US07872539B1
A power source, a primary inductor, a load capacitance, and one or more tuned branch resonators and switching devices are coupled to generate pulses which represent a superposition of sinusoidal waveforms. The primary inductor is connected between the power source and the load. At the start of each cycle the load is coupled to ground and each tuned-branch resonators is reinitialized to re-energize the circuits and to stabilize the waveform when the frequencies of the sinusoidal waveforms are non-periodic.
US07872536B2
A variance correction method includes generating a reference current depending on a resistance within a lowpass filter and outputting the reference current to a voltage controlled oscillator, and correcting characteristics of the lowpass filter and a gain of the voltage controlled oscillator based on an output clock of the voltage controlled oscillator.
US07872529B2
In accordance with one the present disclosure, systems and methods are disclosed that include transmitting a binary signal from a signal source into a switch where the switch is in series between the signal source and a first circuit element. In addition, the switch is operating substantially in a switched mode and creates a switched output signal and the switch is controlled by the binary signal. Also disclosed in this method is detecting a negative voltage in a signal from a second circuit element. In this method the first circuit element is in series between the second circuit element and the switch, and upon detecting the negative voltage from the second circuit element the first circuit element creates high impedance in the first circuit element.
US07872526B2
A balanced amplifier includes a bypass branch (19), termination elements (TE1, TE2) and an amplifying section (10). The section (10) includes amplifiers (A1, A2), first coupling/splitting unit (14) having a first input signal receiving port (14a), a second port (14b) connected to a termination element (TE1), a third port (14c) connected to a first amplifier (A1), and a fourth port (14d) connected to a second amplifier (A2). The section (10) also includes second coupling/splitting unit (16) having a first port (16a) connected to first amplifier (A1), a second port (16b) connected to second amplifier (A2) and a third port (16c) connected to a termination element (TE2). The second coupling/splitting unit (16) combines signals from amplifiers (A1, A2) as output signals on a fourth port (16d) for supply to a signal output (O). The branch (18) is connected to the second port (14b) of the first coupling/splitting unit (14) and provides bypass signals to output (O).
US07872522B2
Noise reduction for a switching amplifier system having a differential output stage and demodulator filter responsive to complementary PWM signals includes generating in-phase PWM signals and gradually adjusting their duty cycle between a low duty cycle and the full duty cycle of the complementary PWM signals, generating full duty cycle PWM signals and gradually shifting their relative phase between in-phase and out-of-phase; and in response to a turn-on signal, adjusting the in-phase PWM signals from low to full duty cycle and shifting the relative phase from in-phase to out-of-phase, and in response to a turn-off signal shifting the relative phase from out-of-phase to in-phase and adjusting the in-phase PWM signals from full to low duty cycle for maintaining balanced charge on the demodulation filter to reduce audible noise.
US07872521B2
Disclosed is a CCD device in which a charge transfer register of a CCD structure is connected to a charge detector via an output gate and has a reset gate between the charge detector and a reset drain, and an output gate pulse opposite in phase from a reset pulse applied to the reset gate is applied to the output gate. A dummy charge detector and an amplitude adjusting circuit are provided. On the basis of detection of the potential of a diffusion layer in the dummy charge detector, the amplitude adjusting circuit controls the amplitude of the output gate pulse applied to the output gate.
US07872519B2
Provided is a voltage divider circuit for dividing an input voltage in accordance with a predetermined ratio with high accuracy, in which a source current does not flow from a voltage source and a sink current does not flow into the voltage source. The voltage divider circuit according to the present invention includes: a first resistor; a constant current circuit for outputting a current flowing through the first resistor correspondingly to an input voltage as a constant current; a first current mirror circuit, in which the constant current becomes an input current, for outputting a first output current; a second current mirror circuit, in which the first output current becomes an input current, for outputting a second output current; and a second resistor connected to an output terminal to which the second output current of the second current mirror circuit is output, in which a divided voltage, which is a potential difference between both ends of the second resistor, is adjusted by a current mirror ratio between the first current mirror circuit and the second current mirror circuit, and a resistance ratio between the second resistor and the first resistor.
US07872514B2
Latch circuit and clock signal dividing circuit comprises sequentially connected latch circuits. Each latch circuit has D-type latch with latch clock input, data input and data output. A difference detector is coupled to D-type latch, and has a difference output that provides a difference signal when data at input is different than data at output. Each latch circuit has an edge triggered gate that has gate clock input, output coupled to latch clock input and gate control input coupled to difference output of difference detector. In operation, when both a transition of clock signal supplied at gate clock input is detected by edge triggered gate, and the difference signal is provided to gate control input, will edge triggered gate allow an edge of a clock signal supplied at gate clock input to determine logic values supplied to latch clock input. As a result, data at input is transferred to output.
US07872508B2
A delay locked loop circuit includes a delay locking block configured to delay an input clock and output the delayed input clock as an internal clock to compensate a skew of an external clock and the internal clock, a pulse generating block configured to sequentially output a plurality of pulse signals that control an operation of the delay locking block and enable one of the plurality of pulse signals in response to a detection signal, wherein the plurality of pulse signals is shifted by being synchronized with the input clock, and a pulse detecting block configured to output the detection signal in case all of the plurality of pulse signals are disabled.
US07872507B2
Locked loops, delay lines and methods for delaying signals are disclosed, such as a delay line and delay lock loop using the delay line includes a series of delay stages, each of which consists of a single inverting delay device. The inputs and outputs of a selected stage are applied to a phase inverter that inverts one of the signals and applies it to a first input of a phase mixer with the same delay that the other signal is applied to a second input of the phase inverter. The delay of the signals from the selected delay element are delayed from each other by a coarse delay interval, and the phase mixer interpolates within the coarse delay interval by fine delay intervals. A phase detector compares the timing of a signal generated by the phase interpolator to the timing of a reference clock signal applied to the delay line to determine the selected delay stage and a phase interpolation value.
US07872488B2
A tester for testing a semiconductor device is disclosed. In accordance with the tester of the present invention, the tester is configured to have different drive signal path and input/output signal path wherein the drive signal path has a fly-by structure, i.e. a daisy chain structure and the input/output signal path has a star-stub structure such that more DUTs may be tested simultaneously and an integrity of the signals is secured.
US07872482B2
An improved interconnection system and method is described, such as for connectors, socket assemblies and/or probe card systems. An exemplary system comprises a probe card interface assembly (PCIA) for establishing electrical connections to a semiconductor wafer mounted in a prober. The PCIA comprises a motherboard parallel to the semiconductor wafer having an upper surface and an opposing lower planar mounting surface, a reference plane defined by a least three points located between the lower surface of the motherboard and the wafer, at least one component located below the motherboard mounting surface, and a mechanism for adjusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the wafer. A probe chip having a plurality of spring probes extending there from is mountable and demountable from the PCIA, without the need for further planarity adjustment. The interconnection structures and methods preferably provide improved fabrication cycles.
US07872477B2
A marine electromagnetic sensor cable includes a plurality of sensor modules disposed at spaced apart locations along a cable. Each module includes at least one pair of electrodes associated with the module. The electrodes are arranged to measure electric field in a direction along the direction of the cable. The cable is arranged to form a closed pattern. Another marine electromagnetic sensor cable includes a plurality of sensor modules disposed at spaced apart locations along a cable. Each module includes at least one pair of electrodes associated therewith. The electrodes are arranged to measure electric field in a direction along the direction of the cable. A plurality of spaced apart magnetic field sensors is associated with each module and arranged to enable determining an electric field amplitude in a direction transverse to the direction of the cable from magnetic field gradient.
US07872468B2
An apparatus includes an optical resonator and a passive optical device. The optical resonator has first and second optical reflectors and an optical cavity interposed between the reflectors. The optical resonator includes an electro-optically responsive material. One of the reflectors is a distributed Bragg reflector. A passive optical device is configured to direct light through the first optical reflector. The optical resonator is configured to return a portion of the light through the first reflector.
US07872467B2
A small light-weight battery operated calibrator device provides a precise sine wave output for use in calibration of test equipment, such as a RF Power Meter or a Spectrum Analyzer. The calibration device includes two power levels, one −40 dBm and one 0 dBm. The purpose of the two power levels is to obtain a slope and offset for correction of the RF power measuring device being calibrated. Operation indication LED lights are provided to indicate which of the two powers are in use, and if battery power is below acceptable levels. Miniature low power components including a crystal oscillator and a divide by 2 integrated circuit that generates a precise square wave and a low pass filter for converting the square wave into a precise sine wave allows the calibrator to be battery operated and stored as a calibration component.
US07872466B2
A sensor for determining the concentration of particles in gases, in particular of soot particles, has at least one substrate element, and a measuring area between at least one first and one second measuring electrode, the two measuring electrodes being configured so that by applying a voltage between the measuring electrodes, an asymmetric electric field is formed on the measuring area. The sides of the first and second measuring electrodes, facing one another, may not be parallel to one another, for example. Furthermore, at least one measuring electrode may have a structure along the side facing the other measuring electrode or along the finger electrodes.
US07872463B2
A current mirror arrangement comprising two transistors (11, 12) which are of different conductivity types and are each suitable for outputting a bias current (PBIAS, NBIAS) is specified. A controlled current source (13, 13′) is connected between the two transistors (11, 12) and forms the output of a current mirror (18, 13′). The proposed principle ensures that the output bias signals (PBIAS, NBIAS) match one another in a highly precise manner. The proposed current mirror arrangement may preferably be integrated using CMOS circuit technology.
US07872458B2
A DC-to-DC converter includes a DC-to-DC conversion unit for converting an input voltage into an output voltage by switching operation of the switching element according to a drive signal and supplying the output voltage to a load and a control unit for generating the drive signal. The control unit includes a determination circuit for determining whether the load is in a normal operation state or a standby state, an error amplifier for generating an error signal according to the output voltage, a first drive-signal generator for generating a pulse sequence of pulses each having a pulse width according to the error signal, and a second drive-signal generator for generating a pulse having a pulse width larger than a cycle of repetition of the pulses in the pulse sequence when the voltage according to the output voltage falls below the reference voltage and the load is in the standby state.
US07872454B2
A low dropout (LDO) regulator for generating an output voltage on an output from an input voltage of an input source. The LDO regulator including a switch module to generate the output voltage. The switch module including at least two parallel connected switches responsive to corresponding switch control signals to regulate a flow of energy from the input source to the output. Each of the switches having an on-state and an off-state. A digital controller to sense the output voltage and in response to generate the switch control signals such that the output voltage is regulated to a predetermined amplitude.
US07872450B1
A system includes an input configured to connect to a power source providing an input voltage, an output configured to connect to a load and to transfer power from the power source to the load, a battery selectively coupled to the input to receive current from the power source, a detector configured to indicate whether the input voltage drops more than a threshold amount, and a processor configured to regulate the selective coupling of the battery to the input to regulate a charging current supplied to the battery, the processor configured to regulate the selective coupling such that if a first charge current induces a drop in the input voltage beyond the threshold amount, then the processor will change the charging current to a second charge current that is lower than the first charge current.
US07872449B2
The invention relates to an industrial truck with at least one drive battery and at least one apparatus (A) for determining the state of charge of the battery and to a method for operating such an industrial truck. The apparatus (A) for determining the state of charge of the battery includes a device (B) for determining the dynamic internal resistance and a device (C) for determining the internal cell voltage of the battery with the aid of the dynamic internal resistance.
US07872448B2
A power supply system for portable equipment has a lithium-ion secondary battery as a power supply, a temperature detection portion for detecting a temperature of the power supply, a voltage detection portion for detecting a voltage of the power supply, a memory portion, and a forced discharge portion. The memory portion stores a control operating temperature, a control operating voltage and a control termination voltage. The forced discharge portion recognizes an abnormality of the power supply when the temperature of the power supply is at least the control operating temperature and the voltage of the power supply is at least the control operating voltage. Then, the forced discharge portion electrifies the notification portion and makes it inform a message indicating that the abnormality is being avoided. The forced discharge portion forcedly discharges the power supply until the voltage of the power supply reaches the control termination voltage.
US07872446B2
A battery pack for a sterilizable instrument, such as a medical endoscope. The battery pack includes batteries removably positioned within an enclosure which mounts a first grouping of electrical contacts engaged with the battery contacts. The enclosure includes an outer end wall which sealingly encloses the first grouping of contacts. The outer end wall mounts a second grouping of electrical contacts which are normally resiliently maintained in a first position spaced from the contacts of the first grouping. The contacts of the second grouping sealingly penetrate through the outer end wall. When the battery pack is engaged on the instrument, the contacts of the second grouping engage third contacts on the instrument, causing the contacts of the second grouping to move into a second position where they directly engage contacts of the first grouping to provide electrical power to the instrument. When the battery pack is removed from the instrument, the contacts of the second grouping are resiliently returned to the first position, whereupon the batteries can be sterilized.
US07872429B2
A multiple location load control system comprises a main device and remote devices, which do not require neutral connections, but allow for visual and audible feedback at the main device and the remote devices. The main device and the remote devices are adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an AC power source and an electrical load, and to be further coupled together via an accessory wiring. The remote devices can be wired on the line side and the load side of the load control system, such that the main device is wired “in the middle” of the load control system. The main device is operable to enable a charging path to allow the remote devices to charge power supplies through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source. The main device and the remote devices are operable to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle.
US07872422B2
An ion source capable of generating and/or emitting an ion beam which may be used to deposit a layer on a substrate or to perform other functions is provided. The ion source includes at least one anode and at least one cathode. In certain example embodiments, the anode may have a recess formed therein in which ions to be included in the ion beam may accelerate. Walls of the recess optionally may be insulated using, for example, ceramic. One or more holes may be provided to allow a supply of gas to flow into the recess, and those holes optionally may be tapered such that they narrow towards the recess. Thus, certain example embodiments produce an ion source having a higher energy efficiency (e.g., having increasing ion energy).
US07872415B2
An organic light emitting display is disclosed. The organic light emitting display includes a substrate, a thin film transistor positioned on the substrate, a planarization layer positioned on the thin film transistor, an emission unit, and a passivation layer. The emission unit is positioned on the planarization layer and electrically connected to the thin film transistor. The passivation layer is positioned on the substrate to cover an edge portion of the planarization layer.
US07872413B2
One embodiment of the present invention is an organic electroluminescence element including an anode which is a hole injection electrode; a cathode which is an electron injection electrode, the cathode facing the anode; an organic light emitting layer between the anode and the cathode, the organic light emitting layer including a molybdenum oxide layer, the molybdenum oxide layer including a crystal molybdenum oxide and an amorphous molybdenum oxide, and the crystal molybdenum oxide and the amorphous molybdenum oxide being mixed or stacked.
US07872412B2
An organic electroluminescent device is provided. The organic electroluminescent device includes an array substrate having a white sub-pixel region and an organic electro-luminescent multi-layer structure is disposed on the white sub-pixel region of the array substrate. The organic electro-luminescent multi-layer structure comprises a bottom electrode. The bottom electrode has a thinner first portion and a thicker second portion for providing a wavelength shift of light in different directions.
US07872403B2
A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric film element includes foursteps. The first is to form a bottom electrode on a Si substrate. The second is to form a seed layer with a layered perovskite structure on the bottom electrode. The third is to form a Bi4Ti3O12—BaBi4Ti4O15 based piezoelectric film on the seed layer. The final step is to form an top electrode on the piezoelectric film.
US07872402B2
A perovskite-oxide lamination constituted by a substrate and one or tore first films of a first oxide of a perovskite type and one or more second films of a second oxide which are alternately formed over the substrate. The first oxide has a composition expressed as ABO3, the second oxide has a composition expressed as CDO3, each of A and C represents one or more A-site elements which are one or more metal elements, each of B and D represents one or more B-site elements which are one or more metal elements, O represents oxygen, and the second oxide is unable to be formed to have a perovskite crystal structure at normal pressure without a thickness limitation. The one or more first films and the one or more second films may contain inevitable impurities.
US07872401B2
There is provided a piezoelectric vibrator 1 that includes a base substrate 2, a lid substrate 3, a piezoelectric vibrating reed 4, a pair of external electrodes 38 and 39, a pair of through electrodes 32 and 33, and routing electrodes 36 and 37. Both surfaces of the base substrate 2 are polished. The lid substrate 3 includes a recess 3a for a cavity C and is bonded to the base substrate. The piezoelectric vibrating reed 4 is bonded to the upper surface of the base substrate so as to be received in a cavity that is formed between the base substrate and the lid substrate. The pair of external electrodes 38 and 39 is formed on the lower surface of the base substrate. The pair of through electrodes 32 and 33 is formed so as to pass through the base substrate, maintains airtightness in the cavity, and is electrically connected to the pair of external electrodes, respectively. The routing electrodes 36 and 37 are formed on the upper surface of the base substrate and electrically connect the pair of through electrodes to the bonded piezoelectric vibrating reed. The through electrodes are formed by the hardening of paste that contains a plurality of nonspherical metal fine particles.
US07872400B2
The present invention refers to an ultrasonic device comprising an ultrasound transducer; and a disk-shaped metallic low-frequency ultrasound (NFLUS) resonator being mechanically connected with the ultrasound transducer on one side of the resonator; a container with an opening on its bottom side and being arranged on the other side of the disk-shaped resonator such that the opening is facing the disk-shaped resonator; an elastic sealing element arranged between the disk-shaped resonator and the container for sealing the container around the opening; and means for supplying a pressing force such that the container is tightened on the resonator during ultrasonication, but can be repeatedly disassembled and assembled after ultrasonication.
US07872394B1
In certain embodiments, a MEMS actuator is provided comprising a frame and a movable structure coupled to the frame. A vertical comb drive is provided between the frame and the movable structure to actuate the movable structure.
US07872387B2
A motor with single bearing comprises a fan blade set, a motor set and a fan blade base. The fan blade set has a fan blade hub to join with a spindle fitting with a bearing. The motor set is attached to the fan blade base and a hollow axial seat is provided in the fan blade base to receive the bearing. Further, an elastic element or magnetic element is disposed at the axial seat to avoid internal clearance being created by lacking preset pressure acing to the bearing casing and balls therein. The balls and the bearing itself can run successfully to enhance operation of the motor effectively.
US07872384B2
A shaft cover structure for use in an exciter is provided. The shaft cover structure comprises at least two sections located about a selected portion of a rotatable shaft. The sections are positioned such that adjacent circumferential ends of the at least two sections are spaced apart to define gaps therebetween. A recess extends from each circumferential end such that adjacent recesses define a slot. A spanning member is disposed in each of the slots such that the sections and the spanning members cooperate to form a continuous cover member that surrounds the selected portion of the shaft. A first holding structure secures the continuous member on the selected portion of the shaft.
US07872382B2
A regulator unit, in particular for varying an exciter current, preferably for generators of motor vehicles, is proposed, having a housing (13), in which the housing (13) has a wiper contact mounting region (16) with a guide (19) and wiper contacts (22) seated therein, having a regulator housing portion (25), in which an electronic controller unit and a regulator heat sink (28) are received, having a plug element (31) for electrically connecting the regulator unit (10) to external contact elements, and in which the regulator unit (10) has a first through opening (34) and a second through opening (37), by means of which openings the regulator unit (10) can be fastened to a housing (40) by means of two bolt elements (34). It is provided that the regulator heat sink (28) is located between the wiper contact mounting region (16) and the plug element (31).
US07872378B2
A power management system for coupling to a worksite power-supply network and a PoE (Power over Ethernet) network, includes a power receiving terminal for receiving an input operating voltage with 24 volt DC from the worksite power-supply network, a voltage converter for converting the input operating voltage into an output operating voltage, and a power output terminal for transmitting the output operating voltage to a powered device coupled to the PoE network.
US07872377B2
A system, device and method to allow communications between switches in an electrical circuit containing three-way and four-way switches. The system, device and method allow any switch in an electrical circuit using conventional wiring for three-way and four-way switches to indicate when voltage is being supplied to the electrical load device in the electrical circuit; if a dimmer is present in the electrical circuit, to indicate the dim level of the load device in the electrical circuit and to command to dim level from any switch; and if a timer is present, to allow any switch to provide a warning indication prior to the timer shutting off the load device, and to allow any switch to reset the timer, preventing the shutoff.
US07872375B2
A multiple bi-directional input/output power control system includes a network of functional blocks housed in a single enclosure, providing DC power to one or more DC loads, and providing control and internal pathways, sharing one or more AC and/or DC power inputs. The system feeds back AC power from the DC power source into an AC input connection, and the fed-back AC power is shared by other AC loads. The system operates at least one alternative source of DC in a dynamic manner, allowing maximization of power generating capability at respective specific operating conditions of the moment. Power isolation may be handled by an AC isolation block right at a power input. Therefore all other blocks within a multi-function power control unit (MFPCU) are isolated from AC ground.
US07872374B2
An uninterrupted power supply (“UPS”) system is disclosed which uses a battery communication system to communicate to a UPS processor information concerning the status of a battery pack in an array of parallel coupled battery packs. The battery packs provide back-up power for the UPS system. Information about the battery packs is collected by a monitor associated with each of the battery packs. The monitors measure battery pack voltage, currents and temperature and compile information about the battery pack from the measured values. Each monitor prepares a data word representing information about its battery pack. The data words are transmitted to the UPS in response to commands issued by the UPS processor to the monitors.
US07872371B2
The power line electric field (E-field) coupler device is for collecting energy from a power line and includes a flexible stack of alternating electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers. A power collecting circuit is connected to the flexible stack to output power therefrom based upon E-field coupling from the power line to the flexible stack, and an adjustment mechanism adjusts at least a shape of the flexible stack.
US07872368B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for a power control system including intelligent devices. A vehicle power control system includes a power supply configured to supply a first quantity of power to at least one device configured to consume power based on a first power demand. The vehicle power control system also includes an intelligent device configured to determine a second power demand for the intelligent device during a vehicle operation. The vehicle power control system also includes an energy management system. The energy management system is configured to communicate with the at least one the intelligent device regarding the second power demand of the at least one intelligent device to coordinate scheduling of power distribution during the vehicle operation in order to generate a power distribution schedule to account for the first power demand of the at least one device and the second power demand of the at least one intelligent device. The energy management system directs the first quantity of power to the at least one device according to the first power demand of the at least one device and directs a second quantity of power to the at least one intelligent device according to the power distribution schedule.
US07872360B2
A semiconductor device is disclosed that includes a wiring board having a via formed therein; a semiconductor element provided on the wiring board; a resist layer covering a surface of the wiring board, the resist layer having an opening in a part thereof positioned on the via; and a sealing resin covering the surface of the via in the opening and the resist layer, and sealing the semiconductor device.
US07872358B2
A semiconductor chip is provided comprising a semiconductor substrate on which an integrated circuit is formed. The semiconductor chip, which is provided on the semiconductor substrate in an area array, further comprises a plurality of electrodes electrically coupled with the inside of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the electrodes are arranged into a plurality of first groups respectively lined along a plurality of paralleling first straight lines and, further, into a plurality of second groups respectively lined along a plurality of second straight lines which extend so as to intersect with the first straight lines.
US07872355B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit has: a power pad placed on a chip; and a circuit group connected to the power pad through a power wiring structure. The power wiring structure includes: a plurality of first power wirings and a plurality of second power wirings that are formed in different wiring layers and overlap with each other at a plurality of intersections; and vias connecting the plurality of first power wirings and the plurality of second power wirings. The circuit group includes a first functional block placed on a first region. The vias are not placed at a part of the plurality of intersections within a second region located between the first region and the power pad.
US07872352B2
A bond pad structure (300) for an integrated circuit (IC) device uses carbon nanotubes to increase the strength and resilience of wire bonds (360). In an example embodiment there is, a bond pad structure (300) on an IC substrate, the bond pad structure comprises, a first conductive layer (310) having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface attached to the IC substrate. A dielectric layer (320) is deposited on the top surface of the first conductive layer (310), the dielectric layer having an array of vias (325), the array of vias filled with a carbon nanotube material (325), the carbon nanotube material (325) is electrically coupled to the first conductive layer (310). There is a second conductive layer (330) having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the second conductive layer is electrically coupled to the carbon nanotube material (325). A feature of this embodiment may include the first (410,510) or second (430, 530) conductive layer being comprised of carbon nanotube material, as well.
US07872349B2
An integrated circuit arrangement and method of fabricating the integrated circuit arrangement is provided. At least one integrated electronic component is arranged at a main area of a substrate. The component is arranged in the substrate or is isolated from the substrate by an electrically insulating region. Main channels are formed in the substrate and arranged along the main area. Each main channel is completely surrounded by the substrate transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis. Transverse channels are arranged transversely with respect to the main channels. Each transverse channel opens into at least one main channel. More than about ten transverse channels open into a main channel.
US07872343B1
An interconnect structure (i.e., an interposer) which is mounted and electrically connected to a bottom semiconductor package substrate either prior or subsequent to such bottom substrate being populate with one or more electronic components. Subsequently, a top semiconductor package substrate which may also be populated with one or more electronic components is mounted to the interposer, such that all of the electronic components are disposed between the top and bottom interposers. Thereafter, a suitable mold compound is injected between the top and bottom substrates, the mold compound flowing about the electronic components, between the BGA joints, and at least partially about the interposer, thus helping to lock the interposer in place in the completed semiconductor package.
US07872331B2
A nitride semiconductor wafer is planar-processed by grinding a bottom surface of the wafer, etching the bottom surface by, e.g., KOH for removing a bottom process-induced degradation layer, chamfering by a rubber whetstone bonded with 100 wt %-60 wt % #3000-#600 diamond granules and 0 wt %-40 wt % oxide granules, grinding and polishing a top surface of the wafer, etching the top surface for eliminating a top process-induced degradation layer and maintaining a 0.5 μm-10 μm thick edge process-induced degradation layer.
US07872329B2
Effective area of a capacitor is to be increased while suppressing increase in number of manufacturing steps. In a semiconductor device, a silicon substrate includes a plurality of first recessed portions having a first depth from the main surface thereof, a second recessed portion provided in a region other than the first recessed portion and having a second depth from the main surface, and a third recessed portion provided in at least one of the plurality of first recessed portions and having a third depth from the bottom portion of the first recessed portion. The second recessed portion and the third recessed portion have the same depth, and a decoupling condenser is provided so as to fill the at least one of the first recessed portion and the third recessed portion provided therein, and an isolation insulating layer is provided so as to fill the remaining first recessed portions, and the second recessed portion is filled with a gate electrode.
US07872328B2
A capacitor electrode includes a first surface and a second surface which are arranged opposite each other. The capacitor electrode contains an oxygen atom and a nitrogen atom. The capacitor electrode includes a position A where the oxygen atom exhibits a largest concentration value, between the first surface and the second surface in a thickness direction. The nitrogen atom is present only in an area closer to the first surface than the position A.
US07872324B2
Provided is a suspended nanowire sensor having good sensing characteristics and suitable for mass production, a method for fabricating the suspended nanowire sensor. The suspended nanowire sensor includes: first and second sensor electrodes formed on upper portions of a substrate and physically separated from each other; and a nanowire sensor material piece extending from the first sensor electrode to the second sensor electrode and physically suspended between the first and second sensor electrodes.
US07872322B2
A symmetrical vertical Hall element comprises a well of a first conductivity type that is embedded in a substrate of a second conductivity type and which is contacted by four contacts serving as current and voltage contacts. From the electrical point of view, such a Hall element with four contacts can be regarded as a resistance bridge formed by four resistors R1 to R4 of the Hall element. From the electrical point of view, the Hall element is then regarded as ideal when the four resistors R1 to R4 have the same value. The invention suggests a series of measures in order to electrically balance the resistance bridge. A first measure exists in providing at least one additional resistor. A second measure exists in locally increasing or reducing the electrical conductivity of the well. A third measure exists in providing two Hall elements that are electrically connected in parallel in such a way that their Hall voltages are equidirectional and their offset voltages are largely compensated.
US07872306B2
A trench MOSFET with copper metal connections includes a substrate provided with a plurality of trenches. A gate oxide layer is formed on the sidewalls and bottoms of the trenches. A conductive layer is filled in the trenches to be used as a gate of the MOSFET. A plurality of source and body regions are formed in an epi layer. An insulating layer is formed on the epi layer and formed with a plurality of metal contact holes therein for contacting respective source and body regions. A barrier metal layer is formed on the sidewalls and bottoms of the metal contact holes in direct contact with respective source and body regions. A metal contact layer is filled in the metal contact holes. A copper metal layer is formed on another barrier metal layer on the insulating layer connected to respective source regions through the metal contact layer to form metal connections of the MOSFET.
US07872299B2
Provided are nonvolatile memory devices and methods of fabricating the same which may prevent or reduce deterioration of device characteristics and deterioration of a breakdown voltage. The nonvolatile memory device may include a semiconductor substrate, a charge-trap insulation layer on the semiconductor substrate and having a first region and second regions having a lower density of charge-trap sites than the first region, and a gate electrode on the charge-trap insulation layer, wherein the first region is overlapped by the gate electrode and the second regions are outside of the first region.
US07872295B2
An integrated circuit includes flash memory cells, and peripheral circuitry including low voltage transistors (LVT) and high voltage transistors (HVT). The integrated circuit includes a tunnel barrier layer comprising SiON, SiN or other high-k material. The tunnel barrier layer may comprise a part of the gate dielectric of the HVTs. The tunnel barrier layer may constitute the entire gate dielectric of the HVTs. The corresponding tunnel barrier layer may be formed between or upon shallow trench isolation (STIs). Therefore, the manufacturing efficiency of a driver chip IC may be increased.
US07872292B2
A capacitance dielectric layer is provided. The capacitance dielectric layer includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a silicon nitride stacked layer. The silicon nitride stacked layer is disposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. The structure of the capacitance dielectric layer permits an increase in the capacitance per unit area by decreasing the thickness of the capacitance dielectric layer and eliminates the problems of having a raised leakage current and a diminished breakdown voltage.
US07872282B2
A semiconductor device includes deep first field limiting rings, shallow second field limiting rings, insulation films covering each surface portion of each of the first and the second field limiting rings, and conductive field plates each in contact with a surface of each of the first and the second field limiting rings. Each of the field plates project over a surface of each of the insulation films between the first field limiting rings and the second field limiting rings.
US07872281B2
A glass-coated light-emitting element 10 of the invention has a semiconductor light-emitting element 2 having a surface on which no electrode is formed is coated with a glass 1, in which a surface of the glass 1 constitutes a part of a spherical surface broader than a hemispherical surface, the refractive index of the glass 1 at an emission peak wavelength of the semiconductor light-emitting element 2 is 1.7 or more, and the ratio of the diameter of the above-mentioned spherical surface to the maximum diameter of a surface of the semiconductor light-emitting element 2 on which electrodes are formed is 1.8 to 3.5, whereby light emitted from the light-emitting element can be efficiently introduced into a light control unit, and alignment with a lens or a light pipe, which has hitherto been made, becomes unnecessary.
US07872280B2
The present invention aims to provide a semiconductor light emitting device that may be firmly attached to a substrate with maintaining excellent light emitting efficiency, and a manufacturing method of the same, and a lighting apparatus and a display apparatus using the same.In order to achieve the above object, the semiconductor light emitting device according to the present invention includes a luminous layer, a light transmission layer disposed over a main surface of the luminous layer, and having depressions on a surface facing away from the luminous layer, and a transmission membrane disposed on the light transmission layer so as to follow contours of the depressions, and light from the luminous layer is irradiated so as to pass through the light transmission layer and the transmission membrane.
US07872275B2
A light-emitting diode arrangement includes one or more LED crystal pieces that are mechanically held by leads and connecting lines.
US07872271B2
Provided are a flip-chip nitride-based light emitting device having an n-type clad layer, an active layer and a p-type clad layer sequentially stacked thereon, comprising a reflective layer formed on the p-type clad layer and at least one transparent conductive thin film layer made up of transparent conductive materials capable of inhibiting diffusion of materials constituting the reflective layer, interposed between the p-type clad layer and reflective layer; and a process for preparing the same. In accordance with the flip-chip nitride-based light emitting device of the present invention and a process for preparing the same, there are provided advantages such as improved ohmic contact properties with the p-type clad layer, leading to increased wire bonding efficiency and yield upon packaging the light emitting device, capability to improve luminous efficiency and life span of the device due to low specific contact resistance and excellent current-voltage properties.
US07872265B2
An electrical device according to one embodiment includes a substrate including at least one diamond layer; at least one first electrode in contact with said substrate, wherein at least one said first electrode includes at least one electrically conductive protrusion extending into said substrate; and at least one second electrode in contact with said substrate and spaced from the or each said first electrode.
US07872260B2
A method of fabricating a thin film transistor is disclosed. First, a substrate is provided and a patterned polysilicon layer is formed on the substrate. A metal layer is formed on the patterned polysilicon layer. Then, a portion of the metal layer is removed so that the remaining metal layer beside the patterned polysilicon layer forms a source and a drain. A gate insulation layer is formed on the substrate to cover the source, the drain and the patterned polysilicon layer. A gate is formed on the gate insulation layer over the patterned polysilicon layer.
US07872255B2
An organic light-emitting device includes an electron injection layer and an element isolation layer. The electron injection layer contains at least one of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal compound, or an alkaline earth metal compound. A layer having the same composition of the electron injection layer is disposed over the electron injection layer in a region surrounding the light-emitting region.
US07872252B2
Electronic and opto-electronic devices having epitaxially-deposited III/V compounds on vicinal group IV substrates and method for making same. The devices include an AlAs nucleating layer on a Ge substrate. The group IV substrate contains a p-n junction whose change of characteristics during epitaxial growth of As-containing layers is minimized by the AlAs nucleating layer. The AlAs nucleating layer provides improved morphology of the devices and a means to control the position of a p-n junction near the surface of the group IV substrate through diffusion of As and/or P and near the bottom of the III/V structure through minimized diffusion of the group IV element.
US07872250B2
A PRAM and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The PRAM includes a transistor and a data storage capability. The data storage capability is connected to the transistor. The data storage includes a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a porous PCM layer. The porous PCM layer is interposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode.
US07872246B2
When the second harmonic of a YAG laser is irradiated onto semiconductor films, concentric-circle patterns are observed on some of the semiconductor films. This phenomenon is due to the non-uniformity of the properties of the semiconductor films. If such semiconductor films are used to fabricate TFTs, the electrical characteristics of the TFTs will be adversely influenced. A concentric-circle pattern is formed by the interference between a reflected beam 1 reflected at a surface of a semiconductor film and a reflected beam 2 reflected at the back surface of a substrate. If the reflected beam 1 and the reflected beam 2 do not overlap each other, such interference does not occur. For this reason, a laser beam is obliquely irradiated onto the semiconductor film to solve the interference. The properties of a crystalline silicon film formed by this method are uniform, and TFTs which are fabricated by using such crystalline silicon film have good electrical characteristics.
US07872241B2
An electron beam production and control assembly includes a vacuum chamber, a beam source, and a target. The target has an active section and an inactive section. The active section is adapted to generate x-rays when the beam impinges on the x-ray producing section. The electron beam production and control assembly also includes a focusing unit positioned along the chamber at a location intermediate the rearward end and the forward end. The focusing unit directs the beam towards the target in a converging manner to impinge on the target. The focusing unit sweeps the beam along a scanning path over the active section of the target. The focusing unit moves the beam to a retrace path on the inactive section of the target between sweeps of the scanning path to maintain ion accumulation in the beam between sweeps over the active section.
US07872240B2
In a charged-particle beam apparatus having a high-accuracy and high-resolution focusing optical system for charged-particle beam, a group of coils are arranged along a beam emission axis to extend through the contour of radial planes each radiating from the beam emission axis representing a rotary axis and each having a circular arc which subtends a divisional angle resulting from division of a circumferential plane by a natural number larger than 2 so that a superposed magnetic field may be generated on the incident axis of the charged-particle beam and the trajectory of the charged-particle beam may be controlled by the superposed magnetic field.
US07872232B2
To enable measurement of an elastically scattered electron image, a characteristic-X-ray-based element image and an electron-beam-energy-spectroscopy-based element image with a high S/N and high spatial resolution in an electronic microscope having a function to produce an element image. Measurement of a characteristic X-ray signal and electron beam energy loss spectra or measurement of a plurality of energy filter signals including a core loss of an observed element is performed simultaneously and continuously with detection of elastically scattered electrons transmitted through a specimen to be analyzed, and element images based on characteristic X-rays and electron beam energy spectroscopy are added up while correcting a positional misalignment with respect to elastically scattered electron images continuously observed (see FIG. 1).
US07872206B2
A power supply circuit connector includes: a first housing including: a pair of main circuit terminals connected with each other via a first switch terminal, and a pair of mated state sensor terminals connected with each other; a second housing mated with or detached from first housing, second housing including: first switch terminal for connecting the pair of main circuit terminals by a lever rotated to a first certain position; the lever rotatably supported to second housing and including: a second switch terminal for making the following operation: with the pair of main circuit terminals kept connected with each other, connecting the pair of mated state sensor terminals with each other by lever rotated to a second certain position after first certain position; and a mating-detaching mechanism for making the following operations by rotated lever: mating second housing with the first housing, and detaching second housing from the first housing.
US07872205B2
An electrical switch may include a housing having a hollow inner cavity. Both mechanical and electrical components may be contained within the inner cavity. The components within inner cavity may be protected from contaminants entering the inner cavity by a seal adjacent to an opening of the housing leading from the inner cavity. The seal may allow movement of an actuator mechanism between various configurations relative to the seal, while continuing to prevent contaminants from entering the inner cavity.
US07872203B2
A transformer switch, such as a dual voltage switch or a tap changer. The switch includes a cover, a housing, and a rotor sandwiched between the cover and the housing. The cover and housing are molded from a non-conductive plastic. An interior space of the cover includes at least one pocket within which stationary contacts are disposed. Each stationary contact is electrically coupled to one or more windings of a transformer. The rotor extends within a channel of the housing, from a top of the transformer switch to an interior surface of the cover. The interior surface includes a protrusion about which the rotor and at least one movable contact coupled thereto can rotate. The movable contact is configured to be selectively electrically coupled to at least one of the stationary contacts. For example, different stationary contact-movable contact pairs can correspond to different voltages of the transformer.
US07872192B1
A planar concentrator solar power module has a planar base, an aligned array of linear photovoltaic cell circuits on the base and an array of linear Fresnel lenses or linear mirrors for directing focused solar radiation on the aligned array of linear photovoltaic cell circuits. The cell circuits are mounted on a back panel which may be a metal back plate. The cell circuit area is less than a total area of the module. Each linear lens or linear mirror has a length greater than a length of the adjacent cell circuit. The cell circuit may have cells mounted in shingle fashion to form a shingled-cell circuit. In an alternative module, linear extrusions on the circuit element have faces for mounting the linear mirrors for deflecting sun rays impinging on each mirror onto the shingled-cells. The linear extrusions are side-wall and inner extrusions with triangular cross-sections. The circuit backplate is encapsulated by lamination for weather protection. The planar module is generally rectangular with alternating rows of linear cell circuits and linear lenses or linear mirrors.
US07872187B1
Disclosed musical instrument cases have a semi-rigid, continuous sidewall defining a front edge with opposing first and second elongated sides and a back edge with opposing first and second elongated sides. The cases also have a partition, with front and back surfaces, attached to the sidewall. The cases have a front cover hingedly connected to the second elongated side of the front edge and releasably fastened to the first elongated side of the front edge. Conversely, the cases have a back cover hingedly connected to the first elongated side of the back edge and releasably fastened to the second elongated side of the back edge. The front cover may selectively enclose a front region of space between the front cover and the front surface of partition and, independently, the back cover may selectively enclose a back region of space between the back cover and the partition back surface.
US07872179B1
A novel maize variety designated PHHKE and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHHKE with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHHKE through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PHHKE or a trait conversion of PHHKE with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHHKE, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHHKE and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US07872169B2
A non-elastic thermoplastic film having a noise abatement region and a fastening component. The noise abatement region has a plurality of apertures, wherein each of the plurality of apertures has an area of between about 4 mm2 to about 75 mm2. The fastening component is disposed within the noise abatement region such that the fastening component is surrounded by the noise abatement elements.
US07872168B2
An absorbent article having a stretchable substrate and an absorbent composite comprising a layer of adhesive composition in contact with the stretchable substrate. A layer of particulate superabsorbent material is applied to and held by the adhesive composition. The absorbent composite is secured to the substrate by the adhesive composition. The stretchable substrate has a recovery in at least one of the lateral direction and the longitudinal directions of the article as determined by an Elongation and Recovery Test, and the absorbent article has a recovery in the at least one of the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction as determined by the Elongation and Recovery Test that is at least about 60 percent of the recovery of the substrate in the at least one of the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction.
US07872165B2
A hydrotreating method (HDT) utilizes two plants working under different operating conditions with an intermediate stripping for co-treating a mixture made up of oils of vegetable or animal origin and petroleum cuts (gas oil cuts (GO) and middle distillates) in order to produce gas oil fuel bases meeting specifications. The first plant (HDT1) is more particularly dedicated to the reactions concerning oils of vegetable or animal origin in comixture while pretreating the hydrocarbon feed, whereas the second plant (HDS2) works under more severe conditions to obtain diesel fuel according to standards, in particular in terms of effluent sulfur content, density and cold properties.
US07872160B2
The present invention provides a single pot process for the regioselective synthesis of neolignan framework [3(R)-Ethyl-2(S)-methyl-3-(2″,4″,5″-trimethoxyphenyl)-1-(2′,4′,5′-trimethoxyphenyl)propane from toxic β-isomer rich asarone using montmorillonite acidic clay by employing microwave organic reaction enhancement (MORE) chemistry. This may be useful as versatile synthetic protocol for the synthesis of a large number of lignan and neolignan frameworks.
US07872153B2
The invention relates to a new salt of aliskiren, the respective production and usage, and pharmaceutical preparations containing such a salt.
US07872149B2
Glyceride-containing feed for a base catalyzed transesterification with lower alkanol to make biodiesel is pretreated with glycerin separated during the transesterification to partially convert glycerides with lower alkanol contained in the separated glycerin using base catalyst in the separated glycerin while reducing the free fatty acid and phosphorus compound concentrations in the glyceride-containing feed. Unique producer compositions are provided by the pretreatment processes.
US07872139B2
This invention relates to compounds of formula (I) which are activators of glucokinase and thus may be useful for the management, treatment, control, or adjunct treatment of diseases, where increasing glucokinase activity is beneficial.
US07872133B2
The present invention relates to the compound represented by formula (I) A-X—Y—Z—B (I) (wherein A is a cyclic group which may have a substituent(s); X is a single bond or a spacer; Y is a single bond or a spacer; Z is a single bond or a spacer; B is a hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent(s) or a cyclic group which may have a substituent(s)), a salt thereof, a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof. The compound represented by formula (I), a salt thereof, a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof is useful for preventive and/or therapeutic agent for a disease caused by stress.
US07872132B2
An improved process for the preparation of aripiprazole (1) which comprises (i) reacting 6-hydroxy-l-indanone (11) with 1,4-dihalobutane (12) in the presence of a base and a solvent at a temperature in the range of 90 to 110 deg C to form the novel intermediate 6-(4-halo butoxy)-indan-1-one (3), (ii) reacting the novel intermediate with 1-(2,3-clichlorophenyl)-piperazine (9) to get another novel intermediate 6-[4-[4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-l-piperazinyl]butoxy]-indan-l-one (2) and (iii) reacting the resulting novel compound with sodium azide. The invention also relates to the novel intermediates of the formulae (2) & (3) and processes for their preparation. The invention also includes intermediate compounds useful for the preparation of aripiprazole.
US07872126B2
A novel compound of the formula (I): wherein R1 is alkoxycarbonyl or the like, R2 is alkyl or the like; R3 is hydrogen or the like; R4 is alkylene or the like; R5 is optionally substituted heterocyclic group; R6, R7, R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen; alkyl, alkoxy, or the like; R10 is optionally substituted aromatic ring, or the like; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which has an inhibitory activity against cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP).
US07872119B2
The present invention provides novel molecules, compositions, methods and uses for treating microvascular disorders, eye diseases respiratory conditions and hearing disorders based upon inhibition of the RTP801 gene and/or protein.
US07872117B2
Suppression of the Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF)-Met signaling pathway by targeting the Met protein tyrosine kinase was tested as strategy for suppressing tumor growth. Using RNA interference (RNAi) technology and adenoviruses carrying siRNA (Ad Met siRNA) target sequences dramatically reduced Met expression in mouse, dog and human tumor cells. Met was suppressed using Ad Met siRNA in mouse mammary tumor (DA3) cells and Met-transformed (NIH3T3 (M114) cells as well as human prostate cancer, sarcoma, glioblastoma, gastric and ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, the Ad Met siRNA infection reversed transformed cell morphology. Ad Met siRNA killed cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. RNAi targeting Met suppressed HGF/SF-mediated scattering as well as ligand-mediated invasion activity and growth of tumor cells. Met siRNA infection also abrogated downstream Met signaling to molecules such as Akt and p44/42 MAPK. Importantly, the Met siRNA triggered apoptosis was correlated to suppressed tumorigenicity in vivo. Intro-tumoral infection with c-met siRNA adenovirus vectors produced significant reduction in tumor growth. Thus Met RNAi is an effective weapon for targeting Met expression and for treating c-Met+ cancers.
US07872114B2
An immunogenic detoxified protein comprising the amino acid sequence of subunit A of a cholera toxin (CT-A) or a fragment thereof or the amino acid sequence of subunit A of an Escherichia coli heat labile toxin (LT-A) or a fragment thereof wherein the amino acids at, or in positions corresponding to Ser-63 and Arg-192 are replaced with another amino acid. The immunogenic detoxified protein is useful as vaccine for Vibrio cholerae or an enterotoxigenic strain of Escherichia coli and is produced by recombinant DNA means by site-directed mutagenesis.
US07872113B2
The present invention relates to antibodies that bind to the IL-4 receptor, fragments, muteins, and derivatives of such antibodies, nucleic acids encoding such antibodies, fragments, muteins and derivatives, and methods of making and using such antibodies, fragments, muteins, derivatives and nucleic acids. Methods for treating medical conditions induced by interleukin-4 involve administering an IL-4 receptor binding antibody, or an IL-4 receptor binding fragment, mutein, or derivative of an IL-4 receptor binding antibody, to a patient afflicted with such a condition. Particular antibodies provided herein include human monoclonal antibodies. Certain of the antibodies inhibit both IL-4-induced and IL-13-induced biological activities.
US07872109B2
The invention provides polymorphs of a motilide having a structure represented by formula Ia
US07872107B2
Modified interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40 polypeptides are disclosed. The modified polypeptides have alterations in the IL-12p40 subunit to eliminate the protease site between positions Lys260 and Arg261. The modified IL-12p40 polypeptides according to the invention have improved stability compared to wild-type mature human IL-12p40 polypeptides.
US07872106B2
Compositions and methods relating to epitopes of sclerostin protein, and sclerostin binding agents, such as antibodies capable of binding to sclerostin, are provided.
US07872100B2
The present invention is concerned with the preparation of novel nitrile hydratases. These latter are preferably obtained from nonculturable organisms by means of a PCR-based screening, in metagenome DNA libraries, using special degenerate primers.
US07872099B2
A camera device includes: an iris unit for varying exposure; a shutter control unit for varying a shutter speed of an imaging element; and a control unit for controlling the signal processing unit and the entire device. The camera device further includes: an exposure target calculation unit for calculating a control value used for controlling the iris unit or the shutter control unit so that an exposure amount will be a target value based on information on a signal level from a signal processing unit; and a malfunction judgment unit for determining a malfunction in the device based on information on the control value obtained by the exposure target calculation unit and the signal level from the signal processing unit.
US07872098B1
Derivatives of the peptide corresponding to the sequence RIHMVYSKRSGKPRGYAFIEY (SEQ ID NO: 1), pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of use thereof are provided.
US07872093B2
A process for producing a polythiourethane resin which comprises (A) a step of synthesizing a polythiol oligomer having disulfide bond by reaction of a polythiol compound having a functionality of two or greater and sulfur and (B) a step of bringing the polythiol oligomer obtained in step (A) and a compound having poly(thio)isocyanate groups into reaction with each other, wherein step (A) is conducted in the absence of solvents using no catalysts or a catalyst substantially inert to the compound having poly(thio)isocyanate groups. A polythiol oligomer exhibiting a greater refractive index than that of the polythiol compound having a functionality of two or greater used as the starting material is produced at a low cost, and a process for producing a practically useful polythiourethane resin exhibiting a stable great refractive index and a great Abbe number is provided.
US07872091B2
An electrical insulation system and method are disclosed which are based on poly(butylene terephthalate), wherein the poly(butylene terephthalate) contains a polymerized cyclic low molecular weight oligomeric poly(butylene terephthalate) resin. At least one filler material or a mixture of filler materials can be included. At least one hydrophobic compound or a mixture of hydrophobic compounds can also be included.
US07872089B2
The disclosure describes a reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a horizontally elongated reactor segment containing a horizontally elongated tubular member and a tray disposed within the tubular member. The reaction medium can flow through the reactor segment on the tray and on the bottom of the tubular member in generally opposite directions. The reactor also can include a header and multiple horizontally elongated reactor segments coupled to the header and spaced vertically apart from one another. The reactor can be used to produce polyesters.
US07872083B2
The present invention provides a novel polymer that can impart a moisturized feeling to the hair and skin after use. A polymer comprising an amphoteric monomer represented by the following general formula (I) and a cationic monomer represented by the following general formula (II) as the essential constituent monomers: (wherein, R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2 and R3 each independently represent an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, or a —(CH2CH2O)nR7 group (n is an integer of 1 to 50; and R7 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group); R4 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; A represents an oxygen atom or NR8 (R8 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, or a —(CH2CH2O)nR9 group (n is an integer of 1 to 50; R9 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group)); and B represents an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms), and (wherein, R5 and R6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and Y− represents a monovalent inorganic or organic anion).
US07872081B2
Melt-processible, thermoplastic poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) compositions are disclosed and methods for making and processing same. Additionally, products comprising these compositions are described.
US07872077B2
Grafted polymers which are the reaction products of: (a) (Meth)acrylic acid and (b) Non-symmetric maleates according to general formula (I), in which R1 stands for a linear or branched alk(en)yl radical having 1 to 22 carbon atoms and 0 or 1 double bond, while n and m independently represent integers between 0 and 200, on condition that the sum (n+m) is different from 0 are disclosed. Methods of making and using the grafted polymers are also disclosed.
US07872071B2
The invention relates to a polyethylene molding composition which has a multimodal molar mass distribution and is particularly suitable for producing protective coatings on steel pipes. The molding composition has a density at a temperature of 23° C. in the range from 0.94 to 0.95 g/cm3 and an MFI190/5 in the range from 1.2 to 2.1 dg/min. It comprises from 45 to 55% by weight of a low molecular weight ethylene homopolymer A, from 30 to 40% by weight of a high molecular weight copolymer B of ethylene and another olefin having from 4 to 8 carbon atoms and from 10 to 20% by weight of an ultra high molecular weight ethylene copolymer C.
US07872064B2
A protective coating is provided. This protective coating comprises a synthetic resin solid content (A); and a mixture of (B-1) acetylene glycol represented by the following general formula (1): and/or an ethoxylated derivative of the acetylene glycol represented by the following general formula (2): (B-2) at least one member selected from polyoxy(ethylene-propylene) block polymers represented by the following formula (3): O(C2H4O)w(C3H6O)x(C2H4O)y(C3H6O)zH (3).
US07872061B2
The present invention provides a continuous process for preparing additive mixtures for mineral oils and mineral oil distillates, comprising A) a cold flow improver for middle distillates, and at least one further component selected from B) and C): B) a further cold flow improver, C) an organic solvent, which comprises mixing cold flow improver and optionally solvent by means of a static mixer, the temperature of the additive mixture at the outlet of the static mixer being from 0° C. to 100° C.
US07872054B2
A low-temperature catalytic process for converting biomass (preferably glycerol recovered from the fabrication of bio-diesel) to synthesis gas (i.e., H2/CO gas mixture) in an endothermic gasification reaction is described. The synthesis gas is used in exothermic carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions, such as Fischer-Tropsch, methanol, or dimethylether syntheses. The heat from the exothermic carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction is integrated with the endothermic gasification reaction, thus providing an energy-efficient route for producing fuels and chemicals from renewable biomass resources.
US07872047B2
Disclosed is a composition and methods of treating a skin condition. The ester includes an ester and a dermatologically acceptable carrier. The ester is represented by the general formula 1:
US07872046B2
A crystalline form of a (3S)-aminomethyl-5-hexanoic acid prodrug and methods of preparing a crystalline form of a (3S)-aminomethyl-5-hexanoic acid prodrug, and methods of using a crystalline form of a (3S)-aminomethyl-5-hexanoic acid prodrug are provided.
US07872044B2
The present invention is directed to a compound of Formula (I): or an enantiomer, diastereomer, polymorph or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and methods for preparing said compounds and compositions, intermediates and derivatives thereof, and methods for treating inflammatory or serine protease mediated disorders.
US07872041B2
The invention relates to the use of rotigotine, its salts and prodrugs, as a medicament for preventing and/or treating Parkinson's plus syndrome.
US07872040B2
It is intended to find a compound that is structurally simpler than yohimbine, a pentacyclic condensed heterocyclic compound, and has an effect similar to that of yohimbine.The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical or food composition for α2 receptor blockage comprising a compound represented by the formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen, alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, aromatic group, aralkyl group, acyl group, arylsulfonyl group, alkylsulfonyl group, or hydroxyl group; R2 represents a hydrocarbon group; R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 are the same or different and represent a hydrogen, halogen, alkyl group, or alkoxy group; R8 represents a hydrogen or acyl group; n represents an integer of 1 to 6; and a and b are the same or different and represent 1 or 0).
US07872039B2
Novel 3-aminoindazoles of the formula (I) are SGK inhibitors and can be used for the treatment of SGK-induced diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome (dyslipidaemia), systemic and pulmonary hypertonia, cardiovascular diseases and renal diseases, generally in fibrosis and inflammatory processes of any type.
US07872035B2
The present invention relates to the use of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist of the general formula (I) in the manufacture of a medicament for the prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of a vascular headache condition such as migraine, in a subject suffering from, or susceptible to, such a vascular headache condition. A further aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical formulation useful in any one of said vascular headache conditions, as well as a method of treatment thereof.
US07872023B2
Kappa opioid receptor antagonists are provided that yield significant improvements in functional binding assays to kappa opioid receptors, and the use of these antagonists in treatment of disease states that are ameliorated by binding of the kappa opioid receptor such as heroin or cocaine addictions.
US07872018B2
Compounds active on protein kinases are described, as well as methods of using such compounds to treat diseases and conditions associated with aberrant activity of protein kinases.
US07872016B2
The invention provides materials, reagents, systems, and methods for identifying agents useful for treating diseases resulting from abnormal (e.g., excessive) FGF receptor signaling. The invention also provides (therapeutic) agents thus identified, and methods of using such agents in treating such diseases. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to the treatment of various craniofacial disorders, or Craniosynostosis, that result from FGFR (e.g. FGFR2) malfunction, such as Crouzon, Apert, Jackson-Weiss, Pfeiffer Syndromes, Crouzon+acanthosis nigricans, Beare-Stevenson cutis gyrata, and non-syndromic craniosynostosis (NS). The methods comprise administering to the individuals a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of the FGFR2c-FRS2 signaling. The inhibitor inhibits signaling by antagonizing FGFR2c-FRS2 interaction, inhibiting the expression and/or subcellular localization of wild-type or mutant FGFR2c and/or FRS2, inhibiting the kinase activity of FGFR2c (e.g. for autophosphorylation and/or phosphorylation of FRS2), and/or inhibiting downstream signaling of FRS2 (such as Sos-Ras-MAPK, Shp2, and/or Gab 1-PI3K pathways).
US07872011B2
The present invention relates to selective inhibitors of phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase β, use of the selective inhibitors in anti-thrombotic therapy, and a method for screening compounds useful for the new anti-thrombotic therapy by detecting selective inhibitory activity of PI 3-kinase β of the compound. The invention also relates to novel compounds that are inhibitors of PI 3-kinase.
US07872009B2
The present invention comprises a new class of compounds useful for the modulation of Beta-secretase enzyme activity and for the treatment of Beta-secretase mediated diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related conditions. In one embodiment, the compounds have a general Formula I wherein A, B, R3, R4, R5, i and j are defined herein. The invention also comprises pharmaceutical compositions including one or more compounds of Formula I, methods of use for these compounds, including treatment of AD and related diseases, by administering the compound(s) of Formula I, or compositions including them, to a subject. The invention also comprises further embodiments of Formulas II and III, intermediates and processes useful for the preparation of compounds of the invention.
US07872008B2
The invention concerns the use of ketoconazole and derivatives having a corresponding biological activity, and combinations thereof, in the treatment of abdominal obesity, hypertension, hyperinsulinemia, and elevated blood lipids.
US07872002B2
The invention provides a novel chemical series of formula I, as well as methods of use thereof for binding to the benzodiazepine site of the GABAA receptor and modulating GABAA, and use of the compound of formula I for the treatment of GABAA receptor associated disorders. The general structure of formula I is shown below and can exist in tautomeric forms: The invention further provides a method of modulation of one or more GABAA subtypes in an animal comprising administering to the animal an effective amount of a compound of formula (I).
US07872001B2
A γd-Crystalline form of ivabradine hydrochloride of formula (I): characterised by its powder X-ray diffraction data. Medicinal products containing the same which are useful as bradycardics.
US07871997B2
This invention provides cephalosporin compounds and salts thereof. Such compounds are useful for preparing cross-linked glycopeptide-cephalosporin antibiotics.
US07871991B2
The invention is related to phosphorus substituted anti-viral inhibitory compounds, compositions containing such compounds, and therapeutic methods that include the administration of such compounds, as well as to processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds.
US07871966B2
The present invention provides a lubricating oil composition, which is capable to maintain sufficient low-friction (i.e. fuel saving performance) even when the lubricating oil is contaminated with soot and metal abrasion powder, which is excellent in durability with regard to anti-wear property and detergency, as well as oxidation stability, and which is capable to lower the ash content and to sufficiently maintain the performance of exhaust-gas after-treatment device for a long term. The lubricating oil composition comprises a lubricant base oil containing a base oil (X) of which % CP is 70 or more, % CA is 1 or less, viscosity index is 115 or more, and CCS viscosity at −35° C. is 3000 mPa·s or less, wherein the lubricant base oil, to total mass of the composition, contains following components (A)˜(D):(A) 0.01˜10 mass % of ashless friction modifier;(B) 0.01˜0.2 mass % of phosphorus-containing anti-wear agent as phosphorous content;(C) 0.01˜1 mass % of metallic detergent as metal content; and(D) 0.01˜0.4 mass % of ashless dispersant having 3000˜20000 of weight-average molecular weight as nitrogen content.
US07871949B2
A light emitting device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a light emitting unit interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a sealing material bonding the first substrate to the second substrate and sealing the light emitting unit. The sealing material comprises V+4. In addition, a glass frit, a composition for forming a sealing material, and a method of manufacturing a light emitting device using the composition for forming a sealing material are provided to obtain the light emitting device. The sealing material of the light emitting device can be easily formed by coating and irradiation of electro-magnetic waves, so that manufacturing costs are low and deterioration of the light emitting unit occurring when sealing material is formed can be substantially prevented. The sealing material has good sealing properties and thus a light emitting device including the sealing material has a long lifetime.
US07871939B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device for use in avoiding unwanted oxidation along exposed surfaces and for use in relieving etching damage is presented. The method includes step of forming sequentially a gate insulation layer, a polysilicon layer, a barrier layer, a metallic layer and a hard mask layer over a semiconductor substrate. The method also includes a step of etching the hard mask layer, the metallic layer, the barrier layer, the polysilicon layer and the gate insulation layer to form a gate. The method also includes a nitrifying step which uses a free radical is assisted chemical vapor deposition (RACVD) nitrifying process on surfaces of the layers forming the gate and a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes a step of subsequently performing a reoxidation process to the semiconductor substrate resultant that the RACVD nitrifying process is performed.
US07871936B2
A reduction in contaminating impurities in a TFT, and a TFT which is reliable, is obtained in a semiconductor device which uses the TFT. By removing contaminating impurities residing in a film interface of the TFT using a solution containing fluorine, a reliable TFT can be obtained.
US07871920B2
Structures and methods for forming the same. A semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate and a transistor on the semiconductor substrate. The chip further includes N interconnect layers on top of the semiconductor substrate and being electrically coupled to the transistor, N being a positive integer. The chip further includes a first dielectric layer on top of the N interconnect layers, and a second dielectric layer on top of the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is in direct physical contact with each interconnect layer of the N interconnect layers. The chip further includes an underfill layer on top of the second dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is sandwiched between the first dielectric layer and the underfill layer. The chip further includes a laminate substrate on top of the underfill layer. The underfill layer is sandwiched between the second dielectric layer and the laminate substrate.
US07871917B2
To provide a low-cost, easy-to-use, and efficient method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, which eliminates the need for the formation or removal of barrier metals upon formation of bumps, and a high-performance semiconductor device with fine bumps arranged at a narrow pitch. The method includes: forming a plurality of electrode pads 12 on one surface of a semiconductor substrate 10; forming insulating layers (e.g., inorganic insulating layer 14 and organic insulating layer 16) to cover the perimeter of each electrode pad 12; selectively forming a mask layer 20 on the insulating layers 14 and 16; cleaning the surface of the electrode pads 12 which is not covered with the insulating layers 14 and 16; forming external terminals 46 in regions defined by the insulating layers 14 and 16 and mask layer 20 so that they are in contact with the electrode pads 12; and removing the mask layer 20.
US07871900B2
A method for forming a structure is provided and includes implanting an atomic species into a donor substrate having an upper surface at a given depth relative to the upper surface to form an embrittlement zone in the donor substrate, the embrittlement zone defining a removable layer within the donor substrate. The method further includes assembling the upper surface of the donor substrate to a receiver substrate. Additionally, the method includes detaching the removable layer from the donor substrate at the embrittlement zone, thereby forming a detachment surface on the removable layer, by high temperature annealing. The high temperature annealing includes a temperature upgrade phase to a predetermined maximum temperature, maintaining the maximum temperature for a predetermined exposure duration, and a temperature downgrade phase. The maximum temperature and the exposure duration are selected so as to prevent the appearance of significant defects at the detachment surface.
US07871898B2
A method for bonding at low or room temperature includes steps of surface cleaning and activation by cleaning or etching. The method may also include removing by-products of interface polymerization to prevent a reverse polymerization reaction to allow room temperature chemical bonding of materials such as silicon, silicon nitride and SiO2. The surfaces to be bonded are polished to a high degree of smoothness and planarity. VSE may use reactive ion etching or wet etching to slightly etch the surfaces being bonded. The surface roughness and planarity are not degraded and may be enhanced by the VSE process. The etched surfaces may be rinsed in solutions such as ammonium hydroxide or ammonium fluoride to promote the formation of desired bonding species on the surfaces.
US07871887B2
A semiconductor device comprises buried bit lines which are formed to be brought into contact with drain areas of vertical pillar transistors. The buried bit lines are arranged along a first direction in a silicon substrate. The buried bit lines are formed of epi-silicon to reduce the resistance of the buried bit lines.
US07871880B2
A method manufactures a vertical power MOS transistor on a semiconductor substrate comprising a first superficial semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, comprising: forming trench regions in the first semiconductor layer, filling in said trench regions with a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, to form semiconductor portions of the second conductivity type contained in the first semiconductor layer, carrying out an ion implantation of a first dopant type in the semiconductor portions for forming respective implanted body regions of said second conductivity type, carrying out an ion implantation of a second dopant type in one of the implanted body regions for forming an implanted source region of the first conductivity type inside one of the body regions, carrying out an activation thermal process of the first and second dopant types with low thermal budget suitable to complete said formation of the body and source regions.
US07871877B2
By incorporating a semiconductor species having the same valence and a different covalent radius compared to the base semiconductor material on the basis of an ion implantation process, a strain-inducing material may be positioned locally within a transistor at an appropriate manufacturing stage, thereby substantially not contributing to overall process complexity and also not affecting the further processing of the semiconductor device. Hence, a high degree of flexibility may be provided with respect to enhancing transistor performance in a highly local manner.
US07871876B2
Embodiments herein present a device, method, etc. for a dual-plane complementary metal oxide semiconductor. The device comprises a fin-type transistor on a bulk silicon substrate. The fin-type transistor comprises outer fin regions and a center semiconductor fin region, wherein the center fin region has a {110} crystalline oriented channel surface. The outer fin regions comprise a strain inducing material that stresses the center semiconductor fin region. The strain inducing material contacts the bulk silicon substrate, wherein the strain inducing material comprises germanium and/or carbon. Further, the fin-type transistor comprises a thick oxide member on a top face thereof. The fin-type transistor also comprises a first transistor on a first crystalline oriented surface, wherein the device further comprises a second transistor on a second crystalline oriented surface that differs from the first crystalline oriented surface.
US07871866B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a switching device capable of preventing a snake current. First, a transition metal oxide layer and a leakage control layer are alternately stacked on a substrate 1 to 20 times to form a varistor layer. The transition metal oxide layer is formed to contain an excessive transition metal compared to its stable state. The leakage control layer may be formed of one selected from the group consisting of a Mg layer, a Ta layer, an Al layer, a Zr layer, a Hf layer, a polysilicon layer, a conductive carbon group layer, and a Nb layer.
US07871858B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device forms a penetrating hole in a substrate so that the penetrating hole extends from a first surface of the substrate to a second surface of the substrate being opposite to the first surface. An internal wall surface of the penetrating hole has a protrusion formed of a material constituting the substrate, the first surface of the substrate being closer to the protrusion than the second surface. A conductive member is formed on the first surface so that the conductive member covers the penetrating hole. A semiconductor chip is mounted on the first surface so that an electrode of the semiconductor chip is electrically connected to the conductive member. An external electrode is provided through the penetrating hole so that the external electrode is electrically connected to the conductive member and the external electrode projects from the second surface of the substrate.
US07871854B1
A method includes forming a first opening in a top surface of a semiconductor substrate, performing an implant into the top surface to form a doped region, epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer in the first opening along a bottom of the first opening and along sidewalls of the first opening, wherein the epitaxially growing comprises in-situ doping the semiconductor layer, filling the first opening with a dielectric material, forming a second opening in the dielectric material, wherein a bottom of the second opening exposes the epitaxially grown semiconductor layer and sidewalls of the second opening expose the dielectric material; and filling the second opening with a semiconductor material, wherein the semiconductor material comprises a top electrode and a bottom electrode. The bottom electrode is in electrical contact with the semiconductor layer which is in electrical contact with the doped region. The doped region is laterally adjacent the semiconductor material.
US07871851B2
A method is provided of integrating the formation of nanotube devices on the same substrate or wafer as CMOS devices in a standard CMOS process. During a CMOS formation process, a region of the substrate containing CMOS devices is protected from certain nanotube fabrication processes while fabricating nanotube devices on the substrate. After fabrication of the nanotube devices, the region of the substrate containing the fabricated nanotube devices is then protected from certain CMOS fabrication processes while fabricating CMOS devices on a different region of the same substrate. Through this formation method, a nanotube device based RF/analog system-on-chip (SoC) application can be formed having the superior RF/analog properties of nanotube electronic circuitry and the superior digital properties of silicon CMOS circuitry on the same wafer or substrate.
US07871850B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a method for manufacturing the same. The light emitting device includes a substrate having a lead frame, a light emitting diode mounted on the substrate, a mold member formed on the substrate and the light emitting diode, and a reflecting member having an opening portion at one side thereof and being inclined at an outer portion of the mold member.
US07871849B2
A method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device typified by a solar cell, having an excellent photoelectric conversion characteristic with a silicon semiconductor material effectively utilized. The point is that the surface of a single crystal semiconductor layer bonded to a supporting substrate is irradiated with a pulsed laser beam to become rough. The single crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with the pulsed laser beam in an atmosphere containing an inert gas and oxygen so that the surface thereof is made rough. With the roughness of surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer, light reflection is suppressed so that incident light can be trapped. Accordingly, even when the thickness of the single crystal semiconductor layer is equal to or greater than 0.1 μm and equal to or less than 10 μm, path length of incident light is substantially increased so that the amount of light absorption can be increased.
US07871846B2
A thin-film transistor includes a gate layer, a gate insulting layer, a semiconductor layer, a drain layer, a passivation layer (each of which being formed on or over an insulating substrate), and a conductive layer formed on the passivation layer. The conductive layer is connected to the gate layer or the drain layer by way of a contact hole penetrating at least the passivation layer. The passivation layer has a multiple-layer structure comprising at least a first sublayer and a second sublayer stacked, the first sublayer having a lower etch rate than that of the second sublayer. The first sublayer is disposed closer to the substrate than the second sublayer. The second sublayer has a thickness equal to or less than that of the conductive layer. The shape or configuration of the passivation layer and the underlying gate insulating layer can be well controlled in the etching process, and the conductive layer formed on the passivation layer is prevented from being divided.
US07871842B2
The present invention is related to a surface-mounting ceramic LED package and a method for its production comprising: layering a ceramic green sheet which has a hole and a second ceramic green sheet, inserting a mold with a groove to form a partition in the bottom of the ceramic green sheet substrate, and firing the ceramic green sheet substrate.
US07871838B2
A rubbing system for an alignment layer of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, comprises: a rubbing table on which a substrate having an alignment layer thereon is positioned; a rubbing roll on which a rubbing material is wound, substantially positioned on the rubbing table thus to substantially contact the alignment layer, for rubbing the alignment layer by rotation of the rubbing roll; and a controlling unit for controlling the alignment layer to be rubbed by substantially contacting the rubbing roll onto the alignment layer by simultaneously lifting and lowering a rubbing table and the rubbing roll according to an alignment controlling force to be applied to the alignment layer.
US07871822B2
A method for selecting at least one catalyst from a catalyst library on the basis of the reactivity thereof in a chemical conversion process includes: (a) testing the catalytic activity of a first catalyst from said catalyst library with respect to a reaction medium containing, as the compounds to be converted, at least one reactivity probe having a labeling system and including at least one reaction unit capable of reacting in said chemical conversion; (b) analyzing the reaction medium after said catalytic test for the purpose of qualitatively and/or qualitatively characterizing the resulting compounds; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for at least one other catalyst in said library; and (d) comparing the analysis results for each catalyst in order to characterize at least one catalyst having the required reactivity in said chemical conversion.
US07871821B2
An artificial test soil comprises particulate, hair, and fiber components, wherein said particulate component consists of mineral, food, and plant materials, so chosen and proportioned as to correlate to a typical soil found in the home. The test soil may be used to test cleaning products by application of a known amount thereof to a surface, cleaning of said surface, and determination of the amount of said soil removed from said surface.
US07871811B2
The present invention includes several methods for modifying the current processes of manufacturing optical sensing microplates that use continuous waveguide films to reduce/eliminate crosstalk between the biosensors that are incorporated within wells. The methods include (1) physically deteriorating/removing the waveguide film between individual biosensors; (2) chemically depositing highly absorbing materials within the waveguide film between individual biosensors; (3) patterning disordered (scattering) regions between the diffraction gratings that define individual biosensors; (4) using a specific mask and depositing individual patches of waveguide film, where each patch defines at least one biosensor. Each of these methods and several other methods described herein prevent the propagation of light between individual sensing regions, thereby eliminating optical crosstalk between the biosensors. The present invention also includes the resulting microplate.
US07871808B2
The present invention provides a method for producing an amino acid selected from the group consisting of L-alanine, L-valine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-proline, glycine, L-serine, L-threonine, L-cysteine, L-tyrosine, L-asparagine, L-glutamine, L-lysine, L-histidine, L-arginine, L-aspartic acid and L-glutamic acid and useful as medicament, chemical agent, food material and feed additive at high industrial efficiency, the method comprising culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce the amino acid and having resistance to an aminoquinoline derivative in a medium, producing and accumulating the amino acid in the present invention in the culture, and recovering the amino acid from the culture.
US07871797B2
The present invention relates to a protease having a molecular weight of 21,000±1,000 (by SDS-PAGE) and a specific protease activity capable of cutting at the Gly-Phe site of a peptide or protein comprising the amino acid sequence Pro-Gln-Gly-Phe-Gln-Gly-Pro or Pro-Ala-Gly-Phe-Ala-Gly-Pro or cutting at the Ser-Leu site of a peptide or protein comprising the amino acid sequence Gln-Thr-Gln-Ser-Leu-Val-Thr-Pro. The invention further provides DNA encoding this protease, as well as vectors containing this DNA, and a method for producing this protease by transforming a cell with this DNA.
US07871794B2
Compositions and methods are provided for the enhanced in vitro synthesis of active polypeptides containing disulfide bonds. In certain embodiments of the invention, the reaction mix includes a biological extract derived from a bacterial cell in which the glutathione reductase gene has been inactivated, which is pre-treated with a low concentration of a sulfhydryl inactivating agent.
US07871784B2
This invention relates to regulation of cell signaling, cell growth, and more particularly to the regulation of cancer or immune cell growth. The invention provides methods of inhibiting interactions between MUC1 and BH3-containing proapoptotic proteins, methods of inhibiting MUC1 expression, and methods of promoting apoptosis. Also provided are screening methods for compounds that inhibit interactions between MUC1 and BH3-containing proapoptotic proteins and pharmaceutical compositions of the same.
US07871781B2
Lateral flow assay devices and methods for detecting an analyte in a sample which comprises a plurality of nonspecific binding pair members are adapted for two step determinations. In one embodiment, a method for identifying IgE antibodies in a sample comprises applying a sample to a sample port of a device, wherein the device is adapted to deliver the sample to a lateral flow matrix having a plurality of IgE antigen species immobilized at respective positions at a first location, allowing the sample to travel along the lateral flow matrix through the immobilized plurality of IgE antigen species to a second location downstream of the first location and allowing sample to dissolve a water-soluble mark, applying liquid buffer to the lateral flow matrix to mobilize labeled reagent which is adapted to bind anti-IgE antibody and which is dried on the lateral flow matrix at a location upstream of the sample delivery location, and allowing labeled reagent to bind any IgE antibody bound to the immobilized IgE antigen species therein.
US07871780B2
The present invention provides methods of predicting a pre-disposition of HBV-infected individuals to develop hepatacellular carcinoma (HCC).
US07871769B2
The present invention provides sets of genes the expression of which is important in the prognosis of cancer. In particular, the invention provides gene expression information useful for predicting whether cancer patients are likely to have a beneficial treatment response to chemotherapy FHIT; MTA1; ErbB4; FUS; BBC3; IGF1R; CD9; TP53BP1; MUC1; IGFBP5; rhoC; RALBP1; STAT3; ERK1; SGCB; DHPS; MGMT; CRIP2; ErbB3; RAP1GDS1; CCND1; PRKCD; Hepsin; AK055699; ZNF38; SEMA3F; COL1A1; BAG1; AKT1; COL1A2; Wnt.5a; PTPD1; RAB6C; GSTM1, BCL2, ESR1; or the corresponding expression product, is determined, said report includes a prediction that said subject has a decreased likelihood of response to chemotherapy.
US07871767B2
The present invention relates to a polymorphic CYP2C8-polynucleotide. Moreover, the invention relates to genes or vectors comprising the polynucleotides of the invention and to a host cell genetically engineered with the polynucleotide or gene of the invention. Further, the invention relates to methods for producing molecular variant polypeptides or fragments thereof, methods for producing cells capable of expressing a molecular variant polypeptide and to a polypeptide or fragment thereof encoded by the polynucleotide or the gene of the invention or which is obtainable by the method or from the cells produced by the method of the invention. Furthermore, the invention relates to an antibody which binds specifically the polypeptide of the invention. Moreover, the invention relates to a transgenic non-human animal. The invention also relates to a solid support comprising one or a plurality of the above mentioned polynucleotides, genes, vectors, polypeptides, antibodies or host cells. Furthermore, methods of identifying a polymorphism, identifying and obtaining a prodrug or drug or an inhibitor are also encompassed by the present invention. In addition, the invention relates to methods for producing of a pharmaceutical composition and to methods of diagnosing a disease. Further, the invention relates to a method of detection of the polynucleotide of the invention. Furthermore, comprised by the present invention are a diagnostic and a pharmaceutical composition. Even more, the invention relates to uses of the polynucleotides, genes, vectors, polypeptides or antibodies of the invention. Finally, the invention relates to a diagnostic kit.
US07871766B2
A cosmetic and/or dermopharmaceutical composition containing an extract of native proteins derived from the plant Argania spinosa.
US07871761B2
Provided is a method for forming a resist lower layer material for use in a multilayer resist process, especially two-layer resist process or three-layer resist process, having a function of neutralizing an amine contaminant from a substrate, thereby reducing a harmful effect such as trailing skirts of a resist pattern of an upper layer resist. Specifically, there is provided a material for forming a lower layer of a chemically amplified photoresist layer comprising a crosslinkable polymer and a thermal acid generator that can generate an acid by heating at 100° C. or greater and is represented by the general formula (1a): R1CF2SO3−(R2)4N+ (1a), as well as a resist lower layer substrate comprising a resist lower layer formed using said material.
US07871749B2
A non-magnetic one-component electrophotographic developing agent is provided having improved properties. The electrophotographic developing agent includes parent toner particles comprising a binder resin, a releasing agent, a colorant, and a charge control agent, and an external additive which is added to a surface of the parent toner particles, wherein the binder resin comprises a high viscosity polyester resin having a weight average molecular weight of about 90,000-140,000 and a gel content of less than about 5% and a low viscosity polyester resin having a weight average molecular weight of about 52,000-65,000 and a gel content of less than about 2%. According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electrophotographic developing agent having improved image gloss and fusing property, while ensuring durability may be prepared by using a blended combination of a high viscosity polyester resin and a low viscosity polyester resin.
US07871746B2
A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, a thiophthalimide containing photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer.
US07871737B2
A metal composite for fuel cells according to the present invention, which includes: a core of a metal; cladded layers of a corrosion resistant metal covering both surfaces of the core; and a through-hole formed through the core and cladded layers. The through-hole has, on a hole wall of the core region of the through-hole, a concave portion which is recessed relative to hole walls of the cladded layer regions of the through-hole.
US07871729B2
A system and method for reducing concentrations of reactants in gases flowing through an exhaust system are disclosed. Briefly described, one embodiment comprises creating a turbulent flow of gases along a periphery region of an exhaust pipe, the turbulent flow created by the gases transported over a wire mesh residing in the periphery region; and mixing the gases in the periphery region with a reactant gas being transported in a flow-through region, the mixing caused by the turbulent flow of gases, such that concentration of the reactant gas is reduced as the reactant gas is transported through the exhaust system.
US07871728B2
A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention includes a positive electrode plate 21 having an uncoated part along at least one long side of a continuous positive electrode substrate 211 coated with a positive electrode mixture layer 212 containing a positive electrode active material. In the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the positive electrode mixture layer 212 includes a lithium transition-metal compound capable of insertion and separation of lithium ion and 5 to 15% by mass of a conductive material with respect to the positive electrode mixture, the conductive material contains 70% by mass or more of flaked graphite particles with an average particle diameter (D50) of 5 to 30 μm and an average thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 μm with respect to the whole amount of the conductive materials, and a packing density of the positive electrode mixture layer is 2.00 to 2.80 g/cc.
US07871721B2
Disclosed is a cathode comprising a complex formed between the surface of a cathode active material and an aliphatic mono-nitrile compound, and an electrochemical device comprising the cathode. A non-aqueous electrolyte containing a lithium salt, a solvent and an aliphatic mono-nitrile compound, and an electrochemical device comprising the electrolyte are also disclosed. The electrochemical device shows excellent low-temperature characteristics, high-temperature life characteristics and safety.
US07871719B2
A battery module includes at least one electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell includes a first terminal conductively coupled to a first electrode and a body portion configured to function as a second terminal and conductively coupled to a second electrode via a pressure relief portion. The battery module further includes an end cap comprising a conductive portion and an insulating portion, the conductive portion being conductively coupled to the body portion. The pressure relief portion is configured to separate from the body portion to a deployed position when a pressure within the body portion reaches a first predetermined level, thereby substantially breaking the conductive coupling between the body portion and the second electrode. The insulating portion substantially prevents formation of a conductive coupling between the body portion and the second electrode when the pressure relief portion is in the deployed position.
US07871712B2
A water-capturing or drying agent placed in a hermetically sealed field light emission device for maintaining stable light emission of the light emission device not susceptible to moisture and oxygen for long period of time. The drying agent comprises a compound of polymer formed by bonding M constituting a plurality of organometallic compounds wherein M is a trivalent metal atom with an oxygen molecule. The drying agent is placed in the hermetically sealed container, thereby protecting the field light emission device from being adversely affected by damage from trace amounts of moisture permeating from outside the hermetically sealed container and/or adhered to the inner surface thereof.
US07871711B2
The invention relates to an organic EL element having a glass substrate and an anode, a hole-injecting layer, a hole-transport layer, a blue light-emitting layer, a hole-blocking layer, an electron-transport layer, and a cathode formed on the glass substrate sequentially in that order, wherein the electron-transport layer contains an electron-transporting material and a light-emitting material having emission-spectrum peak wavelength of longer than 555 nm, and the light-emitting material consumes the holes, thereby preventing degradation of the electron-transporting material, improving blue chromaticity, and elongating the life of the organic EL element.
US07871703B2
A glass composition for chemical tempering includes oxides in wt % ranges of: SiO2 60 to 75; Al2O3 18 to 28; Li2O 3 to 9; Na2O 0 to 3; K2O 0 to 0.5; CaO 0 to 3; MgO 0 to 3; ZrO2 0 to 3; where MgO+CaO is 0 to 6 wt %; Al2O3+ZrO2 is 18 to 28 wt %, and Na2O+K2O is 0.05 to 3.00 wt %. The glass has a log 10 viscosity temperature in the temperature range of 1328° F. (720° C.) to 1499° F. (815° C.); a liquidus temperature in the temperature range of 2437° F. (1336° C.) to 2575° F. (1413° C.), and a log 7.6 softening point temperature in the temperature range of 1544° F. (840° C.) to 1724° F. (940° C.). The chemically tempered glass has, among other properties, an abraded modulus of rupture of 72 to 78 KPSI, and a modulus of rupture of 76 to 112 KPSI.
US07871702B2
The present invention involves reduced specific gravity particulates and their use in subterranean applications such as production enhancement and completion. One embodiment of the present invention provides particulates comprising silica and an aluminum oxide and at least one void and having a specific gravity of less than about 2.2, a particle size of 8 U.S. Mesh or smaller, and a substantially spherical shape. Other embodiments of the present invention provide for using such particulates in subterranean operations such as fracturing and gravel packing.
US07871698B2
The present invention relates to an adhesive film with which a flexible metal-clad laminate is obtained with suppressed dimensional changes occurred when produced by a laminating method; and a flexible metal-clad laminate comprising the adhesive film and a metal foil bonded thereto. The adhesive film comprises a polyimide film and, formed on at least one side thereof, an adhesive layer comprising a thermoplastic polyimide and has coefficients of linear expansion satisfying the relationship 1.0>(coefficient of linear expansion in the MD direction)/(coefficient of linear expansion in the TD direction)>0.1. This adhesive film may be one produced continuously and further satisfying the relationship 1.70>(elastic modulus in the MD direction)/(elastic modulus in the TD direction)>1.05 when the adhesive film has an MD modulus of 5 GPa or higher throughout the whole width thereof. That adhesive film may be one produced continuously and further satisfying the relationship 2.00>(elastic modulus in the MD direction)/(elastic modulus in the TD direction)>1.10 when the adhesive film has an MD modulus less than 5 GPa throughout the whole thereof.
US07871696B2
A peelable sealing structure includes a sealing layer and one or more optional additional layers. The peelable sealing structure includes a sealing surface that is formable into a peelable seal upon contact with a sealing substrate at all temperatures in a peelable seal temperature range. Moreover, the peelable sealing structure comprises a thermoplastic polymer and an additive dispersed within at least a portion of the thermoplastic polymer with the peelable sealing structure defining the sealing surface.
US07871695B2
The invention relates to a reinforced structure comprising a cementitious matrix and zinc coated metal elements. The structure comprises at least at the interface of the zinc coated metal elements and the cementitious matrix a compound selected from the group consisting of the imidazoles, the triazoles and the tetrazoles. The invention further relates to a zinc coated metal element for the reinforcement of a cementitious matrix and to a method to inhibit hydrogen gas evolution at the interface of zinc coated metal elements embedded in a cementitious matrix.
US07871692B2
A multi-ply web of tissue paper having at least two plies comprising a first web (2a) consisting of at least one ply and being provided with a first embossing pattern forming cushions (24) limited by regions (22) of compressed material and a second web (3a) having at least one ply and being provided with a second pattern with protrusions (32) of compressed material. The first web and the second web are combined together such that the protrusions of compressed material (32) of the second web (3a) are positioned inside the cushions (24) limited by the regions (22) of compressed material (22). Further, the invention relates to a paper converting device and a method for producing such product.
US07871690B2
A thermoplastic resin film capable of ensuring ink adhesion in a printed matter having an oxidative polymerization-type ink or ultraviolet-curable ink, and imparting scratch resistance to the printed matter, contains on at least one surface thereof a coating layer containing (A) a curable resin having a pencil hardness according to JIS-K-5600-5-4 of HB or more and (B) an olefin-based resin, the coating layer having a protrusion originated in the olefin-based resin (B) on the outer surface of the thermoplastic resin film.
US07871684B2
The present invention relates to an oil pipe having a lining imparting substantially reduced adhesion of asphaltenes, paraffin wax, and inorganic scale, so as to reduce plugging of said oil pipe, and impermeability to salt water so as to protect the oil pipe from corrosion.
US07871683B2
A blow molded container (10) having a trimmed nonround opening (12) is blow molded from a preform (36) and then positioned by a positioner (50) of a nonround trimmer (16) that includes a rotary driven arm assembly (56) having a knife holder (60). A guide (66) guides the knife holder (60) in a nonround path to perform the trimming.
US07871674B2
A process for producing a fuser member coating including a) adding and reacting a fluoroelastomer, a crosslinking agent, a polar solvent, and a fluorinated copolymer surfactant to form a coating solution, and b) providing said coating solution on said fuser member to form a fuser member coating, wherein said fluorinated copolymer surfactant comprises a fluorinated polyether copolymer comprising pendant trifluoroethoxy groups.
US07871665B2
The present invention pertains to a method of fabricating a polarizing film by uniaxially stretching a resin film such as a polyvinyl alcohol-based film in a fabrication process including a swelling step and a dyeing step following the swelling step, comprising the steps of immersing a resin film in bath liquids in at least two or more swelling baths in sequence in the above-mentioned swelling step, wherein at least a bath temperature of a swelling bath located at a Nth position from the front-stage side is set at a temperature which is higher than a bath temperature of a swelling bath located at a (N+M)th position by 3° C. or more (both N and M are specified positive integers).
US07871664B2
A reflector (e.g., mirror) for use in a solar collector or the like is provided. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a reflector is made by (a) forming a reflective coating on a thin substantially flat glass substrate (the thin glass substrate may or may not be pre-bent prior to the coating being applied thereto), (b) optionally, if the glass substrate in (a) was not prebent, then cold-bending the glass substrate with the reflective coating thereon; and (c) applying a plate or frame member to the thin bent glass substrate with the coating thereon from (a) and/or (b), the plate or frame member (which may be another thicker pre-bent glass sheet, for example) for maintaining the thin glass substrate and coating thereon in a desired bent orientation in a final product which may be used as parabolic trough or dish type reflector in a concentrating solar power apparatus or the like.
US07871658B2
A system, nozzle assembly, and method for coating a stent with a solvent and polymer are provided. The polymer can include a therapeutic substance or a drug. The polymer and solvent can be discharged from separate tubes disposed within another tube carrying moving air. The polymer and the solvent mix together when they are discharged and are atomized by the air. The ends of the tubes can be concentric with each other.
US07871654B2
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of kimchi with shelf stability and high quality under the severe environment, more precisely, a manufacturing method of kimchi with shelf stability and high quality under the severe environment such as desert, alpine regions, poles and space which includes the step of irradiation after heating, gas exchange packaging and quick freezing. The manufacturing method of kimchi of the present invention reduces the chances of deterioration of the sensory quality and physicochemical characteristics caused by the conventional sterilization methods including high temperature and high pressure treatment and high dose of irradiation, so that kimchi produced by this method has excellent shelf stability under the severe environment.
US07871652B2
A color image may be applied onto a substantially planar carrier, and the carrier may be deformed to form a non-planar relief mold of a three-dimensional image, including deforming the color image whereby the deformed color image is proportionate relative to, i.e., is in register with, the three-dimensional image. A comestible material, e.g., chocolate, may be deposited into the relief mold to substantially overlie the color image. The comestible material may be removed from the relief mold, with the color image applied thereto. In one implementation, the color image may be applied to the substantially planar carrier by screen printing one or more colors forming the color image onto the carrier using an edible ink composition.
US07871645B2
The present invention provides a method and composition for loading one or more drugs in a solution onto one or more ion exchange resin particles to form a drug-loaded resin particle. The drug-loaded resin particle is separated from the solution and dried before recombining the drug-loaded resin particle with the solution to load more drugs onto the drug-loaded resin particle from the solution.
US07871641B2
The instant invention is drawn to a hepatocyte targeted composition comprising a mixture of free glargine insulin and glargine insulin associated with a water insoluble target molecule complex, wherein the complex comprises multiple linked individual units and a supra-molecular lipid construct matrix. Glargine insulin is present within the complex in at least one form wherein the glargine insulin has a positive charge which interacts with a negative charge on the complex. The invention also includes methods for the manufacture of the composition and methods of managing blood glucose levels in individuals with Type I and Type II diabetes.
US07871627B2
Compositions comprising components prepared from Gram positive bacteria such as Gram positive facultative intra-cellular bacteria, for example mycobacteria, including extended freeze-dried killed Gram positive bacteria, their method of preparation and their use in humans and animals, for the prevention and/or the treatment of disorders comprising an immune dysregulation such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, allergy and tuberculosis.
US07871619B2
Ligands of CCX-CKR2 and the biological role of CCX-CKR2 in cancer is described.
US07871618B2
The present invention relates to methods of treating patients suffering from Contact dermatitis, Drug induced delayed type cutaneous allergic reactions, Toxic epidermal necrolysis, Cutaneous T cell Lymphoma, Bullous pemphigoid, Alopecia aereata, Vitiligo, Acne Rosacea, Prurigo nodularis, Scleroderma, Herpes simplex virus, or combination by administering an IL-31RA antagonist.
US07871617B2
The present invention relates to antibodies that bind to a portion of the Von Willebrand's factor (VWC) domain of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). The antibodies are particularly directed to regions of CTGF involved in biological activities associated with fibrosis. The invention also relates to methods of using the antibodies to treat disorders associated with CTGF including localized and systemic fibrotic disorders including those of the lung, liver, heart, skin, and kidney.
US07871612B2
Monoclonal antibodies have been generated that bind to human sialoadhesion factor-2. These antibodies are useful as diagnostic and therapeutic reagents.
US07871609B2
Dietary supplements, compositions and methods of administering the supplements to reduce pain, inflammation and stiffness in said mammal within a few hours. The supplements and compositions can include a combination of an amino acid, vitamins, herbs and enzymes. The composition/supplement can be put in capsule form and when administered to mammals can reduce these symptoms within approximately two hours. reducing the pain and inflammation associated with chronic joint discomfort, chronic low back pain, muscle strain, arthritis, sports injuries, normal everyday bumps and bruises. The novel composition has also been shown to be very effective in reducing monthly menstrual symptoms (PMS). The novel composition can also have benefits for other ailments such as but not limited to Osteoarthritis, Cardiovascular disease, Neurological ailments, Alzheimer disease, and Cancer.
US07871606B2
The invention relates to the use of peripheral-blood mononuclear cells that have been stimulated via cascade priming (CAPRI cells) for the purpose of providing an agent for the treatment of cancerous diseases. The CAPRI cells may also be administered in combination with CD3-activated cells.
US07871596B2
A compound having superior solubility and suitable for a liposome contrast medium selective for a lesion such as vascular diseases is provided which is represented by the following general formula (I) wherein R1, R2 and R3 independently represent an alkyl group or an alkenyl group having 8 to 25 carbon atoms; X represents —O—, or —N(Z)— (Z represents hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms); and L represents a divalent bridging group constituted by atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon atom, hydrogen atom, oxygen atom, nitrogen atom and sulfur atom; Ch represents a functional group represented by the following general formula (II), and in the general formula (II), any one of the hydrogen atom Ha, Hb, Hc, Hd, He, and Hf is substituted with L.
US07871593B2
Process for the continuous catalytic complete or partial oxidation of a starting gas containing from 0.1 to 66% by volume of sulphur dioxide plus oxygen, in which the catalyst is kept active by means of pseudoisothermal process conditions with introduction or removal of energy; apparatus for the continuous catalytic complete or partial oxidation of a starting gas containing sulphur dioxide and oxygen having at least one tube contact apparatus in the form of an upright heat exchanger composed of at least one double-walled tube whose catalyst-filled inner tube forms a reaction tube, with heat being transferred in cocurrent around the reaction tube and an absorber for separating off SO3 downstream of the tube contact apparatus; the reactivity of the catalyst being preset by mixing with inert material.
US07871591B2
Methods and processes for synthesizing single-wall carbon nanotubes are provided. A carbon precursor gas is contacted with metal catalysts deposited on a support material. The metal catalysts are preferably nanoparticles having diameters less than about 3 nm. The reaction temperature is selected such that it is near the eutectic point of the mixture of metal catalyst particles and carbon. Further, the rate at which hydrocarbons are fed into the reactor is equivalent to the rate of formation of carbon SWNTs for given synthesis temperature. The methods produce carbon single-walled nanotubes having longer lengths.
US07871588B2
Precipitated silica or silicates, obtainable by acid precipitation of aqueous silicate solutions while maintaining a constant alkali number of at least 1.
US07871587B2
A small scale, but effective, reactive chemical containment system includes apparatus and methods for reaction of process gases exhausted from reaction furnaces with a reactant gas in a non-combustible manner to produce and contain particulate or powder byproducts, thereby removing the process gas from the exhaust gas flow. The apparatus provides process gas inlet, treatment reactive gas diffusion, process gas and treatment reactive gas pre-mixing, primary containment, secondary containment, and outlet zones.
US07871586B2
The present invention provides a mercury removal system and method for effectively removing a mercury component, which is present in a gas stream in an extremely small amount in wet gas cleaning. The mercury removal system in wet gas cleaning includes a water washing tower for introducing therein a target gas containing a mercury component and transferring the mercury component into an absorbing solution, a flash drum (10) for flashing the absorbing solution discharged from the water washing tower to separate the absorbing solution into a gas component and waste water, an oxidation treatment means (1) for adding an oxidizing agent to the absorbing solution at the preceding stage of the flash drum, and a waste water treatment means for subjecting to coagulation sedimentation treatment the separated waste water containing the mercury component at the following stage of the flash drum to dispose of the mercury component as sludge.
US07871585B2
The invention relates to a method for treating fumes generated during the production, conversion and/or handling of oil-based products and a device for carrying out said method. The invention further relates to the use of the method or device in which the trapping device comprises at least one fluidized bed of granular material in the preparation of a granular material for use in production of road materials.
US07871578B2
A micro heat exchanger system includes a first flow path and a second flow path transverse thereto for transferring thermal energy between a first fluid flowing through the first flow path and a second fluid flowing through the second flow path. The first flow path and the second flow path are filled with a thermally conductive porous network which incorporate unique structures, such as tubes, honeycomb, corrugated metal, reticulated foams, woven meshes or nonwoven mats or felts, engineered lattice structures, or a combination of these structures. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive porous network is coated with catalyst to provide an integrated heat exchanger and catalytic reactors.
US07871572B2
Provided are mixed ligand metal nanoparticle chemical sensors in which metal nanoparticles are encapsulated by at least two kinds of different molecule ligands having a relatively low conductivity and various composition ratios, and a chemical sensor array in which a film of the metal nanoparticle sensor is formed on the substrate. The metal nanoparticle sensor using the mixed ligand improves sensitivity and reaction speed with respect to an analyte, and selectivity with respect to various analytes, and a kind and a composition of a ligand of the mixed ligand constituting the metal nanoparticle sensor are adjusted to allow the high sensitivity nanoparticle sensor to be applied to the sensor array technology, thereby enabling a design of sensor properties as well as systematic access to a configuration of the sensor array the most efficient for the analytes.
US07871563B2
Disclosed in this specification is a process for refurbishing a spent sputtering target. The process includes the step of applying sufficient heat and axial force to the filled sputtering target to hot press the filled sputtering target such that the powdered metal fuses with the un-sputtered metal, producing a refurbished target. The process may be used to refurbish precious metal targets, such as ruthenium targets.
US07871558B2
A container for a moisture-sensitive product. The container has an openable container body defining an interior volume for holding the product. More specifically, a rigid container defining an interior volume for holding a moisture-sensitive product, and comprising at least an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner and outer layers being coextruded layers, the inner layer comprising a polymeric material and a desiccant material, the outer layer comprising a moisture-barrier material.
US07871557B2
The object is to provide a method for producing a film excellent in a quality of odorless or free from deteriorating taste of food contained in a package of the extruded molded article by using an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer excellent in extrusion molding processability. This object is achieved by a method for producing an extruded molded article comprising a step of extruding a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin of from 3 to 20 carbon atoms having an activation energy for melt flow of not less than 50 kJ/mol under one of the following conditions: (a) a temperature of melted resin at die gap of T-die is not more than 200° C., (b) a temperature of melted resin at die gap of tubular tie is not more than 170° C.
US07871553B2
A process for forming curved thermoplastic composite material. According to an illustrative embodiment, the process includes providing a length of straight thermoplastic material; pre-forming the length of straight thermoplastic material into a selected cross-sectional configuration; pressing the length of the straight thermoplastic material; and imparting a curved shape to the length of straight thermoplastic material by providing a curved section and passing the length of straight thermoplastic material through the curved section of a process assembly.
US07871543B2
The invention relates to a material for applying thin organic layers having a specifically adjustable conductivity. Said material comprises at least one mixture of two different fractions of a functional polymer, preferably in a solvent, and is used, for example, with the aid of various application techniques, as a functional layer for an organic electronic component.
US07871536B2
This disclosure relates to compositions that includes (a) one or more substituted or unsubstituted cyclic alkenes, and (b) an antioxidant composition including at least one compound of Formula (I): R1 through R4 in Formula (I) are described in the specification.
US07871532B2
A plasma processing method for performing a plasma process on a target object placed in a chamber includes a first plasma process of turning a gas containing at least a halogen element into plasma to generate first plasma, thereby processing the target object; a second plasma process, subsequent to the first plasma process, of supplying a gas containing oxygen into the chamber to generate second plasma, thereby processing the chamber and the target object; and a third plasma process, subsequent to the second plasma process, of turning a gas containing at least fluorine into plasma to generate third plasma, thereby processing the target object.
US07871531B2
A method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head in which a pressure chamber for storing an ejection liquid is connected with an ink supply channel through a restrictor, includes the steps of: forming first spaces for the liquid supply channel and the pressure chamber in a silicon substrate by performing anisotropic etching on a surface of the silicon substrate, the surface of the silicon substrate being parallel to a Si(110) plane, each of the first spaces being defined by two vertical walls and two inclined walls, each of the two vertical walls being parallel to a Si(111) plane that is perpendicular to the surface of the silicon substrate, each of the two inclined walls being parallel to a Si(111) plane that is inclined with respect to the surface of the silicon substrate; then forming an etching protection film on the silicon substrate, the etching protection film protecting the silicon substrate from being etched; then forming an opening corresponding to a second space for the restrictor in the etching protection film; and then performing anisotropic etching on the surface of the silicon substrate through the opening of the etching protection film to form the second space in the silicon substrate, the second space for the restrictor being defined by two inclined walls each of which is parallel to the Si(111) plane that is inclined with respect to the surface of the silicon substrate, the second space connecting the first spaces for the liquid supply channel and the pressure chamber with each other.
US07871530B2
Provided is near-field optical probe including: a cantilever arm support portion that is formed of a lower silicon layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, the cantilever arm support portion having a through hole formed therein at a side of the lower silicon layer; and a cantilever arm forming of a junction oxidation layer pattern and an upper silicon layer pattern on the SOI substrate that are supported on an upper surface of the lower silicon layer and each have a smaller hole than the through hole, a silicon oxidation layer pattern having a tip including an aperture at a vertical end, corresponding with the hole on the upper silicon layer pattern, and an optical transmission prevention layer that is formed on the silicon oxidation layer pattern and does not cover the aperture.
US07871528B2
The water filter including a container, which has a bottom and a cover, wherein several inlets are provided on the border of the cover and an outlet is provided in the centre of the bottom. A spiral channel is located in the container, through which the inlets are connected to the outlet.
US07871526B2
A method of separating a hydrocarbon multiphase fluid mixture. The method comprises an application step in which the hydrocarbon fluid mixture (E) is applied to a separator that separates by gravity the hydrocarbon fluid mixture (E) into a liquid layer and a gas layer. The method further comprises an extraction step, a liquid-level measurement step, a level-based adjustment step, a parameter measurement step, and a parameter-based adjustment step.
US07871513B1
Described is a catalyst useful in the hydroprocessing of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock wherein the catalyst comprises a calcined mixture made by calcining a formed particle of a mixture comprising molybdenum trioxide, a nickel compound, and an inorganic oxide material. The catalyst may be made by mixing an inorganic oxide material, molybdenum trioxide, and a nickel compound to form a mixture that is formed into a particle and calcined to provide a calcined mixture. The process involves the hydrodesulfurization and hydroconversion of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock which process may include the conversion of a portion of the pitch content of the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock and the yielding of a treated product having an enhanced stability as reflected by its P-value.
US07871512B2
In crude oil fractions, fossil fuels, and organic liquids in general in which it is desirable to reduce the levels of sulfur-containing and nitrogen-containing components, the process reduces the level of these compounds via the application of heat, an oxidizing agent and, preferably, sonic energy. The invention is performed either as a continuous process or a batch process, and may further include optional steps of centrifugation or hydrodesulfurization.
US07871510B2
This invention relates to a high-pressure ultrafiltration process to produce an improved coker feed for producing a substantially free-flowing coke, preferably free-flowing shot coke from an atmospheric and/or vacuum resid feedstock. The process of this invention utilizes a high-pressure ultrafiltration process to produce an intermediate product stream with improved the Conradson Carbon Residue (CCR) content which is utilized in either an improved delayed coking or a fluid coking process.
US07871507B2
A medium is provided, being adapted to be applied in electrophoretic separation of nucleic acids. The medium comprises a staining reagent adapted to stain nucleic acids. Said medium further comprises a urea derivative, adapted to interact with said staining reagent and thereby providing an enhanced staining of said nucleic acids. Further, an electrophoresis device is provided, adapted to perform electrophoretic separation of nucleic acids, comprising the before medium and comprising electrodes for applying an electrical field across the medium. A method to perform electrophoresis using the before electrophoresis device and medium is provided.
US07871506B2
An arc deposition apparatus comprises an evacuatable chamber and means for positioning at least two targets in the chamber, wherein a first one of the at least two targets is positionable in an operative position and another of the at least two targets is positionable in a standby position. An electrical power supply is provided for supplying electrical power to the target held in the operative position to form an arc on an emission surface of the operative target. Means are provided for preparing an emission surface of the target positioned in the standby position to have a predetermined morphology. Alternatively, or in conjunction with the surface preparing means, means are provided for inspecting whether the emission surface of the target positioned in the standby position has a predetermined morphology. Preferably, the positioning means is configured to interchange the at least two targets at a predetermined time.
US07871500B2
A coke drum skirt to minimize the stresses experienced by the coke drum and the supporting structure of the coke drum is described. The skirt includes one circumferential horizontal plate attached to the coke drum, and the circumferential horizontal plate is slidingly sandwiched between a lower supporting plate that supports the weight of the drum through the circumferential horizontal plate and an upper retaining plate that prevents the coke drum from tipping or falling over. The upper retaining plate may be embodied as a series of retaining clips that also keep the coke drum centered and prevent rotation of the coke drum. The upper and lower plates are anchored to a concrete support base. The sliding connection of the plates allows the coke drum to thermally expand and contract while reducing stresses and metal fatigue from the typical fixed securing of the coke drum to the support base.
US07871497B2
A covering for a machine for treating a material web, in particular a fibrous web, has a multilayer construction with at least two layers formed respectively by at least one polyurethane film, between which there lies a layer made of a reinforcement fabric whose mesh widths are selected such that the two adjacent layers of polyurethane film touch each other in the meshes. This covering can be used advantageously in particular as a transfer belt or a dryer fabric.
US07871492B2
Forming fabrics for making tissue webs are provided with structural icons on the side of the fabric that does not contact the tissue web during formation. The resulting tissue web has good formation without pinholes, yet contains a watermark corresponding to the shape of the structural icon.
US07871491B2
The continuous digester system has an inlet defined therein for the feed of a chips suspension and an outlet for the output of a cooked suspension of pulp. The suspension of chips is fed in to the inlet through a line at the beginning of the cook, where the chips suspension has a volume of starting cooking fluid that establishes a fluid/wood ratio that is greater than 3.5. A final cooking fluid is present during the cook for the major part of the cock and is withdrawn through a withdrawal strainer only during the final 15 minutes of the cook. The final cooking fluid ensures a fluid/wood ratio that is greater than 3.5 in association with the withdrawal. The withdrawn final cooking fluid during the final 15 minutes of the cook consists of spent black liquor that maintains a residual alkali level that lies under 15 g/l.
US07871487B1
A method for fabricating a grid-stiffened structure from fiber-reinforced composite materials. Ribs are formed on a smooth hard base tool. Expansion blocks are placed in the shallow cavities formed by the ribs and the base tool, and held in place by one of several means while a skin is placed over the ribs, expansion blocks, and base tool. The assembly is then placed in a vacuum bag and autoclave cured. After cooling, the formed structure is separated from the base tool and the expansion blocks are removed from the cavities. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, and is intended to allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US07871486B2
Methods for making a structure having an integral mounting flange involving providing a primary composite structure having a circumference, applying at least one circumferentially oriented core fiber about the circumference of the primary composite structure, applying at least one layer of attachment fibers to operably connect the core fiber to the primary composite structure about the circumference to obtain an integral mounting flange preform, and curing the mounting flange preform to obtain an integral mounting flange.
US07871483B2
Provided is a method for enhancing an adhesive bond between a pile and a resin adhesive by maintaining a constant uniform positive pressure of the entire wrapped region regardless of the shrinkage in the resin adhesive. This invention enhances underwater adhesive bond by ensuring proper contact while curing. In one embodiment, constant inward pressure is created by encapsulating the repair and applying a vacuum. The invention can be used for a variety of underwater applications using different resins and different substrate materials. For instance, the invention could be used to repair damaged critical infrastructure, e.g. Bridges, dams, pipelines and locks. Local, state and federal agencies in US and elsewhere as well as marine and naval contractors would find great utility with the invention. The concept could be extended to all adhesion dependent repairs.
US07871477B2
High temperature heat treatable aluminum alloys that can be used at temperatures from about −420° F. (−251° C.) up to about 650° F. (343° C.) are described. The alloys are strengthened by dispersion of particles based on the L12 intermetallic compound Al3X. These alloys comprise aluminum, magnesium, lithium, at least one of scandium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium, and at least one of gadolinium, yttrium, zirconium, titanium, hafnium, and niobium.
US07871472B2
A household washing appliance having a wash chamber with a sump region at the bottom is disclosed. The sump region is in communication with a filter housed in a filter chamber is disclosed. The appliance further includes a biocide element in communication with the wash chamber. The wash chamber operatively receives wash liquid from a wash pump downstream of the filter.
US07871470B2
An apparatus for positioning a substrate support within a processing chamber is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for positioning a substrate support includes a yoke comprising a curved surface with a first slot formed therethrough, a base comprising a first surface adapted to support the substrate support and a curved second surface, wherein the curved second surface mates with the curved surface of the yoke and a first slot is formed through the curved second surface of the base, and a first threaded member disposed through the first slot in the yoke and the first slot in the base.
US07871460B2
A moving bed system for removing contaminates from a fluid stream is provided. The system can include a housing and a first bed system disposed in the housing. The first bed system can be coupled to the housing, and can include at least one flow channel adapted to enable an adsorbent material to flow through the first bed system. The system can include a second bed system disposed in the housing, which can include at least one flow channel in fluid communication with the first bed system to receive the adsorbent material from the first bed system. The channel of the second bed system can be symmetrical to the flow channel of the first bed system about a horizontal axis. The first bed system and the second bed system can direct a contaminated fluid stream into contact with the adsorbent material to remove the contaminates from the fluid stream.
US07871456B2
A membrane for use in an implantable glucose sensor including at least one crosslinked substantially hydrophobic polymer and at least one crosslinked substantially hydrophilic polymer; wherein the first and second polymers are different polymers and substantially form an interpenetrating polymer network, semi-interpenetrating polymer network, polymer blend, or copolymer. The membranes are generally characterized by providing a permeability ratio of oxygen to glucose of about 1 to about 1000 in units of (mg/dl glucose) per (mmHg oxygen). Three methods of making membranes from hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers formed into polymer networks are provided, wherein according to at least two of the methods, the monomers may be substantially immiscible with one another.
US07871454B2
This invention provides chemical processes for the treatment of industrial steelworks waste, especially those from an electric arc furnace, called “flue dust,” to allow for the subsequent recovery of metals (e.g. zinc and iron) from the dust. The main purposes of the process are: (i) the opening of the crystalline webs (zinc ferrite) originally formed in the flue dust, with the simultaneous production of soluble sulfates in aqueous medium; (ii) and the destruction of possible dioxins without subsequent regeneration. The processes encompass production of salts or sulfates of the metals in the flue dust, utilizing concentrated sulfuric acid and reagents or catalysts by dry medium, at normal pressure and moderate temperatures. The processes promotes reaction of sulfuric acid with elements found in the flue dust to maintain a homogenous mixture without the presence of water, and prevent agglomeration of the particles through the addition of secondary reagents and catalysts.
US07871452B2
Disclosed is a particulate filter, which is adapted to be disposed in an exhaust passage of an engine to trap particulate matter contained in exhaust gas discharged from the engine. The particulate filter comprises a filter body having a porous partition wall which defines a plurality of exhaust gas channels allowing the exhaust gas to pass therethrough, and a catalyst layer formed on a surface of the porous partition wall. The catalyst layer includes a Zr-based composite oxide which contains zirconium (Zr), and a rare-earth metal except cerium, wherein a content ratio of an oxide of the non-cerium rare-earth metal to a total amount of ZrO2 and the oxide of the non-cerium rare-earth metal in the Zr-based composite oxide is set in the range of greater than 33 mol % to less than 40 mol %. The particulate filter of the present invention can achieve a higher PM burning rate to burn PM within a shorter period of time. In addition, the higher PM burning rate makes it possible to provide enhanced fuel economy performance in an engine designed to perform a post-injection control.
US07871451B2
A moisture separator heater includes a body, a manifold installed inside the body to supply moisture-containing steam to the interior thereof, slits formed on the manifold to allow a steam reserving portion positioned at the lower part of the body to eject steam, a separator for separating moisture from steam ejected from the slits, a steam collecting portion for collecting steam after separation of moisture by the separator, a heater for heating steam ascending inside the steam collecting portion, and a partition plate installed inside the steam collecting portion.
US07871450B2
A pre-processing assembly and method for processing fuel feedstock containing oxygen and hydrocarbons having higher and lower hydrocarbon content for a fuel cell, wherein the pre-processing assembly has a deoxidizing bed for reducing oxygen in the fuel feedstock and a pre-reforming bed for reducing higher hydrocarbon content in the fuel feedstock and wherein the deoxidizing bed and the pre-reforming bed are disposed within a common reaction vessel such that the fuel feedstock first passes through the deoxidizing bed and thereafter through the pre-reforming bed. The pre-reforming assembly may further include a propane processor bed for processing propane and propylene in the fuel feedstock, where the propane processor bed is disposed within the common reaction vessel with the deoxidizing bed and the pre-reforming bed.
US07871444B2
A method of testing for sanitization of textiles comprises the steps of cleaning textiles in a water solution and testing the water solution for the presence of contaminants such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), typically with a luminometer. Typically, the water solution will be drained from a cleaning vessel and tested. Another option is the testing of the water solution extracted after draining such as by a spin cycle. The method provides improved accuracy of test results as to the level of cleanliness. In addition, testing at this early step of the laundering process allows for additional cleaning if needed without having undertaken costly and time-consuming steps such as drying. Moreover, absent re-contamination of the textiles after the cleaning process, drying and finishing procedures may be accomplished without further sanitizing the textiles.
US07871440B2
Unitary surgical devices (10) are disclosed. One group of the illustrated devices has a pair of biocompatible, bioresorbable anchors (16,18) connected to fixed lengths suture. The anchors (16,18) and fixed length of suture are connected to each other prior to surgery. Another group of unitary surgical devices has a pair of fixating mechanisms (15,17) connected to a base (21) prior to surgery. The second group of illustrated devices generally includes extracellular matrix material either as part of the base (21) or supported on the base (21). The extracellular matrix material serves as tissue regenerating material. In the second group of unitary surgical devices, the fixating mechanisms illustrated generally comprise suture, anchors or pre-formed holes in the base. All of the illustrated unitary surgical devices are useful in repairing a damaged meniscus. The first group of unitary surgical devices can be used to approximate inner surfaces of a tear in the meniscus. The second group of devices can be used either as an insert to be placed between and approximated to the inner surfaces of the tear or as an insert to replace a void in the meniscus left after a meniscectomy.
US07871419B2
A delivery/recovery system to allow an operator to deploy and recover a medical implant, such as an occluder for closing a patent foramen ovale (PFO). In one embodiment, the system includes a delivery mandrel for preventing the occluder from moving in the proximal direction, a delivery wire for securing the occluder to the delivery mandrel and preventing unwanted movement in the distal direction, and a sheath for enveloping the delivery wire, mandrel and occluder. By moving the sheath relative to the occluder in a series of steps, the occluder opens first on a distal side and then on a proximal side, in a manner that holds the occluder in place.
US07871418B2
An applier for an anastomosis ring device. The applier has an elongate implement portion and a handle connected to the implement portion. The applier further includes a distal actuating member having catch means which, in a lock position, protrudes radially outward to engage a distal ring. The applier further includes a proximal actuating member adapted to engage a proximal ring, and an actuation mechanism to approximate the proximal and distal rings. The distal actuating member is rotatable about a longitudinal axis from its lock position to a release position thereby sliding along a deviating surface at the implement portion.
US07871416B2
A medical device for clamping the stomach in morbid obesity surgery consists of a silicone frame that is essentially U-shaped, having opposing legs self-hinged to a bight portion interconnecting the legs. The opposing legs have sufficient stiffness to permit limited bending and have inner surfaces that sealingly carry an inflatable balloon which can be selectively inflated or aspirated after the device has been clamped to the stomach to adjust the gastric restriction stoma. A flexible latch member carried by one of the legs has at least one serration which is inserted into a latch cavity of the opposing leg to lock the opposing legs in fixed spaced relationship. Lumens within the legs communicate with a fluid supply source and respective inflatable balloon for selective inflation or aspiration of the inflatable balloons.
US07871411B2
A sternal closure device for securing and retaining longitudinally divided halves of a sternum, the device having two sets of anterior and posterior longitudinally extended brace members with brace joining mechanisms extending through the sternal halves to join the anterior brace members to the posterior brace members, such that the sternal halves are compressed between the anterior and posterior brace members, and transverse bridging members that laterally connect the two sets of brace members, with securing mechanisms to retain the two sets of brace members in a contracted configuration with the sternal halves in abutting relation.
US07871398B2
Catheter assembly (100) having at least one lumen (150 or 160) and joined to hub (106). While the lumen inner diameter(s) remain constant from distal end (144) of the catheter (140) to proximal end (142), the outer catheter diameter increases proximate the hub (106) providing increased resistance to kinking during connection and disconnection from medical apparatus. The increased proximal catheter diameter preferably is sufficiently large to plug the proximal end of an introducer sheath through which the catheter is inserted during patient placement, to plug the proximal sheath end and minimize blood aspiration therethrough, and later serves to fill the vascular insertion upon complete catheter insertion after removal of the introducer sheath again to minimize blood aspiration through the vascular incision. The catheter may have two lumens (150,160) or more, joined to respective extension tubes in hub (106). The two lumens may each have a respective inner diameter of between about 0.020 in and 0.025 in. The catheter body may have a lengthy distal portion vascularly implanted having an appropriate outer diameter for the vessel, and also a lengthy proximal portion with a larger diameter for resistance to kinking at a sharp bend between the vascularly implanted portion and the subcutaneously tunneled lengthy proximal portion.
US07871396B2
A catheter assembly includes a main catheter branch and a side catheter branch. The main catheter branch includes first and second balloons. The side catheter branch is coupled to the second balloon. The side catheter branch can be coupled to the second balloon portion by passing through a pathway or receiver structure defined in the second balloon. The side catheter branch can also be coupled to the second balloon portion using a connector that connects the side catheter branch to a portion of the main catheter branch that carries the second balloon portion.
US07871373B2
This endoscope device is provided with: a laser light source that emits light having a specific wavelength; a diffusion optical component that diffuses light emitted from the laser light source and irradiates it onto an endoscopic examination subject at a distal end portion of an insertion portion; an adaptor that has a fluorescent substance that uses light from the laser light source as excitation light to emit light having a different wavelength, and is mounted on the distal end portion of the insertion portion such that it is able to be freely attached or removed; and a diffusion prevention component that is placed between the fluorescent substance of the adaptor and the diffusion optical component, and that prevents diffusion of light irradiated from the diffusion optical component.
US07871368B2
Apparatus, system, and method for applying and adjusting a tensioning element to a hollow body organ
An adjustable support pad for adjustably holding a tensioning line used to apply tension to a body organ. The adjustable support pad can include a locking mechanism for preventing slidable movement of the tensioning element in one or both directions. The locking mechanism may include spring-loaded locks, rotatable cam-like structures, and/or rotatable spool structures. The adjustable support pad may be formed from rigid, semi-rigid, and/or flexible materials, and may be formed to conform to the outer surface of a body organ. The adjustable support pad can be configured to adjustably hold one or more separate tensioning lines, and to provide for independent adjustment of one or more tensioning lines or groups thereof.
US07871366B2
The present invention provides methods, systems, kits and devices that reduce dyskinesis and hypokinesis. For example, the direct compression cardiac device may be positioned about at least a portion of a heart, and includes a resilient inner panel in contact with at least a portion of the heart periphery, one or more resilient members positioned about the resilient inner panel and at least partially surrounded by an expandable outer panel. The resistance supplied by the inner panel to the heart may be modulated to control the end-diastolic heart volume and remodel the heart, the resistance supplied by the expandable outer panel to the heart may be modulated to control the end-systolic heart volume and remodel the heart or both.
US07871357B2
A weight system includes a selector which is movable along weights and may be inserted into a void between adjacent weights.
US07871353B2
Inventive embodiments are directed to components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for continuously variable transmissions (CVT). In one embodiment, a main axle is adapted to receive a shift rod that cooperates with a shift rod nut to actuate a ratio change in a CVT. In another embodiment, an axial force generating mechanism can include a torsion spring, a traction ring adapted to receive the torsion spring, and a roller cage retainer configured to cooperate with the traction ring to house the torsion spring. Various inventive idler-and-shift-cam assemblies can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of a CVT. Embodiments of a hub shell and a hub cover are adapted to house components of a CVT and, in some embodiments, to cooperate with other components of the CVT to support operation and/or functionality of the CVT. Among other things, shift control interfaces and braking features for a CVT are disclosed.
US07871349B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, four external gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. Each of the external gear sets includes first and second members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes.
US07871348B2
A torque-producing machine and planetary gear set biases torque between primary and secondary drivelines of a vehicle. A first element of the planetary gear set is connected to an upstream torque source. A second element of the planetary gear set is connected to the secondary driveline. A third element of the planetary gear set is connected to a torque-producing biasing machine.
US07871347B2
A bicycle rear sprocket assembly has a sprocket carrier, a first sprocket, a second sprocket and a third sprocket. The first and second sprockets are attached to opposite axial sides of the outer end portion of the attachment member of the sprocket carrier using a common fastener that extends through the first and second attachment portions and the outer end portion of the attachment member. The third sprocket is disposed on adjacent the second sprocket. The second sprocket has a free edge spaced radially inwardly from the common fastener by a distance at least as large as one-half of a maximum transverse dimension of the fastener measured in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. At least one space maintaining projection extends axially toward an adjacent one of the second and third sprockets.
US07871342B2
The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a dual-layer core and a cover. The core consists of an inner core layer formed from a relatively hard HNP composition and an outer core layer formed from a relatively soft HNP composition. The outer core layer has an outer surface hardness less than the outer surface hardness of the inner core layer.
US07871340B2
A golf club head having a composite face insert attached to a metallic body is provided. The club head preferably has a volume of at least 200 cc and provides superior durability and club performance. The face insert includes prepreg plies having a fiber areal weight (FAW) of less than 100 g/m2. The face insert preferably has a thickness less than 4 mm and a mass at least 10 grams less than an insert of equivalent volume formed of the metallic material of the body of the club head. A metallic cap with a peripheral rim is also provided to protect the ends of the composite material of the face insert. Related methods of manufacturing and alternative materials are disclosed. The resin content of the prepreg plies can be controlled through management of the timing and environment in which the resultant prepreg plies are cured and soaked.
US07871339B2
A golf club head includes a balance weight for swing balancing the golf club. The balance weight is selected from a plurality of balance weights and mounted in a weight cavity formed in the golf club head. A cover, imprinted with information such as the club model designation, is mounted to the club head body so that it substantially covers the balance weight. By providing a single cover for each model of golf club, in combination with a plurality of weights that are interchangeable between golf club models, the total number of balance weights that must be maintained in inventory is significantly reduced.
US07871337B2
An adjustable mechanism including at least two shafts, one of which is hollow, including: a spring attached to a first shaft; the spring having an outer diameter of similar dimensions to the internal diameter of the second shaft, the spring configured such that once force is applied to the spring, its outer diameter is less than the inner diameter of the second shaft; and when force is no longer applied to the spring it is biased to return to its original outer diameter to bear against the inner diameter of the second shaft.
US07871336B2
A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable panel secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable panel may have a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the removable panel to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable panel. A removable panel of the present invention may generally comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density. Even further, the removable panel may generally be releasably attached via a quick disconnect mechanism that allows easy interchangeability.
US07871332B2
An apparatus at a driving tee for golf balls or the like, comprising a raisable and lowerable ball support a so-called peg, on which a ball may be placed for driving thereof after lifting of the ball support with the ball to the desired level above the tee, the ball support being disposed on means for switching of the ball support from a low position for loading of the ball support with a ball to a higher position of said desired ball driving level, the ball support being disposed on the switching means via positioning means which are disposed to permit pivoting of the ball support in at least the driving direction, wherein the positioning means include a substantially U-shaped bracket between whose shanks the ball support is pivotal.
US07871331B2
An elastic joint member (10) with at least one set of loops (12) and at least two bushes (14), which extend transversely through the set of loops (12), collars (16), which are fastened to a respective bush end (22) in order to axially support the set of loops (12) on the relevant bush (14), and an elastomeric envelope (18), in which the set of loops (12) and the bushes (14) are embedded at least in part. Also according to the invention, the areas of the bushes (14) which are left free by the collars (16) and embedded in the envelope (18) are smooth, and the collars (16) are locked onto the associated bush (14) with a clearance which is such that the bush is rotatable within the collars, while these are connected in a fixed manner to the envelope (18).
US07871314B2
A method for facilitating the removal of the shell of a lobster, crab or shrimp by exposing the lobster, crab or shrimp to pressure for a period of time sufficient to effect detachment of the meat from the shell. Following pressurization, the shell can be easily removed using any available means to provide deshelled raw lobster, crab or shrimp meat.
US07871300B2
A modular system having multiple adapters for providing service to consumer electronic devices, at least one adapter being capable of being coupled to host to receive an electrical service and at least another adapter being, capable of being coupled to the at least one adapter to receive an electrical service.
US07871295B2
A coaxial connector (100) includes a bracket (10) defining a cavity (15), a central pin (30) received in the cavity and an insulative member (20). The central pin includes a contact portion (31), a mounting portion (32), and a fixing portion (33) disposed between the contact portion and the mounting portion. The fixing portion has at least an engaging face (331) extending along a direction angled to a rotating direction of the central pin. The insulative member is mounted around the fixing portion of the central pin and disposed between the bracket and the central pin. The insulative member includes a working face (211) engaging with the engaging face of the central pin.
US07871292B1
A power adapter equipped with line winding function comprises an adapter body and a line winding means. The adapter body includes a housing and a conversion circuit held in the housing. The housing has a coupling side substantially in parallel with the conversion circuit. The coupling side includes at least one first coupling portion. The line winding means includes a first conducting line end and a second conducting line end that are extensible or retractable and electrically connected. The first conducting line end is extended into the housing to form electric connection with the conversion circuit. Hence the first conducting line end can transfer electric power from the conversion circuit to the second conducting line end. The line winding means further has at least one second coupling portion which is separable or latchable with the first coupling portion through forces. By coupling of the first and second coupling portions the line winding means can be coupled on the coupling side so that the adapter body and the line winding means are coupled to become a portable power adapter.
US07871285B1
An electrical connector includes a front housing holding a plurality of contacts and holding a cutting blade proximate to a rear of the front housing. The electrical connector also includes a rear housing having a wire organizer at a front of the rear housing that has a plurality of wire channels configured to receive corresponding wires therein. The rear housing has an outer support wall spaced apart from, and arranged outward of, the wire channels, where the outer support wall has a front edge. The wire channels extending along wire channel axes that extend across the front edge. During mating of the rear housing with the front housing, the cutting blade is configured to trim the wires extending from the wire organizer and is positioned between the outer support wall and the wire organizer. The wires are terminated to the contacts when the front housing and the rear housing are mated.
US07871278B1
A method and apparatus are disclosed for managing power to a group of connectors. The individual power limits of the connectors may be selectively increased while still complying with a group power limit. In one embodiment, a group of electronic connectors disposed on a host device each include a power portion and a data portion. A mechanical barrier is moveable into a blocked position for physically blocking at least the power portion of one or more of the electronic connectors while the other electronic connectors in the group remain unblocked. A power controller automatically increases an individual power limit of one or more of the unblocked electronic connectors in response to the mechanical barrier being in the blocked position.
US07871274B2
An integrated circuit (IC) adapter is disclosed to be adaptive sandwiched in between a ball grid array (BGA) integrated circuit (IC) and a printed circuit board to electrically couple the ball grid array IC and the printed circuit board. The IC adapter has a plurality of through holes therein, a resilient element in each of the through hole; in combination with a binding element for binding the integrated circuit (IC) onto the IC adapter such that the ball grid array IC can be removed, manually and without using any maintenance tool, from the IC adapter.
US07871270B2
A simulator is disclosed which includes an image generator that includes a forward display system and a peripheral display system to provide a field of view. The forward display system utilizes a forward projection system to provide forward imagery with high-resolution. The peripheral display system utilizes a helmet-mounted display system to provide peripheral imagery. The forward and peripheral imagery are merged by the image-generator so as to provide a full field of view with as much high-resolution imagery as possible.
US07871265B2
In a heat treatment device including a heating chamber having a heating plate heating a semiconductor wafer, a cooling plate cooling the wafer heated by the heating chamber, and a transporting device transporting the wafer into and from the heating chamber, the cooling plate is provided with a coolant passage, a plurality of projections carrying the wafer with a space between the wafer and the surface of the cooling plate, and suction holes neighboring to the respective projections and connected to a suction device.
US07871260B2
Device (1) for manufacturing injection molding pieces (2) which mainly consists of a stack mold (3) with a central cubical part (4) and two mold impressions (9,10), whereby the device (1) is provided with a cooling station (15) and an ejection station (16) as well as four holders (17-20) for holding an injection molding piece (2), which are formed as a piece (17-20) which can be taken out of the cube and which partly co-determines a mold impression (9,10), and with means (24) to detach the holders (17-20) from the cube faces (5, 13, 6, 14) with mold impressions (9, 10) and to put them in the latter again, as well as means (25) to each time move the holders (17-20) a quarter of a turn to a following cube face (13, 6, 14, 5) after the injection molding.
US07871258B2
A new system and method for making agglomerates from material like wet chopped glass fiber strand segments is disclosed and the agglomerates so produced. Agglomerates, made by feeding wet chopped fiber strand segments into a wave chamber having a vibrating curved surface supporting a curved, dimpled liner working surface have improved density and flow characteristics compared with dry chopped strands, but it was discovered that the dimpled liner flexes during operation during vibration causing undesirable variation in properties like agglomerate size. In the invention the dimpled liner is backed up with a substantially non-compressible material and this results in agglomerates that have even better uniformity of flow and agglomerate diameters. Typical backing materials include a particulate material, an elastomer, a rididized elastomer, slurry or liquid, or wire or slivers of metal.
US07871257B2
An injection molding machine capable of accurately detecting a rotational force exerted on a screw by resin backflow to easily evaluate states of resin backflow and closure of a check valve. In a state where the screw is stopped axially and rotationally after metering is finished, a load exerted on the screw in the rotational direction is detected. This load is a rotational force exerted on the screw from resin remaining between flights of the screw (resistance torque component). During injection, a load T exerted on the screw in the direction of rotation is detected, and the resistance torque component is subtracted from the detected load T to obtain a backflow torque component generated by resin flowing back through the check valve. By simultaneously displaying waveforms of backflow torque components in a plurality of molding cycles to be overlapped, stability of closure of the check valve is readily evaluated.
US07871255B2
The injection molding machine has a fixed platen and a movable platen for fixing a pair of molds; a pair of clamp plates mounted to the fixed platen and the movable platen, respectively, and having a fixation surface for mold fixation, respectively; and magnetic force generation mechanisms for generating a magnetic force for fixing the molds to the fixation surfaces. An air-gap formation mechanism is provided at least in one of the clamp plates for automatically forming air-gaps between the fixation surfaces and the molds in association with the movement start of the movable platen while the magnetic force generation mechanisms are inactivated for detaching the molds from the fixation surfaces.
US07871248B2
A system for controlling lubricant displacement from a machine during turbomachine shutdown sequence includes a motor, a pump, a control valve, and a motor control unit. The motor is selectively energized from a power bus to rotate at a rotational speed and supply a drive force to the pump. The pump, in response to the drive force, draws fluid from a fluid and supplies the fluid to the machine. The control valve is movable between at least a first position, in which the control valve fluidly communicates the pump with a lubrication fluid source, and a second position, in which the control valve fluidly communicates the pump with a gaseous fluid source. During the shutdown sequence, the motor control unit controllably energizes the motor from the power bus to thereby control its rotational speed in accordance with a schedule that will displace at least a substantial volume of lubricant in the rotating machine with fluid from the gaseous fluid source.
US07871246B2
An airfoil is provided for a gas turbine comprising an outer structure comprising a first wall, an inner structure comprising a second wall spaced relative to the first wall such that a cooling gap is defined between at least portions of the first and second walls, and seal structure provided within the cooling gap between the first and second walls for separating the cooling gap into first and second cooling fluid impingement gaps. An inner surface of the second wall may define an inner cavity. The inner structure may further comprise a separating member for separating the inner cavity of the inner structure into a cooling fluid supply cavity and a cooling fluid collector cavity. The second wall may comprise at least one first impingement passage, at least one second impingement passage, and at least one bleed passage.
US07871242B2
A rotational flow balance system includes an actuator system which controls operation of both a fan duct blocker ring and a modulated exhaust cooling ring through a kinematic system. The kinematic system is controlled by the single actuator system such that the modulated exhaust cooling ring will remain in a fixed position while the fan duct blocker ring can be moved to satisfy operational requirements.
US07871241B2
A self-monitoring adjustment system is provided for evaluating and effecting adjustment of the leakage restricting mechanism between the rotating and non-rotating elements of a rotodynamic pump to restrict leakage and to establish desired gap dimensions between the rotating and non-rotating elements of the pump. The adjustment system is structured to be self-monitoring for determination of when an adjustment of the leakage restricting mechanism is warranted by the conditions of the pump, and is structured with adjusting mechanisms that are self-adjusting responsive to the monitored conditions of the pump, though manual adjustment is also enabled.
US07871239B2
A casing assembly for a compressor includes an internal compression assembly with a shaft and at least one impeller disposed on the shaft. The casing assembly includes an inlet body segment having a fluid inlet, an outlet body segment having a fluid outlet, and a number of intermediate body segments selected from a plurality of intermediate body segments, which are preferably preformed. The intermediate segments are disposed between the inlet and outlet segments to form the casing and each has an inner circumferential surface defining an interior chamber section, the chamber sections collectively defining at least a portion of a compressor chamber sized to receive the compression assembly. Preferably, the intermediate segment inner surfaces have equal inside diameters and are generally coaxially aligned. As such, the inner surfaces collectively define a portion of continuous compressor support surface of a desired axial length for supporting the compression assembly.
US07871237B2
A method and system for monitoring a gas turbine engine (20) to predict maintenance requirements. Particles suspended in a gas flow (24, 32) of the engine (20) are monitored and quantified to predict a particle accumulation rate. Monitoring may be done using particle flow sensors (61-63) in a diverted portion (33) of the working gas flow (24), such as in the cooling gas flow (32). Particle sampling (S1-S3) may be done to determine particle size and composition distributions. Particle mass flow rates may then be continuously monitored per engine operating condition, and compared to predetermined values such as a normal upper limit per engine operating condition. An integrated particle mass flow may be used in conjunction with an instantaneous mass flow rate to predict a maintenance requirement. Multiple locations (L1-L3) may be monitored to recognize a maintenance requirement by flow section or component.
US07871236B1
A powered paper turner is an automated load turning device specifically designed to turn a paper stack sandwiched between a pair of pallets in a work and turn printing process. The paper turner is mounted on wheels, with a rotating module rotating about an axle mounted on a moving support beam to give the module its rotational capability. A slide that secures the paper stack moves horizontally within the rotating module to shift the center of gravity. As the support beam moves up and down a pair of guide rods on linear bearings, the rotating module rotates about the axle. During a downstroke of the moving support beam, the paper stack rotates from a vertical position to a horizontal position. The stack is then shifted, so that during an upstroke of the moving support beam, the paper stack completes a 180° rotation.
US07871227B2
The invention relates to an auxiliary device for a portable tool, comprising a receptacle (2) for a motor-operated portable tool (22) having an output shaft (26), and comprising a drive train (9) which has a tool receptacle (8), to be opened and closed by rotation, and which can be connected to the output shaft (26) of the motor-operated portable tool (22) via a coupling device. Provision is made for the auxiliary device (1) for the portable tool to have an anti-rotation locking means (13) acting on the drive train (9).
US07871226B2
The invention relates to a tool head for machine-tools comprising a base body (10) rotatable around an axis of rotation (13), a slider (14) which bears a cutting tool and is adjustable with respect to the base body (10) along an axis of displacement (16) oriented radially with respect to the rotation axis (13) with the aid of a drive mechanism and at least one balancing body (20) for damping the unbalance caused by the slider (14). The aim of said invention is to damp the unbalance and to reduce operating forces. For this purpose, at least two balancing body (20) whose center of gravity (28′, 28″) is offset on the side of the axis of displacement (16) are guidable and/or pivotable with respect to the slider and the base body at points remote from each other.
US07871224B2
A tool bit providing a combined drill bit and reamer is disclosed herein. The tool bit comprises an axial bit shaft including a bore end and a shank end. At least one helical land portion is provided on the bit shaft. The at least one helical land portion includes a cutting edge and a trailing edge. At least one reamer blade is provided on the helical land portion at the bore end of the bit shaft. The at least one reamer blade includes a substantially axial cutting edge. A tip arrangement is also included on the bore end of the bit shaft. The tip arrangement includes a center blade positioned between peripheral cutting blades.
US07871219B2
A connection mechanism is provided with a shaft member formed with an outer-screw portion which is formed with an outer screw, a plate member formed with a connection hole in which the shaft member is fitted, a nut member formed with an inner-screw to engage with the outer-screw of the shaft member, the nut member engaged with the shaft member being urged toward the plate member fitted on the shaft member to fixedly secure the plate member onto the shaft member, and a fixing mechanism that fixes the plate member and the nut member with each other to retain a status where the plate member and the nut member are urged oppositely in a rotational direction about a central axis of the shaft member.
US07871207B2
A lens drive device may include a thrust direction stopper mechanism which includes a thrust movement preventing abutting part of the movable body and a thrust movement preventing abutted part of the fixed body for restricting a moving range toward an object side of the movable body, and a radial direction stopper mechanism which includes a radial movement preventing abutting part of the movable body and a radial movement preventing abutted part of the fixed body for restricting a moving range in a radial direction of the movable body. The moving range in the radial direction under an inclined posture of the movable body with respect to an optic axis is restricted over all directions by the radial direction stopper mechanism and the thrust direction stopper mechanism.
US07871203B2
An optical connector unit includes optical fiber plugs to be attached to and detached from the optical connector unit; a member for location, with each of the optical fiber plugs being inserted into respective opening holes of the member for location; an adaptor, a front part of each of the optical fiber plugs being individually inserted into and connected to the adaptor; a connection jig for pushing the member for location toward a side of the adaptor and then for inserting the front part of each of the optical fiber plugs into the adaptor; and a detachment jig for detaching each of the optical fiber plugs from the adaptor by being engaged with the member for location and then by pulling the member for location.
US07871188B1
A motorcycle rider illuminating system includes a motorcycle that includes a rear wheel, a seat and a fender mounted over the rear wheel. A housing is mounted on the fender. An upper light emitter is mounted on an upper side of the housing and is electrically coupled to the motorcycle. The upper light emitter is turned on and emits light when the motorcycle is turned on. The upper light emitter emits light toward the seat to illuminate a motorcyclist's back when the motorcyclist is positioned on the seat.
US07871185B2
A lamp fixture has a hollow shape, such as a pyramid or a cone. The fixture includes a light source mount at a vertex of the shape, configured for light from a light source to enter the shape therethrough; reflecting inner surfaces on sides of the shape; and a design element on or in at least one of the sides. The design element may be a slit, a hole, a transparent element, a color pattern, a three-dimensional object, a prominence, an uneven surface, or a combination thereof.
US07871181B2
An improved color changeable tube light includes a opaque core line, a plurality of LEDs being arranged in the core line, a translucent diffuser with the same length as the core line, a cladding layer having the same length as the core line and covering the core line and being formed by extrusion molding integrally with the diffuser into one piece. A unit is formed by disposing a red LED, a green LED and a blue LED of the plurality of LEDs into a fixing means, a plurality of the units are connected in series and disposed in the plurality of transversal through-holes of the core line respectively. The fixing means may be a box. The box may be quadrate, round or elliptic in shape. The tube light of the present invention to have the effects of light beams of neon light, and the color changing and the color mixing to obtain various results are available.
US07871179B1
An adjustable mount for a flashlight. The adjustable mount having a flashlight receiving body adapted to receive a flashlight. The adjustable mount having a connecting body rotatably connected to the flashlight receiving body at a right angle such that the flashlight receiving body rotates about the connecting body at the connection between the flashlight receiving body and the connecting body. The adjustable mount having a support body rotatably connected to the connecting body at a right angle such that the support body rotates about the connecting body at the connection between the support body and the connecting body.
US07871171B2
A focusing-device for the radiation from a light source (2) is provided with a collector mirror (1, 1′) which is arranged in a mount (24) and collects the light, in virtual or real terms, from the light source (2) at the second focus (200). The collector mirror (1, 1′) is displaceably connected to the mount (24) via a bearing in such a way that its optical properties remain at least approximately the same even in the event of temperature changes.
US07871170B2
A visor shield for shielding a marine electronic device from sunlight, weather and spray includes a visor body having a base portion for attachment to an electronic device, and a protruding portion extending from the base portion and sized to extend out from the electronic device to shade a front face of the electronic device. The base portion and the protruding portion can be formed of a unitary plastic part. The base portion can comprise a wall continuous with the protruding portion. A compressible seal can be attached to a surface of the wall and arranged to be compressed against a housing of the electronic device when the base portion is attached to the electronic device.
US07871166B2
An optical projection system includes an image generation element, a projection lens set for receiving an image from the image generation element, refracting the image and projecting the image out, and a reflector for reflecting the image from the projection lens set and projecting the image to a screen. The projection lens set includes an aspherical lens with a distortion coefficient larger than 0.5 for producing a pincushion distortion of the image and several other lenses, and the absolute value of the sum of the distortion coefficients of the other lenses are less than the distortion coefficient of the aspherical lens. The reflector produces a barrel distortion to the image for compensating a pincushion distortion of the image produced by the projection lens set.
US07871162B2
The present invention provides improved ophthalmic lenses and methods for their design and use. Monofocal and multifocal diffractive ophthalmic lenses having reduced light scatter and/or improved light energy distribution properties are provided. These properties are provided by the diffractive profiles of the invention, often having subtlely shaped echelettes with appropriately curving profiles. Light scatter may be generated by the sharp corners associated with vertical steps between adjacent conventional diffractive echelettes. Smooth diffractive profiles of the invention reduce light scatter. Light energy directed towards non-viewing diffractive orders may have a unwanted effects on vision quality. Diffractive profiles of the invention may limit the light energy in certain, selected orders, thereby improving viewing quality and mitigating unwanted effects such as dysphotopsia. Diffractive profiles of the invention can also vary the light energy distributed between individual echelettes, providing additional advantages in various viewing situations.
US07871154B2
Contemplated printheads include a piezoelectric material in which a channel is formed across the piezoelectric material to thereby create at least part of the nozzle through which ink is expelled from the inside of the printhead to the outside. Contemplated nozzles may be configured as cylindrical elements or ring-shape elements. Consequently, application of a voltage across the piezoelectric channel may result in constriction of the cylindrical element or convex/concave deformation of the ring-shape element. Most preferably, the piezoelectric material, conductive traces, and supporting structures are applied from a liquid phase to a carrier, and shaped using photolithographic methods.
US07871152B2
A discharge head includes a discharge driving element; an individual electrode formed on the discharge driving element and having a connecting section; and a wired board having a terminal which is joined to the individual electrode by a conductive brazing material. The connecting section is provided to face the terminal, and a metal, which is hardly sulfurized, is exposed in a facing area, of a surface of the connecting section, facing the terminal. A silver sulfide coating is formed on a surface of the connecting section except for a portion facing the terminal. The silver sulfide coating has a low affinity for the conductive brazing material, which is hardly wetted thereby. Therefore, even when the conductive brazing material leaks, then the conductive brazing material is not retained on the silver sulfide coating, and no influence is exerted on the driving operation of the discharge head.
US07871150B2
A circuit article for use with an inkjet printer pen. The circuit article comprises a flexible circuit having a plurality of conductive traces disposed on a dielectric film, an adhesive film disposed adjacent the dielectric film of the flexible circuit, and a carrier film disposed adjacent the first adhesive film, opposite of the flexible circuit. The adhesive film is derived from a cross-linkable precursor comprising an epoxidized aromatic-diene block copolymer and a thermal-curing agent.
US07871142B2
A control circuit is provided for controlling ink jet pens having different numbers of internal select lines using external select lines that extend between the control circuit and the ink jet pens and that are shared by the ink jet pens. In one embodiment, the control circuit includes a register that store values, the values indicating whether a pulse is or is not to be sent as to each of the external select lines, a first control module configured to control select pulses sent on a first external select line after consultation of the register, and a second control module configured to control select pulses sent on a second external select line after consultation of the register.
US07871140B2
An image recording apparatus includes an image recording unit that records an image on a recording medium; a supply unit that supplies a recording medium to the image recording unit; a discharging unit that discharges the recording medium having the image recorded thereon to an outside of the image recording apparatus; and a control unit having a circuit board that controls a driving of the image recording unit. The control unit is in alignment with the image recording unit at at least one of an upper side of the supply unit and the discharge unit within a height of the located image recording unit.
US07871135B2
This apparatus is applied to a vehicle brake apparatus provided with a hydraulic booster operated by utilizing an accumulator hydraulic pressure that is adjusted to a predetermined high pressure (not less than a lower limit value) by a drive control of a hydraulic pump. This apparatus executes an automatic pressurization control by controlling plural solenoid valves with the use of the accumulator hydraulic pressure. The increasing slope of the brake hydraulic pressure during the automatic pressurization control is determined on the basis of the vehicle motion state. The increasing slope is restricted to be not more than a predetermined restriction value, in the case where the accumulator hydraulic pressure at the time of starting the automatic pressurization control is less than “a reference hydraulic pressure that is greater than a minimum value of the accumulator hydraulic pressure necessary for assisting the brake operation by the hydraulic booster and smaller than the lower limit value”.
US07871118B2
A body-side tie-up point for a drive of a lid for a body aperture of a vehicle. The tie-up point has an inner reinforcing plate which is fastened on the outside to a sealing duct laterally adjacent to the body aperture, and an outer reinforcing plate which is fastened to the inner reinforcing plate on a side facing away from the sealing duct. A strengthening element is provided which bears against the sealing duct and the inner reinforcing plate in a contact zone on a side facing away from the inner reinforcing plate. The outer reinforcing plate directly or indirectly supports the strengthening element in a region spaced apart from the contact zone.
US07871117B2
A materials handling vehicle is provided. The vehicle comprises a main body, a seat deck assembly including an operator seat, and structure for movably mounting the seat deck assembly to the main body. The seat deck assembly moves relative to the main body along a varying radius path.
US07871114B2
A slide-out arcs between extended and retracted positions. An outer end of the slide-out is lifted so as to tip the slide-out inwardly when approaching the retracted position. The outer end of the slide-out is lowered so as to tip the slide-out outwardly when approaching the extended position.
US07871107B2
A rollover protection device is disposed behind the vehicle seats of a motor vehicle, in particular a convertible with a convertible top, and has at least one rollover protection cassette containing a rollbar. It is important here that the at least one rollover protection cassette or a housing of the same is a supporting component of a stiffening support which is of multi-part construction and extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
US07871095B2
A two wheel steering bicycle with two steering controls and rider positioned facing an angle greater than zero and less than ninety degrees with respect to the direction of motion. A frame member connects the rear head tube to the front head tube. The rear fork can rotate within the rear head tube. A rear steering handle is connected to the rear fork. The front fork can rotate within the front head tube. A front steering handle is connected to the front fork. A seat tube member attaches to the frame member. A bicycle saddle is attached to the seat tube member in such a way as to position the rider facing an angle greater than zero and less than ninety degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame member.
US07871091B2
A steering damper apparatus includes: a body frame; wheels suspended by the body frame; a steering shaft rotatably supported by the body frame, one end of the steering shaft being connected to the wheel side; a handlebar connected to the other end of the steering shaft for rotating the steering shaft to steer the wheels; and a damper for damping the rotation of the steering shaft. The rotation of the steering shaft is damped by the damper only when there is an input from either the handlebar or the wheels.
US07871073B2
A sheet conveying device, that can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive source, a drive roller driven by the drive source, a driven roller to press against the drive roller and rotate with the drive roller, an angular velocity detector to detect an angular velocity of the drive roller, a timing estimation unit to estimate a timing when a sheet-type recording medium enters between the drive roller and the driven roller, and a controller to control the drive source based on detection results obtained by the angular velocity detector. The controller includes a feedback control unit to perform feedback control based on data obtained by the angular velocity detector, and a feed-forward control unit to perform feed-forward control based on data obtained by the timing estimation unit.
US07871057B2
A faucet includes a main body and a water discharger having a water discharge port. The main body includes a first water supply channel placed therein and being communicative with a water supply piping; and a first electric component placed therein. The water discharger includes a second water supply channel placed therein, being communicative with the first water supply channel, and connected to the water discharge port; and a second electric component placed therein and being in electrical connection to the first electric component. The connection between the first electric component and the second electric component is made by wiring. The main body and the water discharger are detachable and capable of liquid-tight coupling to each other.
US07871051B2
A document holder is provided for a vehicle such as a cart, and especially a shopping cart having a back panel. The document holder includes a writing portion and a bracket portion. A securing member is provided at the writing portion to secure a piece of paper such as a grocery list or coupons. Preferably, the bracket portion has a forward bracket member spaced from a rearward bracket member to define a channel for receiving an upper portion of the back panel to support the holder. The securing member may be configured to hold a writing instrument. An advertisement holder may be positioned on the holder to hold and protect advertisements, store announcements, pictures, or the like while also providing a writing surface thereon. In a preferred embodiment, a document holder includes a flexible, resilient frame or bumper, and/or a two-piece bracket portion for attachment to a shopping cart.
US07871048B2
A television mounting system includes a wall plate, at least one monitor arm mountable on the wall plate, and a locking element permanently connected with the wall plate and being movable between an unlocked position for enabling dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate and a locked position for preventing dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate. The locking element may be pivotally attached to the wall plate for pivoting between the unlocked and locked positions. The at least one monitor arm cannot be removed from the wall plate when the locking element is in the locked position.
US07871047B2
In a fixture for spatial positioning of a device, in particular a device for a medical application, that is supported in a pivoting arrangement on a holding device or the like by means of an arm, quick and easy alignment of the device in relation to a person's treatment area is provided. This alignment is achieved in that a ring-shaped holding body is attached to the free end of the arm, that a spherical outer jacket surface is provided on the device with the surface enclosed wholly or in part by the holding body, and that the outer jacket surface of the device is held in the holding body and can be pivoted relative to the holding body.
US07871040B2
A composite panel structure for an aircraft includes a plurality of annular, hat-shaped frames disposed coaxially along a long axis of the aircraft in a spaced, parallel relationship, an inner skin having an inner surface bonded to an outer surface of the hat frames, a plurality of elongated, hat-shaped stringers disposed in a longitudinal direction along an outer surface of the inner skin in a spaced, parallel relationship, a solid or rigid foam offset bonded to an outer surface of each of the stringers, and an outer skin having an inner surface bonded to an upper surface of each of the offsets. The inner skin carries the loads of the structure and the outer skin defines an aerodynamic surface of the aircraft and provides impact and lighting protection. The frames, inner skin and stringers are formed on a single forming tool and cured and bonded with each other simultaneously.
US07871039B2
An aircraft passenger seat assembly as described herein is formed from two primary and modular components: a structural frame that provides passenger support and dynamic load paths for the seat assembly; and a comfort frame that provides the passenger seating surface and the external upholstery layer for the seat assembly. If the seat assembly is designed for multiple passengers, then a separate comfort frame is used for each passenger seat location. The structural frame can be formed as a molded composite construction, and the comfort frame can also utilize a molded composite support frame. The support frame is used as a mounting shell for a fabric carrier that includes the external upholstery layer. The modular design and use of composite materials results in a significant weight and parts count savings relative to conventional seat designs.
US07871027B2
Shredding devices and methods are disclosed for automatically feeding multiple sheets of paper to be simultaneously shredded. The shredding devices include an auto feed portion for receiving and advancing the paper to be shredded. Certain examples include a paper feed tray and an auto feed assembly having a rotatable elongated shaft and a plurality of disks disposed thereon. As the elongated shaft rotates, the plurality of disks engages a stack of paper present in the feed tray and advances multiple sheets of the stack of paper to shredding blades. Certain feed trays are further configured to fold into a top portion of the housing during non-use and can advantageously protect the auto feed assembly. Certain shredding devices further include at least one feed slot for receiving material manually fed into the shredding device by the user.
US07871024B2
A manure spreader includes a box for containing manure. The manure spreader box includes a bottom wall, a front wall, two side walls, and a manure discharge opening. The manure spreader also includes a wheeled frame supporting the box, and a vertical beater assembly for engaging and expelling manure. The vertical beater assembly includes a first vertical beater rotatable about a first axis and includes a shaft having a first flighting forming a left-handed helix, and a second flighting forming a right-handed helix. The manure spreader also includes a manure transfer mechanism for moving manure contained in the box to the manure discharge opening for engagement with the vertical beater assembly.
US07871019B1
An adjustable jet gun for cleaning machine includes a barrel, a pressure adjustment sleeve fastened to the front end of the barrel and operable to adjust the pressure of water delivered through the adjustable jet gun, a support ring sleeved onto the front end of the pressure adjustment sleeve and holding a steel ball in each of a number of ball racks around the periphery thereof, a sliding sleeve sleeved onto the support ring and movable to force the steel balls out of the inside wall of the support ring, a nozzle head detachably connected to the front end of the support ring and having a positioning groove extending around the periphery of a rear positioning ring thereof for receiving the steel balls to lock the nozzle head to the support ring.
US07871016B2
The invention is an apparatus and methods for optimizing the performance and protecting one or more aerosol generating transducers from deterioration while operating in a chemically reactive aqueous solution by utilizing one or more protective barrier techniques to eliminate chemical interaction between the aqueous solution and the transducers, among other features of the generator including these transducers. The method of the present invention produces an aerosol producing transducer with the transducer housing and assembly to be constructed in such a way as to assure its efficient and effective long-term and problem free operation in an aqueous solution that is chemically reactive.
US07871014B2
A system for controlling multiple air conditioners. The system includes a demand control unit configured to calculate an estimated power amount used by the multiple air conditioners based on an amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during a predetermined time period, and to forcibly control an operation of one or more air conditioners based on a size of the estimated power amount. Further, the demand control unit is connected to the multiple air conditioners and communicates with the multiple air conditioners using a serial data communication protocol.
US07871003B2
An information reader has blocks of bright field illuminating units illuminating an information code directly marked on an object with first lights to regularly reflect the lights on the code, blocks of dark field illuminating units illuminating the code with second lights to irregularly reflect the lights on the code, an optical system, and a control section lighting the blocks of bright and dark field illuminating units by turns or simultaneously. The optical system forms an image of the code from each of the first and second lights or a combination of the first and second lights reflected on the code and reads the code from the images. The first lights are transmitted along an optical axis of the optical system. The second lights are transmitted toward the optical axis while slightly shifted toward the code.
US07871002B2
Intra-field distortion for a projection imaging tool is determined using a self-referenced rectangular grid reticle pattern, that includes at least two arrays of alignment attributes that are complementary to each other, is exposed multiple times onto a substrate with a recording media. A reference reticle pattern is exposed onto the substrate, wherein the reference reticle pattern overlaps the grid alignment attributes thereby creating completed grid alignment attributes. Positional offsets of the completed alignment attributes and completed grid alignment attributes are measured and an intra-field distortion from the offsets is determined.
US07870991B2
In a mounting system having a height measuring instrument for measuring the height of solder paste printed on the electrodes and an electronic component placing apparatus, whether the height of solder paste is right or wrong is determined based on the measurement result of measuring the height of solder paste printed on the electrode. Further, whether or not the transfer of solder paste to the solder bump is required based on the determination result, and if it is determined that the transfer is required, the paste is transferred to an electronic component held in a mounting head. Thereby, the mounting quality can be assured by adding adequately an amount of solder in treating the board causing a shortage of the solder amount due to printing failure.
US07870990B2
In one aspect the invention provides a method of cleaning molten solder from the hot tip of a soldering iron that does not require a water-laden sponge. The hot tip of the iron is wiped against a block of dry open-celled melamine foam. The block is formed with an inclined through-hole that leads to the bottom of a receptacle holding the block. The hot tip is wiped against the foam surrounding an upper end of the through-hole, and the molten solder removed from the tip accumulates in the receptacle below.
US07870988B2
A hand-held drive-in power tool for driving in fastening elements includes a guide (12) in which a drive-in ram (13) for driving a fastening element is displaceable, and at least one preloaded drive spring (31) for driving the drive-in ram (13), with the drive being preloaded by a tensioning device (70) and further includes a transmission element (33) for transmitting a tensioning force from the tensioning device (70) to the drive spring (31), the transmission element being guided by at least one roller (34) supported on a support element (35) by at least one rolling bearing (40).
US07870971B2
Disclosed is a vessel and a method of forming the vessel including an inner shell, an outer shell, and a diffusion layer disposed therebetween, wherein the diffusion layer facilitates the venting of a fluid from between the inner shell and the outer shell.
US07870970B2
A collapsible container includes a base, a top, and opposed side covers arranged between the base and the top. The side covers have a lower section frame pivotally connected to the base and a top section frame pivotally connected to the top, and a central hinge arrangement configured so that the top section frame is pivotally movable relative to the lower section frame. The side covers can thus be selectively positioned between an erected position and a collapsed position. In the erected position, the container presents an interior space. End covers are arranged to be pivotally movable between an upright position for covering respective open ends, and a down position for allowing the side covers to be movable to the collapsed position.
US07870962B2
A multi-functional storage apparatus for selectively supporting a capturing device includes a main casing having a receiving cavity and a supporting arrangement. The supporting arrangement is provided on the main casing to operate the main casing between a normal storing mode and an capturing mode, wherein in the normal storing mode, the supporting arrangement is arranged to rest on the main casing so as to allow the main casing to function as a portable carrying device through storing objects within the receiving cavity, wherein in the capturing mode, the supporting arrangement is selectively extended from the main casing to detachably attach to the image capturing device, in such a manner that the image capturing device is securely and suspendedly supported by the main casing as a supporting base for stably capturing image in a predetermined direction.
US07870953B2
A cigarette package having an inner pack of a cigarette bundle, an inner box containing the inner pack in a sealed state, a hinge-lid outer box containing the inner box, a containing space secured between the outer box and the inner box by using an outer blank for the outer box, and a printed article in a folded state, which is disposed in the containing space.
US07870938B2
An object of the present invention is to realize a structure able to well retain contact performance between an overhead line and a slider 7b, across the entire lengthwise direction of the slider 7b. The slider 7b formed of slider elements 34a and 34b divided in the crosswise direction of a vehicle, is supported on the upper surface of a slider support body 9. A center support member 12 forming the slider support body 9 is elastically deformed downward in a concaved shape across the longitudinal direction, due to a load applied due to contact between the overhead lines and the slider 7b. Also, together with this, both ends of the center support member 12 are supported on a shoe body 3a so as to allow free oscillation via the respective end section support members 13. As a result, even if the overhead lines are positioned on both of the end sections in the lengthwise direction of this slider 7b, the slider 7b is able to track the movement of the overhead lines due to elastic deformation of the center support member 12 and to the rising and falling of the center support member 12, and hence the above object can be achieved.
US07870926B2
A vehicle includes a front wheel, a rear wheel, an engine, and a jack shaft. The engine is coupled with the rear wheel and the jack shaft. The jack shaft is configured to selectively couple the engine with the front wheel.
US07870920B1
The present invention generally relates to snowmobiles. More particularly, the present invention relates to the components of a snowmobile such as the frame, skis, motor, and endless belt assembly.
US07870918B2
In a drive unit for a motor vehicle having a vehicle body, an electric machine which is supported by the vehicle body, a sprung wheel suspension and a wheel supported thereby, and the wheel being drive-connected to a device for transmitting torque between the electric machine and the wheel, the wheel suspension comprises a strut unit and the device for transmitting torque is arranged between the electric machine and the wheel and extends coaxially with respect to the axis of the strut unit so as to form a compact design with small unsprung masses while providing for the possibility of a torque transfer between the electric machine and the wheel.
US07870917B2
The invention provides a drive device for electric vehicles which is small-sized, improved in heat radiating characteristics and adapted for use with a drive wheel of reduced diameter, and an electric wheelchair comprising the drive device. The drive device is provided on the inner periphery of each of left and right drive wheels (80), (80) of the electric vehicle and comprises a casing (30) supported at one end thereof by an axle (22) on the electric vehicle, a motor (40) housed in the casing (30) and having a rotating shaft (43) aligned with the axle (22), and a housing (50) rotatably fitted around the casing (30) and rotatable by the rotation of the motor (40). The drive wheel (80) is provided around the outer periphery of the housing (50) and rotatable therewith.
US07870912B2
A Centralizer based Survey and Navigation (CSN) device designed to provide borehole or passageway position information. The CSN device can include one or more displacement sensors, centralizers, an odometry sensor, a borehole initialization system, and navigation algorithm implementing processor(s). Also, methods of using the CSN device for in-hole survey and navigation.
US07870911B2
A pile driver includes a leader rotation/holding mechanism that can firmly hold a leader in a rotatable state and also reliably rotate the leader using a general-purpose, inexpensive hydraulic motor by keeping the hydraulic motor from action of a bending moment from the leader. The pile driver has a leader revolver that includes a mechanism for rotating a leader. The leader revolver includes an outer tube and an inner tube that is concentrically arranged inside the outer tube via a pair of tapered roller bearings provided at two upper and lower positions. A lower part of the leader is connected, in an integrally rotatable state, to an upper part of the inner tube protruding upward from an upper end opening of the outer tube. A hydraulic motor is placed in a lower part of the leader revolver.
US07870908B2
A valve that is usable with a well includes an indexer and a closing mechanism. The indexer includes a profile to establish a sequence of open settings for the valve, and the indexer is adapted to respond to first control stimuli to transition the valve through the settings according to the sequence. The closing mechanism is adapted to operate independently of the sequence in response to a second control stimulus to close the valve.
US07870906B2
Disclosed herein is a device for controlling flow within, e.g., a production well or an injection well. The device consists of a movable flow passage and a stationary variable choke or valve that is sensitive to flow parameters and automatically adjusts itself to provide a predetermined flow rate through the device.
US07870905B2
A process is described for replacing at least a portion of the liquid within the annular volume of a casing system within a wellbore with a second liquid. The second liquid is preselected to provide a measure of control of the pressure within the annular volume as the fluid within the volume is being heated.
US07870896B1
An improved rotating head that utilizes a box assembly that stores at least one locking element that that allows for movement of the locking balls within the box assembly such that a liner inserted into the box assembly biases the locking elements to a locked position to couple the box assembly and the outer barrel. An integrated wear surface of the present invention seals the bearing elements to extend the life of the rotating head and reduce downtime caused by necessary maintenance of the rotating head.
US07870895B2
A packer includes a seal element and a piston. The piston compresses the seal element to form an annular seal in the well. A pressure wave, such as a pressure wave that is caused by a chemical reaction or the detonation of an explosive, is generated in the packer to at least partially assist an operation (the setting of a slip, setting of the seal element, etc.) of the packer. In some implementations, the chemical reaction or explosive detonation occurs in response to a predetermined movement of the piston.
US07870888B2
A heat dissipation assembly for a central processing unit includes a heat radiator adapted to contact the central processing unit from above and a base adapted to support the central processing unit from below. The base includes at least a snap-on fastening mechanism adapted to snap into a through hole formed in a supporting substrate of the central processing unit. The heat radiator includes at least a fastener receiving portion for receiving an elongated fastener and aligning the elongated fastener with a matching engaging element of the snap-on fastening mechanism.
US07870885B2
A method of producing a liquid-solid metal composition (8), including the steps of charging a vessel (2) with a molten metal or alloy (3), charging the vessel (2) with a solid metal or alloy (6), stirring the molten metal or alloy (3) upon cooling thereof. The amount of solid metal or alloy (6) is chosen such that a substantial amount of solid particles (7) will be formed in the melt (3) due to the enthalpy exchange between the solid metal or alloy (6) and the molten metal or alloy (3), and at least a part of the added solid metal or alloy (6) is melted by the heat transferred to it by the molten metal or alloy (3).
US07870872B2
In a cooling system, a variable inline nozzle controls the flow of cooling fluid. The variable inline nozzle includes a composite fibrous tube through which the cooling fluid flows. Upon manipulation of the composite fibrous tube, a diameter of a portion of the composite fibrous tube is adjusted to control the flow of the cooling fluid.
US07870870B2
This invention discloses an axial multiport rotary valve capable of accomplishing the simultaneous interconnection of a plurality of conduits in accordance with a previously determined cycle, where any conduit communicates with no more than one other conduit at any one cycle step, or valve index position. The rotary valve comprises a hollow stator element and a rotor element inside the hollow interior of the stator element which rotates with a substantially vertical axis of rotation within the stator element, the surfaces of both elements being in the form essentially of a frustum of an inverted cone. Bed-line ports in the stator and rotor have a non-circular shape with a greater dimension in the vertical plane for higher capacities than provided in the known art.
US07870869B2
Dome-loaded pressure regulators are disclosed. An example pressure regulator includes a dome-loaded pressure regulating valve fluidly coupled to a pressure inlet, a pressure outlet, and a control pressure. The pressure regulating valve includes a piston, having a transverse bore defining a fluid path through the piston to fluidly couple the pressure inlet to the pressure outlet configured to engage a valve seat and to respond to the control pressure to control the flow of fluid between the pressure inlet and the pressure outlet via the valve seat.
US07870867B2
A curb box lock that includes a body portion and a plurality of slidably extendable claws within the body portion. The claws being extendable from the body portion to selectively engage side walls of a curb box. The lock also includes an adjustment mechanism operatively connected to the claws and the body portion. The adjustment mechanism selectively extends the claws such that the claws can be maintained in engagement with the side walls at all times when the lock is deployed within a curb box to prevent removal of the lock.
US07870864B2
A dishwasher includes a spray assembly positioned in the wash chamber of the dishwasher's tub. The spray assembly includes a pump outlet that rotates relative to the bottom wall of the tub. One end of a flexible hose is secured to the pump outlet. The other end of the pump outlet is secured a belt that advances around a number of pulleys. Water is sprayed from the flexible hose via a number of nozzles.
US07870855B2
A solar heat collecting dome includes a frame having an odd number of frame elements extending upward and inward from a floor structure to a disk at the top of the dome. A dome shaped helical structure including two flexible tubes is woven to extend along and around the frame elements, with the dome shaped helical structure extending across alternating inner and outer sides of the frame elements, and with adjacent portions of the dome shaped helical structure extending across alternating inner and outer sides of each frame element. At an outer end of the dome shaped helical structure, the two tubes form an inlet and an outlet. At the inner end, the two tubes are joined. The frame may also include a fluid path, with the fluid moving in opposite directions in each of the frame elements.
US07870839B2
A flexible, durable pet toy includes an outer plush layer and an inner fleece layer positioned adjacent thereto and optionally adhesively secured thereto. The outer and inner layers form a shell of a three dimensional object, and a filling material fills the shell. Seams that join edges of the outer and inner layers are folded inward and are contained within the object. The seams are reinforced with a webbing strip, and fastened by thread to create a flexible interior skeleton frame. A method for making such a pet toy is also disclosed.
US07870836B2
The present invention relates to a device for raising, transporting and releasing on a sea bed (50) crustacea juveniles which are in a housing section (1), the housing section (1) being adapted for connection to an emigration device (60, 80, 100) and the emigration device (60, 80, 100) being provided with at least one bore (70, 86) arranged to form an open path between an area near the surface of the sea bed (50) and a tubular element (10) disposed in a cut-out (12) in the housing section (1).
US07870814B2
A damping device is disclosed which dampens movement of a weapon on an axis which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the weapon.
US07870811B2
In order to improve the stripping process, a thermal stripping apparatus is proposed which has a thermal stripper with a first holder section and a second holder section. The holder sections are designed to accommodate and hold at least one coating glass fiber, wherein the first holder section is arranged such that it can move with respect to the second holder section along an accommodated glass fiber. A housing is also provided, having a handle section and an appliance section, in which the thermal stripper is accommodated. A drive unit, which has a lever, is operatively connected to the thermal holder section of the thermal stripper such that a movement with respect to the handle section is converted to a movement of the first holder section.
US07870810B2
A rotary knob for an electrical system includes a body containing a rotary maneuvering member which actuates a cam-driving part and bears one or more electrical units. A cup is defined between an outer cylindrical flange of the body and an inner cylindrical sleeve, and contains a spring either of a helical type for urging a sliding ring separate from the driving part, or of a torsion type to return the maneuvering member. The ring provides a sensitivity function. The cylindrical sleeve defines in a central opening thereof a centering seat of the shank of the maneuvering member.
US07870807B2
A robot wrist for a painting robot has several wrist sections that can be rotated relative to one another, an internal conduit that passes through the wrist sections, a flexible hose carried in the internal conduit and having a hose drive operating on the hose to achieve positive rotation of the hose in the internal conduit corresponding to the rotation of the wrist sections.
US07870794B2
A device for measuring a mass flow (5) with guide means (4) having a surface shaped as a circular arc, across which the mass flow can flow during the measurement, and a force sensor (2), wherein the guide means (4) is supported above the force sensor (2) and the support occurs on a straight line extending through an endpoint of a radius vector TO of a resulting friction force F acting on the mass flow (5) in the direction of the resulting friction force F acting on the mass flow (5).
US07870788B2
An accelerometer or a seismometer using an in-plane suspension geometry having a suspension plate and at least one fixed capacitive plate. The suspension plate is formed from a single piece and includes an external frame, a pair of flexural elements, and an integrated proof mass between the flexures. The flexural elements allow the proof mass to move in the sensitive direction in the plane of suspension while restricting movement in all off-axis directions. Off-axis motion of the proof mass is minimized by the use of intermediate frames disbursed within and between the flexural elements. Intermediate frames can include motion stops to prevent further relative motion during overload conditions. The device can also include a dampening structure, such as a spring or gas structure that includes a trapezoidal piston and corresponding cylinder, to provide damping during non-powered states. The capacitive plate is made of insulating material. A new method of soldering the capacitive plate to the suspension plate is also disclosed.
US07870780B2
A method for identifying low-pressure tires includes determining the number of revolutions of each wheel over a preselected driving distance, and comparing crosswise by summing the number of revolutions of the diagonally opposite front right/rear left and front left/rear right wheels and taking the difference between the sums, a diagonal containing a low-pressure tire being identifiable via the sign of the difference between the diagonals. A further comparison for each side of the vehicle is effected by summing the revolutions of the front left/rear left side and front right/rear right side wheels and comparing the difference between the sums, the side containing a low-pressure tire being identifiable via the sign of the difference between the sides. The difference between diagonals is compared with a low-pressure threshold value. If the threshold is exceeded, the signs of the difference between diagonals and between sides are logically combined to identify the low-pressure tire.
US07870779B2
A sensor for use with a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust system includes a collection device configured to be positioned downstream of the diesel particulate filter such that particulate matter not captured by the diesel particulate filter accumulates on the collection device. The collection device is configured to visually indicate a rate of particulate matter accumulation on the collection device. The rate of particulate matter accumulation corresponds to filter performance.
US07870773B2
The present invention is a wiper die assembly that combines the performance of a solid-body wiper die with the economy of a inserted wiper die for high-pressure rotary-draw tube-bending. The key features of the present invention are: [1] A wiper insert attached to the wiper holder by a mechanical means that retains the bore of the insert as a smooth, uninterrupted working surface, and [2] radius face support shoe attached to the wiper holder that can be adjusted to support and stabilize the entire wiper assembly against the cavity of the bend die.
US07870769B2
A lock device comprises a housing (2) which includes an opening (4) and a core (10) which is rotatably disposed in the opening and which includes a key way (12) for reception of a key. A latching element (20) co-acts between the housing (2) and the core (10) and is movable between a release position in which the core is rotatable relative to the housing, and a latching position in which rotation of the core relative to the housing is blocked. An electronically controllable actuator (30) is disposed in the core and is rotatable between an opening-registering-position in which the latching element is movable to the release position, and a latching position in which movement of the latching element to said release position is blocked. A spring (46) abuts an abutment portion (30c) of the actuator. Since the spring is provided with two mutually parallel leg portions (46d, 46e), which abut radially opposite surfaces of the abutment portion of the actuator, several advantages are obtained. Firstly, the damping spring is easily assembled without any fixation in the core. Furthermore, the balancing ensures that a predetermined force is exerted on the neck portion, which increases the accuracy and thereby the performance.
US07870764B2
A lock body includes a lock mechanism adapted to fix and maintain an inserted securement member, such as a cable or shackle, in position within the lock body. The lock mechanism may be coupled to a combination lock adapted to release the securement member upon entry of a proper combination.
US07870762B2
The present invention relates to a drum washing machine capable of re-circulating wash water to clean laundry with a relatively less amount of water. The drum washing machine includes a body, a drum rotatable in the body, wherein the drum comprises an opening formed in a predetermined portion of a circumference thereof and a hole formed in one side of the drum, a motor assembly mounted adjacent to the other side of the drum, wherein the other side of the drum is opposite to the hole, and an injection unit adjacent to the hole, wherein at least one of wash water or steam is injected into the drum through the hole.
US07870755B2
An ice maker equipped with a convection fan includes a control box, an ice making tray, a water intake unit and an ice sweeping shaft. The control box holds at least one convection fan and has at least one air inlet and one air outlet to allow the convection fan to generate cooling air convection to accelerate cooling speed and improve ice making efficiency.
US07870753B2
An appliance comprises a cabinet, a door movably mounted to the cabinet and having a peripheral edge, and a standardized service interface located on the peripheral edge. The standardized service interface is configured to supply at least one service for use by a consumer electronic device. The peripheral edge can be the top edge of the door and the standardized service interface can receive the service from the use environment of the appliance. A connector can be incorporated into the standardized service interface to selectively supply the consumer electronic device with the service. The appliance can comprise a refrigerator. The service can comprise mechanical, power, or data communication.
US07870750B2
A system for controlling multiple air conditioners. The system includes a demand control unit configured to divide the multiple air conditioners into groups, to assign a priority level to each group, to calculate an estimated power amount used by the multiple air conditioners based on an amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during a predetermined time period, and to forcibly control an operation of one or more air conditioners included in a respective group based on the priority level assigned to the respective group.
US07870733B2
It is an object to provide a fluid machine, which is simple in structure and in which lubricating oil containing smaller amount of the working fluid is supplied to sliding portions of an expansion device. The fluid machine has the expansion device for generating a driving force by expansion of the working fluid, which contains the lubricating oil and is heated to a gas phase condition. The fluid machine further has an electric power generating device driven by the driving force of the expansion device and generating electric power. An oil pooling portion is formed in a fluid passage, through which the working fluid discharged from the expansion device flows, such that the lubricating oil contained in the working fluid is brought into contact with at least one of sliding portions of the expansion device and the electric power generating device. And a heating unit is provided to heat the working fluid in the oil pooling portion.
US07870732B2
A submarine cold water pipe water intake system of an ocean thermal energy conversion power plant is installed at a cold water inlet of a power boat, and the cold water pipe includes: a water intake head; a water intake pipe formed by connecting composite pipes in a series, and each composite pipe is formed by arranging a plurality of wavy inner pipes sequentially into a tubular shape; a connecting pipe formed by engaging an outer pipe and an inner pipe, and an inner pipe of the connecting pipe being connected to the cold water inlet of the power boat, and an end of the outer pipe of the connecting pipe is connected to a connecting portion of the water intake pipe.
US07870713B2
A guard for a sickle of an agricultural plant cutting machine includes a forwardly extending finger including a longitudinally extending, upwardly facing surface extending over the sickle, which includes a rearwardly facing air discharge nozzle therein located above and/or forwardly of the sickle, and the finger includes an air flow passage extending internally therethrough from an air inlet adjacent to a base of the finger to the nozzle, for delivering a flow of pressurized air thereto, the nozzle being at least mostly flush with or recessed into the upwardly facing surface. As a result, the nozzle is operable for discharging the flow of air rearwardly over the finger without obstructing plant material flow thereover, the air flow being sufficient to blow at least a substantial amount of loose grain and other plant material located forwardly of the front edge of a header floor of the machine, onto the floor for collection by a conveyor of the header for processing.
US07870701B2
A radiation limiting opening for a structure includes a door with a gasket which seals against a door frame about the opening. Spaced apart channels in the door frame define a strike plate therebetween. A film made of a material galvanically compatible with the gasket to prevent corrosion is in intimate contact with the strike plate by a seal. This seal lodges an edge of the film in each channel to create a tortuous path for radiation.
US07870700B2
A pan tile for use in a roofing system, wherein a plurality of such pan tiles are disposed in confronting, supported relation on an underlying roof support and in underlying, at least partially supporting relation to plurality of overlapping, exteriorly exposed roof tiles, wherein the pan tiles may be structured individually or integrally in longitudinal arrays. The pan tile includes a planar base and two oppositely disposed planar side segments extending outwardly from opposite peripheries of said base at a common, preferred obtuse angle. Leading and trailing ends of pan tiles have a greater and lesser transverse dimension respectively, wherein the side segments or oriented in a converging configuration extending from the leading end to the trailing end of the pan tile. Solar energy systems may also be incorporated in the individual pan tiles and/or the longitudinal arrays thereof.
US07870691B2
Green roof systems are provided comprising a plurality of tile sheets. Each tile sheet in turn may comprise a plurality of tiles. The tiles are connected to one another by one or more bridges. The tile sheets may be disposed above a layer of growing medium. The tiles are spaced apart from one another so as to form a channel between each tile. The channels formed between the adjacent tiles are contiguous with neighboring channels and are arranged so as to form a circuitous pathway for water runoff. The channels so formed allow plant growth between each tile. Advantages of certain embodiments include improved strength, reduced weight, reduced costs, increased life spans, reduced maintenance, easier installation, improved building energy conservation, reduced urban island heat effect, improved sound insulation, improved water retention, improved environmental aspects, improved irrigation, and reduced erosion of the growing medium.
US07870682B2
An article of footwear includes an upper that is at least partially formed from a base layer and thread sections that lie adjacent a surface of the base layer. The thread sections are positioned to provide structural elements that, for example, restrain stretch in directions corresponding with longitudinal axes of the thread sections. In some configurations of the footwear, a first portion of the thread sections may extend between forefoot and heel regions of the footwear, and a second portion of the thread sections may extend vertically. An embroidering process may be utilized to position the thread sections on the base layer.
US07870681B2
An article of footwear includes an upper that is at least partially formed from a base layer and thread sections that lie adjacent a surface of the base layer. The thread sections are positioned to provide structural elements that, for example, restrain stretch in directions corresponding with longitudinal axes of the thread sections. In some configurations of the footwear, a first portion of the thread sections may extend between forefoot and heel regions of the footwear, and a second portion of the thread sections may extend vertically. An embroidering process may be utilized to position the thread sections on the base layer.
US07870679B2
A tape measure having a support structure and an elongate spike mountable on the support structure. The elongate spike is moveable relative to the support structure for mounting in any selected one of two or more positions relative to the support structure. The two positions can include a position can include a position for use and a storage position.
US07870678B2
Provided is a hybrid sensor module including first and second sensors that are attached on one surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) so as to detect two-axis signal components parallel to the PCB; a third sensor that is attached on one surface of the PCB such that the axial direction of the third sensor is tilted at a predetermined angle from a vertical direction of the PCB, the third sensor detecting a signal component sensed in the axial direction; and a signal correction unit that is connected to the first to third sensor and corrects signal components, detected from the respective sensors, into signal components of an orthogonal coordinate system.
US07870674B2
An end surface 1a of sintered bearing 1 is abutted on a die 10 so that the sintered bearing 1 is mounted thereon, and a tool 40 is abutted on the other end surface 1b of the sintered bearing 1. While the sintered bearing 1 is pressed by the tool 40, high frequency vibration in an axial direction is supplied from a horn 30 to the tool 40 by operating a vibrator 20 so as to give repeated impacts to both end surfaces 1a and 1b of the sintered bearing 1, and pores of the end surfaces 1a and 1b are thereby sealed. The die 10 and the tool 40 have surfaces abutting the sintered bearing 1, and the surfaces have roughness of 0.4 s or less and hardness of HRA 60 or more, and the tool presses the sintered bearing at a pressure of 70 to 700 kPa. The high frequency vibration supplied to the tool 40 has a power of 50 to 3000 W/cm2, and it has a frequency of 10 to 50 kHz.
US07870673B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a spherical bearing having an inside member with a metal ball portion and an outside member having a ball support portion enclosing and supporting the ball portion of the inside member and connected to the inside member swingably or rotatably relative to each other, including the steps of performing injection molding in which the ball portion of the inside member is inserted as a core in a mold to mold a resin liner covering the ball portion, molding the outside member covering the resin liner by a casting in which the ball portion and the resin liner are inserted as a core in the mold, and after the completion of the casting, heating the resin liner covering the ball portion through the ball portion of the inside member.
US07870660B2
A magnetic head includes: an encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a groove that opens in the top surface; a nonmagnetic metal layer made of a nonmagnetic metal material, disposed on the top surface of the encasing layer, and having a penetrating opening that is contiguous to the groove; and a pole layer made of a magnetic metal material and encased in the groove of the encasing layer and in the opening of the nonmagnetic metal layer. The pole layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface, the end face having a first portion and a second portion that is located farther from a substrate than the first portion and connected to the first portion. The first portion has a width that decreases as the distance from the substrate decreases. The second portion has a uniform width that defines the track width. In the medium facing surface, the nonmagnetic metal layer exists on both sides of the second portion, the sides being opposed to each other in the direction of track width.
US07870654B2
A primary technical goal of a mechanical seal device of the present invention is to decrease assembly cost thereof as well as machining cost thereof and to prevent wear of seal surfaces by preventing occurrence of squealing noises of the seal surfaces. The mechanical seal device comprises a first seal ring which is one of a pair of seal rings and disposes an engagement portion at the outer circumferential surface, a retainer ring which has a first support portion supporting an inner diameter surface of the first seal ring and a second support portion engaging the engagement portion and is fixed with either a seal housing or a shaft, and a gasket which joins the retainer ring and the first seal ring in a sealing manner, wherein an engagement clearance (C) formed in a rotational direction between the engagement portion and the second support portion is within 0.5 mm.
US07870648B2
A disk-shaped object of synthetic thermoplastic material has contact surfaces on opposite sides that possess a rough texture. In a method for production of the disk-shaped object, synthetic material is injected under pressure in a plasticized state into a cooled molding tool and removed therefrom after a cooling phase, the molding tool having correspondingly rough molding surfaces to form the rough contact surfaces of the object.
US07870647B2
A handle assembly includes a handle body including a handle body having at least one attachment portion proximate a respective end of the handle body, wherein the at least one attachment portion is configured to engage a door panel. At least one latch member is coupled to a respective one of the at least one attachment portion, and the at least one latch member is configured to attach the at least one attachment portion to the door panel. At least one protective member is coupled to a respective one of the at least one attachment portion. The at least one protective member facilitates reducing damage to the door panel during installation of the handle assembly to the door panel.
US07870627B2
An improved shoe stretching apparatus is configured to facilitate ready operation of the apparatus inside a shoe while minimizing the hand strength required to use the apparatus.
US07870624B1
An examination table for use in the medical field comprising integral adjustment mechanisms for raising, lowering, and tilting a head cushion portion, is herein disclosed. The adjustment mechanisms further comprise an internal hydraulic moving means. The height adjustment mechanism would allow the tabletop to vary in height from approximately eighteen (18) to thirty-six (36) inches. In this manner, the table would allow a patient to simply sit down and then be elevated to a suitable height for a doctor or other medical personnel to perform needed medical procedures. Such a feature is envisioned as being invaluable to those who are handicapped, elderly, or small in stature.
US07870622B2
A bed rail is disclosed for use with a bed. The bed rail includes a clamping device to clamp the bedrail to the bed. The bedrail is moveable between an upright position and a released position wherein the rail is moved downwardly toward a sidewall of the mattress to facilitate climbing upon and climbing off of the mattress.
US07870621B2
A temperature difference swimming pool comprises a plurality of spaced apart water curtain controlling devices arranged at a bottom of the pool, and a temperature regulating system. Each of the water curtain controlling devices includes two juxtaposed pipes, a series of intermittent holes is formed in a top surface of the pipes, the pipes each has a closed end, and another end of the pipes is connected to a pump. Water is suctioned by the pump into one pipe and is then spurted out of the other pipe, thus making the water circulate and forming a water curtain. Since the water curtain stops the convection of the water, and the temperature regulating system is used to heat the water in one end of the swimming pool while cooling the water in the other end, thus forming a cold water region and a warm water region in one swimming pool.
US07870618B2
A helmet having a helmet shell including cooperating first and second sections in slidable engagement with one another, at least one locking assembly inter-connecting the first and second sections, the locking assembly including a pivoting member pivotable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the pivoting member in the locked position pressing the shell sections against one another such as to prevent a relative sliding motion therebetween, the pivoting member in the unlocked position allowing the relative sliding motion, and at least one engagement member connected to the first shell section and removably engaging the pivoting member in the locked position to prevent accidental movement of the pivoting member toward the unlocked position.
