US07825353B2
Various embodiments of an electrical cooking apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electrical cooking apparatus includes a substantially continuous cooking surface, a plurality of electrical heating elements disposed under the substantially continuous cooking surface, and at least two temperature controllers configured to allow independent control of temperatures of at least two of the plurality of heating elements.
US07825346B2
A low powered activation electronic device includes a power source, an electronic circuit, having two spaced apart electrodes, electrically connected to the power source to form an opened circuit, and two fabric contacts made of textile material provided at the two electrodes of the electronic circuit, wherein the electronic circuit is formed a closed circuit to activate the electronic device in responsive to a physical touch by a human operator at the two fabric contacts.
US07825344B2
A system for remotely racking a horizontally movable circuit breaker includes a motor as well as a transmission connectible to the motor and to a racking screw for moving the circuit breaker. The system further includes a mounting bracket for holding the transmission and a controller for controlling the motor from a location remote from the circuit breaker.
US07825341B2
A circuit board has a first face and a second face opposite to the first face. An antenna element is mounted on the first face. A shield cover is attached to the second face. The shield cover includes a polygonal base portion, a first wall provided on a first side of the polygonal base portion, a second wall provided on a second side of the polygonal base portion, a third wall provided on a corner defined by the first side and the second side, and disposed between the first wall and the second wall, a first extending portion extended from the first wall so as to overlap with the third wall, and a second extending portion extended from the second wall so as to overlap with the third wall. The shield cover is soldered on the second face.
US07825332B1
A bundled wire device having a first stranded wire, a second stranded wire, and a stranded copper ground wire, wherein the wires are simultaneously coated with a mesh sheath. The mesh sheaths allow heat from the first stranded wire, second stranded wire, and the stranded copper wire to dissipate. The bundled wire device has a third stranded wire also surrounded by the mesh sheath.
US07825326B2
This disclosure relates to a photovoltaic cell that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active layer disposed between the first and second electrodes. The active layer includes two different fullerenes. The weight ratio of the first fullerene to the second fullerene is at least about 1:20.
US07825317B1
Wind instrument made of flour based foodstuff, such as dried dough for the preparation of pasta, the wind instrument formed as a tubular envelope defining a cavity with two ends, where the first end is open, enabling a user of the wind instrument to blow air into the open end to generate sound while the second end is being sealed, the tubular opening having a labium opening, the second end of the cavity being selectively sealed, such as by a finger of the user, or fixedly sealed, such as during the manufacturing, the tubular envelope having at least one fingerhole that is selectively openable and closeable while the user is blowing air through the open end, enabling adjustment of the tone or tone pitch of the generated sound.
US07825315B1
A hand-held pick for playing guitars and other musical instruments includes a pick body and a plurality of string engaging protrusions. The pick body is flexible and may be used in either a straight condition or a bent condition. The protrusions can be simultaneously engaged with a plurality of strings and simultaneously pluck the strings.
US07825314B2
The invention relates to a protective tuner cover for the tuning section of a stringed musical instrument, such as a guitar. The tuner cover is sized to enclose the instrument headstock, or a substantial portion thereof, and includes a section that encloses and protects the tuning keys and knobs of the musical instrument. When constructed as a unitary structure, the tuner cover can be slid onto the instrument headstock. When constructed from separable components, the tuning cover can be opened and closed over the headstock in a bivalve manner if hinged, or by appropriately spaced latching mechanisms if completely separable. The tuner cover can be constructed to enclose and protect one or two rows of tuning keys and knobs, depending on the type of musical instrument.
US07825309B1
A novel maize variety designated 36H43 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety 36H43 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into 36H43 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety 36H43, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety 36H43. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety 36H43 and to the maize varieties derived by the use of those methods.
US07825304B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated MCS0702B2RF. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety MCS0702B2RF. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety MCS0702B2RF and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety MCS0702B2RF with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07825296B2
The invention relates to plant transcription factor polypeptides, polynucleotides that encode them, homologs from a variety of plant species, and methods of using the polynucleotides and polypeptides to produce transgenic plants having advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
US07825293B2
The present invention relates to a method for improving plant growth by increasing activity of DP protein in shoot tissue. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, due to increased expression of a DP nucleic acid specifically in shoot-tissue. The increased expression of the nucleic acid encoding a DP protein, according to the methods of the present invention, may be mediated by a shoot-tissue-specific promoter.
US07825287B2
High octane C7 hydrocarbons, particularly 2,2,3-trimethylbutane (“triptane”) and 2,2,3-trimethyl-but-1-ene (“triptene”) (collectively “triptyls”) are produced by homologation of a feed comprising dimethyl ether and/or methanol and optionally including one or more aliphatic hydrocarbons in the presence of certain acidic zeolite catalysts. The process can be carried out at temperatures lower than those previously used for conversion of dimethyl ether and/or methanol to higher alkanes, including C7 alkanes, and results in selective production of triptane and/or triptene with relatively little isomerization to or production of other C7 alkanes.
US07825283B2
A nanoparticle includes a chain oligomer section having a hydrophilic group and fluoroalkyl groups respectively at its opposite terminals, a three-dimensional silica network section, and an organic chain having fluorine or silicon, and is represented by the following formula (1): where R′ is independent H or independent alkyl group; X is the hydrophilic group and is independent OH group, independent NCO group, independent NH2 group or the like; RF is the fluoroalkyl group having a carbon number of 2 to 10 and a molecular weight of 119 to 1000; 3D-SN is the three-dimensional silica network section; B is independent O, independent O═C—O or the like; E is O, O═C—O, NH—C═O or the like; G is [(CH2O)1—[Si(CH3)2O]k—(CH2O)1] or the like.
US07825281B2
A process for preparing electronics-grade 2,2′-aminoethyoxyethanol by reacting diethylene glycol with ammonia in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to give a reaction mixture from which a crude 2,2′-aminoethoxyethanol stream is separated off and is purified further by distillation in a pure column, wherein a sidestream comprising electronics-grade 2,2′-aminoethoxyethanol is taken off from the pure column as a result of the diethylene glycol being passed through a filter which ensures a degree of removal of at least 99% for solid particles having a maximum particle size of ≦1.5 μm before the diethylene glycol is fed into the reactor, is proposed.
US07825270B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to natural and synthetic inositolphospholipid (IPL) materials, their preparation and applications. They provide compositions of the parent IPL comprising phosphatidylinositol (PI), PI-phosphates (phosphoinositides) and derivatives and analogues, and a process for their production starting from natural IPL. The embodiments further provide functional derivatives of PI for biomedical applications including a platform for drug design and delivery to therapeutic targets in the phosphoinositide mediated cellular signaling and allied cascades. The embodiments pertain to IPL having absolute stereo-structure. The embodiments further pertain to unique IPL and PI product compositions for defined applications, particularly pharmaceutical compositions for prophylaxis and treatment of diseases related to aberrant cellular and nuclear signaling mediated by PI and PI derived phosphates, and associated phosphoinositide specific enzymes including PI-PLC and PI 3-kinase.
US07825265B2
Disclosed herein are novel di-aromatic compounds and methods for using various di-aromatic compounds for treatment and prevention of diseases and disorders related to estrogen receptors.
US07825264B2
The invention relates to compounds of formula I in which A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and n have the meanings stated in the claims. The compounds are particularly suitable as antiarrhythmic active ingredients, in particular for the treatment and prophylaxis of atrial arrhythmias, for example atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter.
US07825263B2
The present invention relates to β-adrenergic blockers nitrooxyderivatives of general formula (I): A-(Y—ONO2)s and enantiomers and diastereoisomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use for the treatment of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, glaucoma, migraine headache and vascular diseases.
US07825262B2
A method of effecting a one-pot conversion of a tetrahydronaphthalic anhydride to a benzisoindolenine salt is provided. The method comprises heating the tetrahydronaphthalic anhydride with a reagent mixture comprising ammonium nitrate.
US07825260B2
Compounds of formula I, wherein X, a, b, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification, processes for their production, their uses and pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US07825247B2
The present invention relates to novel amides and a process for preparing these amides.
US07825238B2
A method for treatment of HBV and HIV infections comprising administering the compound or salt of formula Ig
US07825234B2
The present invention provides a method of screening for the purpose of obtaining gene expression modulating elements and gene insulator elements. The invention includes a method of identifying gene expression modulating elements and gene insulator elements through use of the following steps: a) locating intergenic regions of a plant genome that are flanked by a gene on each side that have differing gene expressions b) taking that intergenic region or a portion of that intergenic region and adding it to a cassette comprising an isolated gene c) introducing the cassette into a plant cell d) analyzing expression of the isolated gene. The present invention also includes identified sequences that act as gene expression modulating elements.
US07825230B2
The present invention relates to human microRNA targets in HIV genome and a method of identification thereof. Using multiple software targets to six human microRNAs [miRNAs] were discovered in the net, vpr, env, and I vif genes. The miRNAs were identified as hsa-miR-29a, hsa-miR-29b, hsa-miR-29c, hsa-mir-149, hsa-mir-324-5p, hsa-mir-378. These miRNAs or its homologues can be used as therapeutics against HIV infection. The invention further relates to a novel strategy to target genes of HIV-1 by human microRNAs, or its homologues, to inactivate or block HIV activity. The computational approach towards identification of human miRNA targets in the HIV genome and the variation in the microRNA levels was further validated experimentally.
US07825224B2
Particular members of the multisubunit immune recognition receptor (MIRR) family of receptors, specifically, the B cell antigen receptor (BCR), the pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR), the pro-B cell receptor (pro-BCR), Ig Fc receptors (FcR), and NK receptors, can be physically uncoupled from their associated transducers. The invention describes regulatory compounds and methods for mimicking such dissociation/destabilization for the purposes of receptor desensitization and for treatment of conditions in which receptor desensitization or alternatively, enhanced or prolonged receptor sensitization, is desirable. Compounds and methods for enhancing or prolonging receptor sensitization are also disclosed, as are methods for identifying regulatory compounds suitable for use in the present methods.
US07825217B2
Polypeptides for improving bone mineralization and/or phosphate update are provided. The peptides include a PHEX zinc binding domain and two ASARM binding domains.
US07825216B2
The present invention provides phenylalanine derivatives that inhibit SH2 domain binding with a phosphoprotein. These derivatives include compounds of the formula: W—Y-(AA)n-Z wherein n is 0 to 15; Y is a phenylalanyl radical having a phenyl ring, an amine end, and a carboxyl end, the phenyl ring having one or more substituents, e.g., hydroxyl, carboxyl, formyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxyalkyloxy, dicarboxyalkyl, dicarboxyalkyloxy, dicarboxyhaloalkyl, dicarboxyhaloalkyloxy, and phosphonoalkyl, or phosphonohaloalkyl; W is a moiety attached to the nitrogen of Y and is, e.g., alkylcarbonyl, oxalyl, alkylaminooxalyl, arylaminooxalyl, arylalkylaminooxalyl, or alkoxyoxalyl; AA is an amino acid, the amine end of which is attached to the carboxyl end of Y; and Z is an arylalkylamino or arylheterocyclyl alkylamino; or a salt thereof; with the proviso that W is not arylalkylamino when the phenyl ring of phenylalanyl contains a phosphonoalkyl or phosphonohaloalkyl substituent at a position para to the alkylamido group and the ortho and meta positions are unsubstituted. The present invention further provides precursors suitable for preparing the phenylalanine derivatives and a method for the preparation of the precursors. The present invention further provides conjugates comprising a precursor and a conjugant that are covalently linked. These conjugates have biological and/or pharmacological properties.
US07825211B2
A process for synthesizing formulations for polyimides suitable for use in high-temperature composites in which all reactions other than chain-extension have already taken place prior to making a composite is described, wherein the resulting oligomers comprise a backbone and at least one difunctional endcap. The resulting resin systems have only the single step of endcap-to-endcap reactions during composite processing. Prior to the initiation temperature of these endcap-to-endcap reactions, the resins are stable affording the composite manufacturer a very large processing window.
US07825209B2
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of SiOC-linked, linear polydimethylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene block copolymers having (AB) repeat units, via reaction of one or more polyetherdiols with a stoichiometric excess of α,ω-dihydropolydimethylsiloxanes and at least one tertiary amine as catalyst, which comprises, after completed reaction of the alcohol component, continuing the reaction in the presence of small amounts of water until no remaining ≡Si(H) groups are detectable by a gas-volumetric method.
US07825205B2
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of SiOC-linked, linear polydimethylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene block copolymers having (AB) repeat units, via reaction by methods known per se of polyetherdiols with a stoichiometric excess of α,ω-dihydropolydimethylsiloxanes, in the presence of one or more compounds of elements of main group 13 and/or of transition group 3 as catalyst, which comprises, after completed reaction of the alcohol component, continuing the reaction until no remaining ≡Si(H) groups are detectable by a gas-volumetric method, and also to the compounds thus prepared, and to their use as surfactant additives for the production of polyurethane ether foams.
US07825194B2
This invention discloses a process for synthesizing a hairy polymer particle which comprises the steps of (1) polymerizing a vinyl aromatic monomer by emulsion polymerization in an aqueous medium to produce core particles, (2) recovering the core particles from the aqueous medium, (3) dispersing the core particles in an organic solvent, (4) adding an organo-lithium compound to the dried core particles in the organic solvent to produce the hairless core initiator, and (5) utilizing the hairless core initiator to initiate the anionic polymerization of a conjugated diolefin monomer in an organic solvent to produce a solution of the hairy polymer particles. The hairy polymer nanoparticles can then be recovered from the organic solvent. These hairy polymer particles are comprised of (1) a core which is comprised of a polymer of a vinyl aromatic monomer and (2) hairs which are polymer chains of a conjugated diolefin monomer, wherein the hairs are covalently bonded to the core. The core is typically spherical in shape, has a diameter of less than 1000 nm, and is comprised of a crosslinked polymer of a vinyl aromatic monomer. The hairy polymer particles of this invention are useful as fillers in rubber compositions used in making articles of manufacture, such as tires, hoses, power transmission belts, windshield wiper blades, and the like.
US07825189B2
An adhesive composition for optical films, which inhibits contamination in the re-release process and peeling under severe conditions while favorably maintaining its durability and light leakage prevention properties. The adhesive composition includes: (A) an acrylic-based polymer which is obtained by copolymerizing at least the following monomer components: (a1) a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester and/or a (meth)acrylic acid alkoxyalkyl ester, (a2) an aromatic ring-containing monomer, (a3) a hydroxyl group-containing monomer, and optionally, (a4) a carboxyl group- or amino group-containing monomer, and which has a weight-average molecular weight of 800,000 to 1,600,000 and a value (Mw/Mn), as obtained by dividing the weight-average molecular weight of the copolymer by the number-average molecular weight thereof, of 10 to 50, (B) an isocyanate-based crosslinking agent, (C) a silane coupling agent, and optionally, (D) a crosslinking accelerator.
US07825182B2
This invention relates to nanocomposites comprising organo-clay and at least one stabilization functionalized thermoplastic polyolefin. Preferably the stabilization functionalized thermoplastic polyolefin is represented by the formula: T-(R1G)n wherein T represents the thermoplastic polyolefin Each R1 is a bridging group, preferably independently selected from the group consisting of C1 to C20 aliphatic; C1 to C20 aromatic; substituted C1 to C20 aliphatic; substituted C1 to C20 aromatic; C1 to C20 aliphatic ester; C1 to C20 aliphatic ether; C1 to C20 aliphatic amide; C1 to C20 aliphatic imide; n is the number of stabilization functional/bridging groups bound to T and may be from 1-300; and G is selected from one or more of phenols, ketones, hindered amines, substituted phenols, substituted ketones, substituted hindered amines, or combinations thereof.
US07825178B2
A floor-polish leveling agent containing an ester compound obtained by reacting a hydroxycarboxylic acid with at least one glycol ether so that substantially all of the carboxyl groups are esterified. The ester compound may be an acetylated ester compound in which one or more hydroxyl groups are acetylated. An aqueous floor-polish composition containing this ester compound and/or acetylated ester compound, and a water-insoluble polymer.
US07825165B2
Process for improving the insulating capacity of expanded vinyl aromatic which comprises: 1) preparing beads of expandable vinyl aromatic polymers containing 1-10% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer, of an expanding agent englobed in the polymeric matrix and 0.001-25% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of an athermanous additive comprising carbon black homogeneously distributed in the polymeric matrix; 2) treating the surface of the beads, before deposition of the coating, with a liquid lubricating agent; and 3) thermally treating the beads with hot air at a temperature ranging from 30 to 60° C.
US07825159B2
The present invention is directed to a mixture of at least two different alkylated phenolphthalein ester compounds. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mixture of at least two different compounds of formula I: wherein R1 represents a straight chain alkyl group having 1 to 11 carbon atoms; R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a group of the formula C(O)R4 where R4 is a hydrogen atom or a straight chain alkyl group having 1 to 11 carbon atoms; X2-X5 independently represent hydrogen; X6-X13 is same or different, and represents hydrogen or a straight or branched chain alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms. It further relates to a marker composition containing said mixtures dissolved in a solvent.
US07825151B2
This invention is directed to a hexahydro-cyclooctyl pyrazole cannabinoid modulator compound of formula (I): and a method for use in treating, ameliorating or preventing a cannabinoid receptor mediated syndrome, disorder or disease.
US07825148B2
The present invention relates to substituted triazole compounds and compositions comprising substituted triazole compounds. The invention further relates to methods of inhibiting the activity of Hsp90 in a subject in need thereof and methods for preventing or treating hyperproliferative disorders, such as cancer, in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a substituted triazole compound of the invention, or a composition comprising such a compound.
US07825145B2
The present invention relates to a method of treatment and/or prophylaxis of a microbial infection, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a compound of formula (I), in which X and Y are either the same or different and selected from a heteroatom; is a double or single bond depending on the heteroatoms X and Y; R1 to R5 are either the same or different and selected from hydrogen or a non-deleterious substituent; and R6 and R7 are either the same or different and selected from hydrogen and a non-deleterious substituent or one of R6 and R7 are absent when there is a double bond present, pharmaceutically acceptable salts or derivatives, pro-drugs, tautomers and/or isomers thereof. The present invention also relates to a method for protecting a subject from radiation damage, a method of cancer radiotherapy and use as an antimicrobial or radioprotective agent of the compound of formula (I) defined above. Some of the compounds of formula (I) are novel and are also described in the present invention, together with pharmaceutical or veterinary compositions containing them.
US07825142B2
Heterocyclic compounds, compositions comprising them, and methods of their use for the treatment, prevention and management of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and disorders are disclosed. Particular compounds are of formula I:
US07825133B2
The present invention provides N-substituted-2(1H) pyridones or the pharmaceutical acceptable salts thereof, and the pharmaceutical preparations containing the compounds. The compounds of the present invention can be used to treat various fibrotic diseases effectively, e.g., hepatic fibrosis.
US07825129B2
The present invention relates to compounds for the inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In some embodiments, the compounds have the Formula: wherein the constituent variables are as defined herein. The invention further provides methods for the use of the compounds disclosed herein.
US07825128B2
The invention relates to sulfoximine-substituted pyrimidines of the general formula I processes for the preparation thereof and their use as drugs.
US07825116B2
The present invention provides methods of treating or preventing autoimmune diseases with 2,4-pyrimidinediamine compounds, as well as methods of treating, preventing or ameliorating symptoms associated with such diseases. Specific examples of autoimmune diseases that can be treated or prevented with the compounds include rheumatoid arthritis and/or its associated symptoms, systemic lups erythematosis and/or its associated symptoms and multiple sclerosis and/or its associated symptoms.
US07825107B2
A method for treatment or prevention of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis in individuals without urethral sphincter dysfunction, comprises administering an effective amount of (i) a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) having estrogen antagonist effect in the prostate, (ii) an aromatase inhibitor, and/or (iii) an antiestrogen.
US07825105B2
The present invention pertains to novel 3, 10, and/or 12a-substituted tetracycline compounds. These tetracycline compounds can be used to treat numerous tetracycline compound-responsive states, such as bacterial infections and neoplasms, as well as other known applications for minocycline and tetracycline compounds in general, such as blocking tetracycline efflux and modulation of gene expression.
US07825094B2
Novel methods of treating proliferative disorders characterized by elevated Her-2, and the patient is then administered an effective amount of an HSP90 inhibitor.
US07825093B2
Disclosed is a composition of matter comprising an OSK1 peptide analog, and in some embodiments, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. A pharmaceutical composition comprises the composition and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Also disclosed are DNAs encoding the inventive composition of matter, an expression vector comprising the DNA, and host cells comprising the expression vector. Methods of treating an autoimmune disorder and of preventing or mitigating a relapse of a symptom of multiple sclerosis are also disclosed.
US07825091B2
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for use in the prevention or treatment of excess weight in a mammal. The compositions comprise oxyntomodulin which is shown to reduce food intake and/or increase energy expenditure.
US07825089B2
Disclosed are TALL-1 and TALL-1 receptor protein homologues (agonists and antagonists) designed based on the three-dimensional structure of sTALL-1, eBCMA and eBAFF-R; agonist homologues of APRIL; methods of using wild-type APRIL to inhibit the activity of TALL-1; compositions comprising such homologues, nucleic acid molecules encoding such homologues, and therapeutic methods of using such compounds and compositions. Also disclosed are crystalline complexes of sTALL-1 and sTALL-1 in complex with either BCMA or BAFF-R; models of three-dimensional structures of such crystalline complexes and related structures, methods of drug design using any portion of such structures; methods of design and/or identification of regulatory peptides derived from the such structures; compounds identified by drug design using such structures; and the use of such compounds in therapeutic compositions and methods.
US07825088B2
Methods for treating multiple myeloma with inhibitors of CXCR4 are described. The decreased expression of CXCR4 on multiple myeloma cells according to the invention results in decreased homing of the cells to the bone marrow and a reduction in the development of the disease. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions incorporating such inhibitors for use in the therapeutic treatment of multiple myeloma. The treatment methods described herein can be used independently, or in conjunction with, other therapies for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
US07825087B2
The present invention is directed to a composition comprising a nanoparticulate cyclosporine having improved bioavailability. The nanoparticulate cyclosporine particles of the composition have an effective average particle size of less than about 2000 nm in diameter and are useful in the prevention and treatment of organ transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other related diseases. The invention also relates to a controlled release composition comprising a cyclosporine or a nanoparticulate cyclosporine that in operation delivers the drug in a pulsed or bimodal manner for the prevention and treatment of organ transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other related diseases.
US07825078B2
Back end photoresist strippers and residue compositions are provided by non-aqueous compositions that are essentially non-corrosive toward copper as well as aluminum and that comprise a polar organic solvent, a hydroxylated amine, and as a corrosion inhibitor fructose.
US07825075B2
Piezoelectric crystal particles (which include pyroelectric crystal particles) enhance the viscosity of aqueous fluids that have increased viscosity due to the presence of viscoelastic surfactants (VESs). In one non-limiting theory, when the fluid containing the viscosity enhancers is heated and/or placed under pressure, the particles develop surface charges that associate, link, connect, or relate the VES micelles thereby increasing the viscosity of the fluid. The higher fluid viscosity is beneficial to crack the formation rock during a fracturing operation, reduce fluid leakoff, and carry high loading proppants to maintain the high conductivity of fractures.
US07825074B2
A process for a consolidation which is hydrolytically stable under hydrothermal conditions and/or for changing the wetting behavior of a porous and/or particulate geological formation. The process comprises introducing into the geological formation a consolidant and curing the introduced consolidant under elevated pressure and elevated temperature. The consolidant comprises a hydrolyzate and/or a precondensate based on silanes and metal compounds.
US07825071B2
A wellbore fluid that includes an oleaginous continuous phase; a non-oleaginous phase; and a modified polyesteramide surfactant; methods of formulating such wellbore fluid; and methods of drilling a subterranean formation with such wellbore fluid are disclosed.
US07825066B1
A formula and method for rapid neutralization of formaldehyde solutions and vapor is provided. The invention comprises a matrix or medium upon which a mixture of urea, acid, calcium chloride and water is applied and dried. When the treated matrix or medium comes into contact with formaldehyde solution or vapor, the hydroscopic nature of the calcium chloride dried on the medium quickly absorbs and neutralizes the formaldehyde, irreversibly changing the formaldehyde molecules to a nonhazardous and nontoxic polymer. This reduces the risk of exposure to formaldehyde solution and vapor by the technician handling the material.
US07825058B2
Compositions and methods for depositing one or more metal or metal alloy films on substrates. The compositions contain a catalyst, one or more carrier particles and one or more water-soluble or water-dispersible organic compounds. Metal or metal alloys may be deposited on the substrates by electroless or electrolytic deposition.
US07825044B2
Methods of curing a silicon oxide layer on a substrate are provided. The methods may include the processes of providing a semiconductor processing chamber and a substrate and forming an silicon oxide layer filling a portion of a trench on the substrate, the silicon oxide layer including carbon species as a byproduct of formation. The methods also include introducing an acidic vapor into the semiconductor processing chamber, the acidic vapor reacting with the silicon oxide layer to remove the carbon species from the silicon oxide layer. The methods may further include depositing additional silicon oxide over the cured silicon oxide to fill the trench. The methods may also include removing the acidic vapor from the semiconductor processing chamber.
US07825041B2
A method of reworking a semiconductor substrate and a method of forming a pattern of semiconductor device using the same without damage to an organic anti-reflective coating (ARC) is provided. The method of reworking a semiconductor substrate includes forming a photoresist pattern on a substrate having the organic ARC formed thereon. An entire surface of the substrate having the photoresist pattern formed thereon may be exposed when a defect is present in the photoresist pattern. The entire-surface-exposed photoresist pattern may be removed by performing a developing process without damage to the organic ARC.
US07825040B1
A method of filling a recess with an insulation film includes: introducing an alkoxysilane or aminosilane precursor containing neither a Si—C bond nor a C—C bond into a reaction chamber where a substrate having an irregular surface including a recess is placed; and depositing a flowable Si-containing insulation film on the irregular surface of the substrate to fill the recess therewith by plasma reaction at −50° C. to 100° C.
US07825037B2
In accordance with the invention, there is a method of forming a nanochannel including depositing a photosensitive film stack over a substrate and forming a pattern on the film stack using interferometric lithography. The method can further include depositing a plurality of silica nanoparticles to form a structure over the pattern and removing the pattern while retaining the structure formed by the plurality of silica nanoparticles, wherein the structure comprises an enclosed nanochannel.
US07825036B2
A method of synthesizing silicon wires generally includes the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a copper catalyst particle layer on a top surface of the substrate; heating the reactive device at a temperature of above 450° C. in a flowing protective gas; and introducing a mixture of a protective gas and a silicon-based reactive gas at a temperature of above 450° C. at a pressure of below 700 Torr, thereby forming the silicon wires on the substrate.
US07825034B2
A substrate having an etch stop layer and at least a dielectric layer disposed from bottom to top is provided. The dielectric layer is then patterned to form a plurality of openings exposing the etch stop layer. A dielectric thin film is subsequently formed to cover the dielectric layer, the sidewalls of the openings, and the etch stop layer. The dielectric thin film disposed on the dielectric layer and the etch stop layer is then removed.
US07825033B2
A method of etching a material that includes comprising germanium, antimony, and tellurium encompasses exposing said material to a plasma-enhanced etching chemistry comprising Cl2 and CH2F2. A method of forming a variable resistance memory cell includes forming a conductive inner electrode material over a substrate. A variable resistance chalcogenide material comprising germanium, antimony, and tellurium is formed over the conductive inner electrode material. A conductive outer electrode material is formed over the chalcogenide material. The germanium, antimony, and tellurium-comprising material is plasma etched using a chemistry comprising Cl2 and CH2F2.
US07825021B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a highly reliable display device with a preferable yield. A method for manufacturing a display device according to the invention comprises the steps of: forming a first electrode including a conductive material added with a material which prevents crystallization; forming a layer containing an organic compound over the first electrode by heating the first electrode under a reduced pressure at temperatures of 350° C. or higher; and forming a second electrode over the layer containing an organic compound. It is preferable to perform the heat treatment at temperatures of 350° C. or higher, preferably, 375° C. or higher for 12 hours or longer. When the first electrode is formed by using indium tin oxide containing silicon oxide, a highly display device can be manufactured.
US07825017B2
A silicon carbide semiconductor device provided as a semiconductor chip includes a substrate, a drift layer on the substrate, an insulation film on the drift layer, a semiconductor element formed in a cell region of the drift layer, a surface electrode formed on the drift layer and electrically coupled to the semiconductor element through an opening of the insulation film, and a passivation film formed above the drift layer around the periphery of the cell region to cover an outer edge of the surface electrode. The passivation film has an opening through which the surface electrode is exposed outside. A surface of the passivation film is made uneven to increase a length from an inner edge of the opening of the passivation film to a chip edge measured along the surface of the passivation film.
US07825014B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a pattern including a first layer including tungsten, performing a gas flowing process on the pattern in a gas ambience including nitrogen, and forming a second layer over the pattern using a source gas including nitrogen, wherein the purge is performed at a given temperature for a given period of time in a manner that a reaction between the first layer and the nitrogen used when forming the second layer is controlled.
US07825011B2
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (10) comprising a substrate (11) and a semiconductor body (12) in which at least one semiconductor element (1) is formed, wherein on the substrate (11) a semiconductor layer (2) is formed comprising a mixed crystal of silicon and germanium, further called the silicon-germanium layer (2) and having a lower surface close to the substrate (11) and an upper surface more remote from the substrate (11), and wherein the silicon-germanium layer (2) is subjected to an oxidizing treatment at a surface of the silicon-germanium layer (2) while the other surface of the silicon-germanium layer (2) is protected against the oxidizing treatment by a blocking layer (3). According to the invention, the blocking layer (3) is formed on the upper surface of the silicon-germanium layer (2), a cavity (5) is formed in the semiconductor body below the silicon-germanium layer (2) and the lower surface of the silicon-germanium layer (2) is subjected to the oxidizing treatment through the cavity (2). In this way, a device 10 may be obtained in which the surface of the silicon-germanium layer (2) after the oxidizing treatment does not suffer from roughening and/or germanium pile up. This enables e.g. to manufacture in particular a MOSFET on top of or in the silicon-germanium layer (2) with excellent properties and high yield.
US07825008B2
Aiming at providing a method of fabricating a light emitting device having an AlGaInP light emitting section, less causative of crack by cleavage, on the edge portions on the back surface of the device chip in process of dicing or breaking, a light emitting device wafer is diced along a dicing line inclined at an angle of 15° to 30°, both ends inclusive, away from a dicing line angle reference direction defined as the <110> direction on the (100) main surface.
US07825005B1
In one embodiment of the disclosure, a method includes providing a carrier substrate, forming a first region over an upper surface of the substrate, creating an electrical component using a planar process, embedding the electrical component in the dielectric layer, and removing a substrate portion of the electrical component. The first region includes a dielectric layer and may be made of any material that electrically isolates the electrical component from the carrier substrate. The electrical component may be created using a planar process thereby having an epitaxial surface that is embedded in the dielectric layer.
US07825002B2
There is provided a peeling method capable of preventing a damage to a layer to be peeled. Thus, not only a layer to be peeled having a small area but also a layer to be peeled having a large area can be peeled over the entire surface at a high yield. Processing for partially reducing contact property between a first material layer (11) and a second material layer (12) (laser light irradiation, pressure application, or the like) is performed before peeling, and then peeling is conducted by physical means. Therefore, sufficient separation can be easily conducted in an inner portion of the second material layer (12) or an interface thereof.
US07825000B2
A magnetic memory device including a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) device comprises a substrate and Front End of Line (FEOL) circuitry. A Via level (VA) InterLayer Dielectric (ILD) layer, a bottom conductor layer, and an MTJ device formed over the top surface of the VA ILD layer are formed over a portion of the substrate. An alignment region including alignment marks extends through the bottom conductor layer and extends down into the device below the top surface of the VA ILD layers is juxtaposed with the MJT device.
US07824998B2
A method includes forming an amorphous carbon layer over a first dielectric layer formed over a substrate, forming a second dielectric layer over the amorphous carbon layer; and forming an opening within the amorphous carbon layer and second dielectric layer by a first etch process to partially expose a top surface of the first dielectric layer. A substantially conformal metal-containing layer is formed over the second dielectric layer and within the opening. The second dielectric layer and a portion of the metal-containing layer are removed. The amorphous carbon layer is removed by an oxygen-containing plasma process to expose a top surface of the first dielectric layer. An insulating layer is formed over the metal-containing layer, and a second metal-containing layer is formed over the insulating layer to form a capacitor.
US07824995B2
A SiC semiconductor device includes: a SiC substrate having a main surface; a channel region on the substrate; first and second impurity regions on upstream and downstream sides of the channel region, respectively; a gate on the channel region through a gate insulating film. The channel region for flowing current between the first and second impurity regions is controlled by a voltage applied to the gate. An interface between the channel region and the gate insulating film has a hydrogen concentration equal to or greater than 2.6×1020 cm−3. The interface provides a channel surface perpendicular to a (0001)-orientation plane.
US07824991B2
A MOSFET fabrication process comprises nitridation of the dielectric silicon interface so that silicon-dangling bonds are connected with nitrogen atoms creating silicon—nitrogen bonds, which are stronger than silicon-hydrogen bonds. A tunnel dielectric is formed on the substrate. A nitride layer is then formed over the tunnel dielectric layer. The top of the nitride layer is then converted to an oxide and the interface between the substrate and the tunnel dielectric is nitrided simultaneously with conversion of the nitride layer to oxide.
US07824986B2
A method of forming a plurality of transistor gates having at least two different work functions includes forming first and second transistor gates over a substrate having different widths, with the first width being narrower than the second width. A material is deposited over the substrate including over the first and second gates. Within an etch chamber, the material is etched from over both the first and second gates to expose conductive material of the first gate and to reduce thickness of the material received over the second gate yet leave the second gate covered by the material. In situ within the etch chamber after the etching, the substrate is subjected to a plasma comprising a metal at a substrate temperature of at least 300° C. to diffuse said metal into the first gate to modify work function of the first gate as compared to work function of the second gate.
US07824983B2
Methods of isolating gates in a semiconductor structure. In one embodiment, isolation is achieved using a spacer material in combination with fins having substantially vertical sidewalls. In another embodiment, etch characteristics of various materials utilized in fabrication of the semiconductor structure are used to increase an effective gate length (“Leffective”) and a field gate oxide. In yet another embodiment, a V-shaped trench is formed in the semiconductor structure to increase the Leffective and the field gate oxide. Semiconductor structures formed by these methods are also disclosed.
US07824978B2
A bipolar transistor with very high dynamic performance, usable in an integrated circuit. The bipolar transistor has a single-crystal silicon emitter region with a thickness smaller than 50 nm. The base of the bipolar transistor is made of an SiGe alloy.
US07824976B2
A semiconductor apparatus wherein a device formed on a semiconductor substrate comprises a gate insulating film including a high dielectric constant film formed on the substrate and an anti-reaction film formed on the high dielectric constant film, and a gate electrode formed on the anti-reaction film, the high dielectric constant film comprises a film containing at least one of Hf and Zr, and Si and O, or a film containing at least one of Hf and Zr, and Si, O and N, the anti-reaction film comprises an SiO2 film, a film containing SiO2 as a main component and at least one of Hf and Zr, a film containing SiO2 as a main component and N, a film containing SiO2 as a main component, Hf and N, a film containing SiO2 as a main component, Zr and N, or a film containing SiO2 as a main component, Hf, Zr and N.
US07824974B2
A constant current source device with over current and over voltage protection function can be directly applied to AC power and DC power, and a method for manufacturing the constant current source device is also disclosed. The device includes a silicon substrate (1), an oxide layer (6) formed in front of the silicon substrate (1), a drain metal (2), a source metal (3) and a gate metal (4) located in front of the oxide layer (6), a P+ guard ring (50), an N+ drain region (52) and an N+ source region (53) implanted in the silicon substrate (1), a P+ substrate region (51) located in the N+ source region (53), and an N− channel region (54) connecting the N+ drain region (52) with the N+ source region (53). The drain metal (2) and the source metal (3) are separately connected with the N+ drain region (52), the N+ source region (53) and the P+ substrate region (51). The source metal (3) and the gate metal (4) are electrically connected through a connection metal (7). The invention constant current source device is generally applied to the field of electronic devices.
US07824967B2
A monolithically integrated light-activated thyristor in an n-p-n-p-n-p sequence consists of a four-layered thyristor structure and an embedded back-biased PN junction structure as a turn-off switching diode. The turn-off switching diode is formed through structured doping processes and/or depositions on a single semiconductor wafer so that it is integrated monolithically without any external device or semiconductor materials. The thyristor can be switching on and off optically by two discrete light beams illuminated on separated openings of electrodes on the top surface of a semiconductor body. The carrier injection of the turning on process is achieved by illuminating the bulk of the thyristor with a high level light through the first aperture over the cathode to create high density charge carriers serving as the gate current injection and to electrically short the emitter and drift layer. The switching off of the thyristor is achieved by shorting the base layer and the cathode layer by illuminating the embedded back-biased PN junction of the TURN-OFF switching diode. The patterned doping profile and the interconnect between the emitter and the base region of the light activated thyristor makes possible a monolithic and/or planar integrated fabrication of the semiconductor switching device on a single semiconductor wafer via the standard semiconductor fabrication process.
US07824962B2
A method for fabricating an integrated circuit including forming a first trench in a rear side of a semiconductor wafer, wherein the first trench has a depth extending partially through a thickness of the semiconductor wafer, coating the rear side with a layer of coating material, including filling the first trench with the coating material, and forming a second trench in a front side of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the second trench is aligned with and has a width less than a width of the first trench, and wherein the second trench has a depth extending at least through a remaining portion of the semiconductor wafer so as to be in communication with the coating material filling the first trench.
US07824952B2
A display apparatus, such as an organic light emitting diode (“OLED”) display, is driven by thin film transistors (“TFTs”), including a driving TFT and a switching TFT, and a pixel electrode. The display apparatus includes an amorphous silicon layer for the switching TFT and a microcrystalline silicon or polycrystalline silicon layer for the driving TFT. The amorphous silicon layer and the microcrystalline silicon layer are separated by an insulating layer. The apparatus provides product reliability and high image quality. A method of manufacturing the apparatus is characterized by reducing processing steps, and using a special mask which is a half tone mask or a slit mask adapted to forming a source electrode and a drain electrode of the switching TFT or the driving TFT and a semiconductor layer during a photolithographic process.
US07824938B2
An LED chip package structure with thick guiding pin includes a plurality of conductive pins separated from each other, an insulative casing, a plurality of LED chips, and a packaging colloid. The insulative casing covers a bottom side of each conductive pin to form an injection concave groove for exposing a top surface of each conductive pin. Two lateral sides of each conductive pin are extended outward from the insulative casing. The LED chips are arranged in the injection concave groove, and each LED chip has a positive electrode side and a negative electrode side respectively and electrically connected with different conductive pins. In addition, the packaging colloid is filled into the injection concave groove for covering the LED chips.
US07824937B2
A method for manufacturing a solid element device, which comprises providing a glass-containing Al2O3 substrate (3) having a GaN based LED element (2) placed thereon, setting a P2O5—ZnO based low melting point glass in parallel with the substrate, and carrying out a press working at a temperature of 415° C. or higher under a pressure of 60 kgf in a nitrogen atmosphere. Under these conditions, the low melting point glass has a viscosity of 109 poise, and is adhered via an oxide formed on the surface of the glass-containing Al2O3 substrate (3). A solid element device manufactured by the above method can be manufactured through a glass sealing working at a low temperature and also has a highly reliable sealing structure.
US07824936B2
Disclosed herein is a method of preparing a low resistance metal line, is a method of manufacturing a dispersion type AC inorganic electroluminescent device and a dispersion type AC inorganic electroluminescent device manufactured thereby, in which a light-emitting layer and a dielectric layer between a lower electrode and an upper electrode are simultaneously formed through a single process using spin coating, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process and decreasing the manufacturing cost, and furthermore, the contact interface between the light-emitting layer and the dielectric layer is increased, therefore increasing the brightness of the device.
US07824934B2
A substrate processing apparatus which enables parameters for carrying out processing on substrates to be changed easily by a user. A storage device stores parameters that are for controlling the processing and are categorized into a plurality of categories. A control device carries out the processing on the substrate based on the parameters. A parameter changing device enables each of the parameters to be changed in accordance with the category of that parameter. A parameter category changing device changes the category of some of the parameters. A category change defining device is detachable from the substrate processing apparatus and specifies parameters whose category is to be changed out of the parameters. The parameter category changing device changes the category of each of the parameters specified by the category change defining device.
US07824927B2
Analytes using an active assay may be detected by introducing an analyte solution containing a plurality of analytes to a lacquered membrane. The lacquered membrane may be a membrane having at least one surface treated with a layer of polymers. The lacquered membrane may be semi-permeable to nonanalytes. The layer of polymers may include cross-linked polymers. A plurality of probe molecules may be arrayed and immobilized on the lacquered membrane. An external force may be applied to the analyte solution to move the analytes towards the lacquered membrane. Movement may cause some or all of the analytes to bind to the lacquered membrane. In cases where probe molecules are presented, some or all of the analytes may bind to probe molecules. The direction of the external force may be reversed to remove unbound or weakly bound analytes. Bound analytes may be detected using known detection types.
US07824917B2
The present invention provides a method of detecting a nucleic acid which is not restricted by the design of the base sequence of a nucleic acid probe. By repeating washing and detection in multiple stages, the present invention can improve the precision of sequence-specific hybridization stepwise and also can ease restrictions in designing the nucleic acid probes, in particular, restrictions on the Tm value (the temperature at which the nucleic acid double strand is dissociated into single strands) or the sequence length of the nucleic acid probes.
US07824911B2
The present invention relates to precursor cells to hepatic stellate cells, compositions comprising same and methods of isolating same. The surface antigenic profile of the precursors is MHC class Ia negative, ICAM-1+, VCAM-1+, β3-integrin+. In addition to expression of these surface markers, the cells also express the intracellular markers desmin, vimentin, smooth muscle α-actin, nestin, hepatocyte growth factor, stromal derived factor-1α and H1x homeobox transcriptional factor.
US07824889B2
The identification of pre-defined mutations expected to be present in a minor fraction of a cell population is important for a variety of basic research and clinical applications. The exponential, analog nature of the polymerase chain reaction is transformed into a linear, digital signal suitable for this purpose. Single molecules can be isolated by dilution and individually amplified; each product is then separately analyzed for the presence of pre-defined mutations. The process provides a reliable and quantitative measure of the proportion of variant sequences within a DNA sample.
US07824886B2
A DNA polymerase reaction system which provides high DNA polymerase activity even at a high temperature and at a high salt concentration. A DNA polymerase reaction system that is constructed from a DNA polymerase, a clamp, and a clamp loader without intein sequence, the DNA polymerase being from Pyrococcus horikoshii, a hyperthermophilic archaeon.
US07824881B2
The present invention relates to a technique for measuring a glucose level by utilizing a reaction system containing an enzyme and an electron carrier. In accordance with the glucose level measuring method of the present invention, glucose dehydrogenase with cytochrome C attached thereto or glucose dehydrogenase derived from a microorganism belonging to a burkholderia genus is used as the enzyme, and a Ru compound is used as the electron carrier. The present invention further provides a glucose sensor in which glucose dehydrogenase with cytochrome C attached thereto or glucose dehydrogenase derived from derived from a microorganism belonging to a burkholderia genus is used as the enzyme, and a Ru compound is used as the electron carrier.
US07824877B2
In certain embodiments, the present invention relates to methods, compositions, and kits for diagnosing autoimmune chronic urticaria. For example, in certain embodiments, such methods generally comprise detecting the presence of auto-antibodies to cell-surface IgE receptors or cell-bound IgE in a patient. Such auto-antibodies may be detected by (a) obtaining donor basophils and associated leukocytes from one or more donors, (b) challenging the donor basophils and associated leukocytes with control serum and quantifying the amount of histamine released by the donor basophils and associated leukocytes, (c) calculating a normalized baseline of histamine release, wherein the normalized baseline of histamine release represents a mean percentage of histamine released by the basophils and associated leukocytes of an individual donor plus a specified amount above such mean, (d) reacting patient serum with the donor basophils and associated leukocytes, (e) measuring the percentage of histamine released by the donor basophils and associated leukocytes in response to the patient serum, and (f) comparing the percentage of histamine released by the donor basophils and associated leukocytes in response to the patient serum to the normalized baseline of histamine release.
US07824874B2
The present invention relates a method for the enumeration of in vivo gene mutation. The method utilizes differential staining of GPI-anchor deficient erythrocyte populations to distinguish between wild-type and pig-a gene mutants. Quantitative analyses can be conducted on erythrocytes and/or reticulocytes, and is based upon fluorescent emission and light scatter following exposure to an excitatory light source. Counting of mutant erythrocytes or reticulcoytes relative to the number of total erythrocytes or reticulocytes can be used to assess the DNA-damaging potential of an exogenous chemical agent, the DNA-damaging potential of an exogenous physical agent, the effects of an exogenous agent which can modify endogenously-induced DNA damage, and the effects of an exogenous agent which can modify exogenously-induced DNA damage. Kits for practicing the invention are also disclosed.
US07824873B2
A blood crossmatching apparatus, kit and methods for testing the compatibility of mammals for blood transfusion. Particulate layers in the apparatus allow nonagglutinated red blood cells to permeate through, while agglutinated red blood cells cannot. The apparatus also has a density solution. The density solution separates white blood cells from red blood cells in the whole blood when centrifuged, without lysing the red blood cells. Thus, the apparatus can be used to test whole blood.
US07824872B2
An objective of the present invention is to provide methods of screening for novel compounds that exhibit anticancer activity. The screening methods of the present invention comprise using serine/threonine kinase Pim-1, or partial peptides or salts thereof.
US07824863B2
In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for end-labeling RNA (total RNA, mRNA, cRNA or fragmented RNA). In one aspect of the present invention, T4 RNA ligase is used to attach a 3′-labeled AMP or CMP donor to an RNA acceptor molecule. In another embodiment, a pyrophosphate molecule 3′-AppN-3′-linker-detectable moiety is used as donor molecule.In another aspect of the present invention, a method of detecting the presence of an RNA of interest in a sample is provided, the method having the following steps: providing the sample comprising RNA which may or may not have said RNA of interest; treating the sample with a fragmenting reagent to provide RNA fragments; removing phosphate groups from said fragments to provide fragments with free 3′ OH groups; ligating said fragment with a labeling reagent according to the instant invention; providing a nucleic acid array having probes directed to said RNA of interest; hybridizing the labeled nucleic acid fragments to said nucleic acid array; and determining the extent of hybridization to said probes to determine the presence of said RNA of interest.
US07824861B2
The present invention provides a quantitative method for assaying the expression ratio between alleles differed by a single nucleotide polymorphism.
US07824860B2
The present invention provides polynucleotides and proteins, which are involved in early-onset spinocerebellar ataxia with ocular motor apraxia and hypoalbuminemia (EAOH); and methods of using the polynucleotides and/or proteins to treat and/or diagnose EAOH.
US07824856B2
The invention provides novel compositions and methods for the analysis of gene expression (e.g., expression profiling) using microarray-based technology. In some embodiments of the invention, the novel methods use gene-specific as well as universal amplification primers during sample preparation, and the methods permit the simultaneous analysis of multiple samples on the same microarray. Furthermore, some embodiments of the invention incorporate barcode sequences into the amplified products, thereby permitting the use of generic arrays and generic labeled probes.
US07824854B2
A substance (for example, methylcellulose) that undergoes a reversible gel to sol phase transition is utilized in a recovery method for specific micromaterials such as DNA molecules, cells, microorganisms and the like, approximately several μm in size, from a mixture containing other micromaterials, and a micromaterial is accurately and conveniently recovered. The present invention is a method of recovering a desired micromaterial in a system comprising a medium that undergoes a reversible phase transition between a sol and a gel, a support material and micromaterials, comprising the steps of converting the medium surrounding the micromaterial to be recovered into a gel locally to immobilize said micromaterial on said support along with the gelled medium, removing the medium and micromaterials not immobilized on said support material and converting the gelled medium to a sol to recover the micromaterial.
US07824850B2
This invention is directed towards methods of destabilizing proteins in living cells, and their use for the development of novel assays. In one embodiment, the invention comprises the use of non-cleavable multimerized ubiquitin fusion proteins to destabilize a target protein, such as a reporter moiety. In one aspect of this method the constructs also comprises a linker that operatively couples the reporter moiety to the multimerized ubiquitin fusion protein. In this embodiment, enzymatic modification of the linker results in a modulation of the coupling of the reporter protein to the multimerized ubiquitin domains resulting in a change in the stability of the reporter moiety. The level of the reporter moiety in the cell can then be used as a measure of the enzymatic activity in the cell. In another embodiment the invention provides for a generalized way of coordinately regulating the cellular concentration of a plurality of target proteins. In one aspect of this method, the target proteins are operatively coupled to a ubiquitin fusion protein via a linker containing a protease cleavage site. Cleavage of the linker by a protease results in uncoupling of the target protein from the multimerized ubiquitin construct, and results in an increase in the stability and concentration of the target protein.
US07824848B2
An organ perfusion apparatus and method monitor, sustain and/or restore viability of organs and preserve organs for storage and/or transport. Other apparatus include an organ transporter, an organ cassette and an organ diagnostic device. The method includes perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures, preferably after hypothermic organ flushing for organ transport and/or storage. The method can be practiced with prior or subsequent static or perfusion hypothermic exposure of the organ. Organ viability is restored by restoring high energy nucleotide (e.g., ATP) levels by perfusing the organ with a medical fluid, such as an oxygenated cross-linked hemoglobin-based bicarbonate medical fluid, at normothermic temperatures. In perfusion, organ perfusion pressure is preferably controlled in response to a sensor disposed in an end of tubing placed in the organ, by a pneumatically pressurized medical fluid reservoir, providing perfusion pressure fine tuning, overpressurization prevention and emergency flow cut-off. In the hypothermic mode, the organ is perfused with a medical fluid, preferably a simple crystalloid solution containing antioxidants, intermittently or in slow continuous flow. The medical fluid may be fed into the organ from an intermediary tank having a low pressure head to avoid organ overpressurization. Preventing overpressurization prevents or reduces damage to vascular endothelial lining and to organ tissue in general. Viability of the organ may be automatically monitored, preferably by monitoring characteristics of the medical fluid perfusate. The perfusion process can be automatically controlled using a control program.
US07824839B2
The invention provides various ionic and non-ionic photoacid generator compounds. Photoresist compositions that include the novel ionic and non-ionic photoacid generator compounds are also provided. The invention further provides methods of making and using the photoacid generator compounds and photoresist compositions disclosed herein. The compounds and compositions are useful as photoactive components in chemically amplified resist compositions for various microfabrication applications.
US07824837B2
The present invention relates to a positive bottom photoimageable antireflective coating composition which is capable of being developed in an aqueous alkaline developer, wherein the antireflective coating composition comprises a polymer comprising at least one recurring unit with a chromophore group and one recurring unit with a hydroxyl and/or a carboxyl group, a vinyl ether terminated crosslinking agent, and optionally, a photoacid generator and/or an acid and/or a thermal acid generator. The invention further relates to a process for using such a composition.
US07824834B2
A toner including a binder resin; a colorant; a release agent; and a modified layered inorganic material in which at least part of interlayer ions is modified with an organic ion, wherein the toner has a volume average particle diameter (Dv) of 3 to 7 μm and a ratio (Dv/Dn) of the volume average particle diameter (Dv) to a number average particle diameter (Dn) of the toner of 1.00 to 1.30, and wherein the release agent is included in the toner in an amount (A) of 1 to 10% by weight, and the ratio (B/A) of the amount (A) to the amount (B) of the release agent included in a classified toner in units of percent by weight is 0.7 to 1.3, wherein the classified toner satisfies the relationship (Dv′/Dn′−1)/(Dv/Dn−1)≦¾wherein Dv′ and Dn′ respectively represent the volume and number average particle diameters of the classified toner.
US07824832B2
A toner for electrophotography, containing a resin binder containing a polyester-based resin (A) and a polyester-based resin (B) having a softening point of a temperature higher than the polyester-based resin (A) by 10° C. or more, wherein at least one of the polyester-based resins (A) and (B) is a resin derived from a (meth)acrylic acid-modified rosin, having a polyester unit obtainable by polycondensing an alcohol component and a carboxylic acid component containing a (meth)acrylic acid-modified rosin, and a method for producing the toner. The toner for electrophotography of the present invention is usable in, for example, developing or the like latent images formed in electrophotography, electrostatic recording method, electrostatic printing method or the like.
US07824817B2
A power generation cell of a fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, and a first separator and a second separator sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly. First supply holes, first discharge holes, second supply holes and second discharge holes extend through the membrane electrode assembly in a stacking direction. The first supply holes connect a fuel gas supply passage and a fuel gas flow field. The first discharge holes connect a fuel gas discharge passage and the fuel gas flow field. The second supply holes connect an oxygen-containing gas supply passage and an oxygen-containing gas flow field. The second discharge holes connect an oxygen-containing gas discharge passage and the oxygen-containing gas flow field.
US07824804B2
An electrochemical cell comprises as an anode, a lithium transition metal oxide or sulphide compound which has a [B2]X4n− spinel-type framework structure of an A[B2]X4 spinel wherein A and B are metal cations selected from Li, Ti, V, Mn, Fe and Co, X is oxygen or sulphur, and n− refers to the overall charge of the structural unit [B2]X4 of the framework structure. The transition metal cation in the fully discharged state has a mean oxidation state greater than +3 for Ti, +3 for V, +3.5 for Mn, +2 for Fe and +2 for Co. The cell includes as a cathode, a lithium metal oxide or sulphide compound. An electrically insulative lithium containing liquid or polymeric electronically conductive electrolyte is provided between the anode and the cathode.
US07824802B2
A method of preparing a composite cathode active material having superior cell characteristics includes mixing and milling starting material, carbon and an organic complexing agent. The mixture is heated at a first temperature in an inert atmosphere to form a composite precursor, and then the precursor is ground and heated at a second temperature in an inert atmosphere to produce a carbon-containing composite cathode material having high electronic conductivity. The said composite cathode has a general formula of LiFe1−xMxPO4—C, within 0≦x<1, M is selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, V, Cr, Mn and a mixture thereof.
US07824795B2
A solid electrolyte structure (1) for all-solid-state batteries includes a plate-like dense body (2) formed of a ceramic that includes a solid electrolyte, and a porous layer (3) formed of a ceramic that includes a solid electrolyte that is the same as or different from the solid electrolyte of the dense body (2), the porous layer (3) being integrally formed on at least one surface of the dense body (2) by firing. The solid electrolyte structure can reduce the contact resistance at the interface between the solid electrolyte and an electrode.
US07824793B2
A portable electronic device (101) includes a battery cover (200), a latch (200) and a housing (300). The battery cover has a resisting portion (114). One end of the latch has a limiting portion (207), another end of the latch having an engaging portion (208). The housing has a positioning portion. The latch moveably engages with the housing, and the resisting portion of the cover locks with the engaging portion for releasably locking the battery cover. The limiting portion engages with the positioning portion so as to limit the cover to open relative to the housing. This release provides a user with convenient and easy to use disassembly mechanism for the device.
US07824771B2
A carbon-metal composite material which has improved conductivity, specific surface area, regularity, a shape which is easily controlled, and a process of preparing the same. The carbon-metal composite material which includes carbon and metal, has a sheet resistance of 8 mΩ/sq. or less under a pressure of 100 kgf/cm2, a specific surface area of 30 m2/g or greater, and shows an X-ray pattern having at least one peak at d-spacings of 6 nm or greater.
US07824770B2
This invention relates to: a molding material comprising a bundle of continuous reinforcing fibers (A), a polyarylene sulfide prepolymer (B) comprising at least 50% by weight of cyclic polyarylene sulfide and having the weight average molecular weight of less than 10,000 or polyarylene sulfide (B′) having the weight average molecular weight of 10,000 or greater and the degree of dispersion of 2.5 or lower, and thermoplastic resin (C); a prepreg comprising a resin composition comprising the polyarylene sulfide prepolymer (B) impregnated into a reinforcing fiber; and a method for producing a fiber-reinforced molding substrate comprising step (I) of continuously feeding a bundle of continuous reinforcing fibers, step (II) of combining cyclic polyarylene sulfide with the reinforcing fiber bundle, step (III) of heating the composite obtained in step (II) to subject the cyclic polyarylene sulfide to ring-opening polymerization to convert into polyarylene sulfide, and step (IV) of cooling the composite obtained in step (III) and withdrawing the same.
US07824765B2
A silicon carbide-based porous article comprising silicon carbide particles as an aggregate, metallic silicon and an aggregate derived from siliceous inorganic particles to form pores through volume shrinkage by heat treatment, wherein the porosity is 45 to 70%, and the average pore diameter is 10 to 20 μm is provided. Also provided is a method for producing a silicon carbide-based porous article, comprising; adding inorganic particles to form pores through volume shrinkage by heat treatment to a raw-material mixture containing silicon carbide particles and metallic silicon, then forming into an intended shape, calcinating and firing the resultant green body, forming pores through volume shrinkage of the inorganic particles by heat treatment, and the shrunk inorganic particles being present as an aggregate in the porous article.
US07824763B2
A composite material for use in turbine support structures. The composite material may include a first material having a positive coefficient of thermal expansion and a second material having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion, a negative Poisson ratio, or both a negative coefficient of thermal expansion and a negative Poisson ratio.
US07824760B2
Provided is an intermediate transfer member, a method of producing the same, and an image forming method and an image forming apparatus thereof having excellent effects such that neither crack nor rupture is generated upon repetitive use, no transferring ratio drops during secondary transfer, and neither white patch of an text image nor white patch of a solid image is generated. Also disclosed is an intermediate transfer member used for an image forming apparatus, wherein a surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.5-3.0 GPa, measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.15-0.45 GPa, specified by a universal hardness method.
US07824759B1
A decorative architectural panel can be formed using multiple image layers to create one or more three-dimensional effects in a final product. In particular, a reference image layer comprises an extruded sheet having an artistically-designed reference image formed thereon. A next image layer comprises an extruded sheet having a differently sized iteration of the artistically designed reference image. A manufacturer can place the next image layer over the reference image layer, and set the combined image layers such that the final product shows the artistically-designed image in three-dimensions. Additional image layers, such as a color layer, or a layer having embedded objects, can be combined with the stratified product for additional artistic effects.
US07824757B2
A panel made of a wooden material with a surface coating has an undercoat which is applied to the wooden material and at least one lacquer coating and a functional component. There is produced a panel made of a wooden material with a low-cost surface coating which can be applied easily and is optically appealing.
US07824745B2
The present invention relates to benzochromene derivatives of the formula I where the various parameters have the meaning indicated in the text, and to liquid-crystal media which comprise these compounds, and to the use of the media in electro-optical displays, in particular in VAN-LCDs, and to the use of the compounds and physiologically acceptable derivatives thereof as therapeutic active ingredients.
US07824740B2
A coater overlays actinic radiation curable composition on a long support in a liquid phase to constitute a coating layer. The actinic radiation curable composition includes polymerizable compound, and a first polymerization initiator for reacting upon ultraviolet radiation of a first wavelength range, and for rendering the coating layer semi-cured in first-stage curing. A second polymerization initiator reacts upon ultraviolet radiation of a broad wavelength range covering the first wavelength range, and completely cures the coating layer in second-stage curing after the first-stage curing, to obtain an anti-reflection layer. For the first-stage curing, optical filters are combined with an ultraviolet radiation source for the broad wavelength range, and cause transmission of radiation of the first wavelength range for reaction only upon the first polymerization initiator. In one embodiment, the optical filters are arranged in a web width direction of the long support.
US07824730B2
A method of measuring a coating deposits a layer of coating on an object. A laser beam is projected on the layer of the coating. A reflection of the project laser beam is received by the laser sensor. From this information, the thickness of the layer of the coating on the object is determined. A value related to the thickness of the layer of the coating may then be compared to a desired value.
US07824729B2
A process for coating an implantable device is disclosed. In this process, at least one implantable device is tumbled. As the implantable device is being tumbled, a coating substance is introduced to coat the implantable device with the coating substance.
US07824720B2
Container for heating food in an electrical bread toaster or other radiant heating device comprises a closed or partially open pouch formed of flexible sheet material comprising a woven fabric, such as glass or KEVLAR fibers, coated or impregnated with an electrically non-conductive heat resistant material, for example PTFE.
US07824719B2
A package for heating a food product. The package has a tray with a central panel for supporting the food product and a flexible flap containing a layer of microwave insulating material for heating the food product. The flexible flap has independently movable sections, wraps around the food product, and forms an open ended cooking sleeve.
US07824718B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising an extract of Dioscorea opposita having neuron-protective activity for preventing and treating brain disease. The extracts from Dioscorea opposita show potent neuronal cell protective activity by inhibiting neuronal cell death caused by neuro-toxicity of glutamate and H2O2 therefore it can be used as the therapeutics or health food for treating and preventing brain diseases.
US07824700B2
A composition for administration of a beneficial agent, contains a solvent mixture including a hydrophobic solvent and a hydrophilic solvent; a bioerodible polymer; and a beneficial agent. The polymer and the beneficial agent are dissolved. The composition has a low viscosity, allowing for easy injection through standard hypodermic needles.
US07824697B2
Stable aqueous solutions comprising concentrations of baclofen in the range of greater than 2.0 mg/mL up to about 10 mg/mL are disclosed. These solutions can be used as pharmaceuticals for parenteral or oral administration. The invention also provides methods of preparing said stable aqueous baclofen solutions.
US07824691B2
The present composition combines an RNAIII-inhibiting peptide (RIP) with an antimicrobial peptide, such as a cathelicidin, that is capable of binding and neutralizing lipidic and polyanionic components of bacterial cell envelope. In another embodiment, the RIP is combined with an antibiotic, with or without an antimicrobial peptide. The present composition is advantageously used in a method of treatment of bacterial sepsis.
US07824689B2
The present invention provides a new chicken astrovirus (CAstV). This chicken astrovirus (CAstV-2) is immunologically distinct from known avian astroviruses and can be used to prepare vaccines.
US07824686B2
The present invention is concerned with vaccines and their preparation. An effective long-term immune response, especially in mammals, can be produced using a vaccine comprising an antigen encapsulated in liposomes, a suitable adjuvant and a carrier comprising a continuous phase of a hydrophobic substance. The vaccine is particularly effective in eliciting the production of antibodies that recognize epitopes of native proteins.
US07824685B2
This invention relates to a gene encoding RTVP that has been shown to be up-regulated by p53 using differential display-PCR and subsequently by co-transfection studies. RTVP-1 mRNA is abundant in normal mouse and human prostatic epithelial cells and primary tumors, but is significantly down regulated in metastatic mouse and human prostate cancer. In prostate cancer cells overexpression of the mouse RTVP-1 gene (mRTVP-1) induced apoptosis that was accompanied by increased caspase 8, 9 and 3 activities. mRTVP-1-stimulated apoptosis was also associated with increased levels of bax, bad and activated BID; reduced levels of bcl-2 and bcl-XL; and cytosolic cytochrome c accumulation. Adenoviral-vector-mediated mRTVP-1 expression lead to potent growth suppression and antimetastatic activities in an orthotopic mouse model of prostate cancer in vivo. These therapeutic activities were associated with anti-angiogenic effects and importantly a local and systemic immune response. Accordingly, p53 was linked with suppression of metastasis through its induction of mRTVP-1, which can concurrently induce apoptosis, suppress angiogenesis and stimulate an antitumor immune response. Thus, the invention includes compositions and methods, based on RTVP nucleic acid, polypeptides, and antibodies, for use in the treatment, prevention and detection of neoplastic disease and, specifically, metastatic prostatic neoplasia.
US07824676B2
A mouse cDNA library from gene fragments encoding proteins localizing at cell-cell junctions was screened by a technique visualizing localization of a protein to identify a junction-enriched and -associated protein, JEAP. GenBank homology search was performed based on the sequence. Based on the obtained sequence, a mouse cDNA library was screened to identify JEAP-2. By using prepared antibodies against these proteins, it was revealed that these proteins express specifically at tight junctions, in particular, tight junctions in exocrine glands.
US07824669B2
The growth hormone supergene family comprises greater than 20 structurally related cytokines and growth factors. A general method is provided for creating site-specific, biologically active conjugates of these proteins. The method involves adding cysteine residues to non-essential regions of the proteins or substituting cysteine residues for non-essential amino acids in the proteins using site-directed mutagenesis and then covalently coupling a cysteine-reactive polymer or other type of cysteine-reactive moiety to the proteins via the added cysteine residue. Disclosed herein are preferred sites for adding cysteine residues or introducing cysteine substitutions into the proteins, and the proteins and protein derivatives produced thereby. Also disclosed are therapeutic methods for using the cysteine variants of the invention.
US07824666B2
The present invention is directed to bimodal polymer compositions and personal care fixatives containing bimodal polymer compositions. The present invention includes a bimodal polymer composition having a first polymer with anionic character and a second polymer with cationic character and wherein the polymers form an interpenetrating polymer network. In one embodiment, the present invention also includes personal care fixatives (e.g., health care, hygiene or cosmetic compositions) containing the bimodal polymer composition. The present invention also includes methods for forming bimodal polymer compositions.
US07824662B2
There is provided a body wash composition that includes sun screen materials. The body wash composition is formulated so that it may be applied during normal hygiene activities, such as washing. However, the composition applies an effective of sun screen material to the body such that the sun screen continues to provide effective solar protection even after rinsing or washing of the human body. Further, the material is a non greasy, easy to apply material that may be used during showering activities in a manner similar to a bar soap or cleanser. The composition includes a variety of materials that assist in the processing and storage of the body wash. Effective amounts of solar protective material include octyl methoxycinamate, octyl salycilate, and titanium dioxide. Testing shows that the product provides a solar protective level of at least approximately 14 even after multiple rinsings.
US07824661B2
One aspect of the invention relates to complexes of a radionuclide with various heteroaryl ligands, e.g., imidazolyl and pyridyl ligands, and their use in radiopharmaceuticals for a variety of clinical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Another aspect of the invention relates to imidazolyl and pyridyl ligands that form a portion of the aforementioned complexes. Methods for the preparation of the radionuclide complexes are also described. Another aspect of the invention relates to imidazolyl and pyridyl ligands based on derivatized lysine, alanine and bis-amino acids for conjugation to small peptides by solid phase synthetic methods. Additionally, the invention relates to methods for imaging regions of a mammal using the complexes of the invention.
US07824658B2
A method for preparing a crystalline molecular sieve having MTT framework topology and crystallite sizes of about 150 to about 600 Angstroms, comprising: a. preparing a reaction mixture comprising, in terms of mole ratios, the following. YO2/W2O330-40 R+/YO20.06-0.12 OH−/YO20.20-0.26 K+/YO20.09-0.15 and an amount of water not substantially in excess of the amount required to cause and maintain crystallization, wherein Y is silicon, germanium or mixtures thereof; W is aluminum, boron, gallium, iron or mixtures thereof; and R+ is a diisopropylimidazolium cation, and b. heating said reaction mixture at crystallization conditions and in the absence of an external liquid phase for sufficient time to form a crystallized material containing crystals of the molecular sieve. Also, a method to make the shaped ultrasmall crystal MTT molecular sieve, and a method to form the molecular sieve using a particular order of addition of components.
US07824642B2
A forsterite powder with superior characteristics which can be sintered at a relatively low temperature can be economically produced, when a magnesium source, a silicon source, and copper particles are mixed to prepare a mixed powder containing 300 to 2,000 ppm by weight of the copper particles, and the mixed powder is fired. The magnesium source used is preferably Mg(OH)2, and the silicon source used is preferably SiO2. A polycrystalline forsterite powder is preferably produced. The magnesium source, the silicon source, and the copper particles can be mixed in the presence of a solvent to prepare the mixed powder. The forsterite powder preferably contains 300 to 2,000 ppm by weight of copper, has a particle size of 0.20 to 0.40 μm and has a crystal size of 0.034 to 0.040 μm.
US07824640B1
The present invention provides a two-step process for producing nuclear grade, active uranium dioxide (UO2) powder in which the first step comprises reacting uranium hexafluoride (UF6) with steam in a flame reactor to yield uranyl fluoride (UO2F2); and the second step comprises removing fluoride and reducing UO2F2 to uranium dioxide (UO2) in a kiln under a steam/hydrogen atmosphere. The two-step process, each step separated by a positive sealed valve means to prevent gas, particularly H2 flow back, tightly controls the exothermicity of the reaction, which allows for a very tight temperature control which controls the growth of the particles and results in UO2 powder that is active and of consistent morphology.
US07824635B2
A particulate material removing filter for exhaust gas from a diesel engine is provided. The particulate material removing filter is formed by laminating metal laths having an oxidation catalyst layer containing a noble metal that oxidizes nitrogen oxide in exhaust gas into nitrogen dioxide. The metal laths are laminated to form a laminate in such a manner that the drawing direction of the metal lath processing differs by 90 degrees with each other.
US07824620B2
Disclosed are methods for fabricating integrated nano-scale and micro-scale structures. Also disclosed are carbon nanopipettes, shovels, and sheets made by these methods. Nano-scale and micro-scale structures fabricated by the disclosed methods are useful in a variety of application, for example, nanoelectrodes, functionalized probes for chemical and biological sensing, nanopipettes for fluid and macromolecule transfer, and devices for the dispensing and deposition of nanodrops.
US07824617B2
The present invention relates to the realization of particular supramolecular assemblies of dyes, in particular cyanines, called J aggregates. The invention concerns an assembly made up of a support including a mesoporous layer whereof the pores have an average BET diameter greater than 1.5 nm, macromolecules with dendritic architecture functionalizing said layer, at least in its pores, a layer of molecules from the family of cyanines interacting with the macromolecules with dendritic architecture and organized into J aggregates.
US07824609B2
The invention relates to a method for decellularising allogenic and xenogenic foreign material for the subsequent production of bioprostheses, coated with endogenous body cells, whereby the foreign material is firstly treated in a solution of bile acid and then alcohol, each with an intermediate or subsequent rinsing step, in combination with a mechanical action on the tissue and the cells by the force generated from a flowing treatment medium, at least in the final rinsing step. After said treatment the tissue is completely rid of foreign cell material and viruses and represents an excellent starting material for the coating with cells of the bioprosthesis recipient.
US07824581B2
The present invention includes an electrochemical redox active material. The electrochemical redox active material includes a cocrystalline metallic compound having a general formula AxMO4−yXOy.M′O, where A is at least one metallic element selected from a group consisting of alkali metals, M and M′ may be identical or different and independently of one another at least one selected from a group consisting of transition metals and semimetals, X is P or As, 0.9≦x≦1.1, and 0
US07824580B2
A silver-containing, disperse, water-containing formulation and its use to produce electrically conductive and/or optically reflective coatings is described. The formulation contains at least a) 0.5 to 30 parts by wt. of silver metal particles with an effective diameter of at most 150 nm, preferably at most 100 nm, particularly preferably 40 to 80 nm, with a bimodal size distribution, b) 50 to 99.5 parts by wt. of water and optionally up to 30 parts by wt. of solvent, c) 0.01 to 10 parts by wt. of at least one, in particular polymeric, dispersant, d) 0 to 5 parts by wt. of film-producer, e) 0 to 5 parts by wt. of additives, f) 0 to 5 parts by wt. of conductive polymers, and has a viscosity of at most 150 mPa.s.
US07824578B2
Disclosed is an electrolyte for batteries, which comprises: (a) an electrolyte salt; (b) an electrolyte solvent; and (c) a sulfonate-based compound containing at least one electron withdrawing group (EWG) selected from the group consisting of a cyano group (—CN), an isocyanate group (—NCO), a thiocyanate group (—SCN) and an isothiocyanate group (—NCS). An electrode comprising the sulfonate-based compound or a chemical reaction product thereof, partially or totally formed on the surface thereof, and an electrochemical device comprising the electrolyte and/or the electrode are also disclosed. The electrochemical device using the sulfonate-based compound containing a cyano group, an isocyanate group, a thiocyanate group and/or an isothiocyanate group as an additive for electrolytes can provide significantly improved high-temperature lifespan characteristics.
US07824576B2
A composite material includes lithium hydride particles dispersed within lithium to form a lithium-lithium hydride composite. The lithium-lithium hydride composite has increased strength over pure lithium and similar soft X-ray transmission characteristics as pure lithium. A soft X-ray blast window may be made from the lithium-lithium hydride composite with increased reliability and cost effectiveness. A method for making a composite material includes dispersing lithium hydride into lithium metal using a variety of dispersion techniques.
US07824575B2
The present invention provides for liquid antioxidant mixtures of octylated/butylated diphenylamine, phenothiazine and octadecyl (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionate. The antioxidant mixtures are useful for polyurethane stabilization.
US07824570B2
Disclosed is an alkali aqueous flocculating agent based on an alkali aqueous salt clay extract containing dissolved silicate and aluminate, in addition to alkali chloride whereby for an aluminate (1) content by weight expressed as Al(OH)3, 1.) approximately 2 to 3 parts by weight of silicate expressed as SiO2 are provided and 2) at least approximately (10) parts by weight, especially at least (20) parts by weight of alkali chloride are provided, in addition to a flocculating and a sedimentation agent in the form of an acidic and alkali-extracted salt clay. The invention further relates to a method for the production of said flocculating and sedimentation agents which can be used advantageously in swimming baths, for the treatment of drinking water, industrial water, grey water and waste water in sewage treatment plants as auxiliary agents for absorption, sedimentation and filtration. Said agents can also be used to reduce the amount of harmful substances and to embellish water in swimming pools, ponds and biotopes. The respective flocculating agent is more particularly used by means of dosing systems. One particular advantage of the invention is that the agent is obtained from a natural product and can be used in swimming pools and water biotopes without any harmful side effects.
US07824557B2
A process has been found which increases the efficiency and effectiveness of introducing antimicrobial compounds into complex biofilm matrices through the use of liposome carriers, thereby removing the biofouling in industrial water bearing systems, including piping, heat exchanges, condensers, filtration systems and fluid storage tanks.According to one embodiment of the invention, antimicrobial compound containing liposomes are added to water systems prone to biofouling and biofilm formation. The liposomes, being similar in composition to microbial membranes or cells, are readily incorporated into the existing biofilm. Once the antimicrobial compound containing liposomes become entrained with the biofilm matrix, the decomposition or programmed disintegration of the liposome proceeds. Thereafter the biocidal aqueous core is released to react directly with the biofilm encased microorganisms. Upon the death of the organisms, the polysaccharide/protein matrix decomposes and thereby results in reduced fouling of the water bearing system, resulting in increased heat transfer, increased flux, less deposit of colloidal and particulate solids and dissolved organics on the surface of the microfiltration membrane, thereby reducing the frequency and duration of the membrane cleaning and ultimate replacement.
US07824552B2
A system is provided that includes: (a) a mobile platform; (b) an input pump operatively connected to be capable of pumping a treatment stream through the system; (c) a centrifugal separator operatively connected downstream of the input pump to centrifugally treat the treatment stream; (d) a borate filter operatively connected downstream of the centrifugal separator to filter the treatment stream capable of removing at least some of a borate when the treatment stream is at a pH of 8 or above; and (e) a chemical-additive subsystem operatively connected to be capable of: (i) selectively adding one or more chemical agents to the treatment stream upstream of the centrifugal separator, wherein the chemical agents can be selected to be capable of precipitating dissolved ions selected from the group consisting of: sulfate, calcium, strontium, or barium, magnesium, iron; and (ii) selectively adding a chemical agent to the treatment stream upstream of the borate filter to increase the pH of the treatment stream to 8 or above.
US07824549B2
An assembly for removing grit particles from a fluid having a flow. The assembly includes a tank having walls for holding fluid for separation of grit particles from the fluid, a fluid inlet for flow of fluid into the tank, a fluid outlet for flow of fluid from the tank, an inlet diffusion baffle assembly including a baffle positioned to direct fluid flow toward the tank walls and a lower chamber of the tank, and an outlet baffle assembly including a baffle positioned in a rear of the tank at an upward slope from the center of the tank toward the fluid outlet configured to direct fluid flow toward the center of the tank.
US07824537B2
An electrochemical device including: (a) a semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor is silicon or silicon carbide, and where the layer has a thickness from 1 to 1000 μm; (b) a TiO2 layer on the semiconductor layer, where the layer may include an alkaline earth oxide MO up to an amount where the layer is MtiO3, and where the layer has a thickness from 5 nm to 1 mm; (c) a grid of inert metal on the TiO2 layer, arranged so as to be able to apply a electric field across the TiO2 layer; and (d) an ohmic contact on the semiconductor layer.
US07824535B2
A microstructure includes an anodized aluminum layer that has on a surface thereof micropores, at least some of which contain a catalyst, in a micropore array with a degree of ordering of at least 40%. A method of manufacturing the microstructure includes anodizing an aluminum member to form on its surface an anodized layer having micropores, removing the aluminum member, and supporting a catalyst on at least part of the anodized layer. The microstructure is excellent in heat resistance.
US07824520B2
In the case of generating plasma under atmospheric pressure, the particle generated due to generation of high-density plasma is to be a cause of a defect such as a point defect or a line defect of a display portion in a display device. The present invention is offered in view of the above situation, and provides a plasma treatment apparatus for suppressing generation of a particle. According to the present invention, plasma is generated in a limited minimum region to be treated by a plasma treatment over a substrate to be treated. Generation of a particle is suppressed to a minimum by providing a plurality of plasma generation units generating minimum plasma having a similar size as the limited minimum region, changing a relative position of the plurality of plasma generation units and the substrate to be treated, and performing a plasma treatment to a limited predetermined region.
US07824517B2
A method of forming a tubular body for a catheter, sheath or lead comprises extruding a polymer core having an integrally formed core wall, first lumen, and second lumen, placing a first layer over an outer circumferential surface of the extruded polymer core, and bonding the first layer to the circumferential surface of the extruded polymer cover via a reflow process. The first and second lumens are mandrel free during the reflow process, and a temperature of the reflow process is below a softening point of the polymer core to maintain a collapse free first and second lumen.
US07824513B2
Filamentary materials, such as yarn (18), is wound a frame (28), provided by pairs of movable filaments or wires (35, 38), about which the end of the spindle (22) rotates provides the turns (26) of the winding as the article having the winding is moved along a process path. Mechanically or hydraulically actuated pins (34) support the winding frame in a fixed position. The filaments of the frame may be provided by laterally spaced pairs (44, 46) of filaments of weldable material.
US07824510B2
Methods are provided for repairing an engine component. In an embodiment, a method includes forming at least one layer of a first braze alloy mixture including about 40% by weight of a first base alloy material and about 60% by weight of a first braze alloy material, over a structural feature of the component. The first braze alloy material includes chromium, cobalt, tungsten, tantalum, aluminum, hafnium, carbon, boron, and a balance of nickel. A second braze alloy mixture is disposed over the at least one layer of the first braze alloy mixture, the second braze alloy mixture including between about 50% and about 60% by weight of a second base alloy material, and between about 40% and about 50% by weight of a second braze alloy material. The component is then subjected to heat treatment, and may be further subjected to machining, coating and final inspection.
US07824509B2
The present invention provides: a high-strength high-ductility hot-dip galvanized steel sheet and hot-dip galvannealed steel sheet having high fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance; a high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet excellent in ductility, which improves non-plating defects and plating adhesion after severe deformation, and a method of producing the same; a high-strength and high-ductility hot-dip galvanized steel sheet having high fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance; a high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet and hot-dip galvannealed steel sheet having superior appearance and workability, which suppresses the generation of non-plating defects, and a method of producing the same; and a high-strength hot-dip galvannealed steel sheet and a high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, which suppress non-plating defects and surface defects and have both corrosion resistance, in particular corrosion resistance in an environment containing chlorine ion, and high ductility, and a method of producing the same.
US07824507B2
A method of producing high strength nanophase metal alloy powder by cryomilling metal powder under conditions which cause the formation of intrinsic nitrides, and of producing high strength metal articles by subjecting the nitrided cryomilled powder to thermo-mechanical processing. The intrinsic nitrides present within the alloy significantly reduce grain growth during thermo-mechanical processing, resulting in formed metal products of high strength and improved ductility.
US07824500B1
A system and a method are disclosed for cleaning a reactor chamber of a pump exhaust abatement system. During the cleaning of the reactor chamber a transparent protective shield is temporarily mounted on an opening of a cabinet that contains the reactor chamber. The transparent protective shield has apertures and associated glove mounts that allow protective gloves to be placed through the apertures. This allows a technician to have gloved access to clean the reactor chamber within the cabinet. The transparent protective shield protects the technician from exposure to pollutants during the time that the reactor chamber is being cleaned. The transparent protective shield is removed after the cleaning process has been completed.
US07824499B2
The present invention provides a method for in-situ cleaning of walls of a reaction chamber, e.g. reactive ion etching chamber, to remove contamination, e.g. copper comprising contamination from the walls. The method comprises converting the contamination, e.g. copper comprising contamination into a halide compound, e.g. copper halide compound and exposing the halide compound, e.g. copper halide compound to a photon comprising ambient, thereby initiating formation of volatile halide products, e.g. volatile copper halide products. The method furthermore comprises removing the volatile halide products, e.g. volatile copper halide products from the reaction chamber to avoid saturation of the volatile halide products, e.g. volatile copper halide products in the reaction chamber in order to avoid re-deposition of the volatile halide products, e.g. volatile copper halide products to the walls of the reaction chamber.
US07824497B2
Apparatus for manufacturing magnetic recording disk, and in-line type substrate processing apparatus
An apparatus for manufacturing a magnetic recording disk includes a magnetic-film deposition chamber in which a magnetic film for a recording layer is deposited on a substrate; a lubricant-layer preparation chamber in which a lubricant layer is prepared on the substrate in vacuum; and a cleaning chamber in which the substrate is cleaned in vacuum after the magnetic-film deposition in the magnetic-film chamber and before the lubricant-layer preparation in the lubricant-layer chamber. The apparatus may further include a transfer system that transfers the substrate from the cleaning chamber to the lubricant-layer preparation chamber without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere.
US07824494B2
A system for producing cast components from molten metal. One form of the present invention includes a system for the precision pouring of molten metal within a casting mold. The precision pouring system is driven by a pressure differential.
US07824487B2
The invention covers a fine-particle, brilliant and strongly hiding rutile-based pigment that is devoid of any metal or reactive metal compounds relevant to mill abrasion detectable by application technology but whose particle-size in terms of particle diameters ranges from 50 to 1000 nm, for mono-, bi-, tri- or oligo-modal size distribution and a primary maximum ranges from 230 to 400 nm, wherein optionally for a bi- or poly-modal frequency distribution, a secondary maximum is less than 25% of the primary maximum between 400 and 1000 nm. The process for producing said pigment comprises treating an inorganic mixed-phase rutile structured oxide pigment by high-speed grinding in suspension in a ball grinding mill provided with a mechanically and chemically resistant coating until said particle-size and a substantially isometric rounded particle shape are attained. The invention optionally provides for viscosity adjustment and surface conditioning of the pigment. The inventive pigment differs from prior art by improved gloss, low whiteness or reduced whitening, relatively high hue saturation, by extremely high hiding power which had been unattainable in said class of products up to now and exhibits a low photoactivity with respect to known fine-particle rutiles. In practice neither abrasivity nor interaction of possible grinding residues with an application matrix are observed.
US07824481B2
The inventive system for evaluating the charged state of depollution means integrated into the exhaust line of a motor vehicle engine is characterised in that it comprises means (7) for determining a pressure in the depollution means, means (8) for determining the volume gas flowrate upstream said depollution means (10) and means for comparing the depollution means state defined by the thus determined pressure and the volume flowrate with a predetermined diagram (11) of the absent, overcharged and clogged states of the depollution means in order to evaluate the state thereof.
US07824453B2
A method for obtaining heavy oil is disclosed. The method includes mixing a material including heavy oil (e.g., oil sand) with a solvent including biodiesel to form a mixture and separating the mixture into a oil-enriched solvent phase and a residual sand phase. The method also can include introducing a solvent including biodiesel into an in-situ geological formation including heavy oil and collecting a mixture including biodiesel and heavy oil from the formation. For example, the mixture can be collected after the solvent travels through at least a portion of the formation by gravity. A method for producing biodiesel also is disclosed. The method includes microbially digesting asphaltenes to form a liquor including a fatty acid and reacting the fatty acid with an alcohol to produce biodiesel. This method can be used to convert petroleum asphaltenes and/or coal asphaltenes into biodiesel.
US07824442B2
The invention includes methods of and apparatus for endovascularly replacing a heart valve of a patient. One aspect of the invention provides a method including the steps of endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor in an unexpanded configuration within a sheath to a vicinity of the heart valve; deploying the anchor from the sheath; expanding the anchor with a deployment tool comprising a plurality of actuation elements to contact tissue at an anchor site; and retrieving the anchor into the sheath. Another aspect of the invention provides apparatus including a sheath; a deployment tool comprising a plurality of anchor actuation elements; a replacement valve configured to be disposed within the sheath for delivery to a vicinity of the heart valve; and an expandable anchor configured to be disposed within the sheath for delivery to the vicinity of the heart valve, to be deployed from the sheath, to be expanded by the deployment tool to contact tissue at an anchor site and to be retrieved back into the sheath after having been expanded.
US07824438B2
A method for placing a stent assembly in a bifurcated vessel in an animal body, such as a human, includes inserting primary and secondary guidewires from a location external of the body through the primary vessel. The second guidewire is also inserted into the secondary or branch vessel beyond a bifurcation area. The primary and secondary guidewires are then inserted into a primary stent and catheter assembly such that the assembly can move along the guidewires into and through the primary vessel to the bifurcation area where the primary stent is expanded. While retaining the secondary guidewire in the vessels, the remainder of the catheter assembly and primary guidewire are removed. Then the secondary stent, mounted on a catheter, is passed through the primary vessel using the secondary guidewire as a guide, past the bifurcation area and into the secondary vessel. There, the secondary stent is expanded to form the bifurcated stent assembly in an efficient and practical manner.
US07824436B2
A method for cerebral and systemic cooling by providing a nebulized liquid having a boiling point of 38-300° C. The nebulized liquid is delivered as a mist or a spray via the nasal and/or oral cavities of a patient. The mist causes cooling by direct heat transfer through the nasopharynx and hematogenous cooling through the carotids and the Circle of Willis. Compositions and medical devices for cerebral and systemic cooling are also provided. Cooling assemblies, and methods of use, are also provided that include flexible balloon assemblies that are inserted to various locations in a patient's body. The flexible balloons are then infused with a liquid having a temperature between about −20° C. and about 37° C. The flexible balloon assemblies can be inserted into the nasal cavity, oral cavity, throat, stomach, and other locations to effect cerebral cooling.
US07824434B2
Disclosed is a fastener that can be mounted to a bone of a patient and can foreshorten and swell of a desired period of time. The fastener can include a head portion and a body portion extending from the head portion. At least one of the head portion and the body portion has a first width that changes to a second width greater than the first width and collectively the head portion and the body portion have a first length that changes to a second length shorter than the first length upon the head portion and the body portion being exposed to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of a polymeric material forming the head portion and the body portion.
US07824431B2
A device and method for a minimally invasive surgical implantation to reduce radicular symptoms by inserting an expandable cervical distraction implant in the facet joint and distracting the adjacent cervical vertebrae to increase the foraminal dimension. The implant, when positioned in the cervical facet joint, expands via delivery of an inflation medium to increase the space between the vertebrae, thereby increasing the foraminal area or dimension, and reducing pressure on the nerves and blood vessels of the cervical spine.
US07824427B2
An interbody device that restores the disc space height between two vertebrae during spinal fusion surgery. The device includes a center plate surrounded by a perimeter portion that combine to have a relatively flat configuration in one dimension and relatively wide configuration in a perpendicular dimension. After the disc space has been cleared, the device is inserted into the disc space in a direction so that the wide dimension of the device is substantially parallel to the body of the vertebrae. The device is then rotated so that the wide dimension of the device becomes perpendicular to the vertebral body so as to cause the disc space height to be restored. Bone graft material is then introduced through a fill tube coupled to the device so that the bone graft material is distributed on both sides of the center plate and into the disc space.
US07824426B2
In accordance with the present disclosure a directionally biased staple is provided for use in all types of surgical staplers having anvil structure against which the staple is formed. The directionally biased staple may be constructed in a wide variety of cross-sectional configurations including rectangular, elliptical, trapezoidal, etc. All of the configurations are distinguished by having a bending region requiring more force to twist or malform the staple than is required to properly form the staple. Preferably, these staples have Moment of Inertia Ratios on the order of between about 1.1 to about 3.0. The staple preferably corresponds in other respects to conventional formed staples, i.e. having at least a pair of leg members interconnected by a crown portion wherein the leg members are formed by direct contact with the anvil.
US07824418B2
The present invention provides an electrical depilator comprising substantially of a main body, a motor, a reduction gear set, an arcuate shaft and a set of single-pieces. The arcuate shaft is supported on a shaft seat of the main body. A first stage gear of the reduction gear set meshes with the driving wheel of the motor, and a last stage gear is fixed on the single-piece which is located at the endmost portion. Each single-piece has a clipping surface and a supporting portion. The whole set of single-pieces are arranged in a manner that the clipping surfaces are opposite to each other. A clipping gap is formed between opposite surfaces of two single-pieces. The whole set of single-pieces are coupled together by fixing members so as to rotate synchronously. The whole set of single-pieces are fitted over the arcuate shaft all together. The electrical depilator is easy in die sinking, convenient in assembling, and of low cost.
US07824406B2
The invention relates to an ablation catheter which controls the temperature and reduces the coagulation of biological fluids on an electrode of a catheter, prevents the impedance rise of tissue in contact with the electrode, and maximizes the potential energy transfer to the tissue, thereby allowing an increase in the lesion size produced by the ablation. The electrode includes passages positioned to allow saline flow out of an inner cavity of the electrode. This fluid flow produces the desired cooling effect and is accomplished, for example, by saline irrigation flow with a valve element to block flow of blood into the inner cavity of the electrode.
US07824405B2
Electrosurgical methods and apparatus for treating tissue at a target site of a patient. An electrosurgical instrument includes a shaft, having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end, and an electrode assembly disposed at the shaft distal end. The electrode assembly includes at least one active electrode disposed on an electrode support. The instrument is adapted for coupling to a high frequency power supply or electrosurgical generator. Each active electrode is adapted for removing tissue from a target site and/or for localized coagulation of the target tissue. In one embodiment, the instrument is adapted for laparoscopic procedures.
US07824401B2
A surgical instrument for use with a robotic surgical system is described. The instrument includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. An electrically live wrist member is disposed at the distal end of the shaft. An electrocautery end effector is mounted to the wrist member. An interface is disposed at the proximal end of the shaft. The interface is removably connectable to the robotic surgical system. A conductor extends from the interface to the end effector so as to deliver electrical energy to tissue engaged by the end effector. A tip cover is disposed over the wrist member so that electrical current can only be conducted to tissues through the exposed end effector (e.g., to promote blood coagulation during usage) and not to other parts of the patient's body.
US07824397B2
Methods, apparatus, and systems for occluding a left atrial appendage are provided. One embodiment includes an elongate body having a tissue apposition member extendably positioned within a lumen of the elongate body to appose tissue of the LAA. An energy emitting device coupled to the elongate body can be used for emitting high intensity focused ultrasound to the tissues to fuse the tissues.
US07824392B2
A catheter braid can be formed from at least two continuous wires that are woven together. The catheter braid can include a proximal braid section and a distal braid section. Each of the continuous wires has a proximal diameter corresponding to the proximal braid section and a distal diameter corresponding to the distal braid section. The distal diameter of each wire can be less than the proximal diameter of that wire. A catheter braid so formed can be included in a catheter.
US07824389B2
A disposable absorbent garment includes a body chassis having a terminal front waist edge, a terminal back waist edge longitudinally spaced from the terminal front waist edge, a first length defined between the terminal front waist edge and the terminal back waist edge, and a laterally extending centerline defined half way between the terminal front and back waist edges. An absorbent insert is fixedly secured to the body chassis. The absorbent insert has a retention region including an absorbent material. The retention region has first and second longitudinally spaced boundaries and a second length defined between the first and second boundaries. The second length is less than or equal to 50% of the first length, and at least 70% of the second length is positioned between the centerline and the terminal front waist edge. There is no absorbent material disposed outside of the retention region defined between the first and second boundaries. In one embodiment, the body chassis is formed from separate front and rear body panels. A method of assembling a disposable absorbent garment is also provided.
US07824388B2
A digital tampon including an angled finger cover. The tampons can comprise an absorbent mass having an insertion end and a withdrawal end and an angled finger cover.
US07824368B2
The present invention is a method for accessing the abdominal cavity of a patient in order to perform a medical procedure therein. In one embodiment the method includes the step of inserting a guide wire into the upper gastrointestinal tract, via a gastric opening in the gastric wall and an abdominal opening in the abdominal wall of the patient, the guide wire having a first end that extends from the mouth of the patient, and a second end that extends from the abdominal opening of the patient. The method further includes providing an access device in the form of an elongated sheath having a lumen therethrough, attaching the first end of the guide wire to the distal end of the elongated sheath, and pulling the second end of the guide wire to position the access device into the upper gastrointestinal tract, wherein the distal end of the access device extends into the abdominal cavity while the proximal end of the access device extends out of the mouth of the patient.
US07824363B2
A hands-free breast pump that includes a balanced push-pull reciprocating drive system that applies pumping force to a vacuum chamber formed by a breast interface cup during inward and outward pump strokes. The breast pump includes a breast cup that has a resilient bellows structure that partially collapses the volume of the vacuum chamber during the inward stroke and recovers the volume of the vacuum chamber during the outward stroke. The pump mechanism includes a cam drive system that translates rotary electric motor power into reciprocating linear action of an actuator arm that drives the bellows structure. The bellows structure acts like a spring that charges (resists the pump force) during the inward stroke and discharges (assists the pump force) during the outward stroke, and the shape of the cam track is designed to produce a desired operating profile for the pump.
US07824360B2
A needle-less fluid injection device, including, a nozzle head with an injection hole for accepting a dose of fluid to be injected into the skin of a patient, a fluid capsule that is connected to said nozzle head and provides the nozzle head with one or more doses of fluid for injection, an injection head for mounting the fluid capsule and the nozzle head; including a first mechanism for releasing a dose of fluid from the fluid capsule to the nozzle and a second mechanism for injecting the dose of fluid from the nozzle into the skin of a patient.
US07824356B2
A system is disclosed for removing gas bubbles from blood during circulatory assist procedures. Such bubbles are generated, along with particulate matter, in an extracorporeal circulatory bypass system by the pump, oxygenator and other components. Filters are used in the line to remove particulates and bubbles from the blood before they are pumped back to the patient but current filters are inefficient at removing small bubbles and debris that can cause neurological defects and renal and other organ failures in the patient. An active filter apparatus and method is disclosed that forces the bubbles to the center of the system where they are removed from the blood before the blood exits the filter. The filter comprises an axially elongate cylindrical shell with a blood inlet, a blood outlet and a gas outlet. A motor driven impeller spins the blood within the shell and forces the gas toward the center by centripetal force, utilizing the buoyancy effects of the bubbles in blood, whereby the bubbles can be bled off at the center of the filter element.
US07824355B2
Methods, devices and device components are presented for blood processing. Particularly, methods, devices and device components are presented for separating blood into blood components and collecting one or more separated blood components, which reduce the incidence of blood vessel infiltration and enhance donor comfort. In one aspect, the invention provides blood processing methods having a return flow rate which decreases systematically during a return time. In another aspect, the invention provides blood processing methods having a removal flow rate, return flow rate or both which are derived from a subject's total blood volume. In another aspect, the present invention provides blood processing methods wherein the fraction by volume of removed blood corresponding to collected components is selected to optimize blood processing efficiency and enhance the purities of collected blood components.
US07824353B2
A surgical support for a femur utilizing a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The shaft lies along an axis which is coincident with a first plane. A hook connects to the shaft through an intermediate portion and lies in a second plane which intersects the first plane. The hook includes a flattened portion for support of the femur.
US07824351B2
A portable hydro massage device for submersion in a body of water containing a female user, i.e. a bathtub, provides a local massage to the labium region and a focused stimulant to the female user's clitoris thereby resulting in a superior sensation to the entire body promoting an overall euphoric state and calming effect. The apparatus employs a saddle shaped housing, where the buttocks are placed, and a saddle horn for controlling the stimulus. Disposed within the midsection of the saddle horn is a hydro jet with a driven flow from a circulating water pump that draws suction from the main body of water. The hydro jet is adjustable in pressure and a method is provided for aeration of the water discharged to allow for a rhythmic pulsation effect. The saddle horn may be held and the lower body positioned as needed to focus the discharged stream from the hydro jet to the desired point of the pelvic region.
US07824348B2
A non-invasive variable depth ultrasound treatment method and system comprises a variable depth transducer system configured for providing ultrasound treatment to a patient. An exemplary variable depth transducer system can comprise a transducer configured to provide treatment to more than one region of interest, such as between a deep treatment region of interest and a superficial region of interest, and/or a subcutaneous region of interest. The variable depth transducer can comprise a transduction element having a piezoelectrically active layer, matching layers and/or other materials for generating radiation or acoustical energy. The variable depth transducer may be configured to operate at moderate frequencies within the range from approximately 750 kHz to 20 MHz or more. In addition, the transduction element may be configured with a variable depth device comprising one or more materials configured to allow for control and focusing/defocusing of the acoustic energy to more than one region of interest.
US07824339B2
The present invention relates to methods and systems for selecting and recording biopsy sites in a body tissue or organ. More in particular the present invention provides a method for selecting and recording biopsy sites in a body organ comprising: a) obtaining a three-dimensional volume of backscattered Ultrasound data grid of a three-dimensional region of the organ; b) obtaining a two-dimensional matrix of Ultrasound data of a two-dimensional sub-region of said organ; c) positioning the two-dimensional matrix of Ultrasound data in the three-dimensional volume of backscattered Ultrasound data grid obtained in step (a); d) optionally selecting one or more sites in the two-dimensional matrix of Ultrasound data where a biopsy is to be obtained; e) indicating in the three-dimensional volume of backscattered Ultrasound data grid and/or in the two-dimensional matrix of Ultrasound data any sites at which biopsies were obtained; and f) optionally repeating steps (b) to (e) as required.
US07824338B2
A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.
US07824336B2
An ultrasonic apparatus for diagnosis and therapy is provided with plural ultrasound probes for generating ultrasound waves for phase shift, diagnosis, and therapy. A first control part causes phase shift in a nano droplet ultrasound contrast agent, while a second control part detects the phase shift of the nano droplet ultrasound contrast agent using ultrasound echo detected by an echo detection device. A difference calculation device calculates a difference of the detected phase shift over time, and a positioning device determines a target position where the difference is produced. A third control part is also provided for exposing a decided target area to the ultrasound waves for therapy.
US07824321B2
A slotter-creaser unit includes an upper creasing head and a lower creasing head. A protruding portion is arranged on a periphery of the lower creasing head in a circumferential direction. A first pressing portion and a second pressing portion having different lengths and different curvature radiuses in a width direction are arranged opposite to each other across the protruding portion and in an alternate manner in the circumferential direction.
US07824318B1
An exercise apparatus includes a flexible panel that has a top side, a bottom side, a first end edge, a second end edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. A strap is integrally coupled to the first end edge and extends away therefrom. The strap has a distal end with respect to the panel. A coupler releasably secures the strap in a closed loop. A spherical ball is removable positioned in the closed loop. A person may sit upon the top side and utilize the closed loop as a lower back support while exercising.
US07824317B2
A user repeats a right and left swaying motion while holding a movable body in which a resistance force is generated by tension of an elastic member, hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure, or the like, between his/her two legs, thereby efficiently strengthening, particularly, abdominal muscles, such as rectus muscles of an abdomen, external abdominal oblique muscles, and transverse abdominal muscles, erector muscles of a spine, or iliopsoas muscles, and strengthening various kinds of abdominal and lumbar muscles with an easy motion without laying burden on a waist, unlike the motion of making a user's upper body stand or lie down, which is conventionally seen. A machine trains various kinds of abdominal and lumbar muscles, by a movable body being held between the user's two legs and is swingably journalled to a base plate. The base plate is pivotable with respect to a seating plate on which a user sits, and a resistance force is loaded to the movable body in a swinging direction, and an elastic member, such as rubber or a spring, or a member using hydraulic pressure, is interposed between the movable body and the base plate.
US07824313B2
An exercise device includes one or more foot supports movable along an arcuate path defined around a point of rotation. The arcuate path is divisible into machine defined user selectable arc segments and the movement of the foot support(s) is limited to the machine defined user selected arc segment. The exercise device can include a frame, a linkage movably engaged with the frame, a foot support movably engaged with the linkage, a crank arm movably engaged with the frame, a motor operative to move the crank arm location with respect to the frame, and a drive linkage movably engaging the linkage.
US07824310B1
An exercise apparatus includes an input device, a communication circuit connected to a communication link, and a display device. A control circuit controls the communication circuit to contact a computer connected to the communication link in response to exerciser input to the input device and controls the display device to display mental activity data such as sports scores, stock prices, or a weather report received from the contacted computer while the exerciser exercises to thereby provide a mental activity for the exerciser.
US07824298B2
The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes three planetary gear sets having six torque-transmitting mechanisms and two fixed interconnections. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to at least one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The six torque-transmitting mechanisms provide interconnections between various gear members, and with the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of three to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.
US07824291B2
When a determination for a second shift is made during a first shift process, if the turbine speed is the variety of the synchronous rotational speed for the speed to which the automatic transmission is to be shifted in the second shift and the hydraulic pressure command value for the first brake, which is engaged in the second shift, is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the multiple shift portion immediately switches the shift control from the first shift control to the second shift control so that the hydraulic pressure command value for the first brake, which is engaged in the second shift, increase at a specific rate and the hydraulic pressure command value for the third brake, which is released in the second shift, decreases at a specific rate.
US07824281B1
A method for improving a golfer's swing using a training wedge composed of a rubberized foam and having an angled surface to force a golfer to have a steeper angle of attack.
US07824274B2
A riding device includes one or more cranks rotatably attached to a base, and a rider support supported on a carrier and movable relative to the base for supporting a rider, the carrier has a front portion pivotally coupled to the base with a link and an arm and a rear portion coupled to the cranks for moving cyclically relative to the base and for allowing the carrier to be moved in an elliptical and reciprocating action relative to the base by the crank device, and the rider support is supported on the carrier and moved in concert with the rider support for supporting the rider, and an actuating device may be used for actuating the carrier and the rider support to move relative to the base in an elliptical and reciprocating action.
US07824270B2
A flexible coupling for flexibly joining two rotating or moveable members includes a unitized body having a first end and a second end coaxial to each other, and therebetween having one or more coaxial longitudinally spaced disks with center holes; two or more axial spacing portions formed from the body of each disk to provide a spacing means and joining means for unitizing the disks to each other; means for joining the unitized disks to the first and second ends; and means at the first end for coaxially connecting to a first one of the two rotating or moveable members, and means at the second end for coaxially connecting to a second one of the two rotating or moveable members.
US07824261B2
In the gaming machine according to the present invention, when symbols are displayed within display regions of a display means, a determination means determines, from a combination of symbols displayed, establishment/non-establishment of the shift condition. More specifically, the determination means determines that the shift condition is established when a predetermined number or more first symbols are displayed within the at least one display regions. Further, a condition control means for controlling, when the first symbols displayed within the at least one display regions are less than the predetermined number and when a second symbols are displayed within the display regions, to establish the shift condition by the first symbols and the second symbols. Accordingly, even when the first symbols displayed within the display regions are less than predetermined number, the player can look forward to the shift to the bonus game and therefore feel interest more than in a conventional gaming machine.
US07824254B2
A method and gaming device for playing an electronic multi-hand blackjack game is disclosed. The game includes:a) dealing a player hand of two face-up cards;b) dealing two or more dealer hands such that each dealer hand is dealt from a corresponding shoe made up on at least one deck of cards, where each dealer hand includes one identical face-up card and one face-down card;c) completing the player hand according to input received from the player;d) completing each of the dealer hands according to conventional rules of blackjack, such that the cards in each dealer hand are drawn from the corresponding shoe and no two dealer hands are drawn from the same shoe; ande) determining a number of game results by comparing the player hand against each of the dealer hands using conventional rules of blackjack.
US07824249B2
The present invention relates to a polishing material having polishing particles and a method for making the same. The polishing material having polishing particles includes a base material, a plurality of polishing particles and a polymer elastic body. The base material has a plurality of fibers for defining a plurality of grid-spaces. The polishing particles are distributed in the grid-spaces. The polymer elastic body covers the base material and the polishing particles, whereby, the polishing particles are uniformly distributed on a surface of a polishing workpiece during the polishing process. Furthermore, the base material prevents the polishing particles from contacting the polishing workpiece so as to avoid scratching of the polishing workpiece. Also, the base material provides effects for sweeping the small grinded pieces.
US07824246B2
In a wheel spindle device wherein a plurality of grinding wheels are attached in a juxtaposed relation to a wheel spindle rotatably carried on a wheel head of a grinding machine, a reference position for specifying a position in the circumferential direction of the grinding wheel is provided on a core member of each of the grinding wheels, and a plurality of inclined grooves at predetermined angular intervals are formed on a grinding surface of each grinding wheel to be inclined relative to the circumferential direction of each grinding wheel. In order that the fluctuations in the dynamic pressure and the grinding resistance between respective grinding wheels and workpiece portions ground therewith do not grow as a combined or synergy effect, the inclined grooves on each grinding wheel are shifted in angular phase from those on another grinding wheel, so that grinding efficiency and accuracy can be enhanced.
US07824234B2
A connector which makes it possible to prevent contacts from being removed without increasing press-in force of the contacts. A crank-shaped portion or protruding portion is formed, as a retaining portion, on an linking portion which links a contact portion and a connection portion of each contact. A housing for holding a plurality of the contacts is comprised of a front housing in which contact-side portions of the contacts are disposed, and a rear housing in which connection-side portions of the same are disposed. When the front housing and the rear housing are assembled, the crank-shaped portion and the protruding portions are brought into abutment with the rear housing.
US07824231B2
A communications outlet includes eight outlet tines positioned adjacent to one another and define four pairs of outlet tines. The fourth and fifth outlet tines define a first pair, the first and second outlet tines define a second pair, the third and sixth outlet tines define a third pair, and the seventh and eighth outlet tines define a fourth pair. Each outlet tine has a free end near which a plug tine is adapted to contact the outlet tine and each outlet tine has a fixed end coupled through a corresponding conductive tine to a corresponding electrical contact. The communications outlet includes an internal crosstalk compensation stage having a plurality of conductive fingers. Each conductive finger is physically connected to a corresponding one of the outlet tines proximate the free ends of the tines. The internal crosstalk compensation stage is operable to provide positive compensation for internal crosstalk between pairs corresponding to the tines to which the conductive fingers of the flexible printed circuit board are attached.
US07824227B1
A USB application device includes a casing, a printed circuit board and a flexible supporter. The casing has a receiving space therein. The printed circuit board is completely receiving the printed circuit board and includes a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. A plurality of contacts is disposed on the top surface of the printed circuit board. The flexible supporter is arranged in the casing and between the casing and the bottom surface of the printed circuit board. If the USB application device couples with a mating connector, the mating connector press the printed circuit board to urge the printed circuit board to press the flexible supporter. The flexible supporter is urged to be deformed by the press of the printed circuit board and to disperse the pressing force from the mating connector.
US07824222B2
The invention provides a connector in which, in an over-mold process, it is possible to prevent a molten resin from flowing through inevitable gaps (88, 89) of a shell (80) into the inside of the shell, thereby preventing problems such as that movable portions of contacts (20) become immovable, from arising. The connector of the invention has a plug body (10) in which contacts (20) to be connected to a cable (70) are held by an insulative body (40), the body (40) is shielded by a shell (80) formed by a metal plate, and a part of the plug body (10) is over-molded. The body (40) has sealing portions (41, 42) which are fitted into gaps (88, 89) of the shell (80) to close the gaps (88, 89).
US07824219B2
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing (100), a plurality of contacts (3) retained in the housing, a shell covering on the housing (100) and a metal connecting sheet (7). The insulative housing defines an insulative base (1) and a mating portion (2) extending forwards out of a front face (10) of the insulative base, and the contacts are retained in the mating portion. The shell defines a first shell (4) covering outside of the mating portion, and a second shell (5) covering outside of the insulative housing. The metal connecting sheet defines at least one first contacting arm (74) connecting with the first shell, at least one second contacting arm (73) connecting with the second shell and a main portion (72) connecting with the at least one first and second contacting arms, and the front face of the insulative base is wholly covered by the main portion.
US07824218B2
A contact holder assembly receives a contact. The contact holder assembly includes a movable body portion, a fixed body portion, and a ring elastically combining the movable body portion and the fixed body portion such that the movable body portion moves away from the fixed body portion as the contact holder assembly receives a contact. The movable body portion includes an inner surface and an inclined portion on the inner surface.
US07824217B2
An exemplary terminal module of a cable connector includes a first terminal, a second terminal positioned in the first terminal, an insulator positioned between the first terminal and the second terminal for insulating the first and second terminals from each other, and a latching flange disposed on an outer surface of the first terminal. The latching flange forms at least one resisting surface.
US07824210B2
A connector includes a male connector part composed of a male terminal, a first main body to which the male terminal is attached, and a first terminal housing portion composed of a first housing opening portion in which an end of the male terminal is exhibited and a predetermined housing space in which the male terminal is housed, a female connector part composed of a female terminal into which the male terminal is inserted, the male terminal being electrically connected to the female terminal by fitting the male connector part with the female connector part, a holding means inside the female terminal for holding the male terminal in a vertical direction, and a touch protecting means inside the first terminal housing portion for protecting the male terminal housed in the predetermined housing space from being touched by a foreign body. The touch protecting means includes an insulating portion for covering a part of the male terminal including the end of the male terminal except a part contacting the holding means when the male terminal is inserted into the female terminal, and a pair of projecting portions projecting in the predetermined housing space of the first terminal housing portion and at a position opposite the part contacting the holding means when the male terminal is inserted into the female terminal such that the male terminal is sandwiched therebetween in the vertical direction.
US07824187B1
An electrical connector system comprises a first PCB assembly (100) comprising a first PCB (10) and a first electrical connector (20) mounted on said first PCB (10) and a second PCB assembly (300) comprising a second PCB (30) perpendicular to the first PCB (10) and a second electrical connector (40) mounted on said second PCB (30). The first electrical connector (20) is formed with a port and the second electrical connector (40) is also formed with a port matable into the port of the first electrical connector (20), so that the first PCB assembly (100) is mountable to the second PCB assembly (300) along a first direction (120) parallel to the first PCB (10) and the second PCB (30).
US07824176B2
A feature of a needle valve nozzle positioned in a hot-runner injection mould and actuated by means of an actuator, where the direction of actuation of the shut-off needle and that of the flow channel in the hot-runner nozzle differ from one another, is that, in the closed position, the shut-off needle (13), as distinct from the actuation device (12), is held in position, in the closed position, exclusively by the cooler mould plate (2) at at least two locations at a distance from one another.
US07824164B2
The present invention comprises a speed feedback control system for carrying out speed feedback control on the basis of a speed detected value Vd obtained by converting a position detected value Xd obtained from a screw position sensor 4, a pressure feedback control system for carrying out a pressure feedback control on the basis of a pressure detected value Pdb obtained from an injection pressure sensor 6b, and a VP switching control function portion Fc for carrying out switching from a speed control region to a pressure control region Zp when a pressure deviation Ep between a preset pressure set value Ps and the pressure detected value Pdb becomes a preset switching determination value Eps or less and carrying out the switching to the pressure control region Zp after control of a speed command value in the speed control region Zv by a predetermined control pattern Dp at this switching.
US07824153B2
A stator vane for a turbo molecular pump has stator vane halves each having inner and outer rim portions and radially arranged stator blades connected integrally between the inner and outer rim portions. The inner rim portion of each stator vane half has a pair of inner rim ends and the outer rim portion of each stator vane half has a pair of outer rim ends. The stator vane halves are disposed in abutment with one another along an abutment line to form an annular body with the inner rim ends of one of the stator vane halves being disposed in confronting relation with the respective inner rim ends of the other of the stator vane halves and with the outer rim ends of the one of the stator vane halves being disposed in confronting relation with the respective outer rim ends of the other of the stator vane halves. At least each of the inner rim ends or each of the outer rim ends of one of the two stator blade halves being formed shorter in a circumferential direction of the annular body with respect to the abutment line to form a gap between the confronting inner rim ends or the confronting outer rim ends.
US07824139B2
A parallel shaft strap tie down apparatus and system. Exemplary embodiments include a parallel shaft strap tie down apparatus and system for vehicle transports. Exemplary embodiments include a central shaft having a ratchet wheel and a pawl configured to wrap a strap around the central shaft. A parallel shaft is positioned parallel to the central shaft. The strap can be inserted between a variable gap between the central shaft and the parallel shaft. When the central shaft is rotated the strap is wound around the central shaft and the parallel shaft, both of which cooperate to create a self-tightening response of the strap on the central and parallel shafts.
US07824125B2
A self-aligning coupling device for installation in a channel having an open end and a pair of substantially parallel side walls. The device includes an elongate connecting portion having a longitudinal axis, a channel abutment portion, and at least one laterally projecting lug. In use, the coupling device is installed in the channel with the channel abutment portion located at least partially within the channel and the laterally projecting lug located outside the open end of the channel. The channel abutment portion is formed such that when aligned in a first angular position within the channel it abuts the side walls of the channel to prevent rotation of the device in a first rotational direction about said longitudinal axis, while allowing rotation in a second, opposed rotational direction. The lug is formed such that in said first angular position it extends beyond at least one of the side walls of the channel. When the coupling device is retracted into the channel while simultaneously applying a torque to rotate the device in said first rotational direction towards said first angular position, the channel abutment portion abuts the side walls of the channel thereby aligning the lug to extend beyond at least one of the side walls of the channel and preventing the coupling device from being fully retracted into the channel. Various methods and apparatus for applying suitable translational and rotational forces to the self-aligning coupling device, and to form adjustable clamp assemblies, are also provided.
US07824120B1
A hand held cleaning apparatus for cleaning carpets and other surfaces comprises a housing and a solution reservoir mounted to the housing for storing and dispensing a cleaning composition onto the surface to be cleaned. The solution reservoir further comprises a dispenser assembly including a flexible vent tube that is weighted to consistently orient a free end of the vent tube away from the cleaning composition.
US07824111B2
An optical module has a substrate having a substrate surface provided with terminal pads and landing pads, and an optical element package having terminals and mounted on the substrate surface with a gap formed therebetween. The gap between the optical element package and the substrate surface is determined by the landing pads when the optical element package is mounted on the substrate surface. The terminal pads and the landing pads are exposed in a state where the optical element package is mounted on the substrate surface, and the terminal pads are electrically connected to corresponding terminals by solder.
US07824104B2
A telescopic crane jib-slide bearing part comprises a receiver and a filler compound introduced into the receiver. A telescopic crane jib-slide bearing includes one or more such slide bearing parts.
US07824097B2
A micro-mechanical part made of insulating material, such as a silicon balance spring (1) for a timepiece movement, tends to adhere to a neighboring part when it is in movement, such as the balance cock (9). This drawback is removed by carrying out, over all or part of the surface, a thin deposition of a layer of conductive material, such as a metal, which is preferably non-oxidizing and non-magnetic, such as gold, platinum, rhodium or silicon.
US07824092B2
A backlight module includes a light source and a light guide plate. The light source includes a light-emitting surface and at least two mean points. The light guide plate includes an incident surface, an emitting surface adjacent to the incident surface, a reflecting surface opposite to the emitting surface, and at least two groups of microstructures formed on the reflecting surface. Each group of microstructures is arranged concentric relative to a respective mean point of the light-emitting surface of the light source.
US07824091B2
A backlight arrangement (100) comprising at least a light source (101) and a waveguide plate (102) comprising a front surface (104) and an opposing back surface (103) and at least one surface (107) for receiving light from said light source (101), said surface for receiving light connecting said front and back surfaces is provided. At least one of said front surface (104) and said back surface (103) is a facetted surface comprising a plurality of planar parallel portions (105) and a plurality of facets (106) connecting said planar parallel portions. The facets (106) are formed such that the thickness of said waveguide plate (102) decreases stepwise with the distance from said surface (107) for receiving light, and such that at least part of the light received into the waveguide plate (102) via said surface (107) for receiving light is extracted from said waveguide plate (102) through said facets (106).
US07824085B2
A vehicular illumination device includes a light distribution control unit, a determination unit and a control unit. The light distribution control unit performs an alteration control of a vehicular illumination unit so as to alter a light distribution with respect to an illumination object detected by a detection unit. When the illumination object ceases to be detected, the determination unit determines whether or not there is a need to maintain the alteration control in a current state. When it is determined that there is a need to maintain the alteration control in the current state, the control unit controls the light distribution control unit so as to maintain the alteration control in the current state.
US07824074B2
A display with illumination function, comprising: a display body, including a display screen; a support, have a top and a base, said top includes at least one of the pivot member joint to one side of display body allow the display body to rotate freely; a light source disposed around the display screen; and a stand connected to the base of the support. When the surrounding environment has insufficient lighting for reading or using the display, the user can simply turn on the light source to illuminates the display screen and work area, without the needs of additional lamps or other lighting devices which can occupy extra desk space.
US07824070B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) lighting fixture is provided as a potential solid state lighting (SSL) replacement fixture for a conventional HID lamp fixture. The LED lighting fixture includes a main housing having a bottom surface supporting an array of LEDs, a top surface and sides, and at least one driver provided in a side housing attached to a side of the main housing to drive the LED array. The thickness of the side housing is equal to or greater than the thickness of the main housing. A plurality of heat spreading fins is arranged on the top surface of the main housing.
US07824063B2
The present invention is directed to lighting systems and illumination devices, and more particularly to a removable handle and battery pack for a portable lighting system that produces a high intensity beam of light in the visible and infrared spectral regions that can be used for non-covert and ultra-covert operations. The battery pack includes a 360 degree ballast connector, a locking, water-proof, recharge connector and plug, and a four-function back switch. The battery pack fits tightly into the redundantly sealed, water-proof handle, which includes a specially designed knurling system around the handle to improve a user's comfort and grip during extreme conditions and a rotatable D-ring connecter that locks in place and provides covert sound protection. The 360 degree ballast connector connects to a number of sealed connectors formed within a sealed ballast assembly.
US07824051B2
Illuminated, decorative light objects are disclosed that provide at least one aesthetic lighting display or light show, and to a user interface for the same. A disclosed decorative light object includes a translucent housing. The housing has a bottom opening leading into a cavity. The object also includes a base assembly that covers the bottom opening of the housing. The base assembly includes a user interface. The user interface includes light show circuitry, memory for storing a plurality of light shows, switches or buttons for recalling the light shows from the memory and at least one light group comprising red, green and blue lights. The switches of the user interface are supported in the bottom opening. The light show circuitry, memory and lights are supported within the cavity. Preferably, a translucent light pipe with a roughened lambertian outer surface covers and hides the circuitry and the lights. As the light shines through the light pipe it is diffused thereby creating a warm glowing appearance.
US07824050B2
A diffusion plate and a backlight module for use in a liquid crystal display panel are provided. The backlight module includes a housing, a reflection plate, a light source, a diffusion plate and films. The diffusion plate has a plate body, a first supporter, and a second supporter. The plate body has a light exit surface. The first supporter and the second supporter are respectively disposed on two sides of the plate body and extend outwardly from the light exit surface. The films are disposed on the plate body and between the first and second supporters. The first and second supporters contact and support the liquid crystal display panel.
US07824049B2
An illumination device has a plurality of sealing structures each including a light-emitting diode, sealed by a high refractive index transparent material member which is further sealed by a low refractive index transparent material member. To increase a divergence angle of light radiation, the portion of the high refractive index transparent material member which covers an upper surface of the light-emitting diode is structured so as to satisfy a relation H>(L/2)/tan {sin−1(n1/n2)}, where H represents a thickness of the high refractive index transparent material member measured at the central portion of the upper surface of the light-emitting diode, L represents the length of one side of the upper surface of the light-emitting diode, n1 represents the refractive index of the high refractive index transparent material member and n2 represents the refractive index of the low refractive index transparent material member.
US07824048B2
A ferrule includes a body having a cylindrical shape. Elastic gripping portions are arranged on the body so as to bulge radially inwardly. The elastic gripping portions can have elastic contact with the outer circumferential surface of a glass tube. The body of the ferrule is mounted to the glass tube via the elastic gripping portions capable of elastic and radial deformation. Thereby, the variations in outer diameter of the glass tube can be absorbed, and therefore the dimensional control with high precision is not required for glass tubes at the time of manufacturing. This leads to cost reduction.
US07824047B2
In a cellular phone, a light guiding plate, which linearly guides light emitted by a plurality of light emitting elements (LEDs), and an LED display unit, which displays predetermined LED displays, are laminatedly arranged in a movable-side housing. A slit formed in the substantially central portion of the light guiding plate partitions the light guiding plate into a first light guiding region and a second light guiding region. A first light emitting group of the light emitting elements emits light to the first light guiding region and a second light emitting group of the light emitting elements emits light to the second light guiding region. The first light guiding region and the second light guiding region are illuminated alternately by alternately switching ON the first light emitting group and the second light emitting group.
US07824043B2
A reflection preventing layered product is provided by laminating a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer, which has a refractive index lower than that of the high refractive index layer, in that order on a transparent plastic film, directly or through another layer. The low refractive index layer has a surface resistance of 1.0×1010 ohm/square inch or less, a total light remittance of 94% or more, and a refractive index of 1.25-1.37. An optical member provided with the reflection preventing layered product is also provided. This optical member is preferably a polarizing plate with reflection preventing function used for a liquid crystal display. The reflection preventing layered product excels in transparency, mechanical strength, antistaticity, and reflection preventing characteristics.
US07824034B2
An iris imaging system is provided. The iris imaging system includes at least one light source configured to illuminate an iris at a spectrum of light. The iris imaging system also includes at least one image capturing device including at least one of an indium-gallium-arsenide, lead sulphide, and lead selenide based detector and configured to capture an image of the iris via light reflected from the iris at the spectrum. The device is further configured to provide a signal representing one or more features of the iris in response to the light reflected from the iris.
US07824016B2
Provided is a pagewidth printhead arrangement for an inkjet printer having a print engine controller. The arrangement has a wafer substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlets. A plurality of nozzles each including side walls are located on a wafer substrate with a roof portion attached to said walls to define an ink chamber. The roof portion defines an ejection port. The arrangement also includes an inlet defined in the substrate to supply the ink chamber with ink. A heater element is suspended between the side walls in the ink chamber, so that when electrical actuation energy is applied to respective heater elements, a vapour bubble is formed in the ink leading to a pressure increase in the chamber thereby ejecting the ink via the ejection port. The controller is configured to actuate the heater element to facilitate weighted ink drop volumes to be ejected from the nozzle arrangement.
US07824009B2
A liquid ejection head capable of achieving satisfactory printing without nozzle misfiring in an area close to an end of a nozzle row and droplet misdirection is provided. The ejection orifices, except for dummy orifices, are provided with protrusions. Four operative ejection orifices located close to each of the ends of each ejection orifice row are defined as end-located ejection orifices. Each of the protrusions provided in the end-located ejection orifices has a shorter length than that of the protrusion provided in the ejection orifice located in the central portion of the nozzle row.
US07824002B2
An inkjet printer cradle that has a body configured to correctly position a removable inkjet cartridge within an inkjet printer, the removable inkjet cartridge having a printhead and an air inlet. The cradle has an air compressor for supplying compressed air to the air inlet of the removable inkjet cartridge such that an outlet from the air compressor couples with the air inlet upon engagement with the removable inkjet cartridge into the body. The cradle also provides a print media transport assembly for transporting print media past the printhead when the removable inkjet cartridge is positioned by the body.
US07823999B2
A recording apparatus includes a recording head configured to scan a recording medium and record an image on the recording medium. The recording apparatus includes a recording buffer to store image data representing one pixel with a plurality of bits, a reading unit to read, from a storage area of the recording buffer, image data corresponding to a region including a boundary between two regions recorded on the recording medium in successive scanning and recording operations, a thinning unit to thin out image data based on a thinning rate corresponding to the image data read by the reading unit, a storage unit to store image data thinned out by the thinning unit in the storage area of the recording buffer, a quantization unit to perform quantization processing on the image data stored in the recording buffer when the image data is transferred to the recording head, and a recording unit to perform recording based on the image data quantized by the quantization unit.
US07823998B2
Even when ejection characteristics of ink droplets are dispersed between unit heads and when arrangement accuracies of unit heads are dispersed, stripe unevenness is alleviated by correction corresponding to each unit head. In a liquid ejection apparatus having a line head (10) arranged by juxtaposing a plurality of (unit) heads (11) of liquid ejection parts so as to connect the head (11) to the adjacent head (11), the liquid ejection apparatus includes ejection direction changing means for enabling the ejection direction of liquid droplets ejected from a nozzle of each liquid ejection part to change in a plurality of directions in the arranging direction of liquid ejection parts and reference direction setting means for individually setting one reference principal direction for each head (11) among a plurality of ejection directions of liquid droplets by the ejection direction changing means. In the (N−1)th and the (N+1)th head 11, the third ejection direction from the left is established as the principal direction while in the Nth head 11, the second ejection direction from the right is established as the principal direction.
US07823993B2
A latching mechanism is particularly suited for use in latching a slide mechanism, such as used to slidably mount a drawer. The latching mechanism includes a latch assembly comprising a latch lever mounted for movement between a first, second and third positions, a latch tab for selective engagement with a second end of the latch lever, and a piezo electric controller. The controller has a plunger configured to selectively control the movement of the latch lever between the first and second positions, the plunger movable between an extended position corresponding to a first, locked position of the latch lever and a retracted position corresponding to the second, unlocked position of the latch lever, the controller when unpowered preventing the plunger from moving from the extended to the retracted position and the controller when powered permitting the plunger to move from the extended to the retracted position.
US07823990B2
A sprocketed idler for a machine comprises a plurality of teeth radially disposed about an idler having a substantially circular cross section. Each of the plurality of teeth includes at least one tooth flank having a substantially uniform slope, wherein a distance between adjacent peaks of the plurality of teeth is between 30% and 90% of the distance between central axes of adjacent pin members of a track link that is engageable by the idler.
US07823981B2
A wheel hub is provided. The wheel hub includes an axle, a first spoke coupling member operably connected to the axle, a second spoke coupling member operably connected to the axle and an outer surface covering at least a portion of the axle. The outer surface is located between the first and second spoke coupling members and has a length and a thickness where the length is greater than the thickness.
US07823975B2
A support with a lumbar adjuster device for a motor vehicle seat includes a front side which, in the installed position, faces a seat user's back and a lumbar adjuster device which is arranged on the front side of the support and is intended for setting the position of the lumbar support perpendicular to the plane of extent of the backrest frame. The lumbar adjuster device has at least one adjuster element to be brought into operative connection with the lumbar support, and at least one slide which is movable with respect to the adjuster element. The slide can be moved, firstly, along a tensioning direction along which it is pretensioned, and, secondly, along a drawing direction along which a drawing force can be transmitted to the slide via a drawing means coupled to the slide.
US07823974B2
A juvenile vehicle seat includes a seat base adapted to set on a vehicle seat and a foldable backrest associated with the seat base. The juvenile vehicle seat also includes a backrest lock coupled to the foldable backrest.
US07823971B2
Multiple vehicle seats are disclosed with active head restraint systems that receive an input force from an occupant during an impact by a torso support, which consequently actuates a linkage that translates a head restraint upward and forward to the head of the occupant. In one embodiment, the torso support has a translatable connection with the seatback frame and another translatable connection with the linkage. In another embodiment, a torso support is pivotally connected to a pair of links which are each pivotally connected to the frame. In yet another embodiment, the seatback frame includes a structural wire, which provides pivotal connections for two of the links of the linkage.
US07823969B2
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a seat caddy having a single manipulation point for manipulating the fitting of the seat caddy to a suitable seat, such as a stadium seat or a lawn chair. Having a single adjustment point allows a user to more easily adjust and manipulate the seat caddy when engaging or disengaging a stadium seat and the like. Such a seat caddy allows for a simple cinching or uncinching of an adjustable cord when setting or removing the seat caddy when being used.
US07823966B2
A chair includes a base structure and a seat which is movably secured to the base structure. Connected to the seat is a backrest for swinging in a virtually wall-avoiding manner. A footrest is movable between a stowed position when not being used and an extended position when in use, wherein the footrest is disposed in the stowed position below the seat in approximate parallel relationship thereto and has a seat-distal surface provided with a padding. The footrest is connected to the seat by a swivel fitting which is constructed such that a movement of the backrest causes a movement of the footrest.
US07823949B2
A vehicle trim component is disclosed. The vehicle trim component includes a base with a track. A panel movable between a first position and a second position and having at least one guide member at its lateral edge that engages the track as the panel is moved between the first position and the second position. A latch system including a catch and a biasing member. The guide member engages the catch when the panel is in the first position.
US07823947B1
A storage compartment for mounting on a trim panel of an automobile door. The trim panel includes an aperture configured to receive a speaker assembly. The storage compartment includes a rear wall, a side wall bounding the rear wall to define a storage cavity and having a perimeter which is complementary in shape to the aperture. A retaining wall having a shape which is substantially similar to a portion of the aperture is attached to a portion of the side wall which is adjacent to the bottom end of the rear wall by a living hinge. The living hinge allows the retaining wall to hinge relative to the rear wall so as to cover a portion of the storage cavity.
US07823934B2
An exemplary fixing apparatus is provided for holding a data storage device defining a pair of holes in a sidewall thereof. The fixing apparatus includes a bracket, a sliding member, a rotating member, a pair of latch members, and a resilient member. The bracket includes a side panel defining a pair through holes therein. The sliding member is slidably attached to the side panel. The rotating member is rotatably attached to the sliding member. The resilient member is disposed between the sliding member and the rotating member. The latch members are pivotably attached to the rotating member and movably extend through the through hole of the bracket to engage in the holes of the data storage device.
US07823930B2
A coupling comprising a receiving part (1), a securing part (9) and an insertion part (17) includes blocking elements (6, 13′) whose engagement preventing the securing part (9) from moving from an extended position into a retracted position is released by the axial displacement of latching arms (13) of the securing part (9) under the effect of a retaining ring (22) upon the insertion of said insertion part (17), such that when the insertion part (17) is properly arranged in a receiving space (16) of the receiving part (1), the securing part (9) can be shifted into the retracted position in which said insertion part (17) is secured. What is achieved in this way is relatively simple modification of the assembly force through design measures, high wear resistance, and simple and operationally reliable manipulation of the inventive coupling with regard to the release of the connection between the receiving part and the insertion part, especially under confined spatial conditions.
US07823924B2
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a seatbelt pretensioner is provided. The pretensioner comprises a cylinder having a proximal section which defines a gas chamber that forms at least a portion of an interior space defined by the cylinder. Extending distally from the proximal section is a guide section. Disposed within the interior space is a piston that is moveable toward a distal end of the guide section. The piston has a proximal portion and a distal portion that extends from the proximal portion. The proximal and distal portions are disposed respectively adjacent to the proximal and guide sections. The distal portion is configured for attaching to an anchor that is coupled to webbing of the seatbelt. In fluid communication with the gas chamber is a gas generator. The gas generator is configured for generating gas to move the piston, tensioning the seatbelt.
US07823922B2
An inflatable airbag cushion assembly with a tether system for use in a vehicle. The airbag and the tether are configured such that upon airbag deployment the tether applies sufficient tension to the cushion to mitigate occupant ejection from the vehicle.
US07823921B2
An air bag system is provided wherein a support belt for coupling an airbag to a vehicle body is accommodated in an accommodation part provided in the vehicle body. A belt cover is engaged from above so as to cover the accommodation part. The belt cover is configured to be removed from the accommodation part along with swelling and expansion of the airbag. A wire is coupled to the vehicle body inside the accommodation part so as not to be moved apart from the vehicle body over a predetermined length at the time of removing. The wire is arranged inside the accommodation part, and is coupled to a fixation plate to be connected to a frame of the vehicle body. By inserting the wire into through-holes of the fixation plate, the wire is coupled to the vehicle body, and both ends thereof are connected to the belt cover.
US07823920B1
An apparatus (10) includes an inflatable protection device (14) having an upper portion (60) and a lower portion (62) and an inflator (32) having inflation fluid outlets (33). The inflator (32) is actuatable to inflate the protection device (14). A retainer (70) includes a base portion (72) for clamping the inflator (32) to a support member (34). The retainer (70) further includes a cover portion (74) that has a deflector portion (86) and a top portion (88). The deflector portion (86) directs inflation fluid from the inflator (32) into the protection device (14) in a direction substantially parallel to a central axis (37) of the inflator (32). The cover portion (74) directs inflation fluid from a first half (74a) of the cover portion (74) into the upper portion (60) of the protection device (14) at a first volumetric flow rate and from a second half (74b) of the cover portion (74) into the lower portion (62) of the protection device (14) at a second volumetric flow rate that is greater than the first volumetric flow rate.
US07823917B2
An air bag module mounted in front of a front passenger seat of an automotive vehicle. The air bag module includes a case having an opening. An air bag is accommodated within and connected with the case. The air bag is projectable out of the case through the opening of the case. A gas generator is provided for generating gas to be supplied into the air bag to inflate the air bag. A lid member is provided for covering the opening of the case. The case has a bottom wall section including a weakened portion which serves as a starting point of deformation of the case when an impact is applied to the case.
US07823913B2
Curtain air bag unit for a motor vehicle is provided which comprises an air bag extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle. Further it comprises fixing means for fixing the air bag in the area of the roof bar of the motor vehicle, whereby the fixing means comprise a tension member, that extends from a first fixing element to a second fixing element. It also comprises tensioning means for influencing the tensile stress of the tension member during mounting of the curtain air bag unit into the motor vehicle. A pre-cut tension member can be used whose length is chosen in a way that the mounting in the vehicle can be carried out simply and conveniently.
US07823912B2
A vehicle seat assembly includes a frame for mounting the seat to a vehicle. The seat assembly also includes a seat pad molded from a polymeric material and located proximate the frame. A trim cover is disposed over the seat pad, and includes a seam adjacent a side of the seat pad. An airbag assembly, which includes an airbag and an inflator configured to supply gas to the airbag, is also part of the seat assembly. A pad shield covers at least a portion of the seat pad for protecting it during deployment of the airbag. The pad shield includes inner and outer panels which form a deployment channel for the airbag, and thereby inhibit contact of the airbag with the seat pad as the airbag deploys.
US07823910B2
A vibration welding method, a vibration-welded structure, and an airbag apparatus capable of reducing the positional deviation of junction between workpieces different in the die releasing direction are provided. An airbag apparatus according to one form of the present invention includes an airbag that is normally folded and is inflated and developed at an emergency; an inflator for supplying gas to the airbag; a retainer for accommodating the airbag and the inflator therein; an outer panel mounted on an instrument panel; and an inner case vibration-welded to the inside of the outer panel for retaining the retainer, in which when a die releasing direction of the outer panel differs from a die releasing direction of the inner case, a positioning plane of the inner case is molded to agree with the die releasing direction of the outer panel while the outer panel is provided with a positioning rib formed thereon.
US07823904B2
A hitch assembly is provided having a hitch shank configured to be received within an opening of a hitch receiver of a tow vehicle and a wedge member disposed about the hitch shank. The wedge member has first and second surfaces on opposing sides of the wedge member, angled relative to one another. An engagement device is coupled to the wedge member to press the wedge member to an engaged position that causes the hitch shank to bias away from the receiver tube to minimize play therebetween.
US07823896B2
An articulated step system for an automotive vehicle includes a step housing attached to the vehicle frame by means of at least one standoff bracket and a tension strut extending generally downwardly from a first end attached to a vehicle body to a second end attached to the step housing. The articulated step has a stowed position generally underlying the body, and a deployed position extending generally outwardly from the body. Movement of the step may be either translational or rotational with respect to the step housing. In one embodiment, the step extends for the full length of the cab of the vehicle, and partially under a load carrying body at the rear of the vehicle.
US07823887B2
In a casing of a rotary machine, cast components are sealingly mounted together by means of seals accommodated in (semi-) enclosed cavities. A ring seal includes an annular base and an annular skirt extending axially from the base. To ameliorate manufacturing tolerances, the seal defines circumferentially spaced, intermittent cavities to allow seal material to be deformed into the cavities as required. Land areas between cavities have cross-sectional surfaces increasing progressively from a free surface of small area to cause compressive force required for deformation to increase exponentially with an exponent larger than 1. The cavities may be peripherally spaced, being open at a radially outer surface of the seal. The seal may be of elastic material which may be incompressible. The skirt may taper away from the base. The base may have a projecting sealing lip. The skirt may have, at a free end, a slanted, peripheral lip.
US07823885B2
A dual seal assembly, in particular for sealing a gas compressor, includes a first mechanical seal assembly including a pair of co-operating seal rings, one of which is provided for common rotation with a rotating component and the other of which is provided rotationally fixed at a stationary component. A second mechanical seal assembly includes a pair of co-operating seal rings, one of which is provided for common rotation with a rotating component and the other of which is provided rotationally fixed at a stationary component. One of the seal rings is axially movable and axially biased with a biasing force against the respectively other seal ring to bias facing sliding surfaces of the seal ringss in a mutual sealing engagement. A secondary sealing assembly is provided for sealing the axially movable seal ring with respect to at least one circumferential guiding surface of a guiding component.
US07823884B2
A spherical logical puzzle is disclosed comprising of a plurality of elements symmetrical about three axes and planes. The puzzle is solved by rotating the elements on the surface of the sphere to align a surface pattern or numerical set. The surface of sphere is divided into octants of 4 elements; 3 quarter polar sections and one shell section. These surface elements are rearranged by rotating hemispherical sets of four octants at a time. When rotating a hemisphere of elements, the polar segments of that hemisphere do not rotate, thus creating a unique and novel puzzle.
US07823879B2
An apparatus for deskewing a media sheet includes a sheet feed system for transporting the media sheet along a media feed path in a media feed direction. A split alignment gate is positioned to intersect the media feed path. The split alignment gate subjects the media sheet to a deskewing force, wherein an amount of the deskewing force is determined based on a width of the media sheet in a direction transverse to the media feed direction.
US07823871B2
A sheet feeding apparatus including a sheet tray for storing a plurality of sheets of paper, the sheet tray capable of being pulled out in a direction perpendicular to a sheet feed direction, a pair of side regulating members for regulating both lateral surfaces of the sheets, the regulating members being provided over the sheet tray and perpendicular to the sheet feed direction, a vacuum belt to suck a sheet of paper from above and feed the sheets, and a moving mechanism for moving the vacuum belt or one of the regulating members that is provided on a back side in the direction of pulling out the sheet tray in the vertical directions, in such a way that, when the sheet tray is pulled out, the uppermost end of the regulating member provided on the back side is lower than the lowermost surface of the vacuum belt.
US07823860B2
An electromagnetic valve driving apparatus is provided for reducing emission noise generated when a discharge switching element is turned off. In the apparatus, a discharging capacitor stores electrical energy for performing discharge to a coil in an electromagnetic valve and charging means generates voltage from a power source voltage, which voltage is higher than that of the power source voltage. A discharge switching element is provided in series in a current path extending from the discharging capacitor to an up-stream side terminal of the coil. Controlling means turns on/off the discharge switching element. Circulating means is provided in the current path for circulation of current to the coil. Sub-discharging means is provided in the current path, for starting discharge to the coil when the discharge switching element is turned off, and for circulating current to the coil through the circulating means when the discharge to the coil is completed.
US07823855B2
A grip including at least two hinged monopods, each having an independent leg extension, the monopods in the closed position forming a hand grip, and a mounting assembly for mounting the grip on a device, and a method for forming the grip. Preferably, the leg extension includes a housing in each of the monopods and at least one spring biased leg telescopingly mounted in the housing.
US07823854B2
A display with a linear driving device comprises a base, a driving device, and a display. In assembly, the driving device is mounted on the base, and then the display is fixed on a mover of the linear motor of the driving device. The user can use remote control or manual touch control to set a predetermined distance that he wants the display to move, once the display receives signal, it will instantly instruct the linear motor of the driving device to move linearly, so that the display will be moved to a predetermined position.
US07823853B2
A hanging device attachable to overlapping siding members for supporting objects comprises an insert edge extending outwardly from an upper section, an offset section, and a lower section. The insert edge is insertable into the joint between adjacent siding members and the lower section includes a support element adapted to retain objects. The offset section extends between and joins the upper section with the lower section, with the offset section spacing the lower section from a siding member when the insert edge is inserted between adjacent siding members. The hanging device may be biased about a pivot area when an object is held by the support element such that the insert edge is urged into the joint between adjacent siding members. The insert edge defines an obtuse angle relative to the upper section and the support element may comprise hook members or mounting holes.
US07823850B1
An improved mounting bracket that provides an indication to an installer when a mount is not correctly aligned. The mounting bracket comprises a mounting contact portion and at least one side portion integrally connected to the mounting contact portion, with the at least one side portion defining a receiving region for accepting one or more retaining portions of a mount. The at least one side portion includes a first ramped surface at least partially outside of the receiving region. The first ramped surface configured to contact a retaining portion when the retaining portion is misaligned with the receiving region, thereby informing an installer of the misalignment.
US07823849B2
A self-balanced adjustable mounting system for a flat panel display. A display interface having a hollow, semi-spherical shell portion is attached to the flat panel display. The semi-spherical shell is formed with a generally constant radius of curvature. The center of the radius of curvature is disposed proximate the center of gravity of the flat panel display with the display interface attached. The display interface is received in a guide structure that has a bearing portion engaging the outer surface of the semi-spherical shell, and a second bearing portion engaging the inner surface of the semi-spherical shell through an aperture formed in the semi-spherical shell. The semi-spherical shell is guided between the first and second bearing portions so that the flat panel display and device interface are generally rotatable about the center of the radius of curvature of the semi-spherical shell. The display is self balancing in virtually any position in the range of travel of the device due to the location of the center of rotation proximate the center of gravity.
US07823831B2
An aircraft cabin includes: a deck forming a plane surface on which seats are fastened; an aisle extending longitudinally in the cabin and elevated in relation to the deck; and berths served by the aisle, arranged at an angle above the seats of the deck on both sides of the aisle.
US07823829B2
An equipment-fastening device EFD to enhance the crash safety of aircraft, for fastening a piece of equipment to a support structure of an airframe, includes a load-limiting release mechanism and a load-peak transformer connected to the release mechanism and having a load-limiting, impact-energy-absorbing deformation element. Load peaks that occur in case of a crash and that stem from equipment fastened to the support structure by means of the equipment-fastening device are first reduced to a residual load peak by the EFD after the release, thereby relieving the stress on the support structure. Only then is any residual load peak that might still remain introduced via a first fastening section of the EFD into the support structure with a time delay vis-à-vis the load peaks that occurred originally.
US07823827B2
The Invention is a rotary-wing aircraft having at least two vectored thrusters that may be tilted from a horizontal to a vertical position and to positions intermediate between the horizontal and vertical positions. The two vectored thrusters are equipped with propellers having separately variable pitch. The two vectored thrusters also are equipped with vanes having selectable vane angles to direct separately the air flow from the two vectored thrusters. A control system detects the flight condition of the aircraft and selects vectored thruster control settings corresponding to the detected flight condition and consistent with predetermined control rules to provide lift, thrust, yaw moments and roll moments.
US07823823B2
A drag adjusting device for a dual-bearing reel, including a reel unit with a drag operating member configured to pivot within a range between a minimum position and a maximum position. A plate member is attached to an outer side of the reel unit. A drag restricting member is detachably coupled to the outer side surface of the plate member and between the minimum and the maximum pivot position of the drag operating member. The drag restricting member is detachably coupled to the plate member so as to contact and restrict pivotal movement of the drag operating member.
US07823817B1
A tabletop electric stirrer includes a rotating body and an electric rotating drive. This stirrer can perform stirring efficiently, can easily crush and dissolve a water soluble capsule not only in hot water but also in cold water, and can crush a plurality of capsules in a short period of time.
US07823815B2
Disclosed herein is a shredder having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded therethrough and a shredder mechanism received in a shredder housing which is driven to shred the at least one article fed therein. At least one sensor emits and detects radiation to detect the presence of the at least one article or shredded particles. The sensor communicates with a controller to operate the shredder mechanism. The controller also calibrates an intensity of the radiation of the sensor(s) to or within a predetermined amount above a minimum level in order to reduce wear and run-on conditions.
US07823813B2
A control mechanism for the feed of a brush chipper is disclosed. A lower feed stop bar, located under a feed table, pivots on a pivot axis located below and toward the brush chipper from the control bar of the lower feed stop bar. The center of gravity of the lower feed stop bar, then, tends to pivot the lower feed stop bar away from the feed disengage position. Hence, nuisance trips due to vibration, impact of brush on the table, etc., are reduced.
US07823801B2
A firefighting device comprising includes a device body with a fluid passage through which a fluid flows when the firefighting device is in operation and at least one molded body. At least a portion of the molded body is at least translucent and encloses therein or covers a light emitting source. When light is emitted from the light emitting source, light is emitted from the molded body to thereby illuminate the firefighting device.
US07823800B1
A misting system may include at least one prefabricated mist line comprising at least one mist tee having at least one arm extending outwardly from a body, a latitudinal threaded hole defined in the body, and a longitudinal hole extending through the at least one arm and at least into the body and in fluid communication with the latitudinal threaded hole. A method of forming a misting system may include prefabricating at least one mist line by: aligning an end of at least one tube having a hole there through of a first predetermined diameter with at least one arm of at least one misting tee that is of a second predetermined diameter greater than the first predetermined diameter; and press-fitting the at least one arm into the end of the at least one tube, thereby deforming an end portion of the at least one tube.
US07823799B2
A heat source unit includes a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, an outdoor blower, and a controller for electric devices. A hydrothermal exchange unit accommodates water heat exchangers, water pipes, pumps and a controller, and is connected to the heat source unit via refrigerating pipes and electric wiring. A tank unit has tanks for storing hot water obtained as a result of heat exchange by the water heat exchangers. The hydrothermal exchange unit has a housing. The front, rear, upper, left and right sides of the housing are covered with panels. A bottom plate for the housing is disposed a predetermined distance above the lower end of the housing. The housing accommodates the hydrothermal exchange unit, and a space below the bottom plate of the housing accommodates connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes. This completely prevents freezing of the water pipes, makes use-side units compact, and improves operation efficiency.
US07823798B2
The invention relates to a method of heating a motor vehicle cabin by means of a circuit (20) for circulating a cooling fluid for cooling an engine (10) and including a pump (23), an air heater unit (22), and a heat exchanger (21) disposed in an exhaust system (15) that is also provided with a depollution assembly (16). The exhaust gas is directed towards the heat exchanger (21) or towards a bypass duct (18) downstream from the depollution assembly (16) as a function of engine operating conditions, of the outside temperature, of the heating temperature requested in the vehicle cabin, and of the temperature of the engine cooling fluid. The invention applies more particularly to direct injection diesel engines.
US07823789B2
An industrial reader is provided with an image formation system that is particularly adapted to read bar codes and two-dimensional symbols marked directly on objects. The image formation system includes illumination sources and illumination transmissive components that produce a combination of bright field and dark field illumination.
US07823783B2
A system and method is provided for illuminating a subject using a light pipe that transmits light from a source, such as an LED ring illuminator to an outlet that directs the light appropriately as either bright field illumination, dark field illumination or both. The light pipe can include concentric cylinders, typically with a bright field illuminator nested within a dark field illuminator. The tip of the dark field illuminator may be angled so as to internally reflect light inwardly toward the central optical axis of a camera at a low angle. The tip can be located near the focal plane of the camera for the desired field of view. The field of view of the camera sensor can be modified to reject data outside of a illumination field of a particular shape. This illumination field can be created by shaping the light pipe in a predetermined form that projects the modified illumination field. Likewise, a set of aiming illuminators (in, for example, a noticeable color) can be provided around the perimeter of the light pipe to delineate outer boundaries of the illumination field or area of interest. These approaches facilitate better aiming of the sensor into the desired area of interest so that it is illuminated and/or acquired most-fully.
US07823780B2
An interface assembly is for an electronic device including a base and a control on the base and includes a contact on the base and coupled with the control and a data port spaced from the contact. A conductor is disposed between the data port and the contact such that data is transmissible between the data port and the contact through the conductor. The conductor is generally compressed or/and compressible between the data port and the contact and is formed of a conductive carbon material. The data port is spaced from the contact by a distance within a range of values, and the conductor provides a conductive path between the data port and the contact at each spacing distance value. A fluid impermeable cover is disposed over the base and covers the control and the contact to prevent moisture from contacting these components, with the conductor extending through the cover.
US07823775B2
A method and apparatus for accessing a remote machine from a local machine via a smart card. In one embodiment, the presence of the smart card coupled to the local machine is detected. A card reader reads the credentials from the smart card and communicates them to a remote access client application of the local machine. The remote access client application transmits the credentials to the remote machine. The remote machine sends a query for login information to the local machine upon valid credentials. The local machine transmits the login information to the remote machine and is granted permission to access the remote machine upon valid login information.
US07823764B2
A device and a method for applying brazing material to an at least partially structured metal foil include a) providing at least one flat metal foil, b) shaping the at least one metal foil to produce a structure, and c) applying brazing material to the at least one metal foil. Steps b) and c) are carried out discontinuously and at least partially together. The device and method are preferably used in the production of metallic honeycomb bodies for the treatment of exhaust gases in vehicles.
US07823747B2
A casing includes a base, a flip cover pivotably attached to the base, a first member fixed to the flip cover, and a second member fixed to the base. The flip cover is rotatable around an axis of rotation with respect to the base. The first member forms a tip toward the base along a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The second member extends an elongated arm, the elongated arm being crushed by the tip of the first member in an opening process of the flip cover with respect to the base so as to block the flip cover from opening with a rush.
US07823742B2
A seal for a pill dispenser having a body including a plurality of recesses formed in a surface of the body, each recess having an open mouth bounded by a surrounding portion of the body surface, the seal comprising a cover film defining a plurality of apertures to provide access to the open mouths of the recesses, each aperture being cut in the cover film so as to be smaller than the open mouth of the corresponding recess and being closed by a liner cut from a liner film, the liner being larger than the aperture and being adhered to the cover film around the entire periphery of the aperture, the seal in use being adhered to the body surface of the pill dispenser so that the liners are located between the cover film and the open mouths of the corresponding recesses and each liner is removable.
US07823741B2
A container includes a receptacle having walls, a floor, and an open side. The container includes first and second doors. At least one first latch unit is operatively associated with the first door and is movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. At least one second latch unit is operatively associated with the second door and is movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. A locking system for moving the first and second latch units between the latched and the unlatched positions includes a locking member movable between a first position in which the locking member moves the first latch unit of the first door from the latched to the unlatched position and a second position in which the locking member moves the second latch unit of the second door from the latched to the unlatched position.
US07823738B2
A detachable bamboo material-based storage container includes two side panels each having a substantially rectangular open frame made of bamboo and multiple bamboo slats transversely mounted in the rectangular open frame, a bottom panel detachably coupled between the two side panels by means of a tenon-and-mortise joint, a -shaped bamboo frame bar inserted through one side panel and forced into engagement with the other side panel and used as a handle of the storage container, multiple bamboo rod members detachably connected between the two side panels by means of a plug joint, and pins bilaterally vertically inserted through respective vertical through holes on the bamboo rod members and the -shaped bamboo frame bar and fitted into respective pinholes on the bottom panel.
US07823713B1
A hydraulic clutch for utilization with an engine of a motorcycle is disclosed herein. The hydraulic clutch includes a hydraulic clutch adjuster assembly, a clutch basket, a cover plate, first clutch plates, second clutch plates and a dynamic expansion ring assembly having cam members. The dynamic expansion ring assembly imparts substantially equal expansion forces in opposite directions. A gap is present when the engine is at an idle speed and cam members are positioned radially inward, and the gap is not present when the engine is operating faster than idle and the cam members are positioned radially outward by centrifugal force.
US07823712B2
In a wet-type multi-plate clutch comprising an externally-toothed plate and an internally-toothed plate each of which is formed by adhering a friction material on a core plate and in which torque is transmitted by engaging the externally-toothed plate and the internally-toothed plate, the friction materials are adhered on opposed surfaces of the externally-toothed plate and the internally-toothed plate which are opposed to each other.
US07823703B2
In an image monitoring apparatus for an elevator, an image recording unit records an image in a car photographed by a camera, and monitors based on the image in the car whether or not there is a violent behavior of a passenger in the car. The image recording unit makes a recording density of the image in the car higher than usual when the violent behavior of the passenger in the car is detected. The operation control unit homes the car on a predetermined floor when the violent behavior of the passenger in the car is detected by the image recording unit.
US07823697B2
A lubricating plug is provided which may be applied easily to the stud-type roller bearing with tracking wheel, roller, whether new or already existing, with no need of adding any modification to design of a lubrication hole. The lubricating plug is most suitable for certain replenishment of lubricant and also made slim in construction even with low cost. The lubricating plug is comprised of a radially enlarged portion of cylindrical contour adapted to make the fit-engagement with the lubrication hole in the stud, and a radially reduced portion made integral with the radially enlarged portion. An injection hole is bored throughout in both the radially enlarged portion and the radially reduced portion to accommodate detachably therein a lubricant feeder nozzle.
US07823696B2
A gear unit is basically provided with a gear and a unit case. The gear is arranged and configured to transfer rotation inputted from an external source to at least one driven member. The unit case defines an interior space for enclosing the gear and containing a lubricant to lubricate the gear. The unit case includes an output shaft opening and a lubricant passage. The output shaft opening is configured for connecting the driven member to the gear. The lubricant passage has an inlet provided adjacent the output shaft opening and a lubricant discharge outlet provided in a bottom portion of the unit case to convey lubricant between the output shaft opening and the lubricant discharge outlet.
US07823693B2
The invention relates to an acoustic panel assembly. There is a need for a simple and inexpensive acoustic panel assembly. An acoustic panel assembly includes a rigid panel with an opening. The panel has an edge rib surrounding the opening, and a wall spaced apart from and surrounding the edge rib. The panel assembly also includes a frame member and a sound control sheet. The frame member has an outer border and a plurality of cross-pieces extending between different parts of the border. A compression rib projects forwardly from an inner edge of the border. The sound control sheet is mounted in and fills the opening. The sheet has an outer edge portion held between the rib of the rigid panel, the wall of the rigid panel, the border of the frame and the compression rib of the frame. The compression rib projects into a rear side of the sheet. The sheet forms a shoulder. The shoulder and the edge rib form a coach joint. The frame cross-pieces engaging a rear surface of the sheet. A plurality of retention points project from a rear surface of the edge rib. Each retention point projects into a fabric covered front surface of the sheet.
US07823689B2
An apparatus for generating seismic body waves in a hydrocarbon reservoir includes a closed-loop borehole source having a resonant cavity for generating resonant energy, a drive source and a control unit. The drive source injects pressure pulses to the resonant cavity at a predetermined or selectable pressure and frequency. The fluid circulates between the cavity and the drive source in a closed-loop fashion. In another embodiment, the borehole source utilizes a smart or controllable material that is responsive to an applied excitation field. The cavity includes an excitation coil for providing an excitation field that changes a material property of the smart fluid. The control unit is programmed to adjust operating parameters to produce seismic waves having a selected frequency and amplitude. In one embodiment, a control unit adjusts operating parameters in response to measured parameters of interest or surface commands.
US07823687B2
The invention relates to an electric power steering for a motor vehicle that may include a gear rack (11) that is positioned axially displaceable inside a steering housing (I) and is driven by an electric servomotor (16), arranged inside a motor housing (7), with the aid of a belt (14) that runs inside a surrounding housing part (6) and a gear (12) for assisting the steering, wherein the belt (14) is configured ferromagnetically and at least one magnet (20) is arranged inside the housing part (6), beside the belt (14) and at a distance to the belt (14).
US07823677B2
A vehicle body includes a pair of left and right main frames extending rearwardly from a front portion of the vehicle body and a seat extending rearwardly from a substantially central portion for providing seating for an occupant. A trunk is provided on the rear side of the seat for storing luggage with a backrest mounted to a front wall of the trunk for supporting the back of the occupant. The occupant includes a rider and a passenger, and the seat includes a front seating portion for the rider and a rear seating portion for the passenger arranged in tandem in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. A pair of left and right rear frames for supporting the trunk extend to a position below the rear seating portion, so that the load of the passenger sitting on the rear seating portion is borne by the rear frames.
US07823675B2
Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.
US07823674B2
A motorized vehicle, such as a trike motorcycle, includes a frame having a front end connected to at least one front wheel and having a rear end, first and second spaced swing arm assemblies mounted at the rear end, first and second rear wheel assemblies supported by the first and second swing arm assemblies and defining a space therebetween, and at least one support extending from the frame into the space. The arrangement allows a modular structure such as a wheelchair to be connected to the at least one support.
US07823669B2
An electric motor radiator (34), a feeding mechanism (30), and a cooling oil circulation path (32) constitute a cooling mechanism that cools the electric motor (6) via an electric motor cooling oil that is a cooling medium. The electric motor radiator (34) forms a circulation path between the electric motor (6), and cooling of the electric motor (6) is performed via the electric motor cooling oil. A PCU radiator (44), a feeding mechanism (40) and a cooling water circulation path (42) constitute a cooling mechanism that cools a PCU (8) via a PCU cooling water that is a cooling medium. The PCU radiator (44) forms a circulation path between the PCU (8), and cooling of the PCU (8) is performed via the PCU cooling water. Further, the feeding mechanism (30, 40) operate by power received from a power storage portion (16).
US07823665B2
A method and apparatus for milling an item in a wellbore. The method and apparatus including providing a milling tool having one or more blades which are geometrically configured to resist deflection by distributing cutting forces in multiple directions.
US07823653B2
A hand-held power tool for driving a working tool (1) includes a drive belt (3), first and second arms (5a, 5b) longitudinally displaceable relative to each other and carrying respective deflection rollers (6) of the drive belt (3), a belt tensioning device (4) located between the first and second arms (5a, 5b) and including a spring (8) preloaded against the first arm (5a), and a displaceable pressure piston (9) located between the spring (8) and the second arm (56).
US07823649B2
Plugging a side pocket mandrel using a swelling plug. A system for plugging a port in a side pocket of a mandrel in a subterranean well includes a plugging device installed in the side pocket of the mandrel, the plugging device including a swellable seal material, whereby the seal material swells at least after installation of the plugging device in the side pocket to thereby prevent fluid transfer through the port. A method of plugging a port in a side pocket of a mandrel in a subterranean well includes the steps of: providing the plugging device with a swellable seal material; installing the plugging device in the side pocket; and the seal material swelling in the side pocket, thereby preventing fluid transfer through the port.
US07823643B2
The present invention is directed to an insulation shroud with internal support structure. In one illustrative embodiment, the insulation shroud includes a body adapted to be positioned around a subsea component, the body including an insulating material having an internal support structure positioned therein and a door.
US07823628B2
This invention provides a thermal energy system comprising a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between a source and a load, the heat exchanger having a primary side associated with the source, and a secondary side for conducting a fluid associated with the load, wherein the secondary side of the heat exchanger is passively back-flushed upon consumption of a portion of the fluid. Passive back-flushing prevents fouling of the heat exchanger due to sediments, scale, and mineral deposits which may be present in the circulating fluid.
US07823622B2
An ejection and stamping device is arranged at one side of an upper die of a vertical die casting machine and include a base on which first and second pistons are arranged. The first piston is coupled to a stamping board, while the second piston is coupled to an ejection board. When a casting of a die casting process is not completely solidified, the first piston drives the stamping board to carry out a localized stamping operation of a portion of the casting and then the second piston is operated to drive the ejection board for ejecting out the casting. In this way, local density and strength of the casting are enhanced and the product quality of the casting is notably improved.
US07823616B2
This invention relates to a pneumatic radial tire being excellent in steering stabilities during low-speed running and high-speed running, and more particularly to a pneumatic radial tire comprising at least one belt reinforcing layer 6A, 6B disposed on a belt 5 outward in a radial direction of the tire, characterized in that a reinforcing element constituting the belt reinforcing layer 6A, 6B is a polyketone fiber cord satisfying conditions of the following equations (I) and (II): σ≧−0.01×E+1.2 (I) σ≧−0.02 (II) [wherein σ is a thermal shrinkage stress (cN/dtex) at 177° C.; and E is an elastic modulus (cN/dtex) at 25° C. under a load of 49 N].
US07823611B2
An object is to provide a filler cap of a fuel tank capable of securely preventing a disadvantage that, when the fuel tank tilts, fuel stored in the fuel tank is discharged from an air passage disposed at a cap main body. The cap includes the air passage which is constituted at the cap main body and which allows the inside of the fuel tank to communicate with the outside, and a valve mechanism portion constituted at this air passage. The valve mechanism portion includes a tube main body having a tube-like portion and a reduced diameter portion formed externally and continuously from this tube-like portion, a float stored in the tube main body with a space between the float and an inner surface of this tube main body, a piston positioned on a fuel tank side of the float and stored in the tube main body with a space between the piston and the inner surface of the tube main body, and a spherical member positioned on an outer side of the float and stored in the tube main body.
US07823590B2
Devices and methods to prevent airway collapse are disclosed. The device includes a mouthpiece featuring a positioning aid adjustable by inflation accomplished via a gas exchange port attachable to a source of pressure and a breathing tube. Inflation causes an asymmetric protrusion on the mouthpiece, preferably above the breathing tube so that the positioning aid fits into the roof of the mouth. Preferably, tongue movement is at least partially restricted. An additional device featuring a wearable battery operated compressor is further disclosed. A device in the form of a pacifier is disclosed as a preferred embodiment for use in young patients. Preferably, devices are supplied as articles of manufacture. Use of disclosed devices constitute methods of preventing collapse of the upper airway.
US07823589B2
A mask apparatus for use in a breathing assistance system may include a ball joint at least partially defined by a housing, a ball member, and a mounting system. The housing may be configured to support a cushion configured to provide a seal against a patient's face. The housing may include a first side defining a first housing opening, and a second side configured to face the cushion and defining a second housing opening. The ball member may be positioned in the first housing opening and may define a ball member opening configured for communicating gas though the first housing opening. The mounting system may be configured to secure the ball member in the first housing opening such that the housing, the ball member, and the mounting system define a ball joint allowing the ball member to rotate about multiple axes relative to the housing and the mounting system.
US07823588B2
A method of pressure regulation and a ventilator are provided. The ventilator includes a positive relative pressure gas supply, a negative relative pressure gas supply, and a diverter valve. The diverter valve includes a positive pressure port connected to the positive relative pressure gas supply, a negative pressure port connected to the negative relative pressure gas supply, and a gas supply port communicating with a gas delivery device. The ventilator preferably further includes a feedback sensor that detects a gas supply difference between a gas supply and a predetermined gas supply and generates a feedback signal that is substantially related to the gas supply difference. The ventilator preferably further includes a diverter valve actuator communicating with the diverter valve and operating the diverter valve to communicate the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply to the gas supply port of the diverter valve based upon the feedback signal.
US07823581B2
A gas valve (14) control system (10) uses a control signal (16) to enable a valve (14) and a validation signal (22) to validate the control signal (16). The system (10) includes a valve (14) connected to a burner (12). A receiver (18) is electrically connected to the valve (14) and provides the valve (14) with the control signal (16). A controller (20) has a control transmitter (24) in wireless communication with the receiver (18) to transmit the control signal (16) to the receiver (18) at a speed of light. The controller (20) further includes a validation transmitter (26) to transmit a validation signal (22) to the receiver (18) at a speed of sound. The valve (14) is enabled by the control signal (16) if a time delay between the receiver (18) receiving the control signal (16) and the validation signal (22) is shorter than a maximum delay period. The control signal (16) is discarded if the time delay is longer than the maximum delay period.
US07823574B2
A ball-throwing machine includes a frame and a ball-throwing mechanism pivotally connected with the frame. The ball-throwing machine further includes a circuit unit. Via a first servomotor and a first linkage, the circuit unit serves to move the ball-throwing mechanism to a ball-throwing angle and drive the ball-throwing mechanism to continuously swing up and down. The frame can be pivotally mounted on a base. Via a second motor and a second linkage, the circuit unit serves to drive the frame to horizontally swing back and forth. In addition, the ball-throwing machine has a safety switch. When setting the functions of the ball-throwing machine, a user can press the safety switch to stop the operation of ball throwing so as to protect a person from being incautiously hit and injured. The circuit unit further has a malfunction detection function for detecting whether the ball-throwing machine works normally.
US07823571B2
An apparatus for exercising a dog with an object includes a frame having a cage for retaining a plurality of objects. The frame also includes at least one prong extending away from the cage. The prong is attached to a pouch with a resilient member. The apparatus also includes a handle attached to the frame and a collapsible forearm brace pivotally attached to a base extending from the handle. The collapsible forearm brace is pivoted proximate the frame when in transport or in storage. The collapsible forearm brace extends from the base and into a rigid engagement therewith when in an operational configuration.
US07823569B2
According to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine by which the tank ventilation operation and an adjustment of the basic mixture can be carried out simultaneously, the engine is operated with an open tank ventilation valve. A first fuel amount correction value is determined for correction of a basic pilot control value for the amount of injected fuel. The regeneration gas volume flow rate is subsequently varied by a predefined change amount. A second fuel amount correction value is determined for correction of the basic pilot control value. Based on the first and second correction values and the flow rate change amount, a third fuel amount correction value is calculated by which the basic pilot control value would have to be corrected to again regulate the exhaust gas composition with a closed tank ventilation valve. Based on the third correction value the basic pilot control value is corrected.
US07823568B1
An evaporative emission control canister for an automotive vehicle includes a canister body and a bracket for attaching the body to a structural member of a vehicle. A number of fastener sets attach the bracket to the canister body, with each of the fastener sets including a closed-end hollow core boss having a generally cylindrical wall of uniform thickness and a number of buttresses applied to an outer surface of the generally cylindrical wall. The buttresses have the same uniform thickness as the generally cylindrical wall and are molded along with the cylindrical wall as one piece with an inner portion of the canister body.
US07823559B2
In an internal combustion engine including a camshaft for operating inlet and outlet valves of the engine with lift curves EV, AV of the inlet and the outlet valves determined by the shape of cams of the camshaft, an additional auxiliary cam which acts on the outlet valve is arranged on the camshaft, as a result of which a phase-offset auxiliary lift curve AVZ is impressed onto the outlet valve.
US07823554B2
A device for adjusting the angle of rotation between two rotating shafts, in particular a drive shaft of a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine and a camshaft for actuating gas-exchange valves is provided, having a rotation element that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the drive shaft, a rotor that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the camshaft, and an angle of rotation adjustment system with a locking device which has at least one locking bolt, which is mounted movably in one of the components, and at least one corresponding opening in the other component. The locking bolt can be displaced into and out of the opening by a spring and/or hydraulic force.
US07823546B2
An engine with an output shaft extending through the engine block and generally parallel to the piston, the engine includes a boost piston cylinder integral to the cylinder, and a boost piston for producing compressed air so as to supercharge the engine. The engine further includes an energy translation mechanism translating linear movement into rotary movement, an energy translation mechanism for reducing the side force that the piston exerts against the inner wall of the combustion chamber, an energy transforming member working in concert with an engine torque absorbing/motion control torque reaction device to eliminate the lemniscate motion from being translated to the piston and to absorb all engine torque to case ground through a rolling element bearing, and a port time control system having a shaft phaser to adjust the phase of the pistons or the position of the air control valve.
US07823541B2
A cat toy for resting on a flat surface is disclosed. The cat toy includes a circular shaped housing that contains a motor connected to a power source. A resilient mouse wand is secured at one end thereof with a motor shaft through a gearing arrangement, thrust bearing arrangement, or the like. The mouse wand includes a ball and a tail section at a distal end. A flexible cover partially covers the mouse wand such that the cat can see the ball moving under the cover and the tail section protruding from the edge of the cover. A control circuit is electronically connected between the motor and the power source that causes the motor to change directions and operate at different speeds and erraticity.
US07823533B2
A stent fixture for supporting a stent during formation of a coating is provided.
US07823531B2
A control apparatus is disclosed for controlling nip pressure in a nip of a metering size press. The apparatus includes a metering size press roll and a backing roll which cooperates with the size press roll for defining therebetween the nip. A support post is provided for rotatably supporting the backing roll. A linear bearing is disposed beneath the support post for mounting the support post. Also, a moving device is connected to the support post for moving the support post and the backing roll supported by the support post such that the supported backing roll and the support post mounted on the linear bearing is moved for controlling the nip pressure in the nip between the rolls.
US07823530B2
The present invention discloses an adjustable film applicator which comprises an applicator body, a first knife, a second knife, a first fixing apparatus, a second fixing apparatus, a pair of first adjusting screws, and a pair of second adjusting screws. The first and second knife are adjusted to a first and second height by adjusting the first and second adjusting screws, wherein the second height is greater than the first height.
US07823527B1
A telescopic flagpole for reducing the manual force required to extend and secure multiple segments. The flagpole includes a plurality of segments including a bottom segment, at least one intermediate segment, and a top segment; a plurality of sleeve assemblies each positioned between an associated pairing of a relatively lower segment and a relatively higher segment; and a plurality of biasing members each urging an associate one of the segments toward an extended position.
US07823515B2
A rail car cover system including a rail car, a first cover section and a second cover section. The rail car has an opening. The first cover section is operably attached to the rail car. The first cover section includes a first hinge mechanism and a first cover material. The second cover section is operably attached to the rail car. The second cover section includes a second hinge mechanism and a second cover material. The first cover section and the second cover section are both movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. When in the closed configuration, the first cover section and the second cover section substantially cover the opening.
US07823514B2
A hopper car has arcuate side sheets that are bent over the forming members of the structure to give a generally outwardly bulging shape. The upper margin of the side sheet is kinked inwardly of the radius of curvature of the larger portion of the side sheet more generally, such as may tend to impose a bending moment on the large, relatively thin side sheet panels. This may in turn tend to urge or bias those panels to a bulging position or shape, rather than a sagging, deflected, or inwardly dented position.
US07823509B2
A flechette cartridge is provided, containing a plurality of flechettes, capable of firing the flechettes in a concentrated and accurate spread pattern upon firing. In particular, both low and high velocity flechette cartridges are provided, which accurately disperse flechettes in a concentrated spread pattern. The flechette cartridge minimizes the parasitic launch mass to maximize flechette payload, flechette velocity and kinetic energy, and to maximize target effects. The flechette cartridge provides a robust means for reliably stripping the flechette payload cup.
US07823503B2
The disclosure relates to an apparatus for the evaporative cooling of a liquid product. The apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber (1) which is divided into a first, centrally positioned space (6) and a second space (7) which concentrically surrounds the first space (6). Both of the spaces (6, 7) are open towards the upper end wall (2) of the vacuum chamber (1). The first space (6) has an outlet (25) for condensed steam. The second space (7) has an inlet (11) for steamed product, as well as an outlet (12) for the product. The apparatus also includes a circulation circuit for coolant liquid. The first space (6) is extended downwards so that it extends at least as far below the bottom end wall (4) of the vacuum chamber (1) as the extent of the space (6) inside the vacuum chamber (1).
US07823500B2
This application describes a compact grinder that allows scooping particulate material to be ground (such as coffee beans), grinding the material to a controlled and consistent size, while concurrently emitting the stream of grinds directly into a receptacle, such as a coffee filter or the receptacle for an automatic coffee maker. The scoop portion of the grinder is sized to fit into the standard bags used for whole bean packaging, eliminating the need for a separate storage vessel or the need to pour the beans from their bag into the grinder. It has calibrated markings within the scoop, eliminating the need for a separate measuring device.
US07823495B2
The present invention refers to a process for manufacturing ammunition labeled with a sequence of characters which allows identification multiple data items, being said sequence of characters (1) laser-engraved, in one or more components of said ammunition, affording positive identification upon retrieval of an engraved component of said ammunition, even if it is already spent.
US07823491B2
A system and method for reducing physiological material on surfaces of meat cut transferred to surfaces of cut meat by an endless band saw blade is disclosed. The system includes a water jet manifold positioned adjacent the saw blade and having a first and second nozzle orifices formed therein, the first and second orifices operable to be placed in fluid communication with a source of water. The first nozzle orifice is operable to direct a first water jet substantially across and into a first side surface of the saw blade and a second nozzle orifice is operable to direct a second water jet substantially across and into a second side surface of the saw blade. Together, the first and second water jets direct a sufficient volume of water onto the saw blade to remove residual physiological material and to deposit a layer of water onto the first and second side surfaces of the saw blade, which layer of water acts as a lubricant to reduce the residual physiological material that adheres to the saw blade and thereby reduces the residual physiological material transferred to the surfaces of cut meat by the saw blade.
US07823478B2
An adjustable steering column assembly having an outer jacket, an inner jacket, and a tilt housing. A longitudinal locking device moves between released and engaged positions allowing and preventing longitudinal movement of the inner jacket relative to the outer jacket. A tilt locking device moves between released and engaged positions allowing and preventing tilting movement of the tilt housing relative to the inner jacket. A control lever is coupled to both of the longitudinal locking device and the tilt locking device for simultaneously moving the devices between the released and engaged positions. The longitudinal locking device has first and second members each having interengaging chamfers. The first member has an engagement surface abutting an abutment surface of the inner jacket when in the engaged position to prevent the longitudinal movement of the inner jacket relative to the outer jacket. The engagement and abutment surfaces are preferably uninterrupted along a longitudinal axis to provide an infinite number of adjustment positions for the inner jacket.
US07823475B2
A sealed worm gear type finger joint unit for a robot hand has a circular opening in a gear box case of the unit, and the opening is closed by a rubber bush. When the rubber bush is removed, a shaft end face of a worm shaft section is exposed from the circular opening, and this makes a tool engagement section formed on the shaft end face is accessible from the outside. A tool for turning the worm shaft section is fitted in the tool engagement section, and the worm shaft section can be easily turned by the tool. Turning the worm shaft section turns a worm, turning a worm wheel meshing with the worm, and this turns the joint shaft. As a result, a swing arm connected to shaft end sections of the joint shaft can be moved to a predetermined position. In the finger joint unit, the joint shaft can be easily manually turned.
US07823470B2
A cantilever includes: a lever portion; a holder portion supporting the proximal end of the lever portion; a probe portion arranged at the distal end of the lever portion and having a spherical surface to face a sample; and a retaining portion fixed to the distal end of the lever portion and retaining the probe portion to surround a periphery of the probe portion. There is provided a cantilever allowing mounting of a probe portion with little effect in a short time without using any adhesive.
US07823449B2
A gravity gradiometer and method for forming a pivot flexure web for a gradiometer is disclosed. The gradiometer has measurement bars 41, 43 supported in housings 45 and 47 and transducers 71 for measuring movement of the bars to provide an indication of the gravity gradient tensor. The bars 41, 43 are mounted on flexure webs. The webs are formed in separate elements to the housing and bars.
US07823447B2
Aspects of the invention are directed to methods and apparatus for dispensing liquids to and aspirating liquids from a container. In particular, one aspect is directed to a liquid level sensing system that includes a probe constructed and arranged to be moved relative to a liquid sample, a signal source coupled to the probe to apply an applied signal to the probe, at least one detector coupled to the probe to detect at least one detected signal, the detected signal being related to the applied signal and having a rising edge and a falling edge, and a controller coupled to the detector and configured to detect presence of a noise signal based on at least one of the rising edge and the falling edge of the detected signal.
US07823445B2
A fluid sensing system and method for sensing properties of a flowing fluid. The system and method entail a microfluidic device having a micromachined tube supported above a substrate, a tube passage within a freestanding portion of the tube, an inlet and outlet in fluidic communication with the tube passage and an exterior of the microfluidic device, elements for vibrating the freestanding portion of the tube, and elements for sensing movement of the freestanding portion of the tube so as to measure the vibration frequency and/or deflection of the freestanding portion and produce therefrom at least one output corresponding to a property of a fluid flowing through the tube passage. The system and method further entail placing the microfluidic device in a flowing fluid so that a fraction of the fluid enters the tube passage, and processing the output of the device to compute a property of the fluid.
US07823440B2
Metrology systems, tools, and methods that characterize one or more layers of a microelectronic workpiece are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system for characterizing thickness and topography of a workpiece layer includes a layer thickness instrument configured to measure a thickness of a first workpiece layer at individual sampling sites, a surface topography instrument configured to measure a relative surface height of the first layer at the individual sampling sites, and a processing unit communicatively coupled to receive thickness and topography measurements and operable to output layer data that includes individual thickness measurements combined with individual topography measurements at workpiece coordinates corresponding to the individual sampling sites. In another embodiment, the system further includes an output device communicatively coupled with the processing unit and operable to graphically display a stratigraphic cross-section corresponding to the output layer data.
US07823439B2
The present invention is directed to a method for multidimensional gas chromatography for separating the analytes of a complex sample. The method comprises the steps of introducing the sample onto a first column whereby the sample is separated into at least two segments, introducing at least one segment into a heartcut device whereby the segments are selectively separated into at least two heartcut fractions, introducing at least one of the fractions onto a second column whereby at least one fraction is further separated into at least two analytes, introducing at least one analyte from the second column to a gas chromatography connector, introducing the analyte from the connector to a third column, and introducing the analyte from the third column into a detector whereby the analyte is analyzed and identified.
US07823434B2
In conventional ram-driven presses, the downward stroke of the ram into a tool causes acceleration of the tool, thereby facilitating an operation on a workpiece by the tip of the tool. While the ram stroke is found to impart sufficient dynamic energy to the tool to facilitate the necessitated operation by the tool tip, there are other more efficient, and in turn, more effective, means and methods of actuating the tool tip, with such means and methods being facilitated from energy derived from the tool's acceleration or from energy from other external sources.
US07823431B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed for temporarily interrupting the passage of a long product between upstream and downstream paths in a rolling mill. Product passing along the upstream path is delivered onto a cylindrical drum. The drum is rotated in one direction to accumulate the product thereon in a series of windings. The direction of drum rotation is then reversed to unwind and deliver the accumulated product to the downstream path.
US07823427B2
A cylinder lock device is provided with a rotor 30 arranged to be rotatable inside a body A20, a sleeve A40 arranged to be rotatable between the body A20 and the rotor 30, a sleeve B45, a tumbler 50 disengaged with the sleeve A40 or B45 when a regular key is inserted into a key insert hole 31, a lever member 60, a slide bar A70 which moves in an axial direction each time the sleeve A40 rotates relatively at a predetermined angle to the body A20, a body A25 in cylindrical shape arranged between the body A20 and the rotor 30, a solenoid 200 which makes a body B25 rotatably movable or unrotatable to the body A20, a slide bar B75 which moves in the axial direction each time the sleeve B45 rotates relatively to the body B25 at a predetermined angle, and a clutch member 80 to engage or disengage with the rotor 30.
US07823421B2
The washing apparatus has a frame body 18 to be filled with a cleaning liquid. The frame body 18 is rotated within a casing by a drive motor 23. The frame body 18 has an inner periphery having a wavy patterned surface. An inner diameter D of the frame body 18 is set to more than or equal to 600 mm and less than or equal to 850 mm. The frame body 18 is rotated so that a peripheral speed of the inner periphery 39 is more than or equal to 28 m/min and less than or equal to 57 m/min. A height h of the wave form is set to more than or equal to 2.0% and less than or equal to 9.0% of the inner diameter D, and a pitch p of the wave form is set to more than or equal to 2.0% and less than or equal to 9.0% of a peripheral length L of an imaginary circle having a diameter of the inner diameter D.
US07823419B2
A furnace for drawing an optical fiber includes a body having an upper and lower openings for supplying a preform and discharging a drawn optical fiber, a heating unit installed in the body for receiving and melting the preform, an atmosphere blocking tube installed to the lower opening for discharging the drawn optical fiber and blocking the optical fiber from the atmosphere, an upper introduction port formed at an upper portion of the body for introducing an inert gas toward the preform and partially discharged outside through a gap between the preform and the upper opening, a central and lower introduction ports formed at central and lower portions for introducing an inert gas into the body, a first flow guiding means for guiding the inert gas introduced through the central introduction port upward and then flowed down along a surface of the preform, and a second flow guiding means for guiding the inert gas introduced through the lower introduction port upward and then discharged outside through the atmosphere blocking tube along a surface of the drawn optical fiber.
US07823417B2
A method of forming high strength glass fibers in a refractory lined glass melter is disclosed. The refractory lined melter is suited to the batch compositions disclosed for the formation high modulus, and high-strength glass fibers. The glass composition for use in the method of the present invention is up to about 70.5 Weight % SiO2, 24.5 weight % Al2O3, 22 weight % alkaline earth oxides and may include small amounts of alkali metal oxides and ZrO2. Oxide based refractories included alumina, chromic oxide, silica, alumina-silica, zircon, zirconia-alumina-silica and combinations thereof. By using oxide based refractory lined furnaces the cost of production of glass fibers is substantially reduced in comparison with the cost of fibers using a platinum lined melting furnace. Fibers formed by the present invention are also disclosed.
US07823390B2
A system is provided for directing air from plural compressor ports to provide cooling and/or sealing air to an associated turbine site. A first flow from a pressure stage of the compressor has a first pressure and temperature. A second flow from another pressure stage of the compressor has a second pressure and temperature. The first and second pressures/temperatures are different. An ejector has two inlets for receiving the first and second flows, and output for combining the first and second flows into a third flow. The pressure and temperature of the third flow are different from the first and second pressures and temperatures. A bypass line is connected between the first flow and the third flow, and provides a bypass flow. A mixer combines the bypass flow and the third flow into a fourth flow. The fourth flow has a pressure and temperature intermediate the pressure and temperature of the bypass flow and the third flow. The mixer comprises inner and outer sections. The inner section is generally cylindrical in cross section and has a plurality of holes therein. The angle between the direction of the bypass flow and the direction of the third flow, when the bypass flow meets the third flow in the mixer, is less than about 90 degrees.
US07823382B2
An active material actuator assembly is provided having first and second active material components operatively connected to a movable member. Movement of the movable member is modulated, which may be due to activation of the first and second active material components being at least partially temporally distinct or the active material components differing in at least one characteristic affecting movement.
US07823371B2
An agricultural machine for harvesting forage including a frame supporting at least one device for picking up plants lying on the ground and at least one device for moving the plants that have been picked up. The machine includes a device for guiding the plants which is situated at least partially above and at a short distance from the pickup device and which is supported by arms which extend rearward above the moving device and whose rear ends are articulated relative to the frame by means of substantially horizontal axes situated, during work, above the rear portion of the moving device and about which they can pivot through a certain angle.
US07823366B2
Apparatus selectively processes a substrate using radiant energy. The substrate can consist of any target material having a portion to be processed using the radiant energy and a larger portion to be unprocessed. The apparatus includes a source of radiant energy (preferably a quantum cascade laser) that has a customizable spectrum that can be configured to be specifically absorbed only by the portion to be processed, and a control system for targeting the radiant energy only at the portion to be processed. Specific examples of the use of the apparatus and method are in the technologies of heat-shrinking polyethylene film, fusing toner to paper in a laser printer, heating reaction vessels in DNA testing, and temperature profiling bottle pre-forms.
US07823364B2
A shear panel for constructing underlayments for floors and roofs of buildings includes a first rectangular layer of fire-resistant material, such as cementitious board, bonded to a second rectangular layer of thin high-strength material, such as galvanized steel. The length of the second layer is longer than the length of the first layer. The additional length of the second layer forms a tab extending from one end of the panel. During construction, a first panel is attached to a set of beams (floor joists or roof rafters) with the tab spanning between adjacent beams. A second panel is positioned on the beams with at least a portion of the second panel overlapping the tab of the first panel. The overlapping portion of the second panel is fastened to the tab of the first panel to form a continuous shear diaphragm for the floor or roof.
US07823363B2
A method for installing a window in or within a poured concrete wall is disclosed. The method comprises a kit with at least one window block. It also includes a first spacer adapted to abut a first side of the glass block and a second spacer adapted to abut a second side of the window block. The method implementing the kit includes the steps of erecting a wall form comprising of a first and a second form, locating the kit in between the first and second form, placing concrete into the wall form around the window kit, removing the first and second wall forms, and removing the first and second spacers.
US07823359B2
Floorboards with substantially planar and parallel upper top sides and lower undersides and panel material located between the upper and lower top sides, and a mechanical locking system for locking a first edge of a first floor board to a second edge of a substantially identical second floor board, the mechanical locking system including a tongue and groove forming a first mechanical connection locking the first and second edges to each other in a first direction at right angles to a principal plane of the floor boards, and a locking device forming a second mechanical connection locking the first and the second edges to each other in a second direction and at right angles to the edges; wherein, when the first edge and the second edge are locked together, there is space in the locking system between the first and the second edges.
US07823358B2
A surfacing system including both methods and apparatus may in some embodiments comprise a single width relationally sized surfacing system and associated design patterns that involve discrete stone surface units in several embodiments. In at least one embodiment, surfacing units are stone. A multi-width surfacing unit system is also included as part of the invention, as are associated design patterns. Other embodiments include surface unit packaging apparatus and methods that reduce surface unit transport costs and breakage.
US07823357B2
A live fire burn room and an insulating system for a live fire burn room are disclosed. The burn room includes a structural framework. The insulating system includes a face panel, at least one face panel mounting bracket for attaching the face panel to the structural framework of the burn room, and an insulating layer disposed between the face panel and the structural framework of the burn room.
US07823350B2
Embodiments of a structural stud and panel for use in building a tilt-wall building are disclosed. Devices and methods for forming structural studs and panels are also disclosed.
US07823341B2
To form a new structurally suspended slab or to raise an existing slab for a structural foundation, structural supports are placed in the ground. The structural supports are attached to lifting assemblies, which are also installed in the slab. Actuation of the lifting assembly allows the slab to be raised and/or lowered, thereby forming a suspended slab over a void of a desired size. Existing slabs may be repaired using similar techniques.
US07823336B2
A fascia and soffit system having a fascia component, a soffit component and a soffit support structure, the fascia component comprising first and second members which are adjustable with respect to each other to permit different heights, the soffit having a plurality of apertures formed therein to permit air passage, the soffit support structure comprising first and second members which are retained in position by an interlocking system.
US07823331B2
A seal assembly is provided for a side-by-side or French style door on a refrigerator in which the sealing gasket is supported on a gasket carrier and pivotably coupled to a base member adapted to be secured along the medial vertical edge of a refrigerator door. A set of magnets are supported by the gasket carrier opposite the gasket. These magnets are arranged such that similar poles are adjacent one another when the doors are in the closed position. The magnets provide a repelling force which operates to rotate the gaskets into sealing engagement with one another.
US07823328B2
An aeroponic plant growing system includes a water reservoir and growing chambers for growing plants in an aeroponic environment. A pump, a water distribution manifold, and water lines are used to provide water and nutrients from the water reservoir to sprayers in the growing chambers where the water and nutrients are sprayed on the roots of plants growing therein. The water distribution manifold and water lines preferably are provided as closed loop systems, such that water is provided to all sprayers despite a blockage in the manifold or a water line. Non-absorbed water and nutrients are returned to the water reservoir from the growing chambers on water return lines via a filter that includes multiple types of filter media, including filter media that support the colonization of organisms that support plant growth.
US07823326B2
An apparatus is provided for unattended watering of plants over an extended period of time utilizing a watering system that regulates a partial vacuum to control the discharge of water to the roots of the plants. A water reservoir is provided having an encapsulated interior cavity and an exterior exposed to ambient air, and having upper and lower ends. The reservoir is located above the root level of a plant to be watered. At least one drain opening is defined in the lower end of the reservoir. The upper end of the reservoir is closed and is provided with an adjustable valve, preferably a pinch valve, and an air conduit, preferably a flexible tube, that passes through the valve and extends between the interior and the exterior of the reservoir. The valve thereby interacts with the conduit to partially obstruct air flow through it, so as to maintain a partial vacuum in the upper end of the reservoir as water drains from the lower end of the reservoir.
US07823324B2
Described herein is an indoor greenhouse that includes a rack unit, an outer layer that surrounds the rack unit and defines a greenhouse interior, at least one light surrounded by a light enclosure, a cooling system, and a ventilation system all disposed in the greenhouse interior. The ventilation system includes a fan, a filter and at least one duct that cooperate to exhaust air out of the exhaust vent opening. The rack unit includes a top, a bottom, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The outer layer includes a top, a bottom, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween that correspond to the similar portions of the rack unit. The outer layer also has intake and exhaust vent and light cooling openings defined therein. The cooling system includes at least one duct that cooperates with the light enclosure to define an air path between the intake and exhaust light cooling openings.
US07823315B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for substituting a different stock, or a different receiver assembly, in a long gun (e.g., a shotgun) without the use of tools by a user in the field. Applicants' preferred apparatus comprises: a long gun (e.g., an illustrated shotgun) having a stock and a receiver assembly; and an adaptor assembly which removably interconnects the stock to the receiver assembly, wherein the adaptor assembly includes: an adaptor base affixed to the receiver; an end of the stock is mounted onto the adaptor base; and a rotatable locking pin, continuously attached to the base, which can be lifted up and rotated or turned on its axis by 90° to unlock the adaptor assembly. The stock can then be pulled off the adaptor base. Upon a new stock being mounted on the adaptor base, the locking pin can be rotated back to its original orientation and pushed down to lock the adaptor assembly, whereupon the adaptor assembly interconnects the substitute stock with the receiver assembly. While Applicants' locking pin can rotate and move up-and-down, it is always maintained within the adaptor assembly, even throughout the entire process of swapping a different stock.
US07823303B2
A fluid shovel apparatus that pushes and lifts loose material such as snow, leaves, sand, dirt, grass clippings, mulch, or the like. The present invention includes at least one fluid exhaust port extending through a blade. Pressurized fluid is ejected through the at least one fluid exhaust port extending through the blade and ejects towards loose material. The loose material floats on a cushion of pressurized fluid that forms between the blade and the loose material. The loose material is pushed away from the blade and is lifted in an upward direction. Additionally, the fluid shovel apparatus may further include a soft pad and an ice scraper blade to assist in removing material from a surface of a motor vehicle. Additionally, the fluid shovel apparatus may be used to deliver a fire suppressant pressurized fluid upon a material that is burning. Additionally, the fluid shovel apparatus may be used to clear snow from railroad train tracks ahead of a railroad train car.
US07823301B2
A sports shoe or a pair of asymmetric shoes, in particular for playing golf, including a sole fitted with a rotation mechanism to rotate independently of the sole. The rotation mechanism includes a first rotary disc substantially located in the shoe section intended to receive the big toe of a foot.
US07823285B2
A method is provided for assembling a plurality of catalytic substrates and support materials within a catalytic converter housing using a uniform compression. Outer profiles of a plurality of catalytic substrates are determined. Weight factors of a plurality of the support materials are determined. A lookup table containing a list of associated outer profiles of catalytic substrates and weight factors of support materials are provided. A first catalytic substrate and a first support material are joined as a first pre-assembly based on a matching outer profile and weight factor from the lookup table. A second catalytic substrate and a second support material are joined as a second pre-assembly based on a matching outer profile and weight factor from the lookup table. The first and second pre-assemblies are inserted into the catalytic converter housing. The first catalytic element and the second catalytic element are secured within the catalytic converter housing.
US07823279B2
A packaged device may be provided with an in package power supply. The in package power supply may be selectively coupled to another component when the packaged device is not active.
US07823267B2
Devices, systems, and methods for implanting radially expandable prostheses in the body lumens rely on tacking or anchoring the prostheses with separately introduced fasteners. The prostheses may be self-expanding or balloon expandable, and may include a single lumen or more than one lumen. After initial placement, a fastener applier system is introduced within the expanded prostheses to deploy a plurality of fasteners to at least one prosthesis end. The fasteners are usually helical fasteners which are releasably restrained on the fastener driver, and are delivered by rotation of the fastener driver. The fasteners may be applied singly, typically in circumferentially spaced-apart patterns about the interior of at least one end of the prosthesis. A lumen extension or lumens may be coupled to the prosthesis to extend the reach of the prosthesis within the implantation site. Fasteners may also be applied to the lumen extensions.
US07823263B2
A tool for removing islands from a stent is disclosed. The tool includes a tube with at least one exit hole in communication with the center of the tube, and the tube being connected to a pressurized fluid source. A stent island is located over the exit hole and is removed by the force of the exiting fluid from the exit hole.
US07823254B2
A hinge assembly suitable for coupling a notebook computer base to a display includes a first coupling member for coupling to the base and a second coupling member for coupling to the display. A positioning device supports the display at various angular positions relative to the base. A friction device increases resistance to movement throughout the range of motion of the hinge assembly while decreasing torque and pressure load transmitted to the positioning device.
US07823252B2
An accessory for a blower having a first end with a connector assembly for connecting the accessory to the blower, a second end for directing air under pressure from the blower, a lower blade portion extending at least partly between the first end and the second end for facilitating a pneumatic shoveling operation, and an upper funnel portion extending at least partly between the first end and the second end for facilitating a pneumatic sweeping operation. The accessory can be selectively connected to the blower via the connector assembly so that the air under pressure from the blower cooperates with the lower blade portion and the upper funnel portion to perform a combined pneumatic shoveling/sweeping operation.
US07823245B2
A cleaning glove includes a waterproof glove body having a front surface, including a palm portion, and multiple finger stalls cooperatively joined together to fit a wearer's hand. A water absorbent material is bonded onto a front surface of at least one finger stall. Preferably, the water absorbent material is bonded onto the front surface of each finger stall, as well as the palm portion of the glove body. An abrasive type scouring material is bonded onto the front surface so as to be adjacent to the water absorbent material, typically substantially surrounding the periphery of the water absorbent material.
US07823244B2
A fabric cleaning device (20) is disclosed. The fabric cleaning device (20) includes a hand held support (22) having a plurality of loosening projections (50) associated therewith, and a resilient pad (26) comprising a plurality of individual flexible cleaning sheets (60) receiving the loosening projections (50) and having an affinity for debris.
US07823231B2
A structure for a piece of furniture, such as a retractable bed, includes a fixed part and a pivoting part, the latter having an essentially flat frame and being hinged to the fixed part between an essentially vertical raised position and an essentially horizontal lowered position. The pivoting part includes at least one guide which extends approximately at right angles to the frame and at least one leg mounted on this guide in such a way as to slide, with an actuating device connecting the leg to the fixed part to move the leg between an extended position when the pivoting part is in the lowered position in such a way that its free end is standing on the floor and a withdrawn position when the bed is in its raised position.
US07823228B2
An auxiliary toilet stool seat adapted to be mounted on a seat of a western-style toilet stool, the auxiliary toilet stool seat having a main body portion which is formed from a hard resin into an annular shape having an angled cross section made open at a bottom and having a flat top portion, a first leg portion which is brought into abutment with a top surface of the auxiliary toilet stool seat, a second leg portion which is slidably movable in such a manner as to follow an inner perimeter of the seat, and a third leg portion which is formed into an L-shape and is brought into abutment with a rear surface of the seat on a horizontal surface of the L-shape, the first, second and third legs being provided on a rear surface of the main body portion of the main body portion.
US07823225B2
A pair of swimming goggles includes two lens assemblies and a bridge mounted between the lens assemblies. An inner side of each lens assembly includes a bridge coupling portion having a longitudinal axis at an acute angle with a central vertical axis of the bridge. The bridge includes two legs and an arcuate section interconnected between upper ends of the legs. The bridge defines a space having increasing widths toward lower ends of the legs coupled with the bridge coupling portions. A spacing between a rear side of the lower end of each leg and a vertical axis extending through a rear side of one of the lens assemblies is smaller than a spacing between a rear side of the arcuate section and the vertical axis. The arcuate section has a rear arcuate face. A spacing from the rear arcuate face to the vertical axis decreases downward.
US07823217B2
The eye guard, while complying with ASTM F803-03, has been ergonometrically designed to comfortably fit on the user's face, and to provide openings for the eyes allowing clear vision while at the same time protecting the eyes from impacts from a lacrosse ball. The eye openings are completely open and have dimensions intended to preclude a lacrosse ball from passing therethrough. The upper edges of the eye openings are displaced rearwardly with respect to the lower edges a sufficient distance to preclude a lacrosse ball from striking the two edges simultaneously in a direction that could possibly cause an eye impact. That displacement is specifically devised to cause a lacrosse ball striking one or the other of the edges to be deflected away from the eyes of the player. The upper edge of the eye openings also defines the lower edge of a visor surface. That visor surface transitions from the openings to the rearward edge of the eye guard where it engages the face of the user above the eyes. Below the eye openings, additional openings are provided that are shaped to be aesthetically pleasing and also create a nose engaging portion designed to surround upper portions of the nose. Temples are preferably molded of a flexible material and may include a unique attachment device for an elastic band used to hold the eye guard on the head of the user.
