incorporated into the shell of a urea-formaldehyde (UF) microcapsule during in situ polymerization. To enable easy removal of one substrate affixed to another substrate by the enhanced TIM gap filler, the substrates are positioned within a magnetic field sufficient to rupture the microcapsule shells through magnetic stimulation of the organosilane-coated magnetic nanoparticles. The ruptured microcapsule shells release the solvent, which dissolves and/or swells the TIM gap filler, thereby reducing the bond strength between the substrates.
US09694327B2
A hollow porous membrane of the present invention comprises a plurality of porous membrane layers, at least two layers of which are formed using a thermoplastic resin (a) having a mass average molecular weight of 500,000 or more, and the hollow porous membrane having a bursting pressure of 200 kPa or more when an internal pressure is applied and exhibiting virus removal performance of LRV 4 or more in the case of using MS2 phage as a test bacterium.
US09694305B2
A system for sludge removal in a circular settling tank having a side wall (106) comprises a rotatable drive ring (130) adapted to be interconnected to a scraper arm provided with scraper blades, wherein the drive ring having a plurality of engagement surfaces (134) A traction assembly (140) is fixedly attached to the side wall and comprises a drive wheel (142). By providing a drive wheel with a plurality of engagement rolls (148) adapted to engage the engagement surfaces of the drive ring during rotation of the drive wheel, the drive ring can be rotated essentially without exerting any radial forces on the drive ring.
US09694301B2
A sample separation apparatus for separating a liquid sample includes a first separation unit for separating the sample, a first fluid drive for conducting the sample to be separated through the first separation unit, a second separation unit, arranged downstream of the first separation unit, for further separating the sample, a second fluid drive for at least partially conducting the sample through the second separation unit, and a fluidic valve having interfaces fluidically coupled to the first and second fluid drives and being switchable for performing the separation of the sample. The apparatus is configured for adjusting a pressure at a predefined position to a predefined value, wherein the predefined position is in a fluidic path between an outlet of the first separation unit and an inlet of the second separation unit or in fluid communication with this fluidic path.
US09694298B2
A toy construction kit is disclosed. The construction kit comprising a plurality of flexible construction pieces, each of said flexible construction pieces comprising bendable rod made up of a metal wire with a plastic surrounding the metal wire. In one embodiment, the plastic wire is flexible, said plastic surrounding said metal wire forming an elongated structure. Disks are spaced along the length of rod.
US09694293B1
A multipurpose game apparatus disclosed by the present invention includes at least a foundation, at least a combining slab and at least a shackle. The combining slab is provided with a wavy edge to facilitate installing the combining slab on a wavy slot of the foundation. When two foundations are connected together, two inverted hooks at an end of the shackle are hooked respectively in a snap hole on a left side or a right side of the foundation for positioning. Therefore, by combining the abovementioned elements, a game apparatus in all kinds of combinatorial change in routes can be formed.
US09694283B2
Method, computer program and system for tracking movement of a subject. The method includes receiving data from a distributed network of camera sensors employing one or more emitted light sources associated with one or more of the one or more camera sensors to generate a volumetric three-dimensional representation of the subject, identifying a plurality of clusters within the volumetric three-dimensional representation that correspond to motion features indicative of movement of the motion features of the subject, presenting one or more objects on one or more three dimensional display screens, and using the plurality of fixed position sensors to track motion of the motion features of the subject and track manipulation of the motion features of the volumetric three-dimensional representation to determine interaction of one or more of the motion features of the subject and one or more of the one or more objects on the three dimensional display.
US09694280B2
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for enabling cross platform access to a previously purchased product (PPP) are provided. Cross platform access to the PPP can be accomplished by using a datacenter capable of locally rendering content of the PPP and distributing the rendered content for consumption by a platform other than the platform for which the PPP was designed. This advantageously enables end users to use other platforms and experience the PPP in a manner that emulates or substantially replicates the same experience the user enjoys when interacting with the PPP on its designed platform.
US09694279B2
Embodiments of the present invention monitor and dynamically manage game instances within a game service. A game service provides a remote gaming environment to which users connect over a wide area network, such as the Internet. For example, embodiments of the invention may forecast demand for a specific game title. The demand forecast is used to determine how many standby game instances are needed to meet demand as players join and leave game sessions. Games with higher demand may have more standby game instances ready for players to drop in. Games with less demand may have fewer active game instances running waiting for players to drop in.
US09694276B2
A method and apparatus for pre-loading a translated cloud based application is described in the present disclosure. An application may be chosen for pre-loading by an emulator before a client device platform has requested the application. Once the application is selected, the emulator may begin to translate the application data into a format that is compatible with the client device platform. After translation, the data is stored in a memory so that it may be accessed upon the request of the client device platform. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09694271B2
The invention relates to a ski having a sliding surface and a ski upper face opposite the sliding surface, wherein a climbing aid can be attached to the sliding surface and the ski has a continuous through-hole in an area located before a contact surface, which through-hole extends from the sliding surface to the ski upper face. According to the invention, a securing element is arranged on the ski upper face which securing element comprises at least one holding element for the form-fitting connection to a corresponding counter element of the climbing aid.
US09694259B2
A putter-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position, includes a striking wall extending in the heel to toe direction and defines a substantially planar striking surface for hitting a golf ball. A central elongate member is in communication with, and extends rearward from, the striking wall. An upper surface of the central elongate member includes a plurality of alignment elements. At least one of the plurality of alignment elements has a parallel visual indicator section, at least a portion of which extends substantially parallel to the striking surface. The width of the at least one of the plurality of alignment elements is substantially equivalent to the diameter of a golf ball.
US09694255B2
A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body, and an insert mounted within the channel. The insert includes a resiliently deflectable base member that engages the channel to retain the insert within the channel and a rigid outer member connected to the base member and forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert, where the outer member is made from a different material than the base member. Additionally, the insert has an outer surface that is substantially flush with at least one immediately adjacent surface of the body.
US09694245B2
The present invention relates to a golf ball and a method for manufacturing same. The golf ball may include a first pole, a second pole, and a seam located between the first pole and the second pole, and a section structure including an outer surface having a plurality of dimples, a core, and a cover surrounding the core. In certain embodiments, the core includes 100 parts by weight of a butadiene rubber and 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of a polymer resin. The cover may include 100 parts by weight of an ionomer resin and 1 to 10 parts by weight of a butadiene rubber having a 1,2-bond content of 90% or more.
US09694244B2
Multi-layered golf ball core sub-assemblies and the resulting golf balls are provided. The core structure includes an inner core (center) comprising a foam composition, preferably foamed polyurethane. The intermediate core layer is preferably formed from a thermoplastic composition such as an ethylene acid copolymer ionomer resin; and the outer core layer is preferably formed from a thermoset composition such as polybutadiene rubber. The core layers have different hardness and specific gravity levels. The core assembly preferably has a positive hardness gradient extending across the entire assembly. The core structure and resulting ball have relatively good resiliency.
US09694242B2
A method for improving running efficiency includes measuring power usage of a drive motor of a treadmill while a user is running on the treadmill for a first period of time and analyzing the measured power usage of the drive motor for the first period of time with a computer. The method further includes providing the user with information about the user's running form based on the analyzed data and providing the user with information on how the user can change their current running form to improve running efficiency.
US09694240B2
The invention pertains to a stationary exercise bike along with a display that provides instruction to lead a rider through an exercise program. The invention allows a rider to obtain benefits of a group, instructor-led class though the rider's schedule does not permit the rider to participate in the class. The invention also describes a method of exercising with the foregoing bike and display.
US09694232B2
A workout bench which includes a first assembly comprising a first vertical member and a second vertical member, wherein a first horizontal member interconnects a first end of the first vertical member to a first end of the second vertical member, and a second horizontal member interconnects a second end of the first vertical member to a second end of the second vertical member. The workout bench further includes a third assembly comprising a third vertical member and a fourth vertical member, wherein a third horizontal member interconnects a first end of the third vertical member to a first end of the fourth vertical member, and a fourth horizontal member interconnects a second end of the third vertical member to a second end of the fourth vertical member. A second assembly comprising a fifth horizontal member interconnects a first end of the second vertical member and a first end of the third vertical member. An upwardly facing, hemispherical cradle is disposed on the fifth horizontal member.
US09694231B1
A hand weight device for providing a physically stable but variable resistance to gravity includes a handle coupled to a housing. A first end cap is movably coupled to the housing to selectively provide access to an interior space through a first end of the housing. Weights are positionable in the interior space to increase gravitational resistance to lifting of the housing. Spacers are positionable in the interior space to occupy a remainder of the interior space after a selected number of weights is positioned in the interior space. Thus, the selected number of the weights positioned in the interior space is inhibited from moving freely within the interior space.
US09694222B2
A firefighting medium is allowed to escape from a nozzle through apertures, the nozzle being provided with an internally arranged valve in sealing contact with a valve seat until the valve is released from its sealing position. The release is caused by a heat sensible release mechanism acting on the valve, whereby the sealing effect of the valve is relieved. A locking force required for maintaining the sealing effect by a removable cap or cover is provided, attached to the nozzle front, the locking force being established between at least two interacting surfaces. By releasing the sealing effect of the valve by removing the locking effect between the two interacting surfaces, the cap or cover is allowed to drop off its seat on the nozzle, relieving the press causing the sealing effect on the valve of the nozzle, the removal of the cap or cover caused by releasing mechanism.
US09694220B2
Implementations of a rescue strap are provided. The rescue strap comprises a ring having extending therefrom a pull handle, a first strap; and a second strap. The pull handle comprises an elongated material having a first end and second end wherein the first end and the second end of the pull handle are secured about the ring such that the pull handle forms a loop with an opening therethrough for grabbing. The first strap comprises an elongated material having a first end and a second end and at least one grab loop extending from the first strap. A portion of the first strap is secured about the ring such that the first strap is secured to the ring and the first end and second end of the first strap extend from the ring. The second strap is similarly constructed.
US09694215B2
The invention provides skin compositions containing a mixture of milled particles having different sizes less than 50 microns in diameter of vitamins in a biocompatible carrier.
US09694213B2
Acoustic coupling systems and methods are disclosed as these can be used for assessment and ablation procedures. An exemplary acoustic assessment system for a catheter has a flexible catheter shaft. At least one acoustic transducer is positioned in the flexible catheter shaft. The at least one acoustic transducer emits a generated acoustic signal for reflection by adjacent tissue. The at least one acoustic transducer receives a reflected acoustic signal from the adjacent tissue and generates electrical signals corresponding to one or more property of the tissue. An output device is electrically connected to the at least one acoustic transducer. The output device receives the electrical signals and generate output for a user for assessing the tissue.
US09694208B2
Described herein are systems and methods for positioning a radiation source with respect to one or more regions of interest in a coordinate system. Such systems and methods may be used in emission guided radiation therapy (EGRT) for the localized delivery of radiation to one or more patient tumor regions. These systems comprise a gantry movable about a patient area, where a plurality of positron emission detectors, a radiation source are arranged movably on the gantry, and a controller. The controller is configured to identify a coincident positron annihilation emission path and to position the radiation source to apply a radiation beam along the identified emission path. The systems and methods described herein can be used alone or in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy, and/or brachytherapy for the treatment of tumors.
US09694199B2
A fluid dispenser including a body (6) receiving a dispenser member (3) connected to a reservoir (1) and to a fluid dispenser orifice (73), an actuator member (4) for actuating the dispenser member (3) and a module (5) comprising at least one source of radiation (51), such as a LED, the body (6) having a module housing (65) wherein the module (5) is received. The dispenser also includes a dispenser and diffuser head (7) mounted on the body (6) and forming an application wall (74) into which the fluid dispenser orifice (73) opens out for applying the fluid coming from the dispenser orifice (73) onto the skin. The module (5) is integral with the dispenser and diffuser head (7), thus forming together an integral unit (U) which is received on and within the body (6).
US09694191B2
An implantable medical device includes circuitry for generating and delivering electrical stimulation therapy. A power source is included in the implantable medical device for storage of the energy for the stimulation therapy. Techniques and circuits are provided for minimizing energy losses associated with the storage of the stimulation therapy energy. The implantable medical device circuitry includes charging circuitry that is operated in at least a first mode and a second mode, such that the charging circuit is operable in one of the at least first and second modes based on whether an intrinsic cardiac event is detected. The charging circuit is operable to charge the output capacitor to a first threshold capacity that is less than a pacing capacity of the output capacitor until a given cardiac cycle elapses without a sensed intrinsic cardiac event during operation in the first mode.
US09694190B2
An implantable device has a cylindrical base, at least one electrode on the cylindrical base, at least one electrically conducting lead on the cylindrical base connected to the electrode wherein the electrically conducting lead has a feature size of <10 micrometers. A protective coating on the cylindrical base covers the at least one electrically conducting lead.
US09694185B2
An implantable system, and methodology, for improving a heart's hemodynamic performance featuring (a) bimodal electrodes placeable on the diaphragm, out of contact with the heart, possessing one mode for sensing cardiac electrical activity, and another for applying cardiac-cycle-synchronized, asymptomatic electrical stimulation to the diaphragm to trigger biphasic, diaphragmatic motion, (b) an accelerometer adjacent the electrodes for sensing both heart sounds, and stimulation-induced diaphragmatic motion, and (c) circuit structure, connected both to the electrodes and the accelerometer, operable, in predetermined timed relationships to the presences of valid V-events noted in one of sensed electrical and sensed mechanical, cardiac activity, to deliver diaphragmatic stimulation. The circuit structure includes accelerometer-linked computer structure for enabling selective review, for later operational modifications, of stimulation-produced diaphragmatic motions, and in a modified form, may additionally include timing-adjustment substructure capable of making adjustments in the mentioned timed relationships.
US09694183B2
A neuromodulation system and method includes delivering first electrical modulation energy to a patient through a timing channel at a relatively high energy level (e.g., at a frequency in the range of 2 KHz-50 KHz) during a first time period in accordance with a stored modulation energy delivery schedule, delivering second electrical modulation energy to the patient through the same timing channel at a relatively low energy level (e.g., at a frequency in the range of 2 Hz to 1500 Hz) during a second time period in accordance with the stored modulation energy delivery schedule.
US09694178B2
A system and a method for optimizing the configuration of multisite transcranial current stimulation, including providing an electric field characteristic target map on the brain's cortex, the target map including multiple cortical targets, the multiple cortical targets are localized and/or continuously varying and spatially extended, providing a weight map on the cortical surface prioritizing the important of areas in the target map for the purposes of optimization; and calculating, based on the target and weight maps, optimal currents and optimal locations for a plurality of electrodes intended for providing transcranial current stimulation to globally stimulate at once the multiple cortical targets with excitatory, inhibitory or neutral stimulation.
US09694176B2
Embodiments include an implantable electronic device with at least one electromagnetic field detection unit and at least one antenna, wherein the at least one electromagnetic field detection unit is connected to the at least one antenna. The at least one electromagnetic field detection unit responds to electromagnetic fields that occur or are present in an environment surrounding a patient outside an environment of an MRI device and electromagnetic fields that are shielded in the environment of the MRI device. The at least one electromagnetic field detection unit indicates an absence of the electromagnetic fields that typically occur in the environment surrounding a patient outside an MRI device and that are shielded in the environment of an MRI device.
US09694175B2
A medical electrical lead system that includes a catheter extending from a proximal catheter end to a distal catheter end; a lead, insertable within the catheter, including a lead body extending from a proximal lead end to a distal lead end and an active fixation member positioned at the distal lead end; and an advancement tool for advancing the distal lead end outward from the distal catheter end. The advancement tool is adapted to be positioned around the lead body and further adapted to be removably fixedly engaged with the proximal catheter end.
US09694171B2
A needleless connector has a body having an internal cavity with a sealing ridge, a port, an output flow channel, and a fluid flow path between the port and output flow channel. The connector also has a collapsible valve disposed within the cavity. The valve includes a cylindrical wall having a center axis, an internal surface, and a shoulder configured to sealingly contact the ridge of the body, thereby blocking the fluid flow path. The valve also includes a head fixedly attached to the wall. The head has a smiley cut at a first angular position about the center axis and a continuous top surface that is generally perpendicular to the axis. The valve also includes a first dimple formed in the internal surface of the cylindrical wall. The dimple extends around the internal surface over an angle in the range of 90-270°.
US09694166B2
A method of draining cerebrospinal fluid from a human brain. The method includes providing a drainage catheter having a proximal end and a distal end. The drainage catheter has a plurality of openings formed therein. The plurality of openings includes a first opening, a second opening, and a most proximal opening. The second opening is disposed closer to the distal end than the first opening. A cross-sectional area of the first opening is less than a cross-sectional area of the second opening. The distal end of the drainage catheter is inserted into a human brain. Cerebrospinal fluid is drained from the human brain. The cerebrospinal fluid passes into the drainage catheter through the plurality of openings and out of the drainage catheter through the proximal end. A rate at which the cerebrospinal fluid passes through the drainage catheter is controlled to maintain intracranial pressure within a selected range.
US09694165B2
A surgical method of implanting an implantable drainage apparatus. The method comprising the steps of cutting the skin of a patient, inserting the implantable drainage apparatus into the body of the patient, the implantable drainage apparatus comprising a drainage device, an energy source adapted to supply energy to the drainage device, a connecting tube connected to the drainage device, a bellows adapted to generate a suction and a motor connected to the bellows, being adapted to compress the bellows to move fluid out of the bellows and at the same time pre-tension the bellows, placing the drainage device at a placement area in the patient's body, placing the connecting tube at a treatment area in the patient's body.
US09694163B2
Methods and devices quickly and accurately locate the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) while performing a sphenopalatine ganglion block procedure that introduces a medication to the SPG. The methods and devices also prevent the medication applied to the SPG from flowing down a patient's throat during the procedure.
US09694158B2
A torque for controlling the advancement and rotation of a right heart catheter during a right heart catheterization procedure. The torque has a casing with a cavity for receiving a core, and a lumen for receiving the right heart catheter. A gripper is disposed within the core to tightly grip the right heart catheter. The core has a plurality of threads that engage teeth of a handle. The handle is attached to the casing at an axis and rotates about the axis during use. The core has an elongated spiraled recess which is engaged by a guide pin attached to the casing and extending within the cavity. When the handle is rotated, the teeth of the handle engage the threads to rotate the core, and the guide pin engages the elongated spiraled recess to move the core laterally, thereby advancing and rotating the right heart catheter.
US09694149B2
The present invention relates to methods of making medicinal aerosol canisters (10), in particular metered dose canisters (10), comprising aerosol formulation comprising medicament particles suspended in liquid propellant, for example for delivery by pulmonary or nasal inhalation as well as medicinal dispensers (100) including such canisters (10), such as metered dose medicinal dispenser in particular pressurized metered dose inhalers, wherein the liquid propellant in some embodiments contains HFA 134a and/or HFA 227, and the propellant component is subjected to one or more ultrasonic probes.
US09694147B2
A fluid medicament delivery device includes a patient attachment unit, containing the fluid medicament, and an indicator unit adapted to be detachably coupled to the patient attachment unit. A method for monitoring the fluid medicament includes independently setting a flow rate of a fluid medicament with the patient attachment unit. A pressure and/or a flow rate of the fluid medicament is sensed with a sensor located in a separate indicator unit in a sensing mode. A status of the fluid medicament delivery device is determined based at least in part on the pressure and/or the flow rate.
US09694145B1
An auto-injector device including a syringe, a needle arranged in the vicinity of a first end of the syringe, and a plunger arranged within the syringe. A volume within the syringe between the plunger the needle accommodates medicine, such that movement of the plunger toward the needle dispenses medicine through the needle. A selection assembly configurable by a user to adjust an amount of medicine dispensed by the auto-injector device and depth to which the medicine is delivered. Also, a method for treating a skin lesion or skin disorder utilizing the auto-injector and a kit for patient administered treatment.
US09694144B2
A medicament injection device includes a device body portion that includes a penetrating member channel. A penetrating member is provided with a sharpened distal tip and shaft portion that is slidably disposed within the penetrating channel to provide for a penetrating to travel in a linear axial movement. A pierceable membrane isolates a penetrating member in an associated penetrating member chamber. A medicament reservoir is in fluid communication with the penetrating member. The medicament reservoir is configured to house a medicament and is coupled to the penetrating member to allow for delivery of medicament to a tissue site.
US09694136B2
An injection device includes a housing having a receptacle for a vessel for holding injection fluid; an operator-manipulated element for setting an injection dose; a dosing member rotatable about a longitudinal center axis relative to the housing when setting the injection dose; a feed part; and, a latching unit acting between the feed part and housing. The dosing member has a zero position whereat no dose is set and an injection position whereat an intended dose of injection fluid is set. A spring acts between the dosing member and the housing to return the dosing member from an intermediate position to the injection position or a zero position.
US09694130B2
A medical article, such as a connector fitting, is stabilized on a patient with a retainer having a base and moveable walls. Actuation surfaces configured to move the walls in at least a lateral direction towards each other are suspended above the base by a pair of supports. When pressed together, inner surfaces of the walls form a channel configured to encircle the medical article. The medical article may be pressed down against the actuation surfaces by a medical provider to cause the walls to encircle the medical article. Thereafter, the medical provider may snap the walls together using a latching mechanism to stabilize the medical article on the patient.
US09694126B2
A method is provided for adjusting a continuous dialysate volume flow in a dialysis machine with at least two discontinuous pumps and a controller for generating a desired volume flow of the dialysate. The energy for driving the pumps is set to be constant with a value determined corresponding to the pump-time volume of the respective pump stroke and the delivered volume. A dialysis machine for carrying out the aforementioned method is also provided.
US09694123B2
The present invention generally relates to ventricular assist device power monitoring and conservation. In some embodiments, a pump controller may transition the pump to operate in a power-saving operational mode when a power source and/or a power source condition indicate a need to conserve power. In some embodiments, when the power source is an emergency battery and when the emergency battery has powered the pump for an extended period of time, the controller may signal the pump to operate in the power saving-operational mode. In some embodiments, when a low power hazard condition is triggered by signals from one or more external power sources, the controller may signal the pump to transition to the power-saving operational mode if the condition lasts for an extended period of time. In some embodiments, the controller may trigger the power-saving mode when the emergency backup battery is below a voltage threshold.
US09694116B2
Various embodiments of stents with radiopaque markers arranged in patterns are described herein.
US09694104B2
Methods of treating biological tissue with bioremodelable tissue prostheses having a vasculature that is infused with a biomaterial composition.
US09694097B2
Described are modulating coatings that are configured to provide an improved release profile of a volatile composition from a base material, wherein the modulating coating includes a barrier substance that is configured to hinder a release of the volatile composition through the modulating coating, and a hygroscopic substance that is configured to facilitate the release of the volatile composition through the modulating coating.
US09694095B2
Systems and methods for plasma sterilization are described. The sterilization method includes placing a substance to be sterilized in a rotating chamber (e.g., drum) and exposing the substance to a radio frequency (RF) plasma. The mixing of the substance and plasma is further promoted by generating a magnetic field that produces a force on the substance in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the chamber. In other aspects, the chamber may have a gas permeable wall. In addition, the substance may be exposed to acoustic shock waves produced by a modulating RF generator.
US09694093B2
An improved mobile apparatus for sterilizing surgical trays serves as a self-contained autoclave, allowing sterilization of the interior of the apparatus and its contents. A method of sterilization using the apparatus is presented as well. By means of a dedicated transfer and storage system, the apparatus, integrable with respect to a transfer cart and a lift device, may be moved easily between a location of sterilization, a storage area, and an operating room, and more than one such apparatus may be stacked vertically for storage to enhance storage efficiency.
US09694091B2
The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is increasingly recognized as a viable target for imaging and therapy of cancer. Various 99mTc/Re-labeled compounds were prepared by attaching known Tc/Re chelating agents to an amino-functionalized PSMA inhibitor with or without a variable length linker moiety. Ex vivo biodistribution and in vivo imaging demonstrated the degree of specific binding to engineered PSMA+PC3 PIP tumors.
US09694090B2
The present invention generally relates to a process for the preparation of aqueous solutions of hyperpolarized molecules ready for use in in-vivo MR diagnostic imaging, the use thereof as MRI contrast agent in investigation methods for producing diagnostic MR images of a human or non-human animal body organ, region or tissue.
US09694085B2
Disclosure of methods and compositions related to chemical conjugations to nanoparticles of polysaccharides cross-linked to poloxamers as well as nano-sized colloids comprised of polysaccharides and poloxamers. The nanoparticles may be produced by various methods including inverse miniemulsion polymerization processes which create nanogels of desired size, shape, and stability for controlled therapeutic drug delivery, imaging, and theragnostic applications.
US09694075B2
Methods and systems for treatment of hypoxic tumors are provided, including the steps of positioning a delivery device in a bodily cavity adjacent to tumor tissue, delivering an oxygenating agent to the tumor tissue via the delivery device and radiating the tumor tissue with radiation. Methods and systems of treatment of tumors are also provided, including the steps of positioning a delivery device in a bodily cavity adjacent to tumor tissue, delivering a photosensitizing agent to the tumor tissue via the delivery device, and radiating the tumor tissue with light.
US09694069B2
The present invention relates to novel 6-acetylmorphine analogs, and methods for their synthesis and use. Such analogs are designed to provide a convenient linkage chemistry for coupling under mild conditions to a suitable group on a target protein, polypeptide, solid phase or detectable label.
US09694064B2
The present invention relates to immunogenic compositions comprising a Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) polypeptide and an aluminum-free adjuvant.
US09694063B2
The present invention relates to recombinant fragments of C. difficile TcdA and TcdB that may be used in the development of vaccines against C. difficile associated disease. More particularly it relates to combinations comprising a ToxB-GT antigen and a TcdA antigen or a ToxA-GT antigen and a TcdB antigen.
US09694062B2
The invention provides novel malaria polypeptides expressed at the pre-erythrocytic stage of the malaria life-cycle. The antigens can be utilized to induce an immune response against malaria in a mammal by administering the antigens in vaccine formulations or expressing the antigens in DNA or other nucleic acid expression systems delivered as a vaccine formulation.
US09694057B2
Compositions of proteins having free thiols, and methods of making and using such compositions, are described.
US09694051B2
Long-acting agonistic analogs for CLR/RAMP receptors are provided that have an extended half-live in vivo.
US09694050B2
The present invention relates to methods of treating a condition involving excessive adipogenesis. This method relates to selecting a subject having a condition involving excessive adipogenesis and administering to the selected subject a composition comprising a Thy1 protein or polypeptide fragment thereof, or an agent that enhances Thy1 expression, under conditions effective to treat the condition. The present invention also relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding a Thy1 protein or the fragment thereof and pharmaceutical formulations including such a protein or fragment thereof or an agent that enhances Thy1 expression and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The present invention also relates to methods of inhibiting adipogenesis and/or decreasing adipocyte size, as well as methods of screening a candidate compound for its ability to influence adipogenesis.
US09694045B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing and treating an inflammatory disease, including a mixture of extracts from Trachelospermi Caulis and Paeonia Suffruticosa Andrews as an active ingredient and method for preparing the same. Also, a quasi-drug composition, a health functional food composition and a cosmetic composition, all based on the mixture, are provided for preventing or improving inflammation. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for treating an inflammatory disease by administering the pharmaceutical composition to a subject suspected of having the inflammatory disease. Containing the extract mixture, the composition exhibits excellent anti-inflammatory activity and edema-suppressing activity, compared to individual extracts, and thus can be applied to the prevention, treatment or improvement of an inflammatory disease. As natural materials, the extracts can be used as a safe therapeutic relatively free of fungal infection or other side-effects, compared to synthetic medicines. In addition, the known physiological activities of the extracts from Trachelospermi Caulis and Paeonia Suffruticosa Andrews including antibacterial activity, bone reinforcement, antiphlogistic activity, blood nourishment, vigoration, etc. may bring about a synergistic effect on the prevention, treatment and improvement of an inflammatory disease.
US09694040B2
The present invention relates to the extraction and hydrogenation of essential oil of a cannabis plant. The invention includes hydrogenated cannabis compounds and compositions, as well as methods of preparation and therapeutic uses for regressing tumors in a cancer patient. The extract can include 9-tetrahydrocannabinoic acid and 9-cannabidiolic acid, and the hydrogenated cannabis oil can include hydrogenated 9-tetrahydrocannabinoic acid, hydrogenated 9-cannabidioc acid and, mixtures and blends thereof.
US09694034B2
The present invention relates to an artificial cartilage containing mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like dedifferentiated cells obtained by passage culturing costal chondrocytes, and a preparation process thereof.
US09694031B2
The present invention relates to a calcium carbonate composition for ameliorating, preventing and treating osteoporosis, and a manufacturing method therefor. More specifically, the present invention relates to a calcium carbonate composition for alleviating, preventing and treating osteoporosis, the composition comprising calcium, magnesium and zinc, and having calcium carbonate microparticles formed by the supply of carbon dioxide gas. The present invention provides a composition for maximizing the absorption of calcium, the composition being developed as a health food, food material or the like, and displaying the effects of relieving and alleviating illnesses and symptoms caused by a lack of calcium.
US09694030B2
The embodiments herein relate to a therapeutically active composition for the treatment, inhibition or attenuation of a virus. The composition comprises an effective amount of a sulfur containing compound along with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or excipients. The sulfur containing compound impairs a disulfide bond of a plurality of virus. The plurality of virus includes Ebola virus, herpes virus, dengue virus, smallpox virus, measles virus, mumps rubella virus, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), Lassa fever virus and yellow fever virus, and even cancer, solid tumors, especially the fibrosarcoma tumor. The sulfur containing compound is sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) (“STS”). The composition is given orally, intravenously, inhalation, intravesical, vaginal, rectal, sublingual, ophthalmic, or topical.
US09694017B2
This invention relates to novel substituted triazolobenzodiazepines of the Formula (I), wherein each of the variables are defined herein and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. This invention also provides compositions comprising a compound of this invention and the use of such compositions in methods of treating diseases and conditions that are beneficially treated by administering I-BET762.
US09694013B2
Provided are compounds useful for treating cancer and methods of treating cancer, for example an advanced solid tumor, such as a glioma, or angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL).
US09694008B2
The present invention relates to an orally fast dissolving film formulation including aripiprazole. The orally fast dissolving film formulation includes aripiprazole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an organic acid. The orally fast dissolving film formulation has a pH in the range of 4.7 to 6.0. The orally fast dissolving film formulation may further include a film base polymer. The orally fast dissolving film formulation has a high dissolution rate, causes no risk of damage to oral tissues, masks a bitter taste of aripiprazole, and gives a good feeling upon taking.
US09693996B1
Degranulation suppressors are provided that are effective against allergic disease and osteoarthritis. The degranulation suppressors contain chlorophyll c.
US09693993B1
The subject invention describes a method of use of Rotigotine™ to alleviate and control menopausal symptoms in women, and in particular, hot flashes. The invention describes the use of Rotigotine as a dopamine agonist with affinity for the dopamine D2, D3, or D4 receptors. The use of Rotigotine provides a useful new method for treatment of menopausal symptoms that are most disruptive to the functioning in activities of daily living.
US09693978B2
Liquid and semi-solid pharmaceutical compositions, which can be administered in liquid form or can be used for preparing capsules, are described herein. The composition comprises the salt of one ore more active agents, polyethylene glycol, 0.2-1.0 mole equivalents of a de-ionizing agent per mole of active agent, and water. The pH of the composition is adjusted within the range of 2.5-7.5. The de-ionizing agent causes partial de-ionization (neutralization) of the salt of the active agent resulting in enhanced bioavailability of salts of weakly acidic, basic or amphoteric active agents as well as lesser amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) esters.
US09693976B2
Solid-forming local anesthetic formulations for pain control can include a lidocaine base and tetracaine base, polyvinyl alcohol, water, and an emulsifier. The formulation can be prepared to be in a semi-solid state prior to application to a skin surface, can form a soft solidified layer after application, and can provide pain relief when applied to a skin surface proximate a pain site.
US09693973B2
Disclosed is a method for the treatment or prophylaxis of an inflammatory skin condition with cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparation which comprises licochalcone A and phenoxyethanol.
US09693968B2
The present invention is directed to a cargo-loaded cholesteryl ester nanoparticle with a hollow compartment (“cholestosome”) consisting essentially of at least one non-ionic cholesteryl ester and one or more encapsulated active molecules which cannot appreciably pass through an enterocyte membrane in the absence of said molecule being loaded into said cholestosome, the cholestosome having a neutral surface and having the ability to pass into enterocytes in the manner of orally absorbed nutrient lipids using cell pathways to reach the golgi apparatus. Pursuant to the present invention, the novel cargo loaded cholestosomes according to the present invention are capable of depositing active molecules within cells of a patient or subject and effecting therapy or diagnosis of the patient or subject.
US09693965B2
Provided are functional drug-containing particles which can be compressed into tablets and in particular, to orally disintegrating tablets by employing any of a dry molding method, a wet molding method, or a humidifying drying method. The functional drug-containing particles comprise substantially spherical drug-containing particles essentially including drug and a binder, the functional drug-containing particles including a functional polymer film selected from the group consisting of an enteric film, a release control film, and a bitter taste masking film, an average particle diameter of said functional drug-containing particles being 400 μm or less, a particle diameter ratio D90/D10 of the functional drug-containing particles with respect to particle size distribution calculated on a volumetric basis being 1.65 or more, or a coefficient of variation in particle diameters being 24% or more.
US09693964B2
This present invention discloses hydroxypropyl starch vacant capsules and a process for producing them, wherein said hydroxypropyl starch vacant capsules are made of hydroxypropyl starch and water and optional light-screening agent, colorant, aromatics, and flavoring agent through the processes of raw material mixup, gelatinization, stabilization, and capsule-forming. The hydroxypropyl starch capsules disclosed in this invention have such advantages as extensive source of raw material, high safety level, disintegrating property and friability over the products prepared through existing technologies.
US09693959B2
A method of controlling or adjusting release of an active ingredient from a dosage form comprising the active ingredient and a polysaccharide derivative has been found. The method comprises the steps of a) providing a composition comprising a polysaccharide derivative and a controlled amount of a liquid diluent, based on the dry weight of the polysaccharide derivative, b) subjecting the composition to a dry-grinding operation to provide a dry-ground polysaccharide derivative, and c) incorporating the dry-ground polysaccharide derivative and an active ingredient into a dosage form.
US09693957B2
Metal-bisphosphonate nanoparticles are disclosed. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions including the metal-bisphosphonate nanoparticles, methods of preparing the metal-bisphosphonate nanoparticles and materials comprising the nanoparticles, and methods of using the compositions to treat cancer or bone-related disorders (e.g., bone-resorption-related diseases, osteoporosis, Paget's disease, and bone metastases) and as imaging agents.
US09693951B2
An elongate body for parenteral injection at low velocity from a device is described. The body has at least one pointed end and comprises at least one active material. In addition, the body has a compressive strength of greater than or equal to 5 Newton and the pointed end has an included angle of between about 10-50°. A solid vaccine formulation for needle-free parenteral delivery, methods for making the body, packaging of the body and use of the body, packaging and suitable delivery device are also described.
US09693947B1
The present invention provides cosmetic formulations for improving the appearance of the skin, including the facial area. The compositions of the invention provide multiple enhanced technologies that work synergistically to enhance hydration and appearance of the skin. Anti-aging peptides and tissue respiratory factor work together in an HA rich environment to enhance collagen and elastin while beneficial antioxidants protect HA in the skin from damaging exposure.
US09693944B2
The invention relates generally to liquids such as mouth rinses for the prevention and elimination of bad breath as well as for the reduction of oral microorganisms responsible for the development of dental plaque and tooth decay. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of preparing non-alcohol or reduced alcohol mouth rinses effective at preventing the above-mentioned problems.
US09693941B2
The invention relates to a liquid personal cleaning composition. The present inventors have found that inclusion selected di or tricarboxylic acid or a salt thereof, when combined with thymol or terpineol provide synergistic antimicrobial action in a rapid fashion and such efficacy is very low concentrations of thymol and/or terpineol.
US09693932B2
A method of making a pharmaceutical compounding system having automated micro-dosing capability, the method comprising identifying a technology that can facilitate controlled and automated dispensation of material, such that the dispensation does not necessitate augmentation of material by mass or volume to aid with measurement or manipulation in order to achieve a level of dispensing precision that can be medically acceptable for at least some drug substances; and adapting the technology for prescription-specific operability for producing customized drug products, the adapting comprising configuring the technology for production of pills in prescribed numbers with prescribed drugs at prescribed doses via distinct runs for respective patients.
US09693929B2
A portable rolling massager is provided that includes a spindle, a roller rotatably mounted on the spindle, and a covering for the roller that features a comfortable surface when applied to the skin and pressure is applied to muscles underlying the skin. Heating and cooling of the cover provides other therapeutic benefits. Storage in the spindle accommodates weights, flashlights, key storage, music devices, and the like. Hand grips having distal ends are designed to provide the ability to massage trigger points that develop in the muscles.
US09693917B2
A device for assisting a caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient, the device comprising a user interface configured to deliver prompts to a caregiver to assist the caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient; at least one sensor configured to detect the caregiver's progress in delivering the therapy, wherein the sensor is other than an electrode in an electrical contact with the body; a memory in which a plurality of different prompts are stored; a processor configured to determine which of the different prompts should be selected for delivery based on the progress detected by the sensor.
US09693915B2
A person support apparatus comprises a lower frame, a support, and an upper frame. The support is coupled to the lower frame. The upper frame has a head section and a foot section and defines a longitudinal axis passing through the head section and the foot section and a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The upper frame includes a tilt mechanism pivotably coupling the upper frame to the support. The tilt mechanism includes a base and a rocker nested within the base. The base and the rocker are pivotable with respect to one another about a pivot axis that passes through the base and the rocker and is substantially parallel the longitudinal axis. The upper frame is pivotable about the pivot axis with respect to the lower frame.
US09693913B2
The absorbent article provides a signal viewable from the top surface of the absorbent article. This signal includes a colored portion having a first shade and a second shade.
US09693909B2
A method and device for turning a continuous supply of absorbent cores oriented in cross machine direction into a machine direction orientation and dividing the supply of absorbent cores into two or more sub-lines is provided. The device includes a plurality of turning plates which each include means for picking up, holding and releasing the absorbent cores, means for reversibly transferring the turning plates from a core pick-up point to a core release point, each turning plate being mounted rotationally on an axis, so that the absorbent cores can be re-oriented from a cross-machine direction at the pick-up point into machine direction at the release point while being held on the turning plates. Each turning plate includes means for picking up, holding and releasing two or more absorbent cores.
US09693904B2
A system for ophthalmic surgery on an eye includes: a pulsed laser which produces a treatment beam; an OCT imaging assembly capable of creating a continuous depth profile of the eye; an optical scanning system configured to position a focal zone of the treatment beam to a targeted location in three dimensions in one or more floaters in the posterior pole. The system also includes one or more controllers programmed to automatically scan tissues of the patient's eye with the imaging assembly; identify one or more boundaries of the one or more floaters based at least in part on the image data; iii. identify one or more treatment regions based upon the boundaries; and operate the optical scanning system with the pulsed laser to produce a treatment beam directed in a pattern based on the one or more treatment regions.
US09693896B2
Ocular surgery may be performed by a variety of systems, processes, and techniques. In certain implementations, systems and processes for ocular surgery may include the ability to emulsify a lens in an eye using a modular hand-held system including a phacoemulsification unit detachably coupled to a pump unit and remove lens portions from the eye using suction provided by the pump unit. The system and the process may also include the ability to decouple the phacoemulsification unit from the pump unit, couple an irrigation-aspiration unit to the pump unit to form a second hand-held system, and remove material from the eye using suction provided by the pump unit.
US09693891B2
Structures and protocols are presented for supporting a medical or veterinary patient with therapeutically significant normothermia and other practical advantages.
US09693884B1
A quick release prosthetic connector for detachably joining a threaded prosthetic socket to a prosthetic includes a socket-connect portion configured for connection to the prosthetic socket. A plurality of locking members is carried by the socket-connect portion. The plurality of locking members are positional between a release position and a locking position and normally biased in the locking position. A prosthetic-connect portion is configured for connection to the prosthetic. A plurality of locking member engaging apertures is provided in the prosthetic-connect portion. The plurality of locking member engaging apertures are configured to selectively receive the plurality of locking members, respectively, of the socket-connect portion in the locking position of the plurality of locking members. A lock portion is carried by the socket-connect portion. The lock portion is configured to selectively lock and release the prosthetic-connect portion with respect to the socket-connect portion. A plurality of lock portion depressions is provided in the lock portion. The plurality of lock portion depressions is configured to selectively receive the plurality of locking members, respectively, of the socket-connect portion in the locking position of the plurality of locking members. The plurality of locking members are deployed in the locking position and extend through the plurality of locking member engaging apertures, respectively, in the prosthetic-connect portion and seat in the respective lock portion depressions in the lock portion responsive to rotation of the lock portion in a first direction. The plurality of locking members are deployed in the unlocking position and disengage the plurality of locking member engaging apertures, respectively, in the prosthetic-connect portion and the respective lock portion depressions in the lock portion responsive to rotation of the lock portion in a second direction.
US09693883B2
Controlling power in a prosthesis or orthosis based on predicted walking speed or surrogate for same
In some embodiments of a prosthetic or orthotic ankle/foot, a prediction is made of what the walking speed will be during an upcoming step by using one sensor from which the walking speed can be predicted, and a second sensor from which ankle torque can be determined. A controller receives inputs from those sensors, and controls a motor's torque so that the torque for slow walking speeds is lower than the torque for fast walking speeds. This reduces the work performed by the actuator over a gait cycle and the peak actuator power delivered during the gait cycle. In some embodiments, a series elastic element is connected in series with a motor that can drive the ankle, and at least one sensor is provided with an output from which a deflection of the series elastic element can be determined.
US09693877B2
A horizontal and vertical expandable tissue spacer implants, insertion tools, assembly methods and surgical methods are disclosed. The horizontal expandable tissue spacer implant includes a first lateral member with a first side, a second lateral member with a first side, and an intermediate spacer member. The intermediate spacer member is adapted to cooperatively engage and hold the first side of the first lateral member and the first side of the second lateral member. A vertical expandable tissue spacer implant includes a top member with a bottom surface, a bottom member with a top surface, and an intermediate spacer member with a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism cooperatively engages the bottom surface of the top member to the intermediate spacer member and the top surface of the bottom member to the intermediate spacer member.
US09693875B2
An intervertebral spinal spacer that can include a substantially annular body that can include an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The inner surface of the substantially annular body can define an internal cavity. The annular body can include a plurality of outer apertures and a plurality of inner apertures connected by a plurality of fluid passages that can draw fluid into the internal cavity.
US09693874B2
A composite interbody device for use with spinal fusion surgery is described herein. The composite interbody device comprises a central body made from a radiolucent biocompatible polymer (e.g., PEEK or UHMWPE) and metallic plates, which are placed at the superior and inferior surfaces of the central body. The metallic plates are comprised of an end plate that is adjacent to a vertebral body and an intermediate plate that is adjacent to the central body. The end plates may have one or more arrays of apertures to facilitate bone growth into the end plates to secure the interbody device within the intervertebral space. The intermediate plates may also have one or more arrays of apertures to allow the central body to bond to the end plates through compression molding, injection molding, and/or heat molding. The arrays of apertures in the end plates are not aligned with the arrays of apertures in the intermediate plates so that polymer material of the central body will not penetrate into the end plate, where bone growth is encouraged, and vice versa.
US09693857B2
Provided is technology which can prevent plunger deformation and further stabilize an intraocular lens insertion operation, even when an insertion tube section of an intraocular lens insertion apparatus has been further reduced in terms of the diameter thereof and has been made flatter. The intraocular lens insertion apparatus includes: a tip end region where a plunger comes into contact with an intraocular lens main body and an intraocular lens holding section; and a bar-shaped section extending from the rear end of this tip end region to the rear of the plunger. The bar-shaped section has a fixed thickness in the direction of the optical axis of the intraocular lens, and has an increasing thickness in a portion where the distance from the tip end of the tip end region is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction and perpendicular to the plunger advancement direction.
US09693855B2
A stent graft 30 has a bare end stent 31 which partially overlaps the next stent 32 with the end 36 of the graft material 34 being shaped to follow the distal peaks 35 of the end stent and the proximal peaks 47 of the next stent. The proximal peaks 37 of the end stent have a greater radius of curvature than the distal peaks 35 of the end stent.
US09693847B2
A teeth whitening appliance (10) such as a tray includes a seal member (18) which is attached to an interior surface (19) of the tray. The seal member comprises a fabric strip or a gecko adhesive strip which extends around the periphery of the interior surface of the tray adjacent the peripheral or boundary edge thereof. The seal member adheres to the teeth, so as to prevent gel from escaping from the tray when the tray is in place, as well as preventing water/saliva in the mouth from entering the tray, while also being convenient to remove.
US09693834B2
The invention could be a system and a method for attaching a dental implant surgical guide to one or more dental implants, the system comprising an abutment capable of connecting to at least one of the one or more dental implants and to an implant mount; the implant mount having an implant mount body with a first mount end that connects accepts a portion of the abutment and a second mount end that has a rim that cannot pass through the dental implant surgical guide; and a cap that is comprised of a hollow cylinder with an enclosed cap end and an open cap end, the cap being capable of engaging a dental implant surgical guide so to sandwich the rim between the cap and the dental implant surgical guide.
US09693827B2
A method for sealing surgical instruments, particularly reusable electric surgical instruments sterilized using an autoclave process, is disclosed. The method having the steps of providing at least two body shells having a runner system on the mating surfaces, aligning the body shells, securing the body shells in position relative to each other, inserting an injection device into the runner system, injecting an elastomer material from the injection device into the runner system, removing the injection device from the runner system, and curing the elastomer material. The elastomer material seals the housing chamber of the instrument. The elastomer material may bond the body shells together.
US09693824B2
An electrosurgical system includes a power source, a microwave applicator, a switching mechanism, and a controller. The power source is configured to generate microwave energy. The microwave applicator is configured to deliver microwave energy from the power source to tissue. The switching mechanism includes a housing having input and output ports. The input port is connectable to the power source and the output port is connectable to the microwave applicator. The housing is configured to house one or more switches therein. The controller is in operative communication with the switching mechanism to toggle the switch from a first state, wherein microwave energy generated by the power source is directed to the microwave applicator to a second state, wherein microwave energy is directed to a resistive load operably coupled to the switching mechanism.
US09693817B2
Methods and devices for improved precision in finding one or more nerves and then interrupting the transmission of neural signals through the target nerve. The treated nerve can be rendered incapable of transmitting neural signals for a select duration of time, where such a duration can be on a temporarily basis (e.g., hours, days or weeks) or a longer term/permanent basis (e.g., months or years). One embodiment of the apparatus includes a precise energy source system which features energy transfer elements that are capable of creating areas of nerve destruction, inhibition and ablation with precision.
US09693814B2
An instrument for limiting torque can include a method for limiting torque that is transferred from a handle of the instrument through a torque transfer member to a shaft that extends relative to the handle. The method can include applying a torque to the handle along a direction relative to the shaft. The method can include transmitting the applied torque from the handle through the torque transfer member to the shaft when the applied torque is less than a limited torque value. When the applied torque is greater than the limited torque value, at least one of the torque transfer member and the handle deforms so as to allow the handle to rotate along the direction relative to both the torque transfer member and the shaft.
US09693801B2
An implant and needle delivery system including a needle selectively releasable from a handle assembly is provided. The needle is selectively connectable with an elongate sling and the needle is selectively releasable from the handle assembly an implantation procedure to treat a pelvic disorder or condition, such as incontinence.
US09693792B2
An ultrasonic medical treatment device has a probe, a transducer for mechanically vibrating the probe at an ultrasonic frequency, a voltage source for energizing the transducer, and another electrical voltage source for feeding to the probe a high-frequency alternating waveform of limited current and limited voltage to be conducted into a patient through the operative tip of the probe after placement of the operative tip into contact with the patient. The alternating waveform has a current and a voltage so limited as to prevent damage to organic tissues while stimulating nerves to reduce or suppress pain.
US09693791B2
A tunneling device for creating a pathway in subcutaneous tissue of a person's body. The tunneling device includes a member having two ends, where each of the ends defines an insertion surface that facilitates the insertion of the ends into the subcutaneous tissue of the person's body. The tunneling device includes an interchangeable handle connectable to each of the ends. The handle defines a grasping surface and an opening. The opening is configured to receive either of the ends. The grasping surface enables a user to securely hold the handle with one hand to forcibly move the member through the subcutaneous tissue of the person's body to create the pathway in the subcutaneous tissue, and pull a cable of an implant device through the created pathway.
US09693788B2
A system for performing a resection of a selected portion of an anatomy with a resection instrument. The system includes a first member, a first movement defining portion defined by the first member, a second member, and a second movement defining portion of the second member. The first member is fixable to the selected portion of the anatomy. The second member is configured to cooperate with the first member. The first movement defining portion and the second movement defining portion are operable to allow the second member to be moveable relative to the first member from a first position to a second position. The resection instrument is positionable relative to the second member in the first position and in the second position to form a selected resection of the selected portion of the anatomy.
US09693787B2
An apparatus and method for performing an open wedge osteotomy. The apparatus includes devices for forming an open wedge osteotomy in bone, including a keyed-wedge implant. The method includes the steps of forming a cut in a bone, forming a keyhole in the bone surface at the proximal end of the cut, and positioning a keyed wedge-shaped implant into the cut formed into the bone.
US09693784B2
The invention features a glenoid (shoulder socket) implant prosthesis, a humeral implant prosthesis, devices for implanting glenoid and humeral implant prostheses, and less invasive methods of their use for the treatment of an injured or damaged shoulder.
US09693771B2
A staple is provided having a backspan and a first and second legs extending distally from the backspan. Each of the first and second legs includes a bend dividing each leg into a traversing leg portion and a substantially linear clenching leg portion. A staple plate is positionable over the first and second legs between the backspan and the first and second clenching leg portions. An anvil assembly has first and second movable members which move toward to one another to engage outer surfaces of the first and second clenching leg portions. There is further disclosed a method of forming the staple through tissue.
US09693749B2
A system includes determination of a first sub-matrix of a projection matrix which describes a geometrical relationship between points of a three-dimensional coordinate system of the imaging system and points of a two-dimensional coordinate system of an image detector, determination of a second sub-matrix of the projection matrix, where the first and second sub-matrixes comprise a decomposition of the projection matrix, conversion of a first point of the two-dimensional coordinate system to a first point of the three-dimensional coordinate system based on the first and second sub-matrixes, determination of an updated first sub-matrix of an updated projection matrix, where the updated projection matrix describes a second geometrical relationship between points of the three-dimensional coordinate system and points of the two-dimensional coordinate system, and conversion of a second point of the two-dimensional coordinate system to a second point of the three-dimensional coordinate system based on the updated first and second sub-matrixes.
US09693745B2
An X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray generation circuit generating X-rays, X-ray detection circuit including X-ray detection modules detecting the X-rays for respective energy widths, counting circuit counting a photon originating from the X-rays for the respective energy widths based on an output from the X-ray detection circuit, and reconstruction circuit reconstructing a medical image based on an output from the counting circuit. Each of the X-ray detection modules includes a collimator collimating the X-rays, diffraction cell arranged on a rear surface side of the collimator and diffracting the X-ray at an angle corresponding to an energy of the X-ray, and X-ray detector cells arranged in a predetermined distance away from a rear surface of the collimator, and detecting the diffracted X-ray.
US09693741B2
A mammographic apparatus that includes X-ray detectors configured to detect X-rays entering the X-ray detectors, and attached to a holding-arm placed on a floor. The mammographic apparatus further includes circuitry configured to move the X-ray detectors between a scanning position and a waiting position. The X-ray detectors in the scanning position face an X-ray tube that generates X-rays across a breast-table, and the X-ray detectors in the waiting position are closer to the holding-arm than are the X-ray detectors in the scanning position.
US09693734B2
Provided are embodiments of systems for monitoring the health of an employee while the employee is located in an employee workstation. A system for monitoring the health of an employee including for collecting, from a plurality of biometric sensors disposed throughout an employee workstation, biometric heath data indicative of biometric characteristics of the employee. The system configured to determine an employee biometric health profile including biometric health characteristics; biometric health conditions and/or biometric heath risks for the employee based at least in part on the collected biometric health data. The system configured to generate a health plan for the employee based at least in part on the biometric health profile, and to display the employee biometric heath profile and the health plan to the employee workstation and an employer computer.
US09693733B2
A catheter adapted for greater mapping resolution and location precision has a basket-shaped, high density electrode assembly for large-area mapping, and an integrated distal tip providing an array of ultra-high density microelectrodes for acute focal mapping. The basket-shaped electrode assembly 18 has a plurality of electrode-carrying spines and the distal tip has a nonmetallic, electrically insulating substrate body with indentations in which microelectrodes are positioned in a manner that the outer surface is generally flush with the outer surface of the substrate body to present a generally smooth, atraumatic distal tip profile.
US09693724B2
A system and method that enables a person to unobtrusively quantify the effect of mobility, physical activity, learning, social interaction and diet on cognitive function. The method records on the electronic device one of global positioning system longitude and latitude coordinates, accelerometer coordinates, and gyroscope coordinates, one of outgoing and incoming phone calls, outgoing and incoming emails, and outgoing and incoming text messages, one of URLs visited on an internet browser application, books read on an e-reader application, games played on game applications, and the nutritional content of food consumed, performs the step of learning a function mapping from those recordings to measurements of cognitive function using a loss function to identify a set of optimal weights that produce a minimum for the loss function, uses those optimal weights to create the function mapping, and performs the step of computing the variance of the cognitive function measurements that is explained by the function mapping to assign an attribution to the effect of physical activity on measured changes in cognitive function.
US09693723B2
A specimen transfer device adapted to receive a blood sample is disclosed. The specimen transfer device includes a housing and an actuation member. A deformable material is disposed within the housing and is deformable from an initial position in which the material is adapted to hold the sample to a deformed position in which at least a portion of the sample is released from the material. A viscoelastic member is disposed within the housing between the material and the housing and between the material and the actuation member. The viscoelastic member is engaged with the actuation member and the material such that movement of the actuation member from a first position to a second position deforms the material from the initial position to the deformed position.
US09693722B2
A thin film sensor, such as a glucose sensor, is provided for transcutaneous placement at a selected site within the body of a patient. The sensor includes several sensor layers that include conductive layers and includes a proximal segment defining conductive contacts adapted for electrical connection to a suitable monitor, and a distal segment with sensor electrodes for transcutaneous placement. The sensor electrode layers are disposed generally above each other, for example with the reference electrode above the working electrode and the working electrode above the counter electrode. The electrode layers are separated by dielectric layer.
US09693718B2
Embodiments disclosed herein may include an adapter which is capable of converting signals from an oximeter sensor such that the signals are readable by an oximeter monitor. In an embodiment, the adapter is capable of converting signals relating to calibration information from the oximeter sensor. The calibration information may relate to wavelengths of light emitting diodes within the oximeter sensor. In a specific embodiment, the adapter will convert wavelength calibration information in a first form relating to data values stored in a digital memory chip to a second form relating to a resistance value of an expected resistor within the oximeter sensor.
US09693699B2
Methods and systems for mapping cardiac fibrillation in a patient include deploying a catheter in the patient's heart, wherein the catheter includes an array of at least one stacked electrode pair having a first electrode and a second electrode. Each electrode pair is configured to be orthogonal to the surface of a cardiac tissue substrate. A plurality of measurements are obtained from the electrode array in response to electrical activity in the cardiac tissue substrate for a duration indicative of a number of electrical circuit cores and distribution of the electrical circuit cores across the cardiac tissue substrate in the patient's heart. These are processed to obtain the density and distribution of electrical circuit cores which are mapped onto a representation of the patient's heart.
US09693697B2
A method, a computer readable media and a hand-held device, the hand-held device may include a first sensor that is positioned such as to be contacted by a first hand of a user when the user holds the hand-held device; a second sensor that is positioned such as to be contacted by a second hand of the user when the user holds the hand-held device; wherein at least one sensor of the first sensor and the second sensor is a hybrid sensor that comprises an electrode, an illumination element and a light detector; and a health monitoring module arranged to process detections signals from the electrode and from the light detector such as to provide processed signals that are indicative of a state of the user.
US09693693B2
A non-contact, passive method for measurement of arterial pulse from areas such as the major superficial arteries of the body through analysis of thermal IR images acquired by passive thermal IR imaging sensors, and through the modeling of the pulsatile nature of the blood flow and arterial pulse propagation in the circulatory system. The method is automatic and does not need operator input. The output waveform readily contains the information on heart rate, cardiac interbeat intervals, heart-rate variability and other features inherent in arterial pulse. The potential applications of this method, device and system are in the fields of non-contact and passive measuring cardiovascular and autonomic regulatory functions, mental and emotional loads, assessment of health in general, prediction of ill physiological and mental conditions, smart rooms, human-computer interaction, polygraph testing, intent identification, and any other fields where non-contact, passive monitoring of heart-rate and its variability is needed.
US09693686B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods of and for an ophthalmic visualization system are disclosed. An example ophthalmic visualization system may include a first lens positioned relative to a surgical microscope in a manner facilitating viewing of a central region of a retina through the surgical microscope during a surgical procedure. The first lens may be positionable in an optical path between an eye and the surgical microscope during the surgical procedure. The example ophthalmic visualization system may also include a second lens selectively positionable relative to the surgical microscope and the first lens in a manner facilitating viewing of a peripheral region of the retina of the eye during the surgical procedure. The second lens may be selectively positionable in the optical path such that the peripheral region is selectively viewable without changing the position of the first lens during the surgical procedure.
US09693676B2
A device fashioned in the shape of a toroid is rotated by a mechanism that propels itself in one or more directions based on internal rotation. In one specific example, the toroidal device is a toroidal balloon, where the tread of the toroidal balloon driven vehicle (TBDV) is self-contained and the entire outer surface is dynamic. Such a device is uniquely and ideally suitable for exploration of a tubular structure such as, but not limited to, the alimentary tract.
US09693666B2
A portable surface cleaning apparatus has an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet; a main body comprising a suction motor provided in the air flow path, the suction motor having a suction motor axis, an inlet end and an outlet end; a cyclone bin assembly provided in the air flow path, the cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber, the cyclone chamber having a longitudinal cyclone axis, a cyclone air inlet and a cyclone air outlet provided at a lower end of the cyclone chamber and a dirt outlet provided at an upper end of the cyclone chamber; and, a handle.
US09693634B2
An expandable chair includes an extendable seat section which materially extends the width of the main seat section of the chair. When the width of the seat needs to be lengthened, lateral sections are provided which are rotated up from beneath the main center section of the seat and then locked adjacent to the center section. The lateral sections can be rotated down and locked beneath the center section when chair expansion is not desired. Extendable support arms, adjustable outward from the back section of the chair, are provided when the width of the seat's center section is lengthened. These support arms are located behind the back support section and are configured to be slid outward when needed. A unique rack and pinion gear system allows the support arms to be extended and locked in a plurality of lengths.
US09693632B2
In an aspect, the invention is directed to a chair that has a pedestal and an upper assembly including a body support assembly and a tilt control assembly. A biasing member is provided to bias the body support assembly towards an unreclined position. When the chair is empty the biasing member has a certain preload. When a person sits in the chair or when a downward force is applied to the upper assembly, there is relative movement between two chair components which causes an increase in the preload in the biasing member as compared to the preload when the chair is empty. As the downward force on the upper assembly increases, the preload in the biasing member increases.
US09693627B2
A quick-release mechanism for drawer slide parts includes a first rail, a second rail, a drawer frame member, and an engaging member. The second rail can be displaced with respect to the first rail and includes an engaging portion. The drawer frame member includes a carrier which is mounted on the second rail. The engaging member is mounted on the drawer frame member. The drawer frame member is releasably mounted on the second rail via the engaging member engaged with the engaging portion of the second rail.
US09693622B1
A wearable device mount is provided that includes a carrier comprising: a body curved for mounting on a body part, and having top and bottom surfaces, the body comprising a longitudinal axis, a curvature of the body being about perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a pair of opposing wings on the body, each about perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and each having a cleat interface side facing the bottom surface; a tab spaced: perpendicularly from the pair of opposing wings, relative to the longitudinal axis, and between the pair of opposing wings; and, a release bar configured to move the tab under pressure between a locking position and an unlocking position. The mount can further include a flexible pad at the bottom of the carrier, and a strap releasably attached to the carrier, which can be tightened using device that shortens the strap.
US09693618B2
Customizable cosmetic containers, customization components, kits, and methods In one embodiment a kit is disclosed comprising a cosmetic container comprising a body, the body defining a cavity configured to receive a cosmetic product, and the body configured to be coupled to a lid in a closed position such that the body and the lid cooperate to substantially enclose the cavity and two or more customization components each configured to be connected to at least one of the body and a lid such that at least a portion of the customization component contours to the shape of a surface of the at least one of the body and lid.
US09693615B2
A variable-color accessory is provided comprising: a plurality of accessory surfaces, a light-emitting plate, a light-scattering plate, and a control unit. The light-emitting plate is mounted inside one of the accessory surfaces, where the light-emitting plate is flexible, is bent consistently with one of the accessory surfaces, and has a plurality of light-emitting diodes for emitting different light colors. The light-scattering plate is disposed between the light-emitting plate and one of the accessory surfaces, where the light-scattering plate is flexible and transmits light. The control unit is electrically connected to the light-emitting plate, to control turn-on/off of the light-emitting diodes of the light-emitting plate. A variable-color device applied to the accessory is further provided.
US09693614B1
An organizational aid suitable for use with a personal electronic device having a plurality of discrete pockets, at least one flexible security tab to secure the organizational aid in position on an outwardly facing surface of the device, at least two spaced-apart, non-slip surface portions attached to a back surface of the organizational aid, and at least one magnet or magnetic strip disposed adjacent to the non-slip surface to releasably hold the organizational aid in a desired juxtaposition to an outwardly facing surface of the electronic device. If desired, at least one magnet can be attached to or embedded inside each of the non-slip surface portions, and the magnets and non-slip surfaces will cooperate with the security tab or tabs to hold the organizational aid in place during transport of the electronic device.
US09693612B2
An ergonomic garment carrier which accommodates garments such as suit shirts, jackets, pants and skirts as well as other items a traveler would typically transport or store.
US09693611B2
An electronic safety baton for providing a portable, multifunction security apparatus which includes both visual and audible interface is embodied as a baton housing that externally includes a lighting element, a speaker, a display screen, pulse sensors, two manual actuators, and a baton charging surface, internally includes a rechargeable battery, and utilizes a discrete floor charger mat. The electrically interconnected components on and in the baton housing enable a pulse reading system, a lighting system, and a panic system, each of which use electricity from the battery and are activated through manual engagement. The baton charging surface, when engaged with the floor charger mat, enables the recharging of the battery by allowing externally sourced electricity to be directed to the battery.
US09693602B2
Methods and high heel foot wear pads help provide arch support and may include a soft pliable foot engageable sheet for fitting into a high heel foot wear to engage the downwardly sloping arch engageable portion of its inner sole. A fastener on the underside of the sheet is adapted to secure the pad in place on the sloping arch engaging inner sole of the high heel foot wear. An arch support component may be mounted to the underside of the sheet spaced from the edges of the sheet to help support the foot of the wearer.
US09693599B2
Protective footwear, such as a motorcycle or motocross boot, can have a supple, leather boot feel. Disclosed footwear can have a hinged coupling between a foot-engagement structure and a lower-leg engagement structure to promote anatomically correct flexion in a wearer's ankle. The lower-leg engagement portion can define a ledge having a lowermost face configured to abut and matingly urge against an uppermost face of a ledge of the foot-engagement portion to limit an extent of pivoting of the hinged coupling. The hinged coupling, in some instances, can include a pair of opposed bushings, each defining an internal thread configured to matingly engage a corresponding outer thread on a stud. The stud can retain the lower-leg engagement portion and the foot-engagement portion in a pivotable relationship to each other. The opposed bushings can be keyed to matingly engage either a lateral portion of the foot-engagement portion or a medial portion of the foot-engagement portion.
US09693592B2
This document describes techniques and apparatuses for attaching electronic components to interactive textiles. In various implementations, an interactive textile that includes conductive thread woven into the interactive textile is received. The conductive thread includes a conductive wire (e.g., a copper wire) that that is twisted, braided, or wrapped with one or more flexible threads (e.g., polyester or cotton threads). A fabric stripping process is applied to the interactive textile to strip away fabric of the interactive textile and the flexible threads to expose the conductive wire in a window of the interactive textile. After exposing the conductive wires in the window of the interactive textile, an electronic component (e.g., a flexible circuit board) is attached to the exposed conductive wire of the conductive thread in the window of the interactive textile.
US09693584B2
A simulated cigarette device with a substantially cylindrical cigarette-like shape comprising a reservoir of a pressurized composition including an inhalable substance and a propellant. A refill valve is in communication with the reservoir via which the reservoir is refilled. A breath-activated valve selectively controls the flow through a reservoir outlet and hence through an inhaling outlet in the device. The size of the reservoir, the pressure within the reservoir and the size of the reservoir outlet at its narrowest point are arranged so that, when the breath-activated valve is fully opened, the reservoir will discharge in less than 30 seconds.
US09693581B2
A method is disclosed for producing, only with mechanical treatment, high-quality rice flour having a rounded particle shape, which is equivalent to fine flour obtained by using enzymes, has characteristics close to the characteristics of wheat flour, and is suitable for production of bread, cakes, noodles, and the like. In order to attain the object, a method for producing rice flour includes: providing primary crushing material rice subjected to soaking and adjustment of moisture content with a disintegrating and sizing device, fine grinding the primary crushed rice with an air mill, and then drying the fine ground rice with an air flow dryer.
US09693575B2
The present invention aims to provide a manufacturing method of instant rice which may be restored to edible rice simply by adding hot water. The method includes a first pressurized-steaming step for steaming raw material rice under pressure while the raw material rice is being agitated, and forming a gelatinized layer on a surface of the raw material rice, a hydration step for hydrating the raw material rice having the gelatinized layer formed on the surface, a tempering step for making moisture content of the hydrated raw material rice uniform, a second pressurized-steaming step for steaming the hydrated raw material rice under pressure while the raw material rice is being agitated, and gelatinizing the raw material rice to a center, a dehydration step for dehydrating the raw material rice that is gelatinized to the center, and an expansion step for expanding the dehydrated raw material rice.
US09693571B2
A machine for making and dispensing liquid, semi-liquid and/or semi-solid food products and which includes at least a cylinder for containing and processing basic products, means for heating and cooling the cylinder wrapped around at least part of the cylinder and a mixer unit positioned inside the cylinder which is able to mix the basic products during their processing; the machine also includes a supply duct for supplying the products into the cylinder, a dispensing duct for withdrawing the food products from the cylinder and means for recirculating the products contained in the containment and processing cylinder which are able to withdraw the products from the cylinder through the dispensing duct and to return them into the cylinder through the supply duct.
US09693569B2
A smoke generator for providing smoke to a food smoking cabinet includes an upright enclosure with a fuel storage area located above a combustion chamber. An operating rod assembly including an operating rod, partition, and fuel agitator extend downwardly into the pellet fuel storage area. The operating rod may be manipulated from outside the enclosure to operate the agitator and selectively reposition the partition and relocate the agitator within the fuel storage area of the enclosure.
US09693568B2
The present disclosure describes a scrubber system for removing material from, or smoothing the surface of, an object. According to an example embodiment, the scrubber system comprises one or more scrubbing disks, spacer disks, and retaining collars configured for interlocking with other cooperatively configured scrubbing disks and spacer disks. The scrubbing and spacer disks are arrangeable end-to-end along a shaft extending therethrough and between opposed retaining collars to form a scrubber custom-configured for a particular application. The scrubbing disks may include one or more types arranged, with or without any spacer disks, in any desired configuration. When the scrubbing disks and/or spacer disks are positioned adjacent one another end-to-end, lateral and end mating surfaces at the adjacent ends of the respective scrubbing and/or spacer disks abut one another, limiting relative rotation therebetween and substantially forming a single, contiguous outer surface that prevents removed material from becoming lodged therebetween.
US09693564B2
An antimicrobial composition includes benzalkonium chloride in an amount of 0.06% w/w to 0.19% w/w and cocamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloride phosphate in an amount of 0.6% w/w to 1.9% w/w. The composition also includes propylene glycol in an amount of 0.4% w/w to 1.2% w/w and triethylene glycol in an amount of 0.1% w/w to 0.3% w/w. A polysorbate is included in an amount of 0.02% w/w to 0.08% w/w and water in an amount of 96.0% w/w to 99.0% w/w.
US09693557B2
Compositions (feeding deterrent/repellent for Halyomorpha halys) containing at least two compounds selected from tridecane, E-2-decenal, isolongifolanone, isolongifolenone, and at least one isolongifolenone analog having the following formula: wherein R1 is hydrogen, an oxygen, a C1-10 alcohol, aldehyde, alkyl, ether, or esters of said alcohol with a C1-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched acid and R2 is hydrogen, an oxygen, a C1-10 alcohol, aldehyde, alkyl, ether, or esters of said alcohol with a C1-10 saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched acid; optionally there is a double bond between carbons 5 and 6 and R2 is hydrogen; and optionally a carrier or carrier material. Also methods for deterring feeding/repelling Halyomorpha halys involving treating an object or area with a Halyomorpha halys deterring feeding/repelling effective amount of at least one compound selected from the above compounds.
