US07971463B2
An apparatus for forming a workpiece to a desired, non-planar configuration are provided. At least one friction stir forming tool, having a shoulder and a pin, is used to urge the workpiece to the desired configuration and friction stir form the workpiece. The forming tool can urge the workpiece against a contour surface of a die or a shoulder that is opposite the structural member from the tool. Thus, the forming tool plasticizes a portion of the workpiece and urges the workpiece to the desired configuration. In addition, the material properties of the workpiece can be improved by the friction stir processing.
US07971461B2
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a metal strip (1), in which the metal strip (1) is guided over a number of rolls (2, 3, 4, 5) under such a strip stress (S), and is moved in a conveying direction (F), that it is largely flat at least between two rolls (2, 3). In order for it to be possible to inspect the strip in a simple and space-saving way, the invention provides for the inner tensile stresses which act in the metal strip (1) which is largely flat under tensile stress between the at least two rolls (2, 3), to be made optically visible and for the tensile stresses or tensile stress differences which are determined in this way to be utilized during the manufacture of the metal strip (1). Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a metal strip.
US07971460B2
A method of mounting a lock to a pick-up truck tailgate latching mechanism including the steps of locating targets for holes to be formed in a plastic bezel, the bezel carrying a handle for the tailgate, forming the holes in the plastic bezel, and securing the locking mechanism to the bezel via the formed holes.
US07971459B2
A door lock and alarm in the form of a case which is attached to the exterior door handle by a clamping mechanism that stops movement of the case with respect to the door in all degrees of freedom, but allows the handle to turn inside the case. The case is provided with a lockable cover so as to permit an authorized user to open the cover and operate the door handle. An alarm device can be provided within the case to indicate tampering with the door lock.
US07971452B2
A triangular shaped diamond adapted to display a hearts and arrows pattern when exposed to light comparable to the hearts and arrows pattern in a round diamond, comprising: six main crown facets, twelve crown half facets, a table facet, six main pavilion facets and a plurality of girdle facets separating the crown facets from the pavilion facets with each main crown facet having a symmetrically positioned opposite crown facet of substantially equal size surrounding the table facet and having at least one edge in parallel alignment with a corresponding edge in the main crown facet opposite thereto.
US07971448B2
An air conditioner includes a heat-exchanger positioned in an outdoor unit and configured to conduct heat-exchange between air provided from outside of the outdoor unit and a refrigerant. The air conditioner also includes a fan configured to generate a flow of the air that is from the heat-exchanger to an outlet of the outdoor unit. The air conditioner further includes a driving unit configured to provide a driving force to the fan. In addition, the air conditioner includes a first member positioned in the flow of the air generated by the fan and a second member configured to guide a flow of the air to reduce collision between the air and the first member when the fan is operated.
US07971441B2
An integrated receiver/dryer-accumulator-internal heat exchanger for use in a vehicle HVAC system and a method of operation. The integrated receiver/dryer-accumulator-internal heat exchanger may include an accumulator portion having an accumulator inlet configured to be in fluid communication with an evaporator, and an accumulator outlet configured to be in fluid communication with a compressor; and a receiver/dryer portion mounted within the accumulator portion and having receiver/dryer inlet configured to be in fluid communication with a first portion of a condenser and a receiver/dryer outlet configured to be in fluid communication with a sub-cooler portion of the condenser. The integrated receiver/dryer-accumulator-internal heat exchanger allows for exchanging heat between the refrigerant in the accumulator portion and refrigerant in the receiver/dryer portion.
US07971431B2
An exhaust gas system for an internal combustion engine, in particular a motor vehicle engine, is provided having, in one form, two cylinder banks arranged at an acute angle to one anther and each having at least one exhaust gas outlet, a so-called V-engine, having exhaust gas guide elements arranged in the region of the inner angle, including a housing surrounding the exhaust gas outlets of both cylinder banks in a gas tight manner and having at least one exhaust gas outlet opening is characterized in that the housing is made in two parts, with a first part which is connected to the one cylinder bank and surrounds its exhaust gas outlets and with a second part which is connected to the other cylinder bank and surrounds its exhaust gas outlets; in that the two parts each have a side facing the other part and having at least one housing opening via which the two parts communicate with one another; and in that an expansion compensation element is arranged between the two parts and surrounds the housing opening of the two parts in a gas tight manner.
US07971427B2
An exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided. The apparatus includes a first group of cylinders; a second group of cylinders; an exhaust passage having a first branch passage connected to the first group of cylinders and a second branch passage connected to the second group of cylinders; a communication passage which connects the first branch passage and the second branch passage with each other; an exhaust gas purifying device provided in the exhaust passage and located downstream from a position connected to the communication passage; and an exhaust flow control device for controlling flow of exhaust gas such that exhaust gas emitted from one of the first group of cylinders and the second group of cylinders is introduced into the branch passage connected to the other group of cylinders through the communication passage when a predetermined exhaust flow switching condition is established, wherein a flow-passage cross section of the communication passage is smaller than those of the first branch passage and the second branch passage, and the communication passage is provided with a fuel addition valve for adding fuel to exhaust gas from upstream of the exhaust gas purifying device.
US07971425B2
The concentration of the urea of a urea solution is identified accurately and immediately. A pulse voltage is applied for a predetermined time to a urea concentration identifying sensor heater including a heater and an identifying liquid temperature sensor provided in the vicinity of the heater, a urea solution to be identified is heated by the heater, and the concentration of the urea is identified with a voltage output difference V0 corresponding to a temperature difference between an initial temperature and a peak temperature in the identifying liquid temperature sensor.
US07971424B2
A high-efficiency heat cycle system including a compressor, a first turbine, first and second heat exchangers 7 and 8, a first pump, and an expander, and a composite heat cycle power generator using the high-efficiency heat cycle system. Working gas Fg compressed in the compressor (C) drives a first turbine (S) and is thereafter cooled by passing through a heat dissipating side of a first heat exchanger (7) and then raised in pressure by a first pump (P) to form high-pressure working liquid Fe, the high-pressure working liquid is expanded and evaporated in an expander (K) to form working gas Fg, said working gas Fg is heated by passing through a heat receiving side 82 of the second heat exchanger before being introduced into the compressor C. A heat dissipating side 81 of the second heat exchanger comprises a heat dissipating portion of a refrigerating machine or a heat dissipating portion for waste heat from a heating machine.
US07971419B2
A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a flexible draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly to permit the draper assembly to flex with the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes fore-and-aft extending rollers, fore-and-aft extending arms disposed between the rollers, and an endless flexible belt entrained around the rollers, with the arms being disposed within the belt. The draper assembly further includes support panels on the arms to support the belt.
US07971418B2
A header for an agricultural harvester has left side and right side endless belt conveyors and a central conveyor for carrying crop to a central aperture in the header and an extendible and retractable cutter bar assembly disposed immediately in front of the leading edges of the conveyors that can be extended and retracted in the direction of travel through an agricultural field.
US07971416B2
A mounting assembly to mount the base of a hydraulic motor on a mower deck includes a cast iron mounting plate having stiffening structures around the perimeter and spanning the perimeter, and rubber isolators between the mounting plate and the mower deck.
US07971409B2
A beam shoe for attaching a (first) beam end-on to a load-bearing construction, especially to a second beam disposed in the same plane as the beam to be attached and running at right angles thereto, the beam shoe comprising an originally flat, one-piece, strip-like sheet-metal portion or blank, which is shaped to an upwardly open channel-shaped retaining member having a web-like rectangular bottom for bracing the beam to be attached on the beam shoe as well as two web-like, parallel retaining legs, the retaining member embracing, in assembled condition, an end portion of the beam to be attached at the underside and side faces thereof, the legs, which are bent over upwardly from the bottom at right angles and disposed along two opposite borders of the bottom, being provided with through holes for rod-like fasteners such as nails in particular in order to join the beam shoe to the beam to be attached, the inside spacing of the legs therefore being (at least) as large as (and if necessary somewhat larger than) the width of the beam to be attached, wherein a fastening flange provided with through holes for rod-like fasteners such as nails and/or screws is bent over at right angles along that longitudinal border of each retaining leg which faces the load-bearing construction (or if necessary the second beam), the fastening flange being designed to be placed with its outside face remote from the channel-shaped retaining member of the beam shoe on the load-bearing construction/the second beam and to be fastened thereto with rod-like fasteners such as nails and/or screws, and wherein the web-like bottom is reinforced by a (bottom) reinforcing flange or the like in order to increase its section modulus against sagging under relatively large load.
US07971400B2
Door frames, frame kits, component parts, jamb coverings, and depth extenders, all constructed with fiber reinforced pultruded structures, for entrance doors to buildings, both garage entrance doors and personnel entry doors. Some embodiments have a closed back wall. Others have an open cavity at the back wall to receive a reinforcing substrate. Some embodiments include a pultruded nosing block. Some embodiments comprise a pultruded depth extender, mountable on a jamb base to extend the depth of a door jamb. A mounting finger and a locking stud on the depth extender are mountable in cavities in the jamb base. A depth extender can be used to extend the depth of either a garage door frame or a personnel entry door frame. In an in-swing door frame, a door latch-side abutment surface is located on the side wall of the jamb base.
US07971392B2
An opening and closing device includes a roller unit (10) which movably contacts a rail (203b) of a support frame (203), a pane frame support unit (20) which is provided in a pane frame (205) and moves away from and approaches the roller unit, a handle (5), which is rotatably provided on a leading end of the pane frame wherein rotation of the handle moves the roller unit relative to the pane frame support unit which causes the pane frame support unit and the pane frame to move vertically relative to the roller unit.
US07971389B2
The invention relates to a process for increasing the amount of enzymes in a grain by germinating the grain in conditions in which the grain is wounded. The invention also relates to hydrolases obtainable from grains for use in food processing and manufacturing industries, to the germination of grains such as barley and to isolation of enzymes from grains.
US07971385B2
An under ice crawler lowerable into a body of water through a hole in a layer of ice overtop is operable to extend a flexible line within the body of water between two points spaced along the ice. The crawler features a floating body having sliding surfaces defined at an upper limit thereof, a motor carried on the floating body to selectively drive a propeller, a connector carried on the floating body to facilitate the connection of the line thereto and a starting device carried on the floating body and actuable from thereabove. A termination device is carried on the floating body at a position distinct from that of the starting device to provide easy access. The starter device is actuable by lowering a starting-signal generator through the hole in the ice into proximity with a starting-signal sensor carried on the float body without requiring physical contact with the receiver.
US07971384B2
A system for interchangeably mounting sighting devices on a plurality of firearms which includes one or more ring assemblies and one or more mounting assemblies. A sighting device is coupled to a mounting assembly using a ring assembly forming a mounting system. The system can then be mounted to one or more firearms using a single connector via two receptacles in the surface of the firearm. An entirely different sighting device and associated mounting system can be exchanged with the existing sighting device by removing the existing mounting system and replacing it with the new sighting device and mounting system. Each sighting device and mounting system are configured to have identical mounting assemblies that interface into standard receptacles in the firearm. In a similar manner a single sighting device and associated mounting system can be mounted on several firearms that each possess the two mounting receptacles.
US07971363B2
A head portion of a holder incorporates a pair of support arms, which oscillatably support a razor head, and a pusher, which is pressed against the razor head. The razor head includes a blade body with a cutting edge. The razor head is supported by the support arms at both ends in the extending direction of the cutting edge of the blade body. The razor head includes a pair of supported portions and a pair of contact portions. The support arms include first outer arm portions, which support the supported portions such that the razor head is rotatable in an oscillating direction. The pusher includes a pair of second outer arm portions formed on both ends in the extending direction of the cutting edge of the blade body. The second outer arm portions are pressed against the contact portions. At least part of each second outer arm portion is arranged in a region extending through the associated first outer arm portions in a direction perpendicular to a plane containing a contact direction of the pusher.
US07971360B2
A power driven portable sheet metal cutter includes a head with two blades that mounts to a hand-held electric or pneumatic rotating power unit. The fixed blade has a primary shearing surface that has a convex or radiused cutting edge, a convex or radiused bevel, and a convex or radiused body feature. There is also a clearance radius and a nose radius so that the cutter can cut a wide variety of shapes and configurations of corrugated building panels. A head with a right hand set of blades predominately cuts curves to the right, and a head with a left hand set predominately cuts curves to the left.
US07971355B2
A method for attaching a ring element to a piston for an internal combustion engine, in which the ring element is screwed onto the piston body by a thread applied to the radially outer surface of a part of the piston crown, a circumferential groove that is open towards the top is formed into the piston crown in the region of the thread, the groove is filled with solder material, the piston is heated until the solder material liquefies and flows between the thread channels of the thread and subsequently, the piston is cooled. As a result, a secure screw connection between the basic piston body and the ring element is obtained. Furthermore, the cooling channel is sealed with regard to the combustion gases, which stand under high pressure and act on the piston crown.
US07971334B2
A bladed disk assembly device having a horizontal adjustable arm and a vertical pivot bar that is perpendicularly attached to a first end of the horizontal arm. A roller assembly is attached to a second end of the horizontal arm. A rotary table holds a disk that is circumvented by a blade positioning belt around an outer diameter of the turbine disk. A saddle is attached to the vertical pivot bar that is positioned beneath the disk.
US07971328B2
A sealing arrangement (41) sealing the inside (15) of the tool disk (3) in relation to the outer side on the respective tool station is provided on each drive part (25) in a tool revolver. The tool driver a base body (1) applied or to be applied to the tool machine and defining a revolver axis (7) about which a tool disk (3) is rotationally mounted on the base body (1). The tool disk has a plurality of tool stations (17) distributed on its periphery and adjustable by rotating to tool disk (3) in respectively at least one working position. A tool drive (19) located in the inside of the tool disk (3) and applied to the base body (1) is coupled to the drive-sided coupling part (23). The coupling part includes a tool-sided coupling part for the drive of a tool located on the tool station (17) oriented towards the work station. A drive part (25) forming the tool-sided coupling part, is rotationally mounted in each tool station (17), with the tool receiving element (53) of the respective tool, being operable on the tool station, can be applied to the drive connection.
US07971326B2
The invention concerns a method of setting a plurality of stones each having a culasse, a crown and a girdle in a metal support element. The method includes the steps of milling a groove on a first face of the support element; piercing from a second face of the support element, opposite to said first face, a plurality of holes each having a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the girdle of the stone that it will receive, such that each hole opens into said groove and the bottom of each hole forms a support wall for the crown of the stone, forming grains in the second face of the support element in proximity to the support walls, setting the stones in place in the holes such that the crown of each stone abuts against the support wall of the hole thereof, and pushing the grains against the culasse of each stone in order to fix the stones in said support element.
US07971313B2
A wiper arm assembly and method of construction thereof includes a mounting head and a wiper arm configured for relative rotation during assembly from a disassembled position to a shipping position, wherein the wiper arm and mounting head are locked against rotation toward the disassembled position once in the shipping position. The mounting head and wiper arm have locking surfaces configured for locked engagement with one another while in the shipping position. The locking surfaces are brought into engagement with one another by a force imparted by a spring while rotating the mounting head relative to the wiper arm from the disassembled position toward the shipping position. When in the shipping position, the locking surfaces confront each other and prevent the mounting head and the wiper arm from rotating back toward the disassembled position from the shipping position.
US07971311B2
A travel kit for assisting a user to scratch, wash, and apply lotions to hard to reach areas of the body includes a hollow shaft provided with telescopically interfitted rectilinear first, second, and third sections respectively. The kit includes a rectilinear connector, and a plurality of attachments is connected directly to the connector and the distal tip of the third section. The travel kit further includes a mechanism for locking the hollow shaft between compressed and extended positions, a plurality of depressions, an arcuately shaped knob formed in the outer surface of the second and the third sections respectively, a plurality of cylindrical brackets directly attached to the outer surface of the first and second sections respectively, and a tab suitably shaped and sized to reside within an associated one of the outer depressions.
US07971310B2
An implement mounted on a shaft has a device that either collects or has on it during or after use unwanted matter. The implement has a portion that is easily removable from the shaft and has a section creating at least a partial interference fit with the device to remove the unwanted matter therefrom.
US07971304B2
An optical fiber connector cleaner (1) comprises a housing (10), a winding means (32) and a delivery means (34) for a cleaning tape (T) which are disposed in the housing, a cleaning means (20) having a bar-like cleaning section (21) projecting outwardly of the housing, on the front-end of the cleaning section the cleaning tape delivered from the delivery means being movably mounted under tension in an exposed state, the front-end of the cleaning section being brought into contact with the end surface of an optical fiber connector to thereby clean the end surface, a cleaning section rotating means (23) coaxially connected to the cleaning section in the housing and rotatably supported with respect to the housing; and a transmission means (40) which rotates the winding means and the cleaning section rotating means substantially simultaneously in a predetermined direction through a predetermined angle and then reverses the cleaning section rotating means to its original position.
US07971299B2
A mattress has at least one cavity that is covered by a flap formed by the top quilt or covering of the mattress. The cavity is formed by eliminating one or more foam layers corresponding to the size, shape and depth of the desired cavity. In a preferred embodiment, two or more cavities are provided, each at a corner of the mattress. The top quilt, forming the flap, is secured with the use of releasable fasteners, such as hook and loop fasteners, to completely conceal the pocket when closed. The releasable fasteners allow the flap to be conveniently opened and closed so that jewelry, currency or other valuables and items can be placed within or removed from the one or more hidden cavities. The manner of creating the hidden cavity allows for ease in manufacturing without additional cost, labor or materials other than the releasable fasteners.
US07971298B2
What is shown is an upholstery element for a bed of an operating table, with a baseplate, two elongate side parts comprising dimensionally stable foam, which are arranged along two mutually opposite edges of the baseplate, and an upholstery part which consists at least partially of soft foam and fits between the elongate side parts such that it bears at least with its outsides at least partially against the respectively adjacent side part, at least one projecting portion being formed and arranged at least on one side part such that the said portion engages into an associated recess on the outside of the upholstery part when the upholstery part is arranged between the side parts.
US07971285B2
A toilet seat which comprises of a recess (1) located at its posterior end with a supporting means (2) situated within it, such that the tip (3) of the supporting means (2) provides the much needed support to the anoccocygeal part of the pelvic floor of the human body.
US07971283B2
A non-woven, flame resistant fabric and a disposable coverall made from the fabric. The non-woven, flame resistant fabric is made of a plurality of NOMEX® synthetic fibers, a plurality of KEVLAR® synthetic fibers, and a plurality of electrostatic dissipative fibers. The coverall has an upper section for covering the shoulder, chest, back and abdominal regions of a wearer. The upper section has long sleeves to cover the arms of the wearer and a collar to cover the neck region of wearer. The coverall also has a waist section contiguous with the upper section for covering the waist region of a wearer, and a pair of leg sections for covering the legs of the wearer. Each leg section has an upper portion contiguous with the waist section. The coverall also has a seat section contiguous with the waist section and the upper portions of the leg sections. The coverall has a two-way zipper extending from the collar section to the waist section.
US07971280B2
The present invention provides a comfortable sock free from tightness in a sole portion. The sock is constructed so that a bottom extension portion 13, in which the number of courses on the side of a sole portion 8 is larger than that on the side of an instep portion 9, is formed between a toe portion 5 and a heel portion 3, and length in the longitudinal direction of the sole portion 8 is larger than that of the instep portion 9.
US07971277B2
A detachable magnetic holder having a top side to gather implements and a bottom side that is interchangeable therewith top side for removable attachment from a base by a handle incorporated into a utility shape to gather, find, and hold ferromagnetic implements used by hobbyists and professional craftsmen engaged in fabrication of finished goods.
US07971272B2
An adjustable garment includes an article of clothing and a plurality of unique adjustment features. The unique adjustment features includes a plurality of spaced apart pocket members and elastic band members disposed along sleeves, inseams and interior front and back portions of a shirt body portion, pants inseams, interior front and back pants leg portions, waist section of pants, interior portions of foot or bootie portions and associated extended body portions on one-piece garments. The spaced apart pocket members include a lower closed end and an upper open end with a fastener adjacent thereto. The elastic band having a first end cooperating with the lower closed end and a second end extending partially out of the open end with a plurality of fastener holes thereon. Adjustment of the garment is achieved by pulling the second end to connect a desired fastener hole with the pocket member fastener.
US07971270B2
A protective garment for nuclear environments is formed of a tri-laminate 30/30/30 water resistant barrier fabric. The garment can be incinerated so as to provide a disposable, one time use coverall particularly adapted for use in nuclear/radioactive environments. The coverall provides integrated elements for water resistant (i.e., splashproof), breathable, comfortable contamination protection. It is adapted for use with various types of breathing apparatuses, included external air lines, back-mounted self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA), and emergency breathing bottles or apparatuses. Air tanks and bottles are covered by the garment and thus do not need to be decontaminated. The garment also includes elements for use with air sampling devices and/or dosimetry equipment that are often worn by such workers.