US09915822B2
A thermoplastic film for a laminated-glass pane, having a non-linear continuous wedge insert in both a vertical and horizontal direction in some sections, is described. In the vertical direction, the laminated-glass pane is, from the perspective of an observer, further at a lower end than at an upper end. In a laminated-glass pane equipped with the thermoplastic film, the thermoplastic film is located between two glass layers. The thermoplastic film has at least a first section having a wedge angle profile that is continuous and non-linear in the vertical and horizontal direction, such that ghost images from a head-up display are minimized in the region of the first section. The thermoplastic film also minimizes double images in transmission in the first section and in further sections.
US09915814B2
A fluorescence observation unit includes a scanner that scans ultrashort pulsed laser light, a pupil projection lens that focuses the scanned ultrashort pulsed laser light, an image-forming lens that converts the focused ultrashort pulsed laser light to substantially collimated light and causes the ultrashort pulsed laser light to be incident on the objective lens, and a dichroic mirror that splits off, from the optic path of the ultrashort pulsed laser light, fluorescence generated in a sample due to irradiation with the ultrashort pulsed laser light and collected by the objective lens. The image-forming lens includes a first optical system having positive refractive power, and a second optical system having negative refractive power and disposed at a position closer to the scanner than the first optical system is. The dichroic mirror is disposed between the first optical system and the second optical system.
US09915812B2
A compact display module, such as can be used in wearable computing headset applications, includes a microdisplay with a display surface that is virtually imaged by a lens. The lens is positioned to receive light from the display surface of the microdisplay. The lens defines an angled fold, whereby light from a display generated at the display surface is reflected within the lens to thereby form a virtual image of the display in a virtual image plane that is angled non-perpendicularly relative to the display surface of the microdisplay.
US09915796B2
An interconnect system includes a first circuit board, first and second connectors connected to the first circuit board, and a transceiver including an optical engine and arranged to receive and transmit electrical and optical signals through a cable, to convert optical signals received from the cable into electrical signals, and to convert electrical signals received from the first connector into optical signals to be transmitted through the cable. The transceiver is arranged to mate with the first and second connectors so that at least some converted electrical signals are transmitted to the first connector and so that at least some electrical signals received from the cable are transmitted to the second connector.
US09915795B2
The light receptacle has: a light transmitting light receptacle main body (130); support parts (140) disposed on both ends of the light receptacle main body (130); first optical surfaces (132) to which light emitted by light-emitting elements (114) is made incident; second optical surfaces (136) that output light made incident at the plurality of first optical surfaces (132) toward the end surfaces of a plurality of light transmitting bodies (116); and four adhesive holding parts (142) that are through holes or recesses with the entire periphery thereof surrounded by the support parts and that are disposed at the four corners of the light receptacle (120) in a plane view. The light receptacle main body (130) and the support parts (140) have a plane-symmetrical shape, and the four adhesive holding parts (142) are disposed in plane-symmetrical positions.
US09915786B2
A transmissive photonic crystal fiber ring resonator employing single optical beam-splitter comprises: a first fiber-optic collimator, a second fiber-optic collimator, a first photonic crystal fiber collimator, a second photonic crystal fiber collimator, an optical beam-splitter, and a fixture. The first fiber-optic collimator, the second fiber-optic collimator, the first photonic crystal fiber collimator, the second photonic crystal fiber collimator, and the optical beam-splitter are fixed on the fixture; the fiber pigtails of the first fiber-optic collimator and the second fiber-optic collimator are the input/output ports; the fiber pigtails of the first photonic crystal fiber collimator and the second photonic crystal fiber collimator are connected. The number of components of the photonic crystal fiber ring resonator is reduced by half: only one optical beam-splitter and two photonic crystal fiber collimators besides two fiber-optic collimators; therefore, the resonator structure can be simplified and the size can be reduced.
US09915772B2
The illumination apparatus includes a light guide plate, a light source disposed opposing an incident light surface of the light guide plate, at least one optical sheet stacked on a light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and a frame for accommodating the light guide plate. On principal surfaces of the light guide plate, a protruding part and a recessed part are provided so as to form a pair at least along an end surface of the light guide plate extending in a direction that intersects an end surface serving as the incident light surface of the light guide plate, or along an end surface that opposes the incident light surface of the light guide plate.
US09915764B2
An object of the present application is to thin a thick lens used in an automobile headlamp optical system and a projector lighting optical system while maintaining the optical properties of the lens. A diffractive lens includes, on at least one surface, an optical surface with a plurality of areas defined by a plurality of steps. A blaze wavelength of the diffractive lens is within a wavelength spectral range of a light source used. An optical path difference between adjacent areas at the blaze wavelength is larger than a coherence length of the light source. The diffractive lens substantially acts as a Fresnel lens at a wavelength other than the blaze wavelength.
US09915762B2
A sheet comprising: (1) a core member comprising one or more layers and having a first major surface and (2) a slip control layer disposed on at least a portion of the first major surface, wherein the slip control layer comprises: (i) a footing layer disposed on at least a portion of the first major surface of the core member, (ii) a binder layer disposed on the footing layer, and (iii) an array of particles disposed in the binder layer and footing layer and protruding therefrom, wherein the average diameter of the particles is greater than the combined thickness of the foot layer and binder layer. A process for making such a sheet comprising: (1) providing a core member; (2) forming a footing layer on at least a portion of the first major surface of the core member, wherein the footing layer is viscoelastic and has a Tg that is lower than either the Tg or the Tm of the polymer at the first major surface of the core member; (3) applying a binder layer composition comprising a film forming polymer and particles to the surface of the footing layer; then (4) tentering the assembly under sufficient heat to soften the footing layer such that the particles sink into the footing layer, wherein the average diameter of the particles is greater than the combined thickness of the footing layer and binder layer.
US09915752B2
This invention is directed towards finding, locating, and confirming threat items and substances. The inspection system is designed to detect objects that are made from, but not limited to, special nuclear materials (“SNM”) and/or high atomic number materials. The system employs advanced image processing techniques to analyze images of an object under inspection (“OUI”), which includes, but is not limited to baggage, parcels, vehicles and cargo, and fluorescence detection.
US09915751B2
The present application discloses a detector module, which is arranged on a detector arm, comprising one or a plurality of detector units arranged in a scattered configuration, wherein each of the detector units in the detector module is installed aiming at a beam center of a ray source, thus improving imaging quality and reducing the size of a detector frame drastically.
US09915748B2
The invention provides a target object detection system, comprising a plurality of sensing nodes (10) for positioning at respective detection locations with respect to a detection area (12) that is situated within a field generated by an ambient AC source of excitation. Each sensing node has at least one electric potential sensor (22, 42) designed to detect perturbations in said field caused by a target object (14), said one sensor including an electrode (20, 40) responsive to the AC excitation field for generating detection signals, an amplifier (28) connected to the electrode for receiving and amplifying the detection signals to produce AC measurement signals as output, and at least one feedback circuit (30, 36) from an output of the amplifier to an input thereof for enhancing the input impedance of the amplifier. A signal processing arrangement (24, 26, 44) is associated with each sensing node and comprising a filter circuit (24) adapted to filter out frequencies generated by the ambient AC source of excitation that are outside a pre-defined bandwidth, and a level detector (26) responsive to the AC measurement signals for monitoring signal amplitude and generating amplitude information for use in producing target object data.
US09915732B2
Object detection systems are provided herein. An example system includes an enclosure formed by a sidewall to define an interaction volume, at least one light source for illuminating the interaction volume with a light, at least one light sensor that senses disturbances in light intensity due to scattering, reflection, or absorption of the light by objects within the interaction volume, and a controller that is configured to detect an object or object behavior within interaction volume based on the disturbances in the light intensity.
US09915723B1
Aspects receive different instances of reception data from different respective wireless communication receivers that include broadcast data packets broadcast from a mobile device, geographic locations of the communication receivers and times of reception of the broadcast data packet by the respective receivers. Each broadcast data packet includes a time of broadcast by the mobile device and a unique identifier of the mobile device. Aspects determine a geographic location of the mobile device at the time of broadcast of the data packets as a function of triangulating to the geographic locations of the different communication receivers; and/or of determining a Doppler shift in frequency transmission data of an instance of reception of a first data packet relative to frequency transmission data of another instance of reception of another, second data packet transmission broadcast at a different time than the first data packet.
US09915719B2
In a method and apparatus for recording magnetic resonance (MR) signals from an examination object, raw data space is filled with MR signals in raw data lines. Movement information of the examination object is detected during recording of the MR signals and the movement information is grouped into different movement phases of the examination object. A temporally randomly distributed sequence of the recording of the raw data lines is determined, with which at least one predetermined portion of the raw data space is filled MR signals. The MR signals are acquired in the determined temporally randomly distributed sequence of the raw data lines in the predetermined portion. Each recorded raw data line is allocated to one of the movement phases of the examination object.
US09915718B2
In a method for the determination of sensitivity profiles of local coils in the acquisition of magnetic resonance data, a first measurement data set of an examination area is acquired with a first acquisition coil, a second measurement data set of the examination area is acquired with a local coil, and a sensitivity profile of the local coil that is used is determined on the basis of the first measurement data set and the measurement data set. The first measurement data set and the second measurement data set are acquired using a pulse sequence with ultrashort echo times. In the determination of the sensitivity profile, errors due to dephasings are avoided as best as possible by the acquisition of the measurement data sets with a pulse sequence with ultrashort echo times (i.e. in particular echo times TE shorter than 0.5 ms); in particular, the dephasings are smaller given these echo times than in the case of gradient echo (GRE)-based pulse sequences.
US09915713B2
A method of determining the position of at least one magnetic field probe located within a pre-defined volume of interest within a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or spectroscopy arrangement comprises applying a spatially and temporally variable magnetic reference field having a unique time-course at every point in said volume of interest during a preselected time window. An MR signal is ac-quired from said magnetic field probe during said time window, and the position of the probe is determined from the probe MR signal.
US09915712B2
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. The system includes a main field magnet generating a main magnetic field B0. Moreover, the system further includes radio frequency (RF) receiver coils including a first combination of two coils, the two coils of the first combination decoupled based on quadrature decoupling such that the two coils of the first combination are able to receive signals orthogonal to each other and to B0. The two coils can be butterfly coils, the loop plane of the butterfly coils arranged along a surface, the longitudinal axis of the butterfly coils being substantially orthogonal and crossing at substantially midpoint. The surface can be substantially orthogonal to B0 and be curved. The first of the two coils can also be a loop coil and the second of the two coils a butterfly coil.
US09915709B2
A motor system includes a motor including two Hall sensors configured to output binary values, and a controller configured to control the motor. The two Hall sensors are placed 120 or 60 electrical degrees apart. The controller is operable to monitor output signals of the two Hall sensors and to determine a third Hall sensor output binary value. The controller is operable to fulfill the commanded requirements to operate in a servo system, by controlling commutation of a drive current into the motor, and by keeping track of the motor rotor position based on the third generated signal and the outputs of the two Hall sensors.
US09915705B2
A battery control device includes: a battery; a storage circuitry configured to store a disconnection time which indicates a time at which a power supply is disconnected; and a diagnosis circuitry configured to, when the power supply is reactivated, diagnose a charge capacity of the battery at the time of reactivation based on a disconnection period obtained from the disconnection time and a time at when the power supply is reactivated, a temperature of the battery in a state during the power supply is disconnected and a deterioration degree of the battery.
US09915704B2
The disclosure relates to a method for determining a Coulombic efficiency of battery modules of a rechargeable battery with a circuit arrangement connected to the battery modules. The circuit arrangement has multiple current paths, each of which has a series circuit of switch modules and at least one power semiconductor element which can be operated in a linear mode in order to regulate the current flowing through the respective current path, and one of the battery modules is connected to each of the switch modules. Each of the switch modules is configured as a switch module for selectively connecting the connected battery module into the respective current path or to alternatively remove the connected battery module from the respective current path. In each of the current paths at least one of the battery modules is selected with the switch module.
US09915687B2
A real current meter reads current from a current probe coupled around power lines of a transformer-based UPS system coupled to a transformer having a high resistance ground with a HRG resistance and determines a real current component of the current read from the current probe.
US09915685B2
A current detection system includes: first and second magnetic plates arranged in parallel with a predetermined distance; a bus bar for flowing current; and a magneto-electric conversion element converting a lateral direction component of a measurement object magnetic flux, generated by current flowing through the bus bar, to an electric signal. When an external magnetic flux in a lateral direction passes through an accommodation space between the first and second magnetic plates, a trajectory of the external magnetic flux is bent by the first and second magnetic plates, and the accommodation space is divided into a permeable space, through which the external magnetic flux passes, and a non-permeable space, through which the external magnetic flux does not pass. The bus bar is arranged in the accommodation space. The magneto-electric conversion element is arranged in the non-permeable space. The bus bar and the magneto-electric conversion element are lined in the height direction.
US09915677B2
A data acquisition method of a substrate processing apparatus for acquiring data on gas current directions in a plurality of measurement regions on a surface of a substrate, includes: loading a sensing substrate having a plurality of pairs of sensors on a loader, wherein each pair of sensors includes a first sensor and a second sensor configured to acquire vector data of the gas current on the surface of the sensing substrate; acquiring vector data of the gas current in a first linear direction by the first sensor; acquiring vector data of the gas current in a second linear direction slanted to the first linear direction by the second sensor; and combining the gas current vectors based on a starting point associated with the respective pair of sensors; and calculating a gas current direction from the starting point associated with the respective pair of sensors.
US09915675B2
Methods and apparatus for determining aspiration and/or dispensing volume and/or pipette positioning
Methods of determining or verifying proper operation of a diagnostic device are disclosed. The methods include monitoring, with one or more image capture devices, one or more locations to determine proper aspiration, dispense, and/or overall assay component volume fill of one or more bio-liquid containers. Tip immersion depth and location may be also measured and/or verified. Diagnostic devices and apparatus adapted to carry out the method are described, as are other aspects.
US09915672B2
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the analyzer includes a reagent driving disk that accommodates a reagent configured for analysis and that transports the reagent to a desired position, and a fixed disk that has a reagent stand-by position in which to make a reagent container containing the reagent, temporarily stand by, and a magnetic particles stirring position for stirring magnetic particles. A portion of the reagent stand-by position is constituted by a loading system. A reagent container moving unit moves reagent containers containing the reagent, between the reagent driving unit and the fixed disk, according to analytical request status. Providing in a part of the fixed disk the loading system constructed so that reagent containers containing the reagent can be mounted therein during operation enables changing of reagent containers, irrespective of an operational status of the reagent driving disk, and the system to having cold-storage functionality.
US09915667B2
Provided herein are methods for diagnosing the presence or the risk of development, or for the therapy control of vasculitis, in particular of large vessel vasculitis, like giant-cell arteritis (GCA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), and Takayasu's arteritis, in a subject analyzing for the presence of antibodies against ferritin, in particular heavy chain ferritin or immunoreactive peptides thereof or ferritin analog protein, preferably bacterial ferritin analog protein, or immunoreactive peptides thereof, in a subject. In addition, test kits for use in the diagnosis of the presence or the risk of development, or for the therapy control of vasculitis, in particular of large vessel vasculitis, like GCA, PMR and Takayasu's arteritis, in a subject are also provided.
US09915665B2
System and methods are disclosed for identifying and isolating antibodies with specific affinity with an antigen of interest. Multiple DNA libraries encoding antibodies or their fragments are designed such that the encoded antibodies from different libraries are tagged differently. These libraries may be transformed into yeast cells. The variants of the antibodies are displayed on the surface of the yeast cells and flow cytometry may be used to sort the cells based on antigen affinity and the different tags on the antibodies. By allowing multiple libraries to be screened simultaneously, the disclosed methods help improve the efficiency of affinity.
US09915663B2
Provided are methods for determining the amount of thyroglobulin in a sample using various purification steps followed by mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve purifying thyroglobulin in a test sample, digesting thyroglobulin to form peptide T129, purifying peptide T129, ionizing peptide T129, detecting the amount of peptide T129 ion generated, and relating the amount of peptide T129 ion to the amount of thyroglobulin originally present in the sample.
US09915662B2
The present invention concerns materials and methods for characterizing monoclonal immunoglobulin specificity of a Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) or Myeloma patients using a protein microarray comprising (a) a substrate, (b) antigens immobilized on the substrate, said antigens being selected from a defined group consisting of infectious agent antigens and/or self-antigens. In particular said protein microarray may be used to improve diagnosis, for the prognosis of myeloma or MGUS, for preventing transformation of MGUS toward myeloma, for adapting treatment of MGUS and myeloma or for monitoring the response to therapy of MGUS and myeloma patients.
US09915661B2
Provided are a composition, a kit, and a method of predicting prognosis of ovarian cancer or a risk of recurrence of ovarian cancer. Provided are a composition for treating ovarian cancer or preventing recurrence of ovarian cancer and a method of screening a material for treating ovarian cancer or preventing recurrence of ovarian cancer. According to the present disclosure, prognosis or recurrence of ovarian cancer can be efficiently diagnosed, and a candidate material that can treat ovarian cancer or prevent recurrence of ovarian cancer can be efficiently screened.
US09915657B2
Fungal infections are difficult to diagnose. The most common filamentous fungal infection, aspergillosis, carries with it a high mortality. Culture of the organism is difficult and obtaining samples, e.g., through a lung biopsy, sometimes causes morbidity. Biomarkers that indicate ‘early’ infection in it development are sought after. One such biomarker is detection of galactomannan (GM), a polysaccharide that is attached to hyphal cell walls and secreted during growth of the organism. Galactomannan is excreted in urine. Disclosed herein is a lateral flow assay comprising monoclonal antibodies that recognize specific residues of Aspergillus fumigatus for detecting GM in urine samples to provide a point-of-care detection device to allow for frequent screening and early diagnosis in patients at high risk for infection.
US09915656B2
A hand-held measuring instrument is used for detecting hidden mold damage in interior spaces. The measuring instrument includes at least one collection unit configured to intake at least of one interior space sample, at least one buffer unit, at least one immunological test unit, an evaluation unit and a control panel. The at least one buffer unit has a first compartment and a second compartment.
US09915653B2
Method of localizing a sulfhydryl (—SH) group containing biomolecule to the surface of a cell membrane by mixing in a volatile reaction buffer a molar excess of the sulfhydryl (—SH) group containing biomolecule with a lipid conjugated maleimide of the structure F-S-L as defined in the specification to provide a reaction mix, incubating the reaction mix for a time and at a temperature sufficient to allow all the lipid conjugated maleimide to have reacted with the sulfhydryl (—SH) group, and freeze-drying the reaction mix to remove the volatile reaction buffer and provide a reaction product. An aqueous solution of the reaction product is contacted with the cell membrane.
US09915647B2
The invention provides methods, compositions, devices, and kits relating to the use of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (e.g., PFOs) for measuring intracellular mitochondrial activity.
US09915640B2
A system and a process for detecting early stage electrical components problems with an analysis system is disclosed. The system process includes determining an oil quality of the oil of an electrical component using the analysis system. The system the process further including determining dissolved gases in the oil of the electrical component using the analysis system, processing and analyzing the oil quality and the dissolved gases using the analysis system, and determining whether there are problems in the electrical component using the analysis system.
US09915636B2
A reaction carrier (14), a measuring device (12) and a measuring method measure a concentration of gaseous and/or aerosol components of a gas mixture. A flow channel (42), extends between two connecting elements (44) and defines a reaction chamber (46) with an optically detectable reaction material (48) that reacts a component of the gas mixture or with a reaction product of the component. The reaction carrier (14) includes a temperature-measuring element (88). The measuring device (12) includes a temperature-measuring element (90) which records a temperature of the measuring device (12) and/or of the reaction carrier (14), and a temperature-determining unit (92) which determines the temperature of the gas mixture as a function of the measurement result of the at least one temperature-measuring element (90). The measuring method includes determining a concentration of the component on the basis of an optically detectable reaction and the determined temperature of the gas mixture.
US09915635B1
The present invention relates to a computer program, an apparatus and a method for correcting light absorption values measured for an eluate in connection with performing chromatography on a chemical sample, the sample being eluted with an eluent having an eluent profile with changing solvent composition during the elution of the sample.
US09915634B2
A pressurization passage that divides a constant pressure from a pressure source with passage resistances so as to have a predetermined constant pressure is disposed on a downstream side of a sample loop in order to maintain a back pressure of the sample loop constant when a sample gas is collected to the sample loop.
US09915631B2
A digital microfluidics system for manipulating samples in liquid droplets within a gap between a first hydrophobic surface of a bottom layer and a second hydrophobic surface of at least one disposable cartridge. Disposable cartridges comprise a body and/or a rigid cover plate. The bottom layer of each disposable cartridge is a flexible film that is sealingly attached to the body or plate. The cartridge has no spacer between the first and second hydrophobic surfaces. When using these cartridges, the bottom layers configured as a working film for manipulating samples in liquid droplets thereon, is placed on an electrode array of a digital microfluidics system. The array has individual electrodes. The digital microfluidics system also comprises a central control unit for controlling the selection of the individual electrodes of the electrode array and for providing these electrodes with individual voltage pulses for manipulating liquid droplets by electrowetting.
US09915630B2
A biochip includes a substrate, where the substrate includes at least one hole extending from a first surface of the substrate to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface, and where the substrate comprises a microfluidic channel pattern. The biochip further includes a surface modification layer over the substrate. Additionally, the biochip includes a sensing wafer bonded to the substrate, where the sensing wafer has one or more modified surface patterns having different surface properties from each other.
US09915623B2
An optical inspection apparatus includes an inspection target unit on which an inspection target is loaded, an illumination optical unit configured to irradiate incident light to the inspection target, an objective lens unit disposed between the illumination optical unit and the inspection target unit, a detection optical unit configured to receive reflective light reflected from the inspection target to thereby detect a presence or absence of a defect on the inspection target, and a control unit configured to control the illumination optical unit and the detection optical unit. The illumination optical unit includes a light source part configured to irradiate the incident light, and a spatial filter array configured to modify a transmission region of the incident light irradiated from the light source part. The spatial filter array includes a spatial filter part, and a filter movement part configured to move the spatial filter part.
US09915619B2
A portable small-object holding device, comprising: a housing, movable gripper jaws configured to grip and hold a small object; at least one hinge and at least one cog-wheel configured to enable rotating said at least one hinge around its longitudinal axis; and wherein the portable small-object holding device is adapted to enable illuminating the small object when being held within said portable small-object holding device, by a beam of light at least one wavelength. The inspection of the small-object is carried out after inserting the portable small-object holding device via an aperture comprised in a portable apparatus for inspecting small objects, and preferably engaging the portable small-object holding device with the portable apparatus for inspecting small objects.
US09915615B2
A method of testing an organic sample to provide an indication of the level of bacteria and/or number of somatic cells present in the sample, the method including collecting the sample and contacting the sample with a reagent which reacts with ATP to produce light emissions, and subsequently, at the beginning (O) of a measurement period (A, B), contacting the sample with an extractant in the presence of the reagent, the extractant rupturing cells present in the sample to release cell-bound ATP to react with the reagent to produce light emissions, and immediately after contacting the sample with the extractant, detecting the light emissions with a light detecting device (18), and the method includes during an initial measurement period (A) immediately after contacting the sample with the extractant, detecting the level of light emissions, and in a subsequent measurement period (B), detecting the level of light emissions, statistically analyzing the detected values to determine a rate of change of light emissions during the subsequent measurement period, due to cell-bound ATP being released and reacting with the reagent, and at least where the thus determined rate of change of light emissions indicates a level of bacteria and/or somatic cells in the sample above a threshold, generating a signal (33).
US09915605B2
An in-situ gas-measuring system (1) includes an IR photon source (10) and an IR photon detector (11). The in-situ gas-measuring system (1) has an expansion chamber (12), at which an optical element (16, 16′, 16″) is arranged. A connection element (13) provides a detachable fluid-communicating connection of the expansion chamber (12) to a gas reaction chamber (2). The IR-photon source (10), the optical element (16, 16′, 16″) and the IR photon detector (11) define an optical measuring path, which extends through the expansion chamber (12). The installation and maintenance of the in-situ gas-measuring system (1) are reduced by the features of the in-situ gas-measuring system (1).
US09915596B2
A density meter for slurry which is transported through a pipe, the density meter including: a pipe part; flexible pipe couplings arranged on either end of the pipe part; a force sensor for measuring a force in the direction of the at least one degree of freedom between the pipe part and a fixed point; an accelerometer arranged on the pipe part for measuring the accelerations of the pipe part in the direction of the at least one degree of freedom; and computing means for computing the density of the slurry in the pipe part on the basis of the volume of the pipe part, the force measured by the force sensor and the acceleration measured by the accelerometer.
US09915595B2
A method for operating a gas sampling probe includes removing a gas to be analyzed from a process space in the region of a front end of a gas sampling tube and conducting it through the gas sampling tube as far as a rear end and, in the process, cooling it by passing cooling air between the gas sampling tube and at least one outer casing enclosing the gas sampling tube. The cooling air is fed and discharged at the rear end of the gas sampling tube and the temperature of the gas to be analyzed is higher in the region of the front end of the gas sampling tube than the temperature of the fed cooling air, and the gas sampling probe emits outward, wherein the temperature of the fed cooling air is higher than the temperature of the discharged cooling air.
US09915593B2
The invention relates to a method of positioning an organic, biological and/or medical specimen in a desired partial region of a specimen carrier, comprising the steps arrangement of a gel in a partial region of the specimen carrier, polymerization or gelification of the gel, by means of which a polymerized gel is obtained, whereby the polymerized gel at least partially, in particular horizontally, delimits the desired partial region and introduction of the specimen into the specimen carrier, in particular into the desired partial region of the specimen carrier.
US09915590B1
In a material sample separation and collection system, a sample is obtained by airflow separation. The system and attendant methods collect a complete sample over a defined period of time by modulating one or more pressure balancing valves, thus allowing for a variable flow rate of materials through the system even while the fan or other source of airflow operates at constant speed. The sampling rate, which is based on how quickly or slowly materials enter and pass through the system and into a collection vessel, is automatically modulated in real time based on sensor data.
US09915588B2
An apparatus for the maintenance of wheels of vehicles, like a balancer or a device for mounting/dismounting tires, comprises a support adapted to support a rim of a wheel of a vehicle. A device for detecting the eccentricity of a tire of the wheel is mounted on the support. Such device comprises an optical system configured to capture a light beam reflected by a tread of the tire and focus it on a point of an optical sensor. The optical sensor emits a signal indicative of an average value of a radial distance of the linear portion from the main axis. A control unit processes a plurality of average values corresponding to different linear portions of the tread and obtained during the rotation of the tire, and detects the eccentricity of said tire.
US09915585B2
The invention relates to a method of monitoring a wear of a gearbox in a power station, such as a windmill, water-wheel or tidal power station, the gearbox comprising at least two shafts, cogwheels and bearings as components of the gearbox. The method comprises sensing an angular position at the shafts by a rotational shaft encoder and monitoring the wear of the transmission-unit according to differences of the sensed angular positions and generating a condition signal representative of the wear of the gearbox according to the monitored differences. The monitoring comprises an additional sensing of at least one additional degree of freedom, in particular an axial and/or eccentric displacement, of at least one of the shafts caused by wear of at least one of the components of the gearbox, and generating the condition signal according to the displacement and differences in the at least two degrees of freedom.
US09915576B2
A pressure sensor includes: a fixed part; a ring-like oscillator that is supported on the fixed part by a plurality of support beams; a plurality of electrodes that are provided on the fixed part and arranged in an oscillating direction of the ring-like oscillator with a gap; electret films that are formed on either one of opposite surfaces of the ring-like oscillator and the electrodes.
US09915551B2
A method for linearizing sensor signals in a magnetic strip length measuring system moves a sensor head between two magnetic poles of a measurement body. In particular, linearization takes place dynamically during operation of the magnetic strip length measuring system, and linearization deviations are compensated by extrapolation as the sensor head moves between the two poles of the measurement body from pole to pole or from pole pair to pole pair.
US09915535B2
An acceleration-based mobile asset data recorder and transmitter equipped with a wireless processing unit, an event recorder, a digital video recorder, a fuel level sensor, and an inertial navigation sensor board. The inertial navigation sensor board includes a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis magnetometer, and a microcontroller. The data recorder and transmitter allows for automatic orientation, automatic compass calibration, fuel compensation with pitch and roll, emergency brake application with impact detection, rough operating condition detection, engine running detection, and inertial navigation of a mobile asset. Users can use the normal operation of their mobile assets to locate and alert, in real-time, areas where their assets are encountering rough operating environments, to provide for quicker emergency response, and to validate the effectiveness of repairs and rerouting.
US09915519B2
System and method for measuring an aerial image are provided. The system may include a lighting unit for providing illuminating light to pass through a mask to form initial light. An imaging unit is configured for imaging the initial light to form imaging light. A beam splitting unit is for splitting the imaging light into projection light and reference light. A projection light is projected to a substrate to form a mask image in the substrate, and the substrate reflects the projection light to form first reflected light onto the beam splitting unit. A reflecting unit is for receiving the reference light to form second reflected light, and for projecting the second reflected light onto the beam splitting unit, the second reflected light and the first reflected light interfering with each other to form interference light. A measuring unit is for measuring an aerial image formed from the interference light.
US09915510B1
A variable weighted arrow tip includes a field point and a weighted insert. The field point preferably includes a field point tip, an insert bore, a threaded tap, a first shaft diameter and a second shaft diameter. The field point tip is formed on one end of the field point and the insert bore with the threaded tap are formed in an opposing end thereof. The first and second shaft diameters are formed on a middle and substantially an end opposite the field point. The first and second shaft diameters are sized to receive first and second inner diameters of a double walled arrow shaft. The weighted insert includes a bore diameter and a threaded projection. The threaded projection is threadably received by the threaded tap. At least one o-ring groove is retained on the bore diameter. A drive cavity is formed in an end opposite the threaded projection.
US09915509B2
Disclosed is a claymore mine on which a device for preventing a breakdown attributable to a power noise has been mounted. In order to prevent an electric primer from operating due to a power noise induced by a magnetic field or generated by the falling of a thunderbolt or other factors, such as a communication device, a shield layer formed by weaving or braiding a conductive fiber, such as a carbon fiber, or weaving or braiding a copper-plated tin wire, is formed in the wire and percussion unit of the claymore mine. In order to discharge a power noise introduced into the wire and the percussion unit to the earth, a power noise discharge adaptor including a plurality of diodes, a TVS, a GDT, and an SPD is formed. Accordingly, the introduction of a power noise can be fundamentally blocked, and a power noise can be safely discharged to the earth if the power noise is introduced.
US09915508B2
A target senses whether and where it has been struck by a laser light. The target includes a screen for allowing laser light to pass through, a plurality of light sensors behind the screen, and an optical display associated with one or more of the light sensors. When the target is struck by a laser light, a sensor records the strike, and the target may be struck with laser light multiple times, whereby different sensors may record the different strikes. To determine whether and where the target has been struck, the user activates a display mode that causes the optical displays in the target to illuminate. The user can then reset the target so the user can begin again.
US09915506B1
Systems and methods are provided that employ an IR suppression system to alter the signature of a vessel during a missile engagement with the objective of confusing a seeker of an incoming missile so as to increase the probability that the seeker is seduced by a flare. The flare is launched and IR suppression is enabled or set to an increased level, with coordinated timing, such that the IR signature of the target vessel is changed at about the same time that the flare is launched.
US09915491B2
A trigger assembly includes one or more stationary magnets and a trigger member pivotable relative to the stationary magnets. The trigger member includes a base portion with a pivot point, an actuating portion extending from the base portion in a first direction, and a magnetic trigger portion extending from the base portion in a second direction. The magnetic trigger portion operatively engages the stationary magnets in a first position. The base portion of the trigger member operatively engages a first sear element, which is operatively connected to a sear arm, which in turn operatively engages a second sear element. A spring operatively biases the first sear element. The second sear element retains a bow string in the first position. In a second position, the trigger member rotates to separate the magnetic trigger portion from the magnets, and the second sear element rotates to release the bow string.
US09915486B1
A receptacle for collecting casings ejected from a firearm applied with a magazine includes a housing having an upper opening, a lower opening, and an interior defined within the housing between and in communication with the upper and lower openings. The upper opening is opened and can be mounted to be spaced apart from the ejection port of a firearm. A gate in the lower opening pivots between open and closed positions; the lower opening is closed when the magazine is received in the firearm and is opened when the magazine is removed from the firearm.
US09915485B2
A semi-automatic pistol has a frame having a trigger guard defining a trigger finger space, a barrel connected to the frame and defining a bore axis, a slide connected to the frame and operable to reciprocate along the bore axis between a forward battery position and a rearward open position, a recoil mechanism operably connected between the slide and the frame, and operable to bias the slide to the battery position, and the recoil mechanism being entirely below the barrel axis and forward of the trigger finger space. The recoil mechanism may be a recoil spring defining a spring axis. The spring axis may be parallel to the bore axis. The recoil spring may be a helical shape defining a bore receiving a guide rod. The guide rod may be below the barrel. The trigger guard may have a downwardly facing upper surface defining the trigger finger space.
US09915484B2
Process for producing an element comprising a multilayer architecture, the layers of which comprise primary channels on their upper faces, said process comprising the following successive steps: (a) producing secondary channels on the lower faces of each layer, each secondary channel being intended to be facing a primary channel of the neighboring lower layer within the architecture, (b) depositing a coating that protects against oxidation at a temperature of between 500° C. and 1000° C. and against corrosion over all of the lower and upper surfaces of the layers, (c) sanding or mechanical cleaning of the surfaces intended to be assembled, and (d) assembling via superposition of the various layers so that each secondary channel of a lower face of an upper layer is facing and is centered on a primary channel of the neighboring lower layer, the width of each secondary channel being greater than the width of the primary channel which it is facing within the architecture.
US09915482B2
A heat sink including a base section, connection fins, and parallel fins. The base section includes: a first base plate configured to be mounted with a heat generating component on its outer surface; a second base plate disposed to face the first base plate in a parallel manner, configured to be mounted with a heat generating component on its outer surface; and a third base plate disposed perpendicular to the first base plate and the second base plate, which secures the first base plate and the second base plate along a junction line. The base section includes first and second regions arranged in the direction of the junction line. The connection fins are disposed on the first region to connect inner surfaces of the first and second base plates and to be parallel to the third base plate, and the parallel fins are disposed on the second region from an inner surface of the third base plate to be parallel to the first base plate.
US09915481B2
A fin for a heat exchanger is joined to an outer surface of a tube, and facilitates a heat exchange between the tube and an air flowing around the tube. A sectional surface of the fin perpendicular to a flowing direction of an air has a corrugated shape that includes multiple flat portions substantially parallel to a flowing direction of the air, and a ridge portion connecting the adjacent flat portions. Multiple louvers cut in and raised from each of the flat portions at a predetermined cut-and-raised angle are disposed on the flat portion along a flowing direction of the air. A thickness of each flat portion is defined as t, a louver pitch of the louvers is defined as PL, and the thickness of each flat portion and the louver pitch satisfy a relationship of 0.035≦t/PL≦0.29.
US09915473B2
Provided is a spray drying apparatus comprising a spray nozzle comprising a spray nozzle tip at the distal end of the spray nozzle, a liquid conduit for guiding a liquid to be spray-dried out through the spray nozzle tip, an atomizing component for producing a spray of droplets from the liquid exiting the spray nozzle; a drying gas conduit comprising an outlet for directing a drying gas to dry the spray of droplets; and a drying gas deflector positioned so as to deflect a flow of the drying gas away from the spray nozzle tip.
US09915467B1
A refrigerator with an integrated multi-speed blender including a stand alone kitchen refrigerator having a recess in a front door thereof and a continuous opening therein. A housing body, on the upper side of the recess, stores components of a motorized blender assembly adjacent to a water dispenser within the recess. The blender assembly includes a mixer shaft operationally communicating with the motor and extending into the recess opening, with blades on a distal end thereof, first and second control switches proximal and operationally controlling the motor, first and second pressure control buttons on a forward side of the housing body, which when pushed along with an activation switch, activate the motor and operate the motor at a first speed and at a faster second speed, respectively. An activation button movable between an initial lower position to a second upper position activates the activation switch in the second upper position.
US09915458B2
An appliance door includes an outer wrapper and an inner liner that defines an ice making receptacle. An ice maker is disposed proximate a top portion of the ice making receptacle. A sliding assembly is defined within an inward-facing surface of the ice making receptacle. An ice bin is operable between an engaged state, wherein the ice bin is fully inserted into the ice making receptacle, a disengaged state, wherein the ice bin is removed from the ice making receptacle, and a lateral sliding state, wherein the ice bin is operated laterally and free of rotation between the engaged and disengaged states. The ice bin and the ice making receptacle cooperatively define an ice delivery mechanism that selectively delivers ice pieces from an inner volume of the ice bin to an ice delivery zone proximate the outer wrapper.
US09915447B2
A magnetocaloric cascade containing at least three different magnetocaloric materials with different Curie temperatures, which are arranged in succession by descending Curie temperature, wherein none of the different magnetocaloric materials with different Curie temperatures has a higher layer performance Lp than the magnetocaloric material with the highest Curie temperature and wherein at least one of the different magnetocaloric materials with different Curie temperatures has as lower layer performance Lp than the magnetocaloric material with the highest Curie temperature wherein Lp of a particular magnetocaloric material being calculated according to formula (I): Lp=m*dTad,max with dTad,max: maximum adiabatic temperature change which the particular magnetocaloric material undergoes when it is magnetized from a low magnetic field to high magnetic field during magnetocaloric cycling, m: mass of the particular magnetocaloric material contained in the magnetocaloric cascade.
US09915436B1
A heat source optimization system capable of alternating configurations between an air exchange system and a geothermal system and/or earth loop systems depending on an instantaneous need and/or desire for taking in or discharging heat, while simultaneously remaining operational and without reversing valving or changing the rotational direction of a refrigerant compressor. The system manages refrigerant, and, via a processor and/or controller system, determines where to obtain refrigerant and also the quantity of refrigerant to be obtained. Additionally, the system, via a processor and/or controller system, both determines the optimal location or locations from which to take in heat or to which heat is to be rejected.
US09915432B2
A portable cooking stove is disclosed. The cooking stove includes a base structure. At least one burner is positioned within the base structure. A burner plate is positioned above the burner and also above the base structure. When the stove is in use, a cooking surface may be placed on top of the burner plate. Multiple legs are connected to the base structure. The legs can be positioned in an extended configuration in which the base structure is positioned at a certain height above a ground surface. When the legs are positioned in the extended configuration, the height at which the base structure (and therefore the burner plate and any cooking surface that is placed on the burner plate) is positioned above the ground surface is adjustable without removing the legs from the base structure.
US09915430B2
A gas lighting device having a casing fastenable to an electric household appliance by means of fastening means coupleable with corresponding perforations obtained on a carrying element of the electric household appliance; wherein the fastening means consist of at least one pair of elastically deformable fastening elements protrudingly carried by the casing, perpendicularly to the same, in a position immediately adjacent one to the other so that they are adapted to snappingly couple with only one and the same of said perforations of the carrying element of the electric household appliance.
US09915428B2
A cylinder of a combustor includes a cylinder body inside of which combustion gas flows, a jacket plate that covers the cylinder body from the outside and forms a fluid space into which high-pressure fluid flows between an inner peripheral surface of the jacket plate and an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder body, and a rib that connects the cylinder body and the jacket plate. The rib is connected to the cylinder body by a cylinder side end portion on the cylinder body side in a radial direction with respect to an axis of the cylinder body being welded from both sides in an axial direction of the axis. The rib is connected to the jacket plate by a jacket side end portion on the jacket plate side in the radial direction being welded from both sides in the axial direction.
US09915427B2
A dual pilot light burner assembly suitable for working with a first type of gas or a second type of gas. According to one implementation the assembly includes a support, a regulating sleeve having a first nozzle, an air and gas mixing and intake chamber, and an injector having a second nozzle. The regulating sleeve is moveable with respect to the injector for placing the first supply nozzle in a first position with respect to the second supply nozzle for the delivery of the first type of gas to the pilot nozzle. The regulating sleeve moveable with respect to the injector for placing the first supply nozzle in a second position with respect to the second supply nozzle for the delivery of the second type of gas to the pilot nozzle. The regulating sleeve including structure accessible by an external tool and capable of receiving an end of the tool for use in moving the regulating sleeve between the first and second positions.
US09915414B2
A luminaire (100) comprising a chamber (110) comprising at least one light exit surface (112); an axial carrier (120) mounted in said chamber (110) on an axis (105), said axial carrier (120) carrying a plurality of solid state lighting elements (122) and being surrounded by the light exit surface (112); and a body (130) mounted around said axial carrier (120), said body (130) comprising a plurality of radially extending optical cells (140) each comprising an inlet (142) facing said axial carrier (120); an outlet (144) facing the light exit surface (112); and a plurality of reflective surfaces (146, 148) extending from said inlet (142) to said outlet (144); wherein at least one of the axial carrier (120) and the body (130) are rotatably mounted relative to said axis (105) and wherein the body (130) can be rotated relative to the axcial carrier (120) or vice versa.
US09915412B1
A lighting fixture which is formed in a selected geometric shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, round, oval, elliptical, rectangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal and polygonal having a multiplicity of sidewalls in a geometric shape and other geometric shapes which enable illumination through both or at least one of at least one exterior front planar surface and at least one exterior rear planar surface of the geometric shaped lighting fixture.
US09915411B2
High efficiency optical collimator utilizing an open central light flow feature reduces losses while maintaining high intensity. Many degrees of collimation are possible including wide beam angles which traditionally exhibit high back-reflection losses.
US09915409B2
A lens for distribution of light from a light emitter. The lens has thick and thin wall portions between inner and outer lens surfaces. The thick wall portion(s) are at least twice as thick as the thin wall portion(s). At least one of the inner and outer surfaces has a texturing for diffusion of emitter light passing therethrough. The lens may include at least one interface between two materials with different indices of refraction. At least one surface of the interface may have a texturing for diffusion of emitter light passing therethrough. And, a method for manufacturing of the lens by forming a lens region with a textured surface portion by injecting the thermoplastic elastomer into an injection-molding cavity defined by a shape-forming configuration with a texturing in at least one area of the cavity. The shape-forming configuration is configured to shape a thermoplastic elastomer into such thickness that the set elastomer retains the texturing.
US09915407B2
Disclosed is a vehicular lamp including: a lamp outer case including a lamp housing having an opening and a cover configured to close the opening; a first board mounted with a first light source package; a second board mounted with a second light source package; and an optical member mounted with the first board and the second board. The first board and the second board are different kinds of boards that have different heat dissipation performances. Since the heat dissipation property for the heat generated when the first light source package is driven and the heat dissipation property of the heat generated when the second light source package is driven becomes different from each other, the heat dissipation performances may be properly controlled depending on an irradiation state.
US09915396B2
A system for levelling the column of a bucket truck, including a hydraulic cylinder, fulcrums for the cylinder located on a substructure, and a pedestal, and a pivot point for the pedestal allowing the column of the crane and a turntable to be positioned at 0° in relation to the horizontal plane, thereby increasing the working slope range both in the forward and backward direction up to 20° in relation to the chassis of the carrying vehicle.
US09915395B2
A camera crane tractor includes first and second spaced apart and parallel wheel decks on a chassis. The tractor has left and right side treads supported on tread rollers on the chassis, and a motor for driving the treads. One or more angled wheel guide strips may be provided on each of the wheel decks, to guide the wheels of a mobile base rolling onto the wheel decks. The wheel guide strips may have an angle complimentary to an angled sidewall of the wheels of the mobile base. Wheels stops are positioned at the ends of the wheel decks to prevent longitudinal movement of the mobile base after it is loaded onto the tractor. Threaded holes may be provided in the chassis between the wheel decks to allow the mobile base to be clamped down onto the tractor.
US09915392B2
The present invention provides a preformed insulating layer having a flat web of metal foil having a plurality of spaced generally X-shaped protuberances deformed from the web. Each protuberance has a length dimension, a width dimension, and a height dimension, the length dimension and the width dimension define a ratio of from 1:1 to 4:1. A uniform gap is left around each protuberance and is from about ⅛″ to about ½″.
US09915386B2
Provided is a pipe clamp for clamping the joint portion of pipes. The pipe clamp includes a body including a first body, which is hingedly coupled at an upper portion thereof to a link and is provided at a lower portion thereof with a fastening protrusion, the fastening protrusion having therein a fitting groove and a threaded hole connected to the fitting groove, and a second body, which is hingedly coupled at an upper portion thereof to the link and is hingedly coupled at a lower portion thereof to a fastening screw, the link hingedly coupled to the upper portions of the first and second bodies, the fastening screw coupled to the lower portion of the second body, a fastening bar, which is provided at one side thereof with a nut, and which is provided on an outer surface thereof with a thread and is provided therein with a threaded hole, and hinge pins for hingedly coupling the fastening screw and the link to the body.
US09915385B2
A fitting includes a hollow body, a sealing member, and a draw mechanism. The fitting mechanism includes a primary actuation element coupled with the body at a first end, and a plurality of secondary actuation elements coupled to the sealing member. The plurality of secondary actuation elements are positioned in an interior of the hollow body and circumferentially spaced from each other. The plurality of secondary actuation elements are also engaged with the primary actuation element such that actuation of the primary actuation element draws the plurality of secondary actuation elements axially towards the opening at the first end of the hollow body thereby translating the sealing member from an open position to a sealing position.
US09915383B2
A connection of two pipes each including a liner. Liner sections connected to the liners are sections joined together forming a joint of the liner sections. An electrofusion coupling may overlie the joint of the liner sections and be used to fuse the joint. A collar may be positioned to overlie the joint of the liner sections. A bushing may be positioned between the joint of the liner sections and the collar. Hubs may be connected to the ends of the pipes. The liner sections and hubs may include corresponding structure which resists movement of the liner sections away from the joint of the liner sections. A connection of two pipes each including a liner may be formed according to disclosed methods.
US09915380B2
Methods and devices related to multi-layer tubular conduit are disclosed. The method of making the multi-layer tubular conduit includes providing a hermetically sealed metal tube, inserting a thermoplastic conduit within the tube, and surrounding the exterior of the tube with an overjacket. The multi-layer tubular conduit device includes three layers: a layer of thermaplastic conduit, a layer of hermetically sealed metal tube, and a layer of overjacket. The three layers are arranged coaxially such that they share a common central axis. The method of use includes installing a multi-layer tubular conduit device in a public or non-public environment. The multi-layer tubular conduit offers mechanical protection from harsh and/or hostile environments while still offering the flexibility of traditional conduit.
US09915378B2
A headset cord holder comprises a body and a first groove built into the body configured to receive and releasably hold a headset cord. In some embodiments, the first groove has a diameter less than or equal to approximately 2 mm. In further embodiments, the body is integrally formed within the teeth of a zipper. In some embodiments the body comprises one or more of rubber, plastic and metal. In some embodiments, the body comprises one or more of stamped metal and molded metal. In further embodiments, the body comprises molded plastic. In some embodiments, the body comprises one or more additional grooves configured to receive and releasably secure the headset cord.
US09915360B2
The present application relates to an electromagnetic valve, in particular for high-pressure cryogenic gas for a rocket. The valve includes a body in which a passage is formed connecting an inlet to an outlet, a seat communicating with the passage, a ball sealing the seat when the valve is at rest, a magnetic circuit with a coil, a magnetic shell, and a plunger displacing the ball relative to the seat thereof in order to open and/or close the seat. The plunger is telescopic, i.e., extendable and retractable. The plunger includes two ferromagnetic portions that are movable relative to one another and relative to the passage. The portions are fitted one inside the other and define air gaps E2 and E3 therebetween. The valve includes a magnet and a spring on either side of a secondary portion to hold the secondary portion in the closed position, distancing a ball from the exhaust seat.
US09915355B2
A spool assembly is disclosed for use in a valve. The spool assembly may have a cylindrical body with a first end, a second end, and a bore passing from the first end through the second end. The spool assembly may also have a first insert with a first land slidably disposed inside the bore at the first end, and a second insert separate from the first insert. The second insert may have a second land slidably disposed inside the bore at the second end.
US09915352B2
A butterfly valve for controlling gas flow is disclosed. The butterfly valve may include a valve body, the valve body defining a bore and a shaft configured for rotatable motion with respect to the valve body and including a shoulder. The butterfly valve may further include a disk housed within the bore, operatively coupled with the shaft, and configured to control gas flow through the bore based on a rotational position of the shaft relative to the valve body. The butterfly valve may further include a ball bearing operatively coupled with the shaft and including a ball and a race. The butterfly may further includes a spring configured to provide an axial force on the shaft, the axial force configured to press the shoulder of the shaft against the race of the ball bearing to prevent an outer edge of the disk from contacting an inner wall of the bore.
US09915342B2
A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes an ECU. The ECU stores a N−1 speed downshift/a N−2 speed downshift/a N−1 speed upshift/and a hysteresis lines. The hysteresis line is a predetermined distance above the N−1 speed upshift line, and is below the N−2 speed downshift line. The ECU controls the speed of the automatic transmission based on a quantity of state of a vehicle, and the plurality of stored shift lines, and execute, when an N speed is established, a first downshift that changes a speed from the N speed to an N−2 speed, when the quantity of state of the vehicle is in a region above the hysteresis line, after the quantity of state of the vehicle has risen above the N−1 speed downshift line.
US09915337B2
A usage measuring device measures usage of a gear transmission. The usage measuring device is provided with an oscillation cycle measuring unit and a comparing unit. The oscillation cycle measuring unit measures an oscillation cycle of a state signal indicating at least one of a rotational state of an input unit side and a rotational state of an output unit side of the gear transmission. The comparing unit compares a first oscillation cycle measured during an initial operating period of the gear transmission, and a second oscillation cycle measured after the gear transmission has operated for a predetermined time. The oscillation cycle measuring unit measures the first oscillation cycle and the second oscillation cycle of the state signal after the gear transmission has stopped driving.
US09915336B1
A bicycle sprocket assembly comprises a first sprocket and a second sprocket. The first sprocket comprises a first sprocket body, a first shifting facilitation area, a plurality of first chain-driving teeth, and a first outer diameter. The second sprocket comprises a second sprocket body, a plurality of second chain-driving teeth, a second outer diameter, and a support protuberance. The support protuberance protrudes from the second sprocket body toward the first sprocket. The support protuberance is provided in a circumferential support area on the second sprocket. The circumferential support area is configured to face a circumferential area on the first sprocket in an axial direction. The circumferential area extends from a third tooth to a fifth tooth in a circumferential direction with respect to a rotational center axis.
US09915331B2
A friction material for a clutch pad comprising: a plurality of fibers; and, a filler material including at least 0.1% and at most 100% calcium silicate particles by weight based on total weight of the filler. A friction material for a clutch comprising: a plurality of fibers; a filler material including at least 0.1% and at most 40% calcium silicate particles by weight based on total weight of the friction material; the calcium silicate particles characterized by a specific surface area of at least 40 m2/g and an average particle size of at most 60 μm; and, a binder. In an example aspect, the calcium silicate particles are characterized by a spherical morphology. In another example aspect, the calcium silicate particles are characterized by a specific surface area of about 105 m2/g and an average particles size of about 10 μm.
US09915325B2
A chain transmission device includes chain guides capable of guiding a chain. The chain guides include a plurality of spaced apart rollers for guiding the chain, and a distance L (m) between contact points of a trained portion of the chain is set to satisfy the following inequality: L < 1 2 ω MAX T ρ , where ωMAX is a maximum excitation frequency (Hz) from a crankshaft, ρ is a mass of the chain per unit length (kg/m), and T is a time-average tension of the chain (N).
US09915320B2
A multi-speed transmission in planetary design for a vehicle includes a first shaft (1) provided as a drive (An) and a second shaft (2) provided as an output (Ab) that is arranged axially parallel to the drive. Three planetary gear sets (RS1, RS2, RS3) and additional shafts (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), along with six shifting elements (K1, K2, K3, K4, B1, B2) are provided, through which actuation of several gears is realized. Machine elements (ST1, ST2) are provided for the transfer of torque between the drive (An) and the output (Ab), whereas the first shaft (1), as a drive, is connectable to the sun gear (SR3) of the third planetary gear set (RS3), to the sun gear (SR2) of the second planetary gear set (RS2), to the planetary gear carrier (PT3) of the third planetary gear set (RS3), and is connectable or connected to the sun gear (SR1) of the first planetary gear set (RS1). The second shaft (2) is connected or connectable, as a drive (Ab), to the first machine element (ST1) and to the second machine element (ST2).
US09915318B2
A centrifugal-pendulum vibration absorbing device disposed within a liquid chamber that stores a liquid, the centrifugal-pendulum vibration absorbing device having a support member coupled to a rotary element that is rotated by power from a drive device; and a mass body supported by the support member so as to be swingable. An order of vibration of the mass body is determined on the basis of an order of vibration to be damped generated by the drive device in consideration of at least a force caused by a centrifugal liquid pressure generated within the liquid chamber along with rotation of the drive device to act on the mass body.
US09915312B2
A machine is on a first side of a plate (20) and a rod (50) passes along or through the plate (20). The plate (20) is susceptible to vibrations arising from operation of the machine. An active vibration suppressor (60) is mounted on the rod (50), and a controller is configured to control the active vibration suppressor (60) to suppress vibrations of the plate (20).
US09915311B2
A torque-limiting a clutch brake is provided for an input shaft of a vehicle transmission. The clutch brake employs wave springs in its torque-limiting feature and can largely be fabricated from sheet metal parts.
US09915309B2
An expansion device for drum brakes, which is floatingly and approximately centrally arranged between two substantially symmetrical brake shoes, the expansion device including at least two gear levers articulated to each other and each supported on a brake shoe, at least one of the gear levers of the expansion lock being coupled to an actuating element of an actuator system such that the brake shoes carry out an even, translationally directed expanding movement, which is converted by a gearing, in the direction of the brake drum. At least one of the gear levers of the spreader lock has a spring element integrated into it that can be elastically reversibly deformed by a brake application force about a defined elasticity ΔS of at least 1 mm in a defined manner.
US09915307B2
A brake for machine and method of using the brake is disclosed. The brake may comprise first and second brake linings configured to be frictionally engageable with a rail, a first biasing member configured to urge the first brake lining to engage the rail, and a first actuator configured to move the first brake lining (38) to disengage the rail when the first actuator is energized. The brake may be configured to be mounted on a machine, floor or the like.
US09915293B2
A constant-velocity joint 1 includes an outer ring with three raceway grooves formed therein, a tripod member having three tripod shaft portions, and roller units each having a cylindrical inner roller externally fitted over the corresponding tripod shaft portion and an outer roller. The outer roller has an annular surface facing a ceiling surface of a raceway groove. The ceiling surface includes first and second contact portions and that come into contact with an outer edge of the annular surface when the roller unit is tilted. When an outside diameter of the annular surface is represented as a roller end surface diameter A, a width of the outer roller in an axial direction is represented as a roller width B, and an interval between the first and second contact portions is represented as a contact portion interval H, a relational expression (A+B)/H≧2.5 is satisfied.
US09915291B2
A rod-shaped element having an outer diameter, which is the same as an outer diameter of a completed rod part, has one axial end portion and the other axial end portion to which a base end portion of a bifurcated yoke is fixed. The one axial end portion is subject to plastic working for diametrically deforming an outer periphery of the one axial end portion. Thereby, the outer periphery of the one axial end portion is formed with a male spline part having a groove bottom diameter smaller than an outer diameter of a rod part and having a tooth tip diameter larger than the outer diameter of the rod part.
US09915289B2
By randomly arranging dimples provided on a sealing face, a sliding characteristic is improved in a wide range of a bearing characteristic number on the sealing face. A pair of sliding parts in which a plurality of dimples is arranged on at least one of sealing faces that relatively slide on each other is characterized in that each of the plurality of dimples is provided independently from the other dimples, and arranged in such a manner that the plurality of dimples having different opening diameters is randomly distributed.
US09915285B2
A universal joint includes a first band and a second band which are separated by a slot, are cylindrical and coaxial with one another with respect to a common axis, and further includes a first torsion bar, whose ends are joined to the first band, and a second torsion bar whose ends are joined to the second band.
US09915283B2
A fixture has an adsorbing assembly and a clamping assembly. The adsorbing assembly has a flexible disc, a cover, and a handle. The flexible disc has a pulling pole. The cover has a positioning pipe and two protruding portions. The positioning pipe is formed centrally on the cover. The two protruding portions are located at two sides of the positioning pipe. The handle has two fastening portions respectively fastened with the two protruding portions. The clamping assembly has a first clamping portion, an adjusting component, a pivot clamping portion and a second clamping portion. The first clamping portion has a cylinder. The adjusting component is mounted in the first clamping portion. The pivot clamping portion is connected to the cylinder of the first clamping portion. The second clamping portion is combined with the first clamping portion to position the pivot clamping portion.
US09915279B2
In combination, a manway cover and a manway flange having one or more bolt opening(s) and a pull-up bolt assembly adapted to be used for supporting a hinge component to the manway cover, the manway flange, or both, where the pull-up bolt assembly having a pull-up bolt member, a nut component, a tapered member, and an expandable friction member, where one or more structures selected from a thread, a ridge and/or a groove disposed on an outside surface of the expandable friction member and the one or more bolt opening(s) having an inside surface adapted for mating with the corresponding one or more structures of the expandable friction member whereby, when the pull-up bolt assembly is engaged within the one or more bolt opening(s), the one or more structures aligns with the corresponding inside surface of the one or more bolt opening(s).
US09915277B2
A device for securing threaded rod can include a housing and a threaded rod locking mechanism. The housing can include a rod locking body with a tapered bore, and a housing extension extending from an end of the rod locking body. The threaded rod locking mechanism can include two plunger pieces, each of which are movable within the tapered bore and include a respective threaded inner surface and a respective sloped outer surface that can engage the tapered bore. The threaded rod locking mechanism can also include a spring disposed within the tapered bore to bias the plunger pieces towards a narrow end of the tapered bore. The plunger pieces can be urged towards each other and towards an axis of the tapered bore by contact between the outer surfaces of the plunger pieces and an internal surface of the tapered bore.
US09915275B2
The present invention generally relates to a stacked shuttle valve. More specifically, the present invention relates to a stacked shuttle valve that is; fully reconfigurable in the field, facilitated by adding or removing stages, allowing the total number of stages in an existing shuttle stack to be varied in order to suit the application requirement; fully serviceable in the field, facilitated by the installation of new shuttle and seat components shuttle components, without requiring the full dismantling of the shuttle stack and body replacement; spring biased at each stage within the stack by utilizing a small conical coil shuttle spring; leak tight shuttle without the need to coin the metal to metal adapter seal by utilizing a radius shaped shuttle seat; uses shuttle and seat components that are interchangeable with the single shuttle assembly; and capable of greater flow rates.
US09915265B2
A compressor system with a continuously variable oil injection orifice is structured to regulate a flow of oil from an oil reservoir into a compressor. The orifice includes a first valve member moveable in response to oil pressure toward a second valve member to define a continuously variable flow area. A biasing member urges the first valve member away from the second valve member.
US09915263B2
In accordance with one embodiment, the gear pump comprises a first gear meshed with a second gear as well as a housing, in which the gears are supported. The housing includes a first void, which at least partly adjoins a first side surface of the first gear, and a second void, which at least partly adjoins a second side surface of the first gear. The gear pump further comprises a fluid intake channel configured to direct fluid towards the gears, wherein at least one deflector is arranged within the fluid intake such that an incident fluid flow is diverted towards the first void as well as to the second void.
US09915252B2
A compressor includes a swash plate rotated with a drive shaft in a swash plate chamber, a link mechanism that changes an inclination angle of the swash plate, an actuator rotated integrally with the drive shaft, and an actuator control mechanism. The actuator includes a partitioning body fitted to the drive shaft in the swash plate chamber, a movable body that is coupled to the swash plate and moved relative to the partitioning body along the axis of the drive shaft, and a control pressure chamber, the pressure of which moves the movable body. The control mechanism changes the pressure of the control pressure chamber to move the movable body. The swash plate includes a fulcrum point, coupled to the link mechanism, and an action point, coupled to the movable body. The fulcrum point and the action point are located at opposite sides of the drive shaft.
US09915248B2
The invention concerns a hydraulic piston machine, in particular a water hydraulic machine, with at least one cylinder, in which a piston (4) is arranged to reciprocate, the piston (4) comprising a hollow that is surrounded by an annular wall and has one open end. It is endeavored to keep cavitations small. For this purpose, a filling member (13) is arranged in the hollow (12), the filling member (13) having at least a radial projection (22) and the annular wall (16) having at least a radial depression (17) in the inside facing the hollow (12), or the annular wall (16) having a radial projection and the filing member (13) having a radial depression, the depression having a restraint (19), at least at the end adjacent to the open end (18) of the hollow (12), and the projection (22) and the depression (17) engaging each other.
US09915239B2
A vehicle starter assembly includes a switching circuit configured to operate in a charging state and a discharging state, and a first energy storage device and a second energy storage device electrically connected to the switching circuit. The first energy storage device and the second energy storage device are connected in parallel to one another in the charging state and in series with one another in the discharging state. The processor is programmed to detect an engine start request and output a switch control signal that toggles the switching circuit between the charging state and the discharging state to start an internal combustion engine of a host vehicle.
US09915234B2
A valve structure includes a retention element, a first valve body, and a second valve body. The retention element is mounted to and is retained in a lower portion of a stored object. The stored object includes a pump device that pumps fuel from the fuel tank into the sub tank through a pumping passage that communicates an inside of the sub tank with an outside of the sub tank. The stored object is inserted from an upper portion of the sub tank and housed inside the sub tank. The first valve body is integrally formed with the retention element and extends from the retention element. The first valve body is located at a natural inlet open on the bottom portion of the sub tank. The second valve body is integrally formed with the retention element and extends from the retention element. The second valve body is located on the pumping passage.
US09915224B2
An engine testing system comprises a rotary absorber that provides a variable resistance to an engine under test and heats coolant from a cold reservoir. A hot reservoir coupled to rotary absorber stores the heated coolant for later (or concurrent) use. Moreover, an organic Rankine cycle turbine-generator device is coupled to the hot reservoir, which converts heat from heated coolant into electrical power. A conditioning system is coupled to the organic Rankine cycle turbine-generator device that cools the coolant for storage in the cold reservoir. The available captured waste energy may be augmented with waste energy that is also available during engine testing. The additional waste energy may be in the form of exhaust gases, thrust, heat from engine coolant systems, residual engine heat, radiant or convective waste heat, friction etc. Variations of the above system may replace the primary energy re-capture from other than a rotary absorber.
US09915221B2
A combustion system for use with one or more cylinder bores of an internal combustion engine includes at least one cylinder head defining first and second intake ports in fluid communication with the one or more cylinder bores. A flap is adjustably connected to the at least one cylinder head. The flap includes a first flap portion cooperating with the first intake port extending from an arm and a second flap portion cooperating with the second intake port extending from the arm and disposed adjacent the first flap portion. A controller in electrical communication with an actuator monitors the condition of the engine and actuates the flap to position the first and second flap portions between first and second positions to create a first combustion condition and a second combustion condition.
US09915214B2
Method for controlling speed surge of an internal combustion engine of a moving vehicle during a ratio change of a manual gearbox, the vehicle including an engine control unit with a transient progressive torque reduction phase activated when the driver requests zero torque or when the foot is raised, the engine control unit: detects the raised foot and activates the transient progressive torque reduction phase; records engine speed and determines the gearbox ratio engaged when the foot is raised; determines, a maximum permissible engine speed (Nmax) which is greater than the recorded speed (Nlvp) of the raised foot, in accordance with the engine speed recorded and the engaged gearbox ratio; monitors the current speed (Nc) so that if Nc>Nmax, a stop is initiated with immediate effect of the transient progressive torque reduction phase, an if Nc≦Nmax, the transient progressive torque reduction phase is maintained.
US09915213B2
The objective of the present invention is to provide an engine with improved startability and stable operation regardless of the driving environment and usage conditions. The engine is equipped with a control means, which calculates a standard injection timing on the basis of the target rotational frequency of the engine and a standard injection amount, that is, the amount of fuel injected, and which corrects the standard injection timing using at least one correction amount. A fuel injection control unit calculates a cooling water correction amount on the basis of the target rotational frequency of the engine, the standard injection amount, and the cooling water temperature, and when the cooling water temperature is less than a first prescribed temperature the control unit corrects the standard injection timing using only the cooling water correction amount.
US09915209B2
An internal combustion engine and a method for maximizing fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes an engine block assembly having an electromagnet coupled thereto and an engine component movable relative to the engine block assembly. The engine component includes a permanent magnet coupled thereto. A control system is provided to selectively provide an electrical current to the electromagnet to produce a desired magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field of the electromagnet cooperates with a magnetic field of the permanent magnet to affect a motion of the engine component in respect of the engine block assembly.
US09915208B2
A flap device for an internal combustion engine includes a flow housing comprising a flow channel, an actuating shaft, a flap body arranged on the actuating shaft in the flow channel, a bore comprising a shoulder arranged in the flow housing, a bearing bush arranged in the bore, a closure bush, a slide ring comprising a slide ring inner portion, and a sealing element surrounding the actuating shaft. The actuating shaft is mounted in the bearing bush. The sealing element comprises a membrane with a membrane inner portion and a membrane outer portion. The membrane outer portion is clamped axially between the closure bush and the shoulder to form a contact surface on the bore of the flow housing. The membrane inner portion rests against the slide ring inner portion to form a mating surface which is arranged closer to the flow channel than to the contact surface.
US09915204B2
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for distributing cooling air in gas turbine engines. A tangential on board injector (“TOBI”) may supply cooling air to a turbine section of a gas turbine engine. The cooling air may be split into a first cooling air path and a second cooling air path. The first cooling air path may fluidly connect the TOBI and the interior of a first stage rotor blade. The second cooling air path may fluidly connect the TOBI and a cavity. The cavity may be located between a first disk and a second disk. The cooling air paths from a single cooling air source may thermally isolate portions of the turbine section.
US09915202B2
An apparatus includes a gas turbine engine and a heat transfer system. The gas turbine engine includes an inlet particle separator that separates inlet air into scavenge air and clean air. A scavenge air path conveys the scavenge air from the inlet particle separator to the heat transfer system. A heat exchange fluid path conveys a heat exchange fluid to the heat transfer system and a cooled heat exchange fluid away from the heat transfer system. The heat transfer system is configured to transfer heat from the heat exchange fluid path to the scavenge air path to cool the heat exchange fluid.
US09915200B2
A system includes a fuel control system configured to control a fuel flow to one or more combustors and an oxidant control system configured to control an oxidant flow to each combustor of the one or more combustors, wherein the oxidant flow is configured to at least partially react with the fuel flow within the one or more combustors to form an exhaust gas flow. The system also includes an exhaust gas system configured to direct a recirculation flow of the exhaust gas flow to each combustor of the one or more combustors; and a controller coupled to the fuel control system, the oxidant control system, and the exhaust gas system. The controller is configured to independently control a fuel-to-oxidant ratio and an exhaust gas-to-oxidant ratio. The FOR is the fuel flow divided by the oxidant flow, and the EGOR is the recirculation flow divided by the oxidant flow.
US09915186B2
An engine having an after-treatment system for reducing emissions from an exhaust stream includes an intake manifold and a plurality of cylinders coupled to the intake manifold. The plurality of cylinders includes a first set of cylinders and a second set of cylinders. Further, the engine includes a first exhaust manifold coupled to the first set of cylinders and a second exhaust manifold coupled to the second set of cylinders. The engine further includes an after-treatment system coupled to the first exhaust manifold. The first exhaust manifold further includes an end portion disposed downstream relative to the after-treatment system. The end portion of the first exhaust manifold is coupled to a first portion of the second exhaust manifold via a pipe.
US09915179B2
A transient liquid pressure power generation system and associated devices and methods is disclosed. The system can include a liquid source and a transient pressure drive device fluidly coupled to the liquid source to receive liquid from the liquid source. The transient pressure drive device can include a drive component, and a transient wave or pressure producing element to cause a high pressure transient wave in the liquid traveling toward the liquid source to operate the drive component. Additionally, the system can include a heat source fluidly coupled to the transient pressure drive device and the liquid source to receive liquid from the transient pressure drive device and heat liquid returning to the liquid source.
US09915174B1
A bearing assembly is provided. The bearing assembly may include an inner race configured to couple to a shaft, an outer race disposed around the inner race, a bearing support structure coupled to the outer race, and a housing disposed around the bearing support structure. The housing and the bearing support structure may define a squeeze-film damper annulus configured to receive an aerated damping fluid. The aerated damping fluid may be provided from a fluid pump and an air supply port.
US09915164B2
A gas turbine engine comprises a fan rotor, a lower speed compressor rotor and a higher speed compressor rotor, and a lower speed turbine rotor and a higher speed turbine rotor. The lower speed turbine rotor rotates the lower speed compressor rotor, and rotates a gear reduction to, in turn, rotate the fan rotor. The higher speed turbine rotor rotates the higher speed compressor rotor. An electrical generator is driven to rotate with one of the lower speed turbine rotor and the fan rotor.
US09915159B2
A nozzle assembly is provided which is, in part, formed of a low coefficient of thermal expansion material. The assembly includes a nozzle fairing formed of the low coefficient of thermal expansion material and includes a metallic strut extending radially through the nozzle fairing. Load is transferred from the nozzle fairing to a static structure in either of two ways: first, the strut may receive the load directly and/or second, load may be transferred from the nozzle fairing to at least one of the inner and outer support rings. Further, the nozzle fairing and strut may allow for internal airflow for cooling.
US09915155B2
A rotor blade arrangement (20), especially for a gas turbine, which can be fastened on a blade carrier (19) and includes in each case a blade aerofoil element (10) and a platform element (14), wherein the platform elements (14) of a blade row form a continuous inner shroud. With such a blade arrangement, a mechanical decoupling, which extends the service life, is achieved by the blade aerofoil element (10) and the platform element (14) being formed as separate elements and by being able to be fastened in each case separately on the blade carrier (19).
US09915151B2
An airfoil may be provided that includes a CMC body and a support piece. The CMC body has an inner surface that defines a chamber within the CMC body. The support piece may be positioned within the chamber of the CMC body. The support piece comprises a channel in a surface of the support piece, the surface being in contact with the inner surface of the CMC body. The channel and the inner surface of the CMC body define a passageway for a cooling fluid. The passageway may wind about the circumference of the CMC body and extend along the span of the airfoil. Outlets may be positioned through the CMC body allowing fluid communication between the passageway and the outer surface of the CMC body.
US09915148B2
A pick for mineral winning includes an elongate shank configured to be positioned into a cavity of a holder. A profile is defined on an outside surface of the shaft which includes a first surface formed into the profile and disposed to receive a leveraging device to enable a first forced translational movement of the shaft relative to the holder, and a second surface formed into the profile and disposed to receive the leveraging device to enable a second forced translational movement of the shaft relative to the holder.
US09915147B2
Apparatus and method for measuring the compressibility (K) of a fluid circulated by a positive displacement pump that comprises: a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure P of a fluid confined in a fluid module of the pump; a position sensor for sensing the position X, of a piston in the fluid module and a control unit communicating with the pressure sensor and the position sensor adapted to: log the pressure (P) and piston position (X) substantially synchronously; using (X), calculate the volume (V) of the confined fluid in the fluid module; and using (P) and (V), calculate the compressibility (K).
US09915142B1
A downhole tool having opposing interfaces for incorporation of the downhole tool into a downhole tool string, and a housing extending between the opposing interfaces. An accelerometer is disposed within the housing for detecting acceleration of the downhole tool in response to a mechanical impact generated elsewhere within the downhole tool string. The accelerometer generates an accelerometer signal indicative of the detected acceleration. A strain sensor is disposed within the housing for detecting strain of the downhole tool. The strain sensor generates a strain signal indicative of the detected strain. The downhole tool includes a processor for processing the accelerometer signal utilizing the strain signal.
US09915141B1
A system and method for installing casing in a blind horizontal well for blind horizontal directional borings. The system and method may include an example of an offset transmitter sonde assembly that contains an open central passage through which well casing can be inserted, and an example of a drill bit assembly that may be remotely uncoupled from a drill string, leaving the bit in the bore created. Remote uncoupling of the drill bit assembly tends to allow a casing to be installed in the bore while the drill string and bit remain in the bore for support during casing installation. After installation of the casing the drill bit assembly may be uncoupled from the drill string, allowing the drill string to be withdrawn from the bore, with the drill bit assembly remaining in the bore.
US09915140B2
Optical analysis systems, methods, and apparatuses for analyzing fluids may be useful for in situ monitoring fluids that relate to cementing operations. For example, a method may include containing a cement fluid composition in a flow path comprising a wellbore; and optically interacting the cement fluid composition with an integrated computational element, thereby generating an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the cement fluid composition, the integrated computational element being coupled to a tool.
US09915139B2
A method includes performing a directional drilling operation. The method also includes receiving data from one or more sensors, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors output data related to a performance attribute of a downhole component that is from a group consisting of a downhole drilling motor and a rotary steerable tool. The downhole component comprises part of a drill string that is used to perform the directional drilling operation. The performance attribute is selected from a group consisting of rotations per unit of time of the downhole component, operating differential pressure across the downhole component and torque output of the downhole component. The method also includes displaying the data in a graphical and numerical representation on a graphical user interface screen.
US09915137B2
A method of fracturing multiple zones within a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation is carried out by forming flow-through passages in two or more zones within the wellbore that are spaced apart from each other along the wellbore. The flow-through passages are arranged into clusters, where the directions of all flow-through passages, which belong to the same cluster, are aligned within a single plane (cluster plane). At least one cluster of flow-through passages is formed in each zone. The clusters within each zone have characteristics different from those of other zones provided by orienting the cluster planes at different angles relative to principal in-situ stresses and by placing them into different locations along the wellbore in each of the two or more zones. A propellant pre-fracturing treatment is then performed in the two or more zones to create initial fractures (pre-fractures) in each of the two or more zones. The fracturing fluid in the fracturing treatment is provided at a pressure that is above the pre-fracture propagation pressure of one of the two or more zones to facilitate fracturing of said one of the two or more zones. The pressure of the fracturing fluid is below the pre-fracture propagation pressure of any other non-treated zones of the two or more zones. The isolating of the treated zone is then performed. The fracturing process is then repeated for at least one or more non-treated zones of the two or more zones.
US09915135B1
System and method for providing power to a downhole powered device through a sensor housing. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are a powered device engaged with a power line connectable to a power supply by a power connector, and a sensor system arranged in a sensor housing, the sensor housing located between the powered device and the power connector, and the power line passing through the sensor housing such that heat generated from the power line is dissipated away from the sensor system.
US09915132B2
A fracturing system can include a fracturing manifold coupled to a plurality of fracturing trees. The fracturing manifold may include adjustment joints that enable adjustment of the length of the fracturing manifold. The fracturing manifold can also include pivot joints that allow angular displacement of portions of the fracturing manifold with respect to other portions. The adjustment and pivot joints can accommodate spacing and elevation differences between the fracturing trees.
US09915120B2
A seal element for sealing a conduit is described. The seal element comprises a frusto conical portion and a first lip extending from an external edge of the frusto conical portion, the lip being adapted to be pivoted into engagement with a conduit surface. In a described embodiment, two seal elements are provided on a plug for sealing a conduit, the seal elements facing in opposite directions to seal from above and below.
US09915116B2
An embodiment may take the form of a method usable with a well including pumping an untethered object into the well to land on a restriction downhole in the well and using the restriction to trigger release of an agent carried by the object into the well. Another embodiment may take the form of an apparatus usable with a well having a solid object adapted to be pumped into the well and an agent to be adapted to be released from the solid object in response to the solid object landing on a restriction in the well.
US09915115B2
The present invention discloses a petroleum instrument salvaging connector, which is set on a salvage end of a petroleum instrument, for being in hooking fit with a salvaging head of a petroleum instrument salvaging device. The petroleum instrument salvaging connector comprises a salvaging connector body (11); the salvaging connector body (11) has a stair-shaped salvaging hole; the stair-shaped salvaging hole is a blind hole and comprises a large-caliber section (111) and a small-caliber section (112); the large-caliber section (111) is located at the bottom of the stair-shaped salvaging hole, and a hooking face (113) facing the bottom of the large-caliber section (111) is formed at the jointing part between the large-caliber section (111) and the small-caliber section (112); and a sand outlet (116) is set at the bottom of the sidewall of the large-caliber section (111). The invention further discloses a petroleum instrument. By employing the above solutions, the problem in the current drilling process may be solved that the salvaging head cannot be in hooking fit with the petroleum instrument salvaging connector due to the deposition of solid particles in the slurry in the stair-shaped salvaging hole of the petroleum instrument salvaging connector.
US09915107B1
A vortex-controlled variable flow resistance device ideal for use in a backpressure tool for advancing drill string in extended reach downhole operations. The characteristics of the pressure waves generated by the device are controlled by the growth and decay of vortices in the vortex chamber(s) of a flow path. The flow path is designed to produce alternating primary and secondary vortices—one clockwise and one counter-clockwise—where the primary vortex is stronger and produces higher backpressure than the secondary vortex. This in turn generates alternating weak and strong pressure pulses in the drill string. The weak pulses may be barely perceptible so that the effective frequency of the pulses is determined by the stronger primary vortices.
US09915106B2
A downhole motor drive shaft assembly includes a drive shaft having a longitudinal rotational axis, a plurality of drive key sockets, an end housing having a longitudinal rotational axis, a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial keyways, and a concave spherical thrust bearing surface, and a drive key operatively connecting each drive key socket with a respective axial keyway for transferring torque from the drive shaft to the end housing. The drive key includes a substantially planar drive face slidably engaging the axial keyway, and a radiused, cylindrical back portion rotatably engaging the drive key socket, the substantially planar drive face and radiused, cylindrical back portion forming a nominal half-circle.
US09915105B2
A swivel configured to rotationally decouple an upper section of a work string from a lower section of the work string. The swivel includes an upper body coupled to a lower body by a ring member and a plurality of shearable members. The lower body has a plurality of teeth members that engage a plurality of teeth members of the ring member. Rotation of the upper body is transmitted to the lower body by the ring member. The upper body is rotatable relative to the lower body when the shearable members are sheared.
US09915101B2
An underreamer for increasing the diameter of a bore. The underreamer includes a substantially cylindrical body having an axial bore therein. A mandrel may extend axially through the axial bore. One or more cutter blocks are movably coupled to the body. A ratio of a height of the cutter block to a diameter of the body is between about 0.35:1 and about 0.50:1.
US09915094B2
The invention relates to a roller shutter (10, 32, 42, 51) for opening and closing a doorway having a door leaf (11) and side rails (17) for guiding the door leaf (11), and having a coiling device (14) for selectively rolling up the door leaf (11) for opening the doorway and unrolling the door leaf (11) for closing the doorway. For reducing or avoiding the risk of creating a polygon effect and for providing a roller shutter (10, 32, 42, 51) comprising a door leaf having rigid shutter elements with an increased height and/or with the possibility of applying an increased speed for opening and/or closing the door leaf the roller shutter (10, 32, 42, 51) is characterized in that a separate guiding device (21, 33, 43) is provided for guiding the door leaf (11) in the area between the side rail (17) and the coiling device (14), wherein the guiding device (21, 33, 43) is arranged to adjust to an increasing diameter and to a decreasing diameter of the coiling device (14).
US09915084B1
A locking mechanism suitable for use with a door or other entry point is contemplated. The locking mechanism may include cams, levers or other features operable to facilitate securing the door against prying, wedging and related techniques intended to compromise secure by physically separating the door from a door frame or other support structure.
US09915073B1
An apparatus and method for siding a building wherein the apparatus comprises an elongate planar member extending between first and second edges, top and bottom edges and having front and rear surfaces and at least one mounting block extending between first and second edges, top and bottom edges and having a rear surface wherein the at least one mounting block extends from the rear surface of the elongate planar member proximate to the top edge of the elongate planar member. The method comprises aligning each of the at least one mounting block of the siding panel with a stud location in a vertical wall and fastening the siding panel to the studs in the vertical wall through the at least one mounting block with a plurality of fasteners, so as to create a rainscreen gap between the elongate planar member and the vertical wall.
US09915063B1
A unitary metal clip for a wall panel system. The unitary metal clip includes a hem portion configured and dimensioned to wrap around a flat end of a first panel of the wall panel system, and an angled kick portion extending away from the hem portion. The angled kick portion is configured and dimensioned to extend into a return of the first panel that is adjacent the flat end. The angled kick portion is further configured and dimensioned to deflect to accept a shaped end of a second panel of the wall panel system and snap back to lock the shaped end of the second panel into the return of the first panel. A fastener opening is located in the hem portion to accept a fastener to secure the flat end to a wall.
US09915057B2
An apparatus for use with a sink having a basin. The apparatus includes a plurality of interconnected panels for positioning on a top surface of the sink. The plurality of interconnected panels are configured to be positionable in a first position to cover the sink basin and a second position for storage.
US09915055B2
An attachment system for attaching a tailgate to a frame of a power machine. The tailgate is moveable between a closed position and an opened position. The attachment system includes first and second attachment structures for pivotally mounting the cover to the frame. The second attachment structure is spaced apart from the first attachment structure. A connection member connects the first attachment structure and the second attachment structure. The tailgate is configured to pivot about the connection member as it moves between the closed position and the open position.
US09915052B2
A manhole cover assembly includes a manhole cover and a latch assembly. The manhole cover is supportable by a seat of a manhole frame. The latch assembly includes a latch housing fixedly coupled to the manhole cover. A latch plunger is slidably coupled to the latch housing. The latch plunger includes a follower arm. A latch lever is rotatably coupled to the latch housing. The latch lever includes a stop. The latch lever is rotatable relative to the latch housing between a locked position and an unlocked position. The stop is structured to engage the manhole frame when the latch lever is rotated to unlocked position so as to force the manhole cover away from the frame.
US09915043B2
In an automotive milling machine, with a height-adjustable machine frame, with a controller for the travelling and milling operation, with a working drum, with a slewable transport conveyor device arranged in front of or behind the working drum as seen in the direction of travel of the milling machine, where the last or single transport conveyor of the transport conveyor device as seen in the direction of transport is slewable sideways, relative to the machine frame, about an essentially vertical axis under a slewing angle, and about an axis orthogonal to the axis under an elevation angle, and where the transport conveyor discharges the milled material at a specified conveying speed onto a point of impingement on a loading surface of a transport vehicle, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the controller comprises a detection and control system which continuously locates the alterable position of the loading surface of the transport vehicle and of the transport conveyor relative to the machine frame, or the alterable position of the loading surface of the transport vehicle relative to the transport conveyor, and continuously controls positioning of the point of impingement of the milled material automatically via the slewing angle and/or the elevation angle and/or the conveying speed of the transport conveyor in such a way that the discharged milled material impinges within the loading surface.
US09915039B2
A device for cleaning a drum surface of an asphalt compactor. The device has a first and a second brackets fixed to a body of the compactor, a first supporting arm pivotably connected to the first bracket, a second supporting arm pivotably connected to the second bracket, a roller shaft supported by the supporting arms and is parallel to the rotation axis of the drum, a roller wiper mounted to the roller shaft and is extending along the width of the drum, contacting the surface of the drum. The device further has elastic members engaged between the brackets and the supporting arms. These elastic members are pressing the roller wiper against the surface of the drum. The roller wiper of the device has an enhanced lifespan.
US09915032B2
An absorbent cellulosic sheet made by a method that includes forming an aqueous cellulosic web on a portion of a structuring fabric in a papermaking machine, and drying the cellulosic web to form the absorbent cellulosic sheet. The portion of the structuring fabric on which the cellulosic web is formed has a planar volumetric index of at least about 26. The absorbent cellulosic sheet has a caliper of at least about 160 mils/8 sheets and a dry machine direction (MD) to cross machine direction (CD) tensile ratio of less than about 1.0.
US09915023B2
Clothes dryer wireless moisture data transfer systems and energy-efficient methods of operation thereof are provided. One example method of operating a near field communication (NFC) tag includes determining whether a rotatable drum of a clothes dryer appliance is currently rotating. The NFC tag is secured to the drum. The method includes operating the NFC tag in an ultra-low power mode when it is determined that the drum is not currently rotating. The method includes periodically switching the NFC tag between a normal mode and a low power mode when it is determined that the drum is currently rotating.
US09915021B2
A clothes line system has a pair of spaced horizontal pulleys mounted respectively on support arms above the ground. Each pulley is formed with radially extending spokes having mounted on each end thereof a Y-shaped line engagement member that engages a clothes line entrained around the pulleys. The overall length of the clothes line is substantially a multiple of the linear distance between adjacent Y-shaped line engagement members on the pulleys. As a result, the Y-shaped line engagement members engage essentially the same location along the clothes line with the clothes aligning between the Y-shaped line engagement members as they pass around the pulleys. One of the pulleys maintains tension in the entrained clothes line utilizing a support arm structure that has a telescopic portion drawn toward a base member. A tilt adjustment device interconnecting the support arm and the vertical post orient the angle of the support arms.
US09915019B2
A laundry treatment apparatus including a cabinet forming an appearance of the apparatus, a drum disposed in the cabinet and having a laundry space therein to for accommodate laundry, a rotating shaft for rotatably supporting the drum in the cabinet, a balancer including a housing fixed to the drum, an accommodation space defined in the housing, a balancing unit movably provided in the accommodation space, and a housing power line provided in the accommodation space to supply electric power to the balancing unit, a shaft through-hole formed through the rotating shaft, a first connecting line disposed in the shaft through-hole and connected to a power source, a second connecting line connected to the housing power line, and a connector for coupling the first connecting line to the second connecting line is disclosed.
US09915018B2
A washing machine includes a casing, an exterior container disposed within the casing, configured to store washing water for washing, and supported to the casing, and a suspension module disposed between the exterior container and the casing and configured to buffer a vibration transferred from the exterior container to the casing. The suspension module includes a holder disposed between a horizontal suspension and a vertical suspension and configured to generate a relative movement in a length direction and to perform buffering on a vibration in a direction that crosses the length direction when the vibration is reduced.
US09915013B2
A shed forming device for a weaving machine comprising motion systems consisting of hooks that are moveable up and down, transmission elements to transmit the hook motion to a carrier for warp threads, a first force element to exert a downward-directed force on the carrier, and an energy buffer and a second force element to exert a force on an element of the motion system that results in an upward-directed force on the carrier so that the element is so deformed or displaced that the elements of the motion system are kept under tension.
US09915004B2
The present disclosure is directed to a method for tuning the performance of at least one electrochemical cell of an electrochemical cell stack. The method includes supplying power to an electrochemical cell stack. The electrochemical cell stack includes a plurality of electrochemical cells. The method further includes monitoring a parameter of at least one electrochemical cell and determining if an electrochemical cell becomes impaired. The method also includes diverting a fraction of the current flow from the impaired electrochemical cell during operation of the electrochemical cell stack.
US09914997B2
A method for supplying a process with an enriched carrier gas. A first apparatus and a second apparatus are provided. The first apparatus has a precursor and is configured to bring a carrier gas into contact with the precursor and to enrich the carrier gas with the precursor. The second apparatus has a precursor and is configured to bring a carrier gas into contact with the precursor and to enrich the carrier gas with the precursor. The first apparatus supplies the second apparatus with an enriched carrier gas. The second apparatus supplies the enriched carrier gas for the process. A temperature of the first apparatus is controlled as a function of a quantity of precursor in the second apparatus.
US09914995B2
Methods of depositing a metal selectively onto a metal surface relative to a dielectric surface are described. Methods include reducing a metal oxide surface to a metal surface and protecting a dielectric surface to minimize deposition thereon and exposing the substrate to a metal precursor and an alcohol to deposit a film.
US09914979B2
The present disclosure provides methods of characterizing one or more microorganisms and kits for characterizing at least one microorganism. Exemplary methods include preparing an amplicon library, sequencing a characteristic gene sequence to obtain a gene sequence, and characterizing the one or more microorganisms based on the gene sequence using a computer-based genomic analysis of the gene sequence. Exemplary kits include at least one forward primer including an adapter sequence and a priming sequence, for a target sequence, and at least one reverse primer.
US09914977B2
In certain preferred embodiments, the invention provides methods for treating cancer, which comprise (a) obtaining a specimen of cancer tissue from a patient; (b) obtaining a specimen of normal tissue in the proximity of the cancer tissue from such patient; (c) extracting total protein and RNA from the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (d) obtaining a protein expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue using 2D DIGE and mass spectrometry; (e) identifying proteins that are expressed in such cancer tissue at significantly different levels than in the normal tissue; (f) obtaining a gene expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue using microarray technology and comparing the results thereof to the protein expression profile; (g) prioritizing over-expressed proteins by assessing the connectivity thereof to other cancer-related or stimulatory proteins; (h) designing an appropriate RNA interference expression cassette to, directly or indirectly, modulate the expression of genes encoding such prioritized proteins; (i) incorporating said cassette into an appropriate delivery vehicle; and (j) providing the patient with an effective amount of the delivery vehicle to, directly or indirectly, modify the expression (i.e., production) of such proteins.
US09914976B2
Provided are methods and compositions for determining an increased likelihood of prostate cancer cells in a subject to metastasize.
US09914973B2
Detection of gene fusions by intragenic differential expression (IDE) using average cycle thresholds
Described herein are methods and kits for detecting the presence or absence of gene dysregulations such as those arising from gene fusions and/or chromosomal abnormalities, e.g. translocations, insertions, inversions and deletions. The methods, compositions and kits are useful for detecting mutations that cause the differential expression of a 5′ portion of a target gene relative to the 3′ region of the target gene. The average expression of the 5′ portion of the target gene is compared with the average expression of the 3′ portion of the target gene to determine an intragenic differential expression (IDE). The IDE can then be used to determine if a dysregulation or a particular disease (or susceptibility to a disease) is present or absent in a subject or sample.
US09914964B2
This disclosure relates to novel compounds for use in various compositions, kits and methods, including, for example, use in polymerase storage buffers and in nucleic acid synthesis or amplification reactions such as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods for preparing the novel compounds are also described.
US09914961B2
The disclosure provides three-dimensional crosslinked polymer networks comprising one or more channels extending from the surface and/or near the surface of the network into the interior of the network, arrays comprising the networks, processes for making the networks, and uses of the networks and arrays.
US09914956B2
Provided herein are novel irreversible sialidase inhibitors. These compounds can be conjugated with a detectable tagging moiety such as azide-annexed biotin via CuAAC for isolation and identification of sialidases. The provided compounds and the corresponding detectable conjugates are useful for detecting sialidase-containing pathogens and imaging in situ sialidase activities under physiological conditions.
US09914951B2
Polypeptides having target levels of C-terminal variants are described.
US09914945B2
Continuous processes for the anaerobic bioconversion of syngas to oxygenated hydrocarbonaceous products, in particular lower alkanols, are disclosed in which nutrients, including micronutrients, and lower carboxylate anion are recovered from at least a portion of an aqueous distillation fraction from a distillation unit operation to recover lower alkanols by using a “tight” ultrafiltration membrane. At least about 75 percent of the water permeates the ultrafiltration membrane. The tight ultrafiltration membrane rejects sufficient components that are adverse to the microorganisms used in the bioconversion that continuous fermentation operations over long durations can be achieved.
US09914941B2
Provided herein are compositions and methods for the heterologous production of acetyl-CoA-derived isoprenoids in a host cell. In some embodiments, the host cell is genetically modified to comprise a heterologous nucleotide sequence encoding an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, acetylating (ADA, E.C. 1.2.1.10) and an MEV pathway comprising an NADH-using HMG-CoA reductase. In some embodiments, the host cell is genetically modified to comprise a heterologous nucleotide sequence encoding an ADA and an MEV pathway comprising an acetoacetyl-CoA synthase. In some embodiments, the genetically modified host cell further comprises one or more heterologous nucleotide sequences encoding a phosphoketolase and a phosphotransacetylase. In some embodiments, the genetically modified host cell further comprises a functional disruption of the native PDH-bypass. The compositions and methods described herein provide an energy-efficient yet redox balanced route for the heterologous production of acetyl-CoA-derived isoprenoids.
US09914938B2
The present invention relates generally to methods and compositions for gene therapy and immunotherapy that activate gamma delta T-cells, and in particular, can be used in the treatment of various cancers and infectious diseases.
US09914935B2
The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules and their corresponding encoded polypeptides able confer the trait of modulated plant size, vegetative growth, organ number, plant architecture, growth rate, seedling vigor, growth rate, fruit and seed yield, tillering and/or biomass in plants. The present invention further relates to the use of these nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides in making transgenic plants, plant cells, plant materials or seeds of a plant having plant size, vegetative growth, organ number, plant architecture, growth rate, seedling vigor and/or biomass that are altered with respect to wild type plants grown under similar conditions.
US09914934B2
This disclosure concerns compositions and methods for promoting transcription of a nucleotide sequence in a plant or plant cell, employing a promoter from a Panicum virgatum metallothionein-like gene (mtl). Some embodiments relate to a promoter from a Panicum virgatum metallothionein-like gene (mtl) that functions in plants to promote transcription of operably linked nucleotide sequences.
US09914928B2
The present invention relates to G-quadruplex forming isoDNA aptamers and a process for the preparation thereof. The present invention further relates to a stable, non-genetic, guanine rich 2′-5′ linked isoDNA selected from 3′ deoxy 2′-5′ isoDNA and 3′ deoxy 2′-5′ isoDNA-isoRNA hybrid. The instant 2′-5′ linked isoDNA such as the thrombin binding aptamer (isoTBA) can be used in deep vein thrombosis, where prolonged anticoagulant activity is required.
US09914927B2
The invention relates to compositions and methods for modulating the expression of alpha-ENaC, and more particularly to the downregulation of alpha-ENaC expression by chemically modified oligonucleotides.
US09914920B2
Provided herein are a culture apparatus, culture systems and an alternating ionic magnetic resonance electromagnetic chamber for culturing cells, tissues or organoid bodies or for delivering a pulsating alternating ionic magnetic resonance field to an object of interest including the above or to an animal, human or plant. The culture apparatus comprises a culture unit having growth and nutrient modules and a randomizing adapter to continually randomize the gravity vector in the growth module. The culture systems further comprise the alternating ionic magnetic resonance electromagnetic chamber.
US09914919B2
This disclosure relates to aldolase, an aldolase mutant, and a method and a composition for producing tagatose by using the same. The feature of the disclosure is environment-friendly due to the use of an enzyme acquired from microorganisms, requires only a simple process of enzyme immobilization, uses a low-cost substrate in a substrate compared with a conventional method for producing tagatose and has a remarkably high yield, thereby greatly reducing production costs and maximizing production effects.
US09914912B2
The present invention relates to Abhydrolase containing domain 5 (ABHD5) and N-terminal fragments of HDAC4 (HDAC4-NT) and variants of the aforementioned peptides for the treatment and prevention of heart failure. The present invention further provides vectors for the cardiomyocyte-specific expression of said peptides and a test system comprising ABHD5 for the identification of novel compounds which are useful for the treatment of heart failure.
US09914908B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for introducing a target substance into undifferentiated cells, and a carrier therefor, whereby the target substance can be specifically introduced into the undifferentiated cells by contacting the undifferentiated cells with an rBC2LCN-target substance fusion product in which rBC2LCN lectin is fused to the target substance. Particularly, an rBC2LCN-toxin fusion product in which rBC2LCN lectin is fused to a toxin functioning in cells or its domain having the ability to kill cells functions as an agent for eliminating undifferentiated stem cells and can be administered into a medium after inducing the differentiation of the stem cells to reliably kill only the stem cells in an undifferentiated state.
US09914894B2
The present disclosure concerns a lubricant composition including: at least one base oil; and at least two glycerol esters E1 and E2, ester E1 being an ester of glycerol and of a C12-C26 carboxylic acid and ester E2 being an ester of glycerol and of a C4-C10 carboxylic acid. The lubricant composition has good friction properties, and the use thereof promotes fuel savings.
US09914889B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a process for treating a hydroprocessing fraction. The process can include obtaining a bottom stream from a fractionation zone, and passing at least a portion of the bottom stream to a film generating evaporator zone for separating a first stream containing less heavy polynuclear aromatic compounds than a second stream.
US09914888B2
Processes for treating a hydrocarbon stream to remove heteroatoms from the hydrocarbons. A portion of the hydrotreated effluent is separated in a membrane separation zone to remove hydrogen sulfide and ammonia from the effluent portion which includes hydrogen. The hydrogen effluent portion may be recombined with the remaining hydrotreated effluent and passed to a hydrocracking zone. The hydrogen sulfide and ammonia may be combined with an effluent from the hydrocracking zone.
US09914881B2
Methods and apparatus for vacuum separation are described. The method includes heating a feed comprising a mixture of light and heavy hydrocarbons in a first heating zone. The heated feed is flashed in a flash drum to form a liquid stream and a vapor stream. The liquid stream is heated in a second heating zone. The heated liquid stream is introduced into a vacuum distillation column through a first inlet. The vapor stream from the flash drum is introduced into the vacuum distillation column through a second inlet located above the first inlet, the vapor stream of the flash drum being in fluid communication with the vacuum distillation column.
US09914871B2
A ball sealer for hydrocarbon resource recovery, characterized by being obtained by coating a spherical core that comprises at least one layer comprising a disintegrable aliphatic polyester resin with a resin material that has higher impact resistance than the aliphatic polyester resin and by having a diameter of not less than approximately 25 mm (1 inch). This ball sealer has a large diameter, retains the property of being disintegrable after fracturing, and has impact resistance which makes the ball withstand high-velocity loading. The sealer is suitable for use in hydraulic fracturing, which is commonly used for recovering hydrocarbon resources including petroleum and gases.This large-diameter ball sealer can be efficiently formed with high dimensional accuracy by a method including at least one insert injection molding step.
US09914861B2
A microcapsule-type curable resin composition enables the mass production of microcapsules each encapsulating a curing agent and therefore can be produced at significantly low cost, and which has an excellent adhesion property and excellent storage stability. Particularly, a microcapsule-type curable resin composition can exhibit excellent low-temperature curability and an excellent curing rate when used for a screw member such as a screw and can exhibit a significantly superior effect when used for preventing the looseness of screws. A microcapsule-type curable resin composition includes microcapsules each encapsulating (a) a compound having at least three thiol groups; (b) a substance capable of being cured by reacting with the compound having at least three thiol groups; and (c) a binder capable of adhering the microcapsules to a material of interest. The curable resin composition can be used preferably for the adhesion of a screw member.
US09914854B2
The invention relates to a continuous self-metered process of forming a multilayer film comprising at least two superimposed polymer layers comprising the steps of: (i) providing a substrate (5); (ii) providing two or more coating knives (2, 3, 4) which are offset, independently from each other, from said substrate (5) and/or from an adjacent coating knife to form at least one substrate gap (9) relative to the surface of the substrate (5) and at least one outlet gap (10) relative to the surface of an adjacent coating knife; (iii) moving the substrate (5) relative to the coating knives (2, 3, 4) in a downstream direction (6), (iv) providing curable liquid precursors of the polymers (I, II, III) to the upstream side of the coating knives (2, 3, 4) thereby coating the two or more precursors (I, II, III) through the respective gaps (9, 10) as superimposed layers (12, 13, 14) onto the substrate (5); (v) optionally providing one or more solid films (1 1) and applying these essentially simultaneously with the formation of the adjacent lower polymer layer, and (vi) curing the precursor of the multilayer film thus obtained; wherein a lower layer of a curable liquid precursor (I, II, III) is covered by an adjacent upper layer of a curable liquid precursor (I, II, III) or a film (1 1), respectively, essentially without exposing said lower layer of a curable liquid precursor (I, II, III).
US09914853B2
Provided are a slurry composition to be used in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and a method for polishing a substrate. This slurry composition contains water, abrasive grains, and an alkylene polyalkylene oxide amine polymer having a solubility parameter in a range of 9-10. A preferred alkylene polyalkylene oxide amine polymer is given by general formula (1). (In general formula (1), m and n are positive integers, and A and R are alkylene oxide groups.)
US09914845B2
There is produced a fine silver particle dispersing solution which contains: fine silver particles (the content of silver in the fine silver particle dispersing solution is 30 to 90% by weight), which have an average primary particle diameter of 1 to 100 nm and which are coated with an amine having a carbon number of 8 to 12, such as octylamine, serving as an organic protective material; a polar solvent (5 to 70% by weight) having a boiling point of 150 to 300° C.; and an acrylic dispersing agent (1.5 to 5% by weight with respect to the fine silver particles), such as a dispersing agent of at least one of acrylic acid ester and methacrylic acid ester.
US09914836B2
A coated silver colored colorant includes a silver colored pigment, and a primer polymer at least partially coating the silver colored pigment. The primer polymer has a glass transition temperature that is less than 40° C. A passivating polymer is attached to the primer polymer. The passivating polymer has a glass transition temperature that is greater than 40° C.
US09914830B2
This invention relates flame retardant compositions containing low molecular weight brominated anionic, chain transfer, vinyl aromatic polymers, hereinafter “ACTVAP”. The compositions can accommodate high bromine content while still exhibiting a low thermally labile bromine content. The compositions have glass transition temperatures, Tg, that are predictive of acceptable melt flows and heat distortion temperatures (HDT) in HIPS and ABS based formulations substrates. The compositions, are suitable flame retardant candidates for use in thermoplastic formulations, e.g. polystyrene and ABS formulations.
US09914829B2
Low-dusting, granular compositions are provided that comprise at least 15% by weight crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone.
US09914826B2
A polyolefin composition made from or containing (A) from 90.0 to 99.0 wt % of a first propylene ethylene copolymer wherein (i) the ethylene derived units is between 1.0 and 8.0 wt %; (ii) the melting temperature ranges from 135 to 155° C.; (iii) the melt flow rate (230° C./5 kg ISO 1133) ranges from 0.2 to 3.5 g/10 min; (iv) the xylene solubles at 25° C. ranges from 10.0 to 4.0 wt %; (v) the polydispersity index ranges from 3.0 to 7.0; and (B) from 1.0 to 10.0 wt % of a second propylene ethylene copolymer (i) containing from 8.0 to 20.0 wt % of ethylene derived units; and having a MFR (measured at 190° C. 2.16 kg of load) between 0.5 and 5.0 g/10 min, wherein (a) the resulting polyolefin composition has a melt flow rate (230° C./5 kg ISO 1133) ranging from 0.2 to 4.0 g/10 min and (b) the sum A+B being 100.
US09914825B2
A heterophasic polymer composition comprises a propylene polymer phase, an ethylene polymer phase, and a compatibilizing agent. The compatibilizing agent is a compound comprising at least one moiety conforming to the structure of Formula (I)
US09914824B2
A process for manufacturing biodegradable plastic from high percentage recyclable plastic feedstock and the product thereof. The process includes receiving recyclable plastic feedstock including high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, expanded polyethylene, and stretched wrap, separating the plastic feedstock by plastics of like type, grinding the separated plastics into particulate while maintaining the temperature below said separated plastic's decomposition and melting point. The plastics are mixed in proportion, adding a biodegradable additive to the particulated plastic mixture with further mixing to produce the biodegradable plastic. Optionally, the resulting plastic is extruded for later use.
US09914821B1
An air spring bellow comprising a vulcanized rubber component including the at least partially vulcanized residue of EPDM and a rubber other than EPDM.
US09914819B2
The present invention relates to a resin for a thermoplastic polyurethane yarn, comprising: thermoplastic polyurethane; and silica nanopowder. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a thermoplastic polymer yarn having a thickness of 50 denier or less by use of silica nanopowder having a particle size of 5-30 nm as a thickener. The thermoplastic polyurethane resin according to the present invention has desired processability and physical properties.
US09914814B2
A method of making a foamable polystyrene composition includes combining a styrenic monomer and a co-monomer containing a polar functional group to obtain a mixture, subjecting the mixture to polymerization to obtain a styrenic co-polymer, and combining the styrenic co-polymer with a blowing agent in a foaming process to obtain foamed articles.
US09914805B2
The invention relates to a device for synthesizing a polymer accompanied by separating a gaseous substance. Said device comprises: a reactor chamber (1) having a substantially circular cylinder-shaped upper section (11), which is delimited by two circular surfaces (111, 112) and a circumferential surface (113) and has a longitudinal cylinder axis, and a lower section (12), the upper section (11) and the lower section (12) being connected to one another via the first circular surface (111); an inlet opening (2); a first outlet opening (3), which is arranged in a wall of the lower section (12); a second outlet opening (4), which is arranged in the second circular surface (112) or in the circumferential surface (113) between the inlet opening (2) and the second circular surface (112); and a removal device (51), which is arranged so as to be movable along the longitudinal cylinder axis at least between the second circular surface (112) and the inlet opening (2), and contacts the circumferential surface (113). The invention further relates to a method comprising: feeding an oligomer melt (7) into a circular cylinder-shaped first section (11) of a reaction chamber (1) through an inlet opening (2) tangentially to a circumferential surface (113) of the first section (11); polymerizing the oligomer melt (7) to form a polymer melt (8); removing the polymer melt (8) from the reaction chamber (1) through a first outlet opening (3) of the reaction chamber (1); and removing a gaseous substance (9) from the reaction chamber (1) through a second outlet opening (4) of the reaction chamber (1) above the inlet opening (2). Deposits on at least one inner wall of the first section (11) of the reaction chamber (1) above the inlet opening (2) are removed by a removal device (51).
US09914803B2
Certain embodiments are directed to cyanate resin blends comprising, for example, a mixture of a cyanate monomer and a cyanate oligomer. The resin blends are effective to provide a dielectric constant of less than 2.7, a glass transition temperature of at least 150° C. and a moisture absorption of less than 1.5%. Radomes using the resin are also described.
US09914802B2
A polymer and a method for its preparation are provided. The polymer comprises poly(lactide), poly(lactide/glycolide) or poly(lactic acid/glycolic acid) segments bonded by ester linkages to both ends of an alkanediol core unit. The polymer is for use in a controlled release formulation for a medicament, preferably leuprolide acetate. The controlled release formulation is administered to a patient as a subcutaneous depot of a flowable composition comprising the polymer, a biocompatible solvent, and the medicament. Controlled release formulations comprising the polymer release leuprolide for treatment of prostate cancer patients over periods of 3-6 months.
US09914800B2
The invention relates to a curing agent for epoxy resins which is an aqueous dispersion of a multifunctional amine AC having more than one primary amino group per molecule, and at least one moiety per molecule derived from the reaction of a compound C containing at least one reactive group which is preferably an epoxide group, with a molecule having at least one blocked primary amino group and at least one group which is reactive towards the at least one reactive group of compound C, which is selected from the group consisting of secondary amino groups >NH, of hydroxyl groups —OH, of mercaptan groups —SH, of amide groups —CO—NHR, where R can be hydrogen or an alkyl group having from one to twelve carbon atoms, of hydroxyester groups, and of acid groups, particularly of carboxyl groups —COOH, sulphonic acid groups —SO3H, and phosphonic acid groups —PO3H2, and preferably, also moieties which are compatible with an epoxy resin, as well as a process for its preparation, and a method of use thereof.
US09914799B2
According to the present invention, a composition for an optical material can be provided, which is characterized by containing an episulfide compound having a value of turbidity in acetone of 3.0 ppm or less. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a composition for an optical material can be provided, which comprises: (a) a compound (an episulfide compound) which has a structure represented by formula (1) and has a value of turbidity in acetone of 3.0 ppm or less; (b) a polyisocyanate compound; and (c) a polythiol compound. (In the formula, m represents an integer of 0 to 4; and n represents an integer of 0 or 1.)
US09914788B2
Provided are an active energy ray-curable composition that has good antistatic properties, scratch resistance, and transparency after curing, and an antistatic film using the same. The active energy ray-curable composition of the present invention is an active energy ray-curable composition, including a photopolymerization initiator A represented by the following Formula (I) and an antistatic compound B, in Formula (I), V1, V2, V3, and V4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and n represents an integer of 1 to 5.
US09914787B2
A new generation elastomeric biopolymer produced by yeast belonging to the family Saccharomycetaceae, and an isolated yeast belonging to the genus Williopsis that produces and secretes the biopolymer.
US09914776B2
The present invention generally relates to novel bispecific antigen binding molecules for T cell activation and re-direction to specific target cells. In addition, the present invention relates to polynucleotides encoding such bispecific antigen binding molecules, and vectors and host cells comprising such polynucleotides. The invention further relates to methods for producing the bispecific antigen binding molecules of the invention, and to methods of using these bispecific antigen binding molecules in the treatment of disease.
US09914771B2
Methods for making heteromultimeric molecules, such as bispecific antibodies, and compositions comprising these molecules are disclosed. The methods include introducing mutations in amino acids that are in contact at the interface of two polypeptides, such that the electrostatic interaction between the ion pairs is altered.
US09914768B2
The present invention relates to the use of antibodies against S100A7 protein for the prevention and/or treatment of cancer or a disease associated to an undesired angiogenesis or a disease associated with inflammation; and to methods and kits for diagnosing and determining the prognostic of said diseases in vitro and in vivo by means of detecting levels of S100A7 in a biofluid, preferably with an antibody. The invention also relates to specific anti-S100A7 monoclonal antibodies, hybridoma cell lines producing them and method for obtaining them, as well as pharmaceutical compositions and conjugates containing them.
US09914764B2
This disclosure relates to variant Factor VIII polypeptides comprising an amino acid substitution at one or more positions within one or both of the thrombin cleavage site and the activation loop. In certain embodiments, the variant Factor VIII polypeptide comprises one or more amino acid substitutions within both the thrombin cleavage site and the activation loop. In further embodiments, the variant factor VIII polypeptide further comprises one or more amino acid substitutions within the A1-A2 domain interface and the A2-A3 domain interface. The present disclosure further relates to methods of producing and/or using such variant Factor VIII polypeptides; nucleic acids encoding the polypeptides; vectors and/or recombinant cells, tissues, or organisms containing such nucleic acids; and kits and pharmaceutical compositions containing such polypeptides and/or nucleic acids.
US09914758B2
Expression vector systems are provided for increased production of a recombinant GDF-5 (rhGDF-5) protein. Also provided are transformed host cells that were engineered to produce and express high levels of rhGDF-5 protein. Methods for production and high expression of rhGDF-5 protein are disclosed herein. The methods of enhancing production and protein expression of rhGDF-5 protein as disclosed are cost-effective, time-saving and are of manufacturing quality.
US09914727B2
The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I) and pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula I, and methods for using compounds of Formula I for treating or preventing thromboses, embolisms, hypercoaguability or fibrotic changes.
US09914715B2
The present invention provides a process for the production of furan, said process comprising the steps of: i) contacting furfural with a decarbonylation catalyst in a decarbonylation reactor to produce a gaseous decarbonylation reaction product stream comprising furan and carbon monoxide; ii) contacting said gaseous decarbonylation reaction product stream with a solvent stream comprising furfural; iii) absorbing at least a portion of the furan present in the gaseous decarbonylation reaction product stream into the solvent stream to provide a furan-containing solvent stream and a gaseous stream comprising carbon monoxide; iv) separating the furan from the furan containing solvent stream by distillation to provide a first furan stream; and v) using at least a portion of the remaining solvent stream comprising furfural as at least a portion of the furfural provided to the decarbonylation reactor.
US09914713B2
The production of organic acids in low-cost, high-efficiency fermentation system makes available a new route to chemical production from biomass. A process for producing a hydrogenation product involving carboxylic acid esters recovered directly from a fermentation process is described.
US09914712B2
Compounds of general formula (I): wherein R1, R11, Y, R2, n and A are as defined herein are useful as inhibitors or metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) enzymes and can be used for reducing or removing antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
US09914709B2
The present invention includes novel compositions useful for preventing or treating an HIV-1 infection in a subject in need thereof. The present invention further includes a novel method of preventing or treating an HIV-1 infection in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound of the invention. In one embodiment, the subject is further administered at least one additional therapeutic agent.
US09914695B2
Processes for preparing 3-substituted phenylalkylamines comprising reacting a phenyl boronic compound with an α-β unsaturated carbonyl-containing compound via an asymmetric 1,4-addition reaction, followed by reductive alkylation. The processes may be useful in the synthesis of tapentadol.
US09914689B2
In one aspect, the present invention encompasses integrated processes for the conversion of epoxides to acrylic acid derivatives and polyesters. In certain embodiments, the methods of the present invention comprise the steps of: providing a feedstock stream comprising an epoxide and carbon monoxide; contacting the feedstock stream with a metal carbonyl in a first reaction zone to effect conversion of at least a portion of the provided epoxide to a beta lactone; directing the effluent from the first reaction zone to a second reaction zone where the beta lactone is subjected to conditions that convert it to a compound selected from the group consisting of: an alpha beta unsaturated acid, an alpha beta unsaturated ester, an alpha beta unsaturated amide, and an optionally substituted polypropiolactone polymer; and isolating a final product comprising the alpha-beta unsaturated carboxylic acid, the alpha-beta unsaturated ester, the alpha-beta unsaturated amide or the polypropiolactone.
US09914684B2
Allyl alcohol production processes are generally described herein. One or more of the processes generally include contacting a propylene oxide stream with an isomerization catalyst under isomerization conditions sufficient to form an isomerization product stream including allyl alcohol, wherein the propylene oxide stream includes a total impurity concentration of at least 100 ppm. One or more of the processes generally includes purging at least a portion of a stream from one or more separation unit(s).
US09914678B2
Disclosed is a process and system to convert acyclic C5 feedstock to non-aromatic, cyclic C5 hydrocarbon. A furnace and reactor tubes comprising a catalyst compound are disclosed. A process involving contacting acyclic C5 feedstock with catalyst composition and obtaining cyclic C5 hydrocarbon is also disclosed.
US09914677B2
Fluidizable catalysts for oxygen-free oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes to corresponding olefins. The catalysts contain 10-20% (by weight per total catalyst weight) of one or more vanadium oxides as the catalytic material, which are mounted upon an alumina support that is modified with zirconia at alumina/zirconia ratios of 5:1 up to 1:2. Various methods of preparing and characterizing the fluidizable catalysts are also provided.
US09914668B2
A composition that may be used to retain moisture within fresh concrete as it cures to optimize the curing of the concrete may include one or more hardening and densifying agents and one or more temporary moisture sealing agents. Additionally such a composition may include a siliconate. The hardening and densifying agent of such a composition may penetrate the surface of fresh concrete to react with free lime, providing the fresh concrete with a strong surface. The temporary moisture sealing agent may form a moisture barrier on the surface of the fresh concrete to prevent moisture from escaping from the fresh concrete before the fresh concrete has sufficiently cured. The temporary moisture sealing agent may degrade within a matter of days, facilitating its removal from the surface of the concrete once the concrete has cured and enabling further treatment of the surface without undue delay.
US09914667B2
A friction material including two or more kinds of titanates and a ceramic fiber. The friction material includes no copper component. The two or more kinds of titanates may optionally include two or more kinds of alkali metal titanates, or the two or more kinds of titanates may optionally include an alkaline earth metal-alkali metal titanate and an alkali metal titanate.
US09914664B2
Denitrifying bypass exhaust gases in a cement clinker producing plant. The plant comprises a rotary kiln connected to a calciner for the deacidification of raw material or to a rotary kiln riser shaft via a rotary kiln inlet chamber, and the bypass exhaust gas being drawn off in the region of the rotary kiln inlet chamber. The method comprises: cooling the bypass gas to between 260 C and 400 C in a cooling device, injecting an ammonia-, urea-, and/or ammonium-containing substance into the cooled bypass gas, introducing the cooled and mixed bypass gas into a ceramic filter system to filter out any halide and sulfate of the alkali metals and alkaline-earth metals precipitated during cooling the gas, and any nitrogen not reacted by the injected substances is chemically selectively reduced over a catalytic converter which is located in or directly downstream of the ceramic filter system.
US09914651B2
A sandwich suppressor in an ion chromatography system in which loosely packed ion exchange resin of low density is disposed in the central sample stream flow channel. Also, a method of using the suppressor is described.
US09914645B2
A system for producing ammonia comprises a reactor configured for receiving nitrogen feed gas and hydrogen feed gas, the reactor comprising a catalyst configured to convert at least a portion of the nitrogen gas and at least a portion of the hydrogen feed gas to ammonia to form a reactant mixture comprising the ammonia and unreacted nitrogen feed gas and unreacted hydrogen feed gas, an adsorbent configured to selective adsorb at least a portion of the ammonia from the reactant mixture, and a recycle line to recycle the unreacted nitrogen feed gas, the unreacted hydrogen feed gas, and unabsorbed ammonia to the reactor.
US09914626B2
The present invention relates to an order picker with a wiring mechanism, belonging to the technical field of manned elevation equipment. The order picker with a wiring mechanism comprises a stationary part, an elevation mechanism and an elevation part, wherein the wire suitable for transmitting signals is connected between the stationary part and the elevation part. It also comprises a wire accumulator which acts on the wire in such a way that the wire is always tensioned between the stationary part and the elevation part; when the elevation part is raised, the wire accumulator starts to pay out the wire, and when the elevation part is lowered, the wire accumulator starts to stow the wire. The present invention adopts a wire accumulator structure which can avoid the wires which come from the chassis being nipped during elevation of the elevation structure.
US09914621B2
A counterweight assembly for an elevator system includes a counterweight and a guide shoe affixed to the counterweight, the guide shoe extending continuously and unbroken along a vertical length of the counterweight. A counterweight guide system for an elevator system includes a plurality of first counterweight guide brackets secured in a hoistway at a first side of a counterweight and interactive with a first guide shoe affixed to the counterweight. A plurality of second counterweight guide brackets are secured in the hoistway at a second side of the counterweight opposite the first side and interactive with a second guide shoe affixed to the counterweight. Two or more first counterweight guide brackets are engaged with the first guide shoe during travel of the counterweight along the hoistway.
US09914618B2
A device for monitoring tension equalization and displacement adjustment states of steel wire ropes of a multi-rope hoister includes a displacement sensor mounted on a steel wire rope tension equalization device, a signal acquisition transmitter designed to store and transmit signals of the displacement sensor, a barometric altimeter designed to detect the depth of a mine shaft where a hoisting container is located, and a wireless receiving and processing system arranged at the well mouth of the mine shaft. A method for use includes collecting the displacement adjustment amounts of the tension equalization devices connected with all the hoisting ropes of the hoisting container and the corresponding depth position of the hoisting container during the up-down running process of the hoisting container by means of the signal acquisition transmitter; judging the maximum displacement adjustment amount measured in the entire hoisting process and the corresponding tension adjustment device and corresponding depth, by receiving and processing data via the wireless receiving and processing system; and, giving an alarm when the maximum adjusted displacement is greater than a preset adjustment threshold.
US09914612B1
A post-processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus includes a processing tray on which a sheet bundle is placed for discharging onto a discharge tray, a detector configured to detect presence or absence of the sheet bundle on the processing tray, and a controller. The controller is configured to control driving of the processing tray to discharge the sheet bundle onto the discharge tray and to determine whether or not to output an error if a detection result of the detector after the processing tray has been driven to discharge the sheet bundle onto the discharge tray indicates presence of the sheet bundle. The controller outputs the error if the sheet bundle is not a last sheet bundle of a post-processing job and does not output the error if the sheet bundle is the last sheet bundle of the post-processing job.
US09914605B2
If a damper or a magnetic catch is used to make a guide member self-holdable in an opened state, a force is required for holding the weight of the guide member in the opened state. This increases an operation force for closing the guide member and degrades the operability. In contrast, if a mechanical holding mechanism without using the damper is employed, the hold may be disengaged without intention of a user. A sheet conveyance device includes an upper conveyance guide for guiding a conveyed sheet and a holding portion for holding the upper conveyance guide in an opened position with respect to a lower conveyance guide opposed thereto, wherein the upper conveyance guide includes an operation portion for disengaging engagement between the upper conveyance guide and the holding portion, and the holding portion includes an operation portion for disengaging engagement between the upper conveyance guide and the holding portion.
US09914603B2
Weather barriers for vehicle loading docks are disclosed. An example weather barrier includes a side support member being vertically elongate between an upper end and a lower end of the side support member. The side support member has a back end to be attached to a wall proximate a lateral doorway edge. The side support member is to extend in a forward direction to a front end of the side support member. A vertically elongate front sheet includes a pliable sheet having a proximal end and a distal end, where the proximal end is to attach to the front end of the side support member. The front sheet extends in a lateral direction from the proximal end to the distal end, where the lateral direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the forward direction. The front sheet is to extends in front of the doorway. A stay is to be coupled to the front sheet. The stay is resiliently flexible and horizontally elongate. The stay is to subject the front sheet to tension in a horizontal direction.
US09914589B1
An automated feed chute system for a cube feeder that includes: a feed chute, where the feed chute includes a closed position, an open position or any desired position in between; a mounting pin extending from one side of the feed chute; an opening mechanism, where the opening mechanism engages the mounting pin; and a mechanism to remotely activate the actuator. The opening actuator mechanism includes an arm that attaches to the mounting pin on the feed chute. The feed chute includes a pivot point, where the feed chute pivots about the pivot point to move the feed chute between the closed position, open position or any desired position in between. Preferably, the means to automatically activate the opening mechanism is a remote control.
US09914588B2
The present invention relates to a storage and dispensing system for products and/or packagings. The system (1) comprises at least one carrier (3) with at least a bottom (34) which defines thereon a space for the products and/or packagings, a storage area (2), such as a storage rack or shelving system, for selectively accommodating the carrier, and at least one transporter (4) for selective displacement of the carrier from and/or to and into and/or out of the storage area. In a situation where it is accommodated in the storage area the carrier comprises a gripping element (31) on a side oriented outside the storage area, and the transporter comprises a gripping device (23) acting on the gripping element at least during displacement of the carrier into and/or out of the storage area. Space can thus be saved in the storage area laterally of carriers placed therein, and a compact configuration of the storage area can be realized.
US09914584B2
A three-piece resealable can for acidic liquid includes, a cylindrical can body member that includes a screw portion at one end; and a can bottom member that contacts the can body member so as to close an opening portion of the other end of the can body member. The can body member includes a cylindrical first steel sheet, Ni plating that is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the first steel sheet, a polyester film that is formed so as to be disposed on the outermost surface of the inner circumference of the can body member, and a Zr-containing film that is formed between the first steel sheet and the polyester film. The can bottom member includes a second steel sheet, and Sn plating that is formed on the can body member side of the can bottom member. The Zr-containing film contains Zr compounds.
US09914583B2
The present invention relates to a system (11) comprising a container (2) for liquid, particularly a cup and an insert (3) inside the container. The present invention further relates to a method to fix an insert to a container.
US09914581B2
A spray can attachable actuator and brush assembly includes an actuator assembly attachable overtop a valve stem of an existing aerosol canister and a brush assembly attachable to the actuator assembly. A lower portion of a seating member frictionally engages to the aerosol canister when an attachment collar is rotationally engaged thereabouts. A head member is connectable into a seating connect disposed in a top surface of the seating member whereby an interior channel engages overtop the valve stem. A brush attachment base secures into the head member to position an elongate nozzle in open communication with an outlet terminating the interior channel. A brush body is securable to the elongate nozzle, and depression of the head member thereby enables selective release of fluid depressurized from the aerosol canister for delivery into the brush body for subsequent application to an object by manual action directing the brush body.
US09914576B2
A container closure in accordance with the present disclosure is coupled to a tamper-evident tear strip. The container closure is adapted to be mated with a container to cover an interior region formed in the container and to provide a package.
US09914570B2
The invention is a valvular closure element (5), in particular for dispensing a liquid from a container, the valvular closure element (5) comprising a support element (10) having an annular shape and a valve insert (12) having a side wall and a cover portion made of a resilient material and abutting to an internal surface of the support element (10) by its side wall. The cover portion (17) is formed with slits (14) defining valve flaps (15), wherein each valve flap (15) has an adjoining periphery connected to the side wall. In the valvular closure element (5) the side wall has a cylindrical shape, and the slits (14) are formed radially, and a projection (18) is formed on the external periphery of the support element (10) for each valve flap (15) at the middle of the adjoining periphery corresponding to the respective valve flap (15). The invention is, furthermore, a closure cap comprising the valvular closure element (5), and a method and an apparatus for manufacturing the valvular closure element (5). The invention also relates to another valvular closure element.
US09914559B2
A detachable handle includes a substantially U-shaped structural member and a second attaching member. A proximal end of the structural member includes a first attaching member and a distal end includes a plurality of clip members and at least one hole to hold a plurality of connection fittings and couplers respectively. A central opening is formed to hold at least one valve assembly when the second attaching member is connected to the first attaching member using at least one fastening member. The detachable handle is designed to keep the plurality of connection fittings and the at least one valve assembly away from the ground and out of the dirt.
US09914555B2
Packaging used to hold and ship consumer products may include a packaging insert having an exterior profile that substantially matches an interior profile of the box it is placed in during assembly. In some embodiments, the packaging insert may be formed using a thermo-forming process that inhibits the formation of defects, such as stress marks, located near or on the corners of the packaging insert. The packaging insert may include a side wall having a plurality of extended portions and a plurality of abbreviated portions. In some embodiments, the packaging insert may include a plurality of flaps rotatably connected to a body of the packaging insert.
US09914554B2
An apparatus for packaging dosed quantities of medicines and method for operating such apparatus. The apparatus includes multiple dosing stations for dispensing solid drug portions, and multiple collectors for collecting dosed quantities of solid drug portions and for forwarding the dosed quantities of solid drug portions to a packaging station. Each dosing station has an outlet and each collector has a unique collector identifier. A conveyor includes multiple mounting elements arranged in a chain, wherein each collector is detachably mounted to one of the mounting elements and moved by the conveyor along the dosing stations, so that the collector can receive the solid drug portions dispensed at the outlets of the dosing stations. A controller controls the operation of the dosing stations, the conveyor and the packaging station. Input means (80, 81) are coupled to the control means (19) for inputting the collecting means identifier. The controller maintains a mapping between identifiers assigned to each mounting element or mounting position and the unique collector identifiers of the collectors.
US09914552B2
An integrated control device that assigns a same attribute to plural pieces of status information integrally monitored over at least two or more pieces of equipment, to derive integrated status information and integrate the plural pieces of status information. An integration processor derives the integrated status information such that a group of pieces of preset status information is referenced with respect to plural pieces of status information with a same attribute from among status information of monitoring target functions stored in monitoring data of equipment and provided for each of plural pieces of the equipment to be monitored or an operation applying an operator being set for each attribute to pieces of status information with the same attribute from among status information of monitoring target functions stored in monitoring data of equipment and provided for each of plural pieces of the equipment to be monitored is carried out.
US09914549B2
A jig apparatus and associated systems and methods for forming a composite wing skin is presented, including providing a frame with a working surface. A plurality of indexing blocks are coupled to the working surface of the frame. Each of the plurality of indexing blocks has a first indexing surface oriented perpendicular to the working surface of the frame and a second indexing surface oriented approximately parallel to the working surface of the frame. A plurality of clamping blocks are also each moveably coupled to one of the plurality of indexing blocks. Each of the plurality of clamping blocks has a clamping surface oriented perpendicular to the working surface of the frame and in facing relation to the first indexing surface of an adjacent indexing block thereby defining a plurality of channels.
US09914535B2
Technology for achieving the behavior and benefits of traditional cyclic control in one rotor may be implemented with a simple under-actuated passive mechanism. An air vehicle employing the disclosed technology maintains lifting thrust by regulating the average rotor speed and generates control moments through coordinated pulsing of the motor torque. Rapid pulsing of the motor torque induces oscillations in propeller angle of attack, and so causes “cyclic control” without requiring the traditional auxiliary actuators and linkages. The MAV propulsion system is capable of using a minimum number of actuators in dual roles of thrust and moment objectives.
US09914530B2
A method for reducing aircraft turnaround time by improving airport ramp safety is provided. The method minimizes the time interval between an aircraft's landing and takeoff by independently moving the aircraft on the ground without the aircraft's engines by eliminating hazards from jet blast, the possibility of engine ingestion, and the time previously required to wait in the gate area upon arrival or at departure until jet blast or engine ingestion did not pose a danger. Turnaround time is further reduced by providing an onboard driver controllable to drive at least one of the aircraft's wheels between landing and takeoff, thereby eliminating the need for a tow vehicle and the time required to move the aircraft with a tow vehicle.
US09914529B2
A torque limited drive system comprising: an input shaft; at least one gear unit driven by the input shaft; a torque limiter having a torque limit and being driven by the at least one gear unit; and a torque limited output shaft driven by the torque limiter; wherein the torque limiter is adapted such that when it experiences a torque above its torque limit it applies a brake to said input shaft. The fact that the torque limiter is situated downstream of the gear units combined with the fact that the torque limiter brakes the input shaft upstream of the gear unit allows minimization of component weight within the gear units and within equipment driven by the output shaft due to the removal of the effect of efficiency and drag bandwidths associated with the gear units.
US09914520B2
A vessel propulsion apparatus includes an engine that rotates a crankshaft in a forward rotation direction, a rotation speed detector that detects a rotation speed of the crankshaft, a propeller shaft coupled to a propeller, a shift switch that switches between a shift-in state and a neutral state, a shift state detector, an intake passage, a throttle valve, an intake pressure sensor, and a controller. The controller determines that the crankshaft is reversely rotating by an external force input from the propeller shaft when a predetermined reverse rotation recording condition is satisfied, and stores reverse rotation information. The reverse rotation recording condition includes a condition that an intake pressure after the shift switch switches from a neutral state to a shift-in state while the crankshaft rotates in the forward rotation direction is larger than a value equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure.
US09914517B2
In an upper mount portion, a steering central axis related to a steering force of a steering handle and a vibration central axis related to a torque reaction force of an engine are configured to be shifted back and forth. A mount member is formed such that a spring constant related to the vibration central axis is smaller than a spring constant related to the steering central axis.
US09914515B1
Barrel extension assemblies for structural modification of a propeller barrel on a marine propeller include a ring housing having a ring housing interior, the ring housing adapted to detachably engage an interior surface of the propeller barrel at a trailing barrel edge for structural modification of the propeller barrel. Barrel extension methods for modifying performance of a marine vessel are also disclosed.
US09914514B2
A subsea vessel includes filler material, which may be enclosed by an outer shell and may provide the vessel with a density for floatation. Exemplary applications for the vessels include buoyancy and tanks to hold fluids for operations subsea. The filler may include thermoplastic materials and/or concrete, which may be formed to create internal void spaces.
US09914508B2
A folding step for a boat cockpit includes a gunwale bracket connectable to a wall extending downward from a gunwale of a boat. Support bracket(s) support a step in a pivoting manner between a deployed and a stowed position. A support bar is attachable within the cockpit to be in a stowed position, in which it is out of the way, and in a deployed position for supporting the step when it is deployed.
US09914507B2
An extendable table platform assembly for use with a multihull boat is disclosed. The platform assembly includes a pair of opposing guide channels to be mounted on the underside of the horizontal deck of the multi-hull boat. A rigid elongated platform is including having a platform surface supported by a structural platform frame positioned along the platform surface perimeter. The rigid elongated platform includes a table portion and a cantilever portion. The structural platform frame engages the guide channels such that the rigid elongated table section may be manually slid from a stowed position, underneath the deck, to a deployed position exposing the table portion. The cantilever portion remains underneath the horizontal deck and engaged to the opposing guide channels to support the table portion in the deployed position.
US09914506B1
The present invention relates to a pontoon boats that may couple and be driven by a PWC. The invention further relates to pontoon boats having a portion that moves into an open water recess at the rear of the pontoon boat. The invention further relates to an engagement assembly for securing a PWC to such a pontoon boat.
US09914499B2
A housing structure for forming a body of a vehicle is provided. The housing structure comprises a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion has a plate-like central part, a front end, a rear end, and a first bonding part formed on each of the lateral sides of the plate-like central part. The upper portion comprises a central part and a front part. The central part has a first end, a second end, and a second bonding part formed on each of the lateral sides of the central part. By fixing the first bonding part and the second bonding part together, the lower and upper portions are adapted to form the body of the vehicle.
US09914496B2
A frame includes a pair of self-propelled lateral modules, which extend in a longitudinal direction and can be mutually removably coupled in a transverse direction. The modules are adapted to contribute to create, when assembled, a support structure for a central module, which can be removably coupled to the frame and is provided with a control system, which is configured to control movements and actuation of the self-propelled lateral modules. Each one of the self-propelled lateral modules includes a pair of bearing portions, and a connection portion, which mutually constrain the bearing portions and permit relative movement thereof between an extended configuration, in which the bearing portions define a greater longitudinal extension of the self-propelled lateral module, and a compact configuration, in which the bearing portions define a smaller longitudinal extension of the self-propelled lateral module.
US09914494B1
A system includes a mobile vehicle having a roof with a top surface; a plurality of lounge chairs secured to the top surface; a heater telescopically engaged to the top surface and positioned above the plurality of lounge chairs; a television pivotally secured to the heater; and an observation platform telescopically engaged with the top surface and configured to support at least one lounge chair of the plurality of lounge chairs.
US09914489B2
An underbody stiffening and covering module is provided, which has a flat, non-load-bearing covering component made from a plastic material. At least one reinforcing strut is connected firmly to the covering component, the reinforcing strut extends along a predetermined load path and has a respective connection device on its end sections, with which, together with the covering component, is able to be connected to a predetermined underbody section at force application points.
US09914487B2
A work vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; a prime mover part that is supported by the vehicle body frame; a bonnet that is configured to vertically swing between a closed position at which the prime mover part is covered, and an open position at which the prime mover part is open; and a support frame that supports a free end side of the bonnet located at the closed position. At least left and right guide-target parts of the bonnet or left and right guiding parts of the support frame have left and right inclined surfaces that serve as centering effective surfaces.
US09914480B2
A vehicle front structure includes a cross member installed across right and left front side frames. The left front side frame has a frame bending section provided above a left suspension arm. The frame bending section is formed so as to be bendable when subjected to a frontal impact load. A left reinforcing member is disposed below the frame bending section and is mounted across the cross member and the dash cross member. The left reinforcing member is fastened to a rear fastening portion. The left reinforcing member has a bending section that is bendable downward when subjected to an impact load.
US09914477B2
A torque sensor for a steering mechanism having an input shaft joined to an output shaft by a torsion bar. A first coupler is connected to the input shaft while a second coupler is connected to the output shaft. A first and second receiving coils, each having a plurality of oppositely wound loops, are arranged adjacent the first and second coils, respectively, while a circuit determines the angular offset between the couplers.
US09914474B2
A vehicular control apparatus that functions more reliably is provided. A quasi-abnormality control circuit brings one of a clock signal, an internal watchdog signal, and an answer signal into a quasi-abnormal state when an ignition is switched on. A clock determining circuit, an internal watchdog signal determining circuit, and a Q&A watchdog circuit output determination signals, respectively. One of the determination signals corresponds to a monitoring target signal brought into the quasi-abnormal state and indicates an abnormality. A reset signal determining circuit receives the determination signals, and generates a reset signal in accordance with determination results in the determination signals. A quasi-abnormality control circuit switches the monitoring target signal to be brought into the quasi-abnormal state each time the ignition is switched on.
US09914472B2
A motor controller includes, in a microcomputer, a voltage fall determiner determining whether a reference voltage falls from a normal value based on an Analog-to-Digital (A/D) conversion value of a second voltage from an A/D converter, and a corrector (i) calculating a correction coefficient based on the A/D conversion value of the second voltage from the A/D converter and (ii) correcting an A/D conversion value of an input voltage that is output from the A/D converter. A core of the microcomputer generates a control signal based on an input voltage A/D conversion value, when the voltage fall determiner determines that the reference voltage is equal to or higher than a normal reference value. The motor controller keeps its motor control accuracy in such manner, even when a fall of an A/D conversion reference voltage is observed.
US09914469B2
Infant carriers are stably supported and transported by being positioned on a frame set on wheels. The frame may include an infant carrier holder with a floor with a ramp and sidewalls. The infant carrier holder may be integral with the frame or may be mounted to a mounting device that can be adjusted for mounting angle or height. A handle is provided to the frame at a position that is suitable for a person in a wheelchair to grasp the frame and move the transport. A handle suitable for a standing person to grasp the frame may optionally be provided. The transport permits a person that may have difficulty carrying or transporting an infant carrier to more easily transport the infant carrier in a standing or a seated position, the latter as may be the case with a wheelchair occupant. The transport may be fastened to the wheelchair.
US09914449B2
Systems and methods for operating a hybrid powertrain that includes an engine and a motor/generator are described. The systems and methods adjust battery charging and discharging as well as engine and motor torque based on whether or not the vehicle is operating in a cruise control mode. In one example, curves that provide a basis for operating an engine and motor based on driver demand torque are compressed during a vehicle cruise control mode to improve powertrain efficiency.
US09914448B2
A powertrain assembly has multiple torque actuators. The assembly includes a first controller configured to control a first torque actuator and a second controller configured to control a second torque actuator. The first controller is configured to receive a signal from an input sensor and convert the signal into a torque demand. The second controller is configured to receive the torque demand from the first controller and determine respective optimal torque allocations for the first and second torque actuators based on the torque demand and a plurality of optimization factors. The first controller includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method of controlling the multiple torque actuators across the at least two controllers via a dynamic look-up table. The dynamic look-up table is populated by a plurality of stored torque production allocation values based on a respective plurality of torque requests.
US09914447B2
A control device for a vehicle drive apparatus, the vehicle drive apparatus including an output shaft connected to an engine; an input shaft connected to a wheel; an electric motor that generates rotational torque of the wheel; and a hydraulic clutch that connects the output shaft to the input shaft when placed in an engaged state, and disconnects the output shaft from the input shaft when placed in a released state.
US09914446B2
Provided is a driving assistance apparatus configured to determine whether or not an own vehicle driving lane is a merging lane based on a result of identifying the merging lane from a lane reduction sign detected in a vehicle front image and a result of identifying a merged lane direction with respect to the own vehicle driving lane from separation lines on both sides of the own vehicle driving lane that are detected in the vehicle front image, and to control driving of an own vehicle in accordance with the determination result and vehicle condition information of the own vehicle.
US09914435B1
A vehicle wiper blade configured to both remove aqueous material from a windshield and additionally provide absorption of any aqueous material remaining during the same movement of the vehicle wiper blade. The vehicle wiper blade includes a body being rectangular in shape wherein the body has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer of the body is manufactured from a flexible rubber material and has a perimeter edge operable to contact the windshield. The second layer of the body is manufactured from an abrasive material and is configured to engage the windshield during the same movement of the vehicle wiper blade. The body is secured to a support arm providing structural support thereof.
US09914431B2
A vehicle seat assembly comprising a seat bottom, a seat bottom release, a seat back, a seat back release, and a locking assembly. Upon activation of the seat bottom release, the seat bottom can move along a seat bottom travel path in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to a forward position close to an instrument panel of the vehicle. Upon activation of the seat back release, the seat back can pivot to a forward position close to the seat bottom. The locking assembly can operate to lock the seat bottom, the seat back, or both, in their respective forward positions such that the seat bottom, the seat back, or both, obstruct operational access to a user operational component, such as the steering wheel or glove box door, on the instrument panel.
US09914406B1
A vehicular passenger compartment trim panel assembly, a vehicular door assembly and a method of removing a vehicular passenger compartment trim panel assembly. The assembly includes a trim panel and a retention assembly where the retention assembly includes a fastener and a fastener cover. The fastener cover is sized and shaped such that when the fastener cover is secured within an aperture that is formed in the trim panel, a gap formed between them that is visible around a periphery of the A-surface defines a substantially constant width. In addition, a through-the-thickness dimension of the fastener cover includes a localized thinning in a portion of the periphery that is adjacent the clip. Such construction permits tool-free engagement of the fastener cover at the localized thinning so that the gap may be widened in response to such engagement so that the clip becomes disengaged to permit access to a screw or related fastener that is situated underneath the fastener cover.
US09914401B2
The invention relates to a load carrier for motor vehicles, in particular in the form of a roof rack, consisting of at least two carrier bridges arranged offset at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The carrier bridges in each case comprise a crossbar as well as fastening feet which are able to be mounted on both sides of the vehicle. The angle brackets serve as lateral load stops on the crossbars. The angle brackets are able to be pivoted back and forth between an active, open position and an inactive, closed position in which they do not produce air turbulence and thus effect additional travel noise.
US09914399B2
A multifunction hook assembly is provided for a motor vehicle. That multifunction hook assembly includes a housing having a recess and first and second pivoting hooks carried on the housing. The two pivoting hooks are displaceable between stowed positions received within the recess and deployed positions projecting from the recess. An improved cargo management system is also provided. That improved cargo management system incorporates the multifunction hook assembly.
US09914385B1
A first adjuster portion joined to a second adjuster portion whereby the first adjuster portion is oriented to receive one of multiple loops of strap and said second adjuster buckle is oriented to receive an opposing lead strap. The multiple loops of strap are routed so as to create mechanical advantage by pulling on the free end of the strap, commonly referred to as a block and tackle. The lead strap enables an operator to quickly and conveniently pre-tension both the block and tackle and lead straps by removing an un-tensioned length of the lead strap before having to apply increased leverage through the block and tackle strap. That is, the first adjuster arrangement may be operated only to tension a block and tackle strap that has been pre-tensioned with the second adjuster, thereby facilitating the use of the combined assembly.
US09914383B2
An over the wheel well liquid storage tank for storing liquid in a bed of a truck includes a tank body having a main tank portion shaped to fit in an area adjacent a wheel well in the bed of a truck and an over a wheel well tank portion shaped to fit in an area above a wheel well in the bed of a truck. The main tank portion is shaped to fit in an area adjacent a proximal side of the wheel well or in an area adjacent a distal side of the wheel well. A mounting system is coupled to the tank body. The mounting system couples the tank body to the bed of a truck. The mounting system includes a channel coupled to the tank body and a mounting bracket for coupling to the channel and to the truck. The mounting system includes an adjustable bumper.
US09914379B2
A carpet which forms a terminal of a cushion cover is folded back in a direction opposite to a direction in which the carpet extends from the cushion cover to form a folded portion, a wire is enclosed inside the folded portion to stitch the carpet, a locking hole is opened in a position of the folded portion closer to a cushion cover side than the wire, and a locking plate on a cushion frame side is locked to the locking hole.
US09914374B2
An easy-entry system (EE) for a vehicle seat (1) with a backrest (1.1) and a seat cushion (1.2), in arrangement with a fitting (2) for adjusting the inclination of the backrest (1.1) relative to the seat cushion (1.2) at least within a comfort range and optionally with an extended comfort function for positioning the backrest (1.1) beyond an easy-entry position into a loading floor position. The system includes, for initiating an easy-entry function, at least one actuating lever (4) which is coupled via at least one tension element (6) to an unlocking lever (8) for unlocking the inclination adjustment of the backrest (1.1). A translatory movement of the tension element (6) is transformed by means of a sliding element (7.2) of a transmission arrangement (7) into a rotatory movement of the unlocking lever (8) for opening the fitting (2).
US09914372B2
A motor vehicle seat arrangement is provided with two spaced apart seat rails, to which two spaced apart cross profiles are rigidly fastened. A seat structure is joined with the cross profiles.
US09914366B2
One exemplary embodiment includes a method including providing a battery, producing a first magnetic field so that a second magnetic field is induced in the battery, sensing a magnetic field resulting from the interaction of the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field, utilizing the sensed net magnetic field to determine the state of charge of the battery.
US09914362B2
Switches of a switching circuit used to control operation of an electric motor such as in an electrically powered vehicle connect respective windings of the electric motor as a single phase inductor during battery charging. The inductor can then store inherent low frequency, second order ripple power and return that power to a load presented by a battery during battery charging to deliver substantially constant current. Storage of ripple power in the inductor allows the capacitance value, size, weight and cost of a filter capacitor of a power factor correction circuit providing input power to a battery charger to be reduced by an order of magnitude or more. Direction of current flow through the inductor is periodically reversed to avoid magnetizing the motor.
US09914343B2
A long and thin decorative lighting part is attached to an electrical wire guiding body without causing a hindrance to curving deformation of the electrical wire guiding body. An electrical wire guiding apparatus includes a long and thin electrical wire guiding body that receives insertion of a wire harness (electrical wires) and can undergo curving deformation, and holders, each of which has lock portions (leg portions and locking end portions) that can be locked to the outer surface of the electrical wire guiding body, and a holding portion that can hold a decorative lighting part. When the decorative lighting part is to be attached to the electrical wire guiding body, it is sufficient to hold the decorative lighting part in the holders and then lock the holders to the electrical wire guiding body.
US09914340B1
A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a cowl and a first cowl attachment. The vehicle body defines an engine compartment and a passenger compartment that is located rearward of the engine compartment. The cowl includes a top wall extending in a vehicle lateral direction between the engine and passenger compartments. The top wall has a first end wall at a first end and a second end wall at a second end. The first end wall has a plurality of first air receiving apertures. The first cowl attachment has a baffle wall part and a cowl extension part. The first cowl attachment is fixedly attached to the first end wall such that the baffle wall part is adjacent to the air receiving apertures. The cowl extension part extends in a vehicle lateral direction from the baffle wall part.
US09914335B1
A shock absorber is provided, including a base, a first axial tube, a second axial tube, a buffering structure and an abutting assembly. The base defines an axial direction, and the base has a through hole radially. An exterior circumferential wall of the first axial tube has a recess formed radially and near a first end of the base, and the first axial tube is screwed with the base. The abutting assembly includes an abutting member and an elastic abutting member, the abutting member is disposed within the through hole, the elastic abutting member is disposed on the base and at least partly located in the through hole so as to abut the abutting member to move toward the base normally.
US09914325B2
A sealing device for a hub bearing assembly, equipped with a rolling bearing unit, a circular metal shield, a radially extending end wall and a double cylindrical lateral wall fixed to and practically orthogonal to the end wall, formed by a first cylindrical lateral wall and a second cylindrical lateral wall. The metal shield is angularly coupled to a radially outer ring of the bearing. The second cylindrical lateral wall is connected in a fixed manner to a radially outer edge adapted to cover an axially inner surface of the terminal edge that is potentially subject to oxidation phenomena with the consequent formation of a layer of rust.
US09914311B2
An image formation apparatus includes: a feeder that feeds a label sheet, having a long base sheet and labels detachably adhered to the base sheet at a predetermined interval in a longitudinal direction thereof, to a conveyance path; a conveyance member that conveys the fed label sheet along the conveyance path; a detector that is placed along the conveyance path and that detects a position of at least one of the labels on the label sheet being conveyed; an image formation unit that is placed downstream of the detector in a conveyance direction and that forms an image on the label detected by the detector; and a controller that controls the conveyance member, the detector, and the image formation unit. The controller switches the detector between a constant light emission operation of emitting the detection light constantly and an intermittent light emission operation of emitting the detection light intermittently.
US09914309B2
Compensation algorithms are applied to hide failed nozzles or, at least, reduce the objectionable effect of such nozzles in a printed image. Once a failed nozzle or under-performing nozzle is detected in a single-pass printing system, it is shut-off and the image data that was intended to be printed by this nozzle is redistributed to its neighboring nozzles. Embodiments of the invention use of a 1-D look-up table and stochastically distribute the duty cycle to each neighboring nozzle. In this way, failed nozzles are effectively hidden in the final print.
US09914304B2
A recording apparatus includes a carriage including a recording head that performs recording on a medium, the carriage being movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a control portion that controls the recording head and the carriage. The carriage has a first disposal section in which a first cartridge that supplies a liquid to the recording head is disposed and a second disposal section in which a second cartridge that does not supply a liquid to the recording head is disposed. The first cartridge includes a first information holder that holds information about the first cartridge. The second cartridge includes a second information holder that holds information about the second cartridge. The control portion executes a control of performing recording by using only the liquid contained in the first cartridge on the basis of the information held by the second information holder.
US09914302B2
A liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle face on which nozzles which eject liquid onto a medium are formed; a first region with a liquid repelling property which is connected to a peripheral edge of the nozzle when planarly viewed; and a second region with a liquid repelling property lower than that in the first region, which is connected to a peripheral edge of the nozzle when planarly viewed.
US09914300B2
A head including a channel formation substrate is provided with a pressure generating chamber which communicates with a nozzle for ejecting a liquid; a piezo element includes a first electrode which is provided on one surface side of a channel formation substrate, a piezoelectric layer is provided on the first electrode, and a second electrode is provided on the piezoelectric layer; and a driving circuit board is bonded to the one surface side of the channel formation substrate via an adhesive layer, and is provided with a driving circuit for driving the piezo element, in which the piezo element and the driving circuit are electrically connected to each other via a bump which is provided on any one of the channel formation substrate and the driving circuit board, and in which the bump and the adhesive layer are provided above the piezoelectric layer of the piezo element.
US09914298B2
A liquid ejection head comprises a semiconductor substrate having an energy generating element arranged thereon to generate energy to be utilized to eject liquid and a laminate including a plurality of insulating layers laid sequentially in the depth direction of the semiconductor substrate. Wiring is formed in the laminate and electrically connected to the energy generating element. The wiring includes a via formed in the insulating layers in the thickness direction of the insulating layers. The energy generating element is arranged between the semiconductor substrate and the laminate in the laminating direction of the insulating layers.
US09914296B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting section that ejects liquid in response to a drive signal; a drive signal generation circuit that generates the drive signal by using a second frequency band including at least a part of a first frequency band; a non-contact power transmission circuit that transmits power in a non-contact manner by using the first frequency band; and a control circuit that controls the drive signal generation circuit and the non-contact power transmission circuit, in which the control circuit controls the drive signal generation circuit and the non-contact power transmission circuit so as to exclusively perform the generation of the drive signal by the drive signal generation circuit and the power transmission by the non-contact power transmission circuit.
US09914294B2
The present invention provides a screen assembly, a screen printing system and a screen printing method, belonging to the field of screen printing technology, by means of which the problem of prior art that the printed pattern has unsmooth lines caused by deformation of a thin film screen after a plurality of times of printing can be solved. The screen assembly of the present invention comprises a thin film screen and a fixed screen both having a same pattern. When a packaging cover plate is printed, the thin film screen is arranged above the fixed screen, and the fixed screen is arranged on the packaging cover plate, so that the printing material passes through the thin film screen and the fixed screen successively to be printed onto the packaging cover plate. The screen assembly of the present invention is particularly applicable to the printing process of glass material.
US09914279B2
A support for one or more rolls of sheet stock material includes a sloped support surface for supporting at least one roll, an operating stop toward a lower end of the support surface that defines an operating position at which a stock roll is held for paying out sheet stock material from the roll, and a holding stop. The holding stop extends above the support surface. The holding stop holds one or more rolls at a location spaced from the operating position, and is movable to allow a stock roll to move down the support surface, past the holding stop to the operating position.
US09914275B1
A hot press assembly is provided that comprises an upper die plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The hot press assembly further includes a punch with an attachment surface that is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the upper die plate and a pressing surface that is positioned opposite the attachment surface. The hot press assembly also includes one or more conductive inserts that extend through the punch from the attachment surface to a predetermined distance away from the pressing surface, where each conductive insert has a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the punch. Methods of manufacturing a brake pad using the hot press assembly are also provided.
US09914271B2
In a device for dispensing tire sealant from a canister (17) by means of a pressure source (16), where the pressure source (16) and canister (17) are contained in a housing (1), the canister (17) in the housing (1) should be connected to the pressure source (16) in a removable fashion.
US09914264B2
A method for compensating for inoperative ejectors in a three-dimensional object printer has been developed. A printer detects an inoperative ejector in a printhead. The printer identifies functional ejectors that print at locations adjacent to locations where the inoperative ejector fails to print a drop. The printer modifies firing signals for the functional ejectors so those ejectors print drops having an increased drop volume at the locations adjacent to locations where the inoperative ejector fails to print a drop. The printer prints a first layer of material drops using the modified firing signals. The printer advances the printhead in the cross-process direction between layers so that locations where the inoperative ejector fails do print a drop do not coincide between layers.
US09914260B2
A tool operable to expand an end of a pipe is disclosed. The tool has a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis. The tool includes a working end disposed at a distal end along the longitudinal axis. This working end includes a plurality of jaws movable between a closed position and an expanded position and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the tool. Further, the tool includes a main body connected to the working end. This main body includes a handle disposed at a proximal end along the vertical axis of the tool, wherein the handle is configured to be gripped in an orientation that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool. Further, the tool includes a trigger disposed on the handle, and the trigger is configured to be activated by trigger movement along the vertical axis of the tool.
US09914259B2
A disclosed method for producing an elongated filler-containing fluororesin sheet includes: a step (I) of forming a strip member from a strip sheet containing a fluororesin, a filler, and a forming aid; and a step (II) of forming an elongated sheet strip by rolling the strip member in a longitudinal direction of the strip member. In the step (I), the strip member is formed by bending the strip sheet in such a manner that quadrilaterals formed on a surface of the strip member, each defined by two strip member side edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the strip member and two strip sheet side edges of the strip sheet that crosses a region between the two strip member side edges are parallelograms each having an acute angle α as an interior angle and that the parallelograms are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the strip member.
US09914246B2
A system for liquid composite molding includes a first rigid tool part onto which a semi-finished fiber material is positioned, a first vacuum foil arrangeable on the first rigid tool part to provide a first gastight chamber therebetween having a first port, a second vacuum foil and the first vacuum foil providing a second gastight chamber, and granulated material arranged in the second gastight chamber. The semi-finished fiber material is infusible with a matrix material via the first port. A second port is provided at the second gastight chamber for applying a negative pressure thereto. Therein, the granulated material is adapted for forming a second rigid tool part when negative pressure is applied to the second port. I.e. the first vacuum foil, the second vacuum foil and the granulated material function similarly to a vacuum mattress and may be stiffened and collapsed.
US09914240B2
The invention relates to a mineralized wood material comprising at least one metal salt MA in the lumina of the mineralized wood material, in particular in the lumina and the cell walls of the mineralized wood material and methods for providing said mineralized wood material.
US09914239B2
A user interface device for a saw is mounted to an exterior of a housing in the saw. The user interface device includes a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), an antenna formed on the PCB, an optically opaque member with a first opening and a second opening, the first opening aligned with the LED, an optically translucent member engaging the second opening of the optically opaque member, and a base member connected to the PCB, optically opaque member, and optically translucent member, the base member being configured to be mounted to an exterior of a housing of the saw.
US09914237B2
An apparatus for slicing food products, in particular a high-performance slicer, comprises a product feed which defines a feed plane and by means of which the products are fed along the feed plane in a feed direction to a cutting plane which is disposed in a slicing region and in which a cutting blade moves, in particular in a rotating and/or revolving manner, said cutting blade cooperating with a cutting edge which in particular extends in parallel with the feed plane and perpendicular to the feed direction to cut off slices from the products. The cutting apparatus additionally comprises a detection device for radiation reflected from the slicing region and an evaluation device for evaluating the detected radiation and an illumination device for illuminating the slicing region which is arranged for the at least substantially frontal illumination of the product end face in the half-space disposed in front of the slicing region and above the feed plane and comprises at least one radiation source ad well as a diaphragm arrangement associated therewith which defines a plurality of elongate illumination radiation paths which are optically separate from one another, which each extend in the direction of the slicing region and which are arranged adjacent to one another.
US09914235B2
In a method of removing a protecting synthetic coating (1) from an elongated element (2), the elongated element (2) including an optical fiber (3) surrounded by the coating, a cut (8) is created into the coating by knife edges (6). The element (2) is displaced with respect to the knife edges in a longitudinal direction of the element (2) for displacing coating material (17) by the knives. At least one drop of liquid (12) with wetting properties is supplied to the cut for being sucked into a space created between the coating and the optical fiber during the displacement of the coating for acting as a lubricant for a sliding of the coating to be removed along the fiber.
US09914226B2
A bidirectional pivoting joint comprises pivoting elements which are rotatable relative to one another, specifically in a coaxial arrangement, a cylindrical outer body and a cylindrical inner body and a locking device optionally locking and releasing the rotational movement. The locking device has an annular space between the outer body and the inner body. Provided between annular space surfaces, specifically an inner surface of the outer body and an outer surface of the inner body are radially narrowing and, on the other hand, radially wider, peripheral regions in alternating arrangement. Arranged in the annular space are at least two clamping members which are each adjustable in cross-section in the peripheral direction (u) of the annular space. In a holding state, each clamping member has a first said cross-section and lies in the narrowing peripheral regions against the outer body and the inner body. By this means, a self-holding clamping connection is established which blocks the relative rotational movement between the outer body and the inner body in each rotation direction (d). In a releasing state, each clamping member has a second said cross-section by means of which the clamping connection is released in order to free the rotational movement. An actuating device of the pivoting joint is equipped with an actuating means which acts on the clamping members to establish, firstly, the holding state and, secondly, the releasing state. A holding and positioning device comprises a plurality of said pivoting joints.
US09914214B1
A robotic gripping device with a preshaper is provided. The robotic gripping device includes two opposable fingers, each finger having a deformable gripping surface, a base, and a fingertip. The robotic gripping device also includes an actuator coupled to the base of each of the fingers, wherein the actuator is configured to move the fingers toward and away from each other. The robotic gripping device also includes a preshaper component positionable between the fingers, wherein when the fingers are moved toward each other by the actuator and the deformable gripping surface of each finger contacts the preshaper component, the deformable gripping surface of each finger is deformed by the preshaper component such that the fingertips of each finger are curled inward toward each other.
US09914202B2
A lighted tool shaft attachment for lighting a work space at a working end of the tool includes a sleeve that comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, which define an interior space. The inner wall also defines a channel that is positioned longitudinally through the sleeve and configured for insertion a shaft of a tool. The sleeve is reversibly couplable to the shaft. A power module is coupled to the sleeve and positioned in the interior space. A plurality of lights is coupled to a first end of the sleeve. A switch, which is coupled to the outer, is operationally coupled to the power module and the plurality of lights. The switch is configured for activation by a user to couple the power module to the lights. The lights are configured to illuminate a work space at a working end of the shaft of the tool.
US09914194B2
Provided is a grinding method capable of preventing variation in the outer diameter of a processed object 1 at the completion of grinding regardless of change in the amount of elastic deformation of the processed object 1 based on the change in the cutting ability of a grindstone 4. The outer diameter D of the processed object 1 during grinding is measured by gauge heads 5 in process. Plural target values Di that differ from each other are set for the outer diameter D of the processed object 1, and first threshold values are set for the rate of change of the outer diameter D of the processed object for each of these target values Di. Spark out is started when the outer diameter D of the processed object 1 becomes equal to a target value Di and the absolute value of the rate of change v is greater than a first threshold value that corresponds to the target value Di.
US09914183B2
A laser processing device converges laser light at an object to be processed so as to form a modified region within the object along a line to cut. The laser processing device comprises a laser light source emitting the laser light, a spatial light modulator modulating the laser light emitted from the laser light source, and a converging optical system converging the laser light modulated by the spatial light modulator at the object. The spatial light modulator displays an axicon lens pattern as a modulation pattern so as to form converging points at a plurality of positions juxtaposed close to each other along a laser light irradiation direction.
US09914181B1
An apparatus includes a housing, a lever, a plurality of gears and a sensor. The housing may be configured to receive a weld head. The lever may be rotatably attached to the housing and configured to convert a linear position of a free end of the lever relative to the housing into a first angular position of a first shaft relative to the housing. The gears may be configured to transform the first angular position of the first shaft to a second angular position of a second shaft. The sensor may be coupled to the second shaft and configured to generate a value representative of the linear position of the free end of the lever by a measurement of the second angular position of the second shaft.
US09914180B2
The invention concerns a method to generate and/or machine gear teeth on a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is subjected to a movement from a first location where the workpiece, while being held by a clamping device connected to a workpiece spindle, is brought into machining engagement with a first tool, to a second location where the work piece, while remaining in its clamped condition, is brought into machining engagement with a second tool, wherein prior to performing the movement, the connection between the clamping device and the workpiece spindle is released, and after the movement, the clamping device is connected to another workpiece spindle for the machining engagement with the second tool.
US09914179B2
A method of duplicating a key includes receiving a master key in a key duplicating machine. The machine automatically detects a cross sectional profile of the master key. The machine automatically determines, based on the detected cross sectional profile, a type and model of the master key. The machine automatically selects a key blank that matches the type and model of the master key, and then automatically cuts the selected key blank to duplicate a key tooth pattern of the master key.
US09914170B2
A method of making an integrally bladed rotor with hollow blades. A plurality of segmented layers are sequentially placed to form each one of a plurality of blades on a radially outward surface of a hub. This is done using an additive manufacturing process. The placement of the segmented layers also comprises omitting portions of one or more of the plurality of segmented layers to form one or more cavities and intermittently removing a quantity of particles from the one or more cavities using an evacuation tool.
US09914161B2
A coil shaping device includes a plurality of rollers having an outer circumference formed with a concave groove having an arc-shaped cross section, a roller moving mechanism making the rollers move between a gripping position, at the gripping position the plurality of rollers grips the coil from surroundings of the coil, and a separating position, at the separating position the plurality of rollers is separated from the coil, and a rolling movement mechanism making the plurality of rollers positioned in the gripping position move, by the plurality of rollers being rolled in a longitudinal direction of the coil.
US09914160B2
This application discloses methods of preparing a work roll for applying a dulled gloss finish on a metal substrate surface. The resulting finish has a fairly uniform glossiness with a slightly matted appearance and with minimal directionality. The work rolls have an Ra value of from 0.2 to 0.4 μm and an Rz value of less than 3.0 μm. Methods of forming a dulled gloss finish on a metal substrate are also described herein.
US09914154B2
A multi-blade razor cartridge cleaner system is a device that cleans between the blades of razors with a jet-spray of water to remove the hair and soap that gets trapped during every few passes of the razor across the skin surface. The razor is placed within a slot on top of the cartridge cleaner housing and a switch is activated to jet-spray the razor cartridge blades clean.
US09914123B2
A cover for a biological sample well tray, comprising a cap for sealing a sample well. The cap comprises a well lens for focusing light into the sample well and collecting light from the sample. In another aspect, the cap comprises an elongate portion configured to permit incoming light to pass into the sample well and out of the sample well. Various other aspects comprise a microcard for biological material, and an apparatus for a plurality of sample well strips. A method for testing a biological sample is also provided.
US09914113B2
Process for hydrocracking and/or hydrotreatment of hydrocarbon feeds utilizing a catalyst comprising at least one hydro-dehydrogenating element of group VIB and of non-precious group VIII used alone or mixed, and a support comprising at least one porous mineral matrix and at least one dealuminated USY zeolite having an overall silicon-to-aluminium atomic ratio comprised between 2.5 and 10, a fraction by weight of extra-network aluminium atom greater than 10% relative to the total mass of the aluminium present in the zeolite, a mesopore volume measured by nitrogen porosimetry greater than 0.07 ml.g−1, and a crystal parameter a0 of the elemental mesh greater than 24.28 Å, in which a quantity of the element nickel comprised between 0.5 and 3% by weight relative to the total mass of the zeolite is deposited on said USY zeolite and in which said catalyst is in the sulphide form.
US09914110B2
Mesoporous activated carbon having a mesopore structure of at least about 10%. In at least some embodiments, the activated carbon may be coconut shell-based. The enhanced activated carbon may have an intraparticle diffusion constant of at least about 40 mg/g/hr1/2.
US09914105B2
A suspension fluid prepared by dispersing polyethylene oxide particles into a solvent including water and one or more types of compounds selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, and a method for manufacturing the same. The phase-change suspension fluid can be a shear-thinning fluid showing a constant newtonian behavior in a low shear rate or low frequency region, but showing a non-newtonian behavior appearing as liquid-like suspension in a high shear rate or high frequency region due to viscosity decrease, and is capable of reversible phase changes by the vibration of a vehicle, and therefore, may provide effects of having advantages of a hydraulic bush in a low frequency region and also having advantages of a solid bush in a high frequency region.
US09914100B2
A dialysis concentrate production system includes a container and a stationary production system. The container comprises a discharge port and a combined port. The stationary production system comprises a storage container comprising a mixing inlet and an outlet, a delivery pump arranged downstream of the outlet, a first water jet pump arranged downstream of the delivery pump, and a second water jet pump arranged downstream of the delivery pump and parallel to the first water jet pump. The first water jet pump comprises a driving inlet in fluid communication with the delivery pump, a suction port in fluid communication with the combined port, and an outlet. The second water jet pump comprises a driving inlet in fluid communication with the delivery pump, a suction port in fluid communication with the discharge port, and an outlet in fluid communication with the mixing inlet.
US09914096B2
An integrated waterway assembly of a reverse osmosis (RO) water filtration device includes a main body, a shut off valve, a mounting shelf, a top cover, a bottom cover and a fixing ring. Water to be filtered sequentially goes through a water inlet, a shut off valve, a RO cartridge joint and a check valve, and a filtered water outlet on the main body to get the water filtered. The RO cartridge joint on a bottom portion of the main body is connected with a RO cartridge, and water enters the RO cartridge and further flows through the RO cartridge joint to get the water filtered. Given the foregoing structure, the water filtration device is structurally compact and integrated and has less water leakage.
US09914093B2
Methods for the heat treatment of a material flow and the cleaning of resulting exhaust gases are disclosed. The material flow may be preheated in a preheating zone, burned in a sintering zone, and cooled in a cooling zone. Exhaust gases of the sintering zone may flow through a preheater and be used for preheating the material flow. The exhaust gases leaving the preheater may be cooled at least partially in a comminuting device in interconnected operation or at least partially in a cooling device in direct operation. Exhaust gases may then be at least partly dedusted in a dust filter. A temperature of the dedusted exhaust gas may then be raised before the exhaust gas is cleaned of pollutants in at least one catalyst. A temperature at which the exhaust gases flow through the catalyst in direct operation may be higher, at least in phases, than a temperature at which the exhaust gases flow through the catalyst in interconnected operation.
US09914084B2
Filter cartridge arrangements, features, and methods of construction are described. Also described are filter assemblies having the filter cartridge installed therein as a removable service component. The filter cartridge generally comprises a media pack having an end with an end piece positioned thereon. The end piece includes an end cap section and a seal support. A seal member is secured in the end cap. Methods of assembly and use are described.
US09914083B2
A steam strainer and a method for producing a steam strainer is provided. The steam strainer has a skeleton-like tube body, in which, to construct a shell surface, at least two shell-type individual elements are provided for mounting, wherein the skeleton-like tube body has two end surfaces which are kept at a defined spacing by at least one longitudinal strut connecting the two end surfaces, and wherein the at least two shell-type individual elements have a plurality of screen openings, and wherein the at least two shell-type individual elements and the longitudinal strut are independently exchangeable. In addition, a method for producing such a steam strainer is provided.
US09914082B2
An air cleaner is provided that may include a cylindrical case including an inlet through which air is suctioned in a radial direction into the cylindrical case; a filter configured to be detachably provided in the case and having a cylindrical shape; and a filter frame configured to support the filter. The filter frame may include a lower frame provided at a lower portion of the filter; an upper frame provided at an upper portion of the filter; and a plurality of supporting frames that extends toward the upper frame from the lower frame. An entry portion for the suctioned air may be formed between the plurality of support frames, the entry portion being configured to receive the filter.
US09914070B2
A folding book moves between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The book includes a book body and a plurality of layers forming the book body. Each layer moves between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration. The folding book moves from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration by moving each layer of the plurality of layers from the folded configuration to the unfolded configuration in a predetermined order.
US09914055B2
The invention disclosed herein relates to a video game system comprising a video game console and an object or toy used in connection with the video game console, wherein the object or toy has a rewritable data storage device, and wherein the video game console stores information in the rewritable data storage device in response to game play events occurring in a first gaming session. The stored information is subsequently retrieved by the video game console in a second gaming session, and the retrieved information is used to conduct the game play of the second gaming session.
US09914049B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting a plurality of stimulus signals generated by a gaming accessory device, identifying a plurality of substitute gaming stimulations associated with the plurality of stimulus signals, substituting the plurality of stimulus signals with the plurality of substitute gaming stimulations, incorporating in each of the plurality of substitute gaming stimulations a first unique identifier to generate a plurality of updated substitute gaming stimulations, transmitting the plurality of updated substitute gaming stimulations to a computing device executing a gaming application, and receiving from the computing device a plurality of game action results, where each of the plurality of gaming action results comprises the first unique identifier of a corresponding one of the plurality of updated substitute gaming stimulations. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09914043B1
The system disclosed and claimed herein is an electric propelling wheel and battery/motor control subsystem enabling the retrofitting of a standard skateboard, having standard truck and wheels, with electrical propulsion capabilities.
US09914040B2
A golf club head, and particularly a putter head, comprising at least one visual reference point that shows a golfer the ideal vertical impact height at address and at impact is disclosed herein. The visual reference preferably is an alignment aid, such as an alignment pin or bar, which delineates the vertical center of the face between the top and bottom portions of the golf club head along the vertical z axis.
US09914031B2
A golf tee and beverage cap combination comprises a tubular concave twist off cap, having different methods of securement to containers, extending from its bottom a tapering member that ends in a pointed tip. The beverage cap and golf tee can either be one piece or connected to one another through a protruding member associated to the bottom of a beverage cap. The protruding member will comprise of a perforated section at its end that is loosely connected to the pointed tip of a golf cap. The pointed tip and protruding member easily detach from one another and retain their original objectives. If the beverage cap and golf tee are one piece, the top portion of the cap will be depressed to allow a user to rest a golf ball. The material used should allow the combined device to come in contact with any thing consumed by man.
US09914030B2
A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face, a flexure, and a weight member. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency. The flexure is formed by a forward wall and a rearward wall that combine to form a recessed channel. The weight member is coupled to a weight mount at least partially disposed in the rearward wall of the flexure.
US09914027B1
A golf club head includes a metal frame having a sole opening, a composite laminate crown joined to the frame, a composite laminate sole insert joined to the frame and overlying the sole opening, and a thermoplastic composite component overmolded on the sole insert. The composite component may include a weight track, ribs, supports or other features. A method of making the golf club includes the steps of forming a frame having a sole opening, forming a composite laminate sole insert, forming a composite laminate crown insert, injection molding a thermoplastic composite head component over the sole insert to create a sole insert unit, and joining the sole insert unit and crown insert to the frame.
US09914020B2
A golf ball includes oval dimples arranged on the surface thereof. Each of the oval dimples has a long diameter DL and a short diameter DS in a planar shape thereof and further having a depth DPL on a first cross section of the oval dimple along the long diameter DL and a depth DPS on a second cross section of the oval dimple along the short diameter DS, the depth DPL being a distance taken on the first cross section along the long diameter DL from a first line connecting both ends of the first cross section of the oval dimple to a deepest point of a dimple bottom surface, the depth DPS being a distance taken on the second cross section along the short diameter DS from a second line connecting both ends of the second cross section of the oval dimple to a deepest point of a dimple bottom surface, a relationship between the depth DPL and the depth DPS being defined as a following formula (1): DPS>DPL (1). Each of the oval dimples further having a cross-sectional area DLA on the first cross section of the oval dimple along the long diameter DL and a cross-sectional area DSA on the second cross section of the oval dimple along the short diameter DS, the cross-sectional area DLA being surrounded by the first line connecting both ends of the first cross section of the oval dimple and the bottom surface thereof, the cross-sectional area DSA being surrounded by the second line connecting both ends of the second cross section of the oval dimple and the bottom surface thereof, a relationship between the cross-sectional area DLA and the cross-sectional area DSA being defined as a following formula (2): DLA≧DSA (2).
US09914018B2
A system, method and apparatus for training a swing movement of a club includes storing a desired swing data in a measuring device, capturing a training swing data in the measuring device, comparing the training swing data to the desired swing data to determine a set of differential data, outputting a signal to a user corresponding to the set of differential data.
US09914010B2
The present invention is an exercise device that provides resistance training to both lower and upper body muscle groups. While the device is capable of working both the lower and upper body at the same time, the device may be used to exercise the lower body muscles and the upper body muscles independently. The device features two spirals wound in opposite directions that maintain a constant force throughout the exercise.
US09914002B2
A workout bag assembly including a tubular body having a closed end and an accessible end. The tubular body defines an interior divided into at least two compartments by a partition. The tubular body also has an exterior with two inner handles side-by-side along a length of the tubular body and two end handles. Each end handle is adjacent to a respective end. A partition divides an interior of the tubular body into a first compartment and a second compartment. Three tubes can receive a weighted material. The first compartment is sized and configured to snugly hold one of the three tubes when filled, and the second compartment is sized and configured to snugly hold two of the three tubes when filled.
US09913994B2
A light therapy bed including multiple LEDs positioned in individually controllable modules is disclosed. The modules of LEDs are configured to have direct contact or in close proximity to the skin or tissue of the user, through an acrylic or similar cover. The LEDs light the surface and underlying layers of tissue for photodynamic stimulation of the cells. Iterations of the device utilize light known to have a bactericidal effect in the case of acne, MRSA, etc. The bed is fabricated and formed in a curved configuration to optimize contact between the LEDs and the skin of a user. Each of the LED modules may be mounted on a PCB in an arrangement to provide even lighting and temperature upon the skin or tissue surface of a user. Each module also has one or more thermal sensors that evenly and quickly heat all of the areas of a user's body.
US09913988B2
Techniques for facilitating telemetry with an implantable device are provided. In one embodiment, an implantable device includes a detection component configured to detect first vibration activity generated by a mobile electronic device external to the implantable device. The first vibration activity includes one or more defined vibration behaviors. The implantable device further includes a memory that stores executable components, and a processor that executes the executable components stored in the memory. In some embodiments, an executable component includes an analysis component configured to determine whether the first vibration activity has a defined level of similarity with a first vibration pattern identifier. Another executable component can include a communication component configured to conduct a telemetry session between the implantable device and the mobile electronic device based on a determination that the first vibration activity has the defined level of similarity with the first vibration pattern identifier.
US09913975B2
A neurostimulation system and method of providing therapy to a patient implanted with a plurality of electrodes using a plurality of electrical sources is provided. A source-electrode coupling configuration is determined from the electrical sources and electrodes. Electrical current is respectively conveyed between active ones of the plurality of electrical sources and active subsets of the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the determined source-electrode coupling configuration. The total number of the electrodes in the active electrode subsets is greater than the total number of the active electrical sources.
US09913974B2
A method of making a stimulation lead includes attaching multiple segmented electrodes to a carrier. Each of the segmented electrodes has a curved form extending over an arc in the range of 10 to 345 degrees. The method further includes attaching conductors to the segmented electrodes; forming the carrier into a cylinder with segmented electrodes disposed within the cylinder; molding a lead body around the segmented electrodes disposed on the carrier; and removing at least a portion of the carrier to separate the segmented electrodes.
US09913971B2
A connector includes: a port in which a disc configured to be displaceable is provided; a space defined by a side wall surrounding the disc in the circumferential direction when the disc is displaced and a bottom wall arranged at a position opposite the disc and configured to allow displacement of the disc; and a flow passage connected to the bottom wall at a position away from the side wall, and allowing fluid to flow therethrough to the space. The connector further includes cutouts formed from the flow passage to the side wall.
US09913957B2
In various embodiments, flow rate of fluids, such as oxygen, nitrous oxide, and air, may be electronically and/or mechanically controlled. An electronically controlled auxiliary common gas output (ACGO) valve may direct the gas mixture, including one or more gases and/or anesthetics, either to a primary breathing machine or to an ACGO of an anesthesia delivery machine. The ACGO valve may include a piloted shuttle valve comprising a valve body and a piston configured to translate within the valve body. The piston may divert the gas mixture to a primary breathing system outlet when translated to a first position and to an ACGO when translated to a second position. An electronically controlled drive gas may toggle the position of the piston. In some embodiments, the piloted shuttle valve may be spring loaded and default to directing the gas mixture to the primary breathing system.
US09913956B2
The invention is an integrated device and improved method for percutaneous placement of a tracheostomy tube into a patient which includes a film sheath everted from a pusher moved through a guide that is positioned over an incision site in a patient's neck. The pusher moves through an incision, which may be preexisting or created by the device, into the patient's trachea, laying down the film sheath as it advances. The film and pusher may effect blunt dissection of the patient's tissue, and the device may optionally include a blade(s), needle or other cutting tool and/or the tracheostomy tube itself so that the tracheostomy can be completed with fewer procedural steps and surgical instruments.
US09913951B2
A device for providing a medicament from capsules, where the device is integrated into an inhaler and comprises a capsule receiver comprising a capsule chamber, which extends along a first direction (X) in the manner of a tube and in which a capsule can be arranged, and a puncture device for opening the capsules, where the puncture device is arranged in a second direction (Y) radial to the capsule chamber, the puncture device having at least one needle which is moveable in sections into the capsule chamber in the second direction (Y) by means of an actuating button. A respective rear portion of the at least one needle of the puncture device is received in part in a needle receiver. The capsule receiver comprises at least one guide channel extending along the second direction (Y), wherein the needle receiver is arranged in the guide channel in such a moveable manner.
US09913942B2
Described is an injection device for administering a dose of a medicament (M) comprising a carrier adapted to contain a syringe having a hollow injection needle and a stopper, a drive spring, a plunger adapted to forward load of the drive spring to the stopper, and a noise component adapted to generate an audible and/or tactile feedback by impacting a component of the injection device when the stopper is located at a proximal end of the syringe. In a first state, a resilient arm on the plunger is maintained in engagement with the noise component by the carrier. In a second state, the arm disengages the noise component and deflects at least partially into an aperture in the carrier.
US09913940B2
A method of establishing a wireless operating communication between the extracorporeal blood treatment device and a medical accessory and extracorporeal blood treatment device configured for implementing the method are provided; the method comprises the steps of establishing a wireless auxiliary communication between the blood treatment device and the medical accessory, transferring configuration data using the wireless auxiliary communication and establishing the wireless operating communication between the blood treatment device and the medical accessory based on the configuration data. A maximum operating distance of the wireless auxiliary communication is shorter than a maximum operating distance of the wireless operating communication.
US09913939B2
The present invention relates to a valve arrangement for use in an extracorporeal blood circuit having at least one arterial blood line and at least one venous blood line, the valve arrangement having at least one first valve arranged in the arterial blood line, a second valve arranged in the venous blood line, a fourth valve arranged in a first arteriovenous connection line between the arterial blood line of the circuit and the venous blood line of the circuit, and a fifth valve arranged in a second arteriovenous connection line between the arterial blood line and the venous blood line; and/or a third valve arranged for establishing a fluid connection in a blood line between the arterial blood line and the venous blood line of the circuit; and/or a sixth valve arranged between a blood treatment device and an air venting device of the circuit.
US09913934B2
A radiopaque, optically translucent thermoplastic polyurethane compound is disclosed. The use of nano-sized particles of barium sulfate optionally in combination with a minor amount of certain dispersion aids allows the barium sulfate to be sufficiently dispersed within the thermoplastic polyurethane to retain optical translucency according to a defined Haze Determination Test. Medical devices, needing both visual spectrum observation before and during in-vivo medical use and radiopacity monitoring during in-vivo medical use, benefit from this compound. Optionally, a surface enhancer can also be used.
US09913922B2
A sterilizing component removal device which reduces a sterilizing component sprayed in a working chamber having an outlet includes a sprayer which supplies, in an atomized manner, a liquid different from the sterilizing component into the working chamber.
US09913921B2
Described is a pretargeting method, and related kits, for targeted medical imaging and/or therapeutics, wherein use is made of abiotic reactive chemical groups that exhibit bio-orthogonal reactivity towards each other. The invention involves the use of [4+2] inverse electron demand (retro) Diels-Alder chemistry in providing the coupling between a Pre-targeting Probe and an Effector Probe. To this end one of these probes comprises an electron-deficient tetrazine or other suitable diene, and the other an E-cyclooctene which has a flattened structure as a result of the position of at least two exocyclic bonds.
US09913919B2
Provided herein are improved methods for preparing phospholipid formulations including phospholipid UCA formulations.
US09913918B2
Recombinant host cells are provided. The cell genome contains heterologous gene expression cassettes capable of being expressed in the host cell, where the gene expression cassettes encode a nucleic acid sequence encompassing at least 80% of the full-length sequence of the mamAB operon, the mamGDFC operon, and the tmms6 operon of a magnetotactic alphaproteobacterium, respectively. The cells may further comprise gene expression cassettes capable of being expressed in the host cell, where the gene expression cassettes encode a nucleic acid sequence encompassing at least 80% of the full-length sequence of the mamXY operon and/or the feoABI operon of a magnetotactic alphaproteobacterium; where the recombinant host cell, upon expression of the gene expression cassettes in their entirety, is capable of producing magnetic nanoparticles. Preferably, the recombinant host cell is derived from Rhodospirillum rubrum. Methods of producing these recombinant host cells by genetic transposition are provided.
US09913915B2
Compositions and methods are provided including a transporter peptide derived from the loop2 domain of the neuronally-derived lynx1 protein which can be conjugated to an effector agent to form a transporter-effector complex for transport of the therapeutic effector agent to a target that is found across the blood brain barrier.
US09913910B2
Methods of treating nausea utilizing semi-solid delivery vehicle compositions comprising granisetron
A semi-solid delivery vehicle contains a polyorthoester and an excipient, and a semi-solid pharmaceutical composition contains an active agent and the delivery vehicle. The pharmaceutical composition may be a topical, syringable, or injectable formulation; and is suitable for local delivery of the active agent. Methods of treatment are also disclosed.
US09913908B2
The present disclosure refers to transdermal pharmaceutical bases that include a synergistic combination of a silicone base with a natural permeation enhancement composition (NPE). Further, these transdermal pharmaceutical bases are proposed to treat ear diseases in mammals. The silicone base includes silicone, pracaxi oil, and seje oil. Additionally, the NPE composition includes one or more phospholipids, one or more oils rich in essential fatty acids, behenic acid, and oleic acid, one or more skin lipids, and one or more butters rich in linoleic acid and linolenic acid. The synergistic combination of aforementioned natural components exhibit enhanced healing properties, thereby providing organic acids with antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. The transdermal pharmaceutical bases are employed to increase the residence time of the medicament in the ear canal, and increase the penetration of the APIs into the affected area, thereby enhancing treatment effectiveness.
US09913903B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for the treatment or prevention of infection-related immune conditions using compositions comprising IgM.
US09913901B2
Methods for treating cancer patients with HER2-positive tumors are disclosed. The methods comprise administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of a combination of (i) an anthracycline-loaded immunoliposome with a targeting moiety that is a first anti-HER2 antibody and (ii) an anti-cancer therapeutic comprising a second anti-HER2 antibody.
US09913894B2
The present invention relates to novel respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) F peptides and compositions comprising them. The present invention also relates to methods of evaluating anti-RSV antibody binding to F peptides. The present invention also relates to antibodies that immunospecifically bind to an F peptide of the present invention. The invention further provides methods and protocols for the administration of F peptides and/or antibodies that immunospecifically bind to F peptides for the prevention, neutralization, treatment of RSV infection. Additionally, the methods of the invention may be useful for the treatment, prevention and the amelioration of symptoms associated with RSV infection.
US09913887B2
The present invention encompasses methods and compositions for Ureaplasma infection prevention and/or treatment. In specific cases, the invention concerns vaccines for Ureaplasma, including DNA vaccines. In certain embodiments, the invention regards vaccines directed towards the multiple-banded antigen(s) of Ureaplasma.
US09913885B2
Provided herein are consensus amino acid sequences of prostate antigens that are capable of breaking tolerance in a targeted species, including PSA, PSMA, STEAP and PSCA antigens. Also provided are nucleic acid sequences that encode one or more consensus amino acid sequences of prostate antigens PSA, PSMA, STEAP and PSCA, as well as genetic constructs/vectors and vaccines expressing the sequences. Also provided herein are methods for generating an autoimmune response against prostate cancer cells by administering one or more of the vaccines, proteins, and/or nucleic acid sequences that are provided.
US09913878B2
Engineered peptides that bind with high affinity (low equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd)) to the cell surface receptors of fibronectin (α5β1) or vitronectin (αvβ3 and αvβ5 integrins) are disclosed as useful as imaging tissue. These peptides are based on a molecular scaffold into which a subsequence containing the RGD integrin-binding motif has been inserted. The subsequence (RGD mimic) comprises about 9-13 amino acids, and the RGD contained within the subsequence can be flanked by a variety of amino acids, the sequence of which was determined by sequential rounds of selection (in vitro evolution). The molecular scaffold is preferably based on a knottin, e.g., EETI (Trypsin inhibitor 2 (Trypsin inhibitor II) (EETI-II) [Ecballium elaterium (Jumping cucumber)], AgRP (Agouti-related protein), and Agatoxin IVB, which peptides have a rigidly defined three-dimensional conformation. It is demonstrated that EETI tolerates mutations in other loops and that the present peptides may be used as imaging agents.
US09913876B2
A biogel, and kits, agents, and methods for formation of the biogel are described. The biogel can be used for a variety of applications, including haemostasis, wound sealing, tissue engineering or localized drug delivery.
US09913862B2
Provided herein are methods and compositions for treatment of a microbial infection or a microbial biofilm in a subject or on a surface by administering to the subject or surface determined to have or suspected of having a microbial infection/film an antimicrobial agent in combination with a silver-containing compound (e.g., a silver salt). In some embodiments, a silver-containing compound can increase activity of the antimicrobial agent. In other embodiments, addition of a silver-containing compound to an antimicrobial agent can expand the antimicrobial spectrum of the antimicrobial agent such that the antimicrobial agent originally indicated for treatment of one microbial strain (e.g., Gram-positive microbes) becomes effective for treating additional microbial strains (e.g., Gram-negative microbes). Other aspects relating to methods and compositions for delivering an agent to a microbe by increasing the membrane permeability of the microbe are also provided herein.
US09913861B2
Described herein is a pharmaceutical composition comprising atropine or a salt thereof; aconitine; and mercury cyanide. The composition is useful in a method for treating a viral infection.
US09913855B2
This disclosure relates to the use of uridine diphosphate (UDP) derivatives, salts and/or prodrugs thereof for the treatment of inflammatory conditions (e.g., psoriasis) and glaucoma, to prodrugs of UDP derivatives, compositions comprising therapeutically effective amounts of those prodrugs of the UDP derivatives and methods of using those prodrugs for treating various disorders including, e.g., neuronal disorders, including neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease) and traumatic CNS injury, pain, Down Syndrome (DS), glaucoma, and inflammatory conditions, e.g., psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.
US09913853B2
The present invention relates to stable pharmaceutical compositions of fosaprepitant or a salt thereof in the form of ready-to-use or ready-to-dilute compositions suitable for parenteral administration.
US09913846B2
A pharmaceutical combination comprising (a) a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor compound of formula (I), as defined herein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) paclitaxel or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for simultaneous, separate or sequential use, for the treatment of a cancer of the head and neck; a pharmaceutical composition comprising said combination; the use of said combination for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of a cancer of the head and neck; a method of treating or preventing a cancer of the head and neck comprising administering a jointly therapeutically effective amount of such a combination to a subject in need thereof; and a commercial package thereof.
US09913824B2
Provided are novel methods and formulations for orally controlling bot larvae in the gastrointestinal tract of equine animal using a spinosyn.
US09913823B2
The present invention relates to a compound of Formula 1, and an SIRT 1 activator including, as an active ingredient, derivatives thereof or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The present invention also relates to a composition including the SIRT 1 activator for detoxification, for the improvement of metabolic disorders, for the prevention or improvement of eye diseases, or the prevention or improvement of immune diseases.
US09913822B2
Provided herein is combination therapy containing an anti-hyaluronan agent, such as a polymer-conjugated hyaluronan-degrading enzyme, and a tumor-targeted taxane, and optionally a further chemotherapeutic agent such as a nucleoside analog. The combination therapy can be used in methods of treating cancers, and in particular solid tumor cancers.
US09913819B2
The invention includes a method of preventing or treating a fibrotic lung disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a thyroid hormone by inhalation and/or aerosolization. The invention further comprises compositions and kits comprising compositions useful within the invention.
US09913811B2
A compound suitable for treating EGFR-dependent non-small cell lung cancer exceptionally inhibits activity of the EGFR kinase, in particular in EGFR-dependent non-small cell lung cancer with intrinsic or acquired resistance against at least one EGFR inhibitor. Methods for inhibiting EGFR kinase activity in non-small cell lung cancer cells which harbor an abnormality in the EGFR gene and for targeting cancer cells harboring an abnormality in EGFR gene by contacting EGFR-dependent non-small cell lung cancer cells with said compound are also provided. The compounds allow for an advantageous inhibition of the EGFR kinase activity and induction of apoptosis of the non-small cell lung cancer cells with abnormality in the EGFR gene. Hence, said compounds represent a highly promising treatment option for patients harboring EGFR-dependent cancer.
US09913810B2
A dietary supplement composition and associated method of use has the composition formulated in a therapeutic amount to treat and alleviate symptoms of joint pain in a person having joint pain. The composition includes astaxanthin and microbial fermented, low molecular weight hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronan). The composition also includes at least one of a phospholipid, glycolipid, and sphingolipid. It is formulated into an oral dosage form and the astaxanthin is 0.1 to 15 percent by weight of the at least one phospholipid, glycolipid, and sphingolipid.
US09913806B2
Embodiments of the invention provide patches for the transdermal delivery of iron-containing compositions to an individual suffering from an iron deficiency. Many embodiments provide an iontophoretic patch for the transdermal delivery of a therapeutically effective amount of iron. The patch comprises an electrode and a reservoir containing a composition comprising ionic iron for the delivery of the therapeutically effective amount of iron. Various embodiments provide methods of using embodiments of the iontophoretic patch for delivering a therapeutically effective amount of iron to an individual suffering from one more forms of iron deficiency including iron deficiency anemia. Such methods can be used for treating and/or preventing the iron deficiency. The amount of delivered iron can be adjusted depending upon various treatment parameters such as patient weight and type and amount of iron deficiency.
US09913805B2
A nano- or micro-scale therapeutic agent is provided for use in the treatment of an infection of a human or animal. The agent includes micro- and/or nano-particle carriers loaded with at least one inert precursor chemical. The carriers encapsulate the precursor which after release from the carrier are activatable by the physiological milieu in situ at the site of the infection to form an antimicrobial agent. Preferably, the precursor chemical or chemicals form an oxidative biocide on release, which oxidative biocide is hydrogen peroxide. Advantageously, the precursor chemicals also include an acetyl donor that on release reacts with the hydrogen peroxide to produce a mixture of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. The carrier is preferably in the form of micro- and/or nano-particles that have been manufactured using a thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process, for example the carrier may be a biodegradable polymer such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA).
US09913804B2
Embodiments of the invention provide drug packaging and methods for producing drug packaging which can be sealed at room temperature and/or without the need for elevated temperatures above room temperature. Many embodiments provide drug packaging comprising pierceable tubing having a capsule shape (also referred to herein as a pierceable capsule and/or pierceable drug capsule) containing a solid drug such as a drug pellet and methods for producing pierceable drug capsules which can be sealed at room temperature. Embodiments are particularly useful for the packaging and delivery of drugs used in implantable drug delivery devices as well as packaging of drugs that are easily thermally degraded.
US09913801B2
The composition of the invention, liposomal glutathione, has been recently shown to have utility for having an antibiotic like effect on Klebsiella pneumonia cultures in vitro, and in vivo as demonstrated by efficacy in reducing by large multiples the presence of cultures of Klebsiella in rats in animal tests. Further, because the liposomal glutathione bolsters body defenses as well as appearing to have direct killing action, the propensity to create more and more resistant strains to antibiotic treatment is downgraded.
US09913800B2
The disclosure relates to topical compositions and methods comprising whole, non-viable Micrococcaceae cells, wherein the cells have been processed to kill the cells while minimizing lysis. The topical compositions and methods are useful for decreasing skin inflammation and improving skin barrier function.
US09913797B2
A bioactive composition and method of using the composition is provided having anti-aging, antioxidant and/or free radical scavenging properties.
US09913795B2
A cosmetic composition comprising a cosmetically active ingredient in a cosmetically acceptable medium, wherein the cosmetic composition contains a silicone composition comprising (A) a hydrophobic organopolysiloxane fluid having a surface tension of from 15 to 40 mN/m and (B) a finely divided solid hydrophobic filler dispersed in the organopolysiloxane fluid (A).
US09913782B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: a) composite particles with a mean size of greater than 0.1 μm, containing a matrix comprising i) at least one organic material and/or at least one mineral material and ii) at least titanium dioxide; and b) hydrophobic silica aerogel particles. The invention also relates to a cosmetic process for caring for and/or making up human keratin materials, especially bodily or facial skin or the hair, comprising at least the application, to the surface of the keratin material, of a composition as defined previously. The invention also relates to a non-therapeutic cosmetic process for limiting the darkening of the skin and/or improving the color and/or uniformity of the complexion, comprising the application, to the surface of the keratin material, of a composition as defined previously. The invention also relates to a non-therapeutic cosmetic process for preventing and/or treating the signs of ageing of a keratin material, comprising the application, to the surface of the keratin material, of a composition as defined previously.
US09913778B2
A prescription drug monitoring/dispensing device ensures prescription medication housed within is taken only as directed, and not abused or sold on the streets. The device serves as an intricately guarded casing that may only dispense the preprogrammed dosage amounts at preset times, as directed by a prescribing physician. The device may include a housing having a biometric finger scanner and a display screen in communication therewith, a loading tube capable of holding a pill therein, a rotating hub in communication with the loading tube, a rotating disc in communication with the loading tube, and an exit port capable of dispensing the pill out from the housing.
US09913776B1
A chest compressor includes a piston (14) that moves in downward and upward strokes within a cylinder (12), with the piston undergoing a smooth reversal at the bottom of the downward stroke. A compression spring, such as a wave spring (60), is positioned to engage the piston only near the end of its downward stroke, to smoothly reverse the piston motion, limit downward force on the patient at the end of the stroke, and avoid a downward pulse due to the momentum of the downwardly-moving piston. A stop (90, 92) is latchable in an inward position to allow reduction in the piston stroke by engaging an outward flange (52) on the piston before the piston has moved fully downward. In one embodiment the piston (14) is made as an outer piston part (40) and an inner piston part (42) that telescope in one another in which the outer piston part is slidably engaged with and guided by the cylinder along a path and the inner piston part is slidably engaged with and guided by the outer piston part and the spring (60) engages the inner piston part near the end of its downward stroke, to smoothly reverse the piston motion, limit downward force on the patient at the end of the stroke, and avoid a downward pulse due to the momentum of the downwardly-moving piston.
US09913772B2
The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to wheelchair systems for transporting a mobility-challenged passenger onto an aircraft and transfer that passenger into an aircraft seat. The implementations include systems with lift systems, belt systems, and/or transfer ramps.
US09913769B2
An item of seating furniture having a sitting surface which is mounted on a frame structure and which can be lifted from a lower position to an upper position by means of a lifting device, said lifting device having a scissors mechanism that has at least two limb parts which can pivot relative to each other. At least one spring element which is prestressed in the lower position, acts in the direction of the upper position and can be arranged in at least two different angular positions engages with at least one of the limb parts which is mounted via an articulated joint to the frame structure.
US09913761B2
An absorbent article may be constructed by printing on an unstretched web that forms a portion of the side panels. Seams may be formed by attaching the side panels to a chassis. The side panels and the chassis may have different elastic properties. The absorbent article may also comprise first and second waistbands.
US09913759B2
A method of preparing an adhesive wound dressing, the dressing comprising a central portion and an edge portion, the method comprising the steps of providing a support layer, drawing the support layer into a mold and dispensing a portion of uncured adhesive over the mold, distributing the adhesive in the mold and removing excess adhesive. The adhesive is cured and the support layer is detached from the mold. The central portion is provided with a plurality of through-going holes and an absorbent pad is placed on the non-adhesive side of the central portion and finally a backing layer is laminated to the absorbent pad and the edge portion of the support layer.
US09913757B2
A dressing for an open wound includes a cover layer dimensioned for positioning relative to a wound bed. The cover layer permits an evacuation of the space around the wound bed such that a sub-atmospheric pressure may be established to stimulate healing and facilitate the removal of fluid from the wound. Multiple performance zones in the cover layer allow the wound dressing to remain in position through repeated cycles of evacuation without placing undue strain on the wound bed. An outer peripheral zone may include a high peal-strength adhesive while an intermediate zone may include a shear resistant adhesive. A central zone may be devoid of any coating to maximize moisture transmission through cover layer.
US09913752B2
A surgical instrument system for ophthalmic surgery in an eye is provided, comprising: an OCT apparatus including an interferometer; an optical fiber coupled to the OCT apparatus and extending a probe arm of the interferometer; a hand tool comprising: a hand piece, a tube extending away from the hand piece and comprising a distal end portion having a longitudinal axis, wherein a distal portion of the optical fiber is received within the tube; a beam emitter coupled to a tip end of the optical fiber and configured to emit an OCT measuring beam into an emission direction; and an actuator configured to change the emission direction of the OCT measuring beam relative to a tip end of the distal end portion.
US09913740B2
The present disclosure describes methods and apparatus for endoluminal devices, such as stents, that have components with varying cross-sections at various points about the length of the endoluminal device, with various benefits resulting therefrom.
US09913733B2
Methods and systems for calculating dimensions for fabricating an artificial bone flap. Intra-operative data indicating dimensions of an opening in a portion of the patient's skull are obtained. 3D dimensions of the opening are calculated using the intra-operative data, registered to a reference image. The calculated 3D dimensions are provided for fabricating the artificial bone flap by a fabrication system.
US09913729B2
A modular anchor bone fusion cage is provided. The cage includes a spacer configured to fit into a space between the faces of two bones that are to be fused together. A fusion plate having at least a main body portion is coupled to the spacer by a connector. Fasteners extend through the fusion plate to engage the bone. At least some of the fasteners also extend through the spacer to engage the opposed faces of the bone. A cover plate is coupled to the fusion plate to inhibit the fasteners from backing out prior to fusion of the bones.
US09913721B2
Methods for the prevention, or delayed onset or progression of, bone marrow edema or bone marrow lesion, and subchondral treatment to prevent the progression of osteoarthritis of a joint are disclosed. The methods involve treating the subchondral bone, while preserving, as much as possible, the joint's articular and cartilage surface. The methods could be performed before, during, or after an initial arthroscopic surgery to repair the joint. Associated devices and instruments for treatment of the subchondral bone are also disclosed.
US09913718B2
A chamber assembly for testing a valve includes a proximal chamber portion that defines a proximal interior space, and a distal chamber portion that defines a distal interior space. The distal interior space includes a gas space. When a liquid is inserted into the proximal and distal chambers there is an interface between the liquid and a gas in the gas space. A valve holder is disposed adjacent to the proximal interior space and the distal interior space. The valve holder is configured to receive the valve in a bore of the valve holder. A shortest distance between a center of the valve when in the bore and the interface is at least about 45 mm.
US09913715B2
A collapsible and expandable stent body includes a generally tubular annulus section, one or more prosthetic valve elements mounted to the stent body, and a cuff attached to the stent body. The prosthetic valve is operative to allow flow in an antegrade direction but to substantially block flow in a retrograde direction. The prosthetic heart valve may include paravalvular leak mitigation features in the form of first and second sealing members. The sealing members are attached to the cuff and extend circumferentially around an abluminal surface of the stent body. The sealing members each have an open side facing in a first axial direction and a closed side facing in an opposite second axial direction. Flow of blood in the second axial direction will tend to force blood into the sealing members and cause the sealing members to billow outwardly relative to the stent body, helping to mitigate paravalvular leak.
US09913709B2
The present disclosure relates to instruments and methods for manipulating soft tissue during a soft tissue repair procedure. The instruments and methods may include use of a handle and a shaft coupled to the handle, the shaft including a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion of the shaft may include a tip with at least two prongs and a channel located between the prongs.
US09913706B2
Excessive dilation of the annulus of a mitral valve may lead to regurgitation of blood during ventricular contraction. This regurgitation may lead to a reduction in cardiac output. Disclosed are systems and methods relating to an implant configured for reshaping a mitral valve. The implant comprises a plurality of struts with anchors for tissue engagement. The implant is compressible to a first, reduced diameter for transluminal navigation and delivery to the left atrium of a heart. The implant may then expand to a second, enlarged diameter to embed its anchors to the tissue surrounding and/or including the mitral valve. The implant may then contract to a third, intermediate diameter, pulling the tissue radially inwardly, thereby reducing the mitral valve and lessening any of the associated symptoms including mitral regurgitation.
US09913702B1
A floss arm in a generally cylindrical configuration has a distal end, a proximal end, and an exterior surface there between. The distal end is formed with a distal recess. A replaceable flosser has a central base and two outwardly extending legs. The outwardly extending legs have free ends. A piece of floss is secured between the free ends. The central base is removably received in the distal recess. A floss guard is formed with a center attached to the distal end of the floss arm. A plurality of short arms extend from the center to limit the depth of penetration of the floss. Two laterally spaced long legs extend from the center and span the plurality of short legs to define a central zone for optimal flossing.
US09913701B2
A method for digital archiving and manufacturing of dental prosthetics and a prosthesis, and teaching and training for the method are provided. The method mainly includes the following steps: preoperative scanning: creating a first digital model file; optical positioning and turning treatment: creating a second digital model file from a turning process; physical model calculation: creating reversely an autologous crown model file of a patient; and fixed denture manufacturing: manufacturing, according to the second digital model file and the autologous crown model file, a fixed denture that meets needs of the patient, so that an inner layer structure of a crown of the fixed denture can be tightly bound to an abutment, and it may be decided to retain an original crown contour according to needs. A tooth model based on a teaching digital model file can be used for teaching and training of a trainee with the foregoing method.
US09913700B2
The present invention relates to a biomimetic matrix for providing structural support and scaffolding that allows for regeneration of dentin, pulp, and periodontal tissues. A method of making the biomimetic matrix provides the ability to select both a size of a pore or tubule formed in the biomimetic matrix and a density of pores or tubules disposed throughout the biomimetic matrix. The present invention discloses an approach of successful tubular dentin regeneration both in vitro and in vivo using the biomimetic matrix.
US09913697B1
A workstation assembly that can be collapsed into a portable container. The portable container has a first section and second section that can be selectively joined and separated. A lift mechanism is provided that interconnects the first section and the second section. The lift mechanism has an extended configuration and a compressed configuration. When in its extended configuration, the lift mechanism separates the first section from the second section of the portable container by a selected distance. Conversely, when in its compressed configuration, the lift mechanism causes the first section to abut against the second section along a common seam. Wheels are connected to the portable container so that the portable container can roll. A handle is also connected to the container for pulling the container on wheels.
US09913695B2
A system and method for performing a medical procedure includes a first multi-linked mechanism comprising a plurality of first links, and a lumen therethrough; a second multi-linked mechanism comprising a plurality of second links, wherein the second multi-linked mechanism is constructed and arranged to be slidingly received by the lumen of the first multi-linked mechanism, and where the first and second multi-linked mechanisms are configured to transition from a limp state to a rigid state; a set of proximal cables comprising at least a first proximal cable and a second proximal cable; a set of distal cables comprising at least a first distal cable and a second distal cable; a cable control assembly constructed and arranged to independently apply tension to the first proximal cable and the second proximal cable; a cable interface assembly constructed and arranged to receive a force from at least the first proximal cable and the second proximal cable and to transmit a corresponding force to at least the first distal cable and the second distal cable. The force applied to the first distal cable and the second distal cable steers at least one of the first multi-linked mechanism or the second multi-linked mechanism.
US09913684B2
A catheter for ablation of the interior walls of the renal artery includes an elongated catheter body having opposing proximal and distal end portions, a plurality of axially spaced apart electrodes aligned along the distal end portion of the catheter body, and a catheter handle at the proximal end portion of the catheter body including means for operatively connecting the handle to a generator, wherein energy from the generator is provided to the plurality of electrodes for ablation of the renal artery, wherein the handle is configured to steer the distal end portion of the catheter body in at least one direction.
US09913671B2
A fracture fixation plate s stem for use on a long bone having metaphysis and a diaphysis, includes at least one end plate having ahead portion for the metaphysis, and at least one diaphyseal plate having a first end and a second end with a plurality of screw holes therebetween. The end plate includes mating structure adapted to mate with and securely couple to at least one end of the at least one diaphyseal plate. The system preferably includes several end plates and diaphyseal plates to accommodate anatomy of various sizes. A method for coupling the plates to the bone is also provided.
US09913670B2
Provided are a rod inserter for fixing a pedicle screw. The rod inserter for fixing a pedicle screw, the rod inserter including a rotational support unit having a length corresponding to a radius of lordosis formed by lumbar of vertebrae of a subject person and of which a lower end is fixed and a rotational insertion unit having a length corresponding to the radius and having one end rotatably coupled to an upper end of the rotational support unit and the other end to which an arc-shaped rod is detachably coupled. Thus, the arc-shaped rods having lengths shapes different from each other according to the number of screws respectively fixed to the vertebrae of the subject person is coupled as one device to perform the operation.
US09913660B2
A medical knife which maintains low penetration resistance, without the maximum-width parts of the medical knife creating sudden changes in penetration resistance even when passing through tissue. Knife includes a pointed tip, a cutting part which has edges having first oblique faces which are formed along the outer periphery, and second oblique faces which are formed inside the first oblique faces. Maximum-width parts are formed contiguously with the cutting part. A shank part is formed contiguously with the maximum-width parts. The cutting part is formed in such a way that the shape of the planar projection thereof becomes wider from the pointed tip towards the maximum-width parts, and the first oblique faces extend further towards the shank part side than the second oblique faces over at least one portion of the area running from the maximum-width parts to the shank part.
US09913659B2
An atherectomy catheter directs particles generated by a cutting element into a collection chamber. A paddle attached to the cutting element propels fluid distally in the tissue collection chamber.
US09913655B2
A surgical system comprises an end effector for operating on tissue and a screen positioned around the end effector. The screen is fluidly coupled with a suction source by a conduit such as a tube. The screen is configured to communicate suction through the screen while preventing tissue from contacting the end effector. The screen is further configured to retract proximally relative to the end effector to thereby expose the end effector.
US09913654B2
Embodiments described a shield for a surgical morcellator. Specifically, embodiments disclose a denticulate shield for the distal tip of a surgical morcellator with notches, wherein the notches are configured to catch loose morcellated tissue and prevent the loose morcellated tissue from being falling or remaining into the patient.
US09913650B2
The present invention is an anchor for a thermally responsive ligature that deforms when heated. The ligature has an engaging segment for engaging the anchor with two clamping portions and a curved portion. The anchor is made from a thermally and/or electrically conductive material and has an engaging surface for engaging a curved portion of the ligature. The clamping portions of the engaging segment of the ligature pass between the body and the clamping component when the curved portion of the engaging segment is engaging the engaging surface of the anchor body. Then, portions of the clamping component can be moved towards the anchor body to reconfigure the clamping component so that the portions of the clamping component press the clamping portions of the engaging segment of the ligature against the anchor body and maintain the engaging segment of the ligature in thermal or electrical communication with the anchor body.
US09913645B2
An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a first jaw, a second jaw, a blade assembly, and a lockout assembly. The first jaw removably couples with a staple cartridge. The second jaw is movably coupled with the first jaw. The blade assembly translates relative to the first jaw and includes a first tab. The lockout assembly includes a resilient member that biases the blade assembly to a lockout position. The lockout assembly engages the first tab of the blade assembly in the lockout position to prevent the blade assembly from translating distally relative to the first jaw when a staple cartridge is absent from the first jaw or when a spent staple cartridge is disposed in the first jaw.
US09913644B2
A surgical instrument and method of controlling the surgical instrument are disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft that extends distally from the housing and defines a first longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument also includes a firing rod disposed in the elongated shaft and a drive mechanism disposed at least partially within the housing. The drive mechanism mechanically cooperates with the firing rod to move the firing rod. A sensor senses a parameter of light reflected from the surface of the firing rod, which includes markings that change the reflectivity of the firing rod. The measurement unit determines a parameter of the motion of the firing rod, such as the position and speed of the firing rod, based on the sensed parameter of the light reflected from the surface of the firing rod.
US09913643B2
Interlock assemblies for attaching a loading unit to a surgical stapling instrument are provided. The interlock assemblies are formed on a proximal end of a shell member and on a distal end of an adapter assembly. The interlock assemblies may include a collar member for selectively securing the shell member to the adapter assembly. The collar member may be mounted on the shell member or on the adapter assembly.
US09913639B2
A suture needle driving instrument comprises a shaft and an end effector. The end effector is located at the distal end of the shaft and includes a pair of grasping arms. Each grasping arm comprises a respective pair of jaws. Each pair of jaws is operable to cooperate to grasp and release a suture needle. Each jaw has a needle grasping member operable to align a suture needle along a predetermined arc path. The end effector is further operable to pass the needle from one arm to the other arm during a suturing procedure. The instrument may be used through a trocar during minimally invasive surgery.
US09913638B2
Described herein are methods and apparatuses for use in repair of a patient's tissue by connecting the tissue to the bone using a transosteal tunnel and anchor configured to pass through the transosteal tunnel. In particular, described herein are methods of repairing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and torn meniscal root. These anchoring apparatuses and method of using them are particularly well suited for use with the low-profile suture passers described herein, since these suture passers may allow access to previously inaccessible regions of the knee (or other body regions).
US09913631B2
A cell collection device for collecting cells from the inner surface of a body lumen is disclosed. The cell collection device includes a longitudinal member, a plurality of struts that are expandable radially, and a sheath having an inner surface that constrains the outward movement of the plurality of struts when the sheath is in a first position and does not constrain the outward movement of the plurality of struts when the sheath is in a second position.
US09913628B2
A method for classifying a tissue sample of a biopsy specimen includes receiving a signal from at least one location of the tissue sample including a plurality of chromophores. Further, the method includes verifying whether the received signal comprises a predetermined amount of at least one of an attenuated illumination light and a re-emitted light. Also, the method includes determining that a spectrum of the received signal is within a predetermined range. In addition, the method includes processing the spectrum of the received signal to decompose the signal into a plurality of components. Furthermore, the method includes classifying tissue in the at least one location of the tissue sample into one of a plurality of tissue types based on the plurality of components.
US09913627B2
A specimen collection container having a separation chamber includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a valve located between the first chamber and the second chamber. In an open position, the valve permits fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber. In a closed position, the valve maintains fluid isolation between the first chamber and the second chamber. A fluid stream passes from the first chamber to the second chamber through the valve permitting a predetermined volume of fluid to pass from the first chamber to the second chamber. When the predetermined volume of fluid passes to the second chamber, the valve transitions from the open position to the closed position so that additional fluid of the fluid stream received by the first chamber is maintained in the first chamber in fluid isolation from the predetermined volume of fluid contained in the second chamber.
US09913624B2
High-speed three-dimensional reconstruction of elasticity data is obtained by acquiring a sparse set of data in planes sharing a common axis line and angularly arrayed about the axis line. The axis line may be an RF ablation probe and the reconstruction may enforce a circumferential smoothness in the reconstruction about the probe, as is compatible with an ablation volume.
US09913621B2
An offset of an actual positional relationship of a radiation source and an object from a reference positional relationship is determined and taken into account when positioning and/or tilting and/or collimating the radiation source so as to irradiate a region of interest of the object.
US09913617B2
The present disclosure includes a medical monitoring hub as the center of monitoring for a monitored patient. The hub includes configurable medical ports and serial ports for communicating with other medical devices in the patient's proximity. Moreover, the hub communicates with a portable patient monitor. The monitor, when docked with the hub provides display graphics different from when undocked, the display graphics including anatomical information. The hub assembles the often vast amount of electronic medical data, associates it with the monitored patient, and in some embodiments, communicates the data to the patient's medical records.
US09913614B2
Systems and methods for monitoring the condition of electrodes used in biological signal measurement are provided. One method includes applying a first test signal having a first frequency to at least one of a plurality of electrodes and applying a second test signal having a second frequency to at least one of the plurality of electrodes. Both frequencies are below a frequency range associated with the biological signal. The method further includes capturing the biological signal while applying the plurality of test signals and generating an output signal that includes both the measured biological signal and the plurality of test signals. The method further includes retrieving an output amplitude for each of the plurality of test signals from the output signal and calculating an estimated impedance for each of the plurality of electrodes based on the retrieved output amplitudes of the plurality of test signals.
US09913605B2
Systems and methods for autonomous intravenous needle insertion are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a system for autonomous intravenous insertion include a robot arm, one or more sensors pivotally attached to the robot arm for gathering information about potential insertion sites in a subject arm, a medical device pivotally attached to the robot arm, and a controller in communication with the sensors and the robot arm, wherein the controller receives the information from the sensors about potential insertion sites, and the controller selects a target insertion site and directs the robot arm to insert the medical device into the target insertion site.
US09913604B2
In certain embodiments, a sampling assembly is for use with a main analyzer. The main analyzer is configured to sense an analyte in a body fluid obtained from a patient through a first fluid passageway extending from the main analyzer. The sampling assembly includes an instrument portion separate from the main analyzer and including at least one sensor. The instrument portion is removably engaged with the first fluid passageway. The at least one sensor is in sensing engagement with the first fluid passageway such that the at least one sensor can sense a property of a fluid within the first fluid passageway.
US09913603B2
Methods and systems for nanopillar sensors are described. Nanopillars can be defined on a substrate, and metal deposited on the nanopillars. A thermal treatment can reflow the metal on the nanopillars forming metallic bulbs on the top end of the nanopillars. These structures can have enhanced optical detection when functionalized with biological agents, or can detect gases, particles and liquids through interaction with the metal layer on the nanopillars.
US09913601B2
A method and apparatus for monitoring a blood oxygen saturation level within a subject's tissue is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) sensing the subject's tissue using a near infrared spectrophotometric oximeter, and producing a value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the sensed tissue; b) comparing the determined saturation value to a predetermined threshold oxygen saturation value; and c) determining at least one of a time under threshold (TUT) value or an area under threshold (AUT) value using the determined saturation value and the threshold value.
US09913600B2
Methods and Devices to monitor the level of at least one analyte are provided.
US09913596B2
An intervention apparatus is described having a probe with an orifice insertion portion, the insertion portion being configured for insertion into an orifice of a patient. The apparatus also having an intervention tool securement and adjustment mechanism removably attached to the probe. The probe providing support to hold the mechanism in a position relative to the patient, and the adjustment mechanism providing adjustment of an entry point and an angle of entry for an intervention tool to the patient. In embodiments, magnetic resonance imaging, trans-orifice intervention and transperineal intervention are described. Methods for imaging and/or intervention are also described.
US09913587B2
The present disclosure provides a description of various methods and systems associated with determining possible presence of Atrial Fibrillation (AF). In one example, a camera of a client device, such as a mobile phone, may acquire a series of images of a body part of a user. A plethysmographic waveform may be generated from the series of images. An autocorrelation function may be calculated from the waveform, and a number of features may be computed from the autocorrelation function. Based on an analysis of the features, a determination may be made about whether the user is experience AF. Such determined may be output to a display of the mobile phone for user review.
US09913586B2
A pulse wave sensor includes: a light emitting unit configured to emit light onto a living body; a light receiving unit configured to receive light transmitted through or reflected from the living body based on the light from the light emitting unit; a pulse wave detecting unit configured to detect a pulse wave of the living body based on a result of light reception by the light receiving unit when the light is emitted from the light emitting unit with a normal light emission intensity; and a light emission intensity adjusting unit configured to cause the light emitting unit to emit light with a predetermined test light emission intensity in a test period prior to the detection of the pulse wave, and set the normal light emission intensity using detection light reception intensity in the light receiving unit by the light emission and a predetermined reference light reception intensity.
US09913578B2
An eye gaze detecting device includes: a memory configured to store position information regarding a specific position where a specific object is located; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: identify an eye gaze position regarding the subject in an image for each of a plurality of images including the image, and calculate a correction value based on the position information and a plurality of eye gaze positions including the eye gaze position, the correction value causing the plurality of eye gaze positions to match the specific position.
US09913577B2
A speculum includes an upper blade, a lower blade, a link member, a handle portion, a curved portion, and a light source. The link member connects the upper blade and the lower blade to allow the upper blade and the lower blade to move between an open state and a close state. The curved portion connects the lower blade and the handle portion. The light source is disposed on the curved portion.
US09913571B2
An endoscope system includes: an insertion portion inserted into a subject; a forward image pickup device configured to acquire a first subject image from a first direction; an image pickup device configured to acquire a second subject image from a second direction; and an image processing section configured to generate a bird's-eye view image based on a bird's-eye view subject image looking down on the subject from a virtual point of view away from the insertion portion and configured to execute a process of associating the first subject image and the first direction in the bird's-eye view subject image and associating the second subject image and the second direction in the bird's-eye view subject image.
US09913561B1
A portable, hand-held device for dispensing both fluid hand sanitizer and dry wipes is described. In various embodiments, the portable hand sanitizer device has a lower assembly comprising a means for storing and dispensing dry wipes and a means for blocking actuation and dispensing of a fluid sanitizer, and the upper assembly comprises a means for dispensing fluid sanitizer and a means for engaging or not engaging the actuation block.
US09913548B2
A method of constructing a mattress includes placing a first ribbon about a perimeter surface of a foam member. The first ribbon includes a top lip and a bottom lip. A second ribbon is placed about a perimeter surface of the first ribbon. A third ribbon is placed about a perimeter surface of the second ribbon. The top lip of the first ribbon is folded over the top surface of the second ribbon. The bottom lip of the first ribbon is folded over the bottom surface of the second ribbon. A first fabric panel is bonded to the top surface of the first foam member and to the top lip of the first ribbon. A second fabric panel is bonded to the bottom surface of the first foam member and to the bottom lip of the first ribbon.
US09913547B2
An airbed system, connectable to an air mattress chamber of an air mattress, includes: a pressure sensor, configured to obtain pressure measurements corresponding to the air mattress chamber; and a control unit, configured to operate a pump and valves of the airbed system to inflate and deflate the air mattress chamber, and to determine first and second constants corresponding to inflation of the air mattress chamber and third and fourth constants corresponding to deflation of the air mattress chamber.
US09913542B2
There is provided a seating device having a group of three or more rigid compression members with successively smaller outer diameters that are sized to form a single nested structure. The seating device further has a seat having three or more seat connection points spaced about a flexible supporting web, a base having three or more base connection points, the three or more base connection points being connected by base tension members, and three or more flexible side tension members. Each compression member is removably engaged between a combination of a selected seat connection point and a selected base connection point, and each side tension member is engaged between a combination of a selected seat connection point and a selected base connection point, the combination of connection points engaged by each side tension member being different than the combination of connection points engaged by each compression member.
US09913532B1
A table assembly comprising a leg assembly including a first elongated member parallel to a substantially vertical extension axis and a second elongated member supported by the first member for sliding motion along the extension axis between extended and retracted positions, a load compensator including a spring supported by the second elongated member and operatively coupled to the first elongated member, a table top supported by the second member and a locking assembly including a lock housing supported by the leg assembly and forming a lock housing passageway that passes there through, a first coupler supported by the leg assembly and including an elongated central portion that extends through the lock housing passageway and a locking member moveable between a locked position wherein the locking member is operably linked to the first coupler to restrict movement and an unlocked position wherein the locking member is de-linked from the first coupler.
US09913530B2
This disclosure provides a smart toothbrush, including a head, a front handle, a grip handle, a turning unit, a drying unit, a testing, unit, a power unit and a charge base. The front handle of the toothbrush using the disclosed device can revolve automatically by applying water on the bristles. The toothbrush resets automatically after being aired and dried for convenient and clean application for the next use.
US09913526B2
Systems and apparatuses for supporting electronic devices are described. Such systems and apparatuses provide significant adaptability to position an electronic device in commonly used locations by using an interface that is readily provided in virtually any location. Furthermore, the systems and apparatuses described herein include cradles that adaptable to a wide array of electronic device dimensions, including width and depth or thickness.
US09913525B2
An apparatus for supporting a hand-operated input device on a hand. The apparatus includes a first mounting member with a hoop-shaped body and a second mounting member with a semi-circular shaped body. At first and second ends, the second mounting member is rigidly coupled at spaced-apart first and second locations to the first mounting member. A device support is rigidly coupled to the first mounting member, and the device support is adapted for supporting a hand-operated input device. The first mounting member contacts the hand at first and second contact points, and the second mounting member contacts the hand at a third contact point. The first and second contact points are located on opposite sides of the hand between the knuckles and the heel of the hand, and the third contact point is on an opposite side of the hand from the first contact point and proximate to the heel.
US09913523B1
A universal nail polish storage and display assembly includes a case having a base and a cover interconnected thereto, the cover having a display frame formed therethrough. A storage unit comprising a storage medium at least partially formed of a resilient material is mounted in the case. The storage medium includes a plurality of storage compartments each dimensioned to receive a different one of a plurality of nail polish containers therein. Each storage compartment has at least one slot disposed in communication therewith such that a portion of a nail polish container which may not fit into the storage compartment itself may be at least partially inserted into the slot such that the remainder of the container fits into the storage compartment. The assembly may be utilized to store and display a plurality of different nail polish containers in an upright operative orientation.
US09913521B2
A hair removal device using, or for use in combination with, a wax-strip configured to remove hair from skin. The device includes: a user holding member including a housing or chassis having a wax-strip removal mechanism actuator, the housing having a bottom surface configured for engaging with the skin; a wax-strip engagement mechanism for removable engagement with the wax-strip; a wax-strip removal mechanism including a wax-strip removal acceleration arrangement; and a wax-strip pressing mechanism. The wax-strip pressing mechanism presses the wax-strip to the user's skin by way of a pressing member and also distances the pressing member from the skin during operation of the device, to help mitigate shear and/or rubbing on the skin.
US09913520B1
The comb includes a shaft with teeth extending therefrom, preferably including fine teeth and coarse teeth. A light is coupled to the comb. The light is preferably in the form of an LED and carried on a light module which is removably attachable to the shaft of the comb. This light module includes a circuit therein, a source of electric power typically in the form of a battery and a switch. The switch can be manipulated to cause power from the battery to pass through the circuit to the LED (or other light) to cause light to shine from the comb. The light module is removably attachable to facilitate cleaning of other portions of the comb, such as by submersion in a cleaning liquid.
US09913517B2
A protective case for a portable device having a touch screen is constructed from a back frame, a front frame and a stretchable cover. The back frame receives the device through an open front and the stretchable cover is stretched over the back frame and the device. A portion of the cover stretches over the back frame and device such that the device is securely held in the back frame. A front frame with a transparent screen protector that allows the touch screen of the portable device to be used while the device is fully enclosed in the case is removably coupled to the back frame with grasping protrusions or arms that connect to mounting portions on the back frame that extend through openings in the stretchable cover.
US09913513B2
A versatile jewelry includes a main body having an inner surface arranged to be worn against the wrist and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. First and second end portions define a clearance sized to receive the wrist when the main body is donned by the user. At least one retaining feature comprises a plurality of hooks. A hair band is adapted to be selectively secured to the main body via the at least one retaining feature and to span the clearance at a height above the inner surface. The at least one retaining feature maintains the hair band in place on the main body and distributes pressure from the hair band away from the wrist. The hair band has an elasticity and the main body has a rigidity arranged to maintain the hair band at a height above the inner surface across the clearance.
US09913511B2
An article of footwear may incorporate a chamber with an outer barrier and a tether element. The barrier may be formed from a polymer material that defines an interior cavity, and tether element may be located within the interior cavity and joined to opposite sides of the barrier. Upon pressurization of the chamber, the tether element may extend across the interior cavity and be placed in tension by the outward force of a pressurized fluid within the interior cavity. The tether element may have a variety of configurations. For example, the tether element may have a diagonal orientation, or different tether elements may have different lengths. A tether element may also have plates or tie pieces secured to opposite sides of the chamber, with one or more tethers extending between. Also, the tether element may include one of more sheets that extend across the interior cavity.
US09913505B1
The shirt stay suspenders with a quick release buckle is adapted for use with a shirt. The shirt stay suspenders with a quick release buckle is an apparel stay that is used to hold a shirt in position while it is worn by a wearer. The shirt stay suspenders with a quick release buckle is worn underneath the outer apparel layer of the wearer such that the shirt stay suspenders with a quick release buckle will not been seen. From this location, the shirt stay suspenders with a quick release buckle attaches the shirt of the wearer to the foot of the wearer such that the shirt will remain in position and not become what is commonly referred to as “untucked”. The shirt stay suspenders with a quick release buckle comprises a plurality of stays. Each of the plurality of stays further comprises a first strap, a second strap, and a quick release buckle.
US09913503B2
A configuration for a garment that includes a pocket with a recessed zipper that may be virtually invisible (especially when the wearer uses the pocket to store only a few, relatively flat objects). A portion of the pocket extends above the zipper closing the pocket so that a pickpocket has to reach into the pocket before he realizes that there is a zipper protecting it. In other words, the zipper is recessed from an edge of the pocket to form a hidden means of sealing the pocket.
US09913498B2
The present invention provides a garment with cup sections, which can lift up entire breasts to a higher position and thus can attain improved breast-shaping properties. The garment with cup sections according to the present invention includes: a pair of cup sections 101; and a back section 103. The back section 103 is arranged on lateral sides of the pair of cup sections 101. Each of the cup sections 101 includes an upper breast retaining section 105 arranged between a front-center-side upper edge portion and a lateral-side upper edge portion on an inner side of the cup section 101. The upper breast retaining section 105 is formed so as to cover at least part of an upper breast region positioned obliquely upward to a lateral side relative to a nipple and apply a pressing force to the part.
US09913497B2
The present disclosure relates to a system and related methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for testing components of an aerosol delivery device. For example, a system for testing a control board for an aerosol delivery device may include a control board for an aerosol delivery device and a test apparatus. The test apparatus may provide a test initiation signal to the control board. The control board may execute an onboard diagnostic test to test operation of the control board in response to the test initiation signal. The control board may provide diagnostic information generated based on execution of the onboard diagnostic test to the test apparatus. The test apparatus may determine, based on the diagnostic information, whether the control board is faulty.
US09913488B2
Provided are compositions, and methods of making the same, including a liquid egg product and a plant fiber, where the plant fiber has at least one of a carrot fiber, an oat fiber, and a corn fiber.
US09913483B2
This invention relates to method of automatically cutting a meat product, in particular beef tenderloin, having a thumb-like part extending away from a head part of the meat product towards a tail part such that the meat product has a V-shape. The method includes conveying a meat product to be cut, obtaining image data of the meat product, determining a boundary position between a thumb-like part and a head part of the meat product, and utilizing the image data in instructing a cutting unit to cut the meat product into portions, where the cutting includes cutting on both sides of the boundary position such that the resulting portion fulfills a pre-defined criteria including a criteria indicating the extent of the thumb-like part in the resulting portion.
US09913478B2
Natural, organic, environmentally “green” biocide compositions comprising oregano oil in various natural delivery media.
US09913459B2
A method of affixing an overflow system to an aquarium is disclosed. The aquarium has a bottom, at least one sidewall, an open top surrounded by a top edge, and a frame having a bottom edge. The method includes positioning an overflow device in the aquarium. The overflow device has a front wall, a back wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall all secured to a bottom wall and extending upward therefrom to create a chamber having an open top. The front wall, the back wall, and the first and second sidewalls all have a plurality of slots formed therethrough which are configured to receive water from the aquarium into the chamber, and the bottom wall has an enlarged aperture formed therethrough. A first aperture is formed through the sidewall of the aquarium and an attachment mechanism is used to attach the enlarged aperture to the first aperture.
US09913456B2
A team roping dummy that encourages more correct roping. The dummy head can be rotated to different angles to match that of a typical running steer. A blocker post extends vertically out of the neck, which makes the roper deliver the loop at the proper plane. The blocker post further causes the roper to rope the horns in the center of the loop versus roping with the front or back edge of loop. The back legs extend at proper angle of heel loop swing, causing the roper to match the angle of the loop during its swing to the angle of the legs and provides a visual line to match the plane of the loop.
US09913455B2
A portable dispensing device for administering fluids intended for animals comprising a backpack with a main compartment delimited by a rear wall configured to come into contact with the back of the user, an outer wall arranged opposite the rear wall and a side wall linking the rear and outer walls, in addition to a flexible pouch containing the fluid to be administered, placed in said main compartment, in which at least the part of the outer wall of the backpack opposite said pouch is made from a rigid material in order to form a shockproof protection and the pouch is removably secured to the rear wall.
US09913454B2
A portable and collapsible modular calf housing system featuring at least one pen comprising a front panel and two side panels and optionally a rear panel forming a pen. The side panels include channels in which the front panel can slide vertically to adjust the height of a feeding pail attached thereto. The channels are disposed on either face of each side panel to enable a front panel from each one of adjacent pens to be joined to form a plurality of interconnected pens.
US09913453B2
A pet sanitation device provides a litter-containing basket in a housing. After a pet uses the device, the housing and basket are filled with water to dissolve waste in the litter, thus producing wastewater. The basket is then caused to spin about a central axis in the housing, and the spinning motion produces centrifugal forces that force the wastewater outward from the basket and into the space between the basket and the housing. The wastewater is drained from the housing, leaving the device ready for a subsequent use.
US09913448B1
A soybean cultivar designated 63281310 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 63281310, to the plants of soybean cultivar 63281310, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar 63281310, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar 63281310. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 63281310. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 63281310, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar 63281310 with another soybean cultivar.
US09913432B2
A baling system for baling crop material includes a baling chamber. Moveable doors partly define the chamber and the shape of the bale. Hydraulic tension cylinders extend and retract to apply a force to the moveable doors and the growing bale, and transducers measure the lengths of the tension cylinders. An electronic control unit receives the lengths from the transducers, and communicates via a display at least a relative difference between the lengths for consideration in steering the baling system. In particular, the lengths being equal indicates the growing bale is substantially straight and the baling system should be steered straight, and the lengths being unequal indicates the growing bale is developing a curvature and the baling system should be steered in the direction of the cylinder having the shorter length. The transducers may be located external or internal to the cylinders, and may measure the lengths continuously or periodically.
US09913426B2
A control sensor assembly for an agricultural harvester is provided. The control sensor assembly includes a linkage for connection to a header height control system, a bushing, a mount and a sensor mounted to the mount. The bushing includes a first end connected to the linkage and a second end housing a magnet. The mount includes a body having a through hole extending from a first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface for receiving the bushing and a first rotational stop about the first surface and adjacent the through hole. The sensor is spaced from the second end of the bushing. The control sensor assembly according to the subject application is designed to provide an improved mount for the control sensor assembly that utilizes a single mount to perform multiple functions.
US09918414B2
Disclosed are EMI shielded packages, electronic device packages, and related methods. EMI shielded packages are formed by applying an insulating material to a first side of a substrate strip, separating the substrate strip into segments, adhering the insulating material of the segments to a solid conductor, applying a conductive paste around lateral sides of the segments, curing the conductive paste, and cutting through the conductive paste and the solid conductor to form the EMI packages. An electronic device package includes a substrate including electronic circuitry, an EMI shield, and an insulating material insulating the substrate from the EMI shield. The EMI shield includes a solid conductor adhered to the insulating material, and a cured conductive paste at least partially surrounding a lateral edge of the substrate. The cured conductive paste electrically connects the solid conductor to a conductive terminal in a lateral side of the substrate.
US09918413B2
A high-velocity low-pressure cooling system (100), especially suited for data center applications, includes an air coolant loop (102), a non-air coolant loop (104) and a cooler unit (126) for heat transfer between the loops (102 and 104). The air loop (102) is used to chill ambient air that is blown across heat transfer surfaces of equipment mounted in data center racks (110). In this manner, effective cooling is provided using a coolant that is benign in data center environments.
US09918411B2
In one embodiment, a rack enclosure for housing rack-mounted equipment includes a deflection member adapted to a piece of the rack-mounted equipment and an actuator coupled to the deflection member to control a position of the deflection member between a fully closed position and a fully opened position. A variable amount of cooling airflow is to be provided to the equipment piece based on the deflection member position.
US09918408B2
A fluid delivery system configuration is described for use with an array of liquid submersion cooled electronic devices disposed in a rack, such as an array of liquid submerged servers. The fluid delivery system allows for the pumping system to generate pressure and flow of the cooling system fluid at slightly higher levels than is necessary for the worst case device/position within the array and to provide for uniformity of delivery pressure and coolant flow to each and every device within the array.
US09918407B2
A heat dissipating device that includes a first heat spreader layer, a second heat spreader layer, a first spacer, a second spacer, a first phase change material (PCM), and a second phase change material (PCM). The first heat spreader layer includes a first spreader surface and a second spreader surface. The second heat spreader layer includes a third spreader surface and a fourth spreader surface. The first spacer is coupled to the first heat spreader layer and the second heat spreader layer. The second spacer is coupled to the first heat spreader layer and the second heat spreader layer. The first PCM is located between the first heat spreader layer and the second heat spreader layer. The first PCM is surrounded by the first spacer. The second PCM is between the first heat spreader layer, the second heat spreader layer, the first spacer and the second spacer.
US09918406B2
A mounting arrangement for an electrical contactor includes a panel and a post. The post has a first end and a second end protruding from the panel. The first end of the post is arranged to electrically communicate with an electrical contactor. The second end of the post is arranged to connect to an electrical bus bar. A cold plate overlays the panel, extends about the post, and is in thermal communication with the post to transfer heat between the cold plate and post.
US09918397B2
Technology is provided for an open chassis for use with server modules. The open chassis includes an end frame having opposed upper corner portions and opposed lower corner portions. A pair of lower beams, each having a proximal end portion, are connected to a respective lower corner portion of the end frame. A pair of upper beams, each having a proximal end portion, are connected to a respective upper corner portion of the end frame. First and second columns extend between distal end portions of the lower beams and the upper beams. A cross-member extends between the distal end portions of the lower beams. Each beam includes an outward facing surface and an inward facing surface, and at least one of the beams includes a relief formed in its corresponding inward facing surface.
US09918396B2
The present application discloses a bendable structure for an electronic device, which includes a first structural layer and a second structural layer arranged to be overlapped with the first structural layer. The bendable structure has a straight state and a bent state, the first structural layer has a first bendable section which can be bent, and the second structural layer has a second bendable section which can be bent. The first bendable section corresponds to the second bendable section in an overlapped manner. When the bendable structure is in the bent state, a central angle corresponding to the first bendable section and a central angle corresponding to the second bendable section are same, such that both ends of the first bendable section are flush with corresponding ends of the second bendable section.
US09918394B2
A robot system includes a robot and a robot control apparatus. The robot control apparatus is connected to the robot for controlling the robot and includes a casing and a display unit movable with respect to the casing and displaying information. The casing has a plurality of attachment parts to which the display unit is attached. The plurality of attachment parts are provided on first and second surfaces of the casing, and the first surface is not parallel to the second surface.
US09918391B2
An electronic component mounting system includes a component information change history storage unit that stores component information including operating parameters for numerical determination of an operation mode of an electronic component mounting operation unit and a change history of the component information, a mounting error recorder that detects a mounting error occurring during an electronic component mounting operation and records mounting error information relating to an occurrence situation of the mounting error, and a display unit that displays a transition of the mounting error. When the component information is changed, the display unit displays the past mounting error information in which the mounting error information relating to the mounting error occurring during the electronic component mounting operation for the electronic component as changed is associated with the past component information immediately before the change is stored in the past mounting error storage unit on a display screen.
US09918390B2
An electronic component mounting system includes a component information change history storage unit that stores component information including operating parameters for numerical determination of an operation mode of an electronic component mounting operation unit and a change history of the component information, a mounting error recorder that detects a mounting error occurring during an electronic component mounting operation and records mounting error information relating to an occurrence situation of the mounting error, and a display unit that displays a transition of the mounting error on a screen of the display unit and reads past component information for designated date and time based on the designated date and time so that a correlation between change in the component information and the mounting error can be checked with ease and the component information including the operating parameter can be restored to a proper state.
US09918385B2
According to an embodiment, an electronic device includes a substrate, first conductors, second conductors, a connector, third conductors, an electronic component, and a first wiring. The first conductor is complied with a first USB standard. The second conductor is complied with a second USB standard. The connector is mounted on the first conductors or the second conductors. The first wiring connects one of the first conductors, one of the second conductors, and one of the third conductors.
US09918377B1
The present disclosure discusses an improved optical transceiver. The optical transceiver of the present disclosure includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver coupled to an area of a printed circuit board that includes a plurality of thermal microvias. The thermal microvias are coupled to a heat sink or other heat dissipater and provide a path from the components of the optical transceiver to the heat dissipater for heat to travel.
US09918376B2
In one aspect, a system includes a generator configured to generate and tune a frequency of a supply signal. The system includes an auto-matching network configured to receive the supply signal and to generate an impedance-matched signal for use in powering a plasma system. In some implementations, during a first stage of an impedance matching operation, the generator is configured to tune the frequency of the supply signal until the generator identifies a frequency for which the reactance of the generator and the reactance of the load are best matched. In some implementations, during a second stage of the impedance matching operation, the auto-matching network is configured to tune a tuning element within the auto-matching network until the auto-matching network identifies a tuning of the tuning element for which the resistance of the generator and the resistance of the load are best matched.
US09918374B2
In one embodiment of the invention, a method of automatically balancing ionized air stream created in bipolar corona discharge is provided. The method comprises: providing an air moving device with at least one ion emitter and reference electrode connected to a micro-pulsed AC power source, and a control system with at least one ion balance monitor and corona discharge adjustment control; generating variable polarity groups of short duration ionizing micro-pulses: wherein said micro-pulses are predominantly asymmetric in amplitude and duration of both polarity voltages and have a magnitude of at least one polarity ionizing pulses exceed the corona threshold.
US09918368B2
A lighting device comprising a plurality of components (2) provided for generating radiation, a plurality of row lines (Z1, Z2) and a plurality of column lines (S1, S2, . . . , S5) is specified, wherein the components are in each case electrically conductively connected to a row line and to a column line and the lighting device is provided for the simultaneous operation of at least two components. A lighting arrangement comprising such a lighting device and a method for operating a lighting device are furthermore specified.
US09918367B1
Current source regulation circuitry that is arranged in a loop with power supply circuitry and current source circuitry. The current source regulation circuitry is configured to control the magnitude of supply voltage output by the power supply circuitry in order to maintain the voltage drop across each one current source of the current source circuitry to within a bounded range of voltage values. The bounded range of voltage values may be defined such that each one current source of the current source circuitry can properly regulate a drive current that is supplied to a corresponding light source coupled thereto, and such that the amount of power dissipated by each current source of the current source circuitry during operation is maintained within an acceptable range.
US09918363B2
A light emitting diode (LED) lighting device includes a circuit for receiving an input power from a power source and outputting a rectified power, an LED unit including a plurality of LED channels connected in series, each LED channel having a front end and a rear end, a current sensing resistor, and a switch circuit unit. The switch circuit unit includes a plurality of switches, and an Nth switch is connected to the rear end of an Nth LED channel so as to control an operation of the nth LED channel, and is controlled by a sum of a current of the Nth switch and a current of an (N+1)th switch, which flows through the current sensing resistor. Forward voltages of the LED channels are unevenly redistributed so as to keep power consumption between the Nth switch and the (N+1)th switch substantially same, and N is a positive integer.
US09918362B2
A LED based lighting apparatus is disclosed. The light engine used in the lighting apparatus may use printed circuit board and have a plurality of LED groups that are independently controllable by a control unit. The power supply input and return paths connected to each LED group may be implemented on different layers to allow a compact footprint that may be used with traditional fluorescent encasements with relatively little modification. The LEDs may comprise a subset of LEDs having a first color and a subset of LEDs having a second color different from said first color intertwined on the light engine.
US09918359B2
Disclosed is a device and method for reducing network feedback during operation of an electric-arc furnace (10). The electric-arc furnace (10) has three lines (7) with one electrode (4) each. A sensor (15) for measuring the currently flowing current and a sensor (16) for measuring the currently applied voltage are provided in each line. A control and regulating unit (30) calculates an electrical actual value (Eist1, Eist2, Eist3). A semiconductor tap changer (20) is assigned to the furnace transformer (6) such that, by suitably selecting three target winding taps (TSOLL1, TSOLL2, TSOLL3) of a primary side (P) of the furnace transformer (6), a target current (IS1, IS2, IS3) is adjustable in each line (7).
US09918358B2
A microwave oven includes a shell defining a cooling air inlet and a cooling air outlet therein; a compartment defining a cavity, nested in the shell and defining an open front end, a receiving space being defined between a rear plate of the compartment and a rear plate of the shell; a first electric member and a second electric member disposed in the receiving space respectively; and a fan disposed in the receiving space, defining a first air inlet, a second air inlet, a first air outlet communicated with the first air inlet to define a first air blowing channel, and a second air outlet communicated with the second air inlet to define a second air blowing channel, the fan being configured to cool the first electric member via the first air blowing channel and to cool the second electric member via the second air blowing channel.
US09918354B2
The disclosure provides a method and apparatus for processing service of wireless communications. The method includes that: a network side receives a request message which is sent by a terminal and used for creating a service (S102); after determining that the terminal is in a handover process, the network side notifies the terminal to delay the creation of the service (S104); and after the handover process is completed, the network side receives the request message which is resent by the terminal, and creates the service (S106). The disclosure solves the problem that when handover process is carried out, a User Equipment (UE) cannot ensure that a service is initiated normally, thereby ensuring that the service which is initiated in a handover process can be initiated normally and is not affected because of the handover process, and improving the user experience.
US09918337B2
A method and apparatus for performing uplink (UL) transmit diversity implemented in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) includes receiving a signal including precoding information. The precoding information is detected and applied to an UL transmission. The UL transmission is transmitted with the applied precoding information.
US09918336B2
A method includes transmitting, at an access point configured to transmit data over an unlicensed band, a single message prior to transmitting data over a channel of the unlicensed band. The method further includes receiving, at the access point, a plurality of responses from a plurality of user equipment acknowledging the single message in response to the single message.
US09918333B2
A method and apparatus for simultaneously communicating on at least two carrier frequencies, of which at least one carrier frequency is a licensed band and at least one carrier frequency is an unlicensed band, includes broadcasting an operating status of the unlicensed band to a receiver device, collecting feedback data regarding channel conditions from the receiver device for both the licensed band and unlicensed band, determining, when a bandwidth request is received from the receiver device, whether to use the unlicensed band based on the channel conditions, transmitting an unlicensed band scheduling indication to the receiver device, and communicating with the receiver device using both the licensed band and the unlicensed band according to the transmitted unlicensed band scheduling indication.
US09918330B2
A method, network device and computer program product schedule packets received from a higher layer packet source for transmission from a network device onto a medium shared with at least one contending network device where access to the medium is controlled by a medium access protocol. Medium history information associated with the medium is obtained. A transmission schedule that provides for periodic opportunities to transmit a packet from the network device is determined in the network device. The transmission schedule minimizes contention with transmission from the at least one contending network device by taking into account the medium history information associated with the medium. At least some of the packets are provided to a medium access controller in the network device that operates in accordance with the medium access protocol, based on the determined transmission schedule. Packets output from the medium access controller are transmitted from the network device.
US09918327B2
A first network node of a cellular system is configured for communication with a second network node over a twisted pair wire. The first network node includes a receiver for receiving, over the twisted pair wire, an intermediate frequency signal from the second network node, which intermediate frequency signal has been converted from a high frequency signal having a frequency higher than the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal by the second network node, and a down-converter for converting the intermediate frequency signal to a low frequency signal having a frequency lower than the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal. The first network node also includes an up-converter for converting a received low frequency signal to an intermediate frequency signal having a frequency higher than the frequency of the low frequency signal.
US09918325B2
A system, a method, and a computer program product for providing an enhanced inter-cell interference coordination. Information indicating at least one almost blanking subframe (ABS) being allocated is being exchanged by at least two cells in a wireless network. Based on the allocated ABS, the devices further exchange information indicating a wireless signal throughput.
US09918317B2
A central node may include a processor configured to empirically compute an approximation of power coefficients based on estimates of the channel coefficients such that a same one of the approximation of the power coefficient is assigned to each of a plurality of access terminals (ATs), and transmit components of a signal vector to associated access points (APs), the signal vector being based on at least the approximation of the power coefficient.
US09918315B2
A wireless telecommunications system in which downlink communications are made using a radio interface that spans a system frequency bandwidth (host carrier) and supports at least some communications from a base station to least some terminal devices within a plurality of restricted frequency bands (virtual carriers) which are narrower than and within the system frequency bandwidth. A terminal device conveys an indication of its identity, e.g. an IMSI, to the base station during an initial connection procedure as the terminal device seeks to access the radio interface. The terminal device and the base station both determine a selected restricted frequency band from among the plurality of restricted frequency bands based on the identity of the terminal device in the same way. Thus the terminal device and the base station select the same restricted frequency band and can accordingly configure their respective transceivers to allow for downlink communications between them within the selected restricted frequency band.
US09918311B2
Logic may implement a restricted access window association scheme that uses information provided in traffic indication map (TIM) bitmap and restricted access window (RAW) parameter set (PS) to determine stations associated with RAWs. The TIM information element (IE) may comprise a bitmap indicating paged and unpaged stations. The RAW PS IE may comprise a range of station association identifiers (AIDs) and possibly other station selection data. Logic may determine a range of stations associated with a RAW based upon AIDs for the first and last stations in the range based upon a position for the station in the TIM bitmap. And the range of stations associated with a RAW may be independent of block associations of the first and last stations in the TIM bitmap.
US09918303B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting uplink control information performed by a user equipment in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a first parameter for indicating whether to simultaneously transmit a first combination of an acknowledgement/negative-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) and a channel quality indicator (CQI), and a second parameter for indicating whether to multiplex a second combination of an ACK/NACK and the CQI and transmitting same as a second physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) format; and multiplexing the first combination of the ACK/NACK or the second combination of ACK/NACK with the CQI and transmitting same as a first PUCCH format or the second PUCCH format, based on the first parameter and the second parameter.
US09918301B2
Methods are described for a Node B to transmit and for a User Equipment (UE) to receive ACKnowledgement (ACK) information associated with the use of Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ), also known as HARQ-ACK signaling, in a communication system that includes multiple downlink component carriers or multiple uplink component carriers. An HARQ-ACK signal to a UE is in response to a data packet transmission from the UE and may consist of 2 information bits when the UE has 2 or more transmitter antennas. The HARQ-ACK signal is always located in the same downlink component carrier as the scheduling assignment resulting to the data packet transmission from the UE.
US09918290B2
A method includes detecting a device to device (D2D) synchronization signal of a neighbor base station, transmitted from at least one other UE associated with the neighbor base station through a transceiver, determining at least one UE receive (RX) resource pool configured by the neighbor base station based on the D2D synchronization signal of the neighbor base station, and monitoring a D2D discovery or communication signal transmitted from the at least one other UE according to the at least one UE RX resource pool through the transceiver. A method includes determining at least one UE RX resource pool for at least one device associated with a base station, each UE RX resource pool comprising a repetition of a Scheduling Assignment (SA) pool and a data pool with a scheduling cycle, the SA pool comprising a SA bitmap, and the data pool comprising at least one repeated data bitmap.
