US09939577B2
A diffraction structure includes a supporting layer, a high refractive index layer, and a low refractive index layer. The high refractive index layer has a first refractive index, is formed above the supporting layer, configures a waveguide guiding input light input from an input terminal along a specific direction, and includes an opening section formed along the specific direction. The low refractive index layer has a second refractive index lower that the first refractive index, and is formed so as to cover the high refractive index layer and fill the opening section. The opening section modifies the input light in at least one of direction or speed according to a wavelength of the input light, and outputs the modified light as output light.
US09939572B2
An optical system (110) includes a lens unit (112) with a plurality of lenses. An out-of-focus point spread function of the lens unit (112) includes an annular intensity distribution with at least one ring-shaped side peak at a radial distance to a center point. A birefringent device (115) in an optical path of the optical system (110) is adapted to selectively attenuate the ring-shaped side peak in the out-of-focus point spread function of the lens unit (112).
US09939566B2
A polygon mirror made of plastic is provided. The polygon mirror has a plurality of reflecting surfaces, a first surface intersecting the plurality of reflecting surfaces at a first side, a second surface intersecting the plurality of reflecting surfaces at a second side opposite to the first side, with a through hole provided to extend through the first surface and the second surface at a center of the polygon mirror. The polygon mirror includes a plurality of gate marks of injection molding. When viewed from an extending direction of the through hole, the gate marks are located on straight lines passing through the center and vertices of the first surface, and are rotationally symmetric with respect to the center.
US09939563B2
A lighting system comprises a chromatic reflective unit (606), and a light source (602), wherein the chromatic reflective unit (606) is shaped as a rotational paraboloid or a portion of a rotational paraboloid, and the light source (602) is positioned close to or at the paraboloid focal position.
US09939552B2
The present invention relates to light curtains, in particular safety light curtains, for monitoring a protective field. Furthermore, the present invention relates to optical units which are part of such a light curtain according to the present invention, an optical unit comprises a plurality of radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements for transmitting and/or receiving radiation beams forming said light curtain, and an elongated support element forming an outer housing of said optical unit said support element having two opposing peripheral regions which are formed to allow an abutting assembly with another identical optical unit. Said radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements are arranged within said support element to form a row, and wherein at least one peripheral one of said radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements is located directly adjacent to an outer wall of at least one of said peripheral regions of the support element.
US09939551B2
A gravimeter, a gravimeter system, and a method for measuring gravitational acceleration within a borehole are described herein. The gravimeter includes a proof mass that is constrained by springs and an optical interferometer for measuring displacement of the proof mass. The optical interferometer generates a light path from a light source to a reflective surface on the proof mass. Spatial displacement of the proof mass from a reference position to a position of gravitational equilibrium is determined by measuring a change in length of the light path. In turn, gravitational acceleration can be determined from the spatial displacement of the proof mass. A number of such gravimeters can be used in a gravimeter system to make measurements of gravitational acceleration in variety of different directions.
US09939548B2
Embodiments of systems, computer-implemented methods, and non-transitory computer-readable medium having one or more computer programs stored therein are provided to enhance borehole image analysis associated with a hydrocarbon reservoir. A neural network mapping process can first be performed, responsive to openhole log data and core data, to thereby generate a material-type scheme. Then, an image-based petrophysical analysis process can distribute and calibrate borehole image data, responsive to the core data and material-type scheme. Consequently, an approximated material type and an approximated grain size can be produced for each borehole image reading. The openhole log data, the core data, the material-type scheme, and the approximated material types and grain sizes, for example, can then be displayed to thereby increase consistency in categorizing subsurface material associated with hydrocarbon wells by material type and enhance interpretation of subsurface material texture, fabric, and features to predict subsurface material composition of the hydrocarbon reservoir.
US09939539B2
A wireless power transmitter includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a controller. The ADC is configured to convert an analog signal associated with a power train to digital values. The controller is configured to cause pulses to be applied to the power train to thereby cause the power train to ring, receive digital values from the ADC acquired while the power train is ringing and after the pulses complete, and, based on an analysis of the digital values of the ringing of the power train, to determine whether a wireless power receiver is present on or near the wireless power transmitter or whether a foreign object is present on the transmitter.
US09939538B2
A remmeter includes two or more different-sized hydrogenous moderators, each incorporating a hydrogenous spectroscopic fast neutron detector and a thermal neutron detector to provide more accurate neutron dosimetry across a wide range of neutron energies (thermal neutrons to >15 MeV) in a form factor that is lighter than conventional remmeters. The remmeter utilizes the principle of spectral dosimetry, where the energy or energy distribution of the incident neutrons is first measured and then this energy information (along with the measured fluence) is used to establish the dosimetric quantity using the various fluence-to-dose conversion curves (e.g. H*(10) (ICRP(1997)), NCRP-38(1971)). Using the method of spectral dosimetry, the large variation in response in these curves as a function of neutron energy (especially over the region 1 keV to 1 MeV) is largely mitigated through the use of the energy and fluence information, and the appropriate fluence-to-dose conversion curve to calculate the dose.
US09939534B2
A semiconductor image sensor is repeatedly exposed to high-energy photons while a visible light obstructer is in place to block visible light from impinging on the sensor to generate a set of images from the exposures. A composite image is generated from the set of images with common noise substantially removed so the composite image includes image information corresponding to radiated pixels that absorbed at least some energy from the high-energy photons. The composite image is processed to determine a set of bright points in the composite image, each bright point being above a first threshold. The set of bright points is processed to identify lines with two or more bright points that include pixels therebetween that are above a second threshold and identify a presence of the high-energy particles responsive to a number of lines.
US09939529B2
A robot positioning system having a camera, a processing unit and at least a first line laser. The first line laser is arranged to illuminate a space by projecting vertical laser beams within field of view of the camera. The camera is arranged to record a picture of the space illuminated by the vertical laser beams, and the processing unit is arranged to extract, from the recorded picture, image data representing a line formed by the vertical laser beams being reflected against objects located within the space. The processing unit is further arranged to create, from the extracted line, a representation of the illuminated space along the projected laser lines, in respect of which the robot is positioned. Methods of positioning a robot are also provided.
US09939522B2
A method for four-dimensional radar tracking includes transmitting a first probe signal; receiving a first reflected probe signal at first and second radar arrays of the radar system; detecting a tracking target; calculating a target range; calculating a target range rate; performing ambiguous angle calculations for first and second target angles; performing unambiguous angle calculations for the first and second target angles; and calculating a four-dimensional tracking solution, including position and range-rate, from the target range, target range-rate, ambiguous angle calculations, and unambiguous angle calculations.
US09939518B2
Provided is a safety scanner that enables simplification of an operation of checking an operating state. The safety scanner includes a scan image generation section that generates a scan image that includes a plurality of sets of distance measurement information obtained by performing scanning with a detection light emitted by an emitter, the plurality of sets of distance measurement information being represented as a plurality of distance measurement positions on a scanning plane of the detection light, and a monitoring image display that displays the scan image on a screen.
US09939511B2
A method of preparing an iron-implanted semiconductor wafer for use in surface photovoltage iron mapping and other evaluation techniques. A semiconductor wafer is implanted with iron through the at least two different regions of the front surface of the semiconductor at different iron implantation densities, and the iron-implanted semiconductor wafer is annealed at a temperature and duration sufficient to diffuse implanted iron into the bulk region of the semiconductor wafer.
US09939509B2
A pseudo-random, incoherent sampling technique, called Variable density Incoherent Spatiotemporal Acquisition (VISTA) is disclosed, which is based on minimal Riesz energy problem. Compared with other pseudorandom methods (e.g., PDS), VISTA has the unique ability to incorporate a variety of problem-specific constraints. In this study, VISTA was applied to real-time CMR, where it not only provided an incoherent sampling with variable density but also ensured a constant temporal resolution and a fully sampled time-averaged data.
US09939502B2
Disclosed herein are a RF resonator, a RF coil, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus. The RF resonator includes a dielectric substance which is provided, on one surface thereof, with an electric conductor, and at least one conductor line which is installed on another surface of the dielectric substance so as to face the electric conductor and provided with a plurality of open-cut portions which are disposed in a plurality of rows.
US09939497B2
A computing device, system, apparatus, and at least one machine readable medium for dynamically calibrating a magnetic sensor are described herein. The computing device includes a sensor hub and a magnetic sensor communicably coupled to the sensor hub. The magnetic sensor is configured to collect sensor data corresponding to the computing device. The computing device also includes a processor that is configured to execute stored instructions and a storage device that stores instructions. The storage device includes processor executable code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to determine a system state of the computing device and send the determined system state of the computing device to the sensor hub. The sensor hub is configured to dynamically calibrate the magnetic sensor based on the sensor data collected via the magnetic sensor and the determined system state of the computing device.
US09939496B2
A sensor system is disclosed. The sensor system includes a first sensor path comprising a first sensing element and a second sensing element being connected in series between a first supply terminal and a second supply terminal and an intermediate node connected in between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, a second sensor path comprising a third sensing element and a fourth sensing element connected in series between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, a first reference node connected in between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, and a second reference node connected in between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, and a processing unit to receive an input signal from the intermediate node, a first reference signal from the first reference node, and a second reference signal from the second reference node.
US09939493B2
In an apparatus, an input switch circuit selectively connects one of unit batteries to a capacitor. A first group of at least one unit battery has a first polarity when being connected to the capacitor. A second group of at least one unit battery has a second polarity when being connected to the capacitor. A voltage converter converts a voltage of a unit battery selectively connected to the capacitor into a value within a voltage range manipulatable by a voltage monitor. A reference voltage setter variably sets a reference voltage according to one of the first polarity and the second polarity of the voltage of a unit battery selectively connected to the capacitor. The reference voltage is used as a reference to match a scale of the voltage of a unit cell selectively connected to the capacitor for each of the first and second polarities with the predetermined voltage range.
US09939489B2
An integrated circuit includes combinational logic with flip-flops, parallel scan paths with a scan input for receiving test stimulus data to be applied to the combinational logic, combinational connections with the combinational logic for applying stimulus data to the combinational logic and receiving response data from the combinational logic, a scan output for transmitting test response data obtained from the combinational logic, and control inputs having an enable input and a select input for operating the parallel scan paths, each scan path includes flip-flops of the combinational logic that, in a test mode, are connected in series, compare circuitry indicates the result of a comparison of the received test response data and the expected data at a fail flag output, and one of the scan paths includes a scan cell having an input coupled to the fail flag output.
US09939487B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, a system, and a computer readable storage medium for circuit design verification. The user generates a breakpoint by execution of test bench code. A callback function is registered at an application level associated with the breakpoint. The callback function is configured to execute in response to an occurrence of the associated breakpoint at the system level. A hardware-accelerated simulator simulates an execution of a circuit design using the test bench code. In response to triggering the breakpoint at the system level, the execution of the circuit design at the system level is paused and the callback function associated with the breakpoint at the application level is executed.
US09939486B2
Methods for reliability testing include applying a stress voltage to a device under test (DUT); measuring a leakage current across the DUT; triggering measurement of optical emissions from the DUT based on the timing of the measurement of the leakage current; and correlating measurements of the leakage current with measurements of the optical emissions to determine a time and location of a defect occurrence within the DUT by locating instances of increased noise in the leakage current that correspond in time with instances of increased optical emissions.
US09939485B1
The various technologies presented herein relate to providing prognosis and health management (PHM) of a photovoltaic (PV) system. A PV PHM system can eliminate long-standing issues associated with detecting performance reduction in PV systems. The PV PHM system can utilize an ANN model with meteorological and power input data to facilitate alert generation in the event of a performance reduction without the need for information about the PV PHM system components and design. Comparisons between system data and the PHM model can provide scheduling of maintenance on an as-needed basis. The PHM can also provide an approach for monitoring system/component degradation over the lifetime of the PV system.
US09939476B2
Embodiments of the present invention may provide a method of measuring an unknown capacitance of a device. The method may comprise the steps of driving a test signal to a circuit system that includes a current divider formed by the device with unknown capacitance and a reference capacitor; mirroring a current developed in the reference capacitor to a second circuit system that includes a measurement impedance; measuring a voltage within the second circuit system; and deriving a capacitance of the unknown capacitance based on the measured voltage with reference to a capacitance of the reference capacitor and the measurement impedance.
US09939471B1
A power measurement system, including a voltage measurement circuit having a resistive network comprising first and second resistors connected in series on a first single substrate, and a feedback amplifier having an input in electrical communication with a point between the first and second resistors, and an output in electrical communication with the second resistor in a feedback configuration to output an attenuated voltage signal, and a transresistance current measurement circuit including a current transformer to transform an input primary current into a secondary current, a plurality of amplifiers configured in a cascading arrangement, and a feedback resistor configured in parallel with the cascaded amplifiers such that the combined gain of the cascaded amplifiers directs substantially all of the secondary current through the feedback resistor, wherein the system is selectively switchable between a voltage measurement mode and a current measurement mode.
US09939469B2
There is provided a current measuring apparatus for measuring a first current used for estimating a load torque of the motor. The current measuring apparatus may include a detection unit configured to detect a first voltage, an amplification unit including a first input terminal at which the second signal is input, a second input terminal coupled to a first resistor and a second resistor by which an amplification factor is defined, and an output terminal for outputting a third signal, an input unit configured to input a second voltage at the first input terminal, a storage unit configured to store a third voltage an acquisition unit configured to acquire a fourth voltage, and a calculation unit configured to calculate the first current based on a difference between the third voltage and the fourth voltage.
US09939468B1
A shock resistant, non contacting alternating current (AC) sensing device intended to be worn on the hands in the formation of protective gloves. Alerting user of AC voltage potential when approaching energized equipment, protects the user's palms and fingertips from energized components. The glove encompasses non contacting AC voltage potential sensing circuitry, electrically receptive antenna throughout anterior hand surfaces, layer intended to protect the user and antenna from electrical contact. As the user's hands approach an electrically energized apparatus of equipment, the antenna will receive signaling transponding to the logic board, which will then energize a notification appliance alerting the user of danger.
US09939465B2
An electric current detector which is mountable on a circuit board on which there is mounted a fluxgate-type magnetic sensor IC chip which detects magnetic flux for electric current detection, including: a substantially ring-shaped core which forms a magnetic-path for magnetic flux induced by detection-target electric current, wherein the core includes a gap which is arranged to become substantially parallel with respect to the circuit board when mounting the aforesaid electric current detector on the circuit board and which is at a place positioned on or on the upper side of the magnetic sensor IC chip in the magnetic-path when mounting the aforesaid electric current detector on the circuit board.
US09939460B2
A method of operating a scanning probe system that includes a probe support and probes carried by the probe support is disclosed. Each probe includes a cantilever extending from the support to a free end and a tip carried by the free end. The system is operated to perform interaction cycles, each including in an approach phase, moving the support so that the tips move together towards the sample surface; in a detection step, generating a surface signal on detection of an interaction of the tip(s) of a first subset of the probes with the sample surface before the rest of the probes have interacted with the sample; in a response step changing a shape of the cantilever(s) of the first subset in response to the generation of the surface signal; and in a retract phase moving the support so that the tips retract together away from the sample surface.
US09939456B2
In an exercise support device of the present invention, acceleration signals in three axis directions including vertical, longitudinal, and lateral directions corresponding to the motion of a user performing exercise of cyclically moving feet are obtained, and a first maximum value in one cycle of a foot movement in the vertical acceleration signal is obtained. Subsequently, a search is made for first and second change points related to foot landing and takeoff motions in a composite acceleration signal obtained by combining acceleration signals in at least two axis directions, in forward and backward directions of the time point of a second maximum value of the composite acceleration signal, within the cycle. Then, a time period between the first and second change points is obtained as a change point interval, and a foot landing period while exercising is calculated based on the first maximum value and the change point interval.
US09939449B2
The present disclosure provides methods for diagnosing and treating anxiety disorders in female subjects. Diagnosis and treatment of such anxiety disorders are based, in part, on an analysis of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) expression levels in tissue collected from female subjects.
US09939448B2
The present invention provides methods for detecting insulin autoantibody. Such methods can be used, for example, to predict susceptibility of and/or diagnose the presence of Type 1 diabetes in a subject. Some aspects of the invention also provide kits adapted for use in such methods. In particular, some aspects of the invention use proinsulin to detect the presence of insulin autoantibody.
US09939447B2
Compositions, kits, and methods are disclosed for determining one or more target polypeptides in a sample where the target polypeptides have undergone a post-translational modification. The compositions can include a first reagent including a cleavage-inducing moiety and a first binding agent for a binding site that includes a post-translational modification of a target polypeptide.
US09939444B2
Highly specific and novel methods for analyzing glycans and proteoglycans are provided. Uses of the information generated by the inventive methods for diagnosis and treatment are also disclosed.
US09939435B2
A combination of surface plasmon field enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS) and isotachophoresis (ITP) technologies for detecting biomolecules is disclosed. It uses ITP to preconcentrate the reactants and accelerate the reaction, and then delivers the reacted sample to an SPFS sensor for detection. A microfluidic device with a T-junction is provided, which has two reservoirs respectively containing a low-mobility trailing electrolyte buffer and a high-mobility leading electrolyte buffer, and a main fluid channel between the two reservoirs, where the SPFS sensor is located on a side channel joined to the main channel. A two-step technique is employed, including a step of sample loading and ITP extraction, and a step of delivery of concentrated sample to the detector chamber by pressure-driven flow. In another embodiment, the SPFS sensor is located on the main fluid channel between the two reservoirs. In a particular example, the technique is used in a DNAzyme assay.
US09939420B2
A device and method for determining characteristics of a concrete sample includes the use of multiple transducers at pre-determined positions with respect to each other. The transducers are coupled to the concrete surface so that they can impart and/or receive mechanical waves from the sample. Mechanical waves may be imparted to the sample by one or more transducers or by an impact hammer. A control device receives the output from receiving transducers and analyzes data there from to determine a desired characteristic of the sample.
US09939416B2
A system and method for sampling air at multiple locations in a controlled environment. The system and method includes automatic adjustment of mass flow rates and duration of vacuum connections (either via time elapsed or indirectly by volume) based on rates set by an operator. Additionally, the system and method enables users to monitor and control aspects of the system via network-connected devices. Additionally, the system enable a vacuum pump to be disconnected from power in response to a physical emergency button, a software-based emergency stop button available on network connected devices, and an automatic power disconnection in response to an abnormal mass flow reading that could potentially impact the vacuum pump.
US09939415B2
A high-pressure switching valve includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes a plurality of ports where each port is connected at one end to a port connection and having at another end a predetermined port opening cross section at a stator end face of the stator. The rotor includes a rotor end face and at least one or a plurality of grooves. The rotor can be configured to have a rotary position with respect to the stator where two predetermined port opening cross sections connect to one of the grooves in a pressure-tight manner. The rotor and the stator can be pressed together in a sealing manner at the rotor end face and the stator end face in regions away from the port opening cross sections and the at least one or a plurality of grooves. The rotor and the stator each include a hard material. The rotor can be configured to wobble or tilt with respect to a rotational axis of the rotor.
US09939405B2
A method for determining a salt concentration of a hydrocarbon fluid using a conductivity sensor and a hydrocarbon testing solution includes forming the hydrocarbon testing solution. The electropolymerizable monomer is operable to form a resultant associated polymer at a peak potential of the electropolymerizable polymer. The method includes introducing the hydrocarbon testing solution into the conductivity sensor. The method includes inducing a range of potential across the hydrocarbon testing solution such that at least a portion of the electropolymerizable monomer polymerizes. The range of induced potential includes the peak potential of the electropolymerizable polymer. The method includes detecting a range of electrical current associated with the range of potential induced. The method also includes the step of determining the salt concentration of the hydrocarbon fluid using the range of potential induced and the range of electrical current detected.
US09939402B2
Disclosed are a blood sugar detecting method and a cartridge using same. A cartridge according to the present invention comprises: a blood receiving unit for receiving blood injected therein; a separation unit for separating the received blood into glucose and hemoglobin; a first measuring unit for measuring the concentration of the separated glucose; a second measuring unit for measuring the concentration of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the hemoglobin; and a third measuring unit connected to a second channel, for measuring the total concentration of hemoglobin. According to the present invention, both glucose providing short-term information on blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c providing long-term information on blood sugar can be detected by a single cartridge, thus increasing the efficiency of diabetes management.
US09939398B2
Methods and systems may be provided that detect moisture with an antenna. Electrical impedance at the antenna may be detected by an impedance sensor. Moisture may be detected based on the impedance at the antenna.
US09939396B2
A system for measuring the thermal diffusivity of a material includes a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, a plate holding the material in a fixed position between the upper portion and lower portion of the housing, and a source at the lower portion of the housing projecting heat onto the material along a first axis that is perpendicular to the plate. A sensor at the lower portion of the housing is movable in relation to the plate and senses the heat radiating through the material along a second axis that is perpendicular to the plate and offset from the first axis. A controller receives data from the sensor and calculates the thermal diffusivity of the material.
US09939390B2
A method for inspecting defects inside a rod-shaped transparent object by using a scanning beam of parallel light rays directed onto a rod-shaped transparent object orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the object so that an inspection plane comprises an object's cross-section. The scanning beam is detected at an opposite side of the rod-shaped object that is interposed to intercept the parallel rays of the scanning beam. The electric output signal from the detector is processed to produce a first light intensity profile in a first scan direction, the light intensity profile comprising a shadow region delimited by first and second shadow edges, which is indicative of the outside diameter of the object across the inspection plane. The method comprises analyzing the first light intensity profile to determine the presence or absence of a peak of positive intensity within the shadow region and, if an intensity peak is determined to be present, to determine the presence or absence of a region of depressed intensity within the intensity peak. If, as a result of analyzing, an intensity peak within the shadow region is determined to be absent or a region of depressed intensity is determined to be present within the intensity peak, the presence of at least one structural defect within the object's cross-section is identified. In the preferred embodiments, the rod-shaped transparent object is a glass core rod for the production of a transmission optical fiber.
US09939383B2
An analysis (e.g., LIBS) system includes a source of radiation, an optical emission path for the radiation from the source of radiation to a sample, and an optical detection path for photons emitted by the sample. A detector fiber bundle transmits photons to the spectrometer subsystem. At least one fiber of the fiber bundle is connected to an illumination source (e.g., an LED) for directing light via at least a portion of the detection path in a reverse direction to the sample for aligning, sample presence detection, localizing, and/or focusing based on analysis of the resulting illumination spot on the sample.
US09939374B2
A device for recording an absorption spectrum of a fluid has a radiation source (1) that emits a radiation in a spectral range along a beam path (11), a measuring path (5), along which the radiation passes through the fluid and arranged in the beam path, a tunable Fabry-Perot interferometer (7), arranged in the beam path and transmitting radiation in the spectral range as a displaceable bandpass filter, and a detector (9, 35) measuring the intensity of the radiation in the spectral range. An etalon (3) is arranged for spectral modulation of radiation in the beam path and has a plurality of transmission maxima (17) in the spectral range. The bandpass filter, formed by the Fabry-Perot interferometer (7), is displaceable across the spectral range such that spectral modulation of the radiation by the etalon (3) is measured by the detector (9, 35) as a modulation of radiation intensity over time.
US09939372B2
Video recordings from two or more optical channels are produced, processed, and analyzed simultaneously in order to provide quantitative analysis of action potentials, calcium transients and ionic flux in excitable cells loaded with voltage or ion sensitive dyes with distinct excitation and emission wavelengths, The specific wavelengths of fluorescent light emitted from each dye are separated and recorded. The recordings are mutually registered and cytometric analysis is performed to provide a quantitative analysis of the action potentials calcium transient, and/or ionic flux on a cell-by-cell and well-by-well basis in microtiter plates. The cells are then fixed, labeled for other biomarkers, and scanned again. The resulting fixed cell images are registered with the live cell recordings and analyzed; missing cells that were washed off are detected relative to the live recordings, and cytometry data from live and fixed cell scans is collated cell-by-cell.
US09939366B2
In one aspect, a spectrometer insert is provided. The spectrometer insert includes: an enclosed housing; a first transparent window on a first side of the enclosed housing; a second transparent window on a second side of the enclosed housing, wherein the first side and the second side are opposing sides of the enclosed housing; and a sample mounting and heating assembly positioned within an interior cavity of the enclosed housing in between, and in line of sight of, the first transparent window and the second transparent window. A method for using the spectrometer insert to locally heat a sample so as to measure temperature-dependent optical properties of the sample is also provided.
US09939360B2
The invention relates to a wear indicator (display) in a compound system made of fireproof (refractory) ceramic bricks.
US09939355B2
Provided is a composition of detection agents for living cells, especially epithelial tumor cells; the composition contains 0-5% folic acid, 0-10% folic acid complex, 0.01-5% methylene blue, 0.1-10% carbohydrate reducing agent, 2-6% acetic acid, and 3-95% water. Also provided is a preparation method for the composition of detection agents and kits containing the composition of detection agents.
US09939349B2
The invention relates to an endoscopy system and a corresponding method for examining gas turbines, comprising an endoscope and a data processing unit, wherein the endoscope comprises an image recording unit, wherein the endoscope is configured to transmit recorded images of the image recording unit from the inside of the gas turbine to the data processing unit, wherein the endoscopy system is configured to position and align the endoscope comprising the image recording unit introduced into a gas turbine in the gas turbine in a defined manner.
US09939345B2
A fluid leakage detection system that includes identical positive displacement flow meters positioned on a working fluid supply line of a system through which the fluid flows and a flow meter positioned on a working fluid return line. The positive displacement flow meters are mechanically coupled between them.
US09939342B2
A leak detection system for detecting leaks in pressurized containers, the system comprising a leak test conveyor for moving each container and an accumulation tunnel through which the leak test conveyer extends, wherein the accumulation tunnel and the leak test conveyer together define at least one enclosed accumulation volume, each enclosed accumulation volume being sized to accommodate only a single container, thereby to allow gas leaking from the single container to accumulate, and a gas sensor for sensing accumulated leaked gas from the single container.
US09939341B2
A pipeline apparatus comprising a flexible pipe body and a detection apparatus. The flexible pipe body includes an optical fiber extending at least partially along the length of the flexible pipe body, the optical fiber being encased in a metal tube. The detection apparatus comprises an optical sensor and an electrical sensor. The optical sensor is coupled to a first end of the optical fiber, the optical sensor being arranged to inject optical pulses into the optical fiber and to detect scattered or reflected light. The electrical sensor is coupled to a first end of the metal tube and to detect variation of an electrical impedance between the first end of the metal tube and a separate terminal. Variation of the scattered or reflected light, or impedance variation, is indicative of a potential pipe body defect.
US09939334B2
A thermometer includes a processing unit configured to receive a plurality of timed apart temperature readings from first and second sensors and a processor calculates heat flux value, Q, and obtains values of the heat flux vs. temperature (Q vs. Ts.) as the temperature approaches a steady state. The processor empirically predicts the steady state temperature of the sensor Ts, using the peak value of the values of Q vs. Ts.The processor may also empirically calculate a bias value as a function of the peak value of Q vs. Ts. The bias value represents the difference between the temperature reading (Ts) at steady state and core temperature of the subject and is added to the steady state temperature to arrive at core. The thermometer probe may include one or more additional sensors for obtaining physiological readings from the subject other than temperature and the processing unit is configured to use empirical formulas to calculate the bias value using the physiological readings which may include blood perfusion, pulse rate and the bio-impedance of the subject.
US09939327B2
A control circuit dynamically controls how often temperature readings are received from a communication device such as an RFID tag having an integral temperature sensor. The communication device can be disposed to monitor an internal temperature of, for example, a delivery container. By one approach the control circuit dynamically controls how often the temperature readings are received as a function, at least in part, of local conditions for the delivery container. By one approach the aforementioned local conditions pertain to the contents of the delivery container. Examples in these regards include a temperature-based state of the contents, a volume-based metric of the contents, and mass-based metrics of the contents. By another approach, in lieu of the foregoing or in combination therewith, the aforementioned local conditions can pertain to ambient conditions as regards the delivery container.
US09939324B2
A wavefront sensing pixel is provided. The wavefront sensing pixel includes a low-pass filter filtering a charge signal from a photodetector and outputting a control signal when low-frequency signals are detected in the charge signal, and a control device to control flow of the charge signal past the control device based on whether a low-frequency signal is detected in the charge signal. The wavefront sensing pixel further includes a low-frequency signal path that receives a flow of signals that flow past the control device, and a high-frequency signal path independent of the low-pass filter and the control device, the high-frequency signal path receiving high-frequency signals included in the charge signal.
US09939314B2
The present invention provides a shock recording device includes: an electric power source; a vibration energy harvester including a first electrode and a second electrode, the vibration energy harvester converting an energy of a shock applied thereto into a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first transistor including a first gate electrode, a first source electrode, and a first drain electrode, the first transistor further including a stacked structure of a ferroelectric layer and a semiconductor layer; and a second transistor including a second gate electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode. The second gate electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode. The second drain electrode is electrically connected to the electric power source. The second source electrode is electrically connected to the first gate electrode. The first source electrode is electrically connected to the second electrode.
US09939305B2
A level sender for a tank includes a sensor device. The sensor device includes a primary pressure sensor, a reference pressure sensor, and a correction pressure sensor. A primary tube at least partially encloses the primary pressure sensor and extends from an upper region of the tank to a lower region of the tank. A reference tube at least partially encloses the reference pressure sensor and extends from the upper region to the lower region. A correction tube at least partially encloses the correction pressure sensor. The correction tube at least partially enclose the correction pressure sensor in the upper region. The sensor device further includes a processor coupled to the primary, reference, and correction pressure sensors to determine a level of liquid within the tank based on pressure measurements within the primary, reference, and correction tubes.
US09939303B2
The present invention relates to a device for installation into a hose and/or plastic pipe system and mounting of flow measurement sensors which comprises a plastic flow part as a hollow body with a centrally arranged and deformable region with a rectangular cross section. The present invention further relates to the use of the abovementioned device as well as to a method of flow measurement using the device.
US09939302B2
An agricultural metering system includes a driven shaft having a first engagement feature configured to selectively engage a second engagement feature of a drive shaft mounted within a meter box of the agricultural metering system to non-rotatably couple the driven shaft to the drive shaft. The agricultural metering system includes a meter roller non-rotatably coupled to the driven shaft. The meter roller is configured to be selectively disposed within the meter box, and the first engagement feature is configured to engage the second engagement feature while the meter roller is disposed within the meter box to facilitate rotation of the meter roller in response to rotation of the drive shaft.
US09939296B2
In a slide position detecting device for a vehicle seat, an angle between a bottom plate portion and a side plate portion of an attachment bracket is set to a maximum angle in a range of an angle between a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion of a seat-side member; rigidity maintaining the angle between the bottom plate portion and the side plate portion is set to be lower than rigidity maintaining the angle between the bottom wall portion and the side wall portion; and when the side plate portion is fixed to the side wall portion, the bottom plate portion contacts the bottom wall portion or a top face portion of an upper rail, and is fixed in a state where the angle between the bottom plate portion and the side plate portion coincides with the angle between the bottom wall portion and the side wall portion.
US09939294B2
A demodulation system for 3D-matrix multi-channel fiber optic sensing includes a wavelength swept optical source that generates an incident light, an optical frequency domain reflector and a balanced detector connected with the wavelength swept optical source through a fiber circulator. The optical frequency domain reflector includes a first optical path and a second optical path with a frequency shifter arranged on one or both of the optical paths. The optical frequency domain reflector outputs incident light to an optical switch module. The optical switch module selectively transmits the incident light to a sensor network as well as transmits the reflection light from the sensor network to the optical frequency domain reflector.
US09939288B2
A device may receive a request to identify one or more available fuel pumps. The device may determine selection parameters associated with identifying the one or more available fuel pumps. The selection parameters may include criteria used to identify whether a particular fuel pump is an available fuel pump. The device may receive pump information associated with a group of fuel pumps. The pump information may include information indicating whether each fuel pump, of the group of fuel pumps, is available. The device may identify, based on the selection parameters and the pump information, the one or more available fuel pumps. The device may provide, for display, information associated with the one or more available fuel pumps.
US09939281B2
A method and system for building a trip plan from various sources is provided. The method includes receiving information detailing a planned trip from a social media website. A weighted rank is calculated for one or more stopover points associated with the planned trip. A route for the planned trip, customized for the current travelers, is created, based on the calculated weighted rank of the stopover points and on a selection from the current travelers.
US09939273B2
The present invention reduces an arithmetic operation amount for updating a state vector. The attitude estimating device includes (i) a gravitational direction estimating section for updating, by using an acceleration vector as an observation, a gravitational direction vector predicted from an angular velocity vector, (ii) a horizontal direction estimating section for updating, by using a magnetic vector as an observation, a horizontal direction vector predicted from the angular velocity vector, and an attitude estimating section for generating attitude information with use of the gravitational direction vector and the horizontal direction vector.
US09939267B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an inertial force detection device that can more accurately detect faults in a temperature sensor. Provided is an inertial force detection device configured so that in a state where an oscillating body is made to oscillate in a first direction, the amount of displacement when the oscillating body is displaced in a second direction due to the generation of angular velocity is detected as angular velocity, wherein the inertial force detection device has a means for performing control so that the oscillating body enters a state of resonance in the first direction, a temperature detection means for detecting temperature, and a means for detecting faults in the temperature detection means, and outputs a plurality of signals, which indicate the fault detection results of the three means, continuously from a single signal wire.
US09939266B2
An electronic device includes a base body, a functional element that is placed on the base body, and a lid body, formed from silicon, that is placed over the base body so as to cover the functional element. A hole portion and a sealing member that closes the hole portion are disposed in the lid body, in the hole portion, the area of a second opening disposed on a side opposite to a first opening is larger than the area of the first opening disposed on the base body side, and the ratio of the volume of the sealing member to the volume of the hole portion is equal to or higher than 35% and is equal to or lower than 87%.
US09939264B2
A device updates a value representing its current height above ground when it detects a height change. The device uses the slope calculated from collected barometric pressure data samples to calculate height change during a period when the value of the slope exceeds a predetermined value. The device also analyzes a predetermined number of barometric pressure sensor data samples preceding and succeeding a height change indicated by the slope change. The device performs an evaluation, i.e., determining the difference between an average of the preceding and succeeding samples, to determine a height change. The device may select either the slope-of-the-curve-during-the-height-change-period method or the difference-between-the-averages method based on meeting a criterion. The processor de-energizes a GPS circuit, height determination method, and sets the height above ground to zero if it detects movement. Placing the device on a charger resets the device's height value to the charger height above ground.
US09939262B2
A light-emitting device that can switch between two modes: single light emission and intermittent light emission is provided. The light-emitting device includes a driver circuit that can supply a control pulse signal, a constant current power supply that is supplied with the control pulse signal and can supply a constant current pulse, and a light-emitting panel that is supplied with the constant current pulse. The driver circuit includes a start switch circuit that can supply a start signal, a pulse-interval modulation circuit that can supply a pulse-interval modulation signal, and a microcomputer that is supplied with the start signal and the pulse-interval modulation signal and can supply the control pulse signal.
US09939261B2
A calibration pattern having a plurality of pattern regions for calibrating an imaging optical unit for metrological applications. At least one image of the calibration pattern is recorded using the imaging optical unit. The image is evaluated to quantify individual properties of the imaging optical unit. Depending on the quantified individual properties, correction values for a calculated correction of aberrations of the imaging optical unit are determined. The calibration pattern is provided on an electronic display having a plurality of display pixels arranged in the form of a matrix. In addition, a calibration body with at least one line having a defined dimension, is recorded using the imaging optical unit. A magnification factor of the imaging optical unit is determined on the basis of the at least one line. At least one further individual property of the imaging optical unit is quantified on the basis of the calibration pattern.
US09939260B2
Satellite transfer orbit search methods are described herein. One disclosed example method includes determining, based on boundary transfer orbits of a satellite, end points of an oblate epicycloid segment related to a transfer orbit of the satellite, and calculating, using a processor, a shape of the oblate epicycloid segment based on satellite data and the end points to define a search zone to determine a position of the satellite as the satellite moves along the transfer orbit.
US09939259B2
Devices, methods, and software are disclosed for determining dimensions of a physical object using a mobile computer equipped with a motion sensing device. In an illustrative embodiment, the mobile computer can comprise a microprocessor, a memory, a user interface, a motion sensing device, and a dimensioning program executable by the microprocessor. The processor can be in communicative connection with executable instructions for enabling the processor for various steps. One step includes initiating a trajectory tracking mode responsive to receiving a first user interface action. Another step includes tracking the mobile computer's trajectory along a surface of a physical object by storing in the memory a plurality of motion sensing data items outputted by the motion sensing device. Another step includes exiting the trajectory tracking mode responsive to receiving a second user interface action. Another step includes calculating three dimensions of a minimum bounding box corresponding to the physical object.
US09939258B2
An apparatus is described for measuring surface topography of a three-dimensional structure. In many embodiments, the apparatus is configured to focus each of a plurality of light beams to a respective fixed focal position relative to the apparatus. The apparatus measures a characteristic of each of a plurality of returned light beams that are generated by illuminating the three-dimensional structure with the light beams. The characteristic is measured for a plurality of different positions and/or orientations between the apparatus and the three-dimensional structure. Surface topography of the three-dimensional structure is determined based at least in part on the measured characteristic of the returned light beams for the plurality of different positions and/or orientations between the apparatus and the three-dimensional structure.
US09939247B1
A wear monitoring system for measuring incursion depth into an abradable coating includes a layer of abradable coating including a depth. At least one measurement circuit includes a plurality of conductive leads disposed within the abradable coating. The conductive leads are spaced radially apart within a common radial plane corresponding to the depth of the abradable coating. A plurality of resistor elements corresponds with the plurality of conductive leads. Each of the plurality of resistor elements are in electrical communication with one of the plurality of conductive leads disposed within the common radial plane of the corresponding one of the plurality of conductive leads. An electrical characteristic of the circuit varies responsive to cutting of one or more of the plurality of conductive leads by a passing airfoil. A gas turbine engine and method are also disclosed.
US09939246B2
The disclosed micro-sensor includes: a substrate including a first portion and a second portion; a third portion and fourth portion provided between the portions and connected to the first portion and the second portion respectively by an elastic member; detection and a counter including: a counting gear, a third beam capable of meshing with the gear, an amplifier for the value of a relative movement between the portions and including: a first beam attached at one end thereof to the third portion and at the other end thereof to a plate, a second beam attached at one end thereof to the fourth portion and at the other end thereof to the plate, the third beam being attached on one side to the plate and including a tooth capable of meshing with the gear.
US09939242B2
A method for providing electrical energy to a self-destruct fuze for submunitions in a projectile, the method including: storing mechanical energy in an elastic element attached to a first movable mass at one end of the elastic element upon a firing acceleration of the projectile; engaging a second movable mass with the first movable mass such that movement of the second movable mass upon the acceleration moves the second movable mass which in turn moves the first movable mass; converting the stored mechanical energy to electrical energy upon the acceleration to vibrate the first movable mass and the elastic element to apply a cyclic force to a piezoelectric element attached to another end of the elastic element; and locking the second movable mass in a position where the second movable mass cannot interfere with vibration of the first movable mass upon the second movable mass being subjected to the acceleration.
US09939240B1
Methods involve using a guided munition (e.g., a mortar round or a grenade) that utilizes deployable flow effectors, activatable flow effectors and/or active flow control devices to extend the range and enhance the precision of traditional unguided munitions without increasing the charge needed for launch. Sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers, IR sensors, rate gyros, and motor controller sensors feed signals into a controller which then actuates or deploys the flow effectors/flow control devices to achieve the enhanced characteristics.
US09939239B1
A stacked, collaborative engagement ammunition round is presented. The round includes plural stacked miniaturized projectiles where such projectiles separate after launch and then swarm as a group towards a target or targets. At launch, the projectiles may fly in a preselected formation, leader-follower towards the target. Or, the projectiles may deploy propellers, tri-copter or quad-copter vanes, and self steer swarming to the target. Each projectile has its own miniaturized guidance, navigation and control components, autopilot, cameras, transmitter, receiver, antennae, power source, sensors, fuzes and/or flex circuits.
US09939230B2
A teaching device for training shooters to choose the best place to shoot a clay target is provided, whereby the teaching device greatly simplifies the decision making process and increases the students' awareness of target lines, directions and break zones. The teaching device may include a plurality of pointers rotatably connected to a clock face by a pivot fastener. The teaching device may include a target holder centrally disposed along the clock face, wherein the target holder is understood to represent a clay target. The plurality of pointers may independently rotate relative to each other so that each pointer may be positioned at a different relationship to the target holder so as to physically represent different choices, predictions and outcomes regarding the targeting thereof, including chosen target lines, predicted break lines and the outcomes of their chosen target lines.
US09939222B1
A lightweight mortar tube is presented herein having at least three layers: (1) a first inner bore facing layer comprised of a metal having a melting point greater than 800° C.; (2) a second thermal barrier layer comprised of a ceramic material attached to the first layer, and (3) a third outer shell layer attached to the second layer comprising of fiber reinforced composite material where the composite material is either a polymer, metal or ceramic. All of the layers are cohesively integrated with each other into a seamless wall. The improved multi-layered mortar tube described herein is lighter, yet maintains the same performance standards as comparable steel-based mortar tubes.
US09939217B2
A rotary ammunition magazine for a rifle has a follower that is spring biased and rotates about an axis to move cartridges for feeding to the rifle's chamber. The follower has a surface portion which engages the last cartridge in the stack. The surface portion has one or more characteristics including a transverse orientation angle, a longitudinal orientation angle and an arcuate shape which determine the direction of the force vector and the lengthwise load distribution on the cartridge.
US09939216B2
A rotary ammunition magazine for a rifle has a follower that is spring biased and rotates about an axis to move cartridges for feeding to the rifle's chamber. The follower has a surface portion which engages the last cartridge in the stack. The surface portion has one or more characteristics including a transverse orientation angle, a longitudinal orientation angle and an arcuate shape which determine the direction of the force vector and the lengthwise load distribution on the cartridge.
US09939210B2
Heat sinks and methods of using the same include a top and bottom plate, at least one of which has a plurality of pin contacts flexibly connected to one another, where the plurality of pin contacts have vertical and lateral flexibility with respect to one another; and pin slice layers, each having multiple pin slices, arranged vertically between the top and bottom plates such that the plurality of pin slices form substantially vertical pins connecting the top and bottom plates.
US09939209B2
A gas cooler (10) which is provided with a heat exchanger (6), cools a gas to be cooled, which is introduced from the outside, by performing heat exchange between the gas to be cooled and the heat exchanger, and discharges the cooled gas to the outside. The heat exchanger includes: a plurality of heat transfer fins (8) which are placed side by side via a prescribed gap therebetween, the gas to be cooled flowing through the gaps; and heat transfer tubes (7) which pierce through the plurality of heat transfer fins and are provided in a plurality of rows along the direction in which the gas to be cooled flows. The outside diameter do of the heat transfer tubes is 20 to 30 mm.
US09939207B2
A process is for the pre-conditioning of one or more latent heat storage elements in the case of which the temperature or the narrow temperature range of the phase transition defines a target temperature and the latent heat storage elements are heated up to the target temperature. The latent heat, storage elements are cooled to an initial temperature below the target temperature and this initial temperature is determined. The latent heat storage elements at the initial temperature are introduced into a thermally insulated container and the container is then closed. The interior of the closed container is, or has been, connected to a heating device of which the thermal output which takes effect in the interior of the closed container is known. The initial temperature of the latent heat storage elements, the thermal capacity of the latent heat storage elements located in the container and also the target temperature of the latent heat storage elements are used to calculate the quantity of heat which has to be fed to the interior of the container in order for the latent heat storage elements to reach the target temperature (desired quantity of heat). The heating device is switched on and is operated continuously, or at intervals, until the desired quantity of heat has been fed to the interior of the dosed container.
US09939198B2
The present invention provides a conveyor belt tracking system for a dryer having a web of a mesh material having a protrusion extending along the length proximal one lateral edge and above a flat surface and a first generally cylindrical roller having a three-tiered slot for receiving the protrusion and two flanking shallow tracks for receiving base flanges.
US09939189B2
A refrigerator having a flow channel device provided at opposite sides of a machinery compartment to introduce and discharge external air into the machinery compartment. The refrigerator includes a main body including an inner liner having a storage compartment defined therein, an outer liner coupled to an outside of the inner liner to form an external appearance thereof, and an insulation member filled between the inner liner and the outer liner, a machinery compartment, provided at a lower part of the main body, in which a compressor is disposed, and a flow channel device provided at opposite sides of the machinery compartment such that external air is introduced into the machinery compartment, flows along the machinery compartment, and is discharged from the machinery compartment, wherein the flow channel device extends through the insulation member filled between the outer liner and an inner wall of the machinery compartment.
US09939188B2
A portable cooler is provided that includes a base that supports a refrigeration unit. The base also supports a plurality of upwardly-extending support poles that accommodate a top portion. The support poles, top portion, and base define a food storage volume that is surrounded by a plurality of insulative walls.
US09939184B2
A refrigeration device includes a radiator, an evaporator, a compressor, a heater and a control device. The radiator causes a refrigerant to radiate heat. The evaporator causes the refrigerant to evaporate. The compressor compresses the refrigerant circulating between the radiator and the evaporator. The heater heats lubricating oil in the compressor. The control device controls the heater so that an oil temperature of the lubricating oil in the compressor reaches an oil temperature target value obtained by adding a predetermined temperature to saturation temperature of the refrigerant in the compressor.
US09939181B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that may include recovering heat from a generator to defrost the heat exchanger by passing a heat transfer fluid from the generator through a recovery heat exchanger that is configured to promote heat transfer between the heat transfer fluid and a refrigerant flowing therethrough, reducing a restriction of the refrigerant, reducing an airflow through the heat exchanger, and delivering the heated refrigerant to the heat exchanger. Systems and methods may also include recovering heat from an exhaust of the generator to deter the formation of frozen condensate on the outdoor heat exchanger by diverting at least a portion of a hot exhaust fluid discharged by the generator onto the outdoor heat exchanger.
US09939179B2
A refrigeration system includes a plurality of compressors connected in series with each other. Each compressor has an oil sump located in a gravitational bottom of the compressor. A common supply line supplies refrigerant and oil to each of the plurality of compressors. The plurality of compressors includes a lead compressor and one or more non-lead compressors. The common supply line is configured to return more oil to the lead compressor than to the one or more non-lead compressors. Oil sump pressures for the plurality of compressors are maintained such that the lead compressor has the highest oil sump pressure, and the oil sump pressures of the non-lead compressors are successively lower with respect to its position downstream of the lead compressor. As a result, oil is distributed between adjacent compressors from the lead compressor, which is a most upstream compressor, sequentially downstream to the one or more non-lead compressors.
US09939175B2
In a fuel-fired water heater with a standing pilot burner and a motorized flue damper, a specially designed controller is utilized to prevent overheating of water stored in the tank portion of the water heater caused by the hot combustion gases continuously generated by the pilot burner during standby periods of the water heater in which its main fuel burner is not being fired. The controller has a selectively variable water temperature control set point temperature and is operable to sense both ambient temperature and the tank water temperature and to open the flue damper and/or keep it open, after the main burner is off, in response to the presence for a predetermined continuous time period of a predetermined relationship of at least the selected temperature control set point temperature and the sensed ambient temperature.
US09939171B2
A duct heater has a unique and symmetric arrangement of an auto limit and a pair of back up limits to permit the duct heater to be mounted in a duct in a number of different orientations. The duct heater can include a diffuser screen and have a particular size with respect to an upstream piece of equipment such as a single duct variable air volume damper box so that it can be used in these types of applications as well as stand alone applications in a duct.
US09939165B2
A multi-mode thermostat includes a sensor of ambient temperature and control circuits coupled to the sensor, wherein the control circuits are responsive to signals from the sensor to maintain a predetermined regional temperature. First electrically actuated backup circuits are responsive to a firt sensed operational power level to alter a status signal transmission rate by the control circuits. Second electrically actuated backup circuits are responsive to a lower sensed operational power level to provide a backup, lower regional temperature electromechanically.
US09939164B2
A thermal image sensor including: a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area; and rotors that scan the detection area in a scanning direction to detect, with the plurality of infrared detector elements, infrared light in an area to be captured as a single thermal image. The plurality of infrared detector elements include infrared detector elements arranged in mutually different positions in a rotational direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the plurality of infrared detector elements.
US09939160B2
Disclosed is an oven which provides convenient removal of a rack, achieving enhanced usability. The oven includes a cabinet having a chamber, a door to open or close the cabinet, a rack assembly including an operating member to support a cooking object seated thereon, the operating member being removable from the chamber, and a support member fixed inside the chamber to support the operating member, and a spring device including a first fixing piece located at the operating member, a second fixing piece located at the support member, and an elastic member having one side connected to the first fixing piece and the other side connected to the second fixing piece and located in a vertical gap between the operating member and the support member so as to be elastically restored by a distance between the first and second fixing pieces to remove the operating member from the chamber.
US09939156B2
A combustor arrangement (10) including: a pilot burner (22) having a pilot cone (62); a plurality of clockwise (130) main swirlers interposed among a plurality of counterclockwise (132) main swirlers and disposed concentrically about the pilot burner; and a base plate (40) transverse to the main swirlers. Inbound-zones (134) exist where adjacent portions (106) of adjacent flows (108) through main swirlers flow toward the pilot cone, and interposed between the inbound zones outbound zones (136) exist where adjacent portions of adjacent flows flow away from the pilot cone. The arrangement is configured to preferentially deliver more cooling fluid to the inbound zones than the outbound zones.
US09939155B2
A swirler includes a swirler body and a plurality of axial swirl vanes extending radially outward from the swirler body. At least one of the swirler body or vanes includes a spring channel defined therethrough. A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine can include an inner air swirler and/or outer air swirler as described above.
US09939152B2
A system for fluidizing and conveying a powdery product is provided. The system includes plurality of powder-locking and metering vessels, the vessels each having a conveying line for the powdery product and a control mechanism for the mass flow of the powdery product. The conveying lines are brought together to form a common conveying line and are supplied to a remover of the powdery product. The powder-locking and metering vessels are alternatively fed with the powdery product and tensioned with the fluidizing gas under operating pressure. The control mechanisms of the powder-locking and metering vessels are activated in such a manner that the mass flow sum of powdery product in the conveying lines is identical to the desired value for the mass flow of powdery product to the remover of the powdery product.
US09939149B2
Modern steam generators typically include a radiant section and a convection section. Due to differing performance requirements of the radiant and convection sections, the radiant section often has a round cross-section, while the convection section often has a rectangular cross-section. Previous designs utilized a target wall to effect the transition. An angled transition section is disclosed herein that substantially eliminates the target wall and/or the reverse target and provides a corresponding improvement in steam generator efficiency.
US09939146B1
A media player device having an integrated ground-illuminating flashlight provides hands-free ground illumination while walking. The media player device includes a lanyard attached to a first end of a housing, a first lamp located at a second end of the housing for use as an ordinary flashlight, and a second lamp located on a front side of the housing and directed at an acute angle from the housing toward the second end of the housing, so that the ground in front of a wearer of the media player device is illuminated. A speaker for reproducing the audio generated by the media player device may also be located on the front of the housing to provide audibility of the playback audio, or may alternatively be located on the first end or side of the housing. Controls are provided on the front or side of the housing to provide easy access when wearing the device.
US09939140B2
An LED tube lamp is disclosed. An installation detection circuit is configured in the LED tube lamp configured to receive an external driving signal. The installation detection circuit includes: a pulse generating circuit configured to output one or more pulse signals; wherein the installation detection circuit is configured to detect during one or more pulse signals whether the LED tube lamp is properly installed on a lamp socket, based on detecting a signal generated from the external driving signal; and a switch circuit coupled to the pulse generating circuit, wherein the one or more pulse signals control turning on and off of the switch circuit. The installation detection circuit is further configured to: when it is detected during one or more pulse signals that the LED tube lamp is not properly installed on the lamp socket, control the switch circuit to remain in an off state to cause a power loop of the LED tube lamp to be open; and when it is detected during one or more pulse signals that the LED tube lamp is properly installed on the lamp socket, control the switch circuit to remain in a conducting state to cause the power loop of the LED tube lamp to maintain a conducting state.
US09939133B2
The illuminating standoff device to support and illuminate transparent, semi-transparent, and/or a translucent light diffusing member. Thus, the standoff provides support and attachment to the wall or support structure, while at the same time allowing light to pass through said standoff and/or projecting or inducing light into the diffusing member while supporting and retaining its position. This allows one to support and secure the diffusing member, and illuminate the diffusing member, both through a single device.
US09939132B2
Shielding radio frequency interference (RFI) using reflector optics is disclosed. A simplified non-sealed reflector is used in conjunction with a mounting system, resulting in desired amounts of visible and non-visible light using radio frequency driven luminaries and emitters without sacrificing output or coverage area. Configurations are disclosed such that achieved RF grounding is compliant with FCC regulations. Accordingly, the disclosed RFI shielding improves optical design options, increased output, and decreased manufacturing costs over traditional sealed enclosures.
US09939124B1
A light mask type optical device includes an optical element. The optical element is formed by a light inlet face, a light outlet face opposite to the light inlet face, and a plurality of grating structures of micro meter (μm) scale disposed on the light outlet face. The grating structure includes a first slant face, a second slant face, and a plane surface between the first slant face and the second slant face. In application, a direct downward light emitted by a light source is reflected by the first slant face and the second slant face, to form a circulating light in the grating structure, and that is combined with the direct downward light to output from the light outlet face in achieving reduced glare and increased lumen in application.
US09939122B2
In vehicle headlamps of the prior art, a low-beam light distribution pattern and a high-beam distribution pattern could not be obtained in a direct illumination lens-type lamp unit. The present invention is provided with a semiconductor light source, a lens, a light control member, and a drive member. The lens is composed of a main lens section and an auxiliary lens section. The drive member positions the light control member in a first position and a second position in a moveable and switchable manner. Consequently, the present invention enables a low-beam light distribution pattern and a high-beam light distribution pattern to be obtained in a direct illumination lens-type lamp unit.
US09939107B2
An oil nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body and a nozzle insert. The nozzle body includes a main portion, a tip portion, a collar, and a lip. The tip portion is connected to the main portion. The collar is positioned at an interface between the main portion and the tip portion. The lip extends radially outward from the tip portion and includes an outer diameter. The nozzle insert includes a sleeve, an endwall connected to the sleeve, an orifice, and a retention element. The orifice is disposed in the endwall and is fluidly connected to the tip portion of the nozzle body. The retention element extends radially inward from the sleeve. A portion of the retention element includes an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the lip.
US09939098B2
A coupling that includes a rigid inner shell, a rigid outer shell positioned around the inner shell to define an intermediate space that contains an electric line and a thermally insulating layer, and an electric connecting line for heating fluid that flows in the inner shell.
US09939084B2
An isolation valve is provided, along with removable shield insert assemblies for an isolation valve. In one embodiment, a shield insert assembly for an isolation valve is provided that includes a graphite first shield insert having a flat ring shape. The first shield insert has a circular outer diameter. An elongated aperture is formed through the first shield insert. At least two fastener holes are formed through the first shield insert configured to couple the first shield insert to a first shield support.
US09939083B2
The present disclosure relates generally to a faucet valve cartridge configured for use within a dual handle faucet. The valve cartridge includes an upper plate and a bottom plate received within a valve housing and configured to control fluid flow from an inlet to an outlet. The valve may include anti-water hammer port geometry to reduce turbulent flow and shut-off shock wave noise.
US09939062B2
A method of checking an abnormality in oil pressure of a transmission control unit (TCU) may include determining whether an oil pressure signal transmitted from the TCU to an electric oil pump (EOP) device is normal, transmitting a specific oil pressure value to the EOP device, the specific oil pressure value being set for determining whether the oil pressure signal transmitted from the TCU is normal, determining whether an oil pressure corresponding to the specific oil pressure value is sensed at the EOP device, determining whether a decrease range of the oil pressure sensed at the EOP device belongs within a predetermined range when compared to the specific oil pressure value, and determining whether to perform abnormality control over a transmission by operating the EOP device at set minimum revolutions per minute when the decrease range of the oil pressure sensed at the EOP device is beyond the predetermined range.
US09939058B2
A gearbox in a gas turbine engine includes an enclosed gearbox housing, at least a pair of intermeshing gears lubricated and rotatably supported within the gearbox housing, and a baffle apparatus axially spaced apart from and positioned at least at one side of the pair of gears, the baffle apparatus including a collector defining a main opening adjacent a meshing point of the intermeshing gears for collecting and redirecting lubricant squeezed out axially from the intermeshing gears.
US09939055B2
There are provided a ball screw that more efficiently prevents accumulation and scattering of extra grease in a nut and a seal used in the ball screw. In order to do that, a grease reservoir portion is provided on an inner peripheral surface of a seal provided at an end of a nut on rear side of a moving direction of a ball screw so as to form a space with respect to a screw shaft. The grease reservoir portion is open to an outer peripheral surface of the seal and communicates with slits formed on the outer peripheral surface of the seal.
US09939046B2
A chain catch that is capable of being attached to various bases so as to allow the quick and simple affixation of the chain catch to any vertical chain. The chain catch has an upper body and a lower body. The upper body is designed to trap a vertical chain within its internal design while it remains within its vertical orientation, and the lower body is designed to attach to a load and to the upper body. When the tension is taken off of the chain within the chain catch and the upper body is tilted, the chain may be vertically raised, free from the chain catch or the chain catch and its attached barbell can be vertically raised.
US09939038B2
Swirl chamber units (31) allowing a first liquid chamber (14) and a second liquid chamber (15) to communicate with each other are formed in a partitioning member of a vibration-damping device (10) of the present invention. Each swirl chamber unit (31) includes a first communication hole (32a) opening to the first liquid chamber (14), and a second communication hole (32b) opening to the second liquid chamber (15); a first swirl chamber (33a) communicating with the first liquid chamber (14) via the first communication hole (32a), and a second swirl chamber (33b) communicating with the second liquid chamber (15) via the second communication hole (32b); and a flow regulation passage (34) that allows the first swirl chamber (33a) and the second swirl chamber (33b) to communicate with each other and opens to the swirl chambers (33a, 33b) in circumferential directions of the respective swirl chambers (33a, 33b). The first and second swirl chambers (33a, 33b) are formed so that a liquid flowing into the interiors of the chambers from the flow regulation passage (34) is swirled according to the flow speed of the liquid. By including the configuration as described above, simplification of structure and facilitation of manufacture can be achieved, while guaranteeing the product characteristics of the vibration-damping device.
US09939033B2
A system is provided for suppressing undesired brake pad motion during brake application, and for installing and removing brake pads utilizing the inventive arrangements. The brake pads and a carrier mount having complementary surface features that retain the brake pad when the brake pad is in its installed position, and a brake pad biasing structure that biases the brake pad in the radially outward direction to bias the contact faces of the mount horn and the brake pad against one another to suppress brake pad kick and vibration and related wear and component fatigue. The radially-outward biasing force may be applied by a spring-loaded plunger located within a bore of a mount horn of the brake pad carrier against a radially-inner surface of a portion of the brake pad extending laterally over the mount horn.
US09939028B2
A transmission device for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The transmission device includes at least one coupling unit, which for non-rotatable connection of two coupling elements, has a friction-locking unit and a form-locking unit connected in parallel to the friction-locking unit. The device further includes a first hydraulic and/or pneumatic actuator for actuation of the form-locking unit, a second hydraulic and/or pneumatic actuator for actuating the friction-locking unit, and a directional valve for controlling the first actuator provided for actuation of the form-locking unit. The directional valve has a control line connection which in at least one operational state is connected in pressure terms to the second actuator provided for actuation of the friction-locking unit.
US09939027B2
A switching device for a motor vehicle transmission includes a coupling component, several transmission shafts which each are rotatable about a transmission axis, a frictional contact ring including a friction cone and being substantially non-rotatably and axially shiftably connected with a transmission shaft, a form-fit ring including a cone surface and being substantially non-rotatably and axially shiftably connected with the coupling component, as well as an actuating body including a cone surface and being substantially non-rotatably and axially shiftably connected with the coupling component. The friction cone of the frictional contact ring extends between the cone surface of the form-fit ring and the cone surface of the actuating body. The transmission shaft and the coupling component are decoupled in direction of rotation in an axial starting position of the actuating body, frictionally coupled in direction of rotation in an axial frictional contact position of the actuating body and positively coupled in direction of rotation in an axial form-fit position of the actuating body. The form-fit ring in a form-fit position is positively connected with the transmission shaft and in a release position is not positively connected with the transmission shaft. The form-fit ring is axially movable between its form-fit position and its release position and is urged into the release position. In addition, a method for actuating a motor vehicle transmission is provided.
US09939024B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a wheel bearing apparatus including an outer ring, a rolling element, a hub spindle, and an inner ring member. The hub spindle is disposed inward of the outer ring in a radial direction via the rolling element. The inner ring member fitted on the hub spindle and is secured by a clinched portion. The clinched portion is formed by clinching a spindle end portion of the hub spindle outward in the radial direction. The method includes: plating a predetermined area including the spindle end portion of the hub spindle; removing a plating of the spindle end portion of the predetermined area; and clinching the spindle end portion to form the clinched portion after removing the plating.
US09939019B2
A thrust roller bearing cage (11) of the present invention is included in a thrust roller bearing (20) and includes a plurality of pockets (21) accommodating rollers (13). The thrust roller bearing cage (11) includes: a radially outer area bent portion (41) formed by bending an area located radially outside the pockets (21) inward in a radial direction to a tilt angle of less than 45°; and projecting portions (44) that are formed in a tip end of the radially outer area bent portion (41) at positions aligned with the pockets (21) and project inward in the radial direction beyond radially outer edges of the pockets (21) so as to contact end faces (16) of the rollers (13) accommodated in the pockets (21).
US09939014B1
A slide rail displacement positioning mechanism includes a slide rail assembly consisting of an inner slide rail and an outer slide rail, a stopper member affixed to the inner slide rail and providing a positioning gap between a frame body and an abutment component thereof, and a positioning member affixed to the outer slide rail and adapted for elastically biasing the abutment component upon a relative movement between the stopper member and the positioning member subject to the operation of the slide rail assembly, and thus, the positioning member can be positively stopped by the frame body to achieve relative positioning between the outer slide rail and inner slide rail of the slide rail assembly.
US09939010B2
A thrust roller bearing cage (11) of the present invention is included in a thrust roller bearing (20) and includes a plurality of pockets (21) accommodating rollers (13). The thrust roller bearing cage (11) includes: a radially outer area bent portion (41) formed by bending the cage (11) inward in a radial direction along an annular groove formed at a position radially outside the pockets (21); and projecting portions (44) that are formed in a tip end of the radially outer area bent portion (41) at positions aligned with the pockets (21) and project inward in the radial direction beyond radially outer edges of the pockets (21) so as to contact end faces (16) of the rollers (13) accommodated in the pockets (21). A trace (29) of the groove is left at a position along which the cage is bent.
US09939009B2
A structure includes: a first component having a band-like shape and an elasticity for bending the first component in a first direction such that both ends of the first component approach each other; and a second component, coupled to the first component in a manner that the second component pivots about a rotational axis that lies along an edge in a longitudinal direction of the first component, and having an elasticity for bending the second component in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the first component and the second component are unfolded about the rotational axis.
US09939005B2
Methods and apparatus for retaining a fastener receiver are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a retainer to retain a nut assembly adjacent an object. The retainer includes a first plate defining a first opening. The first plate is to couple to the object. The first opening is to receive a portion of the nut assembly when the retainer is coupled to the object. The retainer includes a second plate defining a second opening and including a first deflectable tab adjacent the second opening. The second plate is to couple to the first plate opposite the object. The deflectable tab of the second plate is to cover a portion of the first opening of the first plate. The first deflectable tab is to deflect to receive and retain the portion of the nut assembly in the first opening when the retainer is coupled to the object.
US09939000B2
A coaxial assembly includes a first member, a second member, and at least two position members. The first member has an assembly hole with a sidewall. The second member having a lateral wall. The at least two position members are evenly arranged along a circumference of the lateral wall of the second member. The second member and assembly hole are configured such that when the second member is within the assembly hole, the at least two position members tightly abut the sidewall of the assembly hole, thereby causing the second member to be coaxial with the first member. An assembly method is also provided.
US09938992B1
The invention is a fluid handling process whereby a submerged pulsating low-pressure gas displacement pump is assisted by an inverted hydrostatic standpipe for the purpose of transporting ambient pressure liquid and gas. An apparatus with no moving parts pumps and transports gas and liquid at near-ambient pressure as a mixed medium by means of subtle design-induced pressure differentials within the inverted hydrostatic standpipe, siphon, pump chamber and riser, enabling conveyance over extended distances and inclined planes.
US09938990B2
A compact back-flow stopper using an elastic flexure mechanism for a cooling fan is shown and described. The backflow stopper assembly comprises a frame configured to structurally support a fin array when coupled to a fan. The fin array comprises a plurality of flexural deformation elements and associated fin elements arrayed in a radial arrangement to establish a pathway for airflow, each of the flexural deformation elements configured to move an attached fin element responsive to airflow impacting the attached fin element. Flex limiter elements are coupled to the frame and configured to limit flexure of the fin elements beyond a predetermined flexure in relation to the frame to stop backflow of air through the fin array. A fan assembly with a backflow stopper is shown and described. Also, a data storage assembly using fan assemblies with backflow stoppers is also shown and described.
US09938982B1
A thrust bearing, particularly for a turbocharger, having unique configurations on the thrust pad faces, including free-form curvatures or non-linear configurations defined by a geometric equation. The thrust pad faces can be configured by a programmed linear actuator system and cutting tool.
US09938981B2
The invention relates to a compressor circuit for a pneumatic control device of a motor vehicle, including: a compressor, and a pressure regulator, the pressure regulator being arranged between an input side of the compressor and the pneumatic control device, wherein the pressure regulator is designed to measure an upstream pressure of air from the pneumatic control device present on its side facing the pneumatic control device and to supply this air at an input pressure to the input side of the compressor, the pressure regulator being designed to control the input pressure on the basis of said measurement.
US09938975B2
A scroll compressor 10 may include an orbiting scroll having an orbiting scroll wall extending axially from an orbiting scroll plate towards a fixed scroll; a fixed scroll having a fixed scroll wall extending axially from a fixed scroll plate towards the orbiting scroll; and an axially extending drive shaft having an eccentric shaft portion so that rotation of the eccentric shaft portion imparts an orbiting motion to the orbiting scroll relative to the fixed scroll. An axial end portion of the orbiting scroll wall has a first seal for sealing between the orbiting scroll wall and the fixed scroll plate, and an axial end portion of the fixed scroll wall has a second seal for sealing between the fixed scroll wall and the orbiting scroll plate; and the first seal or the second seal has an aspect ratio of axial length to radial width which is 1.25:1 or greater.
US09938972B2
A distributor apparatus 10 for distributing a plurality of portions or streams of a flowable material. The apparatus 10 comprises an enclosure 16 which locates rotors 48, 50. An inlet port 66 is provided in an upper part of the enclosure, which connects to a manifold 34 with five spaced inlets 36 through which material can pass to drive the rotors 48, 50. Material can pass round the rotors 48, 50 to a plurality of spaced outlets 38 for discharging to and from the apparatus 10.
US09938970B2
The present invention provides apparatus, including a hydronic sensorless pumping system, that features a signal processor or processing module configured to receive signaling containing information about motor readout values of power and speed, and also about pump and system characteristics equations together with empirical power equations that are constructed by a polynomial best-fit function together with pump affinity laws based upon a pump curve published by a pump manufacturer; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a pump or system pressure and a flow rate at the motor readout values of power and speed, based upon the signaling received.
US09938962B2
A wind turbine is disclosed. The wind turbine includes comprising an inflatable portion comprising one or more blades and a device for rotatably driving the inflatable portion at a predetermined rate for a predetermined time.
US09938960B2
The invention allows orientation of the platform (1) in order to obtain conditions of maximum efficiency in the wind turbine (16). It comprises first sensors (8) for detecting an effective rotation axis angle (δ) formed between the rotation axis (2) and a horizontal plane (24); second sensors (9) for detecting wind direction (23); platform orientation means (11) for modifying the effective rotation axis angle (δ); and at least one control unit (12) adapted for receiving a first input (13) from the first sensors (8) and a second input (14) from the second sensors (9) and, based on said inputs (13, 14), transmitting orders to the platform orientation means (11) and yaw mechanism.
US09938955B2
An internal combustion engine (1) may include a combustion chamber (41) into which a mixture (40) of fuel and air is supplied, a spark plug (50) disposed proximate to the combustion chamber (41) to ignite the mixture (40) by generating a spark such that ignition of the mixture drives a piston (6) operably coupled to a crank portion (12) of the engine (1), a speed sensor (102) configured to determine engine speed, and an electronic control unit (100) configured to control operation of the spark plug (50). The electronic control unit (100) may be configured to initiate a speed limitation operation in response to engine speed reaching a cut out speed threshold and to control ignition timing within an operating band (320) of ignition angles prior to engine speed reaching the cut out speed threshold. The speed limitation operation may include skipping application of sparks. The electronic control unit (100) is further configured to apply a changed ignition angle (330) relative to the operating band (320) for first at least one spark initiated after the speed limitation operation.
US09938953B2
Methods and systems are provided for improving engine spark and torque control. In one example, adaptive spark control of an engine may include a modifier that adjusts the inferred fuel octane estimate and a spark adaptation based on ambient humidity. The method allows the speed-load dependent variation in octane effect of humidity to be reduced.
US09938948B2
A fluid injection assembly for a combustion engine includes an injector body having a notch, an injector cup, which radially encloses an axial end of the injector body and has a projecting part, and a spring clip arranged between the injector body and the injector cup. The spring clip includes a ground plate, at least one spring element, and at least one holding element engaging behind the projecting part of the injector cup. The ground plate is arranged in the notch of the injector body. The injector body and the injector cup are coupled together by the spring clip by mechanical interaction via the projecting part and the notch, respectively.
US09938941B2
A connecting element for fuel injection systems is used for connecting a fuel injector to a fuel-carrying component. A connecting part is provided, which is fastened on the one side on a shoulder of the fuel-carrying component and, on the other side, on a shoulder of the fuel injector. For this purpose, the connecting part is developed at least partially as a pot spring. A fuel injection system having such a connecting element is also indicated.
US09938926B2
The certainty of supplying air to a scavenging channel through a piston groove is improved. In a cylinder wall 2, a gas venting port 10 is formed below and adjacent to a scavenging port 6a. The gas venting port 10 is independent from the scavenging port 6a, and is opened/closed by a piston as each of an air port 4a and the scavenging port 6a is. Upon a piston groove 8 being brought into communication with the gas venting port 10 as a result of the piston moving up (FIG. 1(II)), blown-back gas in a piston groove 8 can move to a crankcase through the gas venting port 10. Along with this, air can enter the piston groove 8 from the air port 4a.
US09938922B2
A system and method for injecting fuel into an engine is provided where a low-pressure fuel pump is connected in fluid communication with at least one port fuel injector and a high-pressure fuel pump is connected in fluid communication with at least one direct fuel injector. The port fuel injector is disposed along an intake path of the engine and the direct fuel injector is disposed adjacent a cylinder of the engine. A lost motion lifter selectively couples the high-pressure fuel pump and the engine. A pump deactivation module switches the lost motion lifter to selectively deactivate the high-pressure fuel pump from the engine in response to partial load operation of the engine. The pump deactivation module may additionally switch the port fuel injector to an activated state and the direct fuel injector to a deactivated state.
US09938920B2
An electronic control unit of the present invention includes: a demand generation level that generates and outputs a demand value concerning various kinds of functions; a physical quantity mediation level that aggregates and mediates the demand value for each predetermined physical quantity; and a controlled variable setting level that sets a controlled variable of the actuator based on the mediated demand value and transmits a signal in a single direction from a higher level to a lower level. A controlled variable mediation level that aggregates and mediates demand values expressed with controlled variables of the actuators set on the controlled variable setting level and a demand value transmitted from the demand generation level not through the physical quantity mediation level, together with demand values mediated by the physical quantity mediation level is provided below the controlled variable setting level.
US09938906B2
A method for operating a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The method includes detecting an off-load transient of the gas turbine engine. The method includes reducing a total flow of fuel to a combustor section of the gas turbine engine to a first reduced flow in response to detecting the off-load transient. The method includes adjusting a position of an inlet guide vane in response to detecting the off-load transient until either an on-load transient is detected or until an amount of time elapsed since detection of the off-load transient exceeds a maximum override time.
US09938895B2
A method for operating a compressed air energy storage system is provided. The method can include compressing a process gas with a compressor train to produce a compressed process gas and storing the compressed process gas in a compressed gas storage unit. The method can also include extracting the compressed process gas from the compressed gas storage unit to an expansion assembly through a feed line. A valve assembly fluidly coupled to the feed line can be actuated to control a mass flow of the compressed process gas from the compressed gas storage unit to the expansion assembly. The method can further include heating the compressed process gas in a preheater fluidly coupled to the feed line upstream from the expansion assembly, and generating a power output with the expansion assembly.
US09938892B2
An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust manifold, a main exhaust passage, an auxiliary exhaust passage, a communicating passage, a first switching mechanism, and a second switching mechanism. The main exhaust passage is connected to the exhaust manifold. The auxiliary exhaust passage is connected to the main exhaust passage. The communicating passage connects with the main exhaust passage and the auxiliary exhaust passage. The first switching mechanism switches a communication state of the exhaust manifold among a first state, a second state, and a third state. The second switching mechanism switches a communication state of the communicating passage with the main exhaust passage among a fourth state, a fifth state, and a sixth state.
US09938891B2
A method is provided for operating an internal combustion engine (10) that has at least one cylinder row (11a, 11b) with multiple cylinders (12a, 12b). Each cylinder row (11a, 11b) has a first exhaust-gas turbocharger (13a, 13b) and a second exhaust-gas turbocharger (14a, 14b). The method includes providing charge air for the cylinders (12a, 12b) of the internal combustion engine (10) either exclusively by the first exhaust-gas turbocharger (13a, 13b) of the cylinder row (11a, 11b) of the internal combustion engine (10) or by both the first exhaust-gas turbocharger (13a, 13b) of the cylinder row (11a, 11b) of the internal combustion engine (10) and the second exhaust-gas turbocharger (14a, 14b) of the cylinder row (11a, 11b) of the internal combustion engine (10) in a manner dependent on an operating mode demanded by a driver and/or by a controller for the internal combustion engine (10).
US09938883B2
A method for operating an engine compartment fan for an engine compartment of a motor vehicle, in which at least one component, in particular for the drive of the motor vehicle, is situated, including the following: ascertaining a present engine compartment temperature as a function of a thermal energy input into the engine compartment and a thermal energy discharge out of the engine compartment; and activating the engine compartment fan as a function of the ascertained present engine compartment temperature.
US09938882B2
A coolant circulation system for turbochargers is provided. The coolant circulation system includes a turbocharger provided with a coolant outlet line and a coolant inlet line. The coolant is discharged from the turbocharger through the coolant outlet line. The coolant outlet line is connected to a first flow path connecting an inlet port of a radiator to an outlet port of a heater core. The coolant is supplied into the turbocharger through the coolant inlet line. The coolant inlet line is connected to a second flow path connecting a first end of a water pump to an inlet port of the heater core.
US09938873B2
A muffler for an exhaust system of a gas combustion engine, which comprises a muffler body (14) connected to an exhaust pipe inlet (10a), an exhaust pipe outlet (11a) to the tailpipe connected to the muffler body (14), and adjacent baffles (23, 24) within the muffler body (14), characterized in that the exhaust pipe inlet (10a), the exhaust pipe outlet (11 a) and the adjacent baffles (23, 24) are in line without significant restriction to gas exhaust flow and having baffle openings (21, 22) and baffle louver openings (18b, 19b) to the central muffler chamber (17), whereby the central muffler chamber route (17) is generally a straight line from the exhaust inlet pipe (10a) to the exhaust pipe outlet (11a).
US09938871B2
A connection pipe (7), for the fluidic connection of a muffler housing (5) of an active muffler (4) with an exhaust gas-carrying pipe (3) of an exhaust line (2) of an exhaust system (1) for an internal combustion engine, of a motor vehicle, has a pipe wall (8), which envelopes a connection space (9) leading from the muffler housing to the exhaust pipe. A cooling pipe (14), through which a coolant can flow, has an inlet section (15) and an outlet section (16) and is arranged in the connection space. The inlet section (15) passes through the pipe wall (8), whereby a coolant inlet (17), through which coolant can enter the cooling air pipe, is arranged outside the connection pipe (7). The outlet section passes through the pipe wall, whereby a coolant outlet (19), through which coolant can escape from the cooling pipe, is arranged outside the connection pipe (7).
US09938870B2
An exhaust gas muffler of an internal combustion engine, including a muffler housing having an exhaust gas inlet and an exhaust gas outlet and including a first Helmholtz resonator made of a first housing portion that delimits a first Helmholtz volume and includes a first coupling pipe. At least one second Helmholtz resonator is provided made of a second housing portion that delimits a second Helmholtz volume and includes a second coupling pipe via which the second Helmholtz volume can be coupled to an exhaust gas flow A of the exhaust gas inlet. The second coupling pipe is arranged at least partly within the first coupling pipe, and both coupling pipes delimit an annular gap R via which the first Helmholtz volume can be coupled to the exhaust gas flow A.
US09938858B2
The invention relates to a mid-frame (10) for a gas turbine, having at least one outer casing element (24), having at least one hub element (26) arranged on the inside of the outer casing element (24) in the radial direction, having a least one strut (42) by means of which the outer casing element (24) is connected to the hub element (26), and having at least one fairing element (46) that delimits at least partially a duct (44) at least in the radial direction, through which a gas can flow, and is constructed separately from the casing element (46), said fairing element having a passage opening (48), through which the strut (42) passes, for at least partial cladding of the strut on the outer peripheral side, wherein the fairing element (46) is coupled exclusively to the hub element (26), at least in the radial direction.
US09938847B2
A turbine arrangement and a gas turbine engine including a rim seal is configured with two cavities. The main fluid path, the two cavities, and a disc space are furthermore separated from another, but still in fluid communication with another, via three annular seal passages. The turbine arrangement also includes a plurality of cooling fluid injectors arranged underneath a radially inner vane platform. The rim seal is configured for an upstream guide vane and a downstream rotor blade.
US09938845B2
A turbomachinery component of a gas turbine engine is disclosed having a number of techniques of reducing the effects of a gap flow between an airfoil member of the gas turbine engine and a wall of the gas turbine engine. The airfoil member can be variable and in one form is a variable turbine vane. In one embodiment a brush seal is included between the vane and the wall. In another form a wear surface is disposed between the vane and the wall. In yet another form a moveable member capable of being actuated to change position can be disposed between the vane and the wall to alter the size of a gap between the two.
US09938842B2
A cooling system for a turbomachine includes a vane having an outer diameter platform at one end and an inner diameter platform at another end opposite the outer diameter platform. The outer diameter platform includes outer diameter attachment structure operative to mount the vane to an outer diameter stationary structure. The inner diameter platform is operative to be disposed on an inner diameter stationary structure. The cooling system also includes an airfoil disposed between the outer diameter platform and the inner diameter platform and defining a first cross-passage. The first cross-passage defines a first outer diameter opening in the outer diameter platform. The first cross-passage defines a first inner diameter opening in the inner diameter platform such that a first leakage flow can pass through the vane from the inner diameter platform, through the airfoil, to the outer diameter platform, and into an outer diameter leakage path of the vane.
US09938840B2
An airfoil includes a stator vane that has a platform with a first radial side and a second radial side, and a platform axial leading end and a platform axial trailing end. An airfoil portion extends radially outwardly from the first side. The platform axial trailing end includes a rear axial face that extends from the first radial side and a radially sloped face that extends from the rear axial face to the second radial side.
US09938832B2
A balancing kit and balancing method is provided for balancing a rotating component. The balancing kit comprises a receptacle and a balancing mass. The balancing mass comprises a pin that may be passed through a corresponding slot in a plate of the receptacle during installation. To complete installation, the balancing mass is rotated so that the pin can no longer pass through the slot, and is instead retained in an installed position in which the pin rests on a lower surface of the plate. The balancing mass can be removed by the reverse process.
US09938829B2
A method for measuring load performance of a positive displacement motor (PDM) test coupon. The test coupon includes a partial length of a PDM stage and is received inside a sealable test chamber. In some embodiments, the test coupon may be cut from a failed PDM stage. The test chamber is filled with test fluid. In some embodiments, the test fluid may be drilling fluid sampled from a live well. Rotation of the rotor on the test coupon actuates rotation of the stator. A braking torque is applied to the stator rotation, enabling evaluation of, for example, fatigue load performance of test coupon. Additional embodiments comprise the rotor axis and the stator axis being offset in order to simulate rotor/stator eccentricity in a full size PDM stage.
US09938825B2
In situ density and compressibility of a fluid sample are determined for a fluid sample collected downhole. The density and compressibility of the fluid sampled is determined by measuring a distance to a piston contained within the sample chamber using an external magnetic field sensor that senses a magnetic field emanating from a magnet provided on the piston internal to the sample chamber. The testing is performed quickly and at the surface in a noninvasive fashion (e.g., without opening the sample chamber).
US09938824B2
A method for transmitting data from a MWD system at the BHA of a drill string may include transmitting the data in a MWD signal from the MWD system. The MWD signal may be modulated at a position closer to the surface onto a mud pulse modulated signal. The mud pulse modulated signal may be generated by a downhole friction reducing device. The downhole friction reducing device may include a mud motor. The mud motor may create pressure pulses based on its speed of rotation. The downhole friction reducing device may include a modulating valve. The modulating valve may be electromechanically or mechanically operated. The modulated signal may be detected at the surface by a receiver using one or more pressure or flow sensors. The receiver may use one or more harmonics of the modulated signal to receive the data.
US09938823B2
An apparatus includes a circuit to receive power and data over a communication medium, where the circuit is to separate the power and the data. An electronic switch couples the power output by the circuit to a downhole electrical component for use in a well. According to other implementations, an electro-hydraulic actuator includes an outer housing defining a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber, where a seal for one of the hydraulic chambers is achieved without use of an elastomeric seal.
US09938822B2
A system for locating water floods, in some embodiments, comprises: multiple non-reference electrodes with insulative pads for coupling to a borehole casing; a reference electrode with an insulative pad for coupling to the borehole casing; and multiple transducers coupled to the reference and non-reference electrodes, each of said electrodes coupled to one or more of the multiple transducers, wherein each transducer coupled to a non-reference electrode determines a differential non-reference potential between that non-reference electrode and the reference electrode, and wherein a transducer that couples to the borehole casing determines an absolute reference potential between the borehole casing and the reference electrode; wherein the differential non-reference potentials are mathematically combined with the absolute reference potential to produce absolute non-reference potentials; wherein scaling weights are applied to said absolute non-reference potentials to produce scaled absolute potentials that are used to determine a water flood location.
US09938815B2
Estimating and predicting wellbore tortuosity. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: receiving, by a computer system, an indication of rotational drilling time and slide drilling time for a wellpath; calculating a value indicative of tortuosity for the wellpath based on the indication of rotational drilling time and slide drilling time for the wellpath; determining, by the computer system, that the wellpath exceeds a tortuosity threshold, the determining based on the value indicative of tortuosity; and changing a drilling parameter regarding the wellpath responsive to determining that the wellpath exceeds the tortuosity threshold.
US09938811B2
The flow of well treatment fluids may be diverted from a high permeability zone to a low permeability zone within a fracture network within a subterranean formation by use of a divert system comprising dissolvable diverter particulates and proppant. At least a portion of the high permeability zone is propped open with the proppant of the divert system and at least a portion of the high permeability zone is blocked with the diverter particulates. A fluid is then pumped into the subterranean formation and into a lower permeability zone of the formation farther from the wellbore. The diverter particulates in the high permeability zones may then be dissolved at in-situ reservoir conditions and hydrocarbons produced from the high permeability propped zones of the fracture network. The divert system has particular applicability in the enhancement of production or hydrocarbons from high permeability zones in a fracture network located far field from the wellbore.
US09938806B2
A well pump assembly has a main pump suspended on a string of production tubing within casing in a well. A charge pump is located below the main pump. An annular sealing element between the charge pump intake and the charge pump discharge seals between the charge pump and the casing. A motor is coupled with the main pump and the charge pump. A bypass member has an open upper end above the main pump intake and a lower end above the sealing element. The bypass member defines a flow path from the discharge of the charge pump upward past the main pump intake, then downward to reach the main pump intake. The bypass member may be a bypass riser extending alongside the main pump, or it may be a shroud surrounding the main pump.
US09938799B2
A method includes designing a subsea equipment assembly having an insulation covering an outer surface of at least one equipment unit and a flow path formed through the at least one equipment unit. The designing includes modeling a temperature profile of the subsea equipment assembly having a fluid within the flow path, identifying at least one hot zone along an interface between the insulation and the outer surface, where the at least one hot zone is exposed to temperatures above a degradation temperature of the insulation, and designing at least one cold zone along the interface to border the at least one hot zone, the at least one cold zone exposed to maximum temperatures below the degradation temperature of the insulation.
US09938791B2
An apparatus to define a shoulder within equipment includes a housing including a bore formed therethrough and a recess formed within an inner wall of the housing. The apparatus further includes an activation ring positionable within the recess and movable to extend, at least partially, into the bore of the housing to define a shoulder within the housing, and an actuator to move the activation ring with respect to the recess.
US09938780B2
A system for installing control line secured to a tubular string suspended in a borehole includes a first arm having a pivotally secured first end about which a second end is rotatable with a generally vertical plane, and a second arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the second end of the first arm and a second end coupled to a control line retainer. The second arm slidably engages a stationary pathway at a position intermediate the first end and the second end of the second arm. The system also includes one or more cylinders for rotating the first arm and for translating and rotating the second arm within the vertical plane to move the control line retainer along a generally vertical path along the tubular string.
US09938769B2
A ram boring device has a pressurized-fluid driven striking piston in a device housing and a rotating reversing device configured to urge the striking piston from a forward operation to a reverse operation, in order to create oblique or horizontal bores in the ground. A piston chamber of a rotary piston drive is connected to a control fluid line.
US09938762B2
In a vehicle with a tailgate, a rear opening is formed in a rear surface of a vehicle body, a tailgate that is provided to open and close the rear opening, a sub-door opening that is formed in a portion of the tailgate in a width direction, and a sub-door that is provided to open and close the sub-door opening. The vehicle includes a tailgate latch device that locks the tailgate with the vehicle body, a sub-door latch device that locks the sub-door with the vehicle body, and a control unit that controls the tailgate latch device and the sub-door latch device. The control unit controls the sub-door latch device so as to prohibit the sub-door from being opened when determining that the tailgate is opened.
US09938760B2
A door opening and closing apparatus for a vehicle includes a transmission gear configured to be driven to rotate by a motor, a pulley arranged coaxially with the transmission gear and configured to open and close a vehicle door by moving a rope member with a rotation of the pulley, an output member arranged coaxially with the transmission gear and configured to bring a door lock to a holding state or a release state with a rotation of the output member, a first clutch housed in the pulley in a state being coaxial with the transmission gear, the first clutch selectively permitting and prohibiting a rotation transmission between the transmission gear and the pulley, and a second clutch housed in the transmission gear in a state being coaxial with the transmission gear, the second clutch selectively permitting and prohibiting a rotation transmission between the transmission gear and the output member.
US09938757B2
A panel lock is provided to lock a movable panel to a relatively stationary base.
US09938740B1
A spa comprising a layer of copper-containing material, a layer of a cotton-containing material external to the layer of copper-containing material, wherein the layer of copper-containing material and the layer of cotton-containing material are at least partially located between outer spa frame studs, and a layer of at least one of a polyester or a polypropylene-containing material external to the layer of cotton-containing material. The layers of copper-containing material, cotton containing material, and at least one of a polyester or a polypropylene-containing material are located between a spa basin and a spa cabinet. The spa bottom may also have a layer of copper-containing material affixed thereon. In some embodiments, the spa may further comprise an insulated cover with a layer of copper-containing material therein.
US09938734B1
Tree stand apparatuses are provided herein. An example tree stand assembly includes an anchor brace that is configured to interface with a portion of a tree, a rotating and pivoting assembly having a rotating sub-assembly and a pivoting sub-assembly, as well as a seat assembly. The rotating and pivoting assembly is configured to allow the seat assembly to be positioned level to a ground surface regardless of an orientation of the rotating and pivoting sub-assembly relative to the ground surface.
US09938721B2
A reinforcing element for producing concrete components, a concrete component and corresponding production methods. The reinforcing element has a plurality of fibers and a plurality of holding elements which are connected to each other by the fibers so that the fibers can be stressed in their longitudinal direction by the holding elements. The fibers are fixed to the holding elements such that the fibers in the stressed state enter the holding elements in a substantially linear manner. This enables both a high degree of pretension and an efficient, reliable and thus cost-effective production of the concrete components.
US09938717B2
A ceiling system in one embodiment conceals joints between adjoining ceiling panels to provide a monolithic ceiling appearance. The system includes the support structure and ceiling panels each having a top surface, bottom surface, and peripheral edges. In one embodiment, the peripheral edges of the panels may have a hybrid edge detail including a first edge profile and a second edge profile different than the first. A facing material, bonded to the bottom surfaces of ceiling panels after securement to the support structure, has a continuous uninterrupted extent to cover and conceal multiple panels and joints. The facing may be adhesively bonded to the panels.
US09938710B2
A tornado shelter which meets the structural performance criteria of ICC, FEMA, ASCE, AISI, and ACI, produced from trapezoidal cold-formed steel panels.
US09938706B2
The flush toilet includes a bowl that includes a drainage outlet portion in a bottom portion and a discharge port in an upper inner surface portion. The flush toilet is configured to wash an inner surface of the bowl by allowing washing water discharged from the discharge port to flow down while swirling along the inner surface of the bowl. The inner surface of the bowl includes a guide passage configured to control flow of the washing water that flows down.
US09938701B2
Various apparatuses and methods that facilitate dual flush capability are presented. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes a dual flush mechanism configured to provide for a dual flush capability in a toilet. The dual flush mechanism can include a basket structure. A gasket can be attached to the dual flush mechanism. The gasket can form a seal between the dual flush mechanism and a flush orifice of a flush valve.
US09938700B2
A cold water delivery system is described that can consistently provide cold water at a desired temperature over repetitive and large draws from the outlet of the system. The cold water system can provide multiple pathways for the water to travel from a source, or inlet, to the outlet. A cooling system can be provided that cools a plurality of reservoirs of water. The reservoirs can maintain cold water at different temperatures. A control system controls the cooling system to maintain the temperature of the water in the reservoirs. The control system can also control one or more mixing valves to determine the volume of water from each of the reservoirs and the water inlet that reaches the outlet.
US09938699B2
Breaker straps, preferably made of steel, include holes that line up with the holes in breaker rings, to keep the breaker rings in place on a fire hydrant. A collision kit includes breaker straps, the breaker rings, a coupling, and coupling pins.
US09938684B1
There is provided a guide assembly for guiding a cylindrical casing used in forming a sheathing wall in a ground. The guide assembly includes: a first guide-body having first inner and outer vertical faces and first top and bottom horizontal faces extending in a length-direction thereof; a second guide-body having second inner and outer vertical faces and top and bottom horizontal faces extending in a length-direction thereof, wherein the second inner face faces away the first inner face; at least one first coupling unit configured to couple the first and second guide-bodies to each other at the first and second top faces thereof; and at least one second coupling unit configured to couple the first and second guide-bodies to each other at lower positions of the first and second inner faces thereof.
US09938683B2
A tamp having replaceable tamp plates which, when operatively coupled to a tamp handle, can rotate relative to the tamp handle, or a longitudinal axis of the tamp handle, when in use to better allow a tamp plate surface to conform to the material being tamped, while allowing the handle to be more easily maintained in an orientation desired by the user and while reducing or absorbing shock. The tamp may also include “dead blow” material such as steel shot or the like to improve the inertia, efficiency and impact of the tamp as it is being utilized, while reducing recoil effects.
US09938680B2
A fitting, for use in making a fluid connection with a pipe, generally includes a saddle adapted to couple the fitting to the pipe, and a tap integrally formed with the saddle and extending generally away from saddle. The tap is configured to press-fit into the pipe for establishing the fluid connection between the fitting and the pipe. The fitting also includes a passageway defined by the saddle and the tap, for receiving fluid from the pipe and into the fitting via the tap.
US09938674B2
A control system for a cold planer having a milling is disclosed. The control system may include a depth sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a milling depth below a work surface, a speed sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a ground speed of the cold planer, and a profile detection device mountable to the cold planer at a location forward of the milling drum. The profile detection device may be configured to generate a third signal indicative of a width profile of the surface. The control system may further include a controller in communication with the profile detection device, the depth sensor, and the speed sensor. The controller may be configured to determine a volume of a milled material based on the first, second, and third signals.
US09938670B2
A permeable paving system having a base layer and a paving layer, in which the base layer is made of a plurality of substantially hollow structural modules having a rigid bottom wall and a substantially parallel to a rigid top wall retained in a fixed space relationship from each other by a plurality of spacers, in which the structural module has a plurality of side walls extending between the perimeters of the top wall and the bottom wall, in which the top and bottom walls have apertures to allow movement of fluids into and out of the structural modules, and in which the top wall has a plurality of guide lines configured for alignment of paving material, and/or as a guide for cutting the structural module. Alternatively, instead of guide lines, there may be string line posts connectable to an element of the permeable paving system configured to extend above the top wall of said structural module and configured for establishing elevations of paving materials, and/or alignment of paving materials.
US09938662B2
This invention is directed to a process for treating biomass. The biomass is treated with a biomass swelling agent within the vessel to swell or rupture at least a portion of the biomass. A portion of the swelling agent is removed from a first end of the vessel following the treatment. Then steam is introduced into a second end of the vessel different from the first end to further remove swelling agent from the vessel in such a manner that the swelling agent exits the vessel at a relatively low water content.
US09938654B2
An appliance for washing clothes includes a detergent storage tank and a drum. Between the detergent storage tank and the drum is a diverter valve which has a detergent inlet connected to the detergent storage tank, an air vent connected to ambient air, and a detergent outlet. The diverter valve has an energized state wherein the detergent inlet is open and the air vent is closed, and a de-energized state wherein the detergent inlet is closed and the air vent is open. The appliance also has a flow meter connected to the diverter valve and the drum.
US09938646B2
A wearable band includes a woven material having two or more stretch regions. The different stretch regions can be formed by varying the tension on subsets of the warp threads, the weft threads, or both the warp and weft threads. A system for producing the woven material can include two or more tension control devices operably connected to a processing device. Each tension control device is configured to adjust the amount of tension in a respective subset of threads (e.g., warp threads) in the woven material during a weaving operation. The processing device is configured to select thread tension patterns for the subsets of threads used during the weaving operation. Each thread tension pattern includes tension settings for the subsets of threads, where at least one tension setting in one thread tension pattern differs from the tension settings in the other tension patterns.
US09938640B2
The present invention is a method for a heat treatment of a silicon single crystal wafer in an oxidizing ambient, including: performing the heat treatment based on a condition determined by a tripartite correlation between a heat treatment temperature during the heat treatment, an oxygen concentration in the silicon single crystal wafer before the heat treatment, and a void size in the silicon single crystal wafer before the heat treatment. This provides a method for a heat treatment of a silicon single crystal wafer which can annihilate void defects or micro oxide precipitate nuclei in a silicon single crystal wafer with low cost, efficiently, and securely by a heat treatment in an oxidizing ambient.
US09938635B2
Method for producing a component, particularly for use in a crucible pulling method for quartz glass
A method for producing a component includes joining individual wall parts, especially for producing a melting crucible for use at a high operating temperature in a crucible-pulling method for quartz glass, wherein at least two wall parts of a refractory metal or of a base alloy of a refractory metal are provided, butt-joined to form a joint and joined together by sintering at a temperature above 1500° C. to form the component. A sealant is inserted into the joint to provide a component of improved tightness and to ensure improved sintering of the individual parts of the component. A component produced according to the method, particularly a melting crucible, particularly in a crucible pulling method for quartz glass, has the joint between the butt-joined walls closed in a gas-tight manner by a sealant.
US09938634B2
A method of producing a phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal, including pulling the phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal from a silicon melt doped with phosphorus by Magnetic field applied Czochralski (MCZ) method, wherein the phosphorus is doped such that a phosphorus concentration of the phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal is 2×1016 atoms/cm3 or more, and a horizontal magnetic field is applied to the silicon melt with a central magnetic field strength of 2,000 gauss or more such that the phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal to be produced has an oxygen concentration of 1.6×1018 atoms/cm3 (ASTM'79) or more. A method of producing a silicon single crystal that is heavily doped with phosphorus and has an oxygen concentration of 1.6×1018 atoms/cm3 (ASTM'79) or more.
US09938633B2
The crystallization system includes a crucible provided with a bottom and with side walls designed to contain the material to be solidified and a device for creating a main thermal gradient inside the crucible in a perpendicular direction to the bottom of the crucible. An additional inductive heating device is arranged at the level of the side walls of the crucible facing the liquid material and without overlapping with the solid phase. This additional inductive heating device is configured to heat a part of the crystalline material located in the vicinity of the triple contact line between the liquid material, the solidified material and the crucible so that the interface between the liquid material and the solidified material forms a convex meniscus in the vicinity of the triple contact line.
US09938626B2
A method wherein nanoparticle are first produced and then infused in the coating during the coating process by means of a PVD and/or CVD method. The coating is a material that contains nitrides. The nanoparticles are chosen from the group of oxides, carbides, and silicides, and one or more of the compounds comprise MexOy, MexCy, and MexSiy with Me: Cr, Ti, Ta, Si, In, Sn, Al, W, V, Mo and/or x=1 to 3 and/or =1 to 3.
US09938619B2
A chemical vapor deposition process for depositing a titanium oxide coating is provided. The chemical vapor deposition process for depositing the titanium oxide coating includes providing a glass substrate. A gaseous mixture is formed. The gaseous mixture includes a titanium-containing compound and a fluorine-containing compound. The titanium-containing compound is an oxygen-containing compound or the gaseous mixture includes a first oxygen-containing compound. The gaseous mixture is directed toward and along the glass substrate. The mixture reacts over the glass substrate to form the titanium oxide coating thereon.
US09938605B1
Methods of preparing Zr based metallic using Zr sponge refined by a refining process are described. An exemplary method includes heating Zr sponge in a processing chamber with an electron-beam-heating apparatus or an arc-melting apparatus under a desired pressure condition to release volatile contaminants from the Zr sponge, introducing a purge gas into the processing chamber and permitting the purge gas to intermingle with at least some of the released volatile contaminants, evacuating the processing chamber to extract at least some of the purge gas and released volatile contaminants, repeating the heating of the Zr sponge, the introducing of the purge gas, and the evacuating of the processing chamber release and evacuate additional volatile contaminants from the Zr sponge to provide a processed Zr sponge with enhanced purity, and melting the processed Zr sponge with multiple other alloy constituents to provide a Zr-based metallic alloy.
US09938601B2
A method of forming a golf club head assembly includes aligning a faceplate with a recess of a club head; welding the faceplate to the club head; then, after welding the faceplate, heating the club head and the faceplate to at least a solvus temperature of the faceplate for a predetermined amount of time; and then, after heating the club head and the faceplate, allowing the club head and the faceplate to air cool.
US09938600B2
A hardened formed part is manufactured with the steps: producing a blank from a hardenable strip material; heating of the blank to an austenitization temperature; forming and hardening of the blank to a hardened formed part; cleaning the hardened formed part; coating the hardened formed part with a metallic coating in an dipping bath with an electrolyte solution, wherein during the coating process, at least one auxiliary element is used in the dipping bath, such, that the deposition of the coating is partially influenced. A plant is used for manufacturing a hardened formed part.
US09938599B2
An abrasion resistant steel plate or steel sheet suitable for use in construction machines, industrial machines, and the like and a method for manufacturing the same. In particular, a steel plate or steel sheet has a composition containing 0.20% to 0.30% C, 0.05% to 1.0% Si, 0.40% to 1.20% Mn, P, S, 0.1% or less Al, 0.01% or less N, and 0.0003% to 0.0030% B on a mass basis, the composition further containing one or more of Cr, Mo, and W, the composition further containing one or more of Nb, Ti, Cu, Ni, V, an REM, Ca, and Mg as required, the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities. A semi-finished product having the above steel composition is heated, hot rolling is performed, air cooling is performed, reheating is performed, and accelerated cooling is then performed or accelerated cooling is performed immediately after hot rolling.
US09938598B2
The present invention provides a low-alloy high-purity ferritic stainless steel sheet provided with improved oxidation resistance and high-temperature strength by utilizing Sn addition in trace amounts without relying on excessive alloying of Al and Si which reduces fabricability and weldability or addition of rare elements such as Nb, Mo, W, and rare earths, and a process for producing the same. The high-purity ferritic stainless steel sheet includes C: 0.001 to 0.03%, Si: 0.01 to 2%, Mn: 0.01 to 1.5%, P: 0.005 to 0.05%, S: 0.0001 to 0.01%, Cr: 16 to 30%, N: 0.001 to 0.03%, Al: 0.05 to 3%, and Sn: 0.01 to 1% (% by mass), with the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities. A stainless steel slab having such steel components is heated, wherein an extraction temperature is 1100 to 1250° C., and a winding temperature after hot rolling is 650° C. or lower. A hot-rolled sheet is annealed at 900 to 1050° C., and cooled at 10° C./sec or less over a temperature range of 550 to 850° C.
US09938578B2
The present disclosure generally pertains to a multiplex method for analyzing samples comprising using polynucleotide amplification to produce amplified products wherein one or more target sequences are tagged with a non-interfering, non-canceling target-specific polynucleotide identification tag, pyrosequencing the amplified products through the non-canceling target-specific polynucleotide identification tag sequence to detect the presence of one or more specific polynucleotide identification tags. The presence of a specific polynucleotide identification tag being correlated with the presence of a specific target sequence.
US09938575B2
Methods for improved quality control of nucleic acid containing biological samples utilized in high-throughput situations such as biorepositories engaged in the collection, processing, storage, distribution and analysis of such samples are disclosed.
US09938565B2
The invention described herein provides reagents (e.g., kits), compositions, and methods for carrying out an unbiased genome-wide strategy to identify the functional targets for all ncRNAs.
US09938562B2
Conjugates of 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene and its derivatives with enzyme cleavable groups are chromogenic substrates that form colored compounds when complexed with metal ions, e.g. iron ions, on cleavage by enzymes, and are useful in microbial detection and identification. The cleavage products form purple or red-brown colored complexes, that can easily be observed by the naked eye. Microbes can be grown in the presence of the substrates and the metal salts that provide the metal ion for complexing with the 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene product. Substituents in the naphthalene ring may affect the solubility of the substrates and also the diffusibility and color of the metal complexes. Some of the substrates yield soluble complexes on cleavage and are of particular value in liquid growth media. Other substrates produce less soluble complexes that are more suitable for use in solid agar media. Methods of synthesizing the substrates are described.
US09938561B2
Provided is a method for diagnosing cancer through a difference with a control group in view of the ratio of a deglycosylated peptide fragment and a non-glycosylated peptide fragment in a protein including an N-linked glycosylation motif. Further provided is a method for diagnosing cancer through the detection of the glycosylation ratio in the protein according to the subject matter enables the diagnosis of cancer with high specificity and sensitivity using at least one existing marker, and can be useful in discovering new markers for diagnosing cancer.
US09938555B2
For amperometric determination of the hydrogen peroxide concentration in a fluid sample, different electrical voltage steps are applied to the electrodes. In this process, at least one voltage is suitable for measuring the hydrogen peroxide concentration in the fluid sample, and at least one additional voltage is suitable for measuring the concentration of a substance in the fluid sample that acts as an interfering substance during measurement of the hydrogen peroxide concentration.
US09938552B2
The invention relates to methods of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising subjecting the cellulosic material to a catalase and a cellulolytic enzyme composition comprising a GH61 polypeptide in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration of greater than 10% of the saturation level. The invention also related to methods of producing desired fermentation products, such as ethanol, using a method including a saccharification step of the invention.
US09938551B2
Disclosed are a number of homologs and variants of Hypocrea jecorina Ce17A (formerly Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I or CBH1), nucleic acids encoding the same and methods for producing the same. The homologs and variant cellulases have the amino acid sequence of a glycosyl hydrolase of family 7A wherein one or more amino acid residues are substituted and/or deleted.
US09938550B1
The present application provides a culture medium for producing β-glucan. The culture medium comprises: a carbon source, a nitrogen source and an ascorbic acid. The present application further provides a method for producing β-glucan, the method comprising culturing Aureobasidium pullulans in the culture medium for fermentation. The Aureobasidium pullulans is advantageous in producing no melanin; as a result, the yield of β-glucan can be increased and the waste can be reduced with the improved culture medium composition and culturing method.
US09938547B2
The invention is directed to a process for the preparation of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) by fermentation comprising fermenting a suitable starting compound to produce an aqueous solution of a salt of FDCA having a pH of at least 7, optionally removing solids from said solution, e.g. by filtration, subsequently freeze crystallizing the said salt of FDCA from said solution at said pH, isolating the said FDCA salt in the form of solid crystals, preparing an aqueous solution of said salt and crystallizing FDCA as the free acid from said solution at an acidic pH.
US09938541B2
The invention provides an AAV particle containing an adeno-associated viral (AAV) capsid protein having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 24, and SEQ ID NO: 30 of the sequence listing; a nucleic acid that encodes this capsid protein; DNA containing this nucleic acid; a cell containing this DNA; and a method for producing this cell.
US09938540B2
A gene vector adapted for transient expression of a transgene in a peripheral organ cell comprising a regulatory sequence operably linked to a transgene wherein the regulatory sequence prevents or reduces expression of said transgene in hematopoietic lineage cells.
US09938532B2
The invention relates to an aptamer, the structure thereof comprising at least one nucleotide sequence 5′-GGCA(A/G)GGA-3′, that can specifically bind to the poly(A) hairpin of the 5′UTR region of the genome of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), providing the method for producing aptamers with said sequence by means of a combination of experimental techniques of in vitro selection of nucleic acids with computational techniques of sequence optimization. The invention also relates to a DNA gene structure for synthesizing said aptamers, preferably RNA. The invention further relates to the different uses of the above-mentioned aptamer, including the use thereof as a biosensor molecule for detecting and/or quantifying HIV-1, as an inhibitor of the production of viral particles of HIV-1, and to the application thereof in medicine, the invention also relating to a method for treating a disease caused by HIV-1, and to a pharmaceutical composition comprising said aptamer.
US09938530B2
The present invention relates to RNAi constructs with improved tissue and cellular uptake characteristics and methods of use of these compounds in dermal applications.
US09938529B2
Double-stranded and single-stranded RNA molecules, and their use in methods for inducing interferon are provided. The interferon induction provides anti-viral and other medically useful effects, such as anti-cancer effects. Also provided are methods for reducing or inhibiting interferon induction exhibited by such molecules, particularly siRNA and shRNA molecules produced in vitro.
US09938510B2
The present invention provides Photobacterium sp. JH-ISH-224 α2-6-sialyltransferase Psp26ST variants and expression cassettes, vectors, and host cells for expressing the Psp26ST variants. Methods of synthesizing sialylated products are also described.
US09938505B2
A polypeptide composition induces a pluripotent stem cell culturing property, particularly, an excellent cell growth ability. The polypeptide composition contains a predetermined polypeptide including an amino acid sequence of human vitronectin or an amino acid sequence of a predetermined first region derived from human vitronectin. The polypeptide composition includes a multimeric polypeptide, which is composed of two or more monomers held together by intermolecular cross-linking via cysteine residues included in the first region, in an amount equal to or less than 20% by mass of a total mass of polypeptides contained in the composition. A culture method for pluripotent stem cells includes culturing pluripotent stem cells in the presence of the polypeptide composition. Also provided is a culture vessel including a support which has a cell culture surface and the polypeptide contained in the polypeptide composition disposed on the cell culture surface of the support.
US09938504B2
The present invention relates to a medium composition containing an Ecklonia cava extract for dediffentiating an induced pluripotent stem cell. Also, the present invention relates to a method for producing induced pluripotent stem cells using the medium composition. When using the medium composition, according to the present invention, induced pluripotent stem cells using mesenchymal stem cells can be produced safely, easily, and efficiently, and the pluripotent stem cells which have been produced can be useful as a cell treatment agent by being capable of being differentiated into a variety of cells.
US09938501B2
A therapeutic composition comprising a purified fraction of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in a three-dimensional biocompatible gel matrix, and methods, and systems for preparing and using encapsulated adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Hydrogel microbeads encapsulating stem cells maintain the viability and location of the stem cells for an extended period as compared to stem cells in suspension. The gel matrix allows the release of cellular factors from the encapsulated stem cells to surrounding tissues to achieve desired therapeutic results.
US09938498B2
The present invention relates to a method for inducing and expanding natural killer cells derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which comprises co-culturing, as feeder cells, irradiated Jurkat cells and irradiated Epstein-Barr virus transformed lymphocyte continuous line (EBV-LCL) cells in the presence of cytokines, along with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. According to the present invention, a large quantity of natural killer cells can be induced and proliferated from a small quantity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells even without the use of high-cost equipment or various kinds of expensive cytokines, thereby making it possible to significantly improve the efficiency and efficacy of the prevention and treatment of cancer using the natural killer cells.
US09938496B2
This invention provides a method of producing an epiblast-like cell (EpiLC) from a pluripotent stem cell, which comprises culturing the pluripotent stem cell in the presence of activin A; a method of producing a primordial germ cell-like (PGC-like) cell a pluripotent stem cell, which comprises culturing the EpiLC obtained by the method above in the presence of BMP4 and LIF. Also provided are a cell population containing PGC-like cells as obtained by the method, and reagent kits for the EpiLC- and PGC-like cell-induction from a pluripotent stem cell.
US09938495B2
Cryopreserved stem cells with high cell viability after thawing were obtained by slow freezing using a DMSO-free cryopreservation medium. Stem cells and/or progenitor cells thereof are contacted with a DMSO-free cryopreservation medium, comprising between 4 v/v % and 25 v/v % of propylene glycol and between 1.0 w % and 10 w % of a sugar; and are subsequently subject to a slow-freezing process. Optionally, the cryopreservation medium may comprise serum albumin and/or hyaluronic acid.
US09938489B2
Process for cleaning dishware soiled with fatty residue, characterized in that said process is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 45 to 65° C. and using at least one formulation, comprising (A) in the range of from 1 to 50% by weight of at least one complexing agent, selected from the alkali metal salts of citric acid, aminocarboxylic acids and from sodium tripolyphosphate, (B) in the range of from 2 to 8% by weight of at least one non-ionic surfactant of general formula (I) R1—CH(OH)—CH2—O-(AO)x—R2 (I) (C) in the range of from 0.25 to less than 4% by weight of a copolymer, being obtained from copolymerizing the following comonomers (a) at least one comonomer selected from ethylenically unsaturated C3-C4-carboxylic acids and ethylenically unsaturated C4-C8-dicarboxylic acids or their respective anhydrides, (b) at least one comonomer selected from isobutene, diisobutene, C2-C28-a-olefins, and C12-C24-alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid, (c) optionally, at least one further comonomer selected from non-ionic comonomers, the integers being defined as follows: R1 being selected from C4-C30-alkyl, straight-chain or branched, and from C4-C30-alkenyl, straight-chain or branched, with at least one C—C double bond, R2 being selected from C1-C30-alkyl, straight-chain or branched, and from C2-C30-alkenyl, straight-chain or branched, with at least one C—C double bond, x being selected from one to 100, AO being identical or different alkylene oxides, selected from CH2—CH2—O, (CH2)3—O, (CH2)4—O, CH2CH(CH3)—O, CH(CH3)—CH2—O— and CH2CH(n-C3H7)—O. R1—CH(OH)—CH2—O-(AO)x—R2 (I)
US09938487B2
Disclosed is a method for preparing fatty acid alkyl ester for bio-diesel fuels by reacting a raw material containing fat with water to prepare fatty acid, and then reacting the prepared fatty acid with alcohol. The method for preparing fatty acid alkyl ester for bio-diesel fuels includes the steps of: preparing fatty acid and glycerin by an hydrolysis reaction of a raw material containing fat and water at the temperature of 200 to 280° C. and the pressure of 30 to 80 bar; carrying out a phase separation of the fatty acid and the glycerin; and carrying out an esterification reaction of the separated fatty acid and alcohol at the temperature of 200 to 350° C. and the pressure of atmospheric pressure to 35 bar.
US09938484B2
Lubricating oil compositions comprise one or more polytetrahydrofuranes that are prepared by alkoxylating polytetrahydrofurane with at least one C8-C30 epoxy alkane.
US09938483B2
A coating composition for lubrication film is disclosed. The coating composition comprises (A) a high energy beam-curable resin, (B) silicone elastomer fine particles, and (C) a gum-like polysiloxane. The coating composition is capable of forming a lubrication film that suppresses the occurrence of stick-slip phenomenon, has good feel, adheres to a substrate, and has excellent followability (i.e. ability to follow the elastic transformation) to conform to deformation of the substrate.
US09938466B2
A hydropyrolysis process comprises feeding both (i) hydrogen and (ii) a biomass-containing feedstock or a biomass-derived feedstock, to a hydropyrolysis reactor vessel. The process comprises producing a CO2-containing vapor stream and at least one liquid product. A CO2 product, separated from the CO2-containing vapor stream, is advantageously used for at least one inertization function of the hydropyrolysis process. Representative inertization functions include operation of solids transport equipment, blanketing of liquid containers, drying of biomass-containing feedstock or biomass-derived feedstock, conveying or separating solids, and combinations thereof. Importantly, CO2 products utilized for these inertization functions may be obtained predominantly, if not completely (depending on the nature of the feedstock), from renewable carbon in biomass.
US09938459B2
An object of the present invention is to provide: an alkaline earth metal silicate phosphor to which Eu is added as an activator, and which has an emission peak wavelength of 600 nm or more, high luminance and excellent color rendering properties; and a method for producing the alkaline earth metal silicate phosphor. An alkaline earth metal silicate phosphor of the present invention is represented by composition formula (1) and having an emission peak wavelength of 600 nm or more and a circularity of 85% or more. Composition formula (1): (SraCabBacEud)2SieOf (in the formula, a, b, c, d, e and f satisfy 0.4
US09938457B1
Methods for fabricating coated semiconductor elements are presented. The methods include the steps of combining a phosphor of formula I and a polymer binder to form a composite material, providing a semiconductor wafer including IniGajAlkN, wherein 0≤i; 0≤j; 0≤k, and a sum of i, j and k is equal to 1, coating the composite material on a surface of the semiconductor wafer to form a coated semiconductor wafer, and dicing the coated semiconductor wafer using a cutting fluid apparatus to form one or more coated semiconductor elements. A cutting fluid of the cutting fluid apparatus includes a C1-C20 alcohol, a C1-C20 ketone, a C1-C20 acetate compound, acetic acid, oleic acid, carboxylic acid, a source of A, silicic acid, or a combination thereof.
US09938449B2
A method for the assisted recovery of petroleum in a deposit by means of the introduction of an aqueous solution of a hydrosoluble polymer into the deposit is characterized in that the aqueous solution is prepared by dissolving a polymer-based composition containing at least one hydrosoluble polymer, at least one radical capturing agent, and at least one sacrificial agent, in an aqueous solution subjected to a step of treatment with at least one deoxygenating agent, prior to the introduction of the polymer-based composition.
US09938448B2
Dual-function nano-sized particles or nanoparticles may be effective at fixating or reducing fines migration and they may facilitate identification of a particular zone in a well having more than one zone. In some embodiments the dual-function nanoparticles are tagged with a detectable material that is distinguishable from the composition of the primary nanoparticle component. In these embodiments, the taggant material rather than the primary component of the nanoparticles may be used to enable identification of a particular zone. The nanoparticles (with or without taggant) may be added to a treatment fluid containing carrier particles such as proppant. The treatment fluid is pumped downhole to one of the zones; each zone receiving its own unique or uniquely-tagged nanoparticles. Should one of the zones fail, the composition of the nanoparticles (or its taggant) produced on the carrier particles may be correlated to the zone from which it was received, and hence produced.
US09938445B2
The present disclosure discloses a comb polymer or a salt thereof, wherein the structural formula of the comb polymer containing the following constitutional units. When the comb polymer provided in the present disclosure is used in a water-based drilling fluid as a filtration control agent, it can eliminate the defects of conventional filtration control agents which would be subject to ineffectiveness under high temperature and high salinity conditions. The comb polymer has high temperature and salt resistance, and can be produced through simple processes at comparatively low costs. When the comb polymer provided by the present disclosure is used as a filtration control agent, even being added into the drilling fluid at a comparatively low amount, it can still present rather good effects in lowering the amount of filter loss.
US09938438B2
A heat activatable adhesive and associated method of use, suitable for permanently bonding any kind of display graphic to any mounting substrate at a temperature setting of 110-130 F in a roll or vacuum press laminator. The preferred adhesive is a combination of polyvinyl acetate ethylene emulsion (VAE) and polyurethane dispersions (PUD), each with very different bonding attributes when considered alone. When the adhesive is on a smooth mounting surface such as a coated foam board or the like for bonding against a smooth coated surface of display item, a multiplicity of micro perforations are provided through the adhesive whereby air between the opposed smooth surfaces can escape into the foam board during lamination. Other aspects include a process for manufacturing a foam board for mounting display items, having a perforated adhesive layer.
US09938427B2
The present invention relates to a radiation curable paint composition and a molded product comprising a cured coating layer formed therefrom, and more specifically, to: a radiation curable paint composition comprising a polyfunctional polyurethane acrylate being at least pentafunctional, a mono- or difunctional polyurethane acrylate, a mono-, di- or trifunctional acrylate, a photopolymerization initiator, and a triazine-based UV absorber, wherein physical properties such as adhesion to a metal or plastic substrate, water resistance, moisture resistance, heat resistance, thermal shock resistance and the like are remarkable, and particularly, weather resistance is remarkable, and thus it is useful for a hard coating for a plastic substrate, and particularly, for an automobile headlamp; and a molded product comprising a cured coating layer formed therefrom.
US09938426B2
To provide a hard coating composition which forms a hard coat layer that has high visibility and good hardness, while having stretchability. To provide a technique which is capable of effectively preventing blocking phenomenon in a layered product such as a resin film without adversely affecting the visibility. The present invention provides a hard coating composition which contains (A) a phenolic novolac acrylate that has two or more acrylate groups and (B) an aromatic group-containing mono or poly(meth)acrylate compound that contains 1-2 mol of an alkylene oxide structure having two or three carbon atoms in each molecule. This hard coating composition contains 60-85 parts by mass of the phenolic novolac acrylate (A) and 15-30 parts by mass of the (meth)acrylate (B) per 100 parts by mass of the resin component contained in the hard coating composition.
US09938424B2
The aqueous, substantially volatile organic compound (VOC)-free coating compositions of the invention include an acrylic latex and a vinyl acetate-ethylene latex including from about 10 to about 90 weight percent of a vinyl acetate-ethylene polymer, based on total weight of acrylic polymer and vinyl acetate-ethylene polymer, having a Tg from about −20 to about 20 degrees Celsius; and from about 10 to about 90 weight percent of an acrylic polymer, based on the total weight of acrylic polymer and vinyl acetate-ethylene polymer, the acrylic polymer comprising, in polymerized form, at least one ethylenically unsaturated (meth)acrylic monomer and from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent, based on total weight of the acrylic polymer, of an acetoacetate moiety containing monomer, where the acrylic polymer has a Tg of from about −20 to about 20 degrees Celsius.
US09938420B2
A method of manufacturing metallic articles from a metal substrate includes the steps of: a) jetting an image with a UV curable inkjet ink on at least one surface of the metallic substrate; b) UV curing the image; c) electroplating or acidic etching the at least one metallic surface not covered by the UV cured image; and d) stripping or solubilizing the UV cured image by an aqueous alkaline solution; wherein the UV curable inkjet ink has a viscosity of no more than 100 mPa·s at 25° C. and at a shear rate of 1,000 s−1; and wherein the UV curable inkjet ink contains a specific polymerizable composition and up to 20 wt % of photoinitiator including at least one of an acyl phosphine oxide photoinitiator and a thioxanthone photoinitiator.
US09938415B2
The present invention relates to derivatives of α, α-disubstituted amide compounds which comprise a substituted aryl at the α carbon such that the substituent provides a means for attachment or incorporation of the compound to or in a polymer. The provision of such a substituent on the aryl has surprisingly been found not only to permit attachment to or incorporation n a polymer but also retention of useful antifouling activity. In embodiments, the substituent is selected from hydroxyl, ethers, esters, carboxyls, alkylsilyls and alkenyls. Experiments demonstrate that antifouling activity can be as good or better as the corresponding unsubstituted compound and that polymers functionalized so as to include or be formed from the substituted compound can be used to reduce settlement.
US09938413B2
The present disclosure includes a waterborne polyolefin based coating layer that has improved features as compared to epoxy coatings. The coating composition of the present disclosure include 40 to 80 weight percent (wt. %) of a base polymer; 10 to 30 wt. % of a polymeric stabilizing agent; 5 to 15 wt. % of a polymeric coupling agent; 0 to 35 wt. % of a polymeric performance improving agent; a neutralizing agent that partially or fully neutralize the polymeric stabilizing agent; and a fluid medium, where the wt. % values are based on the total weight of the base polymer, the polymeric coupling agent, the polymeric stabilizing agent and, when present, the polymeric performance improving agent (as used herein, this total weight of the base polymer, the polymeric coupling agent, the polymeric stabilizing agent and, when present, the polymeric performance improving agent may be referred to as the “solid content” of the coating composition).
US09938407B2
A polyarylene sulfide resin composition includes: (A) a polyarylene sulfide resin having a carboxyl group content of more than 100 μmol/g and less than 400 μmol/g, and also having a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 or more and less than 100,000; and (B) a filler. The polyarylene sulfide resin composition has improved mechanical properties and chemical resistance while maintaining intrinsic high melting point of a polyarylene sulfide.
US09938401B2
The present invention relates to advanced flame/fire retardant compositions for fabric, upholstery, carpet, barrier, automotive, building construction, communication, and consumer electronics applications. The flame retardant composition comprises: about 5-25 wt. % hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer, about 6-40 wt. % polyolefin, about 50-80 wt. % inorganic flame retardant, about 0-5 wt. % coating, about 0-5 wt. % functionalized styrenic block copolymer, about 0-7 wt. % agri-derived heat resistant liquid, about 0.05-1.0 wt. % antioxidant, and about 0-7 wt. % optional additives such as metal deactivator, colorant, filler, and/or lubricants, wherein said composition totals 100 wt. %. An article made from the flame retardant composition, such as film, fiber, cable, and wire insulation meets various European and U.S. standards. The flame retardant compositions possess a good balance of tensile strength, elongation, flame resistance, and processability that has previously been unobtainable.
US09938396B2
A concept and synthesis technology for a composite nanoparticle material which can be used to develop nanocomposite films and suspension with 1) dynamic refractive index control across a wide temperature and wavelength of light, and specified refractive index range, or 2) magnetic susceptibility or electronic conductivity over a wide temperature, magnetic field and electric field range. Core-shell nanoparticles can be made from two or more materials whose temperature dependent, electric field dependent or magnetic field dependent properties compensate one another will dynamically maintain a targeted refractive index, electronic conductivity or magnetic susceptibility over a specified temperature, electric and/or magnetic field range. Mixtures of composite nanoparticles with complementary behavior can optionally be used to widen the operational range of the nanocomposite material further or dampen temperature dependency in a controlled manner, e.g. using a non-random distribution of particles to affect a compensating gradient in the property of interest.
US09938388B2
A method of enhancing hydrophilicity of a hydrophobic polymer material includes pre-treating the hydrophobic polymer material. The pre-treating includes treating the hydrophobic polymer material with a first atmospheric pressure plasma discharge in a first atmosphere including carbon dioxide to obtain a pre-treated polymer material. The method includes treating the pre-treated polymer material with a second atmospheric pressure plasma discharge in a second atmosphere in which an aerosol of an amine is introduced; the amine includes at least one hydrocarbon substituent. A substrate is provided that includes a hydrophobic polymer material having a modified interface. The modified interface includes amine functional groups grafted on the hydrophobic polymer material, the modified interface having a surface energy, which, measured after immersion in water at 20° C. for 3 days, differs from a surface energy of the hydrophobic polymer material by 20 mN/m or less.
US09938386B2
A high gloss acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) sheet includes an ABS substrate, an intermediate film of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophen)-polystyrene sulfonate formed on top of the ABS substrate, and a fluorinated resin film of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) formed on top of the intermediate film. A method of preparing the high gloss ABS sheet is also disclosed.
US09938377B2
The present disclosure relates to a novel polyamide synthesized from biobased monomers. The novel polyamide comprises the repeating unit of formula I, described herein, in which R represents a covalent bond or a divalent hydrocarbon-based group chosen from saturated or unsaturated aliphatics, saturated or unsaturated cycloaliphatics, aromatics, arylaliphatics and alkylaromatics. The present disclosure also relates to a process for preparing the said polyamide, to its uses, and to articles and compositions comprising the said polyamide.
US09938371B2
A composition capable of forming a heat-dissipation member having high thermal conductivity, and a heat-dissipation member. The composition for the heat-dissipation member of the present application contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound having, at both terminals, a structure including an oxiranyl group or an oxetanyl group; a curing agent that cures the polymerizable liquid crystal compound; and an inorganic filler formed of nitride. A curing temperature of the composition for the heat-dissipation member is within or higher than the temperature range in which the polymerizable liquid crystal compound exhibits a liquid crystal phase, and within or lower than the temperature range in which the polymerizable liquid crystal compound exhibits an isotropic phase. The heat-dissipation member formed of such a composition can have excellent thermal conductivity owing to a synergistic effect between alignment of the liquid crystal compound and the inorganic filler formed of nitride.
US09938364B2
This invention relates to novel bridged a hafnium transition metal metallocene catalyst compounds having two indenyl ligands substituted at the 4 position, preferably 4 and 7 positions, with a C1 to C10 alkyl, where the 2 and 3 positions are hydrogen (assuming the bridge position is counted as the one position) and the bridging atom is carbon or silicon which is incorporated into a cyclic group comprising 3, 4, 5, or 6 silicon and/or carbon atoms that make up the cyclic ring.
US09938356B2
The present disclosure provides anti-CD73 binding molecules, e.g., antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof. Also provided are pharmaceutical formulations comprising the disclosed compositions, and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases associated with CD73-expression, e.g., cancer. Such diseases can be treated, e.g., by direct therapy with the anti-CD73 binding molecules disclosed herein (e.g., naked antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates that bind CD73), by adjuvant therapy with other antigen-binding anticancer agents such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies), and/or by combination therapies where the anti-CD73 molecules are administered before, after, or concurrently with chemotherapy.
US09938354B2
The present embodiments provide for compositions and methods that regulate microRNA-binding protein-mediated miRNA biogenesis; for example Lin28-mediated biogenesis of let-7; and in particular Lin28A-recruited 3′ terminal uridylyl transferase (TUTase) uridylation of pre-let-7. A particular embodiment provide compositions and methods for screening for agents that inhibit TUTase-dependent Lin28A-mediated repression of let-7 miRNA.
US09938349B2
There is provided an anti-human CRTH2 antibody which has desired activity by recognizing and binding to a specific human CRTH2; the antibody fragment; DNA which encodes the amino acid sequence of the antibody; a vector which comprises the DNA; hybridomas and antibody producing cells which produce the antibody; a method of producing the antibody; a composition which comprises the antibody or the antibody fragment; a treatment method and a diagnostic method of an allergic disease, an autoimmune disease, a disease accompanied by at least one of increase and hyperergasia of eosinophils; a disease accompanied by at least one of increase and hyperergasia of Th2 cells using the antibody or the antibody fragment; and a medicine and a diagnostic agent which comprise the antibody or the antibody fragment.
US09938345B2
The present invention provides antibodies that bind to the T-cell co-inhibitor ligand programmed death-ligand1 (PD-L1) protein, and methods of use. In various embodiments of the invention, the antibodies are fully human antibodies that bind to PD-L1. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides multi-specific antigen-binding molecules comprising a first binding specificity that binds to PD-L1 and a second binding specificity that binds to a tumor cell antigen, an infected cell-specific antigen, or a T-cell co-inhibitor. In some embodiments, the antibodies of the invention are useful for inhibiting or neutralizing PD-L1 activity, thus providing a means of treating a disease or disorder such as cancer or viral infection.
US09938344B2
This invention relates to humanized antibodies that selectively bind the 31.1 epitope on the A33 protein differentially expressed in cancers including, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreas cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer, and diagnostic and therapeutic usages.
US09938337B2
The present invention relates to methods for harvesting of antibodies from an antibody library. The antibodies are harvested by utilizing a certain epitope that is analogous to the epitope of the antigen used for immunization but that may differ in global physical and biochemical properties allowing the production of antibodies against antigens that normally cannot be utilized as immunizing agents. The present invention furthermore relate to fields of use for harvested antigens in industry, agriculture and healthcare.
US09938329B2
The present invention provides a peptide at least partially derivable from human Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Receptor (TSHR) which peptide is capable of binding to an MHC molecule in vitro and being presented to a T cell without further antigen processing. The present invention also relates to the use of such peptides for the prevention or suppression of activating autoantibody formation in Graves' Disease.
US09938328B2
A method for treating alopecia and/or hair depigmentation includes administering to a subject in need of such treatments a synthetic peptide, which has an amino acid sequence that has 20-44 amino acid residues and includes at least 20 consecutive residues that has at least 90% amino acid sequence identity to residues 16-35 of SEQ ID NO: 10. Also disclosed herein are pharmaceutical compositions containing the synthetic peptide; and uses thereof. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the synthetic peptide is useful in treating alopecia and/or hair depigmentation in a subject.
US09938324B2
A modified HIV gp120 protein labeled with a fluorophore has been used herein in single-molecule imaging techniques to demonstrate the conformation states of HIV-1 Env. The introduction of small organic fluorophores at selected positions within HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 that do not affect infectivity permits the detection of changes in inter-dye distances as a measure of conformational changes. Implementation of the smFRET-based technologies disclosed herein enable conformational screening for molecules that block, induce or trap HIV-1 Env in specific conformational states. Methods for identifying anti-HIV drugs in a smFRET-based screening, and various reagents useful for implementation of such methods, are provided.
US09938323B2
The invention disclosed herein relates to cytotoxic cyclic peptides of Formula (I), methods of inhibiting RNA polymerase with such cyclic peptides, immunoconjugates comprising such cyclic peptides (i.e Antibody Drug Conjugates), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such cyclic peptides immunoconjugates, compositions comprising such cyclic peptides immunoconjugates with a therapeutic co-agent and methods of treatment using such cyclic peptides immunoconjugates:
US09938321B2
Novel peptoid oligomers are disclosed that have a formula represented by the following formula I: wherein R1 and n are as described herein. The peptoids demonstrate antimicrobial and antimalarial activity and may be prepared as pharmaceutical compositions and used for the prevention or treatment of a variety of conditions in mammals including humans where microbial or malarial infection is involved. The present cyclic peptoids are particularly valuable as their effect is rapid, broad in spectrum and mostly indifferent to resistance provoked by standard antibiotics.
US09938319B2
This disclosure relates to inexpensive and efficient methods of preparing egg white (e.g., obtained from eggs laid by transgenic chickens) for bulk chromatographic isolation of proteins (e.g., recombinant proteins) from the egg white, as well as methods of filtering acidified egg white and methods of isolating proteins from the egg white.
US09938310B2
Diastereomer mixture comprising diastereomers of the formulae (I.1) and (I.2) where R2, R4 are each independently selected from —(C1-C12)-alkyl, —(C3-C12)-cycloalkyl, —(C3-C12)-heterocycloalkyl, —(C6-C20)-aryl; the R1, R3 radicals are each a —(C3-C20)-heteroaryl radical. The invention further relates to Pd complex mixtures comprising the diastereomers according to the invention, and to the use thereof in an alkoxycarbonylation process.
US09938294B2
The present invention relates to tricyclic heterocycles of Formula (I): which are inhibitors of BET proteins such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and BRD-t and are useful in the treatment of diseases such as cancer.
US09938285B2
Processes for preparing oxymorphone are provided. Said processes encompass a step which is a hydrogenation of an 14-hydroxymorphinone salt in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid and/or a glycol.
US09938284B2
The invention relates to novel inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 1 (PDE1), useful for the treatment of diseases or disorders characterized by disruption of or damage to certain cGMP/PKG mediated pathways (e.g., in cardiac tissue). The invention further relates to pharmaceutical composition comprising the same and methods of treatment of cardiovascular disease and related disorders, e.g., congestive heart disease, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke.
US09938278B2
The present invention relates to compounds which bind to the NR1H4 receptor (FXR) and act as agonists of FXR. The invention further relates to the use of the compounds for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of diseases and/or conditions through binding of said nuclear receptor by said compounds and to a process for the synthesis of said compounds.
US09938277B2
Provided herein are ergoline compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. In some embodiments, provided herein are methods of treatment, prevention, or amelioration of a variety of medical disorders such as, for example, migraine using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein. In still other embodiments, provided herein are methods of agonizing receptors such as, for example, the 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptors without agonizing the 5-HT2B receptor using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein. In still other embodiments, provided herein are methods of antagonizing the 5-HT2B adrenergic alpha2A and/or the alpha2B receptors using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein. In still other embodiments, provided herein are methods of antagonizing the D2 and D3 receptor using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein.
US09938272B2
Provided is a compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X is selected from a 3-9 membered carbon ring or a ring which is formed by 3-9 membered carbocyclic ring fused with benzo ring, and a 4-10 membered heterocyclic ring or a ring which is formed by 4-10 membered heterocyclic ring fused with benzo ring; Y and Z are independently selected from 4-9 membered saturated heterocyclic rings respectively; R1-3 are independently selected from H, F, Cl, Br, I, CN, OH, SH, NH2, CHO, COOH respectively, or selected from the group, optionally substituted by R01, consisting of C1-10 alkyl, C1-10 heteroalkyl, C3-10 cyclohydrocarbyl, C3-10 heterocyclohydrocarbyl, C1-10 alkyl substituted by C3-10 cyclohydrocarbyl or C3-10 heterocyclohydrocarbyl, and C1-10 heteroalkyl substituted by C3-10 cyclohydrocarbyl or C3-10 heterocyclohydrocarbyl. The compound can be used as an anticoagulant for treating and preventing thrombotic disorders, and can meet the real needs of selectivity and a potent inhibitor for coagulation Xa.
US09938268B2
Disclosed are C-ring modified tricyclic benzonaphthiridinone compounds and analogs thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and processes for preparing the same. The compounds are useful in the treatment of diseases amenable to protein kinase signal transduction inhibition, regulation and/or modulation.
US09938267B2
The invention relates to novel heterocyclic compounds and pharmaceutical preparations thereof. The invention further relates to methods of treatment using the novel heterocyclic compounds of the invention.
US09938258B2
The invention generally relates to substituted 2,3-dihydrobenzofuranyl compounds, and more particularly to a compound represented by Structural Formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the variables are as defined and described herein. The invention also includes the synthesis and use of a compound of Structural Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or composition thereof, e.g., in the treatment of cancer (e.g., mantle cell lymphoma), and other diseases and disorders.
US09938255B2
The instant invention describes compounds having metalloenzyme modulating activity, and methods of treating diseases, disorders or symptoms thereof mediated by such metalloenzymes.
US09938254B2
Compounds of formula A-I and B-I, compositions comprising the compounds, methods of making the compounds and methods of their uses are disclosed.
US09938251B2
A composition comprising at least two trimeric cyclic ketone peroxides: a trimeric cyclic methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (3MEK-cp) of formula (I) and at least one peroxide satisfying formula (II) wherein R1 through R3 are independently selected from alkyl and alkoxyalkyl groups, said groups having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, the total number of carbon plus oxygen atoms of R1−R2+R3 is in the range 7-15, and the molar ratio of 3MEK-cp to the total amount of peroxides satisfying formula (II) being in the range of from 10:90 to 80:20.
US09938249B2
In general, among other things, compounds of Formula I are provided: in which R11 is e.g., 4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)piperidin-1-yl, N-methyl-3-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)propan-1-amino, N1,N1,N3-trimethylpropane-1,3-diamino, N,N-dimethylpiperidin-4-amino, 3-(pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl)azetidin-1-yl, 3-(pyrrolidin-1-ylmethanon)azetidin-1-yl, or 3-(morpholin-1-ylmethyl)azetidin-1-yl; R13 is, e.g., phenyl optionally substituted with one or more substituents; and R12 and R14 are each independently hydrogen or alkyl. Methods of treatment are also provided.
US09938240B2
Provided are compounds of Formula I which are derivatives of 3-Hydroxypyridin-4-ones. The compounds may be used in treatment of a medical condition related to a toxic concentration of iron. The compounds may be used for preparation of a medicament for treatment of a medical condition related to a toxic concentration of iron. The medical condition related to a toxic concentration of iron may be selected from the group consisting of: cancer, pulmonary disease, progressive kidney disease and Friedreich's ataxia.
US09938238B2
Provided herein are methods and compositions for controlling auxin responses in plants.
US09938237B2
Compositions comprising branched C10 mercaptans selected from the group consisting of 5-methyl-1-mercapto-nonane, 3-propyl-1-mercapto-heptane, 4-ethyl-1-mercapto-octane, 2-butyl-1-mercapto-hexane, 5-methyl-2-mercapto-nonane, 3-propyl-2-mercapto-heptane, 4-ethyl-2-mercapto-octane, 5-methyl-5-mercapto-nonane, and combinations thereof.
US09938231B2
4-Arylbenzoyl benzoic acid esters, such as the ethylhexyl esters and amyl esters of 4-phenylbenzoyl benzoic acid, are described, which are liquid and show excellent solubility in acrylic or methacrylic monomers. Compounds of Formula 1, wherein R1, R2, and A are as defined herein, are disclosed. They are suitable as components for radical photoinitiator systems for UV-curable compositions.
US09938217B2
Herein disclosed is a dry reforming reactor comprising a gas inlet near the bottom of the reactor; a gas outlet near the top of the reactor; a fluidized bed comprising a catalyst; and one or more hydrogen membranes comprising palladium (Pd). In some cases, the one or more hydrogen membranes comprises Pd alloy membranes, or Pd supported on ceramics or metals. In some cases, the one or more hydrogen membranes are placed vertically in the reactor as hydrogen membrane tubes hanging from the top of the reactor. In some cases, the hydrogen membranes are configured to selectively collect hydrogen from the tubes via one or more internal manifolds and sent to an external hydrogen collection system.
US09938215B2
An improved process for making bioderived propylene glycol from a feed composition including at least one of lactic acid, glycerol, a five carbon sugar, a five carbon sugar alcohol, a six carbon sugar and a six carbon sugar alcohol, wherein production of four carbon and higher diols is reduced by adding base after the initiation of the reaction. In preferred embodiments, the process pH and other process conditions are initially established at targeted values for obtaining the highest conversion for a given catalyst consistent with the production of substantially no pentanediol byproducts in the product mixture, and base is added thereafter to control the process pH proximate to the initially targeted value.
US09938202B2
A fertilizer granule having a coating on at least of portion of a surface of the granule. The coating is made of one or more complexing agents and a coating agent of one or more of a fatty acid, fatty acid ester, organic oil mineral oil or combinations thereof. The coating may optionally include a surfactant and micronutrients. The coated fertilizer granules demonstrates a noted improvement in the utilization of the nutrients of plants and crops.
US09938200B2
Methods of inducing bud break of deciduous fruit vines, trees, or shrubs following dormancy by the application of bud breaker compositions that do not contain hydrogen cyanamide.
US09938197B2
A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition includes a first crystal phase made of an alkali niobate/tantalate type perovskite oxide having piezoelectric properties, and a second crystal phase made of an M-Ti—O spinel compound (where the element M is a monovalent to quadrivalent element).
US09938195B2
A heat insulating material includes a porous sintered body formed of MgAl2O4 and having a porosity of 60% or more and less than 73%. In the heat insulating material, pores having a pore diameter of 0.8 μm or more and less than 10 μm occupy 30 vol % or more and less than 90 vol % of a total pore volume, pores having a pore diameter of 0.01 μm or more and less than 0.8 μm occupy 10 vol % or more and less than 60 vol % of the total pore volume, the thermal conductivity at 20° C. or higher and 1500° C. or lower is 0.45 W/(m·K) or less, and the compressive strength is 2 MPa or more.
US09938193B2
A castable refractory composition may include from 5% to 95% by weight of alumina, aluminosilicate, or mixtures thereof; from 0.5% to 1.5% by weight alkaline earth metal oxide and/or hydroxide, and 0.1% to 5% by weight of silica having a surface area of at least about 10 m2/g. The refractory composition may include no more than 0.5% by weight of cementitious binder. The refractory composition may release less than 25 cm3 of hydrogen gas per kilogram of castable refractory composition upon addition of water. The refractory compositions may set on addition of water.
US09938192B2
Gypsum panels, panel cores, and methods for the manufacture thereof are provided herein. A gypsum panel core includes gypsum and fiberglass, the fiberglass being present in the core in an amount of from about 1 lb/msf to about 6 lb/msf. The core has a thickness of about 1/2 inch, a weight of from about 1400 lb/msf to about 1750 lb/msf, and an ASTM E-119 wood stud fire test rating of at least 30 minutes.
US09938190B2
Grouts, grout products and methods of applying such grouts that include a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer dispersion (UA-HPD) and a filler material. The UA-HPD may be present in an amount of about 10-40% by weight of the composition, while the filler material may be present in an amount of about 60-90% by weight of the composition. Additional filler materials may also be provided within the UA-HPD grout composition to provide the resultant UA-HPD grout with desired characteristics and properties. The UA-HPD containing grouts are applied between spaced-apart tiles and/or masonry to fill voids and/or joints there-between.
US09938174B2
An apparatus and method for the biological treatment of water using algae comprising a support frame for flat, two-sided LED lighting-panels and flat, two-sided algae turf plates, an axle, the flat, two-sided LED lighting panels and flat algae turf plates are arranged as spokes radiating from the axle in an alternating panel so that each side of each two-sided lighting panel faces and illuminates a side of a flat algae turf plate, the algae turf plates being removable from the support frame so that the collected algae can be removed from each side of each the algae turf plate.
US09938164B2
An apparatus for separating hydrocarbons from water, comprising a tank segment with a fluid inlet subsequent a housing with a liquid-gas mixer. The fluid inlet through a cylindrical tank wall, and further through the wall of a conical wall segment, a pipe spread, combining radial and axial flow over ring mounted guide vanes at the upper part of the conical wall segment. A hydro carbon outlet is located at a top end and a water outlet at a bottom end of tank-segment. A pipe for scale and debris removal is connected to the lower part of the bowl. The inner conical wall segment extends to the top end of the tank segment and at this location comprises a ring of vertically mounted guide vanes.
US09938155B2
To provide a method for producing an alkali silicate aqueous solution containing a reduced amount of foreign substance of plate-like fine particles and a method for producing a silica sol containing a reduced amount of foreign substance of plate-like fine particles. A method for producing an alkali silicate aqueous solution fulfilling the following condition: the existing amount of plate-like fine particles having a length of one side of 0.2 to 4.0 μm and a thickness of 1 to 100 nm is determined to be 0 to 30%. The method for producing an alkali silicate aqueous solution includes the steps of adjusting a silica concentration of an alkali silicate aqueous solution to 0.5 to 10.0% by mass and filtering the alkali silicate aqueous solution through a filter having a removal rate of particles with a primary particle size of 1.0 μm of 50% or more.
US09938151B2
Technologies are generally described for method and systems effective to at least partially alter a defect in a layer including graphene. In some examples, the methods may include receiving the layer on a substrate where the layer includes at least some graphene and at least some defect areas in the graphene. The defect areas may reveal exposed areas of the substrate. The methods may also include reacting the substrate under sufficient reaction conditions to produce at least one cationic area in at least one of the exposed areas. The methods may further include adhering graphene oxide to the at least one cationic area to produce a graphene oxide layer. The methods may further include reducing the graphene oxide layer to produce at least one altered defect area in the layer.
US09938148B2
A method of producing nitride nanoparticles comprises reacting at least one organometallic compound, for example an alkyl metal, with at least one source of nitrogen. The reaction may involve one or more liquid phase organometallic compounds, or may involve one or more liquid phase organometallic compounds dissolved in a solvent or solvent mixture. The reaction constituents may be heated to a desired reaction temperature (for example in the range 40° C. to 300° C.).
US09938147B2
The present invention relates to a process for purifying raw-material gases by fractionation. In particular, the present invention relates to a process for cleansing chlorine gas of bromine.
US09938146B2
The present invention relates to high efficient tubular catalytic steam reforming reactor configured from about 0.2 inch to about 2 inch inside diameter high temperature metal alloy tube or pipe and loaded with a plurality of rolled catalyst inserts comprising metallic monoliths. The catalyst insert substrate is formed from a single metal foil without a central supporting structure in the form of a spiral monolith. The single metal foil is treated to have 3-dimensional surface features that provide mechanical support and establish open gas channels between each of the rolled layers. This unique geometry accelerates gas mixing and heat transfer and provides a high catalytic active surface area. The small diameter, high aspect ratio tubular catalytic steam reforming reactors loaded with rolled catalyst inserts can be arranged in a multi-pass non-vertical parallel configuration thermally coupled with a heat source to carry out steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing feeds. The rolled catalyst inserts are self-supported on the reactor wall and enable efficient heat transfer from the reactor wall to the reactor interior, and lower pressure drop than known particulate catalysts. The heat source can be oxygen transport membrane reactors.
US09938142B2
A hydrogen storage material includes Mg(NH2)2, LiH, and MgH2. A manufacturing method of a hydrogen storage material includes steps of manufacturing a mixture by mixing Mg(NH2)2, LiH, and MgH2, and pulverizing the mixture.
US09938134B2
A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) package with high gettering efficiency is provided. A MEMS device is arranged over a logic chip, within a cavity that is hermetically sealed. A sensing electrode is arranged within the cavity, between the MEMS device and the logic chip. The sensing electrode is electrically coupled to the logic chip and is a conductive getter material configured to remove gas molecules from the cavity. A method for manufacturing the MEMS package is also provided.
US09938126B2
A lifter is provided with operating levers, which, against driving forces of actuators that switch the ratchet pawls to unengaged orientations, switch the ratchet pawls to engaged orientations of being engaged with ratchet gears, is provided with a link mechanism, which, when a workpiece support base is being lowered by collapsing motions of a pair of right and left crosslink mechanisms supporting the workpiece support base and a difference arises in movement amounts of movable support shafts at lower end sides of the respective crosslink mechanisms, converts the movement amount difference to an operating force of the operating lever at the larger movement amount side, and is such that by the operating lever at one side being driven by the link mechanism, the operating lever switches the ratchet pawl at the larger movement amount side to the engaged orientation.
US09938124B2
A telescopic handling device includes at least two elements (1, 2) mounted so as to slide relative to one another with interposition of sliding shoes (3, 4). The device includes thinner holding elements (5, 6) for the sliding shoes so as to limit the separation between two sliding elements to the thickness of the interposed sliding shoes (3, 4).
US09938122B2
The invention describes a winch (1) for nautical use or for devices for lifting and lowering on a rope, comprising a fixed stator body (2) and a rotor body (3) fixedly connected to the stator body. The rotor body is able to rotate around a longitudinal axis(a-1) to wind a rope on its outer surface. The winch is provided with a self-tailing device (6) in turn comprising two half-pulleys (61, 62), a lower half-pulley (61) and an upper half-pulley (62), mounted opposite one another and coaxial to the rotor body. The two half-pulleys, at the upper portion of the outer surface of the rotor body, define a circumferential throat (63) intended to at least partially house a winding of the rope. One half-pulley is fixed with respect to the rotor body and the other half-pulley is moveable parallel to the longitudinal axis to vary the dimensions of the circumferential throat. Advantageously, the winch comprises a device (8-11) for adjusting the position of the mobile half-pulley along the longitudinal axis; the adjustment device is able to be activated by the user in real time and in all conditions of use of the winch.
US09938121B2
A crane assembly includes a main body, a boom, a hoist, a sheave, a hook assembly including a hook, a cable, and a projection. The boom extends from the main body and includes a tubular main section and a tubular extension section telescopically nested within the tubular main section. The boom has a first end pivotally coupled to the main body. The hoist is coupled to at least one of the first end of the boom and the main body. The sheave is disposed at an opposing second end of the boom opposite to the main body. The cable extends from the hoist, along the length of the boom, over the sheave, and downward to the hook assembly. The projection extends outward from the boom and toward the main body.
US09938117B2
A conductor lift attachment for a mobile boom or crane vehicle allowing temporarily support of power transmission conductors, e.g., for installation, repair, or maintenance operations. The conductor lift is hingedly attached to a boom tip so that the conductor lift is readily movable between deployed and stowed positions. The conductor lift comprises hinged arms that are selectively movable between opposed, parallel, and intermediate positions.
US09938116B2
An elevator installation includes an elevator cage, which is movable in an elevator shaft, with a cage door suspension for a cage door, wherein the cage door suspension is movably arranged at the elevator cage by means of at least one movable mount. During operation of the elevator installation, a self-centering aligning movement of the cage door suspension from a skewed setting of the elevator cage, in correspondence with a skew setting axis, to an approximately vertical and centered setting of the cage door suspension in correspondence with a vertical, can be performed.
US09938106B2
A sheet housing device includes a supporting member, a driving pulley, a driven pulley, a timing belt, a driving part, a stacking tray and rotating members. The driving pulley and the driven pulley are rotatably provided at one end and another end in a longitudinal direction of the supporting member, respectively. The timing belt is windingly stretched between the pulleys. The driving part drives and rotates the driving pulley. The stacking tray is fixed to the timing belt and attached to the supporting member to move between both ends of the supporting member according to rotation of the timing belt. The rotating members are provided at another end side more than a rotational center of the driving pulley and at both outsides more than the timing belt and are rotatably attached by having a rotating shaft parallel to a rotating shaft of the driving pulley.
US09938105B2
A medium processing device includes a drum; plural inner tapes; plural outer tapes; differing regions formed on a starting end portion that is an end at a drum side of at least one of the plural inner tapes or the plural outer tapes, and on a terminal end portion that is an inner reel side or an outer reel side of all of the inner tapes or all of the outer tapes; plural detecting unites that detect the physical property at a tape position of one of the inner tape or the outer tape that has a differing region formed on the starting end portion or the terminal end portion, the tape position being located between the drum and the inner and the outer reels; and a control unit that controls a rotation of the drum based upon the detection results of the plural detecting units.
US09938097B2
A cut-out is provided in a lower guide so as to permit a return claw to move between a retracted position and a protruded position. Furthermore, an upper surface of the return claw positioned in the protruded position functions as a guide portion that guides an underside of a sheet that has been manually fed.
US09938095B2
When an operating lever is moved from an operation position to a stand-by position, a standard size fixing member is lowered in advance of a non-standard size fixing member, so that a regulating member for regulating a position of an end portion of a sheet can be set to a desired position, enabling stable sheet feeding.
US09938086B2
A cleanable belt conveyor having a locking mechanism. A locking mechanism including two locking protrusions is used to lock a first conveyor component to a second conveyor component. The locking mechanism comprises a base plate having at least one opening for receiving a locking protrusion and at least one handle plate including the locking protrusion. A saddle extending from one side of the base plate cradles the locking protrusion and may engage a pivot post of a conveyor component.
US09938082B2
A dispensing system and associated method provides a turnkey solution for dispensing pharmaceutical products such as solid medications and nutritional supplements to be taken orally in health care settings, including but not limited to long term care (LTC) and assisted living settings.
US09938068B2
A cooler/lunch bag has a detachable liner, which is attached to the bag by engaging a row of round studs on the bag with a row of “+” shaped slits in the liner. After the liner is detached, it can be folded up, inverted and covered by its plastic base in a storage position. Such cooler/lunch bag can be thoroughly cleaned and is suitable for long-term use, in contrast to the cooler/lunch bags with fixed liners, which become disposable when soiled.
US09938064B2
A check valve of one embodiment includes a spout member which has a flow path inside, an urging member supported by an inner end portion of the spout member, a valve body connected to the urging member, and a cylindrical member having a flow path inside, and is provided with a valve seat portion on an inner circumferential face, the spout member is fixedly attached to the cylindrical member so that the valve body and the urging member are inserted into the cylindrical member and the valve body is urged to the valve seat portion by the urging member, and the flow path and the flow path communicate with each other to configure an outflow path through which the content in the vessel flows out.
US09938061B2
A lockout box for locking in objects, in particular keys, comprises a container having an upwardly open reception space for the objects and comprises a cover attached, in particular pivotably, to the container for closing the reception space, wherein the cover is adjustable from a closed position in which the reception space is closed into at least one open position in which the reception space is open, with a plurality of securing openings being provided in the cover and in the container for attaching a plurality of locking elements, in particular padlocks, and with at least one fastening device being provided at the container and being designed to attach the container to a wall.
US09938052B2
A container top comprising a container top member comprising tracks over an upper surface thereof and a sealer sealing an opening thereof; and a slidable member having a sealing mechanism, the slidable member being slidable through the tracks and positioned such that sliding of the slidable member over the tracks to one direction unseals the sealer, forming an opening over the container top member, in the initial opening thereof and wherein sliding the slidable member back to its original position over the opening formed thereby covers and seals the opening. The opening formed by the unsealing of the sealer can be re-sealed at will by the sealing mechanism of the slidable member. The sealing mechanism may be for example a sealing material coating strip located over a periphery of the slidable member or the physical configuration of the slidable member periphery edges.
US09938043B2
An end closure for food and beverage containers is provided. The end closure comprises a score fracture force reduction feature. Thus, less force is required by a user to fracture the score and open the opening in the end closure. In one embodiment, the score fracture force reduction feature is a collapsible form raised above the center panel and having a score line and a coined area.
US09938038B2
A shipping and display container includes, for example, a first tray element and a second tray element, each tray element having a tray element bottom panel and a tray element back panel, a bridge element disposed between the first and second tray elements, the bridge element having a first center panel and a second center panel. The first and second center panels are accordion-foldable between a first position confronting one another and a second position extending in a common plane. The shipping and display container further includes a cover element for covering a space between the first and second tray elements. The first tray element, the second tray element, the bridge element and the cover element are interconnected as a single unit, and no adhesive materials are required for assembling the container, and wherein all of the elements are integrally formed in a single blank or sheet.
US09938037B2
A package for containing items having a flip-open package closure is provided. In some embodiments, the package includes a rigid package body and a flexible closure flap. The flexible closure flap is coupled to a hangtab portion of the package body such that the flexible closure flap moves from a closed position to an open position with respect to the package body based on a position of the hangtab portion. An upper edge of a front side of the package body engages the lower portion of the closure flap when the package is closed, while the lower edge of the closure flap is released from the upper edge upon pivoting backward of the hangtab portion. Such pivoting of the hangtab portion, and corresponding manipulation of the closure flap, may occur without directly contacting the closure flap.
US09938028B2
A stretch packaging machine is provided with a lift mechanism and a tray movement mechanism. The lift mechanism has a plurality of loading members on which a tray is loaded and which lift up the tray toward film such that the tray contacts the film sealing an opening at the top of the tray. The tray movement mechanism is configured to move the tray slidingly over the loading members of the lift mechanism to a predetermined position on the loading members. A frictional coefficient of at least first loading members is such that contact between the tray and the loading members disposed on the near side in the moving direction in which the tray is moved by the tray movement mechanism is smaller than the frictional coefficient of second loading members disposed on the far side in the moving direction.
US09938027B2
Methods of accelerating a target vehicle to a higher orbit via a Kinetic Energy Storage and Transfer (KEST) vehicle are provided. The KEST vehicle is configured to transfer kinetic energy to the target vehicle by way of a catching mechanism using one or more brakes on one or more associated tethers along which the braking mechanism traverses, accelerating the target vehicle into a higher orbit, potentially even beyond the Earth.
US09938024B1
An object redirection system may generate a high-resolution three-dimensional map of a surface of a target. Based on the map, the system may identify locations on the target's surface and direct energetic pulses toward the target at the locations. The system may continuously update the map of the target and continue emitting pulses at the target with reference to the map in order to achieve a desired velocity of the target within a desired timeframe.
US09938021B2
A launch canister for ejection from a submerged launch platform, the launch canister being adapted for ejection in a direction substantially along a first axis of the launch canister and comprising: an enclosure for carrying a UAV; a nose cap releasably located in a launch opening at a forward end of the launch canister; a launch mechanism for driving a UAV carried in the enclosure out of the launch canister through the launch opening in a direction substantially along said first axis; and a water surface sensor for detecting when the nose cap of the canister broaches the surface of the water; wherein the launch canister is configured to, on the water surface sensor detecting that the nose cap of the canister has broached the surface of the water, immediately release the nose cap and initiate the launch mechanism to drive a UAV carried in the enclosure out of the launch canister through the launch opening.
US09938017B2
Systems and methods for enhancing engine performance based on atmospheric rain conditions are provided. For example, a method can include selecting one or more points along a flight path of an aircraft and receiving a radar reflectivity measurement for each of the one or more points obtained using a radar device located on the aircraft. The method can further include determining an estimate of liquid water content for each of the one or more points based at least in part on the radar reflectivity measurements; and controlling at least one component of the aircraft engine (e.g., a variable stator vane) based at least in part on the estimate of liquid water content for at least one of the plurality of points.
US09938014B2
A video display unit cassette assembly includes a cassette frame, a display coupled to the cassette frame, one or more electronic components between the cassette frame and the display, and a delethalization cover coupled to the display. The one or more electronic components receive data content from a network and generate video signals provided to the display. The cassette assembly is sized and configured to be releasably mounted in an installed position in a mounting structure defined in a seatback of a vehicle seat.
US09938006B2
In accordance with one embodiment of the present application, an actuation system is configured for actuation of an airfoil member with a flap mechanism. The actuation system can include an upper drive tape and a lower drive tape, each partially wrapped around a first bearing and second bearing. An inboard frame can be actuated by at least one linear actuator. Similarly, an outboard frame can be actuated by at least one linear actuator. The inboard frame is coupled to the upper drive tape, while the outboard frame is coupled to the lower drive tape. An actuation of the inboard frame and outboard frame in a reciprocal manner acts move a flap input lever reciprocally upward and downward. A flap mechanism is configured to convert the movement of the flap input lever into rotational movements of the airfoil member.
US09938000B2
A pivot for an air propeller blade, the pivot including a rotary support for mounting radially on a propeller hub while being suitable for pivoting about a pivot axis; and a blade support including a housing for receiving a blade root and at least one arm extending laterally relative to the pivot axis and carrying a flyweight forming a counterweight; the arm and its flyweight presenting the general geometrical shape of a spherical cap.
US09937996B2
A passenger aircraft with a passenger cabin is described, wherein the passenger aircraft comprises a fully functional door, which is openable and closable and which is adapted for an entrance and an exit of passengers, and en emergency exit door, which is exclusively adapted for an emergency exit of passengers from the passenger cabin. Therein, the emergency exit door is arranged in an area of a fuselage of the passenger aircraft, which is arranged ahead of and/or behind of wings of the passenger aircraft.
US09937995B1
A pneumatic fastening mechanism is provided for fastening an aircraft surface panel to an aircraft panel support member. The panel includes a plurality of receptacles extending from the panel lower surface. The panel support member includes a corresponding plurality of panel engagement mechanisms, disposed on the support member lower surface, and translatable through the support member to engage the receptacles. The panel engagement mechanisms are extendable from a first position, wherein the panel abuts and is engaged to the panel support member, to second position wherein the panel is elevated above the panel support member upper surface where the panel may be unlocked and separated from the panel engagement mechanism. The panel engagement mechanism is operative to elevate and release the panel in response to changes in fluid pressure communicated to the panel engagement mechanisms.
US09937987B2
The present invention relates broadly to a rigid wing (10) which in its preferred embodiment is a rigid wing sail fitted to a water-borne vessel. The rigid wing sail (10) comprises a pair of elongate rigid panels (12A) and (12B), and a hinge element designated generally as (14) coupled to the panels (12/B) to permit pivotal movement of the panels (12A/B) relative to one another. Each of the pair of panels such as (12A) includes an adjoining edge (16A) and an opposing lateral edge (18A). The hinge element (14) is coupled to the panels (12A/B) at the respective adjoining edges (16A/B) to form either: 1) a closed configuration of the wing (10) with lateral edges (18A/B) of respective panels (12A/B) positioned adjacent one another wherein the rigid wing sail (10) is closed; or 2) an open configuration of the wing (10) with the lateral edges (18A/B) of the respective panels (12A/B) separated from one another wherein the rigid wing sail (10) is set at a variable camber.
US09937986B1
A multi-joint fish robot capable of rapid acceleration propulsion, including: a main body segmented into a first body, a second body and a third body; joints connecting the respective bodies; and a caudal fin provided at an end portion of a third body, and swims forming a curve by operations of the joints. The fish robot has a first occupancy ratio of a length of the caudal fin to a full length of the fish robot with respect to a swimming direction, in which the fish robot swims, and the first occupancy ratio ranges from 0.15 to 0.35, or the fish robot has a second occupancy ratio of a length of the first body to a length of the main body excluding the caudal fin with respect to a swimming direction, in which the fish robot swims, and the first occupancy ratio ranges from 0.45 to 0.75.
US09937984B2
A wake control system aft of the driveshaft, propeller, and rudder of a vessel includes a fin base and at least one fin slidingly engaged with the fin base. The fin(s) are vertically oriented and extend down into the water surface. The fins are transversely adjustable along the fin base to redirect a wake generated by the boat. In other embodiments, the control system comprises a starboard fin tab adjacent to a port fin tab, each of the independent fin tabs hingeably attached to the aft section of the hull, at the transom. Each fin tab includes at least one extending fin. Fin tabs are selectively deployable and retractable into and out of the water surface to redirect a wake generated by the vessel from one side to the other. A novel underwater exhaust system redirects exhaust depending on speed of the vessel and complements the wake control system.
US09937979B1
A manual and submersible auxiliary swim platform for a vessel having a main aft platform, the main aft platform having a recessed area for receiving the auxiliary swim platform. A pair of bracket assemblies secure the auxiliary platform to the main aft platform, and both bracket assemblies have a first bracket member, a second bracket member, and a detent bushing. The detent bushing is interposed and secured to the first and second bracket members at a common end. The detent bushing limits rotational and pivotal movement of the bracket assemblies in conjunction with a contact tab, pin and channel design of the bracket assemblies.
US09937975B2
A convertible running bike capable of selectively converting from a non-motorized configuration to a motorized configuration may include a front fork rotatably engaged with a front wheel, a handle bar rotatably engaged with the front fork for steering the bike, a frame and a seat connected to the frame.
US09937971B2
A bicycle assembly comprises a saddle adjustment assembly, the saddle adjustment assembly comprising an adjustable height saddle post, the adjustable height saddle post comprising first and second slidably coupled supports; a saddle post locking mechanism that selectively restricts sliding of the second support relative to the first support; and a saddle angle adjustment mechanism configured to couple to a bicycle saddle to enable rotation of the bicycle saddle between a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position, wherein, when the saddle post locking mechanism is in an unlocked configuration, the saddle angle adjustment mechanism enables rotation of the bicycle saddle between the first and second predetermined positions, and wherein, when the saddle post locking mechanism is in a locked configuration, the saddle angle adjustment mechanism maintains the bicycle saddle in one of the first and second predetermined positions.
US09937969B2
An agricultural vehicle having a full-track design with a vehicle structure on each side of which, relative to a vehicle longitudinal axis, a track roller unit is arranged. The track roller unit has roller unit body to which a front deflector roll, a rear deflector roller and a plurality of yoke-type track rollers arranged therebetween are coupled, and an endlessly closed track belt that wraps around the rollers/roller. All the rollers are suspended with respect to the roller unit body in that assigned to a roller or a group of rollers in each case is a spring element, which is acted upon by fluid, for the suspension thereof with respect to the roller unit body.
US09937963B2
A system for reducing drag on a vehicle body moving through fluid includes a sensor mounted on the vehicle body for measuring data adjacent to the vehicle body surface, an eddy disrupter element mounted on the vehicle body for motion to a transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle body surface and a processor for facilitating a comparative analysis of the measured data with a threshold condition to determine if the threshold condition is satisfied, wherein the threshold condition is associated with drag resulting from the vehicle body movement through the fluid that can be reduced by the motion of the eddy disrupter element to a transverse position relative to the plane of the vehicle body surface and wherein the element is responsive to satisfaction of the threshold condition.
US09937962B1
A truck bed extension system for increasing a height of a truck bed includes a vehicle that has a bed. A plurality of wall units is provided and each of the wall units is removably coupled to the bed. Each of the wall units is vertically oriented on the top edge such that each of the wall units increases a depth of the bed. In this way the bed may carry an object that would otherwise be too tall.
US09937960B2
A flooring system for a vehicle having a corrugated floor comprises a plurality of flooring panels supported at their undersides by two or more registration members having locating members and other features for aligning the flooring panels vertically, laterally, and longitudinally. The flooring panels each have at least one longitudinally aligned load-bearing structure, such as in integrated track or a universal channel configured to receive a flanged track, filler material, or both. The registration members may have depending support members configured to engage in the valleys of the corrugated vehicle floor.
US09937956B2
Provided are a driving assistance apparatus and a steering control method thereof, which are capable of reducing impact on a steering wheel. The driving assistance apparatus includes a steering sensor that measures a steering manipulation signal based on a driver's manipulation of a steering wheel during control of a parking assistance device; and a control unit that, when the steering manipulation signal measured by the steering sensor is received, stops the control of the parking assistance device, changes a control torque value, which corresponds to a required steering angle when the control of the parking assistance device is stopped, to a target torque value based on the driver's manipulation of the steering wheel, wherein a torque variation is changed at a preset slope or for a preset time.
US09937950B2
In a CPU (10) for calculating a control amount of an electric power steering control apparatus including a motor for assisting a steering force of a steering wheel generated by a driver of a vehicle, a filter section (18) subjects a value of a motor rotation speed calculating section (17) for calculating an rotation speed of a motor (4) to filter processing, to thereby output the resultant value to a target d-axis current value setting section (11b). With this configuration, in a high-torque and high-motor-rotation speed region, responsiveness of a target d-axis current value with respect to the motor rotation speed is decreased, to thereby suppress vibrations and noise when the steering wheel is operated.
US09937949B2
A power transmission coupling that couples an output shaft of an electric motor and a worm shaft together includes a first rotation element coupled to the output shaft, a second rotation element coupled to the worm shaft, and an intermediate element formed of an elastic body and interposed between the first rotation element and the second rotation element. The intermediate element forms a unit integrally including an annular support portion, power transmission portions extending radially from the support portion and interposed between engaging protrusions of the first rotation element and the second rotation element, a spacer arranged inward of the support portion in a radial direction to apply a preload to the worm shaft in an axial direction, and a coupling portion that couples the support portion and the spacer together.
US09937940B2
An apparatus for generating action recommendations for the driver of a rail vehicle includes a device that can be carried by the driver in order to provide a type of apparatus that can be retrofitted quickly and easily to an existing rail vehicle. The device has at least one data interface unit for receiving basic data, a memory unit for storing at least one program module, a processing unit provided for executing the program module in order to generate the action recommendations at least on the basis of the basic data, and an output unit for outputting the action recommendations. A rail vehicle having the apparatus is also provided.
US09937936B2
A method and system monitor coupler fatigue by determining an upcoming fatigue metric representative of fatigue that is to be experienced by a coupler configured to connect plural vehicles in a vehicle system, determining whether a failure metric of the coupler during the upcoming trip exceeds a designated failure threshold (where the failure metric is based on the upcoming fatigue metric), and, responsive to determining that the failure metric exceeds the designated failure threshold, one or more of notifying an operator of the upcoming fatigue metric, displaying one or more of the upcoming fatigue metric or the failure metric, changing a driving plan for controlling movement of the vehicle system during the upcoming trip, and/or changing a characteristic of the vehicle system.
US09937932B2
A method for controlling vehicle progression along a ride path of an amusement park ride. The method includes receiving inputs from a passenger of a vehicle on the ride path and processing the received inputs to determine a vehicle state change. The method includes determining a present or predicted vehicle state and comparing the present or predicted vehicle state with constraints defined by a dynamic boundary associated with the vehicle. The method includes issuing vehicle control commands to a drive assembly to implement the vehicle state change if it complies with the constraints. The dynamic boundary is moved logically along the ride path at a nominal to define a set of boundaries for movement of the vehicle along the ride path. The vehicle state change may be a change that causes the vehicle to travel at a speed differing from the dynamic boundary while remaining within the dynamic boundary.
US09937929B2
A method for operating a motor vehicle which drives or is able to be driven at least partially automatically includes: detecting a gaze direction of a driver of the motor vehicle; inferring a driver distraction if the detected gaze direction deviates from a setpoint gaze direction beyond a predefinable measure; monitoring the driver for a secondary activity if a distracted driver was detected; and ascertaining a time period that the driver would require to take over the at least partial control of the motor vehicle, as a function of a detected secondary activity.
US09937927B2
The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for preventing damaging of a gear box of a vehicle provided with a servo-actuated clutch system and a servo-actuated gear shift system, the servo-actuated clutch comprising a clutch-servo housing a pneumatic piston, movable between a first and a second positions corresponding to an open and a closed system of the clutch. The functioning of servo-actuated gear shift system is enabled when the pneumatic piston position exceeds, toward said disengagement state, a third predefined position.
US09937923B2
A controller is adapted to receive signals indicative of an image including a representation of a posted speed limit for a current section of a road on which an associated vehicle is traveling. The controller evaluates the image to identify the posted speed limit and dynamically determines if the posted speed limit is above a predetermined threshold speed limit. Only if the posted speed limit is above the predetermined threshold speed limit, the controller sets the identified posted speed limit as a warning threshold. If a speed of the associated vehicle is more than a predetermined range over the warning threshold, the controller transmits a warning signal to a notifier for notifying an operator of the associated vehicle and controls a speed of the vehicle based on the posted speed limit.
US09937922B2
A controller for an autonomous vehicle receives audio signals from one or more microphones and identifies sounds. The controller further identifies an estimated location of the sound origin and the type of sound, i.e. whether the sound is a vehicle and/or the type of vehicle. The controller analyzes map data and attempts to identify a landmark within a tolerance from the estimated location. If a landmark is found corresponding to the estimated location and type of the sound origin, then the certainty is increased that the source of the sound is at that location and is that type of sound source. Collision avoidance is then performed with respect to the location of the sound origin and its type with the certainty as augmented using the map data. Collision avoidance may include automatically actuating brake, steering, and accelerator actuators in order to avoid the location of the sound origin.
US09937914B2
A DC/DC converter is driven when an inter-terminal voltage of a low-voltage battery is lower than a determination voltage and an engine is started when the inter-terminal voltage becomes lower than a determination voltage during the driving of the DC/DC converter so that an alternator is driven at a predetermined driving point at which the alternator can he efficiently driven and the DC/DC converter is controlled such that the inter-terminal voltage of the low-voltage battery becomes a rated voltage. Energy efficiency can be improved since the alternator is efficiently driven.
US09937909B2
A method for operating a brake system in a motor vehicle, having at least one hydraulic circuit that has a hydraulic pump and at least two wheel brakes, at least one actuatable inlet valve being allocated to each wheel brake. The brake system is monitored for a driver's braking request. To acquire the driver's braking request, a first wheel behavior of at least one wheel allocated to one of the wheel brakes is acquired, such that, upon acquiring of an unexpected wheel behavior, the braking intervention is interrupted and a second wheel behavior of the wheel is acquired and compared to the first wheel behavior of the wheel, and the driver's braking request is recognized as a function of the comparison.
US09937907B2
A method for providing a clamping force that is generated with an automatic parking brake for a vehicle using a brake motor and a brake piston that acts upon a brake disk, includes building up a hydraulic pressure in a braking circuit of the vehicle after the automatic parking brake is applied. The method further includes determining a pressure loss gradient in the braking circuit of the vehicle. The method further includes performing or not performing a further application of the automatic parking brake based in part upon the determined pressure loss gradient.
US09937898B2
Method for controlling a wiping-washing process of a rear window cleaning system for a motor vehicle
A method is provided for controlling a wiping-washing process of a rear window cleaning system for a motor vehicle that has at least one windshield cleaning system and a headlight cleaning system for headlights of the motor vehicle. The wiping-washing process of the rear window cleaning system is controlled on the basis of an actuation of the headlight cleaning system and/or the windscreen cleaning system.
US09937890B2
An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle seat. The module includes an inflatable airbag and an inflator. The airbag is stored in the vehicle seat prior to deployment and includes inboard and outboard inflatable chambers separated by a gap at a forward portion of the airbag. The airbag is configured to deploy into a position along side of the vehicle seat and the occupant.
US09937875B2
An accessory assembly operatively connected to vehicle seat includes a housing having a front surface and an opposing rear surface. A screen is disposed on the rear surface of the housing. A hanger cooperates with and is removably connected to the housing. The hanger includes a central portion having a cavity and first and second shoulder portions extending from opposing ends of the central portion. A support is mounted to the rear surface of the housing and disposed below the screen configured to receive a portable electronic device.
US09937874B2
A vehicular display apparatus is provided on a vehicular instrument panel and provides a display for a vehicular crew. The apparatus includes: a half mirror that transmits light from a front of a vehicle to a back of the vehicle and reflects light from a direction intersecting with a front-back direction of the vehicle to the back of the vehicle, a decorative member provided to one side of a side of the front of the vehicle and a side of the intersecting direction, a light emitting member that irradiates the decorative member with light, and a liquid crystal display that is provided to the other side and projects an image toward the half mirror. The decorative member is arranged so as to provide a display superposed on the image projected by the liquid crystal display when visually recognized from a front side.
US09937871B2
A vehicle seat is provided with: a seat cushion; and a seat back. The seat back includes: a seat pad; a reinforcing member that is formed by a linear or planer member and reinforces the seat pad; and an accommodating section provided in the seat pad and receives an installable component that is configured as a separate body that is separate from the seat back. The reinforcing member has an engaging portion that protrude into the accommodating section, the engaging portion being configured to be engageable with an engaged portion that is provided on the installable component. The vehicle seat is configured to allow the installable component to be installed in the accommodating section while positioning the installable component with respect to the accommodating section in a state where the engaging portion and the engaged portion are engaged with each other.
US09937868B2
A roof rail assembly (10) including at least one stanchion portion (12) having a cover (14) and at least one lighting device (16). A light permeable film (22) provides a predetermined surface appearance and/or design and is translucent to allow light from the lighting device (16) to pass through under predetermined conditions. When the lighting device (16) is not illuminating, the light permeable film (22) provides a predetermined surface appearance. The film (22) is operatively translucent when the lighting source (16) is illuminated and additionally provides a predetermined design appearance when backlit. The selective lighting on the stanchions of the roof rails (18) provides illumination and a higher location of the indicator of unlock for easier location of a vehicle at greater distances.
US09937863B2
A system for controlling a dimming function of a display element of a host vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises a display element configured to provide a rearward view from the host vehicle and a sensor directed forward relative to the host vehicle. A controller is in communication with the sensor and the display element. The controller is configured to identify a taillight of a detected vehicle from data received from the sensor. Based on the data received from the sensor, the controller calculates a passing period for the host vehicle to pass the detected vehicle. Based on the passing period the controller adjusts a display property of the display element to limit a glare displayed by the display element.
US09937852B2
A method and apparatus for a curved lighting fixture that is symmetric about a longitudinal axis of the curved lighting fixture. The curved lighting fixture includes end caps that are parallel to the longitudinal axis. Each end cap includes two mounting studs that secure the lighting fixture to mounting brackets, where a first mounting stud provides an axis of rotation for the lighting fixture and a second mounting stud facilitates the rotation. The two mounting studs do not enter into an interior portion of the lighting fixture so as to facilitate externally serviceable hardware. A bushing provides an external retention mechanism to retain the two mounting studs within each end cap.
US09937850B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for configuring automotive lamp illumination control are provided. One example method includes, at a computing device, generating a graphical user interface for configuring at an automotive lamp illumination pattern. The graphical user interface includes user input elements and is displayed by way of a display device. An input command is received by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements. The input command corresponds to the at least one of the user input elements. A message is transmitted to an automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including a first communication port of the computing device and a second communication port of the automotive lamp control device, based on the received input command. The message is received at the automotive lamp control device, and an action is performed in response to receiving the message.
US09937843B2
An apparatus for holding a liquid-filled vessel includes a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature related to the temperature of the liquid in the vessel and a control unit connected to the temperature sensor. The control unit takes the sensed temperature as a basis for prompting an action. At a sensed temperature that is above a prescribed hot temperature limit value, the control unit then activates and/or influences a function that increases the safety of the vehicle occupant.
US09937840B2
A vehicle includes a rear seat including a backrest portion and a console box adjoining the backrest portion on the vehicle front side. The console box includes a body portion disposed along the vehicle front-back direction, the body portion together with the backrest portion defining a gap; a projecting portion projecting from the body portion to immediately below the backrest portion; and a tray portion in the form of a receiver, the tray portion being disposed in the projecting portion and located below the gap. With these features, a vehicle is provided that allows easy collection of an article that has fallen into an area under a rear seat.
US09937838B2
The present invention solves the problem of realizing a lighter cushion body that has ample cushioning properties when a person sits or lies thereon by: providing a plurality of rod-shaped or flat plate-shaped support bodies (2) comprising a synthetic resin foam that has a bending deflection amount of 20 mm or more as measured according to the method described in JIS K7221-2:2006 and a pressing force of 2-100 N at 20 mm of deflection, and legs (3) on which the support bodies (2) are placed or fixed; using the support bodies and the legs to form a space (5) that makes it possible to bend and deform the support bodies; and arranging the plurality of rod-shaped or flat plate-shaped support bodies (2) in a row so as to be deformable.
US09937833B2
There is provided a seatback frame including: left and right side frames that are provided at left and right side portions of a seatback of a vehicle seat, with the respective lower end portions of the side frames coupled to a rear end portion of a seat cushion frame provided to a seat cushion of the vehicle seat; and a back face panel that is formed of sheet metal, that spans across between rear end portions of lower portions of the left and right side frames with its thickness direction along a seatback front-rear direction, that is fixed to the left and right side frames, and that includes an undulating shaped portion bent such that peaks and troughs alternate in a row along a seat width direction.
US09937821B2
A seat arrangement apparatus for a vehicle seat that includes at least two tracks fixed to a floor of a vehicle each track including a base separating a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion, at least two seat mounting assemblies movable along the at least two tracks, and a stopper movably installed inside each of the at least two tracks between the at least two seat mounting assemblies to prevent the at least two seat mounting assemblies from touching each other when positioned together.
US09937814B2
A battery pack includes a plurality of rechargeable batteries, a sensor, and a battery manager. The sensor obtains motion information of the rechargeable batteries. The motion information includes at least one of first information obtained by sensing whether the rechargeable batteries are in a movement state or in a standstill state or second information on a state in which the rechargeable batteries are inclined. The second information may be obtained based on a change in angle when the rechargeable batteries are in the movement state. The battery manager control charging or discharging of the rechargeable batteries in a charge mode or a discharge mode based on the motion information.
US09937813B2
A vehicle includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to detect a first current value in a period in which a current path is switched to a non-conductive state by an ignition-off operation. The electronic control unit is configured to detect a second current value in a period that is after an ignition-on operation is performed and before the current path is switched from the non-conductive state to a conductive state in the case where the first current value falls out of a specified reference range. The electronic control unit is configured to diagnose that there is an abnormality of the current sensor when the second current value falls out of the reference range and to diagnose that there is no abnormality of the current sensor when the second current value falls within the reference range.
US09937810B2
A DC building electrical system includes a DC power consuming device connected to a DC bus. A source of DC power is connected to the DC bus and powers the DC power consuming device. An energy storage device is connected to the DC bus and to a DC emergency load. The energy storage device powers the DC power consuming device in conjunction with the source of DC power, and powers the DC emergency load when source of power other than the energy storage device is available to the DC power consuming device.
US09937801B2
An electric motor vehicle including: a high-output assembled battery; a high-capacity assembled battery having a larger capacity and a smaller output than those of the high-output assembled battery; and an inverter, and the electric motor vehicle is equipped with a PCU that transmits and receives electric power to and from the high-output assembled battery and the high-capacity assembled battery, a first wiring that connects the high-output assembled battery to the PCU, and a second wiring that connects the high-capacity assembled battery to the PCU, and is shorter than the first wiring.
US09937798B2
A wrap around bus bar that provides battery power (also referred to as B+ power) to components within a power distribution device for a vehicle electrical system, such as a hybrid-type power distribution box (PDB). The power distribution device routes or distributes power throughout a vehicle electrical system and may include a lower cover, a wrap around bus bar, a relay block assembly, a module with a printed circuit board (PCB), an array of relays and fuses, and an upper cover. Battery power is provided from a vehicle battery and/or alternator to a terminal connection, from the terminal connection to the wrap around bus bar, and from the wrap around bus bar to the relay block assembly, the module and potentially other components within the power distribution device.
US09937795B2
A vehicle implementing vehicle operation assistance information management for autonomous vehicle control transfer may identify a vehicle operation assistance information item indicating a location of an expected vehicle operation control transfer, and may, on a condition that an immanency for the vehicle operation assistance information item is within a maximum relevant immanence, determine an urgency based on the immanency, and present a representation of the vehicle operation assistance information item, which may include controlling a primary graphical display portion of the vehicle to present a graphical representation of the vehicle operation assistance information item, controlling a secondary graphical display portion of the vehicle to present the graphical representation, or a combination thereof. The vehicle may, control an auditory presentation device of the vehicle to present an auditory representation of the vehicle operation assistance information item.
US09937791B2
Systems and methods are provided for detecting and preventing sleep onset in a user. The method can include, for example, monitoring the user's heart rate, establishing a baseline average heart rate over a period of time, establishing a threshold heart rate that is less than the baseline average heart rate, detecting a drop in the user's heart rate below the threshold, and in response to detecting the drop, initiating a sleep prevention program.
US09937787B2
A filler pipe includes a retainer capable of retaining a fuel filler gun inserted through a fuel filler opening, and a pipe main body connecting the retainer and a fuel tank. The retainer has a stopper limiting the insertion of the fuel filler gun. A flow guide that guides the flow of fuel is provided on the downstream side of the stopper with respect to the flow direction of fuel supplied from the fuel filler gun. The flow guide has a guide portion extending at an angle with respect to the flow direction of fuel.
US09937774B2
An air vent includes a housing extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening, such that the housing defines a substantially closed air path between the inlet opening and the outlet opening. A first vane is disposed within the air path and is configured to rotate about a first axis. A second vane is disposed within the air path and is configured to rotate about a second axis, which is substantially orthogonal to the first axis. A controller is configured to rotate the first vane about the first axis and to rotate the second vane about the second axis. The controller is disposed outside of the air path, such that both the first vane and the second vane are adjustable from outside of the air path.
US09937767B2
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a refrigeration trailer air distribution chute. The chute includes a first air director attachable to a ceiling of a refrigeration trailer spanning a refrigeration unit and a side wall of the trailer, and a second air director attachable to and extending along the ceiling proximate the side wall to the rear of the trailer. The first air director is attachable to the ceiling along two lines of attachment, causing the first air director to have a cross section of a first shape regardless of whether the chute is in an unexpanded or an expanded state. The second air director is attachable to the ceiling along one line of attachment, causing the second air director to have a cross section of a second shape when the chute is in the unexpanded state and a third shape when the chute is in the expanded state.
US09937762B2
A vehicle includes a torsion bar including a central portion, a left coupling, and a right coupling. The central portion extends in a lateral direction in front of a left drive shaft and a right drive shaft. The left coupling is positioned to the left of the central portion and coupled to a portion of a left lower arm that is rearward relative to the left drive shaft. The right coupling is positioned to the right of the central portion and coupled to a portion of a right lower arm that is rearward relative to the right drive shaft.
US09937761B2
A railroad trailer chassis comprising two or more road axles, two or more rail axles operable to be moved between first and second positions, and a work unit. The railroad trailer chassis is operable to be driven or towed in a road mode when the two or rail axles are in their respective first positions. The railroad trailer chassis is operable to be driven or towed in a rail mode when the two or more rail axles are in their respective second positions. The work unit is operable to perform one or more railroad maintenance or operation functions when driven in the rail mode.
US09937760B2
A self-regulating tire valve for use in pneumatic tires. The self-regulating tire valve includes a tubular housing with a primary channel extending therethrough, a threaded collar on one end of the tubular housing adapted to connect to a source of pressurized air, a cavity positioned adjacent to the primary channel, and a release passageway connecting to a release outlet positioned on the exterior of the tubular housing. A diverting block is positioned with a secondary channel extending therethrough that is moveably positioned within the cavity. When the secondary channel of the diverting block is aligned with the release passageway, air can flow from a second end to a first end of the secondary channel, through the release passageway and exit at the release outlet.
US09937759B2
Each time identification information specific to each of wheels is received, a rotation position of each of the wheels is obtained and accumulated as rotation position data of each wheel with respect to each piece of identification information. Then, with respect to all the identification information, when a first tentative mounting position and a second tentative mounting position are the same in a vehicle width direction and different from each other in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the first and second tentative mounting positions being mounting positions of two of the wheels where a smallest degree of dispersion and a second smallest degree of dispersion are detected, and when the first tentative mounting position determined for each piece of the identification information is different from one another, each first tentative mounting position is determined as the mounting position of each of the wheels corresponding to the identification information, respectively.
US09937757B2
Tire frame step portions 18 are formed to a tire frame member 17. The tire frame step portions 18 are formed further toward the tire equatorial plane side than tire axial direction end portions 30A of a tread member 30. Covering layers 24 are formed at the outside of the tire frame member 17 so as to span from bead portions to the tire frame step portions 18.
US09937755B2
A motorcycle tire including a tire structure having a tread having outer surface curved in arc shape such that the outer surface is protruding toward radially outer side of the structure. The tread includes a center region and shoulder regions on sides of the center region, respectively, the center region is spanning 30% of a developed tread width with tire equator at the center of the center region, the tread has main grooves positioned at interval in tire circumferential direction and shoulder sub-grooves positioned in each shoulder region, each main groove is formed in V shape such that the V shape has a pair of inclined portions respectively extending from the tip in the center region toward the shoulder regions in tire rotation direction, and the sub-grooves are formed such that each sub-groove is extending in the circumferential direction and connected to one inclined portion without connecting adjacent main grooves.
US09937753B2
The invention relates to a tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements the ends of which are radially uncoupled by a polymer compound. According to the invention, the reinforcing elements of at least one working crown layer are metal cords with saturated layers, at least one internal layer being sheathed with a layer consisting of a polymer composition such as a rubber composition and in each of the shoulders of the tire, at least the uncoupling polymer compound in contact with the ends of at least two working crown layers exhibits, in the sorption test, a gas content lower than 0.06 m3STP/m3ML.
US09937750B1
Improvements in a caster wheel tilt bar is disclosed. The caster wheel tilt bar is installable and removeable on a caster and is secured over one side of the caster frame and utilizes the tapered portion of the wheel frame. When the cart frame is rotated the tilt bar comes in contact with the ground. Further rotation lifts the wheel above the ground. The tilt bar can be configured in an arc or can be configured with defined angular steps. The angular steps are generally calculated to create a balance point where the cart can hold with limited rocking. The caster wheel tilt bar can also be painted or powder coated to match the color of the pre-existing caster wheel. Because the rod and shoe can be different components, the shoe or rod can be adjusted to accommodate different casters and/or wheel diameters.
US09937747B2
A system. The system includes a wheel, a protective device and a fastener system. The fastener system is connected to the wheel and the protective device. The fastener system includes an elastomeric fastener configured to allow for controlled radial and rotational displacement of the protective device relative to the wheel in x and y directions.
US09937745B1
A method for memorializing a sports jersey via creating a shimmering light-reflective pattern resembling a three-dimensional wave on a plurality of two-dimensional metallic surfaces features obtaining a plurality of planar metallic blanks. The method features obtaining an angle grinder having a circular grinding disc located thereon. The method features embedding a first series of arc-shaped striations sequentially located one above another along a first striation axis on each metallic blank via operation of the angle grinder. The method features embedding subsequent series' of arc-shaped striations sequentially located one above another along subsequent striation axes on each metallic blank via operation of the angle grinder. This step is repeated until the desired shimmering light-reflective pattern resembling a three-dimensional wave on a two-dimensional metallic surface is achieved. The method features assembling the metallic blanks, one atop of another creating layers.
US09937742B2
Provided is a thermoplastic resin film comprising a base layer (A) containing a thermoplastic resin and a coating layer (B) provided on at least one surface of the base layer (A), the coating layer (B) containing components derived from (a) an emulsion containing resin particles formed from an olefin-based copolymer and (b) an ethyleneimine-based resin, wherein the thermoplastic resin film is characterized in that a volume-average particle size of the resin particles contained in the emulsion is from 0.1 to 0.72 μm. The thermoplastic resin film has good coloring performance during printing using gold ink and/or silver ink, has conventional transferability and adhesiveness even in hot melt transfer, and shows little generation of paper dust.
US09937740B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink tank forming an ink chamber and including an injection inlet, a cover, a cover sensor, a recording head, a monitor, and a controller. The cover is movable between a covering position and an exposing position. The cover sensor is positioned to output a signal depending on the position of the cover. The controller controls operation of the recording head, the monitor. The controller receives either a first positional signal or a second positional signal of the cover sensor, and based on receipt of the first positional signal after receipt of the second positional signal from the cover sensor, performs a decision process deciding whether an operation regarding ink injection into the ink chamber is completed.
US09937735B1
A self-strip media module in a printer is provided. The self-strip media module includes a peel bar having a length at least as great as the length of a platen roller and being rotatably engaged at the ends of the platen roller. The media includes a series of labels adhered to a liner. The media is fed over the peel bar and between the platen roller and a mid-chassis. The peel bar may be rotated towards the discharge side of the platen roller, pulling the media over the platen roller and over itself. A thermal print head is lowered onto the media over the platen roller and to print on the labels. The printer advances the media over the peel bar. The labels are stripped from the liner when the media advances around the peel bar.
US09937731B2
A system for printing an image on a surface includes a robot, a printhead having a reference line printing mechanism, and a reference line sensor. The robot has at least one arm. The printhead is mounted to the arm and is movable by the arm over a surface along a rastering path while printing a new image slice on the surface. The reference line printing mechanism is configured to print a reference line on the surface when printing the new image slice. The reference line sensor is configured to sense the reference line of an existing image slice and transmit a signal to the robot causing the arm to adjust the printhead in a manner such that a side edge of the new image slice is aligned with the side edge of the existing image slice.
US09937725B1
A fluidic dispensing device includes a casing having a reservoir chamber and a primary vent chamber. An end cap is positioned at an end of the casing. The end cap is connected to the casing. A vent path extends from the primary vent chamber to the atmosphere through a gap between the end cap and the casing.
US09937722B2
An ink-jet printer including a conveyor, a carriage, a recording head, a power supply, an ink receiver, a command receiver, and a controller, is provided. The controller executes the steps of: determining a discharge ink amount that should be discharged to the ink receiver; raising a drive voltage to a first voltage when the discharge ink amount is less than a first threshold value, and raising the drive voltage to a second voltage when the discharge ink amount is the first threshold value or more; performing a flushing process; based on the flushing process after having raised the drive voltage to the second voltage having finished in the case of having raised the drive voltage to the second voltage, stepping down the drive voltage from the second voltage to the first voltage; and based on the flushing process having finished and on the drive voltage being the first voltage, performing a printing process.
US09937720B2
A printing device includes a heating section capable of heating paper P transported over a support platform, a head unit that is disposed at a position facing the support platform with a gap therebetween, and that is capable of rotating about a rotation shaft extending along width direction X, and a head cooling unit that is capable of cooling the head unit. The head unit is provided with a first head that includes a nozzle capable of ejecting ink, a second head that includes a nozzle capable of ejecting ink, and a third head that includes a nozzle capable of ejecting ink, with the heads provided around a rotation direction of the head unit with gaps between one another. When one head out of the respective heads faces the paper P, another head out of the respective heads can be made to face the head cooling unit.
US09937715B2
An inkjet recording method includes applying one or more drive pulses to a pressure generating device of a recording head including a nozzle plate, a liquid chamber, and discharging droplets of ink from the nozzle. Also, the following conditions 1 and 2 are satisfied.1. The ink has a dynamic surface tension 10 mN/m or more greater than the static surface tension of the ink when the surface life length is 15 ms and 3 mN/m or more greater than the static surface tension of the ink when the surface life length is 1,500 ms, as measured by maximum bubble pressure technique at 25 degrees C.2. At least one of the drive pulses has a voltage changing portion to draw in the ink, the voltage changing portion having a changing time of one third or more of the resonance period of the liquid chamber.
US09937713B2
According to an example, multi-directional single pass printing may include utilizing a print head that includes slots that include a first slot for a first ink color, and two or more additional slots. A slot of the additional slots may be disposed on a first side of the first slot, and another slot of the additional slots may be disposed on a second side of the first slot. The additional slots may include a further ink color. Data may be forwarded to a set of slots when a direction bit related to the print head is set to a first value, and to another set of slots when the direction bit is set to a second value. A number of channels for forwarding the data to the slots may be less than the number of slots.
US09937711B2
An inkjet printer includes plural inkjet heads that are aligned in a head alignment direction to form a head row, a blower that blows air to the head row from one side along the head alignment direction, and an aspirator that is disposed on an extended line of the head row and on the other side along the head alignment direction for aspirating air through its aspirator port. The aspirator includes a tubular duct that extends from the aspirator port toward the head row.
US09937701B2
Provided is a removing unit that includes: a first conveying roller, a second conveying roller, a third conveying roller, and a take-up roller. The first conveying roller conveys a stack including first and second base members which are removably stacked with respect to each other. The second conveying roller conveys the second base member from which the first base member has been removed. The third conveying roller conveys the first base member which has been removed from the second base member, along a surface of the first conveying roller. The take-up roller takes up the first base member which has been conveyed by the third conveying roller. The second conveying roller is provided upstream from a first tangent in a conveying direction of the first base member. The third conveying roller is provided to overlap the first tangent or provided downstream from the first tangent, in the conveying direction.
US09937699B2
A label peeling device has a holding unit that can hold label paper conveyed from a label printer that ejects ink onto label paper P having labels Pb and a liner Pa to which the labels Pb are affixed; a peeling unit that is disposed downstream on the label paper P conveyance path from the holding unit, can move bidirectionally between a start peeling position separated from the holding unit and an end peeling position near the holding unit, and peels labels Pb from the liner Pa by moving from the start peeling position to the end peeling position; a motor that moves the peeling unit; an encoder that detects the position of the peeling unit; and a controller that controls the motor based on the position of the peeling unit detected by the encoder.
US09937698B2
The yield of a peeling process is improved. A first step of forming a peeling layer to a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.1 nm and less than 10 nm over a substrate; a second step of forming, on the peeling layer, a layer to be peeled including a first layer in contact with the peeling layer; a third step of separating parts of the peeling layer and parts of the first layer to form a peeling trigger; and a fourth step of separating the peeling layer and the layer to be peeled are performed. The use of the thin peeling layer can improve the yield of a peeling process regardless of the structure of the layer to be peeled.
US09937696B2
Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a high temperature resistant sound absorbing material for vehicles. In particular, the method includes a beating/blending step, a web forming step, a web laminating step, a needle punching step, a first binder soaking step, a first solvent recovering step, a second binder soaking step, a second solvent recovering step, a second binder surface treating step, a second solvent recovering step, and a molding step. Further, the method of the present invention may include a first binder surface treating step, a first surface solvent recovering step, and a molding step after the first solvent recovering step. In addition, the method of the present invention may further include a third binder soaking step, a third solvent recovering step, a third binder surface treating step, a third surface solvent recovering step, and a molding step after a nonwoven fabric is formed in the needle punching step.
US09937695B2
A reactive polymer composition is provided, containing a (co)polymer that forms one or more reactive moities, either directly or indirectly, upon application of an ionizing radiation; and a multifunctional curing coagent, along with systems and methods for bonding substrates to one another using such a composition.
US09937692B2
A method for the manufacture of reinforced core composites, comprises: inserting of a pin into a foamed core material or a filled honeycomb-shaped core material, wherein the pin and the core material contain a thermoplastic polymer, or a mixture of thermoplastic polymers; the pin is heated such that as the pin is inserted the core material softens or melts at the point of insertion; and/or the core material is heated at the point of insertion such that the core material softens or melts.
US09937685B2
A natural fiber-based, engineered beam assembly comprising opposing top and bottom surfaces, opposing first and second side surfaces and a longitudinal axis. Loads applied to the beam assembly are normal to the top surface. Substantially parallel layers of flattened bamboo or vegetable cane culms are stacked and laminated together. Each layer is formed by at least one culm, and each culm has fiber bundles extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and are impregnated with a binder. The density of the fiber bundles in the culm decreases across the culm's thickness from the exterior surface to the interior surface. At least a plurality of the culms have a common orientation, wherein the exterior surfaces face toward a same one of the top, bottom, first or second side surfaces.
US09937678B2
A method for manufacturing a motorcycle tire includes forming a cylindrical raw tire body including a carcass body including a carcass ply and bead cores on the carcass ply, and forming a cylindrical belt ply wound in a cylindrical shape. The forming of the belt ply includes filling the tire body to expand to first expanded phase, winding a sheet-type belt ply by extending the sheet-type belt ply on bell rings to form the cylindrical belt ply with inner surface bonded to the apex of the tire body, filling the tire body to expand the apex of the tire body along with the belt ply to second expanded phase, increasing diameter of an expandable profile deck to expand the apex of the tire body along with the belt ply to third expanded phase, and winding down edges of the belt ply to bond the belt ply to the tire body.
US09937672B2
A tool for curing a composite layup comprises a tool body having a surface adapted to support a composite layup thereon. The tool includes an integrated breather for allowing removal of air from the layup during curing.
US09937663B1
Embodiments include a method of fabricating a three-dimensional (3D) object using a 3D printing system, wherein the 3D printing system controls one or more parameters of the 3D printing system to fabricate the 3D object, the method comprising: sensing a characteristic of a component of the 3D printing system, wherein the characteristic of the component of the 3D printing system changes over time; and based on sensing a change in the characteristic of the component of the 3D printing system, calibrating a first parameter of the one or more parameters used to fabricate the 3D object.
US09937662B2
A shape memory polymer thermal interface material (SMP TIM) pad may be deformed to a deformed SMP TIM pad. The deformed SMP TIM pad may be mated to a first surface of a computing chip. A heat dissipating structure may be mated to the deformed SMP TIM pad opposite of the first surface of the computing chip. A loading force may be applied to the SMP TIM pad. The deformed SMP TIM pad may be heated to a reformation temperature. The heat dissipating structure may be fastened to the computing chip using one or more fasteners.
US09937656B2
An additively manufactured component has a plurality of overlapping layers bonded to each other. The plurality of overlapping layers includes at least a first subset of layers, and at least one layer of the at least a first subset of layers includes adjacent tracks bonded to each other. At least one of the adjacent tracks has a tool path pattern that is encoded with information.
US09937652B2
A formulation for producing a polymeric material including high-density polyethylene, a chemical blowing agent, and other optional components is described.
US09937649B2
One-piece article obtained by injection molding, with at least one injection point, said article comprising a main body (20), having a body volume defined by the space within a surface forming an outer envelope, and at least one hook (21), preferably a field of hooks, obtained from the same molding of the main body of the molded article, the hook or each hook having a stem of longitudinal axis and a catching part projecting laterally from the stem, characterized in that the volume of the hooks is substantially smaller than the volume of the body, i.e. at least 100 times smaller, preferably at least 1000 times smaller, for example between 100 000 and 100 000 000 times smaller, than the volume of the body, and in that the width, or smallest transverse dimension, of the stems, measured transversely to the longitudinal axis, is smaller than the thickness of the main body, measured along the longitudinal axis of the stems.
US09937646B2
A low constant pressure injection molding machine forms molded parts by injecting molten thermoplastic material into a mold cavity at low constant pressures of 6,000 psi and lower. As a result, the low constant pressure injection molding machine includes a mold formed of easily machineable material that is less costly and faster to manufacture than typical injection molds.
US09937640B2
Apparatus and methods for manufacturing ophthalmic lenses by bringing together a pair of mold halves to form a closed mold assembly, are described. The method includes measuring a force applied to bring the mold halves together. The apparatus includes at least one force sensor in operative communication with a single pair of mold halves, and a controller for controlling a velocity of movement of a mold half and for determining when a measured force or average measured force is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold force.
US09937637B1
A mobile mixing apparatus for ensuring optimal mixing of a material includes a support member which is mobile on a support surface. A mixing drum is carried by the support member. The mixing drum has a base drum end, a side drum wall extending from the base drum end, an open drum end opposite the base drum end, a drum interior extending between the base drum end and the open drum end, a central inner surface and a base inner surface on the base drum end and a side inner surface on the side drum wall and facing the drum interior. A paddle assembly is disposed for rotation in the drum interior of the mixing drum. The paddle assembly includes a plurality of paddles engaging the central inner surface, the base inner surface and the side inner surface, respectively, of the mixing drum. At least one motor drivingly engages the paddle assembly for rotation in the drum interior of the mixing drum.
US09937635B2
A fatigue resistant gravity based spread footing under heavy multi-axial cyclical loading of a wind tower. The foundation having a central vertical pedestal, a substantially horizontal continuous bottom support slab, a plurality of radial reinforcing ribs extending radially outward from the pedestal. The pedestal, ribs and slab forming a continuous monolithic structure. The foundation having a three-dimensional network of post-tensioning elements that keep the structural elements under heavy multi-axial post compression with a specific eccentricity intended to reduce stress amplitudes and deflections and allows the foundation to have a desirable combination of high stiffness and superior fatigue resistance. The foundation design reduces the weight and volume of materials used, reduces cost, and improves heat dissipation conditions during construction by having a small ratio of concrete mass to surface area thus eliminating the risk of thermal cracking due to heat of hydration.
US09937621B2
An example method includes receiving, by a mobile robotic device, power from a battery of a first battery pack in order to operate within an environment. The method further includes establishing a first data channel between the mobile robotic device and the first battery pack. The method also includes using the first data channel to transfer sensor data acquired by the mobile robotic device during operation to a local data storage component of the first battery pack. The method additionally includes navigating, by the mobile robotic device, to a battery exchange station to transfer the first battery pack containing the battery and the local data storage component with the sensor data to the battery exchange station. The method further includes after transferring the first battery pack to the battery exchange station, receiving a second battery pack from the battery exchange station to continue operation within the environment.
US09937618B2
Example embodiments may relate to a robotic system that includes a hydraulic actuator and an electric actuator both coupled to a joint of the robotic system. Operation of the actuators may be based on various factors such as based on desired joint parameters. For instance, such desired joint parameters may include a desired output torque/force of the joint, a desired output velocity of the joint, a desired acceleration of the joint, and/or a desired joint angle, among other possibilities. Given a model of power consumption as well as a model of the actuators, the robotic system may determine operating parameters such as hydraulic and electric operating parameters as well as power system parameters, among others. The robotic system may then control operation of the actuators, using the determined operating parameters, to obtain the desired joint parameters such that power dissipation in the system is minimized (i.e., maximizing actuation efficiency).
US09937610B2
Accessories for a fastener driving apparatus are disclosed, which accessories may be removably attached to a fastener driving apparatus. An extension accessory increases the length of reach of a fastener driving apparatus by including an extension rod and further improves accuracy with regard to driving a fastener into a substrate via a fastener retention mechanism. A chisel accessory provides added versatility for a fastener driving apparatus by including a chisel tool function in addition to a fastener driving function. A fastener setting accessory improves fastener driving ease and accuracy by driving fasteners presently in a substrate to a specific depth. The accessories are specifically designed to transmit an uninterrupted force from the fastener driving apparatus to a fastener or chisel for driving a fastener into or otherwise impacting or striking a substrate.
US09937609B2
A nail-driving gun barrel assembly includes an axially extending barrel and an ejector. The barrel has a firing end portion having a cylindrical segment and a protruding segment that cooperates with the cylindrical segment to define a first cutout recess. The protruding segment is formed with a first groove. The ejector has a sleeve part and a projecting part which cooperates with the sleeve part to define a second cutout recess. The sleeve part is coaxially and slidably sleeved on the cylindrical segment. The projecting part is formed with a second groove. When the ejector is disposed at a first axial position, the first and second grooves mate each other.
US09937601B2
A retaining ring can be shaped by machining or lapping the bottom surface of the ring to form a shaped profile in the bottom surface. The bottom surface of the retaining ring can include flat, sloped and curved portions. The lapping can be performed using a machine that dedicated for use in lapping the bottom surface of retaining rings. During the lapping the ring can be permitted to rotate freely about an axis of the ring. The bottom surface of the retaining ring can have curved or flat portions.
US09937599B1
A debris removal apparatus for a milling machine. In one embodiment, the debris removal apparatus includes a hollow, cylindrical suction member that attaches to a tool shaft which holds an end mill to rotate with the tool shaft. The debris removal apparatus further includes a nonrotating canister that applies a suction force to the suction member. The suction member is dimensioned to fit within a hole being cut by the end mill as the end mill is fed into the hole, and to extract debris created by the end mill via the suction force.
US09937598B2
A cutting tool cover set to a cutting tool which includes a hollow shaft body and at least one insert attached to an end face of the shaft body and cuts by bringing the insert into contact with a work while rotating the shaft body. The cutting tool cover includes: a body portion fixed to a top end portion of the shaft body; and an extension portion extended outward from the circumferential edge of the body portion in the entire circumference of the top end portion of the body portion to cover the surface of the work.
US09937597B2
A pivoting vacuum fitting support vacuum post enables fittings to be quickly manually re-oriented during set up, break down, storage, and shipping of a vacuum support or other device using the vacuum post. A segmented core pivotally supports an outer fitting pivoting support sleeve that supports a pair of segregated and independently operable vacuum ports typically to supply vacuum independently to a base of a vacuum support to hold it in place, and to an upper work piece vacuum hold down support. Incorporation of a spacer that can be supplied in varying heights enables use of the vacuum post in a variety of vacuum supports of varying height.
US09937595B2
The coupling device (1) comprises a clamping fixture (2) fixable to a manipulator and an adapter (40) securely clampable thereto. Both the clamping fixture (2) and the adapter (40) are configured substantially rectangular. The clamping fixture (2) comprises a locking mechanism (5) consisting of two laterally shiftable locking elements (6, 7) and an actuating member (8) disposed inbetween. For fixedly securing the adapter (40) to the clamping fixture (2) the locking elements (6, 7) are urged by means of the actuating member into the side widenings (45, 46) of the locking opening (44). In addition, the clamping fixture (2) is provided with a slotted recess (4) and the adapter (40) with an elongated base (41), the latter being insertable into the slotted recess (4).
US09937588B2
A friction stir welding method which permits advantageous production of a product which has a sound welded area without joint defects, by joining together two members formed of the same material or respective different materials selected from a cast aluminum alloy and 2000 series, 4000 series, 5000 series and 7000 series aluminum alloys which are considered difficult to be joined together by the friction stir welding method. An initiation tab member formed of a 1000 series, 3000 series, 6000 series or 8000 series aluminum alloy is disposed in abutting contact with end faces of joining portions of first and second members (in an abutting part), on the side of initiation of the welding operation, and the friction stir welding operation is performed by moving a probe of a rotary tool through the initiation tab member into the joining portions of the two members.
US09937585B2
Aspects relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for a manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool is comprised of a vacuum tool and an ultrasonic welder as a unified manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool may be used to pick and position a manufacturing part that is then welded with the associated ultrasonic welder.
US09937576B2
A method for welding two or more conduits includes aligning end portions thereof in an abutting relationship to define a gap. The method includes performing a spatter free root weld along the gap to configure a root layer while the inner circumferential surface side is unobstructed. After the root weld is complete, an outward thrust is applied along the inner circumferential surfaces of the conduits. During the application of the outward thrust, a filler weld is performed along the gap to fill the gap and to facilitate shrinkage of the filler and root weld materials longitudinally and radially outward while preventing pressing out of the filler and root weld materials radially inward of the inner circumferential surface.
US09937575B2
A method for forming a brazed joint between a first part having a first surface and a second part having a second surface may comprise applying at least two beads of braze filler at either of the first surface and the second surface, and assembling the first surface and the second surface to define a shiplap interface therebetween. The shiplap interface may terminate at a first terminus and a second terminus, and may include a first cavity and a second cavity. One of the beads of braze filler may be localized at the first cavity and the other may be localized at the second cavity. The method may further comprise melting each of the beads of braze filler to a braze liquid, and allowing the braze liquid to flow through the shiplap interface from the first cavity towards the first terminus, and from the second cavity towards the second terminus.
US09937574B2
The invention concerns a method of machining a workpiece, wherein an end-facing tooth edge of a gear profile of the workpiece that was generated by a chip-removing machining process is reworked at a first location into a chamfered edge by way of a plastic forming operation. The material which in the plastic forming operation was displaced towards the end surface of the gear profile is pushed outward as a material protrusion in the end surface of the tooth, while the material displaced towards the flank of the tooth is pushed outward as a material protrusion on the flank side of the chamfer, and the resulting material protrusions in the end surface and on the flank side are removed. The workpiece, while still carrying the material protrusion on the end surface of the gear profile, is transferred to a second location where the protrusion on the flank side of the chamfer is removed.
US09937571B2
There is provided in a preferred embodiment an apparatus for feeding an elongated material in a direction substantially generally along a length thereof to a cutting device having a cutting surface. The apparatus includes a lifting base assembly and a material shuttling assembly secured on the pivoting base assembly, the latter defining a feeding path. The lifting base assembly has a lower base portion and an upper base portion hingedly coupled to the lower base portion along a base pivoting axis generally parallel to and laterally offset from the feeding path. The upper base portion is selectively rotatable about the pivoting axis relative to the lower base portion between a level position and a lifted position, wherein in the lifted position, the material is raised above the cutting surface in an angled orientation where the material is further raised along a first lateral end portion relative to a second lateral end portion opposed to the first lateral end portion, the second lateral end portion being proximal to the pivoting axis.
US09937568B2
A router includes a housing and a motor assembly disposed within the housing. The motor assembly includes a driven shaft having a cavity on a first end of the driven shaft. The router includes a collet that is configured to mate into the cavity of the driven shaft with the collet being configured to grip a shank of a router bit. The router includes a gear mechanism that is configured to couple and decouple from a second end of the driven shaft such that a rotation of the gear mechanism when the gear mechanism is coupled to the second end of the driven shaft causes at least one of tightening and loosening of the collet.
US09937562B2
A drill chuck has a chuck body having a plurality of angularly spaced and axially extending but angled guide grooves each holding a jaw that is axially displaceable between an axially front closed position and an axially rear open position. Each jaw has an outer edge formed with external teeth, and also has an axially rearwardly directed rear face extending at an acute angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis. A ring rotatable on the body about the axis has an internal screwthread meshing with the teeth, and an adjustment sleeve rotationally coupled to the ring is rotatable to move the jaws between the open and closed positions. A cover disk on the rear end of the body is formed with respective throughgoing chip-discharge holes each having an inner end aligned with a respective one of the grooves and an outwardly open outer end.
US09937527B2
A method for producing a flexible tubular member having a cross-linked coating includes oxidizing an outer surface of a flexible tubular substrate, disposing a first radiation curable pre-polymer formulation on the oxidized outer surface, exposing the first radiation curable pre-polymer formulation to radiation to produce a first cross-linked coating layer, disposing a second radiation curable pre-polymer formulation on the first cross-linked coating layer, and exposing the second radiation curable pre-polymer formulation to radiation to produce a second cross-linked coating layer. The substrate includes a cross-linked polymer.
US09937523B2
A method of treating a material having a plurality of fines of a dusting material to prevent emanation of dust from the dusting material is described. An aqueous solution comprising a mixture of soluble non-ionic cellulose ether, a plasticizer, and a surfactant is provided. The aqueous solution is applied to a dusting material having a plurality of fines. The dusting material is transferred during the applying step from a first location to a second location as the aqueous solution is applied to the material having a plurality of fines. The dusting material is mixed with the aqueous solution to coat the material having a plurality of fines with the aqueous solution. The treated dusting material is accumulated into a mass of the material subsequent to the applying step wherein the aqueous solution is substantially evenly distributed throughout an interior portion of the mass of the treated dusting material.
US09937517B2
A device for guiding and/or forming a plastics profile includes a region of alterable cross-section formed by a wound flat element. The wound flat element overlaps in a region and is in close mutual contact in the overlapping region. The wound flat element includes a flexible and resiliently deformable coating thereon. A device is provided for altering the region of alterable cross-section.
US09937515B2
Certain examples of an apparatus, a printing system and a method are described that may be used for applying a fluid. In certain cases, an apparatus has a chamber arranged to receive fluid, the chamber being sealed at one or more ends by one or more respective end seals. In one case, at least one end seal is moveable along an axis of the chamber to adjust at least a volume of the chamber.
US09937513B2
A rotary driven sprinkler with adjustable flow rate and distance control where the change in distance of the coverage outwardly from the sprinkler is directly proportional to the change in flow rate. The flow rate at a selected sprinkler design pressure and installed nozzle may be indicated on the top of the sprinkler nozzle housing and its distance of coverage may be set. Also a changeable nozzle with a settable stream elevation angle may be provided using the nozzle retention screw.
US09937507B2
An electrostatic atomizer (100) includes a spray electrode (1), a reference electrode (2), a control circuit (24) for controlling a value of a current at the reference electrode (2), and a high-voltage generator (22) for applying a voltage between the spray electrode (1) and the reference electrode (2). The control circuit (24) controls the value of the current at the reference electrode (2) so that the value of this current can be higher than a spray current corresponding to a prescribed spray amount of a substance.
US09937499B2
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a handgrip configured to extract an analysis strip from a groove of an analyser. The handgrip comprises a casing piece configured to be attached with the analyser, and a retaining piece having a retaining portion. The retaining piece is movable with respect to the casing piece in such a way that the retaining portion is movable in a first direction from a proximal position to a distal position relative to the casing piece. The retaining portion is configured to retain the analysis strip during at least part of its movement from the proximal to the distal position, and to avoid retaining the analysis strip at least when the retaining portion is in any of the proximal and distal positions.
US09937496B2
A method of constructing a point-of-care diagnostic apparatus and fluid storage and delivery apparatus therefor is provided. The method of constructing the fluid storage and delivery apparatus includes providing a flexible upper layer having a reservoir; providing a flexible lower layer having a valve member; providing a rigid substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface and a through port; disposing a fluid in the reservoir; and sandwiching the rigid substrate between the upper and lower layers and bonding the upper layer to the upper surface of the rigid substrate with the reservoir registered with the through port and bonding the lower layer to the lower surface of the rigid substrate with the valve member registered with the through port. The method of constructing the point-of-care diagnostic apparatus includes fixing the fluid storage and delivery apparatus to a rigid base in selective fluid communication with a reaction chamber.
US09937495B2
Techniques for hydrogel microstructures with oil isolation for small reaction volumes include providing a hydrogel microstructure that has a plurality of pores and a hydrogel frame surrounding the pores. The microstructure has a volume in a range from about 1 picoliter to about 10,000 picoliters and is configured to repel an immiscible fluid. Each pore of the plurality of pores has a pore size configured to pass the target molecule in a first solution. The microstructure is contacted with the first solution, and with a second solution that includes a reactant molecule that reacts with the target molecule to produce an observable product molecule. The microstructure is encompassed with the immiscible fluid for an extended observation duration from about 1 to about 10,000 seconds, wherein the immiscible fluid does not pass into the pores but traps the product in the microstructure. The observable product molecule is measured at some time during the observation duration.
US09937494B2
An apparatus for preparing a reagent solution includes an enclosure and a container disposed within the enclosure. The container defines an internal cavity having a compressible volume and defines a passage providing fluidic communication between the internal cavity and the exterior of the container. Optionally, a compressible member is disposed within the internal cavity. A reagent is disposed within the internal cavity.
US09937490B2
A high surface area catalyst with a mesoporous support structure and a thin conformal coating over the surface of the support structure. The high surface area catalyst support is adapted for carrying out a reaction in a reaction environment where the thin conformal coating protects the support structure within the reaction environment. In various embodiments, the support structure is a mesoporous silica catalytic support and the thin conformal coating comprises a layer of metal oxide resistant to the reaction environment which may be a hydrothermal environment.
US09937479B2
A system and method are provided for the separation of hydrogen from natural gas feedstock to form hydrocarbon radicals. Aspects of the system include perpendicular magnetic and electric fields, a method of radical formation that separates hydrogen from the reaction process, and a separation method based on centrifugal forces and phase transitions. The gases rotate in the chamber due to the Lorentz force without any mechanical motion. Rotation separates gases and liquids by centrifugal force. The lighter species are collected from the mid region endpoint of the apparatus and fed back for further reaction. A new concept of controlled turbulence is introduced to mix various species. A novel magnetic field device is introduced comprised of two specially magnetized cylinders. A novel control of temperatures, pressures, electron densities and profiles by, RF, microwaves, UV and rotation frequency are possible especially when atomic, molecular, cyclotron resonances are taken into account. The electrodes can be coated with catalysts; the entire apparatus can be used as a new type of chemical reactor.
US09937478B2
Materials such as biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) and hydrocarbon-containing materials are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, or oil sands, oil shale, tar sands, bitumen, and coal to produce altered materials such as fuels (e.g., ethanol and/or butanol). The processing includes exposing the materials to an ion beam.
US09937468B2
A method of operating a membrane separation device in a continuous flow process includes in the membrane separation device, separating a supply liquid into a first partial stream and a second partial stream, wherein flow rate of the second partial stream and/or recovery rate of the second partial stream is influenced by at least one influencing variable that varies during operation, and varying the flow rate of the first partial stream to compensate for a change of the at least one influencing variable to control flow rate and/or recovery rate of the second partial stream to a preset value.
US09937459B2
Materials for gas capture, methods of making materials for gas capture, and methods of capturing gas
In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in one aspect, relate to materials that can be used for gas (e.g., CO2) capture, methods of making materials, methods of capturing gas (e.g., CO2), and the like.
US09937457B2
A cyclone separator for separating liquid and/or solid particles from a fluid is provided with three or more cyclone cells that each have a cell pipe provided with a guiding device. The guiding devices cause the fluid to rotate and to separate the particles from the fluid by the rotation of the fluid. The cell pipes each have a particle exit opening for letting out the particles that have been separated by rotation from the fluid. One or more particle outlets are provided to discharge from the cyclone separator the particles that have exited from the cell pipes.
US09937452B2
An air filter and dust collector are provided. In one embodiment, the air filter includes a filter element coupled at a first end to a end cap and at a second end to a first side of a rectangular filter flange assembly. The rectangular filter flange assembly includes a central aperture open to an interior region bounded by the filter element. A rectangular gasket is disposed on the second side of the filter flange assembly and circumscribes the central aperture.
US09937450B2
The present invention presents a filtration system with an integrated manifold valve. The filtration system employs only one pivotal component—the pivoting of the manifold. The manifold valve includes a dual aperture design for a two-fold alignment scheme with the ingress and egress lines of the fluid source. The invention is free of multi-component rotary valve with internal, rotatable parts, or an activation component, such as a handle, for initiating the rotary valve, allowing the user to rotate the rotational components thereof. The reduction in moveable components in this design reduces the likelihood of failure and increases the reliability of the filtration system.
US09937444B2
According to embodiments described in the specification, a pumping system for use in a tailings pond is provided. The pumping system comprises a pump support and at least one mooring element coupled to the pump support. The at least one mooring element has an extended position for fixing the pump support to a bed of the tailings pond, and a retracted position for permitting movement of the pump support towards a shore of the tailings pond. The at least one mooring element is configured for transitioning from the extended position to the retracted position when a distance from the shore to the pump support exceeds a threshold as a result of a change to tailings pond geometry, and for returning to the extended position following movement of the pump support to reduce the distance below the threshold.
US09937441B2
An ion exchanger for a coolant circuit is provided with a housing that has an inlet and an outlet for a coolant. An ion exchanger medium is disposed in the housing. The housing is made of a plastic material and is an injection-molded part. A first plastic filter element is arranged in the outlet and embedded by injection molding in the first plastic material of the housing. In the inlet, a second plastic filter element is arranged and embedded by injection molding in the plastic material of the housing.
US09937439B2
A solvent extraction apparatus comprises a cooler for condensing solvent vapor and a funnel provided towards its lower end. The funnel has an upper surface at which terminates a central downwards directed elongate outlet having an internal exit port formed in a side wall. A vertically movable lifting rod passes through the cooler and the outlet. A section of the lifting rod is shaped to delimit a passage-way for condensate while simultaneously sealing the port. A liquid guide is provided at the upper surface to preferentially direct flow of condensate towards the passage-way.
US09937429B2
The device includes an accelerometer for sensing a parameter of movement, such as direction and/or magnitude. A pre-recorded sound is played in response to the sensed movement. The speed and/or pitch at which the pre-recorded sound is played is a function of the sensed movement parameter. There may be one or more pre-recorded sounds from which playback is chosen. In one embodiment, hardwired circuits set the characteristics of the generated sound in accordance with the accelerometer output. In a second embodiment, the software selects which pre-recorded sound to play and sets the characteristics of the sound based upon parameters sensed by the accelerometer.
US09937421B2
A device for providing the illusion of motion consists of at least two movable parts for stimulating the vestibular sense and the kinaesthetic sense of a user independently from each other. A moving headrest is provided for stimulating the vestibular sense of a user and a moving armrest is provided for stimulating the kinaesthetic sense of a user.
US09937420B2
A method includes running a computer simulation that is controlled at least in part by a handheld controller, displaying images generated by the computer simulation on a display, and projecting at least one image generated by the computer simulation from an image projector coupled to the handheld controller. A system includes a display, a handheld controller, an image projector coupled to the handheld controller, and a processor based apparatus. Another system includes a display, a handheld controller, an image projector that is housed in a unit configured to be releasably docked to the handheld controller, and a processor based apparatus. Storage mediums storing one or more computer programs are also provided.
US09937419B2
A game engine is configured to accept human intelligence tasks as in-game content and present the in-game content to the game player. A method performed by the game engine enables performance of human intelligence tasks, such as visual discrimination, in a video game context. The game engine may receive a definition of human intelligence tasks from one or more remote sources. The game engine may present the human intelligence tasks to multiple video game participants as in-game content. The game engine defines and enables game play rules for the in-game content. The game play rules set parameters for the multiple video game participants to perform the human intelligence tasks to achieve desired results. The game engine may award each of the multiple video game participants an improved game score upon successful performance of the human intelligence tasks in accordance with the game play rules. The game engine may measure success by consistency in responses between different participants or trials.
US09937415B1
Described are techniques and systems for providing a virtual controller user interface. The virtual controller user interface of a source media device accepts user input and provides control data based on that input to a target media device. The target media device may process the control data, injecting input events into an operating system of the target media device. An application executing on the target media device may use these inputs.
US09937414B2
Software on a server transmits a copy of a string of text data containing game state parameters to a client device executing an instance of a computer-implemented game. The string is serialized and unstructured. The instance modifies the game state parameters according to game logic and events generated by a user as the user plays the game. The software on the server then receives a batch file transmitted after a threshold period of time by the instance. The batch file includes a plurality of events. The software processes the plurality of events in the batch file against game logic to update one or more of game state parameters in the string and stores the text data in the updated string in a persistent database.
US09937411B2
A ball lottery apparatus include a discharger adapted for discharging individually multiple lottery balls, a lottery field including multiple holes in which the discharged lottery balls can enter, a host controller for executing various controls, a retrieval mechanism adapted for retrieving the lottery balls. When a bingo game is played, the host controller can set the ball lottery apparatus to a normal mode in which an input time point at which each of the lottery balls discharged from the discharger is input to the lottery field depends on a predetermined rule, and to a dealer mode in which the input time point depends on human action.
US09937408B2
A wearable motorized device comprising a shoe bracket, which has a ring-shaped structure and can be fastened to the middle part of a shoe; a wheel, which rotatably supports the shoe bracket to enable lateral skating and longitudinal walking; a driving motor, which rotationally drives the wheel; and a battery pack, which powers the driving motor. The wheels are not coaxially installed on the two sides of the shoe bracket to drive the wearer's longitudinal skating, but are installed on the ring-shaped shoe bracket, which can be fastened to the middle part of the shoe, to support the wearer's lateral skating and longitudinal walking. This way, the wearer can position his/her legs apart during skating; such that the skating stability is improved. Moreover, its general contour does not significantly exceed the contour of the shoe in the longitudinal direction, thus it will not strain the wearer when ascending or descending stairs. Therefore, a wearable motorized device with high skating stability and ease of use can be achieved.
US09937406B2
A disposable reversible skate blade for an ice skate comprising a thin runner blade held around the edges of a lightweight composite core, and a pair of opposed blade supports, which may be individually replaceable or which may be formed as an integral part of the core. The entire blade assembly is lightweight, easily removable, reversible and replaceable in a skate with little or no requirement for tools, and is inexpensive enough to manufacture that the blade is disposable.
US09937405B2
A mouth-guard to be worn by a user includes a main body including a channel, one or more gum protrusions, and a slot; and an insert configured to be inserted into the slot. The insert for the mouth-guard includes one or more liquid chambers and one or more initial orifices on the surface of the insert where each initial orifice is configured to transport liquid from the one or more liquid chambers to an orifice of the main body such that the liquid passes through the orifice of the main body into a user's mouth.
US09937404B2
An elongate substrate strip of durable material with a top side having a linear arrangement of equally spaced circles each representing a regulation size golf ball; the circles being numbered consecutively for use as a reference to indicate ball position and/or foot position. The linear strip may be formed in two segments that are pivotally attached to one another to allow for pivotal swinging movement of one segment relative to the other so that the segments can be extended to a straight linear configuration, a right angle (90 degree) configuration and to a collapsed low profile configuration. The device provides an aid for proper target alignment, body and feet alignment and ball alignment when practicing various golf shots with all types of clubs including woods, short/mid/long irons, wedges and putter. The device also serves as a reference for analyzing divots (i.e., fat, thin, pull, hook) after each practice golf shot.
US09937403B2
A golf training aid comprising a base, a support arm, and an alignment rod or guide, wherein the base is positioned in front of the target golf ball when the golfer is in position behind the target golf ball. The arm is attached to the base and is normal to the direction of the stroke or swing, wherein the alignment rod or guide is held by the support arm directly above the target golf ball as viewed by the golfer. The system may further comprise an adjustable, telescoping, stationary, or detachable pole with a camera mount and/or camera attached to the pole top and may comprise a camera mount under the base.
US09937400B2
An automatic game ball throwing machine. The ball thrower includes a base, a support frame attached to the base, a drive wheel mechanism attached to the support frame, and a human-machine interface which enables customization of ball spin, speed and target location. A light source can be attached to the machine to illuminate each ball at one or more launch points. Further, a launching frame indexing element can be positioned to control the location of the ball target. A resident software program integrates the throwing machine, indexing element and human-machine interface, calculating pitch parameters and converting them to machine outputs to enable customization of pitch variety and characteristics.
US09937398B1
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a golf tee. The golf tee may include a shaft having a top end and a bottom end. A cup may be located at the top end of the shaft, the cup may have a concave surface, and the cup may have a rim configured to contact a ball when the golf tee supports the ball. At least one protrusion may extend from the concave surface of the cup, where the protrusion has a surface configured to contact the ball when the golf tee supports the ball.
US09937389B2
A golf club head according to this invention is a wood type golf club head including a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. A plurality of grooves are formed in the face portion. The depth of the plurality of grooves is less than 0.025 mm. A film having a thickness not more than the depth is formed on the face portion by a surface treatment.
US09937388B2
A ball striking device may include a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The ball striking device may include a covering element located behind the rear surface. The covering element may be affixed to the rear surface of the ball striking plate with an adhesive member. The adhesive member may include a double-sided tape. Further, a thickened portion of the ball striking plate may be located behind a desired-contact region of the ball striking plate and the covering element may be affixed thereto. The covering element may be a highly-contoured element. The ball striking device may be a golf club head.
US09937387B2
Embodiments of golf clubs with adjustable loft and lie and methods of manufacturing golf clubs with adjustable loft and lie are generally described herein. The invention relates in particular to a golf club head with an adjustment portion that allows a user to change the loft and lie. The separate adjustment portion of the club head can couple the upper hosel to the body at a plurality of positions. An insert part of the adjustment portion has an upper section for receiving the upper hosel portion, a middle section, and a lower section. The sections of the adjustment portion can be coupled together by a fastener so that the sections are rotationally movable.
US09937385B2
Golf balls having a multi-layered core made of a foamed composition are provided. The core preferably has a foam inner core (center) and surrounding thermoset or thermoplastic outer core layer. Preferably, a polyurethane foam composition is used to form the foam center. The foam inner core preferably includes a fully-foamed center region and a partially or completely-collapsed foam outer region. The hardness of the fully-foamed region is different than the hardness of the collapsed foam region. Non-foamed thermoset or thermoplastic materials such as polybutadiene rubbers or ethylene acid copolymer ionomer may be used to form the outer core layer. The ball further includes a cover that may be multi-layered. The foam cores have good resiliency.
US09937382B2
In a first aspect, a method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing a monitor for determining a level of exercise performance performed by an exerciser and for outputting a signal representative of the performance level; (2) using the monitor to measure a level of exercise performance performed by an exerciser; (3) outputting from the monitor a signal representative of the performance level; (4) providing a video game having a character, the video game inputting and being responsive to the performance level signal output by the monitor, the video game using the performance level signal to control a performance level of the video game character; and (5) while the exerciser is not exercising, controlling a performance level of the video game character based on a performance level signal output by the monitor.
US09937380B2
An exercise apparatus comprising: a foot support, a user interface that includes a visual display, the foot support being movable by the user on the frame back and forth through any one of a plurality of complete, reproducible and different arc segments of a master arcuate path, the foot support being interconnected to a selection device that enables the user to select any one of the plurality of arc segments, one or more detectors adapted to detect one or more of force, energy or power exerted by the user over time on the foot support or distance or velocity of travel of the foot support or resistance assembly during the course of the user's performance of all or a portion of an exercise cycle, the visual display displaying a visually recognizable format of one or more of the force, energy, power, distance, time or velocity.
US09937379B2
An elliptical exercise machine, in one embodiment, includes a first assembly pivotally coupled with a second assembly and at least one assist mechanism. The first assembly includes a first frame member, a rotational resistance mechanism associated with the first frame member, a first foot support member pivotally coupled to a portion of the rotational mechanism and a second foot support member pivotally coupled to another portion of the rotational mechanism. The second assembly includes a second frame member, a first reciprocating arm pivotally coupled with the second frame member, a second reciprocating arm pivotally coupled with the second frame member. In one embodiment, the assist mechanism may include a folding assist mechanism to provide resistance between the assemblies during a folding transition. In another embodiment, the assist mechanism may include a rotational assist mechanism to assist a user in transitioning the elliptical machine to an upright storage position.
US09937375B2
The invention belongs to the technical field of fitness equipment, in particular to the independent suspension vibration damping mechanism of running platform of a treadmill. It solves the problem that the shock effect of the existing treadmill is poor and so on. It includes the chassis and the runway frame. The front end of mentioned runway frame is suspended on the chassis by means of a suspension structure and when the runway frame is subjected to a downward force and forcing the front end of the runway frame to descend, the suspension structure can assist the front end of the runway frame to rise and reset. The independent suspension vibration damping mechanism of running platform of the treadmill has the advantages: simple structure, good stability, good shock absorption effect, providing shock absorption buffer to multiple locations of the treadmill, long span life, and high mechanical strength.
US09937373B2
A multi-purpose box training system apparatus that is designed to enable a user to train his or her entire body in an effective and safe manner.
US09937372B2
An exercise device for use by a user on a support surface comprises a support assembly, an extendable neck, and one or more resilient first resistance assemblies. The support assembly supports the user relative to the support surface. The support assembly includes a support body that is engaged by the user, and a support base that supports the support body, the support base resting on the support surface. The extendable neck is movably coupled to the support assembly. More particularly, the extendable neck is selectively movable relative to the support assembly between a retracted position and an extended position. The one or more resilient first resistance assemblies are secured to the extendable neck.
US09937371B2
A pole vault swing-up rack includes a frame body with upper hooks and a lower push bracket. The rack is designed to hang vertically from a horizontal bar—as a pull-up bar—by the hooks. An athlete hanging from the pull-up bar in an upright vertical position may kick his/her legs and torso up to an inverted vertical position to simulate movement of a pole vault. The athlete's shoulders rest against vertical uprights of the rack to maintain the athlete's shoulders and body in front of a vertical plane as in a pole vault movement. A trainer can use the lower push bracket to assist the athlete in the kicking motion. The parts of the rack that come into contact with the athlete may be covered in foam padding and a rubber coating.
US09937367B1
The present invention comprises a shell, a fixing arrangement, a belt pulley, a main belt, and a breaking arrangement. The shell comprises a compartment defined therein and a belt outlet thereon. The compartment has an opening facing upward. The fixing arrangement detachably buckles the shell on safety harness. The belt pulley is pivotally arranged in the compartment by an axis and defines a winding room. The main belt is coiled in the winding room and has a first end affixed in the winding room, a second end pulled out from the shell through the belt outlet, and a supporting portion provided between the first end and the second end. The breaking arrangement comprises a plurality of blocks spacingly arranged on the shell, a first guiding groove radially arranged on the belt pulley, and a slider slidingly arranged in the first guiding groove to shift between a first position and a second position, such that when the slider shifts to the second position, the pulling position of the supporting portion is adjustable and when the slider shifts to the first position, the supporting portion is positioned for the user to step when hanging in the air.
US09937364B2
A medical instrument (900, 1000) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (911) comprising an ultrasound transducer (102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 407, 08) with an adjustable sonication frequency. The ultrasound transducer comprises capacitive micromachined transducers (102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 407, 508). Execution of machine executable instructions by a processor causes the processor to: receive (700, 800) a treatment plan (924) descriptive of a target zone (908) within a subject (902); determine (702, 802) a traversal distance (926) through the subject to the target zone using the treatment plan, wherein the traversal distance is descriptive of the traversal of ultrasound from the ultrasound transducer to the target zone; determine (704, 804) a sonication frequency (829) using the traversal distance for focusing the sonication volume onto the target zone; and sonicate (706, 806) the target zone using the high intensity focused ultrasound system at the sonication frequency.
US09937357B2
The present invention relates to a radiofrequency (RF) hyperthermia device for personalized treatment and diagnosis using capacitive coupling and without dipole antenna comprising a radiofrequency source, an amplifier, a sensor and a modulation signal input/generator, wherein the radiofrequency source produces a source signal which is modulated by the modulation signal input/generator using the phase information generated by homeostasis of the target to generate a modulated source signal, the modulated source signal is amplified by the amplifier and directed to a target, and the sensor detects the phase information generated by homeostasis of the target to provide a feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal modulates the source signal to generate a personalized modulated signal. This radiofrequency (RF) hyperthermia device is designed for personalized treatment and diagnosis of a target such as a patient or a malignant or tumorous area within a patient.
US09937354B2
An encapsulated filtered feedthrough assembly for an implantable medical device including a ferrule, an electrical insulator coupled to the ferrule, a printed circuit board (PCB), a feedthrough conductor extending through the electrical insulator and the PCB, and a capacitor coupled to the PCB. The encapsulated filtered feedthrough assembly can include a mold defining an opening and located with respect to the printed circuit board such that at least a portion of the capacitor is positioned within the opening. A first non-conductive material can underfill the capacitor and a second non-conductive material can be backfilled into the mold to encapsulate the capacitor.
US09937350B2
An embodiment relates to a method for delivering a vagal stimulation therapy to a vagus nerve, including delivering a neural stimulation signal to non-selectively stimulate both afferent axons and efferent axons in the vagus nerve according to a predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy, and selecting a value for at least one parameter for the predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy to control the neural stimulation therapy to avoid physiological habituation to the vagal stimulation therapy. The parameter(s) include at least one parameter selected from the group of parameters consisting of a predetermined therapy duration parameter for a predetermined therapy period, and a predetermined intermittent neural stimulation parameter associated with on/off timing for the intermittent neural stimulation parameter.
US09937336B2
A method of manufacturing a conical-projections-sheet packaging body includes forming a plurality of conical-recess parts on a conical-projections forming sheet; forming, by supplying a conical-projections material to the conical-projections forming sheet, a conical-projections sheet including a base sheet and a plurality of conical projections formed on a surface of the base sheet and disposed inside the plurality of conical-recess parts; forming a plurality of sets of the conical-projections forming sheets and the conical-projections sheets by punching out the conical-projections forming sheets and the conical-projections sheets; and using a package member to package a set of the conical-projections sheets and the conical-projections forming sheets tightly adhered to one another. Thus, the plurality of conical projections of the conical-projections sheet are protected.
US09937335B2
The present invention provides for a drug delivery device. The device can comprise at least one core with a first active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), coated with a first layer that is permeable or semi-permeable to the API, coated with a second layer that is impermeable to the API, and having a delivery window to allow passage of the API through the device and into body fluids or tissues. The device can also have a wicking material to modify the rate of transport of the API into the body fluid or tissues.
US09937322B2
A catheter assembly includes a pull wire and a control member subassembly, wherein the pull wire is secured to a post of the subassembly that may extend through a slot of a handle, and an engagement feature of the subassembly, being supported by an elastically deformable support of the subassembly resting on a railway of the handle, confronts a mating feature of the handle to interlock therewith, responsive to the support being un-deformed. The post, engagement feature, and support may be integrally formed together in a single-piece component, wherein the engagement feature may be one or two rows of teeth formed in a surface of an upper portion of the component, and the support may be a pair of flexible cantilever beam members of a lower portion of the component. Furthermore, the mating surface and railway may be integrally formed in an inner surface of a shell of the handle.
US09937317B2
Modified medical syringe with a flow regulator for the administration of anaesthesia, which allows for anaesthesiologists to handle the needle, control continuous aspiration and administer the anaesthetic with a single hand, thereby preventing intravascular injections. It comprises a flexible tube, designed to be introduced inside the barrel, which supplies the anaesthetic; a cylindrical body located on the rod, equipped with a protuberance along a semicircle located on the proximal side of the body and a through-hole wherein one end of the flexible tube may be introduced; a cylindrical cap located inside the syringe barrel, equipped with a longitudinal groove along its cylindrical side, which is designed to house the aforementioned flexible tube; a preloaded spring around the rod located between the cap and the support disk; and a pressurization device connected to the flexible tube.
US09937313B2
A nose adapter (2) and system, for use in noninvasive respiratory support, has a proximal end, for coupling to the nose, and a distal end for coupling to a ventilation device. An inspiratory channel (6) and an expiratory channel (7) extend between the proximal and distal end. The distal ends of the channels terminate in a respective connection adapter (30, 31) for connecting ventilation tubes (4). The proximal ends of the inspiratory and the expiratory channels are bent inwards 90° such that the openings of the channels face each other. A cylindrical tube element (34), rotatably held between the openings, has a through-opening in the cylindrical circumferential surface of the tube element. A connection nozzle (13) connects to a prong or a nose mask and is formed on the outer face of the rotatable tube element (34), in alignment with the through-opening, such that the connection nozzle can pivot.
US09937309B2
An improvement for existing breathing therapy machines which seeks the optimum therapy pressure using an auto-adjust algorithm.
US09937308B2
A pressurized flow of breathable gas is delivered to the airway of a subject in accordance with a therapy regimen. The therapy regimen may be designed to maintain oxygenation of the subject. The therapy regimen dictates levels of fraction of inspired oxygen and/or positive end expiratory pressure to maintain a therapeutically beneficial level of oxygenation in a feedback manner. Within the therapy regimen, changes made to fraction of inspired oxygen and/or positive end expiratory pressure automatically and dynamically are constrained by user configured constraints such as the maximum incremental change, amount of time between adjustments, or the maximum rate of change This may provide a level of customization of the automated control of the therapy regime for individual subjects.
US09937298B2
A tissue penetration device includes a magnetic source that produces a controllable magnetic field in a magnetically active region adjacent the magnetic source. A magnetic member is disposed at least partially in the magnetically active region. A permanent magnet is disposed at a proximal end of the magnetically active region for zeroing the position of the magnetic member while the tissue penetration device is inactive.
US09937295B2
A syringe (1) for mixing and ejecting an active pharmaceutical ingredient is disclosed. The syringe (1) comprises a syringe body (2) defining a first lumen (8), a first plunger (4) arranged movably in said first lumen (8), said first plunger (4) being hollow, thereby defining a second lumen (9) being separated from the first lumen (8), and a second plunger (5) arranged movably in said second lumen (9). A liquid diluent is contained in one of the first lumen (8) and the second lumen (9), and an active pharmaceutical ingredient is contained in the other of the first lumen (8) and the second lumen (9). The second plunger (5) is movable in such a manner that the active pharmaceutical ingredient and the liquid diluent are brought together, e.g. in the first lumen (8) or in the second lumen (9), thereby causing the active pharmaceutical ingredient to be diluted by the diluent, and the first plunger (4) and/or the second plunger (5) is/are movable in such a manner that diluted active pharmaceutical ingredient can be ejected from the syringe (1). The syringe (1) provides a single device for mixing and ejecting the active pharmaceutical ingredient. This reduces the risk of contamination, and the syringe (1) can be easily operated by an untrained user.
US09937282B2
A soft tissue implant comprises a condensed surgical mesh having a plurality of monofilament biocompatible fibers 12. Condensing of the fibers reduces the void space between adjacent fibers 12 in the mesh and reduces the surface area of the fibers 12 available for contact with tissue. Condensation of the fibers 12 may be achieved by applying mechanical pressure, and/or vacuum, and/or heat to the mesh.
US09937274B2
A lighting system includes a light source configured to generate light toward one or more surfaces or materials to inactivate one or more pathogens on the one or more surfaces or materials. The light includes an inactivating portion having wavelengths in a range of 280 to 380 nanometers.
US09937263B2
The present invention provides a vesicle, a conjugate, a composition comprising the vesicle or the conjugate, for use in delivering a drug to the brain, and a method for administering the same. The composition of the present invention is a composition for administration to a subject according to a dosing regimen, comprising a carrier for drug delivery, wherein the dosing regimen comprises administering the composition to a subject who has been fasted or caused to have hypoglycemia and inducing an increase in blood glucose level in the subject, and the carrier is modified at the outer surface thereof with a GLUT1 ligand.
US09937253B2
The present invention discloses and claims virus like particles (VLPs) that express and/or contains seasonal influenza virus proteins, avian influenza virus proteins and/or influenza virus proteins from viruses with pandemic potential. The invention includes vector constructs comprising said proteins, cells comprising said constructs, formulations and vaccines comprising VLPs of the inventions. The invention also includes methods of making and administrating VLPs to vertebrates, including methods of inducing substantial immunity to either seasonal and avian influenza, or at least one symptom thereof.
US09937241B2
The present invention relates to novel therapies that utilize stabilized exogenous HSP70 for the treatment of disorders or conditions regulated by HSP70 through administration of degradation resistant formulations of HSP70. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to methods comprising the administration of stabilized exogenous HSP70 for use in the treatment of HSP70 related disorders or conditions, for example, for increased endurance or alleviating fatigue syndrome.
US09937235B2
Lipidated peptides, analogs of both forms of the prolactin-releasing peptide, PrRP31 and PrRP20, represent anorexigenic compounds that lower food intake and function in the brain after peripheral administration. The analogs PrRP31 and PrRP20 lipidated at the N-terminus by myristic or palmitic acids bind with high affinity to the endogenous receptor GPR10 in the rat pituitary cell line RC-4B/C and CHO cell line with transfected human receptor. These lipidated peptides also significantly decrease, in a dose-dependent manner, the food intake in fasted mice and have similar effects in comparable doses as centrally administered natural PrRP31, these effects are, however, stronger and longer lasting. Lipidation of an effective anorexigenic neuropeptide PrRP induces a central effect after peripheral administration and thus makes the lipidated analogs of PrRP a promising anti-obesity drug.
US09937234B2
As disclosed herein methods are provided to identify compounds with antimicrobial activity, and methods for treating subjects by administering the compounds. In particular, the invention provides methods for treating and/or preventing microbial diseases and infections. One aspect of the present invention is directed to the identification of bactericidal compounds that function like chemokines. In one embodiment compounds are identified that bind to the extracellular domains of Bacillus anthracis FtsX. Compounds that bind to FtsX are then screened for bactericidal activity. In one embodiment compounds are screened to identify compounds that bind to the peptide.
US09937231B2
The present disclosure provides compositions and methods useful for treating or preventing diseases or disorders where beta amyloid accumulation or aggregation contributes to the pathology or symptomology of the disease, for example Alzheimer's disease.
US09937226B2
The present invention relates to a new use of an immunomodulatory protein derived from Ganoderma or a recombinant or a composition thereof in inhibiting cancel stem cells. Particularly, the immunomodulatory protein is derived form Ganoderma microsporum and the cancel stem cell is oral cancer stem cell.
US09937224B2
The invention relates generally to treatment of neurological disorders and nervous system injuries. The invention specifically provides methods of using modulators of particular target proteins to modulate degeneration of neurons or portions thereof, such as axons.
US09937220B2
A comestible composition with anti-diabetic property which is effective in lowering the blood glucose and help reduce oxidative stress in diabetics and have anti-diabetic properties that protect against diabetic complications, retarding diabetes related organ degeneration and effective to hinder or prevent ailments or conditions resulting from, or exacerbated by, a chronic increase in blood sugar including: tissue degeneration, cardiovascular disease, kidney degeneration, loss of cognitive function, weight loss, visual impairment, and vasomotor symptoms which contains extract from palm leaf.
US09937214B2
The present invention discloses Lactobacillus crispatus 262-1 and an inoculum comprising such strain and application thereof. The Lactobacillus crispatus 262-1 is a new strain of Lactobacillus genus and is preserved in the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center with a preservation number of CGMCC No. 6469. The Lactobacillus crispatus 262-1 particularly is the dominant bacteria in the vagina, has good acid and H2O2 production capability, good adhesion to the vaginal epithelial cells and significant resistance to bacterial vaginosis and various vaginal infections, and is characterized by safety, non-toxicity, good stability and long term preservation. The present invention also relates to the use of the Lactobacillus crispatus 262-1 in the preparation of pharmaceuticals for preventing and/or treating gynecological diseases and its application in feminine care products such as medical instruments, disinfect products or cosmetics.
US09937211B2
A first aspect of the invention relates to the bacterial species Roseburia hominis for use in: regulating the immune system of a subject treating an immune disorder; treating an intestinal disorder; improving intestinal microbiota; regulating the innate immune system of a subject; regulating the adaptive immune system of a subject; regulating appetite in a subject; promoting Tregs and immune tolerance; promoting gut health in a subject; and/or maintaining immune homeostasis in a subject. Further aspects of the invention relate to compositions comprising Roseburia hominis.
US09937196B2
In this application is described the complete genomic sequence of avian parmyxovirus type 2, strains Yucaipa, England, Kenya and Bangor. The sequences are useful for production of recombinant infective virus, a virus vector, for vaccine development and for therapeutic compositions.
